Upon first glance at the restaurant store front, one may assume Cate Zone to be a simple dime a dozen Chinese takeout, however don't be fooled. Upon entry, one will be greeted by friendly and attentive staff and see a slew of patrons enjoying traditional cuisine in a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The quality of the food is fantastic and the spice and seasonings of the provided dishes are consistent, and really showcase the cuisinier here care about the culinary tastes of their dishes. Perfect for a lunch date or small dinner with the family. Plan for a wait during peak hours due to patron volumes, however the food and experience are truly worth a wait.

Was craving authentic Chinese food and Cate Zone delivered! For two people, we were seated quickly on Sunday evening, but soon after the restaurant filled up. It's a small space! We ordered the Eggplant on Sizzling Plate and the Hot Crisp Fish. The food came out quickly, hot, and in large portions. We ended up packing leftovers which made for a delicious nighttime snack. The eggplant was lightly fried and came with a salty sauce. It was delicious even though I am a fan of sweeter sauces. The fish was my personal favorite. It sits in a bed of hot chilis and the flavor has been infused in the fried batter. Overall, I highly recommend Cate Zone and will be back to try more!

I've heard so much about Cate Zone from friends and it really did live up to hype! I got take out and worried how the fried food would fare, but it was still crispy when we got home. I loved the Hot Crisp fish which seems to be one of their most popular dishes. The eggplant was mild and had an underwhelming sauce. Both dishes seemed to be fried in a tempura-like batter which gave it a nice texture. Inside, it was very cramped/crowded, but luckily our carryout was ready faster than they estimated which was a nice surprise. I can't wait to go back to Cate Zone and try out their other dishes!

Not as good as before covid, it's lacking taste and a little bland. But still like to come in from time to time. They have something special that nowhere else have and it's reminding me of home. The mala pot is something I always go for. The tofu is good and the clear noodle is very good.! Do recommend if you haven't tried this place!

I always came to this location in University City for their Malatang (mala hot pot) which is charged based on the food weight (about $15 per lb). There is a small hotpot section next to the drink fridge. Basically, you can pick whatever topping you like (veggies/noodles/proteins), add in your own bowl, give it to the lady to weight and they will cook for you. It's always the best!!!! If you like the numbing spicy sensation - this malatang is for you. This place is quite small, so you will feel like you're seating too close to other people but their food is amazing. You won't be disappointed. They are always packed no matter what time of the day. There were 3 parties ahead of us when we arrived at 6pm on weekdays. I put my name down and sat outside waiting. We got a table after 30 minutes or so. Food and service here has been never failed me so I don't mind to wait. Portions are generous to share and reasonable prices. Besides the malatang, we also ordered sweet and sour fish, and lamb skewers on the menu. Everything was tasty and food came out pretty quickly after ordering.

My granddaughter, Kelsie, and I stopped at Cate Zone Cafe for an early dinner. We had the Sweet and Sour Pork, Glass Noodles with Pork and Won Ton Soup. The Sweet and Sour Pork was off the chart! I wouldn't ordinarily order Sweet and Sour Pork because it reminds me of the Americanized version of a sweet, sticky saucy thing. This was crispy and lightly sauced...super delicious! I liked the glass noodles, but not the Won Ton Soup so much. It had some seaweed in it which didn't match with my mind's memory of what Won Ton Soup would be. So many things on the menu that I would like to try. The service was great and the ambiance was good.

Wonderful Chinese food! Totally worth our 45 min wait time on a friday. There are chairs outside so waiting is more comfortable. This place is in a strip mall, there are plenty of options to spend time while waiting. Place is small. Portions are generous. We ordered fried chicken - was so fresh and tender. Cabbage glass noodle is tangy and umami. Fried rice - on fire! And delicious Malatang: There is a food bar to see and pick its ingredients. Everything was clean and healthy looking. We wanted different spice levels for each Malatang, and the staff made it happen, it has met our expectations.

I recently moved from Houston to STL for my job, and let me tell you, I've been on the hunt for a good Sichuan restaurant in the city. Well, I finally found it! This place checks all the boxes for me. The vibe is homely, and the staff is quick to serve. Now, let's talk about the food. For appetizers, we ordered fried chicken wings - crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Then came the crispy fish, which was cooked to perfection. The Chengu fried chicken was the highlight of the meal, and the Sichuan tofu was a delicious vegetarian option. The entree options are enormous, and I guarantee they'll fill your hungry stomach and make you content afterward. This place is my new go-to spot, and I'll be coming here more often. Trust me, if you're a fan of Sichuan cuisine, you won't be disappointed. Get your taste buds ready and head over to this fantastic Sichuan restaurant!

Delicious food! The fried spicy fish is a must try!! Loved the stir fry (large portion that reheats well). Bok choy was tasty too. I believe it had a garlic sauce to it. We got there early on a weekday so had no issue parking or being sat in a timely manner. The restaurant is pretty small and did fill up quickly so that's something to keep in mind. The staff was attentive and everything came out quickly. Overall great experience and will be back!

The ratings are true -- Cate Zone has been the best Asian food I've had in the city so far. It's a small cafe-esque restaurant on Olive that can be easy to miss if you're just driving by. There's a decent amount of parking out front. There's a medium amount of seating, and service is very efficient. Food came out quickly, and my partner noticed that orders were perhaps brought out based on age instead of first-come-first-serve (we arrived/ordered ~10 minutes before some elders and they got their meal about 5 minutes before we did). I'm not even mad; it feels like a respectable tradition to me, if that was truly the case. Food is intended to be shared family style. You order entrees and such, and they bring out a large communal bowl of rice. We ordered the Hot crispy fish and Cumin lamb. Serving sizes of the protein dishes were very generous (we're anticipating leftovers for 3+ meals). The fish was perfectly crispy and seasoned, although reheating it has affirmed that it's more tempura than fish (would still order again). The cumin lamb felt surprisingly pretty lean and not very greasy/fatty. I love a good la spice but am sensitive about the ma; the ma-la spice combo was so mild and steady that I genuinely enjoyed the dish. They seemed to cut a lot of their skewer dishes toward the end of the menu, but it's still a pretty lengthy menu that's got all the Szechuan classics. Prices are so, so fair considering how much food there was. Cate Zone did not disappoint; I'll definitely be back!