The Terrapin beer dinner was AWESOME! The food was exceptional, the pairings inspired. The staff, especially Katrina, were welcoming and pleasant. Service was efficient. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and look forward to future events.
(5)
Caron L.
They really did a great job renovating this place. The decor is great, the layout is perfect, just an all around great atmosphere. I went for a friends birthday dinner and they seated us quickly (we had a reservation). We ordered a few appetizers all of which were delicious! The drinks were just as great and they even had my favorite williamsburg ale. Our main courses were super flavorful, great portions, and all came out in a timely fashion. The overall experience was great!!!
(4)
Liz P.
I've been here multiple times with friends, and I like the atmosphere a lot. It's a pretty large restaurant, so it's great for big groups. (And they take reservations, which is great.) My biggest complaint is that there are no vegetarian entrees. Even the tofu dish is made with fish. It's kind of disappointing, since they have a fairly large menu. Every time I've been for dinner, I'm stuck getting an appetizer as my meal. The atmosphere is cool, but it would be nice if they offered a vegetarian dish.
(2)
Lauren M.
Food is amazing! The portions are so big you'll definitely have some to take home, or share when you eat in. They also have a pretty good bar with local beers in tap. Only complaint is I wish there was easier parking. Overall, I would brave the parking situation to eat their delicious food! Their jalapeno beef fried rice and chef Zhao's chicken are fabulous.
(4)
Felicia H.
Food was excellent. Was a little hot sitting next to window no air circulation there. Loved the atmosphere
(4)
Mark B.
Excellent food, service and ambiance. The Hot and Sour soup is the best I've ever tasted. Kung Pao shrimp was delicious. Unlike most Chinese restaurants, they have a very nice bar with an excellent selection of craft brewed beers. I understand it is very popular in the evening n
(5)
Katie J.
Basil beef was outstanding and service was great - will definitely be back!
(5)
Brittany T.
I have only been once, and maybe it was on an off-night, but it was just...not good.
(2)
T K.
The food was fine. Drinks good. Rudest server I have ever encountered.....Brittani. The manager kindly took over our table. Fun, cool spot. I have been here probably eight times previously. Not sure I will return. Service with an attitude is not what I pay for.
(2)
Kevin T.
Stopped by last night before seeing a movie at Bowtie. Kudos to Fat Dragon for having Hardywood's gingerbread on tap. The beer selection is diverse with a good mix of local / regional beers. I didn't have time for food, but the plates of diners around me were a good indication that the food is well done. I can't wait to go back and try the ribs.
(5)
Guy L.
Great place. Extremely popular -- it fills up early, so make reservations or be prepared to wait if you don't come early. A number of the items on the menu have a twist off the usual Chinese fare, such as jalapeno beef fried rice. So far, all good. We will be back. One note: Almost everyone in the place, when we have been there, uses chopsticks. I can't handle rice with chopsticks, so I had no problem getting flatware, but if you don't like to be the only one in the room doing something but also aren't good with chopsticks, be aware. (Of course, there's no judging, it's just you, but there you are.)
(3)
Lauren U.
Had great food here on my first trip. On our second trip, we worried we were too late to be seated coming at 9:45pm but we called the restaurant to make sure we still had time. The hostess confirmed that as long as we ordered 10 minutes before 11pm we would be alright. We were seated at 9:50pm and were last to be helped out of any other tables seated after us. Won't be going back after getting the cold shoulder from servers.
(2)
Shulamite L.
I went here last night with some friends and it was definitely a surprise in a good way. The decor and atmosphere is awesome! I had the black bean chicken and the firecraker shrimp. They were excellent. Like another reviewer said their food is an improved PF Chang's. Fat Dragon has a good balance of American and Chinese flavor in their dishes. I would absolutely come here again.
(4)
Laura M.
Great ambiance and food, UNBELIEVABLY friendly staff!!
(5)
Travis D.
Tried this place once before and was really good, but I went back for date night with my girlfriend and we got the worst food poisoning ever!!! Threw up all night and had body aches for almost 24 hrs. I know this can happen anywhere but sorry, that's it for us. I wonder if anyone else got really sick that night? It was Thursday Feb 30, 2014, we had firecracker shrimp and the chicken and rice noodles in that yellow curry. Never going back... Even though the manager was very professional dealing with our situation. If it happened to you let them know!
(1)
Craig B.
Ok, i reserved writing in this review until i had been a few times. It was good the first time, better the second and pretty dang good the 3rd. Ambiance is fab, bar is big & very cool and the food is getting better. I've tried about 2/3 of the menu now and its getting less salty/crunchy and more fresh and zingier. Great soups, spring rolls, rice dishes, Chef's chicken and pork ribs(fantasic!). Desserts good. Beer/wine lists robust. Service is much much better too. A Bowtie movie-dinner must. Hope the Blvd gets healthier and this is its anchor like Can Can is to Carytown. Go!
(4)
David M.
It is difficult to give a restaurant a fair rating when they go so horribly awry in one area and do so well in another. Fat Dragon is a trendy spot, well decorated with an interesting backlit painting of a larger than life naked, tattooed woman with her derriere selectively cover by a sheet. The place was packed on a Saturday night, as any good restaurant should be, but when we arrived there was only a short wait list and there were a few open tables visible. The two young hostesses informed us that there would be would be seat in thrity minutes. That seemed reasonable and we decided to have drinks and appetizers at the bar. Once I got the attention of a bartender, he was prompt and courteous, pouring a smallish winter Legend Lager and mixing a very tasty drink called South of the Border, a concoction my girlfriend revisited over the course of what turned out to be a long wait to be seated. We ordered the Tofu Satay and Crispy Chicken Rolls and stood at a stylish but flimsy wood plank raised to bar height and not well supported by three poles. I only mention this because someone will someday lean into this or grab it for support and it will give. A server other than the bar tender was very attentive to our needs and did a wonderful job refilling my water and my two companions' libations. A few minutes after ordering, the appetizers came out right on the heels of our drinks. The Crispy Chicken Rolls are excellent. This was my second time I visited the Fat Dragon and they were too good to pass up for something new. Served in a mock sushi style, these warm bites of chicken and asparagus were tender and topped with julienned granny smith apples. The six pieces came in a long serving tray and float in puddle of sweet chili sauce that is quite tasty. The Tofu Satay, on the other hand, is not so much. The tofu was underwhelming. Cut into large rectangular slices, it came out spongy and not at all crispy and the satay sauce didn't have much flavor to add to the equation. I ended up dipping the tofu in the sweet chili sauce to make it more palatable. One out of two isn't bad especially since the chicken rolls are so good and vegetarian food in Richmond is marginal at best. At this point I'd like to move on describing our dinner, but I have to first delve in to the 1 hour 45 minute wait that preceded our being seated. The roll of hosting guests is so fundamental to a great dining experience that it shouldn't be trusted to two oblivious hotties that can't communicate what's going on to their customers. Granted the place was bustling with activity and we didn't have a reservation, but how difficult is the task of knowing how many people you have waiting to be served and matching them up to the tables you have available? For the two young ladies at the Fat Dragon, it is incredibly difficult and apparently the place is so cool they can't manage to update you on the wait when it is taking longer than expected, nor do they feel it is necessary to acknowledge your patience when seating you an hour and fifteen minutes after the originally stated wait time for a seating. Perhaps they should hire people for their talents beyond their capacity to serve as eye candy. You might be wondering why we tolerated such a long wait. Well, this is a fun restaurant with good food and drinks and plenty of pretty people to watch ogle and grope one another as they fumble their way through Richmond's trendy social scene and into a stranger's bed room. The music they play is great - MGMT, Matt and Kim, and other upbeat songs, but it is also on a loop so if you missed a song the first time, you are likely to hear it again. And again, as you wait for a table. Once we were seated, my girlfriend ordered the Basil Beef but had them substitute the beef for the tofu minus the mushrooms. They are flexible and will do this with most any dish but it came out with the same slimy tofu sponge rectangles as before. Perhaps they should invest in finding some sort of mock chicken product they can substitute for meat that would pass as decent cuisine. I ordered a side of bok choy (delicious) and the tea smoked duck special. The duck was a half portion, bones and all sliced into pieces that made it difficult to eat without getting a mouthful of bone. The flavor was good, but it was served with the same sweet chili sauce that came with the chicken roll appetizer. I also had the opportunity to sample the fried rice and the tangerine beef - both well prepared and rivaled my not-so-special duck. Our table side server was excellent and attentive. This restaurant is in my neighborhood, certainly rivals its predecessor Strong Hill, and I would definitely try it again, though I will probably walk over to Lemon Indian Cuisine Restaurant when Fat Dragon looks too busy to manage their crowd. While I wouldn't recommend this place if you are looking for great vegetarian cuisine, vegetarians can get by and the other food is really great.
(2)
Rva P.
Atmosphere is the only thing going for this place. Been twice and both times presented with mediocre Chinese Food. You can tell that they use good ingredients but the flavor leaves much to be desired. Almost as if they forgot to have a spice rack. Save your money and get China Panda around the corner on Shepard.
(2)
Craig W.
Went for lunch and thought everything from the food to the decor were perfect. Only reason I'm not going five stars is simple. Not enough veggie type items on the menu.....
(4)
D.scott C.
Passing through Richmond we yelped local restaurants and read reviews of Fat Dragon Chinese . Glad we chose this place. Great space in a up and coming industrial neighborhood , interior well thought out . We were greater with a smile and it just got better from there. Appetizer that we shared was a offshoot of bonefish grills bang bang shrimp. Sauce was on the side , rather than mixed in like bone fish. Made for crispier shrimp Very good, large shrimp( plenty for two to share),tho needed additional sauce. Also had probably the best hot and sour soup I've ever had. Sooo good ! Next was mains: chicken bean pot ( so much tender tasty chicken) couldn't eat a third of it,savory and delicious . Second main was amazing tender juicy steak with spicy peppers, chunks of fresh mushrooms. If u like a bit of spice this is your dish! My son has not stopped raving. We ate the leftovers in our hotel room later that night. This food was not going to waist. We are from southern New Jersey / Philly area , we have our own mixtures of cultural dishes , many of the United States finest restaurants in this area. This experience was right up there for two weary travelers!
(5)
Hunter M.
Unbelievable. Shrimp and bacon low mein is a must try. All of the beef dishes are very tender an flavorful!! Great beer selection as well.
(5)
Jed L.
Went for dinner with the wife on a Sunday night at around 7. Seated quickly. Excellent beer list, but less than impressive beer pours. Crispy chicken rolls were tasty to start. The food was good but not outstanding. My wife's Kung Pao shrimp were much better than my ribs Excellent ambiance, friendly service, and good food.
(4)
Stacie M.
I went with a large group, but the staff didn't sacrifice the prompt, individual attention. The atmosphere is great, and the food was even better. Large portions means I get to enjoy the awesomeness again for lunch today. :) Why did I not know about this place?
(5)
Angela P.
Went there with a VERY large group for a special occassion lunch. We had reservations and if I could rate on service/efficiency alone they would get 5 stars for how we were all treated! I sampled two different appetizers (dumplings and 5 spice chicken rolls) both were good, but neither stood out, which is how I felt about my meal and the other one i sampled. Chef Zhao's chicken was good...but pretty darn sweet and no zip to speak of. The curried chicken/noodle dish had nice flavor and was a HUGE portion, but again not a stand out. However, the prices were very reasonable (I can only speak regarding the lunch menu) and the food was good. I will definitely be back to check out other dishes - they are in the neighborhood, nice decor, I love the idea of local/sustainable ingredients and as I mentioned before the service was very respectable. Because of these things, this resturant will go into rotation and I will sample the menu until I find the stand out.
(3)
Claire B.
Went this past Saturday night for dinner for a bachelorette party dinner. The atmosphere is really cool and trendy. Definitely an upscale Chinese restaurant and not really your typical, traditional decoration and greasy food. They have a great drink menu and the food was really good, but in my opinion - overpriced and too big of portions. I wish they would do smaller portions and make it less expensive per entree. Every girl I was with had almost an entire meal leftover to take home with them. We also got the calamari and firecracker shrimp to start, which was basically a meal in itself. I had been really excited about the firecracker shrimp, but it was a lot more battered than they claim it to be. The sweet and spicy cream sauce is delicious though! Definitely a fun place with good food, but it won't be a cheap night out.
(4)
John F.
It's not completely fare that I gave this place three stars, because they deserve a little more. But they do not deserve four stars yet. I went there tonight for the first time. The area is a "want to be" trendy area for Richmond. The place is cool, especially the mural on the wall. Because the Washington Redskin train camp is so close, they are trying to capitalize on it, which did not work for me at all. The wait staff was very tattooed, which went perfectly with the concept. More importantly, the staff was upbeat and attentive. The appetizers were ok, I had the firecracker shrimp. This was a take off of bonefish's BangBang shrimp. The problem was that the batter was plain and the sauce was commercial. To be something called firer cracker shrimp, they should have grinded up a Jalapeño pepper and mixed that in the batter, then put some horseradish in the sauce. We also had the ribs. I was expecting spear ribs, but theses were different. Not bad, but not Chinese. My dinner was pepper raw tuna. It was actually, blackened raw tuna with some type of garlic paste on a bed. Although labeled wrong, it was great. That all being said, they priced it good enough that I will go back.
(3)
Vicki B.
Some of the best hot and sour soup I have eaten. The dishes are plentiful and leave you with a meal for the next day. Firecracker shrimp is a must. Service was great even though they were super busy on a Thursday night.
(4)
Ryan H.
Went to the restaurant a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. At first the place was pretty empty and quiet, but as it got later in the night the place was packed. The beer selection was amazing for craft beer fan and there was a great selection of food. The atmosphere of the restaurant and layout were well suited. Defiantly recommend this place.
(5)
Ronnie P.
Fat Dragon Tofu was so-so. Wife's dish was not what she ordered. Waiter did the "My name is ABC and I'll be taking care of you tonight" bit. Go here for loud music and if you want to be part of a scene.
(2)
Emily H.
I had a wonderful experience at Fat Dragon. The decor and atmosphere was great. The service was excellent. We started with the Crispy Chicken Rolls which were very good. I ordered the Tangerine Beef, which was cooked perfectly. The beef was very tender and the sauce was sweet but not too overpowering. Everything on the menu looked great, and I can't wait to go back to try some more items.
(4)
Tiffany D.
I've been to Fat Dragon twice now, once in its first week of opening and again after seeing a movie at Bowtie Cinemas. I always appreciate the ambiance, a nice mix of bar drinking and dining. The service is always great as well. My husband and I ordered a couple of drinks, my typical Bold Rock cider and he tried a Three Brothers beer. We ordered the Firecracker Shrimp as an appetizer and the portion could be enough for an entree! It's delicious with a great sauce and light breading and since my first visit, they reduced the amount of superfluous noodles they put underneath the shrimp. For an entree, we chose Enter the Dragon, a great mix of scallops, squid, shrimp, and mixed vegetables in this amazing sauce. Served with the typical steamed white rice, this meal was definitely enough for the two of us. Pricing is more than what you usually expect from Chinese restaurants but you can tell the freshness of the dishes as well as lower amounts of sodium and definitely no MSG. It can get busy and they only take reservations for large parties but if you want to try something different, try out Fat Dragon for sure. Also, I'm told to try the Sex for $8 from the bar. It's a great drink :)
(4)
Kate P.
I hate to rain to this love parade for Fat Dragon but I feel the need to share my experience. I went with a group of friends a few months ago and was prepared to be blown away - we all left feeling a little deflated. First off, parking kinda sucks. I live and work in the city so I usually have a high tolerance for crappy parking but this one just isn't great. Second, the space is pretty cool but it was definitely loud in the bar area but I suppose that is the point and definitely has a see and be seen vibe to it right now. We were seated in the back room and our waiter was efficient if not very friendly. We ordered a bunch of apps and everything was fine - not amazing just fine. I got the Kung Pao Shrimp for my entree and it was again, fine. Tasted like a dish I could have gotten from a good neighborhood take out place. Two of my friends barely touched their dishes (a seafood combo type dish) and declared it flavorless and kind of gross. Maybe it was an off night? I am tempted to give it another try but not sure it is worth it.
(2)
Stacey S.
We dined at Fat Dragon for the first time with two friends one recent Sunday evening. The four of us shared the spring rolls, chili dumplings, firecracker shrimp, and a special that our server referred to as "Yabba-Dabba-Doo Ribs." I really enjoyed the spring rolls - not something I typically order but they were well presented, hot, crispy, and had great flavor. The dumplings were decent but I probably wouldn't order them again. They seemed very wet and I don't remember much else about them now. The ribs were impressive. Our server noted that the four of us could probably share them and that was true. The meat was tender, the sauce was a bit on the sweet side, but overall they were delicious. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the service was friendly, and the beer selection was great. We'll definitely return, probably when we have some friends in town who are up for something fun and willing to share a bunch of plates!
(4)
MT T.
My husband and I have been here several times now and it is just incredible. The place is very chic; Friday and Saturday nights, it's very see-and-be-seen. The minimalist decor is beautiful, and huge piece of the tattooed woman is one of the most interesting art pieces I've ever seen in a restaurant. You must be willing to wait when you go to Fat Dragon, but it's worth it. 15-30 minutes spent at the bar is no chore. With an excellent beer list and very finely crafted, well-balanced cocktails, time will fly by. I love the fresh ingredients and garnishes, and appreciated watching the bartenders discard less-than-perfect mint once. Quality control obviously counts here. The food is truly impressive. Each dish is well balanced and beautifully presented. The portions are huge. Favorites include the firecracker shrimp, five spice crispy ribs, and the chicken and rice noodles. The masses of shrimp in this appetizer is enough for a meal in itself, and the spicy, creamy sauce juxtaposed with the crispy coating of the shrimp and delicate fried noodles is a real treat. The ribs are very meaty, wonderfully savory and slightly exotic. The noodles, like all pastas on this menu, are made in-house and it shows. They come lightly curried and studded with succulent chicken and egg. It's a marvelous, comforting treat. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Go, take your time, soak in the ambiance, and eat well. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Melissa P.
It actually pains me to write such a petty review, since my first experience here was amazing. So, my husband and I live on the Northside of town, and there are far and few between restaurants that are within a 2 mile radius; Fat Dragon was at the top. It is Saturday night. Been craving some delicious Numb Numb..Called to order takeout at 9pm (again, it is Saturday night) and they expressed to us that they had closed early!! What?!! I could see closing at 10pm vs midnight, but 9? Come On! Had my heart set on some delicious ramen, and excited that it was within my reach, only to be told that they had closed early on a Saturday night....
(3)
Renada N.
More like a 4.5.....me and my boys went to fat dragon Saturday (7/13) and we are going to lunch there today. For some reason I can never remember to take pics of my food anywho..... The hot and sour soup was the best I have and I ALWAYS order hot and sour soup. The spring rolls were crisp, light, and delicious. My big boy said chicken and noodles were good , it had some kind of curry sauce on it. The garlic chicken delish and Malay mussels were just ok. I had a 3year old with me and my server wasn't some anti-kid waiter like I have gotten before so I am recommending it to everybody
(4)
Amy S.
The atmosphere is great; loved the wall designs in the back! Service was good. Food was over-priced Chinese food. I got the jalapeño fried rice with chicken instead of beef. It was alright, but no better than average. The eatery has better fried rice. My friend got the chef Zhoa's chicken. The pieces were HUGE and difficult to cutin half, but they tasted good. Not sure I'll be rushing back in.
(3)
Sharon O.
Drove up from Williamsburg for some time in the "big city" the other night and found ourselves hungry and in the neighborhood. We opted to sit at the bar and had excellent service from the bartender. We each ordered a beer (off their stellar list) and asked the bartender for her recommendation on apps. She steered us right! The chicken rolls were delicious, and the calamari was wonderful. The calamari portion was HUGE! Seriously, the apps were incredible! Sadly our entree-Shrimp and Bacon Lomein was terrible-no flavor, even the bacon didn't taste good-didn't know that was possible. I never send food back, but this had to go back. The bartender was very kind about it, apologized profusely and offered to get us something else, but at that point we were too full. It was on the loud side, with a live DJ upstairs, but at 9 on a Friday loud is expected. The overall vibe was cool, mixed age crowd, clean bathrooms, great service. Overall value was great, we will be back!
(4)
Emily R.
My husband and I were looking for a late dinner on a weekday night and new our choices were limited. One of the first "highly rated" place on yelp that came up in the area was Fat Dragon. We're always up for good Chinese food, especially after 9pm, so we had to go. The place was pretty darn crowded for a Wednesday evening, both the bar and tables. We were lucky to score one of the last two in the place. Their wine and drink list was pretty impressive, but budget wise we weren't looking for libations to go with our meal so we had diet coke, but it's in the back of our mind for appetizers and drinks at a later date! I ordered the basil beef and my husband ordered the BBQ pork fried rice. My husband said it was the best pork fried rice he ever had. I'm not much of a pork fan, but it was still pretty tasty and a good size portion. My basil beef was insanely good. It was strips of a good quality lean steak that melted in my mouth. The green beans and chunks of basil were delicious. I had to fight my husband from stealing some. I almost had a clean plate except for the mushrooms. I'm not sure if I didn't read closely enough or maybe it wasn't listed, but there were mushrooms in the meal which I'm not much of a fan. I'm an expert at picking out things I don't love, but even these tasted okay with that delicious brown basil sauce when I mistook one for a little chunk of steak. We were thinking about splitting a dessert, but they only had carrot or red velvet cake. Hopefully when we come back they'll have something a little bit more "unique" for us to sample. :) I also have to not that the decor is spot on. I has touches that were both industrial, Asian, rustic, and moden. After visiting the bathroom I told my husband I wanted it in our home it was so well designed! Overall, we had a great experience at Fat Dragon and look forward to visiting again in the future.
