China Cottage

I have tried a number of Chinese places local to Goodlettsville and been kind of underwhelmed by the general mediocrity of the choices. China Cottage is a step above the other choices which makes me wonder if this restaurant has the same owners as the restaurant in Hendersonville with the same name. They are both very good. We ordered General Tso's Tofu, Steamed Dumplings, and a dish called Spicy Trio. The last dish is composed of chicken, shrimp, scallops, and mixed vegetables. All were excellent and well prepared. My only wish relates to the Spicy Trio- I wish it had maybe one more scallop, and less carrots and celery. More cabbage and/or bok choy would have been welcomed for this dish. Are carrots and celery really "Chinese" vegetables. Still, the dish was very good and appropriately spicy. Look forward to trying some new dishes soon.

Girlfriend and I ordered house fried rice, teriyaki chicken and vegetables, spring rolls, teriyaki chicken sticks and a side of white rice. House fried rice was okay, relatively bland but after 3 packets of soy sauce it was good yet had 2 single shrimps :( I’m nearly positive that the only vegetables were carrots and peas and they were the frozen/microwaved bag kind I get from Kroger. However, not bad after the sauce but I shouldn’t have to do that much self seasoning. The chicken sticks were mediocre also, not jerky dry but definitely on the dryer side. The girlfriend was iffy on her teriyaki chicken, I thought it was good. combined with the fried rice (after the soy sauce) would probably be on point. I thought the spring rolls were lacking, just minimally seasoned cabbage, no carrots, with the overly bready kind of wrapper. Suspect it’s cheap and frozen spring rolls. The kicker for me is that those four items totaled $41 after tax w/o tip. For that money it simply has to be better. There was a sign on the door that they are hiring, hopefully for a cook. Holding out hope for that, maybe we’ll try it again some rainy day but we’ll keep looking for our go-to takeout.

Food is very good! I will definitely come back again. I love everything I ordered! I got walnut shrimp(favorite), lemon chicken, roast pork fried rice, and beef lo mein. It's unusual for me to like everything that was ordered but I did so I would highly recommend checking this restaurant out if you want some good Chinese food! Update: so I have been back like many times and every time I visit, their food is super fresh, hot and delicious! I love that they maintain consistency of the taste of food. Uploading more pictures of my food - spicy shrimp (forgot name of dish), house lo mein, roast pork fried rice, & Chinese style ma po tofu with beef.

Julia is our server and we had no waiting time to be seated. The restaurant could use some updating. The carpet is old and needs a good cleaning. The cafe curtains are outdated. However, I’m here for the food and I had the seafood soup and some dumplings for an appetizer. Simply delicious! And more than enough food for you to eat in one sitting. I had the twice cooked pork w/fried rice and my husband had triple do you like with fried rice. overall the service was outstanding and the food was fresh and very good. I’m glad I came when I did because the crowd followed us in. I recommend this restaurant.

My how far this place has fallen. I have been eating here since 2007. I always considered it the best Chinese food in Nashville. Then the owner sold it. At first, there was not a noticeable drop off in quality, but then it started to decline. 4 months ago it was so bad, I swore I’d never go back. Tonight I gave it another chance. HUGE mistake. It has hit the bottom of the barrel. Neither of the two servers working tonight understood enough English to adequately take an order. Once the food started to arrive, it got worse. First of all, there were no serving spoons and we had to request plates to put the food on. We ordered General Tso’s Chicken. Not sure what we got, but it was not General Tso’s. It was chicken, but the sauce was unidentifiable and saying it was bland would be a compliment. Not once during dinner did a server ask if we needed anything or offer to refill our drinks. I had to flag one of them down to get our check. Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from this restaurant. I’d give 0 stars if it were an option.

One of the best casual, Chinese-American restaurants I’ve been to in the greater Nashville area. The portions are generous. The staff is super friendly. The food is made fresh, fast, and is very flavorful. The establishment itself is clean and well-maintained. If we are back in the Madison area, we will definitely come back to China Cottage.

