Chef Yan 川府人家 — Restaurant in Fairfax

Speaking of CHEFYAN restaurant, I have a deep connection with it. Ever since I first discovered it about 19 years ago, I was incredibly excited. That's because the Chinese food here is authentically delicious and genuine. Especially noteworthy is how, despite having several different owners over the years, it has consistently remained unforgettable for its authentic Sichuan cuisine.

Particularly last year, in 2024, the restaurant underwent a comprehensive upgrade, and the new interior decor is completely refreshed. Adding to this, the owner is also the head chef in the kitchen. The Sichuan dishes have been elevated with exciting new additions, thoughtfully adapting to the seasons by introducing 4 to 5 different seasonal specials each time, which are always a delightful surprise. The flavors remain deeply satisfying, true to authentic Chinese cuisine.

Special praise goes to Ms. Elena, the restaurant manager, for her meticulous introductions to customers, professional recommendations, and careful communication with the kitchen chefs – all dedicated to perfectly meeting every unique customer request. (Because every time I order, I have specific requests for spice levels and often other unique needs). I am truly grateful to have encountered such an excellent restaurant Chef Yan and the manager, conscientious servers, and such highly skilled, top-tier chefs who bring authentic Chinese cuisine to our area.

Our whole family loves this restaurant dearly and we want to share it with our friends. We also sincerely wish for this restaurant to expand the influence of Chinese cuisine in the capital region, promoting the culture of Chinese culinary arts and hopefully opening more...

The food was okay, but the service wasn’t. I understand that they have shortages of staff, and they are usually pretty busy on Friday. However, having an unorganized waiting list is very unprofessional and unacceptable. There are plenty of options for those used in the market, so why not adopt one of them? Here’s what happened. I went in and waited to be seated while a lady was looking at the menu for takeout. The guy at the front saw me and asked me to wait so that he could check the tables (the restaurant was pretty full at that time). Then that lady decided to order her food. My boyfriend and I waited and another group of 2 came in and waited behind. Meanwhile, there's a table ready to be seated. After taking that order, the guy asked the group behind for their information to put them on the waiting list. Another group came in and he got their info too. I thought I would be the next to be served but no! There was another group came and they got seated while I was being blocked. (I thought they had a reservation so didn't get mad at that time). The waitress saw me and told me I would be the next one. (the guy was taking a phone call) We waited a while and more and more people came in. The entrance was chaos! When the guy was finally done, and there were three tables cleaned up. The group of 2 earlier came in, and was seated before we do! We were pretty confused and I told he that we were here way before they did. The guy was like “Oh really? I don't think so”. But the waitress remembered me well and led me to the table. I have been in the States for years and have never been so upset with a Chinese restaurant. Plz utilize one of those management systems if you cannot...

I would not recommend dining here. Last night my husband and I had dinner at Chef Yan. Toward the end of our meal, I noticed a white residue on the inside wall of my hot water cup. It was sticky, had a certain thickness, and could be scraped off easily. Since I am 8 months pregnant and cautious about hygiene, I called the waitress over to find out what it was. The waitress took the cup away and returned, saying it had been washed and that the chef and dishwasher claimed it was oil. However, I pointed out that it didn’t have the texture, smell, or appearance of oil. My husband and I spent about an hour there trying to figure out what it was; most of the time, they just left us alone and kept us waiting. The manager refused to come because it was late but called to say she understood my concern and asked me to go home and contact her if I experienced any issues. Meanwhile, the waitress was very rude, impatient, and even aggressive, asking if I planned to file a lawsuit or what I wanted to do. On top of this, two of the dishes we ordered had an odd oil smell. The next day, both my husband and I experienced diarrhea. After sharing this experience on rednote in Chinese, within an hour, six other people commented, saying they had encountered dirty tableware or experienced stomach issues, including diarrhea or gastroenteritis, after dining at...