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Chef Liu
- Nearest Transit:
-
Doraville
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu, Sun 10 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 10 am - 10:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
141 reviews for Chef Liu
Review Highlights
"Leek Pie- delicious and crisp and fresh tasting."
(in 41 reviews)
"2) Their Xiao Long Bao are excellent."
(in 27 reviews)
"Or just get the pork buns and soup dumplings ^_."
(in 38 reviews)
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141 reviews in English
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Review from Rob P.
Atlanta, GA
1/21/2012
Funny, it worked out exactly like Yelp told me it would. Great food, super cheap, non-existent service.
I didn't mind the service since I went in expecting it to suck. Try the spicy cold noodles, leek pie, and any of the many kinds of pork dumplings. -
Review from Ck L.
Atlanta, GA
1/21/2012
Been hungry for good traditional Chinese snacks & noodle dishes... after reading good reviews, decided to give Chef Liu a try.
The restaurant is in a big strip mall in the hear of Buford HW. While the inside shows some signs of times its kept clean.
We ordered some typical Chinese appetizers and beef noodle soup.
The beef noodle soup was okay. The beef tendon was tender and flavorful. But the soup was definitely not strong enough. It wasn't hot nor spicy.
The leek pie is a must-try. The pastry wrapping was thin and light, the leek and clear noodle fillings was delicious.
Also ordered pork pan-fried buns, Shanghai dumplings & onion pancakes. The buns and the dumplings were okay, nothing out of the ordinary. The onion pancakes were way too thick... I took one bite and i left the rest there.
Chef Liu definitely has some better traditional Chinese flavors than other American Chinese restaurants. Just make sure you don't go in there expecting what you'd get in China! -
Review from Alex C.
1/20/2012
Dude. This stuff is LEGIT. They've got classic chinese breakfast items (on the cheap), and really is one of the few places that I know of so far that offers it.
But, we didn't come for the breakfast. The jewel of the meal was the Shanghai Juicy Steamed Pork Buns (xiao long bao) along with the lamb dumplings (yang rou jiao). For $6 and $7, respectively, it's an excellent meal. If you're real hungry, order a bowl of Hot and Sour soup for $4 or the Cold Spicy noodles.
Also, if you're going to hate on service, make sure it's not because you don't speak Chinese. -
Review from Jeremy A.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came in to Chef Lius for lunch on a weekday and they had a good amount of people in there. Its got a bunch of raitings on yelp so im guessing its been around for a while. We had a number of things here that were all amazing, shrimp dumplings, lamb dumplings, cold and spicy noodle and hot/sour soup
You name it it was great and this place is for sure my favorite Chinese place in Atlanta right now. The bad reviews about service make me a bit frustrated since I really want to know about the food when i'm scouting out a new place. Please review the place for the food primarily and leave a note in your review if someone hurt your feelings.
Cant wait to go back! They are closed on Wednesdays so just a heads up. Its in a strip mall so parking is a breeze. -
Review from Harrison H.
Atlanta, GA
Updated - 1/2/2012 1 photo
I'm updating my review of this place. Customer service is definitely not their forte, but the food is so good it compensates. The noodles are fantastic with every dish I've tried. I came here today and ordered the beef noodle soup and it was awesome. I'm definitely not a fan of the small meat portions and overwhelmingly large starch portions (would prefer the reverse) but I think most Chinese would prefer it that way, so I guess it's authentic.
The Shumai and soup dumplings are ridiculous here. That's probably their specialty. Just make sure not to order chow mein or beef fried rice, especially if you're an American, you may get some giggles and stares.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/19/2010
The noodles were not too bad. Handmade noodles that had a great texture. I ordered the Chinese… Read more »
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Review from Jenn D.
1/4/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Can I eat here every day? Well, not on Wednesdays because that's when they are closed.
The first visit was with family and we went back every weekend for three weeks with a new set of friends. And then for our anniversary lunch. And then again with friends. We're obsessed. I have a list of things we've ordered and ranked them according to yumminess.
