Chang Lai Fishballs Noodles

The gentleman cashier is very friendly and polite! I was excited to try the famous steamed rice rolls at this small but beautiful restaurant (I met through IG) 😊 I was not disappointed at all. I was hesitant because I wanted to try everything. I just got the A1. (Curry Fish Ball) and E4. (Fresh Shrimp.) It was so delicious and the portions sizes are really wonderful for such an affordable price compared to other steamed rice roll restaurants 😍 I will definitely come back again to try other dishes👌⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fantastic freshly made rice noodles. The owner is very charismatic and funny. It gets busy on the weekends and orders might take a while since everything is made by 1 person, but well worth it. They take credit card but you get a discount with cash 10/10.

I found this place from recommendation on social media. It opens early so it’s a great breakfast option if you were leaving the city that day. The food was amazing, the portion was generous(I got the small for both food orders), and the owner was very kind! Everything was freshly prepared and came out hot. The fishballs were really bouncy and fresh tasting. The pork skin and beef tripe were very clean and flavorful. The rice rolls were pillowy soft. Highly recommend!! And definitely get it in person and eat it while it’s hot if you can, it’s worth it!

Sweet, savory, and a little spicy (optional spice). This place is a staple for me and I get the curry fish balls with rice rolls. This place makes sure that there’s sauce with every bite you do. The sauces are customizable but I like to have mine with oyster sauce, soy sauce, peanut sauce and hot sauce. Good enough to be a snack or even a light meal. Highly recommend for the food, atmosphere, and service. I always feel welcomed and appreciated when I come here!!

Really nice price for the food & will likely return! Favorite was the rice noodles and fishballs. Tripe was a little strong, but still good, that's the only reason I deduct a star. Overall great cantonese street food:)

Been a customer for over 40 years when they were originally a food stall stand on Grand Street. perhaps one of Internet’s best Secrets because the family are the real OGs when it comes to street food in New York Manhattan, their fish balls and rice noodles are the freshest and tastiest by far. whether you’re on a budget for $10 to feed a group of four or a gluttonous person like myself you can’t beat feeling full every time you come here.

Good rice roll with pork. I got the medium size and it’s filling for me. For someone who’s just trying it out, I recommend the small size. My only complaint is that they didn’t put sauce on it and I had to make a request. Midway I needed more sauce to finish the rice roll, so I had to ask again. Ut was a bit awkward. Very limited seating facing the picture wall.

Mr Lai the most passionate, funny and dedicated owner/chef I’ve met. Me and my friend walked in for a simple lemonade and we got the most natural, handcrafted, refreshing lemonade. In conversation with Mr Lai he was telling us all about his business and about his famous fish balls and hand pulled noodles. As mentioned, he is funny, he went back into the kitchen and brought us a hand pulled noodles and made some tricks with it. Me and my friend were positively inspired by Mr Lai’s persona to come and actually have a meal. So we did. We had the hand pulled noodles in soy sauce with shrimp. Best thing ever. We both regretted not getting a large. Mr Lai shortly came back from the shops were he was buying fresh produce for the restaurant amused at us actually coming back to his shop and was happily shocked about the amount of people in his restaurant. Mr Lai is a man of generosity , passion and determination for his craft. I’m glad the prices are extremely reasonable as everyone needs to be eating at Mr Lai’s restaurant. Definitely a must go.

Owners were super friendly! Food tasted good, not too salty or sweet. Overall a very welcoming experience!!!

