Good experience, a bit enclosed but cozy. The service is not the friendliest. They are fine though. The place doesn’t boast a sense of community, but usually filled with people reading and studying, which is good in its own right.

Giovanni Correa-Quinones

Went here last week and loved how quick and delicious the food was! We got the pan fired dumplings with the rice and beef that came with scallions.

Joanne

So good! I came here with my brother and we got the bbq pork buns, orange chicken, and xiaolongbao. It was really good and the portions are amazing.

Alice Monge

Very good food! The dipping sauce was very flavorful. A really recommend the dim sum ✨

Ryan lum

The pork soup dumps was a SOLID NINE OUT OF TEN. Was not expecting to walk in here but they had a solid deal of $6.95 for the pork soup dumps specifically. You get 6 in one order. I know what you’re thinking, they look alittle sweaty but they’re good! Temp was perfect where it wasn’t burning your mouth. The skin of the dumpling was nice and thin. Soup was rich, can’t complain. Match this was a coke and it’s the perfect recipe. I got 2 orders. Only down side is that I wish they spaced them out alittle more. They got stuck together . Did loose like 3 dumps that fell apart. Just a rinky dinky place. Unsure if I’ll go back for anything more than the dumps but it was a vibe. They need to get new menus. I saw ALOT of orders fly out there. They must be doing something right

Karen

Spent a rainy day in NYC and found this gem along the way. As soon as we walked in, we noticed how pretty and clean the place was. We were immediately seated, and our food came quickly. (Our waiter was very attentive!) — We tried the pickled cucumbers (they were crispy and sweet but with a bit of a kick), the spicy & sour soup (great!) as well as the sweet potato noodle soup (a rich filling beef broth with noodles. Delish). We also ordered crab & pork soup dumplings, wonton with chili oil, pork buns, and crispy noodles with pork. Each dish was full of flavor and generous portions. Four hungry adults had more food than we could eat! I am glad we walked in and hope to be back again soon!

benjilavas

We had scallion pancakes and they were so good we ordered seconds. Extremely yummy dumplings! The atmosphere was good and cute decor. Service was very quick—they let us know how much time each thing would take which was very nice. Good vegetarian options as well.

Andrew M

Food is affordable for the area, and the quality is solid. My last takeout order was ready in just 5mins after placing the order in-person. Their Grubhub page has been malfunctioning recently (always saying they're closed when they're not), so I can't order delivery, but the service is so fast I don't mind too much.

Kana Higuchi

I’m by no means a dim sum expert as I only started having it a few years ago, but I think 3 Times is a solid spot and I find myself returning here for lunch often. Our holy trinity is 1) crystal shrimp dumplings 2) scallion pancake wrapped beef 3) sticky rice shao mai. All 3 are exceptional, but I think the crystal shrimp dumplings are noteworthy. The glass skin is sticky, the shrimp is snappy, and there is a nice sesame oil flavor to the filling. Previously I tried the pan fried buns and the wontons in chili oil. I didn’t enjoy them as the pork filling in both were too clumpy and meaty. There is a big menu, most of which I haven’t had a chance to try because we always seem to return to our holy trinity, but I’m curious about their soup dumplings! Despite not all of their dishes being hits, I still highly recommend this spot as it’s easy to get a table here without a reservation, the service is great, and the food that I usually order has been consistently tasty.

Danielle Mathis

Party of 3 and everything was delicious! Pork soup dumplings, Chicken soup dumplings, pan fried pork dumplings, pan seared egg and chive pancake, pork wontons in chili oil, and red bean puffs were ordered. Everything was cooked perfectly, the service was great, and it wasn't very loud so you could hear the people you were dining with! Will absolutely go back!

+1

Paulo Loreto Lim

Food was fine. A wide selection of entrees to choose from, including lots of dumplings and others types of dim sum. The soup dumplings were good but they could've used more soup, but the shrimp dumplings and shumai were tasty.

C C

One of the best soup dumplings you will find in the city. The service is nice, good dining vibes, not too busy for Sunday morning. The crab soup dumplings and pork soup dumplings are both phenomenal. Wraps are not too thick and juice is flavorful. Also recommend fried buns (pork + cabbage), braise beef, nanjin duck (brined flavor), and beef pancake.

