Identifies as women-owned
Yes
EMei Restaurant in Philadelphia
Categories
Location on the map
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, US
From the business
Service options
No-contact delivery
Yes
Delivery
Yes
Takeaway
Yes
Dine-in
Yes
Health and safety
Staff wear masks
Yes
Staff get temperature checks
Yes
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Highlights
Great tea selection
Yes
Popular for
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Offerings
Alcohol
Yes
Beer
Yes
Comfort food
Yes
Quick bite
Yes
Small plates
Yes
Vegetarian options
Yes
Wine
Yes
Dining options
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Seating
Yes
Amenities
Bar on site
Yes
Good for kids
Yes
High chairs
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Wi-Fi
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Crowd
Family friendly
Yes
Groups
Yes
LGBTQ+ friendly
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Transgender safe space
Yes
Planning
Accepts reservations
Yes
Payments
Debit cards
Yes
NFC mobile payments
Yes
Credit cards
Yes
Phone: +1 215-627-2500
Site: https://www.emeiphilly.com/
Site: https://www.emeiphilly.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:11AM–9PM
- Tuesday:11AM–9PM
- Wednesday:11AM–9PM
- Thursday:11AM–9PM
- Friday:11AM–10PM
- Saturday:11AM–10PM
- Sunday:11AM–9PM
Comments (199)
The place offers some authentic Chinese food that challenges your taste buds. Try it and you wont regret it.
Stopped by EMei for an early Friday dinner after searching for a good spot in Chinatown to try.Quick note: When you walk into the restaurant there is a ATM, however the restaurant is not cash only.When we sat down, we were immediately served complimentary tea and given very large menus. There is a full bar at EMei, which was a pleasant surprise.In terms of food, we ordered 3 dishes which resulted in plenty of leftovers: a cold noodle appetizer, their signature chicken dish, and the house fried rice. While we werent fans of the cold noodle dish, the signature chicken and fried rice were great.Definitely plan to come back again to try more signature dishes.
Nice clean restaurant. Friendly staff. Food was fresh and hot. We enjoyed our meal and experience.
We love the food overall, but the price been increased lately
Favorites at EMei Restaurant:Sliced Beef and Tripe with Chili SauceJellyfish Head with VinegarSliced Pork Belly with Garlic Soy SaucePork Intestine with Chinese PeppercornChongqing Spicy ChickenThis is my favorite Szechuan restaurant!
The Dan Dan noodles and beef noodle soup here are absolutely stellar and are among their more authentic dishes. However, they are quite spicy, so be warned! Always a great time dining here. Easily the best REAL Chinese food Ive had in Philly and consistently great quality.
Had dinner here, and tried the Chongqing duck soup and jumbo shrimp w/ dry red pepper. The shrimp was great and spicy, but not to the point where the spiciness overshadowed the other flavors. I was however disappointed with the Chongqing duck soup, since it was advertised as spicy and lacked that spicy kick I was looking for. Will come here again to try their other chef signature dishes.
Food was delicious, like to try authentic szechuan dishes then give it a try. Staff was attentive and quick service. Restaurant and bathroom was clean. Staff was wearing mask.
A really nice restaurant at China town Philadelphia. Minutes walk from the main Chinese gate. The ambiance is modern. The foods are very tasty and reasonable prices. We loved the rose lemon tea. The staffs are very good. Highly recommended place. Must try teas and dumplings. The fried rices are awesome. They also have American Chinese food apart from authentic Chinese foods.
Good Sichuan food in a very spacious nicely furnished restaurant. Communicating with the staff is easy. The menu is 90% Sichuan with the last couple of pages for American Chinese for the one boring non-adventerous friend in your group. The menu has pictures so you can see what you are ordering and the food served looks as great as the pics and is delicious. Quantity is great - not college town restaurant size - but enough to take home.
Love this place. Booked the private room for a bachelor party. They have a minimum of $300 spent when you book the room so we got sooo much food for 8 people but it was delicious and we finished all but the giant bucket of white rice. Dont come here unless you can handle spice. 10/10 will come back again.
This was an excellent spot, and I’m so glad we got to visit while in town. There was a bit of a wait for our dinner seating, but it was totally worth it. My maps tofu was awesome, and everyone else’s dishes were made fresh and very well. Service was quick and professional as well. 10/10 will be on my list for the next time I’m in Philly.
I ate here visiting Philly last week and found this place searching for the best Szechuan food and restaurant in Philadelphia. We found it. Phoebe (owner) waited on us and she was delightful and helped us get the best dishes we thoroughly enjoyed! The appetizer spicy cloud ear which we never had was excellent. The boiled fish and the lamb was great also. We will definitely return here whenevr we are back in town!
Ive been so tired of lackluster Dan Dan noodles living on the Main Line. These were not just la but mala. The Szechuan peppercorns were numbing allowing the extreme heat from the peppers to easily slide through the lips. Not TOO oily (people need to understand chili oil is essential to this cuisine.) The shredded beef with long peppers was brilliantly feathered with cornstarch making the tough but flavorful round tender with the classic texture only the Chinese seem to be able to achieve. Portions were enormous, especially for the price. Dan Dans would easily serve three as an app. I took 2/3 home, as Im stuffed. Waitstaff spoke fluent English (which was lucky, as they didnt understand a word of my less-than-fluent Mandarin. Masks/shields worn by staff (and many Asian customers.) It was quite crowded at 7:30 on this July 4th. They were very nice accommodating me as a single.
Hands down, one of the best Chinese restaurants Ive ever been to. Great mix of Authentic and Americanized-Chinese food. Whenever I am in Philly and within a 5 mile radius of China Town, I make it a point to add this place to my lunch or dinner plans.
This review is long overdue. This is the best restaurant in Philly, let alone the best Chinese restaurant. The Szechuan food here is authentic and bursting with the best flavor profiles in the world. Ive been going here for 3.5 years fairly regularly. The Double Cooked Pork, Ma Po Tofu, Fuqi Feipian, Cumin Lamb, Dan Dan Noodles, and many other dishes are all some of the best meals Ive had in this city. My only complaint is that they used to have a Shredded Duck with Ginger dish on the menu that was similarly delicious, but since COVID, it disappeared from the menu. Bring the Shredded Duck back!!! :-)
Had a wonderful dinner and the food was amazing!! Authentic Chinese like being back in Chongqing!!
Amazing food, service on point, great ambience..everything was on point! Loved the food, flavours and quality of the food! Will definitely be back! When in Philly, be sure to stop by!
Nice clean restaurant. Friendly staff. Food was fresh and hot. We enjoyed our meal and experience.
Sichuan - the worlds tastiest and least healthy fast food.Chinese level service but also decent prices not inflated.The only place in Philly that actually lives up to its rating.
I got what I think was the Dandan noodles with pork and vegetables. It was life changing! The flavors were sooooooo good! The other dish I tried was the spicy Hunan beef and that was equally amazing! Just the right amount of spiciness Im both dishes. Im definitely adding this place to my list of go to spots.
FANTASTIC restaurant. Consistent appetizers and entrees. Awesome variety of sweet and spicy dishes. I recommend the shrimp in walnut and honey, the dan dan noodles, the chongqing chicken, sea bass with pine nuts, eggplant with garlic sauce, cumin lamb, and the white lotus fish soup. High end experience and awesome service.
We ordered the Mapo Tofu, Chongqing spicy chicken and the Sichuan Boiled Sea Bass. The fish was our favorite..the spices, the flavor of the broth, the cabbage and sprouts in there..all contributed to a dish that tasted divine!!! The chicken was good too..spicy, sweet, crunchy, flavorful.Sichuan food is made with Sichuan peppercorns that cause a sour, numbing taste in the mouth. That’s the uniqueness of this spice. E Mei uses this to their advantage and the spice level and flavors are on point.Reason for the four stars is that this is the first Sichuan restaurant I’ve been to where you have to pay for rice (which is supposed to be an accompaniment to the entrees). Also I’ve had better Mapo Tofu. They probably used cornstarch to thicken it and cornstarch completely changes the flavor and texture of the dish.Despite that, we’re definitely going back again for that fish!!
The place is cozy and authentic. From the time you walk into the restaurant, you can smell the spices and aromas of the different meats that they serve. Tried some great dishes that were spicy and sweet. Must try the hot and dry chicken, spicy vegetable salad which is cold and awesome, cumin lamb and Dan Dan noodles. We stuffed our faces here and would do it again. Staff was courteous and did not disturb us till we wanted to leave.
Finally tried this place i have walked by many times. I both relish and dread trying new sichuanese places because i am so often disappointed - i am a native of chengdu. The head chef is chongqing-ese which is a hopeful start. Nice flavors that are authentic - the husband and wife beef/tripe was tasty if not the absolute best ever. The cumin lamb was fantastic really standout. Delighted they have some street food style appetizers/items that are more unusual and typical of sichuan. Will be back. Not super spicy but i am actually happy with that i wont leave hurting or with intestinal distress and sichuanese food is definitely not as spicy in reality as say laotian food or other Super spicy regions.
One of the best Chinese I had in Philly. And the restaurant is super nice. You wouldnt never say ot from the outside.
Delicious Sichaun cuisine. Eggplant w/ century egg and peppers, beef and tripe w/ chilli oil, boiled sea bass in chilli oil all amazing. One of the best meals I have had in Philly!
This restaurant has really good lunch specials for under $8 that include an entree and a choice of soup or roll. Hot tea is included free of charge. I had the shredded pork in garlic sauce and wonton soup. I also decided to order the dumplings in hot oil based on other reviews I had read and it did not disappoint.This location was not very crowded during lunch and service was top notch.
Clean, efficient, very tasty, reasonably priced.
Best ChongQing/ChengDu food in philladelphia. if you wanted something spicy, Emei has it. they capture and make the most unique and the most authentic taste from the ChongQing/ChengDu region. if you a tourist and you are looking for a place to dine. Emei is the one place to stop at. (thank you auntie Yu, your food the best)
Chinese food with an emphasis on the cuisine from the southern part of China. So the food Id a bit spicy and salty and can be a little different. Do try the fish. I would recommend to take suggestions from the servers, before ordering anything. Its a different take from what we are used to in the name of Chinese food.
Fantastic authentic Szechuan style Chinese with a large portion size. the service is a little slow is the only complaint. highly recommend the Dan Dan noodles with minced pork.
The restaurant was remodeled and very clean right now. The waitress is very friendly and provide call-to-action services. We ordered baked fish, maoxuewang, pot beef stomach, spicy pepper port feet, Sichuan cold noodles.
It was always good, but its even better and spicier since the renovation. Everything Ive tried has been very good. Really liked the peppercorn fish and its broth. I get the cold spicy noodles every time. Spicy house tofu was good. Its like they decided to compete with Han Dynasty and xun yu si kao, and its working. E mei is better than ever
Great authentic Chinese food, even as a vegetarian. We got the home style tofu, which has some veggies and tofu in a brown sauce as well as the vegetable lo mein. Free tea, peanuts and pickled vegetables are served at the start of the meal too. I am definitely looking forward to coming again!
Great atmosphere, fast & friendly service.Menu was not helpful picture wise, so make sure you know your foods.I had the sliced pork with Chinese pickle and it was so fn good.
Awesome authentic sichuan food.
My brother and I went there this past summer and were extremely pleased. Service excellent. Food is delicious. We need to get back soon and try new dishes. So much to choose from.
So delicious! EMei is always my go to place whenever Im in Phillys Chinatown and I ALWAYS order the the fried fish with dry red peppers. Dont get me wrong, Ive ordered lots of other dishes and Im never disappointed, but the red pepper fish is amazing.Beyond the food (which, I may have mentioned, is fantastic), the staff is always extremely friendly, fast, and courteous.Bonus: Their menu includes a lot of really great pictures of most of their dishes. Im assuming this is in case youre like me and tend to be more food adventurous if I can see it first.
Very good service by our waitress. She recommended to get a bottle of Baijiu instead of by the shot glass saved us $20. She even showed us how to drink it. The fried fish in dry chilies is very good. Price wise slightly more expensive than Four Rivers but they have liquor and far better service.
After hearing about this place for a while I finally had a chance to try it today...and was MAJORLY disappointed. Hands down the worst food Ive eaten in Chinatown. Greasy, flavorless, sad tasting food with painfully slow service to boot. After paying we literally left the food uneaten on the table, it looks like other patrons had done the same thing. With all of the great things to eat in the area Id recommend staying far away from this place.
Consistently great Szechuan food. This is my go-to if I dont want to risk trying a new restaurant with friends or family I havent seen in a while; I know the food here will be great. Highly recommend the Chongqing spicy diced chicken.
The only reason this has two stars is because the veggie lo mein was a little spicier than usual and I actually liked that. Everything else was terrible. My wife took a bite of the hot and sour soup and spat it out. Ate half of the spring roll. Not enough veggies in the lo mein.
I’ve never heard of a restaurant that has white shrimp & broccoli sauce. I expected the brown sauce. I received a white, soup like sauce that had a horrible aftertaste.
Really great place for Szechuan cuisine, they do a great job with their lamb with cumin and their chicken dish. The ambience here is really great as well, I love what they did with renovations, it looks very modern
This Place just get renotion. Service is good. This is a really nice place for Sichuan food. Sichuan cold noodle and Maoxue Wang is my favorite.
Very great and authentic taste, it’s kind of weird that comes with no rice tho.
Best Sichuan cuisine in Philly. It is the place for the guys who wanna try authentic Chinese Sichuan style dishes.
Great decor, that’s The best i can write. The food was tasteless and over priced. Definitely not coming back here.
The food was very good, and the service was great BUT, it was a huge rat walking like nothing in the restaurant.
Absolutely the best Sichuan style Chinese Restaurant in Philly. “Must try” list.
