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    Spicy Hunan

    3.9 (161 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Spicy Hunan Photos

    Business Info

    SPICY HUNAN ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Clams, eggplant, gizzards, potato, king Pao chicken. All delicious!
    Song H.

    Service and food were wonderful. Ordered 5 dishes and each had a unique taste with good spice and not too salty. I also had an ice tea and it was never empty. Our server refilled it three times without my asking. I had a Kung Pao chicken, a fermented bean and gizzards, eggplant and green beans, stir fried clams and a simple potato with a vinegar. Everything was very good. I'm saving this for future visits to the Houston area. Of the three restaurants we have visited so far, this was by far the best!

    Ginny M.

    Small, family owned restaurant and if you like Mala this is a great place. The cumin lamb is our absolute favorite. The cauliflower is also delicious. Everything we've ever had has been seasoned well and fairly priced. This is one of our family's favorite restaurants and is often in rotation.

    Short rib
    Brittany M.

    Spicy Hunan is located in a strip mall in Asia Town. Parking was a bit chaotic but we eventually found space in the parking garage. Now Spicy Hunan isn't a place you go to if you want to be wined and dined. The service is what I would expect from an authentic Chinese restaurant. It's a good sign that the food is going to be banging. For instance, our table was dirty so the waitress gave me a napkin wipe it down. That being said, we were given menus right away and no one was ever rude. You just have to ask for things like water, or the bill. They did pack up my food, were very cute with my baby, and there was plenty of room for my stroller. I also left my phone and they kept it for me until the next day. The inside reminded me of the 1990's (another sign that the food is going to be good. I'm not looking for instagram chic). The food itself was very flavorful. The chicken dish was very peppery and the spices came through. My favorite dish was the short ribs (they were actually very very short). It was both sweet and salty. The only draw back was that some pieces were more bone than meat. This was a dish that tasted even better the second day. Somehow way better and it was already fire to begin with. I legit could not stop eating and left Spicy Hunan feeling filthy full with the plus side of also having a ton of left overs. Nice place to get some food for meal prepping. Food - 5 Service- 3 Baby friendly - 4.5 ( they have high chairs, not sure about changing room) Spicy Hunan might become one of my staple spots.

    Lamb Cumin
    Kylena P.

    This is the spot!! This restaurant is me and my husband's must go whenever we're in town by Bellaire. I haven't had authentic tasting Hunan food since I lived in New York City maybe? I am Chinese, and my mom is from Hunan, so I'm going to put y'all on some game :) Have to try: Lamb Cumin 孜然羊肉 This is a traditional dish consisting of deliciously savory lamb, in bite size slices, cooked with bold cumin, cilantro, chilis, garlic and onion. The meat is fragrant, buttery with a bit of crispness and perfect amount of heat. Popular amongst Muslim community in China. This is a staple in our order. Twice cooked pork with leeks 蒜苗回锅肉 I like to call this dish, "Chinese bacon." It's seared pork belly in chili oil with leeks. This is the milder version. The spicy version of this dish, which I prefer is twice cooked pork (Hunan style) 箱辣回锅肉。Which is the same dish but with more heat from chili peppers. The pork is decadently flavorful and the fat melts in your mouth. The leeks are pleasantly crisp and add an interesting texture profile. Salt and Pepper Shrimp 椒盐虾 Nearly anyone can like this dish. These are fried whole shrimps. (And yes, you can eat the entire shrimp!) They're a bit starchy and salty with some spice from peppers and chilis, some crisp onions and scallion decor. I love shrimps so this is a favourite! We also had some shrimp fried rice and egg rolls. There are more traditional dishes on this menu I have tried before. The inside is like an average Chinese restaurant; utilitarian but clean and casual. The service is good, I may be biased because I speak Chinese. I understand the aunties here don't speak very good English but the food is worth the challenge for foreigners! Really, don't overlook this place next time you're in Dun Huang Plaza!

    On our recent family trip we stumbled on this little hidden gem .Food was amazing every item we ordered was so tasty. The staff is really attentive and nice. We were greeted immediately and seated shortly even tho they where extremely busy. We will be definitely be coming back next time we in the bellaire Chinatown area.

    Prawns in garlic sauce
    Sam W.

