TNR Cafe
2049 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, 22201
TNR Cafe Menu
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Address :
2049 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA, 22201 - Phone (703) 875-0428
- Website https://tnr-cafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
- Mon : 11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Susan J.
Pretty tasty hot and sour soup, just a tad pricey at $2.75 including tax. Chock full of tofu, mushrooms and egg but lacking in pork...or maybe it was vegetarian?
(3)Roze C.
My go to place for bubble tea. Usually Almond or Honey dew flavor. I also really like the Singapore Noodles.
(5)Clarence J.
This is a nice, bright, casual restaurant with plenty of seating. The menu is extensive, with most of the usual suspects. I thought the food was good, although it was overly salty to me. The staff was friendly and patient, but the service was very slow. The evening I went, one waitress was working the half-full restaurant -- a decent-sized space -- and really could've used help.
(2)Grand Y.
Expensive Chinese food for what it is - mall quality. I tried a Chef's Special - Beef in Szechuan Spicy Broth. The meat did not go down well. It was really fatty, and of remarkably low quality. The steamed dumplings were the best part of the meal. The egg drop soup was typical - not good or bad. The service was ok. It was slow at 9 at night, but they kept trying to take away our plates before we were done. One and done. At least I gave it a shot.
(2)Chris M.
Solid Chinese food. Though I love my meat my favorites are two veggie options: the general tso's with tofu and Szechwan green beans. Always very friendly service whether it's dine-in, take out or delivery.
(4)Ning Z.
Had a great time here! We ordered the crispy egg plant, shredded pork in garlic sauce, and zha jiang mian, which is noodles in dark bean paste, The egg plant was so soft and flavorful! The shredded pork wasn't as authentic as I'd have liked, but still good, just not what I expected. As for the zha jiang mian, it was the saltiest thing I ever had! I'll definitely get it again because it's authentic, but I'd recommend scooping out half of the sauce from the top before you mix it with the noodles. We had enough leftovers for lunch the next day and the food was even better the next day!!! While the food is great, I wouldn't recommend the bubble tea. I had the honey dew melon flavor and it tastes just like powdered tea. Also, the bubbles were too soft. After having the honey flavored tapioca at Kung Fu Tea I think it's ruined me for other tapioca places. The price is also very reasonable for Rosslyn. With three dishes and two bottles of tapioca we spent about $40 without tip. I had such a nice time here because the two servers were so nice and sweet. They both spoke Chinese to me and just generally made me feel very welcome. There're some Chinese restaurant where you know the waitress speaks Chinese but they just refuse to speak Chinese to you, but not in this case. It's a very small thing but it made the experience so much better. I can see myself coming back here often or getting delivery from here as it's the most authentic Chinese place in the Rosslyn area.
(4)Sandy T.
Been here a few times and was never impressed. The authenticity of the Chinese food here, is far from authentic. I wouldn't recommend ordering any food besides their bubble tea. Ask them to make your drink in smoothie form with tapioca added: honey dew green tea, coconut, and taro. These flavors have to be the best so far.
(2)Bryan R.
Wife and i love this place - great service and food - what else can you want?
(5)Keith H.
MEH. We gave TNR another chance after staying away for a year. Things have not improved. The General Tso's chicken was, bland. Nothing to rave about. My wife ordered hot & sour soup and they (again) forgot to bring crunchy noodles to put in it, despite asking for them (second time this has happened). The egg rolls were rock hard and dry. No amount of duck or mustard sauce could make them palpable. The delivery person could not figure out how to use the callbox and explained he didn't know our name, despite it being printed clearly on the delivery instructions. This would normally be only a mild irritant if not for a recent injury limiting my mobility. Flashback to a year ago, the last time we stopped in for carry-out, I called in the order 30 minutes before arriving and was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. Upon arrival they then started fixing our order so I had to wait 20 minutes. I don't think anyone there knows what they are doing. Sorry, TNR. We love that we have a place like yours in the Court House area but everything about what you do is terrible.
(2)Ian W.
During a lunch break, I stopped in at TNR Cafe very recently and decided to dine-in. I was promptly seated and given a Lunch Specials Menu (Mon-Fri until 3PM) which had 19 Chinese dishes served with white rice to choose from, $6.98-$8.95. I decided on the Mongolian Chicken ($6.98) and the waiter quickly asked what kind of soup I'd like. Before committing, I had to ask if the soup was included with the lunch special and he replied "no."I declined the soup figuring out that this was a sneaky upsell. Anyways, the food came out quickly and presented nicely, typical lunch size portion. This dish was cooked fresh and had a mix of soft pieces of boneless chicken with a mix of vegetables (onions, scallions, greens) in a thick Mongolian sauce (salty taste) and served with a scoop of soft white rice. After I finished my food, the check with fortune cookie came out quickly. I settled up on the check and headed back to my working meeting nearby. In and out in about 20 minutes.
(3)Elizabeth L.
Considering this is the only authentic Chinese restaurant I've encountered in my 3 mos in the dc area, i am surprised it does not have a higher rating. I usually get their steamed dumplings and hot and sour soup. The soup is pretty spicy for hot and sour soup. I have also had the beef noodle soup. Pretty good although next time i will probably have it in the restaurant instead of ordering take out just to make it easier on myself. Combining the noodles and soup proved to be a pain because i did not have a big enough bowl. The kung pao chicken was also spicier than anticipated, but pretty good. i am trying not to eat spicy, but normally it would be great. Service was prompt. Every time i have ordered delivery, they have been very quick but i only live a mile away. The bok choy was the only thing i've had where it was not really up to par. I think the veggies were too big. I usually like my bok choy small..as in baby bok choy. Also it was a bit bland and seemed over cooked. I am a bok choy connoisseur so i guess it is tough to meet that standard.
(4)Murali K.
I order from TNR all the time. It's not the greatest Chinese food, but it's really good, very consistent and fairly cheap. The delivery service is ridiculously quick; I've had the food show up at my door in about 20 minutes a few times. And it's cheap enough that I can order enough for a few meals at the same time without breaking the bank. The roast pork appetizer is delicious and I practically live off of the hot and sour soup in the winter.
(4)Kevin B.
The food is pretty good, if it arrives before you've given up and eaten something else instead. Delivery order was 40 minutes late (over 1:40 since order was placed online), and their phones had a busy signal every time I tried to call (about ten times) over a half hour period.
(1)Rita S.
Ordered delivery and it came very quick. Two big problems: egg rolls came very cold and the low mein had a huge purple rubber band in it. I first thought it was a veggie, then I had it in my mouth. It was huge. I'm not sure I'd go back :(
(3)Greg S.
This is our goto place for Chinese food when we have the need. They deliver pretty fast and always friendly. Sometimes the food is a little greasy but not always.
(4)Alli K.
I think it's about time I review TNR. They have been my go-to Chinese takeout place for the past year. Sometimes I think I should branch out and try someplace else, but then I think "why would I do that?!" TNR is great. My personal favorites include the beef fried rice (good smoky flavor) and pork with garlic sprouts (just the right amount of spice and very garlicky!). I also love their dumplings (pork pan-fried are the best, duh) - they are very doughy and chewy, which I really enjoy but I know some people prefer them to be thinner. Overall, their veggies always seem good and fresh, their flavors are spot on, and (most importantly) their delivery is always fast! Reliable and tasty, what more could you want?
(4)Leena K.
Only tried taro green milk tea minus the boba. Tasted very powdery and definitely not worth nearly $5 in my opinion.
(2)Veronica B.
Very disappointing bubble tea. My sister and I both had the coconut flavor and I watched them make it. They used powder milk, some type of coconut juice that appeared to be artificially sweetened with coconut flavor, and some other liquid that I could not see bc it was in the fridge. Will not come here for bubble tea again.
(1)Shahrzad R.
Tasty Chinese delivery! They do have a restaurant but I usually get delivery because this is my go to place when I don't want to leave the house. I get the veggie delight and my husband loves the mooshoo chicken (get extra wraps). Comes with all the sauces but there have been a few times I've ordered it with been brown rice and been charged but they bring white instead. Brown is $2 extra. When I call to tell them they make a note of it and credit it for the next time I order. While I wish they just didn't forget - stuff happens. All in all, great Chinese delivery.
(4)Ryan R.
This review is going to be short and simple. This place has the best orange chicken I have ever had outside my own kitchen. its weet, but also has a little spice to it which is exactly how I like it. I live down the street and sometimes I wish I had never been introduced to this place because I have become a much too frequent customer. The steamed dumplings are also delicious.
(5)Kimberly D.
Easiest delivery process ever...and quick! Crispy fries rice, crab Rangoon, and beef and snow peas were best we've had in Arlington (yea, I realize that's not saying much) I'll be back!
(4)Betsey L.
This review is not for the food but STRICTLY for the Milk Tea. Coming from NYC, I've had great bubble tea/ milk tea experiences at places like Saints Alps in the East Village. I've ordered the green tea w milk a few times. Once w/ bubbles (not a fan of their bubbles, I think they should be soaked in sugar and at times its overcooked). I've also ordered just the green tea w milk w/out bubble as a cold drink, AND hot drink. IT IS LEGIT. The tea flavor quality is similar to that of Saints Alps in NYC. I have a sneaking suspicion they order from the same place in taiwan (waitress told me they order a lot of stuff from taiwan) OR they are somehow related to Saints Alps bc I ordered cold sesame noodles ($3.95 - not too bad, would prefer a thinner noodle width), and received small plates w/ the Saints Alps logo on it. I have yet to try to regular blk tea w/ milk. I need to try more food to write a legit food review - i will update this review when i do so. But so far, the milk tea, GREEN MILK TEA....is legit. and the bathrooms are clean. :)
(4)Sissy C.
My parents own a Chinese take out restaurant back home and they've been chefs for 30 years. And I can definitely say that this is up to par with my parent's food (at least the authentic Chinese food is). I ordered the Authentic Chinese Food deal where you get 2 meals and 1 soup for $18.95 which isn't bad for 2 people. I got the Chinese sausage with egg, shredded pork with dry bean curd (AKA tofu) and tomato egg drop soup. IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOOOODDD. The Chinese sausage and egg taste just like how my dad makes it, and I am very picky about the Chinese food I eat cause they're usually not as good as my parents. But I do get homesick and miss their food and decided to try out a Chinese place here in Arlington and I'm glad I tried TNR Cafe. Everything was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and I will Definitely order from them again!
(5)L G.
I am a fan of this place. i love their hot and sour soup and BUBBLE TEA!!!! I would go there just for their bubble tea. It is authentic tasting for sure!! The Chinese food there is not completely authentic, like the ones I've been to in NY's chinatown, but it is still pretty good! It's a cute place and very clean. There are plenty of seating as well! Very friendly customer service and i always appreciate that! I would recommend people to try this place out! :D
(2)Courtney R.
Gag me. I'm not a big fan of Americanized Chinese food (not that I've had authentic) because I find it greasy and nasty. This place reinforced that opinion. The Kung Pao was disgusting. It was the kind of chicken that urban legends are made of. On top they threw a bunch of roasted peanuts, they weren't even stirred in. It wasn't hot at all--though I wished it was to cover up all the funk. No chiles in sight. I couldn't even stomach the egg roll. Egg rolls are like pizza--nearly impossible to mess up. TNR is the Cici's of Chinese food. You've been warned.
(1)J.C. J.
Seriously good bubble teas, and too much good food on each plate.
(5)Brandi G.
Now there are some good things to be had at this place, maybe not the best, but good in the scheme of things for the DC metro area. For one, their boba is good! Two, the prices and quantity are decent. Three, it reminds me of some noodle places easily found in California which are somewhat hard to find over here. [Milk Tea] They advertise their milk teas as cream tea and maybe that is the reason why their texture is so velvety. I'm not sure, but I throughly enjoyed it. I also have to give it up for the pearls. None of this chewy on the outside, hard on the inside business that you can typically find out here. This was perhaps the best textured and perfectly chewy pearls I have had here. I tasted the taro milk tea as well. I was amazed at how true and flavorful the taro flavor stood out. It wasn't overly sweet or watery like many other taro milk teas. [Food] The dishes we had were about $8-$9 each. This was for dinner prices (for lunch, it's about half that price). I definitely had left overs for lunch the next day because it was a plate full. We had the sauteed beef & tomato over rice and chow foon. No complaints here. The sauteed beef and tomato over rice tasted of what was to be expected (sweet tomato sauce with beef and rice). The chow foon had wide noodles and was flavorful.
(4)Anita S.
*This review is only of the bubble tea TNR's bubble tea wasn't edible. At all. The tea itself was unmemorable. What was memorable were those pearls. They hadn't been soaked for long enough, so that the centers were hard. Teeth-cracking hard. We used the straw to remove the pearls.
(1)Miss B.
We have been systematically ordering from Chinese take outs since we moved to Arlington from DC to find our go to take out place and have yet to find one that stands out. TNR was the last one we tried. We ordered: 1) Pork & szechuan pickles soup- delicious broth, not tart like you may think. This could definitely be a great cold-cure type soup. I would recommend this. 2) Beef & broccoli - (our standard comparison for systematic evaluation) was... I hate to say it, but just bland. 3)Being hung over, I got something that I never never never get... General Tso's - I wanted something fried - it was ultimately not worth the calories. It was also kind of bland and didn't achieve that lovely caramelized coating that I craved. One positive comment about the General Tso's was that the broccoli was crisp, like they let only the steam from delivery time to cook it. Even though the food was probably two stars, the woman on the phone taking the order was extremely nice and informative (re-capped order, gave me total $...). Perhaps good food + good communication cannot coexist in the world of Chinese takeout. I also gave the food 3 stars instead of 2 because we did get it via delivery, which I am sure compromises the food quality some and I would like to think that on a less busy day it may be better. I would go back to try TNR's bubble teas -they sound good, and maybe even dine in, based on some of the others posts, but I'm not sure that we will order take out again.
(3)Xinghan L.
I tried double cooked pork in this restaurant , just felt like incredible teste 。
(5)jacky n.
Good, quick Chinese take away from what I can tell. Couple that with affordable prices and free delivery, and you've got a contender. Don't come here expecting amazing, authentic Chinese food--just something to satiate "that" craving.
(4)April C.
I ordered spring rolls and General Tsao's chicken for delivery. I could not eat the chicken - half was gristle, half was fat. Probably the worst I've ever had. I ate a couple pieces and bleh. The spring rolls were also disappointing - tasteless an soggy. I will not be ordering from here again.
(2)Ami F.
Tried this place for dinner on a Sunday night with my boyfriend, and we were both impressed! I think most Chinese restaurants in the area fall into the category of meh, but man, this was great. We ate: - vegetable eggrolls: fine, but nothing special - pan fried pork dumplings: YUM! better than your average dumpling - sesame beef: good. crispy. comes with a fair amount of veggies. a little spicy. - ginger chicken casserole: our favorite! really tasty, with snow peas, and some other veggies thrown in. Overall everything was tasty and nothing was too oily/greasy. We were pleasantly stuffed and even had some leftovers to take home. At the end of our meal our waitress brought us fortune cookies and a few slices of oranges. I got two fortunes in my cookie - a good sign? For "dessert" we ordered bubble tea. I had the almond milk tea (super almondy and satisfying) and he ordered the strawberry tea (good but not as tasty) As for the service, our waitress was friendly and very speedy. The restaurant also wasn't very crowded so this probably helped We will definitely come back. I just wish I lived closer!
(4)Misha A.
Yummy! I work nearby and a colleague asked me if I'd like to order some food and I went ahead and chose the kung pao chicken and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved how nothing was greasy or "drippy" and the dish had a little spice to it as promised -- I would have loved it if it were a bit spicier, but I'm sure you can specify this to your tastes. The lunch portion was generous, and eaten in a way such that I can only hope to be upgraded to an office soon...since no one in the cubes really wants to see me inhale my food :) I'll definitely place another order soon.
(5)Dennis Y.
We were in the mood for Taiwanese, and this place came up first in the search results. It's a nice little cafe, and the place was probably half full even in the late afternoon. Wife wanted to try the Taiwanese fried chicken, but it's only available in the "combo" meal - two choices from a list of about 15 dishes plus a soup. I wanted to try the zhajiang mian, but it wasn't on the list and there were no substitutions, so we got the mapo tofu along with the fried chicken and tomato/egg drop soup. The soup and mapo tofu were decent; the chicken was good, although more chicken katsu than the yan su ji my wife was craving. The bubble tea we both got was good as well. A bit pricier than it should be, but I'd go back.
(3)Athena C.
Tea Noodles has very friendly service and they are super fast during lunch hours. The price is also very easy on the wallet. I came here during my job training and stopped by for lunch. It is not truly authentic but better than those fake Chinese takeout spot. It is a reliable and decent Chinese lunch spot. I would not say it is among the top places though.
(3)Mike C.
20 minutes late for less than 5 miles delivery. Food orders were cashew chicken and orange chicken. Was very average Chinese, a step up from random hole in the wall where you have to prefer from being bullet proof glass and you'd rather not know what the meat source was.
(2)Sushi C.
Good to go place if you are in a hurry or just eating with family. The decor is simple and sparse, nothing fancy. The Chinese food is ok, and the service is nice and the prices reasonable. The portions are generous so you can have a doggie bag with enough for another meal. I had the Twice cooked pork with garlic sprouts and Beef with some vegetable and mushrooms, in the latter the mushrooms were big and fat as they are supposed to be. The fourth star in this review is because they have PEARL TEA! Not easy to find in mainland Chinese restaurants (it is more of a Taiwanese and South Asian thing). I almost gave it a three star because of the TVs, which are always very annoying in any restaurant that is not a sports bar. Would go back again if the TV is off.
(4)Mariana G.
I have had good experiences with this place before, but I picked up the food at the restaurant. Today I ordered delivery. It took them 45 minutes to deliver my food, I live in the same neighborhood. I called 20 minutes after putting my order, and they said "It's on the way", 25 minutes after that... My food was here! But it was disappointing.
(2)Chris B.
Food is so so, ordered through Grub Hub delivered to the Hotel, forgot to pack silverware, had to walk a mile to the Cafe to pick it up. No real apologies. Better options in the area..
(2)Lauren R.
Great food for the price and incredibly quick delivery. I usually get delivery and do wonton soup, spring rolls, and orange chicken. The chicken is occasionally a bit too fatty for my taste, but the flavors in general are good and I love the option of including a side of fried rice. Not the best I've ever had, but will definitely meet a craving.
(4)Mimi T.
Love the delivery guy.. so sweet Just had the Beef noodle soup. It is SO on point it is ridiculous! I can't stop eating it and it's so much. Also ordered the beef with spicy green peppers...first off let me say I LOVE spicy food but this had me crying. Really good flavor but I had to stop b/c I couldn't even see my fork from all the tears streaming down my face. Last time I ordered the boy and I ordered the chow foon and crispy shredded beef. It was my only fail from ordering here. I should've listened to the other reviews b/c the beef chow foon noodles were all slimy and broken and too much oil. The flavor was great but I couldn't even finish it b/c I couldn't get past how bad the noodles were. The crispy shredded beef was eh... a little too sweet for the boy. Not bad but not good either. Stay away from these two things!
(4)Eve L.
I always have a pleasant experience here. I order the the shrimp and wanton noodle soup every time. They accommodate requests (sometimes I like a different type of noodle). Their general tso tofu dish is to die for. I've been coming here for years and the food and service has always been right on.
(5)Trancendental 1.
I love TNR, for American-Chinese takeout restaurants it is as good as they come. I really like the Kung Pao Chicken and their specialty, the crispy beef!
(5)Tim B.
Very ordinary lunch. Beef w/broccoli slathered in sauce, large dollop of white rice. Typical Chinese restaurant fare.
(2)Jey J.
I absolutely love this place. I am Chinese and i find a lot of their items very authentic. I also love the easy access to order delivery through the Yelp app. I am obsessed with their bubble tea, tomato fried rice, all of their noodle soup dishes are amazing. It really is comfort food to me eating here. This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Arlington.
(5)Colin S.
Great Delivery Spot! Quick and exactly what you expect from Americanized Chinese food. Helpful for when you've been... out all night in clarendon and just want some General Tso's Chicken.
(5)Patricia V.
TNR is my go-to place for Chinese takeout. The General Tso's chicken with brown rice is my favorite. They are very fast and friendly. I highly recommend TNR!
(5)Sushil K.
Great spot to grab lunch. Always packed and quick to service. Lunch special has good options, or you can order of their menu.Their chicken corn soup for 2 is more like for 6 a very generous portion.They also offer bubble tea.
(4)Elizabeth S.
I'm pretty impressed with this place. The tawianese noodles were really good. We also had peking duck...we were a little worried because this place wasn't specialized in it, but we were very impressed. It was very crispy and tasted really good just as good as the resturants that specialize in just peiking duck. We also had duck wonton soup - i dont' remember it being on the menu but they made it for us anyways and i was also impressed with it. Highly recommend.
(4)Elana G.
Everything I've had here has been good. In my initial review I wrote about the ma po tofu, zha jiang mein, and kung pao chicken. I recently ordered the kung pao chicken (again), beef in sichuan spicy broth, and Taiwanese rice noodles (after seeing it recommended in several reviews). I asked for the kung pao chicken extra spicy, but they did not make it extra spicy. This was a disappointment but the flavor was still there. Both the other two dishes were really really good. Actually the beef in sichuan spicy broth was more spicy than the kung pao chicken. The Taiwanese noodles were a bit on the oily side but still delicious. Definitely continuing to order takeout from here in the future.
(4)Linnea J.
Delicious! My Chinese friend took me here and told me it's quite authentic. There are lots of vegetarian options and they are willing to make some dishes vegetarian that aren't necessarily supposed to be. For example, I love their vegetarian stir-fried green beans! But on the menu the green bean dish is listed as having meat in it :)
(5)L w.
This used to be a great place to eat reasonable chinese food in Courthouse- we just went there recently however and got 3 different meals to go. I found a piece of small metal in my son's rice which shocked me. My husband's chicken dish was horrible and my meal was just edible. It's sad to see a once decent place go so far downhill but it's clear they have stopped caring about food quality or maybe they have changed to some very sloppy chefs. Regardless we won't be returning.
(1)Airicko S.
Good Food, but expensive for Chinese food. I'd Rather order from Eastern Carryout.
(3)Hoang H.
I went here to give this place a try just for the bubble tea. Instead, my group decided to eat here to try it out while we get our bubble tea fix. We ordered Singapore Rice Noodle and half portion of Peking Duck. Our experience with the entrees were great. They were tasty. The Peking Duck didn't have much fat coming with it, which is fine by me. It still tasted delicious. The Singapore Rice Noodle has good flavor to it. As for the bubble tea drinks, we tried lychee black tea, passion fruit tea, almond with black milk tea, coconut with black milk tea, taro green milk tea, honey dew green milk tea, and mango green tea. Now this is why they lost one star: the regular tea/green tea choices, there's just not much flavor in them. As for the milk tea, they were tasty and better than the regular tea/green tea choices. The second time we came around just for the bubble tea, we asked them if they can add more flavor to the regular tea/green tea drinks, and that made it so much better. In the end, I'd still get bubble tea here, as any flavor was enjoyable, just make sure you tell them nicely to add more flavor to the regular tea/green tea drink. Now there's a good reason to not drive to Maryland (Bubble Tea Cafe) to get exceptional bubble tea drinks. This place suffices for the time being. I like to come to this restaurant over the weekend, late in the evening because it's free parallel parking on Wilson Blvd. I wouldn't dare come here during regular weekday because I don't want to pay for parallel parking. It appears that they have parking in the back of the buildings, but good luck with parking. It's Arlington - parking sucks and be careful where you park (you can get towed easily). I would definitely come back again and eat more of their food and drink their bubble tea. Update (09/10/2015): For those who are looking for bubble tea in NoVA, there are a couple of better choices that are in Annandale now: Kung Fu Tea and SnoCream. Those two places are most likely better than this place and it's no longer feasible for me to drive here to get bubble tea when Annandale is more convenient and just as good or better tasting tea drinks.
(4)L. B. M.
Food was good but delivery is horrible. Took 1 hour 45 minutes to receive our food. Tried to call to find out where our food was and the phone rang busy.
(3)Diana B.
For $31, we had vegetable eggrolls, crab rangoon, curry chicken, and chicken fried rice. The fried rice was tasty, the curry chicken was very spicy and good, the crab rangoon was forgettable, and the eggrolls were completely inedible. If there's one thing that Chinese restaurants should NAIL, it's eggrolls. The food was too inconsistent, and we won't be ordering again. :(
(3)Steve K.
Got take out .. food was cold. No spoon or chopsticks or fork. No napkins. Got hot and sour soup and general tso's ... do I just go barbaric and eat with my hands?
(2)Megan B.
I love TNR. It is by far the best take out (Americanized) Chinese food in the area. I have ordered several items on the menu and have been pleased 80% of the time. There are a few misses here and there, mostly when ordering to-go. Sometimes you don't get any chopsticks/cutlery or napkins, so make sure to double check before you walk out.
(4)Feitty E.
I gave a 5 star for the food before. This for the service which i felt very rude. I came back to eat for the third time bringing a friend. There were 3 of us. After we pay the bill and prepare to get up the lady who served come and said to us the bill was not including the tips. We just nod as we were wearing our jacket (usually i give tip before i walk out). The lady talked to us waiving the bill and again stating that the bill didnt including tip and forced us to add more for tip. Sigh. Definitely not coming back even if i enjoyed the food. Hope the owner reads this and trained their server better.
(1)Wayne L.
I wish Yelp can do .5 stars... but then it could get too crazy. Never mind. I'm already imagining all the potential .5 star establishments; some places in this world can't even get one full star. Anyway, TNR Cafe in Clarendon was a surprise. It is very accessible, right across from the Courthouse metro. What shocked me the most here was the beef stew noodle soup. It tasted very authentic, was not too oily, and the beef was very soft and tender. Honestly, it was a surprise. It was almost comparable to, say, Jumbo Jumbo's beef stew noodle, which I still maintain is one of the best in this area. The bubble tea as a whole was alright - the bubbles/boba/tapioca was on the hard side and not that chewy. .5 star there. Otherwise, our passion fruit green tea was sweet and tasty and hit the spot. My girlfriend and I also got a beef and tomato over rice. It was exactly that - beef and tomato over rice. Nothing too fancy, and nothing to write home about. There are plenty of other dishes I want to try, and despite my 3 star rating, I will indeed be back. Even if it's just for the beef stew noodle soup. That ish was good. Plus, it was only a 20 minute walk from Virginia Square; the walk really helped us digest. I guess. *3.5 stars*
(3)Alyssa T.
This is our go to Chinese take out place in courthouse. The online orders are quick and easy and food is usually ready in the time it takes us to walk over there. Big portions and a really nice staff. Need to branch out and try more on their menu but we always have a good experience with them!
(4)Souky B.
Good Service, had the duck soup, wasn't what I expected but it was good...and had yummy lychee bubble tea...
(3)Katie B.
I just love this place. General Tso's Tofu is my staple here, and it never disappoints. The staff has always been friendly as well.
(5)Ben S.
I feel bad for the staff of this place. Its an adorable little chinese restaurant, with a good location, that is fast, clean and well managed. egg drop soup - eh, definitely watered down, but good enough rice - well its hard to mess up rice,fine bubble tea - pretty good, but I have seen bubble tea machines in many stores so they very likely just used a cartridge or something vegetables - stale, discolored, very likely microwaved and/or frozen and defrosted multiple times, tasted bitter chicken - oh my god, inedible. foul, dark, slimy, nauseating, I had no idea what part of what animal it was. also very likely microwaved and/or frozen and defrosted multiple times, tasted bitter I have worked in a restaurant before. TNR should get a better supplier, it is not hard.
(1)Curly Q.
Decent place for Chinese. Kung Pao anything a good choice. Good soups, but I hope you like salt. Avoid the egg rolls, extremely greasy. Crowded over lunchtime, so consider picking up or you may have to wait for a table in the crowded space by the door. Bubble tea is pretty good also, I like the almond flavor. Beware - they have an unposted $10 credit card minimum and will fuss at you about it.
(3)Pratik P.
This place really disappointed me tonight! It's usually a pretty solid spot, but the dishes were completely bland, off proportion, and outright gross. I'm hoping it's because they were busy on a Friday night, but it's still not an excuse. The bubble tea was also awful--not a surprise in the DC area, but I know it's not that hard to make. Texture was completely off, hard tapioca, and extremely sweet. It was only $4, so I'm not too disappointed. I hope this doesn't happen again!
(2)Paul Z.
Best chinese food in the area. Delivery man is great. Good generalsChicken. Small-ish portions but not bad!
(4)Ryan F.
Best Chinese around here and really great service. Only thing that needs work is spring rolls. Sesame chicken over general Taos. Dumplings are really good. The ginger shrimp dish is also great. Hit and sour and miso soups are great.
(5)bigbigfish z.
Used to go there a lot when I lived in courthouse and loved the bubble tea. Had lunch there today. Kungpao chicken was pretty good. But the bubble tea was so disappointing. It tastes like water. No milk, no tea, just tasted like cheap artificial flavor and a little bit of cream. I told the the waitress about it, she said she could take it back and add more flavor to it. But it didn't make much difference. I ended up taking it home adding more milk and a black tea bag in it. Will not get bubble tea from TNR cafe anymore. 3 star is for the service.
(3)Carolyn H.
After a friend recommended TNR, we decided to give it a try. We ordered takeout, and we were really impressed with the quality and authenticity of the dishes. The West Lake beef soup has ribbons of egg in a chicken-based broth with tender chunks of beef. It was really tasty and flavorful, without being too heavy. For our entrees, we had the Singapore Rice Noodle, which was seasoned well with curry powder. It had julienned chicken breast, tender shrimp, and sliced roast pork. I personally was quite impressed by the amount of protein in this noodle dish. We also really enjoyed the Szechuan string beans with beef. With bits of pickled radish that gave depth and bite, this dish tasted really authentic, not Americanized. We found it well-balanced, with great contrasts in textures. Even though we were full, we couldn't help going back for seconds, thirds, and fourths of this dish. I never imagined that we would find a reasonably priced Chinese restaurant that serves authentic dishes in this immediate neighborhood. it is the real deal. Highly recommend.
(5)Lyns M.
TNR is my go-to for Chinese in the DMV. As a SF area native, I'm very spoiled and very picky when it comes to Chinese food and I order from here every week or two. Pros: *Fast Delivery! minimum $15 I think, but free eggrolls/bubble tea for spending over $25 *Decent food - My faves are the tofu dishes, the eggplant (which has a TON of fried stuff but is very tasty), the hot n sour(the flavor is constantly changing but it's usually pretty good), the chicken noodle, and the chow foon. *Good potstickers - IMO the fried veggie dumplings are the best outside of NY on this side of the country I would give the food a solid 3.5 stars because I'm spoiled. However, the friendlieness, speed, and ease of ordering give it an exta .5 star. I would recommend this place if you're in the area.
(4)Elizabeth M.
A cute little joint tucked into the row next to the Post Office on Wilson Blvd near Courthouse Metro, there were 4 or 5 tables of people here on a cold Saturday mid-afternoon. Called ahead for carryout and ordered Miso Soup and Veggie Dumplings. I've been experimenting with making my own dumplings and I wanted to compare these, which were listed as Home made on the menu. Got my carryout but neglected to check whether I was given napkins or utensils. Mistake. When I got back to work, there were none of the above. I found a plastic coffee stirrer on a friends desk, and used that. The Miso soup was fine, very hot in its plastic container. I used the coffee stirrer to stir up some of the miso from the bottom, but the stirrer wasn't up to the task of bringing the tofu cubes to my mouth. When the soup was all drunk from the side of the container, I funneled the plastic container into my mouth and poured a stream of miso/seaweed combo down the hatch. OK, not ideal. The steamed dumplings were kind of a disappointment. Very doughy, not a lot of the the cabbagey filling. There was a container of soy-sauce based dipping sauce which helped a little. But, hard to eat with a coffee stirrer. Although there were no utensils or chop sticks in my bag, there was a packet of those greasy wonton soup toppers. Haven't ever had these with miso soup. Into the trash. On the bright side, I got a fortune cookie with the advice, "You will make a change for the better." Hope that TNR will, too.
(2)Sonny R.
Best Taiwanese/Chinese food in the area hands down. They don't load up on grease and has healthy steamed options. Some of my fav: Spicy beef stew, steamed vegetables with shrimp, lo mein with shrimp, fish filet and roast duck soup
(4)Miss B.
No lunch menu on Saturday and they want to upcharge $2 to add bean sprouts....FAIL However, what really made this experience go from a 3-star to 1-star rating was something I witnessed while dining in. A female and male brought a crate fresh green beans to the front to snap them. The crate had openings wide enough that some of the beans fell on the floor. The gentlemen picked up two handful of beans that directly hit the floor and snapped them and threw them in with the rest of the beans. As beans fell off of the table, they continued to pick them off of the floor and into the bile to be prepared with other meals. I have to believe a health risk exists with this type of food service methods. YUCK. NEVER AGAIN
(1)Donald P.
Orange Chicken - Good, tender, sweet, orange-y. Same as General Tso and Sesame Chicken Chow fun - asked that they try not to make it too greasy...came out somewhat mushy instead. Probably won't be ordering that again here. Fried rice - Good. Combination had a good amount of meats. Shrimp was soft and not overcooked. Definitely will be coming back.
(4)Allison P.
I'm no bubble tea expert, but this is the best I've ever had. It is also unlike any other bubble tea I've ever tasted. I ordered the almond black tea; B got the strawberry green tea. They were both delicious! More like a smoothie compared to the bubble tea I've had in the past which is 100% liquid. Filled us up and made us very happy. Can't wait to try the other flavors! A little nervous about how close this is to my apartment..
