It has been a few years since I have been here, but I am pleased to see the same great service and food quality are consistent with my past experiences. We arrived just as doors were opening for lunch, and sat at the bar for apps and drinks. The lycheetini here is my fave, but be aware it is a potent drink. The lychee in the glass is a treat for the finish. Steamed Dim sum and crab rangoon are good and generous portions. You cannot go wrong with anything shrimp. Our bar tender/server (Fiona, I believe?) surprised my daughter with a birthday treat, sesame balls with a candle, which was so sweet! We had early dinner reservations so we did not stay for lunch, but I look forward to returning for a full meal. Great location on MI Ave! read more

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Came here mainly for the duck and it did NOT disappoint. The vibes were better than expected for a Chinese spot. Nice sit-down feel, pretty comfortable. 7.5/10. Service was fine, nothing standout but about what I expected. 6/10. The Peking duck was the highlight. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and tasted super high quality. Only thing is the cucumbers weren't the freshest and I wish there was a bit more seasoning, but still amazing. 9.7/10. Easily up there with some of the best in Chicago. The other dishes didn't hit as much. The cumin lamb had great flavor but was way too fatty and oily. 4/10. The dry chili chicken had a nice crispy texture but also too oily. 6.5/10. Both weren't very spicy either. Overall, come here for the duck and you'll have a great time. read more

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Ordered takeout from Lao Sze Chuan, and overall it was a decent experience but nothing too memorable. Ordering was pretty straightforward, and the food was ready within a reasonable time, which made pickup easy. The portions were generous and good for sharing, but the quality felt a bit inconsistent. Some dishes held up well during takeout, while others lost a bit of texture by the time we got home. Flavors were solid but didn't quite hit the wow factor I was hoping for. Packaging was secure and everything arrived intact, which I appreciated. Overall, it's a reliable option for takeout when you're craving Chinese food, but not necessarily my top pick. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - 7. Dry Chili Chicken Lunch Box 12. Orange Beef Lunch Box - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dated, but the two dishes are authentic.  We've * Sole fish fillet with mapo tofu * Lamb with pure cumin * Tiger beer This 4th-floor Sichuan restaurant is in the mall, opposite the InterContinental hotel.  The decor is dated. On the back of the Manu is the list of their 17 locations in the US, and they're still inviting more cities to join. They somehow forgot about our lamb, which we had waited 30 minutes for. read more

This is my 2 nd time dining here over the yrs. The servers were all very kind and attentive. We ordered some dim sum and the Peking duck service. The overall theme to each dish was that they were all woefully under seasoned. We had the Shanghai spring rolls but they came out cold, the potstickers, fried shrimp( undercooked batter was raw), the duck soup, duck fried rice( very greasy) and the duck ( dry and came out cold a recurrent theme with our meal. I wish the food here was on par with the Chinatown location but it sadly is not read more

I've been to the other Lao Sze Chuan in Chinatown, and this is my first time at the downtown location in Nordstrom. My all time favorite dish is the Dry Chili Chicken, and I'll say that the pieces here are way juicier! I like it more crispier, but I know it depends on everyone's preference. The seafood tofu soup was okay - I wish it was a little saltier or flavorful. Lastly, we had the soup dumplings, and it was very authentic and flavorful! The service was amazing since there was a waitress that kept checking on us to make sure everything was good and that we had everything we needed. The ambiance is very pretty since you get a nice view of downtown and the set-up is like a fancy restaurant. I will say the prices are a little more on the expensive side since it's in downtown, but it's definitely worth a try. read more

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I just had the most satisfying $20 lunch delivery from this place. Had the Mongolian beef and the pork pot stickers - both were absolutely delicious! I can't wait to try this location in person to have their Peking duck!!! read more

I ordered the Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken and Szechuan String Beans to go ($49.06) from this place near my hotel. I waited 30 minutes, and I was so disappointed with both dishes. The portions were okay, but the food was bland. Both the chicken and the string beans had no Szechuan heat and no flavor at all. I love spicy food and can tolerate very spicy dishes, but these had no spice whatsoever. Honestly, if I could, I would give this place half a star -- just because the white rice was cooked well. I love Szechuan cuisine and know the mouth-numbing spice this should have -- this didn't deliver. I will not be coming back. The service was fine; the staff was polite despite being busy, and the space is actually cool and spacious. But if you're here for authentic Szechuan flavor, look elsewhere. read more

