Parking was easy out front, they have a small lot thats shared with another business. Was a little chilly inside so not sure if heat wasn't all full. Staff greeted us and got to see it real quick. We and another party was only ones there lunch time. Probably more take out than dine in. Menu selection was huge, so much to choose from. My gf is from china so picked out some noteworthy dishes to try and they did not disappoint! 4/5 stirfry bacon with bamboo shoots was excellent. The bacon is more like the fatty cross section of pork that's thinly sliced. It had a smoky flavor to it which mixes well with the crunchy bamboo and peppers. The spice level was also just right to give the dish a good kick. 3.5/5 fried intestines were also good but just didn't hit as well as the other dishes. Maybe just not crunchy enough. At least also spiced well. 5/5 Salted egg yolk with tofu... I could not stop eating this dish with rice. I don't know what kind of tofu they were using, but it was super silky, but it was also maintaining its form really well in firmness so doesn't break apart in contact. The salty egg yolk flavor balances out with the tofu and rice. It's so it's like a comfort food for me. 4.5/5 beef with Longhorn peppers, definitely on the spicy side, which I love. This dish was a bit softer than normal, but I was fine since we had rice to go with it. The beef strands mixed well with the thin sliced peppers so it was easy chew and the spice packs a punch. Overall, I love this place and will definitely come again when I'm around the area. The menu is so huge that I feel like I have to come back multiple times just to try 80% of the menu. read more

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Lovely, non descript, clean and welcoming. I researched this place and it's description is "authentic "... and it truly is. I ordered the double pork.. came out beautifully served in a pot, delicious with peppers and note this.. spicy. But I like that! Scallion pancakes were great as were the delightful, ethereal, chicken fingers/ puffs. Left me asking the question, how did they do that? Portions were excellent as was the service. BYOB... enjoyed a nice sauvignon blanc. read more

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This place was alright, food wise...everything was not too seasoned, but also not seasoned enough. Liked the beef stuffed scallion pancakes, never had that before. Also liked the spicy cucumbers. Parking off street, staff was semi attentive. Liked the ambiance and the chairs are sturdy and comfy read more

Chef Yao - A15. Beef Stuffed Scallion Pancake Wrap - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

The restaurant that was in this location before had amazing wings, so I came back hoping for the best, but they were not as good. Despite that, I think this place is pretty decent. The general chicken was good, the crab Rangoon was decent, but the shrimp lo mein was pretty flavorless. I tossed some extra sauce in when I heated it up in the frying pan the next day and it was tasty. I ordered takeout, so I did not eat in the dining room. Service was friendly. I'll try them again and order different dishes. I think they have potential! read more

We went here on Christmas Eve and got a big selection of dishes to share. They were really unique flavors. I loved the yam and fungi dish and the eggplant and garlic was so delicious. Also tried the turmeric tofu, which was intense but delicious. I wish there dedicated gluten-free desserts. I'd say it's an understated place for sure. read more

Chef Yao's is the best, most authentic Chinese food my friends and I have found around Providence! Flavors are on point, portion size and price are good, and they have a large variety! We always come here when we are craving good Chinese food. It usually isn't too crowded which is great because we can usually always get a spot when we want to go! It's a cute, clean restaurant. Parking isn't great (only a few spots in the front). If you were to compare Chef Yao's to other cities with big Chinese food hubs (New York, Houston, Quincy, etc) then Chef Yao's would probably be about average at those areas, but here in Providence/RI, it's definitely one of the best and most authentic you can get! read more

Chef Yao - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

I was craving Chinese food , looked up places with the best reviews and I can see why. My first impression upon walking in was a very friendly greeting from the owner. There is ample seating if you wanted to dine in, but I was taking out. I ordered the lunch special of hot and sour soup General Tso's chicken with brown rice. The wait was minimal , not even 10 minutes for it to be ready. I could not wait to get home to dig in and it was delicious. I only wish they could add more broccoli to the meal, other than that I was very pleased. read more

Chef Yao - P1. General Tso's Chicken - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

It was a quiet snowy afternoon. Excited about this new Szechuan option, we ventured to warm our bellies! Music was not too loud. Lights were neither too bright nor too dim. Only 1 other table but plenty of take out orders. We got the following: hot jasmine tea ($3 for a pot) - teabag the spicy crispy cucumber cold appetizer - nice crunch and not over powering. Refreshing flavor. Braised beef in spicy sauce - this has 4 fire signs next to it. I wanted it to burn my mouth and my belly. It probably deserved a 1 fire sign. It gave me the Szechuan tongue tingle but not a single sweat in sight. Tasty and huge though. Peking duck - pancakes were pretty big and thinner than anticipated. Duck was cooked perfectly and the presentation and side dishes were nice. $20-something for half a duck. Not bad. Dessert was the brown sugar jelly. My daughter ate it all and wouldn't let me have a bite. She said it's something she will crave in the future and come here just for the dessert if necessary. We will certainly be back. There are more items on their menu I'm excited to try. Might ask for extra spicy next time! Minus one star mostly because it was a tad expensive but not too bad. Service was good. Came over when needed but never hounded. read more

