Best Chinese food I've ever had. The quality and taste of the food is 10/10. Prices are very good for what you get.

Unassuming at first, Sichuan Pepper packs a punch on first bite. On a recent road trip through the area, our usual haunt (Reins) proved to be packed, we happily discovered this hidden gem just off I-84. Prompt, friendly service and clean environs allow the sensationally spicy food to shine. Truly one of the better meals we've had on the road. We will be back! read more

Amazing restaurant serving authentic Chinese food. Every dish was flavorful and cooked perfectly. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

Ordered the Generals Chicken, a spring roll, vegetable fried rice and the dumplings in chili oil. All were pretty amazing. The waiters were efficient and very pleasant. The restaurant is quite and clean with some quiet music in the background. Will definitely be returning when in the area, a nice change of pace from the typical Chinese restaurant. A little difficult to find if you don't know it's off the road a bit in the back of a Plaza. read more

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Very good, very spicy! I had the green bean noodles with ground pork. This place is near my job so I ordered to go for lunch. The portion size was huge; probably because along with the noodles they also give you a large side of white rice. I usually can eat a lot but I couldn't finish it! I will definitely be back. read more

Best Chinese hands down! Get the homemade wonton soup- it's so fresh, light and a little spicy- perfection!! We usually have the same waiter and he is awesome! On one of our visits there was an entire family from NYC and they said they drive here regularly for such an authentic meal. If you live nearby don't take this place for granted! Clearly it's amazing if families drive 2+ hours to come here! read more

This place is awesome. They took our order at 9:23pm and are supposed to close at 9:30pm. Thank you! That's the way to do business. We ordered the dandan mein, string beans, hot & sour soup, and beef with pepper. The dishes were really delicious. The staff is very friendly. Will definitely come back ^.^ read more

So I went to this place on a Friday evening and when I walked in I was greeted promptly and seated. The decor is a bit run down and it was FREEZING cold and there was barely any heat besides the foods heat to be found. The menu had many different types of food so there's something on the menu for everyone. Majority of the dishes include spices because it is Szechuan style. I started with the pork dumplings in chili oil. There were about 6 dumplings in there and they were delicious and freshly made! It was a bit salty so grab your water! I also ordered the scallion pancakes which were perfectly thin and crispy and served with a sweet soy sauce for dipping. I would highly suggest ordering this. For my entree I decided to go with the cumin beef which was SUPER spicy and salty. I loved the spice but the salt was just too much for me. And in addition to the beef I also orders the dan dan mien which is a noodle dish with pork crumbles on top and there is a slightly sweet sauce with cumin flavor added to the bottom so you have to mix it. This was also VERY delicious and a must have if you come here. The food is super delicious and I would definitely come here again. Cons: Excessive salt used in some dishes The freezing cold temperature in the restaurant They only gave me one napkin I had to flag someone down for water, I was never asked if I needed it read more

Stopped by again and was still very good! Enjoyed the home style tofu again and some sautéed broccoli. Note that portions are reasonably sized, and unlike other Chinese restaurants you won't have a lot of leftovers with one dish per person. Broccoli was very fresh. Will come again! read more

Sichuan Pepper - Home style tofu, sautéed broccoli, spring rolls. All tasty! - Szechuan Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

I just ordered food there for the 2nd time giving it a second chance. My first time I ordered orange chicken which was made in a sticky gelatin like sauce. I then ordered today wonton soup and general tsao hoping it would be different. My first bite of wonton I got a big shard of glass in the meat. They have lost my business and my co-workers as well. read more

I have been to many local Sichuan places for dinner and this one far surpasses the best ones I've been to, even In China town. We got the beef tendons and the dry braised rabbit. The soup was fish with pickled veggies and dan dan mei. The spice was perfect. If you don't like spicy food you are not going to like Sichuan food. They weren't afraid to make it spicy. It created a delightful tingle on the tongue and a breath of fresh air through the sinuses. Perfect for a cold wet spring day. I would go as far to say that I will not be ordering Chinese food from anywhere else ever again. And it will be my top choice for take out in the future. I'm considering ordering more of the rabbit. read more

Very good Chinese food and excellent service. The pork fried rice just seems fresher here. It doesn't have that greasiness to it. It's more... fluffy if you will. I've been here a few times and I'm always happy and then some. This time I had orange chicken. Very good. I would definitely get it again. They offer American Chinese and authentic Chinese options. I've only had the American kind so far. Can't wait to explore the menu more. Believe the hype on this place. read more

Awesome restaurant ! Authentic Chinese food and friendly staff. Never had a bad meal here and highly recommend any of their chicken dishes

