I never knew this place existed before our Yelp elite event. Now I travel here just for the delicious Chinese food and service! Every time I'm here, they're always so nice and pleasant! The place is a little small so if you have a big party don't expect to sit if it's prime time. Otherwise, just take it to go. Whenever I'm doing hookah across the street I'll get food from here now and eat at the hookah place. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend coming here. GET THE DAN DAN NOODLES! So freaking yummy! It's a specialty "in my eyes". read more

I learned when they say hot, they really mean it. Since i have never had Thai food, this was a new experience. I had been forewarned about the heat that comes from these peppers. The higher the pepper symbol, the higher the degree of heat. We asked the server how high of level of heat could she take. Admittedly, she was on the basic level like us beginers. We both tried to order soup without any spice or heat, but found it impossible because it is the oil base has heat. The cook made it as mild as possible, still neither of us could eat and enjoy it. Just too spicy. It comes down to a learning curve. Some people love this and handle the heat. read more

See all

6/7/2026 - Went here earlier this evening. The food was great! Customer service was just as fantastic. The young lady at the front desk was very hospitable and complimented my daughter's mandarin. I will be returning again, soon. read more

What an amazing unique Asian restaurant. It's very small. There are 2 long tables. One fits about 4 people. Other may be 6. Plus some seating by the window. It is super casual place. In shopping center. Easy parking. I first heard of it from Yelp event which i didn't get into. So. Off i go on my own. And it's really fantastic. Food is phenomenal I got beef noodles. Which cokes with broth. Spicy oil. Beef cubes. Good quality. Some book Choi. And noodles. I also got cucumbers and garlic. They come with spicy oil as well. Very fresh and delicious My partner got shrimp fried rice. Very very flavorful and delicious. Mango freeze was splendid I want to come back and try different dishes Service very efficient. read more

See all

I went originally for a yelp event but I keep coming back! The Dan Dan noodles are just so yummy. The dumplings are also a must! Nice kick and very fresh and flavorful. I would try something new but these dishes just impress me every time. Def recommend! read more

Pepper House - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Pepper House will see me again! Not super big, so prob not the best idea for more than 4 people to dine-in. A hole-in-the-wall spot serving amazing food with fast, no-fuss service. Star of the night was the dan dan noodles. Rich, nutty, and unapologetically bold. The sesame-peanut base comes in smooth and creamy, while the chili oil brings a slow, satisfying heat that lingers without overwhelming. The ground pork adds a savory depth, and those chewy noodles hold onto every drop of sauce like they know their job. There's a slight tang and maybe even a numbing kick depending on how authentic the spot goes, which keeps each bite interesting. It's comfort food. Singapore mei fun keeps things light and flavorful with fragrant curry, tender shrimp, and a smoky wok finish. The perfect balance of cozy and vibrant in one meal. read more

See all

Good food/portions, and great service! My friend and I love getting malatang and Chongqing noodles from here. We also have loved their housemade chili oil since they first opened. Good gift too! read more

Pepper House - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Come here for the spice. And yes you'll need some extra napkins! Had the Chengdu Malatang and ooof that numbing spice got me. Tons of tripe and veggies. Wish that the bowl was wider or bigger because I felt like I was going to spill it. Same for the rice. I enjoyed my food there and had plenty leftover for takehome to add more noodles/veg. A bit crowded seating and quaint little place. Ladies upfront were nice, checked in, and helped us with our togo boxes. cant wait to try other things like the dumplings. A full thing of malatang is a bit too spicy for me even less than the traditional one. read more

See all

Amazing. This place. Small, not a lot of seating. Who cares?!? The food is absolutely insane. I've been to China, twice. This is authentic Chinese cuisine done right. Now the name is apt - if you want it spicy, make sure your will is up to date because they'll bring the heat! We greatly enjoyed everything we ordered and the staff was friendly and helpful. Definitely heading back soon! read more

