50 Best Chinese Restaurants near Lexington

“Thanks to everyone at the Beijing restaurant in Lexington, Ma. I met my wife here, and have fond memories of our first meeting. Good food and great atmosphere! There is also a nice outside patio deck. Highly recommended. Thank you,
Mike & Qin“

“Wide variety of very good food BUT, unless you speak Chinese, ordering by phone or even online is AGONY. They should hire a fluent high school kid.“

“Formosa Taipei is a stylish and welcoming spot with a great atmosphere that really captures a modern Taiwanese dining aesthetic. The service is attentive and warm, adding genuine hospitality to the experience. The food, however, is where it falls a little short — decent Taiwanese-inspired dishes but lacking the bold, authentic flavors you'd hope for from a restaurant with such a strong concept and name. With more depth and authenticity in the cooking, Formosa Taipei could be a truly standout destination.“

“Decided to walk through Allston on a grody, misty afternoon and look for some food. Walked in by chance and at my SO’s insistence that we give it a look. I loved everything about the aesthetic, and enjoyed the soft music playing in the background. Being able to choose the ingredients I wanted - knowing they were organic and that they looked more than delicious raw...that was the absolute best part. The gentleman at the front was supremely helpful and answered any question thrown at him - by anyone in the shop. The price was more than worth the amount of food received, and the care extended to us as guests was wonderful. I absolutely would recommend anyone to give this a try. Don’t hesitate to ask a question, you will definitely get an answer. :)“

“Not bad at all! Everything tasted good, although I wish the hand-cut noodles hadn’t been so uniform in their shape so I didn’t question their “hand” cut ness.
The beef scallion pancake was very nice, and thinly sliced scallion inside reminded me of Beijing duck flavors. It was quite sweet.
The pan fried buns were tasty, though maybe not the best I’ve had in Boston.
I would say that this restaurant has actually Chinese food, but seems very accessible and friendly to non-Chinese people who might be intimidated by anything too authentic.
Despite being quite full on Friday night, there was no wait for a table for 2.“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stone Pot Green Pepper Fish was absolutely amazing! 🔥

It arrived at the table still sizzling, and the aroma instantly made everyone hungry. The fish was incredibly tender and fresh, with no fishy taste at all. Every bite was soft, flaky, and perfectly cooked.

The green peppers added a bright, fragrant heat — spicy but not overwhelmingly intense. The broth had a subtle numbing kick from Sichuan peppercorns, but it didn’t overpower the natural flavor of the fish. Everything was well-balanced and layered with flavor.

It pairs perfectly with white rice, and honestly, I couldn’t stop eating it. So happy to find such authentic Sichuan flavor in Boston. Definitely a must-order dish and one I will come back for! 🔥“

““Chongqing Yellow Pea Noodles” 🍜 chewy but not sticky, nothing will beat this spicy Chongqing noodles.
Don’t sleep on their dry noodle “Sichuan Pepper Meat Sauce Noodle” incredible delicious, the first bite transported me back to China.

Wow, just had the most delicious soup dumplings 🥟 filled with savory broth as well as meat. Bobo chicken is one of the signature dishes, flavorful, spicy 🌶️ lovely 🥰“

“Great food! Amazing lunch specials! Too much food I had to take home leftovers“

“I love the food, but the location is terrible. The wait is awful. The door and the wind tunnel effect is awful. Parking awful. Again love the food, especially the pan fried Shanghai style pork buns. The best. Just wish they were somewhere else.“

“Had my doubts, I went to the restaurant relatively late at night, and the atmosphere was a bit creepy, maybe because of the lighting. But the staffs are very friendly, and the food is incredible, especially with the price point. Will be coming back, maybe I'll try dining in next time...“

“Thank you to Chef Jon for allowing us to pick up a package of frozen dumplings during our visit to Artifact on Memorial Day. Cooked them up tonight and they were delicious, as was the edamame salad!!“

“Found this place on Google & Pinterest. So glad we gave it a try. The chicken corn soup was sweet and delicious, we had pork and cabbage dumplings, spring rolls, hot tea, fried rice and kimchi. It was all delicious. I don’t use chop sticks so they brought me a fork. Would highly recommend this place it was busy but we don’t have to wait long for a table and they had a steady line of to go orders going out as well.“

“A gathering with project colleagues. The cooking method was fairly authentic, but the spiciness was only at the Cantonese level.

