Chen’s Mongolian Buffet
1880 S Atherton St, State College, PA, 16801
Chen’s Mongolian Buffet Menu
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Visit below restaurant in State College for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in State College for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in State College for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1880 S Atherton St
State College, PA, 16801 - Phone (814) 861-6666
- Website https://www.chensstatecollege.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Cindy L.
I came here when this place first opened. I still remember it today. For those who are new to Mongolian BBQ, it is a buffet filled with raw ingredients. There are lots of vegetables, your choices of meats and proteins, noodles, rice, and different sauces. After you fill up your plate with what you want, you hand it to the cook at the grill and they will cook your plate. It's pretty cool. There's lots of options. You might want noodles with broccoli, peas, carrots, chicken and a sweet sauce the first time and then go back up for rice with onions, zucchini, tofu, shrimp, beef and spicy sauce...and then keep going back up. You get to choose what you want on the plate. From raw to grilled, with your choice of sauce drizzled on top. Good quality and good price for all-you-can-eat. Don't make too much for your first plate and get full too early. There's lots of choices and it's fun to try it out with a different sauce each time.
(5)Katie W.
Can't believe it took me this long to try this place! Great food for a great price. Better than green bowl. Rice is free and dumplings are only $1 for three. Highly recommend.
(5)Justin A.
Chen's is a wonderful place to eat. It's actually pretty healthy as well. They have 2 kinds of soup every day, (egg drop, hot an sour, or wonton) over 30 types of veggies, multiple noodle/rice options, meat, poultry and seafood. You have a variety of sauces you can choose ranging from sweet to super spicy. They also have a modest salad and dessert bar, with a small assortment of sushi. It's nice to pick out your food and watch it get cooked. The service is ALWAYS spectacular. I've been going since the first week it's been open and I have never had an empty glass or a used plate sit. The place is kept clean and maintained. The price is very reasonable as well. A prior review made the comment about it not being authentic since he's from LA... Well I've had this type of food up and down the east coast, and it is definitely at the top of my list for a tasty filling meal for a decent price.
(5)Chris W.
im surprised that this place got the reviews that it did. ive had multiple mongolian bbqs and have to say this place is not very comparable to what you can get elsewhere outside state college. (from the LA area). everything here is pretty standard, besides the overall lack of quality, which you can taste btw when you get the finished product.
(3)Michelle V.
Fresh, hot healthy food. Very good quality and taste. Staff is friendly and helpful. Very clean. Sushi and soup included in all you can eat. Some desserts available. Excellent we will be going back
(5)Vin N.
Food is ok. Pretty much what you'd expect from a chinese owned buffet. The only ingredient they have that stands out are the shiitake mushrooms. I've eaten here twice and on the second time, they replaced the shiitake mushrooms with another type without changing the name on the sign. I was very disappointed. Next time I go, I'll have to call to make sure they have what I want.
(3)Joshua S.
This was a good place to eat! Although a bit pricey for dinner buffet, but the choices for the grill was good and I loved the lychee and the sushi wasn't too bad. I would say it is worth it!
(5)Jean A.
This restaurant just took over the spot that used to be Pitstop Pizza and before that Backyard Burger. The atmosphere is much nicer, although it is still casual. The service was exceptional. The food is not surprising - it is Mongolian barbeque after all - but the quality was above average. Also I like that they had three types of mushrooms. Compared to Green Bowl downtown this place is superior in all respects - fresher ingredients, better service, much easier (and cheaper) parking and maybe even less expensive. Skip the sushi.
(4)Ryan S.
I had eaten here once before and had a good experience. I wanted to avoid greenbowl because the students had just returned from break. Staff was extremely friendly. They explained how their process worked. 8.25 for lunch wasn't too bad. I will be back.
(4)Mike M.
