Spices 3 辣妹子

This is one of my most visited restaurants ever, where I have brought all my friends and family at least once. The reason I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that their food quality and taste has dipped quite a bit recently. Their price is still reasonable, but I feel like maybe their chef changed or something. But dishes are not that amazing quality anymore.

Overall decent. It’s just very hit or miss with the dishes. But very well priced. We loved the salt and pepper chicken and cumin lamb, and enjoyed the green beans. But we were really underwhelmed by the spicy mung bean noodles and bacon stir fry with bean curd. Also, the food was very oily, but to be expected I suppose.

Have been coming here for over 7 years now. Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. Tons of spices and flavors, hot 🥵 options are actually hot, I have to come here every time I visit Oakland, its mandatory. We will experiment with 1-2 new dishes each visit, but every time we get the same 3 items: Eggplant in Garlic (茄子), Chinese Black mushroom (冬菇才), and Beef Tendon Stew (独牛筋). I know, beef tendon stew sounds crazy, I said the same thing, but the flavor is incredible. If you appreciate authentic Chinese food bursting with flavors, this will be your new spot!

I tried this place for the first time as my first meal of 2026, craving something spicy to recover from a post NYE hangover, and it was exactly what I needed. The complimentary tea was hot and nourishing, a perfect start. I ordered the spicy fish filet in flaming red oil, which was delicious and deeply satisfying, along with perfectly seasoned salt and pepper calamari and a side of rice. A cold Tsing Tao rounded everything out. Every bite hit. It genuinely chased the hangover away. Worth noting it is cash or Venmo only. I will definitely be back.

it seems prudent to address this off the bat since it comes up on other reviews, but i will openly admit that i don't necessarily have the best handle on what constitutes authenticity for sichuan cuisine, because i have never been to sichuan or chongqing. i can, however, tell you when food is good. this food is good. the cold sesame noodle is a particular favorite, and the tofu and string bean dishes are also great, which all contributes to this place being a hit with vegan friends. i basically always eat takeout or delivery from here, but it is worth noting that the vibes of the dining room itself are... weird, and it kind of makes me feel for some reason like i'm in an elementary school from a bygone decade. i am not withholding any stars for this, though. i think the main issue holding this spot back is a lack of consistency. you definitely have to know what you want to get here and stick to the winners, because sometimes you'll get a thing that is seriously underwhelming, with much less in the way of complexity of flavor or enjoyable texture. still, when you find the thing that hits for you, it really hits. if this doesn't speak to you the first time, i do (rather unusually) recommend trying again with something else, because the best dishes here are worth coming back for.

Will not be returning and regret wasting my calories on the food here. $60 for 1 soup, 2 meat dishes, and 1 veggie dish -- all of it was a waste of money. Mongolian beef was sweet, not spicy at all. Food was overly oily and not flavorful or spicy at all. Wonton soup had sliced carrots and baby bella mushrooms in it, which made the already bland broth taste strange. I came here expecting the spice to bring me to tears but it was my frustration at this whole dining experience that nearly did. I could feel the cornstarch slurry on my tongue that they clearly used to tenderize their meat. Service was impatient and curt, which is to be expected of this type of restaurant but if the food sucks, at least have decent service. Plus, it's never a good sign when there's no Chinese people eating inside a Chinese restaurant... I was the only one and should've listened to my instincts when they told me to go elsewhere. Came here from a recommendation and I will never be trusting that person's recs again.

It's too salty.maybe is Christmas so Kitchen doesn't want to work. is hard to eat i am concern anything. never order Again. No receipt, no cutlery, and the price is different from the menu.

Absolutely delicious with a great selection of stinky tofu and other vegetarian dishes. Spice levels are pleasant and only enhance the flavor of all the dishes. NOTE: Cash only, so make sure to bring enough to cover all the good food!

