O MY BUDA ,this food is delicious-the taste of the seafood and vegetables got me hooked on my first and second visits-i will definitely be back there maybe 3 times next week,lol...i love that food!!!! read more

My favorite chinese place in Austin. Best fried dumplings in town, egg rolls and great crab rangoon. Highly recommended this restaurant in Austin. read more

If u like authentic sichuan food, this is the best place in austin to get them. Beef yonan noodle, shredded pork in garlic sauce, pork intestine fire pot, pork with dry bean curd and chives, cumin lamb or beef, all dry pots r good, hot pot has many ingredients to choose from, water spinach or pea leaves with garlic, hot & spicy beef, spicy beef fillet, jumping fish fillet, cold dish combination, spicy &sour lotus root, fried chicken wings, anything spicy is good, but they r really spicy, so tell them if u only want a little spicy. read more

If you are looking for great Sichuan, this is the place. I'm originally from LA and I've had a hard time finding good Chinese food. The Mala beef, twice cooked pork & stir fried green beans are my go to order. The customer service is amazing! We stopped by Sichuan river before a movie and they kept our leftovers in the refrigerator until the movie let out, even after close! I highly recommend you try Sichuan River for delivery or dine in. read more

Best restaurant in Austin! I am vegetarian and can't get enough of the green beans, mapo tofu, mushrooms with bok choy, homestyle tofu, etc... read more

Great, authentic Sichuan Chinese food in South Austin! As rare as it is good. Really like the Mongolian Beef, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, and anything that is a Sichuan dish. Recommend going with a group of 4-8, so you can order more food and try more things. read more

***STAY AWAY*** Sad how our favorite place (last 18 years) has gone downhill the last couple of years. Today was the last straw. we've been calling and calling on the phone several days trying to get through, busy, busy busy. so we finally drive up there to place and order and tell the lady about the phone - she pulls the phone out of her pocket and pushes a button - click - and the phone starts ringing off the hook. I have seen this trick when employees working late didnt want to answer the phone - and I let her know about it. She just stared at me and said " well the owners dont care". I asked for the owners name and phone so i could call to complain and she refused to give it. saying the owners are vacationing in new York until January. So after suffering through the last year of bad service like this over and over, we are throwing in the towel. Used to be a great place when the previous owners had it, but now the absentee owners and the bad employees have run it into the ground. Adios sichuan, time to find a new Chinese place. Horrible service and mediocre food. read more

Really tasty Sichuan Chinese food. Love Sichuan chili oil. Try the beef dry pot you'll love it. A lot of adventurous options. Dan dan noodles are good. Best chinese in South Austin read more

The food is five star if you get the right items, I noticed the waiter ladling out hot and sour soup from the lunch buffet set up for a to go order and this was late in the evening. The waiter was not very interested in making us happy to say the least. The ambiance of the restaurant was of something that's been there for years and not kept up, the booth we sat at was falling apart. They moved into an existing Chinese restaurant and very little or nothing when they moved in. What we ordered was excellent but if we eat there again it will be take out. read more

We were excited by the positive reviews on Yelp and decided to check this place out. This was without a doubt the saltiest meal I've ever had in my life. We won't be back. read more

Nice place though nothing fancy that's tucked in an older strip center. Menu has excellent choices from a wide range of specialties. Waiter and other staff attentive without being obtrusive. Most importantly the food is stellar on the 3-4 times I've gone there. Definitely one of the widest selections for a Chinese menu on the south edge of Austin. read more

I absolutely love this place. Their take-out is quick with large portions. The employees are very courteous and patient when it comes to answering questions. Best item: beef on a stick!!! read more

My friend really wanted to get their dry pot so we came here. Their dry pot is not that dry. It's also a bit sour. I liked their green beans and their spicy and sour lotus root. Their chongqing fried chicken didn't taste authentic enough. It was breaded, which is not typical for chongqing chicken. read more

Don't go there. I got very horrible food poisoning from their food. The fish I ordered was not fresh at all. They covered it with spicy sauce, so you won't notice at first, until you get food poisoning. read more

Not bad, not great. The menu has a lot of options but not overwhelming. We ordered sesame chicken, dry pot beef, and Singapore street noodles. Our dishes came with a big bowl of rice. We split the three dishes between 4 people and had plenty of leftovers. The dry pot was recommended by The Eater, and it was definitely sichuan because it was spicy! The service was quick and friendly, with someone filling our drinks when they were low. I've had better Chinese food so it wasn't my favorite but it wasn't sketchy and gross, so I would recommend if you're in the area and wanting Chinese. read more

