Chinese-American here. This is the best and most authentic Chinese place I've had in Minnesota and the food here is just as delicious and familiar as the dishes I've enjoyed during my six years in Beijing. I see a lot of negative reviews here from native born Americans who seemingly are used to being served an Americanized version of Chinese cuisine and are surprised by the unfamiliar flavors or wide array of exotic choices. If authenticity is what you want, you cannot get better than Lao Szechuan or Tea House in Minneapolis. If you prefer the more familiar "Chinese" flavors in America, you'd be better served by visiting Panda Express or Leann Chin. Furthermore, the $12.99 lunch special of an entree + fried rice + your choice of soup is an absolute bargain. I've been going here during my daily lunch breaks and will continue to do so, so long as they keep honoring the Szechuan culinary tradition. read more

So glad they were open Christmas Eve. I was down by the U and needed something to eat. Eggrolls and dumplings were the perfect snack and warm water! !! They were super kind and understanding too our party arrived at different times and had multiple orders! I'll definitely be back! read more

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Really great Chinese food in the Twin Cities! We had crab rangoons as an appetizer and then we had orange chicken and sesame chicken for lunch. You can definitely tell the place is a little older but the people working there are so kind! read more

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This place... i dont really how to say it. I think the menu is just too big ! I understand there is a lot of things they can cook, but i really need to be minimize. The place had some people, it was very active area for people who know what they want. The place gives out a lively chinese vibe. But the food wasnt it. The service was ok. They didnt refill my water as often. The food... gosh i dont know where to start, but i do want to start by saying the noodle doesnt have a lot of flavor. It just taste like water and noodle with meat. The second beef noodle... my friend did not enjoy it at all. It had a weird taste that made her wanted to vomit. The wonton was oka, but it had a cream cheese like filling and it was oka. The Mongolian beef was good and that was the only good dish within our choice. I dont think i will ever come back, maybe with future friend who knows what to order. read more

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Wow! If you want flavor, come to this place! I repeat come here. We ordered the Dan Dan Noodles. I give it 4/5. The thinly sliced Green Peppercorn Beef Noodle Soup. I give it 3/5. Forget me Not Chicken appetizer. I give it 5/5. Pork Intestine Schezuan Style. I give it 3/5. I thought service was fine. Staffs were welcoming and attentive to us. The place was clean and organized. Absolutely will be going back! read more

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Nice ambiance with great spacing and lighting, appreciate how bright and shiny the restaurant feels. I went here to see if I can finally find a Chinese restaurant Szechuan style-with Sichuan pepper corn where it leaves your mouth numbing and spicy. This place did not holdback the essence of Szechuan cuisine flavor like most Chinese Szechuan restaurant on the sichuan peppercorn flavor. Finally my mouth was numbing, and the flavors were very good. Order a variety of food with sichuan peppercorn flavor. Food: Forget me not chicken - cold chicken in cut pieces with sichuan peppercorn spices -very good with well balance of flavors and numbing goodness Cold bean jelly with Sichuan style : Szechuan pepper corn with spices on cold jelly slices - very light and flavorful numbing goodness.jelly takes any flavor you add to it. Spicy pork intestines Szechuan style: pungent funky goodness of pork intestines (some might not Like it) in Szechuan spice sauce with lots of red chili peppers- very good Dan Dan noodles: not your typical Dan Dan noodle with sesame paste, chili oil, black vinegar, soy sauce, but it's more of a black bean sauce on the sweet side - did not have pickle greens or Mustards- came with scrambled eggs . It was good but not your traditional Dan Dan noodle flavor Green peppercorn Beef: this one with green pepper-(the fresh version of Sichuan peppercorn before dried and store- to the pink color we know of ) very floral fragrance, super numbing spice , not too spicy , in a soup base with thinly slice beef , enoki mushrooms, glass noodles, shiitake mushrooms. Couple spoon of this soup will make your tongue and mouth go numb. Very good spicy numbing soup but on the light mouth feeling. Green hot Tea: good green tea, not on the cheap side like most Chinese restaurants - appreciate it. Would recommend for those looking in the twin city for that Szechuan style cousin for the numbing "Ma an La" taste in Chinese cuisine. Would go back again for the full flavor explosion. My only critique-(like most Chinese menu) the menu is extensive and hard to choose! Please my advice and suggestions to find what this restaurant does well- order Szechuan style cuisine of the menu- do not order the typical or stereotype dishes like sesame chicken, kung Pao chicken, beef noodle soup dishes, orange beef or chicken, Mongolian beef , beef and broccoli, PLEASE order what they are known for Szechuan style cuisine (spicy food region of China). You have been ADVISED or you'll be disappointed.....like the other reviews I have read. read more

