Awesome authentic Chinese food. The place is very popular. Be sure to make a reservation. Service is good and the place is very nice. Also good for takeout. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Popped in for lunch on Sunday. Food was good, service was good, and the interior was bright and clean. Hot and sour soup was a top-3 I've had in Essex county. Crab Rangoon had a nice crispy exterior and cheesy, flavorful filling. Fried dumplings (with chicken) were good; they were pan fried, not deep fried. The Chengdu Spicy Chicken could have been a lot spicier but it was still good. And the dry sautéed string beans were also really good. We ordered way too much for two people for lunch and ended up bringing half of each of the entrees home for dinner, which we will gladly shovel into our mouth-holes later tonight. 4.4/5, we will definitely be back. read more

Dao Madison - Pan-fried chicken dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

Another year, another Christmas Day fiasco. I'm deducting a star because their ordering system is completely disconnected from the reality of the kitchen. We placed an order at 4pm with an estimated pickup in 30-35 minutes. We ended up standing in the lobby for nearly another hour before our food was actually ready. While I understand the holiday rush, the online ordering system's time estimates are completely untrustworthy. The staff seemed completely overwhelmed, with a dining area packed with large parties and several disgruntled DoorDash delivery drivers crammed into the entrance. If you're going to accept online orders on a holiday, the time estimates need to be even remotely accurate. We won't be making this mistake again. read more

Dao Madison - Chinese Eggplant in Garlic Sauce w. Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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One of my new favorite places for Chinese food. Came over on a Saturday 3pm and it was nice & quiet,with lovely relaxing music in the background (always helps with the digestion and enjoying a meal in general). Superb service and really delicious food. Will definitely come back to try more items from their menu. read more

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Shredded tender beef with cow horn peppers and soy sauce. Best dish! Off the menu!!!! read more

Dao Madison - Michaels beef secret menu - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

Popped in to try the Peking Duck and other dishes. Service was very friendly and active, super helpful and refills and bringing more plates every round. The dishes: - hot & sour soup was ok, a bit more cornstarch than needed but the flavor was good (not too spicy) - mapo tofu was more sweet and salty than it was savory, not spicy - scallion pancake was good, crunchy and sauce was pleasantly sweet and salty - salt & pepper popcorn chicken - over-fried and sweet. not salty & peppery, tough and pass on it next time - moo shu pork - tasty and good dish, done well and savory / sweet mix of cabbage, eggs, and pork - Peking Duck was cut, brought out - we brought the bones back for soup (you can ask them for it at ordering); the duck was good, but the sauce (hoisin) wasn't quite the one we liked. They will make them for you - or you can have them put it on the table and you do it yourself - scallions and cucumbers included, along with wraps (were ok, needed to be steamed and hotter). Overall a good service experience, but have had better, more authentic Szechuan food at China Chalet. Good for American-Chinese food - the restaurant was very busy, the dishes to other tables smelled and looked great - but were mostly sesame chicken, lo mein, and similar dishes which looked good. read more

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Great authentic dumplings with specialty options and filling portions that will give you your fix of Chinese cuisine. A go to spot for me when I'm nearby and craving! read more

Dao Madison - Shanghai Soup Dumplings (6) - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

Solid Chinese food - typical of your average Chinese restaurant. Beef with broccoli, egg rolls, steamed dumplings, and sesame chicken were good. The one major glitch is the wait time. We placed our order by phone and were told it would be ready in 30 minutes. Actually wait time - one hour. Seriously? I didn't do the pickup but was told the restaurant was full and also packed with people waiting to pick up orders. With all the other reviews complaining about wait times, I'm guessing this is a trend at Dao. Would definitely go back, especially since there aren't many good Chinese food options close by, but if I was hungry and on the fence about takeout for dinner I probably wouldn't pick Dao. read more

Great new Chinese addition to the area if you're looking for a nice atmosphere and decent food. Mainly American Chinese dishes with a few other specialties. Service is great and the lunch special is a good deal. We will be back. read more

If you have a reservation be prepared to wait up to 20 minutes beyond the time. Otherwise food is good. read more

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND COMING HERE IF OYU ARE WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. I came here on my lunch with another foodie friend. We were so excited. When we arrived we got hot tea and freshly made wontons with sauce. I only had less than an hour to eat, which I also mentioned to our waiter. I had tried these Lays chips that were limited edition, Asian flavors. Well one was called "Lion's Head" which is actually a meatball dish.... not actually lion. I found out this place had it so I had to try. It's called Yangzhou Meatball. If you are a big foodie and love flavors and sauces, this is worth the try! Very rich in flavor so I would share... or not because it's so good haha. I've never had dry pot before, it's really special! Our waiter was very nice to explain it to us, even though in the menu there's history on it. He even let us know what part of China the meatball sauce came from and where the dry pot came from. Different areas, I did forget haha BUT he was very knowledgeable. Ask questions! We tried the classic mala chicken dry pot. OMG! mmmm sooo good. We got spice to it. Hit a bit at first then it was ok haha. I didn't have time to try other dishes but these are amazing. Definitely going back! read more

