Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Taste in Palo Alto

4.6 (199) 423 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301, United States

Categories

Chinese restaurant
Asian restaurant
Restaurant

Location on the map

Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, US

Phone: +1 650-323-6488
Site: https://taste-paloalto.com/

Opening hours

Monday:11 AM–3 PM
Tuesday:11 AM–3 PM
Wednesday:11 AM–3 PM
Thursday:11 AM–3 PM
Friday:11 AM–3 PM
Saturday:11 AM–3 PM
Sunday:11 AM–3 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.6

199 Reviews for Taste 2024:

Review №1

2023-10-07 12:04:44

This place was exceptional! Some 9/10 and above dishes!The skewer pot was so good! So well balanced and slightly spicy. The spicy pickled fish soup was great! Everything was amazing!One of the most authentic Chinese food I had in a while. Palo Alto is blessed with this spot!

Review №2

2023-11-10 06:24:41

The Mongolian beef was a flavor explosion - tender and perfectly seasoned. The tea duck was a delightful surprise, offering a unique and tasty twist. The sizzling pot stole the show, and I can’t recommend it enough—truly a must-try. The restaurant offers a delightful array of traditional Sichuan dishes, making it a satisfying culinary journey. Highly recommended!

Review №3

2023-11-08 04:13:22

I highly recommend Taste if you are in Palo Alto looking for authentic Chinese food. The menu is vast to satisfy all your cravings. The ambiance is great and the owner is so nice and welcoming. I will definitely be coming back here!

Review №4

2023-07-10 15:16:58

Sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. This restaurant was right on University avenue. Great food and service. Had some Dim Sum, and although I’m not as well versed in Dim Sum, the server was able to coach me to make the best choice. Delicious!! Highly recommend.

Review №5

2023-10-24 18:27:32

The outdoor seating is nice, but the service will be much less frequent.We got the tea flavored duck, and it was delicious. The portion was big, and along with 4 pieces of shrimp dumpling it fed the two of us.The food is pricey, but normal for the area.

Review №6

2023-11-08 04:06:58

Highly recommend if youre looking for Chinese food. With a prominent location in the heart of Palo Alto, this restaurant will hit the spot for both classic Chinese dishes and also more specialized Chinese dishes. Very clean restaurant and friendly staff, highly recommend!

Review №7

2023-09-07 05:00:46

TakeoutSizzling beef: I did not realize that for $28 the beef did not come with rice. It was just ok. I’m not a Chinese food connoisseur, but definitely have had better in a strip mall for $9!Beef and broccoli: also no rice and underwhelming. The sizzling beef had more flavor.Stick to an egg roll…

Review №8

2023-03-20 01:18:26

This was so far the best Chinese food Ive had in the bay area. Better than anything up in SF and down to San Jose. I am particularly a fan of Sichuan food, and this restaurant absolutely delivers. The balance of spice, numbing, savory, and sweet was absolutely masterful. Sure, you pay Palo Alto prices, but out of everything on this street I left here feeling like the value was unmatched. My personal highlight was the Lovers Delight, which had a delicious combination of beef and tripe with spicy sauce and peanuts. The staff were really friendly, and service was super speedy. I will absolutely be back, as they actually offer food at a quality Ive only ever had in a Chinese restaurant north of Toronto.

Review №9

2023-03-05 22:18:41

Despite having a sore throat, I was really craving some Chinese cuisine, so I requested that they not add any spice to my food. I was pleasantly surprised that even without the added kick, the dishes still tasted absolutely fantastic!The restaurants service was also exceptional. The staff were very attentive and accommodating to my needs. They went above and beyond to ensure that my dining experience was enjoyable and comfortable.

Review №10

2023-08-18 01:58:17

I had the pleasure of dining at Taste in Palo Alto today for lunch, and I must say, it was an extraordinary experience. The service was truly exceptional and incredibly friendly. The staff was attentive to our tables every need and went out of their way to accommodate us. I ordered the Bo Bo Chicken, Fire Burst Cabbage, Sichuan Spicy Pickled Whole Fish with noodles, Stir fried water spinach with garlic, and the Spicy Chicken wings. (I was so eager to dig into the food that I completely forgot to snap a picture of it before diving in.)The Bo Bo Chicken and Fire Burst Cabbage stood out as exceptional highlights. The Bo Bo Chicken tasted exceptional thanks to the Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil, creating a harmony of flavor that paired beautifully with the chicken and vegetables. The Fire Burst Cabbage, on the other hand, proved to be a masterful creation, offering a savory yet light contrast that left a lasting impression.The Sichuan Spicy Pickled Whole Fish with noodles took me on a savory and sour escapade, each mouthful beckoning me to savor more.The Stir Fried Water Spinach with Garlic was a delightful addition, offering a burst of fresh flavors that perfectly complemented the ensemble of dishes.Lastly, the Spicy Chicken Wings! They were fried to golden perfection and adorned with an amazing medley of spices that enhanced the juicy pieces of chicken. The balance of heat and flavor was amazing.The impeccable flavors, generous portion sizes, and thoughtful composition of each dish left me eager to return for another extraordinary meal.

Review №11

2023-04-04 20:31:02

A great fd of mine brought me here for the guest time. Wow so many selections. Love everything we ordered, and the staffs are very warm welcome. Definitely will come back and try out more on the menu. If you haven’t try out this place. Highly recommended this place👍👍.

Review №12

2023-03-09 02:54:44

I had an incredible dining experience at Taste Restaurant on University Ave in Palo Alto. From start to finish, everything was impeccable, from the warm welcome at the door to the impeccable service and delicious food.The menu serves authentic Szechuan traditional cuisine. I was blown away by the quality and freshness of the ingredients used, and we can request for the spicy to be mild and it turned out to fit perfectly to my preferred spicy level.The staff at Taste Restaurant were outstanding - attentive, and friendly. They made me feel so welcome and ensured that every aspect of my dining experience was perfect. The ambiance of the restaurant was also lovely, with a cozy and intimate atmosphere, which good for friends meet up for lunch or family style gatherings and kids friendly.Overall, I would highly recommend Taste Restaurant to anyone looking for an authentic Szechuan dining experience in Palo Alto. From the food to the service to the ambiance, everything was top-notch and deserving of 5 stars. I cant wait to return!

Review №13

2023-08-02 02:43:33

So glad we found this place & decided to try it! What a gem in downtown Palo Alto. The dishes were flavorful, just the right level of spicy and numbing flavors to enjoy all the dishes we ordered. Everything hot off the kitchen. The spicy fish filet was crispy on the outside and not over cooked/fried. Wonton in chili oil was really good. I joked they should sell the chili oil sauce by the jar (no, they really should) or tell me what store bought brand it is bc I want to buy some!

Review №14

2022-06-01 06:07:13

Check out this hidden gem on University Ave if you love authentic Chinese food! Price is quite reasonable given the location! recommend: Bo Bo Chicken: Spicy and delicious! Tea-smoked duck is my favorite! Taste and texture are very similar to Peking duck: skin is crispy and meat is tender, perfect amount of fat, yum! Roasted Pork knuckles: melt in your mouth delish! Salted egg yolk Pumpkin: sweet pumpkin is wrapped in a thick layer of salted egg yolk and fried to a crisp, beware salted egg yolk is super addictive! Also love the hot and sour noodles with pork intestines, hands down authentic! They have both spicy and non-spicy food so everyone would be accommodated! Overall a great place for authentic Chinese food if you are close by!

Review №15

2023-04-21 19:33:39

Very friendly service, the staff is efficient and caring, the food came out very quickly, and was delicious. Overall a great location for Chinese food in Palo Alto. I will recommend this, and if you have a chance come back.