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Great experience. High expectations with the "America's best Chinese food" claim ;-) I really enjoyed my noodles, but the pepper beef was the star! Amazing. Just the right amount of heat, and the mushrooms and bell peppers were cooked just right. The beef made for a great breakfast the next day. The staff was wonderful. Not as "attentive" as you'd expect from a typical restaurant, but it was very authentic. I initially chose pork only for the waiter to come back with "get beef, it's better". We thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - 915. Fried Flat Noodle with beef - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Not worth it. Spending $100 for two people one expects more than middling quality. The undercooked, oversalted spicy potatoes had settled into a glutinous, flavorless mass by the time they arrived. The spring rolls were uninspired --- frozen, reheated, and served with a packet of duck sauce. The hot & spicy pot ($30) had potential but left canker sores in our mouths. Probably one of the few places you can get some more unusual dishes-boiled fresh frog, pickled pig ear, duck feet, if you're into that kind of thing, but adding a spice mix to some frozen crinkle cut fries is not "authentic" and hardly worth $15. They clearly spend more money on fancy take-out bags than on ingredients. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Spicy potatoes - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

老四川餐馆真是很赞的地方！特别推荐他们的肥肠粉和夫妻肺片。肥肠粉的汤底香浓，麻辣鲜香，肥肠处理得非常干净，软糯又有嚼劲；粉条顺滑弹牙，每一口都充满了川味的灵魂。至于夫妻肺片，更是经典中的经典！每片牛肉和牛杂都切得薄而均匀，浸满了红油和调料，麻辣中带着一丝微甜，口感层次丰富，简直完美。 环境也很地道，有浓浓的川味氛围，服务态度也很好，总能让人感受到热情。如果你是川菜爱好者，这家餐馆绝对值得一试！ read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

这家餐馆真是太棒了！从环境到服务都非常令人满意。首先，餐厅的装潢简洁而温馨，气氛非常适合朋友聚会或家庭聚餐。服务员非常热情，态度亲切，让人感到宾至如归。菜品方面，食材新鲜，口味丰富，每一道菜都能看到厨师的用心。特别推荐他们肥肠粉，真的是一绝，绝对值得一试！他们成都宫保鸡也是，鸡肉嫩滑，酱汁浓郁，香辣适中，甜辣的口感，层次丰富非常好吃。总的来说，无论是用餐体验还是美味，都是很好，作为常客的我而言，真的非常非常推荐！！！ read more

Lao Sze Chuan - 904. Crystal Noodle W. Pork Intestine - Hot & Spicy 904. - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I would say this is our go to place if we're looking for Sichuan flavored or mala style cuisine which features the Sichuan peppercorn paired with the dried chili giving it that numbing and spicy taste. Our go to is the Sole Fish Fillet with Mapo Tofu Flavor. For veggies- the green beans or pea pods are the basics for a reason. The menu here is pretty big so there is definitely going to be something here for everyone. Overall a bit oily but great mala flavors! read more

