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Name: Sichuan Fortune House
Address: 41 Woodsworth Ln, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523
Telephone: (925) 686-9828
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.04

Sichuan Fortune House

41 Woodsworth Ln, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523

(925) 686-9828
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Sichuan Fortune House Menu

Starters

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Deep Fried Prawn

Conton Platter

Home Made Pork Pot Sticker

Chinese Chicken Salad
Soup

Classic Hot & Sour Soup

Classic Wonton Soup

Classic Sizzling Rice Soup

Creamy Sweetcorn Soup With Chicken

Minced Beef With Cilanntro Soup
Our Chef Specialty

Hot & Cold Salad

West Sichuan Style Spicy Fish Fillet Soup

Changsha Chicken Clay Pot

Beijing Duck

Chongqing Style Spicy Chicken Wings/prawn
Cold Plates

Beef Tripe Beef Flake Combination

Sliced Bacon-cut Pork With Spicy Gerlic Sauce

Spicy Thin Sliced Pig Ear

Spicy Pork Flower Kidney

Pork Tripe With Spicy Sauce
Delightful Vegetables

Chinese Eggplant With Spicy Garlic Sauce

Spicy Shredded Potatoes Sauteed With Green Pepper

Dry Cooked Bitter Mellon

Dry Cooked Crispy Vegetarian Eel

Garlic A-choy

Healthy Meal suggestions for Sichuan Fortune House

Starters

Vegetarian Spring Rolls [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Deep Fried Prawn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Conton Platter [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Home Made Pork Pot Sticker [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chinese Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup

Classic Hot & Sour Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Classic Wonton Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Classic Sizzling Rice Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Creamy Sweetcorn Soup With Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Minced Beef With Cilanntro Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Our Chef Specialty

Hot & Cold Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

West Sichuan Style Spicy Fish Fillet Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Changsha Chicken Clay Pot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beijing Duck [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chongqing Style Spicy Chicken Wings/prawn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Cold Plates

Beef Tripe Beef Flake Combination [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sliced Bacon-cut Pork With Spicy Gerlic Sauce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Thin Sliced Pig Ear [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Pork Flower Kidney [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Tripe With Spicy Sauce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Delightful Vegetables

Chinese Eggplant With Spicy Garlic Sauce [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Shredded Potatoes Sauteed With Green Pepper [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dry Cooked Bitter Mellon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dry Cooked Crispy Vegetarian Eel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic A-choy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Haley S.

Woah, this is really good chinese food! We stopped by this place on our way from Napa, the yelp reviews made us pick this place. The honey walnut shrimp is by far the best I've ever had and I've tried this dish in a lot of places! I also tried the Clay Pot Chicken, which was good and the Tan Tan noodles which was great. We did take out, so I can't really comment on the service but the service I did get was really good. Next time we're in the area, we will come back!
(5)
Jennifer T.

Since my last review, my husband and I have been to Sichuan Fortune House on an almost weekly basis. We love, love, love the food there - I can't stay away from the Tea Smoked Duck...it's so amazing. Other faves I just recently discovered are the boiled spicy fish and the braised tofu. The staff is so friendly and remembers us every time. They even know what beer I order and they have recognized my tea-smoked duck habit as well. We recently went to a chinese food place in Chinatown and when we were there, we kept remarking that Sichuan Fortune House is as good or better than the Chinese places we've been to in the city.
(5)
Michael F.

So this place rocks !!! Best Chinese food in the upper east bay it does not get better then this - period. well OK maybe at someones house. ya I am a white guy - but I am the minority at this place and it's in Pleasant Hill. go with the tea smoked duck and Walnut prawns, to be honest everything here is amazing. .
(5)
Alice L.

I've lived in Concord for 10+ years and my family just recently found out about this restaurant. This was kinda in a "hidden" area, so it's hard for people to find sometimes. Food-wise, they have unique style of Chinese food (Si-chuan food you don't always find around that area). Price is reasonable and the food is pretty tasty. You can ask for non-spicy or semi-spicy if you can't handle really spicy food. Si Chuan is known for eating spicy stuff. Usually there are a lot of tables available, not because it's not good, but probably because a lot of people don't know about this place.
(4)
Daniel D.

I bookmarked this place a while back and finally made it out to P-hill on a Friday night date with my GF :) B R I E F S U M M A R Y: -- Parking lot gets full fast, but you can park on the street -- Very popular & can get busy -- Service is above average -- Specializes in Sichuan cuisine -- NOT your regular Chinese spot -- Menu was confusing, needs be simplified -- Chicken claypot is very popular (recommend for 1st timers) -- Potstickers were just ok -- Spicy garlic sauce for potstickers was uniquely delish -- Spicy fried beef was like beef calamari, wasn't very good We were immediately seated around 7:30pm on Friday night. The restaurant parking lot was pretty full, except for one car leaving just in time for us to arrive. Our first impression of service was that they were very attentive and quick. It took us about 10 minutes to figure out what we wanted while we ate their peanuts and spicy cabbage stuff. I thought it was interestingly spicy & just kind of different. We were asked if we were ready to order but we were sort of confused by their menu. The menu lists all the specialties in the front and then has more categories afterwards. What made it worse was that the yelp reviews had nothing really about the food. So if you've never been here, reading my review will help. O U R O R D E R: -- Potstickers: Mostly doughy, weren't very crispy. The regular sauce was good. The spicy garlic sauce was better. I've just had better potstickers, so these did not impress. -- Chicken Claypot: Most popular item? Our server suggested this when we were going to order to "fried" dishes. I'm glad he did because this was like a spicy, saucy stir fry of chicken and veggies. Add rice and you're set. -- I can't remember the exact name of the beef that we got. It was thin strips of beef, breaded and fried. It reminded me of calamari with some peppers and some other vegetable. It was just ok, not very good. I wouldn't recommend. I was expecting to be more blown away, given the 4.5 stars with over 300 reviews. It wasn't super enlightening but I definitely would like to incorporate it into my rotation for Chinese food. I'm addicted to spicy, flavorful food and they deliver that here. I've never been to a Sichuan restaurant, only had Sichuan type dishes at other places. I think if you can figure out a handful of dishes that are really good like the chicken claypot then you will be a regular here at least once a month.
(4)
Jana C.

Perhaps the best Chinese choice in the area. I've just reviewed a restaurant a block south of this extremely 'easy-to-miss' Chinese restaurant, so guess where my mind heads next? Why, the superior alternative if you're in the vecinity, of course! Spent after a day of shopping in the 'burbs? Don the bib and get ready to rumble~~~~~and say bye-bye to that grumble! Don't let its Sebastopol-like retreat, woodsy exterior fool you...nope! Found through its threshold is some darned-tootin-good-true-blue Chinese food! Several family dinners here with extended members...excellent! Flavorful and unabashedly authentic in quality and taste. I'd tout it as one of the best in the area, though i'm partial to Imperial's dim sum (dinners not too shabby either). PS Won't have a problem parking in their cavernous lot either!
(4)
Angel S.

Places like Pleasant Hill's Sichuan Fortune House and Koi Palace in Daly City remind us to never count out the 'burbs. It goes without saying that a culinary city like SF will offer a plethora of options, but you need not venture out from the East Bay to SF Chinatown to find authenticity. By most measures, Sichuan Fortune House is great, the best Chinese food in the Concord-Walnut Creek area and probably one of the best restaurants in the area overall. My visit here, which was my first, was a little overwhelming, so many items on the menu. I took a gander at the dishes of others around me. I wanted to order them all, but was somewhat limited since I my hot date was not a big eater. See? yelp.com/biz_photos/O4H_â€¦ (future yelper). We settled for the yelp-recommended Changsa Chicken Clay Pot and the Shredded Pork Sauteed with Dry Bean Curd, which was recommended by our server. Both items were delicious...very warm and flavorful (but not too much). I'm reserving a star, at least until my next visit, since I would have preferred by clay pot to have a little less sauce and the pork dish was a tad too greasy. I also don't know how I feel about tin foil in my clay pot. Nonetheless, they were delicious. Service was excellent...no need to flag anyone down. They even offered me chili sauce and other items that might complement the meal. They even packed my leftovers, rather than, as usual, dumping a bunch of boxes and a plastic bag. Overall, 4.5 stars, but I'm rounding down for the above-stated reasons. I will be back soon, and likely again and again, so there will be many more opportunities for me to upgrade.
(4)
Gina B.

Great spot for lunch. My chicken clay pot is always hot and tasty. My only complaint is it's dripping in Oil. Apparently the hot oil in integral to Sichuan cooking but I wish there was a bit less of it. Wonderful flavors and they serve brown rice too!
(4)
Andrea L.

Judging from my reviews, I'm sure you can tell I'm a tough critic. This place was fantastic! I was shocked, because sometimes it's hard for me to buy into some of these places that Yelpers rave about. I got the chicken clay pot and wontons. Chicken clay pot was good, but probably won't order again. I'm not a huge chicken fan, but ordered it based on the reviews and waiter's recommendation. Will definitely be more adventurous next time. The wontons were so delicious. I seriously could've eaten the entire dish in one sitting. YUM! The sauces for both dishes were very flavorful. The only tip I can offer - make sure to bring a toothbrush for after the meal! The garlic is strong!
(4)
abby d.

Sichuan used to be great. I don't know what has happened. An older guy named Allen used to be there and the service was great. Allen isn't there anymore and the service has really gone South. The past 4 times we have been there the service was rushed; our food was given to the table next to us who had come in 30 minutes after us and ordered one of the same items; our server didn't check in; food came in random order at different times; and no rice until the end of the meal. It also seems like the prices went up and the portions got smaller. This is a sad day. Sichuan is in walking distance to my house. It was my go to place.
(2)
Reann C.

The stuffed eggplant with fish is spicy and delicious.
(4)
Judy N.

I wish I could have liked the food more. I was excited to come here after reading the Yelp reviews. The restaurant decor is nice and the service was definitely 5 stars. The guy who took our order (maybe the owner) was fantastic. He offered suggestions and even told us that 2 dishes would probably be enough to fill us up. But we're rarely in the area so we ended up ordering 4. Everyone here raved about the chicken clay pot, and the owner even recommended it as one of their most popular dishes. But I found it disappointing. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was tasty. There just wasn't anything special about it. It reminded me of Kung Pao chicken wrapped in foil, served in a clay pot. I don't get the stellar reviews on that. We also had the tea duck. This was our bad. We're used to roasted duck and that was what we were expecting. Tea duck apparently tastes nothing like roasted duck. The duck has been marinated in tea for a very long time, giving it a very strong smoky flavor. This is a very rare dish and the fact that we didn't enjoy it is due more to the fact that we just couldn't get our tongues around the very different flavor. The owner was so nice though--he said that many people aren't used to this type of duck and they have a policy that if you order something and don't like it, they'll take it back and won't charge you for it. We kept ours though. The green bean sprout dish was ok but nothing special. Just some steamed greens. We also ordered the thinly sliced beef pancake. It was served in a vein similar to peking duck. Rather than the steamed buns that normally come with peking duck, we had thin crispy fried "pancakes" (ie. flour of some sort). Then there were the thin beef slices, which actually did not have very much flavor. Topped with some green onions and plum sauce. I enjoyed this dish, even though you couldn't really taste the beef. You also get some really delicious honey peanuts and sweet kimchi to snack on while you wait for your order. Overall, a pleasant meal, but not fantastic. I'd say the food for our particular meal averaged 3 stars, but the service kicked it up another star. I give a huge thumbs up to this place because it's so rare to find a Szechuan restaurant around here. There are dishes here that you won't find anywhere else in the area, and that's exciting to me. The service too could not have been more friendly and accommodating. I wish we lived closer because we would definitely come back to try other things.
(4)
Amanda D.

One word... Amazing! I've kind of given up on Chinese food for the last 10 years. I haven't been able to find anything really good. This place is around the corner from my house and I've known about it but have been hesitant. The reviews have all been so good we thought we'd give it a shot. Soooo glad we did. I think the flavor in these dishes is off the charts. Most Chinese to me tastes like heavy soy sauce or salt or sugar. These dishes have so many flavors, and so fresh, you can really taste the ingredients. Some were very spicy and some were not. We liked them all! Go check it out for yourself!
(5)
Bob D.

Enjoyed wonderful service for a party of 9. Everything was tasty, but the favorites in order were: 1. Tea Smoked Duck, 2. Dry-cooked green beans 3. Cumin Lamb 4. Spicy Won Tons 5. Pot stickers 6. General Tso Chicken 7.Tan Tan Noodles 8. Won Ton Soup 9. Hot and Sour soup 10. eggplant cakes 11. spring rolls
(5)
Rachel H.

This might be the best Chinese Food meal I've had. We also went to try this place based on what we saw on "Check, Please! Bay Area" and were pleased to find out that it lived up to its favorable reviews. The place is clean, cute and the wait staff is not just friendly, but very helpful in making suggestions from the menu. Prices are very fair for the quality and quantity of ingredients. We started with the steamed pork dumplings in spicy sauce - wonderful. Just spicy enough, and the pork filling was not rubbery as it most times is in other restaurants. We then had the fish soup (I am not getting the names correct, I am sure) that comes with all of the dried peppers on top and the glass noodles - it was fabulous! Next, we had the twice cooked pork dish, very spicy, very unique in preparation and flavor and it might have been our favorite dish. It was suggested by the server, as an alternative to the pork belly, which they were out of. I am glad he made the suggestion, as I loved this dish and will order it every time. Next, were the tan tan noodles - very pea-nutty and spicy and the noodles were al dente, so not like most soggy asian noodle dishes. Next, came the green beens - cooked perfectly and with excellent garlic flavor. Our last entree was the clay pot chicken - fabulous! Ginger and fresh cilantro flavors thru out. Chicken was cooked perfectly, very tender. Last, we had the bean sprout dessert thing - very unusual and delicious. Not too sweet, which we liked a lot. We brought home tons of leftovers and will enjoy a terrific lunch today - and we will be back in the near future and many times to come. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
(5)
Nise R.

A small Seafood claypot is perfect for two if you want to eat light with sides of jasmin rice. Everything tasted fresh and service was very good & I loved the spicy cabbage and nuts they serve when you first get seated. I always love added touches like that. Service was great!
(4)
Kym P.

For what it is, it's the best I've had. We like spice, and it was just perfect. We had the chicken wings appetizer, delicious! A huge portion of chicken and a ton of chillies. The spicy pork and garlic sauce was the understated winner. It was soon good and spicy! The beef dish we ordered was just ok. Wish it had been saucier but that being said, the beef was perfectly cooked and delicious. I think it was the Mongolian beef.
(5)
Rosanne P.

What a surprise to find out my beloved long lost Banyan Tree got replaced with another really great restaurant serving authentic Sichuan food. We came on a Saturday night and the place was packed. The owner was very friendly and accommodating. We ordered: Hot & Sour Soup Szechwan Tea Smoked Duck with sauteed with Roast Chili Ma-Po Tofu ChangDu Style Spicy Prawns Dry Cooked Green Beans I thoroughly enjoyed every dish we ordered; very flavorful. The ma-po tofu was spicy and so good. The tea-smoked duck had Chinese peppercorns that had numbing effect on the tongue. It was a new experience in my mouth. The numbing effect helped ease the heat in my mouth. And oh, the spicy-oil laden peanuts in the duck dish were so good - we did not leave one peanut behind! And the prawns - sweet & crispy! Yummy! The price was great! Our bill came to about $66. $66 for dinner for 5, what a deal! I'm already looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Kris S.

I've been going to this place pretty frequently for the past few months and each time the service gets worse and worse. The only reason my boyfriend and I came here was because of the roast duck... but he doesn't want the Peking style duck, he just wants the roasted duck by itself. So, on the front counter there's a menu that states "half roasted duck $9.95," yet every time I called to place a to-go order, every person to have answered the phone seems to know nothing about this $9.95 duck. That means each time I call I have to explain to their own employees what menu item I am referring to. Just recently when I called to order the half roasted duck, they told me that I now have to order several hours in advance, because they have to prepare it. Like, ok... seems like a bit much, but whatever. Well, today I called to place an order several hours in advance, as requested, and the girl tells me that NOW you have to tell them a day in advance! One fkn day?!?! I'm sorry, but that's absurd for this crappy hole in the wall, that's never even busy! Other entrees that I've tried here have been super oily and the meat never looks fresh! And I nixed dining in at this dump, cus it's rather filthy on the inside, and I'm pretty sure the carpet hasn't been cleaned in years! Our new go-to place for good authentic Chinese food is Lulu's, next to Ranch 99. Their only downfall is that they do not offer roasted duck :(
(1)
AJ S.

Great Chinese!!!! Random stop driving north. Yum.
(5)
Debbie T.

Yum-O and great service.
(4)
Teresa B.

Super Authentic food. Not your typical American Chinese. Check it out Yummers!
(5)
Jimmy S.

Surprisingly authentic Chinese food in this part of the East Bay. I'm a huge fan of spicy and this place NEVER lets me down. Boiling beef, spicy kidneys, and twice cooked pork are my family's favorites here. The wait staff is incredibly friendly (the servers used to be really shy but now have come out of their shells!) and do quite a good job - particularly for a Chinese restaurant!!! Their parking lot has a tendency to be full but there is plenty of street parking available. Great place. Highly recommended.
(4)
Vivian Y.

i never went to a restaurant could not find where waiter is! today, i came to this restaurant, after i got my meal, i never saw him again. and, he did not offer water, napkin and free soup at all. how poor service this reataurant is!
(1)
Joseline M.

The food is excellent. We can't stop going back for more. The food is also reasonably priced.
(4)
Sugar V.

Let me preface this by saying this much: I had fantasies about this place ever since seeing it on "Check Please! Bay Area" I was NOT let down AT ALL! I went there at 8 on a thursday, with a reservation. It was busy, but not so much that we didn't walk in and get a table right away. With my seafood allergy we spent about 30 minutes perusing the menu. After all, if I order something that SAYS it has seafood, my death is in my own hands lol! Our only problem with the menu was that we couldn't afford or eat every single item we wanted. We settled on pork dumplings, chicken chow mein, a tofu and beef clay pot and sizzling rice soup. So, let's go through this 1 at a time. Chicken Chow mein: Pretty standard safe dish...we wanted one thing that wouldn't be to foreign or spicy. It was just the way I liked it, right down to the noodles they used....YAY! Tofu and beef clay pot: My company didn't like it, I loved it. To be fair...it was a lot like braised oxtails with big squares of fried tofu in a savory brown gravy. All of which are a HOMERUN with me! But if you have any pickyness about your cut of meat or fat, skip this dish...again for me...HOMERUN! I LOVE that stuff! Sizzling rice soup: We went for this soup because my company was a fan of it. I had personaly never had it to be honest. The description sounded good, since I am a soup whore. It also didn't mention any kind of seafood...therefore making it suggie safe. When it came, and was being dished up, there will lil shrimp bits....sending it back was hard...not because they didn't want to take it back mind you...they were EXTREMLY gracious! Just because they didn't understand us. BUt they took it back, and brought us a chicken version at no extra cost! SCORE! Pork dumplings: These things made me want to sell my soul to the place to get more! They were BEYOND foodgasim! They came in this awesome bowl I now want in a bath of what appeared to be a more mild version of chili oil. This place deserves 6 stars JUST for these! The ONLY problem the whole night was that we never got the steamed rice we ordered...not even worth fretting over! Overall: This place was AMAZING...I WILL be going back!
(4)
Tammy V.

Great food, great service, will come back when I'm headed that way again =)
(4)
Jay D.

This is my new favorite place for take out. I have been going quite a bit recentally. Spicy garlic wontons and clay pot MUST HAVE dry cooked crispy beef and dry cooked green beans are also delicious Great service.
(5)
Terry B.

Something has changed. We were here on Oct 31 and had a reasonably good meal. When we came last night, Dec. 15, the place was pretty empty...it is in the process of a remodel and the outside was a mess. We asked for things on the menu...but were told they were not available. I asked for a lemon for my water and was told it was not available. I read on Yelp that the chef/ owner has left. And so it would seem. The food was blah, the place was cold and a mess....The bathrooms did not say men/women so I was not sure what I was walking into. Say folks, if you are planning to remodel, please close your doors for that period of time....this will be our last time eating there.
(2)
Petra S.

This little secluded place that's easy to miss, certainly gave us one big suprise.. The staff here is super friendly and helped us pick out some dishes. We of course also went with the recommendation on Yelp. We went with the West Sichuan style spicy fish fillet soup. We recgonized this dish from a place we ate at in Alameda (also Sichuan) that served the same soup only for more. The soup was very flavorful and of course it's not as spicy as it sounds. The chilli peppers are removed once it gets to the table and are there for presentation only. It's mildly spicy but I HIGHLY recommend getting it, especially if you're sick, like I was today. Then we got the Changsha chicken clay pot, recommended by you folks. This dish was by FAR the best chicken clay pot dish I ever had. It's not really spicy at all, but the garlic and ginger flavored sauce really stands out and gives it a nice kick. The veggies were good too. Finally we tried the steamed pork dumpling with spicy garlic sauce. I loved the sauce but am not a big fan of pork. They also give you a small dish when you are seated that consists of spicy cured cabbage and carmalized peanuts, which was pretty tasty too. What really impressed me about this place and made it stand out as being TRULY authentic..and you might find this funny..thier Fortune cookies! I am sick and tired of going to said "Chinese" resturants and them always serving the nasty Vanilla tasting fortune cookies in the wrapped bags with a panda on it. The way you know thier authentic is when they aren't wrapped and taste more egg like, sorta like a crunchy egg puff. Anyway, they certainly were authentic fortunate cookies from the company that makes them in SF (you know, where they started making fortune cookies?) and are called "Fong's Fortune cookies" in case you're wondering. Well, having said that..this is about as authentic and yummy as it get's in Contra Costa County, as far as we're concerned. Yay for authentic fortune cookies that bump my review to a perfect five stars! :)
(5)
Maria N.

The food is good, Not amazing. And the place could be cleaner; there were a few spider webs... Ugh :(
(2)
Ken L.

My new favorite Chinese place in the Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek zone. Our lunch crowd has enjoyed nearly everything we've been sampling. Great service. Nice free appetizers and tea on the house. No complaints. I think their location is a little unfortunate, would be better if you could see the place clearly from the main street.
(5)
Vikram C.

Good place, down the street from me. Great service. Last time a little pissed off that they couldn't accommodate me on the Fried Tofu and mis-directed me when I ordered. Other than that they are a great venue for authentic Chinese food. Hooray!
(4)
Ronald R.

Great food...if it ever gets to you. I have had several bad experiences taking out lunch from here (lateness, wrong order, etc.) but what happened tonight takes the cake (and my business - elsewhere). I placed a takeout order and was told "30 minutes." I arrived there 15 minutes later than that - and still had to wait 15 more minutes. An hour for three dishes. No, make that two. Because when my order was finally brought out, I was informed that they were out of one of my dishes. I have no plans to return. Some of their dishes are one-of-a-kind, and I'll miss that. But sometimes, a man has to choose his dignity over a meal.
(2)
Terry T.

P had saved a Chronicle review that raved about this restaurant. We went rather early and were able to enjoy our dinner with out rushing to be on time for a play at 8pm. She wanted to order everything in the review; I just could not bring myself to eat crispy fried pig ears no matter how much the reviewer raved about them. I insisted that we have pot stickers instead. The vegetarian pot stickers were served with a traditional sauce and a spicy garlic sauce. I will go back just to have them again The waitress told us that the smoked pork with green beans was fatty; we had it any way and it was very good. The owner came over after we were done and mentioned he would not advise this for just two people as it was rich and fatty. I agree that it should not be a main course, but would be nice to share with 3 or more people. The eggplant pancake stuffed with pork was wonderful. I want to have it again There were many more dishes that I want to try and hopefully with a few more people so we can order more, and if not, I will just keep coming until I have the chance to try more of the unusual menu items.
(4)
Jeff K.

Service is really friendly. Food is good. 666$ Overall, excellent!
(5)
Charles S.

sad, used to be one of my favorites but the food has definitely gone downhill after the change of owner and the change of chef.
(2)
Yvonne L.

Not bad... Its kinda Americanized Chinese food but not bad & decent amt of food also! I wuld go back to try other dishes. :)
(4)
Ben K.

I'm a hugh fan of China Village (CV) in Albany, so wanted to see if this was better. The food is good, but I still prefer China Village. Plus, CV is much closer to my house in Oakland. We ordered the Lamb (with cumin), the West Style Fish Soup and spicy Boiled Beef. All 3 dishes were delicious! I would definitely try more dishes if I'm ever in the area again.
(4)
Bernd P.

We came here with friends yesterday evening, mind you the food is quite good. We have been here several times. It was our invitation and we were quite embarrassed about the service we got. Our guest asked for a Sprite, got a can of sprite without a glass.... I asked the server who took our order, what portion of soup should we have for 4, she replied LARGE. Well large would have been enough for twice as many people. We started with the soup and at the same time ALL other dishes were served. Ohhhh (Don't they know to wait until the first course is finished? My one star rating is for the service only not for the food.
(1)
Sylvia C.

Flavored and cooking technique are authentic, but ingredients are low quality. For example, their fish fillet is made of frozen fish. Very saucy which camouflages unfresh ingredients.
(3)
Charles F.

My car broke down near this place and I was able to push it into their parking lot. I ordered some egg rolls to go while waiting for the tow truck which somehow arrived before the food. Granted the tow yard was only a few blocks away. The egg rolls were ok but 4 egg rolls ran me $7 and some change. That's quite a bit more than I am accustomed to paying in Oakland chinatown. I was a bit shocked. The fortune cookies had some Chinese lessons printed on the back side of the less than insightful "fortunes". I learned: Qi Zi means "wife" Niu Rou means "beef" and Bang Bang Tang conveys the meaning of "Lollipop" The young folks working there were VERY VERY FRIENDLY and GENUINELY NICE people but I doubt I will return to try some entrees. ...unless the lucky numbers on the fortunes help me win the lotto. We shall see, we shall see.
(3)
Cindy W.

So I rarely ever go out to eat Chinese food at restaurants because I feel like it's all the same old fried rice, chow mein, shrimp that, beef that, pork that. So when my friend took us here, I was a bit hesitant. Man, where do I begin? The food we had was delicious!! We stayed away from ordering the traditional Chinese food that you can find anywhere (including Panda Express) and got dishes that sounded unique. We ordered four dishes: seafood clay pot (really good flavors and the tofu in it was really really good; any tofu hater would actually like this!), dried fried string beans (perfect crisp to it while having an awesome garlic flavor to it), tea smoked duck (what a unique and delicious flavor! I love duck and the flavor to it was something memorable. p.s. ask for it without bones, easier to eat!) and this fish & broccoli dish (sorry I don't remember the name, but seriously the BEST flavor ever! i wish it came with more!!) So yeah, go and check this place out. The service was great and the food is seriously the best Chinese food I've ever had at a restaurant. I definitely would love to come back if it was closer to me. Yum!
(5)
David B.

I'd had some business off in the further East Bay, so I took the opportunity to try out Sichuan Fortune House in Pleasant Hill for lunch. It's located well within the lunchtime radius of the job I once had in those parts, during which I tried out every Chinese restaurant within driving distance that I could find, but I didn't know about this one then, so perhaps it's newer than that. Yelp reviews recommended the Szechuan boiled fish, so I tried that. Fillets of tender plain fish, plus bits of cabbage, submerged in a bowlful of the most dangerous-looking chili sauce I'd ever seen. I approached it with caution, but though it was spicy, it wasn't that spicy. Have to come back, try the Mongolian lamb next time.
(5)
Andrew K.

Really good - packed place on a Wednesday lunch (a good sign) - service was nice. Good lunch special - big portions. Nice spicy cabbage appetizer. Overall AWESOME/Real Deal!
(5)
Shannon F.

So, I decided to yelp the most rated most popular Chinese restaurants in pleasant hill and this restaurant popped up. After reading such rave reviews, my friend and I decided to check this place out before hitting a movie. Wow, am I glad we went. I have driven by this place many times before and never new it was such a great place. We arrived there early, seated behind us were, from what I could hear some regulars. I overheard them recommending there company some great dishes (yes I was slightly ease dropping) any how we ended up asking our server who was incredibly friendly and I do believe one of the owners, and he suggest a Particular something chicken clay pot (wish I remembered the exact name dangit) which we ordered and a order of the sesame chicken. Wow, both dishes were absolutely delicious!!! Clay pot just popped with flavor and you could just taste wonderful spices and the settle sweetness of the ginger. The sesame chicken was mmmmm......yum incredible light, crispy and sweet!!mmm. Overall the Food was fantastic, service was extremely warm and friendly I will definitely be returning here soon again and again and...
(5)
Brenda M.

The worst service you can ever imagine very unprofessional , the food is great but the service makes you never want to return unfortunately :(
(1)
Vicky T.

I've lived a block away from this place for a couple of years and never tried it. After seeing all the reviews, I thought I'd try it out. We ordered: - Spicy Sichuan Wonton: Boiled pork wonton, served with Spicy Garlic sauce. This thing was DELCIOUS... I would cut the wonton in half then dip the pork filling into the sauce to soak it all up. I would come back here just to eat two orders of this. -Sichuan Tea - Smoked duck (boneless): Tea-smoked duck, marinated, chopped, then stir-fried with celery, roasted dry chili and jalapeno peppers. The duck meat was tender and not greasy at all. My roommate loved this dish... I on the otherhand thought it was okay. I would try something else next time. -Spicy Crispy Beef: Shredded beef marinated in a spicy house sauce, deep fried, sauteed with celery, dry chili, jalapeno, and topped with spicy sichuan peppercorn powder. This was crispy and delicious. I would order it again... its addicting. -Hot and Sour soup - Best hot and sour soup I've ever had. It had a deep rich flavor. I was impressed. Usually, I do not prefer hot and sour but the consistency and flavor was perfect. The hardest part about going here is wanting to try and order everything on the menu. I kept looking at other tables and asking the waiter what other tables were having. They all looked delicious. I'll be coming back often to try more things. Next time, I'm going to try the twice cooked pork and spicy fish cod. The waiter said it was his favorite. Minus one star because the service was mediocre. We ordered rice with our meal but when all of the main dishes came out, we were riceless. We had to ask 3 different people for rice before it came out and got charged for 3 rice bowls when they only brought us 1. The decoration is old and mediocre... but hey... you come here for the food. Will be coming back soon or maybe calling in for delivery. (Delivery is free if you order over $30 of food and live within 3 mile radius).
(4)
Jonar A.

Homemade pot stickers and wonton... good. Honey walnut prawns... good. Stuffed fried eggplant... good. Noodles... eh.
(4)
Geary L.

Wow! This place must have changed hands. i have eaten at the Sichuan Fortune House multiple times over the last few years. Honestly, the food was never spectacular, just mediocre, but it was the only Szechuan in the area. All in all, okay, but not really worth penning a review. I visited about 3 weeks ago and had the worst service and food that I have ever had in the area, regardless of cuisine. Based on my past experience, I thought "everyone has a bad day" and went back today to give it another go. The place was practically empty with one other table occupied by couple. We were told to sit at the only table with place settings. It took at least 10 minutes to place an order with one of the two servers. 15 minutes later, out comes the food! Well actually, what is now served as food at this restaurant? Horrid would be a compliment. A few greasy, over cooked, all bone bits of chicken buried in burnt, dried red peppers and a vegetable dish of mushy overcooked eggplant in a coagulated sauce swimming in grease. When I asked when we would get our soup, I was told "You'll have to wait, it's not ready yet." I could go on...but it would just be more of the same. BTW, the soup finally arrived, it was gray, really?... gray hot and sour soup? The soup was not touched, we were already looking for the check and trying to decide where to go eat. This is NOT the same restaurant with 4 & 5 reviews. Its decline has been precipitous and the bottom is an eye blink away!
(1)
dina s.

Why this place gets 5 stars: consistently good food, fair prices, convenient location, almost always available parking, hole-in-the-wall totally surviving. Sichuan Fortune House is one of two places that I have gotten take-out from in the last two year. Yes, it is good enough to bring home when I am too lazy to cook dinner (and that is very rare, so the place has to be good). I've had the clay pot, I've had appetizers, noodle dishes, soups, it is all delicious. The wait staff is friendly and give great service. Just try this place, it is legit!
(5)
Jimmy H.

