Looking for a sublime Chinese meal near you that won't put a dent in your bank account?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Chinese restaurants around Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to visit.
1. Harmony Café
Topping the list is Harmony Café. Located at 3287 M St NW. (between N Eton Ct. & N Potomac St.) in West Village Georgetown, the Chinese and vegetarian spot is the highest rated budget-friendly Chinese restaurant in Washington, boasting four stars out of 217 reviews on Yelp.
Menu favorites include the string beans with crispy tofu, the crispy shiitake mushrooms, the beef with broccoli, the General Tso's chicken, the kung pao tofu, and the sweet and sour soup.
2. Hong Kong Carryout
Next up is Kingman Park/Rosedale's Hong Kong Carryout, situated at 1506 E Capitol St. NE. (between S P & S 16th streets). With four stars out of 79 reviews on Yelp, the Chinese spot, which offers seafood and chicken wings, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a budget-friendly option.
According to Yelper Catherine S., the restaurant has "Huge portion sizes and great take away containers. I always get the sesame chicken, white rice, and steamed pork dumplings (six large dumplings in one order) and have enough for two to three meals."
3. Twin Dragon Carry Out
Brightwood Park's Twin Dragon Carry Out, located at 5504 3rd St. NW. (between N Missouri Ave. & N Kennedy St.), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive Chinese spot four stars out of 72 reviews.
Arguably known for its big, girthy jumbo egg rolls, Twin Dragon also sells classic Americanized Chinese dishes, like Orange Chicken, Sesame Beef, Sweet & Sour Pork, Veggie Lo Mein and Shrimp Cashew Nut.
4. China Town Carryout
China Town Carryout, a Chinese spot on Mount Pleasant, is another low-priced go-to, with four stars out of 66 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3207 Mt Pleasant St. NW. to see for yourself.
Yelper Timothy L. wrote, "I don't know how they manage to deliver their combination of consistently fast and efficient service and low prices. It's amazing. We can get two dishes (enough to serve three or four people) for around $20. And food is consistently ready for pickup in under 15 minutes."
5. Howard China
Over at Howard University, check out Howard China, which has earned four stars out of 38 reviews on Yelp. It's located at 2827 Georgia Ave. NW.
"I love this place for what it is — cheap, fast, and good," wrote Marina T. on Yelp. "Don't expect more, but boy do they deliver on all three."
Keila D. added, "A total hole in the wall take out spot, but the best mumbo sauce in DC. Whenever we have friends in town, we bring them to HO-CHI to get a taste of DC. Highly recommend, but don't expect any bells and whistles!"