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The waiter was such a cool guy, offered us some of the most popular and delicious menu items, and was going above and beyond to make our first experience at this restaurant a great one! My husband and I commented on how this reminded us of our trip to Chinatown in Chicago because of the authenticity of the food! The pork short ribs were to die for and the Szechuan wontons were very oily but oh so good! The beef noodle soup was the chefs kiss!! This is now one of our new favorite restaurants! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Spicy beef noodle, 412. Salt and Pepper Short Ribs, H01. Szechuan Wonton - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lao Sze Chuan makes some of the yummiest Sichuan food. Sichuan food is savory and spicy the Sichuan peppercorn makes your tongue tingling. It's something to become accustomed to because most people are use to eating HK style food and American Chinese which focuses on salty and sweet flavor profile. I enjoy the mapao tofu and sichuan boil fish. I always order these two! read more

We went in on a Monday afternoon, the food was amazing and service was great! We got the dry chili chicken, green bean in garlic, Sichuan wonton, Peking dumplings, Sole in black bean and the dan dan noodle. Dry chili chicken is everything we wanted! Dry, spicy, crispy chicken with lots of Szechuan spice! Green bean with garlic is always a hit. Sichuan wonton were spicy and delicious. My wife loves the peking dumplings above all else. They have a nice thick dough with just the right amount of bite. Sole in black bean sauce was very flavorful and delicate, and last but not least, the dan dan noodles were fire too. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Amazing food! Everything is absolutely delicious! My favorites are the La La La bowls, eggplants, and the soup (I forgot the name of it, but it had pork and meatballs). The menu did have way too many options, but I suppose that's a good and bad thing. I've been a here a few times and service is typically good, but there's been a few times where service was poor. Overall, great place and is truly authentic! read more

Lao Sze Chuan has the BEST crispy tofu. Been going here since college and still bring friends and family back for more!

Absolutely authentic Chinese food, very good sichuan courses, one of the best sichuan restaurants in MN area . read more

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1st: the guy working there is not friendly and does not care if you order or not. He literally sees you walk in and stays sitting until you say something and says "oh you want to order?" 2nd: ordered the schezuan wontons and zhong dumplings - they both had the same sauce which was fine. More sweet than spicy. It is a good sauce. But there was less than a teaspoon of meat (see picture), a little ridiculous. 3rd: twice cooked pork was good and came with white rice. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - This is the meat in the wontons... literally less than a teaspoon. - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Little Szechuan is a solid and consistent Chinese restaurant in Dinkytown. I've been for lunch, dinner, and late night eats. I don't think I've had a bad experience here. If you're looking for pretty decent Chinese food that won't put a dent in your wallet, then swing by for lunch on the weekdays where you will literally get a MOUNTAIN of food for $10. You choose between 2 or 3 very large scoops of an entrée (which they usually have 6-10 selections...veggies, fish, meat, all food groups well represented) and another heaping mound of rice/fried rice/or noodles. The plate feels like it weighs 3 pounds when they hand it to you! You will easily get 2 meals out of it. Or if you show great self control, then 3 meals. Little Szechuan is also good for large groups and if you desire some privacy, they have 2 rooms set aside just for that. read more

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If you like mala spice this is the place to go! I love their Dan Dan noodles and their sole fish fillet with mapo tofu. This place is for spice lovers, but they do have non Spivey options too. read more

