Mr. Chens Authentic Chinese Cooking
1917 Hoover Ct, Birmingham, AL, 35226
Mr. Chens Authentic Chinese Cooking Menu
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Address :
1917 Hoover Ct
Birmingham, AL, 35226 - Phone (205) 824-8283
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Sloe R.
I can honestly say that I've never had Chinese cuisine that tasted - clean. Not swimming in generic, oil laden sauces. Not overly salted. Not heavily breaded. Simply put - healthy, fresh, and CLEAN. The Kung Pao Chicken was unlike any I've ordered from the various restaurants frequented over the years. The Chicken with Black Bean Sauce was just as fresh and delicious. And, as the owner will proudly tell anyone within earshot, "This is authentic Chinese cuisine." Sorry I can't elaborate. I guess I'm not used to "authentic Chinese cuisine."
(4)Robert C.
Folks, this is the real deal. While the food isn't truly superlative, for Birmingham, this is about as good as it gets. Mr. Chen's is located in a strip mall accessible from both I-65 and I-459. Look for Hoover Court, near the Braddock Drive stoplight on the southbound side of Montgomery Highway (US 31). I had the Small Steam Bun ("xiao long bao", $4.95), the Pan Fried Turnip Cake ("luo buo gao", $4.50), and the Sauteed Sweet Pea Leaves ($7.95). All very solid renditions. The xiao long bao are a great deal, as they come out to less than 50 cents a piece; I haven't yet found such a deal back in Atlanta. The skins are, admittedly, overly thick, but I suppose they do a decent job of resisting punctures and tears -- almost all ten of my xiao long bao managed to deliver a good amount of broth. The flavor is right, too. Note that an order of these will take about 15 minutes to steam. The turnip cakes come six to an order. I didn't find them particularly greasy, as one previous reviewer did, but that might just be personal preference. I thought my turnip cakes could've been fried a few seconds more for that perfect crunchy layer, however. And the sweet pea leaves? Light, crispy, and refreshing. A perfect complement to the rest of the meal.
(4)Kathryn Y.
I drove two hours to eat at this place and was very disappointed by it. I guess my hopes were too high. The food didn't taste authentic at all. I had sautéed sweet potato leaves, spicy beef noodles, and steam pork buns. The authentic pork buns were supposed to be juicy when you bite into it. But they pork buns Mr. Chen had were all broken and juice less. The whole purpose of the eating the pork buns had lost if the juice isn't there. The sautéed sweet potatoes leaves were hard to chew and tasted plain! I will never go back there again. Such a waste of time! J
(1)Boo L.
Mr. Chen's is obviously very popular, as evidenced by the crowd that was there when I went. It took a minute to get our drinks and food, and they completely forgot my egg roll but I forgave these mishaps. The food was tasty and the portions generous. I was just glad to be able to have Chinese food that wasn't Chinese "fast food" for once.
(4)Jen B.
Chinese food was my favorite growing up in the '80s, especially at China Garden in Irondale. In the '90s, I was excited when all the Chinese restaurants added buffets, and you could try a variety of dishes for one price. In the '00s, all the good Chinese restaurants seemed to disappear, replaced by trough-style buffets that served parmesan chicken and chocolate pudding next to the greasy, indistinguishable Chinese dishes. I accept my role in making boring buffets happen--I could have just paid a fair price for better food and helped the good restaurants stay in business. Fortunately, in the '10s, Mr. Chen's has renewed my passion for Chinese cuisine. There are lots of new dishes to try (I'll take everyone's word that they're Taiwanese recipes), and everything tastes fresh and unique. I especially love the turnip cakes and the spiced bacon meat. I'm not adventurous enough to enjoy--for instance--intestines, but every other dish there has been great. We love to go with a big party and share lots of food. It's a busy place, and not much in the way of decor, if that's your thing. But if your palate is bored by run-of-the-mill Chinese, this is the best you'll find here.
(5)Colin S.
Hands-down the best Chinese food I've had in the Birmingham area. So if you want something more authentic that the local super mega buffet and willing to pay a little more, check out Mr. Chen's. Seating is very limited and the restaurant can get packed during dinner hours, so plan accordingly. Our initial order of tea was lukewarm at best but was quickly replaced upon alerting the waitress. We ordered the Salted Crispy Whole Shrimp, Tofu with Crispy Bean Blend, and Eggplant with Pork Basil in Hot Pot. I'm not a huge fan of eating whole shrimp, but the seasoning made it more than bearable. The tofu dish was very flavorful but seemed a little dry (served without any sauce). The eggplant, however, was fantastic. While the serving size seemed a little small for the price, the Japanese eggplant was cooked to perfection. This dish made the meal to be completely honest, so I highly recommend it.
(4)Michael F.
Perhaps the best Chinese food I've ever had. We will be eating here again soon. (Had cashew chicken & beef broccoli.)
(5)Lynn B.
Always good. This is my favorite Chinese restaurant & it's always good every time. I like the shrimp lo mien - the shrimp is never over cooked
(5)Lauren S.
Yes. Just yes. Not great atmosphere and in a strip mall, so could easily be mistaken for American buffet style "Chinese" food, but this is the real thing. You won't be disappointed, but it's not what your used to.
(4)Chris F.
You know when over half the patrons in here are Asian, you've found a pretty good place. It's also the go to place for adoptive families recently returned from China. It carries the national beer too. The fried dumplings are outstanding! Egg rolls are not made fresh there and is the only negative about this place. My Chinese son and Philipino friend can never get enough of Mr. Chen's.
(4)ben h.
The name says it all--Authentic. When at least half the restaurant's customers are the native land, you know it will be good. Only place in town I know to get small steam buns. Great selection of interesting dishes you can't get in most Chinese restaurants. Not much atmosphere and many servers don't speak much English, but you can't go wrong with their food.
(3)Brad H.
A few friends have been raving about this place and couldn't believe I had yet to dine there, as it is so close to my house. I finally did it, and now I've tasted and seen the goodness they spoke of. The quality of ingredients (big thigh chunks used in my General Tao's chicken dish), the taste, the quantity, and the price--Mr. Chen is firing on all cylinders and I will be back again and again and again. Then I'll come back again.
(5)Yenie T.
After a day of hiking, we were craaaving Chinese food on a Saturday night; and we were hangry when we discovered that Shangri-La Chinese restaurant is closed on Saturdays. Before we ripped each other's heads off out of anger and low blood sugar, we quickly browsed Yelp reviews and found Mr. Chen's in Hoover. Mr. Chen's is in a strip mall not too far from an Outback's steakhouse. We were so disgustingly hungry, in fact, that we briefly contemplated going to Outback's to gorge on the blooming onion, especially when we saw that Mr. Chen's was boarded up with OSB panels due to some sort of construction on the walk way. We decided to chance the suspicious and untried restaurant. We stepped into a tidy and bustling establishment with many Chinese patrons. This made me happy - this place has gotta be good; however we almost had a melt down ordering food. We were too hungry to decide. In the end, we settled on the safe menu options of steamed dumplings, Kung Pao chicken, and Mongolian beef. To be honest, the food was a little saltier than I would have liked, and I definitely have had better Chinese food, but it was solidly good. I want to come back because of the menu items available that are not typically found on American Chinese restaurants, like fried turnip cakes, braised beef belly, and salted crispy oysters. Also, the wait staff were attentive without being pushy. They were also happy to oblige when we requested chopsticks and a small side dish of hot chili sauce.
(4)Natasha S.
Great food. Good Service. Friendly, Casual Atmosphere! I will go back for sure!
(4)Ping F.
We have really enjoyed the food here. We've tried most of their tofu dishes and each one was outstanding. Our kids loved the sweet pea leaves and they are tough critics.
(5)Andrew C.
Just went there tonight. I'm surprised by all the good reviews. Wait staff was very nice... food was mediocre at best. Our egg rolls were barely warm... definitely made earlier and served to us when we ordered. Very jack-in-the-box feel to them. Hot and sour soup was disgusting. Period. Chicken chow fun was actually very good... good spices, lemongrass, tasty. I make better kung pao beef at my house. We won't be back.
(2)Tom C.
If you like good food, order the salted shrimp. It is so good I cannot experiment with ordering anything else.
(5)Adam S.
I thought this place was good. When I say it's good, I mean the general tso's is definitely above average. It's also nice and spicy which I like. The egg rolls and hot and sour soup were about average. I don't claim to be an expert on china or its culture so I can't speak to the authenticity or any of that. Here's what I know: general tso's is a ubiquitous dish, but like pizza or burgers it is rare to find a "good" version much less exceptional one. This place's falls pretty safely in the "good" category.
(4)Tom C.
I've been here twice so far. Each time I was there, I left feeling slightly sick to the stomach. Knowing me, this sick feeling meant the food was too greasy and/or some msg added. I've been told that this is one of the better chinese food places in the area so you can't complain too much about it. Even though I wasn't too impressed by the food here, I loved the service.. mainly because I knew our server. Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5
(3)Charles G.
Oh. My. Goodness. We finally found actual Chinese food in Alabama. No disrespect meant to my beloved Sun Cafe here in Huntsville, but this place had a far more authentic approach in Chinese cuisine instead of just settling for "Asian". We had the steamed buns, the home style tofu, and the fish flavored pork. We probably won't order the fish flavored pork again due to a strange replacement of julienned carrots for cubed water chestnuts, but the flavor of the sauce was still dead on. For all I know, that's how they do it in Taiwan; I only know the Sichuan preparations from the mainland. The home style tofu was served in a metal pot over a burner like it would have been served back in Nanchang, so my wife and I had a great time reminiscing on all the times we ate this dish in different places we often miss. The steamed buns were nothing short of brilliant. Yes, Ding How II has dim sum on weekends in Huntsville, but even with that specialty we've never had any buns there as good as these! I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes like the dry fried green beans or some of the other pork and chicken dishes. The place was a bit cramped, and our waiter didn't really speak Mandarin, but heck.... this is way closer than China Town Food Court in Atlanta, so I'm going with five stars!
(5)Michael H.
All around great restaurant. The server wasn't very helpful, but she was nice so it didn't really matter. I asked her for some suggestions between a few items and I ended up choosing beef in black bean sauce. It was pretty good. I got the distinct feeling that if I became a regular then I would get "in" with the staff and they would offer some more exotic, perhaps even off-the-menu selections. Like I tell my friends so often about so many Chinese and Asian joints, "It's no Saigon Le" (my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Memphis, Tenn., which also has Chinese on the menu).
(4)matt d.
Okay- so I have been hitting a lot of Chinese places lately. Given the other reviews, this was one I was really looking forward to. I (and my two co-workers) found it to be completely run-of-the-mill. The egg roll was fair at best. The hot and sour soup (not included with meal) was good, but not as good as Black Pearl and nowhere close to as good as Mandarin House (both of which include the soup). The fried munchies (not sure what they are called) that came with the soup were cardboard stale. Having to use packets of hot mustard and other sauces is a good indication of the fast food nature of this less than claimed "authentic" place. The service was fine. The home made hot sauce is not hot but was tasty. In the end, I found this place to be only slightly better than Chow Town buffet. It is just another strip mall Chinese place, both in decor and offering. Go 1 more mile north and try the Mandarin House- it is better in every way.
(2)Maddie M.
Best Chinese food I have had in the south. Really authentic Chinese. Excellent egg rolls! Very pleasing unexpected surprise!
(5)Brian C.
Mr. Chen's is good but my current fave for authentic Chinese is Red Pearl. In addition to authentic Chinese, Mr. Chen's now offers a number of American-style lunch specials, egg rolls and fortune cookies, etc. While you still see Asian families in there, it's not like it was when they first opened. I must confess that I liked the menu better before they made it more American-friendly. The cold duck appetizer is very good and the fish dishes have always been spot on.
(4)Chad L.
That the place was packed on a Thursday night speaks volumes. The hot & sour was the best I've had and the eggplant basil hot pot was absolutely delicious. My friend had the shrimp in lobster sauce, which was also of higher quality than standard Chinese fare. They also have a bubble tea machine, but I was too stuffed to try it on this visit. A+++
(5)Paul C.
Yay for Mr Chen's! We love having a Chinese restaurant in Hoover that offers authentic dishes. We enjoy ordering family style, and here are some recommendations: * Steamed bun * Sautéed sweet pea leaves * Chicken with black bean sauce * Eggplant with pork basil in hot pot * Salt fried shrimp (with shell on so chew the shells well) * Mapo Tofu (spicy) * Bubble tea - You have to order a slush and ask to have tapioca balls added
(4)Whitney B.
While my heart still belongs to another Chinese restaurant, I do believe I have found competition. If you know me, you know my obsession with Chicken Chow Fun. I order it whenever I can get it. My other Chinese restaurant would not let me have any. This place made me happy and gave me what I wanted. I don't know why CCF is never on menus. I asked anyway, and was told I could have it with my choice of meat or plain. This CCF is different than what I am used to. The noodles didn't get all stuck together, and it was lighter. The chicken was cooked perfectly and had a great taste. I really enjoyed it. I even enjoyed tasting the different vegetables that were mixed in the dish. I don't really like crab rangoon, but I ordered it anyway. I don't even know why. It was light and fluffy, with the perfect amount of crisp. I am not a big fan of rice, but when I saw the egg fried rice was only $1.50, I couldn't resist. Although it was nothing special, for $1.50, who really cares. The place was packed and the service was friendly. They have a tv and a very casual atmosphere. I'd definitely go back.
(4)Tim M.
Absolutely the worst Chinese food I've ever eaten. We ordered the egg drop soup, steamed dumplings, General Tao's chicken, & Mongolian Beef. The soup was flavorless & was basically chicken broth & mushrooms. The dumplings were mush, the General Tao's chicken tasted like peanut butter & the chicken was poor quality. The beef was flavorless and mostly a plate full of onions. They also charge a dollar for a can of soda. The service was poor as well because the waitress went on break & we didn't see her for 20 minutes. Skip this place to save your money & taste buds.
(1)Lesley G.
Fantastic Chinese food that tastes fresh and a little unique too. Plenty in each entree and great fast service. Our new favorite!
(5)Vanessa C.
4.5-4.8 agree! Great little authentic Chinese dive! We recently moved down from TN. to Morris. So we're exploring what kind of variety of restaurants are around the area. My husband was craving Chinese food on Friday night so I was up late on Thur. evening searching for locations. I came across this page and read the reviews and knew we had to try it for ourselves. We loaded up and drove on over (my mother in law, father in law, husband, our 4yo son and myself). The moment we drove up everyone else was a bit skeptical due to the very small size of the storefront. My mother in law asked "is there seating inside?", lol! Yes, it is definitely a small storefront but once we opened the door the place was packed so that assured the rest of my group that the food must be good. I knew what we were in for thanks to the reviews on here. We were greeted (very nice tall gentleman) and seated immediately (party of 5) even though they were packed. Everyone is overwhelmed by the very large selection of entrees to choose from. We ordered our drinks and I quickly skimmed the reviews here for appetizer suggestions. I ordered the Small Steamed Buns and the Crab Rangoon for our table. My husband spoke up "well, I guess she's ordering for us all", lol! Just the appetizers my dear. From the moment we sat down to the time we left it was constant friendly attention/service, we never had to wait or want for anything. The Crab Rangoon arrived with a house red sauce. My husband was blown away, "this is the BEST Crab Rangoon I've EVER had!". They seriously melt in your mouth, so fresh, so creamy, absolutely DIVINE! I would have taken a picture of it but the 5 of us devoured them in a few moments. Next was the small steamed rolls. I was intrigued by these the moment I saw a picture posted on here. They were definitely something new to all of us. Cute to look at, very fresh, a mild overall flavor with a little sweetness when dipped in the sauce. My mother in law ordered a XXL bowl of Sweet & Sour soup for our table. It arrived promptly and we were taken in by the variety of ingredients in it. This was no skimpy soup, it was loaded with delicious ingredients. I was hesitant to try it at first (heartburn here) but thought I would give it a go. It was delicious! Not all that spicy at all. Another item that was gone before I thought to snap a photo (sorry guys!). We will definitely be ordering this on a regular basis in the future. Our table ended up ordering the General Tso's Chicken (myself), Kung Pao Chicken (my MIL), Mongolian Beef (my husband), Moo Goo Gai Pan (my FIL), and Chicken Lo Mein (my 4yo). Being our first time there we decided to put all 4 of our adult dishes in the middle of the table so that the 4 of us adults could try some of each. They also bring you this HUGE bowl of white rice so I placed a round of rice on my plate and sectioned it into 4 portions, topping each portion with a portion of the entrees. I did post pictures here of each of our 4 entrees before we dived into the entrees. My overall opinions: *General Tso's Chicken: Slight spice but not overpowering, generous portions, big pieces of tender chicken. The sauce was like the consistancy of a honey/molasses, absolutely delicious! This will definitely be an entree we order on a regular basis in the future! The 4 of us ate all but like a Tbsp. from this entree. *Mongolian Beef: Very generous portions! Beef was very tender and veggies very fresh as well. It was a very mild flavor bordering bland but still something I may reorder in the future. *Kung Pao Chicken: Generous portion, fresh veggies, very tender chicken. Overall flavor was weak/bland. Probably will not order this again. *General Tso's Chicken: My FIL and my 4yo son devoured this. It must have been delicious because my 4yo kept eyeballing my FIL when he would get another portion for himself to make sure there was more left for him, lol! My mother in law agreed that it was the best General Tso's Chicken she's ever had. *Chicken Lo Mein: Generous portion, fresh, tender chicken. The flavor was mild, again I liked it ok but it seems like it just needs a little more flavor to it. We all ended up very full and still came home with 3 takeout boxes. This place was the bees knees when it comes to authentic Chinese food. The entire staff were all very nice (and our waitress was cute - my 4yo "little ladies man" wouldn't take his eyes off of her as she would go to/from our table, haha!). They close at 9pm and we arrived around 8:15 +/- a few min.. When we were all finished eating the busboy came over and cleared our table quickly as we sat there. There was a couple of rude women sitting a table over sipping on their wine taking their sweet old time as if the world revolved around them as the entire staff had to stand around waiting for them to finish up so that they could clean up and go home. So if there late after hours please be courteous and wrap it up. Overall A++! Love it!
(4)Desi B.
Warning!! If you have kids, dont enter this restaurant. If they spill they stare at you, if they make even a little bit of noise they ask you to leave. What an attitute for a small business. Pathetic Service. Average food. I will never go back.
(1)Anthony L.
Best Chinese food in the area. We primarily go there for lunch. Kids get the standard sesame chicken. Chicken is always freshly cooked. Not your typical Chinese flair or buffet flair. We also always get the dumplings. Best around as well. The wife and I causally get some sort of fish dish. Never disappointed and always good. It is a smaller place so they can fill up fast. There is not much room while waiting for a table. So we usually try to go right before the rush or right after.
(5)Rob T.
Best Chinese food in Bham. Family style offerings. Excellent for family night out or take-out. Best authentic menu offerings in the area.
(4)Anna B.
Awesome spring roll!
(4)Brad S.
I'm from the central part of the country, so most folk's ideas of Chinese cuisine don't go much farther than the beef and broccoli with eggroll and fried rice, so I relish the opportunity to try the cooking by an authentic Chinese person, so authentic that they put the adjective in the damn name of the place. I started with some turnip cakes, an item popular in dim sum and one I found to be quite tasty, though the pan fry made the cakes hold on to a bit more oil than I would have liked. It led the way to a Szechuan Beef Vegetable Noodle Soup, which had that little chile next to the item on the menu signifying spiciness, but I didn't specify and was disappointed to find only the slightest bit of heat when the dish actually arrived. Still, the dish was filled with daikon, green onion, and large chunks of fatty and tough beef, which slowly rendered it's goodness into the broth as I ate. By the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, the broth was pretty amazing. I'm not Chinese by any means of the word, and I didn't visit Birmingham long enough to know if Mr. Chen's is as good as it gets, but it's certainly more authentic than many in this part of the country, and that deserves some encouragement.
(5)Preston G.
4.5 maybe 4.8. It's the bomb. Went twice during a short biz trip. It's hard to find quality Chinese food in Pittsburgh - crazy that I found it in Alabama - but it's for real. Make sure you let them know "no meat" in their tofu dishes. Best soft tofu ever. For God's sake please order something other than General Tso's Chicken for once in your life - this is the place to venture out.
(5)Cham M.
Mongolian beef & cappuccino bubble tea = #boomsauce
(5)Lydia E.
Every time I visit B'ham I have to stop by here. Authentic Chinese food prepared to satisfy the palettes of both Asian and Caucasian alike. You know it's good Chinese food when you see your fellow Chinese locals eating there too! We typically order items not listed on the menu, while they can also serve your general Americanized Chinese food such as fried rice or general chicken. I love the dumplings! They are by far my favorite. Full of flavor and steamed fresh every time. Love it.
(4)R And K P.
Don't miss the seafood hot & sour soup. A wonderful light broth, very aromatic and delicately flavored. Had the chicken & cilantro dish which was also a winner. Don't let the strip mall storefront mislead you, great food awaits.
(4)Monika S.
Before Mr. Chen's opened a few years ago, when I asked my Chinese friends where to go for Chinese food in Bham they said Atlanta. That's no longer true. It's always a good sign when more than half the crowd is Asian. I love the sticky rice in lotus leaf and vegie dishes. Of course they have the obligatory non-Chinese food to appeal to American palates, but there's plenty of authenticity as well. Grab your favorite Chinese friend and let them guide you through a truly Chinese meal. The decor is pretty much what you expect in Chinese places, and they do serve beer. Prices are very reasonable. Friday and Saturday nights can be quite busy but the line moves fast. By 8 things thin out.
(4)R R.
I finally found a decent Chinese food place. My first gripe, although the Kung Pao Chicken is flavorful, it had no pow. There were a few bits and pieces of chilies, but it was generally lacking in spice. My second gripe, the steamed dumplings were bland. I enjoyed the Cashew Chicken and sautéed green beans, especially the abundance of chopped garlic in the latter dish. I am happy that the place offers online ordering as I hate talking on the phone.
(4)Gordon K.
I can only give my opinion based on one experience. I will revise the review once I have made more visits. We did not arrive until 3:00 PM, and, maybe some of the items were left over. I don't know. The egg roll did not seem fresh and I did not care for the taste. I got General Tso's chicken, although I would have rather had Mongolian beef. I got the chicken dish because it was marked spicy whereas the beef was not. The dish was so mild I could only tell it was supposed to be spicy by the peppers I could see in it. I had to ask for some hot sauce. The sauce on the chicken was overly sweet. That alone was a deal breaker for me. In addition, though, the chicken tasted old. It also had too much dark meat chicken in it for my taste. It was crunchy and it was apparent the dish had been cooked to order. My wife, however, thought her shrimp dish was excellent. I did not taste it, so I do not know. I will try this place sometime in the future, but I was not impressed.
(3)Jonny C.
Mr. Chen's is my go to for chinese food in Bham. They do it well. That pineapple shrimp is just mmmm mmm!!! The dumplings and the veggies were all tasty as well. If you're feeling adventurous, you got to try to the fried intestines. It's an acquired taste, but I like it! As true to their name, this is some pretty authentic chinese for me, well.... as long as you're not ordering beef n broccoli.
(4)Tim K.
This is off the hook, great Chinese food. Probably the best I've had in Birmingham. Restaurant is clean, service is quick and their very nice. Food is always made to prefection. If you like Chinese food you will love this place.
(5)Julia M.
I've been here a couple of times now and have felt somewhat misled by all of the glowing reviews of this place. First off, the egg rolls are amazing. Best I've had in Birmingham and I've eaten just about every egg roll in the area. They're made fresh and you can tell the filling is actual food, not the blended mush most Chinese places like to fill their rolls with. The pan fried dumplings are not good. We ordered a plate of 8 and about half were falling about before being picked up. The wrappers were torn and loose. Very disappointing, especially considering how easy dumplings are to make. The lunch specials are fine. You get a meat, rice, and an egg roll for about $7. The portion is not very large though and for 1-2 dollars more you can get the dinner portion for double the size. I had the pork and squid entree, which was labeled as spicy. It was the most disappointing part of the meal. The sauce was like extremely watered down Tobasco sauce. Most of the plate was filled with lettuce. The squid was overcooked and rubbery. I will not order that again. Service this time was good. The waitress came by just enough times to not be a bother. We got in and out at lunchtime in about 45 minutes. However, last time we were here it took double the time. I will likely not be back to Mr. Chens. The food just doesn't compare to the other "authentic" Chinese places in the area. It's mediocre. Maybe that's a recent development because the pictures here on Yelp all look superb. It didn't look anything like that in person. 3 stars for that egg roll and today's service.
(3)Keith C.
Tried Mr. Chen's a few weeks ago. Not bad food but IMO definitely mediocre food for the price being paid. Other reviews gave me the impression that this wasn't like any other Chinese food restaurant in town, but I was sadly disappointed to discover that it IS actually just like any other place in town - same food offerings, same food presentation and preparation. The service was great, mind you - our waiter was very attentive and friendly - so I don't have any negatives to mention about that. But again, for the cost of dishes here, you'd expect there to be a bit more to offer; otherwise, what's stopping someone from just driving a bit further to Hunan Garden or some other place. I'll probably go back simply because my wife didn't get the chance to try it with me, and she'll want to judge the experience for herself. But I can't imagine I'll make any extra visits considering its location isn't in my circle of travel and that it didn't really impress me enough to make any outside exceptions to that circle. As always though, YMMV -
(3)Suzie S.
I like eggplant with garlic a lot. It's really good cooking. There is spicy pic on this menu. But it's not super spicy. It's good. Spring roll is better than egg roll. Everytime when I go, I order this. This is not include lunch menu. I wish include lunch menu!!!!
(5)Jana H.
Very good food at moderate prices. Some of the best Chinese I've had in the metro area.
(4)Lee L.
Garlic cilantro chicken was great! Stopped as we passed through based on yelp reviews and were satisfied
(5)Jessica M.
I give this place zero stars, I ordered general Taos tofu. Which tasted like a stir fry tofu with maple syrup. I asked for brown rice which they did not have any. I ask to exchange my order which I was given a hard time by both the waitress and manager. Therefore in the end I sat at the table with no food while I waited for others to finish. The manager had no qualms about me sitting here with nothing. Needless to say I won't be back. As I'm starving and pregnant.
(1)The C.
In birmingham, if you've tried one Chinese place you've tried them all. Except for Mr. Chen's. In no particular order, Yummy, fast, clean, friendly. When it comes to Chinese food, for me, this is huge, it's not greasy!
(5)Brian H.
Heard this place was good, so we stopped in for some Chinese food and a Thai Bubble Tea. Portion sizes were huge, and the quality was really great. I had General Tso's chicken, and was surprised when I bit into my first piece to discover that it was mostly chicken with a pleasant amount of breading. So often, Chinese chicken dishes are largely breading with a little sketchy looking chicken inside. Not here. Awesome! We did get a sesame chicken order which confused us... our experience was that sesame chicken was a brown chicken, but what we got was an orange colored chicken that looked like sweet and sour chicken with sesame seeds in the sauce. Not sure what happened there. It tasted different, but fine. The service was nice, and she was really attentive to our needs. We asked for to-go boxes, and she bought two large containers and a small container... exactly what we needed but hadn't asked for specifically. Overall it was a really great experience. My only large complaint is that it is VERY loud, which makes conversation difficult. Most of the decor is solid, and I think it makes the dining area into a giant echo chamber.
