Big Wong

Should You Book Big Wong in Chinatown?

Yes; if you want a no-frills Cantonese meal in Chinatown that has earned back-to-back recognition from Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats list (ranked #207 in 2024, rising from Recommended in 2023, holding at #329 in 2025), Big Wong is worth the trip. This is a cash-and-chopsticks institution on Mott Street where the focus is on the food, the pace is fast, the price point keeps it accessible to almost any budget. If you need white tablecloths or a cocktail list, go elsewhere. If you want Cantonese done honestly in the heart of Chinatown, this is a reliable call.

What Big Wong Actually Delivers

Big Wong sits at 67 Mott Street, the central artery of Manhattan's Chinatown, it operates with the efficiency of a place that has been feeding the neighbourhood for decades. The room is utilitarian; formica tables, fluorescent lighting, the visual language of a working canteen rather than a designed dining room. That's the point. What you see when you walk in tells you exactly what you're getting: a functional space built around throughput and value, not atmosphere.

The kitchen is under Judy Chan, the menu anchors on Cantonese staples. Roast meats, the kind hung in the window, are the draw for regulars, alongside congee and noodle soups that make it one of the few spots in the city worth visiting at breakfast. Big Wong opens at 8 am every day of the week, which is genuinely useful in a city where serious food before 11 am takes planning. For explorers who want to eat well on a Chinatown morning, that early open is a practical advantage over most comparable spots in the neighbourhood.

OAD's recognition two years running places Big Wong in the top tier of value dining in North America, which is a meaningful credential for a spot that likely charges less than a sandwich at midtown lunch counters.

Groups and Shared Tables

Big Wong is not set up for private dining or group bookings in the conventional sense. There is no private room, no event coordinator, no reserved section. Tables seat small parties and shared seating is normal at busy times. For groups coming to Chinatown together, the format works well for four to six people who can pull a table or two and work through a spread of roast meats, rice dishes, soups. For anything requiring exclusivity or separation from the main room, a celebration dinner with speeches, a corporate event, a proposal, Big Wong is the wrong venue. Consider Asian Jewel Seafood Restaurant or Blue Willow if a more formal group setup matters to your party.

For food-focused groups who simply want to eat well and spend efficiently, the shared-table format at Big Wong is part of the experience rather than a limitation. Order broadly, pass dishes, expect the meal to move at Chinatown pace, which is to say, quickly.

How It Compares

Know Before You Go

• Address: 67 Mott St, New York, NY 10013
• Hours: Monday to Thursday 8 am–9 pm; Friday to Sunday 8 am–9:30 pm
• Booking: Walk-in only, no reservations required or typically offered
• Booking difficulty: Easy; show up and expect a short wait at peak lunch and dinner hours
• Awards: OAD Cheap Eats North America, Recommended (2023), #207 (2024), #329 (2025)
• Ideal time to visit: Early morning for congee; mid-morning or off-peak lunch to avoid the longest waits
• Dress code: None, come as you are
• Group suitability: Good for 2–6; shared tables are the norm; no private dining

Explore More in New York City

Planning a broader trip? Pearl covers the full range: our full New York City restaurants guide, hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences. For Chinese dining at the other end of the price spectrum, Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin is worth a look if you're travelling further afield. And if Chinatown is just one stop on a wider food itinerary, Pearl's picks across the US include Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Smyth in Chicago, Providence in Los Angeles, Emeril's in New Orleans, The French Laundry in Napa, and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg.