My sister ordered party trays for her daughter's bday...salt and pepper wings and chow mein...both were flavorful and delicious. The wings were definitely a hit as they had thai chilis, chopped scallions and garlic and were all gone by end of the party. they also gave us a gallon bag of fortune cookies which was nice! I'd definitely come here when in the area. ** TIP for ordering party trays for LUNCH**: Large tray (hotel pan) of wings fed about 35 adults with no leftovers....tray of chow mein - we had 1/2 leftover but we had other food items to accompany the food trays. I would probably up it a bit for dinner.
(4)
Sunny S.
The reason I gave one star is because there is nothing less than that. We ordered beer, and it came with a glass with big red lipstick on it. Not to mention the table had no chopsticks. We called ahead of time to make sure they have Peking duck. But when we arrived, they had only half "Peking duck" (more like a roast duck). We also ordered a sizzling seafood they brought chicken and beef.
(1)
Cristobal S.
I've been a long time fan of this establishment. It's family run and we've been coming here for many, many years. Depending on what you like, the food can be hit or miss. Many of my favorites that are well prepared are: House Fried Rice (It rocks! Lots of chicken, pork and shrimp) General Tsou's Chicken (very good, lots of spice. TIP: order it crispy only!!) Sweet and Sour Pork (our signature dish, always crispy and fresh) Broccoli Beef (very good, lots of tender beef) Kung Pao Chicken (good, very spicy, lots of veggies) Won Ton Soup (delicious, lots of won ton's and always piping hot) Fried Chicken Wings (good sized, meaty and crispy) House Pan Fried Noodle (yummy, lots of meats/veggies on bed of crispy noodles) These dishes failed to impress me unfortunately: Pork Chow Mein (all noodles, very oily, no sprouts, little pork and veggies) Lemon Chicken (dry, tough, chewy, and bland) Honey Walnut Shrimp (good sized shrimp, but sauce is too thick and sweet for me) Pot Stickers (decent, but dough is too thick and heavy for my taste) Overall, good chinese food, fresh veggies, good portions, and fast friendly service. Sam is a sweetheart and is very accommodating. My substitution's have never been refused. They accept special orders. The lunch buffet is a great deal and has lots of standards to choose from. My only complaint is the less than friendly and slow service by Sam's brother (he is much taller, don't know his name). The carpet and bathrooms could use an update also. Always our go to in Benicia for chinese food when the cravings hit. =]
(4)
Nicole W.
This was an easy place to get a quick dinner. Staff is kind and attentive. The place definitely needs a deep cleaning, but that didn't bother me too much. We ordered: The hot and sour soup was okay. Its a lot better if you add vinegar. Chicken in black bean sauce was good, chicken was mainly white meat and a few vegetables were made mixed in. Vegetable chow mein was decent. I appreciated the fresh (sweet) oranges they serve with your check. Overall a good experience, and I would also recommend the lunch buffet. Lots of options for under $8.
(3)
Paul M.
Been coming here for almost 20 years. Food has slowly deteriorated. However, last night was the worst. Ordered the sweet and sour chicken.....not edible. Horribly tough and couldn't pull the food apart. Don't know what they could have done to cause that. Also ordered Pot Stickers. My god, these were awful. So horribly tough, as if they were microwaved or something. Ordered green beans with beef. Okay, except for huge stems (not the stems that come on the ends of the green beans, but much larger as if they were "branches" of the plant). Thought I broke a tooth. At least the brown rice was normal. I rarely write reviews.....I am hoping this place gets back on track.
(1)
Leme K.
Some of the best chinese food i've ever had comes from here. Being in the bay area there are a lot of exposures to a variety of food especially to chinese food. And yet i find that on my way home from tahoe i find this little place in what city is Benicia(?) The price to proportion ratio was definitely worth it. Food was absolutely amazing! I ordered the house special fried rice and their szechwan spare ribs. and i asked for a side of veggie greens and for them to just prepare something for me. They came up with green bean stir fry with this excellent sauce with tons of flavor (vegetarian) next time i might ask for that only with some tofu cause it was so delicious. The food was super dupor amazing. their deep fried spare ribs was perfectly seasoned and crispy and the fried rice was perfect and everything came out piping hot. I had extras that lasted me another two meals. At the end of our meal came with a fortune cookie and a few slices of oranges. The oranges were really sweet and the cookies were fresh. Im sad that this place is so far away but i will make a trip back there before the end of the year because that's how good the food is there. Great service too.
(5)
tina a.
This is my second time here. Both times did the lunch buffet. Can't go wrong, 10. per person including soup, salad, drinks, and a nice selection of entrees, chow mein, fried rice, potstickers and egg rolls. Something for everyone and you leave full and happy. I would like to come here and actually order something specific off of the menu but the buffet is such a great deal I keep sticking with it. The servers were very attentive to both the buffet and our table. Great place to eat. Give them a try!
(4)
Brenda N.
I was looking around for a place that would accommodate 60-70 people for a late lunch on a Saturday at a decent price. Upon calling this place, I interacted with Sam and explained what I wanted and wondered if the establishment would be able to accommodate. Sam mentioned it would be no problem and told me how they handled large parties such as the one I've requested. I booked this place based on the pricing, accommodations and location. When my party arrived, we had a section to ourselves and the food was ready. My guests were pleased with the flavor of the various dishes, especially the fried chicken. The staff was attentive to all the tables we had, consistently refilling waters and specific individual requests. My guests had no complaints which is great! I would definitely return.
(4)
Zach D.
This was a nice place to eat in town as visitors. Nothing too fancy or special, but pretty good food, with nobody feeling ill upon dinner. We ordered the chicken chow mien, braised green beans (very meaty), broccoli beef, sweet and sour pork, and honey walnut shrimp. We also drank hot tea with our meal. Everything came very quickly and within 10 minutes of ordering, with everything surprisingly hot and cooked throughout. The shrimp dish was my least favorite, and I believe the most expensive as well. I think it just wasn't the style that I liked, but I am sure many others would disagree with me. I was impressed with the braised green beans and came away being a big fan of them. Everything was fairly standard, but most importantly, edible and distinct in flavor. Overall, I was satisfied with our order and would be happy to go again if I find myself in the area. Nice service and clean restaurant.
(3)
Anthony W.
Absolutely delicious spot. I've taken the family here at least 10 times, and every time the food is delicious. If you get one of the family meals, you have plenty to go around and to take home afterwards as well. The service is always fast and friendly. If you call in for pick up, you can pick it up in 15 minutes. I will definitely be going back when I get the opportunity.
(5)
Sean W.
Neither great nor pathetic. A solid 3 star which means it's entirely edible though you should lower your expectations against a 5 star Yelp restaurant. And there is no such thing. So, thank you Szechuan House. It's straight up as expected. Neither great, nor bad. Personally I wish they would explain that their soups have chicken "stock" or parts in it. I am deathly allergic to poultry. Please use higher quality chicken, according to the ones who 'enjoyed' the chicken dish tonight.
(3)
Liza G.
FOODS AMAZING!! Restaurant could use a little remodeling or a fresh new look. We had the salt pepper short ribs are the best I've compare to place we've gone to before. We loved there beef fried rice. Strings beans great.
(4)
Kelley J.
A little disappointed. Called to ask if they delivered, the person abruptly said "No we busy" and hung up. I guess I got my answer however I planned on just going to pick it up if they didn't offer delivery. Oh well! Guess its pizza tonight! *actual conversation quoted
(2)
Julie A.
We were visiting Benicia and ordered out. Very friendly people, tasty food, and plenty for our money, easily three meals for two out of three dishes and rice.
(4)
Nik B.
Hot and sour soup is great. It always hits the spot and has been very consistent. I often order the string bean chicken there... made with black bean sauce. Sometimes I order the house tofu :) yum! My family often orders the usual consistent dishes: won ton soup, string bean chicken, kung pao chicken or tofu or both. Steamed rice and chicken chow mein will always be found at our table. I've never had a problem there, and the food has always been good enough for me to want to go back there. I believe they don't use MSG in any of their cooking, so it's nice that I don't have to remember to request cooking without MSG. Lately though, you can often find me running in to pick up my takeout. I call in and I have always had great customer service on the phone and for pickup. This is a great place for groups and couples and singles (like me) alike. It is a bigger space so there is often little to no wait for a table. Bottom line: It's pretty decent food for what you pay for. :) and worth hunting down parking on a busy street. I have a takeout menu in my car (I have take out menus of all of my go-to restaurants in my car in case if I don't want to cook when I get home. So sue me.). And the guys there know me both by face and phone number... although I'm not sure I should be proud of that or not.
(4)
Ruthie V.
