Very impressed with the wide variety of menu options and the very polite waiter. The food was delicious. Definitely would recommend.

Very nice interior vibes

Simply wonderful. Always a joy. An iconic NYC attraction. Great meal with over-the-top service

Even I, someone who is rather AGAINST Chinese food, really enjoy eating here. Bursting with a warm atmosphere and fast, friendly service, Shun Lee Palace also has great dishes. I especially love the mapo dofu.

Simply put, my favorite Chinese restaurant. The hot and sour soup is the best in nyc. The dim sum carts are amazing. Prices are much higher than a typical Chinese restaurant, but well worth the price.

Very good Chinese fare. We went there as a group at lunch and let them know that we have only 45 mins. Very efficient service, impressed at how quickly they got the dishes, we were done with a few minutes to spare!

Shun Lee is one of my go-to spots for home delivery on UberEats. I love their Wonton Soup and Beijing Pan Fried Dumplings. Overall my favorite dinner dish is the Fillet Mignon Hunan Style - fresh and tasty.

Very attentive staff. Catered to our every need and even more. Food was absolutely delicious. Try something new. Atmosphere amazing and calm. Presentation on the meal was wonderful.

A classic institution. The American Chinese food is done RIGHT, nothing overly sweet. Authentic things like MAPO Tofu has just the right amount of spice mala, very well done! I’ll be back soon!

Think this is the same Shun Lee in Master's of None. Expensive but yummy! Drinks were on point. Service was excellent. Had recommendations and was there enough to keep it flowing but not annoying. Will go back again.

We came in as a party of 7 on a corporate dinner. No one wanted to take charge of ordering so the waitress did it for us and we were very happy with the 3 courses she brought out.

The quintessential classic NY Chinese restaurant. Been here for years and will be here for many more. Fantastic service, terrific food. You will not be dissapointed

Always a delight. The Szechuan Shrimp are divine. I am also a big fan of their Filet Mignon with Hunan spices. They also serve the most delicious jasmine tea. My favorite Chinese restaurant in Manhattan.

Excellent ribs and seared scallops appetizer. Very good prawns in lobster sauce and Cantonese lobster in the shell. Amazing sauteed seasonal greens. Very good service. Room was full of old Lantsmen, like us. We will be back.

Waitstaff treated me very well, great atmosphere, EXCELLENT food (the duck especially, but the soup and other appetizers were fantastic) All in all one of the best restaurant experiences in New York I have had yet. It's a bit pricey but it is VERY worth it!

The food and the service are both excellent here, replete with old New York charm. The szechuan fish is about as good as it gets, if that is your thing. And if it's not, you can ask the waiter to get you anything that you can think of and it will be prepared for you. It might be pricey but it really sets itself apart (as opposed to Mr. Chao).

The sliced Szechuan beef was good. Cost a lot more than it would elsewhere (roughly 3 times) but I enjoyed the experience overall given the atmosphere: fancy and in the Sunday afternoon I was there very quiet; just me and a couple of feet away an older couple. Sometimes it's good to have a place to be alone.

As a long time client, can't believe how bad today's experience was. Table so dark it was necessary to use cell phone flashlight. Service so slow I chose to take main course home Won ton soup served in a cup so small it was necessary to remove the bowl from its plate in order to use a knife and fork to deal with the won tons and pork and shrimp (all of which were so tough it was a struggle). Sad to see a great restaurant fall to such depths.

BEST CHINESE FOOD EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. The Walnut Chicken, Crispy Szechuan Beef, and the CHOCOLATE - YES CHOCOLATE! fortune cookies cannot be compared to - EVER. One of my all-time favorite places in NYC :0) THANK YOU

Went here with a friend who had good memories of the duck. The food did not disappoint. Very good food. Very friendly and attentive service. Highly recommend.

There is just no comparison, classic upscale (read: $$$$$) uptown Chinese NYC spot. Delicious food, outstanding service, and very classic vibes. The Beijing duck is beyond delicious and served elegantly. Can not recommend highly enough.

Pretty good Chinese food in a formal setting

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.

Beautiful interior, good food, and great service! Great place to catch up with some friends! The music was low enough that we could all hear each other easily even when the dining room was full, and the ambience was top tier. I especially liked the Chilean sea bass, Singaporean noodles, fresh lychee, and matcha ice cream. Everything was good, but those dishes really stood out. Also has a great selection for vegetarian and gluten free options!

