Tai Tung was Bruce Lee’s favorite Chinese restaurant in town. That’s not the only reason this place is steeped in history—it also happens to be Seattle’s oldest Chinese restaurant. Here, you’ll find nods to Bruce around the dining room, including cardboard cutouts and a memorial booth. Bruce’s favorite dish was the beef with a rich oyster sauce, and while that’s delicious (especially spooned on top of Chinese sausage fried rice), Tai Tung also has some standout kung pao shrimp, potstickers, and the best dish in the house: battered almond chicken that crunches like a heap of October leaves.

Use it for weeknight takeout, use it for a business lunch, or even use it for a night out with friends, as you clink green-glinted bottles of Tsingtao (or chopsticks clutching barbecued pork).

photo credit: Chona Kasinger

photo credit: Chona Kasinger

Food Rundown

Potstickers

There are few joys comparable to the moment when an oval plate full of steamy pan-seared, pork-stuffed potstickers hits the table. It shouldn't be a question—these are non-negotiable.

Barbecued Pork

We lied—the barbecued pork here is indeed comparable to potsticker-induced bliss. Can't argue with tender meat and melty fat bits.

photo credit: Chona Kasinger

Almond Chicken

No order at Tai Tung is complete without this massive platter of fried chicken. Battered crust, crumbled almonds, and sweet sauce on the side. Oh yeah. Depending on the day, the crust can lean a bit oily and soggy, but that's part of the whole appeal—and the tasty sauce masks all of that anyway.

Kung Pao Shrimp

If you're scouring the menu looking for a sleeper hit, look no further than the kung pao shrimp. It has perfectly cooked shrimp, crisp bell peppers, a sweet and sour glaze, and a fistful of roasted peanuts.

photo credit: Chona Kasinger

Beef In Oyster Sauce

This is an absolute classic. The steak is cooked just enough so that some drippings swirl through the oyster sauce like meaty tie-dye, and the barely translucent onions add a nice sweetness. Spoon it all over some fried rice.

photo credit: Chona Kasinger

Fried Rice

It's hard to go wrong with a side of fried rice—we like the Chinese sausage version best for the bright pops of salty cured flavor that chicken or shrimp can't recreate.