Ichiban Sichuan
610 S Park St, Madison, WI, 53715
Ichiban Sichuan Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
610 S Park St
Madison, WI, 53715 - Phone (608) 819-8808
- Website https://www.ichibansichuanwi.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Belinda L.
I have been to Ichiban more than 10 times since it first opened ~ 2 years ago. When I first heard of their name, I thought it's a Japanese restaurant. But make no mistake, Ichiban serves up authentic Sze Chuan food. Their menu and taste are actually pretty similar to Fugu, but since Ichiban opened I frequent Ichiban so much more because parking is so much easier right in front of the restaurant itself or along one of the streets nearby (free in the evenings and weekends!). I have tried (and recommend) their spicy fish dishes. There are a couple of those in the menu. Together with the hot pot series (kidneys, intestines, fish and lamb). The claypot beef is a good dish too, it has smooth and tender pieces of beef with a medley of mushrooms in a nice stew. If you feel like taking a break from the meat (why would you), their Japanese style tofu is a nice choice, with bits of seafood on a plate of gently fried tofu rounds. Traditional Sze Chuan dishes are generally hot, spicy and oily. I like the oily part the least, and often find myself using their generous portion of rice to soak up the oil instead. Even though the food portions are great, they can get pretty pricey. An appetizer plus two main dishes can easily add up to about 30 or more for a party of two. It's also an excellent idea to go in larger groups, so you can order and try out more dishes on your visit. It's afterall a Chinese style restaurant, so ordering a number of dishes to share around the table is common tradition.
(4)John Chung-En L.
I have visited Ichiban at least 10 times. This place serves legit Chinese food, Szechuan/Sichuan specialty. In terms of food, it is definitely among, if not the best in Madison. If you want to try some authentic stuff, you are at the right place. This is reflected in the fact that Ichiban is probably the most popular dinner gathering place for the Chinese-speaking students on UW campus. Then, why not five stars? 1) The price is less affordable than places such as oriental house (just next door!) or Double 10 (newest authentic restaurant on the block at time of this review), and i think you get less out your bucks at Ichiban 2) Food could be a little too oily and spicy for people not accustomed to Sichuan cooking. 3) I do not usually care much about service than the food itself, but yes, their service is pretty bad, as other Yelper mentioned.
(4)Christine L.
For once, a recommendation for a Chinese restaurant in Madison came through for me. The food at Ichiban is not the best Chinese that I've ever had, but it's certainly at a different level from what you might find in Madison. We went and had a vermicelli with minced pork, eggplant with garlic sauce, and the spicy chicken dish. The spicy chicken dish was very good if you like some heat in your food. I found the eggplant with garlic sauce somewhat oily, but it went well with some rice. This place is the best Chinese I've had in Madison. It's rather pricey, but it's not your typical Chinese takeout food and it's worth it. Come here if you want to expand your culinary experience of Chinese food to more than just General Tso' chicken and orange chicken and be prepared to enjoy some spice.
(4)Kat T.
Pretty authentic chinese resturant. Definitely have to be with a Chinese person to know what to order. Wish their food wasn't too salty though.
(4)Cindy T.
Service was kind of slow, and the food was okay. I'll probably try other places before coming back.
(3)Saira L.
Ichiban.. the name might be a little misleading if you did not do your research. Its a Chinese not Japanese restaurant. The food to me (not an expert) seemed like authentic Sichuan. It has some nice spicy dishes. If you want you can push your pallete and comfort zone, try things like kidney and intestine. I went on a particularly cold day with two of my Asian friends, one of whom spoke Mandarin. So we got some hot water to start our meal-a nice touch for me. I know most Americans cringe at the idea of hot water to drink- but to my friends and me, it was pretty darn good. Next time I went in by myself, I also received it. If you ask you can get some hot water. Now to the FOOD.. it was yummy. So far in my two visits I have had: an eggplant dish, kidney in garlic sauce, hot and crispy chicken, pork intestine, and green beans in garlic. I have liked it all. The kidney I would not have again- the taste was good but the texture was not my thing. The intestine I would do again. The other stuff were things I normally eat- so they were all something I would eat. Overall Ichiban is good.
(4)Ally M.
If you love spicy food, this is the place to go. They have legitimate Sichuan Chinese food that my family and I love. They can make any dish spicy and still taste unique and delicious. The prices are also reasonable, and the serving sizes are quite generous as well. One of the better Chinese restaurants in town.
(4)Dan L.
On the one hand, this is the best Chinese place in Madison. It's one of the few places where you can get Chinese food that isn't smothered in a sickly sweet sauce, without going back to the kitchen and talking to the chef. On the other hand, the sichuan dishes are all missing the sichuan peppercorns that give them their characteristic málà flavor. Overall, solid, but not great, Chinese food.
(4)Gina S.
Our experience at Ichiban Sichuan on a Friday evening (early-ish), was...in a word...annoying. The service is the main reason this place is just two stars for me. The food would get three or four stars. The decor of this place is a bit tacky, and it was pretty cold inside - I don't think it was well insulated. Several of the people that were eating there kept on their coats. Also, the music they were playing when we first came in included a slow-piano and violin version of the Happy Birthday song and other weird versions of cheesy songs. Not the coolest. Our waitress was very nice and clearly wanted to please us, but unfortunately it didn't turn out right. First, she started us off with two glasses of water - one of which had a lipstick print on the side and clearly had not been washed. It made me wonder about the attentiveness to cleanliness there. She apologized and replaced the water glass quickly, however. Then, having recently gone on a diet, I asked whether or not it was possible to get Kung Pao chicken NOT-fried. She said yes, of course, nodding her head vigorously. When the dish came (in pretty good time, I guess), the chicken was indeed fried. My BF and I had ordered both the Kung Pao Chicken dish and the spicy green beans dish to share, which we made clear to the waitress. But the spicy green beans came out about 40 minutes afterwards. I was afraid we wouldn't even have time to eat it. While we were waiting for that dish, we had asked our waitress to check on it twice, which she said she did and that they were working on it in the kitchen. And this is probably the most picky comment, but several of the waitresses (younger ones, ours included) were literally running around the place when a larger crowd came. They looked extremely stressed out. I'm not sure if there was some unique situation happening behind the scenes, or if they had just hired a bunch of new wait staff, but it stressed me out seeing them so stressed out. Anyway, I might get delivery from them in the future, but the in-person experience left a lot to be desired.
(2)Peter Y.
At Bob S' behest, I finally got around to ordering from Ichiban. First, I would just like to say this was the fastest delivery order yet. We placed our order at ~7:30, and received a call at 7:50. I was expecting an hour's wait, as is typical for delivery in Madison, and was pleasantly surprised. Second, this place has real, yes REAL, scallion pancakes (though it could have been crunchier). Ever since moving here from Boston, I have been on a crusade to find scallion pancakes. I've tried dozens of Chinese places, and have received bread with scallions, fried crepes with scallions, but never actual scallion pancakes... Until now. Now, moving on to the actual food, which is among the most authentic Szechuan cuisine (along with Fugu) in all of Madison. We ordered the ox tongue and triple with chili sauce (different cuts of beef doused in chili oil), scallion pancakes (yay finally), eggplant with chili garlic sauce (huge chunks of sweet eggplants immersed in chili sauce) and poached sliced fish in hot chili sauce (the most tender fish you will ever have). The meal also came with 2 boxes of white rice, perfect for soaking up all the chili sauce. Though, for some reason, there were no fortune cookies. C'mon Ichiban, you need to get with the game here. That being said, everything was absolutely delicious, and I will definitely be stuffing my face with their dishes sometime soon. One thing of note is that the prices are slightly higher than most Chinese places in Madison, but I'd say it's well worth it.
(5)Sally C.
Authentic Chinese food. Delicious and huge portions. You'll definitely be taking a box home and coming back.
(4)Elizabeth C.
The name is confusing but it's a Sze Chuan Chinese restaurant, meaning its best dishes are really spicy. I'd say the food is comparable to Fugu. To be honest (and don't kill me!), I don't notice a huge difference. BUT, I will say that Ichiban does a MUCH better boiled beef dish than Fugu. A seasoned Sze Chuan chef drops dead every time Fugu makes that dish. Kidding. Kind of. Ichiban's version tops Fugu's bastardized one every damn time. So if you like boiled beef (and if you haven't tried it, go for it! Its Chinese name literally translates to "water-boiled beef" though that is SO misleading because it's jam-packed with spicy chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Be sure to drink some milk afterwards), go to Ichiban. Go out of your way to go to Ichiban. Other than that, if you have to choose between Fugu and Ichiban, go with whichever one is closer.
(4)Amanda L.