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Great casual local spot that felt authentic. Best Chinese in the area. We popped in on a busy Thursday and had to wait a bit to be seated. The soups, noodles, and all the proteins were good. Enjoyed the Mongolian beef the most read more

Great little spot for more authentic Chinese food than most typical Jersey places. Rush hour is popular, so come early or expect to wait. Know what you want so you can order quickly as most likely people will be waiting to be seated. You won't be rushed, but you can't linger for half an hour once you're finished eating, at least not at peak hours. Service is fast, friendly and efficient. We had the classic pork mala dry pot and it was delicious. The popcorn chicken was crispy and surprisingly good -- my fave, try it. The Shanghai soup dumplings were as billed as were the egg rolls. We got other stuff but I forget what it was, but it was good! And I lost my photos on my phone somehow, sorry! read more

Dao is a family tradition! We love the people, the food and the place. So happy they have come to the area!

Highly recommend this place,. Great experience here at Dao in 'downtown' Madison. Great for families and little ones as well The service, ambiance and food quality is rate as mostly A+ (the only item I wouldn't give an A to is their Lo Mein, which was slightly oily but literally all the other dishes were incredible) Nice that they give a lil wonton app and green tea with all meals, made for a nice app coming in from the cold. read more

We ordered lunch for pickup today for our department at work. Food was excellent, but they forgot to include one soup, a few egg rolls, and they didn't supply enough utensils for all of the lunch orders. The person who placed the order didn't want to call them - too many people were having lunch. read more

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Stopped in a rainy Saturday while visiting family. The restaurant is clean, well lit and the staff are very helpful We decided on both of us having the luncheon specials. My wife had the chicken and broccoli, I had the chicken and Chinese eggplant. Portions we both perfect for lunch , included purple rice (Hybrid of brown and black) and soup Overall I will admit it seemed the soup and chicken dishes both were missing a sharpness , they had a blandness I can't place. I'd rather give the restaurant more stars for environment and service but the taste was just average read more

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Ordered from here recently - we ordered white meat general tso's chicken, eggplant with garlic sauce and vegetable lo mein. We like that they give the option for white meat chicken. I find the restaurant is very inconsistent. I didn't like the lo mein as much, seems quite dry. The eggplant garlic was good. Very very expensive. read more

Ate here Saturday, June 29, 2025. Visiting from Los Angeles. Found on Yelp, gave them a try. Ordered Kung Pao Shrimp and Orange Beef. Both were delicious. Shrimp and beef were good sized and adequate portions. Sauce was very flavorful. Service very quick. Atmosphere was very nice and clean. Prices were reasonable but maybe ~20% higher than other locations but worth it as the food, service, ambiance was great. Will definitely return. read more

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Highly recommend letting them know if you have a big party coming in advance so they can setup the tables. We were warmly welcomed when we arrived, our table was all setup (including a high-chair as requested) and we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. We received a complimentary dish of fried wonton chips. Core memory unlocked - Dip in duck sauce or mustard. It's so addictive! Yum! We ordered: - vegetable tofu soup - cold sesame noodles (1 non-spicy, 1 spicy) - pork dumplings - Shanghai soup dumplings - Scallion pancakes - Szechuan styled dumplings - Leafy green vegetable - Eggplant with garlic sauce - String beans - meat mala dry pot - seafood mala dry pot - crispy sesame chicken - beef noodles - honey walnut king prawns - ice cream: mochi green tea, pistachio, and fried. As you can see, we got to try a lot of dishes. Great service, good company, happy tummy - what more can you ask for! There is a parking lot though if it gets full, there is street parking. read more

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Dont sleep on the xiaolongbao. Wish the spicy food was spicier but overall was a good experience. Staff were very friendly read more

Dao Madison - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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After dining here once before and noting they may have been heavy handed on the oil despite flavors being good, we decided to give it a second go. We had an eggplant dish, general tso tofu and some spring rolls (not pictured). The spring rolls were crispy and packed well with shredded vegetables, but again on the oily side. The eggplant had the same issue, but fair enough eggplant dishes tend to hold a bit of oil. Again the flavors were good. The tofu was the saving grace. Yes it had that corn starchy sauce but the tofu was cooked well so this was not just a completely soft dish. Service is always great and the staff is polite/helpful (and attentive to kiddos). I do like the tea that you get upon first sitting down. read more

Dao Madison - General Tso Tofu with a duck? :) - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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Thanks to Yelp. I was able to check out this great place. The restaurant is extremely clean. The service is super friendly and they do lots of to go orders. They do have a couple of tables outside to sit. I didn't see anyone out there so I sat inside. But I was a party of 1 (on business trip), and they took excellent care of me. I started off with the soup dumplings, which were delicious with fresh ginger and soy and then I also tried their special mala dry pot, which was outstanding. Took back to hotel a large portion. But it was so delicious I can't wait to eat it again. The manager spots by to check on you, everyone is super nice. Water glass stays full (bonus)! I grabbed a menu to Leave at hotel! I'll be back and will tell my coworkers about this place for sure!!!! read more

Dao Madison - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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Really good food and they don't skimp when it comes to spiciness so be prepared...nice atmosphere and friendly employees also

