- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Shuang Cheng Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
1320 4th St SEMinneapolis, MN 55414
Neighborhood: University
(612) 378-0208
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for Shuang Cheng Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Highly recommend the whole Sea Bass in Black Bean Sauce."
(in 10 reviews)
"The cream cheese wontons are damn good."
(in 10 reviews)
"deep fried walleye in hot meat sauce."
(in 2 reviews)
Loading...
63 reviews in English
-
Review from Bill B.
Circle Pines, MN
10/17/2011
Went Saturday afternoon before the rush. We had the seafood with broccoli, the beef & burnt orange and the whole walleye. Everything was fabulous and the presentation was great. We will all definitely go back.
-
Review from Donna Y.
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awful... just awful
1.Tea tasted like hot water
2. Egg roll was gross! The veggies inside were mushy and egg roll skin was extra burnt and the duck sauce had a funny color
3. The beef and hot peppers came with a side order of chicken fried rice ... The beef had the rubbery consistency and tasted like excessive corn starch. I had expected the hot peppers to be spicy but I didn't get any of that.
As with most American Chinese food, this restaurant was no different. The food was super greasy and literally no taste at all. I'd recommend to go to Camdi across the street. The food at least has flavor. Sorry Shuang Cheng. -
Review from Hung N.
12/30/2011
Shuang Cheng is great...divey, seafood options, perfect spot in dinky town, service has been always good for me...we just left a Vikings game pretty hammered and got the Chinese food craving...Each person picked a dish and we ended up with roast duck, walleye in black bean sauce, 5 spice crab, Beef chow fun, preserved vegetables with roast pork...Everything is always good...not really blow your socks off but solid Chinese...though I always do the crab and the preserved vegetable dishes...its my pregnant lady craving :)
-
Review from Larry M.
St Paul, MN
7/25/2011
This is what it's supposed to taste like!
When theyr'e busy you can wait quite a while- but worth it! -
Review from Sonja D.
6/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was our first time eating here, and we got take out. It took about 15 min max from the time we walked in, not knowing what we were getting, til the time we walked out. Impressive! We ordered the cream cheese wontons, sweet and sour chicken, and chicken lo mein. We decided that if our "staples" were good enough, we'd go back again and try something different. The wontons were a little over cooked but still good. My lo mein was also good, nothing super special, but worth eating. Same goes for the sweet and sour chicken. I liked the breading. We weren't expecting much, as we usually get China Express, and we were satisfied. After reading the other reviews, I want to try some seafood dishes!
The price was decent for the amount of food we got, the service was fast and friendly, and the owner (presumably) was nice when he rang us out and told us if we ordered ahead of time we wouldn't have to wait. We seriously waited approx 10 minutes.
Anyway, it was good enough to go back, but I would really like to try a more authentic dish next time, just to see what all these yelpers are yelping about! :) -
Review from Ethan T.
Shoreview, MN
7/1/2011
Lets get this straight. I have been coming here since I was in college back in 1997. The food has always been very good and I've always suggested this place to friends. But recently, I had a very negative experience here. The sad thing is that it had nothing to do with the food, it was all customer service and could have been avoided. I came here to order take out on a Sunday (father's Day) and it was packed to the gills. When I ordered a take out, the owner told me it would take 25 minutes. I looked around saw how many were waiting to even get a table and I said, are you sure? He told me yes.
25 minutes rolled by, I came back in and asked for the food, he told me 5 more minutes, and I said are you sure? because my two kids and wife have been waiting outside and we have to get going home as it was getting late for us. He said, yes. I waited inside for 25 minutes because he kept stringing me along saying that it was cooking or its coming soon, all the while my family was waiting outside. At the hour mark, I just got to check on my family..he ran outside like he thought I was going to leave without paying and told me its done, its done..so I came back in, paid for it and left. No apologies, no explanation.
I am Chinese-Vietnamese, just like him. So it was not a culture difference. But had he just told me from the get go that there were people that had been waiting an hour for thier food, It would of been fine and I would of just came back another day and been happy to do it. But now, since they thought making a buck off me that day was more important then my family and time. I have decided not to return as a customer. Sad, because I do love thier food. Oh well, I still like Hong Kong noodle and Peking Garden in St.Paul. take care, all. -
Review from Adam S.
Easily the best chinese food in Dinkytown. My normal chinese spot is Kowloon, but that is because it is closer. I've tried a few of their dishes, but I normally stick with their Sesame Chicken. Yes, I'm that guy for chinese cuisine, give me white rice and some sort of deep fried chicken or beef slathered in sauce. Their Sesame sauce is quite tasty.
