This is normally a good spot for Chinese cuisine and they happen to make a very good Egg Foo Yung but my visit last weekend was a tad bit frustrating. The waitress entered everything wrong. I ordered an egg roll but she brought out a spring roll. When I saw it I asked her was that their eggroll and she said yes. When I asked another waitress, she confirmed it was a springroll. Sigh. Then my waitress wanted to argue with me and I, her, she don't do that. Lol I just pointed to what I ordered on the menu. Next, our chicken wings came out....with Buffalo wing sauce on them. When I told her that's not what I ordered, she said that was all they had. I pointed to the menu again which shows they offer buffalo and regular wings and another waitress came by to offer some help. They ended up fixing it but it delayed our meal and I don't enjoy drama but I'll be back. Why? Service like this isn't their norm and they have some great sushi and combo lo mein and not afraid to put the meat and shrimp in. The shrimp were large and cooked just right...they popped in the mouth! The food is always flavorful and fresh so they get a pass from me. Hopefully the next visit we'll be back to normal.
(4)
Mashel R.
I really love this place except for one thing it is a bit expensive for a Chinese place in McCandless. Our last dinner for four people including 2children was over $70. A bit high for us.
(4)
Casey N.
This is the best Chinese food, imo, in Pittsburgh that I had tried. It's never very crowded there which is a plus, not having to wait when you are starving! Food comes out super fast and they give you huge portions! The lunch special is a great deal and I don't think the size is any smaller than the regular or dinner size. My favorites are their crab Rangoons, amazing chicken, and chicken with vegetables. I always get the crab Rangoons with friends to start and I have been trying new dishes as much as possible. I have never had a bad dish here. Service is always friendly and polite. Delicious, quality food at a good price!
(4)
Joe S.
Great food. Very nice atmosphere large portions. Some of the best Chinese I've ever eaten. I ate there for dinner two nights in a row while on a business trip. Very nice atmosphere, clean and modern, warm and welcoming
(5)
Kelsey S.
Empire Palace is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh! The food is high quality and the service is excellent. You also get a massive portion. My favorite meal is the non-breaded general tsos chicken. Big fan of their egg rolls too. Food aside, the ambiance of this place is like none other. Very stylish and modern, yet comfortable and welcoming. You have to try this place!
(5)
Ross I.
5 stars for the food and atmosphere, 1 star for the waitstaff . My son and I went for lunch and had a great meal but had awful service from the waitress. As we we're ordering she got any another table and left before we had finished ordering. I had to chase her down to finish our order them she charged us for dinner meals $7 more and didn't give us or egg rolls or soup that we should have received for ordered off of the lunch menu. I doubt I'll be back to dine anytime soon.
(3)
Kristine S.
A nice time to sit at the bar and grab some sushi. Tried a Mai Tai and a Mojito, both were delicious. Crab Rangoon was actually quite good. Really enjoyed the Sunset Blvd. Roll- tuna and mango!
(4)
Amy C.
We had our first visit on Friday night for our weekly date night dinner and a movie. It was close to the theater and parking was scarce, so we figured it must be good. I'm giving it three stars because the food was actually really good and the portions were large! However, talk about a miserable waitress. She didn't check on us, constantly scowled, and was basically the worst part of our evening. I can't blame her entirely as it seemed the whole staff had the same miserable outlook on life. My recommendation... Order take out for the food and avoid the depressing service.
(3)
Tracy D.
Amazing food!!! Large portions! Nice atmosphere! Excellent prices too! I haven't been there for a few years because I moved but wow... still as good as ever!!!! General Tsao Tofu... even the non tofu eaters LOVED it!!!!
(5)
Jason M.
The best Chinese in Pittsburgh. Huge portions and amazing sushi. This place can get packed at night but the wait is worth it.
(5)
Andrea D.
I grew up on this Chinese - at their location in Hopewell Township. I've have plenty other Chinese places over the years and nothing compares. I won't even bother trying to find any other Chinese- this is the only place I'll eat. Their food is amazing- top notch. The recipes here are the same as the original in Hopewell. Nothing compares. So glad I found this was out here as I was always driving back home from the City anytime I had a craving.
(5)
David K.
This place is more expensive than your typical Chinese place. Dinner entrees are at least $12. Food is always prepared fresh and food is tasty. General Tso's chicken is on point here. Not too spicy, but the sauce is really good. Soups are excellent here and the restaurant is really nice inside. Fast service and lots of seating. Not my favorite Chinese spot, but very good place to go or at least try if you are in the area. It is located right off of McKnight road next to TGI Fridays.
(4)
Sara L.
The menu selection is awesome. I've had really fantastic sushi and sashimi here. They also give really good portions of Chinese food and the quality is excellent. I'd recommend the lemon chicken in particular. They have the best crab rangoons I've ever tasted. As a plus, the service is really fast and the decor is fun. I'm always looking for an excuse to go here and I can't wait to try to dim sum menu.
