We have been here four times now and the food is exceptional ! The attention to each table is very good and the atmosphere is welcoming. read more

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Unique restaurant for an area that doesn't have a wide variety of authentic Asian food options. Loved the soup dumplings, would go back for dim sum with a group. read more

The food was truly amazing! I'm not a huge pork fan, but I'd eat it more if it was prepared the way Jeff makes it. You really do need to make a reservation to eat here though. I made the mistake of trying to do a walk in 2 yrs ago because I didn't read the reviews on Google. The place is run by only him and his wife so it makes sense for the reservations. But it's worth it! The noodles and soup dumplings were my favorite dishes! The place was spacious and clean. And since they only serve a few groups at a time, it was pretty quiet and empty. read more

Jeff's Kitchen is a true hidden gem for anyone looking for an authentic homemade Chinese food. You need to preorder in advance because Jeff buys fresh ingredients based on your order. This personalized step ensures that every dish is made with the freshest ingredients and the utmost care. And the flavors are absolutely incredible. If you don't know what to order when you call for reservation, just ask Jeff what he recommends. He recommended beef udon noodles to our order and it was delicious. Every single dish was amazing, I highly recommend it!!! read more

Make sure to call ahead to order as their menu is made fresh daily and they don't take walk in customers. Totally worth it as they serve very authentic traditional Shanghainese cuisine. Probably one of the best I've had outside of Shanghai. The owners are very efficient and they will recommend dishes and portion sizes. The xiao long bao was amazing and full of rich soup in each dumpling. The salted egg yolk tofu dish was a favorite for everyone. The lions head meatball was hearty and full of flavor. The sheng jian bao were fried well. The breading was a little thick for my taste but the meat inside was good. What I was most excited about was the salted pork bamboo shoot soup - Yan dun xian. It's my favorite and I've never found it outside of Shanghai and this restaurant made it very well. So satisfied! The sweet sour ribs was different than what I was expecting. It wasn't bad. Just wasn't what I wanted to order and a little dry. Unfortunately that dish was a miss for me but everything else was great! read more

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Amazing food!! The soup dumplings are the most authentic that I ever had. They are so yummy!!! The atmosphere is so relaxing too!! The only thing I regret is that I didn't order more food!! Highly recommend!! read more

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One of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Upon arrival, the owner demanded that my entire family stand beside the front desk to order before we could be seated. When I asked if we could sit first and then order, he replied condescendingly: "Don't you remember? I just told you--order first, then we check whether they can do it, then you can sit." I don't care what internal process they follow--this approach is completely unacceptable. We came to dine, not to be treated like a problem. The staff were rude, dismissive, and clearly have no understanding of basic customer service. Avoid this place if you expect even a minimum level of respect. read more

Service at Jeff's Kitchen is a super straight forward and authentic Chinese restaurant. You need to book an appointment with them before you eat there. As you can read from other reviews, it is so he can prepare in advance by buying fresh groceries. When you call, know what time you would like to request and know what you would like to order. For a place with food on the pricier end, you'd expect a fairly fancy feel and design to the interior of the restaurant. But nope! It is your typical no frills, simple and functional designed Chinese restaurant. I didn't mind - as long as the seats, tables, and floor are clean, I'm a happy gal. We ordered the soup dumplings, lion head meatballs, braised pork belly (with eggs; you get to choose to have the pork belly with eggs or pancakes, so I decided to go for... more protein!), and the shredded pork/pan fried noodle. All these dishes, I would recommend. Soup dumplings - 6 Xiao long baos. they were so cute and plump! They were definitely the fattest XLBs I ever had. They came out piping hot. They were good! 4/5. They are clearly homemade. I've had more flavorful ones, but these were still really good. Braised pork belly- really good! The meat was pretty tender and had a good balance of meat and fat to it. The bok choi was really well cooked, and the eggs were great. Lion head meatballs - really good! Slightly on the salty side (but it's only personal preference to have if less so) but still soft. Each meatball was huge and is enough for one person. Noodles - good! Dish is on the heavier side, but if you don't mind slightly oily dish, this is worth a try. Noodles were nice and squishy and I liked the balance of the dish with the veggies. All that came out to around $114. So yeah, pricey. But I guess you are paying for the love and care that went into it. Jeff and the other waitress were super nice and friendly. A+ for customer service! read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Xiao long bao - good - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

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Omgoodness. Absolutely delicious food and service is so charming and warm. We loved every bite and every minute we were here. Be warned though-- there is a whole process to the Jeff's Kitchen experience that you must follow, otherwise "no soup for you!" read more

Spent $80++ for 4 menu items (pork soup dumpling, pork sticky rice shui mai, pork belly with bokchoy and egg, shredded pork noodles). Was it worth it? I would say expensive for the same kind of meal you can order elsewhere. No server around. Only the owner himself Jeff will be the one to serve hot tea, take order, cook and bring the food to the table. We do hear the wife from the back kitchen. Anyone must make reservations a day or two ahead. They want to know first what you want to eat. Oftentimes, we hear the say "no" or "not available", or "too much order". The reason for that is they only buy the ingredients needed, then they are cooked fresh to order. Inside, there was only us dining in. Mostly we saw neat empty tables with paper sheet as top cover. No music but the tv was on with no sound. Completely awkward moment eating there with such silence. We appreciate the chef sharing stories however sharing too much information about the business can be too much. There is no salt, pepper or chili sauce dispenser on the sides. I assume the chef would say his meals are perfect that no additional ingredients needed to enhance the flavor. Highly recommend the pork soup dumplings, and braised pork belly with baby bokchoy and boiled egg. When it comes to uniqueness of menu items, i doubt it. Most Asian restaurants serve fried pork chop, shrimp and chicken. The most peculiar I could point out is the way customers are accepted to dine in or what items to order for take outs. read more

Jeff and his wife run an amazing establishment. When I made my reservation, I described a dish I had in Shanghai on a business trip that I wanted my wife and friends to experience. Based on the picture I sent and my description Jeff knew the dish that I was talking about. Even though it wasn't on the menu, he got the ingredients needed and made it for us. Amazing service. The Xao Long Bao are simply amazing. Absolutely on par to the ones I remember in Shanghai, head and shoulders above all other US based offerings. It is definitely worth adding a few orders to your meal. read more

Great place if you like Shanghai/Jiangzhe cuisine. Make sure you call to order before you go! read more

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I read about 20 reviews and scoured the Internet for every food photo I could find before calling Jeff's Kitchen to make a reservation and also place my order. Jeff and the other woman who initially answered the phone were lovely and very accommodating, and setting up our dinner for the upcoming Saturday night was a breeze. When we arrived, we were seated promptly, served hot tea, and waited for the parade of food that would soon begin. Each dish was just as good as all previous reviewers had raved about! It was a truly enjoyable dining experience. I also noticed that about the time that my table was finishing up our meal, Jeff emerged from the kitchen and went around to talk to each group, asking them how everything was. I have no recommendations for my fellow Yelp readers, because every single item we ordered was fantastic and I'm guessing that's true for the whole menu! Will absolutely be back to find out. read more

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I have had great Chinese food and Jeff's Kitchen is up there with them. In terms of Detroit and Michigan, this is the best I've had and is on par with din tai fung in Vegas. The soup dumplings are extremely large and very well priced. (11$?). They are the best dumplings I've had with a unique taste to the soup. The remainder was good but not as amazing as the soup dumplings. Only complaints. It's pricy... But you pay for the quality. But they also didn't come with rice for the mapo tofu. It's mapo tofu , it needs rice. I'll be back but next time it'll be to splurge only on soup dumplings. read more

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Very authentic Shanghai dishes! The chef has a tradition of ordering one day before, so that he could serve the most fresh food. We got so lucky that we ordered two or three days before and got accepted! When we arrived, we were the only party and was told that they have a special dinner event and have to prepare for it, so we were the party that were accepted. Each dish is amazing! Most of my friends voted the sweet sticky rice the best dish. Must check this out if you are around. Remember to order at least one day earlier! read more

