*Disclaimer - review is based on a order via UberEats* I was craving chinese food last night and while I know it's a gamble around here to order Indian or chinese, the craving was too strong to resist. Looking at the number of 4 start reviews that stated it is good americanised chinese food , I decided to experiment. My order consisted of Chicken fried rice ,Kung pao chicken and egg rolls. When the food arrived, the Kung pao chicken had fully leaked. The driver apologized profusely for the leak and I told him it was ok. While I did think it could be because he did not handle it well ,I soon realized that the leak was because of the copious amount of food they had filled into the takeaway boxes. Like I kid you not they wanted to ensure I was getting every penny worth of food and while I appreciate that maybe it's time for them to get bigger boxes *shrugs*. By the time the food had arrived I was starving and to tell you I was disappointed was such an understatement. The egg rolls were meh, the fried rice was mushy and the kung pao chicken had no flavor whatsoever. I hate wasting food but there was so much left after eating that it went straight into the bin. :( I think I am going to stay away from Chinese food for a while. Taste - 1 star VFM /Quantity - 4 stars I would not recommend the place. read more

Avoid the fried rice - it's white steamed rice with a few veggies. We usually get one of the dinners and split them, and it's pretty average Seattle Chinese. Nothing stands out except that odd rice. read more

The Wonton soup seriously smelt like garbage! I tried to eat it and could not get through it. Won't order here again.

Good ol' American Chinese food at a decent price. Enjoyed the chow mein, Orange chicken and beef broccoli, but the egg rolls, so highly promoted on the online menu are really only "meh" for the price. I'll try a different appetizer next time. read more

I'm leaving this review for my Aunt. She asked me to find a Chinese restaurant close to my Grandpa's house to pick up take out. This one is and they seemed to have good reviews, so I gave her the number and she made an order. I can't speak to the food but my Aunt called me after picking up the food complaining about how unhygienic this place is. The first problem was, upon arriving, the lady at the front was shucking the snap peas directly on the counter, without a cutting board or bowl. The second issue was after the lady took my aunt's money and packaged up the food, she took her unwashed hands and grabbed the wrapped fortune cookies from a jar with her bare hands. These little actions make us wonder about the food safety practices of the restaurant. The situation was so frustrating because my Grandpa is elderly and his health is compromised, so the issue of food borne issues is a real concern. For this reason, we will not be visiting this restaurant anytime soon. read more

My fiancé and I order from here a lot and it's great!!! Food and customer service is always good! And it's not crazy expensive either.

I think they pissed in my Wonton soup!!! I went because my girlfriend lives close by and they were extremely personable and nice to us while we were waiting for the order. When we asked if we could just order one combo meal for takeout instead of two (which is the minimum) for 12.89 it was like a big deal or something and they were chattering back into the kitchen in Vietnamese... When we were leaving, the cook was staring at us smoking a cigarette, looking all crazy and whatever.. We get home and, Piss Soup!!! Thanks read more

Just gross. I should've just thrown $35 out my apartment window. Egg rolls - okay, nothing special. The egg drop soup we got was a fail - bland and flavorless. Pad thai (who orders pad thai from a Chinese restaurant? My husband) oddly enough was fine but how can you mess up sauce and noodles....it tasted very generic to the kind you buy of the grocery store and bring home to make. I got the sweet and sour chicken that was dry, lukewarm, heavy on breading, and no zing from the sour and not so much of the sweet. On a bright note, it did appear to be white meat chicken and not mystery meat. Good execution on the fortunate cookies, however. :-/ When I called to let them know that they had forgotten rice but charged it, the kid working there said "Mom this lady is mad over a dollar." When she got on the phone I said that it was rude, and that I was calling so that they recognized they weren't completing orders. No I didn't want to go back and pick it up and I didn't want the rice credit for next time. And the kid in the background kept saying, ''OVER A DOLLAR OF RICE. OH MY GOSH." I told her to tell her rude kid to shut up and start checking orders and that no we would not be returning. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. What in the world! I should've just gone to Panda Express at QFC and called it a night!! read more