(5)
Susan D.
Empire Palace is a great lunch spot in the North Hills and a worthy competitor to, say, Sesame Inn. It's got your typical Chinese lunch menu which includes hot & sour soup or egg roll and fried or steamed rice with your entree. But the quality of food here seems to be a cut above what you'd typically expect. Eschewing my normal preferences for chicken, I went for the sliced pork with vegetables. I have to say that the pork was very tender and the vegetables very crisp (I've had 'em elsewhere when they've been overcooked). And of course I had my egg roll! So Empire Palace may have a standard Americanized Chinese luncheon menu, but they do it very well.
(4)
Betty S.
Very nice restaurant with modest prices, good selections and a variety of Asian Foods including sushi. Only disappointment was discontinued Dim Sum due to lack of interest from other cliental. The food Is excellent and atmosphere is classy and up scale. I love this restaurant! My new fav place to eat Chinese/Asian foods. Great bar too! !
(4)
Michele S.
We use to love this place. The food has always been very good and reasonably priced. Now we will never go back. We waited over 40 minutes for a table. Then we watched many groups our size be seated before us, even though they arrived long after us. The hostess didn't even fix it when we told her how long we have waited. She just sat her friends. Yes it was busy, but that was uncalled for. Never again!
(1)
T B.
Great food! Huge portions! Waiter sucked and ruined the experience. He literally never came back to check on us and took 20 min after we were finished eating to bring the check.
(3)
Imanuel M.
Just got to pittsburgh , first time here , me and my friends was up for some sushi. Do not order sushi it that place! Started with the miso soap , wasn't any good, then I got the all you can eat sushi, and wasn't tasty and wasn't fresh, really bad. Service was slow although the restaurant was empty. Really not recommended.
(1)
Ronette B.
We were disappointed. The food was just OK. The chicken was somewhat dry. This is your typical chinese restaurant with nothing exceptional.
(3)
Robert L.
Another Great Sushi Restaurant in the North Hills ? YES,there are two ! But Empire Palace offers so much more than the other. A great happy hour priced menu for small sampling. A wide range of Sushi to choose from that is fresh as could be ! The largest oysters I have ever had raw other than Luke Wholy's late night menu. Beginner Pad Thai to newbies. Best of all a American bartender who is very proficient in mixing your pleasure.
(4)
Quay M.
We tend to stop by here if we're out in the North Hills area and know that we aren't cooking when we get home. We always sit at the bar (that's our thing no matter what restaurant we're in lol) and usually have the same bartender, Chad. Or Chett, I can never understand when he says it. Either way, he's a very nice guy and pretty knowledgeable on the sushi and small craft brew selection that they have there. I usually get the same roll over and over again (eel roll FTW!), but my boyfriend always tries out something new and I'll usually snag a few pieces off of his plate. I have never had a problem with the sushi there; it is quite delicious. I have also had the miso soup, which was definitely one of the best I have had in any restaurant. Their wonton soup is also quite delicious. The decor seems a little weird to me, but it doesn't turn me off or anything. All of the employees who I have engaged with thus far are quite nice and friendly. The food is delivered in a timely fashion and the chips with duck sauce are super tasty. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend checking them out.
(4)
D D.
Was visiting my husband's family in Pittsburgh and my in-laws kindly took us to dinner at Empire, having eaten there twice before. Sadly, the food this time was TERRIBLE - a complete insult to Chinese cuisine. Everything was battered, deep fried and then smothered in overly salty, goopy brown sauces. Here's a recap of our dishes: Our cold noodles appetizer was disgusting: a mushy mess of lomein with a watery sesame sauce that tasted like cheap salad dressing. I had the ginger chicken: essentially processed "meat-product" swimming in a sickeningly sweet sauce. Hubbie had sizzling beef with scallops: the beef and scallops were again mushy, like they were boiled, NOT sauteed or browned. The onions were half cooked, half raw. The sizzling plate was luke-warm. It was so bad we had to send it back. My SIL had cashew chicken. It was served without the cashews! Our waiter eventually brought out a dish of cashews, but instead of being toasted, they were raw. My father in law had "Mala Triples" (never heard of it, by the way, even though I'm ethnically Chinese!) As soon has he stepped out of the car, he was puking into the bushes of the front yard. On top of that: - we were charged for 3 pots of tea, even though we were only served 2. - water tasted really wonky, with a faint taste of petrol/dishwasher detergent. Lovely. - the greeter lady was "busy" greeting a friend and ignored our party. After we finally got her attention, she got blatantly annoyed when we asked NOT be seated to a huge, loud table. I guess when you spend all your money decking out your business in tacky blue chandeliers and gaudy glass panes emblazoned with the city skyline, one should not expect too highly of the food and service.
(1)
Diane L.
Best Chinese food I've ever eaten in my 35 years. I've tried many different dishes and every single one was absolutely delicious. I did notice however, when you get takeout - the portions don't seem to be as large as when you dine in and the service could be better (the wait staff is not friendly at all) so for those two reasons I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5. If I had to rate on food alone then it would be 5 stars. The chicken and broccoli is the best dish on the menu! The decor inside is very nice too. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Brian K.
We went to Empire Palace for the Dim Sum menu. The Dim Sum menu is limited, but the dishes are currently the best in Pittsburgh. We have gone there on two different weekends for Dim Sum and both times, the food was really good. The wait staff was disappointing. There were only two adults in our party and we ordered 6 dishes. The waitress asked, "Is that it?" with a rather snotty attitude. In general she seemed rather annoyed that we arrived at 11:15am and interrupted her vacuuming. The bar area was also still being cleaning from the night before. If this place can add a couple more Dim Sum dishes and get their waitresses to be a little more pleasant; they should be able to lure lots of customers from the Chinese Church that is less than 2 minutes away.
(4)
Jennifer D.
We recently moved further north and discovered that Empire Palace is now our nearest Chinese restaurant. I couldn't be more pleased. So far we've eaten in once and gotten delivery once, and both experiences were great. First, the atmosphere: We ate in the restaurant fairly early on a Sunday evening. They were surprisingly busy, but service was efficient and friendly (though I wouldn't have minded faster refills on my water). The interior is comfortable, and we felt relaxed and enjoyed our meal. Delivery, when I ordered for weekday lunch, was astonishingly fast; 20 minutes, I think, and the food arrived fresh and hot. The woman who took my order on the phone was helpful and repeated my order to make sure it was correct (I always appreciate this), AND they sent plasticware, chopsticks, and sauces. It's a pet peeve of mine when restaurants don't send any accoutrements with your delivery order. So, the food! On our first visit, we ordered a California Roll (look, my sushi allowances are limited these days), Amazing Chicken, and Bride & Groom, along with wonton soup. The soup's broth had a good depth of flavor and was accented by scallions, although the wontons were lackluster. The California roll was excellent, with not-cold rice, fresh avocado, and toasted nori. Amazing Chicken turned out to be, well, amazing; lightly breaded and fried and served with plenty of garlicky, slightly spicy, sweet sauce. "Authentic," whatever that means anymore? Well, no. It did remind me of a Chinese home cooking recipe for honey garlic pork chops, though, and it was really excellent. Both my husband and I agreed we'd have this again. Made some really good leftovers, too. The Bride & Groom was reasonably tasty, although I only tried a small piece of both the beef and the chicken. The beef had a musky, beefy flavor to it that doesn't appeal to me right now, but my husband enjoyed it. For delivery, we ordered Lemon Chicken, General Tso's Shrimp, more wonton soup, and an eggroll. The Lemon Chicken did not thrill either of us, being breaded with breadcrumbs (yuck) and with a sauce that tasted a bit like cough drops. Not a favorite. The General Tso's Shrimp, though, was quite good, with plenty of large shrimp even in the lunch portion. I'd have liked it to have been a little spicier, but I will request that next time. It also featured mushrooms, peppers, and snow peas. The eggroll was good, if not great. Oh, and in all cases, the steamed rice was perfect. Just sticky enough; not too soggy, and not crunchy. That's important. Overall, I'm extremely happy having Empire Palace as "our" Chinese restaurant. I can't wait to try some of the dim sum, particularly the turnip cake, which has always been a favorite.
(4)
Jack L.
Empire Palace was just so disappointing across so many countries of Asia. They offer Chinese, Japanese (sushi) and even some Thai food! Our family came in with the promise of dim sum. They offer a handful of dim sum items. All of them were a bit pricy and average in the taste department. Dim sum are plates of little bites and usually are in the $2.50 to $3.50 range. Each dim sum item was around $5 and tasted just so-so. We also ordered the Honey Moon Duck at $17. A sickeningly sweet sauce accompanying a little tasty duck. Also went with some sushi for the kids (California Roll) for $5. Pretty tiny pieces in the roll - but still hard to screw this up. The kids ate it. The combination Lo Mein ($11) was tasty enough - a little on the greasy side but still tasty. The bill came in on the hefty side but it was a chance to check out our options for dim sum. We left disappointed and a little lighter in the wallet. We won't be coming back.
(1)
Ashlynn R.
This place is only getting three stars because the food was very good. That is, the only time I had it. That time the service wasn't bad but it wasn't very good either. The place wasn't busy yet we still waited quite a while to get our food. They actually brought us food and then took it to another table so we then had to wait longer. The lunch portions are huge for the price! You get your choice of soup or an egg roll, then rice and your entree. I had the General Tso's and it was delicious! It wasn't spicy enough for me but I've been told that you can ask for them to kick it up a notch. I was craving Chinese yesterday so we stopped by for dinner. I must mention that there were only three other tables in use at the place. We were seated quickly and that was it. Nearly twenty minutes later and nobody had even stopped by to get our drink order. We were noticed several times too because our baby was babbling very loudly. As we were walking out the door, the hostess asked what was wrong and we told her. Nobody even tried to apologize. Anyway, great food with terrible service. Go here for lunch only, the dinners are at least five dollars more and you don't get the soup or egg roll.
