Leeann Chin Chinese Cuisine

After a day out and about in the Cities, my boyfriend was hungry and looking for something quick to snack on. In college, my friends from the area were all obsessed with Leeann Chin so I suggested stopping in there. I was told they were related to the Chin’s chain, and expected a similar menu — Chin’s has a children’s menu that would have been perfect to fill the void between breakfast and a late dinner.
We walked in and after glancing at the menu I knew it was different. This was set up more like a Panda Express. No big deal, we rolled with it. The different entrees and appetizers are all laid out for viewing in a case and you pick and choose what you want. There are several meal types to choose from and we went with the most basic — rice and meat. My boyfriend selected the beef entrée and then went down the line to discover there were actually no beef options. The server didn’t say anything about it when he chose beef and didn’t say anything indicating the kitchen could make what he wanted. After looking at the offerings he went with orange chicken instead. I ordered three cream cheese puffs and a red vanilla iced tea.
FOOD/​DRINK
+ Cream cheese puffs: great and exactly as expected. A good (though assuredly unhealthy) snack for $ 2.
— Orange chicken: so horrifyingly sweet and sour that it was almost inedible. My first bite I actually started coughing uncontrollably.
+ Fortune cookie: very vanilla but a little on the stale side.
+ Red vanilla iced tea: yummy base flavor and a welcome alternative to the usual caffeine-​free offerings, but cloyingly sweet. It is pre-​poured and sits chilling in a bed of ice, but it would have greatly benefitted from some ice in the cup to water it down a bit. An easy enough fix now that I know should I ever find myself there again.
STAFF
+ So nice. The two women working were very friendly and more than happy to answer any questions we had and didn’t seem to mind that it took us awhile to decide what to get. I would love to encounter them again at a different establishment.
PRICE
+ For the amount of food you get and the quality it’s a little pricy. Not outrageous, but the portion sizes are weighed out and smaller than similar establishments/​what you’d get at a traditional Chinese restaurant for the same cost.
Final verdict: after years of wanting to try it based on the rave reviews of college friends almost fifteen years ago, I was disappointed. Maybe my 18-​year-​old palate would have enjoyed it, but adult me can’t handle the syrupy sweetness of the dishes.

I thought the Mongolian chicken and noodles I got were decent but I was very disappointed they were out of Beef & broccoli at 1:30 in the afternoon! What the heck? So I had to settle for sub– par sesame chicken, but I’ve had worse.

Waaaaaaay overpriced for the quality you receive. I get the weighing of portions but 2 dumplings for 2 bucks? go to Far East in Shakopee or Super Dragon for more value for your money and better food…

The rice was sticky but overall Leeann Chin was great for my first time. The best cream cheese puffs I’ve had and excellent chicken.

I’ve been going here for years! I don’t go very often because it can get spendy depending on what you get, but almost every time my food is always good. Not to mention their cream cheese puffs are amaaaaazing. I really wish they’d switch their noodles back to the thin noodles. Overall, staff has always been friendly throughout the years and the food is good. :)

I haven’t had a very pleasant visit the last couple times I have been here… :(This is very weird coming from a Leeann Chin. Usually, I have very good customer service, and awesome quality food. But, the last 3 – 4 times I have been to this specific location, the food has been mediocre. The white rice has either been too sticky that its mushy, or extremely dry. The burbon chicken has been very fatty, and they haven’t put enough on my plate to be considered an Imperial. Last visit, I decided I would try the Sweet and Sour Chicken to see if it was just the Burbon Chicken, but had the same results… dry, fatty and gross. I have been to the Eden Prairie location and the food is sooo much better there! Drive the extra 20 minutes and get a better meal for your moola!