It’s 9 p.m. on a Saturday night. I’m in a group of nine people, yet we don’t need to wait for a table because Chinatown is nearly empty.

My group decides to share two plates of sweet and sour chicken and two of Mongolian beef. As we wait for our food, I look around and see only a few people sitting at the bar and a couple singing Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on the small stage.

Our friendly waitress brings the large plates of food in no time, with not a single mix up on our order. The food is very tasty. Like other Chinese restaurants, both the chicken and the beef come with a side of white rice. However, in my opinion, Chinatown’s quality of food is better than most Chinese restaurants you’ll find in Austin. Its price seems pretty moderate – our bill totaled $52.94.

As my friends and I take our time eating and talking, a crowd of mostly college people barge in starting around 10 p.m. I guess we are too early for downtown. As the customers increase, the good service continues the same, which is relieving.

While some customers are waiting to be seated, they volunteer to sing karaoke in front of everyone else. The unique thing about this restaurant is that there are loudspeakers outside of it for passing people to be able to hear each and every performance going on inside. Performances vary from talented to decent to horrendous, and the song choice is endless. Some of the genres include rap, country and pop.

Two of my friends and I decide to sing “Breaking Free” from High School Musical.

I felt embarrassed at first, considering that my voice sounds like a dying chicken, but it was worth it. Most humiliating but most memorable three minutes and 27 seconds of my life.

Chinatown is a great place to go, because the karaoke is entertaining to watch or do with friends and the food is delicious. It’s a new way to spend a weekend night.

From my experience, it’s at least worth a try.

Chinatown is located at
101 W. 5th St.
Austin, TX 78701