Forbidden City Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Maryland

UPDATED REVIEW- I was a frequent customer at Forbidden City for years- virtually the only Chinese restaurant I ever returned to. However, about 6 months ago, the restaurant got a new head chef and the food has just not been the same. I have ordered many things on the menu- shrimp/pork fried rice, chicken/beef lo mein, egg rolls, mongolian beef, General Tso's chicken- and they all have changed drastically. The fried rice is always soggy (I didn't even know rice could BE soggy!), whenever I order anything with pork or beef I usually send it back or eat what I can and never take the leftovers (and let me just say, I was a server and I don't like to send food back and if I do I am still always polite about it, it has to be reallllllyy bad for me to send back). The pork and beef is usually chewy- I know chinese restaurants never get the best cuts or quality of meats to begin with but the meats have been chewy, fatty, undercooked and limpy- just gross. The chicken dishes are basically the same. I returned about 3 times since the first incident- restaurants have off days- but it has not gotten any better :( This used to be my favorite and best chinese restaurant EVER, and now I am not sure I will return WITH THAT BEING SAID- the front of house staff is great, always very kind, always remembers me and what I like, and for that I have great respect, however I do not think I...

I have eaten a few time here and all food server inhouse is DELICIOUS... Take out is Tricky ( anywhere ) so takeout is a learning experience. 9/2/2023.

I have eaten a few time here and all food server inhouse is DELICIOUS... Take out is Tricky ( anywhere ) so takeout is a learning experience.

TAkEOUT Crispy Eggplant was remarkably untasty and soggy ( this is not a great takeout Item as they get soggy and very unpleasantly greasy.

The Appetizer platter EXCELENT! The Spring Rolls were crispy The Shrimp Balls SOOOOO GOOODDon't get the sweet and sour cabbage, they use the inedible part of the cabbage.

Don't order the MEAT dumplings they ar mostly NOODLE I Mean Giant Noodle. Ridiculously.

Today 9/2/2023. Crispy Eggplant was remarkably untasty and soggy ( this is not a great takeout Item as they get soggy and very unpleasantly greasy.

The Appetizer platter EXCELENT! The Spring Rolls were crispy The Shrimp Balls SOOOOO GOOOD

The Ribs were very meaty and it looks like they IMPROVER their Dumplings from my last Order so Kudos to them the listen to their customer reviews The sweet and sour cabbage I gave another try and still super hard to eat very very very spicy and more sour no sweet......... Sorry guys this should bee taken...

We moved to the area last year, and heard this restaurant recommended the most. We went to try it out and were disappointed in the food we received.

Most surprising was the cashew chicken, which is usually includes small pieces of plain chicken - not breaded - with the cashews and sauce. Instead, the dish they served was soggy, breaded chicken, with overcooked/burnt cashews. If a dish is going to be prepared differently than the norm, I just would have expected them to at least note that on their menu. The Lo Mein was overcooked/mushy and the sauce was really watery. Egg Drop Soup was very, very salty.

I don’t know if we went on an off day or just didn’t order their “best” dishes? But I consider those fairly staple menu items so I would have expected better based on all the recommendations.

Service was fine, it was nice to have an actual restaurant to sit die down for Chinese as those seem fewer these days, but we aren’t likely to return as other restaurants in the area that were rated lower online actually had much...