Great ambiance and tasty Asian fusion food to share. Crispy beef was cooked very well, super crispy without feeling oily. Great vibes and good for large groups

Nice ambience and delicious food! Definitely want to check out the other location on the west side

+1

Not only was the food delicious, but the service was top-notch. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. 10/10 experience!

Very tasty food and nice atmosphere. Service was friendly and quick. Will definitely be coming back!

Li ying Chen

Quite a nice authentic Chinese restaurant, the food here is amazing and the interior is truly special, a truly upscale NYC restaurant. The only con would be the price, but then again every restaurant in that area is too

Raymond Chen

I came here with a group of friends for a bday and let me say the food and service were extremely top notch. I ordered a bunch of dishes, my favorites were definitely the walnut shrimp, the sea bass and the Mongolian sizzling beef plate. Everything was fresh, food was brought out at a timely matter. I ordered their cocktails too 4 different ones, my favorite may be their Singapore sling. If yall want a taste of authentic Chinese food this is your spot. I can say it taste like home.

+4

Ricky

I came to this spot many times a few years back, but I was worried about how the food would be after the renovation...but I have to say, it was worth it. Restaurant looks much more aesthetic than before, and the food still remains one of the few authentic spots in the area. My only con is the price, but overall, the food is pretty good.

chun lin

Been coming to Shun Lee Palace for about 15 years. It’s still the most authentic Chinese spot in the neighborhood. The renovation looks great — nice lighting, comfy vibe, and a more upscale feel. We stopped by on Christmas Day and ended up sitting at the bar. The food was great as always, the host was professional, and the bartender was super friendly. The place was packed — we just wish the neighborhood supported them more on regular days too. For an upscale Chinese restaurant, this is all you can ask for.

Hailey Lin

We had a wonderful experience at Shun Lee Palace on Christmas Day. Even though they were very busy on Christmas Day, everyone was kind, patient, and welcoming. The service never felt rushed, and the staff stayed friendly throughout. The food was delicious and well prepared. A great place with great people—will definitely be back.

Crissy Adkinson

Love this restaurant. The food is top notch and service is stellar.

Jacob Pearlman

Ate here and loved it! Probably was there for 30 minutes, quick and efficient. You don’t have to wait forever for your food but it’s not like they are pushing you out. That’s not even the best part, the food is amazing. Probably the best Lo Mein I’ve ever had. I feel as if some Chinese restaurants are rapidly declining in quality. Not this place! The building itself is beautiful as well. I would recommend it to all, and I’m definitely coming back.

B Fisher

Wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a great surprise. Reminded me of what I always imagined as a traditional New York Asian restaurant. Loved the General's Chicken and the amazing Egg Drop soup. May swing by and get another order. Very prompt and polite service.

+3

Alan B.

Delicious food with large portions, the plates to the left in the picture is one order split in half for two people. The Staff is friendly and professional.

Pricey mediocre Chinese food with just barely OK service for the price. Zagat needs to update this location rating - it was a bad surprise/must have gone down hill. Tried it again and had to lower the food rating.

Attentive and helpful service. Good quality well done dishes. Great old school feel. All in all the 4 of us left happy and full.

Excellent Chinese grub! Pricey, but bot so much by NYC standards.

We get their wonton soup, Orange chicken and assorted veggies with black bean sauce. All taste good!! They validate parking after 5pm if you park at the Owensmouth parking structure, which is a short walk to the restaurant. But, you have to spent $45, which is easy these days. This place is always busy and it is your typical chinese restaurant vibe, quick service, but not warm.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. My former favorite has slipped dramatically. The food is no longer superb, now it's overpriced. They removed the best dish, the honeyed baby spare ribs and the once impeccable service is not so impeccable anymore.

Had the Mongolian Lunch special. The beef was good quality and it was prepared well. This is a solid choice for reliable Chinese American fare.

Chinese New Year's Eve for a set price luncheon at Shun Lee Palace was quite pleasant. Shun Lee Palace is a traditional Chinese restaurant in Midtown East, and they have been around since 1971. Shun Lee Palace is an upscale Chinese restaurant where the decor is fine and detailed, but not over the wall too much. The staff was plentiful and quite pleasant. They all smiled and greeted us like we were regular customers. They made us felt at esse and welcomed, and they assured ua the meal would be enjoyable. My friend had ordered the Chinese New Year's Eve luncheon special for the 3 of us. There was adequate food for the 3 of us, and we even had a dogyy bag to go. The food was good, but nothing to write home about, and the taste was catered to western taste. The food was fresh. As far as the dessert goes, it was only so so. 1 more point of interest: i was informed the bathrooms (ladies) are an experience not to be missed, because the toilets are so so low, they are about the height of of pre school toddler's chairs. Btw, Shun Lee Palace also participates in the NYC Restaurant Week, which is going on until Friday, February 8th. Kung Hay Fat Choi, and a healthy and prosperous Happy Chinese New Year of the Pig.

