Quick service and delicious! However, knocking out one star because everything was so overly salty. Flavors were great and overall was a great meal, but the saltiness was so apparent that my whole party said the same thing too. Would come back occasionally when I'm in the mood for sichuan foods! read more

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Szechuan food here was so good using quality ingredients and prepared with precision. We ordered: - Spicy pork intestines 5/5 perfectly crispy and flavored - ma po tofu 5/5 very spicy but perfect with rice - cauliflower with pork 5/5 thinly sliced pork belly and perfect amount of spices Service was minimal but enough since you order from QR code. They will check the order and ask how spicy you want it. It's a clean modern layout. Bathrooms were clean. read more

Shang Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

This place was busy on a Sunday lunch and I see why! Note that it also shares the parking lot with a popular dim sum restaurant so parking can be pretty difficult. I'm glad I came with a group of 5 because it allowed us to try so many different dishes. My favorite were the Boiled Fish Fillet in Green Peppers Soup and Steamed Egg with Minced Pork. Relatively simple dishes but executed sooo well. My friends also LOVE the mapo tofu, but it's a tad too spicy for me. read more

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Their app didn't work and told us some items were unavailable when they were not. Other than that, food and service was great. read more

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My new go to spot for Sichuan food in the bay area! We ordered all of our dishes EXTRA HOT so it was VERY spicy. The standout dishes were the couples delight, kungpao chicken, and the cabbage stir fry. Since all the dishes are pretty spicy, I recommend ordering some non spicy dishes as well to pair with the spice liked fried rice and steamed egg. Overall the food is VERY solid and we didn't have to wait and we're seated right away at 6 PM on a saturday. The restaurant is modern, very clean, and service is efficient as well. read more

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Great Sichuan spot, packed but line goes by fast! The spice level is probably one of the most intense I have tried to date out of all the Sichuan spots I have been to, but as a spice lover, its great! But probably not a place to go to if you can't tolerate some heat. They also ask if you need to adjust the spice level if needed, but I feel like the flavor wouldn't be the same if you did. Service is friendly and efficient. Our group's favorite meal of the night was the Spicy Crispy Pork Ribs by far. Perfectly crispy and flavor impressed all of us. Second favorite was the Dan Dan noodles! But overall we enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered, but definitely need to order a vegetable dish next time to buffer the spices . read more

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Yall. This is the best Chinese food you can find in the Bay Area!!! You must get the stir fry cabbage (I forgot to take picture) and the pork ribs! I promise you it will be a meal you won't forget!! The servers speak Chinese and English and ordering is via an app! read more

Shang Cafe - Green pepper fish - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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My friend recommended it to me, and I liked it a lot. People here are nice and very efficient. We had to wait for a bit but it wasn't that bad. All the dishes were so good. It really is better than a lot of places in SF. I can taste the authenticity and thoughts behind those dishes. You can also have some rare dishes here. I would definitely come back to try more. The place itself also reflects how Chinese people would decorate a restaurant. Everything is so Chinese. read more

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We ordered 3 dishes, all of which were very tasty, although a bit pricey. Most of them were spicy. My favorite was the Spicy Crispy Pork Ribs, which were seasoned well and perfectly fried. The Lettuce Stem Salad was my second favorite. The lettuce stems were crispy, and the level of spiciness was just right. Although the food was good, the wait time for the dishes was quite long, which was a drawback. read more

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Long lines, long wait if you miss the initial round of seating when they first open. I saw a lot of people ordering food for take out, and that makes sense since you'll probably want a lot of rice. Each dish is addictively spicy. I would skip their boiled spicy hot pot for next time. It's good, but the other dishes are better. The boiled spicy snakehead is also very good, but the portion size is very small. They only gave us a few pieces of the fillet so it didn't feel like the value was there. As for the other dishes we ordered (see pictures), they were all very great. My dad, who is picky with food and can't take spicy food well, really enjoyed everything. Prices are on the higher side. We finished almost everything between the 4 of us. We intentionally saved a small bowl portion for my brother to go. read more

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I'M SO HAPPY I finally found decent Sichuan food in the bay! The only place that I thought did it well before was Z&Y in San Francisco. Shang's is no frills and dare I say even more numbing and spicy flavors?! Their homemade chili oil also tastes bomb with literally everything, and they were even nice enough to give us a fresh container of chili oil to go! The food all came out fairly fast given how busy they were, and their Yelp waitlist process was great. Even though our entire party wasn't here, they let us stay first on the waitlist until our party got here. I definitely think this restaurant deserves all the attention it's been getting! read more

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They are always good! It has been a while since we last visited , but they kept the quality and never changed read more

