86 Best Restaurants in USA

This bustling, lunch-only classic dating back to 1958 serves some of San Francisco's best dim sum to office workers on weekdays and boisterous families on weekends, and the take-out counter makes a satisfying meal on the run. The several dozen varieties prepared daily include the classic and the creative; steamed pork buns, shrimp dumplings, scallop skewers, and basil seafood dumplings are among the many delights. Crowds are just as large at its nearby Rincon Center sibling.

The chef at this few-frills restaurant with seating outdoors under a massive poplar tree or inside at the bar and a handful of tables prepares pan-Chinese comfort cuisine. Dishes that might include pork wonton noodle soup, spicier Taiwan beef noodle soup, congee (rice porridge), sizzling black cod, and Szechuan mapo tofu with black bean sauce are easy to appreciate on their culinary merits, the bonus being the sense of deep cultural attachment underpinning them.

A sleek new location for this Philadelphia stalwart means more space, a full bar, and less waiting for Dim Sum Garden's exemplary soup dumplings, but you can still sneak a peek through the window in the middle of the dining room to see the restaurant's staff fold the delicate wrappings around the porky fillings. The family-owned restaurant also does a brisk business in hand-stretched noodles, steamed chicken dumplings, and pan-fried beef dumplings. 

Flushing has plenty of casual sit-down spots and street-style hawker stands, but Guan Fu is on another level, presenting legitimately tongue-tingling, lip-burning Sichuan dishes in an elegant, upscale environment. The mapo tofu, a staple of any good Sichuan restaurant, is impeccable over rice, and the boiled fish is a soupy symphony of spicy and sour flavors. What’s more, this restaurant pays homage to the classic Chinese American restaurants of old with its bamboo screens, elaborate metal serving ware, and two lion statues outside.

Hong Kong street food comes to life at this lively and architecturally stunning restaurant inside The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The first U.S. outpost of the Hong Kong original, it features specialties such as applewood-smoked 42-day Peking duck, as well as dim sum, lobster prepared like mapo tofu, and imported wagyu beef. Brunch 32 offers dishes such as crab roe siu mai from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm weekends, and The Dim Sum Social goes from 1 to 3:30 pm Fridays. The restaurant’s design is notable; put together by Joyce Wang in collaboration with Maximal Concepts, the vibe blends urban industrial with Chinese Imperial elements. Be on the lookout for the circular table with a roulette wheel in the center.  The famous Peking duck has to be ordered at least 24 hours in advance, but the numbers are limited, so order it as far in advance as possible.

Pink and orange dragon decals cover the windows of this all-day Chinese café, where Joanne Chang (of Flour bakery fame) taps her familial cooking roots to create shareable platters of creative dumplings, wok-charred udon noodles, and stir-fries brimming with fresh ingredients and plenty of hot chili peppers, garlic, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, and lime. The staff is young and fun, and the crowd generally follows suit. On Monday through Wednesday nights from 4 to 9 pm, the Great Date Night prix fixe menu for two is a bargain. Weekends are packed for the Dim Sum brunch menu.

With all the panache of an Asian royal palace, this fine-dining restaurant serves some of the choicest Chinese food on the Strip. Chefs present contemporary French-inspired cuisine that blends the Cantonese, Shanghai, and Sichuan traditions. The decadent imperial Peking duck dinner, carved table-side, is a showstopper, but don't overlook options that could include fried prawns with candied walnuts and a kalamansi-honey sauce, garlic beef tenderloin with black-pepper sauce, or the amazing Three Cup Sea Bass with ginger-soy reduction. Vegan options are available.

Hand-pulled noodles and fluffy steamed bao are the specialties at this local favorite. Sichuan and Cantonese dishes pack the occasional punch (the Mixed Sauce noodles are pleasantly mouth-numbing), and everything is full of flavor. It's best to go with a group so you get to try a few affordable dishes (or just order a lot).

In 1997, Ran Duan’s parents opened Sichuan Garden, and today their award-winning–bartender son has added the Blossom Bar inside, where wildly creative cocktails with ingredients like avocado and toasted coconut bring in rave reviews. Longtime restaurant fans will be happy that all their favorite classic dishes, like kung pao chicken and dan dan noodles, are still on the menu. In addition, there is a section of "American Comfort" dishes offered, like crab rangoon and General Tso's chicken.

The sourcing and gathering of local ingredients at the heart of chef--owner Cai Xi Silver's cooking is inspired by the food memories of her childhood in Chongqing, China. Her family's Sichuan and Shanghai influences come to life in a to-go menu that includes delicate steamed buns, perfect dumplings, and abundance boxes highlighting regional home cooking backed by Vermont ingredients. Cai's offers take-out and delivery only from her Brattleboro art gallery, with options for private in-home cooking and catering.

This fast-casual spot serves up possibly the best chicken on the planet. Servers hand you plastic gloves with your food because the chicken is so fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy that using anything but your hands to eat it is an exercise in futility. The secret is that they marinate the whole chicken in in a secret mixture of Chinese spices for hours and then braise the bird for an eternity. There are long list of sides, including scallion pancakes, pan-fried dumplings, and onion rings. 

Serving full-fare, authentic Cantonese-style Chinese food, this might be the only joint in America where you'll find a Budweiser sign over the door, Asian decor on the walls, large-screen TVs playing all the big games, and ketchup on a table beside a bowl of egg-drop soup. It's good for families with picky eaters, as the menu carries more than 100 items—from lo mein and mu shu shrimp to hamburgers, pork chops, and fried chicken. Many dishes also come with mushrooms and barbecue sauce; some even have spaghetti.