Fish balls... the hot dog of Chinese cuisine. No one knows exactly what part of the fish becomes the ball, yet no one cares (because they are tasty). This restaurant was voted Top 100 Chinese restaurants in the United States (specifically ranked #5 as of 1/29/25) and I can easily see why. The inside of the restaurant is decorated with photos of YouTube celebrities, such as Xiaomanyc - my mom sends me videos of that guy once per week to shame me (yeah, I know my Chinese sucks, but the positive thing is you can easily order in English or Chinese or the universal language of pointing with grunts). No frills restaurant with exactly 4 chairs, this restaurant is small, but mighty. They're known for their Curry Fish Balls with Fish Noodles and it's served with a combination of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, peanut sauce, and hot sauce (sriracha). I'm allergic to peanuts so I omitted the peanut sauce to avoid going into anaphylactic shock in the middle of Chinatown. Dishes are available in large (1 quart container aka 32 ounces), medium (1/2 quart or 16 ounces), and small (1/4 quart or 8 ounces). Curry flavor is tasty and not too overpowering. The rolled rice noodles (cheung fun) are the star of the show - the perfect vehicle to absorb all the delicious umami flavors - it's like eating scrumptious, fluffy clouds. Those fluffy clouds seem to expand inside your stomach - they are very filling. I don't know of many places in New York City that can feed an entire family of 3 for $26, but this is one of them!

Straightforward rice noodle shop with delicious hot noodles that you can grab on the go. It's not really a dine in restaurant. The store is small and you're shoulder-to-shoulder if you sit in the one of four stools. Like the other reviews say, they started off as a cart and then upgraded to this storefront location. Heartwarming business with the owners and their kid operating the shop. My cantonese is terrible but in the small understanding that I have, you can tell the owners are caring for the community, welcoming, and nice folks. Prices are slightly a few dollars up compared to other rice noodle carts, but not exactly a negative for me. The noodles were piping hot and well-rounded usage of sauce to coat the noodles. I actually didn't get the curry fishball, so will have to try next time. I got the beef and thought it was tasty.

Chang Lai means come often. This used to be a cart but had since (circa 2023) upgraded itself to brick & mortar, similar to Gai Chicken (albeit from a food court). I tried it back in 2022 off the cart on Grand St and it was OK. I tried again because somehow it made it to the Yelp 100 list, and I was utterly disappointed. There were 4-5 stools that you can sit and eat along the wall, but there was no condiments or napkins - you'd have to get them at the counter. So this is mostly a take out place, and no public restroom. There is a 3.5% fees if you use a credit card. Since my wife and I were on a food crawl trip, we shared a large order of A1 - Curry Fish Balls Rice Noodles $9.25. The order came almost too quickly - now I am not sure if it was made in batches or made to order. Instead of a flat container, the rice rolls were put in a tall soup container. Despite specifying all sauces options, the rice rolls were bland and boring. Worse, they were all clumped together and not soft and silky like I'd expected. The experience was almost like eating under seasoned Korean Dukbokki. The two of us really struggled to finish it. If we had ordered medium or small, I think we'd have a better experience but it was what it was. The fish balls were OK (what can go wrong) but with little or no hint of curry flavor. My order of preference for rice rolls: West King, Cheong Fen Cart (Hester & Elizabeth), Yi Ji Shi Mo, etc. This one is sadly near the bottom of list.

One of my favorite childhood meals that I cannot get at home in Orlando. We were getting buns across the street and I saw this place. Back in the days my grandparents would get me fishballs and the rice noodles from a street cart vendor. I got the A1 which is the fish balls with rice roll noodles with curry sauce, peanut sauce and soy sauce. I did the medium portion. Wish I did the large. I paid cash. If you pay with card there is a fee. Food was ready quickly. I ate at the airport since I just had buns. It was very comforting and satisfying. Had a happy belly.

Decided to check out Chang Lai's Steamed Rice Noodles plus finally try Fishballs, since it appeared to be one of their specialties. Given I grew up a fan of Gefilte Fish, I was unsure what to expect with Chinese Fishballs. Chang Lai's, apparently starting as a food cart, does have a small ledge and stools to eat what you order. (OK, the ledge could have been wiped down, but they seem to be incredibly non-stop busy my entire time there.) I opted for 10 Curry Fishballs. What I particularly liked about their rice rolls were that you have 3 size options. (Often there is only one.) I chose a medium Fresh Shrimp with scallions, hoisin and peanut sauces. First, the Fishballs were nothing like Gefilte Fish. The curry sauce was mild, fishballs not particularly fishy, and texture a little more like a firm gelatin. Overall, not bad, but not my thing. Second, the Steamed Rice Rolls came in a pint plastic container. My guess, its price for size is comparable to many of the other places. It was tasty. Chang Lai is pretty good and offers many affordable eats options. That being said, I still feel Tonii's down the street remains my preferred steamed rice roll place.

If you grew up with Chinatown eats, this will be a blast from the past. I remember growing up and ordering from Chang Lai's original street cart, and now I'm so happy to see the business flourishing as a storefront. The store specializes in rice rolls with a mixed sauce and topping, which is a very nostalgic, HK street food dish. For toppings, the curry fishballs is the most classic choice, but I love that you can also choose beef tripe (surprisingly my favorite! don't knock it till you try it) and pork skin, which are more uncommon to find. They also serve other bites and drinks, which I'll definitely have to try next time!

Amazing food, rice noodles are perfect texture and flavor. I love the pig skin and beef tripe one. Owner is super friendly, and love that they did well for themselves knowing they started from a food cart. Ambiance was very homey.

Chang Lai Fish Balls and Noodles is my favorite takeout rice roll shop in Chinatown. That's saying a lot given the competition in the neighborhood, even just on the same street. The quality here is simply superb. I've now tried it three times, and each time has brought elation. The freshly made, chewy and soft rice noodles, fish balls and other toppings, and mix of sauces always hit the spot. My go-to order is the small A1 curry fish balls and small A4 with tripe and radish. The former is a classic, of course, and never fails to disappoint. I've also ordered the cold Hong Kong milk tea, which is authentically strong and sweetened with condensed milk. For the quality, price, and quick and friendly service, this place is hard to beat. Each item I've come here, I avow to return more often. The staff is unfailingly kind. Definitely a gem!

Found this from Yelp and visited as they had lots of good reviews. Now I know why! The food was delicious and the price was worth the amount of food that we get. I think the most popular for locals is curry fish ball rice noodles and it was delicious. It was exactly what I expected from curry Fish balls over rice noodles. There was one person when I entered the store by the time I left there was about six people in there. There is a small amount of counterspace, but most people took it to go. it was probably about 5 to 6 seats total in the whole store. It is a tiny shop. The owner was very kind and very welcoming. He was chitchatting with a lot of people who built Cantonese, including myself and it felt very welcoming and homey. Will definitely be returning when I pass by China town

such a gem of a spot!! the owner is so sweet and passionate about his food. it's also so affordable and filling. you HAVE to try the curry fish balls rice noodles with all the sauces (esp with peanut sauce!!) and the HK style milk tea. they take card but cash is better! it's a cozy little spot and the owner's energy is so infectious

love this mom and pop shop for cheurng fun. the family that runs this place is always so friendly and cheerful, you can tell they're just happy to be there! this is an excellent affordable option if you're in a hurry and need a quick but filling snack! they have multiple options on the menu and you can mix and match combos off menu. the rice noodles are served in different sized plastic take out containers. honestly they could be a little bit more eco friendly, but the joy that this brings me outweighs that. there is a small counter area to dine in, but it is a busy store so you may not get a seat. bring cash if you can!

Small mom and pop shop in Chinatown. Don't be detoured by the decor. The owners are so hilarious and they have so many frequent locals who come. I got the small curry fishball and rice noodle. Pay cash and it's $4.50. Pay card and it's $5.06. They encourage cash :) Also get all the sauces on it. Super delicious snack in Chinatown.

One of the best rice rolls that I have tasted... supple but chewy in the right way. The mix of soy sauce + peanut sauce + sweet & sour sauce really added flavor. It is another American Dream story with the owner started the business as a street food cart for 20 years, now a 4.8 rated store front in the heart of Chinatown.

Ordered a small size of one of the top sellers, curry fishball cheong fun and added on beef tripe. Prices definitely are more expensive than street carts but I love how they roll up the rice noodles into little rolls which makes it easier to eat. The rice noodles soak up all the sauces at the bottom which makes it even more delicious. Not much seating though, just four stools.

Love this mom and pop rice roll place. You can get it in a small, med and large. All very filling and "bouncy". Reminds me of when I would get it as a child. Recommend.