So I came to Madison hoping against hope that there would be a Chinese restaurant I could at least stomach. (Coming from a Chinese family, after living in California and visiting Taiwan every year... you get the picture.) Imagine my surprise when the first Chinese place I go to is GREAT! My mom and I were both impressed. We had a great time talking to the two male waiters, who are both from the same hometown in China as my mom. Be prepared for the food to be spicy, but if you like that- this is the place for you. Here's what I have tried so far, and every single one I fully endorse: -Sichuan Style Cucumber Appetizer -Spicy Stir Fried Green Beans -Twice Cooked Pork with Black Curded Bean and Pepper -Chicken with Three Pepper -Sliced Fish with Salted Mustard Cabbage (it's a soup, don't be surprised, but IT'S SO GOOD. really spicy though.) But everything is worth a try! Packed on weekend nights (with Chinese!), but the place is big so no worries.
(5)Raphael A.
Sichuan is a region in China known for hot babes. If you know a thing or two about what brings the heat you know that you need the whole package. Pretty and smart gets it done. Taking one without the other you're either shallow or a chump. You'll see a ton of these yelp reviews deride the decor or the service or the atmosphere. These are the kinds of kids that like places like Imperial Garden. Who likes that place? (I do. Kind of a lot. I think?). You'll also see a ton of these yelp reviews glow over Sichuan food and eating stuff like oxtail and tripe or pickled soup. I am a big fan, and their spicy crispy chicken is my jam. The only thing I got here that I didn't like was the Kung Pao chicken - it didn't pack much heat and the sauce was thick and sweet. I think they thought I was getting something from the Americanized menu. So what kind of babe is Ichiban? Obviously she's the brainy one that doesn't care what you think. I kinda wish she did, though.
(3)Michelle G.
The driver said we were 22 miles from them thats why it took 2 hours for delivery. However, we are 17 min 7.8 miles from door to door..Cashew chicken was garlic flavored, chicken tasted not fresh. Appetizer vegetable dumpling is bland filled with what tasted like greens of some sort? no taste. The order did not come with any sauces such as soy. Chicken and Shrimp TSO is ok, large chunks. Mongolian beef was fair. Smoothies were all good, but order was all mixed up. We ordered online. No one calls u to confirm or informs u of any delays. It was snowing but not a blizzard.
(2)Ami R.
Ichiban is an excellent restaurant. The diners are almost all Chinese. I want to try everything but get timid when it comes time to order. The menu is huge and I cannot really tell what the dish is like before it arrives. The waitstaff speaks limited English and are unable to really help you out. I have been to Ichiban 3 times and each time I have enjoyed my meal. The food can be very oily but that is the case at Fugu as well, another authentic Chinese restaurant. Vegetables are fresh and crispy, tofu light and puffy and the sauces are diverse rather than everything tasting the same. My guy ordered the Cumin Flavored beef with Chili Sauce which was our least favorite dish. I have enjoyed the Sichuan sauce twice, once with chicken and once with tofu. I loved the Japanese Tofu in Hot Pot, Braised Vegetable with Shitake Mushroom and the Vegetable Dumplings. You must give Ichiban a try. i have never waited more than 10 minutes for my food to arrive. I am hellbent on spending an evening there just interviewing folks about what they are eating. I love moo-shu pork but this is a whole different ballgame.
(4)Trish K.
This place was a saving grace for me. Being from out of town and being used to a plethora of Asian cuisine being everywhere, I couldn't believe how there were so few authentic Chinese places. It's like there is a drought of authentic Chinese cuisine and thankfully this was the ONLY watering hole. Their string bean with garlic dish is always a go to dish along with the ox tongue and tripe. The double cooked pork was great. The spicy crispy chicken and beef brisket hot pot was definitely a favorite with the chicken just being spicy enough and succulent. And last but not least, the spicy crispy fish as well. I really hope this place thrives so if I ever have to come back, this will be my go to place to feel at home.
(4)Fanda Z.
no words
(1)Andrew D.
A really great spot. Real Chinese food. Very broad menu including very authentic cuisine. We go here a few times a month. Casual and kid friendly. Great service. Try the spicy chicken and we love the garlic pork.
(4)Rebecca L.
One of my favorite restaurants in Madison. The Sichuan dishes on their menu are full-on spicy, so you have been warned. One of my favorite dishes is their chili garlic eggplant. It's medium spicy and has a delicious garlicky flavor. I've ordered online twice and picked up my food and eaten at the restaurant once. The food comes out super quick (about 5 minutes) but doesn't taste like they took any short cuts. They have a huge menu, so it might be hard to make a choice, but any choice you make is bound to be delicious.
(5)Shruti W.
3.5 stars. Don't be fooled by the Japanese name...this place is a Chinese restaurant! It just so happens to be THE best Chinese food in Madison. This is a Sichuan style place, so make sure you stick to Sichuan dishes and you will be very happy. The service is so-so, but that's typical for a Chinese restaurant. This place doesn't get 5 stars because 1) It's way overpriced for Chinese food. $10-15/plate?! Are you kidding me? 2) The food is good, but not good enough to compare to decent Chinese food in other cities (ie Chicago, SF). FYI, Fugu used to be really good, but the chef moved to Ichiban a while ago.
(3)Lindsay W.
One of my favorites. This place is the best Chinese/Thai in Madison! Every time my family goes here it's great. Nice staff, and easy to do take out too. We are a bunch of foodies, but still list this as one of our favorites over many of the upscale/nice restaruants in town. Whenever we order/try something new, it ends up being GREAT! My favorite is the Chicken Pad Thai, but the whole menu seems to be all deliciousness!
(5)Tammi H.
I'm baffled by the good reviews on here. First, this is not a Japanese restaurant if the name suggested otherwise. It really shouldn't even be considered a Chinese restaurant as the food does injustice to what is actually good Sze Chuan / Chinese food. Second, I'm not the best cook in the world, but I feel like I can stir fry green beans and sizzling beef (or "hibachi beef" as they call it) much better than this place. The food was way too salty and tasted worse than the Chang Jiang Americanized stuff, especially given the not-so-cheap prices ($15 for the hibachi blob, $10 for the green beans). Third, tea is charged per cup ($1.75) with free refills. Since it was per cup anyways, I asked to have a different tea from my co-diner, but the server was basically too lazy to brew two different kettles, so she told us that they only had one type of tea. Sure. They really should just charge per kettle, like almost every other Chinese restaurant in the country. I really wanted to support Asian restaurants in Madison out of the hope that more will spring up, but this is just plain bad. If you want to try what is actually good Sze Chuan food, please do yourself a favor and drive to Chinatown in Chicago and go to Lao Sze Chuan. Then come back and revise your review for this place.
(2)Liz B.
Had to doc Ichiban one star because they forgot the rice with my delivery order; however, I called the restaurant, they called the driver, and delivered the rice within 20 minutes. I ordered the green beans with garlic...amazing!!! Unfortunately, they were a little cold when they arrive but still delicious. I also had the eggplant with chili sauce. Spicy and delicious! I will definitely order from Ichiban again. Easy online ordering and quick delivery. Hopefully they won't forget the rice next time!
(4)P J.
Tried 3 different dishes. The fish with intestines is probably the best of the three but the intestines had some smell. Otherwise overall too salty.
(3)Tom Q.
Ichiban is up there with the best Chinese in Madison. Most of the menu is authentic with a few American standards thrown in. Think General Tso's chicken. It's best to come with a few adventurous friends and order several items. The portions are huge for the prices. String beans with or without minced pork and cumin lamb are my faves. I will be back. Soon.
(4)Elsa L.
This review is based on Ichiban's delivery service, which was very disappointing. We waited TWO HOURS for our food to be delivered, after being told it would take 45-60 minutes. I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt at first, but after waiting an hour and a half, decided to call to inquire about our order. The person we spoke with on the phone was very unprofessional and unhelpful. They sounded confused about our order and hung up on us when we continued to ask if our food was out for delivery or not. We eventually did receive our order, but it was not worth the hassle and long wait. I would not recommend ordering delivery from here.
(1)Amonnies L.