Dishes I love: Bean Curd Soup w/Crullers, Leek Pie, Soup Dumplings (Shanghai Juicy Pork Buns), Pork and Leek Dumplings, Fresh Shrimp Dumplings, Green Beans, Mandarin Pork Cake, and Wonton Soup (so far!)
Stuff I didn't like and why:
Fish Dumplings were indescribable in that they were too weird for words. The flavor wasn't strong, just odd.
Lamb Dumplings were too greasy for my tastes.
Steamed or Pan Fried Pork Buns - these are my favorites most places, but I just don't like them here. No big deal, everything else is awesome. I just like them filled with something other than meatballs.
Chicken and Corn Dumpling - not bad, there's just so much that's better. Same with the Fennel and Pork Dumping.
Everyone once in a while the service is slow (even during off hours), but it can be overlooked for the quality of the food.
When you come with a group, you can usually get out under $10 a piece, but if you're two people it will be more. But just eat what won't keep as well while you're there and take enough home for a couple more meals.Listed in: Apparently I eat a lot of…
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Review from Cheryl L.
This review is for the Soup Dumplings only. The Soup Dumplings (Shao Long Tang Bao) here are delicious. In fact, they're better than the ones at Joe's Shanghai in New York in my opinion, and that's the place where people wait up to 2 hours in line on weekends.
The soup in the dumplings at Chef Liu's are just the right amount, not so overwhelming that it floods my mouth and leaks down my chin like at other places. Dip it in the vinegar soy sauce, and you taste a mouthful of tangy, sweet, and salty tender meat and soup enveloped by the chewy thin wrap. It's pretty freaking good! -
Review from meg c.
Atlanta, GA
Updated - 12/29/2011
Two words. Leek pie.
Seriously, it will blow your mind.
The dumplings are awesome and the soups are huge enough for 3 or 4 to share. A gem of a plce tucked away in a Buford Hwy strip mall.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/1/2011
Nothing fancy, just authentic, amazing northern Chinese cuisine. If you have to have rice, you may… Read more »
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Review from Kerry M.
Buford, GA
Updated - 1/14/2012
Tired of the horrible service. Great food. I understand they have been dealing with a personal tragedy- which more than explains the chaos.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/13/2011
Pork buns and dumpling ROCKED!
Lamb kabob too fatty for some but perfect for me...
Everything I had… Read more »
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Review from Khoi T.
Atlanta, GA
11/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ever since I learned that Soup Dumplings existed in this world, I have been searching for them. Thank god for Chef Liu! With that being said, I have been here on several occasion and have enjoyed each of my visits.
Customer Service: The servers here rarely speak English, so just be patient. They will try their best to communicate with you, but the "Point and Choose" method is the best way to go here.
The Menu: This isn't your typical neighborhood takeout joint. Beside the Kung Pao Chicken, Lo Mein, or Broccoli and Beef on the menu, nothing here is your typical. There is a lot of animal organs, so beware if you are squeamish.
Shanghai Soup Dumplings: Fantastics. Eat it fast or the bottom of the dumpling will stick to the steamer and you will lose all of the broth.
Leek Pies: I don't know what the fuss is about. It is so much onion in my opinion.
Pork Cakes: I found that it need some soy sauce to give it something.
Cha Chiang Mein: I thought it was tasty. I have never had it before so I can't really compare much of it.
Sesame Paste Noodle: Served cold with a few pieces of carrots and cucumber. This dish is chewy and very flavorful. I much prefer this in comparison to the Cha Chiang Mein.
Crullers: Fresh, warm and crispy. -
Review from Christina S.
Atlanta, GA
10/30/2011
this place has xiaolong buns (soup dumplings), and is probably the only place in ATL that has it. They're pretty good, but tastes just like the ones my mom buys premaid from the store, which makes me think that Chef Liu just heats up dumplings from the store.
The lamb kebabs are very flavorful and spicy.
