Chinese Wedding Banquet Restaurants in the Silicon Valley
There are lots of Bay Area restaurants that claim they can do wedding banquet, but if you are from Asia you know that it takes a special kind of facility and process to put together a high-quality wedding banquet. It's like running a 7-11 vs. Wal-Mart - simply a different game. I have been to lots of restaurants for wedding banquets so I want to share my experience with those of you who are picking the right place for your big day.
China Stix Restaurant, Santa Clara
http://www.chinastix.com| Overall (out of 5) |  |
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This place used to have decent food, but that last time I was there it REALLY disappointed me. The food was simply terrible - not even ONE dish was good. I had the toughest fish and most over-fried smoked duck. Yikes. Forget about the service too - the waiters treat you like you're their enemy, not guests.
It is, nevertheless, one of the biggest banquet restaurants that offer non-Cantonese food. Parking is relatively easy and not too far and it has a stage, sound system and manager who's very easy to work with.
Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant, Cupertino
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If you want a classic Cantonese-style banquet with lots of seafood, and you don't mind paying extra for high ceiling, Dynasty in Cupertino is your best bet. It's big - it's got one dining hall that hosts 30+ tables, or they can put 20 or fewer tables in the main dining hall (which is not ideal because they don't seal off the area - you'd hear ordinary guests talking across the hall).
Food is pretty solid - nothing extravagant or rare, but well-prepared. I don't recall having any dish that was poorly-prepared or not served hot - even though they have TWO banquets going on at the same time when I was there! The major selling 
point is definitely the facility - the nice decorations - complete with chandeliers - and a very high ceiling, plus plenty of room to set up reception area and for kids to run around (either near the entrance or inside the mall)
The biggest issue is parking - there are plenty of spaces but it's a five-min walk. Well, ten minutes for those ladies with high heels. Also, I heard it's downright the MOST expensive banquet restaurant in the area. Haven't confirmed it yet, but hey, it'll never be as bad as $120/head Sheraton wedding - at least the food will be better. 
*** See my complete review at www.mystcritic.com/dynasty_seafood_cupertino.
Great Mall Mayflower Restaurant, Milpitas
http://www.greatmallmayflower.com
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Imagine trying to have a banquet in a huge mall, with all kinds of people passing by and looking at you through the glass, guests struggling to find parking space or walk a LONG way in high heels, and the restuarant potentially try to squeeze a few tables of regular patrons next to your honored guests..... You get the picture.
The food is ok and service is fine, classic Cantonese with some creative twists, although they are not always served hot. The facility, however, is downright terrible for a decent, private and respectful event so I'd typically recommend against it. If you know your wedding date early enough to book it, then the Mayflower at Milpitas Square is definitely the way to go.
Hong Fu Restaurant, Cupertino
http://www.hongfurestaurant.com
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The food here is usually good although it not consistent. At least they know how to serve a banquet properly - dishes come up hot and fresh, and they are arranged and presented tastefully. They offer a broad-range of dishes based on Taiwanese-Chinese cuisine but I think the banquet combinations are somewhat limited.
The facility is just not very appealing for a banquet though. Some guests will never see the wedding party no matter how hard they turn their necks. Parking is sometimes a problem but most of the time it's not too bad. Service is kind of like China Stix except slightly better - they are just really overworked.....
Ming's Villa, Palo Alto
| Overall (out of 5) | |
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I've attended wedding banquet here for at least ten times, but never once was I really impressed with the food. It was rather plain, a strange combination of taste catered towards non-Chinese and a mix of different Chinese cuisine. Many dishes come up pretty much cold and some are downright tasteless or screwed up (like the bone-dry roasted pigeons) The banquets are typically very crowded, and it often feels suffocating because the ceiling is kind of low.
So why did I give facility FOUR stars? Because of its location (right next to 101 and centrally-located in Palo Alto), parking and a very accommodating manager who let you set up just about anything anyway you want. Fixtures and decorations are also tasteful and well-maintained. I don't mind going back again - just serve me the most expensive package!