Review №16

2023-08-15 05:47:12

The Bo Bo Chicken was amazing! Strong Sichuan pepper flavor but not overpowering; just the right amount! Very classic elements soaked in the soup, including thinly-sliced potato, wood ear mushrooms, lotus root slices, chicken (of course), shrimp, etc. Very authentic Sichuan flavors and very complex chicken soup broth. Not your generic, store-bought MSG-laden broth. Will come here again! Also very reasonably priced!

Review №17

2023-04-07 01:41:12

Excellent customer service and delicious food. It is not bad for Palo Alto pricing wise. The food tasted fresh and well presented. The food came fast and had a lot of umami taste. Not busy on a Thursday early opening hour. Nice and open feel. Good place for a meetup. Their red bean sesame balls were so yummy. Also liked the custard buns. The Mongolian beef were outshined by the shredded pork on veg bedding but still good.

Review №18

2023-06-30 04:10:19

We want to try spicy Chinese food, we found Taste at Palo Alto, downtown, CA. We love the food and the service is great.

Review №19

2022-12-07 19:25:33

Taste! The interior was bright, warm, and cozy. The workers are really friendly and the food comes out really quick. Most importantly, each of the dishes we ate were light, high quality, and I could not stop eating!Order:- Honey walnut shrimp: a childhood treat, not too sweet, crispy on the outside soft on the inside, and the cucumbers were thin and refreshing. A great combo.- Braised beef soup. My go to dish everywhere I go. The noodles were soft, the bokchoy was fresh, and i enjoyed drinking the soup!- Stir Fried Pea Sprouts with Garlic: my favorite type of vegetables! Light, garlicky and buttery. I think I ate the whole plate myself…- Pickled Cabbage Clay Pot with Beef: if you are in the mood for light soup, pickled vegetables, and noodles then this would be a great dish. I believe this dish is also served spicy.- Fried steam buns: I was so full by the end of the meal, but this dish was a great ending. They came in bite sized portions and could be easily eaten as a small treat!Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Taste and hope you guys can try it yourselves!

Review №20

2023-08-05 22:45:13

Food is a very very good. The ambience of the restaurant is very nice. Service is also very good, my waitress was very sweet and was open to helping me answer any questions I had and gave me some good recommendations of food. If you are looking for very good traditional chinese food this is the place to go.

Review №21

2023-08-26 04:00:32

They are very busy and I suspect there are some things this place cooks well but unfortunately our main dish was disgusting! We ordered the sweet and sour chicken and it was so over cooked that you couldn’t even chew it because the texture was so hard and stringy. the wontons and the plain white rice was good. We also ordered the green bean and eggplant. It was bland and oily. Won’t be coming here again.

Review №22

2023-03-11 05:00:16

Great authentic szechuan restaurant located in downtown Palo Alto! Really cozy interior with an extremely friendly staff. All the food was so delicious with a right balance of spice, and the dishes were not too oily! Would highly recommend

Review №23

2022-07-03 00:44:35

Best place in Palo Alto. The dishes are so authentic and beautifuly made. We come here at least once a week. Enjoy sweet and sour fish (fish cut in spiral and deep fried in tempura like flour), spicy chicken wings, (new) make your own sizzling pot, different kinds of vegetable dishes.

Review №24

2023-03-11 11:02:52

Ive eaten at this place several times and the service staff are very friendly. Authentic Szechuan cuisine thats tasty but doesnt feel too greasy or heavy. Highly recommend the Szechuan-style mung bean noodles and many of their fish dishes. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, great place to grab a yummy meal with friends or family.

Review №25

2022-09-17 18:39:44

Stopped here for dinner while in the neighborhood and it did not disappoint! If youre looking for authentic, delicious Chinese food, this is where the buck stops. We ordered the Sizzling Cumin Lamb (a MUST!), friend rice and the Tan Tan noodles. Loved all three dishes and still had leftovers since the portions are pretty generous in size. Service is also great which was an added bonus. Will definitely be coming back!

Review №26

2023-03-05 19:36:51

I came here because I wanted ramen but Nagi was busy. I got the Lanzhou pulled noodles. It was very good and the flavor was authentic. The radish was sweet which added to the flavor of the soup. Would love to come back and try the other dishes as well

Review №27

2023-03-06 20:37:25

I really love the food here! This is an amazing Chinese restaurant they have authentic and really good food.The female boss is really kind and warm and the food is amazing.I am here every week with family and always enjoy coming jere!!

Review №28

2023-04-25 06:20:33

Palo Alto is what Id consider a white area in that they have non authentic ethnic food so I dont normally have high expectations for Chinese food considering some of the long time Chinese restaurants on University Ave. However, Taste is surprisingly good. The food is actually very decent and can compete in taste alone and although the price is high its not ridiculously high considering its on a prime location in Palo Alto. In some ways, people and stores forget that originally University Ave is meant for college students so shouldnt be super expensive but then the VCs and the startups messed up the income skew. Anyways this is very good Chinese food that is good if you happen to enjoy somewhat spicy Chinese food (dont come here for dimsum which is Cantonese food). Even the lunch special sweet sour soup is decent and I especially like the pork in eggplant fish sauce. The spicy fish filet is not bad although I prefer the fresh fish one but that would be much more expensive. Overall this is a surprisingly good restaurant that happens to be located in a place that doesnt appreciate authenticity. Its a good thing in my books because that means it wont be crowded unlike the ramen places nearby.

Review №29

2023-09-10 02:42:27

Great Sichuan restaurant in Palo Alto. Generous portions, authentic food and super authentic wait staff.

Review №30

2023-06-21 21:00:07

SO GOOD!!! Im Chinese and I know good, authentic Chinese cuisine when I taste it. First off, they have a great menu with something for everyone. I opted for the spicy fish fillet and dumplings, while my family went with the beef chow fun and honey walnut shrimp. Everyone was happy with their order! The fish fillet had a delightful sauce that I couldnt get enough of. For a family of 5, the portions were generous and filling with a great cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend - definitely worth stopping by for!!!

Review №31

2023-06-06 03:35:24

Very authentic Chinese dishes! The spicy fish is amazing. Must try.

Review №32

2022-05-01 07:14:55

I had dinner here at this restaurant and the food was AMAZING! I tend to be picky with certain foods but when I came here I was just totally impressed by the amazing quality and taste. I had their signature dish which was the Sizzling Cumin Lamb, the Spicy Pickled Vegetable, and the Live Whole Fish dish and it was so delicious. To end off the night I ordered the Chonqing Cold Jelly Desert; it had fresh fruit and it was really refreshing! Overall the service was really fast, friendly, and the staff was so kind! I definitely recommend this restaurant, I will definitely be coming back!

Review №33

2022-11-06 23:15:24

Fresh, tasty and authentic Cantonese / Sichuan food. The fish with marinated cabbage and noodles is incredible. Seasonal special is 空心菜. Super friendly service. Would come back regularly! :)

Review №34

2022-05-04 04:47:41

All the dishes here are delicious! We especially love the Chongqing Numbing Spicy Noodles, Family Style Tofu, Fish Filet with Chili Pepper, Pea Sprouts with Garlic, and Eggplant with Green Beans. Its great to have such an authentic Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto!

Review №35

2022-06-01 03:57:13

I would highly recommend Taste since the food here was really DELICIOUS!!!It tasted the SAME as popular restaurants when I was living in Szechuan!!!I heard the chef came from Szechuan and earned many reputations. No wonder why spicy foods here made me have an appetite. I STRONGLY recommend“Tea Flavored Duck” which is smoked with special tea leaves“Taste Grilled Live Whole Fish” which has a large Sichuan style fried fish(crunchy skin and soft meat) flavored with hot spicy soup.“Special Seasoned Malangtang” which is seasoned by the SPECIAL SAUCE patented by the chef!“Brown-Braised Pork Trotter which brains the meat and skin until it is really soft(melt in mouth)“Crispy Sweet & Sour Fish” which cooks the fish in a way few chefs can successI also recommend “Chongqing Ice Jelly with Brown Sugar” as dessert since it refreshes me after having a wonderful meal!The service here is really great(fast and friendly)!I will definitely come back!If you enjoy the real Chinese and Szechuan style food, this is the spot for you!