This was my 1st time in Madison and for some odd reason I felt a tingling need to satisfy my urge for spicy Asian food on this cold Friday evening. I chose Ichiban based on online reviews such as this and the fact that their menu offered such oddities that other restaurants wouldn't dare to offer. I figured, this place ought to be great if they can offer these on their menu! Items such as intestine, tripe, and duck tongue just to name a few. Besides, I'm sick of those "Chinese buffet" style food. I craved originality and unique taste and flavor. I wanted everything on the menu! However, just looking at the prices and what I have in my wallet , I figured it wasn't a good idea to order much so I decided to phone in my order of Hot and Spicy Beef and Hot and Sour Seafood soup. The first attempt of calling was unsuccessful; I received a generic voicemail. The second attempt fared better. I was greeted by a noisy background and eventually a lady who seemed to be very polite. In the midst of giving my order, she started yelling something in her native language. Nonetheless, she repeated my small order back to me and asked me to come in 35 minutes to pick up my order due to it being very busy. I hesitantly agreed. 35 minutes later passed by and I'm at the register watching the waiters and waitresses dart back and forth. I kid you not, they are running back and forth carrying food. Not just 1 or 2 staff members, ALL of them are running around! Cups are being held with fingers inside of them so they're able to hold more while they run. Bowls and plates of food are not served on a serving tray so they're just running back and forth from the kitchen to tables. Aye aye aye! This was a sight to be seen I tell ya! They must have this down to an exact science as there were not a drop or spill anywhere during this circus fest! The biggest kicker was that they never made my food yet. I waited around for an additional 30 minutes for them to keep telling me it's being prepared. 30 minutes is not an estimate either, I timed it on my cell phone from arrival to seeing it placed on the takeout table as there were nowhere for me to sit while I waited. Of course, one of the staff member invited me to sit next to another dining patron 20 minutes into my wait, however, I politely declined. I wonder, If I phoned in my order previously and it took an hour to get to me, were they an hour behind on all food orders? Ahh, I finally have my food with me but with no included utensils or napkins. This is where I tell you that all this waiting was worth it. Yep, you guessed it. I would've gotten the same satisfaction with Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets. The Hot and Spicy Beef were served cold in a pool of red chili garlic oil. The $9 Hot and Sour seafood soup was just your measly Chinese buffet style hot and sour soup with 1, yes 1 baby shrimp and 4 squid and a 3 imitation crab leg piece. This was an utter disappointment. I ended up rinsing off the beef with water because it was soaked in oil and throwing half of the hot and sour soup away because there were no other edibles in it. No tofu, no mushroom, nor bamboo shoots. No pun intended but this entire experience left me with a hot and sour taste in my mouth. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone considering there are many other choices in the same vicinity. Thank you all for reading and happy eating!
(1)Michael C.
I was a little skeptical as I drove up to Ichiban Sichuan because when I looked into the window I didn't see anyone inside. As I walked into the restaurant (because I trust Yelper's reviews), the other half of the restaurant was packed. We were promptly seated and given glasses of water along with a set of menus. After going over the vast menu, we decided on a mapo tofu, spicy dried intestines, and spicy fish hotpot with mushrooms. All three dishes were out on the table within 10 minutes. I've never been to a restaurant where the food is served piping hot in a matter of minutes. All three dishes were delicious. The food wasn't too spicy, but it had a great flavor. The mapo tofu was served piping hot with tons of meat and spicy sauce. The fish hot pot was not too spicy but had a nice kick to it. There was plenty of fish along with a good portion of enoki mushrooms and bean sprouts. The dried intestines was a little disappointing. The flavor was good, but it wasn't as crispy as I expected. Overall the flavor of the food was excellent, but on the greasy side. So, if you don't have a iron stomach, you might want to only get one spicy dish. I definitely will be back one more time before I leave Madison. Thanks again Ichiban Sichuan for the delicious meal!!!
(4)Mallory P.
Since Orient House went downhill, I'm looking for a new delivery option. I won't pretend to have a sophisticated taste - I order General's chicken, chicken/mixed veggies, and spring rolls. Judging from the other reviews, Ichiban Sichuan has some great dishes, but my boring stuff isn't among them.
(3)Drew W.
GO TO THE ORIENT HOUSE NEXT DOOR....Had the double cooked pork and instead of pork it was bacon. I don't know if they forgot which type of pork is usually used but it was very disappointing. I recommend next door instead.
(2)Sara T.
I had read reviews about Ichiban and Fugu having both authentic Chinese cuisines in Madison. I recently went to Fugu so I had to go to Ichiban. The staff allowed us to peruse the menu for a while before taking our order. It's huge and many things sound yummy. We spent some time trying to get a look of other's meals without being too obvious and rude. I decided to order 3 ingredient potstickers for all of us. I love hot and sour soup so I ordered their sour and spicy seafood soup for myself, or so I thought. They brought out a huge bowl of soup and three cups for everyone. Thankfully, the others were willing to eat it. I even ended up taking soup home. The soup had a wonderful flavor and perfect heat. The seafood was fake crab, canned shrimp and possibly octopus. I didn't eat the krab or shrimp but the octopus was good. The potstickers were great with a tasty soy sauce. For entrees, one person got the mei fun which she loved and are it all up. I got the shrimp in black bean sauce. I wanted to go outside my comfort zone but I couldn't decide what I wanted so I went with a safe bet. The other person ordered poached chicken hot chili sauce. The waitress accidentally wrote sliced fish. It was still amazing. He'll try the chicken next time but it was still amazing. Overall, the food was great and fast. I hate to say but I like Fugu a tiny bit more. Thus, the 4 star.
(4)Chan D.
GREAT Chinese food ，spicy，i like spicy food , spicy crisp chicken ,spicy string bean,\eggplant with spicy gralic sauce,thin wrap pork in sauce , sichuan style cucumber,its awesome，
(5)Youming Y.
After a 3-day drive from California to Wisconsin, I took my mom to this restaurant in hopes of reassuring her that decent Chinese food exists in Madison. It was 1:30pm, on a Wednesday, and when we walk in to the dimly lit, empty restaurant, the two male employees (waiter A and B) stare at me and my mom blankly. We ask them if they're open for lunch, and they say yes. Then waiter A takes two menus, walks over to a table and drops them down, and goes over to lay down a tablecloth over another table. My mom and I walk over to this table and seat ourselves. We figure out the menu, and wait to order. And wait.... and wait. Waiter B, who is sitting behind the counter 10ft away from us the entire time, seems to be tremendously engrossed in his phone. So much so that we watched as he walked over to his charger to plug his phone in, and continue twiddling his thumbs, both metaphorically and literally. After five minutes of wondering whether that Time article about millenials was in fact about this employee, he looks up, sees that we need to order, and _proceeds to ask waiter A to come back out and take our order_. Waiter A comes out, has to hang up the phonecall that _he_ was on, and finally takes our order. Our food arrives relatively quickly (in fact all four dishes took less time than we had to wait to order), so at least the kitchen is competent. Not surprisingly, Waiter A, the same guy who "showed us our table" served the food by dropping it on our table, and walking away. In the end, the food was great, but what passes for lunchtime service will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
(2)Lillian C.
THE BEST Chinese food in Madison, hands down. What I love about this place: - authentic (many dishes which are difficult to find elsewhere) - delicious! The meats are always unbelievably tender and the the food so flavorful (esp if you like spicy- which is what Szechuan cuisine is known for) - can easily accomodate large parties Go there! Now!
(5)Francisco S.
Good Sichuan food, but when it tries to accomodate customers with a more Chinese-American palate and expectations, it produces mediocre, bland dishes. It should stick to the former. Waitstaff can be unhelpful and downright indifferent at times. We've seen the dining area full of soiled dishes and dinnerware when staff should have cleaned the space.
(3)Tawnie R.
Tried 2 new dishes tonight. The Cumin Flavored Beef with Chili Sauce, and the Fried Shredded Beef in Chili Sauce. Both were excellent! The fried was slightly more spicy. The Cumin Beef was very fragrant with cumin, but the flavor was not overwhelming. Just right. The Fried beef was small strips, coated in chili seeds, with lots of the dried red chilies on the platter, and Sichuan peppercorns. Very yummy! We were sweating by the time we were done eating, so my craving for spicy this evening was hit right on the spot! Gotta love it when a craving is satisfied! I would recommend both dishes. I would also like to slip in a comment here about the staff. Every single time we've been there, they have been absolutely excellent. They have been very helpful, and answered all our questions, and took the time to tell us their favorite dishes. . Couldn't ask for better! We are now recognized as soon as we walk in, and they even remember what we usually order, and put it in for us as soon as we walk in, if we confirm that is what we want. Our previous wait staff always makes a point to stop by & say "Hi" if they are not waiting on us that night We just love going there!
(5)Peggy Y.
I came here with a party of 9. Don't be fooled by the Japanese name. It is actually Chinese Sichuan cuisine. Every dish is either spicy or super spicy!! I actually did my research prior walking in the restaurant just to see what I should order. We did our dan dan noodles, ma po tofu, salt and spicy chicken, pot stickers, and many more dishes. I really enjoyed the ma po tofu mixed with the dan dan noodles. Perfect spiciness. The appetizers were tasty. If you cannot eat spicy, you should ask your waiter and see what they recommend. They do have a lot of variety and I believe I took pictures on the entire menu for your viewing. Overall a solid 3 stars. We didn't have to wait TOO long, we had a whole room to ourselves pretty much (the place is pretty big as you walk inside). Never mind the decor, you're eating at a Chinese restaurant. I wouldn't recommend the Mango smoothie although we ordered 5. Too sweet and syrupy- doubt it had too much real mango in there. They charge $1.50 for a cup of tea. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me since I usually get it for free. We ordered at least 10 plates of food and bill was around $250 + tip. Not too bad for so many of us. However, the waiter did forget to input A LOT of things we ordered into the system. Good thing we were already full and ended up canceling those orders anyway.
(3)Jennifer Z.
Very authentic sichuan food. I got the mapo tofu, white chicken in chili oil, and spicy pork kidney. They could considering lowering their prices a bit, but the portions are substantial and the food is deliciousl
(4)Neal C.