(4)Donacha H.
Tonight I ordered Szechuan Scallops for my wife and myself. We order Cafe Asia once every two weeks and we were looking for a different alternative. I have to admit this had to be the worst Szechuan Scallops I have ever tasted. The entire dish was a poor quality sweet and sour sauce cooked onions and scallops, and that was it. I have been in the restaurant business for over 30 and am not a big fan of people critiquing every meal they eat. But after two bites of this meal I had to voice my opinion.
(1)Mark B.
This place is solid. I really enjoyed the Kung Pao shrimp, chicken fried rice, veggie egg rolls, and hot and sour soup we ordered. It came quickly, but the food was clearly prepared with care. Eat here. It's good.
(4)Amanda T.
My roommate orders TNR cafe probably at least 3 times a week. He is very particular about his Chinese food and has given it a big thumbs up. He is quickly becoming a regular and knows the cashiers. There is always TNR in my fridge, but I tried it for the first time yesterday. My roommate had visitors and we got take out for a leisurely dinner in. We ordered eggplant in garlic sauce, green beans and an item not on the menu: two orders of shredded beef with dried tofu. You can also ask for vegetables that aren't on the menu such as tong-xin-cai (translated into hollow stemmed veggie? but googled it to be water spinach) and snow pea shoots (my fav!) but they didn't have any that day. The Northern-style Chinese food is too greasy for my taste, but very flavorful. There were 4 of us and I originally thought 4 dishes would be too much food, but everything save a box of rice was consumed. They deliver as well! A service I'm sure my roommate will use in the very close future as the weather becomes colder. Yummy but greasy.
(4)Anna H.
Went here for lunch during the work week, it was very tasty and you get a relatively good sized portion for the lunch special. I got the kungpao chicken and was supprised with how tasty and fresh the vegetables were and the chicken was cooked just right and almost browned in the sauce. Yum. It is not my hands down favorite place ever but I will definitely be going back here for lunch whenever I am craving chinese!
(4)Josh S.
It's nice little cozy Chinese restaurant on Wilson. The interior design and atmosphere do not give you any China-like feels - which I find a good sign because most Chinese restaurant tend to have 'we don't care about how restaurant look, we just serve good food' looks. This one has both. The staff were attentive - although it was 80% occupied while we went, the lone lady was fast enough to check up on us and re-fill our waters before we had to call her up. The place was very clean, had few LCD screens, and nice lighting work done on the roof. Definitely not your typical Chinese restaurant. The foods were great too. I find it bit pricey but given the fact that location is on Wilson (probably higher rent) and interior design (quality atmosphere) makes up for that extra $2 for Chicken/Beef dishes. I got the Combination Fried Rice (Young-Chow) and my friend ordered General Tso's Chicken. The portion was adequate. We are both grown up healthy mid 20s and was able to get stuffed with our dishes. If you crave for some authentic Chinese foods, this probably isn't the first choice from me. Being an Asian, I've been to more genuine places with cheaper meals, but I don't remember having a great services from any of those. This place is more of those Chinese restaurant you can take your date out to if she is feeling some Chinese foods for the night. Try the bubble-tea too as they're delicious.
(4)Juichia C.
The best neighborhood Chinese delivery/take out place I've ever seen or been to. It's clean and food is better than your average Chinese fast food. What most people don't know is that they have a Chinese menu, which is also shown on the back of their delivery menu... written in Chinese of course. The Chinese menu offers a variety of authentic dishes that you can't find on the English menu. For example, they have beef noodle soup, which is quite delicious. Their mu shoo dishes and peking duck are good. The dumplings are not great, neither is the hot and sour soup. Can't complain about the bubble tea there! I'm really glad that TNR makes good bubble tea, so I can get my fix whenever I crave it! The ladies who work there are so nice, though I'm not sure if it makes a difference whether you speak Chinese to them or not.
(4)Todd R.
Nice, varied, healthy menu with good lunch specials and quick service. Reasonable prices, too. I have had meat dishes and vegetarian dishes, and TNR Cafe does well with both. Carryouts are also done well.
(5)Hannah B.
Not bad for standard Chinese fare. The sesame shrimp has too much breading and not enough shrimp. The general tsao chicken is good. It definitely fulfills a craving for Chinese.
(3)Monica S.
As I was walking into TNR Cafe tonight, I heard a group of girls walking past me say, "That place is ALWAYS empty. UGH...lame Chinese restaurant...why would people eat there?" Let me tell you why I eat at TNR Cafe. 1. It is reasonably priced. 2. They have the BEST bubble tea I've ever had. 3. They can cook you whatever you want. I walked in one day and asked for fried tofu with a million vegetables in black bean sauce....and that is exactly what they gave me, even though it wasn't on the menu. 4. It's the best take out Chinese I've eaten in this area. 5. DID I MENTION THEY HAVE AWESOME BUBBLE TEA? The end.
(5)Norlie L.
Pretty good on our 2nd try. Need to asked for NO MSG...
(3)Danny M.
I think these guys have the best "Americanized" Chinese in Arlington. PLUS, they serve kimchi (as Spicy Chinese Cabbage)! They are always fast and courteous, and their portions are fair. For example, their Kung Pao Chicken is not all peanuts like some places. You can also request all white meat chicken, though I am learning that dark meat chicken isn't necessarily that much worse for you. I've ordered from them several times and yet to have one single complaint.
(5)joe w.
I give high marks for the Boba. This place has an authentic Taiwanese reputation.
(4)Jay R.
Since moving to Arlington, I've walked and driven past this place countless times. I saw a Groupon offer a few days ago, and figured that it would be a good reason for my favorite dining girl and me to finally get there. We went last night, and we both give it a solid three stars. It's not excellent, but for a reasonably priced dinner (and happy hour Tsingtao beer!), it worked for us, and was better than a lot of other places we've been to, that were farther from home.
(3)Quentin B.
This rating is only for the Bubble Tea. I have only taken out the Mango Bubble Tea a couple times now but never ordered any food. So far, I've been very happy. The tea was good and fresh and the bubbles were cooked perfectly. Both times the staff asked if I was happy with my drink before I left. The first time I went, the young female staff member even tested the bubble before she made my tea. Maybe all the concern is because the drinks have been inconsistent (based on the other reviews). My friend had the Almond Bubble Tea and was also very pleased. I'm a little apprehensive to try the food there as others have had poor luck but TNR will remain on my list for Bubble Tea.
(4)Bro H.
This place seems to be getting worse. When I first discovered it a couple years ago, the food was significantly less greasy and seemed to contain much fresher ingredients than most delivery Chinese places. The last time we ordered, after a relatively long hiatus, I ordered the beef with hot peppers, which looked and tasted like green bell peppers, and came in what was unmistakably just grease and soy sauce, and my girlfriend got the hunan chicken, which she described accurately as tasting like "chicken in greasy water." The pan fried noodles used to be pretty darn good, and it's possible that this is still the case, but after receiving two disastrous dishes, I don't think we'll be bothering ordering from here again. On the other hand, the atmosphere at the restaurant itself is still relatively pleasant, so if you wanted, for some reason, to eat delivery-quality chinese in a nice-ish restaurant, this would be a good choice.
(2)Xing X.
I'd say it's more of a 3.5 overall, but my own experience is more of a 4. I can't really speak to the take-out type food here. I'm Chinese and speak it with the staff and generally only order from the menu with the funky letters on it. While it was decent, the food came out on the sweet side. I'd suggest hunting down a Chinese friend and forcing him/her to take you. Lure them with the promise of moderately tasty Chinese food on the cheap. They also have ok bubble tea here. If you've never tried any, you definitely should!
(4)Dan H.
A little overpriced and nothing special, but the best option in Arlington. Has kept me coming back at least once every few months. Keep an eye out for Groupon as they've had coupons in there before.
(3)Andrew T.
TNR (Tea Noodles Rice) is a terrific place. We originally found out about the restaurant via a positive local review and since then have been hooked on the place. Since our long tour of China we have been eagerly looking for a local restaurant that served authentic Chinese food - and pleasantly found it at Tea Noodles Rice. The sauces, tofu, vegetables and dishes are all well prepared, not fatty, and perfectly seasoned. The owners are Chinese and we thoroughly enjoy practicing our burgeoning Mandarin with all the staff who are very helpful. The actual environment could use some work. The narrow layout has little to dampen sound, so there is an echo, and too many LCD TV's mounted along the walls. However, at night there is a warm, red glow that permeates the restaurant, lending to the Chinese feel. Currently this is my wife and my local favorite and the staff always remember us and greet us warmly when we dine.
(5)Kelley F.
Mmmm I sort of want to keep the best-kept-secret a secret, but....this place is a vegetarian's DREAMLAND. Get ANY tofu dish and you will be delighted. I swear I order in TNR once a week because the kung pao tofu is THAT good. Always perfectly cooked, and instead of being soaked in an oily goopy sauce, the tofu is deliciously seasoned. TNR is consistently quick and delicious.
(5)Grace C.
While I'd been warned that Arlington was not known for its bubble tea, I had a craving and my Arlington-based sister suggested TNR. She'd been there once before and didn't think their food too bad (their potstickers' skins were too thick but the fried rice with ketchup was pretty good). So we quickly bought their green tea (one with and one without milk) and went home to watch the Australian Open. The tea was sweeter than necessary but what was disappointing enough to make me take time away from watching the game to write this review was the bubbles. There were a couple that were edible (i.e. could be chewed) but most were completely too hard (undercooked??) to even be consumed without breaking a tooth. Oh... if only I could get away charging $3/cup for serving this type of stuff. Friends don't let friends drink their bubble tea here.
(1)Giselle L.
Great Chinese food. Excellent sweet and sour shrimp-jumbo shrimp! The house noodle soup is perfect comfort food for a cold, rainy day. They are one of the few restaurants that serves bubble tea--refreshing!
(3)A F.
This is our favorite restaurant in this area of Arlington (and better than the food we have gotten in DC's Chinatown). The food is consistently excellent, and the prices are very reasonable. We especially love the spicy szechuan fish, crispy fried breef, and salt & pepper shrimp (all Chef's Specials). The basil eggplant and the beef noodle soup are good too. The staff are all very friendly and competent as well.
(5)G M.
I've only ordered delivery, so can't speak to the sit-down experience. The food is better-than-average Chinese food...but nothing mindblowing. The delivery is usually timely, and the food is always hot when it arrives. Also, they have coupons for free stuff (free bubble tea if you spend more than $25, etc...) which is always nice.
(3)Brandon C.
This isn't an area known for its Chinese food. Even in our fake "Chinablock" (I refuse to call it "Chinatown" as most Chinatowns don't have a Hooters or Ruby Tuesdays), the choices are sub-par. TNR Cafe is a consistent and yummy place to get some standard Chinese-American fare. Their noodle dishes, Kung Pao Chicken and dumplings are the typical things I get and I'm rarely disappointed. Their other dishes are pretty standard, but they don't LACK for anything which can't be said of most places in this region.
(4)Mar O.
So the caveat is, in general, I find most American Chinese food appalling, and because I'm sick, I keep ordering it in the hopes that it will somehow hit my Chinese food spot (and it rarely does). That being said, for Arlington, VA, for American Chinese in general, TNR is decent. But their stand out dishes are their over-rice meals. Whenever I've ventured off that little section of the menu, I have been disappointed. However, if you like Chinese American, I think you'll be pretty pleased with TNR overall. Last but not least, they have a secret Chinese menu, which I cannot read (!!!!), which I am sure I will want to order off of. Bah! It's language discrimination, I tell you.
(3)matt s.
They screwed me over on my bill then would not fix it. I have never given a place 1 star but take my advice and avoid this place. I also have a friend who found "something" in there food and also heard they have several health violations pending and could be closed soon.
(1)Kate M.
Pretty good Chinese food. General Tso's chicken is sweet and has a good kick to it. Eggrolls are so-so. Chicken lo mein is very good. Our order was ready in 10 minutes and it's right across from the metro - convenient indeed. About $25 for two entrees and eggrolls.
(3)Minger M.
My friends and I always order off the prix fix menu. Some of those dishes are so so but most are spot on. If you grew up in a Chinese household you appreciate the authenticity of the dishes. The prices are good and the food comes out fast. I downgraded the review. The food hasn't changed by my impressions have. The food has a Taiwanese filter. Renditions of mainland flavors are not so great.
(3)KeL L.
I am only giving this place two stars bec I have been to other nastier places with nastier foods. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE GUYS ! ... it's mediocre food. you can pay the same price and just drive down the street maybe ...3 traffic lights more and you'll find cafe asia, which has more menu variety and the food is fresher and tastier. Customer service at TNR is not good either. When I got there there was no one at the counter, there were a few customers eating and we could hear someone in the back kitchen arguing and yelling ... that is so unprofessional. Oh and you can get better bubble tea else where!
(2)Sara B.
Oh oh OH I'm doing it!! Giving a Chinese place 5 stars! We all know Chinese takeout/delivery is a dime a dozen and I so wish that these places would help themselves out with cleaner restaurants and fresher more flavorful food so they could stand out and I could fall in love with them! Anywho I regularly try new Chinese to look for the diamond in the rough. We ordered delivery from TNR and it came super fast. The lady who took my order over the phone was very easy to understand. The hot and sour soup had more effort then I have ever seen with scallions and large pieces of mushroom. The shrimp fried rice was flavorful and not greasy. The general tsos (could have been more crispy in my opinion) but was tasty and had fresh, BRIGHT, GREEN, CRUNCY broccoli in it. steamed pork dumplings mmmm....LOVE.
(5)Betty Y.
Decent But nothing special. The eggplant with garlic sauce, sesame chicken, and fried rice are all pretty good. But the egg rolls are horrible. The menu does have a selection of authentic looking fare, but I haven't tried those.
(3)Derrick L.
Pretty standard Chinese take-out. We've found it acceptable and when we do feel like eating this stuff once a year, it's been convenient. We tried the boba once--not good.
(2)A J.
Just orders some delivery from this place. Pretty good, food was reasonably priced and tasted good! I asked for my chicken fried rices and chicken with veggies to be made spicy and they graciously agreed. Delivery was quick. I'll will be ordering from these guys again :-)
(4)Paul W.
I live behind this place so I find myself at times trying things on their menu even though I don't want to. This place is truly subpar chinese food. Even the authentic section of their menu is weak. I only use this place for bubble tea now which is decent. Coconut is money.
(2)Alison F.
This place is good for the money. The food, including the garlic broccoli, the crispy eggplant (especially the garlic dipping sauce) and the passionfruit bubble tea, is yummy (I couldn't help myself and ate far more than I needed to). The service is decently fast (though there were only 6 of us having lunch at 4 PM and there were probably 6 waiters hanging around). The interior was very pleasant.
(4)emmy y.
I think this is a pretty good Chinese place in Courthouse. They have pretty authentic Chinese food , which is kind of hard to find around the Courthouse area. Food: Better than any other Chinese place around this area except China Garden Drinks: they have bubble tea, but it is not as good as i like it to be Overall, this place is worth the try.
(3)Christopher G.
My Favorite Chinese restaurant in Arlington. Awesome food, prompt friendly service, inexpensive (for the area), and there are always Asians eating there (I'm sure this means something).
(4)Ali O.
my roommate and I went here last week based on a recommendation and I really liked the food. The service was good, the decor was simple, the food was very good and nice size portions too. If you're in the area and need a quick inexpensive meal, check out TNR!
(4)Andy N.
It's Taiwanese style Chinese food and setting that's tasty and affordable. The place is pleasant, service is very nice, and food is good quality. It's in Courthouse section of Arlington, just a stone's throw from the Metro. It's one of the cleanest Chinese restaurants I know of. It's open Late, and you can get brown rice on request. Most of the clientele seem to be Asian-American. More than one Chinese friend took me there, and that's a good sign. I really couldn't ask for much more in a Chinese restaurant. But if it were closer to my house it wouldn't hurt!
(4)Benjamin N.
TNR has so much potential. It has a great location right near the Metro, a nice storefront, and some of the kindest owners and employees you will ever meet. But the food often falls flat. I have tried many of the standard menu items and in most cases, I have not been very impressed. The noodles dishes, the rice dishes, and the sauces all lack that flavor balance (and intensity in some cases) that you expect from a really good chinese restaurant. Sometimes the food is too sweet; sometimes it just lacks flavor. You get the picture. I want TNR to succeed. With some changes to some of its recipes and some more attention to detail, I think that it can.
(2)Jezz Z.
Not impressed. Not my go-to Chinese spot. Food is hit or miss. PROS: Pork dumplings Crispy shredded beef Friendly staff THEBOMB.COM bubble teas! Coconut is the best. I stopped going altogether because I came in once to buy a small container of plain white rice (I had cooked beef stir fry at home and needed a side). They charged me $5.99!! About same price of lunch special? A whole 5 lb. bag at the grocery store is $1.99! Absolutely RIDIC. On another occasion my chicken has a piece of plastic inside the breading!! I almost choked, had the dish removed, and my meal refunded. Rien Tong is a little further down the street in Clarendon; Thai restaurant with small Chinese selection, but always a satisfying experience. Cons: on the pricier side, and you get quality over quantity. However, they deliver uberfast and their General Tsao chicken is DE-lish (not to mention their Thai dishes). For a cheaper option, go to Hunan Number One. Great happy hour specials and food!
(3)Julia M.
Cheap, good service, and clean. But not AMAZING-- or maybe they toned down the spice in my dish because they thought I couldn't handle it... They do have bubble tea- which is a nice bonus.
(3)Amy K.
I am a Chinese-American from the west coast; now that I live in DC, Lo Mein dishes from TNR are my default comfort food. My favorite is Tomato Beef Lo Mein - which isn't even on the menu, but the restaurant workers are so friendly about customizing the order for me. (Granted, Tomato Beef on Rice is on the menu, and pretty similar.) Thank you, TNR, for filling the Chinese-restaurant-sized hole in my heart!
(4)Kat F.
TNR Cafe is right by the Courthouse station, which makes it perfect for pick up on my way home from work. They deliver pretty quickly too -- Once I had my order within 10 minutes of placing the call. I always get the Sichuan green beans -- they're amazing. Their fried rice is a little heavy on the grease, but it's also very good. I love the Hunan Chicken too, but it's the green beans that keep me coming back.
(4)Lily Z.
Its commendable that they have an authentic Chinese menu, however, I feel the chef here lacks the skill to make this a true destination like Hong Kong Palace or XO taste for Chinese diners. Stirred fried bok choy had too much starch and lacked that essential crunch that can only come from a really hot wok. The seaweed and egg drop soup was too salty. The beef dish wasn't as tender as I liked, probably due to poor velveting, and the salt and pepper shrimp wasn't crispy. It is still an ok place if you live in the area, just don't expect to be wow by anything.
(2)David H.
This is the go to Chinese take out in Arlington for me. Tried a little of everything, but usually end up with combination lo mein, general tso's, and maybe some rangoons. It's always fast and hits the spot
(4)Gregory D.
I do not usually like Chinese food. I find it terribly unhealthy and a poor substitute for Thai food. I had the steamed vegetables with chicken. It provides the sauce on the side. It allowed me to create the perfect dish to sauce ratio. I thought the vegetables were fresh and chicken of high quality.
(4)Vivian R.
I had just stopped in here today for a bubble tea snack - it was the TOTY (top-of-the-yelplist) post for my search. Not expecting too much, given the younger palates that live in the area, I was so pleasantly surprised. I don't know if it was a slight air of ginger in the air, the way the chairs sounded as they moved across the tile floor, or just sitting down with a fellow Taiwanese - but something about this place totally reminded me of the little dumpling places my grandparents would take me in Taipei. The place is not cavernous, and you can see into the kitchen (total plus!). Bubble tea menu is not a mile long, but they cover the major hits. And the bubbles - cooked perfectly! Not frozen or hard in the middle, not a slop of goo either. Just right. Yay. We also ordered an app plate of steamed dumplings. It is, next to hot and sour soup, my usual litmus test for Chinese places. The dumplings tasted so homemade, I could have sworn these guys hit my freezer this morning. Homemade skins, filling was chock-full-o cabbage as well as meat, total yum. The skins, though, were a little on the doughy side - I'm really picky about my skins, so that was just OK. My passion fruit tea, though, was perfect, and my fellow Taiwanese adventurer-in-chopsticks loved her Taro bubble tea. At first, I was worried that they had too few bubbles - but given that I was still slurping up the bubbles after my tea was done, I guess it was just the right amount. Next time, hot and sour soup, you are mine. This first mini-visit totally has spurred my curiosity!
(4)Allison N.
Really good noodles, and all kinds from different regions of Asia and whatnot. They also deliver wisely - aka, so things dont spill all over the place. It is quick too!
(4)A M.
I have been twice for take-out in the last two weeks and I got to say this is a great place. I come from a family that orders a LOT of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese food and I think this restaurant has to be one of the top in the DC region. We ordered house fried rice, Singapore noodles (a curry order), a beef order from the appetizer menu (I think it would be considered a BBQ beef order for Szechuan) - each time it's been excellent. The service has also been excellent - we wait a little long but it's well, well worth it because it's cooked to order. Given that they are two for two (two times ordering out, both times excellent, we'd definitely go back and I think we may even eat at the restaurant next time. The décor inside is also very nice and I think gives a sense of Taiwan. Our three servers for take-out have been helpful each time for ordering. Yep, I am definitely a fan. Well worth it.
(4)Brigid M.
Great Chinese place! I've tried a few in the area and this is definitely my favorite. They also have great lunch deals for if you work in the area. They use big pieces of chicken and it's very tasty and fresh. Delivery service is definitely a plus. Curry chicken is great. And general tsos. Love the flavor.
(5)Bryan D.
5-STARS in the category. TNR is nothing fancy but the food and service rise high above the sea of the thousands of Chinese faster food establishments. VERY friendly staff make the experience even better. If you are looking for great food and don't have a need for an elegant evening, then TNR is perfect. The Kung Pao chicken is delicious. I know it's not a true Chinese meal, and I order it with all-white meat and replace peppers with snow peas, but they cook with high heat giving it a great smoky, caramelized taste. They will alter the menu with a smile and the price is right. Judging this place and giving it two stars for the bubble tea isn't fair - this place is great.
(5)Steve A.
I've been a regular here for a few years running now and can confidently say that this place is a rock solid Chinese food takeout spot -- the kind I wish we had more of in DC. They get all the classics right and even throw in a few surprises. Any of the 'over rice' dishes are a great call and its tough to come here without ordering up a plate of their homemade dumplings (legitimately delicious). Only disappointment so far has been the pan fried noodles which were a bit too greasy. That said, I've tried the beef with snowpeas, mo-shu vegetables, chicken with broccoli, szechuan chicken and they have all be excellent. Good for take out or dining and highly recommended.
(4)Scott P.
From the outside decor, my expectations were low to say the least. However, after trying their food I did a 180!!!! Whole, white chunks of chicken cooked delicately with delicious sauce all for $7 during lunch. This was a great spot and glad I tried it
(4)Sarah H.
I've ordered takeout from here twice now and eaten here once - it's standard chinese takeout and their delivery service is timely and accurate. Their chicken and green peppers is solid. I wish they had more menu options (vegetable dumplings would be great) and wasn't super impressed by the vegetable eggrolls (a specific sauce for them beyond just a packet of soy sauce would have been nice) but this is definitely a good go-to when I need a quick chinese fix.
(3)Sheryl S.
TNR is a cozy attractive cafe staffed by a friendly professional wait staff. The menu lists all the usual Chinese offerings augmented by many welcome less usual offerings. There were three of us having dinner and we chose Mongolian beef, Singapore noodles and eggplant with basil. Each dish was well prepared and very flavorful. Portions seemed large to me - we took home enough yummy leftovers for at least another meal. I plan to go back and suggest that anyone who likes Chinese food give it a try.
(4)Aaron C.
Probably one of the best Chinese food places I've been to in the area. The Szechuan beef is very good. The only caveat is that some of their dishes are EXTREMELY greasy and oily. Definitely use as the occasional guilty pleasure because a couple of these a week and you'll be using a defibrillator on yourself. I definitely wish they were a little healthier with their ingredients.
(4)Nichole B.
This is usually my go to spot by my job when I want some chinese food. I usually stick to my favorites when I am just grabbing a quick lunch. I will have to admit they have went up by 1 dollar since I started working out here overe 3 years ago, but what can you expect it is Arlington, Va. You pay for the territory. My fave is their kung pao chicken. When I am hunkering for some spice for lumch that is what I will gravitate to. When I feel like keeping things basic, I will just stick to my usual which is the chicken and brocolli. I also like that you can substitute brown rice versus white rice for healthier food choices. I will have to warn you that they can get real busy around lunch time and I would advise calling in your order before picking it up. Also to they can improve in their customer service skills, their has times I have called and they either made the wrong dish or my food is not ready when I go to pick it up. They are not very accomadating at times. I would love to give them more than 3 stars but you have to wow me in order to get the full 5.
(3)Lena P.
I found this place via seamless as one of the Chinese delivery options in Arlington- there is a $20 minimum which is kinda steep but it at least includes tax/tip/delivery charge, and the delivery was super quick. Anyways I am so glad I decided to order from here because I will definitely order from Tea Noodles Rice Cafe again! The quality was significantly better than the typical Chinese-American delivery place, and the two things I ordered tasted rather authentic (I say this with a bit of authority as I grew up with a Taiwanese mom who made me the best food ever). I had the almond bubble milk tea and the peking style pork with pancakes (off the chef's specials). The milk tea was pleasant- creamy but not heavy, sweet but not overly so, and the bubbles were a good texture (although they would get stuck in the straw sometimes). The peking style pork was exactly what I expected/hoped for, coming with the thin pancakes, scallions and pork and including rice that was made with the proper texture/consistency/taste. A bit salty, but I didn't mind, and good-sized portions - I only wish there were more pancake skins to go with the large amount of pork/sauce/onions. I shall be back to try the other things on their menu and hopefully they won't disappoint! Edit: The black pepper steak, crispy fried shredded beef, and fish fillet in szechuan spiced broth (all on the chef's specials menu) are all amazing. They definitely gained a regular.
(4)Anita L.
My friend woke up in the morning and said "I want Chinese food" Being the tourist we are, we found this restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Again, this prove to me to never trust the ratings of a Chinese restaurant reviewed by non-Chinese patrons... Walked inside a nice clean restaurant right before the lunch hour rush came in and was greeted by our friendly waitress. Lunch special 11-3p around $6-$7, and I got the Mapo Tofu and Hot n Sour soup. Service was good, but the food is a whole different story. Hot and Sour Soup was okay, but the Mapo Tofu was nasty. It was so salty that I had to fight to urge to just get the bill and walk out the door. The food was so bad that Panda Express felt like fine dining to me when I was trying to poke through that dish of Mapo Tofu. Thank goodness I don't live around this area and I have real Chinese food at home. They get 1 star from me for the friendly staff and fortune cookie.
(1)Tara E.
I would like to entitle this review, "Pleasantly Surprised". I only tried this place out because I was waiting in my chiropractor's office across the street and became super hungry. I was absolutely craving of noodles and decided to place an order to go. In the past I learned not to have high expectations of Chinese food outside NY and San Francisco. TNR is a nice place with good energy, a pleasant staff, and is conveniently located right across the street from the Courthouse metro. They give you a lot of food for the money and it was tasty!! And like most good Chinese food, it made great leftovers. I gave the place 4 out of 5 stars since this was my first time, but I may upgrade it to 5-stars after I sample a few more dishes soon! Yum!
(4)Kevin K.
?????......you can really call this place a bookmark in the book of mediocrity! All I have to say is if your hungover and you have no energy to go out and eat order from here. I am not saying that they aren't nice people but the food I ordered was just a mess. I order the half duck, and the shrimp wonton noodle. I have such high expectations because you can't get jia chang mein, or da lu mein anywhere else. I was hoping for more flavor in the broth and better noodles. But what can you do, people in this area have no idea how good it is at other places so, I will say if your lazy and need a fix then go ahead and enjoy! Otherwise make some effort and get something to eat! Cheers and happy hunting!
(1)N B.
TNR has been our go-to Chinese delivery place for over a year now and we have yet to be disappointed! We order every couple weeks and delivery is generally quick. The food is quite good and comes in good portion sizes. At this point I think I've had the majority of their chicken and beef dishes and all of them have been very tasty. No complaints whatsoever, just a solid source of (american) Chinese food.
(5)Mike S.
Nice, authentic, no-frills Chinese restaurant tucked in a strip mall. This place doesn't look like much when you walk by. No pagodas, or koi ponds, or lanterns, but who eats those? Instead you get tasty Chinese food, good portions at a great price - and isn't that what this is about? We went in on New Years Day and were greeted. Y a most attentive waiter and our food arrived promptly and was delicious. More than that can't be said. It is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Arlington.
(4)Ashley K.
I ordered lunch from here recently, and overall I was happy with my meal. I placed my order through Foodler ( foodler.com/ref/7581733/… ). I tried the vegetable dumplings, which were good but were a little watery. The rice noodles with shrimp, however, was quite tasty. I'd definitely order it again. Reasonably priced, fast service, and tasty food!
(4)A K.
I only came here for the lunch specials, so maybe their regular menu options taste better. I had the chicken lo mein, and it was a bit too greasy and flavorless for my taste. On another occasion, I tried the orange chicken and was again disappointed. The quality of the meat used could have been better. On the bright side, the service is friendly and quick. The lunch specials are cheap, but you get what you pay for.
(3)Brianna M.
Delicious food and bubble tea! There was a little issue with the order getting lost, but they quickly took care of it and sent us a free app to keep us happy while we waited. Best Chinese food I've found in the area!
(4)Nicole W.
Delicious hot & sour soup, great service, lots of non-fried options. Big fan of this place!
(4)Spencer C.
Great restaurant. The staff is super friendly; I don't come here super often but they always remember/ recognize me which I appreciate. The bubble tea is AWESOME. They also have quick delivery service for those nights when you just feel like staying in and watching tv on your sofa. I enjoy the food here- great sesame chicken. Definitely recommended!
(4)Tara F.
Best Chinese in Arlington! The service is always good and continues to be our go-to Chinese place. I also love the bubble tea and do not know very many places you can get that. Pricing is reasonable and friendly service.
(4)Jessica B.
Ordered delivery from here several times and found the delivery to be pretty fast. Food seemed ok but the last time I found large bugs in my food... I may never eat lo mien again! Please don't risk eating at this place!
(1)Derrick S.
Any Chinese restaurant that uses chicken bullion for wonton broth should be embarrassed.
(1)Courtney D.
this is our go-to neighborhood carryout spot. and sometimes dine-in, too. the staff is super friendly and attentive. they will take the time to answer any questions you might have about their extensive & diverse menu, including the wide variety of noodle dishes. we've tried the singapore noodles with tofu - curried, smoky, and delicious. i also like the black mushroom with bok choy (which they seem to like, too, because they commend my choice every time). the spicy cabbage has been hit-or-miss, sometimes a little too funky even for me, and i like my kim chi pretty dang funky. the spring rolls are standard issue. but our standards have become chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (big, thick, juicy stems), vegetable noodle soup with soft tofu (just fortifying as chicken noodle to cure whatever ails you), and kung pao tofu, which might possibly be the most impressive tofu dish i have ever encountered. the sauce gets all caramelized around those cubes of fried tofu, along with the chunks of pepper, garlic, and onion. just amazing. i'm gonna venture a guess and say we eat here every other week, but that's probably underestimating. the prices are good, service is fast, quality & selection make it the best Chinese food i've found so far in the area. see you next week, TNR!
(5)Debbie L.
Told you I'd be back!! Went back for some bubble tea and eats. Got the Taro and the Almond bubble tea with light sugar. PERFECT!!! The Taro was JUST right! The Almond bubble tea is not as "silky/creamy" as Taro but it's still pretty good. Just be prepared for the more "watery" characteristic of it. As for eats, I tried the Singapore Rice Noodles. O.M.G. It was exactly what I wanted to eat! Thin rice noodles VERY WELL seasoned with curry and coconut and bits of your choice of chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or ALL of them! I had just the pork and shrimp...yeah..JUST a ton of cholesterol but who's counting...lol. This dish is SO freakin' flavorful, it is pretty difficult to stop eating! I devoured all of it by the next day but I could've very well done so that same night. So yeah, I came back to add my 5th star because the Bubble Teas can be made less sweet upon request and still be SOOO yummy. And because the dishes here are unmatched. Yes!!
(5)Greg Q.
I am a little surprised this place has some good reviews. We ate here the other night and the food was borderline inedible. I ordered the general tsos chicken which was a gelatinous mush with a horrible tangy flavor. My gf ordered some kind of seafood and rice dish which was also very bad. We had a bite or two of each and sent them back and left. The food was just not good at all. It is a bummer because this place is so close but the food was so bad we won't be returning.
(1)Armond B.
Definitely the best chinese food in the area. Great general tso's chicken (not overly spicy) and chicken lo mein. Delivery is always timely and it remains my go-to chinese delivery joint.
(4)Clare S.
Last night I made my first trip to TNR and I really enjoyed my meal. I ordered the Singapore noodles and the Honeydew Melon bubble tea. It's been a while since I've ordered a noodle dish without it being bland, so I was very happy with the flavor of the Singapore noodles. As for the bubble tea, I did not know what it was until I tried it. If you've never had it, I recommend it. I thought it was very refreshing!
(4)Jane M.
Their milk tea is disgusting and they charged us for extra straws. (We had boba from Bread Corner but forgot straws. But they didn't know that. We just wanted 6 more straws and thought they would just give them to us if we bought one of their bubble teas. Charged us $1 for 6 straws. Extremely stingy people.) Complete waste of $4.85 on terrible milk tea and straws. Although the straws were excellent for the Bread Corner boba. (visited Feb 4, 2012)
(1)c h.
