The service was AWFUL! It all started with my dish (chicken with vegetables) which was bland and disgusting. Then got our order of crab ragoons, which were ice cold. My rice had a piece of hair in it. Then received my boyfriend's dish (dry chili which wasn't bad) and got our pot stickers right as we were getting up to leave. We spent 2 hours there, our food was nothing special, our appetizers were late and cold, and the service... well there wasn't any. I didn't realize you could mess up chinese food but they sure did. I would recommend going elsewhere. I was completely disappointed!

I'm from Sichuan, How specialties and I love all spicy food.The tastes nothing difference..... I love here and here is my mess hall...

Lao Sze Chuna increased the price of each dish by more than 10%, but the size of each dish decreased more than 10%. Additionally, they charge $1 for rice.They really make authentic chinese foods though.

Best Chinese food I've ever had and that is from someone who moved here from New York were Chinese food is second to none (well, second to Chicago at this point)Dry Chili Chicken - 8 out of 10 - VERY spicyPork Dumplings - 10 / 10 - Amazing, candy-likeCrab Rangon - 10/10 - Real crab meat with a minimal amount of cream cheese (these are specialMongolian Beef - 10/10Porn Tenderloin 8/10I can't say enough good about this place.

No star for service (If I can)Two stars for food (Hot pot is below average level)We ordered spicy noodle and hot pot. Waited for a thousand years to get the food. Another thousand years for napkins. Food was terrible and we were too old to order other food. So we ate the rest and requested check for another thousand.A Couple days later, my group found we were overcharged.WE ARE SO UNHAPPY even though they consented to return me the extra part. Will never go back for Lao's again.

Spicy fish WAS my go-to dish here. But I don't think I'll be returning unless they change:Last time I went, they charged $1.00 per order of white rice. What Chinese restaurant charges for white rice? Their reasoning was that there was 2 or less people at our table. WTF? Should we sit with other people so you don't charge us for rice?Do they think we won't mind paying the extra $1? "Oh, it's just a dollar" Sorry, I'll opt for a non-Tony Hu restaurant to spend my money. Am I just making a big fuss over $2? Maybe, if you're a rich American that doesn't mind being exploited for a few bucks. I just think it's kind of ridiculous that they do this.TL;DR: Not a good Chinese restaurant to go to on a date.

You will not find better Chinese food in the city. The only thing more amazing than the food is the price!

I was here Saturday with a party of 7 for my mother's birthday. I chose this particular restaurant based on a Yahoo article that ranked Lao Sze Chuan as number one in the nation for chinese food, as well as it's authenticity. I know my mom is very picky when it comes to chinese food seeing as she can make a variety of the food herself, plus at a fraction of the cost. I figured with the restaurant's popularity, I'd make a reservation to avoid the wait. I sure am glad that I did, seeing that there was a line of 10 or so people waiting when we arrived. The dishes we ordered were:Orange ChickenThree Cups ChickenSpecial Dry Chili ChickenSweet and Sour RibsHouse Special Beef House Style in Hot PlatterMayonnaise ShrimpThe mayonnaise shrimp was pretty good; it's not overwhelmingly smothered in mayo like at other restaurants and the batter was nice, light, and crispy. The beef hot platter, sweet and sour ribs, and three cups chicken were all just okay. Nothing that really stood out in my mind. The special dry chili chicken was covered in peppers, although it wasn't too spicy. Others at the table agreed and enjoyed the dish. The favorite dish was the orange chicken, which again had a nice light batter and was covered in a delicious sauce.All in all, the food ranged from good to just okay. Nothing we ordered was really authentic, which I was a little disappointed about. But I think next time I will just come back with my parents and give it another try. I think they were trying to please the palates of our American spouses. I hear the mapo dofu is good but that was a dish I never liked as a kid, so I passed on it.I had to take two stars off because of the horrible service. We were constantly trying to flag down a waiter, which really shouldn't have been that hard. We honestly could have finished our dinner in half the time we were there. For a place as small and popular as it was, you would think the servers would be more attentive to get you what you need and out, and then seat the long line of people that's waiting outside. No. We had waited 10 mins at the table for a check, and only had told my family to head out since I'd be paying anyways, one of the servers finally remembered we had asked for a check. Even then I sat I at the empty table for another 5 minutes before I was finally handed a bill.It also seems that a majority of the workers do not speak Chinese, which was a bit disappointing. I know my parents like to order in Chinese since their English isn't so good, but the employees aren't very good at English either. It was very unusual. Maybe they just couldn't hear us. At the end of day, please work on your service. For a place that should be number one in the nation, it could be better. I'd definitely give this place another try.

