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Must-Try Chinese Restaurant in Every State

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Must-Try Chinese Restaurant in Every State

Whether you prefer Latin, Mediterranean, Japanese, French, Mexican, Thai, and more, you are bound to find something to your liking in almost all regions of the United States. And even though there is an enormous variety of options, there are some that are more popular than others.

A 2021 survey by FoodFireFriends indicated that Chinese food ranked as the number one food option for diners in the U.S. The survey tracked monthly Google searches for Chinese cuisine and at 3.35 million hits, it far exceeds any other food genre (Mexican came in at number two with 1.22 monthly searches, and Thai rounded out the top three with over 823,000 monthly searches.)

According to the Chinese Restaurant Association, there are more than 45,000 Chinese restaurants throughout the nation. This is more than the amount of four popular fast-food joints combined. And while a vast majority of these restaurants don’t serve authentic Chinese cuisine, featuring dishes largely unknown outside of the PRC, you can find authentic establishments in many areas of your state.

To determine the must-try Chinese restaurant in every state, 24/7 Tempo consulted and compared reviews and ratings on a wide range of websites, including Food & Wine, The Daily Meal, Travel & Leisure,  Eater, Time Out, Gayot, Lao Sze Chuan, Food News, and Yelp, as well as state and regional restaurant listings for each state. Editorial discretion was used to decide on the final listing.

Many restaurants may offer a variety of cuisine at their establishments that represent a multitude of cultures – Thai or Vietnamese – but we have excluded those that are pan-Asian and offer cross-cultural foods from the same kitchen. Those that we have chosen are highly diverse. (If you prefer fish or crustaceans, this is a list of the best seafood restaurants in America.)

Here is the must-try Chinese restaurant in every state:

Alabama: Mr. Chen’s

Courtesy of Eugene C. via Yelp
  • Location: Birmingham
  • Culinary delights: General Tso’s chicken and egg foo young; spicy pork intestines in hot pot, boiled fish with bean sprouts in chili oil, and mapo tofu

Alaska: Charlie’s Bakery and Chinese Cuisine

Courtesy of LoveToEat Z. via Yelp
  • Location: Anchorage
  • Culinary delights:  dim sum, jewel-like har gao. housemade siu mai, egg tarts, cakes, breads

Arizona: China Chili

Courtesy of Laura A. via Yelp
  • Location: Phoenix
  • Culinary delights: Peking duck, chow fun, chow mein, kung pao chicken

Arkansas: Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking

Courtesy of Liana L. via Yelp
  • Location: Little Rock
  • Culinary delights: sesame chicken, Mongolian beef, seafood clay pot, spicy beef tendon, Taiwanese-style braised pork, salted crispy frog legs

California: Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant

Courtesy of Shelley Z. via Yelp
  • Location: Rosemead
  • Culinary delights: sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, radish cake with assorted preserved meats, BBQ pork buns, with steamed caramel sponge cake, jellyfish with spicy sauce

Colorado: Fortune Wok to Table

Courtesy of Mahrad M. via Yelp
  • Location: Denver
  • Culinary delights: Shanghainese street noodles, fried rice

Connecticut: Song Restaurant

Courtesy of Kenji S. via Yelp
  • Location: West Hartford
  • Culinary delights: mala bamboo shoots, braised beef tendons in soy sauce, sliced jellyfish with black vinegar, Chengdu pork dumplings in a spicy garlic sauce

Delaware: Mom’s Kitchen

Courtesy of Judy L. via Yelp
  • Location: Bear
  • Culinary delights: pan-fried pork or shrimp dumplings, sesame chicken, scallion pancakes, beef short ribs, braised pork with preserved vegetables

Florida: Zom Hee

Courtesy of Ed R. via Yelp
  • Location: Seminole
  • Culinary delights: Hung shu tofu, Subgum chow mein, Mandarin style pork, Kon bo shrimp

Georgia: La Mei Zi

Courtesy of YuXin G. via Yelp
  • Location: Doraville
  • Culinary delights: Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken with basil, clam and ginger soup, walnut honey shrimp, lamb with cilantro and leeks in hot bean sauce

Hawaii: Legend Seafood Restaurant

Courtesy of Wing L. via Yelp
  • Location: Honolulu
  • Culinary delights: mochi puffs, lotus seed buns, shrimp dumplings, seaweed seafood rolls, Peking duck, lobster with ginger and green onion

Idaho: Yummy House

Courtesy of Ashely E. via Yelp
  • Location: Idaho Falls
  • Culinary delights: Hong Kong-style chow mein, fried wontons, General Tso’s and kung pao chicken

Illinois: Lao Sze Chuan

Courtsey of Amy H. via Yelp
  • Location: Chicago
  • Culinary delights: lamb with cumin, sole fish filet with mapo tofu flavors, Tony’s special frogs’ legs Zi Gong style

Indiana: Wu’s Fine Chinese Cuisine

Courtesy of M M. via Yelp
  • Location: Fort Wayne
  • Culinary delights: shredded fish fillet in ginger soup, Yushang pork, and sliced beef in hot chili oil