I go here a lot because of its proximity to my office (I'm extremely lazy). I usually get beef with fresh hot peppers and hot and sour soup. The hot and sour soup is pretty good. But the beef with fresh hot peppers is really just beef with green peppers. Mixed into the green peppers is probably 2 slices of actual hot pepper. Also, it's extremely greasy. I've gotten the bubble tea here before. Didn't really care for it..
(2)Brent S.
A great place to get Chinese for lunch. They have a somewhat small lunch menu written on the board at the door that doesn't disappoint, and is very reasonably priced. Most items on here are between $6 and $7, and the portion size is generous for a lunch menu. My lunch favorites are the Kung Pao chicken and Ma Po Tofu. And you can add a soup or roll for only $1 or $1.50 more. They have a full regular menu but I've always gotten from the lunch menu. The bubble tea is pretty good here too. It's worth a try at least once. I think I like the tapioca balls that the Lemongrass food truck has a little better, but TNR has more varities of bubble tea.
(4)Nicole T.
TNR is located a couple of blocks from my house. I'm new to the area so I thought I'd give them a try. Overall the food was decent but nothing spectacular. The hot and sour soup was very good and I also had the shredded beef with hot peppers over rice. It tasted like they only used green peppers and not very many hot peppers which didn't make it spicy like I wanted. I ordered a glass of white wine with my meal and they only had one option available and the waitress wasn't too sure of which one. I did take a bubble tea to go which was very good. The service could have been better. The waitress never checked on me to see if I was okay and a couple came in after me and their order was taken before mine. It wasn't very busy either so not sure why service was so shotty. Overall I may give them another try for delivery.
(3)Mike G.
Came with a group of six for dinner and drinks and it was all pretty good. Recommend the home made dumplings and the crispy fried shredded beef.
(4)Lottie Y.
Just want to add to my previous review that their 2-dish 1-soup combo is wonderful for a 2-person meal.
(4)Sean B.
Friend insisted we go here because she thought the Kung Pao tofu was amazing here. Wellll no, it wasn't. A little dry and the flavor was ok, but not mind-blowing. Also got the eggplant in garlic sauce. It definitely had garlic in it. If there were any other ingredients, I wouldn't know since the garlic seriously dominated the dish. In short, two average dishes. Judging by the other yelp reviews, this place is definitely hit or miss. Upside is the dishes are HUGE, prices are decent, and staff is super nice and polite. If you're in the court house area, and want decent Chinese, this place will come in handy. Other than that, no reason to go here.
(3)Evonne L.
for my canto friends, this place is mah-mah-day. go if you want a decent chinese meal. i've been a few times and have not been dissapointed, most recently a few days ago maybe 30 minutes before they closed. you know this place is owned by passive aggressive asians bc they dim the lights on you when they're trying to close. and you know they're going to turn them back on to clean up/ etc - but that's their informal sign. most recently i got the seafood delight- shrimp, fish, squid (which my caucasion dinner date affectionately called calamari), snow peas, baby corn. it had that authentic chinese flavor that i like. i think its called msg. either way, it was a good meal. their wait staff (when not being passive aggressive) are also really nice.
(3)Johanna A.
So I went to TNR for the first time today because I needed my boba fix and it was lunch time, so I thought "Hey, why not?" Let me tell you, it was worth it. I came towards the end of their lunch time, so there was only a few others in the restaurant. To my surprise, the inside is a lot more modern than I thought it was going to be judging from the outside appearance. Overall, it's a good dining atmosphere, I'd say. The food was really great. I originally come from Virginia Beach, VA so the only chinese restaurants we have are mainly takeout places or P.F. Changs (though, i don't know how much that really counts..). So the food here went beyond any expectations. I ordered sesame chicken and it was served with rice and steamed broccoli. The portions are great-- I had enough to take home for another meal! The chicken was so incredibly tender and when you looked at a cut piece of it, you could tell it was freshly prepared for you, so I'm definitely coming back to try their other dishes. The bubble tea I ordered was the honeydew+green tea. Honeydew isn't that sweet in general, so I thought it was well balanced. Their tapioca pearls were perfectly cooked, not too chewy and not too dense. The pearls were also very flavorful compared to other boba I've tasted, so that was a pleasant surprise. The best thing I can say about TNR is that the servers were incredibly kind. It started raining really badly outside and it wasn't letting up at all. I didn't have an umbrella with me and the guy who brought me back my check realized this so he gave me an umbrella so I could walk home. I think that speaks for how well they take care of their customers. All in all, definitely coming back!
(4)Amber H.
TWO WORDS - BUBBLE TEA. my go-to place in arlington! staff is very friendly and efficient. their lunch menu is nothing special -- same as most american chinese places. they do speak mandarin which is a plus if you're trying to get authentic chinese food. the zhajiangmian is pretty good!
(5)Candi W.
Just updating my review from two years ago. I work in Arlington so we order from TNR at least twice a week. Recently, up to two weeks ago you are not able to order lunch for delivery anymore. You are basically stuck with ordering dinner during lunch hours and the portions are the same. Which is a same because I love our delivery guy but not worth pay double for lunch. Will be looking for a new chinese take out place soon.
(2)Anna W.
We love this place! I mostly get the sting beans and crispy beef as well as general tsos chicken. To me the crispy beef is one of the best I like around here. All their food is tasty but is pricey. I agree that $13 for a chicken dish is a bit much, especially for a no thrills restaurant. I will be back again as we like the food, but we feel they should alter the prices.
(4)Alexandra K.
This will be a quick review, because I've only had one dish here recently (I had chicken with cashews last year and it was pretty bad, I don't recommend it). Today I ordered the Ma Po tofu for takeout, since I wanted something tofu, and something different, and this definitely fit the bill. It was also pretty tasty, though so spicy that sometimes my mouth was burning too much to taste very much else. If you're a fan of spicy, this might not be too impressive for you, but the herbs and spices I normally use to flavor my food have more of a kick than a burn to them, so it was a lot for me. Speaking of a lot, it was definitely well-sized portions too. They don't offer small/large options like a lot of Chinese restaurants, but the prices seem to correspond with large, and it's probably a little less than I've seen from large sized orders at other Chinese restaurants, still a decent quantity though.
(3)Nene K.
TNR Cafe is convenient and the food tastes good but my one gripe is that the General Tso's chicken costs $13. $13???????????????? Seriously? That's ridiculous. The hot and sour soup, on the other hand is inexpensive, spicy, filling, and delicious. So as others have said, it is really hit or miss. I do think TNR knows its audience and caters too much to the bland yuppie palate of the surrounding area. But you can't really fault a business for knowing its customers too well. If you live along the Orange line, anywhere from Courthouse to Ballston, I'd suggest Panda Cafe instead. $10 General Tso's (includes tax) and bigger portions! Cheap, fast American Chinese food is a gift that too many of us take for granted indeed. TNR will serve you green tea while you wait for your takeout if you ask which I thought was a nice touch.
(3)Shai C.
Best chinese food within the courthouse area.
(4)Cory R.
I went here for dinner with my roommates and my friend because my friend recommended it and I had a great experience. I ordered the General Tso's Chicken and it was one of the best dishes of General Tso's Chicken I have ever had. I ended up paying around $20 for my dinner plus a Coconut Bubble Tea, but it was very worth it. I would definitely go back. The food was great, the service was great, and we even paid the bill at our table - the waitress swiped our cards on an ipad and we didn't even have to get up!
(4)Michelle D.
Delicious chinese food! My fiancee and I spent a weekend in Arlington for Valentines day, and tried FOREVER to find a place to eat. After getting extremely frustrated we "gave-up" and decided to eat here since it was right next to the fancier restaurant we had planned on eating at, but had turned us away. It was destiny! The food was delicious. I had the kung pao tofu, which was perfectly spicy, and we both had different bubble teas, which were amazing. Also, the crab rangoons were savory and delicious. The prices were affordable and the portions were huge. Definitely glad we stopped here.
(5)Vi N.
It was delicious food! Nice setting (w/ basically a tv per table for 2!(!!)) and friendly service. We had the fish fillet in sichuan spice broth and the salt and pepper squid. It filled me up and kept me warm for the whole ride back to Chinatown!
(4)Pam Z.
3.5 stars for their food. 4.5 stars if you're comparing it to DMV Chinese food in general. Pretty darn good Chinese takeout for DMV. Got delivery here during the 2 Snowpocalype/SnOMG/Snomageddon incident. Surprisingly only took 1/2 an hour with a couple feet of snow on the ground. Normally, when I first order food from a restaurant whose cuisine genre I know rather well, I have some basics I like to try first before being adventurous. This is partially to make a fair assessment across restaurants (I'm a stats nerd), as well as because I'm a wimp at new place. At Chinese places, it's always Hot and Sour Soup, whatever Dumplings they have, Combo Lo Mein or Pan Fried Noodle, some beef/pork/duck/seafood dish, and some veggie dish. And maybe spring rolls. Usually I can get this done in two visits. One if I have a friend who likes takeout :) The Pan Fried noodles were pretty good (although a little on the small side), although their sauce was kind of bland. Hot and sour soup was pretty standard, although it could have stood some more spice. Props for lots of bamboo! Steamed pork dumplings were pretty good (standard problem with takeout dumplings = super thick skins, this place wasn't as bad as others in that respect). My bf's duck dish was also very good. The verdict is that I definitely WILL go back to this place and try more dishes. Yay! BOBA: Milk tea was pretty watered down, although the pearls themselves weren't bad. Very disappointing, indeed. Maybe I should just order the pearls and make my own milk tea at home? Wherever other reviewers are finding the super secret Chinese-only menu, I did not find it online (in store only?). However, it did make my day that they took my order in Cantonese. One con: Who works at a cash only (or credit card minimum $20) place and doesn't know where the closest ATM is? That just seems irresponsible and silly.
(4)Judy Y.
I lived in Arlington for over a year before I walked into TNR. It was because from the outside it looks like a Chinese food sell-out. But inside some of their dishes are actually quite authentic and thus I love TNR. You really have to know what to order, their entrees range from blah/so-so to awesome. Their noodles are delicious. Try the Chan Jian Mien, but skip the house noodles which are not as good. A lot of their stir frys are basic and not too impressive. They have some really interesting and unique dishes that make me love this place like the Beef stew noodle soup. I think that's roughly what it's called in English, my friend always orders it in Chinese. The Peking duck that comes with wrappers, sauce and scallions is also good. Some of the choices from their authentic menu reminds me of my mom's cooking. you can get combos from the authentic menu, 2 dishes + 1 soup, or 3 dishes + 1 soup. really worth it. if you want some good authentic Chinese without having to drive to Annadale or Rockville, this is the place to go! Once you figure out what to get, you will be coming here several times a week.
(4)Katherine K.
I order delivery from TNR often. They deliver and that's perfect on a weekday when I don't feel like cooking. Since the past year, their menu has changed a little and almost all the dishes have increased by a dollar. Therefore, the average dish is $9.95. I order via telephone and they are pretty friendly overall. As for the food, I am obsessed with their Taiwanese Style Rice Noodles. I order this dish consistently. If you like noodles, you have to try this. I'm pretty biased when it comes to this dish since this brings back memories of San Fran. Either way, if you are a noodle afficionado, don't miss this one. I also order the pineapple with shrimp fried rice. It's pretty awesome without being greasy. I'm not a rice and pineapple lover but this dish soothes my sweet and salty craving. The other dish I love is the vegetable delight with white sauce. Seriously, I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lastly, you must try the bubble tea. I'm pretty particular to the honey dew flavor and I've tried them all. There's just something about the honey dew flavor - it's refreshing. The crispy shredded beef is okay..but can be very spicy so I ask them to tone it down. However, the sauce can be too sweet at times. Another meh dish is the beef with snowpeas. The beef was chewy. It's a bit of a disappointment. Dishes I don't recommend is the shrimp toast, crispy eggplant, and the egg foo young. Greasy, greasy, greasy. All in all, your best bet is to try what you like best and then explore other dishes from there.
(4)Jennifer S.
I had the beef with broccoli here. It was pretty typical--nothing special. And it was greasy. The bubble tea is very good here. Definitely try that when you eat here. Portions are small are food is slightly more expensive than similar places. Service is fast here.
(3)C T.
Love this place! Friendly staff, quick food service, even delivery is fairly quick. I am definitely a regular. The hot & sour soup is fantastic, as are the dumplings. I'm not sure about the authenticity of the food but they have a special authentic portion of the menu, and there are always a lot of asians in the restaurant, which must be a good sign. Prices have been going up recently (25-50 cents here and there every few months...), but it still isn't an expensive restaurant. A few negatives: The food is inconsistent, sometimes its great and sometimes it tastes burnt or they didn't add enough spice - I'm not sure why it changes, but I like to think its because its all made from scratch. Also, the delivery service tends to miss little things, like the crackers that go with the soup, or packets of duck sauce with egg rolls. I still love the place. Positives: Quick service for both delivery & eat-in, delicious food (usually) much better than other take-out places nearby, decent variety of menu options if you care to stray from the staples, good size portions and reasonable pricing.
(4)Samuel S.
I live in Arlington (Ft. Myer). When I have to order chinese delivery, this is my place. No, it's not as cheap as Eastern, but it's good quality, quantity, and not that much. It delivers what you expect: quality Chinese food staples like General Tso's, Kung Pao, Lo Mein, Fried Rice, etc. Delivery fee is modest, and they're usually pretty quick. One added benefit- as you might have guessed from the title of the place, they do really good tea. I get a couple of their ice teas every time I order... so good. Don't order from here looking for gourmet... this is not PF Chiang's. Just good, solid Chinese food- at least from an American dude who wouldn't know real Chinese food if it hit him in the face.
(4)J. C.
Mediocre Chinese food at best. They're good for when you don't feel like cooking and don't feel like going out. Their bubble teas are good.
(3)celia C.
I'm a Chinese American who lived in NYC for many years so I am used to good Authentic Chinese food and this is one of the few place that I've found since moving to DC/NOVA.
(4)May Y.
So... TNR is definitely not the best Chinese food in the area, but conversely, it is also not the worst. Looks like they've upgraded decor since i went there last two years ago. They have flat screens on the wall, but still no spell-check on their menus. :( 1. They mixed up our order for salt and pepper squid (picture available). what came out was shrimp, but it was tasty so we let it slide. It was battered and deep fried, and had a good amount of flavor/spices. 2. Beef with bamboo and mushrooms (photo available) came out just like it should. nothing spectacular here, but no huge failure either. the beef was tender and the flavor was good. Rice was eh. a little harder than I prefer. 3. The bubble tea took a while to come out, which is really weird. We got standard black milk tea that, while tasty, was made from powder (there was foam on top. Not right). The boba was the quick-cook kind, the one that you can buy in the store and cook in 10 minutes, so they weren't that chewy towards the center and had that weird coconutty flavor. I'd much rather go elsewhere for the good stuff. All in all, TNR will do. I'd give it a 2.5 due to the mix-up (looks like it's common) and the bubble tea. I'd go again to satisfy a quick craving, but for the good stuff, I'd go to A&J's instead.
(2)Aaron B.
Really pleased with the service, price and especially the decor. Food was decent. I had the hot and sour soup and mapo tofu and they were both pretty good. Also pleased that there are a ton of vegetarian options on the menu.
(4)lilibet m.
I'm searching for a good chinese place here in Arlington and I don't mean PF Changs. TNR Cafe is the best I've found! The dumpings may be the typical thick dough dumplings most places have but the sauce they give is different than the standard one. The Pork Fried Rice is really good. I was very surprised. The chicken and broccoli, it's a standard to compare places, was nice and thin pieces of chicken but the sauce was a little bland. The best part is the bubble tea! So good!! Also, the delivery was really quick! I will definitely be back!
(4)David R.
I'm beginning to think that I don't give bad reviews but it's because I look at Yelp first to make sure I'm spending my dollar where it counts. Great little Chinese place. Does not feel dumpy or cramped. The people here speak English and the food is very affordable. Happy hour every day from 5pm to 8pm. Small selection of drinks but you wouldn't come here as the main stop on a bar night. Crab Rangoon was fresh and really good. If you're coming here with your sweety or a friend one main dish and a couple of appetizers split is plenty of food. Waitstaff was attentive and they gave us oranges at the end!!! I'm not sure why that got me so excited but it's a nice touch. Next I'll try takeout. Crab Rangoon, 1 soup, Beef and mushroom dinner and 2 happy hour beers came to $27.00 before tip.
(4)Pouya Y.
If you're tired of crappy, preservative laden, generic Chinese food, then you are in for a treat. I have been here dozens of times and I am impressed every time. From soups, to appetizers, to entrees.. everything is fresh and top notch. The beef is always tender and the veggie dishes are not too overcooked (soggy). TNR is a family owned place and they take pride in their food and customer service. They get a bit overwhelmed on weekends. My favorite dishes are the twice cooked pork, sha-cha beef, wonton or hot and sour soup, crispy beef, and garlic bok choy.
(5)Daniel B.
Clean, modern lines, quick and fulfills something that was lacking in Courthouse (for quite a while), a good Chinese takeout, eat in joint. Standard menu with some surprises. Reasonably priced. Is this fine dining? No, but it is great to have a place to go to that does not involve jumping in the car.
(4)Sam W.
Food quality is good, but small portions and very expensive. I have been eating here for years, but have stopped due to the pricing. Oil levels in your food depend on cook on duty. I have had meals with a good 1/4 cup of oil sitting in the bottom. And they need to bring back the soup or egg roll with the lunch "special". Not very special when you are just getting the lunch-sized meal.
(3)malalai f.
Ive been to this place twice now, first time for boba and the second for a meal. I am new to the area and was looking for a good chinese restaurant close by, this place is def. not it. We ordered the kung pao shrimp which they burned beyond recognition and when we complained they said that's how they usually make it. You mean to tell me you usually burn your food into a blackened crisp? right...She also admitted that another customer had complained about the same problem before. Then when we asked to send it back she said that's not an option and that we had to order something else. We ordered the hunan shrimp dish which was equally terrible. I can't see myself going back to this place for good but their boba was good. P.s. the extra star is for the boba.
(2)Brittany M.
Based on authenticity, price, flavor, and what's available in a 5-mile radius, TNR is no more than two stars. Is it edible? Absolutely. But with so many delicious, authentic Chinese restaurants nearby this place isn't worth it. We had the tomato eggdrop soup, pork with garlic sauce, and Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. The soup's chicken broth was flavorless. The pork seemed to be slathered in a watered down American-style sweet and sour sauce (think the fire-engine red sauce, mall food court style). The Chinese broccoli simply had oyster sauce dumped on top. Nothing like the super-flavor of traditionally prepared Chinese veggies. Service was good.
(2)Ayla B.
Pleasantly surprised! The food was decent. They had a very nice selection of soups & entrees versus your average Chinese restaurant. I had the fish meatball broth over noodles & my husband had the spicy beef Sichuan soup, both pretty good. The tapioca ball teas were okay, have had better. It's pretty interesting trying to drink them without suddenly inhaling one of the tapioca balls! So be careful! The teas that we had (coconut & the taro one) tasted like they were made from a powder mix blended closer to being a smoothie rather than tea. The entrees from the other customers looked very fresh & colorful. We'll be returning to try other dishes.
(4)KuangYou C.
Honestly, I think it is a normal Asian food restaurant. The food they provide is like home-made dish, very simple. I share a dinner set (3 entree 1 soup) with two friends. We had tomato egg soup, and it was like water but I believe it is much healthy. We also had a stir vegetable, spicy fish and stir pork with some spice. They tasted ok. But I feel waitresses are very kind there. The other downside is they don't give you a big portion of food. My friend had a bubble tea and he said it was great. Maybe their drinks are good, I'll try it next time.
(3)Keb V.
I really like their food. I think they have pretty good lunch specials. Very good portion size and it's not overpriced. The waitstaff is very friendly.
(4)Lauren K.
The general tso's bean curd was a giant orange gelatinous blob. The steamed veggie dumplings had barely any filing and the sauce that came with them tasted very strange. I think I'll be trying somewhere else the next time I want Chinese takeout.
(1)Tajar E.
This place is just so-so. Some dishes I've had for take out were not tasty at all. The three delights would more aptly be named "the three disappointments".the egg rolls are awful and even trader joe sells a better frozen roll. That being said, I had some really good kung pao chicken yesterday while dining in with some friends for lunch. They get an extra star for that kung pao. I'll be back but not for take out.
(3)Erin H.
I've been a regular of TNR for 4 years now and although 90% of the time I'd give their food 5 stars their escalating prices get a 3. In the last 4 years my usual order went from $22 plus tax and tip for delivery to $34 - which seams like a pretty steep jump! Their over rice and authentic menu are great - love their noodle soups!
(4)Sarah S.
Note: This review is for the bubble tea only. Nope, I didn't even try the food here because of less-than-favorable reviews from other Yelpers, but I did long for a bubble tea so I ventured here. The last time I had a superior bubble tea was in Taiwan, so my expectations were set pretty high. And, much to my delight, TNR delivered. I ordered the lychee green tea and it was not too bad. The tapioca beads had the right texture and the drink wasn't too sweet . The milk-based tea was not as good; I would not recommend one of those. If you need a quick bubble tea fix, TNR is convenient and it gets the job done...unless of course you wanna book a flight to Taipei instead.
(3)Carl B.
I have been eating here for several years and love this place. The food is hot and delicious. I take my staff there every once in a while to have lunch. I highly recommend it!
(5)Christina W.
There aren't that many Chinese restaurants in Arlington and this one is definitely the best and most friendly one. :) Everytime I go in there, I am always greeted with a smile and great customer service! They always ask how the dishes were and do value honest opinions. When dining in, I usually go for the dine in special, where you can get 2 medium size entrees + a large bowl of soup for 17.95! It's such a great deal b/c it's just the right amount of food and you have variety! I've had their kung pao chicken which I like a lot but that's because I just love the taste of hoisin sauce. Their dried tofu dish stir fried with pork and green onions is really tasty too! I also really like their basil eggplant dish b/c I appreciate places that can cook Asian eggplants without too much grease. Just remember to ask them to go light on the oil for that dish. This is also my go to place for bubble tea. 4/5 times I go, the bubble tea is perfect. The tea has the right amount of sweetness, the bubbles are not mushy but chewy and the tea flavor isn't super light where you can taste more milk than tea. A few other times, sometimes the bubbles may get a bit mushier and the tea is not as strong as I prefer, but all in all a great place for bubble tea in Arlington!
(4)Virginia C.
Great fried rice but a bit greasy.
(4)Claudia H.
I work pretty much across the street from this restaurant. I have friends that order lunch and dinner from this place pretty much everyday. Their food is consistent and in general pretty good. This is definitely not high end chinese food, but it is great for what it is. The all famous General Tso's is pretty delicious, Chicken Kung-Pow is also among the favorites of my co-workers. Another favorite is the soups, I havent had them, but they are big and delicious. Among the soups, my favorite is the Hot & Sour. Their dumpkins are good too, though the dough could be more delicate - but the taste is right.
(4)Maria E.
TNR is conveniently located across Court House Metro, a friendly Chinese restaurant. The typical fried rice, lo mein, rice noodles are really tasty! They also have bubble tea, which is great! Also the price is quite convenient! Definitely recommend it!
(4)Melody C.
Having moved back home to the DC area after living 3 years in Beijing I was sorely disappointed to know that I left all of the halfway-decent authentic Chinese food on Rockville Pike when i decided to move to Arlington. Living in a neighborhood that lacks authentic Chinese food gives me that same feeling I had when I longed for blue skies and clean air those years in China. not necessary to survive, but not having it takes a little bit of your soul away. I like the people at TNR. They're Beijingers - my peeps! Friendly, quick...I was even surprised to see that they have Zha Jiang Mian and other items on their menu that you don't typically see at a normal carryout joint. They sadly appear to be the only place that has bubble tea between courthouse and the Eden center near seven corners. They also have a special "chinese menu" printed on the back for people who dig on more authentic stuff - but only if you can read chinese. I've had them deliver to my place - and it was very quick. But the reason they get a 2 is because the food never impressed me, and it's way too expensive for what it is - carry out americanized general tso's orange chicken Chinese food. I should cut them some slack on the bland food since they have to cater to indecisive customers who call in and ask them to describe everything on the menu in order to avoid the spicy stuff, and the stuff that they are afraid "won't taste good". The only reason why they get to charge those exhorbitant prices for food that lacks bold flavor is because this is courthouse. If this were Rockville, nobody would pay $14 including tax for spicy stir fried beef w/ vegetables.
(2)Namtran N.
I remember when this place first opened and I first walked into it. I wasn't sure what to expect because I'm often disappointed by Chinese restaurants. Anyway.. I love this place. The servings are always huge and the waitresses we get are always really nice. It's very inexpensive for how much food you get. And... I do believe they got all their decor from IKEA (?), which is always a plus in my book. It's no Meiwah (obviously), but for the price and the area, it's damn good Chinese food.
(5)Vijay B.
Everything we got was delicious. We had spring rolls, chicken noodle soup, and ma po tofu, which was hands down my favorite dish we ordered. I'd never tried ma po tofu, but since it was listed on the "authentic" Chinese dish side of the menu figured it was worth a shot. Turned out to be a really spicy, satisfying dish. Service was also good and friendly. Will definitely be back for more.
(4)Jon K.
THE GREAT: The Kong Pao Chicken is divine. They will make it with white meat only per your request, and I've never been disappointed. Sometimes the spice, i.e. heat, factor is higher than others. When they turn it up a bit, doesn't get better than that. I also love the steamed dumplings, though the dough is a little thicker than most places. For me, that's a plus. For others, not so much. Servers are always extremely friendly too. THE GOOD: The Almond Bubble Tea is tasty too. The Kong Pao Beef, Moo Shoo Pork, and Anything Lo Mein also are tasty. THE OKAY: The schezuan beef, mongolian beef, and beef with green pepper are just okay. THE BAD: Consistency of heat can vary depending on who is in the kitchen. OVERALL: My go-to Chinese joint in Arlington!
(4)Evan D.
Wow, there were a lot of bad things going on here... Things started out surprising when the tomato egg drop soup turned out to be egg drop soup with chunks of tomato. That wasn't too bad considering the entree had hair in it and seemed to be completely raw. The service was very nice, but that definitely wasn't enough to compensate for the raw and hairy dish.
(1)Sean C.
OK this is my 100th review. I had been holding out a while to see if there would be that one really special once in a lifetime one I could share this momentous milestone with, but I could hold out no longer and decided to just get it out of the way so I could join the 100 club. TNR probably is the best Chinese I've had so far in the D.C. area. The standard stuff - egg rolls and steamed dumplings did not disappoint. Hunan Chicken - very tasty, actually slightly spicy. They also have "healthy choices" where they give you steamed vegetables and chicken, for example with rice and sauce on the side. Very healthy portions. Also, the cold sesame noodles are excellent. We didn't try it, but they have bubble tea here. Also, if you'd like to catch up on your Chinese soap operas you can do it on their 50" LCD TV.
(4)Herman B.
I came here with my parents for dinner and we ordered three dishes and a soup from the authentic menu for $23. The seaweed egg drop soup was not salty enough, but the beef with fresh hot pepper, shredded pork with dry bean curd, and stir fried shrimp were good. Although not on par with the Chinese food I have had in the San Francisco Bay Area, TNR Cafe will certainly satisfy my Chinese food craving. The restaurant is clean, service is attentive, prices are reasonable, and the location can't be beat.
(4)Meika U.
If you're looking for a place to grab decent Chinese food, this is it. The menu is varied and the food is good. Decent prices too.
(3)Guna H.
For a place that's walking distance from home, I like it a lot. Standard Chinese fare...and not too greasy. I know there's better chinese food if I was willing to drive, but when I'm feeling lazy, this place does just fine.
(3)Harrison K.
Great food and quick service for carry out.
(5)Ren C.
This is one of about 2 places my wife will order from for lunch in Arlington. Sawatdee Thai Restaurant and the Pho 75. Pho is only good if you eat it there and usually we don't want to spend that much time for lunch. Sawatdee is pretty consistent but it's also more expensive. The problem with Chinese restaurants is that they are inconsistent and TNR is no different. Expect the taste to change from day to day as well as wildly inconsistent service, where you'll be standing there and the staff will ignore you while arguing about something in Mandarin. Hot and sour soup is a staple of Chinese restaurants. Often when I go to a new place I'll order a hot and sour soup; if it's bad then I'll know the rest of the meal is a loss even before the dishes are on the table. The hot and sour soup at TNR is different almost every day. Often times it'll be way too oily or too spicy. Sometimes (usually) they'll have fresh mushrooms but not always. Even so, it's not inedible. The fried chicken wings is probably the most consistent item I order from them. My wife currently orders the Moo Shi Pork with extra pancakes. Got to make sure they give you the extra pancakes because they'll forget after charging you for it. She used to order the "Beef in Szechuan [sic.] Spiced Broth". I usually order the Pork with Fresh Hot Pepper. Another wildly inconsistent dish. Sometimes it'll be just right. Often times they'll add ground chili sauce in addition to habenero peppers and then it's almost impossible to eat. The Beef Chow Foon is bland for me. I think I tried the Chicken with Cashew once and it was off but then I haven't had a good Chicken and Cashew in a while. Either way, I pretty much just order the Pork with Hot Pepper. If it's too spicy, I just eat a lot of extra rice.
(2)Christopher R.
Great service!!! Waiters are friendly, punctual, and helpful. Food was mediocre for chinese, felt like I was paying a bit more than it was worth. Not much flavor or spice, vegtables soft, meet too hard. Great spring rolls and chinese style serving. I have not tried the bubble tea yet, I have a feeling it will be much better.
(3)Sean Y.
Tried this place with a groupon for dinner. Service was very good and very nice. There was a slight blip with my groupon, but it eventually worked out. Pricing is typical for dinner around the DC/metro area. Which means a bit on the high side, but the food was good. The lighting is a bit dim and pinkish--makes me think it's supposed to be in HK or something. But overall, a good experience.
(4)vinnie t.
food has no taste here. bubble tea is gross. I don't think a dog would eat the left overs from this place. people that work there is rude. you're better off eating a bag of Ramon noodles to be honest. save your money
(1)Deena K.
This is the best Chinese food in the DC metro area. The food is not greasy and filled with MSG like most Chinese places. You don't feel gross after eating it, and the portions are HUGE so you can definitely take some home for the next day!
(5)PC W.
***2.5 stars*** Edible but I was expecting so much more. TNR is centrally-located in Courthouse and convenient to the metro. The decor is plain, and modern and cafe-like which is not common in many Chinese eateries. The flat screen TVs add an interesting touch and at least some entertainment. Let me start with the menu - they serve tea, noodles, rice and more. I was appalled that 20 items had price increases - and how do I know that you ask - because they crossed out the old price in pencil and wrote in the new price. It's one thing if there's one typo but to write in an average $2 increase on your dishes? Seriously? For cryin' out loud, just reprint the menus! Beyond that, the menu features a mix of American-Chinese food and a few authentic dishes. I started with a bowl of hot & sour soup. It was pretty tasty - not the best I've had, but far from the worst I've had. Karman L. and I split several dishes - half of a roasted duck, singapore noodles and garlic spinach. The waitress got our order wrong and brought a whole duck (and subsequently charged us for the whole duck). The duck was okay but for the price, I might as well go to Mark's duck house. I give the singapore noodles a passing grade although the curry flavor was not robust enough for me. The garlic spinach was pretty good. I ended my meal with a bubble tea - I was so excited because they have coconut milk tea and almond milk tea. I went for the coconut. The flavor was heavier on the black tea than the coconut but the bubbles are sweet here so it balances it out. It's too bad that 75% of the bubbles were raw, hard and inedible. I couldn't get through even half the drink. Besides the screwup with the duck, the service was actually very good. Too bad the food and bubble tea needs some work. It's going to take a lot to get me to return. I entered TNR with the notion that they might have authentic food and that was the wrong approach, I was doomed from the start. Had I entered expecting crappy takeout style Chinese food, this would have been incredible (because sometimes even the Chinese want crab rangoon, general tao's and sweet and sour chicken served with a highlight pink sauce). Bottom line: adjust your expectations and you'll have a far better experience then I did.
(2)Victor Z.
Tucked in a corner of Courthouse where Wendy's, Cosi's, and (ugh) Boston Market converge, TNR has become one of my favorite finds in DC. TNR's delicious non-greasy non-MSG Chinese dishes put anything in DC's embarrassingly named Chinatown to shame. The boba is legit--vacuum sealed plastic lids with cheesy designs on top with nicely al dente tapioca balls. On your first trip try the Jia Jian Mian, Beef Noddle Soup, or the cold sesame noodles.
(4)Anna Y.
For those of you who dislike Americanized Chinese food, order from their chinese menu (back) and you will not disappointed. this is our fav. asian spot in arlington. we love their soups. it tastes authentic! they're combo meals are a great deal for large groups. the place is never packed and we always wondered why. hope they stay in arlington!
(4)Lisa D.
Before reading some of the low-rated reviews here, I figured I'd give TNR a 4. After reading some of the low-rated ones, they get a 5 to balance those out (especially the one-star from the person who was upset about not getting free straws for boba she bought somewhere else...mind-boggling, but I digress....). My husband and I have been here just about every night of the week and on weekends over a period of several years, and the food and service have consistently been excellent. Chicken and eggplant is one of my favorite dishes, and TNR's is the best I've ever had. My husband feels the same way about the chow foon (pork's the favorite). The mongolian beef is great; the noodle soups are great; I've never had anything from here I wouldn't order again. I just need to remind myself to try the beef stewed noodle soup next time; the much-closer-to-home place that introduced me to it in has unfortunately removed it from their menu. But hey...I'm willing to brave 66 most any time for dinner at TNR.
