Dined in with a large group (~12) and was blown away by how good the food was! My Chinese-speaking friend ordered everything, so I honestly did not know what was coming out. But some things we got: fish hot pot, twice cooked pork, sliced pork belly, chicken w/ pepper and scallion, beef fried rice. There were 3-4 other things but honestly I don't remember what they were. They were all so good! A note to the unfamiliar: a lot on the menu is spicy, although mostly numbing spice. If you're not aware or familiar, best to probably order one thing with spice, and stick to American dishes until you get up to speed. Service was prompt and friendly, and we were able to eat well as dishes came out in a staggered fashion. As for the restaurant, there's a lot of good seating available, with larger parties being able to be seated in the back in a slightly more private space. read more

Good flavor, value, dining space, and service You can pick your soup and add ins to your liking read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

93 out of 100 Xun Yu Si Kao was such a surprise-the food was all flavorful and large portions. The service was perfect (fast, no rush when taking time to order/hang out after, filled water often, brought check asap). We were also served complimentary side dishes and a dessert. Lastly, big ups to Xun Yu Si Kao on having a photo-forward menu, which was helpful for me to decide the dishes I wanted to order. --- Xun Yu Si Kao was such a pleasant dining experience because the interior was clean and quiet (classical music!). The service was awesome from start to finish. We were given the complimentary appetizers of edamame and spicy pickled white radish. I honestly really enjoyed these- each had a great depth of flavor, and free appetizers are always a pleasant surprise. The ranking, from what we ordered: 1. Eggplant and pork with garlic sauce- This dish was more like a meatball stuffed inside eggplant slices. Really tender pork along with a flavorful garlic sauce made this my favorite dish. 2. Braised pork with preserved vegetable in soy sauce- The fatty portions of the pork belly were excellent and tender however, I felt the meaty portions were a little tough and chewy for me. 3. Chicken soup with fish maw- This soup felt like I was searching for treasure. Every scoop, I surfaced something I wasn't expecting from the name (and there was less of the fish maw than I thought would be present). Still great value with its dried scallop, abalone, cordyceps flowers, dates, and goji berries. On a personal note, I wasn't a fan of the soup because of how many bones I ended up chewing on due to how the chicken was cut. We were given a complimentary jelly for dessert. It was a really awesome surprise and it was not too sweet. Some helpful notes for some people- (1) The menu is almost entirely spicy items, which might not be great for those with sensitive bellies & (2) I would confirm the contents of a dish if you have allergies or dietary restrictions before placing your order. Really awesome dining experience at Xun Yu Si Kao. Definitely deserves more love. I will be back next time to try the popular fish dish. read more

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If you're looking for a some good spicy food. This place is a go too. Their dry fish pot give you a nice kick if you can handle it. The braise beef with bamboo is really good would recommend if you have left over mix it with some dry noodles. The service was nice and quick too. Over all the place look nice read more

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I've had my eye on this spot for a while since I love both Sichuan food and seafood, and when I had family in town I thought that was the perfect opportunity to check it out. We went on a weekday lunch when it was very quiet, but I've heard it can get quite busy on evenings and weekends. We got complimentary sides/appetizers of edamame and a really delicious marinated sliced radish The specialty here is whole fish in broth, with a variety of fish, broth flavors, and optional add-ons like veggies and tofu. It's always a good sign when a Chinese restaurant specializes in something rather than trying to do everything at once. All the choices are a bit overwhelming but the server can help answer questions and choose something you like! We got the opium fish (a flatfish akin to flounder) in Sichuan peppercorn broth, with the spice lowered a level since we were admittedly a little chicken haha. We added on a lunch special house tofu since it was available and a great price. The fish was SO impressive when it came out, in a really beautiful basin with burners that keep it bubbling, vividly colorful chilis, and not one but two individual whole fish. They seem to grill the fish before immersing it in the broth, giving it a robust firm texture that doesn't fall apart in the broth and even imparting a bit of crisp and seared flavor. Absolutely met my high expectations! I was glad we got the spice level bumped down, as it was hot but not overwhelmingly so and I could still taste the beautiful flavor of fresh Sichuan peppercorn. The broth was delicious spooned over rice, but I wouldn't drink it itself. The house tofu was also surprisingly delicious with a slightly spicy Sichuan-flavored sauce. The three of us were able to clean out our order with no leftovers and very full tummies. Really reasonable price for what is quite a luxurious and celebratory Chinese dish, and I would definitely come back with my family. Would also recommend to anyone else who likes spicy food and/or seafood and wants to impress a group! read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Opium fish in Sichuan peppercorn broth - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Been there in the past and the food was pretty good. However, the quality has deteriorated. We ordered two stir fries this time, supposed to be decent mix of veggies and meats, but both dishes were almost only veggies. Picking the meat was like a scavenge hunt. And one of the dish even used the wrong type of cured meat. read more

