Lionhead

Sichuan restaurant · Capitol Hill

Lionhead

Sichuan restaurant · Capitol Hill

4

618 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

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Highlights

Sichuan dishes, noodles, rice, meat, and cocktails  

Featured in Eater
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618 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 Get directions

lionheadseattle.com

$30–50 · Menu

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618 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102 Get directions

+1 206 922 3326
lionheadseattle.com
lionheadseattle

$30–50 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 10, 2025

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@eater

Low-Key Valentine’s Day Date Ideas in Seattle - Eater Seattle

"For couples not afraid of a little spice, this Sichuan spot on East Broadway should fit the bill. The dining room is warm and cozy, and there are plenty of shareable plates, such as the smoky braised duck, a silky eggplant in aged vinegar, and lamb jiaozi. Don’t forget about the refreshing specialty cocktails, including the Intercontinental, with ginger washed baiju, roasted banana, passion fruit, and soda." - Gabe Guarente

https://seattle.eater.com/maps/where-to-have-low-key-valentines-day-seattle
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Lionhead Introduces Congee Dishes and a New Happy Hour - Eater Seattle

"A new era for one prominent Sichuhan place on East Broadway will start with cheaper bites and rice porridge. Chef Garrett Doherty and bar manager Benjamin Chew have taken over Capitol Hill’s Lionhead — which renowned restaurateur Jerry Traunfeld opened in 2015 — introducing a more robust happy hour menu, along with some new congee dishes. Co-owner Chew tells Eater that the new happy hour won’t be an “afterthought” like it was before and will include a good sampling of the menu, including lamb dumplings ($6), dan dan noodles ($5), and specialty cocktails ($8). The congee on the main menu will include a red braised beef cheek variety, with peanut pickle mustard, greenhouse-made chili oil, pork thread, and a sous vide egg." - Gabe Guarente

https://seattle.eater.com/2019/11/1/20942213/new-owners-lionhead-capitol-hill-sichuan-restaurant
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Poppy on Capitol Hill Will Close This August After 11 Years - Eater Seattle

"Lionhead is a Sichuan restaurant on Capitol Hill operated by chef Jerry Traunfeld. Unlike Poppy, it will continue to operate, offering Sichuan cuisine." - Gabe Guarente

https://seattle.eater.com/2019/7/16/20695909/poppy-capitol-hill-will-close-in-august-altura-chefs-taking-over
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3 Places to Try in Seattle This Weekend - Eater Seattle

"This longtime Sichuan-influenced spot on East Broadway recently underwent an ownership change when James Beard Award-winning founder Jerry Traunfeld retired this year. But it hasn’t missed a step. In addition to some of the older standbys (the Dan Dan noodles and Yu XIang eggplant fries are always crowd-pleasers), there are some new congee dishes on the menu, good comfort food for a rainy Seattle weekend." - Megan Hill

https://seattle.eater.com/2019/3/29/18287114/things-to-do-weekend-seattle-restaurant-recommendations-2019
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Sameet Sapra

Google
Laidback, casual place with really tasty food! The standouts were the mapo doufu (with tofu), the rockfish, and the cumin beef. I didn’t care for the duck, I expected it to be more like Peking duck but it was not. Despite that the flavors were still good, I liked the fried veggies that came with it. I also didn’t think the cocktails were overly impressive.

Kishore Kandasamy

Google
The food was delicious. We had the soupy veg dumplings and Ghost pepper noodles. The Ghost pepper noodles was absolutely amazing, super super spicy but we loved it. Probably should have come with some warning because that is not for people with less spice tolerance. The waiter was friendly and welcoming. We are definitely going back to try their other dishes.

Tyneshia V

Google
It's so nice to eat food that isn't bland. You can actually taste the seasoning in the food. The drinks (alcoholic and non) are phenomenal, and veer away from traditional boring drinks. The staff are very knowledgeable about the ingredients and are always helpful in picking items out. Especially if you're new to Sichuan style food. They have a/c!

JP

Google
Great local spot for some good old Americanized Chinese comfort food like Kung Pao Chicken. Their spicy cumin beef is just fantastic and I'm salivating as I'm thinking about it. I loved their version of Dan Dan Mien and their stuffed Fried Tofu skin. All their dishes are well executed for what they are. They use good quality, locally sourced ingredients which reflects in the price of the dishes, but well worth it. Their food is flavorful and the portions are generous. The space can get a bit cramped but they have a full bar and also do take-out and delivery of you don't wanna wait around. Highly recommended if you're all about quality.

