Ocean View Chinese Restaurant

This is the best Chinese food we have ever had. We’ve been coming here for over 30 years.
Run by a husband and wife, Mrs Ma is excellent at assisting you to find exactly what you are looking for; I.e., meat, seafood, vegetarian, sauce, hot/​spicy or not. Mr Ma is a master with his sauces and spices. The restaurant is BYOB, so sit back and relax while your meal is masterfully created. Note, while they do not take credit cards not do they deliver. The food more than makes up for these two minor items. While OVC may be slightly more $ than the run of the mill Chinese restaurant, the quality and quantity more than make up for it. So do your palate a favor, dinner starts at 5 pm (S, M, W, Th, F & S), try some hot/​spicy wings, lemon crispy shrimp, Narragansett Surprise, Hunan Crispy Fish, Scallion Pancakes, excellent Pork Fried Rice or any of the other extensive menu selections. Can’t stay to eat, call in a take out order. You won’t be sorry!!!

Best Chinese food in Narragansett area! It is in the back portion of a building which is slightly weird but do not let it scare you! The Chinese food is incredibly good and fresh. Only downside to the restaurant is that it is cash only but in all honesty, the quality of this Chinese food is worth stopping at the bank! 100% recommend!

Don’t let the location throw you off. This restaurant is truly a diamond in the ruff. The food was exquisite, gourmet feel with a low price and generous portions. Both chef and waitress have a clear passion for food and top us about any dish we liked in detail. This is a must visit!

In 2013, I gave this restaurant 5 stars… all valid. Went back there last evening for take-​out, and it was just terrible. Not sure if we just hit it on a bad night for the chef or what happened, but feel the need to update my review. First, we ordered by phone at 5:10 pm (they open at 5) and were told it would be ready at 6… sounded like a lot of time to wait, but OK. Got there and was told it would be ANOTHER 20 minutes. When the food was finally in hand, it was 6:30…nearly 90 minutes since we ordered it.
There actually were customers eating in the restaurant (we’ve been there before and have been the only ones…)…but none with food on their plates that I could see. A family of about 5, with young children were waiting and waiting for their food (they actually got up from the tables and were occupying themselves outside because it was taking so long for them just to get their appetizer)…oh, and the AC didn’t appear to be working based on the heat inside and the exposed duct work hanging down from the ceiling… not far from the poor family’s table.
Back to our order, we ordered 3 entrees, two soups, two appetizers. We ordered crispy shrimp with ginger and scallions, chicken and broccoli, and some type of lamb, beef, veggie dish, plus 1 egg roll, an order of fried dumplings with meat, chicken fingers, and a pint each of the wonton and hot and sour soup. My fiancé has eaten here going back 10 years and more and said it was the BEST hot and sour soup he’s every had… he had one mouthful and poured the rest out into the trash. The chicken fingers were overcooked and were close to being burned… I actually sampled one in the car as we checked out our order to make sure all was there… and I was starving. Almost brought the box back in and asked for a refund, but it wouldn’t have been worth the aggravation. At home, took one more bite and tossed them. The chicken in the Chicken with Broccoli was barely cooked through, the broccoli was over cooked, and the flavoring was like a lemon dishwater… it was terrible. The crispy shrimp was mediocre, my fiancé said his lamb, beef, veggie dish was subpar as well, not anywhere near the quality of flavoring that he’s had there before. The eggroll was completely gross… I could have gotten better from frozen supermarket version and the taste from the chicken fingers and eggroll was of old fryer oil that needed to be changed. The fried dumplings were just OK and had the same bad oil flavoring.
To make it worse, what we paid for this meal was about double what you’d pay for Jackie’s
Galaxy or your other standard RI Chinese Food.$ 85!!! All of their pricing seems to be made up on the spot as the website lists 2012 menu pricing… or earlier… with notes that the price on the menu may actually be higher… and it was.
As I left with our take out, the owner/​host vaguely apologized for the extra time we had to wait but said something to the effect that when it’s gourmet food, the wait is worth it. There was a time when I would have (and did) refer to this as gourmet Chinese food and the best in the state, but based on last night’s experience, that ship has sailed. Save yourself some time and money and disappointment… find another place for good Chinese Food in Rhode Island. And when you do, please share it on Unilocal so I can try it out!
As a side note, I do feel compassion for the owner/​host as she seems to have an extremely tough job… but it’s not fair to let my original review stand so that others will have the same wallet crunching poor dining experience as we did last night.

