China Star is really wonderful. I have the pickle with garlic cucumber it was wonderful. And the salty duck was very good read more

Chef Yan - China Star the restaurant is very very good. I had to salty duck and garlic pickle cucumber. And the server.Mandy - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Very authentic Chinese food~ came here for lunch and ordered kungpao chicken (the Sichuan style) , cold noodles and scallion fish, all very delicious! Met my expectations, definitely will come back to try more dishes! read more

Chef Yan - Scallions Fish - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

We hadn't been to China Star in a couple of years, but the wait was too long at First Watch, so we walked up the row. Menu no longer has lunch and dinner sizes for regular items; have to order "lunch combo" to get smaller portion (though they turned out to be quite large). Anyway, there's a limited "lunch combo" menu. Hot & Sour soup had too much thickener, but tasted good. Sesame Chicken sauce was goopy, too much cornstarch and sugar. Not much flavor. Husband's Kung Pao Chicken was somewhat better. Service was ok. I miss the old chef and menu. Probably won't go back very often. read more

This is the third time that a lady from China Star was being rude to me on the phone when taking my order. I can forget the missing utensils, and even a small piece of paper in my food. However, it is going to be pretty hard for me to forgive someone like her who talks to me as if I owe her money. She kept getting the quantities of my items wrong. Then she started to act impatient with me for her own mistakes. She also raised her voice at me for ordering items that are actually on their menu but no longer available to the customers. How am I supposed to know that? I certainly do not want to experience the joy of talking to her ever again. read more

Great service! Close to authentic Chinese food you'll find. One of our favorite spots in the area!

烤鱼一流！ 好吃，料多! I ordered a fish with a lot of vegetables, two people had very good lunch! Perfect! I would like to order it again! read more

This restaurant was suggested by a friend of ours and boy, what a delight! I loved the food. I got the secret menu item, MaLa Hot Pot with Fish (Extra Spicy) and I wasn't disappointed. My wife got the Spicy Bell Pepper diced Chicken and that was very good as well. This is our 2nd time here and I loved my MaLa Hot Pot both times! read more

Chef Yan - Secret menu item: MaLa Hot Pot with Fish (spicy) - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is a good Szechuan style Chinese restaurants. The Scallion Fish, General Kwan's Beef and Bitter Melon Pork are all so good. Just because I can't eat spicy food now, I did not try the other very spicy dishes, like the MaPo Tofu, which I heard is excellent. Service is fast. I will go back again! read more

NYAM NYAM! I first heard about China Star from fellow Yelper, Jean S., but the hubs had heard about this place from one of his friends - however, he's only been there to try out the Americanized Chinese menu. China Star is actually known for their Szechuan offerings, so that totally piqued our interest! We came here for dinner and were seated promptly. The hubs started off with a Hot and Soup soup, which is usually his go-to starter (the fried wonton strips were crunchy and fresh). We shared some Dan Dan Noodles (these were so yummy! The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the ground beef was oh-so-flavorful! The sauce, while spicy, was a lovely compliment.) and Spicy Wontons (these were pork-filled wonton purses and covered with a sweet/spicy chili oil sauce - YUM! They were soft and delicate and filled nicely with the meat; the sauce itself had a nice sweet/spicy taste to it with a plethora of sliced scallions (!!!) - this was quite addicting). For the entrees, we tried the Szechuan Chili Chicken (kind of dry-fried, thin batter, and spicy; the husband was a fan, as it wasn't saucy) and the Ma Po's Bean Curd (you can definitely taste the cumin/spices in here; the tofu was very delicate and cooked nicely, and the sauce was also pretty savory and thick enough, and great mixed with the white rice). The dishes definitely had a spicy kick, and my lips and tongue were definitely on FIRE - however, the food was so flavorful and so delicious, it ended up being a good kind of pain (and, the funny thing is, I don't even have a high threshold for pain/spiciness!!!). I would love to try out their cucumber with the mashed garlic appetizer, the Salt Pepper Shrimp, and the shredded pork dishes. Ms. Lynn was so sweet and helpful and made some great recommendations! :D She was very attentive and made sure that everything was great! Ms. Li, another server, was very sweet as well! I really enjoyed my meal here, considering I don't eat Chinese food as much. But, I can definitely see myself having more cravings and I will definitely be returning to China Star frequently :D +Dan Dan Noodles +Spicy Wontons +Ma Po's Bean Curd +ask for Ms. Lynn and Ms. Li :D +located in Fair City Mall, across from BB&B and Best Buy read more

