By far the best food I've had and the employees are phenomenal. They have the most options for gluten free food.. and that I have NEVER had a reaction from. Will always pick them over anywhere else. read more

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to vacation at a landfill, look no further than Shanghai in Laconia, NH--a place that truly redefines "dining experience"! Seriously, unless you've been living under a rock in New Hampshire, blissfully unaware of the world beyond Hampton Beach, you might think this establishment is a hidden treasure. Spoiler alert: it's not. It's a dump! Do yourself a favor and steer clear! **Atmosphere/Cleanliness:** Picture this--walking into Shanghai and feeling like you've just stepped onto the set of a horror movie. The carpets are so dirty they could qualify for their own reality show, and the walls look like they've been auditioning for a grime-themed art exhibit. The stains on the carpet? Those are just the remnants of long-forgotten furniture. And don't even get me started on the restroom! The urinal was a charming shade of yellowish-brown that I can only assume was a tribute to the local wildlife. If the front of the house looks like this, I can only imagine the back--probably a scene straight out of a dystopian novel about a third-world country. **Service:** Now, let's chat about the service, or as I like to call it, the "Please Don't Make Me Cry" experience at Shanghai. I took a seat at the bar, ordered a drink, and it arrived faster than my hopes and dreams shattered upon seeing the decor. But when I tried to order food, I was informed the computer was down. Really? Are we in the Stone Age? You can't write my order down and run it to the kitchen? It's called taking an order, not launching a SpaceX mission! **Food/Drink:** The one drink I had was decent, but I was so turned off by the dumpster fire surrounding me that I lost my appetite faster than a kid who finds out broccoli is on the menu. I was tempted to order food based on this "great" reputation I'd heard about Shanghai, but honestly, I think the universe did me a solid by preventing me from subjecting myself to whatever culinary catastrophe was lurking in that kitchen. For those of us true New Englanders who know better about our Chinese food, this place is an affront to the taste buds. **Cost:** I paid about $10 for my drink, which is fair if you're in the mood to be mildly disappointed. **Will I be back?** Oh, hell no! Shanghai should be shut down and condemned. I'd be mortified to admit I even stepped foot in here, let alone work here. Maybe it's a paradise for the low-class granite staters who think Canobie Lake is on par with Disney World, but for those of us who've experienced the culinary wonders beyond our borders, this place is an embarrassment. Avoid it like the plague! read more

The person who answered the phone (white woman) was rude beyond compare. I will NEVER eat from this establishment again. Please fire her. I wanted to order a meal with fried rice. She repeatedly told me i could only have white rice. I asked to pay the "upcharge" she was rude and combative. Never again. read more

Shanghai Restaurant - Chicken and broccoli - Chinese Near Me - Laconia, New Hampshire

Hadn't gone to Shanghai since before COVID, staying away due to takeout only and what seemed to be too-high prices. Decided to give them a chance last week and was pleasantly surprised. I only ordered basic Chicken Chow Mein with pork fried rice, but it was really good! And plentiful!! (got three meals out of it)! Happy to see two decent-sized baggies of crispy noodles, along with all the usual extras (soy, mustard, two duck sauce containers, fortune cookies), and they (noodles) elevated the dish significantly. The only negative was the Egg Roll, which I thought was drier and milder in taste than most I've had. They also allowed me to get a lunch special even though it was way past the cutoff time and wrong day for the "dinner" version of that special (hence the included egg roll). Bottom line: I'll go back, as Shanghai is pretty close to me. read more

Waitress so awesome she gave us free dessert and it was delicious!! Very good chicken fingers. Good Shirley temple not stingy with the cherries or grenadine. Crab Rangoon exploded in my boyfriend's face but also exploded with flavor! Fried rice is nice and moist, not dry. Egg roll is mehhh. Ambiance is shocking. It's a bit like a bar which I was not expecting but that's not a problem for me. Our waitress is splendid! Love her! read more

Finally real chinese food done right. About a 20 minute ride but close to medical offices i use. Food was the best we've had up in the lakes reigion after trying most closer places first. They do a lot of takeout and only serve in their bar area. Everything we've had there was delicious, bar was fun to be in. Our now go to place up here read more

Great take out and large portions. Some of the best wonton soup I've ever had. Will definitely order from there again

$Expensive$! Inconsistent quality, one day everything is great next day everything sucks.

