Mustard Greens

I truly loved this restaurant. The staff was very pleasant and made you feel very welcomed. The staff was very attentive and the food was delicious. The string beans are to die for as well as the garlic noodles and the sautéed mustard greens. Can’t wait to go back. My niece had the crab fried rice which she said was excellent. We went on a Tuesday around 6:30pm and there was plenty of parking. I get the feeling that the weekends are probably busy but the food is worth the wait. I definitely recommend this restaurant and it’s vegan and vegetarian friendly.

I really wanted to like this restaurant a lot since I felt the service was very good and friendly. However, the food was just ok bordering on the brink of disappointment. We ordered a stir fried tofu and sesame chicken with lemon sauce. The portions for both were on the small end vs price. The tofu had a slight sour aftertaste. The chicken was ok but the lemon sauce was just plain gross. I can't even describe it. It tasted artificial and sweet. They really shouldn't serve this sauce anymore. They provide hot hand towels at the end of the meal which was nice. However, they do add a surcharge for using a credit card which I didn't see disclosed beforehand so that was a surprise when I received the final bill.

Amazing food and drinks, will definitely be back!!!

Friendly staff, nice ambiance, and relatively fast service. However, the portions were pretty small (compared to the price) and the food was quite average. They also served us one small plate of rice for 2 people (whereas we ordered two main dishes), and that was definitely not enough. Overall, it felt overpriced. We also didn’t understand why it’s described as “modern/contemporary” Chinese cuisine — I personally didn’t notice anything “modern” in the food we ordered.

You can never go wrong with anything from their menu. Impeccable service and delicious food. I always dine there when in town. I highly recommend you check out this hidden gem. Street parking is meter fed.

The service was excellent. The place was clean and the food was presented beautifully, served hot and delicious! The wonton soup had light dumplings, not doughy at all. The beef with black bean sauce was delicious. The beef had flavor, was so tender, you could cut it with a fork and the vegetables were tender crisp cut into bite size pieces and not chunked. Delicious!

Top quality ingredients. The Chinese you want when you want to feel healthier leaving. Steamed dumplings that melt with the red vinegar and soy and such fresh, crisp veggies. A must every time we visit Philly.

Mustard Greens has been one of my top favorites for over 30 years. Unbelievably, it is even better now. Every dish is prepared with the freshest ingredients. The dumplings are sublime, the very best in Philadelphia. Don’t miss the firecracker pork or chicken with nectarines. My only complaint is that their selection of white wines is inadequate. So drink Chinese beer!!

I have been dining at Mustard Greens regularly since it opened decades ago. I lived in the Queen Village neighborhood for almost thirty years and itt's that unique gem: a neighborhood fixture that is an unexpected "find" for visitors. (I go there at least once everytime I am back in Philly, usually a half-a-dozen times a year. When I lived in the area, it would not be an exaggeration that we ate there almost weekly for those decades. That's a LOT of data points about the consistency of quality and "standing" to review.) A previous reviewer, Clarissa V., called it an "American-Chinese style" and a "take-away" kind of place. Another, Joe D., clearly has a a palate tuned to and only accustomed to "takeway" restaurants, where tables are an after-thought. As a 72 yr. CHINESE-American person, who has likely eaten in MORE Chinese restaurants, in and outside of the USA (China, UK, France, Brazil included) AND a greater variety of dishes than these two, I take great exception to those comments as being very off-the-mark. As more discerning reviews have noted - and please read the professional food critic reviews: one is laminated and displayed in the entry area that has a small bar and a few seats - the cooking is distinguished by FRESH ingredients prepared healthily and SIMPLY (vs. over-salted, over-spiced) so that their natural flavors come through. For palates used to over-salterd, over-MSG, etc., it might taste "blander", but that's your tastebuds being badly conditioned about Chinese cooking and now being gently re-educated to the flavors that you should be experiencing. (I've talked to Bon Siu, the owner-chef, who opened Mustard Greens and who is in the kitchen EVERY day. How do I know? My random drop ins always finds him there, plus I ask! When you have the same kitchen crew AND your brother comes and cooks with you and covers when you are away, you get CONSISTENCY, which is important for a restaurant to do well. Mustard Greens also has had the same core two waiters for at least twenty years, with a couple of "youngsters" (everyone is a youngster now!) who I hope become "veterans", if they are good! As the for prices and ambience. ALL food prices have gone up. I've noticed it myself, not just there but everywhere. On this last visit two nights ago - and I am coming back with a group of other Penn alumni/friends this weekend - I asked Ming, one of the waiters about that. He said that Bon had to because of their increased costs. I get it, unfortunately. Besides the dining area downstairs, there is also an upstairs, which is set up and used by larger groups and overflow. Because it's a neighborhood restaurant, it does do a take-away business, which helped it survive Covid, but it's not decorated like one. Bon Siu displays original artwork, often of artists from the neighborhood - currently, from a photographer associated with The Inquirer newspaper - and sometimes even his own. (He studied also at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts at one point, THE premier art school in the USA, arguably. A man of many talents.) The vibe is warm, friendly, the kind of place where Bon comes out from the kitchen regularly with a sharp eye to make sure all is smooth, but mainly to stop by at tables to greet regulars - and often "force" a glass of wine on them! Even now, the odds are great that I will see someone I knew when living in Queen Village. Try it for the food, come back for it and because it will be a place that will know your name. Oh - I have NO connection to Mustard Greens except being a loyal customers won over by the quality/consistency of the food and the warmth of the place. "Try it, you'll like it!" (Of the two friends I brought two nights ago, one had never been there and is a selective eater: she loved the dishes we ordered. Make sure to have the garlic string beans and the fried dumplings. My daughter, now in her 40s and who grew up on them, still has those as her gold standard for fried dumplings. Me too. Enjoy!

