I was pleasantly surprised by this place! Usually asian fusion restaurants are a hit-or-miss, and I hadn't found any great authentic Chinese restaurants in NoVA so my hopes weren't very high going in. The menu has traditional Chinese dishes that I hadn't found locally and the flavors are pretty spot on. We ordered the hot and sour shredded potatoes, spicy tofu, and red date and snow fungus soup for dessert. The hot and sour shredded potatoes tasted like how my mom makes them, the spiciness is there but it's more subtle and balances nicely with the sourness. The potatoes themselves are cooked perfectly with a nice crunch to them. The spicy tofu was good, the glaze was a little on the sweet side, but the dish was still yummy overall. If you want extra spice, you can eat the chili chunks with the peanuts in the dish for a kick. The snow fungus soup was good, slightly sweeter than I prefer but it was refreshing as a dessert. The menu was digital and the only gripe is that our server disappeared for periods in between our meal, so it took time to order our mains, and then took time to find them to order dessert and get the check. However, they were friendly and attentive when they were around. The location is clean and has a modern ambiance. It gives a restaurant meets sports bar vibe, and they do have karaoke in the back. Portions were filling for a decent price. Will come back! read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - J1. Red Date and White Fungus Soup - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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The Lantern in Crystal City is a new great find. The service was friendly and efficient. Every dish was authentic and hit the spot The prices were reasonable and the portions were big. The restaurant has a bar and large screens for sports fans. and The atmosphere was amazing with colorful lights. There were also karaoke rooms with sophisticated lighting. We thoroughly enjoyed Stir-fried Liver Aorta And Kidney With Pickled Peppers, Boiled Fish In Chili Oil, and Flat Bridge-fried Tofu. Reservations are recommended, as the venue fills up quickly. I can't wait to go back and try more of their diverse menu, which includes dim sum. read more

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We needed to meet a friend in Crystal City, so we decided on the Lantern restaurant. The atmosphere is modern and very unique and upscale. The cuisine is Szechuan Chinese, and it was very spicy and delicious! We ordered the spicy fish soup, spicy fried chicken and sliced beef. The spicy boiled fish soup was huge, it could feed a lot, and it was so good! The fish was fresh and had some numbing pepper flavor along with the spicy hot pepper. The chicken was delicious, not the best I have had but close to it. The beef I thought was a little bland, but that may be because I ate it after the very spicy fish and chicken dishes! With 3 of us, and 3 mains we had a lot left over, so the portions are good, especially for the spicy fish soup. I would highly recommend Lantern to anyone looking for good spicy authentic Chinese food in the Crystal City area read more

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Perfect spot for date night. Amazing decor in the restaurant and they have karaoke rooms that have a very modern ambience. We ordered the beef stir fried rice and the schexuan chicken and they were both AMAZING!! We will definitely go back for the food alone. Portions are large and we came home with leftovers. For drinks we got the lychee martini and the rum punch - both were strong and tasted great. The one thing I would improve is provide guests with water. We were there for two hours and didn't have water brought to us at all The karaoke costs about $50 an hour and the room was very clean and spacious. Seating was comfortable as well. Great song selection. Overall great experience and will come back read more

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I've still been thinking of the eggplant from here since I had it last week. The sauce was absolutely delicious and the eggplant was very firm. I loved the chicken as well. Extremely spicy and delicious crisp skin. read more

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What an inviting restaurant!! Right across the street from one of the hotels where the convention was happening, this place was spotted. When I first arrived, I walked up to their door and saw that they have happy hour until 7 on weekdays. I made it a mission to come on Friday. They have lots of really good food and drink deals. When I got there around 4:30, it was empty! I expected it to be busier, especially with the Con going on, but I walked up to the bar and was easily taken care of. As I explored the menu, I took it the super awesome decor of the place. The lights, the decor... the KARAOKE. You can sing karaoke on the big screen in the dining room or rent out one of the DOPE looking rooms in the back. One of the staff was kind enough to give me a tour. I got takoyaki and then an order of the veggie lo mein. The takoyaki was delicious, and I was shocked by how much lo mein they gave... it was a lot, but I crushed it! They make a good margarita and rum punch too (don't expect it to taste like the Caribbean ones). After an hour, the place started to really fill up, and I had some friends meet me. Unfortunately, I did experience them try to order something that had never been ordered before, and the staff weren't sure what to do about it. They also had some food take quite a while. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they've only been open a few weeks and they haven't worked out the kinks of handling a full crowd yet. But I hope they do well! read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - Happy hour - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

As an avid sichuan food lover, I highly anticipated trying this spot and spontaneously stopped in on a sunday evening. Was promptly greeted upon walking in and seated/given water. The atmosphere felt modern but didn't sacrifice comfort. We also enjoyed the unique adjustable candles and thought the disposable chopstick ends were interesting. We weren't given direction on how to order but saw a QR code on the table so proceeded on our own to browse the menu. The user interface was slightly confusing because you land on the lunch specials page and there is no option to add to cart even though a shopping experience is implied. I saw promising/authentic dishes (squirrel fish, braised pork belly, etc.) as well as dishes skewed towards American chinese food (general tso's, sesame chicken, etc.). A server eventually came and we ordered two dishes we've tried at countless other restaurants, and a comfort dish I grew up on: - twice-cooked pork belly - flavor was pristine and adequately paired with leeks, peppers, and !dried bean curd! - chongqing chicken ('spicy crispy chicken with chiles') - fried to perfection, chopped in bite-sized pieces, fragrant with sichuan peppercorns & other spices - pork rib & yam soup - such comforting flavor presented in a delicate beautiful little bowl with lid. I'm used to having this soup with daikon or lotus root but found the yam refreshing in its crunch and slight bitterness. Contrary to a couple other restaurants of similar caliber, we appreciated that none of the dishes were overly salty and all were portioned well. Would 100% return to try other dishes, and already planning to have a birthday party here! read more

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Such an unexpected spot for Pentagon City! Bright, flashing neon lights, club decor, sleek tables and futuristic chopsticks - plus a couple private karaoke rooms make up this new Chinese restaurant. I came here on an early Wednesday night with my partner, and the music was already bumping with restaurant-goers volunteering to sing in the middle of the room for group karaoke. We ordered pork spare rib soup, stir-fried eggplant and sweet and sour fish. The soup was pricey for a small one-serving portion, but quite savory with the meat falling off the bone. I was disappointed how small it was, but I should remember this is Arlington! We then got our eggplant dish, which was spiral-cut in this showstopper way. The fish also arrived, but it was thickly breaded and way too heavy. It was cloyingly sweet and very hard to finish. Disappointing. They also charged us for rice (~$1 a bowl). Perhaps we didn't know what to order. I like the idea of a karaoke bar that's not too far in the suburbs. They have a lot of deals currently in their soft launch if you want to join as a member and come frequently for karaoke. The private rooms are on the smaller side but you can also sing in the main room if you are brave. They have fun standup mics, so you can feel like a pop star! I'll come back to sing and perhaps pick some recommended dishes. read more

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The decor is really cool inside with what they did with all the different lights. It looks like it'd be an arcade from the outside, but once you enter, there's a nice dining room and neon hallways that lead to karaoke rooms. They also are set up to have karaoke in the main dining room. I sat at the bar and ordered from the bartender, who was super friendly/down to earth. The menu is huge and you access it via a QR code. I liked the taste of the lychee martini and it's garnished with gummy bears instead of lychee. I also had the Georgia Peach, (martini) which was good, but very sweet. There are definitely some more adventurous dishes available on the menu, as another review mentioned. I got the steamed pork buns and salt & pepper shrimp. No complaints there -- the shrimp were big and cooked well. I will say the prices seem high for each plate compared to other places in the area with similar cuisine, though the drinks are more affordable. I went in just for a meal but will have to return for a karaoke experience. read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - G3. Salt And Pepper Shrimp A12.Steamed Pork Bun - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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This place is excellent. It feels like you're dining in some futuristic cyberpunk cafe first of all. Second, the authentic Chinese food is really great and offers a diverse menu of things you won't find at your typical 'Chinese place.' Think tripe over orange chicken. I had a spicy beef tripe dish, spicy cauliflower, and a spicy fish (sea bass?) dish in like a soup with tofu, sprouts, and more. (Sorry I don't know the real names, my girlfriend ordered for us in Mandarin.) Service was friendly and the food was outstanding. Would definitely go back. read more

