Solid Chinese food - tastes on par with any other Chinese place out there. The prices were fairly reasonable. We tried the fried pot stickers upon reading Yelp reviews and saw that they were supposed to be amazing. I've never really had them so i cannot compare, however, they were really good. It was a semi-confusing place to find and get parking. We ended up parking in the hotel parking lot (shhh!) and walking over though I believe if you pull in beside it there is parking in the back around the side somewhere. But, it was dark - give us a break! Walking in the place looked super small and kinda dead but then when we got seated it was actually just small and not very dead. The room really was kind of claustrophobic because it was pretty small for how many people were in it and there were no windows. Luckily we were at a 4 person table in the corner so we sat as far away from everyone as we could, but still! It took a little while for us to get our waiter to finally serve us - but nothing out of the ordinary. She brought us this really good tea (oolong? I think she said - some really traditional Chinese tea). It was sooooo yummy in my tummy. Just pour some in the cup and add a packet of sugar and you are set. I'm super picky about tea so this is a huge deal. My Sig O doesn't really care for tea either and he loved it (so much so he was talking about it all night!). We both ordered a dish and planned on sharing them with each other. She brought the pot stickers out first which was expected as they are an appetizer. Then she brought out one of our dishes and a small thing of rice. She said the other would be out soon. We felt this to be odd since we had ordered them together as a meal - not separate. I would want them to come together so i could try them both out at the same time. They didn't give us a ton of rice either but luckily she offered us more eventually. We had plenty of left overs to take home and eat the next day - which according to the BF they are not very good left over! haha. All in all this is a solid dine in Chinese place but nothing special. I'd say it isn't as fancy as PF Changs but the food is the same and cheaper!
(3)
Victor L.
Wow, I don't understand how people think this restaurant is an acceptable Chinese eatery. It is definitely soy sauce heaven because the cooks do not seem care to add any additional flavors. The beef and broccoli and kungpao beef were both so salty that there wasn't enough rice to balance. Not a place to get Chinese. I am very surprised it is still in business.
(1)
Chris Z.
I've been an infrequent visitor of this white tabled Chinese restaurant for a long time. For me, the food has always been good, service nice, and it has a little different feel than the other places I frequent on a more regular basis. Plus, I love that this place hasn't changed a bit as the Brentwood area has puffed out around them. I stopped in last night for a quick bite of potstickers. They were very good and I was pleased that they are stuffed full with meat. For some reason they had the aroma of pancakes... but it didn't detract from the taste. I also wanted to get a drink but due to communication issues with the server, I settled for the pre-provided hot tea. If you're wondering where to park, there is a very small lot to the south of the business. It's sometimes easier finding this lot via the back alley rather than slowing to a crawl while traveling on Brentwood. There's construction right now on the front of the building. It's been that way for a while. I hope they get it fixed soon because the boarded up look is an eye sore.
(3)
Jacob K.
I really enjoy the food at Yen Ching, but was very disappointed tonight to find that they NO longer take American Express. I was going to Yen Ching for take-out 1-2 times per week, but now I will no longer frequent then unless they figure out a deal with their credit card vendor and start taking American Express again.
(2)
page j.
This is my go to chinese place and we live in the city--totally worth the drive. The service is always quick. The food is great. Staff doesn't always speak very much English but they are kind and attentive and understand. I highly recommend the pot stickers, egg rolls and sizzling rice soup-- the soup is the best I've ever had! Menu I'm a big fan of yen Ching beef, spicy crispy beef, beef and snow peas or broccoli, hot braised chicken, cashew chicken and Snow White chicken, mu shu pork, veggie fried rice and veggie Lo mein are my staples. They have a full bar. Everyone gets hot tea. They are very accommodating to larger parties. They do great take out and can be delivered through 569-dine. The owner is very friendly. I've been eating here regularly for over 6 years and don't think I've ever been disappointed.
(5)
B G.
Our first time here the service was good, the crab Rangoon was amazing. Though every chicken dish at the table was tough to chew. I would give it another chance in the future.
(3)
Ian C.
Their service and food were very good! Anybody who says their food was not satisfying, they probably did not know their famous dish.
(5)
Joe P.
I love Chinese food. I ordered take out chicken and broccoli with white rice, egg roll, and hot & sour soup. Food wasn't very flavorful. Chicken was cut up into small, almost cube like pieces, which I've never seen before. The quality of chicken wasn't great. I had to keep spitting it out because the pieces had these fatty/chunky pieces. I couldn't finish the meal. They didn't have spring rolls at the restaurant, only egg rolls. It was small. The white rice was meh. Hot & sour soup was kind of overly peppery. Inside the restaurant did not have an inviting smell. Kind of smelled like they had just cleaned the bathroom or something. Just didn't impress me. Overall, I'd rate this a slightly less than average Chinese meal. I come to STL on business on occasion...I'd think twice about coming back.
(2)
Brian B.