Fish Fillet with Hot Chili Sauce水煮魚片: As expected of their signature dish! The basa fish fillets were incredibly tender, the Sichuan peppercorns were fragrant but not numbing, and the overall flavor was oily but not greasy. The server would remove the chilies after serving, so there was no need to worry about the spiciness.

Beef Fillets & Cabbage with Hot Chili Sauce水煮牛肉: Redder and spicier than the boiled fish. The Sichuan people present commented that this was the only dish with flavor. The beef was very tender; although you could taste the tenderizing powder, it wasn't a big problem. Scallions and Szechuan peppercorns contributed much to the fragrance.

Pork Intestine with Preserved Vegetable酸菜大腸: Surprisingly, it tasted like... Hakka cuisine? The pork intestines were cut on the thicker side, not the usual kind, but the slightly sour and spicy flavor with a light thickening was just right.

Spicy Frog in Fried Pot乾鍋牛蛙: Despite the name, there was a lot of sauce; the bullfrog meat was too tough and chewy. Not recommended.

Ma Po Tofu (With minced pork)麻婆豆腐: Very delicious! The tofu was very tender, and the Sichuan peppercorns were very fragrant.

Duck with Peking Plum Sauce京醬鴨片: The duck was mushy and lacked texture, and the Beijing plum sauce was heavily diluted. I had a feeling of not knowing what I had eaten.

Sichuan Spicy Dumpling紅油水餃: I loved them!! The dumplings were large, the filling was generous, and the skin was on the thicker side, giving them a good chewy and firm texture. Besides the chili oil and peanuts, there was a hint of vinegar, which was very refreshing.

Steamed Juicy Pork Bun小籠包: The restaurant claims they are handmade daily. Plenty of soup filling, but slightly oily; the skin was chewy but not dry, unfortunately one was broken. If this isn't the case for most places, then Fuchun Ju excels in its fillings, while Zoe's excels in its skins; both are comparable and worth trying.“

“The quality of the food was pretty good. The House Lo Mein with hand-pulled noodles was tasty (not very different from chow fun I’ve had elsewhere, though, in both flavor and composition). General Gao’s chicken was small pieces of white meat, which I appreciated versus the poor-quality bits rolled into balls of batter you usually get. And the vegetarian dumplings came with a delicious dipping sauce. But these 3 items, delivered, cost me $50. $50?! For two takeout entrees and an appetizer?“

“We had a fantastic dinner experience at this restaurant. The hot pot was absolutely delicious, and every ingredient was fresh and flavorful. Even more impressive, I accidentally left my purse behind, and the staff went above and beyond to help me retrieve it quickly. Their honesty and kindness really stood out. Plus, they have this great 20% discount after 10 PM, which was such a nice bonus. Overall, highly recommend this place not just for the food but for the amazing service!“

“This place is so good. Best Uyghur food I’ve had in New England. We tried 6 entrees and enjoyed all of them. The only thing we weren’t a fan of were the dumplings and samosas because they’re very cumin forward. We received our food really quickly as well. If you’re looking for a halal Asian food spot check them out“

“I think their chicken wings really taste like McDonald’s spicy chicken wings in China! ! ! ! There is nothing like Korean fried chicken in Boston, but every time you want to eat domestic taste, this is the fried chicken! And that chicken fillet roll really tastes like the old Beijing chicken roll “

“The food is great and short wait time.“

“Wanted to try their lunch specials. The portions were very large and reasonably priced. You get only white rice and soup with your Entree. Portions are big enough to share. Big choice of classic Chinese food. You would need to order appetizers extra if you want it. Fried rice is on the dinner menu, but lunch is only white rice. Dinner portions are large enough to share. Next time we will order one dinner entree, one order fried rice or lo-mein, and one appetizer about the same price as 2 lunches.“

“always my "go to" - great food and really nice people!!😀“

“IFresh Noodle is a Chinese restaurant well known for their hand pulled noodles and other Chinese dishes. The place was closed for a long time due to a fire, but reopened this year with a new, more modern design.