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My third visit here and every time I leave satisfied! We always order the house special spicy chicken. All the vegetable dishes I've tried (stir fried asparagus lettuce with dried chili, eggplant, lettuce stem salad) have been great. Even their white rice is heavenly. Expect a wait during busy times. In a strip mall with large parking lot. Bustling atmosphere. I can't wait to return! read more

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I came here last year and also a few days ago. The experience was quite similar. Long wait times but food was really good! There is quite a lot of chatter around during dinner time but its not too loud where you can talk to your own table. Overall, recommend coming here if you want quality szechuan food! read more

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4.5 stars. Came here for a big team lunch and we ordered a large amount of food. The variety is really good but there are very limited vegetarian options. Of the whole menu, theres probably only like 4 vegetarian dishes, but everything was flavorful. This place is a little on the pricy side, but portion sizes are not too bad. The service was good and the food came out a fast pace. This restaurant can get quite busy so make sure to show up earlier if you don't want to wait. Overall, I'd recommend checking this place out if you are a fan of Chinese food. read more

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Came for a group dinner on Sunday evening and the place was pretty packed. We had to sit outside and the food came out in order pretty slowly. We got to try the mapo tofu and kung pao chicken and they were pretty good! read more

Shang Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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I thought it was really good. The pork ribs were really good. The spicy chiken was good too. I'd come back. read more

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Very disappointed. This is the second time we've had this exact same problem here. We placed our order at 6:02pm. The first dish arrived at 6:15pm, which was fine. But now it's 6:30 and nothing else has shown up--not even our appetizers. It's ridiculous to wait this long without any explanation or update. It's honestly baffling that the kitchen can't get the timing right or coordinate service better. We came in expecting a go o ddinner, but instead we're just sitting here hungry and frustrated. I really hoped last time was a one-off, but clearly it's not. Won't be coming back. read more

Shang Cafe - Our order - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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I went to another restaurant a few doors down from Shang Cafe a few weeks ago and I saw a pretty large crowd in front so I wanted to see what the hype was about. My mom and I came here on Saturday right when they opened for dinner so we were seated immediately. We don't eat Sichuan/Hunan food much so ordering was a little intimidating for us so we were kind of looking around to see what other people ordered. We ordered 3 dishes and a bowl of rice. The Preserved Eggs with Green Peppers is SO GOOD. I could drink that sauce. I did take some leftovers home just so I could mix it with other things. It's savory, spicy, and paired with the preserved eggs? Heaven. We also ordered the Sautéed Shredded Pork w/Wild Rice Bamboo Shoots and that was amazingly tender and flavorful. We also had some spicy(ish) beef tendon with garlic that was super flavorful and tender. Basically everything we ate here blew my mind at how good it was. I'm so glad we got here early because by the time we finished, the restaurant was full and there were 18 groups waiting. I will absolutely come back again and my mom is really excited to try other dishes as well! read more

I was surprised. This is an excellent SiChuan restaurant tucked at this "death corner" that had seen many dead restaurants. I think this one will last for a long while. It is modern Chinese. Authentic flavoring, relatively friendly services, good decor, quite clean. But you are here for the foods and that's their only aim -- make good foods for you. We order cold noodles and "fish in water". I have not had dishes this SiChuan for a while. Quite nice. Make sure to order mild unless you are capable for dealing with the spicy level. read more

Shang Cafe - 招牌藤椒魚 - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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Everything here was amazing. We got mild and most of us could eat everything! My favorite was the dry pot cauliflower and sour cabbage fish. Lots of tables so easy to get seating! read more

Shang Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

Superb quality Sichuan food! Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. You know the food is good when the line is out the door. Despite being a Sichuan style restaurant, there are still some dishes on the menu that you could order if you don't like spice. Service was good. I find you get better service if you speak their native tongue. The ambiance was what I would describe a typical Chinese restaurant. Loud and fast paced. read more

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Not a pleasant experience with the overall dish being so late one after another, service can be improved

I was visiting from out of town so unsure how this place compares to other Chinese restaurants in the area but it was delicious. I loved the fuqifeipian (tripe) and the cauliflower. I didn't realize the fish wouldn't have the red spicy oil but I actually preferred it the way they made it since it was just spicy enough. The twice cooked pork was also so juicy and everything left a satisfying tingle (we got less spicy for all the dishes). The restaurant was packed and service was prompt as we ordered through a QR code. I also appreciate that it was a well lit restaurant so I can actually see the people I'm talking to. read more

