I had the chili wontons and beef noodles which were both amazing. The beef was cooked well and the sauce was delicious. The portion size on the wontons was pretty generous too. They have a covered and heated patio so you can sit out there in the winter too. read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My father took my wife and I out to Astoria for a late birthday dinner. It is difficult getting a reservation to this place mainly because they only allow you to book one week out. Luckily we were able to get a reservation. We ordered a bunch of items and share them all which is probably the best way to go. The dishes that stood out were the beef noodles, walnut shrimp, and chili wonton. If you tell them your preferred flavors, they can curate the perfect Mock-tail or cocktail for you. Their drinks were amazing. We had a great experience and our excited to go back again. This is in addition to the staff being fantastic. Parking is tough and the restaurant is small, which makes it a little bit more exclusive. read more

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The food was super spicy! The cocktails were delicious so I was chugging them down to beat the heat. We had to wait a bit because we didn't make reservations but the fit us in. read more

Astoria DC - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Make a reservation! It's very popular and I know why. This was my second visit here. I went many years ago and the high quality is still there. Very flavorful food. Some spicy, be careful. Cozy atmosphere. We sat in the window counter. Service was good and the staff were nice. read more

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I came here with my sister and cousin for a late dinner. We ran late for our reservation but kept them in the loop as to when we'd be arriving, which didn't seem to be an issue. Upon arrival, we were informed that we were there on a less busier night and next time, they wouldn't be able to hold our table. It felt like we were being scolded and reprimanded. We awkwardly laughed it off, apologized and got seated. The esthetic inside is that of a dark train station. It was pretty cool and different from anywhere I've been. For food we ordered the following: Pea shoots 9/10 Chili wontons- 10/10 Salt 'n pepper eggplant- 10/10 Salt 'n pepper shrimp- 10/10. I believe there was a different chef during our 2nd visit because the salt and pepper eggplant and the salt shrimp both had an excessive amount of whole cloves in them. It overpowered the dishes in the most egregious way and almost made them inedible. Those previous 10s quickly turned to 4s. Throughout the night, our waiter made snarky, rude and condescending comments to us when we would ask simple questions about the menu. It was really weird energy to get from them and we were obviously taken aback. That didn't leave us with the best taste in our mouths. read more

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My lady and I came for date night (our second time here) and I can't say enough good things about this place. The staff is absolutely lovely, the food is divine, and the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. It's one of those places that makes you wanna kick off your shoes and stay for a while. The food is high quality without feeling pretentious. Our favorites are the crab fried rice and the chili wontons. It's a hard reservation to snag, but totally worth it. We're moving away from the DMV next year and will miss this place! read more

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I unfortunately don't have pictures because the phone did not eat first. Cocktails were good, but the star of the show was absolutely the noodles and dumplings. Beef noodles were 1000/10 and the Dan Dan noodles and chili wontons were amazing too. We also got the garlic eggplant which was the perfect amount of garlicky and sweet! The only thing we got that we didn't love was the cumin lamb - lots of chewy pieces which was unfortunate. Will be back! read more

Went here with my wife over the weekend. it was originally supposed to be our Thanksgiving dinner, but due to a system issues on the restaurant's end, our reservation was pushed to Saturday instead. The restaurant is located near Dupont Circle. Parking wasn't impossible but quite difficult. Found a spot 2 blocks away in 15 mins. Astoria is more of a bar style restaurant: Dark, small, crowded and energetic. We reserved bar seating since regular tables are almost impossible to book. We knew the bar seats would be tight and not very comfortable, but still wanted to try this place due to its popularity. We ordered the Beef Noodles as our starter. Love the wide flat belt noodles (The texture is great), beef was tender and tasty, but the overall dish was very salty and strong favors. We also ordered the Walnut Shrimp, creamy honey sauce covered the fried shrimp, it is decent but nothing particularly impressive. For veggies, we ordered the Watercress, highlight of the night, the sauce/seasoning reminded me of home, simple but flavorful, highly recommended. Lastly, the Water Boiled Fish. It was supposed to be the highlight of the night, but I am kinda disappointed, it looked like the Sichuan-style water boiled fish, but the flavor wasn't the same. It only keep the spiciness but lacked of the numbing peppercorn flavor and richness. Overall, the restaurant is on the expensive side (Considering the small portion sizes). Some dishes were good (Drink is good too), some were underwhelming. I might return but probably when the weather warms up so i can sit outdoor instead of the bar table experiences. read more

