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Mala Sichuan Bistro

4.1 (1.1k reviews)
ModerateSzechuan
Open • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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MALA SICHUAN BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Classy
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Mala Sichuan Bistro

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HsiaoCheng W.

We always come when visiting Chinatown and order at least a hundred dollars worth to take back with us to the woodlands. Please open a shop in the woodlands so I don't have to drive so far. The places there like MiMi Garden actually think Dan Dan Mien is made with frozen ground beef stuck together in a lump. We need some real chefs to show the woodlands how it's done right!

风味辣子鸡丁 Spicy and Crispy Chicken
Michelle T.

Perfect awesome delicious no frills exactly what you want from mala. I love the spicy and crispy chicken, perfect Sichuan flavor. Wontons have been a bit salty in the past but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

鱼香茄子 Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce
Anna S.

Mala's Bellaire ambiance is definitely cozier and homier than their locations in Montrose and Katy Asian Town. It has a more quaint, mom-and-pop feel. Their service was great, and their extensive menu made it hard to decide what to order! But overall, I didn't feel like being too adventurous, so I ordered the usual: 1) Mapo Tofu: (4.5/5) Pretty tasty! There was definitely a numbing spice, but PERSONALLY not a fan of the addition of ginger, but this is purely personal preference, but something to keep in mind if it's not your favorite ingredient. 2) Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce: (5/5) chefs kiss, you can't go wrong with this. Maybe the Montrose and Bellaire location prepare it a bit differently, but I felt that the Bellaire location did not skimp out on the garlic pieces; I also don't think the dish was very spicy, however. 3) Spicy and Crispy Chicken: (5/5) There's not much to say, but this is another classic that you can't mess up! There are several other dishes that I look forward to trying, and definitely think Mala is one of the best Sichuan places in the area!

Menu
Culema B.

I have been to the one on Montrose, many times. This was the first time at this one. We were seated very quickly which is always great.,It was very crowded, not a lot of space. The food was amazing. Our waitress didn't check on us to see if we needed our cups filled. Other than that we will be back!

麻辣豆花鱼片 Mala Tofu Pudding with Fish Fillet
Alex W.

One of the greatest Chinese food franchises in the Houston area. Nearing GOAT status. Every time I go here it's a banger. All the Sichuan dishes are hits. I tried the tea-spiced duck and it wasn't my cup of tea (pun intended). But get anything else and it is top-tier (some of my faves: mapo tofu with fish fillet, twice-cooked pork, eggplant with green beans).

Shveta A.

I love Sichuan food and this place is amazing! It had been a long day and our group was very very hungry and Mala did not disappoint. From the time we entered, we were given a spacious round table with plenty of room for our party. Although the place was packed, the service was prompt and courteous throughout the meal. The interior was roomy and had a fun decorative vibe, I absolutely LOVED the various plates adorning the back wall (especially the owl). The food was so so good, though picking from their extensive menu was challenging. We ordered a variety of options: the spicy crispy chicken, the cordyceps, the chicken fried rice and the Mapo tofu. Every dish complemented each other and went well with both the fried rice and the white rice. As someone who cannot eat very spicy food, I appreciated the described spice levels our server gave us and found them accurate. The standout dish for me, among all of the delicious items, was the Mapo Tofu, with the soft tofu pairing perfectly with the spicy tangy gravy. If you're in Chinatown, this is the spot to go to!

Spicy and Crispy Chicken
Quynh-Anh V.

As new Sichuan/Chinese restaurants open up in Houston, Mala Sichuan Bistro still remains on top in terms of both price and quality. The water boiled fish fillet is one of my favorite items ever, such great portions and so delicious. My other favorites are the west lake soup and spicy and crispy chicken. The portion amount here is perfect and the prices are fantastic while still keeping it authentic. Mala Sichuan Bistro earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason! Definitely check it out, and their to-go quality is great as well for those who want to eat at home.

All together
James A.