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Don't let Shang Cafe's pics of food drowned in dried red chili peppers scuuuurrr you. It's not burn your bunghole spicy. It's very tolerable with a good addictive spice. But, for those who don't want it...unless it burns their bunghole, Shang Cafe gotchu with their Sichuan boiled proteins in chili oil. This is Shang Cafe's second Bay Area location (original in Fremont). They're open for takeout, delivery, and indoor dining. There's one dog-friendly table outside. There were Chinese aunties waiting in line before opening so you know it's going to be legit! Depending on how busy they are, your entire party needs to be present to be seated. M E N U Sichuan (Chengdu) and Hunan fare. Their specialty: boiled fish in chili oil and/or green peppers. Default is basa filets, but you can upgrade to snake head filets, an air-breathing fish from Asia. For those who can't eat spicy, there's several non-spicy dishes: soups, steamed eggs, steamed pork belly, and stir-fried veggies. Lunch combos/specials available Monday - Friday, 11 am - 2 pm excluding holidays. Portions are family-style so it's best to come in a group to sample more items. There was a customer who ordered a huge $60 boiled fish dish that could feed 4-5 for himself...impressive! Beer available. O R D E R I N G Contactless ordering via QR code. There's pictures of each menu item. After submitting your order, a server will come to your table to confirm your order and ask if you have any special requests. You can request for help/server's attention from the help button on the QR ordering. Request bill from server when you're done eating. Sign outside says "credit cards only (no cash)". F O O D * 冒鲜嫩黑鱼片 Boiled Spicy Snake Headed Fish Fillets w/ bean sprouts ($22): https://tinyurl.com/yc87rprx First time having snake headed fish which had the texture of cod...soft, moist, and delicately flaky. I'm usually not a fan of cooked fish but most Chinese restos have mastered cooking fish to perfection. And, this was the case here...the fish just melts in your mouth. Underneath the fish were crisp bean sprouts that's absorbed the chili oil. It's fiery "AZN" spicy with a numbing málà heat so a bowl of rice is a must. * 千锅肥肠 Fried Pig Intestines in Flaming Pot ($25): https://tinyurl.com/4a2py7kv This dish took a while to come (40+ minutes)...but we had nowhere to go afterwards so it's fine. The fried intestines were bomb - rich and satisfyingly crunchy like chicharrón (not greasy). After deep frying, they're wok-fried with dried red chili peppers, jalapeno, and aromatics (garlic + red onions)... creating an addictive flavor and spice. While it *looks* mad spicy, it's not. My friend who can't tolerate much heat was able to enjoy it. * Rice ($2/bowl) Heaping bowl of white rice as a neutral base for all the spicy goodness. S E R V I C E Service was great! The young staff was cordial and surprisingly attentive. We were checked on and our water carafe was refilled without asking. I forgot to get his name but the tall, slim ABC guy with glasses was accommodating and customer-oriented. Unexpected but very much appreciated. First dish (boiled fish) arrived in about 12 minutes, and the second dish took over 40 minutes. We arrived before 11 am opening time (weekend) and it wasn't busy until 11:45 am so keep that in mind. A M B I A N C E Bustling Chinese resto with good amount of seating but apparently, not enough to accommodate the demand on weekends. There's one dog-friendly table outside that can seat 6-8 people. US Top 40s playing. P A R K I N G Easy parking tho the plaza can fills up quickly during peak hours. Overall, well-executed Sichuan/Hunan fare that's delicious, flavorful, and legit spicy. Will be adding this to my South Bay rotation. =P read more

Shang Cafe - 千锅肥肠 Fried Pig Intestines in Flaming Pot | $25 (SO GOOD! Not as spicy as it looks.) - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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The food here is phenomenal -- genuinely some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. The portion sizes were good and the flavors were present. Every single thing we got was superb -- I feel like you can't go wrong with whatever you order from here. The line was long when we went but it moved pretty fast. The ambiance is more casual. Ideally bring a friend who speaks Chinese to navigate the menu and hear when they call your table off the waitlist. read more

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招牌藤椒鱼 5 黑鱼, juicy, mild is still spicy, too much numbing pepper, ask for no mushroom 原味老坛酸菜鱼 5 黑鱼, juicy, not too sour, perfect hint of spicy, flavorful soup 黄飞红掌中宝 5 脆骨 老妈蹄花汤 5 青椒拌茄子 4 cold, mild spicy, garlicky, refreshing 鱼香肉末茄子 5 干煸四季豆 4 ground pork 上汤皮蛋嫩菜苗 5 salty egg yolk soup, long veggies, sprinkle of egg 四川凉面 4 cold, mild, refreshing, no meat read more

