Che Li Flushing

I really like this restaurant, its environment is elegant, and of course, it's also my first time here. The food here is excellent and worth trying, I highly recommend it

Cheli in NYC offers a dining experience that seamlessly combines excellent food with a captivating atmosphere. From the moment you step inside, you'll be transported to a different era, thanks to its exquisite interior design that evokes the feel of ancient China. The food at Cheli is undeniably good, with a variety of dishes that cater to different tastes. However, the braised pork is the standout star of the menu. Tender, succulent, and packed with flavor, this dish is a must-order for anyone visiting the restaurant. The chefs at Cheli clearly know their craft, and it shows in the quality and taste of their offerings. Beyond the food, the ambiance of Cheli is something to be marveled at. The design is intricate and elegant, with details that make you feel as though you've been transported to a different time and place. Whether it's the lantern-lit ceilings or the beautifully crafted wooden panels, every element of the decor adds to the overall dining experience.

Food 4.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0 Value 3.0/5.0 Decor 4.0/5.0 Overall 4.5/5.0 Realized I forgot to rate this spot after stopping by the St Marks location, and though I'd drop this one here for good measure. Great restaurant. Prices a bit higher for the area / 'traditional Chinese' and I'm happy for it. The food is pretty great. I'd come back.

Really nice interior decoration (kind of feels like I'm in old Shanghai) -- I've been to the one in SoHo and I think this is the superior location. More organized, less chaotic, better ambiance, and better menu items (though largely similar, there are slight variations in dim sum, dessert, and small plate offerings) Food highlights: Spicy Conch and Jelly Fish (5/5): loveeee this -- has a wonderful kick, the jelly fish and conch are super fresh (has a nice crunch and bounciness to them). Conch is also very sweet and the presentation is lovely. Crispy Lava (5/5): love this custard filled dimsum treat which we decided to get as dessert. Super crispy, not overly sweet. Be super cautious because the filling is piping hot and will explode as you bite down. Squirrel Fish (4/5): not the best I've had but still really good. Sauce has the right balance of sweet and sour, wish the fish was just a bit crispier. A shanghainese classic and definitely must try!

Elegantly decorated restaurant in the heart of flushing, NY. When you walk in, you get an ancient China vibe. It's reflected in their menu as well. You'll see references to different dynasties in China. Ordered the eel specialty- it is similar to the Peking duck dish where you wrap it with a glutinous rice paper? The fish stew was very good. It's sweet and sour (more sour) and a little creamy. The fish was thinly sliced with no bone. There's vermicelli in the stew but I would recommend ordering a rice on the side. The service is very fast. I was amazed how quickly our food came out. Pricier than average for a flushing establishment but the taste, quality, and service is on point! Also the bathroom is very clean!

Amazing decor, food presentation and ambiance, really takes you back to ancient China. Staff were nice and attentive. Came here with a friend on a Monday night and there were lots of seats available. Food was good, but very small portion size. Xiao long bao- fine 4/5 Garlic steamed butterfly shrimp- so flavorful, a bit oily 5/5 Qianlong's favorite eel- flavorful with very thin wrappers 5/5 Brown sugar sticky rice rolls- chewy and sweet (not overly sweet), 5/5

The interior was breathtaking! And the food was so unique if you know what to order. The hot stone braised rice was soooo good! Definitely a must! Amazing service - they will pack your leftovers for you.

I was in New York City to visit my parents in January 2024. Obviously, I then had to meet up with close friends that I don't normally get to see every day. One of my foodie friends and I decided to meet up. We always try to go to a new place that we both haven't tried - and we ended up here at Cheli. Cheli is a Chinese Restaurant (specifically Shanghainese) located in East Village (Manhattan) and Flushing (Queens). My friend, his girlfriend, and I went to the Flushing Location. According to their website, Che Li presents a distinctive dining experience, weaving together the rich tapestry of Song Dynasty banquet culture with the authentic and sophisticated flavors of Shanghai cuisine. Their culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in the heritage of Jiangnan--a region known for its delicate beauty, culinary finesse, and the origin of Shanghai's gastronomic excellence. Characterized by its subtle yet profound flavors, meticulous preparation, and elegant presentation, their cuisine pays tribute to this heritage while celebrating the refined communal spirit of Song Dynasty feasts. We were all super excited to try! Between the 3 of us, we tried the following: - Wine Soaked Chicken - Crab Meat and Pork Soup Dumplings - Sweet and Sour Crispy Eel - Nine Spiced Rabbit - Hot Stone Braised Rice (mushroom) - Sauteed Water Spinach - Black Sesame Sticky Rice Balls - Rose Lemonade Super fun and feels like an authentic experience. My friend had to order in Chinese - and I obviously pointed to the menu to order since my Chinese skills are limited. Never been to China but I would imagine the decor is pretty representative. Food, service, ambiance were A+. ENJOY!!

