Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Lao Sze Chuan

    3.3 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateSzechuan
    Closed 10:45 am - 11:45 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Lao Sze Chuan Takeout or Delivery

    Lao Sze Chuan Photos

    Business Info

    LAO SZE CHUAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Lao Sze Chuan

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Special J01. House Special Fried Noodles (Spicy) (L) J01. (L) with chicken
    Insia Z.

    I loved my special noodles with chicken, they were fresh and hit. The lamb dry pot was also yummy! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was less insanely busy than other places in Chinatown on a weekend so pretty solid choice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Whole fish with boiling Szechuan sauce
    Lena M.

    Came here with my best friend and her lab for an early Lunar New Year celebration in February. We were a group of 10 and thankfully didn't need a reservation because we got there early enough. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I loved all the natural lighting in the space.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated at a u-shaped booth with chairs on the other side.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We did a family style meal and found ourselves wishing there was a Lazy Susan in the middle. The service was quick and kind. My favorite orders we got were the spicy Szechuan wontons and fried dumplings. The star of the show was the boiling whole fish in Szechuan sauce. The spice was the main flavor in the fish and I found myself wishing there was more flavor than just kick. We got a series of yummy pork dishes too. If you like spicy food this is a wonderful place for that. Most of our dishes had a delightful kick to them. The menu had a huge selection of meals to pick from too. We had a lot of fun at this staple in Chicago Chinatown. Afterwards we went to see the Chicago's Chinatown Square Zodiac statues nearby.

    Fried rice, Chefs Special Dry Chili Chicken
    Sarah L.

    Came back for the Tony's chili chicken and it was just as good as I remembered. Green beans were a little disappointing, not as garlicky as before, so 1 point deduction for the lack of consistency. I also tried the beef brisket noodle soup which was spicy and satisfying. Service was quick and staff were friendly. Overall another great dining experience in Chinatown.

    Outside
    Elizabeth C.

    Best- THE BEST and most authentic Szechuan food you will get outside of China! I' found this place many years ago when I was feeling home sick away from my Ayi who cooked Szechuan food for me everyday in China. This place is authentic, and the spice level is right on point. Crisp Dry chilli chicken is my favorite, Szechuan green beans and the broiled beef Szechuan style! So amazing. I've gone to their other locations as well, all authentic! They are serving the community well and it's not gone unnoticed all these years! Located in the West Gate, across from the Walgreens on Cermak & Archer Avenue. Chinatown exit off Red Line many places to shop for souvenirs and other items

    Sign from road.
    Lars L.

    Maybe the best Szechuan popcorn chicken I have ever had. Seriously. Worth trying! Also had some spiced cabbage- delicious. I have never had a raw Szechuan peppercorn before- they let us try them here. At first it was a little bitter, then became acidic, like almost lemony, then... your mouth goes numb. Not like spicy numb. It's actually called mala- it's from a molecule called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool which causes a tingly feeling or like a "buzzing" sensation. It's crazy. But super fun and pretty unique.

    Outside
    Louise F.

    We used to eat here as a family just about every time we came here as a family. So I was pleasantly surprised it was still here and even more so that it has since expanded to more locations. We used to do family style dishes but didn't have the time or stomach for that this time so we got some beef noodle soup and zha jiang mian. I think they just used grocery store noodles so that was very mid but the general flavors we wanted were there. I really liked the fu qi fei pian we got too and they brought some complimentary pickled cabbage too which I gobbled up

    Sautéed fresh garlic spinach
    Clarissa C.

    An authentic Sze Chuan restaurant with a wide menu of both Sze Chuan spiced foods and Americanized Chinese food. They start you off with a complimentary spicy shredded cabbage, which has that nice chili oil infused flavors and crunchy exterior. A great appetizer!! We got the beef with pure cumin powder, which was mild in spice. If you like cumin, and a dry peppery taste, this dish will be perfect for you. Came with peppers, bell peppers, and onions as well to balance the flavors. The sliced pork, dry bean curd with chives was a classic - I'm not the biggest fan of bean curd, and the dish was on the more mild end. The spinach in garlic sauce was DELISH! A classic dish, infused with that addicting wok infused garlic that just makes every bite so savory and addicting. The spicy and sour potato was also delish - not too sour, some spice, and a slightly crunchy yet refreshing texture. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated immediately on a busy Friday evening around 7:30pm, and the restaurant is very clean and slightly more upscale![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Spicy Cabbage was hot asl
    Christopher C.