On 4/20/25 I noticed the manager was killing flying insects using an electric fly swatter very few people was in the restaurant at this time. An employee was sweeping up the dead insects. Which was the waiter!! I figured out what they were doing after My food order was placed and brought to the table. However within 3 minutes flying bugs was everywhere around my table. I needed the electric swatter at my table. I showed the waiter the pictures of the issue dead insect in my drink n she just brought me another one. Really! I went on and paid for my bad service and only received 41 cents off my bill. That’s ok but the condition of the dining in experience with flying bugs and water bugs was a bit much. the health department needs to be called and restaurant inspected. The manager refused to speak with me and was very upset that I brought the issue to the waiter attention.

This used to be our go to place for Chinese food. Last visit the food seemed off and not as good. Table next to us found a worm in the broccoli . That can happen in fresh food. So today we try it again. I ordered crab raggoon and it was burnt. The rest of the food came out and I said the rice tasted burnt. My vegetables were raw and crunchy. My wifexsaid same thing about her rice it had bad burnt taste. The chicken tasted very salty. Then they refilled my drink , my wife says dont drink it there was a huge hair hanging on the pitcher. Called the waitress back to tell her and didn't speak English to understand what we were saying. We never finished our food and was asked if wanted to go boxes. I said no food wasn't worth eating. When we went to pay told cashier same thing. Told they have new cook , sorry. Still charged full amount.. Last trip for us there.

China Cottage sits in the plaza alongside Five Below and Panera Bread at the Gallatin and Rivergate Parkway, and is your classic local Chinese spot that offers up take-out and dine-in. I have a few go-to Chinese spots around town, but was in the immediate area recently and wanted to scoop dinner up, so I made a call to China Cottage and about 20 minutes later I had to goods. I ordered the classics of sesame chicken, house fried rice, wonton soup and an egg roll. All were tasty, not the best, but certainly far from the worst. Portion size is huge here, I mean they pack the containers to the brim. Food was also clearly cooked to order as it was still piping hot when I got it home and opened. Space inside is decorated as you would expect. They have a good size dining room with booths and tables, and even have a few seats at a small bar near the entry way. The place was clean, and well kept. Service was friendly and helpful from the phone to pick up. Overall, solid experience at China Cottage. Definitely worth adding to the rotation.

For years I have loved this place. If you look at my history of reviews you know I love to give positive reviews. Today, I had the worst experience ever with my food. I had to spit out the spring roll. This was a takeout order. The spring rolls were always the best- until today. The fried rice tasted off as well. This has never happened. I accepted that my favorite honey chicken had changed. But bad food is something that cannot happen with the cost of the meal.

Amazing Chinese Food in Nashville!" And just like that, we found Nashville's best Chinese restaurant- "China Cottage" We absolutely love their food. The steamed chicken and broccoli is a classic for a reason - perfectly cooked and flavorful. The General Tso's chicken is crispy and spicy, just how we like it. And the lemon chicken is a delightful blend of tangy and savory. We also always order an appetizer of pot stickers, which are perfectly cooked and delicious. To top it off, their hot tea is always refreshing. Always clean and welcoming. The service is always friendly and efficient. The servers are simply delightful We highly recommend China Cottage to anyone looking for delicious Chinese food in Nashville!"

My favorite Chinese restaurant in Nashville! Order the egg rolls and ask for the house made hot mustard. A little goes long way. We had the pork lo mein, crispy beef and garlic chicken. Everything was perfect! Excellent service!

Great food! So glad to get to eat there as we pass by on I-65, since we moved away 3 years ago.

