Dao Authentic Asian Cuisine

Don’t go! Hear it from me When I walked into this place it was so big and nice I was wondering why I never knew about it. The ladies were nice and they took my order. They had a couch and I was offered a water because it was a hot day. I ordered fried squid and beef and broccoli with fried rice. I was so excited to try some squad since I haven’t had any in a while but when I got home the squid was stale and hard, and the sauce that it came with was even worse. Upon opening the beef and broccoli I noticed this funky smell. It reminded me of a factory or a purposeful blend for surfaces, but I still gave it a chance. To start out the taste is awful and it’s completely inedible. The sauce it’s covered in is thick and it’s even got a chemically taste. The beef does not look like real beef, it’s really chewy and it almost feels plastic to chew. The rice was okay, there was no salt, it was very plain but bearable. The fortune cookie is also a little stale but I’m hungry. The total was 38$ In retrospect I see now why that place was so empty. There was one table And the rest of the servers were sitting down. This place needs some serious work with food quality. I don’t know who’s cooking but whoever is, they can’t cook.

Absolutely amazing Asian cuisine in Corpus on Airline and Holly. We love their fried rice entree. Today had tea duck and of course fried rice. The duck was deliciously smoked and juicy. They have takeout and dine in options. It’s a sit down dining restaurant, not the take out vibe ones. The place was packed on Christmas Day!

We went to Dao and tried their Famous Peking Roast Duck—it did not disappoint! Half of it came out beautifully sliced, served with peanut sauce, green onion, and Chinese-style tortillas (Chun Bing), while the other half was fried, giving me delicious carnitas/chicharrón vibes. Surprisingly though, what stood out the most for me was the shredded eggplant with spicy garlic sauce. I’ll admit, I was skeptical when my boyfriend recommended it, but it turned out to be absolutely amazing—rich, flavorful, and unique. The duck was excellent, but that eggplant dish was truly memorable. On top of that, the owner came by to check on us—she was so gentle and sweet, which made the experience even better. Definitely planning to return soon!

Came here for the first time since Ninja Ramen was closed. The food was a bit pricier than I expected but I enjoyed my meal. I was the only customer there, so the food didn't take long. I paid for my meal but I didn't tip, which may not have been ideal but I didn't think much of it, until I was confronted about it, making me feel pressured, as if it were a requirement. As much as I enjoyed the food, I won't be coming back.

Updated as of August 2025 - In my original review several years ago, I stated that Dao was possibly the most authentic ethnic restaurant that Corpus has. I still emphatically stand by that statement. After having sampled most, if not all, the other local Chinese restaurants, Dao's stands alone in both quality and authenticity. The food is always consistently good, full of flavor, and served piping hot. The service isn't excessive but polite and thorough. My recommended dishes are the beef in hot chili oil, the combo seafood noodles, and the beef mince soup. The dumplings are always fantastic as well. My only complaint is that they removed the pig ears from the menu; they were strange but one of the most flavorful and perfectly textured dishes I ever tasted.

I've been to China, and this is really authentic Chinese food. Just don't order from the American menu. They can get busy with take away, but be patient. This isn't fast food. Enjoy.

Very large portions but every dish was delicious and fresh ! It’s nice that they have an “Americanized Asian “ menu at the back of their traditional cuisine menu. Service was fast and friendly but not rushed. Dining area is nice and large for big groups or a quiet, private meal away from the hustle. Will return of course with a plan to share or have leftovers.

Came to Corpus Christi for beach every summer but first time to Dao, really enjoyed and loved every dish of cuisine! Very authentic Chinese food and detailed flavor in every dish! We ordered the duck and it was amazingly delicious and authentic, crispy and tender for the duck! You must go try this if you like duck! And appetizers like seaweed and beef are also great and fantastic ! Even with the beef toufu soup it is very tasty ! We really love and appreciate this wonderful restaurant!

AMAZING!!! Best Chinese restaurant ever! Everything we have tried has been some of the best we have ever had. Love the fish, cauliflower, and the green beans. So good! Try everything and don't share!

Excellent restaurant to visit in south Texas! Stopped by for lunch and was amazed by how nice and clean this restaurant is. The staff greeted us as soon as we walked in and seated us. The food was delicious and extremely flavorful. I will definitely have to stop by for more. They are somewhat tucked away in the shopping center, but make sure to find them. It will be worth it.