Samuel Chen

Google
Delicious food and a great experience! Server was super friendly and helpful. The food was good and there were a few unique options. I would definitely recommend! There was one dish that had a little bit too many dried chili's, and not enough of everything else, but otherwise it was perfect.

Gaurav Hegde

Google
The food had me a little confused . Peppercorn is a very strong spice which needs to be avoided as much as possible . Most of the dishes they have here has it . For those unaware, it is going to spoil your palette. Be aware of the dishes which has it and if you get it , be mindful when u consume it The food here is flavorful but expensive . The laji zi which they have on the menu is essentially 20 bucks but all they are serving is fried chicken with spring onion ad red chillies and lots of garlic and peppercorn . The chicken is delicious but you dont want to be spending so much when all u can eat in the dish is just chicken They other Sichuan tofu gravy is good as well but the strong spice remained with us and could not enjoy this dish and this seemed pricey as well . The place is small and simple but are priced for a fancy place Overall a good place we may give another try but were disappointed with our first experience!

Inna Zakharchenko

Google
Excellent food! We tried this place for the first time and was pleasantly surprised how great it was. We weren't able to try a lot of the menu as there were only two of us and the portions are large. But what we ordered: “boneless crisp duck”, “yu xiang eggplant fries” was delicious and flavorful. Their drinks are delicious too, try “Chinese 5 spice old fashioned”. All dishes can be gluten free upon request. Service was great! Recommend for big company.

James Monderine

Google
Absolutely amazing Sichuan. I feel like at many Sichuan places, all dishes taste similar but not here. Each dish was so unique & flavorful. On top of the amazing food, our server Lindsey was so happy & knowledgeable about the menu. Her energy & attitude made the experience 2x better. I left happier because of her and the food.
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Emily T.

Yelp
An intimate restaurant in Capitol Hill with delicious Szechuan food! Highly recommend reservations if you come on a weekend night. The ambiance is intimate and has a red hue throughout. The playlist/music that night was on point! We came on a Saturday night at 8:30pm. Service was friendly. We came to try their Year of the Dragon tasting menu which is served until Valentine's day and is $88 per person. I really appreciated that they let us order just one portion of the tasting menu so that we were able to order other items as well. We also got the dan dan mian noodles. Tasting menu - chicken lettuce bowl - solid appetizer and very flavorful - turnip cake - very tasty and one of my favorites! - chow fun ribeye - absolutely delicious - seafood hot pot - this had a really good broth but the rockfish had a fishy taste to me, so I gave my husband all the fish to eat. - tang yuan - my favorite of the night! Perfectly chewy and the candied kumquats really elevated the entire dessert. The dan dan mian noodles we ordered had a really flavorful sauce. My only critique was the noodles were on the soft side, they seemed a bit overcooked. We really enjoyed the food and atmosphere! Definitely would like to come back and try their other items!
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Rikki G.

Yelp
Favorite restaurant of the year so far. I can't put into words the flavors and spices each dish had but it kept us wanting more. I recommend going in with a small group and eat family style as there is so much to try and enjoy. Steak fried rice: 5 stars (recommend!) Green beans: 5 stars (featured dish - SO good!) Braised duck: 4 stars (go with the other duck as this one has bone, making you work for your food) Dan Dan Mian: 5 stars (thick and creamy goodness) Pork & Shrimp dumplings: (one of my favorite dishes on the table) Intimate and small space so advise a reservation ahead. Depending on staff, service could take awhile. Really good spot though that I will return and recommend to others - def put it on your radar to try soon!
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Chanda A.

Yelp
We decided to come here on a recent trip to Seattle because they have a ton of vegan and vegetarian options, and Sichuan food is one of the few cuisines my husband and I can agree on. We ordered: Salt and Sichuan Pepper Tofu - I liked the texture of the tofu, but the chili oil wasn't spicy at all even though they added extra numbing spices for us. ‍ I still liked it, but I wouldn't go back for it. Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings - I was the most excited about these and also the most disappointed. The mushroom flavor was overpowering and there wasn't any heat to the broth or dumplings. Yu Xiang Eggplant Fries - These were surprisingly sweet with a hint of spice. The more I ate then the more I liked them. Definitely the best dish of the night! Overall, not particularly authentic or spicy, but a good option for veggie friendly fusion Chinese food. Three stars is based on the food only. Service is friendly, and the location is great for exploring Capital Hill!
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Pratima M.

Yelp
This restaurant serves up delicious Szechuan food, right in the heart of Cap Hill -- the space is pretty small and unassuming, but the food here is SO. GOOD. It's a fairly small menu, but everything is packed with so much flavor. There were a great collection of vegetarian and pescatarian options, which I really appreciated. I loved literally every single thing we ordered, but my real standouts were: Charred Okra: the charred flavor from the wok was so. good. They were so flavorful without being too spicy and the smokiness came through! Eggplant Fries: easily my favorite dish, which was so crispy and flavorful and unique. I've never had eggplant like this before! Alaskan Rockfish: this dish was so flavorful and has plenty of that classic numbing spice that the cuisine is known for. Peony Tea: a surprise hit, recommended by the server and went really well with the meal.
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Rach C.

Yelp
Great food and drinks! I really liked the diandian the best and will come back to try other food. Drinks were great too and unique.
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Alex C.

Yelp
Went here for a later dinner and must have been a slower night, but the ambience and service were really good. The food was really good and I recommend getting some hot tea. The fried chicken was yummy, just wish there was more of it. This is a good spot to grab some dinner and good ambience for drinks.
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Jordan L.

Yelp
Had dinner here the other night. Ordered the Mapo Tofu, dumplings, lionhead friedrice or something, and I think the La Zi Ji, and a Tangible Dream as a drink. First impression was alarmed because there weren't any people of color eating inside or working that I could see. That's always something I look out for in restaurants of ethnic cuisines. There was only one person working the floor, so I don't think they were staffed well as the service, albeit no fault of the worker, was sort of slow. It took awhile for us to get our orders in or it was difficult any time we needed their attention. The lighting was good. I was able to see my friends and also hear them. Some places tend to have not enough lighting or their music is just too loud that you have to raise your voice to hear each other. This was not one of those places. I'm use to my spicy dishes having more spice. These dishes were really light on the spicy side I think. However, the highlight of the experience was the Tangible Dream. I forget what is in it, but it is a sweet drink and the balance with the alcohol was spot on. My only qualm with the experience was I think they need to do staffing better so that one person could have some sort of help. I hate how places think some days may not be busy then next thing you know, the one person you stuck to handle the whole place is overwhelmed with the unexpected rush. Just a way to burnout your good employees.
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Katherine C.

Yelp
We absolutely loved this place. Our first time and not our last time. We haven't been to Capital Hill lately but we need to start. Service was excellent and the host explained the dishes. For being Sichuan, it wasn't overwhelming spicy or numby. The chow fun and beef was quite filling. The hotpot was the spicy dish. Not our fave but very flavorful. We got the salt and pepper tofu and it was huge portion. The staff explained its family style on regular menu and that is very accurate. The tofu was made locally and was so creamy it was unbelievable. This is a great place to come eat and explore the dishes. Dessert was sweet with the black sesame filling. The turnip dish with the hot oil was outstanding. On VDay, reservations were a must. Service very friendly and knowledgeable.
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Melissa Z.

Yelp
Family style (heavy American tilt) szechuan Chinese food means you o4der 1 entree that's bog enough for 2-3 people. I'd be good with that except their salt and pepper tofu ain't as good as they think it is. I have been on a salt and pepper tofu kick for a hot minute and decided to try this place since it was in a spot good for bar hopping. Nah, this ain't it. Biggest issue: The cut their tofu into HUGE triangles. You cannot spice the tofu with the S&P seasoning well when you cut tofu that large; they need to be in small cubes. Second issue is the seasoning- not enough and super light. Yeah it reads "salt & pepper" but if I gotta soy sauce then yall dont have enough sodium on that tofu. So far in my travels Tyger Tyer has the best salt and pepper tofu in Seattle. You got a better one? PM me! If you have a group then this spot is OK bc of the large sized entrees that makes sharing easy. Sharing is caring! No outdoor seating so blah but the interior is sufficiently cute bc of the decor.
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Eliana M.