I also really like their egg rolls, which is a new thing for me. I grew up hating egg rolls, but I've given them a second chance and glad I did. I still prefer cream cheese wontons most places, but here, I get the egg roll.
There are other dishes I want to try, but I usually go during lunch and can't resist the lunch special. I'll have to bring my fiancee here one night so I can try one of their entree's. -
Review from Nick S.
Minneapolis, MN
4/3/2011
My wife is the sort of person who craves Asian cuisine. If a day comes around where she has decided "I would like to have Chinese food today" it is not really a question or thought, it is a statement of fact that by 11:59PM we will be going to a Chinese restaurant. I'm more of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but I will say that Shuang Cheng has gone a long way in bringing us together.
Shuang Cheng is exactly the sort of unremarkable looking place as most other Chinese restaurants, but it really does an awesome job. I'm particularly fond of the pork in garlic sauce and beef with cashews. They're nothing fancy or nuanced, but that with a bit of their awesome fried rice and maybe a spring roll is pretty much the best Chinese I can think of in the city. For the more adventurous sort they seem to plenty of more hardcore dishes and a pretty astonishing array of fresh seafood options.
Everything's dirt cheap (students: the lunch is about $5 and delicious) and the service has always been well done. They do not deliver, sadly, but they offer take-out that has always been ready in about fifteen minutes flat. I don't know if I'd drive in from Shoreview for it, but if you're around Minneapolis and want solid solid Chinese this would be my first recommendation. -
Review from Lindsay H.
San Diego, CA
5/29/2011
Definitely one of the better Chinese restaurants in Mpls.
After being disappointed so many times with the other Chinese restaurants around the U, my friend brought me here saying that I'll probably like it.
We had fish and tofu in spicy sauce, baked squid, and tongsincai with garlic. Loved all of it.
Baked squid dish is apparently their most popular thing, however, for me I had to keep eating it to finally like the taste (slightly addicting after a while!)
Tofu and fish in spicy sauce wasn't the best. Yummy, but just like mapo tofu and a little too sweet for my liking.
Next time I'd love to try their deep fried walleye in hot meat sauce. I was recommended that by a friend and saw another table eating it..... drooool! looked delish!!! -
Review from Tammy L.
St Paul, MN
1/7/2011 7 photos
My family and I have been going here for the past ten years+. We come here for all of our family gatherings (special events, birthdays, holidays, boredom, etc). Their food is priced very well and you get amazing portions for it. One of THE best Chinese restaurants in Minnesota!
Things I'd recommend:
deep fried walleye in hot meat sauce
baked salt and pepper squid
hot sizzling beef w/veggie preserves
beef chow fun
ong choy in garlic sauce
salt and pepper crab
lobster in ginger sauce -
Review from Valerie H.
Minneapolis, MN
3/8/2011
I haven't gone here to eat in for a couple years, but the takeout I got last week was pretty abysmal. The good: it was fairly cheap (I ordered the sesame chicken lunch special, which is good until 4pm- pretty late for lunch) and there was a lot of food with the order.
However, it was awful. The three cream cheese wontons that came with my meal tasted like they had died a few years ago, and the chicken was sitting on cheap lettuce in a really bad sauce. Maybe it's better if you sit down for a meal; I certainly hope so, but I am going to avoid this place in the future.Listed in: Chinese Food
-
Review from Ashley F.
7/23/2010
Where can you feed 3 hungry college girls for under $15? And you'll probably have leftovers for the next day as well. Seriously, the portions here out of control huge.
I had the Chicken in Garlic Sauce, and my boy had Curry Beef. We also had Cream Cheese Wontons. It was so satisfying, and we had enough food for lunch and dinner the next day.
The food didn't blow my socks off or anything, but it's a great value, way better than other Americanized Chinese food I've had and our server was really friendly.
Can't wait to try this place for lunch during the school year.Listed in: The Midwest Does Chinese
-
Review from Ann V.
Minneapolis, MN
2/14/2011
I've been going to shuang cheng for most of my college career. the variety of selections and their ability comfortably seat families of 10-12 on a round table make it one of my favorites.
I recently tried their oysters in black bean sauce. the huge oysters came in the delicate favorite black bean sauce was a kind of perfection I hadn't experienced yet!
I haven't chosen an unsatisfying dish yet! -
Review from Bryan T.
Hemet, CA
9/1/2011
This is one of the only restaurants in the the world I've ever written poems about. The food is that good and memorable. Parking is usually a pain in Dinkytown but it's worth it to get here.
