Don't fools around with decor or social media. This place…read moreit's worth for real foodies. I stopped by because my Chinese friends recommended it's tasty and Yes finally I tried there dishes. All I ordered was taste amazing and felt like dim sum made by order. Usually I always ask for more vinegar or sauce for dipping but nope. All dumplings yummy and Peking Pork Plum it's was fantastic. Taste very natural and last thing here are The pork chop not stinky. Service very kind and attentive. So great !!

OK, I MUST get on my blowhorn here about this great dim sum gem…read more I seriously do not know how this restaurant is not crowded on weekends, but it absolutely DESERVES TO BE. When you look up "underrated" and "under the radar" in the dictionary, a picture of China Chef should be plastered front and center because this is a hidden gem of a dim sum restaurant. Finding good dim sum in Northern NJ is as difficult as finding a needle in a stack of needles. It's almost impossible. There are a few dim sum restaurants in the area, but I can count each and every one of them on my hand. In Central NJ, there are a few more options, but that's the length of the list. It's quite a sad state of dim sum restaurants or lack thereof in NJ. When I found China Chef on Yelp, I was as skeptical as many of the other reviewers. It was the same recurring theme - outdated, not busy, mom and pop ownership. When most people see "not busy", they move on. However, when I read a bit more, I saw that some customers said the food taste better than the place looks and it was actually very good. ENOUGH SAID, we were definitely going to give them a shot. We dropped in a quiet, drizzly, unassuming Saturday morning at 11am sharp, when they opened for business. As some past reviews said, the restaurant was indeed a bit drab and outdated. From the decor, this was not going to be mistaken for a Michelin star dim sum establishment. However, I was undeterred from the shabby internal dwellings and marched forward. We were quickly seated in the modest dining area and we were off to the races... We had our dim sum marker card on the table, but where were the carts? About 5 minutes after we situated ourselves - VIOLA - the ONE and ONLY cart made its long-awaited appearance. The cart actually circled around the restaurant to our table and we were served first! The woman manning the cart actually told some customers that we were first, hence why we got first dibs - sweeeeeeet. I had never seen a single cart system before used in a dim sum restaurant, but it ABSOLUTELY worked here. The single cart had a hodgepodge of dim sum favorites and, if they didn't have it on hand at that moment, they could easily make to order for you in the back. They...had...absolutely...everything! You would have never expected that this mom and pop operation had most, if not all, of the common dim sum dishes, but they did: Beef rice noodle rolls, shrimp rice noodle rolls, cruller stuffed rice noodle rolls, shrimp dumplings (har gow), pork dumplings (siu mai), chive/leek dumplings, black bean sauce chicken feet, sticky rice in lotus leaf, steamed beef meatballs, deep fried shrimp balls, shrimp stuffed eggplant, egg tarts and, even, coconut pudding/jell-o! There was actually even more that we didn't order. In addition, they had kitchen items that you could order as well, like, pan fried noodles, chow funs, rice dishes. OK, so it's great that they had such great variety, but how was the flavor of the food? EXCELLENT. In all honesty, everything was authentically delicious. I couldn't have been more satisfied with how good everything tasted. I wouldn't say my expectations were low, but the variety and taste of everything surprised me. I thought it was going to be OK, but it blew me away. Sadly, at the height of our meal, there were only about 6-7 tables occupied and many, many more that were not. The restaurant seemed to be clearly run by an elderly couple - both of whom took turns pushing the cart and cleaning the tables. There was literally no one else working the dining area. I love when I find quiet, hidden gems because I can always go back to it without it being crowded like a Friday night at the club, but this establishment deserves more business - the woman manning the cart was so friendly to us and asked us where we were from. She also kept thanking us back for the business when we thanked her (in Cantonese) for the dishes. And, of course, the dim sum - amazingly authentic and as good as it gets anywhere. If you're looking for dim sum in Northern NJ and haven't been, GO, GO, GO! Support the heck out of this local, mom and pop business because they deserve it!

From the outside and even the Google Maps photos, I honestly thought it would be a typical…read moreAmerican-Chinese restaurant. Instead, I found a clean, efficient dim sum spot with surprisingly good food. The self-service concept worked really well. You order at the counter, pick up your own food, and there is no tipping. I actually like this system because at traditional dim sum restaurants you often spend more time waiting for carts or servers than eating. One thing that really impressed me was the cleanliness. The restaurant isn't newly renovated, but it's well maintained. After each table left, the staff cleaned with fresh sanitizing wipes instead of using the same cloth over and over. They also serve everything with disposable plates and utensils, which personally gives me more confidence than reusable tableware that isn't always cleaned thoroughly. The food was consistently good. The lotus leaf sticky rice was fragrant, the rice noodle roll with fried dough had a great texture, and the Teochew dumplings were generously filled. The standout dish was the stuffed trio. The shrimp paste was fresh and springy, the fried tofu was crispy, and getting eggplant, tofu, and green pepper on one plate made it easy to try a little of everything.

