The Stinky Tofu is my new favorite here!! The minced pork over rice was pretty good but portions are small. Not a fan of there Intestines, Oyster Thin Noodles!!! Service was pretty good, most of the staff are all Taiwanese which is cool!! Ambiance was nice!! They only take cash!! read more

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After so many years it's still the most authentic Taiwanese style stir-fried dishes. The restaurant has many decorations that represents the history of Taiwan. The waiters and staff are also friendly and nice. read more

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The food never disappoints me.The servers are friendly. I used to come here a lot but moved, today was the first time after many years. Same people, same quality :) Some up to date menus read more

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The food is still good but we came here and tipped them and the servers were like no you need to tip more. Mind you we gave them about 15% and they demanded more. I've worked in the service industry myself and I've never asked for more tip to a customer read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Clams - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

Great Taiwanese cuisine for a very good price but also on a smaller portion scale! - fly head 4/5: def on the bland side of fly heads but still not bad when paired with rice - braised ribs 5/5: meat fell right off the bone, it was juicy, tender, everything you would want in ribs!! Highly reco - 3 cup chicken 4/5: this was decent, saltier side of the spectrum but had better We also got cabbage on the house!! That was not expected and exactly what were missing. Thank you for the delicious cabbage :) Tip: I also hope the owners change the bar hand soap to liquid soap for sanitary purposes :/ read more

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This used to be my favorite restaurant, but today's experience was really disappointing. The pork belly dish was very off, which was surprising because it's usually so good. The service was what bothered me the most. Normally, when you order three dishes for two people, you get free cabbage. We ordered exactly three dishes, but didn't receive it. When I asked the lady, she said it's for "three to four dishes," which only made it more confusing--if that's the case, why didn't we get it? She seemed unwilling to help, and although I eventually said forget it, the interaction left me feeling pretty upset. If a customer asks, it's obviously because they want it. The décor feels old, but that wouldn't matter if the vibe was still there. Without the usual friendly and welcoming service from the regular waitresses, the place just didn't feel the same today. I left feeling like I didn't belong, which is sad for a restaurant I used to enjoy so much. P.S. the tea was cold. read more

I recommend Main Street Imperial Taiwanese. There is a caveat that I do not take to be negative at all. This is a "hole in the wall." If I were dating, I'd be thrilled to take someone there, because it would be a great test of compatibility; it is not fine dining for most whom you would ask out -- indeed, I write as my wife and I are about to order takeout, very happily. My parents were from Taiwan. I was born in the States. I do not call food "authentic," because that term is too much abused, and I am uneasy about those who would appoint themselves as arbiters, and the implicit claim that these matters are static rather than dynamic. That said, if one were to deem dishes "authentic," this would pass the test. My parents would recognize everything. I am sorry my father is not traveling anymore (my mother has already passed). If he came for a visit, I'd bring him to this establishment. As it is, I came with a nephew and his friend. I've been since. We had an early supper due to my needing to get to Manhattan to take an Amtrak train out of town. Even though we were dining at an odd hour, meaning without a full appetite, we consumed everything, down to the grains of rice. It was terrific. It is garlicky -- as they say, bring it on. We had to wait fifteen minutes. Staff were on their meal break. I say that in praise. This is a mom and pop place, and they had no issues telling us we would have to allow them to have their nourishment. It is all good. I recommend the clams. I also love watercress and bitter melon (with egg yolk). Service is brisk. read more

This is a casual Taiwanese restaurant, so the items I ordered were all common Taiwanese foods. I ordered the fried stinky tofu, oyster omelette, and Lu rou fan (minced pork belly over rice) and enjoyed them. Though one thing about the place is that it's cash only. read more

Our go-to dishes! 3-cup chicken Hakka stir-fry Crispy tofu and meat sauce Scallion Fish slices Sesame oil kidney Basil clams Bean leaf and garlic read more

