Cheap, fast, and tasty. If you are one of the regulars of the "the more expensive and chic the better" crowd in Princeton, Hunan might not be your place, but you get fast and fresh food at a very reasonable price. The place is run by a Chinese American family who follow the OG recipes. Inside it is not super shiny or hip, but that's not what Hunan is for! read more

When I used to live in Queens NYC, there were Chinese takeout spots on every other block. On a budget, lunch specials were the best. A lot of food with a pint of soup for under $7. Enter Hunan. It is the closest I will get as far as the kind of Americanized Chinese comfort foods I crave sometimes. Lo mein/fried rice, beef w. broccoli, sweet & sour chicken, etc. They have lunch specials, too, but even regular prices for what I just listed are all under $10 per order. They are also great about adjustments, in my case I ask for less salt and no onions on some dishes. Never too oily and the taste always hits the spot. It's fast, it's cheap and it's actually good. I've never dined in and never tried their non-Chinese menu (they have Vietnamese and Malaysian, too). Maybe next time! read more

I've always liked Hunan on Witherspoon so it's with deep regret that I have to seriously downgrade my review. We have a standing order here which consists of Sesame Chicken and Mixed Vegetables with Tofu. Years of consistency have built up quite a trendline for evaluating quality. Over the last ten visits or so the chicken has devolved from a soft crunchy tang to a hard molar busting shell revealing chicken as dry as sawdust. As for the tofu, it appears that the vegetables have slowly lost their battle for prominence with the gelatinous goo that passes for sauce. I could open a can of supermarket Chicken Chow Mein for a similar taste sensation. Not good and not acceptable. When I asked, an unconvincing shrug is not an answer. Two stars for a once, frequent favorite. read more

Best pork dumplings ever!And the service here is great.The lady that takes my order is Awesome.And I've never seen such a clean kitchen!!!!

The Vietnamese salad roll I got here was a heaping unappetizing soggy mess. There was barely any shrimp and the few pieces they had were tiny. The roll was shoddy, fat and falling apart, and the rice paper was actually soggy. This was the worst spring roll I've ever had. The Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops with vegetables was passable. The scallops were good but the vegetables were your standardized fast food version drowned in sauce. On the other hand, my friend ordered the mango spicy chicken and loved it. It's very spicy and the chicken is cooked quite well. The restaurant only had a few tables filled when we ate there. Also, warning IT'S CASH ONLY. They have an ATM outside if you don't have cash. At the end of the day, I think your mindset going to this restaurant is to expect American Chinese food and to order American Chinese dishes because those are the dishes they do best. But, even given that, there are better options in the area, and there's not much of a point to come here in the first place. read more

Hunan - The worst Vietnamese spring roll ever - Chinese Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Great food, great prices. Love this place! Their tofu dishes are my favorite in the area. I want to try everything vegetarian on their menu and I intend to. Cute dining room, too, and it's BYOB! read more

Taste awful. Makes a frozen tv dinner taste gourmet. Would strongly encourage you to walk or drive a little farther up town for better food.

Best Chinese food place in Princeton. Good prices and nice staff . Love the fried rice , spring rolls and sesame bean curd / tofu . It is my go to . read more

Actually there's some printing errors in this Yelp App. No Delivery at all plus only payment towards every food sales are Cash Only ! The Spring Roll with the rice paper wrappings are no longer available and Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes ,are no longer available ! Love their Fried Rice , Lo Mein and etc . read more

There is so much competition these days, I'm glad this cheap, reliable, old-school place continues to survive. Will B's review comparing it to one's second favorite uncle is apt: No one claims this joint is competitive with its newer rivals on their terms, but when one is in the mood for Americanized Chinese that's reliably tasty and not particularly healthy -- the Chinese food analogue of Chuck's Chicken Wings -- Hunan can't be beat. Beef w/orange flavor and the incredible pot sticker things with peanut sauce are world-class, as is the superstar lady behind the counter most evenings, who always remembers what I like and reminds me of the priceless value added to our lives by hard-working, community-centered small businesswomen. read more

