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This place was bomb, we loved our quick little dinner here after I got my hair done in the area. It was especially a good sign that it was primarily locals and families coming here for dinner. We were the only non-Asians, but we felt that we were not treated any differently, and we highly appreciated that. The food was fresh, well-priced, surprisingly high-quality, and came quickly. They have their own free parking, and the restaurant itself is nice and clean, which we appreciated. The servers were all very sweet and efficient, we would definitely be back in the area again.
Always love this place. Our first time we tried out was in edmonds location. Plenty of free parking in Bellevue location. Today there's no line. Perfect. Restrooms: men and women restrooms Today we ordered: Taiwanese oyster pancake Shredded chicken cucumber cold noddle sesame sauce Popcorn chicken w rice Sliced lamb water cress with satay sauce Everything is great. Not a fan of the cold sesame noddle. Wish they have stinky tofu. Apparently, they only serve stinky tofu in edmonds location
I got the bamboo pork stir fry (great flavors but portion was small); pork bun (pork was a little dry, but I loved the nice touch of pickles to cut though the fat); and the black pepper pork chop over noodle (my favorite dish of the night!!!)
We came in close to closing time, but service was speedy! We got our orders in and didn't have to wait long before the food arrived. The beef noodle soup was perfect on a cold night. The beef was tender, the soup was rich and warm, and the noodles made for a great slurp. The water spinach couldn't have been eaten faster! Refreshing and familiar - would get again!
Takeaways: salt n pepper fish and sweet and sour pork, winter melon tea Not bad safe corolla option: oyster pancake Straight mid af: popcorn chicken (i mean come on), fried rice Gonna come for the tea and fish. Stuff I normally go to my ex for Cut approved
We went for dinner and were seated pretty quickly. We hadn't been here since precovid and were happy to be back to eat some of our favorite Taiwanese dishes. The clams with basil was a favorite, with plump clams and a yummy sauce. The cold noodles were also nice and we liked the sauce and the egg ribbons, carrots and cucumbers, it was very refreshing to eat. We appreciated that the popcorn chicken came with fried basil as well, though the portion was smaller than expected and some of the pieces of chicken could have been larger. The pork belly in the pork burger and braised pork over rice was pretty disappointing. The meat was too 柴, it was very difficult to chew and eat. We liked the thinness of the wonton wrapper and the filling. The sauce on the spicy wontons could have been less sweet though.
Updating with my post-Covid dine-in experiences at Looking for Chai. On my most recent visit, my friends and I came here after a long climbing session at Bel Red Edgeworks, which is only 5 minutes down the road. We were fortunate to get a table for 6 people at 7pm with no wait, which is a rarity at this place, considering that the last time I was here with my family in November, it was at least a 30 minute to an hour long wait (they have a wait list sheet at the entrance and a very small entry way). Perhaps people were just out of town for the long weekend or maybe there is more competition now that several other Asian restaurants are popping up in the area. Over my past few visits at Looking for Chai, I've tried the... CHIVE FLOWER SAUTÉED WITH TAIWANESE SQUID ($19.50) - this dish is unique and one of my dad's favorite dishes. I personally don't care for how oily it is. As this dish consists mostly of chives, the flavor is overpowering in my opinion and you definitely will be left with stinky breath after eating it. The squid is a little rubbery and doesn't add much to it in my opinion. TLDR- if you absolutely love the taste of chives and green onion, you'll enjoy this dish. If you only like the taste or meh about it, skip it. SIZZLING PLATTER WITH CHICKEN STEAK ($18.50) and SIZZLING PLATTER WITH PORK CHOP ($18.25)- these two dishes are essentially the same, minus the meat. You can also order it with steak for $21.95. This dish, as stated in the name, comes out on a sizzling hot dish with your choice of noodles or rice and choice of black pepper sauce or mushroom sauce. It comes with fried egg, onions, and broccoli. I recommend the pork chop as the chicken was not properly defatted. TIP: if you order rice with this dish, it's served on the side. If you order noodles, it's served on the platter