Lao is new to Cleveland and Ohio - so welcome to the rest of the Chinatown culinary world MidWest! Lao is known in my hometown of Chicago and around the states as a great place to get Peking Duck. So much so that there are Peking Duck Groupons in the area but this is a first for Ohio and Cleveland. This location took over a large and open patio bar building for the largest Lao Sze I have ever seen with a full bar, open concept dining room seating and several private rooms for celebrations including karaoke! It is like they brought a main city Chinatown feel to the area and I am here for it. Glad to get in before the New year rush, our waiter was great and answered all of my questions before we ordered. It was good to get in before the rush around 4-5pm though it is the downtime for the staff too. The food was soooo good as well and no we did not finish all of it. Our whole fish, noodles, and duck fried rice entrees lasted four days later and were well worth the price. The fish was about $30, the noodles $12, and the fried rice special was $24. Next time we are in Cleveland, I will think about going here for a family dinner and introducing his family to how we do it in Chicago Chinatown! read more

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Tao Sze Chuan feels like two restaurants fighting for control -- one Szechuan, one airport food court. A few dishes flirt with real flavor; others taste bland and confused. The restaurant itself is pleasant in that upscale shopping mall kind of way. But the lighting? Imagine getting a cavity filled while eating kung pao chicken. It was that bright. I didn't know whether I was about to be interrogated or being induced into an epileptic seizure. Service was passable but details like not bringing soup bowls for soup and having to ask for them --a bit annoying. read more

Love this restaurant! Such a beautiful job with the decor! It took some time to get waters and a waitress. Went on a Monday night dinner so not too busy. The tonys 3 pepper chicken is sooo good! It has the perfect amount of spice, crunch and oil. We also got the Mongolian beef. It was really good as well but Next time I would just ask for the beef to be cooked longer. It was a little chewy. We got chili oil on the side which was a good choice. We wanted to try the crab dumplings but they had pork in them. I'm so glad the waitress mentioned that as we were about to order them. Highly recommend! read more

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The food at this place is so on point and delicious, the great service and quality of the food is the same every time we go. We enjoyed every appetizer and entree you will see below. (The portions are sharable sizes just an fyi) Our favorite must haves every time we go is the sweet and sour short rib and shrimp fries rice. The ambiance is very clean, elegant and comfy. I definitely recommend trying this restaurant either for date night, any special occasion or on a regular Monday I promise it will be worth it! read more

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I've been to this Lao Sze Chuan twice now, once for brunch and once for dinner: Brunch-we got their dim sum menu obviously, including their soup dumplings which were actually quite flavorful. Dinner-we got the classic Sze Chuan fish in chili oil stew, in addition to their Yu Xiang eggplant and their cold chicken. The fish and chicken were very good, but egg plant could have used less sugar and a little bit more spice. Overall a very solid, clean spot. The service is a little spotty, it seems that at least during dinner they appeared slightly understaffed. 3.8/5 read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Spicy Fish Fillet In Pickled Cabbage Broth Eggplant With Garlic Sauce Cold chicken - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

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This place was super over priced and bland at best. You can get better service and better tasting food at half the cost elsewhere. There were 5 of us. We ordered 4 different entrees, each one was worse than the next. We ordered veggie dumplings that tasted like a mush-of-nothing and spicy cucumber appetizer and that was the most basic but semi-tasty thing on the menu. We ordered two diet cokes, that came when the check came - even though we asked people walking by if we could have them. We ordered GF chicken fried rice, which was below average taste. Garlic chicken which was bland, chewy, and had ZERO garlic flavor. Sesame chicken which was so breaded that there seemed to be no chicken inside of it and had a taste of pure sweetness rather than complex flavor. The beef dish was spicy Mongolian beef, which has no spice. was so chewy I wouldn't have given it to a dog, and it has slivers of veggies in it that were so overcooked they were disintegrating. The waitress never came over to check on us. When we were ready for the check and she asked us about our experience, and we told her, the manager came over. She thought she was doing us a favor by removing the dumplings from the check. What a complete and total discontent from the service to the food. Avoid this place. read more