Pricey, white table cloth, upscale traditional Chinese restaurant offering quality service. Food is decent.

Upscale over priced Americanized Chinese food. The extra star is because of the decor.

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.

Decor was well designed and the food was great. My only negative was the fact that all the employees (and I mean about a dozen or so) were standing around practically watching us eat. Granted it was really slow at the time we went in, but it felt really awkward.

A New York Institution. It’s off the beaten path but easy to get to. The portions are large so recommend ordering a few dishes and sharing family style. We tried lamb, chicken, seafood and veggie dishes with thumbs up all round. It is on the pricy side but still worth it.

RAM IMAGERY

Of all Chinese restaurants without a doubt, this has the most delicious, unique & different Chinese food. Flavorful, great presentation & perfect portions. The staff is overly friendly, warm & welcoming. The decor is aweful! Is old, bad 80s decor & cheap looking. A good renovation with great Chinese decor will make this an exciting experience ! It is pricey but it's also worth it. Recommend it a lot.

+7

Incredibly expensive but the food was virtually anything you could get at a regular Chinese restaraunt but nice staff and nice looling place so its up to you

A reliable - and reliably expensive - east side Chinese restaurant serving the Fifth and Park Avenue crowds. Nothing extraordinary or inventive; just good. And - did I mention? - expensive. Try the duck rolls and the crispy sautéed shredded beef.

I was craving for American Chinese food in a nice restaurant so it fulfilled that. But the food isn’t very special. The place has lots of long time fans though (esp in older generation)

Only reason we went here was for the General Tso chicken (they call it something else) as one of the first places to have served them and still around. It was good and we didn't mind the price so much as we went here for the experience. The service was good. However, other food were not up to the mark. We ordered Dan Dan noodles and Beijing fried dumplings and were not that great. Rice served with the General Tso chicken was terrible. Given the prices, thought other things were not worth it. Follow Instagram @SirDiceEatsALot for more food posts and reviews.

On top of the mediocre food, I couldn’t believe how rude the service was even though originally we were only one of 3 tables—treated every request like it was an inconvenience. Not sure why, since every item we added makes their tip go up exponentially! $38 for shrimp with mayo on it? I didn’t like the fact that the server dropped a menu on the floor and placed it on my kids clean napkin, or that he had wiped his nose with his hand after setting ours. I don’t mind paying for good quality food, but with so many amazing Chinese establishments at half the cost I don’t know how this place has survived. Are UWS residents just not used to good food maybe?

The bun is broken,they still bring it to the table. The soup is out make the dish looks dirty. Price is over than service and food

The service was great however it is not really kid friendly restaurant. They do not have high chairs and they did not have a changing table on the restroom, as well as many items on their menu were spicy. Overall for just adults the food taste great and the service was excellent. I would restaurant just without children.

This place used to be a treat! It wasn’t something you could have regularly because it was a bit too heav- but I’m done with this place! The food is just not good anymore - at least for delivery. Stay away - not worth the money.

I cannot recommend this place, food is expensive and lacks flavor and quality. There are better Chinese restaurants out there. The only positive note was the service, it was good.

Had lunch there with a friend. Iced tea tasted like wine (stale?) and they had to change it. Ordered 3-course lunch special. For appetizer, a scallop dish looked decent to me but they said they were out of it so I had to order a more normal sweet-and-sour soup. The entree of fish fillet was decent. Close to the end of the hour, they informed me that they didn't have the almond tofu for desert any more and I had to get the only other choice, pineapple. Why put things you don't have on lunch special menu and charge a hefty?!

This restaurant is so expensive I am amazed it is still has customers. There is no menu outside, so the first time you see the outrageous prices ($30 for a main) you have already ordered a drink, and feel obliged to stay. Staff were friendly, but not attentive, I saw them leave the table of someone who was literally in the middle of asking them about the menu at least 4 times. Portion sizes were good and food was OK, nothing that could warrant the ridiculous prices of the menu items and certainly not the best Chinese food I have ever eaten, which is what I would expect for the price.

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.

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.

