Jin Mei Dumpling

***15 DUMPLINGS FOR $5 CASH***🤯🫠🤤❤️🥟 Jim Mei Dumpling, affectionately known as the Dumpling Lady, is an absolute must-visit. This is a cash-only spot where you can get 15 fresh, handmade dumplings for just $5, which feels almost unreal in NYC. Even on a slow day, expect a short wait of about 5–15 minutes, and it is time well spent. She’s gained well-deserved recognition on social media for her perfectly crafted dumplings, and the praise is completely justified. The dough is incredibly fresh and soft, and the filling is flavorful, balanced, and deeply satisfying. I can honestly say these are the best dumplings I’ve ever had, and Chinese food is my all-time favorite. Every time I’m in the city, I make a point to take the train just to get these one-of-a-kind dumplings. They’re a true flavor explosion and a special experience you won’t forget. ❤️

Very good value for the price, dumplings & pork buns were really flavorful. They were so good we had to go back another day to get more. Line moves fast & worth the wait.

Still the best quick fried pork & chive dumpling option in chinatown. Best bang foe your buck in terms of quantity. Quality wise it's freshly made, large, crispy with a golden bottom crust, not too oily, The chili sauce enhances the flavor, very friendly aunties making them in store.

We stopped here on our final day in New York because we heard they had a "15 dumplings for $5" deal. We got the pork and chive fried dumplings which were just fantastic. We ate them standing up by the stoop next door. The lady at the front was so nice, and the service was basically instant.

Best hole-in-the-wall dumpling place you will always want to come back to! So hot, fresh, and delicious! For what you pay, you will get more than enough. We spent $15 on 3 orders and my dad and I (two Big guys) count even finish it! You could easily have two meals per order. So worth it! My picture is half of the order.

A tiny little hole-in-the-wall in Chinatown, Jin Mei Dumpling has been serving up plates full of steamed and fried traditional Chinese dumplings for years. My first visit was awesome—it felt like I was getting a friend’s grandmother’s cooking. For $5, I got 10 fried pork and chive dumplings. First off, I don’t think there’s cheaper food in New York—how are they even making money at these rates? Apparently it’s working, though, as they continue churning out plump, sumptuous dishes at lightning speed 9-10 hours per day, every day of the week. The flavor in these was epic. They were moist-yet-structured, burst with juices on your first bite, and had a middle-ground dough consistency that was texturally perfect—properly balanced between chewy, dense, and taught. Hard to really find a complaint with an order this big, this good, and this cheap. I recommend Jin Mei to anyone looking for great dumplings in Chinatown, or really anywhere in lower Manhattan. P.S. The ladies working kindly replied to my infant-level Mandarin, which was nice of them. Their lovely ladies—friendly, too-the-point, and welcoming.

So delicious and so cheap!! I came here with a friend and we got the chives and pork fried dumplings. We did have to wait in line for about 5 minutes, not bad at all. Then we told the lady at the counter what we wanted and she quickly handed the box over once we paid. Full disclaimer, it’s cash only and I dropped my cash, resulting in an embarrassing and awkward moment as I picked up all my money. The owner was very nice about it though! The dumplings were crispy and perfectly chewy. $5 for 15 dumplings, you cannot go wrong!

$5 for 15pcs of fried or steamed dumplings. Wrap is too thick. I can say it's value for money. Good for snacks. Soup wasn't available when we arrived past 3pm. They only take cash. $1 for a bottle of water There's a small table in front of the stall, but I think it's only used for adding the sauce to your dumplings before you leave. You can feel the neighborhood people annoyed when the line gets longer and busy.

Take out only. Cash is king. Small line, but moved quickly. Dumplings were fresh, and delicious. Scallion pancake was also good, but would have perfected it to be a bit warmer.

Some of the best value for food ANYWHERE. Literally $5 for a box full of fried potstickers. It's not the most delicious thing I've ever ate but you just can't beat that value. The place is in a little shop in CT probably family owned. Come out and support your local ct!

CASH ONLY. Pan-fried dumplings are the only thing to get here. 15 dumplings for $5 is one of the best deals in the city, and the pork dumplings are so juicy. Unfortunately, all their dumplings have pork, so if you don't eat pork or don't eat meat, you are out of luck unless you want a scallion pancake. Definitely add the soy sauce and sriracha all over these! This spot has blown up over social media, so the only people that come here are tourists/non-locals. But still, these are worth coming to if you are around the area. They are somewhat out of the way but worth it.

