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Houston St (1)
W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
Christopher St (PATH)
Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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My new go-to delivery place. I've been searching for a long time and haven't been happy with any of the places I've tried. It was a huge relief to find Grand Sichuan.
Appetizers: the scallion pancake is delightful. Thin and crispy - not greasy like some others I could name. Steamed pork dumplings are also on the short list. Yummy. Steamed veggie dumplings not so much. Not seasoned very well so not as flavorful as I would have liked.
Entrees: Shredded duck with fresh ginger is amazing. Kung Bao Chicken also very good and very spicy - it has sweet potatoes which is different and interesting. Chicken Lo Mein is just ok.
My husband loves the spicy beef with green peppers and the hot and sour soup. He was a bit disappointed by the pickled mustard and pork soup because it didn't have noodles.
So glad to finally have a decent place to order from.
Okay takeout for lunchtime. Very quick turnaround (little need to call ahead of time), and a substantial portion for cheap if you order from the lunch specials.
The hot and sour soup is surprisingly good -- and zesty.
I love this place! I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for simple Chinese food (nothing pretencious, but simple restaurant or take-out). The food is really good, the atmosphere is nice, they are open late, they deliver - what's not to like?
Their fried rice is awesome and their general tso's chicken is perfect! I also love their steamed chicken and broccoli with brown sauce on the side - it is both very healthy and low calorie!
Love it!!!
Shame on you New York Magazine for writing a great
review for a less than mediocre restaurant. The beef with
tofu and beans was more like tasteless franks and beans,
The scallion pancakes were precooked and had no taste.
The eggplant with garlic was undercooked and saturated
with saucy gook. My seafood mix was fresh but also
lacking taste. The chef must have been on vacaton. Why
else could the food have been so vile?
I was told by a coworker to get the dish with chicken and lots of peppers. I ordered the closest thing to that description on the menu. Out came a dish with chicken... and lots of peppers. Really, there were more red skinny peppers in that dish than I could count. It tasted alright... dry, but alright. The hot and sour soup accompanying the dish was flavorful, albeit thick as if the cook dropped too much starch in it. I'd go back for the soup if I had a cold or the swine flu. The chicken dish, not so much. Other things on the menu looked good. My friend got a dish with fish that was cooked well and sauce that tasted sweet and spicy. It seemed like seafood is the way to go at this place.
Service was great. Overall, this place fills the neighborhood Chinese joint niche. But it wasn't overwhelmingly good. With a city that has a Chinatown larger than most American cities, you'd figure we'd have better Chinese food, but it has eluded me so far. Recommendations are welcome.
The food here I felt was pretty mediocre. Of course everything seemed tasty and good, but it overall was a bit oily. it seems to be a very popular place and I went here with a group of friends.
It was very Authentic chinese food ( outside of Chinatown!) so overall quite tasty, but mediocre.
I think they were trying to rush us out of here when we came here!
I like this place: great Chinese food conveniently located in the W. Village with pleasant service and low key atmosphere. We ordered everything from the "Chinese" menu -- I'd stick to that one instead of the lame Americanized dishes. The crab meat soup and salt and pepper shrimp were remarkably delicious.
In terms of cocktails, I got the lychee martini, which was quite good because it seemed to be composed of lychee juice and a bit devoid of alcohol. That's the downer if you're looking for that vodka kick.
All in all, I would definitely come back here for great food outside Chinatown.
Let me start off by saying this review is long overdue. And when I say long overdue, I refer to the reality that I have probably ordered lunch from Grand Sichuan every week for the past year. Eating anything on such a regular basis may come off as gross, but I can't deny the facts and I really don't care how fat I sound.
Moving right along, since I am so accustomed to the Grand Sichuan Experience, I figure I'll detail the normal process I go through every Wednesday or so.
Step One: Secure the menu and immediately flip to the back page: the Weekday Lunch Specials. Do I want the Chicken Pad Thai with white rice and wonton soup for $5.75? Or how about the General Tso's Chicken with vegetable fried rice and vegetable roll for $6.25? Either way, this is a gut-busting heap of a serving for under $7.00, people!
