America’s Most Delicious Chinese Food Chains, Ranked

Whether you want fried rice, wontons or General Tso's chicken, these Chinese food chains will fulfill your cravings.

Authentic Chinese food is hard to come by in the U.S., but Americanized Chinese food is as ubiquitous as burgers — and just as satisfying.

If you need to fulfill a craving for this cuisine, you’ll likely find a place easily. But not every place is equal. Whether you want a mean General Tso’s chicken or the perfect fried rice, head to these top 10 Chinese food chain restaurants in the U.S., ranked by deliciousness.

10. Mark Pi’s

Alexa P. / Yelp

Korean-born of Chinese descent, Mark Pi is an impressive entrepreneur that once held the Guinness World Record for being the fastest person to make noodles by hand. This alone recommends all of his restaurants, which are under the parent company, Asian Concepts.

You can’t go wrong with Mark Pi’s. The lo mein is a fan-favorite, but you’ll also find more American and Western influences in dishes like the kale salad and the vegetarian lasagna.

9. ManchuWOK

ManchuWOK / Sherwin C. / Yelp

This Canadian chain restaurant won the hearts of North America, expanding to major cities in the U.S. You can find it in mall food courts, airports and strip malls whenever you’re in the mood for something fast and easy that tastes good.

The restaurant especially appeals to chicken lovers, as there are many iterations, including lemon chicken, curry chicken and Hunan chicken. Of course, you can also get beef and pork, accompanied by noodles, rice, vegetables or seafood.

8. Chinese Gourmet Express

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Chinese Gourmet Express showcases a little bit from various regions of China, which means you can take a grand culinary tour every time you visit. And the best part is that it won’t set you back too much, with plenty of options for under $10.

This chain is mostly found in strip malls around the country, so you can get sweet and sour chicken, chow mein and fried wontons in between shopping.

7. Mama Fu’s

Mama Fu’s / Rachelle F. / Yelp

Chinese-Southern fusion is everything we didn’t know we needed. Thankfully, Mama Fu’s showed us exactly what we were missing. Though you can get Asian-inspired dishes like wok and pad Thai, you’ll also get mouthwatering gems like the jalapeno brisket fried rice — a match made in heaven.

We recommend this dish above all others, but the menu has enough items to satisfy any craving. You can even order mac-and-cheese as a side for your fried rice.

6. Leeann Chin

Victor F. / Yelp

When Leeann Chinn arrived in the Midwest in the 1950s, Chinese food was rarely known in the region. Thirty years after migrating from China, she opened her first restaurant, helping to popularize the cuisine in the area.

The menu includes Chinese, American-Chinese and pan-Asian dishes. You’ll find everything from sesame chicken to Thai coconut curry. And if you’re having a hard time choosing, you can always get a combination plate.

5. Mr. Chow

Devon S. / Yelp

Mr. Chow stands out from the rest of the other Chinese chains by being extremely upscale. When it first opened in the late ’60s in London, England, it was frequented by the Beatles and other members of the rich and famous.

Its subsequent American locations — in New York, Beverly Hills, Miami, Malibu and Las Vegas — boast a similar tier of clientele. If the chain didn’t rank higher, it’s because it’s inaccessible to everyday people. But in terms of the best Pekin duck stateside, it’ll be hard for you to find a better restaurant.

4. Pei Wei Asian Kitchen

Pei Wei Asian Kitchen / Johnny S. / Yelp

From the minds that brought us P.F. Chang’s (which is sure to make an appearance later on), comes the fast casual Pei Wei Asian Kitchen. It is now owned by Leeann Chin.

This Chinese-American chain hits the sweet spot between affordability and good quality. Like Leeann Chin (the restaurant), Pei Wei offers pan-Asian dishes, including curries, pad Thais and poke bowls. Of course, you’ll also be able to get things like kung pao shrimp and beef and broccoli rice. But if we had to recommend one thing, it would be the Pei Wei original shrimp.

3. Panda Express

Crystal C. / Yelp

Panda Express isn’t the fanciest Chinese-American chain, but it does something almost no fast-food restaurant manages to do: serves delicious food.

This is the home of the original orange chicken, a dish many other chains have tried to copy but that none can match. Without a doubt, this is what you should get the first time you come here (and, in our humble opinion, every time), but dishes like the honey walnut shrimp also deliver on flavor. Get a plate to try two entrees and one side.

2. P.F. Chang’s

Nathan H. / Yelp

Open since 1993, P.F. Chang’s is the king of mid-tier Chinese food chains. The sit-down restaurant impresses customers with its extensive menu, which serves everything from sushi to dim sum to wagyu steak and Mongolian beef.

You can’t go wrong with any item on the menu, so we recommend coming back again and again to try as much as you can. That said, you absolutely have to get the Great Wall of chocolate, an obscene dessert that consists of six layers of chocolate cake.

1. Din Tai Fung

Yunny H. / Yelp

Founded in Taiwan in 1972, Din Tai Fung makes it to the top of the list for its authenticity. This is as close as you’ll get to “real” Chinese food at a U.S. chain restaurant. Though it’s pricier than other places on this list, the experience is worth it since the dishes are beautifully presented.

Don’t leave without ordering baos, which are hand-folded, stuffed with high-quality ingredients and steamed to perfection.

For more delicious Chinese fare, check out “Best Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.”