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Those who do not do their research would probably not even know of China Star's prowess as a Sichuan restaurant given their rather pedestrian name (which does not indicate the Sichuan specialties waiting inside). They have two menus (one that is authentically Sichuan and another, the "standard menu," that offers familiar Chinese-American fare exemplified by beef and broccoli and kung pao chicken). So, unsuspecting diners may not even realize that they are sitting on a Sichuan goldmine unless the Sichuan menu is made available to them. Of course, I referred to nothing but the Sichuan menu on the occasions that I have dined at China Star; and, so each visit has allowed me to tap into the restaurant's greatest strength. Because of this, each visit has been a showcase of masterfully prepared food that has exhibited virtually zero flaws. Given such praise, what would I recommend? Here are a few selections. First, the fish with tofu features delicate fish filets that are coupled with silky chunks of tofu (all of which bathes in a signature Sichuan ma la broth made from broad bean paste, red chili peppers, and is kissed by the distinctive numbing spice of Sichuan peppercorns). This dish, served in a huge bowl, is simply fantastic and a must order. Like the fish with tofu, the braised beef and vegetables is another dish that prominently features a fiery broth. Consisting of sliced beef and napa cabbage in ma la broth, this dish is basically a variation on the fish and tofu dish mentioned above (as the preparation and broth are the same). The beef is meltingly tender and the napa cabbage almost turns into kim chi as it swims beneath the spicy brew. Additionally, the scallion fried fish, which is like the other side of the ma la coin, is also fantastic. It is a sauceless, dry dish that relies on the fish, herbs, and spices (cumin, cilantro, and chili peppers) to do the talking rather than on any outspoken broth. The fish filets, as a consequence of being flash fried and, then, stir fried is rendered intensely aromatic (with a smell, taste, and texture that is utterly seductive). Yes, this dish is a real treat worth ordering upon every visit. Another dish, the lamb in sizzling pot, akin to the aforementioned scallion fried fish, features tender, succulent pieces of lamb that is flash fried and stir fried similarly with aromatic cumin and cilantro. The lamb is not in the least bit greasy, gamey, or coarse (as lamb can be). Rather, it is light and delicious in every regard...amazingly tasty and fresh. The Szechwan chili chicken (which may be ordered with or without bones) consists of a gargantuan plate of chili peppers interspersed with chunks of chicken. This dish is eye popping with its amount of red chili peppers. The chicken, which is stir fried to a crispy finish, is literally lost in a sea of red. At its best, this dish delivers succulent bites of tender, spicy chicken. With bones, the effort can be a bit harder and the pay off a bit less. In the end, China Star clearly has talented chefs in their kitchen who have honed their skills and know what they are doing. We, the diners, are simply the beneficiaries of their craft. It is not unlike sitting in the audience to appreciate great musicians. We may not know what their hands are doing (as fingers press down on strings and frets), but we sure can appreciate the beauty of what they produce. read more

If you're looking for authentic Chinese food in the Northern Virginia area, China Star is one of your best bets. The restaurant is in a large strip mall and could otherwise be very easily overlooked if you weren't looking for it. The menu is divided into two sections, a traditional Szechuan Chinese section and an American Chinese section. The American Chinese portion has all of what you would expect like General Tso's Chicken and the like. If you want to experience China Star at its best however you need to be more adventurous and try out some things from the authentic portion of the menu. Many of the appetizers may seem intimidating at first like the spicy marinated stomach but if you stay open minded you'll find that you'll probably really enjoy even the most intimidating of foods. The salt smoked duck is also very good. The main courses are primarily spicy but you can ask the server to adjust the spiciness to your liking. The Spicy Capsicum Diced Chicken is one of my favorites, small diced pieces of chicken stir fried with lots of chopped chilies, some pickled, and garlic; it will get you sweating after a few bites. The Szechuan Chili Diced Tofu is also good- well seasoned fried cubes of tofu with dried chilies. Also, be sure to ask the server what Chinese vegetables they have on hand; green pea sprouts or bok choy are often on hand and have them stir fried with garlic- simple and good. If you're willing to go outside of your comfort zone I'm sure you will find that authentic Chinese cooking will become one of your favorite cuisines. China star is one of the few and best places to find this kind of food and luckily they do it well. Finally on service, the servers are all helpful and will check on you to make sure your food and experience is good. read more

