Shun Lee Palace Reviews

It is sad that a once venerable establishment that held the highest honors in NYC is allowed to fade to such a poor state. Came back after a disappointing meal here a few years ago to give it a try but unfortunately, it has gotten worse. The decor is tired and needs an update. On a recent visit, the hot and sour soup was full of oil and not much substance other than tree ear mushrooms. Other choices are standard NYC Chinese-style food at upper west side prices. Please renovate and start again with some chef shakeups!!

It's been over 20 years since I last had dinner here. I used to go often - it was expensive, but the food and ambiance (a little touristy for sure) was wonderful. No more. The prices are higher than ever, but the quality of the meal was just awful. We shared everything we ordered . . . Dumplings, General Tso's chicken, Bbq'd spare ribs, Hot & Sour Soup, all were just plain bad. We could have had a more enjoyable dinner at any NYC Chinese restaurant and not paid a fortune for it. When I asked around, I learned this was not a recent thing. Apparently the restaurant has been in decline for years. Sad! We'll have to look around town for an alternative.

For uptown Chinese you can't do better than Shun Lee, which has been around for ages. New Yorkers love to argue about the best Chinese but its longevity speaks truth. We always have Peking Duck, Orange Beef and Pork Dumplings. The service is quick and the setting is elegant and quiet. We keep going back with our grandson.

The dining room comes complete with a captain to assist the waitstaff and bus-person. The food is nicely prepared and more than enough in size, being mostly the traditional Cantonese style offerings. They use a good deal of MSG, which we had forgotten, so have the tonic water available later in the evening,

The age of the average waiter is 60+ but they are quite friendly. The food was good and the choice of dishes fairly large. Not the best and not the worst in town!

White table cloth, nice decor, good menu selection, quiet place friendly service. Food items we had were pretty good. We were allured their because it showed up in a dim sum search and no carts and not a wide variety of dim sum. This is more a traditional upscale, higher priced chinese food restaurant. If you are in the area give it try.

The vegeterian food was pretty bad including the Dim Sums, Rice, Noodles and Aubergine. The Non-Veg was fantastic. The ambience was scary!

This is a traditional Chinese restaurant with a elegant ambiance, more upscale than most Chinese restaurants in the city. We loved the wontons and shared a number of dishes. The lobster with ginger and scallions was delicious and the crispy beef was yummy. Service was excellent and we had a lovely evening.

Seriously, that about covers it all - its elegant, the decor is calming, white linen on the tables, nifty art on the walls, etc. The service is about the same, elegant, refined, and that's when the hiccups start - it just doesn't follow through all the way (share plates offered, but not delivered, spilled tea, etc) The food is about the same too - good, but not *that* good, a tad over-oily, muted flavors, and all in all, not really anything befitting the price (or heck, anything much beyond a run of the mill Chinatown restaurant) So yeah, don't go...

We were a group of 8 and decided to frequent a chinese restaurant to get our chinese food fix. We chose this restaurant as the reviews seemed rather positive. But we sensed we made a mistake the moment we entered the restaurant- we didnt see any Asians in the restaurant except the service staff. This is usually a gauge we use for any ethnic restaurants. True enough the food was below average mostly with the taste a tad too saltish for our liking. Mosty dishes were covered with thick gravy. Service wise you could sense the manager and service staff' haughtiness and impatience- perhaps we werent the caucasian clients they are used to serve. Would never return.

Whenever we are in NYC, we make sure we eat at one of the Shun Lee restaurants. We are never disappointed. For NYC, the price is good. And Lisa was our server - at first we did not understand her deadpan humor, but enjoyed her tremendously as the evening went on. I want to sit in her section from now on. The food was plentiful. When what I really wanted wasn't on the menu, I asked Lisa what was closest. Rather than pointing something out, she just got me what I wanted! And it was delicious.

Located near Lincoln Center, my daughter and I had dinner here; we’d made a reservation on OpenTable. We liked the atmosphere; it was dark and relaxing and New Yorky. Service was friendly and attentive. These things bumped my rating from a 3 to a 4. We ordered angel hair noodles with chicken and beef with broccoli. I would rate the food 3.5 bubbles. The portions are small for the exorbitant prices. I would have liked some noodles and duck sauce, soy and mustard, etc. They gave regular fortune cookies, so I wish they offered these other standard items. Not sure I’d return bc of price and portion size. If I did, I’d try other menu items.

I suppose living in China has set me up for chronic disappointment. Chinese food in The US pales by comparison to the real thing. Gloppy, flat, stale. Reception at Shun Lee gracious and attentive but the food was average, ridiculous when it is so expensive. Dumplings were giant and gummy. The soup dumpling looked ancient and dry and squirted barely liquid goo. The tofu with pork was tasty but gloppy. The bok choy was nicely cooked (not over cooked). The bill arrived with a tip section for the captain and the waiter for my daughter’s group of 8 dining in the front. Ugh. Back room has much more personality than front. At these prices I should not have had to ask for a water refill.

Came here at 9pm on a friday. I was literally the ONLY person in this restaurant. Should have been a red flag but already spent $20 on an uber from Chelsea. Whatever. Basic chicken dishes start at around $33. Food tastes horrible. What the heck is this place thinking? This place makes Tao's or Buddakan look cheap.

There aren't many tablecloth Chinese restaurants left in NY but Shun Lee still delivers great classic "Americanized" Chinese food. Upper East Siders love it!

Enjoyed a very nice lunch . We started with the wonton soup which was very good, as were the spring rolls. We ordered the grand mariner prawns and they were good but did not like the creamy sauce they were smothered in. We also had chicken with vegetables which could have used a few more vegetables. I have been here before and I think we made a few ordering mistakes. Service was efficient.

We've been going to Shun Lee Palace for dinner or lunch every few months for the past few years. During our last two or three visits it's seemed less and less special than it used to. The food has been more average, the service more just-doing-my-job and less welcoming and friendly. We both think it's time to find another Chinese restaurant.

Met up here with some friends the place is very smart and authentic and the staff are really helpful and very polite the food was a little bland for Chinese cuisine however we had a lovely evening in there 3.5* off me

Shun Lee is an "old school" Chinese restaurant where you can get classic Chinese food in an upscale setting. The tables all have white tablecloths, the waiters take their jobs very seriously and every ingredient is fresh and tasty. Chinese food has been interpreted so many ways, but Shun Lee sticks to the basics and delivers. It's expensive so probably not the best place for a family meal but if you want a treat, then by all means, stop by. They also have Shun Lee West at 45 West 65th Street if that's a more convenient location for your visit.

The ambiance was very nice. Good service. Good food, but the prices were way out of sight ... even for New York. There were 2 of us, we each had 1 drink, 1 order of General Tso's Chicken, 1 order of Sauteed String Beans, and we shared a dessert (Tiramisu, remarkably good!). The bill was $140. The food was good, portions ok, but prices too high for what you get.

Last year we had diner at Shun Lee Palace 65th street, this time we choose for Shun Lee Palace 55th street. The food was good, but overpriced for what might be normal for the city New York. Romantic diner is not applicable on the ground that the menu were served fairly quickly. After spending a lot of money at Shun Lee Palace, we walked to our hoteI and had the feeling that our diner was in a fast food restaurant.

Skip it--you can get much better meals in the LIncoln Center area. It's attractive and the service is speedy, but the prices are high and dishes which SHOULD be signature, like Peking Duck are virtually inedible. We ended up eating the duck out of the wrap and leaving the rest. It's all show.

