Hole In The Wall Chinese Restaurants Get A Makeover

July 02, 2026

Referring to a restaurant as a hole-in-the-wall may bring a mixed message. While it often is associated with surprisingly good food, it also often carries a connotation of the premises being dingy and less than high class. And indeed, the latter is likely the case when used in the description of a Chinese restaurant, particularly since so many Chinese restaurants have been family operated basis, historically operated on a shoestring, with no available budget for ambiance. But indeed, the times one again seem to be changing, as there is a growing parade of good hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are bright and cheery, and which ups the enjoyment.

The catalyst appears to be the muralization of restaurant walls in Mainland China, which has particularly spread to in the past couple of years led to newly opened and refurbished small Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Los Angeles, and which presumably is also occurring in the rest of the United States. Not to say that old time hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants had bare walls. There were often Chinese paintings or perhaps pictures of China, but there was also a lot of bare wall space.

As far as the subject matter for small restaurant wall murals, anything goes. My personal favorite is the mural at Top One in Alhambra, which includes laundry hanging on clothes lines in a street scene depiction of some place in China, and covers the entire restaurant wall.

Quite often the mural is an ode to the restaurant itself, like at Fish With You in Koreatown which uses a combination of a mural and video screens.

Or Bruin Bowl in Los Angeles' Westwood Village.

Tasty Dim Sum in Anaheim previews their menu.

Whereas New Sichuan No. 1 Restaurant has actual photos of their dishes.

You can use the wall to show off your slogan, such as "Yonny Together Yummy Forever" at Yonny in Arcadia and together with exterior glass in front create a fabulously bright restaurant.

Bao Kee in South El Monte is as small as they come, with a capacity of about 10 diners. But they too have their mural.

Instead of a mural, Hong Kong Cafe in Rowland Heights gives you a window onto the streets of Hong Kong.

The mural can also be behind the cashier like at Hunan Local Cuisine in Alhambra.

The muralization trend has even spread to food courts, where Shaxian Snacks in Rowland Heights has plastered their entire wall space.

Or the corner spot at the tiny food court in the 99 Ranch Market in Alhambra.

Meanwhile King Bao Baoxi in Rowland Heights has carried things a step further and muralized their floor.

But my favorite is Mao Master is Alhambra, which has turned its small dining area into a carnival of colors. This is what you see walking through the front door.