Went for lunch on a weekday & we were the only ones in the place. Comfortable seating, booths. Pretty big menu for lunch, dinner menu is way bigger tho. I had the sweet & sour chicken with fried rice & egg flower soup. Very good, though I would have liked more veggies (carrots, green peppers, - & pineapple) in the chicken dish. My friend got Mongolian chicken & seemed pleased with it. Our waitress was good about refilling our water glasses. There's parking in back. A small lot. Everything was very clean. Overall a good experience. read more

Ballard Mandarin - Sweet and sour chicken - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We ordered take out from Door Dash, which typically alters your review because the food isn't fresh from the kitchen. I'd give them grace on this. We ordered egg rolls, chicken chow mein, house chow mein, and black bean chicken. I'd say the flavors were lacking a bit in comparison to other places I've ordered from. A big plus though is large portions. Also they are generous with the size of chicken, some places you need binoculars to find chicken in your chow mein I don't think I'd give it another try, instead I'd rather check out another place. This place isn't horrible by any means, just not what I was looking for. read more

Got takeout from here last night and will never make that mistake again. This place is deceiving because when you pull up to park, you can smell their food so it looks promising. Unfortunately that smell does not translate to taste. I ordered chicken chow mein, house fried rice, and orange chicken. The rice and noodles were pale and bland, literally no flavor and just looked thrown together in a hurry. The orange chicken was sweet but a soggy, gloopy mess. $54.00 for a bunch of crap. Even the free fortune cookies they gave me were stale. The good thing about them is that their portions are large and I like that they serve the food in the cute Chinese take out containers, but that's about all the good I can say. The service was quick and easy since I was just going there to pick up the food. While there, I did look around the restaurant and it was kind of a maze from the side door at the parking lot. The restaurant is split into two spaces. The front of the restaurant that sits on 45th, has a few booths that line the wall with windows. The majority of the space is in the back where there is a bar and more seats. The place could use a good cleaning and some upgrades, as there were some unsightly things on the wall (tape I what I remember seeing). We ate the food anyway because I did not want to throw $54.00 worth of food away, but we had to douse the rice and noodles in soy sauce/sriracha, and I air fried the orange chicken. Luckily, we didn't get sick the way another reviewer said they did. I see some 5 star reviews and just don't understand how. I won't be back here again. read more

decent spot for takeout unfortunately quality has taken a nose dive in last year. Two of my go-to items have been altered for the worse: the sweet and sour pork used to be nice meat chunks of pork but has been replaced with something that tastes more like pork, but with the texture of chicken nugget. Sweet and sour fish had a similar fate, where it used to be this incredible protein-rich dish, but now it feels like 50% batter 50% fish. Not only is this worse value, but it has drastically altered the taste. I'd rather they cut portion size than pad it with filler and completely ruin the flavor. Points to their credit: the food is ready quick, usually within 20 minutes of ordering, they have never forgotten an item, and portions are large. However big portion of bleh is still bleh. I assume this is because times are tough economically and they need to cut costs, but imo the bar for quality has dropped to the point where the food is not worth ordering anymore. I hope they pull through read more

We ordered sesame chicken and sweet and sour chicken with fried rice. Delicious! Big portions. The egg rolls nice and crispy. Service was great. Everybody was friendly. I highly recommemd! read more

Ballard Mandarin - Sesame chicken with fried rice - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ordered orange chicken last night, was good enough going down - unfortunately woke up to find myself throwing it all up a few hours later. Sad, won't be ordering from here ever again. read more

Got takeout from here while in Seattle. Food overall was decent. Got just green beans and garlic when we ordered chicken with green beans. Rest of the food was correct and tasted good. Favorite dish was the shrimp with the pan fried noodles. The vegetable fried rice was good and the general Taos chicken and crab rangoon were just ok. read more

Great Chinese food around! You won't be disappointed when you come the staff always are great as well

We have been eating food from Ballard Mandarin for years including when they were up on Greenwood Ave as Greenwood Mandarin. The food is excellent. Tasty and plentiful! I've ordered/catered many food dishes for large family parties and have never been disappointed. Best of all is the friendly staff. They truly are so nice and appreciate our business. I LOVE their hot and sour soup!! read more

Ballard Mandarin surprised me--in the best way. The salt and pepper shrimp were perfectly crisp with that just-right garlic kick, and the deluxe tofu vegetables had this fresh, wok-fired zing. Even the Dirty Shirley felt elevated. Service was kind, casual, and refreshingly unhurried. A cozy, no-frills spot that lets the food speak first. I haven't been to their world famous karaoke yet but they have expanded their program since I started coming here in 2021 from only Fridays to Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sundays! read more

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Amazing food, personable service, and fun karaoke. Lunch specials are an incredible value, I cannot even finish the entree after savoring the soup. Staff is always on point and bring a smile to my face. read more

Ballard Mandarin - Sweet and sour prawn lunch special is delicious and great to take home 30% of it for an afternoon snack or dinner! - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I ordered Salt and Pepper Tofu from the Veg/tofu menu and twice they put bacon bits on it! Twice!! We even specifically asked them not to do so the second time (even though the bacon bits are no where in the online menu description) and they still added them. I'm never ordering from them again. read more

It's a great place - very traditional American Chinese menu with traditional set up for tables and ambiance. Food is fresh and service is great. Very good prices for what you get in Seattle. We especially loved wonton soup, sweet sour chicken and chow mein. My partner loved the Mongolian beef too but I didn't due to the quality of meat lower than I expected. I'd keep coming back for other dishes. read more

Ballard Mandarin - Mongolian Beef - very good! - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Delicious chicken dishes. Had the general Taos which was flavorful and came with a lot of savory sauce. Egg flower soup is delicious. Service inside and take out always friendly. Ambience is simple. Dine in is smaller but enough room for parties up to 6. 7 booths in front and a bar and karaoke area in back for added fun on nights and weekends? read more

Ballard Mandarin - General Taos chicken. - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Went in to the Ballard Mandarin on December 31, 2025 at the opening time at 11:30am. The place reeked of mold, mildew and had the latent stench of heavy cigarette smoke. There were workers on the roof when I came in and people cleaning up inside. I suspect they may of had a flood and workers or employees had been smoking in the restaurant. On top of the restaurant reeking foul smells, the tables were all dirty. I stayed less than minute in the restaurant and walked out. The place was a toxic, unhealthy environment to eat in. I ate there last in April 2025 and everything seemed fine. The place seemed clean and the food was good at that time. read more

What's not to love here, a classic chinese american joint that scratches the itch. Service is quick and we are always seated right away, though most times this is a takeout spot for us. The soups are warm and hearty and the dishes are exactly what you would expect. We love the large portions and happily make several meals out them each time. We've heard there is karaoke here sometimes in the lounge but have never seen it in action, sounds like a lively time! read more

Ballard Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Food is fine, the staff is really nice. But I took away a star because they leave the doors open during late night karaoke. Whoever is singing Radiohead tonight is making it difficult to sleep. read more

The amount of food you get for the price is soooooooo good. My go to the Tofu Pad Thai, and I swear I can eat on this for at least two meals! I always get it as take out and it's always ready to go when I get there! read more

I'm gonna give this a three star due to the fact that the place is fairly dated the service was very good. The portions are very good. The prices for lunch everything is under $10. I did have the almond fried chicken and the breading was still kind of raw on the chicken other than that the service was great. Good place for cheap fast Chinese food read more

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We lived 10 blocks away for many years yet never dined here, man, did we miss out! Finally started ordering takeout during COVID, then dine-in, & now Ballard Mandarin is our Go To. What do we like? Consistent food, fair prices, great selection, clean restaurant, friendly staff, will accommodate NO MSG. Our Fave items are salt n pepper prawns, green vegetables, crispy fried chicken wings, fried rice, Thai Noodle stir-fry. read more

Ordered delivery Food was great! We mostly order for delivery because of our age so that service is important to us WE WILL DEFINITELY ORDER FROM THEM AGAIN!!! read more

Service was slow. Food was okay. Very small building but family friendly. The sesame chicken was good but the sauce had a different twang to it. The chicken fried rice was decent. The chicken wings lacked seasoning. Okay for a quick late night meal. read more

Ballard Mandarin - Orange Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Per my girlfriend, ".... Im not hungry anymore." This is well below average; how are some items over fried and some under..? Rangoon sauce is orange juice and cornstarch... No thanks. read more

Located at a major intersection in an otherwise residential area, this was the only Chinese restaurant I could find on a quick scouting trip through Ballard, so for the district it would have to do. It was actually pretty good, in fact quite good for an Americanized simple staple place. This is not those exotic places down in the I-District. What was unusual about it is that it had basic dishes with unusual choices of meat. So you could have not only Mongolian beef, but Mongolian pork or Mongolian fish. I had a lunch special (entree and veggie fried rice) of Mongolian pork. And it was fresh stir-fried pork, not the smoked bbq stuff some places put in. It did rather prove why this dish is usually made with beef, but it was hearty for what it was. Nothing exotic, nothing spicy, but it was well made. read more

Was craving some Chinese food and OMG I'm coming here every week for date night. Ordered the BBQ pork fried rice, egg drop soup, and orange chicken for my boyfriend and I and it was a perfect amount of food (with leftovers for lunch tomorrow ;)) and great prices. Boyfriends review: "yes" read more

Ballard Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We have ordered takeout (delivery) a few times now. The first couple of times, we were really happy with their food. I would give it 4 stars: generous portions, good taste, and quick delivery. However, the last time, they missed an order. When we called them, the person who answered the phone said, "I made the item. The delivery person must have eaten the food!" and she was super mad at us. Later, a young worker called us back, deeply apologized, and personally brought our food along with an extra item. We really appreciated his effort. Anyway, we have mixed feelings about their service. She must have had a bad day or something. The food is good! I suggest picking up the food instead of opting for delivery and checking if everything is in the bags. read more

