Not many Szechuan restaurants in the triangle. This one opened about a month ago and I saw a fellow Yelper post about it so I decided to try it out. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and sketchy part of town. However! The inside of this place was cute and servers were friendly. It was empty when we came in but picked up by the time we left. Overall, everything was reasonably priced with good food! We ordered a lot of plates to share which came with rice and generous portions of everything 4.5/5 stars Tofu vegetable soup-lots of vegetables and a light sipper! Goes well with the rest of the meal Fried whole fish- YUM. one of my favorites and enough for two even though I could eat it all. Presentation was wonderful, fried to a crisp, and it was all boneless! Dried fried green beans - don't be intimidated, it's not spicy. Another fave, you must get it. Enough said Sizzling squid-lots of squid and lots of vegetables. Flavor was good Spicy jelly noodles (on the house)- interesting.. ive never had anything like it before. It was served cold and was indeed spicy. It was alright but would not go out of my way to order it read more

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So for my birthday, I decided to pick up food from Chuan Cafe. I ordered a variety of things (green beans, double cooked pork belly, toothpick lamb and chongqing fried chicken). Also, the menu doesn't mention it but entrees come with rice. It was all quite tasty. The toothpick lamb is my favorite thing to get here. It's so flavorful and tender. However, the double cooked pork belly was the star of that night. It was a great birthday meal. I was pleased, my belly was pleased and I'll definitely be returning. read more

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OMG!!!! Never been to such nice Chinese restaurant like this! what a lovely cafe which is so organized, new and cozy!! We have ordered few dishes and they all so tasty, my husband loved the double cooked pork and the general chicken, absolutely delicious, my favor is the spicy fish fillet and the beef tendon& tripe in red chili sauce!!! Our baby is also very happy with the chicken noodles. Overall, we are very happy with the food quality and the service, we can taste all fresh ingredients, the staffs are very nice too, we will definitely love to come back again. read more

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Oh man, the food here is still good but after seeing a huge cockroach crawling around and dead flies all over the floor.. I think my husband and I are going to have to find another Chinese restaurant to eat at. If they could only spray a simple pesticide at the entryways that would deter them.. read more

Drove nearly an hour for this place due to the reviews. Was quite disappointed. Everything was overly salty and the shrimps are very small. No one in our party said they wouild go back. The place seems to do better business as take out especially for ubereats etc, as there was only one other table filled and then we were the only ones in the place. Not too clean, either! I feel bad writing this, but I always appreciate honest reviews. I give them an extra star for being nice, and the sauteed string beans were the highlight of our meal. Also, if you like old fashioned sweet and sour, the Pineapple Fish hits the spot. read more

During a recent trip to Raleigh, I found this hidden gem through Yelp. My nephew who's been living in Raleigh for several years didn't know about this place even though he goes to movies right next door. The food was amazing. We liked it so much that we went back the very next day. I highly recommend it if you like good spicy and flavorful Asian food. read more

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Just yes. I will say that overall, the food is truly decent. The owner is very nice and the food comes out tasty and authentically American Chinese food. You will PAY more for sure at this place BUT you will not regret it or take trips to the bathroom because the "chimney and basement" are running/smoking! I love the Ho Fun dishes at Chinese Restaurants in Canada and USA. The dish here is decent BUT I will say I wish my noodles were more Al dente! However I have never told them that. I think I just like everything else so much that I roll with it. Just had the custard buns the other day. The buns come in 4s. They sit on a doily. I will say they were "ok" but not like the custard buns I came to live in Chinatown in San Francisco! I love love love those Custard buns. Might be time for me to head out there to gather up some custard-y crusty yum. I digress... they were more like jelly-donuts with the "custard" placed inside the same dough as the Pork BAO buns. Hmmmm.... I will pass on this the next time and just leave that dessert to real Chinatowns like NYC and SFO. The BAO savory pork buns come in 3s or was it 4s? Can't remember. I love these here! Overall... Victory Waters approved! read more

Love their eggplant dishes. I was blown away by the hot and sour soup. Did expect that. Great prices and you really can't go wrong with the menu. read more

Chuan Cafe - Lunch combo with spicy eggplant. - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This girl from the Bay Area California finally found the Chinese food spot in NC...it took 12 years! Everything we ordered was amazingly delicious! read more