This place is generally okay, but I liked it more when they were in the red shack in the middle of the parking lot. When they were a smaller establishment they cared more about the quality of the food, and not about how nice the restaurant looks. -
Review from Paul N.
Atlanta, GA
12/19/2011
This is an authentic Chinese restaurant. So, if you are expecting some Americanized Chinese food, this is not the place for you.
The service varies depending on how busy the place gets. The place can accommodate big groups and the venue is huge. Cleanliness varies too. I did see a 70 in their inspection score.
This restaurant is popular for their soup dumplings. The dumplings are steams and meat inside, but it also has a seasoned soup or liquid in there. That's how these dumplings get the name of soup dumplings. These dumplings are very good. Each dish contains about 7(?), and it's an appetizer portion. The soup inside is very hot, so let it cool a little bit before eating them. They are great with other sauces available in the restaurant.
The restaurant has other great dishes. The Kung Pao Chicken is not your typical Americanized dish. It's very different, and I found it a bit more saltier (more soy sauce) than the other places. It's a very good potion, and it will fill you up. This dish does not contain not much vegetables. Another dish I have had is the three cup chicken. This I don't recommend because I did not like it. It's pretty much chicken and different type of soy sauce sauteed together with some spices. It's nothing fancy or unique. The Beef Noodle soup is good pretty good here. It's a decent portion with a full flavor broth. The noodles are thick white noodles, and they give you a good portion of the beef. Pan Fried Pork Buns are good too, and it's not amazing where you cry. Leek Pie is pretty good too, and it has meat in it. So, if you're a vegetarian, then don't get this. Warm Soy Milk is good on a cold day. It's like sweet and salty milk. it's a great starter before starting a meal too.
This restaurant offers a variety of authentic Chinese food, and if you want to venture out to something different, this place is a good start. Price is very reasonable, and you will get your money worth. -
Review from Lee L.
8/30/2011
I've been to Chef Liu when it was a shack, and then a few times after they moved into an actual storefront in the same plaza. I feel like I prefer the shack version... somehow it just felt homier and the food was a little better.
Now, Chef Liu's food somehow always puts me to sleep after eating it. I guess it could be the exorbitant amounts of carbs, the oil, or the fried goodness of it all... My favorites are the leek pie (which will make your breathe smell) and the salty soy milk (which is really a soup with tofu-esque things in it).Listed in: A-Town's Chinese Joints
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Review from Daniel R.
Atlanta, GA
12/13/2011
Had dinner there again last night. This continues to be my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. It always amazes me how much "authentic" and "just good cooking" have in common. There's something about the food from this place that warms the soul. Not to mention you can easily feed 4 people for $15 plus tip.
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Review from TJ M.
Atlanta, GA
12/8/2011
The xiao long bao was really good, although there's the possibility of seriously burning one's mouth, lol. We ate them quick enough that the soup didn't drip thru the bottom of the dumpling but slow enough not to scald one's mouth.
I didn't care for the leek pie as much as the other reviews. Dough surrounding minced leeks. Meh. I'd eat it to be polite, but nothing I'd particularly care to order in the future. We got some shrimp dumplings also, which were fine, if average.
It's a little tricky to find. It's on the north side of the strip mall and doesn't face the street.
They accept VISA but not the Discover card. -
Review from Britt C.
Lawrenceville, GA
12/5/2011
We come here on a monthly basis for their xiao long bao, chicken cool skin, leek pie, and spicy cold sesame noodles. The xiao long bao could be a lot soupier (that is my biggest complaint) but it is still the best place to get them in Atlanta. The cold noodles are glutinous and could be their own meal. The pan fried pork buns are also yummy, but combined with the bao, you may experience pork overload. Now that it is colder, I will probably be asking for their warm soy milk as well. The service I've received here has been hit or miss, but the food comes out quickly. With the "tapas" like feel, its definitely a place to bring friends!
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Review from Juichia C.