I have been in the restaurant as well have had a couple of takeouts and their food is so fresh and so good! They are my go-to for Chinese food and their service is awesome! I give them the highest review ever given read more

It's great Chinese-American comfort food. Some nights the cook is better but overall it's usually great. The owner is super nice and staff are awesome. read more

This is the worst chinese food. The crab rangoon, potstickers and bbq were inedible, like I threw them out bad! The crab rangoon is esp bad. The bbq had zero flavor jsut loaded with food coloring to make it look ok. The moo shu chicken was ok, but the pancakes are super thick. The sweet and sour is chicken is just ok but they don't out the sauce on the side so super mushy. Broccoli beef was the best thing we got, I would give it 3 stars. The fried rice was ok. Not sure why I ordered from here again but I will not ever make the mistake again. Go anywhere else and don't waste you money on this place. read more

Ballard Mandarin's bar has karaoke on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday and, should you participate, you'll find it to be one of the more joyful experiences you can have in Ballard. The bartenders and KJs (I just learned this is what one calls a karaoke DJ) will remember your name after one visit and you will find the regulars supportive of any level of singing. What a lovely group of humans! Please buy drinks and food when you attend karaoke so this place can stay in business and don't forget to tip the bartenders and KJs GENEROUSLY. read more

I went here because I was on an egg foo yong kick and hoped it would be as good as what I had gotten in Bellingham. Unfortunately, it wasn't and kind to Emma immediately took it off my bill! No hassle. Att the same time I ordered fish with ginger two boxes to go, and 2 days later, I have been all but licking the plate ever since! So fresh, so flavorful, a wonderful combination of onion, carrot, and actual ginger with tasty strips of fish. I have been so happy with this food. I called her today to tell her how wonderful it is. It's definitely worth the drive! So yummy!! (A word to the male owner who was there at lunch - don't call your customer Boss as that's not funny and it's demeaning to female customers.) read more

The only reason I can't leave a negative review is because I have to leave a star review. Their service was absolutely horrible. The food was absolutely horrible. It took hours to get delivered and the people who I spoke to were completely unsympathetic to the situation. read more

What happened to this 20 year old favorite? I've been a regular when they had the Greenwood Mandarine. Hands down they used to have the most unique and best Kung Pao in Seattle. Fast forward to 2023, this isn't the same family run business. I wonder if it's changed hands. It's generic and nothing makes it stand out from other Americanized Chinese restaurants. read more

They have great food at a reasonable price here. Two dishes I've had are the Salt and Pepper Prawns and probably the best Egg Fu Young I've had ever. I've heard that they might have a lunch special, but I have yet to check that out. read more

Like the food, HATE the pricing!!! This was $85.xx delivered and they didn't even give me a set of chop sticks. Never again! read more

Ballard Mandarin - TOO EXPENSIVE!!! - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

$12 for a Chicken and Veggie with rice, tea, and small hot sour soup. Tasted great and has such a comfy vibe. Most other restaurants cost twice as much just for a single meal. read more

This is a shame. I really like their food but I won't be coming back until they improve their food safety rating. Just "ok" ain't good enough for me. read more

Ballard Mandarin - Food safety rating March 2023 - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We were in Seattle visiting our son. We were craving some Egg Foo Yung. After reviewing several places, we picked Ballard Mandarin. The food we picked up was delicious. The food was steaming hot when I picked it up. The service was excellent. My food was ready for take-out when I arrived. The place is somewhat small, but seems "quaint" and definitely a go-to place by the locals. It was packed when I got there. Now, a word of caution: Do not order and pay online at their website. They are having issues with the site that places the order and takes the money. The business called me back after I ordered and said that they are not receiving the money from my credit card. I would have to try and cancel that transaction and "pay again" when I arrived to get my food. I did that and figured I would have to file a charge-back. Well two days later, the extra charge was removed from my credit card. I will be glad to update this part of my review if I find out this has been taken care of and it is no longer an issue for anyone ordering online. I ordered the food on August 25, 2025. Thank you. read more

Only place I know of to get good Chinese after 9pm on a Sunday. And their mu shu pancakes are nice and thick. Good stuff!!

Just moved to the area and trying out the Chinese spots nearby. We came here on a Friday night and there were 4 tables seated including ourselves. They gave us tea, I thought it would be jasmine or oolong but it was lipton black tea, which was a bit out of the ordinary for a Chinese restaurant. We got the appetizer platter so we could everything we liked. The crab cheese rangoons were the best part of the appetizer platter. They were crunchy and had a nice amount of crab cheese in them. The egg rolls were crispy on the outside but were a little mushy on the inside. The dumplings were okay but I think they were a little older because the dumpling wrapper was white when you bit into it. BBQ pork was okay not much flavor. Orange chicken was saucy and flavorful and tasted great with the rice. My only wish is that they would have made the pieces smaller, they were huge! Favorite part was the house chowmein, which had chicken beef and shrimp. The shrimps were really big and tasty and the beef tasted great. side note: rice is not included in entrees and should be ordered separately for you take out peeps! read more

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