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This was such a pleasant surprise! We kind of went out on a whim and stopped here while shopping. The flavors were all delicious, but nothing crazy memorable. I would go back to go with my partner and try new things! My besties hubs got the seafood delight not pictured. He loved it! It was a little too "plain" for me, but I love spicy foods. All the seafood was cooked well. I got the orange beef and low mein to take home to my partner. Both were very delicious in the restaurant, but the left overs felt meh. My friend got the flat noodles (sorry can't find the name on the menu) and she really liked it. I was putting the sauces on from the table and then she added them to her meal and REALLY loved it after that. Our server was kind, personable and a robot brings your food to the table which was a fun experience being a small town girl at heart. The restaurant was decorated very Asian inspired (obviously) but also had a window into the kitchen. For some reason I enjoy watching it all being made, so i am almost always impressed with those. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The restaurant is located on the 4th floor in the Nordstrom mall. There is no valet parking but you can pay to park in the Nordstrom Garage. We booked "Park Whiz" ahead of time for 5 hours on a Saturday and paid $17. It's great, you get a scan code and use it to easily get in and out. Once you park use the elevators to get to the main level in Nordstrom. No outside walking necessary. Walk through Nordstrom to the mall and use the escalators to get to the 4th level. Lao Sze is located at the front of the mall. They open at 11am, which is the time we had our reservation for. We arrive right at 11am and the doors were still locked and the closed sign displayed. There are tables outside the restaurant, so we just took a seat until they opened. It's was about 10 minutes and they unlocked the doors. We were immediately acknowledged and seated. Our server David, was very professional and personable. We had a small misunderstanding with our reservation which David and the manager handled very appropriately. Our drink order was taken and we placed our diner order which was for the 7 corse Duck dinner. We also added an order if the soup dumplings. The following was included in our 7 courses; Two glasses of house red or white wine (can substitute for 2 beers or 2 sodas) One order of Shanghai spring rolls to share One order of Sze Chuan spicy cabbage to share Two orders of traditional Peking-duck soup Half set of oven-roasted Peking Duck with traditional fixings to share Sze chuan string beans to share Duck fried rice to share One order of golden sesame balls (dessert) to share. The house Chardonnay & Pinot were really a good value wine. Shanghai Spring Rolls were normal and not anything out of the ordinary. Went well with the sweet sauce and hot mustard. We had to ask for the Spicy Cabbage because it was not originally brought out. We felt it needed to marinade much more to fully enjoy the spicy taste which had not penetrated the raw cabbage. We unfortunately did not realize until we left that our server did not bring out our Duck Soup. Duck Fried Rice was very good. Had small pieces of Duck throughout and the Duck flavor was obvious in the rice. There was also egg and some Chinese vegetables added which made it a hit. Sze Chaun String Beans were excellent. Cooked al dente with a rich flavor and some added spices. The soup dumpling we purchased separately "Xaio Long Bao" were delicious. Bite into the dumpling and the rich broth was wonderful. Peking Duck and trimmings. Definitely the hit of the meal. They take a portion of the Duck skin and make sure it's very crispy then cut it into little bite size squares. It is sprinkled with a little sugar. These were addictive. The two of us split 7 of them. I could have eaten 20 myself . The half Duck was expertly cut into pieces and layered on a plate so you could decide for yourself how many to add on the very thin translucent pancakes. There was also sliced cucumber and onions to add if you wish. Do not forget to spread some of that amazing Duck Sauce provided to make your bite even better. Golden Sesame Balls. Editable, but not our favorite. There were 6 included and we took most home. I'd like to see other options as there are many deserts I would have preferred. Definitely will be back. Our server David was excellent and made everything great. read more

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Decided to try something new! Lao Sze has an incredibly large menu and that makes it hard to rate it over so my review is based on my experience not the restaurant. We tried quite a few items. The sweet and sour soup, crab Rangoons, dim sum, chef special dry chicken, orange beef, duck fried rice, and Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. sweet and sour soup: 9/10 crab Rangoons: 1/10 dim sum: 2/10 chef special dry chicken: 9/10 orange beef: 9/10 duck fried rice: 7.5/10 Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce 9.5/10 The chicken, beef, soup, and broccoli were amazing. Chicken wasn't nearly as hot as we thought it be. The beef was so crispy and the flavor was great. The duck fried rice was a little disappointing. The duck meat wasn't really good and the rice wasn't overly flavorful. Rice was cooked perfectly but I felt it could have had better flavor. Our server was amazing and the ambiance was nice. Happy we sat by the window so I could look out at the view. I'd try this place again! read more

Food was fresh and good. Service was prompt. We had to be in and out quickly as had to walk four blocks to catch a train. Happy to have leftovers to enjoy later. Keep in mind restaurant is on the fourth floor inside a building with many shops and a movie theatre. read more