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Cool vibe and absolutely delicious food here. Superb and interesting cocktails. Service is excellent and professional. One of the chefs is a past acquaintance: Shu Yee. What an artist! Very highly recommended! Reservations are a must. read more

I've been wanting to come here for months and its a hard reservation to snag because it is a smaller spot - the inside is very intimate and they do have a decent size outdoor patio. We came in for our 7pm reservation and didn't actually get our table until close to 7:20ish which was a disappointment but the host did bring us waters and do her best in finding us somewhere to sit while we waited. When we did get sat we had a nice seat right near the bar. Our drinks were always the quickest thing to arrive- we got the bourbon smash, the old fashion, the frozen pina colada, and the caipirinha - all the drinks were fantastic and really paired well with the Szechuan food. For the food we got: dan dan noodles, beef noodles, veggie platter, scallion lamb, and the chili wontons, which yes was a ton of food but we brought home about 1/3 in leftovers. The chili wontons did have a great level of heat but could have used a bit more filling. The beef noodles were fantastic, probably the star of the show and the beef was really well done. The dan dan noodles were ok - good spice level but a bit boring in flavor, and the veggie platter was great, tons of veggies and all really well cooked. The lamb was nice as well, not too gamey. Service: server was great, no complaints on him and drinks came out quick. They did forgot our rice at the beginning and then our vegetable platter took probably 30+ minutes to come out when the wontons and beef noodles came out immediately. Not sure why the timing of items was so inconsistent and the initial wait time is the only reason it was a 4 instead of a 5 but would definitely be back. read more

3.5 stars. I was REALLY excited to try Astoria. I put my phone away so I could be fully mentally present for this meal. I love Chinese food and many friends talked this place up. Service: 4/5 nice folks, very cute interior, upsized one of our dishes for free for our anniversary Drinks: 4/5 The Moscow mule just tasted like ginger. I didn't mind it at first but it was overpowering to the point that I couldn't finish it. My partner got the bramble which we both loved. Food: sorely disappointed. I don't eat pork but my partner said the Dan Dan noodles tasted like they were made with spaghetti. We got the water boiled beef at the recommendation of our waitress, and it honestly lacked flavor - it tasted like it was seasoned with chili oil alone. I had high hopes for that dish and the meat quality was good but it fell flat. The pea shoots were good but bordered on being too salty. The gong bao chicken was great but had more chili/peanuts than pieces of chicken. I would come back to try other dishes simply because of how much people seem to love this restaurant, but this was an almost comedically disappointing meal! I hate to write a negative review, but I fear the people must know. I stayed up until midnight to book this reservation! read more

Came after an event around 10pm on a week night. Was impressed that they close at 1am. We were asked if we had a reservation! The place was hopping!!!! QR code on the coasters- very efficient. Water immediately and constantly refilled. Dishes, napkins, and chopsticks came before food (thank you!) drink came before food (thank you!) metal straw. Atmosphere inside was awesome. Loved the music and low lighting. The layout is kind of like a long train car. We ordered bourbon smash, Dan Dan noodles, walnut shrimp (a must order), salt and pepper eggplant and the pea shoots (per the waiter's suggestion and I LOVED). Everything was outstanding. I want to return. read more

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The food is really good. You may not necessarily get sat because they have a long waitlist so put your name down early. The wait is about an hour on a Thursday night at 9:30 PM but you'll likely get sat sooner than that. Potato slivers 4.75/5 Green fish soup 5/5 must order every time Chili wontons 4.75/5 Lao zi chicken 4.5/5 We sat on the patio and it was wonderful. Service was great. The menu is really pretty especially the drink menu read more

The indoor decor is very sexy and chic, perfect for a romantic evening. This is truly authentic Szechuan cuisine and the dumplings are to die for. They tend to fill up on reservations because it's a smaller place and there's not a lot of seating so be sure to book in advance. read more