Located in the Metropole Center in Houston's Chinatown, Mala Sichuan Bistro was founded at this location in 2011, by a Chengdu native. She wanted to bring authentic Sichuan cuisine to Houston. With her great success, her restaurant has been named a Michelin Bib Gourmand (one of only fifteen Houston area restaurants) in the inaugural guide for Texas. In 2017, the former chef was a James Beard finalist for the Best Chef: Southwest category. With its success, came more locations, with five in total. It's an impressive resume, making the restaurant worth visiting if in the Houston area. Every time I visit my nephew, he surprises me with a new cuisine that he has learned to like. This time, it was Sichuan cuisine. So on a Monday, his dad, he, and I made a visit for lunch. Parking was plentiful in the strip mall, and we got seated immediately. The menu is large, and my nephew knew what he wanted to order. We ended up eating most of it, meaning the portions weren't huge but the dishes were very tasty. The meal came with a communal bowl of white rice, along with a self-serve carafe of ice water to refill our glasses as the numbness of the white peppercorns took over. Mapo Tofu ($13.99) - the classic Sichuan dish, their rendition is pretty good. Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce ($13.99) - I still remember a discussion where an expert clearly stated that you can not switch out eggplant for Chinese eggplant. I don't like eggplant, but tried it here (per my nephew's suggestion) and found that I liked it, especially since the sauce was so good. Next time, would ask the waitress what other dishes use this delicious garlic sauce. Twice cooked pork ($14.99) - the authentic version uses sliced, boiled pork belly, sauteed fresh leaks in a fermented black and broad bean sauce. Quite good. House Special Funky Cold Noodles ($8.99) - cold wheat noodles in a unique sauce. Never had this before: it was unique in taste, and went really well with the rest of the meal. Shredded Pork with Spiced Dry Tofu ($14.99) - this was my choice, and it was good. I liked fried tofu, so was hoping dried tofu would be close. It kinda was, but would have been better (for me) if fried instead of dried. Probably the weakest out of the 5 dishes. They do have fresh fish on the menu served whole, but the only choice was tilapia. As a whole, the dishes tried here were not mind-numbingly hot (like other Sichuan restaurants I've tried where using chinese red peppers in the same amount as the rest of the ingredients). And clay pot cooking didn't seem to be on the menu either. But the use of mala spices was definitely there, numbing the tongue. One could especially feel it right after taking a draught of cold liquid. Not a particularly pleasant feeling, but worth it for the taste the food provided.

芦笋蟹肉羹 Crab Meat and Asparagus Soup
Michelle D.

first time visitors to houston and this was such a great spot to spontaneously try. the restaurant is clean and the service is fast. the food... WOW!!! the soup was perfect. it's meant for 3 to 5 people, omg i basically finished the whole thing by myself!!!!! i also ordered the mapo tofu and that was really good. i wish i could've ate more of it or taken it home, but i couldn't because we're out of town and had to fly back :'( my boyfriend really enjoyed his spicy chicken too. he said it had a really good flavor. whenever i come back i will definitely come here again. the prices are also extremely good considering how much food you get (family style)!

Menu
Jonathan V.

Mala Sichuan has been one of our favorite places to eat when we are craving Asian food. It is by far the best Sichuan food I've had in Houston. They got on the Bib Gourmand list and it was well deserved. Every dish we've had at Mala has so much flavor and if you're looking for true Sichuan food, Mala brings the heat. For those not familiar with Sichuan food, it is famous for the Sichuan peppers used in the cooking which give a numbing sensation instead of a straight heat/hot sensation you'd be familiar with in Mexican or Indian cooking. When you come here, bring more than 2 people so you can order a lot of dishes and share them family style. This restaurant is also reasonably priced with most dishes in the $10-$20. Ambiance: Mala is a relatively small restaurant with about 20 tables. The bigger tables have a lazy Susan in the middle to share food. The restaurant is clean and the wait staff is very friendly. Parking: Mala is located in one of the strip malls in Chinatown and shares a parking lot with all of the restaurants in the same strip mall. I've never had an issue finding parking here. Parking is free but you may have to park far away if the strip mall is packed. The walk from the car to restaurant is always worth it! Service: the waiters and waitress here are very attentive and were active with refilling water and bringing out food. They also boxed up our leftovers for us which was nice. Food: we had been here many times before and we have a standard order which is usually good for 4 people. We order the hot and sour soup to start and then order the spicy crispy chicken, cumin lamb and the dry fried double veggies. Hot and sour soup: the soup comes in a huge bowl and is more than enough for 4 people to share. This hot and sour soup is a little more watery than what some may be used to. It has a strong pepper flavor which gives it a little tang. It's a great sharing dish for those who love hot and sour soup. Spicy crispy chicken: this is easily our favorite dish to order here. The chicken comes perfectly fried and is loaded with Sichuan flavor. It pairs perfectly with the white rice served on the side. The chicken comes in bite sized cubes and is easy to eat with chopsticks. Highly recommend ordering this dish. Cumin lamb: the lamb in this dish is super tender and this dish comes loaded with jalapeños and onions. Once again, this dish has so much flavor and brings a little heat. If you don't like lamb, don't get this dish because the lamb flavor is strong. Dry fried double veggies: the dry fried double veggies are our favorite veggie dish here. The string beans are lightly fried and come with bamboo and some ground pork. The string beans are crispy yet tender and the ground pork and bamboo give the dish a nice touch. I highly recommend Mala for anyone craving Sichuan food. This place is reasonably priced and brings all of the flavor in each dish. The staff is friendly and ready to help with any questions. Come with a large party to get the most out of your experience so you can try multiple dishes and also come here to eat family style because it's always more fun than having only one dish! The Michelin Bib Gourmand award is well deserved at Mala Sichuan and everyone needs to come try this place!