We got takeout, but the service was fast and the food was prepped quickly. We tried the hand pulled lamb cumin noodles, the skewers, and popcorn chicken with the thai basil seasoning. The popcorn chicken was just alright, fried well but did get a bit soggy, the seasoning wasn't too strong but did have the signature taste of thai basil. The skewer was average, not a lot of seasoning on it as well, but did taste good.

The hand pulled noodles is where it stood out. The flavor on the noodles were good, and the hand pulled noodles were stringy and not overly firm. The spice wasn't too spicy, and everything paired well together.“

“always amazing! large portions of fresh delicious foods. service and drinks equally good. you won't be disappointed!“

“A wonderful tiki bar! We loved the food and creative cocktails.“

“First time ordering here . It was delicious.“

“Very homey, authentic food!

The house special tender beef is delicious! Great flavor and texture, and not too spicy. I also liked the woodear mushroom salad, and appreciated that it was more savory than sour.

The fish fillet with shrimp, tofu, and vegetables dish wasn't what I expected (I thought it would be braised, but it's a clear sauce) but it was very comforting and filling. The steamed eggs with clam and fish were good -- the egg was very soft -- but didn't have a lot of flavor on its own. The baby bok choy was nice and fresh.

Overall I liked the meat better than the seafood here, so I would probably try more meat dishes next time!“

“Best Chinese food ever, best waitress Cindy,“

“There was a moment where I genuinely spaced out and thought I was just back in a small casual restaurant somewhere in China.
It makes me wonder whether places like this even expect to serve non Chinese speakers. The food is great, the price is reasonable, and more people really should try this type of service and cooking. At the same time, the whole space feels like it runs on its own reality and rhythm. In that sense, writing this entire review in English might not even make sense, because non Chinese speakers reading reviews like this might still choose not to come here. Anyway, this contradiction and the parallel pocket reality are part of the experience itself.“

“Delicious and reasonably priced! The high was the gluten free menu which made it simple to know exactly what I could eat (they also have gluten free soy sauce). Waitress answered all of my questions and made me feel comfortable eating there with celiac disease!“

“We order the fresh hand-pulled noodles all the time here – it’s probably our favorite takeout in the neighborhood. Always absolutely delicious – I particularly like the ones with fermented spicy chili paste. They have cleaned up the restaurant a bit since the dark days of Covid, so it’s actually pleasant to eat in. But there’s nothing like leftover noodles in the fridge for a delicious snack…“

“Asia Wok is a local favorite and has been for decades. Before that the current owner worked for Tom, in his beautiful restaurant on Brighton Avenue. It has the old style Cantonese American food that I grew up with and still love. Food is delicious and the restaurant has the best value for the money of any eatery in Allston. The owner does his own delivery and the chefs are the real deal. If you miss that kind of delicious Chinese food this is definitely the place to order from.“

“Best Chinese food around and the best customer service! Always so friendly and the foods always fresh! I highly recommend“

“Best Chinese food ever!! drinks awesome...love the Lychee Martini...Best sushi, General Gau chicken, pork fried rice etc etc...always top notch food. it was very busy and service can be challenging but staff always smiling and tremendous efforts made. Thank you to all that made a wonderful meal“

“Mala Restaurant is a well known Chinese restaurant serving mala dry pot and other spicy dishes near the Packard's Corner area of Allston.

The service is quick, there is smaller tables at the location so it may not be for larger parties, but take-out is an easy process and comes out quick.

We got the mala dry pot, squid skewer, and szechuan noodles. The szechuan noodles was packed to the brim, though all the oil sat at the bottom so mixing it within the container was not feasible, and it was dry on top without the mixing. The squid skewer was good, chewy with a nice flavor and seasoning. The mala dry pot stood out, not too spicy but can add more spice if needed. The portion sizes is good, with the small being in one container and large being in two. For the price, they give you a decent amount.“

“my favorite rest. they are the best.ask for george!“

“Came here twice already. Once with just my fiance and child and this time for my fiances birthday. I'm super glad they accommodated my party of 13. Will definitely be returning in the future.

Definitely recommend the egg fried rice, lamb bone hotpot, potato chips, beef kebab. Intially came because I missed the beef and lamb skewers back from when i visited China. I gotta admit this place is the real deal and is authentic.