I'll be honest that I wanted to come here because of the ambiance and what I saw on instagram. The design/decor of this place is absolutely beautiful and does make it seem like you're sitting by a waterfront. The food is pretty good like 7/10 overall but very expensive and for that reason I probably wouldn't come back. We ordered the crab tofu here thinking it would be similar to the dish that uluh and were totally wrong so just be mindful there.

Generally speaking, good as usual. Tried their chicken dish that's on the seasonal special menu. It has a very light fragrance and I like it, but some might find it a bit flavorless. It was very tender. The kaofu is a bit too sweet today.

My new favorite Sichuan spot! Everything we ordered was good, the standout was absolutely the frog! Just be warned, it is superrrrrr spicy. We wish it would've came after the rice so we can have something to chase it with. We also ordered the fried rice and rice cakes not pictured here. As well as their beef ribs. It came with a fire so that's always cool. Service was excellent and the seating area is definitely cozy. It would be perfect for a cold winter day. The XLB was always very good and on par with the other places. We ordered eggplants as well as we need so veggie and it was also good. The shrimp in garlic was eh since it didn't taste too fresh. It tasted like it was frozen thawed then frozen again. So we'll prob skip that next time - 1 star for that.

Food 9/10 Brings me back home. Ordered everything I had growing up so it brought back childhood memories. Also came here for Chinese New Year eve's dinner with the family, so it was very wholesome. A table full of delicious dishes. The only qualm I have is that their order of food being brought up was quite in disarray. The vegetables came before our main meats, and then the noodles came up before some other meats came out too. A little messy in that disregard. Feeling lenient about my grading, but the vegetables lacked seasoning. The beef tendons were my favorite though. Soup dumplings' skin was a bit too thick, but at least i could taste some crab. Still can't compare with Shanghai though. Atmosphere 9/10 Nice decor, very distinct vibes and theme. Plenty of seats, a winding pathway. Service 8/10 Super friendly and accommodating, but the only issue was the order of dishes being brought out.

I came here for the first time with my family of 5 for mother's day. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and dishes were authentic, but the serving size of each dish was a little small in my opinion. We ordered: - Crab meat tofu Stew: 3/5 this dish pairs really well with a bowl of rice. The flavor is really light but you could still taste the hints of crab and salted egg yolk - Crispy smoked fish: 5/5 this dish was so unique. I loved the sauce and smokey flavor. - Che Li's pork belly: 5/5 I highly recommend this dish! The pork was so tender and flavorful. The quail eggs were also delicious after being braised in the sauce. I could eat the sauce alone with a bowl of rice. - Fried sliced pumpkin with duck egg yolk - 5/5 this was my favorite dish of the night! The fried pumpkin was nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a generous amount of salted egg yolk that pairs so well with the pumpkin. - Crab sauce over noodles: 3/5 not bad, but a little too much vinegar for my taste. - Chinese Crispy Lava: 4/5 definitely crispy as the name says it is! I loved the crispy outer shell and soft bun inside and how the filling just oozes out. The filling was nice and hot, and not too sweet. Overall, the food was deliciously and would definitely recommend trying this place! The serving sizes were a little small, so wouldn't recommend coming here with a large group.