Ordered take out when I stayed with a friend. We shared chicken chow mien, rice and honey walnut shrimp. My friend had been there many times and really liked the shrimp dish that I ordered because he'd never had it before. Take out is speedy and ready for pick up in 15 minutes. Portions are big and flavorful. Far better food than a lot of Chinese I've had in my own neighborhood! I wish they would open one here in the South Bay!
(5)
Hanapa'a T.
Great service and food. Thank you for the wonderful meal. Big portions very feeling. Fast friendly and helpful staff. Was able to get my order cooked to my liking with some things added to give me that home cooked meal feeling. Would go back in a minute and making plans to do so very soon.
(5)
Jeffrey S.
Fried rice was terrible today . Usually this is place is really good but idk the lady was rude basically threw the food on the table . It just seem dirty I'm sticking to Vallejo this place just ain't what it use to be lol. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands let me tell u that bathroom is dirty looks like they haven't cleaned in 10 years lol fuck that ! No tip for you!
(1)
Toby M.
Our FAVORITE Chinese Restaurant in Benicia. It's conveniently located near our FAVORITE Thai Restaurant downtown. The Szechwan has very friendly staff and quite an amazing variety of Vegetarian options. Yum! Yum! Highly recommend!
(5)
Ken K.
I had dinner here. It was really good food. The Peking duck was great. The service was good. Food prices were fair. No complaints. I will return.
(4)
Lovemydog L.
Food umm OK.
(3)
John L.
Excellent food and service. I will order from here again and I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Debra N.
I have fallen in love with this place! I was under the impression that you couldn't get good Chinese food in Benicia, but boy was I wrong! I've tried so many places and it's always something, how I missed this place, I will never know. We went for the first time after the 4th of July parade and I've been a regular ever since. If you love Chinese food the way I do, you have to try it! HEAVEN!
(5)
Malu V.
A good place if you want good quality chinese food. Excellent customer service and always friendly to my children. We love coming here for our family dinner night.
(5)
Christina S.
Man this establishment is a part of my childhood. Still tastes amazing after 10 years. I've traveled all over the country and nothing compares to their Szcheuan Chicken, hot and sour soup, hand made postickers, and the great chili oil they make themselves for dipping. I remember when I was about 11 coming here for Chinese New Year they gave us red envelopes with money in it, as well as tea, oranges and luck candy. A wonderful family establishment. I try to stop by whenever I'm in town. Thank you for setting the standard for amazing Chinese food I'm forever grateful !
(5)
Gillian G.
It is possible other dishes here are better, but I probably will not be back. I came in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and was seated quickly. I've got no complaints with the staff. This is purely a food review. For lunch, their vegetarian options are rather limited, particularly if you want tofu for some protein. There is only one dish with tofu, the House Bean Curd. There are also no descriptions of the dishes, so I didn't know exactly what was coming. When I order this dish elsewhere, it is usually a deep-fried tofu with mixed vegetables in a standard brown sauce. So, that's what I was expecting. First the soup came out. It was mediocre. Not very sour, and there was no vinegar around to add. It was also not spicy in the least, and there were no chiles to add. It did seem to be vegetarian, which was nice, but there wasn't much to the soup itself. No egg. No vegetables. Just mushrooms and tofu in broth. I didn't try my salad, but it looked good. Then my entree came. I was a bit surprised because the tofu wasn't fried, it was just soft. It was served in a sauce with a mix of frozen peas and carrots with green onions sprinkled on top. I was skeptical, but tried it anyway. The sauce had little flavor, just salty. The peas and carrots didn't take the flavor of the sauce, and were pretty disappointing. But the tofu was the worst. It was really soft and flavorless. I was really, really hungry, and I have a tight budget. So, I didn't want to buy a second lunch somewhere else (and I wasn't about to order the only other vegetarian dish on the menu at this place). So, I mixed some sauce with the rice and ate enough to take the edge off until I could go home and make something. This is the most unappetizing Chinese food I've eaten in a very long time.
(1)
Patricia S.
I have been going to this place for about 5 years and in the last year the service and the food has started to decline. Today I called in a order of fried rice only and the lady seemed to struggle to take such a simple order. When I arrived she was on the phone on a personal phone call and never stopped her phone conversation. Also I asked for about 4 soy sauce and she told me I can only have two with my order. When I arrived home I had ordered extra chicken and there was no extra chicken in the fried rice. However, I was charged extra for the chicken and the fried rice wasn't fresh. I will be exploring somewhere else for Chinese food.
(1)
MsJaeT T.
Chinese food is synonymous with "I don't care" or "you decide" when we can't decide on what to eat in my family. So, on our little staycation we couldn't decide what to eat in little ol' Benicia. And there was yelp, to save the day. We found this place. Went with some of our go-to plates; tomato beef chow mein, chicken in black bean sauce and Szechwan prawns. Everything was so yummy. Kinda funny watching the host. Seemed to me he was the owner's kid that didn't want to work there but had to cause it's the family business. That's just an assumption. Never the less, he was thorough. Food was brought out quickly, being city kids, when the hubbs and I hear 5-10 minutes we expect 5-10 minutes.
(5)
Gloria S.
this is a beautiful family oriented restaurant with beautiful food I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that loves authentic Asian cuisine.
(5)
David R.
Absolutely the hands down best Chinese food we've ever had. The hot and sour soup is amazing and when we get some to-go it reheats wonderfully. Everything on the menu has been stellar!
(5)
Paul R.
9/27/2014: Deanna Jaxine Stinson and I explored the town of Benicia. We were searching for haunted locations and discovered the Union Hotel and Sailor Jack's. We hit some dead ends. With all of the walking and talking with people, we were famished and stopped at the Szechwan House. Very reasonable prices, courteous service, lots of food - so much food, you will have to take a lot home. I had the beef chow Mein and Deanna had the tofu over rice. The employee at this restaurant was very courteous, polite and attentive. He also provided great information when asked. He sort of reminds me of a Safeway employee named Victoria at Laguna Blvd/Franklin Blvd. Anytime I need information, I always go to Victoria, she is very helpful that way and this guy at this restaurant explained on how the food is cooked, the ingredients, etc . He was very detailed. If I go back to Benicia, I will definitely go back to this place.
(5)
Sunil R.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon after stopping off at the museum nearby. We were the only ones dining in. I was immediately turned off since the waitress attended to a person who came in after us to place a to-go order though I told her that I was ready to order. I will admit I am a germaphobe but the bathroom was gross. The food was barely OK, I have had better, much better. The waitress disappeared on us for long periods of time and we had to go find us once to get more water and another time to get our check. The only positive I can think of is that the food came out quickly. This is in a nice area with plenty of other restaurant options, I would suggest trying the others.
(2)
Nicole C.
Love this place! Our family always goes to them for family dinner (birthdays, graduations, catering, etc.) great prices, and they even catered to our recently announced vegans in our family.
(5)
Nancy O.
This is hands down the best Chinese food in town. Great potstickers, which taste like the dough was made that day and the same goes for the filling which is just right and not too greasy. Wonderful wonton soup. Their sizzling rice soup is also great. We love their chicken mu shu, lemon chicken and mongolian beef. Chow mein and fried rice are consistently delicious and fresh and cooked just right, never dry. And they make terrific dry braised green beans. Been going here for the whole 19 years I've lived in Benicia and have never once been disappointed. The ambiance is casual, on the quiet side and very comfortable, nothing fancy. Nice big fish tank, and if you have little ones, this is likely to help keep them calm, watching the fish while you enjoy your food. Service is excellent and friendly! Food comes quickly too.
(4)
Baley G.
This place is no doubt the best Chinese restraint in Benicia. Every thing I've ever eaten here has been simply amazing. Everything has tons of flavor and the proportions are very big. The staff are very nice people. I actually found out one guy that works there trades stocks and I chatted up with him about stocks one time. If I had the money I would be here every other day.
(5)
Carlos F.
Place has really good food and affordable. The staff are really nice and very friendly with our kids. We've become regulars here and our kids love it also.
(5)
Sean H.
I've been going here for 15 years. Their menu doesn't change. The staff doesn't change. The look doesn't change. They're the epitome of Benicia: They greet you kindly, converse, get to know you, and you understand exactly what you're getting. Food is good, but it's about the connection you gain when you go on a regular basis.
(5)
Heather C.
Amazing Chinese food, haven't been here in probably 15 years and we just stumbled upon it by chance. It's just as amazing as I remember it
(5)
Cedric L.
Regarding the fact that the Szechwan House customs its food to the good average American taste, it serves acceptable dishes. As a a group of five, we selected several dishes from the menu such as Chow Mein, Szechwan beef, fried shrimp and Ku-lu-Yuk. We were not really impressed though, perhaps because we are more used to authentic Chinese kitchen in general, but it is not bad either. The amount is fine so that you won't go home hungry, but if you are looking for some munchy authentic Chinese food, you should go and find some other place. Nevertheless, the place looks nice, the staff is great, and, as a bonus, they offer complementary tea.
(2)
Daniella W.
Such kind service here, and excellent Wonton soup.
(4)
Elizabeth N.
Been coming here off and on for years for graduations, baptisms and family dinners. Although not my favorite Chinese Restaurant of all time, its probably one of the better ones in Benicia. They are very accommodating, quick and the food is good. They could spruce up the place tho, take a steam cleaner to the rug or something. It still looks the "same" from over 10 years ago and that's not necessarily a compliment. But ambiance aside, the food and service is solid. Pros: -Service and quality -Food is good Cons: -Kinda dingy and old inside, they chould clean it up a bit or rennovate?
(4)
llando d.
Nice family restaurant down by the water...food was delicious and generous portion...easy parking too...
(4)
G C.
Best Chinese food close to home. Food and service is always good. My immediate family and extended family come here frequently.
(4)
John R.
Meh, it's okay. I ordered take-out from them once. I ordered orange chicken and chicken chow mein. I like orange chicken to be crispy and Szechwan made it very soggy. And you'd think if their orange chicken was soggy there would at least be sauce in the container with it. There wasn't. Soggy chicken with no sauce. Great. The chicken chow mein was the better part of the order, but it didn't 'wow' me. I don't believe I'll be going back.
(2)
Jeff M.
We came here just after 9PM on a Sunday night after a serious workout - they close at 9:30 - and they were hesitant to seat us but we must have looked famished so the young man who greeted us decided to let us eat. We started with the Hot and Sour soup - it was quite tasty with a good bite but tasted of too much salt for our palates. We also tried their pot stickers which were completely unremarkable but certainly not bad. For our main course, we had the Mongolian Beef; the beef was tender and the level of heat was reasonable. All in all, a good dinner. Hey, not every meal needs to be something to write home about...
(3)
Lisa L.
Party of six for Chinese New Year lunch. The owner was very generous and accomodating with our order. Thank you for the lei see, bag of oranges, fortune cookies, candy and the special money pocket cookies ! Won ton soup - broth was tasty and perfect to warm the belly. Pot Stickers - werent greasy and a little crispy like I like them. House Special Clay pot - Seafood galore ! Walnut Prawns - good sauce. not too mayonaisey Tomato Beef Chow Mein - Dad's favorite. Noodles were a little sticky. Seafood Chow Fun - my niece loved it ! Mu Shu Pork - The owner wrapped each pancake for us !
(4)
Andrea R.
My favorite Chinese place. It's ruined other places for me. Very friendly staff and always consistent.
(5)
Kelby C.
I been coming to Szechwan House since they opened in the late 90's the food is always good and very consistent. The lunch buffet selection is small but everything they have out is very good. This is my first stop for Chinese when i want to eat Chinese.
(5)
D R.
We eat here for lunch almost every time we go to Benicia The food is always fresh and good Hot & Sour soup (which I'm really picky about) is one of the best I've tasted. Very inexpensive and friendly service
(3)
Robyn Y.
Fast and friendly service. The dish I wanted was not on the menu but they made it for me anyway, which was very nice of them. Tasted great, but its one of those things I can only have a few pieces of about once per year, otherwise I walk away feeling sick.
(4)
Mike S.
If I could describe Szechwan House in one word, it would be "Reliable." The food is consistently delicious and of a high quality. The staff, while not overtly personal unless you're a regular, are dependably accurate, quick, and professional. I've been to Szechwan House a lot, and I mean a lot. Hell, my wife and I had our wedding's rehearsal dinner here, and I have never once been let down. You'll find all of your Chinese Food staples with tons of tasty meat dishes (General's Chicken is the go to) and lots of great vegetarian options (House Bean Curd and Broccoli Garlic FTW). They also have some of the best tomato beef chow mein and hot and sour soup I've ever tasted. While you won't get anything fancy, if you're looking for quality Chinese food at a reasonable price, you can't go wrong. PS. For an extra value, go for lunch and get either the lunch special or the all you can eat lunch buffet! PPS. Go on Chinese New Year for a special treat! Gung hay fat choy!
(5)
R B.
Great location, close to the marina, great food, great service, reasonably priced and clean.
(5)
Rex B.
Wow. Great buffett all you can eat and undedr $7.50. Im always on the go teaching guitar beginners to advanced fromSacramento to San Jose, Livermore, San Francisco and East Bay and have very little time to cook for myself. What spare time I have I'm composing, Also practicing to become the best I can be praise God.
(4)
Friscoco C.
Here as part of a party of seven during the Saturday night dinner rush, we weren't promptly approached at the table by an attendant. But we seven hungry people easily could have been mistaken for a debating society, so time was not of the essence. Possibly defeating the purpose of attending a Szechwan eatery, we decided on "combination B," consisting mostly of commonplace dishes. No matter, all of them were excellently prepared. Hot & sour soup featured chicken, making it a pleasant departure from the all-too-familiar meatless version, flavorful and chunky with fresh vegetables and the contrasting texture of julienne tofu, followed by a sneaky jab of sour. Pot stickers were a welcome co-appetizer, but they were wrapped in a doughier-than-usual skin; nevertheless, acceptable when dressed with chili oil and white vinegar. Walnut prawns (26/30-count shrimp) sat atop shredded lettuce, thin-sliced tomato and thousand-island dressing, evoking a hot shrimp Louis salad. Very Bay Area! Crispy (half) chicken was partly deboned, coated in a thin corn-starch mix and fried, the meat often falling off when handled, and served with an enhanced teriyaki-like sauce. Sweet & sour pork was conventional, but the fried coating of the pork was noticed to be staying crispy for the duration of its exposure to the bright-red sauce. General Tsou's chicken, house flavored pork and the obligatory fried rice were all splendid. Once our group placed the order, the wait staff rose to the occasion in the midst of a torrent of take-out orders and sit-down business. However, the one pot of tea allocated for the table emptied quickly, and refills were slow in coming. With ice water as a backup, grouchiness borne of tea deprivation was averted. Seven great friends getting together in one humming Chinese restaurant. That's what I call Szechwan synergy.
(4)
Samuel V.
This is hands down one of the best chinese food restaurants in the area. I've grown up eating Szechwan House, and I will admit I have my loyalty to them. my gf and I are still in debate between Szechwan and Jay's Garden (in vallejo, which is also excellent). anyways back to the review. there is one catch with The Szech...take out is not worth it. you have to eat it there. if you have the time, don't order take out. the owners are super nice, Sam (the son of the owner, not me) has EXCELLENT customer Service, and Cindy (the owner), is awesome. I order Chicken Chow Mein, Mongolian Beef, Walnut Prawns, pot Stickers, Sizzling Rice Soup (the Hot and sour is also really good, I'm just not a big fan personally, but my whole family is), Szechwan Chicken, hell...everything they make is excellent. Their prices are very affordable (unless you order the prawns which are expensive but with the $10). I take my mom to lunch here and they have an all you can eat buffet for like 6.95/ person or you can order from their lunch menu which is awesome cause you get to choose your main dish and choose between chow mein, fried Rice, or steamed rice, and you get a cup of hot and sour soup, and a small salad. Like I said before, this place is totally worth the time to eat there!
(5)
Ann M.
Raw meat in our pot stickers and rotten tasting chicken. Don't eat here. I'm 8 months pregnant and frightened that me or my baby will get sick.
(1)
Lacy L.
Szechwan House is my faavvoorriittee chinese food restaurant!!! Everything here is great, the potstickers, sweet and sour pork, the hot and sour soup works miracles..its great if you're not feeling so great. Their asparagus chicken is amazing, the generals chicken is great. The Szechwan Beef is a must!! You wont go wrong with anything you order from here. They also have an all you can eat lunch buffet which is really good.
(5)
Victoria M.
Pretty good restaurant. Old school Szechwan. Great, very friendly service. They didn't even say anything the one time we lingered there a bit past closing time - and we didn't mind tipping them extra. Food is good and sometimes great, admittedly Americanized. But I've never had a bad dish there. It hits the spot but nothing to write home about.
(4)
Eric J.
I've been going here for 16 years now, and I love it best food you will find in Benicia. Great people friendly environment. Great family restaurant!!( :
(5)
Nick S.
The best Chinese food I've had in Benicia, which isn't saying much since the competition is Grand China, Rickshaw Express, and South Villa (I've heard China Garden is better, but I've never actually been.) I could give you an account of what the food tastes like, but it's been at least five years, so I don't remember. I remember it being pretty good though. But enough about the food. Let me share one of my own personal incidents. The one and only time I went was about six months after I moved to Benicia and my grandparents were looking for a good place to eat. I was getting over a cold that I had been hanging onto for about a month. We went to Szechwan House and I dipped my egg roll into the sweet and sour sauce. Next thing I know, my nose is no longer stuffed up and my head is cleared. It literally cleared up my sinuses. That, my friends, is the power of Szechwan House.
(3)
Andrew G.
I've been coming here off and on for 10 years. In the past, I would have given them 4 stars. The lemon chicken was so good! BUT, the last few times i've been there the quality of the meat has been bad. Too much fat and gristle. I'm constantly spitting out inedible bits of meat. Not good! China Wok in Vallejo has become my go to place for good Chinese food. It's a little out of the way but totally worth it!
(2)
Stephanie E.
Terrible food, terrible service.
(1)
Steve S.
Service is so-so, food is just above what you might get from a steam table in the city. I ordered eggplant that resembled mush and tasted like there was a special on vinegar from the wholesaler. My food was replaced, thank you very much with version of Kung Pao Chicken that tasted like it can from a can. Some my like this place, but these are the same people who give into the fact that there are only a handful of decent restaurants within city limits. Much better food just down the street, it's fresher and doesn't look like it came from a diaper.
(2)
Donna B.
The only bad thing about this place is that we have to drive to Benicia to eat there. Everything is served fresh and piping hot! I particularly love their hot and sour soup.
(5)
Nicole P.
I have always ordered food to-go from here, so I can only rate the food, and not the atmosphere or service. For Chinese food, I have no complaints. It's nothing to write home about, but if you are craving some chow mein or won ton soup, the food will hit the spot. I haven't yet had the desire to sit down and eat a meal in the restaurant, since my living room is better looking than the cheesy Chinese decor. For take-out, I give it 3 stars! Haven't been disappointed yet.
(3)
Vanessa G.
I love this little spot! Parking is a pain-street or if you turn on that corner they have 3 spots behind the restaurant. Other than that food is yummy and the place is cozy with lots of seating. During lunch hours they even have a mini-buffet, for Benicia this is pretty good! Ordering out is easy and quick too. Never had bad service, always friendly and efficient.
I was surprised at the food. We were near closing and the soup we ordered had to be "made fresh". The meat was nearly raw and the flavor wasn't good. The fried rice was ok, the chicken dish was not. The sauce was awesome but the broccoli was awful. The chicken had a lot of gristle in it and i kept having to spit pieces out. I'd try elsewhere before going there again. Roberts, much better. Prices were low, guess thats a plus.
(1)
Kathy V.
The food here is mostly quite good and fresh. The hot and sour soup is always good. Szechwan chicken is yummy. Be careful of the seafood dishes though. We ordered the seafood sizzling platter and none of the seafood was edible which was quite a disappointment. We mentioned to the waiter that the calamari and the scallops were bad and he didn't even take it off our bill. Other than that, we usually have a nice meal here and will still return in the future.
(3)
Marlon O.
Came in for take out a few nights ago. I cant add a star like I wanted to. The food here is really starting to taste the same. I ordered Hong Kong style chow mein, General Chicken, and Chicken w/ eggplant. I was talked out of ordering Orange Chicken and instead ordered General Chicken. Bad move IMO... both dishes tasted the same. Additionally, my kids werent to fond of the way they made the Hong Kong style chow mein. We will try the other place up the street which I havent been to since I was 12. Maybe theres hope to find good Chinese in Benicia. If not, we will have to go into Vallejo or Hercules. On a better note, service is always an A++++
(3)
Kelan R.
Great food, even better service!
(4)
Leslie C.
Szechwan House is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Benicia! The service is great and fast. The order accuracy is also great. I am a finicky eater, and they always get my complicated orders right.
(4)
g b.
One of my favorite chinese restaurants in Benicia. The food is never below average and is usually quite good, as are the prices. They'll take phone orders for pickup. They have a lunch special buffet while still using wait staff. The location is great if you plan to do other things downtown or by the waterfront. The dining area is spacious and there's another side to it as well, but I don't remember being seated there more than once. The wait staff is usually young and energetic, never bothersome or leaving you high and dry either. The menu selection is vast and they've been around for so long that most every dish is quite mastered. The ambiance is plain and unassuming and always clean. If street parking is unavailable, there is a small lot around back. I recommend Szechwan House to friends often.
(4)
S B.
I'm a big believer in supporting local businesses, but this is the worst Kung Pao chicken I've ever had.
(2)
Bruce D.
The food was a bit bland and the fortune cookies were soggy stale!
(2)
Pamela P.
I moved to Los Osos in June 2013. I had been a patron of Szechwan House for many years. I knew it was good. But sometimes you need comparison to know just how good. I had been getting the egg fu yung and eggplant dish most frequently. When I arrived at my new home, the first chinese restaurant I patronized, ordered them and I brought these two dishes home and I thought I had gotten the wrong order. The eggplant dish was french fries. TUrned out to be eggplant strips deep fried. The egg fu yung, was like a flour pancake with some egg in it, with a light colored sauce that had too much flour in it. Ok, not going there again. The next one down here was better. The eggplant dish was about the same as Benicia,....BUT about 2/3rds as much or less for like $1 more. The egg fu yung was smaller and not nearly as good. I'm getting aclimated down here, but I MISS MY SZECHWAN HOUSE! Going to have my daughter get me some before she comes down next month....and/or that's the first place I'm going to visit when I come up for a visit. Benicians - appreciate your Szechwan House! You don't have to compare to know how great they are!
(5)
Jomer M.
Killer Buffet selection, I took my bother that was in town for some lunch and he loved it. The food was hot, the service was outstanding and left with a full bell as usual.
(5)
Elisabeth H.
It's really a 3.5-star place, but I can't give that. I do enjoy their fried rice, their house chow mein is good and good for a reheated lunch. Other than that, some of the dishes aren't as seasoned as they could be and the small shrimp has a tendency not to be deveined (eeuuw!) which made me quit getting shrimp fried rice. Dining in is a pleasant affair, although there can be some family melodrama going on, mostly in Chinese. Since I like restaurants with personality, that doesn't bother me, but other people should realize the raised voices are nothing to be worried about.
(3)
Sheldon S.
You can taste the effort put into the food. It's about the amount of effort that it would take to lift up your head while you are lying down and there's a dust bunny on your chest that you want to blow off. Some of the food is good. The appetizer sampler is a good way to start even thought they can sometimes overcook it. Their house chow mein is filling just by itself. What is lacking from most of the dishes is the ability to stand apart from each other. They use about the same amounts of ingredients and the same amount of MSG in each dish and you begin to wonder why you're not getting much excitement out of your meal. The service is good, and like a lot of Chinese restaurants they serve Tsing Tao beer. It manages to lend itself quite well to the food since the lightness of the beer counter the heavy greasiness of the food. One more thing, the Singaporean noodles smell better than taste, just thought I'd let you know.
(2)
Tom B.
Was it an just an off day? We had take out so service, usually friendly and efficient, doesnt play into this...the chicken and beef dishes we had were both gristly and partially inedible, the food unspicy (though requested very spicy), and the whole experience just blah.....and gristly meat is a huge no-no for me, especially in two count em two, not just one, dish....I wish China Wok of Vallejo would open up in Benicia, thats what a Chinese restaurant should be.....
(2)
Bobby A.
Benicia has no shortage of Chinese food. However great Chinese food is hard to come by. Szechwan House is great chinese food, and they treat you like family. The Szechwan Chicken is the best ever.
(5)
Leshun S.
This place is okay....it's no four star San Fran spot, but it'll do.
(2)
Dhoris P.
Best chinese restaurant in Benicia! I miss going there for lunch, they have a really great buffett and off the menu lunch specials for a great deal!
(4)
Carrie M.
I absolutely love the szechwan chicken, hands down the best sauce I've ever tasted. Used to live in Benicia, I'm now an hour away and I have to make a stop every time I'm within 20 minutes of the place. I have been to tons of chinese restaurants trying to find one that can recreate my favorite szechwan house dishes, and nobody comes close. Highly recommended!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Cheryl M.
My sister ordered party trays for her daughter's bday...salt and pepper wings and chow mein...both were flavorful and delicious. The wings were definitely a hit as they had thai chilis, chopped scallions and garlic and were all gone by end of the party. they also gave us a gallon bag of fortune cookies which was nice! I'd definitely come here when in the area. ** TIP for ordering party trays for LUNCH**: Large tray (hotel pan) of wings fed about 35 adults with no leftovers....tray of chow mein - we had 1/2 leftover but we had other food items to accompany the food trays. I would probably up it a bit for dinner.
(4)Sunny S.
The reason I gave one star is because there is nothing less than that. We ordered beer, and it came with a glass with big red lipstick on it. Not to mention the table had no chopsticks. We called ahead of time to make sure they have Peking duck. But when we arrived, they had only half "Peking duck" (more like a roast duck). We also ordered a sizzling seafood they brought chicken and beef.
(1)Cristobal S.
