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Spicy Charm

3.0 (54 reviews)
ModerateHot Pot, Szechuan
Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

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麻辣烫 (spicy soup)
Hendra W.

My experience here yesterday was so different compared to my previous ones, in a bad way! Their food was delicious, yes. We ordered the dry pot and spicy soup. I am giving a 2-star rating because of how bad the service was and how the waitress (whom I believe is the owner of the place) was constantly making us feel uncomfortable. The first thing I noticed is they don't have their menu up on the TV above the counter (that's where the menu used to be), I have a reason to believe this was done on purpose as she is a liar. She then told us to help ourselves with the drinks but we only wanted water and she was unhappy about it because now she can't sell her extremely overpriced drinks! While we were working on our food, she constantly made uninteresting conversations with us and my girlfriend stopped responding to her. Fast forward, when we were done with the food, I asked for the check and to-go boxes, she then asked what payment method we would be using, we used credit card and she charged us $3.50 for it! Wow, great! Now, after she swiped our card and I brought the check to our table and she kept telling us to sign the check (at least 5 times in 1 minute) my Gosh!! Can't you see we have to put our food in the to-go boxes first? We didn't have the space on the table to sign it! Oh did I mention we ended up spending $96 for the 2 dishes we ordered??? Rip-off! Lesson learnt and I am NEVER coming back here again! P.S. I think this restaurant had a change of ownership, it used to be good and now is run by a mad lady. PLEASE DON'T COME HERE OR YOU WILL REGRET IT! 你要是来这家店,你真的会后悔的!

Justin C.

I'm giving it five stars to offset all the negative reviews so far... I fail to see how someone paid "$40 for a little bowl". No way. regardless, know that I actually think this place deserves 3-4 stars. My coworker finally brought me here on a lunch break. We were going to get four orders to go. We got there at about 12:30ish. TLDR: Ma la tang (numbing spicy soup) option is the way to go. It's delicious. However, ingredients aren't so delicious so you kinda have to mix it. Amazing to have on a cold day or if you're sick. They need to hire more workers. It took me 1 hr 40 mins to get my food. Also, bring someone who preferably reads and speaks Chinese. So how this place works is you buy the soup fo $1.50? and then you pay a base price for what meat you want (lamb, beef, pork?) and then you can add more toppings like veggies, noodles, tofu, and fish / meat balls and pay PER POUND. It's a bit hard for me to understand how this place works, everything was written in Chinese and I'm illiterate in that language. My coworker immediately noticed that they were low / out of quite a few ingredients. I think there were only two workers that were there when we went. One cooking in the back, one manning the register. They were out of lotus root, wood ear, spam, tofu.... squid strips? I'm not entirely sure. The list goes on and on. There were two or three tables of people eating already and a party of two ahead of us. I picked out what I wanted... I wasn't to sure what to get so I got fish balls, shrimp balls, beef balls, fried tofu, three types of mushrooms, pig blood, and some cellophane noodles. Was hoping they would have glass noodles like the ones at boiling point but nope. The other choices were something that looked like homemade pasta or ramen noodles. Oh yeah. you can either get it gan chao (dry fried) or ma la tang (numbing spicy soup). I opted for the latter. Mild spicyness Anyways finally, after my coworker waited to restock the ingredients, we gave them our orders. We weren't sure if we should get another order for another coworker and we finally decided to about 10-20 mins later. Even though people came in after us, I'm very thankful that they had the foresight to bump that order up so we could get everything at the same time and get out of there... Despite their efforts, it took about an hour and forty mins (1 hr 40 mins) to get our food. Finally. THE FOOD! They separate the ingredients from the soup. I was so excited to eat that I forgot to take pics... but the soup is basically liquid broth with a millimeter of chilli oil floating on top. Despite my efforts to mix the oil with the soup, the coat of chilli oil would float back on top... Pretty weird. I constantly mixed it the best i could to get a good ratio of soup and chilli oil on my spoon. Man the soup was absolutely amazing. Super spicy, full flavored, not extremely salty but I'd say above average in saltyness. The ingredients were pretty dry and tasteless so you kind of have to drink the soup as you eat the ingredients. For my personal tastes, the only thing I liked was the beef balls and the variety of mushrooms they had... plus the meat. They need to figure their stuff out... they need to hire / train more workers... and maybe get some menus and translate to english.

a woman holding a bowl of food
Kyung Sun M.

