As far as I'm concerned, this is the best Chinese food Chicago has to offer north of Roosevelt. Â But that's not saying all that much. Â It doesn't have a whole lot of competition and I stopped looking after about the 30th bad experience. Â I got burned by that stove enough times and even I'm smart enough to stop trying.
Pretty standard Chinese food options. Â I usually go with a Sesame Beef which I realize isn't really a standard Chinese option, but I'm an ignorant white boy who doesn't know any better. Â Ignorance is bliss.
Above average chinese food outside of Chinatown or Argyle street. However, the prices are getting ridiculous. $16 for one shrimp and vegetables stir fry dish is a joke. Most of their business has to come from takeout since the restaurant is mostly empty every day of the week. So my suggestion is to have a 20 percent discount for takeout. In other words, go back to your old prices before the sushi bar and remodel. Who wants to pay a premium for decor when you don't even see it?
Review Source:Mediocre and overpriced. I love good, authentic Chinese food and I thought I'd be in from a treat, based on the reviews. I was very disappointed. I ordered for delivery and got hot & sour soup and chicken with peapods, water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms. The soup was neither hot nor sour. The dominant flavor of the chicken dish was sugar, the chicken was overcooked, and there were very few vegetables. What few veggies there were were poorly prepared. The peapods were limp and overdone, and the mushrooms were not destemmed. Shitake mushroom stems are inedible and any halfway decent chef should know better.
I really wish Sun Wah delivered.
This is, in my opinion, the best Chinese restaurant outside of Chinatown. Â
This is a fancy Chinese restaurant with fancy prices. Â It is not cheap but each entree is enough to serve two normal people, 1 1/2 people who are really hungry or 1 total pig. Â I have, at times, fallen into each category as a diner here. Â I don't recall every leaving without a doggie bag though, so keep that in mind when you see the price tags. Â You get what you pay for and they use very fresh ingredients and give you big portions.
This is a good place to take a date (as my now-husband did many times back in the day). Â It is low-lit, a little bit romantic and normally pretty quiet. Â We have always had good service here.
Here are the top dishes we order again and again:
Moo Shoo Pork (every component is perfect and it is so fun to make little Chinese burritos)
Kung Pao Chicken (best anywhere)
Mongolian Beef (Husband's fave- not something I usually like but it is done very well here)
This review is a bit late in coming, but after see the 4 star rating, i felt compelled to review.
This restaurant was our staple for years until we moved away in the 1990s. On our anniversary, I thought I would treat my wife.
We were very disappointed. Our first clue should have been that it was so empty. It was 7:00 on Saturday. The food was overcooked and bland. Nothing like we remembered. It could be one of 3 reasons: our memories were bad, our tastes improved or most likely, the food deteriorated.
Dee's is a great little secret of Lincoln Park. There is a nice outdoor patio in the back and plenty of room for groups. Sushi is fresh and appetizers were great. But what really sets Dee's apart is the service. Everyone there makes you feel warm and welcome treating you as friends instead of customers. Will definitely be back.
Review Source:Came here for dinner last year when I used to live in Lincoln Park - solid taste, and great mom-and-pop feel to the restaurant. The family that runs the restaurant really does take care of you, and offers exceptional service.
I think I got the Wonton soup and a few small appetizers (and the classic crab rangoons, of course); pleasantly satisfied with everything and will definitely be visiting again next time I'm in the area.
A very pleasant surprise.
Have walked past here a number of times, did not expect it to be so cozy (ambiance, not size--it's actually fairly large) or so good
My friends and I split some Hawaiian Poke (surprising that they had it) over crispy wontons. Delish
I ordered curry Udon soup, which I'd never heard of before, and would definitely order it again. Â The curry was more subtle than I expected and the broth was savory & comforting.
When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by a very friendly host and during the meal, someone (the manager, or Dee herself?) came and checked in on us.
Yum.
Dee's is wonderful and her sushi is always fresh. If you get the chance to sit on the back patio, it is the perfect place for a quiet dinner in a very picturesque setting. We really enjoy the friday night jazz as well. Aside from the sushi, I occassionally get the garlic calamari which is done really well.
Review Source:Stopped in here tonight on a whim after an evening of shopping. Pleasantly surprised with what we found.
The live jazz trio, dim lighting and the comfy booths in the front windows were perfect for a casual Friday night date. There was no wait, but a decent amount of people dining, and the service was attentive and nice without being too in your face.
Started with the Martini Nashi which was very refreshing and light. Yum!