Jin Mei Dumplings (think it means "taste good") is a hidden gem off the edge of Chinatown. I found this dumpling house from YouTube video "NYC Cheap Eats"! I'm so glad. Jin Mei Dumplings is an order out only -- the door is blocked by a table and you're able to see into the back office/kitchen. The setup definitely brings to mind the early model, from my grandmother, of non-nonsense making dumplings and selling them. With that said, there's no seating around this shop...unless a curb is considered an alternative. For the drum roll....The best part of this....15 hot dumplings (that I've easily ate up) for $5! My recommendation come one, come all to help this shop!

Ambiance are no frills no dining area just order what you want. $5 for 15 dumplings. Quick service, little old Chinese lady makes and takes charge of all the cooking. She was one happy lady when I ordered 6 packs of fried pork and chive dumplings for $30 on the spot. You cannot beat this price nowadays. Great for potlucks and gatherings without breaking the wallet.

With current 2025 inflation, shrinkflation, and other flation-themed cost of rising shenanigan that companies and industries come up with, this place offers the best bang for your buck! They offer affordable dumplings and baos for $5. And they are quite juicy and savory. Definitely worth coming here more often : )

Quick, cheap, and delicious. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 5/5** This might've been the most efficient interaction I've had in NYC. It would take you longer to read this review than just go order some dumplings. I walked up, asked for fried dumplings, the woman walked to grab me a box, and I was paid up and on my way in probably under a minute. **Price & portion, 5/5** At $5 for 15 fried dumplings, you can't find a better deal. **Taste, 5/5** They come out piping hot with crispy bottoms, the wrapper is a bit thicker and chewy, and the savory meat filling side ties everything together. If you don't finish them all in one sitting, they taste just as good a few hours later because the juices and flavors from the filling seeps a bit into the wrapper, giving you a whole new experience.

The best value and tastiest dumplings in Chinatown! How can you beat $5 for 15 dumplings? They're so juicy and savory-- well worth!

Best $5 for 15 fried pork & chive dumplings! Tasty filling and recommended to eat right away. I also got the steamed, pork bun but they were okay! Super quick and friendly takeout service. Cash only.

Had jury duty downtown and this was a short walk from the courthouse. Walked up for lunch and there was no line! Dumplings ready immediately. You get 15 massive dumplings for $5.00. It's a steal. I had the pan fried pork and chive. The dumplings themselves were big, but thick and chewy. Not bad and for the price can't complain, but definitely had better. No frills. One table outside with 3 chairs so you probably will need to take your food to go. I walked to a park and ate. Cash only!

15 dumplings for $5.. and big dumplings!! We got the pork and chive ones and they were very very good. There wasn't that much line and we got our order fairly quickly. I def recommend it!

Came here for the pork and chive fried dumplings and very much agree with the other 3 star reviews. Service is quick, ladies are nice, this is an amazing deal of $5 for 15 dumplings but the dumplings are mediocre. The skin is too thick and chewy, and the filling wasn't that flavorful. We even added a lot of soy sauce and sriracha. I was definitely full from eating them though.

Need to come back!! Went in the evening and almost everything was sold out besides the 15 dumplings for $5. Insane deal. The dumplings are juicy inside and you can tell it's homemade. No where to sit inside but there's a table outside to stand and eat.

$5 for 15 handmade pork dumplings?!? 15 of them thangs!? Inflation getting beat pillar to post. OHHHHHHHHH INFLATION IS HURT!!!! These are 15 huge dumplings too, the bang for your buck here boggles my mind. For a brief second, I thought I was in 2004. I thought the 15 dumplings would be microscopic, so I also got 10 steamed pork buns for $5. I can't get over how big of a portion size these were. So much bang for your buck it's stupid. You walk up to this cash only hole in the wall restaurant with no seating, order with the cute Chinese lady at the front while the dude in the back is hand making the dumplings in the back, and get your food in about 5 minutes. There is 1 bottle of sriracha and 1 bottle of soy sauce on the outdoor table for you to apply accordingly. So much grit in here. The fried pork dumplings came PIPING hot, and were honestly a solid 8/10 for me. The pork is juicy and they aren't overly fried. More like a flash fry than a deep fry. The steamed pork buns were a 7/10, as the dough to pork ratio was a little too much for my personal taste, but still so worth it. Will probably just get 30 dumplings when I make my return trip. I can EAT with the best of them, but between lunch and dinner I still couldn't finish all of these. There are still 2 pork buns in my fridge, waiting for a date with my air fryer when I get home. Jin Mei Dumplings is easily making my all-inflation buster 1st team and might just be the odds on betting favorite for the MVP... IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