Cheap, satisfying Chinese food. Hunan has a Chinese, Malaysian and Vietnamese menu. The Malaysian and Vietnamese menus are not authentic at all (the cooks are Chinese) and I would definitely not recommend ordering from there. The Chinese menu, though not your home-cooked Chinese food, is your typical Americanized fare. I ordered the curry chicken during lunch last week and was very satisfied. The portions are huge and the dish was quite flavorful. I also ordered a combination fried rice to go. The fried rice was as expected; it was quite greasy but very tasty. Also, the service here was very good. My friend and I were the only customers in the restaurant, and the waitress was incredibly attentive and friendly towards us. Don't expect traditional Chinese food here. Instead, expect big portions, inexpensive prices, and your standard Americanized Chinese food. The only reason I'm giving this place four stars instead of three is for the fact that it's so convenient to campus, and I'll definitely be coming here more often to get my Chinese fix. read more

See all

3.5 stars... it's 4 stars in the context of princeton and the absence of good chinese food in general. i only had chinese food there. they also have some vietnamese and malaysian, but i do not intend try those. their chinese food was pretty good. the egg rolls were tasty and crispy. chow mein was flavorful. and the portion was large. i liked it that their sauces were not thick and syruppy. but overall the food was nothing to write home about. but it's better than the other chinese joints in princeton. i was there when the place was really empty. the dining area was surprisingly nice given that you have to walk past the cemetery on the way to the restaurant. i will come back again when i need a relatively nice comfort food. warm rice. crispy vegetables. and tasty meat. hmmmmmm btw cash only. read more

Hunan - Chinese Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

I feel a real pang of affection for Hunan, perhaps comparable to one's second favourite uncle, though certainly not a parent or a football team. I come here regularly, drawn back in by the dependable Americanized Chinese food, charming service and reassuringly low prices. For me, Hunan beats its rivals (EPS and Tiger Noodle) hands down. Why? I'm not sure that the food is necessarily any better: it's often overly-sauced, with few real surprises or unexpected glories. That said, I've consistently enjoyed the eggplant in garlic sauce dish, and the beef chow fun is always everything I hope it to be. I've never wandered as far as the Malaysian and Vietnamese sections of its menu so can't comment there, always assuming I'm on safer ground with (All-American) Chinese classics. More to its credit, food is excellent value (you'll often get change from a tenner) and particularly so with its generous lunch deal and BYOB policy. The real glory of Hunan is its staff. I am appalled that I still don't know the name of either of the two stars that work front-of-house here, but they are warm and welcoming in a way that makes me look forward to my next visit. A case in point: the waiter always greets a (admittedly particularly regal) friend of mine with a "Hello, Princess" on arrival, but somehow manages to do so with refreshing humor not condescension. Together, the staff here make dining feel easy and familiar and comforting, and that is a special achievement. In many ways, Hunan is an odd place to eat. It's often eerily quiet -- it's a few minutes from the heart of town, and mostly relies on take-out business -- and yet also often home to raucous groups of college students determined to prove they're having a good time. It's not without its quirks and idiosyncracies -- a few oddly-named dishes and a failure to accept credit cards etc. But I'm glad that Hunan is a part of the furniture of my life here in Princeton, and it's somewhere I'll always associate with friendship and laughter. read more

Located a bit out of the way all the way down Witherspoon (close to Princeton Medical Center) is this tiny Chinese/Malaysian restaurant that surprisingly serves up some of the best Chinese fare in downtown Princeton. By "best" of course, in the context of Princeton and its abhorrent lack of good Chinese restaurants, I mean "good". If only Hunan was more centrally located on Nassau St., I'm sure this place would be buzzing. To be honest, I think the only reasons why Ivy Garden and Tiger Noodles still exist is because of its proximity to the Equad where the (largely international) engineering graduate students don't have meal plans and need to find places to eat every day. I know this because every day, the smell of bad Chinese food wafts through the building around lunchtime. I digress... Hunan's food is consistently good, with few aberrations or atrocities. All of the stir-fried noodles (both on the Chinese and Malaysian menu) are pretty decent and I almost always order the eggplant and tofu in special sauce dish. But warning? Stay away from the pho. Even if it's 20 degrees outside and all you want in life is a hot bowl of something. True, it's only $6 for a giant bowl, but it was incredibly bland and slightly offensive in taste. The mooshu pork (was not my idea to order this) was quite salty and the XO sauce that came with it... was umm.. not XO sauce. Whatever it was, I didn't use it after my first wrap because it just accentuated the saltiness. I've taste-tested most of the menu though and in general, if you don't try to go for something wacky, you'll be alright. read more

