I've been here easily a dozen times. It's one of the best NJ Chinese restaurants in NJ. Szechuan, Hunan and, as they put it, American Chinese food is available. It's sort of Flushing very West. Often we are among the few diners who are not Asian. Food is excellent, authentic and reasonable. Yes I said reasonable. Quantities are large and often you take home leftovers for tomorrow. The kitchen is very accommodating to vegetarians, or just don't eat some food like pork and those who want less spicy food. Great dishes - I go with several mostly adventurous eaters so here goes - Cumin Lamb, Dan Dan noodles, Beef and Tripe with Chili Sauce (true confession I love tripe), Hot and Sour soup, Hunan Fried Fish with Spicy Sauce, Hunan Whole Braised Fish and Sichuan Mapo and Sichuan Fried Fish. One absolutely wonderful dish is Eggs with Tomatoes, which is sort of street food in China, as well as in many other cultures. It's simple and delicious. I've taken to making it at home using a New York Times recipe. But don't think the "regular" dishes aren't prepared with the same care and aren't as tasty. They are. The setting is pleasant and they have several tables with Lazy Susans so you can swirl food around. Service is prompt and quick. And if you get a dinner, you get ice cream! read more

Excited for this addition to the local area! Dishes are definitely authentic and tastes pretty good. Restaurant is surprisingly spacious inside and is a good place place to dine in. The service was a bit slower than what I was used to compared to other classic chinese restaurants. My mom wasn't feeling spicy food so we got more a couple non spicy/mild options when we went - so didn't get to try some of their more notable dishes. The mongolian beef and the spicy crispy short ribs were my faves from this visit. Can't wait to try other things on their menu next time! Please note, entrance and parking is in the back after you turn in, not the front. And there's a slight discount if you pay in cash. read more

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Our fourth or fifth time being here and it's been consistently good. Parking and the main entrance are around back. We were seated immediately around 7.30pm on a Saturday night. Restaurant was about 1/3 full. You don't come here for the ambiance, you come for the consistently good Chinese food. Really the only decent Chinese food within a 20 minute drive of South Orange. This time went with the hot and sour soup (always delicious), scallion pancakes, spicy smashed cucumbers, wontons in chili oil, Mongolian beef, and string beans in garlic sauce. About $94 (not including tip) for all of it. We ate about half and will be able to have a full second dinner with the leftovers. Can't recommend this spot enough. read more

Spicy chef - X11. Wontons in Chili Oil/ 紅油抄手 - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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Really so good. Only got takeout so far but general tso, lo mein, soup dumplings, scallion pancakes. All of it was excellent and amazing portions! read more

Spicy chef - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

Everything was amazing tonight. The food came out piping hot and everything had great flavors. I think every time we come to Spicy Chef the food tastes better. Service is also great and we went for an early dinner around 5pm before the evening rush. If you want authentic Chinese food you need to go here. read more

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Really authentic hunan restaurant!!! If you like spicy food and dim sums this is your place. Food was delicious. We had the egg with tomatoes dish, lamb human style and large shumai everything was so good. The decoration on the restaurant was cute and the service was friendly and polite. I will come back soon and try new dishes read more

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Authentic spicy Chinese food. Now busier. Was packed over the weekend. We tried different dishes, all were fabulous (4 very discerning mouths, all in agreement). Got spicy stringbeans with pork, hot dry pot, cauliflower with pork, fish filet dish and beef with cilantro. Some were new dishes for us, all were great. Also the free ice cream is always nice (vanilla, choco, strawberry and green tea). This place has become a crowd favorite for our family. One of few decent Asian places in otherwise a barren place for good ethic foods. read more

Our food was very good. We like this place. It's byob so we had some plumb wine we brought with us.

Top Notch Takeout!! Everything I've ordered here so far has been beyond expectations from Spicy Chef's delicious Soups to their classic Lunch Specials it's always a super solid choice. And just like the name implies every meal can be perfectly spiced to your own favorite customized level of heat. Note that they also offer Dine in service here too with a nice amount of tables within their modern designed dining room.    Whichever the case may be, whether dining in or taking out be sure to park in the lot provided in back as the entrance is also located at the rear of the building as well.    Sichuan, Hunan, and Amercanized Chinese style specialty dishes are all served here and represented nicely throughout their huge menu FULL of outstanding deliciousness. Can't wait to try everything this place has to offer. Come And Get Your Munch On!! read more

