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    Chef Yu

    3.3 (737 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    CHEF YU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Ginette P.

    When my office was in the area we used to order lunch & stop by on a regular basis it's probably about the only thing I miss after leaving the area. Hubby & I happen to be in the area & decided to stop by for lunch, drinks kept it simple w just Water & Sprite not bad. Appetizer we got the Scallion pancakes so good even better with the peanut soy dipping sauce. Main dishes we went with the Garlic chicken & Orange crispy beef both with brown rice, both so good crispy orange beef nice taste, rice so good with sauce. The Garlic chicken also so good, I could do w out less onions since they are such big chunks. Our visit was during the weekend so the place was not crowded as it can be during the week & lunch hours, big enough space with an upper & lower seating, they also have a small bar area. Good quick service, prices are very reasonable, we enjoyed our lunch.

    Shredded Pork with Dried Bean Curd lunch
    Stella A.

    Haven't been here for a long time. Stopped by today as I was in the hood. I could swear their lunch special used to include a soup and/or an egg roll. Guess times are tough. Either cut back on portion or raise the price. I do miss the hot and sour soup.

    Alvin Z.

    Food was just okay but everyone in the restaurant were super efficient. The lunch menu that I ordered was pretty worth the value since it came with a lot for only 11-13$ so it's definitely worth the value. Ordered the general tso lunch special and the chicken wasn't crispy but the flavor was there. Overall, not bad but not insanely good.

    decent chinese food in garment district. prices reasonable. service typicsl chinese and efficient. midscale ambience with function room upstaris

    8. General Tso Chicken
    Chris P.

    Very good restaurant went there while on vacation, I live in Florida and can't find a good hot and sour soup or a general Tao's chicken anywhere. This place had a great hot and sour soup and they general Taos was delicious. Nice place inside and service was very good and friendly

    B1. Fried Rice
    Ebonee D.

    Food: 10 out of 10 all around the best food I had on my trip. Service: 10 out of 10. Our server was friendly, quick and very attentive to anything we needed. Location: located a few blocks away from the 42nd street crowd. Right across from Hilton doubletree hotel. Ambiance: upscale cuisine dinning. Low image lighting. Great place to gather with family and friends. Price: several appetizers, three entrées, four cocktail drinks. Total was under $150.

    the interior of a restaurant
    Johnny N.

    I met my big homie here as he said their lunch special was a quick meal and a potential inflation buster. Nothing gets me out of bed like a potential inflation buster... Chef Yu is like a Chinese version of Buca Di Beppo. A big space with ample room and huge portion sizes at decent prices, but just straight Americanized... they don't even give you chopsticks ahahahaa. But Buca Di Beppo does have its time and place lowkey...they don't wanna have that conversation though. The menu was huge, but I went straight to the lunch specials as you know why I'm here. I got the spicy diced chicken, and I swear to god it came in under 5 minutes from the time the words "spicy diced chicken please" left my carmex filled lips. It came a little too quick (haha) as now I am fully aware that they have a big pot of that chicken on simmer in the back and just go and scoop it out, or they just throw it in the microwave and bring it right out to you. They should have just waited 10 min and I wouldn't have batted an eye. However at $11.95 and a portion big enough for 2, this EASILY qualifies as an inflation buster. The mix of chicken, white rice, and vegetables was honestly pretty damn good I can't even lie. It didn't have me feeling like I was going to die after like some americanized chinese food does. I ate the whole thing because the chicken did SLAP, and when you from where I'm from you don't leave food on the plate. I'm also just an animal and built different so please don't beat yourself up if you can't finish it... Another reviewer said "the food is like an upscale Panda Express," and I couldn't agree more. Nice comparison Emily C, keep doing you we see you workin! Call it in. Tell the good people. Inflation is in TROUBLE. Chef Yu's lunch special is on its head!!!!! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

    Lo Mein
    Cee E.

    I ordered the lomein and shredded beef lunch special from Chef Yu. Each entree was under $15 which I thought was a good deal. It was my first time ordering from here. My order was ready for pick up quickly. The beef lunch special came with rice, a choice of soup and a side salad. When I came to pick up my order, a lot of people were there for lunch, mostly working people in the area. The restaurant is pretty big. The portion sizes of each were generous, especially the lomein. They definitely load up the beef entree with veggies but there's a good amount of meat in there too. I thought the food was probably a 5.5 or 6/10. It was just okay. I probably enjoyed the beef more than the lomein though each was kind of greasy. The restaurant has a nice sized menu though, so I'd be open to trying something else. For the price, I think it's a nice option.

