If you're looking for a fun night out with good food and something a little different than your typical restaurant, Ugly Dumpling is the place! Ugly Dumpling is a large, well lit big restaurant, right on Route 1 in Edison with lots of food choices for everyone, including delicious non- alcoholic drinks! We came in a Saturday night and had to wait a few minutes for a table. They take your mobile number and text you when your table is ready. Our server was Jun and he was super helpful and attentive. Now let's get into the food... the reason we are all here ! So we came for the ugly dumplings but learned this menu is quite diverse. First of all, when you check in with Yelp, there currently is a free Scallion Pancake appetizer, so thank you Yelp! It was very good, crispy and very tasty with the dipping sauce. We also ordered the Soy Garlic wings. They were small and very crispy and delish! We also ordered the Steamed Chicken and Mushroom buns. I have to say that they were the only items that were just OK. They looked and presented much better than they tasted. OK... we cannot forget ... the drinks. They really surprised me.. they're amazing ! I had the Black Iced Tea flavored with Lychee and with cold foam. OMG it is epic!! Don't miss the drinks and flavor it with your choice of fruity goodness. Don't miss the iced tea! It was so good. We also ordered the Shrimp Stir Fried Noodles. They were OK, the shrimps were small and most likely frozen, I'd probably skip that dish next time and try something else. Now... the Soup Dumplings, or Xiao Long Bao! They were excellent. There's even an area in the middle of the restaurant you can watch people making them, kinda cool. The restaurant is huge with lots of seating and a pretty fierce take out business as well. You can go in and order to go right from a touch pad, or you can do it online. My husband ordered the Ugly Dumpling Signature dish that has one of every flavor/color and he really enjoyed them. He liked the Black one with the Truffle the best. I ordered the chicken because I don't eat pork or red meat. The chicken was very good, pink color dumpling. Could have used just a little more soup in the soup dumplings! There are so many dishes to try. Jun kept the food moving and the service was fast. We had a nice booth in the back by the bar that was very private and quiet. We both really enjoyed our first time at Ugly Dumpling and we will definitely be back! It was a really great first experience. It's not a Michelin star restaurant, so don't come in here expecting the best food on the planet. It's a fun dining experience in a new, hip setting with a cool vibe. read more

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I thought this spot would have more positive reviews... the service is the least impressive thing about this place and that would be rated a 2.5/5. The food is phenomenal and high quality and tastes fresh and flavorful. It is more expensive than other Chinese restaurants, however, that is reasonable due to the quality of food being far superior to other restaurants. It is also very clean and modern inside the restaurant also. The sesame noodles, orange chicken and pork fried rice was large in portion and delicious! read more

I had dinner here with my friend and we decided to share a few items. We had the chicken soup dumplings, steamed pork buns, shrimp fried rice, salt and pepper popcorn chicken and the noodles with spicy sauce. We both enjoyed the chicken soup dumpling and shrimp friend rice. Everything else was underwhelming. For the price point we were not mad about it. The restaurant is huge with plenty of seating. Our server was attentive. Overall, it was a decent experience. read more

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Nothing like last-minute plans. We had to come and check this gem in Edison out. We're so happy that we did. Food is excellent. Service is even better. And by the way..it's BYOB. So, grab your choice of libation and make it an occasion. Beautiful atmosphere for sure. We will definitely be back. read more

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Service is super fast. We had to wait about 20 mins to get seated but wait was worth it. A ton of veg options. Wonton and dumpling were great. Noodles could be a little better. Definitely will come here again. read more

I said I would return to give this place another try and I did. The ugly dumplings have a lot of soup now. We had the Szechuan Pork XLB and it was plump and juicy. I also highly recommend the following dishes: - Chicken Fried Rice (as good as DTF) - Spinach with Garlic (very fresh) - Noodles with Shredded Beef & Shishito Peppers (so good) I really like the configuration of the entire place now, it is aesthetically pleasing and less sparse. Service remains stellar with a friendly attentive staff. I look forward to returning to try their other dishes and dumplings. read more

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I really enjoyed my time here! It was our first time and our server Sam was sooo sweet and helpful. It was pretty full for a Wednesday night, we waited about 40 minutes to be seated. All the food we ordered was yummy! Only thing, chicken spicy wontons didnt taste spicy, but were good! We loved the ugly dumplings signature that brought one of each flavor. That was fun to taste test together! read more

