Tasty China (Marietta) — Restaurant in Vinings

Not Tasty and Not China. The new locations is easy to get in and out of and a nice clean space but lacks any atmosphere and feels unfinished with all hard surfaces and strange lighting, the bar feels too small and it is unclear where you should go to place or pick up a to go order. TC is not my normal Chinese restaurant but I figured as a new location it would never be cleaner so why not see how it was as it is a little closer to my house, not let me be clear when it comes to Chinese I am basic, it's always General Tsaos for me so take my review with that in mind. First, when greeted I was confused because I couldn't tell if the person meeting me was wait staff or something else all the way up till when she asked for my order it was unclear, she brought water but never presented a drink menu or asked if I wanted anything else to drink. I ordered my general Tsaos and when it came out I was immediately worried just by the look of it. The chicken chunks were clearly commercial in that all the pieces were very large, like medium rock sized, and uniform in shape and breading, clearly commercial. I was concerned that such large pieces of breaded chicken would be fully cooked throughout or of decent quality given their nature. The 10 or so pieces were served in a thin brownish sauce with a few hints of Thai chili and scallions. The chicken itself was hot throughout and fully cooked but had to be cut into two or more pieces to even be able to be eaten and had a rubbery texture due to its size I think and a little uneven cooking, the breading was crisp but absolutely flavorless itself. The sauce was way too sweet with no heat to be found, it had a strong taste of honey based sweetness that became overpowering after the first few pieces. As the sauce was so sweet I went to the salt shaker for some seasoning for my rice but the shaker was sticky so kinda gross. Overall for 15.00 the food was edible but not good enough to want to take any leftovers home, and I had some, and I will not be back as my normal Chinese restaurant is much better. One more thing when the check came I was asked to pay on a tablet the server held and I had to select a tip amount while the server looked over me watching my selection, definitely not comfortable or...

As a regular patron of the Ponce City location of this restaurant, I have always appreciated their impeccable selection of wines. I’ve been in the United States for four years and in Atlanta for two. Before meeting Jia, I almost exclusively enjoyed wine at home. However, Jia's is one of the few restaurants where I fully trust them to choose both my wine and food. Especially the manager, Jack—he makes me feel like he spends every day soaking in a wine barrel. He never fails to surprise me.

I live in Sandy Springs, and I once complained to Jack about the long drive and the annoying parking fees. He recommended this location to me, which excited me greatly. However, my next three dining experiences here left me very disappointed.

The first time, I dined on the second floor. A petite blonde girl assisted me, and when I asked for a red wine recommendation, she didn’t know much but did help me to some extent. Though the experience wasn’t remarkable, she did what she could.

The second time, I dined on the first floor. I sat at the table for nearly 15 minutes without anyone attending to me. I noticed an Asian lady sitting at the bar, speaking to the servers. I assumed she was in charge and tried to get her attention, but she didn’t notice me. Perhaps my bad luck was that she had her back turned to me. By the time a server finally came to assist, my patience had worn thin, and I didn’t order any wine.

The third time, again on the first floor, they didn’t provide me with the wine list I wanted. I saw the same Asian lady from before, and I politely asked her if she could give me the wine list. She pointed to the cocktail menu on the table and said, “It’s right there.” I then noticed the wine I wanted on the wall behind the bar and tried to communicate that I wanted that bottle. However, she almost rudely told me, “That bottle isn’t for sale!” I completely lost patience with this place and left.

It’s ridiculous that the Ponce City location, which is just a regular neighborhood Chinese restaurant, provides a perfect dining experience, while this location, with its upscale decor, offers disappointing service and attitude. I’d rather drive 30 minutes and pay for parking than...

Updated review (4.5/5): We’ve since returned and made some specific requests about how we like the food—super spicy and numbing—and we’re happy to say that many of our favorite dishes are now back to their original, well-loved flavors! The Shan City chicken pieces are still a bit large (so the flavor isn't really soaked in), but the flavor has improved so much. Thank you to the restaurant owners for listening to our feedback—we are so glad we can find good food again at the restaurant we loved!

Original review (3/5): My husband and I have been loyal fans of Tasty China since long before the newest location even opened. We believed in the restaurant so much that we invested thousands of dollars to help bring the new spot to life — and proudly earned VIP status.

That’s why it breaks our hearts to say we’re becoming increasingly disappointed with the food quality. One of our absolute favorites has always been the Shan City Chicken. It used to be incredibly flavorful — numbingly spicy in the best way. Even I, someone who didn’t originally enjoy spicy food, came to crave that bold, authentic kick. We came for the spice.

But lately, that signature dish has lost its soul. The chicken pieces are now larger, which waters down the flavor, and worst of all — there’s virtually no spice. No heat. No numbing sensation. Just blandness. It feels like the dish has been altered to cater to guests unfamiliar with Sichuan cuisine, but in doing so, it’s lost the very essence that made it so special.

To make matters worse, when the new location first opened, the service was chaotic and frustrating — not at all what we were used to. That said, we’ve noticed a big improvement recently, and we truly appreciate the effort being made to turn that around.

Still, as long-time supporters and financial backers, it’s incredibly disheartening to even question whether we should keep coming back. We urge you to consider offering customizable spice levels so guests can choose their heat preference — instead of diluting the flavors across the board.

We want to keep rooting for Tasty China. Please bring back the bold, unapologetic flavors that made us fall in love with this place...