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Ordered the braised pork belly, pork soup dumplings, & garlic shrimp w glass noodles. Had the latter before, & it's always very good. Tried the braised pork belly this time, & that was very flavorful as well. Was pleasantly surprised that it came w quail eggs. Soup dumplings were good (skin wasn't thin & didn't rip), but not life changing.
One of my favorite spots for Chinese food in NYC! I was honestly a bit dubious when my friend first recommended this spot to me since the dishes seemed a bit too Instagrammable, but Che Li was beyond ready to prove that gimmicky food can be authentic and delicious. We started our meal with the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and they were genuinely some of the best soup dumplings I've had in the US -- the skin was remarkably thin, yet sturdy and managed to defend the ultra-flavorful soup from my manhandling and multiple failed attempts to pick one up. We also had the pu'er tea rice with uni, which was a great way to whet our appetite for the rest of the meal; the rice was cooked well and soaked up all of the goodness from the pu'er, and the uni gave the whole dish a great hit of umami. While this was a great and well-executed starter, it was also really small and not the most earth-shattering, so I'll probably opt to skip it for next time; even so, it was great preparation for the next round of dishes, including the full steamed yellow croaker, stir-fried water spinach, and crab and tofu. The steamed yellow croaker was fantastic; the sauce was subtly salty, umami, and tangy, and the fermented rice offered a little pop of sweetness. The fish itself was remarkably tender and easily slid off the bones; the dish was simple, yet executed perfectly. The same could be said of the crab and tofu, which went perfectly with their freshly steamed rice. The crab offered a bit of brininess and saltiness, which the silken tofu just soaked up like a sponge. The stir-fried water spinach was a great pop of green in our otherwise very protein-heavy meal. The veggies were well-cooked and not too oily, but also had a ton of flavor from the verifiable mountain of garlic they threw in there. All in all, this was an absolutely wonderful meal -- the dishes we chose were relatively simple, but crafted expertly and authentically. While a few others definitely felt a bit gimmicky (i.e., the longjiang prawns), the tables around us still had rave reviews for those dishes' authenticity and taste. Will absolutely be stopping by here again the next time I'm in NYC.
My first time here and it was definitely worth the visit! Tucked away on St Marks, it's on the 2nd level and the entrance isn't on street level Awesome decor here with a good blend of vibes and music. You order everything on an iPad but the servers will answer any questions and they come double check your order as well. The food and presentation were amazing. Beggars chicken and the beef came on fire and the chicken was a good presentation. Awesome spot for dinner or lunch and good for groups as well. I'll definitely be back
We somehow secured a Mother's Day dinner here for 5 without reservations! We gladly accepted a smaller table to get in. We had tried the restaurant next door jiang nan before and when we first entered we thought it was the same restaurant due to the decor, but staff said it wasn't. Finding the restaurant - easiest by accessing it from in front of the Tangram mall, maps initially had us walking through large restaurant area outdoors and going in circles for a bit. I broke my rule of never going out on Mother's Day because service is usually subpar, food is too and it's just too busy but we took my mom to NyC for the day so had to eat lol. Food was quite good, though overpriced a bit. We had the soup dumplings, sweet and sour fish, beggar chicken (with a small show), ham and vegetable clay pot rice, and a veggie dish. It was all delish! I especially loved the rice and hope to replicate it at home. Osthmanthus dessert (warm) wasn't good, I probably should have gotten the cool one. Service left a lot to be desired, which may be due to it being so busy. Hard to get staff to ask questions about the order. For the prices, one would think service would be exceptional. The staff were busy and seemed annoyed at requests for water, tea, etc. I would try it again on a less busy weekend.
I have been eating Chinese food for 50 years, and I've never had Chinese food like this! I mean that in a good way. There are so many flavors it was intoxicating without even drinking alcohol. Speaking of no alcohol, the "Milk tea with yellow wine" is delicious, and (I'm pretty sure) alcohol-free. If you do like alcohol, they had a nice ale from Hong Kong I never heard of before, but it was very tasty. We started with black truffle soup dumplings, which were amazing. Then, pickled cabbage fish stew, which was also unlike anything I had ever tasted before, an "explosion of flavors," my dinner companion said. We got a side of some garlicky "water spinach," which in Chinese is called "hollow heart vegetable" because the stem is a tube. Our server was as nice as can be, and was fluent in both English and Chinese. It's easy to see why this place is always crowded.
Came to dinner for 5 and we, as always, ordered way too much. We got the soup dumplings, Flaming Beggar's chicken, crab meat tofu stew, che li pork belly, sweet sour fish, lotus pond stir fry, brown sugar sticky rice cakes and pear desserts. The desserts tasted better than the meal. The meal was ok but I'm not sure if it was what we had ordered but most of the meal was a bit forgettable. I thought the chicken or the crab tofu would be a standout but both were pretty tasteless. The decor was stunning, it made me feel like I was in China. I do want to return and try other dishes. Hoping we just ordered wrong.