Delicious food, great service in the heart of Chinatown. Came when they first opened and the food came out pretty fast. Food is a bit greasy since it's Sichuan but so flavorful. read more

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Nice clean looking restaurant. Staff seemed friendly and attentive. Flavors were good. The fish pot was definitely the star of the meal. Followed by the perfectly cooked greenbeans & fried intestines. The stuffed eggplant alone without the sauce was tasteless but if you make sure its covered in its sauce then the flavors were good. Flavors were light but nice. I would say the fish pot alone is worth trying if you like fish. read more

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When we first entered the restaurant, it was fairly quiet--until a group of 14 arrived, raising the noise level to near unbearable. Thankfully, the waiter skillfully guided them to a back room. We came specifically for their signature fish dish, so we ordered the striped bass pot with golden combo in mild spicy sauce. It turned out spicier than expected, but the fish itself was fresh and tender. Service was decent, and the prices were slightly higher than nearby restaurants. read more

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We got the Takoyaki, Garlic Cucumber, and tilapia fish pot with garlic flavor, and you can do add-ons to it. I recommend getting the Garlic Cucumber. Personally for me, it is not my type of dish, but my friend really enjoyed it while our other friend felt the same as I did. Service was friendly. read more

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Excellent food an service Food was very well spiced, not oily, delicious. Very pleasant ambiance

Staff was very accommodating for a large group (13 adults, 4 kids). Ample seating. Food was hit or miss. Be prepared for "family style" dishes. I think each main dish comes with a side of white rice bc we weren't charged extra. The braised pork belly was more of an acquired taste (I personally didn't like it but others thought it was fine). The fried eggplant with pork is a safe universally great dish (can't really taste the pork). Same with the fried rice cake with honey (might come back just for this lol - make sure you eat it when still warm!). The spicy sliced beef seemed like it was mainly chili peppers - be aware it is actually spicy. The beef didn't have much additional flavor or texture other than the burn of the spice. I probably wouldn't get it again. Mapo tofu- also wouldn't get again. Flavor was not balanced and sauce was thicker than ideal. read more

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Great hot pot fish if that's your thing. Lots of different broths to choose for. We got the tilapia and I appreciated it was already cut in half and relatively easy to pick the meat off. For toppings would definitely recommend potatoes, mushrooms, and the noodles. We also had an order of the coup dumplings and they were also solid. We got the medium spicy and the heat definitely builds over time. Service was good. read more

So grateful for the Chinatown in Philly - where else would we go for amazing food on Christmas day when everything else is closed? The obvious choice was to get a Fish hotpot - we chose the Striped Bass with Spicy and Cumin broth/sauce and the Chinese yam, sweet potato noodles and Lotus stem as add ons. There was a little bit of a wait for the food - a good sign that it is not something they just heat up and bring it to you. The hotpot came in two sections - one with the spicy broth and one with the cumin broth. The fish was sliced evenly between both sides. In addition to our add-ons, the hotpot had a tone of vegetables, peppercorns and chillies. Everything was fantastic and bursting with flavor. Having the sweet potato noodles added was the best decision ever! We definitely had a hearty meal here and would love to come back and try their different fish/broth combinations. read more

