Sichuan Pavilion

Love the food here, usually get the chicken with hot peppers, green beans and mapu tofu. Heard the cumin lamb and fish are also great. Decently priced for the amount.

First time feel good about having Chinese food in US. We ordered a dish each of us and shared. Great taste and I want to go there again! They have big tables so it is good for families and friends going there and share multiple dishes.

My family and I visited DC and found it by random search on Unilocal.This place is wonderful!!!
I loved the spicy fish fillet so much and I came back to order more on the second (and the last) day of our trip. Very authentic Chinese food!

Located on K St, Sichuan Pavilion is right in the middle of all the craziness, oftentimes getting super busy around lunch time. Despite multiple changes in the number of guests, Jimmy (I believe was the owner’s name) was able to accommodate 24 people at lunch time on 2 different days — which helped me out a LOT with my planning (if you’ve ever handled large groups, you know what I’m talking about). Both times, the seating was pretty tight but it worked.
The décor is a bit outdated, but that’s all trumped by the fast and friendly service. The food was also amazing. We had the pan fried dumplings (always a must!), eggplant in garlic (love anything eggplant and garlic), chicken in hot dry pepper (very spicy, but delicious) and bunch of other items which names I can’t remember, but were equally as tasty.
My Chinese group loved their food, so that should tell you something :) I would definitely recommend this restaurant!

The Chinese place was about to close in 30 minutes when We got there. I ordered some spicy food and it was decent but there are better Chinese places in DC. Although service was good, food was not so good.

I came here to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, and my experience reminded me of Asia where there were 1 – 2 servers per table.
We were situated in the small room close to the front of the restaurant, and had 2 servers literally 1 foot away from our table during our entire meal. If they had just pulled a seat next to us, they could have pretty much been part of the party. As a result, it’s not really a place to have a private, intimate meal depending on where you are sitting.
The food was pretty good, the smoked tea duck was one of the best I had, and their variety of veggies and soups, were very good. Not too oily or salty, just right. Sichuan Pavilion is a safe bet for decent Chinese food at a higher price point.
For Chinese New Year, they did tell us about the various specialties they had such as Nian gao (rice noodles) which were very good and similar to the ones my family makes at home.
Overall, a good experience. It was also a nice touch they gave each customer a red bag with a dollar coin! How nice and generous! :)

Love the Sichuan Style Jumbo Shrimp!!! It’s flavorful and so tasty! Not very spicy so it’s perfect for people who can’t eat spicy food like my mom.
For Pork Dumplings in Sichuan Sauce, its not spicy at all. The wrapping is sweet and the sauce is seriously not spicy, but I like it!
We also ordered sautéed vegetables and pork buns, they are okay but won’t order them again.

My boyfriend and I have been here for dinner several times and we’ve never been disappointed. I always get the dry spicy pepper chicken which is FANTASTIC.
For reference, I have a Chinese sister-​in-​law who made us authentic Cheng-​Du hotpot once and the seasonings in hers were similar to the ones in the spicy dishes I’ve had here.
The only downside is that the seating is cramped– you’re very close to other tables. However, not much of an issue if you don’t go during peak dinner hour.

If you enjoy being in a place where the customers slurp while eating and burp afterwards go ahead. I have been to simpler restaurants where patrons had better table manners than here.
Terrible atmosphere.

This place is decent. I’ve come here a couple times. Once, I ordered the General Tso off the lunch menu. I wasn’t too much of a fan bc it had the weird fake-​ish doughy chicken that I simply cannot stand. So the next time, I ordered Sichuan Style Shredded Chicken. It was okay, but this time the chicken was kinda chewy and weird, so I’ve decided that I just can’t order chicken from this place. Yesterday, I ordered the Sichuan Style Jumbo Shrimp and added broccoli and am quite pleased with the dish. It has a lot of flavor and from what I know, you can’t make fake shrimp (God, I hope not) and it was tasty! Also, I had some for lunch yesterday, today, and still have a little leftover for tomorrow!
Takeaway: If you are picky and hesitant of trying Chinese places because of the sketchy
«chicken,» you will most likely find an issue with their chicken, so try the shrimp!

Pretty authentic Szechuan food if you know how to order. Dinner menu is good but beware there are many traps that you can order which are basically just takeout Chinese food. For example sweet and sour or pork, don’t get it there!
On food quality I’d give it 4 stars. I think panda gourmet has similar quality but 20% cheaper and more selection. But I understand location is better so higher price is somewhat justified.
What dropped them down to 3 stars is the fact that the lunch specials are only available for carry out. I’ve never heard of that. So beware you have to buy from the full priced, dinner menu at lunch time.
So the takeaway? Don’t come here for lunch.

3.5 stars but I decided to round up given that it is one of the better Chinese places in the area. I’ve tried a lot of different dishes here, but the Chicken with Asparagus is generally my go-​to. I usually don’t order chicken at Chinese restaurants because I’m a little picky about the quality of my poultry, but the chicken here is pretty good. I also like their egg drop soup. It has corn in it and a good flavor (I think it’s from chicken broth).
Service is just okay. They’re usually not particularly friendly, but the food comes out quickly.

Delicious! Went here on a Saturday night after sitting at a nearby place Fri night and realizing I picked wrong after reading the Unilocal reviews. Decided to check it out for dinner the next night. Glad I did! Dan Dan Mien noodles were delicious, firm noodles and spicy with tasty ground pork! The pork dumplings were also delicious. Will be back to try more!