Review №36

2022-06-12 04:01:30

The spicy fillet fish in red oil and sauteed pumpkin in egg yolk was really good. They can also adjust the level of spicy. But overall, its a bit pricy.

Review №37

2023-09-11 02:09:51

It’s a very nice restaurant. Very very yummy . Everyone should come 👍

Review №38

2018-06-12 02:49:33

Fast and friendly service. Our water cup was never empty. The scallion pancake was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, just as it should be. Grilled beef and hot and sour soup were good but the Beijing style shredded pork was our favorite dish.

Review №39

2023-06-15 02:57:09

Wish I took a picture before. Best Asian restaurant in Palo Alto hands down. The taste in all dishes is truly authentic.

Review №40

2021-01-09 18:10:35

Ordered the D10 menu item, braised hot and spicy fish fillet w/ tofu for delivery on UberEats. Wow, this dish packed a lovely flavor and delicious kick of spicy without being overwhelming. The chili oil provides some of the heat at the back of the throat and the szechuan peppercorns provides the numbing sensation in front. Perfectly cooked tender pieces of fish, tofu is silky smooth, enough sauce to coat the rice and make a perfect pairing. Ended up with a little extra sauce which I was able to utilize by adding my own rice the next day for a perfect flavor packed snack. Overall, I cant recommend this place enough if youre looking for an authentic meal that reminded me of China.

Review №41

2023-03-02 20:22:11

All dishes are delicious, no need a photo filter. You can ask them if you want no or less spicy of Sichuan Spicy pickled vege live whole fish like us, but highly recommend you guys to try the original one to taste the spicy stimulation. Their fish is very fresh.

Review №42

2023-09-16 21:28:38

All in all an ok place.The appetizers we good, so was the Mongolian beef, but the duck was completely overcooked and dry.

Review №43

2023-07-05 02:19:24

We werent aware that the restaurant closes at 3pm, yet the servers were kind enough to welcome us in for lunch a little past 3pm. We ordered four dishes that all came out within 5-10 minutes—super fast! The food itself was absolutely delicious, and Ill definitely be back to try more dishes! I would 100% recommend this spot, especially if you enjoy spicy food!

Review №44

2023-11-10 09:09:50

I like the food here, really enjoyed dinner with our friends.

Review №45

2022-04-08 00:25:24

I would say this is the best Sichuan food in the Bay Area. We tried out the mouthwatering fish filets in flaming oil, the scallops and beef with macadamia nuts. The scallops are huge and beef are so tasty and tender. We also had the shaved ice jelly with fresh fruit and various nuts on top that was so refreshing. The service is great and outstanding. Cora is very friendly and knowledgeable. We will definitely bring family and friends go try them out. Highly recommended.

Review №46

2023-06-25 06:43:07

Had the scallion pancakes and jade oolong tea. Both were good.

Review №47

2022-09-18 03:21:04

Unacceptably poor service. Roughly 5 minutes after sitting down, the staff brought our table two water pitchers... And left them there without cups to taunt us for 15 minutes. Eventually cups arrived, and they took our orders. I received my food (nothing complicated, a chicken dish!) 1.5 hours after sitting down. They also never delivered the house wine my partner ordered, nor the scallion pancakes I ordered... And to add insult to injury they attempted to charge me for the pancakes.

Review №48

2023-04-08 05:40:01

I was really hoping to like this place but it was disappointing. The food tasted great but everything was floating in oil. Each dish was made with atleast half a cup of oil. It was so greasy, that it felt gross :(5 stars ⭐️ for the service. The server was sweet and super efficient!

Review №49

2023-03-09 01:57:53

I had an amazing dining experience at this Chinese restaurant! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with friendly smiles and excellent service. The decor was beautiful and had a relaxing ambiance.

Review №50

2020-01-14 22:36:27

We came to this restaurant for the first time. We did not have a lot of expectations but were pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of the dishes. The Sichuan Boiled Fish was a delight and true to the flavors they served in China. The hot pot mutton meal as also very good. I did not taste the gamey taste of the meat — which is what I tend to avoid for in lamb. The chili oil wontons were also very flavorful. Definitely returning.

Review №51

2022-04-18 04:26:11

It was a wonderful Chinese food experience around Standford! If you are down to try some new food, definitely try this place!! The Chinese food there were aesthetics. I loved their Tea Flavored Shrimp 🍤.

Review №52

2022-06-03 22:16:46

Really nice authentic Chinese food.People are nice and explains each dishes clearly. Can adjust spicy level with a great quality. Definitely will come again.

Review №53

2022-10-06 22:20:33

I didnt realize its a Sichuan restaurant, but found they have best spicy food. We had the Spicy Fish Fillet, and Sauted Beef, they were spicy very tasty. Also with beautiful plates with bamboo texture.

Review №54

2023-08-28 03:27:26

Everything was good. Green beans were awesome. Had a few dim sum plates which were delicious. Also ordered poached chicken appetizer and some other chicken dish. Would love to come back here one day.

Review №55

2022-04-06 21:51:39

21 years of my USA living in Bay Area and being a big fan of hood Chinese food and I found the best ever Chinese food with beautiful ambienceFantastic customer service, nice and clean and beautiful place to dine in and not just that great quality for the price and fastest service and my feedback about this place is from my bottom of my heart and this review is done one on my 4 th visit in 30 days .

Review №56

2023-06-28 15:37:21

Very disappointing. I have been there two times and observed similar results. A few items are made well, like the pancakes and the spring rolls, while others (bbq pork buns and even white rice!) are below average. The sweet-sour chicken was barely eatable, very tough. This restaurant has such good ratings on Google that we were expecting so much more. It did not help either that our order on the Internet was not registered and that we had to wait more than 20 minutes to get the order done. The only positive point is that they were friendly and asked if I wanted to drink something while I was waiting. Overpriced for the quality and experience...

Review №57

2023-09-27 16:22:28

Really great food, everything we had was super tasty. The Hot and Sour Soup was excellent and the pork and corn dumplings were fantastic. We will definitely be back.

Review №58

2019-02-05 21:26:18

For my first time being here I would say I had an average experience. Service was good and quick. The atmosphere is warm/welcoming. Food was good loved the honey walnut prawns and chow mein.

Review №59

2023-11-08 03:24:48

I loved everything about this PLACE! Food looked LEGIT. Very NICE restaurant. Good service. I was a doordasher so i did not TASTE. But looked and smelled so good. Im going for myself to eat soon!!

Review №60

2022-06-08 01:53:21

Beef fired rice was soo good. Reminded me of the dishes in Taiwan.The interior atmosphere was great. Servers were super friendly and nice.Definitely a can’t-go-wrong Chinese cuisine restaurant.

Review №61

2023-07-11 01:07:08

Wonderful and authentic food! My favorite place in Palo Alto!!

Review №62

2023-05-02 02:36:03

Food was no better than a budget Chinese restaurant.The server tried to overcharge me!My check was $74 with tax, so I gave her my CC. When she left the CC slip for me to sign, it was $88! I called her over, and she said it was the table next to us... but those people just sat down and hadnt ordered yet! What clued me in to look really close was that I overheard 2 ladies at another table, of this servers, talking about their check was being too much, and needed to be corrected! YOUVE BEEN WARNED

Review №63

2022-07-30 22:35:00

This is the best spicy food I found in the area. The Grilled Live While Fish is so tasty, not only the fish, but the food on the side, especially the sweet potato noodle, are also really really good. Love the red bean sesame ball, have to taste it when it’s still hot. Actually every dish I tasted was delicious. Definitely coming back again.