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Nice spot for very authentic dishes, and excellent staff who can explain menu options. Their menu has pictures as well which help the experience. Very welcoming inside and the dishes are served in nice platters. Start with a small complementary bowl of edamame and pickled radish. Had the spicy frog which was loaded with nice Szechuan tien tsin chili peppers, wood ear mushroom, and other vegetable. Also comes with side of rice. Very good spice level even if I wasn't ready! Presentation is very nice with very generous portions. Other meals coming out from the kitchen also looked amazing, so desirable to try some more. At the end of the meal, some jelly is given as a small dessert to finish. Nice experience. Thanks read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Spicy frog - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This has been on my bookmarks for a bit, and Monday we finally checked it out during the snowstorm. We thought we'd be the only ones there, but there were actually 2 other tables despite the snow! Service was friendly and they came to check on us at appropriate times. The server was also knowledgeable about the menu and was able to answer our questions. The menu was a little confusing our first visit. The way it's printed, it looks like it costs $9.99 to add the flavor - we didn't realize we had to choose the flavor, but the server explained it to us with ease. We tried the spicy peppercorn after consulting the server and he confirmed our spice tolerance, and it is not an extra cost for flavor - only if you need to add additional on top of the 1st included flavor. Most of the topping add ons are $2.5, some are more and they are listed separately. The "golden combo" didn't make sense - the menu read "choose 3 for $10", the server told us it was a mistake printed on the menu and should be 4. We liked the options in the golden combo, so we did go with that + handmade noodles. I really loved the handmade noodles, nice texture, very QQ! They serve with rice as well, no charge. Our total came to $63 before tax which I found fair considering the quality, and amount of leftovers we had - not cheap, but worth it. The Szechuan Peppercorn was so good, but make sure you're honest with your own spice tolerance. We loved it, but it's definitely spicy - it was so flavorful, and the fish was perfectly cooked, flakey - and all of our toppings soaked up the amazing flavor. We had enough for leftovers and took it home with us - that flavor was way too good to waste! I can't wait to go back and try some of the other flavors, although that spicy szechuan peppercorn will be calling my name.. read more

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Came to this Sichuan style restaurant one afternoon with a group of 5. We ordered the spicy fish pot to share. 100% packed with bold flavors and spicy too (bring some milk if sensitive lol)! There was a bit of a wait, but not too long for something freshly prepared. We added a whole bunch of add-on vegetables which truly made the dish. The sauce was so lovely and the presentation was great. At the end, the gave jelly for dessert which my friends enjoyed. Definitely not cheap especially if you add multiple add-ons to the dish. Perfect for 3-4 people---5 was a bit too much as the last person did not get as much. Ambiance: casual. Wear something comfy (your belly will thank you later) read more

I came for lunch with my dad and we had the spicy fish stew and beef with cilantro appetizer. We were blown away with how tasty and flavorful everything was. My dad was concerned it would be too spicy(I'm very good with high spice levels) and it hit just right, spicy but full of flavor and not too over powered with the pepper. Would highly recommend. Service was great and the waiter helped us make the great food choices, ambiance is nice and very clean. read more

Food: Got the striped bass with golden combo in the hot & sour flavor. It was delicious, the fish was appropriately sized to feed 3 people. The broth was flavorful. Just would not recommend getting the really spicy ones as I felt like they are just filled with chili peppers and no other ingredients. I also would not recommend the appetizer. While the presentation was impressive, it just tasted like boiled pork belly with cucumber dipped into soy sauce. They also serve free edamame. I think I would say this meal is on the expensive side for what it is. Service: Food comes out boiling and hot. Ambiance: Big casual restaurant, nothing too impressive. read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Sea Bass - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Good food. Lots of unique options and flavors. Service was attentive. Finding parking may be a challenge if you're not familiar with the area. read more

Pros - offer two small complimentary appetizer dishes - the dishes here are authentic and delicious - menu is big with beautiful photos of the food: it makes you want to order everything - reasonable food portions - nothing is overly spicy, flavors bring me back to Chi Cons - our server wasn't that great, it was clear that he didn't want to be there - a bit pricey when comparing to other Chinatown restaurants - you need to find your own parking - gets crowded and busy at peak times! read more

