Happy Buddha

My family has been coming here to celebrate anything and everything. Its a great place that has large tables and the most wonderful sservers. The food is delicious.
To hard to recommend one thing. We all eat something different. FYI the lunch specials don’t end until 4 pm!

Been coming here for YEARs!!! Love the Jalepeño Pork — Egg Rolls — and the Won Ton Soup!!! Sweet and Sour chicken is Off the Chain as well!!!

Last time I will get food from this place. Chicken wings were so salty they were inedible. Mandarin chicken was drowned in what looked and tasted like brown gravy mix. Very bland. Galveston needs a better chinese restaurant.

I like Happy Buddah. We’ve been here on many occasions throughout the past 8-​ish years. As far as Chinese food on the island goes, this is the best to be found. BUT, they are very inconsistent. They can be great one day and completely sub-​par the next.
I also hate he fact that they fold wonton wrappers in half to make rangoons…:/

Terrible customer service. Watched the owner be little some poor young girl just to look macho in front of customers. I live on the island but because of the way he treated a customer for complaining about his food I will never go there again. Too make himself look better he tried to tell all the customers that she complained before and she just wants free food. Like that $ 18.00 meals is actually worth two phone calls letting him know she found hair and aluminum foil in the food and making a trip back to the restaurant. She actually called and spoke to two of his people in the restaurant and no one said to bring the food back to get a refund (the manager refused to get on the phone). All they said was come on by and we will make it right. Worst customer service I’ve ever seen. Never get my money again.

Terrible food! We decided to try this place one day and were slightly encouraged by the interior. Waiter came and took our drink order and when I asked what kind of wine they had he said red, white or pink. LOL, okay, and asked him what kind of white’s i.e. chardonnay, Pinot, Sauvignon and he said «I don’t really care», which caused my friend, who is a trained chef, to about come unglued. When my friend’s soup came out she couldn’t eat it and said it tasted like it was a few weeks old with water merely being added to it. The General Tso’s chicken was like nothing I’d ever had. It had a vaguely bbq sauce flavor, nothing like what it’s supposed to resemble or taste like and the egg rolls were frozen La Choy thrown in the microwave. It was so bad we didn’t even eat it and told the manager we would not pay for it, just our drinks. My friend asked the manager if she would give this food to her family and she said «no». I’m terrified to try any other Chinese here. Guess I’ll stick with our two Phở restaurants which are good but not quite Chinese.
I really, really wish Galveston would get a decent, fairly upscale Chinese with a wine selection but it looks like it won’t be any time soon.

Go here every time I visit my bf in Galveston! The lunch specials are awesome less than 10 $ with soup and an egg roll!

The best Chinese on the island all the dishes were very good and the place was very clean. Would definitely recommend it to anyone that is craving good Chinese.

What you need to know: Service was prompt and fast. However, the quality of food and pricing was mind-​boggingly terrible. Panda Express is still cheaper AND tastes better than the «food» at this place.
Details: Moved to Galveston for school, so my classmates and I decided to give this place a try for the 1^st time. I got the Mongolian chicken which came w/​vegetables and lo mein (extra charge of $ 1.50 for substitution which we were not informed of either by the menu or the waiter). Chicken was bland in flavor and dredged in so much sauce that it almost resembled a soup. The lo mein was plain and was soggy in texture. The «side dish» that the combo plate came w/​was just deep fried frozen chicken w/​lackluster sweet n sour sauce. The saddest part was that the egg roll was actually the best part of the meal (which tasted pre-​made like the rest of the meal). The food lacked seasoning, especially savory flavors and spices, which are mandatory characteristics of Chinese stir-​fried food.
Final thoughts: The restaurant should change its name from «Happy Buddha» to «Weeping Buddha» because that’s how I felt afterwards. I don’t mind paying a little more for food as long as it’s worth it. However, this was the worst $ 14 that I’ve ever spent. This is the 1^st and last time that I will be here. Peace.

I love this place. I used to live in Galveston and went often in the 80’s. I recently returned for a visit and the food is still top notch. I always get the sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, wonton soup and eggroll. The atmosphere is nice and the servers always friendly. Food is fresh and plentiful. This is the best Chinese in Galveston still. It was like seeing a long lost friend again returning here for the first time in 27 years.

Good Chinese food. Excellent lunch specials which include entrée, fried rice, egg roll and iced tea for $ 7.99. Pretty quick service, and the wait staff are very friendly and fast. Always packed at lunch time but you don’t have to wait a long time. I would recommend.

Best egg rolls and fried rice ever. I crave it and even though I’m asian and I know this is an Americanized version, it really is delicious.

Awesome everything. I had the general tso, which is different everywhere I go but good none the less. I also had cashew chicken and fried rice all to go. It was so good I came in to eat the next day and had jalapeño chicken that was slap yo mamma good

The food was so bad.. old food taste. … all plates taste sweet from msg and greasy.. bad over all

This place used to be my favorite Chinese place in Galveston. Staff has always been great and willing to make off the menu dishes with no extra charges. Last few times I have gone food has been cold and a bit funky.
Pros quick friendly service
Cons cold food that seems a bit off

The best chinese food on the island. I have been to all and this place is great. I have been going for more than 10 years. Sure its not completely the same but the food is still good.
I love getting the mandarin chicken and jalapeño pork.
The fried rice is decent but not amazing like it used to be. The egg rolls are still pretty good. And I actually love the tomato soup, it seems like a mix between canned veggies and fresh veggies.

Not sure why there are so many negative reviews about Happy Buddha. I guess you have to go in without an expectation so you can gauge the overall service here properly.
I’ve been eating here for a few years whenever I come to visit the island. Is it gourmet Chinese cuisine? No, but it’s a decent quality meal at a fair price with excellent service. Seriously, the wait staff here don’t ever keep you waiting for long and are very kind. Are there places with better food? Sure. But that’s not why I come to the Buddha.
Great service goes a long way. So do generous portions. I’ll be back for sure.

Good lunch specials during the week Mon-​Fri 11 – 4, Hot and Sour soup is delicious I always order the Sweet/​Sour chicken which is pretty good and once tried the pepper steak but the steak was pale looking passed on to someone who eats anything

Fast and friendly service. I had water within 5 minutes and food within 15. I was greeted when I left. Checked on by my waiter at least 3 times and greeted when I left.
Food is decent. It will not wow you, but it is very familiar. Almost like the Chinese food you grew up with. If words like Egg Foo Young, Broccoli Beef, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and Lo Mein are what you’re looking for, this place will satisfy your hunger.
The establishment is old but maintained.
If you’re a Unilocal Foodie, this is worth 3 stars. If you’re a local or in desperate need for a Hot and Sour fix. This is worth 5.

hardy [the owner] was bartending – which is always fun – he has a great personality and always willing to let you sample food if youre on the fence about something
i told hardy i had moved to the island in 2013… but, had frequented his place back in the late 70’s…because im from beaumont, texas…[and, the original location was in beaumont] — shh – when i was under-​aged – we’d eat here… and w/​our fake ID’s — we’d have some great cocktails. but, darn it if the place didnt burn down and never reopen
so, what a great surprise to find out… galveston is where he’s been this whole time… and, now i live here!
mandarin shrimp dish
jalapeño chicken wings
lo mein-​no meat…
mongolian beef
general tso’s chicken
mongolian chicken
ALL DELISH
the buddha STILL 35+ years later… has good food for cheap chinese
drinks:
exotic buddha, mai tai, mind eraser –not on menu now but used to be, long island ice tea
SAME as i remember… strong!
will be a regular
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