Quite pricey for American-Chinese style meals. Couldn't believe i spent $80 for 2 on take-away food!! My boo got beef with veggies and he enjoyed it. I got mooshu chicken. Unfortunately the mooshu chicken was not was I expecting at all. The pancakes were crunchy so they broke apart at any attempt of rolling up. The mooshuchicken itself was sauceless. Very white. Missing was the cabbage or scrambled egg and instead was bean sprouts in there so it seemed a bit cheapened up too and not at all tasting as expected as any place I go anywhere else in Chinatown or any other city. Small pint of wonton soup was good. The small pint of hot and sour soup also not as expected. It was red in color not the rich brown as well as more tangy and sour. Then the combo of flavors and richness I get anywhere else Spring rolls were good. But yeah. That's it. How did it get so pricey?

Best Chinese food anywhere. Garlic noodles are to die for. Fresh and delicious- they do not have standard American Chinese dishes but rather have their own menu.

I've been here a few times and the food and service is always wonderful. This time we ordered wonton soup, eggplant stuffed with chicken, bbq ribs, steamed chicken dumplings, crabmeat fried rice, curry noodles, shrimp and scallop with vegetables, sesame chicken, Pineapple Shrimp, Hunan Beef and string beans. Everything tasted fantastic. Would definitely come again.

This is a one of a kind place to get some Chinese food of exceptional quality. Great family atmosphere to bring kids and grandparents too. Good service as well.

I gave it one star because it would not let me give it a zero rating. 85$ for two people - take out . It was cold because they gave my order away . It was terrible to boot. General Tso's was flavorless , dumpling reheated were terrible, spring rolls fell apart .

Great Asian place in philadelphia. Ingredients were fresh and very tasty. Loved their firecracker pork, dumplings, wonton soup was very tasty with clear broth. Fried rice was also tasty and fresh. Love the fact they brought out hot lemon scent towels to clean your hands. I would definitely be back!

Satisfying, friendly, beautifully presented Cantonese food that is a neighborhood standby. Great for a date dinner. Quiet, relaxing, with a full bar. Food is fresh, never heavy, and elegant. I prefer eating here to ordering takeout, because it is a nice place for a laidback meal and conversation.

Had an absolutely delicious meal here on Sunday with my family. We ate steamed fish, sauteed string beans, spring rolls, shrimp and shitake mushrooms and mustard greens. Everyone loved their food and service was great. A real find!

Mustard greens is the best Chinese food in Philly. The owner and staff are outstanding. Dumplings and the whole menu is awesome. Please visit.