Quick dinner to catch up with my friend. The place is nicely decorated like old Chinese village vibes. Food is good, not too overwhelming yet tasty. Service is okay. The only thing is they keep asking if we finish or want to take left over food home. Feels like a little rushed when there was o people waiting and definitely not peak hours.
My friend from NY kept raving about this place and said it was one of the few chinese places that his family likes for chinese food in the city. The ambiance was great, I liked the aesthetic and felt that it was well decorated. Service was good, they checked in on us and confirmed our order after we places it through the ipad. I liked the eggplant dish a lot, one of the better versions that I've had. The fish stew had tons of fish and was enjoyable. I thought the braised pork belly was decent but too fatty for me personally.
We were lucky enough to be in a party that got the private table in the back. It made for a cozy and fun lunch. We tried about ten items on the menu. All were good. Standouts were tofu puffs; soup dumplings; string beans and shrimp in a delicious glaze. Beware: like in Asia, you need to eat the shrimp shell for the full flavor. It was great. For dessert we each had a lava volcano; hot custard inside a very unusual dough. See photo. Prices very reasonable for the city. Service was good.
Very cool place - vibey and seating was great. You order off an iPad, and everything comes out pretty quickly. My favorite dish was the rice cakes - a must get. Not super impressed with the pork belly or duck. The AC was also broken so it was super hot while we were eating, which made it a little less enjoyable.
Cheli is always a hit - it's been my go to recently for amazing Shanghainese cuisine. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu but my favorites are the pork belly, longjing shrimp, water spinach, string beans, and hunan spicy beef. I wasn't a huge fan of the flaming chicken, it was a bit dry. The ambiance is great; I love the "Chinese garden" feel. I also really like how the ordering system is on an iPad with photos of the dishes. I went with a big group of 9 recently and there was a secluded long table they reserved for us which was more private. For larger groups they have a minimum spend - I think it's about $60 per person.
I came for dinner with some friends when I was in the area and really enjoyed the vibes. The restaurant is decorated to give a traditional Chinese, ancient-time vibe. We had a reservation so the wait was not too bad. We ordered the Longjing Shrimp, braised pork belly, crab meat soup dumplings, and the white pepper beef with soft tofu. The food was delicious. My favorite was the white pepper beef with soft tofu eaten with white rice. It was a perfect mix of spicy, meating and smooth. The Longjing shrimp presentation was beautiful, the shrimps tasted fresh, but the taste didn't stand out too much for me. We also got the pear dessert, which ended up being one for those "look better than it tastes" situation. The pear was a panna cotta texture with pear flavored fillings served in a mildly sweet snow fungus goji berry soup. It was worth a try, but I wouldn't order again. Overall, very nicely decorated restaurant with delicious traditional Chinese food. I would come back to try more other dishes.
Visited Cheli with 3 friends on a Saturday night, wait was a bit long (1.5 hours) so I highly recommend a recommendation! Once we were seated however, things were pretty great. Our waitress was incredibly accommodating and everything we ordered came out very quickly. Wine Soaked Chicken: Not something I've ever tried, but I thought it was excellent. The chicken was juicy, flavored perfectly with the wine. 4/5 Soup Dumplings: Solid soup dumplings, not particularly stand out but definitely not a bad a choice if you're feeling soup dumplings. 3.5/5 Crab Mapo Tofu: Super good! Really flavorful, generous with the crab, and it went perfectly with rice. 5/5. Eggplant in Garlic Sauce: Always a classic and Cheli's take is great! Highly recommend getting one as a vegetable dish. 5/5 Overall, it was a great dining experience! The food was good, service was quick, and the place is perfect for dates or groups (although once again, get a reservation!)
