CHILI in New York
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New York, New York County, New York, US
Site: https://www.chilinyc.com/
- Monday:11AM–9:45PM
- Tuesday:11AM–9:45PM
- Wednesday:11AM–9:45PM
- Thursday:11AM–10:15PM
- Friday:11AM–10:15PM
- Saturday:11AM–10:15PM
- Sunday:11AM–9:45PM
CHILI in other cities:
Dinner at Chili was one of the highlights of our NYC trip. Casual, warm ambience. Friendly and amazingly attentive service. The food, the food was just awesome. The menu is collection of typical and unique schiuan dishes. We had pickled vegetables from cold appetizers which was ofcourse great. Ordered pork dumplings and scallion pancakes. Personally I likes the pork dumplings the best among appetizers. The sauce it came with was just great. Our kids loved scallion pancakes. For main course we ordered spicy soft shell crab and fried rice with picked vegetables. Soft shell crab was great. Fried rice was descent. If you are in this area, Chili is a must try place.
Wow! What a great place! Stopped there with some colleagues after work and had a great time! We sat outside in their super cool street shed, and had AMAZING drinks (I highly recommend Purple Rain) Then we shared some tea soaked fried rice (delicious) and this incredible scallion wrapped beef appetizer - Unbelievable flavor!. We got other great things to share as well, but these two items really stood out. The best thing though, was our server, great guy, great personality and just a fun person! Fabulous way to end the work day!! Also, its just a half block from the Morgan Library, if youre visiting...
Lovely Sichuan restaurant in midtown.They have great cocktail.All the dish was delicious.We love Braised Tofu with Crab Meat，Truffle Beef Tenderloin，Dry-pot Cabbage，Rice Wine Soup.Great spot for dinner gathering.
Tried the lamb, crab, and tiger shrimp. Everything was excellent. The dessert was also good and a new experience.The staff were very friendly and hyper attentive throughout. I would not hesitate to visit again.
Amazing place!! Delicious, authentic food and creative presentation!! Unique atmosphere, charm of old time Shanghai. Excellent and fast service. Make reservations ahead unless you dont mind waiting 1-2 hrs for table. Highly recommend and well be back every time when we visit NYC.7/9/22Just visited again, we ordered sweet sour ribs, twice cooked pork (pork belly), dry pot style cabbage, soup dumplings, crystal shrimp dumplings, Dandan noodle, and rice wine soup for dessert. The food came so fast, all so good and we really enjoyed them. The service is excellent, friendly, professional and attentive.
We waited for about 35 minutes (they told us 15) on a Sunday night but it was totally worth it. The real stars are the appetizers — the scallion pancakes were crispy and delicious, the spicy wantons were amazing, and the dumplings in chili oil were also great. The dan dan noodles were great for soaking up the other sauces. The pork in garlic oil was OK but nothing was bad. Our water glasses were constantly being refilled and our food came out quickly. We will totally be back — next time we’ll also load up on appetizers, too! The place was packed and everyone was tightly seated together, but I didn’t mind!
This place is so friendly and lovely. The first fancy smoky dessert is only $6. The truffled beef was tender and very yummy.I moved to NYC yesterday. Had my worst day of the year and couldn’t help with crying at the bar… got the lychee fruit which was my favorite snack at childhood time. Thanks for making my day better. Will definitely visit back. Appreciate.
Tremendous… best Chinese restaurant ever! The fish is super smooth and melts in my mouth. Everything is delicate and well seasoned!! Would like to visit again in the future
This place is brand new. Their chef is one Michelin star and their staff is professional, kind, and responsive. We got the tiger salad (not pictured), cumin lamb, the white fish stew, and the Chinese broccoli. Everything came out hot and incredible. And they gave us complimentary home-made prune juice. Highly recommend coming!!!
I like it! Not the most authentic flavors of Szechuan dishes (and none of the decorations), but they made it really savory and you just cannot stop eating! Every dish is pretty small amount so you can try many different dishes at once. Love it!
Was wonderfully surprised. After going to a super expensive and unworthy Sichuan restaurant a couple months back, CHILI was amazing. The soft shell crab and Mr. And Mrs. Smith was delcious. I woudnt recommend the pork soup dumpling (not enough soup inside, dry). The price is fair, the staff is super considerate, the interior is lovely, and most importantly the food was wonderful and a good numbing spice level.
Great service, average price for the area, portion sizes varied, average taste.Tried the mouth watering chicken appetiser and the wonton soup. The chicken had good taste, huge portion size, though texture could be more tender.Wonton soup was ok, the soup and the wontons could have stronger flavours or seasoning.They were intentional about decor and staff uniforms.
Great food with good range of vegetarian options. Loved their ma Po tofu,slightly spicy but asking taste. Very attentive and prompt service
Perfect 5!!! Best service I’ve ever gotten ! Was a little place but once you walk through the door everyone greets you like family. The bar tenders were jamming on the drinks and everyone is moving around customers. I don’t like onions so I was shy to ask what had onions and what didn’t , Johnny came to my rescue and recommended the cucumber and garlic salad!!! One word AMAZING!! Odd how something so basic can taste so amazing !!! !!! I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken which was highly recommended! Again mind blowing !! Finished off with a bubble Dream and Lemon Flute (again recommended by Johnny)! Would recommend to anyone with a pallet for flavor and spice!! Ask for Johnny and his recommendations!!!
I stumbled upon this place on google maps nearby, and turns out to be the best restaurant on my trip to nyc.I had this for lunch two days in a row… THAT GOOD!Best dish is twice cooked pork. The chunking chicken was also very good
A friend told me hed tried the chongching chicken (aka laziji, aka chungking chicken?) at ~5 places before he found one he loved - - here. So my girlfriend and I got it takeout, and we agreed it was amazing. So flavorful and spicy. Also had their scallion pancake which was above average.The host initially told us itd take 10 minutes, she was apologetic and followed up several times (without us asking) when it took closer to 20 min. The place was packed so we thought the wait was reasonable.