Daryl R.

My favorite spot 100% I will be celebrating my birthday here this year just to get my family to try it out, not kidding I always get a few plates to share but I never miss the opportunity to order their spicy crispy chicken Everything on the menu I've ordered has been wonderful Their staff is attentive and fast. Our office usually orders to go and we order a lot so we really appreciate them. When I dine in food comes out fast and it's always delicious and fresh

干锅鱼片 Dry Pot Fish Fillet
Katherine D.

Love coming here! It gets crowded pretty fast, but the wait is never bad. The service is pretty quick and the dishes come out pretty fast too. I love the food here, it's always pretty consistent and reliable. The depot is so good and flavor pretty strong. The cumin lamb was a new try this time and soo good. They also always keep us supplied w rice! It's pretty crowded and filled but I think it's a fun atmosphere. Also good as take out.

Sara-Grace C.

This is my second time here and the atmosphere inside was so cozy. There was not enough staff so the wait time was long and you could tell they were stressed. I got the hot n sour soup which paired so well with the Dan Dan noodles and twice cooked pork. The wontons were really really salty so I probably wouldn't order it again. There are private event rooms here if you want to host a party. We saw a group of young adults dressed with grandmas and grandpas for a birthday which was so fun.

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5 months ago

Food was very good. Crispy chicken was just as good as usual. The servers were very prompt and considerate.

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Mala Sichuan Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Mala Sichuan Bistro

Can you make a reservation for 2?

I'm not entirely sure if they take rezzies or not, maybe for large parties? But rezzies aren't needed for the bellaire location

Do they have a private room that can be reserved for big groups?

Yes, there's 3

Do they do curbside pickup?

You can place order and pay at malasichuan.com, and call to say you've arrive once your car is pulled at the front, they can bring it out to you

Is Byob allowed?

Yes but only wine with a 10 dollar corking fee. We have an award winning beer and wine list

Currently waiting for a table for 2 under the name Kat. Any idea how long the wait is?

Based on when you entered the question, it seems you are up to about 12 hours now. That sure seems longer than normal. 😊

How spicy is the food?

Depends on the dish itself, the customer's preference, and the tolerance of spiciness, it can be very spicy or not spicy at all

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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4.5(1.1k reviews)
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Fast and delicious. Simple and tasty, at a reasonable price.We got there at11:15 a.m. and we're…read moreserved minutes after that. We will go back!

5 Stars - Authentic Szechuan that absolutely nails the classics…read more During our short trip to Houston, as a custom, we were determined to find real Szechuan food, and luckily we found Hu's Kitchen. The location is a bit unassuming, and parking is definitely tough (the spaces are very shallow), but the second we walked through the doors and smelled the Szechuan peppercorns, I knew we were in exactly the right place. I generally judge a Szechuan restaurant by their 夫妻肺片 (Fuqi Feipian)--which they cleverly name "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" on the menu. They completely nailed it. The beef, tripe, and tendon were incredibly cohesive together, yet you could tell each component was prepared and marinated in a slightly different way to perfectly highlight its specific texture. The chili oil was right on the spot. We went through a massive bowl of rice just eating this dish alone. Honestly, if I weren't feeding a family of four, I could have just ordered that and been perfectly happy. While the Fuqi Feipian proves their skill with dry dishes, the 水煮魚片 (Fish in Szechuan Hot Chili Oil) proves their skill with wet ones. It's another must-order. The execution was flawless--we didn't just finish the tender fish chunks, we ate every last piece of cabbage soaked in that incredible chili broth. For my two daughters who can't handle the heat, we ordered the fried rice, garlic pork ribs with onion, and the 紅燒獅子頭 (Giant Meatball with Cabbage). The giant meatball was spectacular. The kids completely devoured it on their own, but I managed to steal a bite, and it instantly brought back childhood memories of exactly how this dish is supposed to taste. We also had the Dan Dan Noodles, which were great and rounded out the meal perfectly. I loved all of the dishes we tried. Should we ever find ourselves in Houston again, we will absolutely be revisiting this hidden gem.

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This little spot is my literal favorite place for fried rice. Everything is good but the fried rice…read moreis the best I've ever had! Pork Bao's are normally my daughter fave but the soup dumplings here are her favorite. She could finish an order on her own. The service is always great. As soon as you get in they give everyone a water and a carafe of more water. There is a QR code to order and you place your order on the phone. The order goes straight to the kitchen and you can add as you go if wanted. I always thought that was pretty cool. The owner came out to say hello and ask how everything is. She even brought out a small bowl of soup for my baby to enjoy. The waitress was also very sweet and attentive. I don't live close by but will make the trip when the craving hits. Today was one of those days. The last time I was here there was no ac and not enough seating. This time it was nice and cool in and well as having new seating! This little spot needs to be on your need to stop places!