Astoria DC - Dumplings - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I ordered the dumplings, which unfortunately were served at room temperature--a texture and temperature I wasn't a fan of--but the flavor was still there. Personally, I think the food at CopyCat is better, and they offer options that Astoria doesn't have. I've heard the drinks here are better, but since I don't drink alcohol, I can't confirm. I'm glad I came to see if there was any difference from CopyCat. Service here is slightly better in the sense that someone actually greets you and seats you, but the waiter was still slow--which seems to be a trend at both places. read more

Recommend the walnut shrimp, it's coated and sweet. Beef noodles were a little too al dente 7.5/10 Chili Wontons were good, not spicy but covered well in sauce. read more

DAVID DAVID DAVID! Ask for em! I've been on an 11-day vacation all over the East Coast -- NYC, Philly, DC -- and Astoria DC is hands down the best dining experience I've had the entire trip. I was 3 HOURS late to my reservation, fully expecting to be turned away. The place was packed. But they still found a way to seat me, no attitude, just incredible hospitality. That alone was enough to impress me -- but it only got better. Let me say this clearly: David is the kind of server every restaurant dreams of having. Cool, attentive, and unbelievably skilled. I didn't vibe with the cocktail menu, so I told him what I liked -- and he custom-made every drink I had that night. No hesitation. Each one? Spot on. If you're lucky enough to be in David's section, you're in for a real experience. We had a full spread -- beef noodles, chili wontons, and a bunch of other dishes I honestly forgot the names of because everything was that good. Every bite hit. Not a single miss. The flavors, presentation, and portions were all dialed in. The ambiance? Elegant but unpretentious. Lively but still intimate. You can tell this place runs with purpose -- no shortcuts, no weak links. Astoria isn't just a great restaurant -- it's a vibe, a memory, an experience. Book it, show up hungry, and ask for David. read more

Love trying new restaurants in DC! Just found a new favorite! We made reservations - which I recommend because we got there at 5 and there was already a line. We got some drinks and appetizers. Will have to be back to try more! Everything was so good. What really made me want to come back for more was the service. We had a minor inconvenience (wasn't even an inconvenience to us) and they brought us out drinks on the house! Such a great place!! read more

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We came here for my cousin's birthday and left full and happy! We shared beef noodles, chili wontons, garlic eggplant, and the og la-zi which was plenty for 3 people! No pictures because we devoured everything. Our favorites were the chili wontons and eggplant. Everything came out quickly and our service was great. Would definitely come back here to try more dishes! read more

This was one of favorite meals while visiting DC! All the dishes were super tasty and the drinks were amazing! The noodles were so good we almost ordered another, but got too full. The service was incredible and they were super fast even though it was busy. The restaurant is super cool too, it's so unique to have a tiki style Asian restaurant, and they absolutely did it properly! read more

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I've been here several times and have recommended this place to friends, but unfortunately we've all had similar issues with the seating process. The host stand really needs a better system for tracking who has been waiting the longest. During our most recent visit, we ordered drinks as soon as we arrived and waited over an hour for a table. Around the 30-minute mark, we decided to order food at the bar because we assumed we'd be seated soon, especially since an empty table next to us had already been sitting vacant for at least 20 minutes. Instead, a couple who arrived after us was seated at that table before we were. That was incredibly frustrating and made it seem like there wasn't a fair or organized system for seating guests. The food is tasty, but it's hard to justify the prices for what you get, especially when the overall experience is so disappointing. After multiple visits and repeated issues, I think this will be our last time coming here. read more

Love this place! Great food. Friendly staff. It honestly is refreshing to enter a place and enjoy the vibes. I'll be coming back read more

Astoria DC - Noodles - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Overall had a lovely time at Astoria DC. I was able to snag a reservation for 1 for the patio. The host was very kind though, and offered me a seat indoors. Ambiance is sexy but relaxed. I enjoyed my drinks but loved my daiquiri and the motoko which tasted like an old fashioned. Food wise the chimichurri steak, crab curry fried rice, bok choy and chili Wontons were all fab, read more

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Love this place. Excellent food. Creative drinks. Service was great. Cool vibe. A must-try but hard to get into.

