Seriously? This is supposed to be the best Chinese in Seattle? At least that's what my (formerly) reputable friends told me. So last night I got the itch for some Chinese....not the Panda Express, fried in a gallon of vegetable oil, what kind of meat is that anyway(?) variety, but some good authentic chow you eat out of a box without the slightest bit of guilt. So I drove all the way here from Madison Park no less to pick up my order of sweet & sour chicken and pot stickers in peanut sauce. Now, how can you mess these dishes up? I eagerly flew home to crack open the boxes and was sorely disappointed. The chicken - if you could call it that - was an over fried mess of dough with no discernible flavor. And the pot stickers were literally drowning in so much peanut sauce they were almost inedible (the sauce was good and I ended up eating basically just that on some rice - not their rice, that's EXTRA, but rice I made myself). The fortune cookies were stale, and I considered that a sign. Not sure how they managed to collect all those awards they display on the walls, but when I can say the sweet & sour chicken is BETTER at Panda Express and I'd go back there before returning here, this place has problems.
(1)
Kathy S.
My husband & I had their food for the first time on New Years eve, 2006. It was terrible!. We had their sweet and sour pork and it was very very chewy. We figured it was bad because of the restaurant being crowded during that time. We decided to give it a second chance (during a non-holiday). The food is actually pretty good. We still like restaurants in Chinatown, but we live really close and they do serve good food (just not when their really, really busy).
(4)
Rebecca K.
Judy Fu's is the place that calls to me when I'm itching for some good, old fashioned, like-you-grew-up-with Chinese food. My husband and I personally think we came across quite a discovery when we first dined here, and the lunch prices are out of this world incredible! Soup, egg roll, entree with rice, and the obligatory (yet still delicious) fortune cookie for $6.95. Seriously? Check it out. Also a great take-out or delivery option for those nights that just won't do without the white to-go boxes, chop sticks, and your favorite afghan and movie.
(4)
Rick L.
Not just does this place win the award for cutest name of a chinese restaurant ever - but they have a really nice line of appetizers and takeout availible at reasonable prices. Some consider it expensive, but not if you know what to order on the menu, plus like a thai restaurant some dishes you can order with 'degrees of hotness' which really make it a customizable meal as far as flavor vs. heat.
(5)
katie j.
Snappy Dragon has the most amazing homemade noodles, I dream of them often. I highly recomend this place!
(4)
mapletree k.
Great food....but, lousy ambiance. It's a perfect choice for take-out.
(4)
Fuzzy P.
Being Chinese and from Vancouver, my tolerance of westernized Chinese food is pretty minimal. And living in Seattle, my search for good Chinese food is constant. I can only tolerate Judy's if I'm REALLY dying for a quick Chinese food fix (and really only because we live in the area). But ever since we found Chiang's Gourmet, we've never been back. The only thing I'll order is their fried rice which I think has some "wok-hay" (if you're Chinese, you'll understand) and decent amounts of meat. But still too greasy. I have no idea why their dumplings are so famous - they are the worst I've ever had. What you get is a huge lump of hard meat wrapped up in the toughest, dough i've ever tasted. Dumplings are supposed to be delicate, refined and tender! The other dishes are way too salty and greasy. Like a step up from China Express at Safeway. If you don't care for authenticity, then this might be the place for you (large portions, good prices). But otherwise, there are other places that can serve much better Chinese food (e.g. Chiang's, ID district).
(1)
Matthew L.
It's in my Hall of Fame. I'm not going to go into great detail about Snappy Dragon's greatness, but suffice to say I'm a huge fan (no fat jokes, please). From their Salt & Pepper Chicken to their Wonton Soup, from the Seafood Chow Mein to the Hunan Beef, the menu is excellent from top to bottom. Pleasant, efficient waitstaff; warm, kind and caring owners; this place is not to be missed. Go there and see for yourself!
(5)
Anna W.
Fast, pretty affordable, free tea!, interesting menu choices. Also, plentiful portions: four dishes fed four people with many many leftovers. I'd probably give this place 5 stars if I actually liked Chinese food.
(3)
L S.
Unsure what to have for dinner Saturday night, my fiance says he would like Chinese food. OK then. I used to drive by this place often when I worked nearby and I always wished I lived close enough to have them deliver to me. I just love Chinese food delivered. Anywho, we were in the area and saw one of their delivery vehicles with the sign on top of the car and we decided to check out Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. I'm glad we did! We got there and there was a bit of a crowd, but we waited it out, mostly just one large party waiting to be seated and a couple of people waiting to pick up their take out orders. We were finally taken to a seat near a window facing the street. The restaurant was quite busy that evening. It appeared there were a couple of celebration dinners happening, a few dates, and more than a few good friends enjoying conversation over good food. We ordered the Mandarin fried rice, which was basically just fried rice with shrimp and the crispy smoked duck. Apparently the crispy smoked duck is a specialty by Dave. That's what it says on the menu. Whatever the case, the fried rice and the duck were DELISH! The fried rice had an appropriate amount of egg and shrimp in it (the goodness of fried rice is based on the amount of egg, IMHO) and the crispy duck was, well, crispy and very tasty and thankfully was served headless. The duck is also served with 4 steamed buns and a side of hoisin sauce. The hoisin sauce was sooooo good and sweet, I loved it! Mmmmm, this place is awesome. I arrived in a bad mood but left full and happy. I'm still bummed out that I don't live in their delivery zone, but it's not that far away that I can just call and order for take-out. Which I will be doing soon.
(4)
Andy F.
Snappy Dragon is a fun Chinese food place. The portions are huge and the food is very filling. I especially like the green onion pancakes. They are noodle specialists and create so many items on their menu from scratch. The place attracts groups, and that can make for a very noisy environment.
(3)
Bernie M.
Super saucy, salty, greasy lunch of gongbao (kungpao) chicken. Not remotely authentic. Spring rolls sucked. Teenagers sitting on butts gossiping in front of house, waiter was nice though.
(2)
Chuck M.
I have been going to snappy for years, and there is no other Chinese restaurant that compares. The homemade noodles, hot and sour soup, and sesame chicken are my favorites.
(5)
Tiffany A.
Go for the sesame chicken and vegetable chow mein with homemade noodles! Heavy meal but delicious!
(3)
M. C.
SoO gOoD!! Handmade noodles! The staff is always pleasant and great at suggesting the perfect item when you are having trouble deciding. I really like the almond cranberry chicken and the fresh made dumplings.
(5)
Anton Z.
I always appreciate a dragon with a sense of sass, and one that is snappy is just great. We frequent Snappy Dragon a bit, usually when we are coming from/going to a movie at Northgate or if it's a holiday that we don't want to spend with family. Either way, we've never been disappointed. We just figured out the best strategy this Christmas for taking two people - get the dumplings, a veggie, and a dish. We love the hand-made pot stickers, which we always get with pork though they make pretty good veggie ones too. They pair well with the spicy oil and soy sauce. We usually alternate between the fried rice and the hand-made noodles. I prefer the rice since the noodles, while tasty, are a little unwieldy with chopsticks. The bok choy is also delish, with a garlic sauce that has just the right amount of garlic to be flavorful without being overwhelming. One thing to note is that this is totally owned and operated by Miss Judy Fu herself. She is often seen running around making things in the back, and all of her family is part of the operation. That family-feeling always makes me want to support them, especially since their food has a special place in our hearts since we celebrate holidays with them instead of family :)
(4)
Paul G.
Finally found the best Chinese in the greater Seattle area. They have almost everything in gluten-free version also! Uncommon 5-star service!
(5)
C B.
I have such a love-hate relationship with this place. The only constant is that it is ALWAYS crowded and noisy. Otherwise, it's completely bipolar: The service fluctuates wildly between being insultingly minimal and smotheringly omnipresent. The food can take well over an hour to arrive or it can show up in five minutes after you've ordered. The food. The food can be disgusting one day and the most amazing combination of texture and flavor you've ever had in your life on the next. Sometimes things are overcooked, sometimes things are undercooked. Sometimes there's too much grease, too much salt, etc. It goes on. Sometimes I even think they've dropped my dish on the floor and scraped it back on the plate. But I keep going back. I don't know what it is. This place appeals to my inherent schizophrenic side or something. Or maybe the home-made noodles are just freaking out of this world good. God, I want some Judy Fu's right now!
(4)
Allen B.
Had a great experience at Snappy Dragon; sat at the little bar in the back and watched Judy Fu make jiao-zi. She said she and the other jiao-zi preparer make around 700 dumplings on weekdays and around 2,000 (!) each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The food, of course, was wonderful. Judy told us how the soft dumplings that are left over can be pan-fried with a little water--like Japanese gioza--to create a different dish. We'll try them tonight. Hands down, our favorite neighborhood restaurant.
(5)
Drea R.
I always seem to want to order way too much food because its so yummy. Green Beans and noodles are my two must order items. Trust me...I do order more but these two are my favorite.
(4)
Lizzie C.
Definitely go here for the delicious food...just not on New Year's Eve. That's what my boyfriend and I did, and the place was packed. Not surprising, considering how good the food is, but it's a small space for so many customers waiting for takeout. We opted to eat it and it was worthwhile. BF got sweet and sour chicken, and the waiter was incredibly good-natured about giving him tons of rice on the side. I had veggie chow mein, with regular noodles--hard to handle with the chopsticks but tasty. The couple at the next table got a huge tureen of soup to share...that's what I'll try next time. And/or the jiao zi, which looked incredible. I agree with other reviewers that the amount of sauce seemed excessive, but then again, what's all that extra rice for? Nothing dresses up plain steamed rice like all that extra sauce. The waitstaff was superb, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the food was hearty and delicious. If we'd gone a less crowded night and the hostess had been friendlier, I'd give Snappy Dragon 5 stars. But four ain't too shabby.
(4)
Dante M.
I was really excited before coming to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. I hear they make their own noodles, dumplings, and many tasty sauces. When we decided to make the trip and realized it was really close to our house, I was even more excited. Coming up to the restaurant there was limited parking, we had to find nearby street parking which wasn't too hard as there was a residential area nearby. When we entered, the waiting area was very small, just a couple of chairs. Luckily, we were seated quickly. We ordered the 6 order of pot stickers, pan browned. 3 of them were pork and 3 were the vegetable type. These were pretty tasty! They seemed to be a little too doughy for my liking, but the fillings were very good. I was also a fan of their "hot oil" sauce. I will definitely be buying some of this for the kitchen. Now we had to try the homemade Chow Mein noodles, which we did, and I was NOT a fan of. They come family style, and I will have to give credit that the concept of homemade noodles and the time they put into them I appreciate, but the dish was very bland and tasteless. We ordered the pork and vegetable and the pork strips were very bland, and vegetables and everything was pretty poorly put together. Very dissapointing. We also ordered another entree, the Szechuan Garlic Chicken, which was very good. Good mix of vegetables, chicken, and spice. By mixing this dish with the Chow Mein, it gave the Chow Mein some much needed flavor which made this trip not a total dud. All in all, I was very impressed by Judy Fu and the work she puts in her food, but unfortunately when it was all put together was something that I wasn't too big on. Next time we will try a couple more of their entrees, and will update my review accordingly.
(2)
Jeremy P.
Not good. Ordered three classic Szechuan dishes. Dumplings with peanut sauce - dumplings were luke warm and doughy, has to add two tablespoons of chili oil to make them spicy. Dry cooked string beans - not dry cooked, came out looking like sauteed green beans. MaPo tofu - no Szechuan peppercorns, sauce tasted like it was from a can, also luke warm. Walked out without finishing our meal.
(1)
Fred V.
First off, let me state that I am a fish-n-chips fanatic and will usually make my dining outings around a place that potentially serces this boyhood treat.....that being said, in terms of Chinese food and value, Snappy D is the best around. This neighborhood eatery is always jammed and the food is delicious and the staff is friendly and attentive...hey, I cannot argue when the food they are serving is actually prepared by the namesake on the sign. The owner even remembers you and comes to great you personally (if you frequent the establishment enough). I always get a kick out of walking in for lunch on a weekend and seeing the kitchen staff all enjoying communal foods they have prepared in big piping-hot bowls of broth - occassionally I am tempted to ask the servers where "those" are on the menu. Now, to the food. Simply put, the jhouzhi/jhouza (dumplings in WASP lingo) are the reason we come here - 15-piece pork please! The tea is second rate and they keep your glasses full with whatever you are imbibing. Another fantastic element is the portion size - usually enough for two meals and especially if you have a large group. The lunch deals are the main attraction - from Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm you get a boutiful choice of menu options with your choice of soup (hot n' sour or wonton), rice, and spring roll or bbq pork. Dinner is served all day! Another plus is that they deliver (unfortunately, I don't live within the area), but I have never had a bad expereience here and if you are looking for some good, quick Chinese food in a nice atmosphere, then this is the place for you! Thanks,Judy Fu and Snappy Dragon!
(5)
C Y.
I've always enjoyed this place for their renown homemade noodles. They still are as good as ever. Service on our recent visit was a bit slow. Snappy Dragon Chow Mein was a little lacking on ingredients and a bit too greasy. Still this is one of the better North end Chinese restaurants and well worth visiting.
(3)
Janice S.
I only come here because my coworker adores this place. It's bascially your typical Chinese American food. We usually order from the lunch combinations which start at $6.99. It includes an entree, rice/fried rice, soup and an eggroll/BBQ pork. The food that comes with sauce is smothered in sauce. I always have to order it with sauce on the side. I did order a dish of salt and pepper prawns once. It was a little on the salty side though. If you want decent Chinese American food, then come here, but don't expect any authentic Chinese food.
(3)
Dre R.
Easily the best vegetarian Chinese menu in the city! We love the hot & sour soup, and many of the tofu dishes. Service is always friendly, but rarely predictable. We've had our food come out so fast it made our heads spin, and other times we've waited for 30 minutes for dinner despite being one of only 2 other couples in the restaurant. Carryout is always excellent, ready on time, and a great value. Highly recommend!
(4)
Jasmine P.
I am REALLY surprised that the overall rating for this place is only 3 stars. What the WHAT?! That's ridiculous, this place ROCKS! We transplanted into Seattle from San Diego about 5 years ago and this is one of the staples we not only bring our out-of-town visitors to, but eat frequently at by ourselves. Family-friendly, family-run, friendly, fast, great portions, well-priced, home-made and, most important of all, DELICIOUS!! I've been to plenty of Chinese places and have a few I love back home, but Snappy Dragon surpasses those to me for a few, no, A LOT of reasons... (1) You can taste the homemade freshness of it. The noodles and dumplings have a doughy texture, like when you get really good pasta to order. This really brings it to a new level for me. WOW. (2) Their menu is refreshing. Of course they have your Chinese favorites, but they also have dishes that I haven't ever seen or tried at other Chinese places. The new ones I've ventured to try aren't too scarily out of your comfort zone either. I still have stuff I want to try even now! (3) You can taste the love. If I ever had an awesome Chinese mom (I don't, I'm FIlipino) who cooked for me, I'm sure this is what it would taste like. I'm pretty sure the recipes are their own concoctions and twists too. (4) I'm a HUGE texture eater and the textures that hit my pallet here are pleasing. I especially love the shredded black mushrooms, dough, bean threads, and black beans (in their black bean sauce). Their vegetables have an especially nice crunch to them too. (5) They serve you tea. I really like when you don't get charged to enjoy tea with your meal, it's just apart of it. I take it over stale chips any day. (6) They pass my husband's "water test" he runs for every restaurant. That is, they never let your glass of water reach bottom.. they are always attentive enough to refill before you have to ask. That's VERY important to him and a good indicator of the service. (7) The leftovers hold up. I JUST ate some and that's what prompted me to write this review, actually. I thought to myself "Self, why have I never written a good review for Judy Fu's??" while munching down the last of my pork Mu-Shu. (8) It stands the test of time. My husband and I have gone here for at least 3 years now and I've never left unsatisfied. (9) It's busy, but they never fail to keep the crowd manageable. At least that's what I've observed whenever I've gone there. They have a tiny lobby so I'm not sure how they do it, but they do! (10) Their lunch combos are pretty cheap you get a little bit of everything. Good plate portion, too. Yes! (11) The owners are SUPER dee DUPER nice. My little brother, who comes up to visit every once in awhile, considers this place a big highlight of every trip. He talked to the owner too since he comes by so often and Dave remembers him! So much so, I gave him a Judy Fu's shirt and had Dave Fu sign his card for his Christmas/Birthday Gift. Since then, Dave says hi to us whenever we run into him there. The last time he was filling our water before we recognized it was him, so humble. How could you NOT support them?! Lastly, to note , I once saw some of their Black Bean Sauce on clearance when QFC moved locations in Ballard so I tried it. It SERIOUSLY stood up well even jarred. We were impressed dumping it into our wok stir-fry how awesome it tasted. Thank you SO MUCH for entering my life, Judy & Dave Fu, and for letting your awesome food enter my stomach. I feel honored.
(5)
Eric O.
Price: average Sesame beef: average - bit tough with decent sauce Fried tofu: decent with good flavor Noodle: bland - hardly any flavor and no sauce Overall: meh, should have pushed for Thai
(2)
Kimberley D.
I went here with a big group of ~11 people. We took forever to eat, ordered a ton of drinks and appetizers, etc. and the staff was very friendly and accomodating. They had a surprisingly large drink menu with a bunch of cocktails. I got a lychee martini which was good. Unfortunately, I wasn't wowed by any of the many dishes I tried. Nothing was bad, it just didn't stand out as exceptionally good either. I don't eat meat, so our table got mostly vegetarian dishes which were the only ones I sampled. I tried baby bok choy, mongolian tofu, asparagus and black beans, green onion pancake, pot stickers with spinach, kung pao tofu, and hot and sour soup. The spinach pot stickers were odd... one friend commented that it tasted like greek food almost 'cause it was just a giant bite of spinach with the casing. I liked my 5-star mongolian tofu most out of all the dishes. We probably failed by not ordering more stuff with their homemade noodles. I'm not sure whether they made the rice noodles with the mongolian tofu dish or not. At the end my bill was $26 with tax and tip for an entree and appetizers, $7 of which was the mixed drink.
(3)
Alex H.
This is by far my favorite Chinese food in Seattle. Very large portions and great service. Try the Sesame Chicken and Pork Pot Stickers for sure!
(5)
Nellie C.
Homemade dumplings, noodles and hot-sauce - oh, my!!! If you can't make it out to the I.D. (International District), then def make it out to this great little restaurant, in the Maple Leaf neighborhood! A sweet lil' family owns and continues to cook fresh items every day! You must try their homemade gyoza (steamed dumplings) and chow mein noodles. Their hot sauces are amaze too! While it may be a little tight sometimes, they give service with a *smile* and they're quick! ;)
(5)
Sherrie S.
I feel badly having to write this but maybe I will save someone else from a disappointing meal. I was here in Seattle visiting my son who goes to UW, but I lived here when he was born. After reading many reviews here, I am shocked that this restaurant received such high praise. I placed an order" to go" - only two dishes, for my vegetarian son and they were both disappointing. He had assorted vegetables in Szechwan sauce with tofu and it tasted like peanuts. I imagine they use peanut oil, but it shouldn't dominate the food. While placing the order I asked if they made their own egg rolls as many places use commercially made frozen ones and they said they made their own. I don't know about this, but they were lousy. I would have ordered the hot and sour soup but the menu said it contained msg so I didn't. Glad we didn't order very much.
(2)
Katya L.
As far as I'm concerned, this is as good as Chinese food gets. I used to get delivery all the time when I lived in Northgate, and now that I'm in Capitol Hill, I still make the trek up there for the deliciousness. Get the Jao Zi, the wontons in peanut sauce, the hunan beef, the garlic chicken... it's all good. The only time I've been done wrong was with the vegetable potstickers. They were just too doughy and didn't have enough spice. But everything else has been consistently yummy. Last time we were there, Judy Fu herself gave us free Jao Zi. She said 'a sample, a couple' and then came out holding a place with at least half a dozen hot, steaming, fresh dumplings. Now that's loyalty.
(5)
David S.
Now I have not been there for awhile, and these last few reviews have me worried, but I will tell you one thing they really care about their product and if you do not like your meal let them know I am sure David would make it up to you because he does care, I have been going there for over twelve years and I know that he takes pride in his business. What I like is the Chicken Soup, the dumplings in peanut sauce, and most everything there. I know it gets busy, so often I will just get orders to go. I noticed it was reviewed on my yelp page and that it was not getting very good ratings. You have to understand that it is a very busy place, so I try to get there early if I am going to sit there and have dinner. If you go there about 4-5 PM then you should get great service, the food should come out pretty fast, and it is not crazy. Usually Dave comes to the table and says hello. Give it a try on a slower night, I hope it is better. Sometime this week I will have dinner there and update this review. Dave
(4)
Sarah L.
I hate to give this place a ho-hum review, but that is the experience warranted. The food is just okay. We had chow mein (with the homemade noodles) and green onion pancake. Both were too salty (and I love salt) and just generally without a ton of flavor. The portions are enormous, so now I have a ton of leftovers that will probably just sit around in the fridge. Overall, I won't be back and I really don't understand the hype.
(2)
Bobby H.
This is by far the best Chinese food I have ever had. Keep in mind I've lived most my life in Washington so my taste may not be as versed but I love this place. My girlfriend and I ate in the first time and we got in without a reservation. We were so blown away by the General Tso's that we decided to have it delivered yesterday. The food showed up in less that 30 minutes and the Sesame Beef was just as good as the chicken (I prefer the sesame beef). Go here. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Kit K.
The food warrants about 3 stars, but overall they deserve 4 for putting up with my co-workers and I. : ) I've yet to go inside the actual restaurant, but my store has ordered delivery from them many times. The food is solid and hasn't been ever been a disappointment/cause to regret ordering. Plus, you get tons! We always have to split like 4 different orders on cards and their deliverers are always patient and nice; good customer service can really make a difference! Thanks Snappy Dragon : D
(4)
Rachel L.
Ok, some things I forgot to mention about how much I love Judy Fu's: - The lunch specials are an incredible value. Deliverable (within their radius) and delicious! - VEGETARIAN hot and sour soup!!! This is possibly one of my favorite things ever. - The guy who's somehow associated with the owner and has been there since at least the early 90s still does the dishes and runs deliveries when needed. It's the kind of place where management just steps in and does what's needed. Oh, and he also knows my name and remembers my high school boyfriend, even though I've never been THAT much of a regular.
(4)
Long P.
A favorite since college, and the best Chinese food in Seattle! Huge portions. Order the: -HAND-CUT NOODLES -MUSHU PORK
(4)
Katy H.
I went to Judy Foo's based on some great reviews I read online. Unfortunately, I felt a little misled. The food isn't terrible but I found it to be really mediocre. Growing up my family ate that the same Chinese Restaurant at least once a month. Whenever I fly home I make sure to go back there to get my fix. Upon reading about Judy Foo's I thought I might have found a WA state replacement for my Chinese food-fix but, boy I was wrong! The first time I went there I ordered the Ginger Beef (a favorite of mine) and the meat was GRAY! It didn't look like any other ginger beef I'd ever tried and upon tasting it I nearly spat it up. The rest of the food was decent but I wasn't really impressed. I still crave a yummy Chinese meal from time to time and have gone back a total of 3-4 times. (It's been about 3 months now and I don't think I'll go again.) Each time I find myself eating just because I'm hungry and I paid for the food.. not because it's really tasty. Overall the service is good, but I have yet to find a great place to feed my fix!
(3)
Greta P.
Snappy Dragon is the only good take-out close to my work (besides bar food), yet I've stuck pretty closely to a few key items. Yes, it's greasy. Get over it and enjoy it. I'm not sure if they still use MSG, but I always ask for my meal without it, and they always agree to do it. Now on to the good stuff... The hand rolled noodles are... well... while trying to think of a good adjective besides "delicious," I just started drooling. So cough up $1.25 more and get them! I usually get their special chow mein with hand rolled noodles. Yummmmmm. They also have a *really* good deal on lunch combos... Mongolian tofu is my favorite, though the spice level is sometimes unpredictable... adds a little interest to my day, right? But I usually get that, rice, egg roll, and wonton soup for like... $7 I think (you can check the menu). Cheapest thing in the area by far for me, since I can't leave work to pick anything up. Of my small group of acquaintances surveyed on the subject: You either love Snappy or you hate it. I guess I don't love it, but I'm definitely on the fan side.
(4)
Michelle d.
My boyfriend and I have walked in and had an "ok" experience with their food being edible with mistakes. But, we made an order for delivery tonight, and they took an hour and 15 mins to get to our apartment on the same street they are on. It takes us less them 5mins to drive there if we wanted to, we are that close. It is a Sunday night, not busy... they still had an hour before closing when we made our order... and it still took that long! Also, my boyfriend ordered chicken chow main, the chicken looked boiled gray and flavorless and was just tossed on top of the noodles as an after thought. He also got the BBQ pork, it was cold and just tossed into a box with ketchup and hot mustard. :-/ I had the Mongolian tofu, it was fine. But, seriously... We are pretty shocked, because we were going to get Rickshaw, and we decided... "nah, that place is soo cheesy, lets get snappy dragon." .. We actually regret our decision, because Rickshaw has -never, ever ever- messed up a single order or was ever late... and they are further away from us. yeah.
(2)
Elaine J.
So, I'm no expert on Chinese food but I really like this place. Anytime I'm craving chinese, they never let me down. I always get the chicken fried rice, mongolian beef, and...ugh! some kind of chicken, but anywho, it's always great and not too greasy. Just flavored right. Great sized portions too! I've never dined in so I'm not sure how great the service is but everything I get take-out, they are very polite and timely.
(3)
Industrial P.
Love eating here of having it delivered, the food can be made spicy! Also had a great GF menu and a full bar!
(5)
Carly W.
The dreshly made dumplings are awesome! Suggestion: I wish they would allow you to get 1/2 pork and 1/2 veggie so your table can try a variety. 80% of their dishes are awesome, the Mu Shu Pork is my favorite. The staff is always exceptional - friendly, patience, good menu suggestions and fast! Thank you Snappy Dragon!
(4)
erica r.
I'm really surprised by all of these bad reviews. I've been to the Snappy Dragon several times and have been pretty impressed. I don't know if the problem is inconsistency or just vastly different standards? This place is "American" Chinese food, so you should know that going in. But American Chinese can be great if that's what you're expecting. And I think this place does it really well. I love the fact that they have a separate veg menu that even lists which items have eggs. It's nice to be able to trust a Chinese restaurant to make real vegetarian food. And I also really like the fact that the food is tasty and veggies are fresh and it's not greasy. The place is always packed when I'm there, so there must be some other people who like it!
(4)
Ross Z.
This place was pretty bad. The duck tasted like it was cooked and salted to feed a family of Neanderthals through the rough winter months. I seriously think they accidentally forgot to add the flavor to our chow mein, which had potential to pass as food. The dumplings were made out of memory foam and the waitress was bland. Other than that it was pretty good. We gave our leftovers to a homeless guy, hopefully he could choke it down.
(2)
Drew W.
So I gave them a shot again about two months ago to see if there was any change. It pained me to give them two stars before but this time I will give them four. Their food quality has gone back up to what it use to be and we have been there about 6 times since my last review. I must say they really turned it around. I am munching on leftovers as I type this actually. Good work Snappy Dragon glad to see your back where you should be.
(4)
John P.
I've been coming to Judy Fu's for years, and it remains the best Chinese I've found in WA. The quality of the food is top-notch. The hand-cut noodles are always a treat, and we get dumplings every time because they are so well made and tasty. My favorite dishes here are the vegetarian fried rice (it's even better than the chicken fried rice!) and the curry chow fun (not sure if I'm spelling that right). The sesame beef is also delicious (even my 3 year old son loves it!). Can't say I've ever been disappointed here or had a bad dish. It's why, despite no longer living in Seattle, I go out of my way to eat here on a fairly consistent basis.
(5)
Gayle H.
We have been going to The Snappy Dragon for years with friends when they visit. We went in Feb with them and were disappointed in the peanut sauce - too thin, home made noodles - not many vegetables and the crispy fried eggplant was totally different this time - breading way too thick, not crispy. What has happened to this special restaurant?? We used to love it but are hesitant to try it again. We thought in Feb it was just a fluke but we went again in Sept and we had the same disappointing experience. Is it a new cook or are they skimping on ingredients to save on cost? Truely disappointing.
(2)
Rob M.
The is the most horrifically bad "Chinese food" place in the entire state of Washington. Now I am definitely not an "authentic" Chinese food snob, but even I found it inedible. Here was my order: Chow Mein with homemade noodles. It had no flavor and the noodles were... Lumpy. Yes lumpy! Thick, undercooked and doughy. Straight to the trash. General Tsao chicken. Again, flavorless, undercooked and mushy. Plus it was coated in a mystery sauce, the exact color of pink hi-lighter fluid. In the trash. Pork dumplings with peanut dipping sauce. Now really how can you screw that up, right? I got a HUGE tub full of peanut sauce. I was about to call them back and thank them for the insanely extra dipping sauce, but ask where the dumplings were, when I discovered, they were SUBMERGED in the "dipping" sauce! $60 of food all in the trash. I ordered a pizza. That's how bad it was.
(1)
Kevin C.
Judy Fu is certainly one snappy dragon. Lording over her kingdom of sauces, frozen dumplings, and kitschy merchandise, she clearly has a deft hand at growing the reach of her culinary empire. While those are all admirable achievements for what is clearly a thriving local business, the proof is in the dumpling (the Asian equivalent to pudding? perhaps...) and that's where Judy Fu seems to have lost control of her underworld beast. The jiao zi were clearly homemade (and I don't mean that pejoratively). The wrappers were of a nice consistency - they had body, but without being too much to chew on. The filling was bland and mild, but the pungent sauces covered that up in salty, fermented, soy-y blanket. I also got the lunch special (fried rice, BBQ pork, and chicken chow mein with housemade noodles). The waiter nearly toppled over while bringing the massive heap of food over to the table. The food was clearly more on the "quantity" side of things than the "quality." The hand-made noodles were again of a great texture. But practically everything else on the plate failed to awaken any taste sensation other than mildly salty and a tad greasy. I'm sorry Judy Fu, but maybe it's time to tame your dragon and get back in the kitchen.
(3)
jeff m.
When I entered this establishment I could almost TASTE the fear and anguish present in the main eating area. I slowly approached the host stand with trepidation. With my arms and legs coiled, ready to attack. I knew from the first time I set eyes on the hostess that she was not to be trifled with, and I also knew from the way she was flaring her nostrils that it was not going to be a walk in the park to secure a table. I quickly gave my fiance a sidelong look, indicating a warning, and she slowly backed out of the restaurant and returned to the car. I immediately returned my gaze to the hostess, who attempted to distract me with her long black hair. "Smoking, or non?" she said, as her black hair undraped itself from her shoudlers. "Ah ha!" I thought, clearly this was a trick question meant to distract me! I pretended to contemplate this fallacy while NEVER LETTING MY EYES MOVE from her hands. And without fail, she moved one hand (which was holding a credit card book) over her pocket while her OTHER HAND reached inside! Probably to obtain a knife or single shot revolver! Well my dear and quick witted friends, I was not the kind of dude who was going to go down in a Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, without a fight! You will not strip the life from my living corpse like one would strip candy from a baby! As soon as I saw her hand dip into her pocket, I LUNGED FORWARD AND HEADBUTTED HER AS HARD AS I COULD. Another silent, or hidden (through a cloaking field perhaps) assailant switched off the lights as soon as I made contact with her forehead, and the restaurant was suddenly pitch black! When the lights were off, I heard the scampering of millions of pairs of little feet, as if tiny humanoids were running about the restaurant, attempting to encircle me. "WHAT TREACHERY!", i gritted through my gritted teeth. Thinking quickly, I pulled out a grenade and threw the pin on the ground, and quickly swallowed it, to prevent the dastardly gnomes from putting the pin, or some other small metallic item, back into the pin hole of the grenade. "THE GRENADES IN MY BELLY NOW! YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!" And with that, the lights immediately turned back on, and it was like nothing had happened. I can only assume the gnomes knew that I had bested them, so they retreated as quickly as their intense onslaught began. As for the matter of a live grenade in my belly, I can assure you, that I am completely fine, as I still had the prescence of mind to move (quickly, and quietly, while watching my back, in case of a gnome counter attack) towards the kitchen area, where a skilled chef was able to use a sharp knife to remove the grenade before the timer went off and it exploded. I was then sewn up with catgut. I then sat down to a meal of hotdogs and chicken fried rice. I would have given this restaurant 5 stars, but I was never able to determine if the hostess was a gnome-human genetically altered hyrbid (who was clearly employed by the gnomes), or, if the hostess was merely a gnome riding within a human-looking battle suit (one should never doubt the mechanical prowess that gnomes are capable of, i'm certain they have made advances in cybernetics that would make even darpa blush with envy). I was also able to use my credit card here which was nice because I enjoy collecting cash back rewards. Which I hoard.
(4)
Anthony L.
Been going to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon for over a decade and continue to enjoy the westernized style of Chinese food they serve. Being of Chinese background I have eaten Chinese food my entire life and have had some of the best (in my opinion) Chinese food in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Vancouver, BC. As such I believe my opinion is credible compared to the multitude of other posers with the super negative reviews on Yelp pretending to know what the F*** they're talking about. This place is great for what it is which is western style Chinese food that is tasty, approachable, and comes in large portions. The food here is always hot and fresh and the dumplings and noodles are wonderful. Szechuan beef us also worth ordering consistently. Service is great for the most part and the hot sauce really adds some nice kick when you need it. I'll admit that the restaurant itself is meager in decor and probably needs a move or major overhaul/remodel, but the portions and quality are decent enough to keep bringing back the crowds. Best Chinese food in the land? Probably not. But for what they do it is deserving of at least 3.5 to 4 stars in my book.
(4)
Super M.
Ok, so I'm beginning to think that Chinese food is best when you're hungover, and all you want is greasy food to cure said drunken episodes... The taste of the Mongolian Tofu was fantastic, 4 stars is sufficiently hot (but I wouldn't consider it a 4 star, or else my taste buds have been killed, quite possible, actually, but I digress), however, it was WAAAAAAAYYYY too greasy. The veggie fried rice was pretty decent, I liked the plethora of vegetables (and their array as well). In short, cheap(er, there's no such thing as cheap in Seattle) chinese food,close to home. I bet I'll give it 5 stars when I order it after a night of too many tequilas... Cinco de Mayo, here you come?
(3)
Bob R.
A friend and I went last week for the first time. First, the place smells like a dive bar - stale cigarette smoke and puke smells embedded in the ratty carpet and furniture. The overall appearance is one of filth. And in fact, we each had dirty plates and my friend had a tea cup encrusted with - well, some kind of slime. The menu brags that everything is made in-house. But not the gyoza we found out (so much for everything), and though large, they were awful. Gyoza should have thin tender wonton shell. These were thick and tough. Awful. As for the rest of our meals - if you think salty = flavorful, you'll probably like it here. But there was nothing refined or subtle about anything at this dump. We'll never return. Oh yeah, very pricey too.
(1)
Jane D.
I just ordered take out from Judy Fu's Sanppy Dragon for the first time. There were no veggies in the sprimp & vegetable chow muck and they forgot the hoisen and mu shu wraps. So lame... not tasty and the vegetable spring roll are really just cabbage deep fried in an egg roll wraps (very greasy). Even the fortune was bad. Never again FU! I dont even yelp often but geez you people should know!
(1)
Natalie W.
Lots and lots and lots and lots of mixed reviews- I get it... but... had to try it anyway- It was on my list :) Judy Fu's website makes it super easy to order and figure it all out. The time quote for pick up was reasonable. It was cool to walk in for my takeout and seeing Mama Fu at her stand making dumpling. The restaurant itself was cleaner and newer then I expected and the staff was nice. Our order of Chicken and Vegetables with Black Bean Sauce and Veggie Chow Mien took up a huge grocery bag. The pricing was a couple dollars higher then most and they charged extra for the homemade noodle. The tab was still less per person then really going to eat out and I found that there is lots of leftovers for lunch or a repeat dinner. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised a how tasty my meal was. I am not a huge fan of chicken, but the chicken from Judy Fu's was lean, white, and seemed to be pulled from a actual chicken into great bite-able chunks. When I went back for seconds of the entree I was splitting (huge portions) I got meat with my repeat load of veggies and that never happens. The veggies in both the Chow Mien and the Chicken were large, plentiful, and crisp tender. Broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms, spinach, green onions, etc. The homemade noodles in the Chow Mien are addictive- There was more then enough (half the carton left) and only two of us dining. Both dishes we ordered had clear flavors. The Black Bean Sauce wasn't what I expected but it was tasty. I grew up on Safeway Chinese food- Judy Fu's was nothing like that- not even the same class. I now have a a place to compare all other Chinese food to.
(4)
Erin B.
Judy Fu's is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The Snappy Dragon fried rice and General T so's chicken are my personal favorites :) Whether eating in or getting it to go, you are guaranteed a fresh order full of flavor. My only complaint is that when getting delivery, they are often much later than they say they will be, and sometimes your food is a little on the cold side. When dining in, the atmosphere is very nice and warm, and depending on how busy they are, you get your meal promptly. While waiting, you can enjoy one of many appetizers, and sip on the piping hot tea. This place is a must for this crazy cold weather!
(4)
Arlana J.
Been going there since 1993. Huge fan. David, Judy's son, always takes care of us and he really appreciates our business. We aren't anyone special -- He just cares about people, so if anything isn't up to your expectation - just tell him. Our family favorites are the pork dumplings (jiao-zing), special handmade noodle chow mein, and hot sour soup. Also has a huge gluten free menu of yum. We travel an hour for our Chinese food - won't eat anywhere else.
(5)
Joy M.
Better than a lot of Chinese food in North Seattle. Large portions and our go to dishes include fried rice and mu shu chicken. Sad that we don't live in their delivery area any more and now have to go get takeout.
(4)
Diane T.
If I was on death row and they asked what I would like my last meal to be, I would say Judy Fu's: Pan Browned Potstickers Green Onion Pancake *Chicken in Black Bean Sauce with Onion Dry Sauted String Beans with Almonds Judy's homemade noodles with vegetables YUM! Great for takeout or eat-in. Also cool for kids.
(5)
Mimi P.
Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is darned good food! How good is it? It's so good that even though we live outside their delivery area I will call an order in and drive down to get it. Things that are fantastic: Potstickers Handmade chow mein noodles Things I still need to try: Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) Whenever I get a serious Chinese food craving that there is no other remedy for I head for the Snappy Dragon. The people who work there have always been really nice and the service is pretty good. I do have to contradict another reviewer, however. My husband wanted a dish with 10 stars or some other silliness. When he got the dish he was disappointed because even though there were a lot of peppers in it they were the kind usually found in Kung Pao dishes so it didn't really make it very spicy. Anyway, this is a fantastic place and I definitely urge you to check it out!
(5)
Bob S.
My wife and I had to try this place. I've read a few good reviews and had a friend say it was good. In brief, the food was average. The service was uninspiring. The leftovers were inedible the next day (noodles were oily and soggy upon hitting our plate). While I'll admit Chinese cuisine isn't my favorite, this experience was particularly poor. We live walking distance to the Snappy Dragon, and I won't be going back. My wife's review is much more harsh than mine. Update: Upgraded to 3 stars. We've done takeout a number of times, and the pork dumplings are all-stars. A few of the other dishes are also much improved over our first go. We've never had a great experience in restaurant, but ordering to-go or delivery seems to be the trick!
(3)
Amy W.
I've only had delivery from Snappy Dragon, so this review is only based on that. I used to think I really liked Snappy Dragon, but I think it was more excited that some place other than pizza actually delivered to my house. Somehow, there's nothing better than knowing that food will come to my house and I can watch movies and be generally lazy on a Friday night. I'm so cool. Anyways, to the food. The homemade noodles are like nothing I've had before... and the more I think about it, I think they are the only thing I truly love on the menu. I've had some other things that are decent, but it never made me fall head over heels. The chicken in black bean sauce could have been it, if it hadn't been mostly onions. The crispy eggplant dish tricks me into thinking I'll really like it, but then it's this weird breaded eggplant in a freaky red sauce. Then, it sits in my fridge for a while, guilting me for spending my precious grad school money on it. The hunan pork that we got last time would have been really good if it had not been so absurdly hot and spicy. And I like spicy food! The delivery has always been prompt and nice - maybe it's an expectation game. They tell me it'll take X amount of time, and it's almost always X/2. The chopsticks that come with the delivery are very nice and they throw in fortune cookies for free. Score. I'll probably keep ordering from Snappy Dragon for the convenience, but now that I've realized that they aren't the "one," I may just order pints of the noodles and save my other calories for Jack's Tapas.
(3)
Brian N.
crappy dragon! i can't believe i ate here. i wish i could go back in time and choose any other Chinese food place.
(1)
Kim C.
Snappy Dragon is an odd beast; you either love it, or hate it. I fall somewhere in the middle, and can see both plusses and minuses. Plus: -delivers -isn't completely nasty -decent quality -chicken isn't fatty and disgusting Minus: -quite expensive for what it is -boring sauces -dry meat -poor quality lunch combos Snappy Dragon has a large menu, but is quite expensive for what it is. For example, it's hard to find an appetizer under 8 dollars, and that's a problem with me for chinese food. Chicken entrees (and even tofu) averages at around 10 dollars, minimum. You can't order half sizes of fried rice, or small portions of most things. The food is very hit or miss, but mostly miss for me. The chicken meat is very lean and non fatty, but it also has the misfortune of being very dry and lifeless. Have you ever cooked chicken in a slow cooker? You know how near the end of the cooking time, the chicken falls apart? (like enchilada meat). Now imagine that, in every chicken dish at Snappy Dragon. Uninspiring sauces cover the bland meat. The famous "home made noodles" were incredibly disappointing to me, and like the chicken, were very dry. They are thick and chewy, yes, but there also is almost NO sauce on them (just a very light soy sauce); I mean, seriously... imagine eating a bunch of soy sauce flavored playdoh... there's about that much flavor. The fried rice is the only thing I really like, but unfortunately you SHOULD NOT get it with the lunch combos; the quality difference is staggering. If I order a full sized portion, the rice is still chewy but not sticky, the flavor comes across nicely, etc. Whenever I get a lunch combo with the rice, however, it 100% of the time is a sticky gluey mess with an odd flavor. Maybe it's made in bulk and sits around too long? Who knows. Snappy Dragon delivers, which is great, but isn't overall anything special. One thing to note is that the delivery service is really hit or miss. I recall one night when I had no food in the house and was desperate for anything, so I called up Snappy Dragon about 30 minutes before closing. And guess what? The food NEVER ARRIVED. Wow. Delivery usually takes minimum of an hour, as well. Decent, but definitely doesn't live up to the hype.
(3)
Naomi B.
Order the homemade noodles! They are delicious! Judy Fu's has big portions and tasty food! It's one of my favorite Chinese places in Seattle.
(5)
Alexis A.
I had some of the best soup today. We ordered hot & sour but they brought wonton soup (which I am not a big fan) However, the wonton soup looked so yummy I kept it - three wontons in a gorgeous brown broth and lots of scallions. Three - that is a meal in itself! My friend asked for the hot & sour and I'm glad he did - it was just as tasty. My lunch fare was ok - I got a rather boring dish but my friend (a local) got the homemade noodles and a plate of fresh veggies and seafood. It was all good.
(4)
erfon h.
I had high expectations about this place after hearing some good things from a friend. The food isn't terrible, it's just bland. I had the mongolian beef lunch special. The beef they used was of low quality, tasted like it was slathered in teriyaki sauce and was waaay too salty (and I love salt). The spring roll was extremely chewy and tough, I felt like it was stuffed with old cardboard. The fried rice was underdone and a bit crunchy. The hot and sour soup was actually pretty good. Overall, glad I tried it, but will definitely not be going back.
(2)
Rachel W.
I've started to become a bit disappointed with Snappy Dragon lately. I definitely still love it, but the food has really gone down hill. Everything is SO salty! I miss how delicious it used to be. I've been going here for years and years with my family and just within the last year or two the quality of the food has really changed. I order the same items each time: If I'm with a party I'll get the Jao Zi (not totally sure on the spelling) they're these yummy little homemade pot stickers you can watch being made if you get seated in a certain room and they come with this delicious dipping sauce. These are still good and worth ordering in my opinion. If I'm just with my boyfriend I'll usually get the Won ton Soup instead. It's good, pretty average for Wonton Soup. I used to get the Sesame beef, although I'm not sure if I'll be ordering it anymore. I'm not one for fried food covered in a sauce, but this used to be truly delicious. Now, though, the pieces of beef aren't delicious and crispy, but squishy and chewy. =[ I'm very sad, I used to LOVE this dish. Maybe I'll try ordering it again in hopes that it's gotten crispy again. I also always get the chicken chowmein with homemade noodles. Their homemade noodles are incredible and the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. They have gotten quite salty, but I still love them. The chicken is kind of gross in it, maybe I should start getting a different meat. I love love love their garlic green beans. They're incredible. I get them with extra garlic. Kind of spicy but oh so good. I also order rice, it's the same rice you would get from anywhere, of course. I've tried quite a few other dishes but these ones are my regulars. I wish they'd just lay off the salt and make their sesame beef crispy again and then this would be my favorite once again.
(4)
Susan B.
Honestly if we could rate this under 1 star we would. This had to be the worst dinner we have ever had. First the service was horrible. We waited forever to be served and other people were also asking if they could get served. Why would this place get rated this high. I happened to see that it was rated # 1 on Best of King 5" and that is why we went. It took a good 15 minutes before they even took a drink order then the drinks arrived with no alcohol. Mine was supposed to be Mai Tai. I think it was a Shirley Temple and I am not even a drinker. Then my husbands was a whiskey and coke and it was all coke. The one thing that was good was the barbecued pork. But then the dinner arrived. We ordered the Generals Chicken. Absolutely the worst. They were these really large pieces of mystery meat. I couldnt even eat it nor could my husband. Then the sweet and sour pork was so grissly I couldnt eat that either. Then the almond fried chicken was in this real heavy sauce so it was completely drenched. It was just completely awful. So the waiter came by awhile later and asked how things were. I told him the dishes were bad. He credited us for the Generals but that was it. The moral to this story if you want really good chinese food head to PF Changs.
(1)
David W.
I LLLLLOVE this place. Often when I think of Chinese food I think heavy and fried with thick sauces and lots of oil.... This is fresh and interesting. I love the tang in the Cranberry Chicken... and the food is just.... well... This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants period.
(5)
Georgie R.
If I could give zero stars I would. We've ordered take-out twice from Snappy Dragon and both times the food was inedible. The first time it was way too salty and the second time it was not only salty but tasted awful as well. After a couple of bites we threw the food away. Never ordering from here again.
(1)
Sam H.
I would pretty much go here for the homemade noodles. They are thick, fettucine-sized, irregular noodles. Not greasy, with a strongly soy sauced flavoring. Everything is pretty good here, but it was a bit loud for me. My toddler son liked the fortune cookie and the rice quite a bit. Apparently, the spiciness is pretty hot here, but I didn't get burned by it. It didn't seem any spicier than 3 star Thai. If I lived over in maple leaf, it would probably be a regular place for me to stop for takeout, but I don't think I'd sit down very often.
(4)
Travis M.
I don't understand why this place only has a three star average. I think the food is excellent, have never had to wait more than ten minutes to sit down even when it's slammed and they make their noodles and sauces in house. I especially like the dumplings, and the salt and pepper shrimp is awesome. Best chinese food i've had outside the international district.
(5)
Elizabeth D.
If you are looking for an affordable, quality Chinese restaurant, with quality and convenience. We just ate at the infamous Snappy Dragon where we frequently visit and we were amazed once again. By their service, the sexiest waiter in town (Sano), crystal prawns, fried rice, and drinks that will knock ur socks off :-) Judy Fu was kind enough to take a picture with us in between the spectacular dumpling making. The staff has been consistantly working their since the beginning. Judy Fu is always there to meet customers and cook them food. Her son, Dave, is more than kind gracious with his service. He always remembers us and asks how we are doing since we always drive down from Bellingham to visit Sano and Snappy. Heaven on a Thursday to say the least. Go there! You will not be disappointed. xoxoxoxo
(5)
Joel M.
I've been heading to Snappy since it opened, after following Judy Fu from the old Panda's in Wedgwood (now the mediocre Black Pearl). For Chinese comfort food, this is my go-to place. It's not super authentic, (I've eaten my way through Asia) but how many people in NE Seattle want stinky tofu anyway? Judy just knows how to make your stomach feel at home. After 20 plus years of eating her food, here is what you order: Szechuan Noodles: Best noodle soup in the city. Her homemade noodles in a rich spicy broth, with little bits or porky goodness mixed with the salty tang of pickled Chinese vegetables and scallions. This is what I followed from Pandas. Green Onion Pancakes: a great foil for the noodles. Sweet and salty doughy pancakes. Amazing for the first 5 minutes they are on your table, then they harden. Not to be ordered to go. Hunan Pork: Spicy black bean pork dish. Great with any meal, then take it home and eat it on top of hot white rice for days. mmmmmm. Salt and pepper wings and / or prawns. Sometimes a little too salty, but if you want salt and some damn good chicken or prawns so hot out of the fryer they don't need to be peeled? Order this. Everything else is good enough to throw together an outstanding meal, but these basics really set this place apart. GET THE NOODLES!
(5)
Greg E.
I LOVE IT!!! You must try the pork potstickers they are my favorite of any potsticker I have every had! You can order any dish you like, they are all very good from what I've had on the menu (I tend to go with the Mongolian Beef most of the time however). You MUST, and I repeat MUST order the hand made noodles, they are what this place is all about. I usually put a serving on my plate with my main dish and mix the sauce and spices from my beef together with the noodles. They are a real treat!!! Enjoy!
(5)
Sarah S.
I have no idea why everyone hasn't been giving Snappy Dragon a 5. Don't blame Judy Fu that you don't know what to order! My friends and I love going here...definitely one of our default locations. If you go, get the Happy Family with the homemade noodles. 1 order could probably serve 3 people. (Though we love everything there so much we order multiple things.) Highly recommended!
(5)
David F.
I've been to snappy dragon three times and once for take-out. Even though I want to like it more, I have to give it low ratings. Every time I've had good things and others not so good: the mu shu is tasty, but the pancakes are thick and break apart; the homemade pork dumplings are good, but the vegi version is just awful--a bunch of dough wrapped around a piece of cabbage. I had a black bean dish that was way too salty, you couldn't eat it. I had the chow mein, both with homemade and regular noodles. I preferred the regular ones--they were thin, not what I'm used to, but they were very good. Only thing is, I got them to go and the paper box they put them in fell apart before I got home. I'd go back, but I'm not as thrilled as I used to be about this place. The service can be spotty: last time my friend and I got there when it was empty, but it ended up a few tables around us got served before we did.
(1)
Jeffrey H.
Favorite takeout place.
(5)
Juliette K.
So upon reading yelp reviews about Snappy Dragon, my boyfriend and I decided to give this restaurant a try. I don't know if we went on an "off" day or not, but I honestly felt like I could've gotten a lot more out of Panda Express. We came here for lunch and while the combos and portion sizes were generous and nice...I would definitely choose quality over quantity. The wonton soup was salty and the wonton skin tasted uncooked. The hot and sour soup was too sour and bit too spicy for the like. I ordered the chicken chow mein with homemade egg noodles (since the restaurant is known for the noodles) with fried rice and barbeque pork. My noodles were definitely undercooked and very....lumpy. It was more of a dumpling than noodle. Fried rice was good, but honestly you can't really mess up on fried rice. The barbeque pork was cold and the sauces that came with it were ketchup, hot mustard, and just sesame seeds. I didn't know ketchup was eaten with barbeque pork. My boyfriend's sweet and sour chicken was overcooked, generic americanized sweet and sour sauce, and kind of falling apart from excessive breading. I dont know why yelpers are raving about this place, but I definitely recommend going to Chiangs or even driving down to china town for good chinese food.
(2)
Claire T.
I live on Capitol Hill, yet drive all the way up to Maple Leaf to pick up my take out from Judy Fu Snappy Dragon. It is that good. Yes, there are Chinese restaurants with takeout closer to my house, but Judy Fu is the one I crave. I know that the trek is not very eco-friendly, and, Al Gore, I swear I'm sorry, but you'd make the drive too.
(5)
Claire M.
What's all the hype with this place??? The food is always bland and overpriced. Not to mention you have to request no MSG, blah.......when I lived over there we would order from them because they deliver and are pretty quick about it.
(2)
Katelyn A.
This place is awesome! The service was impeccable, my glass was always promptly refilled, even by the server who was not helping our table. The five star spice is actually spicy! I ordered the sezchuan chicken which had lots of yummy veggies in it and also sampled some of my friend's kung pau. Walked away fat and happy from the snappy dragon.
(5)
Nina W.
The pork potstickers are SO good!! The veggie ones, well id pass, unless you like that faint flavor of hay (no lie.) the homemade noodles are also tasty but i was not impressed with their sweet and sour. There are better places in seattle for chinese food, but Judy Fu's is worth a stop if you love dumplings and you dont want to travel to the ID to get them.
(3)
Angie Q.
The only reason I ordered from this place is because it is the only Chinese restaurant that delivered in the area. The food is good albeit Americanized but still yummy. I ordered the duck which had barely any meat. The service was interesting though. There was some miscommunication over whether they would deliver to us. The man who answered the phone was very stern when saying he wouldn't deliver to our side of 65th... but then abruptly changed his mind after speaking to his manager..? Nonetheless, he was a bit rude.
(3)
Alice H.
I live in Maple Leaf, just down the street and THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLY OVER RATED. I go when I want something close. But don't order take out because THEY TAKE FOREVER. Some dishes are good but you really have to know what to order as it is spotty. There are much better places to go and it mystifies me why people think this place is so good.
(2)
Michelle M.
My absolute FAVORITE Chinese place in Seattle. I swear the Hot and Sour soup cures colds. Just the thought of the homemade noodles makes me salivate like Pavlov's dogs. The service is excellent Judy Fu, thank you!
(5)
Sharon H.
Well, living nearby, we have given this a try about 4 times in the last 14 years. I guess we just allowed enough years to pass each time, that we forgot... I just agree with all of the other 1 star reviews. I don't "get it". The food is beyond Americanized. There is no flavor- wait - I take that back. There is ONE flavor, and that is why my husband and I will forever refer to this place as "Salty Dragon".
(1)
Sue J.
Love love love snappy dragon! I'm originally from Seattle but have lived in NYC for the past six years. Every single time I'm back in town I make a stop into Snappy Dragon. Great food, portions, prices, service and owners.
(5)
Nina N.
service = 2 stars... they asked us if we knew what we wanted to order when we sat down... uhmm can I look at the menu first??what's the rush??? our food = 3 stars somebody else's food in the restaurant = 4 stars.... I hate it when you are overwhelmed with so many items to choose from and the server doesn't know what is good... hmmm interesting... well I ordered the dumplings.. half pan fried, and half boiled.... damn it.. it tasted ok but not juicy and homemade like what I am used to.. so booo on that.. it just tasted like a dumpling that came out of a bag, you know the one you can buy at ranch 99 lol.. bad news bears..... the mongolian chicken which she said was the better item on the menu turned out to be sweet and not spicy... and the egg roll was really oily and not flavorful..... and the fried rice is just fried rice.. nothing too special.. all in all it wasn't bad, but not all the rave.. however, the people next to us had homemade chow mein and sweet and sour chicken that looked sooooo good..... so I might give them another try... maybe I just got the wrong thing... I hate that .. but I will try again because I can't really pass it up that fast right?......
(3)
Yoshi S.
loved the Chow Mein and Mongolian Beef
(5)
Cameron J.
This place is delicious, I have been eating there since it opened and if you want fresh ingredients and home made noodles dumplings and sauces then eat it up!!!!! The owner is super friendly and I love the atmosphere despite the fact that we normally get take out. This food is great whether you eat in on your couch or at the spot. Hands down best Chinese I've had in Seattle!!!
(5)
Toby S.
Ordered delivery at 4p.m. ...when food still was not delivered at 5:30, I called and told them to keep it...nothing they serve is that good!
(1)
t t.
Disappointing - not authentic at all. Out of the 2 dishes we ordered, 1 was pretty good, the other did not even resemble the real version of the dish. Cozy atmosphere & delivery are pluses, but the food won't have us going back.
(2)
Karen G.
I love this place and so do my kids! We have eaten here several times and everything has been amazing. The asparagus with black beans is so tasty and the wonton soup is delicious. The staff is always great and the food is served hot and fresh. The decor is typical of most casual Chinese places, but the food is great. We go out of our way to eat here and can't wait to get back!
(5)
Amber H.
I really enjoy this place! I get major cravings for their homemade snappy dragon noodles. We've taken several people here and all have enjoyed it. We sent some vegetarian friends here, who discovered that they have a full vegetarian menu and will make food without MSG. They also got to know the owner, who is a sweet man who really cares that his customers are happy. Another time we came with my FIL, who doesn't like sweet meat, and were able to order several spicy savory dishes that everybody liked. This has definitely become one of our go-to places.
(4)
Brina S.
Mu Goo Gai Pan is bomb! Goes really great with a side of brown rice. My boyfriend got pork chow mein with the homemade noodles, also bomb. We have tons of leftovers so that made it even more worth the already reasonable price. The staff is really friendly and our food came up really fast - there were plenty of people there, but it wasn't too packed. Highly recommended!!
(5)
S And A D.
Homemade dumplings are fantastic.
(3)
Peter G.
Yummy Eat there
(4)
Ali L.
My boyfriend and I took away one thing from this restaurant: a name to describe ourselves when we're angry. i.e "You're being a snappy dragon, Ali" Seriously, that's how annoyed we were with this place, especially since it continues to get good reviews. Maybe we just don't get it or maybe we're just snappy dragons.
(1)
Beck N.
The waitstaff was fairly accommodating since we came in shortly before close... I still find it strange that some place would close so early on a weekend. Anyways, the food was pretty decent -- nothing super authentic or overly fried...which is very good.
(2)
Bran L.
Great food, mediocre service. But again, great food, which is what makes Snappy Dragon so popular, I'd guess...
(3)
Sambucus R.
I used to eat Chinese food a lot when I lived on the east coast. I haven't in a few years, until I recently discovered this place pretty close to my house. In general, I only sort of like Chinese food. And Snappy Dragon is only okay. It has a few things going for it. Folks were nice, it was fast, they have a good number of vegetarian options, the decor is nice (if a little cramped). But the food is a little on the bland side, and the flavor is one of the main things I like about food. Except the green beans. Those were good.
(3)
Barbara M.
Not good, slow service and medicore food quality. Very disappointing, there is much better Chinese fare in Seattle. Eat somewhere else.
(2)
Calen K.
Decent delivery chinese. I remembered really liking this place years ago but my most recent experience didn't live up. The menu isn't terribly interesting but the dishes taste fine. I'll have to try the house noodles again, maybe that's what I remember (or obviously don't remember) liking, but not having done so all I can give Snappy Dragon is a ho-hum.
(3)
Emily M.
I love this place! We just discovered it the other month and have returned three times- the seafood clay pot stew, the dumplings, the mu shu, the noddle...mmmmm all so good. And we love that the owner is always there and is so nice. It feels great to support their family and the high quality food they cook. I am really surprised that this restaurant only has 3 stars...but I guess with hundreds of reviews, you are bound to disappoint some people. I give this place 5 stars without hesitation- it is truely as good as it gets.
(5)
Andrew K.
This places touches the heart of my Seattle friends who know and love Chinese food. Everything on the menu was appetizing. Awesome homemade noodles and dumplings and yummy sauces, and fresh veggies, including asparagus sated my palate. The meat (prawns and chicken) was tasty and good quality. All of this consuming occurred in a cute little house in a great little hood. Spiced well. Yummers.
(5)
luvtotravel J.
Holy handmade dumplings! How can anyone give this place less than 5 stars. Snappy's - I love you! Very good food - I've had it all since I've been coming to this place for years. I love love LUUUVVE their: onion pancakes, handmade dumplings, chicken fried rice, mongolian beef, szechuan garlic chicken and so much more Their lunches are UNBEATABLE! What a great deal - you get eggroll or bbq pork, soup, main dish and a fortune cookie - all for a very reasonable low price. My favorite on the lunch menu is the shrimp and broccoli in garlic sauce. I must admit that sometimes(1out of25 times) the food is inconsistent and so is the wait staff. Most of the time they have FANTASTIC staff but on a randomly unlucky night you get the slow girl who never comes to your table - sigh! Sometimes on an unlucky weekday afternoon you get the leftovers from last night in your lunch - yuck Parking is a pain in the behind! Overall a great deal and a great place!
(5)
Anne B.
This place sucks! I tired to order delivery through these people and they told me simply 'I'm sorry we're too busy' ARE YOU SERIOUS? I had delivery from you just last week and now you're too busy??? Whatever never going here again!
(1)
Melanie W.
It is a real comment on the Seattle Chinese food scene when people say that the food here is good. It's ok; it's not good. I have eaten here twice, and I don't think there will be a third time. In general, the food lacks flavor. The hand shaved noodles are too doughy and the flavor, when stir fried, is not that great. If you want amazing hand shaved noodles, in the same general area, try Jack's on the Ave. The food there is great!
(2)
Chen Y.
I haven't been here for a long time, but the one time I went there, it was rather ordinary. I really don't know what the hype is about. There's not much to say about it aside from that. There are much better Chinese places in Seattle to choose from, everyone!
(1)
Steve G.
If I had rated this place the first time I went it would have been five stars for sure. The last couple of time it was still good, but not as exciting as the first. When I go back home to Seattle to see the 'rents and I'm in the mood for some Chinese I head here or The Black Pearl.
(4)
Cara C.
This is the best Chinese food I have had outside of China! I love Judy Fu's kong pao chicken - made with shreaded chicken rather than little chunks ("ding") of chicken. The veggie jiaozi are out of this world! As are the homemade chow mein noodles. The sauces are for sale at the restaurant - I recommend buying some to take home...
(5)
Anne C.
I've been to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon several times with friends who love this restaurant. I find their food overly greasy. Even their homemade noodles are too greasy for me to enjoy their homemade flavors. The staff is friendly, and it's a good location - but the food really makes this place a 1-star restaurant for me.
(1)
Joel D.
decent chinese for the seattle area. being a former east coaster- i'm kinda spoiled having had some good chinese more readily available.
(4)
Robyn H.
Local favorite with the Maple Leaf neighborhood as well as most folks in the north end. Anyone who has their own line of tasty Chinese sauces for taking home, must be doing something right. There is a constant stream of take-out orders heading out the door while those with a bit more time can have a relaxed dinner and enjoy the delicious scents that drift from the kitchen.
(4)
Brent A.
Ah. Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. Like many other Maple Leaf/Wedgwood residents, you probably have their number programmed into speed dial on your home or cell phone. My wife and I love to call in an order, grab a couple movies from Reckless Video, and chill out at home. Judy Fu's won ton soup is among the best I've had. Ditto the kung pao chicken, fried rice, and homemade chow mein noodles. I don't think you can go wrong here.
(5)
Gloria C.
Only went once while visiting Seattle. We don't live anywhere near enough (that would be BOISE) to go twice a month, which is the sort of rotation this place would get (we do eat out usually 3x/week). I also don't usually seem to like Chinese-style food, and there's not a place nearby that is very tasty. However, when the sister said, this Chinese place, it's good, I said, ok, would be nice to have tasty Chinese food, and obviously it's not going to be in Boise, so let us take this chance. Oh yes! Very tasty. The handmade noodles, dressed only in oil (I believe, or maybe a little rice vinegar) were so tasty I was fighting the kids for them, though they weren't nearly as good once they cooled down - congealed. The dumplings were very fresh tasting, surprise, the guy's over there making them. Nothing frozen there! As such, not the typical Chinese 'taste' I'm used to, which tends to rely on salt and grease for flavor. We ordered a number of dishes, whose names I completely forget, and I tried most of them, and was happy with each of them. Each seemed to have it's own distinctly flavored sauce. Service fine, wait ok, especially with our large party, but it was way too cold to wait outside, so many were crammed in the vestibule.
(4)
L.J. M.
The food is good- but not worth the $75 plus that we spend feeding our family of four adults- yes, we over ordered and had leftovers a couple of times but DAMN- $75 for takeout Chinese? and no, it wasn't worth it- it's good but not the best.
(2)
Vicki H.
The best thing about this restaurant is that they deliver. Food is mediocre.
(2)
Peequi P.
The food here is terrible and I am really surprised about the popularity of this place. I think Snappy Dragon might be a good place to go if you like Americanized Chinese food, but if you are Asian or just looking for some really authentic Chinese food, go elsewhere.
(1)
Russell L.
Seriously, I've boycotted this place. Too many incidents of bad service and awful food. I call this place "Crappy Dragon" ;) The dumplings have too much dough and chow mein shouldn't be so bland and should not have a pool of sauce at the bottom of the plate, sheesh.
(1)
Eric S.
the dumplings and hot and sour soup are very hard to beat. great noodles, too. some dishes lack a strong, bold flavor, but everything was fresh and healthy. the owner is nice and really cares. go when it is not crowded to get seated quickly.....service can be spotty.....they encourage bicycling to their restaurant.
(4)
Ass Man Z.
Take it from a Jew...this is good Chinese food! I've had better and certainly more authentic (i.e. chicken feet!) , but you really can't go wrong here, folks!
(4)
Michelle C.
This place is tasty and affordable! I like most Chinese food, but I have a finicky stomach. Judy Fu's food isn't too oily and so it doesn't upset my tummy. Great selection of food if you're a meat-eater or vegetarian. Definitely give it a try!
(4)
G. G.
This place sucks. I have never had a good experience there, and I've gone a few times over the years. The food is underwhelming, and they pack you in tight. Tonight we went (a Sunday) and it was totally packed, full of families and their babies and crying children. We ordered the veggie potstickers tonight, which sound like they would be good. It was basically dough with some spinach in it, which kind of tasted like tea leaves. I ordered the mongolian tofu, hoping for lots of the noodles with some small tofu on top. It is actually just a big plate of big cubes of tofu with a few noodles under neath drenched in a pool of soysauce. I think there is a reason they provide so many sauce options --the food needs it. There is one good server, and he is excellent. The rest of the staff look like tweens off the street that need some cash from busing tables. They are wearing tee shirts, jeans, and chuck taylors. NOT a good date place. You can pretty much wear whatever you rolled out of bed in. The attire is lower than casual. I saw ONE Asian couple there. Everyone else is Caucasian, working and otherwise.
(1)
J C.
The Snappy Dragon is good Chinese food all around. It is a little pricey and honestly I don't understand why as it seems to be comparable to other Chinese food I've ordered in the city. But you can't go wrong here. Be careful when you specify how hot you want your orders as I've ordered food that I was so hot I couldn'tt stand it thinking that a 3 was "average heat". They do have dine in which is nice and the restaurant is usually full.
(3)
Nourisha W.
so i made a trip to snappy dragon in hopes of discovering good chinese food in this very asian friendly city. it was good but no where near what i was expecting. maybe seattle just doesn't know how to do good chinese food. i don't know. but for the record, those salt and pepper wings were fire.
(3)
Tarewyn M.
yum! Homemade noodles, crispy fried string beans ( curiously not crispy but yummy all the same) hand made dumpling! The best in the northend!
(5)
Christy X.
We used to order take out from here once a week - really enjoyed the wontons in spicy peanut sauce and kung pao chicken. But in the last few months, it's gone downhill. The wontons in peanut sauce are watery and not very flavorful. The kung pao chicken isn't bad, but it's just not as great as it used to be. I'm not sure what happened, but it's very disappointing. I used to like this place a lot!
(2)
Enrique D.