MM MM MMMMM. Absolutely perfect dinner. Our Tofu (dumpling style) was superbly cooked, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. With broccoli surrounding the dish in a stunning sauce. We also had the eggplant in garlic sauce. This eggplant was fantastic, so soft it was almost creamy in a flavor-bursting sauce. Both dishes were served with a generous portion of rice. My husband and I shared these dishes and there was plenty left over for tomorrow's breakfast/lunch. This place officially wins the spot as the best Chinese restaurant in Princeton. Of course the competition is just sad. I could probably eat this for dinner every single night and not get bored. I highly recommend their vegetarian dishes. Though other places have more selection, none are as satisfying as this. read more

One of the first restaurants I checked out upon moving to Princeton. My dad's side of the family is from Hunan so figure I would give this place a chance. There are rare exceptions...but typically when an asian restaurant anywhere in the world advertises chinese/vietnamese/malaysian cuisine all on the same menu, it's time to RUN. I hate to be negative but I have only bad things to say about this place. Food was either bland, unpalatable, or had no resemblance to my expectation of the dish. I basically left hungry because I could not bear to eat much of anything presented. In conclusion, DO NOT EAT HERE. I will now forever erase this unpleasant experience from my brain. The End. read more

A bit far to walk but that's what carpooling is for. Lunch specials are great, the food is fresh and not overly greasy, and the service was very fast. The portions are very generous and for under $6, you get an entree, rice, and side. You won't find a better deal in Princeton read more

This place was truly horrible. I ordered crispy duck which was one of the most disgusting meals I have ever had. The duck's skin was not crispy but gelatinous instead. The meat was dry and stringy. When the waitress noticed I didn't eat my meal the proprietor came over. She asked what was wrong and I told her that the duck was not fresh. She picked it up and smelled it and insisted it was not spoiled.. At the end of the meal she comped the tea.l read more

This place is great if if u want to hold an event or dinner there. They were very flexible and gave us our space. There was plenty of food for everybody in our 20 person party. read more

I'm not sure how to rate this restaurant. The menu had Chinese, Malaysian, and Vietnamese. Against my instinct to order what the primary cuisine is, I chose Vietnamese--egg rolls (cha gio) and pho. Both the egg rolls and pho were faux, but good. The egg rolls weren't typical Vietnamese egg rolls; instead were more like slightly seasoned pork filled cigars. No bibb lettuce. Tastey, but not cha gio. Very mild nuoc mam (fish sauce). Similarly, the soup wasn't pho--no star anise, amongst other things. It was a nice broth and instead of beef slices there were veal slices. Again, good, but not pho. It was served with bean sprouts, a lime, and basil, but I had to ask for bean sauce and chili sauce; the bean sauce was the standard hoisin sauce, the chili sauce the Chinese peppers in oil instead of the Chili Garlic Sauce with the rooster on the front. Water was quick, ordering easy and pleasant. Egg rolls. 1 minute later, soup. Then tea. Maybe I'm just a snob when it comes to eating in a restaurant, but I'd like my water first, then drink, then appetizer. A few minutes after the appetizer, then the entree. I'll have to get over that here. So the pho and egg rolls were not authentic, but they were yummy. I should probably try their Chinese lunch specials the next time I stop in and remember that if a place is primarily Chinese, that other Asian specialties might not be as expected. Total with tax: $11.50 UPDATE: we went here for dinner on Saturday. We went in with the idea that it would be good, but not necessarily what was expected. We had the spring rolls, duck, and malasian fried fish. As expected, not what was typical, but good and fresh. We brought in our own bottle of wine (no corkage fee) and had a relaxed dinner. It was good. Not great, but good. Methinks that between the cooks, staff, and manager, none can speak the same language, but are all from Asia. One day I may ask for them to prepare something they'd cook for their families. The food was still good as leftovers. So yes, I'm a fan now. 2 people for dinner: $30 including tax and tip read more