When you walk in the front door there is literally a right menu and a wrong menu. In the box by the front door are two different menus; an american-chinese menu (on the left) and a szechuan menu (on the right). If you don't order off the szechuan menu you probably shouldn't be wasting your time on Yelp, just go to Panda Express instead. The bone-in szechuan chili chicken was delicious. It comes out looking like a giant pile of sliced chilies, and you have to root around in the pile to find the chicken, which should give you a hint of how spicy it's going to be. The chunks of chicken are popcorn size, and each one has a bite of meat wrapped on a knuckle of bone. They are a bit of a hassle to eat, but they are absolutely delicious, although they pack a serious punch of heat (they are labeled as 'numbing' on the menu). We also tried the lamb in sizzling pot, which was spicy, but with a much lower and slower burn. I don't know that I've ever seen lamb on a chinese menu before, but after trying this I wish I had. The slightly gamier flavor of lamb over beef lets you taste the meat through the spice. There is also a good bit of cumin in with the lamb, onions, peppers, which is something else I am not used to seeing in a chinese restaurant. Overall this was the best chinese food I've ever had, and we will be back to try more! read more

This sucks. I ordered Kung Pao Chicken to go.... they didn't give me ANY rice. I don't live close by so I called in... they offered to give me free white rice next time I come in. I told them I don't live nearby and don't know when I'll be able to come back.... the lady asked for my phone number, so they could verify my identity when I come back in.... so they could get me my free white rice next time. .... seriously? You are supposed to get white rice for free with your food anyhow. how is getting free white rice next time supposed to help? I told them that doesn't help, but she just said sorry. Like, I'm going to come in next time and say, hey... you have my number stashed away somewhere over by the phone... yeah, that represents a voucher for free white rice. I would have just preferred a sincere apology rather than some goofy gift of future rice. Even better would have been to offer something like a free appetizer or anything of actual value in consideration of their mistake and failure to supply what I had paid for; ~$13.50 (after tax/tip) for some Kung Pao I can't eat. I don't really want to give less stars... because their food is good, and I understand mistakes happen... but of all the years I've ordered Chinese food, I've never not gotten rice. I'm so disappointed I don't even want to look at this kung pao -- it smells fantastic. :( That being said. Their food is still good. But I just can't eat it without rice. Now I have to go buy rice somewhere so I can eat this food; what a hassle. I'm sure after my next visit, I'll bump the stars back up; but for now -- China Star, im disappointed in you. #FirstWorldProblems SIDENOTE: I had the double cooked pork dine-in prior to my to go order, and it was authentic as far as I can tell. lots of hot oil, salty, black bean, green vegetables and pork belly. I did receive rice with that entree. It was good... and I try not to think about how unhealthy it probably was.... basically like a plate of really thick cut bacon soaked in oil. Yeah, it was good. Very salty/savory rather than sweet, like an Americanized version of 2x cook pork. read more

Chef Yan - Double cooked pork - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

In my opinion I thought this place was over-rated. Yeah, it's authentic.. well.. in theory. We went here tonight to get an order to take out back to my girlfriend's apartment.. I ordered the chili chicken or something. .and the dish consisted of 70% chili peppers and 30% chicken. my girlfriend ordered the shredded pork with green peppers.. this too consisted of about 60% green peppers and 40% chicken. both dishes were extremely greasy. we both did not finish our food. not because we were full.. but because it really wasn't good. i'm not really picky about foods.. but i really didn't care for the dishes. more veggies then meat. and too much grease. maybe we just chose bad dishes.. but we won't be going back here to give it another try. read more