This restaurant raised the bar for what I consider to be good Chinese food, especially southern (Szechuan) Chinese food. There's a lot of dishes I didn't know about before, but if you pick anything spicy on the menu you're gonna be happy. Highlights for me are the tofu pockets in sesame oil, the mapo tofu, and the fried tofu with snowed garlic. They all smell really good, and are spicy ofc. If you don't like tofu because it's that mushy flavorless stuff, trust me you will like this tofu. The staff aren't super friendly but I wouldn't call them rude either. They only accept cash or venmo.

No frills, cash only, solid Chinese food. I like the green beans, exploding fried fish, eggplant with garlic sauce, and the spicy cucumber salad. Would go back and would recommend.

I have been recommended this place several times and I finally gave it a try. It definitely was not a disappointing visit. The chicken wings were very tasty - love the spices in it - though surprisingly was not spicy at all! I don't have a high tolerance for spice, and this dish was definitely doable. Don't let the three chili pepper mark on the menu scare you away from trying this amazing dish! The tofu was another standout. The peppers, basil, and the glaze sauce were a great combination for a savory tofu. It really paired well with the rice. The restaurant is quite spacious. Lunch on a weekday was not busy at all. It is also cash only.

My favorite mapo tofu in the Bay Area! The Szechuan flavor is intense and not for everyone, but if you love that spicy numbing effect, spices 3 is your spot! Love all their "explosive" dishes and chili oil fish. They've got lots of seating inside with these big wooden tables and benches. Service is kind whether you're dining in or ordering out. They are cash only (for dine in) though.

Got delivery from DoorDash and the food came still warm. I got their spicy chicken wings, spicy wonton, and sweet and sour fish. My favorite was the spicy chicken wings. The price is pretty reasonable for Chinese food with good size amount of portion. Look forward to trying another items in the future.

Note: cash only!! Came for weekday lunch and only a couple tables were occupied. They have a pretty large menu selection, so my friends and I took forever to decide what to try. We ended up sharing: Salt and pepper stinky tofu ($11.95) Sichuan fish with bean chili paste ($15.95) Tan-tan noodles with ground pork ($12.95) Of the three dishes, the fish was my favorite, as I found it very tender. I have very low tolerance for spicy food, so I wasn't able to eat much of the gravy, but I enjoyed the fish and soft tofu with rice. The stinky tofu was decent, but I was underwhelmed by the tantan noodles as I found them bland. They have a ton of other items on the menu, so I'd love to come back and try the other dishes!

i came here in December craving something to warm me up and Spices 3 did not disappoint! My friend got a noodle soup and I got the hot & sour soup and pig ears. My friend's soup was good (I tried a bit) and it definitely hit the spot. The hot & sour soup was good, the right amount of spice and sour. I know not many people like it but I did. :) I think I've had better pig ears, but it was still satisfying. The portion size was extremely generous especially for my soup. A big note is that it is cash only!!! I did not have enough cash and it was night time so I was a little annoyed that there wasn't a sign or warning (might be my fault). The service wasn't anything special but we had come late at night. Parking was fine and free but I know Chinatown area is sketch at night so don't leave things in your car!

I came to Spices 3 on a Monday in the afternoon and there were 7 ppl dining inside. Plenty of seats were available. I ordered the boiled fish fillet and the chicken wing with explosive chili pepper. The boiled fish was delicious and decently spicy. I had boiled fish fillet from other restaurants and those restaurants use cabbage in the boiled fish. This boiled fish had celery and some other veggetables inside, which I didn't know what it was. The chicken wings were really salty and not really spicy. There were so much peppers and not enough wings. The wings were on the smaller side and were chopped up unlike the wings you normally get. (See picture) I walked from the 12th st Bart station to the restaurant. After walking away from Broadway, The surrounding neighborhood feels dangerous, as there were homeless and suspicious people who might rob you if you are not watching your surrounding. Safest way is to get dropped off in front of the restaurant.

This is the best place to get a really good appetizers for not that expensive. I love szechuan food, and this stuff is bomb. I always order the salt and pepper calamari and the salt and pepper tofu, and these make such good snacks with a punch of spice. Please note, this place is CASH ONLY! Totally worth it if you have cash to burn.

