4.5 stars One day while surfing around Yelp, I saw some enticing photos of what looked like traditional Shanghainese fare, and my eyes immediately lit up. I checked out the details of the place, and noticed that there wasn't a presence at all, so my curiosity piqued even more. Showed the evidence to Husband, and he agreed, that things looked very promising. So, on Hearts Day, we decided to check this place out. Weary-eyed, we said to each other that "If there isn't anybody inside the restaurant, let's get out of here." :) Once we arrived, the place looked pretty full. It was around 9pm. Yes, it was past prime dinner time. Why are all these people still here? Secretly, my heart was smiling. I was hopeful. :) So, we walked in, and the place wasn't very large, but it was comfortable. Say, around 20 or so tables, very typical layout with a few round tables, booths adorning the sides, and some four tops along the middle of the restaurant. The happy Buddha, signature in most Chinese restaurants, was near the entrance, along with the cashier counter. At first, we didn't see anybody, so we waited around. Shortly, an older lady came and smiled at us, and asked us how many. I told her two, and we got seated in one of the booths. A comfortable green/teal color combination to look at, but the seats weren't very comfortable. :) We were given menus, and quickly, we saw all of our favorites. As much as we wanted to try a lot of things, it just wasn't possible. So, we ended up choosing a few things: 1- Shanghainese Wonton Soup ($7): 8 HUGE pieces of wontons. These reminded me of my Grandmother's cooking. The soup was a simple chicken/pork based broth with seaweed threads, pickled mustard greens, and egg threads. The wonton mixture consisted of leeks, pork, and dried shrimp. The skin, going with an old-fashioned approach, was on the thicker side. Each wonton was bigger than a golf ball. 2- Stir Fry Rice Cakes with Shredded Pork, Napa Cabbage, and Shiitake Mushrooms ($9.95): About 1 1/2 pounds worth of rice cakes. Nicely seasoned, and good flavor with the rice wine and soy sauce mixture. Pork was cut thinly and marinated nicely in soy, rice wine, corn starch, and S&P. Sprinkled throughout was crisp napa cabbage, and perfectly soft and chewy shiitakes. Without the shiitakes, the entire dish wouldn't be as fragrant. Perfect portion for two. 3- Stir Fry Chinese Sprouts ($13): Vegetables in Chinese restaurants are typically expensive, but offer little portion. However, not here at Jeff's. The portion was about 2 lbs., and plenty for two people. Good crisp and freshness to the sprouts. The only thing we weren't crazy about was the amount of chicken stock and oil that was used. A small quibble, but the it was still nicely seasoned with S&P, and garlic. What we ordered was classic Shanghainese. Everything we had was excellent. It's been a long time coming, but we're excited for this new addition. They have been open since November 2013, and they have been doing very well. Recommended are reservations for the weekends, the owner Jeff said. We haven't been here for the weekends yet, but will update once we do. I just loved coming here because it reminded me of my Grandmother's home cooking, and the freshness of the ingredients is amazing. I just love that Jeff is very passionate about the food he puts out, and that pride is evident in his food. Some of the items, namely soup dumplings, stuffed buns, are made based on quantity requested, so if you come during the weekday, they might not be readily available. Make sure to call if you're wanting to try any stuffed buns or dumplings. Definitely give this place a try, and if you don't receive the Chinese menu, make sure you ask for it. Open until 10pm. Visa and MasterCard only. read more