I recently went here again with my boyfriend who recommended we go here again for Taiwanese food since he's been going here since he was a kid. And honestly, I forgot how good it is! Truly your hole in the wall restaurant that you want to keep running back to. Once you walk in, you notice that most people in the restaurant, including the customers, are speaking Chinese so you know that's a good sign. This is honestly the best Taiwanese food I have had so far at a restaurant in the East Coast! It is so tough trying to find an authentic Taiwanese restaurant that has no frills, just great food and quick service. Something about the cabbage that comes with the table is just so addicting, and that alone was one of our favorite dishes. We also ordered the oyster pancake (one of my favorite dishes), shredded pork and bamboo, leek and cuttlefish, stir-fried rice cake, and another tofu dish I forgot the name of. Bring cash since it's cash only! read more

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Great homemade food. I loved the the cup chicken. I was last here over 20 years ago. The chicken dis read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Three cup chicken, Taiwan Special dish, tofu w the cup sauce. - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

Home cooked taste This place is popping and for good reason. They deliver the taste of home at an affordable price. We ordered and the food came out FAST. The waitress even admitted that they are very fast. Need to be efficient. As a result the dishes were pipping hot. They got all the classics. No crazy flair, just simple good food. Tender meat and fresh veggies. My only qualm is that they didn't have fresh fish from the tank, but not a necessity I guess PSA: don't forget to make a reservation as this place can get pretty crowded read more

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Restaurants like this, are just so hard to find nowadays. Authentic, homestyle real Taiwanese dishes, from classic and traditional to something for every palate, even the new. Prices are unheard of for their quality and portions. We can eat a real meal with multiple dishes (and leftovers to take home to boot!) for $40-$50 and that is a deal in these times. Cash only but that's perfectly fine with us. Old school vibes, great food, sweet ladies who serve you like family - we absolutely love it all. If only they would open up shop early and start serving some Taiwanese breakfast! That would be the dream! Try anything - it's all very very good. read more

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Fluffy rice like Gu-Shine! Uh oh, I sense worthy competitor. 3-cup tofu is a must. Pretty good bean curd w/ shredded pork, too! Spicy. Snobby waitress; won't be returning read more

I have visited the restaurant in 2018, back in the time when I haven't settled to live in NYC yet. The door front, store settings and atmosphere just reminded me of local food stalls in a taiwanese neighborhood. After all these years, I still feel the warm hospitality from the waitresses, bringing the friendliness of taiwanese to all guests. - Minced Pork on Rice 滷肉飯 - Three Cup Chicken 三杯雞 - Chef Special Crispy Pork Chop 林師傅排骨 - Shredded Pork w/ Diced Bean Curd 香乾肉絲 - Intestine w/ Sour Mustard 酸菜大腸 - Clams w/ Black Beans 炒蛤蜊 - Cuttlefish w/ Chive 韭菜花枝 - Chinese Cabbage 高麗菜 - A Choy A菜 The dishes were stunningly delicious, yet sometimes it tasted slightly too salty, such as the shredded pork. Both Three Cup Chicken and Crispy Pork Chop were excellent in taste, the meat was tender and well sauced. While for vegetables, the Chinese cabbage were sweeter and softer than A Choy. The price surprisingly doesn't raise considerably, but of course comparing to the portion size 4 years ago, the dishes become a bit fewer. As long as they could maintain the food quality, the size doesn't really bother me. If you are craving for outstanding authentic taiwanese food in NYC, this is certainly a place you shouldn't miss. My Recommendations: Minced Pork on Rice, Three Cup Chicken, Shredded Pork w/ Diced Bean Curd Worth Returning ? YES read more

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Love this small mom and Pop Taiwanese eatery. All dishes are authentic and the owners are so kind. I have nothing but high praise. A must visit!!!! read more

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Authentic Taiwanese food, with additional items lined along the walls of this restaurant. Price is reasonable and food tastes decent, one area for improvement is portion size is inadequate. Also fried rice noodles should be made a bit stiffer instead of its current semi-soggy state. read more

