Hwa Yuan Szechuan

Duck is slamming! Def worth it and good size. The rest of the food is very tasty but portions are on the smaller side. Not very shareable for a group larger than 4. So you’ll have to double up on orders if you’re a big party.

We didn’t even touch the food on this table! it was that bad. This place officially tops the list for the worst Peking duck I’ve ever encountered. The duck looked sad, dry, and like it had been cooked three days ago, then reheated in an air fryer as an afterthought. If anyone ever wanted to punish me, making me eat their so-called “house specialty duck” would be the perfect way to do it. The irony? This is what they proudly call their specialty. It tasted like old, leathery jerk duck left out for days. Honestly, you’re better off grabbing duck from Big Wong’s. At least there, it’s not pretending to be something it’s not. I’ve never seen a restaurant with such a nice atmosphere serve such overpriced, reheated, fridge-stale duck. It’s almost tragic.I genuinely feel bad for the duck having to suffer through so many levels of disrespect. Speaking of atmosphere: despite there being open tables elsewhere, walk-in guests like us were herded to a cramped 2ndfloor corner next to the kitchen. I could literally feel kitchen grease wafting through the air and sticking to my hair. To their credit, the servers acknowledged the disaster and canceled the order, which I appreciate. But still no one should be charging premium prices for something like that. Maybe they can get away with it with tourists or folks who’ve never had real Peking duck, but I feel compelled to speak up for them: this isn’t how it’s supposed to taste. The fried oysters were terrible too, tasted like scrap dough. I had high hopes, especially after seeing the glowing Resy and Google reviews.but now I can’t help but wonder how many of those were manipulated. What a letdown, Hwa Yuan.

We visited this restaurant after seeing it featured on YouTube and learning about its Michelin recommendation. Their signature dish—Peking Duck—is highlighted on the first page of the menu, so we expected it to be the star of the meal, especially at $90. Unfortunately, it was anything but. From the moment the duck arrived, it was clear something was off. The skin lacked the signature crispness and looked like it had been pre-prepared and reheated, possibly from a day or more ago. When sliced, it was visibly uneven and tough in spots—a telltale sign that it was not freshly roasted. The ultimate test was the duck leg, which was chewy, dry, and difficult to eat, making it obvious that the dish was not fresh. To make matters worse, even the wrappers, which should be thin, delicate, and freshly steamed, were old and stiff. The garnishes, including the scallions and cucumbers, looked like they had been chopped hours earlier, lacking the vibrancy and crispness that fresh ingredients should have. Other dishes were equally disappointing. The jellyfish appetizer was fine, but the fried oyster was a disaster—mostly batter with barely any oyster inside. On top of that, they charged $10 for a pot of tea, something that is often complimentary or at least reasonably priced at high-end Chinese restaurants. The dining experience itself was also unpleasant. Despite having two floors, they crammed all diners into a tight corner on the second floor, right next to the kitchen, seemingly for staff convenience rather than customer comfort. We left quickly, feeling deeply disappointed. For a restaurant with a Michelin recommendation, the quality was shockingly poor. If you’re looking for authentic, freshly made Peking Duck, look elsewhere—this place isn’t worth your time or money.

You know what they say. When the attitude stinks, the food bangs. Expected a very pleasant experience after seeing the hospitality award outside. Felt very unwelcome by the male waiter who did not want to be there and felt very rushed. The food was nice, quick service. They did get my soup order wrong, but the peking duck was tasty. The male waiter shouting at the couple next to us was quite unpleasant. Can’t say they were over worked as it was 1pm on a Monday afternoon, with 7 guests in there total.

When the Michelin Master Chef suggests you try the dish that you’re actually there for before you’ve said a word, I thought it had to be destiny. I wandered in randomly for the mapo tofu and would come again for it, but I would skip the $10 tea. I like visiting restaurants to try their take on the Chinese mapo tofu dish. I really like their version: light on peppercorns and the tingly sensation but rich and savory with noticeable bean sauce. I wasn’t overwhelmed with heat from the first bite but instead was treated to a slow burn after a few bites. One thing I did not expect (but probably should’ve considered in retrospect given Michelin and the look of the environment) is their pot of tea is priced at $10. I actually asked for it without looking at the menu, since I walked in around 3pm and Chef Tang actually suggested the mapo tofu dish so I agreed enthusiastically. Unfortunately I only drank a few sips because I was in a rush. They have a huge space with multiple floors and nice decor. Thanks for the delicious meal, hoping to come again with friends next time!