Benn coming to A&J for years. It's a hole in the wall off Rockville Pike with parking that can be accurately described as "limited". It's usually packed with Asian folks who come for A&J's dim sum-style food. The food is described as "Northern style" Chinese, and it's definitely not Americanized. I've eaten many a bowl of noodles here, but my favorites are the Dan Dan Mian (with hot spicy sesame sauce and peanuts) and Xue Cai Ro Si Mian (shredded pork and mustard green noodle soup). I've also enjoyed Ma La Er Si (sliced pigs ears with hot and spicy seasoning) and Pi Dan Dou Fu (tofu with Thousand Year Egg) - things I doubt will EVER show up on a menu in my hometown. And the dumplings: oh my. I think I've tried them all, and haven't found one yet I wouldn't order again. The only downside to A&J (besides it being a drive for me) is their cash-only policy. Fortunately there are lots of nearby ATMs, but beware if it's your first visit. Prices are very reasonable and portions are perfect, so overall value is great. If you haven't been, go now, and work your way through the menu. Trust me, you'll thank me! read more

If you like Taiwanese food, this is your place in Rockville! Back in the day, circa early 2010s, when Baltimore did not have much of an Asian food offering, my friends and I would make the long drive to Rockville to have lunch here and do some grocery shopping nearby. I have kept this place in the back of my mind, with fond memories, however, have not visited in some years due to multiple moves around the country. Recently, my friend was organizing a casual gathering for our friend group, and asked ChatGPT if there were any good recommendations for food in the area that was affordable and delicious, and A&J came up as a top choice. So I came back to A&J after almost 10 years, and the food was just as good as I remembered. The decor remained simple and unchanged, but this is very typical of Asian restaurants. The menu was large, and it's easy to order by circling items you want on the paper menu. We had a mix of noodle soup bowls (so many different flavors and styles) and appetizers, and everything we tried was delicious. Our bill came out to less than $25 per person with tip. I could imagine more pretentious Chinese restaurants downtown upcharging a lot more for lower quality Chinese food (Queen's English, for example). It was so good and affordable, that I actually ended up coming back the next day with a different friend. Overall, excellent experience, and I will be back again soon! One interesting tidbit, my coworker who grew up in the Midwest and only eats meat, potatoes, absolutely no vegetables, started going here for lunch and loves it. I think flour-based items (noodles, dumplings, buns) are really the star of the restaurant, and this can be enjoyed across different taste palates! I hope you will give this place a try. read more

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This spots tucked away in a strip mall, but delivers great food at a great price point. Ordering requires you to look through a menu and check off items you want. The prices are super cheap. The trade off is that just one item won't get you full like a regular restaurant dish, but acids the menu, most items are more than enough. I'd recommend getting a noodle dish. read more

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We ordered the spicy beef noodle soup, pork potstickers, and beef roll. Everyone always highly recommends the spicy beef noodle soup but I really did not like it, would probably rate it a 2/5 or 3/5 stars. The broth was VERY flavorless (had a very weird taste as well, almost like maybe the taste of dish water??), and definitely NOT spicy. The greens were undercooked and hard to bite, and also had that weird dish water taste. The noodles however seemed fresh and had a nice chewy texture. I've had much better beef noodle soup elsewhere, which was disappointing after the rave reviews! The potstickers were good and I would order them again. The beef roll was our favorite, seemed very fresh and a nice portion size. The prices seem pretty fair for what you order. Service was good, and our waitress was kind and took our orders promptly. I would definitely go back and order other items, but wouldn't order the soup again. read more

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Pro: attentive waiters, moderate size parking lot. Con: limited seating, food. I found this restaurant through recommendations from Reddit sub that this is a very good Chinese restaurant. We came here on Sunday during lunch time and it was packed inside. We were lucky enough that one table was still open and were seated quickly. After we were seated multiple party who came after us had to grab a number ticket and wait outside until a table opened up. You are given a menu and you just circle the food you want. For appetizers, we ordered the pan fried pork pot sticker and spicy wonton. The pot sticker was very mid and the spicy wonton did pack some heat which was enjoyable. For the entree, I had the beef noodle soup Szechuan style. The noodle was also ok but needs more flavorful. The waiter check in quite frequently and refilled our water often which was goods. Overall, food was decent which was 3 star plus good staff service push to a 4 star rating overall. read more

