Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    218 Restaurant

    3.5 (88 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese, Barbeque
    Closed 10:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    218 Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    218 RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like 218 Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - 218 Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Roast duck
    Heidi L.

    First time returning after the pandemic, we ordered the usual dishes. All dishes ordered were still very good; the roast duck with thin crispy skin, very little fat is the best in Chinatown. The veggie and steamed fish were fresh and cooked just right. The waiter was friendly. We'll definitely return.

    Helen M.

    Another birthday celebration continues. I wanted to go to Uncle lou but it just so called HAPPENED to be closed on Tuesday. Specialty I called in the morning to see if they were open and a lady pick up saying yes until 10pm tonight. But when we got there it was CLOSED WTF......... So plan B to find another restaurant. Green Garden Village located at 216 Grand st. It was packed during dinner rush. One of the whiteness asked the customers nicely if they could change into a smaller table since they have a party of 2 when they were using a table for 4. They said NO this is why I didn't even want to share a table. Wtf.... we waited for 20 mins or so and just left to find another restaurant...... Plan C (which we don't have and wait to annoyed and tried..so I randomly picked a place) 218 restaurant located at 218 Grand St. This place used to be good. I don't know what happened. The food quality was extremely poor, but at that point we were just exhausted. So for my bday dinner i ordered - Bitter Melon with beef [bc one of my friends wanted to try it] - Clams with black Bean Sauce - half of duck [just dry] - Buddha delight [we need veggies ] But overall dinner was ok, I wasn't thrilled with the food unfortunately, but the company is always GREAT!!!

    Cha siu
    Mel T.

    Stopped in to pick up a few Chinese BBQ items. We got some cha siu, siew yook, and roast duck. I didn't love the duck because some of the pieces were a bit dry but the other two were good. The cha siu was a bit on the fattier side, which is good or bad depending on your taste. I personally like mine with a little fat, otherwise the meat is tough. The siew yook was probably the best out of the three. We ate it an hour later and the skin was still crispy. We had leftovers and even then, the skin was still crispy - straight out of the fridge. Next time, I'll try their stir fry dishes - or even some of the prepared dishes in the window look pretty good. My only complaint would be that the place smelled a little funky, but what place in Chinatown doesn't? It's a part of the charm.

    Steamed fish, vegetarian, tea, soup
    Clint D.

    Good service, fast turnaround, authentic Cantonese food, multilingual. Lunch specials with custom combos. I'll be back.

    Ada Y.

    TAKE OUT I recently visited 218 Restaurant in Chinatown and ordered the beef tomato with rice. The portion size for the rice was generous and the dish was incredibly delicious. Compared to other places I've tried this dish, 218 had the perfect taste and texture. I couldn't stop myself from wanting more. The staff were efficient and the pricing was reasonable. The restaurant is conveniently located and it is a great spot to finish other errands. The ambiance of the restaurant is not relevant to my experience.

    Simon P.

    Got a roast duck with roasted pork rice. Good crunch on the roasted pork skin, roast duck is deliciously oily but the cut given to me was a bit too much bone than meat. The soup seems to come with the price and I think it is pretty decent (and such a big portion that you can just use it as a drink throughout the meal). Decent choice and can come back.

    Roast Pork - yum!
    Molly M.

    Stumbled upon this place after intending to eat at a BYOB place next door that had over an hour wait. It is a standard looking restaurant in the heart of Chinatown, one side of it is opened for takeout and the other is for sit-down. It is nothing special at first glance and even a little rundown and outdated, but we gave it a shot anyway. Turns out, I am very happy we did! They have an extensive menu made up of various meat, poultry and fish dishes. They sell 1 or 2 types of beer but they let us drink the beer and wine that we had with us which was nice and even provided glasses and ice for it. We ordered a variety of food to split amongst our party of 4 - sautéed green beans, dumplings, roast pork, roast duck, fried rice, and a specialty noodle dish. The food came out within minutes which was nice - however I felt a bit rushed and would've liked to have a little more of a leisurely dining experience. The pork and green beans were my favorite dishes -- so good and the food came out piping hot. Dinner came out to $22 a person - so cheap for the amount of food we got. I will definitely come back here in the future...dreaming of having that roast pork again. The only thing is, it is 'Cash Only' which I was unaware of until the bill came, so prepare ahead of time.

    Teresa L.

