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    Mala Sichuan Bistro

    4.1 (1.1k reviews)
    ModerateSzechuan
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Mala Sichuan Bistro Takeout or Delivery

    Mala Sichuan Bistro Photos

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    MALA SICHUAN BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Mala Sichuan Bistro

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    风味辣子鸡丁 Spicy and Crispy Chicken
    Michelle T.

    Perfect awesome delicious no frills exactly what you want from mala. I love the spicy and crispy chicken, perfect Sichuan flavor. Wontons have been a bit salty in the past but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    麻辣豆花鱼片 Mala Tofu Pudding with Fish Fillet
    Alex W.

    One of the greatest Chinese food franchises in the Houston area. Nearing GOAT status. Every time I go here it's a banger. All the Sichuan dishes are hits. I tried the tea-spiced duck and it wasn't my cup of tea (pun intended). But get anything else and it is top-tier (some of my faves: mapo tofu with fish fillet, twice-cooked pork, eggplant with green beans).

    Shveta A.

    I love Sichuan food and this place is amazing! It had been a long day and our group was very very hungry and Mala did not disappoint. From the time we entered, we were given a spacious round table with plenty of room for our party. Although the place was packed, the service was prompt and courteous throughout the meal. The interior was roomy and had a fun decorative vibe, I absolutely LOVED the various plates adorning the back wall (especially the owl). The food was so so good, though picking from their extensive menu was challenging. We ordered a variety of options: the spicy crispy chicken, the cordyceps, the chicken fried rice and the Mapo tofu. Every dish complemented each other and went well with both the fried rice and the white rice. As someone who cannot eat very spicy food, I appreciated the described spice levels our server gave us and found them accurate. The standout dish for me, among all of the delicious items, was the Mapo Tofu, with the soft tofu pairing perfectly with the spicy tangy gravy. If you're in Chinatown, this is the spot to go to!

    Spicy and Crispy Chicken
    Quynh-Anh V.

    As new Sichuan/Chinese restaurants open up in Houston, Mala Sichuan Bistro still remains on top in terms of both price and quality. The water boiled fish fillet is one of my favorite items ever, such great portions and so delicious. My other favorites are the west lake soup and spicy and crispy chicken. The portion amount here is perfect and the prices are fantastic while still keeping it authentic. Mala Sichuan Bistro earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason! Definitely check it out, and their to-go quality is great as well for those who want to eat at home.

    芦笋蟹肉羹 Crab Meat and Asparagus Soup
    Michelle D.

    first time visitors to houston and this was such a great spot to spontaneously try. the restaurant is clean and the service is fast. the food... WOW!!! the soup was perfect. it's meant for 3 to 5 people, omg i basically finished the whole thing by myself!!!!! i also ordered the mapo tofu and that was really good. i wish i could've ate more of it or taken it home, but i couldn't because we're out of town and had to fly back :'( my boyfriend really enjoyed his spicy chicken too. he said it had a really good flavor. whenever i come back i will definitely come here again. the prices are also extremely good considering how much food you get (family style)!

    All together
    James A.

    Located in the Metropole Center in Houston's Chinatown, Mala Sichuan Bistro was founded at this location in 2011, by a Chengdu native. She wanted to bring authentic Sichuan cuisine to Houston. With her great success, her restaurant has been named a Michelin Bib Gourmand (one of only fifteen Houston area restaurants) in the inaugural guide for Texas. In 2017, the former chef was a James Beard finalist for the Best Chef: Southwest category. With its success, came more locations, with five in total. It's an impressive resume, making the restaurant worth visiting if in the Houston area. Every time I visit my nephew, he surprises me with a new cuisine that he has learned to like. This time, it was Sichuan cuisine. So on a Monday, his dad, he, and I made a visit for lunch. Parking was plentiful in the strip mall, and we got seated immediately. The menu is large, and my nephew knew what he wanted to order. We ended up eating most of it, meaning the portions weren't huge but the dishes were very tasty. The meal came with a communal bowl of white rice, along with a self-serve carafe of ice water to refill our glasses as the numbness of the white peppercorns took over. Mapo Tofu ($13.99) - the classic Sichuan dish, their rendition is pretty good. Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce ($13.99) - I still remember a discussion where an expert clearly stated that you can not switch out eggplant for Chinese eggplant. I don't like eggplant, but tried it here (per my nephew's suggestion) and found that I liked it, especially since the sauce was so good. Next time, would ask the waitress what other dishes use this delicious garlic sauce. Twice cooked pork ($14.99) - the authentic version uses sliced, boiled pork belly, sauteed fresh leaks in a fermented black and broad bean sauce. Quite good. House Special Funky Cold Noodles ($8.99) - cold wheat noodles in a unique sauce. Never had this before: it was unique in taste, and went really well with the rest of the meal. Shredded Pork with Spiced Dry Tofu ($14.99) - this was my choice, and it was good. I liked fried tofu, so was hoping dried tofu would be close. It kinda was, but would have been better (for me) if fried instead of dried. Probably the weakest out of the 5 dishes. They do have fresh fish on the menu served whole, but the only choice was tilapia. As a whole, the dishes tried here were not mind-numbingly hot (like other Sichuan restaurants I've tried where using chinese red peppers in the same amount as the rest of the ingredients). And clay pot cooking didn't seem to be on the menu either. But the use of mala spices was definitely there, numbing the tongue. One could especially feel it right after taking a draught of cold liquid. Not a particularly pleasant feeling, but worth it for the taste the food provided.

