Iconic Chinatown basement dining experience with classic Chinese-American fare, a true NYC institution.
This Chinatown staple offers a taste of old-school New York Chinese-American dining, with a distinct atmosphere that some find charmingly classic. While it has a dedicated following who enjoy its traditional dishes, particularly for late-night cravings, others argue that its reputation outweighs its culinary merit. Despite mixed reviews, it remains a notable spot for experiencing a slice of NYC's food history.
Wo Hop is primarily known for its Chinese-American cuisine. While some diners enjoy its classic dishes and consider it a favorite for late-night eats, others find it to be average or even disappointing, suggesting a split between those who appreciate its historical significance and those looking for more authentic or innovative Chinese flavors.
"Specific recommendations include the duck lo mein and broccoli in black bean sauce. The crispy noodles are also noted as a good option for late-night eating."
Customer opinions on Wo Hop are divided, with some praising it as a classic Chinatown institution and a go-to for American Chinese food, while others feel it's overrated and surpassed by other local options.
Important Note
Some diners feel the restaurant is overrated and doesn't live up to its historical hype, suggesting that other Chinatown options may be superior. There's also a distinction made between the upstairs and downstairs locations, with opinions differing on which offers a better experience.
"The original poster mentioned Wo Hop as a restaurant they saw recommended in past posts."
Neutral"Wo hop (downstairs) is listed as a recommended restaurant."
Positive"The street-level Wo Hop Next Door in Chinatown, Manhattan, is highly praised for its General Tso's chicken, described as 'next level'. The downstairs location was also good, but not as exceptional."
Positive"Wo Hop is suggested for those seeking old-time NYC chop suey from the 19th century, though the commenter notes that this style of food has fallen out of favor."
Neutral"This user expresses frustration that Wo Hop Next Door and Wo Hop use the same plates, which contributes to their confusion about the restaurants' separate identities."
Neutral"This user notes that Wo Hop Next Door (the upstairs one) is usually fairly quiet, in contrast to the busy downstairs Wo Hop. While dining there, the waiter offered a choice between 'Chinese Fried Rice' and 'American Fried Rice', which the user found surprising."
Neutral"This user expresses confusion about the distinction of Wo Hop Next Door from Wo Hop, having assumed they were the same operation."
Neutral"This comment clarifies that Wo Hop Next Door at 19 Mott Street is a separate restaurant from the Original Wo Hop, which recently expanded its space at 17 Mott Street."
Neutral"This user expresses confusion regarding the expansion of Wo Hop, specifically the relationship of 'Wo Hop next door which is upstairs' with the expanding 'downstairs' Wo Hop."
Neutral"The author considers Wo Hop a classic hole-in-the-wall Chinatown establishment representative of New York Chinese-American food."
Positive"Suggests trying Wo Hop (downstairs) in Manhattan's Chinatown but advises to be prepared for a potential wait. The suggestion itself had a mixed reception from the community based on vote count."
Neutral"This commenter replies to a comment thread and mentions that Wo Hop seems like a mix of Cantonese and Americanized Chinese food."
Neutral"The commenter believes both Wo Hop locations serve American Chinese food."
Neutral"The commenter states that the street-level location is for "punk ass bitches""
Negative"According to this native New Yorker, there is only one WoHop and no one talks about or waits in line for a "Wo Hop Next Door". The user also suggests Nam Wa as an alternative."
Neutral"This commenter disagrees with a previous comment and says that the opposite is true regarding which Wo Hop is authentic vs. Americanized."
Neutral"The commenter claims the downstairs Wo Hop is authentic Chinese, while the upstairs is American Chinese."
Neutral"The commenter believes the downstairs Wo Hop is better."
Positive"This commenter mentions they have been going to Wo Hop since the 80s and have never been to the street level."
Neutral