Celebrated my birthday here….my theme was Asian Traditional! So me and my party all dressed up with Asian attire. From the minute I stepped in the place was just dirty looks and whispering. One worker even asked was it a cultural vent. I was so uncomfortable I wanted to leave the whole time. It took forever for someone to come wait on us.(not sure if that was because we were dressed like that or what). It got to the point my sister asked the waiter if they felt disrespected. The food came out fast and was good. The male waiter (I think) didn’t like it the most. (He wasn’t nice at all)! The lady that waited on us was cool tho she even took our picture (but she is also the one my sister asked of our clothing was disrespectful) maybe she felt that we were feeling discriminated upon so she kept it cute. It was so bad I didn’t tip and I am a great tipper(like u too the gas attendant). I would say I would return because the food was good and it was clean but service is important to me so it’s a NO for me! Especially because I see different nationalities steal my cultures way of everything….
Hands down the best Chinese restaurant in the greater Philly area. My family is native to Sichuan and we come here all the time. The restaurant environment looks even better after the renovation and the food remains phenomenal.The peanuts they give you at the beginning seem to be roasted in house and are delicious. The dishes are very authentic to traditional Sichuan fare, but be wary at the high levels of spice in dishes marked with the pepper. Each dish we’ve tried here has been perfectly cooked and tastes wonderful. Their dessert options are also fantastic. We have yet to encounter any restaurant that delivers such authentic and delicious Chinese food in the greater Philly region. This is our go-to whenever we go out to eat.If you somehow don’t like authentic Chinese food they also have a page in the menu for American style Chinese food, but I recommend you try the authentic dishes instead.
Excellently executed Chinese dishes. Everything I tried on the menu was delicious. The vegetables were tender and fresh, and the meats were juicy and savory. Dan Dan noodles, sigua, and tea smoked duck were my favorites.
Just ok. Biggest complaint is that they didnt offer water when you sit down, you get one measly napkin, and only get water or napkins, hot sauce, soy sauce etc if you ask for it. I asked if an entree came eye anything else like rice, the waitress just barked rice $1. The service is not great. If English is the barrier they should learn to communicate better if they are in the service industry. When you are eating, you are looking for them, they dont come by and accommodate you. Food was in small quantity compared to other places just like this. Would not go back
Very authentic and great value. Highly recommend!
Excellent food. Not your run of the mill Chinese restaurant.
Our favourite place! Mei chae ko rou is something to die for! Highly recommended if you are in Philly :)
Great food. My 2nd favorite Chinese restaurant in Philly.
I had the vegetable chow fun. Gee, the noodles were thick, I usually get thin chow fun where I live. Made of rice, but the noodles will make you feel full, due to thickness; at first, I thought that I was biting a piece of tofu. The service is great too.
Really good authentic chinese food. The portions are huge! They can easily feed 2 people. I got the mapo tofu it was soo good! One thing to remember if you dont really like spicy food dont order their spicy food. It is truly fiery! It is my jam so i loved it. It has the fire of hot peppers & numbing heat of szechuan pepper corn (as should any any good mapo tofu) my wife had the chungqing chicken. It is super crispy fried and also fiery hot. It is probably the best szechuan food i have ever had! The service was was good & it has a cozy atmosphere.
The food is so delicious here and spicy enough. Plan to go again.
Had the Jumbo Shrimp with Dry Red Pepper, Fried Pork Dumplings, Hot and Sour Soup, and Shrimp Spring Rolls. Everything was 4+🌟 but for $18, I was expecting a dozen shrimp. They didnt appear to be jumbo either, even considering the preparation process. Dumpling dough was a bit thicker than Id prefer but still very good. Filling was very flavorful. Will try the steamed recipe next time (there will definitely be a next time). Soup and spring rolls might be the best Ive ever had in Philly! Sooo good! Menu is very enticing. Looking forward to inside dining so I can try more dishes and savor the experience.
Delicious and the place is so neat.
OMG !!! Delicioso when you go to Philadelphia you Must TRY this place
Great food. Nice ambiance.
Delivery came incredibly fast and the portions do not skimp. The menu has so many amazing dishes it is difficult to narrow the selection down. I am so excited to share this discovery with my friends and family and become a repeat loyal customer!
Clean restaurant. Not very sweet nor salty. Not oily either.
We always have the best experience here. The food is outstanding, portions and prices great and service is good. What more could you want?
Sub standard food, with gourmet prices. Perfect for low expectation tourist or for a person/family that doesnt know any better. General TSOs consistency was stringy and chewy like bubble yum. kung pao chicken consistency was also stringy and chewy. Fried dumplings were barely cooked and chewier than normal. First and last time. Dream House Asian Cuisine is better, but they dont deliver to 2nd and arch.
Good one
Nicely executed Sichuan classics, and a pleasant setting, with highlights including very tender water boiled beef and punchy spice levels. Only caution: chef has a heavy hand with salt levels.
Great Shanghai cuisine. I would return.
Food was amazing and so was the service! Came with a large party and there were no problems!
We had the following three dishes:1. Dumplings in hot oil. This was delicious! I would definitely recommend it.2. Shredded pork in garlic sauce. I liked this dish and thought it had a decent taste.3. Chicken and chestnuts - fabulous dish with a nice, savory taste.Service was fast and efficient. I recommend this place to anyone.
