Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings

Probably one of the best dumpling joints in NYC. You can never go wrong with one of their originals but if you’re feeling fancy, try their monthly special. Everything on the sides menu is pretty great too. Basically, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Or maybe I’m just that obsessed.

The most underwhelming dumplings I’ve ever had. Taste similar to frozen Costco variety. Only popular bc of Instagram. Won’t be returning. Also, very overpriced.

My favorite dumpling spot in New York City.
The monthly specials especially, they are always so creative and delicious, they give a whole new exciting meaning to dumplings, topped off with Mimi’s secret sauce you simply can’t go wrong

Mimi Cheng’s
After seeing these all over Instagram, I was eager to try them. They certainly look the part of an instafamous foodie spot — cute décor, open windows that allow a lot of natural light (for that perfect picture), succulents everywhere and a chalkboard menu.
However, I was kinda disappointed. I know these aren’t meant of be life-​changing dumplings of anything. I wasn’t too crazy about the special for this month, so we decided to try things off their regular menu:
— Mimi Cheng (chicken & zucchini)
— Reinvented Classic (pork, baby bok choy and cabbage): reinvented because they added the bok choy.
To be honest, I can’t tell you much about the flavor — they tasted like dumplings? They were good, I guess? The dumplings had a thin wrapper, which is a plus. However, they seemed small — considering that it costs $ ⁸⁄₆ or 8 for $ 10. We also had the s’mores dessert dumplings. Those were kinda sad. It was basically dumplings filled with chocolate. It’s unique, but I don’t think I’d order it again.
I can see the appeal for the monthly specials, though. Maybe I’ll try those another time. Otherwise, there’s nothing that would keep me coming back.

20 dollars…
That was the price for 14 dumplings from this place. Many reviews have spoken to this point that this place is too expensive, so I won’t dwell on it. I would be willing to pay this premium price for dumplings, if the flavor and quality were that much better than your average Chinatown dumplings. Don’t get me wrong the dumplings here are pretty good, but not nearly worth 20 dollars.
The December Special ($ 12) dumplings were very tasty. The hot oil that the dumplings were bathing in was spicy enough, but did not overpower the taste of the filling of the dumplings. The filling was chicken and a vegetable, I don’t remember which one. It was clearly a higher quality filling than pretty much any other dumpling your going to find in NYC and it did not have the mystery meat taste that plagues so many dumplings. All in all it was a very good dumpling.
The Mighty Veggie ($ 8) dumplings were bland and dull. I appreciate Mimi Cheng’s use of so many different vegetables, however the dumplings were tasteless. I tried drowning the dumplings in Mimi’s Special Sauce, but that too was flavorless. I had to put heaps of sriracha on the dumplings to finish them because they were just that bad.
I like what they are doing here, making dumplings with high-​quality ingredients so you don’t have to contemplate how a certain restaurant can afford to sell pork dumplings for 20 cents. That said, the dumplings really could taste better. I wanted to try the delicious sounding Smores dessert dumpling, but they were sold out. I don’t think I will be back.

Mimi Cheng’s is a reliable go-​to spot when I’m craving dumplings. The prices are decent, I would say slightly on the more expensive side considering how cheap dumplings actually are. The wait to get your food takes a while, but I tolerate it because I can see the dumplings being made fresh at the counter.
Mimi Cheng’s really kills it with their special house sauce though– you can’t experience these dumplings with just basic soy sauce. Although I’ve never tried any of their monthly specials, I really appreciate how that aspect of their menu is constantly changing. The specials have always seemed like winners so that will be my next menu item to tackle.

Mimi Cheng’s, a fairly new dumpling house is one of the few dumpling places you would consider taking someone on a date to, unless they are super into dumplings and have low standards when it comes to table hygiene, in which case your mom and I think you can do better. So go to Mimi’s instead and avoid hepatitis, and also get some awesome dumplings. The menu is small, pork, chicken, veggie, and a rotating special. You can get an order or 6 or 8 and split an order between two types. While this makes for some interesting mathematical combinations, it’s a nice way to try a bunch of the types without getting the dreaded dumpling bloat. The pork were our favorite, but the chicken were solid as well. You can’t go wrong with any of the options here. The special sauce, a mildly spicy soy mix (and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, mix in some sriracha) goes great with the dumplings as well. Go for fried for the extra texture. The chairs do stick a bit to the floor in a concerning fashion, but there are mini cacti on each table, so I think it evens out.

Mimi Cheng’s was where I wanted to go when they had that hamburger dumpling special. We stumbled upon it yesterday and I couldn’t resist.
The price wasn’t terrible (6 for $ 8) and we just opted for the pork. We waited a bit and eventually got to eating. I personally thought it was pretty good although I have definitely had better. My boyfriend didn’t like it at all, he felt that it was too much filler with no pork flavor. The secret sauce wasn’t very good either.
I will probably find a better dumpling place.

