Chi Restaurant & Bar
Chinese restaurant · Hell's Kitchen ·
Innovative Chinese dishes, classy environs, spirits & cocktails
Innovative Chinese dishes, classy environs, spirits & cocktails
"Over the last few years, Ninth Avenue has established itself as a go-to for Chinese restaurants, with over a dozen places running the gamut, including Cantonese dim sum shops, Sichuan fish restaurants, and Hunan spots. When Chi appeared not long ago as the southernmost of these, it quickly established itself as a destination with extra elegance, a full bar, higher prices, and a menu that includes fare from Sichuan, Dongbei, and Xianjing." - Eater Staff
"What’s this place doing across the street from the Lincoln Tunnel? It’s almost like it’s avoiding you. But don’t let it. Chi isn’t just one of the best-looking restaurants in the area, it’s also where you’ll find some of the most impressive food. If you’re planning a group dinner and need something a little more upscale, snag a gray leather booth and split some mapo tofu under a hanging glass sculpture. The menu is mostly Sichuan, but it also has everything from dim sum and Peking duck to general tso’s and great spicy cumin lamb." - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, hannah albertine, will hartman
"This Hell’s Kitchen newcomer is both fancy for Hell’s Kitchen, and fancy for a Sichuan restaurant, and lies at the bottom of the neighborhood’s 9th Avenue restaurant row, a few blocks south of 34th Street. A cocktail bar is the first thing you see when you enter, but the menu is filled with splendid, well-prepared dishes: cumin lamb, ma po tofu, and whole fish presentations." - Robert Sietsema
"For a spot across from the Lincoln Tunnel, Chi exceeds all expectations. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant has two interconnected dining rooms with comfy leather furniture and slate gray walls, as well as a bar up front where you can hang out and drink some baijiu or a glass of champagne. The menu focuses on Sichuan food—with dishes like springy dan dan noodles and delicate mapo tofu—although there’s really a bit of everything. Options include dim sum, Korean wings, Peking duck, and tender cumin lamb that arrives smothered in spices. Aside from that lamb, the flavors here can run a bit mild, but this is still one of best options for an impressive group meal within walking distance of Penn Station. photo credit: Chi photo credit: Chi photo credit: Chi Pause Unmute" - Bryan Kim
"On my four or five visits to Chi, the flavors are occasionally less lusty and more restrained than I’d prefer, yet I’m reminded of what it’s like when you glimpse professional athletes or dancers: the chef is clearly well trained and super fluid in the kitchen. Lei reportedly studied regional Chinese cooking at a Beijing culinary school before coming to New York to consult on high-end Chinese openings. The vibe is not fancy but clean and well‑lighted, with hexagon tile floors and a glass dragon sculpture in the back room; I wish they’d dim the lights, add votives, and swap the current ‘doctors’ office’ playlist. The crowd includes big groups of Chinese students and couples sharing dishes; I’m always tempted to sit at the bar but end up in the giant, cushy booths in the back when I want a private conversation. Chinese gong fu–style teas are interesting, served in a clear teapot kept hot at the table, while the booze list features cocktails like “the Double Tom” (a yuzu collins), Young Master Black Beer from Hong Kong, Albarino and Soave wines, and sake. The food highlights for me were the amazing cucumbers that punch above their weight—laced with spicy oil, Chinkiang vinegar, and soy, dappled with Sichuan peppercorns and dried chiles; a vegetable treated with duck yolk that tastes like Cool Ranch Doritos ($18); a very savory mashed eggplant and peppers; and a family-declared “best thing” of the year, the classic fish in pickled cabbage soup (we chose flounder) stacked with enoki mushrooms, delicate white fish, a hint of spice, and plenty of pickled greens ($35). I also liked the double-cooked pork with leeks cut on the bias and the sliced beef ($18) that pops after a dry-wok toss with lotus root, peppers, chiles, and onions. The only real miss was a slick, underseasoned stir-fried cabbage. Prices felt fair—two appetizers, three dishes, and four glasses of wine ran just over $200—and I can see myself becoming a regular who stops by the bar for one or two dishes I especially crave." - Melissa McCart