(4)John S.
Still haven't found a replacement for my old favorite Chinese place for lunch. Service was average. Waited longer than would expect to be seated with ample available tables. Hostess actually pointed across the length of the seating area to direct me to my table instead of showing me to my seat. Overall the restaurant did not seem busy enough to warrant length of time to order. My Kung Pao Chicken had twice as much vegetables as chicken (this seems to be trend here, as previous visit found the same to be true of Cashew Chicken dish). Since I am not a fan of zucchini this left me to still be hungry immediately following lunch. Normally a typical Chinese lunch menu dish is sufficient. Additionally lunch special only included egg roll and steamed or fried rice. No soup. Food itself was quite tasty. I will probably give it one more try before removing from my lunch rotation.
(3)Michael H.
I have no complaints. I've had takeout from here many times, but brought my cousin who was visiting Birmingham to dine in. The service was as all service should be: not noticeable, but not lacking. The food is always great, an it is apparent that they care about the taste and presentation. The place is small, but not clustered. It is a cozy little secret that you should try.
(5)Richard V.
This is the best Chinese food in Alabama! There's something for the adventurous type (Thai braised pork belly and spicy intestines) and those who love American Chinese (Sweet and sour chicken and Kung pao shrimp). The prices are more than fair and the service is quick!
(5)Vasu M.
Got some takeout from Mr. Cheng tonight for the first time. We ordered the eggplant with pork hot pot, beef with black bean sauce, and chow fun with pork. Restaurant looked pretty clean but had a health rating score of 88. Always makes me a little nervous to eat at places below 90 because I spent a day shadowing a restaurant inspector who said that more than 10 points off could be because of a big issue. But looked clean inside and took less than 15 minutes for our food to be ready. The eggplant with pork hot pot = pretty good. Eggplant was really soft, just needed a little more seasoning/spice. Beef with black bean sauce = this was the best dish we ordered. Loved all the vegetables in this dish as well. The beef melted in my mouth and was perfectly cooked. Would order this again. Chow fun with pork = it was the special of the day. Nothing to write home about. Again needed a little more spice. This was a solid 3 star restaurant. Nothing bad but nothing amazing. I'd definitely go again and try some new dishes (steamed buns etc), would love to try the lunch special as well.
(3)Marv H.
First time there and thought it was great. Super friendly staff. I had General Tso's chicken and mom had chicken lo mein. Both were very large portions compared to other local establishments. The wait staff worked all together, so you were always getting water or anything else, if needed. Both meals were excellently flavored. They brought each out as they were ready. I prefer that so they are hot! I also ordered crab rangoon. Best I've had in a long time. Very light and flavorful. It was not crowded when we went, but I could see it being so at peak times. Was nice and clean and tastefully decorated. But I'm not there for the interior design. They had a steady stream of people doing takeout. I will definitely be back for another visit.
(4)Gigi D.
Best Chinese food in Birmingham. Here's what was excellent: steamed dumplings and kung pao chicken. The zucchini in the kung pao was perfectly cooked and seasoned (not overdone at all). Also, the sesame chicken was right on. Too many times I've had it where the chicken tasted like day-old chicken. Not so here. The Mongolian chicken was simple yet excellent. The downside: service was slow on a busy night.
(5)Amy R.
I've been on a search for authentic kung pao chicken. Mr. Chen is as close as I've found, but the search continues... Great menu with relatively quick service; they have bubble tea and Tsing Tao beer-my Chinese fav!
(4)Teresa L.
Mom and I ordered delivery at Mr. Chens via an online delivery site. We are staying at a nearby hotel. Our food was promptly delivered and the delivery guy was very nice. Unfortunately, no plastic forks, napkins or soy sauce were included. I clearly indicated that we were staying in a hotel. Fortunately, however, I packed some plastic forks. Leaving forks and soy sauce out of a delivery order to a hotel can practically ruin a meal. The shrimp dish was so bland that it needed soy sauce or salt. The shrimp tasted fresh and I didn't hate the dish, but it was just boring, bland and very watery. Mom seemed to like her Mongolian beef (one of her favorite dishes), but she didn't think it was the best thing she had ever tasted, which is usually the case every time we eat out. The spring rolls were just terrible. They were greasy and tasted as though they had been fried in very old grease.
(2)Wendy K.
Chicken chow fun- excellent. Chewy noodles, sautéed chicken, some vegs. Really good!
(5)Sam L.
Not as good as Mr. Chen's location in Jackson, MS. This location the same menu, but the execution could be better. The snow pea leaves were not very tender and there was no garlic used to sauté the vegetables. It also didn't have enough salt on the vegetables. The hot pot also wasn't super warm, as the warm flame wasn't on. The server or cook didn't check on it. The tofu tasted not very fresh and there was too much garlic in the dish.
(2)Russ M.
Food is great, just like the Tuscaloosa location. The menu has some items that are certainly..."interesting" to say the least. But, for those of us with less "exotic" tastes, there are more than enough outstanding options. I sure like it!
(4)Julie L.
I love the salt and pepper chicken (also known as popcorn chicken) that is sold at boba places in my home state of California - the salty crispy chicken from Mr. Chen's is the closest thing I've found in Alabama. Just make sure you eat it while it's hot, so it's good and crispy and drool-inducing. Portion size is good for the price, and service was prompt.
(4)Suzycreamcheese F.
We are about done with this place. I think the food is OK, but my husband doesn't like it much at all. But what's so bad is that the service gets worse every time we go there. Tonight we sat ignored for about 10 mins. while the waiter walked all around us, never making eye contact, and then he stopped to take our drink orders. When he brought them we went ahead and ordered because we knew we might not see him for a while. (Keep in mind the dining area is not that big.) After he took our order, he never said one word to us again. He catered to the tables all around us, but never stopped to give us a refill, to ask us if we needed anything, or to drop off the check. My husband had to go pay without the check in hand. I am not happy my husband left him $3 on a $37 order, because he didn't deserve but about $.50 of it. And I ordered an appetizer that is usually served with sweet & sour sauce and hot mustard, but obviously the hot mustard at Mr. Chen's is made out of gold because you have to just about beg for some every time. Twice I have been told to use the packaged mustard on the table, which is NOT hot mustard. So funny that a restaurant that claims it's so authentic even has this crap sitting on the table.
(2)Ee Vonn Y.
Mr. Chens looks like your typical Americanized Asian restaurant on the outside, but secretly a Taiwanese restaurant inside! This little unexpected discovery made me so happy. They also gave me a free calendar before I left. I ordered the delicious pork chop noodle soup and tasted nostalgia. They have your typical Asian dishes but anything with pork or the word 'Taiwanese' in it will get you authentic Asian food.
(4)Herb L.
I used to tell everyone I know how great Mr. Chen was. However over the past year their food and quality have declined. Last night will be my last unless they start doing stuff they used to. Their health rating is now sub 90. Noodle dish was worst than my worst cooking days of making ramen. Noodles were super soggy and flavor wasn't what I remembered. Crispy chickens were crispy and my favorite black bean pork wasn't as good as I remembered. It saddens me as I raved about this place for several years since opening and now I can not recommend.
(2)Joe V.
If you have read my other reviews you know my quest for decent Chinese food in the cities I have lived in and visited has been quite an adventure. Living in Hoover Alabama and looking for a diamond in the rough. Enter Mr. Chens. (not) Trying what I call the baseline items. Lo Mein, Won Ton Soup and Egg Rolls, if you can't get these right no need for anything else. First question when did Authentic Chinese cooking include Cilantro in the Won ton soup? Soup should be clear, it wasn't. It was milky. Noodles should be whole, they weren't I uploaded some pictures, they look like Dim Sum and they fell apart, the container is full of busted up pieces of whatever it is that is swimming in the milky soup. Lo Mein, undercooked, a mix of spaghetti and linguini (see close up photo) and then see the photo of where it ended up going... I had such high hopes, a little hole in the wall in a strip mall, with all the authentic looks, every employee Asian, such high hopes. Such yuck!!
(1)Eunice T.
I'm not hating. I promise. I just can't support the "authentic" part of the restaurant. Everything we ordered tasted very Chinese-American with your typical brown sauce or sweet and sour. Perhaps we ordered the wrong thing you say. I can see that, as I came here with my my sister's BF's family, all of whom are not wildly adventurous eaters. I however ordered a very traditional dish: Ma Po Tofu. It's actually my favorite Chinese dish. It's soft tofu cooked with ground pork & leeks in light your mouth on fire chili oil topped with numbing Szechuan peppercorns. Or it's supposed to be. What I got was soft tofu with some ground pork, no leeks, some chili oil and a watery tomato colored sauce. It was not even in the least bit spicy. It doesn't deserved that chili pepper symbol on the menu. Which makes me wonder how spicy the other "spicy" dishes are. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. What really disappointed me was the bubble tea. Which was overly sweetened with non-chewy tapioca and grainy pudding. Super sad face. If you really want authentic Chinese food, you should go to Red Pearl.
(2)Lee C.
Mr. Chen's in Hoover deserves a good reputation. It has decent food at a reasonable price, esp. for lunch. The servers give the right amount of attention to their customers. A muted TV on the wall playing Chinese news. The atmosphere is a typical of a small Chinese restaurant. The lunch menu does not have any vegetarian options, but the waitress asked for my lunch to be made with tofu instead of chicken. Thus, I got Tofu and vegetables, with fried rice and eggroll for about $6-7. With a standard Chinese sauce, it tastes good but not remarkable. The amount of vegetable seemed minimal, but I was pleased by the amount of tofu. The dinner menu, incidentally, does have some standard vegetarian options. My friend experimented and ordered fried anchovies with hot peppers from the dinner menu. An interesting but not great idea. No doubt, there was a generous pile small anchovies. They were crunchy and acceptable with the white rice. Strangely enough, it didn't have much fishy taste. I imagine a different dish would have been more satisfying. Mr. Chen's is a popular place for lunch and there were few seats left open when we arrived at 12:15PM. Parking at the strip mall was easy. I recommend it.
(4)Jacob W.
On my first visit on a Sunday night, the place was packed. We didn't feel like waiting that night, but I knew I'd be back--that many people can't be wrong. Made it back for lunch the next week and I wasn't disappointed. Egg rolls, rice, and steamed dumplings were definitely above average, much better than the super buffets. My chicken and broccoli was very tender, however the sauce was pale, clear, and slimy. Its not the brown sauce like many restaurants serve, so be advised before you order. Mongolian beef was the best I have tasted though. The beef was full of flavor, and amazingly tender, without the cheap low quality taste at most Chinese restaurants. The menu seems to be a balance between familiar American Chinese dishes and more authentic Chinese items. I'll be back to explore some of the more unfamiliar items--I don't think I'll be disappointed.
(4)Chen L.
We found a fly in a dish and the waiter was indifferent! We definitely won't be there anymore!
(1)R R.
I finally found a decent Chinese food place. My first gripe, although the Kung Pao Chicken is flavorful, it had no pow. There were a few bits and pieces of chilies, but it was generally lacking in spice. My second gripe, the steamed dumplings were bland. I enjoyed the Cashew Chicken and sautéed green beans, especially the abundance of chopped garlic in the latter dish. I am happy that the place offers online ordering as I hate talking on the phone.
(4)Russ M.
Food is great, just like the Tuscaloosa location. The menu has some items that are certainly..."interesting" to say the least. But, for those of us with less "exotic" tastes, there are more than enough outstanding options. I sure like it!
(4)Julie L.
I love the salt and pepper chicken (also known as popcorn chicken) that is sold at boba places in my home state of California - the salty crispy chicken from Mr. Chen's is the closest thing I've found in Alabama. Just make sure you eat it while it's hot, so it's good and crispy and drool-inducing. Portion size is good for the price, and service was prompt.
(4)Gordon K.
I can only give my opinion based on one experience. I will revise the review once I have made more visits. We did not arrive until 3:00 PM, and, maybe some of the items were left over. I don't know. The egg roll did not seem fresh and I did not care for the taste. I got General Tso's chicken, although I would have rather had Mongolian beef. I got the chicken dish because it was marked spicy whereas the beef was not. The dish was so mild I could only tell it was supposed to be spicy by the peppers I could see in it. I had to ask for some hot sauce. The sauce on the chicken was overly sweet. That alone was a deal breaker for me. In addition, though, the chicken tasted old. It also had too much dark meat chicken in it for my taste. It was crunchy and it was apparent the dish had been cooked to order. My wife, however, thought her shrimp dish was excellent. I did not taste it, so I do not know. I will try this place sometime in the future, but I was not impressed.
(3)Julia M.
I've been here a couple of times now and have felt somewhat misled by all of the glowing reviews of this place. First off, the egg rolls are amazing. Best I've had in Birmingham and I've eaten just about every egg roll in the area. They're made fresh and you can tell the filling is actual food, not the blended mush most Chinese places like to fill their rolls with. The pan fried dumplings are not good. We ordered a plate of 8 and about half were falling about before being picked up. The wrappers were torn and loose. Very disappointing, especially considering how easy dumplings are to make. The lunch specials are fine. You get a meat, rice, and an egg roll for about $7. The portion is not very large though and for 1-2 dollars more you can get the dinner portion for double the size. I had the pork and squid entree, which was labeled as spicy. It was the most disappointing part of the meal. The sauce was like extremely watered down Tobasco sauce. Most of the plate was filled with lettuce. The squid was overcooked and rubbery. I will not order that again. Service this time was good. The waitress came by just enough times to not be a bother. We got in and out at lunchtime in about 45 minutes. However, last time we were here it took double the time. I will likely not be back to Mr. Chens. The food just doesn't compare to the other "authentic" Chinese places in the area. It's mediocre. Maybe that's a recent development because the pictures here on Yelp all look superb. It didn't look anything like that in person. 3 stars for that egg roll and today's service.