(5)Carolyn C.
Food was pretty good, very enjoyable for a slacker-Friday evening. Delivery was promised within 45 minutes yet arrived in 20. Everything still hot. I'm happy.
(4)Alexandra S.
big fan - a little expensive but solid chinese food
(4)Marc D.
I work nearby and find myself here about once every couple weeks because it has the most efficient lunchtime wait service in Courthouse. The soups are good and the service great. It appears that the quality of the chicken meat has been going downhill over the past few months, otherwise I'd give it 4 stars. The lunch specials do not appear on the menu. They show up only on a small whiteboard at the front of the restaurant.
(3)Jen H.
It was Saturday, around 6pm, I'm staying with a male friend who is the ultimate bachelor and has zero food in his house. There's snow coming down (end total was 22 inches) and I was the one who was making the trek to find food b/c he was coming down with an illness. Trekking through the snow, almost all of the businesses were closed, except for TNR Cafe and one other establishment. I admit, I was a bit nervous to try this place, as I can be very picky about my food, and I was going in blind, w/o reading any Yelp reviews! I was desperate, but I was lucky and pleasantly surprised! Both my friend and I really liked our meals. They were a bit on the expensive side for what I'm used to, but well worth it. Not only did it serve well for dinner, but there was also enough left over for lunch the next day! Bonus.
(3)Kim L.
Bubble Tea. Enough said. Somewhat inconsistent, but mostly palatable. The food is not good ( I feel bad for putting that on here, but I spent $4.50 on pan fried dumplings yesterday and literally could not eat more than two of them. And for me to turn my nose up at fried food, well, that's saying something.)
(1)S. R.
On the whole, this is one of the best Chinese food places in the DC Metro area. The wontons and the basil/garlic chicken were awesome. I could've skipped the egg roll, but the basil/garlic chicken was phenomenal.
(5)Jack F.
My review is limited to Tea Noodles Rice (TNR) Cafe's bubble tea. Maybe I got lucky but my bubble tea was top notch. It was a perfectly balanced drink - not too creamy and not too sweet - with a distinct black tea base. The key is always to use simple syrup because granulated sugar doesn't dissolve evenly. As for the tapioca pearls, I'm guessing they were 5 or 6 hours old based on how much moisture they retained. A few were overcooked (slimy and gooey) but most of them were still chewy enough (like a slightly melted gummy bear) without being having dried-out cores. Best of all, the tapioca pearls were "seasoned." Unlike most bubble tea proprietors that offer bland tapioca pearls, TNR's bubbles were slightly sweet too (almost like honey). But given the numerous negative reviews about TNR's bubble tea, my experience could be an exception. I'm not ready to give TNR a four-star rating until I've had a chance to see if its bubble teas are, at least, somewhat consistent. [Original Visit: July 23, 2009]
(3)Josh H.
Great food, very quick, and attentive staff. When I lived in Courthouse I went to TNR every week. Many great dishes very reasonable. Waitress Kanya is the best!
(5)Anna D.
I can't believe I haven't shown this place some love yet! I have previously ordered bubble tea from TNR and was happy with it, so I was hoping to recreate my bubble tea experience to go along with some nice Chinese grub. 1. Wonton soup - Rich and savory broth with thick glutinous wontons. It seemed like the wontons were lacking their filling, but I would take the broth by itself any day. This soup was a good start to the meal. 2. Combination fried rice - Though slightly greasy, the rice was delicious. The plate was piled high with a generous serving of plump shrimp, chicken, and strips of beef. 3. Sesame chicken - Large chunks of tender chicken bathed in brown sweet garlic sauce and sesame seeds. The sweetness was almost off-putting, but the flavor was good. 4. Honey dew milk tea - I had such high hopes for the bubble tea, but it fell flat. It contained a lot of ice, which, of course, melted and watered down the drink. The pearls fared much better. They were chewy yet sturdy, a sign of properly cooked tapioca (overcooked tapioca balls gain a slimy, gummy consistency and undercooked tapioca balls are, well, a disgrace). Overall, it was a satisfying meal and there was plenty left over for another meal or two. I'm feeling generous, so this place gets 4 stars. I'm also a believer in second chances, and I'm hoping the watered-down bubble tea was just a result of an overzealous employee getting a little too ice happy. Delivery is free with a $15 minimum purchase.
(4)Spencer M.
TNR has consistently been a very good dining experience. The servers are very friendly, attentive, and quick. The food is a very good price...typically dinner for two with soup or an egg roll is under 20 dollars. The food itself is good for American Chinese food. The steamed menu is particularly yummy if you are looking for a healthy and tasty Chinese option. The restaurant is small, and the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed.
(5)Taylor W.
DON'T CALL CUSTOMER LIARS. BEWARE. Been a customer a long time. Tonight the manager basically called me a liar when I told her that she got my delivery order wrong. She said she had packed it and insisted it was correct even when I told her I was staring at it and it was wrong. She then implied that I was lying about my delivery order taking nearly an hour and a half because her delivery driver told her he had dropped off the order a long time before he actually delivered it. I drove the food to her restaurant and unpacked it in front of her. It was obviously incorrect. Her response? "Oh, I see," "I was trying to do the right thing," and told me that if a customer tells her something is wrong she has to verify it, don't I understand? Poor customer service......BEWARE. You know I am a very reasonable person and I try not to fall into the DC attitude when I have an issue, especially at a restaurant. However, this was truly warranted and I hope people avoid this place based on this post.h
(1)G. G.
It is really difficult to find decent Chinese in Arlington and thankfully, TNR does not disappoint. We eat here whenever we have a hankering for Chinese and we always leave full and happy! The service is great, very friendly and attentive and they always remember us. I've been meaning to try the bubble tea but haven't gotten around to it yet.
(4)Sarah S.
I've only gotten the bubble tea here. I like to take my friends to Pho75, and after a big bowl of noodles, we stop by TNR for some boba on the way back to the metro. I was impressed with the decor of the place. However, the bubble tea is only average. Living in D.C., it's probably the best bubble tea we can get without driving out to Virginia, so I don't really mind. My friends usually get the fruity tea with boba, and since the tea is clear, you can see the cool, multi-colored bubbles!
(3)Zoe W.
This is a really great place in my neighborhood. The people who work here are really friendly and non-intrusive. At least once I week I eat here by myself with a book, and it's a nice break from the constant bustle. I love TNR!
(5)Steph K.
Current retired Tea Noodles Rice (TNR) cafe patron - the food is not your high-end Chinese food by any means but definitely had it's delicious moments of late night not-wanting-to-cook all-out-feast-outs which included: Sinagapore Noodles, Taiwanese Rice Noodles and try the Ginger Chicken Casserole and Honey Dew bubble tea. They had our order down to a science and were healthy with portions; the best comfort food during school and crazy work hours. It was good while it lasted but unfortunately, after enough grease and MSG, one must part ways in favor of one's home cooking.
(3)Sid V.
This placed USED to be decent - I would have given 3.5 to 4 stars. Something has changed DRASTICALLY. Ingredients are different, meat seems different. You can just go to your regular chinese restaurant (pick the one closest to you), and it shouldn't make a difference. Oh yeah, they have been waiting for their liquor/beer license for about a year now. Every time you ask when they're going to get - the response is "1-2 months". LOL!
(2)Tiffany S.
We decided to stop off in here for some quick food before a movie. BIG MISTAKE. We ordered a crab rangoon (disgusting, prefrozen, deepfriend, wonton covered cream cheese) and a noodle soup and an eggplant with garlic. After ONE HOUR our food had not come. How long does it seriously take to cook Chinese food? After we had already missed our movie, the soup arrived, cold. One hour for cold soup. Meanwhile, 15 minutes later, the eggplant was nowhere in sight. We ended up getting so fed up that we left before it came. They charged us for the cold soup. The food is bad, the service HORRENDOUS, the table was sticky, and the dishes did not look clean. I have nothing nice to say about this restaurant.
(1)Kenneth S.
My wife just happened in to this place when she was craving Chinese food after visiting our sick daughter in a local hospital. I arrived a few days later from California and we returned to TNR. The food is outstanding and the service is impeccable. We especially enjoyed the Peking duck and their Singapore rice noodles. Can't wait to return with our daughter when she gets out of the hospital!
(5)nat t.
Best Chinese food I've had in Arlington - if not, Northern Virginia! The service was decent (though, i think it was because the waitress was flirting with one of the guys at our table... who happened to be my bf :-P), and the food had good variety, flavor, and freshness. Rowena makes a good point - I don't remember seeing Tea either... Oh well, I'll definitely go back to this one.
(4)John M.
This will not allow me to pick stars so I will say 1.5 to 2 stars. The service is good but one waitress looked like the cheif beat her up but still good service. The price is good and the shirp toast was not bad (but I don't believe it is surposed to look that much like French Toast. Our needles dishes were not very good and both ha the same kind of noodle in it. The fish in my fish noodle had no taste whatsoever. Spend the extra money and get a much better meal at the Asian Cafe a few blocks away.
(2)Ka-Loon T.
The best Chinese food I've had in Arlington. I found this restaurant one dark, cold, and possibly rainy Christmas eve as I was driving home, and wondered if I might possibly have my fix of Cantonese style noodle soup. While their noodle soup was "eh", the rest of their menu was certainly something. The staff was friendly with us, but possibly because they don't often get a Cantonese speaking party. Or maybe it was for one of two reasons. My gf claims that the waitress was flirting with me. I think that they were just curious to see if this Asian dude can finish the "food for two" portion of food he ordered, and I don't mind admitting that I did devour it all.
(4)Robyn C.
Love the bubble tea here- bubbles are sweet :) and the staff are VERY friendly. I've eaten there a couple times and the food has been good.
(4)Jenny C.
The food was okay even though it was a little pricy, but what I did not like is that they charged me extra for using my credit card!!! That's ridiculous and I do not think it is even legal.
(3)Roxy B.
I usually get food from Hunan #1 in Clarendon, but their take-out isn't that great so I looked up a new spot- TNR. I could tell their food was a bit more authentic from the different menu choices... (never seen pork with szechuan pickle soup before, and it was yummy) And while it was slightly more pricey than your average chinese take-out place, the food quality made up for it. Orange beef - great, combo lo mein, great. beef with spicy chili sauce over rice - ok, not spicy though. I don't order chinese that often, but next time I will definitely choose TNR again.
(4)Rachel K.
A group I was with insisted we go to this place--that's the only way I would have set foot in this place again. Once again, terrible service, so-so food, a newly confusing menu (I ordered something with a Chinese name; a friend ordered a dish with an English name from a different page of the menu, and we got the same dish), the usual "perks" of eating at TNR. Then the bill came, and we tried to split it into cash and two cards. I know this is confusing for some, but I've done this with groups before at other restaurants and never had trouble, because we always write on the receipt "CHARGE $20 TO [NAME], $30 TO [NAME]". Always works. So go figure, TNR took the cash and put the remainder on my boyfriend's card, so our friend ended up getting a free meal.
(1)Rendle M.
The food was either too sweet or too salty. I've been there twice and had the same bad experience with the food. There are much better Chinese restaurants in the area.
(1)Ramon T.
A not bad, somewhat-authentic Chinese restaurant in an area where there ain't many, and especially good when compared to the nearby culinary disgrace known as Cafe Asia. Hit up their lunch specials, which are $5.50-6.50 for over-rice plates, and that comes with either an egg roll or a cup of soup...a great deal considering that can't even buy you two damn gallons of gas nowadays.
(3)Jonathan E.
This place is really really great. Stopped in this afternoon with some friends and really had an excellent meal. Shared a number of dishes with my friends including the pineapple shrimp fried rice, mongolia beef, fried dumplings, and spring rolls and all were well prepared and high quality (this is in addition to the complementary salad with a peanut inspired dressing to begin the meal, and the sliced oranges to end the meal). Also had the bubble tea (Honey Dew), not an expert on bubble tea, but i also enjoyed it. Really surprized that many of the reviews about this place are mediocre.
(4)Heather R.
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. I ordered chicken with vegetables. It came in this nasty white sauce. I threw up the several bites that I could even stomach.
(1)Carolyn B.
Don't order the steamed dumplings (too much dough, not enough flavor), hot and sour soup (terrible), mango bubble tea (too bubble-gum sweet) or lo mein (too bland). General tsos is acceptable, but not the best. I'll only keep going here because I live so close.
(2)Constance G.
TNR delivers! We had a 20 person order recently for HQ USMC, and they did not get anything wrong. Food is good, non-greasy, and the service was fast.
(3)Chris C.
Good food, but the place is infamous for overcharging takeout orders, particularly at lunchtime. Be wary and firm.
(4)Alan W.
A decent sit-down meal at a decent price. The food is nothing to write home about but it's fresh and competently prepared.
(3)Sule Q.
Absolutely horrible! My girlfriend and I threw away half of what we ordered. The quality of the meat is really bad, not to mention the prepare is hardly edible.
(1)sarah g.
Best chinese I have had in DC Metro area and I have lived here for 5yrs. I have been so pleased with their Moo Sho Vegetable ( not sweet but slightly spicY as I requested) that I had to join yelp just to write a review. Very pleasant , knowledgable staff, outdoor seating, affordable, and of course bubble tea!. This place is the only reason I would go to Courthouse metro stop:)
(4)Terry R.
The food is good. My only problem with them is the very strict $15 minimum for delivery. My total was $14.64 and they still would not deliver and I refused to order another $4 appetizer so I had to go and pick it up.
(3)david m.
TNR is the ultimate inexpensive Chinese restaurant--low cost w/o compromising quality or cleanliness. TNR is my standard for comfort food. Take out-delivery-eat in... you'll see the neighborhood come through in a night. The same waitresses work all the time, so you'll be treated like a "regular" quickly.
(5)Rowena E.
This place is also known as the "TNR Cafe" and it is just plain yummy! Food is good, prices are decent (pretty cheap for lunch! Most items for about $6) and the portions are really darn big. As the name says, they have tea, noodles, and rice dishes (although i don't remember seeing tea - I'll have to ask next time). I ordered the Chow Foon with beef and i could've shared it with two other people. Did I mention the portions? Waiter service is a little spotty, but only because this place gets pretty busy. Small joint with not a lot of tables and a Zen Ikea-like decor. If you have room at your table, try sharing your space and meet some new people.
(3)Laura S.
I'm so done with this place. It's close to my house, so that was the main criteria for sticking with the place, but after our last order, I won't go back. The food is so inconsistent in quality and taste. I got orange chicken for the kids and the sauce was weird tasting. Very articifal tasting. My kids woudn't eat it, so it got tossed in the sink. The chicken lo mein (wait, we ordered chicken but got vegetable) was so greasy it wasn't enjoyable. They forgot the chicken fried rice, but I did call them back for that. We got the eggrolls once and they were greasy and doughy--disgusting. They frequently got orders wrong, but my kids would ask for more take out and on a Friday night, I would give in. They all agreed, no more TNR.
(1)MW B.
Great little Chinese tucked away in Courthouse. From the outside, you might not guess it's any different than all those other storefront places, but this one is my absolute fave in Arlington area-- for what it is. It's a little more authentic than regular neighborhood Chinese (ie, me, non Chinese, is offered choices of not-completely-Americanized offerings) but it doesn't pretend to be high dining. For what its worth, its my perfect idea of particulary tasty comfort Chinese food. Service has always been unfailingly polite and prompt, even when fullish--though this is a rarity.
(5)Alex C.
My husband who is from Hong Kong loves this place. He says the beef and tomato over rice reminds him of his childhood. Me, although not a big fan of Chinese food, find this place pretty good too but only when we order the food without MSG. It taste way cleaner and tastier to me without the yucky aftertaste of MSG. I enjoyed the sesame chicken, velvet fish or shrimp, and beef and scallion over rice. We get the food delivered so I can't say anything about the in restaurant service ,but drivers are super fast and courteous, not to mention the delivery is free. It gets 4 star (extra star from my husband's vote).
(4)Pepper P.
Just what we needed, a great tasting reasonably priced Chinese take out. I usually do delivery (which can be very fast or very slow), but the food is excellent. I haven't tried too many dishes yet, but everything I had was great.
(4)Amber G.
I have to update my review. While everything I said about the authenticity of the Chinese food here in my first review remains the same (it's not necessarily the most authentic or most memorable meal you'll ever have), I have to say this place deserves an extra star because their delivery is really what a restaurant delivery service should be. They never, ever take longer than 1 hour to prep and deliver fresh, hot food to your door. (They are usually much faster than whatever GrubHub estimates). They are very reliable, and the delivery guy is friendly. The food is consistent - it doesn't change from delivery to delivery and once you figure out what you like on the menu, this is a godsend. They have never ONCE messed up my order either! If you're ever starving, or it's a snow day, or you're in a bind and you need delivery, order from TNR! Props, TNR! Update on hair: haven't found another one since that 1 time. I'm back to trusting the food and digging in!
(4)Andrew S.
As an update to my review, one of the owners contacted me to refund my entire meal and to offer me a second chance on the house. He tried to reassure me that what I saw was a grain of black rice that got in my white rice from cross-contamination of the rice scoop. I can see how that would be possible, but I am almost certain that what I found in my rice was not a grain of black rice. It did not have the consistency or appearance of a rice grain. There was still no apology for the distress caused by possibly seeing crap in my food; only reassurance that I was wrong. I'll throw in another star for the full refund and for contacting me to try to explain the situation, albeit in a condescending explanation.
(2)Hwal L.
Stopped one night for a bubble tea, and it wasn't just a disappointment, it was revolting. The bubbles were lumpy and falling apart,and we had a hard time believing the serve lady when she advised us the bubbles were cooked recently. We have been to enough tea shops to know without a shred of doubt that they weren't, and believe that no business should get anything out that they wouldn't eat themselves. Maybe they would? Wouldn't rule out ever going back for food, but unlikely.
(2)Lizzie H.
Customer service could use some work. Portions sizes aren't that great. Pretty good size restaurant with good amount of seating. Food is always piping hot and fresh tasting. OK place.
(3)Dani P.
I found out this place serves bubble tea just before the hottest week of Summer. I then got bubble tea 3-4 times that week (I lost count?). Bubble tea is fairly abundant outside of DC, but in the city itself it isn't as easy to find. It's a quick drive from Georgetown to come here, although sometimes parking stinks. So far I've had black milk tea, coconut milk tea, and almond milk tea. All have been great. I've also ordered food twice with my bubble tea. It's never been a bad experience, though the food has also never been remarkable. They're remarkable for the bubble tea.
(3)Peng L.
Only stopped by to grab a bubble tea. They use tiny ice in the drink so it tastes like a slushy and is very refreshing. Tapioca got the right chewiness and not too sweet. I ordered my green tea with milk with less sugar and it's still a tad too sweet, but that's my preference. Looks like a really clean restaurant and the boss lady was very nice. Speaks Cantonese and English.
(3)Valerie H.
The staff are nice and I love roasted duck noodle soup, yum yum.
(5)Prairie S.
I've steered clear of this place despite having lived 5 minutes away for years...Why? Because I once had rather off beef here, way too chewy and sketchy. I thought this seemed to be a cost-cutting restaurant just scamming the easily-fooled Arlington yuppie crowd. Who are more interested in themselves than in what's on their plate sometimes, and are perhaps not discerning about American-Chinese cuisine. Recently I decided to be open minded and scanned through my normally trusty yelp reviews, and decided to give the bubble teas a try, as they came highly recommended. And I am addicted to bubble tea. Wow. Never have I been led this astray by yelp. The bubble tea was not properly sealed, the blending was off, not enough ice, blue powder was used as taro green tea, and I felt cheated beyond belief. The tapioca pearls with coffee built in redeemed it slightly. Yes folks it's possible to get bubble tea wrong, come here and find out how. :-[ Got me once, fooled me twice, and cannot imagine what will happen to me after three strikes. Ergo, they will not be getting further business from me. Chinese food is admittedly low on my totem pole as well.
(2)Jess Y.
Stopped by for some bubble tea and I was surprisingly impressed. I thought that you could only get good Taiwanese-style bubble tea in Maryland in this area. I loved that I could also order it less sweet because most of the bubble teas offered in the States are cloyingly and unbearably over-sweetened. The tea flavor was good and authentic and overall the drink was delicious. I would definitely come back to order some more bubble tea! I have also had food here before. Good, authentic and quick but sometimes a bit too much oil for my liking. Nothing super noteworthy but pretty good authentic Chinese food if you need it in a hurry.
(4)Win S.
If you're in a bind for Taiwanese food/bubble tea in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood, TNR Cafe do the trick. They offer standard Taiwanese dishes, like shredded pork with bean curd (pretty good) and American-Chinese food options like Moo Shu Pork (savory meat wrapped in steamy pancakes). It is a bit pricey for take-out level food, as they are a step higher in quality. But I wouldn't come here regularly, as the atmosphere is nothing to rave about and I'd look around for cheaper food if I really wanted Chinese. TNR offers coupons in their mailer from time to time, around 20% off orders of $25 or more and free fried rice or egg rolls. The bubble tea is meh OK. They used powdered flavored sugar vs anything fresh. It isn't horrible, but aim higher -- especially if you're willing to drive further out in VA or MD. I'm glad TNR is part of the neighborhood, though, as it adds to the diversity of options on Wilson Blvd.
(3)Clifton Shiuh Jiun C.
Authentic Taiwanese bubble tea and rice noodle! Must try! Quick delivery and excellent service!
(5)Sara M.
First visit last night - I don't think I've ever received my food that fast (and hot!) at a sit-down restaurant. Ordered the ma po tofu, portion was good - before I started eating I decided to save half of my plate but once I took a bite that plan went out the window. I might've considered giving them 5 stars if it weren't for the bubble tea - ordered the honeydew green milk tea, wasn't blended enough (gritty powder, bits and pieces of ice towards the end). Nonetheless I would definitely return for the food!
(4)Annie L.
It's like finding treasure when you finally get to eat authentic Chinese food. It's even better when there's a deal. 3 entrees and a soup for $25 dine in special filled up two people. We got the bitter melon with beef, taiwanese style fried chicken and fish filet with bean sauce. I'll never say no to fried chicken - recommended street food... Clean restaurant with a very attentive wait staff. Dining in is popular as much as their take out crowd. They're up to date on technology with an iPad to pay for your order. This place is the place to go for a casual authentic clean experience.
(4)Melissa D.
The owners reached out to me the day after my last review to try to make it right, which I appreciated a lot. At that point, my meal had already been comped so I assured them that no further action was needed, that I would order again at some point and update my review accordingly. So, here I am again. Ordered our "usual" on Sunday before the dinner rush (around 3:30pm). The order arrived hot and within about 45 minutes. I was bummed that I couldn't get my favorite Thai Iced tea (which seems to have been taken off the menu) but the Almond bubble tea was a decent substitute. May work this one back in to our regular rotation as it's still one of the more solid Chinese takeout options in Arlington, despite the inconsistencies.
(3)Rustin F.
This place is pretty awesome. I was on my way home from a coffee shop and hadn't had dinner, so I decided to swing in and grab some food to take home. A few answered questions about the menu and five minutes later, I walked out with chow foon noodles with chicken, spicy. The portion was huge, full of chicken, pasta, and stir fried (but still fresh and crispy) vegetables. It was very good, and I haven't been so stuffed after a meal in a long time. Though it was a little pricey, I'd definitely come back when I'm looking for some tasty, fresh Chinese food.
(5)Chelsea L.
I ordered delivery from this place last night. The food, when it arrived an hour and 15 minutes later, was pretty good. I was annoyed that I had to wait for so long since they said it would be 45 minutes. I ordered the hot and sour soup and the szechuan beef, with a side of brown rice instead of white. The soup was great, nothing short of my expectations. same with the beef, and the brown rice was surprisingly really good. I'd order from here again but place my order way before I am ready to eat.
(4)Eevee D.
The people were nice, but they didn't follow what I specifically ordered online. I stated no vegetables and no utensils, but alas that was not followed. The meat was not good either, mostly filler and there was a lot of fat in the meat. Will I be coming back? Nope.
(2)Steve S.
Perhaps ten years in SF spoiled me. Basic neighborhood Chinese restaurants were plentiful, and the worst of them was better than TNR, and most were quite a bit cheaper. Food not as good as I remember the place at Pentagon City food court. It is a large portion and comes out quickly. The Chinese food equivalent of what they used to serve in a high school cafeteria. Too bad the place at 2500 Wilson got replaced by another Vietnamese joint.
(3)Lia M.
Eh. I ordered from TNR in a fit of hunger (and because of Foodler bucks). It worth noting that the delivery guy will not deliver to your actual office, just the building lobby. The spring rolls were super greasy and had egg in them, which was weird. The duck noodle soup had an off taste to it. I did like the mapo tofu though--it was sufficiently spicy, even if it was served over fried rice. I'd not order from here again.
(2)Joann G.
Discovered this place when I first moved to Courthouse and was craving some Chinese takeout. Apart from the American-Chinese menu, TNR has a separate Chinese menu that contains some authentic Chinese dishes, which is great. The shredded pork in garlic sauce on this secret menu is by far my favorite. The "three-cup" chicken is also good but can be dry since they use boneless chicken breast when you're supposed to use chicken thigh with bones. I recently tried their pineapple fried rice with chicken and the outcome was unexpected. The rice tasted more like curry fried rice with pineapple chunks. The curry flavor overpowered everything else in the dish. I have dined in and ordered takeout, and the food has always been delicious. It is, however, a pricier takeout place. Think of it as Chinese restaurant quality food to go.
(4)Eric J.
I think they forgot to put the crab in the crab rangoon T_T
(1)Joseph A.
The spinach and tofu soup was ok. Plenty of tofu, very little spinach. Flavor was good. Steamed dumplings were some the worst I've ever eaten. I ate 2 of 6. Threw the others out. The dipping sauce was unimaginative. Vegetable chow foon was adequate. I would look for another restaurant next time around. No utensils were provided.
(2)Steven P.
Food was great, service Lightning fast! The bubble tea was awesome!! Best Chinese food around and super convenient to go to before the movies nearby!!
(5)Alyssa A.
I was feeling pretty hungover and was craving some solid chinese food. I had never been to TNR before and think that I came to the right place. My friend ordered the General Tso's chicken and I ordered the Hunan Chicken. I normally get the Chicken and Broccoli but I told the lady I was in the mood for more vegetables than just broccoli. She recommended the Hunan Chicken saying that it had other vegetables and was similar in flavor. She said it was also spicy, but I didn't notice (I also have an insane spice tolerance). Vegetable Soup for 2 - This was a nice and light appetizer. I put a little sriracha on it and it added a little kit. This was just a simple broth and vegetables but I still thought it was delicious.Nothing fancy! Hunan Chicken - very good. nice size portion. General Tsos - crispy and juicy. I'm from Maryland where a lot of chinese places probably give you more than enough food for 2 meals for the same cost. Don't expect that coming here. The portions just aren't that big in Arlington. I would say for the cost, and definitely ENOUGH food, with just a little for leftover, this place is worth it. I have a new go-to chinese place in Arlington. Good prices, good portion, and good service.
(4)Catharine C.
I give this restaurant 5 stars because they are compliant with allergies! My boyfriend has a shellfish allergy which makes it very hard for us to eat Chinese food - I cannot believe how many restaurants are not friendly to this allergy! My boyfriend gets the general tso's chicken with white meat (not breaded) and I get the chicken and broccoli- I would recommend either for a quick and easy dinner (the portions are very big so they could be easily split)!
(5)Janet L.
We had a large group here on a weekday evening. Plenty of space available as we did not make reservations. We ordered off of the authentic Chinese menu and most of the dishes were very well flavored and cooked. However, some of the dishes were slightly on the oily side. The staff is very friendly. Bubble tea (Taro) was pretty good, this is pretty good authentic food for the area.
(4)Melanie G.
This is my go-to Chinese food delivery place in Arlington! Their chicken Lo-mein is awesome and I always get an order of crab Rangoon too. I've done pick-up before, but delivery is easier (has a small fee) and usually arrives within an hour. I'd definitely recommend them and have tried a few other places, but ultimately like TNR the best.
(4)Gwen B.
Meh it was just OK and more on the disappointing end overall. To be honest it was very expensive Chinese food for average quality. $40 without tip was more than what we expected to pay for a pickup., fast food style restaurant. Certainly costs more than PF Changs for sure with no better ingredients. My best friend and I got two lychee bubble teas (pretty good, probably the highlight of my meal). She got the cold noodles app and the moo shu chicken. I tried both and they were decent, but not great. I got the orange chicken and while it wasn't TOTALLY over fried, it was far too bready/fried for my tastes. There are plenty of better options for Asian food in the Arlington area so I wouldn't go here unless I was in a bind and majorly craving some Chinese.
(2)Carl G.
My coworkers and I ate here a couple of times because it was close to work. The food is okay and the service sufficiently fast and friendly. My most recent order of Kung pao tofu had what appeared to be a bandaid dripping in sauce. The staff has since contacted me and told me it was tofu packaging material. I guess just inspect your food.
(3)Sagar M.
My review here is pretty much all noodle everything noodle. I haven't branched out too much, but come on... the word "Noodle" is right in the name (the N in TNR). And to be quite honest not too many people around here do Chinese style noodle soups so I'll take what I can get. I haven't tried the more typical Chinese take out type offerings so this review doesn't really touch any of those. I would give the Soup + Ingredients + Noodles = 4 tasty stars. Specifically the noodles are the perfect consistency/chewiness. The place loses half a star because of the meat. BNS (beef noodle soup) is my go to and the meat is never as good as I hope it would be. I've had the pork and duck as well, and those are definitely better in the meat department, but the broth is not as delicious as the BNS. The sesame noodles (comes with this kind of not really peanut butter sauce) is a tasty appetizer and the spicy cabbage is spicy deeeelish (if you like spicy). The price point makes this place a weekly favorite. They do delivery too which is a big plus. After everything TNR rounds out as a solid 4 for me. In fact... it's sounding pretty good for dinner tonight.
(4)Joanna M.
TNR Cafe is my neighborhood "Chinese" delivery and take out joint. "Chinese" because the menu has many americanized chinese dishes and dishes with other asian influences in their cuisine (miso soup, boba tea, etc.) They have a $15 minimum for delivery so I usually order a combo dish like happy family, and/or lo mein, rice, chicken with broccoli/mixed veggies, sesame chicken, etc. you know the typical stuff. Food is decent, nothing too kick you in the crotch and slap your momma because you can't believe how good their food is. Food is A-OK and does the job. I get the rent in this Arlington/Courthouse area is steep, but for their prices, I would rather drive farther out in Arlington (Falls Church area, etc.) for more tasty and authentic chinese dishes at much more competitive prices.
(3)dave o.
Every so often one finds a "best in house" meal, or one so tasty, made so well, and so value laden in merits "best in house". The ginger shrimp casserole is one of those dishes. Abundant jumbo shrimp, cooked in a brown hunan sauce, flavored with ginger, ample vegetables and mushrooms wok fried within the casserole. This is a terrific dish. I'll do this quite often. How lucky were we to ask about it, receive a glowing recommendation from the server, and take her up on this meal. Add some sake. You will walk out a very contented diner. A real treat!!!!
(5)Nancy L.
When I'm really craving chinese food and I don't have time to run back to rockville, this is where I go. Most of the items we've ordered have been pretty tasty and spot on. - fish filet in Szechuan spicy broth ($12.95) this is essentially a really spicy broth with fish filets and cabbage. So spicy and so tasty - great with rice! We usually take the leftover broth and add more fish to it for dinner the next night - Moo shu chicken or pork with pancake ($10.95) - sliced tender pieces of chicken or pork with sliced cabbage and various other veggies. It's seasoned w a light soy sauce and is a tad bit sweet. It comes w thin tortilla like pancakes that you put plum sauce on and top it w the meat to make a little Asian fajita. One of my go to dishes here. - da lu mein ($8.95) - this is a little different from normal da lu mein. They use a lighter hot and sour soup as a base and add veggies, shrimp and chicken. Our friends have gotten the chicken and broccoli before and I can say that was not very good. Instead of it being a brown sauce, it was kind of pinkish... Not sure what was going on there. I don't recommend that. They also have bubble tea here but it's 3.95 so kinda pricey and it's ok. I only get it when I'm really craving it and don't want to drive to Eden center. Overall, I think this is a solid chinese fix in arlington!
(4)Marc M.
Fine food at a good price. Nothing spectacular, but good, consistent quality at a reasonable price.
(3)Sheila E.
Pretty solid local Chinese delivery place. Any food I've gotten from here has been tasty and of good quality. I recommend the Singapore Rice Noodles - great dish! Delivery is fast and prices are reasonable.
(4)Chich S.
This is probably my favorite take-out chinese food place in the Arlington area. The food is good for take-out chinese. I really liked the singapore rice noodles. The hunan beef is good too.
(4)Paul K.
While Chinese takeout isn't my typical culinary choice, the recent change of living situation forced me to stray from my position in my kitchen. The standard general Tso's chicken was slightly above mine and did a good job of throwing a little twist in there with fresh slivers of garlic and extra dried hot peppers that only slightly elevated the heat while elevating the flavor. Happy with my decision they'll see me again in the future.
(4)Subi P.
This restaurant is killing me. The" Fish Fillet in Szechuan Spicy Broth "was awesomely delicious; I loved it. Even though I was so full, I was still keep eating until I really can't. Servers were extremely friendly. Anyway, I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Karen A.
Great lunch spot! Friendly staff, in and out within the lunch hour. I would recommend the Pan-Fried noodles, Singapore Noodles, Schezuan Sting beans, Shredded Beef with Peppers (beef strips), Crab-meat and Asparagus soup and the healthy menu options are good as well.
(4)Joy P.
I have yet to try something that I don't like! The portions are large, so there's always leftovers (breakfast of champs). AND they even deliver bubble tea :)
(4)Betsey L.
