Came for an early-ish dinner and it was pretty quiet. The service and atmosphere were both kind of bare bones. There was no music so it was almost silent. I was had someone come to my table to take my order and bring my food but no one came by again after I got the food, so I went to the register to pay. Maybe a bit of a language barrier with the staff. I asked for jelly in my drink and got tapioca boba instead and generally felt like they didn't really understand what I was saying. I got a tofu rice bowl with miso sauce and a green milk tea with boba. The rice bowl was the perfect size for one meal, and there was a lot of tofu which made it filling. It was simple, with just the protein and sauce over steamed greens and rice, and I felt like it was pretty healthy. It didn't blow me away but it was good! The green milk tea was also good, strong but not too sweet. Some versions of the menu call it matcha but it very much tasted like green tea, not matcha. I think it was from a powder mix but that's fine. Reasonable prices. If I remember correctly, the rice bowl was about $13 and the boba was about $6 including the topping. I liked the food and would definitely eat here again. read more

Chow Bar - Miso sauce fried tofu rice bowl, green milk tea w/ boba - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Food here can be a bit hit or miss, depending on what you order. The salt and pepper squid and beef and broccoli are both really good -- definitely worth getting. Other dishes, like the Yeung Chow fried rice, aren't quite on par with what you'd find in bigger cities like Vancouver or San Francisco, but still decent for Bloomington. Service can come across as a little abrupt, but I think it's just their efficient, no-nonsense style, similar to what you'd see in major Chinese cities -- not actually rude. The ambience is quiet and relaxed, though the interior feels a bit dated and could use a refresh. Overall, solid Chinese food for Bloomington, especially if you know what to order. read more

Chow Bar - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Food is always fresh and delicious!!! One of our favorite places. Delivery was fast and courteous.

Food was ok service was good. Place needs a deep cleaning and paint job. Have to park in the street.

I had the giant rice bowl. It's was amazing at first but then I saw an atrocious thing! A dead cockroach IN MY FOOD! i complained to the worker and she said "Calm down Karen" HORRIBLE service. Never coming again. read more

Best dumplings ever. If i could, I would stock up on these for the impending apocalypse.

Excellent. What a great find. Very happy to have a Chinese restaurant with excellent food here in Bloomington. And they have Boba tea - both milk and fruit options. The buffet has a very good selection or order off the menu. read more

Discovered the wrong entree in my order once I got home. Pot stickers were way too doughy. Pork fried rice was just that... pork and rice. Not a single vegetable. First time last time. read more

When the food is being prepared by a family and served by them you the quality is going to be top notch..that is exactly what you get at Chow Bar. The food is outstanding and the portions are very generous. Definitely a must visit and we plan to go back there soon. read more

Chow Bar - Q27. Dry Pot Lamb and the Indonesian Fried Rice - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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If you want legit Chinese food at an incredible value, come eat here! I did the lunch buffet option to go -- $12.99. The crab Rangoon and fried chicken wings are excellent! read more

Chow Bar - Lunch buffet to go - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Food was pretty good even though I don't think we got that we ordered, lol. Somehow I think the language barrier had something to do with it but it worked out in the end. My son ordered salt and pepper pork ribs and I believe he got sweet and sour ribs. I ordered Szechuan shrimp and I believe I got salt and pepper shrimp. My husband got Mongolian lamb and I think he said it was lamb. lol. Like I said it was all still pretty good. We also ordered the combination appetizer which was just ok and the crab rangoon was probably the best item on it. We will definitely be back even though there was confusion. read more

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The menu is rather lengthy and hard to read if you don't already have in mind what you want. There's literally so many options. The interior could use some modernization. But, it's a nice place for the most part. In my opinion, they have the best crab Rangoon I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. Absolutely creamy and delicious ! The costing wasn't too hard or stale. Perfection. I also had the chicken stir fry udon. It was good, but I'm not sure if I would order the same thing in the future. I wish I would have ordered a bubble tea, I think I missed out there. Definitely go try the crab rangoon ! read more