(4)
Margot A.
Awful service. Bland food. But convenient, that is a plus. The chicken spring rolls were tasteless. The calamari was okay. The bartender was rode and inattentive, not a great combo.
(2)
Matt C.
Although I have yet to sample a full meal here, I like what they've done with the space. Being a fan of Stronghill, my initial visit was one filled with skepticism. So let me be objective here, the space is quite nice; I like the decor and the new bar location... I mean, someone's got to enjoy the North Boulevard / Scott's Add'n people-watching. The crowd is friendly, but I feel that Fat Dragon is too embryonic to have a defined cadre of regulars. My opinion on the bar staff should be held, as it was a little crowded. Other floor crew seemed pleasant. As for the food, the limited sampling I experienced was good. I've always pined about the lack of (relatively) healthy Chinese fare. Hopefully Fat Dragon can satiate this gap in the RVA dining scene. One issue: VERY limited vegetarian options... maybe these guys read Yelp (hint, hint)?
(4)
Josh B.
The guys at Fat Dragon do a terrific job! Richmond really needed a good, local and hip Chinese food bar and Fat Dragon has hit the mark! The managers and bartenders are attentive and really friendly. They have a great tap list and good cocktails. My favorites are the BBQ Fried Rice, Firecracker Shrimp and the Canton Spring Rolls are awesome. Parking is easy - there's plenty of it. I'm looking forward to trying their brunch!
(5)
Bz W.
Meal: Dinner on Thursday at ~5.30pm. When we arrived, the bar area was packed, so we opted to sit at a table. We started looking at the beer list and became excited at the list of quality beers that we had heard about. However, we were immediately annoyed when we asked our server about happy hour specials, and were informed that they only applied to the bar area. I know Kona Grill does this as well, but I don't understand the benefit to the restaurant, waiter, or customer. Why have a happy hour and limit it to one section? To me, it puts the value seeking customer in an awkward position, and it was very annoying. We also drank less because of it. End result - minus 1 star. We started with two appetizers - spring rolls and dumplings. The spring rolls were good, as was the dipping sauce they came with. The dumplings were also good. Neither dish was anything special, however. My wife and I decided to split the $19 Tangerine Beef entree. We complemented it with a $4 side of bok choy. Given the price, to me the quality was not there. The beef was very chewy, and although it had decent flavor, it only came with rice and some crunchies. The bok choy was also underwhelming. Oddly, I had one piece that tasted very flavorful and interesting, but the rest just tasted like steamed/sauteed bok choy. The service was good, although I don't think our waiter was very knowledgable about the food or the beer. I will point out that the restaurant set up and ambiance is way better than the previous restaurant that was there. It feels much bigger, more upscale, and the bar is much bigger. I would try this place again, but only during happy hour, at the bar. In fact, we actually DID attempt to try it again the next day (for drinks) but it was closed due to a kitchen fire!
(3)
Steve H.
I had driven past Fat Dragon a couple of times and thought nothing of it. I figured it was just another chinese food place in the Scott's Addition area. Then I happened across a story on Richmond.com about new restaurants you should visit before the new year started. It mentioned that it was run by the same team that brought nose-to-tail cuisine to RVA at The Blue Goat. Headed there on a Wednesday on a whim after running an errand in the area. We got there about 6:15 and were seated right away. By the time we left at 7:30 there was a 75-minute wait for a table. This is not your normal Chinese food establishment. Peter Chang's Short Pump temple of awesomeness is still the reining champ of "authentic" Chinese cuisine but the Fat Dragon offers a unique, and tasty, twist on Asian cooking. Relying on the advice of other reviewers, we started with Firecracker Shrimp which surprised me by eschewing the normal "shrimp wrapped in wonton wrapper" and was presented as lightly battered chunks of rock shrimp cooked perfectly with a great sweet and spicy cream sauce. For entrees, we shared the Shrimp and Bacon Lo Mein which was certainly a step above your normal take-out fare but nothing extraordinary. The Fei-Lone Beef, however, made the evening. Beautifully cooked pieces of beef tenderloin were presented in a dark, slightly spicy, and incredibly rich sauce. The beef was joined in this sauce by wonderful sauteed mushrooms and large, roasted green onions. The menu claimed sauteed spinach but I didn't notice any in our dish. And it's fun! A beautiful piece of art dominates the north wall which one of the staff explained to us was actually the negative of a photograph that they had painted over on material only as thick as five sheets of paper and then illuminate from behind. The woman's tattoos are real and not just simply painted on afterwards. They searched far and wide for a model with a chinese dragon on her back and finally discovered one in Brazil. They had a local photographer shoot the picture. A great piece and we were happy to have the story shared with us. Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic food, friendly staff, and a happy tummy. What more to ask for?
(4)
Tawheed H.
We stopped here on a whim, both of us were wearing jeans and sweatshirts, may have been slightly under dressed but being in RVA you can always count on someone else being even more under dressed than you. Luckily my $$ is just as good as everyone elses and the hostess sat us immediately. Ambiance is great, the photograph on the wall is mesmerizing and I often found myself staring at it. Service was great, very attentive for a busy Friday night but not overbearing. Manager came by to check on us but at that current moment my dish was not in front of me yet, so kinda ineffective. He did seem perplexed as to why I was only eating my side of mixed veggies while Sara had a plate full of food, but I knew my plate was on the way and wasn't worried. Sara ordered the tangerine beef. I've never been fond of sweet n sour/orange anything in Chinese cuisine but this dish was delicious! Crispy beef and the sauce was just right for Sara. I was confused as to why their was a sliced orange on the plate and not sliced tangerines, but whatever. I ordered the duck (special for the night), a HUGE portion, the duck by itself was good, the sauce accompanied the dish well. Their hot sauce ain't so hot. All dishes come with a side of white rice. We ordered a side of mixed veggies to go with our entrees, as good as a side of veggies can be... Washed it all down with some local beers. Great prices on beer, even better selection. Give them a shot. Not sure if they have take-out.
(5)
Lizzie L.
The hubby and I check out Fat Dragon last Friday for dinner and were not disappointed. There was a wait but the bartenders were very attentive to make sure everyone had a drink at all times plus there was a cocktail server too! To start off, we decided to try the Firecracker shrimp. The batter was light and they were more tempura style and the sauce was delicious with a hint of spice...will order again. Not to mention the portion is huge! We had the Chef Zhao's Chicken and Enter The Dragon dished for entrees and they were fabulous. I would have preferred more spice on the Chef Zhao's but it was still tasty with the sweet and tangy sauce. I can't say enough good things about Enter the Dragon...all the seafood was cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing. It was light and garlicky I almost ate the whole dish and didn't even touch my rice. The service was good and atmosphere is very good. We are planning on going back this weekend so yes, I recommend to go. Here is a tip...if you have a party of 6 or more, they take reservations so what are you waiting for? Call up six of your friends and go!
(4)
Shelley B.
Hipster vibe, great beer selection. The Mongolian beef was really yummy and I loved the kimchee that accompanied it. Good deals for lunch.
(3)
Whitney S.
I really wanted to like this place- but the food is pretty mediocre and it is so loud I couldn't hear my dinner companions speak... Which is kinda the point. Went for a girls night out and ended up leaving promptly after dinner and drinking somewhere else- sensory overload.
(2)
Eric S.
I must say the Fat Dragon is an upgrade over the non-descript Stronghill that previously occupied the space. Nice work! First of all the bar area is great with lots of room and a cool bar with chinese coins embeded in it. Good luck getting those out. The ambience of the place was solid and it was hoppin even on a Tuesday nigh. As other reviewers of have pointed out the beer selection is solid (mix of several dozen local and non-local microbrews). Now for the not so good part. The pours were weak! They start off with must be a half pint glass and then only fill it up 2/3's of the way. Not to mention depending on the bar tender the pours seemed to vary by 25%. I don't mind paying a premium for good beer, but I kind of felt ripped off on the beer front. The food was fantastic (like an improved PF Chang's) and seemed a good value particulary when splitting with others. We had the dumplings that were very good and nice and spicy. For the entrees we had the ribs that were off the chain though the Fei-Long beef and Kung Pao shrimp were also solid.
(4)
Kevin B.
Good food, good service. Wish they had more variety. The firecracker shrimp is the best there
(4)
Lauren K.
Fat Dragon is one of my favorite places in Richmond that I've tried so far. I've been here a few times, mostly for their happy hour deals- $2 off appetizers and drink specials. If you're trying to go for dinner, I'd recommend getting there by 5 or 5:30 because it fills up pretty fast. My favorite appetizer is the Szechuan Pepper Wings- very crispy and not too hot. My favorite dish is probably the beef jalapeño fried rice, but everything I've tried has been great!
(5)
Katie B.
I could not agree more with Tony A's review. This is one of my favorite happy hour spots. They have a great local beer selection and bartenders make great fun drinks! I've always had awesome service here as well. I'll be honest and say that Asian cuisine is not my first choice but the food at Fat Dragon is very unique and delicious. I usually like to keep it simple and just get regular vegetable fried rice which was not on the menu but they gladly made for me. The presentation of their food is what sets their Chinese food apart from other restaurants and every dish that comes out always looks amazing! Great service, great food, and fun atmosphere, makes me positive I'll be back to Fat Dragon often.
(5)
David G.
A modern twist to Chinese food, the Basil Beef was awesome. Well sized portions no reason to leave hungry. The staff was friendly and very helpful. If ever in RVA one needs to stop here.
(5)
Andrea J.
Yum! We love this place! The firecracker shrimp are excellent as well as the spring rolls. I've only had the appetizers and they are all delicious!
(4)
Matthew O.
Ok place. The music was too loud and our waiter was a little rude. The chef used too many spices and was liberal with the sauces. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. I would give this restaurant a higher score if the chef toned down the flavors and just kept things more simple.
(3)
Timmy T.
It's been over 2 and a half years since my last review and visit and some things have changed and some things haven't. Some of the features that have changed include the following: - The wait time for the food has decreased exponentially. It came out within minutes of placing the order and came out piping hot - The Chefs? Our waiter informed us that the cooks are originally from some providence in China and prepare really authentic "chinese" cuisines. I was really excited about this since I do love more cultural dishes than the Americanized ones - Prices have increased by a few dollars and most of the main dinner menu items are around $15 and increase from there I got the basil beef which were strip steaks in a brown sauce with onions and mushrooms and a side of rice. The beef was really tender and cooked a medium rare but the flavors didn't really separate themselves from lets say another Americanized Chinese restaurants like P.F. Changs. The rice was also not cooked well and very dried out. My friend got their version of General Tso's Chicken and also said that it was just okay and also didn't enjoy their fried rice either. Good service, high prices (for what you get), and lackluster food. If I want authentic Chinese cuisine i'll make sure to go to Full Kee or another establishment.
(2)
Scotty C.
This was the first place we saw getting off the highway in the middle of the night on our trip to Richmond. We kept seeing it every day and the reviews were good so we decided to check it out for lunch before we skipped town. What a great choice. The atmosphere was very cool and I could totally see this as a nighttime hot spot. If you're coming in for lunch, arrive hungry. The portion on the lunch boxes is huge. We started with soup, then the box comes with an egg roll, side of kimchi, fried rice (for an upcharge over white), and you're entree choice (also a huge portion). I wanted to order everything on the menu, but after careful deliberation, I decided on one of the lunch boxes (aka bento box). I'm a sucker for bento boxes and can't deny myself one when it's on the menu. I normally go with chicken, but decided to mix it up and get the basil beef. It was great, but I shared some of my friends chicken and it was fantastic... best of both worlds. The wonton soup was one of the best I've ever had and I wanted to take home a bucket of it back to SC... still wishing I did.
(5)
Kari O.
Let's start with the apps: Chicken rolls Tempura fried shrimp Entrees: Basil beef Fat dragon tofu: Our service was AWESOME. Great personality, totally owned forgetting to put our apps in (I absolutely respect a server who can own a slip up - plus they were mad busy....seriously, this guy was great!). I found my food (tofu) a little underwhelming and needing salt but my only table side option was soy sauce. I will say I had leftovers yesterday and it was AMAZING the second time around :) the kimchi is also a real treat if you like spicy....you won't be disappointed. Absolutely enjoyed this date night :)
(4)
Bbq S.
Great food ! Very trendy ! Small lunch menu ! Bbq pork friend was good ! Beef basil bento box ! Fried fish ! Yum !
(4)
Amanda S.
Hands down five stars. I've been here way too many times than I'm willing to admit. I come here with friends, family, coworkers and everyone loves it. Their appetizers, killer. Their main courses, scrumptious. The only downside to this place is the parking, but honestly, you're in a city so it comes with the territory. Favorites: Appetizers: Beer battered mushrooms (SPICY but UH-mazing), calamari (the sauce they use is out of this world), and crispy chicken rolls (not spicy for those who are sensitive) Main course: Basil beef, chef's stir fry ramen, fei lone beef, and golden prawns. They also have a great happy hour special. I got some local craft beers for $2. They have a great selection of beer, wine (on tap!), and mixed drinks. The neighborhood may throw you off a bit, but don't fear, Fat Dragon is a must if you're hankerin' for some Asian cuisine.
(5)
Kelli H.
Great ppl food drinks. Great atmosphere and tons of fun. Definitely will go back for more fun.
(5)
Lauri T.
My boyfriend and I were going to see a movie at the BowTie across the street so when it came time to figuring out a place to park for dinner, the lightbulb went off in my head. I've been wanting to try Fat Dragon for foreeeevs and this was the perfect night to do it. I really loved the interior. Like, a lot. The big windows are super inviting and the bar is poppin with all types of people. I can dig it. Between the two of us we ordered dumplings as an appetizer, garlic chicken, and bourbon chicken. Neither one of us was too impressed with the dumplings and the sauce was pretty salty... but take that as a grain of salt (pun intended) because I'm sensitive to salty foods. We both liked our entrees, though! You can tell that they take a lot of pride into their food. The presentation was fabulous. We went on a night that a crazy storm was coming and the lights actually flickered a couple of times, but the staff did a great job navigating that little issue. We'll be back! Especially on a day when we're going to the BowTie.
(4)
VA W.
Divine love! Some of the best Asian food in Rva. Awesome staff great local beers and appetizers. My favorite are the green beans and the Stone cider has just enough sweet to top you off. This place is also friendly to vegan and vegetarian eaters. Check them out for Happy Hour. Across the street you have Bow tie Cinemas and Buz and Ned's Barbecue. What a great place to be.
(5)
Erica M.
Saw an ad for this place at the movies and checked it out. We've been 3 times since then and love it! Great food, great service, great atmosphere! You have to go!
Love this place! Great atmosphere, great service, fantastic food. I've been several times and have always left happy. There's great happy hour specials and a good draft list. The calamari is so good--I always get this. The Fei-Lone Beef is amazing. Most of the entrees I've tried have been great, but I always come back to the beef. Also good: mushrooms, wings--all the starters are delicious, and a great deal at $2 off during happy hour.
(4)
David H.
yup, 5 stars here. solid chinese, not your regular just ok stuff. I do have a soft spot for takeout chinese so maybe a little biased, but here it goes.. dragon breath wings. these are general tso flavor wings. delicious, super saucy, garlicky, yum. chef zhaos chicken. this is like a good version of sweet and sour chicken. lightly breaded, big chunks, good sauce. entree didnt come with rice, but rice is $1 and fried rice is $2 so no big there. Also a delicious side of kimchi for $2 is a no brainer. I'll be back
(5)
Josh S.
I enjoyed this place a lot. The atmosphere was nice and the waiting staff seemed to handle the flux of customers very well. Our server was named Kabo, very friendly and provided great service. Our drinks came out quickly, a beer (Hardywood Pilsner) and a cocktail (Mai Tai Samurai). The beer didn't have any head on it. Personally, I prefer some head on my beer, it feels flat otherwise (minute detail but I thought it was worth mentioning). The cocktail was delicious, very well made (tasted like a spiked lemonade). Very sweet but had a salted rim to balance it out, would definitely recommend it. Food came out soon after. Fried calamari was delicious. It was served with cilantro and a ponzu sauce (very tasty). We also had the zengshuan chicken wings (I butchered the spelling there). I wasn't too happy about it. It's a dry rub, but the chicken itself was dry. The only thing about our meal I wasn't satisfied with. We did use the ponzu sauce from the calamari and that helped it a lot. Only drawbacks from our experience: parking was inconvenient and the wings were less than stellar. We just had appetizers and drinks, would definitely go back. Great atmosphere. Music was good but not too loud that you would have speak over it.
(4)
Charles B.
Fith visit here and it did not dissapoint. Sat at the bar and the service was excellent. Had beer battered mushrooms they were nice and light and dipping sauce will light a fire. The Mrs and i both tried the ramen noodles. I had the wonton with chicken, steak, shrimp. Comes in a bowl with chicken broth and noodles on the bottom. It was great. Will definitely get it again. Nice beer selection and they have wine on tap.
(4)
Holly J.
Won ton soup, spring rolls, garlic chicken, and shrimp = A great combo for 2. Soup to feed my cold, garlic chicken to satisfy my soul.
(4)
Rich S.
Wow, this places exudes cool, chic and modern. Wonderful bar, spacious and warm dining area. Our server was genuinely friendly and knowledgable about the menu. I had a relatively early dinner here with my mom on a Sunday, so it wasn't busy. They have a nice selection of Virginia craft beers on tap and I settled on a Pumpkin Ale, which I really really enjoyed. As others have said, the menu seems more "Asian fusion" than Chinese, which was fine by me. I went with a Ramen dish that came with shrimp, beef, chicken, wontons, and leeks. Nice hearty portion with plenty of meat. Maybe it's b/c I'm a pho snob, but I needed to add some sriracha sauce as I found it to be on the bland side. Mom opted to get two apps- the hot & sour soup, which apparently was extra hot but fabulous, and the firecracker shrimp (it was pretty good- I tried it- but no real "wow factor)." My friends who eat here all the time tell me I need to get the Mongolian Beef, which I plan to order on my next trip. I also plan to try one of their excellent-sounding cocktails.
(4)
Ali S.
I've been wanting to go here for the longest time! I heard they had an alcoholic drink on tap called simply "Sex". On the menu they had a drink called Sex N' Cider which I decided to try. It was SO DANG GOOD! But that might just be because I love hard cider in any fashion! Food! We ordered Calamari as an appetizer and shared Crispy Chicken Rolls and Chef Zhao's Chicken for dinner. The Calamari was really delicious and not super greasy. I would say the rings were bigger than average though, delicious but not delicate like Calamari in most Italian restaurants. The Chicken Rolls were pretty good but they seemed a bit overcooked on the inside. The pairing with Sriracha and julienne cut green apples made up for that though. What an amazing flavor combination in each bite! The General Zhao's was pretty tasty. It was pretty similar to Sesame Chicken but the chicken wasn't grey and spooky like lots of Richmond takeout. The sauce was a little on the gelatinous side but the flavor was great. I'm not sure but I think it was supposed to come with rice? Maybe you had to order that separate. But our waiter was new/ in training so we didn't see much of him and didn't get a chance to ask. I would absolutely go back and try other appetizers that sounded amazing as well as more of their unique cocktails!
(4)
Sonia P.
I've returned to Fat Dragon a few times since my last visit and I got nothing but two big thumbs up! Affordable and satisfying food that's sustainably sourced, a hip but laid-back atmosphere, and plenty of feel-good libations including craft cocktails (get the Warm and Fuzzy), beers, and draft wine (including draft bubbly - yes!). I still got mad love for my Sour & Hot Soup and Crispy Calamari - these 2 items alone would be a filling meal. Our group tried the Enter the Dragon (seafood and veggies in a spicy Szechuan Malay sauce) and even though we all have high spice tolerances, HOLY HELL, this is cray-cray spicy and the heat only builds as you keep eating - but it hurts SO GOOD! If you're still not convinced, they also do Happy Hour EVERYDAY from 4:30pm-7:00pm, Date Night Mondays, Growler Tuesdays, and Wine Down Wednesdays (find more details on their website). The Scott's Addition neighborhood is up-and-coming with all these awesome breweries and restaurants - can't wait to see what else is in store for this area of Richmond!
(4)
Matt W.
Not from around here obviously but I've always had good luck with the Chinese restaurant. Slightly different take on the usual suspects. Don't let the slightly shady neighborhood scare you away! Great for a meal after a game at the diamond!
(5)
Steven B.
This place kicks ass. Great food, awesome beer on tap, fantastic servers, it's just plain awesome. Granted the food and beer is a bit pricey but they do offer a mystery craft on draught for $3 (which is usually just a slow moving craft beer.) For the food, I had a little bit of everything; their Dragon Breath Wings are awesome, not too greasy with a little crunch and the Green Bean Stir Fried was good too. For the main dish I had the China Town Combo which is massive and filling. This is the nice thing about this place even though it's expensive you're really getting two meals because you're definitely coming home with a doggy bag. So if you're in the mood for bomb ass Chinese, good draught selection, awesome staff and a chill atmosphere check this place out.
Appetizer: crispy chicken rolls (the ones with the apple slices). Uh-my-god. Soooo delicious!!! Entree: bourbon chicken. Dang. Service is above average. Restrooms clean. Gets busy quickly for dinner, but we got a table for 3 at 5:45 PM on an average Thursday without a wait. Have been here twice now and will return. Slightly expensive but, eh, it's really good food, and I have needed a take-home box both nights.
(5)
Dan B.
Ordered their version of General Tso's chicken and it's very good. The portion was large with chunks of white meat chicken, lightly breaded, and served in a tangy-sweet, garlicky, sauce. The dish was somewhat pricy at $15, but the portion size and flavor justifies the cost.
(4)
T W.
Sunday dinner with my hubby. Tried the fried mushrooms which were great. Also had the ribs and pot chicken which were just ok. They had a good dejection of local beers. dinner was ok and service wad fast and friendly, but wouldn't frequent this place. Would prefer to hit a traditional Chinese spot with more variety at a cheaper price
(3)
Martin B.
Great location with fantastic food and service. Very reasonable for lunch. I had a chicken dish with dipping sauce and crinkle cut French fries. It was almost too much food, but I ate it all. The service was very good and my soda was never empty. I would recommend for lunch and am looking forward to taking the Mrs. for dinner.
(4)
Lauren B.
I have never had such exceptional service in RVA as I have at Red Dragon. I can always recommend for anyone to sit at the bar- and this is one of the reasons why I love this place. Not only do they have gluten free options but they also have vegan friendly fare so those with food restrictions can still enjoy their dinner. Our bartender Cabo has completely exceeded my expectations - not only did he go above and beyond (samples before purchasing a bottle, answering any questions we had, lighthearted and comical, and always checking up on us) but he was always accommodating. No wonder every time I drive by, they are always packed! Between the amazing food (we dined on the chicken hot pot - we had leftovers after splitting the meal) but the drinks specials and even the "Scott's addition resident card" (ask about it if you live close), is reason enough to scamper in for a happy hour special! Trust me when I say if you are in Richmond, you need to stop in! It is well worth your time. These people are the best of the best!
(5)
Nick C.
I just ate there for the first time tonight. I thought the food was good and the atmosphere was what you would expect from a ramen place. The service wasn't great but still not terrible. I'd definitely go again and try something else on the menu.
(4)
Judy R.
How in the world could this be my first time here??? We met another couple at Fat Dragon for dinner last night. We arrived around 5:45pm and only had a 20-25 or so minute wait. It was a Saturday Night and Graduation Weekend...so we felt really lucky. We actually really struggled on what to order...BECAUSE EVERYTHING LOOKED SO GOOD. Eveyr dish we saw come out to another table looked delicious. Really fresh and the smells were amazing. We asked the waiter (Can't remember his name...so sorry) for his two recommendations for appetizers for us to split and he said Chicken Rolls and Green Beans. The sauce the Green Beans were dressed in were to die for. Beans were perfectly cooked with still a bite. I try to make them like this at home and its never the right consistency!! The Crispy Chicken Rolls were okay, hard to compete with the Green Beans. I'm going to try the Calamari next time. Our friends ordered the Fei Long Beef and Bourbon Chicken. Huge portions and just loved the huge mushrooms!!! My husband ordered the Chef's Stir Fry Ramen. It was a humongous portion and he barely made a dent. It was delicious and packed full of different meats and veggies. Many times at restaurants you get a ton of noodles and a few hidden proteins bits etc. Not with this. He had to take over half home. I got the Enter the Dragon entree and it had the largest shrimp, scallop and calamari pieces. The taste of the white sauce it was cooked in was out of this world. The Manager, Pedro A was on point, checking in with us, clearing dishes as soon as we devoured each appetizer/dish. We are definitely coming back, and bringing the children next time because it was super affordable and a loud enough atmosphere that they should not disturb anyone. YOU MUST GO!
(5)
Richie W.
Cool vibe and the TV behind the bar has the best picture quality I have ever seen! Good bar which would be good date spot or suitable for evening drinks. Owned by the same person as Foo Dog on Cary St. Food is tasty and the lunch specials are good. My second favorite Chinese restaurant after Peter Changs!
(4)
Noodle N.
How in the hell ... how can people five this 3 stars let alone 5?!? I'm going to assume these are the same people that are giving Panda Express 5 stars and saying that Max Top China Number 1 is the best "Chinese" Food that they've ever had because this place is straight gross. Let me preface this by saying that I am Chinese, and not the kind Chinese that puts ice cubes in their cup of tea. So flat out, this isn't Chinese food, just remove "Chinese" from the name of this place and that will at least help to set your expectations lower. Second, if i were to categorize this as American Chinese or even Chinese Fusion (which would be generous), I still wouldn't give this place 3 stars. I've been to Fat Dragons more times than I would care to count because I work in the area and all the "crazy americans" like going here because its in walking distance and I get dragged along. First time here, I tried the General Fish which was so salty that I couldn't even eat it. I think the guy confused his salt and sugar. I had to send it back because it was literally inedible. Next time it came out, it was still super salty. I ate 2 pieces and just gave up. The dumplings or whatever the hell they are calling it, was literally the frozen Shumai that you get at a grocery store... and if it wasn't a pre-made frozen product, then damn. Shame on you for sucking. 2nd time I went, I tried to play it safe and get something that I thought would be pretty hard to mess up for a American Chinese spot and ordered some kind of stir fried ramen concoction that turned out to be overcooked and overly salty lo-mein that was so salty it made my tongue numb and I had to order a bowl of rice just to eat it. 3rd time, on a request of a co-worker, I got the pork fried rice which was literally dark brown from the amount of soy sauce that they dumped on it (FYI people, fried rice shouldn't be dark brown OR Yellow). Same thing, salty as balls and tasting similar. Needless to say, the last couple times I've been there I've ordered water. Even when I ordered Tea it was out a bottle and was processed so that was a lie too. If I could give something a negative rating, I would start there. Stay away. HissssSSssss
(1)
Caitlyn M.
The first experience was wonderful here. They have a nice drink menu with a good selection of beers on tap that change frequently. The beer-battered mushrooms were delicious, as was the fried rice I had. Can't remember what I had the second time but I did get sick afterwards. Had the num-num ramen the last time and that was not what I expected - wouldn't recommend that if you do not want your mouth to go numb. Was just an unpleasant sensation.
(3)
GregMatt A.
Matty-boh: Fat Dragon! Right outside the heart of the fan on the 1200 block of North Blvd. A low lit semi-social Chinese / Cantonese restaurant and bar beckons you in with its tantalizing happy hour. From 430-7 everyday, you can take $2 off of your appetizers and draft beers. I picked up the infamous Vienna lager from Devils Backbone for only $2 after my discount. For my entree, I got the Chef Zhaos chicken. Crunchy, sweet, and just a tad spicy, this dish had all the right flavors. It was extremely hot coming out, but that just allowed me to stare into Gregs beautiful eyes for a few moments. I was extremely pleased with the service, and we even had a manager come by and ask how everything was. If you're in the mood for a slowly cooked Asian meal with a great and easy going atmosphere, at a great price, Fat Dragon is the place to be. Greg: Going to let Matt start these, I guess, because he's got the literary skills :p I'd have to agree with everything Mateo has to say about this place. The environment was one where you could go with friends or take a date. The service was perfect. Our waitress stopped by just the right number of times to check on us and other servers came through a couple of times making sure to refill our water. Food: Hot&Sour Soup, Dragons Breath wings, and Numb Numb Beef. Matt's parents call him Num Num, so we got a kick out of that. I'm a stickler for Hot and Sour soup and this stuff was delicious. Full of veggies and the perfect amount of spice and flavor. The chicken wings were a little sweet and tasted a lot like General Pso's which Matts chicken also reminded me off. The Numb Numb beef (ramen w/ beef and bok choy in a spicy broth), came out pipping hot so Matt and I chatted a little bit about our beautiful future together while the food cooled. My soup was easily an 8/10 on spiciness once I finally dove into it. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the beef was very savory. The broth had a subtle french onion taste to it. Definitely a soup that'll clear the sinuses. Told the waitress, while not being a bad thing, the soup was super (pun, thanks, be here all week) spicy and she offered to bring me out some sticky rice to cool the burn. Stay tuned for more
(4)
H N.
The atmosphere here set the tone for your whole evening. It's a very cool spot with a fusion of traditional and contemporary Asian styles. The food is good. The refried fish dish we had was a bit too breaded for my taste, however the flavor was amazing.
(4)
Crystal G.
Don't order the Dragon Wings, they are NOT good. Shrimp appetizer was good, calamari was good but salty. Lot of the food had too much salt. I like the atmosphere. Will come back, just won't order the Dragon Wings.
(4)
Andy G.
The food was pretty good. We had an awkward experience but I'm willing to try it again and update my review because I'm not for sure what to put here after my first visit?
(3)
Brendan J.
My staple restaurant for Asian food - doesn't look nice from the outside, but you will be pleasantly surprised by the impressive ambiance. The bartenders are my favorite in Richmond - they have excellent beer selection & have come up with a few delicious cocktails that I usually don't enjoy. My family loved it so much that they asked to go back before they left town!
(5)
Laura P.
I was really looking forward to the prospect of a new chinese spot--not take-out--in Richmond. This city really needs a stronger asian cuisine presence! A friend and I met there on a Wednesday night for dinner. We got a few different courses...I ordered the Chili Dumplings and the BBQ Pork Fried Rice, she got the Bacon + Shrimp Lo Mein and a side of bok choy. The dumplings were good--spicy and well done. Both of our entrees were good, but nothing to write home about. They pleased but didn't wow my tastebuds...and the bok choy was good, not overcooked, but again, could have had stronger flavor. We then decided to split one of the desserts that they had that night--the chocolate truffle cake. The cake was awesome! Very rich but good for sharing. So, overall, fine experience, but I won't be adding Fat Dragon to my Richmond go-to restaurants. Going to try Peter Chang's for chinese next.
(3)
John Paul C.
Delicious Chinese food at a reasonable price. I usually come here for their great Happy Hour specials- $1 off beers and $2 off appetizers. If you have not tried their calamari or fire cracker shrimp, you need to! I most recently went for lunch and for under $10, I got wonton soup, Chef Zhao chicken, white rice and a spring roll. All fresh and very tasty. They give plenty of food, I was able to box mine up and finish it for lunch the following day. This place is like a calculator, you can count on it.
(5)
Ashley A.
Went before a movie and had drinks and a few apps. Mondays they are doing buy one get one starters so we got four : fried calamari, chili dumplings, wings and fried mushrooms. Everything was amazing like always! Flavors were great and seasonings perfect. If you are into spicy food, you have to get the dumplings! Our bartender was also great! He was super friendly and not overbearing. Suggested getting the wings with the dry rub - excellent recommendation. Love this place!
(5)
Sue D.
I really wanted to like this place after reading everything on here and word of mouth. But I think I may have just ordered the wrong dish. I will start by saying the Hot and Sour Soup was PHENOMENAL. It truly is hot, sour, and chunky with all the good stuff. This will be my go-to for soup. Unfortunately, the Chef's Stir Fry Ramen just fell flat. I had a to-go order of it for dinner, and as soon as I saw the noodles, I was unimpressed. Hardly any chicken or calamari. The taste was the same, flavorless and unimpressive. I had a couple bites and put it in the fridge for leftovers. The next afternoon, I can't describe to you the smell and taste of these noodles. Threw them all away, there's 12 bucks down the drain. I also tried some of my sister's Chintown Combo Ramen, and that too, was just not up to par in terms of flavor. I don't think this place knows how to do noodles. Maybe the "main dishes" are good?... In summary: soup great, noodle dishes awful
(2)
Courtney T.
Love the look and the service. Lunch prices are awesome!! I mean like a full meal under $10. I had the Chef Zhao's chicken this time, and it was well sauced and seasoned. Came with soup and rice and spring roll.
(4)
Lisa G.
I really like this spot. Beautiful contemporary decor, biker chic staff. Unexpected combo, but cool. It took me so long to come here because I'm not crazy about Chinese, but I eventually did come because a friend raves about it so much. The menu is not traditional Chinese (kind of Chinese "fusion"), which as it turns out is good for me. I ended up ordering the Crispy Chicken Rolls, which are nothing like egg rolls. Again, good for me because I don't like egg rolls. They're really not like spring rolls, either. They're pieces of chicken wrapped in a light tofu wrapper and fried, topped with apple matchsticks and what I think is duck sauce. They are REALLY GOOD! I also got the Chicken and Rice Noodles, which is like Singapore, also close to Filipino pancit, except pancit is not made with curry. This was good, too. Huge portion. It was also good reheated the next day :-) Diverse beer and wine list! Service was flawless. I wish I knew my server's name so I could give him some props, but I don't. He was really great. Checked on me just enough and not too much. Was fast and pleasant. I will definitely be back. Cool spot.
(4)
Han V.
I was really excited to check out this place due to all the rave reviews. Even though I loved the bustling atmosphere, the food was majorly lacking. --Chinese Baby Back Ribs-- [$7] I thought that these were okay, but the sauce needed a kick. I asked our waiter for Sriracha but I he didn't know what is was [whaaaatt??]. He did come back with some chili paste which helped the dish. Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Hot and Sour Soup-- [$3] The soup was bland and had an odd consistency to me. It was also super greasy and the oil just coated your tongue. Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Beef Jalapeno Fried Rice-- [$9] Despite being very brown, the rice had no soy sauce flavor and didn't taste like fried rice at all. This dish just made me sad =[ Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Service-- Our server was alright but unfortunately not good enough to pull the entire experience up. I liked their concept of sustainability and trying to source their food from local vendors. I also liked how they presented their food. I know that you might eat with your eyes first, and the food is presented quite nicely. But in the end, taste determines whether or not I will be coming back. Food: 1.5 Value: 2 Service: 3 Overall: 2
(2)
Nia B.
Good place to catch up with friends. It's a small dining areas, but the atmosphere is great. The spring rolls are delicious, I love that they put the spicy mustard in with the duck sauce. It was recommended that I do the tangerine beef, but I switched out the beef for chicken. A plus that they were able to accommodate without issues. Great service and as I'm not much of a beer drinker they have cider on the menu. The shrimp appetizer looks amazing, haven't tried it yet. They also do take out, great since sometimes it's tough to get a table unless you get there early.
(4)
Will J.
Great happy hour with a great bartender Kabo. He suggested the Ginger Soda & Vodka which was a great blend of spice ginger and vodka. Thanks Kabo. We did 3 appetizers beer battered mushrooms, canton spring rolls, and crispy calamari all fried to perfection. Enough to consider a meal to share with a friend. Great atmosphere great food great drinks.
(5)
Jeff Y.
I came here for a Yelp International Supper Club dinner. First of all, I have to get some things off my chest. I am known to be particularly critical of Chinese restaurants. There was no Chinese anywhere to be found on the menu, and most dishes were geared for individualized orders/portions (or at the very least, the tables were oriented that way, since there were no circular tables in sight). Traditionally, Chinese meals are ALWAYS family style. At this point, I automatically knew not to expect much in terms of authenticity. That said, Fat Dragon ended up surprising me, at least in some aspects. I would describe Fat Dragon as having Chinese fusion cuisine rather than Americanized Chinese food (my greatest enemy). What's the difference you ask? Americanized Chinese food like beef with broccoli and orange chicken poise as "Chinese dishes" and may fool the majority of the American public, but not natives like me. They may be tasty and popular, but they bear little resemblance to what you might actually find in China or Taiwan. On the other hand, I would describe Chinese fusion cuisine as food that does not claim to represent traditional Chinese dishes, but rather presents itself as modern dishes with Chinese influence/flavors. Fat Dragon's portions were also quite generous, and entrees come with white rice. I ordered tea-smoked duck, which was tasty, although not as tender and fatty as I expected duck to be. I also ordered a cup of hot and sour soup, which was super warm temperature-wise (gold star in my book), but was far too sour in my opinion (a little heavy on the black vinegar). Overall, our server was friendly and accommodating, but service was a bit slow, and it took a while to place our order and get our food. I know I'm not the target audience for this restaurant, so I would like to highlight some of Fat Dragon's strengths. The atmosphere is loud, but lively, and the decor is really modern and artistic. There is a particularly striking painting on of the walls of a female lying on her side displaying a dragon tattoo all over her body. There is a noticeable amount of wood in parts of the restaurant. The lights hanging from the ceiling have woks as lampshades, which were pretty unique. The restroom also had an unusual wide wooden box as a sink and a really cool metal faucet that reminded me of a water pump. Overall, the restaurant is very cool-looking (although it bothered me that one of the characters on the wall by the restrooms was wrong; the he2 had an extra horizontal stroke). The bar area was exciting too, and there were some standing tables (waist height tables with no chairs). It looks like Fat Dragon is a pretty popular place in general. Of course, the fact that there is a bar at all also makes this restaurant non-traditional, but again, it's not vying to attract Chinese diners. When it comes to traditional Chinese food, Richmond still hasn't impressed me (aside from Peter Chang, which as good as it is, is really only good relative to what's available as alternatives). However, Fat Dragon's furnishings coupled with decent service won me over enough to earn four stars in my book.
(4)
Suz K.
Finally made it here after hearing rave reviews from several of my friends. Was very impressed with both the food & drinks, and especially the service by Kabo. Fantastic value too, as I took advantage of happy hour. But even if it hadn't of been, I still would have gotten my money's worth at full price. Food tried: calamari and the side order of mixed veggies of the day (which probably could have filled me up on their own). I was craving calamari and Fat Dragon's definitely did it justice Drink: Sex Sparkling Brut Rose mixed with Blood Orange Gose, as recommended by Kabo. Was only planning on having one but it was too yummy to pass up getting a second one. Will definitely be back
(4)
Casey Q.
One of the things that I've missed the most since moving to RVA is Chinese food. Oh, they have Chinese take-out here in Rivah City. I'm talking Chinese cuisine you actually want to eat *in* the restaurant, rather than slink home with your soy sauce packages and under-spiced hot & sour soup. I've only been to Fat Dragon 1.5 times so far (pre-opening invite-only parties only get half-credit, right?), but the forecast is sunny with a chance of awesome. The Firecracker shrimp are fried to spiced perfection, the fried calamari ditto, and you gotta love a joint with shrimp & bacon lo mein, don't you? Bar service/mixology is prime, with booze expert and TV star Steve McKenna running the show. Oh, and now Steve has NO BEARD! He looks ... too young to work the bar. Well played, sir =)
(4)
Nathan H.
Love this place! Great drinks and a great atmosphere. Familiar Chinese dishes taken to a whole new level by using all fresh ingredients, never frozen. I've been several times and they've never let me down on the food, drinks, or service even when they've been slammed busy.
(5)
Amanda L.
Hands down best happy hour in town! Can't beat their selections, make sure to arrive early though as they get packed pretty quickly. Cabo and Will are the best bartenders! Make sure to get the chicken rolls & calamari for apps- the soy sauce they pair with the calamari is to die for.
(5)
Jessica B.
1 app & 1 entree enough for two people. Decor is pretty awesome with the concrete & wood. Parking can be troublesome, but what can you expect from parking in RVA? Definitely would come back.
(4)
Brendan H.
I've been to fat dragon a handful of times, and it never disappoints. We tend to order a few appetizers to share rather than entrees - these three never disappoint: -Spicy Dumplings -Ancient Chinese Secret Pork BBQ Fried Rice -Calamari (I don't know who crafted the dipping sauce, but oh God yes...) Rather than ordering separate cocktails, my girlfriend and I opted for the Hawaiian Luau drink last time, served for two in a huge bowl. Cheaper than order separate cocktails, fun to drink, and pretty strong ;). Great flavors, atmosphere, drinks, and service. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Cynthia B.
What sells this place is not so much the food, the hip vibe, the location, or the cool city night-life ambiance, but a waitstaff that is both hip AND friendly. Imagine that in arty Richmond? To Eric - the pro waiter -- I will be back. Thanks for chattting with me while i waited for my friend. My apologies if she was rude and left a small tip. What can I say/? My dish was an interesting approach to Chinese cuisine: chicken with vegetables smothered in cilantro, served in a small pot with a clear lid and a side of white rice.. The first few bites were quite tasty -- savory even as Eric says -- and the cilantro really shined through. After that though, I couldn't quite figure out if I should add some of the soy sauce that is so cutely packaged in a re-purposed old-time Coke bottle or just try to find other pieces of cilantro. I opted for the latter to keep my sodium intake down. This is Chinese afterall! I also kept trying to find those veggies. There was enough chicken meat to feed a family of four in this bowl. There was a variety of veggies in there, but the ratio of vegetable to meat was about 1 to 3 or 4. So, I picked all the mushrooms, broccoli stalks, red and green peppers out that I could discern Sitting there in the dark restaurant, it was hard to see much. The provided eating utensils were confusing. Should I use the over-sized spoon, the chop sticks on the table, or ask for a fork? Waiter Eric read my expression of perplexity and delivered a fork to my table -- "Just in case." he said. I tried the chop sticks first. Eating this way is like riding a bike, you really don't forget how. It comes back to you quickly if you do if you are hungry enough. After a few bites though, I realized what the spoon was for. This concoction is rich and deep in broth, so you want to dump the rice in first and when that's gone, you can continue to eat using the spoon all the way to the soupy bottom. There was entirely too much chicken, so I left that and my friend arrived and to my surprise, finished it off. I'm just glad it didn't go to waste -- I guess.
(4)
Jessica B.
I've been going to (or ordering take-out from) Fat Dragon nearly once a week since they opened. I've always enjoyed my dishes. My favorites are the Chicken & Rice Noodle, or the BBQ Pork Fried Rice. My husband loves the Hot & Sour soup, as well as the spring rolls & Firecracker Shrimp. The Green Bean appetizer is delicious. My sister tried the mussel entree and loved it as well. Always friendly service, and great bar!
(5)
Will R.