Dumplings receive 1 star. Quite dreadful... Bland, small, and very overpriced. The crispy, spicy chicken; however , was excellent. The batter had some reminiscence of a cornmeal and had spice built in. One very nice thing was that it wasn't dripping in oil, hence it retained its crisp. Service was fine but the prices are way higher than they should be. Avoid any non-Sichuanese food here, as it is far too pricey for the quality or quantity, but since they nearly have a monopoly on authentic and tasty Sichuanese cuisine in Madison, they deserve a visit for their specialty dishes.
(3)Chuck K.
Great Sichuan. Try the fish in yellow pepper. Comes under a mound of dried red pepper, like many dishes here. The effect is as numbing as it is spicy. Many dishes can be oily, but that's where the flavor is.
(4)Kathryn R.
By far the best Chinese place in Madison. (Don't let the name fool you). Trust me, the best way to experience Ichiban is to go with a big group and order several dishes and eat family-style. This is usually NOT my preferred way to go, because I don't eat red meat or pork and don't want to limit others' choices. But my Chinese-American friend who I've gone with twice suggested this for the real experience, and it didn't disappoint. The great thing is that there are so many fantastic veggie options, there was more than enough for this to work out both times we've done this with large groups. Best dishes I've had: Pan Seared Pea Sprouts Kung Pao Chicken Singapore Mei Fun Fish in Hot Chili Sauce Sauteed Udon (with tofu) -- the udon noodles are made in-house, mmm Spicy String bean (my fave, so crazy good) Ma Po Tofu (there is one with and without pork) Sichuan Eggplant The service is super fast and last time I went with a gluten free friend, and the waitress was very knowledgeable and careful to tell her what did and did not have gluten. Like I said I think the way to go is eat-in, family style, although my good friends order take out from here all the time. Since there is very little in the way of good Chinese take out in Madison, it's a great option.
(4)Lu Y.
Very good Chinese food. Best in Madison.
(5)Interrobanged L.
I've ordered from here probably six times. The first two times were A+++ experiences and I thought the food was excellent. In addition, they actually followed my instructions for spicy food, which I viewed as a huge plus. Since then, the quality of the food has really dipped. I cannot get them to give me spicy/hot food anymore. I don't know what happened there, but I assure you that I know what I'm asking for when I ask for spicy/hot food. I really, really loathe going to (or ordering from) a restaurant, asking for spicy food, and getting totally bland (or even worse, sweet) food. Just because this is the midwest and just because I have a totally whitebread name doesn't mean I can't take the heat. In addition, the quality of the food itself has dropped. I rarely order noodle dishes because usually they are disappointing, but I decided to try them here. The noodles were overcooked and falling apart even though they were supposedly "pan fried". This may indeed be the best Chinese in Madison, but that just means that there's no good Chinese food in Madison. From now on, I'll go to the Laotian or Vietnamese places on Willy Street.
(2)Lily W.
Pretty good. Closest to 'authentic'. You can request less salt and no MSG. I do hope that they train more of their staff to understand that when you order over the phone.
(4)Alexis F.
I've only ordered delivery from Ichiban, but since we discovered them, we've ordered probably once a week. I'm definitely not able to speak to authenticity, but without reservation I will say the food is great. I've been trying different things each time, and haven't had anything that I wouldn't order again! The only constant in my order is potstickers, I think they're fantastic. Delivery time for 3.5 miles away is stellar. The last time I ordered (7pm on a Tuesday), I had my food in less than 20 minutes, which seemed ridiculously and awesomely fast. I also appreciate the option to order online!
(4)Bob S.
It took me a while to get back, I did find a house in the neighborhood and I have found some 'good taste' food around town. My S.U. and I had to abort a fish fry excursion at the last minute and I knew she would love this place. Her comment was, "This was the first place you ate in Madison and it took you this long to come back??!!?". This is clearly one notch above anything else in Madison. The menu covers many classics and even a few non-Chinese dishes. The decor is open, no kitsch. The place is big so you'll always get seated. Reasonable drink prices. What's not to love? This night we tried the scallion pancakes, the cumin beef, salt and pepper squid and a sautee spinach. The cumin beef was great, solid spice but not overpowering. The squid (not spicy) was served on a bed of puffed bean-thread noodles with bits of different colored sweet peppers, beautiful and tasty! All the plates are quite large, we took half the stuff home, be warned. Bring friends so you can try more. This place is Ichiban (!), in my book.
(5)Kate R.
Get the string beans with garlic sauce. I know, I know, how good can they be? They're just freaking beans, right? Get them. The food is noticeably and consistently fresher and more flavorful than the other Asian delivery I've had so far in Madison. Without digging around I can actually see vegetables and huge pieces of tender chicken in my Pad Thai. Yum.
(4)Patrick H.
Really good food. Actually some of the best Chinese/Sichuan I've had in the Midwest. I stopped in for a quick lunch with a friend midday during the week and stopped back a few days later for carry out. The interior is quite large and I can't imagine there would ever be much of a wait for a table. Service was quick and friendly enough. Prices were reasonable and we were both quite pleased with our meals - and looked forward to the leftovers. I'll go back for sure.
(4)Gary A.
My wife and I stopped in for lunch, read the great reviews on Yelp and since we were in the neighborhood thought we would give it a try. We ordered Fried rice, Orange Shrimp and General Tso's chicken. The Orange shrimp was fantastic, large shrimp and the sauce was just spicy right. Friend rice and General Tso's chicken also had great flavor and the portions are large. As others have mentioned the prices are high. Our lunch with tip was $43.00!! $1.75 for a cup of Tea??!! Overall, the food is great, the atmosphere nice and the service average.
(4)Dianne H.
My noodle soup came in a bowl that was chipped. My tea came in a cup that was chipped. Everything we ordered looked as though it had been drenched in the same oily chili sauce. There was literally 3/8" of this oil floating on top of my soup . Won't try this place again.
(1)Becky L.
Japanese name, but good Chinese food! I went here with a group of 6 on a Friday night and was seated right away. The first thing that struck me about the menu was the variety of ingredients and also the number of different ways they prepared pork intestine. Our curiosity was piqued so when we asked the waitress about the intestine she was very helpful and recommended the crispy style. We ordered the cumin beef, ma po tofu, lamb with ginger and scallions, pan fried fish, and spicy crispy pork intestine. All of them were very good and, with the exception of the lamb and fish, pretty spicy. A few of my friends needed tissues to deal with their spice-induced runny noses. Anyway, I came out stuffed like a thanksgiving turkey, but I was very satisfied.
(4)Billy Y.
Food is ok, but not outstanding. Its definitely overpriced for what you're getting. For ~8 dollars, I got what looked like a handful of General Tso's pork. The double cooked pork was stir fried bacon. Ox tongue and tripe was made well, but they used too much of a spice that numbed your mouth and made things taste sour. Service was good at first; we were seated in a nice place and given water, but after that it went downhill. Waiters weren't very friendly, seeming almost cold and our empty cups went largely ignored. When cashiers and waiters weren't busy talking to each other, they were playing on their phones or standing around. The decor was fancy at least. I think I can forget about giving Ichiban a third chance.
(2)Lyndsey H.
Hands down WORST Chinese food I have ever had. Seriously over priced, $70+for two adults and a kid to eat! Seriously?! We ordered online for delivery. They called and said one of the items we ordered was not available, they offered spicy chicken, I told them it was for a child and they responded that they would not make it spicy, well, pretty much the whole bowl was szechuan peppers with a couple pieces of spicy chicken. My husband ordered guozi which was tripe soup. Not what he wad expecting. The general tso tofu was ok, I've had much better from cheaper places. I don't recommend this place at all. Just bad.
(1)Nancy W.
After reading other reviews, I cannot believe I ate at the same place as some of these people. First of all, we had planned to eat at The Orient House, which we love, but it was closed for remodeling. I remember reading good reviews on Ichiban, and it is right down the street, so we decided to try it. Very weird dining experience. We were seated, then the waiter came and Friend #1 placed her order. The waiter started to walk away even though myself and another friend had not placed an order. He seemed confused that we all wanted to order. Friend #1 ordered spring rolls and potstickers, Friend #2 ordered Pad Thai and I ordered spring rolls, Indonesian Fried Rice with tofu and hot tea. Spring rolls were not the best I have eaten (that would be Curry in the Box) but potstickers were good. Then my fried rice came out, very little tofu and what was there was kind of rubbery. Nothing special on the taste. Friend #2 shared my rice until we tracked down our waiter and asked about the Pad Thai. Ooops, the order did not get placed, nor did the hot tea ever come out. The whole thing was very strange. I think we will stick to The Orient House when it re-opens. Hopefully, soon!
(2)Nelly M.
