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    Shanghai On Elm

    4.3 (157 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Shanghai On Elm Takeout or Delivery

    Shanghai On Elm Photos

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    SHANGHAI ON ELM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Shanghai On Elm

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    Szechuan Beef Stir Fry
    Ariel C.

    Visited on a weekday evening--since it's downtown, we did meter parking across the street. The restaurant has a confusing vibe, lots of flashy traditional Chinese decor but the menu is very fusion with Thai and different Asian cuisines. Staff was friendly and quick. I ordered the Shanghai noodles to be 6/10 spicy and it ended up quite spicy, and I have a pretty high spice tolerance. The flavor was great though, and portion size was pretty big. I expected more from the snow peas, they came just on a plate by themselves covered with bits of garlic, but overall tasted pretty good other than having a bit too much cornstarch. The stir fry was not bad but nothing too special. Prices are good for the portions though. Overall 4 stars because I really liked the Shanghai noodles! Not super authentic Chinese place but not a bad option in a pinch.

    Joy D.

    I was craving some Thai & i seen this place on Yelp. Plus it was 6 min walk from my hotel. We got there today and was the only people in there. The service was on point. I ordered Shanghai noodles with chicken & side crab rangoon. My food was fired, I tore that shit up. The vibe was chill & the place was big. It started to get busy, im glad we was thr first ppl there. If im ever back in town. Ill definitely come back again

    Tamika T.

    Stopped in before another event in the area. Sat at the bar, our server was super nice and helpful, she thanked me for being patient and explained they had a call off. Service was still really good and my food came out super fast. It was fresh and . Portion was huge, especially for the price.

    Szechuan Steamed Wontons
    Austin S.

    Perusing the streets for 1 night and 1 night only. I perused, perused, and perused. Wasn't sure what I was craving. BOOM! A nice employee at a dessert shop recommended shanghai on elm, to that young human: thank you! It was pretty empty, but it was a tuesday at like 7:30. In any case, it appeared all of the patrons at the bar were locals--which I love! I got some szechuan wontons and sweet basil chicken--got it a 7 on the spice scale. Everything was great. The sweet basil chicken was savory, a bit sweet, and absolutely wonderful. Super complex and loaded with veggies too. It wasn't too spicy, i honestly was hoping it'd be spicier but the waiter said the spice level gets hot quick so i didnt want to overwhelm myself. The szechuan wontons were great as well. A homey, laid back, chinese diner with great service, great food, and easy going vibes. Definitely a spot id hit again.

    Danielle Y.

    I was excited to check out this place because they had really good reviews and it opened late since I wasn't able to grab dinner before 10 o'clock, so my options were limited. Unfortunately, this is not authentic Chinese/shanghainese food. I ordered the Taiwanese beef noodle soup and it basically was sautéed Mongolian beef put on top of the noodles. The dish was extremely salty and it did not taste like Taiwanese beef noodle soup at all. I also order the steamed shrimp dumplings, which tasted pretty much like the same ones I buy at the supermarket to steam at home, definitely not homemade. The service was quick. The space was large. Since it opens late, People come in especially after baseball games. unfortunately I won't be back.

    Crab Rangoon (4 piece) had already eaten one of them
    Jeffrey G.

    First of all, kudos to Shanghai for being open at 10:45pm on a Saturday night. I think they are open until 2am. We were looking for a place to have dinner after having a late lunch. We went to the Aronoff Center for a show and wanted to have a sit down dinner. This place was busy and hopping for late at night. Lots of young kids too! Quite a positive vibe. Now onto the food. My wife had the orange chicken dinner with fried rice. I had the bourbon chicken dinner with fried rice. Honestly, there are other "fast food" Chinese restaurants we frequent that are much tastier than the food here. One of the negatives for me was to get bourbon chicken dinner that was deep-fried chicken. EVERYWHERE else bourbon chicken is a marinated chicken NOT deep-fried. Now I'll know to ask. If I had known, and still wanted bourbon chicken, I would've gotten the bourbon sauce on the side to dip. The egg rolls were just ok. The crab Rangoon was just ok too! So egg rolls and crab Rangoon = deep-fried. The reason I would've liked a marinated chicken. Our server was really good and attentive. Everyone that greeted us was extremely friendly. This was not a bust, but things I wish I'd known before ordering.

    Taiwan Beef Stew Noodle
    Devin P.

    Needed some late night eats and was surprised to find a sit down Asian restaurant still open at almost 1am. The service was friendly and timely. I got the Taiwanese Beef soup and it was very good. A lot of flavor with a little spice but not too much and It came out piping hot. My friends enjoyed their dishes as well.

    Cold noodle salad
    Molly L.

    Came with a group of 6... Service was excellent, food was mediocre for me. I got the Szechuan Steamed Wontons and the noodles were nearly disintegrated. There really was not much flavor to them at all either. I did enjoy the cold noodle salad and spring rolls (which I DO NOT believe they were made in house)

    Wonton Noodle Soup
    Tracey W.