Nicely renovated interior that lent a sophisticated atmosphere. Food was extremely fast to the table after ordering. All our dishes were very very good. The Don Don noodles were extremely spicy, just a warning! Id return again.
Got some great spicy noodles and the mapo tofu, all very good!
Food was inauthentic and overpriced. Tasted like cheap americanized Chinese food. There are many many better options in Chinatown.
Current focus during COVID is on delivering the best Chinese food in Philadelphia! Outstanding. Even just looking at the dishes tastes good! My Chinese friends consider it to be the best and most authentic in town.
Clean. Great service. The food was delicious. The server assisted me with the steamed wonton in hot oil. I never tried it before. Didnt know that you had to stir the pot. I just came off the Greyhound bus and looked like hell. They welcomed me in like I was a VIP. This is everything you want in a restaurant. Good food, great service, warm ambiance and the music is everything.... soothing. I will put it on my favorites for this city.
I had the seafood combo and my wife had shrimp in garlic sauce. Both meals were very good. Filling. The tea was a little weak, the service was good. Great menu great restaurant. Come here every year after the flower show.
This place was pretty quick to get you seated and get the food out. Very comfortable and the prices range from very affordable 8$ meals to whole ducks for 30$. Tea is included with your meal. Spicy beef was pretty spicy but still had lots of flavor
Foods are just so so. Not spicy at all. But might still be the best Sichuan food in the Chinatown area.
Relaxing atmosphere, friendly and attentive staffs. Efficient service.All dishes we ordered came with nice presentation, generous portions, and were all delicious.We were so delighted with their Tea Smoked Duck, outstanding and unforgettable.
It is a very popular place but was not too long of a wait. The food is tasty and large portions. The noodles with mince pork with a side of dumplings, both on the small plates menu are a nice size to share with a friend.Plan on taking left overs home.
Nice atmosphere, attentive and friendly staff, quick service, and best sesame chicken ever. Vegetable fried dumplings were delicious. Fried rice is a little bland but still good.
Great taste, service was fast. Waitress was kind enough to suggest when it was too much or how to complement dishes among us
What a delight! My husband and I are vegetarians and were visiting from out of town. The service was impeccable. The food danced in our mouths. Tea is served without asking, which is a trademark of a great Chinese restaurant. Highly recommend.
The ambiance of the restaurant is great. The food is good. My only thing was that the use spice was bit strong like coriander seed and black pepper. It does have bite to it. Thats just my take on it.
Food was amazing, everything we tried; scallion pancakes, crab soup, spicy beef with peppers, and crispy duck all stood out as particularly fantastic dishes. Only complaint was wait service was fairly unresponsive to requests despite them not being very busy when we came in; we had to ask for water 3 times before they brought it out, same for our wine.
We ordered our food through grubhub so I can only comment on the food. This not the typical American-Chinese corner takeout place, this food is on another level. This will be our go-to delivery for Chinese/szechuan from now on.The food was pretty awesome and authentic. Spicy goodness with layers of depth. The hot and sour soup was great, not thick and gummy as many other places. We also ordered the Singapore street noodles, Dan Dan noodles, steamed dumplings with hot chili oil, seafood soup and the cucumbers! Oh my word, the cucumbers -- not sure how they can make cucumbers taste that interesting and delicious.
One of the best restaurants !! Always full, that is to say, for something so many clients prefer it
The food is definitely great. I liked how the food arrives fast and in the right order. Soup and appetizers first and the entrees later. I have been to far too many restaurants which gets the order mixed! The service is good, but could be improved.Give it a try if you are a fan of Szechuan food
Vegetarian options. Newly renovated with an updated look.
Visiting my friend and her family in Philly. We went to this restaurant. We ordered a pork legs soup and that was so bad. The soup was strong with after pork taste, usually happen when it was not fresh or didnt strain with hot water before cook. We complained and the waitress just walk away like nothing happen. Worst case, the waiter chase us down for extra tips which they dont deserve. Not recommended.
We have the fish soup, it was so good. Good service and the foods are very good. Most of the foods are spicy but you can request for not spicy. Sweet & sour pork was so good. Highly recommended.
An excellent, authentic Szechuan restaurant with reasonable price. In particular, I loved sliced pork belly with garlic soy sauce. The only problem was, when we were there, the restaurant was very noisy, and I almost have to shout to let my friends hear me.
One of a must try when you r in Philly
Service was great. Food was delicious. One thing i had for the first time but was extremely convenient is that their check already includes options for tips all calculated for you. 15 / 18 / 20 % or custom tips. I would definatly come here again.
One of the best restaurant in Philly downtown area. 1st time I have visited this place in 2014 with friends & was astonished with the authentic Chinese food they serve. I have relocated from Chicago recently to this city & again visited this place in Sep 2018....YES they are the best in town. Must Try!