Delicious!!! On the pricier end of Chinese food but you can't beat the fresh ingredients, delicious dishes, and beautiful design of the restaurant, plus the friendly service. It has a modern and upscale twist to your traditional Chinese food - which I personally appreciated. A great option for a special occasion or a casual dinner with family. Accommodates to both occasions. I saw business meetings with a few cocktails, a party of young women celebrating a birthday, and a families out for dinner. Definitely try some of their spicier dishes if you're up for it! The tang and spice is authentic! Did I mention the interior? I couldn't get past how the bamboo shoots silhouette made a natural background against the shades. I'm sure they did it on purpose but it was small design details like that I normally do not see in Cleveland restaurants that made me appreciate the experience even more. They definitely thought about the layout while designing the place! - Not a necessity for eating, but a necessity for dining experience! read more

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When it comes to the food - everything was really great. Not pictured - cucumber salad and fried pork dumplings also amazing. Delicious flavors and very generous portions. The service is the part that was hard for us. We had a very nice server but we had 6 people and every time we ordered anything - drinks, appetizer or entrees there were always 2 people who didn't get what they ordered until we were onto the next course. Made it awkward for all of us as we tried to wait and share and be polite but at some point we just had to start drinking or eating. Finally drinks came and finally entrees came but it nearly ruined our experience. We had to ask about the status of each of these - it would be one thing if we're told up front about them straggling behind but that wasn't the case. I was really disappointed about this. We had 6 people not 16... it can't be that hard to get things to come out at once. I'd come back because the food was really delicious but I couldn't give them more than 3 stars because of this. read more

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We had a reservation for our wedding anniversary. We were seated in the worst spot. High traffic area. When we were asked to moved to a nicer area, it wasn't responsive at all. The hostess is clueless. Service is sub par. Food is okay. The soup dumpling skin is thick and chewy. Flavor of food is very bland. I had high expectations for this restaurant but not returning again after this horrible experience. I get better service and food at downtown than this. read more

In my experience, this establishment appears to be poorly managed, and in my opinion, it is operated by individuals who lack a fundamental understanding of running a restaurant. I placed a takeout order two hours in advance and confirmed a pickup time over the phone. When I arrived at the scheduled time, the hostess said she would check on my order. After waiting for about 20 minutes, a man took over at the host stand. I explained the situation to him, and he curtly informed me that the restaurant was overwhelmed with orders and I'd have to wait, despite my advanced call. Less than a minute later, my food was brought to the host stand, and the man--who turned out to be the manager--handed it to me. The receipt was stapled to the bag, indicating they had charged my card. Over the following weeks, while I was in the middle of moving, renovating, and dealing with the holiday season, I began receiving calls from the restaurant. The manager and owners repeatedly contacted me to tell me I hadn't paid. I explained each time that I was moving and would check my statement when I could. Once my move was complete, I reviewed my card statement and confirmed that the charge had not gone through. I called back and paid the amount owed. The manager thanked me for my "integrity" but offered no apology for the repeated calls despite my prior explanations. As a thank you for calling and paying, they gave me a gift card worth about 9% of my meal's total value. While I accepted it, I doubt I'll use it, as I don't plan to return. To recap: they mishandled the timeliness of my pickup order, failed to process my payment, badgered me with calls despite my situation, and offered a token gift card as an apology. Meanwhile, RED Steakhouse across the street is a fantastic restaurant I frequent that offers a vastly superior experience in every way. I see no reason to come back. read more

Returned for a casual dinner and food came out quickly (it was 4pm on a Saturday). The food flavor is very authentic and scrumptious. I don't love the price as you can get the same dish just as good in Asiatown; however being there aren't that many Chinese food options in the east side, this is a good alternative. read more