Sorry only 3 stars. Big order this time and most was good but the general Gao chicken was like shoe leather. My jaw got tired from trying to chew it. Threw it out. Tofu good...lowmein good egg rolls good. Chicken fingers ok..white rice nice and sticky. Crab Rangoon very good. Egg drop soup very good. Beef teriyaki some very good some not so good. For the price it should have been top shelf. read more

7-7-24 There is no sit down service at this establishment unless you want to sit at the bar and order your food. Yelp lists this as good for kids and groups but that's a NO to each as you can't seat either. I have not tried their food as we wanted to sit with family not strangers watching TV. read more

Rude lady answering the phone wants to argue with me about my order tells me there's no substitutes for anything and if I wanted something substituted, I would have to order a whole item and add another $15 per item to my already expensive meal. This is the only Chinese food restaurant in Laconia that I know of. I would not recommend it to anybody I've gotten sick here before. There's better Chinese food not far down the road in Belmont and tilton the china garden, the green ginger, the millennial dragon, where the people are not rude with you they don't argue with you when you're ordering what you wanna order and I've never been sick from either of those. I would highly recommend staying away from the Shanghai restaurant in Laconia New Hampshire unless you want to be treated like crap by the weight staff and potentially get sick for eating undercooked food or food that has been left out for too long. The health department should really pay this place a visit I would rate my experience here as zero stars or negative stars this place is horrible again I do not recommend going here. I would spend the extra 10 or 15 minutes and drive to Tilton or Belmont or even Moultonboro anywhere but Laconia Shanghai restaurant absolute garbage. read more

The food was ok egg rolls not like use to be and to much money for what u get.the size of the container looks half the size and more money. All the Chinese restaurant are doing the same thing, never eaten Chinese food again read more

My go to place only because it is close, but the prices are getting insanely high and yes, I know everything is expensive, but not in line with the prices at other Asian restaurants in the area. As far as I know, other than the bar, this place is take out only. but think about it......no wait staff to pay, no dishes to wash, no glasses to wash, no utensils to wash, no napkins to replace, no tables to wipe down, so why such high prices? Seems like every time I check the menu, the prices have increased. Really? Don't get me going on consistency, which is non-existent and the fried rice which just white rice with some veg/protein along with non-existent flavoring waved over the wok. read more

Food was great and the place was packed. I will be going back soon,

*** Have been stopping at the Shang Hai for many years now, since 2011, and at the least about 3 times a month, both with company, as well as by myself. *** Back in 2012 I wrote a review on TripAdvisor which to-this-day still holds true,... and my guests have also agreed with that review for the most part,... so rather than re-write, here it is: " Reviewed April 19, 2012 Normally do not write reviews, but wanted to comment on the Shang" Hai. Recently moved to the Lakes Region from South NH, and while driving around the area to get acquainted, stumbled across the Shang Hai. Since my female companion and I are fond of Polynesian / Chinese Buffets, we decided to give the place a try one evening, and were very pleased, and more so as our stops there continued. This is a nice Local Spot, away from the Touristy type places, and is Comfortable and Cozy, We have now made this place a regular stop, three to four times a month. Have frequented various Chinese / Polynesian Buffet Restaurants throughout NH and found the Shang Hai's buffet selections to be varied, tasty, good quality, reasonably priced, and the staff very pleasant and friendly. Although there is also a menu to order from if one is not in the mood for a buffet, we have always opted for the buffet, and never disappointed with the selection or the quality. Selections are also added to from time to time, something new to try, which makes it even nicer, but there are always my regular favorites. For those that indulge, there is also a full liquor license, but our favorite we share is the Scorpion Bowl : ) This is a Great Local Spot that we would recommend, and have. And No, I am not affiliated with the Shang Hai what-so-ever, but after now going there more than a dozen times, felt compelled to write a review. Long Live the Shang Hai !!! Me: MorninSail@Aol.com Show less Date of visit: April 2012 read more

Shanghai Restaurant - Long Live the Shang Hai !!! - Chinese Near Me - Laconia, New Hampshire

Tried 1 more time as I was really craving some good food...so sad to say it was awful :( The chicken lo mien is orange and tasted super weird - not sure what it was. The pork fried rice had no flavor and was dry. Boneless spareribs were dry also and had no flavor. My usual favorite: hot and sour soup was so salty I could taste it for hours and drank bottles of water afterwards. Was so hoping for better... read more

Absolutely top-notch service and food. The best egg drop soup I've ever had! The takeout was quick, hot and correctly fulfilled. The young man at the counter was polite and courteous. The quaint little bar always seems to be full of happy patrons. I'm proud to support this great family-run, local business. Great job! read more

My family and I are new to Laconia and figured we would try Shang Hai hoping to find our new favorite Chinese food place. we placed our order and even though the prices seemed high we had high hopes. I arrived at the restaurant and the staff were friendly and welcoming which was nice unfortunately the food was not up to the same level. My wife and my chicken were severely over cooked to the point that our 30+ dollars worth of dinner was wasted. The appetizers were slightly better egg rolls were chewy but the filling was good, the dumplings were good and the crab rangoon were chewy as well. Overall experience was underwhelming. We would like to give the place another chance but we will definitely be exploring other options first. read more

Food was just ok. Crab Rangoon was terrible, which is a dealbreaker because it's everyone's favorite. Rice didn't have much flavor, same with the egg rolls and boneless spare ribs. Only good thing we had was the sesame chicken and lo mein was average. Won't be back. read more

Yen, Lisa and the team at Shanghai not only serve excellent food and drink but they also take their patrons safety and good health very serious. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all of us particularly the restaurant and bar industry. With that in mind, Yen has limited seating in the bar area in order to better control safety and disinfection of her restaurant. My family frequents the Shanghai and have for several years often altering our travel route to ensure we could stop by the Shanghai for lunch or dinner. Yen always went the extra mile for my elderly parents making them feel welcome and treating them with the utmost respect which my family will always remember. We strongly recommend Shanghai and appreciate everything that Yen and Lisa do for their patrons. read more

Shanghai Restaurant - Best Wings Anywhere!!!!! - Chinese Near Me - Laconia, New Hampshire

I was pleased with my food , everyone was very pleasant and made me feel welcomed , also lots of leftovers

Came in with a party of 10 on a Thursday afternoon. Not one other person there, service was quick and the buffet was kind of empty at first ( we came right before the dinner buffet) but they brought piping hot food right out. Hostess was friendly, waiter was good, price was just right. read more

Very good Chinese food. One of the best I've found in The Lakes Region. Good food and they are open late (well 9pm) which is late for Laconia. Owner is very nice and very funny. I always look forward to my hot and sour soup and pork low mein. read more

The food at Shanghai was marginal. The chicken wings were undercooked. The crab rangoon was tough instead of crispy, and the beef lo mein as well as the chicken fried rice appeared to have been reheated many times making it almost tasteless. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more

While the food is good, most of it is cold. When my husband said something to our waiter, he didn't seem to care. The owner was outside. My husband approached her about the cold food, she told him that she was there over 20 "blankety-blank " years and if he didn't like it, "blankety-blank" you. Nice huh? We definitely will NOT support such a rude, foul-mounted, disrespectful female and staff. The nicest person in there was the lady we paid! What is SHE doing in a place like that? read more