If you are craving good Szechuan cuisine, youve got to check this place out. Had the dumplings in chili oil and lamb in hot and spicy sauce. Both were excellent and there was zero chance of finishing the portions they gave.
This is for sure my fav spot in China Town of Philadelphia. You can go with 2 to 10 people and have an amazing, large, tasty meal with low cost. Your order will come to your table in like 5 to 10 minutes. The staff is friendly and can give good advice. The menu is HUGE. They have basically everything. Get the spicey fish hot pot, get the pancakes, the crab, tofu, everything is great.
Generous portions, decent service, and flavorful food make this a great lunch location. The dishes I chose were not the most extraordinary example of the style, but they were not bad. I would like to visit during dinner and enjoy some other offerings.
Some of the best sichuan food I’ve had in the US. Their dumplings in hot oil are fantastic. Chongqing chicken too!
One of the best Sichuan restaurants Ive ever visited in the US! Their Ma Po tofu, Shredded potatoes with green peppers, and Shredded pork with bean curd are all superb! Absolutely paradise in the mouth and had me dreaming of coming back for more. This place doesnt lose to NYC Sichuan restaurants and are better than many of them. My only regret is that they lack one of my favorite homestyle dishes: Eggplant with green beans. Me and my parents will definitely be coming back :)
Ambience and service were okay. But the food was some of the best chinese Ive ever had. Not overpoweringly spicy like other szechuan food, and the fish was tender. Would go again for sure.
SO! stop! Order Here. I am avid fat a$$ and Im here to tell you I have tried almost all the Chinese restaurants. This is it. I only ever order the same thing. Albeit generic its consistent, flavorful and properly made. I always want to stop in and eat or try something new, but I get sad that I wont get the things I LOVE. Lo Mein, Rice and Dumplings + Egg Rolls. WINNER WINNER. LOVE THIS PLACE! Comment if you agree or disagree!
Chinese food at this spot - delicious. dont worry if its busy, it is worth the wait. the service was very sociable and kind. the bill was fair.
Food was very good, but service could be so-so when busy
Great portions of a wide variety of Szechuan cuisine expertly crafted and presented at a reasonable price. Attentive staff made our visit a pleasure. Great Hot and Sour soup.
Great food and good price. Very nice atmosphere and service.
Good Sichuan food. We have been there for at least 3 to 4 times over the last half a year and we never regretted. If you like spicy food and in the area, you really should check it out!
I was disappointed at the foods because those were so salty. 2 stars for the quick service and nice decor.
Luv this place! Great schechuen food!!!! I thoroughly enjoy spicy and this hit the spot. The dumplings in hot oil were fresh and probably the best Ive had in a very long time. Friendly service. 😊
E Mei serves szechuan style Chinese food, meaning it will be of a spicier palate. Low priced food with great portions, this restaurant serves its dishes family style. My favorites include the Chongking Chicken, the Cumin Beef, and the Lamb with Scallions.
Was very disappointed, it didnt reach or expectations.the food was very tasteless, it didnt taste any different from Chinese take- out in the northeast. It was a waste of money and I would not recommend this to anybody.We did not like the wait staff staring at us the entire time as we were eating.
Super spicy. Reasonably priced.
Pretty good! pretty close to the spice level youd find in szechuan but not quite there. their small plate dishes were particularly well done. overall I would go again if I return to Philly.
Incredible shredded pork with long hot peppers. I ask them to use less oil and make it extra spicy hot. DYNAMITE. Other delicious special dishes too.
Greatest Spicy Cold Mung Bean Noodles with Mung Beans
Food is good, just has their off days. Restaurant is nice and clean.
Great price and good food
When I place an order and one guy answer it, I am pissed with the way he spoke to me. He is very rude or maybe he was raised like that. He shouldnt answer the phone or take order over the phone. You cant be rude to customer who wants to order foods from your place.Next time I will ask his name, and ask if he has any polite vocabulary.Even the food is good, but its not worth it.
One of my favorite Chinese restaurants. Food was unique and tasty. Most definitely spicy. Most definitely will go back
The food was fresh and flavorful. The price was reasonable, and the staff was excellent. Definitely will be back for fried fish in dry red pepper!
Unremarkable food. The service was decent. Nothing special about this place. We had chicken and eggplant in garlic sauce and snow peas leaves. Both dishes were a bit bland.
Good food! Try the cold spicy mung bean noodles.
This place was empty on a Saturday night. First bad sign. But not surprising considering the waitress seemed annoyed with our being there. We asked for a recommendation. She basically suggested popcorn chicken with a ton of peppers. Wont be going back
Best Szechuan anywhere, and Im a connoisseur whos looked for it in LA and SF and NYC as well as Philly. Even edges out Han Dynasty, which is really saying something as they are quite good.It can get a bit crowded and noisy sometimes, but thats because food this good draws a crowd. Go...the more you know about real Szechuan the better youll like it.