(3)Kathryn Y.
I drove two hours to eat at this place and was very disappointed by it. I guess my hopes were too high. The food didn't taste authentic at all. I had sautéed sweet potato leaves, spicy beef noodles, and steam pork buns. The authentic pork buns were supposed to be juicy when you bite into it. But they pork buns Mr. Chen had were all broken and juice less. The whole purpose of the eating the pork buns had lost if the juice isn't there. The sautéed sweet potatoes leaves were hard to chew and tasted plain! I will never go back there again. Such a waste of time! J
(1)Keith C.
Tried Mr. Chen's a few weeks ago. Not bad food but IMO definitely mediocre food for the price being paid. Other reviews gave me the impression that this wasn't like any other Chinese food restaurant in town, but I was sadly disappointed to discover that it IS actually just like any other place in town - same food offerings, same food presentation and preparation. The service was great, mind you - our waiter was very attentive and friendly - so I don't have any negatives to mention about that. But again, for the cost of dishes here, you'd expect there to be a bit more to offer; otherwise, what's stopping someone from just driving a bit further to Hunan Garden or some other place. I'll probably go back simply because my wife didn't get the chance to try it with me, and she'll want to judge the experience for herself. But I can't imagine I'll make any extra visits considering its location isn't in my circle of travel and that it didn't really impress me enough to make any outside exceptions to that circle. As always though, YMMV -
(3)Suzie S.
I like eggplant with garlic a lot. It's really good cooking. There is spicy pic on this menu. But it's not super spicy. It's good. Spring roll is better than egg roll. Everytime when I go, I order this. This is not include lunch menu. I wish include lunch menu!!!!
(5)Jana H.
Very good food at moderate prices. Some of the best Chinese I've had in the metro area.
(4)Jonny C.
Mr. Chen's is my go to for chinese food in Bham. They do it well. That pineapple shrimp is just mmmm mmm!!! The dumplings and the veggies were all tasty as well. If you're feeling adventurous, you got to try to the fried intestines. It's an acquired taste, but I like it! As true to their name, this is some pretty authentic chinese for me, well.... as long as you're not ordering beef n broccoli.
(4)Tim K.
This is off the hook, great Chinese food. Probably the best I've had in Birmingham. Restaurant is clean, service is quick and their very nice. Food is always made to prefection. If you like Chinese food you will love this place.
(5)Lee L.
Garlic cilantro chicken was great! Stopped as we passed through based on yelp reviews and were satisfied
(5)Jessica M.
I give this place zero stars, I ordered general Taos tofu. Which tasted like a stir fry tofu with maple syrup. I asked for brown rice which they did not have any. I ask to exchange my order which I was given a hard time by both the waitress and manager. Therefore in the end I sat at the table with no food while I waited for others to finish. The manager had no qualms about me sitting here with nothing. Needless to say I won't be back. As I'm starving and pregnant.
(1)The C.
In birmingham, if you've tried one Chinese place you've tried them all. Except for Mr. Chen's. In no particular order, Yummy, fast, clean, friendly. When it comes to Chinese food, for me, this is huge, it's not greasy!
(5)Brian H.
Heard this place was good, so we stopped in for some Chinese food and a Thai Bubble Tea. Portion sizes were huge, and the quality was really great. I had General Tso's chicken, and was surprised when I bit into my first piece to discover that it was mostly chicken with a pleasant amount of breading. So often, Chinese chicken dishes are largely breading with a little sketchy looking chicken inside. Not here. Awesome! We did get a sesame chicken order which confused us... our experience was that sesame chicken was a brown chicken, but what we got was an orange colored chicken that looked like sweet and sour chicken with sesame seeds in the sauce. Not sure what happened there. It tasted different, but fine. The service was nice, and she was really attentive to our needs. We asked for to-go boxes, and she bought two large containers and a small container... exactly what we needed but hadn't asked for specifically. Overall it was a really great experience. My only large complaint is that it is VERY loud, which makes conversation difficult. Most of the decor is solid, and I think it makes the dining area into a giant echo chamber.
(4)John S.
Still haven't found a replacement for my old favorite Chinese place for lunch. Service was average. Waited longer than would expect to be seated with ample available tables. Hostess actually pointed across the length of the seating area to direct me to my table instead of showing me to my seat. Overall the restaurant did not seem busy enough to warrant length of time to order. My Kung Pao Chicken had twice as much vegetables as chicken (this seems to be trend here, as previous visit found the same to be true of Cashew Chicken dish). Since I am not a fan of zucchini this left me to still be hungry immediately following lunch. Normally a typical Chinese lunch menu dish is sufficient. Additionally lunch special only included egg roll and steamed or fried rice. No soup. Food itself was quite tasty. I will probably give it one more try before removing from my lunch rotation.
(3)Michael H.
I have no complaints. I've had takeout from here many times, but brought my cousin who was visiting Birmingham to dine in. The service was as all service should be: not noticeable, but not lacking. The food is always great, an it is apparent that they care about the taste and presentation. The place is small, but not clustered. It is a cozy little secret that you should try.
(5)Richard V.
This is the best Chinese food in Alabama! There's something for the adventurous type (Thai braised pork belly and spicy intestines) and those who love American Chinese (Sweet and sour chicken and Kung pao shrimp). The prices are more than fair and the service is quick!
(5)Vasu M.
Got some takeout from Mr. Cheng tonight for the first time. We ordered the eggplant with pork hot pot, beef with black bean sauce, and chow fun with pork. Restaurant looked pretty clean but had a health rating score of 88. Always makes me a little nervous to eat at places below 90 because I spent a day shadowing a restaurant inspector who said that more than 10 points off could be because of a big issue. But looked clean inside and took less than 15 minutes for our food to be ready. The eggplant with pork hot pot = pretty good. Eggplant was really soft, just needed a little more seasoning/spice. Beef with black bean sauce = this was the best dish we ordered. Loved all the vegetables in this dish as well. The beef melted in my mouth and was perfectly cooked. Would order this again. Chow fun with pork = it was the special of the day. Nothing to write home about. Again needed a little more spice. This was a solid 3 star restaurant. Nothing bad but nothing amazing. I'd definitely go again and try some new dishes (steamed buns etc), would love to try the lunch special as well.
(3)Marv H.
First time there and thought it was great. Super friendly staff. I had General Tso's chicken and mom had chicken lo mein. Both were very large portions compared to other local establishments. The wait staff worked all together, so you were always getting water or anything else, if needed. Both meals were excellently flavored. They brought each out as they were ready. I prefer that so they are hot! I also ordered crab rangoon. Best I've had in a long time. Very light and flavorful. It was not crowded when we went, but I could see it being so at peak times. Was nice and clean and tastefully decorated. But I'm not there for the interior design. They had a steady stream of people doing takeout. I will definitely be back for another visit.
(4)Teresa L.
Mom and I ordered delivery at Mr. Chens via an online delivery site. We are staying at a nearby hotel. Our food was promptly delivered and the delivery guy was very nice. Unfortunately, no plastic forks, napkins or soy sauce were included. I clearly indicated that we were staying in a hotel. Fortunately, however, I packed some plastic forks. Leaving forks and soy sauce out of a delivery order to a hotel can practically ruin a meal. The shrimp dish was so bland that it needed soy sauce or salt. The shrimp tasted fresh and I didn't hate the dish, but it was just boring, bland and very watery. Mom seemed to like her Mongolian beef (one of her favorite dishes), but she didn't think it was the best thing she had ever tasted, which is usually the case every time we eat out. The spring rolls were just terrible. They were greasy and tasted as though they had been fried in very old grease.
(2)Wendy K.
Chicken chow fun- excellent. Chewy noodles, sautéed chicken, some vegs. Really good!
(5)Sam L.
Not as good as Mr. Chen's location in Jackson, MS. This location the same menu, but the execution could be better. The snow pea leaves were not very tender and there was no garlic used to sauté the vegetables. It also didn't have enough salt on the vegetables. The hot pot also wasn't super warm, as the warm flame wasn't on. The server or cook didn't check on it. The tofu tasted not very fresh and there was too much garlic in the dish.
(2)Suzycreamcheese F.
We are about done with this place. I think the food is OK, but my husband doesn't like it much at all. But what's so bad is that the service gets worse every time we go there. Tonight we sat ignored for about 10 mins. while the waiter walked all around us, never making eye contact, and then he stopped to take our drink orders. When he brought them we went ahead and ordered because we knew we might not see him for a while. (Keep in mind the dining area is not that big.) After he took our order, he never said one word to us again. He catered to the tables all around us, but never stopped to give us a refill, to ask us if we needed anything, or to drop off the check. My husband had to go pay without the check in hand. I am not happy my husband left him $3 on a $37 order, because he didn't deserve but about $.50 of it. And I ordered an appetizer that is usually served with sweet & sour sauce and hot mustard, but obviously the hot mustard at Mr. Chen's is made out of gold because you have to just about beg for some every time. Twice I have been told to use the packaged mustard on the table, which is NOT hot mustard. So funny that a restaurant that claims it's so authentic even has this crap sitting on the table.
(2)Ee Vonn Y.
Mr. Chens looks like your typical Americanized Asian restaurant on the outside, but secretly a Taiwanese restaurant inside! This little unexpected discovery made me so happy. They also gave me a free calendar before I left. I ordered the delicious pork chop noodle soup and tasted nostalgia. They have your typical Asian dishes but anything with pork or the word 'Taiwanese' in it will get you authentic Asian food.
(4)Herb L.
I used to tell everyone I know how great Mr. Chen was. However over the past year their food and quality have declined. Last night will be my last unless they start doing stuff they used to. Their health rating is now sub 90. Noodle dish was worst than my worst cooking days of making ramen. Noodles were super soggy and flavor wasn't what I remembered. Crispy chickens were crispy and my favorite black bean pork wasn't as good as I remembered. It saddens me as I raved about this place for several years since opening and now I can not recommend.
(2)Joe V.
If you have read my other reviews you know my quest for decent Chinese food in the cities I have lived in and visited has been quite an adventure. Living in Hoover Alabama and looking for a diamond in the rough. Enter Mr. Chens. (not) Trying what I call the baseline items. Lo Mein, Won Ton Soup and Egg Rolls, if you can't get these right no need for anything else. First question when did Authentic Chinese cooking include Cilantro in the Won ton soup? Soup should be clear, it wasn't. It was milky. Noodles should be whole, they weren't I uploaded some pictures, they look like Dim Sum and they fell apart, the container is full of busted up pieces of whatever it is that is swimming in the milky soup. Lo Mein, undercooked, a mix of spaghetti and linguini (see close up photo) and then see the photo of where it ended up going... I had such high hopes, a little hole in the wall in a strip mall, with all the authentic looks, every employee Asian, such high hopes. Such yuck!!
(1)Eunice T.
I'm not hating. I promise. I just can't support the "authentic" part of the restaurant. Everything we ordered tasted very Chinese-American with your typical brown sauce or sweet and sour. Perhaps we ordered the wrong thing you say. I can see that, as I came here with my my sister's BF's family, all of whom are not wildly adventurous eaters. I however ordered a very traditional dish: Ma Po Tofu. It's actually my favorite Chinese dish. It's soft tofu cooked with ground pork & leeks in light your mouth on fire chili oil topped with numbing Szechuan peppercorns. Or it's supposed to be. What I got was soft tofu with some ground pork, no leeks, some chili oil and a watery tomato colored sauce. It was not even in the least bit spicy. It doesn't deserved that chili pepper symbol on the menu. Which makes me wonder how spicy the other "spicy" dishes are. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. What really disappointed me was the bubble tea. Which was overly sweetened with non-chewy tapioca and grainy pudding. Super sad face. If you really want authentic Chinese food, you should go to Red Pearl.
(2)Lee C.
Mr. Chen's in Hoover deserves a good reputation. It has decent food at a reasonable price, esp. for lunch. The servers give the right amount of attention to their customers. A muted TV on the wall playing Chinese news. The atmosphere is a typical of a small Chinese restaurant. The lunch menu does not have any vegetarian options, but the waitress asked for my lunch to be made with tofu instead of chicken. Thus, I got Tofu and vegetables, with fried rice and eggroll for about $6-7. With a standard Chinese sauce, it tastes good but not remarkable. The amount of vegetable seemed minimal, but I was pleased by the amount of tofu. The dinner menu, incidentally, does have some standard vegetarian options. My friend experimented and ordered fried anchovies with hot peppers from the dinner menu. An interesting but not great idea. No doubt, there was a generous pile small anchovies. They were crunchy and acceptable with the white rice. Strangely enough, it didn't have much fishy taste. I imagine a different dish would have been more satisfying. Mr. Chen's is a popular place for lunch and there were few seats left open when we arrived at 12:15PM. Parking at the strip mall was easy. I recommend it.
(4)Jacob W.