After reading all the great reviews, I was looking forward to a great Chinese take out meal. The wonton soup was too salty and there was hardly any protein. It was mostly cabbage, vegetables and a few wontons. The Mongolian beef was heavy on the onions and greasy. I am sorry, but I expect more from this restaurant after all the five star reviews.

I ordered the spicy fried chicken, green beans, and chow mein, and honestly, it was mediocre at best. The chicken was especially disappointing -- no regular wings, no flats, no drums -- just strange nugget-like pieces that didn't even look like real chicken. Definitely not what I expected. On top of that, they overcharged for what felt like a very underwhelming meal. The food has been overhyped, and I walked away highly disappointed.

Wow, the portions here are crazy huge and it's so cheap as well. So imagine my surprise when the food was actually good too. Got the garlic eggplant and mapo tofu with rice and was really happy with my choice. They were so generous with the eggplant. I could've sworn they used 2 whole ones to make the dish. The flavor was a bit too sweet for me though. But their mapo tofu was everything that I've been searching for. Spicy, savory, and numbing. One of the best versions of mapo tofu I've had since Japan. There are so many items here, and great combos too. Will definitely be back.

We really enjoy the food here! We haven't been on-site; just DoorDashed, so I can't speak to the service or ambiance of the location. We've ordered a number of dishes over the years, including lamb with cumin spice, kung pao chicken, combo fried rice, spicy fried rice, eggplant, etc. Last night, we ordered the lamb with cumin spice (our favorite, such a unique dish, I've never had it at another Chinese restaurant), the combo fried rice (luckily this is chicken, pork, and shrimp because I don't eat beef), eggplant with chili (it was very flavorful), hot and sour soup, and 2 orders of jasmine rice. We've tried the spicy fried rice before and it's a little soggy-- I'd go with the combo fried rice. The eggplant chili was very delicious, but had WAY too much oil. We had to pour out nearly a cup of oil. On the other hand, we'd requested chili oil, but unfortunately didn't get any. Wish they'd add chili oil, hot mustard, and soy sauce for their take out orders.

Seafood casserole number 50, sizzling, tofu and eggplant. The best, cant beat this wonderful marriage of flavors.

Walked around the neighborhood looking for a spot to eat. My boyfriend knew where it was and was describing it to me but I just couldn't remember. We'd been here before once a couple years ago, and at the time I suggested it. This time, he did and it was worth coming back for sure. We decided to dine in. No one was dining in but don't let that fool you. After we sat we saw quite a few people coming in for pick up orders and to-go orders. Part of the reason I came here the first time is because I saw the constant traffic in here while passing by. After we were seated we were served hot tea. We ordered vegetable egg rolls, fried tofu with crunch garlic - light spice level but definitely NOT mild. I liked it on its own but wish it were served with some sort of sauce. Soy sauce was adequate, but it didn't quite do the full trick. Would I order again? Yeah, my boyfriend isn't a fan of tofu at all but it's definitely a shareable plate. The tofu was crispy with a slight crunch, followed by the ultra crispy garlic and peppers. There is a LOT of garlic, hence the name on the menu being Snowy Fried Tofu. It's a dish for garlic lovers, plain and simple. Next up I ordered the Sizzling Chicken with Basil, which came to the table hot and sizzling served on top of a wooden setting. They knew this was a dish that many take home because I'm having it for leftovers tomorrow. It coming in foil was also great, making it easy to pour into a to-go container but aside from its convenient serving to make it easy to pack up, lets get into the flavor. For one, the spice level indicated on the menu next to the item is one , but it is served with many deliciously sautéed jalapeños, onions and leeks. Again, I love spice so I tore those jalapeños and chicken up! You'll get spicy, but not too much if you don't eat the jalapeños but seriously what is the fun in that?! The leeks served to slightly milden the dish, but my nose didn't get the memo. The chicken was nice and tender. Had to be thighs. This dish is a YES from the rooftops. The eggs rolls were eggs rolls. Enjoyed em with sweet and sour sauce. Finally, he ordered a bok choy soup with shredded pork. It is served hot, and I can't imagine it being eaten any other way because of it's thicker soup texture. It was thicker than campbell's chicken noodle soup. It's also very light in flavor and there isn't any spice. He enjoyed it. We were served attentively. I love that they don't have paper straws.