I am really perplexed by all the people who think this place is great. Our group of 9 dined here last night. If the food was great (which it is not), I would have been willing to overlook the lack of ambiance and awful service. We were seated right away but waited 20 minutes for a drink order. The service level never improved from there. The door on the second floor room didn't close well and it was so cold in there that most of the diners in the room wore their coats to eat.Since there were 9 of us, we did try quite a few things and were impressed with none. Bland spring rolls, rubbery pot stickers were how we started the meal. The crispy duck that one person ordered was actually soggy duck with no flavor. The beef quality in both the mongolian beef and the szechuan beef was poor. It was chewy and dry with too much grizzle. The chicken in the chicken dishes was bland. One person did an individual hot pot and though it had a lot of heat but no flavor. While the shrimp was fine in the seafood dish, the scallops were not and the oyster sauce was as bland as bland gets.I honestly think they have too many dishes on the menu to execute any of them well. They should pare down the menu to just a few things and do them better.

Good as we all now know!We had:*Dry Chicken Chili: code for spicy nuggets, juicy, not dry at all, not too hot...*Ma Boa Tofu: tofu in hot chili oil*Orange beef: CRISPY beef done so right in this delicious sweet sauce-NOT hotReally speedy service, yummie free kimchi cabbageDownfalls:*NO ambiance*Even at random times you will wait, and if it's cold you are screwed because the entry way is the only place to wait indoors and its teeny.*parking kinda scarce* a bit too pricey for what it is..........

Never a bad meal.Tony's 3 Chili Chicken is the best

The dried chili chicken was overcooked and hard. The chicken fried rice was tasteless and the spicy fish with red bean sauce was salty. Overall a very disappointing experience.

I had dinner here last night with my Fiance instead of our usual Chi Cafe.We were greeted and seated immediately by the gentlemen at the door...not bad for a friday night, but from then on it was probably the second worst dinning experience i've had.It started with our waiters. The first gentlemen was very polite and handed our menu and serve our water immediately. Great right?! but then it took them almost 20 minutes to come back and get our order the doorman had to ask them to take it. As we ordered the waitress did not care to even look at us directly as we were ordering she was busy staring at other tables.We had to request for a refill for water and to top it off when I asked for my check the charge me $2 for steamed rice when we didn't even order it.There is one thing I will not take away from this place which is the food. Probably the best tasting chinese food i've had.

Hah. Another negative review filtered by Yelp. Will throwing them another star get it into the ratings?[Edited]I was excited to try this place, since all my chinese friends (including my girlfriend) said it was the best Chinese in town. We went between Christmas and New Year's, and boy were we in for a surprise.After waiting in frigid weather for 20 minutes (they refused to let us wait in the entryway), we sat down and were excited to eat. The three of us ordered a pork dish, hot and sour soup, a chinese broccoli dish, and squid.The hot and sour soup and the squid came without incident, and were pretty good. That's when the chaos began. We got a beef tripe dish that we hadn't ordered, and sent it back. The broccoli dish arrived after an extended delay, and was fine right up until the point we found the fingertip of a pink latex dishwashing glove in it.Having lost our appetite, we got the check (after looking for our server for a good ten minutes) and found that not only had the beef tripe been included in the bill, so had a chicken dish. We argued, and the two dishes were removed, but the original pork dish (which we hadn't received) was included. Had to argue again to have that removed.Unbeknownst to us, they were charging a mandatory 15% service fee during this period, and therefore to add insult to injury we weren't able to not leave a tip.Two of the three people at the table were native Chinese speakers, and there was definitely no mix-up during the ordering. At least when they have a guaranteed tip, the entire staff of this restaurant could not give a damn. Slow service, careless order taking, debris in the food, and surly waitstaff - never again. Chef Tony or whatever his name is has gotten to big for his britches. Wake up - you're not that important, and if your restaurant continues to operate this way, people will walk away. There are a hundred restaurants just like it in Chinatown.