Best mala xiang guo I've ever had. Seriously deserves 5 stars. I come here every 2 week or so with my friends. Recommend!!!! 10/10!!!!

Shannon H.

A little hole in the wall but do not let it fool you. It is pretty good. They are known for their dry pot & crawfish rice. I enjoyed both of them. Crawfish rice: delicious!! A lot of crawfish sit over the bed of rice. I recommend adding an egg on top of it. I ordered it very spicy but I couldn't really taste the chili. Overall a good dish. Only thing is that it is a bit oily though. Drypot: this is what they are known for. So you go in, tell them you want a drypot & they give you a bowl to fill up on your own. You basically get to customize everything you want inside your pot and they charge you based on the weight of the contents inside the giant salad bowl. I love love popping fish balls and fish tofu so I have tons of that inside my order. You choose your spice ness level after. Drinks are self serve. Recommendation: check this place out! It's neat how you can customize your own pot.

Mandy W.

It was someone that recommend this place for me. And she said they have really good spicy soup that I need to try it out. So I finally got a chance to come by for Togo. It was $8.99 per pound of the topping that you choose l. I didn't know how it came up to be $18 with these. I didn't add any meat not sure if that's extra charge. I have mostly veggie. And also I didn't have enough cash with me, but the girl told me NO CREDIT CARD so I went out to my car to check if I have more cash. I came back and told her I really don't have enough cash, can I minus the item that I have, and she said, It's okay I can charge you on the card. By the way, I speak Chinese with her. She didn't let me know that there's a limit on the credit card usage and there wasn't anything to inform the costumers. And lastly. The taste is ok.. not too impressive that I will come back next time. A little bit pricy too.

Mixed Tofu and veggies

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

Grand opening, hometown taste , clean .their spicy soup is so delicious. Definitely will come back eat again.

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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Review Highlights - Spicy Charm

The dry pot is sooooo goooood I got to choose all the foods I love (a lot fish tofu) I'm really surprised with how low the ratings are.

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Sichuan Impression

Sichuan Impression

4.2
(1.3k reviews)
2.3 mi
$$
7 years in business
Speaks Mandarin

Came here with some friends and had a really enjoyable meal. We tried a variety of dishes and there…read morewasn't anything that disappointed. The cold noodles were refreshing and had a nice firm texture, making them a great starter. The qiao jiao beef stood out with its rich beef bone broth, and both the beef and radish were incredibly tender. The shredded potatoes with vinegar and chilies had a satisfying crunch and a nice kick without being overwhelming. One of my favorite dishes was the tea smoked pork ribs. They were fall-off-the-bone tender and the crispy garlic on top added a lot of flavor and texture. The kung pao chicken was another standout. The chicken pieces were meaty and the sauce had a sweet and savory flavor that actually reminded me of sweet and sour pork, which I really enjoyed. Overall, a solid spot with flavorful dishes and a good variety of textures across the menu. Definitely worth checking out if you're craving Sichuan food in the area.

Favorites were fries, string beans,chicken, pork jowl. Fries were really crunchy, string beans has…read moreflavor and garlic. Chicken was probably number 1 on my list. It wasn't overly spicy, kinda reminds me of zindrew og sauce. Pork jowl was interesting. You eat it as a wrap and add pineapple sauce. Alot of these items we ordered no spicy so that they will have spicy on the side. Since we had a few who doesn't like spicy. I dont think they ever brought us spicy on the side but its okay since we had some spicy dishes as well. Mapo tofu was flavorful but very numbing. I couldnt even tell the lamb eas gamey because my mouth was numb. Which is good because i usually cant handle gameyness. Not really a fan or their taro dessert with the mochi. It was too liquidy for me. 3.5 stars