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The number is not working. I need to get ahold of the restaurant. Food is phenomenal,

Good food, great service, comfortable environment. Cabbage was great. The fish was too salty at first and the staff offered to remake the fish for us. The new fish was much better. It was a good meal! We will return again! read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We came on a Saturday night, about two hours before closing and there weren't a lot of patrons. Service was great as our server gave great recommendations and was attentive. We ordered the spicy conch meat, spicy chicken feet, pig feet, griddle cooked pork intestine, fish pot-spicy (striped bass), and braised pork belly. Everything was pretty good, with my favorite being the braised pork belly and pig feet. The griddle cooked pork intestine seemed like it had more veggies than intestine. The fish pot was pretty good for a large group, but I wouldn't normally get it. The fish pot has plenty of options for flavors and you can add in a ton of add ons. read more

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Great restaurant with flavorful food and friendly service. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. A few minor delays kept it from perfection, but overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. read more

BYOB lmao i have never come here for the whole fish just fyi all of their actual dishes are delicious, really recommend the tripe appetizers, green beans, chili crisp chicken or chicken w/ green peppers, and their spicy fish stews (not the actual whole fish you buy on the first couple of pages of the menu). idk if they ask you for your spice 'level', but try to indicate that you can handle the regular spice if you are able bc i've noted the chefs can sometimes dial it back but imo the best experience is just full send can get quite busy on fri-sun after around 5:45/6 PM ish. had to wait ~25 minutes for a party of 2 @ 7 pm on a saturday, but then sat down immediately on a sunday with party of 4 @ 5 pm $28-33 pp after tax and tip for a huge meal, w/ leftovers read more

Great food Great service. Amazing rang of food from sichuan to otherwise. Great fast service. Great for big groups

Amazing flavors, beautiful presentation. That adds up to a superb dining experience. I'll definitely be back. I got the fish soup and the cold beef with arugula and it was extraordinary read more

The price you paid for takeout order is slightly higher than posted on Menu. Anyway, the two dishes I picked, Mapo Tofu & Stir Fry Mixed Mushroom, were both delicious. The portions were huge and almost enough for four people. I was lucky to find the parking spot right in front of the restaurant after just circling around once. There are many entrée selections that look yummy. Definitely will come back for more or bring the whole family to dine here. read more

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By far, out of all the food we tried in Philly, this was one of my favorites! We got string beans, sour chicken, and pickled cabbage with sliced fish. Ordered rice to pair as well. You must order rice! I'm actually drooling writing this review and thinking about the food. Everything was so extremely flavorful. Welcome to flavortown, baby!! The sauce for the sour chicken was so good. I need a vat of that to bring home. Please sell it!!! We had enough leftovers that my friend was able to bring it home as well! read more

Delicious seafood! Our meal was so flavorful. Friendly service and very cool atmosphere read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Wow, this place was a pleasant surprise. We were going to go to Chubby Cattle but because the line was soo long, we decided to come here, and we were definitely satisfied! Food: So this place focuses on big fish pots. Essentially, pick a fish, then add whatever ingredients you want and a sauce, and it comes out in a very lavish plate/bowl. The also had a ton of normal/side dishes you can order as well. We decided to do the pork belly appetizer and mapo tofu, which were both really, really good. The fish looked amazing and tasted good. We decided to have the Hot sauce since they recommended it, which is basically Szechuan. Really tasty! Because it's a pot and you can add whatever you want, it can come out pricey. They do not have a bar, so I suspect you can BYO. Environment: Service was good! Open space and the servers can easily see you if you wave them down. We didn't have a solo server; I think any server can take care of any table. Rating: 7.5/10 Pros: Fish was tasty, lots of different items, the pork belly appetizer Cons: Can be pricey! read more