+3

Victor

Definitely a relatively pricy asian restaurant but serves up absolutely delicious food. Ordered the pork wrapped in tofu skins and really loved the texture of the silky tofu with the nice meatiness inside. Comes with a nice flavorful broth. Also ordered the spicy seafood wontons and these are a really highlight. Really nice firm filling and well filled with a delicate paper thin wrapper. Doused in chili oil that wasn’t overly spicy but full of flavor from the peppercorn. Also ordered the signature soup dumplings which came with 1 of each of their soup dumplings. These are definitely good and I love the variety but definitely not on par with the best soup dumplings I’ve had. The fried pea shoots was delicious albeit quite expensive. Nice garlic flavor with a soft inside and slightly crispy outside. Service was quick although I came at a not very popular time which helped. Prices overall on the higher side but still worth it if you’re looking for some signature asian dishes.

Eric Ho

They have two locations here in NYC. They serve up very authentic Chinese food at reasonable prices. The soup dumplings are incredible and my favorite dish was probably the egg plant. Stock up on their frozen dumplings too by going on their website and ordering online this winter!

+2

Chia-Yi Cheng

A casual eatery serving bun, noodle, dumpling, rice, and soup etc. A CHEAPER and BETTER version of Pinch (SoHo). The vegan bun is probably the best I've had in NYC: the filling is elegantly seasoned chopped bok choy, glass noodle, tofu, mushroom.. The wrap is a bit sticky for a native bun eater but not a big deal. The pork bun is decently good but not amazing. The wonton soup is another delight: light yet flavorful broth with many (almost too many) wontons. The price is very reasonable for the quality and portion of the food. I am so happy to find this authentic eatery in the neighborhood. I've been back several times and tried many dishes and the quality is consistently good. I hope they will keep the good work!

+14

Black Cat LES has an inconspicuous storefront for a Lower East Side cafe. once through the door, the interior opens up into a surprisingly medium/large space. it’s well-maintained and clean. the vibe is very community living room with a variety of seating options. lots of laptop-pers & tablet-ers at work when here last. there’s WiFi for those who need it. there are live events at night like music, readings, comedy, etc. there’s a variety coffee & tea drinks on the menu as well as variety of simple savory eats like sandwiches, toasts, and bagels. got a large drip coffee to fight a chilly weekday off with hot caffeine and it did the job. strong coffee, nice caffeine kick. it was a huge cup of coffee and it warmed up and sped up my walk of endless errands in the neighborhood. the staff is very chill and kind. cafes like this are becoming the rarity in NYC. cherish the neighborhood gems.

Black Cat LES isn’t your average coffee shop it feels like a living room for the Lower East Side. From the mismatched couches to the community events, there’s an unpolished charm that makes you want to linger. Their coffee hits the mark strong, unpretentious, and always fresh. I love that it doubles as a coworking space by day and a creative hub by night. It’s the kind of spot where conversations flow easily, and everyone feels like a regular.

Jack Maguire

Drawn in by the enticing sign advertising soup dumplings for $6.95, I couldn't resist venturing inside to confirm the price with the server. Upon their confirmation, I eagerly ordered two portions and was delighted by the quality and value of these delectable little parcels. Each dumpling was generously filled with a flavorful broth and tender, fatty, well-seasoned pork. The flavors were well-balanced, and the textures were complementary, with the soft dumpling skin contrasting nicely with the savory filling. The dumplings were well-executed, with the ingredients tasting fresh and cooked just right. The portion size was also appropriate for the price, making it an excellent value. While the service was a bit brusque, it didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the meal. The ambiance was casual and unassuming, providing a comfortable setting for a quick bite. There was no wait time, which was a plus. Overall, I would recommend this place for their delicious and affordable soup dumplings, despite the slightly curt service.

Regina Riem

The food was good for a small cafe. It's a good place to stop in for a quick bite and a step up from a fast food joint. The crab roe soup dumpling was good and the fried chicken wings were fried to perfection. The latter was sprinkled with chili flakes, but it was more garnish than spicy. The only downside to the cafe was the lack of A/C. It was hotter than a billy goat with a blowtorch outside; inside, it felt like we were sitting in lukewarm water.

Miranda Liu

Please order their fried rice!!! It’s fantastic!!!! The pork soup dumplings are good, but the dumpling skin is a bit thick. The last time I come here there’s only one server and I kept waiting to be served for a long time. They provided better service than the last time I visited ( a lot better, tbh), so I guess I would visit again.

