5 stars for Dong Ting Chun in San Gabriel! As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by a vibrant and beautifully decorated interior--the iconic red feature walls and wooden bamboo lamps create a rich, warm, and authentic atmosphere that's perfect for gatherings. It was quite packed on Saturday evening, but the line moved smoothly and food came out fast. Every dish we ordered was spot on: The Mustard Giant River Prawns were huge, springy, and nicely seasoned with a subtle mustard kick. The Dry Pot Bullfrog with Perilla Leaf was rich and aromatic, and the Spicy & Sour Crispy Stir-fry was the ultimate rice-killer! The classic black stinky tofu was crispy, savory, and bursting with flavorful juices. Incredible authentic Hunan dining experience with amazing ambiance. Will definitely come back with more friends! read more

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We came here to try Hunan cuisine in the San Gabriel area. The restaurant is on the second floor, parking was easy, and the dining area was clean and nicely decorated. The service was actually very good. The staff were friendly and attentive, which was probably the best part of our experience. We ordered several dishes, including the chicken and a mixed beef/tripe dish. Unfortunately, the flavors were very similar across the dishes--very salty and very spicy. After a few bites, it became a little overwhelming, and we couldn't really taste much beyond the salt and heat. I think it would be much better if the staff asked customers about their preferred spice and salt level when ordering, especially whether they want more or less chili, garlic, and ginger. We weren't asked, so there wasn't really a chance to adjust the flavors to our preference. Another issue was the temperature inside. It was a hot day, and the restaurant felt quite warm. Eating spicy Hunan food without strong enough AC had us sweating throughout the meal, which made it difficult to enjoy the food. Overall, great service, clean environment, and convenient parking, but the food was too salty and spicy for us. With better communication about spice and seasoning levels--and cooler AC--the experience would be much better. read more

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Dong Ting Chun is a place that I've been before, and I really enjoyed their mortar and pestle dish. I can't recall what was in it last time, but I know I wanted to experience this again. For starters, parking here during dinnertime is very difficult. The space is narrow, and the plaza is small. However, there's parking on the street, and there's also parking in the supermarket plaza across the street. My friend and I arrived around 6pm, and the wait was estimated to be about an hour on the queue. However, we were able to be seated within 20 minutes - yay! Ordering was easy on the self-service kiosk by scanning a QR code. We sat at a small table and ordered their Hot Pot Frog with Perilla, The Kings Chopped Pepper Head, Eggplant and Egg, and of course white rice. Our first dish to arrive was Eggplant and Egg, which was steamed and crushed eggplant with preserved egg. I'm not a fan of the latter, but somehow the usual preserved egg taste was well masked by the spices and eggplant - yum! The next two dishes were interesting. The frog was a bit on the smaller end, and the meat was tender though fairly tasteless even amongst a good amount of spices - almost like no flavor marinated into the meat during the entire cooking process. The spices here do pack a kick, and it's spicy - but the frog wasn't. The fish head was a crowd magnet for sure; many that walked by our table asked what it was and wanted to order it, too! This was a larger fish with many small bones, and it was a chore to eat. The meat towards the front was definitely more tender but otherwise pretty "fishy." Both the frog and fish dishes were very, very salty. The fish unfortunately only got saltier over time because of the fire below. read more

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Big portions, delicious taste, good service, you need to order mild spicy, otherwise it's really spicy, but taste good. Eat with white rice is better. read more

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My cousin wanted to try more Hunan-style dishes and saw a positive mention of Dong Ting Chun on an IG reel (lol). This seems to be a chain along the west coast (looks like there's at least one location in Seattle too). The ordering process was easy, picking the dishes we wanted on their Chowbus link instead of interacting with an actual person. LOTUS ROOT AND PEANUT RIB SOUP 莲藕排骨汤 - 18.98 The lightest of the three entrees, almost like it was purposely under-seasoned since everything else was so flavorful and spicy. I liked the simplicity of this soup, and I enjoyed three bowls of it. There were plenty of lotus roots and ribs in each order. STIR-FRIED BLACK PORK WITH GREEN PEPPER 招牌小炒肉 - 19.98 The pork was not as spicy as expected, but a bit too oily (which is expected) and salty for me. This is a classic Hunan-style dish, and we felt like it was a must order. I thought it was fine, but didn't love it. EGGPLANT AND EGG 擂茄子皮蛋 - 16.98 This came pre-mashed, topped with two century eggs. The server mashed everything together for us before we dug in. The combination flavors are nothing I've ever had, pungent savoriness from the egg, acidity and spice from the sauce and peppers, mixed with the creamy texture of eggplant. Initially, I wasn't sure if I liked it, but the more I had it, the better it became. Definitely an acquired taste. Overall, we enjoyed the variety of dishes we got to try. We had so many leftovers that I was able to enjoy a to-go container of the mashed eggplant and egg with some rice before my flight the next day. I left my cousins with about 1/3 of the eggplant, most of the soup and stir-fried pork and green pepper. Good value for sure. However, I wish we didn't have to pay +1.50 for each bowl of rice. Come on, we ordered entrees -- shouldn't there be a complimentary bowl per entree? read more

