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    LJ Shanghai

    4.4 (657 reviews)
    ModerateShanghainese
    Closed 11:15 am - 8:00 pm

    LJ Shanghai Photos

    Business Info

    LJ SHANGHAI ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - LJ Shanghai

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    Anna K.

    FYI- CASH ONLY RESTAURANT!!! The yummiest comfort food you'll find on Superior! I always get the soup dumplings because the soup soaks into the homemade wrapper and is bursting with flavor. I tried the salty shredded pork and veggie noddle soup and it was so good! Very homely and comforting, perfect for a rainy day or sickness. The service was fast and attentive. The vibes are very small and cozy, great spot for solo eating.

    Mallory S.

    LJ Shanghai in Asiatown, Cleveland has EARNED all those awards, including the incredible achievement of being in the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants of 2024 in the USA, according to Yelp! The food is divine and creative and the vibes feel totally authentic. After living in Cleveland for 6 years, my bff and I finally got the chance to eat at LJ Shanghai for lunch in January 2026. We were well aware of the cash-only policy (implemented a year ago) and ate like kings for about $20 cash each. We knew what we planned to order beforehand so no surprises there. I ordered their most popular dish, the Shanghai pan fried flat noodle for $13 - which was thiccc with 3 Cs and contained well prepared strips of pork. I also got a $1 cup of basic hot tea. It was the only beverage we saw on the menu. We must have not seen a beverage menu around, if they have one. Meanwhile, my bff's shanghai bean curd ($11) was doused in a complexity of flavors and a ton of mushrooms. This is a truly authentic dish that vegetarians must get here! She so ordered edamame as an appetizer, which was soaked in a buttery tasting wine and cost $8. Normally, $8 for edamame would be too expensive but these were no basic edamame pods from a microwaved package from Walmart - the portion was generous and the wine sauce made it interesting. I wonder if this is how edamame is done in Shanghai normally... Lastly, service was fast and no fuss. We were in and out in a jiffy. They were bustling so they probably needed to turn over our table asap haha. Decor is fine but you're not here for ambience - you're here for the food! We each put down a $20 bill and a few $1s for tip and left happy.

    Spicy noodle soup and spicy chaoshou
    Shervani P.

    The best Chinese I've had in Cleveland! We stopped in on a Friday night around 6:30 and only had to wait about 5 minutes before getting seated. They are cash only, so heads up! Though they have plenty of signs and tell you as well before you're seated. The menu isn't huge, but has plenty of great options. We ordered the soup dumplings, cucumbers, spicy chaoshou, pan fried noodles and spicy noodle soup and everything was so good. The flavors were amazing and everything was cooked so well. My favorites were the pan fried noodles and the spicy chaoshou. The noodles soup broth was incredible and had a ton of flavor. Portions are also a great size for the price. Service could have been slightly better, as no one really came to check on us and it took a while for our last dish to come out. But regardless I will definitely be back!

    Shawn B.

    If I could pick my favorite restaurant in the entire world, it would be Lj Shanghai. I can't even begin to tell you how good the soup dumplings are, I used to say they were life-changing. Now they're just such a part of my DNA that I bring everyone that is visiting Cleveland to this restaurant and I have yet to have someone walk away without a wow. They also have some fantastic other menu items from soups to noodles. The care in detail that LJ and her team put together to make it a fun unique experience is to be commended. Remember, they are cash only and they are closed on Mondays. Please check their Facebook page casually they take a vacation. They are consistently listed in all the publications as being in a top five Asian restaurant across the country definitely worth stopping

    noodle
    Ethan F.

    This place is sort of overwhelming. Loud whirring coming from the kitchen. Waiters were nice and very welcoming. Had the shanghai pan fried noodle and a chongqing spicy noodle soup. The flavors of both were pretty good, but the noodles were overcooked in the soup and undercooked in the pan fried noodles. Overall cheap place, they take cash only. 6/10 on Cleveland standards, 3/10 on California standards.

    Shanghai meatball
    Amy J.

    Absolutely delicious pork belly soup. Soft noodles and flavorful broth. The sweet h sour ribs with bones are also flavorful. CASH ONLY so beware! Only major downside here.

    Curry Beef noodle soup with vermicelli
    Anderson R.

    This is why they are KNOWN FOR their soup dumplings! No BS! The food and staff here are as real deal as they come! Extremely helpful when selecting menu items, though it gets a little confusing at times. The feel of the restaurant is simple and pure, reminding you of the local diner in the best ways. The soup dumplings are their specialty, and it's clear why. Arriving in a piping hot bamboo steamer, the dumplings are perfectly arranged in a precise pattern that never strays! The tantalizing aroma is FELT as soon as the remove the lid from the steamer. The dough is slightly chewy, thick enough to withstand the filling, but thin enough that it doesn't overpower the dumpling. The soup inside is warm, deep and bursting with umami, defining its complexity from the first slurp! The filling is delicately complemented by the soup, but has its own distinct flavor, highlighting the protein, chive and ginger that make this dish an absolute classic. The Curry Beef noodle soup was DELIGHTFUL! Think Pho but with a curry broth to change things up a bit! The beef was tender and well marbled, contrasting the bright and slightly spicy broth. This level of food has no business being this affordable. I would give this more stars if I could. Coming back isn't a question, it's a necessity!

    Chelsea S.

    First time checking out this place during a stop in Asiatown. I was happy to see they had a bean curd dish in the menu and wow was it amazing. The tofu was so soft and fluffy and really soaked up the absolutely delicious, complex flavored sauce. I wish I was eating someone right now. My friend got the pan fried noodles- even though they are cooked with pork which I don't eat as a pescatarian, I had to sneak a couple noodles because they looked so good. And I was correct. I wish they made a vegetarian version of these! Word of advice, they are cash only, so come prepared. I will definitely be back.

