Shanghai 21

"The only time we’ve been immediately seated at Shanghai 21 was at 3:50pm on a Monday. Even then, a line immediately formed right behind us. The wait is worth it. At this bright-green Chinatown restaurant sandwiched between Wo Hop and Hop Kee, the delicate soup dumplings have surprisingly good structural integrity, super-juicy filling, and a clear, light broth that’s also deeply flavorful. But don’t forget to explore the other excellent dishes here, including the spicy Sichuan-style wontons and the incredibly tender shredded beef with dried bean curd and Chinese celery." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, carlo mantuano, molly fitzpatrick

"Trust us on these two facts: you will (almost certainly) have to wait in line to get a table at Shanghai 21, and it will (certainly) be worth it. This bright-green restaurant, sandwiched right between Chinatown legends Wo Hop and Hop Kee, turns out notably fantastic soup dumplings, but we also love the spicy-sweet Szechuan-style wontons and the tender shredded beef with dried bean curd. And the walls are covered with blown-up, illuminated glamour shots of food, in case you're in need of some outside-the-box apartment decor inspo." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman

"The only time we’ve been immediately seated at Shanghai 21 was at 3:50pm on a Monday. Even then, a line immediately formed right behind us. The wait is worth it. At this bright-green Chinatown restaurant—sandwiched right between Wo Hop and Hop Kee—the walls are covered with blown-up, illuminated glamour shots of food. Their soup dumplings are the standout, but there are plenty of other fantastic dishes on offer, too. With that in mind, consider going with a group. (There isn’t really space for, say, a giant birthday party, but Shanghai 21 does have a number of booths to accommodate parties of four or so.) You’re going to want the collective stomach space to order widely. Food Rundown photo credit: Noah Devereaux Soup Dumplings With Crab Meat And Pork Surprisingly good structural integrity, super juicy filling, and a clear, light broth that’s deeply flavorful. If you were to eat just one xiao long bao for the rest of your life, you could do a lot worse than this one. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Szechuan-Style Wontons The sauce is spicy with an irresistible tinge of sweetness, and we love the crispy fried shallots that top this dish. The delicate, perfectly folded wrappers are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Shredded Beef With Dried Bean Curd And Chinese Celery The beef is incredibly tender, the Chinese celery brings a pleasant punch, and the dried bean curd is a sponge that soaks up all the delicious flavor happening here." - Molly Fitzpatrick

"Shanghai 21 is open for delivery and takeout. We’ve never gone here and not ordered the soup dumplings." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, bryan kim, arden shore, matt tervooren

"We picked Shanghai 21, situated right above Wo Hop and owned by Peter Tan." - Robert Sietsema