Chuan cafe is a cozy hidden gem in North Raleigh. The shopping center it's in is definitely in an unassuming strip mall, but trust me the food and the service are worth It! I came right before a show at the Alamo Drafthouse around the corner, which makes it the perfect night out for dinner and show. It looks like a lot of people order takeout here, but they have ample tables and do offer an excellent dine in service. I loved their green beans and eggplant. All their food felt more authentic and homestyle than your typical run of the mill Chinese place. The food had flavor, and it wasn't overly greasy either! I'll definitely come back next time in near north Raleigh. read more

Chuan Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I used to love this restaurant and was a loyal customer for years, which makes this experience especially disappointing. I ordered the lo mein, bamboo flounder fish, and a side of fried rice. Unfortunately, the lo mein was extremely greasy, the fried rice was overly salty, and the shrimp was hard, overcooked and not fresh. When I informed the waiter that I would not be eating the lo mein due to its condition, I was told that I would still have to pay for it and that it did not matter whether I liked it or not. He initially refused to remove the dish from my bill. After eventually taking it off, he told me that he never wanted to see my face again as I was leaving. What disappoints me most is that I genuinely enjoyed this restaurant and had been a repeat customer. The decline in food quality combined with the way my concerns were handled has left a very negative impression. Unfortunately, I will be taking my business elsewhere. read more

We ordered the Sliced Pork in Spicy Garlic Sauce and Bamboo Flounder Fish. Both were super delicious and flavorful! This is the authentic Szechuan flavor that we've been looking for since moving here from CA. Clean restaurant with affordable pricing. We definitely will come back! read more

Chuan Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Very good dishes, especially the string beans, bamboo flounder fish and stir fried white flat noodle with beef. Excellent fresh and freshly made dishes. Hot chili and spicy flavor. read more

LOVEDDDD this place. We will be going back! Food is amazing!! Definitely a place to go if you love food. read more

See all

I've had good experiences here before, but I have to say the quality has noticeably declined. The fish fillet was solid, but the chili wontons lacked that special touch I was expecting. Most disappointing, however, was the rice--it was clearly old and lacked that fresh texture. As someone who grew up with Asian cuisine, that 'old rice' flavor is unmistakable. I ended up leaving most of it behind. read more

Was taken here by a friend and WOW... what an amazing spot to visit. If you want that Authentic Chinese Food, check this spot out. The service is amazing and the food is even more incredible. The Red Chili Oil Fish is my fav! read more

Quite spot with authentic flavors. Great for throwing on a hat and going out for a nice, authentic meal when you don't feel like looking fancy. One man service in the dining area but he's super sweet. We come all the time when we want authentic, Szechuan flavor. read more

See all

The staff had good customer service, fast with taking orders and brought out the food fairly quickly. The food was hot, fresh, and delicious. Very nice, cozy, and modern theme. Give them a try if you want some authentic food. Worth the try! Don't walk but run!!!!! 10/10 everything was delicious read more

See all

Located in a small shopping center this cafe offers a dine in space. Upon both entering and exiting the restaurant I was hit up for money and the sign inside the restaurant states no free food for the homeless. So be aware this is an issue. Lunch was $12. The egg drop soup was flavorful and rich. The garlic sauce and chicken was perhaps the spiciest meal I ever ate. O am sure sone love it this way but not me. The fried rice was flavorless. But all I tasted was a mouth burn so who knows. Do not plan on returning. read more

Chuan Cafe - Chicken in garlic sauce - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

This is the best chinese food i have had in Raleigh. The food was fresh and the service was good. the place is very casual, no bells and whistles. going forward i will likely just get take out. read more

See all

This was my third and last visit. The lady who waited on me was impatient, impolite, and irritable. She spent most all of my visit sitting at a back table and reading. The shrimp, beef, & chicken meal would've been okay if the beef hadn't been questionably fresh (I didn't eat any after the first bite) and the tough, overcooked shrimp. I tipped 15% because the service was terrible. Aside from the lady yelling, "It's okay?" from the kitchen, she never checked on me. Usually, I tip between 25-30%. After I paid and left the restaurant, the rude cashier followed me out to my car. Pointing to the receipt & tip, he yelled, "This is it?? %15 tip??" The only positive thing that I can say about Chuan Cafe is that the Diet Coke was good. read more

Good food. Good ambiance. Pretty quick service. The staff is very attentive. I love quaint restaurants like these. read more

