Jinli Sichuan Cuisine

Restaurant · Monmouth County

Jinli Sichuan Cuisine

Restaurant · Monmouth County

1

71 S Main St, Marlboro Township, NJ 07746

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Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null
Jinli Sichuan Cuisine by null

Highlights

Jinli is your go-to for authentic Sichuan food in Chinatown, with must-try dishes like spicy chicken, dumplings, and hot pots, all bursting with flavor.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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71 S Main St, Marlboro Township, NJ 07746 Get directions

jinlisichuan.com

$20–30 · Menu

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71 S Main St, Marlboro Township, NJ 07746 Get directions

+1 732 866 8838
jinlisichuan.com

$20–30 · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

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"Jinli is 30 seconds from Leicester Square and if you’re craving Sichuan food, this is one of the spots to hit in Chinatown. The hot and dry pots, in particular, are perfect for a big group meal, and the whole deep fried sea bass covered in chilli oil is a must order. It’s crispy, it’s moist, and you’ll find yourself mining for more fish amongst the oil, dry chilli, and Sichuan peppercorns. If you’re moving in numbers and more than happy to eat out of the same (hot) pot, this is a good option. photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli" - Jake Missing

Jinli Restaurant Review - Chinatown - London - The Infatuation
View Postcard for Jinli Sichuan Cuisine

Alvin Kim

Google
Very good real Chinese food! We got the Mapo tofu, Shredded Beef w/ Spicy green chili, Fried rice, and Hot and sour soup. Everything was very well seasoned and full of flavor, and good sized portions. The people serving the food were such nice people! It was worth driving 30 min to get here.

Vasiliy Kulakov

Google
This is our favorite Chinese restaurant in Marlboro — the dishes are different from most American-style Chinese food — it’s healthier, more authentic, and flavors are bold and spicy if you enjoy that. Soup dumplings and steamed chicken in chili oil (a cold dish) are my favorite. I recently tried ramen here too — a risky order as it’s not traditional, but it was surprisingly good — they nailed the broth.

Zuha Nasim

Google
I’ve eaten here many times and the food is all amazing. I’ve never had a bad dish here and the service is quick and friendly. I’m a big fan of any of their dumplings, very delicious and authentic. The egg drop soup, sesame noodles, and hot and sour rice noodles are also amazing! The sizes are usually large and prices are very reasonable. They also give half an orange for free to end a great meal! And have a great rotation of seasonal specials. You will never be disappointed eating here. My favorite place for dumplings in all of New Jersey!

Tejnain Singh

Google
We have been going to Jinli for several years, even though it’s a 45 minutes drive from our house — we love the food and staff and have never been disappointed. The place has something for everyone and the flavors are authentic and delicious. Our favorites are Fish filet in Sichuan chili oil, cumin lamb and the kids love the sesame chicken! Strongly recommended for amazing Sichuan food for the whole family!

C. Siegert

Google
First time here. Wife and I love Sichuan food and it’s very hard to find in NJ. We were pleasantly surprised how good the food was. Dan dan noodles is A staple as well as hot and sour soup. Both were very good however not the best we have had. All the dishes had strong sichuan peppercorn influence which gives you a unique flavor and a numb/tingly tongue. Heat levels seemed to be inline with the heat rating in the menu. Wontons with chili oil was tasty but lacked acid just slightly out of balance. Highlight was the traditional sichuan with beef. Seen in the photo with the rad base. Beef was incredible tender, flavor was popping, the tofu skins and seaweed was great to reset the palate. Service was a 3 out of 5. Regular restaurant but had a fast food feel to the service. Server does it all, waits tables, answers the phones, handles the take out. I will definitely be back due to the true Sichuan style of cooking.

Mama Pooh

Google
If you're looking for up to standard authentic Chinese Sichuan food, try this place! Delicious, place is nicely decorated and priced accordingly. You could also ask for less spicy or less salty as well.

Chris Woodham

Google
We stopped in early on a Sunday. It was easy to get a table and service right away. We started with the pork dumplings in Sichuan chili oil, hot and sour rice noodle soup and steamed chicken with chili sauce. Every dish was seasoned well and tasted delicious, but they were all a little on the oily side. We finished off with the Chongqin spicy diced chicken with dried chili peppers and the string beans with minced pork. The Chongqin chicken was very crispy which I enjoy and the string beans were gratifying.

