Guyi - Brentwood

We came across an article in the LA Times about Guyi's mapo tofu and decided to check it out. We arrived right when the restaurant opened and were seated right away. We ordered mapo tofu, cumin lamb, popcorn chicken, honey walnut shrimp, and mixed vegetables. The food was served quickly, and everything tasted great, although the mixed veggies (yams and mu erh) were quite bland. The cumin lamb and popcorn chicken were incredibly satisfying. Despite requesting mild spice for those with gentler palates at our table, the mapo tofu was still packed with Szechuan peppercorns, and the popcorn chicken had plenty of chilies. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy spicy Chinese cuisine.

The pieces of Lazi fried spicy chicken were tiny, dry, and lacking in flavor, not to mention they were prepared in a sweet style. When I asked the staff why the food was so sweet, he mentioned that it was because this area has a lot of non-Asian customers, so the restaurant has to cater to their tastes. It's unfortunate for those who are looking for authentic Chinese food. The portion sizes were small as well. After ordering five dishes, one appetizer, and four rice servings for the four of us, we still didn’t feel full. We ended up spending $120 and left unsatisfied. The service was subpar; we had to repeatedly ask for water and the check never arrived unless we called for it. Overall, we spent three hours there, including $6 for parking ($2 for the first hour and $1 for each additional half hour). If you’re Asian or looking for genuine Chinese cuisine, I recommend going to Monterey Park or another area with a larger Asian community. Here, the dishes are overly sweet and Americanized.

This was our first visit, and we will definitely return. The table was clean, the location was great, and the food was amazing and delicious!

Great service and a nice atmosphere, especially the outside balcony area. Will be back!

Best sichuan food in west LA. I wish more people could know this hidden gem. It is definitely better than the famous Sichuan Impression.