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New Chinese restaurant in the Cleveland! This is one of the branches that have now expanded to Cleveland. The first location of this restaurant was in Chicago Chinatown. This restaurant specializes in Sichuan cuisine and Peking duck. The restaurant is located in Pinecrest, an outdoor mall. The restaurant is probably a little fancier than the typical Chinese restaurants in Cleveland but it is definitely a great addition to the Asian restaurant scene in Cleveland. Especially, coming from Boston and New York City, I am so glad to now have this option! I tried their dim sum, which is offered Friday to Sunday at 11am to 3:30pm. I made a reservation ahead of time but it definitely wasn't too busy that if you want to come here spontaneously, there should be no wait. There is a decent selection of dim sum. Every dish is really fresh and of good quality. It is definitely the best dim sum in town! The shrimp dumplings are super flavorful with the thin wrapper. It was steamed to perfection. I also ordered the soup dumplings from the main menu because I wanted the classing xiao lung bao (soup dumplings) XLB. The XLB is also really delicious. It is one of the better ones I have tried! Finally, we have a good XLB place in town! LJ Shanghai cannot compare! The Peking duck is a must try. The presentation of this dish is next level. I also appreciate that the Peking duck wrappers are the thin flour wrappers, which is the authentic way to eat Peking duck rather than bao buns. This dish overall was pretty good. However, I wish the duck was little bit more flavorful and crispy. Otherwise the condiments and sauces are on point. I will definitely come back for their dinner option! read more

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I'm in the area for work for a few days and decided to give this place a try. It definitely exceeded my expectations!! I was on the way to go hiking, so I did feel like I was slightly underdressed to be there. The ambiance is great, I chose to sit outside because the weather was so nice. The food and service were fantastic!!! I had the veggie dumplings and the Three Cup Chicken with Basil. Both were outstanding! Jonathan was my server and recommended both dishes. He asked if I had any food limitations and what kind of food I liked. He did an excellent job and was extremely knowledgeable of the menu. A gentleman that I assume is the manager also came around to see how my meal was and we chatted for a moment. Everyone was super nice and friendly. Thank you guys for such a great experience! read more

Food was prepared quickly and was soooo good! Prices are very reasonable. Ambiance is quiet and welcoming.

I've been to several Lao Sze Chuan's in Chicago area over the years and enjoyed every single one of them. We happened to be in Cleveland last weekend and decided to try this place to celebrate my wife's birthday. Made online reservations and indicated we are celebrating a birthday and asked that we be seated in a quiet spot. When we arrived, we were seated in between TWO busing stations where we heard all the clanking, in STEREO, all night. No mention about birthday celebration by any staff all evening. We ordered half Peking Duck ($48?) , and two other courses. For some odd reason, the Peking Duck course came last. I've had Peking Duck hundreds of times and my experience is it is ALWAYS SERVED FIRST, including at the 4 Lao Szechuan Chicagoland locations. Worse yet, the duck was so BLAND, it was easily the worst duck in the last 40 years !. I thought I was just eating greasy cardboard. Peking Duck presentation was beautiful though... The other two dishes were actually up to par and quite flavorful and authentic. I was so disappointed with this experience. Told the owner about it and she did absolutely nothing to try to correct it.. Again, not even a HAPPY BDAY greeting to my wife. Bottom line, come here for the gorgeous interior and trappings but go somewhere else in Cleveland such as Dagu Rice Noodle , Siam Cafe, Wonton Gourmet for much better service and food (but not much trappings) for a more enjoyable experience. Go where the local Chinese / Asian community goes.... and it is NOT Lao Szechuan Cleveland. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Peking Duck. Tastes like greasy cardboard. Sad. - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

2nd time here and my opinion about this restaurant has not changed. It's a large place and it's stunning. But behind the facade, it's still regular (albeit a lot more expensive) Chinese food. We had a large party amlnd we all shared, but there was absolutely nothing memorable. The only truly memorable thing was, and not in a good way, is their rice ball dessert - absolutely skip that. I really can't comment on service. Our server tried hard, but we had 2 large tables, and I think 1 server for such a large party was not enough. But the server did seem to try hard. read more

We just had a great experience and will be back. Our waiter Josh was extremely helpful and selected some unique and great dishes for us. He was informative and showed us how to eat the various dishes. The food was great and so was the service. I will be back. read more

The ambiance was giving a very relaxing and comfortable vibe. A very upscale Chinese restaurant and great for date nights. I really enjoyed their drinks. Menu was very nice. Service was great as well!!! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Our table at Lao Sze Chaun - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