Food is always delicious and tastes fresh. They have a wide variety of options as well!

Everything was perfect. Loved the Spicy Duck and the Garlic Chicken. Shrimp Fried Rice was excellent as well.

The food here was phenomenal. Best Asian food and decent pricing. The ambiance was also very nice. I especially love their succulent wall.

5/5 Beef lo mein 5 Dry fried green beans, hold the chilis 3 Pan fried dumplings: K & M liked them 3 Steamed buns: K & M liked them

Great food. Makes me feel a little more at home without my grandma's cooking. I love the braised pork with quail eggs. Can't wait to go back and try their duck.

Its my go to spot. The stir fried beef is my favorite dish. I've also had seafood noodle dish, fried fish dish and a few others. Always delicious. The service is ok, but i come for the food the restaurant is always clean also. And normally not too crowded.

Absolutely delicious food and lunch specials were ready within 10 mins. Server Mariah was great and helped make our decision for items. Love the flavors and always clean inviting environment. Music is nice and the hostess is seats us promptly. Always a please to try dishes as All taste good !!

The most authentic in Corpus Christi Always consistent and a more unique menu What else can I say

Truly authentic and delicious Chinese restaurant in Corpus Christi of all places! We were visiting from out of town and was a bit skeptical but really enjoyed our dinner. The space is great - clean, roomy, well air conditioned and great staff. Prices are a bit on the high side but you get a lot of food. Portions are large. Food itself was great. Our only issue was with the rice (too mushy) and the pan fried baos (clearly from frozen). I'd definitely skip on the latter and maybe sub fried rice over their normal white rice.

+ Place is pretty spacious; you can bring a group up to 10 people here if you wanted to (family-friendly) -/+ food was okay; there can be some improvements (ex: the braised pork ribs w/the special sauce could be a bit less chewy) + service was fine Overall, I rather try another place but it's not bad either.

I recommend trying This restaurant the food was amazing. The quality of the ingredients and the cooking methods used were on point everything came to the table fresh hot. The portions of the appetizers and entrees were larger portions than I have ever had at any local Asian restaurant we will be back every time we are craving Asian food. The menu varied between Americanized Asian cuisine and more traditional authentic Chinese recipes. I can't wait to visit again. The service was friendly fast. The restaurant space itself has nice open space quite music playing with plenty of room to seat large family or groups. The kitchen has a window so you can see the cooks at work.

Ordered pork egg foo yung. Plated as three large "pancakes" with the sauce on the side, which prevents the dish from getting soggy. However, the sauce was way too salty . Also the pancakes were dense and chewy and seem to have added a starch like binder such potato starch or corn starch. This made them very unappetizing.

Tea duck, not good, taste less, refrigerator smell, too dry, no tea flavors, they don't know how to do it. Ox tail soup OK, ha cao no good. Tofu seafood browns sauce is tasty, good shrimp size but only 6 very tiny scalops. Services is great with the right dining room ambiance.

Wonderful restaurant with great food. I had the Kung Pao shrimp today and the dish was huge. Shrimp was large but tender and very flavorful. I'll be going back soon. Able to make 2 or 3 more meals from that one dish.

Excellent! Full of flavor, fresh and thoughtful presentation. We ordered off the traditional menu and wanted to try everything, but settled on items we recognized. Next time we will be more adventurous as much to experience on the menu.

This place is excellent, you just have to know what to order! Beware of the American menu. If you order something breaded and doused in sauce, you run the chance of your dish being soggy and inedible. That's what happened to me the first time I ordered take out from here over a year ago and I was dettered from ever coming back. Until a few weeks ago my boyfriend and I decided we'd give it another go since we had heard good things and it's right down the street from our apartment. We dined in this time and were pleasantly surprised by the lovely ambiance and decor. And were happy to discover the authentic side of the menu! For an appetizer I'd highly recommend the scallion pancakes. Crispy, light, airy and addicting! I'd also recommend the combo seafood rice noodles, the crispy beef, the stir fried lamb, and the seafood fried rice. Yummy and satisfying. The crystal shrimp dumplings were also very good. I've tried the stir fried rice noodles with beef which was good but could've been better. The noodles were a bit dry and the flavor was a bit underwhelming. Probably wouldn't order that one again. Same with the homemade tofu, shrimp, squid, and scallop dish. Good as well but wouldn't reorder. Overall this restaurant is pretty solid. Service can be a bit slow but won't let that stop us from coming back and trying out more of the menu.