Unexpectedly delicious Chinese restaurant in QV. The restaurant has a bit of a contemporary or modern feel but the flavors are very authentic. We were craving Mushu Pork and stumbled upon this place and were not disappointed! The spare ribs, Wonton soup, and shrimp in spicy garlic sauce were also tasty and well prepared. We would definitely return here again

I can't believe I just found this place! We love Chinese food and wanted to try a new spot. They have a full bar and nice options for liquor, beers and wine. We went in at around 7:30 on a Friday and didn't have to wait to be seated. The restaurant was busy the entire time we were there, it seemed like a popular local spot. We started with the garlic noodles, wonton soup and spring rolls. Our food came out quick and we enjoyed everything. The garlic noodles were especially delicious! They were surprisingly light for a noodle dish, they weren't smothered in sauce and had nice pieces of crunchy roasted garlic on them. The cup of wonton soup looked small at first, but it was full of wontons and was filling. It ended up being a nice appetizer. We ordered the Hong kong beef as well, which was also delicious. It had a nice flavor but again, not covered in sauce. Every dish was so good, we kept ordering more food - and every dish was better than the next! We ended up with WAY too much food for the two of us, but we did have yummy leftovers the next day. We ended up getting the whole sea bass and the general chicken also. Even after ALL the food, we needed a veggie so we ordered the green beans. They were fantastic!! Fried garlic all over them- we were not disappointed! No regrets with our meal here, we will be coming back and bringing the fam!

My wife and I wanted quality Chinese food for takeout, and Mustard Greens didn't disappoint. I had their wanton soup, and the broth was healthy and seemingly saltless. The wantons themselves were compact and relied more the filling than the dough. My wife had spring rolls, and they were light and flavorful without the excessive grease some lower tier restaurants depend on. We shared a chicken and broccoli dish that used the sauce only slightly. The broccoli tasted freshly cooked and crisp, as though it had been just as soon as we had ordered it. The brown rice was cooked perfectly. The prices were appropriate for the quality if the food, and the owners were cordial and professional. We look forward to getting back for more takeout; it goes without saying that we look forward to dining in, too.

Really fantastic staff and delicious food. Not your typical Chinese food menu, in my experience, and that's a great thing! Really enjoyed it from start to finish. The friendly fun staff make it even better.

My husband and I went here for dinner tonight. The food was fresh and delicious. The service was friendly and fast. We will definitely be back .

I don't get all the rave reviews here. The food lacks flavor, and the noise level is deafening. I had dinner here with a friend and there were maybe three or four other tables occupied in The restaurant and we couldn't hear one another at all! The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't aNything memorable. In all fairness my companion loved the wonton soup. If the neighboring sushi spots didn't have over an hOur wait we would not have landed here. Next time I will make sure to make reservations in advance and not end up going somewhere just because we can be immediately seated.

Consistently the best for decades. The pan fried dumplings are the best in the world. Neighborhood staple that will always be my fave

I had dined in once at Mustard Greens and it was good. Fast-forward to today ordering $55 + $3 tip take out and it was TERRIBLE. I ordered Chicken Tai chin, Beef Hunan, Spare ribs, and mustard greens. I asked for the beef and chicken to be extra spicy and they had no spice. The Beef was poor, nothing special, but the chicken was awful. It was not as advertised and swimming in vinegar/sugar water. The ribs were tough and very old and the mustard greens were very bland. When I called MG to tell them that the food was terrible, they told me that they were sorry but too bad; they would not take it back or do anything to rectify the situation. I understand a restaurant making a bad dish, or four, but to not stand behind your product is unacceptable. Old, tough ribs are a crime. I wish I had gone to Han Dynasty instead; it would have cost the same but it would've been delicious and spicy!

After a whole year of eating at Mustard Greens once a week I can safely say that Mustard Greens is the best Chinese food I've ever had. It is also my boyfriend's and my favorite restaurant in the entire city of Philadelphia. I had to update my review to reflect this. When I last reviewed, I had only had Mustard Greens a few times. Now I go once a week. It is consistently delicious, and the owner is so badass and cool. His cooking is also amazing. My boyfriend and I have tried numerous of their specials, as well their regular menu items. It warrants repeating that the dumplings are out of this world. Get them steamed. They have a full bar. They have great staff. They have good food. They serve yummy tea. They are friendly. We love them. Also we are local and walk our dog by every day multiple times a day, and we always wave to our favorite people in the neighborhood. Hi, guys! Seriously, go to Mustard Greens and let me know how much you like it. Cuz you will. EDIT: we went to mustard greens for our dinner before our wedding night. I just wanted to say to everyone who works there, thank you so much for making our wedding weekend that much more special. We couldn't have picked a better place to bring family and friends together. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!