A definite "meh". Had the mongolian chicken and it was awash with white onions fried into limp submission; a few forlorn green onions, small tender chunks of chicken thigh (feh; should be breast) and only two small chilis. I order 4 out of 5 stars and it was not very spicy at all. The sad drift of fried noodles underneath tasted of rancid oil. Very inferior mongolian in my opinion. The hot and sour soup that comes with every lunch was NOT good. Tangy enough, but full of carrots, peas and corn(WTF???) and no fungus at all. It was like an egg flower soup vat collided with a crazed veggy-scoop weilding lunch lady from a school cafeteria. The white rice wasn't even up to par, it was overcooked and mushy. The place seemed cleanish, better than when Inn Bin, and the lady seating and serving was quite friendly, but if a place can't do rice or soup right, then I'm OUTTA THERE. It's so cheap (lunches average $5.50) but I'd rather pay a couple more bucks and eat real. Meh. read more

Only place we've found comparable to east coast/ New York Chinese. It's affordable with huge portions and the staff are some of the most welcoming and sweet people around. Kung Pao tofu is the best and the "egg" rolls are vegan. read more

Got to go food and they have truly the best customer service. Welcomed in as if it were their home, food super fresh and delicious! I would recommend the chow mein! I will be back, new favorite restaurant! read more

This place completely satisfied my Chinese food fix! I ordered Uber Eats and I was not disappointed at all. Chow mien is a large portion and very tasty. The egg rolls are crispy and not overly greasy. I hate that! I also tried the Braised tofu with beef which is a Chinese dish i have never heard of. I loved this one because it had two proteins, lots of fresh veggies, and a delicious sauce. 5 stars for this dish! The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is because I did not love the Hot & Sour Soup. It was just okay, but all the other dishes were really good and cooked to perfection. Ballard Mandarin knows what they are doing! I'll definitely eat this again! read more

Very dingy, and old but I can live with that part. Won Ton Soup was the WORST. It was sour, and the broth tasted like it had rotten meat just sitting in it. My son and I politely spit it back out because it was not edible. The rest of the food was ok. Fried rice was pretty good and a large serving, the gravy for the almond fried chicken did not seem home made, but more from a package. the sweet and sour prawns were fresh, The server was nice and seemed to know a few of the people who walked in but she kept telling me how good of a deal Im getting and wouldn't let us eat in peace. I wont go back. read more

Daughter and I ate here this evening. She used to live in the area and remembered it was decent Americanized Chinese. We tried 5 different dishes and were pleased with every choice! Everything was hot and fresh. Plenty of meat in proportion to the other items. Spice level was right and plenty for leftovers! Can't wait to go back! read more

This restaurant opened in the former Inn Bin location at 8th & Market a month or so ago. We finally went tonight. The kung pao was transparently plum sauce with chilies, stir-fried with zucchini, onions, peppers, and mushrooms (yuck). I got my kids vegetable fried rice, which was exactly what I (and they) expected: in that class of comestible which can be neither too good nor too bad. It's hard to make a serious judgment about a place based on two entrees, but in the case of the kung pao the problem was with the recipe, not some case of new restaurant-itis. Much as I like having a place nearby for quick and fairly inexpensive Chinese food, something tells me I won't be ordering from here much, especially with Chef Liao so close. read more

This place has a lot of potential and it's obvious they have found their crowd. That said, rather than say I was disappointed, I'll say I was less than impressed. The wonton soup had so many vegetables in it; it should have been vegetable soup. Sorry, I'll about spinach, cabbage and even onion or bamboo, but this had zucchini, pea pods and other veggies I just would have never expected. Wonton is usually wontons and broth. Occasionally egg is added, but this was overboard, Wontons were the smallest percentage of the recipe. The potstickers were about 15% pork, there was so little pork that when you split the dumpling with a fork, the guts, just crumble apart, because there is nothing to hold the filling together. They are also small in the gyoza range. The food was hot and the portion and price were fair, but not a single item of the 6 we tried had enough flavor to convince me that they are serious about what they serve. I get it, lot's of old Norwegian people in Ballard, but don't sacrifice your heritage in order to water down food for the community. Leave that to Safeway, Panda Express and other fake Chinese restaurants. read more

I have never thrown away Chinese food delivery until tonight. Food was terrible. Second day microwaved Chinese food tastes better. Sesame chicken was mush. Ballard skillet tasted like rancid fish. No rice comes with the entrees which is bizarre. Carb Rangoon had almost no cream cheese. Pan fried dumplings were doughy. Literally the worst Chinese food I have had. No clue how you could screw Chinese food up that badly. $60 wasted. read more

We were hesitant to try this restaurant at first because of the ok safety rating but I'm glad we gave it a shot! We had a wonderful experience and the food is one of the best for Chinese in the area. We have preferred multiple times and have always been happy. They really try hard to make your experience great. The general Taos chicken is my favvv! read more

