This place is so tiny and nondescript that it's easy to walk right past it. Â But if you happen to see it, I recommend giving it a try. Â As other reviewers have said, it's cheap and delicious. Â Whether you're simply craving Chinese food or if you happen to be stumbling about, a little intoxicated with a serious case of the munchies, this is a good place. Â
There are certainly better places for Chinese food, but in this area, and in a pinch, I'd go there again.
Lovingly referred to by my friends and I as the "sketchy Chinese place," it is only the outside that looks sketchy. The food, on the other hand, is fantastic. My friend and I sampled the crab rangoons one day as a way to scope out the place, and the crab rangoons are fantastic. They're premade and frozen, but mostly cream cheese, which I love. They're also fried when you order, so they don't get soggy like some other take out places' do.
I stopped in there for lunch today and got a lunch special, which for anyone could easily stretch to two meals. Not too shabby for less than $6! I got the General Tso's chicken, and it was fantastic. The sauce ran right into the white rice (which was pleasantly sticky) and the chicken was pretty good quality. Again, chicken was fried when I ordered, so it was crisp and fresh when I got home.
Interior is small and might look sort of dingy, but the owners are friendly, prices are more than reasonable, and the food is pretty great. Not the absolute best Chinese I've ever had, but definitely the cheapest! Bonus points: Open til 11:30, which means slightly drunk crab rangoon visits will be happening in the near future.
Combination fried rice was customized for me and was super yum. Â Friendly, quick turn around great prices. Â My new north side chinese food stomping ground. Way fresher than China Doll on well. Â Shrimp in the rice was plump and deveined. Â Yes! Â I was really surprised. Â Had the rice for lunch while I watched the game! Â Good deal
Review Source:So I typically don't DO Chinese food because of the greasy, nasty, want-to-vomit feeling post-meal, but my dining companion insisted on Chinese delivery one day, so I reluctantly acquiesced.
Surprisingly, not that bad. It's not going to blow your socks off, but when you have a hankering for Chinese, it will fill that void. Granted, I opted for steaming the Chicken & Broccoli, and to me that's the way to go. Everything comes in either a pint or a quart size, and the pint is plenty for a medium-appetite.
Delivery was super fast, and both of us ate for around $12. Holler cheap Chinese.
Biggest complaint: no fortune cookies in our delivery order?! I want my money back!
The food is ok... I've definitely had better fast food type Chinese, even after drinking. My biggest con would be the service. I've never walked into a restaurant of any kind where the employees were so rude! They acted like they were doing me a favor by taking my order and payment... I'd rather walk farther and go somewhere else.
Review Source:I've tried this place multiple times because it's very close to where I live. Â I've had the dumplings, beef dishes, chicken dishes, egg rolls, egg drop soup and beef fried rice. Â The fried rice is average. Â Everything else is disgusting. Â Keep in mind, i was not expecting much. Â I love fast-food Chinese restaurants, but this is the worst I've ever tried. Â I keep expecting them to be shut down for health code violations because it is dirty in there! Â Also, the woman who works the counter is very mean. Â We need a good fast-food Chinese place in the Gold Coast!
Review Source:I've had Empire Chinese twice. Â The first time I had it to-go. Â They had a good special - I got beef & broccoli with rice and an eggroll for a decent price. Â The food was great and I got to eat it in the comfort and cleanliness of my own apartment. Â My second experience... not so well. Â I came here late on a Friday night because I was starving. Â My boyfriend and I came in and the place was just dirty... I swore to him the food wasn't bad. Â We ordered our entrees and grabbed a seat at a dirty table. Â The floors were dirty and everyone who came in to pick up food was dirty. Â I looked over at the girl cooking behind the counter and one point while we were waiting for what felt like hours for our food and she was in front of the fryer just stuffing her face with rice --- attractive. Â We decided to get 2 cans of pop while we waited and of course mine was expired. Â I drank it anyway even though it was flat. Â The food came and somehow our crab Rangoon wasn't even hot... doesn't make sense. Â My beef chow mein was decent - noodles and beef. Â My boyfriend hated his meal - chicken kung pao. Â I usually think it's pretty hard to mess up Chinese food but this place just doesn't do it right and the place is disgusting. Â It's amazing how much more I enjoyed my take-out than I did when I dined there. Â Maybe I ordered the wrong thing the 2nd time around or maybe the nasty restaurant just made the food taste that much worse. Either way I doubt I'll be back, even for take-out.
Review Source:I think my shoes gets dirty just from stepping inside this place. But I do feel bad for the old mom and pop that runs this place. When I first tried this place I thought this place was great. Got the lunch special. Then I realized the only reason I thought it's good is because they put way too much soy sauce on everything to make it tasty. Then I noticed a pattern, after eating lunch I would always end up with a headache later that day. Stopped ordering.
Review Source:Sometimes your dumpy hole in the wall places have the best food. This is NOT one of those places.
We ordered the Crab Ragoon which was decent, the Chicken Kung Pao which was terrible and the Beef Lo Mein (Even though we asked for Beef Chow Mein) which again was just decent.