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I'm sorry to have to write this review. I was really impressed by Jeff's cooking when I made my 1st trip to your restaurant over 6 months ago. Since then I've been there a couple of times, each time feeling a little more disappointed than the last. On my last visit, as usual, I made a phone call 2days prior to reserve a table, and told him what I wanted to order. Let me tell you this. This, in itself, is not a simple process because there is no printed menu, and I need to get into Yelp app to find a photo of a menu someone posted. Well, I normally spend about half to one hour "planning" the menu. But that's alright because I'm having fun planning this meal. As usual when I call, I get a man (Jeff's I presume) who sounds rather abrupt and grumpy. I tell what I want to order. He repeats my order, then hangs up without even saying thank you or good bye. Alright. Fine. Maybe he's busy and doesn't have time to say that. Maybe I'm just over-sensitive. I arrive at the restaurant and waiting for a couple of friends to arrive, maybe 2-3 minutes. Jeff comes out, asking if we are all here. I tell him a few minutes. He then tells me that he needs to prepare for his next reservation, so I must tell my friends to come quickly. What?? I just got here, not even late for the time I specified, and now I'm feeling rushed to finish eating the meal that planned so ahead of time, and so carefully, and haven't even started!?!? I thought that is RUDE. Or maybe, I'm just a bit sensitive. Just a little. The food was good as usual, but because of the service that preceded to this, I'm not sure I'm ready to come back here again for a long time. Don't get me wrong. I'm all about good food. But I'm a paying customer, I feel that I deserve not only good food, but also even half-way decent service or courtesy. Why do I feel like I'm lucky that I get to eat here? I mean, is it such a privilege to be able to sit down at this restaurant and eat their slightly expensive food, and be treated like I'm begging to be fed? This reservation only and pre-order requirement is getting to Jeff's head in my opinion. I'm sorry, but I would rather go to the other place in Canton, where they treat me like a customer, who'd small talk even when busy, and I don't even need to plan ahead and spontaneously show up and food is still excellent and doesn't cost as much. Now, Jeff's wife shows some smile and says thank you and such, but she's usually in the back kitchen, and customers are usually left alone. I thought this restaurant was the ONE but unfortunately no longer. Jeff is a excellent cook but he needs to learn some customer service, or stop taking calls and not come to the front of the restaurant. So unfortunate.... read more

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You need to make a bit effort to eat here, but food make it worthy. It doesn't look impressive from the outside at all. But the food satisfied my stomach and soul. No walk-ins. It's more like a private kitchen place. They only buy the ingredient they need for the day. You have to make reservation ahead of time, and make the order while making the phone call. The chef will make recommendation to you if you're not familiar with what to order. He is also very honest. He will tell you certain stuff they can only have canned, since it's not the season, but he would suggest to replace with a different vegetable they can get fresh. Best soup dumplings I can find in Michigan. All my friends from Shanghai told me it's THE AUTHENTIC flavor! Do rush when eating it, as it will be steaming hot. The fried bun is super awesome too. Definitely a must have item here. There is a duck dish for appetizer is great too. Not a big portion. The duck is perfect seasoned. Pork belly (红烧肉) and the pork elbow are both good. For all the dished I've tried there, I haven't found any disappointment. When hesitate, ask him for recommendation. read more

Great dishes as always! This really is thee premium Chinese dining experience! Everything is served fresh out! The dumplings are top notch, as good as what I had in China. I also really like how they made the squirrel fish in a very old school Shanghainese way. I'm pretty sure everyone knows by now but be sure to make reservations a couple days ahead since they don't take walk-ins. read more

Fantastic menu selection, delicious meal and hot tea. Restaurant was clean and the staff was friendly and attentive. Felt like I ate authentic asian cuisine! Will definitely be back to try some more new things. Highly recommend the juicy buns! read more