Spicy lamb was cooked well, but so over saturated with greasy cumin my mouth went numb after being coated with the stuff. Was very happy to see water spinach on the menu but disappointed in that dish as well. It was OK here but I'm used to Din Ho's more flavorful sauce. Not very impressed. Will probably not try again. read more

They got stars for having an interesting menu but the food was very one dimensional around the core flavor ingredient e.g. cumin lamb was simply lamb in cumin which is ok but needed some kind of seasoning other than salt to balance the taste. Same goes for the pork in chilli oil, its pork in an oil soup but included celery which was over powering. The egg roll was bland and the dipping sauce cheap tasting. The dumplings also seemed cheap as the meat was like a tightly packed meatball but not in a good way. Overall the place lacks ambiance and the only I went was on the strength of the unusual menu items but the flavors lacked balance and ultimately let the place down. read more

So far in my 31 years on this planet my greatest achievement has been finding my way to Sichuan River and masochistically swimming around like a dolphin in plates full of jumping fish, mala tenderloin, garlic eggplant and Sichuan lamb. I party. I have not been married or had the birth of a child, I have however lived a full life and am thankful for the noodles, tender egglplant and mouth numbing umami flavors that only Sichuan River's sweet meats can provide. I have a mother, father and sister who love me dearly, I can only hope that one day they too will be able to attack a glistening plate of cold, spicy marinated beef and tendon whilst in preparation for a literal vat of Sichuan life nectar about to be bestowed unto them. After my time is done here, I can only hope that more people will have the epiphany that comes when you finally close your eyes and a heaping plate of pork elbow is placed in front of you, tickling your nose with wisps of spicy indoor air and as the cumin and fiery peppers tango in your nasal and for a brief moment you awake, lucid, staring down from atop the dismal wesgate shopping-center at the mortal coils sitting below entranced at the sight of a beautifully braised pork elbow gently orbing above a mountain of dried chilies and chopped green onion all pulsing around the plate like decadent cherubim. I am moved to special order a set of chopsticks, forged from interplanetary elements in the mouth of an active volcano, the ironsmith dangling from ropes made of medieval molten silver blessed by Ronnie James Dio himself while ever-chanting monks encircle the base of the smoldering mountain, keeping everwatch. Like a the sword of a legendary Samurai, light shall never touch the blade of my chopstick unless blood is to be drawn, and by blood I mean toasted chili oil. I will have a special satchel made, assembled from the pelts of animals long extinct and will wear it on my belt so that I am always ready, at a moments notice, to attack the River. The Sichuan River. I'd like to thank everyone in my life that helped me get here. I couldn't have done it without you guys and I am so thankful and humbled. In this short life, I have done many things with many people and some of you have have plunged headfirst into piles of steaming Singapore noodles letting a faint hint of curry smoke roll off your furrowed brow with me, others have dominated endless plates of succulent, velvety, hand-made dumplings and perfectly balanced Chinese black vineagar sauces. Still few of you have sat with me, scared, trembling, weeping and screaming as mango smoothies, eggdrop soup, sour pig trotter and garlic snowpea leaves have careened over the table like the invading Hun armies once took over parts of Southern Mongolia, leaving villages pillaged and burned to the ground (much like the plates of whole Sichuan fish that we devastated in late July). I hope that one day, we can all meet again, hand in hand and sit down for one last round of mouth numbing Sichuan donkey-punch, mess-up your whole week spiciness and emerge into the daylight like an 8 hour stripclub bender screaming like the last scene in Braveheart....FOR WESTGATE SHOPPPING CENTER WILL RUN RED WITH THE SPICY SESAME OIL OF THE NONBELIEVERS.....FOR ONE DAY, TOGETHER WE SHALL HUNT AGAYN. Seriously though, do any of you guys want to go to Sichuan River? Like now? read more

Strangely enough they don't know the recipe for food on their menu!? The Mongolian beef was totally incorrect. I'm not going to say it was bad I'm just saying steak and onions doesn't make a meal "Mongolian beef" the bubble tea I would not recommend and the dumplings were not cooked all the way through so they went to waste I'm not risking food poisoning over $7. I wouldn't recommend. read more

Outstanding Mala Beef and even better Sizzling Lamb. Service is wonderful and friendly. For a delightful twist, try their jumping fish and garlic eggplant dishes. On an unrelated note, I don't think I'd like Phyllis K. as a lunch or dinner companion. She seems a bit touched. read more