    Menu
    Jonathan V.

    Mala Sichuan has been one of our favorite places to eat when we are craving Asian food. It is by far the best Sichuan food I've had in Houston. They got on the Bib Gourmand list and it was well deserved. Every dish we've had at Mala has so much flavor and if you're looking for true Sichuan food, Mala brings the heat. For those not familiar with Sichuan food, it is famous for the Sichuan peppers used in the cooking which give a numbing sensation instead of a straight heat/hot sensation you'd be familiar with in Mexican or Indian cooking. When you come here, bring more than 2 people so you can order a lot of dishes and share them family style. This restaurant is also reasonably priced with most dishes in the $10-$20. Ambiance: Mala is a relatively small restaurant with about 20 tables. The bigger tables have a lazy Susan in the middle to share food. The restaurant is clean and the wait staff is very friendly. Parking: Mala is located in one of the strip malls in Chinatown and shares a parking lot with all of the restaurants in the same strip mall. I've never had an issue finding parking here. Parking is free but you may have to park far away if the strip mall is packed. The walk from the car to restaurant is always worth it! Service: the waiters and waitress here are very attentive and were active with refilling water and bringing out food. They also boxed up our leftovers for us which was nice. Food: we had been here many times before and we have a standard order which is usually good for 4 people. We order the hot and sour soup to start and then order the spicy crispy chicken, cumin lamb and the dry fried double veggies. Hot and sour soup: the soup comes in a huge bowl and is more than enough for 4 people to share. This hot and sour soup is a little more watery than what some may be used to. It has a strong pepper flavor which gives it a little tang. It's a great sharing dish for those who love hot and sour soup. Spicy crispy chicken: this is easily our favorite dish to order here. The chicken comes perfectly fried and is loaded with Sichuan flavor. It pairs perfectly with the white rice served on the side. The chicken comes in bite sized cubes and is easy to eat with chopsticks. Highly recommend ordering this dish. Cumin lamb: the lamb in this dish is super tender and this dish comes loaded with jalapeños and onions. Once again, this dish has so much flavor and brings a little heat. If you don't like lamb, don't get this dish because the lamb flavor is strong. Dry fried double veggies: the dry fried double veggies are our favorite veggie dish here. The string beans are lightly fried and come with bamboo and some ground pork. The string beans are crispy yet tender and the ground pork and bamboo give the dish a nice touch. I highly recommend Mala for anyone craving Sichuan food. This place is reasonably priced and brings all of the flavor in each dish. The staff is friendly and ready to help with any questions. Come with a large party to get the most out of your experience so you can try multiple dishes and also come here to eat family style because it's always more fun than having only one dish! The Michelin Bib Gourmand award is well deserved at Mala Sichuan and everyone needs to come try this place!

    Daryl R.

    My favorite spot 100% I will be celebrating my birthday here this year just to get my family to try it out, not kidding I always get a few plates to share but I never miss the opportunity to order their spicy crispy chicken Everything on the menu I've ordered has been wonderful Their staff is attentive and fast. Our office usually orders to go and we order a lot so we really appreciate them. When I dine in food comes out fast and it's always delicious and fresh

    干锅鱼片 Dry Pot Fish Fillet
    Katherine D.

    Love coming here! It gets crowded pretty fast, but the wait is never bad. The service is pretty quick and the dishes come out pretty fast too. I love the food here, it's always pretty consistent and reliable. The depot is so good and flavor pretty strong. The cumin lamb was a new try this time and soo good. They also always keep us supplied w rice! It's pretty crowded and filled but I think it's a fun atmosphere. Also good as take out.