There are a lot of good reviews for this place which is why I decided to give them a try. I thought that the negative reviews that I read were being overly critical as people on the internet tend to be. WRONG! Americanized Chinese food is an understatement. The food is flavorless at best. The service was terrible, they got my phone # wrong when I ordered and since I live in a secure building they weren't able to call me when they got here the 1st time. When they sent my food out the 2nd time it finally got here but sauce was spilled all over everything. My wife and I spent nearly $50 of our hard earned money on a horrible meal. I would never order from them again. There are so many better options for delicious flavorful Chinese food in Seattle that I have know idea how Judy Fu's stays open.
(1)
Robyn P.
I really need to find another Chinese restaurant in my neighborhood that delivers (in more ways than one). When the craving strikes (~once every other month), I turn to Snappy Dragon with hopes that the food will be good. But more than half the time, it's not. The Kung Pao has its moments, but it's usually drowning in overwhelmingly salty sauce. same thing goes for the Mongolian Beef. Their homemade noodles are great as long as they're not too oily. Hot and sour soup can be well balanced one day, but in need of serious dilution the next. You get the point: that ordering from here means getting used to inconsistency and being prepared for disappointment. Unless all you want is some brown rice and bbq pork. They actually get those right every time.
(2)
Necia D.
Handmade noodles and dumplings are conceptually so appealing, and in the end that's what I keep netting out to with Snappy Dragon: that I love it in theory...and compost the leftovers in reality. I would also have to add the disquieting fact that I don't *feel* good after eating it; maybe this is a function of too much MSG, or perhaps too much sodium? I don't know, but something makes me feel like I've eaten something decidedly...well, not macrobiotic and healthful. My two boys and I have eaten there a few times, both in the restaurant and takeout. We've had numerous dishes, including General Tso's Chicken, Sesame Beef, Prawns in Lobster Sauce, several different Chow Meins and soups, and the dumplings and pancake iterations. The General Tso's chicken quality (or preparation) has varied greatly across our visits. Sometimes the chicken is cooked properly and other times it's got a texture like...hmmm. Beauty bark comes to mind. Pieces you genuinely cannot chew. Not gristle; more like leather. I noticed I was sort of habituated, as I ate, to testing chewability with my teeth before tearing off the rawhide dog-toy part and eating the portion that could be masticated. My boys were less patient. Quoth Nico: "What is this meat? Glove?" Love me some Nico. This same type of dish done in a "bad" Chinese restaurant, like Panda Express, would actually have been preferable. At least the batter to meat ratio is better and the flavors, while just as simple, are turned up loud. Here it's a starchy, sinewy mess that holds much more color than flavor. I do like the noodles! I make my own pasta and it usually comes out like this: a bit too toothy, maybe. I'd describe theirs this way, too, thick and ropy, but that seems hearty and okay somehow. The issue for me is that I don't find the broth very flavorful or rich; its texture is okay but its flavor's watery and I suspect it relies a good deal on MSG. It just doesn't have an interesting concentration of flavors. It's boring. The scallion pancakes are okay, but I find much more interesting, textural examples in even the lower-brow Korean places. We ordered something called a pork burrito (the exact name escapes me) and while I liked the "pancake" it is wrapped in, the pork is, again, just garlic-sweet, keep moving and here let me stamp your hand. The prawns in lobster sauce...I think they meant to put quotes on the word "lobster," or spell it with a K. The dumplings are satisfying but again, very bready, easy on the contents. Overall, I think this is my last try with the Snap. My boys who are rather adventurous ate it in sort of a mirthless, "self-fueling" way, and try as I might, I could not find a truly rewarding bolt of flavor despite ordering five entrees. This place was highly recommended when I moved here, so you should try it and come to your own conclusions, but for half the price, I'd slum it at Panda Express if I were you.
(2)
Bella C.
C'mon, Seattlelites, some of your reviews are just astounding for the simple fact that there are a ton of other places that simply serve better Chinese food... the cuisine here is neither authentic nor is it particularly good. I ate here ONCE when I lived in Maple Leaf just blocks away and I never went back after the first time. In sum, if you want authentic tasty food, go to the I.D. This place serves bland white-washed Chinese food... just a few steps up from Panda Express.
(3)
Glyn C.
The Dragon was toothless but drooled its sauce on everything! I am amazed that this restaurant has received accolades and awards! What I saw was large, piled-high, home-style plates of food. I think most people were eating noodle dishes; apparently because they are homemade. If the fried vegetable potstickers were an indication of the noodles then you can keep them, too. The potsticker wrapper was very thick, tough and chewy. I could barely cut into them with my fork and I am no wimp. The filling was flavorful, but just finely chopped frozen spinach, out of a bag, as its base. Our very plain "chicken with garlic and vegetables in Szechwan sauce" was very salty, smothered in sauce and there was no garlic that we could find or taste. Did they get this order wrong, too? Many pieces of bell pepper (in both our dishes), were too big to be bite-sized. The "Sliced Cod" was battered and fried. The menu does not state this! The batter, like the potstickers, was overdone (meaning, too thick and heavy), and tough. The fish itself was good. For both our dishes we found our food to be floating in a sea of sweet and salty goo. At the time I did not remember that I did not get it with the black bean sauce that I had asked for. The only positives about this meal is that the portions are large and the ingredients were fresh and of good quality. The first glass of my wife's red wine was absolute plonk! We sent it back and the replacement wine was OK. It seems they opened a new bottle (or box), for us. This is not real Chinese food as we know it. It is the over-sweet, over-salty, over-sauced, heavy-handed Americanized version, that many have come to know from all the dives that sell it. Kind of like pizza places... It is popular with families. There were no Asians dining here that we saw, except for employees... Service was acceptable. Our waitress wore a Snappy Dragon T-shirt with holes in it. Also, the restaurant is very noisy. The walls of this former house are hard and basically bare. If you are into take-out, large portions for a fair price, think Sweet and Sour Pork is the pinnacle of Chinese dishes or have never eaten where Asians eat, then this place is for you!
(2)
Michelle N.
My favorite Chinese food in Seattle! I love their Dry Sauteed Green Beans and their Mongolian Tofu or Beef the best. The staff is always really friendly. You can't go wrong here!
(5)
Montie M.
Good for the neighbourhood. Maple leaf/northgate is rather devoid of decent places to eat, so this place ranks up there. The home made dumplings are decent, but a little bit more doughy than most other places. The veggie version are pretty tasteless, so go with the meat version when possible. I was warned against ordering the... Happy Family?... soup dinner for just myself. They weren't kidding. It was enough to feed at least three people and at least 4 different kinds of animals went into the dish. Thumbs up!
(3)
Just Y.
I have never step foot in this restaurant. I can't tell you a single thing about the floor staff or the environment. My interaction with them consists of phoned-in orders and delivery, usually once every 6 to 8 weeks. Their phone service is always nice and on the ball. Their delivery is usually prompt unless their busy, but their phone person will tell you not to expect the food anytime soon. The food? I've never ordered a dish that I didn't like, I do find that although the dishes are fresh and well prepared, they can border on bland. I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here, and if I didn't live within their delivery range I probably wouldn't know they existed.
(3)
Diane T.
The food here is just okay. We've been there quite a few times due to living so close and it's never been bad, but it's never really blown my mind away either. It's a very Americanized version of Chinese food. The lunch specials are a real value, but otherwise they are a little pricey. They do a few things homemade from scratch like dumpings, noodles, and sauces. I suggest the black bean sauce or the szechuan sauce.
(3)
A Y.
I don't know why people rave about this place. Yes I understand this is not a traditional Chinese restaurant and mostly caters to the western carry out eating palette, but come on! The food was bland and tasteless. The dumplings were soggy and the filling was dry and without any seasoning. I thought it was a bit pricey for Chinese but the portions were a decent size. Overall I am not impressed at all and would honestly spend my money at the Chinese Food Buffet place down the street in Northgate. If you like to eat tasteless overpriced Chinese food served up by college kids then this is the place for you.
(1)
Colleen W.
We had some friends in town from Utah and they had requested Chinese near where they were staying on Lake Washington. This place fit the bill and they all loved the meal. I'm a little more picky and I found it to be A-OK. We were able to share our entrees (thanks to the spin-top) which gave us a wide variety of flavors to enjoy. Our order: Pan-browned potstickers Barbecued pork Wonton Soup Homemade noodles (for the kids, but the adults loved them too!) Mu shu pork Sesame Beef (winner) General Tso's Chicken Happy Family Kung Pao Squid The sesame beef was the stand-out dish for the entire meal. It was crispy slivers of beef in a tangy red sauce with sesame seeds.
(3)
Andre D.
This place was great! My girlfriend and I ordered food for delivery. Very fast and friendly. Had a very cool conversation with the man who brought the food. The food itself was very good. Highly recommended.
(5)
Tres B.
This quintessential in -the-know Chinese restaurant housed modestly in rambling Maple Leaf is bland to look at, but the food is fantastic. Its a bit like Asian comfort food and some may find the dishes a little heavy and the portions are very large. The soups are fantastic, and the handmade shaved noodles are the best in town. I love the scallion pancake appetizers!! The sesame beef is outstanding and decadent. Service is always good and virtually any evening there is a await. Residential parking can be tricky and its on main street (Roosevelt) so you have to dance around 40mph drivers like Frogger. The take out and delivery has always been flawless.
(5)
Brock B.
I ordered delivery Friday night. The guy on the phone said it would take 45 mins. Over an hour later, I called and had to talk to 2 different people to determine an ETA for my food. When it showed up the steamed pork buns which are supposed to be a specialty were cold and accompanied by a vinegarry sauce. If I ever eat there again, I will pick up and stick with the Old Faithful General Tso's chicken.
(2)
John T.
This place can be hit or miss, but there are some big hits. They have some of the best salt and pepper chicken I have ever had. The home made noodles, dumplings, and mu shu pancakes are great. The barbecue pork is also the best I have had in Seattle. The clay pot seafood stew is also a winner. While they could improve on a lot of their entrees, some are excellent. David is also one of the nicest resturant owners you will ever meet.
(4)
Angie K.
I was doing errands and stopped by Judy Fu's for a little snack. I just got some won-tons to go. They were pretty good - crispy, good portions, still hot when I pulled over at my next destination to eat them in the parking lot. I haven't tried a full meal here, but they seemed to have some good lunch specials and a lot of people were coming in to get takeout during my short wait.
(3)
Hai Yen N.
I've eaten here a few times, but only my first time was my choice. All the other times, someone else chose. I heard so many raves about this place that I had to go check it out, I love good Chinese food and the hand-rolled noodles seemed intriguing. But I was pretty disappointed after that first visit. The wait was incredibly long and the waiting area is tiny so sometimes you're shunted out the door to wait outside (terrible if it's raining or cold). Judy Fu serves Americanized Chinese food. It's not bad, I wouldn't turn it down if someone offered it to me and I definitely ate my leftovers from all those visits. But I wouldn't make this my go-to Chinese restaurant and I never crave any of the dishes served here. The hand-rolled noodles are decent, but I prefer hand-shaved and hand-rolled noodles at other spots. It's in Maple Leaf, people. The raves must come from people who haven't had that much exposure to authentic Chinese. The dining rooms are very loud and the food never manages to stay hot for very long once it hits your table, odd and unpleasant. Sorry Judy, I wanted to love you.
(2)
Konnie D.
There is a reason that this restaurant has been votedbest Chinese restaurant in Seattle so many years!! The staff is friendly and the food is excellent. We love the string beans and the sesame chicken and yo can't beatthe homemade Jao-zi and homemade chowmein noodles. We LOVE the food!!!
(5)
Scott M.
This is my first review. I like Yelp, but haven't posted before. But after my awful experience at Snappy Dragon, I felt I had a moral obligation to warn others. As someone who's eaten at a dozen restaurants in SF's Chinatown and spent the last 22 years (before moving to Seattle) living in communities that were 50%+ East Asian, I think I know what Chinese food should taste like. I would not normally eat at a Panda Express, but it would certainly be better than Snappy Dragon. There were no Chinese people visible in the restaurant, not even the staff. Perhaps a good warning sign. My girlfriend and I ordered some "American" Chinese food and some of the more traditional items you wouldn't necessarily expect to see everywhere you go. The worst item, Sweet and Sour Pork, that epitome of fake Chinese, *can* be made well. It should be crispy, sweet and sour (of course), and focus on the meat over vegetable fillers. Instead we got the opposite, along with Day-Glo red sauce. The meat was as small as a sugar cube, coated in mushy batter a half-inch thick. It was tasteless and generally inedible. Everything else was better by comparison but not something you would put on a list of "Food I Want to Eat Again." They forgot to give us the pancakes for the Mu Shu. A few other items I can't recall were also not that impressive. This is the first Chinese food I've tried since moving to Seattle, and I only went here instead of the ID because I happen to live a few blocks away. But I won't be going back--not ever.
(1)
Mark E.
I went in to the Snappy Dragon with my partner not knowing what to expect. When we first went in the owner introduced himself to us and shook are hands, probably the nicest owner I've ever met. The food was awesome! I worked in a Chinese restaurant for six years so I'm a little bit pickier than most. I definitely recommend the home made noodles and the pork dumplings! Oh and the atmosphere is so comfortable, you feel like a guest at your friends house.
(5)
Tristyn T.
The home made plain noodles are my personal favorite. I also love the mandarin fried rice (it's the only fried rice I really enjoy from any Chinese restaurant) and the home made veggie dumplings. So tasty! I am sad that I am just outside the delivery area, but I don't mind picking up my food too much.
(5)
Dead M.
OK I tried this place after a friend told me how great it was. I would put it at so-so for Chinese. So far, it's hard to beat Chinese at a place called Shanghai in Centralia, so this place really didnt even come close to that one at all. Food was OK... wasn't blow away and then again I wasnt to pissed either as it was a lunch special for around $6 Try it, if you must, but I will pass it up and eat at Gordito's or Mikes Chili anyday before this.
(3)
Jordon S.
It was fast. That's all they going for them. They screwed up general tso's chicken. I don't know how. They screwed it up. It tasted like someone coated humongous chicken lumps(that's what it looked like) the size of baseballs in bisquick, didn't finish frying it, then proceeded to cover it in a red sauce resembling food coloring and lots and lots of garlic. I don't know how its possible. But not even I can be satisfied by this. At that. 26 bucks for 2 entrees. Never going back. But hey it was fast right?
(1)
Sam D.
This place gets love/hate reviews. Apparently, it's not that authentic, as all of the one-star reviewers note. All of the five-star reviewers love the food anyway. You choose. I loved it. I wasn't looking for the most-authentic food ever, just a nice variety of spicy, well-seasoned, quality dishes with great flavor. We had a group of 6 that enjoyed every dish that was served. I'm no expert on authenticity of Chinese food, just appreciative of a great meal.
(5)
L C.
I'm glad I gave this place another chance after the abysmal first time delivery that took over 1.5 hrs to get here! And the food was not very good! Those "famous" homemade noodles?? I'm a noodle aficionado and love all kinds of noodles and these were doughy and tough and thick...also bland. SO this time we didn't order the noodles. Beef broccoli, gen Tsos chicken, s & p wings extra crispy. Yum! The wings are bigger than I usually like but the spices and coating and crispy outside was very tasty! The gen Tsos chicken was ordered a 5/5 spice and I would say as a person that loves spicy food, it probably equalled a 1/5 on that scale. Somewhat disappointing but also couldn't understand why there was so much orange sauce?? Too much sauce in the beef broccoli as well. Swimming in it! Beef pieces were small slivers and chicken pieces were ginormous! Costs of beef vs. chicken?? Don't be so obvious if it is. I don't think ppl who have left bad reviews are incorrect in their depictions of their food. I just think snappy dragon is a place where really it's hit or miss. Not bad but not memorable.
(3)
Patrick H.
Absolutely my favorite Chinese food in Seattle and love the home made chow mein noodles. I wish it was more convenient to get to and closer to where I live. It can be pretty tough to get into on the weekend as it's not very large and is popular.
(4)
Clint W.
One of my buddies lives in the neighborhood and brought me here last winter. I had heard okay things about this place, but thought it a little too chinese americanish for my tastes. I was a little worried walking up to the building and even more worried when I got inside. Kind of dumpy and we sat in view of the kitchen entrance. They had some sort of trap door leading down to the basement that the staff went down several times during the night. All I could think of was "Silence of the Lambs". Maybe that's what they did with the bad customers? I was examining all of the waitstaff for some resemblence to Jodie Foster. Putting that aside, my buddy ordered his faves and we even had the hand made noodles. Food was okay, not outstanding. It was kind of ordinary...something you might do as take out every now and then. Oh, and we both managed to the escape with ....ahem....the skin on our backs.
(2)
Ryan L.
Huge portions of tasty food and cute waitresses. How can this fail? I've had more authentic and more interesting chinese in the SF Bay Area, and at some other places in Seattle, but somehow I always order delivery from here in Seattle, and when I go out for chinese, 75% of the time I go here. Why? Huge portions of tasty food, cute/friendly waitresses, and fairly convenient (for Seattle) parking. The sweet and sour dishes and the chow mein are probably my favorites. Lunch specials are excellent deals, too.
(5)
Jim C.
The food at Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is wonderful. The homemade noodles alone are reason to visit this place. We've never been disappointed with anything on the menu. We only wish we lived closer. Also, the people that work here are so nice, so pleasant, so professional. They truly go out of their way to make you feel so appreciated as a customer. There was one time where the staff here---on a VERY busy Christmas Eve---made a mistake in a "To Go" order for my family. When I called to let them know, they couldn't have been more gracious and more sincerely apologetic. They immediately rushed over our order and delivered it to our front door, with sincere apologies. Again, they could not have been nicer about it. But the food is really what stands out here. Lunch and dinner are both fantastic and they're very accommodating to kids. Highly recommended!
(5)
Tsuki F.
I love this place. A friend told me about it a few years ago and it's the go-to dinner spot for my boyfriend and I. The homemade noodles are a must! I only eat pork, chicken or beef dishes so I can't speak for the duck being commented on below...however, the beef broccoli, fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, cashew chicken and several other dishes are delicious!
(5)
Sarah M.
This place was recommended to me as the best Chinese Food in Seattle - I think not. I ordered Chow mein with homemade noodles and the dish was cold with almost no flavor at all. I might as well have been eating plain noodles. I also ordered General Tso's Chicken and the chicken was almost charred with purplish "sauce." Whatever the chicken was coated with became baked on. It was terrible. I will not be going back.
(1)
Nara W.
Husband and I tried this place based on good reviews and it's proximity to Northgate. We went with the pork dumplings and General Tso's chicken. The dumplings were thick and doughy, almost rubbery, the filling was good but overall we left them uneaten. The chicken made us sad! It looked like big pieces of wings and thighs dipped in tasty sauce but was actually small chunks of chicken held together by more than 50% breading. The taste wasn't bad.. but it wasn't good either. All in all we will stick to our usual, though more distant, chinese place.
(2)
Chris M.
I'm sorry, I have tried this place a handful of times over a 10 year period and just been disappointed every time. I have always wanted to like the place for whatever reason-maybe I just like the name-but it has never succeeded in winning me over. I have a couple of friends that are fans of some of the dishes, and maybe I have just made some poor menu choices. Bland shouldn't be the first thought jumping to mind when considering the whole experience from ordering to eating, but it does. Expect to wait, and leave with no stand out flavor except maybe...salty? Popular with mostly white people I suspect. If your looking for Chinese and your willing to drive to Maple Leaf, do yourself a favor and head down to the International District and you will have a better experience. If you have a taste for mediocre, and don't mind being underwhelmed then by all means, order up.
(1)
Omarosa H.
We arrived for an early dinner, 5:15ish, on a weekday night. The restaurant was not crowded and we were seated right away. Things started out nicely, with a polite waitress and very good ice water. Good water is remarkably difficult to find in restaurants...either the water is straight from the tap and smells of chlorine or the glassware has been bleached to death and smells of chlorine. I noted in the main menu that diners could request a Vegetarian Menu, which I did. The availability of the Vegetarian Menu was surely a great sign! Our food arrived and smelled delicious. My vegetable chow mein was tasty and I was really enjoying it UNTIL I came upon a bite of chicken. Really? Are the cooks unable to set aside special pans for vegetarian dishes, or are they simply careless when plating? In either case, finding a piece of chicken in a dish I ordered from the Vegetarian Menu is completely unacceptable. Our waitress basically disappeared after serving us, and only returned when we had finished our food and offered to box it up. It was rather telling that neither our server nor the cashier asked how the food was. They apparently are so accustomed to receiving rave reviews, they don't bother to ask. As for the ambience, it rates a big, fat zero. It is extremely loud, especially when a table of five women arrived for some sort of get-together. They are apparently regulars because the manager came out of the back to speak to them. They carried on several conversations at once, often accompanied by loud, braying laughter, raising the noise level considerably. The room is not at all conducive to conversation in a normal tone of voice, so if you want to have dinner and not feel any obligation to talk to your dinner companion, this is a fabulous choice. My only positive is that there were no yelling children to add to an already far too loud experience. I know why so many people get the food to go. And a final comment about the boxing up of leftovers. I get that the city now has rules about the types of containers a restaurant is allowed to use. However, my husband's chicken dish was packaged in one of the infamous "gold fish" containers and held up very well. My chow mein dish was in a flat, cardboard box and it didn't hold up at all. There was a TON of sauce/watery stuff in it. It soaked through the cardboard and then flooded the plastic bag (thank God they are allowed to use plastic bags or our car would have smelled like rotten Chinese food for months). When I emptied the bag, I'd estimate there was close to two cups of liquid. Did they add liquid when they boxed it up? Did they not notice how sloppy it was and wonder if the container would hold up? Why did they not use one of the "gold fish" containers for each dish? It was kind of the perfect ending to a not-so-perfect dining experience.
(2)
Carolyn B.
Reliably good food in festive atmosphere. Fun and yummy.
(4)
Jenny F.
I've been to Snappy Dragon a few times. Every time it was excellent. Tonight I ordered delivery...BTW, it's really nice to have a Chinese food delivery in my neighborhood. The food was excellent. I had the vegetable pot stickers, and it was wonderfully obvious that the dumpling was homemade. I also had the vegetable mu su, which was also fantastic. Excellent job, Snappy Dragon. You are great!
(5)
Kiki M.
JUDY FU'S SNAPPY DRAGON! I like saying that fast and with such emphasis I spit on people. Her name and the title of the restaurant fit together splendidly. While the title brings about my inner kung fu master the food is all serious and good. Whenever I head to Judy's I order myself some tofu. I blame her for my fanatical love of all things (mostly) tofu. This tofu dish is fried with an incredible sauce and red chili peppers. It is spicy and I learned that lesson the hard way. The bathroom was my dear friend the next day. There are numerous choices on the menu ranging from noodles to meat dishes. I do like how you have the option of white rice or brown rice when you order. Judy's claim to fame are the homemade noodles which I can vouch are rather scrumptious, thicker, and more sponge like than typical noodles. My description sounds frightening but take my word that they are good. I am a fan of Judy Fu's. While I can't say this is the best Chinese good I've ever had it gets quite the honorable mention.
(4)
Taylor S.
Best Jao-Zi around.
(5)
Bri O.
I have seen many terrible reviews of this place, and I am flabbergasted by them. Now, I'm no authority on the authenticity of Chinese food, but quite frankly, if food is good, it doesn't matter. I have loved this restaurant since I was a small child - I have eaten here at least 40+ times in the last ten years, the most recent being two days ago after a four year deprivation. I was not disappointed; it was every bit as good as I remember. Better, even, now that I am older and have a more sophisticate palate with less sensitivity to things that are spicy. Haters to the left. We we order: 1) Green Onion Pancakes. These are my favorite appetizer of any type of food. They come in about mozzarella sticks, even. 2) Kung Pao chicken. It can be pretty hot, but it's good and will surely clear your sinuses, at least. 3) Rice 4) The Snappy Dragon Chow Main with hand-cut noodles. Best chow mein I've ever had. 5) Depends on the time. Sometimes, the eggplant, which is very good. Also, the beef with snowpeas and water chestnuts is delicious as well. This restaurant will always have a place in my heart and my stomach.
(5)
Vas S.
Poor, slow service. Food was so-so. Given the prices and pretensions, 1 star.
(1)
Glenda D.
Snappy Dragon's the best in my humble opinion and I couldn't help but notice a crisp new decor inside this evening. My favorite's: the green onion pancake's or maybe the Jousa (I know that's spelled wrong, sorry), No perhaps its the happy family; love those seafood meatball's maybe it's the dry-sauted green beans. Ok you now know why I go home with so many leftovers for tomorrow when I go to Snappy Dragon. On a couple of other notes: it's the ONLY Chinese restaurant my kids will eat at and I've always found the service to great....too bad they don't deliver to my house.
(5)
Bob C.
I'd pretty much given up hope on finding a decent chinese place on the north end of seattle. Luckily for me, my friend recommended Judy Fu's as a phenomenal place to go eat. At the time, I should have remembered that my friend's second favorite place to get chinese is the buffet in everett and that he lived in virginia most of his life. So really, it's my own fault. I ordered wontons, general tso's chicken, sesame beef and some fried rice. The beef was gristly, tough and burnt, however, the chicken was lean, juicy chunks. The sauces were pretty horrible. While I may be pasty white, I can recognize disgusting chinese food. Bingo, found it.
(1)
S S.
I drive more than 40 miles as often as possible for this, my perfect Judy Fu's meal: 1) Green Onion Pancakes: Fried and served as an appetizer, these are an excellent way to start your meal. 2) Sesame Chicken: Unlike typical Chinese restaurants that serve chicken elbows and beaks and gobs of breading, you'll only find real quality chicken here. I have also had great luck with General Tso's Chicken and Mongolian Beef. 3) Homemade Noodles: Well, the truth is that you can order anything on the menu. But you MUST order the plain homemade noodles. I can get great Chinese far closer to home. But, there is only one place to get Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon.
(5)
Kim C.
I love Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon! I still remember the first time I went with the expectation that it's just another crappy westernized Chinese restaurant, but was pleasantly surprised. Their best dishes: Beef and Napa Cabbage Stew Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) - pork Snappy Dragon Chow Mein (with homemade noodles) Their homemade noodles have a very interesting texture; specifically, it doesn't have the evenness of machine-pressed noodles. Similarly, the handmade jiao-zi has a homey touch to it; you can see the chief make them from scratch at the restaurant! I also love their homemade hot sauce; it's a flavorful bean-paste sauce that compliments the noodles and jiao-zi awesomely, and isn't tongue-burning hot.
(4)
Molly S.
Just a head's up! My boyfriend and I got take-out from here on Friday May 4. We ordered the Kung Pao tofu and chicken, and we suffered horrible food poisoning for the next two days. We definitely won't be going back after that experience. While I've never posted a yelp review before, our awful experience prompted me to write this review.
(1)
Arati S.
Had gone to Snappy Dragon on a reco from one of the friends.. n liked the place a lot.. Tried the pork dumplings, homemade noodles, onion pancakes & garlic, peper chicken.. the food overall was good & the ambience just amazing..
(4)
Gams G.
Yuk. Fu. I had heard so many wonderful things about Snappy Dragon, that I couldn't resist stopping by for lunch. Hmmm. Was it the unwashed condiment jars and silverware?? or the slacker wait staff during a relatively quiet lunch hour? Maybe it was the fact that my fortune cookie read *THAT WASN'T CHICKEN*...whatevs...I won't be back. Sorry, Judy.
(1)
Cathy G.
We used to go here a lot. Now it's not a 'we'/ However, I ate and took home many wonderful dinners. A bit plain inside, but excellent food.
(4)
Poulina K.
This is not your usual run of the mill Chinese fare. Home made noodles are worth the extra few dollars for the chow mien!!! Everything tasted fresh and home made. I love the hot and sour soup, BBQ pork and Snappy Dragon Chow Mien. I haven't had a chance to dine in yet, but so far my experience with the quality of food has been stellar. One small gripe, I do think the prices are a bit high on some items.
(4)
Mike D.
Judy, you get two snaps up in a circle from yours truly! I personally could care less about the authenticity of the food or that fact that some feel that it's geared to a westernized palate. If you haters think this food is Americanized, try going to a Chinese restaurant in the midwest, where everything on the menu is deep-fried and/or covered with sweet-and-sour sauce. Anyway, I had my birthday dinner here tonight and I luv-luv-luved it. Another snap for our cheerful, enthusiastic waitperson. It was a cold, snowy night so we started with a huge bowl of the Beef Noodles. Out came a huge steaming bowl of rich spicy broth with big chunks of meltingly tender beef and delicious homemade noodles and crunchy vegetables. We knew we were in for a great meal. We also ordered the Dry Sauteed String Beans with Almonds. Out came what had to be 2lbs of beans on a plate! They were definitely not dry, but the beans were crisp-tender, and the spicy thick sauce was delicious and full of crunchy blanched almonds. These alone with a bowl of rice would have been enough for dinner. But no, we had to have some of the Jiao-zi boiled dumplings. OMG they were excellent. The wrappers were dense, chewy and delicious, and the filling was dense and punctuated with the delicious zing of ginger and scallions. Not a gloppy torn wrapper in the bunch. Bravo! We ate way too much. I couldn't stop myself. I loved it. I loved looking at the food being brought out to the other tables and plotting what I'd have next time. And the time after. Thanks for a great birthday dinner, Judy! I'm your new #1 fan.
(5)
Y L.
I've eaten here for years and just recently got on the Yelp bandwagon. This is the place for quick and easy healthy food choices. I especially like the option to request MSG free meals. A variety of color on your plate is what we all should strive for as is recommended by top health authorities like Dr. Weil and Dr. Oz and there's definitely no shortage of that here!
(5)
Scott H.
We think this is the best Chinese in the city. Our favorite is the Kung Pao Chicken. Not sure what planet those who wrote the bad reviews are living on. But on this planet Judy Foos is hands down five stars!
(5)
Cindy R.
I don't know what there is to not like about the food here. I love the house-made noodles and dumplings, the mu-shu is delicious, the soup is amazing, and every entree I've tried has been great. The vegetables are always fresh and crisp. The sauces are consistently flavorful. The meat is always tender. Service is good. The place is clean. What's not to like? I ask you????
(4)
Dena K.
The food was run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant fare. What spoiled the experience for me was the rudeness of the hostesses. There was a long wait on the night I was there, but that shouldn't be an excuse to treat people so badly.
(2)
Dave A.
Judy Fu's is my absolute favorite Chinese place in Seattle, the place I return to time and time again. I will qualify this by admitting I don't often make the trip over to the supposedly "superior" Chinese restaurants of the international district but i gobbled up a TON of great Chinese food in San Francisco...so I know of which I speak. Unlike mom & pop grease factories with industrial strength doses of MSG and cornstarch, Judy's food always seems fresh and unique. Yes those hand-made noodles are fairly substantial, dense even, but I prefer them to the standard-issue chow mien you find everywhere else, even though Judy's serves those too for less adventurous palettes. I'll admit that using this hearty dough for pot-stickers may be a bit much, but again I'm a fan so this works for me even though this renders them quite filling. The Mongolian Tofu is my favorite dish, with a not-too-hot spiciness and a dark, flavorful sauce over those crunchy fried noodles that they thoughtfully keep in a separate bag for take-out. I am a JUNKY for the Crispy Eggplant in Tangy Hot Glaze, which is covered in a decadent red "crust" that is as undoubtedly loaded with calories as it is with flavor. Judy's is also one of the few Chinese places I've found in Seattle that offers the alternative of brown rice. One warning: this place gets PACKED on weekends, and truthfully the complaints about iffy service are probably fair, the waitstaff seems slightly overwhelmed at times although they're always polite and friendly. As a result I mostly go for take-out, which usually comes in 15 minutes for even large orders. Prices are slightly above some of the smaller family style joints...but with food this good it's worth it.
(4)
Wei-ju W.
This restaurant does not fit the stereotypes that people might think of when they visit chinese restaurants. First of all: The servers are almost all young Caucasians. The decoration is rather simple, no golden dragons or phoenixes, or what else you would typically expect see. I see that as a good thing. When we went there, people were lining up at the entrance - usually a good sign. I like restaurants that have at least one memorable signature dish, and for the "Snappy Dragon" is is their home-style dumplings. You can see the people making them and you can order them either with a vegetarian or a pork filling. I have to say that these are some of the best dumplings I have ever eaten in a restaurant. While they look a little rustic, for me they have just the right blend of dough and filling and they are not expensive either. I have eaten "fancy" dumplings in a different shop in a nearby city which can't match these in flavor or value. The other dishes we had were more adapted to a western taste, but everything was fresh and good. I will definitely come here again, especially when I am planning to eat dumplings.
(4)
Jefflin B.
GLUTEN FREE MENU!!! I can eat Chinese food again! I have always loved this place and when I found out I had Celiac three years ago I thought I'd never be back. So needless to say I was more than excited to find out they had a whole menu of gluten free options! I love the Mongolian Tofu and the Ma Po Tofu! Thank you Judy Fu's for giving me back the thing I missed the most...delicious Chinese food.
(4)
Jeremy L.
Amazing Chinese cuisine! I lived in China and this is great food. Hand's down my favorite in Seattle right now. My friends and I plan to go back at least once a month just because we all like it so much. Order the Jiao Zi if you have not yet - one word: awesome!
(5)
Lauren J.
Hmm, I wasn't feeling it. I got the sweet and sour chicken and it was super bland. I love chinese food, so it was a very sad day for me. I really wanted to like it! Then again, my boyfriend got the same thing and thought it was perfect. Our waiter was sweet but awkward. The atmosphere was... unexpected. It looks like Denny's. I felt kind of weird. The manager man at the door was nice, though! He did a good job making me feel welcome. I think this was just a matter of personal taste.
(2)
Koriann B.
I have been craving Judy Fu's pork dumplings. Surprisingly large and filling, they are flavorful little bits of bliss. We went on Friday for dinner because I had demanded dumplings, and we very much enjoyed our dinner. We started with the aforementioned dumplings and some drinks (beer for him, a Pikachu punch for me. My drink was so strong I could smell the rum when they set it down- wonderful!) For dinner we had the sesame beef (delicious) and the salt and pepper chicken. The salt and pepper chicken was definitely overly salty, but once paired with a bit of rice, it became harder to notice (or maybe that was the rum?). Even eating until we were full, we had enough food leftover to have lunch for both of us (with another small serving for an additional lunch for one). I like Judy Fu's because of the flavor, and all the wonderful choices. Too bad it's kind of far from my house...
(4)
Brandon C.
Well I live fairly close to this place and I had a bad day and didn't want to cook so I went here. Their menu is pretty standard, but one thing I noticed was that they admit to using MSG and also may humbly TRY to remove it from their food upon request. I thought I ordered pretty safe when I chose Snappy Dragon Fried Rice, I mean it has the name of the place in the title. I didn't think I could go wrong, but what happened next was killer. I had an unbelievable headache for an hour after I ate half of it. I put the rest in the fridge and brushed it off. The next day I ate the rest of it, low and behold the HEADACHE came back! I have had crappy Chinese food before, that willingly admit to using MSG, but these guys are counting on that little chemical way too much. It tastes great, but now I know why, and the pain isn't worth thinking about going back there. If you are still thinking about it, don't forget to hold the MSG, and prepare with some aspirin just in case. Good Luck Judy Fu.
(1)
Winona R.
I've been on a sesame chicken kick these days and Judy Fu's did not disappoint--often it s a little too sweet and doesn't deliver much else out of the flavor profile and reminds me of mall food court style food--no bueno. This sesame chicken, however, was probably in the top 3 best I have ever had! I want to give Judy Fu's 4 stars, and believe me, it is CLOSE. But I wasn't a big fan of their much-hyped dumplings, and the BBQ pork fried rice was just kind of meh. Otherwise, this place is definitely worth a trip to Maple Leaf--it was packed on the night we were there!
(3)
Erin P.
Fresh...homemade...authentic...amazing! I love Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon!!! Their lunch special is great! Try the dumplings and their Mongolian beef is Delicious!! Don't forget the hot & sour soup...the best I've ever had!
(5)
Sarah M.
Why does this place get so many awards? There are so many other Chinese restaurants in Seattle that are at least x4 better than this place. We ordered fried rice, hand cut noodle chowmein and sesame chicken. Most of the food was totally bland with absolutely no flavor. The sesame chicken, which is what I was most excited about was mushy and sad. I was really disappointed especially because its so close to my house.
(2)
Corrine C.
Good : dumplings (meat), glass noodles with chicken Not good: hand shaven noodles I love dumplings so thankfully they were tasty. My brother ordered the glass noodles and that was good too. Kind of weird though - the sauce was very soupy so it was very wet. Had to try the hand shaven noodles because I also love noodles. They unfortunately had no flavor. We ordered their house special chow mein but instead got just chicken. Sent it back and got it right the second time. But chef forgot to add the salt? Anyhow - tons of staff sitting around (I thought they were in line for the bathroom but turns out they work there.)
(2)
Kris L.
Methinks not indeed. I've tried this place a couple of times because I really want to believe the glowing reviews. Both times I've gotten choked up on the doughiness of the noodles and potstickers. The tasteless bits of flour and water glue fall to the bottom of my stomach and make me ill. I really want to feel the love, truly I do, but whenever I end up spending the money to go here, I end up throwing away most of the food because it's inedible and cursing myself for not going to FuMan Dumpling House, which is my standby for the best potstickers and homemade noodles in Seattle - and at half the price of Judy Fu. The problem, perhaps, that I have with Judy Fu's is that I tried them AFTER I tried FuMan - and the bar was set too high for her to compete with. I sorry Judy Fu. Unfair, I know. But such is life.
(2)
Todd L.
We got take out last weekend and I was pleasantly surprised! The food was fresh and delicious and not over salted. I'd order here again. Nice improvement.
(4)
Sarah B.
I still love Snappy Dragon's food. Better yet, I can finally get delivery from here. They only delivery to a small area. When I had cravings for their food while living downtown, it was a pain in the ass to come all the way to Maple Leaf. Now I can just call and wait for them to come to me. I always order their Mandarin fried rice and dumplings. I can't help it. They are wonderful. Yeah, they might be doughy dumplings to some, but to me they are heavenly. Their shrimp with lobster sauce is done the way I love it, a white sauce with large pieces of egg and veggies. I'm not a fan of the Cantonese style one that most places serve. Their sesame chicken is excellent and their handmade noodles are worth the extra price. Yum.
(5)
BK B.
Ugh...........no! I was intrigued to hear this place makes its own homemade noodles. Unfortunately the noodles were very bland and the texture was completely wrong. Sadly to say there was nothing about this meal that I enjoyed. The food had no flavor at all :( I gave it two stars for their friendly hostess
(2)
Annie V.
Although it feels like you're sitting in someone's living room when you eat at Snappy Dragon, that's HARDLY a bad thing - especially when the last time I went there, I got my food so quickly after I'd ordered that I wondered how they even had time to cook it! I used to have a ban on eating seafood dishes at Chinese places (which can skimp on scallops and give prawns that are more tail than body) - HAH and BAH upon that, as their Happy Family is FULL of delicious seafood as well as superbly cooked vegetables. Their Cranberry Almond Chicken is something you'd hardly expect to see at an Asian restaurant, but it works perfectly with the sauce and snow peas, and the sweet and savory flavors are close like they were best friends since middle school. I will admit - I've not had the noodles that this place is so praised for making on their own, but man, I've had many other dishes, and haven't been disappointed with a one - not to mention that their robust vegetarian menu leaves many choices for my veggiesaurus significant other, so he's got plenty of things to try (and they're so good I've even been drawn away from my meaty dishes to nom on whatever he's ordered). It closes early, but it's definitely worth your while to stop in and savor the deliciousness.
(4)
Cary R.
Expected a lil more from this place after reading all the rave reviews. Not the cream of the crop, though they are loaded with pretty waitresses who ironically, aren't Chinese! Their good looks however did not make up for their less than stellar service, oh well... Not bad food, but not great either. The place must get good business since it was near packed on a Wednesday night. Worth a try...some people like it obvisouly, but China Harbor in Westlake/Lake Union area is much better! Update: I went here again recently, I felt awful afterwards, keep your distance from Judy Fu!.
(1)
Sivan T.
I go to Snappy Dragons not only because the food is delicious, but because the staff is so friendly, and you see the owner: Judy and her son David acting as staff: waiting on people and making delicious dumplings! We usually get: green onion pancakes, sesame beef, green beans, stir fry chicken with black bean sauce, and mu shu chicken. I highly recommend all of these dishes. Just be sure you tell the waiter / waitress if you don't want something spicy, otherwise, they'll assume you do. This restaurant is very good for kids, and would be a good family dinner spot. Just be sure to order the dumplings, they're the best I've ever had!
(5)
Serena S.
This isn't authentic Chinese food. It's catered to white people and the food tastes like what white people think Chinese food should taste like. I've been there twice: the first time for meat dumplings and homemade fried noodles and the second time for veggie dumplings. The homemade noodles were abnormally thick; it was like chewing on a block of dough! The meat dumplings are ALL meat. They tasted OK but I don't like all meat dumplings so I decided to order veggie dumplings on my second (and final) try of this place. The veggie ones are near tasteless. I won't be back. By the way, the veggie dumpling fillings isnt' just onion as Powie Q. says. It's like Chinese cabbage, scrambled eggs.
(1)
T H.
I have gone here twice and both times I was disappointed. Overall the flavors and the texture of the food is just off. The noodles are gummy, the sauces are overall pretty salty, and the last minute seasoning is not consistent making some dishes inedible. I would skip this place.
(2)
Danielle H.
I really like Snappy Dragon, but it isn't anything that out of the ordinary. Their staff is very nice and the delivery service is great. Plus, the lunch specials are huge for a very reasonable price. I wasn't thrilled with the soup or egg roll, but the chow mein was decent. I did half chicken and half veggie and was surprised at how much I liked the chicken.
(3)
Joe P.
I'm a regular here its got good inexpensive food with large sized portions. Be sure to specify your spicyness level (even if they don't ask, especially because "mild" is the default on some dishes that are much better, IMO, with 4 stars, which is only medium hot and perfect for my liking).
(4)
M C.
Quite the reputation Judy Fu has develop, even more impressive her own line of sauces. I want my own line! Oh yea i don't cook. Service = Pretty good Ambiance = Like the location, nicely decorated, a bit tight Food = Still a bit Americanized, but kept the integrity of Chinese cuisine Price = $$ Crowd = locals Personal Favorite = Dumplings and the dumpling sauce, reminds me of childhood Worst = Crowded all the time Meal for two = 40 Final Say = SuperDuper Panda Express
(4)
Peregrine S.
Felt compelled to write a review since I had actually sought out reviews before ordering delivery and it didn't look too bad. Sweet & Sour shrimp would have been good but shrimp was overcooked to the point that it was hard to swallow down. Kung Pao scallops arrived as shrimp, and was too spicy for me (now that I didn't think of it, they didn't ask me how spicy I wanted it). And those shrimp had a strange consistency, too soft. I won't be a return customer :(
(2)
Ninja S.
This is a really fun place, but I'm not quite sure how to judge it. Since I'm not quire clear about which fence I should be sitting, I'm going to have to go with another weaksauce 4-star rating. Let me explain. I have often heard this place referred to as the all-caps "TEH BEST CHINESE DELIVERY PLACE IN TEH WURLD (of non-ID seattle)" It's a pretty cool place to go into with all of the logos of every news and website's "best of" stickers all over the doorway. A couple things I'm not quite sure about. I was eating with a non-meat-etarian at the time, so that makes nearly all chinese food kind of suck without the pork. The dumplings, for instance, are not the imperial style tasty-assed variety, but the heavier and chewier boiled type. Feel free to un-bunch your Yelp panties now if you don't like that kind and don't bother ordering them. I thought that they were rather nice, though a bit tasteless without the meat. The chow mein with the home made noodles feels like something someones parent or grandparent would make and was a nice change of pace from the usual type of noodles you get in a place like this. The veggies were fresh and more flavorful than I am accustomed. I'd like to know where they get their produce. Here's a surprise. They make good drinks. A restaurant that makes good drinks? Can it be? Answer: Yes.
(4)
Michael M.
Great food -- some items are a bit bland, but amazing service (which is in itself a miracle for an Asian restaurant in Seattle) -- the noodles rock and the General's chicken never fails to impress.
(4)
Rick R.
What happened? We were fans of Judy Fu's when she was at Pandasia. That partnership split up and she ended up on Roosevelt with the Snappy Dragon. But things have really fallen off. Last night I had something called "sesame chicken" which the server said was "spicy-sweet." As soon as I saw it, I thought "uh-oh, Magic Dragon." It was chunks of breaded fried white chicken paved with that gloppy bright red syrup and a handful of toasted sesame seeds. The whole concoction was a sticky tasteless mess. It should be served with a ball of butter and a side of pancakes, ala IHOP. What I remember from the old days - crisp strips of chicken in barely sweetened garlic pepper sauce. I'm starting to cry. The chow mein was uninspired. The consistency of the noodles made me wonder if they're using some sort of machine to make their own, instead of rolling them out and cutting them by hand. Half the fun of Pandasia was watching the cooks at work. Now they stay hidden. It's probably better that way. They may have some good things on the menu, but it's not worth going back to figure it out. I'm done here.
(2)
Mike P.
Snappy Dragon used to offer decent, reliable chinese food outside of the international district. But they've gone downhill, while the alternatives have improved. I can't see any reason to keep going here, and that's even before you consider the fact that they tend to be crowded with people (lured by their past reputation, I guess). A recent meal is a good example: bland rubbery noodles, bland string beans in a murky brown sauce, sticky general tso's chicken bathed in red food coloring, and not-bad ginger beef. I will give them the salt and pepper prawns (or chicken). that's always been good. but these days there are better choices in north seattle.
(2)
Angelina L.
Ok, I'd have to agree with whoever said "What's all the hype with this place"... Even though the guy taking the order on the phone was nice (sent me extra fortune cookies) and delivery was fast.. The food was not the best... maybe I'm spoiled because growing up, I was blessed by being cooked for by friends of the family, but I've been to other places and they were still better than this...but I was craving Chinese and thought I'd give it a try... I usually don't order too much food... So I only had the Cashew Chicken with water chestnuts and Pork Fried Rice. I wanted to try the pot stickers, based on another's review... but they wouldn't do a half order.. Cashew Chicken... good at first bite, but the sauce can get overwhelming after eating more than a few bites. Think it was the sweetness of the sauce that got too me. Then came the Pork Fried Rice... TELL ME.. How can you screw up Pork Fried Rice??? Well, maybe they were having a bad night?? But this was completely non edible. Maybe there are other items on the menu that are better, but I'm questioning... and don't think I'm going to try to figure it out...
(2)
James D.
The food here is great. We ordered the salt-pepper squid, deep-fried eggplant w/ some kind of sweet sour sauce, the seafood chow mein and the dumplings. All very good (except the chow mein which was just good). The space is cramped for the size because the tables are too close together and the acoustics are not good. They need to add more decorations to absorb sound. There was a party there and one of the guys talked so loud. Luckily they were just about to leave. If you live in the area or just passing by, then I suggest to order take out and eat at home or have a picnic. I will return, but only for take-out.
(4)
Dave R.
The potstickers (veggie or pork) are heavenly, I kid you not! They are extremely delicious. I also tried the Mongolian Tofu which came on crunchy noodles, - also damn delicious. Beware, though, one order serves two easily, so the best course of action would be that you and your significant other decide on one appetizer and one entree and share. The waiters are friendly and quick. Definitely a place to visit more than once.
(5)
Sara P.
Awesome- had the eggplant- amazing- had the beans- amazing. great family place run by a great family. Get out there and spend your $ at these incredible family restaurants before they dissapear from everyone trying to save a dime by eating at the cheapest crap chains possible. SAVE The FAMILY businesses!!!!! Hurry!!!!!
(5)
Sue M.
We sure don't understand the good reviews for this place! Ordered delivery again, we have tried this place at least 4 times and it is greasy, greasy, greasy! The BBQ Pork was so tough & tasteless, fried prawns--a piece in a ball of greasy dough plus we didn't get a full order either, Sweet & Sour Pork too tough & doughy, awful Hot & Sour soup & House Chow Mein dry as the desert! A big waste of $65! This is the last time for us!
(1)
Gary C.
Great food at a very competitive price!! Staff was amazingly pleasant and we were there until the place closed! The salt and pepper chicken was fantastic and the dumplings are great. Come here!
(5)
Jordan C.
Huge portions + discernible ingredients + campy oriental mascot + English speaking proprietors = happy White People. Sure the floor was dirty as hell and there were a good handful of empty tables waiting to be bussed on a slow afternoon, however this did not deter our melanin lacking brothers and sisters from going to town. Heard good things about the homemade noodles, so we ordered the Snappy Dragon Chow Mein + Fried Rice + Crispy Duck. I don't know about you but there's something blasphemous about using frozen and canned vegetables in a sit-down Chinese restaurant, you can get away with it at Panda Express but why skimp here? To be fair, there were some fresh veggies in our Chow Mein, but not much. The homemade noodles had a texture that was not very pleasing --imagine chewing on big wide rubber bands. To top it off, where the hell was the protein? If you're going to tout the dish as having Beef + Chicken + Shrimp + Veggies, put some in there! The crispy duck was unbearably salty. Maybe it was so to suit Western tastes, however there's a fine line between well seasoned and sodium assault. We politely addressed the issue to our host who relayed the information to the proprietor. When it came time to pay the bill, they charged us half price on the duck, nevermind the fact that we hardly touched it. Judy Fu's has racked up quite a number of accolades, many of which are dated in the late 90s --when people were still afraid to go to the I.D. for Chinese food. Apparently those Zagat's people have never been to the I.D. I beseech you, this is not the best Chinese food in Seattle. Not even for Americanized! (re: Panda Express) Yes, I am a little Salty.
(1)
Terry-Jo L.
Food was outstanding got there at 5pm and got sat right away. An hr later the restaurant was full and the lobby and parking lot were standing room only for a table. This little neighborhood gem does a fantastic business and the food was outstanding. I had the Woo Woo drink that was yummy! The homemade noodles were very Good. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
ParisAnne D.
I was surprised to see this place only has three stars. I would love to give it 5 just to attempt to up it's rating, but I rarely give anything 5 stars. However, we do love Snappy Dragon. We've done take out once and eaten in 3 times over the last 5 years (we're on the Eastside, otherwise we'd probably go more often). The service last time when it was slow, was shockingly only so so, but the food is great. We love their potstickers, their fresh sauces, and the noodles. I am not a chow mein person, but their fresh noodle chow mein is great. It's basic in flavor, so spice it up with the sauces to exactly how you want it. We haven't had anything there we don't care for.
(4)
Joshua D.
Ok,,, This place is a bit overrated. They do have good Kung Pao and dumplings, but I don't want to wait 45min to get a table in this small joint! Get delivery! And they charge extra for rice, not extra rice, just rice with your meal! The customer service could be better. It's a classic case of a place too popular for it's own good.
(2)
Karyn G.
Can't....stop...eating...Snappy Dragon...everything. Black bean sauce = crack Homemade noodles = crack Homemade dumplings = crack Must go back soon! Rawr! My addicted tastebuds command me!
(5)
Taryn H.
Salty. Salty. Salty. Underneath all that salt, there were good flavors going, which is why I didn't give it a 1 star. I had wanted to eat more, but had to stop because of all the salt. If you are salt sensitive like me, not the place for you. Folks with high blood pressure, also steer clear. The cocktails were good though and it's not often you can get a mixed drink with Chinese food.
(2)
William S.
As my wife and I continue to explore Chinese restaurants in the Green Lake area, we decided to try SD. We had dumplings, BBQ pork, and baby Bok Choy. The dumplings were authentic, with a thicker wrapper than most. The veggie was good, but the BBQ pork was memorable only because of my disappointment. I love BBQ, especially Chinese style, and this missed the mark in a big way. Everything else was fine, friendly service and bright, clean digs.
(3)
JC D.
Food: Meh Service: Good Fortune Cookie: On the money..."You will make someone laugh tomorrow." I wasn't as impressed as some of the other reviewers. I saw a lot of newspaper clippings and awards on the wall, but... meh. I had the Mongolian garlic tofu, and it was o.k. My food came out quick, it wasn't busy, but it did make me think that maybe the tofu was pre-made and sitting there. This place is in my neighborhood, so I'm sure I'll be back and maaaaybe I'll up the stars.
(3)
Phil A.
Snappy Dragon is unfailingly good Chinese food. My favorite in town! Highly recommend the Mongolian Beef, BBQ pork fried rice, General Tsao's chicken and the Chow Mein with the homemade noodles!
(5)
Hope P.
What a waste of a meal and a long drive to eat bland, flavorless food. Even with a 4 out of 5 star heat level, zippo, even adding red chili oil to the housemate noodles, the Gen Tso chicken and pork dumpling did not add any flavor. If your stoned "maybe" you would be happy since the portion sizes are huge...
(1)
Trish Q.
Location is on Roosevelt not ideal because of the lack of parking but the food is worth it. Family style portions "which means you can eat as much as you want and no one will notice" The green beans ah so good. One of my favorites, but then there are the home made chow mein noodles oh and then the potstickers & the soups. the mu shu oh it is all so good. i have never had a bad experience here. Everyone always leaves with full tummys and very lethargic which if you are a restaurant owner is the ultimate compliment. Wear loose clothes they will get tighter at dinner!
(4)
Aaron W.
Here's the deal... There are few restaurants like this in the area. ONLY fresh ingredients, homemade JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, a wide selection of food, and a Family-run atmosphere. It is obvious here, from the high quality level of the ingredients, that a great amount of care is given to the food. The service is friendly and attentive, and the price is perhaps a touch higher than at other restaurants, but those other restaurants give you frozen vegetables in their chowmein. I am not from an Asian country, I cannot speak to it's authenticity as an ethnic restaurant, but I can tell you this is a very yummy place to eat.
(3)
Geoff N.
My friend Brad introduced me to Judy Fu and her Snappy Dragon (is that a euphemism?) the other night. I must say that for a Chinese restaurant without a Chinese staff person in sight, the food was delish! My friends and I started our meal with the sizzling rice soup. If you are unfamiliar with this dish, it's basically a vegetable soup served family style with a non-sweet Rice Krispy treat dropped in the middle so it snaps, crackles and/or pops. The soup used at Snappy Dragon most closely resembles a wonton soup, minus the wontons. However, it replaces the wontons with shrimp, chicken and fresh, crisp snow peas. While I prefer Greenwood Mandarin's spicier rendition of sizzling rice, Judy Fu does an excellent job. We ordered Mongolian Beef, Cashew Chicken and Ants Climbing a Tree for our main course. While the first two dishes were delicious, they are pretty standard fare at most Chinese restaurants. Therefore, I will tell you about the goodness that is Ants... Ants Climbing a Tree consists of a pile of skinny rice noodles with chunks of pork sausage embedded throughout. The dish is ample, spicy and delicious and reheats very well as leftovers. My friends and I wound up taking almost half our food home with us, which is excellent considering we ordered three dishes for three people. In addition to providing an excellent meal on site, Judy Fu's sells some of their signature sauces to take home. Furthermore, if you are wondering what to do with the delicious sauce when you get it home, simply stop by snappydragon.com to peruse several savory recipes Judy offers online. As someone who enjoys the Chinese food as well as any opportunity to stretch my cooking skills, I plan to take advantage of Judy's recipes in the near future.
(4)
Sarah W.
Authentic? No. Tasty? Yes. Disclaimer: I have only ever gotten takeout and delivery here. I have never dined within. I don't mind the thickness or chewiness of the house made noodle dough. I like it. I usually order two orders of the spinach, mushroom and tofu potstickers and eat them for three days. Don't be put off by the number of potstickers to an order, because each one is HUGE. When getting takeout or delivery, you may wish to remind them to include the potsticker dipping sauce. They have forgotten before. The Mongolian Tofu is nice, just the right combo of spiciness and acidity (and saltiness if the dipping sauce is present). Delivery is usually promised in 45 minutes and actually rendered in 30 or less. Not the best prices in town, but a nice treat for when you're too lazy to do anything but have someone bring you something.
(4)
Denis G.
Do not order delivery from here - it will take forever. I've ordered twice from here now and it has taken over an hour and a half both times. Food is ok, but if you're hungry, definitely not worth the wait.
(1)
James F.
Good Lunch specials but watch your bill. Great Chow mein with Homemade noodles, actually the best thing they make, and the only thing I can seem to order and enjoy here. Unfortunately the last few times I have visited Judy Fu's I have been disappointed with both the service and price, which seem to be off a lot recently. I am also not a fan of the MSG usage; you have to ask to have MSG excluded from your food if you wish to enjoy your meal Headache free.
(3)
Jeffrey K.
Snappy Dragon had delivered food to my place in the past and tonight I wanted some food, really looked forward to it since the food is relatively good although the price is a little high in my opinion. I was MOST DISAPPOINTED and quite frustrated when the person on the phone said they do not do delivery at my address. I told them they did so in the past but the person on the phone said tonight was busy. Never going back there again since they should have told me about the exception made before and that they usually will not do delivery to my place. I double checked their website and they do mark the boundary where they do delivery. My place is only about 10 blocks further outside the delivery zone and I am really hungry. Well, I guess this is a lesson learned.
(1)
Kelsey F.
Americanized Chinese food at it's best. Here's what you need to know about this place: 1. Be prepared to get creative with parking if you go around dinnertime any night of the week. 2. Unless you're starving, watch how much you order. Myself and my dining partner were both starving, but we opted to split a dish of fried rice and a dish of one of the chicken dishes. We also each started with a cup of soup. We wound up with leftovers. 3. Get an alcoholic beverage. They're pretty rockin'. The place is cozy and smells good. There isn't a lot of room to wait, but you can read all sorts of articles about how good their potstickers are while you wait. I had the following: Wonton Soup - great flavor but the wontons were a bit tough. Mandarin fried rice - comes with shrimp. Last time I ordered a shrimp fried rice at a "Chinese" restaurant, it came with a whopping three shrimp. There was more shrimp to be had this time, which is nice. Slightly greasy, but fried rice isn't known for being healthy. Tasted really good. General Tso's chicken - came out coated in an unearthly red sauce which was spicy. Would've enjoyed a bit more sauce, but otherwise, this wasn't bad. Sinapore Sling (drink) - aaaand suddenly, I'm drunk. Drunk, drunk, drunk. Drunkity-drunk drunk, drunk. Here it goes, down the tummy... ...I don't remember what happened after this (I'm not a lightweight, don't get me wrong, I just hadn't eaten all day and that was a drink that held it's own), but I KNOW I didn't feel like I was dying the next day. So either the alcohol killed the grease or it really isn't that greasy. I'd like to think the latter.
(3)
Joelle A.
I haven't found very much Chinese that is similar to what I'm used to since I moved to Seattle from the East Coast, and the Snappy Dragon was a good try. The homemade noodles have a great texture - I only wish they had more flavor, so I add sauce from some of the other dishes and they are perfect. I've had several of the tofu dishes, which are all well-made, although a tofu version of the General Tzo's was a bit too sweet for my taste. I've also tried the dumplings, which were tasty, but not totally my style.
(3)
Esther S.
Always busy when we go on a weekend evening! Good idea to call ahead if you can. Awesome food! My husband says its the best chinese food he has ever had :) Try their General Tso's chicken and the veggie fried rice!
(4)
C M.
Snappy Dragon is hands down awesomeness. Every time I come here I have to restrain myself from ordering every other thing on the menu. The lunch special is a great deal (around $8) and includes soup, rice, egg roll or BBQ pork AND an entree! Portions here are HUGE, and the chow mein is handmade. There is also a separate jiao zi (dumping) bar where they make fresh to order, with it's own hugely popular spicy/sweet/vinegary dipping sauce. Other favorites: spicy crispy eggplant, mushu, snappy dragon rice, any of the chow meins....aw hell, the whole friggin menu. Dave and Judy Fu are also the nicest, hardest working family in the restaurant business. Dave really cares about making a connection with the customers, and also hires local kids to staff his restaurant. He's so dedicated, you would think the guy lives at the place. F$%^ Yeah Snappy Dragon!
(5)
Noel J.
"At the heart of every good cook is a Chinese guy." - Tony Bourdain. My very dear (Chinese) friend critiques Snappy Dragon for being "too Americanized". Maybe she's right - but here's the thing: IT'S GOOD! Now, I am definitely a champion for authentic cuisine - but why suck for the sake of authenticity? Judy Fu knows her clientele! This is Seattle, people! The ratio of Asians in China isn't much higher than here, and only slightly less so around Northgate. There are a million "authentic" Chinese places around (uh, International District?). So Judy said screw it, I'm gonna make General Tsao's Chicken out of raspberry sauce so it glows in the dark! Her homemade chow mein noodles are hearty enough to freelance as a fire hose - which could be put to good use should you order 5-star Kung Pao Chicken. Keep it up Judy. You have righteous Fu!
(4)
Nancy M.
A fun place to go for casual dinner when you're craving some noodles. We were seated in the corner by the fireplace and there is a really strong overhead air vent so we'd go from chilly to blast furnace in a second. Despite this, I always love the gyoza and the home made noodles DO rock. If you're going through menopause though, do yourself a favor and don't sit by the fireplace!
(4)
Jen G.
The owner of Senor Moose recommended we try Snappy Dragon. Happy to have a qualified suggestion for good Chinese food after going nearly two years without finding a decent place in Seattle, our hopes of adding Snappy Dragon to our list of regular haunts were quickly dashed, as the ambiance was lacking and the food was just blech. We started with the pot stickers - half pork, half veggie. The pork pot stickers were OK, but the veggie pot stickers were nasty piles of mushroomy mush. Then I had the Kung Pao Chicken, which was so salty, I had to stop eating it after a few bites. My husband had some sort of noodle dish, which was completely bland, without any flavor at all. Our experience at Snappy Dragon makes me wonder two things. One, maybe I've gone my whole life so far without having really good Chinese food, as it never seems to excite me, wherever we go. Or two, maybe that's what Chinese food is supposed to taste like, kind of bland and uninspired, and I just don't like it. At any rate, I was disappointed we wasted a Friday dinner out on such a lackluster meal. I'm even more disillusioned that this place was recommended by the guy behind Senor Moose, where we had a fantastic meal. We just assumed his recommendation would be spot-on. Hmm. Perhaps being an expert in Mexican cuisine does not make one an expert in other cuisines, I guess. So sad.
(2)
Abby H.
I live right across from Judy Fu's, so I find myself ordering from here a lot. The have a $12 minimum for deliveries, but the people who work here are very easy going, so they will usually do it anyway - especially if you are close. I really love their chocolate-covered fortune cookies. They have an entire vegetarian menu, although you have to request it. They still have some vegetarian options on the menu, and I recommend the Schezuwan veggies and the homemade noodles. Do not order anything with the crispy noodles, for they are these really thin dried noodles that end up looking like a robin's nest filled with blood and meat. Gross. Creepy. I know. That's what I thought, too. The staff is very efficient, and they have great lunch specials. The food is just plain good, nothing more, nothing less, nothing catchy. Just good food, good environment, and take-out.
(3)
Heather J.
I love the name of this restuarant and the fact that they have a seperate vegetarian menu. They also make thier own sauces, some of which are even sold at local stores (their potsticker sauce is addictive, but 7$ a bottle is too much for me, especially since I would eat it all in one seating). I really enjoy the potstickers which are a little different from traditional ones, they are very doughy and come in orders with huge quantities. Its nice to get a bunch of different orders and share. I always thing I need some swag as well, the name just intrigues me. However food isn't always as good and some people don't seem that impressed by it. Maybe they just don't appreciate the value of a great sauce.
(4)
Kim H.
The husband and I went to this place for two reasons: 1) the name (we love anything dragon!) and 2) the reviews on yelp. It was so good, we ate here two nights in a row. Definitely a reason to come back to Seattle (this was our first visit). We had the jiao zi (homemade dumplings) the first night, along with mooshu pork. We came back the second night for 2 orders of dumplings only. Not bad, price-wise--30 pieces for about $20. My Chinese mother makes the very best dumplings ever and these were darn close to hers. I will be coming back.
(5)
Ken N.
I have been going to Snappy almost weekly for 12 years. Yes, there have been some lunches that were better than others but I was NEVER disappointed in my meal or the service I received. Great people, great food, Snappy Dragon! Dave, you are the best! Keep it up!
(5)
Drew G.
Judy Fu's was alright. It wasn't anything special. The staff were nice and prompt if dressed a little casual. The food came in large portions. What I really rate a Chinese place on is their Chow Mein. This place has crappy Chow Mein. They offer you the choice of lame store bought noodles or $2 extra for nice homemade noodles. Why offer crappy noodles if you want to serve good food? Who knows. I have tried both. While the nicer/more expensive noodles are better, the chow mein is plain and filled with water chestnuts. As an accent ingredient, they can be OK, but not to the extent that they rival the noodles. Judy needs to use some of her patented sauces on these noodles to get them the flavor they deserve.
(3)
Mina A.
Oh delivery! Moving neighborhoods = locating the best delivery options. Snappy Dragon is high on my list for those of us up north of the city. Beware the Jiao-zi is addictive. Try the yummy homemade noodles if you've only eaten pre-made. You'll be surprised. The staff has been great in my experience. They've been willing to adjust items for food allergies or make recommendations for when we had a difficult house guest. I have not eaten in. In fact I've only been in the building twice to grab take-out on the way home. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food and servings. Wait-time varies, but it's never been unreasonable even during the busiest times of day. Last take-out at Snappy Dragon: I got back in the car with two huge bags. My friend asked if I grabbed the wrong order. Happy to report no.
(4)
Scot K.
I just don't understand why people give this place high ratings. The food is mediocre with average service in a funky building. I'd rather head down the road to Chiangs. The building there is equally funky, but the food is phenomenal. Bad tea, poorly seasoned food, poorly cooked rice, dry barbacue pork. Need I say more? I only go to SD because my co-workers out vote me.
(2)
Monique H.
This is a take out review. First off the place itself inside seemed nice and clean. The young woman greeting was very nice and welcoming. Minus the fact that the young man was texting while he was taking my friends order, the customer service was decent. Now that said, I really wanted to like this place because it's so close to my place. I order the general tao chicken, house noodles and some rice. I will say that the portion sizes are large, which is great for a few days of left overs! While the general tao chicken pieces were large, they were dry and tough. The house noodles looked really good but had little flavor. My order cam to about $25 and for one person thats a little $$ but like I said, left over for days!
(2)
Jarrod L.
The jiaozi are better than average, but they're overrated. The Ma Po To Fu is passable but not special. The General Tso's Chicken was totally wrong, but an ok dish when I tried not to think of it as General Tso's; the chicken was breaded instead of velveted and the sauce was sweet and sour sauce based, even with the bright red color.
(3)
Peter S.
Cozy aptmosphere. Service was slow but good. I do not recommend the homemade chow mein noodles......they r too thick and chewy! Portions are really big and food was good.
(4)
Ani A.
Snappy Dragon has great food... we especially like the crispy fried eggplant. Food is delicious, and the menu offers a broad spectrum from which a family with vegetarians and non-vegetarians can share. It is presented in family style. There is always more than everyone can eat!!! The wait time is so long to get in, and almost non-existent waiting area. With elderly parents it is difficult. Best to go for lunch or order out. The decor is pleasant. Definitely the best Chinese around!!! snappydragon.com/home.ht…
(4)
Anna M.
