Tom Lee’s Chop Suey

Well I would give this place 5 stars, but it being a hole in the wall Chinese place with old/​expiring menus on the walls, prevents it from the ever so elusive 5^th star. Can never complain here, I simply get what is expected EVERYTIME. A few go to’s are the:
1. Chicken Lo Mein dinner special. (Comes with egg roll, fried rice, and a can of pop) Not bad. All for under 8 $
2. The Orange chicken dinner special. (Comes with egg roll, fried rice, and a can of pop) all again for for under 8 $.
3. Sweet and sour chicken. Pretty decent sized fried chicken pieces. The regular Chinese go to order. With a decent dipping sauce.
Tom lee. Don’t be scared. Food is good.

For the price its good. Always nice and friendly customer service.

Kung Pao beef as well as sweet and sour chicken were fantastic! Also, great prices and fast preparation. Excellent neighborhood spot all around.

Honestly, for inexpensive Chinese food, you can’t complain. The mainstays of cheap Chinese food are done well and the price is right.
Good: Crab Rangoon, Pot Stickers, Orange Chicken, General Tsos, Sesame Chicken, Chicken w/​Peapods
Eh: Almond Ding

So i was running an errand around the area, and while waiting for the bus I see this tiny chinese restaurant behind me. I took a moment to look the big sign outside their window about the All around $ 5.00 lunch specials also comes with Chicken Fried rice (not vegi. Chicken!!) & a spring roll AND soda! Whah! Okay, i think to myself. This could be because the food is bad. So, as i was turning around i see 7 people walking in (3 different groups) and I think. Hmmm maybe i should give it a shot. I mean the lunch special seems like a pretty good deal!
Walking in not at all impressed about the cleanliness of the dinning room, but since it is tiny, people usually do takeouts or delivery. I ordered the Hunan Beef and was ready within 6 min. I go home and sit down to eat. The spring roll is DISGUSTING! I’m not sure what was in it exactly, (I expected vegi) but it had some kind of red meat AND Shrimp! Trash right away.
Rice and beef is okay; rely what you expect from a cheap Chinese restaurant. First and last time. Not going back.

Scary, but tasty! filthy dump-​hole-​in-​the-​wall– across from the Western Brown Line stop and around the corner from Old Town School. Colleagues have told me the place has been here for 25 years. Super cheap, somewhat legitimate Cantonese Chinatownish stuff. CAUTION – not that i have any reason to mention, but when i am at places like this, i ONLY order vegetarian selections. When I am alone, I binge out here (carry-​out only) on the excellent vegetarian fried rice, and vegetable delight or string beans. It really is pretty good, No nonsense staff really cranks the wok – place is always busy – lots of carry out, Go Figure. Good is good.

OK food
price not so cheap
good portions
fast service
can be cleaner
food very greasy

Let’s be honest, if you have had and like good Chinese then this place isn’t for you. Yes it’s cheap but for a reason. The pot stickers are super doughy and soggy, the entrees are always sub par. I’ve eaten here several times for take out and tried many things but I’m finally learning my lesson. No more. Sauces are often watery and have little flavor. Same goes for meats and veggies. Fried rice us the only thing that’s half decent but it is very oily. Try a different place if you are craving Chinese near Lincoln Square.

I HAD THE ORANGE CHICKEN AND RICE, it was super good. The crab Rangoons were probably the best i ever had.

Great price, good food, good portion.
I don’t think you can beat their prices in Lincoln Square. I like authentic Chinese food but sometimes I would want some Kung pao beef and orange chicken.
It’s a very convenient location right next to the Western brown line.
I would come back here whenever I don’t feel like cooking and want Chinese food.

Always wanted to try this place out as I walk by it all the time on my way home or to Opart. It’s exactly what you expect — standard, Americanized Chinese food. Overall It was ok.
I Tried out the rather large Crab Rangoon, Wonton Soup and General’s Chicken and all were decent but nothing mind blowing. I’ve had better.
My one complaint is that they are not able to separate the sauce from the chicken which gave me pause as to how fresh this stuff is. Oh well. With cheap Chinese food, you get what you pay for. I’ll pony up the extra dollars for something fresher like Shanghai Inn or Wah Sun.

