We decided to try Dong Bei Ren Jia despite seeing the mixed reviews, hoping it might surprise us…read more Unfortunately, it didn't. The overall flavor of most dishes was very bland. The fried buns were dripping with oil, and the steamed buns lacked seasoning. The noodles had an odd taste that was hard to enjoy. The only item we liked was the potstickers, which were actually pretty good. The service was not as bad as I read in other reviews but the person calling out people's orders could learn to speak up so people can hear her. Overall, not a spot we'd return to.

We tried a few other options. The fried upside down pork bun is still the best. The meicai one is a…read morebit too sweet and too spiced up and the flavor is a bit too strong imo. The spicy beef roll is bigger than we thought, and doesn't hold together so it falls apart really easily. The spicy beef flavor is really good tho, a bit too salty but that is pretty on point for Dongbei food. The panfried dumpling was good, but probably generally bought since the filling didn't seem homemade. The soymilk was good, the original unsweetened was made fresh but it's room temperature whereas the sweetened version is heated up but it's a bit too sweet for our palate so we mixed the two together and it was perfect.

This place is takeout only. I place an order online and picked it up at this tiniest location spot…read more It was a little hard to find at first, but atleast the food was ready when I arrived. The packaging is fun for sure, but the food was definitely a little different. I ordered their Beef Noodle Spicy Broth, Chengdu Bon Bon Chicken, Zhong Dumplings and their Wonton in Volcano broth. All their dishes had their decent amount of spice in them. Their Bon Bon chicken was served cold and didn't taste all that great. It was spicy, but just not used to eating cold chicken. I threw it in the microwave and put it on top of my rice. It was really the only way I could enjoy it. The beef noodle and Zhong dumpling were really tasty. I'm glad I got to try this place out but would probably skip it next time time.

My partner and I ordered from the Da Mao Jia food booth at the Chinatown Summer Fair last weekend…read moreand we were very happy and impressed with our food. We both got two very different items (pictured in this review) and both were delicious! The staff was very friendly and we were even able to roll a dice to play this game after making a purchase which was fun. They also had a big panda taking photos and dancing nearby with fair go-ers. Will definitely need to check out their brick & mortar location soon!

Ambiance: This is a hole in the wall counter order restaurant right outside the 88 Super Market…read more There is plenty of seating available. Service: The owners here are the sweetest! They have a lot of recommendations to offer if you're unfamiliar. Parking: Free parking in the lot right across from 88 Market Food: I love the traditional Cantonese claypot meals that they offer. My parents loved their Chinese sausage claypot, and their dumplings with noodles.

After grocery shopping at Park to Shop, we found ourselves hungry. I have been meaning to try this…read morespot for some time. It wasn't too busy as we arrived around lunchtime. We ordered 2 clay pots (meat variety and salted fish w. minced meat) and a noodle dish with roast duck at the kiosk. We also got roast pork on the side and paid for everything up front at the registers. As we waited for our food, they brought the house soup of the day - bitter melon. I liked it but my kids struggled with it. The noodle soup did not take too long and came a few minutes later. The clay pots took some time at around 30 mins. Both were piping hot but much appreciated as the tables started to fill up around us. The rice was nicely crusted on the bottom which lended a nice texture change from the rest of the pot. All the food was filling and my daughter and I had half of our clay pots still available for my husband. We are looking forward to our next visit and already picked out what we want to try next.

This was one of the food stalls that we hit up while at the food court, and because it was right…read moreacross from our table it kept catching our eye. I'm glad we tried it. I've never had potato noodles, so we ordered the house special. It didn't take too long to get our order, and the broth was still bubbling when it got to our table. The broth was so good. Very flavorful and the perfect amount of heat (worth noting we got mild- it was still covered in chili oil. We could have gone hotter but this was a pleasant heat level). I added on quail eggs because they're my favorite, but there was a nice amount of toppings including fish cake and sausages and tofu skin. I'm not mad at it. I did learn that the texture of potato noodles is not for me, personally. They're very plump but very chewy. Now I know! I'd definitely come back and try some of the other dishes.

This is located downstairs in the basement level of the Richland Center in new Chinatown…read more I love the spicy and sour noodles here even though they are not the most authentic. They are just so flavorful and fun to eat. You can choose different kinds of proteins to go with the noodles, but my fav is the intestines one (; . Definitely give it a try!