Came in late in the evening on a Thursday while it was quite busy, but my party of 2 was seated in about 10 mins. Service is super efficient, to order food you use a tablet at the table and order drinks from the servers. The dining room is beautiful and kind of peaceful. I saw quite a few large parties so this spot seems good for groups. We started with the truffle pork soup dumplings which might be the best I've ever had. The soup was the perfect temperature and so so flavorful. I would come back just for the dumplings. The mapo tofu and sauteed green beans came next, and we ordered two sides of plain white rice which came in a generously sized bowl. Portion sizes are large here, we had plenty of leftovers. We went for more familiar dishes, which were so well done, but all the different dishes flying through the dining room looked incredible. Will definitely be coming back to explore the rest of the menu. read more
8 days ago
Elevated Chinese food, Cheli is excellent for sit-down smaller/midsize parties. I appreciated their quick service and ability to accommodate vegetarian options. And they also had enough room to seat us without a reservation. Their Mapo Tofu is the star, bridging affordability and savory. Like many of their dishes, it's very, very flavorful and spicy, with the traditional mapo numbing sensation. I'd strongly recommend ordering it with rice. Their mushroom rice dish was also succulent and tasty, and I'd also say it's a great alternative if you prefer less spicy entrees. I do think they're a bit on the pricey side, but their food is worth the cost. Be aware that, again, their dishes are quite rich in flavor. read more
Ordered the braised pork belly, pork soup dumplings, & garlic shrimp w glass noodles. Had the latter before, & it's always very good. Tried the braised pork belly this time, & that was very flavorful as well. Was pleasantly surprised that it came w quail eggs. Soup dumplings were good (skin wasn't thin & didn't rip), but not life changing. read more
One of my favorite spots for Chinese food in NYC! I was honestly a bit dubious when my friend first recommended this spot to me since the dishes seemed a bit too Instagrammable, but Che Li was beyond ready to prove that gimmicky food can be authentic and delicious. We started our meal with the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and they were genuinely some of the best soup dumplings I've had in the US -- the skin was remarkably thin, yet sturdy and managed to defend the ultra-flavorful soup from my manhandling and multiple failed attempts to pick one up. We also had the pu'er tea rice with uni, which was a great way to whet our appetite for the rest of the meal; the rice was cooked well and soaked up all of the goodness from the pu'er, and the uni gave the whole dish a great hit of umami. While this was a great and well-executed starter, it was also really small and not the most earth-shattering, so I'll probably opt to skip it for next time; even so, it was great preparation for the next round of dishes, including the full steamed yellow croaker, stir-fried water spinach, and crab and tofu. The steamed yellow croaker was fantastic; the sauce was subtly salty, umami, and tangy, and the fermented rice offered a little pop of sweetness. The fish itself was remarkably tender and easily slid off the bones; the dish was simple, yet executed perfectly. The same could be said of the crab and tofu, which went perfectly with their freshly steamed rice. The crab offered a bit of brininess and saltiness, which the silken tofu just soaked up like a sponge. The stir-fried water spinach was a great pop of green in our otherwise very protein-heavy meal. The veggies were well-cooked and not too oily, but also had a ton of flavor from the verifiable mountain of garlic they threw in there. All in all, this was an absolutely wonderful meal -- the dishes we chose were relatively simple, but crafted expertly and authentically. While a few others definitely felt a bit gimmicky (i.e., the longjiang prawns), the tables around us still had rave reviews for those dishes' authenticity and taste. Will absolutely be stopping by here again the next time I'm in NYC. read more
My first time here and it was definitely worth the visit! Tucked away on St Marks, it's on the 2nd level and the entrance isn't on street level Awesome decor here with a good blend of vibes and music. You order everything on an iPad but the servers will answer any questions and they come double check your order as well. The food and presentation were amazing. Beggars chicken and the beef came on fire and the chicken was a good presentation. Awesome spot for dinner or lunch and good for groups as well. I'll definitely be back read more
3 months ago
We somehow secured a Mother's Day dinner here for 5 without reservations! We gladly accepted a smaller table to get in. We had tried the restaurant next door jiang nan before and when we first entered we thought it was the same restaurant due to the decor, but staff said it wasn't. Finding the restaurant - easiest by accessing it from in front of the Tangram mall, maps initially had us walking through large restaurant area outdoors and going in circles for a bit. I broke my rule of never going out on Mother's Day because service is usually subpar, food is too and it's just too busy but we took my mom to NyC for the day so had to eat lol. Food was quite good, though overpriced a bit. We had the soup dumplings, sweet and sour fish, beggar chicken (with a small show), ham and vegetable clay pot rice, and a veggie dish. It was all delish! I especially loved the rice and hope to replicate it at home. Osthmanthus dessert (warm) wasn't good, I probably should have gotten the cool one. Service left a lot to be desired, which may be due to it being so busy. Hard to get staff to ask questions about the order. For the prices, one would think service would be exceptional. The staff were busy and seemed annoyed at requests for water, tea, etc. I would try it again on a less busy weekend. read more
