Looking for Taiwanese food? Then you might just find it at Looking for Chai. Was in the area, and stopped by for lunch on a Saturday. Not too crowded, we were quickly seated and service was fast and staff were friendly. Ordered the taiwanese beef noodle and cookie milk tea. Noodles were delicious and tea was a sweet accompaniment to the meal. It's supposed to look like a potted plant with the cookie crumbs and green straw :D read more

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solid spot for some comfort Taiwanese food. extensive boba selection to pair with your meal. - pig ears: small portion size but comes w a kick! - snow pea leaves: love me some greens - egg tofu mixed veggies: pretty saucy but egg tofu is delicious read more

I came here with a few friends to eat after some activities in Bellevue and had an enjoyable experience. Our friends have been here recently so they suggested some of the dishes as well as got a couple of new ones to try. Definitely order a little too much but it was good. Pork belly baos -- these were good, the bread texture was sturdy yet soft. The pork belly was flavorful, the only thing missing was some peanuts to give a contrast in texture as everything was on the softer side. Pork with rice - eh, a lot of rice, and a pretty simple dish, nothing spectacular. Sizzling platter with chicken, noodle, and mushroom sauce. --- I wish the noodle could have benefits from the sizzling plate but it was mushy, and clumpy. The sauce was mainly on top so the rest of the flavor was very mild. The chicken was good though. Crispy chicken salad - definitely like the crispiness and flavor of this dish. Lamb and kimchi hot pot - good for a cold day. Flavor was mild overall and the lamb has a bit of gamey taste. Need the sauce that comes with it. Overall, it was a good. Portions are generous, service is good as well. read more

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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

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Came here for the popcorn chicken, beef noodle soup, salted eggs and king oyster mushroom and a bunch of other dishes. This place has a lot of good dishes but what stood out really was the salted eggs and king oyster mushrooms. It's got that nice breading and they are generous with the salted egg flavor. Everytime I come here I order this and my friends are never let down. The boba here was also good. Overall, this is a slam dunk homey place with delicious food and I'd highly recommend. read more

Update: I've come here a few times with large groups, also with my extended family who is Taiwanese. They all really love the food because it tastes authentic. I love the popcorn chicken now - my review before wasn't that great but maybe that was a miss! I also love the stir fried bamboo shoots. It's amazing. We usually order family style so everyone can share. It's usually packed with other Asians so you know it's legit. read more

Strictly take out ( no tables or chairs). Located in a strip mall Stopped in to pick up an order of their Taiwanese special spicy beef noodle soup since Yelp ratings indicated 4 stars. Beware ...website food prices were NOT updated. So our order was $3.00 more than the current internet price Food was nicely packaged for take out. Soup was very hot! :) The soup wasn't very spicy, but was flavorful read more

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

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Good food. Great service! Super efficient establishment! Would visit again to try the other goodies on the menu. read more

Bubble tea was nice but food was just ok, not that yummy, a bit disappointing actually.

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

Looking For Chai - Sliced Lamb with Water Spinach with Garlic Sauce and Popcorn Chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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

Looking For Chai - Braised pork over rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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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

Looking For Chai - Crispy Chicken with Special Spicy Sauce - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

We are frequent visitors. The food is delicious and comforting. The staff is always extra nice to families with young children. We always have a high chair read more

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

Looking For Chai - Crispy Chicken with Special Spicy Sauce - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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I love this place! Everything we come, it's so good. My favorite dish is the watercress dish! read more

Looking For Chai - Taiwanese Special Beef Noodle Soup, King Oyster Mushrooms with Salty Egg Sauce, Seaweed Salad, Popcorn Chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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

Looking For Chai - Deep Fried Pork Chop over Rice, Braised Tofu, Seaweed, and Egg Combo, and Pork hot pot. Not pictured (King Oyster Mushrooms and Peavines). - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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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

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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

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This Taiwanese restaurant has a pretty wide selection! The food was average but it's also just nice to have a place to go to that serves all Taiwanese food you can't easily find elsewhere! read more

Looking For Chai - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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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

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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

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Been here multiple times and always had a great experience! Very good Taiwanese food and fast service. I recommend the crispy chicken, braised pork rice, eggplant with basil, popcorn chicken, and more that I'm forgetting. You honestly can't really go wrong. read more

This place is a real find if you're trying to find authentic Taiwanese cuisine! We decided to try this place out without knowing anything about it and were really amazed! THE ROSES: Fast, efficient service. Good prices. Amazing food. We had the personal-sized Taiwanese hot pots, and will be going back for more! They are chock full of great ingredients and the broth is delicious! THE THORNS: This place can be rather loud and busy. Dining room is very basic and austere; it's kind of an 'eat-it-and-beat-it' kind of place; not what you'd consider a 'date restaurant' (unless your date is an adventurous foodie with discriminating tastes - in other words, a 'keeper'!). They also do a very brisk take-out business, so parking can be an issue. They are located in a small business park (!), so they may be a little hard to find. NEITHER ROSE NOR THORN: I knew this place was authentic when I noted I was the only non-Asian person in the place! This is the real deal, and the clientele knows it! THE VERDICT: For the adventurous diner, Looking for Chai is a must-visit. You will feel like Anthony Bourdain; I heartily recommend this restaurant. read more