I went during week with 2 family members and enjoyed the food, tasty and the service was great! The room that we had was big and included a bathroom. If the song chosen is not available, you can go to YouTube. The vibe was fun and we had good laughs! Prices do vary depending on size of room. Good times!!! read more

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Wish I could say that my most recent experience was better, but much the contrary. A good deal of my previous review still stands , but they overcharged me for a karaoke room I rented, largely by billing us for food not delivered. Also, if memory serves, they charged for water, and not even the quality kind... that just feels extortionate. On top of rice being an add-on, and the whole menu and karaoke being quite pricey as is. They really have to clean up their act and know their worth. They have a glitzy-looking venue, but the quality and quantity of what they're offering is not at all on par with the price. read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - General Tso's Chicken with (not included) rice and edamame. - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Our go to for late nights or sometimes just don't want to cook. Very descent flavor and price for the portion. Nothing too fancy and definitely not street food. It's a quality restaurant if you want a simple take out or dining with friends. Atmosphere is also very club like. read more

After a couple bad experiences at another Chinese karaoke spot we used to frequent, we decided to check out Lantern Restaurant & Bar this past Wednesday to find a new regular spot. Eight of us belched out basic go-to karaoke songs for two hours in a small room ($60/hour), which ended up being $15 per person. For Arlington, this is quite affordable. There were some mix-ups with when they started charging us. We had a reservation at 7 and arrived around 7:10. The hostess agreed to start at 7:10 (and we didn't even have mics until 7:15), but by 8:50, they told us we only had 10 minutes left... Besides that, we had a fun time. The hallway of the karaoke interior truly had that modern neon design (almost like going to an Artechouse) and the room had the classic pink wallpaper that Chinese karaoke places would have. The sound system was good and the karaoke set up (it's all in Chinese) was pretty easy for us to use. A friend ordered some food for the table to enjoy while we were screaming lyrics. The steamed pork buns (8.95 for 4 buns) had a flavorful filling that I liked, but the texture of the buns gave away that these were definitely purchased from the frozen section of an Asian grocery nearby. The crinkle-cut fries were aggressively mediocre, even with ketchup. Truly criminal to mess up fries. I wouldn't recommend fries here. But hey, come here for the karaoke. It's a fair price to shriek and sing off-key for a couple hours. read more

Got the crispy fried pork intestines just to try something different I dont have access to back home. HUGE recommendation especially as an add on if you're with a large party of folks who haven't tried anything like that before as they may be surprised. Numbing spice and the crispy garlic and cilantro made the dish really special. Very interesting interior and I liked that most menu items had pictures and descriptions. Overall everything was priced well for being downtown. My only less than positive feedback would be the Tablets they use for ordering. Those things are trash, it took me almost 30 minutes just to see what was on the drink menu because the thing was constantly freezing or locking me into items I hadn't actually clicked. Would have rather used a QR menu if physical copies are not an option. Ultimately the tablet didn't even allow me to order so I had to wave down servers and bartenders to put food and drink in. Bartender recommended a fried glutinous rice donut like dessert and was very attentive after he brought me my first drink. It was also very interesting and fresh. Overall would and have recommended this spot to others here on business! read more

The veggie plates are always delicious and the service is very quick and friendly! The music is fun! And the drinks were yummy! read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - I4. Dry-Fried Green Beans - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

A welcome addition to the Chinese food in the area. First thing you notice when entering is the decor - what an interesting/cool looking restaurant. The food - the stir fried pork intestines were delicious, crunchiest ones I've ever eaten, with a nice amount of Sichuan peppercorn flavor. The mapo tofu also had a nice mala taste, though I would probably order spicier next time. Drinks - they have a bar, and several interesting alcoholic drinks all around 15$. Of note, this place also has karaoke rooms, we peeped into the VIP karaoke room and it looked super nice, very spacious with a mahjong table in the back (attached is a blurry picture). Would definitely recommend trying read more

