Szechuan Restaurants near Arlington, VA

“It took me 8 years to find a great Chinese restaurant and this is it! I order from here almost weekly now. The best part about the food is you can select the spicy level of many of the dishes, and I love it spicy! I’m talking REAL spicy - not weak American-standard spicy, and they deliver. Fire in my mouth, runny nose, and tears spicy. I love it!“

“The food was very tasty and quality of service was excellent“

“Based this experience, I can only give a 'reluctant' 4-stars *only* because the ingredients used were really fresh. Past Peter Chang visits at other locations seem like the entrees were created for tourists and this theme seems to have permeated to this location as well. It's been a mystery on what the Peter Chang created cuisine is meant to celebrate since the Chinese entrees carry marketed Sichuan or Chengdu flavors that are very muted, lackluster, and just brand-name expensive.

What is carrying the 4-star is the use of very fresh ingredients which is an absolute must if a restaurant wants to survive in this super-affluent McLean neighborhood; otherwise, I would have assigned a 3-star rating. We ordered the Dry-spicy combo hot pot, Chengdu seafood with crispy rice, Dragon eggplang with garlic sauce, and Amish duck bone soup with pickled radish.

What made dinner enjoyable? ..... the highly considerate staff. Again, good staff service would be a must in this affluent McLean neighborhood. Other than fresh ingredients and considerate service, I can pass on visiting Peter Chang moving forward.

Why pass on Peter Chang for me? We ordered the most Sichuan/Chengu spicy entree and nothing was ma-la/chengdu/sichuan spicy at all (this was the biggest let down of the entire dinner). The eggplant was cloyingly, aggressively too sweet. The Amish duck soup was supremely salty. And the Chengdu seafood entree was only adequate. Now the plating is another awkward story. The plating for all dishes were not practical at all and the spoon utensil seems more for show than ladling any liquid at the bottom of the bowl or plate. The dry hot pot swiveled like a gryoscope whenever you are mixing ingredients to prevent burnt food at the bottom. The huge bowl for the Chengdu seafood had such a small base, it could tip at any moment. Come to think of it, the plating and dishware seem to be prioritized higher than the flavor of the food. On top of all this, the price for each entree is nose-bleed high for the lack of authenticity in the entree recipes. To add insult to injury, each bowl of white rice was billed separately and didn't come with ordered entrees.“

“This restaurant has the best Orange Chicken I've ever had! Although it looks like a lovely place to eat, I've only had carryout from this restaurant, and the service as a carryout customer has been great!“

“This place has definitely improved.It use to smell really bad but that has changed. The menu changed and for the better. The popcorn chicken is really good, as well as the orange and fish! The friend rice isn’t great. The mango chicken has way too much sauce. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this place.“

“Excellent service and fresh food. Menu has a good variety with lots of price points to accommodate everyone's budget.
Ordered Singapore Noodles, 1/2 peking Duck, Beef and Broccoli, and Green Onion Cake. This was enough for dinner and 3 lunches to go.“

“Had the general tso’s chicken and my wife got the hunan chicken with lo mein. It was delicious! I’ve been looking for a simple neighborhood Chinese spot with classic dishes for years. Finally found my place, will definitely be coming back.“

“Panda Gourmet is phenomenal. The food is so delicious, and the prices are great. The string beans, eggplant, Mongolian lamb, and spicy chicken are key highlights. Seriously, the food is phenomenal.

One note: Panda Gourmet is really designed for family style. Come with a group, 6 or more so that you can get the variety and also share the dishes. If you're just ordering for yourself, you'll probably miss out on some of the best, since a dish that is literally 100% green beans/eggplant with nothing else is a very weird meal even if the taste is amazing!“

“While the food at NeqBigWong was satisfying after a long night of live music, the overall experience was marred by the behavior of other patrons. Unfortunately, the staff seemed overwhelmed by the unruly and intoxicated crowd, which led to a tense and unpleasant atmosphere.
We narrowly avoided witnessing a physical altercation as we were about to place our order. It's clear that the staff is doing their best to maintain a positive environment, but the disruptive behavior of some customers is creating a challenging work environment.
Despite the negative aspects, the food itself was enjoyable and helped to alleviate some of the frustration. If you're planning a visit, it's advisable to be prepared for potential disruptions and to arrive at a time when the crowd is less rowdy.“