For what it is, it is top shelf. Basically a hole in the wall with a limited menu and take out only. There is a small metal table with no chairs just outside that a few people can use to munch on. Perhaps the best value on the planet. Tasty steamed or fried dumplings and buns, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Check out the photos. Together the 2 dishes cost $10 including tax! Tasty and filling meal for two! Fast and friendly service too!

Oh. My. Goodness. What a hidden gem. Totally worth walking out of your way. Food was warm, crispy, and full of flavor. And each container was only FIVE DOLLARS ?! Literally couldn't believe it. The pictures were even taken after some were eaten. We had pork dumplings that had just enough crispy edge without being burnt. And they had them ready the minute after we ordered. Talk about prepared! Cant say enough good things about the food and the price.

Going down an unbeaten path is where Jin Mei Dumpling will be found. Chinatown has many places that specialize in dumplings. This place excels in the price / performance ratio. When I ordered from the nice lady there, she quoted me 15 fried dumplings for $5.00! What? Silly me, I ordered a beef filled pancake to go with it. I felt that I had to spend more. $3.00 for that. That pancake filled me pretty well. Now those dumplings alone would be enough for two servings. This hole-in-the-wall as you might imagine is just a sidewalk window for taking these items home, or enjpy them on a nearby park bench. At these prices don't expect much, but you may be presently surprised. The quality of the food is comparable to other places while undercutting their already affordable prices.

You cannot beat their hand made dumplings. The price at $5 is a steal. The dumplings are goodThere is usually a line out of the door. They don't do any advertising and most of their customers who try them come from recommendations and word of mouth. It started as a little dumpling place - they sell fresh and frozen dumplings. And the past few months, they've started to get super busy and business is very good. The ladies who make the dumplings are very nice and friendly and if you are looking for frozen dumplings to make at home, this is the place to get them.

Cash only. Steamed and fried dumplings for a great value. Home made, quick service. Good comes out hot and ready. A fine establishment and worth a visit. Most options start at $5/menu item and it's is well worth it.

Great value spot! 15 dumplings for $5 is hard to beat. Dumpling skin is a little thick and filling isn't the best I have had, but also hard to complain with the price. Really nice crunch!

Ordered: pork and chives fried dumplings It's a cash only restaurant. Very fast and direct service, there's one lady working to take your order and immediately serve a box of dumplings. There was siracha and soy sauce vinegar on the table outside to dress the dumplings. For 15 dumplings for $5, it will make you full and a great value if you're on a budget and hungry. The dumplings are served hot! Overall, the dumplings were okay, honestly frozen dumplings from Costco taste better.

There's no doubt that this place brings good value for what it delivers 15 dumplings for $5. If you're hungry and want a quick fix before spending $$$ on dinner this is your spot, however the fried pork and chive dumplings here are simply mediocre. They weren't all that crispy. The dough is rather thick. They are pretty oily, the meat and chive isn't very fragrant or flavorful.

There's a lot of great dumpling deals in Chinatown, and Jin Mei is one of them. You can get 15 dumplings for $5 at lightning speed. The service is fast and direct - it's a speedy spot to share a bite together. Auntie's frying technique is on point here - love the light crisp on the dumplings! The location is off the beaten path; there are less tourists who come here to this side of Chinatown, but it's worth the walk to score a great deal on a filling meal.

Such a great hidden gem! $5/15 pork and chive fried dumplings. Cash only! Service was quick, and the box was surprisingly packed with many dumplings that were crispy at the bottom and had thicker dumpling skin. It's a take-out window only, and there is a sriracha bottle outside on the counter as well. Line goes by quickly. I can't believe a select few spots in Chinatown still have dumplings this cheap. The perfect after-school snack (we saw a bunch of kids come with their $5 after-school) that will honestly fill you up for an entire meal! What we ordered: -$5/15 pork and chive fried dumplings

They're cash only. But oh my goodness, the 15 dumplings for $5 were amazing!! They were so good my boyfriend and I went back the next day to get some more. There isn't a place to sit, there's a table blocking the doorway and you order from there. Definitely a must visit spot to check out in Chinatown!