Sam Falotico

Google
Below average food... Went for dinner, the place was completely empty on a Monday night. There were a few take-out orders, but nobody else came in to sit and eat. We were seated and given two used paper menus. We ordered our food and got it very timely (of course, we were the only people there). The food wasn't that good though. The noodles were way too salty and the broccoli didn't have enough sauce on it. The spring rolls were okay—they were a bit greasy, however. In conclusion , I probably won't be coming back here anytime soon. The food wasn't great by any means, and there was no "x-factor" or whatever that would make me come back.

John D.

Yelp
A truly authentic experience. Frog legs w/ mixed veggies was not gamey but still had some amphibious hop, lol, I know but I couldn't resist. Pricey at over $30. Clean with good service. Byob bonus. I'll be back.

Shaun L.

Yelp
Came here in search for good authentic Chinese food, and I was not disappointed. I whether you are experienced or inexperienced, check this spot out and keep an open mind. You won't regret it. It's a Szechuan style Chinese food which is spices and chili oil focus vs the more common Chinese food which is more southern Chinese style (Cantonese). Mom said they had good soup dumplings, "xiao long bao" which are steamier dumplings that have a little bit of soup in them. If you've never had them before, do not eat it all in one bite! Put the dumpling in the spoon they give you and take a small bite into the skin and suck in the soup. If you don't, you'll burn the heck out of your mouth. The soup dumplings were great. Make sure you order them right away because they take longer to cook, it's better to enjoy them first than when you're close to full because they are best when eaten fresh. The other items we got were F5 the fish fillet in chili oil. It came in a big bowl with some mushroom and cabbage and was very good. The spice is more medium, so if you can't handle heat I wouldn't recommend this dish. It was different than the usual fish in chili oil because it was a little saltier than I'm used to, but that's okay because you should eat it with white rice and there were less Szechuan pepper corns if any, which is what we prefer. Usually the peppercorns are a detractor to the dish, but that's the style. The other dishes we ordered were the eggplant in garlic sauce and scallion pancakes. The scallion pancakes were not special but cooked perfectly. They weren't greasy or burned like the ones you'd get from most places. The eggplant in garlic sauce was delicious. The eggplant is an Asian style that resembles a zucchini in shape and size, and doesn't have many seeds as a regular eggplant. The sauce is a little sweet and tangy, great over some white rice. The dish complements the other dishes well because of the contrast in flavors, so you can get a taste of all of the flavors of the rainbow. Like in most places in Jersey, it's in a plaza with plenty of parking but it's clean, especially the bathrooms, and very well decorated. The restaurant feels modern with a Chinese flair. The coolest things were the tea cups, take a look at the pictures. They were really nice!

Alex M.

Yelp
The food here is amazing! My wife and I have been craving Sichuan as good as what you found out in California and this place finally hit the spot. The Dandan noodles are absolutely addicting- we took home the little we had left just to use the sauce at home! Highly recommend! Service was great as well!

Lee M.

Yelp
Food was well prepared and tasty. It is a shame that they are not busier, because in the multiple times I have dined there, we have enjoyed the food. Service is OK We will return again. BTW it takes me 30 minutes to get there so I wouldn't waste my time if it was unsatisfactory!

Brianna R.

Yelp
10/10 Dan dan noodles and the wonton soup! Super tasty and authentic. The inside is super nice but usually order takeout and I cannot complain, my order is always right and delicious !

Richard S.

Yelp
I did only order takeout so can't speak on the sit down experience. What I can say is this is the best Chinese food I've had in the area in multiple years. General tsos chicken (special requests followed for extra spice), Wonton soup, side rice for a beautiful lunch. Skip the fast food and try this place. All made great and specifically the best Wonton soup I can remember having, ever. Have tried all the high rated Chinese restaurants in the area and I've found my new go to. Excited to come back for dinner and try the rest of the menu. Thank you for attention to detail and wonderful food. If you're unsure whether or not to go here I promise, this place deserves a try!

Hung L.

Yelp
We ordered the beef noodle soup, most of the meat was so tough and inedible. The rest of our food was okay. Only 1 person working and most of the time she was busy talking to her friend on the phone. People coming in and she just motioned them by hand to sit down.

Kayla N.