I have been eating Chinese food for 50 years, and I've never had Chinese food like this! I mean that in a good way. There are so many flavors it was intoxicating without even drinking alcohol. Speaking of no alcohol, the "Milk tea with yellow wine" is delicious, and (I'm pretty sure) alcohol-free. If you do like alcohol, they had a nice ale from Hong Kong I never heard of before, but it was very tasty. We started with black truffle soup dumplings, which were amazing. Then, pickled cabbage fish stew, which was also unlike anything I had ever tasted before, an "explosion of flavors," my dinner companion said. We got a side of some garlicky "water spinach," which in Chinese is called "hollow heart vegetable" because the stem is a tube. Our server was as nice as can be, and was fluent in both English and Chinese. It's easy to see why this place is always crowded. read more
Came to dinner for 5 and we, as always, ordered way too much. We got the soup dumplings, Flaming Beggar's chicken, crab meat tofu stew, che li pork belly, sweet sour fish, lotus pond stir fry, brown sugar sticky rice cakes and pear desserts. The desserts tasted better than the meal. The meal was ok but I'm not sure if it was what we had ordered but most of the meal was a bit forgettable. I thought the chicken or the crab tofu would be a standout but both were pretty tasteless. The decor was stunning, it made me feel like I was in China. I do want to return and try other dishes. Hoping we just ordered wrong. read more
Quick dinner to catch up with my friend. The place is nicely decorated like old Chinese village vibes. Food is good, not too overwhelming yet tasty. Service is okay. The only thing is they keep asking if we finish or want to take left over food home. Feels like a little rushed when there was o people waiting and definitely not peak hours. read more
7 months ago
My friend from NY kept raving about this place and said it was one of the few chinese places that his family likes for chinese food in the city. The ambiance was great, I liked the aesthetic and felt that it was well decorated. Service was good, they checked in on us and confirmed our order after we places it through the ipad. I liked the eggplant dish a lot, one of the better versions that I've had. The fish stew had tons of fish and was enjoyable. I thought the braised pork belly was decent but too fatty for me personally. read more
We were lucky enough to be in a party that got the private table in the back. It made for a cozy and fun lunch. We tried about ten items on the menu. All were good. Standouts were tofu puffs; soup dumplings; string beans and shrimp in a delicious glaze. Beware: like in Asia, you need to eat the shrimp shell for the full flavor. It was great. For dessert we each had a lava volcano; hot custard inside a very unusual dough. See photo. Prices very reasonable for the city. Service was good. read more
Very cool place - vibey and seating was great. You order off an iPad, and everything comes out pretty quickly. My favorite dish was the rice cakes - a must get. Not super impressed with the pork belly or duck. The AC was also broken so it was super hot while we were eating, which made it a little less enjoyable. read more
Cheli is always a hit - it's been my go to recently for amazing Shanghainese cuisine. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu but my favorites are the pork belly, longjing shrimp, water spinach, string beans, and hunan spicy beef. I wasn't a huge fan of the flaming chicken, it was a bit dry. The ambiance is great; I love the "Chinese garden" feel. I also really like how the ordering system is on an iPad with photos of the dishes. I went with a big group of 9 recently and there was a secluded long table they reserved for us which was more private. For larger groups they have a minimum spend - I think it's about $60 per person. read more
I came for dinner with some friends when I was in the area and really enjoyed the vibes. The restaurant is decorated to give a traditional Chinese, ancient-time vibe. We had a reservation so the wait was not too bad. We ordered the Longjing Shrimp, braised pork belly, crab meat soup dumplings, and the white pepper beef with soft tofu. The food was delicious. My favorite was the white pepper beef with soft tofu eaten with white rice. It was a perfect mix of spicy, meating and smooth. The Longjing shrimp presentation was beautiful, the shrimps tasted fresh, but the taste didn't stand out too much for me. We also got the pear dessert, which ended up being one for those "look better than it tastes" situation. The pear was a panna cotta texture with pear flavored fillings served in a mildly sweet snow fungus goji berry soup. It was worth a try, but I wouldn't order again. Overall, very nicely decorated restaurant with delicious traditional Chinese food. I would come back to try more other dishes. read more
