Excellent food! Authentic Chinese cuisine with an imaginative twist. The waiter was attentive and accommodating to our 5 year old daughter who was not in the best mood. read more

I have now made it to six Peter Chang restaurants in the DMV! When I was looking through the menu I must have missed that it was a Peter Chang restaurant. I only saw food items that looked really good. It wasn't until I saw the bubble pancake did I realize. So of course we ordered the bubble and bento to begin. Loved the variety in the bento box and wished that it came with at least two of the soup dumplings, siu mai, and har gow. You just can't share a soup dumpling! We ordered the chow fun and salt and pepper shrimp. This was the perfect amount of food for the two of us. The chow fun will always be my favorite childhood noodle dish. The shrimp was nice and crispy. And for any non-alcoholic drinkers out there, they have a lychee drink which was very refreshing. My only complaint is that with a party of seven, we were told that there was a $20 deposit per person for a reservation. Our reservation was for the non-busy hour of 4:30 p.m. I can understand large parties of say 20 or more in which you will be taking up a good portion of the restaurant but this policy is a first for me. Parking is available in the paid garage on the same block. read more

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This is just weekend brunch experience. If you're looking for traditional dim sum, this may not be the place for you. The menu features many deep-fried items, and some dishes did not seem freshly made. While there are several types of dumplings, a closer look at the menu shows that many share similar fillings or wrappers, offering limited variety. We appreciated our server's honesty. We were interested in ordering the bento box, but he explained that it would take much longer because the kitchen was focused on brunch service and the chef would need to stop other tasks to prepare it. Overall, the prices seem to reflect the location more than the food, and the restaurant feels more like an Asian fusion spot. Most like for typical American. read more

Popped in for dinner after an event nearby. No reservation but we were able to be seated right away. The restaurant had a back section that looked like it could be used as a separate party room and more booths and table in the front. Our server was good. He checked in with us frequently and made sure to keep us informed on our food status after taking our order. We tried the scallion bubble pancake, walnut shrimp, Mr Zhangs red braised pork belly, and beef chow fun. The bubble pancake was fun and had a good crunch and served with like a curry dip sauce. I would say if you get this, you should eat it first/soonest since i enjoyed it more at first bite while it was hot. The walnut shrimp was good, the shrimps were the smaller ones that were an easy way to snack. The braised pork belly was so tender. It reminded me of char siu, flavor wise, as long as you're ok with the pork belly (aka fatty pieces). Beef chow fun was good. They used nice wide noodles that were cooked well, not too soft, and had good onions, bean sprouts, and other veggies. I would come back try other things! read more

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I took my family to Ni Hao to celebrate my sister's birthday. Ni Hao offers tapas style small dishes of a variety of Chinese foods. I tried something from most sections of the menu. Overall, the food was good. We really liked the sesame noodles, walnut shrimp, dumplings and bubble pancake. The service was just okay. The waiters were not very helpful at times. And the individual plates for food were very tiny, which made trying a bunch of different shared plates difficult. We asked for larger plates to eat off of, and they did bring those for us. I'd probably give this experience a 3.5/5, but I'll round up. The food was pretty good and the food came out quickly. The best thing we tried was the walnut shrimp. read more

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They have an all you can eat menu for $35 on Saturday & Sunday from 11-3pm which all four us had. Some of what we had to drink/eat: *crazy rich asian *you are the apple of my eye *bubble pancake *chili wonton *bbq pork dumplings *walnut bun *dried fried green beans *egg & scallion fried rice read more

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Ambiance: clean open seating Service: our waiter was great but it got slow once people came in for brunch. I think there were only 2-3 servers. Food: we came for the $35 all you can eat Brunch Dim Sum. I thought the food was good (average). Standouts were the bubble pancake, soup dumplings, fried fish and green beans. My friends were a lot less critical. I grew up eating dim sum in Chicago and they have a much larger Chinatown so the dim sum were amazing there. We went on Sunday because I saw an IG reel saying you can get Peking duck on Sundays but it was not included in the $35 Brunch. Definitely a great deal in the DMV and there were no time limits like a lot of other restaurants. read more