The crab rangoons were good, very crispy but the filling was different from what I'm used too. It had more of a chive or green onion taste, than crab. Not too rich, and the sauces were good.
My date loved his wonton soup, it came with leeks and some other stuff in it and was a good size. For an entree, we shared the sesame chicken. Not great, not bad..the portion was enough for us to share.
I'll definitely go back again another weekend and try more of the menu. 3 stars for the food, 5 for the ambience, cheap bill, and nice service.
Clean taste on food with attention to preparation and presentation.
Soft Shell Crab appetizer -- 1 crab with a fresh stick of ginger partially colored in red. Â Creative kudos on the stick of ginger. Â The only one I have seen in Chicago.
Udon Shrimp Tempura soup -- The friend tempura and vegetables barely left an oil mark on the plate liner. Â Fresh frying oil as evidenced on batter color and taste. Â A little brown and salt on batter would be nice.
Venue -- clutter and disheveled. Â Organize and put unused furniture into storage please. Â Attention to lightingg for mood would be helpful.
Jade (the Crass waitress) -- An authentic service from a Mandarin speaking Chinese in China. Â Awful! Â She shows you the soup spon with an attitude that you don't know what a chinese soup spon look like. Â Questions the order of Udon and says that it is a soup. Â The Bus Boy was more attentive as Jade busily chats away in Mandarin for the diners to hear.
Dee's should become a food truck.
I am wary of the ubiquitous "pan Asian" style of dining. The cuisines of China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. are very different. It's not often that you wind up at a French-Spanish-Mexican joint, is it? That would be weird, right? Then why is it ok for sushi and pad thai to be on the same menu? Can you really do anything well if you're doing everything?
However, I was early for an appointment nearby and stomach-growlingly hungry, so I thought I'd check out Dee's. I didn't try the sushi -- maybe I missed out there -- but I can say without a doubt that I've experienced better Chinese food from the Trader Joe freezer aisle.
The portions were fairly expensive for how small they were (no leftovers -- whaaat?!). The crab rangoon wrappers had a curious texture reminiscent of pork rinds, and not the good kind. The vegetable lo mien was drowned in syrupy brown sauce and rated an "eh" on the flavor scale.
So there was that, but the kicker came 2 minutes after leaving, when it occurred to me that my body was objecting to the crab (at least I assume it was the crab, I hadn't eaten anything more adventurous than that) in an unpleasant manner. I felt queasy for a good hour or two after eating, and was pretty glad I didn't have leftovers.
High-end, low-end, Chinese, Japanese -- Dee's should figure out what it is and what it does best. And then stick to it.
Seriously. Four stars? What were you people thinking?
I was so unimpressed with this place, I felt compel to leave my first Yelp review ever. First off, Chinese food is not supposed to be this expensive, especially for a place with no originality or regional specialities. Second, the portions are tiny for Chinese food. The menus is set up as family style, but the portions are for one regular person, or two small eaters.
Finally, quality and taste is unremarkable. It was good enough to eat but nothing memorable. I'm not sure if it's because I'm from Southern California where there is plenty of awesome Chinese food, but this place is seriously overpriced and underwhelming.
For those who have been to any real Chinese food places, this place will disappoint.
PS. This place's decor is questionable, it tries to be high end in this neighborhood, but it just comes off as tacky.
Was unimpressed. Â There are so many better chinese places. Â The food quality was very high and tasted great.
BUT was definitely not worth it for the price and the portions were not that big.
Summation:
Food tasted good, but nothing spectacular and was double the price of comparable food at other Chinese Locales.
Visited Dee's for the first time last night, and I was diggin' it from the moment I walked in..
Nice, comfy-cozy decor. It seems like a lot of non-chain Chinese restaurants with a dine-in option make you opt for the take-out option, because you don't want to sit on a sticky chair that's been there since your Dad was chasing your Mom around the sock-hop. So I was impressed with the undumpified scene Dee's provides.
Service was perfectly attentive and friendly. I had the beef and asparagus rolls which rocked, and the special duck. Once I see duck on a menu, it's hard for me to go in another direction. It was served differently than I am used to...I expected the half bird to by laying there on the plate, but Dee's cut it up. Saved me the trouble, I guess. It was very crispy and maybe just a smidge dry, but nothing to kick a fuss over...esp. since it was served with a delicious plum sauce.
Dee's also serves sushi..I would be interested in seeing how they rock Japanese sometime...but last night was all about Chinese.
If you are looking for a nice sit-down place with Asian fare, don't hesitate to give Dee's a try. Bring your quarters for the pay boxes, free parking is pretty obsolete around there.