Tired this place today for the first time. I order take out. Food was super bland, veggies didn't feel fresh specially the mushrooms (which felt slimy). Vegetable lo mein barely had any veggies and the pasta was super over cooked. They serve a ton of food but I can see why, low quality tries to compensate with more quantity. It was so bad I won't give it a second chance. read more

We drive from San Marcos to come eat out here! It is our favorite Chinese place in the area. The flavors are amazing. The service is wonderful, too. read more

I usually like going to this restaurant, however service last night was horrible. I used their online ordering system for take out and was told that my food would be ready in 15 - 20 minutes. When we arrived at the restaurant to pick up our food at 5:50, I approached the staff about my online order and they told me that it would be ready in a few minutes. I noticed my order on the counter top, so I know they had received my order before I arrived at the restaurant. 10 minutes passed and we still did not have our food. I approached the staff again and tried to give them my confirmation number to check on the status of my food. Mid-conversation they walked away from me. Three take-out orders were filled and one group was seated during the time I was there. I approached the staff again. I was then informed that they tried to call me to tell me that they were out of something I wanted. I checked my phone...they called me at 6:18 pm. At that time, I had been physically waiting in the restaurant for a full 30 minutes. We ended up finally getting our food at 6:45. After all of this, they did not offer to comp us any portion of the meal. There were many times when they could have corrected the situation, and yet they did nothing. We were the only ones waiting there for so long. To top it off, the dish I ordered vegetarian came with pork in it. I have never received such poor quality service at this restaurant and was very disappointed. read more

One the best places in Austin to find authentic Chinese food. It's surprisingly hard to find good authentic Chinese food in Austin but Sichuan river had delicious Chinese food as well as some American-Chinese favorites. Highly recommend! read more

Food is authentic and amazing. Dry pot chicken has so many flavors. No need to add extra spice. It will be a staple in my diet especially in South Austin. read more

Memory is a funny thing in Austin, even or maybe especially when it comes to restaurants. Sometimes even the most neophilic diner runs into a situation that hits all their mental anti-change buttons and activates a Good Old Days rant. Sichuan River is tucked away in a modest commercial center behind Sap's and Buffet Palace, quietly replacing Tien Jin a few months ago. I'd been going to Tien Jin since I was a child. Our house was less than half a mile away, and Tien Jin's straightforward take on Americanized Chinese food set my expectations for what Chinese food should be like, "authenticity" be damned. Over the years of my childhood I probably ate there a hundred times, despite Buffet Palace eventually appearing right across the parking lot, because Tien Jin was it. So I was sad to see Tien Jin gone, even if Sichuan River came highly recommended, even if Yelp loved it, even if they had upscaled and regionalized and authenticized everything. I love trying new food, regional Chinese cuisine included, but sometimes you just want some lemon chicken with steamed white rice in the same restaurant that's been in the same place with the same food and the same owners since the mid-80s, you know? Nevertheless, figuring that the new place deserved a shot, I swallowed my memories and checked out Sichuan River. I went with my parents on Saturday for a late lunch. Despite there being few servers for many tables, we got seated quickly and had our order taken straightaway. We got: - 3 egg rolls, $4.50. Nothing fancy, not the highest Value Over Replacement Egg Roll I've ever seen, but they got the job done. - Large hot & sour soup, $5. Delicious, the broth was a little less viscous than many places do it and the sour had a great tang to it. - Spicy fish fillet, $13. Oh man. I got this vast vat of soft white fish fillets in spicy red oil and it was more than enough for all 3 of us. I could not get enough of this dish; highly recommended. - Squid in salt & pepper sauce, $13. The SF21 is normally squid in a white sauce, but my mom is not a fan of spice so the server recommended that she get the squid prepared like the salt & pepper shrimp in SF17. This was a good move, as the seasoning was delicious and the squid's texture was awesome, much less rubbery than many places' calamari. - General Tso's chicken, $10. The classic done well. Obviously a laughable order if you're wanting anything vaguely Sichuan/Szechuan/Szechwan, but if you want the archetypal non-Chinese Chinese dish this place does it right. So all told for 3 people our meal was just under $50 before tip, and all the food was phenomenal, definitely recommended for anyone south of the river who wants higher-quality Chinese food. Their lunch specials looked quite reasonable as well - most were $7 or $8, even for shrimp dishes. And, for those also concerned about their memories of the late lost lamented Tien Jin, it looks like the new owners didn't bother to replace the old art on the walls or get rid of the fish tank, so you can still relive your memories of their former incarnation. The fish tank is oddly empty though, perhaps awaiting new fish for new memories. Sometimes that's a better idea than living in the past. read more