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Dude. Go here! 5 Stars - Nihao Crystal City Delivers Like a Vancouver Favourite, But Better As a discerning Vancouverite who's chased the best dim sum and cocktails from Kits to Chinatown, Nihao in Crystal City stopped me in my tracks. Their happy hour is an absolute steal: two items for $13. The lightly fried dumplings were perfectly crisp and kid-approved (mine devoured them), while the salt & pepper shrimp were so addictive we ordered second servings--twice. Must note :::::::::: amazing Bartender Arthur is a true virtuoso; his exquisite cocktails and elixirs are works of art that outshine most spots back home. The sweet decor and gleaming jade stone tiles make the space feel quietly luxurious, and the bento box fed two hungry teenagers plus one adult without breaking a sweat. Vegan options shine, especially the crispy Brussels sprouts and cabbage dishes. Oh, and the spicy menu is bold--though fair warning: the Mobo tofu is no joke (nuclear-level heat). They kindly removed it from our tab with zero fuss, a class act. Only ding? No military discount, for a veteran and his active duty partner which is surprising this close to the Pentagon where everyone else offers one. Flawless execution. Book it. Thank me later. Tchauzihno read more

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Tapas-style small plate Chinese restaurant with a bunch of delicious options from Chef Peter Chang I came here for dinner with my fiance on a Friday night. I really enjoyed to food and the service was very fast as well. It is a little loud inside however read more

We were in the mood for shared plates so we went all in on the tapas. Their portions are VERY generous so keep that in mind when ordering. We ordered: Dry fried eggplant - excellent, light crispy batter, spicy Uighur noodles - ok, my least favorite Walnut shrimp - delicate flavor, light crispy batter Mala pork rib and fries - very flavorful, spicy Scallion Bubble pancake - light and fun, comes with mild curry sauce, not too oily And my husband, who didn't want to share, ordered; Spicy garlic eggplant - very tasty Twice fried pork belly - I didn't taste this but my husband seemed to enjoy it! The servers were friendly but not overbearing. The restaurant is small and simply decorated. Music was unobtrusive and the space wasn't terribly loud. I had a Barbie Negroni and it was delicious - perfect balance of floral and sweet with a lychee fruit to top it off. We'll be back! read more

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Green is my favorite color and NiHao is full of it in tile form. Walk inside and the space is simple and green. Sit down, open the menu, and you'll find many options from small plates to mains to dessert. To feed my buddy and I, we ordered the cucumbers, dan dan noodles, sesame beef, kung pao chicken, and cabbage. Every dish was full of flavor, but the winners were the cucumbers, cabbage, and sesame beef. We left full. The cocktails were not bad too! Enjoying more sweet and sour cocktails, the Shadow was perfect. My friend who enjoys more stiff drinks found the Fallen Angels good. read more

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I was in town for the week. I find the food in Nova to be not very good. I was craving Asian noodles and didn't want to go beyond Pentagon/Crystal City which limited my options. I chose Ni Hao based on the reviews. I wasn't expecting much, but unfortunately, the beef chow fun didn't meet my expectations. Other than salt and soy sauce, the noodles didn't have much flavor. It was very greasy, the shine in the photo reflects the grease. The beef was tender and there was a generous amount. What bothered me the most was the restaurant didn't pack a napkin. At least they did include chopsticks. That's it, no other sauces, it wasn't even offered. I've done takeout at other restaurants and some don't include silverware nor napkins. I don't understand??!! At least, ASK! I regret leaving a 20% tip... Tip: For pick up, check your bag for silverware and napkins before you leave. read more

NiHao - Stir-Fried Beef Chow Fun. Restaurant didn't include any napkins with take out order. :( - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Beautiful atmosphere and a great variety of items on their menu. The service was timely and the staff were very nice and accomodating. The prices on the menu were very reasonable and we loved that it consisted of smaller plates so that you can try a lot! We did not feel overly stuffed walking out of there nor did we feel like we didnt get the best bang for our buck. It is a really well balanced place for price and how much food you get. Not to mention the food was delicious! The only critique I have is that while the mala pork & fries were phenomenal it only came with about three fries. However both the beef and the pork ribs were extremely tender! Highly recommend, we will definitley come back! read more

