Chinatown near Disneyland?

[1Venus]

Is there a Chinatown in Anaheim or only in Los Angeles?

 

[Mugglemama]

The closest one I know of is in Los Angeles (There are others in San Francisco, and I believe - Oakland). Totally worth visiting if you get the chance, though....making a day trip out of Olvera Street(first street in Los Angeles - it's a walkthrough open market, Mexican food, vendors, etc.), Chinatown, Felipe's (awesome sandwich shop you may have seen on Food Network - my Dad took us there many, many times during my childhood), etc., is something I'm hoping to do again soon myself (my kids have never been). All these places, if I remember correctly, are within walking distance of each other. You may want to check them on Google Earth.

Good luck!

 

[skiingfast]

China Town and Little Tokyo for this matter are just north east of downtown LA. For reference Union Station is roughly between them. Olivera St. that the PP mentions is just a block from the front of the station.

Though I should caution that LA is not like SF in respect to the atmosphere of Chinatown. But you can still fin some good Dim Sum.

 

[kikiq]

Is there a Chinatown in Anaheim or only in Los Angeles?

Are you asking because you are looking for good Chinese food or you are looking for the atmosphere? If it's for food, what kind, Cantonese, Szchewan(sp), or the dim sum experience?

 

[1Venus]

Mainly, I was looking for a good Cantonese-style restaurant. However, I thought I would also enjoy the Chinatown experience by visiting stores and perhaps picking up some unusual souveniers. If I don't manage to travel to LA's Chinatown, are there any recommended Chinese restaurants near Disney?

 

[skiingfast]

Well it's not a family operated type place. Somone will need to confirm, but I think there is a PF Changs in Garden Walk, which is a little outdoor mall, walking distance from DLR.

 

[spacemermaid]

Mainly, I was looking for a good Cantonese-style restaurant. However, I thought I would also enjoy the Chinatown experience by visiting stores and perhaps picking up some unusual souveniers. If I don't manage to travel to LA's Chinatown, are there any recommended Chinese restaurants near Disney?

It sounds to me what you're looking for may be an "old school" Chinese-American restaurant (ie: Cantonese food served in a kitschy Chinatown style environment)? If that's what you're looking for, I'd like to recommend a place my Nana took my mom when she was growing up, they both took me when I was growing up, and I still go to whenever I'm in town: it's called the Silver Dragon and it's in West Covina. Don't know if that'd be too far for you to drive, but it's one of the last restaurants of that type still operating in Southern California. The food is yummy, plentiful, and inexpensive; the dining room itsself seems more suited to Chinatown in San Francisco than next to a shopping center right off the freeway in West Covina. With the added bonus that you won't have to look for (or pay for) parking in L.A.'s Chinatown...I'm an L.A. native currently in AZ, and I wouldn't suggest to anyone who's not familiar with the area to drive there & deal with the parking situation...

 

[pixiewings71]

there IS a PF Chang's in the Garden Walk, but I think Spacemermaid's idea is closer to what the OP is looking for. altho PF's is very very very good.

 

[kikiq]

Mainly, I was looking for a good Cantonese-style restaurant. However, I thought I would also enjoy the Chinatown experience by visiting stores and perhaps picking up some unusual souveniers. If I don't manage to travel to LA's Chinatown, are there any recommended Chinese restaurants near Disney?

It's not in Anaheim, but within 20 minutes from DLR on Highway 5 going south. Sam Woo Seafood restaurant or Sam Woo BBQ in Irvine on Culver Drive. (trip could take longer if there is traffic)
http://www.samwooirvine.com/location.html

The restaurant serves seafood as well as the standard Chinese fare. Nice table service and many Asian families have family celebrations here. The BBQ restaurant takes only cash and serves family style Cantonese food (waiters may or may not speak English and are usually abrupt) BUT it is filled with Asian guests. We like it, we're Chinese It is in a strip mall that has an Asian bakery, gift shop and a Asian food market.

If you do go that way, check out So Cal's version of the WDW balloon ride and it doesn't cost $16. Part of the City of Irvine's vision of a great park, it's not far from the Chinese restaurant and could be a fun side trip.

http://www.ocgp.org/visit/balloon/

 

[Albort]

there IS a PF Chang's in the Garden Walk, but I think Spacemermaid's idea is closer to what the OP is looking for. altho PF's is very very very good.

PF Changs is too americanized.

If you want good authentic food, Rowland heights is your answer...

 

[skiingfast]

PF Changs is too americanized.

It can be argued that we have never eaten chinese food in America. That would be like going to Pisa in Italy and expecting pizza to look and tast like Pizza Hut.

I suggested PF Changs because it is close, popular and I don't know if it is on the east coast where the OP is from.


Also there is a Panda Express or something like that on the corner of Harbor and Katella. Though I wouldn't go there unless I needed a bad lunch.

 

[jlmarr]

We've never eaten at this place - Ten Ten Seafood Restaurant - but found a flyer amongst the local attractions flyers during a run by the DLH yesterday, so it might be decent and we intend to try it sometime. That center also has a 99 Ranch Market, which is a Chinese supermarket with some fairly exotic stuff. So if the OP was looking for "a Chinatown", this might be the next best thing.

 

[Sherwin]

While there is no Chinatown per se outside of LA, there are many Chinese communities in the area. The San Gabriel Valley (unfortunately no closer to DLR than LA) is brimming with Chinese businesses and restaurants. However, these are mostly suburban communities so you won't experience the more historic urban chinatown feel.