Yelp
Visiting from out of town, just paid Uber quite a bit of money to get to a closed restaurant.
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Nicole J.

Yelp
What a delightful little surprise! A friend and I popped here last night for dinner. My friend chose the restaurant as it has vegetarian and vegan friendly options. We started with the okra which was crispy and delicious. It was so good that I added it to my Dan Dan noodle dish, which was also tasty. My friend ordered the fried tofu which we both loved. The ambience is great for an evening meal. The service was outstanding as well. Highly recommend and saving this on my "clutch "list.
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Jiamae W.

Yelp
If you're looking for the most authentic szechuan chinese food, this is not it. However, it's not to say that the food here isn't good. They put their own twist on some classic dishes and though it isn't what I was expecting, I still enjoyed eating here. I got the la zi ji, chili cumin beef, and yu xiang eggplant. Each dish was unique and geared towards a more western palette. The chicken was so juicy! I would recommend getting a couple dishes and splitting amongst friends for the full experience. Not sure if I would come back in comparison to a more authentic place, but the food was yummy :)
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Ting A.

Yelp
I was not impressed with the food served at this Sichuan restaurant, but was adequate enough for a meal still. ----- Chili Cumin Beef: sirloin with spring onions, douban jiang, cumin spice blend, chili ($27). ----- Dan Dan Mian: wheat noodles, dan dan numbing sesame sauce, ground pork ($16). ----- Dofu Ru Pea Vines: pea vines, mushrooms, garlic, hickory smoked tofu ($17). ----- Steamed Rice: Haiga ($3). ----- The restaurant only had one server during the time of our visit and so was turning away any walk-in customers. We had a reservation and did not see any notice of the short staff upon booking. There were only two other tables occupied besides ours and even then service was not that prompt.
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Kyle W.

Yelp
I have been to a lot of Sichuan places in the greater Seattle area (specifically Bellevue), not to mention back in LA, so I come here with similar expectations. It was a cold rainy Tuesday and it was surprising we were the only table occupied. We ordered the following dishes and shared family-style: Five Spice Braised Duck - the salt on the side really enhanced the flavor of the dish. My friend really enjoyed the spices on the dish. However, there is way too much fat between the skin and the meat that a good fraction of the dish is fat, so the dish would not necessarily be of great value. La Zi Ji - fried chicken in Sichuan pepper. This one was also nicely made, as the chicken is quite tender and nicely fried. There is a hint of sweetness and numbing spice alongside. However, there were not much fried chicken pieces and too much chili peppers in the dish for the price. Rockfish with Sour Mustard - probably my favorite dish here. The fish is tender and flavorful, good to complement with the vegetables there, with a slight tanginess to the dish. Cumin Lamb Noodles - decently spiced, but the noodles are overcooked. The lamb cubes are way too fatty and of very poor cuts. The meat is so hard to chew in most occasions. I would opt for the Dan Dan Mien instead as hypothetically this would not be an issue for that dish, if you were to pick a noodle dish. Service is decent as water refills are there and the server clears out finished plates in a timely manner. Price and quality wise, I unfortunately do not see myself going here again.
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Dewayne P.

Yelp
Get their chicken dry hot pot. It's really good. Pan seared chicken with various vegetables in a delicious sauce. I'm coming back here the next time I want Chinese food.
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Sarah C.

Yelp
Absolutely delicious! The green bean dish was to die for, we could have just eaten more of those all night. We also had the pork dumplings, Szechuan fried chicken, and crispy duck. The dumplings and chicken were both very good as well, by the time we got to the duck we were both full and just nibbled but it was also tasty! Cocktails were also very good and the service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!
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Sean Y.

Yelp
Surprisingly it was not busy at 6pm on Friday. Overall it's Asian cuisine. Can't tell if that's taiwanese or zichuanes. Cocktails are pretty tasty. Strong alcohol with balanced spices. Foods are overall in heavy flavor and salty. That means you need rice to go with them. Ma Po tofu to me is not authentic, missing some sweetness. Tofu Rou (bean sprout ) is quit salty too but flavor wise is good. La Zi Ji is so tasty because of the MSG. Server / bartender is very friendly and luckily they are very slow so he's been check on us so frequently. Overall is good experience. Can come back sometimes.
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Bailey K.

