Wu's Wonton King
Chinese restaurant · Lower East Side ·
Cantonese eatery with large-format dishes, BYOB, and group dining
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71809826/GettyImages_163436979.0.jpg "Wu's Wonton King by Buena Vista International/Getty Images")
Cantonese eatery with large-format dishes, BYOB, and group dining
"With a vibe like it’s been on the Lower East Side forever, this spot has, in less than a decade, shifted from buzzy newcomer to reliable neighborhood staple, greeting the neighborhood with roast meats hanging from the window and a plethora of celebratory dishes. Wonton soup, naturally, lives up to the name, featuring plump, carefully wrapped dumplings generous with filling, with Chinese broccoli providing a toothsome green accent. I like the roast duck in the Hong Kong-style lo mein, less saucy than many Western versions, with the glistening meat prettily fanned atop thin noodles; the lunch portion is plenty without forcing a solo diner to waste food. Salt-and-pepper shrimp are plump morsels fried impossibly crispy and jazzed up with a scattering of spices, peppers, and shallots, and from the dim sum menu, the simple steamed shrimp dumplings, with delicate, glassy skin, are a solid bet. It’s a reliable option for family-style dining and celebrations from New Year’s Eve to Lunar New Year, with an impressive variety of large-format dishes like whole Peking duck and stir-fried conch (call ahead to check the market price for items like chow chow-style crab). Bring a bottle or two—the restaurant is BYOB—and know that smaller parties are seated together at the larger banquet tables; regulars keep to themselves, but solo diners can always bring a book for more of an illusion of privacy." - Missy Frederick
"A birthday classic, Wu’s Wonton King is always filled with groups sitting at big round tables covered in suckling pig, roasted duck, and whole fried crab. Situated at the southern tip of the Lower East Side, this place serves standout Cantonese food, and it also happens to be BYOB. Bring a few bottles of wine, start with a vat of the wonton soup, and be sure to place the order for your whole suckling pig in advance." - will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore
"Plan a group meal at Wu’s Wonton King on the border of Chinatown and the Lower East Side. The room is festive with big round tables, and it’s always packed with people who appreciate a BYOB policy and quality Cantonese seafood. Obviously start with the wonton soup, then try some fried lobster, walnut shrimp, and cold jellyfish." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"The best thing about Wu’s is the consistently excellent Cantonese food. The second best thing is the BYOB policy, and, in third place, we have the big round tables topped with lazy susans. On the border of Chinatown and the Lower East Side, the restaurant is perfectly suited for a big-group dinner, whether you’re celebrating a birthday or going out with 10 coworkers. Focus on the seafood, and always start with a vat of the wonton soup." - bryan kim, willa moore
"Wu’s Wonton King is a Cantonese restaurant at the lower end of the LES, and it has a big dining room with some huge tables that can fit you and every single friend you actually want to hang out with (about 10 people). There are also lazy susans in the middle of each table, which makes sharing whole roast duck or some Dungeness crab pretty easy." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah