Rashmi Uday Singh

"No dish is more famous here than mapo tofu, silken tofu cooked with chopped meat, black bean, soy sauce, dried chillies and of course, a liberal dose of hua jiao. Where better to sample this than where, legend has it, it all began?"

J. Kenji López-Alt

"This version, served in a screaming-hot cast iron bowl, was easily the best. Tender cubes of silken tofu laced with tender ground beef under a bubbling layer of chili oil, fragrant with toasted Sichuan peppercorn and fermented horse beans. Rather, it has a more subtle, layered heat, with chilies that come through alternately as sweet and hot, with the rich, almost raisin-like flavor of dried fruit."

Claire Margine

"Mápó dòufu is a sensory adventure; if you’re looking for it’s most famed iteration, Chen Mapo Tofu is a can’t-miss experience."

Daniel Noll

"Our best plate of Mapo Doufu was served at Chen Mapo Doufu restaurant that supposedly started it all with Grandma Chen’s recipe in 1862."

Heather Hall

"Chen’s version was certainly delicious, though it lived up to its fiery reputation."

Sascha Matuszak

"The Tofu dish - laced with red chili peppers and ground pork - was so delicious that the shop exploded and became rich. The food here is authentic Sichuan cuisine - both spicy and savory - served up to locals and outsiders alike."

Alice Jom Makan

"It is unthinkable to dine here without tasting the outlet’s classic tongue-tingling ma po tofu (pockmarked grandmother’s beancurd) which is a cut above the rest."

Viola Wang

"Mapo Tofu is arguably Sichuan’s most famous dish. Visit Chen Mapo Tofu, a China time-honored brand designated by the government. Their tofu is hot, spicy, soft and so fragrant!"

China Educational Tours

"The yellowish tofu looks lustrous and tastes Ma La spicy. Characteristics: Delicious and rich in flavors. Recommendation: Chen Mapo Tofu."

Taylor Holliday

"Chen’s still serves a mean version at the original of its many Chengdu outposts."