My wife and I drove 2 1/2 hours to eat at Shun Lee this evening. In the past it would have been totally worth it. Sadly no longer. 7 PM on a beautiful Saturday with NYC packed with people and there were only five occupied tables. Now I understand why. The food has deteriorated badly. Dumplings were doughy. The Beijing Duck is no longer carved at the table. The fat wasn’t well rendered, skin wasn’t crisp and the dish was lukewarm. It was very heavily over salted. Even the fortune cookie was stale and my “fortune” was an advertisement to buy art. You have got to be kidding me! Sorry Shun Lee but you’ll never see us again.

Shun Lee Palace is the sister restaurant of Shun Lee West and Shun Lee Cafe, both right across from Lincoln Center. Just like the others, the decor of Shun Lee Palace is flashy and unique. An etched glass dragon makes its way snaking across the ceiling. Decor while a bit on the dark side is pleasant. The wine menu and cocktails offered are a pretty good selection but nothing to rave about. The food though is better than you average Chinese restaurant. The menu is fairly standard without many diversions from what you can get at most good Chinese restaurants but done quite well. This is a nice safe bet for a good Chinese meal.

Very fond memories (of SLP and Shun Lee Cafe on the Westside) compelled me to reserve a pre-Thanksgiving table for my family and my visiting father and his wife. The days of linen-clothes tables and fine waiter service Chinese food restaurants are dwindling, and I thought it would be a nice change for my dad (an ex-New Yorker) who was visiting from Florida. My dad seemed a bit sticker-shocked by the prices on the menu so we all ordered carefully. The food was adequate (diced chicken in lettuce leaves, BBQ pork ribs, "soupy" dumplings, their $52 Beijing Duck and Crispy Prawns in a non-existent XO sauce, which was bland and really could have used the actual XO sauce that we thought we had ordered). When the bill came, it was painful considering the amount of food we consumed and how much they had charged us. Yet, adding insult to injury (and frankly crossing the line of decency) the waiter loudly instructed me to pay heed to the two lines of tips on our bill -- "we have Captain as well as Waiter" he rudely interrupted the last few moments we what together at our table. Now why is that my concern? And why is their over-staffing and payment of their over-staffing my concern (and my table guests' concern)? Doesn't Shun Lee Palace's ridiculously high prices cover their payroll?! Never again. And shame on them.

Wanted a quiet, relaxing yet elegant place after a full day of shopping and Shun Lee Palace was perfect! Great food, ambience and quiet enough for great conversation.

This is one of the closest restaurants to Lincoln Center. If offers quick service and a very wide range of Chinese dishes from fish to meat to vegetarian, and including Peking Duck, which we had. They are stingy on principal ingredients, even chicken, and heavy on sauces, but the food is uniformly edible.

This restaurant has very nice decor but the prices are just too high! The food is good and the service friendly enough but $200 for two adults and two children noodles only for the children was just too much.

So so good, that’s all you need to know. It’s not trendy, it’s not nouvelle, it’s just plain excellent Chinese food old style prepared perfectly, served with care and style. Had the Peking Duck, which was terrific; General’s chicken, which was so good I no longer feel that I can even pretend to make this dish at home, it was delicate and so tasty; a noodle dish; and a couple of appetizers. And one of our friends required gluten free, and there on the menu before you even can open it to the regular items, is a slew of gluten free options, which also were excellent. Old school but nothing old about it. Maybe you can call this Chinese comfort food. Bill for the 5 of us, including a $65 bottle of wine, was $350 with tip, and leftovers to take home too. Go, enjoy! There aren’t many places quite like this.

NOTE: This review is for the Shun Lee Café on West 65th Street. My spouse and I dined at Shun Lee Café for brunch on a Sunday in early December 2017. We booked a table online using the Open Table reservation system. Shun Lee is open for weeknight dinner and weekend lunch/brunch. Shun Lee Café is located on West 65th Street (between Broadway/Columbus Avenue and Central Park West) on the Upper West Side, just one half-block from Lincoln Center (and thus offers a convenient place for a pre- or post-theatre meal). The owners of Shun Lee Café also own neighbor Shun Lee West (the more formal “big sister” restaurant located behind and connected to the Café) and Shun Lee Palace (which opened in 1971 in the Midtown East neighborhood). An earlier restaurant called Shun Lee Dynasty no longer operates. The Shun Lee Café dining room has a few front windows that allow light inside as well as city sidewalk peeping. A long banquette runs along one wall, with a few tables adjacent; otherwise, all tables are free-standing in the dining space. Décor includes a black-and-white tile floor and glittery ceiling lamps modeled in animal shapes that represent the twelve Chinese zodiac signs (rooster, pig, dog, sheep, monkey, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse). Shun Lee Café serves a meal of traditional Chinese cuisine as well as weekend dim sum. If you choose dim sum, servers will wheel carts/trolleys to each table to show patrons items that they can accept or reject. An order of steamed dumplings/shumai includes three or four pieces (depending on the filling/ingredients) at a charge of $8 for the order, or you can order crispy/fried options, some of which come two pieces to an order (such as spring rolls, pancakes, and puffs). You can also order off a more conventional Chinese menu, or you can do a combination of dim sum appetizers followed by a more formal main dish. Reportedly, Shun Lee Palace takes credit for creating dishes like crispy orange beef, General Tso’s chicken, and Hunan crispy sea bass. We enjoyed our dim sum brunch at Shun Lee Café, although it moved a bit too quickly; the food was tasty, but the service was brusque did not provide the leisurely lunch we had hoped for.

Terrible service, awful food and extremely expensive. Worse Chinese I have had in NYC. We had a mixture of dishes and none of them were any good.

We just had a awful experience at this restaurant tonight. The waiters seemed to be on vacation and the manager seems to be out of town as well. It took 15 minutes to order and then it took 40 minutes and one of us to find a waiter to get our appetizers. The same thing happened to get our duck and it was worse for the entrees. We only got the vegetables and then 10 minutes later two other courses. The waitress was irritable and unpleasant as though she was doing a favor. In fact every waiter was lethargic and irritable. Overall a terrible dining experience. They need a new staff ASAP.

This used to be our go to restaurant in NYC for Chinese food. Prior to the pandemic, we had a couple of bad meals and stopped going there. My wife said we should try it again and the die was cast. I should have put my foot down and refused, but happy wife is happy life. What a mistake. The spring roll was obviously frozen before it was put into the fryer as it was still cold in the center. The eggplant was pretty bland as we asked for it to not be too spicy. The orange beef was also bland and very greasy. While we left lots of both dishes, the portion size was pretty large. I have had several grey goose on the rocks during this trip to NYC that varied in price from $19-$23. The drink at Shun Lee palace was $20, and was the only one that was a decent pour. Maybe I should have just had a few of them to counteract the lousy food. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Don’t be insane and choose this restaurant. At 7:45 pm on a Friday night there were only 3 tables taken, and we were one of the 3. Enough said.

We went Xmas eve. The place was packed all night. Service was excellent. We had peking duck-as good as we ve had anywhere. Also the Hunan lamb was excellent. We started with vegetable dumplings which were fine and at least twice the price of anywhere else with no increase in quality or taste. This place has been around for decades so it still has its admirers. I d say only go for a special occasion.

My girlfriend loves to go here because of its proximity to Lincoln Center. We ordered a spicy chicken dish which really wasn't that spicy, but was rather oily. Then we had noodles. We finishes off with ice cream. The thing I didn't like was the prices are exorbitant. $18 for an appetizer, 20 something for a main course. To me it was not worth it. They also have the cafe with less choices.