Atlanta, GA
I am updating my review for Chef Liu's soup dumplings after having tried what are supposed to be some of the best soup dumplings in the world at Din Tai Feng (if you don't know what that is, then you shouldn't be reviewing any soup dumplings, yes just talk to the hand) and at a shanghainese restaurant in Richmond, BC, Canada.
Chef Liu's soup dumplings differ from those others in the sense that the meat isn't packed super tight within the skin. The meat within is more loose and very pleasant to eat over and over again. It's not too fatty nor too lean. The skin is very thin and soft. Whereas at the other supposedly top places, the skin is a little thicker and firmer. I suppose it all boils down to preference, and I definitely prefer Chef Liu's dumplings. They're simply amazing.
Just for their soup dumplings alone, I'd like to grant Chef Liu five stars. I think their other dishes are mediocre and they are excluded from this review.Listed in: Taiwanese Style Food
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2010
Amazing xiao long bao (soupy steamed pork buns)! One of the best I've had in the US. Let's be… Read more »
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Review from Stephen G.
Atlanta, GA
8/31/2011
LOOVVVEEE IT.
Went here based a recommendation from a foodie friend. I would never come out to Buford Hwy to explore culinary gems but this place is definitely worth the drive.
We had a group of 8 people and for $15 a person we had way more than enough food.
Egg fried rice - superb.
Snow pea leaves - Tasty, event better with their homemade hot sauce!
Shrimp dumplings - okay.
Pork dumpling - My favorite thing by far.
Meat pie - Decent, but much better with hot sauce.
If you're a fan of Chinese food and you want to try something that doesn't taste like you got it from the food court at the mall...go here. -
Review from Marty J.
6/6/2011
Chef Liu is one of my goto BuHi spots. There is a good variety of food here, but the dumplings are where it's at. You can get adequately full for $6, stuffed for $8, or destroy yourself for $10. I want to try more menu items as I have not been truly disappointed with anything I've ordered, but I like my staples so much it's hard for me to branch out. I'll denote my staples below with an *.
Breakfast:
^ Twisted Cruller* - About a foot and a half long piece of fried bread. Although it is fried, it is still light and fluffy. It tastes like a funnel cake without the sugar.
^ Green Onion Cake* - Pan fried flat bread with, you guessed it, green onions (aka scallions). I'm not a huge onion/scallion fan, but I'm a huge fan of the green onion cake. I'm not so sure I'd guess there were onions in it if it weren't for the name.
^ Baked Wheat Cake - This dish is definitely blander than the 2 above. I think it's made with the same dough as the green onion cake, but baked instead of fried and topped with sesame seeds. Although it's not bad, I don't think I would order it again.
^ Lamb Kabob - The cut of the lamb was not the greatest and there was lots of seasoning on it. That being said, I'd eat it again. Not bad for $4.
Pastry or Noodles:
^ Shanghai Juicy Steamed Pork Buns* - THIS IS WHY YOU COME HERE! You get 8 dumplings filled with pork and soup. Be careful when you bite into it because the soup is hot. I wonder how they get the soup in there...
^ Tientsin Steamed Pork Buns* - Bigger than the Juicy Steamed Pork Buns with a more bready (soft and fluffy) casing. Note - this is not a BBQ steamed pork bun that you get at dim sum.
^ Pan Fried Pork Buns * - Same as Tientsin, only fried.
^ Hot and Spicy Sauce Cool Noodle - This was listed on Creative Loafing's Top 100 dishes of Atlanta. The name of the dish pretty much describes it. I believe it may have some peppercorn in it as I felt some mouth numbing going on. I'm not sure I'd call it a Top 100 dish of Atlanta, but I'd definitely order it again.
Vegetables:
^ Fried Snap Beans - Not any different than the stir fried green beans that you would get at any non-BuHi Americanized Chinese restaurant. Don't waste your stomach space on this.