We've been to the Bel-Red area location as well as the one in Lynnwood. They're pretty good, nothing spectacular. Service was fine but it was otherwise an unremarkable experience. It does the trick when you're jonesing for a bubble tea or something, though. Prices were within expectations. read more

- Still great, but there's inflation - We ordered 4 dishes and 2 drinks last Saturday to share with our friends, and it was suppose to be roughly $66 based on the menu on their website, but the price turned out to be $75. I called to ask about the difference and it turned out that all dishes are now $2 more than what's listed on the menu. The drink prices stay the same, but everything else got more expensive. It's sad since it's still great, but the price might hold me back pursuing it. Maybe it's happening everywhere else too, but I haven't seen such a huge difference yet. 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

Looking For Chai - Braised pork over rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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We ordered Taiwanese staples- popcorn chicken and beef noodle soup for takeout. The noodle soup was A-OK. 4 slices (not chunks) of meat, bok choy, green onions, pickled veggies, and a clear soup. The noodles did not clump even after half an hour in the upper bowl. The popcorn chicken lacked flavor. Like any self-respecting Taiwanese, I stock chili peppers and msg pepper salt at home and was ablet to resuscitate the dish. Service is fast and friendly, and parking is plentiful in the strip mall. Prices at LFC is one of the best in inflation ravaged Bellevue. I will be back to try their braised pork dishes. 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

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Best Taiwanese restaurant in the east side. Highly recommend: clam with ginger soup, garlic water spinach, crispy chicken and lamb sautéed with Taiwanese satay sauce. Clam with ginger soup is perfect for a cold day or when you're hungover. Has a slight kick from the black pepper but broth is very flavorful. Garlic water spinach was crunchy and tasty, crispy chicken is exceptionally good here and the lamb with satay sauce was delicious as well, doesn't have a gamey taste. I would not recommend the spiced pork over rice, it taste pretty bland and nothing too impressive. The pork belly was also pretty bland, a lot of fat, and didn't taste like it had salt or any marinated taste. The teppanyaki platters are okay, didn't stand out too much for me. I do really want to try the Sakura shrimp fried rice and shredded pork with bamboo shoot (hearing a lot of good reviews on it here). Service is very friendly and the place is pretty clean. Lots of drink options. 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

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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

Looking For Chai - Matcha Green Tea Latte - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Food was very good with lots of options, definitely the Bobba tea was the best part of the meal with exceptional taste. Small place but very good service read more

Too many mosquito. I can't focus on my dinner. So sad, this place used to be good. The food portion getting smaller too.

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

Looking For Chai - Taiwanese Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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Very authentic cooking with high quality ingredients. The fried dish tasted clean because of the fresh oil used. Spacious and fairly open with good ambiance. Service was unnecessary rushed because it wasn't busy. Looking forward to our next visit. Good parking in strip mall. Enjoy.. 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

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Located in a strip mall with decent parking availability, Looking For Chai offers authentic Taiwanese cuisine great for casual dining with friends and family. The name gives me a chuckle as it's a direct translation from a Mandarin pun where the two characters "looking for" and "chai" has the same pronunciation as "picking on someone" or "finding fault with something". It's a funny name and fitting for a restaurant with extensive bubble tea menu. While you won't find anything fancy here, the food selection covers a wide range of Taiwanese street food fare, from pork burger, oyster pancake, fried fishcake, popcorn chicken appetizers to heartier mains such as steak and noodles on sizzling plate, stewed pork over rice, beef noodle soup, hot pot, and fried chicken steak over rice. I like to order some of the more unique dishes that are hard to find in other similar restaurants such as their garlic pork belly, pea vine with mushrooms, and braised egg tofu off of their blackboard menu, and their pork kidney with sesame oil sauce off their main menu. I've been coming to Looking for Chai for years, and they have been quite consistent. While authentic, not every dish is perfect, I would avoid ordering beef noodle soup for example as you can find better versions elsewhere. My one big wish to the restaurant is for them to change their rice to a higher quality variety. The current mushy flavorless goo they serve is ruining my kids' favorite stewed pork over rice dish. I now always get take out with request for stewed pork without rice so I can add it to my own home cooked rice. read more

This is an excellent Taiwanese restaurant. Really authentic food. It is not a huge place, so you might have to wait a bit if you get there when it's busy. There is a parking lot in the Northup Plaza with plenty of spaces. We got the Spiced pork over rice, Three spiced chicken, Taiwanese lettuce, and Shredded pork with dry tofu with spicy sauce. All of the dishes were delicious and a decent portion. We still had leftover for two adults and a child. Plates are reasonably priced as well. Staff members are all polite and service was quick. This is one of my favorite Taiwanese restaurants in the whole Seattle area, and definitely top in Bellevue. read more

Great food, really warm & friendly service and a warm, cozy feel to the space. We will go back soon.