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I have traveled to New York and San Francisco, and eaten at many chinatown restaurants. If you want authentic soup dumplings in Michigan, this is the only place, I know where to get them. These were just as good as the ones, I have eaten at Joe's Shanghai in New York. In addition, we ordered the Shanghai style crispy duck which was absolutely wonderful. In addition we had the Peking pork which was wonderful, it was served with bamboo and the sauce was out of this world. For authentic Shanghai cuisine this is a must try. Some other necessary info that most Americans are not going to be used to when coming here. The service here is a little off putting. You have to call your order in advance, the front door says reservations only, so I feel sorry for people who go there and do not know this. This is a little inconvenient for the customer in my opinion. When we called to pre-order he was busy and could barley take our order, thank god my wife is Chinese or else ordering would be quite interesting. They were out of spring rolls, when we sat down they served us hot tea but offered us nothing to drink, we had to ask for water. I doubt they have any sodas. So my advice call ahead with your order stick to the soup dumplings or other authentic dishes do not try and order sweet and sour or general tso's anything, this guy will throw you out. All this being said about the service, if you want some of the best soup dumplings and Shanghai food, you simply have no choice but to put up with it. Smile nice, bone up on your chop stick skills and enjoy some awesome food. read more

Definitely not your usual let's go out for dinner somewhere tonight experience...thanks to the other reviewers, we did call ahead first for a reservation, and yes, we did need to preorder. But think of it this way...Chef Jeff is your pesonal chef, cooking a feast just for you! He did stop over for a chat and explained to us that it's just him cooking, so he wants to make sure he can spend the time to produce quality with fresh ingredients. So...do call ahead. If you're familiar with Shanghainese cuisine, Jeff will create all of your favorites as good as, if not better, what we had in NYC & Nanjing Xi Lu. Really! Saves a lot of airfare, it's great to have this calibre of food right here nearby. If this is new for you, have no fear - as the saying goes, try it, you'll like it! Do start with the soup dumplings. The skin was nice and thin & the soup was flavorful. Also try the crystal shrimp - the texture and 'bounce' was delightful. We also ordered kaofu - braised gluten with bamboo & wood ear mushrooms - and ma lan tou, a dish of green veg with pressed tofu. Yeah, these descriptions don't do either justice, but try it., you'll love it! :-) For entrees we ordered fish in wine sauce, delicate & light, goes great over rice; a braised pork roast (Shanghai ti pang - I'll post a picture so you can see how delicious it looks), and a noodle dish, noodles tasted fresh made. We'll definitely be back. It does take a bit of spontaneity out of going out, but once you've ordered you can start imagining how excellent it'll all taste! read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Not much crystal shrimp left, fish in wine sauce and "Shanghai ti pang" - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

Authentic, incredible food. Excellent. Funny that you have to call ahead to order, but worth it. Will be coming back

Make reservation at least one day before you go there!Best Chinese food I ever have in U.S. read more

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It was intimidating coming based on the reviews, but we were immediately greeted with a smile and the owner (I presume) was very nice and helped explain how to eat the dishes without us asking. The food was the BOMB. We had 2 orders of soup dumplings and braised pork with pancakes. The dumplings had the perfect amount of soup and super thin skin, it was definitely worth coming just for the dumplings alone. But just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the braised pork was amazing. Super tender and savory, which was perfect to pair with the pancake. Definitely would come again and Jeff was an extremely great guy and it was worth the price. read more

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I'm a Shanghainese born in Taipei and this is a 5 star representation of our traditional home cooking. Their signature dish is the xiaoloongbao or soup dumplings . It is extremely difficult to make a very thin flour wrap with piping hot soup inside, but they do a tremendous job. The bestI I've ever had. The husband and wife team are the only employees. You need to reserve and order your dishes ahead of your dining experience. In the very Chinese fashion, it is all about the food. read more

We heard some good things about this restaurant, but didn't except it is that good. Very authentic , and taste good. Their dumplings are delicious, it is competitive to those restaurants in Shanghai. We ordered so many food, and one we really like besides the dumplings is the Shanghai style fried rice cake. They are so yummy as well. The restaurant is clean with new decoration . One reminder is if you want the authentic dishes, it needs to pre-order. It may sound complicated, but it worths the trouble doing it. read more

