X Kitchen is located in a strip center in the epicenter of Bellaire's Chinatown and is on the right side of the street if you are headed in the direction of Alief away from downtown. ( about 1 big block from the beltway.) It is a small space , but very clean and very friendly wait staff. I was greeted as I entered and seated very quickly for an early Friday night, with no issues. I ordered the sliced pig ears in chili oil, pork tripe dish also in red chili oil and an order of crispy spicy fish! All were very large portions, ( enough for 3 people ) and were quite tasty, but I felt that it lacked the numbing sensation and flavor "punch" that you get from , and come to expect from , Chinese Sichuan food! Thus the 4 stars instead of 5.. Also this is an alcohol free locale as well. So keep that in mind. But overall good food and good service too! read more

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Updated review. Still absolutely stellar, one of our favorite Sichuan/Szechuan places in town. The portions remain fantastic and the dishes are loaded. On top of our normal crispy chicken/twice cooked pork order... Eggplant (5/5): Great sauce to cut the heat from other dishes. Mala Duck Stew (4/5): Flavors were great, tofu was actually fantastic. The duck pieces were a little too fatty/skin heavy for me but the ones that were meaty were delicious. Mapo Tofu (5/5): Texture, spice, they've nailed it. I'd do a family style meal here rather than a multi course small plate meal in the Heights 9 times out of 10. read more

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My favorite for pork intestine dry pot! Service always amazing :) Ambiance is good. There's usually videos in the background read more

Even with heavy competition in Chinatown, Sichuan cuisine is vast enough that restaurants only need to nail one or two dishes to stand out. For X's Kitchen (Tasty Sichuan is only their website's name), I believe that their Dan Dan Noodles represent one of those dishes. They used just the right combination of peanut sauce, chili oil, and vegetables to make it as flavorful as possible without turning it into a soup. I wouldn't have minded if they added some more minced pork but otherwise, it tasted near perfect for me. Other dishes: Spicy Fish Fillet - tasted great overall, but a little too mushier than I'm used to. Adequate amount of fish, spice, and vegetables added in. 4/5. Pork with Garlic Sauce - just okay. The sauce kind of overwhelmed everything on the plate in terms of both visuals and taste. 3/5. Spicy Crispy Chicken - oh yeah. I appreciated that it wasn't overly breaded, and the meat itself tasted delicious. I only wish they had a harder crunch to it. 4.5/5. The friendly and home-like atmosphere sets this Sichuan restaurant apart from some others. When my group visited on a lonely 8:30pm, the owner bantered with the only other table of customers as if she knew them. She also checked on us often to refill water. Around 9:30pm, I asked her what time we needed to leave by, knowing that the winter freeze would set in that night -- she simply shrugged it off and told us that there's no rush. I would love to revisit this place. I tipped this review to 5 stars in the name of exceptional service. Houston has no shortage of fantastic Sichuan restaurants, and they usually all serve the fan favorites (e.g. spicy fish fillet, spicy crispy chicken, cumin lamb) either decently or amazingly. X's kitchen is no different. Aside from the pork with garlic sauce, most of my ratings are nitpicky since I've eaten Sichuan cuisine so frequently. read more

Quick pickup. Large portion and cooked perfectly. The chicken wasn't oily and was full of flavor. This dish is a staple for us when trying out a new Chinese restaurant and I can't remember it being better anywhere else. The chicken had a solid crunch yet wasn't oily at all. It was delicious! read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Spicy crispy chicken with Sichuan peppercorns (medium spicy). Came with that side of rice. - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

This was my first visit here after many years of passing by it in the plaza, and it did not disappoint. The portions are generous and the food is tasty. We ordered 4 dishes for a party of 4 very hungry people, and it was the perfect amount. From everything we ordered, my favorites were the Fish Fillets in Spicy Chili Oil (a current obsession of mine) and Dan Dan noodles. Our server was efficient and attentive. As for seating options, there is a combination of booths and tables. If you are considering trying Tasty Sichuan Restaurant/ X Kitchen out, it is well worth a visit or a revisit in my case. A friendly tip: If you're trying to navigate to this restaurant on maps, you'll find it by searching "X Kitchen." read more

FYI the restaurant's name is X Kitchen. Fun vibes and good food found here! We came on the recommendation of a friend/other Yelpers. I already have my rotation of Sichuan or Hunan restaurants that I enjoy, so I was a tad skeptical about a new one fighting for a spot on that list. There was plenty of seating inside, and I believe our server is a friend or family member of the owners. She was very friendly and attentive to our needs. We tried a few tried and true dishes that I order to gauge the level of the restaurant. We got the water boiled fish, spicy Sichuan chicken, pork in garlic sauce, and dan dan noodles. I was very impressed that everything we ordered was a hit except for the pork in garlic sauce. The water boiled fish was super flavorful in its hot and spicy broth. The chicken was crispy and big portion size. The noodles have some peanut sauce and sits in a little bit of spicy broth. The pork in garlic sauce wasn't bad, but its vinegar flavor was far too strong and the color looked off and rather unappetizing. The prices were on par with other Houston Chinese restaurants, but the portion sizes were huge. Overall, X Kitchen offers great value and tasty food. I would order the same dishes again except for the pork in garlic sauce. read more