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Boiled Fish with Ratton Pepper
Boiled Fish with Ratton Pepper
Juicy Steamed Chicken in Chili Sauce
Juicy Steamed Chicken in Chili Sauce
Mapo Tofu

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Mapo Tofu
Chong Qing Special Noodles

Chong Qing Special Noodles

4.5
(754 reviews)
1.6 mi
$$

Straightforward delicious Sichuan-style noodles dishes. This spot is very popular and after tasting…read moretheir dishes and experiencing fast, attentive customer service, I can see why. My sisters-in-law who live in the area highly recommended this spot when we were deciding on a Sunday dinner the night before we flew out. Among the four of us, we ordered: - Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) - Biang Biang Noodles: least numbing of the noodle dishes we ordered. If you LOVE carbs and not a lot of sauce, this one's for you! - Dandan noodles: this thin noodle dish is slightly more numbing than the Biang Biang noodles, but still bearable and tasty. - Chongqing Special Noodles: most numbing of the three! I had to pause eating this a few times as it was getting a little uncomfy! The noodles are side but thinner than the Biang Biang noodles. I liked that we ordered noodle dishes each with different noodle types, flavors, and spice levels. The Biang Biang noodles were respite from the Chongqing Special Noodles, while the Dandan noodles had the right amount of peanut flavor and "mala." We arrived 45 minutes before closing on a Sunday night (it was a holiday the next day though). We were surprised that there was still a line of people wait in for seats close to closing time! Thinking we weren't going to be seated, we decided to order for takeout. We ended up being the last party to be seated! The staff was kind to transfer our takeout orders as dine-in dishes! The staff had the right amount of customer service and attentiveness for a Chinese restaurant, if you know what I mean haha. For amazing noodle dishes, comfortable seating, and accommodating service, Chong Qing Special Noodles gets a solid five star rating!

I'm so glad I found this authentic spot!…read more The service was excellent--we were seated right away. We ordered the Biang Biang Noodles, featuring hand-pulled noodles topped with savory ground pork and a rich tomato-based gravy. It was absolutely delicious and easily a 9/10. The Chongqing Dan Dan Noodles were just as impressive, with a rich, nutty sesame sauce that was flavorful and perfectly balanced, 9/10 according to my husband who enjoyed it. The prices are very reasonable for the quality, and the portions are generous. Highly recommended if looking for authentic, satisfying noodles!

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Interior
Interior
You Po Noodles
You Po Noodles
Soup dumplings

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Soup dumplings
Xiang La Hui香辣汇

Xiang La Hui香辣汇

4.2
(360 reviews)
2.5 mi
$$

My friend Jordan H. turned 50 last month, and I told him I'd take him out for a belated birthday…read morelunch. We'd been talking about getting Chinese food, and he picked Xiang La Hui, his go-to spot for classic Sichuan. I'd never been before, and was more than happy to try a new spot in the SGV. We met up at noon and stayed until the restaurant wrapped up lunch service and gently pushed us out the door, sometime around 2:30. The space was nice, instantly recognizable as a Chinese restaurant in Alhambra. It was pretty quiet the whole time, a good place for a leisurely catch-up. Service was fast and polite, though the combination of QR code ordering and poor Verizon service was a bummer. I had to cross the dining room to take down the wifi password posted on the opposite wall. We ordered a sizable spread for two people: Chong Qing fried chicken, dan dan noodles, wontons with chili oil, and pea tips with garlic. Everything was delicious, most of all the Chong Qing fried chicken, crispy nibbly bits of breaded chicken stir-fried with green onion and hot pepper. I love dan dan noodles and wontons, and thought both were great, if not the best I've had in the area. The pea tips were lovely, bright green and not spicy, but abundantly flavorful. I'd love to come back to Xiang La Hui and try more of the menu. It seems like a restaurant that does everything well, and I'll keep it in mind whenever I'm craving Sichuan.

Grab a meal here with my friends, and there was street parking in a small parking lot in the back…read more The food was delicious and spicy. We grabbed a few items to share across eight people, and it was more than enough. We definitely had to request for more water, but it wasn't mind numbingly spicy and could still taste the flavor of the food. Love that they have beer towers to share. When we went, it was an evening on a Sunday night so it wasn't that full, but it was a warm night so the doors were open.