This review is not for the food but STRICTLY for the Milk Tea. Coming from NYC, I've had great bubble tea/ milk tea experiences at places like Saints Alps in the East Village. I've ordered the green tea w milk a few times. Once w/ bubbles (not a fan of their bubbles, I think they should be soaked in sugar and at times its overcooked). I've also ordered just the green tea w milk w/out bubble as a cold drink, AND hot drink. IT IS LEGIT. The tea flavor quality is similar to that of Saints Alps in NYC. I have a sneaking suspicion they order from the same place in taiwan (waitress told me they order a lot of stuff from taiwan) OR they are somehow related to Saints Alps bc I ordered cold sesame noodles ($3.95 - not too bad, would prefer a thinner noodle width), and received small plates w/ the Saints Alps logo on it. I have yet to try to regular blk tea w/ milk. I need to try more food to write a legit food review - i will update this review when i do so. But so far, the milk tea, GREEN MILK TEA....is legit. and the bathrooms are clean. :)
(4)Sissy C.
My parents own a Chinese take out restaurant back home and they've been chefs for 30 years. And I can definitely say that this is up to par with my parent's food (at least the authentic Chinese food is). I ordered the Authentic Chinese Food deal where you get 2 meals and 1 soup for $18.95 which isn't bad for 2 people. I got the Chinese sausage with egg, shredded pork with dry bean curd (AKA tofu) and tomato egg drop soup. IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOOOODDD. The Chinese sausage and egg taste just like how my dad makes it, and I am very picky about the Chinese food I eat cause they're usually not as good as my parents. But I do get homesick and miss their food and decided to try out a Chinese place here in Arlington and I'm glad I tried TNR Cafe. Everything was seasoned and cooked perfectly, and I will Definitely order from them again!
(5)L G.
I am a fan of this place. i love their hot and sour soup and BUBBLE TEA!!!! I would go there just for their bubble tea. It is authentic tasting for sure!! The Chinese food there is not completely authentic, like the ones I've been to in NY's chinatown, but it is still pretty good! It's a cute place and very clean. There are plenty of seating as well! Very friendly customer service and i always appreciate that! I would recommend people to try this place out! :D
(2)matt s.
They screwed me over on my bill then would not fix it. I have never given a place 1 star but take my advice and avoid this place. I also have a friend who found "something" in there food and also heard they have several health violations pending and could be closed soon.
(1)Kate M.
Pretty good Chinese food. General Tso's chicken is sweet and has a good kick to it. Eggrolls are so-so. Chicken lo mein is very good. Our order was ready in 10 minutes and it's right across from the metro - convenient indeed. About $25 for two entrees and eggrolls.
(3)Brandi G.
Now there are some good things to be had at this place, maybe not the best, but good in the scheme of things for the DC metro area. For one, their boba is good! Two, the prices and quantity are decent. Three, it reminds me of some noodle places easily found in California which are somewhat hard to find over here. [Milk Tea] They advertise their milk teas as cream tea and maybe that is the reason why their texture is so velvety. I'm not sure, but I throughly enjoyed it. I also have to give it up for the pearls. None of this chewy on the outside, hard on the inside business that you can typically find out here. This was perhaps the best textured and perfectly chewy pearls I have had here. I tasted the taro milk tea as well. I was amazed at how true and flavorful the taro flavor stood out. It wasn't overly sweet or watery like many other taro milk teas. [Food] The dishes we had were about $8-$9 each. This was for dinner prices (for lunch, it's about half that price). I definitely had left overs for lunch the next day because it was a plate full. We had the sauteed beef & tomato over rice and chow foon. No complaints here. The sauteed beef and tomato over rice tasted of what was to be expected (sweet tomato sauce with beef and rice). The chow foon had wide noodles and was flavorful.
(4)Anita S.
*This review is only of the bubble tea TNR's bubble tea wasn't edible. At all. The tea itself was unmemorable. What was memorable were those pearls. They hadn't been soaked for long enough, so that the centers were hard. Teeth-cracking hard. We used the straw to remove the pearls.
(1)Miss B.
We have been systematically ordering from Chinese take outs since we moved to Arlington from DC to find our go to take out place and have yet to find one that stands out. TNR was the last one we tried. We ordered: 1) Pork & szechuan pickles soup- delicious broth, not tart like you may think. This could definitely be a great cold-cure type soup. I would recommend this. 2) Beef & broccoli - (our standard comparison for systematic evaluation) was... I hate to say it, but just bland. 3)Being hung over, I got something that I never never never get... General Tso's - I wanted something fried - it was ultimately not worth the calories. It was also kind of bland and didn't achieve that lovely caramelized coating that I craved. One positive comment about the General Tso's was that the broccoli was crisp, like they let only the steam from delivery time to cook it. Even though the food was probably two stars, the woman on the phone taking the order was extremely nice and informative (re-capped order, gave me total $...). Perhaps good food + good communication cannot coexist in the world of Chinese takeout. I also gave the food 3 stars instead of 2 because we did get it via delivery, which I am sure compromises the food quality some and I would like to think that on a less busy day it may be better. I would go back to try TNR's bubble teas -they sound good, and maybe even dine in, based on some of the others posts, but I'm not sure that we will order take out again.
(3)Amanda T.
My roommate orders TNR cafe probably at least 3 times a week. He is very particular about his Chinese food and has given it a big thumbs up. He is quickly becoming a regular and knows the cashiers. There is always TNR in my fridge, but I tried it for the first time yesterday. My roommate had visitors and we got take out for a leisurely dinner in. We ordered eggplant in garlic sauce, green beans and an item not on the menu: two orders of shredded beef with dried tofu. You can also ask for vegetables that aren't on the menu such as tong-xin-cai (translated into hollow stemmed veggie? but googled it to be water spinach) and snow pea shoots (my fav!) but they didn't have any that day. The Northern-style Chinese food is too greasy for my taste, but very flavorful. There were 4 of us and I originally thought 4 dishes would be too much food, but everything save a box of rice was consumed. They deliver as well! A service I'm sure my roommate will use in the very close future as the weather becomes colder. Yummy but greasy.
(4)Anna H.
Went here for lunch during the work week, it was very tasty and you get a relatively good sized portion for the lunch special. I got the kungpao chicken and was supprised with how tasty and fresh the vegetables were and the chicken was cooked just right and almost browned in the sauce. Yum. It is not my hands down favorite place ever but I will definitely be going back here for lunch whenever I am craving chinese!
(4)Josh S.
It's nice little cozy Chinese restaurant on Wilson. The interior design and atmosphere do not give you any China-like feels - which I find a good sign because most Chinese restaurant tend to have 'we don't care about how restaurant look, we just serve good food' looks. This one has both. The staff were attentive - although it was 80% occupied while we went, the lone lady was fast enough to check up on us and re-fill our waters before we had to call her up. The place was very clean, had few LCD screens, and nice lighting work done on the roof. Definitely not your typical Chinese restaurant. The foods were great too. I find it bit pricey but given the fact that location is on Wilson (probably higher rent) and interior design (quality atmosphere) makes up for that extra $2 for Chicken/Beef dishes. I got the Combination Fried Rice (Young-Chow) and my friend ordered General Tso's Chicken. The portion was adequate. We are both grown up healthy mid 20s and was able to get stuffed with our dishes. If you crave for some authentic Chinese foods, this probably isn't the first choice from me. Being an Asian, I've been to more genuine places with cheaper meals, but I don't remember having a great services from any of those. This place is more of those Chinese restaurant you can take your date out to if she is feeling some Chinese foods for the night. Try the bubble-tea too as they're delicious.
(4)Juichia C.
The best neighborhood Chinese delivery/take out place I've ever seen or been to. It's clean and food is better than your average Chinese fast food. What most people don't know is that they have a Chinese menu, which is also shown on the back of their delivery menu... written in Chinese of course. The Chinese menu offers a variety of authentic dishes that you can't find on the English menu. For example, they have beef noodle soup, which is quite delicious. Their mu shoo dishes and peking duck are good. The dumplings are not great, neither is the hot and sour soup. Can't complain about the bubble tea there! I'm really glad that TNR makes good bubble tea, so I can get my fix whenever I crave it! The ladies who work there are so nice, though I'm not sure if it makes a difference whether you speak Chinese to them or not.
(4)Todd R.
Nice, varied, healthy menu with good lunch specials and quick service. Reasonable prices, too. I have had meat dishes and vegetarian dishes, and TNR Cafe does well with both. Carryouts are also done well.
(5)Hannah B.
Not bad for standard Chinese fare. The sesame shrimp has too much breading and not enough shrimp. The general tsao chicken is good. It definitely fulfills a craving for Chinese.
(3)Monica S.
As I was walking into TNR Cafe tonight, I heard a group of girls walking past me say, "That place is ALWAYS empty. UGH...lame Chinese restaurant...why would people eat there?" Let me tell you why I eat at TNR Cafe. 1. It is reasonably priced. 2. They have the BEST bubble tea I've ever had. 3. They can cook you whatever you want. I walked in one day and asked for fried tofu with a million vegetables in black bean sauce....and that is exactly what they gave me, even though it wasn't on the menu. 4. It's the best take out Chinese I've eaten in this area. 5. DID I MENTION THEY HAVE AWESOME BUBBLE TEA? The end.
(5)Norlie L.
Pretty good on our 2nd try. Need to asked for NO MSG...
(3)Danny M.
I think these guys have the best "Americanized" Chinese in Arlington. PLUS, they serve kimchi (as Spicy Chinese Cabbage)! They are always fast and courteous, and their portions are fair. For example, their Kung Pao Chicken is not all peanuts like some places. You can also request all white meat chicken, though I am learning that dark meat chicken isn't necessarily that much worse for you. I've ordered from them several times and yet to have one single complaint.
(5)joe w.
I give high marks for the Boba. This place has an authentic Taiwanese reputation.
(4)Jay R.
Since moving to Arlington, I've walked and driven past this place countless times. I saw a Groupon offer a few days ago, and figured that it would be a good reason for my favorite dining girl and me to finally get there. We went last night, and we both give it a solid three stars. It's not excellent, but for a reasonably priced dinner (and happy hour Tsingtao beer!), it worked for us, and was better than a lot of other places we've been to, that were farther from home.
(3)Quentin B.
This rating is only for the Bubble Tea. I have only taken out the Mango Bubble Tea a couple times now but never ordered any food. So far, I've been very happy. The tea was good and fresh and the bubbles were cooked perfectly. Both times the staff asked if I was happy with my drink before I left. The first time I went, the young female staff member even tested the bubble before she made my tea. Maybe all the concern is because the drinks have been inconsistent (based on the other reviews). My friend had the Almond Bubble Tea and was also very pleased. I'm a little apprehensive to try the food there as others have had poor luck but TNR will remain on my list for Bubble Tea.
(4)Bro H.
This place seems to be getting worse. When I first discovered it a couple years ago, the food was significantly less greasy and seemed to contain much fresher ingredients than most delivery Chinese places. The last time we ordered, after a relatively long hiatus, I ordered the beef with hot peppers, which looked and tasted like green bell peppers, and came in what was unmistakably just grease and soy sauce, and my girlfriend got the hunan chicken, which she described accurately as tasting like "chicken in greasy water." The pan fried noodles used to be pretty darn good, and it's possible that this is still the case, but after receiving two disastrous dishes, I don't think we'll be bothering ordering from here again. On the other hand, the atmosphere at the restaurant itself is still relatively pleasant, so if you wanted, for some reason, to eat delivery-quality chinese in a nice-ish restaurant, this would be a good choice.
(2)Xing X.
I'd say it's more of a 3.5 overall, but my own experience is more of a 4. I can't really speak to the take-out type food here. I'm Chinese and speak it with the staff and generally only order from the menu with the funky letters on it. While it was decent, the food came out on the sweet side. I'd suggest hunting down a Chinese friend and forcing him/her to take you. Lure them with the promise of moderately tasty Chinese food on the cheap. They also have ok bubble tea here. If you've never tried any, you definitely should!
(4)Dan H.
A little overpriced and nothing special, but the best option in Arlington. Has kept me coming back at least once every few months. Keep an eye out for Groupon as they've had coupons in there before.
(3)Andrew T.
TNR (Tea Noodles Rice) is a terrific place. We originally found out about the restaurant via a positive local review and since then have been hooked on the place. Since our long tour of China we have been eagerly looking for a local restaurant that served authentic Chinese food - and pleasantly found it at Tea Noodles Rice. The sauces, tofu, vegetables and dishes are all well prepared, not fatty, and perfectly seasoned. The owners are Chinese and we thoroughly enjoy practicing our burgeoning Mandarin with all the staff who are very helpful. The actual environment could use some work. The narrow layout has little to dampen sound, so there is an echo, and too many LCD TV's mounted along the walls. However, at night there is a warm, red glow that permeates the restaurant, lending to the Chinese feel. Currently this is my wife and my local favorite and the staff always remember us and greet us warmly when we dine.
(5)Grace C.
While I'd been warned that Arlington was not known for its bubble tea, I had a craving and my Arlington-based sister suggested TNR. She'd been there once before and didn't think their food too bad (their potstickers' skins were too thick but the fried rice with ketchup was pretty good). So we quickly bought their green tea (one with and one without milk) and went home to watch the Australian Open. The tea was sweeter than necessary but what was disappointing enough to make me take time away from watching the game to write this review was the bubbles. There were a couple that were edible (i.e. could be chewed) but most were completely too hard (undercooked??) to even be consumed without breaking a tooth. Oh... if only I could get away charging $3/cup for serving this type of stuff. Friends don't let friends drink their bubble tea here.
(1)Giselle L.
Great Chinese food. Excellent sweet and sour shrimp-jumbo shrimp! The house noodle soup is perfect comfort food for a cold, rainy day. They are one of the few restaurants that serves bubble tea--refreshing!
(3)A F.
This is our favorite restaurant in this area of Arlington (and better than the food we have gotten in DC's Chinatown). The food is consistently excellent, and the prices are very reasonable. We especially love the spicy szechuan fish, crispy fried breef, and salt & pepper shrimp (all Chef's Specials). The basil eggplant and the beef noodle soup are good too. The staff are all very friendly and competent as well.
(5)G M.
I've only ordered delivery, so can't speak to the sit-down experience. The food is better-than-average Chinese food...but nothing mindblowing. The delivery is usually timely, and the food is always hot when it arrives. Also, they have coupons for free stuff (free bubble tea if you spend more than $25, etc...) which is always nice.
(3)Brandon C.
This isn't an area known for its Chinese food. Even in our fake "Chinablock" (I refuse to call it "Chinatown" as most Chinatowns don't have a Hooters or Ruby Tuesdays), the choices are sub-par. TNR Cafe is a consistent and yummy place to get some standard Chinese-American fare. Their noodle dishes, Kung Pao Chicken and dumplings are the typical things I get and I'm rarely disappointed. Their other dishes are pretty standard, but they don't LACK for anything which can't be said of most places in this region.
(4)Mar O.
So the caveat is, in general, I find most American Chinese food appalling, and because I'm sick, I keep ordering it in the hopes that it will somehow hit my Chinese food spot (and it rarely does). That being said, for Arlington, VA, for American Chinese in general, TNR is decent. But their stand out dishes are their over-rice meals. Whenever I've ventured off that little section of the menu, I have been disappointed. However, if you like Chinese American, I think you'll be pretty pleased with TNR overall. Last but not least, they have a secret Chinese menu, which I cannot read (!!!!), which I am sure I will want to order off of. Bah! It's language discrimination, I tell you.
(3)Minger M.
My friends and I always order off the prix fix menu. Some of those dishes are so so but most are spot on. If you grew up in a Chinese household you appreciate the authenticity of the dishes. The prices are good and the food comes out fast. I downgraded the review. The food hasn't changed by my impressions have. The food has a Taiwanese filter. Renditions of mainland flavors are not so great.
(3)KeL L.
I am only giving this place two stars bec I have been to other nastier places with nastier foods. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE GUYS ! ... it's mediocre food. you can pay the same price and just drive down the street maybe ...3 traffic lights more and you'll find cafe asia, which has more menu variety and the food is fresher and tastier. Customer service at TNR is not good either. When I got there there was no one at the counter, there were a few customers eating and we could hear someone in the back kitchen arguing and yelling ... that is so unprofessional. Oh and you can get better bubble tea else where!
(2)Sara B.
Oh oh OH I'm doing it!! Giving a Chinese place 5 stars! We all know Chinese takeout/delivery is a dime a dozen and I so wish that these places would help themselves out with cleaner restaurants and fresher more flavorful food so they could stand out and I could fall in love with them! Anywho I regularly try new Chinese to look for the diamond in the rough. We ordered delivery from TNR and it came super fast. The lady who took my order over the phone was very easy to understand. The hot and sour soup had more effort then I have ever seen with scallions and large pieces of mushroom. The shrimp fried rice was flavorful and not greasy. The general tsos (could have been more crispy in my opinion) but was tasty and had fresh, BRIGHT, GREEN, CRUNCY broccoli in it. steamed pork dumplings mmmm....LOVE.
(5)Betty Y.
Decent But nothing special. The eggplant with garlic sauce, sesame chicken, and fried rice are all pretty good. But the egg rolls are horrible. The menu does have a selection of authentic looking fare, but I haven't tried those.
(3)Derrick L.
Pretty standard Chinese take-out. We've found it acceptable and when we do feel like eating this stuff once a year, it's been convenient. We tried the boba once--not good.
(2)A J.
Just orders some delivery from this place. Pretty good, food was reasonably priced and tasted good! I asked for my chicken fried rices and chicken with veggies to be made spicy and they graciously agreed. Delivery was quick. I'll will be ordering from these guys again :-)
(4)Paul W.
I live behind this place so I find myself at times trying things on their menu even though I don't want to. This place is truly subpar chinese food. Even the authentic section of their menu is weak. I only use this place for bubble tea now which is decent. Coconut is money.
(2)Melody C.
Having moved back home to the DC area after living 3 years in Beijing I was sorely disappointed to know that I left all of the halfway-decent authentic Chinese food on Rockville Pike when i decided to move to Arlington. Living in a neighborhood that lacks authentic Chinese food gives me that same feeling I had when I longed for blue skies and clean air those years in China. not necessary to survive, but not having it takes a little bit of your soul away. I like the people at TNR. They're Beijingers - my peeps! Friendly, quick...I was even surprised to see that they have Zha Jiang Mian and other items on their menu that you don't typically see at a normal carryout joint. They sadly appear to be the only place that has bubble tea between courthouse and the Eden center near seven corners. They also have a special "chinese menu" printed on the back for people who dig on more authentic stuff - but only if you can read chinese. I've had them deliver to my place - and it was very quick. But the reason they get a 2 is because the food never impressed me, and it's way too expensive for what it is - carry out americanized general tso's orange chicken Chinese food. I should cut them some slack on the bland food since they have to cater to indecisive customers who call in and ask them to describe everything on the menu in order to avoid the spicy stuff, and the stuff that they are afraid "won't taste good". The only reason why they get to charge those exhorbitant prices for food that lacks bold flavor is because this is courthouse. If this were Rockville, nobody would pay $14 including tax for spicy stir fried beef w/ vegetables.
(2)Namtran N.
I remember when this place first opened and I first walked into it. I wasn't sure what to expect because I'm often disappointed by Chinese restaurants. Anyway.. I love this place. The servings are always huge and the waitresses we get are always really nice. It's very inexpensive for how much food you get. And... I do believe they got all their decor from IKEA (?), which is always a plus in my book. It's no Meiwah (obviously), but for the price and the area, it's damn good Chinese food.
(5)Jon K.
THE GREAT: The Kong Pao Chicken is divine. They will make it with white meat only per your request, and I've never been disappointed. Sometimes the spice, i.e. heat, factor is higher than others. When they turn it up a bit, doesn't get better than that. I also love the steamed dumplings, though the dough is a little thicker than most places. For me, that's a plus. For others, not so much. Servers are always extremely friendly too. THE GOOD: The Almond Bubble Tea is tasty too. The Kong Pao Beef, Moo Shoo Pork, and Anything Lo Mein also are tasty. THE OKAY: The schezuan beef, mongolian beef, and beef with green pepper are just okay. THE BAD: Consistency of heat can vary depending on who is in the kitchen. OVERALL: My go-to Chinese joint in Arlington!
(4)Evan D.
Wow, there were a lot of bad things going on here... Things started out surprising when the tomato egg drop soup turned out to be egg drop soup with chunks of tomato. That wasn't too bad considering the entree had hair in it and seemed to be completely raw. The service was very nice, but that definitely wasn't enough to compensate for the raw and hairy dish.
(1)Sean C.
OK this is my 100th review. I had been holding out a while to see if there would be that one really special once in a lifetime one I could share this momentous milestone with, but I could hold out no longer and decided to just get it out of the way so I could join the 100 club. TNR probably is the best Chinese I've had so far in the D.C. area. The standard stuff - egg rolls and steamed dumplings did not disappoint. Hunan Chicken - very tasty, actually slightly spicy. They also have "healthy choices" where they give you steamed vegetables and chicken, for example with rice and sauce on the side. Very healthy portions. Also, the cold sesame noodles are excellent. We didn't try it, but they have bubble tea here. Also, if you'd like to catch up on your Chinese soap operas you can do it on their 50" LCD TV.
(4)Ren C.
This is one of about 2 places my wife will order from for lunch in Arlington. Sawatdee Thai Restaurant and the Pho 75. Pho is only good if you eat it there and usually we don't want to spend that much time for lunch. Sawatdee is pretty consistent but it's also more expensive. The problem with Chinese restaurants is that they are inconsistent and TNR is no different. Expect the taste to change from day to day as well as wildly inconsistent service, where you'll be standing there and the staff will ignore you while arguing about something in Mandarin. Hot and sour soup is a staple of Chinese restaurants. Often when I go to a new place I'll order a hot and sour soup; if it's bad then I'll know the rest of the meal is a loss even before the dishes are on the table. The hot and sour soup at TNR is different almost every day. Often times it'll be way too oily or too spicy. Sometimes (usually) they'll have fresh mushrooms but not always. Even so, it's not inedible. The fried chicken wings is probably the most consistent item I order from them. My wife currently orders the Moo Shi Pork with extra pancakes. Got to make sure they give you the extra pancakes because they'll forget after charging you for it. She used to order the "Beef in Szechuan [sic.] Spiced Broth". I usually order the Pork with Fresh Hot Pepper. Another wildly inconsistent dish. Sometimes it'll be just right. Often times they'll add ground chili sauce in addition to habenero peppers and then it's almost impossible to eat. The Beef Chow Foon is bland for me. I think I tried the Chicken with Cashew once and it was off but then I haven't had a good Chicken and Cashew in a while. Either way, I pretty much just order the Pork with Hot Pepper. If it's too spicy, I just eat a lot of extra rice.
(2)Christopher R.
Great service!!! Waiters are friendly, punctual, and helpful. Food was mediocre for chinese, felt like I was paying a bit more than it was worth. Not much flavor or spice, vegtables soft, meet too hard. Great spring rolls and chinese style serving. I have not tried the bubble tea yet, I have a feeling it will be much better.
(3)PC W.
***2.5 stars*** Edible but I was expecting so much more. TNR is centrally-located in Courthouse and convenient to the metro. The decor is plain, and modern and cafe-like which is not common in many Chinese eateries. The flat screen TVs add an interesting touch and at least some entertainment. Let me start with the menu - they serve tea, noodles, rice and more. I was appalled that 20 items had price increases - and how do I know that you ask - because they crossed out the old price in pencil and wrote in the new price. It's one thing if there's one typo but to write in an average $2 increase on your dishes? Seriously? For cryin' out loud, just reprint the menus! Beyond that, the menu features a mix of American-Chinese food and a few authentic dishes. I started with a bowl of hot & sour soup. It was pretty tasty - not the best I've had, but far from the worst I've had. Karman L. and I split several dishes - half of a roasted duck, singapore noodles and garlic spinach. The waitress got our order wrong and brought a whole duck (and subsequently charged us for the whole duck). The duck was okay but for the price, I might as well go to Mark's duck house. I give the singapore noodles a passing grade although the curry flavor was not robust enough for me. The garlic spinach was pretty good. I ended my meal with a bubble tea - I was so excited because they have coconut milk tea and almond milk tea. I went for the coconut. The flavor was heavier on the black tea than the coconut but the bubbles are sweet here so it balances it out. It's too bad that 75% of the bubbles were raw, hard and inedible. I couldn't get through even half the drink. Besides the screwup with the duck, the service was actually very good. Too bad the food and bubble tea needs some work. It's going to take a lot to get me to return. I entered TNR with the notion that they might have authentic food and that was the wrong approach, I was doomed from the start. Had I entered expecting crappy takeout style Chinese food, this would have been incredible (because sometimes even the Chinese want crab rangoon, general tao's and sweet and sour chicken served with a highlight pink sauce). Bottom line: adjust your expectations and you'll have a far better experience then I did.
(2)Victor Z.
Tucked in a corner of Courthouse where Wendy's, Cosi's, and (ugh) Boston Market converge, TNR has become one of my favorite finds in DC. TNR's delicious non-greasy non-MSG Chinese dishes put anything in DC's embarrassingly named Chinatown to shame. The boba is legit--vacuum sealed plastic lids with cheesy designs on top with nicely al dente tapioca balls. On your first trip try the Jia Jian Mian, Beef Noddle Soup, or the cold sesame noodles.
(4)Kim L.
Bubble Tea. Enough said. Somewhat inconsistent, but mostly palatable. The food is not good ( I feel bad for putting that on here, but I spent $4.50 on pan fried dumplings yesterday and literally could not eat more than two of them. And for me to turn my nose up at fried food, well, that's saying something.)
(1)S. R.
On the whole, this is one of the best Chinese food places in the DC Metro area. The wontons and the basil/garlic chicken were awesome. I could've skipped the egg roll, but the basil/garlic chicken was phenomenal.
(5)Lisa D.
Before reading some of the low-rated reviews here, I figured I'd give TNR a 4. After reading some of the low-rated ones, they get a 5 to balance those out (especially the one-star from the person who was upset about not getting free straws for boba she bought somewhere else...mind-boggling, but I digress....). My husband and I have been here just about every night of the week and on weekends over a period of several years, and the food and service have consistently been excellent. Chicken and eggplant is one of my favorite dishes, and TNR's is the best I've ever had. My husband feels the same way about the chow foon (pork's the favorite). The mongolian beef is great; the noodle soups are great; I've never had anything from here I wouldn't order again. I just need to remind myself to try the beef stewed noodle soup next time; the much-closer-to-home place that introduced me to it in has unfortunately removed it from their menu. But hey...I'm willing to brave 66 most any time for dinner at TNR.
(5)Carolyn C.
Food was pretty good, very enjoyable for a slacker-Friday evening. Delivery was promised within 45 minutes yet arrived in 20. Everything still hot. I'm happy.
(4)Alexandra S.
big fan - a little expensive but solid chinese food
(4)Marc D.
I work nearby and find myself here about once every couple weeks because it has the most efficient lunchtime wait service in Courthouse. The soups are good and the service great. It appears that the quality of the chicken meat has been going downhill over the past few months, otherwise I'd give it 4 stars. The lunch specials do not appear on the menu. They show up only on a small whiteboard at the front of the restaurant.
(3)Jen H.
It was Saturday, around 6pm, I'm staying with a male friend who is the ultimate bachelor and has zero food in his house. There's snow coming down (end total was 22 inches) and I was the one who was making the trek to find food b/c he was coming down with an illness. Trekking through the snow, almost all of the businesses were closed, except for TNR Cafe and one other establishment. I admit, I was a bit nervous to try this place, as I can be very picky about my food, and I was going in blind, w/o reading any Yelp reviews! I was desperate, but I was lucky and pleasantly surprised! Both my friend and I really liked our meals. They were a bit on the expensive side for what I'm used to, but well worth it. Not only did it serve well for dinner, but there was also enough left over for lunch the next day! Bonus.
(3)vinnie t.
food has no taste here. bubble tea is gross. I don't think a dog would eat the left overs from this place. people that work there is rude. you're better off eating a bag of Ramon noodles to be honest. save your money
(1)Deena K.
This is the best Chinese food in the DC metro area. The food is not greasy and filled with MSG like most Chinese places. You don't feel gross after eating it, and the portions are HUGE so you can definitely take some home for the next day!
(5)Jack F.
My review is limited to Tea Noodles Rice (TNR) Cafe's bubble tea. Maybe I got lucky but my bubble tea was top notch. It was a perfectly balanced drink - not too creamy and not too sweet - with a distinct black tea base. The key is always to use simple syrup because granulated sugar doesn't dissolve evenly. As for the tapioca pearls, I'm guessing they were 5 or 6 hours old based on how much moisture they retained. A few were overcooked (slimy and gooey) but most of them were still chewy enough (like a slightly melted gummy bear) without being having dried-out cores. Best of all, the tapioca pearls were "seasoned." Unlike most bubble tea proprietors that offer bland tapioca pearls, TNR's bubbles were slightly sweet too (almost like honey). But given the numerous negative reviews about TNR's bubble tea, my experience could be an exception. I'm not ready to give TNR a four-star rating until I've had a chance to see if its bubble teas are, at least, somewhat consistent. [Original Visit: July 23, 2009]
(3)Josh H.
Great food, very quick, and attentive staff. When I lived in Courthouse I went to TNR every week. Many great dishes very reasonable. Waitress Kanya is the best!
(5)Anna D.
I can't believe I haven't shown this place some love yet! I have previously ordered bubble tea from TNR and was happy with it, so I was hoping to recreate my bubble tea experience to go along with some nice Chinese grub. 1. Wonton soup - Rich and savory broth with thick glutinous wontons. It seemed like the wontons were lacking their filling, but I would take the broth by itself any day. This soup was a good start to the meal. 2. Combination fried rice - Though slightly greasy, the rice was delicious. The plate was piled high with a generous serving of plump shrimp, chicken, and strips of beef. 3. Sesame chicken - Large chunks of tender chicken bathed in brown sweet garlic sauce and sesame seeds. The sweetness was almost off-putting, but the flavor was good. 4. Honey dew milk tea - I had such high hopes for the bubble tea, but it fell flat. It contained a lot of ice, which, of course, melted and watered down the drink. The pearls fared much better. They were chewy yet sturdy, a sign of properly cooked tapioca (overcooked tapioca balls gain a slimy, gummy consistency and undercooked tapioca balls are, well, a disgrace). Overall, it was a satisfying meal and there was plenty left over for another meal or two. I'm feeling generous, so this place gets 4 stars. I'm also a believer in second chances, and I'm hoping the watered-down bubble tea was just a result of an overzealous employee getting a little too ice happy. Delivery is free with a $15 minimum purchase.
(4)Spencer M.
TNR has consistently been a very good dining experience. The servers are very friendly, attentive, and quick. The food is a very good price...typically dinner for two with soup or an egg roll is under 20 dollars. The food itself is good for American Chinese food. The steamed menu is particularly yummy if you are looking for a healthy and tasty Chinese option. The restaurant is small, and the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed.
(5)Taylor W.
DON'T CALL CUSTOMER LIARS. BEWARE. Been a customer a long time. Tonight the manager basically called me a liar when I told her that she got my delivery order wrong. She said she had packed it and insisted it was correct even when I told her I was staring at it and it was wrong. She then implied that I was lying about my delivery order taking nearly an hour and a half because her delivery driver told her he had dropped off the order a long time before he actually delivered it. I drove the food to her restaurant and unpacked it in front of her. It was obviously incorrect. Her response? "Oh, I see," "I was trying to do the right thing," and told me that if a customer tells her something is wrong she has to verify it, don't I understand? Poor customer service......BEWARE. You know I am a very reasonable person and I try not to fall into the DC attitude when I have an issue, especially at a restaurant. However, this was truly warranted and I hope people avoid this place based on this post.h
(1)G. G.
It is really difficult to find decent Chinese in Arlington and thankfully, TNR does not disappoint. We eat here whenever we have a hankering for Chinese and we always leave full and happy! The service is great, very friendly and attentive and they always remember us. I've been meaning to try the bubble tea but haven't gotten around to it yet.
(4)Sarah S.
I've only gotten the bubble tea here. I like to take my friends to Pho75, and after a big bowl of noodles, we stop by TNR for some boba on the way back to the metro. I was impressed with the decor of the place. However, the bubble tea is only average. Living in D.C., it's probably the best bubble tea we can get without driving out to Virginia, so I don't really mind. My friends usually get the fruity tea with boba, and since the tea is clear, you can see the cool, multi-colored bubbles!
(3)Zoe W.
This is a really great place in my neighborhood. The people who work here are really friendly and non-intrusive. At least once I week I eat here by myself with a book, and it's a nice break from the constant bustle. I love TNR!
(5)Steph K.
Current retired Tea Noodles Rice (TNR) cafe patron - the food is not your high-end Chinese food by any means but definitely had it's delicious moments of late night not-wanting-to-cook all-out-feast-outs which included: Sinagapore Noodles, Taiwanese Rice Noodles and try the Ginger Chicken Casserole and Honey Dew bubble tea. They had our order down to a science and were healthy with portions; the best comfort food during school and crazy work hours. It was good while it lasted but unfortunately, after enough grease and MSG, one must part ways in favor of one's home cooking.
(3)Sid V.
This placed USED to be decent - I would have given 3.5 to 4 stars. Something has changed DRASTICALLY. Ingredients are different, meat seems different. You can just go to your regular chinese restaurant (pick the one closest to you), and it shouldn't make a difference. Oh yeah, they have been waiting for their liquor/beer license for about a year now. Every time you ask when they're going to get - the response is "1-2 months". LOL!
(2)Vijay B.