The food and service are priority with my dining out and I hate to say this restaurant has lost my favor. I moved out to TN 3 years ago and initially I would go here for my Chinese food. This week I went for dinner after being away from there about 6 months and it wasn't what I was used to. Food received was burnt (egg-foo-young patties) and wasn't made the way I was used to . Complained to management and although he was courteous he tried to get us to believe "it's the cabbage" that was burnt ...which didn't address the problem.. Manager offered discount only on the bill and never offered to re-cook the dish and I had to deal with nets flying over my food. I suspect restaurant has either new owners or new management for such a drastic change. Improvements with food serving and sanitation need to be considered.

Dated a lady from Detroit. She said this was the only Chinese Restaurant in Nashville she would consider as good as her hometown. I've been going since the 70s. Food always good. I'm not crazy about their fried rice. Needs more ingredients. However the white rice is great. It needs to be updated on the inside IMHO.

China Cottage (Post-Ownership Takeout Review) Rating: 2 out of 5 Review by: The Flavor Chaser China Cottage used to serve Mongolian Beef that was deep, sticky, rich, and kissed with fire. You could taste the flame in the rice and the pride in the wok. But new ownership has changed all that -- and not in a way worth defending. What came in this takeout order was a pale imitation of what once was. Mongolian Beef - Flavor: 2/5 - Thin sauce, mild sweetness, missing depth - Spice: 0/5 - No heat, despite request - Doneness: 3/5 - Slightly chewy, not dry - Portion: 3/5 - Fair, nothing generous Fried Rice - Flavor: 1/5 - Bland, soy-tinted rice - Doneness: 2/5 - Light toss, not fried - Portion: 2/5 - Skimpy for what it should be Crab Rangoon - Flavor: 2/5 - Cream cheese forward, hint of crab - Doneness: 3/5 - Wrapper slightly thick but edible - Portion: 3/5 - Standard Final Verdict Once great. Now utterly forgettable. I won't be returning unless something changes in that kitchen again -- and fast. Where to Go Instead PF Chang's (Downtown Nashville) - Still delivers Mongolian Beef with proper balance and body Rice Box (Madison/Goodlettsville) - Now the better choice for anyone craving Chinese-American takeout with flavor

My family and I have dined here and gotten take out several times over the years and it's consistently been good. Service has been very good when we've dined in and takeout has been easy. The dishes are flavorful and well-seasoned and we haven't found any that we don't like. Their sister restaurant in Hendersonville is equally as good and it's nice to have an additional restaurant in town. It's a solid Chinese restaurant overall!

My family and I have dined here at the Madison Restaurant since 1977. We have done takeout from the Hendersonville Store, and it may taste a little different, but we know the recipes and the cooks, and each one does it a little differently. In my opinion, it is great Chinese food. The service has always been great, and if they make a mistake, they will correct it.

This the best restaurant and the best Chinese in Nashville. The service is great and the employees are so nice. I live far away but I always travel to get this good. I have been coming here since 2007 and never had a problem. I hope nothing but the best for this restaurant!!!

This place has great service & really good Chinese food. I was so surprised as it looks unassuming on the outside in the busy Rivergate area but blows the other Chinese restaurants in the area away in terms of quality. General tso's, orange chicken, & the crab delight were all tasted and satisfying. Making this my new go to for take out & for when I need satiate my craving for Chinese. I still think Lucky Bamboo is tops but it's not close to home like China Cottage

Food is not very tasty at all. Ordered the shrimp Egg foo young and chicken and broccoli. They both were very bland. The sauce for the egg foo young had shrimp, mushrooms, carrots, and was in a watered down brown sauce. The rice that came on the side of both dishes was simple just plain rice but the dishes were so flavorless we couldn't do anything with the dishes. Ate as much as we could and the leftovers sat in the fridge until we threw them away.

Since it has changed hands the food is no longer good. The sweet and sour chicken and egg rolls are not as tasty. I will not be eating there anymore. We sure enjoyed it while it lasted.!!!

