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Peking Duck House
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
236 E 53rd StNew York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 759-8260
Announcement
Chinese New Year Special! Enjoy a 8 course delicious menu to rein in the New Year with your friends. $62.88 per person (min. 2 )Feb.2-Feb.8
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lexington Av/53 St (E, M)
51 St (4, 6, 6X)
59 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
102 reviews for Peking Duck House
Review Highlights
"...preparation in the pancake with cucumber and hoisin sauce."
(in 11 reviews)
"Grand Marnier Prawns and Crispy Sea Bass are really good."
(in 4 reviews)
"Nice crispy skin and loads of flavor."
(in 9 reviews)
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Ferdinand H.
Cleveland, OH
1/25/2012
For me, the only thing worse than reviewing steakhouses is reviewing Chinese food. With Japanese food, there are very distinct standards - and freshness is so critical, that you can write off restaurants that do not adhere to this.
Steakhouses are hard, because steak is, in some ways, standard - and yet, so much is variable beyond quality, and yet it feels like a cop-out, because good, decent and great may not be very empirically different.
Chinese is tough for another reason - with occasionally limited availability, a diversity in standards due to differences in the region of origin, the same dish may be interpreted in equally valid but different ways. Moreover, given that I'm in asia eating Chinese so very often, I get confused on how I should rate chinese restaurants...
At the end of 2011, I had one of the most superlative Peking Duck experiences in Sing Ye at the W Hong Kong. While a bit pricier than fare out on the streets of HK, that duck was ... stupefying.
So, how do I compare that duck to this duck?
You can't.
Different duck, different traditions, sauces and wrappings...
I miss that duck.
I liked this duck. It was good, and the skin was crisp. The ducks of Long Island are meaty - and the flavour and heft reflect this. I would prefer more fat in the skin, and more crispness... I'd prefer a slightly thinner wrapper.
I'd like fruit in my Hoisin.
You get the picture.
Still, despite all the niggles, it's one of the better Peking Ducks I've had in the US. The wait on the Saturday preceding Chinese New Year was impressive - but fortunately, the management squeezed us in rather promptly.
Yum. -
Review from Cindy C.
New York, NY
1/27/2012
More like 3.5-4
Peking duck was pretty for NY standards, not the real authentic kind you'll find in China but this will do. BUT what bugs me is the additional fee for duck soup!!!???
Are you kidding me? I love the milky soup, it makes perfect sense to serve soup from all the bones! that's how it's traditionally done! not to mention all the meat still left on the duck, how about a stir fry?
Their homemade wrapper/pancake was pretty chewy and good, this is the kind of pancake served in Beijing and not it's not a flour tortilla, this has a pull and chew, served pipping hot.
But charging for duck soup?? seriously? that's crazy! it should be a must.
For full review and photos please visit my blog. -
Review from Elle P.
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
When we're both busy, I ask to have lunch. I find that it's easier for us to squeeze in a little time in the middle of day. I left it to him to find a lunch spot for us. Days ticked passed and still no word from him. On the day of, I woke up slightly grumpy thinking that he had forgotten all about me and our plans. But after breakfast, he sent a missive indicating "Peking Duck house @noon."
Peking Duck House is a throwback to a much earlier era when ill-fitted tuxedoed waiters connoted class and sophistication and this type of cuisine would have been considered exciting and exotic. Seen with modern eyes, the restaurant, although clean and the staff pleasant and accommodating, is sadly dated looking, but the delicious food make up for the 50s atmosphere of "Oriental exotic."
We ordered the Peking Duck for Two. As we idly chatted and sipped our tea, we overheard a conversation between a hapless guy who was vainly trying to impress his rather picky date. The girl didn't eat neither carbs nor game meat. Both of us felt sorry for him as he was stuck with a girl who was determined to be a stick in the mud.
The Peking Duck arrives with a chef who expertly carves it in front of you. With a large chef's knife, he expertly slices off the meat from the entire duck. Then the tuxedoed waiter demonstrates how you should eat the duck. First the lay out the thin pancake, a smear of the hoisin sauce, a cucumber, a scallion, two pieces of duck meat, fold, and voila, you have yourself a duck wrap!
