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    Chengdu Impression

    3.9 (351 reviews)
    ModerateSzechuan
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Chengdu Impression Photos

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    CHENGDU IMPRESSION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Recommended Reviews - Chengdu Impression

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    Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce
    Marc L.

    Wanted to get some lunch that was not our typical fare. How I miss working in the SGV because of the delicious options. Chengdu Impression certainly did not disappoint. We had the deal for two. Our selection the Pork Belly with pan fried veggies, seasonal veggies, and my fav sliced beef and tofu in chili oil sauce. Service was efficient, place is clean and the menu has many traditional dishes. Do yourself a favor and get some flavor!

    Lilian W.

    Chengdu Impression is a Szechuan Chinese restaurant specializing in numbing spice dishes, located near the iconic Windmill Denny's with plenty of parking in the back and an entrance accessible from the lot. The restaurant itself is clean, with ample seating that accommodates both small and large groups. A thoughtful touch greets diners--a bowl of guava candy near the entrance. During my Sunday lunch visit, the restaurant wasn't busy, with just 2-3 tables occupied at any given time. It's an ideal spot for gatherings, though I'd recommend reservations for larger parties. The service was attentive but lacked warmth, and while the staff explained which dishes could have spice levels adjusted, they didn't offer much guidance while we were deciding what to order. The meal began with complimentary pickled cabbage, daikon, and roasted salted peanuts. Among the dishes I tried, some were underwhelming for the price. The dan dan mien at $16.99 for a "large" portion didn't feel large at all, and the flavor was standard--replicable at home for less. The deep-fried diced chicken with chili and garlic at $23.99, while tasty, had small chicken pieces overshadowed by a surplus of peppers and garlic. I've had superior versions of this dish elsewhere. Similarly, the wok-fried beef with king oyster mushrooms in black pepper sauce ($23.99) was flavorful but portioned too small for its cost. On the other hand, there were standout dishes. The beef brisket in tomato broth ($28.99) was a highlight, offering tender brisket in a rich, umami, and slightly sweet tomato sauce that paired beautifully with rice. A cold appetizer of cordyceps flower with bean curd skin was also impressive--flavorful, texturally interesting, and one of the more reasonably priced dishes at $13.99. The sliced snakehead fish in spicy pickled broth was another winner at $32.99. Presented more as a soup, the fish was tender and silky, though the dish lacked pickled vegetables as promised. Despite this, it complemented rice nicely. The dining atmosphere is better suited for eating than socializing. We were asked to leave due to the restaurant's afternoon closure, which felt abrupt but fair. It would have been nice to be told further in advance. Overall, the food was enjoyable, though portions were small, and the prices leaned toward the high end. While the restaurant positions itself as a higher-end Chinese dining experience, the service and execution didn't quite match that vision.

    Tofu Soup
    Nancy L.

    This place makes traditional dishes that have a numbing spice, a unique experience, and friendly waiters.Additionally, this place is pretty quiet and peaceful and a bit hard to find but it was great!Would come again in the future.

    Jamie O.

    Sichuan cuisine is a high-wire act of flavor--heat, numbing, aroma, memory. You walk into Chengdu Impression expecting the gut punch: that tongue-tingling oil, that scatter of peppercorn, that bravery of palate. Instead, you get... fine. That's not a failure, per se--it's just not a journey. You have the mapo tofu. You whisper to yourself: "Panda Inn does this better." Shocking, right? But it's true. Something in the execution here is polite. Dry. The performance is competent--technically sound, inoffensive--but definitely in an elevator muzak sort of way and not great jazz. To reach the heights of mapo tofu magic, you need reckless abandon. A sauce that bites. A balance that teases. This one hugs the line but never jumps.

    Angus Beef Rib
    Jie G.

    Excellent Chinese food with a modern twist. We had the alumni get together in a big dining room that can seat 24 ppl. They can also accommodate karaoke! We ordered all kinds of meat, seafood, soup and appetizers. The lobster, fatty duck and sweet and sour fish are must-haves!

    Our own goodies
    amy w.

    This is a great restaurant in between temple City and Arcadia area. I have been here before and the dishes are savory and super spicy. I am not a person that can take spicy food but for those that enjoys spicy food, this is the place for you. They have a variety of delicious dishes from pig intestines to spicy and sour fish soup to choose from. All dishes brings out the unique spicy flavors and burns the tongue in a good way. Drop by if you are in the area and they have a private room for huge group of people. Make sure you ask for the minimum change for the private room and the parking is a bit tricky located in the back of the restaurant.

    Ann C.

    My aunt wanted to treat us to lunch today so we decided to come to Chengdu. If you're looking for Szechuan food, this place would be for you. But for me, it was too much of the numbing peppercorn in all the dishes. We ordered their lunch special for four that included five different dishes and order an extra noodle and beef dish. The price for special lunch was great for the portion. The food was good at first and second bites, but afterwards because of the numbing peppers, the food kind of just blended together. The food was also pretty greasy so it kind of gave me an upset tummy afterwards. The prices are a little high but if you can handle the spice, you can give them a try.