Spicy chef - Delicious Egg Drop Soup!! - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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Authentic Chinese food, with a mix of Americanized options, so it has something for everyone. Really enjoyed the crispy fish filet with spicy sauce, which is not so much a sauce as it is a chili oil glaze. It's quite spicy so be prepared. The fish with vegetables was tasty and well portioned. Enjoyed the food! read more

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The food was excellent, but it cannot be fine dining, or a date place given the lack of ambiance. No decoration, floor drying fans running and blowing air, ice cream prep area and refrigerator on the floor, and hard rock playing over the speakers. Nothing authentic, or warm. Again it is a shame because the duck dumplings , the shrimp shumai, the orange beef and kung pow chicken were delicious. They have an amazing chef, and are in desperate need of a decorator who will tell them that no one wants to dine with fans blowing, and parts of the kitchen out on the floor. read more

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I'm posting my review after a second visit, this time without our friends that we allowed to take over the ordering process. The place is shall we say, classic old school Americanized Chinese, but the food def does not fall into that mold - the menu has Szechuan and Hunan dishes as well as Americanized chinese, we like to experiment, and sometimes we end up with food that just doesn't work for us (for example the clear noodles were not well received), but both the Americanized and cuisine specific dishes were delicious. We orderedan array of dumplings, which were hit or miss (the siup dumplings were decent but far from the best, the shrimp chives were a bit overwhelmingly chivy) the main dishes we had the cilantro beef, Mongolian beef, chonquing and Kong pau chicken, all delicious. Signature may fun was ok. Service is ok, and they are a bit skimpy on sauces (we had 2 orders of soup dumplings and 2 other dumplings, but only got 2 small individual saucers) read more

Really good Sichuan place. We tried bed and ripe, crunchy cucumber, soup dumplings and beef mei fun. Everything was freshly prepared and authentic. Plenty of parking will definitely be back. read more

Spicy chef - A1. Beef & Tripe with Chili Oil - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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Everything was excellent. Authentic dishes like A2. Chicken with Chili Sauce was delicious. Their takes on K1. Kung Pao Dish and H12. Mongolian Beef were not traditional American Chinese but better. V4. Bok Choy with Garlic was incredible and the Hot &sour soup was the best I've had. Duck dumplings were ok and the shrimp and chive dumplings might have had too much chive for my taste, however the shrimp dumplings, shrimp shumai were delicious. Will certainly be back! Service was excellent and the ambiance was nice but a bit loud. Very few non-Chinese diners. read more

Spicy chef - . A2. Chicken with Chili Sauce was delicious. K1. Kung Pao Dish and H12. Mongolian Beef. V4. Bok Choy with Garlic - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

Best Chinese food in the area. Very friendly staff. Very clean dining room. Entrance and parking in the rear of restaurant. Kung Pao chicken was very tasty and spicy! Lunch specials come with rice and soup. read more

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Our Friday Lunch Crew got together for the first time in a while and we chose to try some Sichuan style Chinese cuisine at East Hanover's Spicy Chef. Spicy Chef specializes in Sichuan and Hunan-style Chinese cuisine, renowned for its vibrant, bold, spicy flavors. As I understand it, this restaurant has quickly become a local favorite for those seeking authentic heat and depth in their dishes, which is just what I was looking for. The menu is extensive, including both classic American-Chinese staples and more adventurous regional specialties, making it a great choice for both spice enthusiasts and those looking for familiar comfort foods. The restaurant is BYOB, vibrant, has a clean, welcoming dining area, and plenty of parking. Our server, Celina, was friendly and efficient and made us all feel welcomed. The freshly prepared dishes, from appetizers to entrees, were all tasty, well presented, visually appealing, and tantalizing. For those of you who crave genuine Sichuan heat, Spicy Chef delivers an outstanding experience at a very reasonable price. So, if you're looking for a nice Sichuan experience, lunch or dinner, I would recommend giving Spicy Chef a try. 06/06/2025 read more

