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EMei

4.3 (887 reviews)
ModerateSzechuan, Noodles, Soup
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Order EMei Takeout or Delivery

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EMEI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - EMei

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Fried Sticky Rice Cake with Brown Sugar Dipping Sauce 红糖糍粑
Ryan K.

Came here for my birthday last week. I heard a lot about Emei. The location contained a young Philly crowd. Somewhere between formal and casual dining. These guys sell alcohol. There is a $20 table corking fee if you bring your own. We started off with the pickled wood ear mushrooms and cucumbers. The mushrooms were a cold dish intense in flavor. Strong Szechuan chili and standard chili flavors my personal favorite of the night. The cucumber dish had the same taste but milder in flavor. They had the added benefit of being a cucumber which promoted some sort of refreshing note. I'm still partial to the mushroom. The dumplings were fine. I probably wouldn't get them again. Good dumplings but I might be in the same tier as Mrs. T's pierg There was the crispy chicken pieces that was fine as a texture on the side. A little crispier than a Chick-fil-A nugget but a lot of them. A lot of folks at the table liked this. I preferred the other main dishes. Mapo tofu was exceptional. My personal favorite main dish. This was a week ago at this point so I cannot say specifics but if there was one main dish would get at this location it was the mapo tofu. Flavorful, decadent, velvety. The fish soup was also nice. Tender fish with veggies and noodles. Light and delicious. There was a hot pot beef order that the waiter suggested that I was not incredibly impressed with. The rice cakes and brown sugar sauce were nice. Gelatinous feel and the sauce wasn't too intense in flavor. I would appreciate them more if I wasn't so full at the end of the night

Michelle E.

Flavorful pork and bamboo shoots. Lots of spicy dishes and sichuan specialties. A lot of seating and comfortable lighting and ambiance.

Lamb W. Cumin
Rohan N.

I make it a priority to come back to EMei when I'm in Philly and I'm never disappointed. We walked in at noon on a Sunday and were seated immediately. The restaurant had a good amount of people and was crowded by the time we left. The ambiance is always warm and pleasant, nothing felt out of place during this visit. Ordered the Dry-Fry Wok with Lamb which comes with lotus root, cauliflower, potato, onion, and green onion. The ma la/Sichuan peppercorn flavor from this dish was excellent and they were also kind enough to reduce the number of chilis in the dish so we could focus on the numbing spice. My friend's mind was blown by the flavors and we both enjoyed how well cooked everything was, especially the lamb which wasn't chewy at all and the potatoes which weren't too raw or too soft. Really excellent dish and a must try. We also ordered the White Fish & Green Peppercorn Pot with Mung Bean Noodles. This one doesn't provide as much of numbing sensation but it was excellent and great for balancing out the more intense flavors of the lamb dish. The noodles were perfectly cooked, as was the soft fish. Always happy to be back here and looking forward to next time.

Qi G.

My husband and I had a delicious meal here during our visit to Philly. Everything was freshly made and had wok hay. The beef with mushrooms and bamboo was our favorite, but the squirrel fish was a close second. The ambiance was also great and seating was comfortable. Will definitely be coming back to try their other dishes. Minus one star because service was a little lacking and the beef tripe was a little chewy.

Menu
Catherine A.

New favorite restaurant in the midst of Chinatown Philly! Each dish is about $10-20 and the portions are very large. For five of us we order four dishes and were very full and went home with leftovers. Highly recommend the Mapo tofu and scallion pancakes! The food was very tasty but does have a lot of salt, we all felt mildly dehydrated after eating. Nevertheless, will definitely be returning!

Sy L.

Walked 5 mins to Emei for lunch after visiting the African American Museum. I did not have a reservation but was seated right after booth seating was cleaned. I ordered hot tea, Jumbo shrimp and steamed broccoli are stir-fried in a brown sauce , Lightly dusted and deep fried jumbo shrimp tossed in a caramelized walnut and honey sauce, served with crispy, fried rice noodles, and elder & violet cocktail. The food was good and the serving are just enough for 1 person. It was pretty busy for a Sunday afternoon.