I have been hearing about this place from coworkers for months. Word of mouth. When multiple people talk positive about a place, the cynic in me immediately wants to hate it. So after catching an early movie with my 6 year old, I debated on checking this place out. Earlier in the day, I told a coworker I might check it out. So I felt some pressure to do just that. What I really wanted to do was stop at Babies or one of the Mexican places. So with that in mind, I somewhat reluctantly went to Chen's. Glad I did. Chen's is in the old Backyard Burger building across from Hill's plaza on Atherton. The one negative about this place is the location. It can be confusing how to get back to this place. You have to go through a bank parking lot or a mini gold parking lot to get to it from what I can see. Odd set up. So once we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess who not only seated us but also took us to the buffet and told us how the set up worked. This is a Mongolian stir fry set up. You get your plate, you load up on the veggies, meat, and sauce you want. The server gives you a Popsicle stick when you sat down. You put it in the mess you created at the buffet. The cooks then stir fry your food behind the buffet. The server will take it to you when they are done. Then get ready to dig into stir fry deliciousness. Really amazing stuff. I recommend the Thai sauce if you like a little spice. The Mongolian if you like a more sweet taste. They have two soups on the buffet to start you out. There are desserts to finish you out afterward. But the highlight is the stir fry. Friendly service, good food, clean, price is about what you would expect, odd accessibility to the parking lot. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)Eric S.
Good food cooked fresh right off of your plate. Unusual rich set of veggie and tofu options for non meat eaters in the crew. Try the egg and also the Mongolian sauce.This was a fun, unique place to eat. You select all of your own food and veggies and they are then cooked fresh on a huge, round grill. It is as fresh as it gets and priced reasonably. All you can eat so go in with a small plate each time to be able to have room to try multiple flavors. Enjoy
(4)S D.
Yup, pretty great for stir fry. Actually this is my favorite stir fry here in state college vs. the other options in the area. I recommend.
(3)Carlton M.
This is a great little restaurant with a novel idea. You choose your vegetables, meats, seasonings and sauses, from a wide selection, and place them on your plate. They grill it and deliver it to your table --steaming hot and delicious. This is healthy food at a good price - $8.75 for lunch. Give it a try if you are in the State College area. Carlton
(5)Luciano C.
In case you've never done a Mongolian BBQ before, you go down a buffet line with a plate and fill it with all the raw ingredients of your choosing; vegetables, meats, pasta, rice, sauces, etc. Then they take your plate, cook it, and deliver it to your table. This creates a unique dining experience as your meal will be as good as you make it. That being said, my 5-star rating is based upon the variety of options, the quality of their ingredients, the upkeep of the location, and how it compares to other Mongolian BBQ places I've been to. I've been here a few times before and it's quickly becoming a tradition of mine to come here as I leave town on Sundays whenever I come visit PSU. The thing that got me here in the first place, and I think it's important, is the fact that I've never seen it packed. While every other restaurant has extremely long waits on Sundays as people leave town, I get sat here immediately every time. The staff is friendly and appropriately attentive. I've never had a conversation with any of them and they don't necessarily go out of their way to be super friendly, but I always feel welcomed and appreciated as a patron. As I write this review, my drink has been refilled numerous times. The place itself has always been very clean every time I've been here. Spills on the line are common since it's the customers who are serving themselves, but they always get cleaned up right away. Chairs and booths are in great shape; as are the tables. The bathroom has also always been properly cleaned; this is a huge plus in my book. The ingredients on the buffet line are top notch compared to other places I've been to and the selection is great. I'm very impressed by the variety of meats you get to choose from. Most places just have chicken, pork, and beef to choose from. Chen's expands on that by also offering BACON(!!!), sausage, squid, and others that may not always be available. The vegetable selection is above average; they have everything you'd expect plus a few welcomed surprises. They also have over 10 sauces to create your own unique flavor. Aside from the buffet line, they also offer soups, basic sushi rolls, desserts, and a couple of other things I usually skip over. But it's great that they offer it. The price is very fair. Sunday afternoons, I pay roughly $13 per person (no drink). For an all-you-can-eat experience of this caliber, I'm very happy with that price. This is definitely one of my favorite places in town and a true hidden gem as most people don't know it's here. If you're looking for a good meal, but don't want to wait a lifetime just to be seated, definitely come to Chen's!
(4)Tammy S.
Fresh choices! Spicy sauce is spicy! Great service! We finally found a really good Mongolian grill in PA! We will be back. The trip up from Bedford is so worth it!
(5)Kelly S.
