came in by myself for lunch, after seeing a great review of the place. it's located next to another chicken restaurant inside a shopping plaza. very clean restaurant, empty around 1pm. throughout my lunch, I was the only dine-in customer; only 3 people walked in wondering what they sell, and 1 person ended up ordering to go. the server was friendly and recommended their spicy chicken/hen. I didn't order it as they only sell as whole chicken and I cannot finish it. she also recommended if I'd like to try different things they can combine and sell by weight. so I ordered 2 gizzards, 1 beef tendon and 1 pig's ear as an appetizer plate, and a noodle dish as main dish. the appetizer plate was flavorful, all were cooked well and tender (as gizzard and tendons can be tough if not cooked through), but then since they're all 'smoked' in the same recipe, they all tasted the same. I couldn't finish it by myself so I took 1/2 plate home for sandwiches the next day. the noodle soup came in a large bowl with a smoked chicken leg sliced, plus some picked string beans and a fried tofu skin. again, the chicken leg was smoked and tasted the same as the appetizer plate. the portion was a lot for me so I also took some leftover chicken legs slices home. overall the restaurant is very clean, almost look like they've just had a grand opening. lots of selections to choose from, although all have same smoked recipe, except a few items (whole chicken, pigs knuckles, etc. also came in a spicy recipe). I think that's why most people just order to gos, when they have a craving for a specific item. I'll probably come back to try their spicy items if I'm in the neighborhood.
Scott B
Wow! This not your usual smokehouse or Chinese BBQ place. It is amazing *if* you like MaLa spice. This was our first time here and we got a few things to try (and loved them all!). First, we got some quail eggs - deliciously smoked. Probably the most traditional and expected taste of them all. Wonderful. Next, smoked sliced lotus root. They are dark and moist, but crispy and delightfully MaLa, just a little numbing, again, wonderful. Lastly, we tried one of their green peppercorn chickens. These are small, dark birds, but what flavor! I was speechless as I ate my first leg and thigh. What an amazing flavor, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. My wife couldn’t stop praising it and I couldn’t find words. There are so many more things to try, we will be back again (steamed dumplings next!).The woman who helped us was so bright and kind and was very patient with us as she answered all our questions.Be brave, try a small amount of one of their many dishes and you will be coming back too!(sorry no pix of the chicken, we ate it before I thought of writing a review)UPDATE: Feb 2, 2024Stopped in for lunch and got a bunch of stuff! This is our third visit so I thought I’d do an update. Today we tried some of their bread food and the chicken soup.Shepherd’s Purse and pork steamed dumplings. Disappointing. Our homemade ones are much better and Kingberg Kitchen up the road are also much better - you can actually taste the veggie. They are also very small.Pork and Green Onion Bao.Tasted very good and were very juicy, but . . . No green onionsChicken Soup.Best dish on the table! Rice noodles were well cooked and the broth was very good. I had two small bowls but then it started to get too salty for me.Overall, just ok today. Not everything on the printed menu is available every day, so be prepared to be disappointed! I still think it worth a visit as this type of food is very good and hard to find.
I found the meat to have a good smokey flavor to it.had beef tongue, gizzard, knuckle. The service was good. Nothing stood out to me as spectacular. But I will go back and try other meats that they have and see how that is.
Derek R.
Subtracting 1 star for consistency.. been twice since my first experience. The Love BBQ Pork Rice is different every time. You cannot get people hooked on pickled pineapple and take it away. Also the broth is bland all of a sudden. Again... where's my crack-like broth? These are craving-breaking changes.. Hoping 'unique' in the restaurant's name doesn't pertain to the meals each time you order.
z b h
Tastes good and authentic Shandong Zhucheng braised
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alinda Tian
1/8/2024 I passed by here to eat, it tasted really good, no wonder it is an intangible cultural heritage!Kid-friendliness: Warm hospitality from the landlady
Came for lunch. They are known for their smoked meats. They do really great smoked chicken, pig snout and other meats. I tried their noodles and other lunch items. I would stick to just purchasing their smoked meats. Service is good. The interior is nice. The smoked meats are nothing like i have had before and have a great unique addicting taste. Highly recommend trying their smoked meats.