We went on Chinese New Year to have their special set menu. Food was excellent!!! All of us were completely stuffed!!! We did definitely enjoy our meal for sure. I gave 5 stars for food. However, zero star for their reservation system and management. We have been to this restaurant multiple times and always enjoyed all dishes. Our waiter did her best but clearly a number of waiters were not enough! We booked our table in advance but when we showed up, there was no available table to fit all of us. Initially, the manager told us to sit separately with a walkway in the middle!!! How could we share family meal? After a period of negotiation, we were able to put two round tables together. Their reservation system was clearly not working. We will be back for sure but please improve your system. This certainly can be better. read more

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A beautifully decorated new Chinese restaurant in Pinecrest. The prices are higher, but that is expected given the ambiance and reputation of the restaurant. I am vegetarian and I was very happy with the multiple options as well as quality and freshness of the food. I ordered the eggplant with garlic sauce, flat fried noodles with tofu, and hot and spicy potatoes. The potatoes fell flat for me, but I do not have a reference to compare to. They had a lack of flavor or spice. The eggplant and noodles were excellent. Service was prompt and attentive as well. I would definitely return. read more

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Service and ambiance are great , however I am not too impressed with their food as it is not that authentic Chinese taste. Nice place! A little big pricey. read more

Went here again...it's not bad, service was good and nice. But, the drop in stars was based on the value and execution of the food. Tried the duck wings this time which was literally a layer of skin on bone and not worth the price. The rest of the table asked if f the sesame chicken or orange chicken were white or dark meat, and was told it was both white meat...which when it came to the table, was definitely not..(i personally don't mind this but if you are someone that has a strong opinion, it should be consistent with what the server says it is) The wonton dumpling with the chili oil are good but def more doughy than other places. read more

I wish we could choose more than 5 stars because this place deserves it. It was a busy Saturday night but there were seats at the bar and the night could not have been more perfect than sitting there. The bartenders were more than incredible and attentive, they were friendly, entertaining and more. We were going to only have appetizers but then enjoyed ourselves so much we ordered more and my husband was trying all of the drinks. We ordered the crab soup dumplings and chili oil wontons, both had perfect flavor. My husband had the japanese old fashioned, which he said was good. Our next course we had the crab rangoons and more soup dumplings ( even though we had ordered the fried pork dumplings), They were full of flavor and fresh homemade taste. The bartender made a drink by mistake and offered to me, it was my first aperol spritz, not bad but don't think I would have tried it on my own. The other bartender offered to make my husband a drink that was not on menu but he thought he would enjoy and he did. We aren't sure what was in it but he had some fizz and sweet taste to it. We also ordered the chicken fried flat noodles they were good with some of the chili oil sauce. I will absolutely be back and come hungry because the options are overwhelming and all the food looked fabulous. read more

First impression was "I could take people I want to impress here". The decor was upscale, looked like it could accommodate large parties even a Chinese wedding (move over Li Wah). We sat in the patio which was covered by romantic umbrellas with lights. I really wanted to like this place albeit they are still in their soft opening. I applaud the waitress being open to suggestions and our opinions so she can take them back to management. Food itself was meh but presentation was nice. I felt the main dishes were very bland (fish and the chicken chili) and that the Szechuan seasoning and sauce was supposed to be the source of flavor. The fish was brought out in an ornate hotpot (woodere mushroom, lotus root, scant veggie and a crinkle cut fries, which I thought cheapened the dish). The numbing spice was there, just very minimal flavor profile. The chicken chili dish was a special and seemed like simply fried chicken bits a with a side of some sautéed chilis. I did enjoy the lo mein, but then again I've never had a lo mein dish I didn't enjoy read more

Excited to see this authentic Chinese restaurant chain opening up in Cleveland at Pinecrest. Looking forward to dining here soon. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Outside - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

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Food was AMAZING! 10/10! Service was great. Said the server recommended the lo mein noodles and they were great. Also tried the crab Rangoon it was really good. General Tso chicken was good as well! Highly recommend here! The atmosphere is wonderful! read more