The place looks like a dump and the service is lousy, but why do I keep coming back? It is the best Szechuan I've had in the DC area. Word of warning: They have two menus (both written in English). The Americanized menu has the standard, plain Jane, Chinese restaurant fare (Beef with Broccoli, etc.). Don't order too much from this menu. Frankly, it's pretty boring. The other menu has their Szechuan specialties and if you are adventurous and like hot food, this is the menu for you. I have loved every one of their "Home Style" entrees that I've tried, but I love, love, love the Salt and Pepper Eggplant. And if you love celery, then the Shredded Beef with Chinese Celery is the dish for you. (Conversely, if you don't like celery, avoid that dish like the plague.) You can check out their menu on line, which may help your first visit because there are a lot of dishes offered between the two menus. http://www.chinastarfood.com/ read more

Excellent, but not vegetarian friendly. In my experience, mainland Chinese is the hardest cuisine for vegetarians. More than once I've asked for things without meat and gotten something with fish or chicken. Many dishes are cooked with fish sauce or pork fat, which is impossible to tell from the menu and even asking sometimes produces ambiguous or wrong information. If there isn't a dedicated vegetarian section, it's really very difficult to find things to order, and even then you might get surprised. China Star is no exception. Sichuan food is not vegetarian friendly to begin with -- even the legendary string beans are cooked in animal fat, and the wonderful mapo tofu (apparently) has pork. Through my Chinese colleagues, I asked for everything purely vegetarian, and basically accepted the risk that that might not actually be the case. That said, what I got was outstanding. I had the cold mushrooms, mapo tofu, and string beans, which were all incredibly flavorful and well prepared. My previous experience with this place has also been wonderful -- highlights include the spicy grilled whole fish (the personal favorite of our resident Sichuanese guy) and the fried popcorn-like chicken, though some consider the latter too salty and/or too spicy. My colleagues also enjoyed the duck and lamb with peppers. I apologize for not knowing the Chinese names; I get the sense that goes a long way here. By all accounts China Star is perfectly authentic and to this American it is absolutely delicious. Being a vegetarian makes it very difficult but as long as you're really clear and willing to accept some risk, you can find amazing items. read more

Chef Yan - Our feast. Note that the mapo tofu dish is empty. 'Twas devoured! - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Unbelievable food!!! Braised fish, scallion fried fish, and beef with broccoli are all heaven.

***2.5 stars*** Decent Sichuan food, not the best but also not terrible. However, for the portions that they give for the price, I would much rather go to Tempt Asian in Annandale where I much prefer the taste. Everything (and I mean everything) was on the salty side. The Szechuan beef (resembling a spicy stew of beef and cabbage) was more salty than spicy or numbing. Szechuan cooking is characterized by the 'mala' flavor, a tongue-numbing sensation caused by the Sichuan peppercorns. So this dish was very lacking in its normal flavor. And where was the beef? There wasn't very much in it besides cabbage and when we pay for beef, we want beef. What we got was small and hard to find in the first place. The fried fish with scallions, cilantro, and cumin was not fresh. I don't expect them to serve me fresh filetted fish when they fry me this dish but I don't expect it to have that terrible frozen texture either. The fish was also slightly overfloured and over-seasoned with cumin. The Chili Chicken was good. Fresh, hot, crunchy. However there was not enough chicken in the pile of red peppers that comes with the dish. Also saw that most of the other customers dining with us weren't really ordering authentic Sichuan foods... guess that attests to their efforts and authenticity. Would much rather go to a more authentic/tasty place in Annandale/Alexandria. Not bad, but wouldn't expect to come back. read more

Lol, it is not a good place for scezchuan now. I stop by and I tried a traditional scezchuan dish 鱼香肉丝 garlic sauce pork, 河粉牛肉 beef rice noodle, cost 24.1 not a good dinner or whatever you call it. Taste of their food was plain and bad. Pork should not be marinated (covered) by flour, bland taste does not have spicy or the taste of yu xiang sauce, or real 鱼香肉丝vegetables. Tiny bit woodear, bamboo shoot strings. No carrots and the yuxiang flavor. it come with little bit rice. beef noodle is kind of stuck together- instead of soft and separated. There isn't any vegetables or good flavors. Note 百川味 switch owner. the old restaurant was a really good spot for some spicy Chinese dish. I used to live here and often order from this place. read more

Chef Yan - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Buy middle for $8 on Yelp menu. Get there pay 12.95$ for it. Price change and never updated. Food is so so so.