If you have never been to Chef Liu before, try to go there with a group and order a bunch of things to see what you like, but definitely order what I've put an * by above. You really can't go wrong ordering any of the dumplings on the menu. This is a group friendly restaurant. Like 90% of the restaurants on BuHi, water refills are hard to come by. -
Review from Lucy W.
Atlanta, GA
7/31/2011
Great place for Northern Chinese eats- like many others, I enjoyed the shanghai soupy dumplings (xiao long bao), the scallion pancake, pork dumplings, and fried dough. Wish they also had rice porridge to go with the very fresh fried dough but that might be a southern China thing. I liked the scallion pancakes the best, especially with the ginger/vinegar/soy sauce concoction that many Chinese places have to go with their dumplings and scallion pancakes. The pork dumplings were good- I like the medium size of the dumplings and the skin is not too thick or doughy. I wasn't as much a fan of the xiao long bao. I'll have to try the noodles next time.
Located in a plaza, there was plenty of parking and seating available, even right at lunchtime (noon) on a Sunday. The decor is "Buford Highway-chic"- it seemed pretty clean and spacious, but not notably nice or not-nice.
Very inexpensive for the amount of food we got (our bill came to under $18 for 2 people, with lots of leftovers)- good value! -
Review from Kris C.
Decatur, GA
9/5/2011
VISIT #1
I wanted to try Chef Lui's after seeing it on "Get Delicious!," and I was not disappointed
FOOD = 9/10
(+) Jasmine Tea - This complimentary tea is placed on the table in an un-insulated metal urn. Right amount of jasmine flavor but I would rather have been able to sweeten with honey instead of sugar.
(+) Shanghai Juicy Steamed Pork Buns - Yummy pork broth + great pork dumpling
(+) Leek pie - Light, refreshing, and delicious
(+) Lamb kabob - Not a great smell, but a whole lot of great flavor
(-) Egg (something) Cruller - Bland egg wrapped around a culler with a sauce in between that was very spicy and not that great tasting. I regretted not ordered the plain cruller with sweet soy milk.
CLEANLINESS = 9/10
SERVICE = 7/10
Not a whole lot of personality and rough English, but my food was delivered hot and plates bussed promptly. I can't attest to refills since I only drank the standard Jasmine tea from the pot on the table. It also seems common and often necessary to give the universal gesture for your check (pay at register).
AMBIANCE = 7/10
The decor was nothing special but i liked the relaxed atmosphere, music was decent, and I enjoyed the large TV running Chinese news. -
Review from e k.
Marietta, GA
7/31/2011
Top quality ingredients in the cooking. We will return when in the area.
Staff is definitely a problem as noted in another review. Disengaged would be my term for it. -
Review from Barry G.
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is as good as it gets for authentic chinese food (in my non chinese opinion).
Everything that I have ordered has been excellent. The decor is really nothing to be excited about, but I did enjoy the chinese movies on the tv and the big glass lazy Susan's on the tables to help with sharing.
i'd recommend the juicy dumplings, the egg fried rice was excellent, Snow pea leaves (not on the menu as far as I could see) were awesome the fennel and pork dumplings were delicious......
Just go here and order everything. -
Review from Patrick V.
Duluth, GA
7/22/2011
I'm a big fan of the beef lo mein at Chef Liu. The service and food are all pretty good. It's definitely a place to visit often and trying the different dishes.
Checked it out if you're craving Asian food -
Review from Eowyn C.
7/12/2011
This place has gotten a lot of buzz so I thought I would give it a try. I tried...and it failed me.
We ordered a couple of orders of dumplings (pork and crab) and they were rather tasty, though not very filling when you have 4 people at a table. We decided to branch out to try some other items on the menu.
Lamb kebabs - These were horrible and I love lamb. I don't know why everyone has given it such praise. The plate came out with 2 thin, sad looking kebabs. Biting into the first one, the spices were so thickly slathered onto the meat that it was crunchy. The spices were a mix that didn't seem to go together. Worse than that, the lamb meat was gelatinous for lack of a better word.