On my first visit on a Sunday night, the place was packed. We didn't feel like waiting that night, but I knew I'd be back--that many people can't be wrong. Made it back for lunch the next week and I wasn't disappointed. Egg rolls, rice, and steamed dumplings were definitely above average, much better than the super buffets. My chicken and broccoli was very tender, however the sauce was pale, clear, and slimy. Its not the brown sauce like many restaurants serve, so be advised before you order. Mongolian beef was the best I have tasted though. The beef was full of flavor, and amazingly tender, without the cheap low quality taste at most Chinese restaurants. The menu seems to be a balance between familiar American Chinese dishes and more authentic Chinese items. I'll be back to explore some of the more unfamiliar items--I don't think I'll be disappointed.
(4)Chen L.
We found a fly in a dish and the waiter was indifferent! We definitely won't be there anymore!
(1)Ashley W.
Mr. Chen's is honestly the freshest Chinese food I have ever tasted. My first surprise came when I ordered hot and sour soup and it didn't taste like sodium overload. It actually had big chunks of seafood in it that were perfectly cooked within the soup. While I know cashew chicken is Americanized Chinese food, I can't help but once again emphasis the freshness of every dish I tried, including this one. The sauce on the chicken was light and the cashews had obviously been toasted before being mixed with everything. My husband's pork lo mein had a great balance of well cooked pork, noodles, and vegetables. I was incredibly impressed with Mr. Chen's and will definitely be back. Next time we'll branch out more since we know it's so good!
(4)Nickole H.
Excellent food and service. Fresh ingredients and cooked perfectly. Had the Shrimp with Veggies- shrimp were plump and juicy, veggies were crisp and seasoned well. Can't wait to try some more of their menu.
(5)Justin W.
I love this Chinese restaurant! People always say that the natives will go to the places that are the best representation of their home country for the good eats. And this place has the good eats. Definitely go with some people willing to just buy a couple few dishes and spread it all around sharing the joy of the meat, veggies, and rice. Their are all kinds of options, and they all taste great. Definitely try some steamed buns, they're a lot of fun and tasty. If you want fried rice, just order that type of dish from its section on the menu. Don't try to substitute fried rice for the steamed rice of a standard dish, it's not really worth it. Enjoy!
(5)Karl C.
Tucked away in an older strip shopping center in Hoover is probably the best Chinese food in Birmingham. Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking seems to be a cut above all the others in both quality of food and preparation. The menu consists of traditional favorites such as Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, and fried rice, but there are also some more esoteric dishes for those who may want to venture out. My personal favorites are the Kung Pao Combination and the Combination fried rice which each include a generous sampling of chicken, beef, and shrimp. Egg Rolls are medium-sized, well-cooked, and a pleasant accompaniment to any meal. Prices are moderate with lunch specials in the $6.95-$7.95 range and dinner entrees ranging from $8.50 to the $14-15 range. Decor is open and minimalist, so it can get a little noisy at times. Mr. Chen's is well worth a little drive if you want really good Chinese food!
(5)Garrett I.
This is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Bham. I went to another Chinese restaurant recently and super regretted it. I love all of the soups here (pricey but awesome), steamed bun, crab rangoons, and beef and broccoli. Almost every time my wife's parents are in town we go here and certainly anytime I want Chineese food I go here.
(5)Tansey T.
Well, my second time here...Again, I'm really not sure why all the good ratings... I have lived in major big cities that have China Towns and some real good AUTHENTIC Chinese food...this place is well below average when it comes to their claim. I started with steamed dumplings, they were just as another reviewer stated- bought at Sam's Club(I've had Kirkland's frozen dumplings before). Then I tried the Mongolian Beef for lunch...well if you like onions, this is the dish for you. I would be very comfortable is saying the dish was 95% onions...Then, the service was so lacking, I had to eventually go up to pay. I have experienced enough with this place. Trust me, if you REALLY want authentic Chinese Food with good efficient service, Red Pearl restaurant is certainly the place. Do not say I didn't tell you so...thanks for reading...
(1)Danielle S.
I've gone to Mr. Chen's a few times now because it was raved about by some good friends for being authentic Chinese food. The menu has a lot of dishes that you won't see in your typical Chinese Restaurant and I've tried to order things I've never had before each time I went. The last time, we ordered 3 entrees: The Crispy Salted Chicken, Basil Squid, and Garlic Spiced Bacon Meat. The Crispy Salted Chicken was great, but, sadly, nothing else was. The Basil Squid had no flavor except for the taste of being slightly-off. The Garlic Spiced Bacon Meat would have been good had it not come out cold, really cold. Two of the entrees we ordered were listed as spicy on the menu, but weren't at all. Not a big deal, just disappointing. Mr. Chen's is popular, there's no doubt, but I'll be going elsewhere to ensure I get a consistently delicious (and hot) meal.
(2)Kathryn D.
Basil Squid. Steamed Dumplings. Hot and Sour Seafood Soup. Cold Shredded Pig Ears. Every last plate, so delicious. "Authentic-ness" is relative but this place is the best Birmingham has to offer in the Chinese food department. Bonus: there is bubble tea!
(5)Robbie B.
Asked to get Kung Paolo combination and got something that was completely not like Kung Pao. Sent it back to kitchen and it came but just reheated and sugary. Sent back second time and still came out not correct. Never got refills and sat with empty glasses. After I told them I did not want their food they kept telling me that I would have to pay 50% because they wasted their time and food trying to make me happy. They ended up nickel and dimeing me for every single thing until they had my ticket up to $26.98 for one entree of 9.99 and fried rice and a sweet tea. These people are crazy if they think that is how to do business.
(1)Ian Maren C.
Excellent Chinese authentic food. Service was great even dealing with a large table. The food was spectacular. Excellent egg plant and the squid was amazing .
(5)Boo L.
Mr. Chen's is obviously very popular, as evidenced by the crowd that was there when I went. It took a minute to get our drinks and food, and they completely forgot my egg roll but I forgave these mishaps. The food was tasty and the portions generous. I was just glad to be able to have Chinese food that wasn't Chinese "fast food" for once.
(4)Jen B.
Chinese food was my favorite growing up in the '80s, especially at China Garden in Irondale. In the '90s, I was excited when all the Chinese restaurants added buffets, and you could try a variety of dishes for one price. In the '00s, all the good Chinese restaurants seemed to disappear, replaced by trough-style buffets that served parmesan chicken and chocolate pudding next to the greasy, indistinguishable Chinese dishes. I accept my role in making boring buffets happen--I could have just paid a fair price for better food and helped the good restaurants stay in business. Fortunately, in the '10s, Mr. Chen's has renewed my passion for Chinese cuisine. There are lots of new dishes to try (I'll take everyone's word that they're Taiwanese recipes), and everything tastes fresh and unique. I especially love the turnip cakes and the spiced bacon meat. I'm not adventurous enough to enjoy--for instance--intestines, but every other dish there has been great. We love to go with a big party and share lots of food. It's a busy place, and not much in the way of decor, if that's your thing. But if your palate is bored by run-of-the-mill Chinese, this is the best you'll find here.
(5)Colin S.
Hands-down the best Chinese food I've had in the Birmingham area. So if you want something more authentic that the local super mega buffet and willing to pay a little more, check out Mr. Chen's. Seating is very limited and the restaurant can get packed during dinner hours, so plan accordingly. Our initial order of tea was lukewarm at best but was quickly replaced upon alerting the waitress. We ordered the Salted Crispy Whole Shrimp, Tofu with Crispy Bean Blend, and Eggplant with Pork Basil in Hot Pot. I'm not a huge fan of eating whole shrimp, but the seasoning made it more than bearable. The tofu dish was very flavorful but seemed a little dry (served without any sauce). The eggplant, however, was fantastic. While the serving size seemed a little small for the price, the Japanese eggplant was cooked to perfection. This dish made the meal to be completely honest, so I highly recommend it.
(4)Michael F.
Perhaps the best Chinese food I've ever had. We will be eating here again soon. (Had cashew chicken & beef broccoli.)
(5)Lynn B.
Always good. This is my favorite Chinese restaurant & it's always good every time. I like the shrimp lo mien - the shrimp is never over cooked
(5)Lauren S.
Yes. Just yes. Not great atmosphere and in a strip mall, so could easily be mistaken for American buffet style "Chinese" food, but this is the real thing. You won't be disappointed, but it's not what your used to.
(4)Chris F.
You know when over half the patrons in here are Asian, you've found a pretty good place. It's also the go to place for adoptive families recently returned from China. It carries the national beer too. The fried dumplings are outstanding! Egg rolls are not made fresh there and is the only negative about this place. My Chinese son and Philipino friend can never get enough of Mr. Chen's.
(4)Yenie T.
After a day of hiking, we were craaaving Chinese food on a Saturday night; and we were hangry when we discovered that Shangri-La Chinese restaurant is closed on Saturdays. Before we ripped each other's heads off out of anger and low blood sugar, we quickly browsed Yelp reviews and found Mr. Chen's in Hoover. Mr. Chen's is in a strip mall not too far from an Outback's steakhouse. We were so disgustingly hungry, in fact, that we briefly contemplated going to Outback's to gorge on the blooming onion, especially when we saw that Mr. Chen's was boarded up with OSB panels due to some sort of construction on the walk way. We decided to chance the suspicious and untried restaurant. We stepped into a tidy and bustling establishment with many Chinese patrons. This made me happy - this place has gotta be good; however we almost had a melt down ordering food. We were too hungry to decide. In the end, we settled on the safe menu options of steamed dumplings, Kung Pao chicken, and Mongolian beef. To be honest, the food was a little saltier than I would have liked, and I definitely have had better Chinese food, but it was solidly good. I want to come back because of the menu items available that are not typically found on American Chinese restaurants, like fried turnip cakes, braised beef belly, and salted crispy oysters. Also, the wait staff were attentive without being pushy. They were also happy to oblige when we requested chopsticks and a small side dish of hot chili sauce.
(4)Natasha S.
Great food. Good Service. Friendly, Casual Atmosphere! I will go back for sure!
(4)Ping F.
We have really enjoyed the food here. We've tried most of their tofu dishes and each one was outstanding. Our kids loved the sweet pea leaves and they are tough critics.
(5)Andrew C.
Just went there tonight. I'm surprised by all the good reviews. Wait staff was very nice... food was mediocre at best. Our egg rolls were barely warm... definitely made earlier and served to us when we ordered. Very jack-in-the-box feel to them. Hot and sour soup was disgusting. Period. Chicken chow fun was actually very good... good spices, lemongrass, tasty. I make better kung pao beef at my house. We won't be back.
(2)Tom C.
If you like good food, order the salted shrimp. It is so good I cannot experiment with ordering anything else.
(5)Adam S.
I thought this place was good. When I say it's good, I mean the general tso's is definitely above average. It's also nice and spicy which I like. The egg rolls and hot and sour soup were about average. I don't claim to be an expert on china or its culture so I can't speak to the authenticity or any of that. Here's what I know: general tso's is a ubiquitous dish, but like pizza or burgers it is rare to find a "good" version much less exceptional one. This place's falls pretty safely in the "good" category.
(4)ben h.
The name says it all--Authentic. When at least half the restaurant's customers are the native land, you know it will be good. Only place in town I know to get small steam buns. Great selection of interesting dishes you can't get in most Chinese restaurants. Not much atmosphere and many servers don't speak much English, but you can't go wrong with their food.
(3)Brad H.
A few friends have been raving about this place and couldn't believe I had yet to dine there, as it is so close to my house. I finally did it, and now I've tasted and seen the goodness they spoke of. The quality of ingredients (big thigh chunks used in my General Tao's chicken dish), the taste, the quantity, and the price--Mr. Chen is firing on all cylinders and I will be back again and again and again. Then I'll come back again.
(5)Tom C.
I've been here twice so far. Each time I was there, I left feeling slightly sick to the stomach. Knowing me, this sick feeling meant the food was too greasy and/or some msg added. I've been told that this is one of the better chinese food places in the area so you can't complain too much about it. Even though I wasn't too impressed by the food here, I loved the service.. mainly because I knew our server. Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5
(3)Charles G.
Oh. My. Goodness. We finally found actual Chinese food in Alabama. No disrespect meant to my beloved Sun Cafe here in Huntsville, but this place had a far more authentic approach in Chinese cuisine instead of just settling for "Asian". We had the steamed buns, the home style tofu, and the fish flavored pork. We probably won't order the fish flavored pork again due to a strange replacement of julienned carrots for cubed water chestnuts, but the flavor of the sauce was still dead on. For all I know, that's how they do it in Taiwan; I only know the Sichuan preparations from the mainland. The home style tofu was served in a metal pot over a burner like it would have been served back in Nanchang, so my wife and I had a great time reminiscing on all the times we ate this dish in different places we often miss. The steamed buns were nothing short of brilliant. Yes, Ding How II has dim sum on weekends in Huntsville, but even with that specialty we've never had any buns there as good as these! I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes like the dry fried green beans or some of the other pork and chicken dishes. The place was a bit cramped, and our waiter didn't really speak Mandarin, but heck.... this is way closer than China Town Food Court in Atlanta, so I'm going with five stars!
(5)Michael H.
All around great restaurant. The server wasn't very helpful, but she was nice so it didn't really matter. I asked her for some suggestions between a few items and I ended up choosing beef in black bean sauce. It was pretty good. I got the distinct feeling that if I became a regular then I would get "in" with the staff and they would offer some more exotic, perhaps even off-the-menu selections. Like I tell my friends so often about so many Chinese and Asian joints, "It's no Saigon Le" (my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Memphis, Tenn., which also has Chinese on the menu).
(4)matt d.