Ok first… this place is kept dirty. What would you expect. There is two people who own it as well as run it. You believe the food is «authentic» … it’s as «authentic» as the owners. They are horrible people, which is why they don’t have help, besides being charged for assaulting an employee and harboring illegal citizens while forcing them to work in exchange for living in the home they currently own. Not an even swap seeing how the home is in no condition to live in. (Infested with mice, termites, and cockroaches) which if they keep their rental home in this condition… I would think again about where they make peoples «authentic» food. But that’s just my opinion. The wait time is extremely long, and really who wants to spend valuable family meal time listening to the owner MiMi go on and on about how hard her life is working 3 jobs because she can’t afford all her expenses, how hard it is to do and treat people with respect especially when they Always have treated her respectfully. Yeah I’d rather hear her in the kitchen helping the crazy guy who likes to threaten people if they don’t do or eat what they tell you. Oh they also charge you extra for any take out containers~ utensils ect. so be prepared. there is no view… unless you’re into looking at local sewage plant. nice smell. They keep the lights dim, not for setting a «mood «but because they don’t want to pay for it, or maybe it’s because they don’t want you to see what your eating or how scrubbed out the place really is. Over all experience with these two dishonest business owners… thank god New Dragon is around… now thats «AUTHENTIC». Please if you value your taste buds and like ordering what you like without being told otherwise… eat somewhere else.

Don’t expect the same atmosphere or food that you will get at any other Chinese restaurant. I have eaten here dozens of times over the course of several years, and have yet to have a meal any less than delicious. Stop wasting your time ordering the same General Name-is-slightly-different-everywhere’s chicken and get into Ocean View. Here is what you do, go in, be polite, sit down, open the bottle of wine or bottle of beer you brought and toast with that large group of friends you like very much. You are going to stay here for a while, and you will enjoy it. Not every meal you eat needs to take less than ten minutes, so take the time with this one.

Amazing food! Got number 24… it was really good. Don’t let the the outside appearances discourage you. The host/​waitress is extremely nice, and the food was one of the best Chinese I have had to date. And that says a lot since I am constantly traveling and I am always looking for a good Chinese place to eat.

This amazing restaurant is hidden in a little plaza in Narragansett. The ambiance isn’t the best, but the food is probably the best I’ve had in Rhode Island when it comes to «chinese food».
Don’t go into Ocean View with a closed mind, don’t go in looking for your typical «American chinese dishes» — AKA: General TSO chicken, sweet and sour chicken.
Go in looking to try something new, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The hostess is extremely pleasant and will gladly make sure to explain the dishes to you, so don’t worry about not finding something to suit your taste buds, she will offer her advice or explain the dishes.
Speaking of dishes, the dishes are made fresh on the spot, they do not pre-​prep like most places, so not only is the food extremely fresh, it’s also a good sized proportion — perfect for sharing with friends and family!

Strangely amazing. One of my favorite restaurants in all of Rhode Island. Don’t let the fact its in a strip mall or that you might be the only ones there stop you from giving it a chance. The chef is wonderful!

What GOOD luck… last week we were looking for something different, but ended up defaulting to Chinese. What we got was very unique and delicious food. Everything from 3 different choices of fresh oyster dishes to lamb in a style we’d never seen before. All this plus the tastiest lo mein and steamed dumpings YUM. The service was not fast but we made it clear that we were not in a hurry and we had a very relaxing and delicious meal. We’ll be back soon.

This is the best Chinese food I have ever had, NOT greasy at all! I can’t wait to go back!!! The service is great, she recommends items and you never get that type of service at any other Chinese restaurant.

I just threw away 35 dollars worth of takeout from Ocean View. The chicken wings that we ordered were spoiled. Not a little off… but totally bad. If I hadn’t spit out the bite that I took, I would be spending the rest of my Saturday night vomiting. The ‘Chef’ placed a couple of slices of lemon inside the container that the wings were in and my guess is that he was trying to mask the smell. The lo-​mein that we ordered was linguini and because of the lingering taste of bad chicken still in my mouth, I was unable to eat any of the dish. I’m totally pissed off right now but I know from the reputation of the owners of this restaurant that I have a snowball’s chance in hell getting my money back.
Never again.