Pork Hot Pot - We were admiring our neighbors steaming tower of meat at the next table over and decided to get the same...or what we thought was the same. They brought us out a giant bowl of watery soup. The flavor wasn't bad, but we basically paid $10 for what tasted like chicken noodle soup. This is in no way the restaurant's fault but it was just not what we expected for the price.
Mandarin Pork Cake - This resembled a quesadilla but smelled like a churro...very confusing. The taste was very sweet, almost cloyingly sweet considering it had meat in it. I realize this may be a traditional dish but it confused my tastebuds and I couldn't eat more than a couple of bites.
In summary, I would recommend Chef Liu's for the dumplings and the endless pots of hot tea or if you are a fan of genuine Chinese cuisine.The more adventurous can partake in the chicken feet or intestines which appear on the menu as well. As for me, I'll probably be sticking with my Golden Budha takeout (fortune cookie included). -
Review from Duke W.
Durham, NC
8/29/2011
Very authentic and delicious Chinese dumplings, buns, and noodles!!
It would have made a 5 star in food and value but the decor and service is probably 3-4 stars; hence the overall 4 star rating!! Overall a must go if you care only about authentic Chinese snacks! -
Review from Q L.
Duluth, GA
6/25/2011
This is my occasional breakfast/ brunch area. I usually stick with my usual orders of:
- sweet soy milk (serve hot or cold)- usually cold for summer and hot for winter unless specifically asked.
- twisted cruller (fried dough)- taste good if dip with soy sauce and hot sauce mix.
- leek pie( egg, leek, and glass noodles)
-lamb kabob- doesn't have much of lamb flavor, but still tastes good with the seasoning
-shanghai pork buns- they are decent
-seafood steamed dumpling*( different name) - it's juicy mix of seafood and pork in a thin outer layer.
-beef noodle soup- the flavor of the soup is okay, something to get when really hungry. -
Review from Michelle K.
Atlanta, GA
4/18/2011
My man has been talking about Chef Liu for awhile and we got a chance to check it out last night for an early dinner. It was better than I expected. We shared this szechuan noodle dish that was filled with fresh spinach, tiny strips of pork and all sorts of other veggies in between.
I thought it was hilarious that I asked for sweet and sour sauce and they said they didn't have that but handed me packets of "duck" sauce which tasted the same. I figured it depends on the "Chinese" restaurant you dine at where different sauces have different names. The noodles in the soup dish we had tasted flour based.
We also tried the leek pie and that was an interesting delight. It was filled with leeks, glass noodles and egg. Not too bad. The food here is quite inexpensive with large portions. I'm used to eating Madarin style food but Chef Liu's style is different but okay!
I'm sure we'll return here again if we're ever craving something HOT and "soupy!" ;) -
Review from Teresa L.
Atlanta, GA
Updated - 11/11/2011
Apparently, Chef Liu has two menus. I didn't see the full menu on my first visit. I visited again tonight with my friend and her Chinese daughter. Her daughter picked our dishes - leek pie, shrimp dumpings, fish and tofu and shrimp lo mein. Everything was really good and fresh. Service was excellent. The atmosphere isn't the best, but the food is great. Prices are also very good. I shall return.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/28/2011
I am giving this place two stars, since my boyfriend seemed to like his food. I sometimes question… Read more »
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Review from Peter Y.
Updated - 4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
After a 3 year hiatus, I decided to try give Chef Liu another try. This was the first time I've been back since they moved into a proper building.
First and foremost on my mind was the soup dumplings. I've heard from some friends that they allegedly got better. They were WRONG. My dumplings were still SOUPLESS!
Service was terrible too. They missed 2 dishes I ordered and I had to remind them twice.....and they STILL forgot one of them (but it was still on the check).
This time, I'll wait longer than three years to go back.Listed in: Buford Highway
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/4/2008
I stopped in here for a quick breakfast a few weeks back with my dad. I ordered some egg pancakes,… Read more »
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Review from Jie Y.