    Shanghai Pan Fried Flat Noodle
    Daniel D.

    I can definitely see why this place is one of the top Chinese restaurants in the entire United States. The food and atmosphere of this restaurant is warm and inviting. When you first walk in they will tell you they only accept cash and then will seat you promptly, if you're meeting someone they will make sure your entire party is there prior to seating you. The menu is expansive with so many different options to choose from. For our first visit we had to try the soup dumplings which lived up to their esteemed reputation. We also got the garlic cucumbers which had an amazing crunch along with the spicy beef noodle soup which was bursting with flavor and would be perfect on a cold winter day. The pan fried noodles and duck were also very delicious. I definitely would recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants truly authentic tasty Chinese food because I have never had anything like it before. If you do come though make sure you bring enough cash for the food and tip because the workers here are working hard to serve you and make your experience an unforgettable one.

    Just a cool, casual vibe.
    Heather C.

    As soon as I walked into this place, I knew I liked it. You are immediately greeted by friendly and helpful staff to let you know you must wait for your entire party to be seated. Makes sense to keep things efficient. Efficiency is exactly what I saw at this fabulous restaurant. They keep it easy and fast and flowing. The food was of course - delicious. I had the dumplings and like all the reviews, amazing! Everything looked spectacular and I can't wait to go back! I loved the photos framed outside of the bathroom hallway. Such is life!

    Cucumbers in garlic sauce
    Arada H.

    Went for lunch on a Monday. Good size crowd, and more kept coming, so that was a good sign. We were seated near the front but a large party of 10 came later and went to the back. We ordered soup dumplings, cucumber in garlic sauce, their famous pan fried knife cut noodles with beef, and a sticky rice. All were delicious and came out as they were cooked. Lady who seemed to be in charge was very helpful. Remember to take cash!

    Abbey C.

    Oh my god. This place is incredible! LJ is a cash only place and has incredible food. The soup dumplings were a stand out for us, but literally everything we ordered off the menu was incredible. Service was very quick and staff were very friendly. We will 100% be going again in the future!

    Chong Qing Spicy Beef Noodle Soup
    Brian B.

    Home cooked Asian noodle Small local restaurant Quick and efficient service. Easy menu and fair priced. Excellent noodle dishes with chili oil and deep flavorful cooking. Lots of tasty bites. Authentic flavor and cuisine - best in a cold day to be ate with chopsticks.

    Soup Dumplings

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Thank you for your support

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Thank you so much Chelsea, please come back again

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    9 months ago

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    18 days ago

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you so much Heather, we are so lucky to have you

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    11 months ago

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    Thank you Arada, please come back again

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    6 months ago

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    Thank you Abbey, we are so lucky to have you, please come back

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you so much Brian, please come back again

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    1 year ago

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    Dear Grace, thanks for your awesome review, please come back again

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

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    Thank you Doljha, we are so proud to have you

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    7 months ago

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    Thank you so much Abeer, so lucky to have you, please come back

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    8 months ago

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    Thank you Sarah, please come back again

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    4 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

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    Brandon you are the best!!!

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    Sorry Lexi, we apologize for the unprofessional service

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    3 months ago

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    Thank you Stephanie, we can’t wait to see you again

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    3 months ago

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    Thank you Andrew, we are so proud to have you

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    Thank you, please come back again

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    Page 1 of 17

    LJ Shanghai Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - LJ Shanghai

    Do you take reservations?

    I am pretty sure they do not, and another thing to note is that they will not seat you until your entire dining party is physically present.

    Is the restaurant take-out only at this point?

    The dining room is open now

    What is in the soup dumplings?

    Ground pork and soup

    Can the pan fried flat noodles or beef daoxiao noodles be ordered without meat?

    Are there vegetarian options?

    Cucumber, edamame, fried bean curd, seaweed, sticky rice. And a few noodle dishes could be cooked without meat

    Do you use carts for dim sum, or order at table?

    Sorry we are shanghainese, not Cantonese, we don’t have dim sum. We have soup dumpling, it’s our signature item, it’s our “ dim sum” . And order at table, the servers will… Read more

    Do you have chicken, beef, or vegetarian soup dumplings? How about chicken, beef, or vegetarian noodle dishes? I don't eat pork but all the photos look so good!

    Right now just the pork soup dumplings. Have a few beef and vegetarian noodles, same with soup, some are pan fried

    Are there any vegetarian options here for the soup dumplings or any other menu item?

    As stated there are some options, I have tried some of these and it is probably not worth a trip just to try them, but if you are going as part of a group you will be OK.

    Everything seems to be beef/pork based for protein. Any chicken options? I saw the picture of one menu online and that didn't have anything but not sure if that was the whole menu.

    LJ Shanghai has one Boiled Chicken dish. It's actually the most expensive thing on the menu at $15. I have not tried it yet but assume that it is similar to Hainanese Chicken. They also have two duck dishes.

    Are there any gluten free options?

    There are a few vegetarian dishes that are gluten free. But they are like appetizer/side dishes and the options are very limited and may not be enough for a meal.

    Are there vegetarian options?

    Braised Steamed Gluten is vegetarian, There's a couple noodle dishes are without the meat. Not sure about vegetarian broth. Not a lot of vegetarian dishes.

    View All 13 Questions

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    LJ Shanghai - shanghainese - Updated May 2026

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