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10/10 if you love super spicy food! This place is famous for its spicy stir-fried organ dishes and the salt-aged pork , truly authentic and very popular in the local Chinese community. The flavors aren't just spicy, they're actually really layered and complex, which shows the high heat and skill involved in the cooking. I usually order takeout, and the quality still holds up really well. The restaurant is also very clean, even with all the oily, stir-fried dishes. Service is fast and efficient, but there's almost always a long line because it's so popular. read more

Dong Ting Chun - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

We came here on new Year's Eve to end 2025. A crowded popular place with spicy food that my husband loved greatly It was a bustling busy vibe with lots of people from all ages, young and old, eating spicy food It's still a bit too spicy for me, but it's preference of food and taste. Food itself is pretty good. Authentic ingredients Highly recommend to try read more

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For my 2025th review to end the 2025 year: DONG TING CHUN! Hunan food is serrrrrrrrved here. One day I wanted some spicy food, and I remember I saw this next to PopEyes (that one day they were doing 3pc tenders for $1). The food definitely left a lasting impression. This place be bussin. Food was actually spicy! The service was ok, and they were really busy even on a weeknight. They had a Yelp waitlist. You order by scanning the QR code on the table. There are pictures, so that's helpful in case the English translations sound weird. The yellow stir fry beef came out first and it was soooooo good. It was spicy and a solid authentic Hunan dish! Water boiled fish is my go-to dish at Sichuan places. The water boiled fish here is more of a soup; it wasn't thick with chili oil. There's bean sprouts under the snakehead fish filets. The third dish I tried was the stir fry tendon. The flavor was good. I took home the leftovers, and it was still amazing. I recommend getting white rice. They serve white rice in those family style buckets. This place is best visited in groups of four or less. They only have one big round table. read more

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We order Yangzhou fried rice, smoked pork with dried tofu, stir-fried beef, chopped chill fish and dragon beard vegetables in soup. This new restaurant is extremely popular. Even though we went during off peak hours. We still had to wait for a table, which was pretty crazy. The service was friendly and attentive. The portion were big and price were read. The only this that we don't usually eat very spicy food, so some dishes were a bit too spicy for us. However, if you enjoy spicy food, you would probably really love this place. Parking was also very difficult, but overall. It was still a great dining experience. read more

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If you love spicy and Chinese food, THIS is definitely the place. We tried 7 dishes and they were all 10/10. It's now my favorite Chinese food spot in the area and as we all know there are many options. A MUST try! read more

Dong Ting Chun - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Feels so authentic - like I transported back to Sichuan Province. Food is delicious. Properly spicy. Tasty. Large portions. Looks great too. The cauliflower dish was stunning - my favorite dish. I can just be ok with that. The duck blood was also very delicious especially after it cooled down a bit. I don't think I heard a word of English during my dinner experience - it's quite authentic! read more

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Hunan food adventure at Dong Ting Chun in San Gabriel! - Lei Eggplant with Century Egg my favorite of the night! -Golden Broth Baby Squid & Bullfrog Pot, flavorful but a bit too spicy for me - Zhangjiajie Rice Tofu, soft and saucy, reminds me of mapo tofu Interested to be back and try other Hunan dishes. read more

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Dong Ting Chun has Hunan cuisine with large portions for dining family-style. The Braised Tofu With Hunan Smoked Ham and Chicken Paws both had bold Hunan flavors. read more

