We were thinking of grabbing ramen but on the walk over, I spotted Mei Restaurant and the menu taped on the front door sounded promising so we stepped inside to check it out. The inside is much more spacious than you'd expect and it actually felt quite homey. It must be the exposed brick; I'm a sucker for exposed brick. The menu is actually quite impressive with lots of pictures (smart); it just has way too many options. Dim sum? Avoid. Everyone was ordering dumplings but we decided to explore the rest of the menu. - Hot and sour rice noodle (C9) ($7.99) - they were out of the noodles that they regularly use for this dish but our waiter said they could substitute some round white noodles in instead. The replacement noodles weren't as enjoyable but the rest of the dish was great. The hot and sour was spot on and addictive. The sliced cucumber added a nice refreshing contrast. Note, this is a cold style dish. - Chinese crispy pancake (G6) ($4.99) - this is jianbing, which translates to fried pancake. It's a popular street food - think of it as a Chinese style crêpe. I've never seen this before in Montreal so that was sweet. Every bite was tasty; crispy and eggy but light. - Handmade noodle (G4) ($9.99) - these were respectable. Had a pretty good bite to the noodles but they still don't beat my favourite from La Maison du Nord. - BBQ lamb skewer (J1) ($5.99) - tasted pretty authentic to me with the typical Northern Chinese spice rub. However, you only get three skewers and they're on the smaller side. Cash/debit only! You know it's legit when... read more

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Maybe it wasn't a good day I went to, but the crepes were mediocre and the soup dumplings had no soup. Small portions for the price.

I read somewhere that they served (xiaolongbao) soup dumplings here... I had been meaning to come here for weeks, but couldn't find a friend to come with. And then we finally made it. Soup dumplings are kind of an acquired taste I think. First time I had them, I thought it was nasty, but then the more I ate them the more a learned to like them. Honestly, they are kinda fussy to eat. They come in the bamboo tray steaming hot. You have to wait for them to cool a bit before you bite into them otherwise you might scald your tongue. But if you wait too long the soupy liquid inside starts to congeal and you lose that soupy texture that makes them unique. I usually put them in my spoon and poke a hole in it to let the soup seep out then douse it with black vinegar then eat it in two bites. At Mei restaurant, the vinegar is already on the table so you put the amount you want. One important thing I'm missing is usually the vinegar has slivers of ginger in it, which brings out a lot of flavor. But here there is no ginger, I didn't bother asking for any. I am rather disappointed with the soup dumplings here. The filling is not soupy enough for me, and the meat inside is just ok. I feel like there's something missing, but I can't describe it exactly, the wrapping is a bit thick to my liking, and the texture inside is off. When you pick it up with your chopstick it doesn't sag the way it's supposed to... maybe i'm just being snooty but I was looking for satisfaction and didn't find it. As far as I know there aren't any place in Mtl that make it well. I've had some at Kam Fung in brossard for dim sum and they were not good. The crispy chinese crepe was very crispy and tasty though, so at least that was a good find. We also ordered the regular dumplings which were 7-8$ for 15, they were amazing, as good as mai xiang yuan on St-Laurent, and cheaper. I would definitely come back for regular dumpling and crispy crepe, it's very good and so cheap :) read more

small restaurant front that doesn't look like much when walking by, but when we walked in, the restaurant was clean and the ambiance was quite simple, cozy and welcoming. we ordered soup dumpling, grilled squid tentacles and pan fried dumplings. if you're coming here, i would personally stick to the dumplings because the squid was extremely mediocre, not great flavour, but the dumplings were amazing. the soup dumpling were quite large, full of soup and full of umami and salty flavour. the pan fried dumplings had the same delicious filling but the different method of cooking made the dumpling wrappers crispy with a good fried flavour. their chili oil helped to balance out the richness of the soup dumplings and i would highly recommend adding this condiment to your soup dumplings at Mei. the food came out quickly and it was piping hot, so give the dumpling a second to cool. this place got the full five stars from the dumplings :) read more