TLDR: Bold Sichuan flavors, fantastic noodles and big heat in a tiny, unassuming space. One of the best noodle bowls you will find in the area. Pepper House is a small noodle shop tucked into the bottom floor of an older shopping center in Ellicott City, and it is quietly serving up some seriously good noods. I stopped in for Saturday lunch and the place was already bustling, which is impressive considering the interior only has a few communal tables and a window ledge style counter for seating. Would not recommend for groups as it can get tight in there. The menu features a variety of Chinese dishes from different regions, with a strong focus on Sichuan cuisine and its signature numbing spice. For an appetizer, I ordered the Sichuan Savory Cold Jelly, made with mung bean noodles and that signature mala heat. It was a totally unique eating experience and an easy recommendation for anyone who wants to try something different. For my main, I went with the Tianjiao Lamb Noodles, which came with lamb broth, sliced lamb, spiced egg, bok choy and green onion. The portion size was just right and the flavor was out of this world. Spicy, numbing and deeply warming, it was perfect for a cold winter day. The noodles themselves are excellent, with a great bite and the ability to cling to the broth so every slurp delivers full flavor. Pricing is very reasonable, and you can easily enjoy a satisfying lunch for under $20. Pepper House is a fantastic find for anyone who loves bold flavors and authentic noodle dishes. I will absolutely be back. read more

Pepper House - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Tip: order ahead or be prepared to wait for a table Pepper House is a top favorite of mine! Their chili oil is a staple for their dishes and a must to have a little spice. If you don't get a little spice you won't experience the full effect of the flavors of the dish. I can't handle a lot of spice, however, when it comes to certain dishes; I absolutely opt for spice. This is one of those times. At a bare minimum, ask for the lower level of spice. Starting off either their dumplings in chili oil; chef's kiss. These are the best dumplings I've had and the chili oil drizzled over them is the icing on the cake. The chili oil isn't spicy so there's no need to adjust the spice level. Trust me; they are highly enjoyable! Each bite gushing in your mouth full of deliciousness. Beef Noodles is my favorite. It comes with cubes of tender beef, rice noodles and bok choy in a soup that includes their signature chili oil. If you order to go; the chef preps the fillings in top with the hot soup on the bottle. This ensures the noodles don't be soggy during transit. The customer service is always superb from the time you walk in to the time you walk out. If you haven't tried Pepper House, do yourself a favor and add it to the next spot on your list. read more

See all

The service was excellent and friendly, the restaurant was super small but very cleaned. Each dish has a different flavors profiles, I like all the dishes; although, it's a Sichuan restaurant they have different spicy level. My favorite dish was the first fish with the dried Sichuan spicies, crispy, tender; and full of flavors. read more

Pepper House - Mr & Mrs Cold Appetizer, Combination Fried Rice, Dan-Dan Noodles, Dumplings, Chengdu Special Dry Pot, and Fried Fish - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Tasty Chinese dishes! This appears to be more of a take out place than dine in. Portion size here is massive. They also let you pick different spice levels so very accommodating for different palate preferences. I think you can find a more unique menu here in terms of the types of dishes offered (for instance Singapore style or dry pots) than what is "typical" of a Chinese restaurant in America so definitely worth checking out if you are interested in exploring different regional cuisine! read more

The food is so good. When you first arrive, the area looks really sketchy lol. From the outside I want sure if I wanted eat there. However.... I've heard so many great things I had to try them for myself. The restaurant is very quaint, with maybe 5 tables total. The woman who took my order was nice and explained things to me on the menu. My favorite dish that I would come back time and time again for is the Smashed cucumber salad.. OMG.. why would it be so good... slightly sweet, and nice kick of spice from the chili oil. Just perfect. read more