There are so many things I love about this place:
First, the food is delicious. It’s like no other Chinese food I’ve ever had around here and even dishes that sound familiar by their menu description arrive at the table with new and complex flavor combinations.
The owners are a husband and wife team… she takes care of the floor and he works the kitchen. Because of this, service is by no means prompt, but come here expecting this and you will be fine. He basically cooks one dish at a time, so your dishes will come out staggered.
The hot and sour soup is bomb. We also always get the hot and spicy wings. This last time, I chose a green curry entrée with eggplant, basil, mushrooms, and chicken… it knocked my socks off.
We’ve always been one of, at the most, 3 tables. Mrs. Ma is friendly, funny, and knows the menu and they both take great pride in the quality of their food and the flavors they achieve.
Décor is basically non-​existent and there is no ambiance to speak of, but it’s all about the food and that’s where the magic lies.
Also, BYOB is always a fun thing, and there’s a liquor store just up the street behind the gas station on the corner.

By far it’s the most authentic Chinese in RI. Food is excellent, and well worth the wait. No canned hot and sour soup here! Don’t go if all you want is the boring Americanized staples. Allow the staff to guide you on a culinary adventure. In order to fully enjoy the cuisine, put yourself into the owner’s hands. BYOB. Everything is made fresh, so take that into consideration, as the wait can be extreme. Also, the dining room is creepily empty. this place can be awkward, but in the culinary wasteland that is southern rhode island, it is a shining gem.

Just got this from the owner and thought I would share. Maybe things I mentioned hit home!
Mimi W.
Block User
«You must been to another Chinese restaurant and confused yourself with the name sweet hear, your comment about the high price and wait of service is out of date.
a party of 20 people maybe will cost you more than $ 300, and that’s normal, maybe cheep, but at this restaurant under $ 100 for 6 people, we could have a wonderful meal. As the wait, depends on when you visiting a restaurant, at the peak hour, the wait is surely longer than usual, try to come during the week and off peak time, I am sure you’ll be happier about the service and everything.
O by the way, the New McDonald in Wakefield, RI is newly opened, the wait won’t be THAT LONG.»
My Response:
Mimi…two of my nephews at the tables are chefs. We didn’t get confused with the name of your restaurant or the service. Even the other diners were mentioning how they ALWAYS have to wait, so PLEASE don’t try to put the blame on us for your lousy service. A meal is supposed to be served at one time. If your chef can’t handle it by himself, hire another one. and you definitely need more floor people. You can’t handle it by yourself. You’re not as young as you once were!
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Original Review
Okay, so SOME of the food was good, but when you walk in, and there is NO ONE in the place, and the owner yells at you for not making a reservation, and then continues to yell about HER having to be the one to push tables together for a party of 8? Houston… we have a problem!
It was our LAST night of vacation, so we didn’t just leave. That was the mistake we made. It took an hour to get Won-​Ton Soup, and after everyone finished their soup… the owner brought the noodles, but charged us $ 3.75/bowl for the soup noodles. It took a total of 2 and a half hours to get our food. The price you ask??? Close to $ 300.00 for one dish a piece and I ate fried rice that I shared. So for 7 dishes and a dish of fried rice, $ 275.00. The food came out every 10 minutes or so. I was finished with mine and ready to go and my sister-​in-​law had not been served yet and wouldn’t be served for another 30 minutes.
The flavors are good but, when you are yelled at and are getting upset with the owners comments that are DIRECTLY aimed your way in no uncertain terms… how can ANYONE give this place 5 stars? The owner made the comment several times that there was NO HELP but her so she wouldn’t rush. NEWS FLASH… HIRE SOMEONE!!! The more upset SHE got, the longer the food took to get out. When you asked about your food… she commented that good food takes time. Come on… an hour for Won-​Ton Soup??? It wasn’t THAT good!
Most dishes were around $ 20-​$ 25. Now the menu says it’s only $ 17-​$ 18, but when taking the order, she justifies the price with, «That will be fair market price and not necessarily the price quoted. This place is less than a mile from where the shrimp, lobster, scallop and fish boats anchor, so «splain to me Lucy, how come the price is so high?»
Bottom line: Tasty… but NOT worth the aggravation or the price.

