Mandarin Restaurant

Recommends

hibiscuspie

Joined 5 years ago

Most Delicious Chinese Cuisine I've Ever Had. I recently went to this restaurant with my boyfriend and his family and I immediately fell in love. Not only is the restaurant's decor and setting beautiful but the food is incredible! We shared several dishes and there wasn't one that I tried and didn't like. I highly recommend their crunchy-honey shrimp and the General Tsao chicken. Everything is good there - you can't go wrong! Best for big groups but great for any number.

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aaronwernli

Joined 5 years ago

Best Chinese. The ONLY good place in Utah to get good Chinese food. It's only a 15 minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City. Take out is not as good....

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athena3

Joined 5 years ago

Local Fav, Different from other Chinese Places. The service is great, the Cashew Chicken is delish and you can count on a good time. Call ahead so you can walk in. Great for a date or family affair. The family style dishes are easy to share and enjoy.

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marichey

Joined 6 years ago

Best Chinese in the state!. This place is the bomb! They have wonderful dishes to choose from. Try the lamb, wonderful! My husband and I go there all the time and we are never disappointed. I don't understand how some places can even be in business with this place around. They don't even compare. If you are worried about a long wait try going for a early dinner.

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fungrammy

Joined 6 years ago

Are we talking about the same restaurant?. I don't know what happened to those that thought it was greasy or had way to much batter. The 5 taste shrimp, which is the best ever, has almost no batter at all, and I haven't had any two things that tast alike. Maybe the fact that you have to wait a long time is a clue that it is an exceptional restaurant. Restaurants have a hard time staying in business, this place has been in business for a long time and it remains very busy. I went to the Mandrin a week or so ago, and then to P F Changs this last weekend. They don't even compare. P F Chang was very run of the mill, except their lettus wraps are good, and the prices were much higher than the Mandrin. No we didn't have to wait very long, but I really felt it was a waste of money. Our children picked up the bill and I was so embarassed that they had to pay that kind of money for the quality that we got. If you call ahead at the Mandrin, you don't have to wait quite as long, but no matter what it is worth it. I have NEVER received cold food, the servers are very friendly and helpful. The owner may be Greek, but his cooks are authentic. Take a look at the over all recomendations and you'll see that, unless your taste buds are faulty, you will love this place.

Doesn't Recommend

michaeldmaxwell

Joined 7 years ago

I'm afraid this is the most over-rated, over-hyped resturant in the state. Ok... I understand that there are not a lot of dining options in Bountiful Utah and I appreciate the enthusiasm of the locals for one of the few in that community that is not a fast food chain. I'm sure that if you grew up in Bountiful you had many fond family memories of a place that served food that you were told was not only Chinese, but the best in the State.

The unfortunate reality is that this is not authentic Chinese food and it is not really very good food period. On top of the long wait, the service was slow, and some of our food was almost cold by the time it got to our table. The style of food they serve, overly battered and deep-fried with excessively sugary sauces to top, if particularly bad if not served hot. Lemon Chicken is not a difficult item make poorly by mine was surgery, bland, soggy mess of a meal. My wife's meal was about the same. The Mandarin cannot even get rice, a staple of southern Chinese dining, right. Ours was Minute-Rice quality that was almost impossible to eat with Chopsticks. The soup was bland; the tea was very low quality. The only compliment I can give the food at this place is that they avoid the excessive use of celery and carrots as fillers for their meal - a common fallacy of low-end American Chinese restaurants.

If you enjoy this place, enjoy it for what is - - a small community place with Hong Kong decor serving bland American Chinese dishes that grandma and your 3-year old won't complain about. However, let?s put an end myth that this place serves good Chinese food. The food is neither Chinese nor good.

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marilives

Joined 6 years ago

best chinese in the U.S.A. I have lived all over the U.S.A. and I have NEVER EVER had Chinese as good as this. It is to die for. Get there early on the weekend (by 5:00) or you could end up waiting a very long time. If you have a group of 8 or more you can make a reservation. Try the General Tsaos chicken and the halibut. Actually there isn't an item on the menu I can't recommend. Go often and try them all.

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haikuyou

Joined 6 years ago

come late for faster service. I work at the mandarin as a server, and I thought i'd give my recommendations for avoiding a line:

-Come on a tuesday. You won't find a line. If you do, I'll buy you a beer. deal?

-Come later on weekends. You'd be suprised how the line goes away around 9:00. usually. On weekdays there is almost never a wait after 8:30 or so.

- come with a group. the Mandarin takes reservations for 8 or more.

-Try calling half hour (or so) ahead to get your name on the list. Generally you can get it on for small parties.

of course, the mandarin doesnt really make people wait just for kicks and giggles, as a couple reviews here seem to suggest. and the Mandarin doesnt intentionally not seat patrons even when tables are available. Table availability doesnt always mean server availability, as anyone who has worked in a restaurant probably knows.

about Mandarin food: I ate there all my life and always got the same thing. This was the reason i didnt realize how good the food is. Ask the server for recommendations and try something new. Dont order sweet and sour pork. Dont order all sweet dishes. potentially-spicey dishes come medium by default, but the servers are being better trained to ask if the guest wants them Hot. medium is not hot enough if you like spicey food.

my favorite dishes: pork and eggplant with garlic, kung pao shrimp (medium spicey- i dont like hot food too much) satay noodle - add mushrooms-(yellowsquash, zuchini, chicken in a light barbaque sauce over pan fried noodles), tangy spicey lamb, and the good old mongolian beef.

the mandarin is popular because people like it. When someone is appearantly overhyping the mandarin, it would be a good idea to ask what dishes they are eating.

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jezco

Joined 7 years ago

Wonderful Choice!. One of my favorite places to eat! The people are nice and the food is good. You have to wait if you don't get there early, but it's well worth it. You get more than your money's worth of food and the experience is simply wonderful. My favorite item is actually in the appetizers--Chicken Soon Emperial. Yum! Enjoy!!!

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ute66js

Joined 8 years ago

So Good!. I have been going to this place for 18 years. It never fails to please me. This is my all time favorite restaurant. I have never tasted better Wonton soup. I really doubt that anyone will be unhappy with their experience here.