Went to try Mimi Cheng’s dumplings around 5 pm on a Friday night and it was empty, which was fantastic. They have four types of dumplings to choose from (chicken, pork, vegetable, and a monthly special) and for each you may choose if you’d like them pan fried or boiled and may choose an order of 6 or 8. The waitstaff was friendly and happily answered all my questions.
I ordered three types to go: the pork pan fried, the mighty veggie boiled and the special, which was chicken and celery wontons in chili oil. Wait time was about 10 minutes. I am sure the dumplings would have been better had we eaten them immediately and in the restaurant but even after a long subway ride they were still very tasty. All three had different tastes and textures and I enjoyed them all. Pork (reinvented classic) was our favorite and I also loved how intense the vegetable taste was in the veggies ones. The only downside was the expensive price, but to try them once was worth it.

Absurdly long wait times.
I got half chicken and half pork. Both types were way too salty. Also way overpriced compared to other dumpling places. I won’t be coming back here

Food:
A very simple menu consisting of 4 different dumpling flavors including the monthly special. You can order 6 or 8 dumplings for $ 8 to $ 10 respectively. There are a couple drink options as well. When we went, we got the apple cider.
Regarding the dumplings, the vegetarian flavor was the best although I still found it on the salty side. We also tried the pork flavor and the chicken/​zucchini flavor. Both meat dumplings were nice and juicy but lacked traditional flavors or even the vegetable flavors they claimed to have. The texture of the dumpling skins though was really good — thin but still on the chewy side. Mimi’s also does an excellent job of pan fried dumplings. On the other hand, their «special sauce» seems to just be a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil. In addition, the apple cider drink was very bland just like super diluted apple cider.
Service/​ambience:
Overall, this is a nice place for some casual bites though the prices really are on the expensive side for what you get. They will bring the dumplings to you which is nice but like other casual place, you generally will put your dishes away yourself. Seating can also be a little crowded since this is a rather small place.

Service was prompt and friendly
I got the thanksgiving dinner dumplings (special for November) and they were delicious especially with the cranberry sauce
My friend got the reinvented classic and it was perfectly salted and delicious with both sriracha or Mimi’s secret sauce
For dessert we got the pumpkin cheesecake dessert dumplings which were delicious
Altogether we paid $ 23 which was somewhat expensive but worth it

Growing up watching my parents make dumplings, this is as close as it gets to having a real taste of real Chinese dumplings.
There’s a nice lady wrapping them fresh right up front as you order. The menu consists of Mimi Chengs, reinvented classic, and mighty veggie. There is also a rotating monthly special flavor.
Of the three I would say the classic is the best. Followed by veggie and then the Mimi Cheng. You can choose to have them fried or boiled. Both preparations are good. If you can, try them all.
The monthly special flavor I tried was the Cuban sandwich. As bizarre as that sounds to have in a dumpling, it may have been my favorite of all. The flavors were done perfectly nothing too overpowering, with a great light mustard sauce to seal the deal.

Cute place with average gentrified dumplings. You don’t come here for authenticity, you come here to eat pretty dumplings surrounded by white people and mini succulents. It’s good for what it is.
$ 10 for 8 dumplings gets a side eye from cheapos like me who are used to paying $ 1 for ⁴⁄₅ (RIP Prosperity) but I was looking for a decent health violation-​free vegetable dumpling so I sucked it up and came here.
The Mighty Veggie was good. The dumplings were quite big, and decently pan fried. The filling was kind of bland but nothing some Mimi Cheng’s sauce (in oversized bottles my child sized hands can’t grasp) and Sriracha couldn’t spice up.
One star off for the price, which is pure exploitation, and one star off because the two guys behind the counter blatantly ignored me when I walked up to order. One was cleaning the garbage can and the other was standing around, looking like he could be not possibly be any more annoyed with life… the enthusiasm was overwhelming. The third guy who appeared out of nowhere to finally help me was very nice though.

I’m so conflicted about this review. I LOVE the space of this restaurant. It’s filled with light, airy, and really clean. The quiet Bob Marley in the background doesn’t hurt either.
I came here because I heard so much about the Emmy dumpling special for August. I haven’t actually been to Emily but I’ve been meaning to get around to it and Emmy burger dumplings seemed like the perfect pre-​Emily treat. (Emily is a pizza restaurant in Brooklyn known for its fabulous Emmy burger).
I strolled in on a Friday afternoon and there are a couple of people here but it isn’t crazy busy. I ordered 6 of the special dumplings ($ 9) and sat to wait. About 10 minutes later the dumplings came out looking great. Filled with beef, cheddar cheese, and caramelized onions with the thick, special Emmy sauce, the dumplings are perfectly shaped and the casing is pan cooked perfectly.
Ugh I wanted to like them so bad. But after one dumpling, I can barely finish the second. They are just too rich.
I will be back to try some other dumplings because I think this place has great potential I just can’t get down the the Emmy dumpling.

