Restaurants & Dining
Chang Lai
4.9 out of 5Price level $
Chang Lai is a restaurant in Chinatown described by visitors as food-focused, indian and chinese, known for excellent service. Based on 10 reviews.
Chaotic. Delicious. No-nonsense.
Best Bars & Restaurants in Chinatown(C-Town)
The real deal—hand-pulled noodles, bustling fish markets, and dim sum worth the wait.
- Bustling
- Authentic
- Budget-Friendly
- Cultural
- Foodie
Top places in Chinatown
Highly rated restaurants, bars, cafes, and things to do nearby.
Restaurants & Dining
Authentic Xi’an Flavor 西安面馆
5.0 out of 5Price level $Authentic Xi’an Flavor 西安面馆 is a well-known chinese restaurant in Chinatown, Manhattan. Serving quality food in a welcoming atmosphere.
Restaurants & Dining
Jiang Nan NYC
4.8 out of 5Price level $$$$Jiang Nan NYC is a restaurant in Chinatown described by visitors as food-focused, chinese and seafood, high-energy atmosphere. Based on 10 reviews.
Coffee & Casual
Teado Tea Shop 葉風茶舖
4.8 out of 5Price level $Teado Tea Shop 葉風茶舖 is a cafe in Chinatown described by visitors as food-focused, cozy interior, moderately priced. Based on 10 reviews.
Bars & Nightlife
Sake Bar Asoko
5.0 out of 5, 100 reviewsPrice level $$Sake Bar Asoko is a bar in Chinatown described by visitors as food-focused, seafood and japanese, cozy interior. Based on 10 reviews.
Coffee & Casual
heytea (Lafayette)
4.8 out of 5Price level $$heytea (Lafayette) is a cafe in Tribeca described by visitors as japanese, budget-friendly. Based on 10 reviews.
Restaurants & Dining
The Pie Guy Pizza
4.8 out of 5, 224 reviewsPrice level $Satisfy your pizza cravings without leaving the comfort of your home with our fast and reliable delivery service. Choose from a variety of mouth-watering toppings and enjoy the perfect slice delivered right to your door.
Coffee & Casual
TEAPULSE - Canal St
4.9 out of 5, 105 reviewsPrice level $Tea + Coffee + Pastry, Reimagined
Restaurants & Dining
Au Cheval
4.7 out of 5Price level $$$Au Cheval is a restaurant in Tribeca described by visitors as food-focused, french and american, known for excellent service. Based on 10 reviews.
Restaurants & Dining
46 Mott Deli
4.8 out of 5Price level $46 Mott Deli is a restaurant in Chinatown described by visitors as a cafe, chinese and vegetarian vegan, moderately priced. Based on 10 reviews.
Coffee & Casual
Tao Hong
4.8 out of 5, 169 reviewsPrice level $Tao Hong is a cafe in Chinatown described by visitors as a cafe, chinese, consistently well-reviewed. Based on 10 reviews.
What to do in Chinatown
Every category, narrowed to this neighborhood.
- Drinks & Nightlife in ChinatownBest bars, cocktail lounges, rooftop bars, dive bars, and late-night drinks in Chinatown. Happy hour deals, speakeasies, wine bars, and where the locals actually go after midnight.Cocktail bars · Rooftop bars · Speakeasies · Wine bars
- Food in ChinatownBest restaurants and places to eat in Chinatown. From brunch spots and cheap eats to fine dining, pizza, sushi, and the holes-in-the-wall you won't find on TripAdvisor.Pizza · Sushi · Brunch · Steakhouses
- Casual & Social in ChinatownBest coffee shops, cafes, bakeries, and chill hangout spots in Chinatown. Great for working remote, catching up with friends, or pretending to read while people-watching.Coffee shops · Tea houses · Bakeries · Study spots
- Live Entertainment in ChinatownLive music, comedy shows, jazz clubs, karaoke bars, and performances in Chinatown. Open mics, ticketed events, and the kind of nights that become stories.Comedy · Live music · Jazz · Karaoke
- Activities & Experiences in ChinatownFun things to do in Chinatown — escape rooms, bowling alleys, art classes, arcades, pop-ups, and interactive experiences that don't involve staring at a menu.Escape rooms · Bowling · Art classes · Arcades
- Outdoor & Fresh Air in ChinatownBest outdoor spots, parks, rooftop bars, patios, waterfront walks, and gardens in Chinatown. Fresh air, skyline views, and places to actually sit outside without a reservation.Rooftops · Patios · Gardens · Waterfront
- Date Night in ChinatownBest date night spots in Chinatown — romantic restaurants, intimate cocktail bars, cozy wine bars, and vibey spots that do the heavy lifting so you don't have to.Romantic dinners · Cocktail bars · Speakeasies · Rooftops
- Group Hangouts in ChinatownBest places for groups in Chinatown — sports bars, beer gardens, karaoke rooms, bowling alleys, and spots that can actually fit your whole crew without a 2-hour wait.Sports bars · Beer gardens · Bowling · Karaoke
- Quick & Easy in ChinatownQuick plans in Chinatown that require zero effort. Happy hours, grab-and-go coffee, fast casual spots, delis, and solid options for when you've got 30 minutes and no ideas.Coffee · Happy hour · Delis · Fast casual
- Tourist Friendly in ChinatownBest things to do in Chinatown for first-time visitors. Iconic restaurants, famous bars, must-see landmarks, and spots worth the hype — no tourist traps, we promise.Famous pizza · Iconic bars · Broadway area · Landmarks
What makes Chinatown one of the best neighborhoods in NYC
Where $6 feeds you better than $60 anywhere else
Chinatown is the greatest food neighborhood in Manhattan and it's not even close. It runs on its own clock, its own economy, and its own rules. The produce is cheaper, the portions are bigger, and the guy hand-pulling noodles in the window has been doing it longer than you've been alive. This is where you eat when you actually care about food more than ambiance.
