Red's Chinese

In a recent foodie function, I heard about a hole in the wall Chinese joint in the Bywater that I “just had to try!”. I didn’t think much of it since it appeared to be in an isolated area with no noticeable signs. When you find your way to the entrance, no one would ever guess that there was such a...

Found this place with my husband when we moved here in December and we keep coming back. Chef Red and his team in the kitchen are so incredibly friendly and always point us in the right direction when we want to try something new, but the ribs and Hawaiian fried rice are our ride-or-dies. Perfect for groups because the portions are generous and fun to share.

Wow!. This is one of those rare places where the aromas of the cooking dishes is attention grabbing. The spicy flavors of the fried dumplings are addictive—totally new and challenging. The Hendricks gin and cucumber cocktail was also smooth, complex and slightly spicy. The menu here needs to be explored in detail, and based on what I've tried, is likely to be one of the most unique and noteworthy in the city.

I love it! Best Chinese food in New Orleans! I left looking forward to my next visit.

Yum!. Went with 6 friends and ordered the ORIENTAL SLIDERS, SMASHED CUCUMBERS, FRIED DUMPLINGS, GENERAL LEE'S CHICKEN, KUNG PAO PASTRAMI, HAWAIIAN FRIED RICE, DELTA BOK & BROCCOLI, BYWATER EGGPLANT, and a special of Crawfish Rangoon which my pals devoured before I had a chance to have any. The ORIENTAL SLIDERS, FRIED DUMPLINGS, and DELTA BOK & BROCCOLI were awesome. The SMASHED CUCUMBERS, GENERAL LEE'S CHICKEN, KUNG PAO PASTRAMI, and HAWAIIAN FRIED RICE were all very good. Our server was lovely and very accommodating. Prices were VERY reasonable--for all that plus drinks, tax and tip it came to $34/person.

I just wish the food had come out in a more orderly fashion. Everything seemed to arrive at once. Whatever happened to appetizers followed by main courses? As it was, we never got the BYWATER EGGPLANT, which was fine--we had ordered more than enough and our server didn't charge us for it--but I think if things were served in a more logical fashion such mistakes could be avoided.

Still, would I go back? In a heartbeat :-)

The food is absolutely five stars. It's not your usual "oh, I think I fancy Chinese take out tonight".. And that's not a bad thing. The flavors are fresh, portions generous, and menu exciting. The only drawback is the size of space and the overwhelming smell of kitchen space which is open to dining room. I want to smell my food, I don't necessarily want to be inundated with all the scents coming from the kitchen. Because of this, I sit in the back courtyard which is lovely but limits the time frame of when I can eat there. But the food is en Pointe.

Wonderfully Surprised! "Wow...just wow!" Completely and surprisingly lives up to every bit of it's great reputation for delicious, creative, inspired food. The restaurant itself is very unassuming and not obvious from the street...save the small square red sign out front. Its located on the lower floor of a two story building with "Tacqueria" clearly emblazoned on the front. Entering the small, dimly lit space, you notice first the bar...and then the open kitchen directly across from the bar. As you venture further into Red's, finally a few small candle-lit tables become visible. That said, we were quickly greeted by very friendly/warm staff and ushered to a table-for-two of our choice. Then the atmosphere begins to set in...simple yet inviting if not a little NOLA cool and funky. We immediately felt comfortable and looked forward to the menu so many rave about. Then came the simple two-sided, thick paper menu. You may notice the drink side is more extensive than the food side...wine, beer, etc as well as some very interesting and inventive cocktails The dining menu is significantly shorter than those of most restaurants, but what it lacks in scale is quickly recognizable as a fascinating mix of creative, inspired dishes. I felt immediately like having one of each item on that little menu. Note: Do heed the wait staff's warning...dishes are served family style...ie the portions are larger than you might expect. Regardless, especially if you likely won't return to the area for a while, I definitely recommend trying a few things. We shared the following: - Thai iced tea daiquiri - Crawgoons - local inspired version of the crab rangoon...crawfish and and a habanero honey sauce! - Pork Belly Buns were awesome! - The Kimchee is some of best, most flavorful and intense I've had - General Chicken - local take on this popular dish using whole fried chicken drums, wings, breast, etc...gain, best I've had ever - My wife had the ginger noodles ramen bowl and loved it! - I finished w a Far East inspired Permanent Vacation cocktail...if I'd eaten any more I might have remained there, comatose, indeed on a more or less permanent vacation - But wait...we weren't done yet. The donuts embellished w a green tree glaze had been fried to perfection. Delightful finish to our amazing meal! Overall, it was absolutely obvious the food was prepared with soul and love. You could taste it in every bite of every dish, as well as in the funky down home atmosphere, pleasant service, and thoughtful presentation. As we departed, amazed and already recalling our experience...probably because we didn't want it to end, the staff and cooks all smiled, waived, and said "thank you" from open kitchen. This experience we'll not soon forget...don't pass up the opportunity!

Excellent food, the hot and sour soup was amazing. We had that, pork belly bun and drunken noodles, struggled to finish the portions, easily filled two people.

Coolest vibes here! The food selection is outrageously unique & creative & dishes all taste DIVINE!

Fantastic food, great staff, tried a couple of drinks off their menu all were delicious. The bartender also made me the best Sazerak I've ever had. Gonzo is a phenomenal bartender.