It's so sad that my third time coming here is not a good experience. It was okay, not fantastic when I came here for the first and second time. But today, when I was really craving for some hotpot, I decided to have it here. It is during the lunch time but the restaurant still has way too many empty seats. The waitress speaks very limited English so I can't ask her for some explanation on some menu. We were given two glasses of water: one for me, the other for my hubby. Just when I wanted to drink, I was surprised to learn the glass is super dirty which made me think they didn't wash it. I asked the waitress to change it and she didn't say sorry at all. And it's been twenty minutes and more but I don't think our order will come anytime soon. And oh, the butterflies seem to be regulars too for this place. While the overall place is not dirty, I was wondering why this place doesn't mind having some butterflies flying around the customer's tables. My hubby's Thai tea came after 25 minutes we ordered our food. I can't wait to write this review as I don't remember the last time I ever had a very bad experience with a restaurant. Won't be back anytime soon. Maybe next year or so. And we had to pay 56. Tips not included. Such a waste.
(2)Jody M.
We were wanting real Chinese and this rocks! Friendly staff and good service. Try the potato strings in hot sauce appetizer. The tomato and egg and Hong Kong style seafood soups were uniquely flavorful. Order a bit of each and share. As another reviewer said this and Fugu Asian are the real deal. We will be back. BTW, if you aren't adventurous there are plenty of items on the menu that can work for you.
(5)Ding N.
Five stars for food, but no star for their service. It's all about attitude, especially in the restaurant industry.
(1)Michael C.
Very good overall. I would recommend the twice cooked pork, which is what I had. The spicy, crispy shrimp are good but quite hot.
(4)Katie H.
Visited for lunch with a few coworkers. Ordered the General T'so Chicken off of the $7.50 lunch menu (11-3, M-F) and it was fantastic! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The sauce was complex and I could see & taste the peppers, garlic and ginger. My coworkers ordered the Black Bean Sauce with Pork and the Sichuan Sauce with Chicken and both tasted great. The veggies in their dishes were fresh and crisp. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive, filling my water when needed. I will be returning, hopefully often.
(5)Lance W.
The Kung Pao and the eggplant were both spicy and tasty if a little oily. I looked around and noticed no overweight lunchers despite that. The lunch portions were smaller and correspondingly cheaper. The space was quiet and pleasant.
(4)Oliver O.
Oh Wow! This place is in the top 2 for Chinese restaurants in Madison. Food is authentic and they can make it really spicy. Recommend any of the whitefish dishes. Only thing keeping it from a 5 star is that dining area was full of dirty tables and chairs are a touch uncomfortable. They do takeout though!
(4)Samantha S.
Protip: Do not wear a white shirt when you go to eat here. Cause it's chili peppers and hot sauce galore and you will get some on your shirt. I love coming here for their lunch specials. $7.50 for about 30 different items. I have had the L17 which is Noodle w/ spare ribs and chili sauce. It is served as a soup dish even though it doesn't list as a soup. Every bite you take your mouth will be coated in chili flakes. If that's your thing awesome, I guess it's sorta my thing. I love the spiciness, maybe not the constant choking though. The L14 Noodle with Hot special beef. It is very similiar, noodles in soup, some veggies, and cilantro (love the cilantro touch!). I think I prefer this dish because the cuts of beef seem a little bigger and more satisfying. The other dish with the spare ribs can be a little cumbersome. The twice cooked pork is basically bacon. Lots and lots of bacon in chili sauce. I love bacon. But I felt guilty eating this much bacon. The sichaun style cucumber is a refreshing appetizer. Cool and crunchy but spicy snack. I've enjoyed most items here but the two dishes that I've gotten that I would probably pass on next time would be the walnut shrimp. This dish is a bout 15 or 16 dollars and was medicore. The broccoli was simply steamed with no spices and the shrimp is coated in like sweet and sour chicken batter but there were only a few pieces. The scallion pancakes appetizer wasn't particularly amazing, I've had better. I hope to go there one day with about 2 other people to do their hot pot! It should be a lot of fun I think. And they allow you to split the pot into two broths. One spicy and one regular.
(4)christine i.
3 star is being nice. I was here last month with colleagues from the office. We ordered quite a variety to share. The Mao pao tofu was delicious that day! Couldn't wait to come back to have it again. Back today with the family for lunch...boy were we disappointed. Ou Mao pao tofu had so much food enhancer my hubby and I could feel our lips tingling. Not a good feeling. Out beef lomein was greasy(especially since I asked for less oil). The Chinese vegetable dish with fresh garlic was blah...lack favor & salt. Where can we go for good healthy flavorful Chinese food????
(3)Chrisdy A.
Very good, authentic Chinese food! The portions are large and easy to share with the whole family. My family doesn't like very spicy food, but if you ask, you can ask how spicy it is or to make it mild. Our family had the beef hibachi, fried rice, and steamed/stir fry vegetables. It was all very good! There are a lot of dishes to choose from. The service isn't the best-- not what you would suspect from a typical restaurant. Though, we got in, ordered food, and got it right away, so it's not much of a problem. Parking is an issue; we weren't sure where to park and parking in front of the restaurant is prohibited from 4-6 M-F. I would visit again!
(4)April Y.
Great Chinese Restaurant with acceptable prices! We eight went there tonight and were very satisfied with the food. The dining fee is less than $20 per person. One thing is, if you have more than five people, the tips will be automatically added to your bill, you don't have to pay for a second time. I will go back again: )
(5)Chy L.
This place is pretty authentic as to all the spicy Sichuan dishes comparatively to other Chinese restaurants in town. Just don't expect any good service. If anything prepare to have your utensils tossed on your table, water cups overflown, and dishes to arrive in unprecedented manner. The prices are a bit of a sticker shock for a Chinese establishment, the are comparable to Peking Palace or PF Chang's, but as others have echoed, the portions are huge. I love the mapo tofu, west lake beef soup, dan dan noodles, steamed chicken slices in chili oil sauce, spicy garlic string beans, fried rice, and gyoza. They have hot pots!
(3)Scott G.
Having visited on two occasions, I definitely recommend this place for some yummy Sichuan cuisine. For those first time visitors, have confidence as you go in. I'm not sure what is typical but I just grabbed some menus and sat my party down at a table of my choice. If no one directs you as you walk in, just do it yourself. FYI, look for the slightly numbing/tingling feeling the spicy dishes do to your mouth. This is the famous sichuan pepper and provides a unique and (I think) a pleasurable experience, much more complexity than just being a 'hot' addition. The dishes I've tried are as follows (additional comments are further on): -ox tongue and tripe with chili sauce -sichuan dan dan noodles -ma po tofu -eggplant with chili garlic sauce -homestyle twice cooked pork -seafood soup -raspberry smoothie with bubbles (tapioca pearls - a nice chewy surprise) I look forward to visiting again and giving a go to my first Hotpot experience. If your coming here, don't order sesame chicken or general tso. From what I've know, that's not Chinese food. Get the real stuff and expand your horizons. If you need a suggestion to get you going, order the twice cooked pork. That is a very popular choice. Also, 1 dish per person (and share!!!) is plenty but and extra one or two is fun for diversity (you can bring home the extra!) Here is other info: ox tongue and tripe with chili sauce: if you haven't had tongue you could be in for a treat. Tongue is a common food in many cultures. When prepared right it is very tender and tasty. sichuan dan dan noodles: a very nice spicy noodle dish. I really enjoyed it though having a noodle dish as an appetizer is different for me... it seems too filling so feel free to try it as a entree, it is large enough ma po tofu: a spicy and slightly thickened chili sauce with pork (optional) and tofu. goes excellently with rice eggplant with chili garlic sauce: the eggplant has a nice sweetness to it. quite good homestyle twice cooked pork: Delicious! So tender and bursting with flavor. The 'homestyle' version includes little buns to eat with the meat. I would definitely recommend the twice cooked pork though I would not say it is necessary get the buns. seafood soup: this was alright... not quite my favorite.
(4)Julia G.
On our road trip back home from Chicago to Minneapolis, we decided to stop in Madison for lunch. After indulging in all kinds of bar food while on vacation, I was craving a different cuisine; so Chinese was the final decision. The service we received was great, we were seated right away and our food came quickly after we'd ordered it. The waitress was helpful in aiding us with our decisions on what to get. My boyfriend and I started with some Hot & Sour soup then shared the Kung Pao Chicken and the Red Curry Chicken. Both dishes came with side bowls of rice (more than enough definitely). The portions are large, so if you don't have a huge appetite I'd recommend sharing one dish between two people. I'm giving this three stars because the Sichuan pepper spice was good and left my mouth feeling slightly numb, but the food was overall A-OK. Some of the pieces of chicken in the Kung Pao dish were a little chewy and fatty which grossed me out a bit. The Red Curry Chicken was better and I enjoyed the snap peas, zucchini, and mushrooms which were part of the dish. The hot & sour soup was a little thicker than I enjoy but it warmed me up and was still okay! This restaurant is a little unique because the SIchuan spice is so different and not many places specialize in dishes that use it. But honestly, I would have enjoyed some unhealthy, greasy "mall" chinese food more.
(3)Pat D.
