Shanghai 21
Shanghai Restaurant, Chinese Restaurant, and Dumpling Restaurant$$$$
Chinatown, New York
"Try the soup dumplings and wonton Szechuan style dumplings"(139 Tips)
"Truffle soup dumplings and the Schezwan spicy won ton!"(7 Tips)
"Great soup dumplings and fried pork buns."(10 Tips)
"What I really miss though is their Wonton Szechuan Style dumplings."(4 Tips)
253 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- soup dumplings
- casual
- lively
- wontons
- good for groups
- (15 more)
Sort:
- Popular
- Recent
Jaimee EstrellerNovember 22, 2015This place is my new go-to dimsum spot. For a group of 6, we ordered the world (menu no carts) & it was only $20/person (with tip). Pork soup dumplings & shrimp watercress dumplings were 👌🏽
ShivanOctober 10, 2018Ordered shrimp dumplings, soup dumplings (succulent!), lo mein, and dry Szechuan beef; everything was so flavorful. The place is packed with Chinese locals — must mean it’s REALLY good.
TomOctober 17, 2017My favorite xiao long bao in the city. So much better than the tourist trap a few blocks down. The spicy noodles, scallion pancake, and stir fry rice cakes or udon are among favs here.
Bradley TaboneJuly 24, 2018After trying hundreds of dumpling restaurants from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and all over the world, the XLBs here rate in my top 3. The chilli wontons also were very good.
Back to Shanghainese roots..my fave & THE BEST Xiao lung bao (aka XLB or crabmeat soup dumplings) served in US! Get Spicy cabbage, Fried Pork Chop & Bamboo apps are not too oily or over-seasoned ;9
best xiao long bao in nyc. also get the scallion pancake and stir fry rice cakes. restaurant only accepts cash or amex cards.
SiobhánJune 23, 2018Bring cash and someone who knows what they're doing and you won't be disappointed. I was a bit limited as I don't eat pork or shellfish but what I had was amazing.
Ben K.July 17, 2016Really, really great dim sum. Try the soup dumplings, shrimp dumplings, fried pork buns, and Szechuan spicy wontons. Oh, and don't forget the amazing red bean pancakes!
Hannah LeeJuly 5, 2018One of my favorite restaurants in Chinatown! Delicious food, fast service ❤️🎊 A little touristy, but known and appreciated by plenty of locals at the same time. Soup dumplings are bomb!
Jeana ShindoAugust 10, 2017XLB on point. Black truffle XLB, crab, and good ol regular. They ONLY take American Express and CASH. Aka, NO visa, MasterCard or discover, so come prepared!
Get an array! Pork and crab soup dumplings, the tiny pillowy fried pork dumplings, and the firm Szechuan pork dumplings. Round it out with a nice bright plate of choy.- TomOctober 8, 2017Best xiao long bo in the city. Wait times can get pretty long during prime dinning hours, but worth it. They only take cash or Amex now.
David ZhangJanuary 7, 2017Some of the best Shanghai food in Chinatown. Love the cucumbers. Soup dumplings are pretty good too but Shanghai Deluxe is a bit more consistently great.
Watercress & golden mushrooms is my favorite dish! Spicy noodles are great too. Always great food at a great price! It's worth the slight wait for a table...MMMmmm!
Vasilia KApril 27, 2019Absolutely worth it! Best place in Chinatown... and with great prices! I am willing to fly out in NY just to try again the Szechuan noodles!
Only cash and American Express accepted here now. I usually just get the pork + pork/crab soup dumplings. Almost as good as places in Flushing.
Soup dumplings are best in town. Come on a Sunday after 3 for minimal wait time. Order shanghai fried noodles and general two chicken - always crowd pleasers.
- The Athenian ChicMay 4, 2018Get the dumplings and add some of the complimentary chili oil on top for extra deliciousness. The fried noodles were not what we were expecting but they were interesting. Portions are huge.
Danielle WhitedFebruary 12, 2015Steamed pork soup dumplings are amazing! Easily some of the best I've had in the area. The scallion pancakes make a nice addition to a meal as well.
JC CatOctober 20, 2015All the food here tastes freshly-made. The vegetable dumplings here are the best I've had anywhere. Make sure to try the vegetarian mock duck. It's especially good with the hot oil :)
Best soup dumplings in all of New York, from a native Shanghainese person. Skip the other spots. This is as good as it's gonna get on this side of the globe.
Brian BOctober 16, 2015Some of the best soup dumplings in the city. We got the pork ones and didn't look back. Dried string beans with meat and beef lo mein were also on point.
Caroline DengJuly 16, 2016Delicious cheap place for your Shanghainese cravings. Soup dumplings, Shanghai rice cake, and Sheng Jian bao are solid choices that can be shared family-style.
Emily WilsonDecember 13, 2015An order of Shanghai lo mein is a must. Soup dumplings (w/ black truffle if they have them!) and kung pao chicken are also worth getting.- ElisaFebruary 16, 2019Truffle soup dumplings are very good. Skin is very thin which is similar to Din Tai Fung soup dumplings. Prepare yourself for a bit of a wait to be seated.
Real Cheap EatsJune 17, 2012Try the sheng jian bao ("fried tiny buns"). "A ball of savory minced pork and broth are encased in a bready shell, then fried to a crisp on the bottom and sprinkled with sesame seeds on the top." Read more
Hands down best shanghai soup dumplings in NYC! Way better than Joe Shanghai, plus the servers here won't rush you, nor or they rude. Also I recommend the scallion pancakes!
Allison YuJanuary 6, 2015Better than joe's soup dumplings. So fresh that you must eat them right away or else the consistency of the wrapper will harden. (But don't burn your tongue!)
ErinOctober 17, 2014Scallion pancakes and steamed pork dumplings are great! The hot & sour soup is super spicy and is a meal in itself!
That GirlNovember 28, 2015Soup dumplings have lots of broth, pork buns are good too. Get the fresh pickle if it's on special.
Kevin WongJuly 5, 2017Order the spicy wonton soup. The flavor is on point. Green onion pancakes were lights and surprisingly crispy. XLBs were juicy and delicious. Can only win with any order.- Hannah YuMarch 9, 2016This spot was my staple for soup dumplings, but now there's always a line. What I really miss though is their Wonton Szechuan Style dumplings. So good.
Rewan PartiJanuary 29, 2016Order the delicious pork soup dumplings and try the "special" truffle dumplings. The service is fast and the food is delightful.
Rebecca MazzaFebruary 29, 2016Skip the truffle soup dumplings and get the fried pork dumplings, sesame noodles, and scallion pancakes
If you like Joe's Shanghai's soup dumplings... You'll LOVE them here. Less dough, more savory soup, and for just $7.70, it's a STEAL!
Andrew ShumOctober 24, 2014A formidable contender to Joe's, offers some of the best soup dumplings this side of town.- Amazing food that is great quality at an affordable price. Try the soup dumplings and wonton Szechuan style dumplings
Florent JolyMay 14, 2018The truffle soup dumplings are a must try. Very disappointed by the chicken dishes though (questionable meat quality..).
Katie BurrAugust 22, 2014The soup dumplings are absolutely worth it and everything tastes great! The pricing is also very inexpensive!
Jonathan MoroNovember 26, 2017Best soup dumplings I've had. Think they put a dash of sugar in the foods which gives it a slightly sweet yet addictive taste.
Stephanie MApril 9, 2017Soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, spicy Szechuan dumplings- yes, yes, yes. Just be prepared, they only accept cash and Amex.
Schezuan style spicy wontons are super amazing, the sauce is so delicios so that you can dip your other dimsums into that.
Kianna RenningerApril 11, 2016Cool food, definitely authentic and good. But the service was very sketchy; my waiter tipped himself on my card without first asking me if it was alright to leave a tip. Very dissapointed in that.
Anna FrenkelAugust 23, 2012Friends don't let friends eat soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai when higher quality dumplings are right around the corner. EAT HERE!
Berta CMarch 19, 2016Must have steamed buns. The original ones will do. Large and juicy, thin skin :)
Tian HuDecember 16, 2015Wuxi spareribs is 80% authentic. I was impressed because Wuxi ribs served elsewhere tastes nothing like ribs you find in Wuxi. Try it.
Yaz MusOctober 23, 2015My fav chinatown spot. They have awesome dumplings and are one of the only places actually enjoyable to sit in in chinatown
Eddy BadrinaSeptember 29, 2017Just order off the dim sum menu. Soup dumplings, Szechuan style. Shrimp ones, too.
Allen YangAugust 7, 2014Has some really authentic-tasting Shanghainese dishes, especially in the appetizers section. Soup dumplings are also ok. Try coming here for lunch on a weekend.
690 Photos
Foursquare © 2024 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Open until 9:00 PM (Show more)
- Mon–Sat
- 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
- Sun
- 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
(212) 766-6311
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express)
Outdoor Seating
No
Parking
Street
Food & Drink
Menus
Lunch, Dinner
See More
You might also like
Places people like to go after Shanghai 21
Appears on 1,429 lists
Created by Foursquare City Guide
17 items • 274 followers
Created by Foursquare City Guide
12 items • 289 followers
America’s Best Chinese Restaurants
Created by Foursquare City Guide
40 items • 223 followers