which gives it a little extra crunch! BRAISED PORK OVER RICE ($15.95)- this is one of my favorite Taiwanese dishes, along with the minced pork over rice. They are generous with the pork and give you maybe a half pound or so of juicy and marinated pork belly. It comes with a little bit of minced pork underneath the pork belly, so you get to have the best of both worlds! It is served on top of white rice which soaks in the flavor of the savory meat marinade and comes with a side of pickled mustard cabbage, Bok choy, a marinated hard boiled egg, and a sprinkle of cilantro. You can't beat the flavor of this dish! TAIWANESE SPECIAL BEEF NOODLE SOUP ($15.50)- this is a classic Taiwanese dish. However, I must say that I thought the soup was just okay and that the broth lacked richness. If you want superior beef noodle soup, I would recommend going to Monga off Bel Red instead. This dish contains msg, but I'm sure several other of their dishes also contain msg. SAKURA SHRIMP FRIED RICE ($15.95) - the rice was nicely fried and came with a good XO sauce flavor. However, the shrimps were super tiny and so there wasn't a lot of protein in this dish. TAIWANESE SPICY HOT POT ($17.95) - Looking for Chai serves a variety of different hot pot options with optional add ins. They are served boiling hot over a Bunsen burner. While they are decent portions, I've yet to be impressed by the ones I've tried, including this one. We ordered the broth in mild spice, and there was just the right amount of kick to it, but didn't have much taste to it otherwise While I enjoyed the pork and emoji mushrooms, I think that Boiling Point is a better option if you're looking for individual hot pot. The interior and bathroom are clean. They have a parking lot, but it isn't the best lit at night. Service is decent and we usually get our food within 15-20 minutes after ordering. Overall: 4/5 for food, 4/5 for service, 4/5 for atmosphere
The food here is always done right whenever I go, so I'm never surprised to see all the tables filled and people waiting outside whenever I come here on a weekend. All that being said, I did expect a little more here. I was on the waitlist for a bit when I came here with my friend, and we got seated promptly. The inside is noisy with a ton of people, and you're provided with a very extensive menu that has things like rice/noodle dishes, mini hot pots and chef's specials. I've tried some of their rice dishes, their popcorn chicken and even some of their drinks too. This time around, I got their Taiwanese special beef noodle soup and got a side of popcorn chicken. The chicken is bomb as always; very well flavored with a slight touch of spice. The beef noodle soup felt really mild though. The soup base was bland, and that made the already-bland noodles even more bland in this case. The beef was surprisingly flavored well despite all that, and I love how they provided some condiments for my noodles if needed. Despite my recent food experience here, I love how quickly food came out and how service was just speedy and prompt with how many people there were inside.
This is one of my favorite Taiwanese spots in Bellevue. Located in a more quiet area not that far from Downtown Bellevue. The menu is pretty diverse as far as single items and sharable items. I recommend the braised pork rice and also the pancakes. Service is fast and prompt, and the ambience is great for groups or family.
We were starving after playing tennis, and I was craving hearty Taiwanese comfort food. Looking for Chai hit the spot. They also have bubble milk tea along with the extensive food menu! We tried: Braised Pork Bowl ($15.95) - Fatty chunks of braised pork belly served on a heap of rice, accompanied by a soy-seasoned egg, bok choy, and pickled radish. Delicious! Pork Burger ($11.75) - I found the bun a bit heavy, but the pork was nice and fatty. My friends raved about these, though! Beef Noodle Soup ($15.50) - Yummy and flavorful! :) Such generous portions all around! The staff is attentive, and the interior is casual and simple. Overall, a solid experience!
Looking for Chai in Bellevue is great. The crispy chicken is super good, and the stir-fried chives are tasty. The noodles hit the spot too, especially when it's warm out.
Came here with a group of 3 looking for a fast dinner. Service was fast and there is plenty of parking space. I personally really love eggplants, and although their dish was good, it could've been more flavourful. The portion sizes were pretty big as well. If you're sharing family style, I'd recommend getting two dishes + rice to share for two people.