It's been compared to a Chinatown version of Eataly, but George Chen's ultra-ambitious market, restaurant, bar, and fine-dining-experience project is its own unique place. The main ground-floor Market Restaurant excels at a wide variety of specialties from dumplings to duck, served in a refined, industrial-style dining room surrounded by different cooking areas; upstairs, the intimate Eight Tables is one of San Francisco's most elaborate special-occasion tasting-menu experiences.

This classic Chinese restaurant features local seafood and amazingly fresh vegetables. The grilled halibut is fantastic, and for nonfish lovers, the Mongolian beef and kung pao chicken are excellent choices.

Sadly, D.C.'s Chinatown has lost many Chinese restaurants due to gentrification. Thankfully, China Garden still stands, offering the classics of American-Chinese cuisine such as General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, and fried rice. You can't miss the location: a bright-red pagoda-like facade that is a neighborhood landmark. Vegetarians rejoice since there are plenty of plant-based options. The menu is diverse, and you can still get an affordable meal in the heart of D.C.  

Luxury touches take the hot pot experience upscale with personal broth bowls, an extensive sauce buffet, and high-end ingredients like A5 Miyazaki beef, live prawns, and house-made noodles. This local outlet of an international chain that began in Macau knows that you eat with your eyes first, and everything here comes out looking straight out of a glossy magazine photo shoot. The fancy ingredients can make the a la carte orders add up fast, but customers can either order judiciously and save room for the free ice cream at the end, or go all-in on a feast.

What started as a small dumpling restaurant has grown into a juggernaut local chain, with this location as its flagship. Crowds pack in for juicy pork dumplings, crisp-bottomed q-bao, and artfully arranged noodles and vegetables. With a large, modern space, affordable prices, and the kinds of foods locals once drove to Canada or flew to China for, this spot packs in the crowds during weekday lunches. Service is friendly and efficient, though, making sure everyone gets their meaty soup dumplings in time to get back to the office. For visitors, arriving at an off-hour is recommended; you can also join the waitlist via Yelp.

This homegrown chain lives up to its name, serving freshly made carb-filled delights of many types: noodles, flatbreads, crepes, and dumplings. The signature steamed juicy pork dumplings and fried jian buns, both filled with a meat and soup filling, have earned it a reputation and helped it expand to locations around the city and along the entire West Coast. This flagship location opened in 2021, not far from the original in the Crossroads neighborhood.

Since 1994, this family-owned restaurant has been serving fans of traditional northern Chinese food who drive hours to sample dumplings made by hand every morning with fresh dough and filling; top sellers include the signature xiao long bao, the pork pot sticker, and the deep-fried beef curry. After dumplings, move on to house specialties like sea bass with black bean sauce and salt-and-pepper calamari. This former hole-in-the-wall moved next door, virtually taking over the strip mall with seating for over 300 people, and adding a full Shanghai Saloon with 30 beers on tap and over 60 types of whiskey. Among rare Japanese whiskeys is their own private Maker's Mark label.

Look for mostly Thai, Chinese, and American dishes at this spot along the shore. It offers a simple but filling selection of tempura, rolls, burgers, soups, and more, along with fast and friendly service.

The selection of authentic Chinese restaurants continues to dwindle in the neighborhood, but Full Kee remains a local's favorite. Overlook its unassuming exterior and interior and sample its addictive shrimp or scallops in garlic sauce or try the wide assortment of Cantonese-style roasted meats. Tried-and-true dishes include dumplings, crispy duck, eggplant with garlic sauce, and gingery steamed lobster.

This longtime destination serves up capable Chinese take-out from a sprawling second-story space overlooking Broadway Avenue, but when it comes to traditional dim sum service, Furama shines. Steam carts clatter around the floor offering shiu mai, shrimp toast, rice crepes, braised chicken feet, and lo mein to patrons one plate at a time, allowing diners to curate their perfect feast. Large groups will benefit from buying power, because you'll want to try a bunch of menu items. 

You’ll know you’ve arrived at Resorts World’s premier Chinese restaurant simply from the elegant, elaborate entry of dark wood with green accents. Inside, there’s a decidedly contemporary feel and a wide-ranging menu of such traditional delicacies as bird’s nest soup and Peking duck but also plenty of vegetarian options, including crispy vegan spring rolls. The extensive menu includes dim sum, barbecue (including pork belly and duck), and live seafood in various preparations, plus poultry, pork, and beef. The five-course tasting menu has such dishes as chilled duck salad with black truffle sauce. There's also an all-you-can-eat Cantonese seafood buffet option.

You'll find Japanese and Korean food, burgers and bento boxes, and seafood baskets and pho along with standard Chinese fare at this casual spot on Front Street. It truly has something for everyone and ample seating, too.

Great food, low prices, and relaxed, friendly, and quick service make this one of Rapid City's most popular Chinese restaurants. The friendly chef-owner seasons traditional dishes from all over China with spices from his native Taiwan. Try the Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, or Hunan shrimp. Local businesspeople crowd in for the daily lunch specials.

At this line-around-the-corner, no-English-spoken bakery, the delicious dim sum is strictly to-go, so picnic at Woh Hei Yuen Park on Powell Street or Portsmouth Square.

Dine here, like President Obama did, for fresh, simply prepared Cantonese cuisine, especially the seafood—from tanks that occupy a corner of the main dining room—as well as kid favorites, such as stir-fried noodles, cashew chicken, and fried rice. Dim sum starts at 10 am, but there aren't any carts—you order off a paper sheet, and the dumplings come out of the kitchen piping hot.