    Shanghai has been our go-to, late night spot for nearly a decade. From 6th St. to Elm, the vibe, the service and the food consistently delivers. I typically go for either the Sesame Chicken or Wonton Noodle Soup and always leave happy.

    Crab Rangoon
    Jayme H.

    I was in town on business and got in a wee bit later than I expected. As soon as I got settled into my hotel room, I went straight to ordering some delivery. I noticed Shanghai on Elm had great reviews, even from people I know personally, so I decided to give them a go. I ordered crab rangoon, veggie spring rolls, and shrimp pad Thai. It arrived right within the delivery window and the food was still nice and hot. My appetizers were fried to perfection and made great snacks later on during my trip. You could tell that they didn't come out of a freezer. The pad Thai was downright delicious. The portion size was good and it was super flavorful. It was a bit spicier than I expected and I can be sorta of a wimp when it comes to spice, but I couldn't put it down. I like how they really piled the nuts on top because texture is a big thing for me. All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to order from here again. The price point, portion size, and the fact that everything was super tasty did the trick for me.

    Egg Roll, Crab Rangoon, Potstickers Fried, Shanghai Noodles
    Haliee K.

    We were spending a couple of days in downtown Cincinnati and I saw a ton of great Yelp reviews for this place. It did NOT disappoint! In fact, we went again the next night. Shanghai noodles are AMAZING. Loved the egg rolls, vegetable spring rolls, crab Rangoon, and potstickers (fried or steamed)! I could dip everything in the ginger soy sauce that comes with the potstickers. The service was fairly quick, and the place is very clean and well decorated. As someone who doesn't often review anything - I hope this convinces at least one person like us to give it a try. I'm going to be dreaming about those noodles when I'm back home missing them!

    General Chicken
    Lucy B.

    General chicken with fried rice was very good! My friends and I love to come hang out here late night on weekends. it is a great food spot but also a great place to drink and talk. House wine is up to par and affordable. Our server Luke was amazing! Will be back many times over!!

    Tofu Seaweed Miso Soup
    Christian B.

    Excellent and worth trying! With a great menu and fantastic food, this restaurant is a hidden gem. Service was friendly and quick. Relaxing ambiance, complements well the tasty food. Highly recommend trying it. Is not expensive and food is fantastic. Cheers and Buon Appetito!

    Teriyaki Chicken Side Brown Rice Broccoli, zucchini, asparagus.

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    Photo of Billie H.
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    5 years ago

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    Photo of Jessica R.
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    5 years ago

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    Photo of Julia T.

    Julia T.

    Hi Jessica. We’re glad to hear that you had a great experience.

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    5 years ago

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    Julia T.

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    5 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Thank you so much Latrice! We love having you here.

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    5 years ago

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    Julia T.

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    4 years ago

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    Julia T.

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    4 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Hi Curt, thank you for your review!

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    4 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Thank you so much!

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    Photo of Susan T.
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    5 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Thank you Susan. We’re also a fan of the duck confit!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    So delicious!! Stopped in after a performance at Memorial Hall and was so delightfully surprised at how tasty!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    It was very good really fast and reasonably priced. I would have like a little better disruption on menu of each dish.

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    4 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Thank you so much! We’re glad to hear. See you again soon!

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    5 years ago

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    Julia T.

    Hi Monica. It’s great to hear you had a good experience.

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    2 years ago

    The food was AMAZING! Our service was fast and the food came out hot and delicious. I cannot wait to go back for more!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Love the crab Rangoon! Best in the city. Service is always quick , and I love the space.

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    Julia T.

    Thank you!

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    3 years ago

    The shrimp pad thai is the best around the greater cincinnati area. I just wish they would open for lunch.

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    4 years ago

    Food was so flavorful! Nice establishment and excellent service. I will be returning next time I am in Cincinnati!

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    3 years ago

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    Julia T.

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    Julia T.

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    Photo of M H.
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    3 years ago

    We tried the Mushroom noodles miso soup...SLURP! The service was good. I wish I had a Shanghai on Elm where I live!

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    4 years ago

    The pad Thai was amazing!! We swung by after leaving the aquarium and really enjoyed our meal and the atmosphere!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    This has been one of my favorite lunch and late night spots! They never disappoint and healthy food late night is always a plus in my book.

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    Julia T.

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    4 years ago

    Loved the soup dumplings and the Shanghai Noodles. We will definitely be coming back!!

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    Julia T.

    Thanks James! We’re happy you enjoyed our food.

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    Page 3 of 4

    Ask the Community - Shanghai On Elm

    Are the Shanghai Dumplings still on the menu?

    They are still on the menu per website.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    My first taste of ramen in Cincinnati, and it was delicious! It was somewhat busy on a Sunday…read moreevening - most of the tables were full. I went with the Tonkotsu ramen - delicious! The broth was my favorite part of the dish. Service was a bit slow - server took a while between stages of the meal. Overall, however, I was very happy with my meal and will definitely come back for more ramen.

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    Shanghai On Elm - asianfusion - Updated September 2026

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