Review №64

2023-03-04 03:39:22

Sandy is the best! She was nice and accommodating. I would come back again. Highly recommend!

Review №65

2023-08-19 19:37:00

Good taste, authentic taste, I want to bring my family back again

Review №66

2023-06-15 03:03:50

Had the spicy vege beef and fish. So good and i was mucky because i was craving!

Review №67

2023-01-15 23:59:31

Delicious, creative, and well-priced food. Staff is also very friendly.

Review №68

2022-09-07 04:42:52

We love Taste! Everything is great, but our favorite dish has to be the Mapo Tofu.

Review №69

2020-01-06 21:19:03

Didnt have high expectations but was pleasantly surprised to find such an authentic Chinese restaurant with good spicy dishes here in Palo Alto. Everything we ordered were pretty tasty, didnt even remember to take pics until half way through. Decent portion and prices esp for PA.

Review №70

2023-06-21 21:11:39

Taste is TASTEY.. ;) I was in the mood for Chinese food and this place really hit the spot! The flavor of all the dishes I ordered were fantastic and the ambiance, service, and prices were great. If youre deciding on a restaurant along University Ave, check this place out!

Review №71

2023-11-22 00:01:21

The ingredients they use taste really fresh but there was barely any filling in the char siu bao. The amount of food you get doesn’t seem worth it for the price.

Review №72

2023-05-14 04:47:46

Taste in Palo Alto is an absolute gem, offering an unforgettable experience of authentic Chinese Szechuan cuisine. The service was exceptional, with attentive and knowledgeable staff ensuring every detail was taken care of. The house special fried rice was a masterpiece, packed with succulent chicken, shrimp, and fresh vegetables, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. The spicy fish fillet was a burst of fiery goodness, perfectly cooked and drenched in a vibrant Szechuan sauce. The spicy noodle dish, with its firm yet tender noodles, tantalized the taste buds with its bold and flavorful sauce. Dont miss the scallion pancake - crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and bursting with scallion goodness. Taste is a hidden gem that promises an exquisite culinary journey you wont want to miss.

Review №73

2023-04-17 12:57:59

This place had baller/delicious food. The beef fried rice is the best I have had in years. The walnut shrimp was awesome. The Hot and sour soup was great quality, but not spicy, so you might need to add some chili to it - still loved it.The service was great and fast & friendly - great at giving water refills.The food is pretty expensive for what I am used to, but the quality justified it for the most part. The environment is pretty casual/not fancy despite the “fancy” higher prices. Interesting combo I don’t think I have experienced before.

Review №74

2023-03-25 04:09:09

I would definitely recommend coming to this place. I ordered the Mongolian Beef and House Special fried rice. The beef was really tender and had really good seasoning. The fried rice was also very good! Overall the food was amazing and had great portion size. The service was very fast and helpful. The setting vibes were very welcoming and zen. I will definitely be coming back again!

Review №75

2019-03-15 15:08:42

If you are looking for spicy and delicious food this is the right place. The staff is very dedicated and love what they are doing. Service is amazing and super fast. We ordered medium spicy and it was perfect to our taste. Try the spicy chicken wings and fish fillet in red chilly spice.-They have both indoor and outdoor seating.-You can ask for fork if you are not too quick with chopsticks. (No one is judging you here)-For 2 people you can expect something around $50 with appetizer and main course. (No dessert or drinks)

Review №76

2022-06-06 02:36:25

The food and service are exceptional! We had it once during our short stay in San Francisco, and it is so tasty that we could not help coming here again right before leaving the city. Ill definitely revisit this restaurant in my next visit in San Francisco!

Review №77

2022-09-20 05:09:11

Good food, many choices. Price is reasonable considering its in palo alto. The restaurant owner is also nice and talkative.

Review №78

2023-06-04 00:51:21

Really good customer service. the space was clean and the food was delicious.

Review №79

2022-06-06 02:37:24

Very authenticated Chinese food! I deliberately came here before leaving San Francisco for NYC. Definitely try their fish! It’s really amazing!

Review №80

2023-03-05 22:29:53

Food and service is excellent. Restaurant owner is super friendly. Will definitely come back to dine again.

Review №81

2023-02-17 00:51:55

We came here to celebrate my grandma’s birthday and it was an overall great experience. The food, service, and environment was great. I really liked the salt pepper tofu! It was not on the menu but they happily agreed to a special request. All the food we ordered was great as well as another favorite dish the honey walnut prawns.

Review №82

2023-02-21 06:53:35

Everything is Fire! See my short vids for real time delicious authentic plates. Yummmy

Review №83

2023-06-13 21:10:17

Service was friendly and food was just alright. Two stars because it’s completely overpriced. Not sure if being on university Ave justifies $3 for a small bowl of rice. Probably not the place for cravings but for convenience.

Review №84

2022-11-10 17:37:49

Authentic dishes. Not salty and has a solid depth of flavor. Great service as well

Review №85

2020-03-01 20:05:23

Delicious Szechuan food thats authentic and fresh. Service is fantastic and food hits just the right spot.

Review №86

2023-03-08 21:46:11

Here foods are insane ! If you are looking for good Chinese restaurant in Bay Area, Def you have to come here!

Review №87

2022-03-31 23:56:47

Taste is a great place to enjoy the real Chinese food！Highly recommend！

Review №88

2022-02-21 10:36:03

Really good foodWe went in with zero expectations and came out so happyWill take my husband thereThe hosts were very kindAnd even packed the food for us

Review №89

2023-05-14 00:58:05

Airport experience — poor quality and overpriced food. The service was slow and inattentive. I fell sick from the food for the rest of the day.I rarely leave negative reviews but here I felt obligated to — Ramen Nagi is just around the corner; you’re better off waiting in line there.

Review №90

2023-03-05 01:55:54

Yummy food ! Very authentic ! Very good customer service ! Will be back again !!!

Review №91

2023-09-02 04:15:41

Good food and nice service!

Review №92

2022-12-07 16:31:48

Smack bang average.We went there in the evening on a weekday and it was completely empty. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. We ordered the sweet and sour crispy fish fillet and the cumin spiced chicken. The prices are exorbitant(!) and none of the dishes come with rice (charged for separately), which was very surprising to us. Not to mention the food was pretty poor in taste. The only upside was the service which was excellent, but even that was ruined when they included an 18% tip as part of the bill and you dont get a say in that, no matter how small your party size (we were just 2). No clue why this place has a 4.6 rating at the time of this writing, but at this rate thats gonna go down real fast. Plenty of other excellent options in the area to choose from, dont bother with this one.

Review №93

2023-04-16 04:41:29

Super menu options. Cant wait to come back.

Review №94

2023-03-20 01:19:08

Some of the best Sichuanese food I’ve had in North America. You can’t really go wrong with any of the dishes. The staff are very hard-working and friendly, and they are always updating their menu and trying to improve diners’ experiences :)

Review №95

2023-11-01 23:03:10

My wife from Beijing liked it. I thought it was fine, but her liking it is prob the best compliment I can give.

Review №96

2018-11-21 02:21:41

Fairly fast service and a good price for the quality Tory given that this is Palo Alta. The taste of the food is not quite authentic, however it would be a place I would visit again.

Review №97

2023-07-23 01:55:14

The food is amazing! Service is fast and the staff is nice. Special thanks to Iris and Kiki for their awesome service.

Review №98

2023-03-04 03:20:04

Overall, I highly recommend Taste to anyone looking for an authentic and delicious Chinese dining experience. From the beautiful decor to the outstanding food and exceptional service, it truly exceeded my expectations. I cant wait to go back and try more of their amazing dishes! Lovely food and a even lovelier expecience

Review №99

2022-11-09 06:46:41

Absolutely scrumptious! Best service ever especially their waitress Elva, she was so sweet and helped us choose out what to eat. We got the Beef Chow Fun and Couples Delight and it was so yummy. Definitely coming back again, Im so satisfied with this meal.