I've been here twice and agree with the other reviewers that this place is very much authentic Szechuan Chinese food. If you're not a chopsticks fan, they do have forks. What I do find frustrating though is they are plastic so a lot of food slides right out of it. If you go the more "traditional" route and end up with their General Tso's chicken and a Sesame Chicken, I'm afraid you may be disappointed as having done a taste comparison the sauces were nearly identical except one had sesame seeds. Having made both of these dishes at home, I'm very much aware that the sauces should be uniquely different. That said, overall the restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere with a nice pace. I've never had to wait long for the food. But if you don't want to be disappointed, try something more authentic and not the "traditional" items you can get at most places as you may find them too simplistic. I'll definitely return. read more

Out of all the Sichuan food I had back in china and in the states, this is among the top of the list. And this is in the Hartford area, HUGE plus when I don't need to travel to NYC Flushing or Boston for for quality of food like this. Their suannibairou (chili, garlic, spring onion, and sesame on sliced boil pork) was out of the charts! Their spicy beef bowl (shuizhuniurou) was fabulous too. Most importantly, they are relatively cheap compared to other Asian restaurants in the Storrs- Hartford area. Thumbs up for that. It's true that their service is lacking at times, but the food and price made up for it. Highly recommended for people who likes spicy food and Asian food. Note: they prefer cash vs debit/credit card. read more

Awesome Chinese food that is actually authentic. This isn't your run of the mill place. I highly recommend and get stuff spicy!!!

Fantastic! I don't know of too many authentic Szechuan restaurants in the area, so I was delighted to stop into Sichuan Pepper for lunch today. The menu is so wonderfully varied that it was tough to settle on a single choice. My fiance and I started with the pork wontons in red chili oil and moved on to the spicy "Mala Pot Delight" with mouth-numbing Szechuan peppercorns (of course) and a savory mix of fish filet, shrimp, sliced beef, squid and veggies. Feeling like a little American-Chinese on the side, we also got the lunch special (hey, it was $6!) of shredded pork and bean curd with egg drop soup. Our server was quick and polite, the interior is clean and pleasant, and this was some of the best Chinese food I've had in a long time. read more

The wait is over! Authentic, great tasting, highly addicting Chinese food in Connecticut! My first visit to Sichuan Pepper, I came with one of my friends (who was born and raised in China, *to ensure authenticity, of course). I was a little overwhelmed--its hard to decide what to get with so many options! Luckily, my friend began conversing with our waitress, I sat there and smiled and said I liked everything, not knowing what they were saying to each other. Then the food came out....and I was hooked. Since that first visit, I've been back more than a few times--eating in, getting take out; I just can't stop coming back here. My favorites: Dan Dan Noodles Thinly sliced beef and tripe in chili oil Deep fried chicken with chili peppers So spicy. So good. So freakin' good. Every single time I go, I want to try more things, but I can't get away from my favorites. I need more friends so I can order more food. It is a little pricey, but worth it. read more

Authentic Szechuan food located in CT. Must try you would not regret it. Some dishes numbs your mouth so make sure you order some that are not spicy to mix it up. read more

Sichuan Pepper - Dry braised fish - Szechuan Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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Spicy! Most commonly found in Sichuan cuisine, the sichaun pepper spice has such depth and appeal that it really should have farther-reaching, more popular applications. When used sparingly its unique taste and tongue-numbing sensation is delicious, and addictive! I don't go out for Chinese often but was pleasantly surprised at the authentic Szechuan dishes available. As a fan of all things hot and spicy, this place is right up my alley. Decided to take Dad with me on my most recent visit. We started off with the home-made dumplings. Though tasty, I would get them pan-fried next time. The dan dan noodles were ok. I was really excited for the heat of the dried chili peppers. But was too distracted by the oiliness of the sesame paste and chili oil. Savory, it was definitely mouth-tingling (we asked for extra hot!) I had the twice-cooked pork which was tasty (I love all things pork belly) but it was a bit salty, even with the rice. He wanted a break from the heat and had ordered the orange beef which was just ok. We have a spot in town for when we want a delicious crispy and sweet, yet mildly spiced beef stir-fry recipe -- so we were harsh critics. Service was alright, we actually had 3 different people, who although weren't great at speaking English, were polite and helpful. Upon entering the hostess greeted us in Mandarin which we thought was funny. We noticed that there was a healthy mix of both Chinese and American diners, so that was a good sign. Full size bar, no happy hour yet, and online ordering is available. Parking isn't an issue and they're open until 930pm on most nights. I'll likely be back since I'm ALL about that spicy. They also offer lunch specials too. read more

