Chelsea Chinese (aka Grand Sichuan International)

We've been going here for a while and the food is consistently excellent. The waits can be long and the service a little cold but the spice will warm you right up. Try the au zhou spicy chicken but beware of the peppercorns. My husband loves the hot and sour soup and I always get the dan dan noodles. Not as inexpensive as some of the other chinese places but definitely superior quality.

I have to disagree with everyone who has said that the food is worth the poor service. It’s not that the food is bad; it ok. But has anyone heard of customer service? First I get yelled at for calling to order 5 minutes before they open. If you are not taking orders, don’t pick up. Then once my order arrives, they forget one of the items ordered. When I called to let them know, I get the third degree and then get placed on hold for 2 minutes. I hung up and called again. Once again I get the third degree. I eventually said either send the missed item or I will call the credit card company and tell them not to pay the charge. Needless to say I will not be ordering from them again.

The food at Grand Sichuan is fantastic, and quite authentic. I have spent some time in China, and I think that this food is as good as you can get in or outside Chinatown NYC -- and Chinatown NYC is the best you can get outside China! I'm a particular fan of the Pork Soup Dumplings and the Twice Cooked Pork in Sweet Bean Sauce (Americans tend to prefer the lean mean, Chinese like the Fatty.) If you order a dish with chicken, be sure to ask for 'FRESH' chicken! I can recommend the Azhou Spicy Chicken. Many of the previous reviews have mentioned service, so I have to say that I have never found the service at Grand Sichuan lacking in any way. In addition, as an American who has travelled extensively, I find that Americans have unusually high expectations when it comes to service, and therefore the reviewers at MenuPages do Grand Sichuan an injustice. On the other hand, Americans will put up with horrific food if it is served with a smile! At Grand Sichuan, there are always plenty of servers around -- not necessarily your own personal server -- and they are all competent and quick. None are rude or unfriendly, and I think it is important to note that many Chinese consider it impolite to show teeth when they smile -- therefore, a very friendly Chinese server may not come across as such in the US. I can't recommend Grand Sichuan enough, it is authentic, excellent, and very well priced. If you have the option, I think that the 24th St. location is better than 50th St. (both on 9th Ave.) although 24th St. is usually more crowded. - KBH

I've eaten here 6 or 7 times (solely for convenience of location and laziness). As people have noted in their posts, the service ranges from brusque to rude. And this is a problem, not a sign of cultural difference. The food is average at best. Yes, perhaps a notch above the monochromatically saucy-syrupy fare one gets at most corner Chi-Am takeouts, but really not that far above. The Yu-Zhou chicken is a case in point. It's spicy and littered with whole Szechuan peppercorns. These peppercorns need to be used sparingly (preferably ground down). They're very unpleasant to bite into: like an explosion of acidic vinegar in your mouth. The tripe is well-prepared, clean and crisp. But everything else I've had here is disappointing. Really, to me the food tastes like it is prepared by someone who just discovered Chinese spices and thinks the more indiscriminately they're tossed into the oil the more authentic the result.

...but I actually didn't find the service particularly aggravating. Bluff and unceremonious, yes; cold and inattentive, no. And really, who cares? Chinese restaurants are not known for their impeccable service. The staff know you're not there for the service and atmosphere. You're there because it'd be a sin to miss their auzhou chicken or bitter melon. Please don't pass this place up just because some of these reviewers were expecting western-style service from an authentic Szechuan restaurant. Just make sure you make a reservation, or you may wait quite a while for a table. I must say I do think the soup dumplings, while very good, are a bit overrated. The cold sesame noodles are just as solid.

are exactly right. The food is great, but the service is, did someone say surly? They are never happy to serve you. If you're in a good mood and don't mind abruptness,Grand sizhuan is highly recommended. Start out with the dumplings. Very good.

Food is outstanding...unfortunately the service at the restaurant is not nearly as good as the food.