While the wonderful chef Tony is away, the waiters will play...Service - Let's be logical, the better your service the higher the table turnover rate and thus more business- who wouldn't want that? So take care of your customers, don't forget their lamb and sauces (creative sauces which mix well) just because a customer dropped a $100 bill on the floor that you felt like you had to tack up for the world to see.I am sure to order aphrodisiacs while my hottie gets his hot pot on. Clams in basil sauce, well cooked to taste (I love tasting the Ocean), no complaints there. The portion size is for a small asian child, not a full grown adult. Excellent sauce that would be nice with rice- no rice, separate?!!!.Lao Sze Chuan is one of the more higher end spots in Chinatown, and you can see this reflected in the portion size and price (seafood is based on current market price of course).Rice balls with sugar and sesame for desert, delicious, melt in my mouth.I could try something different at Lao every week and probably not get bored or feel that the menu is difficult to navigate (There are some items which I consider fusion, and I will steer clear of pigs ear, pork blood soup and Congee dishes!!).I will definitely need to work up a nice appetite before coming to Lao Sze Chuan;)

I know, I know.Lao Sze Chuan is the crowning jewel of Chicago's Chinatown hit list.Always the busiest.Always the longest wait.It must be the best, yes?No.No.No.Been several times and always feel it falls short.This last trip proved no exception.Bland appetizers.Doughy potstickers.Over sauced, one-note Szechuan beef.Sesame Chicken so beyond battered it tasted more fritter than poultry.Hot Pot that is more expensive - yet far more sparsely appointed - than Lao Beijing's.And then there's the service.I know, the language barrier is a 'thing.'But, come on, asking repeatedly for water and tea, small requests for soy sauce, chili sauce, etc. that constantly go unfulfilled...This Lao just does not wow.

Delicious! I had been very skeptical of Chinatown restaurants after ordering take out from 3 different places, only to get items that were so completely drenched in oil that I couldn't even eat them. After a recommendation from a friend, I decided to just bite the bullet and go to Lao Sze Chuan late one Wednesday night.The hot and sour soup was not impressive and I will certainly go without it next time. But the chicken and garlic sauce (with tofu substituted) was fantastic, not oily at all, and full of flavor. Included with the entree was hot tea and a deliciously spicy Chinese cabbage salad - a variety of raw vegetables in some sort of vinegar and chili sauce that I could not get enough of.I will definitely go back to Lao Sze Chuan again and again to try many of their different items. Service was quick and friendly. It's possible that take out dishes just tend to be more oily than eating in the actual restaurant, so I will avoid the take out from now on and just focus on dining in.Servings are large and one entree easily made a dinner and lunch plus a little afternoon snack for me.

We ordered the chili chicken and double fried pork with chili and cilantro? And spinach and soup.OhMyGodzilla my mouth was on fire. We totally neglected to acknowledge the fact that our choices could have been bad due to the hot factor.It was good though! I will def be back, but make sure that our choices will be more well rounded.

You're in luck if you're craving spicy Chinese food. The chef's special dry chili chicken and Tony's chicken with three chili are good.They offer a discount if you show your student ID and pay with cash.

Guaranteed smash hit for out of towners! As long as they can handle some spice, that is.My most recent trip was with the fella and his family, in town from Detroit. It was Labor Day, and the fella and I were waking up from a crazy busy working/ partying weekend. Super hungover and exhausted - my brain couldn't come up a single good idea of where to take the in laws. Luckily, he still had a few of his faculties in tact and came up with China Town. That's where I stepped in and recommended Lao Sze Chuan. How could I forget about one of my very favorite chinese joints ever?We all met there around 2:00 pm and were seated right away. Awesome. We started with a few apps to share; spicy green beans, pot stickers, and egg rolls. This is when we realized that we should've advised the out of towners that sze chuan cooking is spicy. It was perfect for my and the fellas hangovers - not so perfect for those not prepared for the heat. We did all agree that no matter how spicy, the apps were delicious. As for entrees, I have no clue what everybody else got because I was elbow deep in salt and pepper shrimp. Damn, that was delicious. Just thinking about it and I've got a hankering for some more.If only our server could've kept up with our water demand, this would've been 5 stars. I mean, where else can you take your family to dinner and do a little touristing - all for less than $75?

If you're not a rabid foodie or from China, Lao Sze Chuan's wait staff will try mightily to steer you clear of the crispy organ meat and tongue sizzling hot pots that are the specialty here. Persevere, however, and you'll be rewarded ...?

they have okay food but they have bad service and they will try to cheat you. for example, hotpot is supposed to cost 14.95/person on weekdays and 16.95/person on weekends and holidays. we went on feb 13, 2006, a mon and were told it's a ...?