This is the spot for Asian food fix! Specifically Sichuan! But it's leaning toward fusion food. We were so lucky to nab a table for four people right when it opened at 5pm without any wait or any reservation. The ambience is very chill and casual tucked in a cozy and hip neighborhood. The service was excellent as the server came up to us whenever we needed attention on meals or drinks. They get really busy. You'd want to order 2-3 dishes per a person but I believe they do larger dishes to feed 2-4 people. So it's like small dishes style rather than family style. We got to try the following orders: -Dan Dan noodles: amazing lightly peanut paste and crunchy peanuts coated noodles but it was a bit spicy than other Dan Dan noodles I've had at other places. Still delicious! -Beef noodles: definitely the favorite dish coming from this place! Beef was just perfectly cooked to its tender without being overcooked or fully cooked. Well paired with thick cut noodles and full of umami flavors. I'd come back for this dish! -chili wonton: be prepared to have a bit numbing aftertaste but it was enjoyable flavored if you can handle the heat! It was wonderfully prepared though, juicy pork inside coated with nice dumpling wrapper. -basil eggplants: eggplants were cooked to its perfection with a spark of basil flavor. Definitely a favorite appetizer and a good dish for sharing. -walnut shrimps: really delicious! Warm and juicy shrimps coated with a bit sweet dressing and chopped walnuts. Good combination of tender meat and crunchy in one bite. read more

The wait can be kind of long but just shut up and wait. Oh my God. Best beef noodles I've ever had. Loved the OG LA-zi chicken and the scallion lamb and i hate lamb. Wish we lived closer!! read more

DELICIOUS. YES. YUM. Okay, so my first mistake: telling my Chinese immigrant parents this was a Szechuan spot. Don't do that. If you market it as Szechuan, they'll walk in with sky-high expectations and be like "where's the heat??" lolol Astoria is more of a Szechuan fusion-ish place, definitely catered toward American palates. It's not as fiery, the flavors are a little tweaked, and it's not what you'd call "authentic." But just because it's not authentic doesn't mean it's not GOOD, and this food was sooo delicious. MUST GET: the garlic eggplant (I don't even like eggplant usually but this was like caramelized garlicky CRACK), the beef noodles (yes, they used steak which threw my dad off, but honestly it worked and I loved it), and the salt & pepper shrimp (perfectly crispy, perfectly seasoned). Fish and the water boiled beef dishes were solid, nothing mind-blowing but still tasty. Heads up: make a reservation! For my LA visitors, It's like Din Tai Fung status, 3+ hour wait if you just walk in. Overall: not the place for "authentic Szechuan," but an amazing place for flavorful, shareable dishes in a fun setting. read more

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Astoria is a gorgeous spot in Dupont perfect for date night or catching up with a friend over dinner! The ambiance is amazing - beautifully dim lighting that allows you to unwind and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. My friend and I split the Crab Fried Rice and mixed vegetables. Both dishes were very well seasoned and tasty. Highly recommend eating family style if dining with a friend. Great portions for leftovers the next day! The service was a bit slower than I expected. With long wait times, you may have to wait 20-30 for your food to arrive at your table or to even be seated to begin with. Also, this restaurant is rather pricey! Drinks are around $18-20 each. Nonetheless, I would recommend making a reservation to beat the wait times. Take a moment to enjoy the beautiful decor and a nice meal! read more

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I was so excited to try this place, but the service was atrocious. Two people waited almost 2 hours for all of their dishes and we ended up just asking to take it off the menu since we had to leave. One of the chicken dishes was not good and we had to send it back. The chef did try to fix it for us but at this point we had to leave and didn't want to wait an extra hour for a new plate. The food was decent. The sauce in the chili wontons was good, but the wontons were whatever. The dan dan noodles were dry but tasted okay. It had a good sichuan pepper quick. Ambience was fine. We were outside and the heat was on so it was fine outside. Not sure if I'll ever come back. It was just a normal tasting Chinese place and it did not need to be that expensive. read more