I've been a fan of this place since I was in 8th grade and they just had the Greenwood location. Last night I went in for my fathers Birthday, first time we've been in since I moved away 8 or so years ago and my first time to this new location. Not only did they remember me, remember my favorite dishes, but they went to great lengths to give my family a great night!! I love their Chicken Wing appetizer, their Kung Pao chicken is best I've had. Love their Green Jade with Chicken. Great (and consistent) food that doesn't cost to much and friendly service, year after year, that's a definite 5 Star read more

My parents were in town visiting and my dad was craving chinese food. Since I went past this place every day coming home from work , I thought we should give it a try. We ordered take out and the lady at the desk was friendly and nice. The interior of the restaurant is dingy and minimal, no charm. Cleanliness was questionable. There was a lot of garbage sitting out by the back door in the parking lot which should have been the big warning. We ordered: egg rolls: run of the mill vegetable fried rice - after i took one bite, I spit it out it was disgusting. No one could even eat it. cashew chicken, chicken was slimy - and my dad who is not a picky eater said it was very disappointing. sweet and sour chicken which was lacking sauce and pretty much fried doe. The only thing that was edible was the white rice and the pineapple from the sweet and sour chicken. Will not be returning again. I'm surprised people give this place more than 2 stars. read more

My father in law was in town and requested Chinese food for his last night. Having never had Chinese in Ballard, I was unsure of what spot to check out. After some Yelping I found Ballard Mandarin. Walking in, the place had a cozy feel, but not too cramped. I ordered Mongolian Tofu, my wife ordered General Tsao's Tofu, and father in law had sweet and sour pork. Everyone loved his or her food. It really was great. Service was a little slow. There only appeared to be one server for about 8 tables. The food was great so I will definitely be back. read more

The place is a dive, but soooo good! I got the Kung Pao chicken and Mongolian beef. I recommend both. My new go to Chinese place!

They're always so nice to me. Treat me like family. They take excellent care of the regulars .The kind of people that make you wanna tip more read more

Ballard Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

When I decided to give Ballard Mandarin a try, I was looking for a place I could pick up some basic Chinese dishes on my way home and save some money on delivery tips that I usually spend on my usual place. I was not looking for excellent Chinese food, just your basic Americanized-style dishes. Also, I'm looking for a place that has the thick chow mein noodles, not the skinny ones. When I arrived after the dinner rush on a Friday, the woman at the front desk was happy, friendly, and obliging. Here is what I ordered for a party of six for take-out: * Pot stickers * Hot & Sour soup * Mongolian Beef * BBQ Pork chow mein * Sweet & Sour pork * Kung Pao chicken * Green Bean/Asparagus mix in black bean sauce * Rice for six When I came back 20 minutes later, the order was ready as promised, and she cheerfully told me that she added an order of General Tso's Chicken, on the house. I thanked her for her generosity. I took the neatly packed box and took it home to my hungry crew. Alas, the food just wasn't good enough to go back: * The pot stickers were inedible. The dough was too thick, and the filling tasted bad, like the pork was undercooked or rancid. * The Mongolian beef was not in the style to which I'm accustomed, but I thought I'd try it anyway. The beef tasted old, like it was cooked just before it went bad, and it wasn't spicy at all. Besides the bad beef flavor, there really wasn't much else going on as far as flavor goes. * The chow mein was good (good size noodles) but the pork chunks were overwhelming, large and dry. I get chow mein for the noodles and the pork is meant to add something to the noodles, not the other way around. * The Sweet & Sour pork was as expected, and I'm glad they didn't put the sauce on the side because that's always a pain. I also liked that it wasn't pink. * The Kung Pao chicken wasn't spicy (isn't spice the point of this dish?) and was pretty bland and salty overall. I like the addition of zucchini in the dish, but not enough to get it again. * The veggies were delicious. I can't complain about this dish at all. * The rice was good. But it's steamed rice. * The General Tso's Chicken was, like the kung pao, a bland, salty, saucy dish, only this time it included overcooked chicken bits. I think I may have gotten this dish because they had extra they were trying to get rid of before they closed, so I can't really complain that it wasn't fresh. Though truthfully, it seemed days old, not hours old. It's very possible that the quality of the food is better at the beginning of the dinner rush, but I can't imagine it's good enough to go back to try. The fact that some of the dishes had to be tossed altogether and the majority of the others were not good tells me that this place misses the mark for Chinese. I really WANTED to like them because the staff was so cool, but alas, the food is just bad. NOTE: We didn't try the soup. We were pretty dissatisfied by the time we remembered it and so we didn't even pop the lid. read more

