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    Cheli

    4.2 (489 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    CHELI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cheli

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    Soup dumplings
    Sonya H.

    One of my favorite spots for Chinese food in NYC! I was honestly a bit dubious when my friend first recommended this spot to me since the dishes seemed a bit too Instagrammable, but Che Li was beyond ready to prove that gimmicky food can be authentic and delicious. We started our meal with the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and they were genuinely some of the best soup dumplings I've had in the US -- the skin was remarkably thin, yet sturdy and managed to defend the ultra-flavorful soup from my manhandling and multiple failed attempts to pick one up. We also had the pu'er tea rice with uni, which was a great way to whet our appetite for the rest of the meal; the rice was cooked well and soaked up all of the goodness from the pu'er, and the uni gave the whole dish a great hit of umami. While this was a great and well-executed starter, it was also really small and not the most earth-shattering, so I'll probably opt to skip it for next time; even so, it was great preparation for the next round of dishes, including the full steamed yellow croaker, stir-fried water spinach, and crab and tofu. The steamed yellow croaker was fantastic; the sauce was subtly salty, umami, and tangy, and the fermented rice offered a little pop of sweetness. The fish itself was remarkably tender and easily slid off the bones; the dish was simple, yet executed perfectly. The same could be said of the crab and tofu, which went perfectly with their freshly steamed rice. The crab offered a bit of brininess and saltiness, which the silken tofu just soaked up like a sponge. The stir-fried water spinach was a great pop of green in our otherwise very protein-heavy meal. The veggies were well-cooked and not too oily, but also had a ton of flavor from the verifiable mountain of garlic they threw in there. All in all, this was an absolutely wonderful meal -- the dishes we chose were relatively simple, but crafted expertly and authentically. While a few others definitely felt a bit gimmicky (i.e., the longjiang prawns), the tables around us still had rave reviews for those dishes' authenticity and taste. Will absolutely be stopping by here again the next time I'm in NYC.

    Cathy L.

    Came to dinner for 5 and we, as always, ordered way too much. We got the soup dumplings, Flaming Beggar's chicken, crab meat tofu stew, che li pork belly, sweet sour fish, lotus pond stir fry, brown sugar sticky rice cakes and pear desserts. The desserts tasted better than the meal. The meal was ok but I'm not sure if it was what we had ordered but most of the meal was a bit forgettable. I thought the chicken or the crab tofu would be a standout but both were pretty tasteless. The decor was stunning, it made me feel like I was in China. I do want to return and try other dishes. Hoping we just ordered wrong.

    Sandar S.

    Quick dinner to catch up with my friend. The place is nicely decorated like old Chinese village vibes. Food is good, not too overwhelming yet tasty. Service is okay. The only thing is they keep asking if we finish or want to take left over food home. Feels like a little rushed when there was o people waiting and definitely not peak hours.

    Fried Rice Cakes W.shredded Pork&Geechoi 荠菜肉丝炒年糕
    Hanna F.

    Very cool place - vibey and seating was great. You order off an iPad, and everything comes out pretty quickly. My favorite dish was the rice cakes - a must get. Not super impressed with the pork belly or duck. The AC was also broken so it was super hot while we were eating, which made it a little less enjoyable.

    Young Master Neon City Pale Ale, made in Hong Kong.
    David J.

    I have been eating Chinese food for 50 years, and I've never had Chinese food like this! I mean that in a good way. There are so many flavors it was intoxicating without even drinking alcohol. Speaking of no alcohol, the "Milk tea with yellow wine" is delicious, and (I'm pretty sure) alcohol-free. If you do like alcohol, they had a nice ale from Hong Kong I never heard of before, but it was very tasty. We started with black truffle soup dumplings, which were amazing. Then, pickled cabbage fish stew, which was also unlike anything I had ever tasted before, an "explosion of flavors," my dinner companion said. We got a side of some garlicky "water spinach," which in Chinese is called "hollow heart vegetable" because the stem is a tube. Our server was as nice as can be, and was fluent in both English and Chinese. It's easy to see why this place is always crowded.