I have been going to this place off and on for the last 3 or so years. Here's a little back story. My brother and I have been looking for a good chinese restaurant ever since our uncle closed his a few years ago. We've pretty much tried every place there is. Then, here comes Sichuan Fortune house opened right next to Pleasant Hill Park so we decided to try it. We were Impressed with the food right away. The difference is the quality of food and the quality of cooking. The chef is a REAL chinese chef. We have pretty much sampled everything on the menu and I can say we pretty much like everything. This little place has turned into our go to chinese food place. I have even gotten to know the owner Allan a little bit. There are times the restaurant can be very busy and service gets a little slow. Restaurants can get like that. Here are a few dishes You should try rated by how adventurous you feel. Mild: Pot Stickers Cha cha Mein Hunan Smoked Pork Sauteed Green beans and beef Steamed Fish (Must be ordered 24 hours in advance they buy fresh fish for you) Somewhat adventureous and a little spicy: Spicy Fish and tofu Ma pao Tofu Dan dan noodles Sauteed Snow Pea Leaves (not Spicy) Adventurous and spicy: Sauteed Bitter Melon and Beef Fire Charred Kidney Fish and Blood Pudding Casserole Jelly Fish Salad Fish and Pickled Mustard Soup you guys have got to give them a try! Food: 5 stars, Great Service 4 stars, good especially for a chinese restaurant Atmosphere: Mild can get louder when it's busy Price: 10-15 dollars per dish. Average for the area.
(5)
Susan B.

This morning I was back on Weight Watchers and then my boyfriend texted and planted the idea of delectable Chinese food for dinner. Boyfriend 1, Weight Watchers 0. As I sit here now to write my review in my self-induced food coma state, I keep thinking to myself why didn't I know about this place sooner? Deliciously prepared Sichuan dishes and friendly service? In Pleasant Hill? Yes, it's true! I LOVE Sichuan style - because these folks like to make things spicy. Hooray! You know the place is good when it's hopping on a Tuesday night. We ordered three dishes - Sizzling Rice Prawns, Changsha Chicken Clay Pot and the Dry Cooked Green Bean. OH SO GOOD my friends, OH SO GOOD. The flavors and the textures of the Sizzling Rice Prawns made for a tasty dish. I loved the crispiness of the fried rice. The prawns themselves tasted fine, but I was more interested in the sauce which had two kinds of mushrooms, garlic slices, red bell peppers and of course the yummy crispy rice. The Changsha Chicken Clay Pot was just bloody fantastic. Sliced chicken breast in a semi-spicy sauce with fresh vegetables - just loved it! I was a big fan of the green beans too. Crispy and light (even though they are sauteed). The service was super friendly from beginning to end. They give you complimentary sesame seed covered peanuts with cabbage that looks pickled, but it doesn't taste like it. It's spicy and kind of oily. I hesitated trying it, but it was actually really good along with the peanuts. They also gave us a few pieces of fresh fruit to finish off our meals. A very nice touch I thought. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 only because the prawns didn't totally win be over. Other than that, it was an awesome meal.
(4)
Richard G.

Second visit just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. IT WASN'T. Boiled pork dumplings in chili garlic sauce? FANTASTIC. General Zhingwingding's Beef? THE BOMB. Clay pot chicken? DIVINE. Tired of the same old greasy Chinese food? Take a page from the local Chinese community and put this place on your mid-week dining list. Spacious, excellent wait staff, BIG BEERS and reasonable prices.
(5)
Stephanie E.

The food is FANTASTIC. Pork Eggplant cakes and dry cooked green beans show up in my dreams sometimes. So. Damn. Delicious.
(5)
Nina M.

Definitely a 5 star place. The food was delicious! We had the Hunan Smoked Pork (incredible), garlic fish (so tasty), and the green beans (yum!). I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Everything was incredibly flavorful. For a Chinese restaurant, the decor was very nice as well. Tasteful decorations, fresh paint, and clean bathrooms (!) all added to a great ambiance. Service was just fine too - not too slow and very prompt refills of tea. A must try if you are in the area!
(5)
Michelle D.

Can't believe this place is a 4.5 star Chinese restaurant. Ppl said "authentic", we come from china and live in SoCal, this place is definitely American style Chinese restaurant. No comparison to any sichuan restaurant in LA. Gosh the dishes were so tasteless! Will never go back. Do not suggest to any ppl that craving for real Sichuan spicy food.
(1)
Emily J.

My fiance and I had dinner here this evening. When we arrived there were only two or three other tables of people but by the time we left the restaurant was over half full. They have a nice large dining room, lovely decor, and the service is incredible. After being seated they brought us a pot of tea and a small plate with peanuts w/ sesame seeds and a spicy cabbage salad. I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by their menu - they have a lot to choose from and since I'd never had authentic Sichuan food before I wasn't sure where to start. I decided to follow other people's recommendations and suggested we start with the Hot and Cold Salad. We also ordered the Sichuan style spicy beef (dry-fried). The waitress took some time to explain the dish in detail. She wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting in to. More about that later. I expected a long wait on the salad but it was ready in less than ten minutes. The dish was arranged in a beautiful way and it could easily feed four people. She added the sauce (mustard-y and delicious) and tossed the ingredients at our table. The salad has pork, chicken, shrimp, egg, and fresh veggies over large noodles. The dish is not assembled until served so you can easily ask for an ingredient that you don't care for to be omitted. The salad was fabulous and I'm glad that we have leftovers for tomorrow. The spicy beef was definitely unique but we loved it. It was spicy but more in a "numb your tongue" sort of way, not a "sweat while you eat" sort of way. I don't like to sweat while I eat nor watch someone else sweat while I eat so this type of dish is for me. Dry-fried seems to mean that the food is lightly floured and seasoned. It is not greasy or covered in a thick sauce. The outside was crispy, the inside very moist and not at all heavy. I do appreciate that the waitress took the time to explain the dish because I know that not everyone would love it like we did. We will definitely be returning again. I'm excited to bring a group of friends and try more of their dishes.
(5)
Chris D.

I know... I know you are thinking Yelp will save you from the black hole of decision making. Your stuck in the where do we go - the WC, PH, or Concord? WC won't work because parking is bad, the food is pricey and your designer jeans aren't dry. Concord, maybe, but you want 2 drinks with dinner and the 43 cops there freak you out if you drive home. PH, really, you think PH is just movies and chain restaurants and it mostly is. But there is a place beyond the stucco, a nice spot with good food. Close your laptop, get your keys, and go visit Allen at the Sichuan Fortune House.
(5)
Daniel H.

I've never given a chinese restaurant a 5 star rating, so a 4 star is like a 5 star for in reality. My mom and I strictly chose Sichuan dishes and I think that's probably the reason why I like this restaurant. I'm Chinese and so I've been to so many Cantonese restaurants that having a Sichuan style restaurant is a really nice break from the traditional. Also, I enjoy spicy food so it all works out. I never give a rating based on a service, but I can tell they are really trying their best and in a way that's good enough for me. Anyway, if you're bored of your standard Chow Mein, Chow Fun, Fried Rice, Sweet & Sour Pork, Honey Walnut Prawn, etc, then I would highly suggest you checkout Sichuan Fortune House for variety.
(4)
Jason C.

Great Place for Chinese in Contra Costa!!! On the outside, this place does not look impressive at all, the windows are draped with the blinds and there isn't much of a view from the outside or inside, however, the food here is the real story and the service is also surprisingly efficient. I just stopped in here recently (not my first time) with a Chinese person and I can tell you that for her and my standards, this place serves very good and authentic chinese food Sichuan or not. We ordered the Beef Pancakes, Changsha Claypot, Dried Spring Beans and Cumin Lamb...just every item was a hit with us! I will definately come back again. In fact, I could not believe Chinese food in Contra Costa could ever get this good! P.S. My previous visit was with a bunch of tennis buddies who ordered the non-traditional stuff so I had no idea how good the chinese food here really was!!!
(4)
Bee D.

This spot is on "tilt." No seriously, it's tilted. We realized that we were sitting about 1/2 foot lower than the far east side of the room, and 1/2 a foot higher then the far west side of the room. Bizarre. Since this was our first visit, we decided to choose more items than we usually would. Before we ordered, we were brought tea and a plate of sweet roasted peanuts and some spicy pickled veggies. We all loved the peanuts and didn't care for the pickled veggies. I started to choose the green onion pancake, but our waiter suggested that we have the beef stuffed pancake instead. It was one oval shaped sesame pancake that was split in 1/2 (like a sandwich) and filled with sliced beef, shreeded onion and plum sauce. It was good, but probably something I wouldn't order again. My daughter's chicken clay pot was very good and the chicken was extremely tender. My honey bunny ordered the shrimp dish that was served on sizzling rice. He and my daughter liked it, but personally it wouldn't be one that I would have again. I ordered the handpulled noodles with the ground chicken (usually they use pork, but the changed it for us) and spinich. It was very good and I would order it over and over. The dry stringbeans were some of the best we've ever had. They were extremely fresh and perfectly cooked. The service was excellent, everyone was attentive and friendly. Dinner for 3 was $55 plus gratuity.
(5)
Christina G.

My mom found this place off of Check Please Bay Area. When I got my water there was a some rice in it. Some of our food was not cooked all the way. The green onion pancake was not up to par, it was pretty chewy and doughy. The people working there are no better they don't help out much when asked something. The ambiance is ok. everything looks pretty authentic, except for the Frank Sinatra I was listening to while eating my Chinese food. Pretty safe to say that I will not be coming here ever again.
(1)
Eva J.

Every single dish we have ordered were authentic & brought our palate to the next level. - Pork Shoulder - Excellent - Boiled Beef - Excellent - Smoked Pork w/ Leek - Excellent - Pork Belly Appetizer - Excellent - Green Beans - Very Good - Cumin Lamb - Excellent - Cold Salad w/ Mustard Sauce - Excellent - Smoked Duck - Very Good If you do not like spicy food, make sure to let them know. The best Szechuan in the Bay Area. Authentic! Authentic! Authentic!
(5)
Alex R.

Lookin' for a yummy sit down Chinese restaurant, and I ran across this place on Yelp. This place met my expectations food/taste-wise, but service was definitely the cherry on top to a great meal. Dried wok fried green beans: my favorite dish actually! Perfectly cooked, great garlic flavor, amazing. Definitely would order this again Clay Pot Chicken: the best part was that it stayed piping hot for the entire meal, a definite plus! Flavors were good, I think it was white meat chicken, which is another plus for me. Sizzling rice prawns: least favorite, interesting, but still pretty good. It was like a sweet and sour minus the sweet. For my spicy-lovin' palate, I needed the chili sauce for this one in every bite. I wish I got the other prawn dish that the waiter suggested. Service was GREAT. Attentive but not annoying, helpful and kind waiters and hostess. The reason why I'd love coming back here to feed my Chinese food craving.
(4)
devon g.

Excellent food. This place is never crowded and the food is great. The prices are cheap and the portions are relatively large. This is a real treat for the burbs! It's hard to find anything that isn't a chain restaurant and that's why I gave this place a try. I have gone back several times and haven't been let down .
(5)
Art C.

I've been here two times now and both times have had the orange peel chicken for lunch. Lunch also comes with your choice of white or fried rice and soup. I picked fried rice as well as the hot and sour soup both times. The hot and sour is fairly average and just slightly "off". I can't quite put my finger on it but it is still decent. As a note, they do have fountain drinks for soda which is a huge plus in my book. Both times, however, we have to ask for water with our meals even though people in our group didn't order a separate drink from the tea that is included with your meal. The orange peel chicken was better than average and I feel a signature dish. The service was average and the atmosphere somewhat dreary but still clean. The fortune cookies are picked up on the way out by the front desk. Worth a repeat but definitely a solid 3 star establishment.
(3)
dan s.

We've been back for a sitdown, and also had takeout 3-4 times since our original visit. The food is consistently good, and I think the only thing I disliked was the fried wonton. Here are the secrets to enjoying this restaurant: 1) Do not order traditional "chinese" like kung pao, beef and broccoli, etc. 2) Do order the clay pot chicken or the cumin beef. 3) If you have kids, do order the lemon chicken. 4) If you don't like spicy food, this may not be the place for you. It's not overwhelmingly spicy (most dishes) but it's not bland either. You could still tell me it's Burmese or some asian-ish cuisine, and I would believe it. It's that different from what I've had for Chinese for years. I still get cravings for kung pao and all the other stuff, but if I want something special for dinner, this is the place. If I have one complaint, it's that they always seem to be out of vegetarian dumplings/potstickers.
(4)
Joanne G.

And yet Sichuan Fortune House has become my absolute favorite restaurant in the neighborhood, Chinese or otherwise: since it's opened, I've eaten in a few times and gotten takeout a dozen more times. I'm in love with their dan dan noodles. I could seriously eat this every single day. Water boiled beef, water boiled fish, cumin lamb, all very good too. The massive bowls of noodle soups are large enough to share, and a perfect remedy for a cold day. The service is always excellent and they are so helpful if you're not completely familiar with Sichuan cuisine. I seriously love this place. And yet I'm also worried since it's always empty whenever I visit- I know the restaurant is in the most random of locations, but please make the effort to go! So much better than anything in Walnut Creek.
(5)
Pong W.

2 stars: "Meh. I've experienced better" I was here yesterday having lunch with a client. We ordered off the lunch menu. I must say..... their food is not that great.... Cumin lamb... it's "cullin" me.... weird salty sour sauce.... I don't know what it was at all.... Service was attentive. They always come back to bring water and tea.... I won't come back. And I hope my client do not see this, because they like it a lot.
(2)
RicknKeyna W.

Pros: - Good food - Good service - Good ambience - The little plate of pickled vegetable and peanuts is fantastic! Cons: - If you use restaurant.com certificate, they make you pay in cash. Very lame since the certificate said nothing about cash only. - Not very green. Styrofoam everything and plastic bags when you ask for boxes.
(4)
Misty W.

They could charge double the price for their lunch menu and I would still be happy! Give Jackie the waiter a raise. Whatever you pay him isn't enough. Jackie rocks! Great food. Amazing service.
(5)
Buck N.

Best Sichuan food in the East Bay.
(4)
Maria I.

It was a pleasure dining here. Service was really good. They were attentive and helpful. When we ordered too large a soup, they told us that it may be too much and we should go for the smaller portion. Food was fantastic. One of the best hot and sour soup I have ever had. Everything was perfectly seasoned and perfectly spiced. It was a joy. Really good value for money.
(4)
Rob R.

I've traveled a lot to China and always miss real Sichuan food. I love spicey cuisine and was always VERY disappointed when I'd go to a "Sichuan" restaurant and get the same boring, bland "sweet and sour poo." Then I found Sichuan Fortune House. They have authentic Sichuan recipes. I've sampled almost everything on the menu and most of it is simply fabulous. Moreover, the quality is very high and consistent. Favorite dishes: -Hunan smoked pork. -Fish soup -Dan dan noodles -Dry fried beef -Pea sprouts Go to your nearest exit and run, do not walk, here.
(5)
Eric T.

OK. After months of wandering through this Asian culinary desert known as the East Bay, I think I have finally found it! I have to admit that I was skeptical after being led astray by some wayward Yelpers with what is best described as American Chinese fare, The decor at this place is fairly typical. They have the standard issue chinese red lamps hanging everywhere, the Oriental art work hanging on the wall. But it is very understated and CLEAN! The waitstaff are friendly and smiling. They repeatedly come over to make sure you are attended to. Is this a Chinese restaurant or what?! I almost feel like I am back in Din Tai Fung, but with a decidedly laid back vibe to this place. Too un-northern Cali.With a cheerful smile, no less. Can I say I am not used to this? A genuine smile? Whoa! But let's get down to what matters most, the food. We ordered what was on their Chef's specialties: the West Sichuan Style Fish Fillet Soup, the Tea Smoked duck and the Hunan Smoked Pork with a bowl of steamed rice. While waiting, they served us with a typical chinese cold plate of spicy pickled veggies and peanuts. That in itself would awaken your palate very quickly. The soup came out and it was brimming with cayenne peppers. The waitress kindly skimmed them off the top and served the soup. The broth was none too spicy or oily, very clean and while the fish was not too flavorful, it was perfect for a cold night. The smoked pork came next soon followed by the duck, The pork belly was thinly sliced but a generous portion coupled with peppers and other vegetables. The duck was meaty and full of that rich duck goodness, with more peppers, peanuts and more vegetables.See a pattern here? Counterbalanced against the rice, it was a delight. Again, not too oily and full of flavor without overpowering spice. My companions and I were very happy and content at the end of our meal. Yelpers have acquitted themselves well this time around and what I had previously considered the Black Hole for Chinese cuisine has one shining star in this place. Very happy indeed!
(5)
Brian P.

Chinese food out in the burbs rarely as good as in the city but Sichuan Fortune House has some surprises. First off, their fish soup with chiles in it is delicious. I've only seen it one other place and it was punishingly hot but here it is just fabulous. We order it every time. The other standout dish for me is the seafood claypot. It has a good variety of seafood and lots of veggies and tofu. It's good. Most of everything else we've had hasn't been too impressive, good for the suburbs but not as good as what I can get in the city. We come back just for the fish soup and the claypot, they're that good. Service is excellent for a chinese restaurant. Also, they give out a little plate of spicy pickled cabbage and peanuts as a kind of appetizer. Those little peanuts are surprisingly addicting. It has an actual restaurant ambiance, not like those dirty hole in the wall places in urban chinatowns despite its location next to a cigarette mall. It looks very clean and so un chinese...you can totally tell you're in the suburbs but I go back just cause they are so much better than your normal suburban chinese restaurant.
(4)
Kristi F.

I have never been more shocked by a 4.5 yelp review in my life! First we ordered our food as take out. When I ordered he told me 15 minutes. To be sure we arrived just over 20 minutes later. The host said he would just go check on the order. 5 minutes went by then 10. At that my husband got up and had to find him because the host hadn't bothered to come back. He then said it would be another 5! We sort of think they were afraid to fry the order until we arrived because there is a huge diff between 15 and the 40 minutes it took (either that or he neglected to enter it). While sitting in the waiting area I began to notice some serious neglect. There were spider webs in both windows facing the lot and the floors were not clean- gross. To be fair the main dining area was quaint, but we all know that the corners, entry, restrooms usually reflect the kitchen. We received our order and left. We got a spicy fried chicken dish he recommended with Mongolian beef, vegetable fried rice, pot stickers and won ton soup. The chicken dish had to be one of the most offensive dishes I have ever ordered. It was simply fried chicken bites in a bed of dried red peppers. To make it worse the pieces were small chicken bone joints (meaning every mouth-sized bit had multiple bones). Everything else was salty, but lacked any great flavors. The 1 star is for the vegetable friend rice. It actually came with nice fresh veggies and tasted good. Let's put it this way- my husband and I almost returned the food once we sampled the chicken. Needless to say I will never know if there are better dishes because I wont ever go back.
(1)
Kimberly P.

This place is A-MAZ-ING!!! The Prawn clay pot, green beans & spicy wontons left my tastebuds very happy & wanting more!!! The free starters of spicy peanuts & "kim chee" type cabbage were very good as well!! Also, the service was great too, the waiter was very friendly & attentative!! A+++
(5)
Mike C.

We saw all the four and five star reviews and decided to give this a try since we haven't found a decent Chinese restaurant east of Oakland since we moved out here in 2005. We got six dishes to go: ChongQing style spicy chicken wings, sauteed green pea sprouts, Changsha chicken claypot, hot and sour soup, won ton soup, and Deluxe pan fried noodles. Where to start... Let's start with the chicken wings. I open the take out box and see that 40% of the box is filled with spicy peppers. That left only 60% chicken. I like peppers but I don't like them used as filler. The first and only memorable taste of the chicken was MSG. Then the heat from the peppers kicked in. It was okay at best but the MSG made me drink water after every other bite. The sauteed pea sprouts were pretty tasty and the best dish that we ordered. Not over salty and cooked enough not to get them wilted. The claypot was uninspired. I barely remember anything about it, except that it was salty. The hot and sour soup and won ton soups were both bland. They should have used some of the salt from the claypot for their soups. Finally, the pan fried noodles were, you guessed it, salty, salty, salty. All in all, a waste of $63 for dinner. The next day everyone wakes up with swollen hands and faces from all the salt. No offense to anyone but more salt does not equal more flavor. I love salty foods but this was over the top. They must own stock in Morton's or something. Our search continues for decent (we've given up on great) Chinese food in the 680 corridor.
(2)
May T.

Even though the service still needs some work and the decor is lifted outta some Big Trouble in Little China design set, I am giving Sichuan Fortune House 5 big stars. Want authentic Sichuan Chinese food, literally, the kind they make out of Chongqing, China? This is the place to get it. I've been on a vegan/raw diet for most of the week, allowing myself one meal out of the week to eat meat, and it was worth it spending my week's allocation at this restaurant. My family and I had: Dan Dan Noodles - Excellent! I would go back in a heartbeat to eat this dish alone. The noodles were extremely fresh and toothsome. The sauce was traditional, with the right amount of "ma" (numbing spice) to it Twice Fried Beef - Again, traditionally made, albeit on the salty side. Make sure to order some steamed rice to eat with it Pig's instestine/pork blood/pickled vegetable stew - Very saucy and spicy with balanced flavors Onion pancake - had better, a bit chewy and tough, but went well with the other entrees Pig's ears with scallions and chili oil - Nice cold appetizer dish with the pig's ears sliced oh-so-thin Lamb and pickled cabbage soup - Nice version of this northern style soup, could have used a little more lamb flavor, but I enjoyed the pickled cabbage They give you a little appetizer dish of honeyed peanuts and pickled vegetables. The bill came to $50+. It's great to find such authenticity in Contra Costa County. p.s. Don't listen to other Yelpers when they claim this isn't spicy, authentic or good. They just don't know what they're talking about. Complexity and balance in spices (not just in-your-face spicy) is what Sichuan food is all about.
(5)
Garst P.

My wife and I had the pleasure of eating here and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The service was great and the food was simply the best Sichuan we have ever had. We cannot wait to go back! Try the Boiling Beef and Beef Pancake. Both are excellent!
(5)
L P.

Good food. Thoughtful service. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Mona C.

I don't get it. I went here because of the great reviews. The portions are small and the food is greasy. Maybe that fits the American palate, not mine.
(2)
Nina P.

I'm not sure where all the rave reviews are coming from. We came on an off day? We were planning to eat at another place but their lot was full so decided to try this place since I had seen the Check, Please! episode that raved about this place. We came for lunch but their lunch menu is not available on weekends so you order off the ala carte menu. We ordered two dishes, the Cumin lamb which was dry and the beef in clay pot with tofu. Perhaps two pieces of beef. $30 for a Chinese lunch is too expensive. Will not be back.
(1)
Phuc B.

not bad, but had better. the chongqing chicken was no good though. small pieces of dry chicken. spiciness level is not bad.
(3)
Sam M.

Phenomenal Cumin Lamb and my vey first experience if a Chinese version of sautÃ© string potatoes! Yes!! This place is tucked away in a remote corner of the Bay Area but worth a drive from any corner. It's that good!
(5)
David J.

THE VERY VERY best Szechuan Chinese food in Central California... assuming you want fresh ingredients, flavorful and spicy Chinese food. Allen, one of the two owners, will greet you and give you suggestions, if he recognizes you as a new customer. The other owner is the chef, whose name I don't know because he is always in the back making delicious dishes. If you really like spicy, ask for the Spicy Boiled Beef, very spicy. (The server might try to talk you out of it!) My favorites are: West Szechuan Style Spicy Fish Filet Soup Clay Pot Chicken Garlic Spicy Fish Filet Boiled Beef, very spicy Princess Prawns (Substitute Chicken instead) Chengdu Spicy Prawns Vegetable Chow Fun Mushu Pork Try Sichuan Fortune House. You won't go any where else for Chinese food again.
(5)
Heidi C.

Q: Did you know that spicy food help speed up your metabolism? My boyfriend and I were on the hunt for something SPICY in the Concord/Pleasant Hill area. After yelping around, I came across Sichuan Fortune House. 4.5 stars?! It MUST be good! .... We were slapped in the face when we brought our food home. 1 star because the PORK DUMPLINGS IN HOMEMADE GARLIC SAUCE was good and the amount of red chilis were in our food. The other 2 items, Mongolian Beef and the Crispy Beef, were NOT good AT ALL. MONGOLIAN BEEF tasted better than the Crispy Beef, but it was still bad. Very BLAND. We would dip our beef in the dumpling sauce, but it didn't quite taste right. It wasn't hot AT ALL. CRISPY BEEF was the WORST dish I have ever had at a Chinese restaurant and I LOVE Chinese/spciy food. We barely touched it after the first couple bites. I had high expectations for this place because of all the glorifying reviews, but man was I disappointed. Maybe it was the food we decided to order? Whatever it was, these 2 beef dishes did not taste very good. We didn't even bother finishing or saving the rest, it was THAT bad. Someone please tell me what I'm missing? Did we order the wrong stuff? I don't know if I'll be coming back here unless SOMEONE gives me a reason to.
(1)
Kevin W.

First and foremost I have to say that taste-wise this is one of the better Chinese restaurants in the bay area. Pros: taste. Cons: slow. Rude employees (college students right from dvc). Location is pretty hidden. I wouldnt go if I wanted a quick bit but rather if I'm having a lazy day and wanted something spicy.
(3)
david s.

Completely worth the shlep. I found out about this place from a newspaper review that said it was the best Szechuan in Northern California. The food was the best Szechuan I've had in all California and very, very close to what you get in Queens, NYC. I'll be back, but does anyone know how far they will deliver with that $3.00 fee?
(5)
benjamin p.

A few years back I had the most amazing meal here. Something must have changed since then because the experience didn't compare today. It started with a cold pot of tea. The six pieces of duck that had meat on them in the tea smoked duck were good but the rest of the duck on the plate was just pieces if duck fat. The rest of the plate consisted of chili peppers, jalapeÃ±o peppers (both just for flavor) bell peppers, and celery. Now I know that duck has a pretty high food cost but honestly, this dish is $14. There simply needs to be more to it. Even the pea sprouts, which are hard to mess up, we're super oily and greasy. In general... meeh.
(2)
Chad O.

The service was good. The owner came over to apologize for the wait. Apparently, there had just been an episode of Check Please, Bay Area that the restaurant was featured in and had given him a rush of new customers. I would have given this place a 4 star, but the food itself really only deserved a 3 star. It's possible we didn't order the right dishes since we had never been here before. The food was good and tasted properly cooked, but it just did not have any fantastic taste nor did it warrant a 4 or 5 star rating. I did end up watching the Check Please, Bay Area episode and the people on the show never really gave it super high marks, they just kept commenting on the fact that the food was not spicy enough. They all wanted to give it a second chance in hopes of getting spicier food. We ordered spicy prawns, general chicken, and appetizer sampler plate and some other unmemorable dish. In my party of a chinese woman, asian male, and a white male, I was the least disappointed by the food, but I was definitely not impressed. The spicy prawns were just a few fried prawns in a sea of dried peppers. The general's chicken has been done better at a multitude of other restaurants. The sampler plate was good, but nothing stood out and nothing was good enough to write home about. I wouldn't mind going back, but I could never understand how this restaurant received so many 5 star reviews.
(3)
Alaric T.

Very good real Chinese food. If you want really saucy, greasy, "Americanized" Chinese food go someplace else. Try Panda Express instead. Service is acceptable, decor is average, but the food makes it worth it. It's just off Contra Costa Blvd and its parking lot can sometimes be a bit of a problem. Otherwise street parking is ample. Had these the other night: * Eggplant pancake in spicy garlic sauce stuffed with pork (also beef, fish, or shrimp) * Cumin lamb * Tea-smoked duck boneless All very good! Tea-smoked duck is one of my favorites. I usually order that or the Mongolian lamb.
(5)
Calvin L.

It pains to me to say it: This place has gone downhill. I've been coming here for years, and this used to be my go-to Chinese restaurant in the entire Bay Area. (I used to drive from SF to come here.) But after my last two visits, which were mediocre at best, I'm sorry to say the magic is gone.
(2)
Phill Y.

Atmosphere = 3 Service = 4.5 Food = 5 We have been fans since Day 1. We remained fans when they revamped their menu a few years ago, and will remain fans even with their new restaurant in San Ramon. Here's our concern: one of the elements of the restaurant that made it special was the presence of one the co-owners who ran the front of the house. I understand the other co-owner, the chef, remains at this restaurant, but Allan, who ran the front of the house, is focusing his time at the new restaurant. We'll see how the service holds over the next few months and we'll see if Allan returns for occasional nights in Pleasant Hill. By the way, the one Yelper who advised to stick with the Sichuan items on the menu is correct. These are the authentic dishes, and the best tasting. About the only Sichuan dish that we don't recommend is the chicken wings. The flavor is great, but the wings are small and bony.
(4)
Clay N.

Excellent authentic Sichuan cuisine. Provincial specialties are worth trying. Some favorites: Fried potatoes, Sichuan boiled dumplings, cumin lamb, dandan noodles, clay pot chicken. Their pot stickers are excellent, too.
(5)
Nathan W.

How does one say "I am a fan" in Chinese anyway??? I had lunch here recently, and lament the fact that I hadn't done so sooner. I had the cumin lamb dish, and was quite happy with my meal. The taste, portion size, and presentation were all wonderful... There are many things to like about this place. The service is actually quite friendly, which isn't all that common at Chinese restaurants. The decor is nice, as are the bathrooms. They offer an appetizer of salad and peanuts doused in chili oil, which you'd only find in "serious" Sichuan/Szechuan establishments. They offer a choice of soups as well. I feel like I struck gold by finally coming here...
(4)
Marc S.

Had the twice-cooked sliced pork belly dish and it was excellent. Though fatty, it was cooked in such a way that no grisle at all in my teeth. Perfect heat and nice spices and vegetables. Hot and sour soup was average. Came with fried rice as well, Nice price for lunch. Had a taste of another person's spicy red fish thing that looked really interesting and color you don't see much in food and enjoyed that, but would not want a whole bowl for myself. Fortune Cookie was ok. Nice ambiance and service was good. I'd return to try some more things as I'm pretty sure I'd like several choices here. Was going to give 5 stars, but feel sort of bad still later in the evening. Didn't really seem like too much food, might just be my stomach issue, but can't give full marks if I feel sort of bad. Still enjoyed a lot.
(4)
Kathy V.

OMG!!! Thank you yelpers for letting me know about this restaurant. We went here for dinner and everything was just as good as everyone here has said. We had hot and sour soup-very good, the pork dumplings with homemade garlic sauce-simply wonderful, the eggplant pancakes with pork, fabulous melt in your mouth texture and nice flavor, and the chicken clay pot which was just so full of flavor with ginger, cilantro, lots of fresh veggies and very tender chicken. We also ordered rice which we didn't really need but will be good with the leftovers we brought home.
(5)
Erin M.

Thank you Yelpers for providing me with the best Chinese food restaurant in the world! The food is amazing, not just sweet-n-sour pork and kung pao chicken, but authentic, spicy, flavor-packed originals. They do deliver, for farther locations there's a three dollar fee which is perfectly reasonable. You may spend fifty bucks here, but you'll be in heaven and have a bunch of delicious leftovers too. Try the chicken clay pot (I could eat just the vegetables out of this dih all day let alone the chicken), spicy beef, pork dumplings with garlic sauce (way better than any potstickers you've ever had) .... and keep in mind that being authentic, it is quite spicy!
(5)
Kimberly M.

I've been going to this place for a bout a year now and all I can say is I love it, its like comfort food to me. Their dishes have a good mix between sweet, savory, mild, spicy, and ridiculously hot like I see steam coming off of my head and like i've said I'm not one for spicy dishes but their spicy beef and tofu is awesome just AWESOME =] its this huge glass dish with thin slices of beef and these HUGE blocks of soft tofu and it is bathed in this amazing spicy soup its amazing=] usually I would order their chinese chicken salad which is also amazing and a bowl of rice, or their shrimp chow fun which I must say is the best I've ever tasted. Usually some chinese places would served this drenched with oil and leave me feeling heavy and oily and I need to take a shower and some antacid later. ( sorry for the details but its true =] ) but this place is waaaaay better, their is a good ratio between noodle and veggies and meat and its not that oily either which is nice and for some reason every bite I take out of it is still piping hot which is really nice. So mix that goodness with some rice and you've got yourself a really happy sunset =] Also the tea is simply made and taste delicious especially since they don't use bags and I know that every tea is freshly made. I also get excited when I sit and wait for the tea leaves to steep =] my friends call me the tea master because the tea pot is always next to me, and I like pouring tea for them as well. I guess you can say I'm a big fan of tea =] The prices are very reasonable and the service is good. I've been going to this place for so long that every time he sees me coming in he always says hi and strikes up a little conversation before we start to order our food. Also him and his waiters know when I want more tea which is nice because I don't have to hesitate asking a server for more tea. All I do is turn the lid upside down and all it takes is one look at our table and if they spot it they know what it means. Its like this little secret code that I have with them. It probably isn't true because I learned that trick from this late night travel channel show I don't remember I think it was anthony bourdain's show or something but I heard it was proper tea etiquette or something. Like I said I'm not completely sure but other then that....Go here. its amazing. just like how I said it in the beginning of this blog =]
(5)
M G.