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Ordered the lotus root and pork rib soup, but was disappointed. The lotus root was undercooked and the soup tasted just like their generic base used for other soups -- no lotus flavor at all. When I asked, the waitress said they couldn't cook it long enough to bring out the flavor. If that's the case, why put it on the menu? Very misleading and not worth ordering. read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

The outside sign calls it "X Kitchen" but the directions on Yelp calls it Tasty Sichuan like the website: https://www.tastysichuanhouston.com/ The Szechuan Chinese food here is delicious. Flavors are overall deep, hot, spicy and freshly prepared. Unique options like bullfrog. 5 star. The parking lot is full as it is shared with other restaurants and retail stores. So be ready to walk or circle to find a good spot. Clean interior. The front door was stuck so that was annoying. Not a very attractive location but the food is worth it. Atmosphere 3 star. The service was fast and attentive. 3 star. Would recommend if you like Szechuan Chinese. I'll be back. Note my rating system: 1 Star: I wouldn't recommend 2 Stars: Didn't hit my standards 3 Stars: Average (nothing special) 4 Stars: Above Average. Would recommend. Still looking for the 5 Star. 5 Stars: Top of their game. Great food. Great service. Would recommend and plan on returning. read more

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It is located in a large shopping center with plentiful parking spaces. There are a lot of other businesses around theirs, so parking can be limited during business hours. The restaurant looks like a mom and pop place with an older, homey feel. The food is absolutely amazing. Our favorites are the mapo tofu, spicy crispy chicken and dry pot variations. The customer service is excellent with a sweet and observant waitress, who is usually always there. read more

I was gonna grab some noodles next door. But I saw soft opening at X Kitchen. I decided to checkout this newcomer to Sterling Plaza. This suite used to be 2 restaurants. I'm glad X Kitchen took over. We need some unique eateries in Houston Chinatown. After sampling the Hunan cuisine, I realized why I like Sichuan cuisine. The hot sauce from Hunan restaurants is spicier afterwards. Flavors have characteristics of spiciness, sweet and savory. Because the restaurant was still soft opening, I'd rather not explain the menus until they officially open. read more

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Their green pepper boiled fish is better than what was at Chengdu Taste! The Sichuan crispy chicken and the garlic eggplant are also exceptional read more

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Based on my experience, I will come back. I had the sizzling lamb and fried squid. The lamb chunks were tender and spicy. The waiter said it would be seller but it wasn't sweet at all. I'm ok with it but ya not sweet. It tastes like cumin lamb dishes you would have at fusion places. The vegetables were well cooked too but there were more vegetables in the squid dish, wish just means they give you a lot of lamb. The squid was perfectly cooked and I'm not a huge squid fan, but I found myself eating it a lot. The huge chunks of ginger and garlic were awesome. The waiter was very nice. She immediately showed us the popular dishes. The inside is nice and looks clean. I'll definitely be back. read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Sizzling lamb - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Thanks to Doc Ricky, we tried one of the more unique regional Chinese cuisines today for lunch. After their grand opening, the hours will be from 4 pm to 2 am. Every dish we tried has something extraordinary that we appreciate. The Braised Pig Ears is surprisingly addictive. We keep munching on the crunchy cartilage. The Black Classic Stinky Tofu is a deep-fried dense marinated Tofu, topped with chili and garlic. I was expecting a more pungent smell and flavor, but it's pleasantly palatable. Glad the Cavemen brothers are all on board to try it. The BBQ whole Squid was highly recommended, as he told me most Chinese order this. The Squid is grilled nicely, with a sauce that has cumin as the top note. Braised Noodle comes with silky and soft Udon-type rice noodle, stirred with Braise Sauce, Beef Slices, and Peanuts. The last dish is probably my top favorite even though all the dishes are exotic and tasty, it's Steamed Marinated Trotters. The spices infuse into the pig feet, creating complex flavors and I do like the texture of bone-in meat and rind. All-in-all, we enjoy the whole meal and wanted to come back to try their other dishes. It's so interesting that even though it's authentic HuNan Cuisine with a focus on the city of ChangSha, the dishes we tried are so different than the other HuNan restaurants in Chinatown. We recommend this spot for more adventurous diners, especially those who enjoy spiciness. read more