Manhattan's Chinatown is loud, crowded, fragrant, and one of the best food neighborhoods on the planet. Canal Street is chaos—vendors, tourists, honking. But duck into the side streets and you'll find $8 dumpling feasts, Cantonese roast duck windows, hand-pulled noodle shops, and dim sum palaces where you point at the cart and hope for the best. Doyers Street—the "Bloody Angle"—is now a moody strip of cocktail bars and restaurants. The neighborhood is shrinking under gentrification pressure but its cultural core remains fiercely intact. Come hungry, bring cash, skip the chains.
Best for
The best meal you'll have all month for under $12, eaten standing up or on a plastic stool
Insider tip
The dumpling spots on Eldridge Street destroy anything on Doyers. There, we said it.
Chinatown is known for
- Dim sum restaurants
- Canal Street
- Hand-pulled noodles
- Doyers Street
- Lunar New Year celebrations
Local lingo: “If the menu has pictures AND an English translation, it's for tourists. Order from the wall.”
Neighborhoods near Chinatown
Every neighborhood has its own character. Here is what's close by.
- Little ItalyShrunk to a few blocks but still serving red sauce, cannoli, and San Gennaro spirit.
- Lower East SideImmigrant grit turned nightlife gold—tenement history, craft cocktails, and the city's best after-dark energy.
- Two BridgesBetween the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges—public housing, dim sum, and waterfront grit.
- SoHoCast-iron architecture, high-end shopping, and trendy restaurants in a stunning historic district.
- Hell's KitchenTheater kids, global eats on 9th Avenue, and the gritty-turned-great west side neighborhood.
- Alphabet CityGritty authenticity meets creative energy on the eastern edge of the East Village.
- Battery Park CityWaterfront calm on the southern tip—Hudson River sunsets, family vibes, and the Esplanade.
- Carnegie HillOld-money elegance between Museum Mile and the reservoir—Manhattan's quietest flex.
- Central Park843 acres of green in the middle of the madness—NYC's backyard since 1858.
- ChelseaArt galleries, High Line views, and diverse nightlife from gay bars to rooftop lounges.
Frequently asked questions about Chinatown
What are the best restaurants in Chinatown?
Ranked by rating and number of reviews, the top restaurants in Chinatown on Moodap are Chang Lai (Chinese, 4.9 stars), Authentic Xi’an Flavor 西安面馆 (Chinese, 5.0 stars) and Jiang Nan NYC (Chinese, 4.8 stars).
What are the best bars in Chinatown?
Ranked by rating and number of reviews, the top bars in Chinatown on Moodap are Sake Bar Asoko (Sake bar, 5.0 stars), Whiskey Tavern (Dive bar, 4.6 stars) and Sunn’s (Wine bar, 4.7 stars).
What are the best cafes in Chinatown?
Ranked by rating and number of reviews, the top cafes in Chinatown on Moodap are Teado Tea Shop 葉風茶舖 (Coffee/Tea, 4.8 stars), heytea (Lafayette) (Coffee/Tea, 4.8 stars) and TEAPULSE - Canal St (Bubble tea, 4.9 stars).
Where can I eat or drink cheap in Chinatown?
242 places in Chinatown are marked budget-friendly ($). The best-ranked are Chang Lai (Chinese, 4.9 stars), Authentic Xi’an Flavor 西安面馆 (Chinese, 5.0 stars) and Teado Tea Shop 葉風茶舖 (Coffee/Tea, 4.8 stars).
What kind of food is Chinatown known for?
Of the 252 restaurants Moodap lists in Chinatown, the most common kinds are Chinese (133), American (21), Japanese (18) and Asian Fusion (9).
How many places does Moodap list in Chinatown?
252 restaurants, 38 bars and 109 cafes, each with its own page. The best-ranked are at the top of this page.
What neighborhoods are near Chinatown?
Little Italy, Lower East Side, Two Bridges and SoHo are next door. Each has its own guide on Moodap, linked on this page.
How does Moodap rank places in Chinatown?
By star rating, weighted by how many reviews back it: a place with hundreds of strong reviews ranks above a perfect score from a handful. Places with few or no reviews come after well-reviewed ones. Not sure which fits your plans? The Mood Match quiz picks one for your mood in about 25 seconds.
Find your Chinatown spot
Answer a few quick questions and Moodap narrows the neighborhood down to places that fit your mood.
Take the mood quiz