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I ordered beef but they served me chicken, and when I ask they were like: this might be beef? Really, they don't even know what they are serving. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We came to Lao Sze Chuan to celebrate my daughter's 16th anniversary of her adoption day. The restaurant was recommended by her Chinese teacher who lived in China for 12 years and thought it represented the food there quite well. The lunch at Lao Sze Chuan was delicious and reminded us of our time in China in 2003. We were impressed with the extensive menu and variety of selections under each section (e.g., pork, chicken, seafood, hot appetizers, cold appetizers, beef). Some of the menu items were ones that we definitely would have seen in China, but were too ambitious for us to try - like pork intestine noodle soup or frogs. Yet, those menu items took us right back to restaurants we ate at in China where anything with a spine to the sun was something that could appear on the menu. So, we tried two appetizers to start off our meal: spring rolls and Zhong's dumplings. The spring rolls were lightly deep-friend and not greasy. They had a small amount of filling and a sweet dipping sauce. The Zhong's dumplings were lightly spiced with garlic and hot chili peppers. Our family ranges from not being able to eat spicy food to enjoying very spicy meals. The dumplings were something we all liked and would order again. We each ordered an entrée - chicken fried rice, Mongolian chicken, pork with garlic sauce, and pork shreds that were in a dark sauce. The entrees came one at a time which was a bit unusual. However, it gave us a chance to sample a bit from each person's entrée. In other Chinese restaurants, the meal is typically served with complimentary white rice. This was not the case at Lao Sze Chuan. We did have the fried rice to eat along with the other three dishes that had a sauce. They were fine without rice. However, the rice absorbed the sauce so we weren't wasting food. The chicken fried rice made the person who ordered it very happy since it didn't have big chunks of scrambled eggs like other restaurants put in it. There were substantial pieces of chicken and plenty of vegetables in Lao Sze Chuan's fried rice. The Mongolian chicken was liked by everyone. It was not spicy at all (which the person who ordered it knew). So, she was very happy that the meal was one she could eat without feeling like her mouth was on fire. We all agreed that the pork in a garlic sauce was one that we'd order again. There was a hint of spiciness to it and it the additional items in it perfectly complemented the pork and garlic sauce. The portions are VERY generous. Each entrée could easily serve two people. Next time we may not order as many entrees. That being said, it is nice to have leftovers to take home and have for some upcoming dinners and lunches. Parking was available in the Oak Grove parking lot across the street from the restaurant. Since we went on the weekend, it was only $2. Had it been during the week, the price looked like it would have been much higher. The only challenge with the restaurant was its information on its website which says that the Minneapolis location is closed. It isn't. That's the one we went to. It had customers who were dining in the restaurant as well as an extremely busy take-out and delivery business. We lost count of how many delivery people came in to pick up food that was ordered online. We also arrived too early - before the 11:30 a.m. opening time on Sundays. The wait staff let us come in and sit down at a table before it opened, though, and brought us water and menus. It was nice to get out of the cold weather and be able to take our time looking at the many items on the menu. We all agreed that Lao Sze Chuan is a restaurant that we will return to again. read more

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I love the Lao Sze Chuan "chain" (all the restaurants are fairly different) and was excited to see this one open in Minneapolis. Pro tip: Legendary Spice and Tea House have nearly identical menus and are only blocks away. Legendary Spice even shows up in Google searches when you type "Lao Sze Chuan Minneapolis." But neither of those are as good as the true Lao Sze Chuan. We got the crispy peanut with dried bean curd ($9) which is vegan by default and tasted pretty good. It mixes well with any dish. The dan dan noodles can be made vegan without meat ($7.45) but I was less impressed given the over-cooked noodles and limp sauce. The fresh garlic peapod leaves ($16.45) were excellent---fresh, flavorful and beautiful. Get this. Lastly, the chef's special dry chili tofu ($14.45) tasted okay, but not great. At the other Lao Sze Chuan locations, this dish has batter-coated tofu that's crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, served with a dry, savory seasoning. Here, the dish was just deep fried tofu in a semi-sweet sauce, more akin to kung pao. The service is friendly and the portions are large. I look forward to coming back. I think they're on the right track. read more

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Gave me the wrong order and didn't want to correct it . But great food . Highly recommend the food! Tastes exactly the same as the original restaurant in Chicago's China town. BUT they got my order wrong ! It's a lao Szechuan thing. Happened to me in a few different locations ( Illinois and MN) . This location, I got fried noodles and Szechuan chicken. The waiter repeated the order out loud and confirmed . However they brought out Fried rice and fried noodles !!! No Szechuan chicken!!! When I tried to explain, they didn't get it and because it was a hassle, I just ate what was given to me. Disappointed So I would order online next time and still double check before leaving the restaurant . I get the language difficulty. I don't mind that but the waiter repeated my order so there shouldn't have been any problem. Secondly, when the mistake was pointed out, they should have corrected it without arguing . Waitstaff was overall nice but you get the wrong order . Is it worth it ? For the food it is! Just be prepared to be disappointed when the wrong item shows up. read more

