China Boy — Restaurant in Washington

Anything with their homemade wide rice noodles here is a star, chow foon and crepes are particular standouts. I've had many other delicious things too, most recently the large steamed chicken bun. Great texture and flavor. I've had much of their menu and of what I have had, I probably only have two gripes.

Fish balls - it's a pork center with a fish paste exterior. It's not bad, per say, but I was expecting a super bouncy fish ball and it was kind of dense and a bit fishy, but not in a good way. Not the best fish ball I've ever had.

Anything with brisket - I love brisket, I love their chow foon. I thought it was a can't miss but their brisket cuts have a lot of undesirable components attached --- specifically fat (not the delicious melt away kind, but the hard, chewy, unpalatable kind) and sinew --- and not a ton of meat. It may have been 50/50 by volume. Despite my better judgement, I tried again with the brisket and rice noodle soup and, sadly, the outcome was the same. Initially I thought it might have been beef tendon and was excited for the unexpected addition but the first bite proved this was not the case. I have included a picture of the bottom of the bowl with all the nasty bits. Hopefully they will get better at trimming their brisket but, until then, I'll probably stick with pork or other...

TAKE OUT ONLY. CASH ONLY (in-person). CREDIT CARDS (online only). 3 STARS because NO DINE-IN. Good food tho, keep reading! This restaurant has been "take out window ONLY" for over two years, since March 2020. This is a pretty solid "no-nonsense" american-chinese food restaurant in Chinatown. Prices are good, food comes out quickly. Interior was renovated two years ago, which my previous review discussed, but the public never saw it... the renovation has gone to waste. The owners instead have hidden their restaurant behind cheap, ramshackle, unfinished plywood and cheap, scratched-up plastic barriers. Very sad. The food is still okay, but the atmosphere is non-existent. No where to sit outside, no where to sit inside, no where to wait for your food. Everyone gets kicked to the curb.

My opinions after eating here a lot over the last 5 years: Good -- Beef Chow Fun Good -- Fried Dumplings (not as good to-go, however) Good -- Beef & Small Rice Noodle Good -- Crystal Shrimp Dumpling Good -- Fish Ball Soup Okay -- Shrimp Rice Noodle Crepe Okay -- Steamed Dumplings Okay -- Fish Ball Soup Okay -- anything w/ Roast Pork Bad -- anything w /so-called "Beef Brisket" Bad -- Chicken Wings (flash fry) Bad -- Popcorn...

This spot is definitely one of those classic "hole in the wall" restaurants—but don’t let that fool you. It’s small, yes, but clean and nicely decorated inside, with a cozy, no-frills vibe that feels authentic and welcoming.

The ladies working there were super friendly and on top of everything. Even though there was a steady line of customers, they were fast and efficient, and the service didn’t feel rushed at all. You can tell this place has a loyal following.

Now, let’s talk about the food—absolutely worth it. I had the beef chow fun and wow, it was the star of the meal. The flavor was spot-on, rich and savory with that perfect wok taste. It was a little on the oily side, but honestly, I didn’t mind because the taste made up for it. I also tried the beef stew fun soup, which was just okay—not bad, but nothing memorable either.

There are a lot of steamed roll options on the menu, and I’m definitely planning to try more of those next time. The place has that kind of menu where you just know there are hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

All in all, this is a great spot for a quick, flavorful meal in DC. Affordable, tasty, and full of character. We’ll definitely be coming back on...