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Came across this place almost by accident, expecting just another "American style" Chinese restaurant. From the name to the unassuming store front in a random Novi strip mall, I had no reason to think otherwise. But were we surprised. The food was amazing and authentic, the best I've found so far in Michigan, and comparable to the food on the coasts. I had Mapo Tofu, nice and spicy. And we can't forget to mention that they have Xiao Long Bao, those savory Shanghai soup dumplings. Didn't think I would find those and so close to home. This will be the go to spot for some good Chinese food. read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Mapo Tofu - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

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Have been back twice now, can only say its worth the effort every time! This last time we increased our reservations from 4 to 8 at the last minute and Jeff was so accommodating and nice about it. The food as always is wonderful. He is one of the few chefs I trust implicitly to determine the menu for our group. Take the time to try this restaurant, I promise you won't be disappointed. Also, make a reservation! Do we need to repeat ourselves? Make a reservation, please! read more

First review back in NW Detroit area in a while. Quick review since more details come from the locals who are able make multiple visits. So the story goes from our friends who have been here more often: Jeff is the chef and he runs a solo show back there. Why the thin crowd in the restaurant - it is reservations only and he is cooking for each table one at a time. So reservations make it possible that your prearranged meal gets his full attention when your party is seated. The restaurant will fill up as folks arrive in advance of their timeslot or as they are allowed to take their full time to enjoy the food that Jeff has prepared. Very detailed Shanghainese menu - in English as well, and don't be afraid to work with Jeff to put together your menu for your visit. As others have said...be flexible...Jeff will be honest about what is in season and what dishes make sense to go together. It's not often that you get to have a one-on-one connection with your chef at this price point. read more

Excellent soup dumplings. All dishes samples were authentic and as good as the top Shanghainese restaurants in California and New York. You must call in advance for a reservation, and you must have your food order ready for Jeff to take over the phone. He is not the sweetest over the phone, but figure out what you want to order, show up with an appetite (with or without high expectations), and you'll leave happy. read more

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No carry out, but very good. I'd go to Jeff's much more often if they had carry out, but I respect their decision not to.

For Michigan this place is dope! Hands down the best Shanghainese food I've had. The owners are very nice and spoke Mandarin and Cantonese. I guess they also know Shanghainese. The owners actually moved to this location from NJ/NYC area so it was taste of home for me. Don't forget to make reservations! I made the mistake of just walking in with some friends but the owner was nice enough to let us dine-in. The soup dumplings used pork meat that were slightly sweeter than what I'm used to back home but the skin had a chewy factor that I preferred and didn't break too easily. Definitely a must get item! read more

Jeff's Kitchen is the Best Kitchen. I've had many soup dumplings in my life, from Din Tai Fung to the mom-and-pop shops across China. Never in a million years did I expect to find the best soup dumplings that I've ever had in my life--in the middle of Michigan! Jeff's Kitchen is run by a dynamic duo Chinese couple; Jeff is the chef in the back and his wife runs the storefront. The restaurant is reservations & preorder only, so make sure to call ahead. Now onto the soup dumplings--pillowy, flavorful bulbs exploding with pork broth. It takes great craftsmanship to make dumplings that can hold so much soup. I burned my tongue very badly but it was totally worth it; the dumplings were too delicious for me to wait. Also highly recommend the pork fried dumplings and pork spareribs! read more

Always enjoyed this place when I was in Michigan years ago. Came back here on purpose to refresh memories but this time it was a disappointment. Worms found in my favorite dish and the owner tried to talk us into believing that they were scallion pieces. I was only able to keep the following evidence. The food is authentic and Jeff is a great cook (that's where the two stars came from), but its food safety is alarming. read more

Jeff's Kitchen - Shanghainese Near Me - Walled Lake, Michigan

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This is a fairly strange place. It was made clear to us nowhere that it was reservation only. So when we talked in and we're greeted by the Chinese speaking staff, it was slightly difficult to explain we just wanted to get some xaio long bao (soup dumplings) they allowed us in with some hesitance. It wasn't exceptionally cheap, and the 1/2 the staff seemed to be frustrated we weren't following the rules - but the food was legit. Excellent tasting, although the xlb were way larger than I've seen in Asia, pretty much too large for one bite on a spoon. Very good though. Next time I'm in town I'll make a reservation. read more