Food is quite good. We had the fish and tofu in mapo sauce, and the cumin lamb. Only slight drawback was the lamb was apparently brought to the wrong table and we had to wait an extra 10 minutes or so to get the dish. Restaurant itself needs some updating as the decor looked old. read more

The only good part of this place is the server and the location. Besides that, I wouldn't come back. The chairs are peeling and fixtures are run down. The dishes are old and the trademark is not on the dish anymore. The place needs a renovation badly. I was hoping the food would be good at least. Nope. Got stomach aches after this place. Did not feel well. I have had much better Laziji elsewhere and at a better price for the amount. The inside looked like it was better back in the day. Now it looks like a run down mom and pop shop that wants to be upscale. read more

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I typically order from LSC's Chinatown location which is excellent. Decided to order from the N. Michigan location and it was more than disappointing. Crab Rangoon were rock solid hard and greasy. Couldn't eat them. Detailed written instructions for no celery or green pepper but extra peanuts on my kung bao chicken order was ignored . Dry pot chili had, I kid you not, 26 pepper pods for my mild order. Will never order from this location again. I deserve a refund read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There are a few Lao Sze Chuan locations spread throughout the city but this one was in the heart of downtown. I've tried the location in Chinatown too and I can say the food is consistent across the board. Typically people will order a couple dishes for the table and family style it, but you can also order for yourself. It's just sharing is so much more fun for these type of restaurants. More dishes to try! And they are huge portions too. The dish I'll forever and always get is beef w cumin powder. If you can't handle spice I'd suggest asking for mild. But if you can... there's def a kick to the spice but you can't stop eating it bc it's pretty addicting. Side note: they don't give rice with dishes. You'd have to request that separately and it's about $1 each bowl. This is a hit for those looking for authentic sze chuan food. Lots of flavor in their dishes. The price is on the higher side but still within reason given its portions. The downtown location is not driver friendly and harder to find a parking spot. Chinatown would be a better spot if you plan to drive. read more

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Service was mediocre, but food was delicious! Dan Dan noodles were cozy, flavorful, with a mild spicy kick, and hit the spot. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - 901. Dan Dan Noodle - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's like I was eating 1/2 lbs of salt. No other taste just peppercorn and Salt. Really bad

We entered through the Michigan Ave entrance and took the elevator up to the fourth floor, where we were promptly seated. The restaurant has a great ambiance--warm, welcoming, and family-friendly. If there's a wait, there are comfortable waiting areas both on the ground level and on the restaurant floor, plus a bar area to relax in. One unique feature is that robots bring out the food, which adds a fun, futuristic touch. You can also order boba tea from the Te Amo shop via a QR code at your table. However, our boba drinks were delayed, and we had to pick them up ourselves. The cashier mentioned they were trying to locate the delivery robot but couldn't find it. Aside from that hiccup, everything else went smoothly. The food was excellent. We were pleasantly surprised with complimentary spicy cabbage--it was delicious. The Szechuan beef was flavorful with just the right level of spice, not overwhelming. The wonton soup had a great broth, though I wasn't a fan of the wontons themselves. It came with two in a personal-sized portion and was well-priced. The egg rolls and crab rangoon were standout appetizers--we'd definitely order them again. The fried rice included bean sprouts, which we enjoyed, though it might not be for everyone. The xiao long bao was standard but satisfying. Despite the delay, the boba drinks were phenomenal. We'll definitely be back! read more

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delicious food very traditional Chinese food. It cost very cheap too compared to other find dining

I loved the food here! Service is fast and ambiance is very nice. Menu is massive and there's guaranteed options for everyone. I'm vegetarian and often find it difficult to find Chinese food with lots of options but this place has so many! The eggplant in basil sauce is genuinely the best eggplant in basil sauce you will have at any restaurant ever. The dry chili tofu was also very good (and hard to find at Chinese restaurants!) We will definitely be back! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Eggplant in garlic sauce - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We entered at ground level, Michigan Ave. It's a tiny foyer, dirty and not decorated with a paper sign that tells you to take the elevator to the 4th level. If we hadn't heard good things about this restaurant, we wouldn't have taken that elevator. In the restaurant itself, first impression of the interior is wow. But as we walked further, I noticed worn, breaking apart upholstery, sticky floor, dirty windows. If we were in Chinatown, these features wouldn't be unusual. But this is on the Mag Mile! I read the story of the restaurant and all the hype written about awards and branches cross country. We ordered what our friend recommended - duck and dumplings. When served, I was impressed with the artistic presentation. But we're into flavors, and these entrees didn't have much to brag about. Surprisingly, the restrooms were not gross, but actually nice. But I'm glad we tried it just so we can say we haven't missed a famous Asian restaurant. read more