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Chef Yao? Chef WOW!!! Sometimes Szechuan cuisine can feel like it's relying too much on spiciness, which results in a heavy/cloying effect, but not here. Each dish felt layered and complex. My favs were the mapo tofu and duck, but we all walked away very happy. read more

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So I have seen other reviews gushing "Chef Wow!", "Chef Yow!", "Chef Yowza!" ... and you know what? The accolades are deserved. We were looking for authentic Chinese cuisine (not American Chinese) and were very happy with our meal. We had terrific vegetable dishes of water spinach and achoy in garlic sauces, a wonderful brace of whole sea bass, one steamed with ginger and scallion, the other fried with sweet and sour sauce (their "squirrel fish"), and a solid salt and pepper squid (though we felt the squid could've been a little crispier). The only letdown was the Peking duck - though still good and beautifully presented, the skin didn't have that crackly crispness that we've had at other establishments. Overall though, it was a highly satisfying and enjoyable meal. We'll be back to try their Hunan specialties and I predict we'll be revising our rating to a full 5 stars. Service was very welcoming and friendly; the interior is bright and clean though nothing fancy. read more

Chef Yao - Peking duck nicely presented - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

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Best Chinese food experience in the state of Providence thus far. When we walked into the restaurant we immediately knew it would be legit. All the dishes we ordered were really delicious, spicy but more complex than just spice. The tripe and beef in cucumber was a stand out to me in that it was oily but refreshing. The other two dishes (beef with bamboo shoot, beef in yellow broth) were also well balanced with perfect texture temperature and seasoning. Our dishes came out quickly after ordering, and our seever was generally punctual despite manning a busy floor. Would recommend Chef Yao, and excited to come back read more

Chef Yao - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

Lunch special! This is my 3rd time at chef yaos and it is SO amazingly good. Similar take out etc is not comparable at all the flavoring is way better than other places around. Can't wait to try some of their more authentic meals at a sit down time! L7. Cashew with Chicken S1. Hot and Sour Soup read more

Chef Yao - L7. Cashew with Chicken S1. Hot and Sour Soup - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

Solid new addition to the NP area! Everything we had was tasty! Our favorites were the chicken in chili sauce and the pan friend noodles with beef. The shrimp were large but also at a higher price tag of $18.95. The general tso chicken was ok. It's our 2nd time here and the staff is friendly and we will be repeat customers! The entrees come with rice which is nice. read more

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Incredible food. This is not your average Asian restaurant, this is top notch stuff. The appetizers are great with a lot of extra...try the egg roll and the crab rangoon. They have the usual favorites, but many other dishes that you'd find in Boston's Chinatown. The service is excellent! Chef Yao is a fan favorite in North Providence. read more

The food at Chef Yao is superb! The flavors are unique. The service is most attentive. The ambiance is simple but immaculate. I go there twice weekly. The luncheon specials are the BEST read more

Came here once more and the food is great as always. Peking duck was good, but i wouldn't order it again, as I prefer just eating duck with rice. Steamed sea bass was very clean and light tasting. Spicy crispy chicken is something we always get every time we come~ read more

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The food here has been very good. I'm so glad I found this from Yelp! A great addition to the lackluster Chinese food scene in RI. Their Sichuan dishes are very mouth numbing and flavorful. read more

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This place is definitely authentic. The vast majority of the customers were Chinese speaking so you know the food is legit. The menu has a variety of options from truly authentic Chinese to your American Chinese dishes. The Hot and Sour soup was really good not too spicy and had an umami flavor. The crab Rangoons were crispy with a creamy filling. They were def tasty. The soup Dumplings were nicely filled but they could have been steamed a little more because they were a bit chewy. The service was really nice and helped by suggesting some entrees. I took the waitresses recommendation and ordered the Kung Pao Chicken. It comes with white rice and I added an egg roll. The spice level was present and I am very grateful that I only ordered with little spice. Overall great experience and good food. It's definitely a different taste added to the area. The prices are good - just like all the other restaurants. I will definitely be back and try other dishes. read more

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Third visit to this friendly place, the chef put out delicious dishes with passion and cooking skill read more

