When it comes to cuisine, the United States seems to have an endless array suitable for every taste. Whether you prefer Latin, Mediterranean, Japanese, French, Native American, Creole, Tex-Mex, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, and still more, you are bound to find something to your liking in almost all regions of the country.
But one of the cuisines Americans prefer the most is Chinese. In fact, it ranks as the top food choice in the U.S., as indicated by a 2021 survey by FoodFireFriends that tracked about 3.35 million monthly Google searches for Chinese cuisine, which far exceeds any other food genre (runner-up was Mexican food with 1.22 million 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.
A vast majority of these restaurants don’t serve authentic Chinese cuisine and instead feature dishes largely unknown outside of the PRC. Although you can find authentic establishments in many areas of your state, most eateries offer adaptations like General Tso’s chicken, Crab Rangoon, and Kung Pao Chicken – dishes that have all been tailored to the American palate.
To determine the top Chinese restaurant in each 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.
Some of the restaurants featured here are simple and small-scale; others are expansive spaces with hanging lanterns, decorative screens, and lazy Susans on family-sized tables. Some specialize in Hunan or Sichuan regional cooking; others excel with live seafood tanks – fish and shellfish prominently featured in dishes. Whichever you choose, you are certainly in for a delicious meal. (Here is a list of the best seafood restaurants in America.)
Here is the best Chinese restaurant in every state:
Alabama: Mr. Chen’s
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Courtesy of Mahrad M. via Yelp
- Location: Denver
- Culinary delights: Shanghainese street noodles, fried rice
Connecticut: Song Restaurant
Source: 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
Source: 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: Silver Pond
Source: Photo by Jason P. via Yelp
- Location: Lauderdale Lakes
- Culinary delights: Hong Kong-style duck and chicken, dim sum, chicken and conch with ginger and scallions, hot and spicy squid with black bean sauce
Georgia: La Mei Zi
Source: 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
Source: Photo by Wing L. via Yelp
- Location: Honolulu
- Culinary delights: mochi puffs, lotus seed buns, shrimp dumplings, seaweed seafood rolls, Peking duck, obster with ginger and green onion
Idaho: Yummy House
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Courtesy of Loretta M. via Yelp
- Location: Overland Park
- Culinary delights: shrimp-and-pork-stuffed tofu skin, chicken feet with black bean sauce, ginger and onion salty chicken, salt and pepper soft shell crab, eggplant hotpot, spring rolls, egg drop soup, chicken or beef chow fun
Kentucky: Oriental House
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Courtesy of Paul J. via Yelp
- Location: Bethesda
- Culinary delights: scallion bubble pancakes, cumin lamb chops, Peking duck, braised lobster with jade noodle, crispy pork belly, wagyu beef lo mein
Massachusetts: Yunnan Kitchen
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Photo 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Courtesy of Sunny L. via Yelp
- Location: Charleston
- 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
Source: Courtesy of Shawn B. via Yelp
- Location: Spearfish
- Culinary delights: kung pao beef, shrimp and pea pods, fried wontons, cashew chicken
Tennessee: Lucky Bamboo China Bistro
Source: Courtesy of Jacob G. via Yelp
- Location: Nashville
- Culinary delights: pork or chicken siu mai, wontons in red chili oil, Xiao long bao, crispy Chongqing spicy chicken, honey walnut shrimp, Peking duck
Texas: Sichuan House
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: 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