We contently ate our meal in silence for the first few minutes. The meat was juicy and flavorful, while the skin was crispy because most of the fat had been rendered out. I find that duck can be a little too fatty and heavy for me (along with the sauce), so I like the balance a fresh and bright cucumber brings.
We didn't order anything else, as the Peking Duck for Two is more than plenty. Although we tried our best, we couldn't quite finish all of the duck.
As we were getting ready to leave, he asked me, "Do you like this place?"
"Yeah, the food was really good. Really great duck."
"Good. I was worried."
I was puzzled. "Why?" I asked.
He shrugged and finally answered while looking out at a distance, "I don't know. When I get lunch, I usually go to a deli and get a sandwich. But I wanted something nice for you. I really had to think hard about this."
Ah, so that was why I hadn't heard from him. Sometimes silence means more than words or as Ronan Keating puts it, "You say it best when you say nothing at all." -
Review from Eileen J.
Paramus, NJ
12/21/2011
Came here for lunch with my dad and some of his co-workers today. This definitely isn't your run of the mill Chinatown/flushing Chinese restaurant. Peking Duck House is more of a formal atmosphere with the best service I've seen in a Chinese place in the city thus far. Most of their patrons were not Chinese but surprisingly they still had alright authentic Chinese food.
Food wise, the peking duck is the star of the show. Unlike most places that I've been to in Chinatown and Flushing, the chef comes out to the table and slices a full roasted duck in front of you. What gets better is that the servers wrap each peking duck piece and the filling in the traditional pancake wrap for you! Not just the first one but everyone after. After I finished eating one, the waiter would bring another to my plate fully wrapped and ready for devouring. Same with the appetizers, they put each piece on your plate for you which at first struck me as odd but I got use to it.
I enjoyed eating here but because its priced higher than the usual chinatown places, it won't become a new "usual" spot. But I would def. come back for some good peking duck though! -
Review from Ut T.
Boston, MA
11/21/2011
Nice place in the middle of chinatown. The atmosphere was welcoming, more on the mainstream setting than a chinatown-esqe hole. Very pricey for a so-so duck. It was a cool experience to see them bring the duck out and show it to you before they carve it, kinda like a wine selection. I wonder if anyone has refused a duck!?. Anyway, they then carve it in front of you and serve with cucs and scallions. There is a lot of waste on the duck, but they will not give it to you with the meat. They will however, let you take it to-go. Maybe the site of sucking on bones is not what they want to convey to other diners. Well, the meat was good, but the duck in all, was lacking flavor. Not worth the money to say the least.
After the duck, had eggplant and fried rice to finish off the meal. Portions were good, but this place used mucho MSD. Everyone got a headache immediately after stepping out of the restaurant.
I'll say its a good touristy spot, but if you just want duck, go pick one up from a window. -
Review from Eric L.
Manhattan, NY
1/1/2012
Stopped in here with the family, extremely hungry, and had a great meal. We all did the Peking Duck Dinner (for 6) and all started off with the duck soup which was tasty. We then had the appetizers and the dumplings and beef were VERY tasty! The duck was cooked to perfection and paired with General Tso's chicken, sliced beef w/ scallions, fried prawns in a chilli sauce, and sweet and sour pork. All were very tasty and to top off the meal,the little fried banana and walnut at the end was a great way to end the meal. Will definitely be back in the future
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Review from Meri S.
New York, NY
11/22/2011
Finally - good Chinese food in Manhattan. I've been searching so long!
The Peking Duck was AMAZING. And the crispy beef and spicy shrimp was pretty darn good as well. My experience with Chinese food here is usually disappointing - Either too greasy or too dry but I was really pleased. -
Review from Dominic E.
New York, NY
12/29/2011 1 photo
Peking Duck House has THE best Peking duck in the city. This location has the quality of the Chinatown location, without the rudeness. In fact, the service is impeccable. To be fair, it is more expensive than their downtown counterpart, but to this reviewer, it is well worth it. (And I live downtown)
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Review from Cin L.
Manhattan, NY
12/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can only afford this place once every other month but it's always a treat. And always service with a smile.