Curry fish balls rice noodles - fish balls were bouncy and light, not fishy at all. Curry flavor is on the mild side. Rice noodles were the highlight - so soft, chewy, and soaked in that savory/sweet soy sauce. Service was quick and friendly. Owner was super nice and funny, really enjoyed talking to him while waiting :D. Shop is quite small with several tall stools with bar top for table. A must try place if visiting NYC Chinatown!

Came for lunch on a Tuesday and there was no line. Curry fish balls rice noodles were super tasty - would recommend those. They accept both cash and card.

Chang Lai used to be a street cart and it got so popular throughout the years that the kind store owners were able to open a physical storefront. They have so many supporters behind them because their steamed rice rolls are so fresh, smooth, and satisfying. I like to order the curry fish balls and shrimp steamed rice noodles from here - they're thin, chewy, and silky with good texture. Chang Lai means "come often" in Chinese - we'll definitely be back again and again!

This little shop started off as a street cart, which just shows how successful they have become. The sweet man who took my order could tell it was my first time from my broken Chinese. He was so kind and telling me all about the shop, which kind of made me feel like home. Since we were making many stops in Chinatown, I just ordered a small size. I got the Curry Fishball Rice Noodles ($4.50) with hot sauce. The rice noodles here are cut up into bite-size pieces, which makes this great on the go. The sauce and flavors are all infused into the rice noodles as well. I definitely can't wait to come back to try the flavors and items the next time I'm in Chinatown.

Glad to find my childhood food available in a small shop. The curry fish balls was nice and bouncy. The curry flavor could of been stronger but was good enough. The noodles silky and just enough sauce to soak everything. I asked for hot sauce and owner was not shy adding it. He was so friendly and was chatting with me and telling jokes. Definitely will be back!

get every sauce w it! I got large. Was very yummy and comforting. There's limited seating bar style

Had a medium A4 - Beef Tripe, Spleen, radish, rice noodles. Added fried dumplings. Perfect on a cold winter day. Great experience in NYC Chinatown. Prices are extremely reasonable.

I've been telling myself that I needed to try the cheong fun rice rolls for a while. Unfortunately I still haven't made it to the the cart because it closes at 12pm , but I was super stoked to find out there's a brick and mortar version, so I sped downtown. The gentleman up front (I believe is Mr Zhang) is extremely kind and friendly. I got the medium beef rice roll with scallions, soy sauce and egg for $4.50. It was FANTASTIC. Very hearty, well flavored, and honestly you cannot beat a full meal for $4.50 . I'm so glad I finally had a chance to try it. I'll definitely be back!

I got the classic curry fish ball noodles, I expected more curry flavor, but overall the taste is there. The noodles and fish ball are fresh. I got a Hong Kong ice tea and the bold flavor is there. The owner is friendly and ready for questions and recommendations. I would definitely stop by again.

It gives off such a traditional Hong Kong rice noodle shop for like street food. They have some seatings if you want to eat there. The vibe is cozy and chill to eat if you enjoy HK style street food. The service was super quick and great for people who want quick breakfast food and not be late for work. The food is so yummy! The beef tripe was my favorite and it was so tasteful. The rice noodles were so soft and chewy. The best and cheap rice noodles to get in Chinatown! Definitely will be going there often!

One of the most delicious fish ball and rice noodles I have taste Will come all back again This reminds me of my childhood food

超级无敌好吃！牛杂超有嚼劲，满满一大碗我全部都吃完了！咖喱鱼蛋也很弹牙！还有柠檬茶，超级港味，喝一口，一秒回到香港！ 老板很热情，还超级搞笑！嘻嘻！会再回来试吃他的肠粉！

Arrived too early for our lunch reservations. Some of us were starved already, so checked Yelp for the best place to snack. This place was highly recommended. Easy to find, and many ways to search what we wanted. Most of us picked the #10 and I picked the #13 (fried bun). Took a bit for it to be ready but there were 5 orders to do at one shot. We decided to wait inside even though it was a tight fit. It was a little chilly outside. I think mostly, people order to pick up or have delivered. So the food was piping hot! But we didn't care, it was so good! And we had 3 different dipping sauces. The really spicy one my husband liked a lot. Two of us enjoyed the soy sauce one. My dad liked the sweet white sugar sauce. Everyone was so happy and we can't wait to return again. Definitely recommend.

