Los Angeles Spotlight: Yang Chow Restaurant

🥢 Yang Chow Restaurant (Chinatown, Los Angeles)

What Makes It Unique

The Chinatown location of Yang Chow is considered an institution in Los Angeles and is renowned as the home of the “world-famous Slippery Shrimp.” This signature dish catapulted the restaurant to notoriety in the 1980s.¹ The restaurant serves Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine and reflects a blend of traditional Chinese-American food.² Its historic décor, which includes walls full of photos of visiting celebrities, contributes to its status as a piece of LA culinary history.³

History

• Founding: The very first Yang Chow opened its doors in 1977 in the heart of Chinatown, located beneath the Bing Wong Hotel.⁴

   

• Founders: It was started by a family of five brothers (the Yun family), who come from generations of cooks and restaurateurs.⁵ The restaurant was named after their hometown.

   

• Rise to Fame: Its popularity soared in the early 1980s after an LA Times article highlighted the signature Slippery Shrimp.⁶ This dish was initially an off-menu item but quickly became a regular fixture due to popular demand.⁷

   

• Cuisine Style: The restaurant offers a mix of Mandarin and Sichuan specialties, including Americanized dishes.⁸

   

Highlight Menu Items

The most famous and must-order dish is the:

• Slippery Shrimp: Described as delicate shrimp pieces with a crispy coating in an orange and garlic sauce with hints of ginger.⁹ It’s often compared to an orange chicken but with shrimp.¹⁰

   

• Other notable dishes include:
  • Shrimp Toast
  • Spicy Szechuan Wonton Soup (Spicy Hot)¹¹

     

  • Szechuan Beef (coated with an orange peel sauce)

Customer Feedback

Reviews often highlight the following points:

• Positive Feedback: The food offers excellent value, and the Slippery Shrimp is consistently praised as uniquely good—often cited as the primary reason for a visit.¹² Service is often described as exceptional with attentive staff and quick food delivery.¹³

   

• Mixed Feedback: Some customers find the overall food to be “decent” or “mid” compared to other highly authentic Chinese places in the greater LA area, but acknowledge its legendary status and nostalgic value. The ambiance is sometimes noted as feeling slightly outdated with old-school decor.

Significant Events

The most significant event was the 1980s LA Times article highlighting the Slippery Shrimp, which brought the restaurant immense popularity and led to its expansion into a restaurant institution.¹⁴ The family business has since expanded to other locations, including Pasadena, though a Long Beach concept (“Yang Chow 2.0”) has recently announced its closing.¹⁵

📍 Location & Contact Information (Chinatown / Los Angeles)

Hours of Operation (Chinatown Location):

• Monday – Thursday, Sunday: 11:30 AM – 8:30 PM (Some sources say until 9:30 PM on Sunday)
• Friday & Saturday: 11:30 AM – 9:30 PM (Some sources say until 10:30 PM)¹⁶