Okay- so I have been hitting a lot of Chinese places lately. Given the other reviews, this was one I was really looking forward to. I (and my two co-workers) found it to be completely run-of-the-mill. The egg roll was fair at best. The hot and sour soup (not included with meal) was good, but not as good as Black Pearl and nowhere close to as good as Mandarin House (both of which include the soup). The fried munchies (not sure what they are called) that came with the soup were cardboard stale. Having to use packets of hot mustard and other sauces is a good indication of the fast food nature of this less than claimed "authentic" place. The service was fine. The home made hot sauce is not hot but was tasty. In the end, I found this place to be only slightly better than Chow Town buffet. It is just another strip mall Chinese place, both in decor and offering. Go 1 more mile north and try the Mandarin House- it is better in every way.
(2)Maddie M.
Best Chinese food I have had in the south. Really authentic Chinese. Excellent egg rolls! Very pleasing unexpected surprise!
(5)Brian C.
Mr. Chen's is good but my current fave for authentic Chinese is Red Pearl. In addition to authentic Chinese, Mr. Chen's now offers a number of American-style lunch specials, egg rolls and fortune cookies, etc. While you still see Asian families in there, it's not like it was when they first opened. I must confess that I liked the menu better before they made it more American-friendly. The cold duck appetizer is very good and the fish dishes have always been spot on.
(4)Chad L.
That the place was packed on a Thursday night speaks volumes. The hot & sour was the best I've had and the eggplant basil hot pot was absolutely delicious. My friend had the shrimp in lobster sauce, which was also of higher quality than standard Chinese fare. They also have a bubble tea machine, but I was too stuffed to try it on this visit. A+++
(5)Paul C.
Yay for Mr Chen's! We love having a Chinese restaurant in Hoover that offers authentic dishes. We enjoy ordering family style, and here are some recommendations: * Steamed bun * Sautéed sweet pea leaves * Chicken with black bean sauce * Eggplant with pork basil in hot pot * Salt fried shrimp (with shell on so chew the shells well) * Mapo Tofu (spicy) * Bubble tea - You have to order a slush and ask to have tapioca balls added
(4)Whitney B.
While my heart still belongs to another Chinese restaurant, I do believe I have found competition. If you know me, you know my obsession with Chicken Chow Fun. I order it whenever I can get it. My other Chinese restaurant would not let me have any. This place made me happy and gave me what I wanted. I don't know why CCF is never on menus. I asked anyway, and was told I could have it with my choice of meat or plain. This CCF is different than what I am used to. The noodles didn't get all stuck together, and it was lighter. The chicken was cooked perfectly and had a great taste. I really enjoyed it. I even enjoyed tasting the different vegetables that were mixed in the dish. I don't really like crab rangoon, but I ordered it anyway. I don't even know why. It was light and fluffy, with the perfect amount of crisp. I am not a big fan of rice, but when I saw the egg fried rice was only $1.50, I couldn't resist. Although it was nothing special, for $1.50, who really cares. The place was packed and the service was friendly. They have a tv and a very casual atmosphere. I'd definitely go back.
(4)Tim M.
Absolutely the worst Chinese food I've ever eaten. We ordered the egg drop soup, steamed dumplings, General Tao's chicken, & Mongolian Beef. The soup was flavorless & was basically chicken broth & mushrooms. The dumplings were mush, the General Tao's chicken tasted like peanut butter & the chicken was poor quality. The beef was flavorless and mostly a plate full of onions. They also charge a dollar for a can of soda. The service was poor as well because the waitress went on break & we didn't see her for 20 minutes. Skip this place to save your money & taste buds.
(1)Lesley G.
Fantastic Chinese food that tastes fresh and a little unique too. Plenty in each entree and great fast service. Our new favorite!
(5)Vanessa C.
4.5-4.8 agree! Great little authentic Chinese dive! We recently moved down from TN. to Morris. So we're exploring what kind of variety of restaurants are around the area. My husband was craving Chinese food on Friday night so I was up late on Thur. evening searching for locations. I came across this page and read the reviews and knew we had to try it for ourselves. We loaded up and drove on over (my mother in law, father in law, husband, our 4yo son and myself). The moment we drove up everyone else was a bit skeptical due to the very small size of the storefront. My mother in law asked "is there seating inside?", lol! Yes, it is definitely a small storefront but once we opened the door the place was packed so that assured the rest of my group that the food must be good. I knew what we were in for thanks to the reviews on here. We were greeted (very nice tall gentleman) and seated immediately (party of 5) even though they were packed. Everyone is overwhelmed by the very large selection of entrees to choose from. We ordered our drinks and I quickly skimmed the reviews here for appetizer suggestions. I ordered the Small Steamed Buns and the Crab Rangoon for our table. My husband spoke up "well, I guess she's ordering for us all", lol! Just the appetizers my dear. From the moment we sat down to the time we left it was constant friendly attention/service, we never had to wait or want for anything. The Crab Rangoon arrived with a house red sauce. My husband was blown away, "this is the BEST Crab Rangoon I've EVER had!". They seriously melt in your mouth, so fresh, so creamy, absolutely DIVINE! I would have taken a picture of it but the 5 of us devoured them in a few moments. Next was the small steamed rolls. I was intrigued by these the moment I saw a picture posted on here. They were definitely something new to all of us. Cute to look at, very fresh, a mild overall flavor with a little sweetness when dipped in the sauce. My mother in law ordered a XXL bowl of Sweet & Sour soup for our table. It arrived promptly and we were taken in by the variety of ingredients in it. This was no skimpy soup, it was loaded with delicious ingredients. I was hesitant to try it at first (heartburn here) but thought I would give it a go. It was delicious! Not all that spicy at all. Another item that was gone before I thought to snap a photo (sorry guys!). We will definitely be ordering this on a regular basis in the future. Our table ended up ordering the General Tso's Chicken (myself), Kung Pao Chicken (my MIL), Mongolian Beef (my husband), Moo Goo Gai Pan (my FIL), and Chicken Lo Mein (my 4yo). Being our first time there we decided to put all 4 of our adult dishes in the middle of the table so that the 4 of us adults could try some of each. They also bring you this HUGE bowl of white rice so I placed a round of rice on my plate and sectioned it into 4 portions, topping each portion with a portion of the entrees. I did post pictures here of each of our 4 entrees before we dived into the entrees. My overall opinions: *General Tso's Chicken: Slight spice but not overpowering, generous portions, big pieces of tender chicken. The sauce was like the consistancy of a honey/molasses, absolutely delicious! This will definitely be an entree we order on a regular basis in the future! The 4 of us ate all but like a Tbsp. from this entree. *Mongolian Beef: Very generous portions! Beef was very tender and veggies very fresh as well. It was a very mild flavor bordering bland but still something I may reorder in the future. *Kung Pao Chicken: Generous portion, fresh veggies, very tender chicken. Overall flavor was weak/bland. Probably will not order this again. *General Tso's Chicken: My FIL and my 4yo son devoured this. It must have been delicious because my 4yo kept eyeballing my FIL when he would get another portion for himself to make sure there was more left for him, lol! My mother in law agreed that it was the best General Tso's Chicken she's ever had. *Chicken Lo Mein: Generous portion, fresh, tender chicken. The flavor was mild, again I liked it ok but it seems like it just needs a little more flavor to it. We all ended up very full and still came home with 3 takeout boxes. This place was the bees knees when it comes to authentic Chinese food. The entire staff were all very nice (and our waitress was cute - my 4yo "little ladies man" wouldn't take his eyes off of her as she would go to/from our table, haha!). They close at 9pm and we arrived around 8:15 +/- a few min.. When we were all finished eating the busboy came over and cleared our table quickly as we sat there. There was a couple of rude women sitting a table over sipping on their wine taking their sweet old time as if the world revolved around them as the entire staff had to stand around waiting for them to finish up so that they could clean up and go home. So if there late after hours please be courteous and wrap it up. Overall A++! Love it!
(4)Desi B.
Warning!! If you have kids, dont enter this restaurant. If they spill they stare at you, if they make even a little bit of noise they ask you to leave. What an attitute for a small business. Pathetic Service. Average food. I will never go back.
(1)Anthony L.
Best Chinese food in the area. We primarily go there for lunch. Kids get the standard sesame chicken. Chicken is always freshly cooked. Not your typical Chinese flair or buffet flair. We also always get the dumplings. Best around as well. The wife and I causally get some sort of fish dish. Never disappointed and always good. It is a smaller place so they can fill up fast. There is not much room while waiting for a table. So we usually try to go right before the rush or right after.
(5)Rob T.
Best Chinese food in Bham. Family style offerings. Excellent for family night out or take-out. Best authentic menu offerings in the area.
(4)Anna B.
Awesome spring roll!
(4)Brad S.
I'm from the central part of the country, so most folk's ideas of Chinese cuisine don't go much farther than the beef and broccoli with eggroll and fried rice, so I relish the opportunity to try the cooking by an authentic Chinese person, so authentic that they put the adjective in the damn name of the place. I started with some turnip cakes, an item popular in dim sum and one I found to be quite tasty, though the pan fry made the cakes hold on to a bit more oil than I would have liked. It led the way to a Szechuan Beef Vegetable Noodle Soup, which had that little chile next to the item on the menu signifying spiciness, but I didn't specify and was disappointed to find only the slightest bit of heat when the dish actually arrived. Still, the dish was filled with daikon, green onion, and large chunks of fatty and tough beef, which slowly rendered it's goodness into the broth as I ate. By the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, the broth was pretty amazing. I'm not Chinese by any means of the word, and I didn't visit Birmingham long enough to know if Mr. Chen's is as good as it gets, but it's certainly more authentic than many in this part of the country, and that deserves some encouragement.
(5)Preston G.
4.5 maybe 4.8. It's the bomb. Went twice during a short biz trip. It's hard to find quality Chinese food in Pittsburgh - crazy that I found it in Alabama - but it's for real. Make sure you let them know "no meat" in their tofu dishes. Best soft tofu ever. For God's sake please order something other than General Tso's Chicken for once in your life - this is the place to venture out.
(5)Cham M.
Mongolian beef & cappuccino bubble tea = #boomsauce
(5)Lydia E.
Every time I visit B'ham I have to stop by here. Authentic Chinese food prepared to satisfy the palettes of both Asian and Caucasian alike. You know it's good Chinese food when you see your fellow Chinese locals eating there too! We typically order items not listed on the menu, while they can also serve your general Americanized Chinese food such as fried rice or general chicken. I love the dumplings! They are by far my favorite. Full of flavor and steamed fresh every time. Love it.
(4)R And K P.
Don't miss the seafood hot & sour soup. A wonderful light broth, very aromatic and delicately flavored. Had the chicken & cilantro dish which was also a winner. Don't let the strip mall storefront mislead you, great food awaits.
(4)Monika S.
Before Mr. Chen's opened a few years ago, when I asked my Chinese friends where to go for Chinese food in Bham they said Atlanta. That's no longer true. It's always a good sign when more than half the crowd is Asian. I love the sticky rice in lotus leaf and vegie dishes. Of course they have the obligatory non-Chinese food to appeal to American palates, but there's plenty of authenticity as well. Grab your favorite Chinese friend and let them guide you through a truly Chinese meal. The decor is pretty much what you expect in Chinese places, and they do serve beer. Prices are very reasonable. Friday and Saturday nights can be quite busy but the line moves fast. By 8 things thin out.
(4)Sloe R.
I can honestly say that I've never had Chinese cuisine that tasted - clean. Not swimming in generic, oil laden sauces. Not overly salted. Not heavily breaded. Simply put - healthy, fresh, and CLEAN. The Kung Pao Chicken was unlike any I've ordered from the various restaurants frequented over the years. The Chicken with Black Bean Sauce was just as fresh and delicious. And, as the owner will proudly tell anyone within earshot, "This is authentic Chinese cuisine." Sorry I can't elaborate. I guess I'm not used to "authentic Chinese cuisine."
(4)Robert C.
Folks, this is the real deal. While the food isn't truly superlative, for Birmingham, this is about as good as it gets. Mr. Chen's is located in a strip mall accessible from both I-65 and I-459. Look for Hoover Court, near the Braddock Drive stoplight on the southbound side of Montgomery Highway (US 31). I had the Small Steam Bun ("xiao long bao", $4.95), the Pan Fried Turnip Cake ("luo buo gao", $4.50), and the Sauteed Sweet Pea Leaves ($7.95). All very solid renditions. The xiao long bao are a great deal, as they come out to less than 50 cents a piece; I haven't yet found such a deal back in Atlanta. The skins are, admittedly, overly thick, but I suppose they do a decent job of resisting punctures and tears -- almost all ten of my xiao long bao managed to deliver a good amount of broth. The flavor is right, too. Note that an order of these will take about 15 minutes to steam. The turnip cakes come six to an order. I didn't find them particularly greasy, as one previous reviewer did, but that might just be personal preference. I thought my turnip cakes could've been fried a few seconds more for that perfect crunchy layer, however. And the sweet pea leaves? Light, crispy, and refreshing. A perfect complement to the rest of the meal.
(4)Gigi D.
Best Chinese food in Birmingham. Here's what was excellent: steamed dumplings and kung pao chicken. The zucchini in the kung pao was perfectly cooked and seasoned (not overdone at all). Also, the sesame chicken was right on. Too many times I've had it where the chicken tasted like day-old chicken. Not so here. The Mongolian chicken was simple yet excellent. The downside: service was slow on a busy night.
(5)Amy R.
I've been on a search for authentic kung pao chicken. Mr. Chen is as close as I've found, but the search continues... Great menu with relatively quick service; they have bubble tea and Tsing Tao beer-my Chinese fav!
(4)Gregory H.