We went to this place because it's rates in top 50 restaurant. The menu has lot of options but it does not describe the dish. The ambience is good but I cannot say the same for food. The server was not able to explain the dishes due to language barrier but he gave us very good service. We got 15% discount with fries on the house! Appetizer: Never forget chicken - it was cold appetizer and tasteless! It tasted raw but we knew it's cooked. We barely touched the dish! It is bone in dish. If you can eat meat cold then you can try it. For me it was disappointing. Rating 2/5 Mains: House special spicy lamb: it was good but other restaurant do serve same or similar dishes. There was nothing special about the dish! Rating 3.5/5 Chef's special dry chilly chicken: it was very dry dish though name did indicate the same.only special thing in it was garlic and spring onions. For me the dish was so so. Rating 3.5/5 We had to park car a block away and walked to restaurant. Service: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5 Food: 3/5 Parking 2/5 I am not sure if I would like to go back. Hopefully menu is updated with description of the dish. Do try and update your experience. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

You could always count on Lao Sze Chuan restaurant. I've been to many of their restaurant in Chicago and Houston, their food are very consistent. read more

I've been coming to this restaurant since I was very young, and I saw so many changes of their managers and food. I came with my friend, and we were blown away for the quality and quantity of the food. They even gave us a free appetizer of Mala French fries. They were so delicious that my friend asked me if we could order another one for free! We ordered two meat dishes and they cost only $38, and we only finished one dish. The flavor was wonderful and spicy! This is the best Szechuan restaurant in Minneapolis so far in my opinion. The atmosphere may be a little old feeling to me, but the waiters are exceptionally good at their job. Highly recommend, and one of the best Szechuan restaurant in Minneapolis, and perhaps the entire United States! 这个，真的OK的，挺早来这儿吃过，感觉OK，没有那么好，这次一来惊艳到了好吧。肥肠超级入味！！！然后红烧肉真的是入口即化！超级推荐，而且还便宜！！！！ read more

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I cannot speak for the more Westernized dishes (General Tso, beef broccoli, lo mein, etc.) that they carry, because there seems to be like zero reason to order those. Find the things on the menu that have chili pepper icons. Order them. Enjoy. The "hot pot" style dishes are particular winners. The pork and beef one, Szechuan Adventure, is a really interesting mixture of thin sliced beef, pork tripe (try it, it's like calamari), some type of sliced sausage, and lotus roots. I mean, seriously, lotus roots, when's the last time you've seen those? Cumin lamb was off the hook, perfect seasoning, as were the dan dan noodles. I was less impressed with the "plain" Chinese dishes, eg the sauteed bok choy, although those are a good option if you happen to have a spice-averse friend. It is expensive, esp for the U area. Easily $20+ per person unless you order under a dish each. You do also get two meals out of anything, portions are HUGE. A hot pot dish would feed 3 if you wanted it to. So price per actual meal is solid. They appear, as of this review, to be in the process of turning into a Lao Sze Chuan, i.e. an outpost of a national Szechuan chain. The good is that the menu will get even weirder, i.e. now you can get multiple varieties of crispy frog. The bad is that some of the unique menu items appear to be threatened. read more

I've been to this place because its conveniently located and is reasonably priced but would not recommend it. They have a CNN 50 Best Chinese Food in the US rating on their front door but don't let that fool you like it fooled me. Just do yourself a favor and keep moving. The University and Dinkytown area have plenty of options to choose from. I have two stars: One for location and two for their courteous customer service. I will admit they are pleasant folks but their food needs some improvement and the location is in need of a remodel. read more