Steamed eggplant with chili, braised tofu with crab meat, Kung bao chicken are all very good! Scallion pancake and beef pancake wrap are crispy and delicious, but it can be slightly oily, so dipping it in the sauce can help improve the flavors. Pork soup dumplings are delicious, but I wish we had larger spoons to make it easier to eat. Fried rice with shredded duck and braised fish stew are both good but less memorable compared to other outstanding dishes. The only complaint I have is the music - it doesn’t fit the theme at all. The store should have had a better selection of playlists to bring customers back to the old time.
Ate here with a vegetarian friend and we were so happy with all our food. Got thr cold noodles, triple delight and mapo tofu. So delicious and didnt feel rushed to eat quickly despite a wait.
Had a great impromptu date night here recently. I love Szechuan food, but am always a little nervous about finding truly vegetarian options (without fish sauce, meat broth, etc), but Chili has clear labeling and plenty of options.Ma Po Tofu - Amazing!! Even my meat lover husband said it was the best dish of the night. We ordered it with the purple rice and loved the flavor combo.Scallion Pancakes - Decent, but a little too oily.Szechuan Cold Noodles - These were a little too sweet and not as spicy as I hoped/expected.Spring Fever cocktail - refreshing cocktail with egg whites (my favorite kind!).One of the owners, Miki, came around offering shots of Baiju, and we talked to her about the restaurant and and our travels in China for a while. They were really busy on a Friday night, but I appreciated that she came around and made an effort to talk to each table.Overall, I loved the relaxed but lively atmosphere and would definitely come back.Follow me on Instagram for more reviews on vegetarian dishes - @this_vegetarian_life.
This new restaurant is in place of the famous Cafe China but the same chef when the chef had a disagreement with the owners and split. Cafe China was previously Michelin rated and Highly recommend going here now before the place gets a star and is hard to get in!I have to start by saying this was the best sichuan food I’ve ever eaten. Hands down! I don’t think you’ll go wrong with what you order.Drinks:5/5 lychee martini - loved that they used fresh lychee and not flavors or juices.Food:5/5 Veg potstickers - interesting stuffing which was perfectly seasoned10/5 cold sichuan noodles - best cold noodles ever topped with sesame! Definitely eat it!!5/5 Cucumber - fresh cut cucumbers and lots and lots of garlic3/5 Mung jelly - the sauce is amazing but the jelly was a bit of an acquired taste for me.5/5 green beans10/5 ma po tofu - don’t leave this restaurant without this dish!!
This is one of the best Si Chuan restaurants I have ever been to. The kung bao chicken was delicious! I haven’t had such a well made one since a long time.The waiters are super friendly and helpful. The ambience was great too, it has nice music and wall decor.If I live in NYC I would definitely frequent this place.
I came here with a group of 9 and we ALL love the food here! At first, we thought we ordered way too much for 9 people but we ended up finished everything because the food was so tasty! Every single dish was good and the free plum drink they serve was very refreshing, it was a nice touch.Ambience is cool and stylish, kind of like old Shanghai kind of vibe. The service was on point, the waiters are all very nice!I will come again for sure. One of the best chinese restaurants in NYC. Highly recommended.
Hot as it looks. More importantly all the dishes had a depth of flavor and were perfectly prepared. The restaurant gets very busy and crowded. Skip the desserts. They were fine, but thats not what youre here for.
There were some online google reservation system mistake it took sometimes to figure out the next step but we got a table at the end and that’s all we want, is to sit down and enjoy their food and the place. Not disappointed, 5 stars services, communication, food and environmentP.S: have to mention this, their bathroom is spacious and well decorated
Great food, friendly service, comfortable seating, beautiful interior design. Duck fried rice and twice cooked pork were the most delicious.
Tastes exactly like it’s predecessor (cafe China). Does the trick— quality affordable Chinese in midtown. Good relaxed vibe, good and fast service. Intimate space
I stopped here for a quick lunch and found they had a variety of dishes available as lunch specials. For $12 I got a bowl of Egg Drop Soup and a fairly large portion of their Fried Rice w/ Tea Smoked Duck
Wonderful experience！The Braised Tofu with CrabMeat is the best! You can taste the strong crabmeat flavor and actually have real crab meat inside( not the imitated ones). The smoke makes it interesting to watch on and great for picture and video taking. Both entertaining and tasty! Service is great as well! 👍
Really cute Szechuan restaurant. The atmosphere is really nice and mimics 1920s China’s vibe. They have some good authentic Szechuan dishes. We ordered cumin lamb and duck stir fried rice. The flavors were good but a slight salty to my liking.
I went here last night for the first time for Lunar New Year and had an incredible evening. Absolutely phenomenal food, service, environment, everything. I highly, highly recommend this restaurant. The food is absolutely amazing. The flavors, texture, they just got it perfect. The staff there make you feel like youre at home - so incredibly sweet, generous, kind, they really just took care of us so well, it was a lovely evening. Thank you, thank you for making my first Lunar Year Celebration so special, Chili!!
Def make reservations as it was very busy for a Monday evening. Staff was very friendly and the food came out very quickly. We started off with crystal shrimp dumplings. They were fantastic!! Then we ordered the shredded pork in garlic sauce, sautéed Chinese broccoli and fried rice with tea smoked duck. Omg it was AMAZING!!! Everything had such great flavor and was so fresh!!!! 10/10 highly recommend!
Great service! My water was never empty. Very authentic food, lots of options! Try the lychee martini! Garlic pork was great for someone that is not great with spice like me. Lots of spicy options for those who like them! Justin was great ask for him!