Yelp
My friend and I ate here for the first time last night. We had such a nice experience. The owner is incredibly friendly and helpful if you have any questions about the menu. She even brought us a free appetizer. Very accommodating. The food was delicious. We loved everything we tried. Soup dumplings, wontons in chili oil, and Dandan noodles were all just excellent. Perfect amount of spicy flavor. Can't wait to come back and try more!

Thomas P.

Yelp
Paper napkins, paper tablecloth, lukewarm tea. We waited 30 minutes to place our order. One hour in, we had our order taken and enjoyed some crab soup dumplings. Another 40 minutes, still waiting for our order. Finally, my hot and sour soup arrived. Very good, spicy enough, I'm the envy of those who didn't get soup, lol. After two hours and fifteen minutes, our hostess apologized for the delay and provided some complimentary shrimp dumplings and soft drinks. I cancelled one dish simply because it took so long. The remaining dishes trickled in over the next half hour. So, very tasty food, but truly unacceptable waittime. Never again.

Nan S.

Yelp
The staff was very nice and helpful. Everything was yummy. My only complaint is that it was not Szechwan spicy (it had a little bit, but not much). Would go again, but will probably ask for higher spice or chili oil/something like that on the side.

Edwin B.

Yelp
Fantastic food, service was good. Ambiance was the thing, seated at a booth in the left rear corner of the dining room, which was charming to see the fish, etc swimming in the tanks. There was an abrupt change noted twice during our meal (from hvac cycling off maybe? Idk)--when a distinct "low tide" odor arrived which was not so appetizing. Shame to have an otherwise good experience tainted by this--olfactory memories are hard to shake!!!

Emily S.

Yelp
My favorite place for authentic Chinese food in Marlboro/Monmouth County!!! The place is on the smaller side, but the decor has a clean and simple aesthetic. Despite being in a strip mall, the restaurant has a slightly fancier feel and it's a nice setting. Definitely has Sichuan/peppercorn flavor and spices in the dishes: their pickled fish dish's broth is so delicious. Service is consistently attentive and accommodating to guest requests. Come here for spicy and more authentic chinese food!!

Lucky C.

Yelp
If your looking for spicey and flavor this is the place. Took the family for a late lunch and the service was great and the food was really good. The Braised Pork with chestnut comes out in a cracked vase presentation was really nice and the flavor was on point. I will be back to try other dishes.

Danielle S.

Yelp
Way too expensive for the portion, which I wouldn't mind if it were good! The dumplings are cheaply made as are the wontons. It's like they did the bare minimum in their dishes and send it out. Will not be back.

Connie W.

Yelp
Super yummy food with amazing service!! Would definitely come back again :) great ambience and decor as well! Quiet but super nice!

Tony C.

Yelp
Nice place, authentic Chinese food in New Jersey. DangDang noodles very delicious. Good service.

Samantha P.

Yelp
I came with my grandpa as it is one of the closest Asian restaurants around my home. It was extrmely quiet and empty inside and I was surprised to see how much seating there was available for people to dine in. We ordered three dishes and I was so surprised to see that the bill came out to be over $80. The soup dumplings are not the greatest but decent as there aren't many soup dumplings in Marlboro. There's plenty of parking at the lot and it was next to an Asian supermarket.

Jessica P.

Yelp
Insufficient staff employed for a busy night. Waited 35 minutes to order. Two hours after arriving, only appetizers and soup were served. 2 waitresses avoiding customers because the kitchen can't keep up with the orders. Entrees arrived 2 hours after we ordered them. We barely ate before packing it all up to go because 3 hours is too long at a restaurant.

Brad A.

Yelp
It's very hard to find good Dan Dan noodles outside edison. This place did very well. If everything had a little bit more heat/spice it would of been a homerun. Over all this place is delicious!

Sulekha P.

Yelp
Authentic szezuan food run by family. Friendly and delicious food. Stopped for lunch on Sunday it was not busy

Susanna C.

Yelp
Happy to find another Chinese restaurant serving authentic and unique dishes. Placed my order by phone, and they brought the order outside to us. They have 3 tables outside as well, for those that prefer outdoor dining. We were not wanting spicy food that night; keep in mind that Sichuan food is typically very spicy. We did find non spicy dishes. We had the beef brisket with potato pot, which was full flavored with authentic spices. The fried rice with Chinese bacon and sour vegetable was excellent - the sour cabbage added zing and crunch. The bok choy was fresh. We also had soup dumplings and pork dumplings. Overall excellent food. I look forward to trying more dishes next time and testing out some of the spicy offerings. We didn't try it, but they also have a large selection of bubble teas.