We tried Hunan for the first time tonight. Do not confuse this one with the Hunan in Montgomery, they are not related and you cannot order online from the Witherspoon restaurant. The food was okay. We needed a greasy Friday night take out fix so this did the job. We got the eggplant, pork lo mein combo and sweet and sour chicken. The chicken was soggy so I would try something else if I decided to go back. The eggplant and lo mein were good. Overall I'd say this place is worth trying if you can find the right thing.. read more

Hunan - Top- pork lo mein, Right- Eggplant, Bottom- sweet and sour chicken - Chinese Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

This place will not 'wow' you with the decor or location...but the food is great! We have never had a bad dish here. The best part of this place is the one waitress (I think her name is Leena) who is always smiling, attentive, and helpful. In a sea of Chinese restaurants...this one is doing a great job at a great price. We love the Chicken Pad Thai and General Tao's Tofu. They are are really great. Huge portions, quick service, and a good price. When people come to visit from out of town, we take them here because we know the food will be great. read more

Dear Hunan, My love for you knows no bounds. Please never change. Love, Me read more

I heard good things about this place from co-workers so I ate here. BIG mistake. I wasn't expecting authentic chinese food, this being Princeton and all (except Shanghai Park). But this was really bad. Like, badly done chinese-american food. Also agree with the previous poster. There was chinese, viet, and malay all on the same menu. But when I ordered some noodles from the malay menu, it was the same noodles that my friend got from the chinese menu. Just a couple of added ingredients. And that spring roll from the vietnamese menu was just ugh. I've been here a couple of times just because it's so cheap (for Princeton), and every time I regret it. If you're hungry in Princeton and just want some cheap food to fill your stomach, then do some takeout from here. Otherwise, go to Asian Bistro or even PF Changs. read more

Best Chinese takeout in Princeton. Courteous, friendly, fast service, good food, low price.

I was a fan of Hunan for a number of years, but had a terrible experience last week. The preparation of the food is not consistent. The general tso's tofu that my three vegetarian daughters and I usually enjoy so much was prepared completely differently this time. It was full of vinegar, watery and had clumps of undissolved chili paste. The tofu was flavorless and was in large irregular chunks vs. the little, tasty fried cubes we were used to. I called them and the owner was unsympathetic. She said she would give us a discount "next time", cut me off while I was speaking, and hung up. We were hoping she would remedy the situation "this time" so we could have something to eat for dinner. We could not eat the tofu in vinegar the way it was prepared that day, and we are not likely to go back for a "next time." read more

Save yourself. Please don't come here. Staff was friendly but the meat and noodles I ordered was not edible. Go for Mexican across the street instead read more

This place falls short of all expectations the food is flavorless. I am convinced there are no good chinese in this town. Eps is a little better and tiger noodle only has good general tso. Better off getting a burrito across the street read more

The servers are super friendly, and the food is good and cheap. As someone who is ethnically Chinese and grew up in Asia, I can personally vouch for the food. While it won't win any awards, it is reliable Chinese food, and will fill your stomachs. I will definitely miss this place now that I am gone form Princeton. read more

