Still looking for a go to Chinese place in the Portland area after trying many including Chia Sen. Went here a few nights ago with a friend. Ordered pu pu for two, a side of generals chicken, a couple mi ties and tea. Pros: Service, cleanliness, drinks and crab rangoon. Cons: generals chicken didn't have a hint of spice/heat and the chicken in it was dry and chewy (mind you we spent 1.00 extra for all white meat chicken option) Chicken fingers were really doughy and not crisp. Fried shrimp were definitely not close to fresh and smelled overly fishy. No rice included or offered. All of this for approx $55. I've tried this place five times now over a two year period and I'm thinking there won't be a sixth time. read more

This is our go to place for take out. Chia Sen is family run and they have such a varied and extensive menu and always seem to have something new. My favorite is the cashew chicken. I am not sure why a lot places put pineapple in this dish, but these guys do not and I love it. The veggies are still crunchy and so are the cashews, without being undercooked. Another favorite is the wonton soup which I tend to want when I am sick. We have never had a bad experience her dining in or taking out. A bonus is that it is situated in a strip mall so you can even stop in and order, then walk to one of the other stores (like Bull Moose) and shop and go back to pick up your food. read more

On a whim my girlfriend and I checked the menu posted on their window and seeing some vegetarian/vegan options we decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed. After splitting the Hot and Sour soup for two, which was excellent by the way, I had the Mongolian Soy-Beef, spicy and tender "meat" and vegetables on a bed of cellophane noodles, it was extraordinary. She had the Soy-Chicken in Hunan Sauce, very similar to mine and just as tasty. The staff was very friendly and helpful with discussing the many menu options. Safe to say, we'll be back again to have some more soup and try out other dishes. read more

Great selection of soymeats!!! A great vegetarian find! Delicious!

I always frequent Happy Cow to see what sort of vegetarian options are around me... this one must have slipped between the cracks! Chia Sen has a whole section of their menu for vegetarian soy dishes! That include soy chicken, soy pork, and soy beef, in addition to any sort of dish you might want with tofu or vegetables! Even going on New Year's eve they were able to keep up with demand inside the restaurant! 10/10 would recommend! read more

The people were very nice, but the menu features no combinations, they screwed up my order, my chicken lo mein was missing, and they included crab rangoons, which I did not order, and which my wife is allergic to. Plus, the food just isn't that good, and it's expensive. If I'm gonna order $55 worth of food for me and my family, I expect it to be done right, and taste good, and neither was the case. read more

Not impressed. The wait staff looked like zombies out of a B movie and were not attentive to the customers. We were rushed at our table "here's your food, here's your bill, leave now" kind of atmosphere. But what really put theicing on the cake was we had a large order of rice and the waiter (if that's whatyou want to call him) took it out backand came back with this small take out box. NO WAY he could have put that all into that small container. We asked him about that and he's insisted that he put it all into that small container. No just no way you could have done that. Are we going back there again anytime soon? Guarantee in the fortune cookie says not a chance! That's the first and last time you'll see me there. read more

Love the hot and sour soup and the spring roll! The cashew chicken is also fantastic.

Always a delicious meal with great service. Even with a 2 hour wait on New Years, the employees make sure everyone is taken care of.

We live in Portland and this is our go-to for Chinese takeout. Consistently tasty, fresh food, very nice staff. Well prepared with face masks and hand sanitizer at door. Recommended if you're in need of a quick Chinese food fix! read more

Best Chinese food around. Staff is very friendly. Food always tastes great! Been coming here for years and will drive past 2 other Chinese food restaurants just to go to this one- they are that good! read more

I don't know what changed my taste or they're style but I was disappointed. The food seemed bland and reheated. I ate alone for lunch so the staff payed just enough attention and were very sweet. I'm not sure though I just can't say I left feeling happy or comfy as far as the grease level. I did leave a 20% tip still under twenty bucks but I won't be back for a bit: the truth this was always my go to best in Maine place but they lost the touch today. read more

Not a bad Chinese restaurant in the Portland area. The food they serve for the combination are portion small, but still delicious. I been here a few times in the past with my cousin this is the first time coming to Chia Sen since then. A recommended place for people look for a non buffet Chinese restaurant. read more

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Cute little place tucked in a small strip mall. Full bar. Tables of people surround smiling. If you want a buffet this is not the place as food is made to order, I wish Kyoto music was playing instead of light jazz bullshit. read more

Chia Sen - The shrine - Chinese Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