Visited Cheli with 3 friends on a Saturday night, wait was a bit long (1.5 hours) so I highly recommend a recommendation! Once we were seated however, things were pretty great. Our waitress was incredibly accommodating and everything we ordered came out very quickly. Wine Soaked Chicken: Not something I've ever tried, but I thought it was excellent. The chicken was juicy, flavored perfectly with the wine. 4/5 Soup Dumplings: Solid soup dumplings, not particularly stand out but definitely not a bad a choice if you're feeling soup dumplings. 3.5/5 Crab Mapo Tofu: Super good! Really flavorful, generous with the crab, and it went perfectly with rice. 5/5. Eggplant in Garlic Sauce: Always a classic and Cheli's take is great! Highly recommend getting one as a vegetable dish. 5/5 Overall, it was a great dining experience! The food was good, service was quick, and the place is perfect for dates or groups (although once again, get a reservation!) read more
Really good Chinese restaurant that focuses on regional cuisine from the Shanghai area. Cheli brings on all the big hits from Shanghainese cooking: soup dumplings, smoked fish and braised pork belly. The execution of all the dishes were consistently good. Service was great. We were sat down and ordered off an iPad. Food came out quickly and service was attentive. read more
My husband and I had a wonderful experience dining here. The waitstaff were super attentive from start to finish and helpful in answering our questions about the dishes. Unfortunately they ran out of the beggar's chicken, but we were advised to call in advance to reserve a chicken for our next visit. Everything we ordered was exceptional and piping hot! The ham sizzling rice and the acorn fish were my favorite dishes. I look forwarding to coming back again to try the beggar's chicken! read more
5 months ago
i got the golden fried rice, longjing shrimp, pork belly, and water spinach! absolutely no misses with any of the dishes. the pork belly was a flavor explosion pairing perfectly with the umami fried rice, and the longjing shrimp tasted as impressive as its presentation. the water spinach balanced out the meal with a lighter, but still delicious flavor profile. the decoration inside is stunning & transports you to shanghai. i'd definitely recommend booking a reservation here -- the restaurant was packed for dinner on a random weekday! in a city where i don't often repeat restaurants, i want to come back here to try every dish on their menu. read more
First time eating here in person and I have to say it's pretty amazing. The decor is like old school China dynasty. The staff here is super friendly and attentive. My water cup was basically never empty. We ordered the pork belly, white pepper beef, eggplant, soup dumplings, mapi tofu, drunken chicken, and their house special fish. My absolute favorites were the white pepper beef and the fish. I'll definitely be back. This place is great. read more
1 year ago
Lovely recluse from St Marks/East Village. The inside is cozily dark and richly decorated, with nice plating to match. The Shanghaianese food is always great. We got the pork soup dumplings, string beans, crispy eel, braised pork belly, and pickled cabbage fish stew, all of which were good. The crispy eel was delightfully crunchy and great in the sweet and sour sauce. Honestly, the quail eggs and just the sauce were my favorite part of the braised pork belly (the pork belly was good too--I liked the fatty part, but thought the lean part was a bit dry). The fish stew was very well done--I loved the pickled vegetables and noodles, but note, it is a bit spicy. I did think the string beans were a bit bland and mushy. Service was very attentive read more
Came in with no reservations on a Saturday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised. This place gives off traditional Chinese house vibes. They have incredible service and staff are knowledgeable about their food selection. We ended up ordering the House Special fish stew, stir fried rice cakes with pork, and osmanthus rice wine. If you like spicy, hot and sour soup, get the house special. But beware, it is a HUGE, delicious portion full of fish and veggies. Definitely for more than a party of two. The stir-fried rice cakes are on the oily side, but it was also delicious. You can't leave without trying the osmanthus rice wine - it's sweet and may leave you wanting for more. Overall, high praises for Che Li and would definitely come back to try other things on their menu but would definitely re-order the osmanthus rice wine. read more
Had reservations for my party of 8. Interior is beautiful and unique. We shared the braised pork belly, salted yolk fried pumpkin, longjing shrimp, eggplant, hot stone braised rice, to name a few. My favorite was the salted yolk fried pumpkin - lots of different flavors with great texture and light crisp. Also loved the hot stone braised rice. We also got the milk tea with yellow wine and this was AMAZING. Probably one of the best alcoholic drinks I've ever had! read more
1 year ago
