China Star Chinese Restaurant

1647 Babcock Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
+1 210-342-2288
$$$ Chinese restaurant
(1605 Reviews)
Price Range $1–10

China Star Chinese Restaurant on Babcock Road is a straightforward, no-frills spot known for delivering hearty Chinese comfort food at wallet-friendly prices. The restaurant caters primarily to those looking for a quick, filling meal without fuss — especially lunch and takeout crowds. It’s the kind of place locals swing by when hunger strikes and convenience matters, with plenty of food left over for the next day.

The dining area itself is modest and somewhat dim, with a cozy but slightly worn vibe. Sunlight can be muted inside, so it’s not the best setting for lingering over a long meal or for those who prefer bright, spacious interiors. Tables can feel a bit crowded during busy times, and cleanliness may be hit or miss, reflecting the swift turnover of a lunch-heavy spot.

Menu highlights lean into familiar Chinese-American classics like the crispy sesame chicken, flavorful orange chicken, and filling fried rice varieties. The egg drop soup is a popular starter, with some locals appreciating the addition of crispy noodles. Lunch combos offer good portions and variety, pairing main dishes like Mongolian beef or General Tso’s chicken with rice and egg rolls, making it an easy choice for a mid-day meal.

What stands out here is value and quantity — generous servings that tend to arrive quickly whether you dine in or pick up. This makes China Star a practical destination for families or anyone who wants to enjoy classic Chinese dishes without straining the budget. Regulars often recommend coming during lunchtime specials when prices are especially reasonable.

While not a spot for an ambient date or upscale dining experience, China Star fits well into the local scene as a dependable option for solid, straightforward Chinese food with a sizeable portion size. If you’re after fresh, hot plates that leave enough for seconds and don’t require a long wait, it’s worth a try — especially if you’re in the neighborhood and craving familiar flavors at a fair price.

Highlights
Has fast service
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Serves vegetarian dishes
Best for
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Thursday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Saturday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday

Closed

1605 Reviews
Rara Brew

09 Jan 2026

First timer, ordered to go, food came out fast and in big amounts. Got alot of food for a very cheap price. If you want to eat Chinese food on a budget and still have left overs then come here! Dining area is small and nothing impressive but its the food that speaks for this location

Faith

08 Dec 2025

THE FOOD IS CALLING YOU I have been coming by for many years, Food is always hot and fresh . They have lunch specials for a reasonable price and you get more than enough. My fav is the Lemon chicken, fried rice and crabmeat Rangoon, the lemon sauce is perfect and not too tart. The egg drop soup with crispie noodles make a perfect meal. This eaterie has been here for many years so obviously that tells you something. Fast service. A must try if your in the area.

Teresa

25 Nov 2025

This was our first visit. We chose dine in style. The restaurant is very small and dim lighted. For someone like me, it was hard to see anything, especially coming in from the bright sun. Most of the tables were dirty... meaning sticky and had previous customer's rice particles. We ordered from the lunch menu: *Sesame chicken with steamed rice Egg drop soup Egg roll *Mongolian beef with fried rice Upgraded wanton soup Egg roll Both of us drank sweet tea. The Egg drop soup was very salty but tasted delicious. Some of the best I've had. Usually places water it down but this one was on the thick side so if you don't like that slimey thick egg yolk texture then you won't like this one. Husband said the wanton soup was also salty and claimed it was good but he's had better. Did say the noodles were cooked just right but the flavor was lacking. Sesame chicken was plentiful and looked amazing full of sauce. Unfortunately, it had no flavor at all. It was spicey but even that you couldn't taste. You could just feel the nice little burn it had. The chicken didn't have any salt either. I had to put chili oil, soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce to try and help the flavor but nothing helped. The chicken texture was cooked well done. Some pieces were crunchy other were tender. The breading to chicken ratio was perfect on my plate. I had more chicken than breading, which is always a positive. Mongolian beef, hubby said it had no flavor as well. The fried rice tasted bland as well. He said even the vegetables didn't add anything to the dish. Some meat was chewey, he said. He did like the portion size. He also said it was sauced up very well but said there was no other flavor than the spice hitting the back of his throat. His plate had a plentiful amount of beef to vegetables ratio. Which again is a win. Egg roll tasted delicious to us with the sweet and sour sauce. This egg roll does not have ginger in it like many places put now. It tasted subtle but at least had some flavor. It was crunchy and cooked perfectly. Pretty much the star of the lunch. The sweet tea was perfect. Not overly sweet and a nice light tea flavor. Very refreshing in this heat. Our waitress was extremely nice. She kept her cheery attitude even with some rude customers. She was the only one running the tables and did an excellent job. It seems majority of the people that go there are regulars and she remembers them all. I like that makes it feel like you're visiting a friend or family. The lady at the cash register is plainly business so she can come off as rude or cold. Overall I give it 4 out of 5. I had to dock a point because the flavor of the food is bland. I do recommend if you are on a tight budget and need a lot of food. I think the price is amazing for the quantity you receive. Total before tip: $24.25

Leslie Hawes

10 Nov 2025

Great food, reasonably priced, great portion sizes! We drive 30 minutes to go here because my husband loves this place. We recommend visiting and we've returned a few times. We've never dined in, but it's always full & they have a ton of pick-up orders!

Sylvia De Anda-Perez

28 Oct 2025

First Timer! I'm very picky about my Chinese food....their food pass the test! Chicken rangoons- - annnnddd they serve ALOT of food !! The best part--- the price $7.40 for everything in the menu AND $8.78 Dinner price, everything on the menu! Go see for yourself! You won't be disappointed!

GCG boys

15 Sep 2025

So affordable!! Love it here. Food is A1!! Update: prices went up a dollar or so!

Legolias

15 Sep 2025

First time visit! Excellent Service & Food! The waitress was very kind. I will definitely be returning to this Gem. Great price for lots of food. Ordered the sweet & sour chicken.

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