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I go to Mei regularly. Last time it was so full of people, and there was only one waitress. Serving table and collecting bills were all on her. No wonder everyone complains about the service. We were so thirsty after finished the dishes. We would like to fetch ourselves some water to drink because the waitress was so busy. We only found all the water bottle were empty, and had to bother her for some water. We felt sorry for her also when the chef/owner (maybe) was not nice to her. The food is genuine Chinese food for sure. The taste is wonderful. Go for the Chinses pancake/crepe, fried pan-stickers. tofu dishes. You will love them. The BBQ is only OK compared to other dishes. read more

Two words: Soup dumplings In Chinese culture, dumplings are world in themselves. Having tried the steamed, fried and various dim-sum varieties I have been itching to try out the real soup dumplings of Shanghai for a while now. No, they are not dumplings in a soup, but rather soup inside of dumplings. The mystery is in the preparation, a mixture of meat, veggies and spices along with some fat are placed in the dumpling and closed up. Place the dumpling on hot steam, and the steam renders the fat into a delicious broth inside the dumpling. Whatever you do, don't bite into the dumpling straight away or else you're going to risk scalding your mouth. Rather, puncture a small hole and sip out the broth slowly and then eat the dumpling. I think this is the only place in Chinatown2 that makes the real thing. Go check it out and try it, you'll be hooked by the slurpy deliciousness. read more

1) Marginal customer service: server only came to our table to take order/bring food. 2) My husband was served his meal and was finished eating 10-15 minutes before mine was ready: so disgusted, I changed mine to a take out so we could leave this place. 3) Server saw that I had no meal after my husband had finished his, but never came to our table or seemed to care. 4) This place is tourist unfriendly as only when you pay the bill, you are then told they only accept Canadian cash/debit cards. The server told me to go to an ATM across the street to get Canadian $. I returned and paid the bill only to have her say, "put the tip here" while she pointed to a jar on the counter. We've had the best restaurant experiences while in Montreal as well as the worst which was at Mei Chinese restaurant. read more

We went on a Friday night and probably because it was on Dealfind it was quite busy with only one waitress. So it took a bit long before our orders were taken. However, food was served pretty fast. Most of the dishes look appealing and were pleasant. Flavour seems to have been adapted to more sweet than the true authentic but it shouldn't matter much to the customers. Price is higher than many Chinese restaurants of this type but it is justified by better decor, ambiance, and overall offerings. read more

Mei Restaurant - Tofu bowl - Chinese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Authentic chinese food, with all the classics. Got the crispy pancake, soup dumplings, beef pancake and homemade noodles. Food was alright, I guess I came with higher standards. The soup dumplings were definitely handmade and fresh, but they could be more soupy and less doughy. The beef pancake was also lacking in beef...the flavour was on point though! These were basic items I got a lot in Toronto, so the prices were a little on the high side. Nevertheless, very affordable in terms of getting a good meal in Montreal. Service was fast and friendly, the server spoke in English after realizing my chinese friend and I could not speak the language :( Comfortable atmosphere as well! Pretty quiet when we went. read more

-food is good! Not too strong but not too light either. Personally love the cold beef noodles. -service is nice and everything is done quickly -price is relatively inexpensive considering the location! Would definitely come back read more

shrimp dumpling n their handmade noodles with brown sauce was awesome! Noodles were perfectly cooked! read more