Great decor, mediocre food. Way overpriced for the VERY small portion and subpar food quality. Went for dinner on the weekend with family. Ordered 1) 浙里红烧肉( pork belly) 2)浙里松鼠鱼"squirrel" fish 3) 荷塘小炒 (lotus pond stir fry) 4) 蟹粉拌面crab sauce over noodles 5) 黑椒牛 (black pepper beef). the total with 15% tips came out to be $179. The pork belly was very underwhelming; the taste was kinda bland. The fish tasted nice but the portion was very small for $40+ dish. the crab noodles had very little crab roe/crab meat sauce; it's mostly sautéed noodles - more on the salty side; the crab taste is barely there. The beef was so-so. Overall, not recommended for its food. Ambience is good, service is ok, but will not go back.

Came in without much expectation but I absolutely loved the decor and the food. We ordered the Flaming Beggar's Chicken, Crab Meat Tofu Stew, and Ginger and chili frog with rice. You will need the rice to soak up all the juices from each dish! It also balances everything. This was enough for 4 people. Everything was really good especially the crab meat tofu. The chicken was very flavorful and tender. I would def order this again. I also loved the menu because they used the "booklet/paper" you would typically see when writing calligraphy. I thought it was a really nice touch.

Good food, friendly staff, and great ambiance. Favorite dish was the stir fried eggplant with clams.

I've been here twice now & I love this place! Nothing I've had falls short, it's all super tasty. The staff here all attentive & friendly. I also love the ambiance & interior. If you're craving soup dumplings, this is the spot to go for it. Especially the crab one. I love that the skin is thin and the dumplings are very flavorful. I also enjoyed their fried rice & the spicy clams & egg plant - so delish! Overall, I'd highly recommend coming here for food!

AMAZING soup dumplings thinner skin, JUICYYY filling ______ Whenever I visit New York , I always make sure to get cuisines I can't get in Chicago. Shanghai food is one of them, especially soup dumplings, crab roe, all the good stuff This is one of the restaurants my sister in law recommended. And I was SOOOOO EXCITED to share this with you. Definitely a MUST VISIT in New York we have been to Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings across the street many times. These soup dumplings are even better, with a MUCH thinner skin , juicier filling, & more elegant presentation + approach Even the vinegar is light, and doesnt over power the filling featured on Michelin Guide They have another restaurant in East Village since 2021 perfect to bring parents, for a date, or for a Lunar or Chinese New Year lunch and dinner _________ What we got: Pork soup dumpling $9 小籠包 Qian long favorite eel $29 乾隆吃鱔絲 Che Li's pork belly $26 浙里紅燒肉 Crab sauce over noodle $25 蟹粉拌麵 Almost got: The crab roe soup dumpling but they took the order down wrong still really good Brown sugar sticky rice roll $12 紅糖麻糍 (was too full) They also have a new lotus leaf beggars chicken that the table next to us ordered ‼

I heard that after the Flushing location opened, all the OG chefs from the Manhattan location moved here, so the quality at the Manhattan one got worse... I haven't been to the original one since 2021, so I can't speak to that, but I can assuredly say that the Flushing location is still just as fantastic as I remember. My two friends and I came for an early-ish Sat lunch; we had a reservation but it was still quite empty (and throughout our meal there were always still a couple of tables available). The decor is nice in the same traditional Chinese style that seems to be quite popular nowadays. We ordered: Crab meat tofu stew (蟹粉豆腐): this was actually the primary reason we came - it's SO delicious and I'm glad that it has stayed just as yummy since the last time I came. Tofu was silken and smooth, the sauce was rich but not too heavy, and the crab flavour really managed to tie the dish together. Pairs very well with white rice, of course. Pork soup dumplings (鮮肉小籠包): another phenomenal dish. The skins were delicate and thin, the fillings well cooked with a wonderfully-rich flavour, and the broth had such a fragrant and savoury aroma. A bit pricey, in my opinion, but the quality was definitely really good so I suppose it's acceptable. Sweet & sour tenderloin (糖醋裡脊): Pretty good. I think the sauce was laid on a bit thick, but other than that, I thought it was fine. The meat was a nice combo of juicy on the inside and just a tad crispy on the outside. I do think that there were probably better options for pork dishes, though, so I might suggest opting for something diff next time. Stir-friend string beans (乾煸四季豆): Probably the low point of the meal. The string beans were a bit undercooked (too hard / chewy) and didn't have much flavour. It was only good as a complement to the heavier flavours of the other dishes, but I wouldn't order this next time. String beans notwithstanding, the meal was - as expected - fantastic, and at a great price point, too (came out to less than $30pp). I'll have to go give the Manhattan one a try again to see if the quality there actually went down hahaha

Keepin it real out here in Flushing. Nicely designed restaurant with traditional dishes with some twists. This middle high end restaurant setting seems to be what Flushing dining is heading to. There's a place and time for this, overall solid.