Spicy Dry-Fried Jumbo Shrimp 香辣大虾

My friends and I flew in from Houston and decided to try out EMei for dinner. We were seated quickly. We thoroughly enjoyed the fried fish entree (10/10). We also enjoyed the shrimp fried rice (9/10). The rice was very flavorful and included a generous portion of shrimp. My only complaint is that it has an overabundance of onion. I also tried the spicy shrimp (6/10). The shrimp was wet, overly spicy and included excessive garnish (i.e. red peppers, large bits of green onion, cilantro, etc.). Cons At the conclusion of dinner, the waiter (an older gentleman) came to the table to process our checks with a portable credit card reader. After each guest processed their credit card, which clearly prompts the user for a Tip option, the waiter directly asked each person "did you leave a Tip?". Who does that? We were mortified and actually insulted by the question. What seemed like a fine dining restaurant was quickly diminished to a low budget take out experience. Overall, the food is good but this establishment should seriously reevaluate its customer service and training procedures.

Beef & Vegetable Chow Fun Noodles
Mary C.

Clean interior with tasty food! The interior is more fancy than your typical restaurant in Chinatown. A lot of our friends recommended Emei so my fiance and I went to go scope it out as a potential wedding welcome dinner venue. We taste tested several dishes including the Dan Dan noodle, cumin lamb, potato slivers, and beef chow fun. All were very yummy (if not spicy for the Dan Dan noodle and cumin lamb!! The three chili peppers on the menu are actually very very spicy!) We ultimately were able to make a large reservation in advance a few months out to hold around 50 seats for our guests. Daisy from Emei was very communicative during the whole process and was able to answer a lot of questions about it specific dietary restrictions (we have some guests who are Celiac so required gluten free food prep). Unfortunately the day of, I didn't take any photos of the food! But, we added on several dishes given wide dietary preferences of guests--popular ones were the Dan Dan noodle, Mapo tofu, Cumin lamb (all three very very spicy). As well as the sea bass and pork belly over mushrooms. I liked the egg drop soup as well. Dessert wise, we picked the mango ice cream which was super yummy!!! Perfectly creamy without being overbearing.

Hot and Spicy Bowl with Sliced Beef
Komal R.

Went to Emei for the first time last night and I was blown away by the food. First and foremost, make a reservation because this place was packed on a Saturday evening. Secondly, just get the Hot and Spicy Bowl with whatever protein you like - we got the sliced beef - it is hot, bursting with flavor and perfect for a cold evening. The sliced beef was melting in my mouth. The spicy sichuan mung bean noodles were tongue numbingly delicious but too cumbersome to eat because they are very slippery. Skip the dessert for sure - we got the rice balls filled with sesame paste and it was just ok. We only later realized why no other table was getting any desserts - because there are so many better options in Chinatown.

Dry-Fried Green Beans 干煸四季豆
Lauren W.

The food here is very good. There was a pretty good line of people waiting to be seated when we arrived, so we opted to sit at the bar. Very intimate dining area with circular tables available to share, traditionally. We ordered the chicken dry pot and dry fry green beans. I wish the chicken dish was spicier, but it still had great numbing flavor and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. The salty greens added to the green beans were very balanced. My only negative with this place was the service. It was incredibly disorganized when we came. The host/front of house was missing quite frequently, so one of the servers (ours) had to continuously seat people at tables and get to-go orders ready for pickups. There were a ton of people working here, but just no organization on what their tasks should be.

Spicy double fried mini beef skewer Yangzhou style fried rice Beef dry fry wok Stir fried cabbage with dried chillies
Uyen N.

Dan dan noodle is normal. I like the chili oil of the dumplings, it has more seasoning than just being spicy. Kungpao chicken is meh - not bad but probably won't order it again and try other dishes.

Lorraine A.