I was reminded again today why I don't dine here often. The $12 Mongolian beef was almost all onions, very little beef, and when I asked for duck sauce, they charged me .75! Seems so petty.... With so many options for great Chinese in the area, I won't be going back, even out of convenience. read more

I make it a point to come here every time I visit family in Maine, and I've never been let down. Their vegetarian menu is unlike anything I've seen in any other Chinese restaurant ANYWHERE, the sesame soy-chicken is my favorite :-) read more

This place was very very good 8 years ago. They have since consistently gone down hill. The oil they use is not the same. Not clean and crisp anymore. The vegetables are not fresh anymore. It is like they cut them once a week and pull them out of fridge as they need them. Not at all crisp. The egg roll was soggy. Even the rice tasted stale like it was made days ago and it was handed. So sad as we used to love this place. read more

We've been coming to this restaurant since they opened in 1998. It used to be really, very good food and atmosphere. Unfortunately, over the years the quality and most importantly, the cleanliness of the place has deteriorated. The bathroom is REALLY FILTHY and has not been improved in years- which is frankly, unacceptable. From recent visits, the food has been very inconsistent. Sometimes it is SO oily and greasy that it rides really rough in your stomach. I will say the service is great and the wait staff is very attentive. They never leave you sitting there with your water glass empty. They do have a great lunch menu selection that offers smaller portions at lower cost. I know it's the same owner and is family-run business for about 16 years, but they have got to make some changes before we will return. read more

I consider myself a bit of a Chinese food "snob". This was an excellent experience. The food was fresh, tasted great, and was not greasy. The inside of the restaurant was clean. The staff was prompt and friendly. Not much more you could ask for....oh yeah, they also don't use MSG! I'll definitely be going back. read more

Food was good service was horrendous. Waited forever to be served. Waiter had an attitude he brought the table next to us their own to go containers but took mine to the kitchen to box it (that bugs me). read more

I have tried this place numerous times, mainly because I keep thinking if I try it again I will find the great vegan Chinese food I am searching for. Alas, it never happens. My biggest complaint is that most of the vegetarian dishes come with skimpy amounts of sauce that make me want to shout, "Just because I'm vegan doesn't mean I'm on a diet." Tonight I tried the sweet and sour faux chicken. When I opened the takeout container, my first thought was "This is cancer in a dish." The food was a reddish-orange neon color. Fortunately, it tasted okay. But that's my beef with this place...it's always just okay and never fabulous. One other complaint...the veggie dumplings are the size of my baby toe. Come on, people! They should be the size of 2-3 big toes! read more

Funny for such a "foody" area, we don't have better options for Chinese food... That being said, Chia Sen is by far my favorite. They have a great selection of soy "meats", giving them the ability to make almost anything veg friendly! The food is good, really good actually but definitely not the best Chinese food I have ever had. I will keep coming back and recommended whole-heartedly to all of my veg friends. read more

Bland, bland, bland. I was so hoping when I went in here that I would have finally found a good chinese restaurant in the Portland area, and well...all of Maine. Not so. They have a great selection on the menu, but it is all bland. Maybe, because I moved here recently from the San Francisco Bay Area I am a bit spoiled, but honestly...how hard is it to make authentic Chinese food? Kung pao chicken wasn't even spicy! read more

Had lunch here today, wish we went to Subway instead. The food was o.k. not terrible, but not worth coming back for. Reading the past reviews one would think that this place has good food and service, it doesn't, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else for Chinese. read more

I will give most places three tries before calling it a failure.....and this is a failure. Three different dishes and they all had the same burnt, astringent undertones. Maybe it was three bouts of bad luck, but I would call it barely edible. Form your own opinion, but be careful. read more

Went for lunch. Soup was good, food was OK, sort of bland. I would give this place a 3 if it weren't for the service. It was absolutely terrible. Hopefully our waiter finds another line of work. read more

This is the go to for my husband and I. I have never been disappointed, their spring rolls are my favorite. Service is always friendly, for sit in and take out. I'm not a vegetarian but the sesame soy chicken is to die for. Amazing chicken is also delicious. Been going here for years and don't plan on stopping. read more

Among the best vegetarian Chinese options in the greater Portland area. If they delivered I wouldn't ever go anywhere else.