Had a special occasion dinner at Chili and it was one of the best dining experiences Ive ever had. The service was impeccable, and the entire staff took great care of us and they made sure we were seated outside as we had requested. Everyone from the host, to our server, to the person running and bussing - they were all wonderful, and so kind and helpful. And of course the food was DELICIOUS. The vegetable pot stickers and mouth watering chicken were incredible, and our entrees - the tofu with crab and beef with green chili - were fantastic. I strongly recommend going here!! Thank you to the Chili crew for making our occasion extra special
The food is delicious and the waiters are super attentive and so sweet. Took myself to lunch and enjoyed a delicious lychee martini and edamame and fish cuisine (cant remember the name). I definitely ordered chicken but the fish was still delicious and spicy enough to my liking. Would definitely recommend if you want to take yourself out or on lunch/date.
My husband and I are big Sichuan food fans, and this place gets our approval!! Loved the Chungking chicken and Ma Po tofu. Also, we got Xiaolongbao for apps and it was excellent!
Amazing place. Young staff who were incredibly attentive and helpful. Excellent service. The food was exceptional. They specialize in spicy and can advise on what dishes match your tolerance level. The vegetables were incredibly fresh and high quality. The jasmine tea in tiny pots was delicious and adorable. Great value for truly high quality cuisine.
The first time I was ever a patron at CHILI was for takeout. Now that I have eaten in as well, I can confidently say that it is a much better experience to dine in, which is probably why the place is so often packed for lunch. It is a well-deserved reputation for good food and company.First off, the staff are very accommodating and, might I add, very well dressed. They are friendly, speak both Mandarin and English, and are very courteous to patrons. Tableside preparations are done without too much obstruction or frivolity so you can enjoy your meal, and there is a sufficient number of waiters that you dont feel neglected or unseen, though you might feel so during later, more crowded hours when the outdoor dining is also open.Decor is vintage style, with a mix of Chinese and Western feel. There are images of women in qipao, like in old Hong Kong dramas, as well as glass lamps and a wooden aesthetic for the seats and bar.The food is great. I am not the biggest eater of szechuan cuisine, but it feels very true to the concept of mala. Even if the spice is not that heavy, it does accrue and it does numb the tongue. I highly recommend the cold noodle and sliced pork with garlic appetizers. They come rather quick and have a good portion for eating alone. Their lunch specials are also good and include a lot of food, though I feel they are a bit more predictable as dishes from a Chinese restaurant. For larger groups, they have great options for meal-sharing, as well as tables large enough to accommodate. They have a small dim sum section and entrees so you can enjoy the experience as if you were in a 酒楼.
The food here is absolutely INCREDIBLE. A little on the salty side but get a side of rice and you’ll be ok. MUST TRY is the braised tofu w/ crab meat!
Pretty good service. Nice ambiance. The food was hit or miss. I liked the fried beef wrap. The duck was juicy but over-salted. The dan dan noodle had very little pork in it.
Authentic flavors with a modern flair. Drinks were based on Asian flavors and the food reminded me of traditional homestyle cooking.
I would give it 10 stars if I could. The place is amazing, the food is delicious, the staff is nice and welcoming, and the atmosphere is authentic. My husband and I came here a few times already and we will come back for sure. Thank you!
Never has a restaurant more deserved a perfect review.The menu presented a great challenge. We wanted to order most every item on the menu. Looking around at what everyone else ordered, everything looked amazing. Finally settling on our order, we could not have been more pleased. The food was incredible.Everything about Chili is done just right.
Service is really nice! We had a birthday party there and the waiter was so nice that he literally gave our friend a surprise with the cake and a photo:)) Dishes are tasty and they served food fairly fast. The reason for the 4 stars instead of a five is that the portion of the dishes are really tiny😅 and the pickled fish fillet（酸菜鱼）is really far away from what we expected- not spicy or sour at all-maybe wrong dish? Was really blend, but still tasty as a steamed fish. Overall I think will come again for other dishes.
Service was great, all the fried foods are extremely crispy.Somewhat spicy though 🥵.
The food and service here are both high quality and amazing. Each dish was the perfect taste and portion size. The servers here are attentive as well and will make sure you have everything you need. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful as well. This is a place you would go if you want Chinese food at a fine dining restaurant.
Finally a restaurant worth going to Midtown for!Chili serves up authentic Sichuan food cooked by the chefs who received the honor of a Michelin star in the past. The price is fair and the food.. AMAZING! Im still dreaming of the braised tofu w crab meat and the truffle beef tenderloins. For apps, we got the braised beef tendon, eggplant, and kidney dish. The cocktails were unique and strong. Dont forget to order desserts. The rice balls in wine was so addicting.The server was also super friendly. I would recommend this spot if you want amazing food, drinks and service.
We had an awesome experience. We enjoyed everything there. The service was incredible and every one of the staff we spoke to was friendly and polite. We had the cucumber salad, crystal shrimp dumplings and Dan dan noodles. Great choices and were shareable in size or good enough for one person. Drinks were also great and prices were good too. Would definitely recommend!
Great Experience. Wonderful Atmosphere. Delicious Food. Absolutely Charming & Diligent Service. So glad we found it, cant wait to return.!
Im not the expert when it comes to Chinese food so I cant review whether or not they were authentic or nostalgic, but I can definitely comment on the deliciousness of it all.Not only that, but our waiting staff Tim provided us with the best service Ive experienced in any restaurant.The entire staff here shows their years of experience in the industry and it culminated in a great dining experience.This place puts my other 5 star reviews to shame :(
Delicious 🤤, highly recommend scallion pancake with beef wrap , juicy and tasty , will definitely come back for trying more new food. Their staffs are very friendly too😊
I came here with my family spontaneously since we were in the area , and it did not disappoint ! the indoor and outdoor ambience was spectacular , and the staff here were so funny and sweet , and treated us so well. the food…incredible is an understatement! we ordered the scallion pancakes: 10/10, the shrimp dumplings: 9/10, the vegetable fried rice: 9.5/10, and the steamed sea bass: 100/10 :) totally recommend it was amazing !!
Oh what awesome food. The best Sichuan food I have had in a long time and I have tried Sichuan in China, Hong Kong and Singapore
Really like this restaurant ! The food is so tasty and spicy. The design of here makes me so relax when we had dinner here . And I also heard about the Michelin head chef is with the restaurant too. The experience I have here is so much fantastic . Will definitely come back again !