Jonathan C.

Yelp
Came here for dinner on a Sunday night. Getting a table is not an issue. Ordered their special grilled fish, a mixed intestines tripe pot, garlic shrimp and mala stir fry. Seems like 3/4 dishes used the same sauce. Flavor is ok for the area.

GMom D.

Yelp
Did a few pick up orders food was good then went inside one time to eat in not so good. Everyone was disappointed and the hostess waitress was arguing with a pick up customer and then decided to vent over that situation with our party while we were sitting g to enjoy some family time. Complete turn off and the food was no where the same as when we used to pick it up. There are better places

Terri C.

Yelp
I'm glad (and surprised) that there is an authentic Chinese restaurant in this area (but not exactly authentic Sichuan). The restaurant is nicely decorated. Teapot, cups, plates and bowls are all of the nicer variety and a step above the typical Chinese restaurants. I was a little wary when I saw that there was only one other table occupied on this Saturday night during peak dinner time. The prices are higher here and I think maybe that is what kept people away! We ordered the scallion pancakes-these were really good. The dough tasted freshly rolled and the layers were thin; one of the best scallion pancakes I've ever had. The soup dumplings were decent but not the best I've had. The cauliflower with pork was delicious. The cauliflower was cooked just right (neither undercooked or overcooked). The pork infused a lot of flavor into the cauliflower. The disappointment with this dish is that I expected Chinese cauliflower, as is usually served in other restaurants. The beef noodle soup was ok. I was expecting tender chunks of beef but instead this came with slices of beef. The shanghai bok choy with garlic was bland. They were out of the water spinach. We came to celebrate my husband's birthday. I picked this restaurant because of how much he loves Dungeness crabs. I saw on yelp that they have Dungeness crabs on the menu and a tank. This was the main reason for coming here. We ordered the steamed crab with sticky rice (~$70!). The sticky rice wasn't cooked the way most other restaurants cook it. Usually, the rice is seasoned with sauce and cooked with scallions. Here, it's quite bland. The rice is white and cooked with preserved vegetables (huh?). I have to admit though, the crab was fresh and quite meaty. It's too bad that the crab also tasted bland. No seasoning at all. If you want the Dungeness crab dish, don't get it with the sticky rice. You're better off ordering the crab by itself and cooked in one of the other methods (hot and spicy, HK style, and a few other options). Overall, I like that there is an authentic Chinese restaurant in this area of town, even if a few of the items were misses.

Brenda C.