It's always solid. Prices have gone up a little bit, but it's the same all around everywhere. Still…read moregood bang for your buck. Assorted dim sum all hits the spot. The roast pork over rice with Chinese broccoli was a bit too fatty for my preference. Flavor was spot on, but I prefer less fat on my roast pork. Everything else is always on point.

One of the OG Shanghainese restaurants is palisades park, this place looks and feels like it has…read morenot changed in decades, and that's a good thing! A serious contender to the best soup dumplings this side of the Hudson! The soup dumplings have an impossibly thin wrapper that stands to the task of not ripping on the way to your spoon. , They are filled with delicious clear broth, and the filling is superb. Some of our other favorites are the pan fried dumplings, the rice shumai, chicken with eggplant and many more

Last time I am visiting this place. For the third time this cashiers have short changed me. Once…read moreis a mistake. Both the male and female in the front make the same "mistake." Really? Not happening again.

Had a very comfortable and satisfying meal here, and surprisingly we didn't order anything spicy…read more The garlic sauce pork was the standout. Very flavorful and great with rice, especially with the bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. The mixed vegetable tofu clay pot was a big portion and not greasy at all. The beef stew clay pot was also really good, with tender beef and plenty of vegetables. We also liked both soups. The hot and sour soup had a strong pepper flavor and was especially good. The Singapore noodles were the only dish that felt a little dry and had more turmeric flavor than I expected. The menu has plenty of both spicy and non-spicy dishes, service was quick, and the dining room has a nice atmosphere. Good spot for a family meal or bringing friends who want to try Chinese food.

I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, the food quality falls far below average…read more Given the great location, short wait time, efficient service, and what seems to be authentic cooking, I really wanted to have a better experience. The only somewhat decent dish was the dried chicken with peppers. The sautéed cabbage tasted more like it had been boiled in a soy sauce-based soup. I would definitely skip the Peking duck--it was dry and overly lean. The seafood dry pot was a disappointment and felt like a complete rip-off. And lastly, just forget about the cold sesame noodles and dan dan noodles. Yikes! I really hope they can improve the cooking, because the restaurant has a lot of potential.

Had a reservation for 8 people on a Saturday at 12:30pm. We were promptly seated even though a few…read morepeople were missing from our party. It was fun watching the carts go by and choosing what looked good. We also asked for specific items off the dim sum menu and they would find it (or make it) and bring it out. There was a 2nd menu with other dishes that could be prepared on request. We enjoyed the Hong Kong fried lobster, which was chopped into manageable pieces. We had a bunch of different dumplings, steamed buns, rice rolls, little fried fish, saucy clams, meat filled pastries, chinese broccoli, sesame balls, surprisingly chunky mango pudding, and more. The variety was good and it was a fun experience to try a bunch of things. The individual items were still fairly large and some could be cut and shared. It is BYOB, so we had brought some prosecco to celebrate some birthdays. We took some leftovers home, and also ordered a few items to-go.

- Smaller than your average dim sum restaurant in Fort Lee; street parking only, which can be…read moredifficult to find during busy weekend brunch hours - Arrived shortly before noon on a Sunday and waited exactly one hour for a table; check in at the self-service kiosk next to the cashier, enter your phone number, and you'll receive a text when your table is ready--easy and efficient process - The restaurant has a bustling atmosphere typical of a popular dim sum spot; tables are packed closely together and the entrance area can get crowded with guests waiting to be seated, making the space feel cramped during peak hours - Service was friendly throughout--both the pushcart staff and waitstaff were attentive and efficient - Dim sum was generally solid, though the salted custard buns were very disappointing--the bun was too dense, and the filling was extremely thin and watery - Prices are on the higher side for dim sum these days

Soup Dumpling Plus did NOT disappoint. Super homey, authentic vibe, quick service, and everything…read morecame out piping hot. The crab & pork soup dumplings stole the show -- 9.5/10. Juicy, rich, flavorful... I'd come back for those alone. Pork soup dumplings 8.2/10, roast pork fried rice 8.7/10, beef & broccoli 8.5/10, and pan-fried dumplings 7.5/10. Overall: 9/10. Came hungry, left happy, already thinking about those crab & pork dumplings.