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Service: We came to NiHao Chinese for dim sum for two and did not have a reservation, so we were seated outdoors. Thankfully the weather was nice, and we were seated and attended to quickly. The waiter was helpful in walking us through the all you can eat option and even suggested a few dishes, which made ordering easy. Taste: At $32 per person, the all you can eat dim sum was absolutely worth it. Every dish came out hot, well flavored, and delicious. The pork belly, duck spring rolls, and spare ribs were standout favorites. You could really taste the freshness and quality in each bite. Ambiance: Even though we sat outside, the atmosphere was still enjoyable and comfortable. The restaurant seems great for both small and large groups, especially if you want to try a variety of dishes at once. Overall Review: NiHao delivered a delicious and seamless dim sum experience. The service was quick, the flavors were authentic and bold, and the all you can eat option is a great deal. I will definitely be back! read more

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Ordered for delivery but it came very hot and packed nicely! Mapo tofu - more floral than spicy but still has a nice lightly building kick. The sauce itself is more on the oily side and you have to make sure to stir each time to get the full flavor. Tofu itself is very soft and silky 3 Xiao long bao - already broken and skin is pretty thick. Not the worst, there is some soup but I feel like it also melted a bit weirdly with the meat. 2.5 Chongqing spicy chicken - not bad, more Szechuan numbing floral favors than actual spice 2.5/5 Kungpao chicken - slightly spicy and pretty decent 2.5/5 read more

NiHao - Mapo Tofu - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My friend and I came in just wanting something quick and ended up blown away by the egg scallion fried rice. Super flavorful, perfectly cooked, and that simple combo just hits different here. You can tell they actually care about the food, not just pumping it out. Definitely one of those spots I keep coming back to. 5 stars easy. Side note If you never had duck you're missing out read more

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Second time here. Love it. Small plates. Very good service. Nice space. Tried the Kung Pao Chicken, Dry-Fried Green Beans, and Kung Pao Cauliflower. All 3 we were so very good. I loved the green beans and cauliflower. The chicken was good but could have had more kick. I'd be happy ordering all 3 next time. Underground parking looks easy but I got lucky with street parking. read more

While on a recent trip to Virginia I was able to try NiHao. I showed up on Valentine's Day and the place was very busy. While I did not have a reservation, they were able to get me seated right away at the bar. The bartender was very professional and got me a menu and a glass of water very quickly. I was dining alone, so didn't want a huge portion so I appreciated the small plates on the menu. The items arrived one at a time, which is perfect. The dan dan noodles were my favorite dish of the three. They had just the right amount spice without being too much. The barbecue pork buns were my second favorite. These were light and airy with still a good bit of meat inside. Finally, the chili wontons would be my third. Of the three dishes, I would not order this one again. The sauce that was on the top left a bad taste in my mouth. If you are in the area, you should for sure stop in and give them a try. read more

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For some sad reason, we are o for three for Peter Chang restaurants.  We never seem to have a good experience and Ni Hao, unfortunately proved the same.  Whereas we normally have an issue with the bland taste of the food, this dinner the biggest problem beyond not really enjoying most of what we sampled, was the service.  It was virtually nonexistent.  We were a table of six so not an unsubstantial bill (though how large the bill/tip will be shouldn't really have an impact).  Our server was very helpful at the start in suggesting dishes to choose.  After that - poof - gone!  The helper who brought the dishes dumped them all on the table without even saying which dishes they were.  I don't need a long explanation, but when you order several shrimp dishes for example, it is nice to know which is which.  We asked for serving spoons when the plates were dumped and they never came.  Worse than that, the table was never bussed.  Dirty dishes (as this is a tapas style small plates concept - there are a lot of dishes) kept piling up.  No one ever came to take them away.  We kept looking around and no one would catch our eye or come by.  Finally, I started stacking dirty dishes in piles four plates high at one end of the table.  It was pretty gross.  This is enough to ensure that we don't return.  We also found the food to be very oily, which several people have mentioned, with the exception of the noodles which were really dry.  One of the dumplings was so dense it was hard to chew.  That was a new and unpleasant experience.  All in all, extremely disappointing.  One more small odd thing to mention is the glasses for cocktails. Two of our drinks came in these huge very, very heavy goblets. They were awkward to lift up and to hold and we're in good shape if we do say so ourselves. I don't understand why they are being used. Three strikes and we're out - we will not be trying again. read more

