Little Szechuan
304 Oak St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55414
Little Szechuan Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Minneapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
304 Oak St SE
Minneapolis, MN, 55414 - Phone (612) 886-3906
- Website https://littleszechuan.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage, Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Megan E.
There was a lot of hype surrounding the opening of this Little Szechuan location. Maybe that's why I was so disappointed that it turned out to be just another bland Chinese restaurant on campus. The prices are okay and the food is mediocre.
(2)JD D.
The food here is among the best if not the best Sichuan style Chinese food in the twin cities and is consistently great, just as with their St. Paul location. That's where the good ends, though. Calling their waitstaff incompetent would be a complement. Slow, inattentive, and oblivious. However, if you're looking for the worst service in the area you might be disappointed. Unlike their competition on the other side of Washington Ave, they're simply oblivious, not rude. I'll assume it's just inexperience for now and give them another chance because they're newly opened. Maybe they can convince me next time to not drive the extra few miles to St Paul.
(3)Troy J.
I love the location of Little Szechuan. The restaurant is located off the Green Line, on the East Bank of U of M campus. It's the ideal place for a top-notch Asian restaurant. Unfortunately, we found Little Szechuan to be a few notches below our expectations. The fried dumpling appetizer seemed to set the tone for our meal: they were satisfying but ordinary. My daughter ordered sesame chicken, her favorite Americanized-Chinese dish and was disappointed that the result was "sweet and sour" chicken with a few sesame seeds sprinkled on top. I was equally disappointed when my Kung Pao Chicken lacked spice. It seemed more like an order of Teriyaki Chicken with a few peppers added. The highlight of the meal -- and the only item I'd go back for -- was the sizzling beef. It was a welcome take on your typical 'beef with vegetable' dish with the addition of fresh ginger and crispy rice. On future visits to campus, I'm likely to take my daughter to the Tea House on University (Stadium Village). However, I'm also interested in trying the Tofu house on the East Bank if I can convince my daughter that Tofu is more than a 4-letter word.
(2)Kelly R.
Don't let the lukewarm rating keep you away!! I finally went here a few days ago for the lunch special (rice/noodles plus three entrees for $8.75) and it was great! You get a huge selection to choose from (and it's nice to actually see the dishes) and you walk away with an enormous amount of food for a great price. Tip: you don't have to choose just one rice or noodle base, I saw people ordering half noodles, half rice (plus the three entrees).
(4)Helen D.
Modern looking, legit Szechuan food. The only other Chinese food I had while in Minneapolis was at Pagoda in Dinkytown. This place was much more impressive in terms of decor and food (tastier AND cheaper). As soon as I opened the menu I wanted to order everything, which I can't say for Pagoda. The menu had clear, labeled pictures for every dish so it made deciding much easier. My family ended up sharing quick fried cucumber as an appetizer (served warm, which was new to me, but still good and spicy), quick fried crispy fish (so good! Perfectly fried and flavored, and not greasy at all), salt and pepper shrimp (this one didn't have much flavor), and sautéed green beans. As is custom here, they provided a large bowl of rice for us to share for ordering an entree. Overall the food and atmosphere was nice. Based on my experiences, I would recommend coming here for more legit Chinese food, and going to pagoda for Americanized Chinese food.
(4)S. D.
We went there twice with friends in August. The food there is awesome. The food we had were spicy fish, spicy chicken, green bean, tofu pot, garlic lamb and duck.
(5)Dainty P.
Had my last lunch on 8/13 and I still stand by my first review. While not as authentic as on the west coast, east coast, London, or China, it is still one of the better (best) Chinese (and probably few Szechuan) in the Twin Cities. Those who write otherwise don't know a thing about Chinese/Szechuan food and they're better off eating at Panda Bowl (the greasy but tasty American Chinese that is really satisfying on occasion).
(4)Kev H.