Amazing story to the opening of this restaurant. The food is soooo good and a great tingle to your tongue. Full of flavor so make sure to get some dishes with different profiles. My favorite was the fried rice with smoked tea duck. Service is amazing as well. Must go!!!
A bustling restaurant with knowledgeable and attentive service staff that when coupled with their superb food - creates a dining experience that doesnt disappoint. We sampled dishes from various sections of their menu, including cold appetizers, hot appetizers, fish, beef and vegetable dishes. It was all wonderful.
Friendly, and attentive staff.Food was great, spice level is appropriate, and you can always add more spice if you wish.Pork was a bit soggy(twice cooked pork dish), expected it to be a bit more crispy. Chicken and tofu were delicious !
To say our eating experience is a disappointment is an understatement. We had a family dinner there a couple of weeks ago. Most dishes were fine except‘Steamed Bass With Pickled Chili’. The fish was not fresh at all as everyone could taste. But when we talked to a waiter, he blatantly replied that “there is no fresh fish in this country”. Maybe we were just unlucky by ordering that particular dish but we are surprised that so many people recommended this place.
Chose Chili for takeout since we were craving Sichuan food and it did not disappoint! There was a snafu with the order since they didn’t check their own website orders, but they were nice and gave us dessert as an apology. And when we ate the food an hour after it was ready (commuter life), it was still amazing! By far the best Sichuan food we’ve had in the city. Decent heat, but not so much as to overwhelm the flavors. It could go up a notch or two, but everything was really well cooked and balanced. And it looks like a cozy place to eat with a bartender who seems to know what they’re doing. Will definitely be back!
My favorite Szechuan in NYC. Flashback to Beijing in the 1940s. Stunning decor, chic waiting staff! Used to come here pre-pandemic. This place is even better than it used to be. Try the soft shell crab, cumin lamb, mouth watering pork dumplings and tiger salad!! Amazing service!!! Don’t pass the opportunity to eat here before it gets crowded❤️❤️❤️
A phenomenal service experience with delicious food. Servers are extremely attentive without being intrusive. The food flies out and is flavorful and complex, accentuating many beautiful culinary styles of Chinese cuisine. Enjoy a piece of mint gum with your check.🤩
AVOID AT ALL COSTS! even the service was bad; my wifes dish was given to a different table and then brought to her after a long delay. EVERY main dish was SWIMMING in a large lake of oil that had a nasty taste of burning Lego bricks (if you can imagine the nasty smell of Lego brick or other plastic translated into a taste). NOT just some oil on top of some savory sauce - a legit LAKE of oil. as an example their Ma Po tofu dish (i ordered it), it must have had at least 5 cups of oil and NO sauce. i used a napkin to verify it. we had a large party of 2 families (10+ people ages 7+ to 50+) and had a HUGE variety of food. ALL of us left the restaurant hungry and angry; no-one could finish their meal due the utter nastiness of the food. the restaurant asked multiple times if we wanted the food packed up - EVERYONE said no. there is only one exception: the soup dumplings. my youngest son said the soup dumplings were ok. however, even the soup dumplings werent any better than frozen ones in the supermarket. also, this restaurant is over-priced. AVOID!!!
Will definitely go again! I love Sichuan food. The service was great and staff was friendly and helpful with recommendations. We tried about 7 dishes and enjoyed all. Food tasted even better the next day as takeout haha. They even took our coats and stored them until we finished the meal.
Great place! I love the traditional Chinese style decorations, and the food is really authentic. Staffs are nice !
My first visit to this restaurant. I loved the vintage vibe of the restaurant. Its very unassuming on the outside, but great atmosphere, service, drinks, and food inside. There were some big tables there. It looked like a good spot for a small gathering of people. There were tables of 6, 8 and 12. Ill definitely go back. My friends and I lovedit
I usually only put in reviews if an establishment is either really great or really bad. This place is the former. Yummy food and perfect service + the food was spicy which is great for chili lovers like me! Will definitely go back. Which says something as I have really high standards for both food and service.
Overall disappointing, especially after hearing so many rave reviews on Tik Tok. The decor was interesting, the ambiance is just fine, but the food was subpar. We ordered the following:1) Mr. and Mrs. Smith - 6/10 … a bit too salty, not well-balanced in terms of shank to tripe ratio2) Steamed Bass w/ Pickled Chili - 3/10 … we could easily tell that the fish was not fresh / previous frozen by taste (the flesh wasn’t sweet); the pickled chili masked this flavor a bit, but obviously a sign of cutting corners on sourcing quality ingredients3) Dry-pot Cabbage - 7/10 … not bad, out of everything we ordered, I’d say this was the best; however, this can’t really be a standalone showcase of skill4) Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce - 3/10 … very sad about this one as it’s one of my favorite dishes. Chili’s rendition was cloyingly sweet, which overpowered the rest of the flavors in the dish.If you’re looking for good Sichuan fare, I would highly recommend looking elsewhere. (And for reference, I’m from Sichuan and have had these dishes on countless occasions)
The food here was some of the best Chinese food I have ever had. The service is fast but not rushed. The staff are also friendly and inviting. The price is very reasonable for the quality of food.
The food is very authentic and had a nice presentation. All the staff are extremely friendly and we only had to wait for about 5 minutes for our food. They also have great cocktail and tea options.
We visited Chilis on Fathers day and was a real treat, authentic experience, amazing food and great ambience. It seems to take a leaf off Café China, but comes through as great value, we enjoyed our time and look forward to our next visit!
Amazing service, friendly people. The waiter was so kind and polite. The hostess was very considerate and made everything possible to make sure we had a great table. The best culinary experience I had in NCY.