+1

Louie

Solid USQ Chinese spot! I don’t consider this spot strictly dim sum, so I tried their other dishes. So I got the dry pepper chicken (great), pork soup dumplings (ok), salt and pepper ribs (also ok), Shanghai fried noodles with pork (really loved this), and the scallion pancake with beef (will be back for this). Decent portions for what you pay for, considering the location

Sharon Man

We went to "three times" on a Saturday at lunchtime. There were still a few tables available. This place is counter service. They are clearly still figuring out their operations - some dishes were fast (tea drinks, house special noodles, beef rice), but others were slow since the bun steamer broke down - we were mostly done with our meal after 40 minutes and the buns still hadn't come out, so we asked for a refund. The woman at the cash register definitely had a hard job - she made tea drinks, made sure orders were coming out on time, and took orders and handled customer inquiries about how long they needed to wait for their dishes to come out. They have some lunch sets which make the drinks better values. The mango green tea was tasty. The house special noodles were a little plain - the homemade hot sauce helps. The slow stewed beef on rice was quite good - the meat was fall-apart tender and flavorful, which compensated for the kind of dry rice - the beef does make this one worth getting again. The the Shi Bing tong was also a bit bland so the sauces (dumpling sauce and hot sauce) also helped with that.

+2

Came here to work remotely. The place is super grungy with a cool vibe, the Barnstable isn't the warmest person but I didnt mind as its part of the underground "charm" of the place. My main issue was with the wifi- for a place that requires a purchase to get the password, I tried 3 different times and the internet was basically not existent. So if you're planning yo actually do some work- wouldn't recommend it.

Went on 10/5/2025 at 8:10 am and the Barista was just opening. Didn't start taking orders for another 10-15 minutes and was kind of rude. The latte when it finally came out was really good, I got the nutella latte which felt a little juvenile but she did great on that. Just got the bagel and it looks awesome so we'll see.

Lady Ace

Farabe and I came here for a quick lunch while we were in the area. Upon entry, the restaurant was empty except for the employees. The restaurant was clean and had a nice modern aesthetic to it. Towards the kitchen, you can see the staff cooking and making the hand pulled noodles. I ordered the seafood fried rice ($15) and was told it would be shrimp with crab meat. I was assuming actual crab meat but, was given a few flakes of intimation crab meat instead. The rice itself was bland and had no flavor. I requested some additional soy sauce and hot oil and that really spiced up the flavor profile. Farabe ordered the Shanghai fried noodles with chicken ($13). The noodles were delicious with the perfect amount of chew and saltiness. I would definitely come back again to eat this. The service was okay. They were efficient but, not really friendly. They only stopped by to take orders, drop off food and check. No one really checked in on us to see if we needed anything or how we were enjoying our food.

+5

The barista was extremely unfriendly, exhibiting passive-aggressive behavior and clearly hating her job (evident from her shouting at guests towards the end). I visited this cafe for an event, and when I ordered an iced matcha latte (and tipped), the barista was not only passive-aggressive but also impatient. She/they made me feel as though I couldn't speak English while I ordered, even though I have lived in the U.S. for 10 years, speak fluent English, and work in a communication-heavy job. Towards the end of the event at 9pm (despite the cafe's closing time being listed as 10pm), the barista shouted at everyone, saying, "The cafe was supposed to close an hour ago! Nobody is paying me for this hour! Please leave!" This was unprofessional and unacceptable behavior. No professional staff member should ever shout at guests. Despite paying for drinks and tipping, the experience was terrible. Based on this, I cannot recommend this cafe to anyone. If you are the business owner, please address this rude behavior that occurred on June 26 (Wednesday) during the night shift. Improving staff behavior is crucial for customer satisfaction and the reputation of your cafe.

This place needs to seriously think about when and what days they do open mic comedy shows as they are often intrusive and do not have a schedule posted online so that people know to avoid the business those days. For example I am here on a Tuesday where every table is someone here to work and the comedy club essentially has forced multiple people to move for their setup.

Barista made a very rude comment about not tipping after I had paid. This was very off putting and made for a less than ideal experience.

Very bad vibes here. There was only one employee working who was eventually rude and yelled at us and snatched our food away for accidentally taking the wrong order even though the ordering process was very chaotic and you had to guess if an item was yours when it came out. It was taking more than 20 minutes to get simple drinks out and I waited upwards of 30 minutes for a sandwich. Orders were disorganized and thrown out with no names attached which was very confusing. Food was ok although overpriced for the quality, but the rude and aggressive staff member made it a horrible experience. Would not recommend coming here.

The barista is *rude*. Idk if there are several but there is an older lady and does not put names on the coffees. So when people order the same kind of food or coffee they don’t know what belongs to who. Very uncomfortable. Poor customer service - she literally yells at customers. It also took over 30 min to get food