Joe's Shanghai
Shanghainese restaurant · Chinatown ·
Famed for soup dumplings and Shanghai dishes in a spare setting
Famed for soup dumplings and Shanghai dishes in a spare setting
"I’m a soup dumpling connoisseur and have tried my best over the years to taste dozens of different restaurants’ versions of these delicious bites, yet somehow, I continue to come back to Joe’s Shanghai. The perfectly crafted soup dumpling features a thin yet sturdy dumpling skin, flavorful meat, and piping hot broth. Here, that’s exactly what you’ll find. There’s nothing like that initial burst of taste when you pop the first dumpling in your mouth, still hot from the bamboo steamer. While I’m partial to the classic pork version that truly lets the flavors shine (why mess with success?), there’s also a crab and pork option for those who desire it." - Kat Chen
"Popularized in Flushing around 1995, Joe’s Shanghai helped bring soup dumplings to wide attention; Ruth Reichl's 1996 review called them "the best things in the whole world," and I note that Joe’s still does them well." - Eater Staff
"The latest edition of Joe’s Shanghai is on Bowery, around the corner from the first Chinatown branch on Pell, and it occupies a much grander space, with multiple dining rooms arranged around a carryout counter. The soup dumplings — first popularized in the city in the ’90s at the original branch in Flushing — are as good as ever, served with or without a lump of crab, eight to a giant steamer. Other Shanghai delights include braised gluten, eel with chives, and fish fingers with seaweed." - Eater Staff
"Plenty of restaurants serve good soup dumplings, but Joe’s is the one that kickstarted New York’s obsession. Filled with a scalding broth, these purse-shaped dumplings were an immediate hit. The original opened in Flushing in 1994, but it closed sometime in 2020." - Eater Staff
"Famous for its juicy soup dumplings, located in Chinatown, offering an authentic taste of Chinese cuisine."