Chow Bar - Crab Rangoon - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

authentic Chinese food. settings outdated little. But the two dishes we ordered are actually very good. Price seems reasonable too. Recommend read more

Chow Bar - 鱼香茄子 - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Terrific authentic Chinese restaurant. One of the best Chinese food restaurants I have dined at in Indiana. I do not visit Bloomington without ordering take out and I look forward to my journey back to Indianapolis to eat my meal from here. read more

Ordered over the phone she repeated my order back to me but not much was right. Didn't get the sweet and sour sauce for my egg roll which I'm pretty sure was a spring roll and ordered fried rice instead of steamed rice and I know bc it was a 1.50$ difference for some reason. I recommend ordering in person and check your food before you leave. If take out that is. The employee at the counter tried arguing that I didn't order the fried rice. Place was nice and clean tho from what I could see. read more

An ok American style Chinese restaurant. If you're in the mood for that and searching for something a little fatty and greasy on a Friday night, this may be for you. If you're searching for something that reminds you of Chinatown (or China), head on over to Lucky Express instead. We've had this a few times over the years and it does hit the spot for a drunken night where you just need some carbs. The dumplings have a very thick skin and the meat inside is seasoned in an interesting but pleasant way. The Dan Dan noodles remind me of bolognese. Not spicy, thick noodle, more meat than is necessary. Surprising spice blend for a Chinese dish. Their fried wings and chicken skewers are pretty good. And their broccoli with garlic sauce is nice enough (the broccoli we got most recently was slightly over cooked but the sauce was nice). Wouldn't really recommend for fish dishes but hey we're landlocked so I can't fault them too much for that. All in all we have so many amazing Chinese restaurants I'd be surprised if we go back. It's not bad, but it's not good either. The location is good though depending on where you work or live on campus if you're connected to IU. read more

In my opinion, Chow Bar is one of the better Chinese restaurants in Bloomington. Of the seven different Chinese restaurants I've been to in B-town, Chow Bar has the best mix of good food, quality service, and pleasant atmosphere. Bloomington has a diverse population, with many international students from China and surrounding areas. Many of these students frequent the local Chinese restaurants, and I have heard several students speak highly of Chow Bar. To this extent, I think Chow Bar can be recommended as a restaurant that is more authentic, and appeals to both Americans and non-Americans alike. During my last visit to Chow Bar, I went with two of my future roommates and another good friend of ours. We ordered four dishes to share amongst the four of us. The dishes included a plate of green beans, a plate of chicken and peppers, a beef stew with mushrooms and kale, and a plate of duck with onions and peppers. I don't ordinarily eat "communal" dishes for dinner, but I've been told by my good friend from Hong Kong that it is part of the Chinese culture. After trying it out a few times, I think it's a nice change of pace from a traditional American dinner and it's something I think should become more a part of American culture. There are many parts of the world I've never been to (China included), but when I go to Chow Bar, I feel like I can get a small taste of Chinese culture. You can hear Mandarin being spoken, you can enjoy great Chinese food, and you can eat the way Chinese people eat (both by sharing dishes and by using chopsticks). I'm not so naive to believe that this experience is just like a meal in China, but I do believe it is as close as you can get in Bloomington, IN! I would recommend Chow Bar to anyone who likes Chinese food or anyone looking to try something new (if you are not a regular at Chinese restaurants). One thing I neglected to mention is that Chow Bar also has a great selection of bubble teas. Try one with your meal next time you find yourself at Chow Bar! read more

This place is a hidden gem if you're a fan of good Chinese food. Located just outside the Sample Gates at Indiana University, it's easy to find and there is a private parking lot behind the restaurant. Yes it's hard to find parking in dwtn Bloomington for free. The food was real good and came out piping out, fresh and delicious. Oh and fast too. Prices are super reasonable compared to others in the area for quality food. The only negative is the ambiance. There is little decoration and a not well laid out floor plan but that's okay if you're going there for the food. Enter through the back and you'll pass the bathrooms, kitchen, supplies. We didn't get the buffet which at most restaurants, offer a different selection and quality of food. Big portions, low prices, great food! read more