Cash only y'all! This place has been around for many years and has had the quality and taste consistent throughout. My boyfriend is a huge fan of their stir fried pork intestine dish. I have no idea what it's called in English, but please reference the photo attached! It's tender and tastes delicious. Best part? I've never got a whiff of the poopy, dirty taste that comes with unclean intestine. My favorite dish is the pork and tofu stir fry. Their tofu here is super soft, and the pork doesn't taste too meaty. Lastly, the fly's head is good too. It has a lot of peppers, though, so be careful. I'll ask for it not spicy going forward because I actually choked on the peppers for 10 minutes. Biting into one of the peppers resulted in the spiciest experience I had all year, so that's really how low my tolerance is. The dish is not that spicy tbh. Come here and spend your cash! The old ladies are really nice too! read more

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This place is supposed to be an authentic Taiwanese restaurant, After all, it was recommended in the Michelin Guide in 2017 and earlier. But I was disappointed when we tasted the food after we got them home. We didn't order anything fancy, just few simple everyday dishes like tofu, chicken, pork, noodles, and some vegetable dishes. I have to say I find almost all of the food we tried lack any flavor. Maybe back in 2017, the food was excellent. But I don't know what happened since because I don't see how the dishes we had could ever be recommended in the Michelin Guide. Perhaps they had a different head chef or something else must have happened. read more

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Kidney w. ginger and scallion (4.5/5) - $11.95 The kidney w. Ginger Scallion was very good. It was firm and tender without a strong organ smell or taste. Bitter Melon w. Salty Egg (4.5/5) - $11.95 Bitter Melon w. Salty Egg was surprisingly very good. The bitter melon wasn't bitter at all. Wished the dish was a little bit saltier. Minced Pork, Black Bean w. Leak (5/5) - $12.95 The Minced Pork, Black Bean with Leek was delicious. I highly recommend this dish. The minced pork they used was the fatty portion of the pork. It is very favored and the leek has a very nice crunch to the dish. It goes very well with rice. The dish is pretty spicy. If you can handle spice I would highly recommend this dish. Crispy Seasoned Chicken (4.5/5) - $11.95 The crispy Seasoned Chicken was very tender and well seasoned. Tasted like popcorn chicken Extra They gave marinated cabbage which was very seasoned. The interior is a bit old-fashioned and small but the service was very friendly. For the pricing, I would say it's definitely worth the price. The food came rather quickly. read more

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I wish i could order and eat everything on this menu!! My primary interest was the intestine noodles (mian xian) and it definitely hit the spot! The oyster omelette was also quite good and the oysters were a boisterous healthy size. A surprise highlight of the meal was the watercress - I don't know what it is but cooking it at home just doesn't taste the same. The lu rou fan was a decent appetizer size and also delicious. Can't wait to go back and make my way down the menu! read more

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Flushing is home to many Taiwanese gems, but few come better than Main Street Imperial. In recent years, the experiences have fluctuated from good to excellent, so even on their worst days, they still outdo most similar spots in general. However, when they're on their A game, they have a legit argument for one of the most versatile Taiwanese establishments in all of NYC. Located on the quieter, more residential side of Main Street, this place is by far the most visited business on the whole strip. (#1) The place is a bit cramped, but is usually full of folks on any given night of the week. I've always maintained this is the kind of place that is best enjoyed with a group of hungry companions and the seating variety is decent. The food is clearly the star of the show. They have a legit spectrum of Taiwanese classics ranging from oyster omelets (蚵仔煎) to beef noodle soup (牛肉麵). I've enjoyed their three cup chicken (三杯雞), sacha beef (灑茶牛肉) and appreciate their Chef Lin's fish fillet (林師傅魚片). I think ordering a number of dishes is most definitely the way to go, don't be afraid to experiment. While I like their minced pork over rice (滷肉飯) and stinky tofu (臭豆腐) for the most part, their renditions are a notch down from ideal form. The tofu isn't too smelly or pungent and the minced pork is chunky and less minced / greasy. These are minor infractions from an otherwise stellar variety of food, but worth noting for fans of either. The service has been like the food for me, good to great. I realize that there was a time where things got hairy and ratings started skewing lower but I feel they've made strides in providing good service to all customers. While all can obviously speak Mandarin, I've heard a few bust out some Taiwanese Hokkien and I was super impressed. They are a cash only spot and the prices are decent. I would recommend coming earlier for any kind of group affair. The wait can be long on the weekends, but anyone with a hankering for Taiwanese fare will find most of what they want in Main Street Imperial. ___________ (#1) With the exception possibly of Kung Fu XLB: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kung-fu-xiao-long-bao-flushing read more