I'd almost given up on eating Chinese food altogether. After a few years of consistenly mediocre food in this hood (I'm looking at you Golden City, Yen Wor, Louie's and company), we finally broke down and ordered takeout from Ballard Mandarin. It's actually the closest place to our house. Maybe I just couldn't get past the ghost of Inn Bin, or maybe it's because they don't deliver, but either way, we'd never tried eating there. What a pity and shame on us. We ordered a quart of won ton soup (full of julienned vegetables and "good as f*ck" says Mrs. T.", the orange chicken (not soggy or oversauced), mu shu pork (generous portion, wonderful pancakes) and Green Jade Vegetables (which turns out is green beans, broccoli and snap peas in a light sauce). Honestly, some of the best chinese I've had in years. The vegetables were all nice and crisp and nothing was too heavy. The ingredients all seems to be of very good quality too. read more

Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had! Very flavorful and not greesy, love the Orange chicken, the king pow was good but was a little thinner than normal Kung pow, pan fried noodles are thin and a nice mix of crunchy and chewy with cabbage and carrots. Gone twice already and I will definitely be back soon! read more

The food was ok... but the waitress was the angriest human being I've ever encountered. She was slamming things around the table and never once showed any interest in being friendly. We were out in a separate room from the rest of the restaurant... I almost felt like she was mad bc she wanted to hang out with her family in the back room and hoop it up. The lady who sat us down said asparagus is the special and we can have any dish and substitute asparagus... the waitress keep saying "two dollar more!!" The place is very filthy and should be condemned!! read more

I really don't like to leave bad reviews. We came here for the first time on Christmas Eve. The place was packed which we thought was a good sign. Then we were told it would be a half hour wait for a table. No problem. We did eventually get a table but it literally took two hours to get our food. The family at the table next to us waited for two hours as well. They finally gave up and were preparing to leave. After complaining about the wait they asked to have their food packed up to go and left the restaurant. No communication at all from the staff or any explanation as to when our food would arrive or what was taking so long. When I asked when we could expect our food the waitress informed us that 'everybody else is waiting too and there are people in front of you' Not a good response nor did it address my question. They also got one of our orders wrong. When we pointed this out to the waitress instead of offering to fix it she chastised my mother saying that my Mom had not asked for that particular entree. She did and I heard her. We were already disappointed we didn't get what we ordered and we definitely weren't going to wait for the order to be redone. But to have the waitress blame my Mom for the mistake really didn't sit well with me. We had patiently waited for two hours. To have them get our order wrong then blame us as the customers was really the icing on what was already a disappointing experience. Yes, it was Christmas Eve. Yes, they were busy. I thought the food was fairly good. If we had gone on another day my review might have been very different. But instead of being gracious and acknowledging there was clearly a problem affecting the whole restaurant, the staff came across as defensive and just seemed mad that they were working there. read more

This is my go to Chinese restaurant when I'm looking for something quick and inexpensive. I've been here 3-4 times and am never disappointed. They offer large portions for a fair price. Just a heads up but their dinner entrees don't come with rice. Kung Pao chicken is one of my go to's and I definitely recommend it. The egg rolls have very little filling but the crab rangoons make up for it in the appetizer list. They ya e a private parking lot as well as street parking. Food is usually ready in 15 mins! read more

The lady at the counter was very rude. I almost left, but was hungry so I ordered my food. The resturant was clean, bathroom was clean. They had several tables with customers. My food was out in a fair amount of time. They do not allow you to sub any menu items. Not even if you pay extra. There was plenty of food in my order. The food was really good and hot. read more

Excellent food. Great staff. I've been going to the Ballard Mandarin for a few years now and have always been totally impressed with the food. Everything is delicious, and I'm particularly impressed with how fresh the veggies always are. None of the limp stuff I've had at other places. I would say this is the best Chinese restaurant I've been to. And others I've taken there have agreed, even from NYC and other cities. And the Mai Tai's are seriously good too. Way better than the ones I got in Hawaii. I don't know about the other drinks because I can't get myself to order anything but a Mai Tai. And the staff is always incredibly friendly and cheerful too. I don't think I've ever been there when they've been off, even when busy. And it seems they just get more and more busy. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend the Ballard Mandarin to anyone. read more