This place gets five stars because the guy that works there remembered my order after only going there three or four times! Maybe its just me but i thought that was really nice. I usually get their clay pot chicken (spicy! i love spicy!) their pot sticker( I really like the sauce it comes with...) and the chow fun they give big portions so lots of left overs!
(5)
Dennis E.

I went with very high expectations as Sichuan was recommend by two "foodies" I respect. WOW!! This ain't any like Chinese food I've ever had Would have given a 5***** review but they delivered my brother in laws food after we we were almost done eating (really, 25 minutes after the first dish was finished) If you like good Chinese food you gotta go here!
(4)
Michael G.

OK. I really want to give a 4.2 Giving this a 4 is a little low though. The Chicken clay pot is good. The roasted garlic fish is very good. The owner and waiter were very kind to myself and my partner. It was a very good experience.
(4)
Jennifer A.

I think I've found a new favorite local Chinese place! I ended up coming here twice in one week and I'm really glad I did. The first time I had pretty standard Chinese fare and it was good, but the only really memorable part was the spicy garlic sauce they brought for the pot stickers. This stuff is seriously so good! The second time, I tried a few of the spicier specialties, including the cumin lamb that everyone raved about, and it was a totally different experience. We also really enjoyed the Spicy General Zhangfei's Beef which consisted of brisket and tofu in a fragrant sauce. Don't let the chili pepper signs on the menu intimidate you because the food really isn't that spicy at all. I think the key to this place is to try out the different SIchuan speciality items and leave chow mein for another place. The service here is also really awesome and friendly. The owner (I think) is very helpful and good at recommending dishes. Watching other diners come into the restaurant, it seemed like everyone was a regular or at least treated as one. Definitely a keeper!
(4)
Christopher W.

My brother and I have ordered out from Sichuan Fortune House once before and I recall the food being very tasty. Tonight's experience was remarkable. Right after walking in, I was greeted and seated. They immediately brought over a small dish of peanuts and pickled vegetables. The waitresses and waiters were very attentive and all worked together to serve our table. We ordered: -Spicy fish fillet soup: Tons of dry chili peppers on top which they removed before serving. The broth was very tasty and fragrant! -Pickled pig ears: Sliced thin with spicy oil, very unique. -Spicy beer sauce duck: a tad oily, but the duck was tender and flavorful. -Sliced pork belly with leek: a little disappointed by how thinly sliced the pork was. -Pea sprouts with garlic: Had some extra flavor, I think more chili oil. Overall a great experience, just a tad expensive, but given that there aren't many Sichuan style restaurants around, they are able to command a higher price.
(4)
Ben C.

Small chicken clay pot and steamed rice to go. 13 bucks. Unreal good. Piping hot, fresh as can be, quality ingrediants. Love it. Will be back as often as possible. As much as I love it though, I would prefer less onions and more carrots, celery, and water chestnuts. But no need to fix what aint broken. Yo Yo
(5)
Ron R.

My favorite lunch spot in Pleasant Hill. Not your regular Chinese food. The variety of dishes is exceptional. Can't wait to go back.
(4)
Gene G.

I knew about this place before I discovered Yelp and I'd been there three or four times. But today four of us went and darn if the food wasn't better than I remembered it! And the portions larger (we brought three containers home). And the service faster, more attentive. And the bill cheaper - only $59.00 for the four of us which covered four main dishes plus two appetizers. Everything supremely delicious: spicy, heartwarming. We'll bring more friends here as the two we brought today were much impressed.
(5)
David P.

Yes, please! This place is all about the food and before they recently redecorated, I would suggest take out only. Everything on the menu is fantastic and authentic. The staff is extremely wonderful. They have off street parking. IMO this place should always be sooner rather than later on the food radar.
(4)
gary b.

Ok- the honeymoon is over. They have changed chefs and are taking shortcuts. I am baselining this based on the spicy beef stew. I loved this dish so much- so sad. Chef! Come back we need you and miss you!
(2)
Paul S.

Best Chinese food in the area. My parents saw this place I think on Best of the Bay... anyway, they came highly recommended. And such an enjoyable meal! Here's my issue with Chinese food: Most places lack flavor and spice, everything is kind of salty and bland. Not at Sichuan Fortune House. Honestly one of the best Chinese food meals I've ever had. The food was top notch and really reinvigorated my love of Asian food.
(5)
Susan C.

I love this place for authentic Szechuan cuisine! This is my favorite Chinese restaurant east of the tunnel. Their dishes remind of Z&Y Restaurant in SF Chinatown. I've been coming here for a few years and here are my favorite dishes: -sauteed pea shoots with garlic -spicy garlic wontons -country style tofu and fish -explosive chili chicken -fish and tofu in oil I didn't like the pork chitlins nor the tea smoked duck. I know people love the claypots here but I don't really care for them here. Service is good, even when it's crowded. They will refill your water glasses and ask about your meal. With some dishes, look out for the Szechuan peppercorns. They are not spicy but mouth gets numbingly hot! They add a very unique flavor to the food and if you mistakenly eat one, you'll pick them out more carefully! The lunch menu is limited when compared to the regular menu but priced better and is also served with your choice of corn & egg or hot & sour soup.
(5)
L L.

From a Chinese person who knows her Chinese food, this place is average. They use too much sauce and it's too salty for my taste. However, my non-Asian friends all love it so it depends on what you're palate is. Service is VERY attentive and the owner is very nice.
(3)
Lily A.

You would never know this place exists since it's a little hidden off the main street. And it's comforting to know that especially in a non-Asian city, their popular dishes are NOT beef and broccoli and orange chicken. Instead, as all the Yelpers have mentioned and listed on the menu as the "guests' favorite", order the clay pot chicken. You taste the strong flavors that Schezuan food is known for and the chicken just melts in your mouth. I also enjoyed the onion pancakes (very crispy and fresh in large enough portions) as well as the shredded pork with bean curd which we were very satisfied with. Food comes out quickly. Service is great and everyone is incredibly friendly!
(4)
Tomas S.

This is probably one of the best Sichuan restaurants in the East Bay. The food is great and has the perfect balance of spiciness. The few times I have eaten in the restaurant the service was slow but other than that, everything is great. I recommend going for take-out, if you're as impatient as me.
(3)
Jessica B.

If you like spicy food, this is a must try! I'm kind of not sure at first with the exterior of the restaurant and it's kind of disappointing because the food is not cheap (not expensive also) the meat is not much and covered by veggies. I recommend the spicy steam fish (in a bowl) and spicy crispy beef though :)
(3)
Alan P.

Good portion, tasty. Make sure you specify how hot you want the dishes to be, as they tend to be spicier than other Sichuan restaurant.
(4)
Christine M.

I would have never found this place, but I'm so glad my family did. This place had some really good dishes, the service was pretty good, and they were able to accommodate our large party of 10 on a Friday evening. We were quickly seated at a large round table with the traditional lazy susan in the middle. On the lazy susan, I noticed two dishes. I spun it my way and saw that one was filled with peanuts and the other looked like pickled vegetables with some jalapenos. I had to try these while we looked over the menu. Since no one else wanted them I pretty much devoured the pickled veggies. They were nice and tart and had the right amount of heat to it, if you really like spicy foods...so beware if you bite into one of the peppers they'll definitely make your mouth a bit hotter. The peanuts were good too, but I wasn't in the mood for peanuts at the moment. We made our list and it came out to 10 items, so pretty much one item per person. From what I remember we ordered hot and sour soup, clay pot chicken, sizzling beef, pork kidney, tea smoked duck, crispy noodles, a prawn dish, and some other dishes that I can't recall (I wish I had the menu with me!). The soup came out first and it was delicious. I could have easily eaten more than 1 bowl. It was nice and hot and had the right amount of tartness. One by one the dishes came out and before you know it, we had a feast going on. The dish I was most excited about was the pork kidney. When we placed our order for that dish (basically I was the only one who was really going to try it) the waiter had to make sure we really wanted it. It finally came out and about 5 of us tried it. I liked it, but then again I like the taste of liver, that mineral taste is quite appealing to me for some reason. My sister and uncle took a bite and immediately spit it out. My aunt and mom said it was OK, but definitely not their favorite. The rest f the table simply said no thank you to it. Everything was delicious and there was enough heat to all the dishes. I can't wait to go back to this place when I'm back home visiting!
(5)
Jim L.

This place is amazing! Not your typical, boring Chinese fare. GO! GO NOW!
(5)
Laurie H.

Have to thank Yelp once again! Coming home to Oakland from the Valley and needed dinner....ordered a chicken clay pot, veggie spring rolls, the green beans, pea shoots, pork dumplings, chow fun and rice. Waaaay too much food but it was our first time and we didn't realize. That's okay.....we ate it all for lunch the next day. Service was fast and very friendly. Daughter says it should be 5 stars. I'll give it 4 1/2, and if, on my second visit, it holds up, we shall bump it to 5.
(4)
Chris H.

I do not understand what the hype is all about. I ordered the Clay Chicken lunch as everyone on Yelp recommended and it was floating in an inch of chili oil with very few veggies, mostly just a lot of onion. It was sprinkled with cilantro, and I would have liked more, but my server never came back. Seriously. Not once. The cabbage was off tasting, weirdly sour, the fried peanuts were ok. I was not offered hot tea at all. It was $8.95 with an extra $.50 for brown rice. Later my server came, slapped down the bill and sped off again, no thank you, no how was it, no nothing. Needless to say, no tip, and I will never go back into that freezing cold (literally, people were wearing their jackets) dark restaurant.
(2)
Steerpike S.

I'm going to have to drop this down to a 4 star for a few reasons. 1) They recently remodeled the place. Previously, it was a no-frills, typical Asian place. I like much of what they changed - nice flooring, nice bar / counter area on entry, and upgraded tables and chairs. And it looks cleaner. But ... the lighting - at least in the 'side area' we sat in - was awful. The only source of light for our table was a single hanging lamp, and it was not centered on the table, but rather, almost right over my head - and thus, provided blinding light on my face, and not on the table. This was the first table in a row, so maybe it had been moved. I'll never accept seating at that table again! Hopefully the other tables are better lit. 2) They tried to kick the service up a few notches. Rather than the efficient, no-frills service of before, we were now greeted by a smiling, happy young Asian lady who said something like, 'I hope you are having a fantastic day!', and later (out of the blue!), 'Are you still having a wonderful day?' - and waited expectantly for a reply. You get used to these silly exchanges if you are in an American chain restaurant, but hearing it from a charming Asian lady with a heavy accent was just incongruous. My guess is the manager or owner has instructed these poor waiters/waitresses to do this, not realizing just how hokey it sounds! 3) They are 'dumbing down' some of the dishes. When you ordered the beef clay pot in the past, it came with beef that was full of fat and tendons - just how my partner likes it. Recently, we found boring cubes of beef. I can see this is a challenging issue, since many westerners aren't fond of tendons and such. We also noticed fewer dried red chilies and fresh green jalapenos in our dishes. And we often don't get any of those 'surprises' from the 'Sichuan flower' spices any longer ... Hopefully they will settle down after all the changes and it will continue to be the best in the Bay Area ... I sure hope so!
(4)
Ian L.

Places like Sichuan Fortune House make me want to learn just enough Chinese to be able to order anything (and possibly everything) on the menu. Pros: -Food and service were excellent: Most of the servers appear to be starving starving international students from the nearby community college so tip accordingly. No complaints about anything we ordered! -Parking was easy: The lot was full when we got there so we parked right in front of the entrance where there was no parking curb; we go the OK to park there inside. -Nice ambiance: Feels very homey and would be a nice location for a date or business meeting. Cons: -Seats: No cushions. Just don't plan on sitting here for more than 2 hours unless you have a lot of padding down below if you know what I'm saying. Definitely give this place a try for some authentic Chinese food!
(4)
Vincy T.

Food is good doubtlessly, however, some staff is kinda rude, hope they can improve their attitude to customers.
(2)
Shay L.

My friend and I went to Sichuan Fortune House the other night for an early dinner. I have never had Sichuan food, I had no idea what to order. The staff seemed uninterested and they were aloof at best. They started us out with some kind of kimchee and sweet peanuts. It was a great appetizer while we looked over the menu and guessed what to eat. We ordered: Cumin Beef - Beef sliced thinly, stir fried with red and green bell pepper, onion and cumin! WOW this was delicious! $12.00 Beef Pancake- crispy grilled sesame "pancake" with shredded beef, five spice, green onions and plumb sauce. It was cut into 4 slices. Not spicy at all. $6.00 Steamed Pork Dumpling with homemade garlic sauce. The dish came with 12 dumplings. It made my lips tingle! It was very good! $8.50 I am looking forward to going back and trying the Beijing Duck (call 1 day ahead of time) $34.00 Don't let the stripmall in front of the restaurant scare you off.
(4)
Jules S.

Where's my mom? We came here for Mother's Day but Mom wasn't here. I guess being the uninformative son that I am I failed to inform Mom that her children were taking her out for Mother's Day brunch! Sorry, Ma! The brunch didn't go to waste though. My niece was with us so we decided it was an outing for her mom (my sister). I got a pretty cool 3 year old niece!!! We love the Combo Fried Rice at Sichuan Fortune House so we ordered that for sure. We also like General Zhangfei's Spicy Beef. We wanted to get the Beijing Duck, but I guess you have to call in for that a day ahead to order it. Bad planning on my part I guess. My brother decided on the Sichuan Tea Smoke Duck which wasn't too bad, but I think the Beijing Duck would have put bigger smiles on the table. Creamy Sweet Corn Soup w/ Chicken and Spicy Tan Tan Noodles were other items that we ordered. Overall, the food was OK with notable fine exceptions. The owners/managers here are what makes this place. The waiters seemed inexperienced but the people in charge do their very best to make every one in the restaurant feel at home and comfortable. They ended up giving us a small fruit cup each to finish our meal at the end. Not a bad time for a botched Mother's Day brunch. I guess I'll take Mom back here for lunch for some Beijing Duck later on... Mom did have a Mother's Day dinner though!
(4)
Rachel A.

This is one of my boyfriend's favorite restaurants, so we frequent it often. We went there for dinner last night and the service was much better than I ever remember it. One thing that I love about this place is that it's never completely full, they get a great steady trickle of customer's. My boyfriend is a chef, so it's often hard to please his palate, but the Sichuan fortune house never seems to fail :-) We love the spiciness of many of the dishes and we especially love the spicy cabbage and nut appetizer! YUM!!!! We'll be back soon!
(5)
Love B.

So when last we checked the reviews of other yelpers, the count was 342 with 4.5 stars being the average. So with all this hype (i mean really good reviews), we thought we'd try it out. We went today. We tried 4 dishes and we must admit that it was not just disappointing - but very very disappointing. P:S My wife and I spent time in China and this is nothing like good authentic sichuan food. I would not recommend this place to my friends or family.
(1)
Louie M.

So if you're not into spicy food, not sure if this is the right place for you. Granted, they've got non-spicy stuff on the menu and you can ask for items to be non-spicy, but you'll be missing out if you're not getting the spicy stuff. Ahem. This place is legit. The cold bacon cut pork is amazing. Also, the hot and sour soup here is the best I've had. You might say, "Eww you can get that anywhere," but I just like that stuff, ok? The star of the show though was the Sichuan Style Boiled Fish Fillet ( s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.comâ€¦ ). You've gotta get this if you come here. Fish practically melts in your mouth, and the sauce it's prepared in has got a ton of flavors in there. Put it over your rice. This place has got their spicy cooking down. The food is not spicy for the sake of being spicy - it's another layer that complements the other flavors in there. That being said, be ready, because I was sweatin' eating some of this stuff, and you might too. Service is also friendly. Bravo, Pleasant Hill.
(4)
E. M.

New owners... not yet sure whether to keep going here or to start going to Sichuan over in the Countrywood Center. One thing I am not happy with is the switch to Tilapia in the Boiled Fish dish. Tilapia is cheaper with an inferior flavor.
(3)
Christine C.

My favorite Chinese restaurant!! I HIGHLY recommend the SPICY boiled fish (or beef, but i prefer fish). Whenever I think of Sichuan food, I think of spicy boiled fish..and this restaurant makes it the best! You can tell them how spicy you want it..we always ask for extra spicy. warning: it's NUMBINGLY spicy :P. We also like taking the sauce home and mixing it with our own noodles for another meal! haha. I only wish they had a bigger parking lot...
(5)
Rodney Lee D.

Not often am I impressed after reading the hype about a restaurant, but of course, whether 1 or 5 stars, I give them a chance to prove the critics right or wrong. And yes, I do try almost every place at least twice to make sure. Now Sichuan Fortune got rave reviews, even was a Bay Area feature restaurant (I forget from what form of media), so try I must. I'll just get down to the food part of it. No need to dress this review up with service and appearance. No complaints in that aspect. I ordered the Hunan Smoked Pork. Menu details it as a 5-Spice Chinese Green Tea-Smoked, Lean Pork Belly, Stir Fried w/Leeks and Sliced JalapeÃ±o Peppers (Can also be served with Green Bean substitute). It's also described as "The choice of SF Chronicle Restaurant Review." What I interpreted it as, "Spicy Stir Fried Bacon." What did I get? Everything I read and expected. Pork Belly aka "Bacon" Lovers, this is the dish to try! Make sure you order as is with a side of rice, just to break up the greasy-ness. The smokiness of the bacon is enhanced by the leeks and with the jalapeÃ±os, it was a nice kick at the end. Maybe I'll try this again with extra spice. Looking forward to the next opportunity to eat there!!!
(5)
Diane W.

house spicy seafood noodle soup was good sichuan spicy smoke duck was good hunan pickled pork was good å‡‰ç²‰é±¼ä¸é”™ è±†è…ç‰›è…©ä¸é”™ Chengdu mao cai was good
(4)
Robert R.

I had been here a couple times for take out . We recently dined in with the family. The place is Family friendly and the place has a nice ambiance. We started off with a Mint Beef soup and Tripe appetizer. The Tripe and Kim Chee was spicy but if it's free, so no complaints here. We ordered a lot of food but the General Tao Chicken and the Mixed Showmen were my favorite. The General Chicken was spicy but not overpowering. The Soup was hearty and the Salt and Pepper Shrimp was okay, The only knock is that our server was a little overwhelmed and we had asked more than once for refills. The manager who was also the Cashier helped her out and everything seemed alright. I will come back again when it's not too busy. I forgot to mention the parking lot. The parking lot is a little small, but okay if it is early lunch or dinner. You also might want to try the New Sichuan Fortune House in Countrywood Square in Walnut Creek, too.
(4)
William D.

After all the great reviews, we finally tried this neighbor hood hangout. The interior is reminiscent of an old VFW hall,a little laking on character, but clean and tiddy. The employees were warm and friendly. Here's what we shared off the menu. Eggplant cakes,clay pot chicken, wok fried garlic green beans, steamed rice,and tea. Everything was fresh and tasty and enough to fill the three of us. One 24oz Tsingtao and the total bill came to $43.56 before tip. 3.5 stars....I prefer Mings in Martinez
(3)
Julia D.

We drove to Pleasant Hill to see a movie that hadn't been released in Sacramento yet, so we Yelped the area to see what looked legit. This placed looked legit. It also tasted legit. We received a plate of spicy kimchee-type cabbage with sweet peanuts and tea at no charge, much to my extreme pleasure. When the amazing spicy cabbage was gone, they brought more! So good. We ordered the chicken hot pot (allegedly the most popular), pot stickers, and sliced lamb and pickled cabbage soup. The hot pot and the pot stickers were VERY good, but my attention was captivated by the soup. It's so simple with its translucent noodles and giant chunks of weird, hard tofu. I could taste lemon grass and ginger in the broth. It was unique and fantastic. The staff is also extremely friendly, polite, and attentive. I don't know when we'll be in Pleasant Hill again, but if anyone is traveling through or visiting here, I recommend this place! It was very, very good.
(5)
Ronald N.

Sichuan Fortune House was a OK place. It was very different with food that I am familiar with that was not in the menu. I order the Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice. The food was OK. My Sesame Chicken was very tiny. They have quite a few spicy food. I would not call it the best szechuan chinese food out there.
(3)
Mark B.

If my family were fish lovers, I would probably give this restaurant a 5 star rating. I'm guessing that this is their specialty because I saw a lot of exotic looking fish dishes in front of other folks at the restaurant. We had an excellent meal and LOVED the service. The waiter helped us order and all of the dishes were excellent, especially the green onion pancakes, clay pot chicken, and kung pao chicken. The Sesame Chicken was very tasty - I just wish there was more meat and less "fry." The food came after 10 minutes which is great for my impatient family. This is definitely the best Asian restaurant that we've been to in the East Bay and I highly recommend a visit.
(4)
Trish F.

OK, forget all about my previous Chinese food reviews - this place is LEGIT. Many Chinese places in the East Bay are so Americanized that you just say f-it and get used to it. This place puts all those restaurants to shame. And you know you're at an authentic Asian restaraunt when you see all the unusual dishes using random parts of meat. :) My oh my is their food good. My favorites are definitely the eggplant with spicy garlic sauce and the chicken clay pot. I love eggplant but seriously am picky on Asian eggplant dishes. No other restaurant can compare to Sichuan on how they cook garlic eggplant. It's seriously the best. Spicy, savory and not too sweet. And the egglapnt is cooked just the way I like it, tender and not mushy soft. I recently tried the ChengDu spicy prawns which were to die for. The prawns were battered and deep fried and then tossed with dry chilies. They come out piping hot so be careful or else you'll burn your tongue like I did LOL. The prawns were cooked perfectly and the chilies make them oh so spicy good. You can tell by the food that everything is made fresh and their sauces aren't some premade, sweet crap. And this place is true Sichuan (or Szechuan? are they they same?) style cuisine because everything had that nice spicy kick to it. And mmmmm, I LOVE spicy food. :)
(5)
Eddie W.

Great food. Excellent service. A good range and variety of dishes.
(5)
Mike R.

This place is not only the best Chinese food I've had (though I'm nowhere near an expert in Chinese food), but also the best restaurant in Pleasant Hill, period. When coming here, just stick to any of the chef specials, ignore everything else. Clay pots are all amazing, and the spicy dan dan noodles are probably my favorite dish... I can't come here without ordering them. As far as Chinese restaurants go, the service is outstanding. The waitstaff is incredibly helpful and seem genuinely concerned with making sure you enjoy your meal. I'll definitely be coming here at least once a week until I finish trying every dish on their menu. It's that good.
(5)
Tom O.

I definitely have to come back to this place because I don't think my taste test here did not do it justice. I was the first in the restaurant at around 11 for lunch. The kitchen crew was having their lunch out in the dining hall, and I think I caught them by surprise. Definitely a "not on the beaten path" kind of a place, they would get more business if they were more visible from Contra Costa, because I can tell by reviews they have good food and good service. I ordered off the lunch menu quickly because I was in a hurry to get back to work. I made the mistake of ordering the black bean chicken, and it was okay, not great. The owner/manager was very nice, and in talking with me, he recommended ordering more traditional items on the menu for my return visit, and to order something with spice. Judging by the fact that the good reviews on this restaurant in yelp all centered around their traditional spicy dishes, I think I made a mistake. But, I'll make it back and make my edits once I have my return visits. Definitely recommended, and I think it will be a 5 star once I've tried the real deal.
(4)
Peter K.

How come the best places are hidden right around the corner and just out of sight?? I am sure we have driven by this place hundreds of times and never even knew it was there! The restaurant is not very far from downtown Pleasant Hill, in fact this might be considered downtown, it's so close, just not in the new strip mall downtown area. Anyway, the food here is pretty authentic Szechuan Cuisine. The owner ( I am assuming he was the owner) a really nice guy treated us very well. He asked if it was our first visit and we told him yes and to recommend some dishes, which he did! He also brought us a complimentary (how nice is that!) cold appetizer of Szechwan Country Style Chicken. The title never tells much, however it was delicious. The thinly sliced chicken was served over a bed of julienne green onions and the sauce on top was of a thick spicy sesame type that was out of this world! We ordered the Spicy Beer Sauce Duck which was amazing. It comes served in a clay pot with bamboo shoot and shitake mushrooms. It is obvious from the first bite that the duck has been stewing in the broth for a long time. The duck meat is melt in your mouth, and the broth is infused with the flavor of the duck, please pour some of this spicy broth over your rice, it is awesome! The next dish was the Szechuan Style Spicy cold noodle! This was equally as good. The noodles were al dente the way they should be, and they were served with shredded chicken, spicy pickled cucumbers, and a spicy sesame sauce that reminded me of the one on the appetizer we had. The last dish was classic dry cooked green beans which they did very well! The portions are a good size, the service is friendly and attentive, and the customers seem to be all hard core Chinese (which is a good sign)!! I know the meal was great and satisfying because I was thinking about it all the next day! I am so happy this type of food is available in Pleasant Hill no less!
(5)
Dave H.

Wow. Other yelp reviewers were absolutely right about Sichuan Fortune House. Excellent Sichuan fare (the closest to authentic I've had so far in the Bay Area) at a reasonable price. Food like this in SF would cost nearly twice as much. The cumin lamb was uniquely delicious (I loved the Indian styled interpretation) and the clay pot chicken was also memorable, but what impressed me was how well they did the basics. The garlic eggplant, tofu dishes and our appetizers (hot oil dumplings, egg rolls) were ALL top notch. The only disappointment was a duck dish. It was flavorful, but had hardly any duck in it. Spiciness was good without being fire-breathing and they even offered a few unusual twists on some nontraditional ingredients, like chitlins, that I think I'll try my next time back. Portions were generous and service was polite and unobtrusive. Atmosphere was generic with the standard 'fresh catfish' tank near the marginally better than gas station bathrooms. As is the case in nearly all non-SF establishments, reasonable parking could also be had.
(4)
David C M.

Went on a Wed nite about 6pm, only four tables had diners. Was seated quickly and given a menu. I was in a quest for garlic noodles of some sort, but was informed they did not have anything like that. I told the waiter (an older gentleman who may have been the owner) I wanted "something" along those lines and he recommended something that I did not understand, but went with anyway. While I was waiting for the meal to arrive I was given a small dish with what I will call "candied peanuts" some kimchee (sp?), and a pot of tea. Dinner arrived in a timely fashion and I ended up with a bowl of noodles with what looked like hamburger meat in it. Not very fancy, but it did have a good flavor. I did not walk out of the resturant "overly stuffed", but the price was $10 including tip for what I got. I have only been here once, and again, it was "ok" but not the best I have had. There may be other menu choices that are very good but I don't live in Concord so I don't know what else is around (this was one of the higher "Yelp" rated).
(3)
Coleen T.

We went there for my son's bday and they did not disappoint. Finally a place in the east bay we can rely on for great food. Chicken pot rocks! Service was wonderful and the place was warm and friendly.
(5)
F w.

The location is not the best, but the food here is sooo good. The best chicken claypot dish I've ever had. Lots of veggies, chicken and a touch of ginger makes the dish outstanding. We tried others like crispy beef, beef with bittermellon, slow cooked beef, and all spicy just the way we like it. Very happy with the new find in this area.
(4)
Morgan J.

Pretty good - as spicy as it should be. It's nice to have some variety from the usual Cantonese-American status quo. Dry-fried everything!
(4)
Kit M.

This place was recommended to me by a friend. My husband and I went there for lunch twice and will never go back. The waiter was absolutely surly and the food was terrible. I will never go back. There are too many other good Chinese restaurants in the area for me to put up with rude service and sub-par food.
(1)
Carl M.

This place is great. I haven't had such good Sichuan food since I lived in the international district in Seattle. The Seafood Clay Pot and dry-cooked green beans were both excellent. It was a great date place also. The Yelp reviews are spot on, this place wins.
(5)
Jo B.

Awesome food. We tried green onion pan cakes, steamed pork dumplings, chicken clay pot, orange chicken... everything was awesome. Price is reasonable. I am very picky when it comes to food.. trust me... best chinese food in town.. loved it..
(5)
Chutney B.

Just went twice so far, but I loved it.
(5)
Dijon Y.

The food here is pretty good overall. Prices are a little bit higher than the sichuan restaurants around SF city. I guess they don't have much competition in these suburb parts. One dish fish filets in sauce with mushrooms was pretty good. Another dish wasn't what I expected, sometimes called lover's delight in other places, a cold dish of beef slices and sliced tripe in spicy sauce. It had too much beef in proportion to the sliced tripe. The balance was way off. The sliced tripe is part of what makes this dish fun to eat. Probably since a large part of the clientele is non chinese, I guess they by default keep the "weird" food like sliced tripe to a minimum. Too bad. Great service. They also didn't seem to have cold bean jelly in spicy sauce. As a restaurant this is 4 stars. But I'm basing my 3 star rating as a Sichuan restaurant.
(3)
Connie O.

Went here for dinner recently. Garlic Eggplant!! Soooo good! The pot of tea, however... very weak.
(4)
Tom L.

tucked away in a little lane where we would normally never go to save for the yelp reviews. solid food and solid service. we had the salt and pepper shrimp (very good), the chicken claypot (also very good) and the eggplant cakes (our favorite on the menu.
(3)
L F.

My boyfriend and I went adventuring to find a place to eat with nothing really in mind. We stumbled across this, and after a quick Yelp check, we decided to go inside. At first we were a little nervous. It took a little while for the servers to come greet us. The menu was a little complicated and disorganized for my taste, but we eventually decided to order an appetizer and 2 entrees along with rice. When we placed the order, the server immediately said, hold on, and put in our appetizer order ASAP then continued to hear the rest of our order. Nice! We ordered the Canton Platter which came with a nice variety of foods. Their sauces were good! The spicy garlic one wasn't spicy at all but had amazing flavor! We got the shrimp fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, and general taos chicken. This place hands down is our FAVORITE chinese place ever. Everything was soooo good. The rice was actually fried and not just fake fried. The chickens had an excellent taste. The bill for all that was just over $40, a steal! We will definitely be returning.
(5)
Kristen H.

Wow, what a great place! I actually stumbled upon it by taking a back road in Pleasant Hill. I didn't even know this restaurant was there. Anyway, not only was the food awesome, but the service was awesomer! Ha, I know that isn't a word, but it should be. The service was exceptional! I wasn't sure what I wanted the first time and they were very good at recomending meals and were always there when I needed them. I noticed several people mentioned the food was hot, but I didn't notice. I guess my palate isn' t that sensitive. I had the Chai Chai Mien Noddles and the Classic Sesame Chicken Breast. It was so good, I had the same thing the next time I went there. Both times I went it was on a Wednesday night and they were pretty full, especially for a week night, which is always a good sign of a great restaurant. So, as you can probably tell, I totally recomend this restaurant!
(5)
Andrew C.

Authentic, traditional, wonderful and delightful little Chinese restaurant in Pleasant Hill. We visited here first time on Monday night. We were impressed with the authentic flavors of Sichuan taste. Tan Tan noodle tasteful and abundant. Eggplant's sauce is wonderfully balanced, and food is not greasy at all. Steamed veggie dumpling is very traditional and flavorful. Service is wonderful and nice. although the building and decor is outdated and old (one star off), but they managed to keep it clean overall. Most importantly, we were the first diner at 5:00 pm Monday evening and they kept the AC on and the interior temperature at 75F. This is how hospitality should be. cant wait to return and try other dishes.
(4)
Erwin C.

I love this place. Great food i love the sesame chicken and claypot here. Staff is very nice and helpful
(5)
JJ M.

This business does not deliver and should remove the denotation from their description. I have called on three separate occasions and every time they say they can't deliver 'right now'.
(1)
Mina S.

This place took over Banyan Tree- rest in peace. Other than that, wow! The menu delivers more fanfare than the typical fusion type of deal. What a surprise, to find such authentic cuisine so close to home! The combination of flavors were perfect. Loved the two cold meat appetizers that we had- the spiciness and garlic overload was so delicious, seriously. Didn't care that I had no gum or mints with me. So tasty. Need to update this review of what I specifically had. Also worth mentioning- the service. I was impressed! You can tell they know what they're doing here. Definitely going back.
(5)
Rachel S.

Our favorite chinese food place in the area. Great for take-out or dine in.
(4)
Shannon C.

Hot pot? In Pleasant Hill? Let's just say that I was pleasantly surprised. You have to know to ask for it, which we wouldn't have known if the people at the next table over weren't having it. But a pretty extensive menu of items, all of which were excellent (as was the broth, although you have to really like spicy to order the spicy kind; I like spicy a little, but spent most of my time on the non-spicy side). The rest of the menu looked great, and I was really impressed by the service. The waiters (especially the manager) was helpful and solicitous. I have the feeling I'll be going back to this place again.
(4)
Julia Z.

I am a Chinese and I like the food here. It is not easy to find an authentic and fine Chinese restaurant. The chef must have worked in some high-end restaurant before because his cutting skill is really excellent. We had du si, which is well sliced. We had spicy beef, shui zhu niu rou, which is very tender and spicy. Countryside spicy fish is a dish for Americans, not recommended. We arrived at 7:00pm but several popular appetizers have been sold out. Next time should go there for dinner.
(4)
Em C.