Mustard greens is probably one of the best if not the best Chinese food in Philly. I have dined in many times and tonight's dinner was spectacular! I ordered the soft shell crab and it was the best I have ever had. My server suggested a few dishes which were l great but that was by far my favorite!! My mouth is literally watering as I think about it and I just had to write this review. Anyone reading this you must give it a try you will not be disappointed. As for me I will be back in a few days for some more!! Ps I will update my review with a picture for all to see :)

Pretty good restaurant overall that is a bit off the beaten path. I'd classify it as Chinese-American food (vaguely Cantonese, but is designed to appeal primarily to Americans) and as competitive in quality with similar types of restaurants in Chinatown such as Lee How Fook. Food is not hugely seasoned (although by Cantonese standards, it is rather spicy, so spicier dishes here are fine), but is prepared very elegantly, and has a very clean taste to it. Fairly quiet in general. Pricing is quite affordable. Lots of good food options. I do worry a bit about it becoming a relic similar to places such as Imperial Inn and some others that are more along this style. Consistency is very strong; I always know what quality I'm getting when I am here,which is definitely a plus. I usually will get one appetizer, some sort of veggie dish, and some sort of meat dish (or fried rice dish). Options my family and I have liked are below (honestly most of the menu is good though): Apps: Dumplings (Steamed or fried-$8), stuffed eggplant ($8) Soup: Curry Beef Soup ($8 for two people), Wonton ($4), Chicken and Corn ($4) Veggies: Mustard Greens ($10), Mixed Greens ($10), Tofu with Vegetables ($10, Snow Pea Leaves ($14) Beef and Lamb: Lamb Chops ($19), Hunan Style Beef ($17) Pork: Roast Pork ($15), Firecracker Pork ($16) Poultry: General's ($15), Duck Special ($21), Chicken with Shitake Mushrooms ($15) Seafood: Steamed Salmon ($16), Steamed Tilapia ($16), Fish of the Day Fried Rice: Veggie ($8), Garlic ($7), Pork ($11) Philly Classic, and I am a fan overall.

I've been going to Mustard Greens for the last 20 years, since my father has taken me as a child. It is by far the best Chinese food I've ever had. This is not your typical Chinese food from your local China Bowl or Asian Taste Inn. This is delicately crafted, precisely seasoned cuisine. Typical chinese american food is too saucy and too salty. Mustard Greens has formed the perfect menu and atmosphere for a homey and familial feeling. What to order: M Shrimp isn't on the menu but it is by far the best thing you will have ever eaten Steamed dumplings Garlic noodles Garlic string beans Calamari Barbecue Shrimp Best wonton soup ever- light, and immediately recognized as homemade daily Generals Chicken Soft shell crabs You won't be sorry visiting Mustard Greens, and i'm excited to take my children there in the future

Food came out and both our dishes were cold. I have dietary restrictions and they were able to accommodate after a fair amount of negotiation with the waiter. My dining partner has only gluten free restriction and they tried to apply my restrictions on to her meal and therefore screwed up her meal! She wanted it spicy but the waiter said they couldn't do it spicy because she couldn't have sesame oil, which was not true, because I am allergic to sesame, not her. We had made that clear in the beginning, I even gave him a printed card with my allergy restrictions. They then became belligerent about fixing it. The waiter tried to pass me off to someone else, and then eventually I made my way to the kitchen and found the manager. While he was somewhat better he was still mostly belligerent. Eventually she was able to change her order and get something that worked for her, spicy eggplant instead of the very boring shrimp & squid dish. In the end, rather than taking her meal off our bill they offered to give me another glass of wine, which I didn't want because my dinner was over. So when they brought the wine anyway, I took one sip, and I was done. Very disappointing! If you want anything special forget it. And if your food comes cold don't be afraid to tell them! But honestly, we'll never return!

Consistent perfection. For 35+ years. Absolute best Asian restaurant ih Philadelphia. .

Mustard Greens is one of my favorite restaurants! Every time I visit Philadelphia I make sure to stop by to see Bon and his staff. The service is great and the food leaves you craving for more. M shrimp is off the menu, you will thank me later!