Dee's is one of my go-to spots for Chinese or sushi as it's consistently good and also has the bonus of being a really nice space to dine in as well. Let's face it  - most Chinese places are not known for their decor.
Dee's also has a really quaint fenced-in outdoor patio if you're inclined to eat outside but the interior space is more than pleasant enough if that's more your bag.
Food is delicious, if not entirely authentic. The menu is extensive, with lots of appetizer and sushi options, as well as typical Chinese dishes. There's something for everyone on the menu.
Service is efficient and friendly, and they give you hot, lemon-scented towels to wash your hands before and after your meal.
I've been going to Dee's for years and they never let me down.
Highly recommend!
It has been several months since I dined in at Dee's. Â Although I have always enjoyed my dining experience there, lately I've been opting for dining at home and ordering for delivery.
My usual order:
**Eggrolls - generously stuffed with chicken, shrimp and veggies
**Crab rangoon - tasty although i think they might be a little overstuffed
**Sweet and sour shrimp - yummmm
**Brown Rice - a nice option for those of us trying cut down on white rice
Occasionally, I'll switch it up and go for one of the chow mein dishes. Â Yum!
They usually say "within the hour" for delivery time. Â Usually I don't have to wait longer than half an hour.
Until I have reason to try and find another Chinese restaurant that delivers to my neck of woods, I'm sticking with Dee's!
We hadn't been to Dee's in a while but as always the food and service was excellent. Â I forgot how tasty everything they service is and how friendly and attentive the service is.
The décor is classy, subtle and well thought out.  I particularly like the booths at the front of the restaurant but there were too many of us last night to occupy that spot.  I have never been when it is nice enough to sit out on their patio but apparently it is awesome.  We ended up settling for a seat next to their indoor garden.
We got a pretty decent spread and everything was exceptional. Â We particularly like their Sizzling Rice Soup. Â I had never had their dumplings until last night and they were also great. Â Once thing I really like about Dee's is that when you order a chicken dish you can tell what part of the chicken you are eating. Â None of the dishes use those chicken bits that are the norm at most Chinese spots. Â They definitely are on the higher end pricewise but the portions and quality of food make it o.k. with me. Â Their shrimp with Black Bean Sauce is great and the shrimp are large and plentiful. Â I really like their Mushu and twice cooked pork but we went in a different direction last night. Â
They have a full bar and sushi as well, although I have never tried that. Â They also have a decent selection of wines at very reasonable prices. Â
Very nice atmosphere and extremely tasty food without losing any of the authentic Mandarin flavors.
Dee's has some of the best Chinese food outside of Chinatown! Â I went last friday night before hitting up Shoe's Pub down the street (an adventure in itself). Â I went with my boyfriend and his besty. Â Our server was this really friendly woman named Jade, she smiled a huge smile and made us laugh pretty hard. Â She indulged us by participating in our banter as all of us are "Chatty Cathys." Â She was an awesome server.
Friday night is apparently jazz trio night. Â We were seated right next to the musicians. Â Upon entering I couldn't resist giving them a cheesy wink and grin followed by a series of "You guys!!!" accompanied with finger pointing and mock gun motions. Â I kind of had an unstoppable Dean Martin moment. Â (yeah, I'm a total Ham)
We all had a great time, followed by more great time at Shoe's. Â All in all Friday was a ton of fun (some may say too much fun).
Just a note on the actual food, we loved everything we ordered:
-Edamame (always a good choice)
-beef wrapped asparagus (soooo tasty!)
-cold noodles with peanut sauce (ok, good and tasty but not great)
.... mmmm I can't remember what all we got for entrees but that's a side effect of having good food, drink, and dining companions! Â (if either of you remember please feel free to enlighten me)
Oh, Amaliya, you were right again. Great place to dine. LOVED the beef and asparagus appetizer, Kung Pao chicken, special fried rice, crispy duck and best of all the General Tso's chicken. Finally, it's been so long that I have eaten a really good General Tso's chicken dish!!
The server, Jane, was absolutely lovely. She would joke with my son and offered him a coloring set to entertain him while we ate.
We were seated at the table next to the fireplace which made everything so much better.
I will definitely be returning to Dee's.
Thank you Xtie, for a most excellent and unexpected treat!
