Shun Lee Cafe

04/15/2008 Posted by klose

For the first time in my life, I left a restaurant without leaving any tips! No matter how aweful the service was, I have always left 15% tips. This restaurant did NOT deserve any and I felt obligated not to tip. I told the water 3 times (as soon as we got there) that we had a performance to catch at Lincoln Center. The place is right around Lincoln center and their main customers are those who go to a performance at Lincoln center. They should know better! I have lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and other restaurants, at least, do not let the customer wait for an hour and leave empty stomach in the end to catch a show. 50 minutes later, as we were about to walk out the restaurant angry, the waiter brought our food. We ordered peking duck for 2 and a glass of wine each which ended up paying $78. Well, what we got (after waiting for 50 minutes) was some burrito looking peking duck wraps (2 each) which had a small piece of cucumber and a tiny piece of scallion stuck in it. No extra cucumber/scallion pieces or sauce on the side. THAT for $50. And again, we called the waiter several times to order one single damn thing and the waiter yelled back, "It's coming!" I looked around and there were all those angry customers who were late for their performances too. Oh this couple sitting next to our table got their food finally and it was this ugly dish that looked as if a chef just dumped some left over food. And the food was not even in the center of the plate. As soon as they got their food, the old couple goes "what the hell is this?" Alas alas, anyway we had to eat this "burrito" in 3 minutes and ran to the opera. I came home with terrible stomach ache. The bottom line is DO NOT EVER GO especially before a show. And DO NOT EVER expect any good service (or even good food for that matter).

Pros: service, food, price, food presentation, sanitary

10/21/2006 Posted by envymeny

The dimsum is way overpriced for the quality and taste. I was not impressed with any of the items. The decor is tacky. Best part was the service. The waiters were very attentive and polite. One thing for sure, I will go back just because it is cleaner than chinatown.

Pros: Service

Cons: Decor, food

07/22/2006 Posted by shuklas

I have been to Shun Lee Cafe 8 times over three years. MOST of the time the dim sum is good: the fried items are usually crisp and the steamed things are tender. Try to get them to give you the freshly made items when they come out of the kitchen, rather than the baskets from the top of the stack. Naturally they put the fresher food on the bottom to keep things moving but I ended up with dried out jumbo shrimp last night because it was slow and food sat around a bit. Also, if you do get a bum dumpling, tell them! They'll bring you fresh. Very nice, old-school courtesy from the staff, including the bathroom attendant, so bring singles with you.

Pros: clean compared to Chinatown, good location, proper staff

Cons: inconsistently good dim sum

06/30/2006 Posted by lutece

If you're going to Lincoln center or to a concert at central park, this is the place for an interesting, not that expensive meal. They couldn't do enough for you. The service was efficient and smiling. As an avid dim sum diner, I thought this place was way above average. Interesting steamed combinations of healthy dumplings, veggies with peanuts, shrimp scallops and scallions, lots , very tasty and not too salty or greasy. They also came around with a tray of various fried appetizers to choose from. We made room for one main course to share after all those appetizers and it was roast pork with scallions in a light hoisen sauce. It wasn't heavily sauced and the pork was perfectly lean. We will be back.

Pros: great food

Cons: had to park in a garage down the block for 32.00

06/05/2006 Posted by latinjewel98

My first time actually going to a semi dim sum place and what a really good experience. Although is a bit crowded reservations should be made on sundays, the place was well worthy. Although the dim sum was a bit pricey the main courses were not.

Pros: food, ambiance

Cons: crowded, a bit loud

12/06/2005 Posted by suebeelin

The dim sum is definitely quality, although quite overpriced. However, if you don't want to trek it to Chinatown, and you're ready to (relatively speaking) open your wallet for dim sum is a clean environment, Shun Lee Cafe is the way to go. The best part about this place is that it serves Dim Sum on Sundays till way past brunch (dinner time!). However, get ready to wait, or make a reservation... this place is always packed with upper westsiders on a sunday! A word of advice-- the NON dim sum food here is mediocre-- just go ONLY for the dim sum!!

Pros: good dim sum

Cons: crowded

01/05/2003 Posted by jlinder1

Not luxury Chinese like the Shun Lee next door, but ceretainly a couple of notches above the corner Chinese take-out joint. That goes for the decor as well. Shun Lee Cafe offers some of the same food as the next-door place does, but with dim sum -- both steamed and fried -- as well. Everything is well prepared and service is somewhat attentive. Among the slim pickings around Lincoln Center, this is a good one.

Pros: Well-prepared food, Dim Sum option, Less $ than next door

Cons: Pre-theatr rez a must, Not cheap for Chinese

11/27/2002 Posted by rob_b99

This is easily one of the best chinese restaurants in NY or anywhere else. The menu is quite substantial, with a number of chicken, beef, and seafood specialties not found at your typical chinese restaurant. The dining room is classy and elegent, the service is attentive (perhaps a little snobby). I've been to shun lee on 3 separate occasions. Each time the food was perfectly prepared -- i.e. crispy beef was crisp yet juicy. Grand marnier prawns not overcooked and flavored well. Major detraction to this place is the prices. It's at least double the price of regular chinese. Normally this would really bother me, but i don't think about this as going out for chinese so much as going out for a really nice, elegant meal. Other similar quality meals in nyc could easily cost twice as much as Shun Lee.

Pros: menu specialties, nice portions, elegant dining room

Cons: prices, stuffy waiters

11/18/2002 Posted by RogerGill

I've never been to the big sister next door, but this little spot has very good food and decent prices. Service was good, though the dim sum pushers were a little overwhelming.

11/15/2002 Posted by loml110

Shun Lee Cafe is far lower in quality than its sister restaurant next door. I went there last night with a friend, both excited to try the food since we've never been there. I ordered the spicy salmon with vegetables. The food came and it was awful! Too salty and the supersweet sauce was quite thick, I had difficulty ingesting. Service-wise: my friend's merlot never came, her dimsum was pasty/soggy and no, not even a freakin' fortune cookie or slice of orange. Meanwhile, people on the next table who ordered a bottle of wine, got the royal treatment with a presumably warm roll of cloth to freshen up before dinner. I don't recommend going there and I certainly won't be back.