To me, Szechuan cuisine means spiciness, with the quinessential items including proteins cooked in a chili oil broth. Done well, your mouth burns with every bite but you find yourself unable to stop eating. Done poorly, it tastes like you're eating greasy peppers which will definitely unsettle your stomach later. This place was quite good. I picked up a few orders to go, so I don't know how the service is like. The restaurant seems fairly large, with a wide range of tables of different sizes. The menus contain pictures of what the dishes look like, and what I received matched the pictures. Flavors had a good amount of spice without overwhelming the palate, and not too heavy or greasy. I'd say it tasted pretty authentic to Szechaun chinese food. That aside, there isn't too much that is exciting about this place. There seems to be an aroma of cleaning supplies or windex that makes things not as appetizing. If you're in the neighborhood and wanting something a little spicy, then this is your place.
(3)Matthew K.
There are a lot of Chinese restaurants to choose from in the area around the same price range. I wasn't really impressed with Little Szechuan - it was pretty "meh." I ordered fresh veggie spring rolls (my favourite) and they ended up being shredded iceberg lettuce and about 5 pieces of shredded carrot wrapped in rice paper with a bowl of weirdly spicy sauce. I tried two tofu dishes and wasn't overly excited about either. Not really anything special about it at all.
(2)Jonathan L.
Yes!! Szechuan food! One of my favorite Chinese foods. I love spices and I love Szechuan spice. This place is one of the best Chinese restaurants I've been to in the Twin Cities. I've only been here during lunch for their lunch box special, but it's really good. Very authentic!. I try to limit myself to eating out 1-2 meals a week, and when I do, I choose wisely and that means I choose Little Szechuan!! Little Szechuan is by far my most eaten restaurant in the Twin Cities. I've probably been there 50 times or so since the store opened in 2014. This place is legit! The lunch box special includes either selection of one or combination of steamed rice, fried rice, or chow mien. Then you get to choose 3 dishes for a cost of $8.75. It's a little pricey, but they pack a lot of food, whether you dine-in or take it to-go. I recommend going to the oldish Chinese lady because she gives a lot more food than most of the other people that serve. She packs the to-go box a lot. A normal person can probably make 2 meals out of it... but I'm a big eater, so I eat it in 1 sitting. As far as the dishes they offer during lunch, there is probably 10+ options a day. They do have some dishes that are there everyday such as their vegetable offering, which is really good, orange chicken and broccoli beef. The rest of the dishes usually vary. For example they always have a tofu dish, sometimes it's fried tofu (my favorite tofu dish) or sometimes it's water boiled tofu with napa cabbage, sometimes it's mapo tofu (also pretty good). Also they usually have a fish dish: Either the spicy fried fish (by far my favorite overall dish they have) or more healthy spicy water boiled fish, which is good as well. So, when I go, I usually get a fish dish if they have it, tofu for sure, and either healthy stir-fry vegetable, which is quite flavorful, or eggplant if they have it. The eggplant is really good as well. Honestly, coming from California, it's sometimes hard finding good Chinese, more specifically Szechuan food in Minnesota. This is probably one of the best options you can get. I'd eat this everyday, if I wasn't watching my money or my weight haha. Other things to note: The line gets really long during lunch time, but generally is pretty fast. They do run out of my favorites a lot such as the fried fish, where I will have to wait for them to cook more, but generally they're pretty good about that. The lunch box special is served from 11AM-2PM. So make sure come during that time. Also the special is only on weekdays!! If you come here, you don't have to get the lunch special: There's other options as well such as Beef Noodle Soup, which I heard was pretty spicy and good or order dishes and share family style. This is a top Chinese option for students and family gatherings alike (They have 3 separate private rooms that are up for reservation). 3 stars really doesn't do this place justice. It is on par if not better than HK noodle and Kowloon....let alone village wok..... I've lived in California where I've tried a plethora of Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants. This is definitely on bar with some of the most authentic and best tasting restaurants out on the West Coast. Honestly, if you observe the ratings at this place and only factor in the ratings given by Asians. This place would be 4 stars. Who would you trust more about opinions about good, authentic Chinese food? An Asian or non-Asian? I'll let you decide on that one. In conclusion, if you want to some authentic, really good tasting Chinese option at a pretty affordable price. Definitely check this place out!! I have a bunch of pictures of the lunch boxes...check those out as well!