I used to love Snappy Dragon -- enough to make the overland drive from Ballard (there really is no way to get to Maple Leaf quickly from Ballard), pick up a big sack of their good stuff and bring it back home to eat, a little cooler than I would have liked, but still delish. Eating in the restaurant isn't really an option ... the wait is always forever and something about the vibe is really off-putting. My core order is always the same: jiao-zi (I'm probably spelling that wrong but it's the little gyoza-like dumplings stuffed with pork or vegetables); hunan pork, spicy and laden with bamboo shoots; mu shu pork with extra pancakes and plum sauce; and the green beans. Last night, we called in our order on our way home from picking my husband up at the airport. He'd been traveling all day and was completely starved -- dinner from Snappy sounded like a great idea. Even better (and unbelievably) our order was ready when we arrived to pick it up. So imagine our sadness when, back at home in Ballard, we unpacked our bag to discover the wrong order inside. Not only the wrong order -- but an order that included asparagus, a vegetable I'm quite allergic to. I know we should have checked the order before driving all the way home but come on, Snappy Dragon! When my husband called to explain what happened, did he get an apology? No. Did they knock a bit off our bill to compensate for our trek back to Maple Leaf to pick up the correct order? No. Did they console us with a fabulous dinner that washed our crabby feelings away in a sea of saucy goodness? No. And that's the worst part of all: the dinner was totally sub-par. The hunan pork, my longtime favorite, was gristly and tasted off overall. The jiao-zi (excuse my spelling again) were gelatinous and the filling had a texture that made me wish I hadn't eaten them. The pancakes were stuck together and ripped when I tried to unfold them. Overall, a very big disappointment. If anyone has a great suggestion for Chinese that's closer to Ballard, I'd love to hear it. Snappy Dragon has been my go-to spot for years but I don't think I can continue.
(2)
Shannon K.
Best homemade noodles! Love this place!
(4)
Eugene O.
I'm keeping it short, sweet and simple with this one: Food: tasteful. The homemade noodles used in the chow mein are firm, doughy and delicious. These alone are reason enough to come back. Tea: passable. But then again, the food was so good that the only purpose the tea served was to wash everything down. Service: mediocre. The staff wasn't super friendly or attentive. I was in a party of six and he could've came by more to fill up our beverages. Fortune cookie: tasty. It wasn't the best part of the meal (thankfully), but it was fresh, sweet, and I received a good fortune which I will keep to myself. Thank you.
(4)
Jeff S.
Hands down the most overrated Chinese restaurant in Seattle. I used to head there once in awhile for a lunch special of Mongolian Tofu (deep fried, lots of pepper sauce, etc.). Otherwise, it's below average. I live in the neighborhood and definitely support local, independent businesses, but the food is just blah.
(2)
Reina H.
I wasn't overly impressed with this place. I had gotten several recommendations to try it and their website makes everything look really great. I was disappointed by their REALLY small lobby, crammed full of people waiting for their food (we got take-out and perhaps that was the problem). They do a really excellent job of marketing the "home made, fresh noodles", but I didn't expect them to be quite so doughy or to be cut so wide. They were really oily as well and didn't have a tremendous amount of flavor. Soy helped, but you have to be careful with that overpowering everything. The Garlic Chicken was good. The sauce/broth that the veggies and meat were in was interesting and hot enough to burn my eyeballs out of my skull. Not particularly garlicky however. Hmmmm....perhaps we'll have to try them in the restaurant. Maybe that will help.
(3)
Tyron W.
Pretty good food all around. The dumplings, kung pao shrimp and garlic chicken are my favorite dishes. The service is not bad either. The cramped entrance/waiting area is bothersome because of the constant traffic but its all worth it when you get your grub on.
(4)
Denni S.
I really like Judy Fu's. I agree it can be a mixed bag when it comes to service and atmosphere, but I just can't get enough of the pork jiaozi. They will always keep me coming back. Sit at the jiaozi bar and watch how they make them. I enjoy the hot and sour soup, homemade noodles, and...yes, PORK JIAOZI. They are like little pieces of heaven to me. I think the spicy bean sauce is yummy too. Delivery service usually takes awhile, and you have to be really specific on the amounts of extra sauces you want - and check the bag because it's likely they missed them. Service is hit or miss when dining in as well - depending on your server. Overall, I think the staff is courteous and pleasant.
(4)
MyBabyLove R.
Snappy Dragon is an old favorite of mine. I love their Kung Pao (tofu or chicken) and they always bring me a side of chile paste to heat things up for me. The service is quite good, and I'm always greeted with smiles and respect. This is also a great place to bring the whole family. I hope Snappy Dragon never goes away. Go for the $7.95 lunch special which gives you a wide array of menu items to choose from and includes either spring rolls or pork, a choice of white, brown, or fried rice, and of course tea! A Snappy Iced Tea is tasty on a hot day. Have a Super Snappy Day
(4)
Genevieve J.
After two or three take out orders of really bad sesame beef (gelatinous sauce/stringy, almost unidentifiable meat) and lackluster steamed vegetables (chewy and bland canned mushrooms), I'm crossing Snappy Dragon off my list.
(1)
S N.
Definitely not authentic Chinese food. This is dressed up American-Chinese. It is nothing like the food I have had in my eight trips to 22 different cities in China. My wife, who is Chinese, and I decided to try it because of all the hype. It is just that. HYPE!!! We were totally disappointed. Judy's best creation is her marketing campaign. It is not worth trying. You might as well just go to Panda Express or China First. There are many better Chinese restaurants in Seattle.
(1)
Will A.
I hate to give top ratings to anything, but this place has deserved it through consistency, quality, and service. My partner and I lived two blocks away for a year and could not get enough of it. Three things stand out: 1) Consistency: While some dishes are not as exciting as others, unlike many neo-Chinese places, you always know what you are getting here. While it took my partner and I a while to find out exactly what we liked (I have had hand-cut noodles several places and I think they are just not my thing), ordering the jiao-zi (pork or vegetarian dumplings) and the salt-and-pepper chicken wings have always been delicious, even when they are not mind-blowing. We have not had much in the way of "off" nights here. 2) Quality: By this I do not mean fancy, by any means. What I mean is that the flavors are complex enough to be distinct from dish to dish. The pork jiao-zi are heavily gingered, providing a great counterpoint to the fattiness of the pork. The skin on them is appropriately chewy, with just enough to fill you up without overwhelming the pork. Sesame beef is tangy and brown while General Tso's chicken is spicy and crispy. Distinct sauces really bump this up above your average neo-Chinese (or Asian fusion) fare. 3) Service: This is the reason that I give it five stars. While I have never eaten inside the restaurant (I lived two blocks away and have an anxious dog), the front counter/host staff have always been perfectly pleasant, even cheerful when I've come in. The food is absurdly bountiful: my partner and I once ate literally for a week on $40, in part because we have never ordered the 15-piece jiao-zi and received fewer than 16 (the last batch had 19). But this took the cake: when I went in the other day to pick-up my order, they had run out of the jiao-zi and were making more fresh. It took them fifteen minutes longer to complete the order than they had estimated, for a total of 30 minutes. The hostess apologized, explained, and checked every two minutes on our order. And when it came, the manager, David, refunded me HALF of my purchase price to apologize for the delay. Having worked in the restaurant industry myself, I know that this means he was losing money on this meal. I tried to reject it, but he was insistent, and then continued to make small-chat with me until my order arrived. I am sad to have moved away, but David and Judy Fu have really left an impression. And again: jiao-zi!
(5)
N K.
As with some others, I'm not sure HOW some of these folks had such a negative experience! Perhaps not enough experience with non-Panda Express Chinese food? Came when there was a new chef? Not sure. I just went last night with five friends and every one of us found the food spectacular! I've been here many times before (though this is my first review), and with the exception of one time (new chef, I was informed at the time) it has been consistently amazing. It's annoying. Especially if you're trying to eat healthy. Don't go if you like puny noodles or paper-thin, pre-made dumplings: everything here is fresh and hand-made on site! I like to watch them make the dumplings at the dumpling bar. Family-owned and run (you can tell who's related, which is a fun game to play), the place has a nice warm feel to it for me. It can be a bit pricey at times, but that's probably more because I order too much. I get the delivery occasionally, and I try to avoid any of the fried stuff, like the eggplant, since it's not great soggy; fresh, the stuff is all amazing. Again, it's annoying; especially if you're trying to eat healthy. Only consistent minus for me is parking, but that's more an issue when it's crummy out.
(5)
Sean E.
Snappy Dragon is somewhere in the middle of California-style Chinese food and traditional Chinese-style Chinese food. Sure, the menu has homemade noodles and ma po tofu, but you'll probably just end up ordering General Tso's chicken anyway. Not that this is a bad thing. Judy Fu does sweet-and-sour and sweet-and-spicy pretty well, but Seattle has never been a great place to find this sort of thing for someone who grew up in the Bay Area. I enjoyed the General Tso's chicken and the noodles but the beef and cabbage hot pot was all salt and the dumplings in peanut sauce probably took ten years off my life. Service was weird - we got water refills every 30 seconds (from someone whose job seemed to be nothing but topping off everybody's glass) but all three entrees came outseparately for some reason. Prices are higher than in the ID but no worse than other restaurants in outside of it. Probably the best thing here is that you can get all of your Americanized favorites without worrying about all the things the health department found during their last inspection. Ambiance is pretty nice and parking in Maple Leaf is much easier than in the International District. If you or your dining companions are bad with accents, note that most of Judy Fu's waitresses are cute coeds. I'd probably go to Chiang's Gourmet for North Seattle Chinese nine times out of ten, but if you're actually going to eat in Judy Fu's is one of the better choices in Seattle. The best complement I can think of is that Judy Fu's is the best place for an adventurous fan of Chinese food to go with a bunch of people who fear anything more obscure than fried rice and sweet-and-sour chicken.
(3)
non o.
Like someone here said it, I don't know what's so great about this place. I take out food from here maybe 2, 3 times a year. Everytime I go there to pick up food, the place is usually crowded. I like their jiao zi with pork, but that's about it. I usually order that and fried rice. Their spiciness are different all the time. Their hot and sour soup is super hot sometimes, and not so much other times. Same for the food, 3 star mongolian chicken can be super hot or not so hot. Their fried food are really greasy with huge batter on it. I wish if this place is little better. I recommend Chiang's Gourmet if you are in Maple Leaf area.
(3)
Chris G.
Wow! What a great chinese restaurant in a cool little neighborhood of Maple Leaf, Seattle! They've got the best homemade noodles and dumplings! Wouldhighly recommend!
(5)
Holly L.
So a vegan friend of a friend left us no choice but to eat here. She didn't want to leave the house, she couldn't eat certain foods, blah blah needy personality blah. So, because this place both delivers and offers vegan foods, we ordered it up. The green onion pancake was recommended and hot damn! It was the yummiest, most surprisingly delicious combination of warm pancake like bread loaded with green onions. It came with some dipping sauce (soy sauce based)...man, it was awesome, and you get a ton of it too. I also got the wonton soup, and seriously, it was the best wonton soup I have ever had. No short cuts, made with lots of love...you could just taste it. So, thank you picky vegan friend of a friend for opening my eyes to the yumminess to be had....
(4)
Roselle K.
So I decided to order deliver from Snappy Dragon because I had heard so much about their authentic delicious offerings. I knew getting in to it that it was relatively expensive, and I took that as reflecting the quality of their food. I ordered their General Tsao's Chicken and the half duck dish along with a quart of rice. The delivery was neither fast nor slow, around 50 minutes to my place in the U District. I was impressed with: 1. the quality of the sauce and the chicken in the General Tsao's Chicken - the sauce was flavorful and definitely not those red food coloring + corn syrup concoctions one gets most places, and the chicken, well, you could actually see that it came from a chicken, not those anonymous chunks you usually get (AKA yum!) 2. the buns that came with the duck were pretty good as far as plain steamed buns go I was not impressed with: 1. duck, it seemed dry, had too little meat on it, and ended up leaving me with a bunch of bones and a craving for the juicy duck I had a few months ago in the international district 2. price :( Overall, it was a little too expensive for me to patronize again, except maybe if I'm craving some high quality General Tsao's.
(3)
Jacob R.
Get the dumplings. Nothing else.
(3)
Alexander Z.
I really don't get it. Snappy Dragon is supposed to be a "Seattle Institution" or cultural hot spot.. Judy Fu is supposed to be this really great chef who has developed superb recipes and fantastic food.. Every time my wife and I have eaten there.. well, I won't say the food is bad, per say, but very different. It isn't authentic Chinese *AT ALL.* It also isn't the normal American-Chinese stuff you find everywhere else. What it comes down to is this - Judy Fu has developed a couple of "unique" sauces they use in the cooking. Yea, the same sauces you find in some local grocery stores with her name on it. Their menu, which should be divided up among these sauces and isn't, consists of a lot of common food names for Chinese meals - but what you get is not what you expect, since they will not be prepared the way anyone (authentic or not) expects them. This, in and of itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing if it's done right. But I wouldn't say Snappy Dragon does it right either. My wife and I at a restaurant will often get three meals and eat family style, sampling several different things at once. Imagine our horror to find that of the three different meals we ordered (all different meats), two of the three are made with the same bland sauce (marked spicy on the menu) and the third is a slight variation on the same sauce. Hence, everything tasted the same even though they were very different menu items that were written up in the menu as tasting very different. No, the food wasn't bad.. but it wasn't good either. Not authentic, not American-style, not what the menu described and not what we expected from a "famous" chef. It also doesn't help that they charge extra for rice, a big no-no in our book.
(2)
Nadine W.
Great New York Style Chinese food in Seattle. You can get dishes here you just can't find elsewhere like home made dumplings in spicy peanut sauce, flaky green onion noodles, chicken in black bean sauce and hand shaven noodles. This place is also kid paradise. There are tons of children that go there and the staff are very conscientious, placing hot dishes well out of the reach of toddlers. Finally, the restaurant has the feel of being in someones home with separate warm and cozy rooms, one with a fireplace.
(3)
Toby K.
How in the world were they rated best for King5 Chinese cuisine? When I went to Judy Fu, my spouse and I had high high high hopes. We ordered nearly everything off the menu. We were unhappy with everything we ordered. It tasted too Americanized- I'd say even more Americanized than PF Changs. The only thing we were positive about was the hot tea- the same hot tea in every other Chinese restaurant. Judy Fu's friends were in the table next to us. It looked like they weren't entirely crazy about the food as well. Hey, they're lucky, I HAD TO PAY to eat that. Having been born and raised in Asia, I think I'm making a good judgement call by saying this place sucks and there is no way I'm coming back again.
(1)
Michelle T.
Crappy Dragon!!! Okay... we have eatin here before at lunch and it was pretty good, but one night we were working late and my boss ordered delivery from them and i was shocked! We ordered two orders of kung pao chicken (a spicy dish that ALWAYS COME WITH RICE!) AND THEY SENT NO RICE. When we called to ask about it they said we had to order it separately. Then why didnt they ask us on the phone if we wanted rice? Up sell people!!!! This was confusing since we paid $27 for 2 egg rolls and some kung pao we couldn't eat because it was too spicy without rice. We asked if they could bring us some rice and they said the minimum order for delivery was $15.00... they were 3 blocks away!!! Not only that but the traditional kung pao chicken is cubed with celery peanuts etc. they had obviously made it in a hurry because there were Huge slabs of chicken and little else. We had to stop working to make our own rice . Total rip off and rude when they made a mistake!
(1)
Michael M.
I was lucky enough to hear about this place from the old friend of a friend who came to visit me from out of town. I don't usually venture this far north for a night out, but I'm sure glad I did. General Tso's chicken, string beans, chow mein ... pretty good stuff. I was thoroughly impressed and will be taking others here in the future.
(4)
Renah S.
judy fu's is ridiculously delicious. a friend brought me there recently and now i crave it regularly. i must order mu shu pork and this sweet and sour eggplant dish, every time i go there. the mu shu pancakes are amazing and the filling is some of the best i have ever had. if you like chow mein then i suggest the handmade noodles. the mao pao tofu at judy fu's is better than any where else i have had it. the last time i was there we ordered three dishes then three more to take home, that's how good it is. it turned out to be way too much food, but in a good way. if like me, judy fu's is no where near where you live, it is totally worth the drive or the bus ride.
(4)
l g.
my snappy dragon Haiku: Oh, how I miss you Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon Do you ship noodles? I used to be able to walk to this restaurant from my house (1993-1996)and we would faithfully get our takeout homemade noodles at least once a week. Now that I am back on the east coast, I dream of the veggie dumplings and noodle soups at Snappy........(15 years later!)
(4)
Rachel S.
This is the place that led me to wonder: is there ANY good chinese in Seattle? I've since thoroughly enjoyed Jack's Tapas: Mainly Chinese in the north end of the Ave in the U-District, so I've answered that question for myself (depending on the chef on duty). Go there instead for your fix. After one particularly long work-day, we ordered dinner from Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, located in Maple Leaf. This has to have been the most dissatisfying Chinese meals I've ever had in Seattle.I'll note that there have been many. In this case, I've had better luck reheating frozen meals from Safeway. This one falls even shorter than the average-tasting meals I've had at better Chinese--T&T and Shanghai Garden in Bellevue (the comfort-food General Tso's there isn't half-bad). I still miss Top Gun Dim Sum in the International District, but even then, I wasn't blown away. Snappy Dragon is probably a place where I won't reorder. Now, our flaw may have been getting the food as delivered takeout, but given the quality, I have a feeling it would have been bad in any setting. We ordered the standard Americanized Chinese entres: General Tso's Chicken, Sesame Chicken, egg rolls, and fortune cookies. Basic Chinese comfort food. The sweet and sour sauce was flavorless, the egg rolls were unusual (not in a good way), and the chicken in our General Tso's and in our Sesame Chicken was overcooked and dry. Several pieces of chicken were as difficult to chew as beef jerky would be, if they were smothered in "spicy sauce." Since this restaurant has had so many recommend it online and by word of mouth, I feel obligated to pass along the bad experience to prevent others from having my high expections.
(1)
John K.
Hmm, I've read reviews below that state the service is bad. I don't agree. We often go for dinner, and experience what seems like a younger "after school" workforce. They're happy, helpful, energetic, and pretty good lookin' :) As far as the food goes, my wife and I would have mixed reviews. I have a little salt fetish, and the salt and pepper chicken will seize your joints it's so salty. I love em, but be warned. You'll retain water for weeks. We've also ordered a beef dish that comes out looking and tasting like it was made in the local O-Boy Oberto factory. But, I'll add, the flavor is GREAT, and I love jerky, so BRING IT ON!!! The dumplings are also very worth it, especially if you drag a little "red hot lava paste" over them. The prices are a little steep, but it's close to our house, and it's always nice to walk to such a great dining experience. Oh, yeah, get the homemade noodles in the Chow Mein. They're great... but not as great as Chiang's Gourmet down the street on Lake City Way (who I gave 5 stars). Give Judy Foo's a try. From the looks of it, you'll either love it or hate it. But you've gotta rule it out first if you're gonna hate it. I love it.
(4)
David L.
I love Chinese food. Traditional, authentic Chinese food, as well as Americanized, MSG-laden Chinese food. I do not understand the 5-star reviews for Snappy Dragon. I had one good experience here, 6 years ago when I was in college, and kept coming back to try to recreate it. But every time I've been back since, whatever I order is limp, flavorless, and uninspired. Except the handmade noodles--they are good, but you can make them yourself in 10 minutes at home. And as far as Chinese goes, it's pretty expensive. Avoid Snappy Dragon; go to the international district for Chinese.
(1)
Tim H.
I want to like Judy Fu's. I do. I have friends that live by the foo and each time we go over to their place and get the take out from the Fu, it seems ok.. but when we get it delivered, it barely makes the ok bar we set. Last night was no different. An order of fresh noodles with lots of meat, general Tso's chicken and mu-shu Chicken-- 5 stars.. None of it was impressive. Noodles lacked flavor, totally lacked flavor. Starchy. Boo. Mu-shu was tasty, but the pancakes were too thick and broke each time we stuffed them with the goods. and then there was the General. 5 stars means Hot people-- General Tso's is supposed to be a spicy ass dish--one that lights the lanterns of China and when I ordered 5 stars, I want something HOT. What is it with Chinese food shops that don't know how to Spice? Also the General is supposed to be CRISP-- this was huge pieces of Chicken, from God know's what part of the chicky with batter on them, but it was like rice flour or something because the meat was crispier than the batter!! It doesn't help that I lived in China for a year and really crave those noodles that are handmade by the muslim folk-- these are a sad, sad representation of a food culture that strives to be hot and spicy. I won't order from there again.
(2)
Roxanne B.
The food is good, the service terrible. When we called and ordered for delivery, we were not told how long it would be. After an hour and a half, we called and were told that "the delivery person had already left" with our food. At this point, it's been roughly two hours to two hours and twenty minutes. Our food has not yet arrived. Although I enjoy their special fried rice and their general tso's chicken, I am really disappointed in this service. I understand that they may be busy, but my goodness! UPDATE: It's now been three hours; it turns out that their delivery person was not given our full address, and no one called us regarding it. They have informed us that it will be a free meal, and it seems to have just been delivered. So I've upped them to a 2, solely on the basis of the good food. Still, in the future, I rather think I'll just go to the restaurant to eat.
(2)
Terry P.
Noodles! Noodles! Noodles! Oh, and, the dumplings! Enough said.
(4)
Kai W.
Snappy is just around the corner from where I live. I first start going there out of convenience. But nowadays its a place that I would bring my friend to. The dish are certainly Americanized (not that its bad), but even so, it creates a new category of taste. Here's how I normally order for my lunch or dinner alike. A bowl of wonton soup to warm-up your taste buds, a plate of snappy-dragon chow mein using home-made noodle (its really chewy and good on teeth), a plate of whatever fried rice and another dish (I would go with some of the stews, but the rest are delicious as well, such as Sweet and Sour pork). That would normally ended up costing around $35~40, but there's enough portion for up to 4~5 people. On top of that the service has been top shape for the last 20+ times I've been there. Polite and always on top of things. Definitely recommend for a good lunch or even a night with family. (They even have chocolate-covered fortune cookies for $1/piece)
(4)
Karen B.
Chicken chow mein with the homemade noodles is the best dish I have had there. They have other delicious food, but that is what keeps me coming back. The owner is also a very nice gentleman that remembers faces and names and makes you feel at home. Best Chinese food I have had in Seattle.
(4)
Amy B.
Growing up my family frequented the South Seattle institution, "Hunan Restaurant" for our Chinese Food needs. This was a fantastic restaurant - perfect food, nice owners - it was so good that it was always my first-meal-request when I returned from college. Sadly, the Safeway next door purchased the land and tore down the restaurant during my junior year. I'm still mourning. I was willing to drive almost anywhere and do almost anything to get my fix. I took recommendations from anyone and tried almost every Chinese restaurant in the International District (which seems to be highly skewed towards Cantonese). Unsatisfied with what I'd found, my friend Q suggested Judy Fu's. I was willing to give it a shot and ordered my standard fare - thank goodness she steered my towards the hand-shaved noodles! While Judy Fu's isn't the place or the taste of my childhood its good in a whole different way. The hand shaved noodles really aren't to be missed - the are thick like fettuccine and gooey covered in delicious sauce. Unfortunately, the noodles are really the only thing that I like at Judy Fu's. Plus, it really is practically in Shoreline - very very far! I would give the Snappy Dragon only two stars - because of the wait, service, and lack of complex spiciness - but the hand shaved noodles earned Judy another star.
(3)
P H.
Great dumplings, homemade wrappers/noodles, fresh ingredients, and generally good service. The home made wrappers/noodles tend to be a bit thick though. So overall, solid but if the dumplings weren't great, I wouldn't go back.
(3)
Carrie H.
One of my friends and fellow yelpers doesn't get what all the hub-bub is about this place. I tell him, hey, lunch menu til 4, average price per meal is like, 6-7 bucks? Tea, soup, entree, and cookie? My only gripe is that they aren't open on Sundays. Sucks. But keeping that in mind, I try to make it out there on a Saturday now and again. The soup is great, fried rice is awesome. I still want to try the potstickers, but have yet to do so. Maybe I'll go today!
(4)
Erin K.
I expected something a little "snappier" from this cleverly named restaurant. The shrimp yakisoba was decent. The shrimp was tasty. However, I wasn't wowed by the homemade noodles. I was excited for these homemade noods and they just didn't not come through for me. Also, I ordered some vegetarian gyoza, and they were overly-doughy and not very flavorful. The food was also quite oily, which put me in a really unpleasant food coma after eating it. I had been craving some tasty chinese food, and instead I got a stomachache and left overs that ended up getting thrown out. Bummer.
(2)
Elizabeth T.
Spicy Green beans are awesome, thank you D for introducing me to these. I also love potstickers too.
(4)
Alice R.
I really, really want to like this place more. But I cannot overlook the awful dining experience we had the other night. Like most families with young kids, I follow some unwritten rule about eating out which bounds me to eating early and having a fairly fast dining experience so that the kiddos don't get unruly or unhappy before the meal is over. USUALLY, servers are tuned into waiting on families. But this was NOT the case at Judy Fu's. I do have to say the front of the house was fabulous and did their finest to keep us informed of wait times and get us seated right away. But once seated, it was all downhill. It took a full 15-20 minutes before they even took our order. When you have a family with small kids, every minute counts. I was reading meltdown, meltdown, meltdown any minute. Then, when they finally took our order, I thought I was explicit about, "can we have the bowl of rice immediately. " But nope. My daughter was growing more cranky and my baby was eating through the snacks and food we had brought for her. And I would have gotten up to get someone but we didn't see a server for a long time. When our food did finally arrive, our noodles were lukewarm which made me conclude that they had been sitting for a while and we could have been eating sooner! I will say that their noodles and dumplings were good. So, my advice to those who want to try Judy Fu's is to stick with takeout. Trust me. You'll have a much better dining experience at home.
(2)
Dan J.
I really liked the lunch I had here! It's a great place when you want a quick lunch that's not fast food! The prices are great and the service was good too.
(5)
Michael K.
My wife and I used the Yelp app to find a Chinese restaurant near our location for shopping. We chose Snappy Dragon. Great Service. We ordered pork dumplings, BBQ fried rice and chicken chow mein. The food was delicious. The only exception to the whole meal was the cabbage was extremely bitter. When we asked the server, she said "sometimes when the cabbage is cut too low to the end, it;s bitter. Sorry about that" We would preferred at that point a offer to redo it.. The homemade noodles were excellant. Good neighbor hood food.
(3)
Kathleen P.
Snappy Dragon is always happiness in a little white carton to me. I love their takeout because I don't have to get dressed up or worry about wait times in their small-ish resteraunt. Their chinese food is good--not too greasy and always incredibly tasty. Their hot and sour soup is the best I have had and never needs anything added to it. I also love Judy Fu's Hot Chili Oil and regularly have to purchase more to use on food that I cook at home. As far as delivery goes, they almost always arrive (with a cheerful attitude) prior to the time they say that they are going to be there. Don't hesitate to splurge on the homemade noodles for the chow mein. Totally worth it.
(5)
Peter M.
This place is HANDS DOWN my favorite restaurant! The service is spectacular and the food is always amazing. So it comes to somewhat of a shock to see some of the reviews of this place. Maybe those people just got extremely unlucky (although I've been here dozens of times and have never left dissatisfied). Maybe they just got the wrong dish? (I have a hard time believe that as well, I am constantly trying new dishes and everything is yummy) Or... maybe some people are just impossible to please. I think something could definitely be said for the fact that one bad experience, and someone will go write a bad review but it's taken me a few years and dozens of visits to write this. (also yelp prioritizes negative reviews for some reason.) If you're trying to decide if you should go here. Do! ...you will leave happy. (there is a reason the place gets so busy.) p.s. : Remember to ALWAYS get the homemade noodles and boiled dumplings!
(5)
Sonya J.
This is based on the handmade noodles and dumplings. Meat is tasty but the skin is way too thick. Noodles are too hard and not done finely. Taste is good but not sure I would come here again. Rather stick to my usual haunts
(2)
Steve L.
This is our go-to for Chinese-American food - take-out or delivery. We love the sesame chicken and sesame beef. The asparagus in black bean sauce (with added prawns) is incredible. We also love the green onion pancakes. I have yet to have a bad meal here and it is always packed, so we always have delivery or take-out. We have ordered when guests drop by for surprise visits and they also rave about the food with us. Plus who doesn't love to say, "Judy Foo's Snappy Dragon."
(5)
Marie D.
They should consider expanding to a location with parking because the lines get crazy long. Try the Jiao Zi (dumplings), they're so good! Kinda pricey for Chinese Food if you're used to International District prices but you won't be disappointed with the food. We haven't tried it yet, but we saw they had good deals on their lunch menu (which extends until 4 p.m.)
(4)
Opal D.
The worst crispy duck and buns I've ever had - it was done so completely wrong that it was barely recognizable! The noodles looked strange and lumpy and my water was not refilled once. I will not be coming back!
(1)
Elizabeth E.
Hi again, We gave them another try, I was at a friends house and they were in the delivery area so it was the path of least resistance. It was actually really good. I'm back as a customer...still think it's not as good as the old days but the noodles were really good and better than the too-thick ones I have grown accustomed to at Black Pearl.
(3)
Sarah Z.
This is my favorite Chinese food place outside of the I'D. I'd suggest the joa-zi, cashew chicken, almond chicken (if you want something more like almond fried chicken ask for it to be made with fried chicken in my opinion it's better than the almond fried chicken in most restaurants) and the spring rolls. The homemade noodles are also very good, but a little too thick for my tastes. The pork fried rice as good, but the bbq pork fried rice is less than impressive.
(5)
Luigi A.
An authentic and eclectic Chinese dining experience in a quiet Seattle neighborhood. I would expect to see this type of plce down in Chinatown (The International District) but here it is in Maple Leaf. [shrug] Very nice place to have in the neighborhood and they deliver. A big plus to the area.
(4)
Yumiko K.
At first glance, Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon looked like a nice friendly restaurant. It was unique in that all the floor staff were non-Chinese, and the majority of the kitchen staff were Chinese. (All the Chinese restaurants I've ever been to seem to have only Chinese people working there.) Also, there was no Asian person dining except for me when my boyfriend and I got there for lunch, which should have clued me in... Vegetarian jiao-zis were the most uninspiring and unexciting dumplings I've ever encountered. The skin was good, but the filling contained some cabbage and garlic. (How about some chives and mushrooms??!!) Instead of 15, you can get 26 pieces by paying only $3 more, so we made a mistake of ordering 26 super boring dumplings. Ugh... I did actually enjoy their hand-made egg noodles. However, they were immersed in another flavourless flat-lined sauce. Their hot and sour soup was OK as it was pretty salty. If I had to go back there, I would order the egg noodles again (one of their noodle soups).
(2)
Maggie I.
After seeing that this restaurant won the "Best of Western Washington" five years in a row and seeing all of the 5-star ratings, we just had to try it out. Good news first: The staff was great! Friendly, helpful and fast. The restaurant itself is clean and neat, and there was some smooth jazz playing. Unusual for a Chinese restaurant, but I like jazz. Now for the bad news: This was probably the worst Chinese food I've ever tasted. I read some of the 1-star reviews that dissed the pork dishes and the General Tso's chicken, so we stayed away from those and concentrated on the dishes that everyone else seemed to be raving about. We started out with the Won Ton Soup. The won tons were wrapped in a dough that reminded me of lasagna noodles--thick and heavy. The pork filling had an odd taste and the broth was overwhelmed by too much shoyu, topped off with a finish of sesame oil. Ugh. We still had high hopes. We were really looking forward to the Snappy Dragon chow mein with Judy's homemade noodles. Again, a terrible disappointment. The noodles were heavy and stuck together and reminded me of heavy noodle dishes I used to get in Germany. The sauce was tasteless, and there was a foul tasting dipping sauce on the side. There was a dearth of vegetables, and the shrimp was tough and rubbery. O.K., now we're 0 for 2. Next up was the pork dumplings. Once again, the noodle was as thick as a lasagna noodle, and the pork filling had a weird aftertaste. The dipping sauce was non-descript. I so wanted to like this place after all the wonderful reviews, but I'm just not getting these five-star reviews and the Best in Western Washington awards. To top off our disappointng meal, we returned to our car which was parked right in front under the power lines and found it covered in bird poop. :(((( Sorry, Judy. I was looking for a new favorite Chinese place, but I'm sticking with my old favorite.
(1)
John P.
I have been going here for dining and takeout since moving to the neighborhood 5 years ago. Great food with large portions; I learned quickly not to order more than two dishes to share with my wife - even then we always have some little white boxes in our fridge. their friendly and competent staff is the icing on the cake. I am SO happy to have them within walking distance....
(5)
Angie B.
In general Snappy Dragon has fantastic food. I've eaten in the restaurant and also gotten delivery, and was quite happy with both. The Kung Pao Chicken from here is the best I've ever had. The sauce is just the right amount of slightly hot and full of flavor, and the peanuts they use have a great texture (perhaps they are boiled?) The Jiaozi are as good as everyone says, as well as the handmade noodles. There are a couple of things that weren't as good but I would just want to try different dishes. The Mu Shu pancakes are too thick and a bit dry, I wish they would use the thinner ones most other places use. Also I thought the Hot and Sour Soup was on the bland side.
(5)
H N.
I love this place so much. As a vegetarian, Chinese food tends to be an easy thing to order but Snappy Dragon makes it even easier with their wide assortment of options. Order the homemade noodles, you won't be sorry .... also, the greenbeans and almonds is one of the best dishes I've had ... and the vegetable fried rice ... mmmm ... I'm getting hungry thinking about it. :)
(5)
Shirin V.
While I have enjoyed take out from Snappy Dragon in the past, I recently dined in and had the Snappy Dragon specialty noodles (made in house). What a disappointment! The noodles were tough, oily, and basically flavorless. If you want good hand shaven noodles, go to Shanghai Garden in the ID.
(2)
Myrtle B.
If you like bland Americanized Chinese food, this is the place for you. The hand-shaven noodles itself are average but everything else is fairly mediocre. If you like Green Village or Tsukushinbo, you will steer clear from this place.
If there were a 6 star option we would give it to the snappy dragon. We have been coming here for more than 15 years and have had nothing but fantastic dishes and great service. The homemade noodles, jiao-zi, and scallion pancakes are all rare treats but everything is great. You can also ask them to add the noodles to your favorite dish which is something we highly recommend. It's a terrific place!
(5)
Amanda R.
I can only comment on the hot and sour soup. My amazingly kind roommate brought me the giant container of soup when I was at home half dead with the worst cold ever. It was spicy and delicious. I really think it did wonders for me. The soup was full of bamboo shoots, egg, mushrooms and bits of tofu. I can't wait to try more of what Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon has to offer.
(4)
Brent P.
Really happy to live in Snappy Dragon's delivery area! The food is really good, its affordable, and the portion sizes are huge. Not really sure Chinese food can be amazing, but they are really good. Only knock is they are always really busy so quick service or delivery is not really an option, but they are worth the wait.
(4)
Paul E.
Another Chinese restaurant that pleasantly surprised me(look up my review of Rice N' Roll). I was referred to Judy Fu's by my uncle and I'm delighted to say that my entire fam gives this place two thumbs up! I salivate like Homer Simpson saying "mmm" as I type this up. This was excellent food! We ordered the green onion pancakes, vegetable potstickers, rainbow tofu, mongolian tofu and the crispy eggplant in crispy hot glaze! I'm sure we ordered other dishes too but at the moment, these are the only ones I can remember(there is such a thing as a food hangover folks)! The dumplings were made fresh right in front of us by none other than Judy Fu and were mind-blowingly tasty. The crispy eggplant was delicious and had the same texture as the meat I'm used to(I was eating with vegetarians so I had to be the wolf in sheep's clothing!). Everything we ordered was brought to our table quickly and the staff was very welcoming and responsive. I only wish this place was closer to me but if I'm in the area again I will definitely bring this up as a possibility!
(5)
Rose L.
I've been going to Judy Fu's my whole life. I love the homemade noodles (Judy Fu Chow Mien). It is absolutely worth the extra $ to get the homemade noodles. I also love the homemade dumplings Jiao-zi. They are also a must. I get the pork ones. I like the hot and sour soup, my shu pork, their hot sauce they make, and potstickers. The green onion pancake is also delicious. I've had general tso's chicken at other places that I liked better, but that is the only dish I wouldn't recommend. A lot of the noodles and pancakes are handmade and are leagues above other places dishes.
(5)
Biela A.
Feel so lucky to have Snappy Dragon in our neighborhood. The food is really good. My favorite is the cranberry cashew chicken, but salt and pepper prawns are good too. Atmosphere is cozy neighborhood feel.
(4)
Marla R.
I had to do this review so that anyone looking for quality "American Style" Chinese food would know Judy's got it, plus terrific staff. We went most recently on a Thursday night, which is the perfect night because it's a little bit busy, so there's hustle on the floor & the kitchen keeps turnover high, but it's not SO slammed that there's acres of self-important hipsters and cranky kids & their burnt-out folks waiting impatiently, tummies rumbling, for a table or for their food. We walked in around 8pm, and waited 5 minutes for a table by the front window, a nice spot. We ordered the Shrimp with Cashews, Sesame Beef, Veggie Chow Mein w/housemade noodles, spring rolls and steamed rice. Every dish was a shining example of its kind: flavorful, spiced to our requested levels, made with obviously fresh ingredients and to our table in good time. The housemade noodles truly are delicious, the texture and flavor are outstanding, and the bamboo shoots, broccoli, baby corn, carrots and water chestnuts that came with them were perfectly cooked, crunchy & fresh. Sesame beef is a guilty pleasure of mine and hard to find, since it's not as popular as the Hunan and Mongolian plates, and Judy's was perfect: tender, good quality beef, not fatty or chewy, with a sweet, tangy spiced sauce and crispy texture: pure yum. I don't even like shrimp that much and I really enjoyed it, the shrimp were perfectly cooked (not rubbery) and the water chestnuts and cashews combined with the sauce were a great compliment to them. Our table was pre-set with plates and napkin-wrapped utensils, ice water and hot tea appeared almost immediately after we were seated. Our waiter was attentive and genuinely friendly, he checked in often, refilled our drinks frequently and let us know he was there if we needed anything but didn't hover or make us feel rushed. Even when there was a mix-up & we realized we'd gotten cashew chicken instead of the cashew shrimp we ordered, he was cheerful and whisked it away, returning in very short order with the correct dish. The leftovers (and you WILL have them, unless you bring 2 people for every dish you order) were boxed up in the kitchen, which I really appreciated, as I hate having to scrape food into containers at the table the way they make you at some places. When we were leaving the staff (as they always do) made a point of *sincerely* thanking us and wishing us a good night. Please do not be put off by the pouty reviews from patrons who seem confused about the fundamental differences between authentic old-county cuisines (Sichuanese, Hunanese, Cantonese etc) and the menu found at this GEM. It's family-style, down-home, clean, well-run and even your pickiest kid will find something to love. But to be clear: this is SO not Panda Express, to say that is akin to saying McDonalds is at the same level as Blue Moon Burgers; a complete fallacy. It's pure snobbery to call this "dirty" or "fastfood" Chinese because it isn't traditional; American-Chinese food has a perfectly respectable origin dating back over a hundred years to the westward expansion, and California Goldrush-era building of the Left Coast. It is actually one of the pioneers of a "fusion" cuisine like what is so popular amongst Foodies these days: Chinese recipes adapted by Chinese chefs to local ingredients and tastes, beginning in & around the San Francisco of the 49ers and spreading out all over the US. Because it's YUMMY and unlike anything else, when done right with fresh, quality ingredients and real care it is a thing of beauty. Don't get me wrong, I love a me some dim sum at Harbor City, or many other joys of the ID like honey walnut prawns, huÃguÅròu, or a Lover's hot pot, but this "kinder, gentler" and YES Americanized version that most of us (at least the ones who weren't lucky enough to be Seattle natives) grew up on has earned its place in the pantheon of tasty restaurant foods, and Judy Fu's is a grand purveyor of that tradition; Snappy Dragon does it right.
(5)
Jonathan S.
Their Chow Mein is amazing, and I haven't had a dish here I didn't like. Plus, they deliver (to the surrounding area). This is the closest to authentic you'll get while still being "Americanized" Chinese food. Really, really good.
(5)
L B.
This restaurant (and the reviews/stars) is/are legit! The pork dumplings are amazing (tasty even for you non-pork eaters) and the homemade noodles are a must try. The portions are very large; two entrees is more than plenty for two people. The service was also great, no wait and good came out quickly. A must try restaurant, especially for tourists who are in the mood for some delish Chinese food.
(5)
Chani B.
This food is terrible. I usually try and find one redeeming quality with the restaurants I patronage. I ordered a noodle dish with pork ( talked into getting the homemade noodles),fried shrimp ( too much breading),sesame chicken ( um no), rice and fortune cookie right on spot! Flavorless food for the most part. I really wanted to like this place..curse you food Gods,curse you to hell!
(1)
Daniel T.
This is some of the best homemade noodles and of course our favorite is the Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) (Also available frozen) They are Juicy PORK OR VEGETABLE filled dumplings, served with Judy's tangy, flavorful dipping sauce. Every time we go we order about two orders of 26 so we can take them home and munch on them for a while. This is why I love Snappy Dragon so much. The DUMPLINGS! We also stock up on the dipping sauce. We buy about 3 or 4 bottles when we go. They sell it in bottles there for a great price. Better then anything you can get in the store.
(5)
Alexandra P.
Whats not to like about this place? Let me start off by saying, pay the extra couple bucks and get the homemade noodles, just, trust me, so worth it. The food is always great, fresh everything and the service is stellar. I've been coming here for a very long time, its one of my grandmas favorite places, and close to her so we go get lunch here often. Theres a lot of hard work and love put into the food, which is honestly what makes it so great. Did I mention the homemade noodles? Yeah. Just go get them already! If you like Chinese, and want good Chinese, come to Judy Foos because you definitely won't be disappointed.
(4)
Andy D.
Been to snappy dragon many times, and this place is really good. Some of our favorites, Rainbow Tofu, the Dumplings are amazing!, I love the eggplant, and most things are pretty good. The service is good even though the restaurant is always busy. I love going here, great place for groups, good value. Good at taking same day reservations and the tables are always ready and clean.
(4)
John C.
Great lunch prices, in fact my office orders lunch from here often, most of us love the place. I do not. I'm disappointed by the level of grease in everything I order from here. Even when I try to order something healthy, its sitting in an inch of grease.
(2)
Jennifer V.
The food was terrible. We spent over $70 on take out and nobody in the group seemed to like the food. We also had two vegetarians in the group, and one bit into a piece of beef in their meal. All in all, a very bad value and I will never go there again.
(1)
Katie S.
Used to like this place - despite the cool unfriendliness of the teenage girls who work there, flipping their hair around at the front desk. Last time however - well, let's just say it'll be the LAST TIME. The meat in soup wontons tasted "off", and we let them take the almost untouched bowl away...they didn't bother to ask if there was a problem. One of us ordered the cashew chicken with water chestnuts. We asked what was in that and they said besides the title items, there were snow peas. This dish consisted of about 2 oz of chicken, about a can's worth of water chestnuts (!!!) and ONE cut up pea. We're talking FOUR, 1/2" pieces of a cut up snow pea. Pathetic. I suppose if you love a big, flavorless, starchy pile of water chestnuts in a lackluster sauce, with the merest soupcon of chicken and one lousy pea, more as a garnish than an ingredient, then by all means - enjoy. I ordered the Mongolian chicken, and it wasn't terrible, but had a tiny amount of green onions - CHOPPED. As in, tiny, thin slices. Mongolian beef/chicken, in my experience (and in previous forays here, too) has always contained a nice amount of big, long chunks of green onion. It can be considered a vegetable, not just a garnish. I suppose at Judy Fu's, green vegetables are now at a premium. This place's time has come and gone. There are much better options, unless you hate vegetables. In that case, add a couple stars and enjoy. My disgusted dining companion and I will go elsewhere!
(1)
Andree H.
I was surprised Snappy Dragon didn't have four or five stars across the board! I love going here on a regular basis - they are polite, the food is great - or the food is great and they are polite (which is better). I've been to China and had many different types of Chinese food and I find that Snappy Dragon serves dishes that are popular here and a few traditional things. The best part is that it is hot and the ingredients are fresh! I ordered food to go tonight and the place was packed for Father's Day. Still, many people were greeted by name when they arrived. The employees were working as hard as they could at such capacity. Judy Fu is always helping out, I saw her clearing tables when she wasn't making her traditional dumplings!
(5)
Larry S.
Some of the food was grossly over-salted (black bean sauce asparagus and mu shu pork), so much so that it was inedible, and what was not overly salty was just so-so in terms of quality Chinese food (General Tso chicken and sweet and sour pork). All in all a huge disappointment and a big waste of money. Not sure how this restaurant could possibly rate the raves it's received from magazines and the like. I haven't had such mediocre Chinese food since I made the mistake of trying Chinese in Pascagoula, Miss.
(1)
Maria B.
I had heard good things about Snappy Dragon, so when I ordered food for take out I THOUGHT it would be bomb. I bit into a bone while eating the wonton from in my wonton soup. the noodles around my wonton were undercooked as well, being slightly crunchy in the center of the noodle. The chow main noodles I got were rubbery, not sure if they were undercooked, over cooked or just plain bad. I have a feeling this place doesn't thoroughly and carefully clean and prepare their meat, or their noodles. In the end, NOT WORTH THE MONEY. I would never recommend this place or go here again.
(1)
Seth M.
This is in response to the woman who just gave one of my favorite spots a 1 star review and said that it would be her last time here. I've worked in the industry as Chef for most of my life and I so I know what I'm talking about when it comes to both food and service since I also run a Kitchen in downtown. I also carry a 4 star average yelp rating for the places I've run over the years. I've been eating here almost weekly since I moved to the area a week ago and today was the first time eating inside and was telling my girlfriend that this place is an example of everything that is right with the industry. So when David ( the owner) told me about the review, he was genuinely bothered since the guy loves what he does and goes out of his way to remember customers by name. Yes, sometimes they get busy but that's cause the place is that good. When they get busy, they get busy and the public needs to understand that. I live less then 10 minutes away by foot but it takes time for delivery since most of the time they also have a lot of other orders. If you live in the neighborhood, you see there cars all over the place because this place stays busy. Great food takes time people. Lunch was amazing as always. The only "compliant" I have is that I had " The big Bamboo" which is more or less a pint glass of stupid. The menu says they only serve one per customer. I didn't take this as a warning, I took it as a dare, and I lost. Now, I can drink but this thing put me on my ass. This place is a great example of what a small business should be and its not like I don't have other options. If the service or food isn't up to par, let your server know and I can promise you, this staff will bend over backwards to make sure you leave happy.
(5)
Arry Y.
I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place... It's most definitely the WORST food in the universe. TERRIBLE. I went with a group of people - all of us, east coasters (NY/NJ) from the land of good Chinese food, ... And we were DESPERATE to find Chinese food here in Seattle. We ordered it up, and I mean, ordered it up. We ordered the so-called famous hand shaven noodles, chicken, veggies, beef this, sweet-and-sour soup, ... ... About $80 total between the four of us. We tried to eat it. We tried. We couldn't. We were STARVING, and we couldn't manage to put it down - yes, it was THAT bad. The place had no concept of soy sauce, or any flavor, ... the noodles were mushy and disgusting. We ate probably 10% of the food, and boxed it up. We went to a different restaurant to eat after wards. The funniest part was when my friend approached a homeless man with a GINORMOUS bag of leftovers, he apologized to the homeless man saying we have all this food, and we're sorry, it's really not good at all.... Sorry, sorry...
(1)
Evelyn F.
This great neighborhood place is very comfortable and friendly, and I enjoy their food a lot. Chaing's has probably overall more authentic, maybe, but Judy Fu's a bit better with the service, I've noticed, and they have the neighborhood-coziness down. So I trade-off going to each. Dinner is family style, so expect one plate to feed more than one person. If you go with a group you get more variety. Like everyone says, the homemade noodle is great, I'd recommend at least one person at your table order it. It also makes awesome leftovers.
(4)
Celeste T.
Judy Fu's is in a cute little neighborhood and has a nice seating area. I went here for lunch one day and was excited, because I'd heard a lot of great things about it. They sell their own sauces and such if you happen to find something you like, but can't figure out when you're down at Uwajimaya, trying to decipher the labels on various exotic foods. The service was attentive and helpful and the atmosphere was pleasant if a bit like a motel lobby - ragged plants and strange, small paintings that could have been from anywhere in Asia but probably were from nowhere in particular. The food, though, was just average. Their dumplings/potstickers (can't remember what it was called on the menu) were very large, and impossible to handle with chopsticks. They were also quite doughy and somewhat bland. The hand shaved noodles were the standout of the meal, with great texture, but the seasoning was still bland. I found the sweet/spicy sauce that came with the spring roll in my lunch combo to be absolutely disgusting and it had a chemical mouthfeel. I don't think I'll be back, but I wouldn't refuse a free meal at Judy Fu's, either.
(2)
Kristin W.
My favorite chinese restaurant in seattle. They were also voted top 50 chinese restaurants in america by cnn recently. We come here for the handmade noodles - a must have, with their homemade spicy bean paste sauce. We also get their fresh, homemade pot stickers. They're huge and tasty and it comes with a delish sauce. We ALWAYS get these two items. Sometimes we think we'll try other things, but we never do. HAHA. Friendly staff. Judy Fu is always walking around helping out and so friendly. Food comes out pretty quickly. It just smells like heaven in there. Lots of seating, never had to wait for a table for lunch. Decent prices. We always leave full, happy and with extra food to take home. YES, TRY!
(5)
emily r.
I just moved away from Seattle, and am realizing that I will not be able to get Snappy Dragon as often. This makes me want to cry. I ADORE Snappy Dragon. I've been going here since I was a kid. The hand rolled noodles are incredible. I tried to make my own one time, and they were so. much. work. Spend the extra $2 to get them. Also... Jiao-zi. jiao-zi jiao-zi JIOA-ZI!!! These delicious little dumplings are the best ever. When I lived in Georgia and would visit home, I would pack the frozen ones in a cooler to bring back with me. That's how good they are. Black Bean sauce is good on everything. Dry green beans are awesome. Mushroom hot pot is incredible. I really don't think you can go wrong here. Recently I have been getting cocktails there, and they are delicious as well. I recommend the lychee gin martini!
(5)
lee k.
Our favorite place for family gethering. We all love their steamed dumplings and the Green Onion pancakes. Always ordered double orders, the dough is thick and the texture is perfect. Fu Mama's sauces are the best. We like the seafood stew with tofu also, hand made noodle is a must, and the salt and pepper prawn of course... I do not know why I never wrote about this place, we come here often and they are always packed. We had to make reservation ahead. Here is a high 5 for their good food and service!
(5)
Faith Y.
Exactly who is this Judy Fu lady? Is she supposed to be a renowned Chinese chef extraordinaire? Yes, her name is slapped on the sauces that the restaurant hawks but the food was overwhelmingly mediocre in the ways of tastiness. We had to forgo pork in all the dishes out of respect for one of our tablemates so got the veggie dumplings. They get points for hand made dumplings and hand cut noodles but both were pretty bland and doughy to be honest. We had to drown them in a sea of chili paste and dumpling sauce to get any discernible flavor. Everything else: - Cashew shrimp (microscopic shrimp, so teeny ... ) - Mu shu chicken (not half bad but hard to do wrong) - Hand cut beef chow mein (go to the int'l district, goodness) - Other dishes so uninspiring, I can't even remember their names Service was a-okay and they kept my wallet safe when I accidentally left it behind. But my friend who'd like to keep her identity unknown said she had major tummy issues that evening from Miss. Judy Fu. Big uh oh's!!
(2)
Barbara H.
I've wanted to try this place for a long time based on publicity. Unfortunately I cannot give a good review. Rice was not cooked enough. Overpriced. They make you pay extra for rice. Potstickers hard and rubbery. Had the Sesame Chicken which tasted more like sweet and sour. Ordered Szechuan beef and they gave us chicken. Not tasty. Will not order from them again.
(2)
lesley h.
I'm confused by people loving this place. 10 years ago, this place was awesome. I just moved nearby and ate here 3 times in 3 months. I won't go back. The deep fried stuff (sweet and sour pork and orange chicken) is super doughy on the outside (which is fine) but dried out terribly on the inside. I think they freeze it too long. The homemade noodles are good. Fried rice was ok. I just am always disappointed. We had a party of 6 one might and shared many dishes. Not one was beyond on. And that's being generous. The dumpy drive in down the street is better.
(2)
Stephen P.
I'm sorry to say, that I don't understand the hype and the accolades this restaurant has received. Now, I am understandably biased, because I am Chinese and this is supposed to be a Chinese restaurant. But this place, was a huge disappointment. I know I shouldn't have had high expectations, the name of the restaurant sounds more like a bad movie than a restaurant name, but I wanted to know what everybody was raving about! I will give the restaurant credit for 1) Making homemade dumplings and 2) Using authentic names on the menu. However, the authenticity of the food is very questionable. I was wondering whether or not the cook was trained in Chinese cooking or cafeteria cooking. While the portions were huge, the taste was salty. It tasted very Americanized. The dumplings, while hand made, had an overly thick skin. The taste of all the dishes also tasted very similar. Much respect to the owner, though, she knows her customer base...and they aren't Chinese people! My friend loves the take out here. He says the saltiness is, "what makes me the white boy I am." Ehh, good for him, but not for me.
(2)
Wally T.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Not only are their Jiao Zhi (dumplings) AMAZING, and their homemade noodles DELICIOUS, and their eggplant ADDICTIVE, it's their customer service and friendliness that makes me give this place 5 stars. Case in point: I stopped by one evening to order some take out. I was in a hurry, and they had a lot of orders. They gave me my bag and I drove off. When I got home, I was deflated to see that they had given me the wrong order. I called to complain and was ready to give them a piece of my mind, but the owner got on the phone and humbly apologized and knew that his staff had given me the wrong order. THEN he said he would be at my place in 10 minutes with my right order - even though I was a good 5 miles out of their delivery area! He showed up and apologized again and told me to keep the "wrong" food, as well. WHAT SERVICE. Needless to say, I go there often and am welcomed with a smile and a "good to see you!" Go there. Now.
(5)
Emily T.
I found out about this place when I shared the elevator up to my apartment with one of their delivery guys. He sweetly apologized for making the elevator smell like Chinese food, but actually it smelled so delicious that I had to ask which restaurant the food was from. It was Judy Fu's, and I was ecstatic when I went there and discovered they had a dedicated vegetarian menu (separate from their usually meaty one). Judy Fu's hot sauce is delicious, and there are a few bottled sauces for sale by the register. I brought my mom here one Sunday and it was so full that we had--well, got-- to sit at the jiao-zi bar. My mom thought the dumpling creation process was so cool that she didn't stop taking iPhone pictures of it for like 5 minutes, and the chef didn't even seem irritated! There were a ton of jiao-zi orders, so a second chef stepped in to help out the first guy. And the second chef was Judy Fu herself! My mom told her how much we love her dumplings and she thanked us in Chinese and sort of bowed. It was so special, you guys! There were a ton of families with kids & big groups, and the servers were handling it SO well.
(5)
Ayona D.
I love this place! Sorry, just thought I would jump right in there. But seriously I do. i found out about Snappy from yelp since there are NO decent chinese food places in Lake City. Once I saw the stars and photos then read the reviews I was dead set on making it there. Through a rainstorm and late bus I managed to bring home a ton of goodies for me and the kids. Chow fun with the homemade noodles, the dumplings, and beef & broccoli. Sooooo good. I love the lite feeling the entree's have, not so bogged down with heavy oil. The flavor was uninterrupted by heavy salt. And the homemade noodles were to die for. This is our favorite stop for chinese.
(4)
K. R.
Yum! Mouthwatering Chinese (yes, Americanized) food. The decor isn't much, but who goes to Snappy Dragon for the decor? The food is what it's about and I've been craving it ever since my last visit.
(4)
Hong D.
For some inexplicably retarded reason people claim this food is good. I say, if there is nothing else left to eat, I guess you could eat here.
(2)
Joni G.
I was excited to try this restaurant because it was in the neighborhood and their little sign out front says they had won "Best of Western Washington" five years in a row. I was highly disappointed to find that their food was less than appealing. This has to be the worst Chinese food I have ever tasted besides Brothers Chinese in Edmonds, WA. The only reason I gave them one star was because Yelp makes you give at least one star to post a review. Their sesame chicken seriously tasted similar to the food they serve in the Safeway deli (Safeway might even taste better). We waited forever for the handmade noodles which were subpar and soupy. The Mongolian beef was ok but a bit bland. Do not order the Steamed Bao-zi AKA Hombow... Hombow are supposed to be steamed. Ours were clearly placed in the microwave as they were tough and not soft and fluffy. Service was slow and we waited forever for our food. The server even forgot that we had ordered another dish as we had to remind him after we had already gotten full off our two other entrees. One last thing... the rice was not cooked thoroughly. How can you be a Chinese restaurant and not know how to cook rice? The place was packed but obviously if you are familiar with ethnic/Asian foods, avoid this place. This is no where near Chinatown quality... If you like Chinese food from the Safeway deli or Panda Express (Safeway and Panda Express is actually better)... this is your place. ...
(1)
Lee A.
Blandy mcBland. Crazy bland. And peeps, I've lived in Arkansas. That is all.
(2)
D H.
This is a tough call...probably 3 stars for what good Chinese food should be, but 4 stars amongst other Chinese restaurants in the greater Seattle area. Why the absence of good Chinese food here?? (That's a question for another time...) We had the pork fried rice (sooo good! Best we've had in WA), the General Tso's chicken (good), the veggie dumplings (meh, lots of breading) and the house made noodles with chicken, pork and seafood (meh, again). The pork fried rice and General Tso's will definitely send me back to Judy Fu's again and I'm curious to try other menu items. After reading such rave reviews about the dumplings and the house made noodles, I was surprised at how bland they were. Maybe we should have had the pork dumplings instead of veggie? Great service and the place was crazy busy. We'll definitely give this place another visit.
(3)
SA H.
After a long day helping Eldest Daughter move to Maple Leaf, she suggested dinner at Snappy Dragon. Excellent suggestion indeed. We had Rainbow Tofu, Pineapple Chicken with Cashews and Snow Peas, both which were very tasty, and "Ants Climb a Tree," which was a party-in-your-mouth experience. The service was excellent, the food well prepared, and the portions ample. What pushes this restaurant into the 5 star category for me is the obviously homemade high quality of their food, and the cheerful, attentive staff. It's always a joy to find a well run local restaurant, and Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is that. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Tracy M.
I quite enjoy them. Not everything is perfect, but it's a darn tasty meal. The dumplings are made in-house and VERY VERY delicious. Plus the vinegar-y sauce they come with is delicious. Also, you can get homemade noodles with your chow mein. Again, delicious big hand made noodles. Mmmmmmm. The veggie dishes have always been fresh and tasty. Their hot sauces and chili options are on the table and lovely (in fact, they bottle and sell their sauces, too). The fried meat american chinese dishes are more hit-or-miss. It's not my preferred type of "chinese food" but I know many love it. My only real complaint is that the meat pieces are HUGE. Giant chunks of chicken (way too big for one bit...more like three bites) are breaded. So you kind of have to use your fork to break them up into smaller pieces first. That being said, they have a new menu item SALT AND PEPPER CHICKEN that is out-of-this-world delicious. It's on a special new menu insert. I hope they will make it a permanent entree option. The breading was super light and crispy and very pleasant. The flavors were great. And because it's not coated in a sticky sauce it stays crunchy and yummy. Normally dinner at Snappy Dragon means LOTS of leftovers (because the portion sizes are generous!!) but we all loved this salt and pepper chicken so much that it disappeared quickly. Yum. There's generally a line, but they're pretty efficient at keeping things moving. They also do a very brisk "to go" business. They've got an extensive cocktail menu, too.
(4)
Chantelle E.
This is one of those places that if i moved away i would remember them fondly. My family and friends have been coming here for years and the last three years we have done a large group for christmas eve, including last weekend. The food is lovely, some of the best chinese food in town, and really it ALL ABOUT THE NOODLES! Man, they are sooooo good! I have to say the best thing about this place is the SERVICE, I wish I could give a few extra stars for that. The most recent experience, again, on christmas eve, business was booming, and thatS putting it mildly. We got there for our 7pm reservation, and they apologized but the group at the table that was meant for us was still there, but as soon as they were done they would get us seated. We really only had to wait for about 15min, and for some that would be annoying, but seeing how slammed they were, we were understanding. The poor young girl at the front had a take-out order stack an inch thick! (no exaggeration!!) Although at moments they seemed like they were going to crumble at the pace of this night, everything still came out flawless and on time, hot and delicious, and even with a smile. While waiting in line for the ladies restroom, I had a chance to chat with a gentleman I presume is the manager.... or someone looking VERY official and knowledgeable! He told me that Judy Fu is about 70 yrs old and still running the kitchen!!! God bless that woman! (I thought for sure she had turned the place over by now with all of her success.) We will definitely be back again and again.
(5)
Craig C.
Love this place. Sesame Chicken with Chicken Fried Rice. Cant beat it. The tea is pretty good as well but don't forget to let it steep or else you will just have a cup of hot water. Enjoy!
After reading all the good reviews, we were very excited to try Judy Fu's. We ordered takeout...veggie dumplings, cod with black bean sauce, home made soft noodle shrimp chow mien, crispy eggplant. We didn't like anything! The dumplings were a mass of tasteless dough with cabbage and tiny bits of tofu, The whole thing was white and unappetizing, horrible! And this is their specialty! The eggplant had so much batter and was deep fried and greasy, we couldn't taste the eggplant. The chow mien and fish were okay, but nothing like our regular Chinese Restaurant in China Town. We won't be back. I don't know how this place gets such super reviews. We are tempted to take the food back and ask for a refund, so disappointing.
(1)
Tom R.
This place gets awarded best Chinese Food by Seattle's Citysearch readers like, almost every year. It's got tons of reviews...somewhat mixed ones...but Snappy Dragon has some very diehard fans. So we went and tried it. Twice, just to make sure I didn't catch them on an off night (OK, 3 times, if you count the first time my friends ordered delivery from them). We've had their noodles (good) their mongolian beef (not good) their crispy eggplant (not good, oily, indigestion-causing), their hot & sour soup (average), fried rice (mushy), and mixed veggies (average). We've also had other stuff like their kung pao chicken, dumplings, etc, but like much of their food, those were average at best and quite forgettable. Their prices aren't cheap and they seriously need to hire more people, as their often packed restaurant means that service is slow (though I must say the servers were friendly, helpful and quite nice both times I dined in...they just seem overworked). Nearby Chiang's Gourmet is way better, a bit cheaper, and the lines don't tend to be as long. Service at Chiang's won't win any awards, but you'll get your food and it'll taste better...and cost you less. Judy Fu, sorry, your Dragon is pretty mediocre, downgraded to a giant lizard.
(3)
JoAnna L.
My bf and I wanted to get Chinese food, but wanted to try a new place in the neighborhood. We drove down the way from his place and came to the Snappy Dragon, I think his brother had mentioned it to him. Street parking was pretty easy and we were seated pretty fast on a busy night (only thing was, we were sort of near the door and the cold breeze would come in every so often). Service was quick, was given water and tea right away. We scanned the menus and ordered some hot & sour soup, bbq pork appetizer, Mongolian beef and shrimp chow mein with the homemade noodles. Wow. Everything was soooo good, the soup was really HOT, but delish. The homemade noodles with the shrimp was awesome and the beef dish was really good. Our bill was $35, not too bad and we had plenty of leftovers. I'm hoping we go back again...soon.
(4)
Chris O.
Stopped in after a hard afternoon of shopping for a quick bite. I love this restaurant for the distinct flavor and service with a smile. Quite the North Seattle institution for authentic Chinese food and the infamous home made noodles and steamed pot stickers. For this trip, we had a half order of BBQ Pork served with the sesame, ketchup and spicy mustard that I love as well as an order of sesame beef and a side of white rice. The pork was tender and flavorful. The sesame beef was perfectly crispy and tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce that has a slight spice and sprinkled with white sesame seeds. One of my favorite dishes. The service is great, I've never had bad food here and there are always the yummy leftovers. Please keep them in mind when you have your next Chinese craving.
(4)
Gilad B.
Amazing Chinese food. Its out of the way but worth it. The wait is never more than 30 minutes and on week nights there is no wait. If they deliver to you, you should never order a different delivery place. Get the house made noodles as well as the guoza (sorry for miss-spelling this).
(4)
Leslie R.
Some friends took us here for dinner and it has become one of our favorite places now. The Pork-filled Soft Wontons in Spicy Peanut Sauce is fantastic ... we ordered the Ginger Beef Fresh ginger sauteed with bamboo shoots and beef, Prawns in "Lobster" Sauce, Crispy half-chicken with dipping sauces and buns and Shrimp Chow Mein ... it was all outstanding! The meals are meant to be shared and sampled. The more folks you bring the more you get to sample and/or leftover you get to take home and enjoy later! Great place for a casual dinner with friends/ family. They also sell their yummy peanut sauce and chili oil, which we had to pick up it's so good!
(5)
Fei G.
The clear noodle with chicken is my all-time favorite. What makes this place unique for me is - hand made dumplings by order :) Northern Chinese style!
(4)
Food L.
Went to try to place after all the good reviews and their 5 consecutive "Best Chinese" in the Best of Western Washington Poll. Based on the food we ordered, it is overall a 3 stars. We ordered 15 pieces pork dumplings, green onion pancake and their beef noodle. The dumplings were good, but the sauce was just ok. Sauce is more tasty at Little Taipei in Bellevue. The dumpling wrapping has a bite to it with juicy filling. The green onion pancake was perfectly golden color, but too tough on texture. The traditional green onion pancake is supposed to be more flaky. The beef noodle came in a huge bowl with so many noodle, beef and vegetable. The broth was good. The beef was good quality beef and very tender. Hand shaved noodle was a little bit chewy for our taste. After you finish the whole bowl (shared by two people), it gives the teeth pretty good workout. For what we tried, we won't come back as there are many more places serving better dumplings, green onion pancake and beef noodle.
(3)
BIG E w.
Been going from the time it first opened in about 1994 although we have move out of Seattle and only catch a meal when we are passing through. The place can get crowded during dinner and especially on weekends. The dishes I recommend: Jiao-zi (pork or vegi steamed dumplings), Chow Mein (pay extra for the homemade noodles) but ask for low salt, Mu Shu (homemade pancakes, yum), sesame beef, almond cranberry chicken and the dry sauteed green beans with black bean sauce.
(5)
Cherise F.
I came here on a Monday for lunch. It's a pretty small place and the tables are a bit close to each other, but the noise level wasn't too loud (surprisingly). I imagine this places fills up quickly on evenings/weekends though. The menu is rather large and states about three times that the "vegetarian menu is available upon request" even though they have a vegetables/tofu place. I was confused. When I asked our server he informed me that yes they do have separate menus but it's the same items on the regular menu, just condensed. Weird. I ordered the Mongolian tofu lunch combination ($7.25). I got to pick sweet and sour soup, a vegetable eggroll, and brown rice. I chose 4 stars on the spice scale, and my dish was rather, though pleasantly, spicy. They don't joke around with their spice scale, unlike some restaurants. The tofu was fried and the sauce was very delicious. I was very happy with my lunch plate. I've heard their house-made noodles are amazing so someday I will be back to try them.
(4)
Mike B.
We decided to try Judy's out tonight for the first time and we had hoped the lousy reviews written here would be flukes - Unfortunately it wasn't the case. It took our food over an hour and a half to get here, and it was barely lukewarm. I've never had to microwave delivery before. We ordered dumplings and General Tso's (a standard test for trying out a Chinese place, in my opinion.) The dumplings were a little bland, but that kind is supposed to be, to a degree, but the chicken just tasted like boiled chicken with a thin layer of ketchup. Basically just a mouthful of boiled chicken. Cheap rice too. I really was hoping it would be good... I can't believe the people who think this is the best Chinese in the area. Go look around more guys.