-
Review from Alex T.
La Jolla, CA
12/23/2010
Shuang Cheng is one of the best restaurants in Dinkytown.
They offer a large variety of inexpensive lunch and dinners options. Their seafood selection is the best I've seen near the UMN-TC campus. I particularly love their fun noodles. I don't have much more to say about Shuang Cheng except that I have always been satisfied after eating there and I am consistently impressed by their courtesy and service.
Shuang Cheng Restaurant is my pick for the best Chinese food near the UMN campus. -
Review from Hugh N.
Houston, TX
8/7/2011
I had the fried waleye with hot meat sauce. It was delicious. The fish is very crispy. I can chew the head and little bones. The sauce is not my favorite but complements the fish well. I also had Mapo tofu and Szechuan vegetable, which are much milder than the authentic ones. Overall, I like the place.
-
Review from Kimberly T.
Minneapolis, MN
7/15/2011
Good food, affordable, large portions, free tea, good service. Don't overlook this spot - it's especially good for lunch, which goes until 4:30p!
-
Review from Lila C.
5/2/2010
Great Chinese food place and at a great price too. I would rate this the best in dinkytown and even extend that to all of the U of M campus. It's the perfect amount of Americanized Chinese food but the real stuff as well.
You can come here for the americanized sesame chicken and lo mein while at the same time get some wonderful more authentic chinese dishes, I would recommend something with vegetables. It's not super greasy like Hong Kong Noodle and their menu isn't as overwhelming as Village Wok, but rather the perfect amount of choices so that you're comfortable. Though it gets it's far share of business, the service is fast and more friendly than the two other establishments I mentioned before.Listed in: Date Night, Asian Inspiration
-
Review from Casey C.
Minneapolis, MN
5/3/2011
Best Chinese food in Dinkytown.
-
Review from Alexandra H.
Twin Cities, MN
9/18/2010
I am so full from Shuang Cheng I don't even know if I can continue to write this review. My food baby could be due any minute.
I wouldn't come here to dine-in (unless I could get a table out front) because the ambiance is certainly nothing special (it looks a little worn out actually) but it met all of my greasy take-out expectations. (FYI: You will have leftovers.)
Our food was ready in about 20 minutes and it was great. We ordered sesame chicken & chicken lo mein (the latter being the tastier of the two) but I'd order any of it again! -
Review from Seth M.
St Paul, MN
12/20/2010
The restaurant is what I would expect with a mediocre Chinese food joint. I went about noon and there were plenty of seats left, but it was also snowing pretty hard. That might have had an effect on the lunch rush.
The waitress/hostess was sweet. Her English is a little hard to understand and she spoke very quietly but I got a seat and my order just fine.
All of their lunch specials come with an egg roll with sweet and sour sauce, a scoop of fried rice and a small pot of tea. The tea was nothing special. I loaded it down with some sugar. The rice was pretty typical and went well with my main dish.
There were two things that really stood out for me at this place. One, the egg roll was very good; one of the best I've had. The sauce that came with it was delicious too. I could have eaten a half dozen of those. Much different than that of Que Viet. I wouldn't choose one over the other, but they are so different I wouldn't even put them in the same category. Second, the food was incredibly hot. From my experience, Chinese food comes out at a temperature ready to eat. But this stuff needed to cool a little. It was a pleasant surprise.
I had the Mongolian Beef. They went a little light on the beef. The sauce was great; perfect viscosity and salty, full flavor. One thing that jumped at me were the full, relatively thick slices of ginger root in the dish. If you get two or three of those in a mouthful, your eyes may start watering a little.
The portion was a little light, but I'm a pretty big guy. No left-overs.
Right on 4th Street in Dinkytown means parking is tough, but I found a spot off of 4th pretty quickly at a pay meter. -
Review from Norton L.
Shoreview, MN
3/28/2008
This is my other favorite Chinese restaurant in town. My two favorite dishes here are the fried walleye in hot meat sauce and singapore rice noodle.
I was introduced to their singapore rice noodle over 10 years ago and I have yet to find a restaurant ANYWHERE that makes it better. That includes many Chinatowns in North America.
As with my other favorite in town, Hong Kong Noodles, there really isn't anything you can order off the menu and not have a great tasting meal.Listed in: Top Chinese Restaurants
-
Review from Armond H.
Eugene, OR
5/16/2010
This place gives you a lot of food, and it's cheap! (especially if you get the lunch special). I always get the sesame chicken lunch special with cream cheese wontons, and I always leave full and satisfied. Free tea too!