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Szechuan wontons are delicious Great service Quiet nice environment Also enjoyed the spring rolls read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Use to like this place. They delivered the wrong order when I directly ordered from the Michigan ave location. I usually go to the Grant Park location once a week. They delivered the wrong order and said they would refund my money. They never issued a refund. On Sunday night they said there was no manager in. Now I called back on Monday evening and there si still no manager. I can cancel the charge from my bank, but I am very disappointed at how they treat me as a long time customer. I wont be going to any of their locations again. read more

Lao Sze Chuan was a fantastic find! We came across it on Yelp while in the area after an architectural tour to celebrate my godson's Navy bootcamp graduation--he was craving Asian food, and this place hit the spot. The food was delicious, especially the schechuan chicken, which was packed with flavor and just the right amount of spice. Everything we ordered was yummy, and the portions were good. So many options in the menu too! Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for flavorful Asian food in Chicago! read more

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I've been to the Chinatown location and the environment is livelier and so I walked in with this expectation but I was being biased. This location was def on the quieter side and so it was awkward sitting in quiet restaurant but the service and food was great. It was what I expected. The aesthetic is a little outdated but overall I was satisfied. read more

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When we showed up as the appearance if the restaurant led us to believe we were in for a good meal. We were wrong! First, I ordered a Coca-Cola to drink. I was brought a glass of extremely flat soda. It was horrible. And it gets worse. After tasting the orange chicken, I asked our waiter if it had been freshly prepared. His answer was, "I do not know." Well...I know the answer. It was not fresh. It was a disgusting mess and I sent it back, and went without a main. The Mongolian beef, while somewhat eatable, was very bad. The beef was a chewy, soggy mess. I would have sent it back too, but my wife decided to suffer. She only ate half... so I feel ripped off. What was surprising, is that after we had such problems, not a single manager came to check on us. It was very clear. They did not care. To be fair, the egg rolls were delicious, And the place was very nice and decorated well. read more

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This is not a review I look forward to writing. The food at Lao is solid. The major problem they have is service. From the basics like answering their phones, to handling missed deliveries (common), to handling refunds for a missed delivery (hard to get), to servers with just bad attitudes, the service is universally awful. It didn't used to be that way, Tony has let things slip. read more

I had read some fairly negative reviews of this place but honestly, everything we tried was pretty good. The ambiance is quite nice -- it's off a mall on the top floor, and the service was also very friendly and gracious. Regarding the food. I loved their beef tripe. Spicy just the way I like it and plenty flavorful. Their large bowl of beef soup was also delicious -- just needed some extra salt. The star of the restaurant, their Peking Duck, was quite good as well. Not the same quality as you would find in Hong Kong or mainland, but not bad at all. The only complaint I have is that I wish it was carved at the table. The pancakes that came with it were quite nice and thin, the only issue with them was that they were stuck together, so if you're not careful you may get the impression that they were thick. Overall a very solid dining experience. read more

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A great chain that serves a solid Chinese food. The menu has plenty of options but I usually stick to the Lalala Spicy Dry Pot with mixed meats. I love the tingle of Szechuan peppercorns and pouring the residual sauce over a bowl of rice. We also ordered the half Peking Duck which was juicy and flavorful. As part of the order they brought out a plate with small squares of crispy duck skin with sugar that was surprisingly pleasant. The location could use a bit of love, the chairs are fairly old but everything is clean and the staff are efficient. It seems like over time at this location the amount of food has shrunk and the spice level has decreased, but still enjoyable. Also a bummer you don't get unlimited spicy cabbage anymore, just single serving. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Oven Roasted Peking Duck - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This spot was a kind of hard to find but it was well worth it! If you look at Google maps to route you, it takes you through the shopping center and it gets really confusing. The easier way is to get on Michigan Ave, look for the big sign outside that says Lao Sze Chuan, enter into the small entryway, take the elevator up to the only floor option, and voila you're there! A friend and I shared an order of the Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), and the Chef Special Dry Chili Chicken. Both were delicious! The Xiao long bao had a bit of a thicker dumpling skin but the flavor of the broth was so rich! It came out hot and steaming :) The Dry Chili Chicken had incredible flavor and crispiness! It came with 2 small bowls of rice (which was PLENTY). Between the two of us, we each took home a whole serving of the chicken and rice for left overs! They also randomly gave us a free serving of pickled spicy cabbage. I really liked it and it balanced out the savory dishes. It had a really nice crunch to it. Service was nice and efficient, and the space was cute! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food yes the food is so good. But the service is so slow! It wasn't the poor waitress' fault. She had the whole room to take care of! No one was there to seat us. When they finally did, it took 30 minutes to get a drink. We ordered the Peking Duck. That's what they are known for. It took 2 hours to get it. Tony! What's going on? Aren't you paying your people? read more

