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Astoria DC

4.3 (646 reviews)
Open • 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

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ASTORIA DC ATMOSPHERE

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Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Intimate

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Recommended Reviews - Astoria DC

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crab fried rice
Maya H.

Honestly way too overhyped. Went in with no reservation. Got put at the bar (standing) even after we said we both weren't drinking and told us a table would be around a 30 min wait. We saw many tables open but it is what it is. Food took a while to come and all came separately which was unfortunate. They seem understaffed as only one lady was taking care of both the outside seating and the seating near window but she was amazing and her service was always quick and consistently came to ask if we needed more water. Food was honestly just alright. Felt kind of bland.

OG Lazy
Andrew F.

If you love spicy food and sichuan pepper seasoning you will love this vibey neighborhood spot. If you are lucky enough to find a reservation, definitely go. Great cocktails, better food. Some of our favorites are the salt and pepper eggplant and the OG LaZy chicken. Inside is dimly lit with energetic music. There are only 6 or 7 tables inside and rest is seating. Outside is nothing special but you'll still have great food.

Daphne L.

Today was our lucky day- we walked in around 6pm with no rese and got a table for 2! The waitress explained the QR code menu in full detail and highlighted some of the cocktail and special items. We got the beef noodles, cumin lamb, snow peas, and salt and pepper eggplant. None were too spicy like the menu warned and also were not overwhelmed with Szechuan peppercorn. Dishes were all excellent! The restaurant space was cozy and narrow with a good vibe

Susie W.

Astoria completely lived up to the hype. It's one of those coveted DC reservations that's notoriously hard to get, and after having it on my list forever, I can confidently say it's 100% worth the wait. Tucked into the heart of Dupont Circle with its unmistakable bright blue awning, the restaurant is intimate, moody, and always buzzing. Inside, you'll find dim lighting, a handful of cozy wooden bar booths, seats along the bar, and a few outdoor tables. It's not a huge space, which only adds to its charm and makes every reservation feel like a win. The atmosphere is perfect for sharing dishes and lingering over dinner with friends. The food was incredible...I genuinely loved every single bite. Just be prepared: the Sichuan spice is no joke! If you aren't expecting it, it'll definitely sneak up on you (in the best way). My must-orders? The chili wontons, Dan Dan noodles, and beef noodles. Every dish was packed with bold flavor and left me wanting to come back for more. If you've been trying to score a reservation, keep at it. Astoria is one of those places that's absolutely deserving of its reputation, and I'll be thinking about those noodles until my next visit.

Chili wonton
Tiffany T.

There was a line waiting to go in before opening and I think it's still be easy to get a seat if you arrive right at opening time but it definitely got filled by the time we left! Inside had small tables and a kinda casual cocktail bar vibe Beef Noodles - the highlight and actually very good! The noodles are long and handmade and chewy. They hold onto the sauce very well! The sauce has a slight kick and is very savory. The beef is soft and also flavorful! I feel the price for the portion is kinda expensive though 8/10 Chili wontons - skin is silky and soft, sauce is savory with a small kick as well! Even though the sauces look similar to beef noodle they taste very different. The fillings had good flavor and overall were good but were a bit tougher and dryer than I would prefer. 6/10 Crab fried rice - crab is slightly overcooked but naturally sweet. It has a light curry taste throughout and was pretty good but didn't really stand out 5.5/10 Mapo tofu - slight kick and nice savory taste in the sauce! However I think they cut the tofu pieces way too large or the tofu they chose had way too much tofu flavor that overpowers the sauce. I'd prefer a very light silky tofu but this was a soft tofu. 6/10 Vpod - at first it just tasted like orange juice but then the other flavors peek through on the after taste and when I mixed it more. Even though it was good, it still felt very basic 5/10 Philadelphia Scotsman - it's pretty ginger forward. Technically the level of ginger spice is fine but strong but then the rest of the drink got completely overpowered and so this just wasn't that great 2.5/10

Lauren F.

I had a fantastic dinner here with a friend! I really loved the beef bowl. I mentioned during the meal that I just wished it came with chili oil and someone heard me and brought some over! That was my favorite dish by far, but the peanut noodles were also okay,.just not as flavorful in my opinion. Portions are small for the price but the food and service was good so I would go back again to try more! I'm very curious about the mapo tofu.

Rose E.