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Lantern is a brand new Chinese restaurant/ karaoke bar in Crystal City. The ambiance is very modern. The walls (and columns) of the restaurant (I didn't go into the bar) are covered with giant TV screens playing Chinese music videos. The screens are a bit of a distraction when there's bright flashy scenes coming at you from all directions. The serving plates are very attractive, and I've never seen chopsticks that split the difference between washable and disposable before. You put disposable (non-slippery) wood tips into plastic holders--classy look and good feel for eating. The food was very good. We had "coiled eggplant" and Beef Ho Fun. Long Japanese eggplant was cut spirally and cooked in a brown sauce with just a hint of hot spice. The beef was "dry fried" with the wide noodles and some scallion. I also had a (very) small cup of Chinese yam and pork rib soup. Not that great--the yam was not what I expected (crunchy and bland, like water chestnut) and there were only about four little pieces of pork rib in the bowl. I have a few criticisms of the service. First is the menu. I really dislike having to use my phone to scan a QR code to access a website to look at an electronic menu that doesn't appear to include everything that's on their printed take out menu. Second, when we sat down, the server told us to access the QR menu and when we decided what we wanted, to come find a server. Once our order was placed, service was very good. Prices seem a bit high (most dishes between $15-20), but now typical in DC. I'll probably go back to try some of their other dishes. read more

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Got takeout from this place. Every dish we ordered was completely bland and flavorless. It tasted like it was made from cardboard or Styrofoam. Egg drop soup, pork dumplings, chicken and veggies, even the fried rice had no flavor. read more

Food was awesome -- really legit Szechuan flavors with that perfect spicy kick. Everything tasted super fresh and flavorful. The place itself has a great vibe too -- relaxed, lively, and just a fun spot to hang out with friends. Definitely one of those places you want to come back to. Highly recommend checking it out! read more

Food was lukewarm and there were hidden service fees for karaoke. They also tried to charge us for two hours for an hour and a half of availability. read more

Food was really lovely, and staff was super kind. Ordered a basic dish and thought the flavors were excellent

Food was delicious and spicy, as requested! We went on Sunday and they had Sunday Night Football on several screens - which was awesome. We will be back to try the karaoke! read more

The service is always very friendly and the food comes out very quickly. Everything I've ordered has been deliciou, especially the kung pao tofu. read more

Wonderful establishment with pretty decor and lighting. Very current with a focus on young people who want to go out and have a great time with friends over good food. The menu isnt in the realm of americanized or western style cuisine with popular items like stir fry pork or beef intestines, or beef and ox tripe in chili sauce, but there are some things like lo mein or fried rice. We ordered mapo tofu and spicy tofu with garlic and chilis. Excellent food. Would love to come back! read more

The food was terrible. Everything was bland. This is the worst Chinese food I've ever had, and I have had some pretty terrible Chinese food. Panda Express tastes infinitely better than this. The service was terrible. The restaurant was empty. We asked the waiter for chili oil and he walked around the restaurant for 15 minutes drinking a coke before he gave us it. He then proceeded to sit in the waiting area for 20 minutes scrolling on his phone and we had to yell at him to get the check. Stay away from here! The restaurant in the hotel lobbies are so much better than whatever garbage you will get here. read more

I've always heard that if you walk into an Asian restaurant and see a lot of Asian diners, it's a good sign that the food is excellent. Unfortunately, that rule didn't hold up here. I really wanted to love this place--it was conveniently located right across from my hotel during an anime convention--but from start to finish, my experience was a disaster. I understand that the restaurant is still new (about a month old), but they have some serious issues to work through. Right away, we were directed to order through a QR code, but the menu was confusing, and it wasn't clear if we were supposed to place our order online or wait for a server. After 20 minutes of confusion, we finally flagged someone down and learned that orders had to go through a waiter. Things only got worse from there. Two of the four people in my party are vegetarian, and we specifically ordered a tofu dish from the vegetarian section of the menu. When it arrived, we were shocked to see shrimp in the dish--even after confirming multiple times that the other dish we wanted to order, vegetable fried rice did not contain pork. When we pointed out the mistake, the staff casually offered to take it off the bill but still asked if we wanted to eat it anyway. We had to explain--twice--that we weren't trying to get free food; we just don't eat shrimp. To make matters worse, I later noticed that other dishes in the vegetarian section contained pork-based sauces, which completely defeats the purpose of a vegetarian section of the menu. Many restaurants understand that a vegetarian section should contain only vegetarian food--this place clearly did not. When I asked for a simple tofu and broccoli dish (something most Chinese restaurants can easily prepare), I was told they couldn't do it. Our drinks, for some bizarre reason, were the last thing to arrive--and when they did, they were terrible. The lychee martini I ordered tasted like Robitussin cough syrup. Service was chaotic, with at least two different waiters and a busser attending our table, yet no one seemed to know what was going on. The food itself? Mediocre. I ended up picking at my partner's meal, which was fine but far from impressive. I was also annoyed that they charged separately for rice--at a sit-down restaurant, that feels excessive. None of the meals came with sides, which made the already-overpriced dishes feel even less worth it. To top it all off, at the end of our meal, they had the nerve to ask if I'd leave a positive review in exchange for an additional 5% discount. I told them, "Unless you want me to write a negative review in front of you, I really don't see how you have the audacity to ask me that." Beyond the poor service and overpriced food, this restaurant is actually dangerous for anyone with food allergies. If they're this careless about their vegetarian menu, I shudder to think what could happen to someone with a serious allergy. I will never be back, and I honestly don't trust the five-star reviews here--most of them seem to be transactional. Save your money and eat somewhere else. read more