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I have been going to the Rockville A&J since it opened. During COVID it had to abandon its cash only policy and raised prices about 40%. It is still costs only about as much as a fast food or fast casual meal. You get a pot of free tea when you sit down, even you are dining solo. Your server will ask you if you want ice water. I got a good table even though I was dining solo (it was away from the door) but they know me. I ordered the tofu skin with soybeans and mustard greens. It is served cold like a salad and is refreshing. Then I had one of my favorites, the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. It is a spicy beef broth with stewed beef, Boc choy and homemade noodles. This is one of the best noodle soups in the DC area. This is great place for a fast lunch or dinner, the decor is spartan and it gets pretty noisy. On the weekends the big round tables are filled with Chinese families. It would be nice if they changed the menu once in a while, but the selection is pretty large. read more

Really lovely. The restaurant was rather buzzing on a late weekday morning. The staff all looked rather content. The mustard greens had a subtle sesame flavour and were great, the pig ears were a little chewy but paired well with the scallion, the beef shank had a subtle pleasant five-spice flavour, and the flat bean noodles with shredded chicken and cucumber salad, doused with sesame paste and a bit of horseradish was amazing. Left very full and content, and the prices were great. read more

A & J Restaurant - Flat bean noodles with cold chicken and cucumber salad - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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This place offers delicious and affordable Taiwanese food! I have been to the VA location before and the MD location is quite consistent. I really enjoyed the beef dry noodles and I like how you can pick the noodle thickness. The cucumbers were a nice side since it adds a nice refreshing flavor while still being spicy and savory. Service was efficient and friendly. read more

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Service was very good. Food wasn't as spicy as I'm used to at Szechuan restaurants, but they have chili sauce at the table. read more

A & J Restaurant - Beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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First time at A & J-- what a great experience! Cute, small place that was packed with people for a Sunday lunch, yet very quick and attentive service. Food came out piping hot and everything was delicious. The veggie delight was a cold dish, packed with umami flavors which were enhanced by their zingy homemade chili oil. The potstickers were crispy on the outside, yet juicy and flavorful on the inside. The Szechuan dumplings were a tad oily, but still great. My favorite dish had to be the dan dan mian noodles-- rich from the sesame sauce that coated the homemade bouncy noodles... a great balance of flavors but I still preferred eating it with the chili oil. Would come again to try more items. Great portions for a great cost. read more

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We love a longstanding staple! I finally came in to try, curious as to what makes A&J Northern style dim sum and really enjoyed it. My brother and I split their Beef Noodle Soup and the Beef Dumplings, both of which were delicious and had excellent textures. The freshness is so apparent and refreshing. It feels like such a family restaurant and has the service to match - efficient and no frills - we really appreciated them and are looking forward to trying more of the menu. It was noteworthy to us that there were really no seafood dishes, so I'd that's your favorite for dim sum try elsewhere. If you're down for an adventure with beef, pork, tofu - this is a solid. read more

Came here for lunch at the recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed! The staff were welcoming and helpful. The restaurant has plenty of seating, but isn't huge. I took note of the adorable floral centerpieces in some tables. It feels homey! We ordered the spicy beef noodle soup, beef potstickers, and a panfried beef dumpling. Everything was incredible! The soup was comforting, the beef was tender, the noodles had the right amount of bite. My favorite was the pan fried dumpling. It was juicy and delicious! They don't have a ton of drink options, but they do have an assortment of sodas, tea, and water. I can't wait to come back and explore more of the menu. read more

A & J Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Hmm a no frill no thrills restaurant. Plenty of seating. Pretty delicious noodle soup here. I love their clear broth beef noodle soup. Only downside is the beef tendons might make you choke because they are such big pieces. I almost aspirated on mine. I had to take it home to chop up into smaller pieces. Otherwise the food here is really worth the drive! read more

A & J Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

A&J is just incredible. I hadn't had it in a while, and was delighted to try it again. We loved the spicy beef noodle soup (not super spicy, very hearty) and the scallions pancakes. The soups are an especially perfect cozy winter dish . read more