The food was amazing and service was great.
The food is amazing here! I had the smoked tea duck and it was delicious! They have the best sesame chicken I have ever tasted!
Best in restaurant in Chinatown and one of the best in Philadelphia. I love this place, great food and very reasonable prices. Great location near the reading terminal. Ive never had a bad meal here and the service is great.
Emei is a more down to earth restaurant than those new Chinese restaurants popping up in Chinatown. Despite its dated decoration, the food has always been great.
Second time to be here. As good as always.
Clean and delicious Sichuan restaurant in Philly Chinatown. Brought my team here and ordered a ton of food, and still had a very reasonable bill compared to other restaurants.
Very authentic food but its not easy to order the best stuff. It helps to come with Chinese friends to discover the best this place can offer.
Everything we ate was delicious and seemed very freshly made. Definitely a family style Sichuan restaurant that is worth a try.
Great experience. The only reason, really, for 4 stars.... Rice is not included with the entrees.
Delicious and Spicy Chinese food. Good portion, infact quite a lot in one plate. Lot of variety. Decent ambience. Good value for money.
Went there yesterday at approximately 4:30PM.As soon as WE sat down in the booth, the CHEF peering out of the kitchen entrance, said that the electricity in the kitchen was out.There was one customer there eating food. From a short distance, I could see that her food was piping hot which means it was JUST given to her. She had several dishes of food laid before her.The woman eating her food then put her head down. Shocked but not surprised, we walked out.--- 0 * --- TECHNICALLY, THIS IS A ZERO STAR REVIEW...
Great szechuan cuisine, recently renovated and very nice space, excellent service, incredibly fast kitchen, and a bar license though we didnt order any alcohol.
My favorite Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia. But if you are afraid of spicy food, you shouldnt come here because it doesnt make sense if you come here and dont eat its famous super spicy pork intestines.
Pork Dumplings were good. The wonton soup was amazing they were nice and gave a sample of the tea.
Good food and fair prices
Food was so good, very flavorful and plenty. Reasonable prices. Served hot in a comfortable setting. Definitely recommend.
Authentic Sichuan cuisine at low prices. Fast service. May not be as hip as that other place, the chain for laowei.
We got the fat beef noodle, talapia, and lobster. It was delicious, the service was friendly, and the new decor is beautiful
All the food was delicious (tea smoked duck, spicy cold noodles, dumplings,...) and waitress was friendly and attentive!
It was a nice little spot in Chinatown. The food was amazing.
Food was very good. We had Ma Po Tofu and Cabbage with Red Peppers.
One of my main places to grab some food. good location, always clean, and great service. A must try!
This was my first time going to this restaurant and the food is SUPER GOOOD. For a tourist this is a great place to dine at with a great amount of options in regards to food
Nice restaurant, great food, & generous plates.
Been here many times, and its always great. I recommend the beef with spicy sauce.
Chinese food... very satisfying. food with real quality ingredients. the bill was fair. similar to a place in denver i liked.
So good! Wontons in chili oil and chongqing dry hot chicken were 🔥🔥🔥
The food was great and the prices were reasonable as well. Very clean and well kept place.
This is a good spot for spicy traditional Szechuan food. There are a few other places to consider in Chinatown but this rates as one of the better ones.
Amazing pork fried Rice... general Tso’s Chicken... and killer egg rolls... fresh and fast!
Lunch special is only $8 for a nice portion size. Quality of food was good.
Have been going there for the past 7-8 years, love the new decor and consistent food
Might be the MOST authentic SiChuan restaurant in Philly. lunch specials are really good, definitely enough food.
Service was good and food was excellent. We brought the student we were hosting from china an she gave it thumbs up
Ive tried a few Chinese dishes here and theyve all been fantastic!
This place was amazing, the hot pots are the best! The service was prompt and the food was quality and delicious.
It is not authentic Sichuan food. Pretty expensive and not worthwhile for the spicy foods. Highly not recommend!
Cumin lamb was sooo good. Chonqing chicken was just as good. 10/10
Food is fantastic and if spicy is your thing they dont disappoint.
Good service but I thought the good was just meh... Maybe Ill try it again and update my review once I try something else on the menu.
Pork dumplings in chilli oil are to die for. Got a fish entree which was okayish.
Great Sichuanese-style food. One of the best restaurants in Chinatown.
Fantastic Sichuan at a great price. Superb service!!
Best Chinese food - everyone needs to try their spicy dry fish - its delicious!
The best Chinese/Sichuan food. Truly authentic Szechuan food. Very good service.
The first Sichuan restaurant in town. May not be as good as it was, but still above average.
Great food. Friendly staff. Reasonable prices. Wonderful experience.