From taste, ambiance to overall service, and a number of competing restaurants to boot, Cheli really brings itself to head of the pack with its great flavours, presentation and just an awesome traditional themed restaurant. The moment you step inside and walk up the stairs, you will notice the beautiful interior and design that starts to teleport back to Ancient China. Taste: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Value for Money: 4.25/5 (Worth the experience but there's just so many value options in the area!) We had: 1) Wine soaked Chicken: Well soaked and drunken, flavours were there and seemingly an acquired taste. Good to try and definitely recommended for a larger party given the strong taste. Ours was slightly tough but it was good 2) Crispy smoked fish: One of their signature items. This is unique. It reminds me of barbecue if Chinese cuisine had it. Not bad! Also recommend sharing amongst a larger party given its flavours 3) Che Li's Pork Belly: Highly recommended. The pork belly fell apart and the quail eggs that were used to soak in the sauce was just exquisite 4) Stir-fried Okra and Yam: A great compliment to all the strong flavours on the table, gotta get them anti-oxidants! Joking aside, this dish is light, has a nice crunch and tasted healthy 5) Crab sauce over noodles: Recommended as well! A bit salty but was overall delicious All in all, this restaurant was awesome and we see ourselves coming back absolutely!

Honestly, you don't even need to eat there to be wowed. The way the restaurant is designed is so beautiful and feels like you were transported away. The service is also phenomenal. I would have gone back before I even ate the food there. I don't think you can order wrong, I really enjoyed the soup dumplings, drunken chicken and pickled package fish stew.

Ordered the wine soaked chicken, nine-spice rabbit, and a bowl of rice. You can tell the chicken was soaked for an ample amount of time; it had great flavor. The nine-spice rabbit was also perfectly seasoned. Good food. The waitress was nice too, but it could get pretty busy (meaning the service can be kind of slow). Overall, worth a try.

My favorite Chinese restaurant in NYC (as of Dec 2023)! The food here does NOT miss, and the osmanthus rice wine is amazing as well--highly recommend! Also, the service here is very attentive and polite. Qianlong's favorite eel -- flavorful and the wrappers were so thin and delicate. Frog leg casserole -- a bit on the heavier side, but so flavorful, spicy, and tender Pea shoots -- because you gotta eat your veggies! Fresh and perfectly cooked without being too oily. Osmanthus steamed sponge cake -- the texture is SO soft, and it's not too sweet, allowing the osmanthus to shine through

I made a reservation with family for a Mother' Day lunch and the interior decor was breathtaking, incorporating ancient elements like bamboo and touches of ancient China in the seating and dining areas. The food was beautifully plated with traditional touches, and the staff were very attentive like filling our tea pot without asking. The mushroom clay pot rice was definitely the star of the show--I would order this over and over again for its rich and umami flavors!!! Sooooo good!! The pork belly was soft and tender, melting in the mouth and goes so well with a side order of rice. We also tried the golden beef and tofu, recommended by the staff; while the beef was slightly overcooked, it was still enjoyable, though my company found it too spicy. To top it off, the calligraphy set dessert was a fun and unique ending to a delightful meal, adding an interactive and whimsical touch to the dining experience. While the whole experience was great, I did feel the food was a bit pricey and that we were paying more for the ambiance.

