I wasn't expecting to like this place so much but I've been twice and both times were so good! I highly recommend doing the dry hotpot option where you pick 5-10 veggies or proteins and your choice of spice (mild is plenty spicy FYI). It's very date night and low lit, with dark wood and the upstairs has seating as well. The staff are kind and very helpful with suggestions. The drinks were both strong AND tasty - I'll definitely be back. Happy hour is wine for $12 or a select cocktail for $14 until 7pm! read more

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Very nice service and a pleasant atmosphere. The food was just not special at all, and seemed no different, though in good proportions!, than any generic Chinese restaurant. The search continues for an excellent Chinese restaurant in NYC with superb ingredients and not everything cooked either in soybean, peanut (this would be okay but it's never high-grade oil and never stored properly, that I can tell, smell, or taste), or palm oil. I've gone to many of the $$$$, 5-star, or just in-the-know holes-in-the-wall places over decades(!), and never come close to a Chez Panisse experience. read more

Had a reservation for dinner here and ordered quite a few items. To start we got the salt and pepper shrimp and Dan Dan noodles. Shrimp was nice and crispy but could use some more small and pepper. The noodles have the classic mala but flavor was pretty one-dimensional. For mains we got the cumin lamb, basil clams, and water spinach. The lamb was delicious and the thin slices of onion were great. The basil clams were very obviously the frozen kind, not fresh so minus one star for that. My Asian family gets the same kind of frozen packaged clams at the Chinese supermarket. The water spinach was cooked just right with the right amount of garlic. For dessert, we got the sesame butter sundae which was the highlight of the meal. The ice cream was very creamy and tasted like those Chinese milk popsicles. Also got both of the mocktails available and they were not great for the price although they were pretty. Service was attentive and efficient. It is very dim inside and I had a hard time reading the menu. read more

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This is a fancy, old school Chinese restaurant that feels exquisite once you walk in. I came here for a birthday dinner, so we were in a private dining room upstairs. Most of the dishes here were Szechuan spicy, so my tastebuds were numbing. We tried so many dishes here and everything was good, but definitely pair with white rice to help balance it all. Some favorites were the Golden Prawns ($28), Mapo Tofu ($19), and Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles ($13). I also got a cocktail and tried a few others. While they all sounded tasty with Asian inspired ingredients, it wasnt as memorable for me. I also had the Oolong Old Fashioned ($20), which was very strong. It's a nice spot to take people to impress and great for big parties. I do have to note that the dining room we got (across from the bathroom) was pretty tight for 16 people, so best for under 15 people. read more

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Really delicious dinner! Once I told our waitress I couldn't do spicy she was a little rude but the food was really good!!! the star of the show was for sure the soup dumplings they were perfect in size and so flavorful!! I also really enjoyed the vegetable spring rolls!!! I surprisingly didn't love any of the drinks we got! Ambiance was nice just regular restaurant chatter, it was really beautiful inside! Overall I would go back! read more

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I went to Blue Willow years ago at the recommendation of a friend. Three years later, another local friend recommended Blue Willow, and it is just as good as I remember. From the XLB and Mapo Tofu to the Dan Dan Noodles and Chili Wontons, Blue Willow serves contemporary Chinese food that makes you want to come back again and again. I have never had a bad experience, and would love to try everything on the menu. I was really impressed with the West Lake Soup, which tasted just like how I had it in China. My one caution is that Blue Willow spice is no joke!! The Mapo Tofu was quite spicy! Beyond the food, the restaurant is dimly lighted--making for a nice date night. The service was also exceptional, as the server can help navigate you through the various food items. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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I found myself here alone at one of the bar seats in Blue Willow, feeling the full weight of my life choices while waiting for my big bro to meet me. I was spiraling fast when the bartender began making small talk with me. I normally hate forced conversations while in full existential crisis, but she was asking questions in a genuinely curious way. It kind of brought me out of my funk and made me feel seen. I really needed it at that point, so shoutout to Kayla behind the bar. My Big Bro arrived looking handsome as heck and scanned the menu. I let him take the wheel because he is big bro and is one of the harshest critics of Chinese food you've ever seen, as he is from Taiwan. He is once quoted as saying "if the server doesn't speak Mandarin I will just turn around and walk out..." After asking the server hundreds of questions in the beautiful Mandarin language, he decided on chicken wings, spicy wontons, soup dumplings, fried rice, yellow beef, and the Xiang River Fish. After we destroyed everything that was put in front of us he turned to me and said "this place is actually solid." For him to say a Chinese restaurant in New York is "solid" is like me saying I just had the best meal of my entire life. My favorite was the Xiang River Fish, as the seabass was cooked to perfection and had a nice spicy kick, without having a spice level that would have me talking to god. As we left, Kayla gave us shots of Mezcal on the house. What a legend. BIG UP TO ALL THE KAYLAS OF THE WORLD! IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more

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4.5 here. Let's start with the ambiance - such a cute and well done almost sexy vibe. Great for a friends lunch or nighttime dinner. Sliced green chili beef and soup dumplings. 12-10, pork ribs 8, snow pea tips 8 - needed some salt, and some pop. House special bean potato noodles were a 7- very hard to eat and get all that the dish was completed of in a bite. But very spicy and delicious. Great texture. I have to again say - I search everywhere for the Yu Xiang style shredded beef Sichuan- this chile beef was not the same but so close and better than any beef dish in my 52 years read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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Went back to check that this was one of our favorite Asian places, and yes- it still is. Food is flavorful, authentic, and service is great. Go at opening time and you will have no problem getting in. Dinner time on weekend without a reservation- almost impossible! The moody ambiance is great for brunch, lunch, or dinner vibes! Great for: Unique cocktails and great Asian food read more

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Wanted to order lunch delivered from some place new and noted in my app Blue Willow, which is not around the corner but . Had a discount available, so after noting something on their Lunch Special I never heard of before - Changsha Spiced Chicken. I ordered it with a Hot & Sour Soup. While Changsha Spiced Chicken, from Hunan province, may be one of the hottest dishes I've ever had, it was tolerable and the spiced chicken was fragrant and flavorful, possibly with cumin notes! Some may find it a drier dish since there is no apparent sauce. That being said, I really enjoyed the experience, although it's unlikely I'd order it again due to my personal preference for that heat level. Some of the chilis were a challenge to chew, as well. (Warning for those with nut allergies - It also has peanuts.) Note - The Hot & Sour Soup was good and helped cool down my taste buds. I even ended taking a combined spoonful of the Changsha with a little soup that surprisingly balanced the two well together. If you're an adventurer game for chilis and robust flavors, Definitely would recommend trying Blue Willow's Changsha Spiced Chicken! read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Blue Willow Changsha Spiced Chicken Lunch Special - Get ready for hot and flavorful!!! - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for lunch and was able to grab a seat upstairs. I found the menu limited for someone by themselves. I ordered a seafood soup noodle and sui mai. The noodle soup came first and I found the broth and noodles rather bland. The shrimp is small, but meatballs had good flavor. The sui mai wasn't traditional, more of an adaptation that included shitake mushroom. Service was so so. They were quick to take my order and food came out within a reasonable time, but wasn't checked on and waited a while for the check. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Seafood noodles - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

Loved my dinner here with a friend. Solid food, great ambience, great service. We had the pork soup dumplings, cucumber salad, pork in garlic sauce, and mapo tofu. Everything was great! If you're not a big fan of mala (the numbing sensation) I would skip the mapo tofu. Side of white rice is a must. Happy hour is 4-6! The cocktail they had for hh was pretty good. Perfect spot for a quick dinner. They also have a nice private room in the back for special occasions. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - 麻婆豆腐 Mapo Tofu - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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Ive ordered takeout here a few times. If you want to dine in, it's a nicer Chinese restaurant than just for take out. I've tried the double cooked pork belly, chicken in garlic sauce and general Tsos chicken. All were well seasoned and served with rice/soup at lunch time. Lunch portions are a tad small but the food is good. Will be back to dine in! read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

atmosphere is great but good not that great, my spicy wontons were a weird flavor, like I ate acid. Din Tai Fung is better

Absolutely love this place from the ambience to the food. Everything and anything on this menu is worth trying. Our server was the best. He took great care of us and made sure that our drinks were full and our food came out on time. Highly recommend the soup dumplings. They were perfect along with the fried wontons We did family style and we shared across five people got five different dishes, beef Szechuan, chicken pork belly, general tile chicken fried rice read more

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#1 meal of the trip. I may say every dish we got was a favorite and so delicious. This place was so good I can't even describe it. First of all a whole dish of pork belly YES PLEASE. It was a little spicy but not too bad and was very yummy. The soup dumplings had the right amount of truffle so that I could actually taste it which I appreciate. And the Peking duck OMFG. Maybe it's because I haven't had in a long time but ugghhhh my fav food ever and it just hit the spot. The drink was also really good. Portions also are really big (for sharing) and made me wish I lived in nyc so that I could get more and take home leftovers (don't worry we finished everything we got). The drinks also all had unique Asian twists on them, and you know I love an Asian fusion cocktail so I do wish I got more than one What would've made this better was if they had a dessert that I wanted. They looked interesting but none really screamed at me. read more

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Was in the area and stopped by Blue Willow for a quick dinner. The interior is dimly lit inside and it feels like a classy bar/speakeasy inside. I had a chance to try the west lake beef soup, Szechuan crispy beef and a noodle dish. West lake beef soup is one of my favs so I'm glad to see it on the menu. It had nice bits of beef and egg along with some fresh cilantro that made it delicious. All of these dishes were quite good and I'd also recommend the beef which was super crispy and had a sweet glaze. read more

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The food is delicious but pricy (though still appropriate for higher-end Chinese restaurants in the midtown region). The standout dish is the xianxi fried rice that includes hunan bacon, which adds a smoky taste. Also got the mala dry pot, dan dan noodle, spicy wonton, and garlic sauce eggplant, which all taste as expected. The service and ambiance are calm. Would come back again. read more

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This was a very nice restaurant, and it's very good food, and the service was very good, and the food was very tasty

The Changsha spiced chicken was the best I've had in a long time!! My husband is allergic to peanuts, so we ordered it without them. It comes as small, fried, bite-sized pieces of chicken with garlic and dried chilies. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water lol! The only downside is that I wish there were more chicken than chili peppers. Definitely try this the next time you come here. 12/10 The water spinach with garlic is also our go-to dish here. They make it so well every time; it is fresh. 10/10 We also got the soup dumplings -- a wholesome, homey dish. 7/10. It needs more flavor, but overall it complemented the rest of the dishes nicely. The hot and sour soup was yum! At first, I thought it was a little bitter, but the more you have, the more addictive it gets -- really tasty. Can't wait to go back again. Love the ambiance and service is always great. Waiters are attentive. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - 长沙辣子鸡 Changsha Spiced Chicken without peanuts and water spinach 10/10 - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

A decent Szechuan place in Midtown. We got an assortment of dishes, and nothing blew me away good or bad but makes me want to go to Chinatown or Flushing if I have a real craving for Chinese food. Tried wood ear mushroom salad, husband and wife combo (tripe was good), dan dan noodles (noodles were too mushy but sauce was good), mapo tofu (good), and ginger chicken boneless (tender but not the type of dish I go for). The drinks all looked really good, and I got the General Tso which was a nice balance of sweet and flavor. read more

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Initially I was a little hesitant because of the modern decor, as I usually get wary about the authenticity especially for a Chinese place, but this ended up being a pleasant surprise. Service was quick and efficient from the moment we sat down. We had a reservation through our hotel concierge since we were told it can get pretty busy.. Some of my favorites on this night: the mapo tofu and the eggplant were both excellent, with the right balance of flavor and spice..My family also ordered the Peking duck, it was a bit smaller than expected, but really tasty and paired well with the pancakes and scallions combo. The place has a casual-yet-upscale vibe, with a bar downstairs and dim, moody lighting throughout.. more stylish than your typical Chinese spot, and still comfortable. It is on the pricier side, but that's expected for the area. Overall, I really enjoyed this visit. Great flavors, great presentation.. one of the best meals I had during my stay in Manhattan. read more

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We found this place which searching for a place when the original restaurant fell through. Immediately from its sleek appearance out front. The moody lighting, classic Asian apothecary decor of yesteryear, and slight modern touches, make this restaurant a beautiful aesthetical choice. So many nostalgic details. The drinks.... beautiful presentation, quality ingredients and great taste. The food.... fresh, delicious and authentic. All the flavors, elevated. Presentation, classic. We will definitely be back to try more dishes soon. read more

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Would not be back. Portions are a joke (veggie to meat ratio) - if I wanted to eat straight up tofu I would have ordered that specifically like.... Also felt super rushed by staff and it felt kinda rude read more

Love this spot. The ambiance is perfect for a date night with dark luxe feeling interiors. Food was delicious! They have amazing lunch specials. I got a hot and soup, rice, and the changsha spiced chicken for $17. The soup might have been my favorite part. It was the perfect tangy hot and sour soup. The service was great- always very prompt. read more