It’s a very traditionally decent restaurant in midtown east. The service is nearly impeccable. Waiters/Captains are all very welcoming and professional. We ordered Beijing Prawn, Yong Chow Fried Noodle, spring beans and smoke fish. Prawn was the best. Rest dishes all looked and tasted like having been sitting in the kitchen for whole day and reheated by microwave before being presented. Barbecue duck and lettuce wraps looked amazing from next tables so maybe because we didn’t pick the right dishes.

This restaurant has been around a long time and they really know how to do it. They made suggestions on the menu so we didn't order too much. Their advice was very much appreciated and thus had a wonderful dinner.

Maybe this place has seen better days. Service was prompt and quite friendly but unfortunately the food was very average. Singapore Fried Noodles (one of my favourites) was o.k. but I've had better from a standard Chinese in London for a lot less money. Chicken and Beef dishes were again o.k but lacked the flavour they should have. Nice old fashioned ambiance but that doesn't make up for a disappointing meal.

The food is very good but the service is not at all. Not worth the money. We made reservations for 8 people at 8pm and at 9:15h the waiters would stare and stand in front of the table looking in a very inappropriate, very rude and pushy manner asking if we were done because they wanted us to finish up. We will not go back and we do not recommend anyone to go have dinner. There are so many other great restaurants in the city with great food to spend it in a place that is not nice nor welcoming

I lived in New York briefly for work, and I just moved back to my homestate of Connecticut a couple of months ago, but I used to come to this place all of the time. I love the food, and the decor is really funky but cool - I liked it a lot. I don't miss the smells of the city or the trains or the traffic, but I really do miss this place. Try it out.

We were a group of 10 and reserved a table in advance. The service is - untipically for New York - very responsive and nice. The Peking duck is great, but also the other dishes are tasty, so make sure to order different dishes to taste and share.

My wife and I have been going to Shun Lee Palace for years. We were both looking forward to dining there last week. Unfortunately we were very disappointed. The wonton soup had no taste,the spareribs were fatty and creasy. The spring rolls were so creasy as well. The main dish was Shrimp and Lobster sauce which was not up to par. The Roast pork fried rice was creasy. Can't believe how disappointed we were. Hopefully the Chef was on vacation.

This was at the top of our list for the last 30 years. We always visited this restaurant when we visited New York. The sizzling rice soup was amazing. The snow pods and crispy beef were both horrible. I returned my whole plate of food and expressed my discontent to the waiter. He was unscathed, did not offer to bring something else and charged full price. This was very disappointing.

Went with Larry L and had a very nice dinner. First time at Shun Lee. Started with the drinks which were good. Had some sake after. Good but not potent. For appetizers we had the ribs and fried dumplings. Both were outstanding. I had Won ton soup which was with pork and shrimp very good. For dinner we had the Bejing Duck. Larry liked it a lot , it was not my favorite. Im not a big duck person. I had the pork in hoisin sauce. which was ok. Beautiful restaurant and great service.

Amazing service; very attentive and friendly. The food is great. Not your typical Chinese experience at all. I'll be back.

The problem with chillis on menus is that they tend to signify heat - what degree of heat is often down to your own interpretation. On this menu most of the main dishes came with a chill symbol and as sweating profusely was not on our agenda we chose two dishes that lacked any promised heat. The problem was that as the dishes lacked chilli, they also lacked taste. A shame. The hoisin pork was greasy and the lemon chicken was ruined by a glutinous sauce which was needed to soften the overcooked breaded chicken. A vegetable rice was good. Beers and wine were predictable. The bill was reasonable by NY standards. Not the best by any means and no better than a thousand similar Chinese restaurants the world over.

Food and ambience for our party of 5 70+ family members and 3 millenials was excellent even though several participants had dietary requests. Wait service was very week. We waited so long for attention to order that the host almost forced us to leave. Perhaps the waiter had too many tables to deal with at the same time. He mad a big fuss about putting food on the decorative service plates while we were waiting for anything other than dried noodles t to arrive at the table

We recently dined at Shun Lee at the recommendation of local friends and reserved at table through Open Table. The Lincoln Center location was perfect ahead of a ballet performance. Service was prompt. We enjoyed dinner family style and everyone at the table enjoyed the dishes. We are not familiar with many Chinese restaurants in the area so we can't compare with other restaurants, but we would happily return to Shun Lee in the future.

I went with a group of friends to Shun Lee Palace on the East Side. Their drinks list was the standard beer and wine. No specials or ginger beer. We began with appetizers, which were good, but generic. This was followed by the entrees, which were steamed fish, steamed vegetables and other fairly bland food. The dessert was a nice selection of fresh fruits. Overall, the service was excellent, the food was mediocre, and the price was a joke. For a variety of steamed, unseasoned dishes, it cost $120 for one person. The waiters were friendly and helpful, but you can do better elsewhere.

Shun Lee Palace Old style Chinese food served by a dapper, attentive, polite and very polished captain (Thomas) and his pleasant waiters. The shrimp and vegetable dumplings were quite good. The sautéed broccoli was very tasty. The gluten free and diet options are appreciated, contemporary offerings and were very good despite the dietary restrictions (gluten free chicken breast or seafood with mixed vegetables are offered and are yummy). The lychee martinis are strong and very well made. The entire evening, the good food, the lovely, very attentive service and the old world ambiance were all great and very much enjoyed. Kudos to Shun Lee Palace!

This is a dressy Chinese place with outstanding waiters and great food. We enjoyed vegetable spring rolls, combination fried rice, Chan do chicken and crispy beef. Huge portions, nicely presented. Our go to Chinese place when in NYC.

We really enjoy this restaurant. We each had a very good wonton soup to start. We had Cantonese lobster which was delicious. We also shared a beef with snap peas, also delicious. The bean sprouts with chives were super. Service was friendly and professional. Could do with a little decor update.

We walked in and immediately felt the place was a little off. Totally empty and cold with the exception of a few people in the back room all of whom appeared to be tourists. No locals which is never a good sign. The wait staff were a little past there prime and not very friendly. They put on fake smiles and hellos. We had a hard time getting the head waiters attention and when we did he offered zero insight into what to order. As we began to order he impromptu and rudely left us to go to another customer. That was it we left. A very bad vibe in this place. Living off its past reputation. Luckily we had a backstop at OUR PLACE not far away on E79th. Delicious food in an upscale environment (white table cloths, waiters in jackets, etc) with a friendly knowledgeable staff. And it had URS locals. Sad to pan a NYC institution like SLP but they need to get there act together if they want to continue serving Chinese food at steak house prices.

Kind of a cool dining room, authentic, staff was very friendly and accomodating. Great place to go before a movie at the Lincoln AMC. The food was not bad but very average for a seemingly upscale place. Kind of tasted like your home town mom and pop Chinese place, kind of expected more for the money. Our most expensive meal on this trip which was weird becuase we ate at Cull & Pistol the night before for about $30 cheaper. Again, they were all very pleasant all the way through and got us out in time for our movie.

This is another favorite. Service is impeccable while AND friendly. Crispy Beef is one of my favorites, as well as the Walnut Chicken. You'll never eat another fortune cookie anywhere else after you've had one of their chocolate fortune cookies!

We ate at the Cafe, looking for dim sum, for which this would have gotten a POOR rating. Service was a real downer ... the same dim sum cart with a half a dozen fillings in same dumplings came by twice, almost 1/2 hour apart. We called for a change ... a fried food cart finally came ... $8.50 for one shrimp turned us off, but the Chicken Balls in Lemon Sauce was quite good. We turned to the menu and had to place the order twice (and a second beer three times). The high light was the tofu which rates an EXCELLENT.