Decent Chinese food but as others have pointed out not very flavorful. I have been to this restaurant before a long time ago and went again recently for lunch. Had the one vegetarian lunch option available, a standard vegetable and rice dish and it was above average. The egg-drop soup was also ok. I like the atmosphere and our service was very good. I only wish their sauces were something I could rave about.
(3)
Kari G.
Definitely the nicest Chinese restaurant I've ever been to in St. Louis . The service was fantastic and we loved the food too! The crag Rangoon wasn't our favorite but we like the greasy\sweet kind. Love that dinner is served with hot tea!
(4)
Meg S.
Absolutely love this restaurant! My family and I come here frequently for family dinners. Great food, decent sized portions (I always have leftovers for the following day's lunch) and a good dining room environment. Waitstaff are friendly and professional. My recommendations: Potsticker appetizer, mu shu pork, yen ching beef, beef pad thai and hot braised chicken.
(5)
Anna B.
If there is once type of food I don't like, its Chinese. Yen Ching can get me to eat some Chinese food though, it is delicious! My family used to carry out from here all the time when I was younger. After a long hiatus, we returned Friday night and remembered why we liked it so much. Everything on their menu is delicious, although some personal favorites are Mu Shu Pork, Imperial Chicken, and Spicy Braised Chicken. We also got adventurous and tried a new dish, the Sezuchan Shrimp and loved it! I would recommend it. This definitely isn't a restaurant to get anything healthy, but it sure is delicious. 2 down sides: Parking -- nearly impossible Service -- the owner is amazing and is there working every night behind the bar, but the waiters/waitresses are not the best. Ours didn't know they served cocktails (?) and kept trying to take our food to other tables.
We love Yen Ching. Want Chinese in Brentwood, Richmond Heights, Ladue, or Clayton...go Yen Ching. Hot tea is a nice touch and the staff is nice.
(3)
Michael C.
I used to come here frequently for dinner with my parents. Since I was in the neighborhood today I dropped in for lunch with a friend. I was pleased to see they did some renovations to the exterior, it might have been nice to see they spent some money on the dining room, but as long as the food was good I could forgive the design. Food was good, and lunch prices reasonable. I had hot braised chicken, asked for extra spicy, and was satisfied as I broke out in a sweat.My friend got Szechuan chicken, which he enjoyed as well. I recommend it if you happen to be down near the Galleria, i'll definitely be back more often
(4)
Michael C.
The only problem with this place is their limited hours. Particularly on a weekend, you would expect them to be open for lunch. But they are not. This makes no sense. So this is no longer my first pick when I want an Asian meal.
(5)
Will G.
Awesome! Yen Ching Beef, it's what's for dinner. Great restaurant & great service every time. Also have great lunch specials that come with choice or soup and side. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been. Take care & good eats!
(5)
Dave F.
Sizzling rice soup - rice cakes pan fried served with wonton soup broth that had an inch of American "homestyle" chicken noodle soup with mushrooms at the bottom of a 32 oz cup. Not very much flavor or substance was my final verdict. For $5... Um, I had better.
(2)
Slick S.
Without a doubt the Pan fried Potstickers are the best I have ever eaten!! Also the Spicy crispy Beef and the cashew chicken our favorites as well. Nothing wrong with some old school chinese cooking.
(5)
Leslie S.
The restaurant got a new facade. It looks much nicer than it did from the outside. We had the food before via 569-DINE but had never stepped foot inside. There was quite a bit of a wait for a Chinese place on a Saturday night. This place is popular. It's not any bigger than other places. It does have a nice location across the street from the Galleria though. Is it the photos and autographs of previous famous diners on the walls? I will say that our food was good, our regular server was nice, but the manager (or owner) seemed very terse and abrupt with us when we asked him for something - I think it was chopsticks. I never saw him smile once when we were there, and it was like we were bothering him when we asked him the one question after having our food delivered with only forks. And this place is expensive, too! It was like $6 or something for a regular order of crab rangoon. What?! We drank water. So for $30 w/ no drinks for 2 people for a Chinese meal, we felt like we have easily found comparable food with better customer service (from management anyway) for more like $20 just down the street...and with little to no wait to be seated.
(2)
Jeremy G.
Best Chinese in the area. Fast and delicious. No, this is not authentic Chinese, but it's how American Chinese food should be. Only negative is no vegetarian spring rolls. Spicy braised chicken is making my mouth water right now.
(5)
Stephen C.
Coming from Southern California, I can't recommend this as good or authentic Chinese food. It's about as average an American-style Chinese restaurant as you'll find. The fact that the menu is entirely in English and there are no chopsticks on the tables is a dead giveaway. You'll have your hot and sour soup and your orange chicken, but nothing special. If you're in the area and really need a fix, it'll do the job, but I wouldn't recommend driving 30 miles just to check it out.
(2)
Hayley B.