Highly recommend this place. Food test amazing and so fresh. Amazing customer service too

There is no ambiance it's like sitting at a funeral while the food was mediocre the service was horrible. In the restaurant business they speak about Table-touches that is lacking not one of the servers seems to know anything about hospitality and they don't ask if there's anything that they can possibly get for you and they don't ask about your experience. I will never eat there again and I wouldn't suggest this place to anyone!!!

This spot is a must try in Corpus Christi, Texas. We've heard from various co-workers that the food is authentic and up to par with their culture. I've been here so many times and had many of their apps, entrees, and desserts. You just can't go wrong here. And although it maybe out of your comfort zone on some entrees, I'd say give them a try! We visited on a Thursday around 6:45pm. It didn't seem too busy, they provide sanitizer and appeared to be sitting customers 6 feet apart. However, later as the dinner crowd came in, I can't be sure there was social distancing. But Texas has removed that mandate, so it's up to you, if you chose to eat here. Since it was just two of us, we were further apart. It was more of the bigger dinner parties. But let's get to the food. It's all DELICIOUS! I mean you can't go wrong with them. Don't expect Panda Express or that fast food type of place. It's unique. Perhaps if your pallet isn't too well defined, you may not like it. But we've been to Asia and for sure, it's authentic. The waitress was a bit hard to understand but to us it's actually a good sign. It's means you're getting authentic food. But she got our order right and was apologetic and nice. Their menu has so many choices, you are overwhelmed on what to try. But the good thing is, it's family style eating so you can all grab a dish and share and try a little bit of everything. So if you are in town and want to try a nice hidden gem. This place is a must stop. Enjoy!

Fabulous food and service. On the pricey side, but well-worth it. I recommend the fish in hot oil as well as the scallion pancakes!

Service was fantastic! Waiter & waitress didn't allow our drinks to run out. Food was brought out rapidly and hot. Entire restaurant was spotless. Will be returning.

Service is excellent, authenticity is unmatched, and the food- any and all of it is delicious.

Been looking forward to trying this place since coming to Corpus and I finally got the chance to! I got the Scallion pancake, rangoons, chicken wings & szechuan chicken (forgot to take pics lol). The rangoons were SO good however I dont think I tasted any crabmeat as they specified on the menu. The chicken wings were kind of overcooked. My favorite was definitely the scallion pancake - it has always been my childhood favorite :-) The really downside was an employee he was probably new or something? He gave wrong orders to THREE tables and our chicken got sent to the table behind us and they were really confused but they decided to dig in a little bit and when he gave us THEIR chicken dish we said this wasn't ours and he put 1+1 together. NOW THE THING WAS mind you I said they started to dig into the chicken dish- he grabbed the dish and tried to give it to us like no sir???? they just started eating it why would you give it back to us and not make a new one?? so after him talking to another employee they remade the dish. but really it was annoying hope he gets more training cossss mannnnnn

I had high hope for this place because someone else told me it's very authentic. However, they are just ok. I asked for my food to be spicy and they weren't spicy at all. For the price you pay, their food was no better than any other fast food Chinese places.

The food here is truly authentic. Peking Duck fabulous. Every dish is great. Service terrific.

Food was fantastic! Ambience was nice, place was clean, waiter was serious (kind of flows with the vibe). We had the spicy pepper string beans (10/10), their vegetable chow mein (8/10), their sweet &spicy chicken (9/10), and their beef & vegetables (8/10). Definitely had an authentic flavor to it, not like fast food chinese food style joints. Even the ice water was amazing. Would definitely eat there again if in the area.

Awsome food good chicken and noodles me and my family got sea bass (you should try it) it had THE MOST FLAVOR EVER really tender there noodles were also amazing! The service was great and the waitress was really nice but i think she only speaks Chinese only a little English service was a little slow but it was a Friday night so yeah I will definitely come back soon! Would 10000% recommend

The ONLY authentic Chinese restaurant in Corpus. Period. Great food, great atmosphere, love having family dinner here. Food is very well prepared also, excellent presentation. 10/10 would recommend.