See all

Pepper House is ranked #11 in the top 100 Chinese restaurants in America definitely caught my attention, and after trying it, I can see why. The food tastes incredibly authentic, and the flavors are rich and well-balanced. If you're a fan of noodle houses, this place is going to be right up your alley. I'll admit, noodle-based main dishes aren't usually my first choice. The broth really impressed me. It was rich and full of flavor but for my taste, there were a bit too many noodles and not quite enough meat. That may just come down to cultural differences in how dishes are balanced compared to what we're used to here. I ordered the lamb, and my husband went with the beef. One thing I noticed right away was that my dish had more lamb than what came in the beef dish. On top of the great food, the service was friendly and efficient, and everything was packaged really well for carryout, which is appreciate. It's a small storefront with picnic style tables for eat-in seating. Overall, Pepper House delivers on both quality and experience. Even if noodles aren't typically your thing, it's worth trying. You might be pleasantly surprised. read more

We were on a road trip and happened to be in the area when we heard that this place made 11th best Chinese restaurant out of 100 in the US. A little hard to believe a lil' ol place here in Maryland can get that high, but we were intrigued enough to stop by. It's definitely cozy... and cozy is codeword for small. It's small to the point where it's a little bit uncomfortable since people are waiting in line right behind you whjle you're eating. Food came out pretty quickly, which was nice. However, I was a little disappointed to see that the dumplings were using factory-made wrappers rather than hand-made ones. And yes, I'm spoiled, my mom makes dumplings with handmade wrappers, so I judge restaurants for using factory wrappers. It's not the same. And I get it, this is a small operation, mostly for takeout, so they need to run a tight ship. The chongqing xiaomian were piping hot and absolutely delicious, and same with the mala dry pot. My partner, on the other hand, found all the food to be quite spicy and could barely handle it, although she really loved the soup even though she thought it was really spicy, she couldn't stop drinking the soup. I thought it was fine! It could have been spicier, haha. 11th best is a bold claim that is hard to beat considering how many delicious restaurants are out there. All in all, Pepper House is a great stop, so don't hesitate to stop by. read more

See all

Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had! Bold Sichuan flavors with adjustable spice levels. The noodles are incredibly high quality, fresh, and al dente -- complementing the sauces and soups perfectly. No notes. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu, and can't wait to come back. Small space with limited seating, so it can get packed, but the service is efficient and the food is so delicious that customers eat quickly to allow steady seating turnover. Family restaurant feel. Take out options available. read more

See all

Fast, good, food and not that expensive. Small dining area though. I got the beef rice noodles, mild,. Well mild is different here at, PEPPER HOUSE, than say Longhorn Steakhouse. I got a plentiful portion with a nice balance of meat noodles and broth. Would have love o few more leaves of bok choy, but oh well. The peach green tea was excellent again another mouthful to wash some of the latent heat away would have been nice. Overall, staff ambiance, food 5 My mouth now knows to get no spice My friend got vegetable Malatang and mango green tea read more

Pepper House - Vegetable Malatang (accompanied bowl of white rice not shown) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

See all

My wife and I frequented Siroo and Juk Story, but never knew Pepper House was ranked 11 in Yelp's Top 100 Chinese Restaurants 2024 in America, located in the same shopping plaza. The space is small with a few benches. It was super busy when we came. I ordered the beef noodle soup and my wife got the same thing with rice noodles and no spice. She also ordered the mung bean jelly with the spicy sauce on the side. I also ordered a cabbage. At first I wasn't sure why the cabbage was $16, but when it came out, the portions were huge. Everything had great flavor. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the jelly was delicious as well. This meal definitely hit the spot. The staff would frequently check on us to make sure everything was to our liking. We will definitely be back. read more

See all

I finally was able to try this restaurant today. We got there right as it opened so we could get a seat. We ordered the dan dan noodles, shrimp dry pot, beef noodle soup and spicy chili wontons. My favorite was the dan dan noodles and beef noodle soup. The flavor was tasty and not super spicy. This is a casual place where you order at the counter and either sit at the table or picnic table. I will definitely come back to try the other dishes and the prices are reasonable. read more

