Chili

All 156 rated mentions, most helpful first

postKung Pao (Chili - Midtown East)31 pts
“This is how the dish is supposed to be made. Peanuts, chicken, peppercorn, chilis, maybe some green onion. Fantastic.”
H3
postKung Pao (Cafe China - West 30’s)50 pts
“Current Kung Pao Rankings 1. Chili”
H2
in:Best bite you had in 2025?17 pts
“Cumin Lamb at Chili”
H2
in:What is your favorite (Chinese food) restaurant in the City? (separate by cheap and expensive)12 pts
“chili, great ambiance and all the food is solid.”
H2
in:Bryant Park - Lunch Recommendations?10 pts
“Chili (the Sichuan restaurant, not the chain) is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Lots of food at decent prices. The cumin lamb is 10/10, as are the carp and the twice-cooked pork”
H2
in:Where to take parents? (2nd time in NYC)5 pts
“How about Uluh for Chinese food? I love Uluh, it’s delicious, modern vibe. Or Chili in Midtown East, it has a retro 1930’s Shanghai vibe.”
H2
in:Can we have an honest Szechuan conversation?4 pts
replying to u/Procrastisam: I came here once and thought it was very mediocre.
“I thought it was fine, better than mediocre but unremarkable and I wouldn’t revisit.”
H2
in:Sichuanese Food Manhattan3 pts
replying to u/cambiumkx: Cafe China > Sichuan mountain house >> chili > chi imho Never been to Hui
“Cafe China skews a little more traditional flavor-wise but both restaurants had well executed dishes the few times I’ve been to both. I remember Chili’s mapo tofu was super leek forward which was a bit different than what I’m used to. I liked it though! Both had great cocktails too.”
H2
in:Lunch recommendations near the ESB?3 pts
“good lunch special, rice and protein of choice and soup”
H2
in:Szechuanese food for a dinner date with my mom!!3 pts
“Some other good places i’ve had are uluh and chili — crab tofu (at both) is amazing”
H2
in:Traveling to NY for 10 days... Best food recommendations from locals?3 pts
“CHILI for truffle beef and spicy chicken”
H2
in:Where to eat soft shell crab in Manhattan 3 pts
“Had some very good soft shell crab with chilis at Chili on 37th last weekend.”
H2
in:Rare weeknight date night with husband - looking for tasty food, strong drinks nothing trendy or tiktok-worthy2 pts
“Delicious Szechuan food aka spicy, retro mid century Chinese decor, the cocktails are sophisticated!”
H2
in:kindly leave some recommendations below for great $10-$30 pp places to eat!2 pts
“Lunch Special at Chili or Cafe China. I like both of them”
H2
in:Best Sichuan, Midtown2 pts
replying to u/randomtopic: dramaaaaa i think chili ended being better. thoughts?
“I don’t think they nailed the wontons in chili oil the way CC does. I find the quality of the food to be greasier, in a more indulgent way if that makes sense? Like, I could go to Chili hungover and my tummy would be cool”
H2
in:Can we have an honest Szechuan conversation?2 pts
replying to u/CNB3: Chili on 37th St. CHILI https://share.google/KXyXYPTiTrv7YkhKg
“Their spicy eggplant is SO good!”
H2
in:Unique/non-touristy restaurants in Midtown?1 pts
“Chili for sichuan food, really great decor and old school vintage vibe and the food is authentic and tasty.”
H2
in:Between Time Square and Rockefeller Center (Impress a Tourist!)1 pts
“actually really good Sichuan food with great cocktails and atmosphere”
H2
in:Which are the must go food places in Chinatown and Midtown, NYC?1 pts
“Chili on 37 and Madison, much better than cafe china.”
H2
in:Sichuan near Times Square?1 pts
replying to u/BalboaBaggins: I’ll throw in a vote for Chi, I thought it was excellent
“I like it better than both chili and cafe China.”
H2
in:Who has the best crab dishes in NYC1 pts
replying to u/shubhomb: I enjoyed Chili's spicy soft shell crab
“I love their baby back, baby back, baby back…”
H2
in:Pork Wonton Soup in Manhattan1 pts
“The wonton soup at Chili is amazing. Still think about it every now and then”
H2
in:Ingredient Series - Tofu1 pts
“Salted Egg Yolk Mapo Tofu at Chili”
H2
in:What do you order at a new Thai restaurant, and what do you look for?1 pts
“I had duck fried rice from Chili on 37th st the other day and it was delicious”
H2
in:NYC Sichuan Food List1 pts
“IMO it should be competitive for top 5, and they have the best 辣子鸡”
H2
in:Best Mapo Tofu to try?1 pts
“I've had better mapo tofu from Chili and Cafe China.”