This place is delicious. If you are a vegetarian you will appreciate it even more than regular Chinese restaurants- you can get anything on their menu with soy pork, soy chicken, or soy beef. It is so good! The hot and sour soy pork soup, the amazing beef, and sesame soy chicken are delicious. Plus, lots of veggies!! read more

I was looking forward to finally having some good Chinese food. Ordered Spicy Soy General Tso's Chicken. This was NOT SOY or chicken! IT WAS FRIED RUBBER! NOT EDIBLE!! There was NO possible way that my teeth could penetrate and chew this SUBSTANCE! What is it??? read more

Chia Sen - What Is This? - Chinese Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

At first we were big fans of this place: it's conveniently located, quick and the food was good as far as take out Chinese goes. The prices have always been high and over the past year our experiences with Chia Sen's food have become ridiculous. Incredibly inconsistent, the dishes we receive are rarely what we've ordered wether eating in or taking out. Its as though they just throw whatever similar looking foods they have lying around into a bag. Some of our favorite items on the menu have become almost inedible: boneless ribs are more like beef jerky, white meat General Tso's which used to be crisp and fresh is now just mushy breaded deep fried chicken in a brown sauce. The previously 'Amazing Beef' is now decidedly tasteless. Our family politely brought these and other concerns to the staff many times. After tonight's order, which they got 30% correct and 50% unpalatable, we'll be eating elsewhere. read more

We've been patronizing Chia Sen for many years. It's a favorite stop with inexpensive lunches served fast. They have had a change of personnel in the last year and their new folks need to shape up a bit to be as good as the old folks. Twice we've ordered fried rice but get brown rice instead. Still our favorite Chinese restaurant in the area. Hope the few glitches improve. read more

The BEST Chinese food around! And for a Vegan it is a must. Only place where you can get all your favorites with soy chicken/beef/pork. My new go to place in the Portland area. read more

Worst management experience in my history of dining out. We have eaten there several times and the wait staff is great, food is usually very good. Yesterday, we stopped in, I ordered the double fried Seafood noodles. The lobster and shrimp were so overcooked I couldn't cut them with the knife provided. I discretely asked told the waiter that it was inedible. I asked if he could replace the pieces of lobster and shrimp, there was also no white sauce as indicated in the menu. He took my entire dish, I ate the two broccoli florets, 3 carrots, and half a scallop that was on my plate. He brought my dish back out, again with severely overcooked lobster and shrimp, on top of that, now the rest of my dish was cold. I told him it was still overcooked and now cold. I asked the manager at the register to please remove the dish from my ticket as it was inedible, she refused telling me they had to cook it twice, so that was not an option. I at first politely told her, they had overcooked it twice, and I shouldn't be expected to pay for inedible food. She again refused, and said all she could do was recook it for me to take away... made no sense, and based on the first two attempts, why would I choose that option, it was cheaper for her to remove it from my ticket. She refused, so I will never eat there again and will tell anyone that asks, to not eat there. Lisa read more

I've been ordering takeout from this restaurant for 15 years and it's always consistent and good. It's also one of the few restaurants around that you can order healthy entrees if you want. They also don't use chemicals in their food so 2 or 3 hours later, you don't get a freight train going through your mouth. Only oriental restaurant that I would go to. read more

Thank You Tony and most beautiful wife!!! I love your restaurant and you always take good care of me!!! On my way back to Oregon today and I came to see you last, the beef with bean sprouts and peppercorn sauce is just a delightful dish, Thank You!!!! Keep up the good work!!! read more

Cold food and poor service. One visit was enough not to come back. The dumplings tasted old.

Great little place in this strip mall, I almost didn't go in for that reason. Great food, good service, never a long wait and the food comes out quick but is still hot and fresh. read more

I've been coming to Chia Sen for about 20 years and yesterday I brought a friend and it was nothing like it used to be. Suddenly, everything is different. The portions for lunch were on a mini plate and it took forever to order our food with only 3 people in the restaurant. The waitress was new, so OK, I can give some slack there, but the food was just horrible. The wonton soup was a bowl of chicken stock and two wontons, not even a shred of a green onion in it. I asked for some green onion on the side. My Ginger Chicken and string beans had zero ginger in it when it arrived so I asked for them to please take it back and add the ginger which they did, but charged me extra to put in what was supposed to be in the dish anyway !! Iced tea was a powdered drink, which I thought would have been the house loose tea in lice. All in all, VERY disappointing and my friend just took her food home as it was so bland and boring. Her "Fried Rice" was brown rice with a few frozen peas and carrots thrown in and her beef chow mien looked like it came from a can. I just hope they can redeem themselves and come back to being what they always used to be. I am so sad but will give it one more try. read more

I am not from the Portland area so my experience is based on my overall experience in Colorado, Florida, and Nevada. The service was good and the food was average. read more