We came in on a Monday night with a party of 8. Seating was a bit cramped for 8 of us but I liked the interior design. Service was also nice. Appetizer Wine soaked chicken: I really enjoyed this dish mainly because I grew up eating it. I think the chicken could have been more tender but it was very flavorful. Entree Braised pork belly: Good flavor and I liked the quail eggs it came with. Not the best pork belly I had but it was still satisfying to eat. Longjing shrimp: My least favorite dish of the night. It looks a lot better than it tastes. They pour tea or water over what I assume is dry ice which creates an aesthetic steam over the shrimp but I can't taste any of the flavors there. The shrimp was tender but the flavors were lacking. I couldn't tell what the dipping sauce was since it was also bland. Squirrel fish: I really liked how the whole fish was deboned and it was nice and crispy. Some of my friends mentioned it was more sweet than sour but I personally enjoyed the fish. Mao xue wang: There's a mix of spam, intestines, blood, and miscellaneous veggies. The blood was really nice and silky. I enjoyed the flavor of this dish but I spent too much time digging out all the peppercorns that I gave up eating this dish. Spicy crispy pork knuckle: My favorite dish of the night. This was the only dish that I bit into and was actually impressed by the flavors. It had the perfect mix of crispy, salty, sweet, with a kick. If you don't mind using your hands and you enjoy pork knuckle, I would definitely recommend trying this dish. Dessert Osmanthus rice cake: If one of your party members have a birthday they give this for free! Basically a sticky plain mochi, not much flavor but I can't complain because it was complimentary. Overall I felt like some of the dishes were a bit pricey for the size. Nothing really stuck out to me as amazing that would make me dying to come back here. However the food was good enough that I would be willing to try different dishes here another time. read more
My NY friend made a reservation for 2 and it was totally worth it! I don't have a lot of good Chinese food back in Berkeley, so this place really hit the spot. They had complimentary pickled veggies and tea to start things off. We got their pork soup dumplings, hot stone braised rice, spicy pork intestine and chicken casserole, and stir fried watercress w/ garlic. Everything was plenty flavorful without being overly salty / oily. The soup dumplings especially had thick enough skin to not break when picking it up and the soup inside wasn't scalding hot. Sometimes you're in the mood for cheaper Chinese food, other times it's worth treating yourself to a place like this. If I'm ever back in New York, I'll definitely hit this place up again. Hazen was also a super friendly and attentive server making sure our drinks were always filled and answering any questions. read more
I didnt think Mountain House could be dethroned as my favorite chinese restaurant in the states so far but then i came to Che Li and was again blown away. Came for a work dinner and we were all so impressed by how good the food was and also so affordable! The grilled beef ribs and peppers is their signature dish and the beef is so so tender. But the golden egg fried rice with some of the crab tofu spooned over it... chef's kiss. I came again a few weeks later with my mom and she was also impressed and didnt even say "we can make this at home" which, coming from chinese parents, is when you know it's good. The decorations and vibe are also just as gorgeous as Mountain House and also love the dishware, really adds to an already amazing meal read more
We were offered cold tap water or hot tea to start. The tea tasted like typical dim sum tea. Service was great as we were seated by the entrance area where the staff would welcome diners. After asking the helpful server for recommendations, we decided on 3 mains and 1 dessert. Longjing shrimp- basically just a mound of warm mini peeled shrimp with a sweet vinegary dipping sauce. The staff also poured some liquid nitrogen into the dish which was a cool special effect but not worth the price tag for the dish. Hot Stone braised rice- this was SO GOOD. I loved the sauce that they used and the mushrooms absorbed the flavor so well! The staff mixed it up for us and served us our first bowls of rice as well. I loved the stone pot because by pressing the rice into a layer, we were able to get a bit of crispy rice at the bottom. For 2 people, we each had about 3-4 bowls of rice. The green pepper in this dish was too spicy for me though. I'm not sure if it was but it tasted like a jalapeno pepper to me. My mouth was on fire each time I ate the pepper so I just avoided it. Luckily that spice didn't mix into the rest of the rice. Moonlight- a good palette cleanser and something to mitigate the spiciness from the peppers of the hot stone rice dish. There were wood ear mushrooms, asparagus, green peas, lotus root and carrots. Flavor wise, it was on the blander side which was not bad since our other dish was super flavorful. Jasmine tea pudding- a super creamy dessert to finish a great meal. I think this might be one of my favorite desserts ever! This item wasn't on their online menu but it was on their menu at the restaurant. If I visit again I'll be sure to get this again! Complimentary spicy preserved carrots- surprisingly addicting and very crunchy! The flavor was very savory with a hint of spice that kind of hits you in the back of the throat. Overall I think this place might be one of my top most aesthetically pleasing spots I've dined at. This definitely makes me want to visit their Flushing branch too! Also loved that their menus came in booklets similar to those I've seen in period cdramas (though personal preference is menu with photos)! The decor was also on point. Where else would I be able to dine on a bench like movie prop? read more
8 months ago
The famous flaming beggar's chicken was gone in an instant, but our server Jason more than made up for the disappointment--especially for first-time diners like us. He was an absolute treat: personable, professional, and spot-on with his recommendations from appetizers to mains and desserts. The hype is real, and I'll definitely be back--for the ambience, the food, and of course, Jason! read more
