🍽️ Astoria DC Review — Is This Really DC's "Best Chinese Food"?

After all the hype on social media, we finally tried Astoria DC. The verdict? Overrated — their cocktail game is stronger than their wok skills. 🌶️ Dish-by-Dish Breakdown 1️⃣ Chili Chicken ❌ Loaded with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, but the chicken itself tasted bland and salty—the spices didn't soak in at all. ⭕ One plus: the chicken was tender and clearly cooked in a traditional Chinese style. 2️⃣ Dongpo Pork ✅ The standout dish — and it was complimentary because our food took 40+ minutes to arrive. 🍖 Sweet, savory, melt-in-your-mouth tender. Actually went well with rice. 3️⃣ Cumin Lamb ❌ Expected thin slices, got tough, chewy chunks instead. Cumin flavor was barely there. 4️⃣ Stir-Fried Pea Shoots ❌ Tough, fibrous, and oddly bitter — maybe off-season produce? Not enjoyable if you dislike bitter greens. 5️⃣ Shredded Potato Stir-Fry ❌ Dry-fried with no tang or depth — just salty and spicy. Texture was soft, not crispy. Honestly, my home-cooked version tastes better. 🍸 The Real Highlight: Cocktails Creative, balanced, and well-crafted — everyone at the table agreed the drinks were great. But we came for the food... 💎 Where to Go Instead • Shanghai Lounge: Not amazing, but at least it’s affordable. • Our Current Favorite: Hunan Dynasty — consistently flavorful, authentic, and worth revisiting. 📌 Final Take Social media hype ≠ great food. If you want a nice bar with decent drinks, maybe. If you’re craving real Chinese flavors — skip this one. #DCChineseFood #AstoriaDC #OverratedRestaurants #WashingtonDCFood #HonestReview #FoodieFail