Six Denver Spots Make Best Chinese Restaurants in U.S. List

Have you tried them all?

December 11, 2024

Image: Szechuan-style fried green beans and spicy boiled fish from Noodles Express.

Szechuan-style fried green beans and spicy boiled fish from Noodles Express. Molly Martin

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On December 11, Yelp released its list of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the U.S., and six Colorado spots made the cut, including one that has nearly closed twice since 2022.

Noodles Express opened in the King Soopers-anchored Belcaro Shopping Center at East Exposition Avenue and South Colorado Boulevard in 2020. But just two years later, it announced that its days were numbered because the entire shopping center is set to be torn down and redeveloped.

After fans came out in droves to show support, Noodles Express was able to renegotiate its lease and continue to serve favorites like chong qing chicken and dan dan noodles. By June, it was counting down to closure again — but a few months later, there was another sigh of relief when its owners confirmed that its lease had been extended once again. This round, though, the lease is on a month-to-month basis.

It seems that it's only a matter of time before Noodles Express will have to close for good, so give it a try now and show support for the family-owned spot, which landed at number 34 on the list of Yelp's Top 100 Chinese Restaurants.

To create that list, Yelp says it "identified businesses in the Chinese category that are not part of a national chain, then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews. When available, all businesses on this list have a passing health score as of October 2, 2024."

click to enlarge

slice of french toast with melted butter

Hong Kong-style French toast from Hong Kong Station

Courtesy of Hong Kong Station

Here is the full list of Colorado eateries that made the cut, and their rankings:

32. Hong Kong Station, 6878 South Yosemite Street, Centennial

34. Noodles Express, 703 South Colorado Boulevard

65. Huakee BBQ Bento, 5072 West 92nd Avenue, Westminster

72. Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings, multiple locations (LoHi, Aurora, Boulder)

75. Fortune Wok to Table, 2817 East 3rd Avenue

85. Uncle Henry, 1181 West 120th Avenue

Hungry for more? Check out all the Chinese restaurants in our curated Restaurant Guide.

Molly Martin has been the Food & Drink editor at Westword since 2021. Prior to joining the staff, Molly reported on the Denver dining scene for more than a decade and contributed to Thrillist. At Westword, Molly monitors restaurant openings and closings, offers dining recommendations and reports on Denver-area food news and trends. She also publishes such annual lists as Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants, and contributes to the yearly Best of Denver edition. In 2023, she was recognized with the Colorado Restaurant Association's Outstanding Media Professional award.

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