    Once our beloved "Big Wing Wong" on Hester Street closed, this place has become our go-to place especially for the soy sauce chicken and char siu. If you don't already know the secret to get some good char siu, make sure you ask for "half fat half lean" so it's juicier. And don't forget to ask the master chef/butcher to cut it in small pieces. Unfortunately this time the char siu was a bit dry. The last couple time I got it when it just came out so it was warm and juicy.

    Beef pan fried noodle
    Diane Y.

    Come here for the friendly service and roasted meats. Too many places in Chinatown are not friendly to English speakers / non Chinese people... luckily, this is an exception. You are always greeted by friendly genuine smiles here. It's really nice and refreshing. The roasted meats are excellent. I love the roast pig especially. Also the salt and pepper Chinese smelts - they sound and look weird but are delicious. They're basically fried little fishies that are super tasty. I also love the pan fried noodle here. And how can I forget the snow pea leaves with fresh garlic? Go here and thank me later.

    Ilana Z.

    Don't accept cash, but has great Peking duck. Half a duck and rice is $20 which is a steal. At 9pm, they surprisingly still had duck left and it was juicy. I'm craving it now just looking at this photo!!!

    Alice R.

    Yum! Cute little place with roast meats and HK style plates. Stumbled upon here because our original BYOB spot was packed and staff was nice enough to let us drink our beers & wine. Food came out almost immediately. Roast pork and duck were juicy and delicious, with some say sauce on the bottom for dipping. Roast pork fried rice very tasty, although on the saltier side. Beef chow fun was great as well. They didn't have green beans on the menu but when we asked they came out with some delicious garlic sautéed beans. They bring you fresh cut oranges and fortune cookies at the end, which was great. Beware this is cash only though!

    Water Spinach(空心菜), Shrimp and Loofah Vermicelli Casserole (虾米丝瓜粉丝煲), Steamed Grass Carp (蒸鯇魚).

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Leeza D.
    138
    1735
    8575

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Helen M.
    214
    219
    10267

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mel T.
    659
    2665
    8863

    5 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Clint D.
    1
    192
    22

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ada Y.
    120
    884
    2168

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Harry K.
    37
    84
    298

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of I S.
    0
    14
    35

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Doreen L.
    1348
    1134
    8694

    10 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 0
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chino P.
    20
    296
    668

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - 218 Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Chinese 114,546 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Excellent Dumpling House

    Excellent Dumpling House

    4.1
    (874 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    As the name implies, it really is an excellent dumpling house!…read more Me and my buddies were in Jersey and New York for some hockey games, and wanted to go to a deli, get some Chinese food, and a slice of pizza. Got off the E train and when we looked for Chinese food, this place popped up with good reviews and it was just a short walk from where we got off the train. My buddies ordered the special lunches and we also got two types of xlb's, beef chow fun, and some fried dumplings. The special lunches come with a little fried rice, cold garlic flavored noodle, choice of egg drop or hot and sour soup, and main side. My buddies all enjoyed their meals. The beef chow fun was also really good and beef was nice and tender. The xiao long baos were excellent and is comparable to any place in California like DTF. Nice and juicy and great with some ginger, soy sauce, and spicy chili. Friendly service and food comes out pretty quickly. Credit card is accepted. Bathroom was also very clean, which is sometimes rare in some Chinese restaurants I have been to. If you're looking for a good Chinese meal, stop here when you're in the Chelsea area.

    Generally, I love this restaurant - everything I've had it's been good. This is the first time I've…read moreordered out from them and their delivery service leaves a lot to be desired - as does the grub hub app. The app didn't update that my order was delivered so I was keeping an eye out for delivery. I missed a call and literally two minutes later the call came through again and the woman yelled at me - "hurry up hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" said the driver was waiting 10-15 minutes for me, which was simply untrue - I got a call literally two minutes before- just rude. Added a screenshot in case the owner doubles down that it was 15 mins. Guess the first call was from the delivery driver, and the second was from the restaurant itself. ‍ But the really disappointing part is that they didn't pack any soup separate from the noodles! - So my chicken dumpling noodle soup basically had no soup - don't know if they forgot it or if it was absorbed by the noodles but most restaurants at this point know to pack the broth and the noodles separately,- so I ended up having to add some of my own vegetable broth, which totally was not the flavor I was hoping for. So - love the food, but delivery service leaves a lot to be desired - next time I'll try giving instructions to pack the soup separate from the noodles and see if that helps!