I'm giving Empire 2 stars instead of 1 because of the hours (open until 11:30pm or later) not because of the food.
This chinese restaurant is your basic "hole in the wall" in the big city. The owners (who cook and ring up your order) are really nice and fun to watch (if you like to observe people).
They have great deals. I come here for the Pork Lo Mein, Fried Chicken Wings, and the Pork Fried Rice. Their won ton soup is also good.
I know it is all fried and heavy in the oils, but it is SOOOOOO GOOOD!!!!
This is definitely the place for locals. If you are looking for a nice to sit and enjoy the evening, then don't come here. Though i love their food, I would never eat in the restaurant. I can't eat using plastic forks and a styrofoam plate. Better yet, order the food to go with a pair of chop sticks and head over to a nice park or Oak Street Beach.
I wouldn't eat here again.
I ordered mongolian beef and the beef tasted like it wasn't properly cooked. I had to chew one bite 20 times to cut it into pieces suitable for passing through my throat, and the chewing part wasn't very enjoyable to say the least.
Maybe there's something on the menu that's worth eating, but I have to say I ate as much as I could and threw more than half of the meal away. The vegetables in the fried rice was also old and rotten-looking.
I'm not a snob about chinese food, but this was horrendous.
This is a hole-in-the-wall place that has a few tables but is really a take-out joint (they have delivery too). Â The pan fried potstickers are very good, and the skin is thick (i.e., homemade). Â I have had chicken lomein, General Tso's chicken, and kung pao chicken. Â All were tasty, not too salty, portions good for the price. Â This place is a little run down and does not appear all that clean but close your eyes when you look at the kitchen and all will be well.
Review Source:Any port in a storm. Â If you're craving greasy American-style Chinese food and you live in the Gold Coast, this spot is OK, and it's about the only option in the neighborhood for takeout. Â Delivery is usually quick and is a better option than the bare, less than appealing "dining room." Â In my experience you're better off with the stir-fry dishes than the deep-fried chicken dishes which all look and taste suspiciously similar. Â I like their fried rice and fried noodle dishes.
Review Source:I just moved down the street from this place, so decided to give it a try, as it's conveniently on my way home from work. I got the broccoli beef and hot and sour soup. I'm not gonna lie, both were pretty gross, and I love Chinese food. The beef was kinda slimy and bland, the soup was overly greasy. I don't know what to think. Maybe I ordered the wrong things? I'll probably give it another try, since I can just pick up the food myself and not pay/wait for delivery, but I would really like to find a better Chinese place in the city that actually makes good food I used to have all the time when I lived in NY. Suggestions are welcome...
Review Source:Let me start off by saying "What you want? What you want??" Because that is what you will hear as soon as you enter Empire Restaurant. The lady who usually runs the counter and takes orders is a real joy let me tell you (sarcasm if you couldn't tell). After you settle down post ordering you'll have time to observe your surroundings. Try not to observe too much because the place is kinda filthy. BUT if your in love with chinese food as much as I am you may still be willing to take your chances. Convenience is the main reason this place is in business- I know thats harsh but it's true.
I eaten different menu items trying to find one that suits me because I love Chinese food and this place is very close to my work. Funny enough I've ordered orange chicken, General Tso's chicken and sesame chicken and they are all the same chicken!! Hahahaha!! Hilarious. Â The broccoli chicken is pretty descent though and the lunch specials are cheap. Never ordered delivery so no opinion on that.
Thus, Empire Restaurant, is kinda gross.
The End.
I was in Chi Town for a little over a week and decided to take a walk around late at night in search for anything to eat. I came across this place and it reminded me of the old school Chinese restaurants in NYC (where I am from). The place is pretty gross looking inside not for nothing its pretty filthy behind the counter and unlike my NYC establishments they arent hiding it! I ordered my usual Chicken w. Broc. and vegetable fried rice .... the food tasted great but my only complaint was that there was a little more broccoli than chicken but lucky for them I love broccoli. Besides that to tell the truth it reminded me well enough of my NYC Chinese restaurants so in that case I liked it....not to forget to mention that I stopped eating Chinese for 8 years until I came here so yeah maybe it was that I missed the taste of greasy rice and chicken ;)
Review Source:This place was completely disgusting. Â It's filthy. Â You can see them cook your food, which is not a good idea if you plan on eating it afterwards. Â I had sesame chicken and there is no way in hell I was eating actual chicken. Â I don't know what it was. Â Everything was just disgusting and my stomach still hurts. Â I wouldn't wish this food upon my worst enemy.
Review Source:I know this is a cheap place in the area but the food could have tasted better. I ordered food from there twice, once when I was so sick that I could not cook myself, and another time when I was so busy with my exams. I literally lived above the restaurant for three years but those were the only two times I went in there. First time, I ordered wonton soup and stir fried chicken with some vegetables. The wonton flour was so thick and the stuffs were small pieces of pork not minced pork as most places serve. I know it could be different but it did not taste good at all. The stir fried dish was bad too. It was basically full of bell peppers. I only ate the meat and threw the rest away. The second time I decided to give it another try. Not only it was not good, it was way too oily too. I'm Asian and used to oily Chinese food but who would want to eat oily food when it's not tasty.
