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Ballard Mandarin

3.6 (263 reviews)
ModerateChinese, Karaoke, Noodles
Open 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM
Updated 1 month ago

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BALLARD MANDARIN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Dirty Shirley Temple
Brian H.

Ballard Mandarin surprised me--in the best way. The salt and pepper shrimp were perfectly crisp with that just-right garlic kick, and the deluxe tofu vegetables had this fresh, wok-fired zing. Even the Dirty Shirley felt elevated. Service was kind, casual, and refreshingly unhurried. A cozy, no-frills spot that lets the food speak first. I haven't been to their world famous karaoke yet but they have expanded their program since I started coming here in 2021 from only Fridays to Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sundays!

General Taos chicken.
Roxanne R.

Delicious chicken dishes. Had the general Taos which was flavorful and came with a lot of savory sauce. Egg flower soup is delicious. Service inside and take out always friendly. Ambience is simple. Dine in is smaller but enough room for parties up to 6. 7 booths in front and a bar and karaoke area in back for added fun on nights and weekends?

Mongolian Beef - very good!
Mia Z.

It's a great place - very traditional American Chinese menu with traditional set up for tables and ambiance. Food is fresh and service is great. Very good prices for what you get in Seattle. We especially loved wonton soup, sweet sour chicken and chow mein. My partner loved the Mongolian beef too but I didn't due to the quality of meat lower than I expected. I'd keep coming back for other dishes.

Cianna B.

What's not to love here, a classic chinese american joint that scratches the itch. Service is quick and we are always seated right away, though most times this is a takeout spot for us. The soups are warm and hearty and the dishes are exactly what you would expect. We love the large portions and happily make several meals out them each time. We've heard there is karaoke here sometimes in the lounge but have never seen it in action, sounds like a lively time!

Barbecued pork ends
Gabriel M.

I'm gonna give this a three star due to the fact that the place is fairly dated the service was very good. The portions are very good. The prices for lunch everything is under $10. I did have the almond fried chicken and the breading was still kind of raw on the chicken other than that the service was great. Good place for cheap fast Chinese food

Orange Chicken
Victor H.

Service was slow. Food was okay. Very small building but family friendly. The sesame chicken was good but the sauce had a different twang to it. The chicken fried rice was decent. The chicken wings lacked seasoning. Okay for a quick late night meal.

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2 years ago

Only place I know of to get good Chinese after 9pm on a Sunday. And their mu shu pancakes are nice and thick. Good stuff!!

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2 years ago

Great American style Chinese take out food. I get bbq pork fried rice, beef and broccoli and egg rolls. Always happy

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Food was delicious. They even stayed open later for us. They accommodated our huge group.

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A+ Hong Kong Kitchen - S3. Portuguese Style Beef Brisket in Stone Pot

A+ Hong Kong Kitchen

(774 reviews)

$$

Chinatown, Chinatown International District

One of my OG, long-time favorite Hong Kong spots in Seattle. It's a little restaurant tucked away…read morein Chinatown, easy to miss unless you already know it's there -- but absolutely worth seeking out. Their rice bakes are incredible, the beef brisket dishes are consistently tender and flavorful, and their chow fun is hands-down my favorite in the entire city. They nail the Hong Kong-style classics every time, with that nostalgic, home-cooked feel you just don't find often anymore. Right now they're running a borscht soup special, and it tastes exactly like the versions I grew up with -- comforting, rich, and perfectly balanced. If you're craving real Hong Kong comfort food, this is it. Service is quick and friendly enough for a HK place.

Parking in ID can be difficult on the weekends, so try to come on weekdays if possible! Help out…read moreall the restaurants in this area! Quick service, free hot tea in plastic cups (a classic), and chili oil at the table. Ask for white pepper btw! Depending on your taste, I like adding white pepper to my fried rice, chow fun, and soup. Wonton soup: the wontons are huge and filled with pork and shrimp. The soup however was kind of sour? Not sure what they added in, but the flavor of the broth was not my favorite. There's so much good wonton soup in the area! I wish this broth was better and more savory. Beef chow fun: pretty tasty and the beef was pretty tender. There was no work hei, so didn't have that distinct flavor Half chicken bone in: this was surprisingly our favorite dish! Steamed chicken with a ginger oil. The ginger made this dish and the chicken was very tender. The chicken comes cold so eat it with some rice and it's the perfect combo

