Austin, TXChinese

A North Austin Cantonese mainstay since 1996, built around a barbecue counter of hanging roast duck and char siu pork. Beyond the roast meats, the full menu runs deep into clay pots, salt-and-pepper seafood, and family-style stir-fries. Longtime regulars treat the barbecue plate over rice as the default order, and the Research Boulevard room stays busy through weekend lunches.

A counter-service Sichuan spot tucked into a Spicewood Springs strip mall, ordered at the register and carried to a plain dining room. Standouts include the spicy rice jelly and eggplant in garlic sauce, with cumin lamb and mapo tofu close behind. The low prices, fast turnaround, and genuine heat have made it a longtime favorite among Austin's Sichuan seekers.

Chef Hong hand-pulls Northern Chinese noodles and folds dumplings from a Shenyang family recipe out of a West Campus trailer. The roujiamo, a griddled flatbread packed with stewed meat, has earned local awards, and the hand-pulled noodle bowls carry real chew. It is a small, one-cook operation where the Northern Chinese specialties are made to order and rarely found elsewhere in Austin.

An upscale modern-Chinese kitchen downtown turning out finely made xiaolongbao, mapo tofu, and salt-and-pepper squid. The menu draws on regional Chinese cooking with a focus on local, seasonal sourcing, and the soup dumplings are a signature order. A second location opened in 2023, extending its reach, and the polished room makes it a reliable sit-down option among Austin's Chinese restaurants.

A humble Sichuan room on Research Boulevard where the cooking outshines the plain surroundings. Cumin lamb, dry-fried chicken, and fish with pickled mustard greens are the dishes regulars steer newcomers toward. The heat is real and the flavors are layered, making it a quieter alternative to the neighborhood's better-known Sichuan spots for anyone chasing serious mala cooking.