Mala Sichuan Bistro

10/8/2018

Service is fantastic like their food.

I can here for my birthday dinner and the staff are very accommodating, friendly, attentive, and happy. (As in they really enjoy their work)

Must try: Crispy Spicy Chicken, it's flavorful and the spice is not overwhelming.

Parking: tons of parking in the plaza shared with others.

Food: consistently good every visit.

10/6/2018

Omg so tasty.

I will try all the authentic Chinese things.

Dandan noodles are just hot enough to burn but not enough that you can't eat them. Mapo tofu is peppery than most of the rest I have tried but I liked it. Get the green tea crepe cake. If anything it will soothe your burning mouth. It's also delicious.

And last but not least I would return for the service alone. Very attentive especially for Chinatown.

AC was also at a normal level aka on.

Parking is a mess in this lot so try to come at a weird time.

10/3/2018

I have been to Mala several times and I'm always happy with the food here! I can't wait for the Katy location to open. I love Sichuan food and have tried my fair share of Sichuan restaurants, but Mala is one of the best! The spice and flavor level is on point. My go to items are the mapo tofu, spicy crispy chicken, spicy eggplant, and wontons in chili oil. These dishes are delicious and not too greasy. Food comes out fast and the servers are what you would expect of at a typical Asian restaurant in Bellaire - direct, little words... you just have to know what you want, read the reviews, or wing it based on the description in the menus. The servers don't really give an in depth explanation of the dishes. Weekends get a little busy so expect a wait especially during peak times.

Price is fair and portions are average sized. Enough to share if you get a few items.

If you pay cash, you get 5% off!

9/19/2018

Sichuan food is becoming one of my favorite Asian cuisines ! I love the numbing sensation the peppers give and Mala does an amazing job of using it in their dishes.

My favorite dish is the spicy crispy chicken ! It's a must try. It has great flavor and gives your mouth a tingly feel. I love the crispyness and the chicken is never dry.

I also really like the dry fried green beans. They aren't that spicy so it's a great dish to give your mouth a break from the heat.

We also got the dan dan noodles. I know it's a popular dish in Sichuan cuisine but I wasn't the biggest fan of it. The flavor wasn't for me. If you try it out, be warned.. one bite and your mouth is NUMB in the best way possible.

Our waters were constantly being filled and service was friendly. If you pay cash there's a discount. I think it's 5% or 10%, I don't remember exactly. But if you don't have cash, they accept card. Everything was great, can't wait to come back !

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  Crispy chicken. FAV !

  Crispy chicken. FAV !
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  Dry fried green beans

  Dry fried green beans
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  Dan dan noodles. Already mixed it up

  Dan dan noodles. Already mixed it up

10/1/2018

The food tastes great but not as spicy as I expect. Service is 5-star!
Plenty of parking spaces in front of the store.
A very popular restaurant, So may expect a line if coming in during the weekend.
Dessert is actually above my expectation. It tastes just like the crepe cake in Lady M.
Overall, I'd like to recommend this restaurant for people who visit Houston and look for a Sichuan-style restaurant.

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  Mali tofu

  Mali tofu
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• See all photos from Leila G. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

5/31/2018

• 1 check-in

Looking for a new place to try we ran across this gem.  Reading the reviews on YELP, this place sounded promising and as we scoured the menu we settled on a pork and dry tofu dish, basil eggplant and a bowl of hot and sour soup!  The waiter we had, William was very nice and helpful with a cheerful attitude which was nice!  When the food came out I was really impressed with the taste!  Not too spicy. Not too salty. With a good flavor.  My family enjoyed the experience very much!  As we were eating we saw other delectable dishes being served and William would tell me what they were. To definitely be tried in the future!  

I think we found another favorite place to add to our list next time we're in the area. The place was pretty full for a Thursday night and the ambience inside is kind of charming!  

All in all a good experience and I would highly recommend it!  Give it a try!

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• See all photos from Allen T. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

6/10/2018

• 1 check-in

We walked in and saw two empty tables. Of course it was too good to be true as they wouldn't sit us there as a group of three. They asked if we would be willing to share a table so they waited until another pair of people walked in and proceeded to put us in the back private room/storage area. We ordered a of food to try a variety of things, but it was awkward as the other people just shared a single fish dish sitting across from our buffet of food. Overall the food is all good, flavorful and well spiced.

