Hunan Cafe

The 3.1-star rating (as of November 2025) for this takeout Chinese restaurant isn’t fair at all. A score closer to 4 or 5 would be more appropriate. Since coming under new management this past summer, the restaurant has become much more appealing and welcoming. The lunch specials, around $10 each, are excellent choices and among my favorites. Note it often gets quite busy, especially during lunchtime.

Dingy little place, ordered a chicken dish and it contained approximately 3 oz of chicken and 10oz of random stuff. They didn't even include a fork. I even left a tip, I'll be charging back on my credit card. Ridiculous for $24 you get a 1/3rd of a chicken breast.

They have some dishes on the menu that I like, besides their proximity to my house is the best. But the attention is not the best and the wait is very long. If you’re in a hurry, this won’t be the best place to look for food.

We ordered Sweet and Sour Chicken and the food was delivered. The restaurant did not include pineapple, green peppers, or onions. Only chicken and rice for $19+ dollars. Terrible waste of money.

I was scared at first to order from this place because of the comments I saw on here but I took a chance & I’m glad I did! I order shrimp & broccoli 2 weeks ago. The broccoli was fresh and tasty but my favorite dish by far is the Lo Mein!! I love how they put enough shrimp & the bowl is all The way filled up! They always have my order ready on time so I definitely recommend this carry-out.

Love the food from here! I really like to order the combination lomein and fried rice that they make! :3

Hello, on January 3st, 2026, I bought chicken with broccoli, but unfortunately, the chicken is spoiled. Expired, I think. This isn't the first time I've bought this product. This just happened at 7:20 p.m.

I came here because they were one of the few places around that still served real Chinese dumplings. Well.. Not any longer. They have now joined the crowd of other Chinese take outs that have switched over to frozen potstickers (like the ones in the frozen food section of the grocery store...the ones with the strange white meat inside.) These are gross and what blows me away is the cost and the menu description stays the same. $8.75 per 6 frozen potstickers. I can get the same bag of 18 for $12 at the store. But I wouldn't because they aren't appetizing.

What are these naysayers of this place talking about anyway? I disagree. :) As someone that is constantly searching high and low, wherever I go, for good value plays (especially in this brutal must-watch-every-penny economy!), THIS PLACE FITS THE BILL. And believe me, I have searched high and low in the Reston/Herndon/Dulles area for tasty, fresh, quality Chinese food for the money. And THIS PLACE IS THAT PLACE. * Everything is freshly made to order and made quickly. Call in for pick up and stop in to pick up in 10-15 minutes - the amount of time you need to jump in your car and hop on over. The back kitchen always has sounds and aroma of a sizzling wok cranking out Chinese classics - THAT fresh. * They don't skimp on portion size for the price here. I truly have not found a Chinese carry out that has better prices and value for the money. * Fresh, fresh ingredients. Listen - their Moo Goo Gai Pan has quality chicken slices but beyond that, the veggies in the dish are all fresh, brightly colored and crunchy good. This last time I ordered, I noticed sliced pieces of ASPARAGUS in the dish! WOW - impressive! What a pleasant surprise to see! * I observed a steady stream of customers and delivery drivers picking up orders. Again, not sure what the naysayers are talking about. Steady stream. Young, old and in between, all classes of people. (A side benefit of lots of customers is the constant turnover of meats and veggies - nothing sits around for too long, everything is fresh and you can tell by looking and tasting.) * Located in the Hunters Woods Shopping Center, this place is conveniently located - very visible shopfront, loads of convenient lot parking right in front for quick and easy in-and-outs. There are a few tables and chairs inside for dine in but it's definitely more of a carry out place although I will stop in occasionally for their LUNCH SPECIALS and eat in right there. * More about pricing and "good value" - they have the typical Lunch Specials we have come to know and love about Chinese joints - made-to-order hot and fresh cheap eats, large portion sizes and lots of classic dishes to choose from on the lunch menu. With their regular sized entrees, we can usually get a couple more good-sized leftover servings the next day (or two!). For dine-in, sodas and bottled water in their refrig case are $1 each. These guys know their customers and the need to price smartly to keep customers coming back. #respect * These are some of our favorite dishes: Sweet and Sour Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Moo Shi Pork (or Chicken) with plum sauce and housemade wrappers - really, anything you order here is good. Bottom line: Eating out has become a tough line of business to be in these days. Small mom and pops like this place are taking the biggest hit and are the most vulnerable. Hunan Cafe's longevity (I see reviews going back 10 years) speaks for itself. You can't stay around that long (not to mention through Covid!) and not offer quality food at reasonable prices. Disregard all the naysayers - definitely check this place out, see if you agree with me. :)

I got the pan fried noodle, fried rice, Lo mein, wonton soup. All were great. Wife and I loved the crispy pan fried noodle. Food was ready very quickly. I would recommend.