My only complaint is that for some reason, the sesame chicken is never that hot... so 4 stars it is. -
Review from Elise S.
9/28/2009
My theory with Chinese food goes that one's standard for good Chinese food is directly based off of the Chinese restaurant one ate at growing up. For some people that means celery-laden chow mein and greasy chicken friend rice; for other people it's duck hot pot and a whole yellow fin in black bean sauce.
I think Shuang Cheng is one of the only Chinese restaurants in the Twin Cities that actually covers both of these standards adequately. If you go to this bustling restaurant on an average Friday evening, you'll see a healthy mix of "ketchup is spicy" Minnesotans and Chinese transplants. The first couple pages of the menu consist of your tried and true Chinese-American fare: sesame chicken, General Tso's chicken, kung pao shrimp, lo mein, egg rolls. They do a nice take on our idea of Chinese food and for a fair price, too (entree rarely exceed $12).
Keep flipping through the menu and you'll start encountering more interesting items still! A big selection of hot pots (ideal for a hangover), whole fish prepared in a nearly endless variety of ways, and a plethora of rice and noodle dishes. While as a timid Minnesotan, this makes me nervous for not knowing precisely what I'm going to get, none of these dishes have ever failed me. BE ADVENTUROUS AND JUST PICK SOMETHING!
They also offer a nice lunch deal; for in or around $5, you get an egg roll, a pot of tea, fried rice, and a healthy portion of an entree that switches every other day. It's a nice way to start exploring beyond the usual fare.
So in summary: we live in a fascinating little melting pot. Go to Shuang Cheng to watch it bubble and simmer away, preferably with an order of their garlic and ginger-laced beef with Chinese broccoli. -
Review from Kedar D.
10/22/2009
As far as Americanized Chinese food goes, Shuang Cheng is pretty good, and has a much larger selection of vegan/vegetarian selections than most Chinese places.
We shared a curry mock duck, modified to have more vegetables ($8.25) and a spicy vegetarian vegetables ($7.95). Make sure to ask questions about ingredients, as some dishes contain oyster sauce.
I thought the curry mock duck was tasty in a salty-MSG way. Tender mock duck and a large portion size make this dish a good value.
The spicy vegetarian vegetables was bland, though, and the sauce had so much cornstarch that it congealed into a thick glop. It also skimped on the tofu.
And, as expected, there's no brown rice available. Say it with me, folks: brown rice tastes good and does a body good. Not offering brown rice at an Asian restaurant is akin to having only Wonder Bread at a sandwich shop. It's sacrilege.
Given that Camdi is so hit-or-miss, I like that Shuang Cheng provides an alternative veg-friendly option in Dinkytown. If you're looking for excellent Chinese food go to Evergreen. But if you just want a quick, cheap stir-fry and aren't in Uptown, Shuang Cheng does a slightly above-average job. -
Review from Ian S.
4/3/2007
Shuang Cheng is where all the chinese people I knew on campus would go for seafood.
You could order other things here, but there are better places for that. The non-seafood dishes are pretty average.
Have the seafood. You won't be sorry unless you fail at eating completely. Try not to fail. You'll miss out. -
Review from Mark M.
Spring Lake Park, MN
5/26/2010
My wife's family has been coming here for years, and they turned me onto this place. I'm so glad they did!
I'm not adventurous, I like the americanized version of eastern food, so always get the sesame chicken, orange beef and egg rolls. I've tried a few other dishes as well, and they were excellent as well.
Beside the excellent food, I have to mention the waitstaff. They are the friendliest, most attentive staff I have come across. Your water glass and tea pot is always full (I forgot the mention the free tea...awesome!).
I usually go into a food coma after eating here for at least an hour or so, then I eat the leftovers! -
Review from rosie y.
Pasadena, CA
3/1/2009 4 photos
I love this place. I've been a huge fan since 1994. I found this place by mistake...and I've kept coming back.
The wait to be seated can be a hit or miss, depending on how busy they are. The staff tries to get the food out as fast as they can.
The cream cheese wontons are damn good. I could eat these as a meal. The garlic chicken is my favorite.
You can get your parking stub validated from the lot across the street or find street parking. -
Review from Beth M.
Minneapolis, MN
5/22/2011
Crispy fried noodles and spicy black bean sauce.....yum (almost makes me miss carbs and my husband still loves it) I have moved to their sea food-scallops were fantastic.
-
Review from Yiling W.
3/18/2007
Good restaurant for authentic Chinese seafood (e.g. steamed fish) and snow peas (fresh). Don't forget to check the menu board mounted high on the wall (er, I can't remember if it's only in Chinese, but you should bring your Chinese-speaking friends anyway).