Gross, don't bother. Tasteless and mushy. What a disappointment!! The food was barely edible, the place was not clean and sontun down and old. read more

I recently stopped into the Shanghai Restaurant on a weeknight. My, now wife and I used to stop there a couple three times a month because it was in between both of our work locations before covid days. About six months ago we tried to go into the bar, and I think her name is lisa yelled at us that the bar was full and they weren't accepting any more customers. The bar was maybe half full but this was during mask mandates, so we shrugged our shoulders and went place else. Back to present, I had been noticing that whenever i went by the restaurant the cars in the parking lot were many more than you would expect to see for takeout only traffic. So, one weeknight I stopped in, and the bar was half full again. I sat at the bar and woman bar tender ignored me till I had to raise my hand to get her attention, this went on through my entire stay. She went by me with an empty drink pushed to the edge of the bar and when I finally got a chance to, ordered an order of wings, she asked with intension if I wanted them to go. She was rude to the point I wanted to walk out, can't believe I actually tipped her. So, if you're not a regular in her good favor and don't want to be ignored and be treated rudely I would boycott the Shanghai besides the food is marginal at best. read more

I recently ate at his restaurant at lunchtime the food was spectacular. The beef the chicken all tender and fresh .wonton soup excellent job keep up the good work. read more

I've been coming to shanghai for years and have tried many other Chinese buffets. Hands down Shanghai is the greatest one ever conceived from the land of China. When you enter, they treat you like a Samurai returning from battle with their to die for wanton soup and fresh crab stuffed rangoon. The atmosphere is full of classic Chinese art and Chinese spin offs of classic songs, we all know, that have gripped our hearts in our pasts. The staff barely speaks English, so they keep to themselves and are very quick to refill drinks and clear plates. There is nothing like their service and food when it comes to the buffet game. I wish their was a six star option for this magical establishment. read more

Drove around looking for a new place to eat, unfortunately we chose this place. The food at the buffet was really not good, and don't get me started on the dessert bar, go somewhere else, it was a bad decision and feel we got shanghaied read more

Great food excellent service great people who work there atmosphere relaxing the owner lady extremely nice lover her feet

One of my recent trips in search of the BEST CHINESE FOOD IN CENTRAL NH was to the Shanghai Restaurant in Laconia, NH. Located where Weeks Restaurant used to be years ago, I think these folks are doing a pretty good job. I am Lacto-Vegetarian, might as well let you all know up front.(meaning, vegan, with a little dairy) I ordered the following items to take out, which were ready to go in about 15-20 minutes: Vegetable Lo Mein, Vegetable Fried Rice(no egg), Spicy String Beans, Scallion Pancake, and General Gau's Chicken(actually a vegetarian version of chicken, made mostly from soy protein). The Vegetable Lo Mein was fairly good, but a strange bright-orange color - don't know why they would add that. Maybe they tried it on Chinese New Year and got such a great customer reaction that they decided to keep it on the menu! The Fried Rice was ok, but was missing the classic flavor that comes from toasted sesame oil. The string beans were good, but were definitely NOT spicy! Look, if you are going to call something SPICY, make sure it has a little HEAT! Sheesh! The Scallion Pancake was very good, crispy with good flavor. And finally, although pricey, the General Gau's Vegetarian Chicken was very good! A nice texture, very filling and satisfying! Overall, I am giving ShangHai 3 stars out of 5 for a basically good meal. A solid 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. read more

Great place for great food. Have been going here a while now since I arrived in Laconia some 5 years ago. The service is great and the owners are really nice and always great their guests personally whenever possible. The buffet is usually pretty well stocked and if close to closing the owner usually manages to bring some small portions out for those lat comers. On the overall a really nice, quite, peaceful atmosphere with good management and fast service read more

Excellent place to enjoy a great buffet for either lunch or dinner. I highly recommend their chicken wings!!