    Sara-Grace C.

    This is my second time here and the atmosphere inside was so cozy. There was not enough staff so the wait time was long and you could tell they were stressed. I got the hot n sour soup which paired so well with the Dan Dan noodles and twice cooked pork. The wontons were really really salty so I probably wouldn't order it again. There are private event rooms here if you want to host a party. We saw a group of young adults dressed with grandmas and grandpas for a birthday which was so fun.

    Jessica N.

    Mala does Sichuan great! This is my go to spot for anything Sichuan. My mouth is always leaving tingling and satisfied because not only do the dishes have the perfect amount of spice, it doesn't overpower the flavor of the dishes itself. The Sichuan Crispy Chicken is a little on the sweet side but balances well with the Sichuan spice. The Dan Dan Noodles are pack a nice tangy spice and if you want to test your spice, I suggest getting their Dry Pot! Overall, 9/10.

    Sauerkraut Tilapia Pot
    Hemi K.

    I took some friends who were visiting from out of town and they absolutely loved it!! The spicy and crunchy chicken was absolutely delicious paired with the eggplants and mapo tofu. I appreciated how each sauce has a different base and flavor to it which was enjoyable. The soup did have a slightly fishy taste but I enjoyed pairing it with the ginger and sauerkraut in the dish. The soup was always pretty thin which paired well with rice. I would recommend going in large groups to try and share all the different flavors. The place had plenty of parking but it does get busy so it can get a little hard to call a waiter. I loved that they served us more rice when we ran out.

    Spicy and Crispy Chicken
    Jessica T.

    This review is long overdue! Mala is one of my all time favorite restaurants in Houston. I've celebrated numerous birthdays and occasions here, at their Bellaire, Katy, Heights, and Montrose locations. Their Bellaire location is the OG, and I routinely crave the numbing spice at least once a month! My rotation includes: - Spicy crispy chicken - Cumin lamb - Mapo tofu - Dry pot fish fillet - Water boiled fish - Garlic eggplant Everything is truly so delectable and flavorful. My mouth is watering just writing this review! No notes. Please do yourself a favor and give them a try!!

    Spicy and Crispy Chicken, Cumin Lamb, Mapo Tofu,  Basil Eggplant and String Beans, crispy Crispy Mala Beef, Dan Dan Noodles

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    Food was very good. Crispy chicken was just as good as usual. The servers were very prompt and considerate.

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    Mala Sichuan Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mala Sichuan Bistro

    Can you make a reservation for 2?

    I'm not entirely sure if they take rezzies or not, maybe for large parties? But rezzies aren't needed for the bellaire location

    Do they have a private room that can be reserved for big groups?

    Yes, there's 3

    Do they do curbside pickup?

    You can place order and pay at malasichuan.com, and call to say you've arrive once your car is pulled at the front, they can bring it out to you

    Is Byob allowed?

    Yes but only wine with a 10 dollar corking fee. We have an award winning beer and wine list

    Currently waiting for a table for 2 under the name Kat. Any idea how long the wait is?

    Based on when you entered the question, it seems you are up to about 12 hours now. That sure seems longer than normal. 😊

    How spicy is the food?

    Depends on the dish itself, the customer's preference, and the tolerance of spiciness, it can be very spicy or not spicy at all

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Hu's Cooking

    Hu's Cooking

    4.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$

    5 Stars - Authentic Szechuan that absolutely nails the classics…read more During our short trip to Houston, as a custom, we were determined to find real Szechuan food, and luckily we found Hu's Kitchen. The location is a bit unassuming, and parking is definitely tough (the spaces are very shallow), but the second we walked through the doors and smelled the Szechuan peppercorns, I knew we were in exactly the right place. I generally judge a Szechuan restaurant by their 夫妻肺片 (Fuqi Feipian)--which they cleverly name "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" on the menu. They completely nailed it. The beef, tripe, and tendon were incredibly cohesive together, yet you could tell each component was prepared and marinated in a slightly different way to perfectly highlight its specific texture. The chili oil was right on the spot. We went through a massive bowl of rice just eating this dish alone. Honestly, if I weren't feeding a family of four, I could have just ordered that and been perfectly happy. While the Fuqi Feipian proves their skill with dry dishes, the 水煮魚片 (Fish in Szechuan Hot Chili Oil) proves their skill with wet ones. It's another must-order. The execution was flawless--we didn't just finish the tender fish chunks, we ate every last piece of cabbage soaked in that incredible chili broth. For my two daughters who can't handle the heat, we ordered the fried rice, garlic pork ribs with onion, and the 紅燒獅子頭 (Giant Meatball with Cabbage). The giant meatball was spectacular. The kids completely devoured it on their own, but I managed to steal a bite, and it instantly brought back childhood memories of exactly how this dish is supposed to taste. We also had the Dan Dan Noodles, which were great and rounded out the meal perfectly. I loved all of the dishes we tried. Should we ever find ourselves in Houston again, we will absolutely be revisiting this hidden gem.

    My mom wanted steamed fish with ginger, scallions, and that light sweet soy sauce. Hu's Cooking…read moredelivered! When we ordered, they mentioned it'll take about 20 mins but it came out in 10. No complaints here since we were starving from an 8 hour road trip. The Dan Dan Noodles...I had high expectations but sadly this dish fell short. I recommend Hu's Cooking to use a bigger bowl and more sauce because it was difficult to mix the noodles and the sauce wasn't...saucing, unfortunately. I wish there was more flavor in this dish. The Scallion Pancake was super over-fried and oily. See image in my review. The outer parts of the pancake were fried to a crisp and only a small circumference in the center stayed chewy. I know Chinese tends to be oily but this pancake soaked up way too much oil. Half a Peking duck: super great price for so much meat. The difficulty when eating this dish is gnawing the meat off the sharp bones of the duck. Mapo Tofu with white rice: pretty easy staple, no complaints here. Dinner on a Saturday was packed but we got seated quickly and food arrived fast.

    Photos
    Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans
    Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans
    Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat
    Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat
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    Mala Sichuan Bistro

    Mala Sichuan Bistro

    4.0
    (717 reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    I had a great experience dining here. A few things I loved:…read morePlenty of parking Beautiful wall art Extensive menu options Menu with images Good service Delicious food It was my first time, and as a first timer I had a lot of questions and didn't know where to start, but our server was very helpful and gave us excellent recommendations. We ordered : Dan Dan Noodles 8/10 Bok choy and mushrooms 8/10 Kung Pao chicken 9/10 Dry fried green beans 9/10 The food looks beautiful and tastes even better, I loved they present the food very pretty. Oh! And The portions are shareable too! I will definitely come back , there is a garden on the side that looks very pretty when you are dining inside, maybe next time if the weather is nice we can sit outside:)

    Get the eggplant! Been obsessed with Sichuan food lately,…read moreand my friend recommended this place. I think we may have went on an off day because I have tried takeout form this place that was delicious, but on this day the food wasn't my favorite. We did overall enjoyed our experience and time and I would recommend giving this place a try! We ordered a total of 5 dishes and everything seemed very authentic to Sichuan cooking. With Sichuan cuisine though, a lot of the food will be on the oily side, so keep that in mind. - Eggplant In Spicy Sauce (5/5): Definitely order this dish! You can tell the eggplant was prepared well because it retained its beautiful purple color and luscious shape. The flavor was sweet and savory seeped well into the eggplant. My only comment would be that there wasn't a strong garlic flavor, but it was still so tasty I think it deserved that 5/5! - Mapo Tofu (2.5/5): I came here specifically for the mapo tofu but was left a bit disappointed. The flavor was pretty good and had that strong Sichuan pepper spice that lingers after a while. My issue with the tofu was the consistency of the sauce. I found it to be very thick and clumpy in an unpleasant way, almost like eating little gelatin pieces. I would probably come back to try it again just in case this was a bad batch, but it's hard to compete with wanna boa's mapo tofu. - Spicy and Crispy Chicken (4/5): Pretty juicy and crispy chicken with a slight kick. I love anything fried chicken so I did enjoy this dish but it was pretty standard and there wasn't much to write about. - Red Oil Dumplings (3/5): Pretty standard oil dumplings. They weren't really spicy which would be good for people who can't handle spice. I think I would've liked a bit more meat filling but overall not bad. - Dan Dan Noodles (3/5): I loved the texture of the noodles but I found the sauce to be kinda slippery which made it hard adhere to the noodles. I also thought the flavor could've been a bit stronger. Service/Ambiance: the interior of this place was super cute, especially the upstairs area. I loved the dim lighting and tiny table lamps which gave this place a cozy romantic feeling. The outside was also interesting with an all black exterior and no sign. That might make it hard to notice or find the restaurant, but that did give it a more hidden feeling which was nice. Parking was also abundant and service was great!