Finally leaving a review after my 1000th time here. I absolutely LOVE ADORE CHERISH this place. Stumbled upon it last year via a tik tok and never looked back since. The food has been great every single visit. The service is immaculate. Everyone is warm and welcoming, makes you feel like family. The drinks are strong yet delicious. The food? Oh my god the food is unbelievable. From the apps to the main dishes, just immaculate. My boyfriend and I ALWAYS get the szechuan cold noodle, Dan Dan noodle, shrimp dumpling, spicy chicken/three pepper chicken, and this blossom fried fish in a tangy sweet n sour sauce. Mouthwatering. This is really our go to spot, as we try to go once a month lol! Definitely in the top 5 restaurants I’ve had my 26 years of living.
Sichuan food is my absolute favorite kind of food. It embodies savory, sweet, spicy and the numbing spice usually in such a harmonious fashion.First we will start with the image of the spicy wontons.That shouldnt be a soup by the way. It is drowning in spicy oil and sauce and was quite frankly inedible.We ordered the spicy dumplings, spicy wontons, twice cooked pork, scallion pancake and the duck fried rice.So the only dish that saved our experience was the duck fried rice, which was absolutely delicious and as a singular dish, deserves a 5/5The twice cooked pork was tough and simply heavily salted and coated in a sweet sauce. The vegetables in it were over cooked and soft while the pork belly itself wasnt tender as it usually is in this dish, instead parts were tough and clearly overcooked.It should be a mouthful experience in both texture and flavor and quite frankly both were messed up.Also the tea, as a Chinese/Taiwanese American, paying 4 dollars for a single cup of tea is outrageous, part of the experience should be sharing and pouring a pot of tea.This place is all in all a tourist trap with beautiful decor.
The food is very tasty & delicious! Very profesionnal & kind staff who pays attention to details. Authentic atmosphere for a restaurant I highly recommend. Will definitely be back! :) Dont change anything!
Chili is a solid place to eat around considering the price, food, and service. I devoured purple rice; it has the same great nutty taste as brown rice but prettier. The Chinese white liquor (baijiu) tasted like candy.
They have the best Sichuan food in the city, and I have been to a LOT of Sichuan places. Not only is the food amazing but the service is unbelievable. We went for my cousin’s NYU graduation lunch and Tim who was taking our order was the extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He treated us like friends which isn’t something you see ay most restaurants especially in the city. He made the celebration that much more special and really took the extra effort to make sure everyone had a great time. I would recommend Chili Meili to anybody looking for some of the best food in the city.
Ordered double cooked pork belly (回锅肉). Not authentic at all as they dont put the Szechuan black bean in it (郫县豆豉) which is the soul of this dish. Its also very underseasoned while overpriced. I dont understand whats all the good reviews are about but Ill probably not order from them again
Serious amount of heat, which is what you would expect from a restaurant called “chili” 🤣. However with the heat is an enormous flavor profile that makes your mouth water for more (even without the chili’s!).Exceptional food and service. Top notch!
Absolutely amazing! The food was exceptional and service fantastic. I’d highly recommend, especially if you’re a fan of spicy food- they also have other options if not! Must try.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. Forget everything you imagine about a Chinese restaurant, this place has excellent service, excellent cocktails, and great food. This place is a destination worth trying.
Delicious, numbing food! Great service and a cool vibe! We loved the space, specials and the service. Great place for theatrical cocktails.
Had dinner here tonight. Had to wait over 1 1/2 hours for a table, but food was well worth it. You must try the prawn with chilli dish !
Great food and drinks. Everything was well-balanced and flavorful. Loved our server as well.
Formerly known as Cafe China. The food was always outstanding, still is. But the now the decor looks just as good. The place has been completely redone, and looks very modern. The service was excellent as well. The staff was so friendly and courteous, we were given a complimentary dessert, which was very tasty. Look forward to going there again in the future. Want to try the whole menu.
Not surprised that the chef is a Michelin chef, the food is delicious and service is great. I love the spicy dumplings, chili chicken and the dried fried cabbage. One of the most genuine Chinese restaurant I ever been to. Worth every penny, the price is great consider they are in Manhattan. Great for any occasions.
We dined at Chili Meili on Dec 15 2021. I insisted on the round marble table next to the bar, because it reminded me of the dining experiences in China. I emailed ahead to confirm that my friends and I would have that table.I arrived early to find it was taken, and no record of the note I had emailed. I wasnt happy about it. By the time my friends arrived, the guests at that table paid and left, so I got what I requested anyway.After that, our night went exceptionally well. Food was great as usual (I have dined here before, loved it and returned). The staff were great, and one of the staff took a polaroid of our night that really made the night memorable. The host offered some dessert on the house.If you want that marble table, be sure to call in.
Reply to reply by CHILI (aka the restaurant who stole the essence of CAFE CHINA): While I am sympathetic to the plight of ALL people working in the hospitality business during the pandemic, nothing gives you the right to wholesale copy the original theme, aesthetic, and identity of Cafe China!You make the claim of being the heart and soul of the original restaurant. Really, who are you exactly? Because I have been going to Cafe China since its opening, before the first well-deserved rave review in the NYTimes appeared and the subsequent Michelin star. Were you there to take the original financial risk of opening the restaurant and do the extremely rigorous work of developing Cafe China as both an original concept and execution? I am not sure about Peter He. But I am absolutely sure the owners were wholly invested in this early stage. I know because I talked to them about their vision and efforts while visiting the restaurant as an early patron.Working at a company, no matter how diligently, doesnt entitle you to its concept and identity! Times have been extremely difficult in the restaurant industry and I am sure it was a difficult decision by management to close or let staff go. But none of that excuses your patently unethical behavior. Nobody was stopping Peter He or other staff from banding together and starting a new restaurant. But thats not what happened, was it? Instead, the decision was taken to just steal the likeness and reputation of the previous restaurant because, hey, wouldnt that just be much easier!Your excuses only reveal a misplaced sense of entitlement, an attitude that goes against the very spirit of American entrepreneurship. Frankly, you sound pathetic to anybody who has ever gone through the huge difficulty of starting an original and innovative business from scratch. You can claim that theres nothing new about Sichuan cuisine all you want, but its obvious to anybody with a brain and sense of fairness that the evocation and presentation of Sichuan cuisines made by Cafe China was very original, especially for New York.