(5)Steven R.
Make sure to get the dried tofu with peanuts appetizers and the black bean eggplant entree. Mmmmmm.
(5)Andrew T.
I have been to their other location before and I like the food better every time I eat here. Dan-dan noodles: very flavorful. Spring rolls: The sauce is very good - I'd like to know what's in it. They're filled with cabbage and carrots and choice of shrimp, pork, or beef. You just don't find cooking like this in some suburban strip mall. I also got the pork belly with leeks, peppers, and green onions. Tastes like bacon because it basically is bacon, but combined with the other indgredients it makes a suitable dinner choice. If I get a chance to eat here again I am thinking 5 out of 5 status.
(4)Chang Y.
HORRIBLE SERVICE!! Wait is super long if you dont know the servers working there. They sit their regulars first while others hold on to numbers and wait for tables. Not going there again!
(1)Firi D.
Reviews gave me hope, not a fan. Lo mein was incredibly salty, rice was cold, my friend ordered Szechuan pepersomething chicken, was served cold like it literally came out of the fridge. Could barely eat a few bites, threw up afterwards.
(1)Amy T.
New location on campus! They have some private small party rooms or you can sit in the general restaurant. They can get busy during the dinner hours, but totally worth the wait. Portions are sharable and recommended so you can try many dishes. My favorites are the fish flavored eggplant, the spicy fish soup with tofu, and green beans. Dishes can be spicy so if you want it a little mild make sure to request that. I've been to all the szechuan restaurants in Minnesota and little szechuan is by far the best in my opinion. I've even done take out and called ahead and it was fast and delicious. We are truly lucky to have a great szechuan restaurant in Minnesota!
(5)Steve Y.
This is our "go to" Chinese restaurant in MSP since their sibling location in Frogtown decided to focus on hot pots exclusively. Private rooms available for larger groups. Reliably delicious, reasonably priced.
(4)Amanda H.
Totally Not better than Kowloon - especially price-wise. I've been a fan of their Chungking chili shrimp for years, but they're serving it way too greasy at this location. Lo Mein was greasy/salty too. And my husband got the wrong order. Only positive was the fast & friendly service.
(2)Xian S.
You guys should be careful! They add 16% tips on everyone with out asking! Very bad experience!
(1)Ryan H.
WARNING--Does not honour its advertisements! I have been coming to Little Szechuan for years and love the food. I have also enjoyed coming on my birthday for their free birthday meal. Unfortunately they changed that policy to only give half-off instead of a free meal, but I decided to come anyway and share my special day here. The St. Paul location is still closed for re-modelling, so I decided to check out the new Minneapolis location. There, when I told them it was my birthday, expecting free cake and to take half my meal off my bill as advertised on their website, I was appalled when the server told me "we don't do that here." Here is the advertisement from their website: "As a tradition of Little Szechuan, celebrate your birthday at any of Little Szechuan's two locations, and get a dish at half price. Plus, each of your group guest gets a free cake! (Dine-in with valid photo ID; non-special dish only.)" littleszechuan.com/promo… There was no manager on duty at the restaurant, but the woman I spoke with (supervisor?) was of no help at all. She simply said that they don't do it, and are just doing what they are told. I was also told the other St. Louis Park location gave the discount. Had I known that, I would have just gone there. I found out that they had denied another customer the same offer earlier that very day. This is absolutely terrible customer service, and makes me not want to patronise this restaurant in the future. I will be going to my favourites, Szechuan Spice and Tea House, from now on and I would highly recommend everyone do the same! These restaurants are excellent and always provide really great customer service.
(1)Otoki S.