The only chinese food I will eat... My family has been coming here for years and I can tell you the best things on the menu... 1. potstickers--they are out of this world good... they don't have cabbage like most others and they are THE BEST. 2. Crab Rangoon--standard 3. Sizzling rice soup---OMG LOVE 4. Chicken fried rice is the best in STL. 5. Onion beef--not on the menu but GOOD! 6. Garlic Chicken 7. spicy braised chicken-- rich, but if you like fried dishes it is SO good.... just don't eat the hot peppers! 8. My parents love the chow mien, but it is not my fave... they probably order it every time though
(5)
Salvatore L.
Lunch Specials are great. Where else will you get a pot of tea, soup, egg roll, fried rice, and good portion cashew chicken with a tasty oyster sauce for 9 bucks?! Best egg drop soup I've ever had by the way.
(5)
John T.
Over rated. This place has really gone down hill. Stopped by for carry our with my wife and ordered crispy beef, fried pot stickers, and both a pork and a chicken dish. I couldn't tell the chicken from the pork. The pot stickers were obviously not fresh but reheated and probably from frozen. We asked if they had General Tso Chicken and he said it was the crispy chicken. Nope. Not unless a steak is ground chuck. Will not return.
(1)
Kevin D.
When I was a kid, Yen Ching was the best Chinese in St. Louis. It was a special occasion kind of place. I went back today for the first time in about 10-15 years, only because Shu Feng was closed. The restaurant was empty, but probably only because it was a Monday night at 8 PM. The food came out incredibly fast but none of it was very good. Before dinner, I ordered a vodka tonic that was so bad I sent it back and ordered a beer. I think they must be using the cheapest vodka on the planet... or Chinese vodka? We started with egg rolls and spinach tofu soup. Both were just OK. [BTW - they have no vegetarian appetizers - no veggie dumplings, spring rolls, etc. The only veggie soup they have is the spinach tofu soup.] Then we had moo shu chicken and sesame chicken. The moo shu was just OK, nothing special. The chicken was supersweet, and so tough that the waitress saw me struggling to cut it and eventually brought me a knife. She stopped back a couple minutes later to ask how everything was, and and I said everything was OK, but the chicken was really tough. She said "Yeah, they probably left it in the deep fryer too long." Great. In other words, the food is overcooked... enjoy! Trust me - there is much better Chinese in St. Louis. If this is where you get your Chinese fix, PLEASE try Shu Feng in Olivette... it's a hundred times better than this.
(1)
Scott F.
My buddy recommended I try this place. I'm never a big fan of national chains, so coming here was refreshing and ironic considering the whole surrounding area was all national chain stores and restaurants. I don't know the exact names, but I had the sauteed broccoli dish along with a tofu dish. Both were delicious! Besides the food, the service was great, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and I enjoyed the hot tea too. I'll definitely come back!
(4)
Luqman S.
One thing to start: this is American-style Chinese food, but it is the best American-style Chinese food I've had. The Sizzling Rice Soup is a must have item whenever I go.
(5)
Raya K.
This review is strictly for their delivery. After romping around Dogtown all day on St. Patty's, I came home famished and just too tired to cook or assemble a meal. I checked out what my delivery options were in Richmond Heights and decided it wasn't a pizza or Jimmy John's kind of night. Chinese food is probably my least favorite thing to eat out. It is almost always greasy, everything kind of tastes the same or is deep fried. But on the advice of my BF, I thought I'd give Yen Ching a go. I ordered their vegetable lo mein, red pepper shrimp and steamed pot stickers. I didn't read the menu carefully enough to realize that the shrimp was battered and fried. By all means it was delicious. I just try to avoid anything that can drastically expand my waistline. The lo mein was good and not as greasy as I was anticipating. The steamed pot stickers were also good. The entire take out order lasted me about 4 meals. I hear eating at the restaurant is better than their delivery (which is usually the case for most restaurants). I will have to give a try and see if I'm a Chinese food convert.
(4)
Diana S.
I've been here multiple times and it has always been great. The servers are very nice, and their food is delicious. My go to Chinese restaurant! The eggplant is especially yummy.
(5)
Bob F.
I must strt this by saying that I love Chinese food and am a bit of a snob. I used to be from the school of thought that there really is no bad Chinese food. Lately I have been disappointed in most restaurants I have tried. This place had really good hot and sour soup, but I was a bit disappointed in the rest of what I got. I got the fried cashew chicken and as many area chinese restaurants do, they pre fry the chicken long in advance, then just heat it up, and put a sauce on it. Fried food is not good when not fresh. The daisy was ok but semi bland. Overall, it was Ok but I will not likely eat there again.
(2)
Jason H.
I have to say, this is by far the best Chinese food available in St. Louis. I am not usually a big Chinese food fan because too often it is covered in grease and you can barely taste the food over the heavy sauces. This is completely different, their food is all very fresh and has the perfect amount of sauce and spice. The sizzling rice soup is astounding, I have no idea how they consistently make it so good. The atmosphere is not great. Although it is quaint, I do not think of it as a place to celebrate a special occasion. From my perspective, it is a great place to go on a low key weekend night or a weeknight when you are looking for more than quick take-out. Really it is a great place to go if you are looking for phenomenal food, great service and a very reasonable price.