(3)
Gina K.
Oh my how I love me some Empire Palace. This is my favorite Chinese spot in the city as of now. The food is really good, I have tried some items that I wouldn't order again, but I think that was a matter of taste, not that it was prepared poorly. The Sushi is really good, I highly recommend the Pink Lady Roll, so so delicious. The atmosphere is good, and go in the Womens bathroom if you can (ladies only), cause it is the nicest bathroom I have seen in a restaurant in a long time. Guys, never been in the Men's let us know what you think. The other reviewers have mentioned that the place is never full. The reason, is that the parking lot is not big enough for it to be full.TGI Fridays shares the lot with Empire Palace, but most people don't realize that they can park over there. So really is hardly ever a wait to be seated. Great stuff, every time I want some good Chinese we go there. Word of caution, the food does not travel well. Delivery is not as good as in the restaurant.
(4)
Zach G.
While it's not much to look at from the outside, you'll be pleasantly surprised with this one. It's a great location for a lunch or an evening out. Empire Palace is now one of my top choices for Chinese food - same quality as Sesame Inn just down the road. You'll find a selection of sushi and, while I don't enjoy sushi myself, the spicy crab rolls were rather good. I recommend the General Tso's or Amazing Chicken. Eat with a fork or chop sticks (if you have mad skillz). Highlights: Friendly staff, good food, quick service, well-decorated modern interior.
(4)
Rick L.
The place is amazingly good. Had great service, and although the waitress mixed up my wifes order, she took it in stride and showed good humor and actually apologized. I really do not like it when due to the waiter or waitress not understanding English, they mess up the prder, than blame the customer. So, very pleased with that. The food was also excellent. We both had different variations of the lamb. Both very good. Came with fried rice, which had an excellent flavor, Wanted the Peking Duck, but at $32.00 I was assuming it would be for two poeple, but there was the langiuage barrier again, and the waitress stating, well, something I did not understand. So, no loss. Also, very nicely decorated inside. Overall, a very good experience. Will definitely go back for the lunch. They have a three roll with soup sushi lunch special that is cheap. I really want to try it.
(4)
Andrew M.
Still order from here a lot and love the sushi, have had issues with servers messing up orders but generally still a good experience and still using it as our regular Chinese spot.
(4)
Albert O.
we had take out for empire palace. we had sesame balls which were excellent, and a variety maki rolls, also very good. some of the places they could improve upon are, i had the 5 flavor chicken and eggplant, sadly it only had one flavor, oil. the whole dish was oily the eggplant was saturated and the chicken was more steamed than stir fried. also for the vegetarians, the vegetable egg roll has shrimp in it, that was my fault i thought it said "vegetarian". overall our take out experience was very good, the restaurant is very nice and very clean on the inside, and the staff were very courteous and prompt.
(4)
Brenda G.
If you are in the mood for Sushi and Chinese food this is a GREAT place for lunch! My husband and teen say it is the freshest Sushi in the area; I don't care for Sushi BUT they have great Chinese dishes and will make them to your liking! If you want a dish NOT to be so spicy they accommodate you! The staff is attentive - you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Maggie E.
I go here all the time and have tried a large amount of things on the menu. It is all delicious. Pretty much try anything and you won't be disappointed. The staff is friendly and helpful. You get free tea and wontons to munch on when you come in while you look over the menu. I always appreciated that small thing, but it makes you feel like you're well taken care of. Which they definitely do! The restaurant is always clean and looks very nice. They have a lot of tables to handle large groups if needed. I am always amazed at how much food you get. I always bring home leftovers and can eat for a couple of days on one of their meals. I am especially excited by the fact that they have very reasonable prices. You have to try very hard to get a dinner for two of more than $20 (keep in mind most dishes are big enough to share). An excellent place, highly recommended.
(5)
JBaby S.
This place looks nice, but they ruined a nice peaceful Chinese restaurant with tv s everywhere. There is no soft Chinese music but obnoxious TVs Reminds me of a sports bar Nothing here is spicy even if the menu says it is. I would like to see more flavor, more heat to the food They have so much more potential I GREAT.Y LOWERED MY RATING. MARCH 17 th, we went I. At 9:4o and the man up front said kitchen was closed . Meanwhile , on line they say open till 10 and the open sign was on.... Sloppy business
(1)
Jason B.
Amazing shrimp was excellent. Shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce was not as good as the amazing dish, but held it's own. Hot and sour soup very spicey, but again good. Egg drop seemed different than most places.....not a fan of it. Good staff, clean and good atmosphere.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Tyoko B.