    The fish was really good
    Solomon C.

    First time try this place. Learned it from little red notes. The place is clean. The main area for customers sits about capacity of 50-65. Menu is easy to use. The speed of the food service was really fast. Spicy. Good for sure. They have few private rooms in the upstairs. For example, four people room cover charges 250. Plus taxes. Tips.

    Unique looking cauliflower sautéed with bacon
    Hanfu L.

    We were surprised with how delicious was this unique looking cauliflower sautéed with bacon. The bass with black bean sauce was also delicious. The Dan Dan noodles were good but better if you add their chili oil hot sauce. They have many choices in their dinner menu, including Wagyu fried rice.

    The Spread
    Winn H.

    TLDR: One of the BEST Chinese spicy food locations that you can visit. If you can speak Mandarin, that's a big plus! I highly recommend everything on their menu but on a serious note can vouch for their mapo tofu and crispy spicy diced chicken. - - - - - - Ugh! I am soooo mad at myself for thinking that this was closed because I viewed it from the big parking lot! The window designs are so misleading... don't be fooled and make sure to walk in. And as you can imagine, big parking lot means easy parking - yay! I visited with a friend on a Saturday night and ordered their mapo tofu, crispy spicy diced chicken with dry chili, and asparagus with wood ear mushrooms. The mapo tofu was SPICY but in a good way; each bite was flavorful, and there is more than enough to go around for two. The asparagus and wood ear mushrooms were an excellent and gentle palate cleanser, a nice, crunchy relief from the resto f the spice in our dishes. And lastly, the spicy crispy spicy diced chicken... if you could chew fire and spit fireballs, this is probably the closest thing to it - it's addicting. Despite how spicy it is, it was so tasty that it was difficult to not take another bite... my friend and I ate this it were dessert and needless to say, no leftovers on this dish! Thankfully there is some relief for the hot and spicy dishes. The interior is decorated fairly clean, mostly lights and brights. The overall tone is quite relaxing, and contrasts well how much you "might" be sweating if you aren't used to handling spicy foods.

    Crispy Spicy Diced Chicken Dried Pepper

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    3 months ago

    This place is really good. All of their dishes are bomb and I drink a lot of water and they constantly come and make sure we don't run out

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    1 year ago

    Wok fried Crispy lard cabbage is the best here you can't find any other Chinese restaurants in socal!!!

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    Page 1 of 9

    Chengdu Impression Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chengdu Impression

    Do you still serve food in paper plates?

    Nope

    Are you open on Tuesdays still? Last few times I have visited on a Tuesday, you have been closed :-(

    Are the panda tang yuan still available?

    Is there a liquor license?

    Yes. They have cocktails, beer, and a large wine list

    Is their dishes small portion?

    The portions are pretty large. The prices are very reasonable for what you receive.

    View All 9 Questions

    You might also consider

    Sichuan Impression - Tea Smoked Pork Ribs

    Sichuan Impression

    (1.3k reviews)

    $$

    My friends and I came to Swan impression on a Sunday night around 7:30 PM. They were still pretty…read morebusy during this time and I was not surprised by it. We've been at their location in Tustin and I heard this one was better than that location I was really excited about it. Teson is really good too, so I had a pretty good expectation on this location. Upon arrival, we were immediately seated by the staff member and she was pretty efficient and on top of things. I have attached here, but the ambience is pretty lively, but also not too loud. It was an enjoyable experience where you can talk with each other and be able to hear one another. At the same time, they had a clean and classy decor to their interior design. We ordered the stirfry lamb with cumin, shredded potato, and the chili oil fish fillet. The Lamb - 5/5 was perfectly cooked and seasoned with a very nice heat to it. Be careful because this is not for those sensitive to spicy food, but if you do like spicy, this has such a nice kick to it. The shredded potato - 5/5 one of my favorite dishes to substitute for the rice. Don't be deceived by how it looks. It definitely has a kick and can numb your mouth; however, you can still taste the pickled flavor in each bite. The chilli oil fish - 5/5 one of my most favorite dishes from both locations. Although the spiciest of the dishes, you taste the flavor through each bite. The dish is perfectly cooked and just dissolves in your mouth. Overall I am extremely satisfied with our visit and recommend coming here if you're ever in the area!!

    Came by Sichuan Impression and had a pretty mixed experience overall…read more We ordered the spicy squid tentacles dry pot, which honestly was a bit disappointing. The squid tentacles were tiny, and the dish felt like it was mostly filled with mixed vegetables. For $25.99, it definitely felt a little like a rip-off. On the brighter side, the Tea Smoked Pork Rib was really good--super flavorful and probably my favorite dish of the meal. That said, most of the menu is on the pricier side, and the portions aren't very generous, so value-wise it's a bit questionable. Service was just okay. No one really checked in on us, and we had to wave our hands a few times to get attention when we needed something. Overall, solid flavors in some dishes, but the portion size and pricing hold it back from being a full 5 stars.