OK. 4 stars for the food 2 stars for the experience. The place is crazy, when we got there it was fairly quiet except for this waiter who ran around like a bull in a china shop. The staff were all yelling at each other and there was loud karaoke or something coming from the back room. A waitress approached us who was so soft spoken, I could not hear a word she said. It was bazaar. That said the Ma Po tofu was outstanding (albeit off of the veggie menu and loaded with pork)
(3)Samantha K.
Went to Ichiban last night with a pretty large group of people. They were very accommodating! The service was fantastic--the woman who took care of our table was very meticulous. We got several appetizers including ox tongue, spicy chicken, dumplings, and pan-fried scallion cakes. Everything was really good! The texture of the ox tongue was a little weird, but that could have been the individual piece. I tried a little bit of a few entrées including the hot pot, which was so good! I had the lo mein noodles with spicy minced pork. It was pretty disappointing, actually. The lo mein noodles were way too soft and the minced pork was actually ground pork. It was kind of like eating spaghetti with the noodles drowned in sauce. Not a fan. One thing that I thought was particularly good was the rice! It was very sticky and held flavor nicely. Definitely not regular take-out fare. All in all it was a hit-or-miss dinner with mostly hits. I'll definitely go back again.
(4)Fred S.
Horrible Service, never going back. Went there last night with 5 other friends. As soon as we placed our order, the manager came down and asked us why we had ordered only 2 dishes. We had actually ordered 4. Then she came back and literally banged 5 plates on our table. The waitresses were not so bad. The food was of good quality and taste, a little heavy on the grease though. We had ordered a lamb dish, a Lo Mein, Rice Noodles, and Chicken corn soup. When the check came, they had added 18 percent gratuity but I did not notice and left a tip on top of it. She did not say anything, I saw her closely scanning my bill - it was obvious she was checking out the tip. I had to call her later and ask her to reverse the tip, which was obviously another bad experience.
(1)Jo C.
I just found out about Ichiban, and looking at the menu, I was SO excited to try it out. There are very few good chinese restaurants in madison, and after ordering take out, Ichiban is at the top of my list. The menu is ridiculously huge with tons of inventive dishes you won't see on anywhere else. We had the general Tso chicken, and the dumplings, which were both delicious. We also had the greens and tofu soup, which was a bit bland, but was healthy and filling. The dandan noodles: overcooked and a bit slimy. Maybe we just got them on an off day, since every other review says they are delicious. I can't wait to try more of the menu!
(4)Chris K.
We went to Ichiban's for lunch. For appetizers my wife and I ordered spring rolls. They were hot and crisp, but bland. For my entree I ordered twice cooked pork and my wife had crispy spicy chicken. My pork was a very solid entree. Nice ginger undertones to a spicy mix of veggies and thinly sliced pork. The sauce was a little thin in flavor, but the pepper flakes have a nice kick. My wife's chicken was inundated with hot peppers. The chicken was good, but could have been better with a sauce. Overall a very solid meal.
(3)Mei H.
Excellent Chinese food. It's the best we have found so far. Huge menu and service is fast. I will recommend it to anyone!
(5)Ninggang S.
Yes, it's ichiban! Very authentic!
(5)Prescott B.
Wow, like going to China while staying in Madison. We were the only Westerners eating there on a recent weekend evening after a Badgers game, but it was full! The food is fantastic, service is good - not cheap but well worth it. Make sure to order some veggie dishes as many of the meat dishes are a bit heavy and oily.
(4)Mike M.
We stooped for our first time for an early dinner. The menu was huge and filled with a variety of items that caught our attention for the good and for the bad (ie everything with intestine). We were less than daring and ordered three items. We tried to order pan fried dumplings but the waiter redirected us to the pot stickers. Good advice. They were perfect. We then asked for entree recommendations. The first was a beautiful looking and quite tasty beef ginger and scallion plate. The second dish of chicken and basil was quite tasty but the chicken pieces were splintered with bones and difficult if not dangerous to eat! Overall the taste and quality of it all was very good and we will go back. We will not order anything from the chicken portion of the menu.
(4)Liz T.
Ichiban Sichuan just rocketed to the top as my favorite Asian restaurant in Madison. I have had the Spicy Green Beans, General Tso's Chicken, Red Curry and Pad Thai and ALL of them were amazing. I cannot tell you how excited I was to find this place. I feel like I have been searching through all of the Asian restaurants in Madison and have finally found a solid winner.
(5)Chris H.
Very disappointed in this restaurant. We went on a Friday evening and the place was packed, very hard to get waited on, staff was nice but very rushed. The food was so expensive for the quality. My veal came soaking in a 1/4" of oil on the plate, veggies were so oily all you could taste was the oil. My friend had another veal dish that was full of bones and gristle. Each was around $16! We won't be back for sure.
(2)Peter A.
When my friend told me we were going to a chinese restaurant called Ichiban, i assumed it was one of those dime a dozen chinese-japanese-generic asian buffets. When she said it was the best chinese restaurant in town, I had a good laugh. But upon arriving, I was pleasantly surprised. We had the braised lamb which had all the right spices and boy was it tasty - this is no americanized chinese food. Upon leaving saw the hots - will have to come back to try one of those...
(5)AJ H.
Hands down my favorite Chinese restaurant in town. It definitely leans spicier, more vegetable heavy, and more traditional than any other such restaurant in Madison that I've tried. Almost everything I've had (dine in and take out) has been fantastic. Some dishes are a little more typical of americanized spots (such as the lo mein), but still beat the other places in town. One issue is that the full menu is not completely pulled into most of the online ordering services, so there can be some surprises if you order off of say, GrubHub. For instance, my favorite dish there is San Bei (three cup) Chicken -- Ichiban's menu lets you know that it is chopped and bone-in, GrubHub does not -- it was a little surprising though delicious.
(5)Roseanna W.
We ate here, named Ichiban Restaurant on the awning, on Christmas day 2012. The place was pretty packed with big tables, so I understand they may have been pushed near capacity. However, things were not great. The hectic restaurant has very shaky, hollow floors. As the waitstaff stomped around, the table shook quite a bit, making for an uncomfortable dining experience. Several tables around us were complaining amongst themselves as we waited for our food. Not a good sign. We ordered some staples. MaPo Tofu, Pad Thai, and a Cold mushroom app per yelper recommendation. The MaPo was pretty good if incredibly salty, but the Pad Thai was pretty gross, with a strong bell pepper forward flavor and absolutely smothered in a pretty gross tomatoey sauce. The sauce was reminiscent of Chef Boyardee canned products. So, ok, the Thai dish at the Chinese restaurant wasn't that good. Whatever. However, we never received the appetizer, but were charged for it, and no wait staff ever returned to our table. Our water was never filled. We weren't really able to tell who was supposed to be our server. With all these positive reviews, I hope that if I ever make it back here they live up to their reputation.
(2)kate c.
Good food and service. Tried the dandan noodles, fried shredded beef in chili sauce, and spicy and crispy chicken. All had good heat without being over the top. Food came out very fast.
(4)A And C.
I have been to this restaurant twice now and I have yet to have bad food. Both times I have been with another person and we swapped lots of food. Everything is pretty spicy but I was also able to order very traditional meals while there. The wait staff is young, but friendly without hovering. The atmosphere is low lit and quiet enough to enjoy a conversation with your food. The food is absolutely outstanding. I can't wait to go back for a third time and try something new.
(5)Mio S.
I am very pleased to have this place in my neighborhood. And my bf and I probably ordered the right things - sounds like what you order decides 5 star vs 1 star. Knowing that they are Sichuan restaurant, we ordered Cold mushroon (Enoki) in spicy sauce, Cold eggplant in spicy sauce, and the house speciality - Fish in spicy sauce. All of them were EXCELLENT - and I mean it. To me, the biggest selling point was their use of right spices. That clearly differentiated Ichiban from other Americanized grease-heavy crap I see in Madison. I felt like this is the food they'd eat, and that definitely translated in the menu.
(5)Chang-mei L.
I'm a Taiwanese who's kinda critical of Chinese food, but this one totally satisfied my taste bud!!! To me, ICHIBAN and FUGU are the only two authentic Chinese restaurants in the entire Madison city (the next-door Orient House is okay but the facilities are too old). In addition to its delicious, big portion food, it's much more spacious than FUGU so it's quite relaxing and comfy to dine in. No worries if you have a big group of six or more. I'm sure they have ample spaces for it.. more than you could imagine! By the way, it has the softest white rice I've ever had in Madison.. so touched!!! Really love this place! Hope it will sustain as long as I'm here..lol
(4)Andrew J.
Last few tries have been more hit and miss. Difficult to order and food quality has been off sometimes.
(3)Katie B.
I've only had the food from here once and it was delivery. I like how delivery is online, that is great for me. The green beans with garlic that I heard so much about was good but they were ice cold (on purpose). I didn't dig that so much. The flavor was good though, a little greasy but good. The general tso's chicken was super good and I felt good after eating it. It's okay. I would consider eating there again in house since I hear so many good things about it.