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This place is always amazing. The food is the best traditional Chinese around. It is always fresh and hot, and served family style in courses. Remember to call ahead to reserve your dining experience - no walk-ins are allowed because they shop for ingredients the day of your reservation. This makes for the freshest and most delicious food. read more

After randomly finding Jeff's kitchen on Yelp, I bothered my boyfriend to make reservations for a whole week. We finally tried it last weekend with 2 other friends and it didn't disappoint! We made reservations a few days before after seeing reviews saying Jeff will turn you away if you come without making reservations and ordering ahead of time. We ordered steamed soup dumplings, pan fried pork buns, pan fried dumplings, shumai, wonton soup, crystal shrimp, and braised pork belly. It was more than enough food for all of us (2 guys, 2 girls). The dumplings were all very flavorful and juicy. Every dish tasted great, but my favorites had to be the soup dumplings, pan fried pork buns, and braised pork belly. However, I would recommend any of the dishes that we ordered. The reviews are true- you can't go wrong with anything you order here! One part that got me was the price, but it's still worth trying. As a side note, the hot tea they served was great. It wasn't too strong like alot of Asian restaurants, and instead had a very subtle nice tea flavor (not sure what type of tea specifically). In conclusion, they definitely had the best soup dumplings I've had in Michigan so far! I will definitely come back to get more and try other dishes too. read more

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Ok, so...where to start? First off, this is NOT your typical Chinese restaurant, no sir! This is a very-very unique, authentic Shanghai Style experience that I'm still scratch'en my head over as to why and how it ended up in Walled Lake. If you're looking for a quick, in and out, Americanized Chinese joint, head over to that joint by Penny Lake...and cross your fingers. If you're willing and open-minded enough to try something new and different, like Jeff's Kitchen, and then buckle up...you won't regret it!!! I've read through the reviews and it appears there seems to be a little frustration. Again, this isn't your typical Chinese joint. You need to be patient, follow their rules and just trust in the process, it's well worth it. They don't do carry-out and for good reason...they WANT you to have a more authentic experience, eating extremely well prepared foods with the most freshest/authentic ingredients. It's really not that complicated once you understand it, you just need to do a little homework and don't be afraid to call first and ask a few questions. They'll explain their protocol and why. My brother and I ate here last night and all I can say is..."WOW!". All the food, from the Shanghai style dumplings, to the Wonton Soup...the Duck...the Shrimp and fresh veggies...all amazing...seriously, AMAZING. And again...in Walled Lake? I can ask this cause I grew up here! In a town that was once home to one of the best little pizzeria's ever...Bridge's Pizza, Jeff's Kitchen seems so out of place. I remember the barber shop and the old post office that use to be next door, hell...I remember Wizard's Arcade...anyone remember spending their paper-route money there on "Defender"? I do. :) Anyway, it's quite simple. Call ahead, make a reservation and simply tell them what you want to eat...and DON'T be LATE! The menu that's pictured here on yelp is a little outdated...but don't fret. The items are accurate but the pricing is a little different. Now, we ate a TON of food...that's how my brother and I role...but one could be more than fulfilled on Dumplings and Soup alone! I'd strongly recommend you break past your comfort zone of Egg Foo Young and Almond Chicken and order something new...be daring...you won't regret it. The Duck alone was a spiritual experience within itself. The Wontons in the Wonton Soup...Jesus...This was hands down the best Wonton Soup I've ever had....I swear. They're three-bite wontons people...just an fyi...and the broth is actually made of a seafood stock, I "think"...it's different but so good! Don't come here expecting to be asked how your day is going or how your kids are doing in school...it's not about that... Trust me, if you're open minded and appreciate cultural foods i.e. authentic Shanghai style cuisine prepared fresh, cooked to order, the way it's supposed to be...then you WILL LOVE Jeff's Kitchen. If you don't then go to Boon Kai and get your egg foo young. :) Well Done...can't wait to get back!!! read more

