I rate my Chinese food against an old favorite, CHINA LANE, which closed after Covid, and against some fine Chinese American restaurants in Chicago, so that bar is pretty high. Thus far no Chinese restaurant in Lafayette has remotely met those standards. The atmosphere was quaint. Nice cozy amount of indoor seating. Nice and clean tables. You have to go to the counter to order. They have no fountain beverages only canned, and no water unless you want to buy bottled. We all chose the water from a cooler freezer, which was not very cold. 3 orders for 3 people which we all planned to mix and match. Orders were pork egg foo young, pork chop suey, and sweet and sour chicken. We then went and sat down at our booth. Our food was done very quickly. All were brought to the booth in brown paper bags. Hmmm do they not want you to eat in? So we opened the bags and pulled out our food trying to share from the plastic trays. The silverware was the very cheapest plasticware that they could have bought. My fork broke leaving tines in my egg foo young. The egg foo young was good but very average they forgot the gravy. I think they overheard us saying we never had it without because she brought some to the table, the gravy was good but nowhere near my Chicago or China Lanes. The sweet and sour chicken was excellent. Very crispy yet soft white meat and the sweet and sour was good. I would highly recommend it. The chop suey was one of the most disappointing dishes, I have eaten at many and this dish was tasty but to call it chop suey was a mistake. They had large chopped hard carrots, nothing like what is in normal chop suey, they did not use bean sprouts in anything that we had. This was in no way a chop suey. That being said except for the large uncooked carrots it was very tasty. Maybe rename. I spoke to someone who eats there periodically and they said they use the same combination for a variety of dishes and just change the meat and name. We also had crab raggoons, these were some of the best I have ever had soft, crispy with a soft yummy center. The rice was excellent, the egg roll was ok, I have bought frozen ones from Sam's that are better. Sad if not for having no table service and the cheapest plasticware I would give the food a 4. I know there is a second Resturant with the same name and their food is the same. Not sure if this one was to be a better one for eating in or not. More. Hands on if so. I hope they step it up some and work on their inside sales more. Would recommend just not to sit eat and expect any customer service. Nice people but they need to work on their inside customer service. One of the better Chinese American foods, they just need to step it up a notch to be a great success. Will eat here again and update this restaurant, they have potential. read more

See all

Ordered for a quick dinner for the first time, and it wasn't too bad! Pros - Speed of food prep and kitchen efficiency was great - Quantity of food was good for the price - Friendliness of staff Cons - Not terrible, but overly sauced (I ordered the Sesame Chicken, as the first time I go somewhere I always order something simple) Overall not a bad, local quick service Chinese spot. read more

En Lai Chinese Kitchen - Sesame Chicken w/ white rice - Chinese Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Best sweet and sour chicken with fried rice and their egg rolls are delicious all for a great price

Our comfort food! We always go for the super cheap and yummy egg rolls. ;) I love getting the sesame chicken too

When you have that craving for takeout Chinese, en lai will satisfy it. This location is my go to for Chinese takeout. Usually I will either get the beef and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, or general tsos chicken. The price is very reasonable with the combos all being around 9 dollars. The egg rolls are delicious and the chicken that is in the dish is larger chunks versus little smaller pieces that I have seen in other Chinese restaurants. I hardly ever see anyone sitting inside to dine but they do have a few booths available if you prefer to stay and eat. If it is a friday night and you want to stay in and watch tv for a night to yourself with some Chinese food, this is the perfect option. read more

See all

Sodium overload, not anything remotely authentic or cultured but predictable and enjoyable as late night drunken Asian takeout is. The usual menu, gross atmosphere with water leak stains on that drop-down ceiling, and obnoxiously brightly photo filled menu give the whole place its Chinese vibes. We shared the double cooked pork. Very basic, quite tough veggies, surprisingly overcooked, expensive, and the slowest singular meal delivery time I've ever experienced in twenty years of getting Asian. Staff was friendly enough. The place suddenly was bussing right after we sat down. Unsurprising even at this trashy quality considering there are few other Asian options on this side besides the overpriced salt drugged Panda Express. I could never come here again, too many better options elsewhere. read more

See all

Solid Chinese food, you get what you pay for. You know why you're there. Everything was fresh and I ordered pretty late.