I have dined at Hunan for many years and I wanted to share a few recommendations. For the price and quality, it truly is hard to beat. Here are a few food choices that I highly recommend trying! Also, the cashier is always so pleasant! 1. Chicken wings - I LOVE them. They will satisfy your fried chicken craving. 2. Fried pork dumplings 3. General's Tso Chicken 4. Chicken and Broccoli (white sauce) 5. Chicken and Broccoli (brown sauce) 6. Dice chicken and broccoli (brown sauce) 7. Pork and string beans 8. Singapore street noodles 9. Lo mein (ask for a little less greasy) 10. Spicy homestyle noodles with shrimp and chicken 11. Moo shu pork 12. Shrimp fried rice read more

Moved into the area and decided to try this for a quiet Monday night dinner and avoid some of the pricier places in the neighborhood. Bad idea. They have an assortment of Thai, Vietnamese (pho) and Malaysian dishes on the menu and it looks like in their attempt at an expansive menu they end up doing none of the dishes justice. I was told only when the check arrived that they accept cash only and handed a handwritten (Chinese) order slip where the waiter added tax and gratuity. Paid up but don't think uncle sam is getting any of the tax. This is place is a Gordon Ramsey candidate. read more

It's good for what it is - a small off the beaten path first generation Chinese restaurant. It's better for takeout than dining in. The waiter is not that friendly, but you can always get a table. We rely on it for backup dinner when we're too tired to cook. read more

We ended up at this restaurant because we had no reservations made at any other restaurants in Princeton. Initially, I was not too excited about this place. When you enter the restaurant you see the kitchen (very clean) and then on your left you see a small door which has a note... "CASH ONLY". You enter in thru that door and you see the rest of the restaurant... I must say... it is a hole in the wall restaurant. So we were seated and we ordered the appetizer... it was awesome.. at this point I was happy that we ended up at this restaurant. Then I orderd the hot and sour soup.... ummmmmmmmmmmm my mouth waters every time I think about it. Then we ordered... mango tofu.... it is soooooooooo good. My husband never eats tofu... but he loved it. He wants to go back for just the Tofu!! Overall the food is really tasty. The service is quick. Not at all expensive... Perfect restaurant for a nice meal. I am going back to this restaurant for sure! read more

Don't come looking here for truly authentic Chinese food. In that case, you'd be better off going to a place like Yao's. Instead, Hunan is a place for inexpensive, Americanized Chinese food to go. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's incredibly cheap for a restaurant, and you'll definitely be able to get in and out for under $10, a rare feat for a Princeton restaurant. Not to mention the huge portion sizes. Just be aware that it's cash only. read more

This place must have new management now, new faces and terrible food, I was shocked, tiny shrimp sizes and dirty veins sticking out, ugh. I never had this problem before, this will be my last trip there. read more

An avoidable place especially if you have a tendency to get suckered in by the cheap lunch specials. The fried rice is stale and the meat leaves you uneasy, almost a little queasy.. read more

We always order calamari and sesame beef. The waitress already knows what our "usual" order is and makes sure to serve vinegar with the calamari. This place only takes cash though. The food is always delicious and the waitress/waiter are friendly and helpful. If you happen to be in the Princeton University area and craving for Asian food, this is the place to be. read more

Very good and very cheap. I've only had their food to go. They have a very delicious vegetarian hot and sour soup. They also have a delicious vegetarian fried rice. read more

This place charged me 14.00 for a lunch special that was 6.95 she said she charged me extra for a shrimp roll which I asked to be removed from order the lady became rude and told me to pay now which I did the shrimp roll was flavorless and had pork in it as well. The food was terrible in a watery sauce just awful I would avoid this place read more

By far and away, the best feature of this place is the fact that it's BYOB. Like many places off Nassau, they're almost completely indifferent to groups bringing in their own drinks - which can make a mediocre dinner a lot more fun. Though it seems like half their business consists in making dishes of General Tao's chicken - the menu is actually fairly large. I tried the jellyfish one day to test out the kitchen, though was somewhat disappointed when my plate came out filled mostly with pickled cucumbers, hiding a few thin strands of translucent jellyfish underneath. Rice is served in giant communal bowls, which is a lot better than the overpriced by-the-bowl model that most other Chinese restaurants use. In short, the quality's not fantastic, but it'll do in a pinch. read more