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Wow! What a gorgeous restaurant. Lao Sze Chaun is the perfect addition to Pinecrest. I went around 5:15 on a Monday evening. It wasn't too busy - however all the party rooms were full. Which there are 3. They are very private with doors. The menu is expansive with appetizers, to chef's specials, to desserts. I ordered the crab Rangoon and general Taos. The meal was enough to bring left overs home. The food presentation made me feel like I was at a very very expensive restaurant! It is a $$$ priced menu. My meal with just water and tip was $34. For sure a must try though! read more

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I've been looking forward to the opening of this restaurant for 10 months. I was severely disappointed. Is Cleveland in sore need of an authentic and upscale Chinese restaurant? Absolutely. Can this place be better? Fo sho. I'll start with the positives: -ambiance is wonderful. Dishes, silverware, decor all understated and posh. Noise level was very good for a larger, crowded restaurant. Impeccable taste in furniture and architecture -taste of sauces and food were good and authentic. Not the best Sichuan food I've ever had but still did live up to my expectations My gripes: -not able to make reservations. To anyone who has successfully called their dead line to make a reservation, please tell me how this was achieved. I called 3 days after 3:30pm probably 3x a day and the line keeps ringing forever. No one has picked up ever. Tried to go on their website but there's no way to reserve online. The Chicago location has opentable set up to do this! I found an email address and emailed it about reservations but never heard back -portions are laughably miniscule. Like wow, $20.95 dishes only enough to sample 1 or 2 pieces of food as a tapa -prices are ridiculous. $10 for 5 dumplings, $11 for a tiny cold dish of grass jelly (which is like $0.50 a can) -silverware and dishes were really awkward and not appropriate for a Chinese restaurant. They gave you a large dinner plate and a medium dinner plate, a large fork and heavy chopsticks. What we needed were small rice bowls, large high lipped dinner bowls and spoons along with chopsticks -limited menu selection. The Chicago version has rabbit and more duck, lamb and pork dishes on their menu. The desserts looked really interesting. Perhaps in a couple of months more things will be added? -I ordered the soup dumplings and they were out. I didn't go on opening night or anything...being out of a popular dish definitely takes off a whole star. I ordered pan fried dumplings (sheng jian bao) and just got regular potstickers instead. What a bummer Thank goodness there are plenty of Sichuan restaurants in Cleveland! read more

Lao Sze Chuan is the best authentic chinese restaurant to come to Ohio in the states history. Originally from Chicago, owner and head chef Tony expands his already 15 restaurants around the US to Ohio. From the million dollar interior buildout down to the elegant silverware no expenses was spared. Having been to 3 Michelin star chinese restaurants in Hong Kong, the food was almost on par with those establishments, only a lot more affordable. Yes Chinese food can actually be sophisticated and expensive, we do have couple thousand of years culinary experience, and Sze Chuan crusine is one of the many regions of Chinese food available. Must try is the Peking duck which is prepared for 3 days as well as crab soup dumplings. Dim sum is also served during Friday - Sunday and as always with the best restaurants, reservations is recommended. And prepare your wallet this is not your usual hole in the wall Chinese to go that you're used to. Thanks to the owners for bringing some much needed Chinese culture to Ohio. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Peking duck, walnut shrimp and more - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

Food was excellent. Server- Bravion was terrific- knowledgeable, friendly and funny. Restaurant manager frequently stopped by almost every table to make certain that everything was satisfactory read more

The food here was phenomenal! I find that I am quite picky when it comes to Chinese food and this nailed it on the head. We ordered the fish in Chile broth, the osmanthus lotus root, cumin lamb, pea shoots, and garlic, and the green beans. Every single entrée was a hit. I also thought it was a great introduction to Szechuan food for those who are not familiar with it. Honestly, I wish my stomach was bigger so I could eat more. The atmosphere is also quite upscale and fancy. The service was great. We had an awesome server, and the owner was even out on the floor busing tables and filling waters. 10 out of 10 recommend, I will definitely come here again. read more

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So so good! Get the TONYs chicken! You won't regret it! My server was so sweet and nice and she remembered everything we asked for. There is plenty of parking and the place is beautiful inside! Love the huge chandelier over the bar and the place was nice and clean. 10/10 Will def be going back! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

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The food was delicious and we received great recommendations from our wonderful waitress. We cannot wait to come back! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Half Set Peking duck - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

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What a beautiful place inside. Kudos. Ordered Basil Chicken and won ton. It's was. Big portion, great flavor. Love it.