Those that have read my.other reviews know that I lived in Chengdu and love Sichuan food. I went to this place above all others near Raleigh-Durham based in the menu and the stark decor (which.often means good.things in the works of chuancai). This place was the BEST Sichuan food I have enjoyed over the last 5 years. The chef was from Chengdu and immediately tastes those incredible home kitchen flavors with all.of the numbing goodness of that huajiao peppercorn. There are items on this menu that I have enjoyed in food stalls and outdoor restaurants in Chongqing and Chengdu. I now live in Charlotte and I would consider driving back here just to enjoy these dishes with friends. It's that good and the manager and the chefs were incredibly nice and appreciated my recognition of their craft. Viva Chuan cafe - you did it right !! read more

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Such a nice find. The restaurant is in a small strip mall in deep Raleigh. So it's a good distance away from my home. However, I would say the drive is worth it. We ordered the dry broccoli Stryker, ma po tofu, eggplant, and veg fried rice. All vegetarian dishes. They had a good selection to choose from. The broccoli was crisp and the seasoning blend was perfect. It was an easy eat. The eggplant was extremely tasty and a great accompaniment to the equally good vegetable fried rice. The Ma Po tofu was the right spice level. It is a schezuan restaurant so I had this worry about how spicy it may be. All the food was tasty and did not have unmanageable spice levels. The service was quick, the quantity of food was great and pretty reasonably priced. We will go back. read more

This spot is low key and chill but definitely worth giving a try! Its not a big place but it should be fine for a group of you and your friends. The prices are reasonable and I was in love with the walnut shrimp! It was crunchy and sweet! It also did come with walnuts on the side. The Mongolian beef is also great....it's flavorful and spicy! It's location is pretty convenient because it is close to downtown Raleigh but you don't have to deal with the hectic street parking. You can easily have dinner here and then be in the center of downtown in 5 minutes. It is also walking distance from Alamo movie theatre! The restrooms are clean but not gender neutral....just FYI. Customer service was good as well. Note: If you are the type of person to always take a to do container then don't get the walnut shrimp, they are delicious when fresh but warming them up and keeping the quality can be difficult. read more

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The best thing that can be said about this place was that the sauces tasted fine. I ordered the sesame chicken and my dad ordered the sweet and sour chicken. Both came with grisly, overcooked, dark meat. The veggie spring rolls were all cabbage. We both paid to upgrade to fried rice and it was steamed rice with soy sauce. There was nothing else in it. We were the only people in the restaurant and it took them several minutes to take our order. Once they brought our food out they didn't come back for ten minutes to check on us and they didn't offer to refill drinks until we were leaving. I got up and went to the counter to pay, because they never brought the check. The man behind the register was on an iPad and didn't remember who I was until I asked to pay, even though we were the only ones in the place. read more

Can count on every visit being consistent. This place has never missed-- definitely try it out if you like spicy

3.5 - we got the dry fried green beans, fried vegetable dumplings, and vegetable lo mein. The dumplings were my favorite of the three, followed by the green beans, then the lo mein. Admittedly, I can be hard to please with lo mein! The ingredients tasted very fresh. I would've liked more flavor in the green beans and lo mein - Garlic? Spice? Not sure what exactly, just more oomph. The want of flavor combined with the prices are why I'm giving a 3.5. Perhaps the flavors will get to know each other better in the fridge tonight (we had enough for leftovers)! I also wonder how much getting it to go affected the meal. I was very impressed with how hot the food was when we got home and I liked the presentation and to go containers! I'd eat here again. read more

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Yum yum! Very Authentic, I love their dry hot pot! Also get the cold appetizer of beef tendons and eat with rice. My absolute fave! It's smothered in chili oil and cilantro! read more

Quick lunch of general Tzeo was sub-par. How could u mess up this dish. Maybe the other dishes may be well made. Maybe I have to try another dish before giving it a final star read more

I LOVE anything Szechuan-style, so imagine my excitement when I learned that this restaurant was opening just a couple of minutes from my house! I ordered the fish filet. It was okay, I was expecting more flavor and spice. I even ordered extra chili oil on the side, but it didn't do much for the spice level. (I LOVE spice!) Overall, the ambiance was relaxing and the staff were friendly. I went right when they opened on a Thursday so I was the only one there. I will be returning to try a different item on the menu. read more

Chuan Cafe - H3. Fish in Red Chili Oil - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Absolutely loved the food and the wooden interior. The Szechuan spices were spot on and addicting. Hoping to come back again soon! read more

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3 words: Salted Lotus Root. I recently moved across town and have been trying to find a go to spot. This. Place. Is. It. Their customer service is top notch and their food always hits. read more