Ranked #15 on the New York Times top 100 restaurants and listed on the Michelin Guide, Cheli definitely deserves all its hype and recognition. Tldr: their desserts are FIRE, especially the Sweet Osmanthus Rice Cake!! Don't get me started on the ambiance--it is like walking into an old village in China with the traditional decors and dining booths. A total immersive dining experience for high quality Chinese cuisine. ＊Flaming Beggar's Chicken 南宋叫花雞 $35 ** The fire show is magical. They pour alcohol over the bread crust and lit it up. When we cracked open the crust and unwrapped the lotus leaf, the chicken underneath was incredibly juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender. I usually don't order whole chicken but this one surpassed my expectation and beyond. ＊Minced Crab Meat Tofu Stew 蟹粉豆腐 $23 ** The crab meat over tofu was another standout dish. It was bursting with crab flavor and the sauce was so velvety. Perfect with a bowl of rice. ＊Hot Stone Braised Rice 牛肝菌燜飯 $26 * I loved the hot stone braised rice from their new sister reataurant Blue Blossom, so I had to get it again. It spoke a lot about how much I love this dish. It wasn't too spicy even it was mixed with green pepper. ＊Xiao Long Bao 鮮肉小籠 $7 The texture, flavor and filling all hit the spot. The wrapper was thin and chewy, filled with juicy minced pork. 10/10 perfection. ＊Eggplant in Garlic Sauce 魚香茄子 $16 It was flavorful but not as impressive as the other dishes. The garlic sauce was on the sweeter side. ＊Sweet Osmanthus Rice Cake 桂花拉糕 $10 *** These flower-shaped rice cake are the PRETTIEST DESSERT EVER. You have to get this no matter how full you are. It is a mochi alike snack with osmanthus honey. So floral and delicious!! Will definitely come back for this. ＊Triple Sweet 紅棗銀耳桃膠 $8 * Traditional chinese dessert soup with red date, peach resins and white wood ears. Peach resins taste like jelly if you've never had one. It is especially beneficial for women after menstruation and mothers after childbirth. ＊Jasmine Tea Pudding 茉莉茶奶凍 $8 ** Literally a jasmine milk tea presented in pudding form. It was infused with tea aroma. Very fragrant, milky and not too sweet. read more
East Village and The Lower East Side is a hot bed of international cuisine. St Marks Pl between 2nd & 3rd Aves is a hot bed for Asian cuisine. You have two Michelin recommended Asian dumpling establishments - Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings at 15 St Marks & 2 doors down you have CheLi at 19 St Marks Pl (old Electric Circus). Todays review is CheLi a Michelin recommended establishment. Two door up at 15 St Marks Pl is another Michelin recommended place Nan Xiang The service is A+, highly recommend this place read more
Wow might have found myself another favorite elevated Chinese food restaurant! The ambiance is nice - the interior decoration makes you feel like you got transported back to ancient China. I've been watching too much Chinese historical drama lately. Staff were friendly and food is good! I can't remember the names of the dishes but we got a variety of tofu, beef, fish, shrimp, and chicken. There isn't a dish that I didn't like. Every meal comes with a compliment pickled vegetable and a pot of tea. Random, but I am also obsessed with the plum candy they have by the check in counter. read more
Best tasting Chinese food I've had in a long time. Cheli is the real deal. My recommendation is to read the menu online in advance and know what you are going to order before you arrive. You order on an iPad and your food comes when it is ready. The ambience is lively. Highly recommended. read more
I enjoyed the delivery order from Cheli. I ordered Braised Rice, Shredded Beef with Ginger & Bell Pepper, Wine-Soaked Chicken, Fried Pumpkin with Salted Duck Egg Yolk, Moonlight (mixed vegetables), Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, Xiao Long Bao, Steamed Prawns with Glass Noodles, Shanghai Style Fried Noodles, Fried Sticky Rice Pancakes, Sweet Osmanthus Rice Cakes and Triple Sweet. My favorite dishes were the Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk and the Wine-Soaked Chicken. The Moonlight (mixed vegetables) was very tasty, a nice variety and perfectly crunchy. The Steamed Prawns looked impressive but had a bland taste. The Triple Sweet is likely an "acquired taste". This is obviously an excellent restaurant for Shanghainese food. I am certainly not an expert, but I enjoyed the food. Packing was very carefully done, and delivery was relatively quick given the long distance. Highly recommended. read more
This place is extremely busy and popular even on weeknights, so it is possible I am just not a fan of Shanghai cuisine or at least the type of Shanghai cuisine they serve. The restaurant itself is very nicely decorated and the service is friendly and the food came out fairly quickly. We ordered the pork soup dumplings as well as the crab and pork soup dumplings which were very tasty. For entrees, we selected the white pepper beef over silken tofu, spicy lamb stew and the salted yolk fried pumpkin. The white pepper beef (I think it was previously called the yellow lantern beef) was delicious flavor wise (sichuan peppercorn spice), but a bit off putting in texture. The sauce was almost gelatinous, so while the taste was great, the texture made it less enjoyable. The lamb stew came with hunks of lamb on the bone with thick fat and skin. One piece of lamb had a hair (from the sheep) still embedded in the skin. The stew had cabbage (or lettuce, hard to tell) and some mushrooms so it was lacking in substance, it just felt like pieces of lamb in thin soup. The taste of the lamb meat itself was fine, but I did not enjoy the way the lamb was prepared (on the bone with skin). The fried pumpkin was good, but lacking in flavor, we ended up dunking it in the soup dumpling dipping sauce. The texture of the fried pumpkin was a bit different, almost starchy. The portions were large, so in retrospect we likely didn't need the fried pumpkin and the prices are reasonable for the portion sizes. Overall, I did not find the textures in this meal to be enjoyable (soup dumplings being the exception), but again, this place is packed and seems very authentic so my review might be less a reflection of the restaurant and more of this style of cuisine. read more
