Hop Kee Restaurant

(212) 964-8365

21 Mott St
New York, NY 10013 40.7142 -73.9989

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Neighborhoods: Chinatown, Downtown

seafood

Price:

$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

Cash

Restaurant Special Features:

Business Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Dim Sum, Vegetarian, Asian, Chinese

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Hop Kee Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

This Cantonese classic still serves the egg rolls, fried rice and spare ribs that New Yorkers loved before the discovery of more authentic Chinese foods. Archaic accents prevail, including fluorescent lighting, vinyl booths, waiters in worn-out uniforms--and copies of a 1978 Daily News article about the place stacked by the front door. Piping hot and piled-high Chinatown classics stream out of the busy kitchen. Regulars munch on Cantonese-style hard-shell crabs with a creamy egg-thickened sauce that's flavorful, but makes uncovering crabmeat cumbersome. Salted pork chops are crispy outside…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
This is a cash-only restaurant, with a required minimum charge of $6.50 per person.
What to Drink:
While the menu only lists a handful of sodas, Hop Kee is equipped with cold Tsingtao brews.
The Extras:
There's a secret "phantom" menu of Chinese specialties not usually offered to Americans. Ask for it.
ambiance
58.33000183105469% positive
  1. “They have great food and a great atmosphere, very homey.”
  2. “there is no "decor/ambiance" expect messy, fun, tasty, cheap eating with the”
  3. “Great chinese restaurant for those who have actually eaten in China, I got flashbacks the first time I came here; it's affordable, food is served hot and quick, and the atmosphere is chaotic.”
  4. “Food is delicious, service is quick, and location is great for visitors to Chinatown.”
  5. “Anyways, ambiance is not great, but its simple and clean, it could be worse.”
  6. “am a 30+ year patron here at this dirty ,dingy, loud, filthy bathroom, simple decor, cash only basement hole in the wall !”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The low rating is because there are thousands of great restaurants to choose from in New York and the bar should be raised higher.”
food quality
88.02000045776367% positive
  1. “Hop Kee serves the most delicious Chinese food I've ever eaten.”
  2. “They have great food and a great atmosphere, very homey.”
  3. “Hop Kee has amazing Chinese food and is conveniently located in Chinatown by other cute little stores.”
  4. “best seafood in Chinatown”
  5. “We highly recommend the shrimp with hot peppers, cantonese crab, and lomein.”
  6. “While it's true Hop Kee isnt much to look at, the food is the absolute best Chinese food you will ever eat in your life.”
  7. “You could get lost ina sea of mediocre food here, but if you know what to order you think you're in heaven.”
  8. “there is no "decor/ambiance" expect messy, fun, tasty, cheap eating with the”
  9. “They have the best seafood in Chinatown.”
  10. “The Chinese brocolli was one of the best vegetables I have ever had, and the porkchops were great, the sweet and sour pork was great as was everything else we had right down to the fried wontons!”
  11. “Hop Kee has the best Chinese food in Chinatown!”
  12. “The food is forever amazing!”
  13. “went with a group of 6, and the service was fast, the food was delicious, and the restaurant was clean.”
  14. “...It is the most authentic Cantonese food you will ever eat !”
  15. “But, the food was wonderful.”
  16. “The food comes in heaping amount plus it's cheap and tastes really good.”
  17. “We Know good food !”
  18. “But for authentic Chinese food and home-style service come to Hop Kee.”
  19. “took my date here for a first date and now, my husband loves their food more than I do LOL!”
  20. “Great food served quickly.”
  21. “Food is delicious, service is quick, and location is great for visitors to Chinatown.”
  22. “Great chinese restaurant for those who have actually eaten in China, I got flashbacks the first time I came here; it's affordable, food is served hot and quick, and the atmosphere is chaotic.”
  23. “Real good Asian cuisine.”
  24. “Okay, so the bathroom is a little scary and the milieu brings to mind an old diner or cafeteria, but simply put, the food here is the best.”
  25. “I'd highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys great chinese food!”
  26. “Try these dishes, you wont be disappointed: spicy beef chowfun, peking porkchops or salted porkchops, steak and broccoli, scallopes and snowpeas, and the crabs.”
  27. “But their prices are really reasonable and you get a lot of yummy food.”
  28. “hands down the best chinese food in chinatown.”
  29. “No matter what dish you order, you'll be treated to a tasteful delight like no other.”
  30. “recommend this highly for anyone who wants to experience an authentic Chinese restaurant where the focus is on extremely good but inexpensive food.”
  31. “love Chinese food and it's rare to find a place in Chinatown that doesn't have good Chinese food.”
  32. “Calamari and pork dishes were fantastic!”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “The service is wonderful, waiters are friendly, funny and attentive.”
  2. “But for authentic Chinese food and home-style service come to Hop Kee.”
  3. “One thing though, I really do not understand why people recommend the cantonese crabs.”
  4. “went with a group of 6, and the service was fast, the food was delicious, and the restaurant was clean.”
  5. “The helpful staff is definite Chinese old school and will help you pick something to your palette.”
  6. “Food is delicious, service is quick, and location is great for visitors to Chinatown.”
value
77.77999877929688% positive
  1. “there is no "decor/ambiance" expect messy, fun, tasty, cheap eating with the”
  2. “moved from New York in 1984 to Southeastern Massachusetts,and it is always worth the trip to Hop Kee,The steamed Dumplings are the best!”
  3. “recommend this highly for anyone who wants to experience an authentic Chinese restaurant where the focus is on extremely good but inexpensive food.”
  4. “The food comes in heaping amount plus it's cheap and tastes really good.”
  5. “But their prices are really reasonable and you get a lot of yummy food.”
  6. “Great chinese restaurant for those who have actually eaten in China, I got flashbacks the first time I came here; it's affordable, food is served hot and quick, and the atmosphere is chaotic.”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “Food is delicious, service is quick, and location is great for visitors to Chinatown.”
  2. “Great chinese restaurant for those who have actually eaten in China, I got flashbacks the first time I came here; it's affordable, food is served hot and quick, and the atmosphere is chaotic.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/03/11