I've been a long time fan of this establishment. It's family run and we've been coming here for many, many years. Depending on what you like, the food can be hit or miss. Many of my favorites that are well prepared are: House Fried Rice (It rocks! Lots of chicken, pork and shrimp) General Tsou's Chicken (very good, lots of spice. TIP: order it crispy only!!) Sweet and Sour Pork (our signature dish, always crispy and fresh) Broccoli Beef (very good, lots of tender beef) Kung Pao Chicken (good, very spicy, lots of veggies) Won Ton Soup (delicious, lots of won ton's and always piping hot) Fried Chicken Wings (good sized, meaty and crispy) House Pan Fried Noodle (yummy, lots of meats/veggies on bed of crispy noodles) These dishes failed to impress me unfortunately: Pork Chow Mein (all noodles, very oily, no sprouts, little pork and veggies) Lemon Chicken (dry, tough, chewy, and bland) Honey Walnut Shrimp (good sized shrimp, but sauce is too thick and sweet for me) Pot Stickers (decent, but dough is too thick and heavy for my taste) Overall, good chinese food, fresh veggies, good portions, and fast friendly service. Sam is a sweetheart and is very accommodating. My substitution's have never been refused. They accept special orders. The lunch buffet is a great deal and has lots of standards to choose from. My only complaint is the less than friendly and slow service by Sam's brother (he is much taller, don't know his name). The carpet and bathrooms could use an update also. Always our go to in Benicia for chinese food when the cravings hit. =]
(4)Nicole W.
This was an easy place to get a quick dinner. Staff is kind and attentive. The place definitely needs a deep cleaning, but that didn't bother me too much. We ordered: The hot and sour soup was okay. Its a lot better if you add vinegar. Chicken in black bean sauce was good, chicken was mainly white meat and a few vegetables were made mixed in. Vegetable chow mein was decent. I appreciated the fresh (sweet) oranges they serve with your check. Overall a good experience, and I would also recommend the lunch buffet. Lots of options for under $8.
(3)Paul M.
Been coming here for almost 20 years. Food has slowly deteriorated. However, last night was the worst. Ordered the sweet and sour chicken.....not edible. Horribly tough and couldn't pull the food apart. Don't know what they could have done to cause that. Also ordered Pot Stickers. My god, these were awful. So horribly tough, as if they were microwaved or something. Ordered green beans with beef. Okay, except for huge stems (not the stems that come on the ends of the green beans, but much larger as if they were "branches" of the plant). Thought I broke a tooth. At least the brown rice was normal. I rarely write reviews.....I am hoping this place gets back on track.
(1)Leme K.
Some of the best chinese food i've ever had comes from here. Being in the bay area there are a lot of exposures to a variety of food especially to chinese food. And yet i find that on my way home from tahoe i find this little place in what city is Benicia(?) The price to proportion ratio was definitely worth it. Food was absolutely amazing! I ordered the house special fried rice and their szechwan spare ribs. and i asked for a side of veggie greens and for them to just prepare something for me. They came up with green bean stir fry with this excellent sauce with tons of flavor (vegetarian) next time i might ask for that only with some tofu cause it was so delicious. The food was super dupor amazing. their deep fried spare ribs was perfectly seasoned and crispy and the fried rice was perfect and everything came out piping hot. I had extras that lasted me another two meals. At the end of our meal came with a fortune cookie and a few slices of oranges. The oranges were really sweet and the cookies were fresh. Im sad that this place is so far away but i will make a trip back there before the end of the year because that's how good the food is there. Great service too.
(5)tina a.
This is my second time here. Both times did the lunch buffet. Can't go wrong, 10. per person including soup, salad, drinks, and a nice selection of entrees, chow mein, fried rice, potstickers and egg rolls. Something for everyone and you leave full and happy. I would like to come here and actually order something specific off of the menu but the buffet is such a great deal I keep sticking with it. The servers were very attentive to both the buffet and our table. Great place to eat. Give them a try!
(4)Brenda N.
I was looking around for a place that would accommodate 60-70 people for a late lunch on a Saturday at a decent price. Upon calling this place, I interacted with Sam and explained what I wanted and wondered if the establishment would be able to accommodate. Sam mentioned it would be no problem and told me how they handled large parties such as the one I've requested. I booked this place based on the pricing, accommodations and location. When my party arrived, we had a section to ourselves and the food was ready. My guests were pleased with the flavor of the various dishes, especially the fried chicken. The staff was attentive to all the tables we had, consistently refilling waters and specific individual requests. My guests had no complaints which is great! I would definitely return.
(4)Zach D.
This was a nice place to eat in town as visitors. Nothing too fancy or special, but pretty good food, with nobody feeling ill upon dinner. We ordered the chicken chow mien, braised green beans (very meaty), broccoli beef, sweet and sour pork, and honey walnut shrimp. We also drank hot tea with our meal. Everything came very quickly and within 10 minutes of ordering, with everything surprisingly hot and cooked throughout. The shrimp dish was my least favorite, and I believe the most expensive as well. I think it just wasn't the style that I liked, but I am sure many others would disagree with me. I was impressed with the braised green beans and came away being a big fan of them. Everything was fairly standard, but most importantly, edible and distinct in flavor. Overall, I was satisfied with our order and would be happy to go again if I find myself in the area. Nice service and clean restaurant.
(3)Anthony W.
Absolutely delicious spot. I've taken the family here at least 10 times, and every time the food is delicious. If you get one of the family meals, you have plenty to go around and to take home afterwards as well. The service is always fast and friendly. If you call in for pick up, you can pick it up in 15 minutes. I will definitely be going back when I get the opportunity.
(5)Sean W.
Neither great nor pathetic. A solid 3 star which means it's entirely edible though you should lower your expectations against a 5 star Yelp restaurant. And there is no such thing. So, thank you Szechuan House. It's straight up as expected. Neither great, nor bad. Personally I wish they would explain that their soups have chicken "stock" or parts in it. I am deathly allergic to poultry. Please use higher quality chicken, according to the ones who 'enjoyed' the chicken dish tonight.
(3)Liza G.
FOODS AMAZING!! Restaurant could use a little remodeling or a fresh new look. We had the salt pepper short ribs are the best I've compare to place we've gone to before. We loved there beef fried rice. Strings beans great.
(4)Kelley J.
A little disappointed. Called to ask if they delivered, the person abruptly said "No we busy" and hung up. I guess I got my answer however I planned on just going to pick it up if they didn't offer delivery. Oh well! Guess its pizza tonight! *actual conversation quoted
(2)Julie A.
We were visiting Benicia and ordered out. Very friendly people, tasty food, and plenty for our money, easily three meals for two out of three dishes and rice.
(4)Nik B.
Hot and sour soup is great. It always hits the spot and has been very consistent. I often order the string bean chicken there... made with black bean sauce. Sometimes I order the house tofu :) yum! My family often orders the usual consistent dishes: won ton soup, string bean chicken, kung pao chicken or tofu or both. Steamed rice and chicken chow mein will always be found at our table. I've never had a problem there, and the food has always been good enough for me to want to go back there. I believe they don't use MSG in any of their cooking, so it's nice that I don't have to remember to request cooking without MSG. Lately though, you can often find me running in to pick up my takeout. I call in and I have always had great customer service on the phone and for pickup. This is a great place for groups and couples and singles (like me) alike. It is a bigger space so there is often little to no wait for a table. Bottom line: It's pretty decent food for what you pay for. :) and worth hunting down parking on a busy street. I have a takeout menu in my car (I have take out menus of all of my go-to restaurants in my car in case if I don't want to cook when I get home. So sue me.). And the guys there know me both by face and phone number... although I'm not sure I should be proud of that or not.
(4)Ruthie V.
Ordered take out when I stayed with a friend. We shared chicken chow mien, rice and honey walnut shrimp. My friend had been there many times and really liked the shrimp dish that I ordered because he'd never had it before. Take out is speedy and ready for pick up in 15 minutes. Portions are big and flavorful. Far better food than a lot of Chinese I've had in my own neighborhood! I wish they would open one here in the South Bay!
(5)Hanapa'a T.
Great service and food. Thank you for the wonderful meal. Big portions very feeling. Fast friendly and helpful staff. Was able to get my order cooked to my liking with some things added to give me that home cooked meal feeling. Would go back in a minute and making plans to do so very soon.
(5)Jeffrey S.
Fried rice was terrible today . Usually this is place is really good but idk the lady was rude basically threw the food on the table . It just seem dirty I'm sticking to Vallejo this place just ain't what it use to be lol. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands let me tell u that bathroom is dirty looks like they haven't cleaned in 10 years lol fuck that ! No tip for you!
(1)Toby M.
Our FAVORITE Chinese Restaurant in Benicia. It's conveniently located near our FAVORITE Thai Restaurant downtown. The Szechwan has very friendly staff and quite an amazing variety of Vegetarian options. Yum! Yum! Highly recommend!