Mei Restaurant - Handmade noodles with chopped pork brown sauce. It's like Dan Dan noodles. The shrimp dumplings were very good! Highly recommend this place! - Chinese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Upon entering wondered why for such a casual place did we need reservations? The menu using many photos might suggest would be easy to navigate, not. There were several menu items that had no prices? We started with the special wonton soup (not) and the Seaweed and egg drop soup (reasonable), the portion size was small as were all the plates except the Curry Beef dumplings. Here's a question why were half of the Curry Beef dumplings sour and the other not? The beef in the dumplings must have been half fat was when bitten into a good spoonful of grease poured out. The homemade noodle with pork were contained both bean sprouts and shredded cucumber, so there was a puddle under the noodles which tasteless despite the addition of the chilly oil and soy sauce. Whether or not one is accustomed to these flavours is not so much the point as the lack of flavour. The red bean soup is meant to be dessert = sweet (not) even the rice flour dumplings in the soup had no sugar. In all the plates there was no use of salt or seasonings. The meal was a major letdown as were the scary dirty bathroom with an overhead fan that made so much noise it shook the fillings in your teeth. Two words - no value. Not going back there. For 1/2 to 1/3 the price a much more gratifying meal can be had in a handful in restaurants in Chinatown. read more

The food in this restaurant is really good and I've been numerous times. The last time I went they did not disappoint however it's just a bummer that as soon as I had finished my dumplings I saw what looked to be a termite crawling around the empty basket. I saw another one on the counter while paying, meaning that this might be more than a one bug situation, much to my dismay. The food is amazing and authentic but I think that the bug issue should try to be dealt with as it doesn't really tend to sit well with clients who just finished their meal. read more

I pass by this restaurant everytime I go to the library from EV building and never had the chance to try. The place looks sketchy from the outside, but when you get inside... DAYUM. Traditional Chinese decoration. There were so many dishes to try omgogmog. I went for a JianBing (must try) compare to the one I had before on Saint-catherine street. This one was pretty decent. Then, we tried some kind of "rolled dumplings. Enjoyable side dishes. Same feeling as dumpling. It was great. My love for lamb meat made me try the 羊肉串 (Lamb skewered), I'd say it's not the best (I didn't went crazy about it), but it tastes good. I also went for the Stewed Lamb noodle. DAYUUUMMMMM When the soup noodle tastes like lamb, i swear it was incredible haha. I talked a lot with my friend on that day. There wasn't many customers, so they let us stay. They even offered tea for free. Good customer service. Kind waitress. Cup always filled with water. Bad point: Takes a while before food comes, don't go if you are in a rush. Decoration is great. Traditional chinese. I will definitely come back to try more of their dishes. Good place for a date too haha read more

Mei Restaurant - Jianbing. Only restaurant in Montreal who sells it DELICIOUS!!!! - Chinese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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My favorite restaurant near Concordia. An as yet unknown place with the best dumplings in the city. They have the biggest portions of dumplings which are served in the traditional steamer unlike other places. The Crispy Pancake is really flavorful as well. The noodle dishes are not that great. I would rather order a combination of small dishes along with the dumplings to share. The beef calzone type dish was really good too. Don't try the bubble tea there or any of the satay or grilled dishes. read more

A foodie friend brought me here and ordered his favourite dishes for us to share. VERY delicious "fungus salad" (chinese mushrooms, fresh coriander and onions - surprisingly good combination), steamed pork handmade 'raviolis', and this interesting meal soup (cabbage, porc, hotdog, tofu and glass noodles). Very reasonably priced but only takes cash/debit so be prepared. Also, we went off hours (2pm) on a Sunday so it was very quiet and didn't have to wait at all. I can see it being a long wait if busy. Fun to watch them hand make the 'raviolis'. YUM!! read more

The wonton soup was in a tasty broth all right, but the meat was definitely overcooked and rubbery. The soup dumplings were okay but I found the pastry a little too thick to eat and the flavour was lost. It is good for a quick bite to eat. LOVE that the wifi is free. That alone is enough to come back more often. read more

Smallish place,modern,spare decor, complete with a fake fireplace and exposed brick walls. We were a party of 4 in for late lunch and started with a cold fungus and coriander salad,very tasty,followed by another cold dish of spicy Schecwan beef noodles.This was tasty as well,but the beef was nothing but grizzle. Third order was pan-fried veggie dumplings,very good,followed by an order of pan-fried chicken/coriander filled dumplings....delicious! We then proceeded with the last dish ordered,crispy pancakes;essentially a crispy pancake stuffed inside an omelette... tasty with a touch of spice. All in all,very good with prompt service.Only complaint...tea was warm. read more