2 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
Ordered two items The spicy crispy chicken was outstanding - great flavor and sauce isn't overpowering but provides a nice little kick with the Thai peppers. Probably order this every time I come back. 5+/5 Did sizzling plate the beef steak with black pepper sauce. Served with an medium over egg - almost like their version of a loco moco. Should be a 5 but just didn't have any flavor - too bland - how is that possible with black pepper sauce but ironically needed some sauce and maybe some overnight marinade for the meat. This is 3/5 - would not order again or else would need to ask for the spice rack in the back. Menu is extensive so won't have a problem finding other items to order. 4/5 and will return. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
This time we went full on recommendation of the lovely lady serving us. The new dishes we ordered were- cauliflower stirfry with bacon and dry stir fried spicy shrimp read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
I also want to add that the luroufan here is really good and just great comfort food. The chives and ground pork tasted good but it was not worth the high price. But nevertheless the crispy chicken in special sauce continues to be my favorite. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
We're at Looking for Chai 2 weeks ago for the very first time. We ordered Sliced Lamb with Water Spinach and Garlic Sauce and Popcorn Chicken. Both dishes were delicious. I must say the Sliced Lamb dish tastes better than Facing East and has bigger portion. Restaurant was clean and has great customer services. Can't wait to go there again to try out new dishes. read more
As someone who lives a five minute drive from the Bellevue location for Looking for Chai, I remember thinking "why would I bother going" when my cousin invited me to eat at the Edmonds location. After going, I realized that there's just enough unique Taiwanese dishes that I would definitely consider making the drive up. Here's what I tried, starting with the dishes that you cannot get at the Bellevue location: - Stinky Tofu: pretty legit down to the pickled vegetables and dipping sauce. I can't really comment on the smell since I grew up eating Stinky Tofu and don't really notice the smell anymore haha - Chicken rice: my mom is from Chiayi and turkey rice is one of the dishes I miss most from Taiwan. Looking for Chai's chicken rice is a little too sweet but it's still the closest thing to Chiayi's turkey rice I've had in the US - Sizzling black pepper chicken steak: I don't think the Bellevue location serves a sizzling platter with fried chicken. Pretty good overall though the fried chicken obviously gets soggy under all the black pepper sauce. The rest of these are served at the Bellevue location: - Minced pork with spicy black bean sauce: it was my first time having this dish and I was a fan. It's not too spicy and the noodles were nice and chewy. - Crispy chicken with special spicy sauce: probably my favorite dish from Looking for Chai and a must-get imo. - Stir fried green bean: pretty good. Looking for Chai's version also comes with tiny shrimp if you're into that. - Water spinach: good but not memorable since I totally forgot I ordered this at first haha Definitely considering coming back when my mom visits so she can try their chicken rice and stinky tofu and let me know what she thinks haha. read more
4 years ago
GPS took me to the wrong location but was worth the drive. It was near closing and they seated us anyway. I ordered the Crispy chicken in special spicy sauce. I love eating rice dishes where the sauce doesn't drench the rice. The chicken came out hot and the sauce was delicious. Would definitely order again. My colleague got the sizzling platter with steak which looked and smelled so good. Would bring my wife here next time to try other dishes and try their drinks. read more
4 years ago
Went with a friend for Friday night dinner. This is a busy place and will get packed, expect slow service. Got the sizzling platter with chicken steak, popcorn chicken and small portion of braised pork over rice. Definitely recommend getting the sizzling platter and popcorn chicken. The braised pork over rice was just ok. read more
3 years ago
Food was delicious! We ordered take out but it looked very clean and it was busy for a Saturday afternoon. Only took 10 minutes for our food to be ready and it was delicious! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Great Taiwanese food, albeit a bit pricey. Their pork burger isn't as good as the one at Facing East but their popcorn chicken is top notch. The chives/pork dish reminds me of my mom's cooking and is an outstanding dish. read more
3 years ago
Food was amazing, food was served very quickly; tasted like authentic Taiwanese food - the 蚵仔煎 was just like how it tasted in Taiwan read more
Looking for Chai in Bellevue has been open for over 5 years. Of course I didn't realize it was here (I always thought the one in Edmonds was the only one ) until recently. I've gone twice in just a couple weeks now. And every time the food is amazing. The staff is extremely attentive. Parking is in a lot and I haven't had issues finding spots. The waitlist can get long but the wait itself usually isn't too bad during peak hours on weekends. This is another place I plan to keep coming back to to finish every item on the menu, that's how good it is. I do think it's a little weird that bell peppers are in a lot of dishes you wouldn't normally see them in (like the Hakka stir fry), but it's a fun quirk once you get used to it and they don't detract from the flavor. read more
Finally tried this place after being on my list for soooo long now and it was pretty okay! I might have set high expectations for myself but the food was not bad all, just typical authentic Taiwanese food. I got the popcorn chicken and Taiwanese pork bun with milk tea boba! Compared to Hardwok Cafe, the chicken and pork were a little dry but the seasoning was tasty. Popcorn chicken wasn't too salty and had a good crispy fry. The pork bun was bland but I couldn't taste the sauce or toppings at all. All I could think was...oh it's okay LOL. They also give you big portions and it came out very fast. I spent (~$15) for both and split with my friend. Overall this cafe is nothing special but nice to try if you're in the area. Only speaking from what I ate, and next time will need to try their main dinner food. There were a lot of families and it was decently crowded and food definitely looked a lot more tasty on other peoples tables. read more