After finding many positive words written about this place on yelp and sfgate, my co-workers and I went here recently for lunch. We ordered off the lunch menu to share: chicken clay pot, seafood and tofu clay pot and spicy boiled beef as recommended by other reviewers. The three of us started with the hot and sour soup, which was lukewarm and more sour than spicy. The chicken clay pot came out first, super hot temperature wise, and wrapped in foil in the pot. I mention this because the other clay pot came in the pot without the foil. I wasn't sure why there was foil to begin with. They tasted similar, but the chicken a bit sweeter. I was able to only fish out one nicely cooked shrimp from the seafood pot and ate a lot of the tofu. The tofu is of the saturated, almost mushy sort, which I sometimes like. Then came the spicy beef, which we did ask for spicy - and the top was covered with ground up pepper. The sight scared me a little. My co-workers ate quite a bit of it and said it was tongue numbing. I only had a few pieces. I stopped before I got to that stage. I didn't think there was much flavor. If it weren't for the spice, there wouldn't be much to this dish, except for a few cabbage slices and celery. The interior is nice and clean. There were only a few tables occupied when we arrived, yet they seated us all the way next to the bathroom. I hate that. Plus the window was open and it was cold that day. Although after the spicy beef arrived, I didn't notice the draft anymore. Service was appropriate as well. Overall passable and perhaps I will try this place again soon - they are coming up on their two year anniversary and requested we fill out some surveys at the end of the meal in exchange for coupons - $5 off lunch or $10 off dinner.
(3)
John S.

Don't miss the eggplant pancakes with spicy garlic sauce.
(5)
Christine C.

What can I say? I love this place! They have recently changed their hours to close earlier, but from all those years of dedication and late night hours, I can understand. That and because despite the menu and hour changes...its still pretty damn good food! I can never get tired of this place and I don't know why. Yes the food is greasier than some would like, but hey it's chinese food in America.
(5)
Vivek N.

Stopped by with some friends last night. Ordered Chicken Chow Mein, Chicken Fried Rice, Sesame Lamb and I think Szechuan Spicy Fish Fillet which came with cod and tofu. I think I'm in love with the place. Probably the best Chinese restaurant I've been to in the US. But who knows what that means, I haven't been to many good ones. The joint is tucked away in this little alley like street. Very unpretentious. Authentic and neat looking interiors. Attentive and friendly staff. Above all, very tasty food, for the most part. The fish and tofu dish was waaay too greasy for some reason. And that's the one thing keeping me from a full five star rating which I very rarely award. Definitely going back.
(4)
H C.

This is my favorite Sichuan restaurant of all around the bay. Waiters and waitresses are friendly and of great energy. Alan, the owner, goes extra miles to make sure customers are happy with the food and service. My hubby and I are frequent guests and tried most of the dishes. We have also taken friends along, and all gives a thumb-up feedback. Remember this is a restaurant that serves Sichuan-style food, and you gotta know the differences among all Chinese food to appreciate what this great restaurant has to offer.
(5)
Lindsay C.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you yelp for leading me to this little hidden spot of chinese heaven! I have been here twice, and so far have loved everything I've tried! The chicken clay pot..yummy in my tummy...and the eggplant dish, wow! onion pancakes, tan tan noodles....i'm going back for more!
(5)
Peter G.

Finally made it out to this spot I'd been wanting to try for ages. Wow, the food was terrific. I've only been to a few cities in China, but this cooking seemed very authentic to me. A group of 5 of us had 8 dishes, and 7 of the 8 were outstanding. Only one, a fried eggplant dish, was way too heavy and greasy tasting - maybe that's how it's supposed to be - but all the others were fantastic. The manager (owner?) was very friendly and very helpful in describing the dishes and helping us select. Decor is a bit lacking, but I don't really care - it's all about the food. I'll be back!
(5)
Stanley C.

Real Sichuan not a cantonese owner claiming to be sichuan... The food is excellent a diamond in the rough... Our server Alan... I believe is also the owner...suggested our picks for lunch.... Let me tell you ... he was very patient with our questions.... If you never had real sichuan you are missing out... it is worth the drive... if you live any where in the bay area make it to this restaurant.. The prices are very reasonable....Love this place and thank you Yelp .... for being right on again with the review..... Long live Yelp.
(5)
Steven S.

People may kvetch about whether Sichuan Fortune House is spicy enough, but I don't think anyone can argue that this place delivers on flavor. Personally, I think there was a nice balance of heat, leaving that oh-so-pleasant-tingly-feeling on my lips that I only realized was there when I took a second or two in between bites as I stuffed my face with such delicious food. As the chicken claypot is a signature dish, I ordered it and was happy that it lived up to the hype. I also ordered the Spicy Sichuan Wontons, and absolutely LOVED it. Upon first inspection, the wontons look like they're swimming in this unpleasant pool of amber-colored oil, but then you realize that all the great flavor is in that pool, and you're doing all you can to avoid faceplanting into it and slurping up all the chili goodness. The service was wonderful, and I got the impression that the owner knows all of the regulars by sight. I'll be back!
(4)
Ernie C.

Was so sad to see Banyan close and didn't bother with this place for a long time until I noticed the Yelps it was getting. The server was REALLY helpful and straight out asked us how "adventurous" we wanted to get. We played one item safe (Clay pot chicken) and one item adventurous - can't remember the name, but it was thinly sliced smoked pork . They were both great. The only reason I haven't given 5 stars is I want to come back to sample more of the menu first.
(4)
Stephanie S.

I was surprised by the unique menu this place offers; also, the building looks like an old church. There were tons of things that I've never tried at any other traditional or non-traditional Chinese restaurant. We got some kind of chicken, beef pancake and princess prawns. I'm not the biggest fan of shrimp. As a matter of fact, I detest it. But the sauce on these princess prawns was calling to me, and it turns out that shrimp is not disgusting sometimes. The service was so-so, but I would still return to this place and try more of their food.
(4)
Carlo B.

What can I say about this place that hasn't already been said. Quite simply the best Chinese food that I have ever had. They are tucked away, but please make the effort to find them and give them your patronage. I highly recommend the Boiled Beef and Claypot Chicken, though everything is good. Warning: This food is very spicy. It doesn't burn your tongue; it is more subtle than that, but it can sneak up on you. In addition to great food, the decor is good and the staff is attentive and friendly. They use fresh ingredients in their food and no MSG. Do yourself a favor and try *real* *authentic* Chinese food and the the Fortune house a try. I promise you won't regret it.
(5)
Brandon G.

Sichuan Fortune House is a good restaurant. I found the flavors in our dishes a little understated (bland is too harsh a word), but still very tasty. If not for Ming's which is closer to our house, I would have given Sichuan Fortune House four stars (Ming's food is a little better and they serve larger portions - they also deliver). Having said that, the food was quite good and the service was nice and prompt. Definitely worth visiting.
(3)
Sirius F.

I LOVE this place. I was in the area and yelped for a good restaurant. The other reviewers said this was spicy and it was rated high... The food was awesome. I just found the place recently so I have only tried the schezuan boiled beef, chicken clay pot and Mongolian lamb... All of these are awesome. Now this has become one of the regular outings for our work lunch crowd :)
(5)
Jason C.

These guys are awesome. My new wife and I looked around the Bay Area for the perfect version of Sichuan Boiled Fish (our favorite dish) and this place was the best around. So we ordered a bunch of it for our wedding. The manager (owner?) was really helpful in showing us how to keep it fresh for the wedding (which was near Auburn a few hours away) and it ended up being the hit of the reception. So, great food, great service, friendly attitude, highly recommended.
(5)
Colin C.

This is a great place to pick up some tasty sichuan food. It is nearby where I work and they have lunch specials with great prices (about $7-8). My favs here are the twice cooked pork, cumin lamb, and dry cooked green beans. The ma-po tofu was pretty good too. If you like really spicy food, i would recommend the spicy boiled fish or beef. I tried both of these before and liked each, but it is way too much for me to handle by myself. i was sweating pretty good! i can see this being a good dish to have family style though. I would recommend against ordering more americanized dishes, even things like kung-pao chicken which somehow was not very spicy at all. The owner is very gracious and helpful and the restaurant is clean and in good repair. I did go once during peak lunch time(12:15 or so) and service was slow, they seemed a bit understaffed. Generally I eat after 1pm though and never have a problem. Dinner hours also seem to be a good time to go as I have not seen them too crowded then either.
(4)
Oleksiy M.

good food and service.
(5)
Chris C.

Wonderful place, great food, & convenient location. Great selection of items on the menu. The owner and staff are very friendly. They are accommodating and make you feel right at home.
(5)
Kreaky B.

This week we returned to try some of their hot pot. Sichuan now serves their unique hot pot daily; and they are serious about being hot & spicy. The house broths are prepared to order in separate bowls simmering over a gas flame. One is a light vegetable broth with tomatoes and greens. The other broth is filled with so many peppers that it turns red. We added some lamb, tofu, mushrooms, cabbage and noodles. Super tasty, super spicy, hot pot!
(5)
amy c.

We went back to this restaurant again tonight with the kids after having had a wonderful meal there about two weeks ago. We were again impressed by the authenticity of the Sichuan dishes they serve here. Our favorite is the Zhang Fei Beef. It's a must try if you can handle the heat and numbing effect from the both the chili peppers and the Chinese peppercorn. We also tried Water Boiled Beef tonight and it was delicious. Very tender beef. Their Sichuan Country Stir Fried Fish Fillet (I may not have the name exactly correct but it's something like that) is also fantastic. Scallion pancakes are good as well. We haven't tried the hot pot there but would like to sometime. Service is wonderful - very personable and helpful staff. They get a little overwhelmed if the restaurant is filled to capacity but are never rude. If you decide to go you must try some of the Sichuan cuisine out. Don't just go the easy route and get "chow mein" or "fried rice". You can get those boring dishes anywhere. This is a genuine Sichuan restaurant so go all out!
(5)
Ninette B.

Definitely tasty and fresh! Definitely kind of expensive for chinese. But who cares.. how often do I eat chinese food? I'd come back.
(4)
Elly G.

The service is not good. The lady who takes phone orders could not even speak english. It was a struggle ordering over the phone. I have been here several times. Their food is good but the service is below par.
(2)
Tina Z.

After hearing thousand of recommendations, I finally came to Sichuan Fortune House! And was surely not disappointed. The decoration and ambience is clean and decent for a Chinese restaurant.The waiter is super friendly, polite, and Chinese-speaking. We tried cumin Lamb, chicken clay pot, and egg rolls. Yum! Will definitely come again!
(5)
Richie C.

Authentic Chinese cuisine!!! Don't come here looking for egg rolls, chow mein or broccoli with beef. It's quite insulting to the authenticity of this establishment and it makes you look like a jackass. This place serves the real deal. My favorites are the dumplings, the Sichuan style pork belly, and the seafood clay pot. Can't forget the peanuts with pickled cabbage too. Love the food, love the service.
(4)
John M.

This is an amazing place if you like hot, greasy, authentic sichuan food and a great selection. In no way even close to being americanized, and if you order something hot and spicy be prepared to have the main vegitables be dried-roasted chili peppers, and sichuan peppercorns on your plate- with chili oil to back them up. I love hot food, but damn! I really enjoy this place anyway, and if you order something in your heat-range prepare to love it too.
(4)
Nathalie C.

My Bf and I had the spicy tan tan noodles and veggie chow fun, both were very good. Clean, nice atmosphere and service was great. The entrees here are always very good. Note: bathroom is very clean, for a Chinese restaurant.
(4)
Gregory M.

This was one of the worst restaurants that I've been to. The food was really band, no flavor, bad service. The restaurant was so dirty, it had food splattered on the wall of the table we were at. The base boards hadn't been cleaned in years. Cobwebs in the restaurant. The carpet hadn't been cleaned in years either. Don't waste your money on this place. They don't have a website or takeout menus and now I see why.
(1)
Vanessa W.

Great ambiance. Great service. Great, authentic Sichuan cuisine!! I have been searching for a place like this since I moved to Nor cal from so cal. The twice cooked pork dish and the homemade made dumplings are a must! It is not often that my taste buds are blown away and this place did it. So good!
(5)
I R.

Some of the food was good, some bad.. My problem was the portions. We paid a lot of money for a little bit of food. Will not buy again.
(2)
Ev L.

I love a good Sichuan place, and these nice folks do not disappoint. Very sweet staff, polite, apologetic when busy. Their kimchee also comes with sweet glazed peanuts, and the combination is quite intriguing. I could nom a few plates of it easily. They gave me a big heap of the tasty peanuts the last time I was there, I think as an apology for being so busy. I love the lotus root, the tan tan noodles, the dry cooked beef, everything I've tried here, really. As always with Sichuan places, please don't order the "classic" Americanized "Chinese" food dishes that they have to put on there to placate people who are not adventurous. Probably they are tasty as well, but would you order a hamburger at a French restaurant? Try the real Sichuan food instead. Expand your horizons and have the good, authentic food they offer! Also, the interior design is quite lovely.
(5)
Travis H.

We saw this place on check please and we were very excited to finally find a good Chinese restaurant out here. I am somewhat of a Chinese foody growing up on places like house of Nanking in San Francisco and getting spoiled on great dim sum from China town. The service is atrocious, we waited for over ten minutes for the waitress to take our order even though we came at 2pm. We ordered a beef soup, potstickers, a black pepper beef, and a seafood Claypot dish. All of the food showed up at the same time, which was annoying. It came out fast. The soup was average, the potstickers were amazing - homemade gems, the black pepper beef - delicious and the seafood dish was good not great. Overall we will come back probably ordering to go because of poor service, but the food was very good.
(4)
Cathy M.

We were here to celebrate my boss's birthday. The atmosphere is very nice. The food was really good and the portions were generous. However the service was extremely slow. The restaurant was not that busy the service would be so slow. I wish I could give the restaurant a higher rating since the food was so good. Too bad the service was so poor.
(3)
Carolyn A.

The best in the area. Favorites are Sweet & Sour Chicken, Spicy Prawns, Claypot chicken, Dan Dan noodles, pot stickers and hot and sour soup! We love it and probably eat there too much!
(5)
Lisa Z.

Authentic Sichuan dishes made from a cook that hails straight from China. get ready to see a sea of red in all your dishes if you can handle it...but there are also non-spicy options as well. From what I remember: Combo beef tripe/flake- a cold appetizer dish- I really enjoyed the contrast between hot and cold. Sweet and sour soup - different from the canto style, heavier in flavor and more sour. Duck in clay pot - duck wasn't dry/overcooked. Went well with the herbal ingredients and hot chili peppers. There was also a tripe, pork stomach, tendon dish that wasn't on the menu...I don't know the name of it but it was a dish submerged in a spicy soup and was the spiciest dish out of our order. Tripes and tendons weren't overly chewy, just right!
(5)
Michelle H.

We saw this place on "Check Please! Bay Area" and were shocked we never heard of it! Been living in Pleasant Hill for three years and have not found a worthy Chinese restaurant. Let's face it...Pleasant Hill isn't known for its culinary talents so needless to say we were beyond thrilled to see what looked like great Chinese food and only ten minutes from the house! We went in around 2 (later found out they end lunch at 2:30) and were seated somewhat right away. Took the waitress a good ten minutes to take our order, strike one. No one bothered to explain anything on the menu to us, strike two. Food came out all at once (appetizers and all) because the cooks were in a hurry to close the kitchen, strike three. But...it was all actually pretty good. Soup was gross (not a big soup fan) but the potstickers was amazing and that's coming from someone who never eats potstickers. Also ordered the seafood clay pot and the pepper beef. Both were solid dishes. We would definitely recommend this place and will for sure go back to try some of the more authentic dishes. Four stars for the food, one for the customer service.
(4)
Ryan C.

I found the food here to be overall quite tasty and satisfying. Great dishes included the cold noodles and the "water-cooked fish". The "beer chicken" special was actually not that special. Though it was tasty and they even cut up the chicken in an authentically Chinese way (hacked into random pieces), it wasn't particularly special. Service was pretty good until the end, when we encountered a bit of a delay in getting the check. The food was filling and presented no stomach problems, even with the spiciness, as I was able to bike 125 miles the next day without any issues. Also quite random was that even though the restaurant was practically deserted on a Friday night, all the customers were crammed into a few tables right next to each other. I would practically bump the people behind me when trying to get up, and when that group left, the next group was seated in the exact same table! Even though there was so much space to put them elsewhere. I suppose this could be a Chinese thing, but I'd rather not have to eavesdrop on the people at the next table and also be able to get up freely.
(4)
Bianca T.

Very rude customer service. Me and a friend ate there and I told them to split the bill because I read from an online post that it's easier for them. And they said to remind them at the end. Which I did but they said that they cannot split the bill and used their "I can't understand you because you're speaking english" tone with me. I was pissed. I'm never coming back. Food wasn't even good. I would rather eat teriyaki chicken and white rice from Jack in the Box nearby. 10x tastes better than the food here.
(1)
Simon D.

So they have a branch on Treat east of Bancroft in the Countrywood shopping plaza. We went in (same menu!) and were treated well-great food and very busy! We'll be going here from now on.
(3)
jesse M.

I keep coming back to give it another try but each time i do, they make it clear that the quality isnt going to change anytime soon. So i accidentally went in again today, the wait staff is great and sincere but theres nothing they could do if the food is substandard. The main problem is what comes out of their kitchen. i....Why do they have to make the dishes so sweet? Ex., hot & sour soup is supposed to taste hot and sour! but no! this one tastes more like dessert. ii...The kong pao chicken dish is swimming in oil. iii...Ok i get. Everyone food joint knows the formula: Give them SALT, SUGAR, FAT, it's what the "public" craves for. Listen Chef, we know we're being played and when you follow that formula it makes you no different from Panda Express or the Four Brothers down the street. Eewwww!! Ive always considered Sichuan being better than they, but not anymore. iv...I Dont think Im ever coming back.
(1)
Sean S.

Best place for Chinese I've found so far in the Concord/P Hill/WC area. Frumpy exterior but nice inside. Cost is a little more than most other Chinese places in the area but the food was very good. Cost about $30 before tip for a green onion pancake, black pepper beef and beef chow fun. The wife wasn't as high on this place as me and thought the chow fun was a bit bland and the black pepper beef overly seasoned. Not a good place for children as the sounds echo.
(4)
Christina C.

One of my favorite Pleasant Hill restaurants! Amazing food all made fresh at the restaurant. Exquisite tastes that are not too spicy! My favorite are, of course, the clay pot chicken, and then the spicy garlic won ton appetizer, tan tan noodles, orange beef, and green beans. Actually eating here again tonight after dining there last night! So yummy! (And wonderful service as well!)
(5)
Ho Yuen L.

As a Chinese, this is a fine northern chinese restaurant. That really like taste in china.
(5)
Mindy Y.

Came here with my best friend... oh man... my mouth and as.. is on FIRE! Hellooooo fire! Hellloooo heart burn! But... I love it! I can't stop eating fire! Here are some bits and pieces! (1) Chicken Claypot: perfectly cooked veggies and thinly sliced chicken - soft-as! Our server highly recommended this dish. She said it's a really popular dish. I believe her! Yes, order this! 5 stars (2) Wonton Soup: lots of fresh veggies again! Soup broth is nomss! Wonton is good! 4 stars! (3) Super friendly server! She was great! Gave us good recommendations! (4) I felt under dress when I got to this restaurant... the inside is such a lovely place... love the decorations, dim lights - it may be perfect for a Chinese night out date with some girlfriends or even a significant other. **OVERALL: Chicken Claypot - a must get! Fresh veggies and spicy!
(4)
Brett Z.

Way better than Chinese takeout. I'm completely stuffed and satisfied. My check was only $12.20 to make it even nicer. Clean atmosphere, very friendly staff. Had the chicken clay pot, was disappointed it was cooked in aluminum foil.
(4)
Rita F.

This is one of the best chinese restaurants in the Bay. The food is absolutely delicious and of great quality ingredients. Everything seems fresh and quite tasty. The service has always been friendly and prompt. The ambiance and cool and it looks clean. I have been eating here for a few years and always recommend it. Will continue to come.
(5)
Holly S.

Arrived here 45 minutes before closing time, staff was very hospitable, polite, and very attentive. Food came out quickly, the servings were large, very reasonable for the price, and enough to share. Our food was delicious!!! I ordered the sesame chicken, and my bf ordered the general tso chicken. The place had a very nice tranquil atmosphere. I would eat here again.
(4)
J Z.

The old chef is not there anymore. The new chef is not even from Sichuan. He is a Cantonese. How did they decide to hire a Cantonese chef for Sichuan food? The result is the food is so bad. Recommend not to go there until they find a right chef. Also, the owner is opening a new Sichuan restaurant in Pleasanton. He seems not having time to manage this restaurant anymore.
(1)
Kin W.

okay the food is not bad, but the service is super slow. it took us 1 hr 50 minutes to finish the whole lunch. they even gave us the wrong bill at the end.
(2)
Shannon C.

After learning about this place from a friend who grew up in the area, this has quickly become our go-to Chinese place. The service is prompt and friendly, and the menu is great - some of the standard Chinese dishes, but also lots of stuff for the more adventurous eater. The clay-pot dishes are great, and their lunch plates are a good deal. We eat here at least once a month, but usually more!
(5)
Ellen R.

very authentic I love their spicy dishes, all of them are very authentic.
(5)
George F.

Had a craving for some hot and spicy Sichuan food, so we stopped in Sichuan Fortune House in Pleasant Hill. I have not been to Fortune House in years since they opened their sister location in San Ramon. When we pulled into the parking lot it was full at 6:30 pm, however as we entered there were plenty of open tables. The waitress gave us the complementary pickled cabbage and peanuts. We proceeded to order the following: Hot & Cold Salad 4.5 stars Hot & Cold is just a name its a mixture of shrimp egg, veggies, and clear noodles in a sesame mustard dressing. Dan Dan Noodles 4 stars very hot always ask for the sauce on the side so you don't get it too spicy. Sichuan Tea Smoke duck 3 stars Not the tea smoked duck I expected stir fried with peppers and peanuts Sichuan Boiled fish 4 stars Hot spicy and flavorful Pickled cabbage and pork clay pot soup 3.5 stars the cabbage was very salty but the broth was good. see pics The service was good and the dishes came out hot and fast. The restaurant was busy last night but the young staff was able to keep up.
(4)
Jean C.

3.5 stars, if I could. What to like: 1. The atmosphere: unlike most Chinese restaurants, this one is a bit more classy and not as noisy. 2. The location: because it's a bit off the main road (which made it a bit of hindrance to find), it has a good parking location. 3. The service: friendly, attentive, extremely polite: talk about 3 adjectives you never use in most Chinese restaurants. What I wasn't crazy about: 1. My husband SPECIFICALLY asked for the braised pork intestines when we came to this place and THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT. I was shocked and dismayed that a place that calls itself a Sichuan restaurant wouldn't have something that is so quintessentially Sichuan. =( 2. Everything was JUST a little too salty for me. I suppose this is easily remedied if I just asked for low salt. Low oil, too, while I'm at it. The dinner prices were very fair and I think you definitely get what you're paying for. I'm not giving it 3.5 stars to be a slap on the face. It's just not a place I'd come back to or drive out of the way to get.
(3)
Steve H.

Got take out tonight. Haven't eaten here since remodel. Food wasn't good. We have been coming here for at least four years, always ordering the same dishes. Crispy beef was beyond crispy. Chicken in clay pot was very bland. The Shrimp in red peppers had a different taste than normal. When I called to place order, the person on phone could hardly speak English. Drove down to place order and wait. I was only person in place at 7:30 on a Tuesday. Two more couples came in after I placed order. It took them 45 minutes to complete an order with four dishes. Too bad, I really used to like this place, but something has changed.
(2)
Marvella W.

Extra spicy boiled beef is delicious. I crave this dish often. Im not sure what kind if red chili pepper they use, I think it's very similar to the Korean red pepper flakes. Big portions, enough to share.
(5)
A in Pleasant H.

Is it Sichuan Fortune or China Lounge? Food remains excellent but something is off with management. As I was seated, the waitress advised me "we don't have cabbage today , is that ok?" I thought she meant a cabbage entree, and said yes. A few minutes later I realized I hadn't been given the typical welcome snack of spicy cabbage and peanuts. That's what she meant. No big deal. Lunch specials come with soup, rice, some broccoli, and the entrÃ©e. My entrÃ©e was excellent but I only got 2 little broccoli spears (usually more) and one was brown. I overheard the staff telling a customer they were out of a dish. A few minutes later, the waitress advised a table of two they only had enough hot and sour soup left for one lunch cup. Not sure what's up. Never saw this before here. Maybe a problem with supplier. Maybe with cook is lazy. Hope it doesn't mean they are going to close Dec 31.
(3)
A R.

The atmosphere looks very modern and chic as if it was transplanted from San Francisco. It's a hidden restaurant in the corner. Best dishes to order: (1) Beef tripe cold dish with a small bowl of rice, (2) the fish fillets cooked with woodear mushrooms and wine, (3) sesame cold noodle dish. Mmmmmouthwwwatering now.
(4)
Linda D.

We dined at this restaurant twice. Food is excellent, service is good and the restaurant is very clean and roomy. My boyfriend and I ordered the spicy boiled fish and fried chicken wings. They are both outstanding. Fish is really tasty and fresh. We will come back to try other stuff soon.
(4)
Gasper C.

3.5 because I'm not sure if Szechuan food is supposed to be this salty. My friend and I split the mapo tofu, stewed beef, and duck. They were all tasty, but yea mad salty. +.5 because the waitresses were super accommodating about my peanut allergy (offered to switch out the free cabbage appetizer and duck for peanut-free versions)
(4)
Lia M.

I agree that this place has been "cantonesed" some of the dishes are not really Sichuan ... I am very disappointed that the beef now are coated with cornstarch.... :( I used to like this place.
(1)
Jon F.

Awesome place. Best Mapo Tofu I have ever had. The spicy beef dish and hot and sour soup were also excellent!
(4)
Agung Z.

The food is above average. Definately not the usual Chinese food. If you like spicy food, this is a good place to go. Service can be better. Friendly servers, but a little un-organized during busy times.
(4)
Nora S.

I'm trying to put in as many annoying things I can into one review.... Annoying comment #1. We tried coming to this place twice before and struck out because of their hours. Second time was literally 5 minutes before they closed. We were so disappointed. 0 stars.... Just kidding. Our stupidity for not checking it out first. Annoying comment #2. I really wanted to like this place but.... I did! 4 stars (maybe even 4.5) for the food. Probably the best Chinese food we've had (outside of dim sum) in years. As good as any you could get in S.F. Worth finally getting to this place at the right time! Annoying comment #3. This is the most AUTHENTIC Sichuan food you will ever eat!.... I have no idea considering that most Chinese food I've eaten is non Sichuan. And does Sichuan equal Szechuan? Not too sure... This is where the restaurant loses some points, because I was expecting spicy and the dishes were very mild despite the fact that my seafood clay pot came with a zillion chili peppers. Not sure how they managed that. Annoying comment #4. Review of the parking lot. 5 stars. Outside of the busiest area of Pleasant Hill, so it's easy to get to and easy to park. Hey, this stuff is actually important to some people. I personally would like to know how much a hassle a restaurant can be to visit. Now that I've put as many annoying comments into one review as I can, let's move on to food specifics because this review isn't quite long enough yet (annoyance #5). 5 stars for the menu, which has so many items I have never seen before and not available on your typical Chinese restaurant menu. New stuff to try! We ordered the hot and cold salad, replacing the meat with more pickled carrots and cucumbers, the seafood clay pot I mentioned above, and chicken fried rice for the kids (I know, but it's as Chinese as they'll get). The meal came with complementary peanuts and pickled cabbage (delicious). Despite the lack of heat (!), both of our entrees were fantastic. The hot and cold salad is a must. The mustard sauce they use for it puts it over the top. It's a delicious mix of flavors. The seafood clay pot was a great mix of vegetables and seafood. They didn't skimp on either ingredient (lots of both) and it wasn't too soupy. Perfectly cooked. Fried rice was only OK. I've had much better. But I wouldn't come here for fried rice... go for the Sichuan specialties. They have plenty to choose from. Service was great. The owner actually came out and asked us if we wanted the fried rice served first because of the kids. He must have young ones of his own. Portions are large (and yet we managed to finish everything, it was so good). They do a lot of takeout business and I'm jealous we don't live closer. I would get takeout from here once a week. Now, was that annoying enough for you?
(4)
Bobby W.

been here a few times, my parents loves this place. I like it, but not love it, very good food, but very salty. Very heavy spiced food, which is how Sichuan is. The braised pork leg is fantastic. the service is non-exsistent, so dont expect too much unless you speak chinese, but the food is good
(4)
Josh B.

Best Chinese I've had yet in the bay. I'm a big fan of Sichuan. This place has a very authentic menu and clean, flavorful dishes. Highly recommend.
(4)
Jinyen Y.

Absolutely love this place after the one in Berkeley - China Village closed down (and have yet to reopen after a year). Great service, great food.
(4)
Dee S.

THE BEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC Sichuan style cuisine I've had. I never stray away from my "usual" order. I forget the name of this particular dish, but it is spicy deep fried prawn with lots of red peppers and kick to it, you can also get chicken instead. I believe it is spelled Chinqong? Anyway, always fresh, large portion and amazing! The chicken clay pot is to die for, the chicken melts in your mouth and is full of flavor and lastly the sauteed pea sprouts is delicious and is a very light side dish. For all you meat lovers out there-try the mongolian beef or the pork belly if it is available (they don't always have it). I always go home with leftovers and happily eat it the next day. I love you Sichuan Fortune House you are a hidden gem in the East Bay!
(5)
Maggi B.

Great food and really nice atmosphere/decor. We had fried eggplant appetizer, clay pot chicken, pea shoots, and black pepper chicken. All were absolutely delicious. This restaurant is a cut above. Service was very friendly, attentive and helpful.
(4)
Melyssa G.

Went here with some coworkers. I let them order since they'd been here before. And wow! It was delish. Can't wait to go back for more. Now to figure out what they ordered.
(5)
Yi H.

I tried twice. Bad experience. Bad taste. Disappointed.
(1)
Ashley F.

As a regular customer, this food is some of the better quality in the area but that isn't really saying a whole lot. Consistency is lacking, some days it's great, others not so much. Also, the service is not very good and in spite of being a regular customer, they fail to make any special requests to dishes on the menu ( nothing special). Overall, I won't be coming back after tonight's dinner.
(3)
Joe O.

SALTY. The mapo tofu was so salty we needed to add a lot of rice to try and balance the salt. The spicy beef was not crunchy and the pieces of meat were tiny shreds. Looked more like fried calamari. The chow fun was bland, but welcome since everything else was so salty. Lastly, ordered the pork dumplings and they gave us wontons instead. Would have much preferred the dumplings. It's probably better than most Chinese offerings in Pleasant Hill, but not as good as Oakland. The service is very friendly though.
(3)
Liz K.

Food is served FAST!!! Came in here with a Restaurant.com coupon. The hostess said the coupon is cash only-- so for those who come in next time with one make sure you bring cash. Had the boiled spicy fish fillet which is EXTREMELY spicy. Also had the tea infused duck, garlic snow pea tips, and noodles in a sweet peanuty sauce. All served with a choice of brown or jasmine rice (I chose brown.) Hot tea served as always and servers are nice and prompt.
(3)
aaron g.

Great food! Feels like I'm eating on clement street. They even have vegetarian items
(5)
Francine H.

I have to agree with the others, what a pleasant surprise in Pleasant Hill. The service was outstanding, warm, friendly and helpful. The environment is nice and comfortable. The food is Excellent! I told them we like spicy food and was rewarded with some tasty treats...nothing was mouth burning but oh so flavorful. You gotta try one of the Clay Pot entrees! Please tell everyone you know about this place as it was not even half-full on a Saturday night. I really want this place to stay around . Made me laugh thinking that people were waiting 2 hrs to get into PF Chang's in Walnut Creek for some pretty grim food and here this jewel of a place was half empty.
(5)
Jane D.

After reading all the positive reviews, we were really-really looking forward to the eating here. However, the food tasted stale and/or wasn't properly cooked. The food was spicy but in a weird sort of way; can't explain it -- I've eaten chinese in the US and all over the world for past 30 years but never tasted anything like this spice (bad). We also didn't get the remaining food packed (doggy bag), which is very rare for us since we love eating leftovers the next day. NOTE: I do want to provide another perspective, that is, the restaurant was about 75% full with customers, so others seem to like it.
(1)
Daniel B.