The sliced beef and beef tripe is sooo good! Really authentic one! I don't know why this restaurant only got 3 stars, they provide better spicy Chinese food than a lot restaurant in fairfax. read more

This place was supposedly great in its heyday when Peter Chang cooked here. PC is now running his own shops down in Richmond. It was hot when we got here b/c the AC was turned down. The food overall was OK. Definitely not as good as HK Palace in Seven Corners. I ordered a mapo tofu and hardly touched it b/c I was busy eating other stuff. When the server took it back to the kitchen to package it up, I got it back in a pint container. Where the F was the rest of my food? An entire untouched entrée shouldn't fit in a pint container!!!!! read more

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Awesome. Felt like I was back in Beijing. Will be back many times. Vegetarian was no problem. Loved the MaPo Tofu, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes and more. Love! read more

Chef Yan - You know it's good when it can be "numbing"! - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

American Chinese menu is ok. Traditional menu is good. Their snow pea shoots are great

I can't believe the ratings for China Star and you shouldn't either. This is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Northern VA. People try to take me to all these fancy, high-end "new take" Chinese restaurants but fuck that. It's not worth it when China Star is nearby. My husband and I love so many things including their Dan Dan Noodles, Egg Rolls, Dumplings, Scallion Pancakes, Szechuan Chili Chicken, Beef w/Broccoli, Singapore Mai Fun, and Cashew Chicken! Last Christmas, when us Jews are particularly prone to order Chinese food, I went to pick up China Star and there was a crowd of people standing outside waiting. Everyone was a little bitchy because they were hangry and China Star was behind on orders, but we all got to talking and agreed the wait was worth it because their food is the bomb.com. All other days of the year this isn't an issue, and I should know since we go there at least once a month. read more

Food is okay -- not too fond of the customer service. Came for pick up one day, front desk got the order wrong and looked angry at me. She went to the kitchen to change the order then proceed to take payment. I then asked her if I could have some hot sauce -- she looked annoyed then pointed to the fridge and said to me "get it yourself, it's there" Eh... Not the best customer service.... read more

Have enjoyed China Star for last 6 yrs as we live very close..Did takeout again last night, and for 2nd time in a row very disappointed. Something has shifted or changed. Going to have to find alternative. read more

This place deserves higher reviews if you ask me. This is hands down my favorite restaurant in northern virginia. Food: wonderful! Better-than-average Chinese fare. This place has something to satisfy my mother's asian taste as well as my father's preference for americanized Chinese food. I recommend the sizzling lamb, the eggplant, and the spring rolls (which my father says are the best he's ever had). Value: Great. Most entrees will run you between 10 to 25 dollars ~ but! The portions are far from stingy. When my boyfriend and I eat here we order three entrees and we go home with a heaping box of leftovers for lunch - one for each of us. Service: Good. It's a Chinese restaurant. But i have never felt any rudeness from anybody. On the contrary I'd say that everyone is reservedly friendly. Beverages: Great. I like tea ~ but if you prefer a beer they have Tsing Tao, Sapporo and several other options. Facility: clean and well lit. I love going here because it is a wonderful environment. I've never had to wait for a table and even when the place is more crowded, there is plenty of space to not feel cramped. read more

China Star is great, cheap takeout where the portion sizes are what they should be and they dont try to be what they aren't - a restaurant you expect quality food from. They stay in their lane and do what they do well. 5/5 for serving me takeout that hasn't give me food poisoning read more

I ordered take out and the wait took quite some time. I was beginning to wonder if it was even worth it to wait. All I ordered were sesame balls because I absolutely love them but I hadn't had them in such a long time!! The restaurant itself is very Chinese. Small, humble and pretty authentic looking. I will come back to get some actual Chinese food, but I was in a rush. The sesame balls were amazing!!! You get 8 of them and since mine were just made, they were nice and toasty warm! I would get these again because they were perfect! Only complaint, they were a little on the small side, but then again, you get 8!! I took away a star partially due to the wait and because it was a little dirty and the staff was kind of aloof. But their food is definitely amazing! read more

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This place is hit-or-miss. I once ordered a seafood dish and got pretty sick next day. Only order beef or chicken seems to be a safe alternative. Portions are huge and sometimes unlike other Chinese restaurants, they allow lunch menus on the weekends. Ymmv read more

I got a large bowl of hot & sour soup for about $6.50 & Dan Dan noodles for about $10. The soup was almost all liquid with very few other ingredients. The Dan Dan noodles were marked "hot" & even "numbing" & were the blandest dish I have ever eaten. Service was prompt & friendly. read more

I grabbed some carry out from here yesterday and I was really pleased with how they adapted their business to ensure safety during the pandemic. They're only allowing take out and they have a plastic barrier and table in the entrance area separating you from the worker handing you the food. As far as the food goes, I ordered the general Tso's chicken with fried rice and an egg roll and it was exactly what I wanted, really delicious! read more

We've been going to this restaurant for years, ever since it was popularized as the place where Peter Chang was the chef. Well. he has moved on and is now big time, but a lot of his magic lingers in the traditional menu. Last week, we had the Stir Fried Eggplant, and the Chicken in Hot Pot. Both were delicious and well prepared. The service was friendly and attentive. Being a weeknight, it was somewhat quiet, but it gets busy on weekends. We noticed that they do a brisk takeout business, which is always a good sign. We'll keep on frequenting this place as long as the food and service remain at this fairly high level. read more

Yup. Baby spider in the soup. When I called and told them I threw the food away, they demanded I turn over my trash can to them so they could inspect and make sure I wasn't stealing their food. Incredible. And yes, I did give them my trash bag from my trash can so they could take it back to their restaurant and inspect it. Incredible. read more

Chef Yan - Spider in sweet S05. Chicken Corn Soup for 2 - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

The food was really a hit or miss. The pig ear and beef tripe apps were pretty good. The braised fish was good. The salt and pepper popcorn chicken was saltier than the ocean water I tasted while attempting to swim at Ocean City. The majority of the entrees were way too salty. Expect minimal wait and fast service. Pretty good price for a non-typically-take-out Chinese food restaurant. read more

We recently placed an order for delivery. It was not an overly complicated order, lo mein, soup, and bbq ribs. After waiting an hour we called the restaurant for an update. The woman on the phone was not only unapologetic but also quite rude. Without even checking she kept repeating "he's on the way." All we wanted was assurance that our order was being prepared, instead we were made to feel like we were somehow bothering them. 8 minutes after calling the restaurant we received a call from the driver notifying us that he would be delivering our order in 10 minutes, leading me to believe that either our order was never prepared (we live less than 3 miles away) or that our food will have been sitting in his car for a long time. Neither of which makes for good customer service or appetizing meal. It has now been 1.5 hours since we placed our order and we're still sitting here hungry and getting angry. Sorry but not sure it's worth the wait. read more

Located on Main Street of Fairfax city, featuring one of the most authentic and delicious Chinese foods. I am a big fan of Chinese food so i often pay my visit to china star. My order included crispy chow min and fried rice and they were delicious. I felt special with great customer service. Prices are affordable.Overall it was a nice place to dine in. read more

Chef Yan - Chinese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This place used to be really good. It keeps changing owners though and every time there is ownership change the quality goes down. We just got dinner to go tonight and the food was just average and the prices had gone up a lot. New ownership. Again. It used to be my favorite. No more. read more

I would say for the price and the location it's pretty good. Their Chinese food off the Chinese menu is authentic, but still more geared towards the American pallet. I would recommend the spicy wontons or the Dan Dan noodles. Don't get the chicken wings off the American menu and go to a place that serves Hong Kong style food. Pretty good place for szechwan food if you don't want to go to D.C. and love their chili oil! read more