Amazing Szechuan food with Vegetarian/Vegan options. The service is also really great. I dropped my mask on the floor and our waiter came up to ask me if i wanted a new one! With food and service like that well definitely come back. The chili margarita was a bit too spicy i had to wipe up away the rim to enjoy my drink but it was great nonetheless.
Absolutely delicious! Went here for lunch, the atmosphere was great. Staff were friendly and helpful. The food was top notch, we got the cucumber salad which was soo good, the scallion pancakes and Dan Dan noodles. They were accomodating in making the dandan noodles vegetarian and had a lot of vegetarian options.
I believe this place used to be China Cafe. The menu and decor are very similar, which leads me to believe its the same owner.My family is from Sichuan, and I can attest that the food is authentically Sichuanese (they also have a dim sum menu, which Ive yet to try). Ive only been once, and it was the week of Lunar New Year, so we were presented with both the regular menu and the Chinese New Year menu. Alas, Im an old soul when it comes to Sichuan food and will favor tradition over fusion.What we ate:-- Red style Chungking braised fish stew - It goes by many names, I know it as 水煮鱼 (water-cooked fish?). It looks massive and scary, at first, with all those peppercorns and chilis floating in a blood bath of oil, but trust me on this. If youre new to Sichuan cuisine and try one thing, let it be this. The fish is so tender, and the broth, if done right, is very fragrant. Chilis version comes with strands of noodles, which is a nice touch.-- Mapo tofu - A classic. And I love that Chilis version is vegetarian. The portion is relatively small, so you can easily finish it with two people.-- Twice cooked pork - Another Sichuan classic. I would say this was probably the least impressive. It was tasty and will satisfy a craving, but not masterful. Love that it came with some pieces of smoked tofu.-- Sauteed string beans - Because we needed some fiber.Also thank you for the option of purple rice.When our bill came, they gave us red envelopes (as is traditional for Chinese New Year), and I was skeptical we were getting money, but when I opened the envelope, it contained a dollar, which I will take any day over a fortune cookie.
Amazing and Incredible Chinese Food, the Environment in this Restaurant is Super Great and Customer Service here is on Point. The Food here is One of the Best Chinese food of New York, because is Super Tasty and Delicious. Come and Enjoy!!!!!
Authentic atmosphere and legit food. I came here with my friends on a whim for Friday night dinner, and immediately we were transported back to Old Shanghai. The waitstaff were super welcoming, attentive, and even brought us a chocolate mousse at the end because they overheard us talk about it. The food was amazing, we were all blown away (2 of us are Chinese / Singaporean), and left with stuffed bellies and happy hearts. We will definitely be coming back!
Went for a quick lunch today and it was so good that I may return for dinner! Had 3 dim sum and all were excellent. The stand out of course was the beef wrapped in scallion pancake. It was a little greasy but quite awesome nonetheless.I need to try some of the other dishes.Great service and atmosphere.
We had beef pancake wrap, five spice beef, dry-pot cabbage, ma po tofu and fish blossom. They were all very tasty. I gave them 5 stars because i dont wanna be unfair to their food but unfortunately the service was very disappointing. They were very unorganized and made us feel like we were bring rushed. The waiter put the bill on the table while he was taking the last plate even without asking if we want anything else and we were there for less than an hour. The last thing is that i cant understand how some people think that this place would get Michelin star soon. I would be very surprised if they did, at least for the moment
One of NYCs best Chinese restaurants. Period. In my opinion, the new Chili is significantly better than the old restaurant that used to be here. The food is amazing. The atmosphere is perfect. The staff is first class. The existence (and startup) of this new restaurant has become a NYC legend worthy of a book or movie.Ill be back often.
Smallish place, and we were lucky to grab a table during lunch. The atmosphere is relaxed, decor and interior a bit quirky but not distracting. Very attentive staff. The food was very good, the cold sesame noodles a particular favourite!
Where do I begin? Well, from the restaurants vibe, to the amazing food quality and the A+ services- this place has it all. We’ve been to many places in NYC weekly and usually don’t have time to leave reviews but just can’t resist recommending this awesome place. The staffs are all down to earth and they’ll accommodate to all your needs. They really treat you with utmost care and attentiveness. The food are enticing. We’ve been here a couple of times now and it looks like the dishes are forever evolving and improving. Should try it out if you like traditional Szechuan cuisines. Must try MaPo tofu and Beef Truffle.
*DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THIS KNOCKOFF of nearby CAFE CHINA or its FAKE PROFILE REVIEWS! These are extremely unethical people who wholesale copied many elements of one of NYCs most beloved Sichuan restaurants CAFE CHINA, from the menu down to the interior decor! They even rented the same storefront just as the real restaurant was transitioning to a new location! As if they could think of nothing original themselves; as if they could not be bothered to stake out your own reputations and do their own marketing! It does not matter if some of the staff worked at the former restaurant. This is pure and simple thievery!
Love what they did with this place! They served fun complimentary plum mock-tails that were cute and tasted good too. Even gave us a beautifully presented traditional Chinese soup dessert at the end of our dinner too. One of my favorite spots for Szechuan in the city!
Absolutely despicable! The former staff of Cafe China stole their menu and know-how, which involved the taking of trade secrets and completely just replicated the menu. I will never eat here again and do not respect people who can’t honor the trade, do not innovate, and take others’ hard work as their own. I hope they understand this is a small community and soon everyone will know what a terrible act they have committed. Shame on the owners of this establishment!
Amazing Szechuan food, we’ve had plenty in our time and this definitely ranks among the best. Great, attentive service as well - we’ll definitely be coming back and bringing others.For those unaware, my understanding is that this restaurant was started by the former employees of Cafe China who were fired during the COVID pandemic and not rehired. The food, decor, and service is easily up to the prior standard. Knowing the history means I’m much more likely to frequent this restaurant, run by the same people who made Cafe China successful, rather than the other restaurant that shares the same name but lacks the same heart.