I wanted crab ragoon, hot it home snd it was all GARLIC! I've never had Crab Rshoon like that I lived in Dallas 18 yrs, NOT ONCE DID THEY HAVE GARLIC CRAB RAGOON read more

The ambience isn't the best but the food is always good and very reasonable for such large servings. We usually get moo shu Chicken, beef and broccoli, moo goo gai pan to name a few. Staff are friendly and quick. read more

My husband ordered take out from here. When we got inside to pick it up, the dining area was a total mess. Like food all over the floor and tables needing to be bussed. It seems like a family business that is very busy and disorganized. The kids working the front counter & phones were getting yelled at by an older man in back. Everyone seemed unhappy to be there. Super uncomfortable and really glad I don't have to work there. Hubby reports that the crab rangoons were lackluster, maybe even disappointing. The shredded pork with garlic sauce combination dinner was tasty. He was very satisfied with the portion size for the combo and said the fried rice was excellent. read more

Fast and easy. Good selection. From out of town so just picked it at random. Good choice! read more

My fiancé and I got that feeling and decided it was time for takeout. We've lived here a few short months but have surprisingly not eaten out much (thanks, COVID ). We are so glad we tried En Lai. We aren't picky when it comes to Chinese food, and are honestly just looking for solid staples (noodles, crab Rangoon, etc) and En Lai did not disappoint! The general tso's was not the best cut of chicken but the flavor was good. The Lo mein was delicious! The true stars of the show were the egg rolls. I was impressed since I'll normally skip egg rolls, but I know I'll be back for more. Not knock your socks off, but perfect "sitting in front of a baseball game eating takeout" kinda food. read more

En Lai Chinese Kitchen - S23. General Tso's Chicken, Chicken Lo Mein (Quart), Crab Rangoon (6) - Chinese Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

I'm severely disappointed! I was craving Chinese and a couple hours ago I ordered some orange chicken, and pork fried rice. I start eating the rice and it's good then I dig to the bottom and find this long black hair! I'm never ordering from here again. Btw I have blonde hair so its definitely not mine! read more

En Lai Chinese Kitchen - Pork Fried rice - Chinese Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

My family frequents the location on Teal Road but ordered take out from here using BeyondMenu. Everything went well with ordering and pick up. The order was filled correctly including substitutions. My General Tso Chicken was a bit chewy but OK. Then I found a hair in my food. I won't be back. read more

Consistent food. Middle quality, which is great for American-Chinese delivery. Food is usually delivered quickly and very hot. My wife loves their crab rangoon. GrubHub does not list Spring Rolls on their menu so go straight to the restaurant. read more

Meh it's not that good I'd rather go to Panda Express. The fried rice is the worst the white is okay. The rest of the food was lackluster. Cheap but still not worth it. Idk why it's rated so high yall wack. read more

En Lai Chinese Kitchen - Fried rice (very dry) - Chinese Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

I have been here twice. Once takeout. This time eat in. It is filling and good flavor. It was recommended to me at work. The first time I had garlic chicken. This time I had General Tso's chicken. I have had better. Of both. It was good but not outstanding I will be in a search for a different place to try next. read more

See all

This is our favorite place to order takeout from, for the sake of avoiding allergens. (That is not to say that everyone with food allergies should consider themselves safe, when eating here.Between the two locations, the food seems to be cooked the same... But, depending on who is cooking: your chicken may be soggy or crispy; there may or may not be flavor to their dishes. When the food is prepared correctly, it is fantastic! When it's not, you'll definitely wish you hadn't wasted your money. read more