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A gem in Arlington serving delicious Chinese food! Chef Peter Chang has many restaurants and is a famous Chinese Cuisine Chef. I've been here twice now and am very happy with the food. We got lots of tapas to share and it's hard to pick a favorite. There are so many delicious one! Overall the dishes are a little salty and greasy but that's kinda of what you sign up for going out to eat. The dishes came out fast. Servers were nice. Had to make some requests twice but they brought what we asked for. There were a lot of fruit flies inside when I came for the second time in June. Would recommend they address that. Now onto the food: Pig Ears - 10/10 tasted delicious and very authentic. We had to request this dish the most recent time we went because they told me they took it off the menu a few weeks ago but will put it back on if enough people request it!! They also took the Fuqi Feipian (Couple's Delight) which is a traditional SiChuan dish back. Let's request it back and try something authentically Chinese next time you visit! Dry-Fried Eggplant 4/10 too fried and battered, recommend getting the stir fried eggplant instead which is more authentic Dry-Fried Green Beans - 10/10 flavorful, crispy and crunchy Mapo Tofu - 7.5/10 It's vegetarian and pretty good Stir-fried Brussels Sprouts - 8/10 Asian flavors and nice char Dry Pot Chili Shrimp - 7.5/10 I would prefer the shrimp not to be battered I liked the flavor though and that they included lotus root Stone Pot Tofu Fish - 8/10 authentic dish and maybe the most spicy dish we ordered. Fish was tender and came out boiling in a stone pot. Sichuan Style Beef with Green Onions - 7/10 Peter Chang's Peking Duck - 9.5/10 As good as nice duck houses here. Not as good as China. Mr Zhang's Red-Braised Pork Belly - 8/10 tasty, classic soy sauce flavor with a slight sweetness Wood Ear Mushroom Salad - 9/10 crisp, light, flavorful Tofu Skin Salad - 9/10 Mild and refreshing. Good break from the spice. Shanghai Soup Dumplings - 9/10 Classic pork flavor, lots of soup inside Garlic Cucumber Salad - 7/10 the avocado and wasabi is different, makes it "creamier" but I prefer the classic spicy cucumber salad served at other Chinese restaurants Sichuan Style Beef with Green Onions - 7/10 too many green onions, not enough beef also the beef tasted like they used too much corn starch Sichuan Dan Dan noodles - 6/10 Served cold, thin noodles, get the Wuhan noodles instead Peter's Chili Wontons 4/10 did not like these tasted like shumai in chili oil Wuhan Sesame Noodles - 10/10 as expected since Peter Chang is from Wuhan Hot and Sour Soup - 6/10 a little too thick and not enough flavor beyond light spice read more

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Back to Nihao after a while - this time had an early flight from DCA so decided to spend a night in Crystal City so that we could also go to Nihao for dinner - have to say that was an added incentive. Got there early so not too busy although they do tend to like lumping diners together instead of spacing out since there were plenty of room to do so. This time we just wanted a light meal so had hot and sour soup, fried pork dumplings, kungpao cauliflower, dry fried string beans (a must have every time), and dan dan noodles. This turned out to be just right for two people. It always amazes me how fast the food comes and this time was no different, which was great since we were hungry. Again my only gripe was that they don't have the fermented rice cakes for dessert like they do at Mama Chang's. Other than that it's still our favorite restaurant in Crystal City. read more

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The Bottom Line: maybe a 2+ or 3- for takeout through delivery tonight. Although the food arrived fairly quickly, the chingquing chicken had plenty of crunch/fried (yay) but limited flavor. Thr Dan Dan noodles has a lot of spicy heat, but the peanuts tasted and smelled rancid, the walnut shrimp had no pizzaz and these too chewy, and the Peking Duck rolls were...mostly flavorless, and the dry fried eggplant was too breaded and some pieces were hard to chew. Sorry to say Mr. Cheng, this meal was a fail. read more