Nice presentation. Eggplant and fried rice with tea smoked duck are delicious. Best wine rice ball I ever have. Service is quick and friendly.
Great Chinese place. Quick and tasty. Stopped there for lunch. Scallion pancakes, boy choy in garlic sauce, fried rice and beer
Literally the best Asian Restaurant in NYC, the food was beyond amazing, full of flavours and fresh. The customer servers was #1, they were extremely polite, generous and experienced. They kept giving us free samples and refill. I will definitely come back here several times and recommend to all my friends
Amazing customer service. The servers are charismatic and passionate, and the busboys were super polite and speedy. Loved the atmosphere.
We ordered more food for more than $100 and they gave us no rice. Had to go to another restaurant to get rice… simply ridiculous.
Went in for lunch. Food was extremely good, and the service was top notch. Cant wait to come back for another lunch.
Nice atmosphere, but when they don’t change overly salted dishes coz they have already been served & claim it’s how the dish is supposed to be - i was annoyed enough to write this.
Delicious food. Courteous service. Loads of options.
Amazing food. We got some Dim Sum, a wonton soup, kung pao chicken and fried rice with duck. Everything was delicious and the staff was very friendly and attentive.
Its the best chinese restaurant in the area. extremely great service and tasty food. highly recommended will return for sure.
The best Sichuan cuisine in NYC in my opinion!!
Best food Ive had in a long time. Get the tenderloin beef dish #yum!
Id venture to say that this was the best Chinese food I have ever had. No joke. The spicy-ness and the taste and texture was just perfect. No complaints at all. Loved it.
You should visit this place. Reopen at the same location with the same great chef. Plum juice in place of traditional tea, a great treat. Food is excellent. Location is very convenient. Appetizers: recommend beef pancake, shrimp wrapper and spicy oil wonton.
Such awesome food. I visited with the kids (9 and 10) and we loved every bite. Seriously, going to go back before we leave NYC.
Everything was on point at this place. The food, the drinks and the service.
Amazing experience. Clearly a hidden gem. Service and food were 5 stars. The restaurant itself is super cool and nicely decorated. A new favorite for me. 100% recommend!
Great Szechuan place in midtown. Fun vibe, literally everything we ordered was delicious and served quickly
Fresh ingredients with good preparation. Good quality/prize ratio.
Stop by on a rainy day and it was packed! The ambiance is super warm and welcoming! The vibe is lively and comfortable! Food is clean and well balance. Wonderful experience for authentic Asian cuisine!
Some of the best Chinese food Ive ever had, anywhere. Attentive service. Great meal.
Visiting from Canada, first experience in a schezwan restaurant. Best experience ever! Service amazing and food incredible! It’s a must!
Always a dependable midtown spot for szechuan cuisine. Great server by the name of Tim, look for him.
Great authentic flavors!
Authentic, delicious, great service.
Very good food. Portions not great though- except for veggies. Recommended
Excellent food, good portion and great ambiance, sad that i dont live in New-York to enjoy it more often
These folks do it right. They are friendly, attentive, and professional culinary geniuses. I used to fly all the way from Texas to eat at the other restaurant (I won’t say the name). But now I know where my heart is and what my stomach desires and THE name Is Chili. I am expecting a Michelin star, shortly. Great staff, incredibly food, and great atmosphere!
Great place for dine-in with friends for family. Would recommend their spicy cumin lamb and coconut sorbet. They are delicious.
Good service, Drink Alone cocktail is delicious and unique. Food quite good.
A mans accomplishments in life are the cumulative effect of his attention to detail.
This is my favourite restaurant that I highly recommend to everyone! :) I come here every day I come into new york for work
This place is delicious and the service is impeccable.
Amazing food!! Best Szechuan I’ve had! Highly recommend! Had the incredible Kung pao chicken, bok choy with garlic, scallion pancakes and white rice👌👌
Very good Szechuan place. Was very busy but well worth stopping by!
The food was really nice! I highly recommend spicy wonton, soup dumpling and veg fried rice.
Delicious, authentic food and seriously excellent service. One of the best dining experiences in the city.
New restaurant from the former Cafe China employees, had to give it a try as my wife and I loved Cafe China. Everything was just as good as before, amazing Chongqing Chicken as always!
The truffle beef and crab tofu are so good! Will definitely come back
Great option for lunch in Midtown! I go at least once a week now. Authentic Sichuan flavors and very nice options.
Amazing spice. Some of the best Chinese I have had in a while. The service and people were on top of it. Will go back for sure
Definitely not as good as China cafe. The prep are sloppy. Overall too salty and lacking flavor. Ingredients quality is lower than before.
Delicious food, priced reasonably, great service. What more can you ask for?
Really good food, honestly much better than Cafe China during pandemic! Everyone was so friendly and nice! Definitely coming back!
Traditional and nice sichuan food! Best kungpao chicken ever tried in US.
Best ma po tofu Ive ever had. And theyre SO NICE! Go support these folks--great food, great service!
Dandan mian + pork dumplings in chili oil, really good
Must order braised tofu with crab meat! Check out the video!
Dont think it is great as cafe china. The crabmeat tofu is salty and oily. The tight shrimp is salty too. Not recommended as ads.
By far one of the best food experiences I’ve experienced in the city.The ambience, the food, the service; phenomenal. If you’re in the area, this is definitely a must.
This place is so freaking good. Seriously up there with the best Chinese places in nyc. Just go.
I’ve been to cafe china a number of times before, and was surprised to see a new name at the same location. Fortunately, the food and service under new management were even better than before!
Good food, good atmosphere
Not very expensive, good Chinese food with a little American flavor. Great service.
Quality Sichuan Food run by amazing hard working staff. Give these guys a try and you will be happy you did.
Surprisingly good Sichuan food. Especially the double cooked pork.
The staff was very attentive. The food was more than enough and the ambiance was very regal. Would come here again.