I'm a fan of takeout and felt stuck in a rut with my favorite place, Black Pearl, so I ordered from here and it's now my second favorite Chinese place. 3 star General Tso's chicken was a little too hot for wimpy me, but the kids loved it. Handmade noodles were great and I got the steamed dumplings based on recommendations here and were they ever worth it. I drive up Roosevelt a lot and will be stopping here a lot.
(4)
C L.
Decided to be adventuresome and try a new place. Ordered take-out from Snappy Dragon for two. Did not know what deliciousness I was getting into, in addition for a enough food to feed four rather than just us two. The Chow Mein was amazing, the noodles were glorious and I couldn't stop eating it. Not your typical run of the mill Chow Mein. Black Bean chicken and Ma Po Tofu were also wonderful. I am very thankful to know I am in there service delivery area!
(4)
Katie O.
I highly recommend the lunch specials. For around $7 you get soup, an entree, rice (brown, white, or fried), and either an egg roll, or bbq pork. The portions are large, the food is great, and the service is quite friendly. I'm generally not a fan of the atmosphere, so I usually get my orders to-go.
(4)
Chloe H.
I loved the feel of this place, and everything I had there was huge, fresh and delicious. When it comes to desirable Chinese food there are two camps: Good-good and good-bad. This place is definitely falls into the former category, so if you are looking for that deep-fried, artery clogging, pu-pu platter perfection, then dream on.
(5)
Megan T.
What a find! Moved to the neighborhood not too long ago and my fiance and I are already regulars. There is nothing like it after a long, long day: meet up at this low key, comfy place, have great service and great food. My fiance has spent time in China for work, and he says this is really americanized chinese food--but it's just so good that he doesn't care! Me, I don't worry about authentic or not. Just pass the homemade noodles! Yum!
(4)
Andrea R.
Oh my, how I miss this place. If I could be there right now, I would get the Snappy Dragon Chow Mein and pot stickers... yum. I dream of it.
(5)
Anna B.
For a locally owned, and more natural style of Chinese food, I'm down. My only qualms are as follows: The menu is standard, the environment feels like Marie Calendar's (a little), and I just wasn't wowed as much as expected. I really want to love this place since I live close by, however it just hasn't called out to me in that "We really do have the best Chinese food around" way. I'll be heading back to the International District before dining at Snappy Dragon again.
(3)
jenny w.
Oh my, this is some good eatin'. I really like their green beans with cranberries. It is on the pricier side of eating. They are a family restaurant and very friendly. I really like most the dishes here. They also have a delivery area but a minimum order has to be placed.
(5)
Laural B.
The homemade chow mein is to die for. Portions are always huge, worth the drive.
(4)
Christine S.
It didn't really feel very authentic to me....kinda felt like an overhyped Magic Dragon. Some of the entrees were smoldered with crazy red with hot pink tinge sauce and I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be that color. I mean, I've never seen any food in China that bright before.
(2)
Steve S.
the steamed dumplings here are so good, they make the trip worthwhile all by themselves. in fact, you could just order like 200 of them and eat for days. at least, i could. the general tso's chick is also pretty tasty. for some reason they give you chunks of chicken that are so huge they are hard to eat. but they are tasty
(4)
Melissa N.
The boy and I ordered some food last night since they recently sent us a flyer saying they deliver to our neighborhood. We really wish we hadn't. We ordered the crispy eggplant and sesame chicken. Both dishes had the exact same sauce and breading. The sauce was sweet and sour (NOT SESAME) and the chicken was horrible - super dry and not tasty at all. All they did was throw a couple of sesame seeds on top and called it "sesame chicken." I really tried to like it, I did, but it was no good. The eggplant, minus the breading, was good but not good enough, especially for the price. I will never eat here again.
(1)
Kim S.
Maybe I chose the wrong plate but I was not impressed with this place. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken, and upon seeing it, immediately regretted that choice. It was smothered in the sauce, it made the chicken soggy and the taste just wasn't good. I didn't even take the left overs. We had the dumplings too which were ok but I wouldn't go back just for those. Not impressed by any means and have no plans of returning.
(2)
Luke D.
I've eaten here twice. Both times for chowmein. I've heard that this place was once good and I like the idea of homemade noodles but both times the food tasted a bit soggy like it wasn't fresh and my stomach upset a little afterwards. I want to like this place...but wouldn't recommend.
(2)
Jay W.
I went here for lunch today, because many friends recommended this place (for dinner). Unfortunately I seem to have picked the day when they didn't know how to fully cook noodles. I ordered the white rice, wonton soup, egg roll and chicken chow mein (with the homemade noodles) lunch special. First the wonton broth was room temperature, not even hot, and the wonton's were not fully cooked. The rice and egg roll were OK. The noodles for the chicken chow mein were also undercooked. The service was friendly and good. I would recommend avoiding eating lunch here, or avoid any dish that contains noodles.
(1)
Starr Y.
It's not Chinese food. Don't order eggplant. It said "脆皮éšé¦™èŒ„å" but it's more like a sweet and sour deep fried eggplants. Also the slides cod is not traditional Chinese cod dish - Chinese slides cod is not deep fried one! And the fortune cookie doesn't bring me good luck....
(1)
Cassie D.
Great, quality Chinese food. Love the peanut sauce, home made noodles, and spicy sauce. Quick take out, which is what we usually do. Wish we were in their delivery zone!
(4)
Dave Z.
We ordered delivery from here tonight. To their credit, they did warn us it might take up to an hour and fifteen minutes (!) for our food to arrive. It was actually 90 minutes, unfortunately. Zero stars (or negative, even) for the vegetarian jiao zi (boiled dumplings), which were just bland, lukewarm, undercooked pockets of raw cabbage and tofu. If we'd been at the restaurant, we would've sent them back. They were inedible. A couple stars for the veggie ma-po tofu and kung-pao shrimp, which were okay. Flavorful, but not the right flavors, as far as I'm concerned. Back to Rocking Wok for us!
(1)
ShmoHaw K.
Like others have said, Judy Fu's is not as good as it once was. Eating here around 2011, I had nothing but praise. Eating here in 2015, the food is mixed. Pros: *The Crispy Eggplant was one of the best Chinese dishes I have ever had anywhere. The sauce was perfect in that sweet, slightly spicy Americanized sort of way. The fried casing was crispy and not soggy at all. The inner eggplant was not bitter and was tender and tasty. *Portions are large *The tea that is included was above average. Cons: *They charge for rice *Being second on the list for a table still resulted in a 20 minute wait. *Food took 25 minutes to arrive after ordering *The Kung Pao Tofu is mediocre. The peanuts in the dish, although being listed as the second ingredient, were sparse. The tofu was adequate. The sauce was also adequate, but not nearly as spicy as requested. The dish was at least HALF bamboo shoots, but not thin slices of bamboo shoots, big chunks. And big chunks with an unfortunate very strong canned after taste. *The prices are too high for the quality of the food Years ago I also enjoyed the chow mein and the Ma Po Tofu. When I try these again I hope they are as good as I remember.
(3)
Kate B.
Alright food, alright service. Okay, all-around, but nothing noteworthy. I was in the neighborhood and craving Americanized Chinese food in the worst way. I found this and saw the decent yelp reviews and decided to give it a try. It was pretty busy for 2:00 PM on a weekday. I ordered one of the special lunch combos with fried rice, hot and sour soup, and sweet and sour chicken with an egg roll. The soup had a decent amount of veggies but otherwise was bland. The entree serving was huge- tons of rice and chicken. The chicken was crispy and high-quality white meat, but the sweet and sour sauce was disappointing bland and one-note. I liked that the eggroll was made in-house (as opposed to the obviously pre-frozen ones), but I felt the vegetables inside of it were underseasoned. The food was filling and the combo came with an enormous about of food, but I wasn't impressed with the flavor of the food. I would be willing to try this place again and order some homemade noodles instead, because I definitely appreciate the fact that they try to make most of their ingredients in-house.
(3)
Jay D.
By far the best Chinese I have had in the Seattle area. Dumplings are incredible as well as the house made noodles. We always have to bring a big group so we can get more dishes, I always leave stuffed with leftovers for the fridge.
(5)
Jenny S.
The sweet and sour pork was good, I liked the sauce. The kung pao didn't have much flavor though; there were no veggies and the peanuts were soft and tasteless. The chicken wasn't very good quality, so I doubt it was white meat as indicated on the menu. I asked to try the peanut sauce because I thought I'd buy a jar to take home and was told I could buy a sample for $3. The prices corresponded with the portion size, which was good.
(3)
Mike S.
Excellent food. Everyone at my table ordered different dishes and everyone thought it was great.
(5)
Aimee K.
I went on hiatus from Snappy Dragon for several years while I lived out of state, but retained good memories of the sweet and sour eggplant, jiao zi and noodles. The reviews surprised me when I discovered the Yelp community's low opinion of it in 2012. Out of curiosity I re-visited one of my old haunts in U District / Maple Leaf last week. Parking is much easier than I remembered which is shocking enough considering how much more crowded Seattle has gotten since 2006. It was surprisingly empty for a weekend at lunch and the friendly staff led us directly to a table. We ordered (of course) the jiao zi, Mongolian Beef for partner's spicier palate and chicken lo mein with hand rolled noodles for my blander one. Judy Fu herself came out to serve the larger party that followed us in a little later which was cool. Unfortunately, the food has evolved into something a lot less inspired and fresh than it used to be. The noodles were very thick and a little dry with a sauce bland even for me! Partner did not remark on his dish but he said later that he liked it well enough. I do love that they offer the boiled dumplings frozen to go. For that alone, I may return, when in the area.
(3)
Ali D.
I have to say, even after my last experience with Judy Fu on New Year's Eve which some people might describe as a deal-breaker, I still am madly in love with this neighborhood Chinese restaurant. I must've been crazy, thinking, "I'll order Chinese food on New Year's Eve! How original!" Because as soon as I walked into Snappy Dragon to pick up my take-out order after receiving a 70-minute wait time as is into a sea of disgruntled people who were also waiting for their order, I knew that I had made a rookie mistake. But despite being beyond hangry while waiting over two hours for my order, at the end of the day, not only did they get my order exactly correct but everything was still as delicious as ever. And I seriously applaud the hard work every employee was putting in on probably their busiest night of the year, just to ensure that everyone could enjoy their delicious Chinese food on New Year's Eve. Without a doubt will continue to order from Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon!
(5)
Zack F.
This place is amazing! I always get the simple chicken fried rice, it has so much flavor and the chicken is so tender. I have tried other people's food that I am with such as the white chicken and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, and the chow mein all very good! (The chow mein seemed a bit under seasoned but pretty good) The wait staff is friendly and knows the dishes. Plus the portions are HUGE.
(5)
Saejin K.
Service was good and fast but the food was pretty weak. Pork buns: too salty, underwhelming Vegetable dumplings: bland...it tasted like I was just eating dumpling dough. The sauce was also bland...I asked the waitress for vinegar and made my own. Beef noodle soup: probably the least disappointing (but still disappointing) part of the meal. The broth just tasted like beef stock, soy sauce, and chili, the meat was okay and the noodles were good but the ratio of noodle to broth was a little off. It looks like this place would be good for just generic chinese food. If you go here, just get some sesame beef or sweet and sour pork.
(2)
Katie S.
The food is good just a little bit on the greasy side.
(3)
Kristen B.
** Updated 1/21/15 ** Came back as I was craving the soup after getting over a cold- Again the soup didn't disappoint! Perfect for getting over a cold- Ordered Chicken Chow Mein with Homemade Noodles- It was really tasty but mostly all noodles not that many vegetables or chicken.. I liked the homemade noodles though- It was perfect and what I was craving- Still not five stars.. But tasty for my two visits.. Got take out on a Thursday night.. Hot and Sour soup was delicious.. Can't wait to try that again.. The General Tsos Chicken was OK.. A little dry and sauce didn't knock my taste buds off.. Just ok.. BBQ pork was good, a little dry as well but a lot of ingredients which was nice.. What I also like is huge helpings.. Definitely get your money worth and not inexpensive.. I will be back to try the dumplings and I need some more of that soup.. So full of yummy ingredients and Vegis in the soup.. Perfect.. Did I mention I loved the Hot and Sour Soup?
(4)
Frank B.
Judy's food is a 5 Star experience is taste for lovers of Asian cuisine. Eat bite is a complete mouthful of joy and flavor experience. I've been coming to Judy Fu's for years and have NEVER experienced a bad meal. I always start my meal with an order of Jau Z pork dumplings ( 5 star appetizer ). The salt & pepper prawns are wonderful but a tad messy so be prepared for some work, but it's worth it. Moving onto main coarse you gotta order the famous Judy Noodles Chow Mien there exceptional and delicious. After the Id say either Kung Pau Chicken or Mongolian beef but the entire menu provides that flavor blast of al things Chinese Food should deliver. Discover the power of The Snappy Dragon and you'll be a fellow worshiper.
(5)
Hannah W.
Food was pricey and the chowmein was awful. Would never go here again. I don't understand how this place has more then 2 stars.
(1)
Megan G.
My boyfriend and I rode our bikes here tonight (Sunday, around 7:45 PM.) There is a railing outside of the restaurant that you can lock your bikes onto. This was our first time dining here and we both were pleased by the food, service, and atmosphere. It is 100% better than any Chinese food I've had delivered in the North Seattle area. This is good food that made me feel good after eating it. I enjoyed riding my bike here and will return again to try something new off of their menu. Sunday night around 7:45 PM is busy yet we were seated almost immediately. I saw a lot of families and larger parties dining. We were started off with hot white tea (complimentary I think) and ordered spring rolls as an appetizer. They were crispy, large, and came with 2 dipping sauces. Yum. As you look around the restaurant, you'll notice it is open, colorful, clean, and casual. For dinner, I ordered the mu shu pork which is a huge portion and was so so good. It was a heaping plate consisting of everything (mushrooms, cabbage, scallions, egg, pork shreds, etc.) It came with 4 pancakes and a sticky sauce. I've never had this dish before and I have to say I was impressed. On the table there's a spicy oil sauce with chili pepper flakes in it that I added to the mu shu. Mark got the sweet and sour chicken which also was an extra large portion. I had a bite and it was good (crispy chicken and a thicker sauce.) We ended up taking home a large amount of leftovers. Throughout the dining experience, the servers would refill our water glasses without asking and made sure we had everything we needed. Really great joint. Come check it out for yourselves :-)
(4)
David M.
We had dinner tonight, there were 4 adults and three kids. The food was really awful. In fact, not only was it the worst Chinese food I have ever had but maybe one of the worst restaurant meals I have ever had. We started with fried egg rolls and they were horrible; greasy, no flavor and uncooked cabbage inside that was so tough I could barely chew it. We ordered several dishes to share, all were really bad. Although the service was very good and everyone was really nice, the food is awful.
(1)
Kalani F.
Ugh. I ordered soft chow mein noodles with vegetables. First, they didn't tell me it would be extra for homemade noodles- I didn't see this price hike on the regular menu, but it was noted on the vegetarian menu, which I looked at after I ordered. Not expected the extra pay hike when I paid put me in a bad mood. Then the girl at the register didn't really know what take out to give me- she told me that they names were mixed up or some such thing, so even though my order had a different name it was mine. They should have named this "Heavy Egg Noodles with a hint of Vegetable" I am drowning in noodles. An entire takeout box of noodles with some kind of icky soy sauce. The vegetables consisted of a treasure hunt for three pieces of broccoli (delicious) soggy mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The mushrooms, which there were actually some of, were overcooked, so tasted like they came straight out of a can. Maybe they did. The bamboo too. That was it for vegetables- broccoli, bamboo shoots and mushrooms. The noodles are tough and taste like paste with salt. The only thing edible, like I said, was the broccoli. That was fabulous. I only wish I could actually have ordered the broccoli without anything else. The rest of the noodles went in the trash.
(2)
Prashant V.
The service was average and the spring rolls were completely RAW. It seemed as if they had been kept in oil for less than 2 seconds. The veggies inside were so raw that you could plant them straight back in the ground and watch them grow. We had to leave the spring rolls uneaten. Apparently our stomach did not like the rest of the fare and we both had an upset stomach for a couple of days afterwards.
(1)
Heather M.
I ordered take out from here. I got shrimp fried rice, soft noodles (homemade) shrimp, and pork fried wontons. The homemade noodles were different, I believe they are homemade egg noodles. They were good, dont get me wrong just not to die for good and I proably wouldn't pay extra for them if I order from here again. There were pleny of veggies (celery, water chestnuts, snowsnap peas, and cabbage) and lots of shrimp. They did not skimp on the fillings that is for sure. The shrimp fried rice again okay, I love the shrimp fried rice at Din Tai Fung and it is no where near as good as the rice there. It was your basic chinese restaurant fried rice with added veggies. Lots of veggies and shrimp in it, again a good thing. The pork fried wontons were awesome, I loved them. I would diffently go back here just for these. They served them with 3 different sauces. I of course just went with the basic sweet and sour sauce. The take out was quick. They quoted me over the phone 20-25 mins but when I showed up 15mins later my food was ready. Glad I got there early so the food didnt get cold. Parking is tricky. There is some construction going on around there which takes up some of the parking but I found some street parking right around the corner.
(3)
Carrie M.
Ordered delivery from here one night and it was terrible. They did not deliver what we ordered and what they did deliver was cold but the noodles were burnt. We waited for an hour and threw the food out within 5 minutes.
(1)
Tara W.
Dude the wait was 1 hour 45 min on a Saturday, so make sure to call early! However, best Chinese food I've had in a while and I would walking distance from the International District! YUM! General Tso's chicken, chicken chow mein with homemade noodles, delicious spring roles and the largest pork pot stickers EVER! So pumped to have a new fave Chinese spot for delivery!!
(5)
Kelly M.
It hurts me a bit to give this only 3/5 stars.. Pros: Super friendly delivery service, just great no-nonsense delivery and everyone is so nice. The noodles are fresh and yummy. I like that they offer steamed veg to perfection (except maybe too many onions.. no one wants to order steamed veg and have 25% of it be onions...) and the sauce can be on the side! Main pro: HUGE PORTIONS!! I spent about $23 and I have 4 meals because of the noodle dish. Thanks Judy Fu! Cons: I was quoted 60 mins delivery time, it was more like 1hr 45 minutes. Fine because I was just hanging out taking a sick day. The food is BLAND!!!!!!! The noodles w/ chicken are BLAND but thats why i get the sauce for the steamed veggies on the side, so i can dip the noodles in it. Summary: Best place in my neighborhood for chinese delivery. Noodles & steamed veg are good but bland. Excellent customer service.
(3)
Claire K.
I couldn't even get through my plate of food. We got Moo Shu tofu, which came with pancakes so thick I literally couldn't bite through one. The vegetables with black bean sauce which was mostly onions and three pieces of broccoli (a huge pet peeve of mine, who wants to eat a bunch of onions?). Someone ordered curry noodles, which seemed like a bad idea from jump street, and were by far the worst thing I've had in a long time. The sauce on the veggie dish was pretty yummy, and I've heard that's what this place is famous for. Maybe they should just stick to selling sauces.
(1)
Lisa D.
Finally time to update, as my opinion of Judy Fu's has really improved. The spice levels are right where I like them to be, and I have found my favorite dishes that I come back to time and time again. The hand shaved noodles are great when you are craving chow mien with a thick, chewy noodle. Mandarin fried rice is still my favorite (although once they used the tiny, crappy bay shrimp instead of regular shrimp. What up with that??) Stick with the specialties and the Sichuan dishes and you will be happy.
(4)
Tammy B.
always a great place to eat at with a group of friends. tons of food, very reasonable prices, good service, and the food is consistently tasty. my fave are the hand shaven noodles with their mabo tofu. yum!
(4)
Tina H.
I use to love Snappy Dragon! (to the point where I was seriously considering moving closer so I can have it all the time) However, lately it seems like the quality has gone down. The fried rice is still super good. (I like the Mandarin fried rice but the sweet sausage is also pretty darn good) The salt & pepper chicken use to be a fav but lately my husband and I have noticed that it is super dry and sometimes overly greasy so we stopped ordering it. Last week, I decided to be more adventurous with the menu and it did NOT pay off and it made me realize that Snappy is really just generic Chinese food to please the masses. The cashew chicken I ordered had NO veggies, just bits of celery, water chestnut and huge pieces of dry chicken and cashews. The taste was off and I later realized that it was too sweet, like they added tons of sugar in the sauce. GROSS! I mean, who adds sugar to cashew chicken? Also, I ordered their chicken noodle salad thinking it is a Chinese chicken salad, nope, the sheets of noodle is some hard, plastic-y glass noodle, more DRY chicken and that's it, oh and I think they threw in a slice of cucumber. Once again, the sauce was TOO sweet like they poured in TONS of sugar, wtf?? Anyway, gross gross gross. So, I'm stuck right now on whether I will continue to order from them in the future, if I stick with the fried rice and their tofu with Snappy vegetables (which is delicious), I am fine, but taking a risk and ordering anything off the usual and I will be sure to be disappointed. It's just not worth it I think, there are a lot more better Chinese places closer to home to venture out of my area for some mediocre Chinese food. Sorry Snappy, I think a break up is inevitable.
(3)
Susan W.
Went here for lunch because China Village is closed on Mondays & hubby & I were desperate for some healing hot & sour soup. It was our first time dining in. We had previously their food delivered a few years ago. First of all parking is tight. Street parking in a busy neighborhood. Then second the inside of the restaurant is small. It was 1pm on Monday & they were packed! The small waiting area was full of people waiting for pick up & tables both. I think they were short staffed by at least 1 person the day we were there. The hostess was running around doing 3 jobs. Our waiter came by too quickly at first to take our order & then took forever to come back. Asked for an extra napkin & had to wait a long time to receive. Food was fabulous!!! We both had lunch specials with hot & sour soup. I had the steamed chicken with vegetables in Szechuan sauce 4 star spicy. Just right! Lots of garlic. I had mine with fried rice & BBQ pork Excellent bbq pork. I had enough leftovers to make a complete second meal. Hubby had the tofu in mongolian sauce with brown rice. So tasty you forget it's healthy. He had the spring roll & I thought it was disappointing. A little greasy & just full of cabbage. Tea was jasmine & a little weak. I prefer oolong. Not sure if it''s an option. Water was refilled once & could have used another glass, Had to wait a little while for the check & to get leftovers boxed up. Overall my second fave Chinese Restaurant in Seattle behind China Village near U-Village.
(4)
Vi N.
I was so hopeful when I heard about this place! I've been on the hunt for great Chinese food since a favorite spot in the International District, Green Village, closed when the owners decided it was time to retire (cue my heartbreak). The wait wasn't as bad as we were expecting, it was a Friday night at 6.30pm, we waited about 20 minutes for a table for two. The host was a super nice guy and the place was humming and busy. People were running in and out for their to go orders. The smells in the air smelled great! We placed our order, getting what we had heard were the must eats of the place: Pork boiled dumplings with sauce to start. Sesame chicken and the handmade chow mien noodles with beef for our entree. The dumplings were very tasty, but inconsistent in texture and filling, the sauce was awesome! The noodles...oh I love noodles and this bummed me out so bad...they were awful. So so bland and very chewy. The sesame chicken was tasty, but nothing that you can't find at another Chinese restaurant. My search for great Chinese continues...
(2)
amber d.
Shortest review: I bring my friends here. I'm stuck on pork Jiao-Zi. Key detail: More importantly for you, I used my vast network of Chinese food experts ;) to find an Asian supermarket version of the homemade dark red chili pepper spicy hot bean paste/sauce that (sometimes) comes in the tiny, adorable milkcap-sized dish (on the side). I am NOT talking about the dried flake red pepper soaking in oil (chili oil) that comes in the small plastic jar and lid with spoon (always sitting next to the salt-n-pepper shakers). I never use this chili oil. I am talking about the chunky paste with small fermented beans that can be seen in the lower-left of [Picture 48]. The closest approximation I have found is made by Mingteh Food (since 1950) "Hot Black Bean", 460g (16.2oz) aka "明德 - 香豆豉". Google images' Top 2 show exactly the jar to look for. Glass jar (light blue, yellow, red striped label), metal lid (white with light blue). Beware this company makes literally shelves of variations on Chinese condiments (in exactly the same container and label colors) with all sorts of tempting English translations that seem more accurate or look more accurate through the glass. These are not it. They are something different. You want the label that reads with 3 characters "香豆豉". If you can't find exactly it, keep searching. I found my jar at the nearby HT Oaktree Market 10008 Aurora Ave N. Way better than sriracha rooster sauce on dumplings, though admittedly less trendy.
(5)
Gina M.
The food here is constant. Constantly fresh, hot, and delicious! My Fav is the sweet n sour prawns, Mongolian Beef, and fresh cut noodles. Yum Yum.
(5)
Lisa B.
I really wanted to like The Snappy Dragon. We've tried it three times now and each time was a disappointment. The food has very little flavor. The homemade noodles are just awful - thick and rubbery. There is absolutely nothing special about this restaurant and I'm mystified as to why it's always so busy on weekends.
(1)
Andrea M.
I ordered delivery from this place last night for the first time. I'm new to Seattle from San Francisco and have been on a high search for my new Chinese spot. I quickly skimmed through reviews and saw that there were quite a bit, with not so bad star rating. I gave it a shot, found out my outrageous total, figuring it may be worth it, and in 45 min on a Saturday night it was delivered..... I had a bite of each item and immediately tossed $60.00 of this disgusting "Chinese food" into my garbage. I've never done that in my life!!!!! I looked deeper into the reviews and I completely agree with all the low star rating reviews! The meat was questionable, the veggies were bland and I was unaware of their handmade noodles but it was the gummiest weird taste and texture of noodles I've ever had. Please be aware, most of Snappy Dragons reviews are white people, being Seattle, and I honestly don't think they have any clue of what Chinese food is. BARF!
(1)
Krista S.
This review is for takeout, so I can't comment on the dining experience. We ordered the sesame beef and the General Tso's chicken. The beef was supposed to be one star and the chicken three but I think they reversed the spiciness. We also ordered 2 sides of rice as we were very surprised that they didn't include rice with the entree dishes. We have eaten at Snappy Dragon before but it was over 4 years ago and we wanted to try it again as we're on the hunt for decent local Chinese food. However, we will not be ordering from here again. Ordering was easy and straightforward as was pickup. The food was ready when they said it would be and there was no wait to pay. When we got the food home we were surprised by how much each entree contained. and were looking forward to leftovers. Once we started eating we realized the beef was much spicier than it was supposed to be and that the spice levels had obviously been reversed. Not a big deal, we just wanted one spicy dish. However, after eating a few bites we realized how bland the food was. No interesting flavors, very one note with a little heat. Unfortunately they were both just very boring and we did not want to eat them again. In the end we decided to eat what we could so we weren't going hungry and then composted the rest. Neither of us wanted to eat leftovers the next day of such boring food. We'll keep looking for a good local Chinese place.
(2)
Ashley D.
The staff is friendly and the place is very cute and cozy. I would have loved this place if it weren't for everything we ordered being just... bland. We got spring rolls, mu-shu pork, and the snappy dragon fried rice. Although all of it was tasty, it was also just... bland as could be. I think I'll keep hunting for a favorite Chinese spot.
(3)
Christy N.
OMG this is my favorite place for Chinese food. The handshaved noodles are fabulous, as well as the dumplings jioza. You can even buy frozen jioza to make at home later, and it comes with the best dumpling sauce I've ever tasted. It's smoky and has a lot of flavor but is not too hot/spicy. Definitely go here and get some to takehome as well!
(5)
Mojdeh S.
How I heard of this place: The first time I had heard of Snappy Dragon was while I was waiting for a friend at the Starbucks on Green Lake. Two girls who were walking by made mention of it, trying to figure out how best to walk there while also getting some lake time in. A young woman who was sitting at one of the outside tables interjected into their conversation that "Snappy Dragon is awesome!" She also recommended that they take their walk, get in their cars and drive to Snappy Dragon. Subsequently, a few others had recommended the place to me when I mentioned I was house-sitting in Maple Leaf. Type of cuisine: Mandarin/ Szechuan style cooking by Judy Fu, a native of China (where she was born) and Taiwan (where she was raised). Ambiance: Casual, diner-style with separate areas for seating to the right (and behind) and the left of the cashier. What I ordered: I was there with a friend for lunch, for the first time today, so decided to order one of the vegetarian lunch specials ($6.95 each) in order to sample as many things in one go as I was able. With the lunch combination comes your choice of white, brown or fried rice (I went for fried rice, my dining companion ordered the brown rice), either a spring roll or barbecue pork (we both ordered the spring roll), and your choice of either wonton soup or hot & sour soup (both of us ordered the wonton). For our main entree we had options for either vegetarian (which includes tofu dishes), chicken, beef or seafood. I chose the assorted vegetables, stir-fried in garlic sauce. My friend ordered the Mongolian tofu (which was served with fried tofu and spring onions). What I loved: While I'm not the biggest fan of nor am I even close to being a connoisseur of Chinese cuisine, I appreciated the very fresh vegetables used in preparing each of the dishes! Large florettes of broccoli, crunchy bell peppers, sweet and crunchy spring onions, and peas graced the assorted vegetable dish with crunch, flavor and freshness. Why I loved it: I loved that we were seated quickly, that a huge, very filling lunch (enough perhaps for two meals) came out to under $10, including tip! Cost: low for a large, personal lunch combo ($6.95-$8.25 per person)
(2)
Eve T.
Upon looking through Judy Fu's menu, my husband and I immediately concluded that JF's is your typical Americanized Chinese food restaurant serving sweet meat or mixed vegetables sauteed in sweet soy-based sauce. Egg roll, cheese wontons, soup on the side sort of meal. Sorry, but, that is NOT Chinese food. Well, why go? My husband's coworker recommended their dumplings which are hand made and fresh upon ordering. So, we order 15 boiled dumplings and a beef with napa cabbage stew. Sure, the dumplings were hand made and what we noticed right away was that it consisted mostly skin and little meat and to top it all off, little flavor. The consistency of the beef and napa stew was the only thing that we were satisfied with. It went well with rice and had a good amount of beef shank but we had to add more salt to another flavorless dish. I don't think we'll be back again. We've experienced better here in Seattle.
(2)
Jeff N.
Good amount of food for lunch special. The home-made noodles, is why I choose this place for lunch. It did not disappoint.
(3)
Lauren T.
Decent Chinese food, super fast food prep, pretty pricey and the service isn't all that great.
(3)
John H.
Ok, this is easily one of my favorite places to eat out. I have been many many times but would never insult them by ordering take out. Shame on you take out idiots. I have never had a bad experience no matter what the conditions were (my friend from China liked the food). I go with friends and family I care about and always receive great service and awesome food. I have never ordered the General Tso's as it just seems mainstream, besides I have more fun asking the staff for recommendations, they actually know what they do well. Szechuan anything here is amazing (the szechuan beef is melt in your mouth). The Chow mein is incredible too, so is the tea smoked duck with buns and sauce. The black bean chicken was a bit salty, but that's traditional folks, and cannot complain. The potstickers are AMAZING, the way they ought to be made and well worth the trip. This place is super packed on weekends and I highly recommend getting there early or going in late week. So, all the bad reviews complaining about bad Gen Tso's?? Are you the same lunkheads who order Pad Thai at every Thai place? Seriously tho, just stick to Panda Express and save us all the grief. And a suggestion to those who didn't care for their food, ASK for recommendations from the staff. The host and many of the staff are all part of the Fu family, and all know what the best dishes are, try communicating a bit and see where that leads you :)
(5)
Stacy G.
I have been coming here since I lived across the street in the 90s...still the best place for Chinese - I always order Jiao-Zi dumplings - the sauce is what takes it over the edge!! Judy Fu handmade them today and brought them over to my happy tummy!! All the food here is great - never a bad meal!
(5)
Jasmine S.
I wish I could give 3.5 stars. It was good, the portions were large which is usually a plus, but I felt like the flavor was fairly bland. Salt and pepper squid was cooked perfectly, a little over-salted but when you order that item it's a risk you take. The peppers were like a chili pepper sauce which was nice, but not amazing. Crispy eggplant was also a large portion but very bland. It was coated in a sweet and sour type sauce with a heat level of 3/5 which I didn't realize until just now wasn't spicy at all. The breading was so thick that I couldn't really taste the eggplant, which would be ok if the breading tasted like something. Dumplings were good. Service was friendly, if a little slow. They box up your leftovers for you which I'm not overly fond of, if I paid for it I want to take it home, which means all the sauce that was all over my eggplant plate should have gone in the box too, but didn't. Not a big deal though. Overall, good meal. I'm a big fan of a lot of flavor though so that's where I was disappointed. Also thought it was a tad bit expensive. However, would definitely go back to try out other menu items.
(3)
Christine H.
Fantastic! Super yummy house fried rice with big pieces of chicken, perfect beef and broccoli, (with lots of broccoli- LOVE that!), and sweet and sour chicken that the hubby loves. This may sound mean....but if I could, and extra star for an easy-to-understand- daughter of the traditional chef. Sometimes ordering Chinese is a foreign language lesson on its own!
(5)
Paolo B.
Came here for the first time yesterday. I didn't have any expectations whatsoever but seeing that it's one of the best restaurants in Seattle was good enough for me to give it a shot. Food was good, fried rice was outstanding and the portions were generous for what I paid for. I was hoping to see honey walnut prawns or mandarin chicken, they still had a pretty good menu and I must agree that it's one of the good Asian restaurants I've been to. Definitely coming back here sooner.
(4)
Laura B.
We love Snappy Dragon. Might be one of the best Chinese food restaurants ever! They have many vegetarian options and the fact that you can order your food sans MSG. Great service too. Keep it up Snappy! We are in love with your food!
(5)
Ryan L.
This is my wife and I's favorite chinese place in the Seattle area. We live on the east side and travel often to Snappy Dragon because its a lot better than what we can get over here. We have tried many chinese restaurants over here on the east side and most have been disappointing. When we discovered Snappy Dragon, we havent gone back to the other places since. We have both sat in and done take out. They are usually pretty busy, average waits can be about 30 minutes. If you get there after 8:30 usually you can get a seat right away. The atmosphere is ok, and the service is good most of the time. What we love best about Snappy Dragon is the homemade quality to the food. This is not your frozen buy in bulk sell to your customers chinese food. We both like the hand shaven noodles and the dumplings and we get them every time. You can tell they are housemade and they are delish! I also love their bbq pork fried rice, awesome quality bbq and good size pieces too. And usually our 4th dish we try to get something different. We keep going back to the seasame chicken or beef, sooooo good in its glazy thick red sauce (drool). BTW, the portions are freaking huge, we always have leftovers for an extra night or two. mmmm sounds so good, i went on yelp to find a new restaurant to try tonight and thought I would write a review finally to our favorite asian place in all of seattle. maybe we will just go here.
(5)
Terra K.
Decent Chinese food for the area.. Hard to find one that really hits the spot. Ordered dumplings during an dining-in experience and, unfortunately, it was unsatisfying. Second time around decided to try take out to avoid parking troubles and wait times for a table and it was more enjoyable. The only downside of ordering take out was the long line to pick it up. The poor girl at the front had so many receipts to sort through to find our order it ended up taking longer than I would have imagined to pick up food. Regardless, I think the take out experience was more desirable than the business of dining-in.
(3)
Erica D.
great atmosphere, good food, huge portions and you leave happy! I'd have to say that the noodles and dumplings (both of which people rave about), were a little on the thick side. I've had the best of the best both from the Chinese dumpling perspective and the Chinese noodle perspective so I'm a bit more picky than your average person. However, Chinese restaurants in Seattle are hard to come by so I will certainly try it again!
(4)
Brad K.
We ordered for pick up twice when I was in Seattle. I insisted on the second. The food was delicious. They messed up the order the first time and made the seasame spicy, but it tasted so good that it didn't really matter. I wish there was Judy Fu's in Milwaukee!
(4)
Aaron L.
Tried it twice because it's so close to me and disappointed each time. The potstickers and homemade noodles are dry and tasteless. The mu-shu was just weird. I'm not sure why people like this place so much. There portions are very large if you're into that.
(2)
Bronn J.
I love the Snappy Dragon. I appreciate the hard work that the owners put forth. I'm a "mom and pop" kind of person, not a corporate restaurant fan. The owner works harder than any owner I've known. The owner does not hide in a back room. They are on the premise at any given time. If there is ever a question, just ask the owner to come to your table. I feel like I'm going to a friends house for dinner when I go to the Snappy Dragon. My wife and I had two wonderful appetizers that the Snappy Dragon is famous for...the Fried Wontons and the Potstickers. A sign at the front entrance reads "over 4 million made." Everything is made in house, including all 4 million pot stickers. We had the Asparagus Tofu with Bean Sauce, Ginger Beef and Vegetable Medley. We were asked how many stars we wanted. We asked for medium stars and that's exactly what we got. There was enough kick to the meal without overshadowing the delicate flavor of the fresh asparagus. The food was not breaded and deep fried like many Chinese restaurants. It was fresh and healthy and flavorful. We love this place.
(5)
Katy B.
I absolutely adore Snappy Dragon! We eat here probably once a week. Their homemade dumplings are so good! We always order 26 between the two of us because they are like crack. The entrees are freshly prepared and always delicious. It gets really busy on the weekends so be prepared to wait 35-45 minutes. Take out is usually a better option on the weekends. The staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)
L O.
I love Snappy Dragons! I have been going with my family for the last 10 years and continue to bring new people. Go for the homemade noodles it is worth it. Good portions and decent prices.
(4)
Peter H.
It was a really bad experience. I gave them two star because at least their waitress was very friendly; however the food (homemade dumpling, chow mien were so bad.
(2)
Don R.
Tried the hand cut noodles and way too doughy for our taste. Fried spicy eggplant was over sauced/breaded and they sadly chose to use the big eggplant versus the Chinese or Japanese smaller varieties which would had been much preferred. Potstickers and fried chicken were the better choices.
(3)
Kristen T.
I got take out from this restaurant the other night and was both frustrated and impressed in the end. First of all, this place came highly recommended by colleagues, so I was excited to try it. I ordered take out and was told it would take around 35 minutes. I arrived at the restaurant about 40 minutes later expecting to be in and out. My fiancee and I stood around waiting for probably 30 minutes at least for our take out (only 2 items!), which was pretty shocking. HOWEVER, who I assume was the owner really saved it by apologizing profusely for the long wait (we literally stood there forever watching other people come and go, get their take out... ours was nowhere to be seen). He even threw in 4 free chocolate covered fortune cookies. Overall, they need to work on the timeliness of their take out service, BUT the good customer service and good food are more important! Therefore, I will be back!
(4)
Glory O.
No. No. No. No. I had to stay late at work and decided to order their lunch combo so I would have enough food for the day. I ordered the Sesame Chicken, with brown rice and wonton soup. The lack of flavor and unusual taste of the sesame chicken was the least of my worries, as a bout of food poisoning followed hours later! Please save yourselves and your stomach, and do not order!!
(1)
Lee N.
One word...Yumo! Helpful staff, nice ambiance, the Mu Shu chicken was delicious however the pancakes were not the best I've had. They were a too thick. Hence 4 stars.
(4)
Christine L.
We are visiting from Florida, and I have to say that this is the best Chinese food I have ever had. We ordered delivery, and we did not expect such large portions. Two people can easily split an order. The chicken was incredible though. Be sure to order a fried rice as rice doesn't come with the chicken, but it tastes amazing!
(5)
Lisa T.
Oh my gosh...I went here recently for take out (referencing my original review for my order) - and I have to do a complete 180. The dumplings are bland, way too much dough, and just bleh to eat. Severely disappointed. The smoked duck - not sure what happened, but talk about dry, bland, and so uninspiring. Same goes for the handcut noodle chow mein. It was ALL noodles - and no flavor. I was beyond disappointed with this meal - in fact, couldn't even bring myself to eat the massive leftovers we had. I can't bring myself to eat here again. It's worth the wait to just go to Din Tai Fung for some amazing dumplings (or better yet, just get takeout from there if you can't bear the long wait line).
(1)
Phil W.
Alot of boiled dumplings! Very delicious food but bit of a wait for seating people in 2s and 3s. Well worth the 40 minutes.
(5)
Shelly S.
We have been coming here for years and love the food!!! Hands down the best Chinese restaurant. The only Chinese food that we don't get sick from. They use only quality ingredients and no msg!!! The service is amazing!! We LOVE their sesame chicken, homemade chow mein noodles, beef and broccoli, etc!! They also have a huge lunch combo menu that has the best hot and sour soup and wonton soup!
(5)
Melody P.
I passed by this restaurant a couple times on my way home from bike rides. There's always a long line outside around the restaurant. I was so curious and I walked in one day. I was seated by the Jiao Zi bar (where they make dumplings and pot stickers) and ordered green onion pancakes and General Tao's Chicken. I like the green onion pancakes. In fact, I thought it was quite authentic. However, the dipping sauce came with it was very salty. I was not a big fan. The portion of General Tso's Chicken is big. However, it's all in BIG chunks. Therefore, some bites of the meats were very flavorless inside. As far as authenticity goes, this may not be a good representative. The service was good thou. I walked in and talked to one of the staff and I was immediately seated (probably also because I went by myself. It's easier). Initially, I ordered total 3 dishes. One of the staff found out and told me I should cancel one. It's too much. So, she took care of it for me! I appreciated. Otherwise, I'd ended up with more leftovers. I paid $30 in total with tips. And, my sister had two meals and I had one meals out of the leftovers. I think it's not too bad!
(3)
Martha H.
Lunch special with hand made chow mein noodle was almost inedible. Noodles were tough and it was hard to find the chicken and beef. I did find some small shrimp. The spring roll had little filling and just fell apart. Overall, i was left feeling kinda sick. I'd heard this place was good in years past...but something's obviously changed. Not recommended.
(1)
Hannah C.
How is this only 3.5 stars?!?!?? Someone's trippin. This is the best Chinese in the city. By far. Homemade (even Judy Fu herself shows up sometimes). These guys are always busy, but are equally as nice and composed. Seriously... Best. Huge portions, and they seem spendy, but then BAM! You have 3 meals worth of leftovers! I go here to get happy. You should too.
(5)
Angela B.
I don't know how it's possible that I haven't written a review about Snappy Dragon before. It's one of my all time favorite restaurants! The food is phenomenal! My favorites are the Chow Mein with the homemade noodles, the gioza (it's spelled differently, but can't remember how), and the Mu Shoo (probably spelled differently). Yum! Once during a snow storm, I was craving my Snappy Dragon fix so much, I even went out to grab some take out because the urge was just so great. Snappy Dragon I love you!
(5)
Karissa K.
Fantastic Service! Excellent food, the pork wontons are home made and they were incredible! Make sure to grab a chocolate dipped fortune cookie on your way out.
(5)
Richard B.
A forty minute wait for two take-out appetizers. Not delivery -- I was actually standing there in front of the cash register. No, thank you.
(1)
Nina H.
I was excited to try their homemade noodles because I've heard great things, but everything else was pretty mediocre. If I do come back, I'll remember not to come on a Friday night because the wait is about 20-30 minutes for two people. It's crazy how packed it was... and oddly enough, my bf and I were the only two Asians in a Chinese restaurant. We shared the quart of hot and sour soup which was pretty tasty, but nothing too mind-blowing. I did appreciate the large portions because of the higher prices. My favorite was the homemade chow mein noodles. I've never had anything quite like it, but I really enjoyed it! They were pretty much cooked al dente to perfection. There was a variety of vegetables like snow peas, water chestnuts, etc in the noodles which are my favorites. Our other entree was the almond chicken... that was OK, I never usually order Chinese chicken dishes, but it was huge and the bf said it tasted average. I actually just had some leftovers for lunch, and the almonds were huge and too crunchy for my liking in a dish. Overall, service was quick and nice, but the restaurant felt really dirty. Before I sat down, there was a huge wet spot on my chair... and a few minutes later, I overheard the table next to us saying that they had a dirty plate... sigh.
(3)
Janet B.
Yum! We ordered the chicken chow mein with homemade noodles, mongolian beef, and pork fried rice. All of the food was absolutely spectacular. Seriously, this is a step up from the greasy chinese food we all know and love. Delivery was right on time and we'll definitely be coming back.
(4)
Zak R.
Simply the best! THE BEST! I have been eating here regularly for 7 years and love it! Staff are great! Food is even better! Don't miss the house made noodles!
(5)
Clayton J.
I have eaten here several times, but I have to tell you, I don't get the praise. It's a great neighborhood spot, but the food in my opinion is average. I have heard the homemade noodles are heaven, but I'm not a noodle, pasta fan, so I have never tried them. My suspicion based on my decade of infrequent dining here. Judy made this place famous, then went hands off and started marketing sauces. I think this last visit is the end of our relationship, but again, I won't miss it as nothing on the menu stands out for me.
(3)
Beth A.
Judy Fu's delivered tonight, and it was delish! Hot and sour soup tasty and full of good stuff, spring rolls crispy and chock full o' veggies, beef and snow peas excellent. Even the brown rice was cooked to perfection!
(4)
L R.
If you have to eat gluten free and/or have celiac disease, this is the place to go. I have celiac and was visiting a friend, looking on the internet and asked her if she had heard of this place, and it is her favorite asian restaurant. Great GF menu with good info, knowledgeable staff, decent prices, and good service. This is hands down the best gluten free meal I have had eating out since my celiac diagnosis. I want to move to Seattle just so I can eat here. My gluten eating friend and I ordered a bunch of dishes all GF so we could share them, and it is just wonderful. If you are gluten free this is a must go if you are in Seattle. I hear it can get very busy at dinner time so I would recommend going at an off peak time.
(5)
Jamie R.
I'm kind of surprised that I've never written a reviews for Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, I've been here a million times and love it! Judy's def gets 5 stars for the food, but an overall four star total because their service has never been that great. A bit slow and none too cheerful, but the food is great enough to deal with it. We ALLWAYS get the large order of Jao Xi, which is 26 delectable dumplings... pork or veggie, your choice, but I suggest being smart and going with pork! We also order sesame chicken, salt and pepper chicken, green beans, homemade noodle pork chow mein and wonton soup! Sometimes I mix it up and get hot n sour soup, theirs is the best anywhere. Portion wise please rest assured there is plenty of food on the plates and you'll have left overs!! Now a word of caution for Snappy Dragon virgins, Judy's gets slammed. Prepare to wait, or if you've got a large party, plan ahead and call in reservations several days before. Or go when its less busy, they've got great lunch specials and there's always take out too! Love the Fu!
(4)
Rose G.
I'm giving them two stars because the staff is always nice, but really this place makes me kind of mad. If it were just a hole in the wall that shelled out cheap, fast food, I think I could forgive the fact that it's so extremely bland and my brokeass American laziness would prevail and I'd like it just fine. But I can't think of anywhere I've ever found bland before. I always see reviews where people call a place bland or flavorless and I always think they're full of crap. Everything tastes like something. Salt is something, hell. If I can get terrible salty food delivered to my house just on those days being human is too hard, I'm happy. I don't expect fabulous takeout all the time. But this place is really, truly bland. I keep eating here thinking surely since everyone loves it, I'll find something good off the menu. Fool me like five times, shame on me, I guess. Add that to the fact that they're way overpriced and their delivery has taken nearly two hours every time I've ordered it. Service in the restaurant is fairly quick but this place isn't worth putting on real pants for. The fact that this place has glowing reviews and awards is really just perplexing.
(2)
Mikiko T.
There are three things you must order when you go to Judy Fu's. 1. The dumplings! Get 26 dumplings and you will not regret the decision. 2. Green onion pancakes. Omg so good. 3. The chow main noodles with HAND-SHAVED noodles. (Not the regular ones) Yum yum yum yum nom!!
(4)
Bailey W.
Ah Snappy Dragon, I want to love you. But I just can't. The things I love here are the BBQ pork and hand made noodles, though the noodles tend to be on the greasy side- I'm talking pools of oil when you're done. The bad, I recently ordered the general Tso's chicken and received, well not what I thought I was going to. For a spicy dish it was surprisingly bland and not crispy at all, where's my breaded chicken folks? What little sauce was on the chicken was thin and not at all spicy, I mean no heat what so ever! My husband got the curry chicken and seemed to like it. All in all, for the rediculouse prices and subpar food I don't see myself returning any time soon.
(3)
Nicole R.
I don't normally review a place that I've only visited once, but I'm making an exception, since I'm in awe of how bad the food was. Giving them 2 stars instead of one since everyone else seemed to enjoy their food. Maybe I should never order the General Tso's chicken here? If so, they shouldn't have it on the menu! The color of the sauce was blood red (not a terrible thing, just really odd). General Tso's is supposed to be spicy. This was not spicy at all. And it was completely bland. Also, it wasn't very crispy. Everything was wrong with it, and I could only eat a few bites. I'm still on the look-out for a really good Chinese place in Seattle... but I won't go back to Snappy Dragon!
(2)
Cassie N.
I have no idea why this place received so many good reviews. I went here one time for a family event and it was the worst Americanized Chinese/ Chinese food I have ever had. My work just recently had their food catered and it was as bad a I had remembered. I felt like most items were either bland or too salty. The sauce that came with the eggplant was extremely off putting, it was this neon orange red sauce that tasted like bland sweet and sour sauce. I love noodles but the noodles here are gummy and have a weird texture and they're suppose to be known for their noodles! The dumplings were gummy too. Maybe we were ordering the wrong thing but than again we ordered a lot...both times. I guess the green beans were okay and so were the tofu dishes but just okay. There are so many good Chinese restaurants in Seattle, I really can't imagine ever going back here.
(1)
Bk L.
A really great find. The staff is friendly & gave us great suggestions, the food was always delicious. We got the Kung Pao Chicken & Mongolian Beef - simple yet flavorful. Looking forward to trying other dishes.
(5)
Daniel H.
Slightly above average food. Horrible service. Yelp wants more words, but not much else to say. Might try the take out option.
(3)
Tonya O.
Not often does a Chinese restaurant please me. This is the exception to that rule! Love the dumplings!!! Sesame chicken and chicken chow mien with home made noodles where AMAZING!! I will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Elizabeth M.
Whether it's take-out or dine it, one of the best Chinese restaurants I've been too in seattle. The staff is friendly and food is to die for. I recommend the dumplings or fried rice. The noodles are delicious too. Heck all of it. Heads up though, they get very busy and don't take reservations. So get here early. But if you do make it and there's a wait time...then wait. It's worth it.
(5)
Ellen J.
Walking in, the vibe is great. Busy, a few people waiting for their take-out, we were excited about this place. We were looking forward to our dinner. But it was a bust. We didn't think the boiled dumplings were extraordinary. The chow mein with home made noodles was tough and bland. My son who loves noodles, for the first time, didn't have more than a couple of bites. My husband had the sweet and sour pork. It wasn't any better than Panda Express. I had the house specialty smoked duck. It was dry and salty. Full disclosure, we gave this feedback and they took off the duck from our bill. We really wanted to like this place. It has great reviews and was recommended to us. Maybe we ordered the wrong items. It was our first time there. However, the service was incredible, hence the two stars, instead of one.
(2)
Chloe H.
My family and I have been going here for a long time for American-Chinese food. What stands out are the homemade soft noodles and the jiao-zi dumplings. One order of chow mein and large order of dumplings is perfect for three. My favorite veggie dish is the green beans with almonds. The other items on the menu I haven't been a huge fan of, but I've always liked the Chinese pickled mustard green in the fried rice. The portions are large, and it's great for take-out. It's clean, the servers are friendly, polite high schoolers, and the bathroom is clean. I would take non-adventurous eaters here, and people craving salty greasy American-Chinese food. Good for families, bad for people who don't like kids.
(4)
Jennifer B.
This is a place that I visit every chance I get to Seattle. The homemade noodles are so good! And the dumplings are great. I wish I could find someplace this good in Chicago.
(4)
Darin H.
This is the best Chinese restaurant in Seattle you get a lot for your money and much more :) the staff is great and the owners are fun to talk to .
(5)
Leo F.
The pork fried rice is sooo delicious. i recently bought some pork fried rice for take out at a different restaurant and I immediately regretted it. Never again.
(5)
J S.
Always a solid experience. It's good to sometimes great food. The service is pretty decent, the servers are usually pretty busy so I give them good credit for keeping up. Have had delivery as well and it's always good, a bit pricy but well worth it.
(4)
Justin Y.
Probably the worst chinese food ever. First - the food is super greasy and of the worst quality. The food looked like it could have been human or a stray animal. Also, the weird owner is a creeeeeep, and I've seen him berate and belittle his employees and even LIE to my face about their mistakes or his mistakes. Overall a poor experience that I will put on the shoulders of management/owners. Don't go here, it's out f the way and better options in international and even univ district
(1)
Willa S.
A coworker took me here recently after raving about the homemade dumplings and hand shaven noodles. While the food was solid, I have to say I wasn't as impressed as I'd expected to be. We got there early, and the place wasn't very full, but the staff seemed pretty busy with take-out orders. I guess they do a lot of carry out business. The decor was pretty lacking, and the plasticy fabric on the booth I was sitting on was ripped in places. But, I wasn't expecting anything fancy so that was ok. It was cool to see someone working in the back room making the dumplings by hand. It took awhile for someone to take our order and it seemed like our waiter was really busy, so a coworker came and helped take our order. This was a bit confusing (we were asked a second time if we needed to order drinks, for example) but in the end wasn't a big deal. Cocktails were strong, so beware! For food we ordered dumplings with pork, fried rice with pork, chow mein with hand shaven noodles and sweet and sour chicken. The dumplings were tasty and came out first. They were more like potstickers than the dumplings I have had at other places. Could just be the style of dumplings though. The fried rice was full of BBQ pork, and was very tasty. I normally never order fried rice though, so I don't have much to compare to. The chow mein with hand shaven noodles was great. It was full of beef, shrimp, bamboo shoots, and snow peas. I've had hand shaven noodles before, and these were decent, though not the best I've had. This dish was particularly salty though. The sweet and sour chicken was probably my least favorite. It was the kind that comes out in that bright red sauce, which I always associate with super Americanized Chinese food. I prefer not to consume that much red food coloring I guess. The flavor was good, the breading a bit thick, and the sauce could have been a bit more tangy. Overall there are better Chinese places than Snappy Dragon. I don't think I'd go out of my way to go back to this neighborhood spot, but if I lived here, I'd definitely go back for take out. There were lots of kids dining here, and young ones, so if that's not your thing, just grab take out and eat at home :-)
(3)
Caitlin B.
I feel insulted in every way after eating here. Totally inattentive service with greasy, salty, crudely presented food. Crispy eggplant was mostly spongy breading, onion pancake was tough and greasy, served with two terrible dipping sauces, Chow Mein Noodles were OK, but tasteless. I don't get it! ICKY
(1)
Jeffrey V.
Went with a group of 4, and everyone loved it. (And all 4 of us had leftovers to take home.) The kung pao chicken was flavorful and tender, the sesame chicken wasn't overly sweet like it is in most places, and the vegetables in every dish were clearly fresh and full of bright flavors. We had a diner with Celiac disease, and the server knew which dishes were gluten free (or could be prepared GF) and they even labeled the leftovers to indicate which were GF. Parking was tricky because even at 5pm on a Sunday the place was packed, but we were seated immediately (we had reservations.)
(5)
Matisse M.
The chow mein with the homemade noodles and the pork dumplings (jiao-zi) are the two dishes that keep me coming back for more! If you don't get either of those, then you haven't experienced the wonder that is Snappy Dragon.
(5)
Meagan B.
Hmm....I think I ordered wrong. What I ordered: Barbecue Pork- average Ants on a Tree- Bean thread noodles with Szechuan sauce, pork, green onions Salt and Pepper Chicken- Deep fried chicken with salt and pepper on top These were on the menu under "specialties," so I figured that they would be good. Also, a couple yelp reviewers raved about the salt and pepper chicken. Boy, was I wrong. The Ants on a Tree was swimming in sauce that I didn't care for. I did not come with much pork...a very strange dish. The salt and pepper chicken had no sauce. It was also too salty and a little greasy. I was just confused about how I was supposed to eat it. Glorified chicken nuggets for $12. After evaluating our trip, my boyfriend and I decided that we should have gone for the soup, dumplings, and homemade noodles. I doubt we'll be back because of the prices. Oh, also my boyfriend has an MSG intolerance and had some trouble after we finished our meal, so if that's the case for you, be sure to ask for no MSG.
(1)
Kelly T.
The bf and I tried this place on a whim after being disappointed so many times with other restaurants in our neighborhood (Lake City). After a little googling we found JFSD. We ordered the house fried rice, general tso's chicken, and the Mongolian beef. The fried rice and general tso's were crazy good!! We couldn't believe our taste buds. The Mongolian beef was good but not as fantastic as the other two dishes. I like the fact that you can moderate the spiciness of the food. The spicier, the better I say!! And btw they not only deliver, but the delivery guy can run your credit card with a handy handheld credit card processor so you don't have to give your credit card info over the phone. This is our go-to place for great Chinese food!
(5)
Joyce B.
we have heard about this place for years... that they have the best Gyoza (dumplings) which are made right in front of you. Walked in and thought the place was really cute. Super busy, must be good. We only ordered one pork/one veggie dumpling appetizer, the green onion pancake, steamed green beans and a hum bow (steamed bun filled with pork). The Gyoza and pancake were way too doughy. The pork dumplings were ok in flavor, the veggie dumplings tasted like they used wild and bitter spinach. The hum bow was gross.... The beans were phenomenal, and the cocktail was great as well. The service was also really good, but won't be going back. Way too disappointed with the famous dumplings.
(2)
Rebecca L.
ordering when it comes to snappy dragon, it's all about ordering the right food to get the most out of your meal. and if i were to judge their restaurant based solely on their hot and sour soup, i would give it five stars. 1. order the shao tzu (the pork dumplings). Make sure you have enough hot sauce and soysauce. Because if you eat it without these complementary sauces, it will be bland. 2. order the hot and sour soup. this is probably the best hot and sour soup i've had. it's hearty, hot and perfectly made. 3. order the mushu pork and ask them for extra pancakes. it's on the salty side by itself, which is why it should be eaten with the pancake and hoisin sauce. i've tried their chow mein and it was very tasty along. the only quib i have about this place is the apathetic servers. but other than that, i'm a fan.
(4)
Sven S.
I was so excited to come here because of all the reviews I read for the place..however when I finally decided to eat here I was VERY disappointed! Walking into the place, the decor sucks! The host staff has no idea what she was doing and asked me 3x how many are in my party.. After being seated in my ripped up booth, it took the server about 5 mins to finally come, keep in mind that this place was not busy at all! After ordering the dumplings and the peanut wontons, which took about 15 mins to get, the expo just plops it on the table without saying a word. I was highly disappointed in the service. If this was an authentic Chinese place where it was nothing but Asian people working here, I could completely understand. I've been taking Asian and the service there isn't well either but at least the food is amazing! But sadly the food here was disappointing, very disappointing. I wasted $25 for horrible service and food. NEVER AGAIN!!
(1)
Ellen L.
All in all, it was bad. Everything from the food to the service was just awful. I'm so glad we were there for the lunch special and not the dinner service. First of all: service. Our waitress was not only rude and dismissive, but did not know anything about the menu items listed for lunch. We waited about 20 minutes before our order was taken, then another 20 minutes before our food came. Oh yeah, the food. I ordered the Mongolian beef with an egg roll, fried rice, and hot & sour soup. The soup was just bland, watery, lukewarm, gross. The egg roll was actually not bad- just a bit bland. The beef was sickeningly sweet, with huge chunks of onion that were raw in the center- also lukewarm. The veggies in the rice were mealy and tasted like the ragged survivors of severe freezer burn. Yikes. You will definitely not enjoy the food here unless you are 1) white or 2) know absolutely nothing about Chinese food and what it should taste like. I mean, I get that it's fusion. But that doesn't excuse nasty tasting food and bad service.
(2)
Robin T.
UNBELIEVABLY WONDERFUL CHINESE FOOD!!!! The only reason not 5 star is because I think they need to revamp the seating area and make it safer and more personal and private at each table. The FOOD: salt and pepper chicken. Can't get it out of my mind... incredible!! The fried rice was massive and perfect!!! The shrimp dish was perfect.. can't say enough about the whole mean. Just marvelous.. it was perfect!! can't wait to go again..
(4)
Carly P.
I used to be really impressed with this place, but their quality seems to suffer during peak times. My delivery order today (yes, they deliver, and that is awesome) was a lunch combo, white chicken and veg with black bean sauce, fried rice, won-ton soup, and a spring roll. spring roll was great, tasted fresh, won-ton soup was wonderful, however the fried rice was mushy and the chicken and veg were drowned in a lake of super-salty sauce. It's too bad I didn't think to order the sauce on the side. Meal was about ten bucks, 12 with tip for the delivery guy, so it was cheap, but definitely not great food. I would have been happier with just a tub of that awesome won-ton soup.
(3)
Michael K.
After hours of bowling, pool and drinking all manners of ridiculous alcohol, we made our way back to my house and decided to finish the night off with some Chinese food delivery. After telling me it would be about an hour, the food took maybe 30 minutes to arrive, and everything was ridiculously hot and ready to be devoured. The handmade chow mein noodles were delicious, the mu shu chicken and homemade chinese pancakes were awesome, the garlic prawns were tender and full of veggies and the general tsos chicken was very different but still very good. The amount of leftovers I consumed is slightly on the embarrassing side, but honestly, I enjoyed every bite I had and I will most certainly order food from here again at some point.
(4)
Alan N.
Living nearby, this is a staple for decent Chinese food. The prices are a little higher than some of the places on the Ave but you also get a little higher quality. I often order the dumplings and find them pretty good, not as good as ID stuff but for delivery in the neighbourhood, it is a staple. I also recommend their noodle soups and anything stir fried.
(4)
Rosa O.
Snappy Dragon used to be my go-to for good Chinese food, but it hasn't stood the test of time. I came here a few weeks ago for lunch and experienced a serious service problem. I got the lunch special which begins with soup, and that soup took over 25 minutes to come out. Since most soup isn't made on the spot in the restaurant just for you, I'm curious to know what was going on. The soup was unfortunately the highlight - my chow mein hand-cut noodles were good, but seemingly flavored with just salt and not a lot else. I have such fond memories of this place and hate to give it up, but I miss the wow factor I used to get.
(2)
Monkey T.
While walking up, we saw people leaving with bags of food, thinking this must be the local takeout place. Awesome handmade noodles. Order your favorites, but whatever you do, get the handmade noodles. Humungous plates, so either bring friends or take the rest home. POTSTICKERS - pan fried or boiled, filled with spinach, tofu & black mushroom VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN - oodles n boodles of noodles and veggies VEGETABLE MU SHU - lump gobs of veggies into pancakes and grub like big veggie tacos. Don't forget the hoisin sauce! Monkey will return to carbo load before next race!
(5)
John O.
Ok help me out here! Saw all the good review voted best Asian for five years?? no flavor soggy steamed veggies doey homemade gushy noodles . Nice atmosphere but I am really here for the food!! It sucked! Must be some kind of white people yuppie thing expensive tasteless and forgettable I would love to do a cook off here anytime! Go here prove me wrong and write a review maybe they were having a bad day?? I can't afford to give them another chance life is too short!
(2)
Katie K.
The chow mien with handmade noodles is excellent, but everything I've had is great. They have an extensive cocktail menu, but beware the "one per customer" Bamboo! It was so strong that I could only drink 1/3rd of it. The only downside is that they will get super busy, and they don't accept reservations for parties of 5 and under.
(4)
Richard H.
It's all about the dumplings at Snappy Dragon. They are fresh, homemade bursts of flavor served with the best dipping sauce I've had. We didn't try the homemade noodles, but I wish we had. We had a large party and for entrees ordered the Moo Shu pork, the Tomato Beef, the "Happy Family" seafood, and Szechuan Tofu. These dishes, at least, were all very tasty, although I found the Tomato Beef sauce overly sweet and cloying. My parents-in-law adore that dish, so YMMV. My take on those items, and the menu in general, is that Snappy Dragon excels in americanized chinese food, leaning cantonese. If you are looking for challenging dim sum, or roasted fish, you are going to be disappointed. But to an American palate, this place is a crowdpleaser. Portions are huge so don't let the prices scare you; there is plenty for tomorrow's breakfast (except for the dumplings, those won't last no matter how many are on the table!). The tea served is a Green, in another departure from the traditional. I happen to like Green tea, so no complaints there. The decor is pleasant and pedestrian. There are a few abacuses (abacaii?) on the walls, with horsehair brushes and other bric a brac. It can get very busy, and the entrance way is like running a gauntlet between the folks waiting for tables, take out, and who knows what else. Street parking can be tricky, but if you are a Seattle-ite, then you know the drill.
(3)
Diana C.
There aren't many Chinese restaurants in Seattle that taste like authentic Chinese food to me, but I remember loving the dumplings at this restaurant when I was little. I was craving dumplings so I decided to check this place out again. We ordered pork dumplings, lamb and sea stew, and ma po tofu. The dumpling skin is really good, you can tell that they make it themselves. The ma po tofu was average, I think it tastes better if you add meat. The land and sea stew is SO delicious!!! It has a mix of seafood (squid, shrimp, fish), meats, and veggies with fen si noodles. Broth is a bit salty but it was worth it still. My boyfriend and I forgot to look at the description, so we didn't realize that it was 2 quarts until they brought it to the table. We had a lot of leftovers that still tasted great the next day! Parking is hard to find, I just parked in the residential area around the corner.
(5)
Patty H.
I love the homemade noodles, the thick slices of BBQ pork, the hot and sour soup, the large portion sizes, the friendly staff,decent music,good prices, comfortable atmosphere ! I return whenever Im in the neighborhood.
(4)
Rick M.
Andrew is the best, as is the eggplant!
(5)
D R.
Homemade noodles and dumplings are really good
(5)
Robyn H.
I had a friend tell me how good Judy Fu's was so I had to check it out. I went with my husband and another couple and we all LOVED it! The pot stickers were wonderful. I loved the flavor of the food and it was so fresh. I wish I lived closer.....then again, maybe not. That could be dangerous.
(5)
Valerie N.
First time coming here. The food was bad. The Mongolian beef was salty. The chow mein did not have flavor at all. In addition to the bad food, the prices were too expensive.The staff was
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street 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 Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
staci k.
Seriously? This is supposed to be the best Chinese in Seattle? At least that's what my (formerly) reputable friends told me. So last night I got the itch for some Chinese....not the Panda Express, fried in a gallon of vegetable oil, what kind of meat is that anyway(?) variety, but some good authentic chow you eat out of a box without the slightest bit of guilt. So I drove all the way here from Madison Park no less to pick up my order of sweet & sour chicken and pot stickers in peanut sauce. Now, how can you mess these dishes up? I eagerly flew home to crack open the boxes and was sorely disappointed. The chicken - if you could call it that - was an over fried mess of dough with no discernible flavor. And the pot stickers were literally drowning in so much peanut sauce they were almost inedible (the sauce was good and I ended up eating basically just that on some rice - not their rice, that's EXTRA, but rice I made myself). The fortune cookies were stale, and I considered that a sign. Not sure how they managed to collect all those awards they display on the walls, but when I can say the sweet & sour chicken is BETTER at Panda Express and I'd go back there before returning here, this place has problems.
(1)Kathy S.
My husband & I had their food for the first time on New Years eve, 2006. It was terrible!. We had their sweet and sour pork and it was very very chewy. We figured it was bad because of the restaurant being crowded during that time. We decided to give it a second chance (during a non-holiday). The food is actually pretty good. We still like restaurants in Chinatown, but we live really close and they do serve good food (just not when their really, really busy).
(4)Rebecca K.
Judy Fu's is the place that calls to me when I'm itching for some good, old fashioned, like-you-grew-up-with Chinese food. My husband and I personally think we came across quite a discovery when we first dined here, and the lunch prices are out of this world incredible! Soup, egg roll, entree with rice, and the obligatory (yet still delicious) fortune cookie for $6.95. Seriously? Check it out. Also a great take-out or delivery option for those nights that just won't do without the white to-go boxes, chop sticks, and your favorite afghan and movie.