Yelp
Cozy little place with very personable ! Everything I've ever ordered was delicious and cooked with intent.
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Sarah J.

Yelp
If noodles are high on your love language then this is the place for you. First of all, the Szechuan green beans, will change your life. If you only go there to get the green beans, I promise it will be worth the trip. I had the spicy vegetarian noodles, and they were out of this world. I would recommend seeing if you can add tofu or extra veggies for a little bit more variety, but on their own, they were phenomenal. The mushroom dumplings, delicious. The drinks, out of this world. We had planned on eating somewhere else, but when the door opened and the aroma found its way into our noses, we got lucky that they had a table for us. Highly recommend!!
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Fat P.

Yelp
Review :All the flavours are monotone. The restraunt was nothing to rave about or remember to go back. Priced high but tastes like a cheap take out place. Failed to impress me in any aspect. Eating here average experience all through. The only impressive part is that the restaurant had no rush on a Sunday evening what so ever. Wouldn't go back and wouldn't recommend this to friends either. Service: Service will try to upsell you to eat 3-4 dishes for two people. The portions are big please beware. I and my wife were full with 1.5 dishes. We had to go home with 4 boxes for 3 dishes that we ordered.(feel tricked) La zi ji is juicy, not very dry chicken strips, but the flavours on top is just disappointing. It is excessively salty and the chef was heavy handed with Sichuan peppercorns so ended up numbing my mouth more than a dentist. Mapo tofu is a gravy (startch and water based) the thickening agent was more than the flavours. It felt bland and monotone. The rice was well made though. Ghost pepper noodles: The noodles were cooked well and was perfectly toothy. There was no stand out flavours in this dish. I failed to understand the star of the dish. Please don't order this dish. Princess jasmine (non alcoholic drink): I was pleasantly surprised with the drink and the balance of flavours.
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Emily Z.

Yelp
Good Szechuan food in Capitol Hill! Szechuan food is one of my favorites, so I was excited to try this spot. I wouldn't say that this restaurant is super authentic, but I still really enjoyed my meal. Ma Po Doufu - Definitely has a spicy kick, which I enjoyed! I would have preferred less sauce and more tofu. Other than that ratio being off, the dish was delicious. It's not the same flavor that I grew up with but very solid nonetheless. Chili Cumin Beef - Good portion, and packed with spices and flavor. I would definitely come here again!
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Yvonne Yiyao X.

Yelp
Let's set our expectations correctly first. In their own words: "We use carefully-sourced, high-quality ingredients to create a unique take on Chinese cuisine here in Seattle." I'll translate. Lionhead is not here to bring you the authentic Sichuan food experience. If I say that "Here's my unique take on singing Ariana Grande's God is a Woman..." You know for sure I'm not only skipping those whistle notes, I won't sound remotely close to Ariana Grande. This is not to hate on the restaurant. This is to give you some perspectives on the negative reviews. The key to authentic Sichuan cuisine is the use of spice. Unlike Cantonese/HK cuisine that focuses on the umami and the raw flavor of the ingredients, Sichuan food uses the complexity of spices to give the ingredients layers of surprises. Was Lionhead able to execute this? Not quite. Did I still enjoy the food I had? Mostly yes. - Wok blistered okra: 5/5. I'm still dreaming about it. The texture and flavor are both exceptional. I will come back just for the okra. For those who can't stand the sliminess of okras, this one isn't super slimy. It's savory, a bit numbing, smoky, crunchy, and just overall beautiful. - 5 spice duck: 3.75/5? It's not a 4 but it's not quite a 3.5. I enjoyed the crispy skin on the duck. The vinegar + chili oil combo is very interesting. I still can't figure out whether I like it or not. I wish the seasoning could penetrate the duck a bit more. The meat gets very bland without the seasoning. - Fried rice: 2/5. Nope. On a side note... What DID surprise me was that they don't serve Lion's head 狮子头. It's a meatball dish and a banquet classic. (But it's Huaiyang cuisine so... makes sense to not have it in a Sichuan restaurant then...) I'll come back to try more dishes :)
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David H.