    Photos
    Dining Area
    Dining Area
    Sizzling Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
    Sizzling Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
    Excellent Dumpling House

    See all

    Buddakan

    Buddakan

    4.1
    (4.9k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$$$

    Dinner for one at Buddakan turned into one of those rare experiences where the setting is nearly as…read morememorable as the food. Located within the historic Chelsea Market building--a former Nabisco factory where Oreo cookies were first produced--the restaurant feels theatrical in the best possible way. The soaring ceilings, dramatic lighting, and energetic atmosphere create a sense of occasion from the moment you walk in. It feels less like simply going out to dinner and more like stepping into a beautifully staged production. I started with a Botanist Gin Martini with a twist, which paired wonderfully with the meal. The surprise star of the evening was the new Cucumber Tiger Salad. The balance of flavors was exceptional: bright acidity, a pleasant touch of heat, and just enough mint to make each bite feel fresh and exciting. Every so often the mint would come through and suddenly all the flavors would click together in a way that made me immediately want another bite. This is a dish I would happily order again. Next came the Edamame Dumplings. They were delicate and comforting, especially when enjoyed with the accompanying broth. The broth adds depth and richness that elevates the entire dish. My only suggestion would be the slightest touch more salt, perhaps even a finishing sprinkle of black volcanic salt for both flavor and presentation. I also found myself wishing there were a bit more of that delicious broth because it contributes so much to the overall experience. For my entrée, I ordered the Glazed Alaskan Black Cod, and it absolutely lived up to its reputation. The fish was rich, buttery, and perfectly prepared. What impressed me most was how thoughtfully the accompaniments were composed. The pickled cucumbers brought brightness, acidity, and crunch, while the black bean and eggplant relish delivered deep savory notes and unexpected complexity. I'm generally not an eggplant fan, but this relish was outstanding. The cucumbers and relish sit at opposite ends of the flavor spectrum, yet both somehow make the cod even better. Looking back, I think a glass of Sauvignon Blanc alongside the cod would have been the perfect pairing. I finished with the Miso Caramel Milk Bar, which was spectacular. Decadent, sweet, salty, and touched with just enough umami to keep every bite interesting. The chocolate crumble underneath added a wonderful crunch that contrasted beautifully with the creamy ice cream and luscious caramel sauce. Every component worked together perfectly, creating a dessert that was both indulgent and sophisticated. From start to finish, the meal felt polished, thoughtful, and memorable. Thank you!

    The vibe and food here is great! It's also very good for larger parties. We were a group of 10 and…read moreI was able to make a reservation without dealing with a pre fix meal or being put into a private room which I appreciated. We went family style for our dishes which worked very well. Everything we got was delicious, but the garlic fried rice, kung pao monkfish, crab rangoons and wok fried xo cheung fun noodles were my favorites. I also tried the Blush cocktail which was similar to a lychee martini. I loved it and it was perfectly sweet. Overall it was on the pricey side once we split everything, but the vibes were great for a nice night out.

    Photos
    Ambience
    Ambience
    Kung Pao Monkfish
    Kung Pao Monkfish
    Drinks

    See all

    Drinks
    Chop Shop

    Chop Shop

    3.8
    (286 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Absolutely delicious! Gorgeous fresh ingredients, super friendly and prompt service. We had the…read moredrunken noodle and the coconut curry. Both were 10/10. Can't wait to have it again!

    File under "Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover" - because you'd never even realize this was a…read morerestaurant when walking by and even after you knew... you might be inclined to keep walking to find something a bit more 'bright' and 'inviting'.  (And you'd totally miss out on a great little joint.) I'm a lower middle-class Jersey guy - what the heck do I know about cocktails?  But I dove right into one ("Jade Collins") and it was firing on all cylinders.  Crisp, clean, strong enough to knock over an ox. Then we got a handful of apps - everyone else swore by all the ones they'd had - but I just tried the Salt & Pepper Shrimp and... sweet baby Jesus, this little plate had a wicked amount of flavor from every angle.  "Aggressively seasoned" might be an understatement.  Wild. Onto the mains and I ventured towards their Spicy Drunken Noodle (my go-to whenever I'm hitting a Thai restaurant on my home turf) and... yeah, you probably guessed it - incredible. Not the biggest portion but they made every single component sing with flavor. With so much going on - of course I needed to indulge with another drink (hey, I wasn't driving!). There were six of us, it came to about $100 a person... welcome to NYC. But we did get a wide selection of plates/food and those two drinks accounted for about $40 of my tab. (And you'll never see such a heavy wine pour at a restaurant... they filled the glass almost to the rim - which was not even something I'd do for myself when I'm home.) Definitely recommended.