    209. Shrimp Dumplings Szechuan Style
    Farrah F.

    Food: never disappointed when we come here, usually post NYCC! Not pictured is an order of pork fried rice that's always good. I would not recommend the Lychee Martini, it had a lot of lychee chunks in it. Service: Our waiter always came to check on us, our water glasses were always filled, and he had a very pleasant attitude. Ambiance: The restaurant is clean and updated. The bathrooms are in good condition. I look forward to continuing this NYCC tradition with my friends for years to come.

    8. General Tso Chicken B1. Fried Rice

    Solid dining and service was great. Lunch menu is a great option for a well rounded meal for cheap. General Tso chicken could have been a little bit less coated in the sauce. Rice was somewhat bland.

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    The service was less than bare minimum & tried to tell us how to tip. Very disrespectful.

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    8 months ago

    Enjoyed my vegetarian fried rice. Quick and friendly service. Ambience was nice. Will return my next time in New York.

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    Minnie L.

    Thank you and we hope to bring u more good food.

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    Uncle Lou 快樂人 - Chicken Lo Mein

    Uncle Lou 快樂人

    4.2(671 reviews)
    2.6 miChinatown
    $$

    Finally made it to Uncle Lou, often talked about as one of the best Cantonese spots in Chinatown,…read moreand it definitely lived up to the hype. We went straight for their signature deep fried garlic chicken and decided to share the Peking duck--and both dishes were beautifully presented and packed with incredible flavor. The chicken, in particular, was crispy, aromatic, and absolutely delicious, though it's worth noting you'll want to be a bit careful as there are quite a few small bones throughout. The Peking duck was equally impressive, cooked perfectly with rich, satisfying taste in every bite. You can really tell the kitchen puts care into both quality and presentation. On top of the food, the staff were adorable and welcoming, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. The ambiance felt warm, lively, and comfortable--perfect for a relaxed meal in Chinatown. Overall, a fantastic dining experience with standout dishes and great energy. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

    Lunch while in the vicinity on a Wednesday afternoon for my professional duties. Business cards…read moreand takeout menu are both available for grabs. Uncle Lou is a Cantonese restaurant that also serve Dim Sum dishes. The business name reference Chinese culture of calling adults "uncle" (suk1 suk1, 叔叔) or "auntie" (aa3 ji4, 阿姨) is a polite, common way to show respect, build connection, and bridge generational gaps. It treats non-relatives like family, making strangers feel younger and fostering closeness. The atmospheric decor contains very beautiful Chinese lanterns suspended from the ceiling throughout the restaurant. I believe it is decorated for Lunar New Year throughout the entire year. No comment for facility as I did not utilize. Customer service is average attentive and the staff is fluent in both English and Cantonese. I did not have to wait long to be served nor request the bill, and neither attain change. I often dine alone as a single woman and was regarded with respect for patronizing. It is always good to hear Cantonese spoken as it is mellifluous... at long last to continue this vernacular of Chinese language. I ordered in a mixture of both English and Cantonese. I was promptly seated by the maître d' promptly for a table. Melamine/plastic chopsticks in neon green and ceramic / porcelain china including ceramic Chinese soup spoon are distributed to customers while dine-in. A traditional teapot is also distributed during the duration of meal like large banquet hall Dim Sum restaurants. The large round tables contain a rotating lazy susan in traditional Chinese restaurant standard. Wow. No disposable wooden chopsticks and no disposable bowls for utensils are distributed at Uncle Lou. Price is slightly high, but worth the food quality and customer service. Uncle Lou did surely feed me! Shrimp Wonton noodle soup, Ho fun (flat rice noodles), shrimp based broth, $14.95 The bowl is gargantuan and the six (6) dumplings are good size portion served in ceramic / porcelain china. There are Chinese vegetable of one strand choi sam (choy sum) and scallions. The shrimp Wonton dumplings are a good size and good consistency. The soup broth is solid for flavor and consistency. It was served piping hot as steam was visibly emitting. The soup broth was slightly heavy. The flat rice noodles were sufficient for quantity. Noodle soup is Chinese comfort food and warms the heart. It sustained my hunger pangs throughout the day. Upon arrival the wait staff prominently announce to inform customers of 9% discount for cash payment and a 3% additional surcharge or fees for any credit/debit card payment for situational awareness. I was informant and made fully aware twice: upon entry when seated and upon receiving the bill. Uncle Lou complies with "Prohibition of Cashless Establishments, as of March 21, 2026, all retail and food establishments in New York State, including New York City, must accept in-person cash payments, banning fully cashless stores." (source: Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), Local Law 34 of 2020). Oh! For small amounts of purchases, my default payment method is cash. Yes, cash is still widely accepted in the 21st century. Nota Bene: Have cash on hand to avoid annoying surcharge or fees. The bill is calculated and manually handwritten the old school way still a timeless classic. I paid my bill in cash including gratuity. No comment for Apple Pay or Google Wallet (formerly Android Pay/Google Pay) either acceptance or price differential vs. cash.

    Photos
    Uncle Lou 快樂人 - The dining room, how cute is that??

    The dining room, how cute is that??

    Uncle Lou 快樂人 - Steamed pork bun

    Steamed pork bun

    Uncle Lou 快樂人 - Eggplant in garlic sauce

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    Eggplant in garlic sauce

    Potluck Club 佰樂 - Taro Shrimp Fritters

    Potluck Club 佰樂

    4.4(552 reviews)
    2.4 miLower East Side

    This place is a delight! Thank goodness we had a reservation--we saw a few folks turned away…read more(Saturday night). Our server was friendly and patient. The menu is medium-sized, which I appreciate. It's big enough so that you have choices, but not so big that you feel overwhelmed. We ordered the snow pea shoots, salt and pepper chicken and biscuits, and a special--sweet and sour pork. Everything was delicious--my favorite was the chicken and biscuits. The biscuits were incredibly soft, and I liked that the chicken was flavorful, but not too salty.

    Service was good. Experience was good. Ambiance was good. Love the theme. Food was good but did not…read morematch up to it's price point. There was a twist in all their dishes that would make them different from other Chinese restaurants. They all tasted good but the small changes that they made to "upgrade" or to transform the dishes to make them more modern did not justify the price. I can't exactly say that I loved all those changes either. The chicken was just like the salt and pepper chickens at other Chinese places. The jam that came with it alongside with the biscuits were what made them special. I personally was not a fan of the jam. I could not really put my finger on what it was that I was nitpicking on but I did not touch it much. The biscuit was a hit. Even my picky daughter was into it and kept asking for more. I expected it to be a dryer biscuit but I am not complaining. Maybe just a bit crumblier than I expected. It was good. The fried rice was it's grains and how its absorbed it's sauce. It kind of reminded me of risotto. It was ok, good, but it was not a favorite. Old man chiu and the landlady. They were good. My colleague and I each ordered one and then ended up swapping to suit our tastes. Its one of the benefits of eating with others. Would I visit again? Not too certain about that but I would have people come and give them a try nonetheless.

    Photos
    Potluck Club 佰樂 - Interior

    Interior

    Potluck Club 佰樂 - Oyster Mushroom Rice Roll Noodles

    Oyster Mushroom Rice Roll Noodles

    Potluck Club 佰樂 - Tiger Shrimp with Candied Walnuts

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    Tiger Shrimp with Candied Walnuts

    Wah Fung No 1 - Small 3 Meat: Duck, Chicken, BBQ Pork.

    Wah Fung No 1

    4.4(2.4k reviews)
    2.5 miLower East Side
    $

    Visited Wah Fung No. 1 Fast Food while in Manhattan. The atmosphere is tight, fast-paced, and…read moreno-frills, and the service is quick and efficient -- chop chop and you're out. This is a must if you're in Manhattan. The line is narrow going in and out, and you're literally rubbing shoulders with the opposite line -- that's how tight the space is. You make your way to the front, order, and within moments your food is ready. Pro move -- cross the street, grab a bench at the park, and dig in. The char siu is a standout -- ask for slightly fatty pieces for the best flavor and tenderness. Portions are piled high over white rice with steamed cabbage. The roast pork is just as good -- crispy crackling skin with juicy, succulent meat. Great value overall, but be aware it's cash only. Overall, an iconic, no-frills spot delivering big flavor and even bigger portions -- absolutely worth it. Saluti.

