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A bowl of fish soup is topped with Szechuan peppers.
BJ Fish Soup in Plano.
B2J Fish Soup

The Best Chinese Restaurants in DFW

Where to get dim sum, hotpot, skewers, clay pot rice, and hearty soups

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BJ Fish Soup in Plano.
| B2J Fish Soup

The Metroplex’s Chinese food scene is a colorful fireworks display of flavors from Cantonese, Shanghainese, Szechuan delicacies — and more — plus Chinese American favorites. It offers a range of dining settings from the more upscale to casual, no frills options.

Chinatown in Richardson is thriving, while a second Chinatown is blossoming in a strip mall on Coit and Park in Plano — with exciting new restaurants popping up further north. Here are the Chinese restaurants to try now.

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Jia Asian Bistro

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Lakewood, and all of East Dallas, hasn’t been a hotbed of good Chinese food since — well, ever. The neighborhood lucked into getting its own outpost from the founders of Jia Modern Chinese. It’s a small spot with great Szechuan beef that packs a punch, dirt stir green beans, and shrimp with honey walnut.

Grilled chicken served with red and green peppers is served over noodles in a bowl. Jia Asian Bistro

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

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Soupy steamed xiao long bao is the star of this Shanghai-style restaurant’s menu. Other stellar regional dishes include the Hong Shao Rou (red braised pork belly with bok choy) and the pan-fried pork buns. Now with two locations: the original in Irving and the second on Lowest Greenville.

Plates of Chinese food sit on a table. Clockwise, crab wonton with duck sauce, scallion pancakes with duck sauce, and sweet and sour baby ribs. Justine Choi

Maison Chinoise

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Chef Ivan Yuen and Lombardi’s chef Massimo Esposito Chinese menu includes traditional Chinese favorites found during their work and travel across the country. Dishes adapted to Dallas tastes and sensibilities include soft and buttery coconut milk bread, pan-fried wagyu pot stickers, and an array of entrees that are paired by the diner with the rice or noodles of their choice.

Four wagyu dumplings sit on a plate, with sauce behind them to the right. Courtney E. Smith

Wok Star Chinese

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For Chinese food that comes with a deeply American soundtrack and a party vibe, this is the spot. The noodles are hand pulled, the buns stuffed daily, and the range of American favorites from Chinese menus worldwide are all available. This spot is also extremely family-friendly.

A plate holds nuggets of tempura chicken, served General Tso’s style. Wok Star

Royal China Restaurant

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Tucked into the massive shopping center at Preston and Royal, this North Dallas institution has a devoted crowd of regulars. Try the excellent chilled dan dan noodles, which are hand-pulled in-house, and xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Chinese American favorites like kung pao and sesame chicken also get a serious upgrade on this menu.

A plate holds spiced beef, snap peas, and julianned carrots with a scoop of rice. Courtney E. Smith

First Chinese BBQ

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Diners are welcomed into this spot by a window cabinet of Cantonese-style barbecue filled with glossy mahogany skinned roast ducks, amber steamed chicken, a side of crispy-skinned roast pork, and a mountain of red char siu pork loins. Order any of these to graze on with rice, alongside other Hong Kong-style favorites, including fresh shrimp wonton noodle soup and yang chow fried rice.

A plate holds glazed pork and herbs. First Chinese BBQ

Kirin Court

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The expansive ballroom setup here is reminiscent of Hong Kong dim sum houses and is crowded with ten-top tables for celebrating. Get outside the dim sum wheelhouse and try the #27 which is fried balls of mashed taro filled with pork and mushrooms encased in a nest-like shell. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during weekends and holidays.

Dumpling warmer containers are stacked high in multiple stacks. Kirin Court

Fat Ni BBQ

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Diners here can enjoy northern China-style seasoned meats, seafood, and vegetables on a stick. Beef tendon skewers and the plate of lamb chops are must-orders. Don’t expect to be served rice to pair with this regional delicacy — there is none. Instead, the kitchen offers a choice of noodles, roasted skewered steamed buns, or good old ice-cold bottles of beer as is characteristic of the wheat basket in the north.

852 Cafe

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Hong Kong style Chinese dishes are front and center on the menu here. Meat over rice recipes such as the baked pork chop smothered with chunky tomato sauce and cheese and satay beef are staples. The curry fish balls with pork rinds is a street food classic that brings back fond memories for many regulars.

East Wall Chinese Cuisine

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Chinese American favorites and Cantonese specialties are the go-to. Dining in is the go-to move for trying the Hong Kong style claypot rice, which requires a 20 to 30-minute wait. That patience will be rewarded with a scalding claypot filled with steamed rice topped with a choice of roast barbecue, chicken and mushroom or pork rib, drizzled with a sweet soy based sauce, and the crown jewel that is the crispy golden layer of rice at the bottom. 

B2J Fish Soup

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This Plano favorite serves a Szechuan specialty dish, the Suan Cai Yu, a spicy, sour fish and pickled mustard greens soup. It’s a perfect dish to warm-up with in the colder months., Choose the serving size based on the size of the party, and  soup flavors from original, spicy or spicy and numbing and the add-ons such as tofu, mushrooms or noodles. It’s open for lunch and dinner service on weekdays, while open all day on weekends.