Everything we got was delicious. We had spring rolls, chicken noodle soup, and ma po tofu, which was hands down my favorite dish we ordered. I'd never tried ma po tofu, but since it was listed on the "authentic" Chinese dish side of the menu figured it was worth a shot. Turned out to be a really spicy, satisfying dish. Service was also good and friendly. Will definitely be back for more.
(4)Anna Y.
For those of you who dislike Americanized Chinese food, order from their chinese menu (back) and you will not disappointed. this is our fav. asian spot in arlington. we love their soups. it tastes authentic! they're combo meals are a great deal for large groups. the place is never packed and we always wondered why. hope they stay in arlington!
(4)Herman B.
I came here with my parents for dinner and we ordered three dishes and a soup from the authentic menu for $23. The seaweed egg drop soup was not salty enough, but the beef with fresh hot pepper, shredded pork with dry bean curd, and stir fried shrimp were good. Although not on par with the Chinese food I have had in the San Francisco Bay Area, TNR Cafe will certainly satisfy my Chinese food craving. The restaurant is clean, service is attentive, prices are reasonable, and the location can't be beat.
(4)Meika U.
If you're looking for a place to grab decent Chinese food, this is it. The menu is varied and the food is good. Decent prices too.
(3)Alison F.
This place is good for the money. The food, including the garlic broccoli, the crispy eggplant (especially the garlic dipping sauce) and the passionfruit bubble tea, is yummy (I couldn't help myself and ate far more than I needed to). The service is decently fast (though there were only 6 of us having lunch at 4 PM and there were probably 6 waiters hanging around). The interior was very pleasant.
(4)emmy y.
I think this is a pretty good Chinese place in Courthouse. They have pretty authentic Chinese food , which is kind of hard to find around the Courthouse area. Food: Better than any other Chinese place around this area except China Garden Drinks: they have bubble tea, but it is not as good as i like it to be Overall, this place is worth the try.
(3)Christopher G.
My Favorite Chinese restaurant in Arlington. Awesome food, prompt friendly service, inexpensive (for the area), and there are always Asians eating there (I'm sure this means something).
(4)Ali O.
my roommate and I went here last week based on a recommendation and I really liked the food. The service was good, the decor was simple, the food was very good and nice size portions too. If you're in the area and need a quick inexpensive meal, check out TNR!
(4)Andy N.
It's Taiwanese style Chinese food and setting that's tasty and affordable. The place is pleasant, service is very nice, and food is good quality. It's in Courthouse section of Arlington, just a stone's throw from the Metro. It's one of the cleanest Chinese restaurants I know of. It's open Late, and you can get brown rice on request. Most of the clientele seem to be Asian-American. More than one Chinese friend took me there, and that's a good sign. I really couldn't ask for much more in a Chinese restaurant. But if it were closer to my house it wouldn't hurt!
(4)Benjamin N.
TNR has so much potential. It has a great location right near the Metro, a nice storefront, and some of the kindest owners and employees you will ever meet. But the food often falls flat. I have tried many of the standard menu items and in most cases, I have not been very impressed. The noodles dishes, the rice dishes, and the sauces all lack that flavor balance (and intensity in some cases) that you expect from a really good chinese restaurant. Sometimes the food is too sweet; sometimes it just lacks flavor. You get the picture. I want TNR to succeed. With some changes to some of its recipes and some more attention to detail, I think that it can.
(2)Sean Y.
Tried this place with a groupon for dinner. Service was very good and very nice. There was a slight blip with my groupon, but it eventually worked out. Pricing is typical for dinner around the DC/metro area. Which means a bit on the high side, but the food was good. The lighting is a bit dim and pinkish--makes me think it's supposed to be in HK or something. But overall, a good experience.
(4)Amber G.
I have to update my review. While everything I said about the authenticity of the Chinese food here in my first review remains the same (it's not necessarily the most authentic or most memorable meal you'll ever have), I have to say this place deserves an extra star because their delivery is really what a restaurant delivery service should be. They never, ever take longer than 1 hour to prep and deliver fresh, hot food to your door. (They are usually much faster than whatever GrubHub estimates). They are very reliable, and the delivery guy is friendly. The food is consistent - it doesn't change from delivery to delivery and once you figure out what you like on the menu, this is a godsend. They have never ONCE messed up my order either! If you're ever starving, or it's a snow day, or you're in a bind and you need delivery, order from TNR! Props, TNR! Update on hair: haven't found another one since that 1 time. I'm back to trusting the food and digging in!
(4)Andrew S.
As an update to my review, one of the owners contacted me to refund my entire meal and to offer me a second chance on the house. He tried to reassure me that what I saw was a grain of black rice that got in my white rice from cross-contamination of the rice scoop. I can see how that would be possible, but I am almost certain that what I found in my rice was not a grain of black rice. It did not have the consistency or appearance of a rice grain. There was still no apology for the distress caused by possibly seeing crap in my food; only reassurance that I was wrong. I'll throw in another star for the full refund and for contacting me to try to explain the situation, albeit in a condescending explanation.
(2)Hwal L.
Stopped one night for a bubble tea, and it wasn't just a disappointment, it was revolting. The bubbles were lumpy and falling apart,and we had a hard time believing the serve lady when she advised us the bubbles were cooked recently. We have been to enough tea shops to know without a shred of doubt that they weren't, and believe that no business should get anything out that they wouldn't eat themselves. Maybe they would? Wouldn't rule out ever going back for food, but unlikely.
(2)Lizzie H.
Customer service could use some work. Portions sizes aren't that great. Pretty good size restaurant with good amount of seating. Food is always piping hot and fresh tasting. OK place.
(3)Dani P.
I found out this place serves bubble tea just before the hottest week of Summer. I then got bubble tea 3-4 times that week (I lost count?). Bubble tea is fairly abundant outside of DC, but in the city itself it isn't as easy to find. It's a quick drive from Georgetown to come here, although sometimes parking stinks. So far I've had black milk tea, coconut milk tea, and almond milk tea. All have been great. I've also ordered food twice with my bubble tea. It's never been a bad experience, though the food has also never been remarkable. They're remarkable for the bubble tea.
(3)Peng L.
Only stopped by to grab a bubble tea. They use tiny ice in the drink so it tastes like a slushy and is very refreshing. Tapioca got the right chewiness and not too sweet. I ordered my green tea with milk with less sugar and it's still a tad too sweet, but that's my preference. Looks like a really clean restaurant and the boss lady was very nice. Speaks Cantonese and English.
(3)Valerie H.
The staff are nice and I love roasted duck noodle soup, yum yum.
(5)Prairie S.
I've steered clear of this place despite having lived 5 minutes away for years...Why? Because I once had rather off beef here, way too chewy and sketchy. I thought this seemed to be a cost-cutting restaurant just scamming the easily-fooled Arlington yuppie crowd. Who are more interested in themselves than in what's on their plate sometimes, and are perhaps not discerning about American-Chinese cuisine. Recently I decided to be open minded and scanned through my normally trusty yelp reviews, and decided to give the bubble teas a try, as they came highly recommended. And I am addicted to bubble tea. Wow. Never have I been led this astray by yelp. The bubble tea was not properly sealed, the blending was off, not enough ice, blue powder was used as taro green tea, and I felt cheated beyond belief. The tapioca pearls with coffee built in redeemed it slightly. Yes folks it's possible to get bubble tea wrong, come here and find out how. :-[ Got me once, fooled me twice, and cannot imagine what will happen to me after three strikes. Ergo, they will not be getting further business from me. Chinese food is admittedly low on my totem pole as well.
(2)Guna H.
For a place that's walking distance from home, I like it a lot. Standard Chinese fare...and not too greasy. I know there's better chinese food if I was willing to drive, but when I'm feeling lazy, this place does just fine.
(3)Harrison K.
Great food and quick service for carry out.
(5)Tiffany S.
We decided to stop off in here for some quick food before a movie. BIG MISTAKE. We ordered a crab rangoon (disgusting, prefrozen, deepfriend, wonton covered cream cheese) and a noodle soup and an eggplant with garlic. After ONE HOUR our food had not come. How long does it seriously take to cook Chinese food? After we had already missed our movie, the soup arrived, cold. One hour for cold soup. Meanwhile, 15 minutes later, the eggplant was nowhere in sight. We ended up getting so fed up that we left before it came. They charged us for the cold soup. The food is bad, the service HORRENDOUS, the table was sticky, and the dishes did not look clean. I have nothing nice to say about this restaurant.
(1)Kenneth S.
My wife just happened in to this place when she was craving Chinese food after visiting our sick daughter in a local hospital. I arrived a few days later from California and we returned to TNR. The food is outstanding and the service is impeccable. We especially enjoyed the Peking duck and their Singapore rice noodles. Can't wait to return with our daughter when she gets out of the hospital!
(5)nat t.
Best Chinese food I've had in Arlington - if not, Northern Virginia! The service was decent (though, i think it was because the waitress was flirting with one of the guys at our table... who happened to be my bf :-P), and the food had good variety, flavor, and freshness. Rowena makes a good point - I don't remember seeing Tea either... Oh well, I'll definitely go back to this one.
(4)John M.
This will not allow me to pick stars so I will say 1.5 to 2 stars. The service is good but one waitress looked like the cheif beat her up but still good service. The price is good and the shirp toast was not bad (but I don't believe it is surposed to look that much like French Toast. Our needles dishes were not very good and both ha the same kind of noodle in it. The fish in my fish noodle had no taste whatsoever. Spend the extra money and get a much better meal at the Asian Cafe a few blocks away.
(2)Ka-Loon T.
The best Chinese food I've had in Arlington. I found this restaurant one dark, cold, and possibly rainy Christmas eve as I was driving home, and wondered if I might possibly have my fix of Cantonese style noodle soup. While their noodle soup was "eh", the rest of their menu was certainly something. The staff was friendly with us, but possibly because they don't often get a Cantonese speaking party. Or maybe it was for one of two reasons. My gf claims that the waitress was flirting with me. I think that they were just curious to see if this Asian dude can finish the "food for two" portion of food he ordered, and I don't mind admitting that I did devour it all.
(4)Robyn C.
Love the bubble tea here- bubbles are sweet :) and the staff are VERY friendly. I've eaten there a couple times and the food has been good.
(4)Jenny C.
The food was okay even though it was a little pricy, but what I did not like is that they charged me extra for using my credit card!!! That's ridiculous and I do not think it is even legal.
(3)Roxy B.
I usually get food from Hunan #1 in Clarendon, but their take-out isn't that great so I looked up a new spot- TNR. I could tell their food was a bit more authentic from the different menu choices... (never seen pork with szechuan pickle soup before, and it was yummy) And while it was slightly more pricey than your average chinese take-out place, the food quality made up for it. Orange beef - great, combo lo mein, great. beef with spicy chili sauce over rice - ok, not spicy though. I don't order chinese that often, but next time I will definitely choose TNR again.
(4)Rachel K.
A group I was with insisted we go to this place--that's the only way I would have set foot in this place again. Once again, terrible service, so-so food, a newly confusing menu (I ordered something with a Chinese name; a friend ordered a dish with an English name from a different page of the menu, and we got the same dish), the usual "perks" of eating at TNR. Then the bill came, and we tried to split it into cash and two cards. I know this is confusing for some, but I've done this with groups before at other restaurants and never had trouble, because we always write on the receipt "CHARGE $20 TO [NAME], $30 TO [NAME]". Always works. So go figure, TNR took the cash and put the remainder on my boyfriend's card, so our friend ended up getting a free meal.
(1)Rendle M.
The food was either too sweet or too salty. I've been there twice and had the same bad experience with the food. There are much better Chinese restaurants in the area.
(1)Ramon T.
A not bad, somewhat-authentic Chinese restaurant in an area where there ain't many, and especially good when compared to the nearby culinary disgrace known as Cafe Asia. Hit up their lunch specials, which are $5.50-6.50 for over-rice plates, and that comes with either an egg roll or a cup of soup...a great deal considering that can't even buy you two damn gallons of gas nowadays.
(3)Jonathan E.
This place is really really great. Stopped in this afternoon with some friends and really had an excellent meal. Shared a number of dishes with my friends including the pineapple shrimp fried rice, mongolia beef, fried dumplings, and spring rolls and all were well prepared and high quality (this is in addition to the complementary salad with a peanut inspired dressing to begin the meal, and the sliced oranges to end the meal). Also had the bubble tea (Honey Dew), not an expert on bubble tea, but i also enjoyed it. Really surprized that many of the reviews about this place are mediocre.
(4)Heather R.
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. I ordered chicken with vegetables. It came in this nasty white sauce. I threw up the several bites that I could even stomach.
(1)Carolyn B.
Don't order the steamed dumplings (too much dough, not enough flavor), hot and sour soup (terrible), mango bubble tea (too bubble-gum sweet) or lo mein (too bland). General tsos is acceptable, but not the best. I'll only keep going here because I live so close.
(2)Constance G.
TNR delivers! We had a 20 person order recently for HQ USMC, and they did not get anything wrong. Food is good, non-greasy, and the service was fast.
(3)Chris C.
Good food, but the place is infamous for overcharging takeout orders, particularly at lunchtime. Be wary and firm.
(4)Alan W.
A decent sit-down meal at a decent price. The food is nothing to write home about but it's fresh and competently prepared.
(3)Sule Q.
Absolutely horrible! My girlfriend and I threw away half of what we ordered. The quality of the meat is really bad, not to mention the prepare is hardly edible.
(1)sarah g.
Best chinese I have had in DC Metro area and I have lived here for 5yrs. I have been so pleased with their Moo Sho Vegetable ( not sweet but slightly spicY as I requested) that I had to join yelp just to write a review. Very pleasant , knowledgable staff, outdoor seating, affordable, and of course bubble tea!. This place is the only reason I would go to Courthouse metro stop:)
(4)Terry R.
The food is good. My only problem with them is the very strict $15 minimum for delivery. My total was $14.64 and they still would not deliver and I refused to order another $4 appetizer so I had to go and pick it up.
(3)david m.
TNR is the ultimate inexpensive Chinese restaurant--low cost w/o compromising quality or cleanliness. TNR is my standard for comfort food. Take out-delivery-eat in... you'll see the neighborhood come through in a night. The same waitresses work all the time, so you'll be treated like a "regular" quickly.
(5)Rowena E.
This place is also known as the "TNR Cafe" and it is just plain yummy! Food is good, prices are decent (pretty cheap for lunch! Most items for about $6) and the portions are really darn big. As the name says, they have tea, noodles, and rice dishes (although i don't remember seeing tea - I'll have to ask next time). I ordered the Chow Foon with beef and i could've shared it with two other people. Did I mention the portions? Waiter service is a little spotty, but only because this place gets pretty busy. Small joint with not a lot of tables and a Zen Ikea-like decor. If you have room at your table, try sharing your space and meet some new people.
(3)Laura S.
I'm so done with this place. It's close to my house, so that was the main criteria for sticking with the place, but after our last order, I won't go back. The food is so inconsistent in quality and taste. I got orange chicken for the kids and the sauce was weird tasting. Very articifal tasting. My kids woudn't eat it, so it got tossed in the sink. The chicken lo mein (wait, we ordered chicken but got vegetable) was so greasy it wasn't enjoyable. They forgot the chicken fried rice, but I did call them back for that. We got the eggrolls once and they were greasy and doughy--disgusting. They frequently got orders wrong, but my kids would ask for more take out and on a Friday night, I would give in. They all agreed, no more TNR.
(1)MW B.
Great little Chinese tucked away in Courthouse. From the outside, you might not guess it's any different than all those other storefront places, but this one is my absolute fave in Arlington area-- for what it is. It's a little more authentic than regular neighborhood Chinese (ie, me, non Chinese, is offered choices of not-completely-Americanized offerings) but it doesn't pretend to be high dining. For what its worth, its my perfect idea of particulary tasty comfort Chinese food. Service has always been unfailingly polite and prompt, even when fullish--though this is a rarity.
(5)Alex C.
My husband who is from Hong Kong loves this place. He says the beef and tomato over rice reminds him of his childhood. Me, although not a big fan of Chinese food, find this place pretty good too but only when we order the food without MSG. It taste way cleaner and tastier to me without the yucky aftertaste of MSG. I enjoyed the sesame chicken, velvet fish or shrimp, and beef and scallion over rice. We get the food delivered so I can't say anything about the in restaurant service ,but drivers are super fast and courteous, not to mention the delivery is free. It gets 4 star (extra star from my husband's vote).
(4)Pepper P.
Just what we needed, a great tasting reasonably priced Chinese take out. I usually do delivery (which can be very fast or very slow), but the food is excellent. I haven't tried too many dishes yet, but everything I had was great.
(4)Jess Y.
Stopped by for some bubble tea and I was surprisingly impressed. I thought that you could only get good Taiwanese-style bubble tea in Maryland in this area. I loved that I could also order it less sweet because most of the bubble teas offered in the States are cloyingly and unbearably over-sweetened. The tea flavor was good and authentic and overall the drink was delicious. I would definitely come back to order some more bubble tea! I have also had food here before. Good, authentic and quick but sometimes a bit too much oil for my liking. Nothing super noteworthy but pretty good authentic Chinese food if you need it in a hurry.
(4)Win S.
If you're in a bind for Taiwanese food/bubble tea in the Clarendon-Courthouse neighborhood, TNR Cafe do the trick. They offer standard Taiwanese dishes, like shredded pork with bean curd (pretty good) and American-Chinese food options like Moo Shu Pork (savory meat wrapped in steamy pancakes). It is a bit pricey for take-out level food, as they are a step higher in quality. But I wouldn't come here regularly, as the atmosphere is nothing to rave about and I'd look around for cheaper food if I really wanted Chinese. TNR offers coupons in their mailer from time to time, around 20% off orders of $25 or more and free fried rice or egg rolls. The bubble tea is meh OK. They used powdered flavored sugar vs anything fresh. It isn't horrible, but aim higher -- especially if you're willing to drive further out in VA or MD. I'm glad TNR is part of the neighborhood, though, as it adds to the diversity of options on Wilson Blvd.
(3)Clifton Shiuh Jiun C.
Authentic Taiwanese bubble tea and rice noodle! Must try! Quick delivery and excellent service!
(5)Sara M.
First visit last night - I don't think I've ever received my food that fast (and hot!) at a sit-down restaurant. Ordered the ma po tofu, portion was good - before I started eating I decided to save half of my plate but once I took a bite that plan went out the window. I might've considered giving them 5 stars if it weren't for the bubble tea - ordered the honeydew green milk tea, wasn't blended enough (gritty powder, bits and pieces of ice towards the end). Nonetheless I would definitely return for the food!
(4)Annie L.
It's like finding treasure when you finally get to eat authentic Chinese food. It's even better when there's a deal. 3 entrees and a soup for $25 dine in special filled up two people. We got the bitter melon with beef, taiwanese style fried chicken and fish filet with bean sauce. I'll never say no to fried chicken - recommended street food... Clean restaurant with a very attentive wait staff. Dining in is popular as much as their take out crowd. They're up to date on technology with an iPad to pay for your order. This place is the place to go for a casual authentic clean experience.
(4)Melissa D.
The owners reached out to me the day after my last review to try to make it right, which I appreciated a lot. At that point, my meal had already been comped so I assured them that no further action was needed, that I would order again at some point and update my review accordingly. So, here I am again. Ordered our "usual" on Sunday before the dinner rush (around 3:30pm). The order arrived hot and within about 45 minutes. I was bummed that I couldn't get my favorite Thai Iced tea (which seems to have been taken off the menu) but the Almond bubble tea was a decent substitute. May work this one back in to our regular rotation as it's still one of the more solid Chinese takeout options in Arlington, despite the inconsistencies.
(3)Rustin F.
This place is pretty awesome. I was on my way home from a coffee shop and hadn't had dinner, so I decided to swing in and grab some food to take home. A few answered questions about the menu and five minutes later, I walked out with chow foon noodles with chicken, spicy. The portion was huge, full of chicken, pasta, and stir fried (but still fresh and crispy) vegetables. It was very good, and I haven't been so stuffed after a meal in a long time. Though it was a little pricey, I'd definitely come back when I'm looking for some tasty, fresh Chinese food.
(5)Chelsea L.
I ordered delivery from this place last night. The food, when it arrived an hour and 15 minutes later, was pretty good. I was annoyed that I had to wait for so long since they said it would be 45 minutes. I ordered the hot and sour soup and the szechuan beef, with a side of brown rice instead of white. The soup was great, nothing short of my expectations. same with the beef, and the brown rice was surprisingly really good. I'd order from here again but place my order way before I am ready to eat.
(4)Eevee D.
The people were nice, but they didn't follow what I specifically ordered online. I stated no vegetables and no utensils, but alas that was not followed. The meat was not good either, mostly filler and there was a lot of fat in the meat. Will I be coming back? Nope.
(2)Steve S.
Perhaps ten years in SF spoiled me. Basic neighborhood Chinese restaurants were plentiful, and the worst of them was better than TNR, and most were quite a bit cheaper. Food not as good as I remember the place at Pentagon City food court. It is a large portion and comes out quickly. The Chinese food equivalent of what they used to serve in a high school cafeteria. Too bad the place at 2500 Wilson got replaced by another Vietnamese joint.
(3)Lia M.
Eh. I ordered from TNR in a fit of hunger (and because of Foodler bucks). It worth noting that the delivery guy will not deliver to your actual office, just the building lobby. The spring rolls were super greasy and had egg in them, which was weird. The duck noodle soup had an off taste to it. I did like the mapo tofu though--it was sufficiently spicy, even if it was served over fried rice. I'd not order from here again.
(2)Joann G.
Discovered this place when I first moved to Courthouse and was craving some Chinese takeout. Apart from the American-Chinese menu, TNR has a separate Chinese menu that contains some authentic Chinese dishes, which is great. The shredded pork in garlic sauce on this secret menu is by far my favorite. The "three-cup" chicken is also good but can be dry since they use boneless chicken breast when you're supposed to use chicken thigh with bones. I recently tried their pineapple fried rice with chicken and the outcome was unexpected. The rice tasted more like curry fried rice with pineapple chunks. The curry flavor overpowered everything else in the dish. I have dined in and ordered takeout, and the food has always been delicious. It is, however, a pricier takeout place. Think of it as Chinese restaurant quality food to go.
(4)Eric J.
I think they forgot to put the crab in the crab rangoon T_T
(1)Joseph A.
The spinach and tofu soup was ok. Plenty of tofu, very little spinach. Flavor was good. Steamed dumplings were some the worst I've ever eaten. I ate 2 of 6. Threw the others out. The dipping sauce was unimaginative. Vegetable chow foon was adequate. I would look for another restaurant next time around. No utensils were provided.
(2)Steven P.
Food was great, service Lightning fast! The bubble tea was awesome!! Best Chinese food around and super convenient to go to before the movies nearby!!
(5)Alyssa A.
I was feeling pretty hungover and was craving some solid chinese food. I had never been to TNR before and think that I came to the right place. My friend ordered the General Tso's chicken and I ordered the Hunan Chicken. I normally get the Chicken and Broccoli but I told the lady I was in the mood for more vegetables than just broccoli. She recommended the Hunan Chicken saying that it had other vegetables and was similar in flavor. She said it was also spicy, but I didn't notice (I also have an insane spice tolerance). Vegetable Soup for 2 - This was a nice and light appetizer. I put a little sriracha on it and it added a little kit. This was just a simple broth and vegetables but I still thought it was delicious.Nothing fancy! Hunan Chicken - very good. nice size portion. General Tsos - crispy and juicy. I'm from Maryland where a lot of chinese places probably give you more than enough food for 2 meals for the same cost. Don't expect that coming here. The portions just aren't that big in Arlington. I would say for the cost, and definitely ENOUGH food, with just a little for leftover, this place is worth it. I have a new go-to chinese place in Arlington. Good prices, good portion, and good service.
(4)Catharine C.
I give this restaurant 5 stars because they are compliant with allergies! My boyfriend has a shellfish allergy which makes it very hard for us to eat Chinese food - I cannot believe how many restaurants are not friendly to this allergy! My boyfriend gets the general tso's chicken with white meat (not breaded) and I get the chicken and broccoli- I would recommend either for a quick and easy dinner (the portions are very big so they could be easily split)!
(5)Janet L.
We had a large group here on a weekday evening. Plenty of space available as we did not make reservations. We ordered off of the authentic Chinese menu and most of the dishes were very well flavored and cooked. However, some of the dishes were slightly on the oily side. The staff is very friendly. Bubble tea (Taro) was pretty good, this is pretty good authentic food for the area.
(4)Melanie G.
This is my go-to Chinese food delivery place in Arlington! Their chicken Lo-mein is awesome and I always get an order of crab Rangoon too. I've done pick-up before, but delivery is easier (has a small fee) and usually arrives within an hour. I'd definitely recommend them and have tried a few other places, but ultimately like TNR the best.
(4)Gwen B.
Meh it was just OK and more on the disappointing end overall. To be honest it was very expensive Chinese food for average quality. $40 without tip was more than what we expected to pay for a pickup., fast food style restaurant. Certainly costs more than PF Changs for sure with no better ingredients. My best friend and I got two lychee bubble teas (pretty good, probably the highlight of my meal). She got the cold noodles app and the moo shu chicken. I tried both and they were decent, but not great. I got the orange chicken and while it wasn't TOTALLY over fried, it was far too bready/fried for my tastes. There are plenty of better options for Asian food in the Arlington area so I wouldn't go here unless I was in a bind and majorly craving some Chinese.
(2)Carl G.
My coworkers and I ate here a couple of times because it was close to work. The food is okay and the service sufficiently fast and friendly. My most recent order of Kung pao tofu had what appeared to be a bandaid dripping in sauce. The staff has since contacted me and told me it was tofu packaging material. I guess just inspect your food.
(3)Sagar M.
My review here is pretty much all noodle everything noodle. I haven't branched out too much, but come on... the word "Noodle" is right in the name (the N in TNR). And to be quite honest not too many people around here do Chinese style noodle soups so I'll take what I can get. I haven't tried the more typical Chinese take out type offerings so this review doesn't really touch any of those. I would give the Soup + Ingredients + Noodles = 4 tasty stars. Specifically the noodles are the perfect consistency/chewiness. The place loses half a star because of the meat. BNS (beef noodle soup) is my go to and the meat is never as good as I hope it would be. I've had the pork and duck as well, and those are definitely better in the meat department, but the broth is not as delicious as the BNS. The sesame noodles (comes with this kind of not really peanut butter sauce) is a tasty appetizer and the spicy cabbage is spicy deeeelish (if you like spicy). The price point makes this place a weekly favorite. They do delivery too which is a big plus. After everything TNR rounds out as a solid 4 for me. In fact... it's sounding pretty good for dinner tonight.
(4)Joanna M.
TNR Cafe is my neighborhood "Chinese" delivery and take out joint. "Chinese" because the menu has many americanized chinese dishes and dishes with other asian influences in their cuisine (miso soup, boba tea, etc.) They have a $15 minimum for delivery so I usually order a combo dish like happy family, and/or lo mein, rice, chicken with broccoli/mixed veggies, sesame chicken, etc. you know the typical stuff. Food is decent, nothing too kick you in the crotch and slap your momma because you can't believe how good their food is. Food is A-OK and does the job. I get the rent in this Arlington/Courthouse area is steep, but for their prices, I would rather drive farther out in Arlington (Falls Church area, etc.) for more tasty and authentic chinese dishes at much more competitive prices.
(3)dave o.
Every so often one finds a "best in house" meal, or one so tasty, made so well, and so value laden in merits "best in house". The ginger shrimp casserole is one of those dishes. Abundant jumbo shrimp, cooked in a brown hunan sauce, flavored with ginger, ample vegetables and mushrooms wok fried within the casserole. This is a terrific dish. I'll do this quite often. How lucky were we to ask about it, receive a glowing recommendation from the server, and take her up on this meal. Add some sake. You will walk out a very contented diner. A real treat!!!!
(5)Nancy L.
When I'm really craving chinese food and I don't have time to run back to rockville, this is where I go. Most of the items we've ordered have been pretty tasty and spot on. - fish filet in Szechuan spicy broth ($12.95) this is essentially a really spicy broth with fish filets and cabbage. So spicy and so tasty - great with rice! We usually take the leftover broth and add more fish to it for dinner the next night - Moo shu chicken or pork with pancake ($10.95) - sliced tender pieces of chicken or pork with sliced cabbage and various other veggies. It's seasoned w a light soy sauce and is a tad bit sweet. It comes w thin tortilla like pancakes that you put plum sauce on and top it w the meat to make a little Asian fajita. One of my go to dishes here. - da lu mein ($8.95) - this is a little different from normal da lu mein. They use a lighter hot and sour soup as a base and add veggies, shrimp and chicken. Our friends have gotten the chicken and broccoli before and I can say that was not very good. Instead of it being a brown sauce, it was kind of pinkish... Not sure what was going on there. I don't recommend that. They also have bubble tea here but it's 3.95 so kinda pricey and it's ok. I only get it when I'm really craving it and don't want to drive to Eden center. Overall, I think this is a solid chinese fix in arlington!
(4)Marc M.
Fine food at a good price. Nothing spectacular, but good, consistent quality at a reasonable price.
(3)Sheila E.
Pretty solid local Chinese delivery place. Any food I've gotten from here has been tasty and of good quality. I recommend the Singapore Rice Noodles - great dish! Delivery is fast and prices are reasonable.
(4)Chich S.
This is probably my favorite take-out chinese food place in the Arlington area. The food is good for take-out chinese. I really liked the singapore rice noodles. The hunan beef is good too.
(4)Paul K.
While Chinese takeout isn't my typical culinary choice, the recent change of living situation forced me to stray from my position in my kitchen. The standard general Tso's chicken was slightly above mine and did a good job of throwing a little twist in there with fresh slivers of garlic and extra dried hot peppers that only slightly elevated the heat while elevating the flavor. Happy with my decision they'll see me again in the future.
(4)Subi P.
This restaurant is killing me. The" Fish Fillet in Szechuan Spicy Broth "was awesomely delicious; I loved it. Even though I was so full, I was still keep eating until I really can't. Servers were extremely friendly. Anyway, I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Karen A.
Great lunch spot! Friendly staff, in and out within the lunch hour. I would recommend the Pan-Fried noodles, Singapore Noodles, Schezuan Sting beans, Shredded Beef with Peppers (beef strips), Crab-meat and Asparagus soup and the healthy menu options are good as well.
(4)Joy P.
I have yet to try something that I don't like! The portions are large, so there's always leftovers (breakfast of champs). AND they even deliver bubble tea :)
(4)Susan J.
Pretty tasty hot and sour soup, just a tad pricey at $2.75 including tax. Chock full of tofu, mushrooms and egg but lacking in pork...or maybe it was vegetarian?
(3)Roze C.
My go to place for bubble tea. Usually Almond or Honey dew flavor. I also really like the Singapore Noodles.
(5)Clarence J.
This is a nice, bright, casual restaurant with plenty of seating. The menu is extensive, with most of the usual suspects. I thought the food was good, although it was overly salty to me. The staff was friendly and patient, but the service was very slow. The evening I went, one waitress was working the half-full restaurant -- a decent-sized space -- and really could've used help.
(2)Grand Y.
Expensive Chinese food for what it is - mall quality. I tried a Chef's Special - Beef in Szechuan Spicy Broth. The meat did not go down well. It was really fatty, and of remarkably low quality. The steamed dumplings were the best part of the meal. The egg drop soup was typical - not good or bad. The service was ok. It was slow at 9 at night, but they kept trying to take away our plates before we were done. One and done. At least I gave it a shot.
(2)Chris M.
Solid Chinese food. Though I love my meat my favorites are two veggie options: the general tso's with tofu and Szechwan green beans. Always very friendly service whether it's dine-in, take out or delivery.
(4)Alli K.
I think it's about time I review TNR. They have been my go-to Chinese takeout place for the past year. Sometimes I think I should branch out and try someplace else, but then I think "why would I do that?!" TNR is great. My personal favorites include the beef fried rice (good smoky flavor) and pork with garlic sprouts (just the right amount of spice and very garlicky!). I also love their dumplings (pork pan-fried are the best, duh) - they are very doughy and chewy, which I really enjoy but I know some people prefer them to be thinner. Overall, their veggies always seem good and fresh, their flavors are spot on, and (most importantly) their delivery is always fast! Reliable and tasty, what more could you want?
(4)Ning Z.
Had a great time here! We ordered the crispy egg plant, shredded pork in garlic sauce, and zha jiang mian, which is noodles in dark bean paste, The egg plant was so soft and flavorful! The shredded pork wasn't as authentic as I'd have liked, but still good, just not what I expected. As for the zha jiang mian, it was the saltiest thing I ever had! I'll definitely get it again because it's authentic, but I'd recommend scooping out half of the sauce from the top before you mix it with the noodles. We had enough leftovers for lunch the next day and the food was even better the next day!!! While the food is great, I wouldn't recommend the bubble tea. I had the honey dew melon flavor and it tastes just like powdered tea. Also, the bubbles were too soft. After having the honey flavored tapioca at Kung Fu Tea I think it's ruined me for other tapioca places. The price is also very reasonable for Rosslyn. With three dishes and two bottles of tapioca we spent about $40 without tip. I had such a nice time here because the two servers were so nice and sweet. They both spoke Chinese to me and just generally made me feel very welcome. There're some Chinese restaurant where you know the waitress speaks Chinese but they just refuse to speak Chinese to you, but not in this case. It's a very small thing but it made the experience so much better. I can see myself coming back here often or getting delivery from here as it's the most authentic Chinese place in the Rosslyn area.
(4)Sandy T.
Been here a few times and was never impressed. The authenticity of the Chinese food here, is far from authentic. I wouldn't recommend ordering any food besides their bubble tea. Ask them to make your drink in smoothie form with tapioca added: honey dew green tea, coconut, and taro. These flavors have to be the best so far.
