Throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, there are countless Chinese restaurants fit for group hangouts, date nights, and ordering epic to-go feasts. Many of them carry stories and precious memories within the walls, and have been held together by the love and support of their owners and the surrounding communities. When a craving for soul-warming hot and sour soup or a fiery platter of Mongolian beef calls, few things offer comfort like a meal from one of these beloved spots.
Pop into these local favorites and fill the turntable with some traditional and chef-inspired Chinese dishes.
Chef House
Located in a small space in Oak Lawn, Chef House draws people in for its menu of Chinese comfort eats and late night hours. Open until 2 a.m., the restaurant is the perfect spot for enjoying a proper late night meal after a night out in Uptown. Go for the pepper steak, General Tso’s chicken, or a heaping platter of lo mein. Cafe House also has Thai traditions like red and green curries, pad Thai, and more, on offer. 4028 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, chefhousedallas.com
Fortune House
Wait times can span 30 to 45 minutes at Fortune House, so plan accordingly. Once seated, you’ll be glad you got in. The energy and decor are vibrant. Through a large window inside the restaurant, guests can watch as kitchen staff make dumplings, which are a must order. The black truffle xiao long bao dumplings are a wonderful precursor to a satisfying meal of ginger beef and honey walnut prawns. Pair with Fortune House’s gonfu tea tasting. Multiple locations, fortunehousecuisine.com
Howard Wang’s
Set inside a striking space bedecked with Chinese lanterns and artwork, Howard Wang’s brings delicious Chinese cuisine to Preston Hollow. Start strong with lettuce wraps stuffed with ground chicken, cashews, and spices, before diving into entrees like the ginger salmon or the Beijing duck. Cool your palate with a serving of green tea ice cream for dessert. 4343 W Northwest Hwy. # 345, Dallas, hwrestaurants.com
Lover’s Egg Roll
From the moment you walk into Lover’s Egg Roll, the aroma of Asian spices will hook you. The menu is robust and features a bounty of Chinese staples, and a few Thai plates too. As its name suggests, the restaurant serves up some of the best egg rolls in town that are crispy to the cut and packed with an assortment of meat and veggies. Multiple locations, loverseggroll.site
Ho Mei Express
Ho Mei Express has a small, but mighty menu. The crab rangoons and egg foo young are worth starting with, before moving on to entree plates like beef and broccoli and cashew tofu. As a bonus, Ho Mei Express is easy on the pocketbook — you can score a plate with two entrees and a side for only $11. 1820 W Mockingbird Ln #9, Dallas, homeiexpress.com
Maison Chinoise
From Lombardi Family Concepts, the minds behind Dallas favorites like Taverna and Toulouse, comes Maison Chinoise, a sceney restaurant with Chinese-inspired fare and stylish cocktails Start with blistered shishito peppers and Sichuan salt and pepper lamb lollipops, or the crispy pastrami eggrolls for something unexpected and fun. Dishes like the wok-fried lamb shoulder, tofu eggplant clay pot, and sizzling black pepper beef tenderloin are attractive and taste just as good as they look. Visit during the popular dim sum happy hour, during which a slew of small bites are discounted to $10. 4152 Cole Ave. #106, Dallas, maisonchinoisedallas.com
Yao Fuzi
Yao Fuzi takes Chinese food and cocktails to the next level. Located clandestinely in a Plano shopping center, the spot offers items you won’t soon find on other Chinese restaurant menus, like jelly fish, stir-fried chili flounder, and yaki udon noodles, alongside familiar dishes. With a large menu, and a robust beverage selection, including special martinis, it’s not hard to never have the same meal twice at Yao Fuzi. 4757 W. Park Blvd. #108, Plano, yaofuzi.com
Royal China
For more than 50 years, Royal China has served as a reliable go-to for Chinese food in Dallas. Founded by Buck Shu-Chang Kao, this family-run business has maintained its longevity by serving dishes like dry-stirred pork and mapo tofu. Now run by Buck’s son George and his wife, April, Royal China is open year-round, making it a popular choice on holidays. 6025 Royal Ln. #201, Dallas, royalchinadallas.com
MiYa Chinese
Located in Dallas’s Casa Linda neighborhood, MiYa is a lively destination with traditional Chinese fare that is ideal for group dining. The tables are fitted with a rotating turntable, making it convenient to share loads of different dishes. The hand-pulled Sichaun dan-dan noodles pack a spicy punch, and the truffle veggie fried rice offers an indulgent twist on the classic dish. Other favorites like Mongolian beef, kung pao shrimp, and mu shu chicken round out the menu. The crispy banana spring rolls with strawberry sauce are shareable too, but you may not want to. 9540 Garland Rd., #383, Dallas, miyachinese.com
Cafe Hunan
Steps from Southern Methodist University, Cafe Hunan has a solid menu suitable for students ordering take-out during a late-night study session, their visiting families, or anyone who happens to be in the area. Try the dragon and phoenix, a plate of shrimp and chicken with mixed vegetables in a white sauce; or the treasure hunt, which combines chicken breast, shrimp, roasted pork, beef tenderloin and mixed vegetables in a tangy brown sauce. These dishes will surely bring guests good fortune! 5600 SMU Blvd., #101, Dallas, smublvd.cafehunantogo.com