Chuan Cafe - Chicken with mushroom, pork fried dumplings, fish in bean sauce - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We have only ordered takeout and have been pleased with our food. I can't claim to be an expert in Szechuan food as I don't have much to compare it to, but I find it delicious. Our go-to order includes eggplant in spicy garlic sauce, dry fried broccoli, bamboo flounder, double cooked pork belly, dan dan noodles, and Szechuan chili wontons. We've been ordering from Chuan Cafe about once every other month for the past few years. Last night I was reading reviews to see if there was a dish others were enjoying that we could try. Saw a lot of disappointed people and was surprised. However, after last night, I'm seeing where some of that is coming from. The broccoli was a salt lick, though my partner didn't seem to mind. I really wish they would adjust that because otherwise, it's a great dish. The double cooked pork came with a lot more cabbage than ever before, very few leeks, and seemed like less pork than usual. Cabbage is famously one of the least expensive vegetables, so it feels like they are cutting corners. It was still tasty, but not what I was expecting. I've seen others mention the scallion pancake being greasy and we've experienced that, too. We ordered it once and not again. The bamboo flounder was on point. The fish was tender. The coating was crispy. Everything else met my expectations. I love those dan dan noodles. read more

The Dan Dan noodles were really good! Reminded me of how I would get them in Chengdu. A little spicy and a little numbing from the Sichuan peppercorns. The braised beef in chili oil was also very good. The Sichuan chili wantons were a little sweeter than how I like them, but were good. read more

Scallion pancake was oily flavorless and small. The Dan Dan noodles were gummy and not worth $11 The pan fried broccoli was unattractive and loaded with enough salt to cure meat...... Waste of money... read more

Chuan Cafe - My receipt - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place was surprising. The location isnt great. The food is insane, this is the best Chinese food I've ever had. Highly recommend the spicy chongqing chicken and chili oil wontons. read more

Don't bother, poor service, dry over cooked General Tao chicken, oily noodles, no atmosphere. We will not return.

Fantastic every time. Menu items offer a variety of options. Sketchy area of town, but work the hike! read more

I have ordered delivery from this restaurant in the past and it was fantastic, but what showed up on my door last night will have me not order from there again. The scallion pancakes were extremely greasy and came without sauce. Cold sesame noodles were straight up salt, no peanutty sesame flavor, and the sauce was extremely runny. The chicken dish was also extremely salty. I had also asked for utensils to be included, and none were in the bag. No condiments were included either. I enjoyed the vegetable hot pot. read more

I have never left a review before but my experience was so poor that it compelled me to make one. The dumplings were frozen. Service was uncomfortable and unprofessional. When my friend and i first walked in, only half of the lights were on, 2 employees were asleep on the booths, and another 2 were sitting in chairs on the furthest end of the dining area. We didn't get any greeting. The 2 sitting in chairs shouted from across the dining area, "2? For here or to go?" We sat in the booths and realized how quiet it was. There was no music. The only sound was the AC and the blaring audio from one of the employee's phones. The entire dining area was empty except for us. The center table had a bunch of stacked take out boxes, soy sauce, and other packing materials. The only other customers were people popping in for takeout orders. I ordered steamed pork dumplings and a scallion pancake. As we waited for our food, i looked up the reviews for the food here. I hoped my scallion pancake wasn't going to arrive oily and tasteless. I was wrong. Immediately upon seeing my dumplings, i recognized them as being frozen. I grew up on frozen gyoza and i knew the texture, taste, and appearance. I was shocked because I've never received frozen dumplings from a restaurant before. I sent those back. I finished the pancake but my stomach felt heavy and unwell afterwards. Our waitress plopped down on one of the booths at the end of the room and sat there for a while before shouting to us, "How is everything? Is it okay?" We just said yes because we felt uncomfortable with raising our voices. The only thing i genuinely liked was the ponzu sauce and...the water. We almost wanted to walk out but we felt bad so we stayed and paid. Afterwards my friends texted me and told me that her sweet and sour chicken made her feel terrible and like she was gonna vomit any minute. I really hope she didn't get food poisoning because that was part of another review i saw. I will not be returning. read more

My friends and I came here for a Lunar New Year lunch and it was great! We were very happy with our dishes and had plenty of leftovers. If you're looking for authentic Chinese food and are in the area, check them out! read more

Chuan Cafe - Mapo Tofu, Orange Chicken, chicken Lo Mein Noodle, Scallion Pancake - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Awesome food. I loved their dan dan noodles and toothpick lamb. Fast service and good ambiance.

First time eating here, and enjoyed it very much. The egg drop soup broth was rich. Will go back.

We found this restaurant on accident. We were lost and hungry and then there's this restaurant that does not require us to pay to park. We were the only customers eating in so we didn't have to wait long for our food. I ordered an vegetarian Eggplant dish that was delicious. My mom ordered Sesame Chicken, that just tasted sweet, more like orange chicken with Sesame seeds on top. The restaurant was clean, the service was here and there. We went a long time without water refills, and had to get our own to go box's off a table when no one would come to the table. read more

Really disappointed given this place has great reviews. The spicy chongquing chicken was much too salty and was a tough texture. I was glad that it had a kick to it as very few things labeled spicy around here are actually spicy. read more

This food was terrible The sent one totally wrong dish. The onion pancake. Dripping oil Dumplings came from the freezer Terrible place to eat. This advice cost me $42.00 read more

BOMB BOMB. Well the orange chicken was great! I am weary of their $6.00 wonton soup. It's rather small and doesn't have much taste. Other than that the entree was delicious. read more