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Review from Kevin W.
10/23/2011
Peking duck is always pricey, so expect to spend about $40 per person.
Duck was very good, crispy skin with good meat with some fatty goodness. Not sure if it was the best Peking duck i've ever had tho - can't remember the last time I had it.
Service was good - he carved the duck for us and made the wraps.
If you request, I believe at the end they will bring the remains of the duck for you to gnaw at the meat and bones.
Other dishes were nothing special - General Tsou's and Spicy Prawns tasted the same, same sauce and same fried flavor. (Frankly, I prefer Panda express's General Tsou's - but then again I really like Panda Express's General Tsou's.) Chinese broccoli was good.
I like the semi-private room they put us in. Allowed us to be as loud and obnoxious as we wanted, and linger for as long as we wanted on a lazy Sunday afternoon. -
Review from David A.
New York, NY
12/20/2011
I made a reservation for 6:30pm, then called back and changed the reservation to 7:30pm with no problem. When I arrived around 7:40, I was told that it would be 10 more minutes. 10 minutes later, I asked whether our table was ready and the host began arguing that because I had changed my reservation, we were behind all the other 7:30 people.
It was as if they had created a ranking within the 7:30 reservations, rather than just spreading out the reservation times. The host was rude and we had no reservation (or a meaningless one), so we left. -
Review from Yuanchao Emily B.
New York, NY
9/6/2011
Here is the place just for duck. Don't try other entrees.
The service was not very good and the cutleries were very dirty as well.
It's was also expensive. We spent almost 200 dollars for 4 of us for the special duck dinner and one extra appetizer. -
Review from Mike F.
Manhattan, NY
12/13/2011
Its really good but expensive. I just get the duck and skip the entrees.
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Review from ODawg T.
Manhattan, NY
7/17/2011
The food was good. The service was OK. The servers are not friendly. They are professional and accommodating, just not friendly. The place looked very clean. I am a stickler for clean bathrooms in a restaurant and it was clean.
The duck tasted great! Its not a noisy place but not quiet either. If you want a private dinner then this is not the place to go. I though it was average in terms of price.
NYC Inspection Info: Note: The grade on the door when I went said B.
Grade: Pending Issued 05/05/11
Points: 27 as of 05/05/11
Sanitary Violations:
1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
4) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
5) Mechanical or natural ventilation system not provided, improperly installed, in disrepair and/or fails to prevent excessive build-up of grease, heat, steam condensation vapors, odors, smoke, and fumes.
http://www.nyc.gov/htm... -
Review from Alexandra C.
New York, NY
11/20/2011
I'm not at all an expert on duck, but I tried it and didn't like it. Others at the table said it was good, nobody seemed to rave about it but hey, we had about 8 other dishes at this party and not one of them impressed me. It was all just pretty decent Chinese food, but nothing I would ever return for.
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Review from Deirdre R.
Austin, TX
9/28/2011
Ok I'm not the best one to write a review on a Chinese restaurant. After all, it's one of my least favorite types of cuisines. But when one us called upon to dine at such a place for a business dinner, one goes and makes the best of it. The service was friendly and attentive. The decor was pleasant and the restaurant clean.
Bottom line: it truly is "all about the duck.". Well prepared with crispy skin, tender meat, wrapped in a pancake, decent sauce.
All other items on the menu were mediocre: both meat and vegetable dishes.
If the duck is all you want, then by all means... -
Review from Lizz K.
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
So it's glorified Chinese take out.. and there's nothing wrong with that. Americanized Chinese food deserves its place in this city as it's part of our culture and upbringing. Your favorites like pork dumplings, honey spare ribs, pepper steak, spring rolls, general tso's chicken, and salt pepper prawns are all here. Cooked wonderfully, without the excessive grease, without the salt overload, without the MSG, but with tons of flavor.
Excitement ensues and mouths start to drool when the waiter comes with the Peking Duck to slice up table side. My party is always fighting for the delicious, crispy skins though I don't mind getting stuck with the tender meaty pieces either. A pancake is used here instead of the traditional fluffy bun to wrap your goods. Although I wish the cucumbers and scallions were sliced more thinly, the large pieces do not hinder the tasty combination when wrapped together and topped with the hoisin sauce. The remaining duck parts are later brought out for us to delightfully gnaw on.