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Last Sunday was our first time trying Xun Yu Si Kao and we really enjoyed it. I don't typically seek out Szechuan foods as I don't particularly enjoy the numbing spiciness of Szechuan food; however, a friend was in town, and was interested in trying the cuisine. We arrived right before noontime on a Sunday and did not have trouble getting a seat. For food, we ordered the Fish pot (highly recommended by Yelpers), and a Spicy pot. Both dishes were customizable, and you can choose the spice level and toppings for what goes into your Fish or Spicy pot. There are also plenty of other options on the menu to choose from if you don't feel like the Fish or Spicy pots. We were pleasantly surprised to see the menu contained many, many pages. But, we were committed to ordering the pots as they seem to be the featured dishes. The Fish pot was served in a shallow broth, in the most majestic looking, rectangular tray. Our tofu, noodles, and vegetable toppings were laid under the two whole sea basses to absorb all the flavors of the broth. The sea basses seemed kind of small, but there was definitely more than enough food between the fish and the toppings for everyone. It was delicious, but not as delicious as the Spicy pot. The Spicy pot, also a dry pot/stir fry was served in a round majestic looking pot. It ended up being everybody's favorite. Personally, I would recommend the Spicy pot over the Fish pot. I almost forgot, but dessert was a complimentary grass/turtle (not made of turtles) jelly. A quality, tasty, slightly sweet and healthy dessert. Definitely glad that we stopped by Xun Yu Si Kao. The servers were very nice and checked on us several times. P.S. they do not take reservations. read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Spicy pot - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is one of the best places I've been to in Chinatown. Everything was very fresh and the presentation was great. The portion sizes were huge so we took home a lot of leftovers. We were here on a Friday night but it still felt cozy and quiet in the booth we were in. We'll definitely come back with a larger group so that we can try more dishes next time. read more

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We love this restaurant, I would go visit more often if it was closer to my home! So far every dishes we had here were all worth the repeat everytime I visit. Staff is friendly and restroom is clean. read more

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Came with the family for lunch! I would say everything tasted good overall. I would give this place 3.5 stars if that was available. The fish and pickled mustard green soup was quite flavorful and had some hidden heat. The eggplant and green beans though good were quite greasy. The ribs steamed with spiced powder weren't quite cooked right and a bit dry. Things were also quite salty and left us quite parched for hours afterwards. The service was attentive, and things were priced well. We could have eaten just one dish and been full. read more

Came here and decided to try the grilled Fish with spicy flavor and ordered mushrooms and tofu as toppings. Also ordered couple of appetizers. Tofu century egg, roast pork knuckle, and fuqi fai pian. Flavor was just ok. Decent 3 star for Philly. Could work on the quality a bit more. read more

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This place is packed with flavor. I came with 2 friends and we shared the whole tilapia in spice level 1 black bean broth with the sliced beef add on. We also got the eggplant as a side dish. Don't let the fish pot intimidate you - the fish comes off the bones so easily and it was so easy and pleasant to eat. We thought the spice was a good level for us but could've tolerated going up a level. The sliced beef was great too. I'm also not a fan of eggplants typically but this was pretty sweet and garlicky. read more

Xun Yu Si Kao - Fish pot - Seafood Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

*HIGHLY RECOMMEND* This is my favorite restaurant in Chinatown thus far. If you're looking for delicious Sichuan food, you must go to this place. They are known for this fish pot which feeds a family, but their other entrees are just as good if not even better. I've been there handful of time and each time, everything was good. I have not been disappointed yet. Each dish is also large enough to feed at least 2-4 people, totally worth the price. My favorite dishes: Pickled cabbage pot with sliced fish - this is literally my comfort food. Sour cabbage was indeed sour enough to my liking. The soup was rich and deep in flavor, it was heavenly. They definitely did not skimp out on the fish. A lot of fish filets and other additional ingredients. Perfect for cold days. Cooked intestine with tofu - the pork intestine was sooo good, fresh with strong intestine flavor which I like. Also the egg tofu was very good at neutralizing the spice. Spicy but worth. *VERDICT* Definitely going to be one of my go to. read more

Great food and excellent customer service! If you're looking for a good spot in the city, look no further. My friends and I came here and were not disappointed -- this place has become our go-to any day of the week. read more