Chow Bar - Eggplant with garlic sauce - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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We had heard good things about Chow Bar and ordered takeout for my birthday and Lunar New Year celebration (not exactly, but close enough). Each of us ordered two things and we received a bounty of culinary riches. The food was exceptional, fresh, perfectly spiced. So good! read more

Chow Bar - Pot Stickers, Delights ' Seafood, Cantonese Style Pan Fried Noodles With Seafood, Vegetable Mai Fun, Chicken Lo Mein, Spicy Green Beans - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

f yeah chow bar ! crab rangoons slap dinner portions sometimes last me 3 meals f yeah read more

We had a take out of few dishes. Boy I was disappointed. We had yongchow fried rice, spicy chicken, Korean style sweet & sour pork and eggfuyoung. Fried rice was ok but the rest wasn't. Fried rice was not traditional Chinese Yong chow style. Spicy chicken dish looked good on the picture so we ordered it. But, taste was horrible. I had few bites and threw it out. It just had a weird taste and smell. I couldn't even guess what it was. Korean style sweet & sour pork was not Korean style at all. Also when it was packed, sauce was not separated so by the time I brought it home, it was all soggy. Egg foo young had a bad oil taste to it. read more

Chow Bar - This is not a Korean style sweet & sour pork - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

It was super good it had all kinds of boba and there service is super good and I was thrilled of that how good the boba was it was amazing:). read more

Should have left when we noticed the mold and mildew growing on the window sill. Seriously, gross and filthy. We moved to a table away from the window. Huge menu. We ordered hot and sour soup for two, pot stickers, eggplant and kung pao chicken. Soup was brought out in one large bowl. (for two of us) No other bowls appeared, so we shared out of the same bowl. The soup was the highlight of the meal. Pot stickers were tiny, doughy and had a strange (sausage??) filling. We have yet to find decent pot stickers in Bloomington. Please let me know if you have a suggestion for a restaurant with good pot stickers. Lunch portions of chicken and eggplant were huge, but not good. The Kung Pao tasted like none I have ever had before. Not spicy. Chicken had been breaded and fried, which was a first for me with Kung Pao. It was that "mystery meat" chicken too, sort of stringy and weird. Dish was also loaded with celery. WTF? Celery? Huge chunks of celery. Ugh. Very very disappointing lunch. We will not be back. read more

The food was so good. Very authentic Chinese food. We tried several dishes which were delicious. The staff was very nice too.

I've been in bloomington for 3.5 years now and have tried almost all of the asian restaurants in town at this point. I never really made it a point to try this one because I'd never heard anyone talk about so I just assumed it would be "meh". But I just got carryout (got wanton soup, shrimp lo mein, and crab rangoon). The soup is the best soup i've had at any asain restaurant in bloom. The lo mein is the best lo mein ive had in bloom. The shrimp on the lo mein is the best shrimp i've had in bloomington. The crab rangoon is the best i've had in bloom. I'm mad at myself for just now getting around to trying this place but it's definitely my new go to. Not to mention it was way easier and way shorter of a wait than all the other asain restaurants are on Friday nights. read more

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One of the reasons I am super pumped to be going to IU is that I will have access to so many authentic Chinese restaurants. Decided to try out Chow Bar today to see if it would become a regular stop. Overall the verdict is that it was just ok, but the menu is so massive that I would come back. Before I get in to the actual food, part of the 3 stars is the fact that the restaurant itself is a little dingy. I'm not overly concerned with the ambience of a restaurant, but you walk into Chow Bar through a sketchy back hallway and there's a giant hole in the ceiling that was letting in a paint-like smell from construction nextdoor during our entire meal. The best thing we had was what I ordered, a giant rice bowl with a fried egg, ground pork, basil, onions, and a few other veggies. It was delicious. No complaints about this dish. Would order again. (But the menu is so huge!) My mom had lemon chicken, it wasn't anything special but the sauce was ok. It was just like those little pieces of battered chicken you'd get at a Chinese buffet for sweet and sour chicken. My dad's meal was a little disappointing, he got a chicken dish that the waiter recommended as it came from his hometown in China. None of us could recall the name but I included a photo. It was very dry, not very spicy, and not very flavorful. Chow Bar was overall slightly underwhelming, but the rice bowl I had was very good, so I would definitely return and either order that again or venture out in hopes that something else would be good. If you're expecting good service or atmosphere this isn't the place but I bet they have some good dishes somewhere in their 8-mile-long menu. read more