Snapped a photo of the Hotpot and the lamb shank, didn't have time to snap the other food because everyone ate it so fast.“

“The food is absolutely amazing, so fresh. 2nd visit and will definitely be back. The staff is so pleasant and I can’t say enough about the foods we tried. Can’t wait to go again at try a few more items on the menu.“

“excellent authentic chinese food (not chinese american, actual chinese cuisine), good portion sizes, and quick service even when busy. less expensive than mulan, the only other authentic chinese restaurant in the area. easy to order with the qr code on each table. new favorite restaurant in waltham! favorite dishes: fish fillet with chili, stir fried beef & tomatoes, beef with horn peppers“

“It was our first time here. Sushi was great. Staff was also very pleasant. The restaurant itself was a very nice environment nice seating and lighting. The presentation of the sushi was amazing! It came in a beautifully designed boat steaming with dried ice and beautiful decorations! They had a pretty decent size menu. Absolutely going back.“

“I ordered two dishes and both had mild flavors that weren’t overpowering, making them enjoyable for anyone. I tried the Mapo Tofu and the thick noodles served with bok choy in a slightly spicy and tangy sauce. The noodles seemed to be handmade and had a great chewy texture. Even though I’m sensitive to strong spices and usually can’t handle heavily seasoned Chinese food, everything here suited me really well. I would recommend this place to anyone who prefers clean and well-balanced flavors.“

“Very good food and service“

“Updating my previous review after we visited Liyin again a few more time. The food has much improved. The congee is tasty, much better than before. The beef chow fung noodle has a great texture and flavor. Their in house hot chili oil is a great complement to the beef noodles. The shrimp rice roll is our favorite rice roll. It has scallions inside which enhances the flavor. We tried the hot milk tea and it's very authentic, like the ones in Hong Kong, and you can order it with desired sweetness level.

The staff is friendly, efficient, accommodating and able to speak Cantonese. I appreciate and enjoy that as part of the whole dining experience. Liyin is a great addition to the neighborhood.“

“Second time reviewing this spot, it was even better than before. We eat a lot of Chinese food in the area and it’s rare that I enjoy each individual dish that we order, so much. My wife and I firmly believe the cauliflower is the best we’ve ever had. Specifically impressed with all the seafood and vegetable preparations but everything is excellent and presented so nicely. The food is not too heavy either, so even when eating heartily you won’t leave feeling too stuffed. Can’t wait to return.

As a side note, the staff were very sweet and accommodating to our three month old who joined us.“

“One of the best Chinese restaurants closest to #ArlingtonMA“

“This place is great authentic Chinese food! You can tell they take pride in there food! I came up from SC to visit my parents and wanted to try this place because of the great reviews. This is my parents new favorite Chinese place for sure. Thanks, yall!“

“Very good food even listens to modifications, and always gets them right. This is the only place I go to for Chinese food now.“

“Their unique Hand-pulled Ginger Chicken is delicious, authentic, and no where to be found in Boston. For the many times I’ve been here, I’ve never had any issues with the service. The servers here all have better attitude and attentiveness than the traditional Chinese restaurants that serve authentic Chinese food.

I understand that some people may find their food to be bland, as this is a Hong Kong-style eatery. Hong Kong is not a city known for spicy salty food. In fact, established as an international trading port of the Canton province, the city’s cuisine should reflect the Cantonese culture that values health and the original taste of food.

I must applaud the owner of this restaurant for their courage and integrity. During a time when spicy Szechuan food seems like the favorite child in town, this restaurant holds its ground and keeps cooking Hong Kong-style food like how they should be.

I’d encourage everyone to forgo the typical expectation for Chinese food like “wok” and give this place a try. In a sense, Baby Cafe can be a particularly non-Chinese friendly restaurant as it presents non-spicy options that are still delicious and authentic.“

“High quality of food and service“

“I ordered the Beef Noodle Soup. Very generous portions, good prices, and delicious broth. Minus one star only because the beef was a bit dry, I would have preferred a slightly fattier cut if possible. Other than that, absolutely delicious and would definitely come again. Photo of menu attached taken on 6/29/24.“

“My favorite place for Chinese food. So fresh and amazing. You have to try the chicken egg foo young with its special sauce. To die for!!!“