Shun Lee Palace

Review summary

1. B

   Bradley VIP

   New York City2 reviews

   1.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 1

   We had a taste for Peking duck that had followed us around for days. We should have turned around when we saw the state of the awning and the entry to Shun Lee "Palace". Upon arrival there was no one. We waited a few minutes and no one came. The phone rang and no one came. What used to be a bar and front seating area has been turned into storage, presumably for a delivery business since the place was not busy. We proceeded down what used to be a nice corridor of three lovely banquettes designed for dramatic effect but which were now permanently it seems used for their accounting function as they were strewn with receipts. Eventually someone spoke to us and showed us to a table. It was as requested a round table in the corner. The lead waiter was friendly and efficient. We knew what we wanted because we had previewed the menu online. Egg drop soup, soup dumplings, Peking duck, and bok choy. The soup was fine but nothing special ($12 per person). The dumpling wrappers were thick and glutenous, the contents tasteless. The bok choy was also just fine. The real travesty was the Peking duck ($128). The wrappers they used were essentially tortillas. The 8 rolls were the size of burritos. With almost no cucumber (apparently they were running low). The sauce was thick like jam. Peking duck is supposed to be a delicacy. First skin alone. Then meat with skin. The rolls should be the size of small spring rolls. Easy to handle and requiring just a few bites each. The sauce should be much lighter. Then there should be a second course with finely chopped duck in lettuce cups. If there is still more the remainder should be used for fried rice. This was truly terrible and the bill was $350 for 3 people. Understandable if the restaurant was beautiful and the food exquisite. Neither was the case at Shun Lee. This may once have been a good restaurant—no longer.
   

   Is this helpful?

2. N

   Nicola

   New York City1 review

   1.0

   Dined on February 25, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   it was not good- the food was oily and the oil was rancid
   

   Is this helpful?

3. P

   Patrice

   Tampa46 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on February 4, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   For decades this was a favorite and our first stop when returning to NYC. Our experience this week was so very disappointing. Our dumplings were somehow burnt on the outside but cold on inside. My Moo Shu Pork wasn’t hot and it had no taste. Hubby’s chicken was tough to eat. The soup was the ONLY thing that was good. Egg Drop and Wonton were both as we remembered. Next time we’ll try Shun Lee West on W 65th
   

   Is this helpful?

4. C

   Carl

   New York City10 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on February 2, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   awful food drenched in chef version of molasses; sesame steak tasted like goo chicken and broccoli tasted like the sesame steak goo won ton soup was the most unappetizing collection of pieces of chicken shrimp and something else stuffed in a tiny bowl from 20 years ago cold soup despite 5 table in the restaurant occupied
   

   Is this helpful?

5. P

   Philip

   New York City62 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on January 27, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   AWFUL to the tenth power............we were the only ones there ............should have left when we saw that it was emptly..............others must know better.............food was poor..........waiter was apologitic......................DONT GO
   

   Is this helpful?

6. E

   Elizabeth

   Western NC4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on January 17, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Amazing Chinese food! Friendly, great staff! Clean restaurant.
   

   Is this helpful?

7. S

   Stephen

   New York City14 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on January 7, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   The food is only ok. But the service is good and the restaurant very quiet. It’s not a bad place for old men with hearing problems to have lunch and reminisce about the old days when, among many other things, this was a hot restaurant.
   

   Is this helpful?

8. C

   Concha VIP

   New York City3 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on January 2, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   No lo califico porque estaba cerrado!!! No sé porque se hizo la reservación.
   

   Is this helpful?

9. W

   Walter

   Los Angeles3 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on December 28, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Great food, a little pricey. $10 for bottled water and ?$17 for 4 soup dumplings is on the high but will come again.
   

   • 

   Is this helpful?

10. A

    Anthony

    New York City5 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on December 28, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1

    This Shun Lee was my favorite place in NYC. We took 11 of us for my granddaughter’s birthday. The food was terrible. The waiter talked us out of getting enough food for the table. His recommendations were terrible. Even the Peking Duck was bad and had hardly any meat in the prepared pockets. The wonton soup was tasteless; Half the spring rolls were burning hot and the other half were ice cold. The Captain did nothing to help. At the end of the meal , we asked for desert. The waiter told us they had none; he told us not to eat the cake - that is was horrible. They didn’t even have ice cream for the children. It is no longer a place for us to go - so sorry about that, it really was the best.
    

    Is this helpful?