    House Special Fish Stew 浙里也有酸菜鱼 eggplant
    Jessica C.

    My friend from NY kept raving about this place and said it was one of the few chinese places that his family likes for chinese food in the city. The ambiance was great, I liked the aesthetic and felt that it was well decorated. Service was good, they checked in on us and confirmed our order after we places it through the ipad. I liked the eggplant dish a lot, one of the better versions that I've had. The fish stew had tons of fish and was enjoyable. I thought the braised pork belly was decent but too fatty for me personally.

    Lava volcano dessert.
    Steve G.

    We were lucky enough to be in a party that got the private table in the back. It made for a cozy and fun lunch. We tried about ten items on the menu. All were good. Standouts were tofu puffs; soup dumplings; string beans and shrimp in a delicious glaze. Beware: like in Asia, you need to eat the shrimp shell for the full flavor. It was great. For dessert we each had a lava volcano; hot custard inside a very unusual dough. See photo. Prices very reasonable for the city. Service was good.

    Lizzy L.

    Cheli is always a hit - it's been my go to recently for amazing Shanghainese cuisine. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu but my favorites are the pork belly, longjing shrimp, water spinach, string beans, and hunan spicy beef. I wasn't a huge fan of the flaming chicken, it was a bit dry. The ambiance is great; I love the "Chinese garden" feel. I also really like how the ordering system is on an iPad with photos of the dishes. I went with a big group of 9 recently and there was a secluded long table they reserved for us which was more private. For larger groups they have a minimum spend - I think it's about $60 per person.

    Spicy Tender Beef With Silken Tofu 豆花嫩牛肉
    Hellen N.

    I came for dinner with some friends when I was in the area and really enjoyed the vibes. The restaurant is decorated to give a traditional Chinese, ancient-time vibe. We had a reservation so the wait was not too bad. We ordered the Longjing Shrimp, braised pork belly, crab meat soup dumplings, and the white pepper beef with soft tofu. The food was delicious. My favorite was the white pepper beef with soft tofu eaten with white rice. It was a perfect mix of spicy, meating and smooth. The Longjing shrimp presentation was beautiful, the shrimps tasted fresh, but the taste didn't stand out too much for me. We also got the pear dessert, which ended up being one for those "look better than it tastes" situation. The pear was a panna cotta texture with pear flavored fillings served in a mildly sweet snow fungus goji berry soup. It was worth a try, but I wouldn't order again. Overall, very nicely decorated restaurant with delicious traditional Chinese food. I would come back to try more other dishes.

    water spinach, pork belly, longjing shrimp
    Angelina L.

    i got the golden fried rice, longjing shrimp, pork belly, and water spinach! absolutely no misses with any of the dishes. the pork belly was a flavor explosion pairing perfectly with the umami fried rice, and the longjing shrimp tasted as impressive as its presentation. the water spinach balanced out the meal with a lighter, but still delicious flavor profile. the decoration inside is stunning & transports you to shanghai. i'd definitely recommend booking a reservation here -- the restaurant was packed for dinner on a random weekday! in a city where i don't often repeat restaurants, i want to come back here to try every dish on their menu.

    Wine Soaked Chicken
    Justin C.

    Visited Cheli with 3 friends on a Saturday night, wait was a bit long (1.5 hours) so I highly recommend a recommendation! Once we were seated however, things were pretty great. Our waitress was incredibly accommodating and everything we ordered came out very quickly. Wine Soaked Chicken: Not something I've ever tried, but I thought it was excellent. The chicken was juicy, flavored perfectly with the wine. 4/5 Soup Dumplings: Solid soup dumplings, not particularly stand out but definitely not a bad a choice if you're feeling soup dumplings. 3.5/5 Crab Mapo Tofu: Super good! Really flavorful, generous with the crab, and it went perfectly with rice. 5/5. Eggplant in Garlic Sauce: Always a classic and Cheli's take is great! Highly recommend getting one as a vegetable dish. 5/5 Overall, it was a great dining experience! The food was good, service was quick, and the place is perfect for dates or groups (although once again, get a reservation!)