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Upon hearing that a new authentic Szechuan restaurant had opened on Route 10, I treated my parents to dinner here in August. We were blown away by the quality, quantity, authenticity, and taste of the food. Everything is very reasonably priced. We always eat family style here, but despite ordering 4-5 dishes and rice, our bill has never exceeded $100. If I sought the same food in NYC Chinatown or Queens, the food would have costed upwards of $200. Every time we come, the quantity of food is so large that we always take home leftovers. Our favorites are the spicy fried flounder fillet, thinly sliced beef (or lamb) spicy green peppercorn stew, and we normally order a variation of "dry hot pot", as shown in the attached picture. The dry hot pot is basically a protein of your choice, coupled with vegetables and peppers, stir fried and served on top of a small flame. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of it, but the Dan Dan noodles are a must. The service is wonderful. I am now a regular here! The wait staff are attentive and the food usually comes out in less than fifteen minutes after the orders are placed. At the end of your meal they will ask if you want (complimentary) ice cream, and I give the green tea ice cream a 110% out of 100% in quality and taste. There is also a discount if you pay in cash. If you would like the authentic mala (numbing spice) taste, make sure to clarify with the waiters what spice level you would like and your level of spice tolerance. They also have menu items that you would typically expect, like beef and broccoli, etc. Overall, I am so glad that Spicy Chef opened on Route 10. It's hard to find true authentic Chinese cuisine outside of Flushing, or Chinatown NYC. Absolutely check it out, you will not regret it! read more

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We've been here many times. I would normally put this at a 4 star but the last time we went the food was extremely salty. Hoping it was a one day issue and not permanent. There's good unique dishes. Just warning that the parking spots are behind the restaurant. read more

Went out for lunch with about 20 people from Lifetime Athletic Club to celebrate a birthday. The waitstaff was extremely accommodating, food was delicious; will definitely go back! read more

We delivery from this restaurant. The food was good but I must warn you that the place definitely lives up to its name- it was VERY spicy.

When this restaurant first opened, the food was so salty that many local Chinese diners joked it could raise your blood pressure after just one meal. While the salt level has improved since then, the prices have become outrageous. The dishes are more expensive than those in many restaurants in Manhattan, yet the portions are tiny. With even the cheapest items approaching $30, the value simply isn't there. I won't be coming back. read more

Didn't even receive food after over an hour of waiting. We had to leave and just pay for the drinks because the food never came.

My family favourite place to have Sichuan and other Chinese food. Lunch special includes a choice of egg drop or hot and soup and you also are offered ice cream as dessert. Definitely enjoyed Beef with Long Pepper, Cumin Beef, Spicy Beef Dry Pot, soup dumplings, Dandan Noodles. Looking forward to trying other dishes! The staff are very friendly :) Spacious venue. Plenty of parking in back. MUST enter from the parking lot in back not from the front. read more

Spicy chef - Beef with Long Hot Pepper! Yum! - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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Some family wanted to meet up for dinner and dine at Spicy Chef. They had a large dining area and for during the week, we were surprised how many people came in and how it filled up most of the tables. They had a great mix of authentic food and American Chinese food that worked for everyone I was with. We had ordered dan dan noodles, scallion pancakes, vegetable fried rice, steamed chicken and broccoli, and a spicier dish I do not recall the name but some sort of fried chicken with peppers. (which they were kind enough to mention this will be very hot). Everything was delicious and that was probably the best Scallion pancake I/we have had since maybe being in Chinatown in a while- everyone was raving about it. The staff and service were very good too -being helpful with any food allergies when ordering as well. They were attentive and brought us tea and water, clean plates, etc. We all enjoyed our food and would come back another time when we can. After we had our meal they offered complimentary ice cream for our group but only a few pics of some of the ice cream flavors we chose were green tea, vanilla, and strawberry. Well done. Enjoy. read more

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Great food. But I think they got the spicy intestines confused with my second time here. I was looking for fried. But still great food. Competitive price in the area. read more

Great service with delicious food. I came in for a quick dinner and decided to have scallion pancakes and fish fillet with veggies. The service was fast and the fish was delicious with a huge portion. I only finished half of it. They offer free ice cream as dessert. I chose green tea flavor. Definitely will come back for more dishes. read more

Spicy chef - Scalion pancakes - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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The experience was unexpected from the start. The entrance is from the back which has a large parking area. The restaurant is pretty spacious with an open and airy feel with light decor. Pleasant staff who are eager to answer any questions and attentive to the customers. The food was great! We had their fried pepper chicken, broiled fish, Lotus root, eggplant with peppers. All were very good. read more

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Location is easy to miss, but look for T-Mobile, they are in the same plaza. Huge parking lot in the back of the restaurant. Pro tip: Bring cash to save 10% off your meal! I ordered braised flounder filet and romaine heart in sichuan roasted chili sauce and cilantro, it was super tasty and spicy, as expected! It was a little pricey just because of how little amount of fish filet we got in the dish. Tons of sauce, enough for me to use and cook another meal the next night. It's a pretty big restaurant, great for big parties! read more