This is normally a good spot for Chinese cuisine and they happen to make a very good Egg Foo Yung but my visit last weekend was a tad bit frustrating. The waitress entered everything wrong. I ordered an egg roll but she brought out a spring roll. When I saw it I asked her was that their eggroll and she said yes. When I asked another waitress, she confirmed it was a springroll. Sigh. Then my waitress wanted to argue with me and I, her, she don't do that. Lol I just pointed to what I ordered on the menu. Next, our chicken wings came out....with Buffalo wing sauce on them. When I told her that's not what I ordered, she said that was all they had. I pointed to the menu again which shows they offer buffalo and regular wings and another waitress came by to offer some help. They ended up fixing it but it delayed our meal and I don't enjoy drama but I'll be back. Why? Service like this isn't their norm and they have some great sushi and combo lo mein and not afraid to put the meat and shrimp in. The shrimp were large and cooked just right...they popped in the mouth! The food is always flavorful and fresh so they get a pass from me. Hopefully the next visit we'll be back to normal.
(4)Mashel R.
I really love this place except for one thing it is a bit expensive for a Chinese place in McCandless. Our last dinner for four people including 2children was over $70. A bit high for us.
(4)Casey N.
This is the best Chinese food, imo, in Pittsburgh that I had tried. It's never very crowded there which is a plus, not having to wait when you are starving! Food comes out super fast and they give you huge portions! The lunch special is a great deal and I don't think the size is any smaller than the regular or dinner size. My favorites are their crab Rangoons, amazing chicken, and chicken with vegetables. I always get the crab Rangoons with friends to start and I have been trying new dishes as much as possible. I have never had a bad dish here. Service is always friendly and polite. Delicious, quality food at a good price!
(4)Joe S.
Great food. Very nice atmosphere large portions. Some of the best Chinese I've ever eaten. I ate there for dinner two nights in a row while on a business trip. Very nice atmosphere, clean and modern, warm and welcoming
(5)Kelsey S.
Empire Palace is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh! The food is high quality and the service is excellent. You also get a massive portion. My favorite meal is the non-breaded general tsos chicken. Big fan of their egg rolls too. Food aside, the ambiance of this place is like none other. Very stylish and modern, yet comfortable and welcoming. You have to try this place!
(5)Ross I.
5 stars for the food and atmosphere, 1 star for the waitstaff . My son and I went for lunch and had a great meal but had awful service from the waitress. As we we're ordering she got any another table and left before we had finished ordering. I had to chase her down to finish our order them she charged us for dinner meals $7 more and didn't give us or egg rolls or soup that we should have received for ordered off of the lunch menu. I doubt I'll be back to dine anytime soon.
(3)Kristine S.
A nice time to sit at the bar and grab some sushi. Tried a Mai Tai and a Mojito, both were delicious. Crab Rangoon was actually quite good. Really enjoyed the Sunset Blvd. Roll- tuna and mango!
(4)Amy C.
We had our first visit on Friday night for our weekly date night dinner and a movie. It was close to the theater and parking was scarce, so we figured it must be good. I'm giving it three stars because the food was actually really good and the portions were large! However, talk about a miserable waitress. She didn't check on us, constantly scowled, and was basically the worst part of our evening. I can't blame her entirely as it seemed the whole staff had the same miserable outlook on life. My recommendation... Order take out for the food and avoid the depressing service.
(3)Tracy D.
Amazing food!!! Large portions! Nice atmosphere! Excellent prices too! I haven't been there for a few years because I moved but wow... still as good as ever!!!! General Tsao Tofu... even the non tofu eaters LOVED it!!!!
(5)Jason M.
The best Chinese in Pittsburgh. Huge portions and amazing sushi. This place can get packed at night but the wait is worth it.
(5)Andrea D.
I grew up on this Chinese - at their location in Hopewell Township. I've have plenty other Chinese places over the years and nothing compares. I won't even bother trying to find any other Chinese- this is the only place I'll eat. Their food is amazing- top notch. The recipes here are the same as the original in Hopewell. Nothing compares. So glad I found this was out here as I was always driving back home from the City anytime I had a craving.
(5)David K.
This place is more expensive than your typical Chinese place. Dinner entrees are at least $12. Food is always prepared fresh and food is tasty. General Tso's chicken is on point here. Not too spicy, but the sauce is really good. Soups are excellent here and the restaurant is really nice inside. Fast service and lots of seating. Not my favorite Chinese spot, but very good place to go or at least try if you are in the area. It is located right off of McKnight road next to TGI Fridays.
(4)Sara L.
The menu selection is awesome. I've had really fantastic sushi and sashimi here. They also give really good portions of Chinese food and the quality is excellent. I'd recommend the lemon chicken in particular. They have the best crab rangoons I've ever tasted. As a plus, the service is really fast and the decor is fun. I'm always looking for an excuse to go here and I can't wait to try to dim sum menu.