Best szechuan food in the cities. I like that large groups get sat in their own rooms, it makes it easier for all of us to hear each other. The prices are very fair, they don't shy away from spice but they also don't overdo it to the point where they sacrifice flavor.
(5)Marge M.
Went Christmas evening, was busy so thought would be good. The décor is very nice and upscale. The staff were efficient. There were 6 of us and so we ordered several appetizers and dishes. The egg rolls probably the worst I've had. The outside was OK, the filling was like fried mush. The chicken lettuce wrap, best part was the larger pieces of lettuce, the small inside pieces were useless. Now I must say the shrimp fried rice was excellent. Everyone at the table agreed, and I might, but probably not, just go back for the fried rice. My husband had the chicken wings and he stated they were good. The main dishes disappointing. The shrimp bird's nest, the shrimp and vegetable were OK, but the 'bird's nest' was rancid. The honey duck, was it honey, or even duck. The other dishes were equally bad. The szechuan soup things were so hot as to be tasteless, just friggin hot. Hot is OK, but have some flavor.
(2)Mark M.
I went yesterday, and my palate is still buzzing. Anyone who is giving this place anything less than four stars either thinks that Leeann Chin Takeout is the epitome of Chinese food, or they are insufferable snobs who should feel free to travel 1500 miles to either Chinatown New York or San Francisco if they think they can get a better meal.
(5)Long H.
Nice and reasonably priced food. I like the seafood here. Many dishes can be very spicy, so keep that in mind. They just opened this new location on campus, but things have been going very well. My friends and I have tried food here several times and really liked them. One thing that I would recommend is, don't take out, because for some reason, their take-our food seem different and are not as good. They do have good portions, and the soups are great (I love the fish soup).
(4)No One I.
Went in here on a Thursday night, got seated right away. Very sweet waiter. We got a shrimp spring roll to start it was refreshing, tasted okay. We also started with some wontons and edmame which was great! We got the beef tips with fried rice and I got the Szechuan chicken mine was great but was painfully spicy, it almost ruined my meal. Also the beef tips were great but not enough for $18. Fried rice was excellent. The other downfall was the soda was very watered down. It was great service & good food! Will return but I'll make sure to ask for very mild spices!
(3)Sara B.
Not worth the time or money. Would have rather had Leann Chin, or pizza, or anything else. Staff was rude, and ignored me. The vegetable spring roll was bland and tasteless; it had only iceberg lettuce in it. The entree was so bland and without flavour. The chicken was poorly prepared and the sauce was pure sugar, and tasted like it came from a jar. I love the Saint Paul location and was excited for a closer location. I will not be going back, and am questioning ever going to Saint Paul again. It seriously tasted like frozen grocery store Chinese food. I spent $17 on a meal that was tasteless and unfulfilling. Will not be going back.
(1)Yoshii Y.
It's ok. Great service. Slightly overpriced food, some say it's authentic but I beg to differ.
(3)An D.
