12 Best Chinese Restaurants In The US Worth Traveling For

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When it comes to delicious Chinese cuisine, there are more options now than ever before, from Sichuan to Cantonese and beyond. But that can also make it more confusing to figure out which ones are just good and which ones are truly great. 

Don't get it twisted, though: Across the United States there are a number of top level restaurants boasting some of the best and most innovative Chinese food anywhere if you just know where to look. From James Beard award winning chefs to Michelin star rated eateries, Chinese restaurants rank among the best culinary experiences you can have in America. And if your only frame of reference is Panda Express, it's more than worth a road trip to one of these top-notch restaurants just to experience what gourmet Chinese cuisine tastes like.

So gas up your jalopy and pack your appetite for the ultimate Chinese restaurant road trip — and you don't even have to leave the United States to enjoy it.

New York City is one of the culinary capitals of the world, so it takes a lot for a new restaurant to make an impression. Yingtao did that and then some when it opened in 2023. The brainchild of married couple Bolun and Linette Yao, Yingtao earned a Michelin star within its first year in operation thanks to its modern presentation of iconic Chinese dishes, often given a slight twist through the application of classic French technique.

Located in Hell's Kitchen on the west side of Manhattan, Yingtao brought in Emily Yeun as executive chef in 2026, just a year after she was a semifinalist for the Best Chef: New York James Beard Award. It's the latest step toward ensuring that the restaurant lives up to its stated goal of creating an experience that "reflects Chinese food not as a traditional, fixed category, but as a progressive, evolving cuisine." That experience revolves around a multi-course tasting menu which provides a sample of the best Chinese food has to offer. It also comes for a price at $150 per person; just remember that you get what you pay for.

yingtaonyc.com

(845) 236-6577

805 9th Ave New York, NY 10019

San Francisco, California, is home to the oldest and largest Chinatown district in the United States, so you would expect it to have some top notch Chinese restaurants. Enter Mister Jiu's, one of the most highly decorated restaurants in America, full stop. Opened in 2016, Mister Jiu's earned a Michelin star in its first year of operation and has never relinquished it. That's due in large part to the exceptional cuisine crafted by owner and head chef Brandon Jew, who in 2022 won the James Beard award for Best Chef: California after previously being a semifinalist in the category in 2018, 2020, and 2021.

In other words, you can expect consistent excellence when you dine at Mister Jiu's. Guests can build their own meal by ordering from the a la carte menu, but it's the banquet menu, which centers on Jew's famed Peking Style Roast Duck, that provides the restaurant's signature dining experience. Jew told us about it in an exclusive interview: "It goes through quite a process to get to the plate, but I think it's pretty spectacular. If that's the one dish, if you had one day with us or one night with us, and didn't know when you would come back, that would be what I would say you should try."

misterjius.com

(415) 857-9688

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Chef Peter Chang is one of the most famous chefs in the Washington DC area, opening several acclaimed restaurants over the years while twice becoming a semifinalist for the James Beard award for Outstanding Chef. Among his restaurants one stands out: Chang Chang, a Michelin Guide-recognized eatery which opened in 2022 with a uniquely modular design.

Chang Chang, you see, consists of two distinct sub-restaurants, each with their own menu — hence the restaurant's doubled name. In the dining room, guests can sit down and partake in a menu filled with modern Chinese dishes like Manchurian Crispy Fish Slices, Mandarin Branzino, and Yangzhou Fried Rice. For guests on the move, though, there's also a take-out menu consisting of classic Sichuan favorites like Kung Pao Chicken or Dan Dan Noodles.

"America needs better Chinese restaurants," Peter Chang told the Institute for Immigration Research about his decision to build his restaurant empire. "I wanted to bring authentic Chinese cuisine to the United States and ... I believed Americans would like what I made." Chang Chang proves he was right.

changchangdc.com

(202) 570-0946

1200 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Upscale Chinese fine dining restaurants are on the rise in America. But if your wallet and your stomach are looking for something a little more affordable but still delicious, look no further than the people's champion: Maxi's Noodle. Located in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens in New York, Maxi's Noodle has a unique claim to fame: In 2024, Yelp named it the number one Chinese restaurant in the United States based on user reviews.

Maxi Lau is the mastermind of Maxi's Noodle, which is famed for its Cantonese cuisine and supersized giant wontons. Born in Hong Kong, Lau emigrated to the U.S. in 1997 and was working at Home Depot when her mother passed away. Lau decided to quit her job and follow her passion: cooking. After learning how to make wontons, she started an after hours pop-up selling noodles out of her aunt's cafe. It blew up and Maxi's soon became New York's go-to hot spot for noodles.