    Photos
    Bar and dining area on first floor
    Bar and dining area on first floor
    Red oil wonton
    Red oil wonton
    Mala Tofu Pudding with Fish Fillet

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    Mala Tofu Pudding with Fish Fillet
    Xiaolong Dumpling

    Xiaolong Dumpling

    4.6
    (300 reviews)
    10.3 mi
    $$

    This little spot is my literal favorite place for fried rice. Everything is good but the fried rice…read moreis the best I've ever had! Pork Bao's are normally my daughter fave but the soup dumplings here are her favorite. She could finish an order on her own. The service is always great. As soon as you get in they give everyone a water and a carafe of more water. There is a QR code to order and you place your order on the phone. The order goes straight to the kitchen and you can add as you go if wanted. I always thought that was pretty cool. The owner came out to say hello and ask how everything is. She even brought out a small bowl of soup for my baby to enjoy. The waitress was also very sweet and attentive. I don't live close by but will make the trip when the craving hits. Today was one of those days. The last time I was here there was no ac and not enough seating. This time it was nice and cool in and well as having new seating! This little spot needs to be on your need to stop places!

    Was a little bit of a red flag when we were the only Asian customers in the restaurant - still…read moredecent but definitely catered towards Western taste buds. My favorite dish was surprising the fried rice, with generous portions and slight smokiness. The xiaolongbao weren't my favorite, as there wasn't a whole lot of juice; but hey if you're looking to be health conscious maybe that is a positive.

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    Excellent customer service!!!
    Excellent customer service!!!
    V9. Eggplant In Garlic Sauce V9.
    V9. Eggplant In Garlic Sauce V9.
    P3. Black Pepper Beef P3.

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    P3. Black Pepper Beef P3.
    Mala Sichuan Bistro

    Mala Sichuan Bistro

    4.3
    (137 reviews)
    9.9 mi

    Not too long ago I started reading "Food of Sichuan" by Fuchsia Dunlop. There, she describes hilly…read moremountains, rice fields reaching above your head, and dewy mornings awakened by the local cattle demanding breakfast. She emphasizes few ingredients that complement and highlight each other. Above all else is technique. The knowledge to know which vegetables are in season, the perfect time to poach fish, infusing oil with the correct about of peppercorns and aromatics takes years of practice. What I find surprising is how Mala Sichuan Bistro scaled out their restaurants with the same quality, crispiness, and consistency across all locations. The MKT location has the most beautiful interior, which is why I choose to go there. If Mala told you the crispy chicken seasoning was only 4-5 ingredients, would you believe it? Chinese cooking is about letting one ingredient shine in the spotlight with the supporting actors complement one another. My love for cooking started with the spicy crispy chicken. The crunch, the numbing from the peppercorns, the push and pull between sweet and salty. The oil to fry the chicken and the oil to dress the chicken afterwards creates a masterpiece that I have not been able to replicate at home nor have I found any other restaurant in America with the same caliber. The dry pot fish melts in your mouth with its delicate batter. The lotus root is crunchy while the cauliflower soaks up the delicious sauce. Compared to the water boiled fish, this dish is my new favorite coming into here. For the avid regulars of Mala Sichuan, I challenge you - Order something a little out of your comfort zone every time you come. Trust that the chefs have years of knowledge and the sample size for refining dishes almost 4x ours. If survival of the fittest makes the restaurant business cutthroat here, imagine the caliber of dishes that exist in China. Mala Sichuan didn't invent these dishes, it came from generations of testing, iterating, and feedback from their customers. When we dine here, we're having a snippet of history served right in front of us.

    Mala is one of my favorite restaurants! It's more expensive than other american Chinese restaurants…read morebut it's bigger portions so it evens out (with free rice of course). I love the mapo tofu and spicy chicken. The tofu is creamy, savory with a little bit of a Szechuan kick & doesn't come with pork which I prefer. (This dish made me love tofu!) The chicken is crispy without thick breading. Lots of garlic, szechuan peppers, and seasoning. (I wouldn't recommend eating the peppers.) The ambiance is great. The service can be lacking - they need to hire more servers because there's 1-2 servers for the entire restaurant and it gets packed. Every time we need something, we have to flag a server. Regardless, still 5/5!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Mala Beef Tendon
    Mala Beef Tendon
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    Eggplants in Spicy Garlic Sauce

    Mala Sichuan Bistro - szechuan - Updated August 2026

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