I rarely review a restaurant after my first visit, but this place merits it. I work nearby and am always looking for great lunch places nearby, especially ethnic restaurants. Don't let the generic name of this establishment fool you: I consider this restaurant to be my biggest Yelp find since Brick Pig's House. I would never have found this place (off Contra Costa, not on it), but good lord am I glad I did. This place has authentic Sichuan cuisine. You might know some of the Americanized versions of dishes such as Kung Pao, but everything is different (and better) here. They bring you free sweet peanuts and something resembling Kimchi to start. For my visit, I got a lunch special which included very good hot and sour soup and a very good spring roll. However, the best part was the dish I chose: Lamb with Cumin Sauce, which seems to be a favorite. The flavor was so pungent, it reminded me more of Indian cuisine than generic Chinese. Plus, any Chinese restaurant with lamb dishes gets respect from me. Though I'll continue to go here for lunch (probably weekly), this place really deserves a dinner visit. I got a take-out menu, and I'm pretty much prepared to try everything on the menu. I'm anticipating this convo at work (made-up names, btw) Bob: I just had a huge burrito from La Salsa and now I can barely walk. Sally: I know what you mean. I just ate a Baconator at Wendy's. Dan: Yeah totally. I mean, the jellyfish salad and Sichuan hotpot with pickled cabbage and lamb were good, but I couldn't eat another bite. (Silence) While I was eating here, it dawned on me that one of the reasons that Korean cuisine is my personal favorite among Asian cuisines is that many Korean restaurants (like Vietnamese) still have a sense of being authentic, untarnished by Western tastes, different. They rarely pander to the non-Asian crowd, but have enough faith in the universal brilliance of their cuisine to trust that customers, Asian or not, will enjoy it. Most Chinese places don't have this attitude anymore, but Sichuan Fortune House is an exception (although there are a few seemingly Americanized dishes on the menu, the majority are authentic). Case in point: There is an "exotic sweetmeats" section on the menu with ingredients like chitlins, tripe, and blood sausage. You know. Comfort food.
(5)
Gail N.

This place is awesome! I've heard that the service can be spotty, especially during weekday lunches, but we didn't have that problem. The food is excellent & we just let Alan, the owner, order for us. Lots of fresh vegetables, cooked lightly, & spicy food. Delicious & I recommend everyone I know to go there.
(5)
Vicki C.

Sichuan Fortune House is the best thing that's happened to Pleasant Hill since Melo's Pizza! It's been a while since we've had a really good Chinese restaurant close to home (a really long while) and for the last few years we've been driving to Oakland for our Chinese food fix. No more! This is our new favorite place! From the outside, the restaurant is unassuming, but inside it's clean and nice. The wait staff are really friendly and very helpful with suggestions. We had Roasted Garlic Fish Fillet (delicious, lots of garlic!), Fresh Tender A-Choy (out of this world) and Deluxe Pan Fried Noodles, all of which were very good. The portions were large and prices reasonable. From the looks of what the other patrons ordered, everything here is really good and I can't wait to go back to try all the other things on the menu.
(4)
Anne G.

I just went and picked up a double order of the Chopped chicken breast in spicy garlic sauce. My daughter and I both cannot get enough of this dish. I'm eating it now. So Delicious.
(5)
Bob A.

Visited Saturday night. We ordered the Chicken Clay pot, the pork wantons and the Eggplant pancake. The portions were large. Service was better than I expected based on others yelp reviews, maybe they hired more waitstaff. The Eggplant pancakes filled with pork were burnt so we couldn't eat them. The wantons were delicious, we were provided with two different dipping sauces to try, the classic sauce and the spicy sauce (which I preferred). The chicken clay pot was really tasty and if I go again I will order it or something similar. These three dishes added up to $30.00 which is a bit high, the small bowl of rice we ordered cost $1.25. We didn't get desert or drinks.
(3)
Kari N.

I'm so glad I found this restaurant that has REAL Sichuan food. The spicy "water-boiled fish" is excellent. Twice-cooked pork is made with yummy pork belly. Spicy fried pork intestine is a guilty pleasure. The stir fried beansprouts, or dry cooked green beans are all good. Cumin lamb is great. Braised tofu and tofu hotpot are really good - you can tell they fry up fresh tofu instead of using the prepared kind. I just love this restaurant. To be fair to people who will read this....the restaurant is not perfect. Sure, the food is on the oily side, but that is Sichuan cooking. And the spicy beef noodle soup used to be really good, but last time I ordered I could tell the beef was not fresh (but I like everything else so much I totally forgave it). The kung pao chicken and the stir fried noodle dishes are quite average. And the service can be sporadic depending on if the owner is there. For all these slight negatives, I took away one star. But if you're looking for real Sichuan dishes, and not sweet-and-sour pork, then you'll like this place.
(4)
Groundresonance C.

Good stuff! After 4 visits, I still say five stars. I let the staff pick the dishes and that seems to always work out. This by far tops the three Szechuan restaurants I've been to in Seattle.
(5)
Matthew R.

I will drive from Berkeley to go to this restaurant again. I was not expecting anything special when I walked in, but I was really impressed with the food -- cumin lamb and some sort of fish in spicy oil. Plus, an onion pastry of some sort that was delectable The service was great. Can't say enough good things.
(5)
Jen N.

I went to this restaurant for a family dinner (party of 6)and I find the food to be extremely flavorful yet some dishes were a little salty. Our family ordered spicy tan tan noodles, ma po tofu, boiled fish, clear noodle fish soup, crunchy beef, seasonal veggies, and a chicken dish. The restaurant was packed but we didn't have to wait too long for seats. However, it seems like they were overwhelmed with setting up some tables for a big party. When I asked if it was possible to get a round table, one of the waitress response was a little rude and stated that they were reserved but I noticed that one round table was not used at all during our entire dining session. The food was not too bad, the portion was a good sized, and the prices are ok and I may come back for their hot pot. We had a really good male waiter, gave us recommendations and was personable and he took one of the dishes back because it tasted stale and didn't charge us.
(3)
Jeff T.

We were taken here by friends who love spicy food, and said this was authentic Chinese food. They were right! Let me start by saying that I have been to China several times and backbacked mainland China for 3 months on one trip, so I have eaten chinese food. The food is authentic, and if you order it spicy, they can make it happen. One of their best dishes is the clay pot chicken, a must try. Some of my favorites are dishes you cant normally find in the USA. The green onion pancake appetizer, and spicy shredded potatoes (tudor sze) was something I ate all over northern china. Also of mention, the dry cooked green beans, and if you like spicy, try the chong ching spicy chicken, intimidating looking, with all the peppers, but tasty.
(5)
Richard R.

Besides the food and service being absolutely fantastic, you know you're in a good Chinese restaurant when you look around and 99% of the customers are Chinese. The staff is always glad to answer any questions about the menu. I found the owner to be proud of his establishment, very friendly and insightful. No condiments on the tables-does that tell you something? Highly recommended.
(5)
Sonia H.

I first heard of this place right before their opening when the owner and a little boy (I believe he's the owner's son) were passing out take out menu in a plaza across the street. I first thought it was just another Chinese take out place and never bother to check it out until my friend who does not live in the neighborhood takes me there. I must say this place stands out from other Chinese restaurants I've tried in the bay area, real Sichuan restaurant with great quality of food, service is excellent, friendly waiter/waitress who are able to give great recommendation! As of now my favorite is their green onion pancake, water boil beef, fish soup and any tofu dishes! Price is reasonable for this quality of food! Highly recommended!
(5)
Shayna A.

This place is AWESOME! We live close by and frequent this joint on a weekly basis. It is a very authentic sichuan flavor. I think that starting the meal with some spicy cabbage and sweet peanuts is just great. But what really stands out is the service! We have tried just about everything on the menu and love the seafood clay pot and the vegetarian pot stickers. Give this place a shot you'll be hooked! Oh and they're open until midnight what a plus for those late nights
(5)
Nancy C.

Hands down the best Chinese restaurant outside of San Francisco. I'm so glad my husband's friend took us to dinner here and shared his "find" with us. The food is fantastic and the prices very reasonable. Good size portions too. The best thing about it is the extensive menu. Step out of your comfort zone and order something you've never tried before. The wait staff and owner are very helpful. I can't wait to try everything on the menu. Yum!!
(5)
jack w.

Good food.. Great community supporter. I really liked the owner. I talked to him for a bit and he seems very interested in your opinion.
(4)
Nick N.

ah.... this review is 3 weeks overdue...and so is my next visit to the sichuan fortune house. my GF found this place on yelp because i wanted to go to harbor freight tools. and we wanted to have lunch in pleasant hill and we BOTH enjoy sichuan food. well...she enjoys it...but i fucking LOVE it. plus i've been looking for a place that makes "water cooked fish" the right way. i've been to other places that make it, but its not like the chengdu style. but FINALLY this place nailed it. this is gonna be the closest you're ever going to get unless you fly to chengdu or eBay a sichuan master chef (assuming eBay policies have changed to allow the purchase & trading of human individuals). we got the couples beef (they call it something else there), water cooked fish (of course), some battered & pan fried eggplant thing that was stuffed with good stuff like pork and then topped with a awesome sauce, and dry fried string beans. all of it was GRRREAT! they even brought out a small appetizer with candied sesame peanuts and something else that eludes me.... i spoke to the owner (i believe) for quite a bit after lunch to praise the restaurant. he was very kind, conversational, & informative about the different sichuan dishes available. i'm definately coming back for more because the menu is quite extensive with lots & lots of delectable (& spicy!!!) items. even if it is a nearly 2 hour drive for me (from los gatos). cheers to the sichuan fortune house!
(5)
Mayana P.

It's never really crowded. We ordered a pork dish they recommended which was saturated in oil, had no taste and was really gross. The complimentary nuts they gave us had a staple in it. Also ordered a noodle dish which wasn't good either. We never went back. This was about a year ago, maybe they changed something or other because look at all the good reviews! They were really nice, friendly though. They did apologize for the staple but didn't give us a discount or anything. If the food was good, we'd go back, we live so close to the restaurant but too bad it's not.
(1)
J C.

They have declicious Mongolian Beef (its actually spicy...the way it should be!), awesome clay pot chicken, and great friend rice! We have tried a number of restaurants in the area and it is the best!
(4)
D Y.

it's good, but too spicy for me.
(3)
Judith S.

I love Sichuan Fortune House. My family goes there regularly; it's our favorite Chinese restaurant. The food seems really authentic and is generally excellent, the service is friendly and efficient and the prices are moderate. Many of the dishes are pretty spicy, but they do warn you about that if you're new there, and they're delicious.
(5)
Gabrielle C.

Totally authetic Sichuan food. Not the kind of food you would find on most American-styled menus. This is food that you can find in a restaurant in China. Top this with amazing service, friendly and quick and you have the makings of a great evening out.
(5)
Nicole B.

Well, we went here based on the yelp reviews. We went for lunch. The food entrees (we each ordered our own lunch special) came out all at different times. My husband's dish came out at least 15 minutes before mine and my son's. When my husband pointed out that we would all like our entrees, they were very polite and apologetic (almost too much) and brought the food out shortly after. My dish was just weird too. I ordered a spicy prawn entree and it was a whole bunch of deep fried prawns and an enormous (I am not kidding ENORMOUS) pile of those small dried red peppers and nothing else. I like spicy food but I don't eat red peppers like that and they don't really taste that great so I thought it was so weird. There wasn't any other vegetable in the dish. It was nice, at the end they gave us a free dessert because of the inconvenience of waiting for the other entrees, but it was just marginal too. I don't live in the area so I probably wouldn't go back anyway as we were just passing through, but I definitely wouldn't travel far to go there. My son had kung pao chicken- he said it tasted good but it was just chicken and peanuts in sauce... I just don't know if they didn't get any vegies at the store or ran out? Anyway, my hubby had another dish- walnut prawns which no matter where you go is good and it was still good there- basically a deep fried prawn dish in a mayo based sauce with walnuts- yummy of course.
(1)
samantha s.

i agree with Suzanne V. The food was ok. I guess if you like spicy food then this may be the place for you. I am not sure. Just a little pricier than its neigboring chinese competitors.
(3)
Doug W.

The Sichuan Fortune House food packs so many great flavors, you can't go wrong here! I first found out about this place from Yelp, and the positive ratings were spot on! Honestly, I cannot single one item out as my favorite. You won't be disappointed if you try a few of these: Roasted Garlic Fish Fillet, General Zhangfei's Spicy Beef, Garlic Spicy Eggplant Cake, Dry Green Beans, Village Spicy Noodle Soup, Pickled mustard green and fish soup or the Spicy Charred Stir-fried Cabbage. There are too many more to list, but trust me, you have to try this place!!
(4)
Tiffany J.

Fresh, delicious, authentic - super yummy!
(4)
hank h.

My family visited this new restaurant three times the last two month. We experienced new dishes each time and so far they have not let us down yet...fish fillet with tofu in chili oil sauce, Hunan chicken in clay pot, Spicy General Zhangfei beef...are our favorite. They serve very good authentic Sichuan food with pleasant and friendly services in my opinion. I recommend this restaurant highly to the people who love spicy food.
(5)
C. L.

I am very disappointed in the 4 star rating. I went for lunch yesterday. 5 of us in total. Here are my view points: - Place -- so so, appear clean, I will give them 3.5 stars for the place. - Price -- very pricey. We paid $120 for 5 people for lunch. 1 star here. - Portion -- very tiny. We had to be very careful so that we have enough for all 5 of us. We even ordered large portion on some. 1 star here. - Quality -- Not good. A couple of dishes are luke warm, one was totally cold. One pork plate tastes stale. give them 2 stars - Service -- was OK in most part. Had to ask for spoon 2 times before we got it. English may not be their language, and understandable. Give them 3 stars there. Details of our dishes: - Cold pork bacon plate with chili sauce -- sauce was great. Pork tasted stale. - Chili fish filet in soup -- supposed to be their best dish -- we ordered large portion for $18, but it was just a tiny bowl. We got same dish at a restaurant in San Pablo (central Ave.) and Darda in Milpitas, they were way better. Too little soup, and smothered with thick chili sauce. Not the right way to cook it. - Tea smoked duck -- this dish is totally bad -- they chopped duck into tiny bits with bones and stirred fried it with veggies. It should be served like roast duck. It did not taste like duck, and the bones almost cracked our teeth. - Stirred fried kidney -- plate totally cold, and did not get cleaned properly, has fould smell. Asked them to recook, still bad. - cumin lamb -- this is the best dish and it was still somewhat hot when it got served. Taste was good. - tan tan noodels -- This is our favorite -- though very little noodles, but it has good sauce. We have decided never to go back or recommend to anyone. this restaurant was over rated. there are many restaurants better than them, and much more reasonable. I bet you if I went to Darda in Milpitas, I would have a much satifying meal with quality and hot food for about 1/2 of what they charged, and the portion is at least 30% more. Very disappointed experience in deed!!
(2)
Jingo R.

Really good food, with interesting flavors and textures. Lamb with cumin was, as others have stated, spectacular. Orange chicken was a delight - not heavily battered, orange sauce was full of orange peel & flavor - sweet, but without the cloying sweetness usually in this dish. Green onion pancake was also delicious. Ambience/decor is pretty funky, but the food more than made up for it.
(5)
Richard C.

We've been eating here for about six months on average a couple of times a month and there has never been a miscue on any of the dishes. Most of the time we get take-out since it's hard to eat in with two little ones. The first time in, Allen came up to us and asked us a few questions to find out what our tastes are and what type of heat level we can handle. We started off with some filled pancakes and progressed to the Clay Pot Chicken and then the Spicy Boiled Fish Fillet. Wow! I can still remember the freshness of the ingredients in the clay pot chicken and how the flavor of each item was able to be tasted through the succulent sauce. We've probably ordered it a half dozen times now and it's always a treat. The Spicy Boiled Fish Fillet (back several pages in the menu, it's not the soup with the chiles floating on top) smelled great and tasted even better. It was hot, but not in a burn your mouth type of heat. It takes a couple of minutes to build and then the top of your head starts to sweat. We crave this and need to stop by on pick some up every couple of weeks. We order it Sichuan hot, not American hot... I wasn't feeling well one day and called in an order on the way home, asked if they could make me some won ton soup and even though it was not on the menu, they whipped something up. Perhaps the best won ton soup I've ever had. That type of flexibility says a lot about the commitment to customer service that they have. We're usually not in a huge hurry when we eat in and have found the service to be quite good and pacing of the dishes to be just right. With the building popularity of their business they might have to bring on extra staff, but I don't have a problem. It is nice to see a restaurant thriving in this location. I've lived around the corner for 15 years and this is the first one to really make a go of it after several failed chinese restaurants and then Banyan Tree.
(5)
Ray Z.

I have been to this restaurant several times and the dishes have been all been outstanding. There are some very unusual and wonderful entrees, along with more traditional ones that are found at the very back of the menu. The flavors cover the range from hot and spicy to sweet and subtle. The staff is very friendly and helpful and the prices are reasonable. It is the most unique Chinese restaurant in our area.
(5)
M B.

Modest surroundings, but astounding food and excellent, friendly service. Tried the tea smoked duck, chicken clay pot, eggplant cakes & chow fun. the first two dishes were out of this world, and the chow fun was excellent, very light and fresh. I also enjoyed the eggplant cake, but one of my tablemates pronounced it "weird." My previous Chinese fave was R&G in SF, but I think this is as good or better, and it takes reservations.
(5)
Ingrid Y.

this is a gem!!! being chinese that need to eat chinese food often, this restaurant has equivalent outstanding food quality of good restaurants in SF, which makes it even more of a gem for me because i live in the east bay. service is great, a large variety of great dishes to try. pick anything on the menu and you won't regret it. you should like food that has some spice if you want to try this restaurant.
(5)
Curtis Y.

okay, after at least 20 meals there, im bumping up their rating from 4 to 5 stars. their smoked duck, fish fillet soup and mapo tofu to name a few are all outstanding and unmatched anywhere. the place delivers consistently outstanding food.
(5)
Chad M.

This place is awesome! I have been here about four times now, and every meal gets better and better. Try anything off of their specialty menu: everything is amazing. I highly highly recommend the Hot and Sour Soup, and any and all of their noodle dishes. This is by far the best chinese food that I have had in the East Bay. Their menu is affordable, with great variety, all the old favorites, and flavors that set it apart from other Chinese food restaurants. Definitely try it; you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Daniel C.

Traditional sichuan in Pleasant Hill. Complex flavors, numbing spice & sichuan pepper, personalized service. Check this place out!
(5)
Chris P.

This started off as a 2, but the kind owner and an excellent all-Sichuan array of dishes was enough to improve my rating. I'll go back again for sure, but I will focus on their Sichuan-style dishes and avoid any fare typical of other Chinese non-Sichuan restaurants.
(4)
Sharon K.

I have read the reviews in the Contra Costa Times and yesterday there was a favorable one in the SF Chron so we decided to try it at last.... sorry that we did. First we couldn't find a parking place.. someone had been bitten by a dog outside and the police and the animal control people were blocking the lot and the front of the restaurant..ok, not their fault.. There were only two people working the dining area.. one young man seated people and bussed tables and an older man served all the tables...when seated we were brought coated peanuts and some delicious cabbage .... the service was just awful... we ordered.. I had the walnut prawns and my husband had a pork dish.. I liked the sweet and sour soup and but they don't have iced tea and it was hell getting them to refill the water glasses.. we asked many times for water.. once the young guy brought water, filled my glass and didn't fill my husband's??? My dish came after a reasonable amount of time but it was luke warm and my husband's didn't come for ages after I was served... I tried to wait to eat with him but since my food wasn't hot to begin with I ended up almost finishing my meal before my husband's came.. when we inquired about his meal we were told that he had ordered the pork shoulder and it takes 20 (more like 35) minutes to cook.. they either should have mentioned this when we ordered or held up on my lunch until his was ready so we could eat together.. his pork had a good flavor (although really really spicy) but it includes the skin and all the fat and there was an orange layer of oil floating on the top. The server said that it is a regional dish and lots of Chinese like all the skin and bone and fat but I think he should have described it better when we ordered.. I don't think that we will go back.
(1)
Pam P.

We went to Sichuan Fortune House last Friday; when we got there it was fairly empty (it was also early), but by the time we left it was packed. We noticed that there were quite a few people who looked as though they are Asian or at least of Asian heritage and took that as a good sign. Everything said about the niceness of the staff is all true, in spades. I happen to love Sechwan food and have been to china; unfortunately, I did not order well. We were craving spicy food so much that we ordered it all spicy - and that's what we got. LOVED that little cabbage dish brought out at the beginning of the meal! I'm not a cabbage fan, but it was so crunchy/spicy/tangy and delicious, especially with the sweet peanuts served alongside. I might have given 5 stars but for the potstickers. Generally, Sechwan food has a lot of ginger, garlic and red chilis (yum), and since potstickers usually have a fair amount of ginger and garlic anyway, I figured these would be good. They weren't. I believe they used 5 spice powder in the meat filling - the main thing I tasted was not ginger, but cinnamon! It was SO not good, although my clueless husband didn't taste the cinnamon until I pointed it out, so ? Maybe I'm cinnamon sensitive. I don't think so. We ordered the chicken clay pot (extra spicy) and it was very, very good. All of the vegetables were so nicely cooked - with just a slight crunch - nothing mushy and overcooked at all. We also ordered a noodle dish that was pretty good and the string beans, which were nicely cooked but seemed to have a bit too much salt (and I like salt). When we expressed interest in the ingredients, the owner, who was clearly swamped, brought us over a nice dish of chicken in a sechwan sauce to sample, for free. He took time to talk to us about what sechwan cooking is, which made the experience even more fun. Husband loved all of it - we will definitely be back, but will order something that is not spicy to counterbalance the items that are.
(4)
Phuong D.

Went back for lunch a few weeks ago to check out other dishes. I was disappointed that I couldn't try the egglant pancake as planned (not on the lunch menu, nor did they offer to let me order it). But I did get to try the spicy boiled beef. The waiter forewarned my friend and I of the level of spiciness, and I said, "Yeah, I know, go for it!" Oh man, it was awesome. I just loved the spiciness and numbness of the hua jao (sichuan peppercorns). Definitely not for the faint-hearted! Luckily, my friend was able to withstand the dish. In addition to this, we ordered the Changsa Chicken claypot. Once again, spectacular! It seemed like if you order family style instead of individual meal, two dishes (plus soup and rice) for two people will leave you with leftovers afterwards!
(5)
Russ F.

Wow! Stopped on way back from skiing and stopped because of all the Yelp! Feedback. Great food. Great service. They even have a policy to take back anything you don't like and prepare something else for you. We didn't send anything back. Everything was good, but whatever you order get the Combo Fried Rice with it. The only advice I would give is give a brother a fortune cookie!
(5)
Dorothy L.

Had lunch here on Friday with two of my coworkers. We arrived right around noon and there were plenty of tables, but no hostess/servers in sight. Creepy! We waited a minute of so and she finally popped out of the kitchen area. After we were seated for a few minutes it started to get busy. Love it when I beat the lunch rush! :P We each got one of the lunch specials which comes with hot and sour soup and fried or steamed white rice. Picked Veggies - I really didn't like this. Super sour.. Hot & Sour Soup - I enjoyed this. Good amount of spice, I didn't even have to ask for white pepper like I normally do. Fried Rice - Bland, but the rice was nicely cooked. Honey Walnut Prawns - No complaints here, but this is a heavy dish that you should share. You easily get sick of it after 3 or 4 prawns. Changsha Chicken Clay Pot - Hot, hot, hot - temperature wise. I liked this dish, especially all the veggies. Sichuan Style Twice Cooked Pork Belly - This was similar to bacon, but less fatty, tougher, and drier. It kind of felt like I was chewing on tree bark. I did enjoy the green onion though. Service was a bit lackluster as expected. I'm used to servers trying to get patrons to leave as soon as possible so I was a bit surprised at how long we waited for the check and to pay. Tip: Only one credit card for checks under $30.
(3)
Hannah Renee T.

This is the best Chinese food I've had. Been here many times. Consistently delicious. Generous portions. Piping hot fresh.
(5)
Josh d.

Upon visiting the Bay Area, I asked a friend, where to go for Sichuan. She responded by saying this place was her favorite, and the most Authentic... I have not yet thanked her enough for recommending them. This place is awesome... The food was great. Perfect balance of... Spicy and Spicy. One of the best places I've been in quite some time.
(4)
Reena Z.

Best best ever. I come to this place at least twice a week. I've tried a lot of spicy food restaurant around this area, trust me this is the best. One of the best services in all Chinese restaurant. Go try it!!!
(5)
Daniel D.

This place was great and is total gem. From the outside the place looks like every other Chinese restaurant filled with uncomfortable seating and decor from the 1990's. Inside the restaurant the space is very nice and the food is great. Everything we ordered had great flavor and was delicious. Me and my wife are definetly going back to this place.
(5)
Craig B.

Who cares whos cooking? If the food is good WHO CARES! And who cares how many restaurants he owns or if its not on the main drag? Or if they are out of, or dont serve pig intestines......comon, this was one of the BEST Chinese meals I have had in a long time. I was impressed and you could have put a table and chair in the mens room! And you eat pig intestines in there too!!!! Bottom Line....the place is easy to get in and out of, its CLEAN and the cleanliness of the rest room, says a lot. The service is fine and its quiet, The prices are good, for $9.00 I have enough for dinner too.I just happen to stumble across it, pulled in and when I saw all the reviews, I had to give it a shot! I AM GLAD I DID! Don't be a hater! I'm going back and I'm bringing people with me! Give it a try! ENJOY!
(5)
Joshua H.

Without question the best Chinese (specifically Sichuan food) in the Bay Area! They have recently remodeled, but the still have the same fantastic menu. One of my good friends is from China and it is her opinion that this is the closest and most authentic Sichuan cuisine that she has found and this is in an area that is overwhelmed with so many Chinese restaurant choices. I would recommend if it is your first time there that you try any of the clay pots, Chicken or the Seafood. This will absolutely not disappoint and probably be the highlight. My personal favorite is the Dry Fried Green Beans. Make sure to order it with the minced pork! There are many great items on the menu, but those are must haves for first timers. Go check out Sichuan Fortune House, it is 1000% worth it even if you travel from the city!
(5)
Linda C.

It was a pleasant surprise to find a good Sichuan place in Pleasant Hill. The restaurant is decorated in traditional Chinese furniture and art. The food comes out relatively fast. They serve spicy pickled cabbage and peanuts as an appetizer. The food is indeed spicy so watch out! Overall pretty good food and service is nice - not the typical rude service at other places. - Tea Smoked Duck: you can get it with or without bones. we felt that you would get more for your money with bones so we got that. pretty good! - Spicy Fish Fillet: good and spicy! - Couple's Delight (beef): ehh it was OK
(4)
Lianna D.

This is my favorite Chinese restaurant in the area because of the following reasons: 1) The restaurant is always clean. It looks even better after the renovation. 2) Service is consistence. Everyone is welcoming and truly knows what they are doing. 3) The FOOD is the main reason that keep me going back to them. I have tried most of the food on the menu, no disappointment so far. I give them 4 stars instead of 5 is because every restaurant has at least one possibility to improve. As for now, I would hope they can finalized the new menu soon so that all items on the menu would be available. Currently, few dishes and couple desserts have not be available for a while... Keep up the good work from FOH and BOH!
(4)
Ramesh M.

Good food-Very tasty inexpensive- Very clean services with a smile I will be back soon check was 14.00
(3)
Vanessa B.

We were given a gift card. Horrible service. Took forever for anyone to make eye contact once we were seated, not even offered water while we waited at our table. The only item we liked out of the 3 we got was the item the server tried to get us not to get.
(1)
Jay R.

Best executed Chinese food I've ever had. Expect the indifferent service you frequently get with Chinese restaurants. But like I said, the execution was superb and elevated Chinese cuisine to a level I've only had once or twice before. Well done, Sichuan Fortune House!
(5)
Brett M.

Awesome food. Try the clay pot dish.
(5)
Kai R.

Not at all sure why or how they have an average 4-star rating!! Will not go back to this place, sorry. Had I noticed the broken chairs and other random junk tossed out in front of the restaurant (blocked from view by a row of parked cars), we would have been a bit leary. Walking into a freezing cold dining room was bad enough, then add unfinished walls, counters, ceiling areas, pretty much just on-going construction in there. Other people's voices were echoing around the room. The AC / heating intake vent was covered in grimy, dusty lint stuff looking like it hadn't been cleaned in some years. Their "bar" (a shelf with glassware and a shelf with wine) was stocked with large Kirkland wines... uuhh, did I say Kirkland?? Yes. Should have left at this point, but kept thinking of the many hole-in-the-wall places that have had amazing food... NOT the case here! The chicken entrees had been cut into itty-bitty pieces so that the majority of what we were eating was fried batter, and what chicken we did manage to find was super chewy, literally almost like bubble gum, so weird as I've never has that ANYwhere! Flavors were just okay, not even good enough to come back again, but 2 stars because I didn't spit it out and for having nice servers.
(2)
Amanda T.

I am a bad customer. I have been spoiled by the luxury of good Chinese food my whole life and recently I have had a special attachment to Sichuan Fortune House! I didn't realize how much I loved this place until I moved to Chicago where the Chinese food has been homogenized and diluted with other equally bad Asian food of other cultures. Every time I come home, I make sure I come out here. Below, I've documented the must haves. The list of "you better eat it before you die". The "get your hand ready to slap yo mama" list. 1. Hot and Cold Salad- guess what? It's hot AND cold. Veges, shrimp, chicken and a pile of mu shu on top of a mountain of mung bean wide noodles. Douse it with the hot mustard dressing. Great start to a great meal. 2. Cold, steamed bacon with garlic and spicy oil - only get this if you are a warrior in the name of unctuousness. It's pure richness. 3. Eggplant stuffed with ground pork - 2 words. Holy S!&@! Kinda sweet and kinda sour brown sauce over fried eggplant patties. 4. Twice cooked pork with dry fried bean curd - I love pork. I love bean curd. We've had way more dishes. The garlic roast fish filet, the hot and spicy dumplings, orange peel chicken. Everything is ridiculous. In closing, Sichuan Fortune House, I apologize. I am very, very sorry that I never Yelped before. You are the under appreciated friend that never let's me down.
(5)
Christopher L.

TLDR: - Decent Sichuan food.
(2)
Ashley L.

Looking for a late dinner, yelped Chinese and found 413 reviews at 4 stars. So we came in thinking they were not guna let us in sine it was 9:15, they did!! Decent service, awesome menu and delicious food. I had the spicy cold noodle, while my boyfriend had the fried spicy wings. Food came out quickly and is DELICIOUS!! So spicy and delicios. I will be coming back, next time, I'm trying the clay pot.
(4)
Brandi W.

I recently moved from Pleasant Hill to Walnut Creek, so I haven't been to this place in a while. I was once impressed by their food, but no more! How the mighty haven fallen. Their pickled cabbage and peanuts are tasty. I could eat a half a dozen small plates of this stuff. Hot tea is complimentary. I ordered the large Clay Pot with tofu instead of meat... for $14, I was expecting a pretty big portion, since I wanted to share some with my dining companion. The clay pot was, in reality, pretty small, and only HALF FULL. The meal consisted of a lot of tofu, two snap peas, a few mushrooms, zucchini, lemongrass, cilantro, some sauce, and a greasy red oil on the bottom of the tin foil. Brown rice was an additional $2. Maybe they were just having an off night?
(2)
Gatot T.

I use to go here all the time, it is very good and authentic, but sometimes the food is too salty. The service is very good all the time. My fav is chicken tan tan noodle.
(4)
Dianna K.

The interior is clean, modern, and comfortable. A hidden gem in Pleasant Hill. The garlic ginger prawns is the best. The sauce is perfect and the shrimp is not greasy. The Mongolian beef is spicy but so good. We had the vegetable spring rolls which were also very good. Will definitely return. The servers are pleasant and attentive.
(5)
James H.

Been coming here for years whenever I visit my relatives in the Bay area. Most recently bought my wife and mother-in-law who are from China and the place received their stamp of approval. Loved the Zha Jiang noodles and Eggplant.
(5)
Victor G.

Dropped into Sichuan Fortune House, noticed it was 2:36, passed the midday closing time. no host nor waiters in front. when one appeared, i asked for a take out menu. he asked "how many are you?" '"didn't you want to eat here?" me: "one. aren't you closed?" waiter: "that's ok" signaling me to take a table so i did. why? -he recognized me from somewhere -thought i was a northern chinese like him -figured kitchen wouldn't mind cooking one more dish. . appetizers: -roasted peanuts, pickled cabbage very tasty and well don eats: sihuan beef noodle soup (8.5) -beef and tendon in soup very tender, fresh, and plentiful -broth very hot with chili peppers -noodles, commercially made, a disappointment. appetizers: -northern dishes on the high end, very well done -lunch menu available probably... -would return -dishes hot! -excellent service.
(4)
Jason R.