Chiho Bistro - Mixed Basket Soup Dumplings

Chiho Bistro

(398 reviews)

$$

Belltown

We came across the Seattle restaurant week menu and just had to try it. It was $50 for two people…read more We happened to go on the first day of restaurant week so luckily we made a reservation because it got a bit busier around dinner time. The wontons were good, but the chili sauce was the star. It was numbing and a little minty feeling. It was really great over the fried rice, which didn't stand out to me but was good to pair the dishes with. The crab and pork soup dumplings were sooo tasty, I would definitely get them again. The prawns we got were also great, I really enjoyed the crunchy coating and extras that came with it. I really enjoyed the space and food, I will definitely be coming back!

WOWZA!!!! We were looking for a reservation in short notice and was surprised they have one within…read morethe hour for a group of 5. We showed up with half our party since the rest of our group had a hard time looking for parking, but they sat us right away and didn't give us a hard time at all. The decor is cute - darker lighting with spotlight on their cultural elements. Not gonna lie, when a restaurant over emphasizes its Asian decor, usually I have pretty low expectations for the food since it will likely be Americanized. This place proved me wrong! Their menu was a mix of Cantonese dishes, Taiwanese elements, Shanghainese dumplings and noodles, and Szechuan mala flavors. We probably over ordered but seriously enjoyed all the dishes. From most to least favorite: - Ginger & Scallion Fish Fillets: Sooooo fragrant and honey. LOVE! - Typhoon Shelter Beef Short Ribs: The fried garlic seasoning is fantastic, usually seen with crab or seafood but with short ribs it was excellent and super flavorful too - Black Truffle Wagyu Fried Rice: A pretty big portion for the price! The aroma of the truffle was fantastic but not overpowering - Half Hong Kong Style Honey Roast Duck: Hard to find good roast duck in the US so was happy to see it in the menu, skin was crispy and flavorful and the sauce was authentic as well. A tad too salty if I were to be nitpicky which is why it's not higher on the list - Traditional Kurobuta Pork Soup Dumplings: Good but not standout, not the star of the show compared to places that specialize in dumpings - Stir-Fry Green Beans: A little bland, can skip The Hong Kong Style iced lemon tea is just okay, but it's hard finding one truly authentic around here. Still enjoyed it! For the price point, ambiance, and quality of food, I was blown away and highly recommend!

Tai Tung Chinese Restaurant - Mongolian Beef Sweet & Sour Pork

Tai Tung Chinese Restaurant

(649 reviews)

$$

Chinatown, Chinatown International District

This is the kind of place I picture when I picture an old school Chinese restaurant. Probably…read morebecause it is! We had friends in town from the east coast and they asked for Chinese food. I had been meaning to check Tai Tung out, and having a group is a great opportunity to try a variety of dishes family style. We ordered the fried chicken wings, half peking duck, beef chow fun, beef in oyster sauce (Bruce Lee's favorite), crab fried rice, and noodles with tofu (one girl had to be healthy!) The food was solid and nostalgic. It reminded me of the kind of Chinese food I would get in the 80s and 90s when we went out for Chinese food in New Jersey. We stayed, talking, until the restaurant closed. As my friends packed up and said their goodbyes, the staff noticed me looking around at the different tables. I wanted to find Bruce Lee's favorite table, which I had seen on online reviews of Tai Tung. The staff member very proudly brought us all into the next room, turned on the lights, showed us the photos on the wall, and told us about the history. We got a history and culture lesson with our meal. Best of all, our friends all congratulated me on the "great find!" of a restaurant, and isn't that the kind of validation every Yelper wants?

I loved the feel of this place as soon as so walked in. It's been there for over 90 years and you…read morecan feel that. Our waitress Linda whose family owns the establishment was wonderful. So bright and helpful. She was part of the vibe I admired when I walked in. It's a great place to get great food by great people. It was also Bruce Lee's favorite restaurant. He still has a table there. I love everything about this place. If I ever come back to Seattle I'll definitely come back for more food.

Ballard Mandarin - chinese - Updated May 2026

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