    I ordered thru DoorDash and the order took over an hour. Food was good but didn't come w/ any rice (supposed to). [[HIGHLIGHT]]the vibe is pretty authentic if Yk what I mean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Chefs Special Dry Chili Chicken
    Rey F.

    Checked out this spot in Chinatown and really enjoyed it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside looks clean and has a modern look.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service wasn't bad but you scan a QR code at the table and place your order through there. The waiter brought out some spicy cabbage and hot tea. We ordered the dry chili chicken which was really flavorful and it came with white rice. Overall this place is great. The food came out quickly, tasted great, and the experience was solid. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking for good Chinese food in the city.

    Aesha E.

    I'm familiar with Lao Sze Chuan, as there's one in Uptown about a mile from my home, but it's taken all this time to get to one. My friend and I visited Chinatown so she could get some things from her mom's favorite bakery before heading to visit her. She wanted to give this place a try so we stopped for lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place isn't huge but it had plenty of space for us which was lucky since we had two strollers.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server came pretty quick to bring us some water and menus, and we ordered several items. We got some green beans and potstickers so that the kids had something to eat, as some of it was spicy. My favorite item was the dry chili chicken; that will be my go-to dish here. Prices were a little high. Ok, a lot high. I wouldn't come here terribly often because of the price. No dedicated parking for them; you'll find what parking you find around Chinatown.

    Chef Spicy Dry Chili Chicken With Green Peppercorn
    Saysamon M.

    Food was just ok. Maybe we didn't order the right things but I wasn't too impressed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is somewhat fancy[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . I wasn't mind blown or anything. Huge portions by the way. The one entree can easily feed 3 people so keep that in mind when ordering.

    szechuan green beans
    Peggy X.

    Lao Sze Chuan is probably closer to four stars, but I'm giving it a five because it was my go-to haunt for good Sichuanese food during my college years. I came here all the time with friends back in the day, and celebrated my birthday and my college graduation on the second floor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food was always delicious, they can seat large groups, and there are a ton of dessert spots and bars nearby that you can hit up to make an evening out of it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was a joy to return after these many years when I was in Chicago for a wedding! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lao Sze Chuan feels like a classic Chinese restaurant: the ambiance inside is just fine, clean, and the service is prompt and no-frills.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Their menu is insanely long and can be tough to navigate. When I've come in the past, I've ordered the Szechuan string beans, mapo tofu, twice cooked pork, dry chili chicken, and the boiled sole fish fillet in Szechuan spicy sauce. This time, true to form, I ordered the Szechuan string beans, mapo tofu, and dry chili chicken for the two of us. I thought the string beans and dry chili chicken were excellent, flavorful and well-cooked. The mapo tofu was a bit of a letdown, though. The sauce wasn't very balanced, and the tofu came in larger chunks that didn't seem to have absorbed the flavor of the sauce. But overall, the prices were reasonable, the portions were large (we had a decent amount of leftovers), the food came out hot and quickly, and we left satisfied. Some things never change!

    Peking dumpling - not very good
    Cristina P.

    I really enjoyed the soup dumplings and Mongolian beef. I did not enjoy the Peking dumpling because they were hard and didn't have much flavor. I also had the plum wine which nice. Service was good and they cared about my allergies. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The view was nice as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    dry chili chicken

    See all

    Review Insights

    Photo of Alan N.
    395
    1055
    9960

    26 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    8 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elizabeth C.
    0
    456
    5317

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lars L.
    0
    49
    42

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Thuy Dan T.
    4999
    1533
    15389

    11 months ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 4
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    I've ordered from here several times so so good did not disappoint. I have not been to the restaurant yet, but I look forward to doing so.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Amazing food, great service and atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Tony's 3 chili chicken was excellent.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim M.
    8
    142
    19

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shwe N.
    291
    1476
    5568

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Owen J.
    14
    11
    1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 40

    Lao Sze Chuan Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lao Sze Chuan

    Is there a free parking around the restaurant at Chinatown location?

    metered parking

    Is this BYOB?

