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    Chef Lee's Element

    4.3 (216 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Order Chef Lee's Element Takeout or Delivery

    Chef Lee's Element Photos

    CHEF LEE'S ELEMENT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Hot and Sour Soup
    Martin Z.

    This restaurant has nice decor for a store front restaurant, lots of wood, nice hanging lighting and high ceilings. I was quickly seated at a booth. There were only 2 or 3 tables occupied at around 1:00 pm, probably because they don't have a lunch menu. I had a hot sour soup and the Spicy Tofu; they were both as spicy as you would expect at an authentic Szechuan restaurant. The tofu was extra firm with a crunchy crust and chewy inside, very nice. I will give it a try at dinner as it has Chef's Specials that are in the $20 - $40 range.

    Mapo Tofu (carryout).
    Mark P.

    Was going to go to another Szechuan location, but this popped up on my phone when I was looking at Waze. Saw it was near me so decided to check it out. Overall, very good and quite close to Montgomery Village, MD. It's a smaller place than the the really big Chinese establishments I've been to lately that have private rooms and large dining areas. The dining area here is far more modest, but do have 2-3 round tables for larger families. The ambience is more modern, but feels inviting and is extremely clean. As for the food, it can certainly roll with the big places. I had their hot and sour soup, dandan noodles, and also their wontons in chili oil. The first two were excellent, while the chili oil wasn't as flavorful as I was hoping for the wontons. The wontons, however, were excellent. Maybe it was an off-night for the chili oil. I'll need to revisit and try again. I decided to get the Mapo Tofu as a takeout so I could enjoy it the next day. The next day, I had it for lunch with rice, and the tofu was terrific. It was just spicy enough to satisfy me without me having to add anything. And, even after microwaving it, it stilled tasted great. I didn't feel that the taste or spices got diluted from storing in the refrigerator until the next day. Overall, if you're in the area of Gaithersburg/Montgomery Village, this restaurant is close by and makes terrific Szechuan-style cuisine.

    New interior
    Philip L.

    I think this place has improved since the last time I visited. We were passing by and we decided to give this place another try. Some dishes were good, some fell flat, but overall, the experience is better than the last time we were here. Love the updated interior and they have better seating and ambiance. When we were here, there were people in more intimate settings. It works and everyone seems to be doing their own thing. Service could be faster, but the wait staff had to deal with customers and to-go orders at the same time so they were running around a lot. I think it's worth a try.

    Peiling C.

    Great dining experience here. We made a reservation in advance for the party room because we had a large party. They only have one table available with some extra privacy though there are tables in the main area that could have seated all 10 of us too. The party room table is rectangular so a bit harder to share food as opposed to round table in the main dining area. The food was great. The service was fast. Ambiance was nice too ; I think it looked newly renovated.

    什锦炒饭/Combination Fried Rice
    Vivian K.

    Great food, good ambiance, service was good too. It did start to get a little busy after we walked in but they were able to handle it.

    Yummy, Wood mushrooms, vegetables have great taste
    John H.

    I only ordered a vegetables dish because I am a vegetarian... Very fresh, very hot cooked to order

    Sliced Beef & Tripe
    Stella L.

    I was in DC for work, and on my last night, my brother and his family took me to their favorite spot. This is their go-to place for out-of-town guests, and I totally get why! We showed up just before 8 PM, got seated right away, and were greeted with a smile. The menu is impressive - tons of variety with proteins, veggies, starches, and flavor combos that make it hard to choose. Everything we ordered was amazing. The Szechuan flavors packed a punch without being overwhelming, and I loved that the menu clearly marked spice levels (super helpful if you're not a fan of too much heat). We went all in and ordered a mix of proteins: conch, frog, pork, chicken, and beef. My top picks? The Sliced Beef & Tripe, Chongqing Spicy Chicken, and the Green Beans with Eggplant. Absolute winners. The portions were massive - we left stuffed and still had plenty of leftovers to take home. Bottom line: great flavors, generous portions, and a fun spot to share with family. Next time I'm in DC, I'm definitely coming back for round two!

    The food is amazing Having been going to this place many many times! And our server Marcia is responsible and kind!!!!

    Pork with mushroom - spicy and lamb in dry pot.
    Kian K.

    We always have enjoyed our meal here. Maggie and Marsha our waitresses are helpful and pleasant and always give excellent service. This time we had lamb in dry pot and pork with mushroom. We requested spicy for pork with mushroom : chilly and numbing peppercorn. Dishes are extremely tasty. Always walking out feeling satisfied.