(4)Rick L.
Not just does this place win the award for cutest name of a chinese restaurant ever - but they have a really nice line of appetizers and takeout availible at reasonable prices. Some consider it expensive, but not if you know what to order on the menu, plus like a thai restaurant some dishes you can order with 'degrees of hotness' which really make it a customizable meal as far as flavor vs. heat.
(5)katie j.
Snappy Dragon has the most amazing homemade noodles, I dream of them often. I highly recomend this place!
(4)mapletree k.
Great food....but, lousy ambiance. It's a perfect choice for take-out.
(4)Fuzzy P.
Being Chinese and from Vancouver, my tolerance of westernized Chinese food is pretty minimal. And living in Seattle, my search for good Chinese food is constant. I can only tolerate Judy's if I'm REALLY dying for a quick Chinese food fix (and really only because we live in the area). But ever since we found Chiang's Gourmet, we've never been back. The only thing I'll order is their fried rice which I think has some "wok-hay" (if you're Chinese, you'll understand) and decent amounts of meat. But still too greasy. I have no idea why their dumplings are so famous - they are the worst I've ever had. What you get is a huge lump of hard meat wrapped up in the toughest, dough i've ever tasted. Dumplings are supposed to be delicate, refined and tender! The other dishes are way too salty and greasy. Like a step up from China Express at Safeway. If you don't care for authenticity, then this might be the place for you (large portions, good prices). But otherwise, there are other places that can serve much better Chinese food (e.g. Chiang's, ID district).
(1)Matthew L.
It's in my Hall of Fame. I'm not going to go into great detail about Snappy Dragon's greatness, but suffice to say I'm a huge fan (no fat jokes, please). From their Salt & Pepper Chicken to their Wonton Soup, from the Seafood Chow Mein to the Hunan Beef, the menu is excellent from top to bottom. Pleasant, efficient waitstaff; warm, kind and caring owners; this place is not to be missed. Go there and see for yourself!
(5)Anna W.
Fast, pretty affordable, free tea!, interesting menu choices. Also, plentiful portions: four dishes fed four people with many many leftovers. I'd probably give this place 5 stars if I actually liked Chinese food.
(3)L S.
Unsure what to have for dinner Saturday night, my fiance says he would like Chinese food. OK then. I used to drive by this place often when I worked nearby and I always wished I lived close enough to have them deliver to me. I just love Chinese food delivered. Anywho, we were in the area and saw one of their delivery vehicles with the sign on top of the car and we decided to check out Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. I'm glad we did! We got there and there was a bit of a crowd, but we waited it out, mostly just one large party waiting to be seated and a couple of people waiting to pick up their take out orders. We were finally taken to a seat near a window facing the street. The restaurant was quite busy that evening. It appeared there were a couple of celebration dinners happening, a few dates, and more than a few good friends enjoying conversation over good food. We ordered the Mandarin fried rice, which was basically just fried rice with shrimp and the crispy smoked duck. Apparently the crispy smoked duck is a specialty by Dave. That's what it says on the menu. Whatever the case, the fried rice and the duck were DELISH! The fried rice had an appropriate amount of egg and shrimp in it (the goodness of fried rice is based on the amount of egg, IMHO) and the crispy duck was, well, crispy and very tasty and thankfully was served headless. The duck is also served with 4 steamed buns and a side of hoisin sauce. The hoisin sauce was sooooo good and sweet, I loved it! Mmmmm, this place is awesome. I arrived in a bad mood but left full and happy. I'm still bummed out that I don't live in their delivery zone, but it's not that far away that I can just call and order for take-out. Which I will be doing soon.
(4)Andy F.
Snappy Dragon is a fun Chinese food place. The portions are huge and the food is very filling. I especially like the green onion pancakes. They are noodle specialists and create so many items on their menu from scratch. The place attracts groups, and that can make for a very noisy environment.
(3)Bernie M.
Super saucy, salty, greasy lunch of gongbao (kungpao) chicken. Not remotely authentic. Spring rolls sucked. Teenagers sitting on butts gossiping in front of house, waiter was nice though.
(2)Chuck M.
I have been going to snappy for years, and there is no other Chinese restaurant that compares. The homemade noodles, hot and sour soup, and sesame chicken are my favorites.
(5)Tiffany A.
Go for the sesame chicken and vegetable chow mein with homemade noodles! Heavy meal but delicious!
(3)M. C.
SoO gOoD!! Handmade noodles! The staff is always pleasant and great at suggesting the perfect item when you are having trouble deciding. I really like the almond cranberry chicken and the fresh made dumplings.
(5)Anton Z.
I always appreciate a dragon with a sense of sass, and one that is snappy is just great. We frequent Snappy Dragon a bit, usually when we are coming from/going to a movie at Northgate or if it's a holiday that we don't want to spend with family. Either way, we've never been disappointed. We just figured out the best strategy this Christmas for taking two people - get the dumplings, a veggie, and a dish. We love the hand-made pot stickers, which we always get with pork though they make pretty good veggie ones too. They pair well with the spicy oil and soy sauce. We usually alternate between the fried rice and the hand-made noodles. I prefer the rice since the noodles, while tasty, are a little unwieldy with chopsticks. The bok choy is also delish, with a garlic sauce that has just the right amount of garlic to be flavorful without being overwhelming. One thing to note is that this is totally owned and operated by Miss Judy Fu herself. She is often seen running around making things in the back, and all of her family is part of the operation. That family-feeling always makes me want to support them, especially since their food has a special place in our hearts since we celebrate holidays with them instead of family :)
(4)Paul G.
Finally found the best Chinese in the greater Seattle area. They have almost everything in gluten-free version also! Uncommon 5-star service!
(5)C B.
I have such a love-hate relationship with this place. The only constant is that it is ALWAYS crowded and noisy. Otherwise, it's completely bipolar: The service fluctuates wildly between being insultingly minimal and smotheringly omnipresent. The food can take well over an hour to arrive or it can show up in five minutes after you've ordered. The food. The food can be disgusting one day and the most amazing combination of texture and flavor you've ever had in your life on the next. Sometimes things are overcooked, sometimes things are undercooked. Sometimes there's too much grease, too much salt, etc. It goes on. Sometimes I even think they've dropped my dish on the floor and scraped it back on the plate. But I keep going back. I don't know what it is. This place appeals to my inherent schizophrenic side or something. Or maybe the home-made noodles are just freaking out of this world good. God, I want some Judy Fu's right now!
(4)Allen B.
Had a great experience at Snappy Dragon; sat at the little bar in the back and watched Judy Fu make jiao-zi. She said she and the other jiao-zi preparer make around 700 dumplings on weekdays and around 2,000 (!) each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The food, of course, was wonderful. Judy told us how the soft dumplings that are left over can be pan-fried with a little water--like Japanese gioza--to create a different dish. We'll try them tonight. Hands down, our favorite neighborhood restaurant.
(5)Drea R.
I always seem to want to order way too much food because its so yummy. Green Beans and noodles are my two must order items. Trust me...I do order more but these two are my favorite.
(4)Lizzie C.
Definitely go here for the delicious food...just not on New Year's Eve. That's what my boyfriend and I did, and the place was packed. Not surprising, considering how good the food is, but it's a small space for so many customers waiting for takeout. We opted to eat it and it was worthwhile. BF got sweet and sour chicken, and the waiter was incredibly good-natured about giving him tons of rice on the side. I had veggie chow mein, with regular noodles--hard to handle with the chopsticks but tasty. The couple at the next table got a huge tureen of soup to share...that's what I'll try next time. And/or the jiao zi, which looked incredible. I agree with other reviewers that the amount of sauce seemed excessive, but then again, what's all that extra rice for? Nothing dresses up plain steamed rice like all that extra sauce. The waitstaff was superb, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the food was hearty and delicious. If we'd gone a less crowded night and the hostess had been friendlier, I'd give Snappy Dragon 5 stars. But four ain't too shabby.
(4)Dante M.
I was really excited before coming to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. I hear they make their own noodles, dumplings, and many tasty sauces. When we decided to make the trip and realized it was really close to our house, I was even more excited. Coming up to the restaurant there was limited parking, we had to find nearby street parking which wasn't too hard as there was a residential area nearby. When we entered, the waiting area was very small, just a couple of chairs. Luckily, we were seated quickly. We ordered the 6 order of pot stickers, pan browned. 3 of them were pork and 3 were the vegetable type. These were pretty tasty! They seemed to be a little too doughy for my liking, but the fillings were very good. I was also a fan of their "hot oil" sauce. I will definitely be buying some of this for the kitchen. Now we had to try the homemade Chow Mein noodles, which we did, and I was NOT a fan of. They come family style, and I will have to give credit that the concept of homemade noodles and the time they put into them I appreciate, but the dish was very bland and tasteless. We ordered the pork and vegetable and the pork strips were very bland, and vegetables and everything was pretty poorly put together. Very dissapointing. We also ordered another entree, the Szechuan Garlic Chicken, which was very good. Good mix of vegetables, chicken, and spice. By mixing this dish with the Chow Mein, it gave the Chow Mein some much needed flavor which made this trip not a total dud. All in all, I was very impressed by Judy Fu and the work she puts in her food, but unfortunately when it was all put together was something that I wasn't too big on. Next time we will try a couple more of their entrees, and will update my review accordingly.
(2)Jeremy P.
Not good. Ordered three classic Szechuan dishes. Dumplings with peanut sauce - dumplings were luke warm and doughy, has to add two tablespoons of chili oil to make them spicy. Dry cooked string beans - not dry cooked, came out looking like sauteed green beans. MaPo tofu - no Szechuan peppercorns, sauce tasted like it was from a can, also luke warm. Walked out without finishing our meal.
(1)Fred V.
First off, let me state that I am a fish-n-chips fanatic and will usually make my dining outings around a place that potentially serces this boyhood treat.....that being said, in terms of Chinese food and value, Snappy D is the best around. This neighborhood eatery is always jammed and the food is delicious and the staff is friendly and attentive...hey, I cannot argue when the food they are serving is actually prepared by the namesake on the sign. The owner even remembers you and comes to great you personally (if you frequent the establishment enough). I always get a kick out of walking in for lunch on a weekend and seeing the kitchen staff all enjoying communal foods they have prepared in big piping-hot bowls of broth - occassionally I am tempted to ask the servers where "those" are on the menu. Now, to the food. Simply put, the jhouzhi/jhouza (dumplings in WASP lingo) are the reason we come here - 15-piece pork please! The tea is second rate and they keep your glasses full with whatever you are imbibing. Another fantastic element is the portion size - usually enough for two meals and especially if you have a large group. The lunch deals are the main attraction - from Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm you get a boutiful choice of menu options with your choice of soup (hot n' sour or wonton), rice, and spring roll or bbq pork. Dinner is served all day! Another plus is that they deliver (unfortunately, I don't live within the area), but I have never had a bad expereience here and if you are looking for some good, quick Chinese food in a nice atmosphere, then this is the place for you! Thanks,Judy Fu and Snappy Dragon!
(5)C Y.
I've always enjoyed this place for their renown homemade noodles. They still are as good as ever. Service on our recent visit was a bit slow. Snappy Dragon Chow Mein was a little lacking on ingredients and a bit too greasy. Still this is one of the better North end Chinese restaurants and well worth visiting.
(3)Janice S.
I only come here because my coworker adores this place. It's bascially your typical Chinese American food. We usually order from the lunch combinations which start at $6.99. It includes an entree, rice/fried rice, soup and an eggroll/BBQ pork. The food that comes with sauce is smothered in sauce. I always have to order it with sauce on the side. I did order a dish of salt and pepper prawns once. It was a little on the salty side though. If you want decent Chinese American food, then come here, but don't expect any authentic Chinese food.
(3)Dre R.
Easily the best vegetarian Chinese menu in the city! We love the hot & sour soup, and many of the tofu dishes. Service is always friendly, but rarely predictable. We've had our food come out so fast it made our heads spin, and other times we've waited for 30 minutes for dinner despite being one of only 2 other couples in the restaurant. Carryout is always excellent, ready on time, and a great value. Highly recommend!
(4)Jasmine P.
I am REALLY surprised that the overall rating for this place is only 3 stars. What the WHAT?! That's ridiculous, this place ROCKS! We transplanted into Seattle from San Diego about 5 years ago and this is one of the staples we not only bring our out-of-town visitors to, but eat frequently at by ourselves. Family-friendly, family-run, friendly, fast, great portions, well-priced, home-made and, most important of all, DELICIOUS!! I've been to plenty of Chinese places and have a few I love back home, but Snappy Dragon surpasses those to me for a few, no, A LOT of reasons... (1) You can taste the homemade freshness of it. The noodles and dumplings have a doughy texture, like when you get really good pasta to order. This really brings it to a new level for me. WOW. (2) Their menu is refreshing. Of course they have your Chinese favorites, but they also have dishes that I haven't ever seen or tried at other Chinese places. The new ones I've ventured to try aren't too scarily out of your comfort zone either. I still have stuff I want to try even now! (3) You can taste the love. If I ever had an awesome Chinese mom (I don't, I'm FIlipino) who cooked for me, I'm sure this is what it would taste like. I'm pretty sure the recipes are their own concoctions and twists too. (4) I'm a HUGE texture eater and the textures that hit my pallet here are pleasing. I especially love the shredded black mushrooms, dough, bean threads, and black beans (in their black bean sauce). Their vegetables have an especially nice crunch to them too. (5) They serve you tea. I really like when you don't get charged to enjoy tea with your meal, it's just apart of it. I take it over stale chips any day. (6) They pass my husband's "water test" he runs for every restaurant. That is, they never let your glass of water reach bottom.. they are always attentive enough to refill before you have to ask. That's VERY important to him and a good indicator of the service. (7) The leftovers hold up. I JUST ate some and that's what prompted me to write this review, actually. I thought to myself "Self, why have I never written a good review for Judy Fu's??" while munching down the last of my pork Mu-Shu. (8) It stands the test of time. My husband and I have gone here for at least 3 years now and I've never left unsatisfied. (9) It's busy, but they never fail to keep the crowd manageable. At least that's what I've observed whenever I've gone there. They have a tiny lobby so I'm not sure how they do it, but they do! (10) Their lunch combos are pretty cheap you get a little bit of everything. Good plate portion, too. Yes! (11) The owners are SUPER dee DUPER nice. My little brother, who comes up to visit every once in awhile, considers this place a big highlight of every trip. He talked to the owner too since he comes by so often and Dave remembers him! So much so, I gave him a Judy Fu's shirt and had Dave Fu sign his card for his Christmas/Birthday Gift. Since then, Dave says hi to us whenever we run into him there. The last time he was filling our water before we recognized it was him, so humble. How could you NOT support them?! Lastly, to note , I once saw some of their Black Bean Sauce on clearance when QFC moved locations in Ballard so I tried it. It SERIOUSLY stood up well even jarred. We were impressed dumping it into our wok stir-fry how awesome it tasted. Thank you SO MUCH for entering my life, Judy & Dave Fu, and for letting your awesome food enter my stomach. I feel honored.
(5)Eric O.
Price: average Sesame beef: average - bit tough with decent sauce Fried tofu: decent with good flavor Noodle: bland - hardly any flavor and no sauce Overall: meh, should have pushed for Thai
(2)Kimberley D.
I went here with a big group of ~11 people. We took forever to eat, ordered a ton of drinks and appetizers, etc. and the staff was very friendly and accomodating. They had a surprisingly large drink menu with a bunch of cocktails. I got a lychee martini which was good. Unfortunately, I wasn't wowed by any of the many dishes I tried. Nothing was bad, it just didn't stand out as exceptionally good either. I don't eat meat, so our table got mostly vegetarian dishes which were the only ones I sampled. I tried baby bok choy, mongolian tofu, asparagus and black beans, green onion pancake, pot stickers with spinach, kung pao tofu, and hot and sour soup. The spinach pot stickers were odd... one friend commented that it tasted like greek food almost 'cause it was just a giant bite of spinach with the casing. I liked my 5-star mongolian tofu most out of all the dishes. We probably failed by not ordering more stuff with their homemade noodles. I'm not sure whether they made the rice noodles with the mongolian tofu dish or not. At the end my bill was $26 with tax and tip for an entree and appetizers, $7 of which was the mixed drink.
(3)Alex H.
This is by far my favorite Chinese food in Seattle. Very large portions and great service. Try the Sesame Chicken and Pork Pot Stickers for sure!
(5)Nellie C.
Homemade dumplings, noodles and hot-sauce - oh, my!!! If you can't make it out to the I.D. (International District), then def make it out to this great little restaurant, in the Maple Leaf neighborhood! A sweet lil' family owns and continues to cook fresh items every day! You must try their homemade gyoza (steamed dumplings) and chow mein noodles. Their hot sauces are amaze too! While it may be a little tight sometimes, they give service with a *smile* and they're quick! ;)
(5)Sherrie S.
I feel badly having to write this but maybe I will save someone else from a disappointing meal. I was here in Seattle visiting my son who goes to UW, but I lived here when he was born. After reading many reviews here, I am shocked that this restaurant received such high praise. I placed an order" to go" - only two dishes, for my vegetarian son and they were both disappointing. He had assorted vegetables in Szechwan sauce with tofu and it tasted like peanuts. I imagine they use peanut oil, but it shouldn't dominate the food. While placing the order I asked if they made their own egg rolls as many places use commercially made frozen ones and they said they made their own. I don't know about this, but they were lousy. I would have ordered the hot and sour soup but the menu said it contained msg so I didn't. Glad we didn't order very much.
(2)Katya L.
As far as I'm concerned, this is as good as Chinese food gets. I used to get delivery all the time when I lived in Northgate, and now that I'm in Capitol Hill, I still make the trek up there for the deliciousness. Get the Jao Zi, the wontons in peanut sauce, the hunan beef, the garlic chicken... it's all good. The only time I've been done wrong was with the vegetable potstickers. They were just too doughy and didn't have enough spice. But everything else has been consistently yummy. Last time we were there, Judy Fu herself gave us free Jao Zi. She said 'a sample, a couple' and then came out holding a place with at least half a dozen hot, steaming, fresh dumplings. Now that's loyalty.
(5)David S.
Now I have not been there for awhile, and these last few reviews have me worried, but I will tell you one thing they really care about their product and if you do not like your meal let them know I am sure David would make it up to you because he does care, I have been going there for over twelve years and I know that he takes pride in his business. What I like is the Chicken Soup, the dumplings in peanut sauce, and most everything there. I know it gets busy, so often I will just get orders to go. I noticed it was reviewed on my yelp page and that it was not getting very good ratings. You have to understand that it is a very busy place, so I try to get there early if I am going to sit there and have dinner. If you go there about 4-5 PM then you should get great service, the food should come out pretty fast, and it is not crazy. Usually Dave comes to the table and says hello. Give it a try on a slower night, I hope it is better. Sometime this week I will have dinner there and update this review. Dave
(4)Sarah L.
I hate to give this place a ho-hum review, but that is the experience warranted. The food is just okay. We had chow mein (with the homemade noodles) and green onion pancake. Both were too salty (and I love salt) and just generally without a ton of flavor. The portions are enormous, so now I have a ton of leftovers that will probably just sit around in the fridge. Overall, I won't be back and I really don't understand the hype.
(2)Bobby H.
This is by far the best Chinese food I have ever had. Keep in mind I've lived most my life in Washington so my taste may not be as versed but I love this place. My girlfriend and I ate in the first time and we got in without a reservation. We were so blown away by the General Tso's that we decided to have it delivered yesterday. The food showed up in less that 30 minutes and the Sesame Beef was just as good as the chicken (I prefer the sesame beef). Go here. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Kit K.
The food warrants about 3 stars, but overall they deserve 4 for putting up with my co-workers and I. : ) I've yet to go inside the actual restaurant, but my store has ordered delivery from them many times. The food is solid and hasn't been ever been a disappointment/cause to regret ordering. Plus, you get tons! We always have to split like 4 different orders on cards and their deliverers are always patient and nice; good customer service can really make a difference! Thanks Snappy Dragon : D
(4)Rachel L.
Ok, some things I forgot to mention about how much I love Judy Fu's: - The lunch specials are an incredible value. Deliverable (within their radius) and delicious! - VEGETARIAN hot and sour soup!!! This is possibly one of my favorite things ever. - The guy who's somehow associated with the owner and has been there since at least the early 90s still does the dishes and runs deliveries when needed. It's the kind of place where management just steps in and does what's needed. Oh, and he also knows my name and remembers my high school boyfriend, even though I've never been THAT much of a regular.
(4)Long P.
A favorite since college, and the best Chinese food in Seattle! Huge portions. Order the: -HAND-CUT NOODLES -MUSHU PORK
(4)Katy H.
I went to Judy Foo's based on some great reviews I read online. Unfortunately, I felt a little misled. The food isn't terrible but I found it to be really mediocre. Growing up my family ate that the same Chinese Restaurant at least once a month. Whenever I fly home I make sure to go back there to get my fix. Upon reading about Judy Foo's I thought I might have found a WA state replacement for my Chinese food-fix but, boy I was wrong! The first time I went there I ordered the Ginger Beef (a favorite of mine) and the meat was GRAY! It didn't look like any other ginger beef I'd ever tried and upon tasting it I nearly spat it up. The rest of the food was decent but I wasn't really impressed. I still crave a yummy Chinese meal from time to time and have gone back a total of 3-4 times. (It's been about 3 months now and I don't think I'll go again.) Each time I find myself eating just because I'm hungry and I paid for the food.. not because it's really tasty. Overall the service is good, but I have yet to find a great place to feed my fix!
(3)Greta P.
Snappy Dragon is the only good take-out close to my work (besides bar food), yet I've stuck pretty closely to a few key items. Yes, it's greasy. Get over it and enjoy it. I'm not sure if they still use MSG, but I always ask for my meal without it, and they always agree to do it. Now on to the good stuff... The hand rolled noodles are... well... while trying to think of a good adjective besides "delicious," I just started drooling. So cough up $1.25 more and get them! I usually get their special chow mein with hand rolled noodles. Yummmmmm. They also have a *really* good deal on lunch combos... Mongolian tofu is my favorite, though the spice level is sometimes unpredictable... adds a little interest to my day, right? But I usually get that, rice, egg roll, and wonton soup for like... $7 I think (you can check the menu). Cheapest thing in the area by far for me, since I can't leave work to pick anything up. Of my small group of acquaintances surveyed on the subject: You either love Snappy or you hate it. I guess I don't love it, but I'm definitely on the fan side.
(4)Michelle d.
My boyfriend and I have walked in and had an "ok" experience with their food being edible with mistakes. But, we made an order for delivery tonight, and they took an hour and 15 mins to get to our apartment on the same street they are on. It takes us less them 5mins to drive there if we wanted to, we are that close. It is a Sunday night, not busy... they still had an hour before closing when we made our order... and it still took that long! Also, my boyfriend ordered chicken chow main, the chicken looked boiled gray and flavorless and was just tossed on top of the noodles as an after thought. He also got the BBQ pork, it was cold and just tossed into a box with ketchup and hot mustard. :-/ I had the Mongolian tofu, it was fine. But, seriously... We are pretty shocked, because we were going to get Rickshaw, and we decided... "nah, that place is soo cheesy, lets get snappy dragon." .. We actually regret our decision, because Rickshaw has -never, ever ever- messed up a single order or was ever late... and they are further away from us. yeah.
(2)Elaine J.
So, I'm no expert on Chinese food but I really like this place. Anytime I'm craving chinese, they never let me down. I always get the chicken fried rice, mongolian beef, and...ugh! some kind of chicken, but anywho, it's always great and not too greasy. Just flavored right. Great sized portions too! I've never dined in so I'm not sure how great the service is but everything I get take-out, they are very polite and timely.
(3)Industrial P.
Love eating here of having it delivered, the food can be made spicy! Also had a great GF menu and a full bar!
(5)Carly W.
The dreshly made dumplings are awesome! Suggestion: I wish they would allow you to get 1/2 pork and 1/2 veggie so your table can try a variety. 80% of their dishes are awesome, the Mu Shu Pork is my favorite. The staff is always exceptional - friendly, patience, good menu suggestions and fast! Thank you Snappy Dragon!
(4)erica r.
I'm really surprised by all of these bad reviews. I've been to the Snappy Dragon several times and have been pretty impressed. I don't know if the problem is inconsistency or just vastly different standards? This place is "American" Chinese food, so you should know that going in. But American Chinese can be great if that's what you're expecting. And I think this place does it really well. I love the fact that they have a separate veg menu that even lists which items have eggs. It's nice to be able to trust a Chinese restaurant to make real vegetarian food. And I also really like the fact that the food is tasty and veggies are fresh and it's not greasy. The place is always packed when I'm there, so there must be some other people who like it!
(4)Ross Z.
This place was pretty bad. The duck tasted like it was cooked and salted to feed a family of Neanderthals through the rough winter months. I seriously think they accidentally forgot to add the flavor to our chow mein, which had potential to pass as food. The dumplings were made out of memory foam and the waitress was bland. Other than that it was pretty good. We gave our leftovers to a homeless guy, hopefully he could choke it down.
(2)Drew W.
So I gave them a shot again about two months ago to see if there was any change. It pained me to give them two stars before but this time I will give them four. Their food quality has gone back up to what it use to be and we have been there about 6 times since my last review. I must say they really turned it around. I am munching on leftovers as I type this actually. Good work Snappy Dragon glad to see your back where you should be.
(4)John P.
I've been coming to Judy Fu's for years, and it remains the best Chinese I've found in WA. The quality of the food is top-notch. The hand-cut noodles are always a treat, and we get dumplings every time because they are so well made and tasty. My favorite dishes here are the vegetarian fried rice (it's even better than the chicken fried rice!) and the curry chow fun (not sure if I'm spelling that right). The sesame beef is also delicious (even my 3 year old son loves it!). Can't say I've ever been disappointed here or had a bad dish. It's why, despite no longer living in Seattle, I go out of my way to eat here on a fairly consistent basis.
(5)Gayle H.
We have been going to The Snappy Dragon for years with friends when they visit. We went in Feb with them and were disappointed in the peanut sauce - too thin, home made noodles - not many vegetables and the crispy fried eggplant was totally different this time - breading way too thick, not crispy. What has happened to this special restaurant?? We used to love it but are hesitant to try it again. We thought in Feb it was just a fluke but we went again in Sept and we had the same disappointing experience. Is it a new cook or are they skimping on ingredients to save on cost? Truely disappointing.
(2)Rob M.
The is the most horrifically bad "Chinese food" place in the entire state of Washington. Now I am definitely not an "authentic" Chinese food snob, but even I found it inedible. Here was my order: Chow Mein with homemade noodles. It had no flavor and the noodles were... Lumpy. Yes lumpy! Thick, undercooked and doughy. Straight to the trash. General Tsao chicken. Again, flavorless, undercooked and mushy. Plus it was coated in a mystery sauce, the exact color of pink hi-lighter fluid. In the trash. Pork dumplings with peanut dipping sauce. Now really how can you screw that up, right? I got a HUGE tub full of peanut sauce. I was about to call them back and thank them for the insanely extra dipping sauce, but ask where the dumplings were, when I discovered, they were SUBMERGED in the "dipping" sauce! $60 of food all in the trash. I ordered a pizza. That's how bad it was.
(1)Kevin C.
Judy Fu is certainly one snappy dragon. Lording over her kingdom of sauces, frozen dumplings, and kitschy merchandise, she clearly has a deft hand at growing the reach of her culinary empire. While those are all admirable achievements for what is clearly a thriving local business, the proof is in the dumpling (the Asian equivalent to pudding? perhaps...) and that's where Judy Fu seems to have lost control of her underworld beast. The jiao zi were clearly homemade (and I don't mean that pejoratively). The wrappers were of a nice consistency - they had body, but without being too much to chew on. The filling was bland and mild, but the pungent sauces covered that up in salty, fermented, soy-y blanket. I also got the lunch special (fried rice, BBQ pork, and chicken chow mein with housemade noodles). The waiter nearly toppled over while bringing the massive heap of food over to the table. The food was clearly more on the "quantity" side of things than the "quality." The hand-made noodles were again of a great texture. But practically everything else on the plate failed to awaken any taste sensation other than mildly salty and a tad greasy. I'm sorry Judy Fu, but maybe it's time to tame your dragon and get back in the kitchen.
(3)jeff m.
When I entered this establishment I could almost TASTE the fear and anguish present in the main eating area. I slowly approached the host stand with trepidation. With my arms and legs coiled, ready to attack. I knew from the first time I set eyes on the hostess that she was not to be trifled with, and I also knew from the way she was flaring her nostrils that it was not going to be a walk in the park to secure a table. I quickly gave my fiance a sidelong look, indicating a warning, and she slowly backed out of the restaurant and returned to the car. I immediately returned my gaze to the hostess, who attempted to distract me with her long black hair. "Smoking, or non?" she said, as her black hair undraped itself from her shoudlers. "Ah ha!" I thought, clearly this was a trick question meant to distract me! I pretended to contemplate this fallacy while NEVER LETTING MY EYES MOVE from her hands. And without fail, she moved one hand (which was holding a credit card book) over her pocket while her OTHER HAND reached inside! Probably to obtain a knife or single shot revolver! Well my dear and quick witted friends, I was not the kind of dude who was going to go down in a Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, without a fight! You will not strip the life from my living corpse like one would strip candy from a baby! As soon as I saw her hand dip into her pocket, I LUNGED FORWARD AND HEADBUTTED HER AS HARD AS I COULD. Another silent, or hidden (through a cloaking field perhaps) assailant switched off the lights as soon as I made contact with her forehead, and the restaurant was suddenly pitch black! When the lights were off, I heard the scampering of millions of pairs of little feet, as if tiny humanoids were running about the restaurant, attempting to encircle me. "WHAT TREACHERY!", i gritted through my gritted teeth. Thinking quickly, I pulled out a grenade and threw the pin on the ground, and quickly swallowed it, to prevent the dastardly gnomes from putting the pin, or some other small metallic item, back into the pin hole of the grenade. "THE GRENADES IN MY BELLY NOW! YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!" And with that, the lights immediately turned back on, and it was like nothing had happened. I can only assume the gnomes knew that I had bested them, so they retreated as quickly as their intense onslaught began. As for the matter of a live grenade in my belly, I can assure you, that I am completely fine, as I still had the prescence of mind to move (quickly, and quietly, while watching my back, in case of a gnome counter attack) towards the kitchen area, where a skilled chef was able to use a sharp knife to remove the grenade before the timer went off and it exploded. I was then sewn up with catgut. I then sat down to a meal of hotdogs and chicken fried rice. I would have given this restaurant 5 stars, but I was never able to determine if the hostess was a gnome-human genetically altered hyrbid (who was clearly employed by the gnomes), or, if the hostess was merely a gnome riding within a human-looking battle suit (one should never doubt the mechanical prowess that gnomes are capable of, i'm certain they have made advances in cybernetics that would make even darpa blush with envy). I was also able to use my credit card here which was nice because I enjoy collecting cash back rewards. Which I hoard.
(4)Anthony L.
Been going to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon for over a decade and continue to enjoy the westernized style of Chinese food they serve. Being of Chinese background I have eaten Chinese food my entire life and have had some of the best (in my opinion) Chinese food in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Vancouver, BC. As such I believe my opinion is credible compared to the multitude of other posers with the super negative reviews on Yelp pretending to know what the F*** they're talking about. This place is great for what it is which is western style Chinese food that is tasty, approachable, and comes in large portions. The food here is always hot and fresh and the dumplings and noodles are wonderful. Szechuan beef us also worth ordering consistently. Service is great for the most part and the hot sauce really adds some nice kick when you need it. I'll admit that the restaurant itself is meager in decor and probably needs a move or major overhaul/remodel, but the portions and quality are decent enough to keep bringing back the crowds. Best Chinese food in the land? Probably not. But for what they do it is deserving of at least 3.5 to 4 stars in my book.
(4)Super M.
Ok, so I'm beginning to think that Chinese food is best when you're hungover, and all you want is greasy food to cure said drunken episodes... The taste of the Mongolian Tofu was fantastic, 4 stars is sufficiently hot (but I wouldn't consider it a 4 star, or else my taste buds have been killed, quite possible, actually, but I digress), however, it was WAAAAAAAYYYY too greasy. The veggie fried rice was pretty decent, I liked the plethora of vegetables (and their array as well). In short, cheap(er, there's no such thing as cheap in Seattle) chinese food,close to home. I bet I'll give it 5 stars when I order it after a night of too many tequilas... Cinco de Mayo, here you come?
(3)Bob R.
A friend and I went last week for the first time. First, the place smells like a dive bar - stale cigarette smoke and puke smells embedded in the ratty carpet and furniture. The overall appearance is one of filth. And in fact, we each had dirty plates and my friend had a tea cup encrusted with - well, some kind of slime. The menu brags that everything is made in-house. But not the gyoza we found out (so much for everything), and though large, they were awful. Gyoza should have thin tender wonton shell. These were thick and tough. Awful. As for the rest of our meals - if you think salty = flavorful, you'll probably like it here. But there was nothing refined or subtle about anything at this dump. We'll never return. Oh yeah, very pricey too.
(1)Jane D.
I just ordered take out from Judy Fu's Sanppy Dragon for the first time. There were no veggies in the sprimp & vegetable chow muck and they forgot the hoisen and mu shu wraps. So lame... not tasty and the vegetable spring roll are really just cabbage deep fried in an egg roll wraps (very greasy). Even the fortune was bad. Never again FU! I dont even yelp often but geez you people should know!
(1)Natalie W.
Lots and lots and lots and lots of mixed reviews- I get it... but... had to try it anyway- It was on my list :) Judy Fu's website makes it super easy to order and figure it all out. The time quote for pick up was reasonable. It was cool to walk in for my takeout and seeing Mama Fu at her stand making dumpling. The restaurant itself was cleaner and newer then I expected and the staff was nice. Our order of Chicken and Vegetables with Black Bean Sauce and Veggie Chow Mien took up a huge grocery bag. The pricing was a couple dollars higher then most and they charged extra for the homemade noodle. The tab was still less per person then really going to eat out and I found that there is lots of leftovers for lunch or a repeat dinner. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised a how tasty my meal was. I am not a huge fan of chicken, but the chicken from Judy Fu's was lean, white, and seemed to be pulled from a actual chicken into great bite-able chunks. When I went back for seconds of the entree I was splitting (huge portions) I got meat with my repeat load of veggies and that never happens. The veggies in both the Chow Mien and the Chicken were large, plentiful, and crisp tender. Broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms, spinach, green onions, etc. The homemade noodles in the Chow Mien are addictive- There was more then enough (half the carton left) and only two of us dining. Both dishes we ordered had clear flavors. The Black Bean Sauce wasn't what I expected but it was tasty. I grew up on Safeway Chinese food- Judy Fu's was nothing like that- not even the same class. I now have a a place to compare all other Chinese food to.
(4)Erin B.
Judy Fu's is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The Snappy Dragon fried rice and General T so's chicken are my personal favorites :) Whether eating in or getting it to go, you are guaranteed a fresh order full of flavor. My only complaint is that when getting delivery, they are often much later than they say they will be, and sometimes your food is a little on the cold side. When dining in, the atmosphere is very nice and warm, and depending on how busy they are, you get your meal promptly. While waiting, you can enjoy one of many appetizers, and sip on the piping hot tea. This place is a must for this crazy cold weather!
(4)Arlana J.
Been going there since 1993. Huge fan. David, Judy's son, always takes care of us and he really appreciates our business. We aren't anyone special -- He just cares about people, so if anything isn't up to your expectation - just tell him. Our family favorites are the pork dumplings (jiao-zing), special handmade noodle chow mein, and hot sour soup. Also has a huge gluten free menu of yum. We travel an hour for our Chinese food - won't eat anywhere else.
(5)Joy M.
Better than a lot of Chinese food in North Seattle. Large portions and our go to dishes include fried rice and mu shu chicken. Sad that we don't live in their delivery area any more and now have to go get takeout.
(4)Diane T.
If I was on death row and they asked what I would like my last meal to be, I would say Judy Fu's: Pan Browned Potstickers Green Onion Pancake *Chicken in Black Bean Sauce with Onion Dry Sauted String Beans with Almonds Judy's homemade noodles with vegetables YUM! Great for takeout or eat-in. Also cool for kids.
(5)Mimi P.
Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is darned good food! How good is it? It's so good that even though we live outside their delivery area I will call an order in and drive down to get it. Things that are fantastic: Potstickers Handmade chow mein noodles Things I still need to try: Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) Whenever I get a serious Chinese food craving that there is no other remedy for I head for the Snappy Dragon. The people who work there have always been really nice and the service is pretty good. I do have to contradict another reviewer, however. My husband wanted a dish with 10 stars or some other silliness. When he got the dish he was disappointed because even though there were a lot of peppers in it they were the kind usually found in Kung Pao dishes so it didn't really make it very spicy. Anyway, this is a fantastic place and I definitely urge you to check it out!
(5)Bob S.
My wife and I had to try this place. I've read a few good reviews and had a friend say it was good. In brief, the food was average. The service was uninspiring. The leftovers were inedible the next day (noodles were oily and soggy upon hitting our plate). While I'll admit Chinese cuisine isn't my favorite, this experience was particularly poor. We live walking distance to the Snappy Dragon, and I won't be going back. My wife's review is much more harsh than mine. Update: Upgraded to 3 stars. We've done takeout a number of times, and the pork dumplings are all-stars. A few of the other dishes are also much improved over our first go. We've never had a great experience in restaurant, but ordering to-go or delivery seems to be the trick!
(3)Amy W.
I've only had delivery from Snappy Dragon, so this review is only based on that. I used to think I really liked Snappy Dragon, but I think it was more excited that some place other than pizza actually delivered to my house. Somehow, there's nothing better than knowing that food will come to my house and I can watch movies and be generally lazy on a Friday night. I'm so cool. Anyways, to the food. The homemade noodles are like nothing I've had before... and the more I think about it, I think they are the only thing I truly love on the menu. I've had some other things that are decent, but it never made me fall head over heels. The chicken in black bean sauce could have been it, if it hadn't been mostly onions. The crispy eggplant dish tricks me into thinking I'll really like it, but then it's this weird breaded eggplant in a freaky red sauce. Then, it sits in my fridge for a while, guilting me for spending my precious grad school money on it. The hunan pork that we got last time would have been really good if it had not been so absurdly hot and spicy. And I like spicy food! The delivery has always been prompt and nice - maybe it's an expectation game. They tell me it'll take X amount of time, and it's almost always X/2. The chopsticks that come with the delivery are very nice and they throw in fortune cookies for free. Score. I'll probably keep ordering from Snappy Dragon for the convenience, but now that I've realized that they aren't the "one," I may just order pints of the noodles and save my other calories for Jack's Tapas.
(3)Brian N.
crappy dragon! i can't believe i ate here. i wish i could go back in time and choose any other Chinese food place.
(1)Kim C.
Snappy Dragon is an odd beast; you either love it, or hate it. I fall somewhere in the middle, and can see both plusses and minuses. Plus: -delivers -isn't completely nasty -decent quality -chicken isn't fatty and disgusting Minus: -quite expensive for what it is -boring sauces -dry meat -poor quality lunch combos Snappy Dragon has a large menu, but is quite expensive for what it is. For example, it's hard to find an appetizer under 8 dollars, and that's a problem with me for chinese food. Chicken entrees (and even tofu) averages at around 10 dollars, minimum. You can't order half sizes of fried rice, or small portions of most things. The food is very hit or miss, but mostly miss for me. The chicken meat is very lean and non fatty, but it also has the misfortune of being very dry and lifeless. Have you ever cooked chicken in a slow cooker? You know how near the end of the cooking time, the chicken falls apart? (like enchilada meat). Now imagine that, in every chicken dish at Snappy Dragon. Uninspiring sauces cover the bland meat. The famous "home made noodles" were incredibly disappointing to me, and like the chicken, were very dry. They are thick and chewy, yes, but there also is almost NO sauce on them (just a very light soy sauce); I mean, seriously... imagine eating a bunch of soy sauce flavored playdoh... there's about that much flavor. The fried rice is the only thing I really like, but unfortunately you SHOULD NOT get it with the lunch combos; the quality difference is staggering. If I order a full sized portion, the rice is still chewy but not sticky, the flavor comes across nicely, etc. Whenever I get a lunch combo with the rice, however, it 100% of the time is a sticky gluey mess with an odd flavor. Maybe it's made in bulk and sits around too long? Who knows. Snappy Dragon delivers, which is great, but isn't overall anything special. One thing to note is that the delivery service is really hit or miss. I recall one night when I had no food in the house and was desperate for anything, so I called up Snappy Dragon about 30 minutes before closing. And guess what? The food NEVER ARRIVED. Wow. Delivery usually takes minimum of an hour, as well. Decent, but definitely doesn't live up to the hype.
(3)Naomi B.
Order the homemade noodles! They are delicious! Judy Fu's has big portions and tasty food! It's one of my favorite Chinese places in Seattle.
(5)Alexis A.
I had some of the best soup today. We ordered hot & sour but they brought wonton soup (which I am not a big fan) However, the wonton soup looked so yummy I kept it - three wontons in a gorgeous brown broth and lots of scallions. Three - that is a meal in itself! My friend asked for the hot & sour and I'm glad he did - it was just as tasty. My lunch fare was ok - I got a rather boring dish but my friend (a local) got the homemade noodles and a plate of fresh veggies and seafood. It was all good.
(4)erfon h.
I had high expectations about this place after hearing some good things from a friend. The food isn't terrible, it's just bland. I had the mongolian beef lunch special. The beef they used was of low quality, tasted like it was slathered in teriyaki sauce and was waaay too salty (and I love salt). The spring roll was extremely chewy and tough, I felt like it was stuffed with old cardboard. The fried rice was underdone and a bit crunchy. The hot and sour soup was actually pretty good. Overall, glad I tried it, but will definitely not be going back.
(2)Rachel W.
I've started to become a bit disappointed with Snappy Dragon lately. I definitely still love it, but the food has really gone down hill. Everything is SO salty! I miss how delicious it used to be. I've been going here for years and years with my family and just within the last year or two the quality of the food has really changed. I order the same items each time: If I'm with a party I'll get the Jao Zi (not totally sure on the spelling) they're these yummy little homemade pot stickers you can watch being made if you get seated in a certain room and they come with this delicious dipping sauce. These are still good and worth ordering in my opinion. If I'm just with my boyfriend I'll usually get the Won ton Soup instead. It's good, pretty average for Wonton Soup. I used to get the Sesame beef, although I'm not sure if I'll be ordering it anymore. I'm not one for fried food covered in a sauce, but this used to be truly delicious. Now, though, the pieces of beef aren't delicious and crispy, but squishy and chewy. =[ I'm very sad, I used to LOVE this dish. Maybe I'll try ordering it again in hopes that it's gotten crispy again. I also always get the chicken chowmein with homemade noodles. Their homemade noodles are incredible and the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. They have gotten quite salty, but I still love them. The chicken is kind of gross in it, maybe I should start getting a different meat. I love love love their garlic green beans. They're incredible. I get them with extra garlic. Kind of spicy but oh so good. I also order rice, it's the same rice you would get from anywhere, of course. I've tried quite a few other dishes but these ones are my regulars. I wish they'd just lay off the salt and make their sesame beef crispy again and then this would be my favorite once again.
(4)Susan B.
Honestly if we could rate this under 1 star we would. This had to be the worst dinner we have ever had. First the service was horrible. We waited forever to be served and other people were also asking if they could get served. Why would this place get rated this high. I happened to see that it was rated # 1 on Best of King 5" and that is why we went. It took a good 15 minutes before they even took a drink order then the drinks arrived with no alcohol. Mine was supposed to be Mai Tai. I think it was a Shirley Temple and I am not even a drinker. Then my husbands was a whiskey and coke and it was all coke. The one thing that was good was the barbecued pork. But then the dinner arrived. We ordered the Generals Chicken. Absolutely the worst. They were these really large pieces of mystery meat. I couldnt even eat it nor could my husband. Then the sweet and sour pork was so grissly I couldnt eat that either. Then the almond fried chicken was in this real heavy sauce so it was completely drenched. It was just completely awful. So the waiter came by awhile later and asked how things were. I told him the dishes were bad. He credited us for the Generals but that was it. The moral to this story if you want really good chinese food head to PF Changs.
(1)David W.
I LLLLLOVE this place. Often when I think of Chinese food I think heavy and fried with thick sauces and lots of oil.... This is fresh and interesting. I love the tang in the Cranberry Chicken... and the food is just.... well... This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants period.
(5)Georgie R.
If I could give zero stars I would. We've ordered take-out twice from Snappy Dragon and both times the food was inedible. The first time it was way too salty and the second time it was not only salty but tasted awful as well. After a couple of bites we threw the food away. Never ordering from here again.
(1)Sam H.
I would pretty much go here for the homemade noodles. They are thick, fettucine-sized, irregular noodles. Not greasy, with a strongly soy sauced flavoring. Everything is pretty good here, but it was a bit loud for me. My toddler son liked the fortune cookie and the rice quite a bit. Apparently, the spiciness is pretty hot here, but I didn't get burned by it. It didn't seem any spicier than 3 star Thai. If I lived over in maple leaf, it would probably be a regular place for me to stop for takeout, but I don't think I'd sit down very often.
(4)Travis M.
I don't understand why this place only has a three star average. I think the food is excellent, have never had to wait more than ten minutes to sit down even when it's slammed and they make their noodles and sauces in house. I especially like the dumplings, and the salt and pepper shrimp is awesome. Best chinese food i've had outside the international district.
(5)Elizabeth D.
If you are looking for an affordable, quality Chinese restaurant, with quality and convenience. We just ate at the infamous Snappy Dragon where we frequently visit and we were amazed once again. By their service, the sexiest waiter in town (Sano), crystal prawns, fried rice, and drinks that will knock ur socks off :-) Judy Fu was kind enough to take a picture with us in between the spectacular dumpling making. The staff has been consistantly working their since the beginning. Judy Fu is always there to meet customers and cook them food. Her son, Dave, is more than kind gracious with his service. He always remembers us and asks how we are doing since we always drive down from Bellingham to visit Sano and Snappy. Heaven on a Thursday to say the least. Go there! You will not be disappointed. xoxoxoxo
(5)Joel M.
I've been heading to Snappy since it opened, after following Judy Fu from the old Panda's in Wedgwood (now the mediocre Black Pearl). For Chinese comfort food, this is my go-to place. It's not super authentic, (I've eaten my way through Asia) but how many people in NE Seattle want stinky tofu anyway? Judy just knows how to make your stomach feel at home. After 20 plus years of eating her food, here is what you order: Szechuan Noodles: Best noodle soup in the city. Her homemade noodles in a rich spicy broth, with little bits or porky goodness mixed with the salty tang of pickled Chinese vegetables and scallions. This is what I followed from Pandas. Green Onion Pancakes: a great foil for the noodles. Sweet and salty doughy pancakes. Amazing for the first 5 minutes they are on your table, then they harden. Not to be ordered to go. Hunan Pork: Spicy black bean pork dish. Great with any meal, then take it home and eat it on top of hot white rice for days. mmmmmm. Salt and pepper wings and / or prawns. Sometimes a little too salty, but if you want salt and some damn good chicken or prawns so hot out of the fryer they don't need to be peeled? Order this. Everything else is good enough to throw together an outstanding meal, but these basics really set this place apart. GET THE NOODLES!
(5)Greg E.
I LOVE IT!!! You must try the pork potstickers they are my favorite of any potsticker I have every had! You can order any dish you like, they are all very good from what I've had on the menu (I tend to go with the Mongolian Beef most of the time however). You MUST, and I repeat MUST order the hand made noodles, they are what this place is all about. I usually put a serving on my plate with my main dish and mix the sauce and spices from my beef together with the noodles. They are a real treat!!! Enjoy!
(5)Sarah S.
I have no idea why everyone hasn't been giving Snappy Dragon a 5. Don't blame Judy Fu that you don't know what to order! My friends and I love going here...definitely one of our default locations. If you go, get the Happy Family with the homemade noodles. 1 order could probably serve 3 people. (Though we love everything there so much we order multiple things.) Highly recommended!
(5)David F.
I've been to snappy dragon three times and once for take-out. Even though I want to like it more, I have to give it low ratings. Every time I've had good things and others not so good: the mu shu is tasty, but the pancakes are thick and break apart; the homemade pork dumplings are good, but the vegi version is just awful--a bunch of dough wrapped around a piece of cabbage. I had a black bean dish that was way too salty, you couldn't eat it. I had the chow mein, both with homemade and regular noodles. I preferred the regular ones--they were thin, not what I'm used to, but they were very good. Only thing is, I got them to go and the paper box they put them in fell apart before I got home. I'd go back, but I'm not as thrilled as I used to be about this place. The service can be spotty: last time my friend and I got there when it was empty, but it ended up a few tables around us got served before we did.
(1)Jeffrey H.
Favorite takeout place.
(5)Juliette K.
So upon reading yelp reviews about Snappy Dragon, my boyfriend and I decided to give this restaurant a try. I don't know if we went on an "off" day or not, but I honestly felt like I could've gotten a lot more out of Panda Express. We came here for lunch and while the combos and portion sizes were generous and nice...I would definitely choose quality over quantity. The wonton soup was salty and the wonton skin tasted uncooked. The hot and sour soup was too sour and bit too spicy for the like. I ordered the chicken chow mein with homemade egg noodles (since the restaurant is known for the noodles) with fried rice and barbeque pork. My noodles were definitely undercooked and very....lumpy. It was more of a dumpling than noodle. Fried rice was good, but honestly you can't really mess up on fried rice. The barbeque pork was cold and the sauces that came with it were ketchup, hot mustard, and just sesame seeds. I didn't know ketchup was eaten with barbeque pork. My boyfriend's sweet and sour chicken was overcooked, generic americanized sweet and sour sauce, and kind of falling apart from excessive breading. I dont know why yelpers are raving about this place, but I definitely recommend going to Chiangs or even driving down to china town for good chinese food.
(2)Claire T.
I live on Capitol Hill, yet drive all the way up to Maple Leaf to pick up my take out from Judy Fu Snappy Dragon. It is that good. Yes, there are Chinese restaurants with takeout closer to my house, but Judy Fu is the one I crave. I know that the trek is not very eco-friendly, and, Al Gore, I swear I'm sorry, but you'd make the drive too.
(5)Claire M.
What's all the hype with this place??? The food is always bland and overpriced. Not to mention you have to request no MSG, blah.......when I lived over there we would order from them because they deliver and are pretty quick about it.
(2)Katelyn A.
This place is awesome! The service was impeccable, my glass was always promptly refilled, even by the server who was not helping our table. The five star spice is actually spicy! I ordered the sezchuan chicken which had lots of yummy veggies in it and also sampled some of my friend's kung pau. Walked away fat and happy from the snappy dragon.
(5)Nina W.
The pork potstickers are SO good!! The veggie ones, well id pass, unless you like that faint flavor of hay (no lie.) the homemade noodles are also tasty but i was not impressed with their sweet and sour. There are better places in seattle for chinese food, but Judy Fu's is worth a stop if you love dumplings and you dont want to travel to the ID to get them.
(3)Angie Q.
The only reason I ordered from this place is because it is the only Chinese restaurant that delivered in the area. The food is good albeit Americanized but still yummy. I ordered the duck which had barely any meat. The service was interesting though. There was some miscommunication over whether they would deliver to us. The man who answered the phone was very stern when saying he wouldn't deliver to our side of 65th... but then abruptly changed his mind after speaking to his manager..? Nonetheless, he was a bit rude.
(3)Alice H.
I live in Maple Leaf, just down the street and THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLY OVER RATED. I go when I want something close. But don't order take out because THEY TAKE FOREVER. Some dishes are good but you really have to know what to order as it is spotty. There are much better places to go and it mystifies me why people think this place is so good.
(2)Michelle M.
My absolute FAVORITE Chinese place in Seattle. I swear the Hot and Sour soup cures colds. Just the thought of the homemade noodles makes me salivate like Pavlov's dogs. The service is excellent Judy Fu, thank you!
(5)Sharon H.
Well, living nearby, we have given this a try about 4 times in the last 14 years. I guess we just allowed enough years to pass each time, that we forgot... I just agree with all of the other 1 star reviews. I don't "get it". The food is beyond Americanized. There is no flavor- wait - I take that back. There is ONE flavor, and that is why my husband and I will forever refer to this place as "Salty Dragon".
(1)Sue J.
Love love love snappy dragon! I'm originally from Seattle but have lived in NYC for the past six years. Every single time I'm back in town I make a stop into Snappy Dragon. Great food, portions, prices, service and owners.
(5)Nina N.
service = 2 stars... they asked us if we knew what we wanted to order when we sat down... uhmm can I look at the menu first??what's the rush??? our food = 3 stars somebody else's food in the restaurant = 4 stars.... I hate it when you are overwhelmed with so many items to choose from and the server doesn't know what is good... hmmm interesting... well I ordered the dumplings.. half pan fried, and half boiled.... damn it.. it tasted ok but not juicy and homemade like what I am used to.. so booo on that.. it just tasted like a dumpling that came out of a bag, you know the one you can buy at ranch 99 lol.. bad news bears..... the mongolian chicken which she said was the better item on the menu turned out to be sweet and not spicy... and the egg roll was really oily and not flavorful..... and the fried rice is just fried rice.. nothing too special.. all in all it wasn't bad, but not all the rave.. however, the people next to us had homemade chow mein and sweet and sour chicken that looked sooooo good..... so I might give them another try... maybe I just got the wrong thing... I hate that .. but I will try again because I can't really pass it up that fast right?......
(3)Yoshi S.
loved the Chow Mein and Mongolian Beef
(5)Cameron J.
This place is delicious, I have been eating there since it opened and if you want fresh ingredients and home made noodles dumplings and sauces then eat it up!!!!! The owner is super friendly and I love the atmosphere despite the fact that we normally get take out. This food is great whether you eat in on your couch or at the spot. Hands down best Chinese I've had in Seattle!!!
(5)Toby S.
Ordered delivery at 4p.m. ...when food still was not delivered at 5:30, I called and told them to keep it...nothing they serve is that good!
(1)t t.
Disappointing - not authentic at all. Out of the 2 dishes we ordered, 1 was pretty good, the other did not even resemble the real version of the dish. Cozy atmosphere & delivery are pluses, but the food won't have us going back.
(2)Karen G.
I love this place and so do my kids! We have eaten here several times and everything has been amazing. The asparagus with black beans is so tasty and the wonton soup is delicious. The staff is always great and the food is served hot and fresh. The decor is typical of most casual Chinese places, but the food is great. We go out of our way to eat here and can't wait to get back!
(5)Amber H.
I really enjoy this place! I get major cravings for their homemade snappy dragon noodles. We've taken several people here and all have enjoyed it. We sent some vegetarian friends here, who discovered that they have a full vegetarian menu and will make food without MSG. They also got to know the owner, who is a sweet man who really cares that his customers are happy. Another time we came with my FIL, who doesn't like sweet meat, and were able to order several spicy savory dishes that everybody liked. This has definitely become one of our go-to places.
(4)Brina S.
Mu Goo Gai Pan is bomb! Goes really great with a side of brown rice. My boyfriend got pork chow mein with the homemade noodles, also bomb. We have tons of leftovers so that made it even more worth the already reasonable price. The staff is really friendly and our food came up really fast - there were plenty of people there, but it wasn't too packed. Highly recommended!!
(5)S And A D.
Homemade dumplings are fantastic.
(3)Peter G.
Yummy Eat there
(4)Ali L.
My boyfriend and I took away one thing from this restaurant: a name to describe ourselves when we're angry. i.e "You're being a snappy dragon, Ali" Seriously, that's how annoyed we were with this place, especially since it continues to get good reviews. Maybe we just don't get it or maybe we're just snappy dragons.
(1)Beck N.
The waitstaff was fairly accommodating since we came in shortly before close... I still find it strange that some place would close so early on a weekend. Anyways, the food was pretty decent -- nothing super authentic or overly fried...which is very good.
(2)Bran L.
Great food, mediocre service. But again, great food, which is what makes Snappy Dragon so popular, I'd guess...
(3)Sambucus R.
I used to eat Chinese food a lot when I lived on the east coast. I haven't in a few years, until I recently discovered this place pretty close to my house. In general, I only sort of like Chinese food. And Snappy Dragon is only okay. It has a few things going for it. Folks were nice, it was fast, they have a good number of vegetarian options, the decor is nice (if a little cramped). But the food is a little on the bland side, and the flavor is one of the main things I like about food. Except the green beans. Those were good.
(3)Barbara M.
Not good, slow service and medicore food quality. Very disappointing, there is much better Chinese fare in Seattle. Eat somewhere else.
(2)Calen K.
Decent delivery chinese. I remembered really liking this place years ago but my most recent experience didn't live up. The menu isn't terribly interesting but the dishes taste fine. I'll have to try the house noodles again, maybe that's what I remember (or obviously don't remember) liking, but not having done so all I can give Snappy Dragon is a ho-hum.
(3)Emily M.
I love this place! We just discovered it the other month and have returned three times- the seafood clay pot stew, the dumplings, the mu shu, the noddle...mmmmm all so good. And we love that the owner is always there and is so nice. It feels great to support their family and the high quality food they cook. I am really surprised that this restaurant only has 3 stars...but I guess with hundreds of reviews, you are bound to disappoint some people. I give this place 5 stars without hesitation- it is truely as good as it gets.
(5)Andrew K.
This places touches the heart of my Seattle friends who know and love Chinese food. Everything on the menu was appetizing. Awesome homemade noodles and dumplings and yummy sauces, and fresh veggies, including asparagus sated my palate. The meat (prawns and chicken) was tasty and good quality. All of this consuming occurred in a cute little house in a great little hood. Spiced well. Yummers.
(5)luvtotravel J.
Holy handmade dumplings! How can anyone give this place less than 5 stars. Snappy's - I love you! Very good food - I've had it all since I've been coming to this place for years. I love love LUUUVVE their: onion pancakes, handmade dumplings, chicken fried rice, mongolian beef, szechuan garlic chicken and so much more Their lunches are UNBEATABLE! What a great deal - you get eggroll or bbq pork, soup, main dish and a fortune cookie - all for a very reasonable low price. My favorite on the lunch menu is the shrimp and broccoli in garlic sauce. I must admit that sometimes(1out of25 times) the food is inconsistent and so is the wait staff. Most of the time they have FANTASTIC staff but on a randomly unlucky night you get the slow girl who never comes to your table - sigh! Sometimes on an unlucky weekday afternoon you get the leftovers from last night in your lunch - yuck Parking is a pain in the behind! Overall a great deal and a great place!
(5)Anne B.
This place sucks! I tired to order delivery through these people and they told me simply 'I'm sorry we're too busy' ARE YOU SERIOUS? I had delivery from you just last week and now you're too busy??? Whatever never going here again!
(1)Melanie W.
It is a real comment on the Seattle Chinese food scene when people say that the food here is good. It's ok; it's not good. I have eaten here twice, and I don't think there will be a third time. In general, the food lacks flavor. The hand shaved noodles are too doughy and the flavor, when stir fried, is not that great. If you want amazing hand shaved noodles, in the same general area, try Jack's on the Ave. The food there is great!
(2)Chen Y.
I haven't been here for a long time, but the one time I went there, it was rather ordinary. I really don't know what the hype is about. There's not much to say about it aside from that. There are much better Chinese places in Seattle to choose from, everyone!
(1)Steve G.
If I had rated this place the first time I went it would have been five stars for sure. The last couple of time it was still good, but not as exciting as the first. When I go back home to Seattle to see the 'rents and I'm in the mood for some Chinese I head here or The Black Pearl.
(4)Cara C.
This is the best Chinese food I have had outside of China! I love Judy Fu's kong pao chicken - made with shreaded chicken rather than little chunks ("ding") of chicken. The veggie jiaozi are out of this world! As are the homemade chow mein noodles. The sauces are for sale at the restaurant - I recommend buying some to take home...
(5)Anne C.
I've been to Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon several times with friends who love this restaurant. I find their food overly greasy. Even their homemade noodles are too greasy for me to enjoy their homemade flavors. The staff is friendly, and it's a good location - but the food really makes this place a 1-star restaurant for me.
(1)Joel D.
decent chinese for the seattle area. being a former east coaster- i'm kinda spoiled having had some good chinese more readily available.
(4)Robyn H.
Local favorite with the Maple Leaf neighborhood as well as most folks in the north end. Anyone who has their own line of tasty Chinese sauces for taking home, must be doing something right. There is a constant stream of take-out orders heading out the door while those with a bit more time can have a relaxed dinner and enjoy the delicious scents that drift from the kitchen.
(4)Brent A.
Ah. Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. Like many other Maple Leaf/Wedgwood residents, you probably have their number programmed into speed dial on your home or cell phone. My wife and I love to call in an order, grab a couple movies from Reckless Video, and chill out at home. Judy Fu's won ton soup is among the best I've had. Ditto the kung pao chicken, fried rice, and homemade chow mein noodles. I don't think you can go wrong here.
(5)Gloria C.
Only went once while visiting Seattle. We don't live anywhere near enough (that would be BOISE) to go twice a month, which is the sort of rotation this place would get (we do eat out usually 3x/week). I also don't usually seem to like Chinese-style food, and there's not a place nearby that is very tasty. However, when the sister said, this Chinese place, it's good, I said, ok, would be nice to have tasty Chinese food, and obviously it's not going to be in Boise, so let us take this chance. Oh yes! Very tasty. The handmade noodles, dressed only in oil (I believe, or maybe a little rice vinegar) were so tasty I was fighting the kids for them, though they weren't nearly as good once they cooled down - congealed. The dumplings were very fresh tasting, surprise, the guy's over there making them. Nothing frozen there! As such, not the typical Chinese 'taste' I'm used to, which tends to rely on salt and grease for flavor. We ordered a number of dishes, whose names I completely forget, and I tried most of them, and was happy with each of them. Each seemed to have it's own distinctly flavored sauce. Service fine, wait ok, especially with our large party, but it was way too cold to wait outside, so many were crammed in the vestibule.
(4)L.J. M.
The food is good- but not worth the $75 plus that we spend feeding our family of four adults- yes, we over ordered and had leftovers a couple of times but DAMN- $75 for takeout Chinese? and no, it wasn't worth it- it's good but not the best.
(2)Vicki H.
The best thing about this restaurant is that they deliver. Food is mediocre.
(2)Peequi P.
The food here is terrible and I am really surprised about the popularity of this place. I think Snappy Dragon might be a good place to go if you like Americanized Chinese food, but if you are Asian or just looking for some really authentic Chinese food, go elsewhere.
(1)Russell L.
Seriously, I've boycotted this place. Too many incidents of bad service and awful food. I call this place "Crappy Dragon" ;) The dumplings have too much dough and chow mein shouldn't be so bland and should not have a pool of sauce at the bottom of the plate, sheesh.
(1)Eric S.
the dumplings and hot and sour soup are very hard to beat. great noodles, too. some dishes lack a strong, bold flavor, but everything was fresh and healthy. the owner is nice and really cares. go when it is not crowded to get seated quickly.....service can be spotty.....they encourage bicycling to their restaurant.
(4)Ass Man Z.
Take it from a Jew...this is good Chinese food! I've had better and certainly more authentic (i.e. chicken feet!) , but you really can't go wrong here, folks!
(4)Michelle C.
This place is tasty and affordable! I like most Chinese food, but I have a finicky stomach. Judy Fu's food isn't too oily and so it doesn't upset my tummy. Great selection of food if you're a meat-eater or vegetarian. Definitely give it a try!
(4)G. G.
This place sucks. I have never had a good experience there, and I've gone a few times over the years. The food is underwhelming, and they pack you in tight. Tonight we went (a Sunday) and it was totally packed, full of families and their babies and crying children. We ordered the veggie potstickers tonight, which sound like they would be good. It was basically dough with some spinach in it, which kind of tasted like tea leaves. I ordered the mongolian tofu, hoping for lots of the noodles with some small tofu on top. It is actually just a big plate of big cubes of tofu with a few noodles under neath drenched in a pool of soysauce. I think there is a reason they provide so many sauce options --the food needs it. There is one good server, and he is excellent. The rest of the staff look like tweens off the street that need some cash from busing tables. They are wearing tee shirts, jeans, and chuck taylors. NOT a good date place. You can pretty much wear whatever you rolled out of bed in. The attire is lower than casual. I saw ONE Asian couple there. Everyone else is Caucasian, working and otherwise.
(1)J C.
The Snappy Dragon is good Chinese food all around. It is a little pricey and honestly I don't understand why as it seems to be comparable to other Chinese food I've ordered in the city. But you can't go wrong here. Be careful when you specify how hot you want your orders as I've ordered food that I was so hot I couldn'tt stand it thinking that a 3 was "average heat". They do have dine in which is nice and the restaurant is usually full.
(3)Nourisha W.
so i made a trip to snappy dragon in hopes of discovering good chinese food in this very asian friendly city. it was good but no where near what i was expecting. maybe seattle just doesn't know how to do good chinese food. i don't know. but for the record, those salt and pepper wings were fire.
(3)Tarewyn M.
yum! Homemade noodles, crispy fried string beans ( curiously not crispy but yummy all the same) hand made dumpling! The best in the northend!
(5)Christy X.
We used to order take out from here once a week - really enjoyed the wontons in spicy peanut sauce and kung pao chicken. But in the last few months, it's gone downhill. The wontons in peanut sauce are watery and not very flavorful. The kung pao chicken isn't bad, but it's just not as great as it used to be. I'm not sure what happened, but it's very disappointing. I used to like this place a lot!
(2)Enrique D.
There are a lot of good reviews for this place which is why I decided to give them a try. I thought that the negative reviews that I read were being overly critical as people on the internet tend to be. WRONG! Americanized Chinese food is an understatement. The food is flavorless at best. The service was terrible, they got my phone # wrong when I ordered and since I live in a secure building they weren't able to call me when they got here the 1st time. When they sent my food out the 2nd time it finally got here but sauce was spilled all over everything. My wife and I spent nearly $50 of our hard earned money on a horrible meal. I would never order from them again. There are so many better options for delicious flavorful Chinese food in Seattle that I have know idea how Judy Fu's stays open.
(1)Robyn P.
I really need to find another Chinese restaurant in my neighborhood that delivers (in more ways than one). When the craving strikes (~once every other month), I turn to Snappy Dragon with hopes that the food will be good. But more than half the time, it's not. The Kung Pao has its moments, but it's usually drowning in overwhelmingly salty sauce. same thing goes for the Mongolian Beef. Their homemade noodles are great as long as they're not too oily. Hot and sour soup can be well balanced one day, but in need of serious dilution the next. You get the point: that ordering from here means getting used to inconsistency and being prepared for disappointment. Unless all you want is some brown rice and bbq pork. They actually get those right every time.
(2)Necia D.
