Sze Chuan Restaurant — Restaurant in West Allis

Food is decent but not amazing. Price is on the higher side. The 1-star review is mainly based on the customer service I have received from the petite lady that usually watches the front. 3 times now she has been extremely unfriendly and appears to have zero interest in me when I stop in to pick up my food. She’ll look at me when I go in, then looks away without any type of acknowledgment or greeting. I’m usually the one saying hi to her and she’ll just continue on with whatever she would be doing then she’ll just ask, “yea?” I get what being busy means, I used to host and was a waitress for many years so I GET IT and I usually cut people the slack more often than not because working in the food industry is hard. However, the host’s body language and attitude towards me gives off a very bad vibe as if I’m there asking for free food or something. Or like I’m being a bother, it’s a really awkward feeling. She cannot always be having bad days, right?!? Usually when I order from this restaurant, I spend at least $50, so they’re not small orders. 3 times now, the lady host has never said hi, remains unfriendly, and almost appears as if she dislikes me because I’m Asian. I don’t want to pull out the race card, but being Asian, you just KNOW when another Asian dislikes you. I’ve been brushing it off, but again it’s now 3 times that she’s made me feel this way, so I feel compelled to write this review. Today I witnessed how she says bye to her White customers as they were leaving the restaurant and she all of a sudden was extremely friendly - a total different side of her that she appears to only show to her White customers. It’s sad that there are people like this lady working the front desk or who knows, she could even be owner of the restaurant because she is usually always there. Her unfairness in which she treats people based on their skin color is so distasteful. Message to the restaurant - please tell your main lady host (the small petite woman around 48-50 years of age) to do better and treat ALL people, regardless of their skin color, kindly, fairly, and with respect. Don’t look down on others especially when you rely on your customers for success. The way you treat your customers make a lasting impression on them. They will either continue to support you as a result of that or take their business elsewhere.

Now that I’m done with this rant, I just want to end my review by stating that today is the last time I patron this establishment. They don’t deserve my business. Fortune and JJ Chen are also good options if you are craving Chinese. JJ Chen is on the more affordable side with lots of good dishes. AND their staff is A LOT more friendly. I will no longer support Sze Chuan Restaurant. You’ve lost a customer for life. Have a nice day...

I’ve been wanting to try Sze Chuan for over a year now because of their reputation for being some of the most authentic Chinese food in Milwaukee. We finally had an excuse to have dinner there as we had a guest in town. It was a pleasant experience and the food was good, but I think I would need to go back at least once more and try some other menu items to have a better idea of how good it could be.

We visited on a Monday evening with no reservation and were seated right away. The restaurant was busy throughout the time we were there. We started off with the Szechuan Spicy Pork Dumpling appetizer, which was probably my favorite out of the dishes we tried. The dumplings were fantastic, with not too much spice but such a great flavor. The portion was fine to split between three people.

I had the Mapo Tofu for my main, since I love tofu and had heard such good things. It was delicious and definitely spicy but left me wanting something else. I think this would be a great dish to order to share between two people, and then order a dish with sautéed vegetables to go with it. The tofu was good and the sauce was nice, but no one wants to eat that much tofu in one sitting, and that was all it was; a lot of tofu and sauce. My significant other chose the Beef Short Ribs, and while the flavor was delicious, they were difficult to eat. The pieces were small, about the size of a whole peanut, and so you would have to put a piece in your mouth, chew off the meat while avoiding the bone, and then take the bone that was left out of your mouth…it was difficult and not very appetizing. Definitely something to avoid if you were on a date! Again, this dish would have been better paired with a vegetable dish to share both between two people, as it was only the meat. Our guest chose the Beef and Broccoli, and they enjoyed it.

I would recommend Sze Chuan for authentic and delicious food in a casual setting. I would probably have gone with the Sweet and Sour or the Orange Chicken (two of my favorite dishes) in retrospect, because although I really enjoyed what I ordered, the lack of variety in the dish besides cubes of tofu, and the lack of vegetables, was a little disappointing. The service was fine and the atmosphere was authentic in terms of being a hole-in-the wall place focused on delicious food and not worried too much about décor. The prices were very good for the portion sizes, which is always nice. Do yourself a favor and...

Food: 8.5/10

The menu is diverse, having various options for different types of meat, both as a dish and as a flavor for the hotpot. The variance of food that either comes normal or spicy falls in favor for spicy. 99% of the food in the menu are Chinese, with the exception of some of the sides and the drinks.

Crab Rangoon: The Crab Rangoon was good, though the flavor of the crab was mild, the flavors are still present. 7/10

Dumpling: The dumplings are perfect. The portion and the flavor are exquisite. The stuffing in the dumplings embody the essence of Chinese food, with the flavors bursting out as soon as you take a bite. 10/10

Beef Wrap: The beef wrap by itself is ok at best, it being stale and cold, it’s not anything special. When paired with the hot pot though, the beef wrap becomes a good side dish. When the beef wrap is dipped, or cooked especially, the flavors become present and it makes the wrap a good pair for the hotpot. 7/10

Mild and Herbal Hot Pot: The hot pot is amazing. With the spiciness of the mild stew and the flavors bursting out of the herbal stew, the flavors of the ingredients really pop out. Especially when the two stews are mixed together, getting meat becomes a necessity. When the meat is cooked in the stews, the flavors meld and become even better. The hotpot really gives the feeling of a family get together at your home in the holidays with how homey the eating experience becomes. 10/10

Service: 10/10

The servers were attentive and really fast to get to us even when the place was fully booked and filled to the brim with guests. They were able to get to us within 1-2 minutes of us asking for something. 10/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

The place gives off the vibe of a restaurant in the streets of China. With its homey and bustling feel, it gives the impression that it’ll serve you genuine Chinese food, which it does. The space is kind of cramped which may be a deal breaker for some. Especially with how the food pairs with the atmosphere, the restaurant exudes a welcoming presence with how it will make you feel like your family has come over for a holiday. Though the decorations could do some work, the restaurant is overall an amazing...