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This is the cleanest, friendliest, establishment. The ambience is so homey and it's much bigger then you think. We ordered a variety of items. Our favorite was the fried Rice. I'm not sure what made this one different but it was delicious. I've never had a soup dumpling but I wish it had a bit more broth inside. The bbq ribs are also very tasty. We used the Sauce to add a little something to the steamed buns. Although the meat was very tasty it just felt Like it was missing something. The drinks were delicious. And the presentation of it looked so modern. The spring rolls were mediocre. The desserts were very bland. It just feels like the food could have had So much more. I would return to try More items. read more

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So we went to ugly dumpling on a whim. We saw the restaurant as we were passing by and decided to stop for lunch. The place is very large and Has ample parking outside. It's in a strip mall like most places in Jersey! We walked in and the place is thoughtfully decorated. Clean lines, very light, airy! A really cool vibe! We were promptly seated in a booth and given a menu. The menu is extensive with a bunch of different apps, dim-sum, soup dumplings, side dishes, soups, rice/noodle dishes. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. We couldn't really decided. Maybe because we were Starving! We did though, finally! A daily special spicy pork soup dumpling and a pork shrimp dumpling, spring rolls, pork chop noodle soup and a side of bok choy. Also for drink we got hot jasmine tea and tried iced honey lemonade. So let me break it down.. the dumplings were a miss unfortunately.. we were told they were a little spicy and the level of hot was InSane!!! I mean I couldn't taste anything for a while after. The pork shrimp dumplings were fishy. Which tells me they were sitting around a while.. I'm sadden by this . The spring rolls were the star here crispy, tasty and it came out with a yummy dipping sauce. If I come back I will def get this again The pork chop noodle soup. I found odd. A crispy panko pork chop lay across soup getting soggy! I don't know what to make of this.. everything was flavorful except the noodles were a little over cooked but I just can't see a crispy pork chop over soup.. The side of bok choy was just so delicious. Sautéed in scallion oil . It was crispy and flavorful and to make it even more special I dipped it in the spring roll sauce. The honey lemonade is something to get here. Jasmine tea was okay! I would come back but maybe get different food to try. I read more

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I've been on a dumpling kick lately so I was happy to find this place. Our wait was 25 mins which was fine because we went to walk around the TJMaxx in that same plaza while we waited. They text you when your table is ready. It's a pretty big space. The music was nice and not too loud. It really is a place where you can take someone and ensure that they are going to get something they like. I was surprised at how affordable each dish was which allowed us (2 people) to try a lot of them. The waiter was nice although I will say it would have been nice to have him check in a little more frequently but otherwise it was fine. The food came rather quickly and was clearly just made. Everything was delicious. We had the ribs, green beans, soup dumplings, spicy wontons and chicken fried rice. Everything was very good. read more

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Just bad. Food comes out way too fast to be fresh. Pork buns tasted like the frozen microwave version. Dumplings not good either. Poor quality food. read more

Ugly Dumpling stands tall as a sentinel tower along the Great Wall of China on Route 1, Edison, NJ. Walking in it is easy to see the modern Asian design and decor. High ceilings, large windows, bamboo arches and oversized steamer covers suspended above shading customers from the bright LEDs. I was about the Xiao Long Bao (pork soup dumplings), and also ordered Vegetable Soy Noodles to taste a broader sampling from their kitchen. Earlier in the week I attending a Yelp Elite Event at Nan Xiang Soup Dumpling Restaurant in King of Prussia, PA, and looked forward to the chance to compare this Shanghai delicacy. First, the noodle dish was very good, but only offered spinach, onion and celery (?), and needed four spoonfuls of table chili sauce to jazz up the flavor. Once doctored, I was quite happy with it. Second, the six XLB were smallish compared to Nan Xiang, but the broth within was steaming hot and tasty. It was interesting that the menu provided instructions on how to prepare each pod for delicious consumption. I do it a little differently - biting off the topknot to open the doughy bag, drop in a few strands of ginger, pour in enough vinegar to balance out the broth, perform mouth to mouth lips to lips, suck out the scalding soup/ginger/vinegar mix before swallowing the remaining dumpling whole. Gulp! Very nice. Yet, three of the XLB were stuck to the steamer paper, so despite my attempt to lift them carefully, they tore and spilled their contents into the steamer and the table beneath. Frustratingly disappointing. On the other hand, the Nan Xiangs were larger, thinner, more elastic and didn't tear. Taste was very similar, but clearly XN had the better quality product and were more fun to eat. I suspect UD has scouted NX in Flushing and is aware of the differences. It just needs to impress upon the kitchen the importance of more attention to detail. If they did they wouldn't call this house , "Ugly," any more. 3.5 STARS read more