味道相当不错，价格也很实惠。麻婆豆腐、小炒牛肉，夫妻肺片，鱼香茄子都特别好吃。很喜欢这里。 味道相当不错，价格也很实惠。麻婆豆腐、小炒牛肉，夫妻肺片，鱼香茄子都特别好吃。

We ordered carry out from here and it was so tasty! The braised duck with quail eggs was really delicious and then general tsos and crab Rangoons were also good. I love the menu selection here. Everything we ate was super tasty and the food was ready when they said it would be. Portion sizes are very large too. Overall, great experience, great Chinese food.

Food was good, soups weren't hot. A lil above average. May go again. Large serving had enough left for another meal

After living in Asia for many years, I have been hard-pressed to find a truly authentic Chinese restaurant. However, I know many people that love Americanized Chinese food. This place has both!!!! One section of the menu is traditional and the other is Americanized. Either way, you go you won't be disappointed here. This is my go-to place for Chinese food in the Corpus Christi area. I've come many times and have never been dissatisfied.

The food here is great! We especially enjoyed the lamb and Peking duck. The service is fast, friendly, and very professional. Family friendly dining experience in a casual atmosphere. Highly recommend this restaurant for dine in or take out. Reasonable prices and worth every penny!

Lots of options that you don't find at most Asian restaurants in town. The fried dumplings were delicious! My wife and I split the crispy beef and some eggplant entree and both were excellent! It's a little hard to find in a less popular shopping center, but take the time to look for it!

Fantastic!! Delicious!! We enjoyed every bite that was very authentic in taste. Loved the tender sliced lamb with mushrooms and walnuts. So good! And the Tea smoked flavored duck was very unique and yummy. Super fast service and nice server/ host. Of course I had dessert of steamed red bean buns and Sesame balls - well I Will have to return soon.

Ordered stir-fried beef to-go and got this raw, bat looking thing. When I called the restaurant to ask for a refund or remake, the owner was extremely rude, speaking aggressively to me acting like it was my fault, then hung up on me. When we used to dine-in the servers were always serving us cold rice. One time, a server touched an egg roll with his bare hands then handed us the plate. Though the food is good there, it's not a sanitary or friendly place most of the times we've been.

The name says it all. When you see "authentic," and find "fungus," "tripe," "pig ear," and "dragon fruit" on the menu, you're in for an amazing culinary experience. Dao definitely delivers. The interior is beautifully decorated and well lit. You're greeted at the door with a warm smile and shown to your choice of either a booth or table. The menu is extensive and, yes, they do have English titles and descriptions for the menu items. Spend a couple of minutes to read it (no one is rushing you) and you'll soon find something to satisfy your tastes. They even have "Americanized" (General Tso, Sweet & Sour, et al) dishes for those who are not feeling that adventurous. We chose the stir fried lamb and peppers along with the crispy chicken rice bowl. While we wait, they bring you a small bowl of spiced peanuts. Tasty with just a little tingle of spiciness, but nothing that would keep you from wanting more. Okay, great start. The meals come quick, HOT and beautifully presented. Each entree comes with a healthy-sized bowl of steamed rice. The lamb! Oh my! You don't even need TEETH, it is that tender - "melts in your mouth" does not do it justice. The flavors were out of this world delicious! I'm glad I asked for "medium spice" (and, yes, the waitress understood me) because it had some good kick to it. Just the right amount of red Japones and jalapeño peppers. I'm going to be dreaming about this dish all night - so glad I brought some home for lunch tomorrow. The crispy chicken was just that. Crispy, tasty, Panko-crusted chicken breast pieces served with black fungus and a shredded potato "slaw" (you HAVE to try this to get your mind blown!). It also comes with a bowl of egg drop soup that makes you never want to go to another buffet again. The whole plate was stunning and oh-so-good! Service is, as previously hinted, top-drawer. Nothing but smiles, help with menu choices, careful attention to tea cups and glasses. They'll place everything you want to take home in a container right there at your table. No one can complain one bit about the service. Likewise the prices! VERY reasonable for the generous portions and diversity of the menu! I'm coming back for that duck next! ....maybe tomorrow?