Every time I go to NYC I visit Shun Lee. It's my favorite and it never disappoints me! I've been for both lunch and dinner, but it's fun to go with friends so you can order different things! Don't miss the Grand Marnier prawns and the Orange beef.

Shun Lee Cafe is their take out - sub par - no chopsticks included or napkins. The shu mai were okay - the pan fried dumplings were too crispy. The chicken from Ed rice had no taste and it was exorbitantly expensive - absolutely it worth the price.

I can't believe that this place is rated as highly as it is. We have eaten Chinese from Hong Kong to San Francisco to Chicago and this is the worst Chinese restaurant, from food to service, we have ever patronized. Yes, even worse than the one in Akron-Canton. (See my earlier review for that disaster!) We shared the Beijing Duck (they don't actually have Peking Duck) and it was served as "tacos." The duck was off-tasting and the resulting nausea lasted throughout the evening. The service was horrid. After finishing we sat while the 10 or so waiters had a nice chat, often quite loudly. Just a truly negative experience. Avoid this place like the plague.

An elegant Chinese restaurant with nicely prepared food. Service is complete with a captain. While the food is fine and the selection ok, the pricing has suddenly beome exorbitant.

Upscale restaurant with great service for multigenerational family with young child. Adults chose to share appetizers and entrees, while the youngster enjoyed wonton soup and nibbled on everything the adults ordered. Attentive, respectful service to meet the requests of all age groups...including ice cream for youngest diner. Definitely in the upper dollar range, but nice atmosphere, great service staff that engaged the youngster and facilitated a lovely dining experience for all.

I travel and eat in great places all over the country and world. A friend said this was the best Chinese restaurant in NYC. The food was good, but the service was the worst I have ever experienced. 20 minutes to get a menu and order tabs 90 minutes to receive our main dish.

I LOVE Chinese food! I even live in China now (for 2 years now). I was in NYC after filming a DVD and Really wanted to try this place. I used to work at a fancy wine cellar in Boston and one of my clients always talked about this place. So me and my assistant were so excited to try it. Honestly I was disappointed. And the place was insane!!!!! The Oscar De La Renta plates were fancy and all, but how about working on your food?? Won't go back. Far better places!

We loved our meal here and will be back. Very clean and delicious from soup, entre and dessert. This is an intimate restaurant that requires a reservation. Don't miss this.

After being recommended this restaurant from our hotel concierge, we decided to try the restaurant as we were told it was accessible for wheelchairs. The restaurant knew one of our party was confined to a wheelchair. When we arrived it was accessible from the street, which was great news. However things unfortunately took a sour note. As my husband was about to give them his coat to store for him, the gentleman who appeared to be in charge said to my husband “is SHE staying in that wheelchair?” I was astounded of the way he was speaking about me to my husband. My husband did explain that yes I had to stay in my wheelchair. There were a few words exchanged in Chinese between the staff with some laughter, and we were shown to a leather booth table enough for 6-8 people that was in a corridor leading to the main restaurant at the bottom of the corridor. The restaurant was fairly busy but it was completely obvious that I was not welcome in the main restaurant. At no stage was I spoken to, all the conversation was directed to my husband even though I was sat right next to him, which made me feel very uncomfortable indeed. My husband said to the gentleman that the table was completely away from others and it wasn’t acceptable. The man said we are full and there’s no room for HER. He went on to say “this place has been here 41 years what do you want me to do?” My husband explained that we felt out of the way and stuck in a draughty corridor on our own as if we were ‘contagious’. I only have a disability! My husband asked to see in the main restaurant to see if there was any room and there was a small table for 2 at the corner of the main dining room. My husband said that there was plenty of room for us there but the man insisted there wasn’t enough room in any way and the table in the corridor was all he could do. Strangely he said “heh man I’m not discriminating against her’! In the end we felt completely unwelcomed, on our own, sat on a large table in a draughty corridor like naughty children. I would never return to this restaurant even if I didn’t have a disability. I think the staff and owner need to have some disability awareness training and some sensitivity training. I’m not contagious I just have a disability!

Shun Lee is a NY favorite for good reason! Try their signature grand mariner shrimp. Nothing like it anywhere. BBQ ribs were terrific as were all the dumplings, and biggest surprise of all? Their cheesecake. ( it's NY, you HAVE to have cheesecake!) but Shun Lee's is subtle and slightly mandarin orange flavored. Truly outstanding. And you'll never be bored because the huge room size dragon is a feast for your eyes!

I have been wanting to try Shun Lee for years, and finally a friend and I went for New Year's Day. I am gluten-free and love Chinese food so I was really looking forward to this treat. So, I ordered the Sizzling Rice Cake soup with shrimp ($10)....there was no flavor whatsoever! It was a corn starch thickened base with some shrimp, a bamboo shoot and a couple of water chestnuts. They brought some fried wonton noodles to the table.....visibly greasy. Shiny. My friend ordered the Cold Sesame Noodles ($20) and really liked them. We split the 3 Pepper Chicken ($30) and basically got the most over-salted chicken tenders ever, with some green bell pepper and red chili peppers. There was no sauce. It was a plate of fried chicken balls, not spicy unless you ate a dry hot chili pepper! The food was not good, the service was not great, and the bill has separate sections for tipping the captain vs. the waiter. They make a big deal out of plating the food ( they won't just place the serving dish on your table, they split the courses onto your plates). No one ever checked on us. If they did I probably would have sent the food back!

Went with my wife and two friends, a birthday dinner for two of us. I will take into consideration their location, the semi-fancy-schmantzy décor,etc. Their rent must be very high on East 55th Street. I realize this. The food was decent, but not exceptional. We had a lobster, very good, duck fried rice (I guess there were pieces of duck in there, I couldn't tell), and several appetizers; I had fish tacos; good but not exceptional. Most of the staff were nice, polite, friendly, and helpful; the woman who took our orders was either having a bad day or needed a big glass of prune juice. To repeat; there was nothing wrong with the food, it was very good. But the prices! Just about twice the cost of what you would pay in a Chinese restaurant on The Upper East Side, where I live.

We have been to this restaurant five times in the past year since the closure of Mr Ks. The food and the service has been consistently outstanding with wonton soup, duck dishes and mishu pork particular favorites. The weekday lunch menu at $35 a head with an extensive choice of starters and main courses is particularly good value. We look forward to going back to Shun Lee Palace.

Our first visit was in 2009, we frantically were in search of a meal before a show at the Lincoln center. It was Feb. and very cold! The place was packed...we had no reservation but they found us a table...the food was delicious then: so fast forward to Aug 2016 and again we have tickets for a show at the Lincoln Ctr. so we know we are going try Shun Lee Palace again....and it did not disappoint. I had the chicken with chinese broccoli (bok choy) I started with cucumber vodka martini! My husband had a lamb dish and his plate was clean! We ended the meal splitting the orange cheese cake! Service was excellent!

The Peking Duck is always available and is a must have. We had four "pancakes" and four drumstick sized pieces, The texture was perfect, the pancakes were not over cooked and were rolled by the waiter, Plum sauce was excellent. this is a perfect appetizer for four men. We then shared the shrimp with garlic chili, and spare rib appetizers. we added the rack of lamb Szechuan, and steamed vegetables. The food was served as it was available from the kitchen so everything was hot when it was eaten.

I have eaten in both east side and west side restaurants. They are very similar. Both are very expensive for Chinese food, but the food is of very good quality. It seems to be mostly tourists, but is a good uptown place for Chinese food. However, for an inexpensive meal, given the time, I would go to Chinatown.