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Kung fu boiled beef
Kung fu boiled beef
Grilled lamb chop
Grilled lamb chop
Happy Chicken

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Happy Chicken
Chengdu Taste

Chengdu Taste

3.7
(1k reviews)
2.3 mi
$$

I revisited during the week for lunch before they close at 2:30PM…read more For two people, we asked for two bowls of rice, but they brought out a red rice bin with lid. We ended up having leftover rice, and they let us pack it home. Farmer style pork Beef dry pot Boiled Fish with tofu (fish filet, not snakehead) The food is just as good as I remembered. This time the server lady didn't speak English. She offered cold vermicelli or cold noodles on the house for spending $50+. I opted for noodles, which had some cooked bean sprouts. They came to our table to collect payment on their iPad, so I used Apple Pay.

Food-wise, this place is easily a 4/5 stars. Service-wise, not quite there…read more When we first walked in, everyone was friendly and we didn't wait long at all, especially considering how packed the restaurant was. They definitely know how to get people seated and keep the crowd moving in, but getting out was another story. Kept getting passed up when we were done and simply trying to leave. The food did take a while, but I can understand that when everything is being made fresh. Just know that if you're on a time crunch, this probably isn't the place for a quick meal. The gentleman who seated us and took our order was really nice, but after that, we pretty much felt forgotten about. Once the food arrived though, it was Good. Very flavorful, authentic Chinese food, and definitely worth trying. The atmosphere is loud and busy, no music, just the sound of a completely packed restaurant, so don't come expecting a quiet, relaxing dinner. Also, fair warning, some of these dishes are Spicy, and I mean actually spicy. If you love some heat, you'll probably love this place. Overall, I'd recommend giving it a try for the food. Lots of dishes to choose from. A good variety too of proteins, vegetables, noodles and Wonton soup.

Photos
Their achievements certificate
Their achievements certificate
12/20/2025: Ma Po Tofu / 麻婆豆腐
12/20/2025: Ma Po Tofu / 麻婆豆腐
Braised egg plant

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Braised egg plant
Sichuan Street Food

Sichuan Street Food

4.5
(108 reviews)
4.9 mi
$$

I've been coming here at least once a week for the past five months, and this place continues to…read moreimpress every single time. The service is consistently great... attentive, efficient, and genuinely welcoming. Fair warning for anyone new to Sichuan cuisine, the dominant flavor is "spicy". That said, the dishes are not just about heat... they're layered, aromatic, and incredibly well-balanced. Every dish I've tried has been outstanding, both in flavor and presentation. If you're a fan of bold, authentic flavors and reliable service, this spot is definitely worth visiting. Tip - If you're new to the cuisine, I strongly recommend getting everything MILD spicy. I've been told by some of my colleagues that MILD spicy is still pretty spicy, so be warned. With that said, strongly recommend the dishes below. Lamb with Cumin 11/10 - My favorite dish here by far. Aromatic, flavorful, and the spices are just on point. Dan Dan Noodles 9/10 - Solid and consistently good. The sauce is properly seasoned and truly compliments the perfectly cooked noodles. Shredded Cabbage with Pork 9/10 - Not to be confused with twice cooked pork. This dish is so simple and bland looking, but it's packed with flavor... so good! Garlic Pork Belly 8/10 - This is a cold dish. The meat was perfectly cooked and properly coated in chili oil. Solid and consistently good. Kung Pao Chicken 8/10 - In my opinion, it's an elevated Kung Pao Chicken. Solid and consistently good.

This place is crazy good. When you think of Szechuan food you're probably thinking SPICE, but you…read morecan adjust the heat of most of the dishes here so you're not frying your tongue off. It can get really busy, though, so expect to wait or just call in your order and take your food to go. I recommend the soy sauce tofu with beef dish. It's fire. Massive W. Gen Z words. Good.

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Sichuan Street Food
Orange Chicken
Orange Chicken
Rice- comes with the dish

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Rice- comes with the dish

Spicy Charm - hotpot - Updated July 2026

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