    Excellent hidden gem very interesting menu we really enjoyed the lamb with cumin with cilantro

    Stir fried spicy beef
    Jennifer N.

    Three of us came in on a whim based on the good Yelp reviews and ordered the eggplant, fish + Napa cabbage, and then the diced spicy fried chicken dish that we saw someone posted on Yelp and the waitress said "just 3?" So we allowed her to pick one more dish for us as long as picked the main ingredient. We selected beef, so she offered the stir fry beef. The beef came out first. I ate a small piece of jalapeno, no seeds and holy moly it was spicy. The place is called SPICY Hunan, so I was in fear for the rest of the meal. The rest of the meal was actually pretty tame. Interestingly between the three of us, we all had our different picks on which dish was our favorite and we all picked the 4 dishes (one of us picked two). My personal fave was the fried chicken... Usually I don't like Szechaun dishes because the spice makes my mouth go numb but this one was very tolerable. My cousin prefers the mouth-numbing effect, however. Nonetheless, we were happy with all of our entrees and don't mind coming back to try others, or even have the same ones again. (I actually am craving the fried chicken dish again right now.) By the way, I think 3 dishes would've been plenty (1 dish per person). We killed two and the other two remaining dishes were plenty for probably to pack for two lunches.

    That was how I eat my food.
    Lou C.

    I walked by Spicy Hunan 湘菜小厨 lots of times. I didn't know the word "spicy" was just a name and there are many delicious dishes are not spicy. The flavors are very close to my mom's cooking. I was here on a Saturday evening. My goal was to get something 麻辣 spicy and numbing to clear my sinus headache. Looking through few restaurants on this corner of Dun Huang Plaza, Spicy Hunan Restaurant has an updated menu from 2020. As we know, many restaurants don't update on Yelp or their websites during Covid-19 pandemic. So, I want to applaud Spicy Hunan for keeping us informed. Upon opening the solid wood door I was greeted by a friendly voice in Chinese. There wasn't as busy compared to nearby restaurants. That's a plus because I don't have to wait long for my food. I adore the interior decors. Majority of furniture was made of traditional Chinese redwood tables and chairs. A big round table in the corner sets the tone of family style dining. The rest tables were not as fancy, but still functional. Tea pot was nostalgic if you order their special tea. It's really relaxed to eat here. My original order was mala dry pot and I asked for saucier pot. So, waitress recommended number 64 braised beef 湘味水煮牛 and it was the most delicious mala dish I have ever had. It opened my eyes to experience the variety of mala cuisine. Hunan is famous for their spicy dishes, similar to Sichuan but not as sweet. Besides the usual peppercorn and dry peppers, it had young ginger pieces, which adds savory to the max. The cabbage was melted with the tender beef slices. From the "new menu", I saw 酒酿汤圆 mochi balls sweet soup. I wanted to try but it came out as a huge bowl. It reminded me of my mom's cooking. The fermented rice and egg flower made it soup very smooth. The rice balls were small like tapioca balls in boba tea. It was not as sweet and contained no alcohol. Goji berries was just a cute garnish. There are many more dishes I want to explore from their menu. I noticed they got 木桶羊肉 (meats in wood barrel) handwritten on a white board. Mmm.., I'm gonna bring my Chinatown Crawl folks here to experience a different level of Chinese cuisine. Oh, hubby liked beef chow mein I ordered takeout. It was really northern Chinese style that he loved. Definitely looking forward to get more acquainted.

    Jason Z.

    A classic old time Chinatown restaurant feel. No millennial or gen x ambiance; you come here for the food. Located in the plaza, parking is available in the surface lots and parking garages. Ordered a bunch of dishes and most were solid. Sweet and sour eggplant, lamb and scallion were cooked well. The fish was a bit mediocre but overall, their menu offers a ton of options and it's a feel of what dining in Chinatown was like 20 years ago.

    Mimi X.

