Happy Food

When you walk in you will see 4 large tables and a couple of friendly and welcoming servers. The 2 of us got there around 1 p.m. on a Sunday and were seated quickly. Overall, we paid about $55 (w/tax) for 3 dishes with enough for leftovers the next day. We got the pork belly fried rice, spicy fried pork, and green beans with eggplant and everything was so homey and tasted so good. I found my new fried rice spot and since they were out of intestine, we will have to be back to try that!

We came because my friend's Chinese translator said this place was really good and authentic. I haven't eaten enough food in China to comment on the authenticity, but I can confirm that the food is delicious, the service is super warm and friendly, and the price and quantity are good. We got mapo tofu, fish fillets, green beans and eggplant, and pork dumplings with egg. This most recent time we also got pork belly. Everything was great. Our favorites were the beans and eggplant, and dumplings. I've never seen the dumplings cooked together with scrambled egg, but I love it. The only negative is the neighborhood... It's a bit like an episode of the Walking Dead getting in here. But the zombies stay outside of the fenced parking area, so not an issue inside. This place hasn't really been discovered yet, so it was nearly empty both times we were there, this time on a Friday night. I will definitely be back!

Came here with a friend, extremely friendly and personal service from the owner/chef/waitress all-in-one. The food is very authentic and reasonably priced with large portions. As with other comments, the outside is a little suspect, but you can hardly tell while you are in the restaurant.

SO delicious and authentic. We loved the mapo tofu and hand-pulled noodles. The service is so kind and helpful. We’re vegetarian and we had lots of options. Feels “sketchy” outside but everyone ignores you if you just ignore them, and it’s worth it to go to this restaurant.

I hate to be the outlier out of all the great reviews but perhaps the great reviews got my expectations raised. Service was great and friendly. There is no denying that. But the food was mediocre at best. Out of all the four dishes we got, I only really liked the fish fillet which seems to match the general consensus of all the existing reviews. The rest of food was a disappointment. The mapo tofu tasted salty with no depths. The wonton noodle was bland. The pan fried dumplings were ok. The pork belly fried rice was most disappointing because we expected the pork belly to be a big presence in the dish, but it was just small cuts and there was not enough of it to truly tell that it was actually pork belly. (I just saw someone else posted their picture of this dish and theirs looked a lot better than ours!!) Environment wise, we were reluctant to be in the area due to all the zombies that gather in front of this very specific block, but glad to see that there was a continual police presence nearby to deter large gatherings. The restaurant still needed to be locked after letting the guests in, but overall, it wasn't as bad as we thought.

Love this place! The food is amazing. It's new and run by a Chinese lady. She only speaks Mandarin so it was a little bit difficult to communicate. But she has a lively and kind energy--great at recommending dishes for you if unsure. Came with 5 other friends and we ordered: fish with scallion oil, mapo tofu (vegetarian), green beans with garlic sauce, spicy cucumbers, and a large side of rice for 6. We also ordered braised shrimp (not pictured) but got too full and packed it up with other leftovers. This food is definitely for eating family-style. Total was ~$95. Very reasonable for 6 people. Many vegetarian options. I do recommend coming with someone who speaks Mandarin. And also mind that she is the only one there so food can take a while especially if there's more than one party there.

The service was absolutely amazing by both of the women and you could taste that the food was truly authentic and homestyle cooked food made with love! Ordered the pork belly fried rice and pork dumplings with fried egg and both were delicious, but especially the Dumplings! Wonderful portion sizes too and will be back again!

Five star for the vibe and the lovely owner and chef. Run by two aunties in a sketchy neighborhood and delivers some of the no frills homemade meals. Nothing fancy and not-at-all restaurant cooked food but authentic. Judging by the food and their accent this place is more for the Shanghai / Zhejiang / Nanjing style food. We found the a couple of dishes too salty.

5 stars for excellent "home" cooking, yummy food, value and supporting small business. If door is locked- knock- Auntie will come unlock the door, take your order, cook and serve you. Opened in early 2023. Recently saw the homeless area cleaned up Jan 2024 to finally try this place! Food- was all delicious, good flavor. Love how vegetables are incorporated in every dish. * fried dumplings with egg- straight forward, topped with green onions and little cubes of bell peppers. * wonton (12) noodle soup- filled with additional bok choi and pickled radish. Broth was clean, clear simple and warming for the soul. * fish fillet in scallion oil- tender and tasty. A bit oily, but that's where the flavor lies. * noodles with fried sauce ( aka jia jia mien). Pile of swiggly noodles topped with veggies and meat sauce. Delicious! Service- auntie is a one person show. Very engaged and kind. Limited English. Ambiance- homey. Value- great. Portions were very filling. Each dish was large to make one person full. Location- on Jackson, across from Thạnh Vi. Has parking lot. Recommend- yes! food is good, support small business.