We enjoyed the rice rolls at this place for a quick bite! The small is pretty filling despite how tiny it looks. I've tried both A1 and A4 and both were delicious! The tripe is probably some of the best tripe I've had, and the rice noodles were soft with the perfect chew. Food came out quick, and the owners are very kind and sweet. They have a bunch of regulars, which is always a good sign!

Under rated. Needs to be a line out the door! We came here in a rush looking for a quick bite. They started from a cart- they are so friendly. Fish balls/curry rice noodles are delicious. A little expensive but hey they need to survive. Give it a try!

A delicious meal that costs less than $10??? Sure, there are a few. Less than $6??? There are not that many of such places anymore, sadly, due to inflation, but here, there were able to deliver such a meal in a no frills manner. Cash highly suggested, but they take card at a 3.5% surcharge. Even with credit card points, I opted to pay in cash to support the local business. I got the A1 medium which is curry fish balls rice noodles and I opted to get all the sauces. It was $5.75 total, tax included, which is an amazing price for a portion that is enough for a lighter, satisfying meal. However, I wasn't sure if they forgot the chili sauce or if there was not much heat to it, but that is okay. I am a sucker for the peanut sauce and sesame sauces for the rice noodles and just glad that those sauces dominated the flavor profile of the rice noodles. The rice noodles were nicely cooked and quite soft. The curry fish balls were lighter in flavor but still good. Medium has 6 pieces of the fish balls, and I'd consider the fish balls as a side as opposed to the main part of the dish based on volume and substance. Bonus is they speak Cantonese, so while I ordered in English, the person behind me ordered in Cantonese so I decided to continue keeping my Cantonese sharp for the future and I was able to converse well with the employees. They were very friendly and patient, going above and beyond for a place that is considered no frills. I really enjoyed this place - even though these were not the best I tried, it was still delicious and adequately satisfy my cravings.

No frills mom and pop shop in chinatown specializing in rice rolls. I got the popular fish ball rice roll with hoisin, sesame and and hot sauce. The rice roll has a springy texture that goes well with sauce. The fishball is tender with mild chewiness. I bought the medium size which was enough for lunch. I also got an iced Hong Kong milk tea with half sugar. The milk tea taste pretty standard and I appreciate that it's not too sweet. The whole meal came out to $8.75 which was a steal for lunch in Manhattan. They have other items on the menu that looked pretty good as well and I would come back to try them out. Service was quick and friendly. There is only 4 bar stools inside so may be hard to find a seat if you go during popular hours, although while sitting there it seemed most other customers buy takeout. They take credit card but there is a surcharge so it's better if you have cash.

I grew up eating these fishball rice noodles when they were just a street cart--and wow, I am sooo excited for them to have a physical shop! Such a demonstration of hard work paying off! These types of quick-serve dishes fuel the people of Chinatown, and there is absolutely nothing like eating this piping hot on a cold morning before work! I love that the menu has stayed true to their original, and glad they can continue to serve the community. The cost of running a store is expensive, so I guess I'll just have to eat more so they can continue running!

I always stopped by their cart on Grand Street for curry fishballs and cheung fun when I went to Chinatown. I am so happy to find them again after a year and a half at this new location. I got the fix on my old fave and tried some new stuff as well. They have a bigger menu now. I will sure be back to try the rest of them. Pro tip: ask for extra peanut sauce and sesame seeds for your rice rolls!

Quick service and very flavorful dishes. Got the curry fishball noodles and shrimp rice roll both medium sized for $10.25. Very good portions and tasty. Quick stop and go but there is bench seating if you want to eat really quick.