Daaaaang!!! this a true hit, I hope they never change like so many other hole in the walls often change hands and the product quality goes down while the price goes up. I thought this was the first time I'd been here, but then I vaguely recalled hitting this place up before for just the dumplings. Came here on a friday evening- they were sold out of what I wanted, which was super sad bc we walked from far with a baby in tow. Sadly, we headed to another spot. But then we came back the next day- bright and early saturday afternoon in the heatwave and we achieved success. My friend essentially bought out the store. I settled on fried pork buns and beef scallion pancake. The pork buns hit so well, especially fresh and hot. We did make the mistake of not eating them on the spot vs bringing them home with us. But that's on us. I was greeted by a nice lady, she's tall and I the hospitality felt nice, especially vs the other place we ended up the day before, which had very poor customer service if you follow my posts. 8/10, cheap, quick, fresh, no nonsense kind of place. A literal hole in the wall. We will return!!!

My siblings and I shared 15 chive and pork dumplings for $5 and it was amazing! So warm and tasty, a bit on the oilier side but that's part of the whole experience. Really quick service - wish we could've tried more but it was quite filling.

15 dumplings for $5, cash only These were fine. Nothing crazy special but the flavor was good. The skin was crispy for the fried dumplings but not juicy at all. I think this place might be better for regular steamed dumplings. I will say, it's a steal of deal! So many dumplings for only $5! It gets 3 stars instead of 2 for the price!

I liked these dumplings although the wrapper was inarguably too thick and they weren't sealed well along the edges. The meat was also a little bland compared to other dumplings I've had in Chinatown. Dumplings come in two sizes - there are 15 in the small and it's a steal at $5. I really liked the hot and sour soup which was a bargain at only $2. Would definitely get it again. This is a literal hole in the wall, you don't even go inside to order. They did have forks but no napkins or other utensils out which was a bit annoying because I had to bring the soup home to eat it. They do have other menu items and I've heard good things about the scallion pancakes, but I didn't try them today. There are better dumplings around Chinatown at similar prices but overall? A banging meal for $7 so I can't complain at all.

If you're looking for dumplings, this is the place. Freshly made, warm, and yummy to-go snack! The curb appeal is nothing to write about, but the dumplings are what matter. You won't be sad if you get dumplings here.

Jin Mei sells SO many dumplings for only 5$ that were delicious. Note that it was cash only. They were super fast - you can just tell them what you want and they'll be done in a minute. There isn't anywhere to sit down. It's more so interacting with an auntie through the door and then you grab the food and eat somewhere else. We sat on the stairs beside the restaurant. Felt like a true hole-in-the-wall experience.

Amazing!! 15 dumplings for $5! 10 steam pork buns for $5! Came out fast and were fresh and hit! Was so yummy!

A hidden gem in Chinatown! You can get fresh dumplings here in a matter of minutes. We got 15 pork and chive dumplings for $5. They were pan fried to perfection and so good that I wanted to bring a bag back with me to California. There is one table with 2 seats in front and some standing room on the side, but no indoor seating. This is a CASH only establishment so don't forget to bring cash to buy your dumplings. However, if you forget like me, there are a few banks around the corner! I will definitely be coming back the next time I am in NYC.

Best chives & pork pot stickers in Chinatown. Super fresh, juicy and always the perfect undercarriage. Oh did I mention 15 for only $5 This hole in the wall may not be located in the heart of tourist area such as Mott & Canal but certainly worth a short walk over to score yourself a great deal.

-Terrific pork dumplings for great prices. -Very small menu. -Cash only. -Takeout only. -Fast, efficient service and as "no frills" as can be. -Wish they had little cups for the sauce.

It is a small store that sells mainly dumplings. We got the pork and chive pan fried dumplings. It was $5 for 15 dumplings in a box, which is so worth it! The dough is a little on the thicker side, but it is juicy and delicious! There is no seating indoors, but there is one table right outside with about 3 chairs around it. We decided to just eat while standing.