This is my go to comfort meal, I always grab some takeout from here anytime I come back from a trip. All of their spicy dishes and veggies are amazing. I particularly love their spicy chicken which has a great mala/numbing spice and theme spicy chow mein. I always have to get a side of rice and a garlicky veggie to cut the spicy and it's makes the perfect fest. I've never eaten at the restaurant but their pick up and delivery are always fast and the quality of the food is always great.

I was hoping this would be incredibly declious, but unfortunately I was a tad disappointed. I was craving Chinese food, and I am not one to regularly eat Chinese. The fried rice didn't really have any flavor which was quiet a bummer. The orange chicken was good. But the spicy wings were chocoled very loudly shapped and kind hard to distinguish whether we were actually eating a wing. I probably would not order.

The fried tofu with garlic was (5/5), however the spicy combo chow mein was (2/5). Highly recommend coming here but skip the chow mein. It had tiny shrimps, very little meat and was dry. The fried tofu however was delicious!

Not sure if it's a culture thing but the lady the answered and helped me today was rude AF. I called in my order and when I was done, she didn't say anything, just hung up. Called again to make sure she got it and she said yeah yeah yeah and hung up again. I called back and asked how long she said 15 mins and hung up again. I should have took that as my sign to go somewhere else. But I placed my order and I gave them a try. I had the Spicy Chicken Fried Rice but there was little to no Chicken in my fired rice. When I picked the order up, it's cash only, so I gave her a $20 and she slammed my change on the counter and said nothing else. I've never order in China Town before so maybe I'm just use to people being courteous and appreciate my business. Definitely not worth $15 for not very good fried rice and rude service. Never going back and do not recommend.

Go to takeout spot! My friend put me on to the walnut shrimp which is a must when I order. Also like their egg drop soup, green beans, and chowmein - although it does run a little greasy. I don't care though I love it! lol, guilty pleasure for sure. Their chinese donut and sesame balls are yummy too. Staff is nice, and I've never dined in but looks pretty standard in there. Only con is parking.

370-372 12th St Oakland, CA 94607 I stopped by Spices 3 last night around 8:45pm for some takeout after work. Originally I was planning on going to the Noodle House across the street, but it was closed. Parking was easy, and it was nice to see people dining-in at Spices 3. I didn't look at the menu, I simply asked for "Combination Chow Mein" to-go. The nice lady asked the all important question....."How spicy you want it?" I decided on medium heat. In about 5-10 mins the chow mein was ready, and I grabbed a takeout menu on the way out. Menu Price $12.95, Spicy Chow Mein, w/ small shrimp, pork, chicken (#156 on menu) I like their spicy chow mein. It's not super greasy. The noodles are thinner than regular egg noodles, and held up well as takeout. Lots of small shrimps, shredded chicken, and pieces of pork. Not a huge serving, but enough for 1-2 people. I would stop by again if I'm in the area. FYI- 12th St here is a one-way street.

Spices 3 was great. I wouldn't say anything was particularly spicy. But everything I tried was good. Definitely one of my new favorite spots in Oakland China town. Explosive wings were good. Green beans were great.

They have two restaurants across the street from each other, one for noodles and one for your regular Chinese dishes. We ordered wontons with spicy chili oil, mapo tofu, and dry pot beef. If you like the numbing, mala spice like me, it's there! It's so hard to find a restaurant that cooks mapo tofu that's actually mala, but this place definitely did it right!! Very big portions and very flavorful. Keep in mind this place is CASH ONLY!