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My search for good, authentic Chinese food in Michigan is over. This place is the real deal. To eat at this restaurant you have have to call for a reservation at least a day in advance and place your order at the time you make your reservation. While it can be an inconvenience especially since we are use to getting the food we want whenever we want it, this place is well worth the effort and wait. The dishes are made to order. The owner told us that he does this so that he can maintain high quality in the food not only in preparation but also freshness. He really does an excellent job with the dishes from taste to presentation. Food comes out quick and is prepared well, vegetables tofu meticulously minced. Service is excellent as well. We tried the popular dishes as mentioned by other reviews - the giant wonton soup and crystal shrimp. We also ordered pork belly in special red sauce with bao buns. All were fantastic! Soup with giant wontons were filling on its own but we paced ourselves knowing the rest of dishes that were coming. The soup broth is so delicious. Shrimp was in a delicious light, clear sauce. Pork belly in red sauce with bao buns was excellent as well. I highly recommend this restaurant for real Chinese food. Although it's an hour drive for me to get here, I'll be back for more. read more

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This place is high end, 4.5 stars. The restaurant takes reservations only. We saw people enter and they were turned away. Sound harsh? It isn't. The chef buys the day previous and cooks everything from the freshest ingredients so he needs to know the order in advance. The food is authentic. Soup dumplings were great. The green beans dish was fantastic. Pork belly very delicious. The chef took time to explain dishes I was not familiar with. I have been to Shanghai only once so have not had many foods there. The prices are very high also. So keep that in mind. The atmosphere is many round tables some with lazy Susans to pass the food around. That said the atmosphere is not upscale fitting the price. It was an experience I would do again and try even more items (we did some duplicates). read more

Pro tip: Make a reservation a few days in advance before coming here! You place your order when you make your reservation. Jeff will go out and buy fresh groceries based on the dishes you have selected. This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants on Michigan. Shanghainese food is hard to come by in this state but a Shanghai restaurant that's fresh and delicious? This may be the only one in the state of Michigan. I've had a great experience here every time I come and enjoy every dish. I do recommend the sheng jian bao; It's my personal favorite! read more

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After seeing so many great reviews, I decided to go for my bday lunch. After walking in the restaurant, I waited 5 minutes for a host/hostess to show up. Then she asked if I have a reservation. I said no. Then she rudely pointed to a small paper sign outside of the door and said, only reservation, ok? Then shut door....... It said reservation only and you even have to pick out what menu you will be ordering. All that excitements with reviews are just long gone. Never going back. read more

The food here was soooo good! Jeff elevates authentic Chinese dishes to another level. We got the xiao long bao, fish fillet in white wine, and the braised pork belly with egg. All 5/5! I suggest calling ahead and placing your orders ahead of time! read more

The most (and only) authentic Shanghai soup dumpling (xiao long bao), huntun, and traditional dishes you'll find in Michigan! My parents and I have been searching for authentic Shanghai food in Michigan for YEARS. In the past, the closest options were in Windsor, Ontario. But now that we found Jeff's Kitchen, we have a much closer option! The food here is pretty much exactly what I had in Shanghai the 5 years I lived there. Though I wish we can just walk in without reservations, I understand and appreciate that Jeff and his wife buys the ingredients fresh and make dishes just for us. Definitely coming back and making this a monthly thing!! read more

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Overall rating 5/5 Why does this place have under a 4 star ranking currently?! Jeff's Kitchen is hands down the most legit Shanghainese place in this area. I've tried so many places in the Metro Detroit area, Dallas, SF, and South Florida and this place continues to give me cravings to come back for the food and soup dumplings. Of course the service and the fact that you have to order the food days in advanced is cumbersome for most, it just tells me how fresh this place is because the chef and owner only buys and cooks what's scheduled for that day. I've never ever had a bad experience with food here in the last 4 years. It's truly a gem. Decor looks old ad outdated with a confusing look (not sure what they were trying to go for), hey I won't judge because it just reminds me of them focusing more on the food than the atmosphere and decor. Again a reminder: order the food in advanced. Food Review: - steamed soup dumplings 6/5 (legit hands down one of the best here) - pan fried soup dumplings 5/5 - string beans with pork 5/5 - mushroom and bak choi 4/5 - shrimp dish (crystal shrimp?) 3.5/5 - sauté fish dish 3/5 read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Soup dumplings - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