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Very good food and service overall. Food is inexpensive, specially for the area. Parking is not to bad and there is plenty of sitting. Recommend if in the area! read more

Pretty good! My friend loves this place and took me, and she ordered all her favorites. She has fantastic taste but I didn't love everything. A lot felt a bit flat, and definitely more enjoyable with the chili oil and vinegar. Potstickers were doughy, filling good but tad bit dry. I hate to say it but their scallion pancakes may have been my favorite dish, fluffy crispy and delicious. The noodles were thick and chewy, perfect how I like them! Broth was nice and homey but nothing felt spectacular. Braised pork on rice was fantastic, especially with the pickled vegetable. Food came one by one, and one of our noodle dishes didn't come out until after they gave us the check. I just felt like the depth of flavor just wasn't there :/ read more

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Place is consistently excellent food wise and service wise! Staff is always friendly and dishes come out at warp speed. We love coming here for their small plates and noodle soups. At this visit we shared a scallion pancake and a veggie bun. I had a hot and sour noodle entree. My companion had Dan Dan noodles. The scallion pancake was chock full of scallions, the pancake was crispy and consisted of many thin layers. The veggie bun was a pan fried semi flat dumpling stuffed with egg, bean thread, and chives. Loved it as well. The hot and sour noodles were soupless. It was thin hand pulled noodles tossed in scallions, and a spicy and vinegary sauce. The noodles were perfect and the sauce coated them well. Prices are still great, still a cash only place. read more

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A fun dining experience The dim sum style menu allows you to try a wide array of flavors and textures. The soup dumplings and noodle dishes were particularly good. The room is simple and comfortable. The staff is attentive. read more

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The taste is pretty good. The party is horrible on high times. The one thing I can't get over is the price and size of the dishes compared to my experiences when I was little and even a couple of years ago. Shrinkflation is what comes to mind. One scallion pancake is 5.20 and one order of pan fried dumplings is 11.20. A bit shocked how small these dishes became. The taste is still solid, but I was still hungry after these dishes. They did improve on one thing: they accept credits cards - not American Express though. No cash discount so you don't have to worry anymore about having enough cash. read more

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I asked to add bok choy to my clear beef soup which was 6.50$. The waitress said it would be 14$ with bok choy which I did not want for my lunch. When my soup came, she said she added two stalks of bok choy for free. That was really nice ending in a 25% tip. Tofu skin with mushroom is a cold dish which you can dip in your hot soup. Despite being the cold dish, it was good. I was still hungry. I ordered a bowl of noodles. Waitress asked me if I preferred fat or skinny noodles! My hot skinny noodles came with a little spicy sauce to fill me up. It was delicious. I liked the plating and hot tea. I wished they had fried rice on their menu. read more

A & J Restaurant - Delicious hand pulled noodles with a thinly spiced sauce - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Love this little Taiwanese spot. Recommended by a friend to check out this local legend. Cozy vibes and the servers check on you even tho the guy doesn't speak English well. Pretty varied menu led me to the Beef Noodle Soup and man I loved that. Will def come back. read more

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Came here on a cold, rainy day and it was perfect. It's a seat yourself type of place and luckily it wasn't busy at all. We were greeted right away with warm tea by a nice lady which was great for the weather. On to the good stuff- FOOD! Cucumber & garlic salad: 10/10! So good and refreshing. It had a little kick to it if you don't like spicy. Scallion pancake: 8.5/10. It was buttery with a dash of salt and crispy! I really enjoyed this simple yet tasty starter. Peking beef wrap: 7/10. It lacked a bit of flavor for me but my boyfriend enjoyed it. Definitely worth a try. Fried chicken w/mustard greens: 9/10. This dish was perfect. The chicken is crispy, flavorful, tender and juicy. I would totally get this again. Steamed pork ribs: (my boyfriend's review bc I don't eat pork) 6/10. Cooked well and the flavor was decent but it wasn't the greatest. There was barely any meat and it wasn't the easiest to eat bc you're trying to find some meat to enjoy so it can get messy. Probably won't get this again. This place is good. Definitely recommend and we will definitely be going back again to try more dishes! read more

