The Pearl Chinese and Thai — Restaurant in Johns Creek

A Spicy, Savory Adventure at Pearl Chinese and Thai: Our Lunchtime Love Affair! Hey foodies, grab your chopsticks and buckle up for a flavor-packed ride! For today’s lunch, we swung by our absolute favorite local gem, Pearl Chinese and Thai, for a feast that left us grinning from ear to ear (and maybe a little spicy sweat on our brows). If you’re craving a taste of authentic Sichuan Chinese cuisine with a side of quirky charm, this spot is your ticket to foodie heaven. Let’s dive into the delicious details! A Tale of Two Menus: The Name Game Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room: the name Pearl Chinese and Thai is a bit of a culinary curveball. You’d think it’s a fusion joint, right? Wrong! They’ve got two menus that might as well be from different planets. The English menu has a few but not much Thai classics—think pad thai and green curry. But the real magic happens on the Chinese menu, bursting with authentic dishes that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance. Problem is, it’s written entirely in Chinese. So, pro tip: either brush up on your Chinese or bring a Chinese friend to unlock the full feast potential. Trust me, it’s worth it! The Vibe: A Packed House of Happy Diners Walking into Pearl feels like stumbling into a bustling food market in China. The place was almost packed to the brim, with every table filled with Chinese diners chatting, laughing, and slurping up bowls of goodness. That’s how you know it’s legit—when the locals are piling in, you’re in for something special. The atmosphere is lively, the energy is infectious, and the aroma? Oh, it’s a siren call of spice, garlic, and pure yum. The Food: A Trio of Tasty Triumphs We went all-in and ordered three dishes that had us swooning: 小雞炖磨菇 (stewed chicken with mushrooms), 蟹黃豆腐 (crab roe tofu), and the show-stopping 水煮牛肉 (boiled beef in spicy broth). Spoiler alert: every bite was a flavor explosion that could make a food critic write poetry. • Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms: This dish is like a warm hug from a Chinese grandma. Tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a savory broth that’s so comforting, you’ll want to curl up with a bowl and never leave. It’s rustic, soul-warming, and had us fighting over the last spoonful. • Crab Roe Tofu: Silky tofu swimming in a rich, umami-packed crab roe sauce? Yes, please! This dish is like a fancy seafood party in your mouth, but without the pretentious vibes. Creamy, decadent, and oh-so-addictive. • Boiled Beef in Spicy Broth: The star of the show! Thin slices of tender beef, swimming in a fiery, numbing broth packed with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. It’s spicy enough to wake you up but so flavorful you can’t stop eating. I may have gone feral and downed three bowls of rice to soak up that glorious broth, while Nathan, my dining partner-in-crime, kept pace with two. No judgment—this dish demands rice! Authenticity at Its Finest Here’s the kicker: the food at Pearl is crafted by the owner, who hails straight from China. No shade to anyone else, but there’s something extra special about dishes cooked with that authentic touch. You can taste the love, the tradition, and the years of culinary know-how in every bite. Sorry, no Mexican cook moonlighting here—just pure, unfiltered Chinese deliciousness. Happy...

The food sucks(right diwn to the soup), and Ive never been treated so rudely. I paced an order for pick up late last night. Right before closing. I snagged the food 9:33. They close at 9:30. The greeting and service from the hostess and waiter on hand was excellent. Very gracious and polite. I even turned around, cause I forgot to tip. I get home, and am completly dissatisfied with the food. Normaly I'd just chock it up to experience, and not eat there again if it werent for two things. This was a $70 dollar order and other than tasting, the food has not been eaten. My usual Chinese joint shut down. So I thought " ya know, it WAS late. Last order of the night. Theyre close and not too expensive; lets give them another shot". Im SO glad I called first. Upon answering, a younge lady pretty much told me I was sol. I just wanted to swap the food out. I didnt even mention a refund until they brought up that i would not be alowed one. After beimg put on hold to inevitably be hung up on. I called back, and asked to speak with a manger. JHONNY was not only abrasive and combative, he then continued to try and talk me out of my complaint. Using the grounds of "buisiness" no less. It went to the point that I (a buisiness owner myself) asked to speak to his superior. Not for new food; I had lost all confidence of the cleanliness and sanitary condition of anything comeing out of that kitchen at this point. Nor for money, but for the fact that I would want to know if one of MY employees were treating a first time customer as they did me. I've cooked in restaurants from Mexican to Waffle House, and dated plenty of servers. I get it. Im not "that guy" when it comes to my respect for every one in the food service industry. I hope his boss sees this. Share all you can. Don't give money to people that will dag near let you beg to give it to them. Solid...

If I could give a negative star rating, I would... Anyone who rates this place with any complements is either starving or doesn't know good Chinese or is being paid to give good reviews. I travel all over the world regularly and have lived in 7 different US states and I know chinese food. This is not anything that should be called Chinese food.. we ordered hunan chicken and kungpao chicken to go. Got two orders of something resembling Hunan chicken but one with peanuts added on top to claim it was kungpao. Sorry people but kungpao is made with small pieces of chicken cooked with red peppers, chili peppers and peanuts in a thick spicy-sweet brown sauce. It should not have any other vegetables except perhaps small chopped water chestnuts... equally as bad was the Hunan chicken. It had zero flavor and the sauce was watery. It smelled like vomit. We have just moved into the area and are trying to find good Asian food and this is definitely not it. So disappointing that the reviews are so high because this is not good Chinese food. It's not even good food. We threw it out...