We ate here twice for lunch on weekdays with their weekday lunch specials. $17 sauteed shredded pork and tofu was excellent with slices of pork and tofu mixed with vegetables in a mildly spicy dish together with brown rice and hot and sour soup. Wife likes her $16 garlic sauce eggplant dish with bits of minced pork mixed in with chopped Hot chili peppers, which my wife threw out. $16 kung pao chicken came with a generous portion of spicy chicken portions mixed in with scallions would have preferred more vegetables preferably bell peppers but with the price of bell peppers exceeding a dollar a piece I can understand why they went with scallions. The $19 garlic sauce prawns came with six prawns still shelled but deveined. It was easy to peel the shells which I did for my wife who loves shrimp. The garlic sauce however resembled more like sweet and sour sauce much too sweet with too much sugar for our taste. Next door red peonies went out of business lately so there's one less competitor. read more

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Came here with a group of three and everything we ordered was delicious! We got the Changsha spiced chicken ($22), Qing Hua Jiao fish ($38), mapo tofu ($19), and garlic string beans ($18) -- all super flavorful with just the right amount of spice. I really liked that the dishes weren't too oily or heavy but still packed a ton of flavor. It is on the pricier side, and the place gets really busy (especially on weekends), so definitely make a reservation if you can. Overall though, great spot for flavorful, well-balanced Chinese food in a nice setting. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - 麻婆豆腐 Mapo Tofu, 青花椒水煮鱼 Qing Hua Jiao Fish, L18. 农家小炒肉 Farmhouse Pork Belly - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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I've been here for a private party (they have a second floor) as well as for regular dinner, and the vibes / decor is great although the dishes are hit or miss! On my most recent dinner, I made a reservation for six and we were seated at a comfortable table with dividers that made it feel a bit more private. Our servers were friendly throughout the whole night and I appreciated that they cleared dishes after the courses (starters, entrees, dessert). There's even a coat check, but I didn't need to use it. We ordered: Vegetable dumplings (steamed) - 5/5 Pork dumplings (fried) - 5/5 Dan Dan noodles - 5/5 Mapo tofu - 4/5 Ma Ma peppercorn fish - 2/5 this was okay Yellow beef - 2/5 this is mad spicy!!! Garlic string beans - 5/5 everyone loved these Changsha spiced chicken - 2/5 just mid Sesame rice balls (tang yuan) - 4/5 Ice cream sundae - 5/5 read more

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If you're craving bold, authentic Hunan flavors in NYC, Blue Willow 夜来湘 is a must-visit. Everything from the ambiance to the food transports you because the interior feels like a chic throwback to 1920s Old Shanghai, with cozy private rooms and a great bar serving baijiu cocktails and tea-infused drinks. Every dish we tried was packed with flavor and fragrance, the true to the meaning of "湘" (fragrant). Highlights were the Chairman Mao's red-braised pork (a melt-in-your-mouth classic), the wok-seared green beans, and the fragrant chili fish. Favorites from our table: Chengdu Spicy Wontons: perfectly chewy with a nice mala kick. Chilled Sesame Noodles: creamy, tangy, and refreshing. Roasted Peking Duck: crispy skin, tender meat, with all the fixings. Green Chili Shredded Beef: tender and spicy. Szechuan Spicy Softshell Crab: crispy, spicy, and addicting. Classic Fried Rice: simple but done really well. Service was attentive, portions were generous, and every bite felt like a celebration of Hunan culture. Definitely coming back to try more! read more

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Good place to bring a date, but pretty pricey Chinese food. That being said the food was really good and not oily. We had the Chinese spinach with garlic sauce which tasted super fresh and clean. Then moved onto my braised beef in hot chilli sauce. Had a nice heat , but not too hot. The beef was super tender from the baking soda. Then we had the whole bass fish served in a ginger soy sauce. Again the fish was fresh and delicious. Service was quick and friendly. All this before tax and tip was about $95. read more

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Great food quantity. Great dark ambience. Works with Amex Resy benefit so go claim it.

Great location if you're walking through Central Park--very convenient to stop by during a stroll. The food overall is quite good and feels more authentic compared to typical American Chinese cuisine. However, the Peking duck was a big disappointment. I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you're familiar with authentic Chinese-style Peking duck. On the other hand, the numbing beef tendon was excellent--very true to Sichuan flavors, rich and delicious. The Chairman Mao's braised pork tasted good, but it felt slightly undercooked. It would benefit from a longer braising time--perhaps another hour--to really develop the texture and depth of flavor. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - 豆角炒茄子 - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

