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    Mala Chili

    4.3 (191 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Mala Chili Takeout or Delivery

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    MALA CHILI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Mala Chili

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    Crawfish with Mala sauce
    Sou G.

    Y'all crawfish here is on point! If you are looking for a different spin on flavor for your crawfish, Mala flavored crawfish will not disappoint. They do not skimp on the sauce and you can taste it with every bite. The crawfish size is also great. A good mix of large and medium. They have a special on the crawfish as well. Buy 2 lbs and get the 3rd pound for free if you share on social media.

    General tso chicken
    Christina G.

    First time here. We've been on the hunt for all of the live crawfish, Asian Cajun style in Austin. I found out about Mala Chili via a Foodie FB group I'm in. So here we are. We arrived around 7:40p Saturday evening and this spot is bumpin busy and very lively. The outdoor patio was even packed. We were so lucky as a walk-in party of 2, a table was being cleaned so we were able to be seated quickly. Our server brought us each a tablet to order our food. I ordered the cucumber salad and general tso chicken with fried rice. My man ordered 2 lbs of live mala style crawfish $18 per pound (min 2# per order) with 5 shrimp. He also ordered the sesame chicken dish. Our food came out within 10 minutes, super fast. The crawfish took a little bit longer because I believe they make it fresh. Here's where it gets interesting. My man said his mouth was tingling and his tongue felt funny and when he took a drink of his tea it tasted super weird. Come to find out, the crawfish mala sauce has Szechuan peppercorn which has a numbing tingling effect to your tongue and mouth. We did not know this before we ordered. So He thought he was having an allergic reaction to something. We asked our server and she explained a traditional mala seasoning. I highly recommend that this is listed on the menu item as a forewarning to those that have never had the Mala live crawfish here before. Sadly, there were a lot of crawfish wasted tonight because He wasn't able to eat them all That seasoning just did not agree with his mouth or taste buds at all. :( But....The general tso and sesame chicken dishes were tasty! Another call out, We both ordered ice tea at the beginning and it came out pretty quickly, But no one returned to our table during our time here to offer refills or to check in on us after everything was delivered. I understand the restaurant was busy when we arrived but it slowed down while we were there. We may return to this location if we are in the area to try other dishes but unfortunately, he is unable to eat the live crawfish due to that one seasoning. Everyone was super friendly and I recommend trying the restaurant if you haven't before it.

    Mapo Tofu
    Allie H.

    Overall this place is great! I loved the mapo tofu. It was delicious. The skewers are also a must order. They were so good!

    Sarah P.

    Great food; good portion size, nice staffs Got noting to complain about! Great for family style dinner!

    Andrew W.

    Mala Chili is hands down one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the Cedar Park and Austin area. If you love bold, spicy, and flavorful dishes, this place does not disappoint. Our go-to orders are the mapo tofu, string beans, and their eggplant dishes--each one packed with that addictive mala flavor that keeps you coming back for more. The prices are very reasonable, and the portion sizes are generous, which makes it perfect for sharing (or enjoying leftovers later ). As a vegetarian, I really appreciate how many plant-based options they offer, and every dish we've tried has been consistently delicious and well-seasoned. If you're craving authentic Chinese food with great flavor and solid value, Mala Chili is absolutely worth a visit. A must-try spot!

    Chinese Braised Eggplant
    Joseph H.

    Fast service, great food, happy customer. We came here today with some friends at around 4:30pm and it was easy to get a table and order. Today, we went with the Westlake Soup, Chinese Eggplant, Green Beans, Spicy Fried Fish, and Cumin Lamb. It took less than 10 minutes for everything to come out hot and fresh. As always, the food continues to impress us. Each dish was uniquely prepared and seasoned for a balanced meal. We were given a batch of rice which we were able to get refilled easily when we ran out. For a group of 5, five dishes were just the right amount of food with no leftovers. They do have private rooms if you'd like to host a gathering here. Ordering is the same as dining in the main dining room and a server checks in throughout your time there. Parking is easy with the shared lot and other businesses next door. Home Depot is within walking distance here and its parking lot could be an option if all the parking spaces are taken up in front of Mala Chili. Our bill came out to be just shy of $100, tip included. That's a fair price given the portion sizes and quality of food and service. We'll be back!

    Crab Rangoon (6Pcs)(15Min) 6(15)
    Brooke D.

    Recently ordered the yuxiang chicken for take out and it was a great sized lunch special! I have never had a bad experience here and always love the food.

    Charmaine S.