When my parents told me that they had to make a Monday noon reservation for this new restaurant a week in advance, I laughed. When we showed up and there was only one other party there, I smirked. When we sat down, and service began, I understood. This is not your typical Chinese restaurant. Yes, the rumors are true. You have to call in advance and make reservations. Yes, you should probably call two weeks in advance for a weekend reservation. WHY THE HOOPLA? Chef Jeff prepares everything fresh and to order. He is incredibly particular about the quality of his food, and will even go as far as refusing to let you order certain dishes for take-out if they do not carry-out/re-heat well. WHO THEY ARE: The smiley cute grandma that greets you is Chef Jeff's mother-in-law. The pretty lady who does everything from hosting to serving is Chef Jeff's wife. This is truly a family affair, and it's adorable. ORDERING IN ADVANCE: If you are familiar with Shanghainese/Chinese dishes, be sure to let them know what you would like in advance; he goes out to purchase the ingredients especially for the dishes you order. ASK QUESTIONS: If you are not too familiar with this cuisine, feel free to ask for traditional dishes/suggestions. They are very friendly and accommodating. DISHES THAT WERE POPULAR w/ my family: Stir Fry Rice Cakes Crystal Baby Shrimp Shanghainese Wonton Soup Stir Fry Udon Noodles Spicy Pickled Cabbage Shanghai Style Stir-Fry Chinese Sprouts Fresh Soy Milk with Fried Crullers (weekend breakfast) SO IS IT GOOD? YES. YES. YES. It tasted like true home-cooking, but with that intense flavor that comes from a strong restaurant wok and some mad kitchen skills. The quality of the ingredients was superb, and the portions are seriously GENEROUS for the prices. The dishes tend to be on the oilier and saltier side, so if you are sensitive to either, be sure to tell them to go light on them. If you are a vegetarian, they would be more than happy to accommodate you. I'm only docking a star for the complexity of the whole process (from reservations to ordering), although it kind of adds to the fun of the whole experience. At the end of it all, it makes you feel like you've discovered a hot new band that no one else knows about yet...if you're into that kind of thing. (You hipster, you.) read more

Jeff's Kitchen is absolutely delicious! My family comes here every time I'm in town. I'm from Seattle, and I've been to very popular Xiao Long Bao restaurants, but this is by far the best most authentic taste! read more

Delicious, authentic, hard-to-find Shanghainese cuisine. It's rare that I simply haven't heard of a place, especially a place this good, but it doesn't pop up on a lot of searches that you'd be likely to make, and they don't do much (if any) advertising. And in a way, that's what made discovering and eating at this place so enjoyable - it was just so unexpected and surprising. You'd never expect to find a place like this, which would be rare even in a city like Chicago, anywhere in Metro Detroit, and certainly not in Walled Lake. Frankly, they don't seem to need the publicity. From what we were told, and saw on the Saturday night we went, they have a solid local following of almost exclusively Chinese families, who all come out to eat in huge 6 to 12 person groups around their traditionally large, circular tables (complete with lazy susan in the center). Disclaimer, for those who aren't familiar with the food of Shanghai, which is almost impossible to find in the midwest: it's not the spicy, deeply-flavored, MSG-laden stuff that you might be used to. It's delicately, laboriously and skillfully prepared, with subtle flavors and textures. And Jeff, who does ALL the cooking, is a master of his craft, hand-making everything from the noodles and dumplings to the meatballs. That point is an important one to reiterate: Jeff makes everything himself, according to the orders he receives for that night. Which is why RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. They weren't at first, which is why this place started out with some poor reviews for service and wait times, but now that Jeff and his (beautiful) wife have their reservation-only system down, everything hums likely a finely tuned machine. This reservation-only system does mean that you have to ORDER IN ADVANCE, too, but the menu is available here on Yelp, and Jeff will be happy to help pick things out for you when you call. And once you're there, you don't have to worry about the selection process - things just start coming out to you in a steady flow, like your own personal tasting menu. It's pretty awesome. A brief list of what we had: - Pork-filled soup dumplings (delicious) - Fried pork buns (very similar, but also delicious) - Wonton soup (filled with HUGE, silky, flavorful wontons) - Crystal shrimp (barely cooked, they just pop in your mouth) - Shanghai green beans (a favorite of most at the table, packed with wok-seared flavor) - Shanghai mushrooms with bok choy (simple and fresh) - Stir-fried chinese bacon over rice (I enjoyed it, but it was the least favorite of the table) - Stir-fried udon noodles with pork and vegetables (I ordered it largely as an approachable dish for the less-adventurous of our group, but it was very good) - Shredded pork in peking sauce (a very popular everyday dish in China, it was a sweetly flavored crowd pleaser) Definitely worth the preparation required. A truly unique dining experience in Metro Detroit. read more