This is a hipster Asian Fusion-Street Food restaurant in Dupont Circle...in this long, retro train-esque layout. We sat right by the bar...quite tight, and not too comfy...and the table was too small for multiple small plates. This is one thing I still don't get...how restaurants that feature small plates have these teeny-tiny tables. How do they expect us to order several plates when we're given such a small table space?!? Makes no sense to me. ANYWAY, small space and table aside, I will say that it definitely had a cool vibe...with this retro jazz overhead music to match! We ordered Chili Wontons to share, then as entrees, I got the Dan Dan Noodles and my husband chose Crab Fried Rice. I personally loved the foods...but then I love Schezuan spicy flavors! My husband liked it, but wasn't too thrilled with it...but then he's been eating way too much Fried Rice on this trip lol. For drinks, I tried their Daiquiri, and it was solid...and my husband had some beer (?). Overall, I'm glad we got to check out the place. I loved the foods, but found the seating uncomfy, and table was too small. If we were to return, guess I'll try harder to get one of the regular booths...and not by the bar. Still, I enjoyed the cool, retro vibe.

Beef noodles
Khanh-Chau M.

Def worth the hype! A smaller, darker place than I was expecting. They have goldfish as food to snack on. I loved the beef noodles so much, wow. I did enjoy the mapo tofu and mala ribs as well. The ribs feels like it's missing something to me; maybe needed rice or something lighter since it was a heavier dish, but still good. I'd say this place uses spice and mala well but in a balanced way so that it isn't too overpowering or spicy that people may think with Szechuan food. So good; have to go again! Service was pretty attentive too.

Jamie C.

I'm honestly a little puzzled with Astoria. I've was so excited to try this place after hearing so much about it and not being able to get a reservation for a while. But I think I set my expectations too high. We were informed that the spice rating for each dish is as the bottom of each box on the menu. Look for the cat and how many fireballs it's breathing. The prices on the menu kind of cover this up on most of the boxes so that's definitely a design flaw. We ordered several dishes that were supposed to be spicy and found that none of them really were very spicy. The food is definitely spiced, but not spicy. There's a lot of seasoning that it kind overwhelms the food and makes it salty. Both of my friends tried the Dan Dan noodles and then gave them rest to me as they said it was too salty. For the chili oil wontons, I genuinely could not taste the pork inside. I could only taste the chili oil. The pea shoots were my least favorite as it's $20 for pea shoots with just garlic. The cumin lamb is decent as someone who generally doesn't like lamb. However, you should have it with the rice and lots of water because it makes your mouth very dry. The beef noodles were my favorite as the noodles were perfectly cooked and the beef was nice and tender. However the portion size is small and doesn't make much sense for sharing. The hostess and servers were all friendly and the food didn't take too long to come out. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and would be nice for a date night or small group dinner. But it is pricey and I would advise ordering something different than what we got. Not sure I'm eager to go back soon but I would be interested in giving other dishes at Astoria a chance.

Pork belly
Kelly F.

We were blown away by Astoria! We sat outside on their covered and heated porch. The cocktails were a great mix of funky traditional and tiki drinks. I LOVE tiki drinks and these didn't disappoint!! The defect mix of sweetness and tropical flavors took me far away from the grey, snowy DC evening. The food itself was separated into noodle dishes, and small/large/XL plates. Not a single one disappointed. The dan dan noodles, bok choy, and pork belly were our absolute favorites. We also ordered the cumin lamb and received rice with all the meat dishes! I'd gladly visit again to explore the stellar menu and try more tiki drinks!

Fatima V.

I had a great time here; the food was great! a bit spicy but if you don't mind that then definitely order what we got. WE got super full and our drinks were perfect. The service was a LITTLE slow, but it was to be expected because it was a really busy night. The tables on the side are small, so I recommended going in a group of 3 or 4 to be seated inside and have a booth table instead. We ordered the beef noodles, chili wontons and chimi churri and it was delicious. I will be returning again!!

Walnut Shrimp
Kelci M.

I walked in on a Monday night without a reservation and was able to snag a standing spot at the bar while we waited for an open table. We split 4 dishes between 2 ppl and enjoyed our experience. Chili Wontons: 10/10 these were my man's favorite! He still talked about them for days! Gong Bao Chicken: 8/10 good but not great. Dan Dan Noodles: 10/10 really good and not too spicy Walnut Shrimp: 6/10 surprisingly this was my least favorite dish. I can't put my finger on as to why? Maybe it was the batter or the sauce but I gave my 2 leftover pieces to my dog.

Tyquain M.