(5)
Cody S.
went to yen ching for a bday dinner on the 6th of september, hearing it was amazing from a coworker we went and will be returning to try new things. we had the crab Rangoon and chicken pad thai. its was amazing food that was perfect in flavor. the wasabi mustard was insane and the staff was on top of everything. i do plan on taking friends and family asap, give them a try. you get at least 3 meals from the one plate they give you so the price to food portion is just fantastic,
(5)
I Know W.
Great lunch option. Food quality was ok, tasted good, prices decent. There are better places but there are a lot of far worse Chinese places in the area.
(3)
Jeremy A.
Crab Rangood! Excellent service, friendly and quick. Prices reasonable too and excellent entree. I don't remember the name of my dish, but it was a shredded pork with vegetables, really tasty.
(4)
Angie W.
What do I miss most about St. Louis? Sorry family - I miss Yen Ching! Yen Ching Beef! Crab Rangoon! Won-ton Soup! Please, someone send me a care package. I love this place. I have yet to get a meal here that I didn't love. My favorites include the house beef, cashew chicken, and snow pea chicken. Service is great. The staff seems to always remember people when you come in. It had been about a year in between visits and they greeted me like I had been in the night before. I know there is a Chinese restaurant on just about every corner in St. Louis, but this is one worth going to. If you go there, eat some extra for me!
(5)
Vin G.
Booooo. I came here w. unrealistic expectations - the food was too expensive and not tasty. I'm not hard to please when it comes to Chinese food especially Americanized Chinese food. I ordered the Crispy Beef and it was soggy! I don't know what happened here, but there are plenty of other decent Chinese restaurants in the area.
(1)
Andi D.
Stopped in on a whim while scouting for lunch, that didn't have a drive-thru, to take back to the office - good food & speedy service. I was in & out in less than 10 minutes and the host was wonderfully polite!
(4)
Angela K.
I don't normally eat "chinese" food because it is generally crappy food cooked with a lot of grease and salt. I went along with my co-workers and got a lunch special from yen ching. I ordered a spicy white meat chicken dish with vegetables and white rice. What i got was questionable chicken pieces sauteed in a salty brown sauce with iceberg lettuce and rice that had scrambled egg in it. Oh, and an order of egg drop soup, er pudding, came with it. Avoid this place if you want a lunch that isn't questionable.
(2)
Ralph S.
I am an American Born Chinese and love all "authentic" ethnic foods, but lean towards the foods I grew up with. Also a native Chicagoan, they have some pretty damn good Chinese restaurants in Chicago that I've yet to find an equal in the Saint Louis area. Honestly, I would have never considered this restaurant because of its dismal exterior, but a friend mentioned this place as a favorite for some sports celebrities. After reading the Yelp reviews, which were all over the place, I had to try it and judge for myself. So with an open mind and low expectations, I went in on a Friday 6PM. The interior was as dismal as the exterior, but seemed sanitary enough. I opted for take-out, but not because of the atmosphere (rather lack of it) as my primary focus is the food. The menu is surprisingly brief and simple, definitely catering to Americans. I was acknowledged fairly quickly by the staff that was neither friendly nor rude. I went with a few items raved about in the reviews* and a few Chinese staples**: Egg rolls*, Yen Ching beef*, tofu and black mushrooms**. While waiting for my order, several patrons came in to join the handful that was already seated. This place appears to do okay business, though I must point out that aside from myself and the staff, there were no other Asians. As they say and in my own experience, a good sign of an ethnic restaurant is to see lots of patrons of the same ethnicity as the type of cuisine. Looking at the dusty bottles of liquor in the bar area, I recall one reviewers disapproval of his drink. I'm not sure if liquor has an expiration date, but that looks like some well aged booze. Observing the accolades on the wall, I couldn't help but notice not one within the past 10-years. 12-minutes later my food is ready. A little pricier than what I'd think, but not unreasonable. First impression: This is American food with Chinese influence. Hence the all American patrons and I'm fairly certain that most if not all the raving reviews were from Americans that do not venture far from egg rolls and sweet & sour, egg foo young and other American invented Chinese food. Did you know that real Chinese cooks actually need to be taught how to make sweet and sour recipes? The food itself isn't bad and everything appeared to be fresh, but hardly what I would call real Chinese food. More like a Panda Express in an old building. If you're a typical American that considers egg rolls, Chinese food and don't mind a dingy atmosphere, you'll love this place. If you're looking for authentic Chinese cuisine go to Chicago, New York or the West coast. If you can't go to Chicago, try the Chinese restaurants in University City on Olive. Look for the restaurants filled with the most Asians :-)
(2)
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Address :1012 S Brentwood Blvd
Saint Louis, MO, 63117
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No 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 : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Elle P.
