50 Best Chinese Restaurants near Somerville

“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!!“

“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.“

“Thank you Alan and Lotus Xpress for catering my husband's surprise 50th birthday party. Alan, you were wonderful to work with during the planning process- providing options and tending to all the details. The food was AMAZING! Delicious and a great variety. The day of the event, it was such a relief to have you there- catering to our 75 guests. As the host of the party, it gave me great ease knowing you were tending to the buffet and I was able to relax and tend to the guests! The food made the event. Thank you for helping make the event a success!“

“Decided to check this place out after seeing a Tik Tok about it and it got my hunger juices flowing. It didn’t disappoint as the cucumber salad was tasty and the beef and shrimp dumplings were very good as well. Fast and friendly service and i sat outside and enjoyed every bite. $20 and some change was worth it to me to want to come back and have my Saturday tennis brunch group to check it out soon…“

“Not sure how this place only has 3.7 stars. It’s everything you want a Chinese place to be. Cheap and yummy. When I’m hungover and need something to make me feel like it’s going to be okay this is the #1 spot. Crab rang goons are perfect.“

“Chow N Joy is my all time favorite Asian restaurant. I get Korean fish dogs plus whatever strikes my fancy: salt and pepper pork chops, sesame chicken, house pad thai, mmmm beef chow foon, all hot and ready by the time I walk to pick it up. It's even better to pick up than get it delivered because I have the pleasurable anticipation of carrying the parcel home. This is my comfort food destination, outstanding and easy.“

“My new go-to spot for late night Chinese food.

Saw these spots popping up around the GBA a couple of months ago. At first glance, I figured it was just another low-tier takeout-focused Chinese joint. But after catching one of their flyers, I decided to give it a shot.

The place seemed fairly new, and the cleanliness was definitely a step up from your average Chinese takeout spot. Their menu is a bit of a mash-up, featuring both Chinese dishes and sushi rolls, but I wasn’t quite ready to roll the dice on sushi from here. I stuck with the classics (Twice cooked pork, shumai, etc), and most things I tried were solid. Prices aren’t exactly a steal, but the portions are generous, and the staff have always been friendly.

Compared to the late-night spots in Chinatown that I used to go to, the real perk of Dumpling Garden is the hassle-free street parking. Sure, the ratings might not be high, but I would still recommend giving them a try.“

“amazing food. INCREDIBLE service. can not say enough good things about my experience there last night.“

“extremely attentive staff, our meal was brought very promptly. bathroom could accommodate my wheelchair easily. we loved spending a special night there, and are already looking forward to our return visit“

“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.“

“We definitely enjoyed our meal! Pan seared pork bao and mala duck for appetizers. General Tso’s chicken and Grandma’s pork noodles for entrees. Good stuff! Kyle the bartender was awesome. We ate at the bar,“

“I was there at Jian Nan Syosset, Long Island. Everything went great!! But, those took the orders needed to be more educated to understand each dishes. We were a fairly larger group than standard party size. Some dished were small and some dim sum served with small quantities, like 3 or 4. Those who order for the large group, should give suggestion to order multiple orders for the same dish. So, each one in the group can have at least one.“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.“

“We have a new office in Boston. So periodically I drive down from our main office to the Boston location and every time I do, I have resolved to try a new restaurant. This was today’s choice and it was SPECTACULAR! My server was fantastic. The food came out quickly and was insanely good. I didn’t know how big my stir-fried rice cake bowl would be so I ordered the sweet and sour pork loin to go with it. But the rice cake bowl was huge and tasted incredible. Lots of heat, lots of fresh prepared veggies and meat. 10/10 would recommend that dish. The pork tenderloin I tried and 10/10 would recommend it as well. The location is a bit small and that is literally the only nit I can pick. If you’re in this area, get some take out or eat in , you won’t regret it!!“

“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.“

“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...“

“SO YUMMY. Definitely worth the time to get in here. We were tipped onto it because of its Michelin recommendation. We went early to beat the rush, and I'm glad we did because people were starting to line up around 5:30! Can't wait to dine there again.“

“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.“

“香港に居るような雰囲気‼️goodd(⌒ー⌒)!“

“I dined in alone and ordered their black pepper beef chow fun and it was great. My waitress was pretty accommodating and I also had a great time chatting with her. She even treated me to a free bowl of dessert. Overall, really nice and genuine people.“

“I’m surprised this place only got 4 reviews averaging 4. As Chinese who grew up in China this is one of the best and authentic places I’ve had over the years on the east coast. It may not be the fanciest but one of the warmest and most delicious and authentic places. Deserves a lot more traffic and better reviews than it has gotten. Extra bonus: you get to meet a friendly Caucasian waiter who speaks perfect mandarin.“

“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!“

“The food is great and short wait time.“

“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?“

“FOOD WAS AMAZING service was even better it did not disappoint whatsoever! first time trying chili oil im in love😍 everything was warm nd fresh. Leila was me and my friends server for the night
we both just got off of work so you know we were hungry and that Layla girl got us real good again I recommends try the wonton soup at the chili oil in it and try the shrimp pan fried dumplings recommended by Leila!“

“Big Fun Claypot is a great addition to Brookline. It's clean and near a green line stop. The servers are polite and attentive. The salt and pepper is perfectly flavored and not dry. The beef chow fun has the wok energy taste but its on the oily side. As for the claypot rice itself, I ordered the eel which had a few bones in it but the eel was seasoned well.“

“Recently had lunch here for the first time and it was soooooo good. Delicious food, warm ambience and really nice staff.“

“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 “

“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.“

“Actually BEST noodle place in Boston… I just WISH they had an option to add more noodles!! I want moreeee!! I absolutely love the Biang Biang noodles and the LanZhou La Mian, just so flavorful, and tastes so fresh and noodles are cooked perfectly. Small restaurant, not good for >2 ppl. Takes a bit of time for the food to come, but idc it’s so good. But plssss add an option to add noodles or get a bigger size bc I wanna eat more more more!“

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

“Very delicious fish seafood noodle restaurant. Use to visit their pearl mall outlet restaurant as it’s very near to my working place. Recommended!! Cheers.“

“What a hidden gem. I am surprised that people are not lining up outside their door to eat there. In my opinion they have some of the best Chinese food I ever had. We had the garlic eggplant and the Stir fried Tofu. The two dished were perfectly done in both taste and texture. Very reasonable prices as well. This is the second time we were there and plan to go back many more times.“

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

“We all thoroughly enjoyed our Hot Pot Buffet. Great value for high quality ingredients that were very fresh. We tried several choices not typically found at other restaurants. Our fantastic wait staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and highly efficient. We recommend Fairy Cafe and will definitely be back.“

“This place is an undercover gem. In the land and times of terrible American/Chinese food, this place stands out. I took the gamble and will certainly be back for more. The sushi was very fresh and the beef and mushroom was surprisingly high quality. If anyone is on the fence, do it.“

“I love eating there. Dim sum and dinner menu .“

“As for my overall impression — I'm still on the fence about whether they truly work. What I can say is that the experience is pleasant: they taste great, they're soft and chewy, don't stick to your teeth, and leave no weird aftertaste. That said, my energy levels day-to-day still feel inconsistent. Some days I feel great, other days my energy crashes. I've also noticed they seem to amplify the effects of coffee when I have both together.As for my overall impression — I'm still on the fence about whether they truly work. What I can say is that the experience is pleasant: they taste great, they're soft and chewy, don't stick to your teeth, and leave no weird aftertaste. That said, my energy levels day-to-day still feel inconsistent. Some days I feel great, other days my energy crashes. I've also noticed they seem to amplify the effects of coffee when I have both together.I ordered the Egg Foo Young combo with crab rangoon, and I enjoyed it so much that I'm already planning a second order to explore the menu further.
The crab rangoon had a satisfying crunch on the outside, though the fold style isn't quite my personal preference — that said, the filling was flavorful and delicious, so it's a minor quibble. The flavors throughout were well-balanced, with nothing overpowering anything else.
The Egg Foo Young came with a deep, dark brown gravy that was rich and full of flavor. There was plenty of it, too, which I appreciated — I never felt like I was scraping the bottom. It's honestly some of the best Egg Foo Young I've had in a long time.
Now, the rice deserves a special mention. There's something noticeably different about it — in the best possible way. It was plump, moist, and well-seasoned without being salty or greasy. It had a quality and heartiness to it that you don't usually find at your average Chinese restaurant; none of that thin, quick-to-dry-out variety here. I could have eaten a bowl on its own.
This was my first time ordering, so maybe I just got lucky with a great dish — but something tells me this place is the real deal. Either way, I'll definitely be back, and I'd highly recommend giving them a try.“

“Listen I'm a New Yorker so I know about hole in the wall joints and mom & pops place, this place was both. You would miss it if you don't pay attention. My wife and I stumbled upon this place and believe us these positive reviews aren't lying. From the beautiful staff, the food, the price, and atmosphere all was wonderful. We will be going back. An if this place reads reviews place change nothing and nothing needs to be important, it's great just the way it is.“

“This restaurant offers authentic Chinese cuisine and is a great choice for those looking to experience traditional Chinese home-style dishes. The prices are very reasonable. However, the restaurant is relatively simple in terms of ambiance, and parking is only available on the roadside, so plan accordingly. Overall, it’s ideal for those who prioritize taste!“

“Excellent food. Great prices.. friendly service

Vegetarian options: Fresh veggies

Dietary restrictions: Sf options

Parking: There r several spots but it's a strip plaza with a cat shelter on one end so pkg can be challenging“

“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!“

“One of the best Chinese takeout place in town. Fast and attentive service. Very good value. My favorites are the chicken wings and Singapore rice noodle. Other dishes are worth a try too. Highly recommended if you don't want to cook and don't want to break the bank.“

“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.“

“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…“