Step Two: Call Grand Sichuan and place order for delivery. If you ask how long it will take, they will say 45 minutes. Not once has it taken longer than 20. Time it.
Step Three: Answer your phone to some incoherent, borderline-yelling Chinese dialogue. I now know this translates roughly to "Your food is downstairs in the lobby."
Step Four: Collect your meal and tip the delivery guy. No matter what cash you give him on top of the meal price, he's going to storm off as if you've just screwed him on it. This is customary.
Step Five: Devour your lunch in what will probably take an hour's time. You will want to unbutton your pants post-Thanksgiving dinner style, but for the sake of your coworkers and to save you a possible visit from HR, this is not recommended.
Step Six: Repeat Steps One through Five seven days later, give or take six days.
If you ever decide to step beyond your cubicle walls for lunch and venture out onto 7th Ave, you are in for a treat, let me tell you. Grand Sichuan is not your traditional Chinese food establishment. There are no photographs of questionable dishes suspended above a counter for you to point to. It is not 100 degrees Fahrenheit once you walk through the front door. Instead, there is a host or hostess to walk you to your table, suits on business lunches, and white tablecloths.
Chinese places are a dime a dozen in New York City, but not many that serve lunch specials for $5.75 with white tablecloths. Chew on that!
I ordered delivery from here thinking that it was the same as Grand Sichuan International. I was very wrong. The first clue was when the woman on the phone kept asking whether I want small or large sizes of each dish...isn't there just "dinner size"? This must be their way of charging more for a few extra scoops. The wontons in red oil that I usually get from GSI completely lacked the wonderful savory flavor and while I normally devour them all I was only interested in one measly piece. The chicken lo mein was similarly disappointing and it baffled me how you could mess up a simple greasy dish. The beef with broccoli lacked luster though was probably the best dish of all.
Delivery was quick but it really didn't matter when the results were so poor. Grand Sichuan International, I'm still a loyal fan and will never confuse the two again.
Prior to my recent move uptown this was my go-to neighborhood Sichuan place - tasty, authentic (though having only spent a few days in Sichuan my authority to hand out the "authentic" label is somewhat limited), and cheap, and with an ambiance just nice enough (lights actually dimmed in the evening, unusual for a non-"fusion" Chinese place or even specifically a Grand Sichuan) that you can reasonably consider taking a date / Person You Want To Impress here.
Nobody ever seems to recommend specific dishes in their Yelp reviews, so I will: Dan Dan Noodles, Chongqing Spicy Chicken, Braised Pumpkin, and the best single item on the menu, Dry & Sauteed String Beans (note to vegetarian / kosher folks: these contain small bits of pork unless you ask them to leave it out, but they're unfortunately not nearly as tasty that way). There are some farther-out-there items they do well too (and almost everything's better-than-average, though the scallion pancakes are kind of doughy), but for a parent / date / Person With A Modest Or Indeterminate Tolerance For Chinese Food those should be four pretty safe bets.
Service is... inconsistent, but with a consistently-good attitude in my experience at least. There's a big join-able table on one side of the room that's perfect for a ~15 person group. Prices a bit above the Chinese-spot average but way below the likes of Buddakan et al for food that's every bit as good.
Don't go out of your way to eat here.
But if you're close, it is more than acceptable.
Good scallion pancake.
Really solid overall... for the area, much better than Empire Szechuan (and the same price, if not cheaper).
The chicken was fresh and lean cut, the shrimp were cooked perfectly. Everything was really nicely done and tasted fresh, which isn't always the case with Chinese...
I tried the braised pork with chestnuts and was SO happy! The meat was melt-in-my (not your) mouth and the sauce was delectable. But my daily fare is Kung Pao Chicken, the lunch special. With hot and sour soup. I swear to GOD that is pumpkin chunks in there! When I really want to treat myself I get the Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. I take home the sauce and uneaten peppers and make my own version of the dish!