Scott Bourne
Wow! This not your usual smokehouse or Chinese BBQ place. It is amazing *if* you like MaLa spice. This was our first time here and we got a few things to try (and loved them all!). First, we got some quail eggs - deliciously smoked. Probably the most traditional and expected taste of them all. Wonderful. Next, smoked sliced lotus root. They are dark and moist, but crispy and delightfully MaLa, just a little numbing, again, wonderful. Lastly, we tried one of their green peppercorn chickens. These are small, dark birds, but what flavor! I was speechless as I ate my first leg and thigh. What an amazing flavor, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. My wife couldn’t stop praising it and I couldn’t find words. There are so many more things to try, we will be back again (steamed dumplings next!).The woman who helped us was so bright and kind and was very patient with us as she answered all our questions.Be brave, try a small amount of one of their many dishes and you will be coming back too!(sorry no pix of the chicken, we ate it before I thought of writing a review)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Xinran Yan
The picture and text do not match. The hot noodles in the picture are just like clear soup and tasteless, and there is no label or option for takeout.
Hao Chi! Good attitude too! It’s not like other stores that give you a dead look when you go shopping! !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
L Y.
The restaurant is aptly name "Unique smokehouse." I thought it would be like another Cantonese style bbq place but it isn't! When I first walked in I was pleasantly greeted by the amazing smokiness of their meats and offerings. The staff was kind enough to answer all my questions about the many choices available that day. There were marinated smoked meats, offal, chicken thigh etc. I chose pork belly, chicken thigh over rice (this isn't on their menu but they allowed me to modify a rice dish). I also couldn't resist a piece of beef tendon which they sliced into thin pieces for me, as a kind of appetizer/snack. It still tasted delicious a few days afterwards (makes a great keto snack now that I think of it). The food is delicious! And not like any type of Asian smoked bbq I've ever tasted. Also shoutout to the pickled radish and pineapple that accompanied my rice dish, i enjoyed it so much too! Extra points go to the impeccably clean display counter and restaurant. There were about 6-8 tables available for dining in. Even in a food heaven of San Gabriel valley, I think this is a welcome addition to the food landscape and I look forward to trying their other options. They're located in the plaza with TJ Maxx, Banana boat, Daiso; at the north-west corner of Las Tunas and Rosemead Blvd. Parking lot has plenty of parking. They do take credit cards. Enjoy!
Frank S.
For a restaurant that just opened maybe a month or so ago, this restaurant was overall very good both in the taste of food as well as the service provided. This establishment specializes in Chinese smoked meats which is very rare to find in the area. Primarily a takeout restaurant, they also have combos that include noodles and rice. We tried the chicken leg noodles which is basically a smoked chicken leg with a bowl of rice noodles. Loved the chicken but the noodles were bland and probably should have just opted for the rice instead. Also got the assorted meats with rice which is the move. It really gives you a little taste of everything. Lastly, I got the intestines rice which is fatty smoked goodness. The smoked meats is and will always be the main course so make sure to go buy some from the counter and take it home to make some delicious cold or hot dishes with them. Interior seating area was clean and quite. Definitely come give this place a try. A gem in my mind in the sgv area. This is next to the bbq chicken in the tj maxx and Starbucks plaza on Rosemead and las Tunas. Go support this new business!
N T.
Located in the same outdoor plaza as Starbucks/Chase/TJ Maxx. Free parkingUnique Chinese food from the Shandong region of China. You can find many different kinds of meat - chickens, beef shanks, pig ears, hearts, tofu, tendons, pig hocks and feet - all simmer, smoked, and spicy/nonspicy. They even slice the meat for you. Great tasting food, spices balanced just right and a flowery aroma. Good with a bowl of rice or some beer.They also offer an all you can eat bowl of noodles for $39.99 for a whole month! Wow.