Review №100

2023-08-21 05:38:59

Slightly pricy but good on everything else!

Review №101

2023-01-06 00:35:12

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Taste, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Palo Alto. I was blown away by the incredible flavors and variety of dishes on the menu! Specializing in regional specialties from Szechuan, Beijing, Shandong, and Chongqing, this restaurant is a treasure trove of authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine. I think it is the best Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto, if not on the entire Peninsula!The atmosphere at Taste is warm and inviting, and the waitstaff is all incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. On my visit, we were lucky (and hungry) enough to try a wide range of dishes, all of which were cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious. Our favorites included the Hot & Spicy Prawns, Tea flavored Duck, and the Tan Tan Noodles.I highly recommend dining at Taste the next time youre in Palo Alto. You wont be disappointed by the delicious food and welcoming atmosphere!

Review №102

2022-05-13 21:07:56

The food is fantastic! Good service and friendly hosts. Definitely will return.

Review №103

2021-09-11 03:55:36

The lamb tasted off, this restaurant serve bad meat. The beef stew is $24 and full of onion. Disgusting food.This restaurant should shut down!

Review №104

2023-08-30 18:59:59

Delicious! Try all the specialties; Ive been impressed! Also, dont worry about the spice level as they have a lot of great non-spicy options and the spiciness of the spicy dishes varies (mapo tofu is hot of course, but the sizzling cumin lamb is not very spicy).Caveat: Ive only ordered delivery twice so I cant speak to the dining experience here. Also, am a bit surprised that people complained about portion sizes. Maybe its related to the portions for the Shanghai dumplings and the regular dumplings? Admittedly its a little sad to get only four Shanghai dumplings in an order, but theyre good and its Palo Alto (University Ave no less!) so I dont mind. The portion sizes for things like sizzling cumin lamb and other dishes were pretty standard or a bit on the generous side in my opinion.Im a bit shocked that I never noticed this place. I thought Id tried all of the authentic Chinese restaurants in the Palo Alto/Mountain View area. With my second delivery order, they gave me an order of rice instead of one of my orders of scallion pancakes, but to be fair I ordered a lot of stuff (including another 2 orders of rice) so its pretty understandable. Everything else was correct and more importantly delicious. My first order was not quite as large and was correct and also delicious.Standouts:- Sizzling Cumin Lamb: My dad and I both loved it; tender and flavorful and not too spicy.- Beijing style Shredded Pork with Pea Sprouts: tender and flavorful. Its the rare restaurant that doesnt overcook pork at least a little. They do an impressive job here.- Sautéed Pumpkin (with egg coating): I first had a similar dish in Tianjin but this version is excellent with savory egg surrounding tasty pumpkin. My toddler is a big fan too.- Cucumber Salad: the right amount of saltiness with a generous amount of garlic. Tasty and refreshing!- Shanghai dumplings: I’d say they edge out Dumpling Garden near San Antonio. A little pricy at 4/$8 but they deliver and they’re way closer than Din Tai Fung.Good:- Mapo Tofu - tasty with the numbing green Szechuan peppercorns. Next time I’ll stir fry some ground pork and mix it in because we like meat and it will tone down the spiciness a little.- Dumplings: enjoyed the Chives and Shrimp - properly flavorful with the chives coming through. - Scallion pancakes: not quite as much scallion flavor or as salty as I would like, but am very impressed by the flaky texture they manage to achieve. (I still prefer the flavor of the scallion pancakes at Queen House in Mountain View but the chef there doesnt like cooking them when the restaurant is busy.)- Woodear stir fried with Chinese Yam: I love Chinese yam and mountain yam but not that many restaurants serve it. This dish was good.- Fresh lily bulb was tastyFor context, my favorite restaurants are R&G Lounge, Harborview Restaurant, and Dragon Beau in SF, and Dragon Taste and Baby Cafe in Oakland, plus Din Tai Fung. Locally I like Kirin and Dumpling Garden in Mountain View and Chef Zhao Kitchen in Palo Alto. My recent favorites are Taste in Palo Alto and Noodle King in downtown Mountain View.

Review №105

2022-08-23 04:31:23

Very authentic sichuan cuisine，very nice people，you gonna like it here!

Review №106

2022-04-09 21:47:42

The ingredients are fresh and the people here are super nice. :)

Review №107

2022-10-17 23:22:52

Really good choice for Chinese cuisine in the area with award winning dishes and tasty options. While the food is great, the location is rather cramped and rather hard to move around in, especially if additional space is needed. The decorations also look good, but noticeably unfinished. For example, the front middle sign is lit up on front, but by a fully exposed LED strip on the back. The portions are also a bit small for the price, but white rice bowls can be purchased to go along with the dishes. Would definitely return to eat here again!

Review №108

2022-09-13 20:23:59

I came here to try out their spicy noodle soup after I got marble mango tea from Gong Cha. It tastes pretty good and on the light side. The servers are extremely friendly. I asked them to add some intestine on my spicy noodle soup. They immediately did it. Their specialty is spicy food. The environment is pleasant. Give it a try! May money angel bless this store and all their guests!

Review №109

2018-06-21 01:00:48

The most authentic Chinese restaurant in this area, it now becomes my favorite Chinese place. A bit expensive to be honest. But still, super good!

Review №110

2022-09-22 03:57:43

I really, really enjoy Taste. The kitchen is remarkably good at ranging from familiar Chinese standards familiar to the North American palate all the way to up-to-the-minute styles from Hong Kong and spicier regions of China as well. The menu also evolves regularly, most recently to offer a dry hot pot which I look forward to trying next week with a group of friends.If you want the option of dim sum to accompany other types of first-class food, this restaurant is an excellent choice. The available array of dim sum dishes is somewhat narrower than a dim sum specialist might offer, but the quality is up there with the best of the specialists in the Bay Area.The last thing I want to say is that the staff and management really cares about your dining experience without being overbearing. The only thing to pay attention to is that they are becoming busy as the worst of the pandemic recedes into memory.If you want to be treated like me, by now a weekly regular, come in an off hour and be friendly. You will be rewarded with kindness, hospitality and generosity of spirit.

Review №111

2022-12-15 18:18:41

A must stop if you’re in the area! Food was so delicious and everything tasted super fresh. The flavors of the dishes complement each other well regardless of what you order. Food came out super fast after ordering and service was amazing. Restaurant has a homey feel to it and all the staff really goes out of their way to make you feel welcome!

Review №112

2022-09-26 19:08:57

This lovely restaurant is our usual dining spot whenever my family and I are in town. Price is fair, staff are welcoming and most importantly the dishes are very authentic and tasty!We have tried many items on the menu and they all have consistently hit the spot. Thank you for serving us good food and we will be back for more!

Review №113

2023-03-07 21:59:42

This is one of my favorite chinese restaurants! The price can be a bit pricy however it is expected since it is located in downtown Palo Alto. The dishes are very authentic and the service is very good at accommodating to your needs.The overall service is very professional and fast.Will continue to support!