Average food, high prices. Very poor service. Attitude while answering the phone. When I picked up with my family there was a comment- "4 people one order". I was picking up because my kids were hungry- not to feed everyone. Would avoid- I'm sure there are better options around.

New to Reston and I am trying to find a go to Chinese place. This place is pretty bad. Had some leftovers so I came in here to get a fried rice and lo mein to compliment my entrees. Fried rice was like rice mixed with too much soy sauce. Lo mein had an overwhelming garlic taste. Like nothing but garlic. Gave me spring rolls and not egg rolls

Overpriced and mediocre flavor. $22 for a tiny portion of hunan beef that tasted like a fish soup spilled into the bowl and $6.50 for the worlds smallest egg rolls. Steer clear

Heads up. This place routinely over charges. I called them out for and they told me the menu on the counter was old. I pointed out that the other menus also had the same price listed. This is the 3rd time and I am done with this place. The food is also is not very good quality just close to my house. I'll go a little further down the road and not get better food and not ripped off.

Delicious and authentic Chinese food. My favorite is the combination lo mein. 10/10 would recommend that. Service is good but dining area is a bit small. Best for take out.

So very disappointed. I ordered Thai green curry, but received the most bland plate of vegetables in a pasty white sauce with zero flavor. When I called to ask I was initially told that yes I got vegetables. when I explained I had ordered CURRY which is a spicy entirely different dish I was told that they were out of it. I guess the problem is that I ordered on door dash and there isnt a way it seems for them to contact me. they were unable to rectify the order which just left me a really terrible dinner. DONT order from here on Door Dash with out first calling to check to make sure they have what you want.

Looks like place you would find in the Hood. Food is mediocre at best.

Ordered the Lo Mein and Fried Rice. The Lo Mein was pretty good, the friend rice was ok. The prices seem reasonable for the portions.

Summer rolls were ok. Fried rice was a little bit unsalted and dry, but rather that not oily one. 2 stars because kept finding thick black hair in my food. Pretty gross and unsanitary. Please wear a head cover as the protocol prescribes. No one wants to taste your hair

Great customer service was very friendly and helped me figure out the best option for me to try. Food was great and came out hot. Would gladly go back and recommend.

Would not order from here again. We had Sweet and Sour Chicken....more fried dough than chicken, not good; Pork Fried Rice...little pieces of overdone pork, chewy and hardly any egg, carrot, etc.; Egg Rolls that were mostly bread, hardly any filling. The Orange Chicken was pretty good. We ended up throwing away at least half of the overpriced meal. They have been there a long time and need to up their game.

I ordered dinner tonight thru GrubHub. The egg rolls were the size of Thai spring rolls ... Small, not the typical egg rolls.... too expense for 2 little egg rolls. Orange chicken which was supposed to be spicy was Not spicy at all. Very disappointing entre. In total I'd give my order a D. Probably won't go back.

I actually ordered delivery from this restaurant by accident. I thought I was ordering from the Hunan cafe in Vienna. But the food was great! All my notes were honored with my meal, and the food was delicious. I got 2 springs rolls, crispy beef and a Peking duck. I was impressed how well the duck was carved and that all the fat was removed from it. A couple complaints I had were that the pancakes were a bit large and even though I ordered and paid more for extra scallions and plum sauce, the portions I got were tiny. The crispy beef was delicious and the spring rolls were crunchy. Also, I'm sad to say the rice sucked. It belonged at Panda Express not with an overpriced undefsaived Peking duck. Despite the drawbacks, I may order again. But may not, based off the extra charges and what extras I didn't get.

This is good, simple, straightforward everyday Chinese food. In precisely the way the restaurant's name proclaims, this is 家常便饭 . . . plain and simple. The food is good quality, tastes fine, and the place offers reasonable prices. The store's delivery people are polite and friendly. Throughout this quarantine year, the Hunan Cafe folks have delivered orders, big and small, in a consistently kind, happy way. And writing this review, made me hungry for Hunan Cafe food . . . .