    I am not quite sure although they would seem friendly enough for people to do that. Give them a call to see if they allow this. I didn't see one bring in their own alcoholic drinks during our recent visit. Great Szechuan food.

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Szechuan 5,584 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    MCCB Chicago 时尚食谱

    MCCB Chicago 时尚食谱

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I have been waiting to try MCCB, and it was so good! Even with the 40 minutes wait in a rainy day,…read moreI think it is still worth the wait! We have ordered the spicy fish filet and honey black pepper beef flank. The fish filet dish is huge and there are ton of fish in there, the spiciness is good as well! The beef flank dish is flavory and juicyl!

    I was so very excited to try this restaurant that people rave about on social media. Got there just…read morebefore the crowd. Waited maybe 10 minutes. When you arrive, they will ask for your name and a $10 deposit that will go towards your meal. If you decide to get off of the list on your own, the $10 is non refundable. (No problem) We were seated at a table and it took quite a while for the server (don't know his name) to come to our table. When he did come to the table, he didn't introduce himself and he just stared at us. After a few seconds he says "You ready to order?" I tried to lighten the mood and ask his name and he didn't want to tell me. Ok... We order a few appetizers to start. We also ask a few questions, none of which he was able to understand. (We truly thought there was a language barrier so we extended grace and didn't think much of it) Got the appetizers. They were decent.. but... A group of 4 people sat to the immediate right of us, not only did he great them, he gave them several recommendations for appetizers and entrees. (No language barrier in sight) Was very much friendly and attentive to them. Still never came back to the table but continued to take great care of the tables around us. At this point we decided that it would be best to go somewhere else for entrees. In all of my years of dining out, I have put this on top 3 of my worst experiences. Treat ALL of your customers with the same respect and dignity. We had to flag a random employee down to get our check. Paid in cash and had to flag him down for our change.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce
    Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce
    Szechaun style stir fried duck

    See all

    Szechaun style stir fried duck
    Szechuan Corner

    Szechuan Corner

    4.3
    (92 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    Grab-and-go
    Free parking

    Great food and friendly service. Wait time was very short and order was made to order.read more

    Since there's no three and a half star rating, I had to give this a three star rating. I was really…read morecraving some good Chinese food but did not want to go into downtown first to pick up and then head back home so I looked this place up and had decent reviews and decided to try it out. What really impressed me was they had a specific section of the menu which was titled "Salt and Pepper". Of course I was super excited to try the salt and pepper tofu so here's what we got: - we got the salt and pepper tofu - we got the American garlic broccoli - got the mala lamb. - Got a pair of complimentary vegetarian spring rolls. When I went to pick up the take-out order, I was shocked at how heavy it was. This was clearly a lot of food. I'll start with the lamb. Very well thought out packaging, to be straight. Because the lamb had a lot of oil and liquid in it, they put it in a plastic container, which they knew is going to leak. They put that entire container in a separate tiny plastic bag and wrapped it so that the juices from that would not come all over in the main bag. Really appreciate that. Now the lamb, while cooked okay, the flavor was just, you know, it did not do it for me. Add to that they really kept the lamb as relatively big pieces. They were thinly sliced but they were just large pieces. They could have been smaller for it to be easier to eat. Flavor-wise there was just too much black pepper, which is what I was expecting, but to match that there was no flavor as such. The salt and pepper tofu was a disaster. I got it from other places. The flavor just was not doing it. It was not crispy at all. Yes I have them take out salt and pepper tofu from many other places. It does leave its crunchiness to some extent. This one had zero crunch. In fact it was weird. Every piece that was stuck to the next one had something gooey on it. Just overall the flavor was very underwhelming. The American garlic broccoli was overcooked to the extent it did not have the firmness one would expect and was overcooked to the extent where some of the smaller pieces just disintegrated. The spring roll is wild. The casing was phenomenal. It was perfect for a spring roll even after opening it after one hour. Really appreciate that. The filling, however, there really weren't many vegetables in it at all. That was very disappointing. Overall I don't think I am going to grab food from here again. The reason they get the 3.5 stars, though, is they did a phenomenal job on the packaging of all the food. The quantity was well beyond what I expected. The food, however, I have to say, was a disaster. And maybe this is my taste. It may be it's a bit too Americanized and I have not been used to eating very Americanized Chinese food for the last many years. That might be the problem.