Still doesn't really get better than Jeff's Kitchen in metro Detroit! read more

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So this place is confusing I see pictures on Yelp that look like really good food they have dim sum, I checked their hours but they never appear to be open I've tried to call there to figure out how to eat there more than once but just can't figure it out Maybe they're catering only I don't know but apparently you can't just walk in and eat at least none of the three or four times that I've tried The one time I could actually speak to someone they sounded like they wanted a day to prepare stuff in advance which I was willing to consider cuz I really wanted to try it but there's just a communication barrier I guess If anyone has the secret I'm super interested read more

I have been coming to Jeff's Kitchen for years and have never posted a review. Primarily because I hate sharing my favorite spots. I don't like them becoming popular. I admit it. However my soup dumplings were too good not to talk about tonight. Amazing! Take note that this restaurant is by pre ordering your menu and by reservation strongly suggested. It's not a meal that is quick service because only Jeff and his wife run the restaurant. Everything is authentic and this is not Americanized Chinese. If you are looking for Almond Boneless Chicken or Lo Mein this is not your place. In addition to soup dumplings I had a bunch of other dim sum and a few main dishes. The sweet and sour fish is a must try! read more

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Great food. Rude and prideful cook but the waitress was nice. The value in food is a bit debatable, but if you want something strictly Shanghainese it's a good place to go. read more

Revisited a few weeks ago with a friend. The XLB is still excellent. Delicious porky flavor. Tried a spicy mapo tofu. Jeff made it as spicy as requested. Also had the pork belly and bok choy. Eight Treasure sticky rice to round off the dinner. Again a reminder call ahead and reserve and place your order. Can't get in if you don't. This place is seriously good and prices reflect that. read more

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creditcard/cash. Reservation only, 2 days ahead. Freshly prepared and cooked. Loved every dish. steamed pork soup dumplings(half a dozen) everyone of them is bigger than normal size. Bamboo Shanghai style is marinated and very delicious. Crystal pork sirloin has the local flavor, and you can tell the rice wine from chicken w/ Shao Xing wine. Eel & bamboo shoot special soy sauce is best with rice. Salty pork w/ bamboo shoots, green veg. soup is very tasty. And their stir fried veggie is not oily at all. read more

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I made a reservation for my dads birthday. I was willing to leave a large deposit....... both the lady and the man told Me was ordering too much food(10 people) Hmmmm.... that's is so weird I thought I was ordering/paying for my own food?...... Hong HUA, Empire Dynasty, Mandarin Garden...... All better choices than this place plus they will let you order what you want. read more

Jeff's kitchen is the best authentic Chinese in Michigan. walk In is not taken only reservation for the fact it is only Jeff and his wife and all ingredients are picked up fresh daily. 10/10 recommend to anyone who likes authentic Chinese. soup dumplings are awesome, also got an order of the pork shoulder, giant wonton soup, pan fried pork dumpling, 1/2 duck, fried ginger pork chop and fried chicken with special sauce. Everything was to die for for sure my new go to spot. very quiet and private as Jeff Only seats one table at a time giving you the place to yourself read more

