50 best Chinese restaurants in the United States

Clarissa Wei, CNN • Published 12th July 2017

(CNN) — Becoming a successful Chinese restaurant in the United States is tricky. You need to cater to the American palate, but still be authentic enough to be considered a reputable Chinese joint.

With more than 41,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States, it's not easy picking a top 50. But, based on interviews with chefs and Chinese restaurant associations, surveys of local food writers and polls, and our own experiences, here are the 50 best Chinese restaurants in the country, arranged by state.

Arizona

1. China Magic Noodle House, Chandler

Watch through a window as the noodles you just ordered are handmade and pulled for you.

China Magic Noodle House serves outstanding beef noodles for less than $10. Huge portions and you can get them dry or with broth.

The egg rolls are a good appetizer, but spicy marinated pig ear is also on the menu. If that isn't enough, they serve freshly squeezed juice and boba milk tea.

2015 N. Dobson Road, Chandler

California

2. Beijing Pie House, Monterey Park

Beijing Pie House isn't a traditional Chinese restaurant. No white tablecloths, moo shu pork or dim sum carts here.

The place trumpets the glories of meat pies -- flaky pies stuffed with searing hot pieces of meat. All for $7.

If you haven't gotten your carnivore on yet, you can always pair your pie with a savory beef roll.

Cash only.

846 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park

3. Chef Chu's, Los Altos

Extensive selection, big portions and reasonable prices. Chef Chu's was opened in 1970 by Lawrence C.C. Chu himself. Since then the chef has made countless media appearances and become a best-selling cookbook author.

The Los Altos-based restaurant serves dishes covering all regions of China, but manages to cater to the American palate.

Specialties are Peking duck (order four hours ahead) and a scintillating chicken salad with hot-mustard peanuts.

Notable diners include Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter and none other than the Biebs, Justin Bieber.

1067 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos

4. Class 302, Rowland Heights

Class 302 is as close as you get can to authentic Taiwanese food outside Taiwan. The restaurant is structured like a traditional Chinese classroom.

The pork belly rice gets it just right and you know you're in a solid place when you see customers flocking from all over Southern California just to get their tongues on the highly touted shaved snow (shaved ice).

Cash only.

1015 S. Nogales St., No. 125, Rowland Heights

5. Del Mar Rendezvous, Del Mar

Located close to the ocean, Del Mar Rendezvous sports acclaimed and extensive gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menus. The craft beer selection is also impressive.

With top-notch service and an inventive Chinese fusion menu -- the duck breast Shangri-la with teriyaki glaze is superb -- Rendezvous is a long-time favorite among locals.

The Xango dessert is a banana cheesecake wrapped in a cinnamon pastry topped with caramel and chocolate sauce. It's like your cell phone -- leave the restaurant without it and you'll have to go back.

Del Mar Plaza, 1555 Camino Del Mar, No. 102, Del Mar

6. Dintaifung, Arcadia

This dumpling house's reputation stretches far and wide -- especially in Taiwan, where it originated.

Dintaifung is known for its succ ulent xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings. The dumplings are tiny, but there are pocketfuls of juice in every bite.

Definitely be prepared for a long wait. The restaurant is always busy.

Additional location in Seattle.

1108 S Baldwin Ave., Arcadia

7. Enjoy Vegetarian Restaurant, San Francisco

A veggie restaurant with two branches in San Francisco, Enjoy has vegan food that not only looks but tastes like real meat. Lots of gluten-free options and a fair selection of Americanized-Chinese food, such as sweet-and-sour chicken.

No MSG, garlic or onion in any dishes.

Even meat eaters have become addicted to the place. Well, some.

754 Kirkham St., San Francisco

8. Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, San Mateo

With locations all over the world, including China and Japan, Little Sheep sets the standard when it comes to hot pot.

You can get different flavored broths, but the favorite tends to be the spicy one. You can also divide your pot in half if you have people in your party who can't stomach lots of spice.