I love this place. The Spicy Chongqing is out of sight, authentic, crispy, w a side of fried rice is my favorite. Family owned, Im a fan :)

I'll keep it simple. We have visited 3 times out of desperation and it gets worse each time. My wife caught food poisoning from the broccoli-beef dish. Somehow they even messed up the wonton soup by adding too much sesame oil. Not sure what the sanitation rating is but if individuals received scores, the guy at the register should receive a 75 tops. I won't return and recommend you stay away if you have a weak stomach. read more

This is a must try Chinese restaurant! We were attempting to get pizza around the corner but it was closed (again! 2x now and closed each time...maybe a sign lol). If only we had tried this place sooner! We tried the Orange chicken which had a nice spicy kick not usually found with Orange chicken. Also tried the Shredded pork (did not seem shredded but was very tasty) from the Lunch Special menu, scallion pancake, pan fried pork buns (right?! sounded interesting since these are usually steamed) and the egg drop/hot and spicy soup (soups included with lunch items...another score!) Everything was very yummy and we're looking forward to our next Chinese food craving to order here again. Decor was subtle. Does not have your usual Chinese restaurant decorations but felt like it needed just a little something to spruce it up. Some reds and greens for good luck and fortune so this restaurant is around for a long time! Staff was also super friendly and attentive. First time ever I was offered more rice in a Chinese restaurant. Crazy how the little things have such a big impact... read more

Place inside was not clean and flies flying around. Food prices were high for the quality of the food.

Amazing privately owned restaurant. The owners put their heart and soul in to the business.

Food was delicious and freshly made.Excellent Service was fast. Excellent Ambience was clean Excellent Located near the movie theater is convenient dinner place on Friday. Lot of take out. Very popular Loved the simplicity, cleanliness and ability to serve food promptly. Temperature of food was hot and it met my expectation for taste. The restroom was odorless, spacious, super clean and well lighted. The restaurant did not have any smell of cooking, inside and in the outside. Kudos read more

See all

Wish this was closer to home so I could stop here more often. Service was very attentive. Food pleased even my very picky mom. Dining room was clean and bright. read more

Came here on 2 occasions already, and I've loved each time! Good service. Cute and clean interior. 10/10 food! Nicely seasoned with szechuan peppers and other flavorful spices. Highly recommend the Dry Fried Eggplant and Bamboo Flounder Fish! read more

See all

So...despite my high expectations (due to high ratings), this place turned out to be just O-Kay. Located in a bleak, shady looking strip, the place itself was surprisingly nice inside. Not "nice", but better than what I expected going in? Plus, I noticed an "A" sanitation grade. I also notice Christmas garland still displayed on its windows (Huh??). There was just 1 man doing everything...but since only 2-3 tables the whole time I was there, he seemed able to manage it. He was friendly, but not fluent at all. I asked for some suggestions on the menu, and he just stared back at me...like dead pan silence...more Huh??? (LoL?) I wondered how he can do business with that little English...but guess it's manageable as well? Anyway, I decided to go with a small plate of Bamboo Flounder Fish and Chili Wontons, and a side order of Rice. The Chili Wontons were delicious, but the Fish was way too dry. I liked the flavor, but it tasted almost stale...as if it had been reheated several times. A pity...'cuz if this WAS fresh and not too dry, it would have been damn good! Still, I appreciated the super-spicy Szechuan flavors that I've been regularly craving. Who knows...I may be wiling to give this place another try. I LOVE Szechuan Chinese food, and this is supposedly one of the better ones in the area. read more

See all

I have been here a couple of times over the past 2+ years and have been a little more hesitant leave a comment because I haven't been a huge fan for Chuan style Chinese food and I can't really eat that much spicy food. I was torn between giving it a 4.5 or a 4 since it had been a borderline case for me - but now it seems like it's comfortably sitting at the "4" range with its lack of improvement for the past 2+ years. I have ordered a fried fish fillet, vegetable soup, spring beans, stir fried potato - nothing of them really bombed it but nothing was outstanding either (the fish fillet is spicy for me). Of course it's really authentic. The service is spotty but acceptable. The interior is getting a little oily though it's still stylistically in a Asian theme...? Maybe it's just me. But it will definitely benefit from a couple of quick fixes here and there. I have a feeling that it is shifting more towards the takeout vs the dine-in. Solid 3.5-4 stars read more

Chuan Cafe - Fresh Fish Fillet - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place was so disappointing. The food was greasy and lacked flavor. I got the garlic shredded pork and it had no flavor nor heat. Rice is extra which is odd. I cannot believe this place is supposed to be authentic sezchuan because it didn't even pass as strip mall chinese except at double the price. read more

Authentic Chinese food in my opinion. The waiter warned me that dish I ordered was probably too hot... he was right My other friends made wiser choices and they loved the food. Waiter service is not the best but they have a high traffic of order outs. I will return to this place... and I'll layoff the spicy hot food. read more