Fragrant ribs are worth a try, pretty unique. The hot and sour soup has good flavor but it's a little thin. Mongolian beef well flavored, and a cooling off for the other dishes. The red oil dumplings had a nice size/sauce but could have used a but more meat to noodle ratio. Dan Dan noodles were average, but enjoyable.

Had we been seated immediately and not had to share the storage closet I probably would give the place a 4.

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  Red oil dumplings

  Red oil dumplings
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  Mongolian beef

  Mongolian beef
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  Spareribs

  Spareribs
• See all photos from Alan S. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

5/8/2018

• 1 check-in

I was craving Sichuan style food and happened to be in Chinatown, sifting through my bookmarked businesses.  I opted for Mala Sichuan, based on good reviews and menu selection online.

We arrived for early lunch and the place already looked very busy.  We were seated, given menus, and the waiter took our drink orders.  As I had glanced through the menu prior to arriving at the restaurant, I kind of had an idea on what to order.  We went with a spicy fried chicken and kung pao chicken.

The Spicy chicken was absolutely delicious.  Small chunks for perfectly fried boneless chicken, accompanied with boat load of dry red chilies, green onions and cilantro.  I loved it.  Our Kung Pao was pretty good too.  Definitely looked much better and spicier than what's presented at any Americanized Chinese restaurants.  Plenty of red chili on the Kung Pao.  I wanted to try their spicy fish and the seafood soup but that'll be on the subsequent visit.

Service was up to par.  Our waiters were attentive, and were collectively serving all the tables.  There was no One server per table but rather all were helping each other out.  

I will be back here soon.

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  Crispy spicy chicken

  Crispy spicy chicken
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  Kung pao

  Kung pao

8/13/2018

• 1 check-in

Overtime, this place has grown to be my favorite Sichuan restaurant in Houston.

The food: The mapo tofu is definitely a favorite for me. I've tried it at many other places, but none get it quite as good as here. The tofu is nice and soft, and good sized cubes. The sauce is rich and flavorful. It's also reasonably priced, actually being a bit cheaper than a lot of other Sichuan restaurants. I haven't had a vegetable dish here that I didn't like. The spinach, water-spinach, or eggplant are all go-tos for me. This is the first place I tried dandan noodles, and I haven't found another place where I enjoy the dandan noodles more. This is definitely a preference thing, because a lot of other places actually serve it similarly (probably the right way) and this place is just very different. The sauce is a bit spicier and less peanut-y. The crispy chicken and crispy beef are also very good. They are quite salty, but that's pretty typical of dishes meant to be eaten with plain rice.

Other things: The restaurant is a bit cramped, and can get quite busy. This can mean long waits if you go at a bad time. The service is average, with nothing good or bad being notable.

Overall: No matter how many Sichuan restaurants I try, I always come back here. It is easily my favorite right now. Also, the other location for this restaurant on Westheimer is not nearly as good. The same dishes there are much more bland, and the prices are higher.

4/30/2018 Updated review

• 3 check-ins

Mala Sichuan has become one of my favorite places to eat in Chinatown. I always like to come here when I'm craving a homey meal. Their family-style is ideal for groups and portions are shareable. Although it's located in a bit of a run-down plaza alongside many other Chinese restaurants.

Nonetheless, Mala offers authentic Sichuan cuisines. I can always count on them to deliver consistency through the quality of their food. There is an abundant of dishes to select from. Their menu is categorized from veggies, meat, soup, rice, and etc. Easy to read and descriptions of each dish is available.

Some of my go-to dishes that I always have to get are the spicy crispy chicken. Small chicken cutlets with a not so overwhelming amount of spice. The chicken meat is tender and the fried-layer is crispy. Just be careful to not eat the red peppers. A favorite veggie item is the spicy eggplants. Eggplants are always cooked to perfection. The eggplants literally melts in your mouth. It goes great with a bowl of white rice provided with the meal.

If you're looking for something to start off the meal, then I would recommend the hot and sour soup. Portion was big enough to share between 3-5 people. Equal level of spicy and sour in the soup. The water-boiled fish fillet also goes great with white rice. The texture of the fish is soft and the sauce of the fish was nicely seasoned.