I really like the food from their menu, the cook really know how to cook authentic Chinese food that taste so fantastic. However, I am not a big fan of their hot pot, the portion is big, but if you have a high cholesterol or high blood ...?

The favorite in almost every table in this szechuan spelicialized restaurant is their chili chicken, although they have many other excellent foods from their menu like bean curd homestyle and shrimp with mayonaisse sauce. ...?

out. I found out it was part of Chef Tony's Lao Szechuan restaurants. Talk about good. The menu is very extensive, I've only just begun trying all that's on there. It tastes better than most other restaurants. I was getting tired of some of the local favorites, ...?

Lao's has changed from a fairly good hole in the wall Chinese restaurant to a restaurant that has superceded its capacity and ability to maintain its quality. It used to be a great place to catch a simple spicy Sze Chuan meal, even ...?

was excellent, I will definitely be back. Prices are reasonable and the food is all extremely well done. It should be noted that this place is BYOB (would have helped us to know that beforehand), but there is a place to buy booze right in the area in case you forget. ...?

I brought my family to Chicago the first time the past weekend. We went to this restaurant in downtown hoping for some decent Chinese food. Waiters were so so, so was the food. Though we were in such good mood so it didn't really bother ...?

Downer's Grove, but stick to the real Chinese menu, please. The twice-cooked pork is an incredible hunk of almost pure fat. Be sure to get the peapod leaves, too, and the Hunan beef hotpot. Let them know you like the pickles, and they'll treat you right. ...?

then Lao Sze Chuan is the place for you! Try the Chef's Special Diced Beef and Tofu - it is my favorite! We eat here regularly and the food is fantastic every time. Quite a deal for the low prices! ...?

Over 100 entrees to choose from... if you want to see how yor traditional Chinese-American entrees like Mongolian Beef and Chicken Chow Mein should taste, go here, everybody in the place from the staff to the patrons is Chinese so you ...?

excellent, once you get to know the staff, you'll find that their Chinese specialties for the Chinese are unbelievably good. Be careful on weekends - the place can have a long wait as part of the experience. ...?

I do love Tony's Chicken. It's pretty much the only reason to come here but it's a great reason! They also have some insanely spicy pork dish with tons of red pepper flakes that's pretty good, and the last time I went I got the smoked ...?

attempt to cater to beautiful people. Absolutely authentic, respectable portions and matter-of-fact service. One of the few places where the eggplant is treated with the respect it deserves. Lamb dishes are really delicious. ...?

Tastybeat.com recommends Lao Sze Chuan, a wonderful restaurant at Archer and Cermak in China Town. We suggest trying the Xin Jiang Lamb specialty, a marinated and stir-fried lamb dish flavored with Xin Jiang cumin, ginger, garlic, onion, scallions, red pepper, fresh jalape?o, chili sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. This is a traditional dish of the Uigher people from the far northwest province of Xin Jiang. Because of its central location between the Middle East and China, Xin Jiang produces food and culture that melds aspects of both. We think you will agree that Lao Sze Chuan is a welcome alternative to your typical Americanized Chinese fare.?

I studied abroad in Beijing over a year and loved every hotpot place I had ever been to. However, my food at Lao Sze Chuan was thoroughly disappointing. The waitress was very unfriendly. When I asked for hotpot she said "Ok you want ...?

Whenever my family visits Chinatown, we always end up at Lao Sze Shuan. I planned a large hot pot party for some friends, and Tony really took care of us. Service can be slow, but the food is authentically spicy. ...?

Last night we went to Lao Tze Chuan restaurant. We learned they had changed ownership, and wondered what the new management would be like. We arrived around 6:15, placed our order around 6:25. The food didn't come until 7:00 pm When the meal ...?

was the absolute worst that i have ever experienced. due to an error by waitstaff, the wrong entrees were placed on the tables. we were trying new dishes and trusted them to be correct. however, after a taste, we realized they were wrong. we were forced to ...?

such an exulted ranking. The lamb is amazing, the frog terrible, the fish hot pot almost amazing the bacon with a collared green looking vegetable was blah.Good service for such a crowded joint. A small but good and affordable selection of US and Chinese wines. ...?

It was a miss. That said, my daughter who is Asian-American ordered the pork blood cakes with tofu (not my choice in a million years) and she was pleased. My husband and I ordered our more pedestrian choices, all greasy and uneventful. ...?