Went here for a birthday a few years ago, party of 7 when it was byob. It was very good and great service. The portions are large. Went here last night with my two best friends. I ordered calamari as a starter and that's where my meal ended. The first few bites were ok but as I continued to eat them the became tougher and tougher. My friends ordered fried dumplings & they hated them! Not to mention they brought out pork dumpling and my bff doesn't eat pork! I tasted one & they were bland and hard, the meat was nasty inside. My friends got ribs and pineapple shrimp that I tasted. Ribs were good. The pineapple shrimp was just ok. The service was ok. Not bad but they don't have desert and the server was puzzled when I asked for a desert menu (I didn't know). Now here's the kicker, my friend ordered a Henny and coke. It was a nice size. BUT IT COST $18 - EIGHT-TEEN, one 8, 9+9 whole dollars!! This is not the type of place that should charge those type of prices. We should've went to buddakan.

We were really looking forward to some down home Cantonese food, but were disappointed. The wonton soup was tasteless, the pork spare ribs were okay, but only 3 for $10? The dry fried string beans were ehh, not a lot of taste. Was expecting the Ta Chien Chicken to be spicy and have real chilies, but instead kinda blah in a watery sauce. We were really hoping for a go-to classic place, but we'll have to keep looking.

Always a solid choice especially if your guest don't want real Chinese. This is not a put down. The food is excellent. The service is always polite and efficient. The restaurant is pretty. The menu is what Americans think what authentic Chinese food is like. Enjoy it anyway. Good food is good good. It's safe!

The only reason I'm not giving it five stars, is because I try to save those for incredible experiences. Quite probably the best Chinese food I've ever had, rivaling Han Dynasty (aka Handy Nasty) and that is high praise indeed! An interesting and varied menu. I had: Spring rolls, really makes you realize the difference between what you make at home and what a trained chef can do. Firecracker Pork, amazingly tender, I'd asked for extra spicy and on the scale of one to ten (Han Dynasty regulations) I'd give it a 7.5, which for a mortal human would be incredibly hot, but still had all the complex flavors. My daughter had: Pork fried rice, pretty darned close to perfection. Perfect balance between rice and other ingredients. Garlic Noodles, I could eat those three times a week at least for the rest of my life. The only other place that came close to this was the Saloon. Full bar, street parking ample during the week, cash and credit.

I can't believe that I just found this place!! Very delicious food and great services and very friendly employees. The food are just so clean and fresh. I never get thirsty after eating here compared to restaurants in Chinatown. For appetizers, I ordered the dumplings, wonton soup, spicy cabbage, and spare ribs. Everything was just so delicious and tasty. They have the best pork and chicken dumplings and wonton soup. This is the only place that I had dumplings and wonton without thick and heavy-flour wrappers. The meats inside the dumplings and wonton were not marinated with soy sauce. It tasted so fresh, clean, and flavorful. I'm craving for the dumplings everyday. The garlic green beans, snow peas leaves, garlic noodles, general chicken, and pineapple shrimp are very flavorful and tasty without crazy seasonings like some restaurants. They used real crabmeat lumps to make the crabmeat fried rice (one of my favor). Highly recommend this restaurant and I wish I found this place earlier.

Be very careful when ordering takeout. We ordered the other night & when we picked it up the bill was $10 more than menu prices. They should tell you that when ordering. Even though we like their food this was very dishonest. When we called to complain they said we were on the wrong website. We double checked & we were on the proper website.

Mustard Greens is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough! In a city with a ton of food options, it is some of the best Chinese food I have ever had. I am originally from Philly and whenever I am in from NYC I make sure to stop by. I have been going for many years and always try to order something new from the menu. I am yet to be disappointed with any of the mouthwatering options. It is a great option for higher quality Asian cuisine, that isn't overly sauced or salted. The garlic noodles are a MUST, as are the string beans. In addition to having excellent food, the service is warm and friendly, with a nice atmosphere and a full bar.

Very fresh Chinese food. The green beans are amazing, steamed dumplings great, everything was so fresh and they are very nice in there. OK, it's a little more expensive than Chinatown places but we became fans after our first visit.