The dan dan noodles is also a popular item here. Watch out for the spiciness after you have mix it up. It numbs your lips and tongue. Service is always fast, food doesn't take that long to come out. This place is usually crowded at most hours, but they move fast. Friendly staff who refills your water frequently. Overall, one of the best in Chinatown.

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  Dan dan noodles

  Dan dan noodles
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  Spicy water boiled fish soup with clear noodles

  Spicy water boiled fish soup with clear noodles
• See all photos from Ann L. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

8/2/2018

• 1 check-in

Recommendations:
- Water boiled fish
- House special fried rice
- Spicy beef tendon

I'm not from Sichuan or a Sichuan food enthusiast so I can't be a critique in this genre of food but they sure were good. We were sweating like a water fall on steroid but kept going cause the food were good. So when we first came here i noticed the place were packed and that actually stayed the same the entire time. We ordered water boiled fish, crispy spicy chicken, house special fried rice, Combination fried rice, and others.

My personal favorites were the water boiled fish and the house special spicy fried rice. Boiled fish was soft and flavorful but also numbing hot. They do stuff alot of cabbage at the bottom so it looks like theres alot of fish but in truth it's mostly what you see on surface(still alot). I enjoyed the fried rice, kind of like a normal fried rice with a kick of Sichuan spice to it. It's nicely priced and delicious. Crispy spicy chicken was alright, just imagine an asian style spicy popcorn chicken that's alittle better presentation.

Service was alright until the very end when we tried to ask for split check. Waitress was so confused and seemed like she was having trouble understanding us. Called over another guy for help but he also seemed like he didnt know what was happening so we just said to give us a single check.

Come here for the food, it's good if you like spicy.

9/15/2018

• 2 check-ins

Mala has been in this JusGo shopping center in Chinatown forever. Even before JusGo was even there. Sichuan food has been up and coming (to white people) this year and I've been craving it for a while now. Mala offers a wide range of mild to spicy foods. My friend said this was her favorite place and I let her pick our dinner choices for the night. We came on a Thursday and it was busy (even the party rooms). We got the Dan Dan noodles, crispy beef, and green beans. I liked the green beans but they weren't anything special to me. If I had to compare I would say Cantonese style with ground pork and pepper is more flavorful. The crispy beef was cooked with red chili peppers and had a kick to it that was comfortable. The noodles were my favorite of the night (and in general when it comes to Sichuan food). The noodles themselves were thick and chewy and the sauce and meat were evenly distributed in the dish. Our waitress was kind and didn't rush us (we were talking quite a bit before ordering). The restaurant had an adorable wall with porcelain dishes and that's where we were seated. The only downside was the extra charge for using a credit card instead of cash.

8/13/2018

Now my go-to Sichuan place in Houston. Food is consistently solid, spice level is competitive and service is fast and attentive - which is difficult to come by in chinatown.

Come early or you'll be one of those parties congested around the front door. Can't go wrong here, definitely come check it out!

5/28/2018 Updated review

• 1 check-in

Well I'm disappointed.

I came for red oil dumplings and they were topped with too much brown sauce and not enough red oil. The red oil dumplings were still PINK inside. I.e. Undercooked. I tried to get it fixed but there was a HUGE communication barrier. Anyways I got diarrhea after having 1/2 of one. Thanks.

Garlic cucumber and bacon dish was good. This is also topped with red oil and if you look at my pictures, you will see there's a significant difference. This dish was good. Very good. The red oil sauce makes a dish. Which is why the red oil dumplings, undercooked and under dressed, was unsatisfactory.

The eggplant dish was way too sweet.

Cumin beef was overseasoned. When they say cumin beef expect a whole bottle of cumin.

The spicy crispy chicken is numbing but the only consistently good dish that I've had here.

Honestly, I was embarrassed that I took my sister to this restaurant.

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  Red oil dumplings

  Red oil dumplings
• See all photos from Rose N. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

5/25/2018

• 1 check-in

Mala holds a special place in my heart! It is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston and a must visit whenever I'm in town! Mala made me fall in love with Sichuan cuisine. Unfortunately in Dallas the Sichuan restaurants do not compare. Although Sichuan cuisine is usually associated with being spicy it's actually a different kind of spice than you may be expecting. The spicyness did not make me grab my water every few bites; it's more of a numbing sensation to your tongue.