Solid Chinese food - tastes on par with any other Chinese place out there. The prices were fairly reasonable. We tried the fried pot stickers upon reading Yelp reviews and saw that they were supposed to be amazing. I've never really had them so i cannot compare, however, they were really good. It was a semi-confusing place to find and get parking. We ended up parking in the hotel parking lot (shhh!) and walking over though I believe if you pull in beside it there is parking in the back around the side somewhere. But, it was dark - give us a break! Walking in the place looked super small and kinda dead but then when we got seated it was actually just small and not very dead. The room really was kind of claustrophobic because it was pretty small for how many people were in it and there were no windows. Luckily we were at a 4 person table in the corner so we sat as far away from everyone as we could, but still! It took a little while for us to get our waiter to finally serve us - but nothing out of the ordinary. She brought us this really good tea (oolong? I think she said - some really traditional Chinese tea). It was sooooo yummy in my tummy. Just pour some in the cup and add a packet of sugar and you are set. I'm super picky about tea so this is a huge deal. My Sig O doesn't really care for tea either and he loved it (so much so he was talking about it all night!). We both ordered a dish and planned on sharing them with each other. She brought the pot stickers out first which was expected as they are an appetizer. Then she brought out one of our dishes and a small thing of rice. She said the other would be out soon. We felt this to be odd since we had ordered them together as a meal - not separate. I would want them to come together so i could try them both out at the same time. They didn't give us a ton of rice either but luckily she offered us more eventually. We had plenty of left overs to take home and eat the next day - which according to the BF they are not very good left over! haha. All in all this is a solid dine in Chinese place but nothing special. I'd say it isn't as fancy as PF Changs but the food is the same and cheaper!
(3)Victor L.
Wow, I don't understand how people think this restaurant is an acceptable Chinese eatery. It is definitely soy sauce heaven because the cooks do not seem care to add any additional flavors. The beef and broccoli and kungpao beef were both so salty that there wasn't enough rice to balance. Not a place to get Chinese. I am very surprised it is still in business.
(1)Chris Z.
I've been an infrequent visitor of this white tabled Chinese restaurant for a long time. For me, the food has always been good, service nice, and it has a little different feel than the other places I frequent on a more regular basis. Plus, I love that this place hasn't changed a bit as the Brentwood area has puffed out around them. I stopped in last night for a quick bite of potstickers. They were very good and I was pleased that they are stuffed full with meat. For some reason they had the aroma of pancakes... but it didn't detract from the taste. I also wanted to get a drink but due to communication issues with the server, I settled for the pre-provided hot tea. If you're wondering where to park, there is a very small lot to the south of the business. It's sometimes easier finding this lot via the back alley rather than slowing to a crawl while traveling on Brentwood. There's construction right now on the front of the building. It's been that way for a while. I hope they get it fixed soon because the boarded up look is an eye sore.
(3)Jacob K.
I really enjoy the food at Yen Ching, but was very disappointed tonight to find that they NO longer take American Express. I was going to Yen Ching for take-out 1-2 times per week, but now I will no longer frequent then unless they figure out a deal with their credit card vendor and start taking American Express again.
(2)page j.
This is my go to chinese place and we live in the city--totally worth the drive. The service is always quick. The food is great. Staff doesn't always speak very much English but they are kind and attentive and understand. I highly recommend the pot stickers, egg rolls and sizzling rice soup-- the soup is the best I've ever had! Menu I'm a big fan of yen Ching beef, spicy crispy beef, beef and snow peas or broccoli, hot braised chicken, cashew chicken and Snow White chicken, mu shu pork, veggie fried rice and veggie Lo mein are my staples. They have a full bar. Everyone gets hot tea. They are very accommodating to larger parties. They do great take out and can be delivered through 569-dine. The owner is very friendly. I've been eating here regularly for over 6 years and don't think I've ever been disappointed.
(5)B G.
Our first time here the service was good, the crab Rangoon was amazing. Though every chicken dish at the table was tough to chew. I would give it another chance in the future.
(3)Ian C.
Their service and food were very good! Anybody who says their food was not satisfying, they probably did not know their famous dish.
(5)Joe P.
I love Chinese food. I ordered take out chicken and broccoli with white rice, egg roll, and hot & sour soup. Food wasn't very flavorful. Chicken was cut up into small, almost cube like pieces, which I've never seen before. The quality of chicken wasn't great. I had to keep spitting it out because the pieces had these fatty/chunky pieces. I couldn't finish the meal. They didn't have spring rolls at the restaurant, only egg rolls. It was small. The white rice was meh. Hot & sour soup was kind of overly peppery. Inside the restaurant did not have an inviting smell. Kind of smelled like they had just cleaned the bathroom or something. Just didn't impress me. Overall, I'd rate this a slightly less than average Chinese meal. I come to STL on business on occasion...I'd think twice about coming back.
(2)Brian B.
