Szechuan Restaurants near El Monte, CA

“me gustó la sopa y los apps“

“The best spicy Chinese Food in OC/LA area hands down! They have been Michelin recommended for a reason. Their food has lots of depth of umami flavors with a good amount of spice with a refined touch. Their none spicy broths are especially good too. My faves are their dry pots, toothpick lambs, Qiao Jiao Beef. We also like their spicy ribs and boiled fish in chilli sauce, and Mao cai. Service is great too!“

“Favorite Sichuan restaurant in California! Definitely the most authentic Sichuan food I’ve ever had in the states (yes I’m from Sichuan so take my word for it lol)
We live in the Bay Area, but whenever we’re visiting LA, we go to this place because of the great taste.
We ordered rabbit, beef and beef. The portions were HUGE. Every dish was flavorful, and it’s amazing that they picked seasonal vegetables to complement the flavor of the meat in each dish. And the spiciness is really close to what I had back at home in Sichuan. The chengdu fried rice(this should be the name if I remember it correctly) is also very good, not oily at all.
The restaurant owner is also very nice and she told us the rabbit meat is fresh from the butcher shop everyday, which sets this restaurant apart from others. (Well, this is the only restaurants in the states that I have ever been to that serves rabbit on the menu, so I really appreciate that)
100% recommend this place.“

“Electric, instantaneous, efficient
These are 3 words I would use to describe the service at Sichuan street food.
I have long wanted to go and I finally dined here. With my family we ordered a myriad of dishes, each one was authentic, flavorful, and of course delicious.
Some of the best Chinese food I can recommend you.
I recommend for sure the Dan Dan noodles, the egg fried rice, the cumin lamb, diced chicken with spicy chilies, and green beans.
10/10“

“**4.3/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ Uncle Chili Rowland Heights: Bold Spice That Packs Heat, But Oil Weighs It Down**

Tucked in the always-busy Hong Kong Plaza on Colima Road, **Uncle Chili** draws crowds with its fiery Sichuan signage and the constant aroma of chilies and numbing peppercorns spilling out the door 🌶️🔥. The interior is bright and modern—clean tables, big menu boards with mouthwatering photos, and a quick-moving counter setup. Service is genuinely solid: staff are attentive, explain spice levels patiently (1-5, with 3 already serious), and food arrives lightning-fast even during peak dinner rushes.

The **spicy dishes** deliver on heat— the boiled fish in green pepper sauce swims in vibrant red oil with explosive mala kick, tender slices soaking up that tongue-numbing buzz. The mapo tofu is silky and fragrant with Sichuan pepper, while the grilled whole fish crackles with cumin and chili rub. If you crave that face-tingling spice high, Uncle Chili absolutely satisfies; the flavors pop and the heat lingers just right.

That said, authenticity takes a hit for me. The oil pools are generous (classic Sichuan style), but here it feels heavier and slightly refined rather than the rustic, fermented depth I’ve had in Chengdu or even Flushing spots. After a few bites, the oiliness overshadowed the nuances, and I couldn’t finish portions I normally would—points deducted there, even though everything looked and felt clean.

Still, for Rowland Heights, it’s one of the bolder Sichuan options, great for spice chasers who don’t mind the grease factor. Solid execution, fair portions, and friendly vibes keep it in rotation. I’ll return, but probably stick to drier dishes next time or ask for less oil. Worth trying if you’re in the area and need a mala fix.“

“Compared to a few years ago, a few of the menu classics from Kawasanja are still there!And then the surprise is that there are a lot of new dishes too!“

“We came here for lunch on a Sunday and waited for 45 mins before being seated. There were only two women working the front dining room and since service was slow, table turnovers were slow too. So expect a wait but the food was very good.

We like that they have pictures on their menus. We ordered the dan dan noodles, the chong qing noodles (my favorite), the pork chop noodle, youpo noodle, and xiao long bao. All were good and portions were large.

I do like the spicy mala flavors and that's in quite a lot of their dishes. Mild still has a kick to it, fyi.

The parking lot is too small for the restaurants in shopping area as is common in a lot of Asian areas. But there are plenty of free street parking around.“

“Authentic Sichuan flavors, finally. The catering worked out really well for a small gathering, big bold heat but not just spicy for no reason. Mapo tofu had that deep numbing kick, veggies still had some crunch. Friendly, low‑key communication, everything on time, no fuss.“

“This place serves Sichuan style Chinese cuisine. Highly recommended. They operate more on food to go but has a small space for 14 diners. Paying in cash expedites service by a lot.

