Chinatown's hidden gem for addictive, sweet, and savory pineapple roast pork buns. A must-try for a taste of authentic Cantonese bakery delights.
This Chinatown bakery is a must-visit for its legendary pineapple roast pork buns, which many describe as a delightful combination of sweet, savory, and a perfectly crisp topping. While the buns have garnered immense popularity and often come with a queue, the consensus is that they are worth the indulgence. For those seeking alternatives or different flavor profiles, their other baked goods and dim sum options are also worth exploring.
Mei Lai Wah is celebrated for its Chinese baked goods, with the pineapple roast pork bun being the standout dish, often described as delicious, sweet, savory, and worth the wait. While many rave about it, a minority find the buns disappointing due to excessive sweetness, fatty filling, or a perceived decline in quality. Other items like shrimp rice noodle rolls and plain roast pork buns also receive mentions.
"The pineapple roast pork bun is the most highly recommended dish, often praised for its sweet, savory, and crunchy texture. The original roast pork bun and milk tea are also suggested as excellent choices."
Customers generally have a very positive sentiment towards Mei Lai Wah, particularly praising their renowned pineapple roast pork buns. However, there are some dissenting opinions regarding the quality and consistency of the buns, with a few finding them too sweet, too fatty, or not living up to the hype.
Important Note
Some customers find the buns too sweet or the pork filling too fatty. Quality may vary, and the place can get very crowded.
"A user expresses a strong positive sentiment for Mei Lai Wah, calling it 'the goat'."
Positive"Mei Lai Wah has relocated to a new spot and the user plans to try it again, having previously stopped going due to crowds even with kiosk ordering."
Neutral"A user suggests a strategy to skip the line at Mei Lai Wah: order and pay at the front if you know what you want and have cash. They also praised the pineapple bun."
Positive"This commenter believes the new Mott Street location of Mei Lai Wah will be very busy, but does not expect the Bayard Street location to be anything out of the ordinary."
Neutral"The commenter noted that the counter line at Mei Lai Wah seemed to be a bottleneck, though the kiosk line was not bad. They also mentioned that their order was ready before they received the text notification."
Neutral"This restaurant is mentioned in relation to siopao, with a link provided to a separate discussion about it."
Neutral"Includes Mei Lai Wah on a categorized list of restaurants."
Positive"Mei Lai Wah in Chinatown is specifically recommended for its sweet pork buns."
Positive"Mei Lai Wah is suggested as a place to get buns."
Neutral"It was suggested to skip Mei Lai Wah if one prefers Americanized Asian food and dislikes pork, indicating it may not align with those specific dietary preferences."
Neutral"A user questioned what the original poster planned to eat at Mei Lai Wah, given their stated preferences against pork, dark meat, or bones, implying the restaurant's menu might heavily feature these items."
Neutral"The user recommends Mei Lai Wah for their Pineapple Pork Bun."
Positive"The user acknowledges the feedback on Mei Lai Wah, noting its impact on commute time and decision not to visit."
Neutral"The commenter advises against Mei Lai Wah, calling it a waste of time due to long lines for a pork bun described as having "fat/nasty cartilage" and "extremely sweet filling.""
Negative"There is typically no line at Mei Lai Wah if you pay with cash, and the wait never takes more than a couple of minutes."
Neutral"Mei Lai Wah is deemed 'nothing special' and is often associated with huge lines due to its popularity on TikTok."
Negative"Mei Lai Wah is suggested to be skipped from the food tour itinerary."
Negative"Mei Lai Wah is suggested as a Chinese bakery option for light breakfast bites on Day 2."
Neutral"A user found Mei Lei Wah's pineapple pork bun excessively sweet for their taste."
Negative"A user concurred that while Mei Lei Wah's bun itself was good, the meat filling was poor due to being overly fatty and lacking lean meat."
Negative