Decent Chinese food but as others have pointed out not very flavorful. I have been to this restaurant before a long time ago and went again recently for lunch. Had the one vegetarian lunch option available, a standard vegetable and rice dish and it was above average. The egg-drop soup was also ok. I like the atmosphere and our service was very good. I only wish their sauces were something I could rave about.
(3)Kari G.
Definitely the nicest Chinese restaurant I've ever been to in St. Louis . The service was fantastic and we loved the food too! The crag Rangoon wasn't our favorite but we like the greasy\sweet kind. Love that dinner is served with hot tea!
(4)Meg S.
Absolutely love this restaurant! My family and I come here frequently for family dinners. Great food, decent sized portions (I always have leftovers for the following day's lunch) and a good dining room environment. Waitstaff are friendly and professional. My recommendations: Potsticker appetizer, mu shu pork, yen ching beef, beef pad thai and hot braised chicken.
(5)Anna B.
If there is once type of food I don't like, its Chinese. Yen Ching can get me to eat some Chinese food though, it is delicious! My family used to carry out from here all the time when I was younger. After a long hiatus, we returned Friday night and remembered why we liked it so much. Everything on their menu is delicious, although some personal favorites are Mu Shu Pork, Imperial Chicken, and Spicy Braised Chicken. We also got adventurous and tried a new dish, the Sezuchan Shrimp and loved it! I would recommend it. This definitely isn't a restaurant to get anything healthy, but it sure is delicious. 2 down sides: Parking -- nearly impossible Service -- the owner is amazing and is there working every night behind the bar, but the waiters/waitresses are not the best. Ours didn't know they served cocktails (?) and kept trying to take our food to other tables.
(4)Frank V.
Best Chinese restaurant in St. Louis. Try the pot stickers, spicy braised chicken, hot eggplant with pork, Mongolian Beef, green beans sauté, hot and sour soup...you name it--every dish here is better than any dish anywhere else. Family run, friendly service. Go...Today!
(5)Katie T.
We love Yen Ching. Want Chinese in Brentwood, Richmond Heights, Ladue, or Clayton...go Yen Ching. Hot tea is a nice touch and the staff is nice.
(3)Michael C.
I used to come here frequently for dinner with my parents. Since I was in the neighborhood today I dropped in for lunch with a friend. I was pleased to see they did some renovations to the exterior, it might have been nice to see they spent some money on the dining room, but as long as the food was good I could forgive the design. Food was good, and lunch prices reasonable. I had hot braised chicken, asked for extra spicy, and was satisfied as I broke out in a sweat.My friend got Szechuan chicken, which he enjoyed as well. I recommend it if you happen to be down near the Galleria, i'll definitely be back more often
(4)Michael C.
The only problem with this place is their limited hours. Particularly on a weekend, you would expect them to be open for lunch. But they are not. This makes no sense. So this is no longer my first pick when I want an Asian meal.
(5)Will G.
Awesome! Yen Ching Beef, it's what's for dinner. Great restaurant & great service every time. Also have great lunch specials that come with choice or soup and side. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been. Take care & good eats!
(5)Dave F.
Sizzling rice soup - rice cakes pan fried served with wonton soup broth that had an inch of American "homestyle" chicken noodle soup with mushrooms at the bottom of a 32 oz cup. Not very much flavor or substance was my final verdict. For $5... Um, I had better.
(2)Slick S.
Without a doubt the Pan fried Potstickers are the best I have ever eaten!! Also the Spicy crispy Beef and the cashew chicken our favorites as well. Nothing wrong with some old school chinese cooking.
(5)Leslie S.
The restaurant got a new facade. It looks much nicer than it did from the outside. We had the food before via 569-DINE but had never stepped foot inside. There was quite a bit of a wait for a Chinese place on a Saturday night. This place is popular. It's not any bigger than other places. It does have a nice location across the street from the Galleria though. Is it the photos and autographs of previous famous diners on the walls? I will say that our food was good, our regular server was nice, but the manager (or owner) seemed very terse and abrupt with us when we asked him for something - I think it was chopsticks. I never saw him smile once when we were there, and it was like we were bothering him when we asked him the one question after having our food delivered with only forks. And this place is expensive, too! It was like $6 or something for a regular order of crab rangoon. What?! We drank water. So for $30 w/ no drinks for 2 people for a Chinese meal, we felt like we have easily found comparable food with better customer service (from management anyway) for more like $20 just down the street...and with little to no wait to be seated.
(2)Jeremy G.
Best Chinese in the area. Fast and delicious. No, this is not authentic Chinese, but it's how American Chinese food should be. Only negative is no vegetarian spring rolls. Spicy braised chicken is making my mouth water right now.
(5)Stephen C.
Coming from Southern California, I can't recommend this as good or authentic Chinese food. It's about as average an American-style Chinese restaurant as you'll find. The fact that the menu is entirely in English and there are no chopsticks on the tables is a dead giveaway. You'll have your hot and sour soup and your orange chicken, but nothing special. If you're in the area and really need a fix, it'll do the job, but I wouldn't recommend driving 30 miles just to check it out.