Iowa: Uncle Sun

Courtesy of Shibing T. via Yelp
  • Location: Iowa City
  • Culinary delights: Chinese stews, preserved egg congee, cream custard buns, orange chicken, crab Rangoon, egg foo young

Kansas: ABC Cafe

Courtesy of Loretta M. via Yelp
  • Location: Overland Park
  • Culinary delights: shrimp-and-pork-stuffed tofu skin, chicken feet with black bean sauce, salt and pepper soft shell crab, eggplant hotpot, spring rolls, egg drop soup, chicken or beef chow fun

Kentucky: Oriental House

Courtesy of Kelly Y. via Yelp
  • Location: St. Matthews
  • Culinary delights: fried jumbo shrimp, pot stickers, BBQ pork buns, steamed spare ribs, duck braised in oyster sauce, whole crispy skin chicken, wok-seared whole flounder

Louisiana: China Rose

Courtesy of Huyen N. via Yelp
  • Location: Metairie
  • Culinary delights: eggplant with pork in hot garlic sauce, crispy scallops in ginger sauce, China Rose special duck, crawfish fried rice

Maine: Evergreen Chinese Restaurant

Courtesy of S M. via Yelp
  • Location: South Portland
  • Culinary delights: seafood hot and sour soup, shredded chicken in spicy Szechuan sauce, ground pork in lobster sauce, chow mein, lo mein, chop suey

Maryland: Q by Peter Chang

Courtesy of Paul J. via Yelp
  • Location: Bethesda
  • Culinary delights: scallion bubble pancakes, cumin lamb chops, Peking duck, braised lobster with jade noodles, crispy pork belly, wagyu beef lo mein

Massachusetts: Yunnan Kitchen

Courtesy of Ethan M. via Yelp
  • Location: Boston
  • Culinary delights: pea jelly salad, Yunnan potato pancake, stir-fried beef with mint leaves, boiled pork in chili oil

Michigan: Best China

Courtesy of Lena J. via Yelp
  • Location: Canton
  • Culinary delights: pork rice noodles, fish with red chili, sesame tofu, spicy ginger and garlic vegetables

Minnesota: Shuang Cheng

Courtesy of Elizabeth H. via Yelp
  • Location: Minneapolis
  • Culinary delights: hot and spicy baked lobster with five spice salt, deep-fried oysters, scallops with Chinese broccoli

Mississippi: Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Restaurant

Courtesy of Rachel L. via Yelp
  • Location: Jackson
  • Culinary delights: Roast duck noodle soup, whole steamed fish with black bean sauce, steamed head-on garlic shrimp, crystal shrimp dumplings, salted crispy oyster, Taiwanese-style wonton soup

Missouri: Wonton King

Courtesy of Kelly M. via Yelp
  • Location: University City
  • Culinary delights: steamed ribs in black bean sauce, deep-fried salted meat dumplings, sticky rice in lotus leaves, Hong Kong-style braised noodles

Montana: China Garden

Courtesy of Lisa W. via Yelp
  • Location: Missoula
  • Culinary delights: Hong Kong-style chow mein variations, noodle bowls, kung pao tofu or chicken, beef with oyster sauce

Nebraska: Blue & Fly Asian Kitchen

Courtesy of Lianna N. via Yelp
  • Location: Omaha
  • Culinary delights: scallion pancakes, hot and sour soup, sweet and sour pork, peanut butter chicken, shrimp and seaweed soup, Chongqing chicken with roasted chili, braised spare ribs in soy sauce, clams with fermented soybeans

Nevada: Wing Lei

Courtesy of Theresa C. via Yelp
  • Location: Las Vegas
  • Culinary delights: Imperial Peking Duck, poached Maine lobster, truffle soup dumplings, Japanese Wagyu with heirloom sweet peppers

New Hampshire: Lilac Blossom North

Courtesy of Galina K. via Yelp
  • Location: Nashua
  • Culinary delights: sizzling chicken pot (Shanghai), seafood in bird’s nest (Canton), lilac spicy crispy whole fish (Hunan)

New Jersey: Szechuan House

Courtesy of Lena J. via Yelp
  • Location: Hamilton
  • Culinary delights: diced rabbit with Sichuan peppercorn vinaigrette and jellyfish with scallion oil, dan dan noodles, shredded tea smoked duck with onion and red pepper, fried yam cakes with sesame paste

New Mexico: Ming Dynasty

Courtesy of Jerri N. via Yelp
  • Location: Albuquerque
  • Culinary delights: chilled mango pudding, pork sausage taro cake, shrimp and scallop dumplings, crab meat with fish maw soup, hot and spicy fried chicken wings, spicy shredded duck

New York: Xi’An Famous Foods

Courtesy by Xi’an Famous Foods via Yelp
  • Location: New York City
  • Culinary delights: “cold skin” noodles, pork and lamb “burgers,” “hand-ripped” noodles with spicy cumin lamb or spicy and tingly beef muscle