I was fortunate enough to try the pork steamed dumplings during the CID food walk and I definitely got lucky because these dumplings are good! There's so much more to try here so I'll definitely have to start making my way through the menu now that the dumplings passed the vibe check!

Happy Food is a new restaurant serving fantastic, homestyle Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. Definitely best to show up with at least 3 people so you can share a bunch of dishes family style. Service is adorable as it's a family run joint who will recommend you their personal favorite dishes if you're feeling indecisive. There is a small lot available, but I will note that it's on one of the sketchier blocks of i-district. I thought the pricing was okay; it's about 18-19 bucks for a nicer protein and 15 bucks for veggies with rice costing a couple extra bucks. Fish Fillet with Scallion Oil (4.5/5): Definitely my favorite item I got to try. Fish is perfectly cooked - super tender and succulent. Scallion oil was fragrant a slightly spicy. A must get for sure. Braised Pork Intestine (4/5): This might be skewed as I love pork intestines, but as its braised, this is definitely on the chewier side, though if you aren't used to offal, this probably isn't the easiest introductory dish. Their version actually comes with quite a bit of veggies, carrots and celery, which added some nice crunchy texture as well. Green Beans with Garlic Sauce and Eggplant (3.75/5): Flavor is great - light and slightly garlicky. This isn't a hard fry that you might typically expect out of green beans though, it was a little mushy for me.

I'm so sad they're closed :( was a fantastic restaurant. Highly retrorecommended. Not sure if they'll return in a new location but if they do, highly recommended!

My favorite hidden gem in Seattle now! I heard so many good things from friends and I missed very home-y Chinese food so I came by. I was the only customer there when I arrived for early dinner and I ordered the pork intestines and potato slices. The pig intestines were so well cooked and had the right level of spice. The potato slices were also quite flavorful and accompanied the pork intestines well. The owner gave me a tofu seaweed soup on the house that had a very comforting taste. I definitely want to come back to try their other items including the fish dishes. My recommendation for coming is come with someone who can speak Mandarin!

Like going to your aunt's house for a good home cooked meal. Really hearty food with unique flavors. Ordered the garlic green beans and the chef threw in some incredibly delicious eggplant with it. The fish fillet with scallions was sublime with soy sauce and ginger notes. Also felt adventurous and got the braised pork intestines - very flavorful and recommended. Service was friendly and interesting. She had someone help her from another restaurant who said he was "volunteering " during the busy time but was really friendly and helpful. The place was sparsely decorated. Like your aunt's house, you are not going for the ambiance but for your aunt and her yummy cooking. Right down to the self service rice pot. I kid you not.

Updated on 12/25/23 Been here 3 times. Miss Yeah, the owner cooked us amazingly delicious whole fish on Xmas day! What a treat! ****** One of the best all-round Chinese restaurants. And absolutely the best 苏浙 (Shanghai/ Yangtze River Delta/ Eastern China) cuisine in town. It compares to the best of NYC/ Flushing and LA in the category. Ordered Pork Belly Fried Rice, Fish Fillet in Scallion Oil, and Vinegar Cabbage - just a few of the best representation of the region. Every single dish was simply an awe! Let's break it down... Fried rice: packed with rich ingredients. Each rice grain is separately soaked with flavors. If I divide it to 10 portions, each presented in luxury plate, that's a Michelin star dish right there! That's how good the food and how generous the owner. Fish: she made the frozen fish taste like fresh fillets! The tenderness and the perfect balance of flavors... Vege: this is typically a course to tell how chefs regard everything they present, because vege looks simple enough. But she really nailed it! The place is very clean and cozy, with adequate parking in my opinion.

Friendly, small family run joint where staff went above and beyond, delicious food made with fresh ingredients, and homey atmosphere. I'll definitely be back!