I'm a little jaded when it comes to Chinese Food coming from New York City. I have to admit this place is impressive. Probably the best Chinese food I've had on the West Coast. The clay pot chicken is delicious and the beef pancake is addictive. Their home made spicy dumplings are great though I order the sauce on the side because it is quite spicy. Haven't tried the Peking (Beijing) Duck because my wife's not a fan so if any of you are duck lovers let me know so we can feast and I'll update my review!
(5)
Gina B.

I may be partially biased due to the fact that this is the restaurant that taught me what Sichuan cuisine is. However, I love this place! The food is consistently good and I'm always pleased when I decide to try something new on the menu. The wontons are delicious. I used to actually not enjoy wontons. I thought they were always over cooked and the skin too thick & chewy. But Sichuan Fortune House has changed my mind on wontons. Wontons ARE delicious. I just had never realized it. The spicy, slightly sweet sauce that comes with the wontons is delicious. Eat the wontons as soon as they come out. They taste best when warm! The skin is wonderfully chewy and the pork inside very flavorful. Other notable dishes have been... The tantan noodles (best I've ever tried since then!), green beans, chicken clay pot, and the tea smoked duck. I'm so glad I trusted yelp and walked into this place... I have now expanded into my view the world that is Sichuan
(4)
Toni M.

Today I met my friend Kathleen here for an early lunch so we could catch a movie at CinÃ©Arts Theatre. We arrived just prior to their 11:30 opening time and they were already open. We walked in and were greeted, seated and given menus. We were the first patrons, but parties of 2, 3 and 4 soon followed and by the time we left at about 12:20 the restaurant was filling up. They have a very large and varied menu of lunch specials. Each comes w/ your choice of hot and sour soup or corn and tofu soup and white, brown or fried rice. We were brought a plate of sweet peanuts and spicy cabbage. Kathleen and I both ordered the hot and sour soup and the brown rice. I requested some vinegar to add to the soup if I needed and was brought a small bowl of what looked like balsamic vinegar w/ a spoon. After tasting the soup I added some vinegar. I requested Mongolian Lamb as my main and Kathleen had shredded pork w/ spicy garlic sauce. I liked the sweet peanuts but the spicy cabbage lacked balance, maybe a note of vinegar. For someone who doesn't do spicy I have a great affection for kim chee. At Yummy we are given kim chee-like spicy cabbage that I love. This wasn't like that and I took only one bite. The soup was good. The Mongolian Lamb was terrific. I haven't had any this good in years and I relished it and the brown rice. I had a taste of Kathleen's pork and didn't like it. It had heat w/o discernible garlic. She liked it and took home the leftovers. Service was friendly and accommodating. If we meet for another movie I'd like to come back here again.
(4)
Wes K.

This place is so good it left me inspired to cook better. And I thought I was already a great cook. MAKE SURE YOU EAT HERE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! Amazing food. Put the service aside you yuppies. Everything from the type of tea, to small little plate of kimchi/peanuts/jalepeno sampler, to eggplant cakes is unique and different. I always enjoy the garlic green beans, but I'd order anything on the menu, and encourage you to order something different! They have the best chilli paste on the freaking planet. This place deserves a lower price range on yelp for the quality of food!
(5)
Daniel C.

Consistently good Sichuan cuisine in Pleasant Hill. This place pulls no punches with the spicy bold flavors in all their dishes! My favorites dinner items are the Sichuan wontons (about a dozen per order), the chicken clay pot, and normally a veggie dish like garlic pea sprouts or the green beans. Each table gets a small appetizer dish of honey roasted peanuts with spicy pickled cabbage with chili oil. Sort of like Kim Chee but without the sour component. The wontons are little boiled pork-filled dumplings with a very smooth wrap that are bathed in some seriously spicy red chili oil. I get these nearly every time! The chicken clay pot also has a good bit of veggies mixed in too - zucchini, carrots, etc. Sliced chicken meat that is well flavored with the spicy gravy that goes perfectly with steamed rice. The pea sprouts are a good side dish to balance out the meal, and they are sautÃ©ed with garlic to provide some milder kick. Service is friendly and prompt. They are good at adjusting the spice level for you and are good with walking through their menu. They also refill water frequently because you will be drinking lots of it through the meal!
(5)
Elizabeth R.

I would like to extend my deepest apologies to this restaurant. It appears we got sick most likely of some other cause. I still stand by the statement that I don't think their food tastes very good.
(3)
Stevie A.

Excellent!! I'm not always a fan of Asian foods in general, and I tend to be pretty picky. I was surprised I enjoyed every dish we ordered! The XO Sauce Beef, the ChongQing Style Spicy Chicken Wings and the Chicken Chow Fun were all excellent dishes!!! If you get an appetizer I highly suggest the Green Onion Pancakes!! I definitely recommend this place to anyone in the mood for Chinese food! Extremely satisfied!
(5)
Arsenio E.

Great place and the food is authentic and amazing. I would have given it 5 stars but the service forgot our water and tea and I had to ask for it, they were a bit slow with delivering our food too, but it was worth the wait. I would still recommend this place but I would ask that they speed up their response time.
(4)
Monica H.

Not many places get even better as time passed, but this place definitely does! We were blown away, once again by the quality and taste of their dishes. Today's choices Sliced "Bacon Cut" pork with spicy garlic sauce: Always a favorite, I crave this dish. I don't know what secret ingredient, but it's like crack addictive Roasted Garlic Fish Fillet: Cooked to perfection, again excellent blend of spices. 20 Spice Pork Shoulders: OMG fall of the bone tender/melt in your mouth, aromatic sauce This place has never failed us, not even a little, very rare.
(5)
Glenn H.

If you are a crusty old Asian like-ah me, you might be thinking: "Ho-Hum. Another Asian-American restaurant that is trying to sound cool by calling itself 'Sichuan'. I'll put up with another wannabe Chinese restaurant." Well THAT attitude can just suck it here. This place has food that is not the ordinary Chinamerican food. This is terrific food, with complex flavors and seasonings (not simply fire hot like what you expect Sichuan food to be like) and served with pride and a genuine smile. The very different from ordinary Chinese dinner for three included: - A small table appetizer of marinated cabbage (not too similar to kim chee) with sugar-roasted peanuts. - Green Onion Pancakes: three 8" green onion pancakes, sans sauce, with a crisp exterior and tender slightly chewy interior. Delicious and did not need a sauce after all. But I suggest that a Panang curry sauce would be just an awesome addition to this already great starter, - Mandarin Bean Curd (Braised deep-fried tofu and greens): this was an instant favorite. Delicious with garlic, mushrooms, carrots in a brown sauce and a few sauteed greens thrown in more for color than anything. - Roasted Garlic Fish. I don't think I've had anything like this before: large chunks of fish, lightly deep-fried and then tossed, along with tasty tender whole roasted garlic cloves and LOTS of whole chili peppers, in a light brown sauce, garnished with steamed broccoli. We ALL loved this dish and were surprised that it was not mouth on fire hot as the chili peppers implied. The heat was subtle and perfect. And finally we had their customer favorite: Changsha clay-pot chicken. This is not the absolutely traditional clay-pot chicken which would normally be the clay pot lined with cabbage leaves and a broth with the rest of the chicken served inside. This wonderful dish comes served in a foil-lined clay pot (the pot itself has some odd-smelling food residue but it doesn't touch the food, due to the foil). One of the best things that I liked was the freshness of the ginger threads that liberally decorate the dish. Another example of a non-ordinary Chinese dish that I have never had the pleasure of enjoying until Sichuan Fortune House. And finally they actually offered real brown rice and good jasmine tea to round it out. Even their fortune cookies are fresh and authentic. Yeah this place is now my new favorite Chinese restaurant.
(5)
Chris C.

I know this place is great because I didn't even want Chinese food for dinner, and I was still blown away. Love the spicy cabbage and sesame nuts on the table, it kept our bellies from rumbling while going over the menu, which is extensive. The eggplant w/garlic sauce was the best I've ever tasted, and the sichuan family tofu a hit with our spice-loving 6 and 3 yr old girls. My husband loved his noodles, a variation on a dish w/beef made vegetarian by request. Finally, the classic sweet and sour pork was scrumptious - my kids rarely eat the veggies in this standard dish, but here they were hunting and devouring the peppers, carrots, and onions! I can understand why, they were very fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. I can't wait to return and try new things, as I tend to stick with standards when trying somewhere new. But I saw several tasty-looking dishes brought to other tables, including an onion pancake that the 4 of us wish we'd ordered. The service was wonderful, the atmosphere pleasant, and the food absolutely delicious. For Banyan Tree lovers (which we were), please give this place a try. Obviously it is a different cuisine, but I promise you it is the same, if not better, quality of flavor, presentation, and service.
(5)
Mike L.

The best Chinese I have ever had, hands down. The decor is sparse but the rest of the experience more than makes up for it. The owner is very interested in having newcomers try some of the less traditional american style dishes and made great suggestions for our table. The service is always outstanding and every dish I've had has been nothing short of great.
(5)
Jon L.

The food is consistently excellent. The staff is friendly and the owner is terrific at reccomending dishes. It's amazing how quickly the food comes out after you order. The other customers are friendly. On the short list of best restaurants in the East Bay.
(5)
James L.

The food was delicious. The Tan Tan noodles and Hot and Sour soup were both excellent. $1.25 for a bowl of rice is a little pricey but the tea is complimentary. We also had Hong Kong style chow mein, which was okay but not great because it was a little greasy. Our last dish was Lemon Chicken, which was very crispy and flavorful. Service was fine and parking not a problem but probably because we went on a Sunday evening when only half the restaurant was full.
(4)
Bo K.

This is still out favorite Chinese restaurant. We love the spicy boiled beef, and we always order the spicy beef stew noodle soup. My husband hates leftover Chinese food, but he will eat leftovers from Sichuan Fortune House.
(5)
Jim K.

Awesome chef's specialties! -Cumin Lamb (or beef) -Hunan Smoked Pork ('bacon-cut') -Boiled Fish -tastes as good as it DOESN'T sound.. -a peppery, rich, sublime swamp of velvety-smooth fish with cabbage.. -If the pleasant and professional owner didn't recommend it, I never would have tried it. (Most 'boiled' meat I've ever experienced has been gray, rubbery and utterly devoid of substance) -Beer Sauce Duck, etc.. -There are also plenty of 'standard' Chinese food dishes, which are still much better than versions from other area restaurants (Kung-Pao whatever, Princess Prawns, etc).. Even the basic shrimp Chow Mein is offered, but with plenty of top-quality shrimp, not the silly junior skrimps you usually get. But this place is all about the chef's special dishes. Talk with the owner, have him suggest a dish, you'll be pleased. There is even an entire 'sweetmeat' section on the dinner menu, the first time I've seen that anywhere. I hope this place stays in business.. -it is tucked away, yet extremely easy to find, just a few short blocks from any Pleasant Hill I-680 exit.
(5)
Joshua C.

It's hard to believe great Chinese food is available in the 'burbs, but it is! Went to Sichuan Fortune House based on Yelp reviews and wish I had gone with others since I only ordered two dishes. They were definitely 'downtown.' I'm a big fan of House of Nan King in SF, Hunan & Brandy Ho's among others. Yes, I realize they cook different types of food and many say Nan King isn't 'authentic' but taste and quality is what I go for. Hence I'm a fan of those restaurants and many others but few in the 'burbs. Now I no longer have to drive to Oakland, Berkeley or SF for great Chinese food. Sichuan features complex flavors and wonderful dishes. I had Sliced 'Bacon-Cut' Pork with Spicy Garlic Sauce and Lamb with Cumin. Both were wonderful. I almost didn't try the Bacon-Cut pork because the last time I tried a similar dish elsewhere it was so fatty I couldn't eat it. Despite the lines of fat in this dish it was terrific. The sauce! I confess to slurping some up with a spoon. And I didn't get rice (fooling myself that I'll lose some weight that way) but in this case should have just to eat the sauce. Hmmm... And the Lamb with Cumin was wonderful as well. Great flavor. Can't wait to try some of the other dishes and want to go with friends to share and get as many tastes as possible. Had a Tsingtao to go along with the food. Note that Szechuan is not as hot but often more 'complex' than Hunan and Sichuan's food is no exception. I wanted an Onion Cake and read about 'em but failed to see the listing under the Dim Sum section. I also want to try the Sesame Flat Bread that the menu lists as 'Big, Yeast-Raised, Gorgeous Replacement for Rice.' This place is a 'must' for me and I can't wait to go again. Don't know that I'll be able to wait to go with friends. I'll probably over-order and take a lot of it home. BTW, I took about a third of my two dishes home the other night since even with only two dishes it was more than I could eat. Alan (sp?) the owner stopped by a few times and I enjoyed talking food with him. He really cares about what he's doing. He was taking most of the orders himself and despite it being mid-week the place was getting crowded. (I got there early.) He's definitely going to have to get more help but the food arrived quickly. Must try a dish with XO sauce that the menu says is a slowly made, 20 ingredient Sauce.
(5)
David C.

I came here for my father's birthday and came away incredibly impressed! I have to say that the food here is very authentic and not your basic americanized spicy Chinese food! I would say that the quality of food at this hidden gem compares to that only found in the Los Angeles area and the South Bay. The service is exceptional and the manager even came out to talk a bit about the food. He explained which one's were spicy, which were not, and generally educated us on what we were eating. All of it was delicious. Highly recommended.
(5)
Critical Y.

What a great find--fantastic food and good service. Be warned that the food is very spicy (was a surprise for my parents). They do have non-spicy dishes for those that can't handle the heat. We've been there 5 times already and each time we've left extremely happy with the meal.
(5)
Scott G.

A Great find!! Nice staff.Great food.Reasonable prices.Generous servings. What else do ya need?? Every time we go we try at least one new thing and it is always amazing.Now we like so many things we can't decide! What a dilemma. The owner is always there with a smile and loves to help you pick out new things . We cant wait to go back!
(5)
Jeannie M.

Well worth the drive from the city. The beef noodle soup, hot and cold salad (? the one with the mustard sauce), and green beans are highly recommended.
(5)
Gina C.

AMAZING FOOD (at least, for this side of the tunnel!). Boiled beef is great but very oily. Clay pot chicken and cumin beef were great. Noodle dishes that we've tried have been solid. The oil is supposed to be very characteristic of true Sichuan food, but you can ask for less oil. The decor isn't much to speak of, but if you care about food, this is the place to be. Note that this has the mark of authenticity -- every time we've been here there are way more Asians (usually Chinese) than non-Asians.
(5)
Kostya F.

One of the best Chinese restaurants in the Pleasant Hill/Concord/Walnut Creek area. Great service, great food and lots of free appetizers. They have an unusual selection of dishes, so if you are bored with same selection in every Chinese restaurant than this place is for you.Overall five stars. Prices are very reasonable too.
(5)
David Z.

I found Sichuan Fortune House when looking on Yelp for restaurant reviews, and to be honest I probably wouldn't have chosen to eat there had I not found the numerous positive reviews of the restaurant. This restaurant is in a location that has had a number of other unsuccessful restaurants and I just dismissed it as probably doomed like the rest, but after going there and seeing that it is open late (midnight) and had mostly Chinese folk in there (this was 9:30pm mind you) I felt really positive about the success of this place. I have had Sichuan in China, and it really is quite authentic. Very tasty food, and there is plenty of choices on the menu, but most of all I find the "Sweet Meats" section of the menu the most intriguing since I like all the "weird" foods -- I will be back to try the "chitlin" dishes and the "tripes"... mmmm tripes. This restaurant was good enough for me to finally sign up for a Yelp account and write a review so that I can talk up this place. I would like to see it succeed since most of the other restaurants that have been in this location just didn't make it -- and not really because they didn't have quality food... but rather due to lack of patronage (which hopefully will not be the long term case with the Sichuan Fortune House.) Go eat there!
(4)
richard c.

we just got back from our first (but definitely not the last) visit to sichuan fortune house...agree with the others, this place is a real jem! the people are really friendly and helpful as well. we were greeted by the owner who knew we were 'first timers' as he didn't recognize us. he helped us through the menu selections. we had chicken clay pot, cumin lamb, and boiled beef. the latter was unlike anything we had ever eaten before, the other dishes were more like we were used to but were fantastic. very good hot and soup soup, a peppery version which my son and i really liked. we are going back soon and would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone, and especially for those who appreciate authentic cuisine that you just can't get at most chinese restaurants.
(5)
Mike J.

Holy mother of god! You live in San Francisco for a while and you think you know everything about awesome Chinese food... but, a strong man can admit when he's a fool and, oh yeah, I'm one step shy of mentally handicapped. The best damn Chinese food I've ever had, flat out! Just so good, so unbelievably good! So, I'm amazed at how a dish of cabbage, only cabbage, could mezmorize and hypnotize me..... dude!
(5)
Diane E.

Came here for lunch today with some co-workers. It is tucked away down the street from Contra Costa Blvd. on Woodsworth, so even though I have been in the area for a while, I never knew it was there. Fortunately, one of my co-workers did, so we braved the rain and had lunch there. I had the sizzling seafood and tofu claypot and it was delish! I forced myself to only eat half so I could have the other half tomorrow for lunch. Prices were reasonable and the lunch came with soup and rice (choice of steamed or brown).
(4)
AT C.

This the best Sichuan restaurant I have been to outside of China or Taiwan (I'm Chinese-American... been back to China/Taiwan over a dozen times over the years... that doesn't make me an expert, just someone with a lot of frequent flyer miles). We often make the 1 hour side detour here when we are driving to-from Lake Tahoe. Service is typical for a Chinese restauarant, acceptable in low crowds... inconsistent when the place is packed (deal with it). It has some very authentic dishes. I've read that some people find the food "tastes" funny... that's because they are using real Chinese spices (i.e. stuff you don't usually get here in the States). Particular of note is the sichuan peppercorn which has a tingly taste that actually makes you lips/tongue tingly and numb. Obviously this being a Sichaun restaurant, their dishes often have quite a bit of "heat" to them - but there are a variety of dishes that are mild to medium heat for everyone to enjoy (actually my friend who lived in Sichuan for year tells me that not all Sichuan food is spicy... either way he's been to this restaurant and recommends it as well). My recommended dishes (I apologize for the spellings as I'm phoneticizing the Chinese names in my head and I don't remember the pinyin romanization spellings) Pig Ear in Spicy Oil - my personal favorite as the 40-spicy oil is really flavorful and the thin slices of pig ear have a nice texture to them (no you can't tell they are pig ears, it's not like it's a whole ear dumped on a plate). Green Beans (Gan Bei Shi Ji Dou) - standard dish, prepared slightly different with preserved greens, a little sweeter than normal. Dan Dan Mien - noodles mixed in a mild spicy sauce with cucumber slivers. Very tasty version of a standard dish. Very mild heat (i.e. good for someone who can't handle spicy foods). Kung Pao Chicken - prepared the actual way and not what you get in a typical Chinese-American style. A little different but good. Medium Heat Water boiled Fish of Beef - the signature Sichuan spicy dish! For people who like spicy things!
(5)
James A.

Walked in and waited in the lobby for ten minutes. No one greeted or inquired about our presence so we sat down and waited some more.. Still nothing. The couple before us looked equally, if not more, fidgety but clearly wanted to eat despite waiting longer than us.. We couldn't wait any longer so we left ....
(1)
Jennifer C.

Been here twice and have yet to have a dish I did not like. My favorite are the Shechwan cold noodles. Also have had the chicken clay pot, peppered beff, spicy crispy beef, hot and sour soup, and the pork dumplings. These dumplings were my least favorite so far but I am more partial to the crispy posticker type and these were not browned at all. That just may be how they are prepared? The service can be slow at times and the decor is a not exceptional but it is a great place to go for a week night dinner that has GREAT food.
(4)
Grace C.

Boiled fish and spicy crunchy beef! Yum! This place is authentic and delicious. All of my coworkers are addicted. So am I! The spice is the kind that makes your tongue tingle in all the right ways.
(5)
Jac C.

Oh ho ho this place is so gooood. I want to eat here at least once a week. Last weekend Emily and I and three of my friends from college had dinner at SFH and were not disappointed. I was excited to bring my friend Jon B. here because he lived in Chengdu for a year and had been looking for some good Sichuan food back in California. According to Jon, the food was really authentic and reminded him of his time in Zhonghua. Dinner starts out with a little plate of kimchi and spicy peanuts and a pot of hot tea. We ordered dry cooked green beans (gan bian si ji dou according to Jon), dry cooked spicy Sichuan beef (two orders because we like it so much), Kung Pao chicken, and chicken chow fun. I can't think of a better way to eat green beans. They were spicy, crunchy, delicious. The spicy beef is one of our favorites. It has lots of chilis, ginger, garlic and a little bit of Sichuan pepper (hujio) which makes your lips and tongue a little numb and tingly. The Kung Pao chicken was similar to what I've had at other Chinese restaurants with the addition of lots of Sichuan pepper. It was a little overwhelming but you can pick the little buggers out if your tongue goes completely numb. The chow fun had a good flavor and was totally not spicy which was a good counter to the other dishes. The people at Sichuan Fortune House have been really friendly every time I've been there and service has always been good. A couple of them were really excited when Jon spoke a little Mandarin (I was messing up our order in English and he corrected me in Chinese). I think they were excited to meet a Westerner who had spent time in their home province. It's really fun to have dinner at Sichuan Fortune House because not only is the food delicious and the service outstanding but also they have a bunch of dishes I've never tried. Plus, I can be confident that whatever I order will be good and authentic.
(5)
Flip F.

Since we were in Canada, we have been looking for a Sichuan style Chinese restaurant that can serve many dry-style dishes. We think we found the one we were looking for. They serve a crispy beef dish that is a signature dish for us. THe dry string beans were excellent. Our children loved it - we will be frequenting this place...
(5)
Melissa G.

We were in search of a new spot to eat great Chinese food and this restaurant is definitely it. Andy many many thanks to all the Yelpers out there who helped us find it. We ordered the spicy prawns, veggie chow mein, veggie fried rice and dry braised green beans. It was all really tasty and well made. Typically when you order veggie items you get hacked up veggies thrown in, but not this place. It was a nice consistent dice and well integrated into the dish. Will be visiting this restaurant again and again.
(5)
Snowy W.

I would have given 4 stars for the food, no doubt. However, the restaurant by itself is not very clean, the food tends to be very greasy, and the restrooms dirty. The service is poor - couple times we have had to flag someone down to wait on our table, because we were forgotten! And then, when they do bring your orders, they are brought in some random order and each with a long delay in between (i.e the first orders have definitely gone cold by then)! My favorites: Northern Sichuan Fish Fillet with Celery, Fish Fillet in Wine Sauce, Chicken Clay Pot, Changsha style Chicken wings and the Cumin Lamb.
(3)
Hannah L.

YUM YUM YUM! So flavorful and delicious. Suffice to say, Sichuan Fortune House was a restaurant staple when I lived in Concord, CA. I always went for dinner, but friends of mine went there for Lunch Specials, where you get the same entrees in smaller portions and for less. Service is okay. Like many Chinese restaurants, you just have to be willing to flag someone down for service. Open late(r) than dinner places in the area. There is a functional flat screen TV in the waiting area for antsy kids. PROS: - very flavorful and tasty dishes - good-sized portions - The Chinese guy that owns this restaurant is very friendly. He always came by to chat, and pretty much memorized our favorite dishes. CONS: - food comes out a bit slowly - some of the servers don't speak English well (I always just turned on the "FOB-English" I grew up hearing ;) - laundromat and Cigarette Outlet next door look shady from the outside, but this Sichuan restaurant has its own parking lot Favorite Dishes: - shredded pork with dried bean curd - garlic fish fillet (comes with bed of broccoli) - seafood clay pot (variety of seafood and fried tofu in a hot pot) - black pepper beef (comes in hot pot with white onions) - dry-cooked green beans (so garlicky and yummy) - garlic pea sprouts (garlicky and yummy as well)
(5)
Leya P.

After eating chinese food for two weekends now, I thought I had enough of it, but then it's chinese new year, one more chinese dinner is not going to kill me. Don't want to drive too far, so we decided to look around Contra Costa area. Always been curiuos about this place,( seen car park here during lunch time). Surprise, surprise, in a good way. Prices was a little bit expensive but their food was good. Service was also good. If you're adventurous to try something new rather than the traditional chinese food. Go and explore a different chinese food in this place.
(4)
Cynthia S.

I should've have gone to Panda Express. We were on our way back from Tahoe and thought we stop for some Sichuan food since wow! 160 some reviews and 4.5 stars! great, I love Sichuan food. Walked in NO Asian ppl in sight. hmmm okay well .... could still be okay? The staff were friendly so we looked at the menu. Wow... very... non authentic but they got some basic dishes so we'll try some. I told the waiter "please cook the food w/ the level of spiciness for someone from Sichuan." 1. Crispy rice soup. 3 stars. on the bland side. 2. Dry fried beans. 3.5 stars, a little on the sweet side. 3. Ma La Yao Hua - 4 stars, flavor was above average but the tenderness was not. I can taste the unfreshness. 4. Dry fried spicy chicken wings - 1 star. It came out like FRIED CHICKEN wings. well already then... 5. Dry fried shrimp - 1 star. heavily breaded?? umm yeah that's not it. Food took 1/2 hour to come out. all in while we were asked how we were doing at least 10 times over the course of dinner. Well they are sure attentive but the food... its pleasant hill, I should've known.
(1)
swimmer h.

dont' know what Chronicle was saying with this place being a Bargiain Bite. it's expensive for what it is, my dad loves Spices3 in Oakland and even Spices3 leftovers taste better than fresh cooked food here. 1. peanuts and spciy cabbage- the cabbage is really bad- soft not crunchy 2. pea shoots OK, a little oily. 3. fried shrimp with chilis- deep friend in very used oil and very heavy and greasy. 4. spicy cold noodles- not spicy (which is fine), but the noodles were not fresh and chewy. maybe i ordered the wrong foods, but not going back again. each entree is over $10. 11:30am saturday and pretty empty I'm Chinese-American, not from Sichuan, but I've had better and cheaper
(2)
Aric W.

I dont have anything negative to say. The waiter was polite and fast. He recommended a great dish. They gave me an appetizer while i waited for my food. The food was great. You can tell when the food is fresh. The mushrooms were firm and the spice as just right. The chicken was tender. There were items on the menu that you don't see on every Chinese food place. Anyway, give it a shot. support local businesses.
(5)
Joan M.

Excellent and pretty authentic Chinese food, especially for the suburbs. A lot of Chinese people even eat there, lol! That's always a good sign. Food is good quality, although pricier than your average Chinese restaurant. Note: they have brown rice, but do not cook it regularly. You have to call in advance and let them know.
(4)
Steve L.

The service was good and the food was great.I will go back in the to eat at this place to eats again.
(5)
Rosie C.

Summer is my favorite season of the year. I love taking the kids swimming and to the park I love BBQ's with my friends and family Most importantly I love my summer wardrobe Living in Oakland, I experience a hearty wholesome Summer about 8 days a year. Occasionally we venture to the other side of the hill to experience this season a bit more, and to give my wardrobe some added rotation. Pleasant Hill (a.k.a. The California Arizona) is a lovely town complete with trees, rolling golden hills and outdoor dining weather. Sadly, I have struggled to find restaurants that offer food to my liking....until now. Sichuan Fortune House offers food on par with any Chinese restaurant in Oakland, Berkeley or San Francisco at a very good price. The staff is beyond friendly, as are the patrons. We ordered: Chicken Clay Pot Spicy Fish Noodle Soup Spicy Eggplant Shrimp Chow Mein We were pleased with each and every dish. My favorite was the Chicken Clay Pot. Quite possibly the best Chinese dish I have ever tasted, it was packed with veggies and chicken and oh so flavorful with hints of garlic and ginger. I would love it if they could add outdoor seating. Note: Not a good place for kid haters, as its loaded with shoeless badly behaving toddlers (including mine).
(4)
Salernitana A.

The crispy beef dish was excellent, as was the General Chicken (LOTS of broccoli which is great!). I asked for it spicy, and I must have gotten the whitey spice. I want it on fire, I guess I need to learn how to say that in Mandarin... Great service, and LOTS of people coming in for to-go orders. Also, they have restaurant.com coupons where you can get $25 gift certificates for $2. Enjoy!
(5)
Wilfred W.

Went for a quick lunch with my pal Adrienne on Thursday, August 12th. The place was packed around 12:30PM. A clean, place with obvious care. While the lunch specials sounded great, we went ahead and ordered the recommened chef specialites: Changsha Chicken Clay Pot, delicious with complex flavors; Sichuan Spicy Boiled Fish Fillet, incredibly fiery-quite good. Yes, I will return again.
(4)
J M.

Our friends, one of which is a native of Taipei, Taiwan, drive here all the way from Shingle Springs just to indulge in what they consider to be the most authentic Szechwan cuisine outside of Taiwan or mainland China. You simply can't go wrong with this place...everything on the menu is a culinary experience of its own! As others have stated...this is NOT your average Chinese restaurant...if you want simple sweet and sour pork find yourself the local Panda Express. We've always been pleased with the quick service and exceptional quality of the food at the Sichuan Fortune House. The owner frequently visits patrons and asks how their meals are and if the service is in order. We always look forward to visiting the Fortune House and recommend it HIGHLY to our friends. Give it a try...you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Denz E.

I know, I know....I'm catching up with my reviews. My Chinese ex-bf brought me here when we were still together and I was pleasantly surprised! This place is authentic as authentic could get! No watering down of menus for white people. It's spicy, garlicky, red sauce all over! The steamed pot stickers with spicy garlic sauce paired with fried rice is definitely comfort food for me. I have gone to this place over and over by myself or with friends and the meals were always winning! I guess this is the only good thing that came out of my failed relationship. All was not lost! :)
(5)
JAY Z.

being in restaurant business for more than 10 years normal i don't rate any restaurant. however, this restaurant really bring and keeping the real Sichuan spicy food; totally different than many others. this is the one you need to go, if you are in the Pleasant Hill.
(5)
Chris G.

I can't wait to eat here again! I went for my birthday and had a great meal! Everything we ordered was delicious. The steamed pork dumplings were amazing and General Tao's chicken was everyone's favorite. The servers were friendly and very, very attentive. They figured out it was my birthday and brought out a complementary dessert. Love it!
(5)
Andy L.

Wow. Great place. It's own parking and a/c and friendly staff. Took a co-worker to lunch and we order waaaayyy to much food. I like trying a bunch of stuff at new restaurants (when I'm with someone) just so if it's bad I know it's bad. Ordered the Hot & Sour Soup, General Tso's Chicken, Boiled Beef, and Walnut Shrimp. It was all great! When food is good I keep eating and eating and eating and next thing you know I'm thinking "Can't breath...must loosen belt..." That good. Especially kudos to Greg for introducing me to "Boiled Beef". That's gotta be bad for you! Imaging Hot Chili Oil boiling and adding beef to it. After beef cooks, they pour the whole thing into a bowl of noodles. So good and yet so bad! I'll definitely be back! Haven't tried the lunch specials yet. I'll report back when I do.
(5)
Ellie Y.

Okay, Yelp, I have to admit that I wouldn't have gone here if it wasn't for you. I was pretty pissed when around Christmas I drove by here and found out that the Banyan Tree was gone and was replaced by what looked like another tun o' the mill suburban Chinese-American. I was wrong, so wrong we'll bring my in-laws here when they visit, as they have relatives in Sichuan province, and all they ever want to eat when they visit is various types of Chinese food, which drives my husband and I crazy, mostly because neither of us can stomach Southeast Chinese food or other styles based on seafood, but that's beyond the point. The point is that we'll add this for sure to their culinary tour of zhong guo fan in the Bay Area along with Shan Dong in Oakland. Also, for what it's worth people si=four, chuan=rivers~that's the name and a decent anglicized (pin yin)spelling of it, not sze-whack, or whatever that archaic spelling is that some of you still feel the need to use even though it's not the name of the restaurant. Also, it's pronounced something to the effect of "si-", like I'm gonna psych my dog on you if you don't try to say it right, "twjuan." Unwarranted white-girl snottiness aside, the food was good, and the guy that helped us, assuming he was the owner was super helpful. He steered us what to eat and what not to eat, and asked both the ABC people in the party if they could handle the fatty cuts of meat and heat of the dishes they ordered. The guy even told us that if we ever got something we didn't like, let him know and we could order something else without being charged. He also apologized for the noise level of some of the other diners, which was funny, especially as we've all been around loud Chinese family reunions. Some of the descriptions on the menu also were funny, but we're all a bit warped. I dare you .005$ to order whatever that dessert item that is described as something like "8 Spice ... sumfin sumfin...an aromatic surprise in your mouth!" The main bulk of patrons of the packed restaurant on a Sunday night were Asian and mostly Chinese. Except for one table of white couple ordering standard Chinese -American food (they both C-A stand-byes and then the greasy, porky and worse Sichuan grub) of potstickers, hot and sour soup, and Mongolian beef, the only other handful of non-Asians were like myself with tables of Asian diners. So, the point of this paragraph was to help indicate that this food is the real deal. 4 dishes for four plus rice was $42 after tax, before tip. Everyone only ate about half of the food and took the rest home, and then my dog ate my husbands and my leftovers at 4:30 in the morning as we left it on the counter. So, I can't personally verify this, but I suspect that their food even makes great late night snacks.
(4)
Joe s.