(2)Hayley B.
The only chinese food I will eat... My family has been coming here for years and I can tell you the best things on the menu... 1. potstickers--they are out of this world good... they don't have cabbage like most others and they are THE BEST. 2. Crab Rangoon--standard 3. Sizzling rice soup---OMG LOVE 4. Chicken fried rice is the best in STL. 5. Onion beef--not on the menu but GOOD! 6. Garlic Chicken 7. spicy braised chicken-- rich, but if you like fried dishes it is SO good.... just don't eat the hot peppers! 8. My parents love the chow mien, but it is not my fave... they probably order it every time though
(5)Salvatore L.
Lunch Specials are great. Where else will you get a pot of tea, soup, egg roll, fried rice, and good portion cashew chicken with a tasty oyster sauce for 9 bucks?! Best egg drop soup I've ever had by the way.
(5)John T.
Over rated. This place has really gone down hill. Stopped by for carry our with my wife and ordered crispy beef, fried pot stickers, and both a pork and a chicken dish. I couldn't tell the chicken from the pork. The pot stickers were obviously not fresh but reheated and probably from frozen. We asked if they had General Tso Chicken and he said it was the crispy chicken. Nope. Not unless a steak is ground chuck. Will not return.
(1)Kevin D.
When I was a kid, Yen Ching was the best Chinese in St. Louis. It was a special occasion kind of place. I went back today for the first time in about 10-15 years, only because Shu Feng was closed. The restaurant was empty, but probably only because it was a Monday night at 8 PM. The food came out incredibly fast but none of it was very good. Before dinner, I ordered a vodka tonic that was so bad I sent it back and ordered a beer. I think they must be using the cheapest vodka on the planet... or Chinese vodka? We started with egg rolls and spinach tofu soup. Both were just OK. [BTW - they have no vegetarian appetizers - no veggie dumplings, spring rolls, etc. The only veggie soup they have is the spinach tofu soup.] Then we had moo shu chicken and sesame chicken. The moo shu was just OK, nothing special. The chicken was supersweet, and so tough that the waitress saw me struggling to cut it and eventually brought me a knife. She stopped back a couple minutes later to ask how everything was, and and I said everything was OK, but the chicken was really tough. She said "Yeah, they probably left it in the deep fryer too long." Great. In other words, the food is overcooked... enjoy! Trust me - there is much better Chinese in St. Louis. If this is where you get your Chinese fix, PLEASE try Shu Feng in Olivette... it's a hundred times better than this.
(1)Scott F.
My buddy recommended I try this place. I'm never a big fan of national chains, so coming here was refreshing and ironic considering the whole surrounding area was all national chain stores and restaurants. I don't know the exact names, but I had the sauteed broccoli dish along with a tofu dish. Both were delicious! Besides the food, the service was great, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and I enjoyed the hot tea too. I'll definitely come back!
(4)Luqman S.
One thing to start: this is American-style Chinese food, but it is the best American-style Chinese food I've had. The Sizzling Rice Soup is a must have item whenever I go.
(5)Raya K.
This review is strictly for their delivery. After romping around Dogtown all day on St. Patty's, I came home famished and just too tired to cook or assemble a meal. I checked out what my delivery options were in Richmond Heights and decided it wasn't a pizza or Jimmy John's kind of night. Chinese food is probably my least favorite thing to eat out. It is almost always greasy, everything kind of tastes the same or is deep fried. But on the advice of my BF, I thought I'd give Yen Ching a go. I ordered their vegetable lo mein, red pepper shrimp and steamed pot stickers. I didn't read the menu carefully enough to realize that the shrimp was battered and fried. By all means it was delicious. I just try to avoid anything that can drastically expand my waistline. The lo mein was good and not as greasy as I was anticipating. The steamed pot stickers were also good. The entire take out order lasted me about 4 meals. I hear eating at the restaurant is better than their delivery (which is usually the case for most restaurants). I will have to give a try and see if I'm a Chinese food convert.
(4)Diana S.
I've been here multiple times and it has always been great. The servers are very nice, and their food is delicious. My go to Chinese restaurant! The eggplant is especially yummy.
(5)Bob F.
I must strt this by saying that I love Chinese food and am a bit of a snob. I used to be from the school of thought that there really is no bad Chinese food. Lately I have been disappointed in most restaurants I have tried. This place had really good hot and sour soup, but I was a bit disappointed in the rest of what I got. I got the fried cashew chicken and as many area chinese restaurants do, they pre fry the chicken long in advance, then just heat it up, and put a sauce on it. Fried food is not good when not fresh. The daisy was ok but semi bland. Overall, it was Ok but I will not likely eat there again.
(2)Jason H.