I normal do not have an issue with my order from this location. But today the order was incorrect and when I called to make them aware, I spoke with a young lady first who then gave the phone to a young man whom argued me that I order what they sent me because that's what I always order. what does what I ordered in the past have to do with what i order today. I also let him know that he wasn't the person I spoke with and that not what I said. Then he says well you can bring it back and we fix it. If I paid for delivery why do I have to return something that you'll made an error with. read more

I do not live in Lafayette, and so I don't know the other Chinese food restaurants in Lafayette; however, I think their portion sizes are incredible compared with where I live (Indianapolis). The quality is comparable, but the sizes are incredible. If you want take-out in Lafayette, order En Lai. read more

Pretty good place! Sure - it's not Shanghai so it looses as few star but good was great (*), price excellent (*) and the place was, well, as expected (*)! The people? Who knows, who cares. Above and beyond? Not really. I'll stick w 3 stars. Would come back or recommend? Yep. read more

En Lai Chinese Kitchen - Beef Broccoli with Fried Rice. All good. - Chinese Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Traditional fast food Chinese. The dishes are typical of most small-big city Chinese restaurants. The preparation is usually quick and dishes filling and well-priced. read more

There are a couple of bad reviews here, and it kind of confuses me.. This is a Chinese Buffett.. in Indiana.. for $5.. expecting amazing things is kind of ridiculous. You must keep in mind what we are comparing with - China 1, Great Wall, Teppanyaki Grill, Super China, etc.. they are all potentially, or have been gross/greasy in some way at one time or another. Amongst all of these, En Lai is my go to for Chinese in Lafayette. Both the "B" location on Creasy and the original on Teal. (although I think I've only been to the one on teal once since the new one opened) I have a "three strikes and you're out" rule with buffets - if they make me sick 3 times, I don't ever go back. In my 17 years in Lafayette, En Lai is the only one that isn't "out". This may sound harsh, but it's the reality of eating food that is left on steam tables all day. Ok, enough about the intricacies of the genre, let me tell you why I think En Lai is good. (and these are all about the buffett, it's just not as good a deal to eat anything else there) 1. Super cheap. The buffet and a small drink is like $5.29. I don't think anyone else in town can touch that. 2. Fried stuff. They hit the mark as far as having the fried stuff that Americans want from Americanized Chinese food. Sweet and Sour chicken, pork fried rice, crab rangoon. 3. fresh (for a buffet). Both En Lai locations get hit pretty hard during the lunch rush, especially on sundays. This means that the food on the buffet gets eaten and replaced quickly, unlike some others in town. They only have half as many things on the buffet as say, Great Wall or China 1, but as a result, they don't sit as long. All that said, there are some downsides, and this is why I didn't give it a 5 star. There is a kind of slacker work aesthetic I think. as mentioned in an earlier review, sometimes they are slow to refill an item on the buffet. I will say though, that it's not because the "day-to-day" managers aren't here - the same manager is there everyday. He was the manager at the teal location before the Creasy one opened. Usually if you tell them an item is out, they get on it. Also, it's a little dirty. tables aren't cleaned frequently, etc. If these are things that freak you out, don't go. It's not for you. Try TGI Fridays or something. For me, it's a small thing to put up with for cheap, tasty food. read more

Decent delivery joint. The crab Rangoon is kickass, and I love their Sesame Chicken. The only place on this side of town worth getting delivery from really. I've never eaten inside the restaurant - having only ordered delivery - but I've always had a positive experience there. read more

I've eaten here since I moved to Lafayette 6 years ago. When I've gotten the hankering for Chinese, they've scratched the itch. It's gotten progressively worse every time. Poor cooking technique to blame. Fryers are obviously not at correct temp. Food ends up soggy with grease. Too much oil used in stove-top cooked foods. I ate about 1/3 of what I ordered last night, as it made me bloated and uncomfortable before I could finish. 14 hours later and it's still bringing the pain. Not like food poisoning. It's just overwhelming lethargy and major water retention from soooooo much (mono?) sodium (glutamate?). read more