I had never been to a Mongolian BBQ before! It was a ton of fun! You go through the line, pick your noodles/rice, veggies, and meat, and they put it on a big griddle and fry it for you. It was fun to watch, and just as fun to eat. You can also go back as many times as you please! I definitely want to go again!
(4)Brendan T.
Good variety of both vegetable and meat. Friendly waitress offering free brown rice and hot tea. Can be a really healthy asian food restaurant. One tip: if you are concerned with the hidden carbs in the sauce, they offer pretty spicy jalapeño peppers, just add them to your mix, it will be yummy already.
(4)Lauren M.
We come here pretty often- it's one of our go-to's for a quick but healthy meal when we get stuck late at work or dinner doesn't quite cook right. It's pretty simple but really good. There's a buffet of raw foods. These include diverse vegetables such as onions, broccoli, water chestnuts, and shiitake mushrooms. Then there are starches including several types of wheat or rice noodles and rice. Finally, proteins include chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, and tofu. Next you select a sauce or get a little creative and mix up a bunch (that's what I always do). Sauces vary from basic soy sauce to curry, Mongolian, and other savory, sweet, and spicy options. Fresh garlic (me: yay!) and ginger (hubby: yay!) are available as well. I usually stick with veggies and mix up the sauces, and everything is always good quality and delicious. Veggies are fresh and crisp; sauces diverse and very good. Drop your plate off at the end of the buffet for cooking. You get a number which you'll need to leave with your food plate so it's delivered to you when it's ready. And while you're waiting, grab some sushi or soup to start. It's rarely been crowded but even when it was, we've never waited long for our food. Service is always fast and friendly. All in all, a fun and (depending on what you select) healthy quick dinner. You can go back up if you want to but you may find that one plate is quite filling!
(4)Ben E.
Pretty similar to Green Bowl - make your own stir fry. Pros: Add your own meat - mix them, put tons, put a little. SOUP - there's wonton and egg drop soup whenever you want. The egg drop soup was really good too. Deserts and sushi - didn't have any, but the options are there. Cons: Maybe not quite as high quality as green bowl. The cabbage wasn't super crispy. Sauces aren't as good.
(4)Cameo W.
Really good Mongolian BBQ. All you can eat which is fun. I'd like the idea if trying a few different sauces but I always overload my plate. They also have sushi and vanilla pudding at the end of the line.
(4)Kim A.
This place is amazing! All you can eat, put-it-together-yourself, buffet. You can choose from lo mein, mei fun, rice, etc, and top it with array of vegetables, meats and sauces. Everything is stir fried fresh, exactly how you like it. You get to choose how much of everything you want in the dish, which is great if you want a lot or a little of something. In addition to the standard mongolian buffet, there is a sushi and salad bar. You will leave filled and the food is delicious. The servers/owners are very friendly :)
(5)Tingting L.
Visits: Twice, for dinner. Food: There really needs to be more of these. In fact, why aren't there more? I see them mostly around the DC area as a part of a larger buffet, but the selection at Chen's is much larger, and it really lets the style shine. It's a very simple concept - you choose the ingredients, they stir-fry it on a grill for you. (Not sure why this style of food called Mongolian - my family is from northern China, and I know Mongolian - mostly grilled, spit-roasted, or stewed meat and dumplings. This isn't the slightest bit like it and I suspect it's quite southern what with the sweet sauces, but that's really neither here nor there.) Don't let the non-Mongolian nature detract from this, though - it's really quite delicious, and as someone who cooks stir-fry frequently at home, it's pretty similar to what I make. This makes it comfort food away from home, which I really appreciate. Having free control over things lets you keep it nice and healthy, compared with most places, and you know you'll have it freshly cooked. I'm used to Asian restaurants from Baltimore, Boston, and DC; I can say it's as good as any place I've been. Atmosphere: A standard Chinese restaurant atmosphere, though I can't recall if there was music, which is a plus for me. Nothing to complain about. Service: Prompt! I was frankly surprised at how quickly the grill guy(s?) worked. The waitstaff was plenty fast, too. Cost/Benefit: Pretty darned good for their pretty low prices. We stopped by the first time on the way to Pittsburgh out of random choice; we specifically planned to go there on the way back. It was that worthwhile.