Astoria DC - Chili Wontons & Dan Dan noodles - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Astoria on a Saturday night is quite busy but they keep the quality high. The bar is standing room only - and there's barely any room to stand but watching the bartenders adds to the experience. We enjoyed a range of cocktails - Bad Hare Day, Tropical Itch, and PiYi. All were flavorful. The cocktail glasses are nice. We were able to keep the back scratcher from our Tropical Itch which was a funny and nice touch. The service was on point. Each dish had a base spicy level. This caught a few of us off guard. The Dan Dan noodles were good with plenty of spice. The Crab Fried Rice was flavorful and was spicy as well - it was a table favorite although the rice could've been softer. There were orders of chili wonton and pork fried rice which were delicious too. My friend didn't enjoy the Sober Soup but it was ok when I tried it. This is a great place for drinks and a date night. We had fun for our girls night. read more

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Very intimate, but more spacious than their sister restaurant on H st. I've been here twice, if I remember correctly and I've never been disappointed. The food is delicious and creative, as well as the cocktails. Service is pretty relaxed in my experience. As it feels like a neighborhood gem with delicious bites. If you're a foodie who likes fusion cuisine, this is a must visit restaurant! read more

Get a reservation if you can and make sure you got seen inside even of the weather outside might be really nice. The inside is even more beautiful. The service was great. The food was even better. We got the fish that's only served once a night and it was recommended to us by the server after we asked a couple of questions and some folks nearby told us it was really good so we got it. I included a photo of it. Super good super flavorful. read more

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We were so excited to finally go here after a few months of trying to get a reservation that wasn't at 10pm, but the service immediately ruined our mood and will prevent me from going back in the future. We had a 5:30 reservation and when we went to the host stand, he just told us to pick a table outside. We asked if we could go inside and were immediately told no, but then he said he was able to give us one as long as we were gone by 6:45 - whatever. We sat for almost 15 minutes before we were greeted or given water, and when we did, it was like a hit and run - quickly gone and no additional greeting. Somebody finally came by and immediately just asked if we were ready for drinks - no greeting again. We got some of the food initially, and then received the majority of it, minus the crab fried rice. That did not come until we were done eating the rest of the food (~15-20 mins later) and ready to box up leftovers. When we inquired, we were told that it comes out in batches - okay, but weird that everything else came out at once. The food was pretty good - not as outstanding as I had heard, but pretty decent! The honey walnut shrimp and the garlic eggplant were standouts. By the end, we were just ready to go, and after finishing the bill, the host snatched it and barely said have a good night. The ambiance was nice, but it very much felt like we were just another table to get out of the door and I left feeling underwhelmed. I'm not sure if their exclusivity has gotten to their heads, but I did not feel like a valued guest. Instead of reflecting on the food, the focus was on how bad the service was. I wish it had been better, especially for a $200 dinner for 2. read more

Astoria DC - honey walnut shrimp, chili wontons, beef noodles, garlic eggplant, painkiller - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wonderful! Can't wait to return. Big portions and very flavorful food. The ribs are great. Best old fashioned I've ever had. Make sure you make a reservation. Tight squeeze inside but you can eat outside too. read more

Heard it quickly gets crowded even on weekday nights, so I came as soon as it opened on a weekday evening. Even then, most of the tables were full. Ambiance: Beautiful, classy, dimly lit interior. Definitely the most sophisticated place I've ever had Chinese food. The tables along the wall for two are a bit awkward though - there isn't much space for many family-style dishes. Service: Quick and nothing to complain about. Food: Definitely overpriced for Chinese food, but I did hear from a friend that every restaurant is overpriced in D.C. so you can't bring your SoCal mindset with you. I would skip the beef noodles - they were limp and bland with only a few pieces of beef. The double cooked pork and walnut shrimp were solid choices, but the standout was the garlic eggplant - perfectly garlicky and umami, and many of the eggplant pieces were crispy on one side for that perfect bite. Not sure I would come back, but if I did, it would be for the garlic eggplant. read more