Yelp
It really pains me to write this as I truly never thought I would give a business two (2) stars. I wavered between three stars (it's average) to two stars (below average)  I am trying very hard to believe the reason for their multitude and consistent egregious mistakes is in part, due to the pandemic and businesses are struggling to stay alive. I hope the owner will read this and try to correct the mistakes and get better. I truly want them to succeed. Firstly, let me begin by stating, we have frequented this restaurant several times during the COVID pandemic. Each time, the service and their food have gotten a little worse for wear. We kept giving them a pass and making excuses but after a while, I would not do anyone a favor if I didn't tell the truth. Let me press on. This time around, we decided to order lunch from them instead of dinner. Perhaps the great chefs are working in the daytime instead of the night. We settled on L23 Kung Pao Shrimp with Peanuts and L29 Fish with Black Bean Sauce. For our lunch specials, they included soup.  I had their wonton soup recently and believe me it was horrible! The wontons themselves were delicious but the broth was ladened with nothing but soy sauce and copious amounts of MSG thrown in. Today, I decided to go for their hot and sour soup and my son wanted egg drop soup. We've had all their soups prior to the pandemic and knew they were excellent. We had hoped my wonton soup was just a gross blunder. Taking my first bite, sadly I must confess, the kung pao shrimp was average at best. I've had better from them, once upon a time. This time the shrimps were fine but considering Sichuan is their specialty their sauce was not very good. Authentic Sichuan cuisine is supposed to incorporate a balance between sweet, slightly spicy and nutty taste. The balance was not there and their sauce was also a bit glutinous. On a positive note, they did have a pentitude of peanuts for the nutty flavor. The sauce reminded me of Panda Express' kung pao sauce which is not where it should be. Overall, a dissatisfying dish. Their fish in black bean sauce was the better of the two. However, the fish was watery which means the fish was frozen and they did not thaw it completely when stir frying. Instead the fish was getting steamed while the rest of the vegetables were being stir fried in the black bean sauce. The sauce was too oily. Finally we get to the soups. Both our soups were viscous. They used too much cornstarch to the water and it had no flavor. My son's egg drop soup was also a bright neon yellow. The time before, when we ordered dinner from them, I had wonton soup. The broth was practically 50% soy sauce and water with overloaded MSG for flavoring. I'm not knocking MSG. I happen to believe we need MSG in our cooking IF done correctly. Woefully, this was not done properly. Exceptionally disappointing on all ends. I understand times are rough for small businesses and that's why they have to scale back. Maybe cut out the eggrolls with the lunch specials or give smaller portions. To find food just suffering is just disconcerting. They were truly a better restaurant before the pandemic. Did they change ownership? I honestly don't know because I haven't seen the regular lady who used to man the desk. Overall, I'm not sure I'll be giving them my business until after the pandemic ends and restaurants are allowed to have customers dine in at full capacity. Between the lack of customer service and the average to subpar taste of their dishes, I have to reluctantly give them two stars. It was their soup that sealed their rating. They couldn't get the simple soups correct? That boggles my mind! If they had only worked on their customer service, at least, I would have given them a solid 2 1/2 stars which I would have bumped it to three stars. They need to step up their game. I am still rooting for them.

Rory B.

Yelp
The food is very delicious and fresh. If you are adventurous them to make you something special. The staff is friendly and the place is clean.

Jeffrey R.

Yelp
I got take out from Jinli yesterday. Twice cooked pork belly and hot and sour soup. The soup was the best I've had in this area; incredible broth. The twice cooked dish was fantastic and the way this dish is supposed to be.

Joyce K.

Yelp
Jin Li Sichuan used to be a family favorite and one of our go-to Chinese restaurants, but we've recently noticed some changes in the quality of food. There have been slight price increases, but it seems that this has not been matched with tastier food. The whole fish with pickled greens used to be delicious, but the soup is now salty, the restaurant disregarded our request for fish fillet, and we were dismayed to find bones in the fish. The bottom line is that we will not be getting the fish anymore. However, the remaining three dishes (lamb fillet & scallion, beef tendon pot, and shredded chicken with spicy garlic) did not disappoint. The chicken had the perfect amount of spice and the included white rice lived up to our expectations. This was a takeout order, but when we were able to go in-person, the location was very nicely decorated, and we had an enjoyable dining experience.

Fiona P.

Yelp
Went here tonight with my family, food has no taste... have to bring back to the kitchen and re-cook for every dish! And most shockingly we found this on the wall.....

Jenny L.

Yelp
Food: The food was so delicious looking that I forgot to take pictures prior to devouring everything! There was only one picture taken which was a free appetizer haha! Everything that was ordered was very well seasoned and, for both people who are new to this cuisine or are returners, will enjoy what the restaurant has to offer! Cost: I want to say that this place is a tad on the expensive side however, I believe it to well worth it! Since there are many dishes, you can pick and choose depending on the amount you want to spend. Environment: The place is pretty spacious and clean! Service: The service was pretty prompt and all the meals were brought out quickly however the restaurant did not seem busy at the time. I would still call ahead or make reservations if you plan to come eat at one of the peak hours. Uniqueness: A very authentic restaurant! Highly recommend a visit if you enjoy some great Chinese food!

Jennifer D.

Yelp
Five stars for really standing out in the area. This is not your typical American-Chinese restaurant. Although there are several Americanized dishes, which we stuck to with the kids, the menu is mainly very authentic dishes (intestines, frog). We ordered General Tso's and fried rice for the kids but we also ordered their house special spicy diced chicken and duck soup. When the menu says spicy they mean spicy. The spices are definitely not watered down here. We'll definitely be back and be a little more adventurous with the menu next time.

Brian S.