(5)Ashleigh C.
There is a noticeable theme lately with my State College reviews. That is, I give restaurants much higher reviews than I would otherwise because they are cheap and well, this is State College. If the restaurants were located where I'm from (Fairfax, VA outside of DC) then I really don't think they'd get much above a 3. That being said, we will definitely be returning to Chen's for the following reasons: 1. It is right down the road with ample parking. 2. Friendly and quick service with a casual atmosphere 3. CHEAP. CHEAP. CHEAP. My fiance and I like to find meals that we can have at restaurants that cost us less than $25 after tip. Here, we ordered a water, soda, teapot of green tea, each got the mongolian bbq and 1 order of 2 steamed dumplings. After tip, it was a GRAND total of $23. 4. The price for the BBQ is $8 (and it is all you can eat. You can keep going back as much as you'd like, which is really awesome). Why this place didn't get a 5: I grew up in a heavily Asian populated city. Therefore, we have REALLY good Asian food options back home, including several Mongolian BBQ places that, while still cheap, put this place to shame. I understand that the availability of certain ingredients is much harder to come by in the middle of PA and also the clientele seem to have less "adventuresome" palettes (and therefore it is pointless to offer the more exciting and cultured food options simply because they'd end up throwing half of it out in a location like this.) Also, I really wish they had more sauces to choose from. Rather than having mostly cookie-cutter American Chinese food sauces (like orange or kung pao) they should also have fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, etc. so that you can make your own sauce combinations (like they have at Green Bowl and all other Mongolian BBQ places I've been to.) PS - Don't get the sushi! It is really just imitation crab (krab) and not really any sushi worth eating anyways (go down the road to Sakura for that!) And -- the dumplings were great! $0.99 for 2 steamed dumplings. Can't beat that.
(4)Elaina L.
This is the first restaurant of this kind that I've ever been to, so I can't say that it's the best around, but I can say that I absolutely loved it! The service was great, the lady that brought us in and seated us was funny and super nice. The waitress made sure our drinks never got below half full, and she was really nice as well. The food, that was the best part. At the beginning of the buffet bar, you grab a plate and choose from napa cabbage, onions, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, peas, white mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn, jalapenos, water chestnuts, tomatoes, eggs, lo mein, fried rice, mei fun, a potpie looking noodle, pork, chicken, beef, squid, crab, and shrimp. You pile on whatever you want fried together. Then you get a sauce bowl and make your own sauce. To make your own sauce you go with the basics like teriyaki sauce, orange sauce, curry, garlic sauce, mongolian sauce, or ginger sauce, or you can mix and match them, then add in some minced garlic, pureed ginger, and minced chili in oil to your heart's content. Then you set the food and sauce together, with the stick they give you when you arrive (so they know whose plate is who's), then they cook it up, deliver it to your table, and you dine on deliciousness. Then the best best part, you can go up for more and keep trying different combos! I had a bunch of different veggies with lo mein noodles, some chicken, and a terryaki, mongolian, garlic, chili, ginger sauce mix that was divine! I will definitely go back, especially Monday through Thursday from 2pm-4pm when they run their Happy Hour, 20% off special! The four of us ate a delicious meal for under $35. Awesome.
(5)Caro M.
Every Friday night after picking up my fiancé from the bus station we head down here to fill up on a nice, hot, almost-never ending meal! I love the staff who are always so nice to us and never try to hurry us out when we come in about an hour before they close.
(5)Amanda L.
My husband and I go to Chen's about once a week, we love it so much. It is never too crowded when we go around lunch time or early dinner. The decor is nice, and there are always lots of veggie options - you can fill your plate with whatever veggies, noodles/rice, meat/seafood, and choose your sauce. My only request is that they have more sauces to choose from, such as a Pad Thai sauce or other peanut sauce. They have a Thai sauce that I usually mix with the Mongolian sauce which is really good, but other than the Mongolian sauce most of them are too spicy. They also have a cold bar with sushi and fruit, salad, and pudding and a soup station as well. Their miso soup was very good, but the wonton and egg drop were about average. The sushi is nothing to write home about and I never get it anymore, but I do get some fruit with each meal. My favorite thing about the place is how fresh all of the ingredients are, and that you know exactly what is going into your meal. :) I can't rave enough about it!