awesome!

by katherine002

We always have to stop by HopKee when in NYC. Its in Chinatown a little cozy place. The food is awesome! I always order the sweet and sour chicken which is always great. The amount of food which is given is generous, good enough for dinner and lunch for the next day. The service is good. The same people have been working there forever! At times it is hard to get the waiters attention due to the amount of people but its nothing too bad. If ever in Chinatown definately give this place a try you will keep coming back, trust me!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/26/10

Historical Chinese Restaurant

by Athena Chang , Citysearch Contributor

Hop Kee is one of the oldest Cantonese restaurants in Chinatown. It is full of history and many famous people have dined here.

The food is quite good. They have two versions of menus. One is for Chinese people and the other is a modified version for non-Chinese. I personally think the menu is lacking and the American menu is quite a sellout. Overall though, I really like their beef chow fun. However, I was not so thrilled with the service or the sanitary condition of this restaurants.

1 Star Rating: Poor

04/23/10

STAY AWAY

by FlipNYC2010

THIS PLACE IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. IT IS COMPLETELY FILTHY, THE PEOPLE HAVE A NASTY DEMEANOR AND THEY LOOK NASTY - DIRTY AND DISGUSTING. THE FOOD WAS BLAND, AT BEST.

  • Pros: NOTHING
  • Cons: DIRTY, NASTY SERVICE
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/06/09

GREAT FOOD BEST SERVICE!

by STAGEDOORKERRY

My family and freinds go to Hop Kee whenever we are in Chinatown. The food is authentic and very well prepared. The lobster here is great, along with the fried flounder. 10 of my freinds and I just went there and got 8 different dishes that all were great- clams in black bean sauce is a must! The service is very efficient. The waiters here are very freindly and always available to serve you. If you go to Chinatown you must experience one the best restaurants there. You will not regret it!!!

  • Pros: GREAT FOOD AND SERVICE
  • Cons: NONE
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/25/08

The real deal....hands down !

by pb66tr

I am a 30+ year patron here at this dirty ,dingy, loud, filthy bathroom, simple decor, cash only basement hole in the wall ! And the simple truth be told ....I would not like it any other way. ...It is the most authentic Cantonese food you will ever eat ! The atmosphere just adds to the authenticity. It Makes you feel like you are in China. And for all you critics , I did not come here to sit in the dirty bathroom .....I come for the food. If you like you can run back up the stairs and p down along that little narrow side street. When ever I'm back in town from Arizona...It's my first stop ,at any hour ! It is a religious experience. We start off with steamed dumplings and a nice wanton/egg drop mix, then onto chinese steak/broccoli , peking pork chops , spicy beef chow fun,and salted squid w/hot pepper...sometimes for dessert ....we order more dumplings and another plate of squid ! Can't help it ....the taste is so outrageous ! I think you still can bring your own wine ! To all you yuppy & wanna be cultured conesures.....Stay Home , You'll make the wait and lines shorter .This place is to real for you anyway, prices are low and they don't build pyarmids out of sweet potato fries. I come from a large Italian family in which food is life ! We live to eat ! We Know good food ! I grew up In NY and ate here at least once a month . Afterwards we would walk down the block to go play "Tic Tac Toe" with the chicken. If anyone remembers that arcade, Darn Chicken always won ! I don't know if it's still there ! My opinion : There isn't anything that can compare ! Enjoy

The Details on Hop Kee Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great chinese food
  • fast service
  • great restaurants
  • mediocre chinese food
  • attentive waiters
  • chaotic atmosphere
  • best seafood
  • dirty filthy bathroom
  • dirty simple decor
  • great lobster
  • disappointed peking porkchops
  • disappointed crabs
  • disappointed spicy beef chowfun
  • not that bad bathroom
  • tasteful delight
  • best steamed dumplings
  • great pork
  • just love steamed flounder
  • order plate
  • best the
  • highly recommend shrimp
  • great location
  • love place
  • worse ambiance
  • helpful staff
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