Tourist trap with $24 cocktails. How is this place still in business? Wanted to meet friends before the opera, and they couldn’t get reservations anywhere except Shun Lee West. While the setting is nice for the senior crowd, the food is terrible. I didn’t want to make my friend feel bad, so I didn’t send my dish back, but it was one of the worst restaurant meals I’ve had. And the service wasn’t great. You’ll be better off at Gray's Papaya, a diner, or sneaking in carrot and celery sticks to munch on during intermission.

We have been to Shun Lee before... the big fancy one near Lincoln Center. This time we made reservations through open table, and I don't know what happened, but we got seated at the ShunLee Cafe next door. Awful service! Awful food! Awful ugly decor! Dirty looking! Waaaayyyy overpriced! So loud it gives you a headache! NEVER AGAIN! You could get better Chinese food and better service at any mall food court! Whoever owns and operates this dump should really be embarrassed! I SUPPOSE THEY ARE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY HERE!

We ate an eggplant/tofu dish and the sweet/sour chicken. Excellent! Nice relaxing atmosphere. Walked there from Times Square area.

Ate here valentines day, food excellent and staff 1st class. Helped guide us through the menu and subtle differences between US and UK versions of dishes

Order lunch from her every once in a while and the food is good. It is a little pricey but what do you expect in midtown east. The sweet and sour chicken is a good portion and is all white meat which is great! It doesn't have too much breading on it and the sauce it comes with is good too. It has pineapple, water chestnuts, peas, and peppers in it. Yum! It comes with a side of white rice which tastes delicious with the sweet and sour sauce. My new favorite is the shrimp lo mein. It has great flavor and it a good portion size. My boss loves the hot and sour soup and the slippery chicken! This is quality Chinese food and you definitely pay for what you're getting.

We ate here 6 months ago and thought it was good. Tonight the service was terrible. We were seated in an area away from main dining so the waiters did not come over very often. My dish was cold. Several of our dishes were wrong. Unfortunately we will not be returning to this restaurant. The people next to us had a similar experience.

In my Nyc hotel and order from shun lee tonight. Best traditional Chinese food in the city. Even better when you visit the restaurant.

It may to be as trendy as some other asian cuisine in the city, but you can't bet the quality of the dishes across the menu and outstanding service. Our favorite place for upscale asian in the NYC.

This is a perennial favorite, and we try to visit when we are in NYC. I hope our meal this week was an anomaly, as the food was rather mediocre, not hot at all and rather disappointing. We didn't order off the Restaurant Week menu, so avoided that potential pitfall, but perhaps the fact that they were exceptionally busy for a Tuesday night was a factor contributing to their less than stellar performance. I'd give it a try again, but am somewhat dubious now. Had the signature prawns w/XO sauce...wasn't hot, wasn't flavorful and the prawns themselves were rather small...had the Singapore noodles...just flat, and the Peking duck...missing many beats, too. Even the starters of soup dumplings and duck egg roll, just rather ordinary. Not sure what to make of it?!

Ate here with friends. Service was excellent- very attentive staff. Great selection on the menu, but prices were quite high for Chinese.The food was very good, some of the best I have had.Would eat here again.

The food for to die for. Everything was so tasty. The staff was very helpful, offering to make you whatever you wanted, even if it was not on the menu. I just can't express how good the food was! Thanks

We make a point to eat here every single time we visit New York City. Is it the best Chinese food in the Big Apple? No. But it's got a full bar, attentive and polite waiters and the greatest looking gold dragons ever. And chocolate ice cream for dessert, a rarity in Chinese restaurants. I adore this place.

Friend recommended this and was a neat experience feeling like we were in a different era - the patrons, decor, etc. Top notch food and service. Plus there is an actual working payphone near the restrooms!

Although I had a decent meal I had an a over all bad experience. When I arrived I checked my coat and over-night bag. Upon leaving the restaurant I was handed my coat but not my bag. Unaware, I proceeded to get into a taxi to head home. When I realized that I didn't have my bag I had the taxi turn back so that I could get it. I then asked the manager to reimburse me for the cab ride back and he refused to take responsibility. Initially when I realized I didn't have my bag I was sure it was handed to my boyfriend. The restaurant took no responsibility and was rude and arrogant. Bottom line - the food is good but overpriced and the service is poor.

Ate st Shun Lee Cafe with limited expectations due to proximity to Lincoln Center but experience was terrible. Dim Sum cold, leaden and tasteless. Ordered Tung Ting Shrimp and got a congealed mass of egg white with a few “off tasting” shrimp, a few pieces of brocolli, limp mushrooms and “canned” water chestnuts. The worst we have ever had anywhere. Ordered a small bottle of Perrier which never came despite talking to two waiters. Save your money!

We have always loved this restaurant and try to get to it when we are back in the City. It never disappoints. Expensive, yes. Worth it, for sure. Love the old timers menu, brings back memories of earring there as a child, yikes 50+ years ago.

We have eaten here several time but this particular visit was very disappointing. We ordered spare ribs which were very difficult to eat. They were tough and dried out. We ordered the shrimp grand marnier. That was pretty tasteless. Chicken lo mien was just very ordinary. My granddaughter wanted lemonade which was not available. Instead they gave her a small glass of fruit punch for 6 dollars. The prices were way too high for the quality of the food. Maybe you just pay for the decorations and location.

If you're visiting Manhattan and enjoy Chinese food, then you should definitely try Shun Lee. Please know before you go that this is not a white box typical Chinese restaurant; for example, you can expect prawns instead of shrimp. As another example, the restaurant was featured in Wall Street 2....now are you getting the idea? Mind you, you don't have to dress up, although at dinner I would NOT wear shorts. The prices are high for Chinese food, but 1) it's NYC and 2) you get what you pay for, and at Shun Lee, you get the best! I cannot recommend one dish on the menu over another as I have found them all to be good. I always start with dumplings and spring rolls, and if I have room, will get the sizzling rice soup. Share your entrees and just keep them coming...you won't be disappointed, the only thing you'll feel is full.

Went to the restaurant with 2 other families with 4 children. Once arrived I got a feel straight away for the place when the waiting staff where insistent we had bottled water rather than jugs(not normally an issue however they were so pushy) We told the waitress after looking at menu we didn’t understand it (rice @ 33$ a portion) she assured us she would help. We then ended up with 130 chicken pieces for the children and a bill of over $1300 after we had double amount of food required. We refused to pay service which they didn’t deserve through rude pushy staff. We took this up with our hotel who looked further into matter and said the prices on bill don’t match those advertised and that they would arrange a meeting with manager. He wasn’t interested whatsoever and said we were lucky to get away with refusing service. Please note as a group we ate in many other much better restaurants and never did the bill come over $500 out of at least 7 different restaurants and in same area.

This was my first time at this restaurant, and I was wholly and pleasantly surprised with the authenticity of the dishes, as well as the great service by the staff. I had the twice-cooked pork and it was not only very tasty, but also tender. The white rice was solid, but not soggy, which some Asian restaurants tend to do. Overall, a great experience and most certainly recommend it.

What has happened to this formerly wonderful restaurant? I used to enjoy eating here and bringing clients. My 25 year old son and girlfriend arrived a few minutes ahead of me for dinner. They were sent to a table and ignored. The servers said that they were too busy to receive menus and order drinks. As soon as I arrived, the waitress and staff came over with menus. Come on - don’t treat younger customers poorly. Also our waitress would not bring us drink menus- still too busy? The food was very good though quite expensive. But I don’t like rude service. Not what I was used to .

This is a chinese restaurant worth trying, Dim Sum is great and the steamed fish with vegetables is super good and healthy.

