Shun Lee Cafe

3.8 (1472)

$31 to $50

Dim Sum

43 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023

Make a booking

Shun Lee Cafe

3.8

$31 to $50

Dim Sum

Lincoln Square

Make a booking

2 people

9 Nov 2026

7:00 pm

About this restaurant

Neighbourhood gem
Innovative
Good for special occasions

With Shun Lee Cafe conveniently located across from Lincoln Center, Dim Sum is just the ticket. The Cafe, a black and white checkerboard dining room, decorated with images from the Chinese calendar.
Terrific Dim Sum on rolling carts in constant motion and a variety of dishes in smaller portions completes the menu at Shun Lee Cafe. The Cafe is a great pre-theater stop for a “quick” dinner.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Dim Sum, Chinese, Asian
Hours of Operation
Closed Mon–Thu 12:00–21:30 Lunch Fri–Sun 12:00–14:30 Dinner Fri–Sun 16:30–21:30
Phone number
(212) 769-3888
Website
http://www.shunleewest.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Sun-Dao Man

Location
43 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
Area
Lincoln Square
Cross street
Columbus Avenue
Parking Details
None
Public transport
1 train to 66th Street.
Additional
Banquet, Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, View, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Braised Szechuan Beef Soup Noodle*USD 17.50
Soup Noodles with VegetablesUSD 17.50
Young Chow Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 20.50
Seafood Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 21.50
Vegetable Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 18.50
Singapore Curry Rice Noodles*USD 17.50
Lo MeinUSD 17.50
chicken, shrimp or beef
Chow Fun (Wide Rice Noodles)USD 19.50
chicken, shrimp or beef
Fried RiceUSD 17.50
roast pork, chicken, shrimp or beef
Brown RiceUSD 2.00

Entrees

Beijing Duck
- Half DuckUSD 32.00
- Whole DuckUSD 52.00
Prawns with Garlic & Scallions*USD 23.00
Grand Marnier's PrawnUSD 23.00
Beijing Style PrawnsUSD 23.00
Heavenly Fish FiletUSD 22.00
Tung Ting ShrimpUSD 22.00
Sauteed Fish Szechuan Style*USD 22.00
Chan-Do Chicken*USD 21.00
Chicken with VegetablesUSD 21.00
Three Pepper Chicken*USD 21.00
Chicken with Three Different NitsUSD 21.00
Beef with BroccoliUSD 22.00
Beef with AsparagusUSD 22.00
Crispy Orange Flavored Beef*USD 22.00
Shredded Beef Sauteed with Hot Peppers*USD 22.00
Sliced Pork Szechuan Style*USD 21.00
Chicken W. Broccoli in Brown SauceUSD 21.00

Simply Steamed, Poached & Braised

These dishes are low carb, and low in fat & sodium. Steamed dishes are served with a dipping sauce on the side, your choice of light soy with ginger, green curry sauce or* hot Szechuan sauce

Steamed Chicken and VegetablesUSD 21.00
Steamed Fish Filet and VegetablesUSD 22.00
Steamed Prawns and VegetablesUSD 23.00
Braised Fish Filet in Roasted Chili Broth*USD 22.00
Boiled Beef in Spicy Hunan Broth*USD 22.00

Old Favorites

Chicken Chow MeinUSD 20.00
Sweet & Sour Chicken or PorkUSD 21.00
Shrimp in Lobster SauceUSD 22.00
Moo Shu PorkUSD 21.00

Vegetables

Szechuan Broccoli*USD 18.00
Szechuan Eggplant*USD 18.00
Sauteed String BeansUSD 21.00
Buddha's DelightUSD 18.00
Mo Po Tofu (with or Without Meat) *USD 18.00
Sauteed Family Bean Curd with Vegetable*USD 18.00
Sauteed Baby Bok Choy in GarlicUSD 19.00

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Shun Lee Cafe.

3.8

(1472)

3.8Food
3.6Service
3.5Ambience
1.9Value

Noise • Moderate

1,472 Reviews

P
Peter Gold
New York City7 reviews
1.0
Dined on 10 October 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
This is really a review of you, not the restaurant, which is no longer open. It's pretty bad to offer reservations to a place that doesn't really exist.
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H
Harvey
New York City10 reviews
1.0
Dined on 22 August 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
This place is CLOSED. Why do you list it and take reservations?!?
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S
Steven
New York City2 reviews
3.0
Dined on 9 May 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
It's a nice-looking place and the service was good. But the food was remarkably bland, similar to what Chinese restaurants in the U.S. served decades ago. Even the "spicy garlic shrimp" was bland and notably lacking in garlic. If that's what you like, this place is perfect. Otherwise, I'd pass it by.
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j
jeffrey
New York City2 reviews
1.0
Dined on 10 April 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
After accepting reservation at Shun Lee Cafe, they informed us it was closed. And we would be served in the restaurant. Being pre opera , we had no choice. The food is mid at best and the prices are at least double those of any Chinese restaurant I have patronized. It feels dilapidated. It was a bait and switch and the prices are egregious.
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R
Richard Gold
New York City19 reviews
1.0
Dined on 14 March 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
From the time we sat down to the end of the meal, we had to ask for tea six times. It arrived when we were done with the meal in glass goblets that required wrapping in napkins to drink from them. Have never had worse service in NYC!
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R
Robert Gold
London7 reviews
4.0
Dined on 7 March 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best Chinese food in the neighborhood! Superb service
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B
Barbara Gold
New York City89 reviews
5.0
Dined on 27 February 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We very much enjoyed our dinner of Moo Shoo Shrimp and Egg Foo Yung. The service was excellent and we had plenty of time to get to our 7:30 pm performance at Lincoln Center.
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p
paula
Washington, D.C. Area2 reviews
4.0
Dined on 10 January 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The was excellent, but the service was rushed Apps & main course came out all together.
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K
Karen Gold
New York City3 reviews
2.0
Dined on 26 November 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 1
Food was served warm, instead of hot Ceiling in cafe was falling down Space was drafty.
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M
Marilyn
New York City2 reviews
2.0
Dined on 15 November 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
Fair fair fair fair fair fair fairfairfairfair Bad
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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Dim Sum, Chinese, Asian
Hours of Operation
Closed Mon–Thu 12:00–21:30 Lunch Fri–Sun 12:00–14:30 Dinner Fri–Sun 16:30–21:30
Phone number
(212) 769-3888
Website
http://www.shunleewest.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Sun-Dao Man