(3)Diana K.
We ordered delivery from Ichiban the other day. We got: Green bean appetizer. Very good. Dumplings: BAD. Badbadbad. I'm positive they were a brand of frozen dumplings I used to buy at Woodman's. Spring rolls: Soft and not flavorful. I'm willing to bet these were also frozen. Rice: I thought the rice was good. Sticky and thick grains. Not typical of the asian delivery I'm used to. Cashew Chicken: Bland. My boyfriend didn't like it and I ended up eating most of it because my dish was almost inedible. San Bei Chicken: Decent flavor but nothing to rave about. I googled this dish before ordering and the ingredients sounded delicious. I found chunks of ginger and garlic in my dish and that's great. I wasn't prepared for bone shards and slivers. I know San Bei chicken is made by chopping chicken bits up and cooking them with spices/sauce so I was prepared for full on bone chunks but NOT for slivers. Actual slivers and splinters of bone wrapped up in chicken made eating this dish impossible and dangerous. I spent 20 minutes picking the bones out of my food and ended up with a bowl full of rice and sauce. I was very upset by this. We ended up throwing the food away because there just wasn't a point to eating it anymore. I would have had the rest of the chicken for breakfast, but biting down on bone bits isn't appetizing. I am especially disappointed because of all the raving reviews on Yelp and Grubhub. This food wasn't good and we wont be ordering from or eating here again.
(1)Phil S.
Absolutely the best Chinese food I've had since leaving the Bay Area. Totally authentic.
(5)chris c.
Really tasty, a little bit pricey, great heat to the food. It was a pleasant surprise to find in Wisconsin for sure.
(4)Scott U.
glad to see Park st on the up and up! This place is good, but a little overpriced IMO.
(4)Joseph V.
This place is great! I had a take out order of Kung Pao Chicken Chinese style extra hot. They were able to crank it out in about 5 minutes! They gave large portions that made for easily two meals, I would definitely recommend at least giving it a shot.
(4)Fred E.
This is amazingly delicious Chinese food. Don't be afraid to try anything-everything we have had is amazing. And things to try there are--a huge menu with many items rarely offered in Madison--pork kidneys, chicken feet, frog legs and the like. Cold eggplant appetizer amazing, the braised rabbit was wonderful. This food is seriously good stuff!
(5)Mrs K.
What a disappointment. Got fooled by Japanese name. As soon as you walk in the door, a sign of today's special all written in Chinese. Should have checked Yelp first. Or walked out. Service very slow even though we came late for lunch. Ordered green tea. No taste and not hot. Chopsticks, another sign, not Japanese. Music is also Chinese. Well we ordered any way, too late if day to go somewhere else. I just still can't understand why you have to trick people like this with the name. Looks like they are going to try to do sushi, they have a sushi cooler but right now has fruit or something in it. Not fish. Food came same time as soup. Mom ordered garlic beef not spicy. Came without garlic. I order Shicuan beef, it was ok, not the best. It took a while before server came to ask how we were doing. When we explained about the garlic, server took the plate, came back with a woman who just couldn't understand what was wrong. My food got cold explaining. Then finally offered to make new. Rice is also Chinese. Lots of it and dry. The server is very nice and well mannered guy. But I dont think we will be back. I'd to explain my " pickiness" when it comes to Japanese food. My mother is Japanese, I'm half, born there. My husband is Japanese. If are going to be serving Chinese or something other then what you lead the customers to believe, you are totally Fake! We cook Japanese food at home but it is nice to get out of cooking and have someone else cook it and serve with a smile. If I want Chinese, I go to Chinese. If I want American , I go to eat American food. If I want African, same. I just don't get it. You might be able to fool some people , but eventually , the causes you are making will catch with you. I didn't even want to give this place an one star. Just as bad as the Edo down the street. Why people? Do you keep on getting fooled , if you pay cheap, you get what you pay for.
(1)Sharon H.
If you would like to know the difference between "American" Chinese food and authentic, here is the place to go for the real deal! Absolutely delicious,
(5)Mf H.
The most memorable Chinese resturant I've ever had in US!! Witness every sweet moment I spent
(5)thekinni x.
Not sure why a Schezwan restaurant is named Ichiban, but oh well. The food is decent. Less salt, and even more spice would make it better. The waiter we had was pretty bad (unenthusiastic, slow), but the Chinese staff seemed to pick up his slack.
(3)A A.
This was a great dining experience. Best Chinese cuisine I have had in the US. Very authentic. Wonderful selection and flavors. I hope this restaurant survives, as it is fantastic, and a real treat. As with many new businesses, there are service issues to be ironed out, and when we ate there they were still not serving alcohol, although it is planned. Price is a bit high, but portions are very generous. I will definitely eat there again!
(4)Eric O.
The Japanese name is a bit of a fooler, and kept me from visiting for a while. It wasn't until I noted on the sign the Chinese characters for "Sichuan" that I realized what this place actually was. What it is, is pretty danged good. The menu isn't the standard American-chinese fare of sweet-and-sour or sesame meat. While you can find a few entrees of the tamer variety (orange beef, for example) most of the menu is regional Sichuan and Hunan specialties. The first item on the menu is a "spicy ox tongue" appetizer, so that should be enough to let you make an informed decision. Much, but not all of the food is of the spicy kind. There's a whole section of the menu devoted to dishes made with pickled chilies, and another one for the Sichuan classic "boiled [meat] in spicy sauce." Also available are the more hunan-style "dry-braised" dishes, as well as many other entrees sorted by protein. The food is, put simply, good. It's hearty, bold, filling, and generally well-prepared. The cumin beef, one of my personal favorites, is spicy without being overpowering, and nicely redolent of cumin. The "boiled pork in spicy sauce" is well-prepared; this sort of dish can easily be made too greasy, seasoned improperly, or padded-out with cabbage, but on none of the occasions I've tried it has it been anything other than a well-balanced mix of chili, garlic, meat and vegetable in a rich, stew-like sauce. The "beef with ginger and scallion" is rich, not spicy, and full of garlic and ginger. The Dan Dan noodle appetizer is a simple bowl of noodles with a rich sauce of ground pork, chilis, scallion and garlic that is quite satisfying as an appetizer, and is nearly a meal in itself. The only strangeness with the preparations is the surprisingly low incidence of Sichuan pepper. The dishes are good without it, but their seasoning leans more towards the Hunan than the Sichuan without the numbing fruitiness of the little flower peppers. The translations on the menu may be a little confusing for some with their literal interpretations - ordering a "braised vegetable" dish doesn't immediately inform you that it is a single braised vegetable (bok choi, which admittedly is a classic braised vegetable dish), and the Tofu with Black Mushroom is simply lots of tofu with a few slices of black mushroom. The service has generally been good, albeit not great. A few times they've forgotten to bring beverages or misinterpreted an order. Never anything major, they've always accepted their errors, and I've never had an actual bad experience, but it is an area that needs a bit of improvement.
(5)Andrea R.
Having just lived for 8 years in the Argyle area in Chicago, we were not expecting our appetite for Asian food to be satisfied easily in Madison. We ordered take out and it was awesome. Interesting authentic dishes to try and the old standbys were a cut above most of our Chicago go-tos. Great place, good service, and we will definitely be visiting regularly.
(4)A F.
Hands down the best in the Midwest. do yourself a flavor and try the chicken shrimp with walnuts.
(5)Nancy V.
So yummy..went there twice and love it...intestines is my fav...chicken in oil appetizer is also delish...never had it before ever. A great place in Madison...I hope they stay around.
(5)J S.
Solid Asian food. Good spicy chicken.
(3)tom y.
I used to go to Fugu in Gilman St. for dinner. I was excited when Ichiban was opened. The first couple of times, this restaurant was OK. The last two times, the food is not acceptable for the price. The salt and pepper octopus was not fresh and smelly and the chicken was very soft and did not taste like chicken at all. Last weekend my in-law came from out of town and my whole family went to Ichiban for dinner. My in-law ordered Lobster with ginger and scallion. It was a BIG MISTAKE. The lobster must have been frozen for months and the meat tasted awful and rotten. I confronted the owner and she admitted the lobster was not fresh. How can a restaurant serve the customer with rotten food!? I realize now the restaurant tries to cover up the inferior quality of the meat with heavy use of salt and hot pepper. But it would not work with customer with taste. It was a bad experience. I will never ever go back again!!!!
(1)Ana B.
Read the reviews and decided to give it a try. Had the spicy, crispy chicken. It was good. I just have a couple of caveats. First, there was no sauce. The picture I saw suggested a sauce accompanying the dish. I still liked it , I just added sriacha. Secondly there are no veggies in the dish, just a mass amount of chili peppers. I don't mind spice, in fact I love it and I consumed all my chicken, I just didn't see the purpose of one pound of chili peppers. Picture to follow. I will go again because I liked my food and the service was decent. Looking forward to trying one of their hot pots.
(4)Shilin D.