We were seated in a side area of the restaurant. My friend that is a little bit over 6' tall barely had any head clearance. The waitress was extremely impatient and borderline hostile. When we opened the menus, I went into shock. I understand that a midtown restaurant is going to be pricey but these prices were outrageous. This was the most expensive Chinese food that I had ever seen in my life.

Unfortunately the 2 stars wasn't for the food. I give the food we ate an 8. The two stars is for the server. Initially she was okay apologizing for greeting but once my dinner companion came back from the restroom it took longer for her to come back. I chose this place because the options for restaurant week looked interesting. When asked about that menu I was told I don't know what that is but to try and sell me on a 90 per plate was okay. Eventually she said oh the special. She was quick to tell me "everything will come out when its ready" Patrons that were next to use were talked to and greeted quickly. Towards the end I had to ask about the desert which was told to me ice cream or pineapple. If you don't want to participate in Restaurant Week then don't but if you do present that menu along with your everyday menu. My money is just as good whether I spend 42 a person or 90 a person. For future reference parties of two are more likely to tip more than a group of 5 to 10 when gratituty isn't added. I will not be coming back sadly but hopefully the midwest location doesn't act like that.

William Schlueter

I loved this place 10 years ago when I worked in/around NYC and I was very disappointed. It smelled like mildew/mold and the dumplings tasted like they were warmed up in the microwave. We cashed out after.

Ivan Solas

I've not had the pleasure to enjoy their food during their presumed golden era. Nowadays, in my one-time-and-never-again experience, this restaurant rates among the worst Chinese food I've ever had. Items tagged as spicy are not even mild, and, overall, the food taste was so underwhelming. This is regardless of the hefty check. If we consider the price we paid for each dish, then this is borderline robbery.

Mahesh Paolini-Subramanya

Upscale, pricey, and meh. 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...

Food very expensive. Customer service non-existing. They write down the tip for you, at 20%, because they are union, was their explanation. Also, quality of food is just OK, nothing to remember.

As a Chinese, I would say the food quality is really bad. Not recommended at all, if u r hunting for real food, but not greasy sweet American Chinese. Ruined my day!

once I came here and ordered mapo tofu, and I could feel that the ingredient in it is not fresh. And there are a lot of sugar in each dishes.

Horrible greasy food when when we complained instead of offering something else waiter started yelling at us we were in a shock in a upscale restaurant we asked for manager he never came space is so small they keep bumping in our chairs never go back again when we tried to order a dish off menu waiter told us how many times we told you we don’t carry it it’s expensive and waste of my hard earned money

We have been coming to this reataurant for 30+ years but will not be back. It used to be our absolute favorite. We did get seated in the back area which we like and the sizzling rice soup and accompanying noodes were great. Then, came the disappointment. SAUTEED PEA SHOOTS describved as Tender snow peas shoots sauteed with garlic. We asked the waiter if these were snow peas as we know them which are flat. It came out and looked like and tasted like spinach. I espressed my disappointment and did not eat it, but the waiter offered nothing in return and charged full for the dish. Disappointment number two was DRY SHREDDED CRISPY BEEF described as Shredded beef sauteed until crispy, served in a tangy spicy sauce. We asked that it be made extra spicy. It was not at all spicy, loaded with carrots for some reason and the beef was very dried out and not at all appetizing. Again returned most of it and again, no question from waiter if all was good. We understand dishes do not come out great all the time, but do not understand the very poor customer service. spicy

My expectations weren't high bc I did read the previous negative reviews. I wanted to see for myself. Well..the food was horrible, my local takeout place is way better. I ordered a Manhattan.. that too was a disappointment.

This was once a terrific albeit traditional fave spot ... Menu sadly not keeping up... No gluten free section or noted items... Just very ordinary and disappointing because not keeping up, so truly not on my list anymore.

The worst szechuan shrimps , worst service and they were asking for 15-20% tips at the end. Soup or szechuan shrimps were not spicy at all. Atmosphere is like 1990’s or even worst.

I am so sad. Went to Shun Lee tonight as it used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Food was INEDIBLE. Panda Express would have been better. My $38 shrimp dish must have been prepared days ago and ice cold broccoli was put on top. Given my long history there, I may give it a shot again. I hope they read this review

The service would have been great if it didn't feel like the server was hovering the entire time ... there were times when he stood directly behind me and just stared. He was nice but it felt creepy. The food was definitely not worth the price. It was bland and, at times, the chicken was rubbery. Not good at all. Would not recommend, a cruddy Chinese restaurant in NYC... who knew?