A bowl of fish soup is topped with Szechuan peppers. B2J Fish Soup

Highland Noodles

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The must-order items at this spot are Chinese-style noodles in different widths and thicknesses that are hand-pulled, sliced, served in soup, stir-fried, or in sauce. Lucky diners can have dinner and a show, watching  the noodles made fresh in the open kitchen.

A hand holding chopsticks pulls noodles out from a bowl of warm soup. HIghland Noodles

Jia Asian Bistro

Lakewood, and all of East Dallas, hasn’t been a hotbed of good Chinese food since — well, ever. The neighborhood lucked into getting its own outpost from the founders of Jia Modern Chinese. It’s a small spot with great Szechuan beef that packs a punch, dirt stir green beans, and shrimp with honey walnut.

Grilled chicken served with red and green peppers is served over noodles in a bowl. Jia Asian Bistro

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

Soupy steamed xiao long bao is the star of this Shanghai-style restaurant’s menu. Other stellar regional dishes include the Hong Shao Rou (red braised pork belly with bok choy) and the pan-fried pork buns. Now with two locations: the original in Irving and the second on Lowest Greenville.

Plates of Chinese food sit on a table. Clockwise, crab wonton with duck sauce, scallion pancakes with duck sauce, and sweet and sour baby ribs. Justine Choi

Maison Chinoise

Chef Ivan Yuen and Lombardi’s chef Massimo Esposito Chinese menu includes traditional Chinese favorites found during their work and travel across the country. Dishes adapted to Dallas tastes and sensibilities include soft and buttery coconut milk bread, pan-fried wagyu pot stickers, and an array of entrees that are paired by the diner with the rice or noodles of their choice.

Four wagyu dumplings sit on a plate, with sauce behind them to the right. Courtney E. Smith

Wok Star Chinese

For Chinese food that comes with a deeply American soundtrack and a party vibe, this is the spot. The noodles are hand pulled, the buns stuffed daily, and the range of American favorites from Chinese menus worldwide are all available. This spot is also extremely family-friendly.

A plate holds nuggets of tempura chicken, served General Tso’s style. Wok Star

Royal China Restaurant

Tucked into the massive shopping center at Preston and Royal, this North Dallas institution has a devoted crowd of regulars. Try the excellent chilled dan dan noodles, which are hand-pulled in-house, and xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Chinese American favorites like kung pao and sesame chicken also get a serious upgrade on this menu.

A plate holds spiced beef, snap peas, and julianned carrots with a scoop of rice. Courtney E. Smith

First Chinese BBQ

Diners are welcomed into this spot by a window cabinet of Cantonese-style barbecue filled with glossy mahogany skinned roast ducks, amber steamed chicken, a side of crispy-skinned roast pork, and a mountain of red char siu pork loins. Order any of these to graze on with rice, alongside other Hong Kong-style favorites, including fresh shrimp wonton noodle soup and yang chow fried rice.

A plate holds glazed pork and herbs. First Chinese BBQ

Kirin Court

The expansive ballroom setup here is reminiscent of Hong Kong dim sum houses and is crowded with ten-top tables for celebrating. Get outside the dim sum wheelhouse and try the #27 which is fried balls of mashed taro filled with pork and mushrooms encased in a nest-like shell. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during weekends and holidays.

Dumpling warmer containers are stacked high in multiple stacks. Kirin Court

Fat Ni BBQ

Diners here can enjoy northern China-style seasoned meats, seafood, and vegetables on a stick. Beef tendon skewers and the plate of lamb chops are must-orders. Don’t expect to be served rice to pair with this regional delicacy — there is none. Instead, the kitchen offers a choice of noodles, roasted skewered steamed buns, or good old ice-cold bottles of beer as is characteristic of the wheat basket in the north.

852 Cafe

Hong Kong style Chinese dishes are front and center on the menu here. Meat over rice recipes such as the baked pork chop smothered with chunky tomato sauce and cheese and satay beef are staples. The curry fish balls with pork rinds is a street food classic that brings back fond memories for many regulars.

East Wall Chinese Cuisine

Chinese American favorites and Cantonese specialties are the go-to. Dining in is the go-to move for trying the Hong Kong style claypot rice, which requires a 20 to 30-minute wait. That patience will be rewarded with a scalding claypot filled with steamed rice topped with a choice of roast barbecue, chicken and mushroom or pork rib, drizzled with a sweet soy based sauce, and the crown jewel that is the crispy golden layer of rice at the bottom. 

B2J Fish Soup

This Plano favorite serves a Szechuan specialty dish, the Suan Cai Yu, a spicy, sour fish and pickled mustard greens soup. It’s a perfect dish to warm-up with in the colder months., Choose the serving size based on the size of the party, and  soup flavors from original, spicy or spicy and numbing and the add-ons such as tofu, mushrooms or noodles. It’s open for lunch and dinner service on weekdays, while open all day on weekends.

A bowl of fish soup is topped with Szechuan peppers. B2J Fish Soup

Highland Noodles

The must-order items at this spot are Chinese-style noodles in different widths and thicknesses that are hand-pulled, sliced, served in soup, stir-fried, or in sauce. Lucky diners can have dinner and a show, watching  the noodles made fresh in the open kitchen.

A hand holding chopsticks pulls noodles out from a bowl of warm soup. HIghland Noodles

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