I had high hopes for this dumpling spot because the environment seemed very authentic and no…read morefrills, but I will say I was overall bummed by the dumplings. The dumplings almost felt soggy at times. I did really like the ratio filling but the flavor didn't wow me. The worker was very kind though and I appreciate that they have sauces out for you to fill on your own.

The food looked amazing when we got it! Plump beef and pork buns that were totally eye catching!…read more However, the outside bun was a bit soggy feeling- almost like it was steamed for a bit too long. They also took a while to prepare the dish. They don't have a self order screen like the other stalls in the food court so there was a text message to alert you when your food was ready, so you kinda just had to stand around and wait. The portion sizes are large though, my husband and I couldn't even finish our food!

The noodles are one of the best I ever had. Perfect combination of flavor of soup and balance of…read morenoodles and meat. The other thing I really enjoyed was their chili paste - every time I come I eat here first then I walk around china town and come back and get something to go for home - always ask for extra chili paste, they made it their own and it tastes awesome as well. I usually go for the clear soup combo D with round rice noodles with a side appetizer. There is option for spicy and not spicy as well. Overall, very authentic Chinese food (Szechuan style). I can't speak on the surrounding since this is parted of the underground food plaza in China town - so the ambiance would not make or break my score. I would just say it made the experience more authentic because everyone around me speaks Chinese.

Lao Guo Qiao Jiao Beef is definitely one of those hole-in-the-wall spots as it is located in the…read morehidden downstairs food court of the Richland Center. I'm glad I came across this spot, because it is 100% of those hidden gems for authentic Sichuan (Leshan-style) cuisine. They're known for their beef soups and offal dishes! I stopped by for a quick meal and ordered the A Set that comes with beef, fatty beef, cabbage, rice, and sauce. It was exactly what I needed because it was super comforting on a cold day. It came with a clear and savory broth that is deeply flavorful and aromatic without being overly greasy. The beef and fatty beef slices were tender, and the cabbage added a nice sweetness to the broth. The ingredients are fresh, and I would consider their portion size pretty generous. The set I ordered came with rice and a dipping sauce + dry chili powder. The dipping sauce just tasted like soy sauce to me. I prefer this dish without the sauce as I prefer lighter flavors. I highly recommend this spot for anyone who is looking for authentic and filling comfort food.

Excellent Sichuan fare ! And it is certainly possible to come here and not burn your mouth out…read more Black Bean Fish fillet was perfect., String beans filled with flavor, cute little pork hunks and just enough heat, and cold noodle salad , refreshing with a nice floral bite. Only disapointment was the scallion pancake, dry and sorta flavorless with no dipping sauce .

Was looking for some chinese food late on a windy night in Chicago and came across this hidden…read moregolden gem in Chinatown. Went in their expecting regular Chinese food and was blown away by the amazing chinese food, attention to detail oriented waiter and no frills but perfected Chinese food. Ordered heavy, starting with egg drop soup, dumplings, shrimp and broccoli, crispy duck and pan sheared green beans. Each of the item was fabulous, highlight being succulent crispy duck that would rival any duck place in the states(not peking duck) but it was full of flavor, perfectly rendered fat and crispy skin which even made my partner who doesn't like duck change her opinion If i could give 50 stars I would and the enthusiasm and energy shown by staff at 11 pm just showed how each member of this place absolutely knew what they were doing.

Great experience! The food was fresh and delicious, and every bowl was full of flavor. The service…read morewas excellent as well, they are friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. I will definitely come back again!

I've been to a different Zhangliang Malatang in Irvine, CA and I was a frequent visitor because of…read morehow wonderful it was. When I saw there was another location in Chicago I was eager to try it. It wasn't a terrible experience but it wasn't as great as my previous experiences, either. They had a great selection of ingredients, tons of vegetables and different proteins- anything from sliced beef, beef tongue, frog legs, pork blood, fish and lobster balls, etc. However, when I went around lunch time a lot of the sliced beef and other meats were very low stock.. I got probably what was the last of what they had because by the time I had left (around thirty minutes later) I walked by and noticed it still wasn't stocked. Service was okay. Not too memorable but I got in and out just fine. Quite pricey.. especially for limited stock of meats because you pay for weight- so I paid a lot for majority of my bowl being vegetables. The broth was fine- I got the classical bone broth in mild but I'd definitely reach for medium next time because it was a little bland for me.