I ordered their Kung Pao Chicken and Fish in Black Bean Sauce. It was served fresh and hot, with steamed rice. Kung Pao Chicken was meaty and really has a good balance of flavors and spiciness. The Fish in Black Bean Sauce was soft, flaky, saucy and not too salty to taste.

Food was served at almost in an instant, around 5 mins from ordering. The serving is very generous, good for 2-3 people for 1 order (see photo), depending on your appetite. For the food price ranged around $10+, it is a steal. Customer service is nice and the lady is very quick on her feet.

Plenty of parking outside. No restrooms though. Come here with an empty stomach and bladder.

I would return here next time to try their Hot Pot, Spicy Chicken Nuggets and Mapo Tofu. 🌶🍛“

“This restaurant has all the qualities of an exquisite Szechuan cuisine. The typically fragrance of the famous dishes will inspire you surrounded by the authentic Chengdu ambiance is a highly recommendation.“

“Food is delicious! If you like spicy can try it. If not, you can order one for non-spicy. Many different choices!“

“Pretty nice Sichuan restaurant at the mall. The food definitely stacks up to the competition. The sauerkraut fish was a must order and the fish tasted very fresh, the sauerkraut was crunchy and the soup was perfect. You also get to choose your sides for the sauerkraut fish and we opted for potato noodles, which turned out great as it soaked up the juices. The Chongqing chicken was good fried crunchiness. It could have been spicier, but was a good dish to complement the rice. Our little one opted for the tomato noodles with chicken wings and it tasted pretty good for a kid’s meal, not like something pre-made. The appetizer platter was just okay. While the wings were yummy, the fries were kind of weak and the third item was some sort of fried pork which was bland and soggy. Probably the coolest part of the experience was they had a convertible high chair for the booth seats which made it super convenient to seat the little one on the inside of the booth. The service was okay, as it seemed like there were too many service staff standing around in one area and they often looked confused as who to attend to. Overall our meal was yummy and we’d return.“

“I’m dinning in with a group of friends and we are making a lot of special requests but the host is very patient and is taking very good care of us. We finish all the food and order more to go. The spicy bowl is amazing! And we finished the spicy bowl and order another one to go!!! Loving this place and would come back again!“

“The food was amazing. Everything we had was good. They are a great place to visit late at night because of their late hours. The atmosphere was very upbeat and joyful. Service was very fast and on top of everything. 2 for 1 adult sodas were an unexpected plus also. Will definitely be visiting again next time I'm in town.“

“One of the BEST eating experiences I've ever had.
Not only had I never been here before,
But I had never tried Szechuan food.

I'm not local to this area, but my friends one day were raving about this place. We drove over 40 minutes to go here,
And honestly I didn't expect too much,
Just wanted to hang with the boys,
But once I took my first bite-
Wwwaaaaoooooowww. I was SO surprised at how unique and delicious this flavor was.

We ordered a lamb plate, where they served it with toothpicks, I'm uncertain of the name of the dish,
But my goodness. It was one of the best things I've eaten. I love spice, and this was spice in such a unique way that I had never had before. My lips were numb, not in an uncomfortable way, but in a truly exciting way as far as a food experience is.

We also got other plates,
But to me the clear stand out was the lamb dish with the toothpicks.

If this place was any closer,
I'd be paying rent there, eating there like 3 times a week 😂

The staff is friendly and extremely accommodating, attentive, and helpful.

Our dishes came with this lovely tea, and perfectly steamed rice.

It was such a satisfying experience all around that I had to write this review to support their business.

Now, I don't think I'll be able to eat Szechuan food anywhere else and honestly- I am not upset about that.

If you haven't tried this hidden gem,
It's with the trip out to experience it.

Parking is... Horrible honestly, the restaurant faces a busy street,
But even still,
It's absolutely worth going here.

Bring anyone who's like me and hasn't tried Szechuan before,
And they'll be just as happy with their experience as I was.

Look forward to coming back here in the future.“

“Very good food. Clean and fast service.“

“I came here for a meal and was really impressed! I ordered the Beef Fried Rice and the Hunan-Style Fried Pork Slices, and both dishes tasted very authentic. The flavors were rich, well-balanced, and just what I was hoping for. The service was friendly and the atmosphere felt welcoming, making it a great place to enjoy a good Chinese meal. I’d definitely come back again !“

“Try The Indo Fried Rice… You will love it😀“