My favorite go-to dishes at Mala or any Sichuan restaurant is cumin lamb and crispy spicy chicken. Mala's cumin lamb is the absolute best. It is always bursting with flavor and spices and never disappoints, pairs perfectly with rice. It is cooked perfectly, more on the drier side with a slight sear/crisp which is what I prefer in this dish. Their crispy spicy chicken will make your tongue numb due to the peppercorn peppers so beware if you've never had Sichuan cuisine!! The chicken also is full of flavor and delicious!

I have never been unhappy with any dish I've tried at Mala. Everything is just sooo full of flavor and makes my tastebuds oh so happy. Other honorable mentions include: twice cooked pork, dan dan noodles, garlic eggplant, and mapo tofu. Give Mala a try, you won't regret it!

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  Spicy and crispy chicken, Mapo tofu

  Spicy and crispy chicken, Mapo tofu
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  Cumin lamb

  Cumin lamb

9/26/2018

I have been here several times and am always amazed by the food. Fresh and an amazing amount of flavors.

The cilantro beef, crispy crunchy chicken, chicken fried rice, dumplings and spicy boiling fish are all amazing.

There is literally no way to go wrong with the menu here.

The price is very fare and it's all family style.

The one thing that is a let down is parking is horrid. The area is located in China Town and in a strip parking lot.

The staff is also a bit hit or miss. A few times they asked for us to sit with some random family I've never met. Especially when the table is a "lazy Suzan" and you get to grab your tray every other spin.

This place is definitely great food at a great price. Definitely recommend going. Go early and not hungry because of parking. Overall great!!

2/14/2018

• 47 check-ins

If you're suffering from MALAnutrition, and feeling MALAevolant, and you just got back from MALAga in Spain, after visiting MALAwi, MALAysia and MALAdagascar, and if you've managed to avoid MALAria, you're probably really horny, whether you're MALA or feMALA.

I know that my raps are much MALAigned, and I've had MALAicious threats about them, so I decided to do a straight up review this time, with none of that MALArkey. I'm adaptable and quite MALAeable so that's good. But I'm also MALAdapted, like MALAnie Griffith in Working Girl.

I just fed some MALArds, to try and ease my MALAise, my MALAcontent, my MALAncholy depression, and my headache, which feels like I'm being pounded by several MALAets. I also have a MALAnoma from tanning. Oops. It's MALAignant. Oops oops. Need so MALAnin. Fast.

Not to mention the STD I caught from MALAnia Trump. Not her fault. Her husband did it all behind her extremely skinny, mail-order-bride back.

I wanna toast a MarshMALAow. Who's with me. Omg you should see my gf's waterMALAons. So amazing. They send me into MALAtdown. Sort of like the stupid hypocritical media when MALA Obama smoked at college.

I wish I could sing this review. I can't think of a MALAdy. What became of my infamous MALAdiousness? I need to just chill, and MALAow out. What I need is a dog. An Alaskan MALAmute. OMG THEY ARE SO CUTE I CAN'T WRITE ANYMORE. OMG. OMG. WARNING. WARNING. ERROR. MALAFUNCTION.

OK now that the MALAodrama is over, time to actually write the review.

What to get: Mapo Tofu, Dan Dan Noodle, Red Oil WonTon/Dumpling, Eggplant w/Garlic.
And: Cash = 5% discount.

Not just one of the best Chinese restaurants in Houston. Not just in Texas. But one of the very best Chinese restaurants I've ever eaten at. I have yet to try the more fancy location closer to Downtown, because why would I mess with perfection? I heard it's more expensive and I have a feeling it caters less to the Chinatown crowd, and therefore might be less authentic - but I will get around to try it one of these days.

So when you come to Mala, don't be shocked if not everyone dining is Asian. Word has gotten out, and there are more non-Asians (mixed with Asians) here than any other authentic Chinese spot in Chinatown. But the menu is totally Asian.

The tall girl whose long hair is a lighter shade, is the best server ever. So friendly and lovely and helpful with the menu! She's picked out many great dishes for us.

Invented by Dan Akroyd, Dan Radcliffe and Dan Craig, "Dan Dan Noodle" is famous for having noodles the size of Radcliffe and Akroyd's noodles (Craigs is bigger, because he's James Bond). It has a tingling, oily set of amazing spices hiding under the noodles. Sort of like when a cat is hiding under your quilt and then attacks you with claws out as you get in? No? Nobody? Just me?