Dong Ting Chun - Braised Tofu with Hunan Smoked Ham - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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I swear, I've heard about Dong Ting Xian so many times my ears were about to get blisters . All my Hunan friends kept telling me I had to try it -- so of course I had to see if it's really that good. And honestly? It did NOT disappoint! This place really is the gold standard for Hunan food -- every dish is packed with that fiery, bold Hunan soul. Stir-Fried Sliced Beef This is basically their signature dish. Thin, tender beef, wok-fried till it's smoky, spicy, and super flavorful. Pretty sure every single table orders this -- and for good reason. Mao's Braised Pork Belly Sweet and savory, rich but not greasy at all. The fat just melts in your mouth. Eat it with a bowl of rice and it's pure heaven. Famous Shimen Pork Intestines These are so well cleaned -- no funky smell whatsoever. Big chunky pieces, crispy outside and tender inside, soaking up all that rich sauce. So good with rice! My husband was annoyed because I kept stealing from his plate Spicy Boiled Black Fish Fillet Tender, boneless fish slices in a super fragrant, numbing spicy broth. Loaded with bean sprouts and wide noodles -- so addictive! I even packed up the leftover broth to take home. Pro tip: mix it with noodles the next day -- chef's kiss! Dong Ting Soy Sauce Fried Rice Looks basic but packed with wok hei and deep soy flavor. The kids devoured it. Winter Melon Pork Rib Soup No proper Hunan meal without soup! The winter melon is soft and flavorful, the broth is super tasty -- but the ribs themselves are pretty tough since all the goodness goes into the soup. Overall vibe: Dong Ting Xian isn't some gimmicky Insta-famous spot -- it's the real deal that wins people over with solid flavors and generous portions. Service is nice too, just expect to wait a bit when it's busy. Prices are super fair -- in Irvine you'd probably get half the amount for the same price! Totally worth the drive for a foodie like me. Pro tip: Bring your foodie crew. The more people, the more dishes you get to try -- and trust me, everything here is worth it. read more

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Very decent "clean" home styled Hunan Chinese food. The food isn't overly greasy or heavy. I can imagine eating this at a grandma or aunty's house. The food comes out fast and fresh. The service is ok; no frequent checks in but available when needed. The place is busy but cleanly. The tables are a little too crowded and close. Solid 4 starts. read more

Taste very good for all dishes, not like regular Chinese restaurants, it is gourmet restaurant .

Parking was lil hectic but totally worth it. Great authentic Chinese spicy food and fast service. Great for quick lunch or group dinner. read more

Dong Ting Chun - 毛血旺 - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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If your into spicy Hunan cuisine then this is the place to go. This place is often packed so go early or wait in line outside. Parking is always a challenge so I always go early for dinner 4:30-5. First off the food is great. Service needs work. You can hear that the kitchen is busy and there are a lot of people working there but the food comes out slowly. It was so bad that we had to cancel our last dish. If you have patience this food is worth it. read more

Dong Ting Chun - Egg plant always delicious. - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Waited about 45 minutes for a party of 2 when we were 18th place in line. The food is authentic spicy Chinese food. The ambience is a very fast paced and busy read more

If you have strong tolerance to spicy food, this place is it. Hunan food which is unapologetically spicy and tasty. The service reminds me of typical dining experience in China - functional and efficient and not much else, which I don't have a problem with. I was excited to see they had black stinky tofu and it was incredibly delicious. I wish the pricing was a little less for it. The other entrees were well made with fair portions and lots of flavor. My recommendation is to not book a lot of activity after eating here because if you're not used to Hunan spice you may want to be near a bathroom... heh. read more

Came here with a party of eight and they were packed almost immediately prior to opening. One of the most authentic Hunan cuisine in the SGV, they are tied for me with Hunan Chili King. The food was amazing and service was fast. It gets packed pretty quickly so I would recommend going either later for dinner or right as they open. read more

This place delivers across the board. The food is consistently good, the service is solid, and the prices feel fair for the quality. I brought my parents here and they enjoyed it just as much as I did. Standout dishes for us were the pork and winter melon soup, the perilla frog, the sautéed pumpkin leaves, the garlic shrimp with glass noodles, and the century egg with eggplant. That said, it's hard to go wrong. There's a good mix of spicy and non-spicy options, so it works well for groups with different preferences. Go early if you can. Lines get long, especially on weekends. read more

Went to their dong tong xian location. Food was not bad. Service is excellent. The only problem is that the server did not put the left over container in the middle of the bag. It leaks out everywhere in the bag. read more