We felt right at home walking into Nihao. The atmosphere was welcoming and so were the staff. We were seared right away and pretty much knew what we wanted to order based on what we had seen in other's reviews and photos. I opted for the dry fish, and an order of dry fried green beans. Both came out super quick! Like a few minutes quick. My son ordered the Chongqing chicken and Bao buns. The fish was perfect. It was just the right balance of heat and surprisingly I got a hint of cumin flavor HEIC was unexpected and welcomed. It was excellent, and the fish was flaky and perfectly cooked. The green beans were great as well. The onions added a great flavor and they were perfectly cooked and salted. The bao buns were fluffy and stuffed with bbq meat. My son gave them a 10/10 and loved them so much he ordered another order to go! The Chongqing chicken was also excellent. I had a few pieces of it and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. My son felt it was too spicy for him, but that's why it's got three chilis on the menu! It's got lots of flavor though and I will be eating the leftovers later. The waitstaff was excellent and we chatted a bit. He recommended a few other places for us to try while we are visiting here, and I'll be checking those places out too! I loved this place and my 11 year old did too. Highly recommended if you are here in the area. read more

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CHONGQING SPICY CHICKEN - Tender cuts of boneless chicken tossed in a well-seasoned sauce, topped with spring onions. COMBO IRON POT RICE w/BEEF - Served piping hot in a mini caldron. Can be a bit messy because of the brim of the bowl, but otherwise fine. Both meals were flavorful and plated nicely. Minus one star for the poor service. No table manners whatsoever; reaching over food without a pardon is unacceptable. We were ignored several times and rushed even more. The treatment alone is enough to make me not want to go back. __ I eat. @f.hux I thrift. @DCthriftish read more

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This place is great. Tapas-style dishes are quite generously portioned.and allow you to explore wonderful flavors. It lives up to its "bold flavors, small plates" motto. Don't be afraid to listen to your server. Our server. Alise (who doubles as bartender), recommended a few dishes and hit it out of the park. She suggested we try the "dry pot chili shrimp." WOW. Tantalizing, spicy, cumin-forward deliciousness. The osmanthus (flower) sweet and sour ribs were also delicious as were the dry-fried green beans. Good service, nice ambiance, great food. We will definitely be back. read more

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Dinner for 20 people can either be chaos or amazing... somehow ours was both We ordered a ton of food, and while the staff had a hard time figuring out who ordered what, honestly our group couldn't remember either ‍. Despite the madness, the food came out surprisingly fast and everything was delicious. The gin cocktails were incredible -- honestly better than drinks we've had at some really great cocktail bars. We ordered a huge variety of appetizers and entrees, and everyone found something they loved. I ordered the Shanghai soup dumplings and the bento box, and OMG... I'm still thinking about that bento box. It came with the best sampler of appetizers plus a mochi dessert at the end. Such a fun and delicious experience, and I highly recommend ordering it. They seated our large group in a semi-private room, which made the night even better. Parking is street parking only, but it's conveniently close to several hotels. Definitely a spot we'd come back to with a group! read more

NiHao - Bento Box - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

It never fails, I'm going to enjoy my time at NiHoa. Delicious food with mind blowing flavor. Attentive staff that always gives recommendations on the menu. Thoughtful drinks and authentic food. Plenty seating inside and nice vibe. Perfect for family dinner or date! read more

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My wife and I ordered two dishes, kung pao chicken and stone pot tofu fish. Both were excellent. The portions are smaller, but the price has been adjusted accordingly. We both would highly recommend this restaurant for a late snack or a full meal. read more

First time coming here and I really enjoyed it. I attached a list of items we ordered. The Woodear mushroom salad, green beans and spicy garlic eggplant were my favorites. The scallion balloon pancake was unique as I'm used to having it flat, and the curry sauce that came with it was delicious. I came here with friends and we spent a lot of time catching up. Service was excellent and we never felt rushed even though we stayed longer than we should have. read more

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Everything was so good! Honestly anything in the bite size or shared notes area was amazing. Didn't get the chance to try bigger portions but with two people we were full after 5/6 places. What's not shown is the pork buns which were so good as well. Everything comes out piping hot which gives us the impression that everything is pretty much mad to order. Especially the soup dumplings which took about 10/15 mins since they need to steam. The Barbie Negroni was an amazing drink. Favorite things: sweet and sour chicken, Peking duck spring rolls, sesame noodles, soup dumplings read more