They have the best Szchuan food in Madison. A little bit pricey compared to other places.
(5)Malorie H.
The food is my favorite Chinese in Madison. I always seem to find something new to order that never fails to impress. The food is great and one order always amounts to a full second meal. That said, definitely get take out or delivery. We dined in once and that was enough. Interior is really uncomfortable, has an odd layout, and is unattractive. There always seem to be lots of staff moving about the place but not really paying that much attention to customers.
(4)Honey C.
Great Asian food. Never thought I'd find anything comparable to Chinatown restaurants outside of Chicago. The menu is very expansive. Portions are huge (ordered an app and a dish and ate them for a few meals). The pickled pepper dishes will leave you craving forever. Not to mention, I ordered my dish "extra spicy" and lo and behold -- they made it spicy! Yum. Ordered out so no ratings on the restaurant itself.
(5)Karen H.
This was my first time to this restaurant. We ordered 3 dishes and the first came rather quickly. The eggplant with garlic sauce had really thick skin so it probably wasn't fresh. After we finished the first dish and the rice has gone cold, they still haven't served the other 2 dishes. They served several other tables that arrived after us. After we asked the waitress 3 times, they finally served the last two dishes. The beef was very salty and quite dry. Both the food and experience were disappointing.
(1)Dan C.
The food from ichiban was fantastic, save for the veggie dumplings, which where pretty much cold, two of the six were stale and rock hard on the edges and the dipping sauce was nothing like a dumpling sauce but like a vinegar/soy mix (bleh!)... BUT that was the only bad part of our meal! Despite that they were out of spinach and my GF had to order something different (this was for delivery), the tofu and black mushrooms was excellant and flavorful. The Tofu and Greens Soup was tasty as well, but I think its not 100% vegetarian, as the broth seemed more like a meat broth? Im not positive because I did not ask. I may the next time. The Orange Chicken was AWESOME! Perhaps the best I have had in town. I believe this is what actual orange chicken may be like in Asia, with the orange rinds, garlic chunks, red chilis, and such that it was not super sweet like the pan-asian/Americanized dish that everyone is more familiar with. This was an excellant flavor experience! Delivery was FAST!
(4)Ghostwriter A.
I am really sad to give the restaurant a 2 star review, because some of the staff (probably owners) are actually pretty friendly. However, today's Saturday afternoon visit was a really bad visit. What makes me uncomfortable and offended my husband was the lady who served us. When I asked for no ice for my water, the young lady server didn't reply. She came back with water without ice silently. We needed to go to the counter to ask for order service, just to see 2 young ladies busy chatting (should we order at the cashier?) We asked for some extra utensils just to be treated with (passive aggressive) silence again, plus we had to go over to the counter for any extra water or ready to pay. The food was greasy as usual, but that seems to be the nature of Chinese food. We couldn't finish the dish because it was all in oil, and we didn't feel healthy after eating... I wanted to support this restaurant very much but after this time, I probably won't come back after a very long while. No one wants to be treated badly for a lovely Saturday afternoon.
(2)Pmmm M.
Amazing new chinese resturant in madison. Most importantly, its style is spicy szechuan which I love.My fav szechaun resturant in china town chicago is Lao Sze Chaun, which is by far the best chinese food place I have ever been to. I must say Ichiban is comparable to that. Food is awwsome,very spicy but in a great way. Service is a bit spotty, but they more than made up with the food. I will definitely go there again.
(5)Daniel Y.
My wife and I came here for lunch the other day and I must say that I really like this place. The food rivals those in China Town Chicago, such as Laos Schezuan. They have both lunch and dinner menu and we ordered from the dinner menu. Our waiter was a man in his forties and was helpful with offering recommendations from the menu. We ordered crispy chicken, ox tongue, and a spicy fish dish. All were wonderful and spicy and we ended up with leftovers to take home. Spicy is 7.5 out of 10.
(4)W B.
We ordered $40 worth of delivery last night; potstickers, shrimp fried rice, and the rabbit hot pot. Good: fast delivery (about 35 minutes) Bad: everything else. * the potsticker dough was oddly crunchy and the sauce was essentially soy sauce with oil and salt added to it (I know it sounds weird but thats exactly what it tasted like) * the fried rice had shrimp tails in it. Not attached to the shrimp itself - that I could understand - but the shrimp tails were removed from tiny, bland, and *NOT* deveined shrimp (gross!) and then, inexplicably, added to the fried rice. In their entirety. What? Why?!? But the worst part of the order was the rabbit hot pot. Firstly, it wasn't a hot pot, it was soggy vegetables with chopped dried red peppers and what can only be described as bony wads of meat. The entire dish was overly salted and lacked any sort of broth and the meat! Oh. EM. GEE! The meat! Imagine taking Korean BBQ short ribs, balling them up, adding an entire set of human teeth and then infusing it with lard and soy sauce and you've got the Ichiban Rabbit Hot Pot. Biting into what I thought was going to be the flesh of a tasty animal and hearing bones being pulverized by my molars was enough to give me chills. It was a bizzare experience. Never again. In short, the best part of the meal was the steamed white rice.
(1)Joelle P.
I'll keep it short and maybe not so sweet... Not my favorite. The server/host whatever he was was kind or rude and the woman who brought our food from the kitchen didn't smile or say a word or respond when we thanked her. No one checked up on us after we got our food and we had to get out of our chairs to go ask for our check The food was sub par. The prices are high and I wasn't impressed. I had sesame chicken and my friend had some sort of chicken that was basically tiny chunks of deep fried chicken that was kind of crunchy with no sauce, gross. My chicken was ok... But it was a lot of breading and the sauce was too sweet. There are better options in Madison
(2)Micah S.
Awesome spicy beef noodle soup! Sichuan food is one of my favorite kind of authentic Chinese food
(5)Kelsi B.
Going to be a short review, as I just tried their delivery service on Sunday. But it's a happy one, too! Was very impressed with their delivery. It came about 30-40 min after I ordered, which was about the amount of time they said it would take so I was prepared. It also arrived very hot which is a definite plus. I ordered the General Tso's Chicken and Potstickers. Both were delish! The chicken was in fairly large pieces, which I enjoyed because it made me feel like I was actually eating chicken. Too many times have I gotten those tiny pieces of fried something-or-other at other Chinese restaurants. Not here! There was also just the right amount of breading and sauce on the chicken. It was sweet and spicy but not too much of either. The broccoli was also cooked perfectly. Not soggy at all. Potstickers were very good. I like when they have a little bit of crunch to them on the ends, which these did. The dipping sauce was also yummy. I finished them in about 5 minutes. Besides eating the Potstickers all at once, the chicken entree is definitely enough food for 2 meals. You also get a side of white rice with your entree. Next time I order from here I will definitely attempt to be a bit more adventurous as some of the things recommended on here sound awesome!
(4)Mike M.
Stopped in while passing through Madison. Definitely not your ordinary food court Chinese food. The menu is much more authentic and has an overwhelming amount of options. It reminds me of Hong Kong Noodle, one of my favorite Chinese restaurants back in Minneapolis. All of the dishes looked and smelled salty and delicious, just what I was craving. My girlfriend and I were able to order off the lunch specials menu which featured many popular items from the menu at a very decent price. We split an order of Kung Pao Chicken, and also an order of Red Curry Chicken. The dishes came out fast and looked mouthwatering. The Kung Pao Chicken had a lot of flavor and included peanuts (one of my favorite parts) and some sort of chile but no other vegetables. The chicken seemed poor quality. It felt a little mushy and slightly slimy. I don't think it tasted as good as it looked, I got a little sick of that dish by the end. The red curry chicken was not fried and the the chicken looked and tasted of much better quality. The curry came with the chicken along with an assortment of vegetables all covered in the red curry sauce. The curry tasted good but lacked enough flavor, I thought the dish could have been a little more powerful. Those are my favorite curries. It was a good cheap lunch if you're looking for some Chinese in the area.
(3)Ceeia X.
This place has the worst service I have ever experienced. Almost the whole staff was on their phones! I was so mad because they didn't bother to come refill my water but yet they had time to chit chat and text! They definitely didn't receive any tip from me. Never going there again. Because of such bad service I wasn't even able to enjoy the food since I was so irritated.
(1)Paola M.
Had takeout from here: dan dan noodles and poached pork with extra rice. First of all that was way too much food for one person and it easily stretched into 5 meals: the noodles are more than enough for two dinners and the pork with the rice can make 3 lunches. Next time I'll add an order of some kind of stir fried greens and make a more balanced series of meals ;) The noodles themselves were delicious. They were thicker tan most dan dan noodles I had and seemed fresh. The sauce was deliciously spicy without being overwhelming. The poached pork was irresistibly tender. I loved every bite of it. It came with a very spicy szchuan pepper sauce that went great with the rice (you need the white rice to absorb some of that spiciness) and complemented the subtle sweetness of the pork. Now I am debating whether I should order more or try to figure out the recipe... Maybe I'll order, last time delivery was super quick!
(5)