    My son visited from San Antonio and was craving for crispy duck and there's no other place I would come for it to brag on than Mala chili. It comes with the yummy soup! The hot sauce and duck sauce combined was a topper and the crispy duck was a great amount of yummy serving. Service was great as usual and the iPad ordering system was very efficient. Clean and hope we get to try the outdoor skewer food truck they showcase! Also the best fried rice it brought me home

    Spicy Boiled Fish In Chilli Sauce
    Sarah M.

    This place was pretty decent. It is pretty oily and the portion size is small. Nothing really stood out to me with any of these dishes, but they were able to accommodate our large party of 14 ( I think?). There's two private rooms so that was nice and you can order everything off an iPad.

    Lamb skewers and lamb kidney skewers
    Sheila L.

    Ok now they have a truck outside from 4pm till midnight that serves up skewers and other flame (bbq) dishes!! I had their lamb skewers and lamb kidney skewers! They were so tasty! You can get no spicy, mild spicy, and spicy heat. Nice seating outside for after restaurant hours. The service is awesome as well they are so friendly and attentive. The prices are great also!! I'm going back there for sure!!! (Note: ya gotta go there as they are not on any delivery service for the skewers!!!)

    General Tsos Chicken 左宗鸡
    Kamilia L.

    Is it authentic; Yes! Is it good; No!. The coolest thing about this spot is the tablet ordering system that sends orders directly to the kitchen. We ordered 2 egg drop soups, scallion pancake, and chicken dumplings, General Taos chicken. The soup had a crap load of gluten in it as it was gummy. It was not just broth. The scallion pancake was greasy and the steamed dumplings came out dry. The chicken was definitely large chunks, moist, covered in sauce but it was thick and unflavored. I came for a day date. I was impressed but it was palpable however my date hated it. He simply refused after the egg drop soup. I tried chilling oil too but it didn't work.

    Purple rice yogurt drink
    Montana M.

    As a native Houstonian who loves Szechuan food, this place is amazing.. every dish was so authentic and flavorful. Portions were great. The service was even better, and the restaurant was very clean and comfortable. Great ambience, we will be coming back at every opportunity. Best wontons I've ever had in my entire life.

    Promo May 2026
    Stephen O.

    Crawfish is surprisingly great! There's a non spicy version. Others are good, not typical American Chinese food.

    Sichuan Style Bacon. Mala Dry Pot Fish. Spicy Chicken

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    This is my go to place when craving for Chinese foods! Good service, good foods, at good price!

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    1 year ago

    very good food, and service. the soup and noodles were taste, wasnt too crowded and clean.

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    2 years ago

    Glad we decided to pull in and give this place a chance. The mapo tofu is highly recommended.

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    2 years ago

    Super yummy! 10/10 Great service and atmosphere! They even have server robots to help the other servers!

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    2 years ago

    I love all the spicy foods served in this restaurant. Plus, the service is great. I highly recommend Mala Chili without hesitation.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    All the mala dishes were good, otherwise bland. Beef noodle soup was only beef broth, no beef.

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    3 years ago

    Food is very good. Service was very very slow and way past expected time. It was Christmas so it may have been more crowded

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    Phoebe C.

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    2 years ago

    Authentic Chinese food, we really enjoyed eating here. The spice level can be adjusted to suit your preference.

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    2 years ago

    Easily the best Chinese food in Austin. We eat here every time we are in the area and have yet to be disappointed.

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    3 years ago

    We got the spicy chicken and the fish in chili oil, it was really really good. Highly recommend!

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    3 years ago

    Best Chinese food I've had so far in Austin and I've tried a lot. Food was perfect, not too salty, not overly oily either.