See all

Great service. The food is delicious!!!!! We will be back for more fried rice and shrimp noodles!! Everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. Check them out! read more

Pepper House - Chicken fried rice - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

The staff are so friendly! The pork dumplings in chili oil were so flavorful and not too spicy. Note that the restaurant is small with limited seating. I ordered takeout and it was packaged very nicely. read more

Pepper House - Chengdu Dumplings in Chili Oil Sauce (钟水饺) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

My friend told me about this place, and all they had to say was how oily it was. And they were right. I couldn't even reach the soup because theres an inch thick layer of oil. I ended up asking for another bowl just to pour out the oil, and trust me I am not scared of eating oil. Even my dan dan noodles had a pool of oil on the bottom. Like yea chinese food is oily but this place was too much. I'm also not a fan of the plastic containers even when eating in, especially for the hot malatang I got. But nevertheless food tastes so good and the flavor is amazing... its just not enjoyable to eat. read more

Pepper House - Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles (成都担担面) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

we ordered mapo tofu and Sichuan peppercorn fish. Both are super fast and taste very good. I'm Chinese and think both are authentic. The restaurant is lovely too, very pretty decor and atmosphere. Waiters are friendly and laid-back. Will visit again. read more

Pepper House - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

This restaurant made it on Yelps 11th best Chinese restaurant list. The Szechuan food here is next level. Located in a small shopping center off I40. When you enter they have 2 long tables. 2 walls have all of the recent awards and accolades. My friends stopped by on a busy weekday. We ordered everything from the Chengdu dry hot pot, Tianjiao beef noodle soup, Tianjiao lamb noodle soup, Sichuan savory cold jelly, garlic smashed cucumber, Chengdu Dan Dan noodles, and the Chengdu wontons in chili oil. Wow everything was delicious. The noodles, broth and hot sauces were so fresh. Even on a hot summer day we enjoyed our soups. The broths were rich in flavor and the meats were so tender. This place is well deserving of all of their awards. I will definitely be back to try some of their other traditional dishes. read more

See all

i originally came here for a yelp event and have been back several times since. as someone who doesn't eat beef/pork, there are plenty of options here and most dishes can be made vegetarian upon request. i usually get the dan dan noodles with extra vegetables and no pork + normal spice. the normal spice is not overwhelming, just a pleasant kick. their chili oil here is to die for. next time i go back i am definitely buying a jar. i have also enjoyed the savory cold jelly which has a very pleasant texture. i have tried the skin of the pork dumplings, which was very tasty! if they ever put chicken or veggie dumplings on the menu i fear i will be back every week. the young woman who works the counter is very nice and accommodating. she always checks in to see if the spice level is to your liking. the space is quite small, so if you plan on going at a busier time i would recommend getting take out. they package things up very securely so it won't leak during transit. i will continue to come back again and again. read more

Pepper House - Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles (成都担担面) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

The service is outstanding here! I like that there are multiple vegetarian menu options. I would recommend the vegetarian dan dan noodles and the cucumbers - both so full of flavor. I also had the vegetarian malatang, although the spice level really knocked me out whew! Chili oil was the featured ingredient in our dishes - it's delicious but I wasn't expecting every dish to be so oily. We came early on a Saturday afternoon and were able to get seating, but take out is probably a safer bet. read more

Pepper House - Vegetarian Malatang (素麻辣烫) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Rated one of the best and for good reason. Came here after it was rated one of the best spots on Yelp. Got their beef dry pot and savory spicy cold jelly. Honestly a great pairing. I really liked how they did not skimp out on the spice level at all, without sacrificing the flavor. Honestly it was worth the hype. Service was super friendly and accommodating. Warning- the space is smaller, so be prepared to share your table with strangers or take your food to go. read more

See all

Went here with some friends on a weekday, it wasn't too crowded inside. There was one other table of people dining in. The waitress was nice and explained a lot of dishes to us. I wish the dan dan noodles had more spices in it but thats a preference thing on my part. It's tasty overall and worth trying if you're in the area. read more