Such a nostalgic place for me. Whenever I go to flushing, I try to order take out from this place. It's just so homey. And they have great Taiwanese food. Granted, I think their food quality has diminished throughout the years, but it's still tasty. Definitely get their tofu, vegetables, and fried rice. All really good. read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

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You figure with all the postings from regional and national papers about how good the food here is you can't go wrong. Michelin recommended is a big endorsement but I think they got it wrong. Unfortunately, the reviews did not translate into good food. It just didn't taste like good quality Taiwanese food. All 4 dishes we ordered tasted blasé. The Lu roh fan, oyster pancake, shredded pork rice cakes and vermicelli were not very good. Either, I should have ordered something else, but these dishes fell short of the tasty mark. Maybe, a return in the future to try something else. Who knows, maybe the usual chef was off that day I ordered. read more

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I haven't been here in over 10 years but the staff and the head chef/owner were still the same. Overall there was no issue with the food however I can clearly notice the difference in portion size. They did give us extra sides, on the house which was nice. The one main complaint I had was the braised pork over rice. This is a staple dish in Taiwanese cuisine and it lacked flavor, any type of taste would've been nice. 3 cups chicken, stinky tofu, and the sautéed kidney and liver with ginger were my favorite dishes. read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

This restaurant proudly displays A-grade from the department of health. This is great as anything below a B, is a sign that I will not be dining or getting take out from any restaurant. Even if its a favorite spot. We had a table of 6 tonight, keep in mind this pkace can seat about 40ppl at any time but it does get crowded during the dinne rush. We arrived at 6pm and we order a few dishes: 3 cup chicken, supposed to be a signature dish. Chunks of tender chicken braised in a sauce with soices and basil. Tasty, sauce was a bit oily, definitely need rice for this dish. The braised short rib was tasty but the sauce tasted a bit burnt, seems like the spices were toasted a bit more than usual. Came with a brown sauce that had a savory layer of flavors. Squid and veggies, small platter perfectly sautéed squid with just the right touch of seasoning. Fried chicken strips, crunchy, not much taste and nk sauce?? Wouldn't order it again. My brother in-law order fried intestines, i didnt try it but he orders it all the time, apparently he thought it was just OK. The oyster pancake was soggy, had very little food and the little bit of filling was just in the middle of the pancake. Certainly not something i would order again. The pancake it aelf was very gummy like, the sauce not balanced more sweet and runny. Service was very quick but server forgot to send the tofu platter, jn the end we just asked that it be removed from the final bill since they forgot. I order a beer, unfortunately beer came out warm, restaurant was getting busy and so i just went with it. Overall a decent meal but not a olace that i would come back just because i crave Taiwanese. Remember this place is cash only, bo credit. Parking was not difficult for a Sunday evening. Wife took pictures of the food, overall i was not impressed. Keep in mind platters are very small. They are great if you have 2 or 3 ppl, but when you have table of 7, if an items is very good, most likely you will have to order a secondary plate. The server, gave us a complimentary platter of steamed cabbage, which was an additional vegetable to the other vegetables platter we had order. Dinner for 7, $145 plus 20% tip. read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

Here for a table of 6 and about 10 minutes wait. But that's not always true. This place can get busy and very traditional spot. Food is amazing. I love the three cup chicken and all tofu dishes. I would ask for suggestions if you are having trouble but speaking Chinese will help with ordering. Service is typically Chinese spot. Expect less and enjoy the extra attention if any. Smile and say thank you will be appreciated. Ask for tea. Ambiance will be like going to a fancier takeout spot. It's not great for a date but a casual meal or family dinner. You should expect to overhear other's conversations if you understand. If you are adventurous, I would order stinky tofu. Also why this place is such low rating. Don't trust those negative read more