Great food, great happy hour, great restaurant! Happy hour is every day from 430-7 which includes discount apps and drinks. I had the ginger beef subbed with chicken and it was incredible! Also try the spring rolls and firecracker shrimp. Laid back atmosphere and tons of people enjoying the happy hour
(5)
S W.
This was one of my favorite places to eat. Although it has been a few months, I've eaten at Fat Dragon more times than I can count. I loved the Chicken and Noodles my husband loved the Mongolian Beef. However we went last night and my noodles were ridiculously dry and blah tasting and the Basil Beef ( formally Mongolian beef bc made with cilantro) was not so great over sauced and "soupy". We hope it was just an off night for them bc I used to love eating there.
(3)
Liz J.
I drive up and down Boulevard quite often, but I've never noticed this place until it was pointed out to me. I'm glad I found it! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised when I entered. The restaurant is a large, open space that goes back a lot further than you think. My group of about 10 was comfortably seated in the center of the room. The drink menu is larger than the food menu, but there were plenty of options; chicken, seafood, beef, vegetarian, and even duck! I had General Zhao's chicken - a flavorful dish in an extremely large portion (it went on to feed me for two more meals!) All portions were very large, so I recommending picking a dish or two to share with a group, in addition to a few appetizers or a soup. My only complaint - not nearly enough veggies. My dish only had a few small pieces of peppers, and it would have been much better with more veggies, or just a smaller portion of meat. Be prepared to get your fill of protein! The service was phenomenal - our server was knowledgeable of the menu, and enthusiastic about it. It's always nice to meet an employee who truly enjoys the food at his restaurant. He even split our checks without a problem. It was a great place for a meal, and the atmosphere was suitable for just hanging out and getting a few drinks and an appetizer. It's right across the street from Movieland, so make it into an evening and catch a movie after dinner!
(4)
Cindy Ann B.
After enjoying a newly tapped brew at Hardywood Park, our group headed for a well-know BBQ joint nearby. Being Saturday night, the line was long and we were starving, so we looked around and spotted a Chinese restaurant across the street. Why not? Can't lose with Chinese food. Upon opening the door, the aroma that greeted us was amazing. The line wasn't as long, so we ambled towards the packed bar, taking in the cool artwork. We were immediately approached by a smiling staff member with appetizer menus, ready to take our drink order, even though it was very crowded. Soon we had seats at the bar and Beer Battered Mushrooms and Chili Dumplings. At first bite, the Chinese member of our group sighed and said, "They got it right." She went on to explain the temperature of the cooking fire makes all the difference in the taste of the dish. All I know is I didn't want to stop eating. When a table opened up, we got Chef's Stir Fry Ramen, Tangerine Beef and Fat Dragon Tofu, which was plenty to split between 4 people. Everything was heavenly. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Leigha P.
This Was our first time there. They had tasty food and great service. Sat at the bar, the apps were really tasty, the won ton soup was good and the crispy chicken rolls were a great addition, also the chili dumplings which had the same spicy sauce that my entree had were delicious and had a good amount of spice. The spiciness paired great with my beer (I drank duvel Which I was happy to find they had on tap). My entree consisted of beef tenderloin pieces and mushroom with that same spicy sauce. Will definitely be going back again!!
(4)
Mimi G.
The food is salty and greasy and not flavored at all. The golden prawns, are nothing but small size shrimp dipped in batter and fried without any seasoning.
Cool place. Would be good for groups as there are a lot of drink / beer options. Lots of craft beer on tap. It was a rather loud. So for a date / conversation night go during the week. My food was average (ribs), but my wife liked hers though. We both agreed that Peter Chang's is much better. But don't let that sway you away as this is great RVA eatery.
(4)
Kim G.
This place is amazing! Been twice and both times I have loved the experience. The food and beverage are delicious. Compliments to the chef. The service, excellent. Atmosphere is unique, hip and fun. New favorite place. One tip.....please get more dessert options:)
(5)
Navia G.
Fat Dragon is now a part of our dinner rotation, and I'm happy to say they still earn a 5-star rating from me every time. My current favorites are the beef jalapeno fried rice, which I find to be just spicy enough and packed with flavor. No ground beef there either, you're getting tender strips of steak! Also currently in love with: Firecracker shrimp and the Fei-Lone Beef. Service is top-notch, and the atmosphere is unbeatable. This is one of the few restaurants in RVA where I actually want to linger. Might have something to do with their awesome drink selections. Don't forget to check out their cocktails!
(5)
Maria D.
Visited with a party of 11 on a Saturday night. We did have reservations and the table was waiting for us (BONUS!). Our waiter was great; helped each of us with drink and food selections. Got a yummy beer, fried mushrooms (I didn't like the dipping sauce) and Mongolian beef which t was incredibly delicious, best I've ever eaten. Everyone seriously loved their food and out two celiac disease friends ate happily. My husband got the spicy dumplings - so yummy with a fiery sauce. My friend got the hot and sour soup and loved it. Last trip I had ancient secret fried rice - delicious as well. We will be back for sure!
(5)
Felicia M.
***Delicious Food*** Ok here is the downlow, bomb food, great atmosphere, beautiful artwork. Read on for full review... I was visiting from California for work and wanted to eat a wonderful dinner so obviously , I turned to Yelp! Easy to find but not good parking options. Once i got inside I was told that it would be 30 to an hour. It was more :( my friends and i waited in the bar area and the waitress was super nice. Once it hit an hour 15 the manager kindly came over and paid for an appetizer. We ordered sizzeling shrimp and that alone forgave the wait. We eventually were seated and were so lucky to have PAIGE as our server. She is awesome! She was very attentive and very patient with us since we had about 3 drinks prior to being seated. Drunk we ordered chowmain, hot and sour soup and a seafood dish. OMG! stupidly good! I haven't had this quality of food in a while. The tables are gorgeous, the table ware is simple and sweet and the artwork is awesome! The place is small enough to keep the feel of a gem in the beautiful city of Richmond.
(5)
Anna T.
I dig it. Modern Chinese with a dash of hipster. A concoction of P.F. Chang's and a dive bar.
(4)
Xida Z.
A Richmond Take on Chinese Restaurants I was very skeptical about this place. Richmond is not known for ethnic food and Chinese cuisine can go very wrong easily. The number one thing I was looking for was authenticity. I recognize that I may not be the demographic that Fat Dragon is targeting, but I see enough merit to come back to try to some of the other dishes. {Walking into the restaurant, my skepticism was confirmed. The bar and chalkboard were copy and pasted from any other bar in the fan, except this one was selling "sex" for $8 apparently. Our waiter was good, though it seemed that the kitchen is rather far away from our table. I tried to get the most Chinese things on the dinner menu: Canton spring rolls, chili dumplings, and Ancient secret barbecue fried pork. My friend wanted beef so we got the tangerine beef. I shook my head.} ~ Both appetizers were small. The Canton spring rolls ($6) were two spring rolls cut into four two inch bites. The chili dumplings ($5) came in a small bowl totaling up to five. The shrimp and pork filling in both is typical though and the chili sauce was right as well. ~ Ancient secret barbecue fried pork (9) came in the shape of an upturned bowl on a large leaf-shaped plate. While the flavor as a whole was right, I found the amount of pork disappointing and the taste rather dull. ~ The tangerine beef lay on a bed of sliced oranges (17). They were chewy enough to make you enjoy the taste. Reminded me of orange chicken from Panda Express, but with better quality beef. + Authentic flavors - Loud interior, small apps = The recipes were true to classical Chinese methods, except for obvious deviations. Chinese food is known for being cheap and Fat Dragon tries to break that mold. You won't find steamed fish here, head and all, but if you want to try real Chinese food in a place where you can get one of ten draft beers and mixed drinks, then this is the place for you. Service and Ambiance 3/5 Food 4/5 Value 3/5
(3)
Jael W.
Ordered the fried rice, chicken appetizer and tangerine beef. Most was overcooked and/or tasted a few days old. This restaurant is probably better for people who want to get knackered on watered down liquor, than it is for those who want a well cooked, fresh meal.
(1)
Matthew B.
Saturday night. Nothing to do. (This was us a few nights ago) We got a call to join another couple at this new restaurant and I instantly said "Yes!" and said we'd meet them at 6:45. We got to the restaurant, were stunned by the artwork on the wall...it was...mesmerizing to say the least. We were told there was about a 30-45 minutes wait which we were happy to wait. We went to the bar and checked out one of the most impressive beer selections in Richmond. I couldn't even count the number of kegged beer they have. We ordered Sapporo's and began to catch up. Around 7:35ish, we were told our table was ready. We were seated against the wall away from the bar and as packed as the place was, we were still able to hear one another. We ordered another round of drinks and then two starters, the firecracker shrimp (DELISH) and some sort of crispy spring roll that was equally delicious but I wouldn't hesitate ordered the firecracker shrimp EVER. They both came out quickly and we were instantly satisified. For entrees, the table ordered the: Tangerine Beef (good but not my favorite, a bit heavy on the breading), the Black Bean chicken (light and yummy), the Fei-Lone Beef (on of the best dishes I've tried in a very long time) and lastly the Golden Prawns (beautifully presented and delicious too!). While I wouldn't order the tangerine beef for myself again, I would happily take the Fei-Lone Beef any day of the week. The dishes were beautifully presented to us and the amount of food was perfect. While we skipped dessert, we opted for a glass of sex. A sparkling rose from Michigan (I think?) at $8/glass served from a cold keg. The sex was amazing and the dinner wasn't too bad either! Go here, mingle at the bar, order apps to share, and be prepared to have plenty of food with your friends! I can't wait to go back. Take care & savor it up!
(5)
Jonah P.
I'm not a fan of "theme" restaurants, so I was pleasantly suprised when I walked away from Fat Dragon having had a solid experience. The wait for a table was too long, but we were able to find a spot at the bar. Despite the crowd, the bartender was very attentive. Let's start off by reviewing the drinks. Not only does the selection of draft beers rival those at Richmond's known beer-snob bars, but at roughly 4-6 dollars FULL PRICE, aka 2-4 dollars during happy hour, they're a steal! Then there's the food. Granted, this is probably not for folks on a diet, but the interesting twists on Asian classics and huge portions make for a unique eating experience. And, as everyone else notes, get the wings. You won't regret it.
(4)
Ashley R.
I've been to Fat Dragon 4 times in the last 4 months, and every experience has been different. The firecracker shrimp has always been the thing to bring me back. The atmosphere has been different each of the 4 times. I came the first time during shamrock the block, after already having WAYY too many drinks, luckily so had everyone else there. I don't remember anything but the firecracker shrimp, which prompted my return for happy hour. I ordered the sex, which I didn't love, but it was recommended by a coworker, who didn't inform me it was a beer and champagne drink (which I don't care for either), I decided to get the drink (I can't remember the name), that's listed on the menu for 2 people. It came out flaming, and was absolutely delicious, and you definitely walk away with a buzz. The manager (I'm assuming he's a manager), is pretty awkward, he told us about two people having sex on the side of the building after drinking that drink, then insinuated that me (female) and my female coworker might have sex afterwards. I'm not usually easily offended, but that rubbed me the wrong way. The waiter was nice, just awkward. The next time I went was with my boyfriend for dinner. We were seated in the back dark corner, when there were seats available in the front, I don't know if they assumed we wanted the privacy or just didn't want us in the front, either way I would've liked the option. We ordered the drink (for 2 people) again, and I enjoyed it still, but he said it didn't have any alcohol (I think it was just masked really well, like most drinks good drinks for females). I ordered the bacon and shrimp lo mien, and he ordered the salt and pepper chicken, and we ordered the firecracker shrimp as an appetizer. The shrimp was good, as always, but this time the sauce on the side wasn't as good, it was like the mixture was off. I didn't love the bacon and shrimp lo mien, and I LOVE lo mien. The flavor was weird, there was too much of some seasoning (ginger? garlic?, not sure), and the noodles seemed overcooked. I didn't like his salt and pepper chicken either (same issue with the ginger or garlic or whatever), he enjoyed it. Our waitress this time, was pretty bad, she had a bad attitude like she didn't want to be there, and got an attitude when she was asked a question or something wasn't clear. She wasn't very attentive, and didn't seem to get upbeat until we were leaving. She's the dark haired girl with freckles and two braids, she's had the same look every time I've been in there. The manager came to check on us (same creeper from before), and remembered me from my previous visit, even where I sat, which I was impressed by, he was personable and friendly. The last time I went with a friend, and it was the end of happy hour, so there was a bit of a wait for a table, the place was crowded with young professionals who came straight from work, who made us feel out of place, despite being young professionals as well, who happened to go home and change first, I digress. You could hardly move, and there was very little room to stand, especially with the long table in between the bar and the walk way to the bathroom (really poor placement). We eventually had someone take our drink orders from the bar. I get it, it was the end of happy hour, things were crazy. The hostess was able to find us amongst the craziness and told us our table was ready whenever we were, and I went and took a seat while my friend paid for the drinks. He ordered a chicken dish, which was pretty good, and I ordered my favorite firecracker shrimp, and a side of fried rice. The fried rice was THE best fried rice I've ever eaten, and next time I'll get double. Our waiter was a tall young man, who was really friendly, he did leave us for 10 minutes before bringing our check, and then another 10 before picking it up, and then another 5-10 before bringing our cards back. I'll definitely go back to fat dragon, and probably test my luck at something else on the menu, but preferably when it's not so crowded... This is not your typical chinese restaurant, which is a good thing, unless you want your typical Amercanized-chinese take out, then you've chosen the wrong place.
(3)
K W.
I love this place! Great food, drinks and service. I have been several times for business and happy hour and each time service was great. The bartenders are attentive and the food is always a good temperature. This place is good for girls night out, date night or special occasion dinner.
(5)
Dominic B.
I went to Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen after the Redskins training camp for dinner. We were kindly greeted and immediately seated by the hostess. The restaurant was laid back later in the evening on a Monday. I ordered the spring rolls for starters. The spring rolls were delicious. The sauce on top complimented the crispy rolls very well. I could have eaten the spring rolls all night. It was hard deciding on an entree, so we split the tangerine beef and Kung Pao Shrimp.The tangerine beef was good. I thought the citrus flavor was a bit strong in the dish. The Kung Pao Shrimp had a nice spice to the dish which I liked. There was a lot of celery in the dish (overpowering in my opinion but I picked out the celery). All of the main dinner entrees at Fat Dragon come with white rice. It's an uncharged for fried rice. Fat Dragon has a diverse wine and beer list for customers. The ambience was really nice. I appreciated the clean bathrooms (modern). Our waiter service was average. The employees were friendly. Parking is hit or miss depending on the day and time. I give Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar a 3.5 rating.
(3)
Claiborne C.
Not that impressed. No brown rice option. Food was very heavy. Maybe I don't eat Chinese food enough but I was not impressed. Service and atmosphere was good,
(2)
Sam M.
Nice decor, very friendly staff and good drinks!! i ordered cucumber drink and it was great. Food is more of a "fusion" , it is good but not exactly chinese, the smell, the taste and even the presentation is more american, still we were happy with our orders, in its own way it tasted really good :)
(4)
Marissa M.
I went here for lunch and I was hungover and STARVING. The staff is very friendly and helpful, prompt and accommodating. I ordered the kung pao shrimp it was sweet and a bit lacking. Looked great though with all the chills in it. My dining partner ordered the beef and basil- which was sooooo good. The hot and sour soup was really good, nourishing and spicy, and yes there is a layer of shiny oil on top, as tradition dictates. Great soup, best part of the meal. I was not overly impressed with the food but I think I may have been out ordered with how good my lunch dates beef was. I also make a strict rule of not eating anything but chicken and fish outside of home, but the smell was so good I had to try it, mmmm beef and basil. I will try it again. The decor is nice and modernly creative. they do the industrial meets forest pretty well.
(3)
Christina D.
Everything about this place is great. We came for a late dinner on Sunday night and it wasn't too crowded. The server was funny and excellent. As for the food, definitely get the firecracker shrimp appetizer. They're amazing and I swear they gave us about 25 shrimp. I had the shrimp and bacon lo mein and the person I was with had the garlic chicken and broccoli. Both were absolutely delicious. We had a ton leftover and were able to have it for dinner the next night too. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Jamie D.
The decor is amazing. Just amazing. Whoever did the interior design of this restaurant is uber talented and I would absolutely love to have them decorate my house. It is a far cry from Stronghill, and I'm a fan. The bathrooms have chevron painted walls and wooden sinks (maybe bamboo... can't remember now, but they are cool), and the alcove room to the back right has striped walls - so totally hip. So I have a confession to make: I'm not a huge fan of Chinese food. My family ate Chinese so much when I was growing up that I think I just exhausted my craving for the cuisine. But I knew this place had more of a Chinese fusion type menu, and I'd heard such rave reviews, so I just had to try it. Luckily, I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely be back! I went with a special of the evening, which consisted of three of the largest shrimp I have ever seen served over rice noodles with ginger and cilantro. Seriously, these shrimp were ginormous. They were wok fried with the heads and shell still on, similar to a soft shell crab. This was a new shrimp experience for me, and I liked that I could easily peel off the shell to avoid the fried aspect of the dish. I didn't want anything too heavy, so I appreciated that our server didn't lead me astray when describing the dish to me. On that note, our server handled our large table like a pro and I found him very personable. Always a plus! I look forward to going at lunchtime for the ginger noodle salad!
(4)
Jesse M.
The restaurant is overrated, and disappointing. The atmosphere can be overbearing as the music is loud, and staff quality could improve dramatically. I feel they worry to much on closing, then they do about their customers. The general tso chicken was really sweet to the point where i was eating a bag of sugar. Would not go again.
(1)
Trevor D.
Great happy hour ($2 off a large selection of Virginia craft brews and their tasty appetizers) and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Awesome rotating beer list featuring a lot of Richmond and Central Virginia breweries. The rice bowls are really great! Gets a little noisy towards the end of happy hour, but that can be expected in a place as busy and open as they are. Highly recommended.
Richmond needed you badly Fat Dragon. I love asian food, I love spicy food, and I love beer. I got it all here in a really cool atmosphere with exceptional service. The GF and I shared dumplings, which were a little spicy and a little bigger than most. I had the Dragon Beef which came with enormous hunks of spicy meat mixed with mushroom and spinach. The portions were big and I felt like I got my $17 worth. Washed it down with a Hardywood Pumpkin and a O'Connor Red Nun. Great list of local and national microbrews on tap, and my GF's adult Arnold Palmer was top notch. I'll be back.
(5)
Faith A.
The food was amazing!! I have found my new favorite restaurant in Richmond! I went with my boyfriend for a late night meal. Arrived at 930 and even though they stop serving at 10, they were not pushy or rude in the slightest bit. Chase was our server and he is one of the best servers I have ever had! He did everything right and right on time. I will make sure to ask for him when I go from now on. I have not stopped talking about this place for the past few days since I have been and I have and will continue to recommend this place.
(5)
Beth A.
Service is fantastic and the Black Bean Chicken Hot Pot has made my list of 5 best things I've ever eaten in Richmond. Truly a party in your mouth !!! Prices are also very reasonable given the extremely generous portions.
(5)
Elijah C.
I had Garlic Chicken here tonight... the chicken and rice were cooked to perfection, but the sauce left a little to be desired. I did not taste much garlic. In fact, no garlic. It was an easily forgettable meal, which is unfortunate. It seems like a pretty cool place.
(3)
Nina H.
Didn't care for the food here at all and I really wanted to like it! I've heard great things and I love this type of restaurant usually...very disappointing!
(1)
Samira C.
The wings needed more seasoning...they looked seasoned but didn't taste very good. The dinner dishes were much better
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
jan m.
The Terrapin beer dinner was AWESOME! The food was exceptional, the pairings inspired. The staff, especially Katrina, were welcoming and pleasant. Service was efficient. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and look forward to future events.
(5)Caron L.
They really did a great job renovating this place. The decor is great, the layout is perfect, just an all around great atmosphere. I went for a friends birthday dinner and they seated us quickly (we had a reservation). We ordered a few appetizers all of which were delicious! The drinks were just as great and they even had my favorite williamsburg ale. Our main courses were super flavorful, great portions, and all came out in a timely fashion. The overall experience was great!!!
(4)Liz P.
I've been here multiple times with friends, and I like the atmosphere a lot. It's a pretty large restaurant, so it's great for big groups. (And they take reservations, which is great.) My biggest complaint is that there are no vegetarian entrees. Even the tofu dish is made with fish. It's kind of disappointing, since they have a fairly large menu. Every time I've been for dinner, I'm stuck getting an appetizer as my meal. The atmosphere is cool, but it would be nice if they offered a vegetarian dish.
(2)Lauren M.
Food is amazing! The portions are so big you'll definitely have some to take home, or share when you eat in. They also have a pretty good bar with local beers in tap. Only complaint is I wish there was easier parking. Overall, I would brave the parking situation to eat their delicious food! Their jalapeno beef fried rice and chef Zhao's chicken are fabulous.
(4)Felicia H.
Food was excellent. Was a little hot sitting next to window no air circulation there. Loved the atmosphere
(4)Mark B.
Excellent food, service and ambiance. The Hot and Sour soup is the best I've ever tasted. Kung Pao shrimp was delicious. Unlike most Chinese restaurants, they have a very nice bar with an excellent selection of craft brewed beers. I understand it is very popular in the evening n
(5)Katie J.
Basil beef was outstanding and service was great - will definitely be back!
(5)Brittany T.
I have only been once, and maybe it was on an off-night, but it was just...not good.
(2)T K.