Overall, Little Szechuan does satisfy the occasional yearly Mainland Chinese food craving. I visited the place two times and was somewhat satisfied with its offerings. These are some of the dishes that I've eaten: - Peking duck with wrap (2/5) - Diced fish with garlic sauce (3/5) - General Tso's fried tofu (3.5/5) - Twice cooked pork belly (3.5/5) - Dumplings with ginger sauce (3/5) The dishes are a-ok, but it is way too heavy for my liking. The prices for the dishes are also very expensive when compared to nearby competitors of Village Wok, Hong Kong Noodles, and Kowloon. Nothing against this establishment, but it did not align with my palate and college budget. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - General Tso hot and spicy tofu (4/5) - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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well.. well... well.... Its not like it used to be... the service was very very slow!! the food took forever to be served, it was warm inside, the water was warm too, the food was good but not like before, this place used to be my favorite restaurant pretty much so, i hope the can manage like it used to be so that i can give 5 stars again. read more

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The flavors here are actually pretty good. I ordered a beef noodle soup and also a hot and sour soup on the side. The broth of the beef noodle soup is savory and flavorful, so much so that I could drink it on its own. The beef noodle soup also comes with a massive amount of beef, just chunks of it everywhere - it was a pleasant surprise. The hot and sour soup had a good flavor profile, just the right amount of vinegar and a nice little heat. With how hard it is to find decent restaurants near campus, I will be back! read more

I wanted to try this Dry Chili's Chicken, since it really looked delicious in the pics. Well it was tasty, just way over cooked chicken pieces with hot chili peppers. I literally had to hunt for chicken, because most of the food was just crispy skin like pieces. Now the Eggroll were pretty tasty, but they didn't give me any sauce for them. This was an Uber order that arrived on time. I'm just slightly disappointed with this food. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Dry Chili Chicken and Chicken Eggrolls - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Very good Chinese food! I love thé Sesame Chicken and the Chicken Egg Rolls. I will be coming here again

It is very good food but kind of pricy! My food cost only 59 dollars, they plus tax and include 16 % tip , plus tip on tax with total to 74 dollars? When I sign my credit card, they ask to tip again? Be careful when you pay, double check your bill! read more

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This is a great place to eat. The food was wonderful and the service very nice. The manager of the business is friendly and kind to us. Totally recommended! read more

I spend about 2 weeks in this neighborhood / area every summer but never checked this place out. Due to Covid they were carry-out only when I was there in July. The food was fantastic. I will definitely hit them up again next summer. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - King 318. Kung Pao Shrimp - Szechuan Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Good sized helpings and fresh ingredients. I can see why CNN named it one if the 50 best Chinese restaurants. We shared the pan-fried dumplings to start then had the Mongolian beef, milky fried shrimp, and spare ribs. We also had a side of green beans, which were also tasty. Portions were large and staff was attentive. read more

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Was decent and see they try to get some good quality food and meat . Flavor was a bit toned down for what I usually like. Dan dan noodles didn't have much sauce . Its mild food . read more

Just ordered takeout a few days ago from this place. Couldn't really understand the guy on the phone partially because of his accent (I'm Asian too so I get it, not his fault ) but also because he was being kind of rude. I just wanted to order and be out of his hair. Ordered mongolian beef that was pretty good! Everyone in the house liked it. Also ordered pea pods. & ordered spicy fish and tofu expecting a big fish and tofu, but the guy on the phone got our order wrong. he had no clue how to inform me that the spicy fish and tofu was now soup with anise seeds (not spicy just a lot of anise seeds in it) A family member went to pick it up, said the place was a small place not that busy but the guy who i assume I was also talking to, was not very friendly and kind of rude. We just moved to this area & were recommended this place but don't think we will return. we'll be going somewhere else for Chinese from now on maybe Hong Kong or shuang Cheng. read more