Best Chinese Restaurants in Chinatown
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Yang Chow
Chinatown institution since 1977, famous for inventing the slippery shrimp and drawing celebrity regulars before Dodger games
Notable Picks
#1
Yang Chow
8.1
A Chinatown institution since 1977 that invented slippery shrimp—crispy battered prawns in a garlic-forward sweet-spicy sauce that became an LA staple. The family-style format with lazy susan sharing works well for groups heading to Dodger games or seeking generous Cantonese portions without pretense. Expect a bustling dining room where speed varies but the kitchen delivers on its signatures.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orange Chicken, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Kung Pao Chicken
What Makes it Special: Chinatown institution since 1977, famous for inventing the slippery shrimp and drawing celebrity regulars before Dodger games
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Comfort Food Classics
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Family Friendly Favorites
Compact counter-service dim sum shop that favors speed, comfort, and solid execution over flash. The lineup of steamed dumplings, buns, and pan-fried cakes is dependable, making it a repeat stop for locals running errands in Chinatown. Expect no-frills seating and a quick in-and-out rhythm.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pan-Fried Turnip Cake, Pork Shumai, BBQ Pork Bun
What Makes it Special: Fast, focused dim sum counter with a tight Chinatown neighborhood pull.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
A family-run Cantonese-American kitchen operating since 1977, built on generous-portioned staples like crispy duck, honey walnut shrimp, and beef chow fun that keep multi-generational regulars coming back. The Rush Hour filming location doubles as a no-frills Chinatown anchor where the courtyard patio with paper lanterns is the nicest surprise. Go for a big group order at moderate prices and expect solid comfort food, not a reinvention of the genre.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orange Chicken, Chow Mein, Egg Rolls
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown staple recognized as the Rush Hour filming location, serving Cantonese-American classics since the 1980s
#4
Firstborn
7.8
Chef Anthony Wang's French bistronomy lens on Chinese American cooking produces technically ambitious plates—chili-crisp fried chicken, mapo-inflected steak tartare—inside a green-tiled Chinatown dining room at Mandarin Plaza. The polarized review pattern suggests diners who connect with the boundary-crossing approach leave thrilled, while others find the fusion concept uneven. Best on a quieter midweek evening when the noise drops and you can focus on the food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fried Chicken Legs with Morita Chili Crisp, Steak Tartare with Broad Bean Paste and Silken Tofu, BBQ Cabbage with Aged Pork and Leeks Vinaigrette
What Makes it Special: Chef Anthony Wang applies French bistronomy techniques to Chinese American cooking, finishing dishes like chili-crisp fried chicken and mapo-style steak tartare in a green-tiled Chinatown dining room.
7.8
A Chinatown bakery counter operating since the 1980s, turning out fresh dim sum items alongside traditional Chinese pastries at cash-only prices that keep regulars coming back. The format is transactional—grab char siu bao and sesame balls, skip the ambiance—but 40 years of consistency speaks for itself.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dim Sum, Char Siu Bao, Siu Mai
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Chinatown bakery serving fresh dim sum and traditional Chinese pastries since the 1980s
7.7
A 60-year-old Chinatown dim sum hall running one of the last traditional cart services in Los Angeles, where plates roll past and you point to eat. The food is reliable Cantonese banquet fare at prices that keep regulars cycling through weekly, though the room shows its age and service runs on a flag-down-your-cart rhythm that rewards initiative over patience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Har Gow, Shumai, Chicken Feet
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown dim sum hall with roaming cart service, a format increasingly rare in Los Angeles
7.7
Cash-only Chinatown counter service where dim sum items run under $1.50 each—har gow at $0.90, siu mai at $0.80, BBQ pork bun at $1.00. The separate takeout window moves faster than dine-in during busy stretches. Operating since 1976, the trade-off is sticky floors and lukewarm items when turnover slows; prime-time visits catch fresher product. Egg custard tart consistently outperforms other items.
Must-Try Dishes:
BBQ Pork Bun, Roast Duck Noodles, Siu Mai
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Chinatown dim sum counter with 50+ years of roast duck tradition