I love the atmosphere
My go-to place in the Chinatown for years. Very delicious Chinese food and decent atmosphere.
Great food, but still trying to find a Szechuan place that uses real Szechuan peppercorns
I ordered something to go, and the food went bad just in one hour. I’m wondering the qualities of the food now.
One og the best authentic Sichuan style Chinses food restarants in Philly.
Great food!
On a really busy holiday crowd easily reserved a large table well in advance!
Best Kung Pao chicken I have ever had was from here. Everything is good though
Great Szechuan food, and you can request for less spicy if you like
Now this is some of the finest Szechuan food in Philadelphia. The ambience is outstanding.
Good service, smelly restaurant, medium to good quality food, duck is ok, fish is good.
Chongqing Spicy Chicken is to die for!! Great service and good for takeout
High quality, authentic Sichuan cuisine, probably the best in Philadelphia.
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for EMei Restaurant 2023:
Review №1
2022-05-10Food here is great. Actually not to spicy. This time they get a lower rating, the numbing phenomenon from the peppercorns ruined my whole meal,.I did not experience this before. The feeling in my tongue made it all taste sour. May e too many peppercorns this time
Review №2
2022-06-09Great place for Sichuan cuisine.... Food is excellent, very tasty and authentic. Service was a bit under-staffed on a Thursday afternoon, but still efficient and friendly. Would definitely recommend!
Review №3
2022-07-08We all know that inflation in this country is crazy, but this place has remained a relatively acceptable price level while keeping the quality high. I ordered three things: fish fillet with green peppercorn, shredded beef with hot green pepper, and sautéed luffa. Everything tasted great… in addition, the portion is big - so so big 🤣
Review №4
2022-04-18We booked EMei for my friends bachelor party. They have two private rooms in the back, which made for a perfect venue.We ordered an insane amount of food and ate every bite. It was absolutely incredible and for sure some of the best Sichuan food I have ever had.We ordered:3 orders of Dan Dan noodles,Cucumber with garlic sauce,Eggplant with century egg,Scallion pancakes,Chongqing chicken,Cumin beef,Spicy lamb chops,Shredded pork with long hots,Steamed pork belly,House special frog, andChicken fried rice.My personal favorite was the lamb chops, which had such amazing flavor. Overall our groups favorite was the shredded pork with long hots, with the Chongqing chicken taking second place.Everything was perfect, and I would venture to guess its the kind of restaurant you can order anything and not be disappointed. Even the frog (which was our wildcard and I was not sure I would enjoy) was very tasty - though be forewarned there are bones in it!We will definitely be back!!
Review №5
2021-10-21The place was nice, new, clean. The food look good, but missing the taste. And also kind cold temperatures.No soy sauce, no hot oil, no salt & pepper on the table. Only 2 waitresses, they look work super hard back & fort many tables. Appreciate those but…you need anything like soy sauce, I guess he forget my soy sauce until done ate.
Review №6
2022-04-08Best Chinese restaurant in Philly. Food is great and the service is reliable too. Good for large groups since they have private rooms with round table.
Review №7
2021-07-29This is an authentic Szechuan Chinese restaurant. Their loyal customers are Chinese natives. They do have American Chinese options on the menu as well (the last few pages). The food is fresh. The place is VERY clean. After dinner go to get some dessert at “la mousse” which is within walking distance or “Frozen” for some rolled up Ice cream! One complaint - we ordered a beef tendon appetizer and we were charged for the beef tendon meal which costs DOUBLE!!!! Kinda odd.... but the food was quality and the service was good. It was probably a misunderstanding (I hope...????!!!)
Review №8
2022-02-18Without a doubt its authentic Szechuan cuisine. Strong and spicy flavor to be expected. The restaurant is neat & clean, although the interior decoration is rather plain. But hey, Im here mostly for the food, not for the ambience, so Im ok with that. Prices are fair (slightly on the higher side for Chinese restaurant but the serving size is good). The only reason Im putting a 4-star rating is, even though its authentic Szechuan, I must say Ive had a few better ones, but maybe thats because i actually grew up in Asia. So maybe Im being a little unfair. Overall though, i would recommend this restaurant if youre looking for an authentic Szechuan cuisine in Philadelphia.
Review №9
2021-11-02Its a very decent restaurant.. came to visit from Singapore and after 4 days looking for quality Chinese food.. excl Mala style and found this here.Found the hot plate meats, sweet sour whole de boned fish very very good a highlight and fresh. Portions are big and veges esp the dou miao very nicely done.. 4 dishes and for 4 pax at less than USD90 was v good.So overall a 4 and visited a second time in 3 days..By the way, cockage is 10 usd.. OK..
Review №10
2021-11-03Good experience. The food was cooked in Sichuan style. Anyone who is not fond of the spice need to make careful selection. Do ask the waiter about the Sichuan peppers before ordering.