came in by myself for lunch, after seeing a great review of the place. it's located next to another chicken restaurant inside a shopping plaza. very clean restaurant, empty around 1pm. throughout my lunch, I was the only dine-in customer; only 3 people walked in wondering what they sell, and 1 person ended up ordering to go. the server was friendly and recommended their spicy chicken/hen. I didn't order it as they only sell as whole chicken and I cannot finish it. she also recommended if I'd like to try different things they can combine and sell by weight. so I ordered 2 gizzards, 1 beef tendon and 1 pig's ear as an appetizer plate, and a noodle dish as main dish. the appetizer plate was flavorful, all were cooked well and tender (as gizzard and tendons can be tough if not cooked through), but then since they're all 'smoked' in the same recipe, they all tasted the same. I couldn't finish it by myself so I took 1/2 plate home for sandwiches the next day. the noodle soup came in a large bowl with a smoked chicken leg sliced, plus some picked string beans and a fried tofu skin. again, the chicken leg was smoked and tasted the same as the appetizer plate. the portion was a lot for me so I also took some leftover chicken legs slices home. overall the restaurant is very clean, almost look like they've just had a grand opening. lots of selections to choose from, although all have same smoked recipe, except a few items (whole chicken, pigs knuckles, etc. also came in a spicy recipe). I think that's why most people just order to gos, when they have a craving for a specific item. I'll probably come back to try their spicy items if I'm in the neighborhood.
Wow! This not your usual smokehouse or Chinese BBQ place. It is amazing *if* you like MaLa spice. This was our first time here and we got a few things to try (and loved them all!). First, we got some quail eggs - deliciously smoked. Probably the most traditional and expected taste of them all. Wonderful. Next, smoked sliced lotus root. They are dark and moist, but crispy and delightfully MaLa, just a little numbing, again, wonderful. Lastly, we tried one of their green peppercorn chickens. These are small, dark birds, but what flavor! I was speechless as I ate my first leg and thigh. What an amazing flavor, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. My wife couldn’t stop praising it and I couldn’t find words. There are so many more things to try, we will be back again (steamed dumplings next!).The woman who helped us was so bright and kind and was very patient with us as she answered all our questions.Be brave, try a small amount of one of their many dishes and you will be coming back too!(sorry no pix of the chicken, we ate it before I thought of writing a review)UPDATE: Feb 2, 2024Stopped in for lunch and got a bunch of stuff! This is our third visit so I thought I’d do an update. Today we tried some of their bread food and the chicken soup.Shepherd’s Purse and pork steamed dumplings. Disappointing. Our homemade ones are much better and Kingberg Kitchen up the road are also much better - you can actually taste the veggie. They are also very small.Pork and Green Onion Bao.Tasted very good and were very juicy, but . . . No green onionsChicken Soup.Best dish on the table! Rice noodles were well cooked and the broth was very good. I had two small bowls but then it started to get too salty for me.Overall, just ok today. Not everything on the printed menu is available every day, so be prepared to be disappointed! I still think it worth a visit as this type of food is very good and hard to find.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hooked Chicken Noodle Soup, Quail Eggs
I found the meat to have a good smokey flavor to it.had beef tongue, gizzard, knuckle. The service was good. Nothing stood out to me as spectacular. But I will go back and try other meats that they have and see how that is.
Subtracting 1 star for consistency.. been twice since my first experience. The Love BBQ Pork Rice is different every time. You cannot get people hooked on pickled pineapple and take it away. Also the broth is bland all of a sudden. Again... where's my crack-like broth? These are craving-breaking changes.. Hoping 'unique' in the restaurant's name doesn't pertain to the meals each time you order.
Tastes good and authentic Shandong Zhucheng braised
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
1/8/2024 I passed by here to eat, it tasted really good, no wonder it is an intangible cultural heritage!Kid-friendliness: Warm hospitality from the landlady
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Signature Pork Foot Noodles, Chicken Feet 5pcs
very delicious! The taste of home! The boss is super nice☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 干豆腐 2, pepper chicken whole 椒麻老鸡 整只, 辣萝卜干, 猪大肠 套肠, 熏牛肚, pastrami 2pcs 熏牛筋 2个
Came for lunch. They are known for their smoked meats. They do really great smoked chicken, pig snout and other meats. I tried their noodles and other lunch items. I would stick to just purchasing their smoked meats. Service is good. The interior is nice. The smoked meats are nothing like i have had before and have a great unique addicting taste. Highly recommend trying their smoked meats.