4.5 stars - My wife found this place after talking to some friends. Her hometown is about 2 hours south of Shanghai so this place appeared to have the closest thing to her childhood food in town. As I am sure countless people have already mentioned, this restaurant does not accept walk-in business. So you need to order your food before you come to the restaurant. The owner explained that the reservation-only policy was to ensure that they had all the raw materials for orders and to ensure peak freshness. I am sure it helps with wasted food costs as well. The restaurant is located in an unassuming strip mall on the south side of Maple. The decor is relatively sparse and when we walked in we were greeted by a host and he sat us down. It was a Friday around 730p and there were a few other parties in the restaurant. the first round of food (pan fried dumplings and some kind of spinach with tofu came out quickly) My wife and I mowed through them quickly and my wife saidthat they were very close to the ones she get from her hometown located in the Zhejiang province. The pace slowed down pretty dramatically for the main course, but the food was very good. We had a Mapo Tofu and something called Grandma's Pork, which was stewed hunks of pork belly that were glazed with a semi-sweet brown sauce and served with bok choi. The pork was tender and melt in your mouth good. In sum, if you are a fan of Chinese food and are looking for something closer to "authentic", Jeff's Kitchen should be on your short list of places to try. The only knocks I had on this place is that the rate of service was a bit off during my first visit. Hopefully it will be better during the next one. read more

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This is quality Chinese food. The only restaurant you will find fresh homemade soup dumplings. Before going, you MUST call AT LEAST one day ahead of time to make reservations AND order your food. The chef prepares, cooks, and serves everything himself. You're paying for quality! If you love dumplings, I recommend ordering 1 more order of soup dumplings. It's one of the top soup dumplings I've had. Skin has perfect thickness. Soup is perfectly seasoned and is sweet! We also ordered the pork belly with green vegetables over rice. It looks so simple but the flavor of the pork belly fat is all over that dish - especially the rice! You won't stop licking your mouth at this point! You won't be disappointed coming here!!! read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Pork Soup Dumplings - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

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I did my 4-year college in Shanghai and I would say the dishes are pretty authentic for the area. Highly recommend for people who are looking for the 'taste of home' and are from Shanghai, Zhejiang or Jiangsu provinces. read more

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We had a wonderful food experience here. I'm not sure how such a good Chinese restaurant ended up in Walled Lake (or why reservations and pre-ordering is strictly required). I joked with my friends perhaps Jeff's Kitchen is a front for some illegal operations and all the food is overnighted from China and steamed in the back room. Fear not, the food is quite good and obviously made fresh. We ordered too many dishes because that's the best way to eat Chinese food. Fried pork dumplings, soup dumplings, potato with green beans and cilantro, Shanghai sweet and sour whole fried fish, pork belly with egg, string beans and rice cakes. All of it was excellent and now I regret not being able to try more. Only the egg was a bit dry. My guess is there's only one cook (Jeff?) and it takes so much prep work to be able to offer so many dishes that ordering ahead is the least stressful for him. The decor is standard and not "nice" but the facilities are clean. I recommend making your reservation at least 1 week in advance. read more

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This place is the real deal Holyfield. I have traveled and worked extensively in China and this is truly most authentic Shanghai fare. You must make a reservation and pre-order so that Jeff can prepare the freshest dishes. Jeff and his wife run the show and he ensures that receive a delish meal. We had the crispy duck and he whipped up an off the menu shrimp dish that was amazing. The price is steep but I am more than happy to support an independent restaurant where the food is immaculate. read more

My husband took me here for my birthday and let me say this place lives up to their name. We heard about this place from a friend but heard this place is so hard to get into. First, you have to make a reservation. You cannot just walk in and have them sit you down, they will turn you away. Second, when you make a reservation you have to pre order your food ahead of time so they have it all set for you when you come in. Third, this is an Asian restaurant that still has the old school art on the walls and dining tables that makes this seem like a regular Chinese restaurant. Don't let the decor fool you the food here is amazing. We sat down and were served with water and hot tea right away. I am guessing that the place is owned by Jeff and that him and his wife run the place. They were very kind and talked to each table. The food came out accordingly and was so good it will keep you coming back for more. read more

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Great dishes as always! This really is thee premium Chinese dining experience! Everything is served fresh out! The dumplings are top notch, as good as what I had in China. I also really like how they made the squirrel fish in a very old school Shanghainese way. I'm pretty sure everyone knows by now but be sure to make reservations a couple days ahead since they don't take walk-ins. read more