Got the chicken clay pot on take out. Had to get this dish b/c everyone is raving about it on Yelp. It lived up to the hype. I'm glad they wrapped it in tin foil b/c I was running late when I picked it up (dish was still sorta warm) I should have heated it up when I got home, but it was so tasty, I just devoured it. Paired with Sam Adams White Ale. A very satisfying dinner. Thanks Sichuan Fortune House. I'll be coming back. Small chicken clay pot and small steam rice came out to $12.29 (including tax) Worth every penny.
(5)
Mike L.

zOMG. PERFECTION. Every, and I mean EVERY dish my family ordered was UMAMI HOT DAMN. My stomach was bursting to the seams and I still wanted to stuff the spicy roasted peanuts that came with the tea smoked duck down my throat. The pea sprouts with garlic are heavenly. MMM... and the noodles with ground pork and chili oil.... HOAH... orgasmic. Please, do yourself a favor. Eat here and get some REAL Chinese food. Nuff said.
(5)
lee g.

We eat here regularly and we can't rave enough about the food. On occasion the service falls from good to fair, but the owner always remembers us, greets us and checks in. The food is simply my favorite Chinese on the planet. The Sichuan Boiled Fish is to die for and the pork shoulder and General Zhengfel's beef (very very very hot -- they will turn down the heat if you ask) shouldn't be missed. The restaurant has become very popular, so go later to avoid the crush in the room and back up in the kitchen. I've held off raving because this was my secret, but its not a secret anymore.
(5)
Judy H.

Why does everyone like this place? The food is soooooooo greasy! And it's geared towards non-Chinese customers (hello, we're in P. Hill after all) but seriously, this is not real (good) chinese food! It's so bad, I'd rather go to Panda Express down on Monument. I would've given 1 star, but the service was rather good, so 2 stars! Don't get me wrong, the folks who run this joint are super nice and welcoming, but I'm here to grub!
(2)
Ann F.

I really wanted to give Sichuan Fortune House five (5) stars. After reading a review in the CCT I took my husband and almost 2-year old son there for dinner tonight. We rarely go out for Asian food because our little guy is allergic to soy, egg and nuts. Imagine our surprise when the gentleman in charge (Allen) came over personally and determined that there was nothing really on the menu to meet my son's needs. So he offered to make a half order of chicken and veggies for our littlest diner. Our waiter (Allen) then went on to gently guide us in our decisions. We ended up with the Clay Pot Chicken and the Tan Tan Noodles. Both were amazing! We loved the complex layering of flavors and the freshness of ingredients. The chicken was fork-tender and the vegetables were crisp and flavorful. Even better was the faint smoky, earthiness the spices brought to the dish. We plan to order it over and over again, even for take out. The noodles were equally delicious. So what happened to the 5th star? Well, they were packed on this particular Sunday night, and the service suffered as a result. We waited excessively at each and every turn of the meal. Tried to determine if it was really bad, or if it was just hard on us because we had a 2-year old who was rapidly approaching his bedtime. My husband and I agreed that it wouldn't keep us away in the future. Look past the location, the semi-shabby exterior and the modern lavender couch in the waiting area. Make your way into the surprisingly traditional dining room and get ready to dig into some of the best Asian food in the area. Oh, and while you're there, order the Clay Pot Chicken.
(4)
Tahlia F.

This place rocks. It did not let us down one bit. We wanted to check this out and we are so glad we did. The yelp reviews were on key! New favorite hot spot for my husband and I. Prices were great, staff was friendly and loved the environment.
(4)
Jwill D.

Authentic Chinese Sichuan food. Love it!
(5)
Alyssa H.

Food was excellent and very authentic. Service is a little slow and majority of staff have a hard time with English. The pork dumplings with Chinese leeks (minus the sauce they serve it in) and the green onion pancakes are almost the same as my grandmother made them by hand. Good stuff - Nice alternative to Three Brothers from China across the street for different variation on menu. This place is slightly more pricier though.
(5)
Rachael Z.

This place kicks ass! We had the house special hot shrimp and the won tons. The first REAL Sichuan (with the most amazing flavors and spices and heat) I've seen in the area so if you like spicy food like I do, Please let's all go here at least once a week so it does not go out of the business like the other restaurants that have opened in the space (altho we were there today for lunch at it was really crowded, so hopefully that won't happen)... Pleasant Hill has gained a real treasure in this restaurant!!
(5)
Matt T.

We've eaten here several times since moving to Walnut Creek a couple of years ago, and it's the best Chinese restaurant we've found in the area. It's a real Sichuan place with most of the menu composed of regional specialties - don't come here looking for beef chop suey or chicken chow mein! We've never had a bad dish here, though our favorites are the Garlic Fish Filets, Seafood Clay Pot, and Garlic Pea Shoots. The cold appetizer platter (I forget exactly what they call it) and Tea Smoked Duck are interesting tastes and very good. In general, all the items recommended on the menu as "House Specialties" or "Guests' Favorite" really are excellent; if you don't know Sichuan food use those comments as a guide. The one caution I'd offer is that they use a lot of salt, so if you're sensitive to that ask the waiter for light salt; they hear that a lot and will accommodate. The first few times we ate here service was poor, but the last couple of times it's been much better. I recognize many of the same wait staff but maybe there's a new manager running things, or the family that owns the place is growing into the business. This is not a fancy date restaurant but now that the service is getting up to speed it deserves 5 stars as the best Chinese in the area.
(5)
Jason H.

I found this restaurant on Yelp, and we LOVE IT. The food is fantastic and the staff is wonderful. We've been there a half dozen times, and only once did I not love a dish (they put a little too much oil in the Chicken Clay Pot), but we went back again last week. We loved the beef pancakes for an appetizer and the fish dish was phenomenal. Also, I asked for light oil, on my all- time favorite Chicken Clay Pot dish, and it was perfect. Keep up the great work.
(5)
Harry E.

I hate to cheat on Hunan but I went here for lunch a week ago since I loved it for dinner with rents. The place is the bomb. Great soup and nuts to start with and the cumin beef and claypot chicken are delicious. great spices and ample servings. Good value and good service. The owner was very nice and juts an all around great place for Chinese food in the area. I cant wait to go back
(5)
Mrs F.

Had lunch here on a weekday at around 1.30 PM. Ordered off their lunch menu the braised tofu with rice. I think this is close to the best braised tofu I have ever had. That is saying a lot considering tofu is one of my only three main sources of protein! Their lunch combos come with a soup (meh), salad (meh), and rice. Also ordered a side of vegie dumplings. What a treat to have such delicious braised tofu outside of a Chinese city. Allan said he would try his best to accommodate my husband's gluten-free allergies if we come in next time. My husband never goes to Chinese restaurants with me. If he doesn't come with me next time I'm still going here alone! Braised tofu! (Just tofu with skin in garlicky brown sauce.)
(4)
John A.

Wow, a totally new chinese food experience. One of our TOP favs....
(5)
Shante E.

There is a level of expectancy when i walk into a restaurant and what i expect. I think that this restaurant meets that criteria. The service is amazing, they are so personable and friendly, the manager comes and greets you personally. The food is awesome and its fast, it's almost like they already had what you ordered pre-prepared. HUMMM makes me wonder now.... Nonetheless, this is a great restaurant it great price and an great atmosphere. It's good for dates, friendship luch-ons and just hanging by yourself, no matter what they case may be you will enjoy yourself and the food.
(5)
Liam M.

This place was good, maybe the best chinese i've ever had... service was very kind, a bit off - but sincere in their effort. The waitress hooked my vegetarian company up with a custom clay pot dish that was exactly what she wanted - but we had to tell her what we were hungry for... a little communication went a long way. Looking forward to going back soon...
(5)
Pat M.

I am lucky enough to live in the Bay Area, where excellent Chinese restaurants are easy to find. However, this place is unique. The combination of flavors and balance of spices makes every dish special. The menu is huge... close to 80 choices; I want to go back again and again to try many exotic dishes not easily available in suburbia.
(4)
Sugi H.

This might be the best and most authentic Chinese restaurant in Concord, pelasant Hill area. A must for spicy food lovers.... If you love fish and spicy, stop by this place. You can't go wrong with any of the fish dishes....
(5)
Linda S.

By far our favorite Chinese food in Contra Costa County. The cuisine is great -- 5 stars -- it's interesting, well-prepared, fresh and flavorful. Favorite dishes so far are lamb w/cumin, tea-smoked duck, pork w/garlic sauce or w/jalapenos , & orange peel beef. The portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable. The service is truly amazing, as has been noted by other reviewers -- 6+ stars, really. The staff seems to genuinely enjoy answering questions, providing helpful suggestions if you're not sure what to get or if they sense you hesitating about ordering something that you aren't familiar with, adjusting any dish for sensitive palates, etc. The downside? The atmosphere and lack of alcohol service - 2 stars -the lighting can be really harsh in some areas, while other parts of the room can seem dark; -music seems like an afterthought (one time it was country music, another time some kind of teen pop, one time all we could hear was loud static over the speakers throughout the entire meal, another time there was no sound at all, etc.); and -there's no alcohol...or maybe there is, but we've never seen it, nor have we ever been offered a beer/wine list. We don't need or expect a full bar, but we do prefer to go places where we can get a glass of wine with dinner. Yes, these are minor quibbles, but annoying enough to make it a 4-star overall experience for me. If you're just ordering takeout, it's an easy 5+ stars.
(4)
Bryan S.

Awesome authentic food. Just love the General Z Beef dish. Cant spell the whole name but you'll be able to find it. Very spicy and full of flavor. The Clay Pot Chicken and Boiled Fish were outstanding as well. I have not had Chinese food this good in years! This is Chinese food not American *Chinese* food so some of your usual favorite dishes wont be here. Be brave and ask the helpful staff for assistance, they are very knowledgeable and friendly. You will be so glad you did, and probably will never order sweet and sour again!
(4)
tabisky c.

We've been back thrice for lunch on a Sunday and truly enjoyed their noodle dishes and clay pot dish. We've tried the Mandarin Style Noodle Soup, Village Special Noodle Soup, Chicken Chow mein and the Chai Chai Mien Noodle ~ all have been excellent. A lot of volume with tasty noodles, veggies, meat and seafood. We also had the sizzling seafood delight with tofu in clay pot and oh my gosh, that tofu was just great. Never ate so much and had enough to take back home for another meal. Their staff is very attentive and we've found a place to keep coming back. I would totally recommend this place to my friends, relatives and yelpers.
(4)
K B.

I couldn't agree more with the previous two posts. The food is absolutely delicious and the service outstanding. Allan (owner? manager?) recommended 4 dishes to us, all of which we ordered, and we were not disappointed! My favorite was the chicken in the clay pot, which was so flavorful. This is the best Chinese food I have had so far in the Bay Area and my quest for a good Chinese restaurant has finally come to an end.
(5)
Brie H.

I found out about this place through Yelp over a year ago, and have been hooked on their Chicken Clay Pot ever since. I come here a few times a month. The Chicken Clay Pot is amazing!!! This is by far my favorite dish here. The flavor is so wonderful with just the right amount of spice. The large Chicken Clay Pot can feed 3-4 people. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating and the prices are very reasonable. The only downside is that the service can be slow. If you haven't been here yet, you give this hidden gem of Pleasant Hill a try.
(5)
Michael G.

wow, all the people aimlessly giving this place (5)-Stars are not helping others who are actually looking for a 'good eat' based on a place's ratings.. and after knowing how nastee this place is and seeing how the rating is misconstrued, i now will never try a place found on yelp based on it's ratings! =/
(1)
Jeff C.

I will say it with praise.......the yelpers know where GOOD food exists. I was really skeptical about this place because I still don't trust anyone's palate but myself. My girlfriend saw this on yelp and said that you all like this place. If your a food lover or food preparer, this definitely will hit the spot. Here's what we ordered: Mongolian beef......excellent Shrimp and Cucumber......i'm not a cucumber fan, but it is what it is Special seafood and tofu claypot........excellent Pork fried rice......not greasy, very clean flavors Appetizer platter.........i dont prefer it since it was just fried everything Sesame/ red bean cake........good texture, kinda dull, its kinda like a flat sesame ball without the chewiness of the rice flour mixture. All in all......good flavors, very straightforward, clean food, not greasy at all, overall good service for a packed room, and very friendly people. These guys got the winning combination of a successful and soon to be great restaurant. I know this place is out of the way and not in the main street, but I'll guarantee you.......This is the place to go to.
(4)
William L.

Good service, food, and I will be coming back for more!
(4)
Kim M.

This place is in such a strange location, tucked in off Contra Costa behind a little strip mall, but the wonderful food more than makes up for it! The look of the restaurant, which is much bigger than I expected, is very casual and friendly, and I've never had a wait. The smell when you walk in, instantly makes your mouth water, and looking at the menu makes your head spin a bit as it has almost everything you can image on it. I've tried several different items, from appetizer to dessert and have not yet been disappointed. For a great Chinese night out, please go to Sichuan Fortune House, you won't be sorry!
(5)
David C.

Food is okay, used to be much better where this was the place where you could get Chinese banquet food without someone getting hitched. The last time I was here they've basically turned themselves into a regular Chinese restaurant.
(3)
Kurumi Y.

I had the worst dining experience here. Staff were super rude. Waited for 30 minutes just for a cup of hot water. Those 2 ladies who are working today seems like preoccupied with something ( one with attitude!!!) . There are only 4 people in the restaurant but took forever to get services. They will lose their customers just because the service!!! At least I will not go back!!!!!!!
(1)
Anil K.

Good food. Awful service. Had to wait over 40 minutes for take out. Did not seem to care. They need to understand we have choices. I will be exercising them. Won't be back anytime soon.
(4)
Twinkle T.

Such a diamond in such a hidden corner! If you looked at it from outside, i don't think you'd want to go in, especially with other more appealing looking places close-by. But, the food here is amazing!!! Starting from their kimchi and peanuts, to their soups (we ordered Hot & Sour), to their Chowmein, Chicken clay pot, the Sichuan boiled fish, the fried rice, every thing we've ordered here has always been up to the mark and yum! We've gotten other friends here and they've all become return customers too!
(5)
R P.

Mediocre food quality - table service a disaster. I stopped in for lunch several days ago and I won't be returning. It was my second time at the restaurant. The sesame chicken was mediocre, at best - it tasted like the take-out Chinese food that you reheated the next day. "Slodgey". The main course arrived before the soup and rice. The rice and soup were brought to the table only after I brought this to the attention of the waitress. The table next to mine returned their entrÃ©e after showing the waitress that it had a long hair in it. I really can't figure out how this place averages 4 stars, while Dragon' Pond in Walnut Creek which has much higher quality lunch food at a lower price (better dÃ©cor, better service, too) only gets a similar rating.
(1)
S C.

This for the Walnut Creek location. here you go: Great service Accommodating with special requests Clean Good food Bill can add up quickly Try it
(4)
Vicki T.

We tried this way back in 2009, then decided to try it again in January of 2015, after seeing Rhoda Yee review it on Check Please Bay Area. This time we ventured into the unknown, and ordered dishes we had never heard of. We made some wonderful discoveries. We love some of the vegetable dishes. The cauliflower is delicious, as is the cabbage. Yesterday, the green beans were fabulous. We now eat here at least once a week. Needless to say, we really like Sichuan Fortune House now. Oh, don't miss the Orange Chicken.
(4)
James H.

I always pass by this place so I wanted to give it a try and being the only Szechuan restaurant in the immediate area I was intrigued with all the good reviews. The intrigue slowly turned to disappointment. We ordered the large spicy fish which can easily feed 4 people. Upon first glance the fish are drowning in red chili oil and tons of hot chili peppers on top. The fish was cooked nicely but after eating a few of them, the only taste left in your mouth is of the hot chili oil and peppers. The spicy beef noodle soip should be called lots of tendon noodle soup because instead of beef there were tons of tendon with minimal beef. The broth was not spicy and lacked flavor that I am accustomed to when having the same noodle soup in other restaurants in the bay area. However, there are loads of noodle so for all the noodle lovers-you can order this and will be pleased. The star dish was the Twice Cooked Pork which were very thinly sliced pieces of pork belly with peppers and scallions. This is the only dish that I would order of the trio. Service is decent and there were only two servers managing the semi busy restaurant along with take out orders and cash management for patrons. This establishment is a 3.5 star place in my book. I'm still on the hunt for the best spicy beef noodle soup in the bay.
(3)
Cheryl M.

The order: Chinese Chicken Salad, Sichuan Crispy Beef, and Combo Chow Mein. The salad literally was chunks of iceberg lettuce, wedges of tomatoes, cucumber and a chunky, thick, very sweet dressing. The chicken was overly breaded. The beef was way too salty. We ended up not eating the chicken because it was mostly bread, I also didn't eat the beef, and the salad I ended up using dressing from the house. Very disappointing! The chow mein was good. We did take out so we didn't send it back. Any good Chinese restaurants that aren't too greasy? Please drop me a note.
(1)
Kat O.

Hmmmm....what can I say...I ordered to go. Got the cumin lamb, tan tan noodles and pot stickers. The cumin lamb was the best out of the three and made the one star. The tan tan noodles were overcooked, old, and soggy. Definately not made to order. The texture made it hard to enjoy. The pot stickers tasted like they were old, cold, and nothing tasted fresh. The main reason I could only give one star is that there was a hair in the food that I pulled out of my mouth! It was a small wavy very thin black hair. At that point we both stopped eating and decided to junk it all. This of course was only my experience here. I'm sure it's rare and I'm sure they wear hair nets...or will from now on???
(1)
Noel O.

What you are getting here is an authentic Chinese food. All food are almost inspired by chili peppers. I tried the popular boiled fish and it's good and the rest are just ok. Service is really good. But I won't be back because my taste is not so into scizhuan and price is a little bit high for what they're offering.
(3)
Varun S.

The food out here is delicious. The mapo tofu was cooked just perfect. Probably one of the best that I have had. As far as the veggie lo mein it was average. The ambience was good. Nice dim lights and well decorated interior. Overall a good experience, but the service was a little slow.
(4)
Heath B.

I'm ashamed to admit that I hesitated to try this place because of some of the negative reviews. But now that I've been, I'm not even sure those people were even at the same restaurant. Everything was delicious. The spicy crispy beef and the pan fried noodles were my favorites, but everything was done well. No ridiculous over-breaded, trying to make you think there's some meat in there dishes. The place was very clean. The staff was super. The portions are huge. My daughter said it was the best Chinese she'd ever had in life! :-) Yes, we'll be back!
(5)
Mia G.

I had also seen this place on "Check Please" and now live close by. I must say that this is best Chinese food in the bay area, as long as you order the right things. The bad reviews about bland food are true in regards to all their noodles and the "American" style dishes like orange chicken, but the tea smoked duck and walnut shrimp are absolutely delicious! A must try!
(5)
Jeff C.

Had a private party here yesterday afternoon. The food was served buffet style. The food was delicious and tasty. Compared to recent places I went to there was no sign of MSG. I was able to get 3 rounds without feeling any sort of overload of sodium (I had that feeling at this last place we were at after the 1st round, never in my life had it before). We had the following items: chinese beef sandwiches w/ oyster sauce, pan fried chow mein, egg plant., steam fish, couple of chicken with vegetables, and many more dishes that I don't know the names of. The size of the place is not too big and not small. Again we had buffet style so i wasnt sure off the service during a normal visit but at least with this visit it was a positive ice breaker.
(4)
John T.

Clay pot chicken was yummy!! Service was excellent!! I recommend the Orange peel chicken too.
(4)
Wendy S.

Today I had a serious hankering for Sichuan and after carefully perusing yelp, I decided on Sichuan Fortune in PHill. We ordered the Spicy Crispy Beef, which was indeed crispy and coated in a peppercorn powder. What was really nice were the slices of onions and jalapenos mixed throughout the dish. Really bumped up both the spice and overall flavor. I would definitely order this again. We also got the Sichuan Spicy Wontons - also really good! Delicate wontons and tender meat filling served with a nice and garlicky sauce (not terribly spicy). Finally, we got the Shredded Pork and Bean Curd. This was a decent dish, but pales in comparison to the same dish served by Taiwan Cafe in Boston. So I guess we were mentally comparing it to another perfect dish. It was okay. I really wanted to try the Spicy Boiled Beef and Clay Pot Chicken (both recommended here) but two entrees and a wonton was almost too much for just me and my dining partner. Guess I'll have to come back! Ambience was quiet and service was fine. I'll definitely try again to explore the menu some more.
(4)
Leily P.

Overall really good - for two we ordered the fish fillet soup, ma po tofu, mongolian beef, and one of the cold beef dishes as an appetizer. Everything was good except the tofu had a slightly odd flavor. Service was quick and responsive - would definitely return next time we're in the area and try some of the other dishes!
(4)
Brandon Y.

I know what you're thinking, "good Chinese in the CoCo area, no $#@%$#% way." Well, at the risk of immortalizing Wayne's World.... "way". Yes, not only is there good Chinese food in the CoCo area, but it's Sichuan style to top it all off! I've stuck with typical Sichuan dishes on my visits so far andh ave not been disappointed. Just go for anything with chili peppers and/or garlic steamed or stir-fried (yes, that's my ghetto summary of Sichuan cuisine) ;o) But what are you doing reading my review? Get down there and try it for yourself!
(5)
K. G.

Great Chinese food!! We ordered the honey walnut prawns, pot stickers and a noodle dish. Delicious! We found our local fav for Chinese food :)
(5)
phoumy s.

Service was slow, food was too pricy, ma po tofu was too salty, sour, and starchy. The one star is for their spicy beef strips. It had potential but the beef tasted spoiled. I expected the food to be spicier but it wasn't. I tried to get lunch there one day and went at exactly 3pm, which was their closing time before dinner at 5. A waitress was about to seat us but the owner simply told us to leave. A person came after me speaking Chinese and he got some service. We were so hungry and my daughter was crying for food. That was the last straw.
(1)
Dave J.

Unfortunately, the fortune has left the house. Staff has always been great and still is. We were regular attendees but hadn't been for a while. We started with the cabbage and peanuts that the always serve and right away I sensed something had changed. The cabage was much more spicy and watery. We went on to have some of our regular dishes and were definitely dissapointed with the quality and the size has srunk. The original chef has started another restaurant that we will try next but lack of detail to this restaurant is dissapointng to say the least. Goodbye Fortune House.
(3)
joe s.

Awesome. The best Chinese food I have ever had. The service is good too. It can be very busy and very noisy. Also, this is not a place that you go to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere; decor is not a strong point, but the food makes up for it. They deliver within 10 miles.
(5)
Josh G.

WhoooooooooooooOOoOaAaA sichuan fortune house. This is how all Chinese food should be made. Damn it was delicious. Went here after I made some quick cash (Thanks Kam) for dinner. The waiter was really nice. The lady and myself both noticed that we believed his smile was genuine, as if they really wanted us to be there and were glad to be serving us. Way to make your customer feel welcome. You do not find that too many places. He was very patient with us as we perused the menu's and decided what we wanted. Once we finally decided, the food did not take long to come out, despite there being a big party in the next room. All I can say is WOW. We ordered the sizzling pot of beef, spicy wontons (on dim sum menu), and fried rice w/ chicken. It was unbelievable. After the fact we regretted not saving the sauce that the spicy wonton's came in because it was so delicious. All of this for about $26 including tip between myself and the lady. Not bad. Sichuan Fortune house has made a fan out of me. Thank you.
(5)
Marc H.

This is one of the finest Chinese restaurants I've ever been to. From what I'm told by Chinese people, it is very authentically Sichuan. Much of the food is spicy, some extremely spicy, but not everything is so. The twice-cooked pork is the best I've ever had, the cumin lamb (or cumin beef) is to die for, the tofu and bok choy is terrific, and the tan tan noodles are delicious. The service is extremely expert and friendly. Not to be missed!
(5)
Seechung L.

I didn't end up actually having dinner here because I had to work late. But my group had dinner there, so when I got there, I asked how it was and everyone said it was pretty good. Granted, the guy who coordinated the dinner was there so I'm not sure if they were being polite, or if it was really pretty good. However, I did show up in time for dessert, which was part of the banquet dinner. Apparently, the owner saw me show up and sit down with them, so he added an additional piece of the dessert just for me, so that there would be enough for all of us. Very nice of him considering some Chinese people are very conservative about giving more than they need to (I would know, I *am* Chinese). For those of you that are not Chinese, it may be helpful you to know that the owner speaks pretty clear English, even with a Chinese accent. Like I said, I'm Chinese but I have trouble understanding anyone with an accent, including those with Chinese accents. For my short stay there, the place was clean and the service was good. The restaurant is kind of hidden because it's on a smaller street but not difficult to find. And there's plenty of non-metered (free!) parking on the street when the small lot runs out of room.
(4)
Brski B.

When I read Calvin Trillin's New Yorker article about chef Peter Chang, I was skeptical he could be worthy of such a devotional following. I suspect this is due to the fact that I haven't had great Chinese food since I left the East coast many, many years ago. Good food aplenty, great food no - and you know what? I don't even know if Sichuan Fortune House is great food yet - but I sure as hell can't wait to find out. What Sichuan Fortune House did prove was that I'd forgotten about what can make Chinese food great. Sichuan Fortune House slapped me wide awake. I don't know what body of water I just jumped into, but I do know I'm starting to remember what it's like to swim and how much I love swimming after all. True Sichuan is just so much more exciting and complex than the ordinary also-rans of Chinese food. If you want the eye-glazing bore of sweet and sour pork or orange peel chicken, you can get that here, but walk on citizen, this is not the place for you. If you want fantastic Sichuan food, start with the Chef Specialties and make your way around. That's what I did to start, and that's what I intend to continue to do even though this restaurant is well out of my way. (Why is it that the best Chinese food I've ever eaten is always in the middle of nowhere in some suburban enclave or up a flight of stairs in a rickety city building?) Everything I had was delicious, original, and crave-inducing. It might not be the hottest food, the most garlicky food, the most anything food, but its spice to flavor ratios, in totality, achieve that most ecstatic of pleasures of eating anything - the crave. And not simply the crave for more in the moment, but the more elusive crave - the crave out of nowhere, the crave days later, when your taste buds are working on fading memories that refuse to die completely and demand to be renewed. Is it MSG? I hope so. Aren't the finest women of our lives like that too? But I digress... Spicy Tan Tan Noodles: ground pork and bok choy with a spicy sesame sauce served over soft noodles. This is exactly what I'm talking about - the ground pork is so rich and the flavors so original and pleasing that I almost couldn't believe my good luck of being alive and eating. Even though there is a hint of spice in this meat sauce, it's also ever so slightly sweet - so slight that I'd be reluctant to classify it as sweet, but that touch is there. Hunan Smoked Pork: 5 spice Chinese green tea smoked pork belly stir fried with leeks and sliced jalapeno. Our server said their version was different because they used pork belly. Like that's a bad thing? You might not recognize this simple dish, and it might not light the fires behind your beautiful eyes, but baby, this shut me up, the better to stuff more in faster. The smoke is so light but so distinct and the slight touch of jalapeno with the leeks is verily rounded with every rich bite. This is the essence of great cooking - what is there is there for a reason and not a flavor is wasted. Sichuan Spicy Boiled Fish Fillet: braised cod fillets over cabbage, celery, leeks, Sichuan spicy sauce with Sichuan peppercorns, and chili oil. Going by Yelpers, a deserved favorite here - and yes, it's excellent. I can't say it's my favorite, but I can't say it's not - what I can say is that it's delicious and it's not especially spicy if you eat a lot of spicy food. The sheen of deep red chili oil insinuates more heat than it delivers. I consider that a good thing because I do not like to eat something so hot that my head starts sweating. (Note: They're great about service to your taste buds here - if you want it any way, they will take it back to the kitchen and make it that way. If they don't know if you'll like something, they'll allude to why.) Dry Cooked Green Beans: crisply sauteed green beans with preserved Sichuan mustard greens. Another paean to the genius of simplicity perfectly applied. In sum, I can't quite pull the trigger on 5 stars here - not yet, I just haven't eaten enough off the menu. But I'll tell you what, the Korea House nearby, which is damn fine 'fast' food, is going to suffer when I'm in town because it's going to take a lot to keep me out of the Sichuan Fortune House.
(4)
Raptor J.

Great food. Reasonably priced at lunchtime. I live in the area and dining here isn't consistent like it can be in Berkeley, Albany, Oakland. You have to search to find good places, and this is one. I recommend trying various chef's specials; the spicy beef or the tan-tan noodles (sorry don't remember the names exactly) are great for example. Also can't go wrong with old stand-bys like generals chicken, or chow mein. The noodles here have the perfect consistency. I go back frequently, and they remember me and my family, as it is a family oriented place.
(5)
David M.

Amazing/unbelievable. Best: - garlic broiled fish - clay pot chicken - pea shoots - boiled fish soup with bean thread noodles!!!!!!! (holy crap good) - shanghai dumplings in red oil I love this place! Based on what they specialize on, which is a refined Szechuan cuisine, they are second to none. Very similar to spices 3 but but they use much fresher high quality vegetables. The fish soup is simply the best soup I've ever had. I would avoid anything Americanized... I've tried a few of their standard chinese fare dishes and they are nothing special. Side note: canton platter kinda weak, but dumpling & shrimp were yummy. Spring rolls are not very good, but the main specials are so good, you won't care. They are after all Sichuan, not Cantonese! Can't wait to try tea smoked duck. Also... Call one day ahead if you want Peking duck (called shanghai duck).
(5)
Keith B.

Definitely better than average Chinese food. I'm a snob about my orange chicken - it was pretty good here, but not out of this world. I'm also always disappointed whenever I order a prawn dish and there's 3 shrimp among about 6 pounds of vegetables. That being said, it's not good enough for how much they charge. You can get just as good Chinese food at a number of other places for less. Been here a couple times and have always been satisfied, but never extremely impressed.
(3)
Jess C.

If it weren't for YELP, I don't think I would have ever tried this place. It was my dad's birthday last night and as a pre-celebration, we wanted to take him out to dinner but nothing too fancy since that's tonight. We didn't want a place we always dined at yet we wanted to stay within the Asian food family. We found this place to be close to home and full of excellent reviews. I must agree with the Yelpers here that this place is pretty good. We ordered four dishes amongst three people. -beef stew and tofu claypot -garlic fish filet -dry cooked sauteed string beans -pork kidney Each dish was amazingly flavorful yet not too spicy. My dad asked for the spicyness to be toned down. I could have handled spicier. My favorite of the bunch? Hmm...actually I can't even pick a favorite. The sauce for the beef tofu claypot was excellent though I might recommend ordering it with chicken instead as the beef was a bit fatty. The garlic fish filet ranks high in my book. It was sweet and not too spicy. Everything was very good. I recommend all four dishes we ordered. We had so much left over. Four dishes was definitely enough to feed a family of five! The service was excellent. The waiter and the owner were very polite. The owner spent much time with us explaining each dish thoroughly. Waiter was attentive and prompt with our requests. Extra star for their friendliness. I am definitely coming back especially to try their lunch dishes and noodles.
(4)
Bill S.

This is one of the best Si chuan style cooking in the Bay Area, if not the best! Take my words for it, I am chinese and I don't like Sweet and Sour Chicken. ;) I think it even tops the "SPICE!" in the city. I've tried all type of so called 'Si Chuan' style cooking in the bay area, this one is the best! My wife and I drive 30 miles on weekends just to have their "Spicy Boiled fish filet" and "Kungpao Chicken". The food is simply outstanding!
(5)
Albert W.

Between Concord and Pleasanton on the 680, this is the best authentic chinese restaurant in the area. Like most good authentic chinese restaurants, you should find (and you do at this place), good cooking technique, solid regional cuisine and so-so service. This place has all 3 (although today I had pretty good service). We had the string beans, lamb clay pot, eggplant cakes stuffed with meat, sizzling soup and eight treasures dessert. All were above average and the price was very, very reasonable. Oh yeah, little on the spicy side. All in all, excellent value and won't disappoint.
(4)
Larry T.

I kinda like this place, it's got some REALLY good seafood, especially the shui zhu yu (if that's how to pronounce it....). The owner and one of the waitresses remembers our family so that's a big plus, also their lunch specials make it pretty worth while, 3 freshly cooked plates of spicy Chinese Food for only about 3 bucks a plate......I'm happy.
(4)
Ben c.