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The service and food here is amazing. They have great lunch specials or a very affordable price. They serve traditional Schizuan food as well. The customer service is always top-notch and they are also family owned. The restaurant itself is very cozy and has a very simple cafe like and ambience. If I'm around mineral Springs N. Prov. I would stop by. My favorite was their crispy chicken with the Mala peppers. It comes with what they side of rice and either an eggroll or soup. read more

Fourth time here. I am always pleased with whatever I order. Today was hot and sour soup with luncheon special of hot an sour shredded potatoes. I keep returning for a reason, quality. read more

Chef Yao - Large hot and sour soup - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

Great food! Everything we ordered was delicious. Pecking duck, soup dumplings, scallion pancakes etc

Very good authentic food and good prices and service. Been there three times and will certainly return, very clean also

Oh yum!!! Yes, go here! Beautiful and complex dishes, even the old standbys are meticulously rendered unique and new. Best egg rolls in years! Huge servings. read more

Was invited there for a business lunch. The food was tasty and fresh. Our server was prompt in taking our order and was very attentive. I am looking forward to returning for the dinner menu. The reason for the 4 stars is because the restaurant needs a little more Ambiance. If you want good food fresh food and great service try Chef Yao, read more

i've ordered out here twice, both times ordering the crispy spicy chicken and both times ive eaten so much szechuan pepper that water starts to taste weird. even if it meant ruining my tastebuds forever, i would still order it and eat it. hell, i want to eat it right now. how do i become the official ambassador for chef yao's crispy spicy chicken. how do i get brand deals. read more

Great food ! It is not your ordinary take out spot. Will be a regular , especially for their dumplings!!

So pleased to see another attempt at offering authentic Chinese food to the area. Menu is full of delicious dishes at reasonable prices. Service is friendly. Decor is simple and attractive. Try a more authentic dish. Go ahead. You'll like it! read more

Chicken fingers were the reason i placed another order. They were fantastic. And the crab rangoons are really good also.

Easily the top Chinese restaurant in Providence! The options are very limited here given my high standard for authentic Chinese food and Chef Yao nailed it! 湖南小炒肉 笋尖腊肉 are my favorite and those non-hunan style dishes are good too. Service is good too and adjusted to our taste of less sweat when we asked for it. The restaurant's interior is clean and decent. You can come here or order delivery and won't be disappointed. read more

We love authentic Chinese food and this is our new favorite place. We had string beans, dumplings, crab Rangoon, Peking duck, and Mala dry pot. Everything seemed homemade and was outstanding. Had never heard of dry pot, tried one and loved it. Captured exactly the flavor of mala hot pot without having to do the work. 5,000 stars. read more

Solid cold spicy chicken. Dan Dan noodles were very mushy, though the sauce was on point. Would return to give them another shot.

I got Chef Yao today for the first time. I live in North Providence and I think this is the best Chinese food I've had in the area so far! read more

Chef Yao - Szechuan Near Me - N Providence, Rhode Island

The food here is amazing, like, really tasty and super authentic. It's probably the best Sichuan and Hunan food I've had around here. The place is quiet and chill, so it's a nice spot to hang out. The staff are super friendly and take good care of you. If you're looking for real-deal Sichuan and Hunan dishes, this is it! read more

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This restaurant popped up on my radar this week, and given that it has a good selection of Hunan (and Sichuan) dishes, I had to give it a try. And I'm very glad I did. Three of us ordered takeout. Everything was excellent. The Hunan lamb was a scrumptiously complex mix of spicy and smoky with a colorful melange of peppers and some scallions and other veggies thrown in. Chicken dry pot was also flavorful and perfectly cooked, with sichuan peppercorns taking the lead among the spices. Braised fish in chili sauce rounded out the entrees, and was also a hit. Spicy shredded potato was subtler than you'll usually find, with the freshly shredded potato itself playing a co-starring role with the vinegar and other flavors. We'll be regulars at this wonderful new addition to the restaurant scene. Highly recommended, with top-notch Sichuan and the best Hunan dishes I've found in this region. read more

A new restaurant with a lot of dishes that I haven't had before.The owner is very nice and highly recommended!

Our very first at Chef Tao this past Tuesday night. The food was horrible, cold and tasted like left overs from days ago. We placed a to go order and they forgot our crab rangoons. I gave a nice tip too. The eggs were different from each other. I hope this place closes. Worst experience for Chinese food ever. The place was empty so I should have taken that as a warning they are terrible. Food is awful. I may report them to the DOH for inspection. How dare you not cook my food fresh and give days old food. Shame on you! read more

i tried this today after being in RI for 25 years the best i must say me and my boyfriend enjoyed every bite