Maxi's has now expanded to three locations, but it's the original in Flushing that landed Lau's huge noodles atop Yelp's national food chain. You can order a variety of noodles in soup or as lo mein, and choose from a number of toppings, including wontons, dumplings, and Ja-Jiang (sweet pork strips with mushrooms), for a perfect build-your-own-meal experience.

maxisnoodle.com

Multiple locations

Chef Penelope Wong's rise to culinary superstardom has been nothing short of incandescent. She spent two decades at a country club, working her way up from an entry level position to executive chef before branching out on her own in 2019 with her Yuan Wonton food truck. To say it was a hit is an understatement. By 2023 she was able to open a brick and mortar location in Denver, Colorado. In 2024, Yuan Wonton was named one of top 50 restaurants in America by The New York Times. And in 2026, she earned her third nomination in as many years for the prestigious James Beard award for Best Chef: Mountain, a region that also includes Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.

"These recognitions have all been received with complete and utter shock because they were never a goal," Wong told ExploreTock. "I'm most proud of knowing that these dishes we are sharing, so many flavors from my childhood, are being enjoyed with fervor, and our guests are getting to taste the tiniest glimpse of how delicious my childhood was."

Those flavors include menu items such as the restaurant's signature Yuan Wonton Chili Oil Wontons, Szechuan Eggplant Dumplings, and Crispy Garlic Noodles. Just be aware that seating is limited, so consider ordering a takeout option in advance to ensure you can taste all of Wong's amazing creations.

facebook.com/yuanwonton

(303) 320-5642

2878 Fairfax St, Denver, CO 80207

Las Vegas, Nevada, is known for its wide array of buffets, with seemingly every casino offering a massive all you can eat selection of low cost food for those who are tightening their purse strings if not their belt. But the city also houses a number of high-end, gourmet restaurants — including the acclaimed Chinese restaurant Wing Lei.

Located inside the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino, Wing Lei is the only Forbes Travel Guide five star Chinese restaurant in North America. That's not all: When Michelin Guide covered Las Vegas, Wing Lei became the first Chinese restaurant in America to earn a Michelin star. Oh, and La Liste also counts Wing Lei among the top 1,000 restaurants in the entire world.

Inside Wing Lei, the dining room is designed to emulate the feel of a rich pagoda, complete with rampant golden dragon statues. And the meals are just as opulent, particularly executive chef Ming Yu's tasting menu. Featuring dishes like Imperial Peking Duck and Truffle Soup Dumpling, the sampler will set you back over $225.

wynnlasvegas.com

(702) 770-3388

3131 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, Virginia, first opened for business way back in 1978 and quickly became northern Virginia's most iconic Chinese restaurant, thanks in part to more than 50 visits from President George H. W. Bush in the 1980s and '90s. Fast forward to today and Peking Gourmet is still on top of its game. Under the current management team of Bobby Tsui and Deborah Lee, grandchildren of founder Eddie Tsui, Peking Gourmet Inn was a 2019 semifinalist for the James Beard Outstanding Service award.

Fittingly for a restaurant that helped introduce Peking duck to American diners, Peking Gourmet Inn serves up over 80,000 ducks a year. Don't worry about missing out; with 300 seats, this restaurant can accommodate anyone who wants to see how presidents eat. If duck isn't your thing, Peking Gourmet Inn also has a broad array of menu options, and on weekday afternoons you can even pick up one of the specialty lunch boxes for a lunch break to remember.

pekinggourmet.com

(703) 671-8088

6029 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041

Located on the southern tip of Rhode Island by the entrance to Block Island Sound, South Kingstown, this may not seem like the obvious place for a legendary Chinese restaurant — until you try a bite from Jayd Bun.

Of course, getting one of those bites is the big challenge. Opened in 2019 by Tianjin, China native Annie Parisi and her husband Joe, Jayd Bun is takeout only. But it's not fast food. Every bite of this authentic Tianjin streetfood is made from scratch in small batches by Annie and Joe, and when the day's food is gone, it's gone. Because of that, the Parisis recommend ordering up to an hour in advance to ensure you get a shot of what is literally a hot commodity.

