Mr. Chao's Asia Bistro - Phoenix

We used to occasionally visit Mr. Chao's, but we stopped due to the unpredictable and unreliable hours. After a few years, we decided to give it another chance and we are glad we did. The restaurant now has new owners who were very friendly and welcoming. They shared their plans for the restaurant and made great recommendations. The menu offers a variety of options, including combo meals which are available all day, not just for lunch. We enjoyed potstickers as an appetizer, followed by lo mein with chicken and Mr. Chao's Chicken. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious without any added MSG. We are happy to support this local business with the new owners and will definitely be returning. I highly recommend giving it a try to those who were disappointed with the previous management.

We visited with friends who really liked the previous owner but it was our first time. Not many people there, but we got prompt service and beverages. A sign on the door said service would be slow, and they were correct. As we had much to talk about, that was just fine. Eggs rolls were good, soup delicious. Sesame chicken was very good. My Happy Family meats were done correctly but the vegetables were overcooked. They did add some bok choy at my request. Moo Goo Gai Pan was very good. We sat in a booth. They have some two-person tables and a huge table with a lazy susan for a large group. Seating also at the bar (no alcohol).

I would have given this restaurant four stars, but I deducted two stars due to some common sense issues. The food itself was quite good, however, the new owners need to learn a few things. Firstly, when using paper cartons, they should be placed in plastic bags, not paper bags. Unfortunately, when I returned to my hotel, the bottom of the paper bag had become wet, causing everything to spill out when I lifted it. Secondly, when a customer mentions they are staying at a hotel, it should be standard practice to provide utensils. Despite these mishaps, the staff I interacted with were extremely friendly and pleasant. It was unfortunate that half of the sauce spilled all over the seat of my newly rented car.

The worst part is we know the new owners have the original recipes from Amy and Andy. This makes me so sad that they didn't keep the quality product like no one would notice. It was our favorite place to go to eat.

Great service and food. The Spicy Eggplant and Veggie Eggrolls are excellent. However, the real secret is the Mr. Chao's Chicken, extra spicy. Made a long week melt away!