The food here is authentic and amazing! It's all managed by one woman and a server. It can be a bit slow if they're busy but the food is quite good and rotates items so you'll be able to find new discoveries! The interior has a nice ambiance and distracts from the sketchy location. I'd definitely come here again!

Clean and nice setting. The owner Lady is a very nice, zealous kind person. Can't wait to try Hangzhou mini bun. I'm thrill that she's from Hangzhou. Lots of nostalgic memories came back. Ordered Mapo Tofu (vegetarian) the numbing spice very authentic and the portion is huge. Will definitely come back to try other veggie dishes

This is a family-style restaurant and from the moment we walked in they made us feel like family. You can taste the love they cook in each dish. I've never been much of a city person but I plan on visiting Seattle just to come back. Food I recommend: Wood Ear Salad 凉拌木耳 Spicy Cucumber Salad (vegetarian) 拍黄瓜（素） Farmhouse Fried Spicy Pork 农家小炒肉

Location isn't ideal BUT I SWEAR TO GOD SOME OF THE SWEETEST STAFF EVER everything we ate was a 10/10. Please be safe when entering.

Wonderful food and the nicest lady running the place! Been there multiple times and will continue to come back. Unique from the other Chinese restaurants in the Chinatown International District. It's such a cute and chill new place that everyone should check out and support!

Reasonably priced, great portions, and wonderful chef the parking is easy and I'm planning to return weekly to support.

Great food! The vegetarian options are great. The green beans, wood ear mushrooms, and potato strips were highlights. Overall it's not too oily and authentic.

Don't let the location scare you away. The staff is so hospitable, greeting you with a smile. The food is flavorful home cooking Chinese classics with a twist. This is definitely worth a try.

Don't miss out on this place, it is a gem. The flavorful food will leave your tastebuds fully satisfied. They cooked the my green pepper beef with care and love. The staff are extremely hospitable. Do yourself a favor and get a meal here.

Ms. Ye, the co-owner, is from Taizhou from Zhejiang Province of China. She is a very sweet and she has expressed that cooking food for people is her passion. She made my friends and I about 10 dishes, with wooden ear mushroom salad, stir fry broccoli and cauliflower, green beans with olive leaves, stir-fry cabbage. They were all very delicious. Ms. Yes also willing to cater to vegan options and is still currently working on her menu. Try this place if you want Zhejiang Chinese food!

Wonderful restaurant. The server and cook are so kind and dedicated to their work! The food is delicious and each entre has it's own special recipe!

Happy Food is a hidden gem! Clean and bright, the food was excellent and service even better. This is a must try!

OMG this stuff is fire! Short rib stir fry and pork belly fried rice was awesome..............

Went here with a group of 4 yesterday, and I can honestly say it's some of the best Chinese food I've had in Seattle! This place is run by the cutest Chinese couple, and they were super friendly while recommending dishes for us and serving us. We got the fish fillet with scallion oil, the farmhouse fried spicy pork, the green beans with garlic sauce (she added in some Chinese eggplant), the mapo tofu, and the wood ear mushroom salad. In particular I think the fish fillet with scallion oil and the mapo tofu are must gets, but everything we had was incredible, and I will be back for more soon!

the location is not good. should have followed husband's first impression of going in. when he saw not only it's all barred up, you need to buzz to enter a restaurant. it was my fault that I didn't double-check with the boss lady that I'm ordering from the restaurant week menu after placing the order the waitress, who happened to be working for the first day. when paying the bill, i was informed that "we are not doing this." referring to the restaurant week menu. I ended up paying the regular menu price. found a hair in one of the items. notified the issue quietly, even though there were no other guests other than us for the entire hour plus from noon. was offered to make me another one. the second time is hair-free but smaller portion than the first time. and the fact that the item was made two times also became one of the reasons that the restaurant week menu price was not honored. "I had to make another one, that's more cost to me." said the boss lady. the taste is alright, other than one appetizer, which i couldn't even finish. I didn't do the maths to see how much cheaper the restaurant week menu is. seems like it's just a couple of dollars cheaper. It's just for the excitement of a deal, an event or something special. I do get one big disappointment.

an absolute gem! my friend's family catered from this restaurant for christmas. every dish was a masterpiece - bursting with freshness and vibrant flavors. the attention to detail in preparation was evident. i highly recommend trying their signature dishes; each one was a delightful journey through chinese cuisine. this place is a true culinary treasure, and i can't wait to return for another fantastic dining adventure! ( *u* )