    Qianlongs Favorite Eel
    Jason W.

    Really good Chinese restaurant that focuses on regional cuisine from the Shanghai area. Cheli brings on all the big hits from Shanghainese cooking: soup dumplings, smoked fish and braised pork belly. The execution of all the dishes were consistently good. Service was great. We were sat down and ordered off an iPad. Food came out quickly and service was attentive.

    Qi G.

    My husband and I had a wonderful experience dining here. The waitstaff were super attentive from start to finish and helpful in answering our questions about the dishes. Unfortunately they ran out of the beggar's chicken, but we were advised to call in advance to reserve a chicken for our next visit. Everything we ordered was exceptional and piping hot! The ham sizzling rice and the acorn fish were my favorite dishes. I look forwarding to coming back again to try the beggar's chicken!

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    1 year ago

    Cheli is surprisingly good. The menu is pretty extensive, but the wait staff made solid recommendations. Would come again.

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    Page 2 of 13

    Cheli Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cheli

    Going with my elderly mom and want to make sure they take checking COVID vaccine status seriously. Do they do a good job of making sure only vaccinated people are admitted for indoor dining?

    They check but it's not the most stringent. They didn't check ID. And they don't check you again after your waitlist is up.

    Is it byob?

    No they serve alcohol

    How can I order take out? Is there a menu or site?

    Order thru Uber or grub.

    Is there delivery?

    Yes! Uber eats and grub.

    Do they take reservation?

    no. only walk in

    View All 10 Questions

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    Shanghai 21

    Shanghai 21

    4.2
    (2.1k reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    A Chinatown Must‑Visit for Dumpling Lovers…read more I was in New York on a work trip, and my colleague - a proud local - promised to take me to the best dumpling spot in Chinatown. Let me tell you, he did not exaggerate. This place absolutely delivered. The moment we walked in, the atmosphere hit me first: colorful, lively, buzzing with energy in the best way. It's hip without trying too hard, and everything felt clean and well‑kept. Service was lightning fast, too - dishes were coming out almost as quickly as we could order them. Now, the dumplings. Amazing. Truly some of the best I've ever had. Perfectly cooked, packed with flavor, and paired with a savory sauce that made every bite even better. Even the little dipping sauce was delicious. You can tell they take pride in what they serve. A couple of tips for anyone planning a visit: * They're cash‑only, so make sure you come prepared. * Reservations are encouraged - this place is clearly a go‑to spot, and for good reason. If you're in Chinatown and craving dumplings that actually live up to the hype, this restaurant is a must. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the city!

    Yummmmm. With an abundance of restaurants to choose from in Chinatown, I am so happy we stumbled…read moreupon this one on a hot day in the city. With dozens and dozens of items on the menu, we were a bit overwhelmed but looked around at other tables to see what looked good and our server helped us identify the dishes and give suggestions. We ultimately went with the Szechuan potstickers and pork soup dumplings. Both were so flavorful and we ate every last bite. I loved the ginger ponzu mixture that came with the soup dumplings and will be dreaming about these dumplings for weeks to come! Would love to go back to try other items and see the super friendly staff again.

