Residents of Union City, Tennessee flock to China House not just because it is the only upscale Chinese restaurant in the area, but also for the delicious food, efficient service, and classic décor. The easily accessible buffet restaurant is situated across from Wal-Mart in a shopping mall with entrances on two major highways. This convenient location gives an extra boost to business.

The 5,000 square foot restaurant can hold up to 250 people, this includes a private party room that can host up to 50 people. The large dining room is decorated beautifully with a big focus on lighting. Tiny, warm colored lights create a homey atmosphere and really enhance the aesthetics of the space. They are dimmed perfectly and bring out the warmness of the pale orange walls and tables and crystal pendant lamps. Additionally, impressive crystal chandeliers are holistically hung from the ceiling while classical American or light Chinese music is played in the background. The main interior attraction, however, is the Chinese pavilian design—this feature never fails to amaze guests. “In my opinion,” says owner Shiping Huang, “an upscale restaurant should be matched with perfect decoration.”

The Buffet

The buffet bars consist mostly of Americanized Chinese food with a few Japanese and Mongolian dishes. The very experienced chefs prepare the dishes using a variety of cooking methods, however, most of the dishes are either stir-fried or grilled. To accommodate the local residents’ tastes, the food is kept mild and is never extremely sweet or spicy. “Everything had flavor and I could tell it was fresh,” says one happy reviewer on yelp.com.

The three most popular dishes are the General Tso’s Chicken, Spicy Frog Legs, Spicy Chicken with Mushrooms, Crab Legs, Oysters, and Grilled Seafood. China House Chinese Restaurant has a plethora of options in their seven buffet bars; the lengthy menu consists of over 100 items. Various poultry, pork, beef, and vegetable dishes are available to suit everyone’s cravings.

Additionally, customers can be rest assured that the food they are eating at China House is healthy. “Our chefs are all equipped with a strong sense of cooking healthy. Each dish is prepared healthily with little salt and oil,” says Huang. Huang also guarantees that the ingredients his kitchen staff uses are of the highest quality. Food purchases are made daily so the ingredients used are always fresh.

Happy Service

“The customers are never wrong,” says Huang. “If there’s a dispute or a complaint, we always apologize and make improvements.” Following this philosophy, each staff member is customer-oriented, careful, and considerate. They wear genuine smiles on their faces and happily greet each guest at the door. “I have strong confidence that customers will return over and over. It’s difficult for customers to forget the friendly atmosphere that Huang and his staff create.

The bond between Huang and his staff is a tight one. According to Huang, the best approach when managing a staff is to respect and listen to what they have to say. Weekly meetings are held to discuss the restaurant operation and improvements are often made based on the staff’s opinions.

On Daily Specials

According to Huang, daily specials can be a sign of poor quality. Oftentimes discounted meals are smaller in portion and lower in quality and Huang believes this reflects poorly on the restaurant. “If guests are satisfied with a restaurant, they will continue to dine in it, without too much concern for the price,” explains Huang. And if restaurant owners do in fact offer discounts or specials, they should be sure that the quality and size of the dishes remain the same.

The American Dream

Mr. Huang enjoys cooking because it enables him to create new things. His main influence was his father.

In 1994, Mr. Huang first came to the United States with his wife to chase the American dream. The first few years were very tough as he worked in his friend’s restaurant. His lack of English skills, homesickness, and inexperience made life tough for the newcomer. But as a strong, diligent, and optimistic man, Mr. Huang stuck with his duty and after five years of hard work, opened his first restaurant. And since then he has opened five restaurants, three of which are still under his management. 

His wife and two daughters offer him much support and help make his success possible. He is very thankful for them. While it is difficult for Mr. Huang to find spare time, when he does, he always spends it with his family.

Mr. Huang plans on continuing the expansion of his business and creating new things. The future looks positive for the hardworking entrepreneur.

Words of Advice

“Be diligent, patient, confident, persistent, harmonious, and positive. Try not to blame others and have good, comprehensive reasoning,” advises Huang. “Communication is very important.”

China House

• Location: 1700 W. Reelfoot Avenue, Union City, TN 38261


• Cuisine: Americanized Chinese Food


• Restaurant Concept: Upscale


• Capacity: 230-250 (include a party room seats 50)


• Signature Dish: General Tso’s Chicken, Spicy Chicken w. Mushroom, Seafood, Spicy Frog Legs.


• Year of establishment: 2006


• Phone: (731) 886-8688


• Owner: Shiping Huang