Yelp
Nice addition to the Sichuan Chinese restaurant scene in Marlboro on Hwy79 just west of Hwy18. They are serving some spicy and hot authentic dishes that will please anyone looking to add real kick to their Chinese food. We basically stayed to small plates in order to sample a variety of items. Starting with spicy wontons and scallion pancakes, then on to dan dan noodles and a cold spicy chicken dish. Although, the scallion pancakes were a miss everything else pleased. Nice ambience and speedy service rounded out the experience. Best part of the meal was the cost which was under $30 including tip. Only open a month or so, I would expect good things from them for our future visits.

David H.

Yelp
So Koo was closed and replaced by a Chinese restaurant. I would have preferred it be anything but a Sichuan restaurant because there's already one very good one, Sichuan Cottage (SC) just a quarter mile down the road. Nevertheless, it's always exciting to see a new establishment. The decors are very impressive. All classic Chinese theme but not the traditional, mundane Chinatown kind. Neo-classic? Whatever. The hallway leading to the restrooms felt like a gallery. The signs for the restrooms are cool too, with the traditional men's and women's garments as icons. The faucet has embedded blue light - nice! The restroom is very cramped however. The menu contains mostly authentic dishes in various price ranges, unlike SC which has a vast menu of Americanized dishes. The price points are higher than Sichuan Cottage. The same dishes would cost more and there are house specials that are upwards of $30. Today we tried to sample as many dishes as we could. S4. Dan Dan Noodle with Minced Pork $6.95. Excellent appetizer. Not too spicy. Everyone loved it. R3. Beef Tendon Noodle Soup $9.95. It's so so. Not very flavorful and could use more protein. Not recommended. N4. Chinese Bacon with Leeks $13.95. Excellent, appetizing and goes very well with rice. However, the staff made a number of errors. We actually ordered N2. Twice-Cooked Pork Belly, so it was a wrong order. Then on the bill it said N6. Sliced Pork With Sichuan Chili Paste. Tons of confusions there. B8. Lamb with Cumin Flavor $16.95. Nice flavor on the lamb. I like it. You do have to take out a lot of red chilies. C7. Crispy Orange Chicken $12.95. Chicken is thick and dry, and not crispy outside. The sauce at the bottom was not enough to coat all the chicken. Absolutely not recommended. Clear Mung Bean Noodles in Chili Oil. This is the free appetizer we chose. You get to pick one from a list of 6 if your order is at least $20. We've never had this. The jello-like noodle has no taste and you really need to be skillful to get the chili paste stuck to the slippery noodle to get any flavor. Quite an interesting dish. It's kind of like the Japanese Konnyaku if you've had one before. The main wait staff could be more attentive and friendly. For this and the errors, I will have to hold off the 5 star rating for now. I will be back.

Brandon C.

Yelp
Pre CV-19 review. Nestled with the myriad of Chinese eateries in the Freehold, Marlboro and Manalapan neighborhood is a Sichuan restaurant that stands above the standard Westernized Chinese food available in this area. If you are a fan of sichuan cuisine, Jinli is the place to go to fulfill your wanton desire of spicy and savory Asian cuisine. Jinli offers a lunch special menu, a full dine-in menu and a take-out menu. The restaurant is nicely decorated, service is prompt and courteous and the food is delicious. Jinli is one of my go-to's for spicy Sichuan cuisine. Stay tuned for my "take-out" experience!!

Sherwyn D.

Yelp
Service staff are attentive and their food is great! Authentic Sichuan taste and goodness!

Julianne A.

Yelp
My favorite Asian cuisine in the area. They are very nice and accommodating. They have Americanized and more traditional dishes. Both are great. Love the all day and weekly special. The veggie steamed dumplings are a personal favorite for me!

Richard P.

Yelp
OG Szechuan. Everything light, bright and fresh. Dumplings were spectacularly light and fresh, but a little oily. Spice levels on hot dishes were accurate. Serious heat from the shredded beef and hot pepper, less with the shredded chicken with garlic. Veggie fried rice was hot, greaseless and we'll made.

Fran M.

Yelp
Excellent customer service and food was delicious! A gem of a restaurant. Will definitely be coming back!

Pamela L.