Mr. Chen's. Hands down the best, most authentic, Chinese food in the b'ham area. Be prepared for some very unusual dishes like pig ears. This is not your mama's Chinese place. They only recently added dishes like Mongolian beef. Mr. Chen's. Great authentic stuff. Love the dumplings. They steam them so they swell up with the most amazing broth captured inside. They pop in your mouth. Can be dangerous if you don't wait a couple of minutes. My name is Greg and my middle name is danger. The staff is very helpful and if possible, the will even bring out a sample if some is already prepared. Don't go looking for a fast meal. Everything is cooked and chopped to order. I am pretty sure they do not use MSG which is great for those with an allergy. Give Mr. Chen's a chance. The food is amazing.
(5)Alex W.
Sooooo dank. Without a doubt the best Chinese food in all of Birmingham. I can't believe I didn't know about this place sooner.
(5)TASTY T.
This place is a nice little gem in Birmingham. I would have never thought that such a place would exist in Alabama, real Chinese food! 100% fan and will continually visit this place every time I come to Birmingham. Okay the 5 stars is because: 1. This place is actually owned and run by a Taiwanese man, Mr. Chen. 2. Food is authentic Taiwanese food. 3. Actual taste wise 3.5 if I were in Taiwan, 4 if I was in LA. 4. Since I am in Birmingham this place is about the best it can get. 5. Wow for Bham.
(5)Scott M.
The best Chinese food in Alabama. Get some.
(5)Ann D.
Thanks for all the great and detailed reviews on here, we decided to try Mr. Chen's yesterday. The food was wonderful and I wanted to try every dish that was brought to neighboring tables. I cannot wait to go back and try more as I had never heard of most of the items on the menu. Agree that this is basically a hole in a strip mall, but clean and nice, packed with customers, friendly staff, and wonderful food. Service isn't fast, but it isn't ridiculously slow or anything. Will be back soon! We ordered (1) turnip cakes for appetizer (comes with 6); (2) tapioca milk (so good); and then we had (3) crispy chicken and (4) sweet peas. That wast he perfect amount for 2 hungry people.
(5)Nathan A.
One of the better Chinese places I've been to the Southeast. I tried the ma po tofu, kung pao chicken, and wonton soup and was pleasantly surprised at the delicate blend of flavors and small use of salt. The place is really clean and service is great. The best Chinese food in Birmingham!
(4)Sally B.
Mr. Chen's never disappoints. The steamed buns are amazing and worth the drive out to Hoover. A must have is the eggplant with pork and basil, beef in a hot pot, and the ginger and salt squid. Don't go on a Sunday afternoon it was super busy and the people were ordering plain chinese american food. ;(
(4)Ayon J. R.
Good 'Chinese' food at reasonable prices.
(3)Dax B.
Boiled beef in hot oil may be my favorite dish now. Ask for it super hot.
(5)Janis H.
I'm Chinese and I have extremely high standards for Chinese cooking and Mr. Chen's definitely met that standard. They provide authentic dishes for everyone to enjoy as well as Americannized Chinese food for people of other taste. Every authentic dish tasted exactly like the cooking in China and Taiwan. The food was extremely well made and the dish itself is well decorated. Mr Chen's is also one of the cleanest Chinese restaurant in America. I have never seen a Chinese restaurant that is so well kept. Not only is the atmosphere great, the prices were even better. Their prices are extremely cheap and you really get a great deal out of it I moved a couple of months ago and I really miss this place
(5)Melissa C.
I have to say--there is one employee here who is extremely rude. This is not a single occurrence either... consistently rude and this is a general consensus of several people. Disappointing.
(4)Tim D.
Wow, this is the second time I have been to Chen's. The first time busy night, pouring rain, getting into town for work just saw it stopping in the near by Publix. The food was good, cannot remember what I ordered but good enough to go back. This time around had craving and went back. I ordered, to go again, the steamed dumplings were good and the soy, ginger, garlic sauce to go with was tremendous. I also ordered shredded chicken curry that had bean sprouts, onion, green onion and a little red bell pepper. I did not think it was spicy but I like hot foods, the curry was incredible and had sort of an indian spice flair to it like garam masala or cardamom. I added the spicy garlic sauce which was and excellent addition. Everything is from a to z is homemade!
(4)Alexander M.
good food, friendly service, clean and nicely decorated... recommend! While on business trip in Birmingham, AL I searched YELP for good places to eat and Mr Chen's kitchen was in the top results and pretty close to my hotel. I was by myself and the cute and friendly waitress sat me as soon as I walked through the door and almost immediately took my drink order. After I got my drink I asked her for her recommendation. She asked me a few questions about what I liked and made a great suggestion for the entree: Chicken w/ Black Bean Sauce... which was with cabbage... I love cabbage! The food was prepared great; rice was perfectly cooked, cabbage was very fresh and crunchy, everything was just well done. Of course, my tip reflected the level of satisfaction.
(5)Brooke A.
Very authentic, but not high quality cuts of meat.
(4)Amy C.
I just moved to Birmingham from the Boston area. I am Chinese and grew up eating "the real stuff" . This is probably the best it gets in Birmingham, I was pleasantly surprised to find this place. It is not a top notch restaurant, but it is quick and affordable. I had spiced garlic bacon meat and general tso's. The bacon meat was delicious, ordered it extra spicy. It put tears in my eyes, and that is how you know it is spicy enough! General tso's was fine, not as battered and heavy as the American kind which was nice. I was impressed with the service. Usually at a real Chinese restaurant you food will just get plopped down and you will be pretty much ignored for the rest of your meal. I will definitely be back many times!
(4)Nathan C.
I am not a fan of your typical Americanized Chinese food. Luckily Mr Chen's serves up *real* authentic Chinese food. The service staff offered up suggestions and I took them up on the Basil Eggplant & Pork hotpot dish. It was amazing... Awesome presentation in a sizzling hotpot.. Long skinny cuts of pork with Japanese style eggplant... Do yourself a favor and skip the typical dishes you can find at any Chinese restaurants and go for the authentic stuff!
(4)Milke D.
This place is way overrated. The dumplings were just OK and the soup was average at best. Service was rushed (which is typical at so many oriental eateries)
(2)Kevin H.
Great food! The service was a little slow. But in there defense it was during dinner rush and the place was packed. It doesn't look like much from the outside but you really can't judge a book by it's cover. The inside is very nice and the food is excellent. I had the steamed buns appetizer. My kids loved them. I only had one and a half for my self. The General Tso's chicken was also very good. Would have been 5 stars but for the slow service.
(4)Adam B.
My girlfriend heard about this great authentic Chinese place in Hoover. When she told me about it, I told her it wasn't possible because there's nothing good in Hoover. Well, I was wrong. This is by far the best, most authentic Chinese food I've had in the Birmingham area. I for one am willing to make the trek down 31 to eat at this wonderful establishment and that's saying a lot for me. If there's one thing I would recommend it's the eggplant with pork and basil in the hot pot. Absolutely amazing.
(5)Walter H.
Wow, surprisingly good! So many US "Chinese" restaurants are tragic misunderstandings---Chinese owners providing what they think Americans want, Americans ordering what they think is Chinese food, often resulting in gloppy, unhealthy messes. So even after seeing the positive reviews here I went inside this little shopping-strip location with low expectations. My parents live nearby, and I was frankly expecting to be reminded of one more reasons why it would be hard for me to move back to Alabama (lack of decent Chinese restaurants). Was immediately encouraged to see more Asian families noshing away than people who looked like they'd gotten lost on their way to the Golden Corral buffet. Another customer was wearing clothes that indicated he was a professional chef somewhere else. Hmm, I thought. I'm from Alabama but lived in China for about 5 years (and have been visiting there regularly for 20 years), so I asked if there was a special Chinese language menu. No, they said. So we ordered off the standard menu (which is quite expansive and does list the dish names in Chinese). We ordered family style, sharing dishes for the table in the normal Chinese way. Started with the steamed soup dumplings (xiao long bao). Here they don't ask you if you want vegetable, crab or pork filling, but the dumplings were quite tasty. Thin skin, nice soup, good pork filling--not the overly thick, chewy-skinned things some places serve out of the freezer. Took them about 10 minutes to make; worth the wait. My parents had never had them before but enjoyed them. They served them with the conventional light vinegar sauce (not just soy sauce). Sweet and sour soup didn't have much of the tangy "suan la" thing going on, but it wasn't overly thickened with starch and had a nice assortment of mushrooms, soft tofu, little bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and wisps of cabbage in it. I was neutral but my parents liked that. Green beans (gan bian si ji dou) were next. They had lots of ground pork (usually there's less, just for seasoning), and the beans were fresh enough, not rubbery at all, not greasy. Again, the spiciness had been dialed down. My parents loved the beans; that was their favorite dish. I thought they were fine but wanted more punch. Saw some other tables with a steamed Chinese spinach dish that looked yummy. We had a sizzling iron skillet tofu (tie ban dofu). Vegetables in it were good and fresh. Nice hearty brown sauce. My parents had probably never seen big squares of tofu served on a dish before and didn't become instant fans. Waiter said there's a "house tofu" that's spicy. Might try that one next time. Our main course was steamed fish (qing zhen yu pian). This was, by far, my favorite dish, and the folks gave it a thumbs up, too, though by that time they were too full to eat much (more for me!). The fish was large, super-tender and succulent! The light, tangy sauce and cilantro perfectly complimented it but were not overpowering. The fish and some more jasmine tea were a nice way to finish the meal. They served a big bowl of white rice without my ordering it specifically. It wasn't dried out or too clumpy. Wait staff were friendly and attentive. Couple of them were guys, including one tall man from Malaysia (who speaks Chinese). Our mainland China waitress was sweet and friendly. She said the owners are Taiwanese. Decor was better than I expected too (it's an older shopping strip, with a pharmacy next door that looks like it last updated its fixtures and much of its inventory before the civil rights movement). Chen's is simply but pleasantly decorated. It's well lit, which is not apparent from the outside. It's also very clean. If you put this place in its local context, it's a 5-star godsend. But that could signal something even better. The soup dumplings here are not as good as those at Joe's Shanghai in NYC, but this isn't under-the-heat-lamps stuff that usually passes for Chinese food in these parts. If you want authentic Chinese in Birmingham, I don't know of a better option. So go to Chen's, and for goodness sake order something other than General Tso's chicken and fried rice!
(4)Alicia P.
The food here is consistently good.
(5)Scott N.
This is as good as it gets when it comes to Taiwanese/Chinese food in Alabama. Their lunch menu has the typical Americanized Chinese menu for stupid Americans but their dinner menu has terrific dishes that you won't find anywhere else like seafood hotpot, steamed buns, shrimp balls, etc. The service is also very good and the place is clean enough to eat off the floor.
(5)Kyle A.
Best Chinese food I have ever had. Pork with black bean sauce, side of chili paste, and steamed dumplings please.
(5)Brooke B.
The food was ok. I really liked the combination rice. General chicken wasn't crispy/crunchy though and wasn't spicy. Maybe I'm too white and they took it easy on the heat.
(3)David G.
Easily the best Chinese food in Birmingham, whether you are looking for authentic Chinese or their take on Americanized dishes.
(5)Mary Jane C.
I still love this place, and I just wanted to add that the pork with black bean sauce was amazing. yumyum.
(4)Ashley W.
Mr. Chen's is honestly the freshest Chinese food I have ever tasted. My first surprise came when I ordered hot and sour soup and it didn't taste like sodium overload. It actually had big chunks of seafood in it that were perfectly cooked within the soup. While I know cashew chicken is Americanized Chinese food, I can't help but once again emphasis the freshness of every dish I tried, including this one. The sauce on the chicken was light and the cashews had obviously been toasted before being mixed with everything. My husband's pork lo mein had a great balance of well cooked pork, noodles, and vegetables. I was incredibly impressed with Mr. Chen's and will definitely be back. Next time we'll branch out more since we know it's so good!
(4)Nickole H.
Excellent food and service. Fresh ingredients and cooked perfectly. Had the Shrimp with Veggies- shrimp were plump and juicy, veggies were crisp and seasoned well. Can't wait to try some more of their menu.
(5)Justin W.
I love this Chinese restaurant! People always say that the natives will go to the places that are the best representation of their home country for the good eats. And this place has the good eats. Definitely go with some people willing to just buy a couple few dishes and spread it all around sharing the joy of the meat, veggies, and rice. Their are all kinds of options, and they all taste great. Definitely try some steamed buns, they're a lot of fun and tasty. If you want fried rice, just order that type of dish from its section on the menu. Don't try to substitute fried rice for the steamed rice of a standard dish, it's not really worth it. Enjoy!
(5)Karl C.
Tucked away in an older strip shopping center in Hoover is probably the best Chinese food in Birmingham. Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking seems to be a cut above all the others in both quality of food and preparation. The menu consists of traditional favorites such as Mongolian beef, sesame chicken, and fried rice, but there are also some more esoteric dishes for those who may want to venture out. My personal favorites are the Kung Pao Combination and the Combination fried rice which each include a generous sampling of chicken, beef, and shrimp. Egg Rolls are medium-sized, well-cooked, and a pleasant accompaniment to any meal. Prices are moderate with lunch specials in the $6.95-$7.95 range and dinner entrees ranging from $8.50 to the $14-15 range. Decor is open and minimalist, so it can get a little noisy at times. Mr. Chen's is well worth a little drive if you want really good Chinese food!
(5)Garrett I.
This is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Bham. I went to another Chinese restaurant recently and super regretted it. I love all of the soups here (pricey but awesome), steamed bun, crab rangoons, and beef and broccoli. Almost every time my wife's parents are in town we go here and certainly anytime I want Chineese food I go here.
(5)Tansey T.