Since I have moved to Michigan from California. I have felt as if I have fallen in a black pit of culinary diversity full of burgers, beers, and sandwiches. Don't get me wrong, I love the beer in Michigan and I love the burgers and sandwiches, but sometimes a man wants something else. Sometimes a man wants some xiao long bao. So this is why I am writing this review, because it's so damn hard to find some decent Chinese food (in this case Shangainese food) around here. And I was lucky enough to find this place because we had lunch here for my friend's birthday, so thanks Alan and Happy Birthday. So on to the actual review... Ambience: Your typical chinese restaurant (albeit cleaner than I expected) with corny decorations. I think the back wall is decorated with...some Christmas ornaments year round? It's very cute. Since we reserved for lunch the entire restaurant was empty except for our group. I guess this is nice in a way, but you kind of don't get that crowded Chinese restaurant experience where you're sitting 2 feet away from another table in every each direction and screaming at each other cause it's so loud. Kind of miss that. Service: I really think this is a two person team. Not sure if this was Jeff's wife or Jeff's grandma, but I am sure as hell happy that I didn't get to meet this angry no customer service Jeff who has harbored so many 1 star reviews all by himself. Instead, our party was served by an older Chinese lady who reminded me of my grandmother. She did not speak a lick of English, so thank god some of my friends were able to translate for us and order everything. Other than that, she was very nice, refilled our tea often and said "shi shi" a lot which means thank you. Food: Xiao Long Bao (5 stars): For those who don't know what these are, they are a kind of soup and dumpling hybrid. For starters, you put the dumpling carefully on your spoon without breaking the skin, bite off the top of it, spoon in some soy/vinegar sauce and slurp that MOFO, then eat it (in any which order you like). But man, I am a little bit sad inside that we didn't order more of these. Probably could have killed 20 on my own omg, so delicious. These were definitely the star of the show for me and I think I have had a decent amount of xiao long bao in my life (including at Din Tai Fung which you may or may not have heard of). Although they are gigantic, usually XLB (xiao long bao) are like half the size of them here. But their downfall is that they are so large, it is easy to break the skin and all your precious soup falls out :( but yeah anyway, these are a must. Lion head meatballs: In the words of the late Jerry Lewis, "goodness gracious big balls of fire!" Seriously though, these were some huge ass Chinese meatball looking things. They tasted quite delicious meaty and I would definitely get them again. Not sure if they were both beef and pork or something else.... Grandma's Pork (Belly?): Hell yeah, this stuff is really good with rice. Comes with some hardboiled eggs and baby bok choi I think. If you enjoy saltier dishes lathered with sauce then you will definitely enjoy this. Thumbs up. Mapo Tofu w/ beef: Not sure about the with beef part, but I'm sure there's some in there. Wasn't super impressed by the dish. I guess I am not really a fan of "soft" dishes without any crunch in them. I think there was a strong herbal scent of some kind. Crystal Shrimp: Yeah IDK, kind of flavorless shrimp IMHO. I'd skip it. Chinese squash with fish balls: Mehhhhh. If you like soggy stuff. Overall: I enjoyed my meal here and will be back when the XLB cravings hit again. This place really reminded me of a home cooked Chinese meal in someone's home, so it really was nice to be somewhere else but the land of burgers, beers, and sandwiches for a while. Happy yelping! NOTE: I think this place is reservations only....so call ahead for your party! read more

