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Joe's Shanghai
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
13621 37th AveFlushing, NY 11354
Neighborhoods: Downtown Flushing, Flushing
(718) 539-3838
- Nearest Transit:
-
Flushing - Main St (7, 7X)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Orchid L. said: "This place has the best soup dumplings in the area, in my opinion. Grand Sichuan on St. Marks used to be my go to until their food just went south on quality about a year ago. Anyway, the soup dumplings here are delicious. The skin is…" read more »
358 reviews for Joe's Shanghai
Review Highlights
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"But I'm now a total convert to Joe's soup dumplings." In 174 reviews -
"Best pork and crabmeat xiao long bao on this coast." In 49 reviews -
"Chicken and pan fried noodles is a favorite among many." In 22 reviews
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358 reviews in English
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Review from Minions W.
Bridgewater, NJ
5/5/2012
Here comes the pig, here comes the pig.....
This is a joint of rare joy, favored by shanghainese folks and any who have savored the soup dumplings of shanghai.
Whenever we sojourn to the borough, we drop by.
Mind you, this is not a gps friendly address, so wayfarers may have a challenge to find it, but once you do...... :)
OK, the joint is tight, cliche and kitcsh, but who gives a crap?
You battle the crowded door to get in and get o the list, find a place to stew for a while and sooner or later your group gets sat.
Usually you will be in view of the giant koi tank, or along the waiters primary path to the kitchen...dont sweat it, there isnt a private seat in the joint, and you will get used to it.
There is a din here, a low roar of chinese all speaking over each other and amatuers speaking over them to hear themselves, but there is an underlying sound structure.......sluuuuuuurp
Now this place is fine for moderate size groups up to about 8-10 and perfect for 2-4s.
Bigger than that I suggest you call ahead and plan to wait a looooong time.
This is not the type of place that caters to vegetarians, and if your vegan, do not bother the carnivores, simple quit yer bitchin and go graze in a park.
The point of the joint is soup dumplings.
No not dumplings in soup, stupid, soup dumplings...they are dumplings filled with incredibly savory soup and meat juices that one needs to skillfully extract from the dumpling without scalding ones-self.
...this delicate operation must be done while they are hot, or the dumplings will soon stick to the bamboo steamer, tearing open on extraction, loosing the precious solution....thus defeating the entire purpose of eating these exquisite morsels of oral delight.
Yeah yeah, there is other food their, and amateurs dine of the shanghia-esgue dishes, which are nice sized portions.
But to be best off, come with someone who reads chinese or at least speaks mandarin (or better off ... shanghainese)
The bill is reasonable, the dumplings to kill for and worth the entertainment value just to watch nubies.
This pig says ramble forth and belly up to the trough....you dont get gourmand slop like this just anywhere
...well not for at least not for 13000 miles.
GP
5 soup slathered oinks
Glutinous Pig
aka Corey from Minions Web -
Review from Albert A.
Flushing, NY
5/15/2012
These guys used to be the go-to place for Shanghai Cuisine
Sadly, it appears they have outsourced wayyy too much talent to their manhattan branches considering I just recently ate at the branch in midtown -
Review from Sasha B.
5/13/2012
OK, agreed - the soup dumplings are awesome, but that's it.
The rest of the food was average chinese food. the service was average and its cash only.
If I came back, i'd just come for a snack of ONLY soup dumplings. everything else is way overpriced for chinatown and not great. -
Review from Thomas A.
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good soup dumplings, but the place is busy busy busy. I mean it's definitely less crowded than the Chinatown location, but you still have to wait.
Right when you seat, they ask if you want any soup dumplings, so they can get that order into the window asap.
The crab soup dumplings and the pork were really good. I mean to be honest i prefer the pork one more than the crab one, esp since its slightly cheaper. I just felt like it was juicier too.
We also shared some spicy tofu with beef tendons. It was okay. It def had some heat.