This Chinese place is about two blocks from my house, so I'm a pretty regular customer. Since day 1 I've always ordered the same: orange chicken with fried rice & 2 spring rolls. I've never had the need to try anything else. The place itself is pretty small, and although it has a couple of tables to dine in, it is more of a Chinese takeout place. I always call in and they have my order ready within 10 mins.

I usually do not give a bad review of restaurants. But this one I cannot give more than 1 star, sorry. I got the schezuan beef with fried rice, and it was awful. It is supposed to be spicy according to the menu, it had an icon of red pepper on the menu. The taste is bland. The fried rice tastes like it is soaked in soy sauce and stirred in oil. Once you see the picture you'll get the idea. There nuggets of white rice here and there. Not even seasoned right.

Some of the reviews are hilarious. The one lady calling the place racist cracked me up the most but I digress. Yeah they aren't the friendliest, but food is decent for a quick Chinese food fix. Nothing fancy, not even really a sit down place. More of an "I'm home and craving greasy non authentic Chinese food." I am laughing because people think it's supposed to be fancy or something but it's really not. Anyway, I would say it's about 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up :) will return if craving and in a pinch Chinese food meal

Food is good. Fast. Except the girl that works at register is bland, no sense of humor and rude!

This is hands down THE best place I've gotten Chinese takeout from!! You could honestly serve this at a fine Chinese restaurant and I wouldn't know the difference. It's THAT good! I definitely recommend getting the seafood combination fried rice! It's my favorite there also the crab Rangoon's are really good since some other places it tastes almost stale but theirs are so fresh. The workers there are also so friendly to me when I come! This is near my workplace too so I love coming here for lunch!!

You would think it's your typical Chinese spot from the outside, but inside it's a place where their food and service stands out. I loved the food and they treated me with respect. Great prices too.

Despite the fact that my company is opening an establishment right next door to this business and this spot is convenient, I WILL NEVER order from here again. I ordered two meals, one for lunch with fried rice and one for dinner with white rice. Well I decided to switch the meals but as you can see the white rice had a few bugs in it. I ate lunch and took the other meal back to get a refund. I can't eat the meal without rice and didn't trust getting another batch. The lady wanted to replace but I asked for my money back. They asked me to bring all the food back, refunded me for both meals and asked me, and I quote "next time don't order from here" unquote! I told her that it's bad business when dealing with your business neighbors and walked out the establishment.

Have gotten take out from here multiple times and it has always been great. Chinese food can be hit or miss and this place has been very consistent delivering good quality food fast. Not the most amazing ambiance for a sit down meal but the food absolutely delivers. The hot and sour soup is excellent- the dumplings are also quite good.

I attempted to order online, until I got to the end of the process and there was no option to pay with a credit card. So I called in and the price went up by 10 bucks. I asked for an explanation but all I got was a change in price (she literally changed the price 3x, freakin insane!). To make it worse this is the 3rd bad experience I've had with them in a row. I know... what sense did it make to order from them a 3rd time, all I can say is it was convenient and the closest thing (never again). My first bad experience came when they decided to leave my order on the main entrance door handle, IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC. Not only did they leave it at the main entrance, they called after they left to tell me it was there. My second experience came when I decided I would give them another chance and just choose pick up. Well when my partner came back from picking up our order, I noticed the change was kind of short, so I asked why and it was revealed they added a tip without permission. I know if they did that why even order a third time...? I was truly desperate and it won't happen again.

Quick and easy to get to for good and simple Chinese menu. There are many around the area and this cafe is good by most standards. It is a no frills take out joint now and the food quality is good. Prices are about the same as others in the area and love the range of options they have. They are pretty fast which makes for a good experience. Recommend for a quick Chinese food fix.

How this place is in business is beyond me. Everything that was ordered had clearly been sitting in the kitchen for who knows how long. The employees were too busy eating lunch themselves to prepare fresh food. From the wontons being old and stale to the chicken being complete mush from just sitting in its own breading, nothing about this place is or ever will be good. The one thing you think would be okay would be the white rice. Not the case. Hard and overcooked. If there is a fund to donate money to shut this place down I will personally donate as much money as possible to put this place out of business.

Don't be fooled by the frontage or Covid shielded carry out wall. I wouldn't recommend their carpentry but the kitchen puts out delicious Chinese-American comfort food plus! Either choose your old school favorites or try something outside your comfort zone. Great carry out or delivery for an evening of binge-watching your favorite series.