    $6 small cha siu rice plate!…read more My fav was def the roast pig ($6.50 for small)!!! It was so fatty and flavorful and they add fresh crispy skin on top. Second fav was prob the roast pork (cha siu), sweet and tender. Third was the duck; ive had better but pretty good for the price. It's kinda hit or miss depending on what the guy cuts you, but I got half to be meaty while the other half was more boney. The chicken is actually similar to hawaiian bbq chicken, it has a sweet soysauce and crispy skin which was good. There's only 1 person who takes your order and cuts the meat, so wait time is pretty long. Cash only!

    Photos
    Wah Fung No 1
    Wah Fung No 1 - Roasted Duck (small)

    Roasted Duck (small)

    Wah Fung No 1 - Small char siu and roast duck

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    Small char siu and roast duck

    Congee Village - Cold Dungeness Crab

    Congee Village

    3.4(1.9k reviews)
    2.4 miLower East Side
    $$

    This lap cheong bamboo baked rice is my dream meal for under $11!!…read more Congee Village s a longtime chinatown staple (30 years strong!), serving family style cantonese dishes, dim sum, congee, and rice at reasonable prices. We also get a free mung bean sweet soup at the end. I've been to their Flushing location for dim sum before, but their entrees are even better imo. *Chinese Sausage Bamboo Baked Rice 金銀臘腸燉飯 $10.95 ** Such amazing value! So much lap cheong (chinese sausage/臘腸) and lap yuk (chinese cured bacon/臘肉) piled on top of seasoned rice. The rice soaked up all the oil from lap cheong and the sauces. *Sha Cha Beef and Vermicelli in Casserole 沙茶牛肉粉絲煲 $22.95 ** Almost every table ordered a casserole, and I was surprised by how much beef they packed in. The vermicelli noodles held onto the sauce well. Easily a "rice thief" dish *Sampan Congee 荔灣艇仔粥 $8.50 * The congee came out boiling hot. It was velvety, and loaded with toppings like shredded duck. Definitely eat it fresh though, because the heat from the clay pot makes the bottom start to stick together quickly. *Sauteed Lobster with Sticky Rice 糯米炒龍蝦 $48.95 (MP) * Many people rave about their lobster sticky rice online. It came with so many huge chunks of lobster so you can get your money worth it. There might be more lobster than sticky rice. It was also easy to pick the meat out with just a fork. *Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper 椒鹽鮮魷 $18.95 I wish it had a bit more salt and pepper, but otherwise the fried batter was thin and crispy. I've also never seen fried squid come in such huge, meaty pieces! *Honey Walnut Shrimp 核桃蝦球 $24.95 Skip. Walnut shrimp is usually a go-to, but this one was just okay.

    Congee Village has been our family's go-to for celebrations and everything in between. It's not…read morefancy in a trendy way, but it's real. The kind of place where the tables are big and the food comes out steaming hot and unpretentious. Let's start with what they're named after: the congee. So many places thicken their porridge with cornstarch or fillers, but here it's the real deal. Silky from long simmered rice. My personal favorite is the teng-ji-jook. It's a beautifully fragrant, slightly earthy bowl of pure comfort. If you've never had it, trust me, it's worth the visit alone. But don't stop there. The beef chow fun is a classic for a reason. Wide rice noodles with wok hei, tender beef, and not oily (you can see from the bottom). It's the dish everyone enjoys and it never disappoints. For something saltier, the salted fish fried rice and the salt and pepper fried squid are highly recommended. I heard the Dungeness crab is pretty popular so it was fun to pick at it while each person has their own dipping sauce as we wait for the hot food. We also got the stir fry Chinese broccoli which had a nice crisp and wasn't overcooked. I appreciated that. The pan fried tofu worked for the vegans at the table but even the non vegans kept reaching for it. I was surprised to see pickled garlic in my sweet and sour pork. It was so nostalgic, the way my grandmother would have made it. The lamb chops were perfectly tender without being too gamey. On special occasions, we get the stir fry lobster. It's the kind of dish you'd expect at a Chinese wedding banquet. Celebratory, messy in the best way. You could build a whole feast here just from banquet classics. Pro tip: if you're rolling with a small party, book one of their private rooms with a karaoke setup. Eat, sing off key and pretend you're at a family wedding without the formalities. Congee Village isn't trying to be anything it's not. And that's why I keep coming back.

    Photos
    Congee Village
    Congee Village - Snow Pea's Leaf with mixed mushrooms.

    Snow Pea's Leaf with mixed mushrooms.

    Congee Village - Sauteed Lotus Root with Bean Paste

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    Sauteed Lotus Root with Bean Paste

    Chef Yu - szechuan - Updated May 2026

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