Han Dynasty

"This Upper West Side location of this incredibly popular downtown restaurant, Han Dynasty specializes in Sichuan food. This is your best bet at mouth-numbing spicy food in the area—especially their famous dan dan noodles. Order pickup or delivery from any of their locations, here. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine

"For a casual group dinner or a quick meal with a friend, Han Dynasty will never be a bad choice. Unless you don’t like spicy food - but even then you can ask them go easy. This is a Schezuan mini-chain with a few locations around NYC and Philadelphia, and we’re partial to the one in the East Village. It’s perfect for when you’re seeing a movie at one of the theaters in the area and you want to get a great, affordable dinner beforehand." - bryan kim

"Han Dynasty’s  food is exactly as good as the hype around this East Village restaurant suggests. As much as we’ve enjoyed everything we’ve had here, we typically order the same three things on repeat: the dan dan noodles, garlic-heavy wontons, and dry pot fish that arrives in a small, sizzling wok. This location gets very busy, and it’s walk-in only, but the food comes out quickly. There are also locations in Downtown Brooklyn, LIC, and the UWS. " - neha talreja, hannah albertine, diana kuan

"Han Dynasty serves some very good Szechuan food, and it’s perfect for just about any non-fancy scenario. It also gets very busy, but it’s walk-in only, and food comes out quickly, so you probably won’t find yourself standing in the doorway for an hour while you stare at a group in the corner that just won’t get up. Stop by any weeknight, or come with a group on a Friday night and share some chicken, green beans, wontons, and several orders of dan dan noodles." - bryan kim

"With lots of locations, Han Dynasty’s Sichuan food is all over the city. Unlike the old, ornate Old City space or University City’s sports-bar theme, Manayunk’s is the most lowkey. Instead of TVs inside, they have a bunch of large tables where you can bring a last-minute group for an affordable meal (entrees are all under $20). The dan dan noodles are the signature dish here—beware, they’re pretty spicy—but if you can’t handle the heat, there are about 50 other things on the menu that you can get instead. Or just suck it up and get the dan dan. It’s worth it." - Candis R. McLean