I was very disappointed with the food and I will not be returning. The menu;s were dirty and with stains all over. Also, they have carpet on the floor through out the dinning area and thats a BIG NO NO. I arrived right when they opened and noticed food particles every where near near our table. Scale of 1- 10 A BID ZERO. Better chinese restruants in NYC- stay away from this one.

The food was the most disgusting thing ever. Feel terrible spending so much money for such terrible food and wouldn’t even give one star. Do not even think about ordering from here. If I wasn’t far away I would bring everything back and watch them eat what they sold.

My husband and I were there last night for pre theater. We have been going there for 35 years and have had 3 special celebrations there- always very special. Last night we were the "only couple" in the restaurant, the air conditioning was not functioning (it was 90 degrees) and everything was way off. We left before our dinner came. It wasn't a good experience.

Waitress was not pleasant to start off with and not attentive at all. Non existent by the midpoint of our meal. Neglected to offer any crispy wonton noodles as they did 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 the 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.

Fatty, overpriced duck with zero taste. The hot‑and‑sour soup wasn’t sour at all. When I sent it back, they handed me a packet of vinegar just so they could still charge for it. Total rip‑off. Every other Chinese restaurant in Midtown tastes better and costs about half the price.

Farangis Habib

We were put on waiting list after waiting for 45 min , they said we have no place decided to order for take away , they said will be ready in 20 min it took 70 min to get the food to take home , they were rude only one front desk girl apologized . Uber was waiting for us 15 min after they said food it is ready and is getting packed , it was a terrible experience, food was not great once reached home . There are better places that we had been to . They don’t care since they have a lot of visitors who are new and get there . This is our second time there bad !

XIANG LIN

The checkout service here is excellent. I was planning to come here for dinner with my family today, but they ignored us for a long time, saying they were busy and then hung up on me. You have a very good employee. You'll have a thriving business! 👍

Adam Befeler

Been coming here since the 1980’s. Have so many family memories and celebratory birthdays and events at Shun Lee. Just came in and spent a hour waiting for the appetizers to come out. Children fell asleep at the table before food arrived. There were 9 total tables of diners in the restaurant. No appologies. The food tasted rushed and possibly reheated. Extremely low quality. So disappointing to watch your childhood hero restaurant disintegrate into something awful. Poor quality food, enormous wait for appetizers with no contact by waitstaff, and very disappointing experience. Was embarrassed to show my children this place. 40 years later and it’ll be my last time.

Joan Gellis

We used to love this place! My dad used to eat there once a week before he retired! I don’t know what has happened to it in the last 2 years! The food has gone downhill while the prices keep going up! We used to always get the dry shredded crispy beef! The last 2 times it was soggy, tough crispy beef! I don’t understand what has happened! Are there new chefs? Are there new owners? Please bring the old Shun Lee back!

Maria Wartski

I’m giving this place a 1 star because there’s no (0) to rate. Went there yesterday and order the duck that must of been refrigerated for days and reheated. When they served us the duck was literally charred the meat had a bad smell. As for the rest of the food it was terrible!!! What a rip off this restaurant was. Will never ever eat there again. On Monday I’m calling the board of health because I was sick all night with a bad stomach. This Restautant was the one on the East 55st and 3rd. (Beware)

somecows

I ordered food from this place and it was terrible. Really bad. First of all, the white rice was bad. Didn’t even know that was possible. It tasted almost parboiled but at the very least, not fresh. Szechuan Prawns involved a few shrimp floating in about two cups of liquid. To me it seemed like someone had just cooked a few shrimp and poured store-bought sauce over them. Did not taste fresh and did not have good flavor. I can’t believe the restaurant charges $38 for this dish. Reviews are weird. I read so many great reviews of this place, read about it in the New York Times, and was so excited to try it. Is my opinion just really different than everyone else’s? Am I confused about what good Chinese food tastes like? All I can say is I grew up in NYC and spent many happy years eating delicious neighborhood Chinese. Shout out to Chef Ho’s on the UES. But I can’t find that anymore. All the Chinese I have tried over the past few years is worse than mall food.

L Joe

Not sure how the restaurant is still open. The food does not taste good at all. If your a foodie like me, avoid this restaurant it sucks. Only a non-cook who doesn't know what good food taste like will enjoy Shun Lee Palace. I think the Crispy Beef is rat. Its texture was very odd. I sent it back to the kitchen. They were not able to tell me what part of beef it was. That was not good. The atmosphere was very low vibrational and some of the male Asian waiters are rude. Not worth a dining visit.