Not-so-stellar beef chow fun -they tend to let the noodles get cooked stuck together. Typically-good cream cheese puffs (I did not order these, no, it was not I). Validates parking for the lot tucked across the street. Reasonable service. -
Review from Mon P.
Minneapolis, MN
2/2/2011
Another nice tasting and affordable Chinese eat close to campus. I dont go there as often as HK Noodles or Keefer Court, but the food is always good whenever I go. Their best dish that Ive tried is crab with black bean sauce. It's so yummy that you dont care how dirty your hands are when you are done gorging the crabs.
-
Review from Hannah M.
Providence, RI
8/11/2011
My uncle discovered Shuang Cheng about 20 years ago, and it has remained one of my family's staple favorites ever since. We usually order family style. Food is fresh and well-made. We get the fried walleye with meat sauce - HIGHLY RECOMMEND, if you are willing to pick out the bones. It's a huge, fresh-caught fish, fried whole (My grandmother calls dibs on the tail, gramps calls dibs on the head). Spicy eggplant is wonderful, as are the hollow vegetables and pea tips. Amazing flavors, great variety on the menu. Will not disappoint.
-
Review from Tori M.
Minneapolis, MN
2/4/2010
Shuang Cheng is by far one of the better Chinese places in the U area. I have always enjoyed their seafood dishes the most, but they also have some good vegetarian fare as well.
I used to get take-out all the time, so I recommend it for those after-class nights when you're too effing tired to cook but can't be arsed to stick around a restaurant.
The staff is also super nice! -
Review from Tony S.
Washington, DC
4/6/2011
I was pretty excited about this place based on the other reviews, since I like mom & pop restaurants with killer food and good portions for the dollar. I can't really complain about any aspects of my experience but at the same time, nothing stands out as extraordinary other than maybe the fact that in my soft shell crab order I received a total of nine or so entire crabs ... which is definitely enough for two people.
-
Review from Patti I.
1/27/2010
Great place for fish and seafood! They serve lots of dishes with fermented black beans, so yummy! You can get a whole fish here for a more reasonable price than at many other restaurants. Shuang Cheng also serves lots of interesting vegetables. Nice change of pace.
Avoid ordering "chow mein." At Hong Kong Noodle House, chow mein means "fried noodles" and will taste like something you'd get in Chinatown. At Shuang Cheng, you will be served celery glop that makes you think of a school cafeteria circa 1965. Don't come here for Sichuan food--stick with the Cantonese things, it's what they do best. -
Review from Wanda M.
Minneapolis, MN
11/5/2009
Great campus lunch spot.
I had a lunch special (11a-2p) which consisted of sesame chicken, white rice(choice of fried or white) and an egg roll, for under $6. The portion size was perfect, not small, but I still should not have probably eaten it all.
I went with two coworkers, around 12:15p on a Thursday, we were seated immediately. Huge menu. However, we did have to wait a bit to get our food. I would visit again.
P.S. this place has fountain Sunkist, no lies. -
Review from Angelina C.
Brighton, MA
12/27/2010
I think this is the best Chinese restaurant in the Twin Cities. Do yourself a favor and order off of the grease board and not the menu. They have some of the best seafood in the area. I love the salt and pepper shrimp (not on the menu but they'll cook it for you), the chicken with asparagus and the beef with orange sauce. Skip the watered down generic stuff like chop suey. But be sure to get some seafood with one of your orders. The atmosphere isn't the great but the wonderful food makes up for it.
-
Review from Nick L.
Minneapolis, MN
12/18/2010
This place in quite good. We've been here several times and love the whole fish that can be prepared several ways. We has the chicken with black bean sauce which had great flavor and just a touch of spice. The soup with fun noodles and beef brisket wasn't bad either. The atmosphere isn't great but the prices are very reasonable.
-
Review from Matt S.
Minneapolis, MN
12/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
Shuang Cheng is a great place for good Chinese food. The lunch specials are quick, easy and delicious. There is no buffett, so if you're looking to gorge, go somewhere else. Check it out if you're in dinkytown. There are also lots of U of M staffers who eat here as well.
-
Review from D. L.
Minneapolis, MN
8/17/2010
Very good authentic southern Chinese fare (esp. the specials up on the board) but enough Americanized Chinese dishes to satisfy the unadventurous. And both styles are done quite nicely. A reliable mainstay whose quality has not suffered over the years. Compares favorably even for my picky Chinese family who spend half the year in GZ/HK and the other half in NYC.