Yet another Chinese restaurant on campus. This one expands the Little Szechuan chain, offering higher priced and supposedly higher end food. While the St Paul and SLP park locations offer up some tasty fare I have always been disappointed in the price to food ratio, particularly when it comes to meats which tend to be cut into microscopic chunks and heartily breaded (e.g. ma la chicken/beef or chung king chicken). This location is really no exception. See my attached picture for example and note the spoon is small. I should have used my hand for reference. $13.99 for chung king beef at lunch for a few spoonfuls of meat mixed in with onions and green peppers. You'll see the difference between the picture in their menu and what I received. I ordered this after their lunch line ran out of food between my friend and me around 1:20 so I had to order off the menu. On that note, the lunch line is a great value at $8 and an enormous amount of food but you will likewise find that their typical "American" offer (orange chicken when I was there) was more breading than chicken and doused in such a thick corn syrupy sauce that after trying to scrape the goo off and failing, I just moved on to the other options. The Mao Pao tofu is pork free (not sure if entirely meat-base free for you who fear the deliciousness) and has an unusual bite for mao pao but the flavor ends there. Like most szechuan dishes, everything here is exceptionally greasy but I also find most of the flavor lacking. Others are saying their food was too spicy, but I found it about a medium-hot on the Minnesota scale. Certainly nothing to sweat over. All their pork offers seems to use the same shoestring pork that is gummy and flavorless. I had the pork in peking sauce at dinner and the pork in garlic sauce from their lunch line. The "Taste of szechuan chicken" recommended in a MN Daily article was "Taste of Meh" in my book. I was excited to see spicy cold noodle on their menu (one of my favorites). Their offering isn't bad. I certainly prefer Pagoda's and Szechuan in Roseville. Regarding service, depending in the server, it can be fantastic or downright irritating. Everyone is very happy but during lunch you can get lost in the fray. Especially annoying when they run out of food on the lunch line and you're left there hungry at a table. Overall, I was left with a strange feeling in my stomach each time I ate there, so this place is off my list. I recommend heading across the river to Keefer Court (remember to bring cash) or to Pagoda Dinkytown and ordering off their menu. LS's lunch line is slow, so if you're sticking to that vicinity, I'd recommend Korea Restaurant or Kowloon. If you need a ton of food, Hong Kong is ok if you can live with their strange meats.
(2)Liv S.
Great for vegetarians! They have an impressive variety of tofu and veggie options (finally, no searching for the bland "stir fry vegetable" line at the bottom of the menu and feeling like an afterthought!). And the tofu is GOOD. Firm, crispy on the outside, chewy, flavorful, and you get a nice big pile of it. Kung pao tofu is my favorite here.
(4)tres t.
They have good food, with large portions for the price. Their flavoring was perfect with no too much spice or too little.
(5)Peter C.
I am actually surprised to read such negative reviews about this place. I was here for lunch yesterday and the food was really quite good. Impressive actually. First of all, the lunch line is junk. Yes, it's a fast lunch to go that is affordable but if you're looking for quality Szechuan cuisine, then of course you're not going to go through this line. It's standard fair that has been sitting around for a while and reminds me of a buffet line. Not too appealing. The menu is massive; they have over 130 items on the menu! Yes, this can be annoying since there's too much to offer. However, if you're willing to be adventurous then you'll find some real gems. Everything my party had was absolutely delicious which included Zhong's dumplings, eggplant in hot garlic sauce, twice cooked pork belly, and the Chung King Chili shrimp. All four dishes were made to order (hello, not lunch line!!) and savory and delicious. I am not really into eggplant but this one had the right amount of heat and just so flavorful. Our lunch with tip ended up being $61 bucks which is expensive. That was one of the drawbacks. And the place can get LOUD. All the students are back on campus and place was buzzing over lunch time. So, if you're willing to try new things and pay a little extra, this place can offer something for almost everyone. I would recommend this place to friends and will be back to try some new dishes.
(4)Kien N.
Lunch Special review: I always walk past this place on my way home from campus, and I always read "Top restaurant ranked by CNN" as its plastered on every pane of glass. I finally had a chance to stop in during lunch. They serve lunch cafeteria/Luby's/Chipotle style. In fact, this place just reminds me of an Asian Chipotle. You point at what you want, and they scoop it on your dish. The food is pretty good! You get $8.75 for your choice of stir-fry noodles, white rice, or fried rice. This is in comparison to Chipotle's $7.01 chicken burrito bowl with the tortilla on the side without the guac (I know it's extra, that's why I don't get it :p ). I was stuffed after inhaling their lunch special! It's essentially 2-3 meals on one plate. I told myself I'll have some self control and take half to go. 10 minutes later as I looked at my empty plate, "eh, I'll just eat a really small dinner". I failed in both scenarios. I got the spicy tofu, beef and broccoli and fried fish. All of which were good! Service was good and the restaurant is nice and cleannn. Little Szechuan is a nice contender to Chipotle in the lunchtime spot now! Does it warrant the countless "top restaurant" stickers on its windows? meh
(4)