    @ chef lees restaurant gaithersburg.
    Waren O.

    We dined at Chef Lee's Restaurant in Gaithersburg, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. Highly recommended--you should definitely come and try it! The food was outstanding; everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. The service was truly high-class and made the whole experience even better. Special appreciation to Masha, our server. She was incredibly kind, always smiling, and very attentive to our needs. She made us feel welcome and well taken care of throughout our meal. We will absolutely be coming back again!

    Squid dish. The real thing and done well and spicy.
    Mike C.

    We visited at the recommendation of a friend and overall was a good experience. The layout was not something we expected but was a nice modern style that was open with comfortable table and booth settings. Food was tasty overall and portions overall decent. We ordered some of our usual dishes to compare to other restaurants we patronize regularly. Some dishes were fine, but my barometer for the real Sichuan is MaPo Tofu. Just not enough of the numb oily spices and more of a brown flavorful sauce without much zip to it. 7/10 overall.

    Very authentic Chinese dishes with great wok hei. Fresh, flavorful, and well balanced. Highly recommend. Marcia is Good service ,Thank you!

    lo 什锦捞面/Combination Fried Noodle
    Lily C.

    Great service and best food!Marcia and Remi helped a lot. I really like the pickle frog. Everything was fresh and flavorful. I would come back to and recommend to others.

    the top Chinese restaurant in the DMV area. Marcia's service is outstanding, and the foods are incredibly delicious.

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    Great menu, and great food but way too pricey. Nice place if you want to eat somewhere unique

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    8 months ago

    The service is best, the server called Marcia was amazing, so sweet. The food makes me feel like home.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Chef Lee's Element Reviews in Other Languages

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    Do they have any noodle dishes?

    Yes housemade noodles and Baos. Not a big noodles selection tho

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    Chuan Tian Xia

    Chuan Tian Xia

    4.4(64 reviews)
    7.9 mi

    This is a short review based on my first (but definitely not last!) visit. Will update in the…read morefuture. Was heading home from airport after a long flight. Was feeling hangry because I had planned on stopping at Hard Times for a bowl of chili -and found out they were closed on Mondays. So, pretty much pulled a name out of a hat and would up at Chuan Tian Xia because, well, Szechuan cooking uses chiles, no? Yesssss! I ordered Signature Dumplings and a bowl of Beijing-style Beijing-style Zhajiang Noodles. The dumplings were outstanding: a mix of shrimp, pork, and chive that were plump, juicy, fragrant with the herbaceous flavor of chives. The accompanying sauce was not too sweet, not too hot, just right as a complement to the dumplings. Yowza. I was a happy camper... ...and then I dug into my noodles. Double yowza! Thick wheat noodles topped with a rich sauce made from (I think) fermented soybean paste and braised pork belly, garnished with cucumbers. The portion was way to big for me to eat after my flight, but I really, really enjoyed it (and the remaining dumplings) for lunch today. Did I say yowza? I'm an adventurous eater so the menu's less Americanized items were what I would have ordered given more time (like Maoxuewang: can you say "pig's tongue, spam, pork intestine, and beef tripe"? Protein is protein, baby!). Just means I need to come back, and I will, as quickly as I can.

    This seems like a brand new opened spot that I wanted to try but when I asked my waiter he said…read morethey've been open for about 3 years. I got in there and the place was empty and I had to practically yell "excuse me" and someone came out to seat us. The old restaurant was a personal Hotpot place and the new restaurant didnt change the tables or the plates or practically anything so I was a little confused. We ordered and the waiter was super nice and helpful. He suggested good dishes to try and explained that each dish you order comes with a bowl of rice. When the food cane out we were shocked by the portion size. It was way bigger than we were expecting. The flavor of the food was good but a little messy. One dish we ordered was a little bland and the other 2 were pretty salty if not eaten with rice. The fish was not as crispy on the outside as I thought it would be but the inside was super tender and cooked very well. The color wasnt right but the flavor was there. It could've used a little more seasoning on top but it was good either way. The chicken we ordered was extremely spicy, which I liked, but it was pretty spicy. The pork we ordered was okay. It wasnt super authentic because they didnt cut the meat correctly but the flavor was there. Altogether I liked this restaurant and the prices were extremely fair considering their portion size. I would come here again to try the other dishes they have.