After a 2 hour play date at Adams Play lot with Xtie and our boys, we were FAMISHED! Â Options are often limited when there are preschoolers in tow. Â We were faced with the dilemma of eating in a family friendly restaurant that served boring food; or indulging our taste buds with real food. Â The two of us are trouble together. Â To hell with it all, we wanted good food. Â We decided to throw all caution to the wind and head for Dee's Mandarin Restaurant. Â
From the outside, Dee's Mandarin is simple in appearance with its plain black awning.  I was taken aback when we entered.  It was quite a bit fancier than its exterior façade.  I prayed a silent prayer that both of our boys would behave and allow us to eat and enjoy each other's company.  The host did not seem to flinch at our appearance.  And thankfully, it was not incredibly busy.  I quick retrieved crayons and paper from my car to keep the boys busy.  That entertainment only lasts for so long.  Xtie, being the quick thinker that she is, suggested giving them our I-phones t occupy their time.  I don't know what we would do without them. They truly allow a parent and any other patron to enjoy their meal in peace.
I ordered eggrolls and chicken basil. Â Xtie ordered a beef and asparagus roll, tempera, seaweed salad, and 2 types of sashimi. Â We also ordered pot stickers and virgin strawberry daiquiris for the boys. Â They offered 3 kinds of dipping sauce to complement our appetizers that ranged from sweet to hot. Â I didn't care for the eggrolls, but loved the pot stickers, chicken basil and the beef and asparagus roll was probably the best that I have ever had. Â I did not try any of the sashimi; I am way too phobic about raw seafood.
I would definitely return to Dee's Mandarin Restaurant. Â I admit that on first impression, I would have not expected this restaurant to be child friendly. Â BUT I also must stress that this is not a good restaurant for all children. Â I think that they did a really nice job to accommodate us and also engage the boys as if they were valued customers. Â That in itself earns 4 stars from me.
I've walked past this place for half a year now and never ventured in, shame on me!
The decor is beautiful. We sat in one of the corner booths across from the jazz trio on a Friday night. Fantastic! I made sure to tip them on the way out.
Our sushi was pretty standard and so was the service. The Alaskan comes with a generous portion of salmon eggs on top, so that was a nice.
This is a great Fri-Sat night date place but we also saw a couple of groups there.
What a great place! Â Beautiful decor, big place w/lots of different seating, and a nice outdoor area too! Â I believe this place has been open for 30+ years... Â The owner, Dee, is incredibly friendly and nice. Â Her personality just makes you love this restaurant even more!
Prices are good for the sushi and entree dishes. Â Food is yummy. Â We shared a variety of sushi, fried rice, mongolian beef, and chicken teriyaki for 4 people. Â We ate every last piece of food on the plates! Â YUM!
I think easy metered parking or valet is also available.
Looks like a great place for groups too! Â Busy...they get good business - so maybe get reservations for big groups ahead of time.
I will definitely be back here again! Â :)
Dee's is a lovely Chinese food restaurant that the boy and I tried last night for an evening out. I've been interested in pursuing non-Italian options for dinner with him (when he's not eating cheeseburgers, it's pretty much pasta round the clock) and I've been thinking about Chinese food carry-in Sunday night family dinners as a kid, so when he said, I'm ready, I said, let's do it.
There was a little bit of a wait, as we came on Sunday night without a reservation, and it looked as if they didn't have enough waitstaff to cover the entire restaurant. Dee's is bigger than you think, at first: you walk in and are confronted with the ever-busy takeout counter, but walking into the first dining room, the bar, sushi bar, and tables only make up one of the rooms of the restaurant. There is a room up the stairs, another further back, and an outside area. The interior of the restaurant is well-thought out and pleasant--there is a little glass room in the middle of the restaurant with a rock waterfall. You may not even notice it, it's so subtle.
We started with the eggrolls and crab rangoon. The eggrolls were some of the best I've ever had. Filled with chicken, shrimp, and various veggies, everything tasted fresh--even the fried outside didn't seem overly greasy. The crab rangoon was not my favorite, but it was crispy and not too fishy. I ordered the mooshu pork, and boyfriend got the kung-pao beef, medium spicy. My mooshu was awesome--sweet and tangy and yum yum yum. The kung-pao beef was delish, too, but not nearly as spicy as either of us would have preferred.
The menu is extensive, and many of the dishes they offer are pretty standard Americanized Chinese dishes. But at least the execution was good (a tad more HOT for next time) and our service was really attentive. Our older Chinese gentleman for a waiter even pounded my boyfriend's hand at one point. I don't even remember why, but AWESOME.
I'll most definitely be back.
Dee's really sets the bar for me. Excellent Chinese cuisine. The owner, Dee, is a very friendly and accomodating person. No wonder her restaurant has been a Lincoln Park staple for decades!