Really awesome authentic Szechuan, but the owners apparently keep the tips from the staff if you leave it on your credit card. Leave the tips in cash, but not too much because the lady chased me out the door saying I left her too much and gave most of it back. read more

Looking for some excellent chinese? This. Is. The place! I've gotten take-out twice from here and have been super satisfied with the food. Well rounded, savory, and spicy. If you're a fan of spice, Chuan Cafe does not skimp on the red chili peppers. If you aren't a fan of spice, take note when choosing your goodies and some items likely can be made sans spicy hotness. I generally can take a medium spice level for thai and mexican hot sauces, and I'd say the toothpick lamb is medium if big chili bits are avoided. That dish had excellent flavor, served in easily grabable toothpicks bites. The bamboo flounder is a delightful crispy goodness with a unique tanginess to it (love love love). This dish too comes surrounded by chili peppers, and I'd say is mild-medium if direct chili bits are avoided. The pork belly in chili oil with onions is hands down my favorite so far. So dang savory!!! The chili oil is mild-medium and rich. The pork are in flat slices and heavenly. Lastly, I've also had their cucumber salad - large chunks in a sweet savory sauce made up of (imo) sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and likely some other special things. I could literally drink the juices. The prices are appropriate for the portions and caliber food. Ordering directly with them online for pick up was a breeze with immediate updates and a call when it's ready. I look forward to going back for more super tastes. Thanks Chain Cafe- keep up the good work!! Yummmmmm read more

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Was in the area and saw lot of their reviews for the szechuan chili wontons so that's what I ordered. Their lunch specials were priced at 10 bucks which is kinda high for Chinese takeout so didn't bother with that. Actually a lot of their entrée items were priced on their higher end comparatively to other Sichuan style restaurants in the triangle - about 2-3 bucks higher. It was 6 bucks for 6 pieces for the chili wontons. They were on the smaller side and felt they should have been priced cheaper because of that. Taste was good but nothing that blew me away or anything. The chili sauce seemed something that could be made at home with ease. Overall, an okay experience based on the item I got but due to their affordability I'll probably stick with other authentic Chinese restaurants in the triangle like C&T Wok or Taipei 101 which have been tried and true and have a better pricing model. read more

Chuan Cafe - Szechuan chili wontons - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I love the cold appetizers here, but I would say hot dishes are a little bit salty. It's good to have a trial, but after several times, feel actually so so... read more

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Okay first the bad... This is not conveniently located and it's not in the best part of town or even in a very nice strip center. Whenever there's a vape shop in a strip center you know it's on the decline. But the good - and what matters - is the food is incredible. Will definitely be going back. Hopefully this time they won't forget my spring roll order. read more

Really yummy Szechuan and Chinese food! I was looking for an authentic Asian restaurant in an otherwise non diverse location, and was so glad to find this place. We ordered beef with noodle, dumplings, cucumber salad, eggplant in garlic sauce and kung pao chicken. All were really tasty! We will come back here for Szechuan cuisine on the regular. Ingredients were fresh and high quality, and this is one of the few places whose food doesnt bother my stomach. I also dont think they use MSG (which Im sensitive to) so thats a plus for anyone worried abt MSG. read more

This place is small and intimate. The customer service is decent. The hostess/waitress served another party before me, even though I was there first. I almost got up and walked out but decided to stay to see if things would get better because of the good reviews. I ordered 5 dishes even though the waitress kept trying to talk me out of one of the dishes, the spicy jelly noodles, which was a little annoying. The food came out fast and it was pretty tasty. The fish was delish and the lotus root was surprisingly addictive. Would I come back? Probably. I wouldn't mind trying other dishes. read more

Chuan Cafe - C2. Homemade Cucumber Salad, P3. Bamboo Flounder Fish P4. Salt & Pepper Sliced Lotus Roots D5. Vegetable Dumplings - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Their food has good flavor but they are over priced. The Dan Dan noodles came with about 5 oz(cooked weight) of noodles. This is about the size most restaurants serve for a kids pasta. The noodles were also a bit over cooked. As I much as I like the flavors we probably won't order from here again. read more

Chuan Cafe - D6. Szechuan Chili Wontons D8. Dan Dan Noodles - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Stopped here for a quick lunch. The interior space was very well designed and cute. It was not busy at all and we could easily seat all 8 of us. I got the mongolian beef lunch special and bamboo flounder. The serving size on the lunch special is a little small so go ahead and get the regular sized dish if you are very hungry. The beef was very tender and well seasoned! The flounder was done extremely well! read more

Chuan Cafe - L7. Mongolian Beef Lunch - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I can't compliment this place enough. If you love authentic Sichuan cuisine this is the place for you. Not a single complaint about anything I had. Their fries are divine and I love the spicy wontons. Do yourself a favor and try them out. These pictures are from my first time there in March but I've picked up takeout orders several times when in the area. read more

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The food was so salty we couldn't eat it! Dunno why they have such great reviews, unless we just ordered on a particularly bad night?