    Photos
    Chuan Tian Xia - Inside

    Inside

    Chuan Tian Xia - Chongqing La Zi Ji

    Chongqing La Zi Ji

    Chuan Tian Xia

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    Peter Chang Gaithersburg - SHRIMP FRIED RICE

    Peter Chang Gaithersburg

    4.0(217 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    Stopped by to enjoy their AYCE brunch (available daily until 3pm) and it didn't disappoint. So many…read moreoptions for $28pp (90 minute time limit) - traditional dim sum, Chinese tapas, soup, noodles, rice, dessert, and more. For dim sum, let them know how many pieces you want. Favorites: firecracker salmon crispy roll, crystal shrimp dumpling, vegan chili hand pulled noodles, and spicy dry fried bamboo fish If you visit on a weekend, I recommend arriving when they open as they got fairly busy as the afternoon went on.

    Ive been coming here several times a year now and working my way through everything on the menu…read more The service is amazing. every time no issues. The food comes out extremely fast almost predicting what we'll order and bringing it out 5 minutes later. I came here for dinner last night with some friends and heres my thoughts: Osmanthus honey pork ribs - never going to be disappointed with this Spicy dry fried egg plant - meat eaters and vegetarians will love it. order every time Limencello Shrimp - really good, I had one and its not for me but the shrimp eater at the table enjoyed it profoundly Spring River Fatty Beef - nope. I won't order again. I couldn't find anything to like about it. The texture was gooey, the flavor was a no. I'm calling a redo because of this one. Maybe mix with a lot of rice people like it? Tofu skin salad (cold) - my daughter really likes it. i can have a few bites but its not my favorite. Sichuan popcorn chicken - perfection. it's popcorn chicken. Scallion Bubble pancake - order every time. its huge comes with a vegan dipping sauce. easily enough for 3-4 people.

    Photos
    Peter Chang Gaithersburg - Seating

    Seating

    Peter Chang Gaithersburg - Peking duck

    Peking duck

    Peter Chang Gaithersburg - SHRIMP LOMEIN

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    SHRIMP LOMEIN

    B2J Fish Soup - Small combo sized spicy sour fish soup

    B2J Fish Soup

    4.7(207 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Some pretty outstanding fish soup. Don't let yourself get fooled by the slightly random /…read morenonsensical name (even the Chinese name makes no sense to me -- what on earth does "no second / two house / family" mean?); B2J Fish Soup is home to one some of the best authentic Chinese food in the DMV. As the name implies, they specialize in fish soup, particularly a hot and sour pickled fish soup (suan cai yu) that originates from Sichuan. This dish was one of my childhood favorites, and B2J did an incredible job crafting a deeply flavorful soup that transported me right back to my family's kitchen. The soup is served in the largest bowls I've ever seen and absolutely loaded with pickled veggies and tender, flaky fish that completely soaks up all the spicy and sour flavor. I appreciate that the soup isn't overly spicy or salty, so it's possible to drink the actual soup instead of just fishing out its fillings, and it goes great with the side of white rice. Their meal combo options also come with several appetizers of choice so, in addition to the delightful suan cai yu, we also got the fried milk custard and wood ear mushroom salad. The salad was super refreshing, with a great crunch from the wood ear mushrooms and red onions. The dressing was mostly vinegar and chili-based, so it was sour, spicy, salty, and slightly sweet. It was a delightful precursor to the spicy and sour fish soup, and the leftovers also kept incredibly well over the next couple of days. The fried milk custard was a great appetizer but made an even better dessert; the milk was gooey and melty, and the fried outer shell was perfectly crispy. It was such a delightful combination of flavors and not overly sweet. This hidden gem is quite quaint, but they managed to fit a decent amount of seating inside, with several long tables lining each side of the restaurant and a narrow aisle in between. The seats are comfy and, while the tables are quite close together, there's still enough space to feel like you have a bit of privacy / separation from the other diners. I love the little bamboo light fixtures, and one of their back walls has a little semi-circle design that looks like fish scales, adding to the fun, fish-themed ambiance.

    This is our favorite place for fish! Okay, my family loves soup, and this is very flavorful big…read morepot soup with awesome fish! We loved the classic flavor- just enough spicy ( plenty enough for me), to make it not overwhelm the fish and still has a good kick. We did try their spicier one - that was too much spicy in our opinion, but the level of spiciness is a personal preference. Their non- spicy tomato base is also very good! The fish itself- not fishy at all. Very fresh, goes very well with the soup. The sauerkraut is very flavorful and enhances the experience well, not overpowering anything. It all goes in harmony to creat a great experience! Loved their cold spicy chicken as an appetizer and the cucumber salad with peanuts were very well received. And one more thing - their rice - is SO good! Yeah, odd thing to specifically mention rice of any Asian restaurant- this is my first as well! But their rice was just that good!

