West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result

Search the site

No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Shun Lee Reopens After Extended Closure; It’s Already ‘Very Busy’

March 14, 2021 | 7:14 PM - Updated on March 15, 2021 | 4:06 AM
in FOOD, NEWS, OPEN/CLOSED
22

Shun Lee West, the famed Upper West Side Chinese restaurant at 43 West 65th Street, reopened on Sunday after being closed for more than six months.

For now, it’s open for takeout and delivery, but it hopes to open for dining at the end of the month, according to Andy, a general manager there. “We plan to open for dining at the end of the month. We’ll see, depends on how the business goes,” he said. “Our east side store opened last June and it’s doing very, very well.”

Shun Lee was closed for so long in part because it completely renovated the kitchen. “We knocked the whole thing out,” Andy said.

Shun Lee West has been around since 1981 — 10 year after the original opened on the East side — and gained a large following on the Upper West Side. It has authentic Chinese dishes, and a mix of less-authentic ones too — it’s credited with introducing General Tso’s Chicken to an American audience.

Its closure had several Upper West Siders worried — “I’ve spent the last 4 months trying out new Chinese places and none of them hold a candle to Shun Lee,” one wrote in our comments.

On its first day back, the restaurant has been “very busy,” Andy said. It’s open from noon to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 3 to 9 on Saturdays and Sundays. They plan to open Shun Lee Cafe, an annex to the main restaurant, in September when Lincoln Center reopens.

“We welcome everyone back!” Andy said.

guest
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Marianne Hodgins
Marianne Hodgins
1 year ago

This is wonderful news.

0
Reply
Marc Luxemburg
Marc Luxemburg
1 year ago

Yay!!

0
Reply
lynn
lynn
1 year ago

That was an abrupt turnaround. Wasn’t it just last week that someone posted about broken windows, dead plants, and homeless living in the entryway? In any case I hope that their return is a huge success!

0
Reply
Leslie
Leslie
1 year ago

I remember eating at Shun Lee East when I was young, my mom’s office was right around the corner. Both my parents knew the Tongs well, we even ate in their home with their children. I’ve noticed over the years that many other Chinese restaurants have imitated Michael’s chicken sung dish.
Fond memories of meals & parties with family and friends.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago
Reply to  Leslie

We started dining there when we went to opening night of the New York Film Festival, back in the days when it was relatively easy to get tickets. And we had a couple of birthday parties there. So many great memories.

0
Reply
Life long UWSider
Life long UWSider
1 year ago

Best news all day. Welcome home Shun Lee.

0
Reply
Marcy
Marcy
1 year ago

General Tso’s chicken is an american inventions. Don’t believe it exists in China. Amd if it does, it came from the USA😂🙄

0
Reply
MQue
MQue
1 year ago
Reply to  Marcy

Chinese chefs had to adapt to American palates hence creating saucy goupy sweet and sour style foods.

0
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago

More than 15 years ago, ate there once or twice, got take once or twice too.

Nothing special.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago

The Manager is Andy? When we dined there before the pause, the wonderful Henry was. Did he retire?

0
Reply
Bill Williams
Bill Williams
1 year ago
Reply to  Harry

Henry has not been there for years now.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago
Reply to  Bill Williams

We dined at Shun Lee West New Year’s Eve of 2019 and Henry was there. At one point in the past he left, but was brought back to improve the operation.

0
Reply
Josh
Josh
1 year ago

What took you so long! Very happy news!

0
Reply
Otis
Otis
1 year ago

I always got the impression most of Shun Lee’s clientele were people from out of town attending a show in Lincoln Center. Locals don’t go there too often.

With Lincoln Center closed I wonder how many people will eat there.

In any case, good luck to them.

0
Reply
UWS Taxpayer
UWS Taxpayer
1 year ago
Reply to  Otis

Otis–wrong on that tourist thing. My MIL who is from Shanghai is very fond of Shun Lee and so are many of her friends. They could trek down to China Town but the ambiance is not as nice. Their ingredients are pretty high quality but so are the price tags. Now IF ONLY Szechuan Garden would reopen.

0
Reply
JL
JL
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS Taxpayer

@Marcy and taxpayer: Egg Fu Young and fortune cookies did make it back to China and Shanghai. Kids these days are mixing it all up. It’s called American Chinese food there.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-34877507

I don’t frequent Chinese restaurants outside of Chinatown or Flushing much. I don’t know if the “newer” places like Jin Fung UWS and Red Farm made it through 2020. My favorite “expensive” place – Mission Chinese (Danny Bowien) in the LES did not make it into 2021. Kung Pao pastrami, yum. Legend down on W16th closed before the pandemic. That was a good Sze Chuan place.