We loved dining here years ago. This time our first dinner was excellent - loved all the dishes so much that we returned another night but the second time the prawns were disappointing- garlic ginger sauce turned out to be thick, dark and cloying- similar to what we get in our local bad Chinese restaurants. Great, quiet atmosphere- comfortable seating and lighting. Excellent service. We would go back but avoid that particular prawn dish. The lobster on another evening was great.

Walked in and saw about 10 or 12 waiters and busboys standing around. With all that, the service was average and not that friendly. In fact while clearing our table, on of the bus boys was in such a hurry, he spilled rice all over, including in my friend's water, which he didn't clean up until we pointed it out. Peking Duck was only fair. Was overly expensive for Chinese food! Atmosphere was very nice.

This place had a good review so ventured across town to try. was disappointed with the quality of the dishes we ordered, spicy chicken and a vegetable dish in a brown sauce Chicken was tough and tasted as if it had been double fried the warm it up and not made fresh Vegtables were limp and again not fresh. We arrived for a late lunch so maybe we had leftovers from lunch shrimp dumplings were good but expensive. Would not go back whe I am in nyc again

Best Chinese food I've ever had on this continent! So good with excellent service. Crispy beef and General Tso's were delicious

A large menu of the usual Chinese dishes. Tried the eggplant, sauteed greens, and a lo mein dish. Very average and very $$$ Service is very attentive and professional.

Great service in a classic Chinese restaurant. This place has been here for a while and movies. To me, the food was OK,typical, or just average? Not bad but nothing special. OK the place has history, yes. The best part was the surroundings or decorations as well as the above average staff, abundant and excellent.

I was at this restaurant two and a half years ago and was very impressed. Today I was unimpressed and very disappointed. I started off with the Barbecue Spare Ribs (6) for $23. They were served at close to room temperature, with no moisture to them at all, and they were without any noticeable taste. I thought that by sending them back to be reheated that would bring out some flavor, it did not. There was so much meat on the ribs that they filled me up and I did not have room for anything else, but after being disappointed with the ribs, being full might not have been so bad.

My wife and I had dinner at Shun Lee Palace for her birthday. The restaurant is nicely appointed. The ceilings are a bit low but well lit. We were courteously greeted and promptly seated. The head waiter pulled out the table for us and seated us side by side on a leather bench overlooking the eatery. Reservations are highly recommended. The place was packed. The crowd is a bit older with a mixture of the young. We ordered shrimp balls as an appetizer. It consisted of four pieces, had large shrimps but a bit gummy. Next was the velvety soup with fresh peas. It was ten dollars per person but well wort it. Soo good. My favorite part of the meal. We shared a spicy dish of seshwan shrimp. Very spicy, full of large shrimp and vegetables. Very, very good. The skill of the chef and the fresh ingredients were evident. The restaurant is apparently noted for the peeking duck which we saw being served at just about every table. The chef appeared and skillfully carved the delectable looking bird at the table. The place is not cheap. Our appetizer, soup and shrimp dish cost about a hundred dollars without the tip. The place is definitely old school with an aged wait staff. Good service, good food and good company made it a memorable visit.

This place is a legend in their own mind! First of all. We had made a reservation for 8:30 and due to horrible traffic had to adjust it twice, which we did properly. The final set for 9:30 and as Open Table states they are open until 11:30 we were stunned to be met at the door at 9:33 to be told the kitchen was closing and if we wished to dine we would need to order right away. As we were entertaining a guest visiting from Paris, we let the rudeness pass and followed the host to our table. Another, rather pompous suited human came by and said there would be no appetizers and we must order entrees, right away. With more attitude than anyone would find acceptable we opted to give the menus back as we exited and shunned Shun Lee! I have lived in New York for nearly 30 years and have dined all over the world. There's is a service industry and if the first thing you do wrong is the way you treat your guest you don't deserve to have them. I will never set foot in this place again. We walked about 250 feet up to discover the Lychee House 141 East 55th) They were most accommodating. The staff was friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the products and they proceeded to create a wonderful array of treats delivered with skill and grace. I would highly recommend going right by SLP. To coin a phrase I heard long ago" they like themselves enough for both of us they don't need me"

Having eaten here a few times, from when I was young to very recent, we always enjoyed Shun Lee. The most recent visit was dissapointing however. It was quiet and calm but the price was nowhere near the quality of food. Paying an absurd amount of money for a bottle of win, which in reality was maybe 1/15th of the real price, and the food was not what it used to be either. Though the service is incredibly friendly and good, it isn't worth the money.

We are an Italian family who is very picky about the food we eat. We don't usually like Chinese food, but this restaurant serves truly amazing dishes. The ambiance is great, the service is amazing, and the food speaks for itself. If you are not well acquainted with Chinese cuisine or are nervous about trying it out, this is the place for you. You must try the hot and sour soup!

Recently we had two lovely dinners and we insisted some friends join us for our third visit the day after Labor Day. Total disaster at a cost of $144 per couple. Terrible service and the food except for the wonton ever drop soup was horrible. The rice was hard and cold, spareribs tasted like they'd been there for days,; chicken chow mien, a vegetable platter, shrimp dish,Were all left over and inedible and yes the drinks were sent back. My what a night. So if you're thinking of going you have a 66% chance of having a good dinner and good service but remember it is expensive

Retro menu promised a 1980s style meal , but whilst it wasn’t awful , it was very much a dialled in experience on the evening we went . Tepid food, poorly executed , perfunctory service . Greasy , dull, Chinese food a la high street all you can eat BUT at $100 per head + . I’d avoid this one . It’s past its sell by date and needs a rethink. Shame as we so wanted to have a good quality Chinese meal from yesteryear.

Looking for a reasonably priced restaurant near Lincoln Center, we decided to try Shun Lee -- Bad idea! It is way overpriced -- Entrees $25-$35 for a very mundane menu; nothing innovative or interesting here. I ordered the lemon chicken and it was inedible: very dry and with a slightly off-flavor and the lemon sauce was insipid. The only upside -- it was quiet so we could enjoy our conversation if not the food.

Shocking visit tonight. We thought we would try their restaurant having read the reviews. We've just paid over $100 for a sub-standard meal. Even to the point where we ordered crispy shredded duck and it was served up for us instead of us being allowed to serve ourselves. We then had to wait 10 minutes for our plates to be removed; others who came in after were dealt with first. Then presented with the bill, were told that we should give them an extra $10. Rude. I hate tipping. If your service is exemplary then you qualify. If you do your job, then you should get what your given. Come to England and speak to us the way we have been spoken to and see the response you get!

Drove in from the burbs for what we hoped would be a great meal with close friends, and it is restaurant week, we thought there would be great value. We knew Shun Lee Palace because we were frequent visitors decades ago and had fond memories. The decor is tired (actually exhausted) and needs a total scrub (literally). Went to washroom to wash my hands and was absolutely totally grossed out. I requested/ informed the restaurant manager the washroom need immediate cleaning. When our friends arrived, their first comment was "not what we remembered"! We looked at the menu and noticed the prices for the restaurant week "special" were $60 per person but very poor selection. We looked at each other and unanimously agreed, "let's get out of here!" We never made it to the food, because we figured if the washroom was that disgusting, this was not a place we wanted to dine.