Also got the shredded pork with pickled cabbage noodle soup. The noodles soaked up all the broth, so it wasn't that great. The dish was just too much noodles, not enough of the pork pickled cabbage. It tasted too 1 dimensional.
Also when you eat, you feel like everyone is staring at you esp the ppl that are waiting to be seated. You almost feel obligated to rush through your meal.
FYI - Cash only -
Review from Lily C.
Pasadena, CA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pork dumplings at Joe's vs Din Tai Fun.... Hard choice... The dumplings are larger at Joe's and therefore more juicy... But they're so larger that they don't fit well on the spoon - losing much of the precious juice... Din Tai Fun's dumplings are smaller and just as tasty but fit on the spoon lessening the heartache that accompanies every morsel of juice lost.
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Review from M C.
Elmhurst, NY
5/19/2012
Best crab and pork soup dumpling in New York! Even better than the sister restuarant in Chinatow!
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Review from Noel O.
4/25/2012
I was up visiting friends in New York when the dad says, "Hey, you ever been to Joe's Shanghai restaurant?" Not being from New York, I found it rather random that this man would assume I'd been to some even more random restaurant in Queens, but after having my first Joe's experience I can understand why he'd think I had already checked this place out. Before I go any further, let me just say: hot and sour soup filled dumplings!
I let my friend's dad do all the ordering because he's obviously been to this place MANY times. We get dumplings, sesame chicken, some sort of Joe's noodle dish, and some exquisitely garlic infused, stir fried green beans. Oh yeah, and some salt and peppered shrimp that were to die for! Each order comes out of the kitchen once it's ready, and as each plate came to our table my belly got more full and I thought to myself, "I don't really need anything more." But once you popped any morsel of a dish into your mouth, holy mother of God was it good! All of it!
While this neighborhood that was once Jewish has become a haven for the Chinese/Asian community, there are plenty of other places to try right along the same street. Even knowing that, Joe's Shanghai is often packed to the point of people waiting are overflowing out onto the sidewalk. One great thing to do while you're waiting for your table is to walk across the street to the Asian grocery store. I guarantee that you'll see produce in there that you've never seen before!
Although this review didn't really focus on the food as much as the experience, what I really remember from this whole thing was being completely filled with amazing food that I couldn't stop eating in the end. So what I'm saying is don't worry so much about what you order (you absolutely need to get an order of the dumplings), but enjoy the whole people watching/food eating good time that you're bound to have! -
Review from Chris K.
Flushing, NY
The dumplings were on point
The crispy jumbo prawns were good
We decided to be wild and tried the braised pork shoulder. It had an off-putting smell to it. I doused every piece of shoulder in hot oil to make it palatable. I don't like to waste food so I ate the whole shoulder, pretty much by myself because no one else liked the dish. I think Joe should leave the art of cooking pork shoulder to Latinos and BBQ pit masters. On the upside- it was a big chunk of protein that my body needed after a strenuous workout session.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2011
The soup dumplings are always good but the rest of the food isn't at all spectacular. My favorite… Read more »
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Review from Johnny W.
New York, NY
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I give up... aside from the soup dumplings, every other dish here is overly greasy and unremarkable.
But yes, this means that I've come back enough times to order damn near everything on the menu, including the desserts, to go with those xiao long bao...
So in short, come for the XLB, don't bother with the rest. -
Review from Karissa T.
Queens, NY
4/4/2012
I would give this place 5 stars because of the pork soup dumplings but these people are racist!!! Every single time I go here they treat us like crap!!! I'm never going here again! Go to the Manhattan location, guaranteed you won't get treated like crap!!! I always spend over $40 here and I don't need an attitude from these rude people. Hey owners if you're reading this, hire new staff and I already told everyone I know to stay away from this place. You just lost your best customers idiots!!!
And scratch the cash rule, this is the 21st century & everyone uses credit!!! Get with the flow idiots!!!
LET'S NOT FORGET HOW THEY ADD GRATUITY & SERVICE TO YOUR BILL WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN DESERVE A TIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Andrew S.
4/6/2012 3 photos
The original Joe's, huh? This is where the legend of Joe's great Xiao Long Bao was born, huh? All the rave, huh? These may all be true and it may have been or to some people but not when I tried them. I was just in the area and decided to try an order of the legendary Xiao Long Baos in it's birth place that is because I had already been to the Chinatown location in 2010. I thought back then that in the Chinatown location the XLBs and noodles were very good and were pretty much the same trying them again at this location, well at least the XLBs... nothing special.
Though it didn't live up to expectation, the Pork Xiao Long Baos were hot and filling. They were good and delicious. The soup inside had flavor but there wasn't a wow factor. The meat inside was average. The dough chewy and not light, it was kind of on the heavy side.
In the Chinatown location back in 2010 there were 10-15 groups lined out the door, not sure if still the same in the Chinatown location but on a Thursday at 4:45pm this Flushing location had no line and a few empty seats.
Joe you did not live up to the hype, twice. -
Review from Ryan D.
Kew Gardens, NY
5/21/2012
I love this place! Soup dumplings are great, beef is so tender and flavorful, and the fried rice is awsome! Waiter service is good. If you don't use chopsticks, they give you a tool to help you use them. I would have given them 5 stars, but they don't accept credit card which is a bummer. Sanitary measures are A-Ok . Long wait but is worth the treat.
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Review from Gregory K.
Northridge, CA
4/12/2012
WHY SO THICK-SKINNED?!?!?
Soup dumplings (xiaolongbao) are one of the most celebrated foods in any Authentic Chinese Cuisine. If anyone knows real Chinese food, it's all about the soup dumpling. If u don't know how to eat a soup dumpling...BE WARNED. They're like explosive souped up bombs that could sear through ur gums.
-all you have to do is simply bite, drain the soup in a spoon, and enjoy!
However, this being my first time at Joe's Shanghai, I was "SOUPED" (pun unintended) to try it out. But when the soup dumplings came out and i bit my first one...THE SKIN WAS MAD THICK FOR A SOUP DUMPLING (lolol...see the pun i made there and how it relates to the first couple words I started this review with?).
-okay, i'm just being stupid now.
But in short, Thick skinned dumplings are kind of far off from the more authentic shanghai soup dumpling, but the soup was plentiful and bomb as any soup could ever be. -
Review from Trisha W.
5/1/2012
SHAO LONG BOW aka SOUP DUMPLINGS. My sister and I went on yelp and found the crab pork shao long bows to be a huge hit, everyone on yelp was raving about it. It is pretty amazing, they make it perfectly so that the soup dumpling explodes with flavors in your mouth. It's worth a try and wow, I could probably get an order just for myself, but it is hefty for two! Cheers
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Review from Jenni L.
Los Angeles, CA
4/2/2012
3.5 stars.
The most memorable part of the meal was the Shanghai fried flat noodles. The dish was full of flavor, had a generous portion of veggies along with the house made noodles. So good.
The crab meat & pork meat steamed buns were, as fellow Yelpers suggested, bursting with thick soup / juice. The crab meat tasted fresh- no seafood aftertaste.
The dry bean curd were julienned along with bell peppers. Healthy. Savory.
Scallion pancakes were extremely greasy on the bottoms, the parts touching the plate. The tops were crispy and had nice texture. Not a fan of the grease.
Pork fried dumplings were just okay. A bit on the dry side. Very greasy.
If I could have a do-over, I'd come here for the Shanghai fried noodles, only. Well, maybe I'd try the entrees or soups. -
Review from Mabel W.
If you ever stop by joe's shanghai, you must get their soup dumplings. Essentially, they are like little gems filled with a steaming hot seasoned broth and meat inside a chewy translucent, delicate bun.
It is very easy to lose all the "soup" inside so the trick is to nibble a little hole and suck some of the broth first. You can then proceed to insert some of that vinegar sauce they provide you with.
Order it as soon as you sit down so you can enjoy it while you're deciding what other yummies to get. They usually have it out for you within minutes because they are constantly making it. -
Review from Min K.
Manhattan, NY
3/25/2012
*disclaimer: i don't like chinese food so my review for this place may be biased
CASH ONLY and they already add tax and 15% gratuity to your bill.
i've heard about this place from many people and finally tried it out.
the place is really packed (as expected).
you have to go in, get a ticket with a number on it, and wait for a bit.
the two of us went around 7pm on a saturday night. i think we waited about 30 minutes.. maybe more.
we ordered pork soup dumplings. almost every table had these babies on their tables. it was pretty yummy :D
we also got chicken rice cakes. it was a bit too greasy for me so i didn't really eat much of it.
we also ordered the bean curd which was ok. it supposed to be spicy but i didn't really taste the spicy part.
service was pretty quick and the staff was responsive.
probably will just stick to soup dumplings if i go again. -
Review from Charles E.
Greenvale, NY
2/24/2012
OMG! Why haven't I eaten these sooner!!!!.I don't give out 5 stars lightly but the dumplings get 5 stars.
I saw the reviews for the soup dumplings for this place and never had one so it sounded like it was time for a trip to Flushing.
We were seated the waiter came over and asked how many portions of dumplings we wanted knowing full well why we were there. Luckily we were able to watch the people next to us eat them first so when our's arrived we were already experts.
It's the next day and as I'm writing this review my tongue is still burnt from the scalding liquid in the dumplings but I don't mind. I'm already thinking about when I'm going back.
I honestly think the name under-serves the actual food. It's not soup in the dumpling but a rich almost gravy.type of liquid. The dumpling filled with a small nugget of pork.
We followed up with the scallion pancakes and Prawns and scallops with black bean sauce. While we were eating we noticed everyone around us ordering noodle dishes. I'm already planning a return shortly. for more dumplings.
FYI, I noticed many people complaining in their reviews about parking in the area. Right up the block from Joe's on 37th ave and behind the stores on Main st was a huge municipal parking lot with Muni meters and parked for a dollar and hour. Park and go explore the area. -
Review from karen T.
Flushing, NY
3/4/2012
I live in Flushing. Chinese food is what we do here. And yet, I've avoided Joe's Shanghai for a long time because, well, it was "on the list." You know what I mean. A restaurant that gets good reviews by white people who are afraid of eating in places that have unpronounceable items on the menu. Me, I'm one of those adventurous "if I don't know what it is, I'll point at it and try it anyway" kind of people. Besides, the line to get seated is usually huge.
But my roommate had a jones for soup dumplings, and Joe's was on the way home, so we stopped in to order take out. Soup dumplings, low main, cashew chicken - you know, the basics in comfort food on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Yum!
Yes, it was wonderful. The dumplings themselves are wonderful, the soup and meat filling flavorful even before the drop of vinegar soy sauce. The low mein noodles were tender and not starchy, nicely seasoned with hefty bits of chicken. And the chicken cashew was exactly what you want when you order such a dish: corn starch sweet and tender chicken.
I'll stop avoiding Shanghai Joe's when I have an appetite - provided the line is short enough, of course! -
Review from Ryan M.
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
The only thing that I can review about this place is the SOUP DUMPLINGS and scallion pancakes.
First of all, I prefer the pork over the crab soup dumplings.
The most fun thing about them is that my friends make a game out of the "technique" required to eat soup dumplings. You use the tongs to carefully select your poison. Then you have to be careful biting a little bit of the top of the dumpling. Then drink the soup, but BE CAREFUL not to burn your tongue! Then after you drink the soup, EAT UP! =)
I do not like scallions, but the scallion pancakes are so good. I don't know what is in it or much anything about it other than the fact that it got me to eat scallions and enjoy it.
At the flushing location, when they come to take your order they already assume and say, "You want soup dumpling?!" HAHAHA.
#foodcrew -
Review from Yan S.
FOREST HILLS, NY
5/14/2012
My family has been this restaurant for about 8 times, every time we ordered soup dumplings, the quality varies, and it is getting worse each time. We went there 2 days ago, many of the dumplings got stuck at the container, the skin broke, and soup came out, thus we ended up eating may soup dumplings without soup.
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Review from Yvonne L.
OZONE PARK, NY
4/18/2012
Known for their soup dumplings--and not much else, Joe's is great for their pork soup dumplings (Warning: They are extremely hot when they first get to the table) but the rest of the menu is a subpar mashup of traditional Chinese specialties and American-Chinese items like fried rice and sesame chicken. If you're looking for a quick meal, the service is definitely quick, and you can't complain about the prices either. Keep in mind that it's cash only payment though.
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Review from Nicole D.
New York, NY
1/7/2012
This place has more than just soup dumplings they also have regular chinese food compare to nan xiang dumpling house.
They have long waiting lines. By the time you get seated you could've been eating already in xiang dumpling house. eeeh i wouldn't waste my time -
Review from Jan D.
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
These dumplings with soup in them are bomb!!
I never ever knew that this even existed, but it is a pretty awesome concept. It is like eating a dumpling/wonton soup with the soup on the inside of the dumpling/wonton. AMAZING CONCEPT.. and it works!
This place is a must try!! -
Review from Yann P.
3/27/2012
This place i think has the best CRAB pork buns, and their shrimp chicken fried rice is really delicious. But that is about it, just go for the crab pork buns and the chicken friend rice and maybe the gluten cold dish. Remember they are cash only and don't forget the tip is included already.
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Review from Charles V.
Glen Head, NY
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hey everyone look at all the pictures of soup dumplings!!! This place is excellent and eating at your own table is priceless!
Here is my personal ordering selection when I am here:
2 orders pork soup dumpligs with hot oil on the side.
1 braised bone in pork shank(excellent)
1 order baby bok choy in garlic and oil
1 order jar jar mingh(spicy thick noodles of goodness)
and if the table is hungry a order of tso chicken.
This will feed 4 people easily and cost you 50 bucks! I also order soup dumplings to go for lunch sometimes, always excellent! -
Review from Lily C.
Brooklyn, NY
3/5/2012
Freakin Awesome soup dumplings!!!!!!! I cant enough of them. you know it's damn good if that's all that's all i care about when coming to a resturant full of other goodies.
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Review from Minhan S.
12/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
If you want real Chinese food, then come here!
No more Chinese takeout, ok?
This place has good Chinese food. Especially I love their soup dumplings and rice cake dishes. :)
But be careful: the wait is long on Friday night. and it's very crowded. -
Review from Chris M.
1/10/2012
I have been to ding tai fung. In comparison, I would take joe shanghai over it.
As a native Shanghainese person, I take pride in the soup dumplings. After all, it is our city that invented and perfected them.
The soup here is just fatty enough to be savory and not too fatty where you feel like throwing up.
The first dumplings the hardest - without fail, everytime I come here, I get over antsy and refuse to wait for the dumplings to cool down. Definitely pay the price over the next few days because I have first degree burns on the roof of my mouth and canker sores on my tongue. Good times.
Happy eating, suckers -
Review from Alice L.
1/10/2012
Joe's Shanghai is the #1 place for Soup Dumplings IF you want to be seated in under an hour, else go to Nan Xiang Dumpling House - They've got THEE best Soup Dumplings.
Another must get is the Crispy Chow Mein and the Rice Cakes (with the green veggies). The scallion pancakes I had were still raw in the middle on one batch.
Even thought I prefer the beef to the crabmeat soup dumplings, the crabmeat ones here are actually very good. -
Review from Michael L.
Decatur, GA
12/15/2011
So I've got a special place in my heart for this spot....because it was where I asked for permission from my now in-laws to marry my wife about 4+ years ago (while she went to the ladies' room). :)
We managed to make a trip back to NYC, and would NOT be denied a trip to this place...as the first stop of our afternoon of eating with several good friends.
Our party of 5 only had 1 order of the normal XLB, and another order of the crabmeat XLB.
The XLBs in general weren't as big as I remembered, and didn't have as much broth as they used to, though there is still plenty of it, and the flavor was good as usual.
The texture of the skin was spot on- not too thick, not too thin, and was strong- I don't think any of us managed to prematurely pop any of them.
We were told that we had to wait "20 minutes" when we came in, but we literally waited for 2. And this was on a Saturday at about 1:30 PM.
Stop whining about the wait, folks. :) -
Review from Marion D.
Albertson, NY
3/22/2012
Great service! Yummy soup dumplings - can't wait to go back!
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Review from Yippy S.
Manhattan, NY
12/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Everything here sucks other than their soup dumplings.
I like some of the waiters, the wait is always so long since there are so many tourists or "foodies" -
Review from Jim T.
ASTORIA, NY
4/30/2012
Can't go wrong here. Really some of the best Chinese cuisine ever!! Seriously! I dare you to find a better place...Loses one point for decor and somewhat "rude" service. Again, worth putting up with.
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Review from Winifred X.
Santa Clara, CA
11/1/2011
I LOVE the food here, especially their famed XLB!
minus one star for having your typical Chinese service == rude and none-existent, but hey, you are at a busy Chinese shop in Flushing, what do you expect!
I will definitely revisit every chance I get when I go back to NYC. =D -
Review from Diana S.
10/19/2011
I think this Joe's Shanghai location is the best one! There is usually little/minimal wait and the food just tastes fresher. When I come I always get the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). The pork ones are okay, but I think the crabmeat ones are way juicier and tastier! When you sit down, they'll usually ask you to order the soup dumplings first because it takes a while to steam. When I go, we usually order about 5 tiers for 4 people, although I can probably eat an entire order myself.
There is a trick in making sure you don't lose any of the juices, because that's the best part! First pick it up with the tongs towards the top part of the dumpling where all the creases are, this is the sturdiest part of the dumpling. Then put it sideways on your spoon and take a small bite to create an opening. Suck the delicious juices and then consume.
If you're feeling a little adventurous, they also offer a drunken crab dish (although sometimes they don't have it!). This is basically raw crab marinated in some sort of alcohol and soy sauce. It's really something pretty interesting that I've never had elsewhere!
Even though the Flushing location is pretty far - 30/45mins on the 7 train or 15mins on the LIRR, I think it's always worth the trek!Listed in: Miso Into You, Nihao
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Review from Julianne M.
Bellerose, NY
12/29/2011
This place has decent Chinese food. But, what I usually come here for is the soup dumplings. They're good (:
however, expect a long wait (especially at night), and they already include the 15% tip on the bill. -
Review from Gabriel H.
Manhattan, NY
2/20/2012
My personal favorite Chinese Restaurant in the city. The Soup Dumplings are one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Many other delicious options as well.
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Review from Leslie Y.
11/1/2011
If star rating could go higher, this would be the place to receive it.....
For our brief visit, we ate here almost everyday, sometimes twice....
Crab dumplings and their regular xiao lung bao are absolutely the best, no where in the bay area can compare...........
Shangahi noodles, very good.....
Drunken crabs, awesome, it was a first time for me.....
Red bean paste pastry, very good....
Service was impeccable.....with that said, if all chinese restaurants were run like this....we would have a better reputation ....
Tax and gratuities are added on each check....well worth it..... -
Review from Christie K.
11/18/2011
Back in it's hey day (hmm... in the 90's?), this place would've received 5 stars because it was one of the only places to have xiao long bao's. I haven't been back to the restaurant in donkeys years and realize that it has frozen a bit in time and felt like I was walking into a place in the 90's. Still good and cheap food but definitely can find other places in flushing that can offer better food.
Def go for the crab & pork ones.