My experience at Blue Willow NYC was so shockingly bad that it almost felt like a parody of a restaurant. We spent close to 400 dollars, and the entire meal tasted like a culinary cry for help. The night started with the food, which was an absolute train wreck. The Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles were the first red flag. They were mushy, flavorless, and so confused that it felt like the noodles themselves were questioning their life choices. Calling them edible would be generous. Then came the Kung Pao Chicken, which was absolute ass. Dry, bland, and so poorly cooked that it genuinely tasted like the chef was trying to speed run how fast they could ruin chicken. The dumplings and wontons continued the disaster. They were soft, shapeless blobs with no texture, no integrity, no flavor, nothing. They fell apart instantly, as if someone forgot how gravity works. The only thing that tasted remotely edible was the General Tsos, and even that was simply average. Not good, not special, just the least terrible item in a lineup of spectacular failures. Every dish, instead of turning to gold at these prices, did the exact opposite. It was like watching someone with the reverse Midas touch turn everything they cooked into disappointment. The drinks somehow made things even worse. The cocktails were wildly overpriced and arrived in tiny glasses that were filled almost entirely with ice. It looked like they poured a thimble of actual drink and then tried to hide it under an avalanche of ice cubes. If you want a cocktail with actual liquid, you would be better off ordering water and waiting for the ice to melt. And then the service. The service was so bad that it was actively competing with the food for the title of worst part of the night. We were polite, respectful, pleasant, and easy customers from start to finish. Despite that, they kicked us out at 10:01 in the evening, exactly 1 minute after closing, immediately after we paid a massive bill. No courtesy, no warning, no appreciation. Just an abrupt, cold shove toward the door as if we were an inconvenience simply for existing. I have seen convenience stores show more hospitality at closing time. For the premium prices they charge and the inflated reputation they claim to have, the entire experience was embarrassing. I would never return under any circumstance, and I would strongly advise anyone considering this place to save their money, their time, and their appetite. Go anywhere else. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - On the way to the bathroom which felt like you were disturbing the staff en route. - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

First of all when you walk into Blue Willow the room is lively and decor transformed us back in time the staff is super accommodating friendly with top notch service !! The food is excellent started with very good scallion pancakes from there some won ton soup light won tons in an flavorful broth A variety of dim som dumplings scrumptious then uniquely spiced Dan Dan noodles and perfectly tasty Szechuan beef !! Blue Willow my new favorite Chinese spot in NYC read more

While visiting New York City, I met some old and new friends here for cocktails and dinner. We spent a few hours at the bar waiting for our reservation and had our pick of the unique cocktails. The bartenders were generous in explaining the mixes while we all caught up. It was clear that this was the type of bar to meet up with colleagues or for happy hour as the energy of the restaurant was consistently lively through the night. Our food that we had later in the evening satisfied our bellies. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - Pandan Pillow - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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What a disappointment. Our first time having Chinese food in NYC and it was the worst Chinese food we've ever had. The chicken and broccoli had no flavor. General Taos chicken was equally as bad. The spicy beef was horrible. The only thing that was semi decent was the lo mein beef. It's hard to mess up noodles. We're so disappointed. Easily one of the worst meals we've ever had. read more

TAKE OUT ORDER REVIEW: I feel like I got catfished... this is the blandest food I've ever tasted. The wonton soup is literally water with tasteless dumplings. Both chicken dishes (general tso's and garlic chicken) are incredibly bland. I have no idea what anyone is talking about in these previous reviews. Maybe this place is better in person but if you're a good restraunt then you can deliver good food too. You've been warned! read more

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The service was amazing! Definitely try the boba milk tea--the boba has a subtle honey or brown sugar flavor and the texture is perfect. The spicy shrimp pork wontons are also incredibly authentic and so much better than what I've had at other Chinese restaurants. read more

This spot was shockingly good; perhaps I expected this to be an American-minded Chinese spot, but we (party of 4) were pleasantly surprised. The bar area was lively for a Sunday evening and the interior is entirely designed like a vintage Shanghai home/space, with lovely framed photos everywhere. Upstairs was a whole vibe with private areas to reserve or rent out. We lucked out and got a private booth by the front window, which was the perfect amount of space and privacy. The food runs spicy, as it is a Hunan restaurant. A number of items were sold out, but we got the Qing Hua Jiao Fish ($38) less spicy and it was perfect, as well as the salt and pepper prawns ($15), a chili oil braised beef ($26), and while we also ordered a soup and two other dishes, I can't possibly remember now, hah. Everything was delicious. Highly recommend! read more

Overall, the food didn't taste very authentic, but it's a nice, elegant dining experience. The chicken wings and seafood fried rice were pretty good. The chilled sesame noodles did not have the texture that I was looking for, but the taste was good. It's also kind of pricey. The staff were so kind, and I loved the interior. read more

Blue Willow 夜来湘 - food - Szechuan Near Me - New York, New York

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