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Good Taiwanese food. Had clams with basil (best dish), three cup chicken (Smokey and flavorful), mapo tofu, everything noodle soup. Much better than thought. Crowded with Taiwanese, they must be doing something right. Prices are up few dollars for every item, pandemic must have hurt them as it did others. Cash only. read more

A Must for Summer Fridays in NYC! As a couple who always has leftovers, we ordered a lot of food and ate every last grain! We live in Manhattan and rarely head out to Flushing, but after finding this gem from @righteouseats on TikTok, we took the 1 hr trek out. We ordered everything in the video: -Fly's Head (minced pork over rice), -Three Cup Chicken, -Taiwanese Cabbage, and the star of the night being the... -TAIWANESE MEATBALL! We really wanted to order the Whole Crispy Fish with Garlic, but they ran out. So if this is something you really want, we recommend calling before you make the trip out. read more

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This is our go to restaurant for authentic Taiwanese food! We love the San Bei Ji (Three Cup Chicken) and Tofu Guo. We also get the Chong You Yu Pian (fish dish), Ma You Yao Hua (kidney dish) and Ke Jia Xiao Tsao (pork, squid, celery). Sorry, forgot to take photos - just started eating when the food came. The dishes come out quickly and the waitresses are very friendly and attentive. read more

What happened to this place, Main Street Taiwanese place? It used to be sooo good. Today, we ordered two orders of the 3 cups chicken and a pork cellophane noodles to go. There was only one waitress working and it took more than 45 mins. She said they have to make the chicken?! Really? And sadly, the food was horrible. The 3 cup chickens had so many small pieces of bones, you can taste mostly the cooking wine, this dish should be sweet but more towards the bitter side. And the noodles? We tasted it and we did not like it at all. Taste like it was stir fried with soy sauce only. What's going on? What happened? Thank goodness we were able to go to Maxi's Noodles and get some extra food instead. read more

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Looking for mouthwatering authentic Taiwanese food in NYC? Look no further. Main Street Imperial Taiwanese will satisfy your every craving. This hole-in-the wall spot has been serving flavorful and delectable dishes since 1997. My family and I always come here whenever we want to eat home-cooked food but don't feel like cooking. We also always bring out-of-town visitors to dine here and everyone has loved it. The crowd favorites are: Kidneys with Hot Spicy Sauce Sliced Stomach with Sour Mustard Shredded Pork with Bamboo Shoot Sweet and Sour Pork Chop Salt and Pepper Chicken Three Cup Chicken Shredded Beef with Chili Pepper Hakka Stir-Fry Bitter Melon with Salty Egg Conch with Basil Fish Filet with Tofu in Red Yeast Sauce Tofu Casserole Hot and Sour Soup Crazy Noodles I definitely recommend eating in as opposed to takeout/delivery. The food here tastes best right out of the kitchen. Chef Lin works wonders with a wok and is cheerful, chatty and a great lover of fried chicken. Workers are both friendly and efficient. A veritable diamond in the rough, stop by if you're in the neighborhood and judge it for yourself. read more

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Classic taiwanese restaurant that's been around for years. Food still very good. Must try the the spicy fly peas, and the stew pork rice. read more

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Delicious food, generous portions. Lots of well deserved attention from Michelin. First time there, pork fried rice, pork and chives, Chinese spinach, all done to perfection. Very moderate prices, it's a steal! read more

If you want authentic Taiwanese cuisine, this is the place. They start you off with a few dishes of mini appetizer like items. You can have items spicy or bland as you like. If you are unsure of what you want, as the wait staff from a recommendation or what the house specials are. You can't go wrong with the 3 cup chicken, minced pork with leeks, fried shrimps, clams with black bean.... To name a few. The only dish that did not wow me was the filet or fish. The quality was so-so. The chef had time and came out. Shared his special taro root dessert. Needed a little sweetness but still good. Worth a repeat visit! read more

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I closely cried at my first visit to Main street C&L imperial Taiwanese gourmet since their service was so hospitable , welcoming and let me feel home. Their chef was generous and served us with free additional dishes. (My friends told me he always does this.) Their food was pretty decent but not really surprisingly good. We highly recommend to try their hotpot with ginger and duck especially in the winter, it would warm you up immediately. read more