Location
43 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
Area
Lincoln Square
Cross street
Columbus Avenue
Parking Details
None
Public transport
1 train to 66th Street.
Additional
Banquet, Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Takeaway, View, Wine

FAQs

For a quieter, more relaxed visit try Monday evenings, guests report a peaceful, not-overly-packed dinner experience then, and the cafe is a handy pre-theatre stop across from Lincoln Center.

Yes, Shun Lee Cafe's striking, classic dining room and elegant atmosphere make it a popular pick for dates and special evenings, with guests praising it for romantic and celebratory meals.

Crowds at Shun Lee Cafe vary, some visits are busy, while other times it’s surprisingly quiet; guests report both packed nights and nearly empty evenings (for example, one party found it almost empty at 6:15 pm, another noted it was extremely empty at 7:15 pm on a Friday, and a Monday 9 pm reservation was described as peaceful).

Casual dress, Shun Lee Cafe asks guests to dress comfortably; nothing formal is required, which suits its role as a convenient pre‑theater dim sum spot.

Shun Lee Cafe is ideal as a pre-theater stop, plan to arrive before your Lincoln Center performance for a quick dinner; several guests say they enjoyed meals before 7:30–8:00 shows.

How FAQ content is generated

Make a booking

Shun Lee Cafe

3.8

$31 to $50

Dim Sum

Lincoln Square

Make a booking

2 people

9 Nov 2026

7:00 pm

Shun Lee Cafe

Make a booking

Shun Lee Cafe

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Dim Sum

Soups

Hot & Sour*USD 9.00

WontonUSD 9.00

Sizzling Rice CakeUSD 9.00

Egg DropUSD 9.00

Noodles & Rice

Braised Szechuan Beef Soup Noodle*USD 17.50

Soup Noodles with VegetablesUSD 17.50

Young Chow Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 20.50

Seafood Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 21.50

Vegetable Pan-Fried NoodlesUSD 18.50

Singapore Curry Rice Noodles*USD 17.50

Lo MeinUSD 17.50

Chow Fun (Wide Rice Noodles)USD 19.50

Fried RiceUSD 17.50

Brown RiceUSD 2.00

Entrees

Beijing Duck

Prawns with Garlic & Scallions*USD 23.00

Grand Marnier's PrawnUSD 23.00

Beijing Style PrawnsUSD 23.00

Heavenly Fish FiletUSD 22.00

Tung Ting ShrimpUSD 22.00

Sauteed Fish Szechuan Style*USD 22.00

Chan-Do Chicken*USD 21.00

Chicken with VegetablesUSD 21.00

Three Pepper Chicken*USD 21.00

Chicken with Three Different NitsUSD 21.00

Beef with BroccoliUSD 22.00

Beef with AsparagusUSD 22.00

Crispy Orange Flavored Beef*USD 22.00

Shredded Beef Sauteed with Hot Peppers*USD 22.00

Sliced Pork Szechuan Style*USD 21.00

Chicken W. Broccoli in Brown SauceUSD 21.00

Simply Steamed, Poached & Braised

Steamed Chicken and VegetablesUSD 21.00

Steamed Fish Filet and VegetablesUSD 22.00

Steamed Prawns and VegetablesUSD 23.00

Braised Fish Filet in Roasted Chili Broth*USD 22.00

Boiled Beef in Spicy Hunan Broth*USD 22.00

Old Favorites

Chicken Chow MeinUSD 20.00

Sweet & Sour Chicken or PorkUSD 21.00

Shrimp in Lobster SauceUSD 22.00

Moo Shu PorkUSD 21.00

Vegetables

Szechuan Broccoli*USD 18.00

Szechuan Eggplant*USD 18.00

Sauteed String BeansUSD 21.00

Buddha's DelightUSD 18.00

Mo Po Tofu (with or Without Meat) *USD 18.00

Sauteed Family Bean Curd with Vegetable*USD 18.00

Sauteed Baby Bok Choy in GarlicUSD 19.00

Dining areas

Additional information

FAQs

What is the best day to go to Shun Lee Cafe?

Is this a good pick for date night?

When is this restaurant busiest and quietest?

What is the dress code for Shun Lee Cafe?

When is the best time to go to Shun Lee Cafe?

Make a booking

Shun Lee Cafe

Make a booking