Had to try a few new things on my work trip. Spices 3 has such an extensive menu that it will take me another 10 more trips before I get to taste everything in the menu. And the food is delicious! As many reviewers observed, this is a CASH ONLY restaurant. However, you can order take out online and pay by card. That is what I did. The cubed deep fried tofu snowed with crunchy bits of garlic, dried red chilli, and jalapeño... this dish is what will tempt me into the vegetarian world. This combination works really well! The other dish is not everyone's cup of tea but one of my favorite: pork intestine sautéd with basil and garlic. Slightly crunchy, the intestine was clean tasting with the basil and garlic rounding up one glorious mouthful at a time! Portions are generous, and I have enough for a second round tomorrow. Thank goodness for a microwave in the hotel room!

I'm hooked! What a treat! Cash only. Good by yourself, better with friends so you can try a bit of everthing. The heat creeps and is real. Get extra napkings and a Tsingtao, absolutely no water. Hands down the best wings I've had. So addicting. Eggplant and green bean dishes cooked perfectly. You will be back again and again and again. See pics and reviews.

What am I missing? Just stopped by for dinner and had the most mid meal ever. The "super spicy" chow mein was literally spaghetti noodles with onions, and very dry and lacking flavor. The "kickin" orange chicken was also not even close to spicy and not appetizing at all. The frozen orange chicken from Trader Joe's is better. Didn't this place used to be good? Go to Shandong instead.

Food has a lot of flavor and spice, love the green beans and the spicy chicken pieces

Amazing !! Food was great had the orange chicken and lamb. While they weren't spicy, the flavors were immaculate and portions were sized very well. For spice lovers I would say to get as spicy as possible

ordered shrimp fried rice to-go on a saturday night. surprisingly, the restaurant was not very busy - only three tables were occupied but they seemed to be enjoying their food. small and dim set up, but everything appeared to be clean. the server was friendly enough and the food came out quickly, but it wasn't very good. the rice was old and crunchy and had very little flavor, even after adding the spice option. i asked for soy sauce and was told that they didn't have any (???). what chinese takeout place doesn't have soy sauce? i went across the street to the other Spices restaurant and they gave me some, but why couldn't someone in the restaurant do the same? i would've been pretty agitated if i'd ordered door dash and not gotten any soy sauce for this bland fried rice so i'm glad i picked it up myself. i won't be back, but maybe some of their other dishes are better?

CASH ONLY!! Pleasantly surprised. Good food and service. Large portions. Took me some years to get here, but I'm here. Would love to revisit. Plenty of seating, parking is difficult.

I have been to this restaurant three or four times prior to you leaving this review. In fact, I do not live in Oakland, but if I'm in or near downtown and want great spicy Chinese food, I do not hesitate to come by. Obviously, I like it spicy but not everyone does and they are able to adjust their spice levels which is great. Honestly I've had many dishes and none have disappointed. I cannot say I have a favorite only because their menu is pretty expansive and I am slowly working my way through the menu to drive. Everything. Their stinky tofu dishes are delicious and I am not a tofu guy and the spicy. Fried rice is very good also. As far as ambience this place has none except for the classic: "Great Chinese food hole in the wall feel." Cash only. Sometimes parking can be tough. However, do not let any of those two things deter you- do yourself a f(l)avor and go.

Most important thing to know about Spices 3 is that it's cash only. The second-most important thing to know is that it is Hella good (and spicy!) As you can probably tell from the photos and menu items, Spices 3 is all about the chilies, and they're not playing. This is not for the faint of heart. This will burn going in and going out, if you know what I mean. Some friends and I shared a few dishes and they were all good, but standouts were the Fish Fillet with Explosive Chili Pepper (yes, I did eat some of the chilies), Lamb with Cumin Spice, and the Numbing Spicy Cucumber. The cucumber might have been my favorite item, and don't be fooled by the one-chili rating on the menu, it is pretty spicy! We also had a Shanghai-Style stir-fried noodle and Eggplant with Garlic Sauce. Both were good and not at all spicy, so there options for those who are spice averse. We were there early afternoon (after lunch hours) on a Sunday so it was pretty empty. It was quiet and cozy with large wooden tables and benches, and the servers were responsive. I'd love to go back and challenge myself by trying more of the three-chili rated dishes to see if I can take the heat. They also seem to have a pretty long list of spicy tofu dishes. So if you're looking to add some spice to your life, check out Spices 3.