    Lin's Club - Twice cooked pork belly

    Lin's Club

    (257 reviews)

    $$

    Arrived 2:30ish on a weekday without the usual line. Small dining area but cute. 4 of us ordered…read morethe smoked duck (half for $15) and the duck skin was do good that a KFC chicken would blush (4.5/5). The duck could be a little warmer when it got to us. Cumin lamb did not have enough fat on the pieces, but portion and flavor was excellent (4/5). Chicken cold noodles were ok (3/5).

    Tea smoked duck! Order it! It's smoky, crispy, juicy and , savory…read more My go to order: numbing spicy chicken nuggets, stinky tofu, and duck. The spicy chicken nuggets has the right amount of numbing spice, paired with the crunch of the chicken, and filled with crispy chili pieces. The stinky tofu is fried and pairs perfectly with pungent garlic dipping sauce. The portions are generous and the price is super affordable. Most dishes range from 12.99 -15.99. The duck is around $28 for the whole duck, which is amazing in this economy. It's a small store so seating is limited. I've never personally dined in and always ordered takeout. And the boss lady that runs the front of the house? She is cool, sassy and a multi-tasking queen. You can tell she puts heart and pride into serving the customers and food. When placing the phone order, she will try to make sure that the food is ready when you arrive. And she will always say in mandarin in an almost scolding tone: "hurry up and go home and eat the food. It won't be as good if you wait to long to eat it! " Honestly...the scolding makes the food taste better.

    LAN Noodle - Thicc wide flat noodle in signature LAN Noodle

    LAN Noodle

    (922 reviews)

    $$

    Drinks: -Mango smoothie $5.5…read more-Diet Coke Appertizers: -Chinese burger beef $7.99 -smashed cucumber $5 -beef tendon $7 -pig ear $13 -scallion oil chicken $13 -braised pig feet $13 Entrees: -beef chow mein $17 -sweet and sour chicken with rice $10 -xiao long bao $14 -shrimp fried rice $15 -Lan noodle $16 -dried mixed with beef $17 If noodles had a personality, Lan Noodle would be that overachiever who makes everything from scratch just to show off. You walk in thinking, "I'll just grab a quick bowl," and suddenly there's a noodle master stretching dough like he's training for the Olympics. Their Lanzhou-style noodles? Fresh, chewy, and honestly a little too good--they'll ruin instant ramen for you forever. The Lan noodle soup is so rich and savory. The died mixed noodle feels like a warm hug... if hugs came with chili oil and a kick that sneaks up on you. It's a small, busy spot, so yeah, you might wait--but don't worry, the line moves fast. Plus, it gives you time to emotionally prepare for choosing your noodle shape. Thin? Wide? Triangle? This is not a decision to take lightly. One wrong move and you'll be thinking about it halfway through your bowl like, "I should've gone wider."

    I like how they have expanded their menu with additional options other than simply noodle options…read more We tried their pork pan fried dumplings (3/5) since the skin was overpoweringly thick, but the filling was decent. They have a small and large sweet and sour chicken rice plate. I had gotten the small size just to try it out, but it was surprisingly good (5/5). The pork sandwich bun was decent (4/5) since the beef was tasty but the sandwich bun could be better. We also had the traditional beef noodle soups with either the wide flat and triangle ones. You can't go wrong with these freshly made pulled noodles, and they are very hearty portions. Flavor is good and the beef is very tender. The smashed cucumbers were decent also (4/5), but nothing spectacular about them. Service is very quick, attentive and pleasant. This is a good go to spot for a quick meal. The dining room doesn't seat a lot of people so try not to come during busy dining hours on weekends to avoid a long wait.

    Chong Qing Special Noodles - Chongqing Dan Dan Noodles

    Chong Qing Special Noodles

    (731 reviews)

    $$

    I have been seeing way too many reels on instagram nowadays so I decided to try!!…read moreWent on a Friday noon, but it wasn't full which is good for me. Many don't like their services but I don't think they were rude or anything we were a party of 3 and the third person was 45min late... but they let us have seat and wait inside so that's very nice. I got the You Po noodle. This one doesn't come with meat just a head up. I'm fine with no meat but some have to have meat in their food. The amount of garlic they put on my bowl could kill everyone who I talk the rest of the day so I set aside about a half amount but it was so good. My friends got Chong Qing noodle and Chong Qing Handmade noodle. Both were good too! We also got Pig ear too but kind of flavorless. Texture was good though.

    You dont come here for the service...you come for the food. We drove from the beach cities to eat…read morehere and were surprised with how reasonable prices were and how good the food actually was! Its a small restaurant in a strip mall. Parking is tight but there is street parking too. Mandarin is primarily spoken but they do speak english too. And reviews are correct in that its hard to get a hold of a waitress especially when they're busy. We got the Chong qing noodle special, you po, and spicy wonton. All were very flavorful and well portioned. We got the spicy level and that was lip numbing. Noodles were fresh and well cooked. Will be back to try other dishes.

    Chengdu Impression - szechuan - Updated May 2026

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