Yelp
I'm a bit disappointed by Lionhead as I wanted to like it more than I did. Interesting Szechuan style menu with great potential that had my hopes up. However the execution fell a bit flat for me and my party. The main flaw with Lionhead for me was just how salty some of the food was. The rice cake with bacon was extremely salty, and hard to consume. The dish itself looked good and I could tell I would enjoy it if they just cut back on the salt. The Mapo Doufu was pretty mediocre and was barely touched at our table. We did all enjoy the Dan Dan Mian a lot though and highly recommend it. I do appreciate some other aspects of Lionhead though. Great service all night, and the restaurant had a cozy vibe to it. I'll probably end up giving Lionhead another shot. It has an interesting and diverse menu that deserves a try if you're a fan of Szechuan cuisine.
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Laura Antrim C.

Yelp
It's rare that I write a review on yelp but my meal at Lionhead was Delicious. I lived in Szechuan in 1993-94 as a teacher of English and it's taken me many years to warm back up to Chinese food after eating it for one year straight as a 20- something ! We had the vegetarian noodles YUM ,, the greens with the tofu sauce, and the mushroom dumplings, along with some delicious tea with peach notes. Oh and how could I forget the eggplant fries! SOOOO GOOOD! For two of us this was plenty and we took some home. The flavors were amazing, not too spicy actually and the service was excellent-- our server explained the menu, made recommendations --she was accommodating to us being vegetarian--and couldn't have been kinder. No picture because we ate the food and stashed the leftovers in a to go box and a handled paper bag provided by the restaurant ! Get yourself down to Lionhead ! You will not be disappointed. Great for a date and a movie, where we're headed next-- nice music tonight!
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Richard U.

Yelp
3.5 star place! Sort of a szechuan inspired place with some familiar foods and some interesting takes on traditional flavors. Stuff tried: Maitake mushrooms with egg:. So good! The maitake mushrooms are dipped in egg batter so they become fritter like! Great bar snack food! Choy sum (morning glory) with chiles and garlic. One of my favorite asian vegetables in a classic presentation. Very fresh tasting! Salt and szechuan pepper tofu: big hunks of soft tofu with really thin crispy coating. Dipping in the vinegar chili is a must! Mapo doufu with mushroom: the vegetarian version of this dish and one of my usual go to szechuan foods. Tasty although i wish there was a bit more szechuan peppercorn mouth numbing flavor. This was heavier on the ginger flavor. Make sure you order side of rice since it is pretty much expected to be eaten over rice. The last time i ate in years ago prior to the pandemic, i remember it was a cute place with casual modern vibe. Worth a visit if dining up in cap Hill
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Kimya S.

Yelp
SO GOOD!! Get the dumplings I will think about them for weeks. Amazing cocktails! Everything tasted so authentic!
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Arlene S.

Yelp
Returning here after two years. We ordered la zi ji, rockfish with sour mustard, cauliflower dry pot, snow pea tips with fermented tofu, salt and sichuan pepper tofu, chili oil wontons, and yu xiang mushroom. Personally, I think the dishes are not as good as before. The dishes have tons of sichuan peppers but can't quite taste the flavor/heat. The rockfish with sour mustard was extremely sour and definitely need to order rice with this. The la zi ji taste more like salt and pepper popcorn chicken. The fermented tofu was not well blended with the vegetables so some were bland and some were salty. The salt and pepper tofu and chili oil wontons were good; would recommend. Overall, feels like quality is not as superb as before.
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Ellie C.

Yelp
Coming back here again soon just for the Yu Xiang Eggplant Fries!!! THEY WERE SO CRISPY, WELL SEASONED, AND DELICIOUS! Came here with a vegan friend and we got the silken tofu, eggplant fries, and dan dan noodles (not vegan). The food was great overall!
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Isabel L.

Yelp
I never say no to Szechuan, thought I felt that Lionhead was more of a 3.5 overall. The dishes were leaning on the fusion side, but aside from some Szechuan elements and spices the dishes tasted less Szechuan and more Americanized. Flavor profile was strong and a few dishes was on the sweet side . We liked some dishes more than the others. Liked: The Stir fried cauliflower was flavorful with a nice kick and Mapo tofu was really tasty. These were our highlights. The rice cake & bacon was a little sweet for a savory dish. Large portions though so that was a plus.
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Calvin T.