(5)Susan D.
Empire Palace is a great lunch spot in the North Hills and a worthy competitor to, say, Sesame Inn. It's got your typical Chinese lunch menu which includes hot & sour soup or egg roll and fried or steamed rice with your entree. But the quality of food here seems to be a cut above what you'd typically expect. Eschewing my normal preferences for chicken, I went for the sliced pork with vegetables. I have to say that the pork was very tender and the vegetables very crisp (I've had 'em elsewhere when they've been overcooked). And of course I had my egg roll! So Empire Palace may have a standard Americanized Chinese luncheon menu, but they do it very well.
(4)Betty S.
Very nice restaurant with modest prices, good selections and a variety of Asian Foods including sushi. Only disappointment was discontinued Dim Sum due to lack of interest from other cliental. The food Is excellent and atmosphere is classy and up scale. I love this restaurant! My new fav place to eat Chinese/Asian foods. Great bar too! !
(4)Michele S.
We use to love this place. The food has always been very good and reasonably priced. Now we will never go back. We waited over 40 minutes for a table. Then we watched many groups our size be seated before us, even though they arrived long after us. The hostess didn't even fix it when we told her how long we have waited. She just sat her friends. Yes it was busy, but that was uncalled for. Never again!
(1)T B.
Great food! Huge portions! Waiter sucked and ruined the experience. He literally never came back to check on us and took 20 min after we were finished eating to bring the check.
(3)Imanuel M.
Just got to pittsburgh , first time here , me and my friends was up for some sushi. Do not order sushi it that place! Started with the miso soap , wasn't any good, then I got the all you can eat sushi, and wasn't tasty and wasn't fresh, really bad. Service was slow although the restaurant was empty. Really not recommended.
(1)Ronette B.
We were disappointed. The food was just OK. The chicken was somewhat dry. This is your typical chinese restaurant with nothing exceptional.
(3)Robert L.
Another Great Sushi Restaurant in the North Hills ? YES,there are two ! But Empire Palace offers so much more than the other. A great happy hour priced menu for small sampling. A wide range of Sushi to choose from that is fresh as could be ! The largest oysters I have ever had raw other than Luke Wholy's late night menu. Beginner Pad Thai to newbies. Best of all a American bartender who is very proficient in mixing your pleasure.
(4)Quay M.
We tend to stop by here if we're out in the North Hills area and know that we aren't cooking when we get home. We always sit at the bar (that's our thing no matter what restaurant we're in lol) and usually have the same bartender, Chad. Or Chett, I can never understand when he says it. Either way, he's a very nice guy and pretty knowledgeable on the sushi and small craft brew selection that they have there. I usually get the same roll over and over again (eel roll FTW!), but my boyfriend always tries out something new and I'll usually snag a few pieces off of his plate. I have never had a problem with the sushi there; it is quite delicious. I have also had the miso soup, which was definitely one of the best I have had in any restaurant. Their wonton soup is also quite delicious. The decor seems a little weird to me, but it doesn't turn me off or anything. All of the employees who I have engaged with thus far are quite nice and friendly. The food is delivered in a timely fashion and the chips with duck sauce are super tasty. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend checking them out.
(4)D D.
Was visiting my husband's family in Pittsburgh and my in-laws kindly took us to dinner at Empire, having eaten there twice before. Sadly, the food this time was TERRIBLE - a complete insult to Chinese cuisine. Everything was battered, deep fried and then smothered in overly salty, goopy brown sauces. Here's a recap of our dishes: Our cold noodles appetizer was disgusting: a mushy mess of lomein with a watery sesame sauce that tasted like cheap salad dressing. I had the ginger chicken: essentially processed "meat-product" swimming in a sickeningly sweet sauce. Hubbie had sizzling beef with scallops: the beef and scallops were again mushy, like they were boiled, NOT sauteed or browned. The onions were half cooked, half raw. The sizzling plate was luke-warm. It was so bad we had to send it back. My SIL had cashew chicken. It was served without the cashews! Our waiter eventually brought out a dish of cashews, but instead of being toasted, they were raw. My father in law had "Mala Triples" (never heard of it, by the way, even though I'm ethnically Chinese!) As soon has he stepped out of the car, he was puking into the bushes of the front yard. On top of that: - we were charged for 3 pots of tea, even though we were only served 2. - water tasted really wonky, with a faint taste of petrol/dishwasher detergent. Lovely. - the greeter lady was "busy" greeting a friend and ignored our party. After we finally got her attention, she got blatantly annoyed when we asked NOT be seated to a huge, loud table. I guess when you spend all your money decking out your business in tacky blue chandeliers and gaudy glass panes emblazoned with the city skyline, one should not expect too highly of the food and service.
(1)Diane L.
