Best Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance Chinese Restaurants in Chinatown
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Foo Chow Restaurant
A longtime Chinatown staple for no-frills outdoor Cantonese comfort.
Worthy Picks
7.8
Old-guard Chinatown comfort with a straightforward menu and a classic sidewalk dining setup. Come for nostalgic Cantonese-American standards and a mellow outdoor meal that feels like a step back in time.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orange Flavor Chicken, Three-Flavor Sizzling Rice Soup, Shrimp Egg Foo Young
What Makes it Special: A longtime Chinatown staple for no-frills outdoor Cantonese comfort.
7.8
A Chinatown bakery counter operating since the 1980s, turning out fresh dim sum items alongside traditional Chinese pastries at cash-only prices that keep regulars coming back. The format is transactional—grab char siu bao and sesame balls, skip the ambiance—but 40 years of consistency speaks for itself.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dim Sum, Char Siu Bao, Siu Mai
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Chinatown bakery serving fresh dim sum and traditional Chinese pastries since the 1980s
7.7
Cash-only Chinatown counter service where dim sum items run under $1.50 each—har gow at $0.90, siu mai at $0.80, BBQ pork bun at $1.00. The separate takeout window moves faster than dine-in during busy stretches. Operating since 1976, the trade-off is sticky floors and lukewarm items when turnover slows; prime-time visits catch fresher product. Egg custard tart consistently outperforms other items.
Must-Try Dishes:
BBQ Pork Bun, Roast Duck Noodles, Siu Mai
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Chinatown dim sum counter with 50+ years of roast duck tradition