Lantern is a new Asian-fusion restaurant and Karaoke bar. It has great modern ambiance and great food. The beef and noodle soup dish that i had was amazing. The beef cubes were plentiful and so tender. The beef broth had depth in flavor. Also, there are plenty of Karaoke rooms for private parties. read more

I'm here out of town for a convention, staying across the street at the Hilton. When I walked through the doors, I noticed how empty it was - thought that it wasn't a good sign. How wrong I was! When spring rolls are tasty, that's a good sign! Mongolian beef was great too! Think I'll come back again for the food and the karaoke! Totally recommend! read more

The food was great and karaoke was so fun after! Service was ok and helpful! I would come again!

This bar/restaurant is a fantastic experience. From the moment you walk in you see the perfect decor which is colorful and fun. The drinks were great also colorful, and delicious, as is the food from beginning to end. If you go, I definitely recommend trying the Seabass. It was chef's kiss. Some of the best I've ever had to be honest. They also have private karaoke rooms, which are so much fun. If you love good food, drinks, and karaoke, this is the spot to try as I 100% recommend. read more

I tried this place for the first time......good food!!!!!!! I just had carry out (general tso) but next time I will have a sit down meal. It's a cool little place. Everyone seemed very friendly. I will definitely go back. read more

Ordered carry out, restaurant is right behind the Hilton. The music and atmosphere while waiting for the carry out was real nice. I'd definitely like to come back with my wife to have dinner in the restaurant and probably rent a karaoke room. The food was a little spicy but excellent! read more

Lantern Restaurant & Bar - Orange chicken with side of white rice (carry out) - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The food is actually pretty good and big portions and now they have transparent clear receipts. Could do without the projections of commercials all over the walls but will be back. read more

Lantern looks trendy and is. But the food is legit good and great service. Had the beef noodles awesomeness.

Fantastic food and great environment. Like the karaoke atmosphere here. The price is fair. Recommend everybody try it out. read more

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I was excited to see them open because I work a couple doors down. I have ordered their lunch special on line 3 times and they have never gotten the order or at least did not respond to it. The app will give you a time 20 or 30 minutes out, and when you get there, they will eventually find someone to read the system and find the order, which the kitchen has never received. Not very useful for a short lunch break. The entrees I've had were solid, and the fried rice was fine - a couple bucks extra at lunch. The spring rolls have a slimey cabbage filling and both the egg drop soup and hot and sour soup tase mostly like oil and water. Not on my lunch rotation. read more

Amazing food, a beautiful atmosphere, and the kindest staff -- such a delightful experience!

To begin with, the menu was complicated and didn't make sense. Many of the food options were not clear with the ingredients which is quite misleading. Disregarding the ambiance of the restaurant, the drinks took over an hour to come out. We repeatedly asked for drinks throughout that hour and the excuse they had was, "We are busy". The Lychee Martini was extremely sweet and had no lychee in it. Instead, it had a cherry, a gummy bear, and an extreme amount of syrup. I would suggest changing the menu and making ingredients more clear, especially for people with allergies. Lastly, I would also suggest assigning servers to tables. We had at least 3. Thank you. read more

We want to this restaurant with my friends today the six of us ordered ten dishes,they are all delicious.the taste is really amazing!the price is not expensive either,the environment is really great! The service attendant of the waiter is also good,we plan to eat there often in the future. read more

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