Review №114

2023-03-05 05:29:14

Update: in response to the owner response. Not changing my rating.Im not a cheap person nor am I a dishonest person to make up stuff. The original review came from my honest feeling towards the taste of food and tip practice. Nothing personal.First, Im 100% sure I didnt order sizzling cumin lamb because I was really speechless that the 雜菌肥羊 which translates to mixed mushrooms with lamb had broccoli in it and it tasted like water boiled lamb mixed with boiled tree ear mushroom, ?shitake? Mushroom, and broccoli.I wish I took pictures of the food which I usually do but the food was so meeeh that I didnt even bother to get my phone out.Second, regarding the tip rule printed on the menu. I dont recall seeing it tbh. Maybe I missed it because of the insignificant location and small font of such text.The 18% mandatory tip practice regardless of number of party is a first for me post pandemic. Not in many high end restaurants, and almost never seen it at a Chinese restaurant.Maybe I dont come to Palo Alto downtown enough? But I dovremeber Ramen Nagi at PADT didnt do the 18% tip thing even during the pandemic. So I was surprised when the Chinese lady told me the whole PADT businesses do it. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️I dont recall saying food tasted good and had good business. Maybe my dinner partner said it out of the awkwardness when I asked to take off the tip.Last, in terms of surviving pandemic comment. Ive supported local small business before, during, and post pandemic by ordering at the restaurants physical location so Uber/DoorDash wont take a huge chunk of profit. I did that as much as I could. Majority of the restaurants still open today survived the pandemic just like you did which is 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻.Original review:Such mediocre Chinese food. Also pretty expensive. We ordered- lamb with mixed mushrooms. Very bland taste and barely see any mushrooms but tons of broccoli.- spicy fried fish. The fish werent even crispy. It had a weird soggy dough texture which was not pleasant to chew.Bill came in with 18% tips automatically added for only 2 people. When I complained, the lady claimed that all the other restaurants in Palo Alto downtown do the same thing. 🙄 Which is highly questionable!Two dishes + two rice came out to be close to $85 which I rather eat hotpot vs such mediocre Chinese dishes.Never coming back up again!

Review №115

2023-03-07 22:39:38

Very tasty, very authentic, reminds us of Chendu and Shanghai. Ate every bit of the dishes.

Review №116

2022-08-27 09:30:23

Best Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto! I passed by this restaurant and decided to give it a try. The price was on the higher end compared to other Chinese restaurants, but it was normal in Palo Alto. We ordered the grilled fish, spicy chicken wings, boiled beef and garlic pea sprouts. The spicy chicken wings is not too hot and very tasty. The wings are crispy on the outside while being tender on the inside. The boiled beef melted in my mouth! The meat was so tender and flavorful! The grilled fish came in large portion along with other side dishes. My Sichuan friend says it tastes similar to authentic Sichuan grilled fish. In addition, the service here is the best! Everyone is so nice and attentive! Highly recommend!

Review №117

2022-11-27 17:12:07

Their spicy dry pot was fabulous. I will try it again on my next visit.

Review №118

2023-05-14 03:51:07

Super authentic Chinese food! So tasty! A little pricey but at university area what can you expect lol? Highly recommended?

Review №119

2023-01-29 02:09:42

The new price of 2023. It’s worthy to come.

Review №120

2022-04-07 01:46:45

Taste is our favorite restaurant in Palo Alto. Whenever we have visitors, we take them here and when were out of town we crave it. Some of our favorites are the cucumber salad, dry braised green beans, and tan tan noodles, but there are so many flavorful and excellent dishes. Weve never been disappointed - go to Taste!!

Review №121

2022-04-14 06:46:37

Absolutely love the food here! Super authentic Chinese food. I like how they serve variety of Chinese dishes from different parts of the country.Personally I love Szechuan food. Every time I dine there, I would order their spicy fish fillet in flaming red oil and spicy chicken wing with chili pepper.Their service and food really made our day!

Review №122

2023-08-28 03:08:32

It really TASTE good!

Review №123

2023-10-15 19:48:58

Delicious authentic food! Their Mongolian beef was amazing

Review №124

2022-10-18 22:52:06

Their price is almost evil. A tiny portion of the plain noodle they charged $18. The noodle used to be higher quality. We paid $125 for two people and we felt 70% full. They charge high price with little portions. I understand there’s inflation but please have some integrity for your business practice. A business won’t survive long with greed.

Review №125

2022-12-25 11:02:04

Ate here on Christmas Eve to keep the tradition going. Although the place was extremely busy the team here always extremely attentive to my family’s requests. The food was over the top delicious. Their high ratings speak for themselves. Highly recommend

Review №126

2023-08-12 19:05:09

The califlower has mold on top. The soup Bo Bo chicken is warm….

Review №127

2022-04-13 02:00:37

We are regular (weekly at least) customers at Taste on University Avenue in Palo Alto since it first opened, and we also brought friends here for larger gatherings (the largest being close to 20 people). Excellent food, especially if you like spicy dishes. Equally important is the consistency of the food — it does not wobble every week; you know what you will get when you order. And finally, always warm, friendly, and efficient service. The restaurant has covered outside tables that are very pleasant at lunch time and on warmer days. During the Covid pandemic they kept operating (first take-out then also outdoors tables) under difficult conditions. We are thankful for that, and definitely hope the restaurant continues to thrive.

Review №128

2022-05-02 20:36:33

Its been 4 years and TASTE is still the best Chinese restaurant Ive ever had in Town! The quality never disappoints and there is always something on the menu for everyone. Regardless if you are a meat lover, vegan or simply passionate about Chinese food, youll find a dish that suits your palate perfectly.Bonus: Be sure to check out their tea menu and try out their loose leaf tea. Their Jade oolong is amazing!!!

Review №129

2022-09-25 01:52:53

The food is good. But they keep raising the prices to an absurd level now — over $30 per dish. A meal for two will cost you nearly $100. They really capitalize on being the only decent Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto.Solution: Drive a bit further to Cupertino, and you’ll get comparable food for half the price.

Review №130

2023-04-04 07:04:18

This is a must. I think I had the best fried rice Ive ever had in my life today. The place is authentic and the service is extremely professional. I was surprised at how good everything was.

Review №131

2022-10-21 23:31:33

I ordered delivery from Taste. It was ok for the price. Its pretty expensive and I have no problem with that but Ive had much more flavorful food. The Kung Pao chicken was tasty but average. I also ordered the steamed mixed greens, which lacked any flavor at all. The shrimp dumplings were tasty but not special. Im a bit spoiled as Ive just moved here from Hawaii (Dew Drop Inn is absolutely amazing), but this is lackluster food. Its decent, but I wont order again as it was just not worth the very high prices.

Review №132

2023-08-23 03:00:22

Very delicious food! love the owner, extremely helpful and kind!

Review №133

2022-11-08 07:27:56

Americanized Sichuan cuisine although still quite good. The flavours are watered down a bit with less heat and numbing. The restaurantis is clean and spacious, outdoor dining is available.There is a mandatory 18.5% gratitude. The serviceis OK, not worth 18.5%, but at least they are friendly.My server reminded me of the mandatory gratitude, but dont make the error of double tippjng.

Review №134

2022-04-13 21:20:48

Very nice and clean environment. Foods are very very yummy! My favorite dishes are the signature dishes- Spice Fish Fillet in Flaming Red Oil, Beijing Style Shredded Pork with Pea Sprouts and Sichuan Spice Pickled Veggie Live Whole Fish.

Review №135

2023-01-29 17:03:19

Sandy was amazing to work with! Sandy catered an event and we tried the Kung Pao chicken, braised green beans, veggie fried rice, chow mein, and so much more. All of the dishes were beautifully prepared and delicious! I especially loved the Kung pao chicken and red bean sesame balls! What a great meal. I am looking forward to coming back!

Review №136

2022-08-10 02:30:30

We are regulars here and it is truly delicious Chinese food. We love Ma Po Tofu and Fireburst Cabbage. I once even asked if they would make 西红柿和鸡蛋 (egg and tomato dish, very common but not on the menu) and they made it for me! Highly recommend for anyone who is a Chinese food lover.

Review №137

2022-06-19 22:39:25

If you want authentic Chinese food, this is the best place to go! I have yet to have something on their menu that I didnt like! Spicy Entrails and Braised Pork Intestine are delicious! The owner is great and the staff is always friendly. Highly recommend!

Review №138

2022-09-13 19:30:54

Our company ordered shrimp dumplings and egg tarts and other bunch of dim sum from Taste for an afternoon party. Everyone loves it! Foods are great and prices are nice as well.