Food and service are all great! Chinese food is authentic! I took my family here and they all loves the food and gave very positive feedback. read more

Had to wait over an hour for a pickup, along with at least 20 other people on New Year's Eve. Need to add to add to their pickup times when they get busy. read more

Dao is our favorite Chinese restaurant in the area. The food is good and the staff is really friendly. I typically get the general tso with white meat chicken. It's delicious! read more

It has good reviews. so we came at 2 pm Saturday. The place was busy. We didn't have to wait too long. We can seat right away. Waiter very nice to talk to us. They did mixup with one order but we decided to keep it. The food is tasty and the ambience is great vibe with pictures and all good. read more

This restaurant is great; centrally located off Main in Madison. Family owned & run. Very nice staff and all the food is scratch made. The ragoons are great but only four to an order; chintzy. The dumplings were excellent. The General Tso's was delicious; not memorable but very good. It's byob and we will return. Support locally owned read more

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Such a great Chinese spot back home, I love the food and servers are so friendly! Such a beautiful inside too with great seating!

Great Chinese restaurant; tasty food; pleasant atmosphere; good service. Friendly staff!

I am a huge Mala Fan, and was so excited to visit Dao Madison. First time at the restaurant and really enjoyed our family meal. Quick service and friendly staff. We called earlier to make a reservation since it was a weekend. The serve jasmine tea and chips on the house, which was a pleasant surprise. The tea is a nice palate cleanser. Ordered veggie dumplings, soup and Veggie heaven Mala dry pot ( medium spice ). The Mala was so delicious and hit the right spot for me. I will definitely be coming again. read more

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A cute Asian themed interior restaurant with extremely pretty presentation, fast service but unfortunately the taste missed the mark! We went on a Friday afternoon, much less crowded than I thought, we ordered our food fast and we were given free fried chips and tea which was the only thing best on the menu. We didn't order lunch specials but ordered the mala dry pot and a dish of lamb, huge portions but no spice or kick, that we expected. After the meal we felt very bloated unfortunately, not sure if it was the entree of the chips! Unfortunately had a lot of expectations but this is another Americanized Chinese place. read more

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The owner is about as welcoming and gracious as person as you'll ever experience. The food was better than average, less Americanized than most places. I wouldn't bring my Chinese business partner here! I had the pork dry pot based on reviews here. Expecting a savory dish, I was disappointed. It's far better than the average NJ Chinese joint, but not the authentic, destination experience I was hoping for. read more

Met a friend here based solely on: the town is in the middle of our two locations and the reviews. And we were both very happy with Dao Madison. Will def come back. Friendly people. Seated right away - had made a reservation. They bring you tea and fried wontons. Lovely! Great service all night. The menu has a little bit of everything on it. The specials looks wonderful; something for everyone. We had the Mala chicken hot pot and filet with mushrooms based on reviews. Loved them both. See pics. Great flavors. Good mix of protein and veggies. A little bit too much oil for my taste but not too overwhelming. Rice helped it out. So good. Yum! Two weeks later, and all I'm thinking is I want to go back! read more

Dao Madison - Classic Mala Chicken Dry Pot - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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Great food, always friendly service. Have only done takeout but always people eating in. Parking lot is narrow but plenty of parking.

Dao Madison was everything I had hoped it would be, and so much more!!! This is not your typical Chinese take-out. Dining here is an experience from the moment you walk through the doors. The staff is very welcoming, cheerful and accommodating to every detail. Our server was very helpful in suggesting dishes, and we felt like a part of the family having a home cooked meal. Everything we tried was prepared with a delicate-ness, finesse and great amount of detail. Every dish tasted so fresh and flavorful. Nothing was overpowering, oily or greasy. On this visit, we had hot and sour soup, soup dumplings (a must in all future visits!), scallion pancakes that were still dreaming of, the house special crispy duck, and something we never heard of, the Mala Dry Pot, which is a type of stir-fry cooking with peppers and fresh basil with pork, beef and chicken. All were outstanding!! We took home a menu, and are planning many future visits to try as many different dishes as we can! I cannot recommend this restaurant enough: you will not be disappointed and most likely will be thinking about your next visit. read more

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Please explain to me how it takes an hour and 15 minutes to prepare a take out order but people eating in house are in and out before your confirmed order time. This is the second and last time ordering from them where I waited over an hour for my order. And whats worse is they couldn't even get it right! They do nothing to offer their apologies. How about offer a cup of tea while people are standing like cattle waiting? Throw in some almond cookies as a treat with orders. Sorry Dao, this used to be repeat customer will not be returning. read more

This place is it. I had a craving for some old school deep fried rice and that was satiated by Dao. The egg drop soup was delicious too. I've also had their soup dumplings which are juicy and scrumptious. Definitely coming back! read more

Dao Madison - Chicken Fried Rice (L) - Chinese Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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Weekend dinner sit down experience. Small cozy restaurant, but seems newer built, clean and well lit place. There was a 10 minute wait and there are seats indoor and outdoor to wait. Service is great. Server makes good recommendations, most importantly he was willing to make any dish vegetarian without meat. Food came promptly and tasted fresh. Everything we ordered was spot on. It's a BYOB place. A must read more

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