Handmade noodles and dumplings are conceptually so appealing, and in the end that's what I keep netting out to with Snappy Dragon: that I love it in theory...and compost the leftovers in reality. I would also have to add the disquieting fact that I don't *feel* good after eating it; maybe this is a function of too much MSG, or perhaps too much sodium? I don't know, but something makes me feel like I've eaten something decidedly...well, not macrobiotic and healthful. My two boys and I have eaten there a few times, both in the restaurant and takeout. We've had numerous dishes, including General Tso's Chicken, Sesame Beef, Prawns in Lobster Sauce, several different Chow Meins and soups, and the dumplings and pancake iterations. The General Tso's chicken quality (or preparation) has varied greatly across our visits. Sometimes the chicken is cooked properly and other times it's got a texture like...hmmm. Beauty bark comes to mind. Pieces you genuinely cannot chew. Not gristle; more like leather. I noticed I was sort of habituated, as I ate, to testing chewability with my teeth before tearing off the rawhide dog-toy part and eating the portion that could be masticated. My boys were less patient. Quoth Nico: "What is this meat? Glove?" Love me some Nico. This same type of dish done in a "bad" Chinese restaurant, like Panda Express, would actually have been preferable. At least the batter to meat ratio is better and the flavors, while just as simple, are turned up loud. Here it's a starchy, sinewy mess that holds much more color than flavor. I do like the noodles! I make my own pasta and it usually comes out like this: a bit too toothy, maybe. I'd describe theirs this way, too, thick and ropy, but that seems hearty and okay somehow. The issue for me is that I don't find the broth very flavorful or rich; its texture is okay but its flavor's watery and I suspect it relies a good deal on MSG. It just doesn't have an interesting concentration of flavors. It's boring. The scallion pancakes are okay, but I find much more interesting, textural examples in even the lower-brow Korean places. We ordered something called a pork burrito (the exact name escapes me) and while I liked the "pancake" it is wrapped in, the pork is, again, just garlic-sweet, keep moving and here let me stamp your hand. The prawns in lobster sauce...I think they meant to put quotes on the word "lobster," or spell it with a K. The dumplings are satisfying but again, very bready, easy on the contents. Overall, I think this is my last try with the Snap. My boys who are rather adventurous ate it in sort of a mirthless, "self-fueling" way, and try as I might, I could not find a truly rewarding bolt of flavor despite ordering five entrees. This place was highly recommended when I moved here, so you should try it and come to your own conclusions, but for half the price, I'd slum it at Panda Express if I were you.
(2)Bella C.
C'mon, Seattlelites, some of your reviews are just astounding for the simple fact that there are a ton of other places that simply serve better Chinese food... the cuisine here is neither authentic nor is it particularly good. I ate here ONCE when I lived in Maple Leaf just blocks away and I never went back after the first time. In sum, if you want authentic tasty food, go to the I.D. This place serves bland white-washed Chinese food... just a few steps up from Panda Express.
(3)Glyn C.
The Dragon was toothless but drooled its sauce on everything! I am amazed that this restaurant has received accolades and awards! What I saw was large, piled-high, home-style plates of food. I think most people were eating noodle dishes; apparently because they are homemade. If the fried vegetable potstickers were an indication of the noodles then you can keep them, too. The potsticker wrapper was very thick, tough and chewy. I could barely cut into them with my fork and I am no wimp. The filling was flavorful, but just finely chopped frozen spinach, out of a bag, as its base. Our very plain "chicken with garlic and vegetables in Szechwan sauce" was very salty, smothered in sauce and there was no garlic that we could find or taste. Did they get this order wrong, too? Many pieces of bell pepper (in both our dishes), were too big to be bite-sized. The "Sliced Cod" was battered and fried. The menu does not state this! The batter, like the potstickers, was overdone (meaning, too thick and heavy), and tough. The fish itself was good. For both our dishes we found our food to be floating in a sea of sweet and salty goo. At the time I did not remember that I did not get it with the black bean sauce that I had asked for. The only positives about this meal is that the portions are large and the ingredients were fresh and of good quality. The first glass of my wife's red wine was absolute plonk! We sent it back and the replacement wine was OK. It seems they opened a new bottle (or box), for us. This is not real Chinese food as we know it. It is the over-sweet, over-salty, over-sauced, heavy-handed Americanized version, that many have come to know from all the dives that sell it. Kind of like pizza places... It is popular with families. There were no Asians dining here that we saw, except for employees... Service was acceptable. Our waitress wore a Snappy Dragon T-shirt with holes in it. Also, the restaurant is very noisy. The walls of this former house are hard and basically bare. If you are into take-out, large portions for a fair price, think Sweet and Sour Pork is the pinnacle of Chinese dishes or have never eaten where Asians eat, then this place is for you!
(2)Michelle N.
My favorite Chinese food in Seattle! I love their Dry Sauteed Green Beans and their Mongolian Tofu or Beef the best. The staff is always really friendly. You can't go wrong here!
(5)Montie M.
Good for the neighbourhood. Maple leaf/northgate is rather devoid of decent places to eat, so this place ranks up there. The home made dumplings are decent, but a little bit more doughy than most other places. The veggie version are pretty tasteless, so go with the meat version when possible. I was warned against ordering the... Happy Family?... soup dinner for just myself. They weren't kidding. It was enough to feed at least three people and at least 4 different kinds of animals went into the dish. Thumbs up!
(3)Just Y.
I have never step foot in this restaurant. I can't tell you a single thing about the floor staff or the environment. My interaction with them consists of phoned-in orders and delivery, usually once every 6 to 8 weeks. Their phone service is always nice and on the ball. Their delivery is usually prompt unless their busy, but their phone person will tell you not to expect the food anytime soon. The food? I've never ordered a dish that I didn't like, I do find that although the dishes are fresh and well prepared, they can border on bland. I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here, and if I didn't live within their delivery range I probably wouldn't know they existed.
(3)Diane T.
The food here is just okay. We've been there quite a few times due to living so close and it's never been bad, but it's never really blown my mind away either. It's a very Americanized version of Chinese food. The lunch specials are a real value, but otherwise they are a little pricey. They do a few things homemade from scratch like dumpings, noodles, and sauces. I suggest the black bean sauce or the szechuan sauce.
(3)A Y.
I don't know why people rave about this place. Yes I understand this is not a traditional Chinese restaurant and mostly caters to the western carry out eating palette, but come on! The food was bland and tasteless. The dumplings were soggy and the filling was dry and without any seasoning. I thought it was a bit pricey for Chinese but the portions were a decent size. Overall I am not impressed at all and would honestly spend my money at the Chinese Food Buffet place down the street in Northgate. If you like to eat tasteless overpriced Chinese food served up by college kids then this is the place for you.
(1)Colleen W.
We had some friends in town from Utah and they had requested Chinese near where they were staying on Lake Washington. This place fit the bill and they all loved the meal. I'm a little more picky and I found it to be A-OK. We were able to share our entrees (thanks to the spin-top) which gave us a wide variety of flavors to enjoy. Our order: Pan-browned potstickers Barbecued pork Wonton Soup Homemade noodles (for the kids, but the adults loved them too!) Mu shu pork Sesame Beef (winner) General Tso's Chicken Happy Family Kung Pao Squid The sesame beef was the stand-out dish for the entire meal. It was crispy slivers of beef in a tangy red sauce with sesame seeds.
(3)Andre D.
This place was great! My girlfriend and I ordered food for delivery. Very fast and friendly. Had a very cool conversation with the man who brought the food. The food itself was very good. Highly recommended.
(5)Tres B.
This quintessential in -the-know Chinese restaurant housed modestly in rambling Maple Leaf is bland to look at, but the food is fantastic. Its a bit like Asian comfort food and some may find the dishes a little heavy and the portions are very large. The soups are fantastic, and the handmade shaved noodles are the best in town. I love the scallion pancake appetizers!! The sesame beef is outstanding and decadent. Service is always good and virtually any evening there is a await. Residential parking can be tricky and its on main street (Roosevelt) so you have to dance around 40mph drivers like Frogger. The take out and delivery has always been flawless.
(5)Brock B.
I ordered delivery Friday night. The guy on the phone said it would take 45 mins. Over an hour later, I called and had to talk to 2 different people to determine an ETA for my food. When it showed up the steamed pork buns which are supposed to be a specialty were cold and accompanied by a vinegarry sauce. If I ever eat there again, I will pick up and stick with the Old Faithful General Tso's chicken.
(2)John T.
This place can be hit or miss, but there are some big hits. They have some of the best salt and pepper chicken I have ever had. The home made noodles, dumplings, and mu shu pancakes are great. The barbecue pork is also the best I have had in Seattle. The clay pot seafood stew is also a winner. While they could improve on a lot of their entrees, some are excellent. David is also one of the nicest resturant owners you will ever meet.
(4)Angie K.
I was doing errands and stopped by Judy Fu's for a little snack. I just got some won-tons to go. They were pretty good - crispy, good portions, still hot when I pulled over at my next destination to eat them in the parking lot. I haven't tried a full meal here, but they seemed to have some good lunch specials and a lot of people were coming in to get takeout during my short wait.
(3)Hai Yen N.
I've eaten here a few times, but only my first time was my choice. All the other times, someone else chose. I heard so many raves about this place that I had to go check it out, I love good Chinese food and the hand-rolled noodles seemed intriguing. But I was pretty disappointed after that first visit. The wait was incredibly long and the waiting area is tiny so sometimes you're shunted out the door to wait outside (terrible if it's raining or cold). Judy Fu serves Americanized Chinese food. It's not bad, I wouldn't turn it down if someone offered it to me and I definitely ate my leftovers from all those visits. But I wouldn't make this my go-to Chinese restaurant and I never crave any of the dishes served here. The hand-rolled noodles are decent, but I prefer hand-shaved and hand-rolled noodles at other spots. It's in Maple Leaf, people. The raves must come from people who haven't had that much exposure to authentic Chinese. The dining rooms are very loud and the food never manages to stay hot for very long once it hits your table, odd and unpleasant. Sorry Judy, I wanted to love you.
(2)Konnie D.
There is a reason that this restaurant has been votedbest Chinese restaurant in Seattle so many years!! The staff is friendly and the food is excellent. We love the string beans and the sesame chicken and yo can't beatthe homemade Jao-zi and homemade chowmein noodles. We LOVE the food!!!
(5)Scott M.
This is my first review. I like Yelp, but haven't posted before. But after my awful experience at Snappy Dragon, I felt I had a moral obligation to warn others. As someone who's eaten at a dozen restaurants in SF's Chinatown and spent the last 22 years (before moving to Seattle) living in communities that were 50%+ East Asian, I think I know what Chinese food should taste like. I would not normally eat at a Panda Express, but it would certainly be better than Snappy Dragon. There were no Chinese people visible in the restaurant, not even the staff. Perhaps a good warning sign. My girlfriend and I ordered some "American" Chinese food and some of the more traditional items you wouldn't necessarily expect to see everywhere you go. The worst item, Sweet and Sour Pork, that epitome of fake Chinese, *can* be made well. It should be crispy, sweet and sour (of course), and focus on the meat over vegetable fillers. Instead we got the opposite, along with Day-Glo red sauce. The meat was as small as a sugar cube, coated in mushy batter a half-inch thick. It was tasteless and generally inedible. Everything else was better by comparison but not something you would put on a list of "Food I Want to Eat Again." They forgot to give us the pancakes for the Mu Shu. A few other items I can't recall were also not that impressive. This is the first Chinese food I've tried since moving to Seattle, and I only went here instead of the ID because I happen to live a few blocks away. But I won't be going back--not ever.
(1)Mark E.
I went in to the Snappy Dragon with my partner not knowing what to expect. When we first went in the owner introduced himself to us and shook are hands, probably the nicest owner I've ever met. The food was awesome! I worked in a Chinese restaurant for six years so I'm a little bit pickier than most. I definitely recommend the home made noodles and the pork dumplings! Oh and the atmosphere is so comfortable, you feel like a guest at your friends house.
(5)Tristyn T.
The home made plain noodles are my personal favorite. I also love the mandarin fried rice (it's the only fried rice I really enjoy from any Chinese restaurant) and the home made veggie dumplings. So tasty! I am sad that I am just outside the delivery area, but I don't mind picking up my food too much.
(5)Dead M.
OK I tried this place after a friend told me how great it was. I would put it at so-so for Chinese. So far, it's hard to beat Chinese at a place called Shanghai in Centralia, so this place really didnt even come close to that one at all. Food was OK... wasn't blow away and then again I wasnt to pissed either as it was a lunch special for around $6 Try it, if you must, but I will pass it up and eat at Gordito's or Mikes Chili anyday before this.
(3)Jordon S.
It was fast. That's all they going for them. They screwed up general tso's chicken. I don't know how. They screwed it up. It tasted like someone coated humongous chicken lumps(that's what it looked like) the size of baseballs in bisquick, didn't finish frying it, then proceeded to cover it in a red sauce resembling food coloring and lots and lots of garlic. I don't know how its possible. But not even I can be satisfied by this. At that. 26 bucks for 2 entrees. Never going back. But hey it was fast right?
(1)Sam D.
This place gets love/hate reviews. Apparently, it's not that authentic, as all of the one-star reviewers note. All of the five-star reviewers love the food anyway. You choose. I loved it. I wasn't looking for the most-authentic food ever, just a nice variety of spicy, well-seasoned, quality dishes with great flavor. We had a group of 6 that enjoyed every dish that was served. I'm no expert on authenticity of Chinese food, just appreciative of a great meal.
(5)L C.
I'm glad I gave this place another chance after the abysmal first time delivery that took over 1.5 hrs to get here! And the food was not very good! Those "famous" homemade noodles?? I'm a noodle aficionado and love all kinds of noodles and these were doughy and tough and thick...also bland. SO this time we didn't order the noodles. Beef broccoli, gen Tsos chicken, s & p wings extra crispy. Yum! The wings are bigger than I usually like but the spices and coating and crispy outside was very tasty! The gen Tsos chicken was ordered a 5/5 spice and I would say as a person that loves spicy food, it probably equalled a 1/5 on that scale. Somewhat disappointing but also couldn't understand why there was so much orange sauce?? Too much sauce in the beef broccoli as well. Swimming in it! Beef pieces were small slivers and chicken pieces were ginormous! Costs of beef vs. chicken?? Don't be so obvious if it is. I don't think ppl who have left bad reviews are incorrect in their depictions of their food. I just think snappy dragon is a place where really it's hit or miss. Not bad but not memorable.
(3)Patrick H.
Absolutely my favorite Chinese food in Seattle and love the home made chow mein noodles. I wish it was more convenient to get to and closer to where I live. It can be pretty tough to get into on the weekend as it's not very large and is popular.
(4)Clint W.
One of my buddies lives in the neighborhood and brought me here last winter. I had heard okay things about this place, but thought it a little too chinese americanish for my tastes. I was a little worried walking up to the building and even more worried when I got inside. Kind of dumpy and we sat in view of the kitchen entrance. They had some sort of trap door leading down to the basement that the staff went down several times during the night. All I could think of was "Silence of the Lambs". Maybe that's what they did with the bad customers? I was examining all of the waitstaff for some resemblence to Jodie Foster. Putting that aside, my buddy ordered his faves and we even had the hand made noodles. Food was okay, not outstanding. It was kind of ordinary...something you might do as take out every now and then. Oh, and we both managed to the escape with ....ahem....the skin on our backs.
(2)Ryan L.
Huge portions of tasty food and cute waitresses. How can this fail? I've had more authentic and more interesting chinese in the SF Bay Area, and at some other places in Seattle, but somehow I always order delivery from here in Seattle, and when I go out for chinese, 75% of the time I go here. Why? Huge portions of tasty food, cute/friendly waitresses, and fairly convenient (for Seattle) parking. The sweet and sour dishes and the chow mein are probably my favorites. Lunch specials are excellent deals, too.
(5)Jim C.
The food at Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is wonderful. The homemade noodles alone are reason to visit this place. We've never been disappointed with anything on the menu. We only wish we lived closer. Also, the people that work here are so nice, so pleasant, so professional. They truly go out of their way to make you feel so appreciated as a customer. There was one time where the staff here---on a VERY busy Christmas Eve---made a mistake in a "To Go" order for my family. When I called to let them know, they couldn't have been more gracious and more sincerely apologetic. They immediately rushed over our order and delivered it to our front door, with sincere apologies. Again, they could not have been nicer about it. But the food is really what stands out here. Lunch and dinner are both fantastic and they're very accommodating to kids. Highly recommended!
(5)Tsuki F.
I love this place. A friend told me about it a few years ago and it's the go-to dinner spot for my boyfriend and I. The homemade noodles are a must! I only eat pork, chicken or beef dishes so I can't speak for the duck being commented on below...however, the beef broccoli, fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, cashew chicken and several other dishes are delicious!
(5)Sarah M.
This place was recommended to me as the best Chinese Food in Seattle - I think not. I ordered Chow mein with homemade noodles and the dish was cold with almost no flavor at all. I might as well have been eating plain noodles. I also ordered General Tso's Chicken and the chicken was almost charred with purplish "sauce." Whatever the chicken was coated with became baked on. It was terrible. I will not be going back.
(1)Nara W.
Husband and I tried this place based on good reviews and it's proximity to Northgate. We went with the pork dumplings and General Tso's chicken. The dumplings were thick and doughy, almost rubbery, the filling was good but overall we left them uneaten. The chicken made us sad! It looked like big pieces of wings and thighs dipped in tasty sauce but was actually small chunks of chicken held together by more than 50% breading. The taste wasn't bad.. but it wasn't good either. All in all we will stick to our usual, though more distant, chinese place.
(2)Chris M.
I'm sorry, I have tried this place a handful of times over a 10 year period and just been disappointed every time. I have always wanted to like the place for whatever reason-maybe I just like the name-but it has never succeeded in winning me over. I have a couple of friends that are fans of some of the dishes, and maybe I have just made some poor menu choices. Bland shouldn't be the first thought jumping to mind when considering the whole experience from ordering to eating, but it does. Expect to wait, and leave with no stand out flavor except maybe...salty? Popular with mostly white people I suspect. If your looking for Chinese and your willing to drive to Maple Leaf, do yourself a favor and head down to the International District and you will have a better experience. If you have a taste for mediocre, and don't mind being underwhelmed then by all means, order up.
(1)Omarosa H.
We arrived for an early dinner, 5:15ish, on a weekday night. The restaurant was not crowded and we were seated right away. Things started out nicely, with a polite waitress and very good ice water. Good water is remarkably difficult to find in restaurants...either the water is straight from the tap and smells of chlorine or the glassware has been bleached to death and smells of chlorine. I noted in the main menu that diners could request a Vegetarian Menu, which I did. The availability of the Vegetarian Menu was surely a great sign! Our food arrived and smelled delicious. My vegetable chow mein was tasty and I was really enjoying it UNTIL I came upon a bite of chicken. Really? Are the cooks unable to set aside special pans for vegetarian dishes, or are they simply careless when plating? In either case, finding a piece of chicken in a dish I ordered from the Vegetarian Menu is completely unacceptable. Our waitress basically disappeared after serving us, and only returned when we had finished our food and offered to box it up. It was rather telling that neither our server nor the cashier asked how the food was. They apparently are so accustomed to receiving rave reviews, they don't bother to ask. As for the ambience, it rates a big, fat zero. It is extremely loud, especially when a table of five women arrived for some sort of get-together. They are apparently regulars because the manager came out of the back to speak to them. They carried on several conversations at once, often accompanied by loud, braying laughter, raising the noise level considerably. The room is not at all conducive to conversation in a normal tone of voice, so if you want to have dinner and not feel any obligation to talk to your dinner companion, this is a fabulous choice. My only positive is that there were no yelling children to add to an already far too loud experience. I know why so many people get the food to go. And a final comment about the boxing up of leftovers. I get that the city now has rules about the types of containers a restaurant is allowed to use. However, my husband's chicken dish was packaged in one of the infamous "gold fish" containers and held up very well. My chow mein dish was in a flat, cardboard box and it didn't hold up at all. There was a TON of sauce/watery stuff in it. It soaked through the cardboard and then flooded the plastic bag (thank God they are allowed to use plastic bags or our car would have smelled like rotten Chinese food for months). When I emptied the bag, I'd estimate there was close to two cups of liquid. Did they add liquid when they boxed it up? Did they not notice how sloppy it was and wonder if the container would hold up? Why did they not use one of the "gold fish" containers for each dish? It was kind of the perfect ending to a not-so-perfect dining experience.
(2)Carolyn B.
Reliably good food in festive atmosphere. Fun and yummy.
(4)Jenny F.
I've been to Snappy Dragon a few times. Every time it was excellent. Tonight I ordered delivery...BTW, it's really nice to have a Chinese food delivery in my neighborhood. The food was excellent. I had the vegetable pot stickers, and it was wonderfully obvious that the dumpling was homemade. I also had the vegetable mu su, which was also fantastic. Excellent job, Snappy Dragon. You are great!
(5)Kiki M.
JUDY FU'S SNAPPY DRAGON! I like saying that fast and with such emphasis I spit on people. Her name and the title of the restaurant fit together splendidly. While the title brings about my inner kung fu master the food is all serious and good. Whenever I head to Judy's I order myself some tofu. I blame her for my fanatical love of all things (mostly) tofu. This tofu dish is fried with an incredible sauce and red chili peppers. It is spicy and I learned that lesson the hard way. The bathroom was my dear friend the next day. There are numerous choices on the menu ranging from noodles to meat dishes. I do like how you have the option of white rice or brown rice when you order. Judy's claim to fame are the homemade noodles which I can vouch are rather scrumptious, thicker, and more sponge like than typical noodles. My description sounds frightening but take my word that they are good. I am a fan of Judy Fu's. While I can't say this is the best Chinese good I've ever had it gets quite the honorable mention.
(4)Taylor S.
Best Jao-Zi around.
(5)Bri O.
I have seen many terrible reviews of this place, and I am flabbergasted by them. Now, I'm no authority on the authenticity of Chinese food, but quite frankly, if food is good, it doesn't matter. I have loved this restaurant since I was a small child - I have eaten here at least 40+ times in the last ten years, the most recent being two days ago after a four year deprivation. I was not disappointed; it was every bit as good as I remember. Better, even, now that I am older and have a more sophisticate palate with less sensitivity to things that are spicy. Haters to the left. We we order: 1) Green Onion Pancakes. These are my favorite appetizer of any type of food. They come in about mozzarella sticks, even. 2) Kung Pao chicken. It can be pretty hot, but it's good and will surely clear your sinuses, at least. 3) Rice 4) The Snappy Dragon Chow Main with hand-cut noodles. Best chow mein I've ever had. 5) Depends on the time. Sometimes, the eggplant, which is very good. Also, the beef with snowpeas and water chestnuts is delicious as well. This restaurant will always have a place in my heart and my stomach.
(5)Vas S.
Poor, slow service. Food was so-so. Given the prices and pretensions, 1 star.
(1)Glenda D.
Snappy Dragon's the best in my humble opinion and I couldn't help but notice a crisp new decor inside this evening. My favorite's: the green onion pancake's or maybe the Jousa (I know that's spelled wrong, sorry), No perhaps its the happy family; love those seafood meatball's maybe it's the dry-sauted green beans. Ok you now know why I go home with so many leftovers for tomorrow when I go to Snappy Dragon. On a couple of other notes: it's the ONLY Chinese restaurant my kids will eat at and I've always found the service to great....too bad they don't deliver to my house.
(5)Bob C.
I'd pretty much given up hope on finding a decent chinese place on the north end of seattle. Luckily for me, my friend recommended Judy Fu's as a phenomenal place to go eat. At the time, I should have remembered that my friend's second favorite place to get chinese is the buffet in everett and that he lived in virginia most of his life. So really, it's my own fault. I ordered wontons, general tso's chicken, sesame beef and some fried rice. The beef was gristly, tough and burnt, however, the chicken was lean, juicy chunks. The sauces were pretty horrible. While I may be pasty white, I can recognize disgusting chinese food. Bingo, found it.
(1)S S.
I drive more than 40 miles as often as possible for this, my perfect Judy Fu's meal: 1) Green Onion Pancakes: Fried and served as an appetizer, these are an excellent way to start your meal. 2) Sesame Chicken: Unlike typical Chinese restaurants that serve chicken elbows and beaks and gobs of breading, you'll only find real quality chicken here. I have also had great luck with General Tso's Chicken and Mongolian Beef. 3) Homemade Noodles: Well, the truth is that you can order anything on the menu. But you MUST order the plain homemade noodles. I can get great Chinese far closer to home. But, there is only one place to get Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon.
(5)Kim C.
I love Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon! I still remember the first time I went with the expectation that it's just another crappy westernized Chinese restaurant, but was pleasantly surprised. Their best dishes: Beef and Napa Cabbage Stew Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) - pork Snappy Dragon Chow Mein (with homemade noodles) Their homemade noodles have a very interesting texture; specifically, it doesn't have the evenness of machine-pressed noodles. Similarly, the handmade jiao-zi has a homey touch to it; you can see the chief make them from scratch at the restaurant! I also love their homemade hot sauce; it's a flavorful bean-paste sauce that compliments the noodles and jiao-zi awesomely, and isn't tongue-burning hot.
(4)Molly S.
Just a head's up! My boyfriend and I got take-out from here on Friday May 4. We ordered the Kung Pao tofu and chicken, and we suffered horrible food poisoning for the next two days. We definitely won't be going back after that experience. While I've never posted a yelp review before, our awful experience prompted me to write this review.
(1)Arati S.
Had gone to Snappy Dragon on a reco from one of the friends.. n liked the place a lot.. Tried the pork dumplings, homemade noodles, onion pancakes & garlic, peper chicken.. the food overall was good & the ambience just amazing..
(4)Gams G.
Yuk. Fu. I had heard so many wonderful things about Snappy Dragon, that I couldn't resist stopping by for lunch. Hmmm. Was it the unwashed condiment jars and silverware?? or the slacker wait staff during a relatively quiet lunch hour? Maybe it was the fact that my fortune cookie read *THAT WASN'T CHICKEN*...whatevs...I won't be back. Sorry, Judy.
(1)Cathy G.
We used to go here a lot. Now it's not a 'we'/ However, I ate and took home many wonderful dinners. A bit plain inside, but excellent food.
(4)Poulina K.
This is not your usual run of the mill Chinese fare. Home made noodles are worth the extra few dollars for the chow mien!!! Everything tasted fresh and home made. I love the hot and sour soup, BBQ pork and Snappy Dragon Chow Mien. I haven't had a chance to dine in yet, but so far my experience with the quality of food has been stellar. One small gripe, I do think the prices are a bit high on some items.
(4)Mike D.
Judy, you get two snaps up in a circle from yours truly! I personally could care less about the authenticity of the food or that fact that some feel that it's geared to a westernized palate. If you haters think this food is Americanized, try going to a Chinese restaurant in the midwest, where everything on the menu is deep-fried and/or covered with sweet-and-sour sauce. Anyway, I had my birthday dinner here tonight and I luv-luv-luved it. Another snap for our cheerful, enthusiastic waitperson. It was a cold, snowy night so we started with a huge bowl of the Beef Noodles. Out came a huge steaming bowl of rich spicy broth with big chunks of meltingly tender beef and delicious homemade noodles and crunchy vegetables. We knew we were in for a great meal. We also ordered the Dry Sauteed String Beans with Almonds. Out came what had to be 2lbs of beans on a plate! They were definitely not dry, but the beans were crisp-tender, and the spicy thick sauce was delicious and full of crunchy blanched almonds. These alone with a bowl of rice would have been enough for dinner. But no, we had to have some of the Jiao-zi boiled dumplings. OMG they were excellent. The wrappers were dense, chewy and delicious, and the filling was dense and punctuated with the delicious zing of ginger and scallions. Not a gloppy torn wrapper in the bunch. Bravo! We ate way too much. I couldn't stop myself. I loved it. I loved looking at the food being brought out to the other tables and plotting what I'd have next time. And the time after. Thanks for a great birthday dinner, Judy! I'm your new #1 fan.
(5)Y L.
I've eaten here for years and just recently got on the Yelp bandwagon. This is the place for quick and easy healthy food choices. I especially like the option to request MSG free meals. A variety of color on your plate is what we all should strive for as is recommended by top health authorities like Dr. Weil and Dr. Oz and there's definitely no shortage of that here!
(5)Scott H.
We think this is the best Chinese in the city. Our favorite is the Kung Pao Chicken. Not sure what planet those who wrote the bad reviews are living on. But on this planet Judy Foos is hands down five stars!
(5)Cindy R.
I don't know what there is to not like about the food here. I love the house-made noodles and dumplings, the mu-shu is delicious, the soup is amazing, and every entree I've tried has been great. The vegetables are always fresh and crisp. The sauces are consistently flavorful. The meat is always tender. Service is good. The place is clean. What's not to like? I ask you????
(4)Dena K.
The food was run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant fare. What spoiled the experience for me was the rudeness of the hostesses. There was a long wait on the night I was there, but that shouldn't be an excuse to treat people so badly.
(2)Dave A.
Judy Fu's is my absolute favorite Chinese place in Seattle, the place I return to time and time again. I will qualify this by admitting I don't often make the trip over to the supposedly "superior" Chinese restaurants of the international district but i gobbled up a TON of great Chinese food in San Francisco...so I know of which I speak. Unlike mom & pop grease factories with industrial strength doses of MSG and cornstarch, Judy's food always seems fresh and unique. Yes those hand-made noodles are fairly substantial, dense even, but I prefer them to the standard-issue chow mien you find everywhere else, even though Judy's serves those too for less adventurous palettes. I'll admit that using this hearty dough for pot-stickers may be a bit much, but again I'm a fan so this works for me even though this renders them quite filling. The Mongolian Tofu is my favorite dish, with a not-too-hot spiciness and a dark, flavorful sauce over those crunchy fried noodles that they thoughtfully keep in a separate bag for take-out. I am a JUNKY for the Crispy Eggplant in Tangy Hot Glaze, which is covered in a decadent red "crust" that is as undoubtedly loaded with calories as it is with flavor. Judy's is also one of the few Chinese places I've found in Seattle that offers the alternative of brown rice. One warning: this place gets PACKED on weekends, and truthfully the complaints about iffy service are probably fair, the waitstaff seems slightly overwhelmed at times although they're always polite and friendly. As a result I mostly go for take-out, which usually comes in 15 minutes for even large orders. Prices are slightly above some of the smaller family style joints...but with food this good it's worth it.
(4)Wei-ju W.
This restaurant does not fit the stereotypes that people might think of when they visit chinese restaurants. First of all: The servers are almost all young Caucasians. The decoration is rather simple, no golden dragons or phoenixes, or what else you would typically expect see. I see that as a good thing. When we went there, people were lining up at the entrance - usually a good sign. I like restaurants that have at least one memorable signature dish, and for the "Snappy Dragon" is is their home-style dumplings. You can see the people making them and you can order them either with a vegetarian or a pork filling. I have to say that these are some of the best dumplings I have ever eaten in a restaurant. While they look a little rustic, for me they have just the right blend of dough and filling and they are not expensive either. I have eaten "fancy" dumplings in a different shop in a nearby city which can't match these in flavor or value. The other dishes we had were more adapted to a western taste, but everything was fresh and good. I will definitely come here again, especially when I am planning to eat dumplings.
(4)Jefflin B.
GLUTEN FREE MENU!!! I can eat Chinese food again! I have always loved this place and when I found out I had Celiac three years ago I thought I'd never be back. So needless to say I was more than excited to find out they had a whole menu of gluten free options! I love the Mongolian Tofu and the Ma Po Tofu! Thank you Judy Fu's for giving me back the thing I missed the most...delicious Chinese food.
(4)Jeremy L.
Amazing Chinese cuisine! I lived in China and this is great food. Hand's down my favorite in Seattle right now. My friends and I plan to go back at least once a month just because we all like it so much. Order the Jiao Zi if you have not yet - one word: awesome!
(5)Lauren J.
Hmm, I wasn't feeling it. I got the sweet and sour chicken and it was super bland. I love chinese food, so it was a very sad day for me. I really wanted to like it! Then again, my boyfriend got the same thing and thought it was perfect. Our waiter was sweet but awkward. The atmosphere was... unexpected. It looks like Denny's. I felt kind of weird. The manager man at the door was nice, though! He did a good job making me feel welcome. I think this was just a matter of personal taste.
(2)Koriann B.
I have been craving Judy Fu's pork dumplings. Surprisingly large and filling, they are flavorful little bits of bliss. We went on Friday for dinner because I had demanded dumplings, and we very much enjoyed our dinner. We started with the aforementioned dumplings and some drinks (beer for him, a Pikachu punch for me. My drink was so strong I could smell the rum when they set it down- wonderful!) For dinner we had the sesame beef (delicious) and the salt and pepper chicken. The salt and pepper chicken was definitely overly salty, but once paired with a bit of rice, it became harder to notice (or maybe that was the rum?). Even eating until we were full, we had enough food leftover to have lunch for both of us (with another small serving for an additional lunch for one). I like Judy Fu's because of the flavor, and all the wonderful choices. Too bad it's kind of far from my house...
(4)Brandon C.
Well I live fairly close to this place and I had a bad day and didn't want to cook so I went here. Their menu is pretty standard, but one thing I noticed was that they admit to using MSG and also may humbly TRY to remove it from their food upon request. I thought I ordered pretty safe when I chose Snappy Dragon Fried Rice, I mean it has the name of the place in the title. I didn't think I could go wrong, but what happened next was killer. I had an unbelievable headache for an hour after I ate half of it. I put the rest in the fridge and brushed it off. The next day I ate the rest of it, low and behold the HEADACHE came back! I have had crappy Chinese food before, that willingly admit to using MSG, but these guys are counting on that little chemical way too much. It tastes great, but now I know why, and the pain isn't worth thinking about going back there. If you are still thinking about it, don't forget to hold the MSG, and prepare with some aspirin just in case. Good Luck Judy Fu.
(1)Winona R.
I've been on a sesame chicken kick these days and Judy Fu's did not disappoint--often it s a little too sweet and doesn't deliver much else out of the flavor profile and reminds me of mall food court style food--no bueno. This sesame chicken, however, was probably in the top 3 best I have ever had! I want to give Judy Fu's 4 stars, and believe me, it is CLOSE. But I wasn't a big fan of their much-hyped dumplings, and the BBQ pork fried rice was just kind of meh. Otherwise, this place is definitely worth a trip to Maple Leaf--it was packed on the night we were there!
(3)Erin P.
Fresh...homemade...authentic...amazing! I love Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon!!! Their lunch special is great! Try the dumplings and their Mongolian beef is Delicious!! Don't forget the hot & sour soup...the best I've ever had!
(5)Sarah M.
Why does this place get so many awards? There are so many other Chinese restaurants in Seattle that are at least x4 better than this place. We ordered fried rice, hand cut noodle chowmein and sesame chicken. Most of the food was totally bland with absolutely no flavor. The sesame chicken, which is what I was most excited about was mushy and sad. I was really disappointed especially because its so close to my house.
(2)Corrine C.
Good : dumplings (meat), glass noodles with chicken Not good: hand shaven noodles I love dumplings so thankfully they were tasty. My brother ordered the glass noodles and that was good too. Kind of weird though - the sauce was very soupy so it was very wet. Had to try the hand shaven noodles because I also love noodles. They unfortunately had no flavor. We ordered their house special chow mein but instead got just chicken. Sent it back and got it right the second time. But chef forgot to add the salt? Anyhow - tons of staff sitting around (I thought they were in line for the bathroom but turns out they work there.)
(2)Kris L.
Methinks not indeed. I've tried this place a couple of times because I really want to believe the glowing reviews. Both times I've gotten choked up on the doughiness of the noodles and potstickers. The tasteless bits of flour and water glue fall to the bottom of my stomach and make me ill. I really want to feel the love, truly I do, but whenever I end up spending the money to go here, I end up throwing away most of the food because it's inedible and cursing myself for not going to FuMan Dumpling House, which is my standby for the best potstickers and homemade noodles in Seattle - and at half the price of Judy Fu. The problem, perhaps, that I have with Judy Fu's is that I tried them AFTER I tried FuMan - and the bar was set too high for her to compete with. I sorry Judy Fu. Unfair, I know. But such is life.
(2)Todd L.
We got take out last weekend and I was pleasantly surprised! The food was fresh and delicious and not over salted. I'd order here again. Nice improvement.
(4)Sarah B.
I still love Snappy Dragon's food. Better yet, I can finally get delivery from here. They only delivery to a small area. When I had cravings for their food while living downtown, it was a pain in the ass to come all the way to Maple Leaf. Now I can just call and wait for them to come to me. I always order their Mandarin fried rice and dumplings. I can't help it. They are wonderful. Yeah, they might be doughy dumplings to some, but to me they are heavenly. Their shrimp with lobster sauce is done the way I love it, a white sauce with large pieces of egg and veggies. I'm not a fan of the Cantonese style one that most places serve. Their sesame chicken is excellent and their handmade noodles are worth the extra price. Yum.
(5)BK B.
Ugh...........no! I was intrigued to hear this place makes its own homemade noodles. Unfortunately the noodles were very bland and the texture was completely wrong. Sadly to say there was nothing about this meal that I enjoyed. The food had no flavor at all :( I gave it two stars for their friendly hostess
(2)Annie V.
Although it feels like you're sitting in someone's living room when you eat at Snappy Dragon, that's HARDLY a bad thing - especially when the last time I went there, I got my food so quickly after I'd ordered that I wondered how they even had time to cook it! I used to have a ban on eating seafood dishes at Chinese places (which can skimp on scallops and give prawns that are more tail than body) - HAH and BAH upon that, as their Happy Family is FULL of delicious seafood as well as superbly cooked vegetables. Their Cranberry Almond Chicken is something you'd hardly expect to see at an Asian restaurant, but it works perfectly with the sauce and snow peas, and the sweet and savory flavors are close like they were best friends since middle school. I will admit - I've not had the noodles that this place is so praised for making on their own, but man, I've had many other dishes, and haven't been disappointed with a one - not to mention that their robust vegetarian menu leaves many choices for my veggiesaurus significant other, so he's got plenty of things to try (and they're so good I've even been drawn away from my meaty dishes to nom on whatever he's ordered). It closes early, but it's definitely worth your while to stop in and savor the deliciousness.
(4)Cary R.
Expected a lil more from this place after reading all the rave reviews. Not the cream of the crop, though they are loaded with pretty waitresses who ironically, aren't Chinese! Their good looks however did not make up for their less than stellar service, oh well... Not bad food, but not great either. The place must get good business since it was near packed on a Wednesday night. Worth a try...some people like it obvisouly, but China Harbor in Westlake/Lake Union area is much better! Update: I went here again recently, I felt awful afterwards, keep your distance from Judy Fu!.
(1)Sivan T.
I go to Snappy Dragons not only because the food is delicious, but because the staff is so friendly, and you see the owner: Judy and her son David acting as staff: waiting on people and making delicious dumplings! We usually get: green onion pancakes, sesame beef, green beans, stir fry chicken with black bean sauce, and mu shu chicken. I highly recommend all of these dishes. Just be sure you tell the waiter / waitress if you don't want something spicy, otherwise, they'll assume you do. This restaurant is very good for kids, and would be a good family dinner spot. Just be sure to order the dumplings, they're the best I've ever had!
(5)Serena S.
This isn't authentic Chinese food. It's catered to white people and the food tastes like what white people think Chinese food should taste like. I've been there twice: the first time for meat dumplings and homemade fried noodles and the second time for veggie dumplings. The homemade noodles were abnormally thick; it was like chewing on a block of dough! The meat dumplings are ALL meat. They tasted OK but I don't like all meat dumplings so I decided to order veggie dumplings on my second (and final) try of this place. The veggie ones are near tasteless. I won't be back. By the way, the veggie dumpling fillings isnt' just onion as Powie Q. says. It's like Chinese cabbage, scrambled eggs.
(1)T H.
I have gone here twice and both times I was disappointed. Overall the flavors and the texture of the food is just off. The noodles are gummy, the sauces are overall pretty salty, and the last minute seasoning is not consistent making some dishes inedible. I would skip this place.
(2)Danielle H.
I really like Snappy Dragon, but it isn't anything that out of the ordinary. Their staff is very nice and the delivery service is great. Plus, the lunch specials are huge for a very reasonable price. I wasn't thrilled with the soup or egg roll, but the chow mein was decent. I did half chicken and half veggie and was surprised at how much I liked the chicken.
(3)Joe P.
I'm a regular here its got good inexpensive food with large sized portions. Be sure to specify your spicyness level (even if they don't ask, especially because "mild" is the default on some dishes that are much better, IMO, with 4 stars, which is only medium hot and perfect for my liking).
(4)M C.
Quite the reputation Judy Fu has develop, even more impressive her own line of sauces. I want my own line! Oh yea i don't cook. Service = Pretty good Ambiance = Like the location, nicely decorated, a bit tight Food = Still a bit Americanized, but kept the integrity of Chinese cuisine Price = $$ Crowd = locals Personal Favorite = Dumplings and the dumpling sauce, reminds me of childhood Worst = Crowded all the time Meal for two = 40 Final Say = SuperDuper Panda Express
(4)Peregrine S.
Felt compelled to write a review since I had actually sought out reviews before ordering delivery and it didn't look too bad. Sweet & Sour shrimp would have been good but shrimp was overcooked to the point that it was hard to swallow down. Kung Pao scallops arrived as shrimp, and was too spicy for me (now that I didn't think of it, they didn't ask me how spicy I wanted it). And those shrimp had a strange consistency, too soft. I won't be a return customer :(
(2)Ninja S.
This is a really fun place, but I'm not quite sure how to judge it. Since I'm not quire clear about which fence I should be sitting, I'm going to have to go with another weaksauce 4-star rating. Let me explain. I have often heard this place referred to as the all-caps "TEH BEST CHINESE DELIVERY PLACE IN TEH WURLD (of non-ID seattle)" It's a pretty cool place to go into with all of the logos of every news and website's "best of" stickers all over the doorway. A couple things I'm not quite sure about. I was eating with a non-meat-etarian at the time, so that makes nearly all chinese food kind of suck without the pork. The dumplings, for instance, are not the imperial style tasty-assed variety, but the heavier and chewier boiled type. Feel free to un-bunch your Yelp panties now if you don't like that kind and don't bother ordering them. I thought that they were rather nice, though a bit tasteless without the meat. The chow mein with the home made noodles feels like something someones parent or grandparent would make and was a nice change of pace from the usual type of noodles you get in a place like this. The veggies were fresh and more flavorful than I am accustomed. I'd like to know where they get their produce. Here's a surprise. They make good drinks. A restaurant that makes good drinks? Can it be? Answer: Yes.
(4)Michael M.
Great food -- some items are a bit bland, but amazing service (which is in itself a miracle for an Asian restaurant in Seattle) -- the noodles rock and the General's chicken never fails to impress.
(4)Rick R.
What happened? We were fans of Judy Fu's when she was at Pandasia. That partnership split up and she ended up on Roosevelt with the Snappy Dragon. But things have really fallen off. Last night I had something called "sesame chicken" which the server said was "spicy-sweet." As soon as I saw it, I thought "uh-oh, Magic Dragon." It was chunks of breaded fried white chicken paved with that gloppy bright red syrup and a handful of toasted sesame seeds. The whole concoction was a sticky tasteless mess. It should be served with a ball of butter and a side of pancakes, ala IHOP. What I remember from the old days - crisp strips of chicken in barely sweetened garlic pepper sauce. I'm starting to cry. The chow mein was uninspired. The consistency of the noodles made me wonder if they're using some sort of machine to make their own, instead of rolling them out and cutting them by hand. Half the fun of Pandasia was watching the cooks at work. Now they stay hidden. It's probably better that way. They may have some good things on the menu, but it's not worth going back to figure it out. I'm done here.
(2)Mike P.
Snappy Dragon used to offer decent, reliable chinese food outside of the international district. But they've gone downhill, while the alternatives have improved. I can't see any reason to keep going here, and that's even before you consider the fact that they tend to be crowded with people (lured by their past reputation, I guess). A recent meal is a good example: bland rubbery noodles, bland string beans in a murky brown sauce, sticky general tso's chicken bathed in red food coloring, and not-bad ginger beef. I will give them the salt and pepper prawns (or chicken). that's always been good. but these days there are better choices in north seattle.
(2)Angelina L.
Ok, I'd have to agree with whoever said "What's all the hype with this place"... Even though the guy taking the order on the phone was nice (sent me extra fortune cookies) and delivery was fast.. The food was not the best... maybe I'm spoiled because growing up, I was blessed by being cooked for by friends of the family, but I've been to other places and they were still better than this...but I was craving Chinese and thought I'd give it a try... I usually don't order too much food... So I only had the Cashew Chicken with water chestnuts and Pork Fried Rice. I wanted to try the pot stickers, based on another's review... but they wouldn't do a half order.. Cashew Chicken... good at first bite, but the sauce can get overwhelming after eating more than a few bites. Think it was the sweetness of the sauce that got too me. Then came the Pork Fried Rice... TELL ME.. How can you screw up Pork Fried Rice??? Well, maybe they were having a bad night?? But this was completely non edible. Maybe there are other items on the menu that are better, but I'm questioning... and don't think I'm going to try to figure it out...
(2)James D.
The food here is great. We ordered the salt-pepper squid, deep-fried eggplant w/ some kind of sweet sour sauce, the seafood chow mein and the dumplings. All very good (except the chow mein which was just good). The space is cramped for the size because the tables are too close together and the acoustics are not good. They need to add more decorations to absorb sound. There was a party there and one of the guys talked so loud. Luckily they were just about to leave. If you live in the area or just passing by, then I suggest to order take out and eat at home or have a picnic. I will return, but only for take-out.
(4)Dave R.
The potstickers (veggie or pork) are heavenly, I kid you not! They are extremely delicious. I also tried the Mongolian Tofu which came on crunchy noodles, - also damn delicious. Beware, though, one order serves two easily, so the best course of action would be that you and your significant other decide on one appetizer and one entree and share. The waiters are friendly and quick. Definitely a place to visit more than once.
(5)Sara P.
Awesome- had the eggplant- amazing- had the beans- amazing. great family place run by a great family. Get out there and spend your $ at these incredible family restaurants before they dissapear from everyone trying to save a dime by eating at the cheapest crap chains possible. SAVE The FAMILY businesses!!!!! Hurry!!!!!
(5)Sue M.
We sure don't understand the good reviews for this place! Ordered delivery again, we have tried this place at least 4 times and it is greasy, greasy, greasy! The BBQ Pork was so tough & tasteless, fried prawns--a piece in a ball of greasy dough plus we didn't get a full order either, Sweet & Sour Pork too tough & doughy, awful Hot & Sour soup & House Chow Mein dry as the desert! A big waste of $65! This is the last time for us!
(1)Gary C.
Great food at a very competitive price!! Staff was amazingly pleasant and we were there until the place closed! The salt and pepper chicken was fantastic and the dumplings are great. Come here!
(5)Jordan C.
Huge portions + discernible ingredients + campy oriental mascot + English speaking proprietors = happy White People. Sure the floor was dirty as hell and there were a good handful of empty tables waiting to be bussed on a slow afternoon, however this did not deter our melanin lacking brothers and sisters from going to town. Heard good things about the homemade noodles, so we ordered the Snappy Dragon Chow Mein + Fried Rice + Crispy Duck. I don't know about you but there's something blasphemous about using frozen and canned vegetables in a sit-down Chinese restaurant, you can get away with it at Panda Express but why skimp here? To be fair, there were some fresh veggies in our Chow Mein, but not much. The homemade noodles had a texture that was not very pleasing --imagine chewing on big wide rubber bands. To top it off, where the hell was the protein? If you're going to tout the dish as having Beef + Chicken + Shrimp + Veggies, put some in there! The crispy duck was unbearably salty. Maybe it was so to suit Western tastes, however there's a fine line between well seasoned and sodium assault. We politely addressed the issue to our host who relayed the information to the proprietor. When it came time to pay the bill, they charged us half price on the duck, nevermind the fact that we hardly touched it. Judy Fu's has racked up quite a number of accolades, many of which are dated in the late 90s --when people were still afraid to go to the I.D. for Chinese food. Apparently those Zagat's people have never been to the I.D. I beseech you, this is not the best Chinese food in Seattle. Not even for Americanized! (re: Panda Express) Yes, I am a little Salty.
(1)Terry-Jo L.
Food was outstanding got there at 5pm and got sat right away. An hr later the restaurant was full and the lobby and parking lot were standing room only for a table. This little neighborhood gem does a fantastic business and the food was outstanding. I had the Woo Woo drink that was yummy! The homemade noodles were very Good. Can't wait to go back.
(5)ParisAnne D.
I was surprised to see this place only has three stars. I would love to give it 5 just to attempt to up it's rating, but I rarely give anything 5 stars. However, we do love Snappy Dragon. We've done take out once and eaten in 3 times over the last 5 years (we're on the Eastside, otherwise we'd probably go more often). The service last time when it was slow, was shockingly only so so, but the food is great. We love their potstickers, their fresh sauces, and the noodles. I am not a chow mein person, but their fresh noodle chow mein is great. It's basic in flavor, so spice it up with the sauces to exactly how you want it. We haven't had anything there we don't care for.
(4)Joshua D.
Ok,,, This place is a bit overrated. They do have good Kung Pao and dumplings, but I don't want to wait 45min to get a table in this small joint! Get delivery! And they charge extra for rice, not extra rice, just rice with your meal! The customer service could be better. It's a classic case of a place too popular for it's own good.
(2)Karyn G.
Can't....stop...eating...Snappy Dragon...everything. Black bean sauce = crack Homemade noodles = crack Homemade dumplings = crack Must go back soon! Rawr! My addicted tastebuds command me!
(5)Taryn H.
Salty. Salty. Salty. Underneath all that salt, there were good flavors going, which is why I didn't give it a 1 star. I had wanted to eat more, but had to stop because of all the salt. If you are salt sensitive like me, not the place for you. Folks with high blood pressure, also steer clear. The cocktails were good though and it's not often you can get a mixed drink with Chinese food.
(2)William S.
As my wife and I continue to explore Chinese restaurants in the Green Lake area, we decided to try SD. We had dumplings, BBQ pork, and baby Bok Choy. The dumplings were authentic, with a thicker wrapper than most. The veggie was good, but the BBQ pork was memorable only because of my disappointment. I love BBQ, especially Chinese style, and this missed the mark in a big way. Everything else was fine, friendly service and bright, clean digs.
(3)JC D.
Food: Meh Service: Good Fortune Cookie: On the money..."You will make someone laugh tomorrow." I wasn't as impressed as some of the other reviewers. I saw a lot of newspaper clippings and awards on the wall, but... meh. I had the Mongolian garlic tofu, and it was o.k. My food came out quick, it wasn't busy, but it did make me think that maybe the tofu was pre-made and sitting there. This place is in my neighborhood, so I'm sure I'll be back and maaaaybe I'll up the stars.
(3)Phil A.
Snappy Dragon is unfailingly good Chinese food. My favorite in town! Highly recommend the Mongolian Beef, BBQ pork fried rice, General Tsao's chicken and the Chow Mein with the homemade noodles!
(5)Hope P.
What a waste of a meal and a long drive to eat bland, flavorless food. Even with a 4 out of 5 star heat level, zippo, even adding red chili oil to the housemate noodles, the Gen Tso chicken and pork dumpling did not add any flavor. If your stoned "maybe" you would be happy since the portion sizes are huge...
(1)Trish Q.
Location is on Roosevelt not ideal because of the lack of parking but the food is worth it. Family style portions "which means you can eat as much as you want and no one will notice" The green beans ah so good. One of my favorites, but then there are the home made chow mein noodles oh and then the potstickers & the soups. the mu shu oh it is all so good. i have never had a bad experience here. Everyone always leaves with full tummys and very lethargic which if you are a restaurant owner is the ultimate compliment. Wear loose clothes they will get tighter at dinner!
(4)Aaron W.
Here's the deal... There are few restaurants like this in the area. ONLY fresh ingredients, homemade JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, a wide selection of food, and a Family-run atmosphere. It is obvious here, from the high quality level of the ingredients, that a great amount of care is given to the food. The service is friendly and attentive, and the price is perhaps a touch higher than at other restaurants, but those other restaurants give you frozen vegetables in their chowmein. I am not from an Asian country, I cannot speak to it's authenticity as an ethnic restaurant, but I can tell you this is a very yummy place to eat.
(3)Geoff N.
My friend Brad introduced me to Judy Fu and her Snappy Dragon (is that a euphemism?) the other night. I must say that for a Chinese restaurant without a Chinese staff person in sight, the food was delish! My friends and I started our meal with the sizzling rice soup. If you are unfamiliar with this dish, it's basically a vegetable soup served family style with a non-sweet Rice Krispy treat dropped in the middle so it snaps, crackles and/or pops. The soup used at Snappy Dragon most closely resembles a wonton soup, minus the wontons. However, it replaces the wontons with shrimp, chicken and fresh, crisp snow peas. While I prefer Greenwood Mandarin's spicier rendition of sizzling rice, Judy Fu does an excellent job. We ordered Mongolian Beef, Cashew Chicken and Ants Climbing a Tree for our main course. While the first two dishes were delicious, they are pretty standard fare at most Chinese restaurants. Therefore, I will tell you about the goodness that is Ants... Ants Climbing a Tree consists of a pile of skinny rice noodles with chunks of pork sausage embedded throughout. The dish is ample, spicy and delicious and reheats very well as leftovers. My friends and I wound up taking almost half our food home with us, which is excellent considering we ordered three dishes for three people. In addition to providing an excellent meal on site, Judy Fu's sells some of their signature sauces to take home. Furthermore, if you are wondering what to do with the delicious sauce when you get it home, simply stop by snappydragon.com to peruse several savory recipes Judy offers online. As someone who enjoys the Chinese food as well as any opportunity to stretch my cooking skills, I plan to take advantage of Judy's recipes in the near future.
(4)Sarah W.
Authentic? No. Tasty? Yes. Disclaimer: I have only ever gotten takeout and delivery here. I have never dined within. I don't mind the thickness or chewiness of the house made noodle dough. I like it. I usually order two orders of the spinach, mushroom and tofu potstickers and eat them for three days. Don't be put off by the number of potstickers to an order, because each one is HUGE. When getting takeout or delivery, you may wish to remind them to include the potsticker dipping sauce. They have forgotten before. The Mongolian Tofu is nice, just the right combo of spiciness and acidity (and saltiness if the dipping sauce is present). Delivery is usually promised in 45 minutes and actually rendered in 30 or less. Not the best prices in town, but a nice treat for when you're too lazy to do anything but have someone bring you something.
(4)Denis G.
Do not order delivery from here - it will take forever. I've ordered twice from here now and it has taken over an hour and a half both times. Food is ok, but if you're hungry, definitely not worth the wait.
(1)James F.
Good Lunch specials but watch your bill. Great Chow mein with Homemade noodles, actually the best thing they make, and the only thing I can seem to order and enjoy here. Unfortunately the last few times I have visited Judy Fu's I have been disappointed with both the service and price, which seem to be off a lot recently. I am also not a fan of the MSG usage; you have to ask to have MSG excluded from your food if you wish to enjoy your meal Headache free.
(3)Jeffrey K.
Snappy Dragon had delivered food to my place in the past and tonight I wanted some food, really looked forward to it since the food is relatively good although the price is a little high in my opinion. I was MOST DISAPPOINTED and quite frustrated when the person on the phone said they do not do delivery at my address. I told them they did so in the past but the person on the phone said tonight was busy. Never going back there again since they should have told me about the exception made before and that they usually will not do delivery to my place. I double checked their website and they do mark the boundary where they do delivery. My place is only about 10 blocks further outside the delivery zone and I am really hungry. Well, I guess this is a lesson learned.
(1)Kelsey F.
Americanized Chinese food at it's best. Here's what you need to know about this place: 1. Be prepared to get creative with parking if you go around dinnertime any night of the week. 2. Unless you're starving, watch how much you order. Myself and my dining partner were both starving, but we opted to split a dish of fried rice and a dish of one of the chicken dishes. We also each started with a cup of soup. We wound up with leftovers. 3. Get an alcoholic beverage. They're pretty rockin'. The place is cozy and smells good. There isn't a lot of room to wait, but you can read all sorts of articles about how good their potstickers are while you wait. I had the following: Wonton Soup - great flavor but the wontons were a bit tough. Mandarin fried rice - comes with shrimp. Last time I ordered a shrimp fried rice at a "Chinese" restaurant, it came with a whopping three shrimp. There was more shrimp to be had this time, which is nice. Slightly greasy, but fried rice isn't known for being healthy. Tasted really good. General Tso's chicken - came out coated in an unearthly red sauce which was spicy. Would've enjoyed a bit more sauce, but otherwise, this wasn't bad. Sinapore Sling (drink) - aaaand suddenly, I'm drunk. Drunk, drunk, drunk. Drunkity-drunk drunk, drunk. Here it goes, down the tummy... ...I don't remember what happened after this (I'm not a lightweight, don't get me wrong, I just hadn't eaten all day and that was a drink that held it's own), but I KNOW I didn't feel like I was dying the next day. So either the alcohol killed the grease or it really isn't that greasy. I'd like to think the latter.
(3)Joelle A.
I haven't found very much Chinese that is similar to what I'm used to since I moved to Seattle from the East Coast, and the Snappy Dragon was a good try. The homemade noodles have a great texture - I only wish they had more flavor, so I add sauce from some of the other dishes and they are perfect. I've had several of the tofu dishes, which are all well-made, although a tofu version of the General Tzo's was a bit too sweet for my taste. I've also tried the dumplings, which were tasty, but not totally my style.
(3)Esther S.
Always busy when we go on a weekend evening! Good idea to call ahead if you can. Awesome food! My husband says its the best chinese food he has ever had :) Try their General Tso's chicken and the veggie fried rice!
(4)C M.
Snappy Dragon is hands down awesomeness. Every time I come here I have to restrain myself from ordering every other thing on the menu. The lunch special is a great deal (around $8) and includes soup, rice, egg roll or BBQ pork AND an entree! Portions here are HUGE, and the chow mein is handmade. There is also a separate jiao zi (dumping) bar where they make fresh to order, with it's own hugely popular spicy/sweet/vinegary dipping sauce. Other favorites: spicy crispy eggplant, mushu, snappy dragon rice, any of the chow meins....aw hell, the whole friggin menu. Dave and Judy Fu are also the nicest, hardest working family in the restaurant business. Dave really cares about making a connection with the customers, and also hires local kids to staff his restaurant. He's so dedicated, you would think the guy lives at the place. F$%^ Yeah Snappy Dragon!
(5)Noel J.
"At the heart of every good cook is a Chinese guy." - Tony Bourdain. My very dear (Chinese) friend critiques Snappy Dragon for being "too Americanized". Maybe she's right - but here's the thing: IT'S GOOD! Now, I am definitely a champion for authentic cuisine - but why suck for the sake of authenticity? Judy Fu knows her clientele! This is Seattle, people! The ratio of Asians in China isn't much higher than here, and only slightly less so around Northgate. There are a million "authentic" Chinese places around (uh, International District?). So Judy said screw it, I'm gonna make General Tsao's Chicken out of raspberry sauce so it glows in the dark! Her homemade chow mein noodles are hearty enough to freelance as a fire hose - which could be put to good use should you order 5-star Kung Pao Chicken. Keep it up Judy. You have righteous Fu!
(4)Nancy M.
A fun place to go for casual dinner when you're craving some noodles. We were seated in the corner by the fireplace and there is a really strong overhead air vent so we'd go from chilly to blast furnace in a second. Despite this, I always love the gyoza and the home made noodles DO rock. If you're going through menopause though, do yourself a favor and don't sit by the fireplace!
(4)Jen G.
The owner of Senor Moose recommended we try Snappy Dragon. Happy to have a qualified suggestion for good Chinese food after going nearly two years without finding a decent place in Seattle, our hopes of adding Snappy Dragon to our list of regular haunts were quickly dashed, as the ambiance was lacking and the food was just blech. We started with the pot stickers - half pork, half veggie. The pork pot stickers were OK, but the veggie pot stickers were nasty piles of mushroomy mush. Then I had the Kung Pao Chicken, which was so salty, I had to stop eating it after a few bites. My husband had some sort of noodle dish, which was completely bland, without any flavor at all. Our experience at Snappy Dragon makes me wonder two things. One, maybe I've gone my whole life so far without having really good Chinese food, as it never seems to excite me, wherever we go. Or two, maybe that's what Chinese food is supposed to taste like, kind of bland and uninspired, and I just don't like it. At any rate, I was disappointed we wasted a Friday dinner out on such a lackluster meal. I'm even more disillusioned that this place was recommended by the guy behind Senor Moose, where we had a fantastic meal. We just assumed his recommendation would be spot-on. Hmm. Perhaps being an expert in Mexican cuisine does not make one an expert in other cuisines, I guess. So sad.
(2)Abby H.
I live right across from Judy Fu's, so I find myself ordering from here a lot. The have a $12 minimum for deliveries, but the people who work here are very easy going, so they will usually do it anyway - especially if you are close. I really love their chocolate-covered fortune cookies. They have an entire vegetarian menu, although you have to request it. They still have some vegetarian options on the menu, and I recommend the Schezuwan veggies and the homemade noodles. Do not order anything with the crispy noodles, for they are these really thin dried noodles that end up looking like a robin's nest filled with blood and meat. Gross. Creepy. I know. That's what I thought, too. The staff is very efficient, and they have great lunch specials. The food is just plain good, nothing more, nothing less, nothing catchy. Just good food, good environment, and take-out.
(3)Heather J.
I love the name of this restuarant and the fact that they have a seperate vegetarian menu. They also make thier own sauces, some of which are even sold at local stores (their potsticker sauce is addictive, but 7$ a bottle is too much for me, especially since I would eat it all in one seating). I really enjoy the potstickers which are a little different from traditional ones, they are very doughy and come in orders with huge quantities. Its nice to get a bunch of different orders and share. I always thing I need some swag as well, the name just intrigues me. However food isn't always as good and some people don't seem that impressed by it. Maybe they just don't appreciate the value of a great sauce.
(4)Kim H.
The husband and I went to this place for two reasons: 1) the name (we love anything dragon!) and 2) the reviews on yelp. It was so good, we ate here two nights in a row. Definitely a reason to come back to Seattle (this was our first visit). We had the jiao zi (homemade dumplings) the first night, along with mooshu pork. We came back the second night for 2 orders of dumplings only. Not bad, price-wise--30 pieces for about $20. My Chinese mother makes the very best dumplings ever and these were darn close to hers. I will be coming back.
(5)Ken N.
I have been going to Snappy almost weekly for 12 years. Yes, there have been some lunches that were better than others but I was NEVER disappointed in my meal or the service I received. Great people, great food, Snappy Dragon! Dave, you are the best! Keep it up!
(5)Drew G.
Judy Fu's was alright. It wasn't anything special. The staff were nice and prompt if dressed a little casual. The food came in large portions. What I really rate a Chinese place on is their Chow Mein. This place has crappy Chow Mein. They offer you the choice of lame store bought noodles or $2 extra for nice homemade noodles. Why offer crappy noodles if you want to serve good food? Who knows. I have tried both. While the nicer/more expensive noodles are better, the chow mein is plain and filled with water chestnuts. As an accent ingredient, they can be OK, but not to the extent that they rival the noodles. Judy needs to use some of her patented sauces on these noodles to get them the flavor they deserve.
(3)Mina A.
Oh delivery! Moving neighborhoods = locating the best delivery options. Snappy Dragon is high on my list for those of us up north of the city. Beware the Jiao-zi is addictive. Try the yummy homemade noodles if you've only eaten pre-made. You'll be surprised. The staff has been great in my experience. They've been willing to adjust items for food allergies or make recommendations for when we had a difficult house guest. I have not eaten in. In fact I've only been in the building twice to grab take-out on the way home. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food and servings. Wait-time varies, but it's never been unreasonable even during the busiest times of day. Last take-out at Snappy Dragon: I got back in the car with two huge bags. My friend asked if I grabbed the wrong order. Happy to report no.
(4)Scot K.
I just don't understand why people give this place high ratings. The food is mediocre with average service in a funky building. I'd rather head down the road to Chiangs. The building there is equally funky, but the food is phenomenal. Bad tea, poorly seasoned food, poorly cooked rice, dry barbacue pork. Need I say more? I only go to SD because my co-workers out vote me.
(2)Monique H.
This is a take out review. First off the place itself inside seemed nice and clean. The young woman greeting was very nice and welcoming. Minus the fact that the young man was texting while he was taking my friends order, the customer service was decent. Now that said, I really wanted to like this place because it's so close to my place. I order the general tao chicken, house noodles and some rice. I will say that the portion sizes are large, which is great for a few days of left overs! While the general tao chicken pieces were large, they were dry and tough. The house noodles looked really good but had little flavor. My order cam to about $25 and for one person thats a little $$ but like I said, left over for days!
(2)Jarrod L.
The jiaozi are better than average, but they're overrated. The Ma Po To Fu is passable but not special. The General Tso's Chicken was totally wrong, but an ok dish when I tried not to think of it as General Tso's; the chicken was breaded instead of velveted and the sauce was sweet and sour sauce based, even with the bright red color.
(3)Peter S.
Cozy aptmosphere. Service was slow but good. I do not recommend the homemade chow mein noodles......they r too thick and chewy! Portions are really big and food was good.
(4)Ani A.
Snappy Dragon has great food... we especially like the crispy fried eggplant. Food is delicious, and the menu offers a broad spectrum from which a family with vegetarians and non-vegetarians can share. It is presented in family style. There is always more than everyone can eat!!! The wait time is so long to get in, and almost non-existent waiting area. With elderly parents it is difficult. Best to go for lunch or order out. The decor is pleasant. Definitely the best Chinese around!!! snappydragon.com/home.ht…
(4)Anna M.
I used to love Snappy Dragon -- enough to make the overland drive from Ballard (there really is no way to get to Maple Leaf quickly from Ballard), pick up a big sack of their good stuff and bring it back home to eat, a little cooler than I would have liked, but still delish. Eating in the restaurant isn't really an option ... the wait is always forever and something about the vibe is really off-putting. My core order is always the same: jiao-zi (I'm probably spelling that wrong but it's the little gyoza-like dumplings stuffed with pork or vegetables); hunan pork, spicy and laden with bamboo shoots; mu shu pork with extra pancakes and plum sauce; and the green beans. Last night, we called in our order on our way home from picking my husband up at the airport. He'd been traveling all day and was completely starved -- dinner from Snappy sounded like a great idea. Even better (and unbelievably) our order was ready when we arrived to pick it up. So imagine our sadness when, back at home in Ballard, we unpacked our bag to discover the wrong order inside. Not only the wrong order -- but an order that included asparagus, a vegetable I'm quite allergic to. I know we should have checked the order before driving all the way home but come on, Snappy Dragon! When my husband called to explain what happened, did he get an apology? No. Did they knock a bit off our bill to compensate for our trek back to Maple Leaf to pick up the correct order? No. Did they console us with a fabulous dinner that washed our crabby feelings away in a sea of saucy goodness? No. And that's the worst part of all: the dinner was totally sub-par. The hunan pork, my longtime favorite, was gristly and tasted off overall. The jiao-zi (excuse my spelling again) were gelatinous and the filling had a texture that made me wish I hadn't eaten them. The pancakes were stuck together and ripped when I tried to unfold them. Overall, a very big disappointment. If anyone has a great suggestion for Chinese that's closer to Ballard, I'd love to hear it. Snappy Dragon has been my go-to spot for years but I don't think I can continue.
(2)Shannon K.
Best homemade noodles! Love this place!
(4)Eugene O.
I'm keeping it short, sweet and simple with this one: Food: tasteful. The homemade noodles used in the chow mein are firm, doughy and delicious. These alone are reason enough to come back. Tea: passable. But then again, the food was so good that the only purpose the tea served was to wash everything down. Service: mediocre. The staff wasn't super friendly or attentive. I was in a party of six and he could've came by more to fill up our beverages. Fortune cookie: tasty. It wasn't the best part of the meal (thankfully), but it was fresh, sweet, and I received a good fortune which I will keep to myself. Thank you.
(4)Jeff S.
Hands down the most overrated Chinese restaurant in Seattle. I used to head there once in awhile for a lunch special of Mongolian Tofu (deep fried, lots of pepper sauce, etc.). Otherwise, it's below average. I live in the neighborhood and definitely support local, independent businesses, but the food is just blah.
(2)Reina H.