Yelp
I stumbled upon Lionhead during my Seattle trip. The menu has no Chinese character - and I was thinking - hmm I hope it's not another lemon chicken / sweet and sour pork establishment.. The place was hopping though so I thought it must be good. I can't take on too much spice but do appreciate "the kick" in the food and Lionhead delivered. I ordered the Dan Dan Mien and it was very flavourful! I was between the Xian noodle (which has cumin lamb) and the Dan Dan. Waiter said Xian may be more spicy so Dan Dan was the safer choice. Dan Dan has that "kick" but not overpoweringly spicy. Next time I go back - I will certainly give Xian a try!
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Sandra H.

Yelp
Sichuan is one of the most exciting cuisines. Its dishes have hot numbing yet floral qualities from the peppercorn and are topped with the heat from chili peppers. FOOD: We ordered the chili cumin beef noodles and dumplings. I was pleasantly surprised by the authentic taste of the spice and the slight hint of sweetness in the sauce. The best part of the dish was the noodles/dumpling wrappers themselves. They were springy, meaty, and chewy, an absolute delight on a rainy Seattle night. DRINKS: We tried the house tequila shots with... red Sichuan peppercorns! What an unexpected twist! It takes courage to put peppercorns in a drink, and they truly mastered something special. By the time we finished eating, we were craving for more! We'll be back.

Laney S.

Yelp
Food is always so so so good and tasty. The service is on the slower side since they appear to be super short staffed. We always leave super full and satisfied.
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Steven T.

Yelp
Vibes, spice, and takeout speed are all things you get here as one of the few Szechuan places in a ten minute walk. There is a good amount of seating, interesting cocktails, and menu that can be eaten family style when eating with others, but for the price it's going to be a bit high. It's 3$ for a bowl of rice and take out usually will have less food then when dining in. It's good when you want a fancy Szechuan meal and the 4 hour window that you can eat there kind of reinforces this. Definitely a place you have to plan to eat at, but it's decent when you do
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Janhavi B.

Yelp
Food: Delicious food! It's sichuanese food, so expect the flavors of red chilis and numbing peppers, but it's not overbearing at all. We tried and recommend * pumpkin dumplings: these were seasonal, but delicious; the spicy numbing peppers in the sauce were beautifully offset by the sweetness of the pumpkin :) * chicken dry pot: amazing cumin flavor, lots of greens, and some veggies. Special thanks to a fellow yelper who posted a picture about it, because it's an off-the-menu secret item! Venue: Small cozy place but we managed to get a spot (for 2) at the bar without a reservation on a Friday night. Drinks: This is where Lionhead loses its 5 star rating. $15 cocktails which were just pre-made and basic. I'd stick to beer or wine. All in all - I'm definitely going back!
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C Hayley H.

Yelp
I got Lionhead takeout after seeing delicious photos of Ma Po Doufu posted on Instagram. It took about 15 minutes for the order to be ready, and the service was great. Everything was packaged well for takeout, and the food was very tasty. I ordered the La Zi Ji ($16), Hong You Chao Shou ($12.50), Pork Ma Po Doufu ($17), and a side of steamed rice ($3). The La Zi Ji (deep fried chicken with peppers) was one of my favorites. The texture and flavor were perfect. Hong You Chao Shou (wontons in chili oil) were a bit bland, but still tasty. The Pork Ma Po Doufu was one of my favorite versions of the dish I've tried in the Seattle area, and it definitely has that numbing feel to it. The portion size was good for this dish. Can't wait to visit Lionhead again when restaurants can open back up for dining room service!
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Angela K.

Yelp
Blistered Okra and Eggplant dish are the must. They have really good vege menus. But when it has meat in it, taste is a bit strong, I mean salty.. Rice portions is huge that you can share with another person. They have interesting cocktail menus.
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McKenzie W.

Yelp
Both the food and cocktails were so good! The service was exceptional with the staff giving us great recommendations.
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Nitaya M.

Yelp
we had a delicious dinner here! for a group of 5 we ordered: - pork dumplings - salt and pepper tofu - fish - dan dan mien - cumin beef - good tender beef! everything was on the saltier side but this dish specifically was really salty. too many dried chilis imo - rice cakes - 2x orders of steamed rice - it was a good amount for everyone, it was brown rice btw service and and ambiance were good, nothing super special with that regard. wish everything was less salty but I'd go back for the tofu and rice cakes!

Tank Z.

