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    Empress Express

    4.3 (6 reviews)

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    Chilispot

    Chilispot

    4.5
    (319 reviews)
    8.2 mi
    $$

    Been here a few times now and it is one of the most authentic Chinese spots in the city. Brought my…read moreChinese friends along and they fully approved and you can tell just by the crowd in there. Weekday visits are pretty chill but weekend dinner time gets busy, just something to plan around. Also a heads up on parking, the lot isn't very big so when it's packed it can be tough to find a spot. Would recommend carpooling if you can. I have a pretty low spice tolerance but there are still so many delicious dishes to choose from if you look around the menu. The soups are so hearty and comforting. Insider tip: the tofu egg dish is not on the menu but ask for it anyway. It is so worth it and the best way I can describe it is like eating a savory cloud puff. So unique and so good. The service is always super efficient, food comes out fast, and the staff will get you in and out. Every single dish I've had has been full of flavor and nothing has missed yet. Would absolutely come back and highly recommend.

    We stopped at Chilispot for a family lunch and overall enjoyed our meal…read more The dumplings were a favorite at our table, while the spicy chicken was my personal standout. It was excellent and had just the right amount of heat. I also enjoyed the smoky ham fried rice, although it lacked the distinct smoky aroma I was expecting. Some of the other dishes didn't quite land for me. The fish soup wasn't my favorite, and the beef noodle soup wasn't especially memorable. The cumin lamb, however, was better than expected and ended up being one of the stronger dishes we ordered. That said, the service was friendly, the portions were generous, and there are plenty of interesting options on the menu. I'd definitely come back to try some different dishes next time.

    Photos
    The dining table with the menu.
    The dining table with the menu.
    Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804
    Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804
    Whole Fish

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    Whole Fish
    Mai Lee

    Mai Lee

    4.1
    (1.3k reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $$

    I came to Mai Lee with my cousin after reading about the restaurant in the book Matt's St. Louis…read moreFood Story, learning that it got national recognition when it was tapped as a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. The expectation was high, and the restaurant delivered outstanding marks. The menu was huge (over 300 items) and we had no idea what to eat. No worries, the daughter of the proprietor, Sarah, was our server and without rushing, she thoughtfully asked questions to narrow down our options to the items she believed we would really like. She was very friendly and her recommendations hit the spot. I ordered a Banh Me Thit (56) and a Com Tom Thit Trung (74). The Banh Me had very fresh bread and I enjoyed every bite. The Com Tom Thit Trung was very good, just what I expected. Throughout our meal, Sarah would stop by to check on us and we also chatted about the restaurant and its' history (since I saw an article in St. Louis Magazine framed to the wall). One of my rules-of-thumb of good hospitality at a restaurant is if leftovers are boxed up for you. At the end of the meal, Sarah's brother cleared the table and boxed up the food. If you want authentic food with great service backed by a rich storyline with 40 years of history in St. Louis, check out Mai Lee!

    This is one restaurant that my husband and I can always agree upon when we are out. Couples, you…read moreknow the car conversations, right? Well you can't go wrong here. When you walk in you are always greeted with a smile. The seating is quite close but not so close you cannot walk through. Tables and booths. Very clean and well kept. Your order can be family style or individual. Family style allows you to share tea and big serving bowls of soups. Now for the good stuff. The menu is varied with authentic or Americanized "Asian" stirfry and egg rolls. The Pho is outstanding! My goodness, the flavors of the broth, with added ingredients from chicken and beef to vegetarian. What brings it home are the side dishes of flavor bombs they serve along side: jalapeños, bean sprouts, and Thai basil. Add it to the soup and the noodles seem to envelope it all with an explosion of flavor as you slurp even to the last drop. And grab those last leaves or noodles with your chopsticks. It's worth every bite. I highly recommend Mai Lee, as it is at the top of our all-time favorites list.

    Photos
    Wall of awards
    Wall of awards
    Ham St. Paul
    Ham St. Paul
    Japanese beer

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    Japanese beer
    Movoc

    Movoc

    4.4
    (45 reviews)
    6.0 mi

    This is one of my go-to spots for a hangout, it's wonderful. There's enough seating, and the hotpot…read moreis easily shareable. I flinch whenever I hear the "movoc" and I get so excited I want to throw up whenever someone suggests going to movoc for a hangout. There are lots of toppings to choose from, and I think that the concept of hot pot price by weight just like FroYo is fun and unique. Service is fast, and clean. The hot pot was delicious and not too spicy and the sauces they had to offer were very delicious as well. Not too salty. It's a wonderful place, whether you go alone or with friends.

    This was my first experience at a hot pot by the pound restaurant. I've only been to all you can…read moreeat hot pot restaurants, so I was excited to try this place out. Apparently, I wasn't the only one because this place got packed by 6p on a weekday! The line was out the door. It can be a little confusing for a first time goer as you enter the place and grab a bowl to select the ingredients you want to eat. The minimum weight that you have to buy is 0.9 lbs, but you really won't know how much your bowl weighs until you get up to the cashier and put it on the scale. My bowl was underweight my first time through, so I went back to grab more ingredients. If I had to guess the minimum cost for a 0.9 lb bowl, it's probably about $16, which is a pretty good price for a hot pot. My bowl weighed about 0.97 and it was way more than I could comfortably eat. The next decision you have to make after you have selected your ingredients is the base and spicy level. I went with #1 Oil splash spicy soup at medium spice level. Now, I enjoy spicy foods, but this was at the upper limit of enjoyability. Although tasty, I think the oil in the broth got to be too much and I will want to try a different base next time. After you pay for your food, you get a number which you take to a table of your choosing and wait for your bowl to come out (they cook it for you). There is a drinking water station next to the free rice station, which was around the corner from the complimentary pickled vegetable station. Overall, positive experience and I would return for more. .|\---/| | @_@ | ..\_^_/..2026

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    Movoc
    Sour and spicy.
    Sour and spicy.
    Outside

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    Outside
    Wonton King

    Wonton King

    3.8
    (455 reviews)
    8.5 mi
    $$

    Second time in for Dim Sum on Saturday. I was the first one of our group of three and the owner…read morechose a booth for us. Dining room already had groups in for the Dim Sum. The lady came by with the carts before my companions arrived but I wanted to wait to get anything going, Greetings all around and we were ready! The Dim Sum cart came around and my Dim Sum companion who knows her way around the cart, chose our options, ordered some noodles and Chinese broccoli. We prepped our sauce for dipping; soy, red vinegar, hot mustard, chili oil, try it you'll like it. Some pork, some shrimp, noodles, broccoli, bbq pork, all so good! I don't ever know exactly what we get but I try it all and it is all good. The second cart that comes by, I kept putting off and then by the time I was ready I was too full to get more. I wanted the egg tart and the sesame balls but I just coudn't eat any more It helps to go with someone who knows what to get but if you don't have that option, just choose what looks good and it will be.

    A family dinner and it was DELICIOUS. You need to order the crispy beef because it was the stand…read moreout dish for our meal. This place has a huge menu, so it was a little overwhelming, but I think we did a good job lol. This place shares parking with other businesses, so parking can be limited depending on time of day. They have the standard big, banquet tables inside, and a fish tank for your little ones to enjoy. The service was friendly and DIRECT - so if you need to be coddled, you will not get that here lol. Be ready to eat and know what you want. I want to come back because I want to get their dim sum, and we moved from AZ where dim sum was available all day... so that was a bummer.

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    Wonton King
    Wonton King
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    Empress Express - chinese - Updated July 2026

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