But don't be fooled. I used to work in China Town and this is good stuff and the guys at the takeout counter are so nice and always say "hi Amy!" but it doesn't make it any easier leaving China Town.
There are fewer and fewer authentic Chinese food places in town nowadays, with the economy going south and less and less of them able to afford the $$$ rent in the city. I'm glad Grand Sichuan is still around, as I love to pass by for lunch to have my favorite Chicken & Broccoli and wonton soup. Although not exceptionally above the rest, I go there not only for the food but some part for the cute waitor. If my BF ever reads this, don't get mad honey he was simply my high school class mate.
Eh...the decor was amusing and it is "cozy" (code for super crazy tiny). The food wasn't bad..but it… Read more »
Reading Jason n. reviews, I ordered Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. When I opened the lid, I had to smile. It was covered with seared red chili peppers (I took some pictures. Make sure to check it out.)! Yes, I asked for extra spicy but didn't expect this much but I was laughing and enjoying myself. Half of it was red chili pepper(whole). The chicken was cut small pieces and was dry. I didn't even find any peppercorn taste but just red chili peppers unfortunately. I think it was not like what Jason n. had....? I simply wanted to experience what he had but not this night..... Well, it's life isn't it?
Sautéed Spicy Chinese Broccoli was tasty. It had some sliced garlic and some seared whole red chili peppers like in Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. Tonight was red chili pepper night for me and my stomach is keeping warm.
Sichuan food is very new to me. I will try some more new things from the restaurant again.
I called for delivery. The menu is interesting - "American-Chinese" and "Classical Sichuan."… Read more »
I was a big fan of the former location (W 9th & 50th) and I was so excited to see that there was a new location downtown, but...it's not the same. The old Grand Sichuan was the real deal. This one is faux-Sichuan. Let me tell you that I'm Cantonese, from San Francisco, and have a really discerning palate for Chinese cooking (I can tell the regions apart). This new location is like Joe-Canton-goes-to-Sichuan cooking. It's not the real deal, but tasty and cheap nonetheless.
You could tell that the chef was Cantonese and a *really good* Cantonese cook by the following: We had the pea-pod stems, the cumin beef, and the Chong Qing spicy chicken.
The spicy chicken had a distinctly sweet and sour tang (normally found in Cantonese places). The meat had none of the distinctive "ma la" given off by the sichuan peppercorn, which makes me think he cooked the chicken first, then the peppercorns, then threw them on the same plate. I mean, don't get me wrong -- I don't really like sweet and sour, but this guy had done it really well. But I really wanted some tongue-numbing goodness here. Some fire. Some vim. Alas, I had to eat the peppercorns directly to get it -- there were a lot of peppercorns, but the chicken was diced so finely, I couldn't tell which I was eating.
The cumin beef was an excellent preparation of what's normally known as "salt and pepper" whatever in a Cantonese restaurant. Lightly breaded, deep fried, coated in salt and pepper, and (in this case) fresh garlic. You couldn't really taste the cumin past the garlic. Again, I would pay good money for this guy to make me salt and pepper shrimp (my absolute favorite) in a Cantonese restaurant.
The pea pod stems were normal pea pod stems (nothing to write home about), but be warned that the "small" really is really small = a side for one person, not enough to share, even with two other dishes.
I'm giving it two stars because it's good Cantonese food, not Sichuan food. It's probably ok for people who just want something tasty and fast, but if you're looking for real heat, you're going to have to go elsewhere.
Check out quickly if you like BYO - Great Sichuan don't (currently?) have a license and they recommend you pick up beer nearby ("I'll show you" says the waiter, stepping outside and pointing). The presence of a happy wine tasting group, table laden with foil covered bottles for guessing, suggests corkage is good.