Some of the reviews I read about this place are crazy and a bit racist. There's nothing wrong with Hunan Cafe 7. The staff is honest, hardworking and nice. The food taste like it has no MSG and not too much salt. The food is Chinese American, not Chinese, but still good. Only thing one could ask is that they make the spicy dishes more spicy but I understand. The restaurant is not fancy and that was their intent so that's very cool. Singapore noodles are excellent. What's my benchmark for Chinese food in America? Chengdu Taste in Las Vegas. :) That place is 10 stars.

This place consistently adds additional dollars to your online order, a several dollar difference between your receipt and what you are billed. BAD BUSINESS. Time and time again. We're done with this restaurant.

Service is great, and food is good! Accommodating for vegetarians like me. There are a ton of options, and the young man who rings you up is very polite. I Would definitely go here again!

I don't often eat Chinese take-out, but decided to eat here after grabbing KFT across the street. I'm surprised at the negative reviews because I actually had a pleasant experience. The guy who served me was really accommodating and friendly. I'm usually that basic girl who goes to Panda Express and orders orange chicken... but since this is an authentic Chinese restaurant, My server suggested that I get the Mongolian beef. I'm glad I went with it because it was so gooood. I'd recommend getting it here! Overall, I definitely think that people should give this place a chance/second chance because the food here is pretty bomb and for a reasonable price too!

Good food and extremely quick service as well as delivery. Ordered and was told 45 minutes to an hour for delivery. In less than 30 minutes, they were calling me to come down and meet the delivery driver. WOW!!!! I ordered online, and had no problem switching my address as I had previously used Beyondmenu in a different location. Easy peasy to get my order placed, tip given, paid for and a receipt received via email. Food was good, portion size was healthy and my friend who joined me for dinner remarked that the food was everything she expected it to be. Both the wonton and egg drop soups were good. I plan to try the hot and sour soup next, but didn't want a soup as spicy as that can be. The egg rolls, were actually spring rolls -- I could tell by the wrapper and though they were very good and I do like spring rolls, I preferred egg rolls for this particular meal. No harm done, will try again with my next order. Will question it if the same thing happens. Ordered the mongolian beef, chicken lomein and a shrimp and scallop dish. The latter dish was rated spicy, though I ordered it mild and that is exactly the way it came out. All three dishes were good, nice seasoning and tasted great. Ordered white rice with one and brown rice with the other. Recommend giving this place a try. Eventually I'll get over there for a meal as the storefront looks like its not just your typical carryout, but actually a full service restaurant.

Ordered food for eat-in at location. Really happy with the results. I had the Vegetable Soup, some Chicken Lo-Mein, and Beef with Broccoli. The dishes were presented fantastically! Everything costed about $20, a little under; I was more than happy to leave a tip for the service! The fridge in the lounge area wasn't working properly, meaning the soda that I got wasn't very cold, but the server was very sweet and got me a soda from the back instead! It was a great lunch with my boyfriend and I'm going to quickly become a weekly regular here if only for the fantastic service and delicious food! Wish I could rate it 6 stars, honestly.

Lunch specials are extremely small portions (I don't even eat that much normally). Save yourself the disappointment & just order the regular size. When ordering Chinese takeout, no one really has high expectations but this place really fell short. Less than mediocre American Chinese takeout. Oh if you order online, be sure to expect a rude person calling you to "accuse" you of ordering. I didn't get a normal "hey your order is ready for pick up" call - instead I got a "you order online???" Um yes, I realized that I placed an order online as I was the one who did it I really couldn't understand what else they said after that. This was my first & last time ordering from here. Don't recommend anyone going here

Average Chinese takeout. Lady at the front is rude and always have a condescending attitude.

Worst Chinese food I've ever ordered in my life. Brought me the wrong order. I work at the ballet studio literally around the corner. I had to bring my own order back, wait for the delivery man to bring my order back to the restaurant, and then take my food back with me. Had I not been starving I would have demanded a refund and left the food there. And this was before I even tasted the food. I ordered Hot and Sour soup, Moo goo Gai pan, and chicken Lo Mein. The only item with flavor was the soup. The chicken looked like plastic and was rubbery and flavorless. Depressing.

Just moved to the area and ordered take-out on Christmas evening from Hunan Cafe. It was one of the only places open so it was busy. The food was really good and honest some fo the best Chinese food we've had in a long time, but what made it a special place to me was the way the young man interacted with the angry guests. Like I said, they were the only open restaurant and were slammed busy. People were mad that their take out food took longer than 15 minutes to make. The handing out food should win an award for his patience while apparently helping manage new orders keeping the kitchen updated. We will be returning soon. Thank you Hunan Cafe.