I just ate the absolute worst meal of my entire life. I don't Think it is possible that I will ever eat something worse. I was literally running out of the door I was so happy to never have to be in that place again. The food was past inedible. The dumplings came straight from a freezer bag and were definitely just microwaved before brought to our table. They were however the only thing we had that didn't make me want to vomit. The noodles we got were literally mouth numbing. I thought I could make my experience better by ordering a cup of egg drop soup. I mean how can you go wrong with egg drop soup? This was the absolute worst thing I had ever smelled or tasted. The taste was absolutely indescribable. I think they used dirty dishwater for the base of the soup. I did not touch it so they offered to bring me a different kind of soup. Surely both of them can't be terrible. The wonton soup was even worse. I pulled the first wonton out of the bowl and when it came a nice long black hair. It has been a few hours since we left and I still want to throw up. I am going to have to go on a cleanse after eating here. read more

I am not one to Yelp, but the sweet tastes of the Sichuan inspired me to write my first review. Sichuan River is not just a restaurant; it's a culinary experience. The dishes are filled with a symphony of complex flavors that even the Chengdu Moonlight Orchestra would be blown away by. The service is top notch too: the waiter is attentive and funny and keeps me and my friends coming back. Some suggestions. The Mala Beef (hot version) -- great spice, more flavor profiles than I can count, and tender beef, can't go wrong! The Sizzling Lamb -- imagine Chinese fajitas with more flavor and no tortillas, dank! The Sichuan Style Chicken (fried) -- my personal favorite, crispy nugs of delight, with a healthy dash of cumin and chiles that will make your tongue tingle and taste buds thank you. Garlic Eggplant -- sweet and velvety, this dish serves as the perfect complement to any meal, a true display of the chef's versatility. Jumping Fish -- a subtle dish, perhaps the yin to the Mala Beef's yang, the fish with melt in your mouth, with a generous helping of scallions playing best supporting actor. I encourage all to jump on board and take a ride down the Sichuan River. It's an adventure you won't regret. Side note: I find Pyllis K.'s post off the mark, if not offensive. How rude! read more

My only regret upon moving downtown from northwest Austin was leaving behind Asia Cafe and A+A--both offering Sichuan cuisine at its finest. While central Austin is vibrant with many culinary delights, it is a 30-minute drive from authentic Chinese food. Or so I thought. When pressed for a lunch recommendation, I don't typically suggest "the place sandwiched between the pet hospital and the hearing aid store." Naturally I came to Sichuan River with muted expectations. The entrance will lend credence to your worst fears. Dingy carpets are obscured by walls with flaking black paint. Your eyes are immediately drawn to an obese goldfish whiling away the rest of his depressing life in an unenthusiastically adorned aquarium. The dining room is no more impressive. Collectively, the decor could be purchased for $20 at a Chinatown flea market. Even so, the space is surprisingly inviting, no doubt aided by a friendly staff. And if you are particular about where you sit, at Sichuan River you can have your pick. (I recommend a table with a lazy susan--always a plus at a family style restaurant.) At this point in your eating experience, you are girding yourself for some average food, over-sauced, and a stale fortune cookie with a staler fortune. But at Sichuan River, this is when the magic begins. Other reviewers detail their favorite dishes, and I agree with all of them. But instead of telling you my favorite, I suggest you put your order in the able hands of the wait staff. Tell them generally what you want, and they will deliver it. My last trip cemented this restaurant's place in my heart. My 95-year-old grandma was visiting from Mainland China. "Nana," I said, "I have just the place for us to eat." She doesn't talk much anymore, but her face dripped with skepticism. When we were about to leave, I asked her what she thought of the food. She paused a second, then lifted her frail thumb--arthritic and crooked from a lifetime in the kitchen. If only I could give a sixth star. read more

A couple weeks ago, I had a dish that is mixed with cold beef and I told my server that the meat has went bad. I only had a couple of pieces of them. The owner of the restaurant has told me that I having a problem about my taste. Then we get in to a argument. The replaced meet was just out of fridge and it was really cold. I left after I paid without any apologies about the meal and she was keep on fighting back about their food was alright. I don't know what went wrong but I caught bad food poison for a week. It is just disgusting service and the food is so gross!!!!!! read more

After the first time I ate here, I have constantly CRAVED it. My go-to is the Sichuan fried chicken dish (chef's recommendation section on the menu) and snow pea leaves, which are made with chopped garlic. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I have been countless times and always love the food. It's my favorite Asian restaurant in Austin, hands down. I'm especially happy it is in South Austin. read more

