Lao Sze Chuan in Baltimore, MD: The Best Sichuan Road Trip From MoCo, Cooked by a Chef From the Home of Mapo Tofu

Lao Sze Chuan is an IVEA restaurant. We publish this story to introduce our own restaurant; it is not an independent review.

Lao Sze Chuan Baltimore is an IVEA restaurant at 3224 St Paul St. in Charles Village, Baltimore, MD, in the former Busboys and Poets space, open since January 2025. From Rockville it is about 42 to 49 miles, roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter by car on I-95 or MD-200 (the faster MD-200 route has tolls). We think it is the best Sichuan meal within a day trip of Montgomery County, and this guide is the plan for making the drive count.

Why make the drive: the chef. The kitchen is run by Chef Dong Liu, IVEA's Executive Chef for Chinese cuisine. He apprenticed in Chengdu in 1988 under the Sichuan master Yang Xiaocheng, became the chef at Chen Mapo Tofu, the Chengdu restaurant tied to the birth of mapo tofu, in 1990, and won the gold medal at China's 2008 National Cooking Competition. The Baltimore Banner photographed him at the wok over an open flame at Lao Sze Chuan in February 2026. His full career is in IVEA's profile, linked below.

What the critics said. In February 2026, the Baltimore Banner's guide to the city's Asian restaurant renaissance said: "If I had to name a favorite new addition, Lao Sze Chuan in Charles Village would be it," and called the Sichuan roasted European sea bass, delivered whole over an open flame, "the real showstopper." The Banner's first look in 2025 called the Tibetan lamb "a must-try." Baltimore Magazine reported the dining room had been busy since the doors opened, and wrote that the fish fillets with Sichuan peppercorns come "in a white bowl the size of a hubcap."

The order for the most Sichuan in one table. Start with Lao Sze Chuan Mapo Tofu with Ground Beef ($16), the dish Chef Dong Liu cooked at its birthplace. Add the Chengdu Stir-Fried Pork ($22 for the large size), which the restaurant's own menu marks as a top pick, and Chongqing Spicy Chicken ($21), the dry-fried chicken buried in chilies. For the table's showpiece, order the Fish Fillets with Sichuan Peppercorns ($26) or, when it is available, the Sichuan Roasted European Seabass ($56). Round it out with Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles ($7). Rice is not included; white rice is $1.50.

The most popular extras. Tibetan Lamb Diced ($26) is the dish the Banner singled out. Spicy Beef and Tripe Slices ($14) is the classic cold Chengdu starter. For a group, the Golden Peking Duck ($40) is the most impressive non-spicy order on the menu. The kitchen also serves dim sum: Pork Soup Dumplings (3 for $9) and Red Oil Pork Dumplings (5 for $9) are the easiest way to add something for anyone who wants less heat.

Plan the trip. Hours are Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Call (667) 260-2576, book a table through Yelp, or order pickup at laoszechuanbaltimore.com; delivery in Baltimore runs through DoorDash. The restaurant is a few blocks from the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus, so a lunch visit pairs easily with a campus tour or a Baltimore Museum of Art afternoon. Go with four or more people: the Sichuan dishes are built for sharing, and the fish bowls are big.

Closer to home. If the drive is too far tonight, IVEA's locations list also shows Lao Sze Chuan at 11351 Woodglen Dr. in North Bethesda. For the chef who trained at the home of mapo tofu, Baltimore is the address.