The place it was dirty ,Bad cCustomer service their owners she was in phone playing And the same time she was trying to take care of me the worst part is when she starts throwing the food I have my worst experience as a customer

I got a flyer in the mail advertising their grand opening. I love giving Chinese places a try because, hey, if they can cook better than I can then it's all gravy. Had a tough time finding it at night since they're so new they haven't put up a sign yet (they're between Ledo/At Play and PostNet). Half a dozen tables available inside, with glazed ceramic replications of popular Chinese dishes on the wall and counter. The BBQ spare ribs were average, and placed in a leaky lined paper bag. The hunan shrimp wasn't any better than what would come out of my pan, and the crispy beef was overly sweet. I prefer Hunan East's crispy beef, sesame seeds and all. Won't be back.

I order here all the time. Chef special soup, Peking duck and beef and broccoli are pretty good.

I have ordered here many times, and the food is always good. Excellent crab Rangoon, shrimp with lobster sauce, Mongolian beef, moo shu pork, egg foo young, hot and sour soup. Quick courteous service.

It can't be compared to some really authentic Chinese place, but as an average Chinese takeout place, it does a great job. The stir-fried noodles are always good to order when you just don't want to cook, and they are in a very decent portion, so definitely enough for your hungry stomach.

You need to hire someone who speaks English! Or at least someone who is good at customer service! CONSISTENTLY HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SEVICE!!!

The hot & sour soup was the only thing I come here for at this point. And unfortunately, now discovered that is also hit or miss. Last time I got it, it was loaded with mushrooms, spicy, and pretty good. This time, hardly any veggies, and the broth was so thick and goopy it grossed me out and I threw it away. No thanks!

Food here is always pretty good, I haven't tasted anything that was not palatable and we've been eating here since they had opened. Their noodle soup broth is glorious! I've never tasted that broth anywhere else.. My all time favorites are Pork w/dry bean curd, fried chicken wings, shrimp egg foo young, spicy mapo tofu and beef w/ broccoli! Try them and see for yourself! Why 4 stars?..well the ambiance is so so.. Though its in Hunter Woods Plaza in Reston, I would think he atmosphere could've been better.

This place is really awful. The restaurant is really dirty, the food is incredibly bland and isn't fresh, and the people are very, very rude. I used to order soup from them because they were close, but not after today. I placed an order for delivery today online. A woman immediately called me to tell me i had to put a 15% tip on my credit card before the food would be delivered and they do not accept cash. I explained that tipping is based on service, so I'd rather pay in cash, she hung up on me. I called back to cancel the order and she said the driver had already left even though it was 6 minutes from the time I placed the order. It's just a shady place. There are so many fantastic restaurants in Reston, especially a variety of Asian offerings, I suggest you select another option because this isn't one of them. I honestly can't believe they are still in business.

the most authentic and true chinese food ive ever had in the northern virginia area. i can tell the family who owns this restaurant really values the food being true flavors. really great service and friendly environment, is now my take-out go-to for chinese food. strongly and highly recommend!!!

customer service- horrid.. so sorry we inconvenienced you with spending our hard earned money there. thanks for forgetting our egg roll order (wasn't worth $2.85/$3) to waste our breath to dare mention it anyways..i ordered sweet sour shrimp-comes w/2 mini pineapple chunks(tiny),1 carrot shred,3 small piece red onion & 6 pc shrimp basically donuts (sooo much tempura very lil pc.shrimp) hubs had hunan shrimp. said was mediocre. never returning - if u don't appreciate business from patrons- u fail....love how waitress threw our plates of food on table like we're in prison

For a reviewer to insist the restaurant is racist and that people who call in orders have to speak in a fake Chinese accent is beyond odd, and a customer who would do is what strikes me as racist. I certainly don't order that way and neither do others I know who regularly order food. Maybe the woman taking orders didn't understand him. Regardless, she truly has limited English skills and can sound abrupt, but I don't think means to. And yes, that can be frustrating when asking questions, but some of their dishes are excellent and other Chinese restaurants don't carry the variety. For example, they make many dishes with rice noodles instead of wheat, and their noodle soups - I get shrimp - have a delicious broth, and especially in cold weather or if under the weather, hit the spot. I also enjoy their mei fun and chow fun, made with either skinny (mei) or wide (chow) rice noodles, and a choice of proteins.