It's been a minute since my last 'traditional' Chinese food. This place at this point- Nov. 2024 is still unclaimed on yelp, the AC breaths like a cobweb of spice, grease and fast paced talking. You know it's gonna be good. I would've given them 4 stars but the moms said be generous and give 5. As a great cook and master of steam buns, my mother has a pretty honest taste bud and she loved the braised pork with chilis. There's like over 57+ menu items.. we didn't even have time to check what they have fully before there's like 7 items in the cart. Expect a wait and poor vegetarian options. read more

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We had dinner here last week and it wasn't bad. Let's start by saying the parking situation is horrendous. Too many restaurants for such a small and tight parking lot. It was so hard trying to park in the one open spot that I gave up and parked on the street. This place was quite busy, so they had us sit at the same table with another small group, which we were fine with if it got us our dinner sooner. We had the fried egg and green peppers, fried preserved egg with mustard tuber and shredded pork, and I believe the sizzling cumin beef. A thing to note is that the dishes don't come with any rice, so remember to order that on the side as well. The fried egg and green peppers is exactly what you would expect and had a nice and mild flavor that went well with the side of white rice. The fried preserved egg with mustard tuber and shredded pork was pretty good; it was a pretty decent sized serving and the tangy flavor and the preserved egg is an odd mix but it mixed pretty well. The sizzling cumin beef plate was a bit spicier than I was expecting. It was good, but the spice was a bit high. The bits of garlic did add a nice flavor to the mix. My girlfriend did put no cilantro in the notes when placing the order, but they seemed to completely ignore it as this dish had a lot of it. We finished less than half of each dish and took the leftovers to go. I knocked off two stars for the things that I've mentioned on this visit, but I don't know if this place is worth a second visit. read more

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The foods are so delicious and dining area are too perfect then service are excellent i feel it good vibes everything what this restaurant has. read more

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Food very authentic. Certified by Hunanize. Caution! Supper spicy! But very good! Always lone waiting time. Plan ahead. But definitely worth it! read more

This place is always busy and there is almost always a line, but the food makes it completely worth the wait. The flavors are bold, authentic, and consistently well executed, with generous portions and great attention to seasoning. Despite how crowded it gets, the staff works efficiently and the food comes out hot and fresh. You can tell this spot is popular for a reason. If you are willing to wait a bit, you will be rewarded with some really satisfying Chinese food. Definitely one of those places where patience pays off. read more

Great food, great ambiance. Prices are a little high for San Gabriel (~$20-25 an entree), but nothing too outrageous. Food preparation seemed to be on the slower end, not just for us but for other tables as well. 5 stars just for the dried radish bits + pork dish (萝卜干炒辣肉). So spicy (as someone who doesn't usually eat spicy), but soooo good. A rice thief dish for sure. Highlight of the night, and approved by my mom who spent the majority of her childhood in Hunan (Changsha). We also got the 小炒黄牛 (good, but not as good as the dried radish dish), and vermicelli + scallop (which took a long time to prepare). The scallop wasn't really fresh and was super small, but the vermicelli was really delectable. Overall would come back again, staff were also friendly and helpful as well despite the full house. Portion sizes are very generous as well, the 3 of us had planned to come as a part 1 dinner, but left too full to eat anything else. read more

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The waiter were super responsive even tho they were super busy ( it always is...) Love the spicy fish head. Super fresh. It's not as spicy as it looks. Other dishes are generally very tasty too. It's a place that won't fail you read more

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I've heard of this place for a long time -- it's a really popular place among Chinese!! The flavor is really authentic, yet not as good as expected. The restaurant atmosphere is also very authentic Chinese酒楼。 小炒黄牛肉is good. Generally speaking, it's good, but I don't think it worth the waiting time (around 1.5 hr). read more

Dong Ting Chun - Beef - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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I was invited here for lunch. Absolutely a great authentic Chinese restaurant with super nice staff not to mention their absolutely delicious dishes.. read more