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Finally decided to have dinner here and boy did we enjoy every bit of it. The Soup Dumplings were delicious and my favorite were the pork, pork w/shrimp n spinach and the chicken dumplings. The Soy Garlic wings omg tasty and crispy. The fried rice dishes were both good and we ordered a side of the soy garlic sauce to drizzle on it which took it to the next level. The service was great and the food came out quick but everything was absolutely fresh. The restaurant itself was open, clean and inviting. I loved the way they had the bamboo steamers hanging from the ceiling. I will be revisiting very soon!!! read more

They have taken the DTF concept and really ran with it. Great branding, and a nice straight forward menu. I love that I can get a sample tray to try the different XLB, or just order my favorite type. After tasting a few, I am a big fan of the spicy Sichuan. I would love to go back and try more items on the menu to get a better feel of the additional offerings. read more

I tried a noodle dish and the truffle soup dumplings and honestly felt the soup dumplings were overpriced for the few you receive. The noodles were also nothing to write home about. I'm not sure I would try the noodles again since they were kind of disappointing but would maybe consider other soup dumplings flavors. The ambience and the interior decor of the restaurant is nice though and they're located in a Plaza with lots of other stores and a grocery store, 99 Ranch. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Edison, NJ - Chinese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

Tough competition in the soup bun world here in edison. Solid Soup buns, but unfortunately there are so many other great mom and pop shops in a mile radius. read more

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Service was great. We got the fried pork buns too, which was the best thing we ordered (ended up ordering a second one)! The string beans with garlic were very flavorful and still crunchy. The pork soup dumplings were flavorful and a cool experience to eat for the first time. The noodles with diced beef were our least favorite item. They lacked in flavor and spice despite the pepper that was described on the menu. Also nice ambiance and music was fun! Overall would recommend and would come back! read more

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We were there 10/9/23 Big, modern space and Xiao Long Bao made on premise, nice! Sampler XLB - Starting with the pink - Chicken; Pork; Truffle Pork; Pork, Shrimp & Cucumber; Pork & Crab -Chicken was ok for those who don't eat pork -Pork was good just plain -Truffle pork was ok, a bit strange even though I love truffle and they weren't stingy with it. I can't put my finger on why I didn't love it... -Pork, Shrimp & Cucumber was meh, maybe with out the cucumber -Pork & Crab was the best, so good I ordered another just Pork & Crab Soy Ginger Wings - delicious, so good Sweet Chili & Sesame Ribs - meh, hubby liked it Lychee Green Tea with Lychee popping bubbles was perfect medium sugar was just sweet enough Service was great! Definitely coming back! read more

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Inspired by the bustling food streets of Shanghai and the rich history of family cookbooks of old and modern Chinese cuisine, we are dedicated to reimagining those most favored local recipes by curating new, exciting, and playful experiences for our diners today. This place is inspired by Shanghai street food, including dumplings and buns, wontons and soup dumplings. We tried their Mango Iced green tea with boba Brown Sugar latte Soya Garlic Wings Chicken XLB ( soup dumplings) Shrimp fried rice Chicken stir fried noodles I love this place and I would love to come hear again Thank you team UG and Martin read more

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Very spacious restaurant with plenty of seating. A lot of people compare the menu to Din Tai Fung and I can definitely see the similarities. I thought that a couple of the menu items were lacking flavor but overall had a good experience here. The soy garlic wings were great! read more

Ugly Dumpling - Edison, NJ - Chinese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

My family and I were excited to try out a new soup dumpling place in town, but we were thoroughly disappointed. The dumplings were not juicy at all, and the wrappers were too thick and gummy. The dumplings seemed more like a gimmick unfortunately. The shrimp stir fry noodles were also subpar. There was a lot of liquidy sauce at the bottom, but somehow the noodles were not even that flavorful. It was also lacking the oil and charred flavor you get from making a stir fry on high heat. The pan fried pork buns were yummy, but they were just too small. Overall, we wouldn't go back, but I can see how people who are unfamiliar with Chinese food would like the atmosphere and trendy decor. The service was great though, and we just wish the food were better. read more

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I was made aware of this place because of the numerous IG postings about it so early on a Sunday afternoon I went with a couple of other friends to give it a try. This is not a traditional dim sum spot with the carts that go around or even a large selection of the usual items but what they do have is very good. We ordered the stirfried veggie noodles, soy garlic wings, pan fried buns, pork and cucumber soup dumplings, pork and truffle soup dumplings. All of these items were really good and it was a perfect lunch for three people. I also brought home an order of spicy sesame noodles and spicy chicken wontons which were very good. The place is large and and decorated in a modern Asian theme, it is also spotlessly clean. Service was attentive and pleasant. Great place to try a different type of dim sum. read more