The only reason assign 4 stars is because the sushi is subpar. But then, I shouldn't be ordering sushi at a Chinese restaurant anyway!
Dee's is by far my favorite Chinese restaurant in Chicago. Â During the time my boyfriend lived a block away, I was somewhat addicted. Â Every dish I've ever tried has been wonderful, although I recommend the Mu Shu Pork and the Chicken with Shitaake Mushroooms and Peapods. Â Everything if flavorful and filling.
Dining in is always a treat. Â The restaurant is elegant, the service is wonderful, and they usually have live music (think jazz trio, not rock band) one night a week. Â I personally haven't tried the sushi but I've heard that it's excellent. Â It's a great place to take a date, order some sake, and share some delicious food.
I really have nothing bad to say about Dee's! Â Sure, you can get Chinese for cheaper, but honestly, it's worth it.
Came here last Friday as a group of 5--4 of them being sushi lovers. Â I am the only non-seafood person in my crew, so I had to venture in the menu. Â I ended up ordering the sesame chicken and overall it was pretty good. Â The chicken breast was very tender and fresh along with the veggies they used. Â I have no clue what my friends ordered for their sushi, but whatever it was, they loved it. Â
We had a bit of a problem as the waitress was unwilling to split our check at the end, but I do concede it was our fault for not having our stuff together earlier. Â This same waitress had done so once before when we came, but she had a bit of an attitude this time which I do think was uncalled for. Â We worked it out in the end, though. Â
All in all, a pretty enjoyable experience with some good food for all.
Best Chinese food ever! I had plans to go out with a friend for dinner tonight and was kind of excited when she canceled. I really wanted to hang out w/ her, but now it means that I can stay home and eat Dee's!
I've already placed my order for my usual crab rangoon and sesame chicken- so good!
I've tried the sushi- it's just ok- stick with the Chinese food.
There are 3 things I miss ever since I moved from Florida to Chicago- the sun, a good deli, and good Chinese food. I've tried many different Chinese restaurants, and haven't had much luck finding a good one, although I've settled for Yen's. Â
This evening I had the depressing task of spending hours taking GMAT practice tests....just the perfect way to end the weekend (note: major sarcasm). Â I had a craving for some good Chinese food and figured I would order in Dee's Mandarian after reading all of the review!
Thank you to all the yelpers who reviewed Dee's because I have finally discovered a Chinese restaurant that I love! I had the sesame shrimp and it was absolutely delicious- so good that I'm already looking forward to tomorrow' night's leftovers. I definitely plan on visiting Dee's soon  to check out the atmosphere I've reading about.  Now if only I could find a good deli and get some sun in Chicago?
Dee's has really hit the bulls-eye. Â My first time visiting was winter '05. Â You enter the host area and it's mostly for greeting, waiting, and pick-up orders, but still nice. Â
I entered through velvet drapes into the sushi lounge area. Â There are nice booths near the front windows, and on my first visit a 3-piece jazz ensemble was playing in this area- very nice touch. Â The sushi bar sits opposite the libation station. Â
The central dining area is elevated about 3 feet and sits deeper in the space behind the 2 bars. Â This area features a nice waterfall. Â There is an additional dining area that sits adjacent to the outdoor dining area. Â This place offers many different settings, and pulls off each very well.
As for the food, I love it. Â I have had the scallops with bok choy a few times, and it's great (sea scallops). Â The sushi is pretty good, though I've only had a couple of simple rolls. Â Service is professional.
Their to-go bags fit in with the Armitage scene- you look like you really dropped some flow, but Dee's prices are extremely reasonable considering the quality and location.
One more reason Dee's is so great is that when you leave, every employee makes an effort to thank you on your way out the door. Â a very pleasant experience.
Sushi  is good!  Yamada-san the sushi chef is very friendly.
Chinese food is good... not if you're looking for super authentic though. Â Garlic Eggplant is yum, I think they're known for their sesame chicken.
One thing: Â I am not a crab rangoon person, but the crab rangoon here is AMAZING.
I looooove Dee's - my favorite Chinese place in Chicago. Â I've been coming here since I was a kid living around the corner, and it seems to keep getting better. Â I'm a fan of Chinese, and while it's not the most authentically prepared cuisine available, it's just delicious. Â It's an upscale place, very comfortable, nice ambiance and the service is excellent. Â Great drinks too.
I've never tried their sushi but I'd like to. Â The vegetables in their other dishes taste so fresh, I'd imagine the sushi would also be fantastic.
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