Chow Bar - Ground pork with basil and fried egg rice bowl - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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A Bloomington treasure trove of flavorful dishes and skilled cooks. If you enjoy chinese american, they have you covered. If you prefer traditional chinese or even eastern dishes they will not disappoint you. Such consistent and delicious food! read more

Excellent! The best Chinese food I've had outside of a Chinatown or the San Gabriel Valley. Looking forward to more.

This place is the worst!! I found a piece of metal in my fried rice and when I called the restaurant to let them know they denied that I had found anything and were really rude. This is unsafe and definitely does not follow health code. Do not order from here choose ANY of the other Chinese restaurants in Bloomington. read more

Chow Bar - Literal scrap metal!!! - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Oh, Chow Bar. I know not everyone loves you, but you hold a special place in my heart. But really, it's worth coming for the bubble tea alone. The boba are big and soft and aways lovely. Best in town. They do have a pretty daunting menu; with familiar, Americanized dishes juxtaposed with those more traditional. Don't be afraid to try something unfamiliar! A couple of my favorites are the green curry green beans and the ho fun. The pho is decent as well. Although there can be a bit of a language barrier with the staff, my service has never been anything but attentive and friendly. I am clearly a bit biased. I love this place to death and visit at least every couple of weeks. If your looking for comforting and satisfying Asian food, I say give it a go! read more

Chow bar is pretty decent, and the location cant be beat. It's the perfect place to pop in on your lunch break and grab a quick, affordable lunch. They even have a lunch buffet, which I haven't tried yet but smelled good! The servings are generous and the service friendly and fast. I ordered their beef "Pho" and was pleased with what I got. I'd like if they gave me more limes, but I'm sure I could have remedied this by asking. The soup was good, even if it wasn't what a Pho lover would call "true Pho". It was filling and tasty, so I'd definitely order it again. The ambiance is nothing special, but it's the type of restaurant where atmosphere isn't too important. I give Chow Bar a 3 star primarily because I've had better Pho style soups at other locations in town. Overall it's a decent place to eat and I'll be back! read more

Spicy Szechwan wontons are mandatory; please don't pass them over. Chow Bar is the most authentic Chinese restaurant in Bloomington, in addition to being my most favorite. Americanized dishes like General Tso's and beef & broccoli are listed along specialities such as pig's ear, squid, intestines, duck, etc. I regret not ever being able to visit the special Sunday buffet while a Bloomington resident. When I was feeling more veggie-friendly, I ordered the Family Style bean curd with veggies, eggplant in garlic sauce, or black mushroom & bok choy stir fry. Meat-wise, I liked exploring the more oddly-titled offerings and authentic fare, like the Bum Bum chicken, served piping hot over a small butane burner. I also enjoyed the chicken in ginger & scallion sauce and salt & pepper shrimp. One frequent dining mate particularly loved the orange chicken bowl, as it tasted like real orange, not a blobby syrupy mess. Pick up a bubble tea on the way out, for a nice after-dinner dessert. PS. Don't let the suggestive title of the "Hot & Spicy Lover" dish sway you too strongly, or you'll end up with a large plate of intestines and other unmentionables drizzled with chili oil. read more