Alright this is my 5th visit here (but finally am writing a review for Kathryn if she sees this). This is definitely my new favorite Chinese place in Raleigh. It's located in the strip mall next to Alamo Drafthouse. It's Szechuan style Chinese food (which means if you like spicy food, this is the place to go). Currently their indoor dining area is closed for the COVID-19 pandemic but normally the interior is very clean and the service is outstanding. The food is amazing though, I've tried multiple dishes off the menu and haven't had anything I didn't think was good. My favorites are the chili wontons, chongqing fried chicken (it has 3 peppers on the menu spice level wise, but if you eat around the chilis, it's not horrible!), double cooked pork belly and the sesame chicken! Also, COVID-19 note but you can order online and your order will be ready in 20-30 minutes. So if you're looking for something to replace Brewery Bhavana for your Asian cravings around downtown Raleigh, check out Chuan Cafe! read more

My ultimate go to place for quality Szechuan style food! We always make sure to get their eggplant dish and their mapo tofu. Their food is super authentic and we always have leftovers to take home. read more

Chuan Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great food and great service. Finally a good Szechuan Chinese restaurant in Raleigh. We love this place. read more

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I've ordered take out from here a couple times. While the normal Chinese food here is fine, the restaurant shines with their Szechuan entrees. Chongqing fried chicken and the chili chicken are standouts, but never order from here without getting the Chili Wontons. Taking a star off here since overall the food is pretty oily and doesn't stay well as leftovers. Buy/Hold/Sell Rating: Buy read more

I was so surprised to see that this place had 5 stars because it was such a disappointment. Plates were small, and overpriced. The dishes were super oily. Even the basic white rice wasn't cooked properly. I know people love it, just wish I could see what they do. Was really hoping it would turn out good but there are tons of Asian spots that are way more legit and taste great in the area. read more

Sadly, I was completely disappointed by my takeout tonight. Broth for the wonton soup lacked flavor and was bland, the wonton was soggy and mushy and I assumed there would be the delicious crispy noodles to go with the soup, but there weren't any noodles. My daughter liked her chicken lo mein but my shrimp with broccoli was honestly the worst Chinese food I've ever eaten. It was in a brown sauce that was weirdly sweet and too salty and just not good. The steamed white rice was fine but it would be hard to mess that up. I tried this takeout because of all the 5 stars they got, but it was definitely not 5 star for me. Two stars because my daughter liked the lo mein and they were super friendly. I hate to have to say it but I definitely wouldn't go here again. read more

Food was amazing, but the customer service needs improvement. The man who took our order wwas rude and you could barely underrstand whatt he was saying. Then, decided to sit down and wait for our food with my 4 years old son. To our surprise a man was sleeping on the booth we were at. He just casually gets up and goes to the kitchen. Like it was nothing. I hope he wasn't the one going prepare other people's food. read more

Chuan is the best Chinese Raleigh has as far as I'm concerned. Quick, fresh and delicious. At least 2x per month for me.

I've been on a review writing hiatus for a couple of years, but this restaurant brought me out of retirement...it's THAT good! Chuan cafe is in the strip mall beside the one that houses Alamo Drafthouse. It is a rare gem, as there are practically no Szechuan restaurants on this side of town (are there even any in Raleigh? I feel like I've only ever had good Szechuan style food in Cary, but I digress). The short summary is that everything we've tried here has been excellent. We've done takeout as well as dine-in, and I'd definitely recommend eating in so you get to taste the food piping hot! The owner told us that the chef hails from Sichuan and you can tell that they take great pride in the food they whip up. Some highlights from our meals here include the spicy szechuan fish pot, chongqing fried chicken (OMG...please forget about sesame chicken and get this. Thank me later), stir-fried cabbage, scallion pancakes (some of the best I've ever had), and Chuan fries (potato sticks coated in Szechuan spices. wow. Super amazing). I am definitely rooting for this restaurant. My partner and I will certainly be back very soon! read more