This Lincoln Center standby has cultivated a loyal following that comes as much for the cool retro environs—complete with distinctive wraparound wall dragon and glossy black booths—as for its renowned regional specialties. Sichuan alligator and buffalo Mandarin-style are among owner Michael Tong's newer gambits, as are dishes like the sweet, meaty Hunan-style ostrich in a wonderfully torrid toss of leek ribbons, red and green peppers, and fresh water chestnuts. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld
I'm getting tired of all these negative reviews --so I decided to put my 2 cents in. We went early--around 6 pm before the kitchens got overloaded--so take that into account. However--the service was attentive, friendly and excellent. Our waiter was insistent about getting us fresh, hot tea at the end of our meal. The food was extraordinary--fresh ingredients, lightly battered and seasoned. No overwhelming sauces or flavors. We ordered the crispy duck, the dry crispy beef and a wonderful chicken dish I can't remember the name of...but the flavors were delicate, and yet distinct. My acid test is the hot and sour soup and it passed. Finally the ambience was theatrical and wonderful---this is the place to take out-of-towners who want something they won't see at home. A friend of mine described Shun Lee as a "guaranteed good time" and I agree.
I was visiting from the West coast and was expecting a great meal, first the ambiance is awful for a restaurant they consider upscale and for the prices on the menu the atmosphere is one of the worst, I'd rather sit at a take out joint if I want to sit on cheap chairs, also there were utensils sitting on the floor within sight and no one bothered to ever pick them up. I had ordered a shrimp dish that was supposed to have sauce on top of it, which maybe had a tsp drizzled on it, and I asked the waiter for a side of it, and he said no and refused to bring that specific sauce, and brought me another type of sauce. I think the food is almost comparable to take out food, but I think I've had even better take out food. The service was horrible, the waiters were slow and hard to understand. The quality of service and food were mediocre and I would NOT recommended this restaurant to anyone who enjoys a good cuisine, decent alcoholic beverages, good ambiance, and excellent service.