Atlanta, GA
7/19/2011
Don't go. I suspect food there ain't fresh at all.
My friends and me went to eat there 5 or six months ago.
At least two of us were Having diarrhea right after eating there.
Don't risk your own health. -
Review from Miwako H.
Atlanta, GA
2/14/2011 ROTD 7/7/2011
International Food Monday!
Okay, actually, we were taking a colleague out to lunch for his birthday. I had never been here before so it was nice to sit back and have someone else do the ordering.
What we had:
Shanghai Juicy Steamed Pork Buns (yum)
Leek Pie (best leek pie evah!)
Beef Noodle Soup (very good, loved the bok choy that came with it)
Leek with Pork Dumplings (please sir, may I have some more?)
Pork Fried Dumplings (like gyoza, delicious, and not greasy)
Honestly, it is worth the trip just to eat the leek pie. Wow. Light batter and really, really good. Did I mention you get a lot of food and all for less than $10 dollars a person?
I will come here again but I will try the eggplant with garlic sauce. I do love eggplant. And for those of you who miss soupy dumplings and need your fix, you've come to the right place.
Happy Valentine's Day. -
Review from Brad A.
Birmingham, AL
10/3/2011
Gotta go ahead and give Chef Liu 5 stars and it deserves it! Didn't get any xiaolangbao but got some pork dumplings...some of the best i've ever tried! Took me back to the flavor of China...purely DELICIOUS. Also got some Spicy Shredded pork which was an amazing dish! The pork intestine which was also yummy yummy! The final thing I tried was the kung po chicken....it was cooked with peanuts and peanut sauce, and the meat was tender and just perfect. A great Chinese place and in a good location that I will come back to many many times !
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Review from Cindy W.
Atlanta, GA
1/3/2011
This is a long overdue review of Chef Liu's; I came here with my Chinese class and tried:
Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings): all but one broke, even with the dexterous hands of regular chopsticks users.
Niu Rou Tang (beef noodle soup): this was my order, and though it was cheap, I had problems with it. For about $6, you can get a rather large bowl of soup. The broth seemed watered down, and though I appreciated the noodles, a ratio of about 60% noodle, 30% broth, and 10% beef seemed a little excessive. In that 10% beef, the pieces were soft and tasted ok, but most came with a gelatinous texture, plenty of fat, and other unmentionables (by this I mean gristle like skin, 3mm wide veins, tendons....) that though I am used to seeing and avoiding, I'm afraid many newbies might find this particularly...unappetizing or simply daunting.
Spicy Vermicelli Noodles: this was ok and seemed like a side dish to me.
Sui Zhu Zhu Jiao (pork dumplings): friends ordered lots and lots of these. These tasted pretty good, but it wasn't spectacular. A while back three friends of mine blew about $100 on 13 plates of dumplings here.......
Leek pie: this was pretty good, something you should probably order if you come here.
You Tiao he Dou Jiang (fried dough sticks or "cruellers" and soy milk): You know that scene when the critic had ratatouille? This was it. The soy milk is not that cartoned Silk stuff- it's legit, and so is the you tiao. But you have to do something horribly wrong to mess this up...
Service is ok. Wait for those trying to put in an order with a Chinese sentence. Crack a small smile at those stumbling over their words. Being a good sport about it and genuinely trying to decipher Chinglish, I mean, Chinese.
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This place is cheap and pretty authentic for northern Chinese cuisine. Chef Liu is actually a tiny woman with a big smile at the front.
Next time you're there and done paying, practice your Chinese: "Xie xie ni!"Listed in: Chinese Goodies
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Review from Jule B.
Atlanta, GA
10/14/2011
Yummy restaurant. Soup dumplings and leek pie's are a must have. I have only tried a few other things on the menu and was not that impressed. That said, the above mentions are reasons to go here. Service is a bit lacking but hey, it's Buford Hway. This place is overall yummy and I go back from time to time:)
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Review from Juan M.
1/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think that food is incredibly important for a restaurant, but who you go with and the intangibles are huge as well.