(5)Chris W.
im surprised that this place got the reviews that it did. ive had multiple mongolian bbqs and have to say this place is not very comparable to what you can get elsewhere outside state college. (from the LA area). everything here is pretty standard, besides the overall lack of quality, which you can taste btw when you get the finished product.
(3)Elaina L.
This is the first restaurant of this kind that I've ever been to, so I can't say that it's the best around, but I can say that I absolutely loved it! The service was great, the lady that brought us in and seated us was funny and super nice. The waitress made sure our drinks never got below half full, and she was really nice as well. The food, that was the best part. At the beginning of the buffet bar, you grab a plate and choose from napa cabbage, onions, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, peas, white mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn, jalapenos, water chestnuts, tomatoes, eggs, lo mein, fried rice, mei fun, a potpie looking noodle, pork, chicken, beef, squid, crab, and shrimp. You pile on whatever you want fried together. Then you get a sauce bowl and make your own sauce. To make your own sauce you go with the basics like teriyaki sauce, orange sauce, curry, garlic sauce, mongolian sauce, or ginger sauce, or you can mix and match them, then add in some minced garlic, pureed ginger, and minced chili in oil to your heart's content. Then you set the food and sauce together, with the stick they give you when you arrive (so they know whose plate is who's), then they cook it up, deliver it to your table, and you dine on deliciousness. Then the best best part, you can go up for more and keep trying different combos! I had a bunch of different veggies with lo mein noodles, some chicken, and a terryaki, mongolian, garlic, chili, ginger sauce mix that was divine! I will definitely go back, especially Monday through Thursday from 2pm-4pm when they run their Happy Hour, 20% off special! The four of us ate a delicious meal for under $35. Awesome.
(5)Ryan S.
I had eaten here once before and had a good experience. I wanted to avoid greenbowl because the students had just returned from break. Staff was extremely friendly. They explained how their process worked. 8.25 for lunch wasn't too bad. I will be back.
(4)Jean A.
This restaurant just took over the spot that used to be Pitstop Pizza and before that Backyard Burger. The atmosphere is much nicer, although it is still casual. The service was exceptional. The food is not surprising - it is Mongolian barbeque after all - but the quality was above average. Also I like that they had three types of mushrooms. Compared to Green Bowl downtown this place is superior in all respects - fresher ingredients, better service, much easier (and cheaper) parking and maybe even less expensive. Skip the sushi.
(4)Michelle V.
Fresh, hot healthy food. Very good quality and taste. Staff is friendly and helpful. Very clean. Sushi and soup included in all you can eat. Some desserts available. Excellent we will be going back
(5)Cindy L.
I came here when this place first opened. I still remember it today. For those who are new to Mongolian BBQ, it is a buffet filled with raw ingredients. There are lots of vegetables, your choices of meats and proteins, noodles, rice, and different sauces. After you fill up your plate with what you want, you hand it to the cook at the grill and they will cook your plate. It's pretty cool. There's lots of options. You might want noodles with broccoli, peas, carrots, chicken and a sweet sauce the first time and then go back up for rice with onions, zucchini, tofu, shrimp, beef and spicy sauce...and then keep going back up. You get to choose what you want on the plate. From raw to grilled, with your choice of sauce drizzled on top. Good quality and good price for all-you-can-eat. Don't make too much for your first plate and get full too early. There's lots of choices and it's fun to try it out with a different sauce each time.
(5)Katie W.
Can't believe it took me this long to try this place! Great food for a great price. Better than green bowl. Rice is free and dumplings are only $1 for three. Highly recommend.
(5)Justin A.
Chen's is a wonderful place to eat. It's actually pretty healthy as well. They have 2 kinds of soup every day, (egg drop, hot an sour, or wonton) over 30 types of veggies, multiple noodle/rice options, meat, poultry and seafood. You have a variety of sauces you can choose ranging from sweet to super spicy. They also have a modest salad and dessert bar, with a small assortment of sushi. It's nice to pick out your food and watch it get cooked. The service is ALWAYS spectacular. I've been going since the first week it's been open and I have never had an empty glass or a used plate sit. The place is kept clean and maintained. The price is very reasonable as well. A prior review made the comment about it not being authentic since he's from LA... Well I've had this type of food up and down the east coast, and it is definitely at the top of my list for a tasty filling meal for a decent price.