A coworker recommended this Chinese restaurant to me, but I didn't think it was all the egg roll it was cracked up to be. It is contemporary Chinese cuisine, so it looks like a nice restaurant inside and the service was great. The food is a bit more expensive than normal (dumplings are $6) Chinese, but it wasn't anything to rave about. Actually, a lot of the menu items are listed the same as take-out Chinese (Moo Shu Chicken with Pancake, 12.00; Stir Fried Chicken with Snow Peas, 12.00). The food, to me, was bland and I would have rather just ordered take out from Rich City.

There is no wonder this restaurant has been a local favorite for over 30 years. Mustard Greens has been one of my favorites since I moved to Philadelphia in 2000. The owner, Bon, and his wait staff, make every customer feel special, and the food I second to none--very clean, fresh, never heavy or oily. I always order the steamed salmon with black bean sauce, dumplings, string beans and cabbage appetizers. Once you try this little gem of a restaurant, you won't want to go anywhere else for Chinese.

One of my absolute favorite Chinese restaurants ever and certainly the best in Philly. Everyone who works here is incredibly kind, attentive and knowledgable. The quality of the food and freshness is undoubtedly noticeable!! Definitely try the wonton soup, as the broth is to die for!! The actual wontons are paper thin and SO delicious!! The General Tso's chicken is unlike any that I've ever had-- it's not heavily battered or greasy and the chicken is still perfectly crispy. The stir-fried green beans as well as the Chinese broccoli... just YUM! The veggies aren't over-cooked and the garlic diced in both just adds a wonderful kick. The fried rice is also delicious. Love. love. love!

An absolute gem: fresh ingredients, expertly prepared, delicately seasoned, wonderful service and ambience.

Live in the area, & I have to say Mustard Greens is the best Chinese restaurant in Queen Village. Their Garlic noodles with vegetables and fried rice is amazing. Five stars.

I have not actually tried their food, but I wanted to write a review to say how helpful their staff was when I called to get a copy of a receipt. Long story short, my boss had gotten a take-out meal here recently for a virtual team event. She was not given a paper receipt, understandably due to COVID precautions. When I tried to submit her expense report, I was unable to do so without a receipt so I called Mustard Greens to see if they could email a copy of it. They very kindly took down my phone number and, a few days later, texted me a copy of her receipts. I know they probably had to put significant effort into digging it up in their files, so I really appreciated their help.

I just tried this place recently. I ordered the firecracker pork, fried dumplings and moo shu chicken. I have to say, i was not impressed. For the price, it should taste better. I was totally caught off guard when I was asked if I wanted to add rice. Rice costs extra? Really? That's just wrong. It costs pennies to give an order of rice and when entrees are around $15, the restaurant is definitely not losing money. The food wasn't very flavorful, I found that adding soy sauce helped, but I shouldn't have had to do that. Ultimately, I think this place is overpriced and does not have the food to back it up. Everything was just fine.

Forget Chinatown. Excellent, clean and fresh. Mustard Greens has been our go-to place, serving the most deftly prepared high quality Chinese , for consistently fresh and reasonably priced weekday meals or a place to bring out-of-town guests. The best steamed dumplings anywhere. Vegans and vegetarians will not be disappointed with any veggie dish. Other favorites are their incredible string beans, crab fried rice, nectarine chicken, pork and curry noodles, fish -- anything! Lovely casual atmosphere, and the service is impeccable. GO!

We eat here frequently and each time we have a good experience. The staff is always very nice and attentive, the atmosphere is very pleasant, the prices are reasonable, and the food is delicious. I highly recommend the stir fried string beans and the fried rice. I really enjoy dining here, and recommend this place to anyone who lives in or is visiting the area. Everything is always very enjoyable and good.

Just finished my take-out order from Mustard Greens. Sure, as another Yelper mentioned, tofu and mixed vegetables isn't exactly an exciting dish, but I've had much much better many many other places. The tofu was steamed and sat on top of snow peas, thinly sliced carrots, miniscule pieces of mushrooms, celery and scallions. Where was the broccoli? Where was the baby corn? I asked for my order to come in spicy garlic sauce. On the phone they said they don't do garlic sauce (it's on the menu for the eggplant dish?) and that the tofu would would come in brown sauce. However, they could make it spicy. Fine. The brown bag at pick up contained nothing but my dinner. No napkins, no utensils, no fortune cookie. NO RICE. Did you hear me? NO RICE. When I got home, I added chili paste and soy sauce, because the meal was so bland (something I never ever do). Eh.