Shang Cafe is arguably one of the most authentic Sichuan spots in South Bay. That being said, spice lovers will rejoice - but if you cannot handle spice, make sure you are adjusting the levels to no spice and no peppercorns (these lil guys are responsible for the numbing sensation). For our first time here, we got the classics: cold jelly noodles, sliced Angus beef spicy pot, fried intestines, sweet and sour fish fillet stew, and stir fried garlic aa choy. Cold Jelly Noodles (5/5): Not as spicy as it looks so don't be afraid! Incredibly complex flavors with a hint of sweetness - the mung bean noodles are perfectly al dente and a rather refreshing breather in between bites of spiciness from the other dishes. Boiled Spicy Sliced Angus Beef (4/5): Incredibly spicy yet addicting. The beef had good amounts of marbling but there wasn't too much meat in here for the price - lots of bean sprouts. Either way be warned that this will make you SWEAT. Fish Filet Stew (5/5): This is one of Shang Cafe's signature dishes and a must get. The default basa fillets they give you are so tender and not fishy tasting at all. There are also clear noodles on the bottom so make sure you get those as well. Sweet, sour, numbing this dish has it all! Fried Intestines (5/5): Do not let the ingredients scare you. The intestines are fried to an addicting crisp and have none of the gamey flavors. You can munch on these like chicharrones and its not spicy at all if you avoid the red peppers. Stir Fried Garlic Aa Choy (4/5): Gotta eat your fibers kids! This dish is prepared in the classic way, stir fried with loads of garlic and fragrant sesame oil. Simple, and helps provide a nice break in your meal. One last word of advice, Shang Cafe gets PACKED so I recommend coming right when they open at 5PM on weekends or you will have to wait a bit! read more

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Whoa SPICY Love the pepper corn seasoning and numbing spiciness. The heat creeps up you, but it's so addicting. We ordered everything spicy: house spicy sichuan chicken, cold noodles, thousand year eggs, and ma po tofu. The portions were generous and staff were very nice even though we were the last lunch customers. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for some real spicy and authentic deliciousness. read more

Magician's chicken Walked in and saw someone eating the house special chicken in a huge bowl and was immediately intrigued. To my surprise, the dish is like 80% chili peppers and 20% actual chicken. In the dish's defense, it was super fragrant. We also got the hot intestines and the braised pork belly. Intestines was super crispy and spicy. All dishes were delicious. This place has good food for sure but the chicken had me fooled read more

Shang Cafe - Braised pork - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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Very tasty food and great service. It is located inside a plaza with lots of parking. One thing I would recommend the restaurant to show the spicy level of the dish coz some does quite spicy. read more

Shang Cafe - Cauliflower with pork - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

Heard amazing things about this place from Chinese friends, and it did not disappoint! We got there only 30 minutes before closing, and they were so swift with seating all 5 of us immediately! We didn't opt for the large Sichuan pot dishes, mainly the entree dishes plus desserts. I loved the stir fried potatoes, osmanthus steamed rice cakes, and cold noodles. The twice cooked pork was also an insanely hefty portion, along with their bowls of rice which I appreciate. All the flavors of the dishes were so intense and rich, which can sometimes be a miss for other Sichuan places that use too much oil. The servers are all very efficient and prompt, making the experience great! Will definitely come back when I'm in the San Jose area :) read more

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They kept saying 30 minutes but it's been over an hour to wait for an order to deliver. I read previous one star reviews that people have waited 2 hours!? Don't order through Door Dash or to-go ever again. The food is not worth the wait and it looks like they haven't figured out how to be timely on to-go orders. read more

A bit of a wait on a week night, but worth the wait. Food came out much faster than expected, and it was so delicious. Very spicy, but the perfect amount of spice. Everything was flavorful, and the food kept very well as leftovers. read more

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It used to be the best Sichuan restaurant in this area, the food was great, the spice is really on spot and authentic. The downside is really the price. (Quite expansive). Recent visit feel the dish quality has been dropping slightly and the price is still quite high. Would still recommend this place. read more

one of the go to spicy chinese food place. all time favorite is the thousand year old egg dish! it's sooo amazing! i don't like the green peppercorn dishes too much tho and mistakenly have ordered twice the green peppercorn just tooo strong. other go tos are the kidney dish (this one also has green peppercorn flavor but much less n balanced) and duck blood :)))))) read more

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Each dish was unnecessarily spicy/hot, and it wasn't indicated as spicy on the menu. My buddy and I ordered two dishes, first dish was served after 10 mins upon ordering, it took another 25 mins for the second dish to be served. We had to ask if they forgot about our second dish. Place is loud and expensive for small portions. Nice staff, but food sucked. read more

Shang Cafe - Szechuan Near Me - San Jose, California

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Always amazed by the authentic Sichuan/Hunan food in homemade style and friendly waiters every time I go to this cozy restaurant. There are reasons why it's been there for many years and still so popular. read more

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Food are authentic and taste good. But on the expensive side of options available in the Bay Area

Food was pretty good but not as good as it was hyped to be. Also the wait time can be pretty insane so it's not really worth the effort to go honestly. read more