Good luck to all restaurateurs in NYC, I hope the Spring and the vaccine will bring life back to the neighborhood.

0
Reply
Nessa
Nessa
1 year ago

Yippee! A most welcome return! The best food on the Upper West Side.

0
Reply
Helen
Helen
1 year ago

Does anyone know how to order from SLW online? Their own website and Seamless etc. are still listing them as closed. 🙁

0
Reply
Caroline
Caroline
1 year ago
Reply to  Helen

You can order from their web site: https://www.shunleerestaurants.com/order-online/

0
Reply
Helen
Helen
1 year ago
Reply to  Caroline

Thank you. I’d like to order from Shun Lee West but that specific link on their website is still showing ‘temporarily closed,’ and ‘offline.’ I called and they hung up. I’ll keep trying. 😉

0
Reply
Anita
Anita
1 year ago

glad they used the lock-down time to do a renovation. happy to be able to take out there, again and again. and I’ll be dining inside soon – so they say. Shun Lee West is NOT just for tourists, you know !!!

0
Reply
jimbo
jimbo
1 year ago

Nothing special.

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

CRIME NEWS: ATM-SKIMMING AT 7-ELEVEN, BIG RISE IN BIKE CRASHES, MOTORCYCLE THEFTS
NEWS

Cyclist Seriously Injured in Head-On Collision in Amsterdam Bike Lane

June 30, 2022 | 9:00 PM - Updated on July 1, 2022 | 6:16 AM
Upper West Side Real Estate Market Bulletin
NEWS

Upper West Side Real Estate Market Bulletin

June 30, 2022 | 7:03 PM
0
SHARES
57
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Previous Post

City Council Election 2021: Zack Weiner Is Ready to Convince You He’s Not ‘Way Too Young’

Next Post

Monday Bulletin: Columbia Application Boom, A Hug Prescription; Cuomo’s ‘Toxic’ Culture

this week's events image

Extra, Extra!

Authentically Local

Explore Your Favorite Subject

20th precinct 24th precinct american museum of natural history animals art bicycling bulletin central park closings columns community board 7 coronavirus crash crime development dogs events fdny fire food gale brewer helen rosenthal history jcc lincoln center monday bulletin morning bulletin nypd openings pedestrian safety photography photos politics public schools pupper west side real estate restaurants retail riverside park silver stars fitness snow sponsored subway upper west side uws
Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Shun Lee Reopens After Extended Closure; It’s Already ‘Very Busy’

Shun Lee West, the famed Upper West Side Chinese restaurant at 43 West 65th Street, reopened on Sunday after being closed for more than six months.

For now, it’s open for takeout and delivery, but it hopes to open for dining at the end of the month, according to Andy, a general manager there. “We plan to open for dining at the end of the month. We’ll see, depends on how the business goes,” he said. “Our east side store opened last June and it’s doing very, very well.”

Shun Lee was closed for so long in part because it completely renovated the kitchen. “We knocked the whole thing out,” Andy said.

Shun Lee West has been around since 1981 — 10 year after the original opened on the East side — and gained a large following on the Upper West Side. It has authentic Chinese dishes, and a mix of less-authentic ones too — it’s credited with introducing General Tso’s Chicken to an American audience.

Its closure had several Upper West Siders worried — “I’ve spent the last 4 months trying out new Chinese places and none of them hold a candle to Shun Lee,” one wrote in our comments.

On its first day back, the restaurant has been “very busy,” Andy said. It’s open from noon to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 3 to 9 on Saturdays and Sundays. They plan to open Shun Lee Cafe, an annex to the main restaurant, in September when Lincoln Center reopens.

“We welcome everyone back!” Andy said.

guest
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Marianne Hodgins
Marianne Hodgins
1 year ago

This is wonderful news.

0
Reply
Marc Luxemburg
Marc Luxemburg
1 year ago

Yay!!

0
Reply
lynn
lynn
1 year ago

That was an abrupt turnaround. Wasn’t it just last week that someone posted about broken windows, dead plants, and homeless living in the entryway? In any case I hope that their return is a huge success!

0
Reply
Leslie
Leslie
1 year ago

I remember eating at Shun Lee East when I was young, my mom’s office was right around the corner. Both my parents knew the Tongs well, we even ate in their home with their children. I’ve noticed over the years that many other Chinese restaurants have imitated Michael’s chicken sung dish.
Fond memories of meals & parties with family and friends.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago
Reply to  Leslie

We started dining there when we went to opening night of the New York Film Festival, back in the days when it was relatively easy to get tickets. And we had a couple of birthday parties there. So many great memories.

0
Reply
Life long UWSider
Life long UWSider
1 year ago

Best news all day. Welcome home Shun Lee.