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I did not take any pictures because i was with my kids and parents but will definitely be back so forthcoming! Have wanted to try this place for awhile since i like peter chang restaurants and have been to the Baltimore location before. Everything was delicious. We got the 麻辣牛腱, cucumbers, 木耳 wood ear mushroom, scallion bubble cake, half duck, salt and pepper shrimp, the chicken noodle soup, and one of the beef dishes. Portions are smaller/tapas style but reflected in price. Even my cheap ass dad was like not expensive! And it allows you to try more things. My chinese parents liked this place. Last time they were here we went to peking gourmet inn and they got into an argument because they didnt think the other dishes were good. The duck was good but this review is not about them Kid friendly--there are changing tables. My children ate well to the point that my chronically constipated eight month old pooped a log while we were there. The same day i forgot the diaper bag! Fortunately i had a backstop diaper in our center console. Advise this for absent minded parents like myself. Also a great day is doing top golf and then eating here. The area has a lot of great dining options, a tacombi next door and there was a chic fil a AND a coldstone's we passed. There is also a tatte so you know this area has made it!! We parked in the public parking garage that has medical office lobby vibes, and it was free! read more

Dropped by with 2 friends for dinner on a Wednesday night at 5:30pm. Walked in and thought it was a nice upscale but cozy looking restaurant. We were under the impression that there was happy hour until 6 but upon asking the waitress she said "no happy hour currently". Okay .. no reasoning and still shows the mon-fri happy hour menu on the website but okay... Ordered the Chinese odyssey cocktail ($13) and it was delicious. Strong but very well balanced. Do wish it had more quantity wise, but that's fine. Friend had the ni hao 75 and also really liked it. We shared the dry eggplant, dry green beans, Shanghai soup dumplings, yuba tofu salad, garlic cucumber salad, combo iron rice pot, Chongqing chicken, and osmanthus ribs. Everything was really good, except the osmanthus ribs - those were just way too sweet and single-note for us. The eggplant was a stand out. I liked the amount they give per tapa dish - definitely great to share with 3 or more friends. I didn't like the service at all - I had to flag our waitress down every time we needed her. She was just nowhere to be found the whole time from start to finish. If service improves, and they don't lie about having a happy hour menu I'd love to come back since I liked the food so much. read more

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REAL TALK: I was a little hesitant in trying out NiHao, as this is one of Peter Chang's restaurants; didn't really have positive experiences at his other eateries, so I was a bit skeptical. We came here for an early lunch and were seated right away. We ordered: +Shanghai Soup Dumplings - served with vinegar and ginger; the hubs thought this tasted pretty good, considering there were only 3; stated that there was a good amount of soup inside +Shrimp Dumplings - the site's menu states a 'Signature Shrimp & Chive Dumplings', but that were just plain har gows, filled with only shrimp; shrimp could have been more fresh as it had a slightly 'fishy' taste to them +Stir-Fried Beef Chow Fun - with wide noodles; this actually had a nice taste to them and cooked well; don't forget to ask for extra soy sauce and chili oil Note that this is a dim sum/tapas-style, so the portions are of a 'sampling size' and meant to order a number of plates to share. Staff were nice, but could have been more attentive - we had to wait to get refills, the condiments were forgotten, and it took a while to flag down to get our check. Garage and limited metered street parking can be found in the area. +Stir-Fried Beef Chow Fun +inattentive staff read more

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The idea of Asian tapas food is definitely new to me but I'm a SUPER Fan! I loved this place so much. In fact, we took our leftovers home on our flight the next morning because it was just way too good to leave behind! The dry rub fried fish and the spicy eggplant were my absolute favorites. We went pretty late, very close to closing, but it was packed and full of life and the servers were kind to us and didn't rush us. I will literally go out of my way to come back here! read more

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It's Crystal City on a Friday night after my flight was canceled. Usually somewhat quiet from my older memories. I have not been in this area for a while and wow has it changed. There are lots of variety here now and this place is right across from the water park. This place is Chinese tapas with some mains. Super busy and lots of very interesting dishes on the main menu. They do have a seasonal menu and I went for the Bento Box. The Bento Box was outstanding. A smattering of several dishes and look at the photo. Not what you might expect. Eat here. Bring a crowd with a reservation and everyone share a bite of everything. This place is great. read more