TLDR: Overall a great experience with amazing food, amazing service and an amazing ambiance. Definitely try to snag a reservation. The food was all very well seasoned and prepared-- a bit of a spicy kick to everything so beware. The absolute MUST GET dish is the braised pork belly pictured in my review. I can see how this pork belly put the restaurant on the map and onto the New York Times top restaurants. They have a large array of alcoholic beverages (sorry no pics) that paired perfectly with the food. read more
So so much potential here This is a 3.75 and I am rounding up because of the service The servers speak Cantonese but the dishes have been Americanized in the sense that it tries too hard to be fine dinning (minute serving portions) and extreme seasoning palette Food 3.75/5 All appetizers are served cold and you must realize that before ordering because it is only stated in Chinese and not English. Some appetizers might only have 3-4 small pieces and you gotta realize that too. Service 5/5 ALL the appetizers are served cold. Do they tell you that? NOT necessarily. It is one character in Chinese printed in a very small font in the adjacent page that you must catch. It is NOT stated anywhere in English. How do I know this? Because I ordered appetizers and were shocked to know they were cold, yes, even grilled fish. The server did not hesitate and canceled my order and immediately brought in a replacement of a hot entree, which was only a $2 difference, and I happily paid it Price 2/5 The fact that the appetizers are served all cold and there are less than 4 pieces and the price of an appetizer is only $2-3 cheaper than an entree, makes me question the worth of the entree Ambiance 3/5 The decor is authentic, rice wine barrels is pretty legit The thing is the tables are so small and what you sit on is also very small: it can be argued slim wooden benches and small little wooden straight up classroom chairs gives it the China countryside vibe, but it's not comfortable. The lighting makes it look like the next table is very far from you but at the same time, too close. read more
9 months ago
We visited CheLi in the East Village on Veterans Day (Tuesday, 11/11/25) for a casual dinner for two. To our surprise, there was zero waitlist, but our waiter mentioned it's usually very busy after 5 PM and on weekends -- so reservations are definitely recommended. As soon as we walked in, the atmosphere transported us straight back in time -- it truly felt like stepping into Emperor Qianlong's dynasty. The decor, music, and lighting all created this nostalgic, refined vibe that immediately set the tone for the evening. Based on popular recommendations from Yelp and Resy, we ordered four of their signature dishes: (1) Braised Pork Belly 浙里红烧肉 -- tender, flavorful, with that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture. (2) Fried Sliced Pumpkin with Duck Egg Yolk 咸蛋黄南瓜 -- crispy outside, creamy inside, a must-try for anyone who loves the richness of salted egg yolk. (3) Qianlong's Favorite Eel 乾隆吃鳝丝 -- unique and aromatic, a standout dish for sure. (4) Wine-Soaked Chicken -- fragrant and refreshing, though portion size was on the smaller side. Overall, we really enjoyed the ambiance, attentive service, and creative presentation. The flavors were authentic and beautifully executed, though I'd say the portions felt a bit pricey for their size. Still, it was a memorable dining experience -- one that blends history, artistry, and flavor into a modern East Village gem. read more
11 months ago
Service totally sucks! They rushing me about what i want to order before I get a chance to sit my behind! After I placed an orders she said only 2 hrs to dine in. She didn't mention about 2 hrs timeframe to tables next to me. Whats funny other tables got complimentary pickled radish but she didn't give it to me. Favoritism much !?! Other waiter realized i didn't get the complimentary pickle so she apologized and she gv me. Okay now let's go to food part lol. The food was okay it's not like WOW! They good with their presentation! I give them 6/10. Didnt get to try beggars chicken. Bc was sold out! I like their decorations thats all! Will I come back to this place? NO! Will I recommend it to my friends & families? NOPE! read more
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19 St Marks Pl
New York, NY 10003
East Village
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(646) 858-1866
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Ask the Community - Cheli
Going with my elderly mom and want to make sure they take checking COVID vaccine status seriously. Do they do a good job of making sure only vaccinated people are admitted for indoor dining?
They check but it's not the most stringent. They didn't check ID. And they don't check you again after your waitlist is up.
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Cheli - shanghainese - Updated August 2026
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