Took my mom to Che Li for her birthday because we've never tried Jiangzhe cuisine before. We ordered the Longjing Shrimp ($26), Qianlong's Favorite Eel ($29), Che Li 'Squirrel' Fish ($42), Tangerine Crab Meat & Steamed Egg ($26), Spicy Braised Ox Tongue ($32), and Plum Juice with Sweet Osmanthus ($8). Longjing Shrimp - These shrimps were cooked in longjing tea and came with a vinegar dip. I enjoyed the clean taste when eaten on it's own, and the addition of flavor when dipped in vinegar. However, since the tea flavor is so light, it's almost undetectable. Qianlong's Favorite Eel - I usually only eat the unagi marinated eel, so it was interesting to try this style where it is stir-fried in a thick savory sauce. Came with 6 thin delicate wrappers that you can put the eel, cucumber slices, and shredded scallion in. Che Li 'Squirrel' Fish - This fish was one of my favorite dishes of the night. You can see how much skill is needed to cook this dish. The entire fish was fried perfectly, where every bite was crisp and coated evenly with this sweet and sour sauce. All the bones were removed, so it was easy to eat as well. Tangerine Crab Meat & Steamed Egg - This dish is interesting. The crab meat is a little too salty and the though the tangerine is refreshing and sweet, I don't think the flavors mesh well together. The steamed egg on the other hand was silky smooth and light. Spicy Braised Ox Tongue - This was another highlight of our dinner. If you have never eaten wagyu, this resembles the texture. Each tongue piece was so soft, tender, and has a bounce to the touch. The numbing spice brings out so much flavor with the mushroom slices. It just sucks that most of the dish was peppers and pods, with only a few pieces of meat. Plum Juice with Sweet Osmanthus - The drink tasted just as you would imagine, smoked plum with osmanthus. The vase it comes in is deceiving because it has a divot in the middle, so you think you are getting a lot more than what is there. Overall most of the food was exceptional, but very pricey for the portion size. The décor was beautiful, and the service was good. My mom was given a complimentary bao since it was her birthday.

Our group of 4 came in after a day at the US Open for a birthday dinner! The decor immediately makes you feel as if you went back in time to ancient China. I really liked the touches to the space like wood-bamboo accents on the chairs and indoor roofs to the Koi pond that greets you at the entrance. Of course we had to get Shanghai Fried Noodles to celebrate a birthday. They were tasty and the chicken was cooked perfectly tender. The Braised Pork Belly was also just as tender, sweet, and complemented with the grittiness of the little eggs in the dish. Both were authentic while being presented in a delicate, 'trendy' way. The Fried Tofu bites probably weren't the best item on the menu to order -- I've never ordered them on a Shanghainese menu -- but we wanted to give them a try. The batter is light, but in terms of taste or aroma there wasn't much to add to the dish. The staff was very quick to help us from pouring tea to answering our allergy questions. A family favorite that I think is worth a reasonable price for what you're getting.

I went with a friend on a Friday night ~5:30 and we got seated immediately! The aesthetics of the restaurant were really nice, it felt like going back in time which is super cool. We ordered the stir fry string beans, xiao long Bao, qianlongs favorite eel, and fried tofu. Honestly I thought all the food was really good the only issue I had was the portion size and price, which I already knew walking in so I can't complain too much. The stir fry string beans - it's good, it has good flavor, it's just very normal string bean that you can get at any Chinese restaurant The xiao long bao - I thought it was very good, better than those in the area that I've had, the soup was so flavorful and the skin was so thin...a little bit too thin where it broke too easily and the spoon was a terrible xiao long bao spoon..but I digress the flavors good haha Qianlongs favorite eel - it's like a Peking duck but instead of duck it's a stir fried eel in a savory sauce and it's actually very good, sometimes you get a piece with a lot of skin and it's a little chewy but not too bad the flavor is good. But again it does not come with a lot I believe there's enough for 6 wraps to be made. But it's something new to try! Fried tofu bites - this one I'm a little torn, it's an interest texture and very morish and easy to eat. The flavor is very light and the fry batter is not that crunchy but something about it makes you just keep eating it...kinda like chips but less flavor...very torn. Overall, I thought the flavor of everything was very good, the service and vibes were good it's just if you're willing to spend the money or not.