Food was above average relative to other Chinese restaurants nearby. Service was absolutely terrible. The waiters were rude and unprofessional. They will give you a hard time even for the simplest of requests. For example, I asked to add onions to my meat dish and even told him I would pay extra for it. He kept telling me it wouldn't taste good and repeatedly asked me if I was sure. Why argue with the customer? Waiter never once came back to check on us. Just dropped off our food and left. The only remote sign of kindness we saw was when he dropped off the bill. No surprise. They want a big tip for terrible service. The dishes were dirty. Old food was caked onto the silverware and plates. Water was cloudy. Waiters sneezed without covering their mouths. read more

What makes this place remarkable isn't that the food is great or that the service is attentive but that there is fantastic, authentic Chinese food in the midst of the culinary wasteland known as Eastern Connecticut. Their lunch specials read just like Standard American Chinese Restaurant Menu #2, but venture beyond then boring and you will find more interesting ingredients (frog legs, squid, tripe) in well-spiced, simple, light authentic preparations. I used to think I'd have to leave CT to find real Chinese food, but no more. Was everything we had fantastic? No. But enough was to make the trip more than worth it and plenty more that we didn't try looked exciting! read more

Finally, we've got authentic Sichuan cuisine in the Hartford area! No more trips to NYC or Boston. read more

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Came here for my first-ever authentic Chinese cuisine, and I was quite impressed. We ordered pork dumplings to start; I got the stir fry with leek and pork (because I'm normally a wimp when it comes to spicy things) and my boyfriend got some spicy fish plate with plenty of sichaun peppercorns. To be honest, I liked his dish better: the depth was just unheard of, and the spice was different from what I'd anticipated. My pork dish was alright; the pork was cooked perfectly but it was a tad too oily for my tastes. The dumplings, however, were PERFECT; I'd go back and just order plates of them. My boyfriend had previously spent three weeks in China on business, and he said the food was exactly like what he remembered it had been in Chengdu. He asked our wait if they had hot pot; they do, but they have to cook it in the back because the building's ventilation doesn't allow for patrons to cook it themselves at the table. I'm no expert on authentic Chinese, but my boyfriend also mentioned that if some of his Chinese clients were to ever come to Connecticut, he'd take them here for dinner...so I'm pretty sure this is the real deal. I'm definitely planning on coming back and trying something adventurous and new. read more

Wow! The food is so flavorful. They will tailor the spice to your individual taste. Ask your waiter for suggestions. Every time we go we try something else and everything is soooo good. Best Chinese restaurant in the area. Very authentic. read more

I'm only sorry I don't live closer to this fantastic Sichuan Restaurant near Hartford, Connecticut. As it was, after stopping by chance on my way down to NYC, I made a detour to stop on the way back to Boston -- so impressed was I with the two dishes my wife and I ate (a tofu dish for her and a pork dish for me). On my return trip I over ordered just to sample as much as I could: sichuan pickled cabbage, pork wontons, and Mala pot delight. It was all dazzlingly tasty, fresh, beautiful and delightful. It looks like I'll be taking many trips down to New York (or at least as far as Hartfod). I may have to start traveling with an entourage -- so we can make a reasonable dent in the fantastic looking list of items on the menu. read more

My boyfriend and I have been here multiple times and the food is NEVER disappointing. We've tried all types of dishes on the menu, ranging from beef to fish to pork. The pork dumplings in chili oil are a must! I could eat just that as a whole meal, but I guess I can explore the rest of their delicious dishes. Other recommended dishes include - Sliced pork belly in fresh grinded garlic and red chili oil = Sliced beef and tripe in red chili oil - Fish filet with vegetables in hot and spicy bowl - Fish and beef vegetables in hot and spicy bowl - Double sauteed sliced pork belly - Stir fried sliced smoked pork with leek - Stir fried smoked pork with dry chili pepper - Eggplant in garlic sauce casserole (FAVORITE!!) - Fish filet and vegetables in spicy broth Everything is cooked very nicely. It's definitely spicy so be prepared. In particular, the beef in the spicy bowl is very tender and delicious. The dishes overall are on the pricier end, but we usually end up with plenty of leftovers for the next day. However, because it's on the pricier end and we can't help but order a bunch of items on the menu, we have had to control ourselves and limit the frequency of our visits. Service here is great too. The order is fast. Of the multiple times we've been there, they only messed up our order (terribly) once and let us keep the incorrect dish, so that was nice. read more

Tried this place while searching for better Chinese food in the area. Have to say that we were entirely impressed. While the price was a little higher, the flavor of the foods are just amazing. Really outstanding. Not greasy at all like some other local spots. We will be back here again. The restaurant looked really nice too, very clean. Next time we will eat there. This was a win! read more