Five stars just for the Emmy Burger Dumplings (August special). They were AMAZING. I got a side of broccoli too and it was ok, though way bigger pieces than I would have preferred if I’m being picky.
Yes, this place is totally overpriced, and what I had will only be on the menu for two more weeks, but Emmy Burger Dumplings deserve five stars.

Woah! These dumplings are amazing.
I have heard many good things about Mimi Chengs Dumplings but have never been until now. This simplistic modern shop offers a great dumpling snack.
When I walked luckily there was no line at the time and I asked the lady at the register what the best dumplings are here and she said to get pan fried 4 chicken and 4 pork so that is exactly what I got. She was extremely nice and happy to tell us about the dumplings and after I paid she gave me number for my order.
The shop was completely packed but luckily there was one table left at the front. Dumplings are quick to eat and the turnover in customers here was very fast so don’t be afraid to order and then wait for someone to get up.
After about 10 or so minutes they brought out the dumplings to me and my friend and we were ready to demolish them, but before that we had to get the sauces for dipping so we put the sirachi and Mimi Chengs secret sauce into dipping cups.
The dumplings were pan fried to perfection and looked delicious. I tried the pork dumplings first which were very good especially in the Mimis sauce but it just didn’t hit the spot for me. After the pork I tried the chicken and boom that was amazing. The flavor punch of the chicken was so good it was the perfect mixture which was chicken and zucchini. If you dumped that into Mimis secret sauce it only makes it better.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a snack. If you’re looking to come here for dinner it would cost way to much because the portions are very small.
I will definitely be back!

I wanted to like Mimi Cheng’s more than I actually did, but it didn’t blow me away. I thought the dumplings were good and if in the area I would eat them again, but I wouldn’t go out my way to make a special trip. The employees were nice, though.
The vibe inside is lighthearted and I love the picnic style tables (and outdoor seating), but it was a big turnoff that the tables themselves hadn’t been wiped down and ours was covered in Mimi’s special sauce.
We tried the Mimi Cheng and Reinvented Classic pan-​fried (I love that you can split the order into two flavors so that you can try more than one at a time). The dumplings were pan fried to a nice golden brown and not oily at all which is a huge positive, but frankly I just didn’t find them as flavorful as I had hoped. I’d be willing to give Mimi Cheng’s another try, though.

It’s a shame I have to give instafamous Mimi cheng’s a two star. I really don’t see what the hype is about. To find real authentic dumplings, Chinatown is the way to go. Much cheaper and tastier.
I ordered the monthly special, scallion pancake pancake with pastrami. It came out to be much smaller than I expected for the price I paid (8 $). It could be finished in less than 4 bites and not satisfying at all.
As for the secret sauce everyone raves about. It has some similarities to chili oil and soy sauce, but the sauce was too liquidy to stay on the pancake. Perhaps it’s only meant for the dumplings.
I have yet to try the dumplings but after my taste of the monthly special I don’t think I will return back.

First of all, I would like to applaud the Cheng sisters for becoming so #instafamous. It takes more than just a college degree for two girls to become as successful as they have, in the past year or so, since their restaurant’s grand opening. Especially so, since their restaurant is located in the heart of East Village, surrounded by other popular Asian eateries such as Xi’an and Momofuku.
But, I have to be honest, their Mimi Cheng’s dumplings are not that special.
Both my grandmother and mom make their own dumpling wrappers and filling, and rest assured, it is 10 fold better than anything that the Cheng sisters sell at their restaurant for a high-​marked premium.
Mimi Cheng’s selling point, and the only reason why they can charge as much as they do, is because their dumplings are made on premise.
And to drill that point home, they hired two middle-​aged Chinese laborers to stand under the menu board, next to the cash register, stuffing and folding dumplings.
IT IS NOT APPETIZING.
And if I’m not mistaken, they do not make their wrappers. They probably buy it at a Chinatown supermarket, along with most of their produce/​grocery, since I saw their employees unwrapping dumpling wrappers from its original packaging behind the counter.
They sometimes have chicken parmesan dumplings, apple pie dumplings, and scrambled egg/​brunch dumplings, which I have not tried. But, I must say, I find it strange that they are treating dumpling wrappers like a crêpe. I understand that crêpe and dumpling paper CAN seem similar due to its starchy consistency, but it is not the same, like you and I know.
I’ve tried both the ‘Reinvented Classic’ and the ‘Mimi Cheng’. They were good, do not get me wrong, but I was not impressed. I think they use too much ginger, while marinating the pork for their ‘Reinvented Classic’ to get rid of the natural pork odor.
They do not have table seats, so you will either take your tray of dumplings to go, or share a communal table with fellow diners.