Great food. Edge over other Sichuan places in town. Some items are bit pricier ($1-$2), but well worth it - more substantial, better quality. (Hey, Asia Cafe - stop lining the bottom of your plates/bowls with lettuce/cabbage/onions and covering them up with a thin layer of meat.) Also smart enough to keep TJ's pipa tofu on the menu. -1 star for waitress. Surly. And I know surly (cf Asia Cafe above). This is a different ballpark. And not just to us - everyone. Happened on multiple visits. Needs major attitude makeover. It's not about being a 'nice person.' It's your job. It's part of being professional. Makes us not want to go back, or as often. There are other Sichuan joints with comparable food and much more courteous service, and I'm sure many are happy to take her job, if she thinks she's overeducated. Tried talking to owner woman, but she was busy during several attempts. Owner is super nice. read more

We really wanted to like this place. Austin needs more authentic Chinese restaurants (dim sum please) and the reviews of this place were encouraging. Ma La Beef: Nary a Sichuan peppercorn to be found and no chili oil. Decent flavor despite lacking essential Sichuan spices, but presentation was really lacking. Putting 3 small pieces of cilantro on top of the very bland looking beef wasn't very appealing... Hot Spicy Beef: Wow, how can you be so stingy with bok choy and cabbage? There were 2 small pieces of bok choy and a few small pieces of cabbage to accompany a very meager serving of beef. The flavor and consistency of the the dish was ok, but it was once again lacking in Sichuan Spices. Chong Qing Ma La Chicken: I would not consider this to be a Sichuan dish at all. It was good for a Hunan dish but completely lacked Hua Jiao and other signatures of Sichuan cooking. It was the best of the dishes that we ordered, but not good enough to come back for. Post note for Sichuan River Folks: For Customers, the last impression of the restaurant being stingy with to-go containers is not the way you want customers to remember their experience. We asked for 3 containers ( we had 3 dishes and rice) to go and the lady actually wanted to argue about it and then brought 2 containers and insisted that we combine 2 dishes in one small container... just bad business and was the final straw that will keep Sichan Garden off of our go-to restaurant list. Hoping that this was just an off day but until much water passes under South Congress, we won't be going back. read more

Very disappointing. Came in here with high hopes and left still looking for decent Chinese food in Austin. The search continues...

This place has gone way down hill since the fall first time I had it. The good points: prompt service, friendly. The bad points: the food tasted terrible, ordered Kung pao chicken and it was bland, the vegetables tasted old. Finally, before I left I noticed several cockroaches on the ground. Thoroughly disgusting. I wish I didn't have to write this but I was incredibly disappointed in my experience. read more

Best Chinese we've had in Austin. We had the Orange Beef, Sautéed Green Beans, General Tso's Chicken, and Hunan Shrimp. Everything came out quick and tasted great. read more

We have been waiting for almost 10 years to have a really great Asian restaurant in South Austin. Tonight we decided to go and check this place out and I'm so glad that we did! We decided to try several Szechuan dishes. Typically for good Szechuan we go north to Asia Café, and we're always really pleased with the food there, so we weren't sure if this place could top it. It did. We asked for some suggestions from the staff, who were very sweet and accommodating. We had Mapo tofu, cumin lamb, a cold tripe dish, and these amazing green beans,. Every menu item we tried tonight was excellent, and we are very picky about food quality, seasoning, in preparation. We will definitely return! read more

It was Chinese New Year and I just got back from a Half Marathon out of town and had zero motivation to slave over a stove. Ordered via Yelp Eat24.Delivery was as promised. Food was okay. We ordered Baby Bok choy in garlic sauce - this was cooked perfectly. Also ordered pan fried noodles and salt and pepper shrimp which were both very disappointing. read more

I eat here probably once a week. I love their fish with soft tofu. Nice atmosphere, no fuss solid tasty traditional food, reasonably priced, and right by the nice movie theater! read more

Not anywhere near what Austin calls Chinatown but this is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Austin. It's deep down south but It serves my favorite cuisine, Sichuan. I've been satisfied with every dish but my favorites are the spicy Sichuan chicken nuggets, cumin lamb, dan dan mien (not on the menu), and spicy pig ears. Oh and any fish fillet dish will please me. The portions of the dishes are quite large too. You are getting your money's worth here. The service is great, they've got to know us too and help us try out new dishes. The restaurant is an older Asian restaurant so no crazy fancy decor; it's kind of dark and plain, but it has the best Sichuan in Austin. read more