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My parents and I enjoyed Ugly Dumpling. We ordered vegan dumplings, vegan wonton soup, and green tea noodles with sesame sauce. I would actually rate this a 3.5 stars. We love the vegan options as most restaurants do not accommodate us well, and the dishes were relatively unique. Pleasantly surprised, we didn't spend too long at this restaurant because the food came out quickly and because the restaurant plays jumpy, loud music, we, in turn, also ate quickly. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday afternoon. All of the dishes pleased and satisfied us. However, I wouldn't particularly recommend this restaurant or go out of my way to eat here. read more

Ugly Dumpling - Edison, NJ - Chinese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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I am rounding up my stars, because it is really more like 3.5. The reason why I say this is because the star of the show should be the dumplings, but they fall short. I've had better soup dumplings from the frozen section of Trader Joes.... don't get me wrong, they were tasty, but the variety that we received all tasted the same... except the shrimp ones, I was able to identify the shrimp. I just needed to be wowed by them and I wasn't. and really not enough "soup" at all. Also, a bit on the small side. The pros was the location, conveniently located on Rt. 1 South.. decor is really nice and creative. Service was quick and very pleasant. And overall, the prices weren't terrible.--I'm always okay with having no liquor on the menu, because I will order a cocktail when I'm out and that always drives the price up ridiculously. We also ordered some noodle dish that was underwhelming.. the chicken fried rice was delicious but almost every piece of the chicken seemed like it had connective tissue and I was spitting out during bites (sorry, TMI).. my honey lemonade was way too sweet, but my daughter obsessed over her boba milk tea.. said it was the best that she'd ever had. I also really liked the spring rolls. Would I come back? I'm not sure... being in Edison, there are a number of places where you can get dumplings. read more

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Crossed another food spot off my list today. So happy. My sibling and I met up for a dinner date at UD. I walked in and got seated right away. The decor is light and modern. The staff is also really nice and helpful We ordered a bunch of food ( pork fried bao, dumpling sampler, another round of crab dumplings, noodles ) & the lychee & passion fruit green tea w/ boba. All in all would visit here again to try other stuff from the menu. read more

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The place is clean, ambiance is trendy, and service is excellent. Unfortunately the food is a little lackluster for me. Presentation and looks wise it's excellent but taste is just good / average. It's fresh but unfortunately not memorable. read more

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Ugly dumpling has some great soup dumplings! Love that they have a sample option because that way you can get to taste multiple flavors before making up your mind. The fried pork buns were also a hit. We also ordered the BBQ ribs which were full of flavor and mushroom fried rice and sesame noodles. Both were bland but you can alter them with sauce and hot chili sauce. Also watching the chef make the dumpling was a unique experience. read more

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The variety of food offered here is great but the prices are on the higher side. The portions are pretty good though. Got the scallion pancakes which were very greasy but good, the pork fried rice which was delicious. It was lacking a little bit of flavor though. I wish they had more options for dessert maybe like chocolate dumplings which a lot of other dumpling restaurants have. The wonton soup was very good. The service was also good. I would go here again. read more

We tried ugly dumpling today- some hits and misses. Very clean and big restaurant in former Quaker steak and lube location. We ordered a smattering of items to try as much as we could! Here is what we would order again: Pork & sticky rice shumai was good- interesting flavor and well made Scallion pancakes had a great flavor and spicy dipping sauce Salt & pepper chicken had an interesting mint and curry flavor Here are other dishes that don't quite hit the mark Cucumber salad - wasn't super flavorful other than sesame oil and was not spicy Steamed pork bun- bun was great texture, inside was okay Steamed mushroom and chicken buns- bun was good, inside was okay Red bean paste piglets- cute but should maybe be on dessert menu- sweet, cute but not as delicious as they look Pork & truffle xlb- smaller than I anticipated in general, I've had soup dumplings before and these barely had any soup in them. Flavor was interesting Chicken xlb- not much flavor I will say the presentation was very nice of items and would go back to try other things but wouldn't recommend this as an XLB experience compared to other places in Edison. I also which the wait staff was more attentive - we had to beg for refills- kitchen staff was on point though - food was quick ! read more

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I was really excited to try this place after finding it online. We went straight there after we landed. It's in a shopping center with plenty of parking and was easy to find. The place is nicely laid out & has a nice vibe. There's plenty of room & the tables are not right on top of each other. The staff was also friendly & helpful. Their menu features the soup dumplings but they also have lots of other items - both traditional & unique. We really enjoyed everything & hope they expand down south soon. There was nothing ugly about our experience. If I lived nearby, I would be a regular for sure. If you enjoy dumplings and more, give them a try!!! read more

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Ordered: 1. Crispy wings-wooow! I don't think I've ever eaten more crispier wings! Sooo good 2. Pork Truffle black soup wontons-delish! 3. Passion fruit ice tea-very good and not too sweet. read more

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Good and fast, and inexpensive. Nice staff, clean and open environment. Greasy scallion pancake, but all else was pretty good.

