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CHILI

Last Updated: 8 days ago

Phone: (646) 882-0666

Address: 13 EAST 37 STREET 10016

TLDR

Authentic Sichuan Chinese w/ bold flavors & generous portions. Retro 30s Shanghai vibe. Great cocktails & standouts like Mapo Tofu.

Sentiment Overview(Based on 40 Reddit comments)

80% Positive18% Neutral3% Negative

Achievements and Accolades

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Tags

chinese 25sichuan 7szechuan 4kung pao 4chinese 4tofu 3View All

Neighborhoods

Midtown

Details

This Sichuan Chinese restaurant in Midtown East offers an indulgent and authentic dining experience, often compared favorably to other notable establishments. Diners rave about the bold flavors and generous portions, making it a popular choice for both dine-in and takeout. The retro 1930s Shanghai vibe adds to its charm, setting it apart as a unique culinary destination.

Food Overview

This Sichuan Chinese restaurant is celebrated for its authentic and bold flavors, with many dishes receiving high praise. Standouts include the Mapo Tofu, Dan Dan Noodles, and Kung Pao dishes. While most feedback is positive, one reviewer noted that the three pepper chicken was rubbery and the vermicelli too dry, indicating potential inconsistencies.

Highlights / Recommended

"Customers highly recommend the Mapo Tofu, Dan Dan Noodles, Kung Pao dishes, and also mention the tea smoked duck fried rice and cucumber salad."

Mentioned Dishes:

  • mapo tofu(4)

Customer Sentiment

Customers largely praise the restaurant for its authentic and indulgent Sichuan cuisine, highlighting bold flavors, generous portions, and great cocktails. While most feedback is positive, a few reviews mention inconsistencies in food quality.

Reddit References

Highlighted Posts

This post is a detailed review of the Kung Pao dish at Chili, noting it was good despite minor critiques on spice balance and sauce sweetness. Other users in the thread chime in with positive affirmations and discuss the restaurant's overall reliability and authenticity.
This thread recommends CHILI for its Mapo Tofu, with one user specifically praising it over another establishment and another user confirming its quality.
In this discussion about the best Sichuan in Midtown, Chili is frequently mentioned and favored over Cafe China, with comments highlighting its indulgent style, bigger portions, and greasier but satisfying food quality.
Several users recommend Chili in this thread, with one specifically loving the Mapo Tofu, cucumber salad, and tea smoked duck fried rice.
A user highly recommends Chili, clarifying it's a Szechuan Chinese restaurant and not related to the chain.

Recent Mentions

From post: Soup Dumpling Spot Near Midtown

"The author mentions 'Chili' located on 37th street."

Neutral
Sep 24, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"A short, positive response to the comment about trying the Kung Pao."

Positive
Sep 22, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"This commenter expresses their love for the restaurant, ranking it among their top 5 Chinese restaurants in the city. They are looking forward to trying the Kung Pao."

Positive
Sep 22, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"In response to a question about spice level, the commenter states the dish was not extremely spicy but suggests that requesting it spicier might be possible."

Neutral
Sep 21, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"This user is asking about the spice level of the food, specifically inquiring about the Kung Pao."

Neutral
Sep 21, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"A brief agreement with the previous comment."

Positive
Sep 21, 2025View Comment →

From post: Most Numbing Chongqing Chicken Sichuan Dry Fried

"This user mentioned CHILI alongside Mountain House as places that offered fairly numbing Chongqing chicken. They preferred Dim Sum Chelsea's approach."

Neutral
Sep 21, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"The commenter states that the restaurant is generally reliable."

Positive
Sep 21, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"This is a brief positive affirmation of the previous comment regarding the restaurant."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"A brief agreement with the previous comment."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"The user notes that this restaurant is located where the former Cafe China used to be and employs some of its former chefs. They found the food to be fancy yet tasty."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"The user highly praises the restaurant, calling it 'A1' and mentioning they tried everything on the menu during a work dinner. They believe the restaurant offers authentic Chinese cuisine."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"This comment indicates that the user recognizes the restaurant and seems to imply it's a good option based on previous experiences or recommendations."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Chili Midtown East

"The user found the Kung Pao to be good, although they noted minor issues with too much Sichuan peppercorn, not enough chili, and sweetness. Despite these points, they felt the dish was well-made and enjoyed the combination of ingredients."

Positive
Sep 20, 2025View Comment →

From post: Sichuan Food In Nyc

"The user states they prefer Chili over Mountain House."

Positive
Sep 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: Sichuan Food In Nyc

"The user mentions Chili as another Sichuan restaurant that is reportedly good, although they have not personally visited it."

Positive
Sep 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: Kung Pao Han Dynasty Uws

"Recommends Chili as a place to try for Kung Pao."

Neutral
Aug 30, 2025View Comment →

From post: Din Tai Fung Or Other Spot

"This user recommends Chili as a better alternative to Din Tai Fung."

Positive
Aug 27, 2025View Comment →

From post: Best Kung Pao In Manhattan

"This user recommended Chili Meili."

Positive
Aug 25, 2025View Comment →

From post: Favorite Chinese Restaurants Preferably In

"The user recommended Chili on 36th and 5th for Szechuan food."

Positive
Jul 30, 2025View Comment →