We came here as a Saturday lunch walk-in when the wait at Nan Xiang was too long. While it is dim inside, the decor is gorgeous and transports you back to China. We shared the pork ribs (small portion but great starter), smoked fish (delicious, has a sweet sauce), xiao long bao (as expected with thin wrapper and juicy filling), braised pork belly (also has a sweet sauce but pretty good), fried sliced pumpkin with duck egg yolk (didn't expect to like it but it was a great balance to the other dishes), and fried rice cakes with shredded pork (tender yet chewy rice cakes, decent portion for price). The dishes overall were on the sweeter side which I didn't mind. Overall a great place to eat if you want higher-end vibe + decent food.

Came to Cheli for a weekend meal with friends. Did not make a reservation and don't remember having to wait much. The ambiance is so nice! The interior looked like old China and the music was also classical Chinese music. Our service was quick like all the Chinese places in Flushing. The food was delicious but the presentation was probably the best part of this restaurant. We had a simple shrimp dish and they made it smoky, which was cool for the camera. Overall the price was pretty was pretty good, I expected it to be more expensive than what it actually was.

Solid bro Unlucky Solid Anyways it's good Shanghainese food. Came here with a squad of 5 and got the tofu, lamb soup, cold chicken, xiao long bao, and some water. Drooled on my pants. Service was also amazing they kept giving us a lot of water i was drowning. Toilet: solid. They got 2 individual stalls which can bottleneck based on bowel movements but they keep it clean ish. Not the best but it's acceptable.

I have never received such great service at a Chinese restaurant before! My son is in an adaptive stroller and they had two staff lift him up all the stairs to our table. Usually we have to do it ourselves. The Ambiance was like we were in ancient China. Everything was well decorated. They did not skimp on the interior design. There was one single Female bathroom and one single Male bathroom. Both were big enough for a stroller. The complimentary pickle reminded me of childhood when my mom would use that to cook in egg. The wine soaked chicken was perfect. The jellyfish and conch was so refreshing. The okra and yam dish was also refreshing and very healthy. The best dish was the Steamed Dungeoness Crab with steamed egg. The flavors were unlike what I ever had. The sea urchin cooked was kind of a waste. We still thought uni is best raw. I would come back to try more dishes.

I came to try Cheli when I was visiting here. Definitely nice restaurant I have ever visited in NY. I really love the braised pork belly, it tasted sooooo good! And the restaurant looks so pretty, nice environment, the dishes decorated so ritzy. I also got nice service here. Will come back next time!

I love this restaurant, I thought they all good! The food super perfect and the staff is really nice. The restaurant area so great! I will be going there again! Stunning food and guys!

You need reservation to be seated. Food came quick and the portions were somewhat small. The service was great but the food didn't blow my mind for the price.

@cheli.nyc . I've always wanted to check out @cheli.nyc but it's on the pricier side and it's more of fine dining place rather than casual. We decided to check it out one night - we were kinda in the mood for something different I guess.. . I didn't know what was good so I asked someone who I know works there (who was not on duty that day) for suggestions/recommendations but he told me to ask the staff. Umm, aren't you the staff!?!? (I hope he reads this as he was absolutely no help at all ) . What we ordered: Deep Fried Stipe Bass - It was so good. It was fried perfectly, topped with sweet&sour sauce. But the best part is, it's totally boneless. If you don't include the tail that is, which they used as the head. So the fish doesn't have the fish head... it was so easy to eat since there were no bones.. . Braised Pork Belly - it's a safe/good protein dish if you don't know what to get. What's not to like about pork belly. Many people were getting this dish. The pork belly was thick but it wasn't very tender. It didn't break apart easily... but it wasn't tough to chew. They load up on the quail eggs though, and that abalone sauce, get yourself another bowl of rice (their bowls of rice isn't big at all) . Stir Fried Water Spinach - it was ok, nothing fancy, but it was cooked well and with lots of garlic. . Overall, the food was very good, however, the service was very slow. We got one dish by one dish. We didn't get to enjoy all 3 dishes at the same time. But that's how Chinese restaurants are, whatever cooks first, get it out. So we couldn't really wait for the next dish to arrive, otherwise it would have gotten cold.. they have to manage it better.. one dish at a time is fine, but there shouldn't be a long gap, and these gaps were long. Even asking for an extra bowl of rice took forever, we had to follow up, but to compensate, they did give us a drink on the house... does that make up for it though? ‍‍‍

Nicely decorated and pleasant ambiance. Great flavors and service was attentive. Smoked fish was surprisingly my favorite dish.