Finally tried Astoria for my bestie's birthday dinner, and overall it was a solid experience with a few highs and lows. The restaurant has limited seating, but they offer both indoor and outdoor options (yes, they do keep the outdoor area warm even in the winter with heaters, which was a nice touch). There were four of us, so we ordered a good variety: Baby Bok Choy, Chili Wontons, Scallion Lamb, La-Zi Chicken, Walnut Shrimp, Beef Noodles, and Green Pepper Fish. I'll be honest a lot of the dishes leaned spicier than I prefer (my spice tolerance is low), and we all agreed several items were a bit on the salty side. The one dish none of us enjoyed was the La-Zi Chicken; the flavor profile just didn't land, and the chili oil completely overpowered everything else. That said, the portions were generous, a few dishes stood out in a good way (wontons, shrimp, beef noodles), and the overall dining environment was cozy. If you love bold, spicy flavors, this might be more up your alley but if you're sensitive to heat like me, just be sure to ask which dishes are milder.

Beef noodles and chili oil wontons

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Reviews are largely positive. Many highlight the bold flavorful dishes, creative cocktails, and a chic lively ambiance.

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

Kay the hostess is the absolute best and the service is always superb!!!! Get the beef noodles and the spicy wontons!!!

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1 year ago

Went here 3 weeks ago. The beef noodles are incredible! The service was great. It was kind of small inside but super cute vibes.

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Astoria DC Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Astoria DC

What options are peanut-free? I see everything is cooked in peanut oil but is the soup, extra large fish dish, and other dishes peanut free?

How to get in contact with the restaurant? The number on Yelp goes to automated voice messaging system.

They are not out of business.

Anyone know why they don't do take out? Or at limited times?

I have eaten here about 5 times and every time it’s been takeout. Always at different times of the day too!

Which options are Vegan?

yes

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Lao Sze Chuan - Interior

Lao Sze Chuan

4.0(762 reviews)
10.0 mi
•$$
Luxury
Private events

This restaurant has been on my radar for some time. The food and service were good. The restaurant…read moreis a little on the loud side between the music on the background and catters among people. Decorations is on a classy side. The prices varies. We started with a few cocktails and couple starters. Sesame Balls were perfectly fried and delicious. The Shuimai was good as well. We ended up with 3 dry Chili dishes: chicken, cauliflower, and tofu. All same flavor but different at the same time. The tofu was soft inside with a nice crispy outer coating. Both chicken and cauliflower were tasty as well. Then there is the chicken with cashew nuts. I liked this one more than I thought I would. Good flavor. Lastly, wow. The Spicy Sour Fish Filet. It came in a HUGE bowl. A little spicy, a little sourness, fish, noodle... what is there not to like. Overall, a good experience.

Was craving classic Chinese so ordered takeout. The fried rice was just OK. It didn't really have…read moremuch flavor so I used to Kung Pan Chicken to assist. It too was just OK. Not likely to revisit. The takeaway bag was really spiffy though. Edited: Now I know why the fried rice was so bland. Confusingly advertised. It's advertised with a photo and language which reads: "Tender chicken pieces mixed with seasoned rice, egg, and green onions, garnished with a vibrant edible flower" and the photo supports this, but if you don't scroll further down, you'll miss that you have to select exactly those items to see them in the fried rice.

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Panda Gourmet - Double Sauteed Pork Lunch. Smallest portion ever.

Panda Gourmet

3.5(569 reviews)
3.7 mi•Gateway
•$$

Incredibly flavorful, family-style Szechuan Chinese food. I went with my family so we went for the…read morewesterner basics like sesame chicken, fried rice, orange chicken, beef broccoli (I know I know) real basic. All of it was great. Its on my DC favorites list now.

My experience was not the best here. This place is located in a small strip mall and has it won…read moreprivate parking lot. They have a huge dining room that has an old vibe. They could really use some modernization and/or renovation. I should have known something was wrong after I got there during peak lunch hours and no one was there. It was completely empty. Needless to say, I did not have the best experience here. Service here was lacking. My server never checked on me, never refilled my water and I had to track her down to get a box and my check. She spent most of the time yelling at people on the phone. They have a huge menu with a wide assortment of classic Chinese food. I ordered the sesame chicken, which came with rice. y food was ready in about 5 minutes. I will get right to the point. It was avergae to below average. I could not even eat it in one sitting and had to take half of it to go. I really did not like the flavor and the chicken just tasted weird to me. There are few places that I will not return for another meal. This is one of them. The service was subpar and the food was bad.

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Astoria DC - szechuan - Updated October 2026

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