Orange chicken was on point. It was real chicken, not that typical cheap Chinese mystery chicken smothered in sauce that distracts you from the fact that you’re inhaling a foreign substance. Get the lunch special, or the dinner special which is the same as the lunch + $ 1. It comes with fried rice, an egg roll and pop for a ridiculously cheap price. Tom Lee definitely is my new neighborhood Chinese carry-​out spot.

I hate to leave one star, but I felt so mislead by the high ratings. Potsticker dough was really thick and mushy, filling had no seasoning. Also had general tso chicken and black bean shrimp and they were both average. House of Wah Sun is still my favorite.

Being from New York City, I know what good Chinese Food is supposed to taste like. Well this is good for the area. The lady who runs the front of the store is sweet. I told her I was studying for finals, and she gave me an extra soda. Great area. Parking is easy to find, and they are fast.

Our favorite, for over 2 years now. The crab rangoon are HUGE, the pot stickers are HUGE, the shrimp egg-​foo-​young is HUGE (be prepared to feed 4 people), the shrimp Lo-​Mein is HUGE, the mongolian beef is a little extra spicy, the Fried Shrimp is really yummy but really greasy. We just love this place. Delivery is always on time. So is pick-​up, we just put on our flashers along the front curb & run in to grab out food. One time we ordered over $ 40 of delivery, and the sent us 2 containers of this delicious desert – tapioca with sweet corn. For free! Love love love.

Fast food Chinese take out is my favorite kind of fast food. Doesn’t matter where the place is or how it looks from the outside. (You should know that I am a firm believer in the thought that the exterior of a restaurant or it’s «face» should give indication of how good you can expect the inside and food to be. That’s a 101 lesson given by the guys that advise restauranteurs on starting a successful business)
However what I’ve mentioned above has no value with this place. It’s a dingy, dump of a place that is in desperate need of an upgrade or revamp But since its doing well as a carry out, who cares really. They have two booths and a couple stools by the front window for seating, but I haven’t nor would I, dine in. The service is as good as what you’d expect from a ⁷⁄₁₁ cashier that’s just freshly gotten off the boat from India or Pakistan. Now, that isn’t meant to be a racially driven comment, I just mean to imply that there may be some confusion because of a lack of clear English communication.
The combo plates are good. The orange chicken appeared in many reviews, so I decided on that. It was freshly prepared and tasty with good texture. During the time of my first and subsequent visits, diners in were enjoying the orange chicken.
On my initial visit I read a few reviews and decided on checking them out. Didn’t call ahead and couldn’t find a valid menu online. So I walked in and ordered. Avoid LAZ parking costs by parking within the neighborhood. It’s a short walk around the block. If decision to carry out has been made, expect to wait about twenty minutes plus depending on the size of your order. As shared by staff, food is made fresh and to order. I usually have the special request to make entrees and rice extra spicy. The counter lady has always obliged and the outcome has been spicy and tasty for a low, affordable cost.

Gosh I just love getting take-​out here. I can’t stress enough how this is the best Chinese in the Lincoln Square area. The people are always friendly and the food is delicious. I typically get their sesame chicken dinner special and I’ve never been dissatisfied.

Sweet! Cheap lunch!
This little hole in the wall across the street from the western brown line, was not my first choice as I wandered around the neighborhood, unsure of what I wanted to stuff my face with. I was intrigued by their menu, mainly their lunch specials, which consisted of about 10 different options all under $ 6.
Entrée, rice, egg roll, and a pop, for $ 5.25? I’m sold.
I decided upon the beef and broccoli, and was happy to watch the cooks in the kitchen dice up broccoli (nothing frozen!). The rice was from a steamer, as was the egg roll. My food came out super quickly. The entrée/​rice ended up being enough for four meals! It was a crazy amount of food. Everything tasted great and I liked the marinade on the beef.
I will definitely go back soon to try more.

I love my Tom Lee’s
Egg Foo Young, Orange Chicken
Yum, Yum, Delicious!

My friend and i got take out years ago.
She found a roach in her food. One star for it being cooked i guess.