I have to say, this is by far the best Chinese food available in St. Louis. I am not usually a big Chinese food fan because too often it is covered in grease and you can barely taste the food over the heavy sauces. This is completely different, their food is all very fresh and has the perfect amount of sauce and spice. The sizzling rice soup is astounding, I have no idea how they consistently make it so good. The atmosphere is not great. Although it is quaint, I do not think of it as a place to celebrate a special occasion. From my perspective, it is a great place to go on a low key weekend night or a weeknight when you are looking for more than quick take-out. Really it is a great place to go if you are looking for phenomenal food, great service and a very reasonable price.
(5)Cody S.
went to yen ching for a bday dinner on the 6th of september, hearing it was amazing from a coworker we went and will be returning to try new things. we had the crab Rangoon and chicken pad thai. its was amazing food that was perfect in flavor. the wasabi mustard was insane and the staff was on top of everything. i do plan on taking friends and family asap, give them a try. you get at least 3 meals from the one plate they give you so the price to food portion is just fantastic,
(5)I Know W.
Great lunch option. Food quality was ok, tasted good, prices decent. There are better places but there are a lot of far worse Chinese places in the area.
(3)Jeremy A.
Crab Rangood! Excellent service, friendly and quick. Prices reasonable too and excellent entree. I don't remember the name of my dish, but it was a shredded pork with vegetables, really tasty.
(4)Angie W.
What do I miss most about St. Louis? Sorry family - I miss Yen Ching! Yen Ching Beef! Crab Rangoon! Won-ton Soup! Please, someone send me a care package. I love this place. I have yet to get a meal here that I didn't love. My favorites include the house beef, cashew chicken, and snow pea chicken. Service is great. The staff seems to always remember people when you come in. It had been about a year in between visits and they greeted me like I had been in the night before. I know there is a Chinese restaurant on just about every corner in St. Louis, but this is one worth going to. If you go there, eat some extra for me!
(5)Vin G.
Booooo. I came here w. unrealistic expectations - the food was too expensive and not tasty. I'm not hard to please when it comes to Chinese food especially Americanized Chinese food. I ordered the Crispy Beef and it was soggy! I don't know what happened here, but there are plenty of other decent Chinese restaurants in the area.
(1)Andi D.
Stopped in on a whim while scouting for lunch, that didn't have a drive-thru, to take back to the office - good food & speedy service. I was in & out in less than 10 minutes and the host was wonderfully polite!
(4)Angela K.
I don't normally eat "chinese" food because it is generally crappy food cooked with a lot of grease and salt. I went along with my co-workers and got a lunch special from yen ching. I ordered a spicy white meat chicken dish with vegetables and white rice. What i got was questionable chicken pieces sauteed in a salty brown sauce with iceberg lettuce and rice that had scrambled egg in it. Oh, and an order of egg drop soup, er pudding, came with it. Avoid this place if you want a lunch that isn't questionable.
(2)Ralph S.
I am an American Born Chinese and love all "authentic" ethnic foods, but lean towards the foods I grew up with. Also a native Chicagoan, they have some pretty damn good Chinese restaurants in Chicago that I've yet to find an equal in the Saint Louis area. Honestly, I would have never considered this restaurant because of its dismal exterior, but a friend mentioned this place as a favorite for some sports celebrities. After reading the Yelp reviews, which were all over the place, I had to try it and judge for myself. So with an open mind and low expectations, I went in on a Friday 6PM. The interior was as dismal as the exterior, but seemed sanitary enough. I opted for take-out, but not because of the atmosphere (rather lack of it) as my primary focus is the food. The menu is surprisingly brief and simple, definitely catering to Americans. I was acknowledged fairly quickly by the staff that was neither friendly nor rude. I went with a few items raved about in the reviews* and a few Chinese staples**: Egg rolls*, Yen Ching beef*, tofu and black mushrooms**. While waiting for my order, several patrons came in to join the handful that was already seated. This place appears to do okay business, though I must point out that aside from myself and the staff, there were no other Asians. As they say and in my own experience, a good sign of an ethnic restaurant is to see lots of patrons of the same ethnicity as the type of cuisine. Looking at the dusty bottles of liquor in the bar area, I recall one reviewers disapproval of his drink. I'm not sure if liquor has an expiration date, but that looks like some well aged booze. Observing the accolades on the wall, I couldn't help but notice not one within the past 10-years. 12-minutes later my food is ready. A little pricier than what I'd think, but not unreasonable. First impression: This is American food with Chinese influence. Hence the all American patrons and I'm fairly certain that most if not all the raving reviews were from Americans that do not venture far from egg rolls and sweet & sour, egg foo young and other American invented Chinese food. Did you know that real Chinese cooks actually need to be taught how to make sweet and sour recipes? The food itself isn't bad and everything appeared to be fresh, but hardly what I would call real Chinese food. More like a Panda Express in an old building. If you're a typical American that considers egg rolls, Chinese food and don't mind a dingy atmosphere, you'll love this place. If you're looking for authentic Chinese cuisine go to Chicago, New York or the West coast. If you can't go to Chicago, try the Chinese restaurants in University City on Olive. Look for the restaurants filled with the most Asians :-)
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