I had heard of this place a few times, but didn't actually know where in Bellevue it was located. So you could say I was 'looking' for Looking for Chai.. *Crickets* Tucked away in in a shopping center located along Northup Way, Looking For Chai can be found between a Vet clinic and a 'Foam' shop. It isn't a super high traffic shopping strip, so parking wasn't an issue and I wouldn't expect it to be for you either. Stepping inside, they have a clean modern setup with clean floors, clean tables, and both paper and chalkboard menus on the wall. Once seated you'll need a bit of time to look through the menu and make some decisions based on your group and hunger level. It was my brother and I with an overzealous appetite so we ordered a Taiwanese Pork Burger, Taiwanese Spicy Hotpot, Sizzling Pork Over Noodles, and Sliced Lamb with Water Spinach Satay. The hotpot was just 'OK' but the rest was delicious! We were there for a late lunch on an uncommon holiday, so I can't speak to how busy it gets for dinner or weekend lunch- but we had no issues. Service was great and the food came out promptly but appropriately staggered, all hot and fresh. Personally I'd go elsewhere for hotpot, but a solid 4.5 - would certainly recommend Looking for Chai. Cheers! read more
5 years ago
Got a tea drink from Looking For Chai - it is one of my favorite places in the greater Seattle area! The tapioca is always a perfect texture and sweetness - it is just chewy enough, without being too squishy. The Matcha Green Tea Latte was delicious. I love their latte drinks because they use real milk. Their milk teas are also delicious, but they might use milk or non-dairy powder (be sure to check if you have dairy sensitivities). The service is always fast. The workers are usually no-nonsense and get the drinks out quickly. Tip: I think they prefer cash for smaller orders under $10! I'm not sure if it's one of those places where it costs more to use credit. read more
1 year ago
Looking to find awesome food.... And we found it here! There are sooooo many options--- it was actually really hard to decide because the menu offered so many delicious food. This is going to be a part of our regular places to go when in Bellevue. read more
A good staple home-meal restaurant serving authentic Taiwanese food. It's good, but nothing to rave about. Comfort food, home away from home feeling. Service is fast and restaurant is clean. Price is reasonable, and portion are generous. Rice from the braised pork was a little dry but after mixing in with the sauce it was good. The pork was thick and fatty. Overall, definitely recommend. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
Once seated super fast service! Had our food within 10 minutes. When we went it was pretty full and lots of aunties/uncles. Felt very family friendly. Our server was great and was definitely busy. The food was delicious- my nephew scarfed down the pork chop. The mushrooms and peavines were very tasty and lots of umami flavor. The mushroom had the garlic cloves and a healthy amount of ginger. The hot pot was really good- the pork one was super rich (it did come with blood (nothing metallic) and intestines (super clean)- and the broth overall tasted like a really good pork belly) and the lamb one was good (would have loved more kimchi in it). They labeled both hot pots as spicy but I didn't think it was spicy at all. Also had a winter melon tea with grass jelly- it's fairly sweet. This made for amazing left overs. read more
a cozy casual taiwanese restaurant located in a small shopping strip. what a gem! it's comparable to hardwok cafe but more upscale, with better quality food. we were all stuffed after eating and even had leftovers (due to large portions, not because it was not delicious) we got the: - tomato seafood hotpot -- a mild taste with nice, sweet dipping sauces. i didn't expect there to be so much cabbage or vermicelli, but the soup was yummy (3.5/5) - pea vines and mushroom with garlic sauce -- this was so good! really nice flavor and texture (5/5) - shrimp and egg tofu -- this was the star of the meal. delicious broth, tender tofu, and though there wasn't much shrimp, it was still so good. (5/5) - brother got the sizzling platter with steak, which he devoured. honestly, we were just happy that he ate the vegetables - mom got the pork cabbage hot pot -- also a mild flavor, pretty good but didn't like how big the cabbage leaves were. read more
We got to the restaurant around 630 pm and there were only two tables occupied. After seeing how empty the restaurant is, I doubted my decision to dine in here. However, after 15 minutes, all the tables were occupied, and the restaurant was packed with people. The service is great. Fast, efficient, and effective. I give 4.5 stars to the service to food delivery to check out. So I make popcorn chicken myself, but i would say that the popcorn chicken here was decent. I do love the corn and the egg on the side. Bak choy was flavorless but healthy. I found a black hair in my popcorn chicken but i guess it happens sometimes. I also ordered a braised pork over rice which was ok. The food here tasted like a household food you would eat at home rather than the restaurant commercial food. I think the pricing point was a little more expensive than what I would have liked to pay for the quality. Ambiance really is very casual and comfortable. The milk tea with Boba was delicious here. read more
2 years ago
More info about Looking For Chai
12121 Northup Way
Ste 205
Bellevue, WA 98005
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(425) 502-7766
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https://www.lookingforchaibellevue.com
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Ask the Community - Looking For Chai
Do u have the wrong time listed for open? Went there at 430pm and it says close between 3-5there
Sorry about this, we just fixed the hours.
Can you adjust the sweetness of the milk tea?
Yes, most of the milk tea can do 75%, 50% and 25% of sweet.
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