I had been to Soup Dumpling Plus previously but hadn't reviewed it. In the interim, my family had…read morestarted dining at a competitor when the mood struck for Chinese food. (Every few months) My wife saw Soup Dumpling Plus and wanted to give it a try. We brought our daughter at around 6 pm on a Saturday and were seated after about a 20 minute wait. The restaurant is very popular, we got a comfortable booth, and the professional staff got right to work. During our wait, we had selected our choices on a paper, and upon seating gave the paper to the waitress. Soon thereafter, the food started landing. Obviously we spent dinner comparing every dish to the competitor. I would be splitting hairs to say there's much of a difference on many of the dishes. Pork buns and soup dumplings were both excellent. The vegetable fried rice was subtle and nicely prepared. I enjoyed the pork with celery and five spiced tofu entree, our daughter enjoyed the sesame chicken, and my wife liked the chicken with udon noodles. The only somewhat "miss" for us was the cucumber salad. Certainly not bad but the pieces were a bit large and that limited the flavor. Glad we gave it a try and we understand why it's very popular!

Do we think this place is fantastic? Well: This is my…read morereview of our second visit - which just so happened to be OUR SECOND VISIT ON THE SAME DAY. Yeah, this place is absolutely great! You should go!!

Loveeeeee this place! Have been going there for years. It's about a 10 mn walk from my apartment. I…read morejust love dim sum. Chinese food is my favorite. Never been disappointed. I go there alone or with friends. Sometimes, I even go there twice a week. Could eat there every day. May is my favorite waitress there. We've become friends! I lovvve the little crispy pork ribs with garlic flakes, chicken feet!, scallion pancakes, shumai, different dumplings. All of it! I also love the lo mein, fried rice. honey walnut shrimp with broccoli, (my favorite- fabulous dish! ) Their food is great. For dessert, the sesame balls are yummy! Highly recommend this place.

Who would have thought that in Green Brook which is not necessarily widely known for Asian food,…read morewould have such fantastic Cantonese food. Better than a lot of places in Flushing & Chinatown and even the San Gabriel Valley in CA! Highly recommend the Salt & Pepper Grouper. It's deep fried and has the same seasoning as the popular Fried Squid with Salt & Pepper, but better! The fish is much more tender than squid. The batter is crispy and not oily at all. Also delicious was the Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce. Not on the menu. Will definitely be coming back in the future to try their other dishes and dim sum as well.

This restaurant is the go to place in central Jersey for great Cantonese cuisine. It is always…read moreextremely crowded during the weekend. Highly recommend making a reservation for any party of 5 people and above. Food is always excellent. Service is great. The decoration of the restaurant is very bright with different sizes of tables. BYOB.

My yet additional review of Shanghai I felt was needed to ensure all fans are aware of one…read morething....SHANGHAI (and its proprietor Simon) IS BACK!!! The original menu is fully in tact, as good as ever, but with the welcome addition of hot-pot dinning. Choices of ingredients are beautifully curated in the most appealing DIY fashion, for each diner to select and determine the amount of greens, protein and such that is desired as well as what type broth is of interest. This dining style allows one to 'check many boxes' of individual preferences or avoidances. To my knowledge, no other Asian restaurant in the area is offering hot-pot dining in this way. Anyway, hope this post helps to straighten out any confusion of Shanghai's status.

I thought this restaurant had permanently closed down and I was so sad because we loved ordering…read morefrom them. It appears that they recently re-opened, possibly under new management. I'm happy to report that the food is still as good as ever. I did a happy dance when I found them on GrubHub. We ordered the salt and pepper chicken. I'd previously tried it before but only the chil version which is INCREDIBLY hot (but delicious). I called them today and they confirmed they were able to prepare it not spicy. Total game changer! I was able to eat the chicken without a problem. It was as delightful as I remember minus the heat. Notes of cinnamon in it with perfect blend of self and pepper. And so crispy! I will be ordering from here again soon. So glad they're back!

Quaint Chinese restaurant located in Lyndhurst, NJ. We live a couple of towns over and we're on the…read morehunt for a new Chinese spot - as the ones near us haven't been what we were looking for. There was outdoor seating and they do self seating in their dining room when you arrive. Between the hospitality, the quick service after ordering and the quality of the food - I give my experience a 5/5. So, so good! Our food came out HOT and everything we tried was delicious. My husband's favorite were the crab and pork soup dumplings which I also really loved. We also got the wonton noodle soup which was so hearty and delicious. The garlic chicken was crispy and a huge portion. We also tried the Sour Plum drink! It was my first time having it and I would love to have more next time I visit. Thank you so much for your kindness and our delicious dinner!

came and dined in on a friday. local spot had a handful of tables full on a friday night where you…read morecan BYOB. there's a call me button when you're ready to order and you can self serve the sauces and extra utensils i had to try their spicy soup which had so many mix ins. it was like i was at hot pot. the soup dumplings are okay - personally i like a thinner dumpling the spring rolls were crispy and delicious. service was great as well.