(5)Ken K.
I had dinner here. It was really good food. The Peking duck was great. The service was good. Food prices were fair. No complaints. I will return.
(4)Lovemydog L.
Food umm OK.
(3)John L.
Excellent food and service. I will order from here again and I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Debra N.
I have fallen in love with this place! I was under the impression that you couldn't get good Chinese food in Benicia, but boy was I wrong! I've tried so many places and it's always something, how I missed this place, I will never know. We went for the first time after the 4th of July parade and I've been a regular ever since. If you love Chinese food the way I do, you have to try it! HEAVEN!
(5)Malu V.
A good place if you want good quality chinese food. Excellent customer service and always friendly to my children. We love coming here for our family dinner night.
(5)Christina S.
Man this establishment is a part of my childhood. Still tastes amazing after 10 years. I've traveled all over the country and nothing compares to their Szcheuan Chicken, hot and sour soup, hand made postickers, and the great chili oil they make themselves for dipping. I remember when I was about 11 coming here for Chinese New Year they gave us red envelopes with money in it, as well as tea, oranges and luck candy. A wonderful family establishment. I try to stop by whenever I'm in town. Thank you for setting the standard for amazing Chinese food I'm forever grateful !
(5)Gillian G.
It is possible other dishes here are better, but I probably will not be back. I came in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and was seated quickly. I've got no complaints with the staff. This is purely a food review. For lunch, their vegetarian options are rather limited, particularly if you want tofu for some protein. There is only one dish with tofu, the House Bean Curd. There are also no descriptions of the dishes, so I didn't know exactly what was coming. When I order this dish elsewhere, it is usually a deep-fried tofu with mixed vegetables in a standard brown sauce. So, that's what I was expecting. First the soup came out. It was mediocre. Not very sour, and there was no vinegar around to add. It was also not spicy in the least, and there were no chiles to add. It did seem to be vegetarian, which was nice, but there wasn't much to the soup itself. No egg. No vegetables. Just mushrooms and tofu in broth. I didn't try my salad, but it looked good. Then my entree came. I was a bit surprised because the tofu wasn't fried, it was just soft. It was served in a sauce with a mix of frozen peas and carrots with green onions sprinkled on top. I was skeptical, but tried it anyway. The sauce had little flavor, just salty. The peas and carrots didn't take the flavor of the sauce, and were pretty disappointing. But the tofu was the worst. It was really soft and flavorless. I was really, really hungry, and I have a tight budget. So, I didn't want to buy a second lunch somewhere else (and I wasn't about to order the only other vegetarian dish on the menu at this place). So, I mixed some sauce with the rice and ate enough to take the edge off until I could go home and make something. This is the most unappetizing Chinese food I've eaten in a very long time.
(1)Patricia S.
I have been going to this place for about 5 years and in the last year the service and the food has started to decline. Today I called in a order of fried rice only and the lady seemed to struggle to take such a simple order. When I arrived she was on the phone on a personal phone call and never stopped her phone conversation. Also I asked for about 4 soy sauce and she told me I can only have two with my order. When I arrived home I had ordered extra chicken and there was no extra chicken in the fried rice. However, I was charged extra for the chicken and the fried rice wasn't fresh. I will be exploring somewhere else for Chinese food.
(1)MsJaeT T.
Chinese food is synonymous with "I don't care" or "you decide" when we can't decide on what to eat in my family. So, on our little staycation we couldn't decide what to eat in little ol' Benicia. And there was yelp, to save the day. We found this place. Went with some of our go-to plates; tomato beef chow mein, chicken in black bean sauce and Szechwan prawns. Everything was so yummy. Kinda funny watching the host. Seemed to me he was the owner's kid that didn't want to work there but had to cause it's the family business. That's just an assumption. Never the less, he was thorough. Food was brought out quickly, being city kids, when the hubbs and I hear 5-10 minutes we expect 5-10 minutes.
(5)Gloria S.
this is a beautiful family oriented restaurant with beautiful food I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that loves authentic Asian cuisine.
(5)David R.
Absolutely the hands down best Chinese food we've ever had. The hot and sour soup is amazing and when we get some to-go it reheats wonderfully. Everything on the menu has been stellar!
(5)Paul R.
9/27/2014: Deanna Jaxine Stinson and I explored the town of Benicia. We were searching for haunted locations and discovered the Union Hotel and Sailor Jack's. We hit some dead ends. With all of the walking and talking with people, we were famished and stopped at the Szechwan House. Very reasonable prices, courteous service, lots of food - so much food, you will have to take a lot home. I had the beef chow Mein and Deanna had the tofu over rice. The employee at this restaurant was very courteous, polite and attentive. He also provided great information when asked. He sort of reminds me of a Safeway employee named Victoria at Laguna Blvd/Franklin Blvd. Anytime I need information, I always go to Victoria, she is very helpful that way and this guy at this restaurant explained on how the food is cooked, the ingredients, etc . He was very detailed. If I go back to Benicia, I will definitely go back to this place.
(5)Sunil R.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon after stopping off at the museum nearby. We were the only ones dining in. I was immediately turned off since the waitress attended to a person who came in after us to place a to-go order though I told her that I was ready to order. I will admit I am a germaphobe but the bathroom was gross. The food was barely OK, I have had better, much better. The waitress disappeared on us for long periods of time and we had to go find us once to get more water and another time to get our check. The only positive I can think of is that the food came out quickly. This is in a nice area with plenty of other restaurant options, I would suggest trying the others.
(2)Nicole C.
Love this place! Our family always goes to them for family dinner (birthdays, graduations, catering, etc.) great prices, and they even catered to our recently announced vegans in our family.
(5)Nancy O.
This is hands down the best Chinese food in town. Great potstickers, which taste like the dough was made that day and the same goes for the filling which is just right and not too greasy. Wonderful wonton soup. Their sizzling rice soup is also great. We love their chicken mu shu, lemon chicken and mongolian beef. Chow mein and fried rice are consistently delicious and fresh and cooked just right, never dry. And they make terrific dry braised green beans. Been going here for the whole 19 years I've lived in Benicia and have never once been disappointed. The ambiance is casual, on the quiet side and very comfortable, nothing fancy. Nice big fish tank, and if you have little ones, this is likely to help keep them calm, watching the fish while you enjoy your food. Service is excellent and friendly! Food comes quickly too.
(4)Baley G.
This place is no doubt the best Chinese restraint in Benicia. Every thing I've ever eaten here has been simply amazing. Everything has tons of flavor and the proportions are very big. The staff are very nice people. I actually found out one guy that works there trades stocks and I chatted up with him about stocks one time. If I had the money I would be here every other day.
(5)Carlos F.
Place has really good food and affordable. The staff are really nice and very friendly with our kids. We've become regulars here and our kids love it also.
(5)Sean H.
I've been going here for 15 years. Their menu doesn't change. The staff doesn't change. The look doesn't change. They're the epitome of Benicia: They greet you kindly, converse, get to know you, and you understand exactly what you're getting. Food is good, but it's about the connection you gain when you go on a regular basis.
(5)Heather C.
Amazing Chinese food, haven't been here in probably 15 years and we just stumbled upon it by chance. It's just as amazing as I remember it
(5)Cedric L.
Regarding the fact that the Szechwan House customs its food to the good average American taste, it serves acceptable dishes. As a a group of five, we selected several dishes from the menu such as Chow Mein, Szechwan beef, fried shrimp and Ku-lu-Yuk. We were not really impressed though, perhaps because we are more used to authentic Chinese kitchen in general, but it is not bad either. The amount is fine so that you won't go home hungry, but if you are looking for some munchy authentic Chinese food, you should go and find some other place. Nevertheless, the place looks nice, the staff is great, and, as a bonus, they offer complementary tea.
(2)Daniella W.
Such kind service here, and excellent Wonton soup.
(4)Elizabeth N.
Been coming here off and on for years for graduations, baptisms and family dinners. Although not my favorite Chinese Restaurant of all time, its probably one of the better ones in Benicia. They are very accommodating, quick and the food is good. They could spruce up the place tho, take a steam cleaner to the rug or something. It still looks the "same" from over 10 years ago and that's not necessarily a compliment. But ambiance aside, the food and service is solid. Pros: -Service and quality -Food is good Cons: -Kinda dingy and old inside, they chould clean it up a bit or rennovate?
(4)llando d.
Nice family restaurant down by the water...food was delicious and generous portion...easy parking too...
(4)G C.
Best Chinese food close to home. Food and service is always good. My immediate family and extended family come here frequently.
(4)John R.