It's family style, so this is a group event. You'll walk out smelling like hot pot.

Additional locations in Texas, California and New York.

215 S. Ellsworth Ave., San Mateo

9. San Tung Chinese Restaurant, San Francisco

The main attraction at San Tung is the dry-fried chicken wings -- juicy wings lightly fried and drenched with a sweet and tangy sauce.

San Tung adopts the Shandong (the Chinese region known for its flour-based foods) style of cooking and so plays up the pot stickers and fresh noodles.

The restaurant is usually packed, so be prepared for a wait.

1031 Irving St., San Francisco

10. Savoy Kitchen, Alhambra

Savoy Kitchen is a hole-in-the-wall in Alhambra has developed a cult following for its Hainan chicken rice.

The chicken portions are substantial with much more meat than bone, with chicken-broth rice with ginger and an orange hot sauce on the side.

Everything about the dish is well worth the money.

138 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra

11. Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant, Rosemead

Located in the San Gabriel Valley, a Chinese foodie hotspot, Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant is a classic dim sum joint that's always packed on weekends.

There are no dim sum carts. Instead, you order from a checklist.

From the extensive dinner menu, the Hong Kong Dungeness crab is both a customer and L.A. food-critic favorite. With an amazingly flaky crust and hot egg-y center, the egg tarts are a dim sum dessert classic.

3939 Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead

12. Newport Tan Cang Seafood Restaurant, San Gabriel

Newport Tan is one of the most acclaimed Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, especially known for its house special lobster. It's smart to come with a large group so you can order a variety of seafood, such as fish with basil-and-walnut shrimp.

If you're craving red meat, the filet mignon cubes are outstanding.

518 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel

13. R&G Lounge, San Francisco

Heavily promoted by restaurant personality Anthony Bourdain, R&G Lounge in San Francisco constantly rakes in rave reviews. The salt and pepper crab is messy, but delicious.

The Peking duck is served Cantonese style, so you get buns instead of pancakes to go with your crispy duck slices.

631 Kearny St., San Francisco

Colorado

14. Star Kitchen, Denver

Star Kitchen gets a shining star for its dim sum, which are priced around $3 a pop.

The dinner menu has a great seafood selection that comes from live tanks of fish, crab and lobster.

The barbecue pork buns are memorable and you can get anything from tofu to goose intestine to frog from the hot pot menu.

2917 W. Mississippi Ave., No. 5, Denver

Florida

15. Tropical Chinese, Miami

A dim sum restaurant with a lot of class, Tropical Chinese sports a sophisticated decor. The restaurant's website provides a good visual introduction to the upscale offerings.

Consistent favorites are orange beef, shrimp dumplings and egg tarts.

For dim sum fans who don't want to wait, there's a take-out menu.

7991 S.W. 40th St, Miami

Georgia

16. Canton House Chinese Restaurant, Atlanta

This Cantonese restaurant serves dim sum for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Talk about commitment to craft.

Tables near the kitchen are the best. You get front row seats and dibs on the carts of steaming dumplings rolling by. Impressively fast service, too.

4825 Buford Highway, Atlanta

17. Tasty China, Marietta

Once you've tried the spicy fried eggplant with the numbing beef roll at Tasty China, a Sichuan restaurant, you probably won't have enough sensation in your tongue to go for more.

Get some raw vegetables with this combo, as they will tone down the heat. You're going to need them.

585 Franklin Road S.E., Marietta

Hawaii, Honolulu

18. Legend Seafood Restaurant

Legend is a Honolulu dim sum joint by day and by night a seafood restaurant that's very popular with the locals. Seats fill up quickly.

It's best to arrive before 10 a.m. on weekends. Deep fried taro puffs should be ordered without a moment's hesitation. They run out fast.

100 N. Beretania St., No. 108, Honolulu

19. Sweet Home Café, Honolulu

A Taiwanese BYOB joint, Sweet Home Café is constantly flooded with locals who come to get their hot pot fix. Hot pots are served family style and you get to make your own dipping sauce.