Review №139

2023-08-17 20:15:27

Love the food here and hospitality of the service! It’s so awesome

Review №140

2023-08-10 23:00:25

Great Chinese food in Palo Alto although the price is a little high.

Review №141

2022-10-20 05:07:05

The food is both tasty and homy! I like particularly the spicy dry pot (麻辣香锅). Its going to light up your day! The price is Palo Alto averge but the resturant itself has a very unique combination of cantones style food, which is usually very mildly cooked, and Sichuan food, which is very spicy. The owner and the people who work here are very nice and fun to talk to.

Review №142

2023-10-15 19:50:27

Brought our school club here, great service for a large party!

Review №143

2022-04-17 04:30:14

This is as authentic as it gets ! If you want fast food dont come here. If you want an epicurean treat for your delight, this is the place that will leave your taste buds overwhelmed. Truly authentic dishes from China. Cindy is the ambassador of good will and CHI. Ask for Ki Kis egg tart. The pastry shell is perfect !!!

Review №144

2022-10-24 03:57:44

I loved the sichuan dry pot they made for me sooooo good!

Review №145

2022-04-10 02:53:43

All the dishes we ordered were delicious. I especially liked how the food was not too salty. Service was great too -- the waitress patiently explained some of the dishes to us and made helpful recommendations. Will come again!

Review №146

2022-10-05 01:33:55

Taste good, but the price is extremely high. 18% tips is mandatory and will be directly included on your check even only one person. Not recommended, there are many cheaper Sichuan restaurants in mountain view and Cupertino.

Review №147

2022-12-19 08:09:52

Food is great. But the price is high compared with other great Chinese restaurants. The 18% tip is included in the receipt, but the waiter didn’t tell me.

Review №148

2023-03-06 01:20:13

Pretty good! I would recommend and come back to this place to try other dishes. Big servings and most items we got were a hit.

Review №149

2022-04-04 03:13:37

Stopped in to Taste for the first time and I’m telling you that the kung pao chicken is the best in the Bay Area.The sauce is amazing it encompasses the whole dish. I asked for double peanuts no problem and taste is off the charts!Mindy is fantastic! Great service!

Review №150

2022-04-07 02:46:52

The best restaurant in Palo Alto and maybe the best Szechuan food in the US. Whenever I leave the area, I crave Taste and try Szechuan restaurants, and they always come up short. Highly recommend the dry braised green beans, the cucumber salad, the chicken and beef in spicy peppercorn oil, the Chongqing numbing noodle, the tan tan noodle, the mapo tofu, the tomato egg drop soup (great non-spicy option), eggplant with garlic, and the scallion pancake is good too. Cannot recommend this place enough. Good for takeout, easy to order. And the service is amazing--very friendly owners especially.

Review №151

2022-05-31 04:57:17

The Sichuan style dishes are excellent. Portion sizes are small, prices are on the higher side- but they are in downtown Palo Alto and have to pay rent. Service is good.

Review №152

2023-03-06 21:51:53

The best Chinese restaurant I personally consider in Palo Alto. I come to this restaurant 2 to 3 times every time and I highly recommend the rice noodles, especially the soup part :)

Review №153

2018-02-25 04:23:21

Very good service, many dishes are delicious and traditional!

Review №154

2022-04-18 02:41:23

Such a lovely restaurant! The dumplings were so so tasty (Shanghai and shrimp), and I really appreciated the wonderful service. The waitstaff was incredible and so kind, whenever our table needed anything, they were ready to provide!

Review №155

2021-11-16 02:39:27

As a first timer my inclination is to rate over 4.5. All dishes are of stellar quality - tastewise, quantity-wise; service is impeccable (we ordered all veg items).Service speed:They are very quick - the dishes are well done too. Caution 😌: give yourself time to order between appetizers and main course.Price: would have deserved a $$ rating a month or two ago. In this inflation-ridden period with holiday season coming up...it looks more reasonable.

Review №156

2023-03-09 03:25:44

I recently dined at Taste, Szechuan restaurant in Palo Alto and was blown away by the incredible flavors and authentic Szechuan cuisine. The dishes were packed with bold spices and heat, delivering a real taste of China. From the mouth-watering sweet and sour soup to the crispy green beans, every dish was expertly crafted and bursting with flavor.The service was exceptional, with the friendly staff going out of their way to make sure we were well taken care of. The ambiance of the restaurant was also great, with tasteful decor and a welcoming atmosphere.Overall, I highly recommend Taste, Szechuan restaurant for anyone looking for a truly authentic and delicious Szechuan dining experience. Its definitely worth a visit!

Review №157

2022-04-10 03:47:38

Place was DELISHHH. Food came quick, hot, and decent portions. The flavor surprised us with how good it was. We got the sautéed pea sprouts, Lanzhou beef ramen, and stir fried fish fillet (with white sauce), and crab and cheese rangoons. The rangoons weren’t just pieces of fried dough but instead had a nice amount of filling on the inside. Overall, the meal WAS SOOOOO YUMMYYYYY. We also got complimentary egg tarts at the end that were pipin hot, flaky, and just the right amount of sweetness. I’ll definitely come back!

Review №158

2023-03-06 01:54:15

This is a great restaurant overall, and it’s especially great for anyone who’s lived in mainland China recently and misses the spicy food from there. Really good Chinese food!

Review №159

2021-08-08 23:53:56

A great new addition to the Palo Alto culinary scene. Extensive menu filled with authentic dishes you would find in the best restaurants in China. The staff had a really nice personal touch who made us feel welcome. If you are looking for a new option for great Chinese cuisine in Palo Alto, this is a great choice.

Review №160

2022-09-14 01:24:57

Especially like their hot and sour soup, spicy hot pot. I love it so much, I always come here to try something new. environment of grace. The most suitable place for Chinese people to have dinner.

Review №161

2022-04-21 21:46:35

Super authentic Chinese food. Many of the noodle dishes are using homemade noodles, and the pickled vegetable live fish platter is the best thing I’ve had outside of China. I come here once a week at least!

Review №162

2022-04-09 02:18:23

Same dishes, same great taste. Highly recommend.!

Review №163

2022-04-16 04:53:34

Taste is my new standard against which I will judge Chinese restaurants in the future! I had the fish fillet in chili oil, and it had all of the flavor nuances one could hope for. Delicious!

Review №164

2022-04-21 22:32:17

My first time trying Taste yesterday, despite passing this restaurant all of the time. The food was very authentic & on point, and the servers were friendly. The owner even came to chat with us about their upcoming new menu. Ill definitely bring friends with me next time

Review №165

2022-11-09 06:45:29

Everything I ordered tasted really good and there’s no doubt i’ll be back again soon. the service was also great, i’m glad that my server was able to accomodate all my requests. i highly reccomend food lovers try it out for the first time or return.

Review №166

2022-06-21 21:26:11

Hidden spring menu !

Review №167

2023-06-24 20:56:15

Got a chicken with broccoli, they made it in less than 5 minutes and it was tasty!

Review №168

2022-06-21 04:36:47

If you like authentic “Chinese -style” food, the type you can get then try “Taste” here locate in the easily accessible Shopping Area (in which Downtown of Palo Alto), it is unpretentiously perfect like the name of the restaurant.

Review №169

2018-08-25 15:46:26

Food was overall good, but seemingly overpriced, and sometimes left much to be desired. Some dishes were too deep fried and too drowned in oil and sugary sauce, aka panda express. A limitation of the recipe itself, not necessarily the chef. Some dishes expertly blended texture and taste and left me impressed. Service was severely lacking. Refilling a pitcher of water shouldnt take 10 minutes, a party of eight shouldnt be ignored for an hour on a busy Friday night, and one of the dishes we ordered was incorrect, but was promptly replaced. The wait for food after flagging down a waitress was very acceptable, between 20-30 minutes. If you plan on going here, expect to pay $10 for small appetizers and up to $30 for a single dish. I wont likely return to Taste, but may do so if the other Chinese places closeby dont bring anything better to the table. If this place was not on University Ave, perhaps the pricing would be better, and it would be a lot more appealing to me.