Meh, it's okay. I ordered take-out from them once. I ordered orange chicken and chicken chow mein. I like orange chicken to be crispy and Szechwan made it very soggy. And you'd think if their orange chicken was soggy there would at least be sauce in the container with it. There wasn't. Soggy chicken with no sauce. Great. The chicken chow mein was the better part of the order, but it didn't 'wow' me. I don't believe I'll be going back.
(2)Jeff M.
We came here just after 9PM on a Sunday night after a serious workout - they close at 9:30 - and they were hesitant to seat us but we must have looked famished so the young man who greeted us decided to let us eat. We started with the Hot and Sour soup - it was quite tasty with a good bite but tasted of too much salt for our palates. We also tried their pot stickers which were completely unremarkable but certainly not bad. For our main course, we had the Mongolian Beef; the beef was tender and the level of heat was reasonable. All in all, a good dinner. Hey, not every meal needs to be something to write home about...
(3)Lisa L.
Party of six for Chinese New Year lunch. The owner was very generous and accomodating with our order. Thank you for the lei see, bag of oranges, fortune cookies, candy and the special money pocket cookies ! Won ton soup - broth was tasty and perfect to warm the belly. Pot Stickers - werent greasy and a little crispy like I like them. House Special Clay pot - Seafood galore ! Walnut Prawns - good sauce. not too mayonaisey Tomato Beef Chow Mein - Dad's favorite. Noodles were a little sticky. Seafood Chow Fun - my niece loved it ! Mu Shu Pork - The owner wrapped each pancake for us !
(4)Andrea R.
My favorite Chinese place. It's ruined other places for me. Very friendly staff and always consistent.
(5)Kelby C.
I been coming to Szechwan House since they opened in the late 90's the food is always good and very consistent. The lunch buffet selection is small but everything they have out is very good. This is my first stop for Chinese when i want to eat Chinese.
(5)D R.
We eat here for lunch almost every time we go to Benicia The food is always fresh and good Hot & Sour soup (which I'm really picky about) is one of the best I've tasted. Very inexpensive and friendly service
(3)Robyn Y.
Fast and friendly service. The dish I wanted was not on the menu but they made it for me anyway, which was very nice of them. Tasted great, but its one of those things I can only have a few pieces of about once per year, otherwise I walk away feeling sick.
(4)Mike S.
If I could describe Szechwan House in one word, it would be "Reliable." The food is consistently delicious and of a high quality. The staff, while not overtly personal unless you're a regular, are dependably accurate, quick, and professional. I've been to Szechwan House a lot, and I mean a lot. Hell, my wife and I had our wedding's rehearsal dinner here, and I have never once been let down. You'll find all of your Chinese Food staples with tons of tasty meat dishes (General's Chicken is the go to) and lots of great vegetarian options (House Bean Curd and Broccoli Garlic FTW). They also have some of the best tomato beef chow mein and hot and sour soup I've ever tasted. While you won't get anything fancy, if you're looking for quality Chinese food at a reasonable price, you can't go wrong. PS. For an extra value, go for lunch and get either the lunch special or the all you can eat lunch buffet! PPS. Go on Chinese New Year for a special treat! Gung hay fat choy!
(5)R B.
Great location, close to the marina, great food, great service, reasonably priced and clean.
(5)Rex B.
Wow. Great buffett all you can eat and undedr $7.50. Im always on the go teaching guitar beginners to advanced fromSacramento to San Jose, Livermore, San Francisco and East Bay and have very little time to cook for myself. What spare time I have I'm composing, Also practicing to become the best I can be praise God.
(4)Friscoco C.
Here as part of a party of seven during the Saturday night dinner rush, we weren't promptly approached at the table by an attendant. But we seven hungry people easily could have been mistaken for a debating society, so time was not of the essence. Possibly defeating the purpose of attending a Szechwan eatery, we decided on "combination B," consisting mostly of commonplace dishes. No matter, all of them were excellently prepared. Hot & sour soup featured chicken, making it a pleasant departure from the all-too-familiar meatless version, flavorful and chunky with fresh vegetables and the contrasting texture of julienne tofu, followed by a sneaky jab of sour. Pot stickers were a welcome co-appetizer, but they were wrapped in a doughier-than-usual skin; nevertheless, acceptable when dressed with chili oil and white vinegar. Walnut prawns (26/30-count shrimp) sat atop shredded lettuce, thin-sliced tomato and thousand-island dressing, evoking a hot shrimp Louis salad. Very Bay Area! Crispy (half) chicken was partly deboned, coated in a thin corn-starch mix and fried, the meat often falling off when handled, and served with an enhanced teriyaki-like sauce. Sweet & sour pork was conventional, but the fried coating of the pork was noticed to be staying crispy for the duration of its exposure to the bright-red sauce. General Tsou's chicken, house flavored pork and the obligatory fried rice were all splendid. Once our group placed the order, the wait staff rose to the occasion in the midst of a torrent of take-out orders and sit-down business. However, the one pot of tea allocated for the table emptied quickly, and refills were slow in coming. With ice water as a backup, grouchiness borne of tea deprivation was averted. Seven great friends getting together in one humming Chinese restaurant. That's what I call Szechwan synergy.
(4)Samuel V.
This is hands down one of the best chinese food restaurants in the area. I've grown up eating Szechwan House, and I will admit I have my loyalty to them. my gf and I are still in debate between Szechwan and Jay's Garden (in vallejo, which is also excellent). anyways back to the review. there is one catch with The Szech...take out is not worth it. you have to eat it there. if you have the time, don't order take out. the owners are super nice, Sam (the son of the owner, not me) has EXCELLENT customer Service, and Cindy (the owner), is awesome. I order Chicken Chow Mein, Mongolian Beef, Walnut Prawns, pot Stickers, Sizzling Rice Soup (the Hot and sour is also really good, I'm just not a big fan personally, but my whole family is), Szechwan Chicken, hell...everything they make is excellent. Their prices are very affordable (unless you order the prawns which are expensive but with the $10). I take my mom to lunch here and they have an all you can eat buffet for like 6.95/ person or you can order from their lunch menu which is awesome cause you get to choose your main dish and choose between chow mein, fried Rice, or steamed rice, and you get a cup of hot and sour soup, and a small salad. Like I said before, this place is totally worth the time to eat there!
(5)Ann M.
Raw meat in our pot stickers and rotten tasting chicken. Don't eat here. I'm 8 months pregnant and frightened that me or my baby will get sick.
(1)Lacy L.
Szechwan House is my faavvoorriittee chinese food restaurant!!! Everything here is great, the potstickers, sweet and sour pork, the hot and sour soup works miracles..its great if you're not feeling so great. Their asparagus chicken is amazing, the generals chicken is great. The Szechwan Beef is a must!! You wont go wrong with anything you order from here. They also have an all you can eat lunch buffet which is really good.
(5)Victoria M.
Pretty good restaurant. Old school Szechwan. Great, very friendly service. They didn't even say anything the one time we lingered there a bit past closing time - and we didn't mind tipping them extra. Food is good and sometimes great, admittedly Americanized. But I've never had a bad dish there. It hits the spot but nothing to write home about.
(4)Eric J.
I've been going here for 16 years now, and I love it best food you will find in Benicia. Great people friendly environment. Great family restaurant!!( :
(5)Nick S.
The best Chinese food I've had in Benicia, which isn't saying much since the competition is Grand China, Rickshaw Express, and South Villa (I've heard China Garden is better, but I've never actually been.) I could give you an account of what the food tastes like, but it's been at least five years, so I don't remember. I remember it being pretty good though. But enough about the food. Let me share one of my own personal incidents. The one and only time I went was about six months after I moved to Benicia and my grandparents were looking for a good place to eat. I was getting over a cold that I had been hanging onto for about a month. We went to Szechwan House and I dipped my egg roll into the sweet and sour sauce. Next thing I know, my nose is no longer stuffed up and my head is cleared. It literally cleared up my sinuses. That, my friends, is the power of Szechwan House.
(3)Andrew G.
I've been coming here off and on for 10 years. In the past, I would have given them 4 stars. The lemon chicken was so good! BUT, the last few times i've been there the quality of the meat has been bad. Too much fat and gristle. I'm constantly spitting out inedible bits of meat. Not good! China Wok in Vallejo has become my go to place for good Chinese food. It's a little out of the way but totally worth it!
(2)Stephanie E.
Terrible food, terrible service.
(1)Steve S.
Service is so-so, food is just above what you might get from a steam table in the city. I ordered eggplant that resembled mush and tasted like there was a special on vinegar from the wholesaler. My food was replaced, thank you very much with version of Kung Pao Chicken that tasted like it can from a can. Some my like this place, but these are the same people who give into the fact that there are only a handful of decent restaurants within city limits. Much better food just down the street, it's fresher and doesn't look like it came from a diaper.
(2)Donna B.
The only bad thing about this place is that we have to drive to Benicia to eat there. Everything is served fresh and piping hot! I particularly love their hot and sour soup.