We love this place. They have the best curry fish ball in NYC. Their curry sauce is delicious and their rice rolls are fresh, soft, and perfectly yummy. My son is also a big fan of their mushroom & chives bun! Everything is house made and everyone there is super sweet too. Definitely recommend! :)

The Curry Fish Rice Noodle is a must try. I bet other styles are good too. The owners are friendly and they have a good customer service. This place is one of those "hole in a wall" kind. Small but foods are worth it! The owners started as a food cart vendor on the street of NYC and lucky enough to get an own place for their business!

Great customer service, he even knows some Vietnamese to help us choose from the menu. Excellent food, clean store.

Stumbled across this place after going to Mei Lai Wah, saw a sign that said fishballs. I ordered the first thing on the menu. Curry fish ball noodles. The owner I assumed was working the cash register then making the orders. Nice guy quick service. Place is a bit small but that's what I expected for the area. I definitely would order from this place again

Hidden gem for all your HK style small eats. Above average rice rolls (Cheung Fun) and nice variety of cold/hot beverages. Interior is very small, one table and small counter to eat. Most patrons here is grab and go. The couple behind the counter is very personable.

I went in with my friend the other day (but I'm extremely introverted so I made her order for me) and the ambiance was great, greeted upon entering. It's small, but comfortable. The food was absolutely amazing! I got the rice noodles w/ soy sauce, and they are super filling. The woman who took my order was very nice. I'll be coming here again soon.

Great place to get Hong Kong style rice noodles! It's the small rice rolls style. Not many places have this. You can select or add the meat - curry fishballs, regular fishballs, beef tripe or pork skin. Can order the small ($5.75) or large ($9.25) size containers. You can pick the sauce mix including soy sauce, hoisin, chili, sesame and peanut sauce. Delicious meal for any time. They used to be a food cart on Grand St. They are now a store on Bayard. It's a small family business. Friendly people and will take time to chat with customers. Worth supporting this small business.

Come here for two things. Amazing rice rolls and owners who are as nice as their food is delicious. I got the hot HK milk tea, pork rice rolls and their best seller, the curry fish ball rice noodles. I am a complete clutz and dropped the entire container of the curry fish balls shortly after I got it and the owner just made me a new one for free AND gave me extra fish balls. They're so sweet. The food is also delicious and if you like peanut sauces it's a must. This was my first time here and I'll definitely be back.

Food was amazing and service was outstanding!!! Mr. Zhang was super friendly and kind. Can't wait to visit again!

I've long been big fans of these rice noodles for years that the couple had been serving it from a cart on grand street, and I'm so happy that they were able to open up a brick and mortar store to help them avoid days of inclement weather! The rice noodles were amazing as usual - spongy while dense, and flavored with whatever sauces of your choosing (peanut, oyster, soy, and sriracha). My personal favorite wavers between the curry fish balls and the tripe, but my girlfriend's unwavering favorite is the curry fish ball. Prices are ~$1-1.50 higher than the cart, but totals are still extremely cheap and the increase is well warranted. I'm always happy to visit and support them, and the food never falls short!

If you're looking for really good rice noodle rolls, look no further!! I've been coming to Chang Lai Fishballs and Noodles since they were a street food cart. They finally moved to a brick and mortar location a few months ago and have since expanded their menu including fried items, juice, and bubble tea! They also accept credit card payments now! I can confidently say that Chang Lai has the BEST rice noodle rolls in town! The consistency and "bounce" is just so good and the sauces are so flavorful. We usually get the curry fish ball rice noodles. They ran a promotion for buy 2 drinks get the 3rd drink free so I did that with my husband and sister-in-law! I got taro milk tea (loved it!), my husband got lavender milk tea (thought it was okay), and my sister-in-law got passion juice (loved it!). I'm so proud of the owners!! They've come so far :')

Delicious noodles and fishballs. Small place with limited seating. Super cheap and cash only. Really nice owner and staff. This is the breakfast of champions!

Definitely hits the spot if you're looking for classic street cart food. Got the A1 - curry fish balls & rice noodles, which was delicious. Everything was super fresh, employees were really nice and friendly, and prices are reasonable! It's definitely more of a grab and go place, but the interior is pretty clean with a small counter if you want to eat in.