Came here for a Restaurant Week special last Sunday, after not having been for many years. I forgot how good the food was! While not trendy, everything that we tried was beautifully cooked, and had real flavor and excellent ingredients. We had Chicken Soong and barbecued spare ribs as appetizers -- both among the best of each dish I have ever had. For entrees, the Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, Szechuan Scallops, and Hunam Lamb were all excellent, and delicious. Service was gracious, friendly, and very professional -- far more smooth and relaxed than most Chinese restaurants. The Restaurant Week menu was an excellent value; otherwise, prices are definitely on the high side for Chinese food but are worth it for the outstanding quality of the food. I can't wait to go back again for another meal!

i’m shocked beyond belief at this place. Not only is it 5x the cost of any other chinese restaurant in the area, the food was appalling and no customer service exists they are order takers. my scallops came out frozen inside, dumplings were like cardboard and forgot sauce and rice. Nobody checked up on me the entire time and it took 46 minutes to get a check. Stay away!!! Tourist trap. fun interior but don’t let it fool you. Go to Han Dynasty instead. This is the Applebee’s of chinese food.

Please note that this review is for the restaurant on West 65 St and not the one on East 55 St. In short, the food is mediocre and incredibly overpriced. The service is anything but gracious. I was made to feel more like an intruder than a welcomed guest. There is absolutely no reason to pay the inflated prices and accept the level of service offered here. There are many good restaurants convenient to Lincoln Center. Choose another one.

This used to be our go-to restaurant. For more than 25 years we have eaten their food. Recently, we’re sad to say, the food is not up to par. In some instances it has been down right bad. Orange chicken not crispy, in sauce…. Same with General Tsao’s chicken. That actually left a bad after taste. We are upset that such a great restaurant has come to this.

I remembered this restaurant from when I worked in NYC. It was my favorite Chinese restaurant then. My daughter and I had a surly waitress and the pot of tea we asked for came 15 minutes later. Thankfully, she was replaced by a friendlier waiter. My appetizer was not what I ordered and since we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time (it was between lunch and dinner), I couldn't understand how that happened. The appetizers and main meals all came out lukewarm and, the best thing about this restaurant was the ice cream at the end of the meal. We had the $26.95 lunch special and it wasn't worth even that.

Very expensive for Chinese food. Wait staff arrogant and not attentive. The food fair to poor. Highly overrated.

After dinner at this much-hyped NY Chinese restaurant, we felt that it lived up to its name and we should shun it in future. While the service is good, the ambiance is OK - but the food leaves much to be desired; generally speaking, it was too oily for my taste. We ordered the chicken with 3 nuts, crispy fried noodles with shrimps (the noodles were not crisp and had become soggy - thus too chewy to eat) and the spicy lamb which was good. Keeping in mind the price points and the food quality, we would not go there again.

I really thought this place was going to be great, but it was just OK. The food is very expensive for what you get. We had a far better and cheaper experience in China Town and I would travel there again before going back here.

A very enjoyable evening with every one of multiple demands catered for with good grace and efficiency. Food was excellent and enjoyed by all.

So disappointed, was told one of best Chinese around but boy I was disappointed. Food was below average, atmosphere is very dated, now maybe the locals live this place But for visitors to the area, not so good

This restaurant was absolutely amazing, can't recommend enough. The food was delicious and the staff were brilliant. Nothing was too much. It was the Chinese full moon festival and they gave us a small moon cake and a small gift each and we got fortune cookies. Plus the food was some of the best Chinese food I've had

The restaurant is in an elegant and more traditional setting and the staff is very attentive. I was there for lunch on a weekend without a reservation and this was not an issue. The food selection and quality are good - it could be a bit spicier for my taste.

Went with my 2 children on NYE, hadn’t booked but they accommodated Us in the café parks at 10 PM. We were shown to our table and straight away offered dim sum that looked like it had been sitting there for hours. We then ordered our drinks, I ordered a bottle of wine considering it was new years eve and was looking forward to spending some time and drinking it. We then ordered half dark to start with. The grumpy waiter came over and asked us if we had ordered and I said we have ordered our starters but we will order our minds once we had had The duck. He told us that it was 1015 now and they were closing at 10:30 we weren’t told this when we first went in. So we then ordered a couple of other dishes! We were told we would be allowed to sit there until 11 PM to finish. Halfway through our meal well I say mail be half dark turned out to be one pancake each that was served to us. The sweet and sour chicken that we ordered was dry and very chewy. To be fair the noodles were very nice. Halfway through our mail the waiter came over to pour me some of my wine and commented “a whole bottle for yourself I would never be able to drink that“ he was very judgemental. Because of his attitude I asked for the gratuity to be taken off the bill at which point he bit my head off stropped off came back through the amended be like me was so rude told me it wasn’t fair to which point I told him I felt very uncomfortable for what he said to me and I then left with both of my children. The service was absolutely appalling. I would avoid like the plague. Shame I have to give one star

It was a great pleasure to return to our favorite Chinese restaurant in New York. This time we were there for dinner instead of lunch. The food was equally delicious if a little pricier. The service was excellent. We will be back!

Just went there again to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Shun Lee has been in business for 50 years and we have been coming here for 25. They have never let me down. First class service, and world class food. Yes they are expensive, but they are worth it.

The Maitre'D is a piece of work. Really nasty, obnoxious and in the wrong job. Story is painful. Trust me DO NOT GO.. Very expensive, of course. TOURIST TRAP. I miss Sun Lick

extensive menu food is delicious. Well presented. Flavors are wonderful. They do have a tendency to rush you a bit.

Second time here and really enjoy the service, drinks and food. We were greeted by friendly host and immediately seated. We all had some Mai Tias which are the best! We each chose a different main course and shared them all amongst ourselves, as one should. Each were fantastic, savoury and filling. I will shall be returning next time when visiting NYC.

Shun Lee Palace has been an culinary institution in NYC for some decades but it never ceases to please. Great Peking duck (without pre-ordering), as well as delicious spicy prawns, orange chicken and wonderful vegetable dishes. Appetizers are wonderful and copious--be careful because after eating the spare ribs, you can find yourself too full for your main course! Even the desserts are great--a surprising and very tasty tiramisu! One cannot write about Shun Lee without mentioning the service--always superb! There is a host of attentive waiters and captains to answer every need. You don't have to wait a moment before someone is there. Nice wines by the glass and perfect cocktails.

I love Chinese food and chin chin is closed and let me tell you this is just as good if not better. The food was clean tasting. The crispy prawn was excellent. The food is good and the menu has a good variety of choices. Just good!!

Mostly standard menu, food not warm enough, prices high, service slow. We came esrly -- 6 PM -- but nevertheless just made our 8 PM curtain across the street.

Cannot go wrong with the Duck and Plum sauce wrapped in Chinese fajita, delicious! Prawns are big and succulent. Service (Alex Wong is great!) is always accommodating and professional.

This restaurant has an outstanding decoration, which is worth seeing. Great Chinese food including a very tasty sweet and sour soup. But place is quite pricey!

WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS RESTAURANT FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS. Always the best Chinese food we ate in NYC and many of the over 50 countries we visited including China, Taiwan, Singapore, Bali and many more. Great food, superb attention by well trained waiters.

first visit post-COVID, our go-to place for 40? years, twice a month, used to be an outing to look forward to and treat out of town friends at. Shabby now, the meandering glass panel ceiling light fixture hasn’t been cleaned in dogs’ years; attentive, uniformed service under a couple of “drill sergeants” gone, as is the table-side carved duck. Drinks and meals service slow, a couple of nearby diners complained about their food arriving cold, as did my partner’s prawns… They lost it. And us. Have been regulars at Peking Duck House. No looking back.

When Shun Lee Palace opened, I remember it's decor as being one of the things that set it apart from other "Chinese restaurants"..........and it still looks the same way. Service is always great. I get the sense that the menu is the same as it was 30 years ago.....a little formulaic, a little heavy, a little expensive.........but reliable. It's good to know what you're going to get. It's in the neighborhood. We like to go there.