The food was fine. Drinks good. Rudest server I have ever encountered.....Brittani. The manager kindly took over our table. Fun, cool spot. I have been here probably eight times previously. Not sure I will return. Service with an attitude is not what I pay for.
(2)Kevin T.
Stopped by last night before seeing a movie at Bowtie. Kudos to Fat Dragon for having Hardywood's gingerbread on tap. The beer selection is diverse with a good mix of local / regional beers. I didn't have time for food, but the plates of diners around me were a good indication that the food is well done. I can't wait to go back and try the ribs.
(5)Guy L.
Great place. Extremely popular -- it fills up early, so make reservations or be prepared to wait if you don't come early. A number of the items on the menu have a twist off the usual Chinese fare, such as jalapeno beef fried rice. So far, all good. We will be back. One note: Almost everyone in the place, when we have been there, uses chopsticks. I can't handle rice with chopsticks, so I had no problem getting flatware, but if you don't like to be the only one in the room doing something but also aren't good with chopsticks, be aware. (Of course, there's no judging, it's just you, but there you are.)
(3)Lauren U.
Had great food here on my first trip. On our second trip, we worried we were too late to be seated coming at 9:45pm but we called the restaurant to make sure we still had time. The hostess confirmed that as long as we ordered 10 minutes before 11pm we would be alright. We were seated at 9:50pm and were last to be helped out of any other tables seated after us. Won't be going back after getting the cold shoulder from servers.
(2)Shulamite L.
I went here last night with some friends and it was definitely a surprise in a good way. The decor and atmosphere is awesome! I had the black bean chicken and the firecraker shrimp. They were excellent. Like another reviewer said their food is an improved PF Chang's. Fat Dragon has a good balance of American and Chinese flavor in their dishes. I would absolutely come here again.
(4)Laura M.
Great ambiance and food, UNBELIEVABLY friendly staff!!
(5)Travis D.
Tried this place once before and was really good, but I went back for date night with my girlfriend and we got the worst food poisoning ever!!! Threw up all night and had body aches for almost 24 hrs. I know this can happen anywhere but sorry, that's it for us. I wonder if anyone else got really sick that night? It was Thursday Feb 30, 2014, we had firecracker shrimp and the chicken and rice noodles in that yellow curry. Never going back... Even though the manager was very professional dealing with our situation. If it happened to you let them know!
(1)Craig B.
Ok, i reserved writing in this review until i had been a few times. It was good the first time, better the second and pretty dang good the 3rd. Ambiance is fab, bar is big & very cool and the food is getting better. I've tried about 2/3 of the menu now and its getting less salty/crunchy and more fresh and zingier. Great soups, spring rolls, rice dishes, Chef's chicken and pork ribs(fantasic!). Desserts good. Beer/wine lists robust. Service is much much better too. A Bowtie movie-dinner must. Hope the Blvd gets healthier and this is its anchor like Can Can is to Carytown. Go!
(4)David M.
It is difficult to give a restaurant a fair rating when they go so horribly awry in one area and do so well in another. Fat Dragon is a trendy spot, well decorated with an interesting backlit painting of a larger than life naked, tattooed woman with her derriere selectively cover by a sheet. The place was packed on a Saturday night, as any good restaurant should be, but when we arrived there was only a short wait list and there were a few open tables visible. The two young hostesses informed us that there would be would be seat in thrity minutes. That seemed reasonable and we decided to have drinks and appetizers at the bar. Once I got the attention of a bartender, he was prompt and courteous, pouring a smallish winter Legend Lager and mixing a very tasty drink called South of the Border, a concoction my girlfriend revisited over the course of what turned out to be a long wait to be seated. We ordered the Tofu Satay and Crispy Chicken Rolls and stood at a stylish but flimsy wood plank raised to bar height and not well supported by three poles. I only mention this because someone will someday lean into this or grab it for support and it will give. A server other than the bar tender was very attentive to our needs and did a wonderful job refilling my water and my two companions' libations. A few minutes after ordering, the appetizers came out right on the heels of our drinks. The Crispy Chicken Rolls are excellent. This was my second time I visited the Fat Dragon and they were too good to pass up for something new. Served in a mock sushi style, these warm bites of chicken and asparagus were tender and topped with julienned granny smith apples. The six pieces came in a long serving tray and float in puddle of sweet chili sauce that is quite tasty. The Tofu Satay, on the other hand, is not so much. The tofu was underwhelming. Cut into large rectangular slices, it came out spongy and not at all crispy and the satay sauce didn't have much flavor to add to the equation. I ended up dipping the tofu in the sweet chili sauce to make it more palatable. One out of two isn't bad especially since the chicken rolls are so good and vegetarian food in Richmond is marginal at best. At this point I'd like to move on describing our dinner, but I have to first delve in to the 1 hour 45 minute wait that preceded our being seated. The roll of hosting guests is so fundamental to a great dining experience that it shouldn't be trusted to two oblivious hotties that can't communicate what's going on to their customers. Granted the place was bustling with activity and we didn't have a reservation, but how difficult is the task of knowing how many people you have waiting to be served and matching them up to the tables you have available? For the two young ladies at the Fat Dragon, it is incredibly difficult and apparently the place is so cool they can't manage to update you on the wait when it is taking longer than expected, nor do they feel it is necessary to acknowledge your patience when seating you an hour and fifteen minutes after the originally stated wait time for a seating. Perhaps they should hire people for their talents beyond their capacity to serve as eye candy. You might be wondering why we tolerated such a long wait. Well, this is a fun restaurant with good food and drinks and plenty of pretty people to watch ogle and grope one another as they fumble their way through Richmond's trendy social scene and into a stranger's bed room. The music they play is great - MGMT, Matt and Kim, and other upbeat songs, but it is also on a loop so if you missed a song the first time, you are likely to hear it again. And again, as you wait for a table. Once we were seated, my girlfriend ordered the Basil Beef but had them substitute the beef for the tofu minus the mushrooms. They are flexible and will do this with most any dish but it came out with the same slimy tofu sponge rectangles as before. Perhaps they should invest in finding some sort of mock chicken product they can substitute for meat that would pass as decent cuisine. I ordered a side of bok choy (delicious) and the tea smoked duck special. The duck was a half portion, bones and all sliced into pieces that made it difficult to eat without getting a mouthful of bone. The flavor was good, but it was served with the same sweet chili sauce that came with the chicken roll appetizer. I also had the opportunity to sample the fried rice and the tangerine beef - both well prepared and rivaled my not-so-special duck. Our table side server was excellent and attentive. This restaurant is in my neighborhood, certainly rivals its predecessor Strong Hill, and I would definitely try it again, though I will probably walk over to Lemon Indian Cuisine Restaurant when Fat Dragon looks too busy to manage their crowd. While I wouldn't recommend this place if you are looking for great vegetarian cuisine, vegetarians can get by and the other food is really great.
(2)Rva P.
Atmosphere is the only thing going for this place. Been twice and both times presented with mediocre Chinese Food. You can tell that they use good ingredients but the flavor leaves much to be desired. Almost as if they forgot to have a spice rack. Save your money and get China Panda around the corner on Shepard.
(2)Craig W.
Went for lunch and thought everything from the food to the decor were perfect. Only reason I'm not going five stars is simple. Not enough veggie type items on the menu.....
(4)D.scott C.
Passing through Richmond we yelped local restaurants and read reviews of Fat Dragon Chinese . Glad we chose this place. Great space in a up and coming industrial neighborhood , interior well thought out . We were greater with a smile and it just got better from there. Appetizer that we shared was a offshoot of bonefish grills bang bang shrimp. Sauce was on the side , rather than mixed in like bone fish. Made for crispier shrimp Very good, large shrimp( plenty for two to share),tho needed additional sauce. Also had probably the best hot and sour soup I've ever had. Sooo good ! Next was mains: chicken bean pot ( so much tender tasty chicken) couldn't eat a third of it,savory and delicious . Second main was amazing tender juicy steak with spicy peppers, chunks of fresh mushrooms. If u like a bit of spice this is your dish! My son has not stopped raving. We ate the leftovers in our hotel room later that night. This food was not going to waist. We are from southern New Jersey / Philly area , we have our own mixtures of cultural dishes , many of the United States finest restaurants in this area. This experience was right up there for two weary travelers!
(5)Hunter M.
Unbelievable. Shrimp and bacon low mein is a must try. All of the beef dishes are very tender an flavorful!! Great beer selection as well.
(5)Jed L.
Went for dinner with the wife on a Sunday night at around 7. Seated quickly. Excellent beer list, but less than impressive beer pours. Crispy chicken rolls were tasty to start. The food was good but not outstanding. My wife's Kung Pao shrimp were much better than my ribs Excellent ambiance, friendly service, and good food.
(4)Stacie M.
I went with a large group, but the staff didn't sacrifice the prompt, individual attention. The atmosphere is great, and the food was even better. Large portions means I get to enjoy the awesomeness again for lunch today. :) Why did I not know about this place?
(5)Angela P.
Went there with a VERY large group for a special occassion lunch. We had reservations and if I could rate on service/efficiency alone they would get 5 stars for how we were all treated! I sampled two different appetizers (dumplings and 5 spice chicken rolls) both were good, but neither stood out, which is how I felt about my meal and the other one i sampled. Chef Zhao's chicken was good...but pretty darn sweet and no zip to speak of. The curried chicken/noodle dish had nice flavor and was a HUGE portion, but again not a stand out. However, the prices were very reasonable (I can only speak regarding the lunch menu) and the food was good. I will definitely be back to check out other dishes - they are in the neighborhood, nice decor, I love the idea of local/sustainable ingredients and as I mentioned before the service was very respectable. Because of these things, this resturant will go into rotation and I will sample the menu until I find the stand out.
(3)Claire B.
Went this past Saturday night for dinner for a bachelorette party dinner. The atmosphere is really cool and trendy. Definitely an upscale Chinese restaurant and not really your typical, traditional decoration and greasy food. They have a great drink menu and the food was really good, but in my opinion - overpriced and too big of portions. I wish they would do smaller portions and make it less expensive per entree. Every girl I was with had almost an entire meal leftover to take home with them. We also got the calamari and firecracker shrimp to start, which was basically a meal in itself. I had been really excited about the firecracker shrimp, but it was a lot more battered than they claim it to be. The sweet and spicy cream sauce is delicious though! Definitely a fun place with good food, but it won't be a cheap night out.
(4)John F.
It's not completely fare that I gave this place three stars, because they deserve a little more. But they do not deserve four stars yet. I went there tonight for the first time. The area is a "want to be" trendy area for Richmond. The place is cool, especially the mural on the wall. Because the Washington Redskin train camp is so close, they are trying to capitalize on it, which did not work for me at all. The wait staff was very tattooed, which went perfectly with the concept. More importantly, the staff was upbeat and attentive. The appetizers were ok, I had the firecracker shrimp. This was a take off of bonefish's BangBang shrimp. The problem was that the batter was plain and the sauce was commercial. To be something called firer cracker shrimp, they should have grinded up a Jalapeño pepper and mixed that in the batter, then put some horseradish in the sauce. We also had the ribs. I was expecting spear ribs, but theses were different. Not bad, but not Chinese. My dinner was pepper raw tuna. It was actually, blackened raw tuna with some type of garlic paste on a bed. Although labeled wrong, it was great. That all being said, they priced it good enough that I will go back.
(3)Vicki B.
Some of the best hot and sour soup I have eaten. The dishes are plentiful and leave you with a meal for the next day. Firecracker shrimp is a must. Service was great even though they were super busy on a Thursday night.
(4)Ryan H.
Went to the restaurant a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. At first the place was pretty empty and quiet, but as it got later in the night the place was packed. The beer selection was amazing for craft beer fan and there was a great selection of food. The atmosphere of the restaurant and layout were well suited. Defiantly recommend this place.
(5)Ronnie P.
Fat Dragon Tofu was so-so. Wife's dish was not what she ordered. Waiter did the "My name is ABC and I'll be taking care of you tonight" bit. Go here for loud music and if you want to be part of a scene.
(2)Emily H.
I had a wonderful experience at Fat Dragon. The decor and atmosphere was great. The service was excellent. We started with the Crispy Chicken Rolls which were very good. I ordered the Tangerine Beef, which was cooked perfectly. The beef was very tender and the sauce was sweet but not too overpowering. Everything on the menu looked great, and I can't wait to go back to try some more items.
(4)Tiffany D.
I've been to Fat Dragon twice now, once in its first week of opening and again after seeing a movie at Bowtie Cinemas. I always appreciate the ambiance, a nice mix of bar drinking and dining. The service is always great as well. My husband and I ordered a couple of drinks, my typical Bold Rock cider and he tried a Three Brothers beer. We ordered the Firecracker Shrimp as an appetizer and the portion could be enough for an entree! It's delicious with a great sauce and light breading and since my first visit, they reduced the amount of superfluous noodles they put underneath the shrimp. For an entree, we chose Enter the Dragon, a great mix of scallops, squid, shrimp, and mixed vegetables in this amazing sauce. Served with the typical steamed white rice, this meal was definitely enough for the two of us. Pricing is more than what you usually expect from Chinese restaurants but you can tell the freshness of the dishes as well as lower amounts of sodium and definitely no MSG. It can get busy and they only take reservations for large parties but if you want to try something different, try out Fat Dragon for sure. Also, I'm told to try the Sex for $8 from the bar. It's a great drink :)
(4)Kate P.
I hate to rain to this love parade for Fat Dragon but I feel the need to share my experience. I went with a group of friends a few months ago and was prepared to be blown away - we all left feeling a little deflated. First off, parking kinda sucks. I live and work in the city so I usually have a high tolerance for crappy parking but this one just isn't great. Second, the space is pretty cool but it was definitely loud in the bar area but I suppose that is the point and definitely has a see and be seen vibe to it right now. We were seated in the back room and our waiter was efficient if not very friendly. We ordered a bunch of apps and everything was fine - not amazing just fine. I got the Kung Pao Shrimp for my entree and it was again, fine. Tasted like a dish I could have gotten from a good neighborhood take out place. Two of my friends barely touched their dishes (a seafood combo type dish) and declared it flavorless and kind of gross. Maybe it was an off night? I am tempted to give it another try but not sure it is worth it.
(2)Stacey S.
We dined at Fat Dragon for the first time with two friends one recent Sunday evening. The four of us shared the spring rolls, chili dumplings, firecracker shrimp, and a special that our server referred to as "Yabba-Dabba-Doo Ribs." I really enjoyed the spring rolls - not something I typically order but they were well presented, hot, crispy, and had great flavor. The dumplings were decent but I probably wouldn't order them again. They seemed very wet and I don't remember much else about them now. The ribs were impressive. Our server noted that the four of us could probably share them and that was true. The meat was tender, the sauce was a bit on the sweet side, but overall they were delicious. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the service was friendly, and the beer selection was great. We'll definitely return, probably when we have some friends in town who are up for something fun and willing to share a bunch of plates!
(4)MT T.
My husband and I have been here several times now and it is just incredible. The place is very chic; Friday and Saturday nights, it's very see-and-be-seen. The minimalist decor is beautiful, and huge piece of the tattooed woman is one of the most interesting art pieces I've ever seen in a restaurant. You must be willing to wait when you go to Fat Dragon, but it's worth it. 15-30 minutes spent at the bar is no chore. With an excellent beer list and very finely crafted, well-balanced cocktails, time will fly by. I love the fresh ingredients and garnishes, and appreciated watching the bartenders discard less-than-perfect mint once. Quality control obviously counts here. The food is truly impressive. Each dish is well balanced and beautifully presented. The portions are huge. Favorites include the firecracker shrimp, five spice crispy ribs, and the chicken and rice noodles. The masses of shrimp in this appetizer is enough for a meal in itself, and the spicy, creamy sauce juxtaposed with the crispy coating of the shrimp and delicate fried noodles is a real treat. The ribs are very meaty, wonderfully savory and slightly exotic. The noodles, like all pastas on this menu, are made in-house and it shows. They come lightly curried and studded with succulent chicken and egg. It's a marvelous, comforting treat. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Go, take your time, soak in the ambiance, and eat well. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Melissa P.
It actually pains me to write such a petty review, since my first experience here was amazing. So, my husband and I live on the Northside of town, and there are far and few between restaurants that are within a 2 mile radius; Fat Dragon was at the top. It is Saturday night. Been craving some delicious Numb Numb..Called to order takeout at 9pm (again, it is Saturday night) and they expressed to us that they had closed early!! What?!! I could see closing at 10pm vs midnight, but 9? Come On! Had my heart set on some delicious ramen, and excited that it was within my reach, only to be told that they had closed early on a Saturday night....
(3)Renada N.
More like a 4.5.....me and my boys went to fat dragon Saturday (7/13) and we are going to lunch there today. For some reason I can never remember to take pics of my food anywho..... The hot and sour soup was the best I have and I ALWAYS order hot and sour soup. The spring rolls were crisp, light, and delicious. My big boy said chicken and noodles were good , it had some kind of curry sauce on it. The garlic chicken delish and Malay mussels were just ok. I had a 3year old with me and my server wasn't some anti-kid waiter like I have gotten before so I am recommending it to everybody
(4)Amy S.
The atmosphere is great; loved the wall designs in the back! Service was good. Food was over-priced Chinese food. I got the jalapeño fried rice with chicken instead of beef. It was alright, but no better than average. The eatery has better fried rice. My friend got the chef Zhoa's chicken. The pieces were HUGE and difficult to cutin half, but they tasted good. Not sure I'll be rushing back in.
(3)Sharon O.
Drove up from Williamsburg for some time in the "big city" the other night and found ourselves hungry and in the neighborhood. We opted to sit at the bar and had excellent service from the bartender. We each ordered a beer (off their stellar list) and asked the bartender for her recommendation on apps. She steered us right! The chicken rolls were delicious, and the calamari was wonderful. The calamari portion was HUGE! Seriously, the apps were incredible! Sadly our entree-Shrimp and Bacon Lomein was terrible-no flavor, even the bacon didn't taste good-didn't know that was possible. I never send food back, but this had to go back. The bartender was very kind about it, apologized profusely and offered to get us something else, but at that point we were too full. It was on the loud side, with a live DJ upstairs, but at 9 on a Friday loud is expected. The overall vibe was cool, mixed age crowd, clean bathrooms, great service. Overall value was great, we will be back!
(4)Emily R.
My husband and I were looking for a late dinner on a weekday night and new our choices were limited. One of the first "highly rated" place on yelp that came up in the area was Fat Dragon. We're always up for good Chinese food, especially after 9pm, so we had to go. The place was pretty darn crowded for a Wednesday evening, both the bar and tables. We were lucky to score one of the last two in the place. Their wine and drink list was pretty impressive, but budget wise we weren't looking for libations to go with our meal so we had diet coke, but it's in the back of our mind for appetizers and drinks at a later date! I ordered the basil beef and my husband ordered the BBQ pork fried rice. My husband said it was the best pork fried rice he ever had. I'm not much of a pork fan, but it was still pretty tasty and a good size portion. My basil beef was insanely good. It was strips of a good quality lean steak that melted in my mouth. The green beans and chunks of basil were delicious. I had to fight my husband from stealing some. I almost had a clean plate except for the mushrooms. I'm not sure if I didn't read closely enough or maybe it wasn't listed, but there were mushrooms in the meal which I'm not much of a fan. I'm an expert at picking out things I don't love, but even these tasted okay with that delicious brown basil sauce when I mistook one for a little chunk of steak. We were thinking about splitting a dessert, but they only had carrot or red velvet cake. Hopefully when we come back they'll have something a little bit more "unique" for us to sample. :) I also have to not that the decor is spot on. I has touches that were both industrial, Asian, rustic, and moden. After visiting the bathroom I told my husband I wanted it in our home it was so well designed! Overall, we had a great experience at Fat Dragon and look forward to visiting again in the future.
(4)Margot A.
Awful service. Bland food. But convenient, that is a plus. The chicken spring rolls were tasteless. The calamari was okay. The bartender was rode and inattentive, not a great combo.
(2)Matt C.
Although I have yet to sample a full meal here, I like what they've done with the space. Being a fan of Stronghill, my initial visit was one filled with skepticism. So let me be objective here, the space is quite nice; I like the decor and the new bar location... I mean, someone's got to enjoy the North Boulevard / Scott's Add'n people-watching. The crowd is friendly, but I feel that Fat Dragon is too embryonic to have a defined cadre of regulars. My opinion on the bar staff should be held, as it was a little crowded. Other floor crew seemed pleasant. As for the food, the limited sampling I experienced was good. I've always pined about the lack of (relatively) healthy Chinese fare. Hopefully Fat Dragon can satiate this gap in the RVA dining scene. One issue: VERY limited vegetarian options... maybe these guys read Yelp (hint, hint)?
(4)Josh B.
The guys at Fat Dragon do a terrific job! Richmond really needed a good, local and hip Chinese food bar and Fat Dragon has hit the mark! The managers and bartenders are attentive and really friendly. They have a great tap list and good cocktails. My favorites are the BBQ Fried Rice, Firecracker Shrimp and the Canton Spring Rolls are awesome. Parking is easy - there's plenty of it. I'm looking forward to trying their brunch!
(5)Bz W.