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Plenty of seats inside, service is fast, food came out really fast as well (that's when you know it's authentic Chinese food), and the owner even came to talk to us and asked for feedback. We felt comfortable and welcomed. It's located near 85 bakery and Mogee Tea. Food is great, flavor is on point and the portion size is impressive. We tried: Boiled fish in hot oil: a generous amount of fish, mixed with bean sprouts and cucumber, spice level is just right. Da pen cauliflower (big bowl of cauliflower with delicious juicy pork slices), portion size is more than satisfying! This is my favorite cauliflower dish out of many Chinese restaurants in H town. Beef skewers: meat is tender and juicy, well seasoned, definitely order Pickled peppers with beef: not our favorite, but it comes with a generous amount of beef and the meat is tender read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Da Pen cauliflower - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

ordered their beef, lamb skewers, spike potatoes, stinky tofu and chicken with chili. I will definitely come back for the potatoes and skewers, it's has a great portion and taste compare to Gaos Kabob who's also known for their skewers. My friend loved the stinky tofu and chicken. read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Quaint little Hunan style Chinese restaurant. I got the stinky tofu and it hit the spot. I really liked the beef skewers as well!! Some of the best in houston. The owner and his wife were friendly as well. I'll definitely be back to try out all the other dishes too. Highly recommend for some unique eats and authentic food read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Stinky tofu - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

I gave a star for service, a star for cleanliness, and a freebie star since I went during their soft opening. Their food was extremely salty and the skewers were a bit dry. The mung bean noodles were too soft and finely cut so it was difficult to pick up. I also did not like the ambiance because it was quite dark inside. Finally, I did not like that they didn't provide physical menus. You can only get the menu by scanning a QR code on your phone. However, older generations are rarely as comfortable doing so, so physical menus should be an option. read more

The X Kitchen attracts me to have dinner on my own because many popular Chinese foods are displayed on the wall before I go in, such as small lobster, teppanyaki, stinky tofu, etc. The restaurant is easy to find and clean. I have ordered a total of four dishes. One main course is Bone Soup Rice Noodle, which costs $15.99. Some people like to eat the meat on the bone, while others like to suck the bone marrow, who care little about the amount of the meat. I believe Bone Soup Rice Noodle makes a balance between the amount of meat and the bone marrow. The soup is delicious and not greasy. The rice noodle is not the kind of noodle I like back in China, and I was not very satisfied with its mouthfeel. In addition, it has vegetables and eggs. If you want to find one dish that meets a balance in nutrition, it is good. One dish is sizzling BBQ squid, which cost $16.99. This is the most expensive one among the four dishes I have ordered, but I would like to say that it is really worth trying. Sizzling BBQ squid, when served, surprised me, because it looks so big, fresh, and tasty. It has been cut into several pieces, which are convenient for eating. The smell of the squid was good and delicious. The taste of squid is very good, because I feel the squid meat is very tight, of which the quality is high. It is highly recommended for those who like seafood, because it is not very greasy and rich in protein. I hope some sauces like lemon juice can be offered to enhance and diversify its taste. Another dish I ordered was three strings of sizzling BBQ Lamb, which cost $5.99. These three strings are placed on an ordinary plate, which makes the whole dish look less attractive. It does not stimulate my appetite immediately. I was thinking the three strings could be packed into an eco-friendly paper box, because the color and patterns of the paper box can make it more interesting. I believe the first sight of a dish a customer has never tried before is very important, because we often depend on our first impressions when judging things. This cognitive bias of the customers should be taken into account. I felt the three strings of lamb tasted poorly compared with those I ate somewhere else. The last dish I tried was traditional stinky tofu, which cost $12.99. I believe its Chinese name was very confusing for a Chinese customer, because it is called black classic in Chinese. We Chinese do not call stinky tofu black classic, but refer to its places of origin, like Shao Xing or Chang Shao. This dish is not as spicy as I wanted, but it may cater to the taste of many other people who cannot eat very spicy food. The ingredients placed on the stinky tofu are too many, but it is a tradition to put many ingredients in stinky tofu. It does not have a kind of smell that makes you want to eat instantly. read more

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This place has changed owner a few months ago. It used to serve Hunan style food. It is now serving Sichuan style food. We didn't realize it until we looked at the menu. We decided to stay and gave it a try. We were glad we did. All the dishes were super tasty but not overpowering spicy like many other sichuan restaurants. We particularly enjoyed the sweet and sour fish. It was not prepared in typical Americanized way with red sweet sauce. It reminded me what I used to had back home. The chef recommended their special chicken and intestines hot pot. That was amazing and more than enough for 6 of us. We will definitely frequent this place in the future. read more

X’ Kitchen 川香阁 - Chicken and intestine hot pot. - Szechuan Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Server was friendly and kind. Beef noodle soup we ordered was a little spicy but has good flavours.