Chin's Szechwan Oceanside

Update: I must say that the response to my review was almost immediate, as we were still inside the restaurant. Howard was very polite and straightforward, and I appreciate his efforts to encourage us to come back. That means a lot. I graciously declined his offer, but I genuinely wish them luck and hope things improve for everyone's benefit. I’m changing my rating from one star to three. The place still needs some updates to make it more inviting, and the staff could use a bit more social training.

The salt and pepper chicken wings are not spicy like Szechuan cuisine, but they are packed with flavor. They feature fresh garlic and fresh parsley, which adds a delicious touch.

Overall, the food was great, but the service left something to be desired. I ordered through Doordash and was disappointed to find that the restaurant does not allow customizations on orders. I wanted to request no rice, but that wasn't possible. It felt like a missed opportunity for them, as my choice not to include rice wouldn't cost them anything. Instead, I ended up ordering an appetizer and two entrées, which typically come with rice, but I only received one serving of rice. If I had wanted rice—which I'm sure most customers would—I would have had to share just one order between two dishes. It seemed excessively frugal, especially considering I spent over $80 on a couple of Chinese dinners and wontons. Additionally, the scallops were overcooked and tasted more like chicken.

The atmosphere is charming, with lovely lanterns hanging above each table and soft lighting that creates a pleasant dining environment. The restaurant is on the smaller side, offering both booths and tables to cater to various needs. We noticed a large group being seated without any issues during our visit, which was nice to see. For our meal, we ordered a few appetizers: spring rolls, potstickers, and a large bowl of hot and sour soup, followed by a kung pao chicken entrée with mushrooms and peanuts, ordered at a spice level of 4 stars. Starting with the spring rolls, they were crispy, but the filling was a bit mushy, which was unusual for them. Even my husband, who is a big fan of spring rolls, noticed it wasn't up to par. The potstickers were quite good, featuring chewy skins with nice crunchy bits where they were charred, and the meat had a lovely flavor and texture. The hot and sour soup was excellent, filled with fresh ingredients like bamboo shoots, tofu, wood ear mushrooms, and pork, and it had just the right consistency. However, I did ask for extra vinegar, which our server forgot to bring. My husband’s kung pao chicken took a while to arrive; I had finished my meal by the time his dish came out. When it did arrive, we noticed it was overwhelming sweeter than we remembered, despite having an abundance of ingredients. We even wondered if the regular chef was off that night. It seems the sauces may come pre-made, and the dishes are just stir-fried to order—which is disappointing since we've enjoyed it so much in the past. In the end, while today’s visit wasn't the best, I should note that the restaurant was quite busy. Chin's in Oceanside has been one of our favorites until now, but given that my husband didn’t enjoy his meal and he’s usually the one driving us here, we might take a break before returning for dinner. Overall, I’d rate tonight's experience 3.5 stars; I've definitely had better meals at Chin's. Edit: I forgot to mention that our wonderful server had the price of the kung pao chicken removed from our bill since it wasn't to our liking, which we greatly appreciated.

The food was delicious, and the maître d' was friendly. The waitstaff was prompt and attentive. The ambiance was a bit dim, but that might have been due to our arrival on Father's Day when they opened; coming in from the bright sunlight made it feel even darker.