They offer a good variety of styles with the menu divided into 'American Chinese', 'Classical Sichuan' and 'Classical Hunan'. The small and large option for most dishes is great when you want small nibbles or large variety. There are pig ears, preserved bean curd "with odor", preserved turnip and other such dishes for the adventurous, and barbecued ribs, General Tso's chicken and fried rice for the nervous.
Make sure you get a dish with Sichuan peppers (eg the potato one). These little dried fruits are amazing - the husk a bit like cardamom or other Indian spices, then intense lemon, then your tongue fizzes for 5 minutes. We laughed with delight and poked our confused tongues. Don't avoid the experience if you've had old Sichuan peppers - the ones at Grand Sichuan are potent.
My only vegetarian gripe is most of the vegetable dishes are more like sides (eg a plate of sauteed pea shoots with garlic, sauteed loofah, steamed winter melon), of which I don't want a whole plate, even a small plate. Perfect when you're sharing, but I would appreciate a couple tofu/vege versions of meat mains other times. It's possible most of the vege dishes are vegan (watch out for egg), but I didn't explore that.
Sparse, anonymous dining room, a bit black and white for me.
I've eaten in once and gotten takeout loads of times. My roommates always get sooo excited whenever I even suggest this place. Really solid Chinese food. I have yet to have a dish that isn't likable and interesting.
Yeah, I'm giving this one an "as good as it gets." And I feel pretty great about it. I mean, chinese food? Mostly greasy garbage, or when it's done high-end it becomes something else.
No, Grand Sichuan - or Grand Sichuan, as I call it, is as good as chinese food gets. It's one of my favorite lunch spots, and it goes up a notch to the best food on the planet when I've had six or more drinks the night before.
As a matter of fact, even thought it's 11:10 pm right now I may just go out, get all banged up at the bar tonight so I can go there for lunch tomorrow, sink into the booth, order some garlic chicken and feel like $1,000,000 as I shovel it down my face.
we've ordered from Grand Sichuan a ton for office lunches. the lunch specials are very reasonable and come with soup or veggi roll. Awesome. I ordered beef and broccoli today which was great. Someone did try the string beans and chicken and was severely disappointment. But on the whole, all of the classic dishes are great.
while the food is not going to blow you away, it's cheap, yet not gross and greasy. the atmosphere is clean and an actual 'restaurant' with seating and service, unlike all of those sketchy quickie chinese food shacks.
pass on the scallion pancake here, which is $4, and kind of like an oversized potato chip, served with a pretty bland sauce.
I usually am wary of the restaurants ranked and rated in New York Magazine. It seems like a sub par idea of people claiming that they know the food scene of the city by reading Platt's columns on the latest of cheap eats, three star joints, speak easys, and everything and anything in between. So when the local Chinese/Sichuan Restaurant around the block from my apartment popped up in the Mag, I had give me own two cents on Platt's critique of the place and my own experience.
Unfortunately, I end up spending my money at Grand Sichuan time and time again, due to the face that I am lazy and cheap, and like any New Yorker, will not travel out of the 3 block radius of the neighborhood to find Chinese food for those greasy Asian cravings of mine. The selection is extensive, and covers the basics of poultry, seafood, and veggies. But I would highly recommend to avoid the section on the menu labeled "American Chinese". I've tried a few selections from this section, thinking that....maybe it'll be better this time around, or maybe they ran out of General Tso's Chicken sauce, and used the Orange Chicken sauce instead. Nope. The chicken definitely tastes like it came out of a frozen bag and had the premade sauce dumped on the morsels, and sometimes I feel like my broccoli was in the freezer for 2 weeks too long. It originally didn't bother me that the "American Fare" was ok...I mean, what else to expect from a Chinese place in the West Village for less than $10? But when reviews of this place came out to name it as a highlight of Chinese food in the city...I think not.
The only dishes I do recommend (that time and time again I turn to) are the BBQ spare ribs (surprisingly well glazed-Asian style...and hearty) and the hot and sour soup (with crunchies). I could just have these two things and I would be happy.