It's been a long time since I've had good Chinese. If you're looking for something good, GET HERE FAST. Best quality food I've had in some time. Service was amazing and food came out fast, hot and exceptionally delicious. I can believe I was born and raised 4 miles from this place and it's been here almost 1/2 my life. There's a new location in Hendersonville and I look forward to visiting that one soon, as well.

Julia is our server and we had no waiting time to be seated. The restaurant could use some updating. The carpet is old and needs a good cleaning. The cafe curtains are outdated. However, I'm here for the food and I had the seafood soup and some dumplings for an appetizer. Simply delicious! And more than enough food for you to eat in one sitting. I had the twice cooked pork w/fried rice and my husband had triple do you like with fried rice. overall the service was outstanding and the food was fresh and very good. I'm glad I came when I did because the crowd followed us in. I recommend this restaurant.

General Tso's chicken was okay, not a lot of flavor but decent, and the girls liked the sesame chicken. However, the cashew chicken was not good at all. There were a great deal of inedible fatty chicken pieces and there was no flavor depth at all. Overall it was very bland.

We tried them last week; the food was decent/good. However, they bungled our takeout order and that makes me hesitant to try them again for takeout. Perhaps dining in will work out better.

Terrible. They messed up our order. We got all the way home and my son's meal wasn't there. It was a large order but you would have thought someone would have checked it. When I called, they refused to fix it over the phone, saying that you had to physically be there to swipe your card. They forced me to drive all the way back for their mistake. My husband and I are both in management, so I know you can process the refund without actually having the person be there. I'll never order from here again.

Inna was a great server really good customer service I give her a 5 star really good personality and love how she treated us but unfortunately the I am going to give a one to the chef did not give us what we asked for inna was trying to tell him but he just told her to take it like how is was we ordered shrimps and only one of the other came with and a couple of them we love the food but unfortunately we are not interested of coming back again and in my personal opinion I think they the servers should get treated better.

Chicken Lo Mien Food taste is super super authentic and fresh. The best Chinese I've tasted in my life.

Courteous service. Very reasonable price. Very flavorful food. Quite popular joint and it brings family ambience

Best Chinese in the south. Being born and raised in Detroit, their food is the closest I've experienced. Amazing! Deliciousness . Totally worth the 3 hour round trip drive!

Quality Chinese is somewhat of a myth here in Nashville... sans the "somewhat" if we didn't have China Cottage. This is one IF NOT the best Chinese spot in Nashville. Food will speak for itself. I don't need to write a novel... filling the review with a bunch of flowery words, adjectives and/or imagery. The food is good. Put it in your mouth and you will know yourself. I try something different most of the time but staples in my house is the Lo Mein, orange chicken, spring rolls, chicken wings, etc. Everything here is top. Service is always on as well. Family ran and a great family at that. The scene here is cool if you want to dine in. Typical Asian themed spot, but they are remodeling so who knows maybe they'll go with 70s disco or 90s rave next... check them out if you like tasty morsels.

I was really looking for an authentic chinese restaurant that had a specific dish: hong kong style crispy pan fried noodles. They call it "House special pan fried noodles." It is basically deep fried noodles topped with a vegetable/meat gravy. The portions here are definitely massive like any typical chinese establishment so I definitely recommend sharing a dish amongst a few people. The noodles were delicious but I will say that the gravy itself was a bit on the saltier side than I prefer. There was also too much gravy so much that the noodles sogged up pretty quickly. The beauty of this dish when it is done well is that you can get some noodles that have soaked up the flavor of the gravy and some bits that are crunchy. The crunchy bits were definitely missing here. Overall, for the amount of options for chinese food here in the Nashville area, it's alright.