Fantastic pork and chive dumplings. Amazing!!! Food was ready extremely quick. Cash only. No seating.

$3 per dumpling?!?! I was shocked to hear how budget friendly this place and even more surprised at how tasty they were! I had to get the pork and chives pan-fried dumplings 韭菜猪肉锅贴 and they came out pipping hot. While the outer skin was a little too thick for me, the meat filling was super juicy and well-seasoned. Also wished they were fried a little bit longer to get more of the char but overall they exceeded my expectations, especially at their price point. Self-serve vinegar and sriracha are also available amongst other baos and classic Chinese staples. Its a take away shop with a counter to order (and maybe one table outside). Reminder to bring cash for these affordable, tasty dumplings!

Wow! Grape value! Such fast service! Only minus points is you cant sit down there, otherwise its a must go. Got that 15 for $5 dumpling meal and it was awesome. Makes me feel like an unc.

Got the $5 dumplings for $15. You'll definitely be full if you get these for yourself, so don't plan on going somewhere else

This place is such a hidden gem! The food came out in 5 seconds nice and hot. prices were great. Got dumplings and buns for $10 and there had to be 20 dumplings and 8 buns

Just go with the "Fried Dumplings please". WOW! There is nothing else to ask for, dipped them in soy and sriracha sauce.

little hole in the wall dumpling shop that is $5 (cash) for 15 dumplings - need I say more? I'll definitely be back for a quick bite if I'm in the area. the service is quick and the line moves fairly quickly! I got the chives and pork dumplings with soup and it was flavorful - the dumplings aren't packed with too much meat, but it is definitely worth $5!

So just a little addition to my post from yesterday. I had all these dumplings and didn't finish them so I saved some for today. Threw them in the air fryer for five or six minutes at 400 and man did they come out amazing! So crispy and delicious! I would highly recommend if you don't mind waiting, take your order home and throw them in the air fryer for a little while, and you will get the best dumplings you ever had! Super crispy shell, and tender on the inside!

hole-in-the-wall Chinatown spot, nearish to the Manhattan Bridge, serving up a small menu of fried and steamed Chinese quick eats. the frequent item order here is the pan-fried pork & chives dumplings...because of the price (15 dumplings for $5). the dumplings are served superhot. the dumplings themselves have thick wrappers and a thin amount of pork filling. overall, i enjoyed the dumplings for what they were--not what they're not. they make for a quick shareable snack post-adult beverages or when you want a quick meal. Jin Mei is very much no frills--no seating at all. there is a bottle of sriracha and a bottle of soy sauce to soak your eats before leaving. you have to request napkins, forks, etc. as they do not waste anything. the service is friendly enough and lines move quickly. hurrah that gritty NYC eateries are still surviving.

$5. All of these good fried dumplings are $5!!!! It's not as good as super taste but value wise (while considering quality and quantity), literally second to none OMG! The charr on the dumplings is lowkey delicious, and you can taste the pork fat in the oil they use on the charr!

This place is amazing !!!! The little hole in the wall spot with the sweet old lady is a hit for me the food is so yummy and the lady is so sweet, get served so quickly and you get bang for your buck you can't beat $5/15 the service is definitely great.

No frills. Great value! Two seater table outside. Great dumplings! Little lady inside always nice

You get what you pay for! And in this case, you pay almost nothing and the quality reflects that. Given that I paid $2 for 4 steamed pork buns... truly cannot beat that. These buns were good enough for what they were, you know? Like they weren't showstopping, but they did the job for the quick lunch I needed. The bun was soft, and the meat was seasoned. I wish there was a bit more meat though. It's a hole in the wall place, so you literally just walk up to the little window and they come over and ask what you want. I'm Asian, but my mandarin is absolutely awful. Nevertheless, they don't know that, so they started talking to me in mandarin, and me, being someone who could not find it in me to start talking in english, decided to just rawdog it in the world with my mediocre mandarin. I got my order with a combination of mandarin and pointing to their menu. The menu is huge, so pointing was easy. I imagine they also can speak english or working english since none of the other reviews have mentioned chinese only, so this is actually just a me problem is what I'm realizing as I type this. You simply cannot beat these prices though, and I love a good hole in the wall.