I wasn't overly impressed with this place. I had gotten several recommendations to try it and their website makes everything look really great. I was disappointed by their REALLY small lobby, crammed full of people waiting for their food (we got take-out and perhaps that was the problem). They do a really excellent job of marketing the "home made, fresh noodles", but I didn't expect them to be quite so doughy or to be cut so wide. They were really oily as well and didn't have a tremendous amount of flavor. Soy helped, but you have to be careful with that overpowering everything. The Garlic Chicken was good. The sauce/broth that the veggies and meat were in was interesting and hot enough to burn my eyeballs out of my skull. Not particularly garlicky however. Hmmmm....perhaps we'll have to try them in the restaurant. Maybe that will help.
(3)Tyron W.
Pretty good food all around. The dumplings, kung pao shrimp and garlic chicken are my favorite dishes. The service is not bad either. The cramped entrance/waiting area is bothersome because of the constant traffic but its all worth it when you get your grub on.
(4)Denni S.
I really like Judy Fu's. I agree it can be a mixed bag when it comes to service and atmosphere, but I just can't get enough of the pork jiaozi. They will always keep me coming back. Sit at the jiaozi bar and watch how they make them. I enjoy the hot and sour soup, homemade noodles, and...yes, PORK JIAOZI. They are like little pieces of heaven to me. I think the spicy bean sauce is yummy too. Delivery service usually takes awhile, and you have to be really specific on the amounts of extra sauces you want - and check the bag because it's likely they missed them. Service is hit or miss when dining in as well - depending on your server. Overall, I think the staff is courteous and pleasant.
(4)MyBabyLove R.
Snappy Dragon is an old favorite of mine. I love their Kung Pao (tofu or chicken) and they always bring me a side of chile paste to heat things up for me. The service is quite good, and I'm always greeted with smiles and respect. This is also a great place to bring the whole family. I hope Snappy Dragon never goes away. Go for the $7.95 lunch special which gives you a wide array of menu items to choose from and includes either spring rolls or pork, a choice of white, brown, or fried rice, and of course tea! A Snappy Iced Tea is tasty on a hot day. Have a Super Snappy Day
(4)Genevieve J.
After two or three take out orders of really bad sesame beef (gelatinous sauce/stringy, almost unidentifiable meat) and lackluster steamed vegetables (chewy and bland canned mushrooms), I'm crossing Snappy Dragon off my list.
(1)S N.
Definitely not authentic Chinese food. This is dressed up American-Chinese. It is nothing like the food I have had in my eight trips to 22 different cities in China. My wife, who is Chinese, and I decided to try it because of all the hype. It is just that. HYPE!!! We were totally disappointed. Judy's best creation is her marketing campaign. It is not worth trying. You might as well just go to Panda Express or China First. There are many better Chinese restaurants in Seattle.
(1)Will A.
I hate to give top ratings to anything, but this place has deserved it through consistency, quality, and service. My partner and I lived two blocks away for a year and could not get enough of it. Three things stand out: 1) Consistency: While some dishes are not as exciting as others, unlike many neo-Chinese places, you always know what you are getting here. While it took my partner and I a while to find out exactly what we liked (I have had hand-cut noodles several places and I think they are just not my thing), ordering the jiao-zi (pork or vegetarian dumplings) and the salt-and-pepper chicken wings have always been delicious, even when they are not mind-blowing. We have not had much in the way of "off" nights here. 2) Quality: By this I do not mean fancy, by any means. What I mean is that the flavors are complex enough to be distinct from dish to dish. The pork jiao-zi are heavily gingered, providing a great counterpoint to the fattiness of the pork. The skin on them is appropriately chewy, with just enough to fill you up without overwhelming the pork. Sesame beef is tangy and brown while General Tso's chicken is spicy and crispy. Distinct sauces really bump this up above your average neo-Chinese (or Asian fusion) fare. 3) Service: This is the reason that I give it five stars. While I have never eaten inside the restaurant (I lived two blocks away and have an anxious dog), the front counter/host staff have always been perfectly pleasant, even cheerful when I've come in. The food is absurdly bountiful: my partner and I once ate literally for a week on $40, in part because we have never ordered the 15-piece jiao-zi and received fewer than 16 (the last batch had 19). But this took the cake: when I went in the other day to pick-up my order, they had run out of the jiao-zi and were making more fresh. It took them fifteen minutes longer to complete the order than they had estimated, for a total of 30 minutes. The hostess apologized, explained, and checked every two minutes on our order. And when it came, the manager, David, refunded me HALF of my purchase price to apologize for the delay. Having worked in the restaurant industry myself, I know that this means he was losing money on this meal. I tried to reject it, but he was insistent, and then continued to make small-chat with me until my order arrived. I am sad to have moved away, but David and Judy Fu have really left an impression. And again: jiao-zi!
(5)N K.
As with some others, I'm not sure HOW some of these folks had such a negative experience! Perhaps not enough experience with non-Panda Express Chinese food? Came when there was a new chef? Not sure. I just went last night with five friends and every one of us found the food spectacular! I've been here many times before (though this is my first review), and with the exception of one time (new chef, I was informed at the time) it has been consistently amazing. It's annoying. Especially if you're trying to eat healthy. Don't go if you like puny noodles or paper-thin, pre-made dumplings: everything here is fresh and hand-made on site! I like to watch them make the dumplings at the dumpling bar. Family-owned and run (you can tell who's related, which is a fun game to play), the place has a nice warm feel to it for me. It can be a bit pricey at times, but that's probably more because I order too much. I get the delivery occasionally, and I try to avoid any of the fried stuff, like the eggplant, since it's not great soggy; fresh, the stuff is all amazing. Again, it's annoying; especially if you're trying to eat healthy. Only consistent minus for me is parking, but that's more an issue when it's crummy out.
(5)Sean E.
Snappy Dragon is somewhere in the middle of California-style Chinese food and traditional Chinese-style Chinese food. Sure, the menu has homemade noodles and ma po tofu, but you'll probably just end up ordering General Tso's chicken anyway. Not that this is a bad thing. Judy Fu does sweet-and-sour and sweet-and-spicy pretty well, but Seattle has never been a great place to find this sort of thing for someone who grew up in the Bay Area. I enjoyed the General Tso's chicken and the noodles but the beef and cabbage hot pot was all salt and the dumplings in peanut sauce probably took ten years off my life. Service was weird - we got water refills every 30 seconds (from someone whose job seemed to be nothing but topping off everybody's glass) but all three entrees came outseparately for some reason. Prices are higher than in the ID but no worse than other restaurants in outside of it. Probably the best thing here is that you can get all of your Americanized favorites without worrying about all the things the health department found during their last inspection. Ambiance is pretty nice and parking in Maple Leaf is much easier than in the International District. If you or your dining companions are bad with accents, note that most of Judy Fu's waitresses are cute coeds. I'd probably go to Chiang's Gourmet for North Seattle Chinese nine times out of ten, but if you're actually going to eat in Judy Fu's is one of the better choices in Seattle. The best complement I can think of is that Judy Fu's is the best place for an adventurous fan of Chinese food to go with a bunch of people who fear anything more obscure than fried rice and sweet-and-sour chicken.
(3)non o.
Like someone here said it, I don't know what's so great about this place. I take out food from here maybe 2, 3 times a year. Everytime I go there to pick up food, the place is usually crowded. I like their jiao zi with pork, but that's about it. I usually order that and fried rice. Their spiciness are different all the time. Their hot and sour soup is super hot sometimes, and not so much other times. Same for the food, 3 star mongolian chicken can be super hot or not so hot. Their fried food are really greasy with huge batter on it. I wish if this place is little better. I recommend Chiang's Gourmet if you are in Maple Leaf area.
(3)Chris G.
Wow! What a great chinese restaurant in a cool little neighborhood of Maple Leaf, Seattle! They've got the best homemade noodles and dumplings! Wouldhighly recommend!
(5)Holly L.
So a vegan friend of a friend left us no choice but to eat here. She didn't want to leave the house, she couldn't eat certain foods, blah blah needy personality blah. So, because this place both delivers and offers vegan foods, we ordered it up. The green onion pancake was recommended and hot damn! It was the yummiest, most surprisingly delicious combination of warm pancake like bread loaded with green onions. It came with some dipping sauce (soy sauce based)...man, it was awesome, and you get a ton of it too. I also got the wonton soup, and seriously, it was the best wonton soup I have ever had. No short cuts, made with lots of love...you could just taste it. So, thank you picky vegan friend of a friend for opening my eyes to the yumminess to be had....
(4)Roselle K.
So I decided to order deliver from Snappy Dragon because I had heard so much about their authentic delicious offerings. I knew getting in to it that it was relatively expensive, and I took that as reflecting the quality of their food. I ordered their General Tsao's Chicken and the half duck dish along with a quart of rice. The delivery was neither fast nor slow, around 50 minutes to my place in the U District. I was impressed with: 1. the quality of the sauce and the chicken in the General Tsao's Chicken - the sauce was flavorful and definitely not those red food coloring + corn syrup concoctions one gets most places, and the chicken, well, you could actually see that it came from a chicken, not those anonymous chunks you usually get (AKA yum!) 2. the buns that came with the duck were pretty good as far as plain steamed buns go I was not impressed with: 1. duck, it seemed dry, had too little meat on it, and ended up leaving me with a bunch of bones and a craving for the juicy duck I had a few months ago in the international district 2. price :( Overall, it was a little too expensive for me to patronize again, except maybe if I'm craving some high quality General Tsao's.
(3)Jacob R.
Get the dumplings. Nothing else.
(3)Alexander Z.
I really don't get it. Snappy Dragon is supposed to be a "Seattle Institution" or cultural hot spot.. Judy Fu is supposed to be this really great chef who has developed superb recipes and fantastic food.. Every time my wife and I have eaten there.. well, I won't say the food is bad, per say, but very different. It isn't authentic Chinese *AT ALL.* It also isn't the normal American-Chinese stuff you find everywhere else. What it comes down to is this - Judy Fu has developed a couple of "unique" sauces they use in the cooking. Yea, the same sauces you find in some local grocery stores with her name on it. Their menu, which should be divided up among these sauces and isn't, consists of a lot of common food names for Chinese meals - but what you get is not what you expect, since they will not be prepared the way anyone (authentic or not) expects them. This, in and of itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing if it's done right. But I wouldn't say Snappy Dragon does it right either. My wife and I at a restaurant will often get three meals and eat family style, sampling several different things at once. Imagine our horror to find that of the three different meals we ordered (all different meats), two of the three are made with the same bland sauce (marked spicy on the menu) and the third is a slight variation on the same sauce. Hence, everything tasted the same even though they were very different menu items that were written up in the menu as tasting very different. No, the food wasn't bad.. but it wasn't good either. Not authentic, not American-style, not what the menu described and not what we expected from a "famous" chef. It also doesn't help that they charge extra for rice, a big no-no in our book.
(2)Nadine W.
Great New York Style Chinese food in Seattle. You can get dishes here you just can't find elsewhere like home made dumplings in spicy peanut sauce, flaky green onion noodles, chicken in black bean sauce and hand shaven noodles. This place is also kid paradise. There are tons of children that go there and the staff are very conscientious, placing hot dishes well out of the reach of toddlers. Finally, the restaurant has the feel of being in someones home with separate warm and cozy rooms, one with a fireplace.
(3)Toby K.
How in the world were they rated best for King5 Chinese cuisine? When I went to Judy Fu, my spouse and I had high high high hopes. We ordered nearly everything off the menu. We were unhappy with everything we ordered. It tasted too Americanized- I'd say even more Americanized than PF Changs. The only thing we were positive about was the hot tea- the same hot tea in every other Chinese restaurant. Judy Fu's friends were in the table next to us. It looked like they weren't entirely crazy about the food as well. Hey, they're lucky, I HAD TO PAY to eat that. Having been born and raised in Asia, I think I'm making a good judgement call by saying this place sucks and there is no way I'm coming back again.
(1)Michelle T.
Crappy Dragon!!! Okay... we have eatin here before at lunch and it was pretty good, but one night we were working late and my boss ordered delivery from them and i was shocked! We ordered two orders of kung pao chicken (a spicy dish that ALWAYS COME WITH RICE!) AND THEY SENT NO RICE. When we called to ask about it they said we had to order it separately. Then why didnt they ask us on the phone if we wanted rice? Up sell people!!!! This was confusing since we paid $27 for 2 egg rolls and some kung pao we couldn't eat because it was too spicy without rice. We asked if they could bring us some rice and they said the minimum order for delivery was $15.00... they were 3 blocks away!!! Not only that but the traditional kung pao chicken is cubed with celery peanuts etc. they had obviously made it in a hurry because there were Huge slabs of chicken and little else. We had to stop working to make our own rice . Total rip off and rude when they made a mistake!
(1)Michael M.
I was lucky enough to hear about this place from the old friend of a friend who came to visit me from out of town. I don't usually venture this far north for a night out, but I'm sure glad I did. General Tso's chicken, string beans, chow mein ... pretty good stuff. I was thoroughly impressed and will be taking others here in the future.
(4)Renah S.
judy fu's is ridiculously delicious. a friend brought me there recently and now i crave it regularly. i must order mu shu pork and this sweet and sour eggplant dish, every time i go there. the mu shu pancakes are amazing and the filling is some of the best i have ever had. if you like chow mein then i suggest the handmade noodles. the mao pao tofu at judy fu's is better than any where else i have had it. the last time i was there we ordered three dishes then three more to take home, that's how good it is. it turned out to be way too much food, but in a good way. if like me, judy fu's is no where near where you live, it is totally worth the drive or the bus ride.
(4)l g.
my snappy dragon Haiku: Oh, how I miss you Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon Do you ship noodles? I used to be able to walk to this restaurant from my house (1993-1996)and we would faithfully get our takeout homemade noodles at least once a week. Now that I am back on the east coast, I dream of the veggie dumplings and noodle soups at Snappy........(15 years later!)
(4)Rachel S.
This is the place that led me to wonder: is there ANY good chinese in Seattle? I've since thoroughly enjoyed Jack's Tapas: Mainly Chinese in the north end of the Ave in the U-District, so I've answered that question for myself (depending on the chef on duty). Go there instead for your fix. After one particularly long work-day, we ordered dinner from Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, located in Maple Leaf. This has to have been the most dissatisfying Chinese meals I've ever had in Seattle.I'll note that there have been many. In this case, I've had better luck reheating frozen meals from Safeway. This one falls even shorter than the average-tasting meals I've had at better Chinese--T&T and Shanghai Garden in Bellevue (the comfort-food General Tso's there isn't half-bad). I still miss Top Gun Dim Sum in the International District, but even then, I wasn't blown away. Snappy Dragon is probably a place where I won't reorder. Now, our flaw may have been getting the food as delivered takeout, but given the quality, I have a feeling it would have been bad in any setting. We ordered the standard Americanized Chinese entres: General Tso's Chicken, Sesame Chicken, egg rolls, and fortune cookies. Basic Chinese comfort food. The sweet and sour sauce was flavorless, the egg rolls were unusual (not in a good way), and the chicken in our General Tso's and in our Sesame Chicken was overcooked and dry. Several pieces of chicken were as difficult to chew as beef jerky would be, if they were smothered in "spicy sauce." Since this restaurant has had so many recommend it online and by word of mouth, I feel obligated to pass along the bad experience to prevent others from having my high expections.
(1)John K.
Hmm, I've read reviews below that state the service is bad. I don't agree. We often go for dinner, and experience what seems like a younger "after school" workforce. They're happy, helpful, energetic, and pretty good lookin' :) As far as the food goes, my wife and I would have mixed reviews. I have a little salt fetish, and the salt and pepper chicken will seize your joints it's so salty. I love em, but be warned. You'll retain water for weeks. We've also ordered a beef dish that comes out looking and tasting like it was made in the local O-Boy Oberto factory. But, I'll add, the flavor is GREAT, and I love jerky, so BRING IT ON!!! The dumplings are also very worth it, especially if you drag a little "red hot lava paste" over them. The prices are a little steep, but it's close to our house, and it's always nice to walk to such a great dining experience. Oh, yeah, get the homemade noodles in the Chow Mein. They're great... but not as great as Chiang's Gourmet down the street on Lake City Way (who I gave 5 stars). Give Judy Foo's a try. From the looks of it, you'll either love it or hate it. But you've gotta rule it out first if you're gonna hate it. I love it.
(4)David L.
I love Chinese food. Traditional, authentic Chinese food, as well as Americanized, MSG-laden Chinese food. I do not understand the 5-star reviews for Snappy Dragon. I had one good experience here, 6 years ago when I was in college, and kept coming back to try to recreate it. But every time I've been back since, whatever I order is limp, flavorless, and uninspired. Except the handmade noodles--they are good, but you can make them yourself in 10 minutes at home. And as far as Chinese goes, it's pretty expensive. Avoid Snappy Dragon; go to the international district for Chinese.
(1)Tim H.
I want to like Judy Fu's. I do. I have friends that live by the foo and each time we go over to their place and get the take out from the Fu, it seems ok.. but when we get it delivered, it barely makes the ok bar we set. Last night was no different. An order of fresh noodles with lots of meat, general Tso's chicken and mu-shu Chicken-- 5 stars.. None of it was impressive. Noodles lacked flavor, totally lacked flavor. Starchy. Boo. Mu-shu was tasty, but the pancakes were too thick and broke each time we stuffed them with the goods. and then there was the General. 5 stars means Hot people-- General Tso's is supposed to be a spicy ass dish--one that lights the lanterns of China and when I ordered 5 stars, I want something HOT. What is it with Chinese food shops that don't know how to Spice? Also the General is supposed to be CRISP-- this was huge pieces of Chicken, from God know's what part of the chicky with batter on them, but it was like rice flour or something because the meat was crispier than the batter!! It doesn't help that I lived in China for a year and really crave those noodles that are handmade by the muslim folk-- these are a sad, sad representation of a food culture that strives to be hot and spicy. I won't order from there again.
(2)Roxanne B.
The food is good, the service terrible. When we called and ordered for delivery, we were not told how long it would be. After an hour and a half, we called and were told that "the delivery person had already left" with our food. At this point, it's been roughly two hours to two hours and twenty minutes. Our food has not yet arrived. Although I enjoy their special fried rice and their general tso's chicken, I am really disappointed in this service. I understand that they may be busy, but my goodness! UPDATE: It's now been three hours; it turns out that their delivery person was not given our full address, and no one called us regarding it. They have informed us that it will be a free meal, and it seems to have just been delivered. So I've upped them to a 2, solely on the basis of the good food. Still, in the future, I rather think I'll just go to the restaurant to eat.
(2)Terry P.
Noodles! Noodles! Noodles! Oh, and, the dumplings! Enough said.
(4)Kai W.
Snappy is just around the corner from where I live. I first start going there out of convenience. But nowadays its a place that I would bring my friend to. The dish are certainly Americanized (not that its bad), but even so, it creates a new category of taste. Here's how I normally order for my lunch or dinner alike. A bowl of wonton soup to warm-up your taste buds, a plate of snappy-dragon chow mein using home-made noodle (its really chewy and good on teeth), a plate of whatever fried rice and another dish (I would go with some of the stews, but the rest are delicious as well, such as Sweet and Sour pork). That would normally ended up costing around $35~40, but there's enough portion for up to 4~5 people. On top of that the service has been top shape for the last 20+ times I've been there. Polite and always on top of things. Definitely recommend for a good lunch or even a night with family. (They even have chocolate-covered fortune cookies for $1/piece)
(4)Karen B.
Chicken chow mein with the homemade noodles is the best dish I have had there. They have other delicious food, but that is what keeps me coming back. The owner is also a very nice gentleman that remembers faces and names and makes you feel at home. Best Chinese food I have had in Seattle.
(4)Amy B.
Growing up my family frequented the South Seattle institution, "Hunan Restaurant" for our Chinese Food needs. This was a fantastic restaurant - perfect food, nice owners - it was so good that it was always my first-meal-request when I returned from college. Sadly, the Safeway next door purchased the land and tore down the restaurant during my junior year. I'm still mourning. I was willing to drive almost anywhere and do almost anything to get my fix. I took recommendations from anyone and tried almost every Chinese restaurant in the International District (which seems to be highly skewed towards Cantonese). Unsatisfied with what I'd found, my friend Q suggested Judy Fu's. I was willing to give it a shot and ordered my standard fare - thank goodness she steered my towards the hand-shaved noodles! While Judy Fu's isn't the place or the taste of my childhood its good in a whole different way. The hand shaved noodles really aren't to be missed - the are thick like fettuccine and gooey covered in delicious sauce. Unfortunately, the noodles are really the only thing that I like at Judy Fu's. Plus, it really is practically in Shoreline - very very far! I would give the Snappy Dragon only two stars - because of the wait, service, and lack of complex spiciness - but the hand shaved noodles earned Judy another star.
(3)P H.
Great dumplings, homemade wrappers/noodles, fresh ingredients, and generally good service. The home made wrappers/noodles tend to be a bit thick though. So overall, solid but if the dumplings weren't great, I wouldn't go back.
(3)Carrie H.
One of my friends and fellow yelpers doesn't get what all the hub-bub is about this place. I tell him, hey, lunch menu til 4, average price per meal is like, 6-7 bucks? Tea, soup, entree, and cookie? My only gripe is that they aren't open on Sundays. Sucks. But keeping that in mind, I try to make it out there on a Saturday now and again. The soup is great, fried rice is awesome. I still want to try the potstickers, but have yet to do so. Maybe I'll go today!
(4)Erin K.
I expected something a little "snappier" from this cleverly named restaurant. The shrimp yakisoba was decent. The shrimp was tasty. However, I wasn't wowed by the homemade noodles. I was excited for these homemade noods and they just didn't not come through for me. Also, I ordered some vegetarian gyoza, and they were overly-doughy and not very flavorful. The food was also quite oily, which put me in a really unpleasant food coma after eating it. I had been craving some tasty chinese food, and instead I got a stomachache and left overs that ended up getting thrown out. Bummer.
(2)Elizabeth T.
Spicy Green beans are awesome, thank you D for introducing me to these. I also love potstickers too.
(4)Alice R.
I really, really want to like this place more. But I cannot overlook the awful dining experience we had the other night. Like most families with young kids, I follow some unwritten rule about eating out which bounds me to eating early and having a fairly fast dining experience so that the kiddos don't get unruly or unhappy before the meal is over. USUALLY, servers are tuned into waiting on families. But this was NOT the case at Judy Fu's. I do have to say the front of the house was fabulous and did their finest to keep us informed of wait times and get us seated right away. But once seated, it was all downhill. It took a full 15-20 minutes before they even took our order. When you have a family with small kids, every minute counts. I was reading meltdown, meltdown, meltdown any minute. Then, when they finally took our order, I thought I was explicit about, "can we have the bowl of rice immediately. " But nope. My daughter was growing more cranky and my baby was eating through the snacks and food we had brought for her. And I would have gotten up to get someone but we didn't see a server for a long time. When our food did finally arrive, our noodles were lukewarm which made me conclude that they had been sitting for a while and we could have been eating sooner! I will say that their noodles and dumplings were good. So, my advice to those who want to try Judy Fu's is to stick with takeout. Trust me. You'll have a much better dining experience at home.
(2)Dan J.
I really liked the lunch I had here! It's a great place when you want a quick lunch that's not fast food! The prices are great and the service was good too.
(5)Michael K.
My wife and I used the Yelp app to find a Chinese restaurant near our location for shopping. We chose Snappy Dragon. Great Service. We ordered pork dumplings, BBQ fried rice and chicken chow mein. The food was delicious. The only exception to the whole meal was the cabbage was extremely bitter. When we asked the server, she said "sometimes when the cabbage is cut too low to the end, it;s bitter. Sorry about that" We would preferred at that point a offer to redo it.. The homemade noodles were excellant. Good neighbor hood food.
(3)Kathleen P.
Snappy Dragon is always happiness in a little white carton to me. I love their takeout because I don't have to get dressed up or worry about wait times in their small-ish resteraunt. Their chinese food is good--not too greasy and always incredibly tasty. Their hot and sour soup is the best I have had and never needs anything added to it. I also love Judy Fu's Hot Chili Oil and regularly have to purchase more to use on food that I cook at home. As far as delivery goes, they almost always arrive (with a cheerful attitude) prior to the time they say that they are going to be there. Don't hesitate to splurge on the homemade noodles for the chow mein. Totally worth it.
(5)Peter M.
This place is HANDS DOWN my favorite restaurant! The service is spectacular and the food is always amazing. So it comes to somewhat of a shock to see some of the reviews of this place. Maybe those people just got extremely unlucky (although I've been here dozens of times and have never left dissatisfied). Maybe they just got the wrong dish? (I have a hard time believe that as well, I am constantly trying new dishes and everything is yummy) Or... maybe some people are just impossible to please. I think something could definitely be said for the fact that one bad experience, and someone will go write a bad review but it's taken me a few years and dozens of visits to write this. (also yelp prioritizes negative reviews for some reason.) If you're trying to decide if you should go here. Do! ...you will leave happy. (there is a reason the place gets so busy.) p.s. : Remember to ALWAYS get the homemade noodles and boiled dumplings!
(5)Sonya J.
This is based on the handmade noodles and dumplings. Meat is tasty but the skin is way too thick. Noodles are too hard and not done finely. Taste is good but not sure I would come here again. Rather stick to my usual haunts
(2)Steve L.
This is our go-to for Chinese-American food - take-out or delivery. We love the sesame chicken and sesame beef. The asparagus in black bean sauce (with added prawns) is incredible. We also love the green onion pancakes. I have yet to have a bad meal here and it is always packed, so we always have delivery or take-out. We have ordered when guests drop by for surprise visits and they also rave about the food with us. Plus who doesn't love to say, "Judy Foo's Snappy Dragon."
(5)Marie D.
They should consider expanding to a location with parking because the lines get crazy long. Try the Jiao Zi (dumplings), they're so good! Kinda pricey for Chinese Food if you're used to International District prices but you won't be disappointed with the food. We haven't tried it yet, but we saw they had good deals on their lunch menu (which extends until 4 p.m.)
(4)Opal D.
The worst crispy duck and buns I've ever had - it was done so completely wrong that it was barely recognizable! The noodles looked strange and lumpy and my water was not refilled once. I will not be coming back!
(1)Elizabeth E.
Hi again, We gave them another try, I was at a friends house and they were in the delivery area so it was the path of least resistance. It was actually really good. I'm back as a customer...still think it's not as good as the old days but the noodles were really good and better than the too-thick ones I have grown accustomed to at Black Pearl.
(3)Sarah Z.
This is my favorite Chinese food place outside of the I'D. I'd suggest the joa-zi, cashew chicken, almond chicken (if you want something more like almond fried chicken ask for it to be made with fried chicken in my opinion it's better than the almond fried chicken in most restaurants) and the spring rolls. The homemade noodles are also very good, but a little too thick for my tastes. The pork fried rice as good, but the bbq pork fried rice is less than impressive.
(5)Luigi A.
An authentic and eclectic Chinese dining experience in a quiet Seattle neighborhood. I would expect to see this type of plce down in Chinatown (The International District) but here it is in Maple Leaf. [shrug] Very nice place to have in the neighborhood and they deliver. A big plus to the area.
(4)Yumiko K.
At first glance, Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon looked like a nice friendly restaurant. It was unique in that all the floor staff were non-Chinese, and the majority of the kitchen staff were Chinese. (All the Chinese restaurants I've ever been to seem to have only Chinese people working there.) Also, there was no Asian person dining except for me when my boyfriend and I got there for lunch, which should have clued me in... Vegetarian jiao-zis were the most uninspiring and unexciting dumplings I've ever encountered. The skin was good, but the filling contained some cabbage and garlic. (How about some chives and mushrooms??!!) Instead of 15, you can get 26 pieces by paying only $3 more, so we made a mistake of ordering 26 super boring dumplings. Ugh... I did actually enjoy their hand-made egg noodles. However, they were immersed in another flavourless flat-lined sauce. Their hot and sour soup was OK as it was pretty salty. If I had to go back there, I would order the egg noodles again (one of their noodle soups).
(2)Maggie I.
After seeing that this restaurant won the "Best of Western Washington" five years in a row and seeing all of the 5-star ratings, we just had to try it out. Good news first: The staff was great! Friendly, helpful and fast. The restaurant itself is clean and neat, and there was some smooth jazz playing. Unusual for a Chinese restaurant, but I like jazz. Now for the bad news: This was probably the worst Chinese food I've ever tasted. I read some of the 1-star reviews that dissed the pork dishes and the General Tso's chicken, so we stayed away from those and concentrated on the dishes that everyone else seemed to be raving about. We started out with the Won Ton Soup. The won tons were wrapped in a dough that reminded me of lasagna noodles--thick and heavy. The pork filling had an odd taste and the broth was overwhelmed by too much shoyu, topped off with a finish of sesame oil. Ugh. We still had high hopes. We were really looking forward to the Snappy Dragon chow mein with Judy's homemade noodles. Again, a terrible disappointment. The noodles were heavy and stuck together and reminded me of heavy noodle dishes I used to get in Germany. The sauce was tasteless, and there was a foul tasting dipping sauce on the side. There was a dearth of vegetables, and the shrimp was tough and rubbery. O.K., now we're 0 for 2. Next up was the pork dumplings. Once again, the noodle was as thick as a lasagna noodle, and the pork filling had a weird aftertaste. The dipping sauce was non-descript. I so wanted to like this place after all the wonderful reviews, but I'm just not getting these five-star reviews and the Best in Western Washington awards. To top off our disappointng meal, we returned to our car which was parked right in front under the power lines and found it covered in bird poop. :(((( Sorry, Judy. I was looking for a new favorite Chinese place, but I'm sticking with my old favorite.
(1)John P.
I have been going here for dining and takeout since moving to the neighborhood 5 years ago. Great food with large portions; I learned quickly not to order more than two dishes to share with my wife - even then we always have some little white boxes in our fridge. their friendly and competent staff is the icing on the cake. I am SO happy to have them within walking distance....
(5)Angie B.
In general Snappy Dragon has fantastic food. I've eaten in the restaurant and also gotten delivery, and was quite happy with both. The Kung Pao Chicken from here is the best I've ever had. The sauce is just the right amount of slightly hot and full of flavor, and the peanuts they use have a great texture (perhaps they are boiled?) The Jiaozi are as good as everyone says, as well as the handmade noodles. There are a couple of things that weren't as good but I would just want to try different dishes. The Mu Shu pancakes are too thick and a bit dry, I wish they would use the thinner ones most other places use. Also I thought the Hot and Sour Soup was on the bland side.
(5)H N.
I love this place so much. As a vegetarian, Chinese food tends to be an easy thing to order but Snappy Dragon makes it even easier with their wide assortment of options. Order the homemade noodles, you won't be sorry .... also, the greenbeans and almonds is one of the best dishes I've had ... and the vegetable fried rice ... mmmm ... I'm getting hungry thinking about it. :)
(5)Shirin V.
While I have enjoyed take out from Snappy Dragon in the past, I recently dined in and had the Snappy Dragon specialty noodles (made in house). What a disappointment! The noodles were tough, oily, and basically flavorless. If you want good hand shaven noodles, go to Shanghai Garden in the ID.
(2)Myrtle B.
If you like bland Americanized Chinese food, this is the place for you. The hand-shaven noodles itself are average but everything else is fairly mediocre. If you like Green Village or Tsukushinbo, you will steer clear from this place.
(1)Emily S.
This restaurant is great! I ordered food for my office and everyone loved it! The most popular of the dishes I ordered were the beef and broccoli, the dry sautéed string beans, and the sweet and sour pork. The staff was great, they helped me order and load my car. The only thing I would change is order less food...but now we have left overs for the rest of the week.
(5)ian m.
If there were a 6 star option we would give it to the snappy dragon. We have been coming here for more than 15 years and have had nothing but fantastic dishes and great service. The homemade noodles, jiao-zi, and scallion pancakes are all rare treats but everything is great. You can also ask them to add the noodles to your favorite dish which is something we highly recommend. It's a terrific place!
(5)Amanda R.
I can only comment on the hot and sour soup. My amazingly kind roommate brought me the giant container of soup when I was at home half dead with the worst cold ever. It was spicy and delicious. I really think it did wonders for me. The soup was full of bamboo shoots, egg, mushrooms and bits of tofu. I can't wait to try more of what Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon has to offer.
(4)Brent P.
Really happy to live in Snappy Dragon's delivery area! The food is really good, its affordable, and the portion sizes are huge. Not really sure Chinese food can be amazing, but they are really good. Only knock is they are always really busy so quick service or delivery is not really an option, but they are worth the wait.
(4)Paul E.
Another Chinese restaurant that pleasantly surprised me(look up my review of Rice N' Roll). I was referred to Judy Fu's by my uncle and I'm delighted to say that my entire fam gives this place two thumbs up! I salivate like Homer Simpson saying "mmm" as I type this up. This was excellent food! We ordered the green onion pancakes, vegetable potstickers, rainbow tofu, mongolian tofu and the crispy eggplant in crispy hot glaze! I'm sure we ordered other dishes too but at the moment, these are the only ones I can remember(there is such a thing as a food hangover folks)! The dumplings were made fresh right in front of us by none other than Judy Fu and were mind-blowingly tasty. The crispy eggplant was delicious and had the same texture as the meat I'm used to(I was eating with vegetarians so I had to be the wolf in sheep's clothing!). Everything we ordered was brought to our table quickly and the staff was very welcoming and responsive. I only wish this place was closer to me but if I'm in the area again I will definitely bring this up as a possibility!
(5)Rose L.
I've been going to Judy Fu's my whole life. I love the homemade noodles (Judy Fu Chow Mien). It is absolutely worth the extra $ to get the homemade noodles. I also love the homemade dumplings Jiao-zi. They are also a must. I get the pork ones. I like the hot and sour soup, my shu pork, their hot sauce they make, and potstickers. The green onion pancake is also delicious. I've had general tso's chicken at other places that I liked better, but that is the only dish I wouldn't recommend. A lot of the noodles and pancakes are handmade and are leagues above other places dishes.
(5)Biela A.
Feel so lucky to have Snappy Dragon in our neighborhood. The food is really good. My favorite is the cranberry cashew chicken, but salt and pepper prawns are good too. Atmosphere is cozy neighborhood feel.
(4)Marla R.
I had to do this review so that anyone looking for quality "American Style" Chinese food would know Judy's got it, plus terrific staff. We went most recently on a Thursday night, which is the perfect night because it's a little bit busy, so there's hustle on the floor & the kitchen keeps turnover high, but it's not SO slammed that there's acres of self-important hipsters and cranky kids & their burnt-out folks waiting impatiently, tummies rumbling, for a table or for their food. We walked in around 8pm, and waited 5 minutes for a table by the front window, a nice spot. We ordered the Shrimp with Cashews, Sesame Beef, Veggie Chow Mein w/housemade noodles, spring rolls and steamed rice. Every dish was a shining example of its kind: flavorful, spiced to our requested levels, made with obviously fresh ingredients and to our table in good time. The housemade noodles truly are delicious, the texture and flavor are outstanding, and the bamboo shoots, broccoli, baby corn, carrots and water chestnuts that came with them were perfectly cooked, crunchy & fresh. Sesame beef is a guilty pleasure of mine and hard to find, since it's not as popular as the Hunan and Mongolian plates, and Judy's was perfect: tender, good quality beef, not fatty or chewy, with a sweet, tangy spiced sauce and crispy texture: pure yum. I don't even like shrimp that much and I really enjoyed it, the shrimp were perfectly cooked (not rubbery) and the water chestnuts and cashews combined with the sauce were a great compliment to them. Our table was pre-set with plates and napkin-wrapped utensils, ice water and hot tea appeared almost immediately after we were seated. Our waiter was attentive and genuinely friendly, he checked in often, refilled our drinks frequently and let us know he was there if we needed anything but didn't hover or make us feel rushed. Even when there was a mix-up & we realized we'd gotten cashew chicken instead of the cashew shrimp we ordered, he was cheerful and whisked it away, returning in very short order with the correct dish. The leftovers (and you WILL have them, unless you bring 2 people for every dish you order) were boxed up in the kitchen, which I really appreciated, as I hate having to scrape food into containers at the table the way they make you at some places. When we were leaving the staff (as they always do) made a point of *sincerely* thanking us and wishing us a good night. Please do not be put off by the pouty reviews from patrons who seem confused about the fundamental differences between authentic old-county cuisines (Sichuanese, Hunanese, Cantonese etc) and the menu found at this GEM. It's family-style, down-home, clean, well-run and even your pickiest kid will find something to love. But to be clear: this is SO not Panda Express, to say that is akin to saying McDonalds is at the same level as Blue Moon Burgers; a complete fallacy. It's pure snobbery to call this "dirty" or "fastfood" Chinese because it isn't traditional; American-Chinese food has a perfectly respectable origin dating back over a hundred years to the westward expansion, and California Goldrush-era building of the Left Coast. It is actually one of the pioneers of a "fusion" cuisine like what is so popular amongst Foodies these days: Chinese recipes adapted by Chinese chefs to local ingredients and tastes, beginning in & around the San Francisco of the 49ers and spreading out all over the US. Because it's YUMMY and unlike anything else, when done right with fresh, quality ingredients and real care it is a thing of beauty. Don't get me wrong, I love a me some dim sum at Harbor City, or many other joys of the ID like honey walnut prawns, huÃguÅròu, or a Lover's hot pot, but this "kinder, gentler" and YES Americanized version that most of us (at least the ones who weren't lucky enough to be Seattle natives) grew up on has earned its place in the pantheon of tasty restaurant foods, and Judy Fu's is a grand purveyor of that tradition; Snappy Dragon does it right.
(5)Jonathan S.
Their Chow Mein is amazing, and I haven't had a dish here I didn't like. Plus, they deliver (to the surrounding area). This is the closest to authentic you'll get while still being "Americanized" Chinese food. Really, really good.
(5)L B.
This restaurant (and the reviews/stars) is/are legit! The pork dumplings are amazing (tasty even for you non-pork eaters) and the homemade noodles are a must try. The portions are very large; two entrees is more than plenty for two people. The service was also great, no wait and good came out quickly. A must try restaurant, especially for tourists who are in the mood for some delish Chinese food.
(5)Chani B.
This food is terrible. I usually try and find one redeeming quality with the restaurants I patronage. I ordered a noodle dish with pork ( talked into getting the homemade noodles),fried shrimp ( too much breading),sesame chicken ( um no), rice and fortune cookie right on spot! Flavorless food for the most part. I really wanted to like this place..curse you food Gods,curse you to hell!
(1)Daniel T.
This is some of the best homemade noodles and of course our favorite is the Jiao-zi (boiled dumplings) (Also available frozen) They are Juicy PORK OR VEGETABLE filled dumplings, served with Judy's tangy, flavorful dipping sauce. Every time we go we order about two orders of 26 so we can take them home and munch on them for a while. This is why I love Snappy Dragon so much. The DUMPLINGS! We also stock up on the dipping sauce. We buy about 3 or 4 bottles when we go. They sell it in bottles there for a great price. Better then anything you can get in the store.
(5)Alexandra P.
Whats not to like about this place? Let me start off by saying, pay the extra couple bucks and get the homemade noodles, just, trust me, so worth it. The food is always great, fresh everything and the service is stellar. I've been coming here for a very long time, its one of my grandmas favorite places, and close to her so we go get lunch here often. Theres a lot of hard work and love put into the food, which is honestly what makes it so great. Did I mention the homemade noodles? Yeah. Just go get them already! If you like Chinese, and want good Chinese, come to Judy Foos because you definitely won't be disappointed.
(4)Andy D.
Been to snappy dragon many times, and this place is really good. Some of our favorites, Rainbow Tofu, the Dumplings are amazing!, I love the eggplant, and most things are pretty good. The service is good even though the restaurant is always busy. I love going here, great place for groups, good value. Good at taking same day reservations and the tables are always ready and clean.
(4)John C.
Great lunch prices, in fact my office orders lunch from here often, most of us love the place. I do not. I'm disappointed by the level of grease in everything I order from here. Even when I try to order something healthy, its sitting in an inch of grease.
(2)Jennifer V.
The food was terrible. We spent over $70 on take out and nobody in the group seemed to like the food. We also had two vegetarians in the group, and one bit into a piece of beef in their meal. All in all, a very bad value and I will never go there again.
(1)Katie S.
Used to like this place - despite the cool unfriendliness of the teenage girls who work there, flipping their hair around at the front desk. Last time however - well, let's just say it'll be the LAST TIME. The meat in soup wontons tasted "off", and we let them take the almost untouched bowl away...they didn't bother to ask if there was a problem. One of us ordered the cashew chicken with water chestnuts. We asked what was in that and they said besides the title items, there were snow peas. This dish consisted of about 2 oz of chicken, about a can's worth of water chestnuts (!!!) and ONE cut up pea. We're talking FOUR, 1/2" pieces of a cut up snow pea. Pathetic. I suppose if you love a big, flavorless, starchy pile of water chestnuts in a lackluster sauce, with the merest soupcon of chicken and one lousy pea, more as a garnish than an ingredient, then by all means - enjoy. I ordered the Mongolian chicken, and it wasn't terrible, but had a tiny amount of green onions - CHOPPED. As in, tiny, thin slices. Mongolian beef/chicken, in my experience (and in previous forays here, too) has always contained a nice amount of big, long chunks of green onion. It can be considered a vegetable, not just a garnish. I suppose at Judy Fu's, green vegetables are now at a premium. This place's time has come and gone. There are much better options, unless you hate vegetables. In that case, add a couple stars and enjoy. My disgusted dining companion and I will go elsewhere!
(1)Andree H.
I was surprised Snappy Dragon didn't have four or five stars across the board! I love going here on a regular basis - they are polite, the food is great - or the food is great and they are polite (which is better). I've been to China and had many different types of Chinese food and I find that Snappy Dragon serves dishes that are popular here and a few traditional things. The best part is that it is hot and the ingredients are fresh! I ordered food to go tonight and the place was packed for Father's Day. Still, many people were greeted by name when they arrived. The employees were working as hard as they could at such capacity. Judy Fu is always helping out, I saw her clearing tables when she wasn't making her traditional dumplings!
(5)Larry S.
Some of the food was grossly over-salted (black bean sauce asparagus and mu shu pork), so much so that it was inedible, and what was not overly salty was just so-so in terms of quality Chinese food (General Tso chicken and sweet and sour pork). All in all a huge disappointment and a big waste of money. Not sure how this restaurant could possibly rate the raves it's received from magazines and the like. I haven't had such mediocre Chinese food since I made the mistake of trying Chinese in Pascagoula, Miss.
(1)Maria B.
I had heard good things about Snappy Dragon, so when I ordered food for take out I THOUGHT it would be bomb. I bit into a bone while eating the wonton from in my wonton soup. the noodles around my wonton were undercooked as well, being slightly crunchy in the center of the noodle. The chow main noodles I got were rubbery, not sure if they were undercooked, over cooked or just plain bad. I have a feeling this place doesn't thoroughly and carefully clean and prepare their meat, or their noodles. In the end, NOT WORTH THE MONEY. I would never recommend this place or go here again.
(1)Seth M.
This is in response to the woman who just gave one of my favorite spots a 1 star review and said that it would be her last time here. I've worked in the industry as Chef for most of my life and I so I know what I'm talking about when it comes to both food and service since I also run a Kitchen in downtown. I also carry a 4 star average yelp rating for the places I've run over the years. I've been eating here almost weekly since I moved to the area a week ago and today was the first time eating inside and was telling my girlfriend that this place is an example of everything that is right with the industry. So when David ( the owner) told me about the review, he was genuinely bothered since the guy loves what he does and goes out of his way to remember customers by name. Yes, sometimes they get busy but that's cause the place is that good. When they get busy, they get busy and the public needs to understand that. I live less then 10 minutes away by foot but it takes time for delivery since most of the time they also have a lot of other orders. If you live in the neighborhood, you see there cars all over the place because this place stays busy. Great food takes time people. Lunch was amazing as always. The only "compliant" I have is that I had " The big Bamboo" which is more or less a pint glass of stupid. The menu says they only serve one per customer. I didn't take this as a warning, I took it as a dare, and I lost. Now, I can drink but this thing put me on my ass. This place is a great example of what a small business should be and its not like I don't have other options. If the service or food isn't up to par, let your server know and I can promise you, this staff will bend over backwards to make sure you leave happy.
(5)Arry Y.
I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place... It's most definitely the WORST food in the universe. TERRIBLE. I went with a group of people - all of us, east coasters (NY/NJ) from the land of good Chinese food, ... And we were DESPERATE to find Chinese food here in Seattle. We ordered it up, and I mean, ordered it up. We ordered the so-called famous hand shaven noodles, chicken, veggies, beef this, sweet-and-sour soup, ... ... About $80 total between the four of us. We tried to eat it. We tried. We couldn't. We were STARVING, and we couldn't manage to put it down - yes, it was THAT bad. The place had no concept of soy sauce, or any flavor, ... the noodles were mushy and disgusting. We ate probably 10% of the food, and boxed it up. We went to a different restaurant to eat after wards. The funniest part was when my friend approached a homeless man with a GINORMOUS bag of leftovers, he apologized to the homeless man saying we have all this food, and we're sorry, it's really not good at all.... Sorry, sorry...
(1)Evelyn F.
This great neighborhood place is very comfortable and friendly, and I enjoy their food a lot. Chaing's has probably overall more authentic, maybe, but Judy Fu's a bit better with the service, I've noticed, and they have the neighborhood-coziness down. So I trade-off going to each. Dinner is family style, so expect one plate to feed more than one person. If you go with a group you get more variety. Like everyone says, the homemade noodle is great, I'd recommend at least one person at your table order it. It also makes awesome leftovers.
(4)Celeste T.
Judy Fu's is in a cute little neighborhood and has a nice seating area. I went here for lunch one day and was excited, because I'd heard a lot of great things about it. They sell their own sauces and such if you happen to find something you like, but can't figure out when you're down at Uwajimaya, trying to decipher the labels on various exotic foods. The service was attentive and helpful and the atmosphere was pleasant if a bit like a motel lobby - ragged plants and strange, small paintings that could have been from anywhere in Asia but probably were from nowhere in particular. The food, though, was just average. Their dumplings/potstickers (can't remember what it was called on the menu) were very large, and impossible to handle with chopsticks. They were also quite doughy and somewhat bland. The hand shaved noodles were the standout of the meal, with great texture, but the seasoning was still bland. I found the sweet/spicy sauce that came with the spring roll in my lunch combo to be absolutely disgusting and it had a chemical mouthfeel. I don't think I'll be back, but I wouldn't refuse a free meal at Judy Fu's, either.
(2)Kristin W.
My favorite chinese restaurant in seattle. They were also voted top 50 chinese restaurants in america by cnn recently. We come here for the handmade noodles - a must have, with their homemade spicy bean paste sauce. We also get their fresh, homemade pot stickers. They're huge and tasty and it comes with a delish sauce. We ALWAYS get these two items. Sometimes we think we'll try other things, but we never do. HAHA. Friendly staff. Judy Fu is always walking around helping out and so friendly. Food comes out pretty quickly. It just smells like heaven in there. Lots of seating, never had to wait for a table for lunch. Decent prices. We always leave full, happy and with extra food to take home. YES, TRY!
(5)emily r.
I just moved away from Seattle, and am realizing that I will not be able to get Snappy Dragon as often. This makes me want to cry. I ADORE Snappy Dragon. I've been going here since I was a kid. The hand rolled noodles are incredible. I tried to make my own one time, and they were so. much. work. Spend the extra $2 to get them. Also... Jiao-zi. jiao-zi jiao-zi JIOA-ZI!!! These delicious little dumplings are the best ever. When I lived in Georgia and would visit home, I would pack the frozen ones in a cooler to bring back with me. That's how good they are. Black Bean sauce is good on everything. Dry green beans are awesome. Mushroom hot pot is incredible. I really don't think you can go wrong here. Recently I have been getting cocktails there, and they are delicious as well. I recommend the lychee gin martini!
(5)lee k.
Our favorite place for family gethering. We all love their steamed dumplings and the Green Onion pancakes. Always ordered double orders, the dough is thick and the texture is perfect. Fu Mama's sauces are the best. We like the seafood stew with tofu also, hand made noodle is a must, and the salt and pepper prawn of course... I do not know why I never wrote about this place, we come here often and they are always packed. We had to make reservation ahead. Here is a high 5 for their good food and service!
(5)Faith Y.
Exactly who is this Judy Fu lady? Is she supposed to be a renowned Chinese chef extraordinaire? Yes, her name is slapped on the sauces that the restaurant hawks but the food was overwhelmingly mediocre in the ways of tastiness. We had to forgo pork in all the dishes out of respect for one of our tablemates so got the veggie dumplings. They get points for hand made dumplings and hand cut noodles but both were pretty bland and doughy to be honest. We had to drown them in a sea of chili paste and dumpling sauce to get any discernible flavor. Everything else: - Cashew shrimp (microscopic shrimp, so teeny ... ) - Mu shu chicken (not half bad but hard to do wrong) - Hand cut beef chow mein (go to the int'l district, goodness) - Other dishes so uninspiring, I can't even remember their names Service was a-okay and they kept my wallet safe when I accidentally left it behind. But my friend who'd like to keep her identity unknown said she had major tummy issues that evening from Miss. Judy Fu. Big uh oh's!!
(2)Barbara H.
I've wanted to try this place for a long time based on publicity. Unfortunately I cannot give a good review. Rice was not cooked enough. Overpriced. They make you pay extra for rice. Potstickers hard and rubbery. Had the Sesame Chicken which tasted more like sweet and sour. Ordered Szechuan beef and they gave us chicken. Not tasty. Will not order from them again.
(2)lesley h.
I'm confused by people loving this place. 10 years ago, this place was awesome. I just moved nearby and ate here 3 times in 3 months. I won't go back. The deep fried stuff (sweet and sour pork and orange chicken) is super doughy on the outside (which is fine) but dried out terribly on the inside. I think they freeze it too long. The homemade noodles are good. Fried rice was ok. I just am always disappointed. We had a party of 6 one might and shared many dishes. Not one was beyond on. And that's being generous. The dumpy drive in down the street is better.
(2)Stephen P.
I'm sorry to say, that I don't understand the hype and the accolades this restaurant has received. Now, I am understandably biased, because I am Chinese and this is supposed to be a Chinese restaurant. But this place, was a huge disappointment. I know I shouldn't have had high expectations, the name of the restaurant sounds more like a bad movie than a restaurant name, but I wanted to know what everybody was raving about! I will give the restaurant credit for 1) Making homemade dumplings and 2) Using authentic names on the menu. However, the authenticity of the food is very questionable. I was wondering whether or not the cook was trained in Chinese cooking or cafeteria cooking. While the portions were huge, the taste was salty. It tasted very Americanized. The dumplings, while hand made, had an overly thick skin. The taste of all the dishes also tasted very similar. Much respect to the owner, though, she knows her customer base...and they aren't Chinese people! My friend loves the take out here. He says the saltiness is, "what makes me the white boy I am." Ehh, good for him, but not for me.
(2)Wally T.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Not only are their Jiao Zhi (dumplings) AMAZING, and their homemade noodles DELICIOUS, and their eggplant ADDICTIVE, it's their customer service and friendliness that makes me give this place 5 stars. Case in point: I stopped by one evening to order some take out. I was in a hurry, and they had a lot of orders. They gave me my bag and I drove off. When I got home, I was deflated to see that they had given me the wrong order. I called to complain and was ready to give them a piece of my mind, but the owner got on the phone and humbly apologized and knew that his staff had given me the wrong order. THEN he said he would be at my place in 10 minutes with my right order - even though I was a good 5 miles out of their delivery area! He showed up and apologized again and told me to keep the "wrong" food, as well. WHAT SERVICE. Needless to say, I go there often and am welcomed with a smile and a "good to see you!" Go there. Now.
(5)Emily T.
I found out about this place when I shared the elevator up to my apartment with one of their delivery guys. He sweetly apologized for making the elevator smell like Chinese food, but actually it smelled so delicious that I had to ask which restaurant the food was from. It was Judy Fu's, and I was ecstatic when I went there and discovered they had a dedicated vegetarian menu (separate from their usually meaty one). Judy Fu's hot sauce is delicious, and there are a few bottled sauces for sale by the register. I brought my mom here one Sunday and it was so full that we had--well, got-- to sit at the jiao-zi bar. My mom thought the dumpling creation process was so cool that she didn't stop taking iPhone pictures of it for like 5 minutes, and the chef didn't even seem irritated! There were a ton of jiao-zi orders, so a second chef stepped in to help out the first guy. And the second chef was Judy Fu herself! My mom told her how much we love her dumplings and she thanked us in Chinese and sort of bowed. It was so special, you guys! There were a ton of families with kids & big groups, and the servers were handling it SO well.
(5)Ayona D.
I love this place! Sorry, just thought I would jump right in there. But seriously I do. i found out about Snappy from yelp since there are NO decent chinese food places in Lake City. Once I saw the stars and photos then read the reviews I was dead set on making it there. Through a rainstorm and late bus I managed to bring home a ton of goodies for me and the kids. Chow fun with the homemade noodles, the dumplings, and beef & broccoli. Sooooo good. I love the lite feeling the entree's have, not so bogged down with heavy oil. The flavor was uninterrupted by heavy salt. And the homemade noodles were to die for. This is our favorite stop for chinese.
(4)K. R.
Yum! Mouthwatering Chinese (yes, Americanized) food. The decor isn't much, but who goes to Snappy Dragon for the decor? The food is what it's about and I've been craving it ever since my last visit.
(4)Hong D.
For some inexplicably retarded reason people claim this food is good. I say, if there is nothing else left to eat, I guess you could eat here.
(2)Joni G.
I was excited to try this restaurant because it was in the neighborhood and their little sign out front says they had won "Best of Western Washington" five years in a row. I was highly disappointed to find that their food was less than appealing. This has to be the worst Chinese food I have ever tasted besides Brothers Chinese in Edmonds, WA. The only reason I gave them one star was because Yelp makes you give at least one star to post a review. Their sesame chicken seriously tasted similar to the food they serve in the Safeway deli (Safeway might even taste better). We waited forever for the handmade noodles which were subpar and soupy. The Mongolian beef was ok but a bit bland. Do not order the Steamed Bao-zi AKA Hombow... Hombow are supposed to be steamed. Ours were clearly placed in the microwave as they were tough and not soft and fluffy. Service was slow and we waited forever for our food. The server even forgot that we had ordered another dish as we had to remind him after we had already gotten full off our two other entrees. One last thing... the rice was not cooked thoroughly. How can you be a Chinese restaurant and not know how to cook rice? The place was packed but obviously if you are familiar with ethnic/Asian foods, avoid this place. This is no where near Chinatown quality... If you like Chinese food from the Safeway deli or Panda Express (Safeway and Panda Express is actually better)... this is your place. ...
(1)Lee A.
Blandy mcBland. Crazy bland. And peeps, I've lived in Arkansas. That is all.
(2)D H.
This is a tough call...probably 3 stars for what good Chinese food should be, but 4 stars amongst other Chinese restaurants in the greater Seattle area. Why the absence of good Chinese food here?? (That's a question for another time...) We had the pork fried rice (sooo good! Best we've had in WA), the General Tso's chicken (good), the veggie dumplings (meh, lots of breading) and the house made noodles with chicken, pork and seafood (meh, again). The pork fried rice and General Tso's will definitely send me back to Judy Fu's again and I'm curious to try other menu items. After reading such rave reviews about the dumplings and the house made noodles, I was surprised at how bland they were. Maybe we should have had the pork dumplings instead of veggie? Great service and the place was crazy busy. We'll definitely give this place another visit.
(3)SA H.
After a long day helping Eldest Daughter move to Maple Leaf, she suggested dinner at Snappy Dragon. Excellent suggestion indeed. We had Rainbow Tofu, Pineapple Chicken with Cashews and Snow Peas, both which were very tasty, and "Ants Climb a Tree," which was a party-in-your-mouth experience. The service was excellent, the food well prepared, and the portions ample. What pushes this restaurant into the 5 star category for me is the obviously homemade high quality of their food, and the cheerful, attentive staff. It's always a joy to find a well run local restaurant, and Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon is that. We will definitely be back!
(5)Tracy M.
I quite enjoy them. Not everything is perfect, but it's a darn tasty meal. The dumplings are made in-house and VERY VERY delicious. Plus the vinegar-y sauce they come with is delicious. Also, you can get homemade noodles with your chow mein. Again, delicious big hand made noodles. Mmmmmmm. The veggie dishes have always been fresh and tasty. Their hot sauces and chili options are on the table and lovely (in fact, they bottle and sell their sauces, too). The fried meat american chinese dishes are more hit-or-miss. It's not my preferred type of "chinese food" but I know many love it. My only real complaint is that the meat pieces are HUGE. Giant chunks of chicken (way too big for one bit...more like three bites) are breaded. So you kind of have to use your fork to break them up into smaller pieces first. That being said, they have a new menu item SALT AND PEPPER CHICKEN that is out-of-this-world delicious. It's on a special new menu insert. I hope they will make it a permanent entree option. The breading was super light and crispy and very pleasant. The flavors were great. And because it's not coated in a sticky sauce it stays crunchy and yummy. Normally dinner at Snappy Dragon means LOTS of leftovers (because the portion sizes are generous!!) but we all loved this salt and pepper chicken so much that it disappeared quickly. Yum. There's generally a line, but they're pretty efficient at keeping things moving. They also do a very brisk "to go" business. They've got an extensive cocktail menu, too.
(4)Chantelle E.
This is one of those places that if i moved away i would remember them fondly. My family and friends have been coming here for years and the last three years we have done a large group for christmas eve, including last weekend. The food is lovely, some of the best chinese food in town, and really it ALL ABOUT THE NOODLES! Man, they are sooooo good! I have to say the best thing about this place is the SERVICE, I wish I could give a few extra stars for that. The most recent experience, again, on christmas eve, business was booming, and thatS putting it mildly. We got there for our 7pm reservation, and they apologized but the group at the table that was meant for us was still there, but as soon as they were done they would get us seated. We really only had to wait for about 15min, and for some that would be annoying, but seeing how slammed they were, we were understanding. The poor young girl at the front had a take-out order stack an inch thick! (no exaggeration!!) Although at moments they seemed like they were going to crumble at the pace of this night, everything still came out flawless and on time, hot and delicious, and even with a smile. While waiting in line for the ladies restroom, I had a chance to chat with a gentleman I presume is the manager.... or someone looking VERY official and knowledgeable! He told me that Judy Fu is about 70 yrs old and still running the kitchen!!! God bless that woman! (I thought for sure she had turned the place over by now with all of her success.) We will definitely be back again and again.
(5)Craig C.
Love this place. Sesame Chicken with Chicken Fried Rice. Cant beat it. The tea is pretty good as well but don't forget to let it steep or else you will just have a cup of hot water. Enjoy!
(5)Don S.
All I can say is WOW!!! I have been a happy customer of this restaurant for about a year. We have dined in a few times but primarily order take out. The food is always exceptional as is the service. It is not surprising that they are always busy. Last night I called in my order which consisted of a couple of appetizers, soup and three entrees. It was ready on time. I paid for it, picked it up and took it home. While unpacking it at home we discovered that we were short one of the entrees. I couldn't tell for sure if I paid for it but I definitely didn't get it. I called them and explained my situation. They checked and I had not paid for it and I was going to simply let it go when they said they would bring it right over. I live slightly out of their delivery area and really didn't expect them to deliver it to me. They more or less insisted. The young lady on the phone wanted to make sure we were happy. I gave her my address and less than 15 minutes later my missing entrée was on the table. The man who delivered it was apologetic and I practically had to force him to accept a gratuity. The food was delicious but the way they handled this slight slip up was unbelievable. They did everything right. Hats off to the staff that was working last night and to whoever is in charge of setting the standard of service that I experienced. I give them 5 stars and 2 WOW'S!!!!!
(5)Peter A.
After reading all the good reviews, we were very excited to try Judy Fu's. We ordered takeout...veggie dumplings, cod with black bean sauce, home made soft noodle shrimp chow mien, crispy eggplant. We didn't like anything! The dumplings were a mass of tasteless dough with cabbage and tiny bits of tofu, The whole thing was white and unappetizing, horrible! And this is their specialty! The eggplant had so much batter and was deep fried and greasy, we couldn't taste the eggplant. The chow mien and fish were okay, but nothing like our regular Chinese Restaurant in China Town. We won't be back. I don't know how this place gets such super reviews. We are tempted to take the food back and ask for a refund, so disappointing.
(1)Tom R.
This place gets awarded best Chinese Food by Seattle's Citysearch readers like, almost every year. It's got tons of reviews...somewhat mixed ones...but Snappy Dragon has some very diehard fans. So we went and tried it. Twice, just to make sure I didn't catch them on an off night (OK, 3 times, if you count the first time my friends ordered delivery from them). We've had their noodles (good) their mongolian beef (not good) their crispy eggplant (not good, oily, indigestion-causing), their hot & sour soup (average), fried rice (mushy), and mixed veggies (average). We've also had other stuff like their kung pao chicken, dumplings, etc, but like much of their food, those were average at best and quite forgettable. Their prices aren't cheap and they seriously need to hire more people, as their often packed restaurant means that service is slow (though I must say the servers were friendly, helpful and quite nice both times I dined in...they just seem overworked). Nearby Chiang's Gourmet is way better, a bit cheaper, and the lines don't tend to be as long. Service at Chiang's won't win any awards, but you'll get your food and it'll taste better...and cost you less. Judy Fu, sorry, your Dragon is pretty mediocre, downgraded to a giant lizard.
(3)JoAnna L.
My bf and I wanted to get Chinese food, but wanted to try a new place in the neighborhood. We drove down the way from his place and came to the Snappy Dragon, I think his brother had mentioned it to him. Street parking was pretty easy and we were seated pretty fast on a busy night (only thing was, we were sort of near the door and the cold breeze would come in every so often). Service was quick, was given water and tea right away. We scanned the menus and ordered some hot & sour soup, bbq pork appetizer, Mongolian beef and shrimp chow mein with the homemade noodles. Wow. Everything was soooo good, the soup was really HOT, but delish. The homemade noodles with the shrimp was awesome and the beef dish was really good. Our bill was $35, not too bad and we had plenty of leftovers. I'm hoping we go back again...soon.
(4)Chris O.
Stopped in after a hard afternoon of shopping for a quick bite. I love this restaurant for the distinct flavor and service with a smile. Quite the North Seattle institution for authentic Chinese food and the infamous home made noodles and steamed pot stickers. For this trip, we had a half order of BBQ Pork served with the sesame, ketchup and spicy mustard that I love as well as an order of sesame beef and a side of white rice. The pork was tender and flavorful. The sesame beef was perfectly crispy and tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce that has a slight spice and sprinkled with white sesame seeds. One of my favorite dishes. The service is great, I've never had bad food here and there are always the yummy leftovers. Please keep them in mind when you have your next Chinese craving.
(4)Gilad B.
Amazing Chinese food. Its out of the way but worth it. The wait is never more than 30 minutes and on week nights there is no wait. If they deliver to you, you should never order a different delivery place. Get the house made noodles as well as the guoza (sorry for miss-spelling this).
(4)Leslie R.
Some friends took us here for dinner and it has become one of our favorite places now. The Pork-filled Soft Wontons in Spicy Peanut Sauce is fantastic ... we ordered the Ginger Beef Fresh ginger sauteed with bamboo shoots and beef, Prawns in "Lobster" Sauce, Crispy half-chicken with dipping sauces and buns and Shrimp Chow Mein ... it was all outstanding! The meals are meant to be shared and sampled. The more folks you bring the more you get to sample and/or leftover you get to take home and enjoy later! Great place for a casual dinner with friends/ family. They also sell their yummy peanut sauce and chili oil, which we had to pick up it's so good!
(5)Fei G.
The clear noodle with chicken is my all-time favorite. What makes this place unique for me is - hand made dumplings by order :) Northern Chinese style!
(4)Food L.
Went to try to place after all the good reviews and their 5 consecutive "Best Chinese" in the Best of Western Washington Poll. Based on the food we ordered, it is overall a 3 stars. We ordered 15 pieces pork dumplings, green onion pancake and their beef noodle. The dumplings were good, but the sauce was just ok. Sauce is more tasty at Little Taipei in Bellevue. The dumpling wrapping has a bite to it with juicy filling. The green onion pancake was perfectly golden color, but too tough on texture. The traditional green onion pancake is supposed to be more flaky. The beef noodle came in a huge bowl with so many noodle, beef and vegetable. The broth was good. The beef was good quality beef and very tender. Hand shaved noodle was a little bit chewy for our taste. After you finish the whole bowl (shared by two people), it gives the teeth pretty good workout. For what we tried, we won't come back as there are many more places serving better dumplings, green onion pancake and beef noodle.
(3)BIG E w.
Been going from the time it first opened in about 1994 although we have move out of Seattle and only catch a meal when we are passing through. The place can get crowded during dinner and especially on weekends. The dishes I recommend: Jiao-zi (pork or vegi steamed dumplings), Chow Mein (pay extra for the homemade noodles) but ask for low salt, Mu Shu (homemade pancakes, yum), sesame beef, almond cranberry chicken and the dry sauteed green beans with black bean sauce.
(5)Cherise F.
I came here on a Monday for lunch. It's a pretty small place and the tables are a bit close to each other, but the noise level wasn't too loud (surprisingly). I imagine this places fills up quickly on evenings/weekends though. The menu is rather large and states about three times that the "vegetarian menu is available upon request" even though they have a vegetables/tofu place. I was confused. When I asked our server he informed me that yes they do have separate menus but it's the same items on the regular menu, just condensed. Weird. I ordered the Mongolian tofu lunch combination ($7.25). I got to pick sweet and sour soup, a vegetable eggroll, and brown rice. I chose 4 stars on the spice scale, and my dish was rather, though pleasantly, spicy. They don't joke around with their spice scale, unlike some restaurants. The tofu was fried and the sauce was very delicious. I was very happy with my lunch plate. I've heard their house-made noodles are amazing so someday I will be back to try them.
(4)Mike B.
We decided to try Judy's out tonight for the first time and we had hoped the lousy reviews written here would be flukes - Unfortunately it wasn't the case. It took our food over an hour and a half to get here, and it was barely lukewarm. I've never had to microwave delivery before. We ordered dumplings and General Tso's (a standard test for trying out a Chinese place, in my opinion.) The dumplings were a little bland, but that kind is supposed to be, to a degree, but the chicken just tasted like boiled chicken with a thin layer of ketchup. Basically just a mouthful of boiled chicken. Cheap rice too. I really was hoping it would be good... I can't believe the people who think this is the best Chinese in the area. Go look around more guys.
(2)David A.