This is the BEST Chinese food I have had in Michigan area. Speaking from who have lived in Shanghai for 20 years, it is one of the BEST Shanghainess food I have ever had in my life. Each bite tastes heavenly. The food always makes me super homesick. When I saw the reviews criticizing the service, no alcohol policy or even food with less than 5 stars, my only thought is that these reviewers don't know how to appreciate the most authentic and finest Shanghainess food. read more

Most authentic Chinese cuisine I have ever had in US!! If you have never met a perfectionist chef, you will meet one there. He doesn't offer whatever you want, he offers you what he has the best available material on that day! You need to order first on the phone when you make a reservation, otherwise nobody will be served. He might be sometimes rush or grumpy because there are only himself and his wife cooking, serving and cleaning. We need to understand that he prefer to serve you the best and fresh food than serve you bad food but good service. He has his dream, but his dream needs a team. He is willing to teach and coach you, but he has his three requirements: 1. Passionate about cooking; 2. Cooking with your heart; 3. Hard-working. His story will be continued... read more

Love this place.Food was fantastic.Can't fault it at all. #### IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE - Jeff is the only chef there and he cook everything freash.You need to phone in advance and order your food! They are taking reservations only.You can not walk in at all. They are hoping to get their web site up and running soon so that ordering on the phond is easier if you don't speak chinese.I don't. There is traditional menu,american menu and a take out menu. I have taken photo of the menu but it did not turn out better than previous reviewer. Will try again next time. read more

This place is such a hidden gem. The food is INCREDIBLE - seriously, best soup dumplings (and fried soup dumplings) I've ever had. Not only that, but Jeff and his wife were so welcoming and sweet - it felt more like dining in someone's home than a restaurant. Absolutely loved the whole experience! Note that you have to order the food in advance - we ordered ours 5 days beforehand. read more

Amazing experience. Be sure to make a reservation for this authentic craftsman of cuisine

Hands down the most authentic Shanghai restaurant in town. We love this restaurant and go there very often. Make sure you make reservation first. It's a small restaurant and the owner/chef uses the reservation system to keep the ingredient fresh. A lot of Chinese restaurants have a huge menu, but how do you think they keep everything as fresh as possible? I don't know but I know at Jeff's, everything takes home-made and fresh. My favorite dishes are the steam dumpling (xiao long bao), fresh made soy milk, Chinese squash, and crystal shrimp. Yum~! read more

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I've recently moved to MI from NYC and was BEYOND excited to find a place here that offers authentic soup dumplings. Sadly this place wouldn't even give me the chance to try theirs. Prior to driving 40 minutes on a Sunday evening to try their food, I called to confirm they were open and serving. While on the phone they failed to mention that their establishment only served reservations and that you had to place your order before arriving for your reservation.... a fact that seems impossible when you've never been there and do not know the menu. I was told since it was a party of 2 they could accommodate. We arrived, were seated and received menus with prices nearly 3 times the menu posted on yelp photos listed. We were confused. But we were there and were going to order regardless! The chef came out and asked what he could get us. We begin to tell him and he immediately says, no we're out of that. Then proceeds to ask who did we know that knew the restaurant.... they only accept reservations and since he didn't know us and we didn't have one he could not serve us.... and was out of basically the whole menu because he only buys his supplies based on what his reservations request daily....... not only did he make us feel like because we didn't personally know someone in the restaurant that we were not welcomed, but his staff also failed to mention ANY of this when we called before arriving. Long story short, unless you know some ass hole that works here don't waste your time unless you have the ability to read minds and know their menu before calling to make a reservation. read more