Review Source:I'm usually a fan of the greasy Chinese food establishments...
But we just ordered about five things to try from this place, and all were NASTY. Â A few bites of the "chicken," soggy rice, and stinky noodles were enough to scar me for life. Â I'm pretty bummed we wasted a precious delivery night on this place.
My stomach hurts.
The big neon sign in the window reads "We delivery" The menu is a lesson in Engrish as well. Veegeetable and many other funny misspellings. The sesame chicken and sweet and sour chicken are good as well. Dirty little hole in the wall mom and pop Chinese shop. The menu also advertises delivery by moped! Hilarious! Lunch specials are worth checking out also!
Review Source:Taste, quality and cost are all great!
Empire is definitely better than other Chinese restaurants that I've tried, or else I wouldn't be writing this review. Â
The food comes out very quickly and the portions are huge also!
For the price, you can't find better food. Â I order from Empire more than I'd like to admit.
Your average greasy fast chinese food. Â Like another reviewer said. "you get what you pay for". Â That pretty much says it all. Â
I have tried it a couple times just because it is close to my apt and its on the way home from the el stop at clark/division. Â I haven't been back in a long while, because there are so many better chinese places that deliver to my apt. Â
I can get similar dishes that taste better and are made from fresher stuff for the same price delivered, so why would I go here? Â I have no answer to that, so 2 stars it is.
You get what you pay for.  All the foods including a majority of the specialty  dishes are under $10, which is a great deal!  They also have lunch and all day specials that come with an eggroll (which I actually like of theirs).  The owners don't seem to be the politest... but it is what it is!
Review Source:Four stars is very relative here. Â Compared to good Chinese restaurants, this gets a one or two. Â But if you think anything like me, there are two distinct types of delicious Chinese restaurants: truly good ones and greasy/shitty ones. Â The latter is awesome for those times you just crave some Panda Express-like orange chicken and fried rice. Â And if you are in the mood some some greasy Chinese food that is close and fast, then this place will make you happy. Â They give you lots of food and they are pretty cheap, but you get what you pay for!
Review Source:Standard Chinese restaurant. Filthy on the inside and you can't understand what they're trying to tell you. Â I had to play the role of the translator for my boyfriend several times. Â He was proudly sporting a less than cool Cubs poncho and thought that everything they asked was in reference to the poncho when they were really just asking him if he wanted another bag. Â Anyways, the food was good but the fried rice could have been a little better. Â I was annoyed that they forgot to give us fortune cookies!
Review Source:I would probably never take my mom to this place because she would probably grab a mop and start cleaning. Not to mention never touch the food with a 10 foot pole.
With that said... the food is great. I think it's one of those types of place where I'm better at take out, because if I sat in it long enough to think about how not clean it was, I'd never eat it. When you get it home though, you're treated to huge portions and it looks pretty.
It's family run, which is always a bonus. I like their younger son, who can barely see the register. But at least he gives me correct change.
It was 10 pm and I was craving for white rice when I was walking along Division St. I was actually on my way to Jimmy Johns which is a few doors down the road but I went to Empire instead. The pepper beef was awful; he gave me tons of onions and peppers and very little beef. Looks more like a plate of soggy salad than a meal. I felt robbed. Okay it wasn't that expensive but still, I haven't had anything since noon. So, I left the place feeling hungry. =( What's interesting though, you can see him cook your food. Erm, not sure if you wanna do that; at least not in a Chinese restaurant. 1 star penalty for leaving the kitchen wide open.
Review Source:I have to say I was hesitant to go in here because it doesn't look that good from the outside as others have mentioned. But it's so close, and I wanted chinese food, so... yeah. Anyways, I was impressed. I got the chicken lo mein, and another time I had the orange chicken. Both were very good. Pretty standard carry out chinese food. And it's fast. i walked in and ordered and waited less than 10 minutes before it was ready to carry out. All in all, pretty good chinese food, and fast. The place just needs a little more upkeep.
Review Source:its open til 11:30 and is one of the best floor shows on division street as this incredible family does such a great job of putting out such tasty food.
I sometimes call ahead to get my order in quicker fashion for takeout, but I've allowed myself the inconvenience of having to wait a little longer and ordering from the counter just to stand and watch this cutest family work.
This is real down to earth home cooking if you ever saw home cooking with the pop and mom screaming at each other in Chinese, though  without understanding a word, I can feel its all out of love and just the way they are.
Almost like watching an Asian Stage show of the Simpsons in Hong Kong, the way they work together is just another example of how love, family and hard work and ethics can help create such tasty goodness and Chi.
If you're in the hood or even not, take a little trip here and feed your soul with some good munchins!
I agree with Jonathan whole heartedly. Â Sure, its kinda dirty, questionable, sometimes they're a little rude to you. Â But the food is priced well, you get a ton of it, and its delicious. Â Definitely worth just picking it up or having it delivered due to the lack of seating inside. Â It's the only Chinese place we ever order from!
Review Source:
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