0
Reply
Marcy
Marcy
1 year ago

General Tso’s chicken is an american inventions. Don’t believe it exists in China. Amd if it does, it came from the USA😂🙄

0
Reply
MQue
MQue
1 year ago
Reply to  Marcy

Chinese chefs had to adapt to American palates hence creating saucy goupy sweet and sour style foods.

0
Reply
Jay
Jay
1 year ago

More than 15 years ago, ate there once or twice, got take once or twice too.

Nothing special.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago

The Manager is Andy? When we dined there before the pause, the wonderful Henry was. Did he retire?

0
Reply
Bill Williams
Bill Williams
1 year ago
Reply to  Harry

Henry has not been there for years now.

0
Reply
Harry
Harry
1 year ago
Reply to  Bill Williams

We dined at Shun Lee West New Year’s Eve of 2019 and Henry was there. At one point in the past he left, but was brought back to improve the operation.

0
Reply
Josh
Josh
1 year ago

What took you so long! Very happy news!

0
Reply
Otis
Otis
1 year ago

I always got the impression most of Shun Lee’s clientele were people from out of town attending a show in Lincoln Center. Locals don’t go there too often.

With Lincoln Center closed I wonder how many people will eat there.

In any case, good luck to them.

0
Reply
UWS Taxpayer
UWS Taxpayer
1 year ago
Reply to  Otis

Otis–wrong on that tourist thing. My MIL who is from Shanghai is very fond of Shun Lee and so are many of her friends. They could trek down to China Town but the ambiance is not as nice. Their ingredients are pretty high quality but so are the price tags. Now IF ONLY Szechuan Garden would reopen.

0
Reply
JL
JL
1 year ago
Reply to  UWS Taxpayer

@Marcy and taxpayer: Egg Fu Young and fortune cookies did make it back to China and Shanghai. Kids these days are mixing it all up. It’s called American Chinese food there.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-34877507

I don’t frequent Chinese restaurants outside of Chinatown or Flushing much. I don’t know if the “newer” places like Jin Fung UWS and Red Farm made it through 2020. My favorite “expensive” place – Mission Chinese (Danny Bowien) in the LES did not make it into 2021. Kung Pao pastrami, yum. Legend down on W16th closed before the pandemic. That was a good Sze Chuan place.

Good luck to all restaurateurs in NYC, I hope the Spring and the vaccine will bring life back to the neighborhood.

0
Reply
Nessa
Nessa
1 year ago

Yippee! A most welcome return! The best food on the Upper West Side.

0
Reply
Helen
Helen
1 year ago

Does anyone know how to order from SLW online? Their own website and Seamless etc. are still listing them as closed. 🙁

0
Reply
Caroline
Caroline
1 year ago
Reply to  Helen

You can order from their web site: https://www.shunleerestaurants.com/order-online/

0
Reply
Helen
Helen
1 year ago
Reply to  Caroline

Thank you. I’d like to order from Shun Lee West but that specific link on their website is still showing ‘temporarily closed,’ and ‘offline.’ I called and they hung up. I’ll keep trying. 😉

0
Reply
Anita
Anita
1 year ago

glad they used the lock-down time to do a renovation. happy to be able to take out there, again and again. and I’ll be dining inside soon – so they say. Shun Lee West is NOT just for tourists, you know !!!

0
Reply
jimbo
jimbo
1 year ago

Nothing special.

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

CRIME NEWS: ATM-SKIMMING AT 7-ELEVEN, BIG RISE IN BIKE CRASHES, MOTORCYCLE THEFTS
NEWS

Cyclist Seriously Injured in Head-On Collision in Amsterdam Bike Lane

June 30, 2022 | 9:00 PM - Updated on July 1, 2022 | 6:16 AM
Upper West Side Real Estate Market Bulletin
NEWS

Upper West Side Real Estate Market Bulletin

June 30, 2022 | 7:03 PM
0
SHARES
57
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Previous Post

City Council Election 2021: Zack Weiner Is Ready to Convince You He’s Not ‘Way Too Young’

Next Post

Monday Bulletin: Columbia Application Boom, A Hug Prescription; Cuomo’s ‘Toxic’ Culture

Next Post
Monday Bulletin: Columbia Application Boom, A Hug Prescription; Cuomo’s ‘Toxic’ Culture

Monday Bulletin: Columbia Application Boom, A Hug Prescription; Cuomo's 'Toxic' Culture

Free Trial: JCC FUNctional Fitness Club for Tweens + Teens

Free Trial: JCC FUNctional Fitness Club for Tweens + Teens

Lower Rents Allow Brooklyn Ice Cream Shop to Open ‘Boutique’ on the UWS

Lower Rents Allow Brooklyn Ice Cream Shop to Open 'Boutique' on the UWS

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2022 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT US

© 2022 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.