We went to the restaurant for a second time in a month. We had a good experience when we were there for the first time. The food was good and service was okay. So we came back. However the food and the service we got this time was awful. The waiter was not attentive. Our tea pot was empty and the tea was cold but no one filled it up. We didn't get the free peanut cabbage side dish that everyone got. The chicken clay pot and the fish dish were too sweet. The fried green bean was a bland. It was almost like they had a different cook. The worst thing was that we didn't get our rice for at least ten minutes after all of our dishes had been served. I had to remind the waiting staff repeatedly to get my rice. I brought the coupon from restaurant.com so we had to order $50 food to get the discount. Since we are two adults and two babies, I ordered five dishes which were over the minimum charge already. However, the waiter kept saying that my order was less than fifty and my coupon would not be applied. So I had ordered more. We had plenty of leftover and when the bill came out, the order was well over sixty. I paid the bill but I was not too happy about the extra order that the waiter pushed on me and complained to the owner about their practice. But he just said that he was too busy and did not know what I said and then just left. I had such a bad experience that I just won't go back again.
(1)
Frank B.

The food was delicious! Fish soup was tasty! Actually we just want have a quick lunch before heading back to LA on 5hwy. Great surprise.
(5)
Lora C.

Yum, yum, yum! This place is fantastic! We went on a whim and it has become our new go-to spot. The food is delish. We ordered the seafood clay pot and vegetable delight (?) dish. They were both good sized portions, very fresh and amazingly flavorful. Prices were great too and I was super impressed with the staff. Very friendly. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Wayne H.

This is the best place for sichuan food in the East Bay. If you haven't tried them, I recommend the following for the authentic sichuan experience: - "husband & wife" -- cold, thin slices of beef and tripe, marinated in a spicy sichuan peppercorn oil - dan dan noodles -- noodles smothered with a spicy, meaty sauce. - spicy cold noodles -- cold noodles, thin strips of cucumber, chicken, and a spicy soy & sesame sauce - spicy boiled fish -- pieces of fish cooked in a sauce with lots of sichuan peppercorns (very spicy!) and finish it off with: - fish with preserved vegetable soup Try these..you won't be disappointed. I've read some negative reviews about this place that just confuse me. First of all, do realize there are different regions in China, each with extremely different styles of food. This restaurant, not surprisingly, has many dishes of the Sichuan province. No, that "Hong Kong" style chow mein is not from Sichuan--I'm sure you can guess where it's from. If you've never had real, authentic sichuan food, this is it... that "weird" spice that gives you the mouth-numbing sensation--that's called sichuan peppercorns and they probably use it because they specializes in ... you get the point. It's not all just "Chinese food".
(5)
Scott S.

HELLA GOOD! You know it's good because Chinese people go there! :) One of my all time fav spots.
(5)
Ale G.

After reading reviews I went on down for dinner. Very friendly staff, owner came to the table and chatted a bit with us. I ordered : green onion pancakes- real good, nice portions (kids did not like it) fried prawns- you get 6 pieces of flat, over breaded prawns ( I think the prawn was in there, lol) won ton soup- Dumplings seemed to be in house made and are very very good. We got the large and it served 7 little bowls.Served tableside. The bok choy was very overcooked, broth was plain. beef noddles - a couple pieces of beef, noodles were good though. Very small portion of noodle compare to bean sprouts. steamed veggies- never actually got this. Was not charge for it. Prawn clay pot- Flavor was ok. It tasted like it was out of a jar. There were plenty of prawns in there but the veggies were overcooked, I like them a bit crunchy. The ginger was oddly strong and weak with every bite. Ordered a side of rice with this dish. Total $50. Overall it was ok because of the excellent service. I really wanted to love the food but just couldn't. I will not be coming here again.
(2)
Michael B.

The food was very good, perfectly spiced with smooth flavor (no funky flavors). However, the service was slow as they seemed to be understaffed. Well worth the wait.
(4)
M. J.

Woo Hoo. Not for the vanilla crowd with their delicate palates. Their food is like me, SPICY. Not a little spicy, but break into a sweat spicy. Their spicy beef stew with noodles is almost and delicious as I am. Of course, I am confused by their spelling, i.e. sichuan vs. schezuan. ___________________ fauxwhore.blogspot.com
(5)
Casey C.

My girlfriend and I have been coming here several times a month for a year or so now. And each time it just blows us away. I've turned about 5 friends onto this place too, and they can't stop raving about it either. The food here is absolutely stunning. And the owner Allen is great. I see some reviews saying that it's a bit expensive, but I don't agree. The dishes range from about $5-$13 for most plates. Allen believes in buying top quality ingredients (which is why everything is so great) and freely admits that this pushes up the price a little bit. But when you can have a dinner for two with some unbelievably delicious food for about $25, that's a deal in my book. If you want cheap Chinese food, go to Panda Express. It's half as expensive, but about 1/10 as good.
(5)
Julian V.

The food at this place was on point! I had the Szechuan beef extra spicy and it was amazing. Also had potstickers that were really good. They also gave a free little appetizer. The food here seemed very fresh and it was delicious. Went on a Friday night and only had to wait about 5 minutes. This was my first time but it definitely won't be my last.
(5)
Tracy L.

I want to make this restaurant famous all over the internet. I ate lunch here with my family (mostly Chinese) and we were blown away by the quality of the food. I'm the only member of my family who has spent a significant amount of time actually in China, and with my first bite I felt like I was transported back to Chengdu, February 2009, when I was last there. I haven't tasted Sichuan-style food like this anywhere in the United States. Before I go into detail on the food, I would also like to say that everyone in my party remarked on the fact that this restaurant has the best service of any Chinese restaurant we'd ever experienced. The wait-staff were very responsive and polite, spoke English, and expressed their gratitude for our custom and compliments on the food many times. Here are the dishes we ordered: - 20 Spice Pork Shoulder - Sizzling Seafood and Tofu Clay Pot - Mapo Dofu - Garlic Spicy Eggplant Cake - Dry Cooked Green Beans Mapo dofu and the very garlicky dry cooked string beans are classic Sichuan dishes that I highly recommend at this restaurant. The mapo dofu in particular was very authentic and full of the wonderful flavors of numbing peppers and bitter black pepper that I have searched for since I first tasted them in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant run by a migrant in Shenzhen. The dry green beans didn't have numbing peppers, which is too bad, but I also love garlic so OK. The pork shoulder is another classic done extraordinarily well that is very hard to find elsewhere. I have started making this dish at home because it's too hard to find a place that uses enough star anise - too bad I don't live in Pleasant Hill or I'd be ordering from this place instead! The eggplant was probably the most special thing we had. I've never had a crispy eggplant cake like this before inside or outside China. Incredible texture, and a flavor both sweet and tart and the same time. Make sure you order this, you won't find it again.
(5)
Rachel R.

I am surprised at all the 5 star this restaurant has received. I've been looking for a really good chinese restaurant since I moved into Pleasant Hill, and so far have not succeeded... I personally thought this restaurant was average nothing to rave about. As in previous reviews I mentioned I base a restaurant's greatness on there Combination Chow Mein Hong kong Style and theirs didn't quite catch my taste buds it was tasty but they added way too much ginger. As an appetizer we ordered the sampler we also ordered mixed vegetables with beef which was all okay... As the waiter took our order we were at the last 3rd dish 4th if you include the wonton soup he then said thats it! like excuse me you aren't the one paying for this... I thought that was totally rude! And at the entrance there was a leather sofa which was white and a sort of bright lavender (I think) but the colors were way off! It did not go with the asian decor at all...
(3)
Kristin L.

I saw this on yelp and decided to get some take out. We ordered kung pao chicken, hot & spicy shrimp, hong kong style chow mein and sweet & sour soup. All were very good but the shrimp were so spicy in a good way. When I picked up the order, the waiters went over & above to accommodate me while I waited, two separate men asked if they could get me a glass of water or drink while I waited. Then they insisted on carrying out my food to the car for me. It was very sweet & appreciated. All the food was delicious and we will be back! It's off of Contra Costa and sort of hidden but is really good.
(4)
Jaime P.

This location seems to have a tendency to turn over a lot, not to discount the yummy food this place has to offer, as I hope that they do indeed make it, but driving down Contra Costa Blvd, this place is really hard to find unless you know where you are going! This would be your go-to spot if your tired of the typical Chinese fanfare, Americanized Chinese food this place is not! The waitstaff was very friendly, helpful and attentive. My boyfriend swore he saw Grandma slaving away in the kitchen too, so that's always a good sign! For starters we got the sizzeling rice soup which was tasty, but pretty standard and for our main dishes we ordered the country style fish with tofu and the chicken clay pot. Both dishes had their own distinct spicy taste and tasted super fresh. Yes the prices are a little higher than typical Chinese food but the large portions and the yummy taste made up for it. Plus you know its a good sign when you see a steady flow of both Asian and non-Asian patrons! It didn't take too much convincing, we will be back!
(4)
Dawn N.

Pretty good! First time here. We ordered the appetizer which was great! We ordered combo fried rice, dry green beans, and the seafood claypot. We didn't like the seafood claypot. But it just was something we didn't like, had nothing to do with the way it was cooked. Matter of fact the waitress took it back and brought us something different. We were happy to pay for it. We didn't know we wouldn't care for it. All the other food was great! Best fried rice! The service was excellent!
(4)
Ms. Cupcake T.

My love does not, I repeat, DOES NOT like chinese food. But he brought me here on our 6 year anniversary and man oh man!! We cant wait to go back! The food was full of flavor. We were so full but couldnt stop eatting. We had the Green beans, the wontons with spicy sauce, the orange peel chicken, fried rice, and pan fried noodles. The green beans still had a yummy bite and werent mushy like some places. The orange peel chicken was different and SOOOO GOOD!! The orange peel deifinately gave it extra layer of yummy flavor. The only thing that was a bit dissapointing is that the pan fried noodles lacked some flavor. I mean, it had good flavor, but since Ive had it else where, it was missing something. Either way...it was still good and everything else made up for it. I would still order it again. The service was also great. Very nice, always had a smile, and were always around in case you needed something. They didnt bug you like some waiters like to do....but came around just enough times. And my glass of water was always full. If I had anything negative thing to say is that I WISH IT WASNT SO ADDICTING!! hahahaha Mmmmmm.............
(5)
Scott M.

I love spicy food. I can't get enough of it and am constantly in search of places to challenge my taste buds. After searching around my area for a good place to find spicy Chinese food, I finally came across Sichuan Fortune House. I went in for lunch and merely asked the waiter to give me a spicy beef dish, telling him that I had an affinity for extra-spicy cuisine. Needless to say, I was extremely impressed. I do not know the name of the dish I got, I usually don't order off of menus anyway, but I can say that it was a beef stew-type dish that was meant to be eaten over steamed rice. The spice was not the "burn your tongue/mouth" spice, but rather a very tasty blend of peppers and Szechwan spice. Simply said, I cannot wait to go back for a full meal with my friends.
(5)
Sarina W.

Let me start off by saying I don't like spicy foods and Sichuan foods are normally spicy. So my friend and I walked in around 6pm and it was dead. We were the only customers for a long time. We ordered potstickers, some chicken and vegetables dish, and beef chow mein. Our food took a long time for it to arrive. I was so confused because there were no other customers so what's the hold up eh? Finally our food arrives. The potstickers were HUGE! They were slightly burnt but it still tasted pretty good. Then our other 2 dishes arrived and I was thinking, "Where's the rice?". Apparently, they do not provide free rice at this joint. Very disappointing. What's Asian food without any rice? The food wasn't bad. Their beef and chicken was prepared pretty well and tasted delicious. But I guess I'm used to a certain look and taste of my chow mein and this place just didn't compare. It was good in it's own way but just not as good as other places I've been to such as Sam Woo. The service was quite friendly and helpful I must say. But I am just not WOW'd by the food since I've had better but it probably is one of the best Chinese places in this town. Sadly, there aren't many to compare it with.
(3)
Christine D.

This is one of out favorite Chinese restraints in this area. We try to get something new every time we visit and we're never disappointed by our choice. Though we do get the chefs special Tan Tan noodles EVERY TIME the spicy sesame flavor is addicting!! Very authentic flavors and dishes! Can't wait to go back for more and the staff is so polite and attentive too.
(5)
Steven O.

Tried this place again and was thoroughly impressed. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! Service was fast and friendly even though they were very busy. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Barry E.

We visited this restaurant for the first time this week after reading all the rave reviews.Well...I don't get it.Granted, the servers were polite and attentive and the prices were low.The food though was horrible. We ordered wan ton soup that was watered down and the dumplings were filled with flavorless mush.The "featured entree" of seafood and tofu in a pot was filled with soggy fried tofu and scattered with a few pieces of cheap seafood.Needless to say we left this restaurant unsatisfied and will not return.It goes to show you that with too many reviewers on Yelp...cheap prices and large portions trump poor quality.
(1)
M N.

Tried the Claypot Chicken and it was just ok. The Stuffed Eggplant was really bland and lack of any pork stuffing...and yes, we did ask for pork stuffing. The strange thing is that we had the Stuffed Eggplant before and it was pretty good; but this time was a disappointment. The spicy fried chicken wing was a joke. It tasted more like teriyaki chicken nuggets.
(2)
Irene N.

In the interest of being able to satisfy my late night cravings for yummy, spicy non-pizza and burritos food I am compelled to yelp. I LOVE this place. I've gotten take out a bunch of times, but it wasn't until I actually sat down and ate there that I really fell in love. When you sit down they bring the tastiest spicy cabage and sweet seasame peanuts. I swear the portions are bigger too. I've tried a few of the soups and been consistently satisfied. The hot and sour is nice a peppery. I often get the cumin lamb because it really is that good (I think enough people have mentioned it now that all you carnivors should try it at least once). HOWEVER I would be making a grave ommision if I did not reccomend the Spicy Beef with Tofu. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'm not even a beef in chinese food kinda gal, but this is truely delicious. Thin slices of tender beef with the silkiest smooth tofu in a fantastic chile flecked spicy sauce. Perfection. Not only is the food awesome, but you get tons of it. We never order more than two dishes and we always have enough to be very full and have lunch the next day (sometimes dinner too!). Please help me keep this place open late. All you gotta do is try it once, I know you'll love it.
(5)
Sarah C.

Decided to come back again tonight to give this place another try, and have upped the rating to five stars. However, this is not your typical Chinese restaurant, so if you're ordering honey walnut prawns or whatever, you're not going to have the five star experience. This is a Sichaun restaurant, so pretty much any dish that has a spicy star next to its name is good. Trust me. Tonight, we ordered the SIchaun beef clay pot and the spicy pork with garlic sauce. Both were delicious and left me sweating from glands I didn't know I had. Our server kindly talked us out of the crazy idea of having both dishes as spicy as possible, so we ordered the clay pot spicy and the pork dish mildly spicy. Thank goodness we did or else I wouldn't have been able to taste anything after that first bite. Great Sichaun style food at excellent prices. And to top it all off, this place reminds me of China (in the good way, not the dirty toilets and saliva spitting old men way.) Oh, and one last thing, they're open relatively late, about 11:30 pm every night. What more could you ask for???
(5)
Seaera M.

the food here was good and i would like to come back here to take their food to go.
(3)
Nini D.

Two Words--- Beef Bowl!!! So Spicy, but sooooo yummy! A must try if you eat here! Other dishes that were good: Chicken Clay pot, Orange Chicken, Crispy Fish, Fried green beans (for someone who hates green beans, this was pretty good) and sichuan tofu. I honestly dont think you can go wrong with anything here.
(4)
Claytonian C.

This place is a find. We had General's chicken, crispy beef and veggie fried rice. All were excellent -- lots of flavor and freshness. They bring tea to your table right away. The people that run it are friendly and always looking out for you. As others have mentioned, the place is easy to miss location-wise. They do have a large parking lot which is nice. Next time I will try takeout, but will definitely be hitting up this place again.
(5)
Jonathan C.

Loved by local yelpers, this unassuming chinese restaurant across from the quiet Pleasant Hill Post office packs some real Sichuan hot kick. Came here with my parents on a weekend. Note: This place is not for the faint of heart. It will definitely kick your behind, literally. (Read into that a little bit...) The spice level is definitely taken to another level, often seen around the Peninsula, but not normally seen in the inland East Bay. Starters are excellent here. The pao cai (pickled cabbage) alone merits high marks, with distinct vinegary flavor, but not overpowering. Also, some little drops of hot oil adds to the good flavor. I wonder if they pass on their pickle preservation methods to their customers. Also, their husband wife cold beef/tripe (fu chi fai pian) and their pig jelly ear with scallions are distinct winners. The tripe in the hot oil, with tons of cilantro, give it a really distinct and significant flavor. Pig jelly ear is distinct and has that distinct crunch, which goes well with the crunch of the scallions. Soy saucing/sesame oil/hot oil combination is completely balanced in this dish. Main courses are hit or miss. An excellent one are their "Water boiled" beef or fish (sui zhu niu or sui zhu yu). Significant enough kick with the spices, just to make you sweat, but also very well cooked and tender beef or fish. The fish they use I believe is cod, which gives it a much better texture than say, catfish. Decent one is the Beef tendon with tofu claypot. I was completely sold on the beef tendon, but could not get across the fried tofu in the claypot. Fried tofu friedness was a bit too overpowering, even overpowering the spicy flavor. Beer cooked duck was interesting, but I probably would not order again. Duck was very tender, though tender to the point where the bones would just disintegrate while trying to break it apart. Maybe use boneless pieces of duck? Though that might take away from the heart of the dish. Their northern style "pancakes" are pretty tasty too. We ordered a red bean pancake for dessert (do sa guo bing), and was very satisfying. Sichuan cold noodles are just OK. Not enough of the Sichuan pepper (hua jiao), and a bit too much hot oil. Though the sesame sauce and vinegar blend was excellent. Noodles were a bit lower quality, had significant toothsome bounciness, but were very thick, not really slurpable and came out a bit dry. Ambiance was a bit dim on a Sunday night. Business was not at capacity, so not sure if its famous Asian "cheapness" that the majority of the lights in the empty areas (including hallways to the restrooms) were turned off. Staff is exceedingly friendly. Some of our requests for dishes and ingredients were not on hand (i.e. loofah, sesame chicken, were unavailable at the time.) 4 stars - Very surprisingly decent Sichuan Chinese food in the area. Satisfies a niche type of food in this area. It'll burn your stomach and make you sweat. Make sure you have an iron clad stomach and feel the burn!
(4)
David G.

First: I'm grading on my standard curve. This is a five star compared to other places in its class (Chinese restaurants). Not comparing it against Fleur de Lys, French Laundry, or McDonalds. Second: Great place, and I'll be going back. I used to enjoy TSJ and Dragon 2000, and this is better than both. Much better. So much better that we considered going back for seconds, and we still can't finish all that we ordered the first time. We found it on Yelp, read the reviews, and picked out a couple dishes that people raved about - and every one was perfect. Prawns, green beans, soup - everything. Wasn't too spicy, so don't worry. Try it, you'll like it.
(5)
Stuart M.

I've been here a dozen times now and it just keeps getting better. Don't go here if you don't like spicy food, and steer clear of anything marked "classic" on the menu - these are token nods to America's retarded Chinese palate. Go instead with the wilder-sounding stuff. Some of my favorites: the fire-charred pork kidneys, the dry-sauteed vegetarian "eel," the tea-smoked duck stir-fried with peanuts and chilis, the spicy tan-tan noodles, the XO sauce scallops, and the cumin lamb. I love their fried rice, and the pot stickers are out of this world - scratch-made with thick, chewy wrappers and a moist pork filling, just like my Chinese teacher Col. Yuan used to make back at DLI. Best Chinese restaurant for many a mile in any direction.
(5)
Coco L.

Went back again with bigger crowd (6 people). Still the best Sichuan food! We ordered the same dish plus few new dishes, Tofu claypot is excellent! Fish fillet is still my favorite! Now whenever I am craving spicy food, I think of this place! Planning to come back again soon :)
(5)
N S K.

We went here about four months ago for dinner and found it decent. So we decided to go try it for lunch today and came back really disappointed. We reached about 12:40 pm, so it was nearing the end of lunch hour. Expectedly, we saw just 4 tables occupied, the 5th came in with us and we were the 6th. We had to wait 5 mins to be seated and it was another 10 minutes before someone came to take the order. Our waitress didn't seem to really understand what we were asking or talking about; she just nodded at everything, even diametrically opposite statements about the same dish. The salad and nuts with the tea were ok, nothing great. For entrees, we had the Kong Pao Chicken and Fish Fillet with Garlic off the lunch menu. These were served with soup and rice. For soup we had the hot and sour soup. It was really bland, we had to add some salt, pepper, soy sauce and even chilli paste to have any at all. The Kung Pao chicken was on the sweeter side (maybe that is their style of cooking, but we didn't like it much). Also, the dish has thick garlic slices, which again be called for by the Sichuan style of cooking, but didn't sit well with us. This was a first for Kung Pao...normally we are prepared for the peanuts, celery and bamboo shoots. Kung Pao is a favorite dish when we have Chinese, so have had a LOT, but never whole garlic slices. The fish was tender and cooked well. However, again, it had whole garlic cloves (not even sliced here) which kinda put me off. There is no description of the menu and it really should have some warning about serving whole condiments on the dish. The name is Fish Fillet with Garlic...and I would normally think it is a garlice sauce or marinade. The most disappointing however, had to be the service. As I said earlier, we were only the 6th table to be occupied and there were 2 waiters. One finished before we gave our order and only four more tables came in while we were there. Not any of these 10 tables in total had more than 4 folks. The total time for the complete meal - 1:20. Not fun when you're running errands and have a packed day. In a nutshell - come here only if you have loads of time to kill, like repeating yourself and are fine with being served water after you are halfway through your meal
(1)
Lancy M.

I love, looooove, LOVE their hot and sour soup!
(5)
DKendall G.

Stumbled on this place recently, looked interesting so I went back for dinner. It was so good it will be a regular place for me. I had a chicken clay pot dish recommended by the staff. It was a perfect introduction to their menu and style of cooking. This place is not your traditional Chinese food but a few bumps-up the culinary ladder. I am looking forward to more delicious experiences here. I recommend you give them a try.
(4)
Aileen G.

If you have one dish to choose from the menu, go for the Clay Pot Chicken. The sauce will wake up your taste buds - spicy with hint of bean paste sweetness. The chef is very accommodating with this dish. He always makes me a mild version with fried tofu to soak up the mouthwatering sauce. And don't forget to ask for their house special spicy garlic bean paste dipping sauce. It is out of this world!
(4)
Rachel B.

The menu is a little ambiguous, but the owner is at the ready to tell you exactly what you might like. My brother and I come here to work our way through the menu with basically no disappointments. The chicken hot pot is fantastic, and highly recommended this week.
(5)
Suzanne V.

With all the high reviews, I thought I would give this place a try. I took my parents here last Sat night, we ordered the sweet & sour soup, walnut prawns, combo clay pot, and green beans. I thought with all the high reveviews, I would see more people dine here on a Sat night. I should of known. The restaurant was not even full, overall the food is ok. Once again, I'm an asian girl who likes to eat, so I think I know what's good Chinese food or not,,,,this place not. The only good thing about this restaurant is the friendly staff.
(3)
joe k.

Called in to pick up my order said 10-15 minutes how about 50- 55 min.not the first time.I guess they dont start cooking till u get there
(2)
Michael G.

I like to eat real Chinese food in SF. But, oh my, this is also real Chinese food, and not so far away. My friend from Hong Kong isn't too excited about the spiciness of sichuan that I love, but he is excited by the fact that a good quality, authentic flavor Chinese restaurant is near by.
(5)
Nevin C.

Probably the most authentic Chinese restaurant in the P-Hill, and it happens to be Szechwan style. Their Tan Tan Noodles and Cumin Lamb were awesome... They offer standard AmeriChinese dishes too, but you'd be missing out! Would have been 5 stars (for Pleasant Hill) if their kitchen could have kept up with flow of customers. Probably has something to do with the SF Comical write-up this past week, but an hour is a long wait for food to be served after ordering. I'll give them another try and re-rate...
(4)
Evelyn s.

All right, Let me get the brief review about this resturant. I wanted to give it 3 stars but my husband insisted on 4, so it turned out to be 4 stars Taste is ok thought, their zhangfei beef stew is relatively good, I love the sauce but quantity is really small and kinda pricey for such pieces of beef stew. Services absolutely deserve 5 stars, really attentive and friendly, we had good time there. I think I would give 5 star if they can change the price a little bit and add more quantity.
(4)
Frank T.

If you like spicy Asian cuisine, than this is your place .. I've tried a lot of the menu items .. especially the authentic Sichuan province dishes. One of my favorites is the Dry-cooked pork chitlins w/ chinese celery (Under the Exotic Sweet Meats. Its definitely a great spot for lunch or dinner .. And their open late!
(5)
Paresh L.

loved the chicken pot rice. Lovely blend of spices and herbs gravy with loads of veggies and chicken in the earthern clay pot ....the best thing was the food was hot till the time i was eating it :-)
(5)
R S.

The reviews on Yelp were fantastic, so I decided to go check it out. I came here with my parents, a middle ground to satisfy all three of us-- Chinese, and spicy for me. They started out by giving us complimentary pre-meal snacks of peanuts and spicy vegetables and the like. We ordered a few appetizers, one of which was a sampler of many things-- spring roll, fried wonton, etc. The spicy pork was rather good (I don't know what it is in English). For main courses, we ordered a seafood clay pot-- which was delicious but the actual clay pot was rather shallow and doesn't seem worth its hefty price-- cumin lamb, which was deliciously delectable, and zhajiangmian (noodles with black bean sauce). The food was excellent. I miss the zhajiangmian, though the black bean sauce was not exactly the taste I prefer. The cumin lamb was rather delectable. We didn't actually order many spicy dishes as my parents don't take spicy so well, but all in all it was a good experience and I shall go back once I return to NorCal. The service was also very friendly, though seemed a little weird for some reason, which is why I'm not giving them a perfect score. Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 Overall: 4.5/5
(4)
Mike T.

This is currently my favorite in Chinese restaurant in Contra Costa area and definitely a rare find ... and if you're into spicy stuff, try the Szechuan Boiled Fish. It doesn't sound that appetizing, but this is a traditional dish that's cooked with a variety of peppers with a very complex flavor that will just blow you away. BTW, the peppercorn spice really does numb out the pain so it makes this dish more enjoyable too.
(5)
Adam B.

I eat out 4.5 and above yelp reviewed restaurants at least 2-3 times per week. The clay pot entree here is amazing. Chicken is fresh and this dish is packed with fresh veggies and flavor. This place makes it difficult to try other restaurants as I am going to want to come here every time I am in the area now.
(5)
Ken W.

We ate here around 2pm in the afternoon and while the place wasn't full, it still had quite a few people. They start you out with some tea, glazed peanuts and kimchi. Their tea has already been brewed and unfortunately, I'm not a fan. The glazed peanuts and kimchi (not too spicy but that's good for my taste buds) were delicious and my girlfriend and I were looking forward to our meal. We started with the spicy fish soup. The soup comes with a bunch of peppers on top that they brush away so you aren't overwhelmed by the heat. The soup also had filets of fish and some chewy clear noodles (a bit thicker than spaghetti). The soup's broth was a bit salty and definitely spicy. Overall a pretty good starter. For our main course, we had the cumin beef and chicken clay pot. The food was a bit too salty for my taste. The cumin beef was well seasoned and the beef was nice and tender. However, if you get this dish, you should try the lamb. I'm sure it would've been much better. The chicken clay pot was extremely salty. It comes in aluminum foil and is just served in a clay pot. Most Chinese places I visited cook their dish in the clay pot. Seems like just a fancy way to serve the dish. I'm a bit disappointed I didn't try the cold noodle dish. The table next to us got it and it looked pretty good. Overall, the place was decent but definitely not worth the drive. There are much more authentic places closer to San Francisco (Oakland, El Cerrito, etc.) I used to live in this area and tried multiple Chinese restaurants. All were pretty similar and always too salty. I would classify this place as American Chinese food. A little more authentic than Panda Express but still very Americanized. If you are in the neighborhood and want to try some decent Chinese, this is probably some of the best in the the area.
(3)
Carmina B.

This restaurant seems to be pricier than comparable restaurants on the west side of the tunnel. Perhaps we didn't order the right dishes. The most enjoyable dish was the hot and sour soup. It was very authentic and tasty. We also got the bbq pork in a fried pancake with hoison sauce. This was good. Skip the beef with cumin which overpowered the beef. We also had the sizzling shrimp dish which was just ok. Service could of been more attentive.
(3)
J. M.

Great restaurant. Looking forward to going back. Even though we went the day after a nice review published in the paper, the owner was gracious and humble and made time to talk with diners at all tables in the packed place. The "chef's suggestions" entrees in the front of the menu are really worth being suggested!
(5)
Sonia H.

After reading many positive reviews on Yelp, my family and I decided to give Sichuan Fortune House a try. Definitely the best Chinese food we've had since moving to CA seven years ago! Everything was fresh and well-prepared. I'm giving four stars and not five because the tables are too small and the food was too salty.
(4)
Oliver S.

Still my fave Chinese place in the area!!!
(5)
Jennifer P.

I pre-consulted YELP before choosing the restaurant for dinner. This place had gotten great reviews overall and I knew the location well. It used to be a cute little Malaysian restaurant that had gone out of business. I was happy to see that something new had moved in and was getting YELP attention in a positive way. First good sign, a YELP sticker on the door. Party of 6 on a busy Saturday night and they had a table open for us. (One of very few available at the time.) The place full of families, moderate sized parties, and some couples. A happy mix of ethnic backgrounds of customers, and a pretty good concentration of Chinese people. A great sign for a Chinese restaurant. The staff were very sweet. We were quickly greeted, offered drinks and brought water by request. We all ordered family style, making sure to take into consideration everyone's likes and dislikes. We got Wonton soup, Smoked pork with green beans, Eggplant in garlic sauce, clay pot chicken, princess prawns, kung pao chicken, beef and broccoli, and a side of rice (not included). Everything was GREAT! Nothing was too spicy for anyone. The smoked pork was like bacon and was very unique and tasty. The clay pot chicken was over the top great. The soup was very good. The Kung Pao chicken was good but nothing to write home about and the rest were all very tasty. We ordered too much, but that is what takeout boxes are for! Our service through the whole meal was excellent. They were constantly by filling our water glasses and making sure that we were well taken care of and present without being overbearing. They also very quickly and apologetically fixed an error on our bill once it was caught. The 6 of us left with happy bellies, very satisfied and only $15 poorer than when we walked in the door (no alcohol). Great food, and very inexpensive!
(5)
Andy R.

We were big fans of the previous restaurant, The Banyon Tree. We would go there with our 1 year old daughter and have a great family time. I am sorry that it took us so long to try the Sichuan Fortune House, for it will be a new favorite family restaurant for us now our daughter is 5! The staff is great with families, the menu large, the recommended fresh veggies really fresh and delicious and overall a great experience. The staff made some great recommendations for my wife and I and perfect recommendations for a non-spicy little girl (Shanghai dumplings Dim Sum style!) Highly recommended for families!
(5)
Cathy C.

I thought I'd update a review I did in 2008. (Feb 2012): We still love this place, come here frequently, were glad it got good reviews at "Check Please" on KQED, and are really glad to see it bustling during peak hours. Stick to their **Szechuan** dishes (especially their specialties) and you can't go wrong. Since I wrote the original review, I've heard from friends who know Szechaun food and they have been very pleased with food here. (Original 2008 review): On the strength of a group of friends, we tried Sichuan Fortune House last night. Definitely a keeper. The food is not your ordinarily overly-greasy, Americanized version of (Cantonese) Chinese food. We eat at lots of Asian restaurants, but don't eat at many Chinese restaurants because most are not that good; I can't say I know what "authentic" Szechuan food is, but the the Szechuan dishes here have interesting, complex flavors and the service was excellent. My friends (all Caucasian) said they arrived with a large group, couldn't decide what to eat, told the owner to "bring food," and were treated to many wonderful dishes which everyone enjoyed without even knowing what they were.
(5)
Joshua S.

Food was amazing. My wife and i just moved to Walnut Creek, and we will be back. Very nice staff, and the food was excellent!
(4)

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Address : 41 Woodsworth Ln
Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523
Phone (925) 686-9828
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Mon : 11:00 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
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 : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

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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Sichuan Fortune House

41 Woodsworth Ln, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523

Sichuan Fortune House Menu

Starters

Soup

Our Chef Specialty

Cold Plates

Delightful Vegetables

Healthy Meal suggestions for Sichuan Fortune House

Starters

Soup

Our Chef Specialty

Cold Plates

Delightful Vegetables

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