Meal: Dinner on Thursday at ~5.30pm. When we arrived, the bar area was packed, so we opted to sit at a table. We started looking at the beer list and became excited at the list of quality beers that we had heard about. However, we were immediately annoyed when we asked our server about happy hour specials, and were informed that they only applied to the bar area. I know Kona Grill does this as well, but I don't understand the benefit to the restaurant, waiter, or customer. Why have a happy hour and limit it to one section? To me, it puts the value seeking customer in an awkward position, and it was very annoying. We also drank less because of it. End result - minus 1 star. We started with two appetizers - spring rolls and dumplings. The spring rolls were good, as was the dipping sauce they came with. The dumplings were also good. Neither dish was anything special, however. My wife and I decided to split the $19 Tangerine Beef entree. We complemented it with a $4 side of bok choy. Given the price, to me the quality was not there. The beef was very chewy, and although it had decent flavor, it only came with rice and some crunchies. The bok choy was also underwhelming. Oddly, I had one piece that tasted very flavorful and interesting, but the rest just tasted like steamed/sauteed bok choy. The service was good, although I don't think our waiter was very knowledgable about the food or the beer. I will point out that the restaurant set up and ambiance is way better than the previous restaurant that was there. It feels much bigger, more upscale, and the bar is much bigger. I would try this place again, but only during happy hour, at the bar. In fact, we actually DID attempt to try it again the next day (for drinks) but it was closed due to a kitchen fire!
(3)Steve H.
I had driven past Fat Dragon a couple of times and thought nothing of it. I figured it was just another chinese food place in the Scott's Addition area. Then I happened across a story on Richmond.com about new restaurants you should visit before the new year started. It mentioned that it was run by the same team that brought nose-to-tail cuisine to RVA at The Blue Goat. Headed there on a Wednesday on a whim after running an errand in the area. We got there about 6:15 and were seated right away. By the time we left at 7:30 there was a 75-minute wait for a table. This is not your normal Chinese food establishment. Peter Chang's Short Pump temple of awesomeness is still the reining champ of "authentic" Chinese cuisine but the Fat Dragon offers a unique, and tasty, twist on Asian cooking. Relying on the advice of other reviewers, we started with Firecracker Shrimp which surprised me by eschewing the normal "shrimp wrapped in wonton wrapper" and was presented as lightly battered chunks of rock shrimp cooked perfectly with a great sweet and spicy cream sauce. For entrees, we shared the Shrimp and Bacon Lo Mein which was certainly a step above your normal take-out fare but nothing extraordinary. The Fei-Lone Beef, however, made the evening. Beautifully cooked pieces of beef tenderloin were presented in a dark, slightly spicy, and incredibly rich sauce. The beef was joined in this sauce by wonderful sauteed mushrooms and large, roasted green onions. The menu claimed sauteed spinach but I didn't notice any in our dish. And it's fun! A beautiful piece of art dominates the north wall which one of the staff explained to us was actually the negative of a photograph that they had painted over on material only as thick as five sheets of paper and then illuminate from behind. The woman's tattoos are real and not just simply painted on afterwards. They searched far and wide for a model with a chinese dragon on her back and finally discovered one in Brazil. They had a local photographer shoot the picture. A great piece and we were happy to have the story shared with us. Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic food, friendly staff, and a happy tummy. What more to ask for?
(4)Tawheed H.
We stopped here on a whim, both of us were wearing jeans and sweatshirts, may have been slightly under dressed but being in RVA you can always count on someone else being even more under dressed than you. Luckily my $$ is just as good as everyone elses and the hostess sat us immediately. Ambiance is great, the photograph on the wall is mesmerizing and I often found myself staring at it. Service was great, very attentive for a busy Friday night but not overbearing. Manager came by to check on us but at that current moment my dish was not in front of me yet, so kinda ineffective. He did seem perplexed as to why I was only eating my side of mixed veggies while Sara had a plate full of food, but I knew my plate was on the way and wasn't worried. Sara ordered the tangerine beef. I've never been fond of sweet n sour/orange anything in Chinese cuisine but this dish was delicious! Crispy beef and the sauce was just right for Sara. I was confused as to why their was a sliced orange on the plate and not sliced tangerines, but whatever. I ordered the duck (special for the night), a HUGE portion, the duck by itself was good, the sauce accompanied the dish well. Their hot sauce ain't so hot. All dishes come with a side of white rice. We ordered a side of mixed veggies to go with our entrees, as good as a side of veggies can be... Washed it all down with some local beers. Great prices on beer, even better selection. Give them a shot. Not sure if they have take-out.
(5)Lizzie L.
The hubby and I check out Fat Dragon last Friday for dinner and were not disappointed. There was a wait but the bartenders were very attentive to make sure everyone had a drink at all times plus there was a cocktail server too! To start off, we decided to try the Firecracker shrimp. The batter was light and they were more tempura style and the sauce was delicious with a hint of spice...will order again. Not to mention the portion is huge! We had the Chef Zhao's Chicken and Enter The Dragon dished for entrees and they were fabulous. I would have preferred more spice on the Chef Zhao's but it was still tasty with the sweet and tangy sauce. I can't say enough good things about Enter the Dragon...all the seafood was cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing. It was light and garlicky I almost ate the whole dish and didn't even touch my rice. The service was good and atmosphere is very good. We are planning on going back this weekend so yes, I recommend to go. Here is a tip...if you have a party of 6 or more, they take reservations so what are you waiting for? Call up six of your friends and go!
(4)Shelley B.
Hipster vibe, great beer selection. The Mongolian beef was really yummy and I loved the kimchee that accompanied it. Good deals for lunch.
(3)Whitney S.
I really wanted to like this place- but the food is pretty mediocre and it is so loud I couldn't hear my dinner companions speak... Which is kinda the point. Went for a girls night out and ended up leaving promptly after dinner and drinking somewhere else- sensory overload.
(2)Eric S.
I must say the Fat Dragon is an upgrade over the non-descript Stronghill that previously occupied the space. Nice work! First of all the bar area is great with lots of room and a cool bar with chinese coins embeded in it. Good luck getting those out. The ambience of the place was solid and it was hoppin even on a Tuesday nigh. As other reviewers of have pointed out the beer selection is solid (mix of several dozen local and non-local microbrews). Now for the not so good part. The pours were weak! They start off with must be a half pint glass and then only fill it up 2/3's of the way. Not to mention depending on the bar tender the pours seemed to vary by 25%. I don't mind paying a premium for good beer, but I kind of felt ripped off on the beer front. The food was fantastic (like an improved PF Chang's) and seemed a good value particulary when splitting with others. We had the dumplings that were very good and nice and spicy. For the entrees we had the ribs that were off the chain though the Fei-Long beef and Kung Pao shrimp were also solid.
(4)Kevin B.
Good food, good service. Wish they had more variety. The firecracker shrimp is the best there
(4)Lauren K.
Fat Dragon is one of my favorite places in Richmond that I've tried so far. I've been here a few times, mostly for their happy hour deals- $2 off appetizers and drink specials. If you're trying to go for dinner, I'd recommend getting there by 5 or 5:30 because it fills up pretty fast. My favorite appetizer is the Szechuan Pepper Wings- very crispy and not too hot. My favorite dish is probably the beef jalapeño fried rice, but everything I've tried has been great!
(5)Katie B.
I could not agree more with Tony A's review. This is one of my favorite happy hour spots. They have a great local beer selection and bartenders make great fun drinks! I've always had awesome service here as well. I'll be honest and say that Asian cuisine is not my first choice but the food at Fat Dragon is very unique and delicious. I usually like to keep it simple and just get regular vegetable fried rice which was not on the menu but they gladly made for me. The presentation of their food is what sets their Chinese food apart from other restaurants and every dish that comes out always looks amazing! Great service, great food, and fun atmosphere, makes me positive I'll be back to Fat Dragon often.
(5)David G.
A modern twist to Chinese food, the Basil Beef was awesome. Well sized portions no reason to leave hungry. The staff was friendly and very helpful. If ever in RVA one needs to stop here.
(5)Andrea J.
Yum! We love this place! The firecracker shrimp are excellent as well as the spring rolls. I've only had the appetizers and they are all delicious!
(4)Matthew O.
Ok place. The music was too loud and our waiter was a little rude. The chef used too many spices and was liberal with the sauces. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. I would give this restaurant a higher score if the chef toned down the flavors and just kept things more simple.
(3)Timmy T.
It's been over 2 and a half years since my last review and visit and some things have changed and some things haven't. Some of the features that have changed include the following: - The wait time for the food has decreased exponentially. It came out within minutes of placing the order and came out piping hot - The Chefs? Our waiter informed us that the cooks are originally from some providence in China and prepare really authentic "chinese" cuisines. I was really excited about this since I do love more cultural dishes than the Americanized ones - Prices have increased by a few dollars and most of the main dinner menu items are around $15 and increase from there I got the basil beef which were strip steaks in a brown sauce with onions and mushrooms and a side of rice. The beef was really tender and cooked a medium rare but the flavors didn't really separate themselves from lets say another Americanized Chinese restaurants like P.F. Changs. The rice was also not cooked well and very dried out. My friend got their version of General Tso's Chicken and also said that it was just okay and also didn't enjoy their fried rice either. Good service, high prices (for what you get), and lackluster food. If I want authentic Chinese cuisine i'll make sure to go to Full Kee or another establishment.
(2)Scotty C.
This was the first place we saw getting off the highway in the middle of the night on our trip to Richmond. We kept seeing it every day and the reviews were good so we decided to check it out for lunch before we skipped town. What a great choice. The atmosphere was very cool and I could totally see this as a nighttime hot spot. If you're coming in for lunch, arrive hungry. The portion on the lunch boxes is huge. We started with soup, then the box comes with an egg roll, side of kimchi, fried rice (for an upcharge over white), and you're entree choice (also a huge portion). I wanted to order everything on the menu, but after careful deliberation, I decided on one of the lunch boxes (aka bento box). I'm a sucker for bento boxes and can't deny myself one when it's on the menu. I normally go with chicken, but decided to mix it up and get the basil beef. It was great, but I shared some of my friends chicken and it was fantastic... best of both worlds. The wonton soup was one of the best I've ever had and I wanted to take home a bucket of it back to SC... still wishing I did.
(5)Kari O.
Let's start with the apps: Chicken rolls Tempura fried shrimp Entrees: Basil beef Fat dragon tofu: Our service was AWESOME. Great personality, totally owned forgetting to put our apps in (I absolutely respect a server who can own a slip up - plus they were mad busy....seriously, this guy was great!). I found my food (tofu) a little underwhelming and needing salt but my only table side option was soy sauce. I will say I had leftovers yesterday and it was AMAZING the second time around :) the kimchi is also a real treat if you like spicy....you won't be disappointed. Absolutely enjoyed this date night :)
(4)Bbq S.
Great food ! Very trendy ! Small lunch menu ! Bbq pork friend was good ! Beef basil bento box ! Fried fish ! Yum !
(4)Amanda S.
Hands down five stars. I've been here way too many times than I'm willing to admit. I come here with friends, family, coworkers and everyone loves it. Their appetizers, killer. Their main courses, scrumptious. The only downside to this place is the parking, but honestly, you're in a city so it comes with the territory. Favorites: Appetizers: Beer battered mushrooms (SPICY but UH-mazing), calamari (the sauce they use is out of this world), and crispy chicken rolls (not spicy for those who are sensitive) Main course: Basil beef, chef's stir fry ramen, fei lone beef, and golden prawns. They also have a great happy hour special. I got some local craft beers for $2. They have a great selection of beer, wine (on tap!), and mixed drinks. The neighborhood may throw you off a bit, but don't fear, Fat Dragon is a must if you're hankerin' for some Asian cuisine.
(5)Kelli H.
Great ppl food drinks. Great atmosphere and tons of fun. Definitely will go back for more fun.
(5)Lauri T.
My boyfriend and I were going to see a movie at the BowTie across the street so when it came time to figuring out a place to park for dinner, the lightbulb went off in my head. I've been wanting to try Fat Dragon for foreeeevs and this was the perfect night to do it. I really loved the interior. Like, a lot. The big windows are super inviting and the bar is poppin with all types of people. I can dig it. Between the two of us we ordered dumplings as an appetizer, garlic chicken, and bourbon chicken. Neither one of us was too impressed with the dumplings and the sauce was pretty salty... but take that as a grain of salt (pun intended) because I'm sensitive to salty foods. We both liked our entrees, though! You can tell that they take a lot of pride into their food. The presentation was fabulous. We went on a night that a crazy storm was coming and the lights actually flickered a couple of times, but the staff did a great job navigating that little issue. We'll be back! Especially on a day when we're going to the BowTie.
(4)VA W.
Divine love! Some of the best Asian food in Rva. Awesome staff great local beers and appetizers. My favorite are the green beans and the Stone cider has just enough sweet to top you off. This place is also friendly to vegan and vegetarian eaters. Check them out for Happy Hour. Across the street you have Bow tie Cinemas and Buz and Ned's Barbecue. What a great place to be.
(5)Erica M.
Saw an ad for this place at the movies and checked it out. We've been 3 times since then and love it! Great food, great service, great atmosphere! You have to go!
(4)Tony A.
I've been to Fat Dragon three times and have thoroughly enjoyed myself each time. My least favorite trip was lunch. I felt the lunch dish was just OK. On my two most recent visits I stayed for cocktails and appetizers. This was a much more fun and festive experience! The bartenders here certainly know how to mix a drink. One such drink is the Manadarin Samurai (Manadarin blossom vodka, sweet & sour, Chambord on a half sugared rim) yeah I know it's a girly frou-frou drink but your mom likes them and, on occasion, so do I. Life is too short to always drink highballs. This place is great when you want to spoil yourself with a fancy cocktail. It's a lost art and I'm proud that Richmond is bringing this trend back. NetFlix has a nice documentary by director Douglas Tirola titled 'Hey Bartender' which delves deeper into the lost art of cocktails. You should check it out. The appetizers or "starters" or whatever we are calling them are on point. The firecracker shrimp are excellent but the crispy calamari is even BETTER. I think I ate the entire starter by myself. Fat Dragon serves a great selection of local craft beer and I really liked the Devils Backbone Chengdu Weizenbock. I've also had the Strangeways Uberlin Berliner Weiss which was also excellent. I don't think you can really drink a bad craft beer at this place. I mean, you either like it or you don't but's all loaded with flavor. The wait staff is as cool as the other side of the pillow. They make us laugh, are always cheerful, and just all around solid people. The décor is also pretty sweet. It's a little bit of a drive for me (living in Mechanicsville) but it's worth the drive. Any place that can pull me from the comforts of my little suburb is doing something right. Keep up the good work Fat Dragon! At the time of this writing (1/12/15) my lady love informed me that yesterday they put on tap... the legendary, the WORLD CLASS, rated a perfect 100 by the BRO's on beeradvocate.com , the one and only: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. I'm speechless.
(5)Alyson W.
Love this place! Great atmosphere, great service, fantastic food. I've been several times and have always left happy. There's great happy hour specials and a good draft list. The calamari is so good--I always get this. The Fei-Lone Beef is amazing. Most of the entrees I've tried have been great, but I always come back to the beef. Also good: mushrooms, wings--all the starters are delicious, and a great deal at $2 off during happy hour.
(4)David H.
yup, 5 stars here. solid chinese, not your regular just ok stuff. I do have a soft spot for takeout chinese so maybe a little biased, but here it goes.. dragon breath wings. these are general tso flavor wings. delicious, super saucy, garlicky, yum. chef zhaos chicken. this is like a good version of sweet and sour chicken. lightly breaded, big chunks, good sauce. entree didnt come with rice, but rice is $1 and fried rice is $2 so no big there. Also a delicious side of kimchi for $2 is a no brainer. I'll be back
(5)Josh S.
I enjoyed this place a lot. The atmosphere was nice and the waiting staff seemed to handle the flux of customers very well. Our server was named Kabo, very friendly and provided great service. Our drinks came out quickly, a beer (Hardywood Pilsner) and a cocktail (Mai Tai Samurai). The beer didn't have any head on it. Personally, I prefer some head on my beer, it feels flat otherwise (minute detail but I thought it was worth mentioning). The cocktail was delicious, very well made (tasted like a spiked lemonade). Very sweet but had a salted rim to balance it out, would definitely recommend it. Food came out soon after. Fried calamari was delicious. It was served with cilantro and a ponzu sauce (very tasty). We also had the zengshuan chicken wings (I butchered the spelling there). I wasn't too happy about it. It's a dry rub, but the chicken itself was dry. The only thing about our meal I wasn't satisfied with. We did use the ponzu sauce from the calamari and that helped it a lot. Only drawbacks from our experience: parking was inconvenient and the wings were less than stellar. We just had appetizers and drinks, would definitely go back. Great atmosphere. Music was good but not too loud that you would have speak over it.
(4)Charles B.
Fith visit here and it did not dissapoint. Sat at the bar and the service was excellent. Had beer battered mushrooms they were nice and light and dipping sauce will light a fire. The Mrs and i both tried the ramen noodles. I had the wonton with chicken, steak, shrimp. Comes in a bowl with chicken broth and noodles on the bottom. It was great. Will definitely get it again. Nice beer selection and they have wine on tap.
(4)Holly J.
Won ton soup, spring rolls, garlic chicken, and shrimp = A great combo for 2. Soup to feed my cold, garlic chicken to satisfy my soul.
(4)Rich S.
Wow, this places exudes cool, chic and modern. Wonderful bar, spacious and warm dining area. Our server was genuinely friendly and knowledgable about the menu. I had a relatively early dinner here with my mom on a Sunday, so it wasn't busy. They have a nice selection of Virginia craft beers on tap and I settled on a Pumpkin Ale, which I really really enjoyed. As others have said, the menu seems more "Asian fusion" than Chinese, which was fine by me. I went with a Ramen dish that came with shrimp, beef, chicken, wontons, and leeks. Nice hearty portion with plenty of meat. Maybe it's b/c I'm a pho snob, but I needed to add some sriracha sauce as I found it to be on the bland side. Mom opted to get two apps- the hot & sour soup, which apparently was extra hot but fabulous, and the firecracker shrimp (it was pretty good- I tried it- but no real "wow factor)." My friends who eat here all the time tell me I need to get the Mongolian Beef, which I plan to order on my next trip. I also plan to try one of their excellent-sounding cocktails.
(4)Ali S.
I've been wanting to go here for the longest time! I heard they had an alcoholic drink on tap called simply "Sex". On the menu they had a drink called Sex N' Cider which I decided to try. It was SO DANG GOOD! But that might just be because I love hard cider in any fashion! Food! We ordered Calamari as an appetizer and shared Crispy Chicken Rolls and Chef Zhao's Chicken for dinner. The Calamari was really delicious and not super greasy. I would say the rings were bigger than average though, delicious but not delicate like Calamari in most Italian restaurants. The Chicken Rolls were pretty good but they seemed a bit overcooked on the inside. The pairing with Sriracha and julienne cut green apples made up for that though. What an amazing flavor combination in each bite! The General Zhao's was pretty tasty. It was pretty similar to Sesame Chicken but the chicken wasn't grey and spooky like lots of Richmond takeout. The sauce was a little on the gelatinous side but the flavor was great. I'm not sure but I think it was supposed to come with rice? Maybe you had to order that separate. But our waiter was new/ in training so we didn't see much of him and didn't get a chance to ask. I would absolutely go back and try other appetizers that sounded amazing as well as more of their unique cocktails!
(4)Sonia P.
I've returned to Fat Dragon a few times since my last visit and I got nothing but two big thumbs up! Affordable and satisfying food that's sustainably sourced, a hip but laid-back atmosphere, and plenty of feel-good libations including craft cocktails (get the Warm and Fuzzy), beers, and draft wine (including draft bubbly - yes!). I still got mad love for my Sour & Hot Soup and Crispy Calamari - these 2 items alone would be a filling meal. Our group tried the Enter the Dragon (seafood and veggies in a spicy Szechuan Malay sauce) and even though we all have high spice tolerances, HOLY HELL, this is cray-cray spicy and the heat only builds as you keep eating - but it hurts SO GOOD! If you're still not convinced, they also do Happy Hour EVERYDAY from 4:30pm-7:00pm, Date Night Mondays, Growler Tuesdays, and Wine Down Wednesdays (find more details on their website). The Scott's Addition neighborhood is up-and-coming with all these awesome breweries and restaurants - can't wait to see what else is in store for this area of Richmond!
(4)Matt W.
Not from around here obviously but I've always had good luck with the Chinese restaurant. Slightly different take on the usual suspects. Don't let the slightly shady neighborhood scare you away! Great for a meal after a game at the diamond!
(5)Steven B.
This place kicks ass. Great food, awesome beer on tap, fantastic servers, it's just plain awesome. Granted the food and beer is a bit pricey but they do offer a mystery craft on draught for $3 (which is usually just a slow moving craft beer.) For the food, I had a little bit of everything; their Dragon Breath Wings are awesome, not too greasy with a little crunch and the Green Bean Stir Fried was good too. For the main dish I had the China Town Combo which is massive and filling. This is the nice thing about this place even though it's expensive you're really getting two meals because you're definitely coming home with a doggy bag. So if you're in the mood for bomb ass Chinese, good draught selection, awesome staff and a chill atmosphere check this place out.
(4)William N.
Nice and well decorated place. The bar area is nice to join a friend for a meal. Happy hour is a great deal with the drink selection and the appetizers being $2-OFF. We had the spring rolls and the firecracker shrimp to start our meal. Everyone agreed that the spring rolls were a bit greasy. The house made duck sauce and spicy mustard combination was very tasty though. The firecracker shrimp was amazing. The batter was light and coated the shrimp just enough. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the breading was not greasy at all. The spicy dipping sauce was amazing as well. It was everyone's favorite appetizer. The Numb Numb Ramen bowel is outstanding. The broth is spicy but still has flavor. The green onions are a nice touch. I wish the bok choy was more of the leafy part then the bulb like bottom. The beef is sliced think and cooked well. The ramen noodles were cooked perfectly. Portion was large and it was overall a great dish. The Fee Lon Beef was the second entrée we ordered. They asks how we wanted the steak cooked and delivered it perfectly. The beef was seasoned well and was cut lean but not so lean it was dry. The mushrooms are white button mushrooms just halved and were about the same size as the beef chunks. This came with rice in the side. The heat on this dish was about medium to my guest but average to me. This too was a large portion and was liked by all guest. We will be back!