Recently visited Spices 3 and dined in during lunch on a weekday. I must say that this place has quite an extensive menu from noodles to veggies to meats and everything in between. I opted to share stir fry green beans and veggies/pork stir fry noodles. Both items were definitely cooked in high heat woks as I can taste some of the "crunch" in the veggies. However, both dishes were way oilier than I would've liked. Portion sizes were just ok. Both dishes including tax and tip came out to be around $33. I wished they had a lunch special menu. Inside was very spacious and not sure about the usual foot traffic outside weekday lunch hours, but the ambiance allowed for nice conversations without having to yell across the table. Grateful that they survived the pandemic and hope that they continue to sustain. #37/2023

Service and food were great. came in and sat down instantly. Menu was loaded with various items. They are cash only so remember to bring your money!!!

Ordered the spicy chicken wings and vegetable chow mein. I got the chicken wings because that's what everyone talks about getting! The spicy chicken wings are definitely overrated, they are a 2/5. The wings are super tiny and they are so salty and not spicy at all! I only ate about 3 wings because they became super overwhelming and I had to throw the rest of the wings away! Chow mein was okay. Don't know if I'll come back.

Amazing food. The chowmein & chicken wings are recommended. Really awesome food. I know I will be a regular to this place from now on.

Can't believe I've lived in the Bay Area for 10 years without trying this place! I think this was my first time having szechuan cuisine and it was deliciously packed with flavor. We ordered the Shanghai Fat Noodle, Salt and Pepper Tofu, and Spices Explosive Chicken Wings. All were 10/10 tasty, I especially loved the garlic crisps in the salt and pepper tofu, and I enjoyed the way the chicken wings were cut in halves. Service was quick and easy, we ate pretty much right away! Note that this place is CASH ONLY. Ambiance inside was fun and felt traditional (though I can't really speak on that as I am not from the region) but the artwork on the walls and the wooden furniture made it feel as such. Would love to go back again and try other dishes.

Came here on a Friday evening and we were seated pretty quickly. We got the Szechuan chicken (replaced the pork), Ma-po tofu, and bok choy. I was shocked by the amount of pieces of jalapeños in the chicken. They weren't as spicy as I expected though. It was a little overwhelming in ratio to the actual chicken though. I love ma-po tofu and this one hit the spot. It's cash only which is a bit of a pain. I would definitely return and would highly recommend to any spicy food lovers.

I come here at least every month or couple months when I have the craving for the classic sichuan numbing spice taste. it is located in oakland chinatown, on a less busy street, so I usually don't have a problem finding parking. This place has been here for a very long time, the first time I came here was in the mid 2000s and a lot has changed, but overall the food is still good. I like the explosive chicken wings and hand torn cabbage dish the most.