Visited a second time, just as good as the first. We ventured out of our comfort zone and tried the San Dan noodles. They are a very unique flavor with peppercorn spice which has a numbing effect (very interesting). Not my favorite dish but still good and traditional! read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumpling), Dan Dan Noodle, Pan Fried Pork Dumplings - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

Probably the classiest Asian restaurant you could find nearby. I recently dined at here and was thoroughly impressed by the experience. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was elegant and inviting, with beautiful interior decor that set the perfect mood for a sophisticated evening. The staff was friendly and attentive. They made it feel like 5 star fine dining for very reasonable prices! Overall, Lao Sze Chaun exceeded my expectations in every way. It's the perfect spot for a special occasion or simply to indulge in some of the finest Chinese cuisine. Highly recommended! read more

Incredible restaurant! My wife and I went during their soft opening. The inside decor and the food were incredible. The waitress was incredibly kind and attentive. Many of the other reviews highlighted that service was slow during the soft opening, but I believe it will greatly improve. Would 100% recommend and plan to go back soon! read more

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I wasn't sure of this place since I have several szechuan places I already really like in Cleveland, but I'm glad I checked it out! We ordered the three cup chicken (definitely my brother's favorite, I know it's technically taiwanese food but they did a great job), crab roe tofu (really interesting, haven't ever had this before. Great if you like salted egg yolk, but not for me, my sister liked it though), sour cabbage fish (this was definitely my favorite, the soup is great with rice and the flavor profile is very solid!!), and pork belly with taro (quite heavy, but really delicious and melts in your mouth). Overall, the food was quite good and delicious, and the portions were very large too! It was definitely better than expected, a good place to introduce people to szechuanese food in a really nice environment. read more

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This is an upscale Chinese restaurant that offers authentic Chinese cuisine. I went to a Yelp earlier this week and was surprised how good the foods were, so I suggested my boyfriend's family to dine in here today. They loved it. For appetizers, we shared soup dumplings, and fried pork dumplings. We all thought the wrappers for fried pork dumplings were so thin and good. The pork and wrapper ratio was perfect. My boyfriend's mom loved their dipping sauce because it was very gingery. The soups were delicious as well. I loved the soup dumplings' broth. For the main dishes, we got kung pao beef, prime beef tenderloin with broccolini, crab meat and fish belly soup, egg tofu with mixed vegetables, three-cup chicken with basil, fried pork rice, hot and sour soup, string beans and sautéed peapod leaves with garlic. The crab meat and fish belly soup was lacking some flavors. There was not a lot of crab meats in there but crab meats are expensive so I get it. However, my boyfriend's dad thought their hot and sour soup is the best one in Cleveland area. It was spicy. The chicken was delicious. The fried rice was great because the rice was not too wet or too dry. It was very flavorful. Moving to the beef dishes, the kung pao beef was good but very spicy. I never like anything with starch so the prime beef tenderloin with broccolini was not my thing, although I had to commend them for good quality beef. The egg tofu with mixed vegetable dish was my favorite because egg tofu was so delicate. The egg tofu soaked up all the sauce they were cooked in so you could taste the sweetness of the bell peppers and umami of the sou sauce. Additionally, we all loved the sautéed peapod leaves. The Szechuan string beans were okay and not too spicy. Overall, this place is not your typical mom and pop Chinese place. It offers authentic Chinese cuisine while also accommodating Western customers. For example, if I were in a mom and pop place, the beef with broccolini would be some different type of beef meat with broccoli not prime beef tenderloin. Different, but still delicious! I like this type of Chinese cuisine because it reminds me of Cantonese dishes which I'm accustomed to. This place is definitely going to be our Chinese restaurant of choice going forward. read more

First time. Came for apps. We'll be back for legit meal. Awesome flavors, great staff. Recommend eating the crab dumplings in one bite- Awesome. And the Chicken and corn soup reminds me of thanksgiving dinner. Great experience. read more

Lao Sze Chuan - Crab Xiao Long Bao - Szechuan Near Me - Orange, Ohio

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