I had Mongolian Beef yesterday, it was excellent with a fresh egg roll and 2 almond cookies for dessert! I will definitely be back. Cannot beat the price. read more

Best Chinese food in Lafayette! The only place I order Chinese from. The food is always fresh and super hot. My order is always right. Never have a long wait time for delivery or takeout. read more

Good, cheap Chinese food. It's the best Chinese food I've found on the east side of town. The food is of good value and they do offer a lunch buffet. Their crab rangoon is delicious and well priced. However the sweet and sour chicken left a lot to be desired. The orange chicken was good but a bit spicy. The lo mein is good but could use more sauce. The fried rice is a must and cheaper than the other places around. They do get very busy during the typical rush hours so you may want to phone in your order if you don't want to stand by the counter for 15-20 minutes. read more

Decided to order in despite the reviews. Delivery was a little slow but good came hot. Prices were good and the food was decent. The quantity was insane. I could of ate off it for days! read more

I ate Chinese food my entire life and what they serve here is not great at all. From what I can tell, it is northern Chinese trying to cook the more popular southern Chinese food normally served in the USA. read more

In town forever. They just can't get the orders right. I finally called and the young lady insisted I did get this Szechuan beef and the egg rolls I ordered. In addition to the other items. The food is ok when its hot. My last order was $28 plus tip and I got three rice orders and some pork dish. Ouch read more

We were looking for a spicy Chinese dish and we found this place without a lot of trouble. Curry Shrimp was really good with good portion and big size Shrimp. Broccoli with garlic sauce was delicious. We would recommend this as a real good fast food place. If you are not looking for a fancy restaurant then this is where you could dine for a break from your daily routine dishes at home. read more

Lunch buffet is only $4, but what u get is a selection of a few dishes and the typical eggrolls,etc.. All the tables were dirty and the employees there were less than pleasant. I wouldn't come again although if u want cheap food then be my guest. read more

This Chinese restaurant is going down hill quick! Missing food on delivery orders, unsauced food, and overcooked everything. If you're looking for a 2 star experience and perhaps a gut ache, choose this place. There are better places in town. (Or right around the corner) Where's China Moon? read more

We occasionally eat here for the lunch buffet which is fast, tasty, and reasonably priced @ $5.50 which includes a drink. The food is tasty and egg rolls are great! On the downside, the dining room is crowded and they serve on styrofoam plates & cups. Still a good value for the price! read more

This is "Kitchen B" It is very obviously not run by the day day-to-day manager/s. The buffet is never filled by the start of lunch. In fact we have had to wait 1&1/2 hours for everything to finally show up! They do not keep it fresh or filled...they really act as if they would rather not do the buffet at this location. The food has less taste and more grease here. Be prepared to fight for your food, if you go here b/c people on the clock get frantic when some food does come out! read more

Awful food. I had a friend who found glass in her chicken. I have had much better chinese food for the same price. Panda express is better than this. read more

Price was very reasonable and included small drink. Entire place was very run down and dirty. Small buffet, nothing was labeled so I wasn't sure what I was getting. Food was low quality...you get what you pay for in this case. This was the first Chinese restaurant I've tried since moving to Lafayette....so I guess the search continues, cause I won't be back. :-( Two thumbs down! read more

The food was alright at best, but it's the experience that left a bad taste in my mouth. I ordered well before one of their "regulars" and as I watched their food arrive to the table within minutes, I was still sitting empty handed after 15 minutes. When I did finally receive my food, it had been wrapped up for to-go when I had asked to dine-in and sitting on the counter for at least another 5 minutes before they bothered calling me. Don't expect much from this place with regards to customer service, but if you're craving Chinese food, then you're SOL. read more

Hadn't had En Lai in a few years. I remembered it as being pretty decent. Ordered the Sesame chicken. It was over cooked and maybe poor cuts of chicken. I couldn't eat it. It was so poorly made, I don't feel comfort giving them another chance. read more