We've been here a few times now (DH + 2 kids) and must say that we enjoyed nearly everything. Service was quick and excellent each time. The prices were good for what we ordered and we can safely say this will be our go-to even though we don't live in the area. Across multiple visits we tried: General Tso's Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Orange Chicken, Garlic Chicken, Chicken and Broccoli (we're generally chickenarians), hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, wonton soup, egg rolls, fried tofu, crab rangoon, potstickers. The fried dishes were nice and crunchy, sauces weren't too heavy, and flavor was spot on. General Tso's was our favorite but closely followed by Orange. The flavor was stellar. All the others were really good too but nothing else compared to those two dishes, so far. The hot and sour soup wasn't my fave but the kids liked it and it wasn't the worst we've had in the Nashville area (by far - and we aren't raising condiment kids). The tofu wasn't my fave either but that was my DH's dish and he said it was ok but not something he would get regularly anyway (no matter where we went). The egg rolls were a little greasy but they are all veggie, perfectly cooked, and flavor was great. So eat them quickly and you won't notice any oily bits. I know we will be ordering them each visit. Potstickers were fantastic and will also be a regular each time we go. The flavor was excellent, skin/wrap was so delicate, bottom nicely crisped, and the sauce was a perfect compliment. The restaurant is spotlessly clean and there are plenty of tables to dine in. The prices are good, food excellent, and staff is so very nice and polite. Thankfully it is a decent drive for us, otherwise go at least weekly.

Excellent food! The service was great! It is a storefront in a little strip mall, but the ambiance is great inside. We tried General Tso, lemon chicken, sesame chicken and the seafood bowl. All 4 were extremely good! The lo mein was seasoned perfectly. I normally do not like dumplings, but theirs was very good. Crab Rangoon was excellent - full of flavor! Do not leave without trying the donuts!

About to head to the airport for our flight home to Tampa. Amazing food. Egg rolls, hot and sour soup, shrimp lo mein, and General Tso's chicken were all perfect!! Super friendly service, too! Great job China Cottage!

great prices, great service, and the dishes were amazing. vegetarian and tofu options were 10/10

My favorite Chinese restaurant I have found in Nashville, hidden away in a strip mall. The food is consistent, flavorful and portion sizes are filling. The interior is outdated, but that is what gives it it's charm. There is music playing in the background and people walking in to pick up their to go orders. I recommend this spot! HOURS: Sunday 11AM-9PM Monday - Closed Tuesday - 11AM-9PM Wednesday - 11AM-9PM Thursday - 11AM-9PM Friday - 11AM-9:30PM Saturday - 11AM-9:30PM PARKING: Parking lot available, plenty of space

Doesn't look like much from the outside - definitely a hole in a wall inside this older strip plaza. Wait staff overall very friendly - maybe not the women at the register. Food flavor and portions make up for the lack of ambiance. We actually drive all the way up from Brentwood when we are needing our Chinese food fix. They did just recently raise prices across the board by $3 it appears so the value is not as good as before; however, it is the best Chinese we have found in the two years living in the greater Nashville area. By the way, my mother loves the egg foo young!

Service and Food excellent. I had sesame chicken and my husband had Kung Pao chicken. Best in Nashville!!

Been going here since I was brought home from China at 9 months old and this place never fails. Out of all the Chinese restaurants I've tried in my life, nothing compares to the authenticity, quality, and atmosphere of this place. The owners work their asses off everyday and have the most welcoming presence. Their quality is consistent and tasteful. You can always change the spice level and their broths are not some nasty yellow water like other places, you can tell it is real bone broth!! My go-to food options are always the Wonton Soup and Hunan Chicken. Best believe I will never let this place close.

Been eating at restaurant since the late 70's and of course it's changed ownership several times , currently owners are serving the same quality as ever with great prices and awesome service with a smile Had roast pork fried rice with extra beansprout and egg, was enough for two and well worth price with fresh and delicious flavors

Dependable, reasonably priced and nearby, making this restaurant a favorite when in Madison.

Dinner for 3, Lovely Atmosphere, Great Service and Food was freshly prepared and very tasty! So glad this business has survived the downturn, they worked hard during shutdown to feed customers with take out. Nice to sit down in a comfortable booth this time.