    Photos
    B2J Fish Soup - Interiors

    Interiors

    B2J Fish Soup - Cooling jelly dessert

    Cooling jelly dessert

    B2J Fish Soup - Spicy and Sour Fern Starch Noodles

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    Spicy and Sour Fern Starch Noodles

    Lao Sze Chuan - Interior

    Lao Sze Chuan

    4.0(757 reviews)
    9.1 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.

    Photos
    Lao Sze Chuan - Food

    Food

    Lao Sze Chuan - Peking duck

    Peking duck

    Lao Sze Chuan - Servers training

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    Servers training

    George's Hot pot & bbq - Udon Sliced Beef Bulgogi

    George's Hot pot & bbq

    4.4(172 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$

    This is one of the best deals you'll find for Peking duck. It's only $48 OR $35 if you spend an…read moreadditional $28. Dine-in and cash only. Peking duck typically costs around $70+ elsewhere. The duck is also pretty good quality. Given the price, it's an amazing value - you can't even get one this cheap at an Asian grocery store. It's freshly prepared & takes about 30 minutes. You really can't find a deal like this anywhere else! I'm bumping this to 5 star for amazing value of the peking duck!

    Versatile Chinese restaurant living up to its name. They have tables set aside for barbecue…read more(complete with ceramic table grills and over head ventilation). If not in the mood for it there is a hot pot menu (with table side burners for individual pots with broth that one cooks protein and veggies in). They also have a classic Chinese food menu one orders à la carte, where the dishes are made to order in the staff kitchen. One of the signature dishes is their Peking Duck. We didn't get the Duck, hotpot or bbq this time. Got 3 different entrees: jumbo salt shrimp, fried bean curd with vegetables and spicy chili fish filet. The fish had plenty of chili oil, dried chili, Napa cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, bean thread noodles and scallions accompanying. Was flavorful and numbing. The tofu dish was a solid vegetarian source, with fried soy braised tofu triangles, broccoli, mushrooms s, cabbage and carrots. The best dish is their shrimp. Large prawns with the shells on were fried in salt, pepper and chili powder. The shells were crispy and edible and absorbed the flavoring well. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and succulent. Great place, will need to try other dishes.

    Photos
    George's Hot pot & bbq
    George's Hot pot & bbq - Spicy Chili Fish Fillet and Pork Bulgogi (3.14.25)

    Spicy Chili Fish Fillet and Pork Bulgogi (3.14.25)

    George's Hot pot & bbq - The Menu

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    The Menu

    Kung Fu 12 Szechuan - Sizzling Teriyaki Beef

    Kung Fu 12 Szechuan

    3.9(86 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    Wow!! Haven't been here since before their renovation and owner switch. This place is so awesome…read morecan't believe I didn't try it until now. For starters, the food comes out incredibly fast. We ordered and immediately got our dishes which was so awesome. The interior is cute too. Very large inside they have lots of booths available and even private rooms in the back. And I'm surprised but everything was really good too!!! I've been looking for a place that can make their green beans like Bob Shanghai and this place did it. They were so yummy. What we ordered: - Hot and sour soup (4/5) A little too thick but flavor was good. - Mongolian Beef (5/5) so savory and not too sweet which i really liked! - Green Beans (5/5) my favorite veggie ever. - Boiled Fish (4.5/5) this is the slighter soupier option of the two. Really good and lots of large chunks of fish. I also asked for less peppercorns. I liked it but my dad did not. - Sweet and sour pork (4/5) Liked how the meat didn't smell, it could've been more chewy and crispy. Also meat wasn't fully coated in the sauce. I probably wouldn't get this again.

    We always enjoy dining here. The service is consistently good, and the menu offers a great variety…read moreof options. Our go-to appetizer is the Crispy Scallion Cakes. They're delicious, although, as on previous visits, they tend to be quite oily. Fortunately, that's easily remedied by blotting them with a paper towel. I ordered the Braised Beef Noodle Soup. The braised beef was incredibly flavorful and tender--I only wish there had been more of it! My husband ordered the Thai Basil Chicken. It wasn't the typical Thai basil flavor we expected, but he still really enjoyed the dish. Overall, we had another great meal and will definitely be back.

    Photos
    Kung Fu 12 Szechuan
    Kung Fu 12 Szechuan
    Kung Fu 12 Szechuan - Falls Grove Shopping Center

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    Falls Grove Shopping Center

    Chef Lee's Element - szechuan - Updated September 2026

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