I dont even want to review this place because I dont want anybody else to know about it. There are only two people running the entire restaurant. They are old and its already busy enough. So know that its really good but dont go. I dont want you to ruin it for me.
As other people have pretty clearly explained, you may wait. You may wait for a long time. Think of this as more like being a guest in someones home than a traditional restaurant experience. If you are kind and patient, you will be treated well and really enjoy the experience. If you are a nitty, impatient asshole, you will probably be treated like one. So be nice to Mrs. Ma! Bring some drink, relax and converse.
Do not try to order sweet and sour chicken here. If you want that go somewhere else. Order off of the special menu or ask for recommendations. This is gourmet chinese food. If you want something similar to sweet and sour I suggest the Imperial chicken. It is fantastic.
The dumplings are pretty much the best things you will ever have, ever. So are the wings. Hu Shang pork is my favorite entrée. Hai Nan Chicken, Sizzling Platter of Mongolian Beef and Beef with Spicy Bbq Sauce are also beyond incredible. Mr. Ma could knock the shoes off fancy reviewers in Boston, NYC, San Francisco and probably even Shanghai or anywhere in the world. We are blessed to have him cooking in the back of a strip mall in Narragansett. Its truly world class food.
So take your time, relax and enjoy. If you truly appreciate quality food and an intimate experience it doesnt get any better anywhere.

This is THE best Chinese food we’ve ever had and this includes NYC’s Chinatown and places throughout Europe. Mr Ma is a genius in the kitchen. We’ve been going for more than 20 years and the quality of food is more consistent than any other restaurant I know.
However, as other reviewers have commented, don’t expect the food to show up quickly and do expect a bill much higher than you’d expect for Asian food.
We consider it well worth the wait and cost. My daughter won’t eat any other Chinese food except for Mr Ma’s. It is that good!
And Chen’s? (the other Chinese restaurant in town) The one time I went there the waitress brought white rolls and butter and asked if I wanted rice or french fries on the side! If that’s what you want, don’t bother with Oceanview. It’s for sophisticated palates only.
One more comment, be nice and respectful to Mrs Ma and she will be a gracious hostess. I don’t think she suffers rude or impatient customers very well!
Enjoy!

This is outstanding gourmet Chinese food — not discount Americanized fast-​food variety. Mr and Mrs Ma are from Taiwan — he is the chef and she hosts and waits the tables. I have been bringing my family, friends and relatives there for 30 years. Here are my tips:
— go during off-​peak times, OR plan for a relaxed long dinner with your favorite people and wine you bring (it is Bring Your Own Booze)
— If Mrs Ma predicts that things are going to be slow, she will tell you so and will suggest that big groups during peak times will do better if you call a day ahead of time. If they are stressed out, they don’t hide it very well. When they are doing well, the experience is pleasant and personal.
— Friday and Saturday Evenings are peak times — but if you get there between 4:30 to 6 pm, there won’t be a queue in the kitchen, and the food will start to come out quickly. If there are a bunch of patrons already in the restaurant, walk out or accept the fact that you will need to be patient. It could even take a while to put your appetizer order in if she is busy serving or preparing in the kitchen. I used to take my kids in the hallway of the very quiet interior mall and let them explore and run around.
— ask Mrs Ma about her recommendations! There are many crazy-​good and unique dishes on the menu.
If you are avoiding gluten, he has gluten free soy sauce available for cooking.

I was looking on Unilocal for vegetarian options while in Naragansett and this place pops up at the top of the list, so we wanted to stop in and give it a try.
First, the location is a bit out of the ordinary and if you don’t know it’s here, you won’t find it. Behind the strip mall off the main road, inside a small professional building, down the hall. Not a prime restaurant location but I am sure it’s not a high-​rent site, so it’s easier for them to sell food and stay in business (over 30 years so far!) and the locals who want good chinese food know where to go without much tourist traffic. In addition to the location the website feels very outdated (and it even says its from ’09) but it has enough information and menus to help you out.
The menu isn’t like many other chinese restaurants, it seems a lot more ‘authentic’ with a lot of things i have never seen before on a menu and a vegetarian menu that rivals many vegetarian-​only chinese restaurants I have been to. Their menu says «Authentic Mandarin & Szechuan Gourmet Cuisine» and I believe it. also, it had a good sized selection of in-​season, fresh options. Always nice to see a chef using fresh seasonal produce.
We had it to go, and it took a while to prepare but it’s good to know it was all made to order. The food we had was all very good, It’s good to know we can get away to the beach and have amazing vegetarian food without driving too far. Probably next time we will eat-​in and enjoy the unique ambience.

After not going to the Ocean View for many years, my boyfriend and I decided to stop in. He is vegetarian and I am vegan. This restaurant has an entire menu just with vegetarian options! There were so many it was difficult to choose. We ordered the vegetarian «pork» and the Buddha Delight (vegetables with tofu and wheat gluten). Everything was amazing and we had plenty of food left over for the next day. They also had the option of brown rice or white rice, which is rare. It is also byob so you can bring your favorite beverage along with you.
Can’t wait to visit again, and also the service was helpful and friendly.