Wow! This not your usual smokehouse or Chinese BBQ place. It is amazing *if* you like MaLa spice. This was our first time here and we got a few things to try (and loved them all!). First, we got some quail eggs - deliciously smoked. Probably the most traditional and expected taste of them all. Wonderful. Next, smoked sliced lotus root. They are dark and moist, but crispy and delightfully MaLa, just a little numbing, again, wonderful. Lastly, we tried one of their green peppercorn chickens. These are small, dark birds, but what flavor! I was speechless as I ate my first leg and thigh. What an amazing flavor, unlike anything I’ve ever had before. My wife couldn’t stop praising it and I couldn’t find words. There are so many more things to try, we will be back again (steamed dumplings next!).The woman who helped us was so bright and kind and was very patient with us as she answered all our questions.Be brave, try a small amount of one of their many dishes and you will be coming back too!(sorry no pix of the chicken, we ate it before I thought of writing a review)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The picture and text do not match. The hot noodles in the picture are just like clear soup and tasteless, and there is no label or option for takeout.
Food: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Hao Chi! Good attitude too! It’s not like other stores that give you a dead look when you go shopping! !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The restaurant is aptly name "Unique smokehouse." I thought it would be like another Cantonese style bbq place but it isn't! When I first walked in I was pleasantly greeted by the amazing smokiness of their meats and offerings. The staff was kind enough to answer all my questions about the many choices available that day. There were marinated smoked meats, offal, chicken thigh etc. I chose pork belly, chicken thigh over rice (this isn't on their menu but they allowed me to modify a rice dish). I also couldn't resist a piece of beef tendon which they sliced into thin pieces for me, as a kind of appetizer/snack. It still tasted delicious a few days afterwards (makes a great keto snack now that I think of it). The food is delicious! And not like any type of Asian smoked bbq I've ever tasted. Also shoutout to the pickled radish and pineapple that accompanied my rice dish, i enjoyed it so much too! Extra points go to the impeccably clean display counter and restaurant. There were about 6-8 tables available for dining in. Even in a food heaven of San Gabriel valley, I think this is a welcome addition to the food landscape and I look forward to trying their other options. They're located in the plaza with TJ Maxx, Banana boat, Daiso; at the north-west corner of Las Tunas and Rosemead Blvd. Parking lot has plenty of parking. They do take credit cards. Enjoy!
For a restaurant that just opened maybe a month or so ago, this restaurant was overall very good both in the taste of food as well as the service provided. This establishment specializes in Chinese smoked meats which is very rare to find in the area. Primarily a takeout restaurant, they also have combos that include noodles and rice. We tried the chicken leg noodles which is basically a smoked chicken leg with a bowl of rice noodles. Loved the chicken but the noodles were bland and probably should have just opted for the rice instead. Also got the assorted meats with rice which is the move. It really gives you a little taste of everything. Lastly, I got the intestines rice which is fatty smoked goodness. The smoked meats is and will always be the main course so make sure to go buy some from the counter and take it home to make some delicious cold or hot dishes with them. Interior seating area was clean and quite. Definitely come give this place a try. A gem in my mind in the sgv area. This is next to the bbq chicken in the tj maxx and Starbucks plaza on Rosemead and las Tunas. Go support this new business!
Located in the same outdoor plaza as Starbucks/Chase/TJ Maxx. Free parkingUnique Chinese food from the Shandong region of China. You can find many different kinds of meat - chickens, beef shanks, pig ears, hearts, tofu, tendons, pig hocks and feet - all simmer, smoked, and spicy/nonspicy. They even slice the meat for you. Great tasting food, spices balanced just right and a flowery aroma. Good with a bowl of rice or some beer.They also offer an all you can eat bowl of noodles for $39.99 for a whole month! Wow.