See all

Been wanting to try this place since a guy from work recommended. If I'd never had good Sichuan before I'd probably think the food was better. Everything had a slightly off flavor. I was thinking it was because we were eating hot food out of so much plastic. SO MUCH plastic. The smashed cucumber was good but it wasn't smashed. The dan dan noodles weren't bad but were swimming in oil. The beef noodle soup was ok. For 2 of us the bill was $68 which surprised me. The dumplings in chili oil were tasty. I'd rate it 3.5 stars. The spouse didn't like the food. So prob won't be back. Service was great and friendly. Tiny place and hard to nab a table when busy. read more

See all

My first time eating here and I will definitely return. I was treated to some tasty dishes from a comprehensive but not overwhelming menu. The service was personable and pleasant and the inside of the restaurant, while on the small side, had plenty of seats which filled quickly. read more

See all

There was nothing subtle about this place, nor what I expect this type of food to be. The name is Pepper House, and it bears keeping in mind that the English word refers not just to the many varieties of chili pepper or bell pepper, but also black pepper, and even more intriguingly the Sichuan pepper native to this cuisine. The place is tiny and is dominated by one communal table, which I figured was worth putting up with in exchange for the chance to try a vegetarian mala hot pot. Ordering a peach tea was a good decision, although water did not come by default, and this is the kind of place where you might need some water. My hot pot came in a to go container, and despite the fact that I had not eaten much, it was so substantial in terms of pure volume that I did not quite finish it. I asked for extra spicy and insisted that I did not drive from some six hours away to get an average spice level. The result would be best described as caustic, but for those that can tolerate the heat, the flavor experience is profound. The base pleasures of salty and savory flavors clash with a weird astringent taste, and a hint of numbing sensation. While these places have many non-vegetarian ingredients that are bizarre from an American perspective, I found the vegetarian bowl quite nice. In addition to two different kinds of tofu, it did have some seaweed, lotus roots, and what seem to be thinly sliced radishes. Also plenty of Napa and a little bit of rice on the side. I got a bit of a taste of some of my party's dishes that were not ordered at the maximum spice level. These were also quite tasty. I did didn't see the house chili oil for sale, but if I had, I would've bought some. read more

Pepper House - Vegetarian Malatang (素麻辣烫) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

See all

We came in around 2 on a Saturday for good sichuan food and we definitely found it. They were busy and the restaurant is small but we managed to grab a couple seats. We ordered Pork dumplings in chili oil, Dan Dan noodles, and Beef noodle soup. All were delicious. What made the dishes stand out was their homemade chili oil. It had a tiny hint of sweetness to it and the Sichuan peppercorns tickled the throat without being painfully spicy. We liked it so much that we purchased a jar to take home. The woman taking orders at the counter was a rockstar, also serving food and cleaning the tables. She also checked in to see how we liked the food. read more

Whoa, I'm really slacking! Went on 3/5 and here it is the 17th - Happy St. Patrick's Day! Met my friend for our monthly lunch & this was highly recommended by her hubs, who lunches out a lot. Very attentive service and the food came out very quickly. We were the only two people in for a bit, but we started just before noon and it was filling up by the time we left. Lots of takeout was picked up, as well. I had never heard of Chengdu Dan Dan noodles but it sounded just right for a cold, blustery day. I got it at "normal" spice level, which was perfect for me. And the owner (I assume) showed me the proper technique to blend all the flavors, which involved vigorously stirring the bottom with chopsticks and then doing a lifting motion to turn the noodles over several times. It. Was. Amazing. As she said, mixing it the right way blended the oils, spices and herbs into a one-of-a-kind flavor. The meat was seasoned just right, and the vegetables were tender crisp, with the noodles perfectly al dente. Of course it was a huge bowl, so I took half of it home. Tip: they only have bottled water, but you can take your water bottle inside & they will fill it for you. And if you're trying to stop using plastics, bring your own cutlery! They are so accommodating, I'm sure everything would be fine. As someone else mentioned, the parking lot right in front of it is very limited because it's along the side of a converted motel. My friend and I both got lucky with spaces right in front, which was lucky because it really rained just as we were leaving! This is another place I would frequent if it was closer to home. read more