Snappy Dragon, how do I love thee, let me count the ways We used to live by Green Lake and ate at Snappy almost weekly. After we moved to Sammamish we still trek over to Snappy when we get the chance. My wife and I were eating there before the kids were born and now our kids even ask to go there. Our oldest just turned 16 and we told her we would take her anywhere to eat and she was adamant that we go to Snappy Dragon. While I've been to China, I'm no Chinese food expert. However I can see how this place is not the most authentic Chinese and many items are bent towards American taste as some people have said. OK, so what, who cares, get over it. If you like great food in a family run atmosphere you will love the Dragon. Hot and Sour Soup: As good as any I have had. Not much more to say than that. Wonton Soup: My daughter always orders this at every Chinese place we go to. You usually get a couple of small wontons in a thin broth. Not at the Dragon. A cup of wonton soup at Snappy D. comes in a large cup with 3 very large wontons and an outstanding broth. Can't say I've ever had better. Pot Stickers: They are huge, and awesome. An order is 6 of these bad boys and is enough that you could order it as an entrée! A couple of complaints I saw were that they were too big for chopsticks and that the dough was somewhat chewy. They are both right, but here's my take. They are huge and obviously handmade in the kitchen. They have a large amount of tasty filling and a big surface to sear and make crispy. As for the dough being chewy, I say it tastes like a homemade dumpling which should be a bit al dente. All of the pot stickers in every Asian restaurant in Seattle are the same and look like they are made with the same cookie cutter dumpling shell bought at the same Asian restaurant supply store. Expand your pot sticker horizons and try these hand and home made big bad boys. Hand Shaved Noodle Chow Mein We have the chicken chow mein with hand shaved noodle every time we are there. The noodles are thick, uneven and fantastic. They look and taste like they were just made. I can't stress enough how much we like these and if you get anything with noodles at Snappy it must be the hand made ones! The sauce for the chow mein is fantastic, can't get enough of this dish. Green Beans I think they might call these the dry beans, not sure. This is a dish that I order at every Chinese restaurant I ever go to and I will stick my neck out and say that these are the best I have had anywhere, hands down. They are never over cooked, have a bit of snap to them, the sauce is great and I fight to get a shaved almond with every bite. I could honestly just order nothing but these and be happy. Sesame Beef: We just love the sesame beef. The sauce is tangy with just a tiny bit of heat and the beef is cooked crispy before being tossed with the sauce. This is one of those dishes that is almost even better as a left over. Wontons in Peanut Sauce This one is a sinful pleasure. I can imagine that this is one of those bastard child dishes that isn't "authentic" Chinese that people grouse about, but who cares. Some sticky rice with a few peanut sauce wontons over it with some extra sauce spooned on.... Oh baby. I will say that this one can be a bit if hit and miss with how they prepare the sauce, with it sometimes being over cooked. But it's mostly hit. Go get them wontons with peanut sauce. We don't get there often enough but when we do we order a ton so that we will have left overs in the fridge for the next few days. We miss you Snappy D., we'll be back soon.
(5)Maria C.
I'm a fan of takeout and felt stuck in a rut with my favorite place, Black Pearl, so I ordered from here and it's now my second favorite Chinese place. 3 star General Tso's chicken was a little too hot for wimpy me, but the kids loved it. Handmade noodles were great and I got the steamed dumplings based on recommendations here and were they ever worth it. I drive up Roosevelt a lot and will be stopping here a lot.
(4)C L.
Decided to be adventuresome and try a new place. Ordered take-out from Snappy Dragon for two. Did not know what deliciousness I was getting into, in addition for a enough food to feed four rather than just us two. The Chow Mein was amazing, the noodles were glorious and I couldn't stop eating it. Not your typical run of the mill Chow Mein. Black Bean chicken and Ma Po Tofu were also wonderful. I am very thankful to know I am in there service delivery area!
(4)Katie O.
I highly recommend the lunch specials. For around $7 you get soup, an entree, rice (brown, white, or fried), and either an egg roll, or bbq pork. The portions are large, the food is great, and the service is quite friendly. I'm generally not a fan of the atmosphere, so I usually get my orders to-go.
(4)Chloe H.
I loved the feel of this place, and everything I had there was huge, fresh and delicious. When it comes to desirable Chinese food there are two camps: Good-good and good-bad. This place is definitely falls into the former category, so if you are looking for that deep-fried, artery clogging, pu-pu platter perfection, then dream on.
(5)Megan T.
What a find! Moved to the neighborhood not too long ago and my fiance and I are already regulars. There is nothing like it after a long, long day: meet up at this low key, comfy place, have great service and great food. My fiance has spent time in China for work, and he says this is really americanized chinese food--but it's just so good that he doesn't care! Me, I don't worry about authentic or not. Just pass the homemade noodles! Yum!
(4)Andrea R.
Oh my, how I miss this place. If I could be there right now, I would get the Snappy Dragon Chow Mein and pot stickers... yum. I dream of it.
(5)Anna B.
For a locally owned, and more natural style of Chinese food, I'm down. My only qualms are as follows: The menu is standard, the environment feels like Marie Calendar's (a little), and I just wasn't wowed as much as expected. I really want to love this place since I live close by, however it just hasn't called out to me in that "We really do have the best Chinese food around" way. I'll be heading back to the International District before dining at Snappy Dragon again.
(3)jenny w.
Oh my, this is some good eatin'. I really like their green beans with cranberries. It is on the pricier side of eating. They are a family restaurant and very friendly. I really like most the dishes here. They also have a delivery area but a minimum order has to be placed.
(5)Laural B.
The homemade chow mein is to die for. Portions are always huge, worth the drive.
(4)Christine S.
It didn't really feel very authentic to me....kinda felt like an overhyped Magic Dragon. Some of the entrees were smoldered with crazy red with hot pink tinge sauce and I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be that color. I mean, I've never seen any food in China that bright before.
(2)Steve S.
the steamed dumplings here are so good, they make the trip worthwhile all by themselves. in fact, you could just order like 200 of them and eat for days. at least, i could. the general tso's chick is also pretty tasty. for some reason they give you chunks of chicken that are so huge they are hard to eat. but they are tasty
(4)Melissa N.
The boy and I ordered some food last night since they recently sent us a flyer saying they deliver to our neighborhood. We really wish we hadn't. We ordered the crispy eggplant and sesame chicken. Both dishes had the exact same sauce and breading. The sauce was sweet and sour (NOT SESAME) and the chicken was horrible - super dry and not tasty at all. All they did was throw a couple of sesame seeds on top and called it "sesame chicken." I really tried to like it, I did, but it was no good. The eggplant, minus the breading, was good but not good enough, especially for the price. I will never eat here again.
(1)Kim S.
Maybe I chose the wrong plate but I was not impressed with this place. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken, and upon seeing it, immediately regretted that choice. It was smothered in the sauce, it made the chicken soggy and the taste just wasn't good. I didn't even take the left overs. We had the dumplings too which were ok but I wouldn't go back just for those. Not impressed by any means and have no plans of returning.
(2)Luke D.
I've eaten here twice. Both times for chowmein. I've heard that this place was once good and I like the idea of homemade noodles but both times the food tasted a bit soggy like it wasn't fresh and my stomach upset a little afterwards. I want to like this place...but wouldn't recommend.
(2)Jay W.
I went here for lunch today, because many friends recommended this place (for dinner). Unfortunately I seem to have picked the day when they didn't know how to fully cook noodles. I ordered the white rice, wonton soup, egg roll and chicken chow mein (with the homemade noodles) lunch special. First the wonton broth was room temperature, not even hot, and the wonton's were not fully cooked. The rice and egg roll were OK. The noodles for the chicken chow mein were also undercooked. The service was friendly and good. I would recommend avoiding eating lunch here, or avoid any dish that contains noodles.
(1)Starr Y.
It's not Chinese food. Don't order eggplant. It said "脆皮éšé¦™èŒ„å" but it's more like a sweet and sour deep fried eggplants. Also the slides cod is not traditional Chinese cod dish - Chinese slides cod is not deep fried one! And the fortune cookie doesn't bring me good luck....
(1)Cassie D.
Great, quality Chinese food. Love the peanut sauce, home made noodles, and spicy sauce. Quick take out, which is what we usually do. Wish we were in their delivery zone!
(4)Dave Z.
We ordered delivery from here tonight. To their credit, they did warn us it might take up to an hour and fifteen minutes (!) for our food to arrive. It was actually 90 minutes, unfortunately. Zero stars (or negative, even) for the vegetarian jiao zi (boiled dumplings), which were just bland, lukewarm, undercooked pockets of raw cabbage and tofu. If we'd been at the restaurant, we would've sent them back. They were inedible. A couple stars for the veggie ma-po tofu and kung-pao shrimp, which were okay. Flavorful, but not the right flavors, as far as I'm concerned. Back to Rocking Wok for us!
(1)ShmoHaw K.
Like others have said, Judy Fu's is not as good as it once was. Eating here around 2011, I had nothing but praise. Eating here in 2015, the food is mixed. Pros: *The Crispy Eggplant was one of the best Chinese dishes I have ever had anywhere. The sauce was perfect in that sweet, slightly spicy Americanized sort of way. The fried casing was crispy and not soggy at all. The inner eggplant was not bitter and was tender and tasty. *Portions are large *The tea that is included was above average. Cons: *They charge for rice *Being second on the list for a table still resulted in a 20 minute wait. *Food took 25 minutes to arrive after ordering *The Kung Pao Tofu is mediocre. The peanuts in the dish, although being listed as the second ingredient, were sparse. The tofu was adequate. The sauce was also adequate, but not nearly as spicy as requested. The dish was at least HALF bamboo shoots, but not thin slices of bamboo shoots, big chunks. And big chunks with an unfortunate very strong canned after taste. *The prices are too high for the quality of the food Years ago I also enjoyed the chow mein and the Ma Po Tofu. When I try these again I hope they are as good as I remember.
(3)Kate B.
Alright food, alright service. Okay, all-around, but nothing noteworthy. I was in the neighborhood and craving Americanized Chinese food in the worst way. I found this and saw the decent yelp reviews and decided to give it a try. It was pretty busy for 2:00 PM on a weekday. I ordered one of the special lunch combos with fried rice, hot and sour soup, and sweet and sour chicken with an egg roll. The soup had a decent amount of veggies but otherwise was bland. The entree serving was huge- tons of rice and chicken. The chicken was crispy and high-quality white meat, but the sweet and sour sauce was disappointing bland and one-note. I liked that the eggroll was made in-house (as opposed to the obviously pre-frozen ones), but I felt the vegetables inside of it were underseasoned. The food was filling and the combo came with an enormous about of food, but I wasn't impressed with the flavor of the food. I would be willing to try this place again and order some homemade noodles instead, because I definitely appreciate the fact that they try to make most of their ingredients in-house.
(3)Jay D.
By far the best Chinese I have had in the Seattle area. Dumplings are incredible as well as the house made noodles. We always have to bring a big group so we can get more dishes, I always leave stuffed with leftovers for the fridge.
(5)Jenny S.
The sweet and sour pork was good, I liked the sauce. The kung pao didn't have much flavor though; there were no veggies and the peanuts were soft and tasteless. The chicken wasn't very good quality, so I doubt it was white meat as indicated on the menu. I asked to try the peanut sauce because I thought I'd buy a jar to take home and was told I could buy a sample for $3. The prices corresponded with the portion size, which was good.
(3)Mike S.
Excellent food. Everyone at my table ordered different dishes and everyone thought it was great.
(5)Aimee K.
I went on hiatus from Snappy Dragon for several years while I lived out of state, but retained good memories of the sweet and sour eggplant, jiao zi and noodles. The reviews surprised me when I discovered the Yelp community's low opinion of it in 2012. Out of curiosity I re-visited one of my old haunts in U District / Maple Leaf last week. Parking is much easier than I remembered which is shocking enough considering how much more crowded Seattle has gotten since 2006. It was surprisingly empty for a weekend at lunch and the friendly staff led us directly to a table. We ordered (of course) the jiao zi, Mongolian Beef for partner's spicier palate and chicken lo mein with hand rolled noodles for my blander one. Judy Fu herself came out to serve the larger party that followed us in a little later which was cool. Unfortunately, the food has evolved into something a lot less inspired and fresh than it used to be. The noodles were very thick and a little dry with a sauce bland even for me! Partner did not remark on his dish but he said later that he liked it well enough. I do love that they offer the boiled dumplings frozen to go. For that alone, I may return, when in the area.
(3)Ali D.
I have to say, even after my last experience with Judy Fu on New Year's Eve which some people might describe as a deal-breaker, I still am madly in love with this neighborhood Chinese restaurant. I must've been crazy, thinking, "I'll order Chinese food on New Year's Eve! How original!" Because as soon as I walked into Snappy Dragon to pick up my take-out order after receiving a 70-minute wait time as is into a sea of disgruntled people who were also waiting for their order, I knew that I had made a rookie mistake. But despite being beyond hangry while waiting over two hours for my order, at the end of the day, not only did they get my order exactly correct but everything was still as delicious as ever. And I seriously applaud the hard work every employee was putting in on probably their busiest night of the year, just to ensure that everyone could enjoy their delicious Chinese food on New Year's Eve. Without a doubt will continue to order from Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon!
(5)Zack F.
This place is amazing! I always get the simple chicken fried rice, it has so much flavor and the chicken is so tender. I have tried other people's food that I am with such as the white chicken and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli, and the chow mein all very good! (The chow mein seemed a bit under seasoned but pretty good) The wait staff is friendly and knows the dishes. Plus the portions are HUGE.
(5)Saejin K.
Service was good and fast but the food was pretty weak. Pork buns: too salty, underwhelming Vegetable dumplings: bland...it tasted like I was just eating dumpling dough. The sauce was also bland...I asked the waitress for vinegar and made my own. Beef noodle soup: probably the least disappointing (but still disappointing) part of the meal. The broth just tasted like beef stock, soy sauce, and chili, the meat was okay and the noodles were good but the ratio of noodle to broth was a little off. It looks like this place would be good for just generic chinese food. If you go here, just get some sesame beef or sweet and sour pork.
(2)Katie S.
The food is good just a little bit on the greasy side.
(3)Kristen B.
** Updated 1/21/15 ** Came back as I was craving the soup after getting over a cold- Again the soup didn't disappoint! Perfect for getting over a cold- Ordered Chicken Chow Mein with Homemade Noodles- It was really tasty but mostly all noodles not that many vegetables or chicken.. I liked the homemade noodles though- It was perfect and what I was craving- Still not five stars.. But tasty for my two visits.. Got take out on a Thursday night.. Hot and Sour soup was delicious.. Can't wait to try that again.. The General Tsos Chicken was OK.. A little dry and sauce didn't knock my taste buds off.. Just ok.. BBQ pork was good, a little dry as well but a lot of ingredients which was nice.. What I also like is huge helpings.. Definitely get your money worth and not inexpensive.. I will be back to try the dumplings and I need some more of that soup.. So full of yummy ingredients and Vegis in the soup.. Perfect.. Did I mention I loved the Hot and Sour Soup?
(4)Frank B.
Judy's food is a 5 Star experience is taste for lovers of Asian cuisine. Eat bite is a complete mouthful of joy and flavor experience. I've been coming to Judy Fu's for years and have NEVER experienced a bad meal. I always start my meal with an order of Jau Z pork dumplings ( 5 star appetizer ). The salt & pepper prawns are wonderful but a tad messy so be prepared for some work, but it's worth it. Moving onto main coarse you gotta order the famous Judy Noodles Chow Mien there exceptional and delicious. After the Id say either Kung Pau Chicken or Mongolian beef but the entire menu provides that flavor blast of al things Chinese Food should deliver. Discover the power of The Snappy Dragon and you'll be a fellow worshiper.
(5)Hannah W.
Food was pricey and the chowmein was awful. Would never go here again. I don't understand how this place has more then 2 stars.
(1)Megan G.
My boyfriend and I rode our bikes here tonight (Sunday, around 7:45 PM.) There is a railing outside of the restaurant that you can lock your bikes onto. This was our first time dining here and we both were pleased by the food, service, and atmosphere. It is 100% better than any Chinese food I've had delivered in the North Seattle area. This is good food that made me feel good after eating it. I enjoyed riding my bike here and will return again to try something new off of their menu. Sunday night around 7:45 PM is busy yet we were seated almost immediately. I saw a lot of families and larger parties dining. We were started off with hot white tea (complimentary I think) and ordered spring rolls as an appetizer. They were crispy, large, and came with 2 dipping sauces. Yum. As you look around the restaurant, you'll notice it is open, colorful, clean, and casual. For dinner, I ordered the mu shu pork which is a huge portion and was so so good. It was a heaping plate consisting of everything (mushrooms, cabbage, scallions, egg, pork shreds, etc.) It came with 4 pancakes and a sticky sauce. I've never had this dish before and I have to say I was impressed. On the table there's a spicy oil sauce with chili pepper flakes in it that I added to the mu shu. Mark got the sweet and sour chicken which also was an extra large portion. I had a bite and it was good (crispy chicken and a thicker sauce.) We ended up taking home a large amount of leftovers. Throughout the dining experience, the servers would refill our water glasses without asking and made sure we had everything we needed. Really great joint. Come check it out for yourselves :-)
(4)David M.
We had dinner tonight, there were 4 adults and three kids. The food was really awful. In fact, not only was it the worst Chinese food I have ever had but maybe one of the worst restaurant meals I have ever had. We started with fried egg rolls and they were horrible; greasy, no flavor and uncooked cabbage inside that was so tough I could barely chew it. We ordered several dishes to share, all were really bad. Although the service was very good and everyone was really nice, the food is awful.
(1)Kalani F.
Ugh. I ordered soft chow mein noodles with vegetables. First, they didn't tell me it would be extra for homemade noodles- I didn't see this price hike on the regular menu, but it was noted on the vegetarian menu, which I looked at after I ordered. Not expected the extra pay hike when I paid put me in a bad mood. Then the girl at the register didn't really know what take out to give me- she told me that they names were mixed up or some such thing, so even though my order had a different name it was mine. They should have named this "Heavy Egg Noodles with a hint of Vegetable" I am drowning in noodles. An entire takeout box of noodles with some kind of icky soy sauce. The vegetables consisted of a treasure hunt for three pieces of broccoli (delicious) soggy mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The mushrooms, which there were actually some of, were overcooked, so tasted like they came straight out of a can. Maybe they did. The bamboo too. That was it for vegetables- broccoli, bamboo shoots and mushrooms. The noodles are tough and taste like paste with salt. The only thing edible, like I said, was the broccoli. That was fabulous. I only wish I could actually have ordered the broccoli without anything else. The rest of the noodles went in the trash.
(2)Prashant V.
The service was average and the spring rolls were completely RAW. It seemed as if they had been kept in oil for less than 2 seconds. The veggies inside were so raw that you could plant them straight back in the ground and watch them grow. We had to leave the spring rolls uneaten. Apparently our stomach did not like the rest of the fare and we both had an upset stomach for a couple of days afterwards.
(1)Heather M.
I ordered take out from here. I got shrimp fried rice, soft noodles (homemade) shrimp, and pork fried wontons. The homemade noodles were different, I believe they are homemade egg noodles. They were good, dont get me wrong just not to die for good and I proably wouldn't pay extra for them if I order from here again. There were pleny of veggies (celery, water chestnuts, snowsnap peas, and cabbage) and lots of shrimp. They did not skimp on the fillings that is for sure. The shrimp fried rice again okay, I love the shrimp fried rice at Din Tai Fung and it is no where near as good as the rice there. It was your basic chinese restaurant fried rice with added veggies. Lots of veggies and shrimp in it, again a good thing. The pork fried wontons were awesome, I loved them. I would diffently go back here just for these. They served them with 3 different sauces. I of course just went with the basic sweet and sour sauce. The take out was quick. They quoted me over the phone 20-25 mins but when I showed up 15mins later my food was ready. Glad I got there early so the food didnt get cold. Parking is tricky. There is some construction going on around there which takes up some of the parking but I found some street parking right around the corner.
(3)Carrie M.
Ordered delivery from here one night and it was terrible. They did not deliver what we ordered and what they did deliver was cold but the noodles were burnt. We waited for an hour and threw the food out within 5 minutes.
(1)Tara W.
Dude the wait was 1 hour 45 min on a Saturday, so make sure to call early! However, best Chinese food I've had in a while and I would walking distance from the International District! YUM! General Tso's chicken, chicken chow mein with homemade noodles, delicious spring roles and the largest pork pot stickers EVER! So pumped to have a new fave Chinese spot for delivery!!
(5)Kelly M.
It hurts me a bit to give this only 3/5 stars.. Pros: Super friendly delivery service, just great no-nonsense delivery and everyone is so nice. The noodles are fresh and yummy. I like that they offer steamed veg to perfection (except maybe too many onions.. no one wants to order steamed veg and have 25% of it be onions...) and the sauce can be on the side! Main pro: HUGE PORTIONS!! I spent about $23 and I have 4 meals because of the noodle dish. Thanks Judy Fu! Cons: I was quoted 60 mins delivery time, it was more like 1hr 45 minutes. Fine because I was just hanging out taking a sick day. The food is BLAND!!!!!!! The noodles w/ chicken are BLAND but thats why i get the sauce for the steamed veggies on the side, so i can dip the noodles in it. Summary: Best place in my neighborhood for chinese delivery. Noodles & steamed veg are good but bland. Excellent customer service.
(3)Claire K.
I couldn't even get through my plate of food. We got Moo Shu tofu, which came with pancakes so thick I literally couldn't bite through one. The vegetables with black bean sauce which was mostly onions and three pieces of broccoli (a huge pet peeve of mine, who wants to eat a bunch of onions?). Someone ordered curry noodles, which seemed like a bad idea from jump street, and were by far the worst thing I've had in a long time. The sauce on the veggie dish was pretty yummy, and I've heard that's what this place is famous for. Maybe they should just stick to selling sauces.
(1)Lisa D.
Finally time to update, as my opinion of Judy Fu's has really improved. The spice levels are right where I like them to be, and I have found my favorite dishes that I come back to time and time again. The hand shaved noodles are great when you are craving chow mien with a thick, chewy noodle. Mandarin fried rice is still my favorite (although once they used the tiny, crappy bay shrimp instead of regular shrimp. What up with that??) Stick with the specialties and the Sichuan dishes and you will be happy.
(4)Tammy B.
always a great place to eat at with a group of friends. tons of food, very reasonable prices, good service, and the food is consistently tasty. my fave are the hand shaven noodles with their mabo tofu. yum!
(4)Tina H.
I use to love Snappy Dragon! (to the point where I was seriously considering moving closer so I can have it all the time) However, lately it seems like the quality has gone down. The fried rice is still super good. (I like the Mandarin fried rice but the sweet sausage is also pretty darn good) The salt & pepper chicken use to be a fav but lately my husband and I have noticed that it is super dry and sometimes overly greasy so we stopped ordering it. Last week, I decided to be more adventurous with the menu and it did NOT pay off and it made me realize that Snappy is really just generic Chinese food to please the masses. The cashew chicken I ordered had NO veggies, just bits of celery, water chestnut and huge pieces of dry chicken and cashews. The taste was off and I later realized that it was too sweet, like they added tons of sugar in the sauce. GROSS! I mean, who adds sugar to cashew chicken? Also, I ordered their chicken noodle salad thinking it is a Chinese chicken salad, nope, the sheets of noodle is some hard, plastic-y glass noodle, more DRY chicken and that's it, oh and I think they threw in a slice of cucumber. Once again, the sauce was TOO sweet like they poured in TONS of sugar, wtf?? Anyway, gross gross gross. So, I'm stuck right now on whether I will continue to order from them in the future, if I stick with the fried rice and their tofu with Snappy vegetables (which is delicious), I am fine, but taking a risk and ordering anything off the usual and I will be sure to be disappointed. It's just not worth it I think, there are a lot more better Chinese places closer to home to venture out of my area for some mediocre Chinese food. Sorry Snappy, I think a break up is inevitable.
(3)Susan W.
Went here for lunch because China Village is closed on Mondays & hubby & I were desperate for some healing hot & sour soup. It was our first time dining in. We had previously their food delivered a few years ago. First of all parking is tight. Street parking in a busy neighborhood. Then second the inside of the restaurant is small. It was 1pm on Monday & they were packed! The small waiting area was full of people waiting for pick up & tables both. I think they were short staffed by at least 1 person the day we were there. The hostess was running around doing 3 jobs. Our waiter came by too quickly at first to take our order & then took forever to come back. Asked for an extra napkin & had to wait a long time to receive. Food was fabulous!!! We both had lunch specials with hot & sour soup. I had the steamed chicken with vegetables in Szechuan sauce 4 star spicy. Just right! Lots of garlic. I had mine with fried rice & BBQ pork Excellent bbq pork. I had enough leftovers to make a complete second meal. Hubby had the tofu in mongolian sauce with brown rice. So tasty you forget it's healthy. He had the spring roll & I thought it was disappointing. A little greasy & just full of cabbage. Tea was jasmine & a little weak. I prefer oolong. Not sure if it''s an option. Water was refilled once & could have used another glass, Had to wait a little while for the check & to get leftovers boxed up. Overall my second fave Chinese Restaurant in Seattle behind China Village near U-Village.
(4)Vi N.
I was so hopeful when I heard about this place! I've been on the hunt for great Chinese food since a favorite spot in the International District, Green Village, closed when the owners decided it was time to retire (cue my heartbreak). The wait wasn't as bad as we were expecting, it was a Friday night at 6.30pm, we waited about 20 minutes for a table for two. The host was a super nice guy and the place was humming and busy. People were running in and out for their to go orders. The smells in the air smelled great! We placed our order, getting what we had heard were the must eats of the place: Pork boiled dumplings with sauce to start. Sesame chicken and the handmade chow mien noodles with beef for our entree. The dumplings were very tasty, but inconsistent in texture and filling, the sauce was awesome! The noodles...oh I love noodles and this bummed me out so bad...they were awful. So so bland and very chewy. The sesame chicken was tasty, but nothing that you can't find at another Chinese restaurant. My search for great Chinese continues...
(2)amber d.
Shortest review: I bring my friends here. I'm stuck on pork Jiao-Zi. Key detail: More importantly for you, I used my vast network of Chinese food experts ;) to find an Asian supermarket version of the homemade dark red chili pepper spicy hot bean paste/sauce that (sometimes) comes in the tiny, adorable milkcap-sized dish (on the side). I am NOT talking about the dried flake red pepper soaking in oil (chili oil) that comes in the small plastic jar and lid with spoon (always sitting next to the salt-n-pepper shakers). I never use this chili oil. I am talking about the chunky paste with small fermented beans that can be seen in the lower-left of [Picture 48]. The closest approximation I have found is made by Mingteh Food (since 1950) "Hot Black Bean", 460g (16.2oz) aka "明德 - 香豆豉". Google images' Top 2 show exactly the jar to look for. Glass jar (light blue, yellow, red striped label), metal lid (white with light blue). Beware this company makes literally shelves of variations on Chinese condiments (in exactly the same container and label colors) with all sorts of tempting English translations that seem more accurate or look more accurate through the glass. These are not it. They are something different. You want the label that reads with 3 characters "香豆豉". If you can't find exactly it, keep searching. I found my jar at the nearby HT Oaktree Market 10008 Aurora Ave N. Way better than sriracha rooster sauce on dumplings, though admittedly less trendy.
(5)Gina M.
The food here is constant. Constantly fresh, hot, and delicious! My Fav is the sweet n sour prawns, Mongolian Beef, and fresh cut noodles. Yum Yum.
(5)Lisa B.
I really wanted to like The Snappy Dragon. We've tried it three times now and each time was a disappointment. The food has very little flavor. The homemade noodles are just awful - thick and rubbery. There is absolutely nothing special about this restaurant and I'm mystified as to why it's always so busy on weekends.
(1)Andrea M.
I ordered delivery from this place last night for the first time. I'm new to Seattle from San Francisco and have been on a high search for my new Chinese spot. I quickly skimmed through reviews and saw that there were quite a bit, with not so bad star rating. I gave it a shot, found out my outrageous total, figuring it may be worth it, and in 45 min on a Saturday night it was delivered..... I had a bite of each item and immediately tossed $60.00 of this disgusting "Chinese food" into my garbage. I've never done that in my life!!!!! I looked deeper into the reviews and I completely agree with all the low star rating reviews! The meat was questionable, the veggies were bland and I was unaware of their handmade noodles but it was the gummiest weird taste and texture of noodles I've ever had. Please be aware, most of Snappy Dragons reviews are white people, being Seattle, and I honestly don't think they have any clue of what Chinese food is. BARF!
(1)Krista S.
This review is for takeout, so I can't comment on the dining experience. We ordered the sesame beef and the General Tso's chicken. The beef was supposed to be one star and the chicken three but I think they reversed the spiciness. We also ordered 2 sides of rice as we were very surprised that they didn't include rice with the entree dishes. We have eaten at Snappy Dragon before but it was over 4 years ago and we wanted to try it again as we're on the hunt for decent local Chinese food. However, we will not be ordering from here again. Ordering was easy and straightforward as was pickup. The food was ready when they said it would be and there was no wait to pay. When we got the food home we were surprised by how much each entree contained. and were looking forward to leftovers. Once we started eating we realized the beef was much spicier than it was supposed to be and that the spice levels had obviously been reversed. Not a big deal, we just wanted one spicy dish. However, after eating a few bites we realized how bland the food was. No interesting flavors, very one note with a little heat. Unfortunately they were both just very boring and we did not want to eat them again. In the end we decided to eat what we could so we weren't going hungry and then composted the rest. Neither of us wanted to eat leftovers the next day of such boring food. We'll keep looking for a good local Chinese place.
(2)Ashley D.
The staff is friendly and the place is very cute and cozy. I would have loved this place if it weren't for everything we ordered being just... bland. We got spring rolls, mu-shu pork, and the snappy dragon fried rice. Although all of it was tasty, it was also just... bland as could be. I think I'll keep hunting for a favorite Chinese spot.
(3)Christy N.
OMG this is my favorite place for Chinese food. The handshaved noodles are fabulous, as well as the dumplings jioza. You can even buy frozen jioza to make at home later, and it comes with the best dumpling sauce I've ever tasted. It's smoky and has a lot of flavor but is not too hot/spicy. Definitely go here and get some to takehome as well!
(5)Mojdeh S.
How I heard of this place: The first time I had heard of Snappy Dragon was while I was waiting for a friend at the Starbucks on Green Lake. Two girls who were walking by made mention of it, trying to figure out how best to walk there while also getting some lake time in. A young woman who was sitting at one of the outside tables interjected into their conversation that "Snappy Dragon is awesome!" She also recommended that they take their walk, get in their cars and drive to Snappy Dragon. Subsequently, a few others had recommended the place to me when I mentioned I was house-sitting in Maple Leaf. Type of cuisine: Mandarin/ Szechuan style cooking by Judy Fu, a native of China (where she was born) and Taiwan (where she was raised). Ambiance: Casual, diner-style with separate areas for seating to the right (and behind) and the left of the cashier. What I ordered: I was there with a friend for lunch, for the first time today, so decided to order one of the vegetarian lunch specials ($6.95 each) in order to sample as many things in one go as I was able. With the lunch combination comes your choice of white, brown or fried rice (I went for fried rice, my dining companion ordered the brown rice), either a spring roll or barbecue pork (we both ordered the spring roll), and your choice of either wonton soup or hot & sour soup (both of us ordered the wonton). For our main entree we had options for either vegetarian (which includes tofu dishes), chicken, beef or seafood. I chose the assorted vegetables, stir-fried in garlic sauce. My friend ordered the Mongolian tofu (which was served with fried tofu and spring onions). What I loved: While I'm not the biggest fan of nor am I even close to being a connoisseur of Chinese cuisine, I appreciated the very fresh vegetables used in preparing each of the dishes! Large florettes of broccoli, crunchy bell peppers, sweet and crunchy spring onions, and peas graced the assorted vegetable dish with crunch, flavor and freshness. Why I loved it: I loved that we were seated quickly, that a huge, very filling lunch (enough perhaps for two meals) came out to under $10, including tip! Cost: low for a large, personal lunch combo ($6.95-$8.25 per person)
(2)Eve T.
Upon looking through Judy Fu's menu, my husband and I immediately concluded that JF's is your typical Americanized Chinese food restaurant serving sweet meat or mixed vegetables sauteed in sweet soy-based sauce. Egg roll, cheese wontons, soup on the side sort of meal. Sorry, but, that is NOT Chinese food. Well, why go? My husband's coworker recommended their dumplings which are hand made and fresh upon ordering. So, we order 15 boiled dumplings and a beef with napa cabbage stew. Sure, the dumplings were hand made and what we noticed right away was that it consisted mostly skin and little meat and to top it all off, little flavor. The consistency of the beef and napa stew was the only thing that we were satisfied with. It went well with rice and had a good amount of beef shank but we had to add more salt to another flavorless dish. I don't think we'll be back again. We've experienced better here in Seattle.
(2)Jeff N.
Good amount of food for lunch special. The home-made noodles, is why I choose this place for lunch. It did not disappoint.
(3)Lauren T.
Decent Chinese food, super fast food prep, pretty pricey and the service isn't all that great.
(3)John H.
Ok, this is easily one of my favorite places to eat out. I have been many many times but would never insult them by ordering take out. Shame on you take out idiots. I have never had a bad experience no matter what the conditions were (my friend from China liked the food). I go with friends and family I care about and always receive great service and awesome food. I have never ordered the General Tso's as it just seems mainstream, besides I have more fun asking the staff for recommendations, they actually know what they do well. Szechuan anything here is amazing (the szechuan beef is melt in your mouth). The Chow mein is incredible too, so is the tea smoked duck with buns and sauce. The black bean chicken was a bit salty, but that's traditional folks, and cannot complain. The potstickers are AMAZING, the way they ought to be made and well worth the trip. This place is super packed on weekends and I highly recommend getting there early or going in late week. So, all the bad reviews complaining about bad Gen Tso's?? Are you the same lunkheads who order Pad Thai at every Thai place? Seriously tho, just stick to Panda Express and save us all the grief. And a suggestion to those who didn't care for their food, ASK for recommendations from the staff. The host and many of the staff are all part of the Fu family, and all know what the best dishes are, try communicating a bit and see where that leads you :)
(5)Stacy G.
I have been coming here since I lived across the street in the 90s...still the best place for Chinese - I always order Jiao-Zi dumplings - the sauce is what takes it over the edge!! Judy Fu handmade them today and brought them over to my happy tummy!! All the food here is great - never a bad meal!
(5)Jasmine S.
I wish I could give 3.5 stars. It was good, the portions were large which is usually a plus, but I felt like the flavor was fairly bland. Salt and pepper squid was cooked perfectly, a little over-salted but when you order that item it's a risk you take. The peppers were like a chili pepper sauce which was nice, but not amazing. Crispy eggplant was also a large portion but very bland. It was coated in a sweet and sour type sauce with a heat level of 3/5 which I didn't realize until just now wasn't spicy at all. The breading was so thick that I couldn't really taste the eggplant, which would be ok if the breading tasted like something. Dumplings were good. Service was friendly, if a little slow. They box up your leftovers for you which I'm not overly fond of, if I paid for it I want to take it home, which means all the sauce that was all over my eggplant plate should have gone in the box too, but didn't. Not a big deal though. Overall, good meal. I'm a big fan of a lot of flavor though so that's where I was disappointed. Also thought it was a tad bit expensive. However, would definitely go back to try out other menu items.
(3)Christine H.
Fantastic! Super yummy house fried rice with big pieces of chicken, perfect beef and broccoli, (with lots of broccoli- LOVE that!), and sweet and sour chicken that the hubby loves. This may sound mean....but if I could, and extra star for an easy-to-understand- daughter of the traditional chef. Sometimes ordering Chinese is a foreign language lesson on its own!
(5)Paolo B.
Came here for the first time yesterday. I didn't have any expectations whatsoever but seeing that it's one of the best restaurants in Seattle was good enough for me to give it a shot. Food was good, fried rice was outstanding and the portions were generous for what I paid for. I was hoping to see honey walnut prawns or mandarin chicken, they still had a pretty good menu and I must agree that it's one of the good Asian restaurants I've been to. Definitely coming back here sooner.
(4)Laura B.
We love Snappy Dragon. Might be one of the best Chinese food restaurants ever! They have many vegetarian options and the fact that you can order your food sans MSG. Great service too. Keep it up Snappy! We are in love with your food!
(5)Ryan L.
This is my wife and I's favorite chinese place in the Seattle area. We live on the east side and travel often to Snappy Dragon because its a lot better than what we can get over here. We have tried many chinese restaurants over here on the east side and most have been disappointing. When we discovered Snappy Dragon, we havent gone back to the other places since. We have both sat in and done take out. They are usually pretty busy, average waits can be about 30 minutes. If you get there after 8:30 usually you can get a seat right away. The atmosphere is ok, and the service is good most of the time. What we love best about Snappy Dragon is the homemade quality to the food. This is not your frozen buy in bulk sell to your customers chinese food. We both like the hand shaven noodles and the dumplings and we get them every time. You can tell they are housemade and they are delish! I also love their bbq pork fried rice, awesome quality bbq and good size pieces too. And usually our 4th dish we try to get something different. We keep going back to the seasame chicken or beef, sooooo good in its glazy thick red sauce (drool). BTW, the portions are freaking huge, we always have leftovers for an extra night or two. mmmm sounds so good, i went on yelp to find a new restaurant to try tonight and thought I would write a review finally to our favorite asian place in all of seattle. maybe we will just go here.
(5)Terra K.
Decent Chinese food for the area.. Hard to find one that really hits the spot. Ordered dumplings during an dining-in experience and, unfortunately, it was unsatisfying. Second time around decided to try take out to avoid parking troubles and wait times for a table and it was more enjoyable. The only downside of ordering take out was the long line to pick it up. The poor girl at the front had so many receipts to sort through to find our order it ended up taking longer than I would have imagined to pick up food. Regardless, I think the take out experience was more desirable than the business of dining-in.
(3)Erica D.
great atmosphere, good food, huge portions and you leave happy! I'd have to say that the noodles and dumplings (both of which people rave about), were a little on the thick side. I've had the best of the best both from the Chinese dumpling perspective and the Chinese noodle perspective so I'm a bit more picky than your average person. However, Chinese restaurants in Seattle are hard to come by so I will certainly try it again!
(4)Brad K.
We ordered for pick up twice when I was in Seattle. I insisted on the second. The food was delicious. They messed up the order the first time and made the seasame spicy, but it tasted so good that it didn't really matter. I wish there was Judy Fu's in Milwaukee!
(4)Aaron L.
Tried it twice because it's so close to me and disappointed each time. The potstickers and homemade noodles are dry and tasteless. The mu-shu was just weird. I'm not sure why people like this place so much. There portions are very large if you're into that.
(2)Bronn J.
I love the Snappy Dragon. I appreciate the hard work that the owners put forth. I'm a "mom and pop" kind of person, not a corporate restaurant fan. The owner works harder than any owner I've known. The owner does not hide in a back room. They are on the premise at any given time. If there is ever a question, just ask the owner to come to your table. I feel like I'm going to a friends house for dinner when I go to the Snappy Dragon. My wife and I had two wonderful appetizers that the Snappy Dragon is famous for...the Fried Wontons and the Potstickers. A sign at the front entrance reads "over 4 million made." Everything is made in house, including all 4 million pot stickers. We had the Asparagus Tofu with Bean Sauce, Ginger Beef and Vegetable Medley. We were asked how many stars we wanted. We asked for medium stars and that's exactly what we got. There was enough kick to the meal without overshadowing the delicate flavor of the fresh asparagus. The food was not breaded and deep fried like many Chinese restaurants. It was fresh and healthy and flavorful. We love this place.
(5)Katy B.
I absolutely adore Snappy Dragon! We eat here probably once a week. Their homemade dumplings are so good! We always order 26 between the two of us because they are like crack. The entrees are freshly prepared and always delicious. It gets really busy on the weekends so be prepared to wait 35-45 minutes. Take out is usually a better option on the weekends. The staff is always friendly and attentive.
(4)L O.
I love Snappy Dragons! I have been going with my family for the last 10 years and continue to bring new people. Go for the homemade noodles it is worth it. Good portions and decent prices.
(4)Peter H.
It was a really bad experience. I gave them two star because at least their waitress was very friendly; however the food (homemade dumpling, chow mien were so bad.
(2)Don R.
Tried the hand cut noodles and way too doughy for our taste. Fried spicy eggplant was over sauced/breaded and they sadly chose to use the big eggplant versus the Chinese or Japanese smaller varieties which would had been much preferred. Potstickers and fried chicken were the better choices.
(3)Kristen T.
I got take out from this restaurant the other night and was both frustrated and impressed in the end. First of all, this place came highly recommended by colleagues, so I was excited to try it. I ordered take out and was told it would take around 35 minutes. I arrived at the restaurant about 40 minutes later expecting to be in and out. My fiancee and I stood around waiting for probably 30 minutes at least for our take out (only 2 items!), which was pretty shocking. HOWEVER, who I assume was the owner really saved it by apologizing profusely for the long wait (we literally stood there forever watching other people come and go, get their take out... ours was nowhere to be seen). He even threw in 4 free chocolate covered fortune cookies. Overall, they need to work on the timeliness of their take out service, BUT the good customer service and good food are more important! Therefore, I will be back!
(4)Glory O.
No. No. No. No. I had to stay late at work and decided to order their lunch combo so I would have enough food for the day. I ordered the Sesame Chicken, with brown rice and wonton soup. The lack of flavor and unusual taste of the sesame chicken was the least of my worries, as a bout of food poisoning followed hours later! Please save yourselves and your stomach, and do not order!!
(1)Lee N.
One word...Yumo! Helpful staff, nice ambiance, the Mu Shu chicken was delicious however the pancakes were not the best I've had. They were a too thick. Hence 4 stars.
(4)Christine L.
We are visiting from Florida, and I have to say that this is the best Chinese food I have ever had. We ordered delivery, and we did not expect such large portions. Two people can easily split an order. The chicken was incredible though. Be sure to order a fried rice as rice doesn't come with the chicken, but it tastes amazing!
(5)Lisa T.
Oh my gosh...I went here recently for take out (referencing my original review for my order) - and I have to do a complete 180. The dumplings are bland, way too much dough, and just bleh to eat. Severely disappointed. The smoked duck - not sure what happened, but talk about dry, bland, and so uninspiring. Same goes for the handcut noodle chow mein. It was ALL noodles - and no flavor. I was beyond disappointed with this meal - in fact, couldn't even bring myself to eat the massive leftovers we had. I can't bring myself to eat here again. It's worth the wait to just go to Din Tai Fung for some amazing dumplings (or better yet, just get takeout from there if you can't bear the long wait line).
(1)Phil W.
Alot of boiled dumplings! Very delicious food but bit of a wait for seating people in 2s and 3s. Well worth the 40 minutes.
(5)Shelly S.
We have been coming here for years and love the food!!! Hands down the best Chinese restaurant. The only Chinese food that we don't get sick from. They use only quality ingredients and no msg!!! The service is amazing!! We LOVE their sesame chicken, homemade chow mein noodles, beef and broccoli, etc!! They also have a huge lunch combo menu that has the best hot and sour soup and wonton soup!
(5)Melody P.
I passed by this restaurant a couple times on my way home from bike rides. There's always a long line outside around the restaurant. I was so curious and I walked in one day. I was seated by the Jiao Zi bar (where they make dumplings and pot stickers) and ordered green onion pancakes and General Tao's Chicken. I like the green onion pancakes. In fact, I thought it was quite authentic. However, the dipping sauce came with it was very salty. I was not a big fan. The portion of General Tso's Chicken is big. However, it's all in BIG chunks. Therefore, some bites of the meats were very flavorless inside. As far as authenticity goes, this may not be a good representative. The service was good thou. I walked in and talked to one of the staff and I was immediately seated (probably also because I went by myself. It's easier). Initially, I ordered total 3 dishes. One of the staff found out and told me I should cancel one. It's too much. So, she took care of it for me! I appreciated. Otherwise, I'd ended up with more leftovers. I paid $30 in total with tips. And, my sister had two meals and I had one meals out of the leftovers. I think it's not too bad!
(3)Martha H.
Lunch special with hand made chow mein noodle was almost inedible. Noodles were tough and it was hard to find the chicken and beef. I did find some small shrimp. The spring roll had little filling and just fell apart. Overall, i was left feeling kinda sick. I'd heard this place was good in years past...but something's obviously changed. Not recommended.
(1)Hannah C.
How is this only 3.5 stars?!?!?? Someone's trippin. This is the best Chinese in the city. By far. Homemade (even Judy Fu herself shows up sometimes). These guys are always busy, but are equally as nice and composed. Seriously... Best. Huge portions, and they seem spendy, but then BAM! You have 3 meals worth of leftovers! I go here to get happy. You should too.
(5)Angela B.
I don't know how it's possible that I haven't written a review about Snappy Dragon before. It's one of my all time favorite restaurants! The food is phenomenal! My favorites are the Chow Mein with the homemade noodles, the gioza (it's spelled differently, but can't remember how), and the Mu Shoo (probably spelled differently). Yum! Once during a snow storm, I was craving my Snappy Dragon fix so much, I even went out to grab some take out because the urge was just so great. Snappy Dragon I love you!
(5)Karissa K.
Fantastic Service! Excellent food, the pork wontons are home made and they were incredible! Make sure to grab a chocolate dipped fortune cookie on your way out.
(5)Richard B.
A forty minute wait for two take-out appetizers. Not delivery -- I was actually standing there in front of the cash register. No, thank you.
(1)Nina H.
I was excited to try their homemade noodles because I've heard great things, but everything else was pretty mediocre. If I do come back, I'll remember not to come on a Friday night because the wait is about 20-30 minutes for two people. It's crazy how packed it was... and oddly enough, my bf and I were the only two Asians in a Chinese restaurant. We shared the quart of hot and sour soup which was pretty tasty, but nothing too mind-blowing. I did appreciate the large portions because of the higher prices. My favorite was the homemade chow mein noodles. I've never had anything quite like it, but I really enjoyed it! They were pretty much cooked al dente to perfection. There was a variety of vegetables like snow peas, water chestnuts, etc in the noodles which are my favorites. Our other entree was the almond chicken... that was OK, I never usually order Chinese chicken dishes, but it was huge and the bf said it tasted average. I actually just had some leftovers for lunch, and the almonds were huge and too crunchy for my liking in a dish. Overall, service was quick and nice, but the restaurant felt really dirty. Before I sat down, there was a huge wet spot on my chair... and a few minutes later, I overheard the table next to us saying that they had a dirty plate... sigh.
(3)Janet B.
Yum! We ordered the chicken chow mein with homemade noodles, mongolian beef, and pork fried rice. All of the food was absolutely spectacular. Seriously, this is a step up from the greasy chinese food we all know and love. Delivery was right on time and we'll definitely be coming back.
(4)Zak R.
Simply the best! THE BEST! I have been eating here regularly for 7 years and love it! Staff are great! Food is even better! Don't miss the house made noodles!
(5)Clayton J.
I have eaten here several times, but I have to tell you, I don't get the praise. It's a great neighborhood spot, but the food in my opinion is average. I have heard the homemade noodles are heaven, but I'm not a noodle, pasta fan, so I have never tried them. My suspicion based on my decade of infrequent dining here. Judy made this place famous, then went hands off and started marketing sauces. I think this last visit is the end of our relationship, but again, I won't miss it as nothing on the menu stands out for me.
(3)Beth A.
Judy Fu's delivered tonight, and it was delish! Hot and sour soup tasty and full of good stuff, spring rolls crispy and chock full o' veggies, beef and snow peas excellent. Even the brown rice was cooked to perfection!
(4)L R.
If you have to eat gluten free and/or have celiac disease, this is the place to go. I have celiac and was visiting a friend, looking on the internet and asked her if she had heard of this place, and it is her favorite asian restaurant. Great GF menu with good info, knowledgeable staff, decent prices, and good service. This is hands down the best gluten free meal I have had eating out since my celiac diagnosis. I want to move to Seattle just so I can eat here. My gluten eating friend and I ordered a bunch of dishes all GF so we could share them, and it is just wonderful. If you are gluten free this is a must go if you are in Seattle. I hear it can get very busy at dinner time so I would recommend going at an off peak time.
(5)Jamie R.
I'm kind of surprised that I've never written a reviews for Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon, I've been here a million times and love it! Judy's def gets 5 stars for the food, but an overall four star total because their service has never been that great. A bit slow and none too cheerful, but the food is great enough to deal with it. We ALLWAYS get the large order of Jao Xi, which is 26 delectable dumplings... pork or veggie, your choice, but I suggest being smart and going with pork! We also order sesame chicken, salt and pepper chicken, green beans, homemade noodle pork chow mein and wonton soup! Sometimes I mix it up and get hot n sour soup, theirs is the best anywhere. Portion wise please rest assured there is plenty of food on the plates and you'll have left overs!! Now a word of caution for Snappy Dragon virgins, Judy's gets slammed. Prepare to wait, or if you've got a large party, plan ahead and call in reservations several days before. Or go when its less busy, they've got great lunch specials and there's always take out too! Love the Fu!
(4)Rose G.
I'm giving them two stars because the staff is always nice, but really this place makes me kind of mad. If it were just a hole in the wall that shelled out cheap, fast food, I think I could forgive the fact that it's so extremely bland and my brokeass American laziness would prevail and I'd like it just fine. But I can't think of anywhere I've ever found bland before. I always see reviews where people call a place bland or flavorless and I always think they're full of crap. Everything tastes like something. Salt is something, hell. If I can get terrible salty food delivered to my house just on those days being human is too hard, I'm happy. I don't expect fabulous takeout all the time. But this place is really, truly bland. I keep eating here thinking surely since everyone loves it, I'll find something good off the menu. Fool me like five times, shame on me, I guess. Add that to the fact that they're way overpriced and their delivery has taken nearly two hours every time I've ordered it. Service in the restaurant is fairly quick but this place isn't worth putting on real pants for. The fact that this place has glowing reviews and awards is really just perplexing.
(2)Mikiko T.
There are three things you must order when you go to Judy Fu's. 1. The dumplings! Get 26 dumplings and you will not regret the decision. 2. Green onion pancakes. Omg so good. 3. The chow main noodles with HAND-SHAVED noodles. (Not the regular ones) Yum yum yum yum nom!!
(4)Bailey W.
Ah Snappy Dragon, I want to love you. But I just can't. The things I love here are the BBQ pork and hand made noodles, though the noodles tend to be on the greasy side- I'm talking pools of oil when you're done. The bad, I recently ordered the general Tso's chicken and received, well not what I thought I was going to. For a spicy dish it was surprisingly bland and not crispy at all, where's my breaded chicken folks? What little sauce was on the chicken was thin and not at all spicy, I mean no heat what so ever! My husband got the curry chicken and seemed to like it. All in all, for the rediculouse prices and subpar food I don't see myself returning any time soon.
(3)Nicole R.
I don't normally review a place that I've only visited once, but I'm making an exception, since I'm in awe of how bad the food was. Giving them 2 stars instead of one since everyone else seemed to enjoy their food. Maybe I should never order the General Tso's chicken here? If so, they shouldn't have it on the menu! The color of the sauce was blood red (not a terrible thing, just really odd). General Tso's is supposed to be spicy. This was not spicy at all. And it was completely bland. Also, it wasn't very crispy. Everything was wrong with it, and I could only eat a few bites. I'm still on the look-out for a really good Chinese place in Seattle... but I won't go back to Snappy Dragon!
(2)Cassie N.
I have no idea why this place received so many good reviews. I went here one time for a family event and it was the worst Americanized Chinese/ Chinese food I have ever had. My work just recently had their food catered and it was as bad a I had remembered. I felt like most items were either bland or too salty. The sauce that came with the eggplant was extremely off putting, it was this neon orange red sauce that tasted like bland sweet and sour sauce. I love noodles but the noodles here are gummy and have a weird texture and they're suppose to be known for their noodles! The dumplings were gummy too. Maybe we were ordering the wrong thing but than again we ordered a lot...both times. I guess the green beans were okay and so were the tofu dishes but just okay. There are so many good Chinese restaurants in Seattle, I really can't imagine ever going back here.
(1)Bk L.
A really great find. The staff is friendly & gave us great suggestions, the food was always delicious. We got the Kung Pao Chicken & Mongolian Beef - simple yet flavorful. Looking forward to trying other dishes.
(5)Daniel H.
Slightly above average food. Horrible service. Yelp wants more words, but not much else to say. Might try the take out option.
(3)Tonya O.
Not often does a Chinese restaurant please me. This is the exception to that rule! Love the dumplings!!! Sesame chicken and chicken chow mien with home made noodles where AMAZING!! I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Elizabeth M.
Whether it's take-out or dine it, one of the best Chinese restaurants I've been too in seattle. The staff is friendly and food is to die for. I recommend the dumplings or fried rice. The noodles are delicious too. Heck all of it. Heads up though, they get very busy and don't take reservations. So get here early. But if you do make it and there's a wait time...then wait. It's worth it.
(5)Ellen J.
Walking in, the vibe is great. Busy, a few people waiting for their take-out, we were excited about this place. We were looking forward to our dinner. But it was a bust. We didn't think the boiled dumplings were extraordinary. The chow mein with home made noodles was tough and bland. My son who loves noodles, for the first time, didn't have more than a couple of bites. My husband had the sweet and sour pork. It wasn't any better than Panda Express. I had the house specialty smoked duck. It was dry and salty. Full disclosure, we gave this feedback and they took off the duck from our bill. We really wanted to like this place. It has great reviews and was recommended to us. Maybe we ordered the wrong items. It was our first time there. However, the service was incredible, hence the two stars, instead of one.
(2)Chloe H.
My family and I have been going here for a long time for American-Chinese food. What stands out are the homemade soft noodles and the jiao-zi dumplings. One order of chow mein and large order of dumplings is perfect for three. My favorite veggie dish is the green beans with almonds. The other items on the menu I haven't been a huge fan of, but I've always liked the Chinese pickled mustard green in the fried rice. The portions are large, and it's great for take-out. It's clean, the servers are friendly, polite high schoolers, and the bathroom is clean. I would take non-adventurous eaters here, and people craving salty greasy American-Chinese food. Good for families, bad for people who don't like kids.
(4)Jennifer B.
This is a place that I visit every chance I get to Seattle. The homemade noodles are so good! And the dumplings are great. I wish I could find someplace this good in Chicago.
(4)Darin H.
This is the best Chinese restaurant in Seattle you get a lot for your money and much more :) the staff is great and the owners are fun to talk to .
(5)Leo F.
The pork fried rice is sooo delicious. i recently bought some pork fried rice for take out at a different restaurant and I immediately regretted it. Never again.
(5)J S.
Always a solid experience. It's good to sometimes great food. The service is pretty decent, the servers are usually pretty busy so I give them good credit for keeping up. Have had delivery as well and it's always good, a bit pricy but well worth it.
(4)Justin Y.
Probably the worst chinese food ever. First - the food is super greasy and of the worst quality. The food looked like it could have been human or a stray animal. Also, the weird owner is a creeeeeep, and I've seen him berate and belittle his employees and even LIE to my face about their mistakes or his mistakes. Overall a poor experience that I will put on the shoulders of management/owners. Don't go here, it's out f the way and better options in international and even univ district
(1)Willa S.
A coworker took me here recently after raving about the homemade dumplings and hand shaven noodles. While the food was solid, I have to say I wasn't as impressed as I'd expected to be. We got there early, and the place wasn't very full, but the staff seemed pretty busy with take-out orders. I guess they do a lot of carry out business. The decor was pretty lacking, and the plasticy fabric on the booth I was sitting on was ripped in places. But, I wasn't expecting anything fancy so that was ok. It was cool to see someone working in the back room making the dumplings by hand. It took awhile for someone to take our order and it seemed like our waiter was really busy, so a coworker came and helped take our order. This was a bit confusing (we were asked a second time if we needed to order drinks, for example) but in the end wasn't a big deal. Cocktails were strong, so beware! For food we ordered dumplings with pork, fried rice with pork, chow mein with hand shaven noodles and sweet and sour chicken. The dumplings were tasty and came out first. They were more like potstickers than the dumplings I have had at other places. Could just be the style of dumplings though. The fried rice was full of BBQ pork, and was very tasty. I normally never order fried rice though, so I don't have much to compare to. The chow mein with hand shaven noodles was great. It was full of beef, shrimp, bamboo shoots, and snow peas. I've had hand shaven noodles before, and these were decent, though not the best I've had. This dish was particularly salty though. The sweet and sour chicken was probably my least favorite. It was the kind that comes out in that bright red sauce, which I always associate with super Americanized Chinese food. I prefer not to consume that much red food coloring I guess. The flavor was good, the breading a bit thick, and the sauce could have been a bit more tangy. Overall there are better Chinese places than Snappy Dragon. I don't think I'd go out of my way to go back to this neighborhood spot, but if I lived here, I'd definitely go back for take out. There were lots of kids dining here, and young ones, so if that's not your thing, just grab take out and eat at home :-)
(3)Caitlin B.
I feel insulted in every way after eating here. Totally inattentive service with greasy, salty, crudely presented food. Crispy eggplant was mostly spongy breading, onion pancake was tough and greasy, served with two terrible dipping sauces, Chow Mein Noodles were OK, but tasteless. I don't get it! ICKY
(1)Jeffrey V.
Went with a group of 4, and everyone loved it. (And all 4 of us had leftovers to take home.) The kung pao chicken was flavorful and tender, the sesame chicken wasn't overly sweet like it is in most places, and the vegetables in every dish were clearly fresh and full of bright flavors. We had a diner with Celiac disease, and the server knew which dishes were gluten free (or could be prepared GF) and they even labeled the leftovers to indicate which were GF. Parking was tricky because even at 5pm on a Sunday the place was packed, but we were seated immediately (we had reservations.)
(5)Matisse M.
The chow mein with the homemade noodles and the pork dumplings (jiao-zi) are the two dishes that keep me coming back for more! If you don't get either of those, then you haven't experienced the wonder that is Snappy Dragon.
(5)Meagan B.
Hmm....I think I ordered wrong. What I ordered: Barbecue Pork- average Ants on a Tree- Bean thread noodles with Szechuan sauce, pork, green onions Salt and Pepper Chicken- Deep fried chicken with salt and pepper on top These were on the menu under "specialties," so I figured that they would be good. Also, a couple yelp reviewers raved about the salt and pepper chicken. Boy, was I wrong. The Ants on a Tree was swimming in sauce that I didn't care for. I did not come with much pork...a very strange dish. The salt and pepper chicken had no sauce. It was also too salty and a little greasy. I was just confused about how I was supposed to eat it. Glorified chicken nuggets for $12. After evaluating our trip, my boyfriend and I decided that we should have gone for the soup, dumplings, and homemade noodles. I doubt we'll be back because of the prices. Oh, also my boyfriend has an MSG intolerance and had some trouble after we finished our meal, so if that's the case for you, be sure to ask for no MSG.
(1)Kelly T.
The bf and I tried this place on a whim after being disappointed so many times with other restaurants in our neighborhood (Lake City). After a little googling we found JFSD. We ordered the house fried rice, general tso's chicken, and the Mongolian beef. The fried rice and general tso's were crazy good!! We couldn't believe our taste buds. The Mongolian beef was good but not as fantastic as the other two dishes. I like the fact that you can moderate the spiciness of the food. The spicier, the better I say!! And btw they not only deliver, but the delivery guy can run your credit card with a handy handheld credit card processor so you don't have to give your credit card info over the phone. This is our go-to place for great Chinese food!
(5)Joyce B.
we have heard about this place for years... that they have the best Gyoza (dumplings) which are made right in front of you. Walked in and thought the place was really cute. Super busy, must be good. We only ordered one pork/one veggie dumpling appetizer, the green onion pancake, steamed green beans and a hum bow (steamed bun filled with pork). The Gyoza and pancake were way too doughy. The pork dumplings were ok in flavor, the veggie dumplings tasted like they used wild and bitter spinach. The hum bow was gross.... The beans were phenomenal, and the cocktail was great as well. The service was also really good, but won't be going back. Way too disappointed with the famous dumplings.
(2)Rebecca L.
ordering when it comes to snappy dragon, it's all about ordering the right food to get the most out of your meal. and if i were to judge their restaurant based solely on their hot and sour soup, i would give it five stars. 1. order the shao tzu (the pork dumplings). Make sure you have enough hot sauce and soysauce. Because if you eat it without these complementary sauces, it will be bland. 2. order the hot and sour soup. this is probably the best hot and sour soup i've had. it's hearty, hot and perfectly made. 3. order the mushu pork and ask them for extra pancakes. it's on the salty side by itself, which is why it should be eaten with the pancake and hoisin sauce. i've tried their chow mein and it was very tasty along. the only quib i have about this place is the apathetic servers. but other than that, i'm a fan.
(4)Sven S.
I was so excited to come here because of all the reviews I read for the place..however when I finally decided to eat here I was VERY disappointed! Walking into the place, the decor sucks! The host staff has no idea what she was doing and asked me 3x how many are in my party.. After being seated in my ripped up booth, it took the server about 5 mins to finally come, keep in mind that this place was not busy at all! After ordering the dumplings and the peanut wontons, which took about 15 mins to get, the expo just plops it on the table without saying a word. I was highly disappointed in the service. If this was an authentic Chinese place where it was nothing but Asian people working here, I could completely understand. I've been taking Asian and the service there isn't well either but at least the food is amazing! But sadly the food here was disappointing, very disappointing. I wasted $25 for horrible service and food. NEVER AGAIN!!
(1)Ellen L.
All in all, it was bad. Everything from the food to the service was just awful. I'm so glad we were there for the lunch special and not the dinner service. First of all: service. Our waitress was not only rude and dismissive, but did not know anything about the menu items listed for lunch. We waited about 20 minutes before our order was taken, then another 20 minutes before our food came. Oh yeah, the food. I ordered the Mongolian beef with an egg roll, fried rice, and hot & sour soup. The soup was just bland, watery, lukewarm, gross. The egg roll was actually not bad- just a bit bland. The beef was sickeningly sweet, with huge chunks of onion that were raw in the center- also lukewarm. The veggies in the rice were mealy and tasted like the ragged survivors of severe freezer burn. Yikes. You will definitely not enjoy the food here unless you are 1) white or 2) know absolutely nothing about Chinese food and what it should taste like. I mean, I get that it's fusion. But that doesn't excuse nasty tasting food and bad service.
(2)Robin T.
UNBELIEVABLY WONDERFUL CHINESE FOOD!!!! The only reason not 5 star is because I think they need to revamp the seating area and make it safer and more personal and private at each table. The FOOD: salt and pepper chicken. Can't get it out of my mind... incredible!! The fried rice was massive and perfect!!! The shrimp dish was perfect.. can't say enough about the whole mean. Just marvelous.. it was perfect!! can't wait to go again..
(4)Carly P.
I used to be really impressed with this place, but their quality seems to suffer during peak times. My delivery order today (yes, they deliver, and that is awesome) was a lunch combo, white chicken and veg with black bean sauce, fried rice, won-ton soup, and a spring roll. spring roll was great, tasted fresh, won-ton soup was wonderful, however the fried rice was mushy and the chicken and veg were drowned in a lake of super-salty sauce. It's too bad I didn't think to order the sauce on the side. Meal was about ten bucks, 12 with tip for the delivery guy, so it was cheap, but definitely not great food. I would have been happier with just a tub of that awesome won-ton soup.
(3)Michael K.
After hours of bowling, pool and drinking all manners of ridiculous alcohol, we made our way back to my house and decided to finish the night off with some Chinese food delivery. After telling me it would be about an hour, the food took maybe 30 minutes to arrive, and everything was ridiculously hot and ready to be devoured. The handmade chow mein noodles were delicious, the mu shu chicken and homemade chinese pancakes were awesome, the garlic prawns were tender and full of veggies and the general tsos chicken was very different but still very good. The amount of leftovers I consumed is slightly on the embarrassing side, but honestly, I enjoyed every bite I had and I will most certainly order food from here again at some point.
(4)Alan N.
Living nearby, this is a staple for decent Chinese food. The prices are a little higher than some of the places on the Ave but you also get a little higher quality. I often order the dumplings and find them pretty good, not as good as ID stuff but for delivery in the neighbourhood, it is a staple. I also recommend their noodle soups and anything stir fried.
(4)Rosa O.
Snappy Dragon used to be my go-to for good Chinese food, but it hasn't stood the test of time. I came here a few weeks ago for lunch and experienced a serious service problem. I got the lunch special which begins with soup, and that soup took over 25 minutes to come out. Since most soup isn't made on the spot in the restaurant just for you, I'm curious to know what was going on. The soup was unfortunately the highlight - my chow mein hand-cut noodles were good, but seemingly flavored with just salt and not a lot else. I have such fond memories of this place and hate to give it up, but I miss the wow factor I used to get.
(2)Monkey T.
While walking up, we saw people leaving with bags of food, thinking this must be the local takeout place. Awesome handmade noodles. Order your favorites, but whatever you do, get the handmade noodles. Humungous plates, so either bring friends or take the rest home. POTSTICKERS - pan fried or boiled, filled with spinach, tofu & black mushroom VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN - oodles n boodles of noodles and veggies VEGETABLE MU SHU - lump gobs of veggies into pancakes and grub like big veggie tacos. Don't forget the hoisin sauce! Monkey will return to carbo load before next race!
(5)John O.
Ok help me out here! Saw all the good review voted best Asian for five years?? no flavor soggy steamed veggies doey homemade gushy noodles . Nice atmosphere but I am really here for the food!! It sucked! Must be some kind of white people yuppie thing expensive tasteless and forgettable I would love to do a cook off here anytime! Go here prove me wrong and write a review maybe they were having a bad day?? I can't afford to give them another chance life is too short!
(2)Katie K.
The chow mien with handmade noodles is excellent, but everything I've had is great. They have an extensive cocktail menu, but beware the "one per customer" Bamboo! It was so strong that I could only drink 1/3rd of it. The only downside is that they will get super busy, and they don't accept reservations for parties of 5 and under.
(4)Richard H.
It's all about the dumplings at Snappy Dragon. They are fresh, homemade bursts of flavor served with the best dipping sauce I've had. We didn't try the homemade noodles, but I wish we had. We had a large party and for entrees ordered the Moo Shu pork, the Tomato Beef, the "Happy Family" seafood, and Szechuan Tofu. These dishes, at least, were all very tasty, although I found the Tomato Beef sauce overly sweet and cloying. My parents-in-law adore that dish, so YMMV. My take on those items, and the menu in general, is that Snappy Dragon excels in americanized chinese food, leaning cantonese. If you are looking for challenging dim sum, or roasted fish, you are going to be disappointed. But to an American palate, this place is a crowdpleaser. Portions are huge so don't let the prices scare you; there is plenty for tomorrow's breakfast (except for the dumplings, those won't last no matter how many are on the table!). The tea served is a Green, in another departure from the traditional. I happen to like Green tea, so no complaints there. The decor is pleasant and pedestrian. There are a few abacuses (abacaii?) on the walls, with horsehair brushes and other bric a brac. It can get very busy, and the entrance way is like running a gauntlet between the folks waiting for tables, take out, and who knows what else. Street parking can be tricky, but if you are a Seattle-ite, then you know the drill.
(3)Diana C.
There aren't many Chinese restaurants in Seattle that taste like authentic Chinese food to me, but I remember loving the dumplings at this restaurant when I was little. I was craving dumplings so I decided to check this place out again. We ordered pork dumplings, lamb and sea stew, and ma po tofu. The dumpling skin is really good, you can tell that they make it themselves. The ma po tofu was average, I think it tastes better if you add meat. The land and sea stew is SO delicious!!! It has a mix of seafood (squid, shrimp, fish), meats, and veggies with fen si noodles. Broth is a bit salty but it was worth it still. My boyfriend and I forgot to look at the description, so we didn't realize that it was 2 quarts until they brought it to the table. We had a lot of leftovers that still tasted great the next day! Parking is hard to find, I just parked in the residential area around the corner.
(5)Patty H.
I love the homemade noodles, the thick slices of BBQ pork, the hot and sour soup, the large portion sizes, the friendly staff,decent music,good prices, comfortable atmosphere ! I return whenever Im in the neighborhood.
(4)Rick M.
Andrew is the best, as is the eggplant!
(5)D R.
Homemade noodles and dumplings are really good
(5)Robyn H.
I had a friend tell me how good Judy Fu's was so I had to check it out. I went with my husband and another couple and we all LOVED it! The pot stickers were wonderful. I loved the flavor of the food and it was so fresh. I wish I lived closer.....then again, maybe not. That could be dangerous.
(5)Valerie N.
First time coming here. The food was bad. The Mongolian beef was salty. The chow mein did not have flavor at all. In addition to the bad food, the prices were too expensive.The staff was
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