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We were in the area so wanted to check out the Taiwanese food since I heard it was popular here. There's a homey feeling when you first enter & they serve you tea. They give you a menu to circle your order. The Dan Dan noodles & soup came out quickly while the pan fried bun & dumplings took a little bit. I also got a mustard green salad on the side. I liked the veggie fried bun but the Dan Dan noodles were meh & so were the dumplings. I wish my dish had more greens or I could add tofu or something. I'm sure they're better at the meat dishes but at least they had some options for me. I would go again if they had more options but not anytime soon. read more

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I went on a Friday night and it wasn't too packed. I ordered the spicy beef noodle soup . Maybe because it was really hot but I couldn't really taste the broth, it didn't taste like anything just hot. This isn't my favorite beef noodle soup that I've had but for the price it's fine. There was a metal debris in my soup I guess from the sponge. I showed my waitress and she apologized and brought me a new bowl of noodles. The scallion pancake was really good and my favorite thing I ordered. read more

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Small restaurant, basic decor, nothing fancy, but the food is authentic and so flavorful! It was my first time having authentic Chinese food. I left feeling satiated but not bloated as sometimes one feels after a Chinese American meal. The offerings consist of reasonably priced small plates and it's nice if you come with a group to try a little of everything. For first timers I recommend the spicy beef soup (it's not too spicy), pork dumplings (very flavorful), and sliced pork. If you like veggies, the mustard greens with bean curd and the spicy cucumber salad (again, not that spicy) have a great flavor. The European and South American people I was with raved about the tripe (although I am not a tripe person). I didn't see any alcohol menus and am unsure if they serve alcogolic beverages. The menu listed boba tea, soft drinks, and a few herbal beverages. The fast, efficient service makes it an ideal place if you are in need of something casual and quick. read more

Wow! Consistently perfect, amazing. The food, the service, the decor, the value--all exceed the highest of expectations.

Small family-owned restaurant cooking traditional Chinese Food Szechuan Style for many years The place and menu are small, but service is quick, and they turn tables as people leave. The menu comprises soups, noodles (the same as the soups, just no liquid), some meat and rice dishes, and many appetizer-type dishes like cucumber salad, dumplings, potstickers, and other cultural meat plates. The homemade noodles are worthy of their own paragraph. What a masterpiece. There is enough chew and pull, but it is not super dense and heavy; how?? I wanted to order all of their noodle dishes, but I was afraid of what people would think... I did eat all the ones in my bowl after letting my kids have one small bite each. The Food was delicious and reasonably priced; for 3 appetizers, 2 soups, 6 meat on rice dishes, 3 bobas, and 1 soda, our bill was $120. Amazing prices!! I will be a faithful customer! read more

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Excellent Won Ton soup and potstickers for takeout; Just a small snack this first time but going back for sure. Gracious reception by staff as I picked up the food. read more

The fried chicken was delicious and crunchy.. very flavorful and savory The beef rolls were so good. Service was pretty quick too. I want to go back and try more read more

The food here is spectacular! Everything was so delicious and flavorful. Cucumbers were crunchy and fresh, wonton soup was comforting and had lots of wonton. The chicken was super crispy and tasted delicious for a good price. The gem was the beef noodle soup. Noodles were chewy and the soup was bursting with flavor and it was spicy but not too spicy. The servers checked on us consistently and made us feel welcomed. Definitely coming back again! read more

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This is a good and tasty hole in the wall place that has a good system of seating you, ordering via circling on a paper menu, and getting your food out to you quickly. Very efficient! They serve you tea prior to getting your food. Absolutely loved the scallion pancake and pork dumplings! The Dan Dan noodles were tasty too. We took home leftovers. Tried the vegetarian delight which wasn't what I was expecting-- thought there would be more veggies-- but that's totally on me for not asking. My friend tried the spare ribs but she wasn't really a fan bc of the rice powder. She did enjoy her steamed pork bun. The bubble tea was fair, but they are other flavors to try! Would definitely come back and try more items on their extensive menu! read more