    Photos
    Patio
    Patio
    Green papaya, cashew & watercress Green Papaya Salad
    Green papaya, cashew & watercress Green Papaya Salad
    Patio

    See all

    Patio
    Philippe Chow Downtown

    Philippe Chow Downtown

    4.0
    (305 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$

    Yeah Id say that was a pretty splendid meal. Shared everything thank goodness…read more Started with the wok fried beef dumplings which were good on their own but had this fire ahh spicy honey mustard wow. Then the scallion pancakes which were crispy and airy paired with this very interesting sauce that was clear but tasted like sweet and sour sauce. For mains we got Kung Pao Chicken which was pretty delicious but my star of the show was the Crispy Beef. It was crispy asf and skinny too I didn't know you could make beef skinny like that. Sauce was super tasty and thick. On the side was broccoli which was fine and eggplant which was fine on its own and good with the chili sauce. Split the Fortune Cookie Red Velvet Cake which okay I thought there would be more creativity with adding fortune cookies somewhere in the cake but it was just a cake with fortune cookies on top. Also they put 2 when we had 4 people like lowkey they couldve just put 2 more on there but anyways the cake itself was pretty tasty so can't complain there.

    Philippe Chow is why Yelp exists. You would otherwise never know that this upscale Chinese…read moreRestaurant blasts club music and mandates 20% gratuities. The food is all over the place but the main theme is that everything is over-seasoned to please the crowd of people who all were gulping down colorful sugary cocktails with dinner while wearing athletic clothing. Peking duck (for 4-5) had great accompaniments (rare to actually get bao with it) but it was a lackluster portion of duck. Salt and pepper shrimp were offensively salted. Special "mignon" was great. The hand-pulled noodles *gasp* weren't hand pulled. "BBQ" chicken in the other noodles was very dry. Sea bass portion was very small. Scallion pancakes were good. Shrimp dumplings were the highlight. I recommend skipping this restaurant.

    Photos
    Philippe Chow Downtown
    Maine Lobster: ginger scallion sauce
    Maine Lobster: ginger scallion sauce
    Bottle of Moët & Chandon

    See all

    Bottle of Moët & Chandon
    Chi Restaurant & Bar

    Chi Restaurant & Bar

    4.6
    (680 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$
    Private events
    Takes reservations

    Chi Restaurant offers an extensive, authentic menu that's divided out by type of food - chicken,…read morebeef, pork, vegetable, etc. Everything is also labeled for dietary restrictions. Service is very fast and they kept the water flowing (spicy dishes really are spicy!), and the portions are huge. Though you have to pay extra for white rice ($3 a bowl), the overall value was reasonable for the main dishes. The restaurant is dark and elegant inside, with a large tv over the bar that was showing sports when we were there. It had a nice ambience.

    After visiting The Vessel, we walked about 15 minutes to Chi for dinner, then headed back to The…read moreEdge for sunset. It turned out to be the perfect CityWalk. We ordered a variety of dishes to share, and everything was delicious. The cold appetizer platter was a great start, the crispy shrimp were perfectly crunchy, and the braised beef short ribs were so tender with a rich sauce that was amazing over rice. The dim sum sampler was also a nice way to try a little of everything. For drinks, The Pavilion was light and refreshing, while the Diamond Dragon came in a diamond-shaped glass with dry ice, making it both fun to drink and great for photos. The restaurant was busy even on a weekday evening, with a big screen showing a soccer match that added to the atmosphere. Great food, great vibes, and a perfect stop after exploring Hudson Yards. I'd definitely come back.

    Photos
    Chi Bar - Modern bar area with handcrafted cocktails
    Chi Bar - Modern bar area with handcrafted cocktails
    Midnight Margarita - infused Mezcal, Italicus, Tonka, Mexican Apertif, Vanilla Acid
    Midnight Margarita - infused Mezcal, Italicus, Tonka, Mexican Apertif, Vanilla Acid
    Chi Backroom 4 - Perfect for intimate group gatherings

    See all

    Chi Backroom 4 - Perfect for intimate group gatherings

    218 Restaurant - chinese - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...