Cheap, yes. Amazing..probably not. 3 stars. Average. Take that New York Magazine!
I was super excited to have dinner here as I'm always on the lookout for great American Chinese my favorite dish is Pork Chow Fun. We ordered that, Pork spareribs, fried dumplings and chicken with broccoli. When the chow fun arrived I sent it back sure that it was beef and not pork. My waiter then picked it up took it into the kitchen, returned with another person to tell me that it was pork not beef I said ok then it must be my mistake but he insisted on carrying the dish to the host at the front to ask his opinion. Then after this dish had walked it's way around the restaurant he brought it back to me. I tasted it it was terrible, I mean actually god awful. the rest of the dishes were at best ok and the bill for the three of us was 100 I will never come back here. the best chinese I've discovered in the city is Susies near NYU. I must note however, I like American Chinese perhaps for traditional chinese this restaurant is very good
I was working late the other night and needed to grab a quick dinner. As nice as Grand Sichuan is for lunch it might even be better at night. A nice touch on the menu is 'small' and 'large' plates. I was able to grab soup and a 'small' plate and was very happy without leaving a plate of leftovers. A lot of the other patrons brought in their own bottles of wine and the ambiance was quite nice.
Thank you Jesus... We sure did need a good Chinese restaurant in the West Houston area and now we… Read more »
I got takeout from here yesterday and wasn't all too impressed. The steam pork dumplings were okay. The shredded pork and cabbage soup was just very bland. The pork fried rice was also just sort of eh. Not bad, but nothing special.
This is authentic sichuan food .You cant find places in Mahatten is good in price and so good . The manager Steve was a darling , the waiters were friendly and helping . The food was wonderful and amazing . I am going to be back really soon .
For a student who craves decent, cheap late night Chinese take-out, Grand Sichuan was an answer to my prayers! While some of the dishes I've tried didn't impressive me, their noodles (hot, cold, soup) are all very delicous, and super reasonably priced from $4.75 up, and delivery's up till 11pm at night. And for the times I've dined in, the atmosphere and setting is unexpectedly classy, great value for the buck!
This place just got rated as one of the best cheap Chinese restaurants in NY by NY mag. I went on a Friday and didn't have to wait. It's BYOB and no corkage fee, woo! It's super cheap, and they have a really interesting concept going: either a small plate or a normal portion of a dish. I got a sichuan pancake appetizer for like $4, and it was massive, so we all split it. Then, I got Shrimp with Broccoli, the small plate for around $6 (for fresh shrimp mmm!) and I could still hardly finish it. I got brown rice too, and I think the total was around $11. Hop across the street to Little Branch for mid evening drinks, and then roll on over to the Meatpacking or jump on the FV to LES for a perfect night!
eeeh mediocre at best. ordered the veggie pad thai and i think there was all of ONE snow pea all diced up with the noodles. i asked my leftovers to be boxed up (which the waiter did on the back), and the next day attempted to eat it for lunch, there was MAYBE 2 bites worth in the box. im not quite sure what that was about.. its fairly inexpensive, so i guess you get what you pay for.
last night, had the usuals(my companion reported she thought the Chong Qing chicken was a bit dry, but i was too busy trying to get my mouth numb off the peppercorns to notice if it was), but also tried the simply described "Grilled Shrimp with Shell" under the Hunan section to branch out. we were not disappointed-- yet again. grand sichaun destroys it. 5 delicious large shrimp on wooden skewers, that despite sprint home in the 19 degree weather, exhaled a puff of steam tinged with a delightful charcoal-y smell when we popped the top off of the container. i think i tasted shrimp paste in the moist rub that esconced the shrimp, but otherwise the taste was a combination of smoky, robust, moderately spicy divine Chinese intervention. our take out tab was a grand total of $34. this experience transports me back to the experience i had with culinary delights of mainland China, minus the airfare. if the chef is reading this, and she is a woman, i will make you my concubine, sweetie. your food is to die for.
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Grand Sichuan finally resolved my quest for finding…
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