Met up with friends for lunch. It's a beautiful space with good service and delicious food!

Come here for dinner with a friend. Everything is perfect from the food, the ambiance to customer service. My favorite dish is the soup dumplings. They have a cute traditional style menu.

For the first time, I'm satisfied. Especially the shrimp is delicious. Plum juice tastes good

Cheli's ambiance, food and service deserve 5 stars. My friend found this place on TikTok. We made reservations weeks in advance. Our table was ready when we arrived right in time. When you enter there's a Koi pond in the front and there's a dark narrow walk way. Each party has its own separate dining area. My friends and I ordered the following: Regular XLBs and crab meat Pea shoots with Chinese liquor sauce Braised eggplant with clams Hangzhou braised duck Tofu bites Grilled beef ribs Shanghai style fried rice Braised pork belly Garlic lobster Flavors and textures here were on point. Each dish had something unique about it. The braised eggplant and beef ribs were my favs. Plenty of clams in the eggplant and a touch of heat . The beef ribs had a cool presentation when the waiter heated up the dish in the aluminum foil. The rib sauce was so delicious we found ourselves adding it to our rice. Price wise everything here is reasonable. With the +10 dishes, 2 bottles of sake our tab came out to under $50 before tip for a party of 7. We left stuffed and really enjoyed our experience here. The only downside was since our party was large we got seated way in the back where the door leads outside. The cool windy breeze kept passing through. We found ourselves asking the waiters to keep the door closed. Overall, we had a really fun experience here. Dark intimate vibes with fun music playing. You get quality Shanghainese without breaking the bank.

We walked in for a late lunch, extremely hungry after watching a game at the US Open. The interior was impressive, resembling the common image of an ancient Chinese village with fog and properly dimmed lighting. The service was polite but a tad rushed. We enjoyed the Shanghai noodles, but unfortunately, the other dishes such as the braised eggplant, braised pork belly, and spare ribs were too sweet for my liking, and they all tasted similar. I guess they use the same base for the sauces, which is sugar and soy sauce. The Xiao long bao were subpar compared to the ones I've had all over New York. This place is a great alternative if Nan Xiang's waiting line is too long.

We were the first customers of the day, and we quickly noticed the tranquil water decoration with koi fishes and a tree. We were served chrysanthemum tea, and the teapot looked aesthetic. We ordered Che-Li Smoked Fish, Wine-Soaked Chicken, and Fried Rice with Seafood, Ham, and Pine Nuts. The Che-Li Smoked Fish was our favorite dish. It was the most flavorful; it was sweet, savory, and crispy. However, we wished the portions were larger. The Wine-Soaked Chicken was a little dry but had a good wine flavor. The Fried Rice with Seafood, Ham, and Pine Nuts was a great mix and had a good variety of flavors, but we thought it was a little salty for our taste. We also thought it would come with more seafood variety. Overall, we would come back here and try their other menu items.

The service was excellent. I love the decor of this place. The crab meat tofu was yummy along with the pork belly. The eel was a dish which was exquisite...I've never had eel in a wrap before and this was a first for me. Try the eel if you're looking for a change. Note- There's a physical menu but there a QR code for the online menu that has pictures

After dropping my daughter off at JFK we decided to stop in China Town for some authentic Chinese food. I picked this spot off Yelp and it was great! The ambience is so cool - it's very zen, with cool lighting. Service is incredibly attentive. The vast majority of the diners were Chinese which is always a good sign. They have the best mapo tofu we've had, the crab Xiao Long Bao were tender and soupy and delicious. Definitely would recommend.

This place is a gem, I felt like I was instantly transported upon arrival. Love the decor and ambiance. We didn't have a reservation but we were seated quickly! Enjoyed the menu scroll and the presentation of the veggies! We ordered the appetizer of veggies, wine soaked chicken and fried rice. The service was highly attentive, they always checked to refill our tea. Would recommend ordering the wine-soaked chicken as that's their specialty. The portions were large so didn't have room for dessert. I would highly recommend this spot!