(5)Carlton M.
This is a great little restaurant with a novel idea. You choose your vegetables, meats, seasonings and sauses, from a wide selection, and place them on your plate. They grill it and deliver it to your table --steaming hot and delicious. This is healthy food at a good price - $8.75 for lunch. Give it a try if you are in the State College area. Carlton
(5)Mike M.
I have been hearing about this place from coworkers for months. Word of mouth. When multiple people talk positive about a place, the cynic in me immediately wants to hate it. So after catching an early movie with my 6 year old, I debated on checking this place out. Earlier in the day, I told a coworker I might check it out. So I felt some pressure to do just that. What I really wanted to do was stop at Babies or one of the Mexican places. So with that in mind, I somewhat reluctantly went to Chen's. Glad I did. Chen's is in the old Backyard Burger building across from Hill's plaza on Atherton. The one negative about this place is the location. It can be confusing how to get back to this place. You have to go through a bank parking lot or a mini gold parking lot to get to it from what I can see. Odd set up. So once we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess who not only seated us but also took us to the buffet and told us how the set up worked. This is a Mongolian stir fry set up. You get your plate, you load up on the veggies, meat, and sauce you want. The server gives you a Popsicle stick when you sat down. You put it in the mess you created at the buffet. The cooks then stir fry your food behind the buffet. The server will take it to you when they are done. Then get ready to dig into stir fry deliciousness. Really amazing stuff. I recommend the Thai sauce if you like a little spice. The Mongolian if you like a more sweet taste. They have two soups on the buffet to start you out. There are desserts to finish you out afterward. But the highlight is the stir fry. Friendly service, good food, clean, price is about what you would expect, odd accessibility to the parking lot. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
(4)Eric S.
Good food cooked fresh right off of your plate. Unusual rich set of veggie and tofu options for non meat eaters in the crew. Try the egg and also the Mongolian sauce.This was a fun, unique place to eat. You select all of your own food and veggies and they are then cooked fresh on a huge, round grill. It is as fresh as it gets and priced reasonably. All you can eat so go in with a small plate each time to be able to have room to try multiple flavors. Enjoy
(4)S D.
Yup, pretty great for stir fry. Actually this is my favorite stir fry here in state college vs. the other options in the area. I recommend.
(3)Luciano C.
In case you've never done a Mongolian BBQ before, you go down a buffet line with a plate and fill it with all the raw ingredients of your choosing; vegetables, meats, pasta, rice, sauces, etc. Then they take your plate, cook it, and deliver it to your table. This creates a unique dining experience as your meal will be as good as you make it. That being said, my 5-star rating is based upon the variety of options, the quality of their ingredients, the upkeep of the location, and how it compares to other Mongolian BBQ places I've been to. I've been here a few times before and it's quickly becoming a tradition of mine to come here as I leave town on Sundays whenever I come visit PSU. The thing that got me here in the first place, and I think it's important, is the fact that I've never seen it packed. While every other restaurant has extremely long waits on Sundays as people leave town, I get sat here immediately every time. The staff is friendly and appropriately attentive. I've never had a conversation with any of them and they don't necessarily go out of their way to be super friendly, but I always feel welcomed and appreciated as a patron. As I write this review, my drink has been refilled numerous times. The place itself has always been very clean every time I've been here. Spills on the line are common since it's the customers who are serving themselves, but they always get cleaned up right away. Chairs and booths are in great shape; as are the tables. The bathroom has also always been properly cleaned; this is a huge plus in my book. The ingredients on the buffet line are top notch compared to other places I've been to and the selection is great. I'm very impressed by the variety of meats you get to choose from. Most places just have chicken, pork, and beef to choose from. Chen's expands on that by also offering BACON(!!!), sausage, squid, and others that may not always be available. The vegetable selection is above average; they have everything you'd expect plus a few welcomed surprises. They also have over 10 sauces to create your own unique flavor. Aside from the buffet line, they also offer soups, basic sushi rolls, desserts, and a couple of other things I usually skip over. But it's great that they offer it. The price is very fair. Sunday afternoons, I pay roughly $13 per person (no drink). For an all-you-can-eat experience of this caliber, I'm very happy with that price. This is definitely one of my favorite places in town and a true hidden gem as most people don't know it's here. If you're looking for a good meal, but don't want to wait a lifetime just to be seated, definitely come to Chen's!