This place is located a block away form the Farragut West exit in the land of generic Western foods a la Subway, Pret a Manger, Au Bön Pain, etc. It’s a part of town that isn’t known for the best ethnic cuisines. In this land, Sichuan Pavilion is a beacon of light.
Now don’t get me wrong; it’s not perfect. First, the cons.
— The prices are on the higher end — about 12+ bucks per dish for lunch. After tip, tax, a drink, and maybe a refill of rice, you’re dropping 20 bucks for lunch.
— A coworker that I came with got the sweet and sour pork — mesmerizing spheres of pig in a reddish orange glaze. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It looked like it belongs in a modern art museum and not on a plate.
— I came with a group of 4, all ordering differently priced items. At the end of our meal, our server would not split the bill based on what we had ordered.
But all these things I can ignore because
— The prices are pretty on par for this area. And if you get your food to go, it’s not that bad.
— I don’t tend to order the Americanized Chinese food anyway.
— Tell your server when you first arrive that you want to have separate bills and they will be able to accommodate. I should probably know this at this point in my life but I’m a slow learner.
And the reason I ignore all these minor gripes is because when Sichuan Pavilion does it right, they do it really right. They’re one of the most authentic Chinese places downtown. I’ve been there a couple times and I’ve had the opportunity to try the chicken with dry peppers, twice cooked pork, and the mapo tofu. All of which are super authentic and full of flavor. In fact, when you come here, make sure to only order from the «Authentic Entrees» page. They have an asterisk next to the spicy dishes. Do not ignore this. The dishes definitely pack a punch but are not so overwhelming that you can’t enjoy it. And lastly, you get a pretty good amount of food for your dollar. Enough to make those afternoon meetings a struggle.

Our company catered from Sichuan Pavilion for our Chinese New Year celebration, and the food was delicious and very popular. They offer a great balance of authentic Chinese dishes that are not overwhelming. For instance the spicy dishes are not too spicy and they do not have the numbing spice (his jiao). The food arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule and the restaurant provided al the plastic dishes, chopsticks, and serving spoons. (They did not have forks though.) Overall this is probably the best Chinese food option in DC for large groups of people.
In terms of specific dishes, I was slightly disappointed with their double cooked pork. I like their crispy beef, string beans, and Peking duck.

正宗中国菜, Most Authentic Chinese in D.C., Service is OK, and Prices are Good.
They DO have Americanized Chinese Food as well. I ordered the Shrimp and Hot Garlic Sauce. It was very good. Service is usually OK.
When they seated me, my chair was full of rice, and they were quick to clean and replace the chair for me, which I really appreciate.

This spot has been a comfort food go-​to restaurant. Parking can be difficult, but other than that it is conveniently located in the city. The staff is so nice, and the waiters make sure to clear your table often. The food comes out fast, very hot, and fresh. Make sure to get a side of their hot chili oil sauce (I’m pretty sure they make it in house). I always order the dry pepper chicken, laden with dried chilies and szechuan peppercorns. This dish will make you sweat before you know it! It is so simple, but so tasty. I also always order the spicy pork dumplings. The sauce on them is so addicting. I always save the sauce and spoon it over my rice (amidst waiters who are so eager to take the dish away). I also like getting a veggie, the eggplant in garlic sauce or the bok choy with black mushrooms is always a solid choice.

Located in the hustle and bustle of Downtown D.C., Sichuan Pavilion’s exterior is unassuming that is until you step inside. Once inside, it’s like stepping into little China-​fast paced service and crowded.
Went here during lunch time on a training break since it was in walking distance of the office. There is also have a fast food place right below if you don’t want to do a formal sit down.
We were quickly seated and I could see why. It’s like a well-​oiled machine. Food is served quickly and cleared just as fast so that the next customer can be ushered in.
I love spicy, Szechuan food and this place fulfilled that craving. The dry, hot pepper chicken was probably one of the best I’ve had outside of China. The spicy beef was also great. My only regret is that I didn’t get to try more items since we were short on time.
If you’re looking for good, authentic Szechuan food then look no further. The prices were reasonable and food comes out fairly quick. Service is par, but I don’t usually expect great service at these places.

Sichuan is the only good Chinese restaurant I’ve found in DC.
They’re located on K street so unless you work nearby and go for lunch it’s not the most convenient place to go to for dinner, and their delivery range is super limited. As in, we moved across the street from our former apartment and they initially refused to deliver. Same street, same block, just the other side of it. They’re not always friendly on the phone, and I am somewhat concerned that they save customer’s credit card details, but delivery is always fast and it is wonderful, delicious food.
I think everything is probably good (except the lo mein, tried that once and regretted it) but I recommend the Dan Dan Noodles, the Ma Po Tofu, Mongolian Beef, Spicy Garlic Eggplant, and chicken with vegetables. The soups are delicious, too!

I’m not sure what all the negative reviews are about, cause this shit was delicious! Don’t expect American-​style service, where the servers fawn over you. You place your order, they bring your food and drinks and that’s it. If you’re cool with that, you’ll enjoy your experience here.
I tend to get plates and share it with the table, so we ordered Ma Po Tofu, chicken with peppers, shrimp fried rice and the spicy fish filet. Most of the items were a little on the spicy side, but still really good. There’s a Sichuan restaurant in Austin that we love, and this place is just as good, if not slightly better. The food was a little on the oily side, so be prepared for that.
Overall, we had a good experience. Like my Chinese friend told me before going: «Don’t let the negative, white people reviews stop you».