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Closest available address
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7550 Telegraph Road Alexandria, VA 22315
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Mon.-Thu. 11:00-9:30, Fri. 11:00-10:00, Sat. 11:30-10:00, Sun. 11:30-9:30.
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703-922-5210
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1.5 hours
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October 2014
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All year
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$20-49
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Alexandria
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Virginia
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Website
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Food/Drinks
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Chinese Restaurants
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First review
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House of Dynasty is a casual dining Chinese restaurant located in a suburban shopping center. The restaurant opened in 1985 and is a single location business. The menu is larger than average and features all the popular American style Chinese food selections. Beer, wine and mixed drinks also are offered. Carryout service is available but not delivery.
The shopping center had plenty of parking and was also clean and quiet. While the restaurant dining room was larger than average, space between tables was limited. As a result, you may get to hear your neighbors' conversations during busier times. Tables and chairs were generally in good working order. Decorations were Chinese themed but unremarkable. Lighting was somewhat dim, and noise levels somewhat high. There is a very small bar in the back of the restaurant, but it was used more as a counter for carryout food then as a place to get a drink.
Making a reservation was a last minute decision but it turned out to be a wise choice because there was a line of people waiting to be served on a Saturday night. Service was brusque and borderline unhelpful – all business and no tact. A strawberry daiquiri was ordered without fruit or garnish, but they were included anyway. The drink quality was fairly good though, smooth and fruity. Appetizers consisted of egg drop soup and veggie dumplings. Of the two, the soup was better. It was your typical egg drop soup, but still appetizing with a moderately salty flavor. The steamed veggie dumplings though were rubbery, too dry and moderately bland. A small scoop of sherbet may sometimes be served here between courses, but none was offered on this visit. For the main course a chicken in black bean sauce dish had copious amounts of chicken but failed to wow on taste; it too was somewhat salty but was not distinctive. It was cooked properly though. The "shrimp of two kinds" (both spicy and mild) dish was packed with jumbo shrimp to the detriment of vegetables. The taste was moderately good though, so if you like lot’s of shrimp it can work. After the initial line of people was seated, the restaurant became quieter, so if you are not into noise, it pays to come here early or late for weekend dinners. As to whether you should come at all, while it’s a popular place, the food was not meaningfully different from what you can get at other Chinese restaurants. That, together with subpar service and visible food residue on a supposedly clean spoon leads to a pass on future visits.
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