The Chongqing spicy chicken is good, and the Mapo Tofu is probably the best I've ever had anywhere. Dan Dan Noodle is very good, it's Barbie's fave, and they have a lot of other wonderful dishes here.

The Red Oil Dumplings and Red Oil Wonton here are spectacular. The Eggplant w/Garlic Sauce is excellent, too. Sometimes they sell Roasted Plum Juice (Chinese style) - very interesting and unlike anything I've ever had.

Mapo Tofu is better than a Mapo Texas, or any map really. It will show you the best route to deliciousness. It's my personal fave dish on this menu. Full of deep, numbing spice that will transport you to another corner of the world. Spectacular.

Chongqing, if you've never had it, is a must. Small diced chicken pieces, fried to perfection with all kinds of peppers and spices, including the little "nummies" - peppercorn type things that will make your mouth numb. Then you can come back to my place and I'll make other things numb.

7 and a half, in case you're wondering.

7 and a half is how many other dishes I've tried here (what did you think I was referring to), and most were good, none were as good as the 3 I just mentioned. So go for those 3.

So if you're bored of Regia and Tacos LA BALA
And like DeRulo you just need something to SWALLA
And if Yao Ming is your fave Houston BALLA
Then trust me, you should come down to MALA

If you want company, give me a HALA
I'll take you to Nebraska and we'll stop in OGALLALLA
We'll share an Iced Tea and a Shrimp MARSALA
And then we'll head to Houston for dinner at MALA

I'll pop your Szechuan cherry if you pop my CALA
I will call you Satan and you can call me ALLAH
I'm so Hindu your Buddha when you do that KABBALAH
A religious experience much like the one at MALA

So hop in the back seat of my IMPALA
You can eat my Eucalyptus like I'm a KOALA
I know it's not that big, but your ex bf is SMALLA
Besides, unlike me, he never took you down to MALA

I won't tell anyone about your strange AREALA
If you tell me the definition of ACANTHOCEPHALA
And I'll give it to you like Mexico gave it to GUATEMALA
And when we're done with all the fun, I'll take you to MALA!

WHAT

(Sorry, I'm Mala djusted)

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  I can draw you a mapo how to get there

  I can draw you a mapo how to get there
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  Somebody is looking at your shoes bae

  Somebody is looking at your shoes bae
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  This new tip suggestion thing is useful/patronizing.

  This new tip suggestion thing is useful/patronizing.
• See all photos from Fox E. for Mala Sichuan Bistro

10/5/2018

This place was amazing. I was very pleasantly surprised. The spice levels used are at an appropriate level. Not too unbearable, but very tasty. The service is rapid, attentive, and impeccable. We actually had a slightly undercooked dish, but they were very gracious and cooked a whole new batch for us and even showed us the old batch alongside so we knew that it was freshly made. I can't say enough good things about it. We ordered the Mapo Tofu, the Crispy and Spicy Chicken, Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce, Dan Dan Noodle, Fragrant Ribs, and Mala Pot Roasted Tilapia. They are also opening one up in Sugar Land. Exciting!!

7/7/2018

• 1 check-in

There are a TON ok like 7 no lie Chinese restaurants in this strip center.   This one had a lot of great reviews so we thought we would try it.  first off the hot oil dumplings are a must- they weren't too hot either.  My friend had twice cooked beef- which was delicious but we had to pick past those little dried red chili peppers- they were a bit much.  I had a Sichuan pork dish that was fantastic too.  The place isn't much to look at but it is nice, very clean, seemed popular.  the wait staff were very nice and attentive- this a is a go back to for sure even with so many others around to try.

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  Pork page

  Pork page

7/12/2018

I heard this place was pretty popular, so I had to try it. My friends and I ordered the garlic bacon, crispy spicy chicken, mapo tofu, and water boiled fish.

I definitely like the garlic bacon and water-boiled fish. I would order that again. The crispy spicy chicken wasn't so bad, while the mapo tofu was okay.

Hot tea compliments with these dishes, so I would recommend to order it.

The place was clean and the service was very fast. It's not a bad place to get a meal with your family or friends!