Best Chinese food I've ever eaten in my 35 years. I've tried many different dishes and every single one was absolutely delicious. I did notice however, when you get takeout - the portions don't seem to be as large as when you dine in and the service could be better (the wait staff is not friendly at all) so for those two reasons I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5. If I had to rate on food alone then it would be 5 stars. The chicken and broccoli is the best dish on the menu! The decor inside is very nice too. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)Brian K.
We went to Empire Palace for the Dim Sum menu. The Dim Sum menu is limited, but the dishes are currently the best in Pittsburgh. We have gone there on two different weekends for Dim Sum and both times, the food was really good. The wait staff was disappointing. There were only two adults in our party and we ordered 6 dishes. The waitress asked, "Is that it?" with a rather snotty attitude. In general she seemed rather annoyed that we arrived at 11:15am and interrupted her vacuuming. The bar area was also still being cleaning from the night before. If this place can add a couple more Dim Sum dishes and get their waitresses to be a little more pleasant; they should be able to lure lots of customers from the Chinese Church that is less than 2 minutes away.
(4)Jennifer D.
We recently moved further north and discovered that Empire Palace is now our nearest Chinese restaurant. I couldn't be more pleased. So far we've eaten in once and gotten delivery once, and both experiences were great. First, the atmosphere: We ate in the restaurant fairly early on a Sunday evening. They were surprisingly busy, but service was efficient and friendly (though I wouldn't have minded faster refills on my water). The interior is comfortable, and we felt relaxed and enjoyed our meal. Delivery, when I ordered for weekday lunch, was astonishingly fast; 20 minutes, I think, and the food arrived fresh and hot. The woman who took my order on the phone was helpful and repeated my order to make sure it was correct (I always appreciate this), AND they sent plasticware, chopsticks, and sauces. It's a pet peeve of mine when restaurants don't send any accoutrements with your delivery order. So, the food! On our first visit, we ordered a California Roll (look, my sushi allowances are limited these days), Amazing Chicken, and Bride & Groom, along with wonton soup. The soup's broth had a good depth of flavor and was accented by scallions, although the wontons were lackluster. The California roll was excellent, with not-cold rice, fresh avocado, and toasted nori. Amazing Chicken turned out to be, well, amazing; lightly breaded and fried and served with plenty of garlicky, slightly spicy, sweet sauce. "Authentic," whatever that means anymore? Well, no. It did remind me of a Chinese home cooking recipe for honey garlic pork chops, though, and it was really excellent. Both my husband and I agreed we'd have this again. Made some really good leftovers, too. The Bride & Groom was reasonably tasty, although I only tried a small piece of both the beef and the chicken. The beef had a musky, beefy flavor to it that doesn't appeal to me right now, but my husband enjoyed it. For delivery, we ordered Lemon Chicken, General Tso's Shrimp, more wonton soup, and an eggroll. The Lemon Chicken did not thrill either of us, being breaded with breadcrumbs (yuck) and with a sauce that tasted a bit like cough drops. Not a favorite. The General Tso's Shrimp, though, was quite good, with plenty of large shrimp even in the lunch portion. I'd have liked it to have been a little spicier, but I will request that next time. It also featured mushrooms, peppers, and snow peas. The eggroll was good, if not great. Oh, and in all cases, the steamed rice was perfect. Just sticky enough; not too soggy, and not crunchy. That's important. Overall, I'm extremely happy having Empire Palace as "our" Chinese restaurant. I can't wait to try some of the dim sum, particularly the turnip cake, which has always been a favorite.
(4)Jack L.
Empire Palace was just so disappointing across so many countries of Asia. They offer Chinese, Japanese (sushi) and even some Thai food! Our family came in with the promise of dim sum. They offer a handful of dim sum items. All of them were a bit pricy and average in the taste department. Dim sum are plates of little bites and usually are in the $2.50 to $3.50 range. Each dim sum item was around $5 and tasted just so-so. We also ordered the Honey Moon Duck at $17. A sickeningly sweet sauce accompanying a little tasty duck. Also went with some sushi for the kids (California Roll) for $5. Pretty tiny pieces in the roll - but still hard to screw this up. The kids ate it. The combination Lo Mein ($11) was tasty enough - a little on the greasy side but still tasty. The bill came in on the hefty side but it was a chance to check out our options for dim sum. We left disappointed and a little lighter in the wallet. We won't be coming back.
(1)Ashlynn R.
This place is only getting three stars because the food was very good. That is, the only time I had it. That time the service wasn't bad but it wasn't very good either. The place wasn't busy yet we still waited quite a while to get our food. They actually brought us food and then took it to another table so we then had to wait longer. The lunch portions are huge for the price! You get your choice of soup or an egg roll, then rice and your entree. I had the General Tso's and it was delicious! It wasn't spicy enough for me but I've been told that you can ask for them to kick it up a notch. I was craving Chinese yesterday so we stopped by for dinner. I must mention that there were only three other tables in use at the place. We were seated quickly and that was it. Nearly twenty minutes later and nobody had even stopped by to get our drink order. We were noticed several times too because our baby was babbling very loudly. As we were walking out the door, the hostess asked what was wrong and we told her. Nobody even tried to apologize. Anyway, great food with terrible service. Go here for lunch only, the dinners are at least five dollars more and you don't get the soup or egg roll.