I definitely fall into the "Love it!" camp re Mustard Greens. Worth a visit from anyone who wants a truly refreshing alternative to the Chinese food you've become accustomed to. While I understand the debate as to whether or not this is a "step up" from what Americans think of as Chinese food, there is no denying that it is both fundamentally different and fundamentally closer to what Cantonese cuisine *actually* is. I spent a year in Hong Kong and am here to tell you that Mustard Greens is about as close to "legit" that you'll find in Philly. The food is light on sauce, nearly devoid of deep-frying, and made with ingredients that are almost shocking in freshness: "Freshness" in both the sense of "recently harvested" and in the sense of "not overcooked". The prices are very reasonable, and the menu is very spartan by "typical" Chinese restaurant standards, with perhaps 30 selections where one is accustomed to seeing 100. And unlike most Chinese restaurants, MG offers true daily specials, dishes concocted by the chef that day based on the whatever high-quality ingredients he happened to acquire that morning. The atmosphere is also a departure from the ordinary: No gaudy red-and-gold motifs here, and with a Western classical music soundtrack softly wafting from the speakers. Service is attentive and friendly and fast.

The best Chinese, in or out of Chinatown. It is not your traditional greasy, MSG-laden takeout-type Chinese. Everything is fresh, crisp and delicious. It is a small, "no-frills" decorated stark restaurant. There is usually a bit of a wait and the service is not the best. The chicken dishes are all white meat; the vegetables in the Moo Shoo are so crisp (make sure to ask for extra plum sauce for the Moo Shoo). Start with the sauted green beans while you are waiting, and get a few if there are more than two of you in your party. All the eggplant dishes are great and so are the dumplings/wontons. I didn't care for the calamari but the General Tso's more than made up for it.

Fire Cracker pork was great, but the bbq shrimp had a little bit of a mushy texture. Portion sizes were also a little light for the price, but overall good takeout.

I am definitely in the pro-Mustard Greens camp. I love me some deep fried gelatinous wtf-is-that takeout, but sometimes I want Chinese food that doesn't leave me feeling exhausted from digestion. Sauces are light, portions are just right, and though it's pricier than your local takeout spot, you get what you pay for. On my last visit, my boyfriend and I ordered dishes to share. He thought the General Tso's was too sweet, but I enjoyed the flavor. The seafood in black bean sauce came with seafood that wasn't rubbery and an assortment of veggies. We also shared a plate of sauteed mustard greens. I love mustard greens so much, but they require so much cleaning that I don't mind paying $7.50 for a plate of them prepared by someone else. No complaints about the service. The staff is pleasant, accommodating, and prompt with water refills. I'm not sure if they offer desserts, but we were not asked if we wanted any. All in all, this is a great little neighborhood spot that I would recommend if you want to sit down and have good Chinese and a little ambiance.

Mustard Green is a great Chinese food option if you aren't into heavy, MSG-laden and extremely fatty food. They cook a lot with fruit, which is a big favorite of mine. I got a spicy chicken and nectarine dish stuffed with snow peas and bamboo shoots which was so very tasty and so very light. The ambiance is also better than the usual Chinese-American cafeteria style with big bright lights and paper placemats. The prices are a bit higher than at your average Chinese restaurant, but the quality you get is worth it. They were also able to accomodate a party of fourteen easily and took care of us extremely well.

Whoa! The atmosphere is a little bland...if you're looking for a romantic spot or place to have an intimate conversation, go somewhere else.....but the food is awesome! You HAVE to get the crab fried rice! Super-delicious and will keep you coming back.

Mustard Green is on my top 5 favorite restaurants in Philly. When I was younger we would go to Tangs, which was on south street. They closed and Mustard Green opened its doors for business. It was the same owner at the time, so the food ideas are the same as Tangs. First and foremost, we love the staff! They are always very friendly and very attentive! :: Hi to David and Ming:: As an appetizer I strongly suggest the steamed dumplings (what they are known for), the spring rolls, and any of the soups ( my favorite being the chicken and corn soup). Their food is always fresh and very tasty. If you are looking for Chinese cuisine, this is the place to go. The atmosphere is casual and intimate.