(4)Tammy S.
Fresh choices! Spicy sauce is spicy! Great service! We finally found a really good Mongolian grill in PA! We will be back. The trip up from Bedford is so worth it!
(5)Kelly S.
I had never been to a Mongolian BBQ before! It was a ton of fun! You go through the line, pick your noodles/rice, veggies, and meat, and they put it on a big griddle and fry it for you. It was fun to watch, and just as fun to eat. You can also go back as many times as you please! I definitely want to go again!
(4)Brendan T.
Good variety of both vegetable and meat. Friendly waitress offering free brown rice and hot tea. Can be a really healthy asian food restaurant. One tip: if you are concerned with the hidden carbs in the sauce, they offer pretty spicy jalapeño peppers, just add them to your mix, it will be yummy already.
(4)Lauren M.
We come here pretty often- it's one of our go-to's for a quick but healthy meal when we get stuck late at work or dinner doesn't quite cook right. It's pretty simple but really good. There's a buffet of raw foods. These include diverse vegetables such as onions, broccoli, water chestnuts, and shiitake mushrooms. Then there are starches including several types of wheat or rice noodles and rice. Finally, proteins include chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, and tofu. Next you select a sauce or get a little creative and mix up a bunch (that's what I always do). Sauces vary from basic soy sauce to curry, Mongolian, and other savory, sweet, and spicy options. Fresh garlic (me: yay!) and ginger (hubby: yay!) are available as well. I usually stick with veggies and mix up the sauces, and everything is always good quality and delicious. Veggies are fresh and crisp; sauces diverse and very good. Drop your plate off at the end of the buffet for cooking. You get a number which you'll need to leave with your food plate so it's delivered to you when it's ready. And while you're waiting, grab some sushi or soup to start. It's rarely been crowded but even when it was, we've never waited long for our food. Service is always fast and friendly. All in all, a fun and (depending on what you select) healthy quick dinner. You can go back up if you want to but you may find that one plate is quite filling!
(4)Tingting L.
Visits: Twice, for dinner. Food: There really needs to be more of these. In fact, why aren't there more? I see them mostly around the DC area as a part of a larger buffet, but the selection at Chen's is much larger, and it really lets the style shine. It's a very simple concept - you choose the ingredients, they stir-fry it on a grill for you. (Not sure why this style of food called Mongolian - my family is from northern China, and I know Mongolian - mostly grilled, spit-roasted, or stewed meat and dumplings. This isn't the slightest bit like it and I suspect it's quite southern what with the sweet sauces, but that's really neither here nor there.) Don't let the non-Mongolian nature detract from this, though - it's really quite delicious, and as someone who cooks stir-fry frequently at home, it's pretty similar to what I make. This makes it comfort food away from home, which I really appreciate. Having free control over things lets you keep it nice and healthy, compared with most places, and you know you'll have it freshly cooked. I'm used to Asian restaurants from Baltimore, Boston, and DC; I can say it's as good as any place I've been. Atmosphere: A standard Chinese restaurant atmosphere, though I can't recall if there was music, which is a plus for me. Nothing to complain about. Service: Prompt! I was frankly surprised at how quickly the grill guy(s?) worked. The waitstaff was plenty fast, too. Cost/Benefit: Pretty darned good for their pretty low prices. We stopped by the first time on the way to Pittsburgh out of random choice; we specifically planned to go there on the way back. It was that worthwhile.
(5)Ashleigh C.