EMei was one of my favorite restaurants to eat at while visiting Philadelphia. So good that I came back twice! On my first visit, I ordered the house special lo mein. The portion was huge which I was able to save for dinner as well. The second time I came, I had to try the chicken and broccoli which was simply delicious. The restaurant is pretty spacious and can hold any group of people. It feels cozy inside. The waiter and waitresses were great and service was amazing. I will definitely will be back!

Homemade Pork & Cabbage Dumplings (Steamed / Fried) 猪肉水饺/锅贴
Mia T.

I haven't had dim sum this delicious since I've been to China. Every dish ordered was bursting with flavor. We had a reservation for two on a Friday night which I recommend making as they are very deservingly popular and busy. Our food came quick, but that didn't sacrifice the experience or flavor. Highly recommend if in Chinatown

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EMei Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - EMei

Do you have any lunch specials? :)

Thank you for asking! At the moment, we don’t have specific lunch specials, but our full menu is available all day, offering a wide variety of dishes to enjoy. Options like Dan Dan Noodles, Dumplings, and other Small Plates are perfect for lunch. We… Read more

We have a large vehicle. What are the parking options on a Friday night?

The restaurant has no parking. There is a pay parking lot directly across the street and another over by the fire house that we were able to accommodate a Ford Explorer. Bigger than that gets to be a challenge.

Is there a Gluten Free options?

Yes,we have a lot of Gluten Free options

Are there many vegan options? Specifically, is the hot and sour soup vegan friendly? Thank you!

Hi Chelsea, The hot and sour soup has egg white, tofu, bamboo shoot, and wood ear mushroom. There is a section of vegetable in the menu. Kindly let the server know that you… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Dan Dan - Beef & Tripe in Chili Oil *

Dan Dan

(1.1k reviews)

$$

Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square

My wife and I have been coming to Dan Dan Noodle since 2017, and it's remained one of our most…read morereliable go-to spots in the city. The food is consistently strong, and the signature dan dan noodles are a must-order. We also tend to get the chicken potstickers, scallion pancake, kung pao chicken, and dry pot beef, along with white rice for the table. It's a menu that rewards repeat visits. We've had both takeout and dine-in here, and we definitely prefer dining in. The food is at its best when it comes straight out of the kitchen. The staff is always friendly, helpful, and kind without being overbearing. For seating, we prefer the cozy but small upstairs dining area, so making a reservation on OpenTable is usually a good idea. There are a few high-top tables downstairs near the kitchen and windows, which are also great, but if you prefer a quieter or cozier spot, we think the upstairs is best. They also offer a happy hour with good prices, and overall, the value for the food quality is excellent. We often bring out-of-town guests, and it's always a hit. Sichuan cuisine remains distinct from typical American Chinese, which helps Dan Dan stand out. We've also noticed their Ardmore location, which appears to be a strong alternative. Consistently good, well-run, unique, and worth visiting, especially for the dan dan noodles. Highly recommended and hope to be back soon!

Man I had such high hopes for this place especially the dandan noodles and I was terribly let down…read more Got takeout on the way back home from a night out and my food was ready almost immediately with the extra spice I had requested. Glad I didn't opt to dine in as seating looked extremely limited and cramped. Stuck with a simple dandan noodle (this is what they're known for) and while the portion size was large, that's pretty much all it had going on. Sauce was decent but not enough to mask the doughy, overcooked noodles and grease puddles all over The worst part is it definitely upset my tummy and I did not feel good at all the day after. Tasted and felt a lot more like cheap lomein at panda express than an upscale Chinese restaurant

Sampan - Hamachi Ceviche

Sampan

(2.4k reviews)

$$$

Avenue of the Arts South

The Kim chee fried rice is always a go-to. I usually omit the poached egg and have been able to get…read moreit with a scrambled egg instead. It comes with shrimp and it is definitely filling. It's not overwhelming with Kim chee, so that could be a miss for die-hard Kim chee lovers and great for people who aren't entirely sold on Kim chee. The service is amazing! Food is quick, waiters are quick and hospitable. 10/10! The ambiance is gorgeous, dimly lit and just a vibe overall. I love the colors inside that light up on the walls. I enjoy sitting at the bar in front of the kitchen. It's an experience!