The dumplings were stuffed with mushroom, scrambled egg(I think) and other stuff. Served with a type of soy sauce ...I thought they were tasty but my husband is not a fan. The mapo tofu was velvety and the sauce was spicy and really good. It was served with rice. It was very filling and I could only eat maybe half. Next time I would like to go in person to eat. We ordered food Togo and had it delivered by door dash. You can tell this place serves authentic foods although they do have an Americanized Chinese menu for people like my husband who always orders the same stuff.

First off, avoid the Americanized Chinese menu on the last page (literatelly called that on the top). There's a reason that 90% of the menus have pictures of authentic Chinese food. It's what this restaurant is good at. If you're looking for beef & broccoli / general tso's chicken, it's probably going to lead to disappointment. Instead, get some sort of beef / fish / lamb dish that you think you might like, and it will probably be good. Or try some scallion pancakes or other small dish and expand your horizons. We ate the fish & lamb hotpot. I was great. Mildly spicy. Also had seafood tofu, which has the super tender tofu that is braised with an outer shell. It's really freakin' good, but I'm biased 'cause of how much tofu I've eaten in my life. Recommended. It is definitely pricier than fast Chinese food, but quality of ingredients and quantity of food is worth it to me.

The best authentic chinese in town Best peking duck and steamed sea bass . Good service !

Great place-food is fresh. Restaurant is extremely clean which is refreshing. Hot jasmine tea and hot/sour soup. Lunch portions are huge and make sure you take the leftovers home.

I have been twice I won't do a third time First time was fine it was just more than what I bargained for The portions are huge which is not a complaint but I wanted to try a couple things and could finish even one plate on the apps Quality was mediocre Second time I had the specialty rib plate of lamb I was actually excited it looked according to the picture like a rack of bbq ribs but it was lamb It came out fried no sauce I even tried a portion just to say I did before I sent it back Disgusting Cook came out asked what was wrong I said this is nothing like the menu said or portrayed according to the pic He said well that's just a picture?.... Ok well I assume you put pictures of your food not something off the internet He told me the owner didn't want to refund it I didn't care after the argument over poor quality of food Good luck if you take your chances

They can be great, but the food and service are inconsistent. We have dined in a couple of times and now do carry out and really love some of their dishes. The shredded duck is about the only thing I order because it is so good, and my wife gets the vegetable fried rice with hot and sour soup. The duck flavor is always great, but when I order extra spicy there is no consistency in the heat level and it is usually not so icy enough(and tonight they forgot my white rice). The fried rice has been fairly consistent and the soup was great today, and is always at least OK. The American side of the menu seems to be left in the hands of the cooks. I asked the owner about overly sweet crab Rangoons once , asked her if she had tasted them, and she said she had not but that her cooks said Americans like them sweet. I had ordered them previously and they were fine, and on another visit also, and though a little sweet they were not nearly as sweet as the order I complained about. They are the only place we go for Chinese and this review is not to bash, only hoping they can tighten things up, so our future visits are more consistent.

Lousy handicap parking....The one spot has a trailer on it, see photo. Good service Good food.......

I ordered the Taiwanese 3 cup chicken. The flavor was on point, but the chicken meat was thigh meat that didn't seem to be trimmed. I got tired of trying to trim fat to eat it that I gave up. I should have asked before ordering what kind of meat. Lesson learned. My sisters' Sesame chicken was white meat and very good. My mother's Happy family was also good. Eggrolls delicious and so were the crab Rangoon. I would come back, but not for that fatty 3 cup chicken.

This place never disappoints. Great taste, fresh veggies, and fantastic service. This is a must keep on my go-to list.

This was our second time at Dao's. We came from San Antonio area to spend some time at the Corpus Christie area beaches and were craving Asian food. Dao did not disappoint yet again. I asked our server what he wound recommend for seafood and shrimp and hands down he recommended the Szechuan Shrimp. From the first bite my mouth exploded with flavor. I normally don't eat a whole portion of Asian food but shamefully ate the whole portion. Can't wait to come here again when we visit the area.