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I've been coming here for about 25 years or so. I guess it's about time I left a review. I was introduced to the place by some Chinese friends. That's always a good sign. Their signature dish is pan fried pork dumplings. After all these years, they're still consistently good. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The pan fried beef buns are out of this world. So are the scallion pancakes and so many other menu items. Like so many other restaurants since the advent of Covid they've had to raise their prices. But the price increases seem reasonable considering the value. Do you know how you go to a Chinese restaurant sometimes and you can taste and smell the MSG in the food? That won't happen here. No MSG headaches. I believe dine-in is cash only. But if you order online you can pay with a credit card. One of the things that's great about ordering online is that they don't upcharge you for ordering online like so many other restaurants do. I don't give a ton of five star reviews, but this place definitely deserves it read more

Came aaaall the way here just to try out a hole-in-the-wall mom & pop Taiwanese restaurant and was not disappointed! I like unassuming restaurants with paper menus (and a pencil)! I also like flagging the server to reserve a table before some Chinese lady can cut in line in front of me (hah!) so yes, a simple restaurant with small table seating (I think they had one bigger round table?) and a lot of customers to fight over. And the free tea! Yay. Was so glad I didn't have to wait! Service was great. Everyone was kind and accommodating. Ordered beef noodles because that's the real reason we made the trip. Both spicy and non-spicy were very tasty. No msg taste. We had a cucumber salad which was devoured before I could sneak a picture. It was yum. Ordered primary beef dishes to try out. The beef pancake roll was excellent. All the beef dishes were great. The only disappointing dish for me was the turnip pastry. I'm not sure if I was just thinking of something else (maybe I was thinking it'd be gao but then it wasn't a su bing), but it wasn't the taste or texture I had in mind. Would come back! read more

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Wanted to add - my review of breakfast is based on experience from 2022. I called the restaurant today and was informed that they stopped offering breakfast about 8 months ago (early 2024). read more

A&j is an amazing place to come for some Chinese fare. It's a cozy place with a good amount of seating and the staff has always been so nice. You order by circling on the paper menu and giving it to the server. Keep in mind this place is cash only! The prices are amazing especially since more and more things these days are increasing in price. I think their stars are definitely any of the noodle dishes, my personal favorite is the dandan mian. Their noodles are always so chewy and perfectly cooked. When you receive the food, mixing it is my favorite part because you get to just coat every noodle in that thick peanut/sesame sauce. I also had the beef noodle soup and the broth is just so dark and rich and nostalgic for me. They have a few options to pick what kind of meat you'd like in the soup and I just went for the basic option. I always have to order their cucumber dish! It's so refreshing and the cucumbers are always so fresh and crunchy. The portions here are fairly large and we had to get takeout boxes! read more

A & J Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

The food is so good!! Will must definitely go back, even though the server wasn't that friendly and one of them was being a bit mean to the cooks, the food is so worth it. The ambience was pretty quiet and chill when I went. read more

A&J has been on my husband's list for ages, and we were finally able to stop in for lunch. It's a small space, and definitely plan to get there on the early side, if you'd like lunch. We arrived around 11:15, and by 11:30, all of the tables were taken. We were greeted with hot tea at the table, which was delightful on a cold day. To order, they provide a paper menu and pencil. Circle what you'd like, and it'll appear some minutes later. Service was quick, and water glasses were kept full. I'm vegetarian, so I ordered three vegetarian dishes. The menu lacks descriptions, so I went with the three things clearly marked vegetarian. The vegetarian bun was my favorite, and the bean curd skins with mushrooms was my least. It was a cold dish with limited flavor. It's clear many, many people love this restaurant; it just wasn't for me. Parking can be challenging, if you don't spot the restaurant right away (and even if you do). read more

A & J Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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Wow!! I had the best experience at A&J. The staff was incredibly friendly and service was very fast. I got the beef noodle soup and it was exceptional - the perfect savory, spicy, and flavorful soup. The noodles seemed to be handmade as well and were so bouncy - the perfect texture. Definitely recommend visiting A&J! read more

A & J Restaurant - Beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Overall: small casual shop, with okay food, minimal service, and single stall bathrooms All tables start with complimentary hot tea. Every time you needed service you had to get a servers' attention and even then the service was bare minimum- no extra words exchanged, but they were working fast and efficiently. The food came out relatively quickly. Everything was okay. My favorite dish of the evening was the braised pork over rice. There weren't many veggies on the menu. read more

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Really enjoyed the dim sum especially for the price! The pan fried dumplings and the scallion pancakes were the two stand outs! Definitely want to come back to try more read more

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