(5)Nicole P.
I have always ordered food to-go from here, so I can only rate the food, and not the atmosphere or service. For Chinese food, I have no complaints. It's nothing to write home about, but if you are craving some chow mein or won ton soup, the food will hit the spot. I haven't yet had the desire to sit down and eat a meal in the restaurant, since my living room is better looking than the cheesy Chinese decor. For take-out, I give it 3 stars! Haven't been disappointed yet.
(3)Vanessa G.
I love this little spot! Parking is a pain-street or if you turn on that corner they have 3 spots behind the restaurant. Other than that food is yummy and the place is cozy with lots of seating. During lunch hours they even have a mini-buffet, for Benicia this is pretty good! Ordering out is easy and quick too. Never had bad service, always friendly and efficient.
(5)Becky F.
My husband and I went here for the first time ever, even though we'd driven by it several times and remarked how we should go inside. After attending the Benicia Waterfront Festival (which was a waste of time and money and more than disappointing since it's been 7 years since Benicia held this festival -- but I digress!), we were hungry and chose Szechwan House. I was initially a bit skeptical, as there were only two other parties/tables with people, but we were welcomed in and seated at a table not so close to the other parties. I liked that they did not seat everyone together, as sometimes people just like to be able to eat "alone" while in a room of others. The service was spot-on, friendly, fast, and efficient. We ordered egg rolls and their Lunch Combos (I had Hunan Beef with white rice, while my husband had Sweet & Sour Pork with fried rice), which also came with a small salad with sesame dressing and a bowl of hot & sour soup. The soup was good, with just enough of a bite and some heat. Too often, I find Chinese restaurants leave out the heat and spice in the hot & sour soup -- which then just makes it, well, colored water with stuff floating about. This is a pet peeve for me. Makes for an unappetizing meal. The entrees at Szechwan were both very good, great portions (I brought almost all of my rice and half of my entree home), well seasoned, not under- or over-cooked, and with enough sauce (another pet peeve of mine: the dryness of an entrée that prevents me from using some of the sauce to put on my rice). After all was said and done, our bill came to just under $22.00. This was fantastic! There is another place we've been going to in Vallejo for the last 10 years, and we've seen their food go downhill steadily, while their prices climb steadily. For what we ordered today, we've previously paid double that at this other restaurant, and for less food. (Interestingly, that place happens to be next to a supermarket, so the overhead cost of some of their produce would, I think, be eliminated as they can simply walk next door to get what they need. But, again, I digress....) After eating at Szechwan, my husband and I grabbed a take-away menu, as I foresee us eating here and leaving that other place behind. The only reason I am not giving Szechwan House 5 stars is because I reserve that rating for slap-your-mama food, and, regrettably, most restaurants are not in that category. However, Szechwan House is good, solid, reasonably-priced food, with service to match. I'm thrilled we finally decided to stop in!
(4)scott m.
I was surprised at the food. We were near closing and the soup we ordered had to be "made fresh". The meat was nearly raw and the flavor wasn't good. The fried rice was ok, the chicken dish was not. The sauce was awesome but the broccoli was awful. The chicken had a lot of gristle in it and i kept having to spit pieces out. I'd try elsewhere before going there again. Roberts, much better. Prices were low, guess thats a plus.
(1)Kathy V.
The food here is mostly quite good and fresh. The hot and sour soup is always good. Szechwan chicken is yummy. Be careful of the seafood dishes though. We ordered the seafood sizzling platter and none of the seafood was edible which was quite a disappointment. We mentioned to the waiter that the calamari and the scallops were bad and he didn't even take it off our bill. Other than that, we usually have a nice meal here and will still return in the future.
(3)Marlon O.
Came in for take out a few nights ago. I cant add a star like I wanted to. The food here is really starting to taste the same. I ordered Hong Kong style chow mein, General Chicken, and Chicken w/ eggplant. I was talked out of ordering Orange Chicken and instead ordered General Chicken. Bad move IMO... both dishes tasted the same. Additionally, my kids werent to fond of the way they made the Hong Kong style chow mein. We will try the other place up the street which I havent been to since I was 12. Maybe theres hope to find good Chinese in Benicia. If not, we will have to go into Vallejo or Hercules. On a better note, service is always an A++++
(3)Kelan R.
Great food, even better service!
(4)Leslie C.
Szechwan House is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Benicia! The service is great and fast. The order accuracy is also great. I am a finicky eater, and they always get my complicated orders right.
(4)g b.
One of my favorite chinese restaurants in Benicia. The food is never below average and is usually quite good, as are the prices. They'll take phone orders for pickup. They have a lunch special buffet while still using wait staff. The location is great if you plan to do other things downtown or by the waterfront. The dining area is spacious and there's another side to it as well, but I don't remember being seated there more than once. The wait staff is usually young and energetic, never bothersome or leaving you high and dry either. The menu selection is vast and they've been around for so long that most every dish is quite mastered. The ambiance is plain and unassuming and always clean. If street parking is unavailable, there is a small lot around back. I recommend Szechwan House to friends often.
(4)S B.
I'm a big believer in supporting local businesses, but this is the worst Kung Pao chicken I've ever had.
(2)Bruce D.
The food was a bit bland and the fortune cookies were soggy stale!
(2)Pamela P.
I moved to Los Osos in June 2013. I had been a patron of Szechwan House for many years. I knew it was good. But sometimes you need comparison to know just how good. I had been getting the egg fu yung and eggplant dish most frequently. When I arrived at my new home, the first chinese restaurant I patronized, ordered them and I brought these two dishes home and I thought I had gotten the wrong order. The eggplant dish was french fries. TUrned out to be eggplant strips deep fried. The egg fu yung, was like a flour pancake with some egg in it, with a light colored sauce that had too much flour in it. Ok, not going there again. The next one down here was better. The eggplant dish was about the same as Benicia,....BUT about 2/3rds as much or less for like $1 more. The egg fu yung was smaller and not nearly as good. I'm getting aclimated down here, but I MISS MY SZECHWAN HOUSE! Going to have my daughter get me some before she comes down next month....and/or that's the first place I'm going to visit when I come up for a visit. Benicians - appreciate your Szechwan House! You don't have to compare to know how great they are!
(5)Jomer M.
Killer Buffet selection, I took my bother that was in town for some lunch and he loved it. The food was hot, the service was outstanding and left with a full bell as usual.
(5)Elisabeth H.
It's really a 3.5-star place, but I can't give that. I do enjoy their fried rice, their house chow mein is good and good for a reheated lunch. Other than that, some of the dishes aren't as seasoned as they could be and the small shrimp has a tendency not to be deveined (eeuuw!) which made me quit getting shrimp fried rice. Dining in is a pleasant affair, although there can be some family melodrama going on, mostly in Chinese. Since I like restaurants with personality, that doesn't bother me, but other people should realize the raised voices are nothing to be worried about.
(3)Sheldon S.
You can taste the effort put into the food. It's about the amount of effort that it would take to lift up your head while you are lying down and there's a dust bunny on your chest that you want to blow off. Some of the food is good. The appetizer sampler is a good way to start even thought they can sometimes overcook it. Their house chow mein is filling just by itself. What is lacking from most of the dishes is the ability to stand apart from each other. They use about the same amounts of ingredients and the same amount of MSG in each dish and you begin to wonder why you're not getting much excitement out of your meal. The service is good, and like a lot of Chinese restaurants they serve Tsing Tao beer. It manages to lend itself quite well to the food since the lightness of the beer counter the heavy greasiness of the food. One more thing, the Singaporean noodles smell better than taste, just thought I'd let you know.
(2)Tom B.
Was it an just an off day? We had take out so service, usually friendly and efficient, doesnt play into this...the chicken and beef dishes we had were both gristly and partially inedible, the food unspicy (though requested very spicy), and the whole experience just blah.....and gristly meat is a huge no-no for me, especially in two count em two, not just one, dish....I wish China Wok of Vallejo would open up in Benicia, thats what a Chinese restaurant should be.....
(2)Bobby A.
Benicia has no shortage of Chinese food. However great Chinese food is hard to come by. Szechwan House is great chinese food, and they treat you like family. The Szechwan Chicken is the best ever.
(5)Leshun S.
This place is okay....it's no four star San Fran spot, but it'll do.
(2)Dhoris P.
Best chinese restaurant in Benicia! I miss going there for lunch, they have a really great buffett and off the menu lunch specials for a great deal!
(4)Carrie M.
I absolutely love the szechwan chicken, hands down the best sauce I've ever tasted. Used to live in Benicia, I'm now an hour away and I have to make a stop every time I'm within 20 minutes of the place. I have been to tons of chinese restaurants trying to find one that can recreate my favorite szechwan house dishes, and nobody comes close. Highly recommended!
(5)