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We ordered from here for the first time. Entrance is in the back. We ordered the Egg drop soup which was very good. The pan fried pork buns delish. The spicy crispy short ribs which were excellent. Scallion pancakes were very good. The Chongqing fried chicken was nice and spicy as requested. I got the e pork fried rice which I was in the mood for and it was great. Nice people and plenty of parking. Ordered direct in web site and saved $$. Definitely coming back here. read more

Spicy chef - Outdoor elephant - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey

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Great local Chinese restaurant in nj. Staff is always so nice and the food is delicious no matter what I get. Highly recommend.

Wow! This place is DELICIOUS! Best Chinese food I have ever tried outside of Hong Kong. Had the Mongolian beef, spicy crispy short ribs, wontons. Will be back to try the rest of the menu! All the tables smelled amazing. read more

Outstanding! Good is very good, especially the hot and sour soup. Hunan beef is perfect. My favorites. Can't wait to try lunch.

Heard that there's a new Chinese restaurant in the area and not just any old Chinese cuisine. It was Sichuan and I love spicy food. Went there last night to test the food and I was so glad that I did NOT leave disappointed. For the appetizer, I ordered the beef and tripe. Excellent seasoning. The meat was sliced perfectly and given enough time to marinate. The taste and texture were on point. Next was the spicy cucumber. A great balance of cool and spicy. The cucumber was not mushy and had a nice crunch. After that, mapo tofu. I usually order this dish to judge how good the restaurant is. It had a good balance of sweet and spicy. This was a very comforting dish. Finally, the beef in chili oil. I was really impressed and intimidated by this dish all at the same time. The menu showed 3 chili peppers next to the menu item. I asked the waitress to reduce it down to two. I did not want my head to explode from eating this dish. When the item came to the table, it was topped with whole Sichuan green peppercorns and still on the stems. I have to say that the beef was super tender. It did not taste like the chef used baking soda as a tenderizer. If i did not know any better, I think the chef used the back end of his clever and pounded the flank steak til it was soft. I was sweating bullets and I loved this dish.. Overall, good food and good service. The place looked very clean. I will definitely come back and come back with more people. read more

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Was so good and the food was authentic. Definitely one of my new go to places. Wish I had good sooner.

Very good soup dumplings and sesame chicken was good too. The service was great. Mostly Chinese people eating here.

I've looked for a good sit down Chinese for years. I was a regular of jasper in Parsippany until they closed and couldn't find a replacement until I found spicy chef. Big selection, fast service, fresh delicious food. I CANNOT WAIT TO GO BACK. Nice interior and very clean. read more

Obviously many have limited experience with mala, Sichuan peppercorns - which creates a somewhat salty taste. also I do not order Shanghai XiaoLunBao in non-Shanghai restaurants - too many mediocre versions read more

Excited for this new and authentic Chinese restaurant right on Rt10, there is a parking lot tucked behind the restaurant (main entrance also tucked in the back). Seated quickly, service was very attentive upon entry. Simple and clean aesthetic, menu has a bit of everything -- peep the traditional Szechuan dishes. The soup dumplings are a must (be patient, worth the 15/20 min it takes to come out). Portions are generous and meant to be shared family style. Can't wait to try other entrees! 8/10. read more

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Dined here on December 7, 2024. This place is probably closer to 3.5 stars. Nice to have a restaurant that offers dim sum in East Hanover. Ordered the dan dan noodles, sticky rice in lotus leaf, crab soup dumplings, pork & shrimp shui mai and bean curd skin roll. Asked that the dan dan noodles be mild; it was nice and peanuty. The sticky rice had a lot of ground pork, Chinese sausage & even part of a preserved egg. The soup dumplings had a thick skin & sadly many of them were broken before the soup could get to its final destination. Strangely, the bean curd skin was hard on certain parts. This place is probably more known for its spicy dishes but offering dim sum is a bonus. If you would like your tea stronger, feel free to ask. Friendly staff that speaks English. Large parking lot in the back where the entrance to the restaurant is located. Will def return to try some of their regular menu items as well as some of their other dim sum. read more

We love the place. Great service and excellent food. The spicy things are very hot, but you can ask for milder if you can't tolerate Hunan heat. read more

Spicy chef - Chinese Near Me - East Hanover, New Jersey