Yelp
Happy Lunar New Year! Wishing all my Yelpers good health, prosperity and happiness! We decided to have our CNY meal here. As soon as you step in...you can't help but noticed the beautiful decor all around. They paid attention to every little detail. I held up the delicate tea cup and noticed that it was see-through. The tea was delightful and a great cleansing to a spicy meal. This is a Sichuan restaurant, please pay attention to the chili pepper icons along some of the dishes on the menu. Three chili peppers is the spiciest you can get. We ordered the chili fish slices with one chili pepper and it was very spicy already. I was very excited to see Mantou buns on the menu. I'm not big on carbs and since my metabolism no longer exists, I don't eat bread that much anymore. I will however stuff myself with these little delicious, warm, soft little bao baos! These were served along with some condensed milk. I lost count of how many I ate. The fried ones are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft as a pillow on the inside. I like to give it a squish before I stuff the whole thing in my mouth. I will be ordering this every time I come here. The lobster was MP...my son declared that it was the best lobster in ginger and scallion he has ever had. I concur. The sauce is not as thick as other places and the lobster was super sweet. I gave my son the best pieces. And the winning dish of the night...the cauliflower, it was full of flavor and the pork belly slices were perfectly fried. So good! Note: all their dishes are generous in size. You'll need a good 15 minutes or so just deciding what to order. Service was very friendly.

ping j.

Yelp
Best sichuan in the area. Great service. Great food. Been coming here 4 years and will always come back

Andy B.

Yelp
The food is real authentic Sichuan. Hot and sour soup delicious, orange chicken was amazing. I have been eating Chinese food since the 60's. All the best places in Chinatown. Jinli has the kind of food that reminds me of the old days. I love spicy food and this place hits all the flavor profiles. A little bit pricey but definitely worth it! Really good food

Junk L.

Yelp
This use to be 5 stars Prices went up, portion size went down Fried dumplings were a joke, rip iff Hot and sour soup had little ingredients and was way too spicy tonight And king po shrimp not fresh Marlboro is a waste land for Chinese food

Brian G.

Yelp
Not what I was expecting. We looked at the menu online and couldn't believe how expensive it was. So we went, and tried so many different dishes. And everything was really tasty. Scallion pancakes are delicious. Soup dumplings are awesome. I suggest coming with a lot of people and getting a lot of dishes and trying out your palate.

Samson L.

Yelp
I've been here a handful of times and the food is consistently good! The first time was for my wife's birthday and we needed to accommodate a party of 10. The nice thing is we were put in an area where they have large tables and have large partitions to make the dining area more private. The night we dined, we were not rushed and received pretty good service. The food is delicious and can be very spicy. On the menu, there is red chili peppers next to the spicy items on the menu. The food my family have tried and liked are Dan Dan noodles with minced pork, pan fried dumplings, Chingqing spicy chicken, wonton in chili oil, baby eggplant with chicken in spicy garlic sauce, sautéed vermicelli with minced pork, sautéed baby bok choy with fresh garlic, and stir fried fish filet with mixed veggie (lunch menu). There were other dishes we've tried and thought they were good, but the ones listed above I would order again for sure. Actually we didn't really eat any dish we didn't like. The prices are a little high, but the portions are very good. Lunch here is a good value, and you don't have to wait long for the food to come out. They even have bubble tea. English isn't their strong suit, so sometimes it may be difficult to understand, but the service is good. Check them out if in the area. They partake in uber eats as well.

Pedro P.

Yelp
Food very good but prices creeping up to an uncomfortable level- mostly I go to Szechuan cottage up the street for near same quality at more reasonable prices.

Tanner L.

Yelp
Best soup dumplings I have ever had. Service was great and the place was very clean too.

Alvina S.

Yelp
So glad I gave this place a try. If you like spicy Chinese cuisine, this place will please your palate. True to Sichuan style cooking, everything that's suppose to be spicy is actually spicy. The mao po tofu, hot and sour soup, and the Kung pao chicken were packed to the max with spice and flavor. The hot and sour soup was probably the best I've ever had! Service was prompt and the food was very fresh. The decor is simple but elegant. We ordered bubble tea and they were surprisingly as good as the specialty bubble tea shops. The only critique is that the young male servers were not too friendly. It would have been nice to see less robotic servers who actually cracked a smile.

Joey T.

Yelp
Absolutely disgusting everything tasted horrible dumplings no good soup is watered down and I promise you that you will be in the bathroom for atleast a half hour

Hilary A.

Yelp
everything on this menu has been incredible love the dandan noodles and soup dumplings