    Photos
    It's only cash as of 6/10/2026
    It's only cash as of 6/10/2026
    D13. Szechuan Style Wonton
    D13. Szechuan Style Wonton
    O7. Double Sauteed Pork over Rice

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    O7. Double Sauteed Pork over Rice
    Joe's Home of Soup Dumplings

    Joe's Home of Soup Dumplings

    4.5
    (885 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I've been to this place many times over the years, and I've always really liked it. I went back…read morerecently, and I was surprised to see the prices had gone way up. I know it's in a very busy area with a lot of tourists, so I won't really dock them on that. I got the Shanghai spring rolls and the pork soup dumplings, and both were very good. The soup dumplings were actually quite large, but the spring rolls are pretty small. Came out to over 20 bucks, which is reasonable but more than it was. A stirfry noodle dish is like $25 now! On that note, it's really nice inside and fun to sit at the "bar" and watch them make the dumplings. A great option if you're in the area and have a craving!

    More than just serving soup dumplings as the restaurant name implies, Joe's is a pretty casual…read moreChinese restaurant in Midtown. It's a pretty solid lunch spot for during work and this just happened to be a few blocks from my office. I thought this spot would look like a hole-in-the-wall spot, but the space is actually decent with a full dining area. They do have a lunch menu, which is in the last page of the menu. Why they hid it all the way in the back, I have my assumptions and suspicions. I had to get an order of soup dumplings here so I got the Crab Soup Dumplings ($15). The skin is a bit thicker than other spots, but that means the skin ain't going to break on you easily. And do be careful how you bite into it, as the first one I bit into, the soup splattered all over my shirt and pants. Overall tasted great. Soup dumplings was not going to fill me up along, so I got something off of their lunch menu and settled upon Orange Chicken w Brown Rice ($18.50). Chicken was white meat, which is battered and deep fried. It says it was spicy, but it really wasn't. Comes with a vegetable spring roll and a choice of rice, which makes this a pretty decent lunch deal for $20. Menu prices are cash prices. If you pay with a credit card, they will slap a 2% processing fee. Overall, service was pretty decent as well. Would come back again for lunch.

    Photos
    Joe's Home of Soup Dumplings
    Young Chow Fried Rice
    Young Chow Fried Rice
    Hong Kong Hot and Sour Soup

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    Hong Kong Hot and Sour Soup
    Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings - Koreatown

    Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings - Koreatown

    4.6
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$
    Catering service
    Large group friendly

    We've been to several different locations of Nan Xiang before and it is always a favorite. When we…read morediscovered the Koreatown Nan Xiang was right around the corner from our hotel this visit, we made it a priority to visit, and we brought friends who were new to soup dumplings (XLB). There was a wait list to get seated when we arrived but the process was simple and moved quickly, and service was prompt and food came out quickly. We ordered both the standard pork XLB and my faves, the pork and crab ones, as well as pan fried pork dumplings which I was surprised to discover were also full of soup, chicken corn dumplings, and two noodle dishes: rice cake with pork & mustard greens, and pan fried noodles with beef. Servers were conscientious about allergies and very specific about letting us know which items were which, but other than that were largely appropriately hands off. They did ask us, mid-meal, if it would be ok if a service dog were at the next table to ours, which I thought was courteous. (The service dog was adorable and well behaved.) All the food was fab, which we expected. It's nice to come in a group and be able to order more items for a greater variety. The rookies executed well (and thanked us for the instructions on how to eat XLB to avoid getting soup everywhere) and were pleasantly surprised by my longtime favorite, the rice cake and mustard greens. I'll need to remember that the pan fried pork dumplings also have soup, because I really liked the texture of them. Such good food, and as always, better shared with friends.

    I'm being an overly harsh critic- this place is honestly great. The service was quick and…read moreattentive. It was a clean restaurant. The food quality and taste was amazing. Just a few things to pick on. 1) cucumber dish was good, but did feel it lacked a bit flavor and spice. Huge portion 2) wine cold chicken, felt like it was nothing special. Definitely had better elsewhere and prob wouldn't order again. Had food remorse and wish I ordered another cold dish 3) pork xiao long bao, soooo flavorful and juicy. Like I felt like I was having soup. I think the skin was a little too thick for my liking. Overall would definitely come back if I was in the area but would seek to come if it wasn't convenient.