Yelp
Expensive and taste is very bad except spicy. $15 dollars for 8 dumplings, what a joke!
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Disha G.

Yelp
I ordered food from this place and I had a pathetic experience. The food was so salty that it could give heart attack to anyone. It was equally stale. Highly disappointed.
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Tony J.

Yelp
Small restaurant on Broadway, Capitol Hill serving Americanized Szechuan food. Small space with high ceilings, and somewhat dimly lit. In addition, they have beer, wine and cocktails. If you come here expecting authentic Szechuan food, you are at the wrong place. The food was interesting. The eggplant fries had a distinct flavor. A lot of the dishes had copious amounts of dried pepper, but wasn't all that spicy. Having stir-fried veggies with dried red peppers was kinda strange. Also none of the dishes had that Szechuan peppercorn numbing spice, but maybe they toned it down because of the westernized version. The best dish there was the braised duck, and was soft and had good flavor. I also liked the buckwheat noodles which the seasame sauce. Overall, the food was alright. Americanized Chinese food is not my favorite type of cuisine. The service was pretty good when we were there, and dishes were served pretty quickly..
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Danielle D.

Yelp
Gotta new dish and it was fantastic! had to share (boneless duck). I order the same thing every time I come in addition and it's always delicious. Top tier restaurant.
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Heidi C.

Yelp
This place is a gem: interesting food, great service, and nice atmosphere. It's busy without long wait times, great cocktails and drink selections, with plenty of vegetarian options. Sure, sometimes they have a little too much salt or sauce on a dish here or there, but as my mom always said, "let not perfection become the enemy of the good." And this place is good. Their staff went above and beyond today to correct my to-go order and I appreciate their dedication to their style and service!
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Patrick A.

Yelp
Great food, fresh, interesting, friendly service, we went before a show and loved it.
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Reg S.

Yelp
Excellent quality food with friendly and prompt service! Highly recommended. Nice intimate environment.
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Maryam K.

Yelp
At this point it is probably obvious that Lionhead is not a place to doubt. So here's me adding to the obvious. Definitely check them out! I wanted to wait to try them until indoor dining was possible because while I'm sure the food tastes great as takeout as previous reviews say - having Sichuan food fresh is definitely preferable. We ordered the Chili Cumin Beef, Yu Xiang Eggplant Fries, and Salt and Sichuan Pepper Tofu. Everything was A+. I'm not a tofu person but I couldn't argue that it was delicious and cooked very well. Our favorite of the night was definitely the eggplant and we would come back here just for that. I was also surprised that everything was reasonably priced especially for the portion sizes which are very generous. Our server was so kind and helpful and she ensured that all measures are being taken for the dining experience to feel safe, clean and enjoyable. Also note that yes everything is spicy but they make a point to tell you that the menu is tailored for "Seattle palates" - but if you want to amp it up even during the meal - they make that happen!
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Jane L.

Yelp
Fried rice and xian noodle were on point! Cauliflower dry pot had so much of cumin and peppercorn that I was unable to feel my lips and tongue after the first bite. I dont consider myself bad with spices but it was purely TOO much. Not edible. Generally, food was good but the flavor profiles of all the food were very similar. I understand that Szechuan food is known for the spicy, strong flavors but did not have much options to balance things out. Might go back for fried rice but nothing else
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Ez P.

Yelp
The food at Lionhead can't be called authentic. (in particular I have no clue why it's labeled as Szechuan food when it literally has "Xian Noodles" on its menu) However, if it were recategorized as Chinese American then the food here is actually pretty decent. The dishes are flavorful and the presentation is pleasing, plus they have a mix of food types from all over China. It's a bit on the pricey side but portion sizes are large. If you want to introduce a friend to Chinese food in general then this is an excellent place to stop by. For example, the peppers in "la zi ji" are supposed to be cut into pieces, but that would make the dish actually spicy, so instead all the components were redesigned to be long pieces instead of chunks. This maintains the shape congruity of ingredients as well as the diversity in color while toning down the spice level, which is a great modification for people not used to spicy food.
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Stacey M.

Yelp
Great little restaurant! The food was Excellent, you will definitely want to go with a few of your friends/family so you can try several different dishes. I will definitely go back when I'm back in Seattle. Service was good but they could use a few more servers and maybe the kitchen. Not a deal breaker for us!