Mao's Kitchen Venice

What a fantastic dining experience! Mao is easily one of the best Chinese restaurants we've visited in Venice Beach. Every dish was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of authentic flavor. The soup was absolutely outstanding—rich, comforting, and perfectly seasoned. The noodles were cooked to perfection with an amazing texture, and the sauces truly stole the show. Every sauce was unique, flavorful, and elevated each dish to another level. The staff was warm, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcome from start to finish. The restaurant was clean, the atmosphere was relaxing, and the service was fast. We will definitely be coming back. Highly recommended—an easy five stars!

It was a busy night and looked like they were understaffed, but for a first timer it was the best timer! The selections were all amazing. The fried rice with the egg on top was delectable; even the ginger ale was fresh and delicious. Looking forward to return for some more! The waitress was extremely friendly and welcoming so expect good vibes, akin to the Venice Beach spirit :)

I was really drawn in by the restaurant’s decor — the vintage-style paintings on the walls made me suspect it’s run by Chinese owners. Every table is served complimentary snacks that brought back memories of home. The portions are very generous and the value is great. The only downside is that the flavors are clearly adapted and quite different from authentic Chinese cuisine. For example, the cumin lamb we ordered had pears stir-fried in it, creating a mix of sweet, spicy, and salty that was hard to enjoy. But considering it’s a foreign country, the taste is acceptable. The owner was very friendly and the service was quick. If you’re truly looking for authentic Chinese food, just be aware it’s been adjusted for local tastes.

I've been craving delicious Chinese food and Mao's satisfied in a big way! The sweet and sour chicken was incredible with tender meat and fresh pineapple. Absolutely loved the vegetarian lo mein and hot and sour soup too. Can't wait to order from here again!

A restaurant definitely worth recommending. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the open, warm, and friendly atmosphere – the staff are welcoming, helpful, and make you feel comfortable right away. As for the food – it truly stands out. The dishes are delicious, fresh, and clearly prepared with great attention to the quality of ingredients. A big plus for the wide variety on the menu – there’s something for everyone, regardless of preferences. It’s a place you’ll want to come back to – both for the atmosphere and the food. Highly recommended.

Keep in mind through this review that I work in the food service industry. So I went in to this spot a couple days ago and decided I was going to dine in. There was maybe 2-3 other small tables sat. I sat at my table for 10+ minutes and no one even gave me a water or asked what i wanted to order. Both the host and the male waiter saw me waiting there and completely ignored me even when it was clearly a slow night and it was obvious I was ready to order (My menu was closed and hanging off the end of the table). It honestly felt like they were intentionally ignoring me. So I got up and told the host that I actually just want to order food to go. The host got flustered and said something along the lines of "are you sure, I can bring you some water". She should have done that instead of talking with her friend at the host stand the whole time I was sat. Finally, I order chicken fried rice which is something like 15 dollars, which is no big deal so long as they pack it with enough chicken. Not only did my rice have like three tiny pieces of chicken in it, but it also took f25 minutes to cook it. 25 minutes to make a fried rice is insanity. I could see back into the kitchen. The cooks were moving slowly ands clearly did not care about what they were doing. The fried rice tasted about the same as any other fried rice I've had but it was double the price with a quarter of the meat. Its a shame because I live one block from this location and had they made a good impression on me I would have become a regular customer but because of how I was treated and the fact that my food was a rip off, I will not be supporting this business or recommending it to anyone. You're better off just getting shitty takeout Chinese food at half the price. Maybe next time treat guests like they're valuable and not like an annoyance and hire some cooks that know how to make fried rice in less than 25 minutes.

Ohh, the food was excellent. It is one of the best spots prize compare to the quality! Especially in the overpriced area, like Venice. Portions are huge and the place is really cheap. We ordered Fried Rice with beef and shrimp.

Went there last night and was drawn in by the retro vintage style and the pictures in the wall.once we sat down the waiter was so polite and our food came out very quick. The food was AMAZING. Everything was so flavoursome and at the end of the meal I was thinking of going to thank the chef. It was that good. Big portions though and this meant we got to have some for breakfast. Even better. Would definitely come back.