(5)Charter L.
Appetizer: crispy chicken rolls (the ones with the apple slices). Uh-my-god. Soooo delicious!!! Entree: bourbon chicken. Dang. Service is above average. Restrooms clean. Gets busy quickly for dinner, but we got a table for 3 at 5:45 PM on an average Thursday without a wait. Have been here twice now and will return. Slightly expensive but, eh, it's really good food, and I have needed a take-home box both nights.
(5)Dan B.
Ordered their version of General Tso's chicken and it's very good. The portion was large with chunks of white meat chicken, lightly breaded, and served in a tangy-sweet, garlicky, sauce. The dish was somewhat pricy at $15, but the portion size and flavor justifies the cost.
(4)T W.
Sunday dinner with my hubby. Tried the fried mushrooms which were great. Also had the ribs and pot chicken which were just ok. They had a good dejection of local beers. dinner was ok and service wad fast and friendly, but wouldn't frequent this place. Would prefer to hit a traditional Chinese spot with more variety at a cheaper price
(3)Martin B.
Great location with fantastic food and service. Very reasonable for lunch. I had a chicken dish with dipping sauce and crinkle cut French fries. It was almost too much food, but I ate it all. The service was very good and my soda was never empty. I would recommend for lunch and am looking forward to taking the Mrs. for dinner.
(4)Lauren B.
I have never had such exceptional service in RVA as I have at Red Dragon. I can always recommend for anyone to sit at the bar- and this is one of the reasons why I love this place. Not only do they have gluten free options but they also have vegan friendly fare so those with food restrictions can still enjoy their dinner. Our bartender Cabo has completely exceeded my expectations - not only did he go above and beyond (samples before purchasing a bottle, answering any questions we had, lighthearted and comical, and always checking up on us) but he was always accommodating. No wonder every time I drive by, they are always packed! Between the amazing food (we dined on the chicken hot pot - we had leftovers after splitting the meal) but the drinks specials and even the "Scott's addition resident card" (ask about it if you live close), is reason enough to scamper in for a happy hour special! Trust me when I say if you are in Richmond, you need to stop in! It is well worth your time. These people are the best of the best!
(5)Nick C.
I just ate there for the first time tonight. I thought the food was good and the atmosphere was what you would expect from a ramen place. The service wasn't great but still not terrible. I'd definitely go again and try something else on the menu.
(4)Judy R.
How in the world could this be my first time here??? We met another couple at Fat Dragon for dinner last night. We arrived around 5:45pm and only had a 20-25 or so minute wait. It was a Saturday Night and Graduation Weekend...so we felt really lucky. We actually really struggled on what to order...BECAUSE EVERYTHING LOOKED SO GOOD. Eveyr dish we saw come out to another table looked delicious. Really fresh and the smells were amazing. We asked the waiter (Can't remember his name...so sorry) for his two recommendations for appetizers for us to split and he said Chicken Rolls and Green Beans. The sauce the Green Beans were dressed in were to die for. Beans were perfectly cooked with still a bite. I try to make them like this at home and its never the right consistency!! The Crispy Chicken Rolls were okay, hard to compete with the Green Beans. I'm going to try the Calamari next time. Our friends ordered the Fei Long Beef and Bourbon Chicken. Huge portions and just loved the huge mushrooms!!! My husband ordered the Chef's Stir Fry Ramen. It was a humongous portion and he barely made a dent. It was delicious and packed full of different meats and veggies. Many times at restaurants you get a ton of noodles and a few hidden proteins bits etc. Not with this. He had to take over half home. I got the Enter the Dragon entree and it had the largest shrimp, scallop and calamari pieces. The taste of the white sauce it was cooked in was out of this world. The Manager, Pedro A was on point, checking in with us, clearing dishes as soon as we devoured each appetizer/dish. We are definitely coming back, and bringing the children next time because it was super affordable and a loud enough atmosphere that they should not disturb anyone. YOU MUST GO!
(5)Richie W.
Cool vibe and the TV behind the bar has the best picture quality I have ever seen! Good bar which would be good date spot or suitable for evening drinks. Owned by the same person as Foo Dog on Cary St. Food is tasty and the lunch specials are good. My second favorite Chinese restaurant after Peter Changs!
(4)Noodle N.
How in the hell ... how can people five this 3 stars let alone 5?!? I'm going to assume these are the same people that are giving Panda Express 5 stars and saying that Max Top China Number 1 is the best "Chinese" Food that they've ever had because this place is straight gross. Let me preface this by saying that I am Chinese, and not the kind Chinese that puts ice cubes in their cup of tea. So flat out, this isn't Chinese food, just remove "Chinese" from the name of this place and that will at least help to set your expectations lower. Second, if i were to categorize this as American Chinese or even Chinese Fusion (which would be generous), I still wouldn't give this place 3 stars. I've been to Fat Dragons more times than I would care to count because I work in the area and all the "crazy americans" like going here because its in walking distance and I get dragged along. First time here, I tried the General Fish which was so salty that I couldn't even eat it. I think the guy confused his salt and sugar. I had to send it back because it was literally inedible. Next time it came out, it was still super salty. I ate 2 pieces and just gave up. The dumplings or whatever the hell they are calling it, was literally the frozen Shumai that you get at a grocery store... and if it wasn't a pre-made frozen product, then damn. Shame on you for sucking. 2nd time I went, I tried to play it safe and get something that I thought would be pretty hard to mess up for a American Chinese spot and ordered some kind of stir fried ramen concoction that turned out to be overcooked and overly salty lo-mein that was so salty it made my tongue numb and I had to order a bowl of rice just to eat it. 3rd time, on a request of a co-worker, I got the pork fried rice which was literally dark brown from the amount of soy sauce that they dumped on it (FYI people, fried rice shouldn't be dark brown OR Yellow). Same thing, salty as balls and tasting similar. Needless to say, the last couple times I've been there I've ordered water. Even when I ordered Tea it was out a bottle and was processed so that was a lie too. If I could give something a negative rating, I would start there. Stay away. HissssSSssss
(1)Caitlyn M.
The first experience was wonderful here. They have a nice drink menu with a good selection of beers on tap that change frequently. The beer-battered mushrooms were delicious, as was the fried rice I had. Can't remember what I had the second time but I did get sick afterwards. Had the num-num ramen the last time and that was not what I expected - wouldn't recommend that if you do not want your mouth to go numb. Was just an unpleasant sensation.
(3)GregMatt A.
Matty-boh: Fat Dragon! Right outside the heart of the fan on the 1200 block of North Blvd. A low lit semi-social Chinese / Cantonese restaurant and bar beckons you in with its tantalizing happy hour. From 430-7 everyday, you can take $2 off of your appetizers and draft beers. I picked up the infamous Vienna lager from Devils Backbone for only $2 after my discount. For my entree, I got the Chef Zhaos chicken. Crunchy, sweet, and just a tad spicy, this dish had all the right flavors. It was extremely hot coming out, but that just allowed me to stare into Gregs beautiful eyes for a few moments. I was extremely pleased with the service, and we even had a manager come by and ask how everything was. If you're in the mood for a slowly cooked Asian meal with a great and easy going atmosphere, at a great price, Fat Dragon is the place to be. Greg: Going to let Matt start these, I guess, because he's got the literary skills :p I'd have to agree with everything Mateo has to say about this place. The environment was one where you could go with friends or take a date. The service was perfect. Our waitress stopped by just the right number of times to check on us and other servers came through a couple of times making sure to refill our water. Food: Hot&Sour Soup, Dragons Breath wings, and Numb Numb Beef. Matt's parents call him Num Num, so we got a kick out of that. I'm a stickler for Hot and Sour soup and this stuff was delicious. Full of veggies and the perfect amount of spice and flavor. The chicken wings were a little sweet and tasted a lot like General Pso's which Matts chicken also reminded me off. The Numb Numb beef (ramen w/ beef and bok choy in a spicy broth), came out pipping hot so Matt and I chatted a little bit about our beautiful future together while the food cooled. My soup was easily an 8/10 on spiciness once I finally dove into it. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the beef was very savory. The broth had a subtle french onion taste to it. Definitely a soup that'll clear the sinuses. Told the waitress, while not being a bad thing, the soup was super (pun, thanks, be here all week) spicy and she offered to bring me out some sticky rice to cool the burn. Stay tuned for more
(4)H N.
The atmosphere here set the tone for your whole evening. It's a very cool spot with a fusion of traditional and contemporary Asian styles. The food is good. The refried fish dish we had was a bit too breaded for my taste, however the flavor was amazing.
(4)Crystal G.
Don't order the Dragon Wings, they are NOT good. Shrimp appetizer was good, calamari was good but salty. Lot of the food had too much salt. I like the atmosphere. Will come back, just won't order the Dragon Wings.
(4)Andy G.
The food was pretty good. We had an awkward experience but I'm willing to try it again and update my review because I'm not for sure what to put here after my first visit?
(3)Brendan J.
My staple restaurant for Asian food - doesn't look nice from the outside, but you will be pleasantly surprised by the impressive ambiance. The bartenders are my favorite in Richmond - they have excellent beer selection & have come up with a few delicious cocktails that I usually don't enjoy. My family loved it so much that they asked to go back before they left town!
(5)Laura P.
I was really looking forward to the prospect of a new chinese spot--not take-out--in Richmond. This city really needs a stronger asian cuisine presence! A friend and I met there on a Wednesday night for dinner. We got a few different courses...I ordered the Chili Dumplings and the BBQ Pork Fried Rice, she got the Bacon + Shrimp Lo Mein and a side of bok choy. The dumplings were good--spicy and well done. Both of our entrees were good, but nothing to write home about. They pleased but didn't wow my tastebuds...and the bok choy was good, not overcooked, but again, could have had stronger flavor. We then decided to split one of the desserts that they had that night--the chocolate truffle cake. The cake was awesome! Very rich but good for sharing. So, overall, fine experience, but I won't be adding Fat Dragon to my Richmond go-to restaurants. Going to try Peter Chang's for chinese next.
(3)John Paul C.
Delicious Chinese food at a reasonable price. I usually come here for their great Happy Hour specials- $1 off beers and $2 off appetizers. If you have not tried their calamari or fire cracker shrimp, you need to! I most recently went for lunch and for under $10, I got wonton soup, Chef Zhao chicken, white rice and a spring roll. All fresh and very tasty. They give plenty of food, I was able to box mine up and finish it for lunch the following day. This place is like a calculator, you can count on it.
(5)Ashley A.
Went before a movie and had drinks and a few apps. Mondays they are doing buy one get one starters so we got four : fried calamari, chili dumplings, wings and fried mushrooms. Everything was amazing like always! Flavors were great and seasonings perfect. If you are into spicy food, you have to get the dumplings! Our bartender was also great! He was super friendly and not overbearing. Suggested getting the wings with the dry rub - excellent recommendation. Love this place!
(5)Sue D.
I really wanted to like this place after reading everything on here and word of mouth. But I think I may have just ordered the wrong dish. I will start by saying the Hot and Sour Soup was PHENOMENAL. It truly is hot, sour, and chunky with all the good stuff. This will be my go-to for soup. Unfortunately, the Chef's Stir Fry Ramen just fell flat. I had a to-go order of it for dinner, and as soon as I saw the noodles, I was unimpressed. Hardly any chicken or calamari. The taste was the same, flavorless and unimpressive. I had a couple bites and put it in the fridge for leftovers. The next afternoon, I can't describe to you the smell and taste of these noodles. Threw them all away, there's 12 bucks down the drain. I also tried some of my sister's Chintown Combo Ramen, and that too, was just not up to par in terms of flavor. I don't think this place knows how to do noodles. Maybe the "main dishes" are good?... In summary: soup great, noodle dishes awful
(2)Courtney T.
Love the look and the service. Lunch prices are awesome!! I mean like a full meal under $10. I had the Chef Zhao's chicken this time, and it was well sauced and seasoned. Came with soup and rice and spring roll.
(4)Lisa G.
I really like this spot. Beautiful contemporary decor, biker chic staff. Unexpected combo, but cool. It took me so long to come here because I'm not crazy about Chinese, but I eventually did come because a friend raves about it so much. The menu is not traditional Chinese (kind of Chinese "fusion"), which as it turns out is good for me. I ended up ordering the Crispy Chicken Rolls, which are nothing like egg rolls. Again, good for me because I don't like egg rolls. They're really not like spring rolls, either. They're pieces of chicken wrapped in a light tofu wrapper and fried, topped with apple matchsticks and what I think is duck sauce. They are REALLY GOOD! I also got the Chicken and Rice Noodles, which is like Singapore, also close to Filipino pancit, except pancit is not made with curry. This was good, too. Huge portion. It was also good reheated the next day :-) Diverse beer and wine list! Service was flawless. I wish I knew my server's name so I could give him some props, but I don't. He was really great. Checked on me just enough and not too much. Was fast and pleasant. I will definitely be back. Cool spot.
(4)Han V.
I was really excited to check out this place due to all the rave reviews. Even though I loved the bustling atmosphere, the food was majorly lacking. --Chinese Baby Back Ribs-- [$7] I thought that these were okay, but the sauce needed a kick. I asked our waiter for Sriracha but I he didn't know what is was [whaaaatt??]. He did come back with some chili paste which helped the dish. Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Hot and Sour Soup-- [$3] The soup was bland and had an odd consistency to me. It was also super greasy and the oil just coated your tongue. Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Beef Jalapeno Fried Rice-- [$9] Despite being very brown, the rice had no soy sauce flavor and didn't taste like fried rice at all. This dish just made me sad =[ Pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/fat-… --Service-- Our server was alright but unfortunately not good enough to pull the entire experience up. I liked their concept of sustainability and trying to source their food from local vendors. I also liked how they presented their food. I know that you might eat with your eyes first, and the food is presented quite nicely. But in the end, taste determines whether or not I will be coming back. Food: 1.5 Value: 2 Service: 3 Overall: 2
(2)Nia B.
Good place to catch up with friends. It's a small dining areas, but the atmosphere is great. The spring rolls are delicious, I love that they put the spicy mustard in with the duck sauce. It was recommended that I do the tangerine beef, but I switched out the beef for chicken. A plus that they were able to accommodate without issues. Great service and as I'm not much of a beer drinker they have cider on the menu. The shrimp appetizer looks amazing, haven't tried it yet. They also do take out, great since sometimes it's tough to get a table unless you get there early.
(4)Will J.
Great happy hour with a great bartender Kabo. He suggested the Ginger Soda & Vodka which was a great blend of spice ginger and vodka. Thanks Kabo. We did 3 appetizers beer battered mushrooms, canton spring rolls, and crispy calamari all fried to perfection. Enough to consider a meal to share with a friend. Great atmosphere great food great drinks.
(5)Jeff Y.
I came here for a Yelp International Supper Club dinner. First of all, I have to get some things off my chest. I am known to be particularly critical of Chinese restaurants. There was no Chinese anywhere to be found on the menu, and most dishes were geared for individualized orders/portions (or at the very least, the tables were oriented that way, since there were no circular tables in sight). Traditionally, Chinese meals are ALWAYS family style. At this point, I automatically knew not to expect much in terms of authenticity. That said, Fat Dragon ended up surprising me, at least in some aspects. I would describe Fat Dragon as having Chinese fusion cuisine rather than Americanized Chinese food (my greatest enemy). What's the difference you ask? Americanized Chinese food like beef with broccoli and orange chicken poise as "Chinese dishes" and may fool the majority of the American public, but not natives like me. They may be tasty and popular, but they bear little resemblance to what you might actually find in China or Taiwan. On the other hand, I would describe Chinese fusion cuisine as food that does not claim to represent traditional Chinese dishes, but rather presents itself as modern dishes with Chinese influence/flavors. Fat Dragon's portions were also quite generous, and entrees come with white rice. I ordered tea-smoked duck, which was tasty, although not as tender and fatty as I expected duck to be. I also ordered a cup of hot and sour soup, which was super warm temperature-wise (gold star in my book), but was far too sour in my opinion (a little heavy on the black vinegar). Overall, our server was friendly and accommodating, but service was a bit slow, and it took a while to place our order and get our food. I know I'm not the target audience for this restaurant, so I would like to highlight some of Fat Dragon's strengths. The atmosphere is loud, but lively, and the decor is really modern and artistic. There is a particularly striking painting on of the walls of a female lying on her side displaying a dragon tattoo all over her body. There is a noticeable amount of wood in parts of the restaurant. The lights hanging from the ceiling have woks as lampshades, which were pretty unique. The restroom also had an unusual wide wooden box as a sink and a really cool metal faucet that reminded me of a water pump. Overall, the restaurant is very cool-looking (although it bothered me that one of the characters on the wall by the restrooms was wrong; the he2 had an extra horizontal stroke). The bar area was exciting too, and there were some standing tables (waist height tables with no chairs). It looks like Fat Dragon is a pretty popular place in general. Of course, the fact that there is a bar at all also makes this restaurant non-traditional, but again, it's not vying to attract Chinese diners. When it comes to traditional Chinese food, Richmond still hasn't impressed me (aside from Peter Chang, which as good as it is, is really only good relative to what's available as alternatives). However, Fat Dragon's furnishings coupled with decent service won me over enough to earn four stars in my book.
(4)Suz K.
Finally made it here after hearing rave reviews from several of my friends. Was very impressed with both the food & drinks, and especially the service by Kabo. Fantastic value too, as I took advantage of happy hour. But even if it hadn't of been, I still would have gotten my money's worth at full price. Food tried: calamari and the side order of mixed veggies of the day (which probably could have filled me up on their own). I was craving calamari and Fat Dragon's definitely did it justice Drink: Sex Sparkling Brut Rose mixed with Blood Orange Gose, as recommended by Kabo. Was only planning on having one but it was too yummy to pass up getting a second one. Will definitely be back
(4)Casey Q.
One of the things that I've missed the most since moving to RVA is Chinese food. Oh, they have Chinese take-out here in Rivah City. I'm talking Chinese cuisine you actually want to eat *in* the restaurant, rather than slink home with your soy sauce packages and under-spiced hot & sour soup. I've only been to Fat Dragon 1.5 times so far (pre-opening invite-only parties only get half-credit, right?), but the forecast is sunny with a chance of awesome. The Firecracker shrimp are fried to spiced perfection, the fried calamari ditto, and you gotta love a joint with shrimp & bacon lo mein, don't you? Bar service/mixology is prime, with booze expert and TV star Steve McKenna running the show. Oh, and now Steve has NO BEARD! He looks ... too young to work the bar. Well played, sir =)
(4)Nathan H.
Love this place! Great drinks and a great atmosphere. Familiar Chinese dishes taken to a whole new level by using all fresh ingredients, never frozen. I've been several times and they've never let me down on the food, drinks, or service even when they've been slammed busy.
(5)Amanda L.
Hands down best happy hour in town! Can't beat their selections, make sure to arrive early though as they get packed pretty quickly. Cabo and Will are the best bartenders! Make sure to get the chicken rolls & calamari for apps- the soy sauce they pair with the calamari is to die for.
(5)Jessica B.
1 app & 1 entree enough for two people. Decor is pretty awesome with the concrete & wood. Parking can be troublesome, but what can you expect from parking in RVA? Definitely would come back.
(4)Brendan H.
I've been to fat dragon a handful of times, and it never disappoints. We tend to order a few appetizers to share rather than entrees - these three never disappoint: -Spicy Dumplings -Ancient Chinese Secret Pork BBQ Fried Rice -Calamari (I don't know who crafted the dipping sauce, but oh God yes...) Rather than ordering separate cocktails, my girlfriend and I opted for the Hawaiian Luau drink last time, served for two in a huge bowl. Cheaper than order separate cocktails, fun to drink, and pretty strong ;). Great flavors, atmosphere, drinks, and service. What more can you ask for?
(4)Cynthia B.
What sells this place is not so much the food, the hip vibe, the location, or the cool city night-life ambiance, but a waitstaff that is both hip AND friendly. Imagine that in arty Richmond? To Eric - the pro waiter -- I will be back. Thanks for chattting with me while i waited for my friend. My apologies if she was rude and left a small tip. What can I say/? My dish was an interesting approach to Chinese cuisine: chicken with vegetables smothered in cilantro, served in a small pot with a clear lid and a side of white rice.. The first few bites were quite tasty -- savory even as Eric says -- and the cilantro really shined through. After that though, I couldn't quite figure out if I should add some of the soy sauce that is so cutely packaged in a re-purposed old-time Coke bottle or just try to find other pieces of cilantro. I opted for the latter to keep my sodium intake down. This is Chinese afterall! I also kept trying to find those veggies. There was enough chicken meat to feed a family of four in this bowl. There was a variety of veggies in there, but the ratio of vegetable to meat was about 1 to 3 or 4. So, I picked all the mushrooms, broccoli stalks, red and green peppers out that I could discern Sitting there in the dark restaurant, it was hard to see much. The provided eating utensils were confusing. Should I use the over-sized spoon, the chop sticks on the table, or ask for a fork? Waiter Eric read my expression of perplexity and delivered a fork to my table -- "Just in case." he said. I tried the chop sticks first. Eating this way is like riding a bike, you really don't forget how. It comes back to you quickly if you do if you are hungry enough. After a few bites though, I realized what the spoon was for. This concoction is rich and deep in broth, so you want to dump the rice in first and when that's gone, you can continue to eat using the spoon all the way to the soupy bottom. There was entirely too much chicken, so I left that and my friend arrived and to my surprise, finished it off. I'm just glad it didn't go to waste -- I guess.