Shun Lee Palace is expensive, but if you enjoy an elegant atmosphere and attentive service, this place is for you. I'm sure there are places in chinatown and other neighborhoods where the food is as good and less expensive, but most likely the surroundings will not be elegant, so if that is important to you, the Palace is your place. Of course, the neighborhood is lovely also, further contributing to the price. All in all, the experience is one of graciousness and refinement.

Shun Lee is not cheap but the food, ambience and warm welcome makes up for the price. Ant on Trees, the lamb and Chinese Fish taco's are favourites of ours. Children are welcome and it feels like an up market neighbourhood destination restaurant . We always go to Shun Lee on the first night of our visit to NYC and pretend we are Upper West residents !

I ordered the grand marnier prawns and a mai tai. Both were terrible. The prawns came covered in a white floury sauce and the drink tasted awful. Not worth the cab fare and food cost. Management wouldn't adjust anything.

Decor, food and service are great and we rotate between here and Shun Lee West. Today we were 4 for lunch and it was terrific as the restaurant is quiet and we had 6 appetizers that they shared to our plates and served that way. Wonderful.

The atmosphere and staff were very friendly. Hot and Sour soup was excellent. General Tso chicken was lacking in flavor. The main problem I experienced was the waiter asked if I preferred white rice or fried rice and I requested fried. I assumed that meant a little side to go with my main course. Instead an entire plate of fried rice arrived to the additional cost of $26.50. That brought my total check for one person to $81.00 I am appalled that these kind of tactics are used to pad the bill. I will never go back to this restaurant.

We enjoyed a first rate celebratory dinner recently to commemorate the finish of the New York marathon at Shun Lee on W. 65th Street. This well-known Chinese restaurant (with a sister restaurant on E. 55th St.) is not far from Lincoln Center; an attentive but never intrusive staff provide 5-star service & delicious food artfully presented in a refined atmosphere. In addition to all the expected Chinese classics, they have a nice list of house specialties, one of which is called “ants on a tree,” which we had. This is sizzling beef bits in a spicy garlic sauce with cellophane noodles over greens. Superb! The wonton soup is some of the best I’ve ever had and their Peking duck rocks! Full bar, too. Right next door they offer a dim sum at Shun Lee Cafe. Popular with the Lincoln Center “after the show” dinner crowd as well as local celebrities, this place is far more expensive than most Chinese restaurants but well worth it. Recommended!

Waitress was not pleasant to start off with and not attentive at all. Non existent at the midpoint of our meal. Neglected to offer any crispy wonton noodles as they did all other tables. To start we ordered the vegetable spring roll which was nothing more than a grease stick. Main course was two of their "specialty items", dry sautéed shredded beef and the crispy prawns with XO sauce. Both dinners lacked anything to be considered a specialty. We could have gotten the same from an Asian fast food location for $100.00 less. Based on the exceptionally poor meal and worse service I opted to not tip. Shun Lee opted to add a tip to my credit card bill after we left, which I found out days later when the bank charge came through. I strongly do not recommend this restaurant.

We enjoyed a relaxed lunch here after a tiring morning. Service was excellent and low-key. Food was first class although one dish was forgotten.

Very pricey for food that doesn’t justify the prices. Helpful staff but I was rather put out when they questioned the size of the tip we left. We left what we felt was reasonable- I’m not new to NYC! Didn’t like that attitude and won’t return

We were so excited to have this restaurant open here on the upper East side. Once it opened it was a great disappointment. It is not even close to being as good as the one on the west side. They have very few dumplings and they are merely adequate. A big problem is, and this is a neighborhood not a place where the tourists go as they do on the west side as the restaurant is Opposite Lincoln Center, You cannot mix and match dumplings. So if four of one kind is offered that’s what you are stuck with and then if you want a few different ones you have to be able to eat 12 of them! They also have a special dumpling price on the weekends to draw a business. As I have said this is a neighborhood and that really doesn’t go over with people. The space is very pretty and the staff is very accommodating to the best of their ability.

Delivery during Virus.............has been terrific. Fast and Hot. We keep ordering the same thing. Shrimp Dumplings, Duck Egg Roll, Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce, Cold Noodles. EXCELLENT. Frankly, way better than it used to be.

Traditional and nice place... for many years keeps on delivering its wonderfully made dishes ... will continue to sample it from time to time...

We always had excellent quality food prior to our dinner memorial day weekend. We were very disappointed with the flavor although the service was excellent. Later we were told the restaurant changed ownership in the past year.

We wanted excellent Chinese food for lunch and we weren't disappointed! A little pricey, but a very nice atmosphere, very good food and very attentive wait staff. No question that we would get an excellent Chinese meal. We will return when next in the Big Apple

Mediocre at best, very small portions, just ok food but good service. Restaurant is old and run down with the exception of the paper mache dragon.

Absolutely generic Chinese food. $22 drink had not a drop of alcohol in it. Not worth the money for the food or service. Don’t bother!

No difference in food than the average Chinese restaurant. The wait staff are good but they communicate in Chinese mostly.

Went here with best friend had apps, soup, egg rolls, sea bass and "ants climbing tree" beef noodle dish. Very good. Fairly pricey at $39 per entree. $10 for cup of Won Ton soup. $7 for 2 egg rolls. Very tasty. Excellent service

We made a reservation via Open Table related to positive reviews in Trip Advisor. This is a really superb Chinese restaurant in NY. Hot and sour soup and veggie dumplings were perfect. We ordered Peking duck, shredded beef, vegetables and Szechuan style Shrimps. All was tasty and classy. Peking duck was the best. We paid not so much for such perfect Chinese. Let' s make a reservation and try.

Very convenient to our hotel, the Carvi. Expensive but excellent quality and variety. More like Chinese food dining rather than simply eating. Nice atmosphere and a real treat.

We ordered too much when we saw the size of the portions. The variety of offerings was huge. Sauces were delectable.

Had chicken and three nuts. Enjoyed it very much. Funny server and good atmosphere. We had pan fried dumpling app also. Would come back.

The location is very convenient and the food and service were excellent. We enjoyed dumplings, a chicken and a beef dish each was tasty, well prepared and plated with good spicing.The dining room is exotic with a huge illuminated golden dragon wrapping around the room which has black and red accents.

This windowless room is enlivened by a remarkable fabric dragon that encircles the ceiling. Despite its steeply ovepriced menu, Shun Lee is very popular thanks to its location in an area (Lincoln Center) that needs more options. At minimum ask for a booth even if you are only two since the table arrangement is awkward. While polite and cheerful, service is chaotic and harried--not the fault of the servers but a result of too small a staff. There are few amenities--no tea or even a bottle of soy sauce. And with the expceptionally bland food served in appetizer portions, a few extra would go a long way.

Very good food, very expensive but worth it. Very formal tables and waiters. Traditional food fresh and well presented. Lots of celebrities and Famous people there. Have a lichee but martini. All dishes are excellent. It's a real NYC experience.

This was a delightful place for great Chinese food. The hot and sour soup, the Shanghai rolls were excellent. Be sure to get the grand marnier prawns! We ordered within 5 min and our food was out in 15 minutes. Great place to linger with comfortable seating as well. We will be back!

White table cloth chinese food done very well. Peking duck is outstanding as are most items on the menu. Prices are expensive, so there may be better value elsewhere, but service and quality are top notch.

Overrated for quality and price. There are other chinese establishments which has better food. Service is great. Food is OK.

This lovely setting in Midtown has an exquisite menu matched by impeccable service. "Spicy" is sharp and piquant but does not sear your mouth for the rest of the meal. The wonton soup was a delicious treasure chest.