Ordered through grubhub, delivery was quick. Food was good. Would have been 5 stars but they didn't include chili oil or sauce for the pork and shrimp dumplings. Spicy chicken wontons not spicy enough and a bit greasy rate a 8/10. The XLB broth is good with an ok amount of pork filling & nice soft thin shell rates 8/10 . The pork chop is good just would have preferred less scallion (loaded) in the bland fried rice, some soy sauce perhaps rates 7/10? Hot n sour soup is delicious and a huge portion, definitely good for 2 ppl, loaded with all the classic ingredients - but neither hot nor sour, rates 9/10. Probably better to dine in than order take out, then you won't worry about missing condiments. Overall decent spot. read more

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Def one of my favorite places in the area. Food-I really liked the soup dumplings here. Delicious and really affordable. The real surprising part for me were how good the shumai and noodle soup were. They were both spectacular as well. Would go here for those alone. The service is quick and friendly. It's also really cool to go to as you can see them make the dumplings by hand. Also lots of space and very clean. It's in a very good area/ right across 99 ranch so perfect for a bite to eat before or after shopping! I will 100% be coming back and would recommend this place to others! read more

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First time here. No online reservation system, we waited about 20-30 mins for our table. Friendly service. The restaurant is huge, lot of seating, nice ambiance. I was very excited looking at the menu, good amount of veggie options too. The food was served very promptly. The flavors I'd say were just about alright, perhaps we had higher expectations. I ordered the spicy wontons and sesame spicy vegan noodles, both did not have a hint of spice. The chicken soup dumplings were not soupy enough. The pork chop was fine. The flavors are more on the milder side. Overall an ok experience, came in expecting more. read more

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I recently had lunch here with my mom on a weekday afternoon. We had the pork and crab soup dumplings, braised beef soup, the shrimp fried rice, and the chicken karage. I thought the soup dumplings were just okay. They had decent flavor but felt that the top part was a bit too thick and it seemed to have dried very quickly compared to other soup dumplings I've had in the past. The braised beef soup was actually my favorite as the beef was quite tender and the broth was quite tasty. The other two dishes were ok, nothing spectacular. The prices were all quite reasonable. The staff seemed nice and responsive. And the place was nice and spacious. You could also see them prepare the soup dumplings live through the kitchen window which was kind of cool. read more

I love dumplings and the food here hits the spot. My son recommended this place. He loves Asian food

We enjoyed our food. I think our server was Christopher, based on our receipt. He was so nice and attentive. We'll definitely be back here! read more

Ugly Dumpling - Edison, NJ - Chinese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

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I saw this place was really hyped on TikTok. It was known as the "Din Tai Fung dupe." While I see the similarities, I don't think it was a dupe. I was a bit disappointed with the food as a lot of it lacked spice or flavor. My friend and I got the cucumber salad, string beans with garlic, spicy wontons, and sesame noodles. The cucumber salad was an 8/10, really refreshing and great appetizer. The string beans were my favorite at 10/10. Very garlicky! The entrees weren't as good however. The spicy wontons lacked spice. They were in chili oil but it had no spice. We added the chili oil crisp that was at the table and it helped it a little, but not enough for me to recommend this dish. I'd give it a 5/10. Lastly the sesame noodles were good but not great. It's advertised as spicy on the menu but I have to disagree with that. It was nutty and the sesame taste was great, but again it didn't taste like much unless you put the chili oil that was at the table. Service was really fast and food came out really quickly which was appreciated. Food comes out as it's ready, so entrees might come out before the appetizers. The inside of the restaurant was nice and looked new. Since I'm vegetarian, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant, however if you're non vegetarian you might have a different experience than me. read more

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$6.50 for an iced tea? ....And NO REFILLS ! Either the price was not posted or we didn't notice. Either way OUTRAGEOUS. Waitress never told us no free refills so i paid $ 26 for four iced teas . Food was ok but nothing i would run back for . read more

Ugly Dumpling - Edison, NJ - $6.50 for an iced tea ? And NO REFILLS ! - Chinese Near Me - Edison, New Jersey