North Carolina: Lam’s Kitchen

Courtesy of John K. via Yelp
  • Location: Matthews
  • Culinary delights: salted fish and diced chicken with eggplant, steamed salmon head with preserved chili, five-spice soy chicken

North Dakota: Shang Hai

Courtesy of Stella C. via Yelp
  • Location: Fargo
  • Culinary delights: pu pu platter, kung pao chicken, mapo tofu, Szechuan braised fish, beef brisket casserole

Ohio: Sichuan Bistro

Courtesy of Pat J. via Yelp
  • Location: Mason
  • Culinary delights: pot stickers, egg foo young, sesame chicken, red dry chili fish filets, beef tendon stew, stir-fried pork liver and kidneys, spicy sizzling tofu

Oklahoma: China Garden

Courtesy of Al L. via Yelp
  • Location: Tulsa
  • Culinary delights: home-style soups, double-cooked pork, ma la sirloin, salt and pepper squid

Oregon: Duck House

Courtesy of Jonathan Y. via Yelp
  • Location: Portland
  • Culinary delights: Xiao long bao, spicy hot pot, Chongqing prawns or chicken, twice-cooked pork belly, dan dan noodles, pork chitterlings

Pennsylvania: Ocean City Restaurant

Courtesy of Crystal W. via Yelp
  • Location: Philadelphia
  • Culinary delights: prawn and squid in hot garlic sauce, pickled chili fish filet, deep-fried salted and spiced pork chops, oxtail with bean curd skin, braised black mushrooms with bamboo fungus, okra and eggplant in hot garlic sauce eggplant in hot garlic sauce.

Rhode Island: Cheng Du Taste

Courtesy of Tieria Y. via Yelp
  • Location: Providence
  • Culinary delights: spicy cellophane noodles with minced pork, Sichuan pickled vegetables, Chongqing chicken, beef and ox tripe in chili sauce, hot sour shredded potato, spicy whole fish, fried lamb with cumin

South Carolina: Old Li’s Restaurant

Courtesy of Sunny L. via Yelp
  • Location: Charleston (Temporarily Closed – scheduled to reopen in new location in November 2024)
  • Culinary delights: spring rolls, egg drop soup, kung pao chicken, salt and pepper shrimp skewers, garlic crayfish, sea oyster pancake, fish filets in chili oil

South Dakota: Golden Dragon

Courtesy of Shawn B. via Yelp
  • Location: Spearfish
  • Culinary delights: kung pao beef, shrimp and pea pods, fried wontons, cashew chicken

Tennessee: Choy

Courtesy of William M. via Yelp
  • Location: Nashville
  • Culinary delights: Char Sui pork chow fun, salt-baked bucksnort trout, sourdough scallion pancake

Texas: Sichuan House

Courtesy of Sichuan House via Yelp
  • Location: San Antonio
  • Culinary delights: Garlicky ‘Not Dan Dan’ Cold Noodles, Hands-Folded Sichuan Wontons, Twice as Nice ‘Twice Cooked Underbelly Pork, The Tea Quacker ‘Tea-Smoked Duck

Utah: Red Maple Chinese Restaurant

Courtesy of Red Maple Chinese Restaurant via Yelp
  • Location: Taylorsville
  • Culinary delights: steamed BBQ pork buns, siu mai, turnip cakes, beef stew in Macau-style curry, deep-fried seafood in spicy XO sauce, deep-fried crispy chicken, sizzling pork chops in black pepper sauce

Vermont: A Single Pebble

Courtesy of Elizabeth B. via Yelp
  • Location: Burlington
  • Culinary delights: mock eel (made with crispy shiitake mushrooms), crispy beef wontons in black bean chili sauce, and red oil chicken

Virginia: Peking Gourmet Inn

Courtesy of Sophie S. via Yelp
  • Location: Falls Church
  • Culinary delights: Peking duck, Chinese winter squash and sea scallop soup for two, crispy Sichuan beef, Peking-style lamb chops, walnut chicken

Washington: Szechuan Brothers

Courtesy of Angel C. via Yelp
  • Location: Vancouver
  • Culinary delights: General Tso’s chicken, chow fun, Mongolian beef, beef tripe with chili oil, deep-fried fish fillet Sichuan style, cumin lamb, sticky rice balls in sweet rice wine with osmanthus flower

West Virginia: Main Kwong

Courtesy of Dominique T. via Yelp
  • Location: Charleston
  • Culinary delights: egg rolls, wonton soup, General Tso’s chicken, Mongolian beef, crispy chicken, roast pork lo mein

Wisconsin: Sze Chuan

Courtesy of Athena D. via Yelp
  • Location: West Allis
  • Culinary delights: dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, spare ribs in garlic chili sauce, cumin pork knuckle, pork kidneys with Sichuan peppercorns, sautéed pork intestines, ox tendon and maw in spicy chili sauce

Wyoming: Good Friends

Courtesy of Sophia H. via Yelp
  • Location: Cheyenne
  • Culinary delights: kung pao chicken, sweet & sour chicken, pork-filled fried wontons, pork fried rice, lo mein
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