I've been concerned about finding a Chinese restaurant staple in downtown Oakland since Bay Fung Tong closed during the pandemic. Spices 3 is on 12th Street, a lot further from the Paramount Theatre which is my usual destination, but it was a brilliant success. This is a tiny little restaurant, so inconspicuous it could easily be overlooked from the street, and not to be confused with Spices Noodle House directly across the street (another party of several people meeting by prearrangement got confused over that). Inside are large blocky wooden tables resembling picnic tables, and some stunningly good food. It's spicy, yes, but I didn't find the 2-chile dishes to overwhelm the flavor with heat at all. They were masterfully cooked. The lamb with cumin was not heavy on the cumin, so the taste of the juicy lamb came through well. Mixed in with, besides the chiles, jalapenos, onion slices, and lots of cilantro, it was in little pieces easily picked up even with those slippery plastic chopsticks. They do not automatically give Western customers a fork, and you'd miss the subtleties of the flavor shoveling in a bunch of ingredients at once with a fork, as well as having trouble stabbing the little pieces so easily pinched with chopsticks. An appetizer of salt and pepper chicken was similarly made. Not the wingettes with bones, this was little bits of very tender chicken, dark meat I think, lightly breaded and strongly seasoned, with pretty much the same other ingredients. They also don't serve water: unless you ask, perhaps, which I didn't; the tea that came automatically was sufficient. They did alert me that the restaurant takes CASH ONLY; main dishes are under $20, appetizers under $10.

Met some friends for lunch today. I used to frequent this restaurant a lot when I worked in the area. The food was good as it always has been. But the service was lousy. I had shrimp with garlic sauce. It was good. But I always remember the shrimp being large. Very small shrimp. Only one waitress who did not appear to be interested in serving us. We had to ask for several things twice. No service with a smile. The food was good but I would recommend take out.

Spicy Chicken wings so good ! The best spicy chicken wings I had so far. Can't use credit card when you walk in to order to go but we can order online & pay online by credit card.

My all time favorite Szechuan food in Oakland! The restaurant is homey, cozy and the print/drawing on the wall adds a unique feel to the ambiance. Staff and servers are friendly, always helpful. 5/5 from me!!

I ordered hot and sour soup. There was no "soup container" just spilled soup all over bag. Whoever packed this spilled the soup and then handed it over not giving a care about it at all. Very disappointed. Never ordering from here again.

I wasn't sure what to expect but the food here was absolutely delicious! Our favorite dish was the mapo tofu.

A group of coworkers all went here for lunch today based on the recommendation of someone who couldn't stop raving about the green beans that she tried yesterday. The green beans were worth the hype and most of our other dishes were fantastic as well. The mixed vegetables with shrimp/chicken were bland but otherwise almost all that we tried was full of flavor. The eggplant smelled amazing and was such a vibrant purple. The marinated cucumbers were a nice not hot treat in between trying spicier dishes. The pig intestines were mouth numbingly spicy and they looked surprisingly like calamari. Those who were in the mood to try it did enjoy. The Thai iced tea was disappointing due to a funky flavor and after taste, but maybe it was an off day. For large groups they do add tip, it's totally reasonable but we didn't realize at first that it was included. Overall if I had more time in Oakland, I'd go back here to have more green beans and a whole lot of eggplant. Side note - it's cash only.

Yes, it's cash only, and yes, it's oily, but what did you expect from a Sichuan restaurant in Chinatown? Whatever seasoning they use on the "explosive" and "salt and pepper" dishes is pure magic and pairs excellently with rice. It's probably msg, but I've tried to replicate it at home with various msg-laden recipes and haven't been successful yet, so who knows? I've ordered basically every "explosive"/"salt and pepper" dish on the menu, and I'd recommend all of them except the chicken. I usually go for the tofu because it's good for veggie friends and let's me pretend I'm eating healthy, but I also quite like the pork chop. The other stuff is somewhat average for Sichuan food, but average Sichuan food is still pretty good, so it's always a good option.

Some of my favorite dishes here are: -Chicken Wings w/ Explosive Chili Pepper -Smoked Bacon Stir Fried with Bean Curd -Napa cabbage w/ pork Sometimes it taste great but sometimes the quality here is inconsistent. At least twice, the Chicken wings w/ explosive tasted fishy, maybe because they use the same frying oil for the Fish Fillet w/ Explosive Chili Pepper version. Besides that, most of the chicken wings are usually still crispy when I get as take out. Sometimes the napa cabbage w/ pork is watery but sometimes the consistency is thicker.

It's the service fee that really gets me after everything else I pay, including high taxes and a delivery fee and a tip. It just seems excessive..