Third times the charm! We finally managed to book a Saturday evening table after 2 previously failed attempts on the waitlist. The restaurant is narrow and intimate hence why seating is limited- despite having a patio. The music choice was excellent, vibey, and fun. The FOOD! The beef noodles were so bouncy, thick, and packed with umami. (Albeit pricey for $20...wish it was slightly bigger portion for the price! Was in a small bowl) The crab fried rice was also $$$ but INCREDIBLE. I've had a lot of fried rice in my time and it was so flavorful from the curry but perfect herbaceous and sweet from the bits of crabmeat. Next up, I will dream about the salt and pepper eggplant. The threshold is now very high. The eggplant was perfectly crispy and had just the right amount of spice. I would def skip the cumin lamb. Personally, it was wayyy too heavily spiced and was borderline bitter. The chunks of meat weren't tough per se but a tad chewy. The spice overpowered the whole dish and didn't find myself reaching for it after a couple of bites. Drinks are a flat $18 including "the zombie" which is their take on a Long Island iced tea. Great to share between 2 people and I found the hint of 5 spice to be very interesting. Probably wouldn't get it again but fun to try. read more

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Me and a friend came on a wimp on Sunday night. We weren't sure what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised. We didn't have a reservation but luckily there was a table outside which we were immediately sat. Pro Tip- Make a reservation ahead of time! This place isn't super big and if you don't have a reservation you might be waiting for a table for an hour. Lucky us we didn't have to wait. Even though we sat outside it was nice and warm under the heaters overhead. The inside bar looked nice so if you can that's a great option too. Now to the food and drinks. We weren't sure what cocktails to get so we asked our waitress for a recommendation. She recommended the Bad Hare Day cocktail which had carrot juice, passion fruit, vodka and a few other ingredients im probably missing. We truly did not know what to expect with this drink but we were amazed at how incredible the drink was. Natural sweetness from the carrots paired perfectly with the passion fruit. Not too much vodka so we ended up having two each. For our appetizer we had the Chili Wontons. Simply put those wontons were delicious and will be the reason I will return. They were perfectly cooked with the right amount of filling and covered in amazing sauce mainly of Chili Oil. For our entrees we got the Crab Fried Rice and La-zi Chicken. The fried rice was tasty and paired well with the spicy chicken which also had great flavor. My favorite part of the chicken was the piece with skin that were soaked with that delicious sauce of garlic, ginger and chili. Overall, we throughly enjoyed our experience at Astoria and will definitely be back WITH a reservation this time lol. read more

Astoria DC - Chili Wontons - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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When I saw we were in food heaven we were in food heaven. We loved our 2 dishes which was plenty to share. Both had a level of spice that almost had your tongue numb. We loved that the pork belly was thinly sliced as it made a very balanced dish with the slivers of peppers and onions. Can't wait to return any try more! Con was we disliked our drinks. They should divert from the huge ceramic instammy mugs. read more

Astoria DC - Can you tell we loved it - Szechuan Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I loved loved the house special green chili fish here. I've had many shuizhuyu all my life but this one was unique in that it wasn't super spicy nor super salty but had an incredible flavor. The fish is incredibly fresh as well. I thought the pork belly inside was a little strange but I didn't mind it since overall that dish was 10000/10. Would come back just to eat that dish again.... And the main reason why I'm giving this place a 4/5. Now onto the other dishes. The chili wanton was 8/10- sauce could be a bit sweeter compared to how it's made traditionally. Still pretty decent. We did have a little oof moment since our first plate of this wanton came half raw, but the waiter took it back and replaced it and took off the charge on our receipt. So thank you for that. I was super stressed half of dinner though thinking if I'd get food poisoning from eating the raw ones on accident... The pea tip was 6/10- pretty greasy compared to how other places make it and a bit overcooked. The laozi chicken was 3/10. Honestly I ate one bite and never touched it again. Meat was a bit tough and flavor didn't hit the spot at all. We came here for dinner on a Friday night with a reservation, and received great service contrary to most reviews. However for the amount we paid -- $150 (with the wantons taken off), I certainly agree with other yelpers that it's overpriced for traditional Sichuan food. I would still come back just for that green chili fish though. read more

We came here as a special event and got reservation to try astoria. It took us a while to get reservation but it was worth it for the experience. The highlight of the experience was eggplant. It was on the best dish that I tried. The walnut shrimp is very good as well. Low light and cool vibe but also the drinks were strong! read more

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