We used the groupon 27$ for 50$,and we tried a lot of thing...the steam dumplings are very good and also you can order half steam half fried...in the dumplings,you can taste a lot of juice..so yummy!and we had bbq ManTou,it was delicious,crispy and tasty.but we don't like the Peking noodles..the sauce was weird....for the service,friendly and fast..but they can't speak in French.... read more

Mei Restaurant - Chinese eggs pancake! - Chinese Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Despite slow service, I did enjoy the variety and uniqueness of the menu. I ordered things from here that I haven't seen anywhere else in Montreal (tofu bowl, wood ear mushroom salad, etc.) they really do have a bit of everything on their menu. Prices were on the cheaper side and the food seemed to be fresh and tasty. One of my fave Chinese Restos in this area for sure! read more

Every time I went there. I'll be amazed by their food. Very fresh and well cooked. The fried bun has a crispy layer which is soooo good!!! read more

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lamb kabab was the worst we ever ate, too much fat and there is no lean meat at all on one of them. Dont remember the rest.

Delicious soup dumplings, with the right amount of savory broth. If you really read the reviews carefully, the food reviews are positive, but some yelpers whine about everything from the service, decir and their mood, like some sort of expert food critics. Solid 4 stars. read more

I love their noodle dishes this was my second time at Mei restaurant and I tried their house noodles and pork dumplings this time. They were both delicious. read more

There's a delivery fee which they never informed me when I made the order. I was short of cash so I checked the total price with a calculator to make sure I have enough cash, but it turns out there's a $3 delivery fee that I've not been informed of. I like the food but I'm disappointed at their service both inside the restaurant or delivery(it usually takes 1.5 hour for the food to arrive and as you can guess the food has almost entirely cooled down, which is never good for a Chinese meal). The service on site was a nightmare for me. Above all, the food is very good. read more

Lost in translation... I went to this restaurant several years ago with a chinese friend, and I had a great experience. She ordered food in mandarin, so there was no problem at all in getting what she wanted. Last month, I got a voucher and decided to go there again. When I called for reservation, my big surprise was that the person spoke little English, so I had to use my "best" mandarin to be able to reserve a table. The day we went, the waitress again spoke little English (I think she's the one I spoke to the day before) and so when it was the time to take the order, we failed to communicate that the dishes are quite big enough for two people to eat, so I ended up ordering two plates of each thing we ordered.... (with no possibility of cancelling) The food was great though! the dumplings delicious, and the crepe a bit oily, xiao long bao (my significant other's favorite) lacked soup, but they were tasty. There was also a red bean soup that is great as a dessert in my opinion but in the menu, the picture looked like another kind of soup... I noticed close to us a small group of westerners like me and an Asian man, again the waitress was having trouble understanding their English, and even addressed the Asian man who told her he only spoke a bit of Cantonese... So in all I was lucky to be able to speak a functional mandarin (not without glitches) and this way perhaps saved ourselves from a potential ordering of the whole menu... In all great restaurant, bring a 哥们儿 along ;) read more

My friend and I picked this restaurant because both of us aren't big fans of meat and wanted a restaurant that had more than one non-meat entree. Loved the vibe and the art, and the service was good. I got the pad thai with tofu, which was good but a little spicy. I also got a glass of the house red. My meal came out to 28 Canadian dollars, which seemed like a good deal. I wouldn't necessarily recommend making a special trip for the food but if in the neighborhood, it's a good spot. And there are tons of options (different types of Asian food and various entrees with chicken, seafood, etc.). read more

I like this little place! They make fresh dumpling on the spot! Price a bit expansive but a nice little to eat with someone! read more

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Friendly service and delicious vegetarian dumplings! The inside is beautiful and conveniently located beside the concordia library building!