Finally! A real and authentic chinese restaurant in Connecticut! It is about time! Everything here is deliciousssssss! I love their fried rice, eggplant casserole, and the list goes on! A must eat place! read more

The foods are good, almost close to those in Boston and New York. But service was below average. It often took a long time to get the foods ready. Definitely overpriced! And they seems to have rises the prices from what was shown on the menu. Would only visit once in a while when I really miss Chinese dishes. read more

Really delicious food. I've lived in China and in NYC, and this food is pretty decent. Very different than typical American "Chinese" food. However, if you eat there often enough, you begin to notice that all the food tastes exactly the same. It's like they have the same exact base sauce and they just add an ingredient or two more and call that a whole new dish. If you don't eat there often, it's a nice treat. Drink a lot of water. Super salty dishes. read more

We moved from California to Vernon 10 months ago. I have been searching for REAL Chinese food all along. It is so hard to find one!!! Finally I found this restaurant. Great authentic Chinese food here with a rich menu to choose from. The owners and staff are very friendly. They speak both Mandarin and English well. Some of the delicacy dishes may be a little pricey, such as frogs and certain fish. Well, the owner says they travel to NYC to get fresh frogs and fish. I guess it can justify. All in all, it is a great restaurant for people who miss real Chinese food. BTW, they just got their liquor license. read more

I'm a Chinese and I think this is the Best Chinese food in Hartford Area. I would recommend whole fish! Chinese food are not just Tso's chicken, Orange Chicken or fried rice. Actually, those are called "American style Chinese food". Chinese seldom order those. read more

There is a new restaurant called shu! It is alot less oily and another option for people on the west side of the river!

Not worth it. First time we went like two weeks ago it was good. This time terrible. Ordered same as first time except added spring rolls which were barely fried so hard weird texture and inside it tasted funky so didn't finish. Pork lomein has ten pieces of garlic in varying sizes some pieces huge. Whole dish tasted like garlic. Never had lomein with garlic in it before. Terrible. Only thing that was decent was the sesame chicken. Spent $30 and was not worth $10. read more

Sichuan Pepper - The garlic in the lomein - Szechuan Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

Ughh, hated this place!!! Nothing was good! Everything we ordered turned out to be so cold. read more

Decent food quality but portion too small for the $19.95 charged. Its literally a lunch size ma la pot

Best Chinese food (according to my Chinese friends) around! We love all the food there and usually use Doordash for delivery! But I recommend eating at the restaurant instead of delivery! read more

Saw their glowing review in the NY Times recently, so my husband I decided to try it out. We are always looking for new restaurants, and this was first on our list. The place is located next to Rein's Deli, with a big glowing sign that says "Sichuan Pepper". Inside is very nice - comfortable booth-like tables with a full bar towards the front. First, we ordered an array of appetizers, including the scallion pancakes, pork belly in chili sauce, homemade dumplings, and cold soba noodles. Each one was unique and had its own flavor. The chili sauce was one of the best parts. For our main courses, my husband ordered the Mala Pot (?) with spicy beef and I ordered spicy beef with chili sauce. When the waitress came out with the Mala Pot, our eyes widened and our mouths dropped. The size of the Mala Pot was enormous. It could have fed 5 people easily. I wish the waitress would have warned us. Bonus though, we could take it home and eat it for four more meals. However, we did not take it home. It was too oily, and the spiciness of the oil overpowered the rest of the ingredients in the dish. Perhaps this is how it's supposed to be and we weren't expecting it, but it just wasn't what we imagined. The service was also slow and unresponsive because there was only one waitress there. The next morning, when my husband and I woke up, we both had painful stomach aches. Next time, we are sticking with the appetizers. read more

Difficult to rate on take out but I definitely hope to try it again soon. So, their bean leaf stir fry is so good... just simple greens served over rice. I add chili oil and it's amazing. The sausage dumplings got raved about on here but I found them to be skimpy on stuffing and doughy but maybe they are better fresh in house; they got stuck together and were difficult to pry apart without compromising the integrity of the dumpling. (take out has a tendency to get soggy). My fiance got beef and broccoli and dry string beans... the beans were great and the beef/broccoli was standard. They should deliver. Very few places in this area deliver and I feel it's a disservice to consumers. I'll pay a fee to have my food brought to me, offer it. I cannot even tell you how far my eyes roll when I find out I have to put on pants to eat Chinese food at home. I can't wait to try again. Honestly, finding a place that stocks a variety of family style greens, veggies or cabbages is a rare find in this area. read more