Did you know that Hunan food is more spicy than Sichuan food? With so many Dong Ting Chuns and Dong Ting Springs (all named after really good chain restaurant in China), this place probably takes the cake as the best "fake" Dong Ting Chun outside of China. I've had other restaurants with the same name, but non comes to be as authentic as this one. For starters, I recommend calling for a reservation, or you'll be stuck waiting a long time since this place is kinda small and really popular, especially amongst Chinese Internationals. My party of 5 ordered the Yangzhou fried rice, the duck, intestines, frog, eggplant, and stinky tofu. The fried rice is really authentic to ones I've had in China, paired with a distinct wok flavor you can't replicate at home. Definitely a recommend as a break from the spicy flavors. The duck is also really good; it's soaked in spicy flavors. Their duck has a good amount of meat, and arguably the least spicy. The intestines received praise due to the taste, and how it possesses the highlight stinky taste. Also very spicy. The frog had to be remade for our table because it was way too spicy. The minute my part took a bite of it, we were literally choking and coughing, and asked the staff to remake it with less spicy (they agreed) and it turned out to be really good. Definitely more spicy than the Sichuan variant. The eggplant serves as another good dish to take a break from the spice. The stinky tofu absolutely STANK - but I guess that's what makes it so good. An acquired taste, but iykyk, then it's a must order. We also ordered a few other dishes I can't really recall. While the dishes are really spicy even when asked for mild spicy, the quality and service was amazing. Our waters were constantly topped off, and the dishes are reasonably priced in regards to quality, but portion sizes were definitely a little smaller. If you ever want to try Chinese cuisine spicier than Sichuan, then this place is the place to go! read more

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My family go-to for Spicy Asian Dishes. Feast with your eyes or go on google and point to the dishes that are appealing. For any non native Chinese, use GOOGLE. 1. CROWD PLEASER: Pig Intestine Stinky Tofu 5/5 2. Stir-Fried Bacon with Garlic Leaves and Peppers 5/5 3. Spicy Boiled Fish Filet Soup 4/5 4. Minced Pork with Bamboo Shoots and Steamed Buns 5/5 Please see Receipt as the name of the dishes don't translate exactly to their Chinese Counter Part. read more

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Giving 5 stars to a Chinese restaurant is kind of rare. Usually the service or the food bring the rating down a bit. My stepmom is from Hunan and she really liked it. She even met some people from her village who come every week. Smashed eggplant with century egg - this was my favorite dish! I didn't think it would be but it was so good, so much that I tried to find a copy cat recipe online Fried rice - this was a wild card. I love a good fried rice. This one was well seasoned and fluffy. Long wait aside, the service for this place is unexpectedly good for a Chinese restaurant. Would definitely come back! read more

My wife saw a lot of promotions from Xiaohongshu (The Little Red Book). We went on a Tuesday afternoon. The mall is still under renovation. Very little foot traffic. We almost did not want to go in as there was no one else in the restaurant. But we timidly walked in and sat down. The decor is surprisingly neat. Everywhere looks clean and shiny. Servers are very friendly and polite. We ordered the spicy grilled fish and the fried chicken with tea oil. Price is a bit on the high side but both dishes are very tasty and portion is huge. We like it and defintely will come back to try other dishes. read more

Dong Ting Chun - Fried Chicken with tea oil - Seafood Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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This place came highly recommended by a friend. So a few of us decided to try it out. If you like spicy food, this is the place for you! You scan the QR code on the table to see the menu and order from your phone. They serve you iced water. They don't have hot tea like the other Chinese restaurants. Food was spicy but you can ask for mild. We got the spicy steamed fish head and added tofu (extra charge). It was delicious. Parking can be quite a challenge as the lot is small and there are many eateries in that plaza. read more

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We had dinner on Nov. 17, ordered 4 dishes and had food poisoning immediately afterwards. Two of us had been vomiting and experiencing diarrhea all night. We complained to the restaurant and got no response yet. read more

Love this restaurant despite long waiting lines. Great flavor and large portions. If you like spicy food you will enjoy this place read more

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Greta authentic spot for Hunan cuisine. They have a QR code menu with pictures and an English option but some dish names are in Chinese. It is located where the old Boston Lobster location was and there is a shared parking lot in the plaza. Here's what I ordered: - Eggplant with preserved egg: my favorite dish here! It comes in a mortar and pestle where you can mash the eggplants and preserved egg together. The century wasn't too strong and the creaminess of the yolk paired well with the eggplants - Boiled fish fillet: came in a soup of chili oil and spicy chilis. The fillets were soft and had a good amount of spice - Intestine pot: this is a dry pot with flavorful intestines that I really enjoyed - Stir fry clams: flavorful, spicy clams that tasted decent Overall I enjoyed the flavors of the dishes here, but it is definitely very oily and filled with chilis. The servers were attentive and accommodating and I'd definitely recommend trying them out for authentic Chinese food! read more

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