    Photos
    Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings - Koreatown
    Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings - Koreatown
    Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings - Koreatown

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    Shanghai time

    Shanghai time

    4.2
    (158 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    I stumbled upon a new years until lunar new year dine in promotion (on social media) for either…read moretheir pork soup dumplings or pork pan fried buns for 1$ each. 4 dumplings for 4$ (1 promo per person). The food was incredible and made super fresh to order. My favorite was the pan fried buns - they fry the top of the bun instead of the bottom with an amazing crisp. Hot soup is prone to gushing out of the bun, so consume with caution so you avoid burning your tongue. 100% recommend getting those pan fried buns. The soup dumplings were also good, but not as memorable as the pan fried buns (shengjianbao). They do the noodles pretty well as well - the only disappointment was the tofu crab sauce dish that I ordered. The tofu/sauce felt bland and lacked flavor. Despite that, the pan fried buns just rocked it outta the park for me so much I still say it's 5 stars in my book. The interior was also very comfy for dine in - they started using ipads for customers to order from - and the pictures helped a lot in the ordering process. Love the deals, love the flavors and price - especially in this part of town!

    Decided to give this place another try and man....its just consistently mediocre…read more Service is much much better this time. Very attentive but the food is still lacking. Pork soup dumplings: 3.5/5 these aren't bad. A little bland, strong msg taste. The vinegar improves it a lot. Pan fried soup buns: 3/5 just ok. Also strong msg flavor. The vinegar also helps with flavor. Pepper beef stir fry: 1.5/5 this has no beef flavor at all. It's so bland. It tastes only of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Basil chicken: 1.5/5 this is the same as the beef dish. It's hardly any discernible flavor. I don't taste the basil and it only tastes like soy sauce and oyster sauce. Crab roe noodles: 4/5 this saved the meal for me. Not the best crab noodles I've ever eaten but it's decent compared to everything else. This restaurant closes a little later than other Chinese restaurants around the area. Otherwise, I would have avoided.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Shanghai Time Special Panfried Pork Soup Dumplings 4Pcs
    Shanghai Time Special Panfried Pork Soup Dumplings 4Pcs
    Salted Crispy Chicken(N) (N)

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    Salted Crispy Chicken(N) (N)
    Tri Dim Shanghai

    Tri Dim Shanghai

    4.0
    (629 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Fine dining

    Love love the food ! The crispy rice soup and design your entree are always terrific !…read moreThe service is always excellent Its my fav restaurant on the upper eastside

    I generally gravitate to Chinatown-type restaurants, but with InKind credits to redeem, we ended up…read moreat Tri Dim Shanghai. And I'm glad. We'll certainly return! Shredded crispy duck is lean, crisp (living up to its name) and in my estimation, perfect! A half order is $33 and comes with crepes and what I guess is thin-cut celery and hoisin sauce. Our other two dishes merit maybe four stars. I had high hopes for prawns with black bean sauce and minced pork, but there was little pork and the dish was under-seasoned. Beaten egg white, a component of the sauce, was almost raw and when separated from the black beans, runny and unappealing. When I inquired about 'vegetarian delight,' our server suggested creating our own dish. Four sautéed vegetables for $16. I went with bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms and fried tofu. I asked for a flavorful sauce. I believe we got garlic, but it was too subtle, not garlicky enough.. Service is on-the-ball. Ambience is lovely. And Saturday night, hours before the dreaded snowstorm, the restaurant was busy. Reservations recommended.

    Photos
    Red cooked short ribs pumpkin casserole
    Red cooked short ribs pumpkin casserole
    Shanghai braised duck appetizer is a perfect way to start the weekend!
    Shanghai braised duck appetizer is a perfect way to start the weekend!
    Red Cooked Short Ribs in Hang Chow Style 红烧牛仔骨

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    Red Cooked Short Ribs in Hang Chow Style 红烧牛仔骨

    Cheli - shanghainese - Updated July 2026

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