Very unique restaurant and experience for a fair price. Jeff is great and so is his family. This is not a typical/fast food/chinese take out restaurant. It is a really cool set up but you need to be prepared to plan and make reservations ahead of time. You place your order the day before and food is made to order on the day of. Food also takes a while to get to your table, but all you need is a little patience. I remember the first time I ate here. We had informed Jeff earlier that I was a vegetarian and he walked out to our table after we were seated holding an egg in his hand to ask me if he could add it to the vegetarian soup. To me as a vegetarian, that is the most considerate behavior I have witnessed from a chef. Would definitely recommend. Tip - Dont go in with expectations based on other restaurants. read more

I am really glad I found this restaurant. They serve the most authentic Shanghai food among all those Chinese restaurants I have ever been to in the U.S.. Two must have dishes are their two dumpling dishes, soup dumplings and Fried dumplings 生煎包和小笼包。 They only accept reservations and you have to tell the owner what dishes you want to order, so they can prepare in advance for you. I think for this reason, they can provide very fresh ingredients. read more

If you looking from authentic Chinese food point of view I can only give 2 stars, but looking at the price they charging for the quality of food they serving here I only give 1star , soup dumplings soup is not quite authentic yet, meat taste like frozen and just defrosted, crab tofu is only crab meat with out any egg in it, crab and sticky rice cake the crab should be larger and use some other crab than some cheap blue crab, mapo tofu sauce is not creamy and spicy, tofu too stiff. I am pretty disappointed with the dishes after spending 400$+ with my friends and not having truly satisfied by the overly priced food we paired for. With these money we can go some other Chinese restaurants ate twice. read more

We went as a group of 6, 2 of us are from China, 4 are Americans. The dishes by Chinese standard is very authentic and fresh. The Americans love their soup dumplings. I also got an extra serving of the soup dumpling(uncooked) for 9 dollar, which includes 8 dumplings. And they could be frozen for about one month. Obviously Jeff is the only cook their and but they don't seem that busy when we were there. Even though the food is good, I may not go back because of all the troubles with reservation and call in advance. When I want Chinese food it's usually spontaneous and I usually couldn't wait ;) read more

This place has the best and the most authentic Chinese food you can find in Michigan. The chef used to work for 锦江饭店 which is one of the most famous restaurants in Shanghai. My boyfriend grew up in a city near Shanghai and he said a lot of the dim sums the chef cooks are no longer easy to find even in Shanghai and his hometown. We would recommend Steamed Pork Soup Dumpling, Braised Pork Belly, Pan Fried Pork Juice Bun, Eel&Bamboo Shoot, and Braised Pork Shoulder! read more

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This place is a trip. We went as group of four Saturday night at 6:00. When we arrived there were 2 other tables seated. As soon as we sat down the (only) waitress started bringing our food that we ordered 24 hours previous. Food was delicious , simple authentic cuisine . We had soup dumplings ( awesome) , a few different entrees. Pork belly was good , crystal shrimp was so so spicy beans and chicken was awesome. We finished dinner and were out at 7:00, that's when Jeff closed shop behind us. Real deal Chinese food was a great change of pace. read more

This place is sooo good. Truly a gem in the nondescript strip mall. You must order all food at the time of your reservation. I have been there twice... my personal favorites are the lions head, the pork belly and the soup dumplings. Oh the soup dumplings are so good. The food will come out as it is ready. Everything is fresh. Several of my Chinese friends have said that it is quite authentic! My recommendation would be to go with a big group so you can try a lot of different dishes. read more

I would argue they have the best Chinese food in the entire midwest outside Chicago, certainly in Michigan. This place is the real deal.