I have been coming to this restaurant for a long time. The name has changed but the taste, service, and quality have not. Highly recommend.
The atmosphere at chili was great, the servise it’s 5 star, and food it’s 5+, that’s the real chinese food, defiantly going back again
Tiny portion. Spicy and tingly. But I keep coming back. It’s addictive.
Really good food , love here! I will definitely come back again !
Used to be Cafe China. The menu looks deja vu, the food is good enough.
Lovely vibe. Delicious food.
Delicious food. Great service.
Food and service phenomenal. Lives up to the name though. Be prepared for hot.
Delicious food at prices you cant really beat in Midtown. Very kind wait staff too
Phenomenal. Some of the best Szechuan food I’ve had in New York!
Best Chinese food in midtown, love all the cocktails
Really great sichuan food and flavors at this cozy spot!
Spicy cumin lamb (5/5), spicy pork dumplings (4/5)
Excellent sichuan food and fantastic service. Will come back!
Nice people and nice meal around here. If you are hungry, please be here!
Better than cafe China!
Excellent food, service and setting. Highly recommended.
Affordable but generous portion
AMAZING AUTHENTIC FOOD - WOW
The food is not good.
Absolutely phenomenal.
Lunch special twice cooked pork 🔥
Excellent! Reminds me of the old cafe China.
Great food and service.
Their truffle fried rice is fire!!!
Great food, great service.
Great Service, great food.
Great food and great service
Excellent atmosphere and food!
Bad food. Awful service.
Great 👍
Good for lunch
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for CHILI 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-15What a great service and ambience! The manager was super nice to us and considerate about our time! The server too - witty and professional in the right way. They definitely have experience in catering - such a great chemistry. Plus, the locale is very well decorated with Chinese inspired themes. It brings you back to China!The food was definitely great! Better than many other restaurants in NY that make Sichuan food - this one is legit spicy! Also they have the staple Chinese Qingdao beer. They served our food so fast! I just hope our pickled fish soup was a little less spicy and more sour. The eggplants were amazing!
Review №2
2022-03-05Delicious, authentic food and amazing service. This was my first experience eating indoors in over two years, and it was lovely. We made a reservation and were greeted by name upon entry. All staff were properly masked and our vaccination cards were checked. My friend is vegan and there were several options. We shared the cold tofu appetizer with celery shoots (scrumptious! See photo), and she had spicy green beans. I enjoyed pork and bamboo shoots, and we tried purple rice. The food was so very reminiscent of my Chinese fathers cooking. The staff was attentive - even cleaning the table when we spilled some. Very clean and spacious, lovely decor, with an exceptionally clean bathroom. Truly wonderful experience all around. I believe 美麗 translates to beautiful, and that is exactly what this restaurant is.
Review №3
2022-03-18Wonderful food with an amazing decor. The design of the restaurant brings you back to old time Chinese vibes which is so cool! Pair that together with the awesome food that has authentic taste. It was a wonder dinner here. Remember to book in advance as it was packed on a weekday night!
Review №4
2021-12-31This place was such a treat! The wait staff is so friendly and service was amazing. We ordered off the dim sum menu. The pork dumpling in chili oil had the most tasty sauce I probably have ever had with a dish like this. The wonton chili is also amazing with the best flavor. The soup dumplings are delicious. And the scallion cakes are some of the best Ive had, so crispy and light. The 1920s vibe of the place was also adorable and just made it so fun to experience. Next time Im in NYC I will definitely be back and likely multiple times!
Review №5
2022-07-21Came here for lunch on a Friday, this place is super cute, old Shanghai decor and everyone also dress in here old Shanghai outfit. But don’t be fooled this is sichuan cuisine. The service is excellent, everyone is very friendly and attention to detail.The food on the other hand was alright, the fish fillet with tofu has so much starch and not spicy at all. The spicy cumin lamb needs a bit more cumin and chilies, it’s more like just a stir fried lamb meat. Mouth watering chicken is not what I remembered it might be their twist but didn’t do great.
Review №6
2022-06-12Wow this place is phenomenal. Chili kept the original chef from Cafe China and it shows. Every single dish we ordered was a hit. Each item was wonderfully flavored and seasoned.We had the sour fish stew, duck fried rice, eggplant with garlic sauce, and cold sesame noodles. All were delicious, but what especially stood out were the noodles and duck fried rice. I’ll definitely have to be back to try more dishes!
Review №7
2022-01-09Definitely worth all the hype that it has been getting. Loved the decor and everyone working there was super nice and helpful. Overall the food was delicious! I definitely preferred the dim sum plates to the entrees but everything was cooked to perfection. The spicy wontons and beef scallion pancake are what I would go back for, and to try some of their other plates!
Review №8
2022-02-23The food here was amazing and so tasty and flavorful! Johnny was our server and he was so great at recommending us dishes and answered our questions as well. The truffle beef tenderloin, tea smoked duck, szechuan noodles, dumplings, scallion pancakes and our peanut soup dessert were Chefs kisses! Dont sleep on the cocktails because they are sooo unique. At the end the owner swung by to ask how our meal was, we will definitely be back!
Review №9
2022-06-18Wow! Can’t say enough good things about this place! My friends and I come here all the time and the food is phenomenal! The service is even better. Their food is extremely quick and they came out very hot and fresh. The servers are also all so friendly! Will keep coming back for sure! Highly recommend!
Review №10
2021-12-24Booked this place for dinner tonight to celebrate the winter solstice with some friends. The atmosphere in the restaurant was nice and cozy, staff was very friendly, drinks were fantastic, especially the chili margarita and mango sake.All the food came out quickly, everything was so well seasoned, the soft shell crabs had lots of flavor, crunchy outside and soft inside.we love the sautéed potato shreds and highly recommend the fish blossom & double cooked pork belly dish.Lastly, we were very intrigued by the plating for the sweet rice balls, it was beautiful and smokey fun, I also loved the strong rice wine flavors in the broth. They reminded me how my aunt used to cook it, very traditional