Review №170

2022-04-12 02:49:42

This is my favorite restaurant in Palo Alto! Ive only been here twice (I live in Seattle), but Im confident in my statement!The Chinese food here is very authentic! No Americanized stuff here!

Review №171

2019-09-23 00:54:21

Vibes: 5/5: Nothing to complain about, but theres no feeling that this place is going to be super authentic place or that this place is going to be an average Chinese restaurant in the USService: 5/5Food: 5/5: Food taste is pretty spot on, there are definitely some dishes that want to bring me backPortions: 3/5: When I went with 2 other friends, this place was really pricey to eat our fills. Going with 5+ friends, this place wasnt as pricey since dishes are family style and a variety can be easily pooled.

Review №172

2023-02-11 11:54:37

The service was just ok and the food was just ok what I didn’t like was the %18 gratuity automatically added for just 2 people and not being told before hand but when the check is handed to us. Typically we tip %20-25 percent just as a courtesy but not being told this IRKED ME ESPECIALLY FOR JUST OK SERVICES.

Review №173

2022-11-06 22:24:03

Fresh and delicious. Every dish is tasty and has complex flavors. Not loaded with soy sauce or salt. Loved everything I’ve tried so far.

Review №174

2021-06-26 02:53:09

Don’t order food online. The portion was super small, it was 1/3 of the portion you generally get if you dine in. And incorrect food was delivered. We ordered pickled cabbage fish, but received spicy fish. Don’t order 生煎包， tiny amount of meat inside.

Review №175

2022-05-15 04:28:23

Delicious! This restaurant takes great pride in their cuisine. The service is excellent. I had the Kung Pao chicken, sesame dessert, and oolong tea. Enjoyed all three!

Review №176

2019-12-24 17:03:50

Right on the main strip of Palo Alto, and serves very good authentic, Chinese food. They had one of the best Mapo Tofu I have had in awhile. So spicy and peppery that I needed four bowls of rice with that dish---a true sign of comfort food! Vegetables were done perfectly. We ordered a Cantonese style vegetable noodle dish (with the fried crispy noodles) which was a disappointment. Not enough noodles. Taste is definitely more oriented toward northern style dishes.Restaurants like these seem to turn around fast in Palo Alto. I hope this one sticks around for me to try more of their menu.

Review №177

2022-10-06 17:08:25

Sandy is a fantastic owner. She is very positive and takes a lot of pride in how she runs the place. I very much enjoyed myself when I went for lunch. Thank you Sandy!

Review №178

2019-11-28 00:50:25

Visiting from Southern California. Had dinner for a family of four. No wait, good friendly and prompt service. The food was fresh and delicious. Best wonton soup weve ever had! It was so good were going back during the same trip, which we usually dont do since we like to explore different eateries during our trips.

Review №179

2022-09-03 20:58:07

Taste had really good Sichuan style food. Some great dry pot. And good sour ratan fish. Oh its so amazing. It makes my dim dim da.

Review №180

2022-07-21 05:39:27

If you are looking for authentic Chinese food, this isnt the right place. Despite the Chinese labelling and decorations, this place actually serves American Chinese food. The squirrel fish tastes like fried fish dipped in cough syrup.

Review №181

2022-10-20 10:20:36

This fish is really tasty and worthy of the price.

Review №182

2022-09-01 00:50:14

Must-go Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto downtown. Very authentic Szechuan cousine. Best spicy fish in red oil. Will definitely come back.

Review №183

2022-04-14 19:16:31

Food is fantastic I had sauté shrimp with vegetables in white sauce.. very delicious! The service is excellent! I eat at Taste whenever I’m in town.

Review №184

2022-01-03 04:55:33

Excellent Sichuan cooking. Prompt efficient service. One problem though; the exhaust fan in the open kitchen is incredibly loud and constant. It means that you need to shout across the table to your friends and its difficult to hear. We were at the corner round table nearest the kitchen.

Review №185

2022-05-14 22:07:07

Great food, if youre looking for a good place to satisfy your cravings definitely try this place out! Fish filet, spicy chicken wings, and the honey walnut shrimp were my favorite!

Review №186

2022-11-09 05:06:45

The Couples Delight and red bean sesame balls were so good. The sauce with couples delight paired so well and the meat was just as good.

Review №187

2023-08-26 21:46:30

Excellent taste! I will definitely come again!

Review №188

2019-10-26 23:47:00

100% authentic Chinese food.Taste: 5 starsService: not too bad.Problems: the food here is a bit more pricy than average Chinese restaurants. But, you know, its Palo Alto.By default they charge you 18% tips, but the check will try to fool you to pay another 18% tips. Just keep that in mind.Will definitely come back.

Review №189

2022-09-13 20:39:59

Our company had them as a caterer yesterday for the mid autumn festival event and the food was very delicious. They also sent us free sesame balls and other desserts.

Review №190

2019-02-08 01:15:20

The service was good and the beer was fine. But the food was disappointing throughout. The lamb skewers were spicy but overcooked and rather tasteless. The Honey Walnut Shrimp was kind of okay, but unlike other Chinese restaurants the walnuts were not glazed and the shrimps were coated with too much cream. The worst was the dry fried chicken wings, which was really over 50% red chili (I kid you not) and the chicken nuggets were tasteless and full of small broken bones. This place is not really cheap either. Compared to Chef Chus, Apple Green, or Mandarin Gourmet, the food quality does not justify this price at all.

Review №191

2023-05-21 11:36:10

Good food and nice staff

Review №192

2023-02-20 23:54:25

Good food, very quick service. Ambiance leaves a little to be desired. The king Pao chicken was delicious!

Review №193

2022-06-21 04:27:14

Pea sprouts were fresh and tasty. No MSG taste. I also had a fish stir fry. I will be coming back to try the fish soup.

Review №194

2022-04-12 20:08:20

I had planned to eat ramen noodles, but when I saw this restaurant on the way, the comfortable courtyard layout made me stop and order spicy rice noodles, and the spicy authentic rice noodles tendons. On the way, I packed shrimp dumplings and char siu bao, so that I could have breakfast tomorrow morning.

Review №195

2023-07-20 01:02:35

Yummy😝

Review №196

2021-03-15 04:13:13

Best local Chinese food, we’ve eaten here a lot. Call them if you’re gonna pick-up food—don’t use a delivery app. They’re able to keep the food warmer for you, and will often give things like rice on the house. (Plus they deserve your support.)

Review №197

2022-06-20 00:33:20

Great food but twice the price of a typical restaurant. Fish was questionably fresh... Good mushroom and no shell shrimp in spicy dry pot

Review №198

2021-08-24 04:19:18

A middle age male waiter complained about a 15% tip for not being 18% in front of a friend when my bf and I had dinner over there. The extent of rudeness is just appalling. We used to frequent this place and share so many meals with friends here because it’s close to our place. We understand that COVID makes restaurant business hard but treating your customers like this while expecting a generous tip is just a very, very farfetched way out.

Review №199

2019-04-26 15:44:03

I’m a Stanford grad and live in the area. I have had many meals at Taste, and dine often on University with my girlfriend and other friends. However not only has the food at this particular restaurant been tragically mediocre, including a shrimp dish that was woefully under seasoned, but also the service has been borderline insulting. I remember asking for a simple to-go container and being eyed like a criminal and barked at about it. Isn’t it a normal request at a restaurant? Would never eat here again, especially not to bring a date or a larger party where my guest(s) would be subject to the condescension and underwhelming food quality of such an establishment. Take your business elsewhere, I beg you.