Lucky Garden in Hallowell, Maine

Lucky Garden is a small, unassuming Chinese restaurant in Hallowell that draws regulars for its lunch buffet and handmade egg rolls. The menu leans American-Chinese, though they offer a few harder-to-find dishes like Peking duck. It's quiet, dimly lit with year-round Christmas lights, and overlooks the Kennebec River. Portions run modest, but prices are fair and the quality is solid.

• Handmade egg rolls made fresh daily
• Hard-to-find Peking duck on the menu
• Lunch buffet on select days
• River views, quiet atmosphere, friendly staff

Get the chicken fingers, they're substantial and a staff favorite. The handmade egg rolls are worth ordering every time. Crab Rangoons are solid. If they have Peking duck, order it without hesitation. The pan-fried noodles can be hit-or-miss, but when they're good, they're really good. They also do bubble tea in multiple flavors.

Dim, cozy, and genuinely quiet. The year-round Christmas lights give it a low-key festive feel. It's a small place but never feels cramped, and it's easy to navigate if you use a wheelchair.

Food lands mostly on the reliable side. Handmade egg rolls and chicken fingers get consistent praise. The lunch buffet runs on select days (call ahead). Pan-fried noodles and some chicken dishes can be inconsistent. Crab Rangoons, rice, and that rare Peking duck when they have it are reasons to return. Don't expect huge portions, but the food is fresh and the prices won't hurt.

Guests rave about the freshness of the egg rolls and the Peking duck if you can catch it. One regular praised the kindness of staff when things went sideways. Portions are smaller than some competitors, but the quality keeps people coming back. One recent visitor called it 'the best of the best American Chinese food.' Fair warning: soda refills aren't free, and service can lag during slow lunch shifts.