My sister recommended this pan-Asian restaurant. We made reservations for dinner and were promptly…read moretaken to our table. The restaurant serves modern Asian small plates meant for sharing. We ordered the crispy chicken bao buns, crispy shrimp, general tso soup dumplings, wagyu beef, Korean bbq beef, and hamachi ceviche. We were a group of 3 so one thing that was nice was that our waiter added 1 additional skewer/bao bun for the meals instead of ordering 2 plates of them. Out of all the food we ordered the most delicious were the meats; the wagyu and Korean bbq beef. They were so tender and lightly seasoned because the beef quality itself was good. The Wagyu beef was paired with an apricot dip that was really good. The chilli crisp chicken bao was also good but didn't have much sauce, so it was on the dry side. It was supposed to have chilli so we expected it to be spicy but it was not. We all really liked the crispy shrimp--it was truly crispy. The sauce and the radish paired really nicely with the shrimp as well. The one meal we did not enjoy were the soup dumplings. When we got them they were dripping of raw dough and had no soup in them. The waiter was kind enough to replace them but we still didn't really enjoy them. I did not try the hamachi ceviche because I'm pregnant but it was also a favorite from the group. For dessert we had the mini ice cream cones. The waiter again added an extra one for us. The flavors were chocolate banana and mango. They were good, small bites. One of them melted so quickly and fell on the table and the waiter was really kind and got us a replacement. I did use the bathroom and absolutely hated it. It was unbelievably dark in there and there were weird sounds playing in there. I went in there to make sure I didn't have food in my teeth but couldn't even see. Super inaccessible, hopefully that's something that can be changed. The service overall was clearly excellent! I would recommend this place, especially if you come for the meats. It was surprisingly filling too.

Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House - Braised spicy beef noodle soup

Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House

(2.5k reviews)

$$

Chinatown

We came here around 1pm on a Sunday and ordered the mapo tofu with noodles, the house special…read morenoodle soup, and a shrimp stir fry. This place was packed, which is always a good sign, and even with that the staff stayed super prompt and professional. The house special was my favorite. I got it with the knife-cut noodles and it was perfect with the broth. The noodles had that slightly uneven, chewy texture that really holds onto the soup. I never thought I'd be the type to talk about "mouthfeel" but here we are. The broth itself was rich and savory with a deep beef flavor, a little bit of oil on top that adds body without feeling too heavy. It's that classic, comforting Chinese beef noodle soup done really well. I added a braised egg, which had great flavor soaked into it, though it was served cold, which threw me off a bit. The mapo tofu with noodles was also really solid. It had that signature spicy, numbing kick from the Sichuan peppercorns, balanced with a savory, slightly salty sauce. The tofu was soft and silky, and mixing it with the noodles made it extra satisfying. It's got some heat but not overwhelming, just enough to keep you going back for another bite. The shrimp stir fry was lighter but still flavorful. The shrimp were cooked well, tender with a slight snap, and the sauce leaned more on the savory side with a mild sweetness. It felt like a nice balance alongside the heavier noodle dishes. Couple practical things: it's cash only, but there's an ATM right by the seating area which makes it easy. And the portions are generous for the price, so it feels like a really good deal. Overall, super satisfying spot. Busy, a little chaotic, but the food absolutely delivers. Definitely a go-to if you're craving hand-pulled noodles.

Quick service and big portions Beef noodle soup- loved the…read moresoup, but the beef was a bit too fatty and didn't seem like regular "braised beef noodle soup brisket", more like hotpot slices of beef Stir fry noodles with roast pork- excellent noodle texture, good portion but a little salty

EMei - szechuan - Updated May 2026

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