H2
in:Chinese dinner restaurant recommendation for solo date1 pts
“Go to Chili on 37th between 5th and 6th, great food good vibes. You’re welcome.”
H2
in:Can we have an honest Szechuan conversation?1 pts
“Chili on 36th between 5th and 6th is my favorite Szechuan option in midtown. Similar to Cafe China but somehow better, better service even.”
H2
in:Sichuan Food in NYC?1 pts
replying to u/igetlotsofupvotes: Mountain house is imo the best in Manhattan. Second favorite is lunar. Blue willow is good too. Chili is supposed to be good but never been. Most of the people eating at these actually good places are all Chinese people.
“I like Chili better than Mountain House”
H2
in:Where to eat near the Morgan Library tomorrow afternoon?1 pts
replying to u/helcat: Because I see it recommended so often here, I finally went to Chili on my mission to find the best laziji that I don’t have to schlep too far for, and I was very disappointed. Maybe it was an off day but it wasn’t good at all.
“I just love their mapo tofu and tea smoked duck fried rice”
H2
in:Kung Pao (Peppercorn Station - Midtown West)1 pts
replying to u/mheusler1: So far Szechuan Gourmet. Far and away. They nailed it on every front.
“kung pao chicken from Chili and it was good not great”
H2
in:I want to try 100 new dishes in 2026. Help me make my list!1 pts
“spicy wontons from CHILI”
H2
in:Kung Pao (Han Dynasty - UWS)0 pts
“Try the kung pao at Chili”
H2
in:Best Michelin “affordable”-3 pts
“Great sichuan food and not too pricey.”
H2
in:Kung Pao (Pig Heaven - UES)-10 pts
replying to u/Financial-Football61: You lost me with this one OP. How a kung pao dish with zero garlic, ginger, or Sichuan peppercorn ranks #1 I don’t know.
“In my experience, most places go overboard with Sichuan. I’d prefer there be none to an overdose. Chili and Cafe China both overdose.”
H2
postNYC Sichuan Food List98 pts
“There’s so many more places but these are the ones I recently liked or liked again (if I went back).”
H1
in:Where’s the good food in midtown that’s not $50+ and not corporate slop?75 pts
“Lots of great options in the K-Town area. Cho Dang Gol, Tonchin, Cafe China, Chili, Hojokban”
H1
in:Sichuanese Food Manhattan23 pts
“Szechuan Mountain House, Chili, Cafe China, Hui, Chi”
H1
in:Sichuan near Times Square?22 pts
“Cafe China or Chili”
H1
in:What are the biggest ‘VS’ in the NYC food market? 22 pts
replying to u/matthewsrc: CHILI vs. Café China
“FWIW, I love both spots”
H1
in:Best authentic Chinese restaurants?20 pts
“Mala project, hutaoli, blue Willow, happy hot Hunan, chili, cafe China”
H1
in:Best food near Bryant Park?16 pts
“Cafe China or their sister restaurant Chili is excellent.”
H1
in:Most Numbing Chongqing Chicken (Sichuan Dry Fried)14 pts
“Mountain House and CHILI were fairly numb”
H1
in:Recs for Chinese in Midtown12 pts
“Chili is my go to for a nice group dinner; it’s Chinese parent approved.”
H1
in:Kung Pao (Cafe China - West 30’s)12 pts
“I prefer Chili heavily of the two.”
H1
in:What are your three favorite bars and restaurants?11 pts
“Restaurants: Atomix, Chili, Tonchin (4 Charles as a fourth)”
H1
in:Taking my SO to the city! Whats your favorite Asian cuisine near grand central?11 pts
“Some of the best Szechuan in the city is around there.”
H1
in:Where is your favorite spot for chongqing chicken?11 pts
“If I want a stronger kick, I'll go for [CHILI](https://www.yelp.com/biz/chili-new-york).”
H1
in:Best Mapo Tofu to try?11 pts
“CHILI”
H1
in:Can we have an honest Szechuan conversation?10 pts
“Chili on 37th St.”
H1