Five Chinese Restaurants To Try in Chinatown This Weekend

The phrase “Chinese restaurants in Chinatown” might seem a bit redundant in most cities, but in Las Vegas, a wide range of Asian cuisines flock to this culinary hub. From banh mi and boba tea for lunch to Thai tapas for dinner and pho at midnight, diners can send their taste buds on a tour of Asia without ever leaving the area around Spring Mountain Road.

And while it’s easy to get caught up in trying every Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Thai restaurant in the Strip-adjacent neighborhood, some occasions call for Chinese. Fortunately, Chinatown contains a wealth of Chinese options. Here are five that are worthy of any weekend agenda.

Yelp

Szechuan spiciness

For out-of-this-world spiciness, Chengdu Taste knows how to bring the heat. Tucked into a strip mall (as many great things in Chinatown are), this California-born restaurant packs serious fire into contemporary variations of traditional Chinese dishes such as toothpick lamb with cumin and pan-fried pork with chili pepper sauce. Patrons won’t find any greasy, American-style Chinese food here; just an extensive menu featuring some of the spiciest food in Las Vegas.

Chengdu Taste, 3950 Schiff Drive, 702-437-7888

Facebook

Chinese hot pot action

Las Vegas has its share of one-of-a-kind experiences, and Chubby Cattle falls into that category. The restaurant that opened last summer became the first in the world to offer refrigerated conveyer belt hot pot meals, a hands-on dining experience that allows diners to choose from a variety of broths, such as the spicy Heaven and Hell and the savory assorted mushroom and add ingredients such as lamb, shrimp and Hoisin sauce to customize a family-style meal. Ingredients rotate by the season to ensure freshness year-round.

Chubby Cattle, 3400 S. Jones Blvd., 702-868-8808

Yelp

Family-style traditional Chinese fare

Executive chef Yau Kai-Wa brings more than 40 years of Chinese cooking to the kitchen of Joyful House. The result? A menu that lovers of classic and modern Chinese food will both enjoy. Joyful House’s family dinner allows everyone to enjoy dishes such as curry puffs, wonton noodle soup, cashew nut chicken and creamy, savory crispy lemon chicken.

Joyful House, 4601 Spring Mountain Road, 702-889-8881

Yelp

Cantonese barbecue heaven

Asian BBQ & Noodles serves Cantonese barbecue — roasted pork, duck and chicken slow-cooked with flavors like soy, hoisin and honey — and specialties such as duck and shrimp dumpling soup and bean curd with chicken porridge. The small, no-frills restaurant lets the labor-intensive food do all the work, and the result is fresh, tender cuts of meat and flavorful soups.

Asian BBQ & Noodles, 3400 S. Jones Blvd., 702-202-3636

Yelp

Dim sum dreams come true

For simple, straightforward Chinese food and some truly memorable dim sum, China Mama never fails to make an impression. The restaurant’s signature dish, juicy pork buns, come steamed and stuffed with pork and broth. Other dim sum specialties include red bean buns and fried chive buns, but Americanized dishes such as orange chicken and and sesame chicken are available as well.

China Mama, 3420 S. Jones Blvd., 702-873-1977

• Explore The Neighborhoods of Las Vegas at These Great Restaurants [ELV]