The restaurant has professional service and a nice ambiance, but I didn't think its food matched their price point and the high-end vibe they're going for. Shanghainese food is supposed to be a bit on the sweeter side, but a lot of the food was too sweet. The duck and braised pork belly were drenched in an overly sweet sauce. The sweet and sour pork short ribs were still sweet, but that sweetness was more manageable. I didn't like the mapo tofu because it was just a bit too numbingly spicy for me. The braised rice dish was good though. I did ask it to be made with no spice. I don't think I'd return here, but for anyone who wants to try this place out, I'd recommend the braised rice.

I originally came to eat at Jiang Nan, which is located next door but I noticed more people ducking into Cheli so I decided to check it out as well. The restaurant is gorgeous and transports you to a countryside garden teahouse with the lattice windows and wood columns. The music is a mix of Chinese and English songs, except I noticed the English covers featured Chinese instruments and the menus looked like traditionally bound books with blue covers and menu items listed vertically instead of horizontally. In short, the vibes at Cheli are trendy and deftly straddle the intersection between East and West, and traditional and contemporary. Our teapot came on a little stand with a tealight underneath to keep our tea warm during the course of our meal and we were served a bowl of edamame and what I believe was preserved radishes as they were salty and sweet and very crunchy. We ordered the Sixi wheat gluten ($12) to start with, which came out much tarter than I expected. I am not sure if it is the way it is done in Jiangnan as I generally eat Shanghainese braised gluten which is sweeter and colored with dark soy sauce. The pork soup dumplings ($9) came in a steamer of 6 and had a lovely thin skin with plenty of juice. We also ordered fried tofu bites ($15) which were so cute and crispy but felt a little one note as the batter was slightly spiced with paprika and pepper. I ended up dipping some in the sauce of the Cheli Squirrel Fish ($38) which ended up being an excellent idea. Squirrel fish is a well-known dish in Jiangsu cuisine that requires a lot of technique and skill as the fish needs to be filleted n a cross-hatch pattern before being fried in one piece. The head was even decorated, though I did not see the resemblance to a squirrel. We also tried the braised rice with boletus mushroom and shishito peppers ($24) which was a little too juicy for a braised/fried rice dish but if you're like me and you enjoy a ton of sauce with your rice, this rice casserole would be perfect for you. The boletus mushrooms gave the rice some texture and the peppers added some needed spice to the soy-sauce rich sauce. For dessert, we had the fried sticky rice pancakes ($12) which were chewy and had a lovely crisp exterior. The peanut and brown sugar filling was delicious, but the sweet osmanthus rice cake ($8) was my favorite with its mochi-like texture and beautifully fragrant osmanthus syrup on top. Overall, I had a great experience at Cheli and found the food not only delicious but thoughtfully plated.

We had such high expectations for CheLi due to the positive reviews and I am sorry to say that it failed miserably on all counts. Skip CheLi and go to JiangNan! To start, 20 minutes passed from us sitting down to us finally having to actually flag down a busboy to flag down another server to flag down our server to finally having our order taken. This alone is one reason I would never return to a restaurant. Our server disappearing and never returning was consistent throughout the whole meal, we had to flag her down to order anything at all, get a drink refill, pay the check, she just never came back. She was also not at all apologetic or particularly friendly (I know that's to be expected sometimes, but forgetting your table exists right at the beginning is just bad service). Now the food, it was ok, but honestly everything felt underseasoned and overpriced compared to all the other great restaurants in Flushing I have been to, namely JiangNan next door (which has great service btw). Two of the dishes we ordered came out first, and the third dish came out 20 minutes after those two. That's ridiculous! Between the time we sat down and received two out of three dishes, another party sat down after us, had a full elaborate meal, and left! We still didn't even have our third dish! The only nice thing I can say is it's beautifully decorated. However, I would not come back here. There are way better restaurants in Flushing that actually appreciate your business and want to give you the experience of enjoying your meal!

Pork belly with quail eggs was very delicious. Decor is very unique that I felt immersed in the dining experience.