Pepper House - Unassuming front but so cozy inside. - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

What can you say about a place that offers amazing food and service that makes you feel like you've walked into your favorite aunts house for a meal? There is a reason why this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the country (11th best if you're curious). The owner makes every guest feel welcome safe and she is clearly so excited to share her food. Go before Phil Rosenthal visits and puts it on his show!! Go and experience this amazing owner's hospitality and the food she proudly serves. read more

See all

Fire food and a literal fire in my mouth went twice and tried the dan dan noodles, chendu chili oil dumplings, sichuan cold noodles, and the singaporean stir-fry rice noodles, did not miss a single time their chili oil is authentic and adds so much flavor, gonna buy a jar for myself and put it on all my food I saw this other guy eating beef malatang, and they didn't skimp on the beef at all. he could meal prep for the next three days with that if you have no idea where to eat for today, you should definitely try this place. definitely coming back, the owner is so nice and welcoming and it's so warm and cozy, it feels like I'm at home eating my mom's cooking read more

Pepper House - sichuan cold noodles with sliced chicken - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

See all

I was attracted by the high ratings and decided to try this small restaurant's Sichuan food. I've never seen a decent restaurant serve dine-in food with plastic and paper containers. Very sloppy. The overall food felt awful, nothing was made with care. The noodles had dry, tasteless beef chunks, the fried egg didn't look freshly cooked but like some frozen pre-processed stuff. The chicken even had ice crystals inside that hadn't fully melted. I only took a few bites of the noodles and chicken before giving up. I rarely leave bad reviews for small family-run restaurants since I understand it's their livelihood. But this one was just terrible. If the food shows no respect for customers, then customers have no reason to respect the restaurant either. The sheer number of glowing reviews compared to such awful food makes me doubt their authenticity--most of those five-star accounts look like they were just newly registered. read more

See all

Pepper house was named the #11 best Asian restaurant in the country on a Yelp list! Immediately needed to try it upon finding that out. My husband and I visited on a Saturday evening around 6:30/7 ish. It's a very small restaurant with shared seating. We placed our order at the counter and were able to snag two seats. While waiting for our food, it was a pretty hectic scene with lots of people coming in for takeout and waiting to order food/sit down in such a small area. (This isn't a complaint, but detailing how busy they are in a small space!) At one point, they stopped taking dine in orders because the wait would be too long for those waiting to sit down. On to the food - they got it out as quickly as they could based on how busy they were. We tried the Dan Dan noodles, dumplings in chili oil, shrimp dry pot, and lamb rice noodles. My favorite was definitely the Dan Dan noodles! As we ate, the staff came around frequently to check on how we were doing and how we liked the food. They also give you instructions to mix everything so that you are getting the best experience/flavors. If you visit in the near future, be patient as they are feeling the positive effects of some of the attention! And it is well-deserved, the food was delicious and we will be back. read more

This place was small and the outside doesn't look very appealing but you step inside and it's a small cute little family style restaurant. You are able to dine in but it's 2 long tables and a bench so you will be sharing a seat. The food was absolutely amazing. They are #11 in the US for Chinese food and now I feel like I need to taste the other 10 cause this was sooo delicious. I got the wontons and beef malatang. It takes a little time for the food but well worth the wait. It was so much food and so flavorful. 10/10 highly recommended. I will definitely be back! I can't wait to be back lol. read more

See all

I tried the Dan Dan noodles (extra veggie, no pork) and choquin style noodles (veggie) ... I just loved the dan dan noodles. It is my favorite so far. I love their chili oil infused broth. I'll definitely be back read more

Pepper House - Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles (成都担担面) - Noodles Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland