Shanghai 21

Worth the wait in my opinion! Some of the most flavorful soup dumplings I've had in the US. Everything else we tried was also delicious. I wish we could have tried more dishes, but we were short on time. Service was pretty good considering how busy they were. Prices were very reasonable. I'd be happy to come back!

We planned a Chinatown day while in NYC and on a Tuesday! We didn’t realize most of the places are closed but this wasn’t! The food was phenomenal and loved everything here Food : We got scallion pancakes, super crunchy and yum, Spring rolls (definitely have had better), soup dumplings and spicy wonton. All were yum! Service : Quick and simple! Atmosphere : A very family style restaurant! Loved the homely vibes it has

Even after all these years, this is still and forever my absolute go to soup dumpling spot in Chinatown! I can't believe my last review was 12 years ago - time flies, but the quality here hasn't changed. The tea that’s served here is also very fragrant just the way I like it too! I remember use to coming here at least once a month.

I sat in the booth in Shanghai 21 across from my big bro, and took in an ambiance that ticked many boxes for a legendary Chinese spot: Cash only signs littering the oddly colored green walls, traditional looking tablecloths, beat up tile floors and furniture, servers that don't really engage with you and whose 2nd language is english, and a huge overwhelming menu that could swallow you if you get too deep into it. I was ready for battle, as I read the reviews for this place that said it's almost impossible to avoid a wait, but at 5:42pm on a Thursday we walked right in and were seated in a mostly empty restaurant. We can both EAT, so we went with the following: Soup Dumpling with pork ($9.75), Fried Tiny Pork Buns ($8.75), Szechuan style wonton ($9.25), Spring rolls ($6.00), Scallion Pancakes ($6.00), Low Mein w pork and shrimp ($13.25), and Szechuan style beef ($24.50). Pretty cost efficient. Some major bang for your buck here. Inflation buster adjacent. The only thing that didn't blow me away was the Szechuan style beef, as it was just a little too heavy for the two of us... I was FORCING it down by the end. Everything else was phenomenal. Other than that beef, I truly feel like we ordered perfectly. If I could only order 2 things, it would be the end of the road for me as I couldn't decide, but If I could only order 3 things they'd be the soup dumplings, Szechuan style wontons, and the low mein. Truly the big 3. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo

Ok. Another spot to highlight. The reviews didn’t disappoint. Was looking for a good Chinese spot and this restaurant was having it. Servers were quick and attentive. Food was served fast. The place was not crowded when we arrived but approaching lunch time, the restaurant got packed. Only shows that you are in a good spot.

very long wait, we waited to be sat and then we also waited a long time at the table to be greeted and have our orders taken food was great tho: we got salt and pepper squid which was the best in my opinion. crab and pork dumplings and just pork dumplings, the crab and pork was obviously better but both were good. and my mom get beef which was super juicy and flavorful.

You know, when you're scrambling for a last-minute birthday dinner in New York, you don't always expect perfection. But Shanghai 21? They squeezed our lively bunch in like seasoned pros, and what followed was a truly hilarious and delicious experience. First off, let's talk about the "non-alcoholic" part. We discovered this little detail upon arrival, which for a birthday dinner, was... an interesting twist! Imagining a sober toast with sparkling water was pretty amusing, but honestly, the food was so outrageously good, we barely noticed the lack of bubbly. And what food it was! We gorged ourselves on the most gorgeous, delicious Chinese food I've had in ages. Every dish was a winner, from the perfectly steamed dumplings to the flavourful noodles. And the best part? The bill didn't make our eyes water – it was all incredibly reasonably priced. So if you're looking for a fantastic, funny, and surprisingly sober culinary adventure in NYC, Shanghai 21 is your spot. Just be prepared for a very clear-headed evening!

Everything was good, but not five star. Service was profesional, friendly, and quick enough. Quality was good. At least the place was clean and we didn’t have any stomach issue the day after. Food was all alright. We ordered soup dumplings, scallion pancake (that didn’t have much scallion), Shanghai fried rice, and Shanghai lo mien. The fried rice was the best among the four. Other patrons were not loud. So that’s a plus. You also don’t hear all the noise from the kitchen. They also offered cash payment that’s less than the credit card one. So overall, it’s more like 4.3/5.0.