    This is such a bummer for me because I used to LOVE this place. I would go for their boiled filet in hot chili sauce. It reminded me of China when I would visit so it was my go-to comfort food. Not sure if I went on a bad day or chefs changed since the last time I was here (which is about 2 years) but the food was not as great as it used to. The boiled filet in hot chili sauce was bland and too oily (yes I know this is already an oily dish) but usually there are some depth with the taste and the oil. It just taste like oil and no heat. I also got the eggplant in garlic sauce and again, it was too oily. And for some reason I think they used the residual oil from the fish dish to cook the eggplant, it had the same smells and less of its own dish. My husband ordered bone-in duck with 4 seasons chili pepper and that was the only one that was edible in my opinion. Flavor was perfectly balanced and the duck wasn't dry. That was the only dish I have not order before so I can't really compare it to how it was. I was a bit disappointed but I'll come back and update again if it changes. Now I need to find a different restaurant for Chinese comfort food :(

    剁椒蒸鱼片
    Houston B.

    The dishes taste fine. Pretty busy for weekend lunch. The environment is good and service is fair. Will recommend to other people.

    Sunny A.

    3 star only for good food n. Not enough cleanliness but who cares if food is good but terrible service have to ask for soya sauce hot sauce inside was good worse thing was how these women behaved first she gave me the bill for 32.38 then I said I'm paying apple she gave me the next bill for 29.90+ tax $32.38. That's what said you have to pay tip and I said I will pay cash. I asked her for two box to take out. The other lady came with the box and started asking me to give her the tip and she said it so many time, and in front of every other people next to us it was really embarrassing that this two women were asking for the tip.crazy

    Left: twice cooked pork hunan style Right: house special diced chicken with peppers
    Tommy P.

    Tried the house special diced chicken with dried peppers and it was bomb.com. Definitely going back for that. It's like the fried chicken version of the other one. Also tried the twice cooked pork and it's soooooo gooooood!!!! (Definitely better than the diced chicken with fresh and dried peppers) The hot tea is always on point too. Love this spot!

    Water boiled fish

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    20 days ago

    Loved the food. Only concern was how my table split our check and there was a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding that took awhile.

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    3 years ago

    The food was not too oily yet umami and flavorsome. They had good stinky tofu and spicy eggs that were actually spicy.

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    Hu's Cooking

    Hu's Cooking

    4.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    8.2 mi
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    Look no further for authenticity, flavor, and complexity in Chinese cooking near the med center!…read more Though we opted for more "simple" dishes during this experience, you can judge a place by if they can do their simple dishes well. The mapo tofu is one of the best we've had outside of Bellaire with spicy, savory, numbing, and warmth that you expect from a good mapo tofu. Crispy popcorn chicken is a classic that's spicy, lightly fried, and crisp. It has an authenticity that other places around can't replicate and makes you keep craving more. The portions are also appropriate for their price. Service is incredibly quick, and you can order as you go and receive your dish within 10-15 minutes, regardless of how busy they are. As for the ambiance, it's loud, it's hectic, and it's simple... maybe a stretch, but makes me feel like I'm eating at a mom and pop shop in the heart of China. This place is definitely a go to if I'm convincing a friend of Houston's great food scene! Rating: 4.5/5

    I've been a happy patron of Hu's Cooking ever since they opened the year before the pandemic, but…read morebecause of their instant success and local renown from their excellent eats, speedy service, busy-but-not-crowded vibes (see: their 1000+ Yelp reviews) I've never felt the need to drop a review of my own - until just this week. On my most recent visit we ordered mapo tofu with pork intestines off the specials menu - a hybrid of two of my favorite Sichuan-style dishes. The blend of bouncy, savory morsels amidst tender, saucy tofu was at once revolutionary and so obvious; why hadn't I yet seen this at any other restaurant? And sure, innards may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's important for you to know that none of my past orders from the 50+ item menu have ever failed me, whether enjoyed in the restaurant or at home. Maybe you'd prefer the aromatic, classic, perfectly balanced three-cup chicken? Or the sweet-skinned duck, glazed so delicately that specks of sugar crystal threaten to jump off onto the plate as you pick up a juicy slice with your chopsticks? And if you're vegetarian, might you consider the punchy garlic eggplant or the wok-kissed string beans? I could go on. Do yourself a favor and come see for yourself, though I'd recommend parallel parking on the neighborhood streets behind the restaurant rather than the rocky parking lot, to save you some trouble. Bring friends and chow down family style - you'll need help covering as much of the menu as you can, but you'll definitely have to come back to try everything.