I'd heard by word-of-mouth how good this place was, and went to find them correct. Upon entry, a small Asian women directed us to a table, immediately followed by a server asking menu/or buffet and took drink orders. One menu, 3 buffets for our group. The drink s came fast, the party went for the buffet, and the menu orderer was served within a few minutes of the parties returning from their choice at the buffet table. This is important when a eatery offers both: buffet AND menu. A table being served expects to 'eat together' and this place succeeded. The food on the buffet was a wide variety of Chinese foods: The buffet trays were loaded and checked on frequently; clean plates/ silverware and drinks were refilled timely. The wait staff were helpful yet not invasive. Pleasant yet not overly animated. The menu order was as menu stated: no frills, yet the taste was great. A side of white rice alongside the curry, anoki mushroom and tofu plate. Served in a pyrex-glass pie pan, on a generic white plate, with an approximate 1-cup of white rice. I must say the visual wasn't overly tantilizing, yet, the portion was large, and the tase was good. The buffet items offered lots of textures, colors, yet, seemed a bit on the skimpy side of vegetables as I may expect in Chinese cooking: broccoli (there was some, yet seemed skimpy), bell peppers, small corns etc. The buffett seemed to focus on fried, rices, noodles, and various meat dishes. All looking and smelling wonderful. The party eating the buffet foods were happy with their food. I would probably eat here again, for Chinese. Yet, I have a feeling after reading the menu it may take several visits to try the menu items of which seem to offer Chinese nationalities a taste of their homelands: beef tendon, pigs stomach, large amounts of various Chinese seasonings: the menu is large and offers so many unheard of options upon visiting other 'Chinese buffets' in the BTown area. And, I'd like to try some of these from this place. Good time. Pleasant serving staff. Speedy service. Polite welcome upon entering. Clean space. Hot and varying options on the buffett. And, a large enough menu to order from and try options unfamiliar to eaters as myself. I like this!! Keep up the great work!! read more

Yummy juice bubble tea that keeps you refreshed on a hot day. I've found that the ginseng one helps especially if you're feeling sick (although it's got quite a strong taste so be warned). The honey citron one is also good if you're looking for a sick pick me up. Food wise, the flavors are very strong. It's not necessarily an "authentic" tasting Chinese place because for my fried noodles, I could tell they used store bought (pre-made) paste/spices to flavor it. It did taste pretty good for American style Chinese food though! Service was friendly and although it's not the prettiest restaurant on the inside, the food, service and bubble tea make up for it. Be warned though everything is pretty greasy. read more

We typically like it here, one of the two places that have pho in this town. Mishap today with my soup - I found a rubber band in it. They took it back, and decided to take off half of the bowl of soup. Fair enough, I suppose I got through about half by the time I found it. (?) Remarkable though that we've been compensated more for lesser mistakes at other establishments. Seems to be a bad business move given a foreign object was in the food. The cost of a bowl of broth and a few noodles is far less than losing a customer in the long run. read more

This is my favorite Chinese food in Bloomington, and typically eat the weekday lunchtime buffet once every few weeks with colleagues, plus it's a family favorite. My favorite dishes by far are the garlic green bean eggplant and the happy family. read more

I ordered Chow Bar for delivery tonight and it was here within 25 minutes! Great timing during COVID. The crab rangoons were the best I've ever had - absolutely perfect! We also got the Szechuan Crispy Spicy Chicken which was divine! We've had several Asian restaurants in Bloomington and this ranks near the top! read more

Has been my go-to for Chinese and Bubble Tea for years in Bloomington. They're relatively cheap, good quality, and give you a ton of food. Also what I consider the best reasonably priced Bubble Tea in Bloomington. I'd recommend their rice bowls and ma po tofu. read more

This isn't korean style intestines. The restaurant needs to change the menu name. I just ordered = korean style spicy beef on the menu, but it was not the one I expected after I got the food. read more

Chow Bar - This isn't korean style intestines. - Chinese Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The buffet is not bad, but we got carry out sesame chicken from here that was mushy and soggy, sort it like it had been microwaved instead of fried. Texture was like a marshmallow. It might be very good for authentic fare, but I would skip the fried dishes. read more