(2)Bryan R.
Wife and i love this place - great service and food - what else can you want?
(5)Keith H.
MEH. We gave TNR another chance after staying away for a year. Things have not improved. The General Tso's chicken was, bland. Nothing to rave about. My wife ordered hot & sour soup and they (again) forgot to bring crunchy noodles to put in it, despite asking for them (second time this has happened). The egg rolls were rock hard and dry. No amount of duck or mustard sauce could make them palpable. The delivery person could not figure out how to use the callbox and explained he didn't know our name, despite it being printed clearly on the delivery instructions. This would normally be only a mild irritant if not for a recent injury limiting my mobility. Flashback to a year ago, the last time we stopped in for carry-out, I called in the order 30 minutes before arriving and was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. Upon arrival they then started fixing our order so I had to wait 20 minutes. I don't think anyone there knows what they are doing. Sorry, TNR. We love that we have a place like yours in the Court House area but everything about what you do is terrible.
(2)Ian W.
During a lunch break, I stopped in at TNR Cafe very recently and decided to dine-in. I was promptly seated and given a Lunch Specials Menu (Mon-Fri until 3PM) which had 19 Chinese dishes served with white rice to choose from, $6.98-$8.95. I decided on the Mongolian Chicken ($6.98) and the waiter quickly asked what kind of soup I'd like. Before committing, I had to ask if the soup was included with the lunch special and he replied "no."I declined the soup figuring out that this was a sneaky upsell. Anyways, the food came out quickly and presented nicely, typical lunch size portion. This dish was cooked fresh and had a mix of soft pieces of boneless chicken with a mix of vegetables (onions, scallions, greens) in a thick Mongolian sauce (salty taste) and served with a scoop of soft white rice. After I finished my food, the check with fortune cookie came out quickly. I settled up on the check and headed back to my working meeting nearby. In and out in about 20 minutes.
(3)Elizabeth L.
Considering this is the only authentic Chinese restaurant I've encountered in my 3 mos in the dc area, i am surprised it does not have a higher rating. I usually get their steamed dumplings and hot and sour soup. The soup is pretty spicy for hot and sour soup. I have also had the beef noodle soup. Pretty good although next time i will probably have it in the restaurant instead of ordering take out just to make it easier on myself. Combining the noodles and soup proved to be a pain because i did not have a big enough bowl. The kung pao chicken was also spicier than anticipated, but pretty good. i am trying not to eat spicy, but normally it would be great. Service was prompt. Every time i have ordered delivery, they have been very quick but i only live a mile away. The bok choy was the only thing i've had where it was not really up to par. I think the veggies were too big. I usually like my bok choy small..as in baby bok choy. Also it was a bit bland and seemed over cooked. I am a bok choy connoisseur so i guess it is tough to meet that standard.
(4)Murali K.
I order from TNR all the time. It's not the greatest Chinese food, but it's really good, very consistent and fairly cheap. The delivery service is ridiculously quick; I've had the food show up at my door in about 20 minutes a few times. And it's cheap enough that I can order enough for a few meals at the same time without breaking the bank. The roast pork appetizer is delicious and I practically live off of the hot and sour soup in the winter.
(4)Kevin B.
The food is pretty good, if it arrives before you've given up and eaten something else instead. Delivery order was 40 minutes late (over 1:40 since order was placed online), and their phones had a busy signal every time I tried to call (about ten times) over a half hour period.
(1)Rita S.
Ordered delivery and it came very quick. Two big problems: egg rolls came very cold and the low mein had a huge purple rubber band in it. I first thought it was a veggie, then I had it in my mouth. It was huge. I'm not sure I'd go back :(
(3)Greg S.
This is our goto place for Chinese food when we have the need. They deliver pretty fast and always friendly. Sometimes the food is a little greasy but not always.
(4)Leena K.
Only tried taro green milk tea minus the boba. Tasted very powdery and definitely not worth nearly $5 in my opinion.
(2)Veronica B.
Very disappointing bubble tea. My sister and I both had the coconut flavor and I watched them make it. They used powder milk, some type of coconut juice that appeared to be artificially sweetened with coconut flavor, and some other liquid that I could not see bc it was in the fridge. Will not come here for bubble tea again.
(1)Shahrzad R.
Tasty Chinese delivery! They do have a restaurant but I usually get delivery because this is my go to place when I don't want to leave the house. I get the veggie delight and my husband loves the mooshoo chicken (get extra wraps). Comes with all the sauces but there have been a few times I've ordered it with been brown rice and been charged but they bring white instead. Brown is $2 extra. When I call to tell them they make a note of it and credit it for the next time I order. While I wish they just didn't forget - stuff happens. All in all, great Chinese delivery.
(4)Ryan R.
This review is going to be short and simple. This place has the best orange chicken I have ever had outside my own kitchen. its weet, but also has a little spice to it which is exactly how I like it. I live down the street and sometimes I wish I had never been introduced to this place because I have become a much too frequent customer. The steamed dumplings are also delicious.
(5)Xinghan L.
I tried double cooked pork in this restaurant , just felt like incredible teste 。
(5)jacky n.
Good, quick Chinese take away from what I can tell. Couple that with affordable prices and free delivery, and you've got a contender. Don't come here expecting amazing, authentic Chinese food--just something to satiate "that" craving.
(4)April C.
I ordered spring rolls and General Tsao's chicken for delivery. I could not eat the chicken - half was gristle, half was fat. Probably the worst I've ever had. I ate a couple pieces and bleh. The spring rolls were also disappointing - tasteless an soggy. I will not be ordering from here again.
(2)Tim B.
Very ordinary lunch. Beef w/broccoli slathered in sauce, large dollop of white rice. Typical Chinese restaurant fare.
(2)Jey J.
I absolutely love this place. I am Chinese and i find a lot of their items very authentic. I also love the easy access to order delivery through the Yelp app. I am obsessed with their bubble tea, tomato fried rice, all of their noodle soup dishes are amazing. It really is comfort food to me eating here. This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Arlington.
(5)Colin S.
Great Delivery Spot! Quick and exactly what you expect from Americanized Chinese food. Helpful for when you've been... out all night in clarendon and just want some General Tso's Chicken.
(5)Ami F.
Tried this place for dinner on a Sunday night with my boyfriend, and we were both impressed! I think most Chinese restaurants in the area fall into the category of meh, but man, this was great. We ate: - vegetable eggrolls: fine, but nothing special - pan fried pork dumplings: YUM! better than your average dumpling - sesame beef: good. crispy. comes with a fair amount of veggies. a little spicy. - ginger chicken casserole: our favorite! really tasty, with snow peas, and some other veggies thrown in. Overall everything was tasty and nothing was too oily/greasy. We were pleasantly stuffed and even had some leftovers to take home. At the end of our meal our waitress brought us fortune cookies and a few slices of oranges. I got two fortunes in my cookie - a good sign? For "dessert" we ordered bubble tea. I had the almond milk tea (super almondy and satisfying) and he ordered the strawberry tea (good but not as tasty) As for the service, our waitress was friendly and very speedy. The restaurant also wasn't very crowded so this probably helped We will definitely come back. I just wish I lived closer!
(4)Misha A.
Yummy! I work nearby and a colleague asked me if I'd like to order some food and I went ahead and chose the kung pao chicken and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved how nothing was greasy or "drippy" and the dish had a little spice to it as promised -- I would have loved it if it were a bit spicier, but I'm sure you can specify this to your tastes. The lunch portion was generous, and eaten in a way such that I can only hope to be upgraded to an office soon...since no one in the cubes really wants to see me inhale my food :) I'll definitely place another order soon.
(5)Dennis Y.
We were in the mood for Taiwanese, and this place came up first in the search results. It's a nice little cafe, and the place was probably half full even in the late afternoon. Wife wanted to try the Taiwanese fried chicken, but it's only available in the "combo" meal - two choices from a list of about 15 dishes plus a soup. I wanted to try the zhajiang mian, but it wasn't on the list and there were no substitutions, so we got the mapo tofu along with the fried chicken and tomato/egg drop soup. The soup and mapo tofu were decent; the chicken was good, although more chicken katsu than the yan su ji my wife was craving. The bubble tea we both got was good as well. A bit pricier than it should be, but I'd go back.
(3)Athena C.
Tea Noodles has very friendly service and they are super fast during lunch hours. The price is also very easy on the wallet. I came here during my job training and stopped by for lunch. It is not truly authentic but better than those fake Chinese takeout spot. It is a reliable and decent Chinese lunch spot. I would not say it is among the top places though.
(3)Mike C.
20 minutes late for less than 5 miles delivery. Food orders were cashew chicken and orange chicken. Was very average Chinese, a step up from random hole in the wall where you have to prefer from being bullet proof glass and you'd rather not know what the meat source was.
(2)Sushi C.
Good to go place if you are in a hurry or just eating with family. The decor is simple and sparse, nothing fancy. The Chinese food is ok, and the service is nice and the prices reasonable. The portions are generous so you can have a doggie bag with enough for another meal. I had the Twice cooked pork with garlic sprouts and Beef with some vegetable and mushrooms, in the latter the mushrooms were big and fat as they are supposed to be. The fourth star in this review is because they have PEARL TEA! Not easy to find in mainland Chinese restaurants (it is more of a Taiwanese and South Asian thing). I almost gave it a three star because of the TVs, which are always very annoying in any restaurant that is not a sports bar. Would go back again if the TV is off.
(4)Mariana G.
I have had good experiences with this place before, but I picked up the food at the restaurant. Today I ordered delivery. It took them 45 minutes to deliver my food, I live in the same neighborhood. I called 20 minutes after putting my order, and they said "It's on the way", 25 minutes after that... My food was here! But it was disappointing.
(2)Chris B.
Food is so so, ordered through Grub Hub delivered to the Hotel, forgot to pack silverware, had to walk a mile to the Cafe to pick it up. No real apologies. Better options in the area..
(2)Lauren R.
Great food for the price and incredibly quick delivery. I usually get delivery and do wonton soup, spring rolls, and orange chicken. The chicken is occasionally a bit too fatty for my taste, but the flavors in general are good and I love the option of including a side of fried rice. Not the best I've ever had, but will definitely meet a craving.
(4)Mimi T.
Love the delivery guy.. so sweet Just had the Beef noodle soup. It is SO on point it is ridiculous! I can't stop eating it and it's so much. Also ordered the beef with spicy green peppers...first off let me say I LOVE spicy food but this had me crying. Really good flavor but I had to stop b/c I couldn't even see my fork from all the tears streaming down my face. Last time I ordered the boy and I ordered the chow foon and crispy shredded beef. It was my only fail from ordering here. I should've listened to the other reviews b/c the beef chow foon noodles were all slimy and broken and too much oil. The flavor was great but I couldn't even finish it b/c I couldn't get past how bad the noodles were. The crispy shredded beef was eh... a little too sweet for the boy. Not bad but not good either. Stay away from these two things!
(4)Eve L.
I always have a pleasant experience here. I order the the shrimp and wanton noodle soup every time. They accommodate requests (sometimes I like a different type of noodle). Their general tso tofu dish is to die for. I've been coming here for years and the food and service has always been right on.
(5)Trancendental 1.
I love TNR, for American-Chinese takeout restaurants it is as good as they come. I really like the Kung Pao Chicken and their specialty, the crispy beef!
(5)Patricia V.
TNR is my go-to place for Chinese takeout. The General Tso's chicken with brown rice is my favorite. They are very fast and friendly. I highly recommend TNR!
(5)Sushil K.
Great spot to grab lunch. Always packed and quick to service. Lunch special has good options, or you can order of their menu.Their chicken corn soup for 2 is more like for 6 a very generous portion.They also offer bubble tea.
(4)Elizabeth S.
I'm pretty impressed with this place. The tawianese noodles were really good. We also had peking duck...we were a little worried because this place wasn't specialized in it, but we were very impressed. It was very crispy and tasted really good just as good as the resturants that specialize in just peiking duck. We also had duck wonton soup - i dont' remember it being on the menu but they made it for us anyways and i was also impressed with it. Highly recommend.
(4)Elana G.
Everything I've had here has been good. In my initial review I wrote about the ma po tofu, zha jiang mein, and kung pao chicken. I recently ordered the kung pao chicken (again), beef in sichuan spicy broth, and Taiwanese rice noodles (after seeing it recommended in several reviews). I asked for the kung pao chicken extra spicy, but they did not make it extra spicy. This was a disappointment but the flavor was still there. Both the other two dishes were really really good. Actually the beef in sichuan spicy broth was more spicy than the kung pao chicken. The Taiwanese noodles were a bit on the oily side but still delicious. Definitely continuing to order takeout from here in the future.
(4)Linnea J.
Delicious! My Chinese friend took me here and told me it's quite authentic. There are lots of vegetarian options and they are willing to make some dishes vegetarian that aren't necessarily supposed to be. For example, I love their vegetarian stir-fried green beans! But on the menu the green bean dish is listed as having meat in it :)
(5)L w.
This used to be a great place to eat reasonable chinese food in Courthouse- we just went there recently however and got 3 different meals to go. I found a piece of small metal in my son's rice which shocked me. My husband's chicken dish was horrible and my meal was just edible. It's sad to see a once decent place go so far downhill but it's clear they have stopped caring about food quality or maybe they have changed to some very sloppy chefs. Regardless we won't be returning.
(1)Airicko S.
Good Food, but expensive for Chinese food. I'd Rather order from Eastern Carryout.
(3)Hoang H.
I went here to give this place a try just for the bubble tea. Instead, my group decided to eat here to try it out while we get our bubble tea fix. We ordered Singapore Rice Noodle and half portion of Peking Duck. Our experience with the entrees were great. They were tasty. The Peking Duck didn't have much fat coming with it, which is fine by me. It still tasted delicious. The Singapore Rice Noodle has good flavor to it. As for the bubble tea drinks, we tried lychee black tea, passion fruit tea, almond with black milk tea, coconut with black milk tea, taro green milk tea, honey dew green milk tea, and mango green tea. Now this is why they lost one star: the regular tea/green tea choices, there's just not much flavor in them. As for the milk tea, they were tasty and better than the regular tea/green tea choices. The second time we came around just for the bubble tea, we asked them if they can add more flavor to the regular tea/green tea drinks, and that made it so much better. In the end, I'd still get bubble tea here, as any flavor was enjoyable, just make sure you tell them nicely to add more flavor to the regular tea/green tea drink. Now there's a good reason to not drive to Maryland (Bubble Tea Cafe) to get exceptional bubble tea drinks. This place suffices for the time being. I like to come to this restaurant over the weekend, late in the evening because it's free parallel parking on Wilson Blvd. I wouldn't dare come here during regular weekday because I don't want to pay for parallel parking. It appears that they have parking in the back of the buildings, but good luck with parking. It's Arlington - parking sucks and be careful where you park (you can get towed easily). I would definitely come back again and eat more of their food and drink their bubble tea. Update (09/10/2015): For those who are looking for bubble tea in NoVA, there are a couple of better choices that are in Annandale now: Kung Fu Tea and SnoCream. Those two places are most likely better than this place and it's no longer feasible for me to drive here to get bubble tea when Annandale is more convenient and just as good or better tasting tea drinks.
(4)L. B. M.
Food was good but delivery is horrible. Took 1 hour 45 minutes to receive our food. Tried to call to find out where our food was and the phone rang busy.
(3)Diana B.
For $31, we had vegetable eggrolls, crab rangoon, curry chicken, and chicken fried rice. The fried rice was tasty, the curry chicken was very spicy and good, the crab rangoon was forgettable, and the eggrolls were completely inedible. If there's one thing that Chinese restaurants should NAIL, it's eggrolls. The food was too inconsistent, and we won't be ordering again. :(
(3)Steve K.
Got take out .. food was cold. No spoon or chopsticks or fork. No napkins. Got hot and sour soup and general tso's ... do I just go barbaric and eat with my hands?
(2)Megan B.
I love TNR. It is by far the best take out (Americanized) Chinese food in the area. I have ordered several items on the menu and have been pleased 80% of the time. There are a few misses here and there, mostly when ordering to-go. Sometimes you don't get any chopsticks/cutlery or napkins, so make sure to double check before you walk out.
(4)Feitty E.
I gave a 5 star for the food before. This for the service which i felt very rude. I came back to eat for the third time bringing a friend. There were 3 of us. After we pay the bill and prepare to get up the lady who served come and said to us the bill was not including the tips. We just nod as we were wearing our jacket (usually i give tip before i walk out). The lady talked to us waiving the bill and again stating that the bill didnt including tip and forced us to add more for tip. Sigh. Definitely not coming back even if i enjoyed the food. Hope the owner reads this and trained their server better.
(1)Wayne L.
I wish Yelp can do .5 stars... but then it could get too crazy. Never mind. I'm already imagining all the potential .5 star establishments; some places in this world can't even get one full star. Anyway, TNR Cafe in Clarendon was a surprise. It is very accessible, right across from the Courthouse metro. What shocked me the most here was the beef stew noodle soup. It tasted very authentic, was not too oily, and the beef was very soft and tender. Honestly, it was a surprise. It was almost comparable to, say, Jumbo Jumbo's beef stew noodle, which I still maintain is one of the best in this area. The bubble tea as a whole was alright - the bubbles/boba/tapioca was on the hard side and not that chewy. .5 star there. Otherwise, our passion fruit green tea was sweet and tasty and hit the spot. My girlfriend and I also got a beef and tomato over rice. It was exactly that - beef and tomato over rice. Nothing too fancy, and nothing to write home about. There are plenty of other dishes I want to try, and despite my 3 star rating, I will indeed be back. Even if it's just for the beef stew noodle soup. That ish was good. Plus, it was only a 20 minute walk from Virginia Square; the walk really helped us digest. I guess. *3.5 stars*
(3)Alyssa T.
This is our go to Chinese take out place in courthouse. The online orders are quick and easy and food is usually ready in the time it takes us to walk over there. Big portions and a really nice staff. Need to branch out and try more on their menu but we always have a good experience with them!
(4)Souky B.
Good Service, had the duck soup, wasn't what I expected but it was good...and had yummy lychee bubble tea...
(3)Katie B.
I just love this place. General Tso's Tofu is my staple here, and it never disappoints. The staff has always been friendly as well.
(5)Ben S.
I feel bad for the staff of this place. Its an adorable little chinese restaurant, with a good location, that is fast, clean and well managed. egg drop soup - eh, definitely watered down, but good enough rice - well its hard to mess up rice,fine bubble tea - pretty good, but I have seen bubble tea machines in many stores so they very likely just used a cartridge or something vegetables - stale, discolored, very likely microwaved and/or frozen and defrosted multiple times, tasted bitter chicken - oh my god, inedible. foul, dark, slimy, nauseating, I had no idea what part of what animal it was. also very likely microwaved and/or frozen and defrosted multiple times, tasted bitter I have worked in a restaurant before. TNR should get a better supplier, it is not hard.
(1)Curly Q.
Decent place for Chinese. Kung Pao anything a good choice. Good soups, but I hope you like salt. Avoid the egg rolls, extremely greasy. Crowded over lunchtime, so consider picking up or you may have to wait for a table in the crowded space by the door. Bubble tea is pretty good also, I like the almond flavor. Beware - they have an unposted $10 credit card minimum and will fuss at you about it.
(3)Pratik P.
This place really disappointed me tonight! It's usually a pretty solid spot, but the dishes were completely bland, off proportion, and outright gross. I'm hoping it's because they were busy on a Friday night, but it's still not an excuse. The bubble tea was also awful--not a surprise in the DC area, but I know it's not that hard to make. Texture was completely off, hard tapioca, and extremely sweet. It was only $4, so I'm not too disappointed. I hope this doesn't happen again!
(2)Paul Z.
Best chinese food in the area. Delivery man is great. Good generalsChicken. Small-ish portions but not bad!
(4)Ryan F.
Best Chinese around here and really great service. Only thing that needs work is spring rolls. Sesame chicken over general Taos. Dumplings are really good. The ginger shrimp dish is also great. Hit and sour and miso soups are great.
(5)bigbigfish z.
Used to go there a lot when I lived in courthouse and loved the bubble tea. Had lunch there today. Kungpao chicken was pretty good. But the bubble tea was so disappointing. It tastes like water. No milk, no tea, just tasted like cheap artificial flavor and a little bit of cream. I told the the waitress about it, she said she could take it back and add more flavor to it. But it didn't make much difference. I ended up taking it home adding more milk and a black tea bag in it. Will not get bubble tea from TNR cafe anymore. 3 star is for the service.
(3)Carolyn H.
After a friend recommended TNR, we decided to give it a try. We ordered takeout, and we were really impressed with the quality and authenticity of the dishes. The West Lake beef soup has ribbons of egg in a chicken-based broth with tender chunks of beef. It was really tasty and flavorful, without being too heavy. For our entrees, we had the Singapore Rice Noodle, which was seasoned well with curry powder. It had julienned chicken breast, tender shrimp, and sliced roast pork. I personally was quite impressed by the amount of protein in this noodle dish. We also really enjoyed the Szechuan string beans with beef. With bits of pickled radish that gave depth and bite, this dish tasted really authentic, not Americanized. We found it well-balanced, with great contrasts in textures. Even though we were full, we couldn't help going back for seconds, thirds, and fourths of this dish. I never imagined that we would find a reasonably priced Chinese restaurant that serves authentic dishes in this immediate neighborhood. it is the real deal. Highly recommend.
(5)Lyns M.
TNR is my go-to for Chinese in the DMV. As a SF area native, I'm very spoiled and very picky when it comes to Chinese food and I order from here every week or two. Pros: *Fast Delivery! minimum $15 I think, but free eggrolls/bubble tea for spending over $25 *Decent food - My faves are the tofu dishes, the eggplant (which has a TON of fried stuff but is very tasty), the hot n sour(the flavor is constantly changing but it's usually pretty good), the chicken noodle, and the chow foon. *Good potstickers - IMO the fried veggie dumplings are the best outside of NY on this side of the country I would give the food a solid 3.5 stars because I'm spoiled. However, the friendlieness, speed, and ease of ordering give it an exta .5 star. I would recommend this place if you're in the area.
(4)Elizabeth M.
A cute little joint tucked into the row next to the Post Office on Wilson Blvd near Courthouse Metro, there were 4 or 5 tables of people here on a cold Saturday mid-afternoon. Called ahead for carryout and ordered Miso Soup and Veggie Dumplings. I've been experimenting with making my own dumplings and I wanted to compare these, which were listed as Home made on the menu. Got my carryout but neglected to check whether I was given napkins or utensils. Mistake. When I got back to work, there were none of the above. I found a plastic coffee stirrer on a friends desk, and used that. The Miso soup was fine, very hot in its plastic container. I used the coffee stirrer to stir up some of the miso from the bottom, but the stirrer wasn't up to the task of bringing the tofu cubes to my mouth. When the soup was all drunk from the side of the container, I funneled the plastic container into my mouth and poured a stream of miso/seaweed combo down the hatch. OK, not ideal. The steamed dumplings were kind of a disappointment. Very doughy, not a lot of the the cabbagey filling. There was a container of soy-sauce based dipping sauce which helped a little. But, hard to eat with a coffee stirrer. Although there were no utensils or chop sticks in my bag, there was a packet of those greasy wonton soup toppers. Haven't ever had these with miso soup. Into the trash. On the bright side, I got a fortune cookie with the advice, "You will make a change for the better." Hope that TNR will, too.
(2)Sonny R.
Best Taiwanese/Chinese food in the area hands down. They don't load up on grease and has healthy steamed options. Some of my fav: Spicy beef stew, steamed vegetables with shrimp, lo mein with shrimp, fish filet and roast duck soup
(4)Miss B.
No lunch menu on Saturday and they want to upcharge $2 to add bean sprouts....FAIL However, what really made this experience go from a 3-star to 1-star rating was something I witnessed while dining in. A female and male brought a crate fresh green beans to the front to snap them. The crate had openings wide enough that some of the beans fell on the floor. The gentlemen picked up two handful of beans that directly hit the floor and snapped them and threw them in with the rest of the beans. As beans fell off of the table, they continued to pick them off of the floor and into the bile to be prepared with other meals. I have to believe a health risk exists with this type of food service methods. YUCK. NEVER AGAIN
(1)Donald P.
Orange Chicken - Good, tender, sweet, orange-y. Same as General Tso and Sesame Chicken Chow fun - asked that they try not to make it too greasy...came out somewhat mushy instead. Probably won't be ordering that again here. Fried rice - Good. Combination had a good amount of meats. Shrimp was soft and not overcooked. Definitely will be coming back.
(4)Allison P.
I'm no bubble tea expert, but this is the best I've ever had. It is also unlike any other bubble tea I've ever tasted. I ordered the almond black tea; B got the strawberry green tea. They were both delicious! More like a smoothie compared to the bubble tea I've had in the past which is 100% liquid. Filled us up and made us very happy. Can't wait to try the other flavors! A little nervous about how close this is to my apartment..
(4)Donacha H.
Tonight I ordered Szechuan Scallops for my wife and myself. We order Cafe Asia once every two weeks and we were looking for a different alternative. I have to admit this had to be the worst Szechuan Scallops I have ever tasted. The entire dish was a poor quality sweet and sour sauce cooked onions and scallops, and that was it. I have been in the restaurant business for over 30 and am not a big fan of people critiquing every meal they eat. But after two bites of this meal I had to voice my opinion.
(1)Jezz Z.
Not impressed. Not my go-to Chinese spot. Food is hit or miss. PROS: Pork dumplings Crispy shredded beef Friendly staff THEBOMB.COM bubble teas! Coconut is the best. I stopped going altogether because I came in once to buy a small container of plain white rice (I had cooked beef stir fry at home and needed a side). They charged me $5.99!! About same price of lunch special? A whole 5 lb. bag at the grocery store is $1.99! Absolutely RIDIC. On another occasion my chicken has a piece of plastic inside the breading!! I almost choked, had the dish removed, and my meal refunded. Rien Tong is a little further down the street in Clarendon; Thai restaurant with small Chinese selection, but always a satisfying experience. Cons: on the pricier side, and you get quality over quantity. However, they deliver uberfast and their General Tsao chicken is DE-lish (not to mention their Thai dishes). For a cheaper option, go to Hunan Number One. Great happy hour specials and food!
(3)Julia M.
Cheap, good service, and clean. But not AMAZING-- or maybe they toned down the spice in my dish because they thought I couldn't handle it... They do have bubble tea- which is a nice bonus.
(3)Amy K.
I am a Chinese-American from the west coast; now that I live in DC, Lo Mein dishes from TNR are my default comfort food. My favorite is Tomato Beef Lo Mein - which isn't even on the menu, but the restaurant workers are so friendly about customizing the order for me. (Granted, Tomato Beef on Rice is on the menu, and pretty similar.) Thank you, TNR, for filling the Chinese-restaurant-sized hole in my heart!
(4)Kat F.
TNR Cafe is right by the Courthouse station, which makes it perfect for pick up on my way home from work. They deliver pretty quickly too -- Once I had my order within 10 minutes of placing the call. I always get the Sichuan green beans -- they're amazing. Their fried rice is a little heavy on the grease, but it's also very good. I love the Hunan Chicken too, but it's the green beans that keep me coming back.
(4)Vivian R.
I had just stopped in here today for a bubble tea snack - it was the TOTY (top-of-the-yelplist) post for my search. Not expecting too much, given the younger palates that live in the area, I was so pleasantly surprised. I don't know if it was a slight air of ginger in the air, the way the chairs sounded as they moved across the tile floor, or just sitting down with a fellow Taiwanese - but something about this place totally reminded me of the little dumpling places my grandparents would take me in Taipei. The place is not cavernous, and you can see into the kitchen (total plus!). Bubble tea menu is not a mile long, but they cover the major hits. And the bubbles - cooked perfectly! Not frozen or hard in the middle, not a slop of goo either. Just right. Yay. We also ordered an app plate of steamed dumplings. It is, next to hot and sour soup, my usual litmus test for Chinese places. The dumplings tasted so homemade, I could have sworn these guys hit my freezer this morning. Homemade skins, filling was chock-full-o cabbage as well as meat, total yum. The skins, though, were a little on the doughy side - I'm really picky about my skins, so that was just OK. My passion fruit tea, though, was perfect, and my fellow Taiwanese adventurer-in-chopsticks loved her Taro bubble tea. At first, I was worried that they had too few bubbles - but given that I was still slurping up the bubbles after my tea was done, I guess it was just the right amount. Next time, hot and sour soup, you are mine. This first mini-visit totally has spurred my curiosity!
(4)Allison N.
Really good noodles, and all kinds from different regions of Asia and whatnot. They also deliver wisely - aka, so things dont spill all over the place. It is quick too!
(4)A M.
I have been twice for take-out in the last two weeks and I got to say this is a great place. I come from a family that orders a LOT of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese food and I think this restaurant has to be one of the top in the DC region. We ordered house fried rice, Singapore noodles (a curry order), a beef order from the appetizer menu (I think it would be considered a BBQ beef order for Szechuan) - each time it's been excellent. The service has also been excellent - we wait a little long but it's well, well worth it because it's cooked to order. Given that they are two for two (two times ordering out, both times excellent, we'd definitely go back and I think we may even eat at the restaurant next time. The décor inside is also very nice and I think gives a sense of Taiwan. Our three servers for take-out have been helpful each time for ordering. Yep, I am definitely a fan. Well worth it.
(4)Brigid M.
Great Chinese place! I've tried a few in the area and this is definitely my favorite. They also have great lunch deals for if you work in the area. They use big pieces of chicken and it's very tasty and fresh. Delivery service is definitely a plus. Curry chicken is great. And general tsos. Love the flavor.
(5)Lily Z.
Its commendable that they have an authentic Chinese menu, however, I feel the chef here lacks the skill to make this a true destination like Hong Kong Palace or XO taste for Chinese diners. Stirred fried bok choy had too much starch and lacked that essential crunch that can only come from a really hot wok. The seaweed and egg drop soup was too salty. The beef dish wasn't as tender as I liked, probably due to poor velveting, and the salt and pepper shrimp wasn't crispy. It is still an ok place if you live in the area, just don't expect to be wow by anything.
(2)David H.
This is the go to Chinese take out in Arlington for me. Tried a little of everything, but usually end up with combination lo mein, general tso's, and maybe some rangoons. It's always fast and hits the spot
(4)Gregory D.
I do not usually like Chinese food. I find it terribly unhealthy and a poor substitute for Thai food. I had the steamed vegetables with chicken. It provides the sauce on the side. It allowed me to create the perfect dish to sauce ratio. I thought the vegetables were fresh and chicken of high quality.
(4)Mark B.
This place is solid. I really enjoyed the Kung Pao shrimp, chicken fried rice, veggie egg rolls, and hot and sour soup we ordered. It came quickly, but the food was clearly prepared with care. Eat here. It's good.
(4)Bryan D.
5-STARS in the category. TNR is nothing fancy but the food and service rise high above the sea of the thousands of Chinese faster food establishments. VERY friendly staff make the experience even better. If you are looking for great food and don't have a need for an elegant evening, then TNR is perfect. The Kung Pao chicken is delicious. I know it's not a true Chinese meal, and I order it with all-white meat and replace peppers with snow peas, but they cook with high heat giving it a great smoky, caramelized taste. They will alter the menu with a smile and the price is right. Judging this place and giving it two stars for the bubble tea isn't fair - this place is great.
(5)Steve A.
I've been a regular here for a few years running now and can confidently say that this place is a rock solid Chinese food takeout spot -- the kind I wish we had more of in DC. They get all the classics right and even throw in a few surprises. Any of the 'over rice' dishes are a great call and its tough to come here without ordering up a plate of their homemade dumplings (legitimately delicious). Only disappointment so far has been the pan fried noodles which were a bit too greasy. That said, I've tried the beef with snowpeas, mo-shu vegetables, chicken with broccoli, szechuan chicken and they have all be excellent. Good for take out or dining and highly recommended.
(4)Scott P.
From the outside decor, my expectations were low to say the least. However, after trying their food I did a 180!!!! Whole, white chunks of chicken cooked delicately with delicious sauce all for $7 during lunch. This was a great spot and glad I tried it
(4)Sarah H.
I've ordered takeout from here twice now and eaten here once - it's standard chinese takeout and their delivery service is timely and accurate. Their chicken and green peppers is solid. I wish they had more menu options (vegetable dumplings would be great) and wasn't super impressed by the vegetable eggrolls (a specific sauce for them beyond just a packet of soy sauce would have been nice) but this is definitely a good go-to when I need a quick chinese fix.
(3)Sheryl S.
TNR is a cozy attractive cafe staffed by a friendly professional wait staff. The menu lists all the usual Chinese offerings augmented by many welcome less usual offerings. There were three of us having dinner and we chose Mongolian beef, Singapore noodles and eggplant with basil. Each dish was well prepared and very flavorful. Portions seemed large to me - we took home enough yummy leftovers for at least another meal. I plan to go back and suggest that anyone who likes Chinese food give it a try.
(4)Aaron C.
Probably one of the best Chinese food places I've been to in the area. The Szechuan beef is very good. The only caveat is that some of their dishes are EXTREMELY greasy and oily. Definitely use as the occasional guilty pleasure because a couple of these a week and you'll be using a defibrillator on yourself. I definitely wish they were a little healthier with their ingredients.
(4)Nichole B.