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I went there to try their AYCE dim sum, and it turned out really good. I'll definitely go back for their Peking duck. Gratuity included even for a party of 2 people. read more

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Nihao is a perfectly decent restaurant in Crystal City. 3.5 stars rounded up. This was our first visit to Nihao. We were a bit confused because we thought it was located in the store front that has "1500" over the doors. But Nihao wasn't in there. As it turns out its address "1500-F" was several storefronts down from there, located next to the cinema. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that parking in the garage underneath the 1500 block is free on weekends. We love that and will be back to Crystal Drive more often. We came around 1:00pm on a Saturday and the restaurant was only half-filled so we were able to be seated immediately. Our server said that Nihao, a tapas restaurant, recommends 3-5 dishes for two people. As it turns out, the dishes we ordered were more entree sized. So the six tapas we ordered were way too much food and we took half of it home. Prices are reasonable. Service was good, with frequent checkups on us. The exception was at the end of the meal when we waited around 15 minutes for our server to stop by, so we could ask for the check and take-out boxes. We did like how our dishes came out fairly staggered. OK, so on to the food. I said in a review recently that I am persnickety about seasonings. So again, take what I am about to say with several grains of salt. Peter's Steamed Chili wontons with shrimp and pork were okay but tasted a bit exotic to me (hints of five spice?). The Dry-Fried Green Beans had a great texture and were salted just right, but I found their flavors to be very exotic and not especially to my liking. More to liking was the clay pot with oyster sauce. With a mild balanced flavor this dish contained pieces of (breaded and fried beforehand?) white fish and broccoli. The honey walnut shrimp were excellent. I also quite liked the Stir-fried Beef Chow Fun. The Chongqing Spicy Chicken had a good flavor and was not overly spicy, even if half of the dish was slices of dried red chili. A note of caution about the tea: even after steeping for about 5 minutes, the tea in the pot was still extremely hot, scalding hot. read more

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Came here for lunch on a Friday around 1 and the place was filled. Just managed to get a table for 2. A lot of the dishes here are served tapas style, enough for 2-3 people to split per dish. The food was made extremely well and every dish we ordered felt like it had a unique flavor profile that made it stand out against the other dishes. I loved the bok choy specifically. read more

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I've had so many people rave about NiHao and finally decided to try it since it was close by. I think the interior is beautiful and the staff is kind and welcoming. My friend and I came with a list of things we wanted to try and ordered; some of these things were great! BUT some of these things were not ... (The Nots are at the bottom). I would recommend getting the garlic cucumber salad! This is a MUST especially when eating so many fried foods it cuts the greasiness. The Dan Dan noodles, Pork Buns, Red Braised Pork Belly, Walnut Shrimp *Green Beans, and *Fried Eggplant were all good dishes! *The only thing about the veggie dishes that i didn't like was the saltiness. The Cumin Lamb, Guangong beef, and Chongquin chicken were SO SALTY; so much so that we even asked our server about it and she apologized! (we weren't going to send back our food - just genuinely curious if it was because we had gone close to closing, or if it was due to the mala pepper - it was neither, instead it just depended on the chef who was cooking it). Honestly, we should have gotten it remade especially for the amount of food we got. Skip out on the Fried Fish and Chongquing Chicken it's just batter! This too was also salty. Overall, based on the first experience i'm hesitant to come back. Half of the food was OVER SALTED, and straight batter. The price point for the dishes i would say are fair since they are tapa style, but the mains i.e Meats & Fishes missed the mark thus the price did not match the taste in this case. read more

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I was in the mood for some good Chinese food and saw that this option was close to my hotel. The walk was quick and I was able to get seating at the bar right away. I was greeted by the bartender/waiter who was helpful with options and gave me advice on what was good. I ordered and the food came out fresh and delicious. The portions are listed as tapas but can easily feed three people. I had lots of leftovers to save for the following day! This will definitely be a staple for when I visit for work in the future. Great food and excellent service! read more

NiHao - The food - Chinese Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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