There's something about dumplings that I just cannot resist. Im not sure if it's their moist but slightly crispy outside (if you take them grilled) or the fact that they gently explode in your mouth while you savor them or even maybe because you can eat lot of them without feeling full (or guilty!). And when they are made with care and precision like in Mei restaurant its heaven on a plate. You can't go wrong if you go with pork, shrimp and leeks or beef curry, preferably grilled though the steamed one are still really good. However what Mei has that I also love is the diversity of other meals in their menu so you can taste other Chinese delicacies. Overall a must if you are a neophyte or an expert on dumplings. read more

The service was abysmal. We waited an hour before getting seen by the waiter and then another 15 min after that for water in a dirty glass. The menu was poorly explained. I'm giving it an extra star as the food...when we actually received it...was quite delicious, but as there are a number of equally delicious dumpling places in the area, it is not worth the frustration. read more

Mediocre food. Went there several times because it was convenient. They claim they accept credit cards but actually they don't. Even debit card would possibly be rejected because "the machine has a problem". If this is a problem for you, pick another restaurant. You won't be regretted if you never go there. read more

nice place to eat, very quiet and the decoration is traditional but unique. Food will never make you disappointed. I went there often before, memorable and sweet. read more

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Last time my friends and I went there, we all had diarrhea after ate the medium raw pork dumplings. Also the worst service I've ever seen. The price is expensive than other similar restos. Will never go back again TBH! read more

We ordered the classic pork soup dumplings. Obviously the main character in this dumpling is the soup, but it still does contain meat. There's a certain technique that one needs to eat a soup dumpling with finesse. It goes without saying that if this little steamed pocket of boiling soup is placed in front of you, unless your mouth in lined with asbestos, you're not going to toss the sucker into your mouth immediately. Let it sit in your dipping sauce for 20 seconds to cool off, place it in your spoon and nibble a hole to release the soup into your spoon then enjoy. read more

Fresh homemade dumpling are good. Went in a group and we also had some soup and cold noodles. Both were good. So the dumplings are good but I'm not ready to say that they are the best ones I've ever had. Service is a bit slow because there's only one waitress for all of the tables. And they don't take credit cards. Cash or debit only which was not expected. read more

I've always liked their dumplings, and I still do. That having been said, service continues to deteriorate to the point where I won't go back. I think at this point, there are better dumpling resto's out there, e.g. Qing Hua. My specific experience: 1) 1/2hrs wait for my order to be taken when staff were just chatting. 2) Despite multiple requests, beverages only arrived at the table once we had actually finished eating. How difficult could that request be? 3) Multiple requests for check ignored. 4) When got check, waiter gave me change. Bill came to 32$. I gave 2 twenty's. He gave me change, then said to me you need to give me all that money as a tip. Sorry, tip is for service. read more

This place was great! Affordable prices, delicious food, friendly staff and a clean, nice restaurant, what more can you ask for? We ordered the Pork and shrimp soup dumplings (7 dumplings). This was my first time trying this, and it was great. There is a little bit of soup inside, but not so much that it is a goopy mess. One order of regular dumplings is 15 pieces, but for $1 more, you can try two, types (7 dumplings each) so we ordered chicken and coriander dumplings and beef and onions. They were great. You can taste the fresh ingredients, no frozen dumplings here! We also got the crispy pancake which was also delicious. It is this egg, green onion, and herbs omelette stuffed with crispy sheets, which was great! Overall, this place was great, and I would definitely return :) read more

No heat in the cold winter. Worst pan fried dumpling I have ever tried! Can't even compete with frozen dumplings!!! I don't understand why my friend recommend this place to me but I will never step inside ever again. read more

Haters can go to Thai Express for easy menu and fast service. This is by far my favorite chinese restaurant in Montreal. Simply delicious and totally affordable. I love to go with friends or family and order a bunch of things that we can try and share. Take me there on my birthday! read more