What? Lao Sze Chuan on Michigan Ave ?! It is like a dream. It is a franchise but it is my mom's favorite Chinese restaurant. It is a gold standard for authentic Chinese food. It's Monday and every single table was filled by Chinese people speaking Chinese. You know this place will bring it. The place is quite upscale, with a view of Michigan Ave. Since they advertise authentic Peking duck, we ordered it. I literally just came back from Beijing and they did the duck justice. They started out with this incredible duck soup. Wow. Just like in Beijing, they serve the best part of the skin for you to eat with brown sugar. Please do not pass on this practice it is the best bite of the night. Then the pancake, cucumbers, plum sauce, green onion and duck breast wrap. Well done. Of course we ordered a ton of other Sichuan classic. The spicy fish filet, cauliflower with cured pork were some of the highlights. read more

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The food quality is high and our order was delivered correctly and on time. Portion sizes were generous for the most part. But for the very high price, we have quibbles about a certain chintziness that we noticed. My mother ordered moo shoo chicken. It came with three tiny pancakes she could barely fit the chicken and veggies in. The moo shoo order also included just a single very small serving of hoi sin sauce. Certainly not enough for three pancakes. For the $100 we paid, they could have included a few fortune cookies. There were none. read more

The dry chili chicken is incredible and unique. I believe this was the dish that got them their former Michelin Star. The ambiance on the Michigan Ave location is second to none, with views out over the Mag Mile and Peking Duck being hung in windows from the kitchen. read more

Typically for Chinese food, there is a trade off. Good cheap food but uncleanliness. Good food and clean environment but high price. This restaurant falls more on the latter but you pay higher premium for the location. The food is solid. Decor used to be better but shows aging. It's OK. The service is good. Good for well off tourists or business travelers. There are better options for folks on budget or locals. read more

I have ordered from them on Uber eats a hand full of times and I was always pleased with the food, today was a different story. I ordered the orange chicken lunch special and it was very disappointing. The chicken appeared to be reheated, it was very salty and there was little to no orange flavor or sauce on the orange chicken. Maybe it was a fluke, but it makes me hesitant to order again. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - 610. Orange Chicken - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had an incredible dining experience, and a huge part of that was thanks to our wonderful server, Willow. From the moment we sat down, she was warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive. You can tell she truly cares about providing exceptional service. The food was outstanding--every dish was full of flavor and wonderfully presented. Five stars all around! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Waited over 1 hour for food when people who came after us got their food earlier. Only ordered two dishes too. Don't understand what took so long. read more

Solid meal at Lao Sze Chuan, great for a casual meal. We visited Lao Sze Chuan on a Sunday night, and overall, the food and service were solid. We ordered the Half Set Oven Roasted Peking Duck, Sliced Beef & Maw Szechuan Style, Boiled Sole Fish Fillet in Spicy Szechuan Sauce, and Seafood Combination with Tofu in Casserole for dine-in. The meal also came with a complimentary plate of spicy cabbage. The Half Set Oven Roasted Peking Duck was served Beijing-style, meaning it was paired with crepes instead of fluffy bao buns. It also came with a light, piping-hot duck soup, green onions, cucumbers, sugar, and plum sauce. I thought the duck was very good, and based on what I've read on Reddit, the chef is from Beijing, which might explain why it was so expensive... At $56, it's definitely on the pricier side, but considering there are only a few places in the city offering Beijing-style duck, I think it's worth the splurge. The Sliced Beef & Maw Szechuan Style and Boiled Sole Fish Fillet in Spicy Szechuan Sauce were both tasty, but I've had better versions of these dishes at other Szechuan restaurants around the city. Despite requesting the fish to be extra spicy, neither dish was particularly spicy, although the flavors were good. The Seafood Combination with Tofu in Casserole was probably my least favorite dish of the night. The sauce was quite soy sauce-heavy and thick, which wasn't to my liking, though it may appeal to others. There was a generous amount of shrimp, scallops, squid, and fish fillet in the clay pot, so it was still a decent dish overall. Rice was not included with any of the entrees and cost $1 per bowl, which isn't terrible, but I've come to expect rice with my dishes at most places. As for the atmosphere, the decor was appears to be upscale, but upon closer inspection the table and chairs were a bit worn. Overall, for better Szechuan-style dishes, I would probably head to Chinatown. However, we still had a good meal, and I'd consider returning for the duck on special occasions. read more

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