Well, my second time here...Again, I'm really not sure why all the good ratings... I have lived in major big cities that have China Towns and some real good AUTHENTIC Chinese food...this place is well below average when it comes to their claim. I started with steamed dumplings, they were just as another reviewer stated- bought at Sam's Club(I've had Kirkland's frozen dumplings before). Then I tried the Mongolian Beef for lunch...well if you like onions, this is the dish for you. I would be very comfortable is saying the dish was 95% onions...Then, the service was so lacking, I had to eventually go up to pay. I have experienced enough with this place. Trust me, if you REALLY want authentic Chinese Food with good efficient service, Red Pearl restaurant is certainly the place. Do not say I didn't tell you so...thanks for reading...
(1)Danielle S.
I've gone to Mr. Chen's a few times now because it was raved about by some good friends for being authentic Chinese food. The menu has a lot of dishes that you won't see in your typical Chinese Restaurant and I've tried to order things I've never had before each time I went. The last time, we ordered 3 entrees: The Crispy Salted Chicken, Basil Squid, and Garlic Spiced Bacon Meat. The Crispy Salted Chicken was great, but, sadly, nothing else was. The Basil Squid had no flavor except for the taste of being slightly-off. The Garlic Spiced Bacon Meat would have been good had it not come out cold, really cold. Two of the entrees we ordered were listed as spicy on the menu, but weren't at all. Not a big deal, just disappointing. Mr. Chen's is popular, there's no doubt, but I'll be going elsewhere to ensure I get a consistently delicious (and hot) meal.
(2)Kathryn D.
Basil Squid. Steamed Dumplings. Hot and Sour Seafood Soup. Cold Shredded Pig Ears. Every last plate, so delicious. "Authentic-ness" is relative but this place is the best Birmingham has to offer in the Chinese food department. Bonus: there is bubble tea!
(5)Robbie B.
Asked to get Kung Paolo combination and got something that was completely not like Kung Pao. Sent it back to kitchen and it came but just reheated and sugary. Sent back second time and still came out not correct. Never got refills and sat with empty glasses. After I told them I did not want their food they kept telling me that I would have to pay 50% because they wasted their time and food trying to make me happy. They ended up nickel and dimeing me for every single thing until they had my ticket up to $26.98 for one entree of 9.99 and fried rice and a sweet tea. These people are crazy if they think that is how to do business.
(1)Ian Maren C.
Excellent Chinese authentic food. Service was great even dealing with a large table. The food was spectacular. Excellent egg plant and the squid was amazing .
(5)Gregory H.
Mr. Chen's. Hands down the best, most authentic, Chinese food in the b'ham area. Be prepared for some very unusual dishes like pig ears. This is not your mama's Chinese place. They only recently added dishes like Mongolian beef. Mr. Chen's. Great authentic stuff. Love the dumplings. They steam them so they swell up with the most amazing broth captured inside. They pop in your mouth. Can be dangerous if you don't wait a couple of minutes. My name is Greg and my middle name is danger. The staff is very helpful and if possible, the will even bring out a sample if some is already prepared. Don't go looking for a fast meal. Everything is cooked and chopped to order. I am pretty sure they do not use MSG which is great for those with an allergy. Give Mr. Chen's a chance. The food is amazing.
(5)Alex W.
Sooooo dank. Without a doubt the best Chinese food in all of Birmingham. I can't believe I didn't know about this place sooner.
(5)TASTY T.
This place is a nice little gem in Birmingham. I would have never thought that such a place would exist in Alabama, real Chinese food! 100% fan and will continually visit this place every time I come to Birmingham. Okay the 5 stars is because: 1. This place is actually owned and run by a Taiwanese man, Mr. Chen. 2. Food is authentic Taiwanese food. 3. Actual taste wise 3.5 if I were in Taiwan, 4 if I was in LA. 4. Since I am in Birmingham this place is about the best it can get. 5. Wow for Bham.
(5)Scott M.
The best Chinese food in Alabama. Get some.
(5)Ann D.
Thanks for all the great and detailed reviews on here, we decided to try Mr. Chen's yesterday. The food was wonderful and I wanted to try every dish that was brought to neighboring tables. I cannot wait to go back and try more as I had never heard of most of the items on the menu. Agree that this is basically a hole in a strip mall, but clean and nice, packed with customers, friendly staff, and wonderful food. Service isn't fast, but it isn't ridiculously slow or anything. Will be back soon! We ordered (1) turnip cakes for appetizer (comes with 6); (2) tapioca milk (so good); and then we had (3) crispy chicken and (4) sweet peas. That wast he perfect amount for 2 hungry people.
(5)Nathan A.
One of the better Chinese places I've been to the Southeast. I tried the ma po tofu, kung pao chicken, and wonton soup and was pleasantly surprised at the delicate blend of flavors and small use of salt. The place is really clean and service is great. The best Chinese food in Birmingham!
(4)Sally B.
Mr. Chen's never disappoints. The steamed buns are amazing and worth the drive out to Hoover. A must have is the eggplant with pork and basil, beef in a hot pot, and the ginger and salt squid. Don't go on a Sunday afternoon it was super busy and the people were ordering plain chinese american food. ;(
(4)Ayon J. R.
Good 'Chinese' food at reasonable prices.
(3)Dax B.
Boiled beef in hot oil may be my favorite dish now. Ask for it super hot.
(5)Janis H.
I'm Chinese and I have extremely high standards for Chinese cooking and Mr. Chen's definitely met that standard. They provide authentic dishes for everyone to enjoy as well as Americannized Chinese food for people of other taste. Every authentic dish tasted exactly like the cooking in China and Taiwan. The food was extremely well made and the dish itself is well decorated. Mr Chen's is also one of the cleanest Chinese restaurant in America. I have never seen a Chinese restaurant that is so well kept. Not only is the atmosphere great, the prices were even better. Their prices are extremely cheap and you really get a great deal out of it I moved a couple of months ago and I really miss this place
(5)Melissa C.
I have to say--there is one employee here who is extremely rude. This is not a single occurrence either... consistently rude and this is a general consensus of several people. Disappointing.
(4)Tim D.
Wow, this is the second time I have been to Chen's. The first time busy night, pouring rain, getting into town for work just saw it stopping in the near by Publix. The food was good, cannot remember what I ordered but good enough to go back. This time around had craving and went back. I ordered, to go again, the steamed dumplings were good and the soy, ginger, garlic sauce to go with was tremendous. I also ordered shredded chicken curry that had bean sprouts, onion, green onion and a little red bell pepper. I did not think it was spicy but I like hot foods, the curry was incredible and had sort of an indian spice flair to it like garam masala or cardamom. I added the spicy garlic sauce which was and excellent addition. Everything is from a to z is homemade!
(4)Alexander M.
good food, friendly service, clean and nicely decorated... recommend! While on business trip in Birmingham, AL I searched YELP for good places to eat and Mr Chen's kitchen was in the top results and pretty close to my hotel. I was by myself and the cute and friendly waitress sat me as soon as I walked through the door and almost immediately took my drink order. After I got my drink I asked her for her recommendation. She asked me a few questions about what I liked and made a great suggestion for the entree: Chicken w/ Black Bean Sauce... which was with cabbage... I love cabbage! The food was prepared great; rice was perfectly cooked, cabbage was very fresh and crunchy, everything was just well done. Of course, my tip reflected the level of satisfaction.
(5)Brooke A.
Very authentic, but not high quality cuts of meat.
(4)Amy C.
I just moved to Birmingham from the Boston area. I am Chinese and grew up eating "the real stuff" . This is probably the best it gets in Birmingham, I was pleasantly surprised to find this place. It is not a top notch restaurant, but it is quick and affordable. I had spiced garlic bacon meat and general tso's. The bacon meat was delicious, ordered it extra spicy. It put tears in my eyes, and that is how you know it is spicy enough! General tso's was fine, not as battered and heavy as the American kind which was nice. I was impressed with the service. Usually at a real Chinese restaurant you food will just get plopped down and you will be pretty much ignored for the rest of your meal. I will definitely be back many times!
(4)Nathan C.
I am not a fan of your typical Americanized Chinese food. Luckily Mr Chen's serves up *real* authentic Chinese food. The service staff offered up suggestions and I took them up on the Basil Eggplant & Pork hotpot dish. It was amazing... Awesome presentation in a sizzling hotpot.. Long skinny cuts of pork with Japanese style eggplant... Do yourself a favor and skip the typical dishes you can find at any Chinese restaurants and go for the authentic stuff!
(4)Milke D.
This place is way overrated. The dumplings were just OK and the soup was average at best. Service was rushed (which is typical at so many oriental eateries)
(2)Kevin H.
Great food! The service was a little slow. But in there defense it was during dinner rush and the place was packed. It doesn't look like much from the outside but you really can't judge a book by it's cover. The inside is very nice and the food is excellent. I had the steamed buns appetizer. My kids loved them. I only had one and a half for my self. The General Tso's chicken was also very good. Would have been 5 stars but for the slow service.
(4)Adam B.
My girlfriend heard about this great authentic Chinese place in Hoover. When she told me about it, I told her it wasn't possible because there's nothing good in Hoover. Well, I was wrong. This is by far the best, most authentic Chinese food I've had in the Birmingham area. I for one am willing to make the trek down 31 to eat at this wonderful establishment and that's saying a lot for me. If there's one thing I would recommend it's the eggplant with pork and basil in the hot pot. Absolutely amazing.
(5)Walter H.
Wow, surprisingly good! So many US "Chinese" restaurants are tragic misunderstandings---Chinese owners providing what they think Americans want, Americans ordering what they think is Chinese food, often resulting in gloppy, unhealthy messes. So even after seeing the positive reviews here I went inside this little shopping-strip location with low expectations. My parents live nearby, and I was frankly expecting to be reminded of one more reasons why it would be hard for me to move back to Alabama (lack of decent Chinese restaurants). Was immediately encouraged to see more Asian families noshing away than people who looked like they'd gotten lost on their way to the Golden Corral buffet. Another customer was wearing clothes that indicated he was a professional chef somewhere else. Hmm, I thought. I'm from Alabama but lived in China for about 5 years (and have been visiting there regularly for 20 years), so I asked if there was a special Chinese language menu. No, they said. So we ordered off the standard menu (which is quite expansive and does list the dish names in Chinese). We ordered family style, sharing dishes for the table in the normal Chinese way. Started with the steamed soup dumplings (xiao long bao). Here they don't ask you if you want vegetable, crab or pork filling, but the dumplings were quite tasty. Thin skin, nice soup, good pork filling--not the overly thick, chewy-skinned things some places serve out of the freezer. Took them about 10 minutes to make; worth the wait. My parents had never had them before but enjoyed them. They served them with the conventional light vinegar sauce (not just soy sauce). Sweet and sour soup didn't have much of the tangy "suan la" thing going on, but it wasn't overly thickened with starch and had a nice assortment of mushrooms, soft tofu, little bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and wisps of cabbage in it. I was neutral but my parents liked that. Green beans (gan bian si ji dou) were next. They had lots of ground pork (usually there's less, just for seasoning), and the beans were fresh enough, not rubbery at all, not greasy. Again, the spiciness had been dialed down. My parents loved the beans; that was their favorite dish. I thought they were fine but wanted more punch. Saw some other tables with a steamed Chinese spinach dish that looked yummy. We had a sizzling iron skillet tofu (tie ban dofu). Vegetables in it were good and fresh. Nice hearty brown sauce. My parents had probably never seen big squares of tofu served on a dish before and didn't become instant fans. Waiter said there's a "house tofu" that's spicy. Might try that one next time. Our main course was steamed fish (qing zhen yu pian). This was, by far, my favorite dish, and the folks gave it a thumbs up, too, though by that time they were too full to eat much (more for me!). The fish was large, super-tender and succulent! The light, tangy sauce and cilantro perfectly complimented it but were not overpowering. The fish and some more jasmine tea were a nice way to finish the meal. They served a big bowl of white rice without my ordering it specifically. It wasn't dried out or too clumpy. Wait staff were friendly and attentive. Couple of them were guys, including one tall man from Malaysia (who speaks Chinese). Our mainland China waitress was sweet and friendly. She said the owners are Taiwanese. Decor was better than I expected too (it's an older shopping strip, with a pharmacy next door that looks like it last updated its fixtures and much of its inventory before the civil rights movement). Chen's is simply but pleasantly decorated. It's well lit, which is not apparent from the outside. It's also very clean. If you put this place in its local context, it's a 5-star godsend. But that could signal something even better. The soup dumplings here are not as good as those at Joe's Shanghai in NYC, but this isn't under-the-heat-lamps stuff that usually passes for Chinese food in these parts. If you want authentic Chinese in Birmingham, I don't know of a better option. So go to Chen's, and for goodness sake order something other than General Tso's chicken and fried rice!
(4)Alicia P.
The food here is consistently good.
(5)Scott N.
This is as good as it gets when it comes to Taiwanese/Chinese food in Alabama. Their lunch menu has the typical Americanized Chinese menu for stupid Americans but their dinner menu has terrific dishes that you won't find anywhere else like seafood hotpot, steamed buns, shrimp balls, etc. The service is also very good and the place is clean enough to eat off the floor.
(5)Kyle A.
Best Chinese food I have ever had. Pork with black bean sauce, side of chili paste, and steamed dumplings please.
(5)Brooke B.
The food was ok. I really liked the combination rice. General chicken wasn't crispy/crunchy though and wasn't spicy. Maybe I'm too white and they took it easy on the heat.
(3)David G.
Easily the best Chinese food in Birmingham, whether you are looking for authentic Chinese or their take on Americanized dishes.
(5)Mary Jane C.
I still love this place, and I just wanted to add that the pork with black bean sauce was amazing. yumyum.
(4)