There is a noticeable theme lately with my State College reviews. That is, I give restaurants much higher reviews than I would otherwise because they are cheap and well, this is State College. If the restaurants were located where I'm from (Fairfax, VA outside of DC) then I really don't think they'd get much above a 3. That being said, we will definitely be returning to Chen's for the following reasons: 1. It is right down the road with ample parking. 2. Friendly and quick service with a casual atmosphere 3. CHEAP. CHEAP. CHEAP. My fiance and I like to find meals that we can have at restaurants that cost us less than $25 after tip. Here, we ordered a water, soda, teapot of green tea, each got the mongolian bbq and 1 order of 2 steamed dumplings. After tip, it was a GRAND total of $23. 4. The price for the BBQ is $8 (and it is all you can eat. You can keep going back as much as you'd like, which is really awesome). Why this place didn't get a 5: I grew up in a heavily Asian populated city. Therefore, we have REALLY good Asian food options back home, including several Mongolian BBQ places that, while still cheap, put this place to shame. I understand that the availability of certain ingredients is much harder to come by in the middle of PA and also the clientele seem to have less "adventuresome" palettes (and therefore it is pointless to offer the more exciting and cultured food options simply because they'd end up throwing half of it out in a location like this.) Also, I really wish they had more sauces to choose from. Rather than having mostly cookie-cutter American Chinese food sauces (like orange or kung pao) they should also have fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, etc. so that you can make your own sauce combinations (like they have at Green Bowl and all other Mongolian BBQ places I've been to.) PS - Don't get the sushi! It is really just imitation crab (krab) and not really any sushi worth eating anyways (go down the road to Sakura for that!) And -- the dumplings were great! $0.99 for 2 steamed dumplings. Can't beat that.
(4)Ben E.
Pretty similar to Green Bowl - make your own stir fry. Pros: Add your own meat - mix them, put tons, put a little. SOUP - there's wonton and egg drop soup whenever you want. The egg drop soup was really good too. Deserts and sushi - didn't have any, but the options are there. Cons: Maybe not quite as high quality as green bowl. The cabbage wasn't super crispy. Sauces aren't as good.
(4)Cameo W.
Really good Mongolian BBQ. All you can eat which is fun. I'd like the idea if trying a few different sauces but I always overload my plate. They also have sushi and vanilla pudding at the end of the line.
(4)Kim A.
This place is amazing! All you can eat, put-it-together-yourself, buffet. You can choose from lo mein, mei fun, rice, etc, and top it with array of vegetables, meats and sauces. Everything is stir fried fresh, exactly how you like it. You get to choose how much of everything you want in the dish, which is great if you want a lot or a little of something. In addition to the standard mongolian buffet, there is a sushi and salad bar. You will leave filled and the food is delicious. The servers/owners are very friendly :)
(5)Amanda L.
My husband and I go to Chen's about once a week, we love it so much. It is never too crowded when we go around lunch time or early dinner. The decor is nice, and there are always lots of veggie options - you can fill your plate with whatever veggies, noodles/rice, meat/seafood, and choose your sauce. My only request is that they have more sauces to choose from, such as a Pad Thai sauce or other peanut sauce. They have a Thai sauce that I usually mix with the Mongolian sauce which is really good, but other than the Mongolian sauce most of them are too spicy. They also have a cold bar with sushi and fruit, salad, and pudding and a soup station as well. Their miso soup was very good, but the wonton and egg drop were about average. The sushi is nothing to write home about and I never get it anymore, but I do get some fruit with each meal. My favorite thing about the place is how fresh all of the ingredients are, and that you know exactly what is going into your meal. :) I can't rave enough about it!
(5)Caro M.
Every Friday night after picking up my fiancé from the bus station we head down here to fill up on a nice, hot, almost-never ending meal! I love the staff who are always so nice to us and never try to hurry us out when we come in about an hour before they close.
(5)Vin N.
Food is ok. Pretty much what you'd expect from a chinese owned buffet. The only ingredient they have that stands out are the shiitake mushrooms. I've eaten here twice and on the second time, they replaced the shiitake mushrooms with another type without changing the name on the sign. I was very disappointed. Next time I go, I'll have to call to make sure they have what I want.
(3)Joshua S.
This was a good place to eat! Although a bit pricey for dinner buffet, but the choices for the grill was good and I loved the lychee and the sushi wasn't too bad. I would say it is worth it!
(5)