The restaurant is so crowded that there's a 90-minute time limit to eat.

2334 S. King St., Honolulu

Illinois

20. Lao Sze Chuan, Chicago

The meat dishes are great at Lao Sze Chuan, but this aubergine dish looks pretty tasty too.

The spicy chicken at Chicago Chinatown's Lao Sze Chuan will make your eyes water. It's loaded with red-hot chili peppers. Despite the burning sensation, you'll probably keep reaching for more because it's absolutely addictive.

The Peking duck is perfectly cooked and served with the usual condiments. Go ahead and suck on the bones -- they're just that good.

2172 S. Archer Ave., Chicago

21. Sun Shui, Arlington Heights

Mixed genres are normally a red flag, but Sun Shui is a Chinese restaurant with a sushi bar that delivers high quality.

It's a classy and inexpensive venue for a date. The "Dinner for Two" option comes with soup, a starter, two entrees and dessert.

This the American heartland, so General Tso's chicken is a popular pick.

155 W. Rand Road, Arlington Heights

Louisiana

22. Trey Yuen, Mandeville

Talk about adaptation. Trey Yuen is a Chinese restaurant that serves Cajun-influenced dishes. Sichuan flavorings are added to alligator and crawfish to create the ultimate Louisiana-meets-China cuisine.

600 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville

Maryland

23. China Bistro, Rockville

China Bistro is dumplings depot. It's a mom-and-pop shop with no more than a couple tables, but each dumpling is handmade and served fresh.

Mama's Special is a unique blend of pork, shrimp, chive and nappa.

Refreshing bubble tea is also served.

755 Hungerford Drive, Rockville

Massachusetts

24. Gourmet Dumpling House, Boston

In Boston's Chinatown this one is, obviously, known for dumplings. The crispy scallion pancakes pair perfectly with xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).

The restaurant combines northern and southern Chinese flavors and serves an assortment of Taiwanese appetizers, such as oyster pancakes and stinky tofu.

52 Beach St., Boston

25. Taiwan Cafe, Boston

Taiwan Cafe has the best soup dumplings in Boston and a wide variety of Taiwanese specialties, such as oyster pancakes and pork over rice.

Nothing extraordinary about the venue or location, but the Chinatown restaurant is probably the closest thing to Taiwan in Massachusetts.

34 Oxford St., Boston

Michigan

26. Best China, Canton

Best China really is the best in Michigan. With less than a dozen tables, it's a hole-in-the-wall, but the Shanghai-style rice cakes (nian gao) achieve the perfect level of chewiness without being gummy. There are two menus -- Chinese and English. As at any authentic Chinese place, adventurous eaters can ask for the Chinese menu (they're usually differ slightly from the English menu) and get recommendations from waiters.

7233 N. Lilley Road, Canton

Minnesota

27. Little Szechuan, St. Paul

Little Szechuan's mapo tofu and typically spicy Sichuan fare will leave your taste buds screaming for water, but don't worry; there are plenty of milder options. For those unfamiliar with authentic Chinese foods, pictures are provided on the menu.

Entrees tend to be larger than expected. We're not complaining.

422 University Ave. W., St. Paul

Nevada

28. Joyful House, Las Vegas

No fusion or Americanized dishes at Joyful House, a Las Vegas favorite. Just consistent and authentic Cantonese selections from a Hong Kong-trained chef.

The honey-walnut shrimp is a treat -- not too heavy on the mayo glaze, good shrimp-to-walnut ratio and expertly cooked.

The restaurant is located near Chinatown. Picture menus make it easy to order.

4601 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas

29. Wing Lei, Las Vegas

A Michelin-starred restaurant inside The Wynn casino on the strip, Wing Lei's decor offers a twist on French-influenced Shanghai. The food is as classy as the atmosphere, with prices on most dishes starting at around $30.