Came here solo on a Saturday evening with goals to get some biang biang noodles. I was hoping to be…read moreable to dine there. I asked the main waitress how long it'd take to get seated as a solo diner, but she never gave me a clear answer as she was so busy as the only wait staff. I decided take out was the move. Take out took about 15 minutes to come out, so not too long. The biang biang noodles had a nice bounce, but I'm not sure if it was because it was a take out meal that the noodles were sticking together. However, they were very flavorful. I also got the pork wontons in the peanut sauce and they were also very juicy and flavorful. Overall, the food here is good and I'd try it again but hopefully for dine in. If you can get a reservation, I'd suggest doing that or else the wait will be long.

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Quality ingredients. Flat noodles are the highlight…read more 2.7 - Brussel Sprouts, Crispy Roasted w/ Garlic. 2.5M - Chicken Pot Sticker 3.2V - Chicken Pot Sticker. Very good sauce. 3.7 - Chicken egg roll 3.6M/3.2V - Beef, Mongolian. Medium spice, no onion. 3.5 - Chicken, General Tso. Tastes like Bejing chicken. 2.5 - Chicken, Kung Pao. Tasted a little fishy. 4.0 - Chicken, lo mein. 3M/2.5V - Chicken, Orange. Feels healthy. 4.4 - Noodles, Stir Fried Flat, Chicken. No onions and green onions. tjm

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Mala Sichuan Bistro - 风味辣子鸡丁 Spicy and Crispy Chicken

Mala Sichuan Bistro

4.3(141 reviews)
9.9 mi•The Heights

Not too long ago I started reading "Food of Sichuan" by Fuchsia Dunlop. There, she describes hilly…read moremountains, rice fields reaching above your head, and dewy mornings awakened by the local cattle demanding breakfast. She emphasizes few ingredients that complement and highlight each other. Above all else is technique. The knowledge to know which vegetables are in season, the perfect time to poach fish, infusing oil with the correct about of peppercorns and aromatics takes years of practice. What I find surprising is how Mala Sichuan Bistro scaled out their restaurants with the same quality, crispiness, and consistency across all locations. The MKT location has the most beautiful interior, which is why I choose to go there. If Mala told you the crispy chicken seasoning was only 4-5 ingredients, would you believe it? Chinese cooking is about letting one ingredient shine in the spotlight with the supporting actors complement one another. My love for cooking started with the spicy crispy chicken. The crunch, the numbing from the peppercorns, the push and pull between sweet and salty. The oil to fry the chicken and the oil to dress the chicken afterwards creates a masterpiece that I have not been able to replicate at home nor have I found any other restaurant in America with the same caliber. The dry pot fish melts in your mouth with its delicate batter. The lotus root is crunchy while the cauliflower soaks up the delicious sauce. Compared to the water boiled fish, this dish is my new favorite coming into here. For the avid regulars of Mala Sichuan, I challenge you - Order something a little out of your comfort zone every time you come. Trust that the chefs have years of knowledge and the sample size for refining dishes almost 4x ours. If survival of the fittest makes the restaurant business cutthroat here, imagine the caliber of dishes that exist in China. Mala Sichuan didn't invent these dishes, it came from generations of testing, iterating, and feedback from their customers. When we dine here, we're having a snippet of history served right in front of us.

We order take out from here and bring people from out of town here, especially if they don't…read morenormally eat Sichuan food. Mala is always a crowd pleaser. The inside is nice, and the vibe is casual. We've sat inside where they have larger tables for bigger groups and outside if you want to look out toward the adjacent patio/green space on a nice day. They have high chairs if you bring a little one. Overtime, we've tried a lot of their menu, and our favorites are the mapo tofu (my husband's favorite), spicy and crispy chicken (although I wouldn't mind more mala), cumin lamb, sautéed seasonal vegetable, mala tofu pudding with fish fillet, fish cube with string bean bits, and eggplant in spicy garlic sauce. My toddler loves the food here and eats the fish cube with bean dish and seasonal vegetables, which are both not spicy. I would skip the Dan Dan noodles and anything with the "red oil," which are on the greasy side and less flavorful. The crab meat and asparagus soup was also lackluster and tasted like the base is from a ready made packet. The chestnut chicken stew was salty. If craving dry pot, I would opt for somewhere in Chinatown instead. We haven't had their drinks and never have room to try their desserts, although their crepe cakes always look so good. This is a solid choice if you are in the M-K-T area!

Photos
Mala Sichuan Bistro - Interior

Interior

Mala Sichuan Bistro - Mala Beef Tendon

Mala Beef Tendon

Mala Sichuan Bistro - Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce

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Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce

Mala Sichuan Bistro - szechuan - Updated October 2026

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