Honestly some of these reviews make me pretty sad to read, it's as if someone had a bad day and wanted to take it out on a group of nice (and innocent) people. Someone's from Vietnam so you want to give them one star rather than three? Are you kidding me? Anyway, as for Ballard Mandarin; they're genuine people who serve good food. After eating here once or twice, and having a family member who eats heer consistently, I have to say they're an under-looked gem in the city that deserves more patrons. For cheaper than a value meal, you can get food that's easily as tasty if not tastier than a Whopper and fries; their lunch deal is amazing. Good for variety. Their eggrolls are nice, and fresh tasting - not very greasy, surprisingly - and their chicken is high-quality. On part with Chef Liaos, which has a near 5 star rating. Still in shock over these low ratings. read more

Solid Americanized Chinese food. I ate here once, long ago when it was Inn Bin. I wasn't in a rush to go back. Inn Bin always seemed shady, like they were a front for something. But after seeing it transformed, all these years later, to a local spot that seems to always have steady business-- I thought I should give Ballard Mandarin a try. First, the hours have changed-- it's now open until 10pm. Note that. I did carry out, my standard "test" dish is General Tso's chicken. This was flavorful, crispy, and not sweet, a plus! I also ordered hot & sour soup, which was tangy but a touch saltier than I prefer. The woman who took my order was very kind and helpful. Service was quick and food was prepared well. I will definitely try this place again, overall I was quite satisfied with what I had. read more

We do take out here, although you can dine in for an authentic slice of old Ballard. The staff is amazing and the food is so fresh and always hot when we get it. As long time customers the staff throws in free dishes every once in a while. They are kind people and I can't say enough about them. We do vegan veggie stuff mostly. Their Tofu is amazing and the salt and pepper green beans are the stuff. read more

One of my favorite places to eat, I've been coming here for years and they've always been so kind to me. Whenever I get take out, the containers are absolutely bursting with food! They don't skimp on portion sizes (: if you want great food and wonderful service, check this place out! read more

I've been eating at this location since it was the Inn Bin. This restaurant has the best bowl of soup noodles in town. It's a heaping bowl of noodles with lots of vegetables and seafood. It's official name on the menu is Ballard Noodle Soup. You can order it with pork, beef and or seafood. I've been eating the same bowl of noodles for the past 15+ years. The bowl is big enough for a hearty appetite. Best bowl of noodles in Seattle. read more

I usually judge the merits of an americanized chinese restaurant by it's orange chicken. I did this test at Ballard Mandarin maybe 2 years ago and they failed miserably. I haven't been back til today. I'm giving them 4 stars because I had their house fried noodles and they were really good. Nice pieces of chicken, beef, and a few shrimp. The noodles weren't too greasy and tasted fresh. Had some veggies in it, etc. Also not too salty and didn't taste like there was any msg in it. Not giving them 5 stars because what american chinese place doesn't have chow fun?!?! ;-) With all that said, I'd go back. Just don't order the orange chicken - I'll check yelp reviews to see what I should order =) read more

It was good. Good for quick and easy. I had cashew chicken and liked it. I am anxious to try other things on their menu. And they are always busy! read more

I was a huge fan of this buildings previous tenant inn Bin and decided to check this place out. We ordered everything we use to get at our favorite Chinese place (menu has all the same items) and we found much of it reminded us of Inn Bin. It send different but good enough that we still really enjoyed it. Service was quick and friendly, prices were fair as well. For $30, we had plenty for 2 people with leftovers. The building is kind of sketchy, I swear it looks exactly the same as when I last ate here almost 15 years ago or more, but Ballard Mandarin turns out some decent Chinese. read more

We had a group of 12 and were seated in the backroom/bar - it felt like we had kids in the bar (with some obvious regulars) and it was great! This is probably the 2nd or 3rd time we've been there since it was the Inn Bin, I didn't realize it had been Ballard Mandarin for 10 years. Service was fast, friendly and homey. The food was American Chinese but well executed: not overly saucy or salty, rice and noodles were fresh and tasty. They brought us an extra bowl of white rice for the table, fresh and fluffy. We had about 8-10 dishes, all of them were good. I ordered the General Tso's chicken spicy, and it actually brought the heat. Definitely enjoyed our evening and will go back. Did have one cocktail and it was strong. read more