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    Page 5 of 5

    Mala Chili Reviews in Other Languages

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    Qi Austin

    Qi Austin

    4.4
    (894 reviews)
    14.6 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Went to Qi for dim sum brunch and overall had a really enjoyable experience. Qi is know for…read morecombining western and traditional Chinese cuisine by using local organic farming. Did not have a reservation on this occasion, but they always make me feel welcome and manage to fit us in. Sat on the outdoor covered patio that was cool and shaded. The atmosphere is modern and lively, making it a great spot for a weekend brunch. Started the meal with cocktails including Lycheetini with Deep Eddy Vodka, Giffard Lichi-li. lemon, cranberry, I cut the cranberry. Also had a Fresa Paloma with Socorro Reposado Tequila, Contratto, strawberry, lime, grapefruit, five-spice that was very sweet and garnished with a flower. You are given a card where you can mark your dim sum selections. I ordered the Shrimp Pancake, Snow Crab Ball and Chinese Sausage Sticky Rice. The standout was the shrimp pancake that had a really great texture and flavor. The snow crab ball had a strange texture with shrimp surrounding the snow crab claw. The Chinese Sticky Rice is always a favorite. Also ordered the Truffle Egg Fried rice and Birds Nest with Seasonal Vegetable. The Truffle rice is so flavorful like a flavor explosion in your mouth. The Birds Nest is made with fried potato shreds which contain the a variety of vegetables including cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms and asparagus. The nest is also edible and has a crunchy texture. The presentation of the food is amazing and everything came out hot and fresh. The flavors were on point, and you can tell there's attention to detail in the preparation. Service was attentive outdoors and the pacing of dishes felt just right for a relaxed brunch. This restaurant is truly a gem whether you come for brunch or dinner service. Will definitely be back.

    I wasn't as blown away by the service and menu as I hoped- but continue to hear great things so…read moreI'll be back. Can't recommend the truffle fried rice or soup dumplings enough. The chicken basil pot stickers and pork belly were good.. but a bit dry for my taste. However, the sauces they offer were all good. Martini was a jump scare in color but taste was on pointtt! Service was fine but we were out front on the patio and though our waiter was attentive while we ordered, we ended up finishing and waiting 40 minutes for someone to come by so we could grab the check. I ended up just heading inside and the maître d' was able to close us out. Tables around us were open so I'm not sure what had them held up, and it could've been a one off, but definitely not ideal at this price point.

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    View from the Patio
    View from the Patio
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    1618 Asian Fusion

    1618 Asian Fusion

    4.7
    (4.1k reviews)
    16.6 mi
    $$

    After landing in San Antonio yesterday to kick off my summer vacation, the very first thing I did…read moretoday was ask my friend to bring me back to this restaurant. The reason is simple: we ate here two years ago, and it left such a great impression on us that we had been looking forward to coming back ever since. Fortunately, not much has changed in terms of either the quality or the overall presentation of the food. Everything is still delicious, especially the Pho Combo. To be honest, it's far better than most of the pho we've had in Germany. That doesn't mean the pho in Germany is bad--it simply means this place matches my personal taste much better. As for the downsides, they're almost exactly the same as before. Parking is still a major challenge, and I understand that's probably not something the restaurant can easily fix. We also tried calling ahead to reserve a table, but they don't take reservations, whether you're coming with a group of 5-7 people or just 2-3 people. We arrived at 6:45 PM and still had to wait about 40 minutes before being seated, which was honestly quite inconvenient. Coincidentally, there was live music tonight, which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, the sound system wasn't very good, so it was difficult to hear what the singers were performing. Then again, this isn't really the type of venue where people come specifically to enjoy live music, so most diners didn't seem to pay much attention to it. One thing I did notice was that either the kitchen has made a few changes over the past two years, or perhaps my own taste has changed a little. The food felt slightly saltier than I remembered, and the pho broth was richer and creamier. While that added some depth of flavor, it was a bit too rich for my liking, to the point where finishing the entire bowl of broth felt a little overwhelming. The braised short ribs were incredibly tender--so tender that a knife was almost unnecessary, and they could easily be pulled apart with just a fork. While many people would probably see that as a positive, I actually missed the slightly firmer, meatier texture I remembered from my last visit. That said, these are relatively minor issues. The quality may have dipped just a little compared to our previous visit, but this is still an excellent restaurant. If they can fine-tune those small details, it would easily return to being one of my favorite places. There's a good chance we'll stop by one more time before heading back to Germany.

    Is it that time of year for another 1618 update? Absolutely…read more After my umpteenth visit, I think it's safe to say I've worked my way through almost the entire menu (minus a few noodle, chicken & vegetarian dishes). My 2025 review still stands, but after so many visits, I've noticed a few items haven't been good as they used to, particularly the chicken wings (and yes, all three of them). The Garlic Wings haven't been hitting quite the same lately. They've started to taste a little dry, and the saucier wings taste better the next day since they don't have time to steep through once served. The Filet Mignon Pepper Steak is still my favorite dish on the menu, but I still can't justify ordering it family-style anymore. It's delicious, but the portion just doesn't match the price. One of the newest additions--the Truffle Fried Rice is spectacular. It's light, not overpowering with truffle, and the fish eggs really adds the perfect little pop of texture/flavor. I don't think I breathed the entire I scarfed it down!! 1618 is still one of my favorite restaurants in Austin of all time, but I think it's time for the menu to elevate a bit and dive deeper into less mainstream Asian cuisine. If anyone can do it, 1618 can.