With the slightly upscale midtown location, cleanliness and friendly service, cost is obviously higher than your average take out joint. I could see how a party of two ordering a la carte can rack up a hefty bill. However every time I'm here with a decent sized group we order the Peking Duck dinner and leave happily stuffed without feeling at all sheisted. -
Review from Brian A.
New York, NY
6/4/2011
This place is extremely cool. We were wandering around midtown aimlessly after a few drinks and a day in Central Park--and just kind of randomly came.
The place does not look like much from the outside, but it's extremely cool and feels very authentic.
We got the duck and they bring it out with crepes and amazing sauce, it feels very cool because it's an entire process when you get the duck and the waitstaff are very professional.
I'd highly recommend this place for a fun date or family dinner--it's a unique slice of NYC, great value, and great food. -
Review from Elli A.
Livingston, NJ
9/29/2011
As others say, go for the duck! It is perfectly prepared and delicious. Forget the combo dinner. Get one duck for your table, plus one or two other dishes, and your bill for 4 should be under 50 a couple. We had the hot and sour soup - delicious - a noodle dish, which was good, if not spectacular. We also had the hot and spicy crispy whole fish. The fish was cooked perfectly but was neither hot nor spicy. The service was pleasant and the restaurant was very clean. We definitely recommend it if you want to eat in a nicer atmosphere than most of the Chinatown holes in the wall. Just don't forget to order the duck!
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Review from Lorenzo V.
New York, NY
9/23/2011
We went as a group to try out the duck, speciality of the house. It was very delicious, and I don't like very much Chinese food. Inside it seems an authentic place, with most Chinese guests.
Listed in: Midtown
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Review from G P.
Corona, NY
1/8/2011
Great Lunch Spot...
I Used to come here all the time w my office for lunch, now its just here & there because we moved out of the area.
great food, a lil pricey but worth it .. the duck is great only get if u have a big group otherwise skip it , its good but very greeasy. -
Review from Ozzy C.
New York, NY
9/11/2011
Best duck I've ever had. Our friends took us here for a group meal and it was fantastic. We actually took home leftovers because we were so full. We did order a lot but every single dish was absolutely the best. We ended up having the peking duck dinner which comes with soup and appetizers. In the end, we were stuffed beyond belief, but satisfied.
- Eggplant with garlic sauce and miced pork
- Shrimp in garlic sauce
-orange beef
- house special duck soup
-Duck comes with house-made pancakes, green scallions, fresh cucumbers and special sauce.
All I can say is that I hope I can go back soon. Anyone up for peking duck? -
Review from Jezzie X.
New York, NY
2/13/2011
At one point during dinner, we all looked at each other and wondered how we came to be the only Asian people in a room full of tourists and "foreigners"? We walk in, the line was stretching out the door and when we walked out it was the same. Obviously, this is a popular restaurant in Chinatown but as all well worn travellers know, just because a place is starred in Fodor's or recommended by Frommer's doesnt' mean that it is good. I know some places off the beaten path that serves just as good, if not better, Peking Duck. Sometimes the flair can camouflage the fact, and Peking Duck's way of preparing duck certainly has flair.
The star of every meal, the Peking Duck is first presented to the diners and then carved carefully by a chef? waiter? in a white uniform in front of the diners and brought carefully onto the table. It comes complete with a bowl of sauce and carefully cut small pieces of white onions and cucumbers along with a bowl of warm tortillas to wrap the duck in. This is all pretty standard. The Duck is marvelous, no doubt, and the sauce is very good with the tortillas being my favorite (thin, warm, chewy), but I fear the dish is vastly overpriced. Well, in a way you ARE paying for the hype...
The other dishes are also pretty passable. The xiaolongbao and the fried potstickers are great with lots of meat and thick skins, and the other traditional Chinese dishes are hit and miss with some good ones like a deliciously steamed Chilean sea bass but also some bad ones like sauteed egglant that reeks of frying oil.
I would definitely recommend making reservations for this restaurant on busy weekend nights but also be prepared to shell out some major dole. This is a good experience but not an authentic one by Chinatown standards. -
Review from Jessica L.
New York, NY
2/12/2011
This place is overrated. The duck is good, I'll give them that, but it's not crazy good and it didn't leave me wanting more. Everything else we ordered tasted the exact same - just different ingredients so I didn't feel like there was much variety.
Average, at best. -
Review from diane l.
1/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This location is pricier than the chinatown establishment. You're basically spending the money that you saved on the cab ride downtown.
The two none duck options we ordered (Orange Beef and Vegetable Fried Rice) were ok (not spectacular).
We opted to order two ducks ($48 each). Someone comes and carves the duck, there was a lot of meat still on the duck when they take it away to never be seen again (other places usually stir fry or make soup with it). The server prepares the duck table side with hoisan sauce, scallions and cucumbers wrapped in the thin wrapper. The duck was really tasty, they slice the meat in fairly big chunks.
They have a duck dinner for $33.50 a person. We didn't go this route because they only give one duck and increase the number of other dishes based on the size of the party. Probably only makes sense for a party of two or three. -
Review from Neil B.
12/8/2010
I have been to the Peking Duck House twice and had two different experiences with two different groups of friends.
The first time I went the Duck was delicious and the waiters courteous and almost friendly.
The second time I went the duck was a bit dry and the service slow and not very accommodating.
For what they charge, the Peking Duck House should be more consistent. -
Review from Shane H.
2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Crispy beef was excellent. The beef was fried and served on top of the sauce so it stayed crunchy. Very nice.
The duck is classically prepared the way Peking duck was meant to be prepared; inflated, with beak and feet, etc. The table side prep was nice too. I'm not sure I would have known how to slice it up like that so each piece had a bit of the skin on it.
The fried dumplings were crispy, too! And the fried rice wasn't the brown shriveled stuff you're expecting, though also delicious.
Very expensive for this Connecticut boy, but looking around the prices are average for the city. Service was professional but cold. -
Review from Laurence T.
Pearland, TX
8/2/2010
Some Chinese restaurant owners can't help but ruin a good thing. I came here several years ago with my family and some friends and it was a very memorable dining experience. At that time, the duck was succulent and perfectly cooked for a decent price. That's why I was really looking forward to coming back on this NY trip.
Unfortunately, our dining experience did not match the previous occasion. Several things were definitely off, mainly the duck. We ordered two ducks and the skin color was off and a bit too dark. Again, when it's like this, it tells me I am getting a duck that is a bit old. Sure enough, the duck meat was not succulent and the duck skin was not as crispy. It was a good duck but not like first one I had eaten. Worse and as several reviewers have stated, this restaurant no longer gives you the bone and the remaining duck in a soup. In other words, they leave quite a bit of meat still on the duck and they use it for their other dishes. For almost $50/duck, this is unacceptable. Also, they use the pancakes instead of the chinese buns. This is another example of them trying to save money. It's really a shame they had to ruin a good experience.
At this price point, there are other Chinese restaurants in the area where you can get a better dining experience for a much cheaper price. Unfortunately, if i go back to NY, I may not come back to this restaurant unless I'm really craving for an authentic peking duck.
As we were leaving, we went upstairs and saw a perfectly cooked, orange skinned duck. They must have used the older ducks for the earlier customers and used the newer ducks for the later customers. It brought back memories that on my first occasion, when we ended up eating after 8 and this time, we ate at 7. I don't go here enough to notice if they use the older ducks first and when they get to the 8-9 reservations, they use the fresher ducks. Too bad for us because it seemed like we arrived an hour too early.
If you're a tourist and non Asian, do not order anything else on the menu. This place only does duck well. We ordered two orders of wonton soup for our two young kids and it was probably the worse soup I've had in a very long time. The wontons were worse than the frozen ones you can get from the Asian supermarkets. Few Chinese restaurants can screw something like this up that much. Furthermore, do not order their $40/per person deal. It's a ripoff. If you come with a party of 4, order 1 duck and it should suffice and you won't feel like you've been ripped off.
I'm truly disappointed. I was hoping to end my trip on a high note and this meal missed the mark. -
Review from Elizabeth L.
New York, NY
6/14/2010
Okay, i admit that the Peking Duck here was way better than I expected. BUT the price was really really expensive, and they didn't even bring out duck soup or lettuce wraps with sauteed duck at the end.
Verdict? That's just not acceptable. Anyone who's had Peking Duck in a real Chinese restaurant would know that in ordering Peking duck, the restaurant also cooks the rest of the duck and serves it to you as part of the meal.
Overpriced and over-tourified. I know that's not a word, but you all know what I mean. I think. -
Review from Ashley L.
12/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Mmmm had a large group of co-workers come for lunch. One of them knew the owner/owner's son.
Peking duck was def. the best part, which it should be hence the name. They wrap it in the traditional pancake-like wrap instead of the white buns you see at some places. Another plus was the mayo shrimp with walnuts, usually don't like this dish but it was made well here. The rest of the food was good but not amazing Chinese food. -
Review from Karen C.
9/26/2010
I've never had Peking duck so when a group of friends suggested dinner here I was looking forward to trying it.
There were 8 of us so we did the fixed price option with the Peking duck, soup, appetizers, and a couple of entrees - lots of food (and lots of leftovers) but it seemed like the most cost effective option.
Hot + Sour soup, spring rolls, and bbq beef were all really good so that got the meal started off on the right foot.
Next was the duck...one word...YUM! They gave you the option of making your own wraps/pancakes with the duck or they would do it for you. We had them make everyone at the table 1 and then whoever wanted more made their own.
The duck was nice and moist but not too fatty and the skin was nice and crispy. I enjoyed the preparation in the pancake with cucumber and hoisin sauce.
Next (if you can believe there is still more food coming) were the entrees. Orange beef, general tso's chicken, fried prawns with chilli sauce, etc. These were also all good; but I don't think I would come here and order anything except for the peking duck fixed price menu that included them, on their own they seemed a bit expensive ($25-ish per dish) for what you got.
This was a nice and long drawn out dinner where the group of people was catching up or in some cases meeting for the first time so no surprise it was a 2 hr meal. Service was so-so - they did their job (always had full water glasses) but they weren't overly friendly or super quick.
Overall, I'd come back for a special occasion every once in awhile! -
Review from Winston G.
Chicago, IL
9/22/2010
I'm a huge fan of Peking duck, and I've probably had it more than most people, given my study abroad experience in Beijing, where I probably had duck once a week. In regards to finding a good place for Chinese food in Midtown, there are not too many options, so Peking Duck House certainly serves its purpose of providing solid Peking duck. Service is pretty decent, as it caters to a different clientele than Chinatown, and the décor is definitely upscale for a Chinese restaurant.
My friend and I ordered two dishes - the Peking duck, which was priced at $45 for a duck (can probably feed 3 - 4 comfortably), and the walnut shrimp. The duck was great - cut by the chef tableside, with crispy skin and tender meat, paired with hoisin sauce and some nice flour wraps. The waiter will also wrap a few of these up for you to start your meal. The walnut shrimp was not that great - the mayo sauce was much sweeter than most places, and the value was not great - probably 6-8 jumbo shrimp for around $30.
I would definitely come back here again - a duck and a vegetable dish for two people should be a perfect meal. Might even be a good date spot if you're adventurous. -
Review from Christy L.
Fremont, CA
7/4/2011
The duck is really yummy. It has almost zero fat on the skin and still keeps the meat moist. The lobster is great as well. It is located in midtown. Ask for window seat... You get to see outside and feel the New York City.
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Review from Peter R.
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
10/22/2010
One of the best Chinese restaurants. Period.
Very clean, great service, nice neighborhood (obviously not on Mott St), and delicious authentic food.
On the more expensive side, but you get what you pay for. This place is the real deal. -
Review from Laura A.
New York, NY
12/30/2009
Peking Duck House certainly failed carving the duck, which is not a minor fault; and to my knowledge, Peking duck must be served in three courses. The main course, consisting in thin meat slices including the skin are served with pancakes, green scallions, cucumbers and sweet sauce. In addition, meat leftovers are sauteed in a pan with vegetables as a second course and finally the remaining meat and bones are used to make the broth of the soup served at the end; that, or it's packed for the customers. More faults for The House, since our House Special Duck Soup, consisting in a cloudy white broth with noodles and tofu and served as appetizer before our Peking duck, was bad and once the server carved the duck, the remaining meat and bones was left in our tables.
I could be wrong regarding Peking Duck, but they certainly compensated what were mistakes for me and my rate is more than 3. it can't be less than 3.5 ... or a 4 if you are looking for a specific type of party... in particular that type that can make you crazy since accommodate over 25 people its not usually easy.
But to finish with the duck, I should say that there was signs of perfection in our meal. Flavor wise the duck was delicious... and lets forget that I couldn't totally appreciate it since slices was huge, some of them not slices at all, and more a unstructured piece that I had to eat in one bite. The vegetables was so fresh that I could eat them alone and the sauce was really good; perfectly balanced flavors, sweet but not too sweet. And the pancakes was just perfect. One of the most delicate dough I had, either in texture and flavor. I didn't care to eat them alone since, as I said, meat pieces was too big to make a perfect roll and eat all together.
I guess you already know that I had a dinner with a large group. At the end, we were 16 people instead the 30 for we had the reservation and they didn't were mad because of this. We were rapidly attended, and our server, a manager more than a waiter, make some suggestions. He wasn't the nicest I have meet but at the end he was right and our dinner was served efficiently and with no mistakes, considering it was difficult the agreement of everybody.
Larger groups apart, I should consider Peking Duck House for other type of dinners. The place is clean either in aspect and the food presentation. Your first impression once you get in will be good; elegant describe it perfectly well and so I wouldn't have any doubt bringing here for a formal dinner that family that is not too close, the ones "in law" for example ... I also saw several groups of business men in suits. They could be just friends getting together, but my impression was this kind that are gonna negotiate the future of the world.
Looks like groups dinners are a real business in The House since they offer endless combinations of banquet type dinners, or Peking duck dinner with other courses for a affordable price that is worth it in a range from $32 to about $65. 10 persons can order the 8 persons menu and they will be satisfied. For 30 people I'd choose food for 20-25.
We choose the 8 Persons menu ($32.50 per person): with House Special Duck Soup and Spring Roll & Barbecued Beef as appetizers. Two Peking Ducks and 4 entrees ( Sliced Beef w. Scallops and Eggplant in Garlic Sauce w. Minced Pork). We also order an extra Peking duck; Crispy Sea Bass (Whole sea bass fried to crispy served with spicy hot sauce); General Tso's Tofu and Chinese Broccoli w. Oyster Sauce.
I already said that the soup was bad. You know as well my opinion about the duck. The spring rolls and the beef was good. Regarding the Scallops, the Eggplant, the fish and the broccoli I can't say other than was delicious. I really die for the Eggplant with garlic. It was so good that next time I will seriously consider to skip the duck and explore other courses in the menu that I have to say is so extensive that you will need time to take a complete look (and so the manager will come promptly to help). Everything was fresh, perfectly cooked, and forget the characteristic flavor of bad Chinese food that we all know. High quality and exceptional flavor, even when the food was getting cold after sometime in the table.
Of course, our meal was coming along tea pots. We also order a bottle of wine and they offer beers as well. I also hear is BYOB. What we order was more than enough for all of us and it cost $40 for the wine drinkers.
We finished our dinner with orange slides and the American tradition with an ancient Japanese origin: fortune cookies. I got 2: I didn't like one of them, it was just weird, but I'd like to keep this quote
:) Your life will be happy and peaceful :)
I wasn't the main organizer but I was involve; and well.. to solve a dinner for potentially 30 people with success is certainly peaceful at Peking Duck House.Listed in: Loving Asia
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Review from Jackson S.
Pittsburgh, PA
8/3/2011
The first thing that I noticed when I looked at the menu was the description of how Peking Duck is made. When the duck is killed they pump air into the ducks stomach to make it larger and the skin softer. They then stretch it out on a hook.
To start I got cold sesame noodles, they were pretty good, but they were a bit to soy saucey for me.
When the Peking duck came the head chef came out and cut it in front of me. They make the Peking duck pancakes in front of you. To say the least this place is great. It's a great place for a group of people. -
Review from Annie J.
New York, NY
5/2/2011
Agree with the reviews that this place is not worth it. We ordered quite a few dishes including the duck. Luckily the duck was good (which is why I'm even giving it 2 stars) but everything else was horrible. We ordered the salt and peppered squid which one of my favorite dishes at Chinese restaurants but was completely gross and rubbery. All the other dishes weren't even half as good as a decent non-Chinatown place. The appetizers we got were barely decent - sliced beef was good but jelly fish was bland. For these kind of prices in Chinatown, the food should knock your socks off. Unfortunately, the service didn't make up for it either. Just the typical indifferent/rude Chinatown service. I'd rather go to a hole in the wall Chinese place and have delicious authentic food for a fraction of the price.
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Review from Steve S.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2007 ROTD 2/1/2007
I've been going to the Peking Duck House with my family since I was a little kid. Its been through a few name changes, but the staff is still the same. They even recognized my sister when we walked in the door.
Twenty+ years, and this place is still just as good as it was when i was little. The Peking Duck is the bets I have ever has\d, and they bring it out to you, still with the head on, and carve it in front of you. Its an experience.
The best part is, we were so drunk, my family started doing all the things we used to do as kids. My sister and I fighting over who gets more food, My father and I making teeth out of orange peels and putting them in our mouths. If we had been anyplace else they would totally have thrown us out.
But not the Peking Duck House. They treated us like family. -
Review from henry w.
Port Washington, NY
Updated - 8/25/2010
Im updating my review because of the negative review by I think Larry from Portland. No disrespect my Friend. It is obvious to me that they went to the OTHER PDH in Chinatown because his review mentions going upstairs. There is no upstairs at the 53rd st location. These two restaurants although they share name and web site, are not under the same ownership. They are very different. If you go to Chinatown location It will suck out loud! 53rd street is fantastic.
If you want to do it right, order the duck "Chinese Style" . That means you only get skin in the very thin pancakes. Then tell them you want the rest of the meat off the bone in the noodles after. You will not be disapointed!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2009
This is the authentic real deal. Avoid the Mott Street location. Peking Duck just like you were… Read more »
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Review from Tammy W.
Chicago, IL
11/27/2010 1 photo
I actually came here a couple of months ago with Winston G. (uh oh, he's now been outed as my friend; not sure how he feels about that), but just never got around to reviewing. I was reminded yesterday, though, essentially because it's Thanksgiving, and-- though I'm not home this year, my family likes to do Peking duck (and football!) for the holiday. A fusion of East and West, if you will. But I digress.
Like Winston G., I've had probably way more than my fair share of duck half-way across the world. (It's true what they tell you: life is unfair sometimes. I'd be willing to share, though!) (Un?)like Winston G., though, I really could have been more impressed with this place.
Maybe it's because I'd just come back from an awesome summer stint in Taiwan. Maybe it's because I REALLY like duck. (One time, our school cafeteria served some sort of French duck with raspberry reduction (!!), and I went back three times. *sighs*) Or maybe it's because, for these prices, I expected a bit more.
Like other reviewers, I was disappointed that they wheeled the duck away after carving it-- and never came back with it in the form of tasty duck soup or lettuce wraps :( I think it was about $50 for the duck, and, frankly, that price will get you TWO whole ducks in Asia (in an upscale restaurant) and probably more at a stand. I'd expect at least ONE in New York.
Sure, the two of us barely finished the duck and walnut shrimp/broccoli we ordered, but the duck, I think, was really meant to be shared among four or more diners. I've easily had the same amount of duck-- and even tastier and better prepared (I like fatty skin and buns, thanks!)-- in nearby Pennsylvania for about $20 less.
Don't get me wrong-- I did enjoy the food, and the waitstaff was great-- and I'd definitely recommend this place for the experience, especially for duck newcomers, but... as for me, I'll keep looking for a better deal and just indulge my addiction to duck here SOMETIMES. Sadly, my wallet probably can't stomach anything more.