This is usually my go to spot by my job when I want some chinese food. I usually stick to my favorites when I am just grabbing a quick lunch. I will have to admit they have went up by 1 dollar since I started working out here overe 3 years ago, but what can you expect it is Arlington, Va. You pay for the territory. My fave is their kung pao chicken. When I am hunkering for some spice for lumch that is what I will gravitate to. When I feel like keeping things basic, I will just stick to my usual which is the chicken and brocolli. I also like that you can substitute brown rice versus white rice for healthier food choices. I will have to warn you that they can get real busy around lunch time and I would advise calling in your order before picking it up. Also to they can improve in their customer service skills, their has times I have called and they either made the wrong dish or my food is not ready when I go to pick it up. They are not very accomadating at times. I would love to give them more than 3 stars but you have to wow me in order to get the full 5.
(3)Spencer C.
Great restaurant. The staff is super friendly; I don't come here super often but they always remember/ recognize me which I appreciate. The bubble tea is AWESOME. They also have quick delivery service for those nights when you just feel like staying in and watching tv on your sofa. I enjoy the food here- great sesame chicken. Definitely recommended!
(4)Tara F.
Best Chinese in Arlington! The service is always good and continues to be our go-to Chinese place. I also love the bubble tea and do not know very many places you can get that. Pricing is reasonable and friendly service.
(4)Lena P.
I found this place via seamless as one of the Chinese delivery options in Arlington- there is a $20 minimum which is kinda steep but it at least includes tax/tip/delivery charge, and the delivery was super quick. Anyways I am so glad I decided to order from here because I will definitely order from Tea Noodles Rice Cafe again! The quality was significantly better than the typical Chinese-American delivery place, and the two things I ordered tasted rather authentic (I say this with a bit of authority as I grew up with a Taiwanese mom who made me the best food ever). I had the almond bubble milk tea and the peking style pork with pancakes (off the chef's specials). The milk tea was pleasant- creamy but not heavy, sweet but not overly so, and the bubbles were a good texture (although they would get stuck in the straw sometimes). The peking style pork was exactly what I expected/hoped for, coming with the thin pancakes, scallions and pork and including rice that was made with the proper texture/consistency/taste. A bit salty, but I didn't mind, and good-sized portions - I only wish there were more pancake skins to go with the large amount of pork/sauce/onions. I shall be back to try the other things on their menu and hopefully they won't disappoint! Edit: The black pepper steak, crispy fried shredded beef, and fish fillet in szechuan spiced broth (all on the chef's specials menu) are all amazing. They definitely gained a regular.
(4)Anita L.
My friend woke up in the morning and said "I want Chinese food" Being the tourist we are, we found this restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Again, this prove to me to never trust the ratings of a Chinese restaurant reviewed by non-Chinese patrons... Walked inside a nice clean restaurant right before the lunch hour rush came in and was greeted by our friendly waitress. Lunch special 11-3p around $6-$7, and I got the Mapo Tofu and Hot n Sour soup. Service was good, but the food is a whole different story. Hot and Sour Soup was okay, but the Mapo Tofu was nasty. It was so salty that I had to fight to urge to just get the bill and walk out the door. The food was so bad that Panda Express felt like fine dining to me when I was trying to poke through that dish of Mapo Tofu. Thank goodness I don't live around this area and I have real Chinese food at home. They get 1 star from me for the friendly staff and fortune cookie.
(1)Tara E.
I would like to entitle this review, "Pleasantly Surprised". I only tried this place out because I was waiting in my chiropractor's office across the street and became super hungry. I was absolutely craving of noodles and decided to place an order to go. In the past I learned not to have high expectations of Chinese food outside NY and San Francisco. TNR is a nice place with good energy, a pleasant staff, and is conveniently located right across the street from the Courthouse metro. They give you a lot of food for the money and it was tasty!! And like most good Chinese food, it made great leftovers. I gave the place 4 out of 5 stars since this was my first time, but I may upgrade it to 5-stars after I sample a few more dishes soon! Yum!
(4)Kevin K.
?????......you can really call this place a bookmark in the book of mediocrity! All I have to say is if your hungover and you have no energy to go out and eat order from here. I am not saying that they aren't nice people but the food I ordered was just a mess. I order the half duck, and the shrimp wonton noodle. I have such high expectations because you can't get jia chang mein, or da lu mein anywhere else. I was hoping for more flavor in the broth and better noodles. But what can you do, people in this area have no idea how good it is at other places so, I will say if your lazy and need a fix then go ahead and enjoy! Otherwise make some effort and get something to eat! Cheers and happy hunting!
(1)N B.
TNR has been our go-to Chinese delivery place for over a year now and we have yet to be disappointed! We order every couple weeks and delivery is generally quick. The food is quite good and comes in good portion sizes. At this point I think I've had the majority of their chicken and beef dishes and all of them have been very tasty. No complaints whatsoever, just a solid source of (american) Chinese food.
(5)Mike S.
Nice, authentic, no-frills Chinese restaurant tucked in a strip mall. This place doesn't look like much when you walk by. No pagodas, or koi ponds, or lanterns, but who eats those? Instead you get tasty Chinese food, good portions at a great price - and isn't that what this is about? We went in on New Years Day and were greeted. Y a most attentive waiter and our food arrived promptly and was delicious. More than that can't be said. It is my favorite Chinese food restaurant in Arlington.
(4)Ashley K.
I ordered lunch from here recently, and overall I was happy with my meal. I placed my order through Foodler ( foodler.com/ref/7581733/… ). I tried the vegetable dumplings, which were good but were a little watery. The rice noodles with shrimp, however, was quite tasty. I'd definitely order it again. Reasonably priced, fast service, and tasty food!
(4)A K.
I only came here for the lunch specials, so maybe their regular menu options taste better. I had the chicken lo mein, and it was a bit too greasy and flavorless for my taste. On another occasion, I tried the orange chicken and was again disappointed. The quality of the meat used could have been better. On the bright side, the service is friendly and quick. The lunch specials are cheap, but you get what you pay for.
(3)Brianna M.
Delicious food and bubble tea! There was a little issue with the order getting lost, but they quickly took care of it and sent us a free app to keep us happy while we waited. Best Chinese food I've found in the area!
(4)Nicole W.
Delicious hot & sour soup, great service, lots of non-fried options. Big fan of this place!
(4)Jessica B.
Ordered delivery from here several times and found the delivery to be pretty fast. Food seemed ok but the last time I found large bugs in my food... I may never eat lo mien again! Please don't risk eating at this place!
(1)Derrick S.
Any Chinese restaurant that uses chicken bullion for wonton broth should be embarrassed.
(1)Courtney D.
this is our go-to neighborhood carryout spot. and sometimes dine-in, too. the staff is super friendly and attentive. they will take the time to answer any questions you might have about their extensive & diverse menu, including the wide variety of noodle dishes. we've tried the singapore noodles with tofu - curried, smoky, and delicious. i also like the black mushroom with bok choy (which they seem to like, too, because they commend my choice every time). the spicy cabbage has been hit-or-miss, sometimes a little too funky even for me, and i like my kim chi pretty dang funky. the spring rolls are standard issue. but our standards have become chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (big, thick, juicy stems), vegetable noodle soup with soft tofu (just fortifying as chicken noodle to cure whatever ails you), and kung pao tofu, which might possibly be the most impressive tofu dish i have ever encountered. the sauce gets all caramelized around those cubes of fried tofu, along with the chunks of pepper, garlic, and onion. just amazing. i'm gonna venture a guess and say we eat here every other week, but that's probably underestimating. the prices are good, service is fast, quality & selection make it the best Chinese food i've found so far in the area. see you next week, TNR!
(5)Debbie L.
Told you I'd be back!! Went back for some bubble tea and eats. Got the Taro and the Almond bubble tea with light sugar. PERFECT!!! The Taro was JUST right! The Almond bubble tea is not as "silky/creamy" as Taro but it's still pretty good. Just be prepared for the more "watery" characteristic of it. As for eats, I tried the Singapore Rice Noodles. O.M.G. It was exactly what I wanted to eat! Thin rice noodles VERY WELL seasoned with curry and coconut and bits of your choice of chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or ALL of them! I had just the pork and shrimp...yeah..JUST a ton of cholesterol but who's counting...lol. This dish is SO freakin' flavorful, it is pretty difficult to stop eating! I devoured all of it by the next day but I could've very well done so that same night. So yeah, I came back to add my 5th star because the Bubble Teas can be made less sweet upon request and still be SOOO yummy. And because the dishes here are unmatched. Yes!!
(5)Greg Q.
I am a little surprised this place has some good reviews. We ate here the other night and the food was borderline inedible. I ordered the general tsos chicken which was a gelatinous mush with a horrible tangy flavor. My gf ordered some kind of seafood and rice dish which was also very bad. We had a bite or two of each and sent them back and left. The food was just not good at all. It is a bummer because this place is so close but the food was so bad we won't be returning.
(1)Armond B.
Definitely the best chinese food in the area. Great general tso's chicken (not overly spicy) and chicken lo mein. Delivery is always timely and it remains my go-to chinese delivery joint.
(4)Clare S.
Last night I made my first trip to TNR and I really enjoyed my meal. I ordered the Singapore noodles and the Honeydew Melon bubble tea. It's been a while since I've ordered a noodle dish without it being bland, so I was very happy with the flavor of the Singapore noodles. As for the bubble tea, I did not know what it was until I tried it. If you've never had it, I recommend it. I thought it was very refreshing!
(4)Jane M.
Their milk tea is disgusting and they charged us for extra straws. (We had boba from Bread Corner but forgot straws. But they didn't know that. We just wanted 6 more straws and thought they would just give them to us if we bought one of their bubble teas. Charged us $1 for 6 straws. Extremely stingy people.) Complete waste of $4.85 on terrible milk tea and straws. Although the straws were excellent for the Bread Corner boba. (visited Feb 4, 2012)
(1)c h.
I go here a lot because of its proximity to my office (I'm extremely lazy). I usually get beef with fresh hot peppers and hot and sour soup. The hot and sour soup is pretty good. But the beef with fresh hot peppers is really just beef with green peppers. Mixed into the green peppers is probably 2 slices of actual hot pepper. Also, it's extremely greasy. I've gotten the bubble tea here before. Didn't really care for it..
(2)Brent S.
A great place to get Chinese for lunch. They have a somewhat small lunch menu written on the board at the door that doesn't disappoint, and is very reasonably priced. Most items on here are between $6 and $7, and the portion size is generous for a lunch menu. My lunch favorites are the Kung Pao chicken and Ma Po Tofu. And you can add a soup or roll for only $1 or $1.50 more. They have a full regular menu but I've always gotten from the lunch menu. The bubble tea is pretty good here too. It's worth a try at least once. I think I like the tapioca balls that the Lemongrass food truck has a little better, but TNR has more varities of bubble tea.
(4)Nicole T.
TNR is located a couple of blocks from my house. I'm new to the area so I thought I'd give them a try. Overall the food was decent but nothing spectacular. The hot and sour soup was very good and I also had the shredded beef with hot peppers over rice. It tasted like they only used green peppers and not very many hot peppers which didn't make it spicy like I wanted. I ordered a glass of white wine with my meal and they only had one option available and the waitress wasn't too sure of which one. I did take a bubble tea to go which was very good. The service could have been better. The waitress never checked on me to see if I was okay and a couple came in after me and their order was taken before mine. It wasn't very busy either so not sure why service was so shotty. Overall I may give them another try for delivery.
(3)Mike G.
Came with a group of six for dinner and drinks and it was all pretty good. Recommend the home made dumplings and the crispy fried shredded beef.
(4)Lottie Y.
Just want to add to my previous review that their 2-dish 1-soup combo is wonderful for a 2-person meal.
(4)Johanna A.
So I went to TNR for the first time today because I needed my boba fix and it was lunch time, so I thought "Hey, why not?" Let me tell you, it was worth it. I came towards the end of their lunch time, so there was only a few others in the restaurant. To my surprise, the inside is a lot more modern than I thought it was going to be judging from the outside appearance. Overall, it's a good dining atmosphere, I'd say. The food was really great. I originally come from Virginia Beach, VA so the only chinese restaurants we have are mainly takeout places or P.F. Changs (though, i don't know how much that really counts..). So the food here went beyond any expectations. I ordered sesame chicken and it was served with rice and steamed broccoli. The portions are great-- I had enough to take home for another meal! The chicken was so incredibly tender and when you looked at a cut piece of it, you could tell it was freshly prepared for you, so I'm definitely coming back to try their other dishes. The bubble tea I ordered was the honeydew+green tea. Honeydew isn't that sweet in general, so I thought it was well balanced. Their tapioca pearls were perfectly cooked, not too chewy and not too dense. The pearls were also very flavorful compared to other boba I've tasted, so that was a pleasant surprise. The best thing I can say about TNR is that the servers were incredibly kind. It started raining really badly outside and it wasn't letting up at all. I didn't have an umbrella with me and the guy who brought me back my check realized this so he gave me an umbrella so I could walk home. I think that speaks for how well they take care of their customers. All in all, definitely coming back!
(4)Amber H.
TWO WORDS - BUBBLE TEA. my go-to place in arlington! staff is very friendly and efficient. their lunch menu is nothing special -- same as most american chinese places. they do speak mandarin which is a plus if you're trying to get authentic chinese food. the zhajiangmian is pretty good!
(5)Candi W.
Just updating my review from two years ago. I work in Arlington so we order from TNR at least twice a week. Recently, up to two weeks ago you are not able to order lunch for delivery anymore. You are basically stuck with ordering dinner during lunch hours and the portions are the same. Which is a same because I love our delivery guy but not worth pay double for lunch. Will be looking for a new chinese take out place soon.
(2)Anna W.
We love this place! I mostly get the sting beans and crispy beef as well as general tsos chicken. To me the crispy beef is one of the best I like around here. All their food is tasty but is pricey. I agree that $13 for a chicken dish is a bit much, especially for a no thrills restaurant. I will be back again as we like the food, but we feel they should alter the prices.
(4)Alexandra K.
This will be a quick review, because I've only had one dish here recently (I had chicken with cashews last year and it was pretty bad, I don't recommend it). Today I ordered the Ma Po tofu for takeout, since I wanted something tofu, and something different, and this definitely fit the bill. It was also pretty tasty, though so spicy that sometimes my mouth was burning too much to taste very much else. If you're a fan of spicy, this might not be too impressive for you, but the herbs and spices I normally use to flavor my food have more of a kick than a burn to them, so it was a lot for me. Speaking of a lot, it was definitely well-sized portions too. They don't offer small/large options like a lot of Chinese restaurants, but the prices seem to correspond with large, and it's probably a little less than I've seen from large sized orders at other Chinese restaurants, still a decent quantity though.
(3)Nene K.
TNR Cafe is convenient and the food tastes good but my one gripe is that the General Tso's chicken costs $13. $13???????????????? Seriously? That's ridiculous. The hot and sour soup, on the other hand is inexpensive, spicy, filling, and delicious. So as others have said, it is really hit or miss. I do think TNR knows its audience and caters too much to the bland yuppie palate of the surrounding area. But you can't really fault a business for knowing its customers too well. If you live along the Orange line, anywhere from Courthouse to Ballston, I'd suggest Panda Cafe instead. $10 General Tso's (includes tax) and bigger portions! Cheap, fast American Chinese food is a gift that too many of us take for granted indeed. TNR will serve you green tea while you wait for your takeout if you ask which I thought was a nice touch.
(3)Shai C.
Best chinese food within the courthouse area.
(4)Sean B.
Friend insisted we go here because she thought the Kung Pao tofu was amazing here. Wellll no, it wasn't. A little dry and the flavor was ok, but not mind-blowing. Also got the eggplant in garlic sauce. It definitely had garlic in it. If there were any other ingredients, I wouldn't know since the garlic seriously dominated the dish. In short, two average dishes. Judging by the other yelp reviews, this place is definitely hit or miss. Upside is the dishes are HUGE, prices are decent, and staff is super nice and polite. If you're in the court house area, and want decent Chinese, this place will come in handy. Other than that, no reason to go here.
(3)Evonne L.
for my canto friends, this place is mah-mah-day. go if you want a decent chinese meal. i've been a few times and have not been dissapointed, most recently a few days ago maybe 30 minutes before they closed. you know this place is owned by passive aggressive asians bc they dim the lights on you when they're trying to close. and you know they're going to turn them back on to clean up/ etc - but that's their informal sign. most recently i got the seafood delight- shrimp, fish, squid (which my caucasion dinner date affectionately called calamari), snow peas, baby corn. it had that authentic chinese flavor that i like. i think its called msg. either way, it was a good meal. their wait staff (when not being passive aggressive) are also really nice.
(3)Pam Z.
3.5 stars for their food. 4.5 stars if you're comparing it to DMV Chinese food in general. Pretty darn good Chinese takeout for DMV. Got delivery here during the 2 Snowpocalype/SnOMG/Snomageddon incident. Surprisingly only took 1/2 an hour with a couple feet of snow on the ground. Normally, when I first order food from a restaurant whose cuisine genre I know rather well, I have some basics I like to try first before being adventurous. This is partially to make a fair assessment across restaurants (I'm a stats nerd), as well as because I'm a wimp at new place. At Chinese places, it's always Hot and Sour Soup, whatever Dumplings they have, Combo Lo Mein or Pan Fried Noodle, some beef/pork/duck/seafood dish, and some veggie dish. And maybe spring rolls. Usually I can get this done in two visits. One if I have a friend who likes takeout :) The Pan Fried noodles were pretty good (although a little on the small side), although their sauce was kind of bland. Hot and sour soup was pretty standard, although it could have stood some more spice. Props for lots of bamboo! Steamed pork dumplings were pretty good (standard problem with takeout dumplings = super thick skins, this place wasn't as bad as others in that respect). My bf's duck dish was also very good. The verdict is that I definitely WILL go back to this place and try more dishes. Yay! BOBA: Milk tea was pretty watered down, although the pearls themselves weren't bad. Very disappointing, indeed. Maybe I should just order the pearls and make my own milk tea at home? Wherever other reviewers are finding the super secret Chinese-only menu, I did not find it online (in store only?). However, it did make my day that they took my order in Cantonese. One con: Who works at a cash only (or credit card minimum $20) place and doesn't know where the closest ATM is? That just seems irresponsible and silly.
(4)Judy Y.
I lived in Arlington for over a year before I walked into TNR. It was because from the outside it looks like a Chinese food sell-out. But inside some of their dishes are actually quite authentic and thus I love TNR. You really have to know what to order, their entrees range from blah/so-so to awesome. Their noodles are delicious. Try the Chan Jian Mien, but skip the house noodles which are not as good. A lot of their stir frys are basic and not too impressive. They have some really interesting and unique dishes that make me love this place like the Beef stew noodle soup. I think that's roughly what it's called in English, my friend always orders it in Chinese. The Peking duck that comes with wrappers, sauce and scallions is also good. Some of the choices from their authentic menu reminds me of my mom's cooking. you can get combos from the authentic menu, 2 dishes + 1 soup, or 3 dishes + 1 soup. really worth it. if you want some good authentic Chinese without having to drive to Annadale or Rockville, this is the place to go! Once you figure out what to get, you will be coming here several times a week.
(4)Katherine K.
I order delivery from TNR often. They deliver and that's perfect on a weekday when I don't feel like cooking. Since the past year, their menu has changed a little and almost all the dishes have increased by a dollar. Therefore, the average dish is $9.95. I order via telephone and they are pretty friendly overall. As for the food, I am obsessed with their Taiwanese Style Rice Noodles. I order this dish consistently. If you like noodles, you have to try this. I'm pretty biased when it comes to this dish since this brings back memories of San Fran. Either way, if you are a noodle afficionado, don't miss this one. I also order the pineapple with shrimp fried rice. It's pretty awesome without being greasy. I'm not a rice and pineapple lover but this dish soothes my sweet and salty craving. The other dish I love is the vegetable delight with white sauce. Seriously, I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lastly, you must try the bubble tea. I'm pretty particular to the honey dew flavor and I've tried them all. There's just something about the honey dew flavor - it's refreshing. The crispy shredded beef is okay..but can be very spicy so I ask them to tone it down. However, the sauce can be too sweet at times. Another meh dish is the beef with snowpeas. The beef was chewy. It's a bit of a disappointment. Dishes I don't recommend is the shrimp toast, crispy eggplant, and the egg foo young. Greasy, greasy, greasy. All in all, your best bet is to try what you like best and then explore other dishes from there.
(4)Jennifer S.
I had the beef with broccoli here. It was pretty typical--nothing special. And it was greasy. The bubble tea is very good here. Definitely try that when you eat here. Portions are small are food is slightly more expensive than similar places. Service is fast here.
(3)C T.
Love this place! Friendly staff, quick food service, even delivery is fairly quick. I am definitely a regular. The hot & sour soup is fantastic, as are the dumplings. I'm not sure about the authenticity of the food but they have a special authentic portion of the menu, and there are always a lot of asians in the restaurant, which must be a good sign. Prices have been going up recently (25-50 cents here and there every few months...), but it still isn't an expensive restaurant. A few negatives: The food is inconsistent, sometimes its great and sometimes it tastes burnt or they didn't add enough spice - I'm not sure why it changes, but I like to think its because its all made from scratch. Also, the delivery service tends to miss little things, like the crackers that go with the soup, or packets of duck sauce with egg rolls. I still love the place. Positives: Quick service for both delivery & eat-in, delicious food (usually) much better than other take-out places nearby, decent variety of menu options if you care to stray from the staples, good size portions and reasonable pricing.
(4)Samuel S.
I live in Arlington (Ft. Myer). When I have to order chinese delivery, this is my place. No, it's not as cheap as Eastern, but it's good quality, quantity, and not that much. It delivers what you expect: quality Chinese food staples like General Tso's, Kung Pao, Lo Mein, Fried Rice, etc. Delivery fee is modest, and they're usually pretty quick. One added benefit- as you might have guessed from the title of the place, they do really good tea. I get a couple of their ice teas every time I order... so good. Don't order from here looking for gourmet... this is not PF Chiang's. Just good, solid Chinese food- at least from an American dude who wouldn't know real Chinese food if it hit him in the face.
(4)J. C.
Mediocre Chinese food at best. They're good for when you don't feel like cooking and don't feel like going out. Their bubble teas are good.
(3)celia C.
I'm a Chinese American who lived in NYC for many years so I am used to good Authentic Chinese food and this is one of the few place that I've found since moving to DC/NOVA.
(4)May Y.
So... TNR is definitely not the best Chinese food in the area, but conversely, it is also not the worst. Looks like they've upgraded decor since i went there last two years ago. They have flat screens on the wall, but still no spell-check on their menus. :( 1. They mixed up our order for salt and pepper squid (picture available). what came out was shrimp, but it was tasty so we let it slide. It was battered and deep fried, and had a good amount of flavor/spices. 2. Beef with bamboo and mushrooms (photo available) came out just like it should. nothing spectacular here, but no huge failure either. the beef was tender and the flavor was good. Rice was eh. a little harder than I prefer. 3. The bubble tea took a while to come out, which is really weird. We got standard black milk tea that, while tasty, was made from powder (there was foam on top. Not right). The boba was the quick-cook kind, the one that you can buy in the store and cook in 10 minutes, so they weren't that chewy towards the center and had that weird coconutty flavor. I'd much rather go elsewhere for the good stuff. All in all, TNR will do. I'd give it a 2.5 due to the mix-up (looks like it's common) and the bubble tea. I'd go again to satisfy a quick craving, but for the good stuff, I'd go to A&J's instead.
(2)Aaron B.
Really pleased with the service, price and especially the decor. Food was decent. I had the hot and sour soup and mapo tofu and they were both pretty good. Also pleased that there are a ton of vegetarian options on the menu.
(4)lilibet m.
I'm searching for a good chinese place here in Arlington and I don't mean PF Changs. TNR Cafe is the best I've found! The dumpings may be the typical thick dough dumplings most places have but the sauce they give is different than the standard one. The Pork Fried Rice is really good. I was very surprised. The chicken and broccoli, it's a standard to compare places, was nice and thin pieces of chicken but the sauce was a little bland. The best part is the bubble tea! So good!! Also, the delivery was really quick! I will definitely be back!
(4)David R.
I'm beginning to think that I don't give bad reviews but it's because I look at Yelp first to make sure I'm spending my dollar where it counts. Great little Chinese place. Does not feel dumpy or cramped. The people here speak English and the food is very affordable. Happy hour every day from 5pm to 8pm. Small selection of drinks but you wouldn't come here as the main stop on a bar night. Crab Rangoon was fresh and really good. If you're coming here with your sweety or a friend one main dish and a couple of appetizers split is plenty of food. Waitstaff was attentive and they gave us oranges at the end!!! I'm not sure why that got me so excited but it's a nice touch. Next I'll try takeout. Crab Rangoon, 1 soup, Beef and mushroom dinner and 2 happy hour beers came to $27.00 before tip.
(4)Pouya Y.
If you're tired of crappy, preservative laden, generic Chinese food, then you are in for a treat. I have been here dozens of times and I am impressed every time. From soups, to appetizers, to entrees.. everything is fresh and top notch. The beef is always tender and the veggie dishes are not too overcooked (soggy). TNR is a family owned place and they take pride in their food and customer service. They get a bit overwhelmed on weekends. My favorite dishes are the twice cooked pork, sha-cha beef, wonton or hot and sour soup, crispy beef, and garlic bok choy.
(5)Daniel B.
Clean, modern lines, quick and fulfills something that was lacking in Courthouse (for quite a while), a good Chinese takeout, eat in joint. Standard menu with some surprises. Reasonably priced. Is this fine dining? No, but it is great to have a place to go to that does not involve jumping in the car.
(4)Sam W.
Food quality is good, but small portions and very expensive. I have been eating here for years, but have stopped due to the pricing. Oil levels in your food depend on cook on duty. I have had meals with a good 1/4 cup of oil sitting in the bottom. And they need to bring back the soup or egg roll with the lunch "special". Not very special when you are just getting the lunch-sized meal.
(3)malalai f.
Ive been to this place twice now, first time for boba and the second for a meal. I am new to the area and was looking for a good chinese restaurant close by, this place is def. not it. We ordered the kung pao shrimp which they burned beyond recognition and when we complained they said that's how they usually make it. You mean to tell me you usually burn your food into a blackened crisp? right...She also admitted that another customer had complained about the same problem before. Then when we asked to send it back she said that's not an option and that we had to order something else. We ordered the hunan shrimp dish which was equally terrible. I can't see myself going back to this place for good but their boba was good. P.s. the extra star is for the boba.
(2)Cory R.
I went here for dinner with my roommates and my friend because my friend recommended it and I had a great experience. I ordered the General Tso's Chicken and it was one of the best dishes of General Tso's Chicken I have ever had. I ended up paying around $20 for my dinner plus a Coconut Bubble Tea, but it was very worth it. I would definitely go back. The food was great, the service was great, and we even paid the bill at our table - the waitress swiped our cards on an ipad and we didn't even have to get up!
(4)Michelle D.
Delicious chinese food! My fiancee and I spent a weekend in Arlington for Valentines day, and tried FOREVER to find a place to eat. After getting extremely frustrated we "gave-up" and decided to eat here since it was right next to the fancier restaurant we had planned on eating at, but had turned us away. It was destiny! The food was delicious. I had the kung pao tofu, which was perfectly spicy, and we both had different bubble teas, which were amazing. Also, the crab rangoons were savory and delicious. The prices were affordable and the portions were huge. Definitely glad we stopped here.
(5)Vi N.
It was delicious food! Nice setting (w/ basically a tv per table for 2!(!!)) and friendly service. We had the fish fillet in sichuan spice broth and the salt and pepper squid. It filled me up and kept me warm for the whole ride back to Chinatown!
(4)Brittany M.
Based on authenticity, price, flavor, and what's available in a 5-mile radius, TNR is no more than two stars. Is it edible? Absolutely. But with so many delicious, authentic Chinese restaurants nearby this place isn't worth it. We had the tomato eggdrop soup, pork with garlic sauce, and Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. The soup's chicken broth was flavorless. The pork seemed to be slathered in a watered down American-style sweet and sour sauce (think the fire-engine red sauce, mall food court style). The Chinese broccoli simply had oyster sauce dumped on top. Nothing like the super-flavor of traditionally prepared Chinese veggies. Service was good.
(2)Ayla B.
Pleasantly surprised! The food was decent. They had a very nice selection of soups & entrees versus your average Chinese restaurant. I had the fish meatball broth over noodles & my husband had the spicy beef Sichuan soup, both pretty good. The tapioca ball teas were okay, have had better. It's pretty interesting trying to drink them without suddenly inhaling one of the tapioca balls! So be careful! The teas that we had (coconut & the taro one) tasted like they were made from a powder mix blended closer to being a smoothie rather than tea. The entrees from the other customers looked very fresh & colorful. We'll be returning to try other dishes.
(4)KuangYou C.
Honestly, I think it is a normal Asian food restaurant. The food they provide is like home-made dish, very simple. I share a dinner set (3 entree 1 soup) with two friends. We had tomato egg soup, and it was like water but I believe it is much healthy. We also had a stir vegetable, spicy fish and stir pork with some spice. They tasted ok. But I feel waitresses are very kind there. The other downside is they don't give you a big portion of food. My friend had a bubble tea and he said it was great. Maybe their drinks are good, I'll try it next time.
(3)Keb V.
I really like their food. I think they have pretty good lunch specials. Very good portion size and it's not overpriced. The waitstaff is very friendly.
(4)Lauren K.
The general tso's bean curd was a giant orange gelatinous blob. The steamed veggie dumplings had barely any filing and the sauce that came with them tasted very strange. I think I'll be trying somewhere else the next time I want Chinese takeout.
(1)Tajar E.
This place is just so-so. Some dishes I've had for take out were not tasty at all. The three delights would more aptly be named "the three disappointments".the egg rolls are awful and even trader joe sells a better frozen roll. That being said, I had some really good kung pao chicken yesterday while dining in with some friends for lunch. They get an extra star for that kung pao. I'll be back but not for take out.
(3)Erin H.
I've been a regular of TNR for 4 years now and although 90% of the time I'd give their food 5 stars their escalating prices get a 3. In the last 4 years my usual order went from $22 plus tax and tip for delivery to $34 - which seams like a pretty steep jump! Their over rice and authentic menu are great - love their noodle soups!
(4)Sarah S.
Note: This review is for the bubble tea only. Nope, I didn't even try the food here because of less-than-favorable reviews from other Yelpers, but I did long for a bubble tea so I ventured here. The last time I had a superior bubble tea was in Taiwan, so my expectations were set pretty high. And, much to my delight, TNR delivered. I ordered the lychee green tea and it was not too bad. The tapioca beads had the right texture and the drink wasn't too sweet . The milk-based tea was not as good; I would not recommend one of those. If you need a quick bubble tea fix, TNR is convenient and it gets the job done...unless of course you wanna book a flight to Taipei instead.
(3)Carl B.
I have been eating here for several years and love this place. The food is hot and delicious. I take my staff there every once in a while to have lunch. I highly recommend it!
(5)Courtney R.
Gag me. I'm not a big fan of Americanized Chinese food (not that I've had authentic) because I find it greasy and nasty. This place reinforced that opinion. The Kung Pao was disgusting. It was the kind of chicken that urban legends are made of. On top they threw a bunch of roasted peanuts, they weren't even stirred in. It wasn't hot at all--though I wished it was to cover up all the funk. No chiles in sight. I couldn't even stomach the egg roll. Egg rolls are like pizza--nearly impossible to mess up. TNR is the Cici's of Chinese food. You've been warned.
(1)J.C. J.
Seriously good bubble teas, and too much good food on each plate.
(5)Christina W.
There aren't that many Chinese restaurants in Arlington and this one is definitely the best and most friendly one. :) Everytime I go in there, I am always greeted with a smile and great customer service! They always ask how the dishes were and do value honest opinions. When dining in, I usually go for the dine in special, where you can get 2 medium size entrees + a large bowl of soup for 17.95! It's such a great deal b/c it's just the right amount of food and you have variety! I've had their kung pao chicken which I like a lot but that's because I just love the taste of hoisin sauce. Their dried tofu dish stir fried with pork and green onions is really tasty too! I also really like their basil eggplant dish b/c I appreciate places that can cook Asian eggplants without too much grease. Just remember to ask them to go light on the oil for that dish. This is also my go to place for bubble tea. 4/5 times I go, the bubble tea is perfect. The tea has the right amount of sweetness, the bubbles are not mushy but chewy and the tea flavor isn't super light where you can taste more milk than tea. A few other times, sometimes the bubbles may get a bit mushier and the tea is not as strong as I prefer, but all in all a great place for bubble tea in Arlington!
(4)Virginia C.
Great fried rice but a bit greasy.
(4)Claudia H.
I work pretty much across the street from this restaurant. I have friends that order lunch and dinner from this place pretty much everyday. Their food is consistent and in general pretty good. This is definitely not high end chinese food, but it is great for what it is. The all famous General Tso's is pretty delicious, Chicken Kung-Pow is also among the favorites of my co-workers. Another favorite is the soups, I havent had them, but they are big and delicious. Among the soups, my favorite is the Hot & Sour. Their dumpkins are good too, though the dough could be more delicate - but the taste is right.
(4)Maria E.
TNR is conveniently located across Court House Metro, a friendly Chinese restaurant. The typical fried rice, lo mein, rice noodles are really tasty! They also have bubble tea, which is great! Also the price is quite convenient! Definitely recommend it!
(4)Kimberly D.
Easiest delivery process ever...and quick! Crispy fries rice, crab Rangoon, and beef and snow peas were best we've had in Arlington (yea, I realize that's not saying much) I'll be back!
(4)Kelley F.
Mmmm I sort of want to keep the best-kept-secret a secret, but....this place is a vegetarian's DREAMLAND. Get ANY tofu dish and you will be delighted. I swear I order in TNR once a week because the kung pao tofu is THAT good. Always perfectly cooked, and instead of being soaked in an oily goopy sauce, the tofu is deliciously seasoned. TNR is consistently quick and delicious.
(5)