Food was good ambiance not was nice was nit rushed service was great Gina was our waitress she was kind and patient

I don't know how I haven't written a review for this place before as I think I've been here at least 20+ times. This place is a hidden gem out in the Rivergate/Goodlettsville/Madison area. I'm very fortunate to know about China Cottage as its a few minutes down the road from where I grew up, nestled within a shopping mall not too far from Rivergate mall. This place is fantastic. It is by far in my opinion the #1 Chinese food in the Nashville area. Everyone I've taken to/dined with at China Cottage has thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff are so friendly and accommodating. The portions are great. The food is absolutely delicious. Everything I've ordered has been really, really good...the egg drop soup, crab rangoon, general tso's chicken/shrimp, tofu, mongolian beef, amazing chicken... but my absolute FAVORITE dish is the Crispy Beef. I suggested it to someone I happened to strike up a conversation with in the restaurant and after ordering it, they came by my table to thank me for the suggestion and told me it was "life changing." I couldn't agree more. This place is so good we came for Christmas dinner, and apparently everyone else knows it's the best as we had to wait an hour for a table because it was just that packed! Can't recommend this place enough!!!

Review for vegan lunch options- We've been dining at China Cottage for years, usually for dinner. I came with a friend for lunch and so wanted to order off the lunch menu. The menu states the first series of items can be ordered with either vegetables, chicken or tofu. So I selected Hunan Tofu. The waiter told me " no tofu at lunch". I pointed out that the menu says tofu is an option but he was adamant that I'd have to order a dinner portion. So it's not that they don't have tofu, just didn't want to substitute it for meat at lunch. When I pointed to the menu and said it's listed right here, he went and asked the chef then came back and again said I'd have to order a dinner size not lunch. So I ordered a cup of soup and a crispy tofu appetizer. Not what I really wanted to eat. Disappointed that the menu says tofu is an option but they won't honor it. Leaves one dish of only vegetables as an option for lunch.

If you would like a sit down and be waited on Chinese restaurant this is a good one. Food is great and the selection is good.

I finally found a good Chinese restaurant! The food is excellent and the service is great. Very pleasant atmosphere and clean. I'll definitely be going back!!

Top of the line service, treated like royalty, friendly staff, and super clean facilities. Treat you and the family to the best cousin of Chinese traditional cousins at its best, with two locations now to serve you, in both Madison &, Hendersonville, TN 4 gold stars stars McDonald family

Great food and service Best Chinese food in Nashville. Always friendly staff and great food. Never disappoints

The reviews on here and from friends lived up to the hype. This is definitely a hidden gem tucked away in this strip center. The food was very flavorful and good portion size, service was great, and the prices are very reasonable. I'm mad at myself that I've been in the area the past 12 years and this is the first time I've visited. Easy decision calling China Cottage our go-to Chinese restaurant now. We had the Potstickers, Orange Beef with white rice, and Orange Chicken with Fried Rice.

Four stars is solid for the Nashville area! My only problem was my own, I didn't ask for more vinegar for the hot and sour soup or even walk out to my truck because I carry balsamic, rice and malt vinegar as I travel all 5 time zones of North America.. Hendersonville and the surrounding area have great food, but this area has the best selection.

Delicious . Food is always tasty my go to for Chinese . Wonton soup is my favorite . Seseme chicken is delicious

First time I ever visited the madison restaurant. I ordered general tso with won ton soup . I waited 30 mins and when it was ready she gave me orange chicken instead of general tso . We over the order and she refused to change it to what I ordered . I'm hungry so I take it . The chicken was good don't get me wrong but it's not what I wanted . The rice was bland and the won ton soup was bland .it was only $10 but I won't go back

Great Food! Great service! Great prices . Crab rangoon's are out of this world . General Tsos Chicken extra spicy yum!!!

Best Chinese food around!! Super friendly staff, excellent food, consistent service. Love this joint so much!