(3)Gina K.
Oh my how I love me some Empire Palace. This is my favorite Chinese spot in the city as of now. The food is really good, I have tried some items that I wouldn't order again, but I think that was a matter of taste, not that it was prepared poorly. The Sushi is really good, I highly recommend the Pink Lady Roll, so so delicious. The atmosphere is good, and go in the Womens bathroom if you can (ladies only), cause it is the nicest bathroom I have seen in a restaurant in a long time. Guys, never been in the Men's let us know what you think. The other reviewers have mentioned that the place is never full. The reason, is that the parking lot is not big enough for it to be full.TGI Fridays shares the lot with Empire Palace, but most people don't realize that they can park over there. So really is hardly ever a wait to be seated. Great stuff, every time I want some good Chinese we go there. Word of caution, the food does not travel well. Delivery is not as good as in the restaurant.
(4)Zach G.
While it's not much to look at from the outside, you'll be pleasantly surprised with this one. It's a great location for a lunch or an evening out. Empire Palace is now one of my top choices for Chinese food - same quality as Sesame Inn just down the road. You'll find a selection of sushi and, while I don't enjoy sushi myself, the spicy crab rolls were rather good. I recommend the General Tso's or Amazing Chicken. Eat with a fork or chop sticks (if you have mad skillz). Highlights: Friendly staff, good food, quick service, well-decorated modern interior.
(4)Rick L.
The place is amazingly good. Had great service, and although the waitress mixed up my wifes order, she took it in stride and showed good humor and actually apologized. I really do not like it when due to the waiter or waitress not understanding English, they mess up the prder, than blame the customer. So, very pleased with that. The food was also excellent. We both had different variations of the lamb. Both very good. Came with fried rice, which had an excellent flavor, Wanted the Peking Duck, but at $32.00 I was assuming it would be for two poeple, but there was the langiuage barrier again, and the waitress stating, well, something I did not understand. So, no loss. Also, very nicely decorated inside. Overall, a very good experience. Will definitely go back for the lunch. They have a three roll with soup sushi lunch special that is cheap. I really want to try it.
(4)Andrew M.
Still order from here a lot and love the sushi, have had issues with servers messing up orders but generally still a good experience and still using it as our regular Chinese spot.
(4)Albert O.
we had take out for empire palace. we had sesame balls which were excellent, and a variety maki rolls, also very good. some of the places they could improve upon are, i had the 5 flavor chicken and eggplant, sadly it only had one flavor, oil. the whole dish was oily the eggplant was saturated and the chicken was more steamed than stir fried. also for the vegetarians, the vegetable egg roll has shrimp in it, that was my fault i thought it said "vegetarian". overall our take out experience was very good, the restaurant is very nice and very clean on the inside, and the staff were very courteous and prompt.
(4)Brenda G.
If you are in the mood for Sushi and Chinese food this is a GREAT place for lunch! My husband and teen say it is the freshest Sushi in the area; I don't care for Sushi BUT they have great Chinese dishes and will make them to your liking! If you want a dish NOT to be so spicy they accommodate you! The staff is attentive - you won't be disappointed!
(4)Maggie E.
I go here all the time and have tried a large amount of things on the menu. It is all delicious. Pretty much try anything and you won't be disappointed. The staff is friendly and helpful. You get free tea and wontons to munch on when you come in while you look over the menu. I always appreciated that small thing, but it makes you feel like you're well taken care of. Which they definitely do! The restaurant is always clean and looks very nice. They have a lot of tables to handle large groups if needed. I am always amazed at how much food you get. I always bring home leftovers and can eat for a couple of days on one of their meals. I am especially excited by the fact that they have very reasonable prices. You have to try very hard to get a dinner for two of more than $20 (keep in mind most dishes are big enough to share). An excellent place, highly recommended.
(5)JBaby S.
This place looks nice, but they ruined a nice peaceful Chinese restaurant with tv s everywhere. There is no soft Chinese music but obnoxious TVs Reminds me of a sports bar Nothing here is spicy even if the menu says it is. I would like to see more flavor, more heat to the food They have so much more potential I GREAT.Y LOWERED MY RATING. MARCH 17 th, we went I. At 9:4o and the man up front said kitchen was closed . Meanwhile , on line they say open till 10 and the open sign was on.... Sloppy business
(1)Jason B.
Amazing shrimp was excellent. Shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce was not as good as the amazing dish, but held it's own. Hot and sour soup very spicey, but again good. Egg drop seemed different than most places.....not a fan of it. Good staff, clean and good atmosphere.
(4)