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

    Bamboo House

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    23.6 mi
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    IYKYK - this is probably the best Peking Duck I've had in Houston in a long time. I've done Peking…read moreCuisine for years and shifted to Arco for my duck cravings, but if you're willing to drive out to Humble (pretty much anytime you're in the IAH area), you gotta check out Bamboo House for the best Peking duck. And their other menu items are fire as well! We went on a Sunday late evening. We had a 9 pm airport pickup at IAH so it was a perfect opportunity to grab a spectacular dinner and make the 30+ minute drive out to IAH totally worth it. Parking lot wasn't too full so that wasn't an issue. While the neighborhood ain't River Oaks luxury, it ain't too scary either. We kept it simple - ordered a whole duck and Bamboo House Special Noodle with Beef. This place ain't cheap but the food is worth every penny. It was very busy that evening so it's not a well-kept secret but also proves that eventually, Houstonians will figure out where the good food is. The duck was near perfect. They serve the duck with the pancakes (as opposed to the buns like at Arco) which is my preference. The soup that comes with it was also extremely flavorful. And the house special noodles with beef - oh my. I swear it's just one really long noodle so you may be frustrated trying to divvy up the family style bowl, but the labor is worth it. So good... Can't wait for my next airport run so I can sneak in a lunch or dinner at this place. So many other menu items I want to try!

    If you are looking for the best Peking duck, look no further! Who would have expected to find the…read morebest Peking duck in Humble? I had previously visited the now closed Bamboo House on Westheimer and I remember being impressed by the food. I had to make an airport run and decided that it would be perfect timing to stop by this location. I highly recommend ordering the duck ahead of time, but we were lucky enough to snag one of the last ducks when we arrived around 7 pm on a Sunday evening. The waitress was super friendly and upbeat and the restaurant is older but well maintained. You can see where the food is being prepared/cooked and you can see ducks being cooked/warmed behind a glass window. The duck was absolutely spectacular with the perfect seasoned and tender meat accompanied by well rendered crispy skin. I love how the pancakes are paper thin and pair well with the scrumptious duck and other toppings. They also provide sugar and plum sauce as additional toppings which I thought was interesting but not my cup of tea. The duck soup was extremely flavorful and full bodied and went well with the duck. The noodles were also amazing with likely hand pulled noodles served with an abundance of tender beef and vegetables with a little Sichuan kick. I was intrigued by a strawberry chicken dish that I saw on the menu and I plan to try it the time. My diagnosis: hands down the best Peking duck in the greater Houston area!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Twice Cooked Pork Belly
    Twice Cooked Pork Belly
    Peking Duck

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    Peking Duck
    The Rice Box

    The Rice Box

    3.8
    (1k reviews)
    11.4 mi
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    I enjoy Ricebox every time I go. Doesn't matter the location. I get the Honey Walnut Shrimp, Fried…read moreRice, Eggroll.

    Box of rice Haven't…read morebeen here in almost 8 years. 1st experience was great, second was terrible so I didn't go back. My friend Aurora wanted to meet Donna early dinner and gossip session and she really liked this place. (We tried having a team lunch at the Rice Village location during the cold front last Oct but they had no heat so we opted for a warmer place but she grabbed a to go on the way home) Here we are for a late lunch 3:45 pm on a Friday. Parking was none had to drive around the block and saw some movement and bam, someone was leaving. We ordered at the bar, staff was super nice and opted to sit outside. Did not realize they deliver to the table. Order: Mongolian beef combo with fried rice and egg roll $14.99 The food comes in takeaway style containers. Win. Mongolian beef (2.5/5) - slightly over sauced for me; beef was pretty tender and there were carrots and edamame which is not the standard so maybe that's what makes it fusion? Fried rice (3/5) - standard style fried with small pieces of bean sprouts which I love so that was a nice surprise Egg roll (3/5) - I assume it was chicken because I didn't realize there was a choice) - it was crunchy and soft on the inside which I like, and pairs well with sriracha (did not eat till I got home) They seem to do a whole lot of take away. The staff were nice and hard working. I was excited when they first opened bc they had chow fun on the menu and being HK Cantonese, I love that dish but when I ordered it the 1st and 2nd time eight years ago instead of bean sprouts they had cabbage and that alters rhe flavor tremendously. I see why it's popular among the people but just don't think it is for my taste.

    Photos
    The counter/bar area
    The counter/bar area
    The Rice Box
    The Rice Box

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    Spicy Hunan - chinese - Updated June 2026

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