(4)Jessica B.
I've been going to (or ordering take-out from) Fat Dragon nearly once a week since they opened. I've always enjoyed my dishes. My favorites are the Chicken & Rice Noodle, or the BBQ Pork Fried Rice. My husband loves the Hot & Sour soup, as well as the spring rolls & Firecracker Shrimp. The Green Bean appetizer is delicious. My sister tried the mussel entree and loved it as well. Always friendly service, and great bar!
(5)Will R.
Great food, great happy hour, great restaurant! Happy hour is every day from 430-7 which includes discount apps and drinks. I had the ginger beef subbed with chicken and it was incredible! Also try the spring rolls and firecracker shrimp. Laid back atmosphere and tons of people enjoying the happy hour
(5)S W.
This was one of my favorite places to eat. Although it has been a few months, I've eaten at Fat Dragon more times than I can count. I loved the Chicken and Noodles my husband loved the Mongolian Beef. However we went last night and my noodles were ridiculously dry and blah tasting and the Basil Beef ( formally Mongolian beef bc made with cilantro) was not so great over sauced and "soupy". We hope it was just an off night for them bc I used to love eating there.
(3)Liz J.
I drive up and down Boulevard quite often, but I've never noticed this place until it was pointed out to me. I'm glad I found it! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised when I entered. The restaurant is a large, open space that goes back a lot further than you think. My group of about 10 was comfortably seated in the center of the room. The drink menu is larger than the food menu, but there were plenty of options; chicken, seafood, beef, vegetarian, and even duck! I had General Zhao's chicken - a flavorful dish in an extremely large portion (it went on to feed me for two more meals!) All portions were very large, so I recommending picking a dish or two to share with a group, in addition to a few appetizers or a soup. My only complaint - not nearly enough veggies. My dish only had a few small pieces of peppers, and it would have been much better with more veggies, or just a smaller portion of meat. Be prepared to get your fill of protein! The service was phenomenal - our server was knowledgeable of the menu, and enthusiastic about it. It's always nice to meet an employee who truly enjoys the food at his restaurant. He even split our checks without a problem. It was a great place for a meal, and the atmosphere was suitable for just hanging out and getting a few drinks and an appetizer. It's right across the street from Movieland, so make it into an evening and catch a movie after dinner!
(4)Cindy Ann B.
After enjoying a newly tapped brew at Hardywood Park, our group headed for a well-know BBQ joint nearby. Being Saturday night, the line was long and we were starving, so we looked around and spotted a Chinese restaurant across the street. Why not? Can't lose with Chinese food. Upon opening the door, the aroma that greeted us was amazing. The line wasn't as long, so we ambled towards the packed bar, taking in the cool artwork. We were immediately approached by a smiling staff member with appetizer menus, ready to take our drink order, even though it was very crowded. Soon we had seats at the bar and Beer Battered Mushrooms and Chili Dumplings. At first bite, the Chinese member of our group sighed and said, "They got it right." She went on to explain the temperature of the cooking fire makes all the difference in the taste of the dish. All I know is I didn't want to stop eating. When a table opened up, we got Chef's Stir Fry Ramen, Tangerine Beef and Fat Dragon Tofu, which was plenty to split between 4 people. Everything was heavenly. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Leigha P.
This Was our first time there. They had tasty food and great service. Sat at the bar, the apps were really tasty, the won ton soup was good and the crispy chicken rolls were a great addition, also the chili dumplings which had the same spicy sauce that my entree had were delicious and had a good amount of spice. The spiciness paired great with my beer (I drank duvel Which I was happy to find they had on tap). My entree consisted of beef tenderloin pieces and mushroom with that same spicy sauce. Will definitely be going back again!!
(4)Mimi G.
The food is salty and greasy and not flavored at all. The golden prawns, are nothing but small size shrimp dipped in batter and fried without any seasoning.
(1)Arun M.
The best analogy to describe this place is a really good tasting hipster PF-changs. It's a taste of Asia minus India and the Philippines. They serve a variety of craft beers and interesting cocktails(cocktails aren't served during lunch says my waiter) However unlike PF Changs, the food here is executed very well. It seems like each dish received a good amount of attention to detail. From the soup to the egg roll dipping sauce, everything tasted good. My only wish is that they serve Jasmine rice or short grain rice to give more flavor to the entrées. The service was ok. I noticed the waiter tried to get me excited about the Swai fish they serve. I'll tell you now, it's nothing exciting, it's basically a catfish from Southeast Asia. The texture is like catfish but the taste is more like tilapia. The few things I was disappointed with was the misleading labels, my Thai fish dish tasted more like Chinese, and the Chinese street cart section had ramen noodle dishes. Ramen noodles is a Japanese dish. Also the parking is not that easy, you may have to park far and walk. But for the taste and price for lunch you can't beat it, which is something that will get me coming back for more.
(4)Benjamin W.
Cool place. Would be good for groups as there are a lot of drink / beer options. Lots of craft beer on tap. It was a rather loud. So for a date / conversation night go during the week. My food was average (ribs), but my wife liked hers though. We both agreed that Peter Chang's is much better. But don't let that sway you away as this is great RVA eatery.
(4)Kim G.
This place is amazing! Been twice and both times I have loved the experience. The food and beverage are delicious. Compliments to the chef. The service, excellent. Atmosphere is unique, hip and fun. New favorite place. One tip.....please get more dessert options:)
(5)Navia G.
Fat Dragon is now a part of our dinner rotation, and I'm happy to say they still earn a 5-star rating from me every time. My current favorites are the beef jalapeno fried rice, which I find to be just spicy enough and packed with flavor. No ground beef there either, you're getting tender strips of steak! Also currently in love with: Firecracker shrimp and the Fei-Lone Beef. Service is top-notch, and the atmosphere is unbeatable. This is one of the few restaurants in RVA where I actually want to linger. Might have something to do with their awesome drink selections. Don't forget to check out their cocktails!
(5)Maria D.
Visited with a party of 11 on a Saturday night. We did have reservations and the table was waiting for us (BONUS!). Our waiter was great; helped each of us with drink and food selections. Got a yummy beer, fried mushrooms (I didn't like the dipping sauce) and Mongolian beef which t was incredibly delicious, best I've ever eaten. Everyone seriously loved their food and out two celiac disease friends ate happily. My husband got the spicy dumplings - so yummy with a fiery sauce. My friend got the hot and sour soup and loved it. Last trip I had ancient secret fried rice - delicious as well. We will be back for sure!
(5)Felicia M.
***Delicious Food*** Ok here is the downlow, bomb food, great atmosphere, beautiful artwork. Read on for full review... I was visiting from California for work and wanted to eat a wonderful dinner so obviously , I turned to Yelp! Easy to find but not good parking options. Once i got inside I was told that it would be 30 to an hour. It was more :( my friends and i waited in the bar area and the waitress was super nice. Once it hit an hour 15 the manager kindly came over and paid for an appetizer. We ordered sizzeling shrimp and that alone forgave the wait. We eventually were seated and were so lucky to have PAIGE as our server. She is awesome! She was very attentive and very patient with us since we had about 3 drinks prior to being seated. Drunk we ordered chowmain, hot and sour soup and a seafood dish. OMG! stupidly good! I haven't had this quality of food in a while. The tables are gorgeous, the table ware is simple and sweet and the artwork is awesome! The place is small enough to keep the feel of a gem in the beautiful city of Richmond.
(5)Anna T.
I dig it. Modern Chinese with a dash of hipster. A concoction of P.F. Chang's and a dive bar.
(4)Xida Z.
A Richmond Take on Chinese Restaurants I was very skeptical about this place. Richmond is not known for ethnic food and Chinese cuisine can go very wrong easily. The number one thing I was looking for was authenticity. I recognize that I may not be the demographic that Fat Dragon is targeting, but I see enough merit to come back to try to some of the other dishes. {Walking into the restaurant, my skepticism was confirmed. The bar and chalkboard were copy and pasted from any other bar in the fan, except this one was selling "sex" for $8 apparently. Our waiter was good, though it seemed that the kitchen is rather far away from our table. I tried to get the most Chinese things on the dinner menu: Canton spring rolls, chili dumplings, and Ancient secret barbecue fried pork. My friend wanted beef so we got the tangerine beef. I shook my head.} ~ Both appetizers were small. The Canton spring rolls ($6) were two spring rolls cut into four two inch bites. The chili dumplings ($5) came in a small bowl totaling up to five. The shrimp and pork filling in both is typical though and the chili sauce was right as well. ~ Ancient secret barbecue fried pork (9) came in the shape of an upturned bowl on a large leaf-shaped plate. While the flavor as a whole was right, I found the amount of pork disappointing and the taste rather dull. ~ The tangerine beef lay on a bed of sliced oranges (17). They were chewy enough to make you enjoy the taste. Reminded me of orange chicken from Panda Express, but with better quality beef. + Authentic flavors - Loud interior, small apps = The recipes were true to classical Chinese methods, except for obvious deviations. Chinese food is known for being cheap and Fat Dragon tries to break that mold. You won't find steamed fish here, head and all, but if you want to try real Chinese food in a place where you can get one of ten draft beers and mixed drinks, then this is the place for you. Service and Ambiance 3/5 Food 4/5 Value 3/5
(3)Jael W.
Ordered the fried rice, chicken appetizer and tangerine beef. Most was overcooked and/or tasted a few days old. This restaurant is probably better for people who want to get knackered on watered down liquor, than it is for those who want a well cooked, fresh meal.
(1)Matthew B.
Saturday night. Nothing to do. (This was us a few nights ago) We got a call to join another couple at this new restaurant and I instantly said "Yes!" and said we'd meet them at 6:45. We got to the restaurant, were stunned by the artwork on the wall...it was...mesmerizing to say the least. We were told there was about a 30-45 minutes wait which we were happy to wait. We went to the bar and checked out one of the most impressive beer selections in Richmond. I couldn't even count the number of kegged beer they have. We ordered Sapporo's and began to catch up. Around 7:35ish, we were told our table was ready. We were seated against the wall away from the bar and as packed as the place was, we were still able to hear one another. We ordered another round of drinks and then two starters, the firecracker shrimp (DELISH) and some sort of crispy spring roll that was equally delicious but I wouldn't hesitate ordered the firecracker shrimp EVER. They both came out quickly and we were instantly satisified. For entrees, the table ordered the: Tangerine Beef (good but not my favorite, a bit heavy on the breading), the Black Bean chicken (light and yummy), the Fei-Lone Beef (on of the best dishes I've tried in a very long time) and lastly the Golden Prawns (beautifully presented and delicious too!). While I wouldn't order the tangerine beef for myself again, I would happily take the Fei-Lone Beef any day of the week. The dishes were beautifully presented to us and the amount of food was perfect. While we skipped dessert, we opted for a glass of sex. A sparkling rose from Michigan (I think?) at $8/glass served from a cold keg. The sex was amazing and the dinner wasn't too bad either! Go here, mingle at the bar, order apps to share, and be prepared to have plenty of food with your friends! I can't wait to go back. Take care & savor it up!
(5)Jonah P.
I'm not a fan of "theme" restaurants, so I was pleasantly suprised when I walked away from Fat Dragon having had a solid experience. The wait for a table was too long, but we were able to find a spot at the bar. Despite the crowd, the bartender was very attentive. Let's start off by reviewing the drinks. Not only does the selection of draft beers rival those at Richmond's known beer-snob bars, but at roughly 4-6 dollars FULL PRICE, aka 2-4 dollars during happy hour, they're a steal! Then there's the food. Granted, this is probably not for folks on a diet, but the interesting twists on Asian classics and huge portions make for a unique eating experience. And, as everyone else notes, get the wings. You won't regret it.
(4)Ashley R.
I've been to Fat Dragon 4 times in the last 4 months, and every experience has been different. The firecracker shrimp has always been the thing to bring me back. The atmosphere has been different each of the 4 times. I came the first time during shamrock the block, after already having WAYY too many drinks, luckily so had everyone else there. I don't remember anything but the firecracker shrimp, which prompted my return for happy hour. I ordered the sex, which I didn't love, but it was recommended by a coworker, who didn't inform me it was a beer and champagne drink (which I don't care for either), I decided to get the drink (I can't remember the name), that's listed on the menu for 2 people. It came out flaming, and was absolutely delicious, and you definitely walk away with a buzz. The manager (I'm assuming he's a manager), is pretty awkward, he told us about two people having sex on the side of the building after drinking that drink, then insinuated that me (female) and my female coworker might have sex afterwards. I'm not usually easily offended, but that rubbed me the wrong way. The waiter was nice, just awkward. The next time I went was with my boyfriend for dinner. We were seated in the back dark corner, when there were seats available in the front, I don't know if they assumed we wanted the privacy or just didn't want us in the front, either way I would've liked the option. We ordered the drink (for 2 people) again, and I enjoyed it still, but he said it didn't have any alcohol (I think it was just masked really well, like most drinks good drinks for females). I ordered the bacon and shrimp lo mien, and he ordered the salt and pepper chicken, and we ordered the firecracker shrimp as an appetizer. The shrimp was good, as always, but this time the sauce on the side wasn't as good, it was like the mixture was off. I didn't love the bacon and shrimp lo mien, and I LOVE lo mien. The flavor was weird, there was too much of some seasoning (ginger? garlic?, not sure), and the noodles seemed overcooked. I didn't like his salt and pepper chicken either (same issue with the ginger or garlic or whatever), he enjoyed it. Our waitress this time, was pretty bad, she had a bad attitude like she didn't want to be there, and got an attitude when she was asked a question or something wasn't clear. She wasn't very attentive, and didn't seem to get upbeat until we were leaving. She's the dark haired girl with freckles and two braids, she's had the same look every time I've been in there. The manager came to check on us (same creeper from before), and remembered me from my previous visit, even where I sat, which I was impressed by, he was personable and friendly. The last time I went with a friend, and it was the end of happy hour, so there was a bit of a wait for a table, the place was crowded with young professionals who came straight from work, who made us feel out of place, despite being young professionals as well, who happened to go home and change first, I digress. You could hardly move, and there was very little room to stand, especially with the long table in between the bar and the walk way to the bathroom (really poor placement). We eventually had someone take our drink orders from the bar. I get it, it was the end of happy hour, things were crazy. The hostess was able to find us amongst the craziness and told us our table was ready whenever we were, and I went and took a seat while my friend paid for the drinks. He ordered a chicken dish, which was pretty good, and I ordered my favorite firecracker shrimp, and a side of fried rice. The fried rice was THE best fried rice I've ever eaten, and next time I'll get double. Our waiter was a tall young man, who was really friendly, he did leave us for 10 minutes before bringing our check, and then another 10 before picking it up, and then another 5-10 before bringing our cards back. I'll definitely go back to fat dragon, and probably test my luck at something else on the menu, but preferably when it's not so crowded... This is not your typical chinese restaurant, which is a good thing, unless you want your typical Amercanized-chinese take out, then you've chosen the wrong place.
(3)K W.
I love this place! Great food, drinks and service. I have been several times for business and happy hour and each time service was great. The bartenders are attentive and the food is always a good temperature. This place is good for girls night out, date night or special occasion dinner.
(5)Dominic B.
I went to Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen after the Redskins training camp for dinner. We were kindly greeted and immediately seated by the hostess. The restaurant was laid back later in the evening on a Monday. I ordered the spring rolls for starters. The spring rolls were delicious. The sauce on top complimented the crispy rolls very well. I could have eaten the spring rolls all night. It was hard deciding on an entree, so we split the tangerine beef and Kung Pao Shrimp.The tangerine beef was good. I thought the citrus flavor was a bit strong in the dish. The Kung Pao Shrimp had a nice spice to the dish which I liked. There was a lot of celery in the dish (overpowering in my opinion but I picked out the celery). All of the main dinner entrees at Fat Dragon come with white rice. It's an uncharged for fried rice. Fat Dragon has a diverse wine and beer list for customers. The ambience was really nice. I appreciated the clean bathrooms (modern). Our waiter service was average. The employees were friendly. Parking is hit or miss depending on the day and time. I give Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar a 3.5 rating.
(3)Claiborne C.
Not that impressed. No brown rice option. Food was very heavy. Maybe I don't eat Chinese food enough but I was not impressed. Service and atmosphere was good,
(2)Sam M.
Nice decor, very friendly staff and good drinks!! i ordered cucumber drink and it was great. Food is more of a "fusion" , it is good but not exactly chinese, the smell, the taste and even the presentation is more american, still we were happy with our orders, in its own way it tasted really good :)
(4)Marissa M.
I went here for lunch and I was hungover and STARVING. The staff is very friendly and helpful, prompt and accommodating. I ordered the kung pao shrimp it was sweet and a bit lacking. Looked great though with all the chills in it. My dining partner ordered the beef and basil- which was sooooo good. The hot and sour soup was really good, nourishing and spicy, and yes there is a layer of shiny oil on top, as tradition dictates. Great soup, best part of the meal. I was not overly impressed with the food but I think I may have been out ordered with how good my lunch dates beef was. I also make a strict rule of not eating anything but chicken and fish outside of home, but the smell was so good I had to try it, mmmm beef and basil. I will try it again. The decor is nice and modernly creative. they do the industrial meets forest pretty well.
(3)Christina D.
Everything about this place is great. We came for a late dinner on Sunday night and it wasn't too crowded. The server was funny and excellent. As for the food, definitely get the firecracker shrimp appetizer. They're amazing and I swear they gave us about 25 shrimp. I had the shrimp and bacon lo mein and the person I was with had the garlic chicken and broccoli. Both were absolutely delicious. We had a ton leftover and were able to have it for dinner the next night too. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Jamie D.
The decor is amazing. Just amazing. Whoever did the interior design of this restaurant is uber talented and I would absolutely love to have them decorate my house. It is a far cry from Stronghill, and I'm a fan. The bathrooms have chevron painted walls and wooden sinks (maybe bamboo... can't remember now, but they are cool), and the alcove room to the back right has striped walls - so totally hip. So I have a confession to make: I'm not a huge fan of Chinese food. My family ate Chinese so much when I was growing up that I think I just exhausted my craving for the cuisine. But I knew this place had more of a Chinese fusion type menu, and I'd heard such rave reviews, so I just had to try it. Luckily, I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely be back! I went with a special of the evening, which consisted of three of the largest shrimp I have ever seen served over rice noodles with ginger and cilantro. Seriously, these shrimp were ginormous. They were wok fried with the heads and shell still on, similar to a soft shell crab. This was a new shrimp experience for me, and I liked that I could easily peel off the shell to avoid the fried aspect of the dish. I didn't want anything too heavy, so I appreciated that our server didn't lead me astray when describing the dish to me. On that note, our server handled our large table like a pro and I found him very personable. Always a plus! I look forward to going at lunchtime for the ginger noodle salad!
(4)Jesse M.
The restaurant is overrated, and disappointing. The atmosphere can be overbearing as the music is loud, and staff quality could improve dramatically. I feel they worry to much on closing, then they do about their customers. The general tso chicken was really sweet to the point where i was eating a bag of sugar. Would not go again.
(1)Trevor D.
Great happy hour ($2 off a large selection of Virginia craft brews and their tasty appetizers) and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Awesome rotating beer list featuring a lot of Richmond and Central Virginia breweries. The rice bowls are really great! Gets a little noisy towards the end of happy hour, but that can be expected in a place as busy and open as they are. Highly recommended.
(5)Paul S.
Really good food. Our table shared a few dishes, and there was plenty to go around without everyone having to order their own entrée. Everything was hot, fresh, and not overly seasoned or breaded like cheap Chinese food. Decent beer selection. Moderately priced. Would definitely recommend.
(4)Joe T.
Richmond needed you badly Fat Dragon. I love asian food, I love spicy food, and I love beer. I got it all here in a really cool atmosphere with exceptional service. The GF and I shared dumplings, which were a little spicy and a little bigger than most. I had the Dragon Beef which came with enormous hunks of spicy meat mixed with mushroom and spinach. The portions were big and I felt like I got my $17 worth. Washed it down with a Hardywood Pumpkin and a O'Connor Red Nun. Great list of local and national microbrews on tap, and my GF's adult Arnold Palmer was top notch. I'll be back.
(5)Faith A.
The food was amazing!! I have found my new favorite restaurant in Richmond! I went with my boyfriend for a late night meal. Arrived at 930 and even though they stop serving at 10, they were not pushy or rude in the slightest bit. Chase was our server and he is one of the best servers I have ever had! He did everything right and right on time. I will make sure to ask for him when I go from now on. I have not stopped talking about this place for the past few days since I have been and I have and will continue to recommend this place.
(5)Beth A.
Service is fantastic and the Black Bean Chicken Hot Pot has made my list of 5 best things I've ever eaten in Richmond. Truly a party in your mouth !!! Prices are also very reasonable given the extremely generous portions.
(5)Elijah C.
I had Garlic Chicken here tonight... the chicken and rice were cooked to perfection, but the sauce left a little to be desired. I did not taste much garlic. In fact, no garlic. It was an easily forgettable meal, which is unfortunate. It seems like a pretty cool place.
(3)Nina H.
Didn't care for the food here at all and I really wanted to like it! I've heard great things and I love this type of restaurant usually...very disappointing!
(1)Samira C.
The wings needed more seasoning...they looked seasoned but didn't taste very good. The dinner dishes were much better
(3)