    Photos
    Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice
    Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice
    Cheesecake flambé
    Cheesecake flambé
    Pho Rib - Vietnamese beef broth with Filet Mignon, Grilled Ribs & a Vital Farm Egg.

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    Pho Rib - Vietnamese beef broth with Filet Mignon, Grilled Ribs & a Vital Farm Egg.
    Twin Panda

    Twin Panda

    4.5
    (431 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Soooo good! I asked on next-door what was good for Chinese food near me, several people recommended…read moretwin panda although it was a little further than I wanted to drive I'm glad I did! Shrimp and walnut prawn very delicious good size portion nice big shrimp and not gooey . Combination fried rice has plenty of meat. Great flavor and shockingly also has large shrimp. Mongolian beef because I thought I had to give it a try most Asian places I am very particular and don't like chewy meat. Very good not chewy! Bakmi Ayam noodles with chicken and mushroom very good. I like this more than I thought I would. I also appreciate that it had fresh greens on top. it's also served with some chicken broth. I did not use it yet, smells amazing though. When I walked in, I was greeted by two friendly young ladies. I placed my order and waited. I do not have a large waiting area. They also do not have a large dining room. I would love to come back and bring friends as it's a very cute place and the staff is very friendly. Small and casual decor would be a great place to come with friends. They do have some Asian beer in the back cooler. I can see from where I am standing. I apologize, not taking a photo of each dish however I didn't think about it until after I made my plate.

    Soulful flavors and a welcoming vibe defines this restaurant. The hostess was so polite and…read morefriendly. The restaurant is small yet cozy, decorated with Asian themed art. We ordered the tofu hot pot with chicken and vegetables. It comes with a side of white rice. The dish is prepared in a spicy sauce, served in a clay pot. The Indonesian rice noodles with tofu, vegetables and egg were very tasty. We were also offered complimentary wontons with sweet and sour sauce as a starter.

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    Comfort food
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    Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery

    Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery

    4.4
    (269 reviews)
    16.8 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Catering service

    Great for takeout! They're so quick and everything tastes exactly how an American eats Chinese…read morefood. The pad Thai is wonderful and the crab rangoons have plenty of filling. I like this place for easy lunches and dinners.

    UPDATE: I changed this review from 3 stars to 4 stars... I had contacted the Tso's comments page…read moreand relayed the issues. I promptly received an email acknowledging the issues, with promise to communicate that forward. I also received a credit. The timeliness of the response made it clear to me that there is an eye to quality control and that there's earnestness in making things better. I'll raise my "C-" to a "B-" and will give them another chance. ------------- Delivery: It took 1hr 25min for an order of soup, spring rolls, and lettuce wraps to be delivered... on a Monday... after lunch rush... when the restaurant location is less than 2 miles away. Online order: 1:03p; food in hand: 2:27p. That was a bummer. It's normally 30-40 minutes. Food: The small container of the dipping sauce (packed in the spring roll container) had a warped, melted lid... it was packed at the top of my complete order bag, and I suspect that it sat under a heat lamp for about 40 minutes. The spring rolls were soft and pithy and soaked in in the sauce. Kinda yucky. No crunch left. Food: I ordered chicken lettuce wraps. That came in a bi-partition container; lettuce on one side and chicken on the other. The lettuce was totally limp. The lettuce was dark green and looked like it was the nasty stuff you might peel off of a head of lettuce that sat too long in your refrigerator drawer. I'm sure it started out fresh when the meal was packed, but putting it in a container with hot food, and then next to a container of soup, and then letting it all sit under a heat lamp for 40 minutes did it no good. I did contact Tso's online and suggested that they pack lettuce separately for their lettuce wraps. Food: The chicken, the hot & sour soup, and the spring rolls were all a bit salty... saltier than usual, IMHO. Tso's is usually a solid "B", but this meal barely met a "C-".

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    Fried Rice, General Tso Chicken, Lettuce Cups, Potstickers, World Famous Crab Rangoons, Drunken Beef Noodles from Tso Chinese

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    Fried Rice, General Tso Chicken, Lettuce Cups, Potstickers, World Famous Crab Rangoons, Drunken Beef Noodles from Tso Chinese

    Mala Chili - chinese - Updated July 2026

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