My wife and I like to hang with another couple with which we have a plethora (look it up) of things in common - usually, anywhere we go with them will be a fun time unless they've slipped in Alpo or it's the Freddy Kruger dining experience.
3 stars because the food was pretty darn good, this couple went with us, but the establishment was clearly ready for us to leave - it's akin to doing a crossword puzzle with someone looking over your shoulder.
Buford Highway has cheap, good food and we'll be back; we got full and had a good time, but more stars can be earned if they pretend to like their customers more! -
Review from Stephanie M.
Atlanta, GA
3/4/2011 1 photo
Great dumplings !
If you are looking for dumplings this place has got them -
Pan fried , steamed , pork , shrimp , seafood and soup dumplings all are made in house & all of them are Good .
Try the leek pie I Must Have One Every Time I Go ! It has sauteed leeks , scallions , dried shrimp, eggs & tiny noodles inside the whole thing is pan fried and served with a sauce on the side . I have been known to share half with a stranger .
The orders come in 8-12 dumplings per order or 6 for steamed buns so don't make the mistake of over ordering unless your going to take them home .
This would be a great place to go with friends and share several different
kinds .
Try an order of the cumin lamb skewers , tons of flavor .
Looking forward to going back it was a weekly habit for months !Listed in: Chinese .
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Review from Bri C.
Tucker, GA
3/4/2011
It is so nice for Chef Liu's to have a real space. The trailer thing wasn't working out.
But this space used to be Assam House, and I'm sure about 10 other things before that. So who knows how this will play out.
The food was ok. Probably the best things we had were the Leek Pie and the soup dumplings. But the beef noodle soup and other dumplings were ok, but nothing wonderful.
The worst thing about our dinner was that they were showing a military Chinese drama, complete with gunshots, people dying, and crying throughout. The wait staff was fixed on watching, and so were my kids! Please, no guns during dinner!!!! ARGH!
I just think that if they improved their quality a few notches, it would be remarkable and a highlight of the dining scene on Buford Highway. But I'd much rather go to So Kong Dong or Pho Bac, than Chef Lius..... -
Review from Lauren H.
After trying some DELICIOUS xiao long bao (soup dumplings) at Joe's Shanghai in NYC I was so excited to find out that Chef Liu served them. My mom works near Chef Liu so I decided to surprise her one day and take her to lunch to try these delicious soup dumplings that I had recently discovered. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!
As I anxiously waited for them to bring out the dumplings, I raved to my mom about how good and juicy these dumplings were and excitingly explained to her how she was supposed to suck the soup out before devouring the dumpling.
The dumplings finally came out and everything that I had told my mom went down the drain. These "soup" dumplings had no soup in them. I thought I had just got a bad one so I proceeded to try another. Once again, NO soup. They were ok in flavor but if I wanted regular dumplings, I would've just ordered them. I did try some other dishes here but nothing really stood out to me. I definitely won't be coming back here again. -
Review from David O.
2/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love Chef Liu's! My friends took me there and my first impression was "this was a photo mat back in the early 80's". Now they are in a strip mall style restaurant. One of my friends is from Dalian in northern China and she said this food is pretty authentic. I really like that because I always question going to a Chinese restaurant and the only Asians in the restaurant are running the business.
Over the years, my favorite is the xiao long bao. I could make a meal just off of those dumplings. With my friends, we would usually order several dishes and share... I really liked that because I got to try several dishes I would never order. For instance, the English translation on the menu said one dish was "Chicken Cool Skin". That was not something I would order on my own, but it turns out it is such a great noodle dish with cucumbers. The leek pie, the pork dumplings and the pork buns are delicious. There was another couple of dishes like a meat pie and onion pie (I think that is what they are called) that I enjoyed getting, but I don't know for sure if that is what they were called. Oh, almost forgot the lamb kabob's (aka with my friends as "meat on a stick") are flavorful.
Can't wait to go back to the Chef for more.