Main Street Imperial Taiwanese - Taiwanese Near Me - Flushing, New York

Food was great . Attached is the latest menu. We went at 6pm and were seated within 15038 union turnpike mins. read more

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Authentic Taiwanese Cuisine that you are looking for this is one of the best restaurants you can rely on. Even the decoration inside the restaurant. That's my always go to get my soul food. read more

I was looking forward to getting some Taiwanese food and to my dismay, Ok Canaan had closed down. A friend recommended this place saying the food was similar. The oyster pancake was so oily and didn't have much flavor. The little bit of oyster pancake sauce they provided wasn't enough to give this poor dish some life. I ultimately had to put some soy sauce on. The oyster intestine noodles were mediocre at best and only because they undercooked the noodles so the texture was still right when I got home. The three pieces of intestines that I got is not an intestine noodle make. The oysters were pretty fishy and I can handle a high level of fishiness. The beef with spicy peppers was the only thing that tasted decent, but for $12.95 you'd think they would fill the container a little more, or at the very least include a side of rice. (Sorry no photo, someone dig into it before I had a chance) read more

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If you want to experience heaven, I found your spot. Picture a group of friendly Taiwanese grandmas with all their love, heart, and soul poured into making their food. You can never say no to your grandma's cooking right? That's right - it's too damn good! As a Chinese American person with family ties in Taiwan, I've moved heaven and earth to find the best Taiwanese restaurant in the US. I am SO glad that I've found it in Imperial Taiwanese Gourmet. Came here with a group of three at Saturday 715pm. We we immediately seated as it wasn't crowded too crowded. *Disclaimer - going to write in Chinese for some of the dishes because its hard to translate them to English. AMBIANCE: Local, low key, casual. Store is rather small so it probably can only fit ~30-40 people at max capacity. PROS: EVERY DISH WE GOT. We got the: 蚵仔煎（oyster pancake），蒜蓉炒空心菜 (watercress), 韭菜蒼蠅頭 (minced meat with leeks), 滷肉飯 (Taiwanese braised pork over rice), 三杯豆腐 (Fried tofu in a cup), and 台南米糕 (Tainan glutinous rice). EVERYTHING WAS OUT OF THE WORLD. 蚵仔煎（oyster pancake）- Fried to a crisp! think of a Korean style pajeon but with oysters and scallions in it on top of a sweet and sour sauce. You can tell the oysters were very fresh and tasty! 蒜蓉炒空心菜 (watercress) - The combination of garlic and watercress stir fry was amazzinnggg - never had such a simple vegetable fried to perfection! 韭菜蒼蠅頭 (minced meat with leeks) - One of the most unanticipated highlights of the day. The dish is made with finely chopped leaks and minced pork with red chilis, making it incredibly tangy, spicy, and crunchy. Pair it with your rice or your braised pork rice - its sooooo good! 滷肉飯 (Taiwanese braised pork over rice) - Classic Taiwanese braised pork over rice, you can pretty much judge how good a Taiwanese restaurant is how good they make this classic. And you can tell they definitely simmered their pork with hours of a variety of soy sauces and aromatic herbs because the pork was incredibly juicy, tender, and buttery. A+ effort and very authentic! 三杯豆腐 (Fried tofu in a cup) - Probably my favorite out of the night, but the tofu was fried so crispy! And incredibly umami with a good amount of seasoning! 台南米糕 (Tainan glutinous rice) - Recommended by a friend, but the glutinous rice cake had the right balance of sweetness, savoriness, and tanginess. The added addition of Taiwanese sausage made this even more pleasant! Service was incredible! The waiters reminded me of the people I've grown fond of at Taiwan - incredibly hospitable, friendly, and attentive. And for all of these delicious dishes our total bill came to $53. INCREDIBLE VALUE! CONS: NONE - Because this OG restaurant doesn't have any that I can think of! OVERALL: Yes, Yes and Yes!!!! Did I not mention Yes? I am coming back here hungry for more!!! read more

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