Peking duck is the house specialty. It's carved whole next to your table and served two ways, with steamed buns and hoisin sauce, and also diced in a lettuce cup.

Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas

New York

(See also Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot in the California section)

30. Excellent Dumpling House, New York

It says it on the tin: this is a great spot for melt-in-your-mouth dumplings, which go for about $4.95 each.

Excellent Dumping House is in a prime spot in SoHo and perfect for feasting on delicious Chinese treats.

111 Lafayette St, New York

31. Joe's Shanghai, New York

Specializing in wonderful soup dumplings, Joe's Shanghai is a local favorite has three locations: Midtown, Chinatown and Flushing. The crab and pork dumplings with a plate of scallion pancakes could make this your new favorite Chinese place.

Dumplings come in sets of eight and average around $5 per set.

Midtown: 24 W 56 Street, New York

Chinatown: 9 Pell St., New York

Flushing: 136-21 37th Avenue, Flushing

32. East Dumpling, New York

You'd be hard pressed to get a better dumpling deal anywhere in the United States. And the dumplings aren't only cheap, but tasty.

The restaurant sits on the former site of legendary Prosperity Dumpling and offers $3 for 10 dumplings.

Best deal ever this side of Shanghai.

46 Eldridge St., New York

33. Xi'an Famous Foods, New York

Xi'an Famous Foods serves Muslim-inspired dishes that taste as good as they do in western China. Lamb burgers are the highlight of this very authentic establishment. You can watch as they hand pull noodles right in front of you.

88 E. Broadway, No. 106, New York

North Carolina

34. Gourmet Kingdom, Carrboro

With more than 150 dishes on the menu, Gourmet Kingdom doesn't lack in variety. Prices average around $15 per dish, but you get a hearty amount, so drag along friends.

The lunch special is a steal, with choice of appetizer (the eight-piece dumpling order is a good option) paired with an entree such as the highly recommended take on the old standby kung pao chicken.

301 E. Main St., Carrboro

Ohio

35. Sichuan Bistro, Mason

Sichuan Bistro is as close as you're going to get to China in Ohio. The servers are Chinese and the menu is in Chinese (English translations provided). Cumin lamb is a customer favorite that will have you returning for more.

No worries for those who can't stomach the authenticity. Sichuan Bistro divides its menu into traditional Chinese and American-friendly Chinese.

7888 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason

Oregon

36. Shandong Restaurant, Portland

Shandong offers "a new look at classic dishes" in a pleasant though simple dining room.

The ginger-infused, hand-rolled pot stickers are large and one of the best-selling items. There are also freshly hand-pulled noodles and a unique deep-fried pork dish cooked in a cherry and ginger sauce.

Cheap happy hour appetizers, such as pan-Pacific wontons, Chilean rock crab and shiitake dumplings, are available from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Is this the cutting edge of Chinese cuisine? A growing number of devotees think so.

3724 N.E. Broadway, Portland

37. Wong's King Seafood Restaurant, Portland

Wong's is an authentic dim sum joint in an Asian strip mall where you can get the whole carts-piled-with-steamed-buns-and-dumplings experience. Dim sum hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the weekends.

No reservations available during dim sum hours and Sundays tend to be packed to the brim.

Despite the long lines, servers are friendly, the food emotes pure Hong Kong goodness and there's no rushing you out the door, an unfortunate practice in too many popular dim sum places.

The pork shu mai and steamed buns are customer favorites.

8733 S.E. Division St., Portland

Pennsylvania

38. Han Dynasty, Philadelphia

The glaring red of Han Dynasty's storefront suggests tongue-numbing spice and the place definitely doesn't disappoint heat-seekers.

Dan dan noodles are a customer favorite. They're silky and soaked in flavorful pork broth.

Most selections are drenched in chili oil or fried with Sichuan peppercorns.

Approach with caution.

Han Dynasty, 108 Chestnut St., Philadelphia