    Photos
    Szechuan Corner
    Szechuan Corner
    Szechuan Corner

    See all

    Dongpo Impression

    Dongpo Impression

    4.0
    (202 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Established in 2017

    Was looking for some chinese food late on a windy night in Chicago and came across this hidden…read moregolden gem in Chinatown. Went in their expecting regular Chinese food and was blown away by the amazing chinese food, attention to detail oriented waiter and no frills but perfected Chinese food. Ordered heavy, starting with egg drop soup, dumplings, shrimp and broccoli, crispy duck and pan sheared green beans. Each of the item was fabulous, highlight being succulent crispy duck that would rival any duck place in the states(not peking duck) but it was full of flavor, perfectly rendered fat and crispy skin which even made my partner who doesn't like duck change her opinion If i could give 50 stars I would and the enthusiasm and energy shown by staff at 11 pm just showed how each member of this place absolutely knew what they were doing.

    I would say Szechuan is at this my point my favorite type of Chinese cuisine. I love the flavors, I…read morelove the heat. So when I saw what Dongpo had to offer, I knew I had to try this place. They definitely didn't let me down. We ordered their dry chili chicken, Dan Dan Noodles, and Sichuan wontons. All three were amazing, all three came with some heat and would order them again without hesitation. The dry chili chicken had the perfect amount of heat, the chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the Dan Dan noodles were very flavorful and the wontons came with the same spiciness just a different texture. Overall we enjoyed our lunch here at Dongpo. The service was great. Very quick and the food came out hot. Will definitely be returning.

    Photos
    Dongpo Impression
    麻婆豆腐 / Mapo Tofu
    麻婆豆腐 / Mapo Tofu
    Dongpo Impression

    See all

    Chengdu Impression - Edgewater

    Chengdu Impression - Edgewater

    3.7
    (92 reviews)
    9.5 mi

    07/08/25 - We stopped in @ Chengdu Impression in Edgewater @ 5900 N Broadway. We ordered 2 dishes…read more1 dish was the eggplant w/garlic & ground pork. This dish was good but too salty. The other dish was the dry chili chicken w/ton of dry chili peppers diced. This was very spicy & also good but it had a ton of salt on it. Overall I felt like the food was just ok as both dishes weee very spicy. I'm sorry to say there are lots of Chinese restaurants.

    Chengdu Impression in Edgewater has delicious food!…read more When you first arrive: The inside of the restaurant is massive. It seems to be setup to easily accommodate larger groups. I normally pick up my food to-go, they have sitting area for people waiting to pick up food. I've visited a handful of times and the restaurant is nearly always empty. The staff is always friendly whenever I go to pick up my food. They normally have the food ready by the time I arrive. I rarely have to wait long if it's not ready by the time I arrive. Food: I have yet to have a bad dish from Chengdu Impression in Edgewater. My favorite items to order are the General Tso's chicken and the pork pot stickers. Both items are always consistent and reheat well. I've also ordered the fried rice and I have no complaints. Chengdu Impression in Edgewater is my go-to spot whenever I want consistent food! Plus the ingredients always taste fresh. The food is reasonably priced because I always get a few meals out of my order. Overall: I highly recommend Chengdu Impression in Edgewater. The food is always delicious and you get a lot of bang for your buck.

    Photos
    Chengdu Impression - Edgewater
    Shrimp shumai. Steamed beautifully.
    Shrimp shumai. Steamed beautifully.
    Salt and pepper pork. Bones in every bite. Take it home because it's not good for eating in front of other people.

    See all

    Salt and pepper pork. Bones in every bite. Take it home because it's not good for eating in front of other people.

    Lao Sze Chuan - szechuan - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...