It's worth the effort though. In 2022, Jayd Bun was named Yelp's top restaurant in New England, and in 2024 it placed second on Yelp's list of the top 100 Chinese restaurants in the United States. And that was just the start. In 2026, Jayd Bun was named the Rhode Island restaurant of the year, while Annie earned a coveted James Beard nomination in the hotly contested Best Chef: Northeast category. A big feat from the nation's smallest state.

jaydbun.us

(401) 515-7900

1202 Kingstown Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879

One of San Francisco's most iconic restaurants is Yank Sing. Opened in Chinatown in 1958 by Alice and George Chan, Yank Sing moved its flagship location to the financial district in 1974, where it became renowned for its dim sum. Operated since 1981 by Alice and George's son Henry and his wife Judy, Yank Sing won the James Beard America's Classics Award in 2009 in recognition of its sustained excellence.

Yank Sing still maintains that same high level culinary experience. You can currently find it listed in the Michelin Guide with the prestigious Bib Gourmand certification, and the centerpiece of the menu remains the legendary dim sum. With over 20 different varieties to choose from, including Scallop Siu Mye, Shanghai Kurobuta Pork Dumplings, Phoenix Tail Prawn, and Stuffed Lotus Leaf, there's a dim sum option to suit any taste. As Judy Chan told Coast News, "Dim sum actually means to touch the heart." There's nowhere better than Yank Sing to let it touch yours.

yanksing.com

Multiple locations

Manhattan may get all the headlines, but across the East River in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, things are happening at Hupo. Though the menu at Hupo is filled with timeless Chinese classics like Pork Soup Dumplings, Dan Dan noodles, and Kung Pao Chicken, the vibe at Hupo is new and modern. The interior evokes the feel of a classic Chinese restaurant with its hanging paper lanterns and intricate woodwork, but these elements are paired with sleek lines and upscale lighting to create an ambiance that looks to the future as much as the past.

The restaurant's aesthetic is reflected in the food as well, with understated modern takes on classic dishes for a younger generation. This is paired with an extensive drinks menu featuring the famed Chinese Fenjiu Baijiu, a mild spirit with a history dating back thousands of years. The combined package is enough to have earned Hupo a coveted listing in the 2025 Michelin Guide.

hupo.nyc

(718) 255-6722

10-07 50th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101

Opened by brothers Willy and Ronny Ng in 1996, Koi Palace is located in Daly City, California, just southwest of San Francisco. It's got a list of accolades as long as your arm, assuming you have extremely long arms. Named the best Chinese restaurant in the United States back in 2009, Koi Palace earned Willy a James Beard nomination in 2022 for Outstanding Restaurateur, followed up in 2024 by a James Beard nomination in the Outstanding Restaurant category. Perhaps most impressively of all, the LA Times featured Koi Palace in a retrospective following the adventures of foodie David Chan, who has eaten at over 6,200 Chinese restaurants. The best of them all? Koi Palace.

Koi Palace specializes in Hong Kong cuisine, part of a professed mission to give American diners a taste of Hong Kong's world famous fishing center, Lei Yue Men. It features a variety of dim sum options for lunch, with a seafood focused dinner menu available in the evening. The restaurant has since expanded to multiple locations, but for the true Koi Palace experience, head to the flagship restaurant in Daly City. It relocated to a new, larger venue at the start of 2026, though, so make sure your maps and apps are up to date.

koipalace.com

Multiple locations

MAKfam in Denver, Colorado, is the brainchild of chef Kenneth Wan. And when it comes to culinary excellence, Wan has a big brain indeed. After opening MAKfam at the end of 2023, Wan became a semifinalist for the James Beard award for Emerging Chef in 2024. He followed that up by becoming a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: Mountain in both 2025 and 2026. This consistent excellence led MAKfam to be awarded the Bib Gourmand designation by the Michelin Guide for great food at reasonable prices.

MAKfam also delivers a distinctly different Chinese restaurant experience. Originating as a New York City pop-up before it moved to Denver, MAKfam might be the only Chinese restaurant around with a warning on its website to be aware of explicit lyrics in the hiphop music played there after dark.

The restaurant is also vocally pro-MSG as an effort to destigmatize Chinese food and embrace umami-forward flavors. That sensibility can be found in Wan's approach to dishes like Tofu Sizzling Spicy Noodles, Steak and Egg Jian Bing, and the Fancy Wun Tun Tong, which features chicken and shrimp dumplings with XO sauce.

makfam.co

(720) 982-5011

39 W 1st Ave, Denver, CO 80223

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