I would say good reviews but I noticed some people still complain --another one of those reviews here, by the way, that calls it "the worst place in NYC" (while others love it of course)
Our Evergreen
Category:
Chinese
913 2nd Ave(between 48th St & 49th St)
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 223-0888
- Nearest Transit Station:
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Lexington Ave./53 St. (E, M)51 St. (4, 6, 6X)Grand Central - 42 St. (7, 7X)
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
- $$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
10 reviews for Our Evergreen
10 reviews in English
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Review from Mimi J.
New York, NYI'm 2nd gen Chinese American with pretty adverturous tastes. This place is legit. Pan fried dumplings, soup dumplings, Peking duck, lion's head meatballs, a big menu I can only describe as "hella authentic". All on a lazy suzan, the way chinese food should be served.
I'm kind of baffled by all the low ratings. Well, I guess I could understand if you're ordering American Chinese takeout, or if you mind the bizareness of having a busload of Chinese tourists flood into the restaurant all at the same time, or if you're not used to brusque service. This place is not for you. This is pretty much Chinese food for Chinese people, and if you're looking for that, you've find a nice midtown standby.
so I guess a big THANK YOU to that rando Chinese tour company for keeping this awesome place in business. -
Review from Lawrence C.
New York, NYMy sister and I live in the same neighborhood, and we've been joking for years about Our Evergreen Shanghai, that it must be a front for some Chinese Triad operation. It's been there for years, virtually always empty save the occasional shadowy group seated in a table at the very rear of the restaurant that, furthermore, never seems to be eating anything.
What I'm saying is, this joint is shady in a way that Midtown East usually doesn't engender. Poorly lit (just as well, with decor that uncannily recalls a highway rest stop's public bathroom), outfitted with frankly decaying lazy Susans, and, again, deserted. The place should've been in "I Am Legend" somewhere.
Despite all this, or maybe because of this, we finally decided to try it for takeout. And, well, it was kind of okay! I mean, a glance at my Yelp reviews quickly reveals I'm willing to go to extraordinary lengths for authentic Chinese -- from Flushing to Sunset Park to the intidimating Fujian warrens of east Chinatown -- but there is something about eating takeout Chinese in your own apartment that is unduplicatable in any other context. Our Evergreen Shanghai may lack, say, the antic energy of nearby Hop Won's steam tables, or the sheer bizarrity of the Chinese/Mexican counters that dot 2nd Avenue. But its wide-ranging menu actually has some intriguing entries.
One of these was the "Duet Prawns" off their specials section. It turned out to be fried shrimp prepped two ways: one with Grand Marnier sauce and one with peppers. The sweet mayonnaise-y Grand Marnier sauce was as painfully addictive as it usually is in this prep, glopped on top of generously sized shrimp. The pepper shrimp, on the other hand, was very underwhleming. I was irked for a while that half the portion was that way and not Grand Marniered until I realized that I could just rub those shrimp in the death-hastening mayo anyway. Mmmm. Chylomicrons.
Meanwhile, the less expensive lunch specials, hovering just above $6, gave pretty good portions for Midtown. A sliced beef with vegetables was kind of bland, but the chicken with garlic was weirdly tasty, in that Chinese takeout kind of way. Included soups were inoffensive -- sure, the wonton soup contained one measly wonton, but the egg drop soup had just the right touch of viscosity.
Anyway. I can't believe I've written a review this long about this place. I also can't believe I actually sort of want to try their soup dumplings.
Probability of return within 1 year: 40% -
Review from Jordan W.
I give it a go because I work in the area and sometime still come here. I like the Chicken with Broccoli when I get it with extra sauce Lunch Special status. It is weird the place is usually filled with chinese tour bus people, the other person got that right. I also was impressed by the Fish Filet with Hearts of Pak Choy. That tasted really good. I give it three stars because sometimes the fried rice is really nasty. You can tell it was not freshly made, it was probably just sitting out there. I guess it depends on what day you order it If it is a saturday or day like today filled with snow day and not to many customers. Some other dishes i feel they do not know how to make well. I guess that is the same with most chinese places, certain things definitely taste different at other places.
I only order the lunch special here, it is all the way till 4PM and comes with soup or soda and Fried Rice with Egg in it. -
Review from David C.
New York, NYI really should have yelped before coming here, could have saved myself a negative food experience. I ordered takeout around noon.
The fried rice is terrible, it took soy sauce and sauce from what I assume to be the sesame chicken (which I was only able to force down a few chunks of) to make it palatable.
The lady was nice, and the food was fast and cheap (lunch special) so I'll grudgingly give two stars, but good lord. There are literally dozens of other options within a one block radius, try something else. -
Review from Chris O.
Flushing, NYI'm very picky about Chinese food. Once I find a place that has a dish I like, I stick with the place and the dish and rarely (if ever) order anything else from anywhere else.
Right now (and for the last several years), my place has been Our Evergreen and my dish has been the Chicken with Garlic Sauce (extra spicy, no water chestnuts). The chicken is cooked perfectly, the vegetables (usually peppers, celery, and 2 types of mushroom) retain their crunch and flavor, and the sauce is damn tasty.
The rice (either brown or white) is always cooked perfectly as only a Chinese place can.
Sometimes I'll compliment my meal with a spring roll or scallion pancake. The spring roll is crisp, but often a tad greasy. For me it's usually that satisfying greasy that puts a smile on your face, but that's a personal preference. The scallion pancake is good, but not the best I've ever had.
I have never eaten at the restaurant, but the delivery is almost always damn quick. 10 minutes would be considered a slow day. though I am only 2 blocks away.
I'm not going to tell you that this is the best Chinese you'll ever have, but it's the best for me right now and I don't see that changing anytime soon. -
Review from Gustad M.
New York, NYI got the Beancurd Topped with Crabmeat Sauce a couple nights ago from here. Its was REALLY GOOD! And that's huge coming from me, for a dish that doesn't really contain much meat. The tofu had this once friend texture on the outside (but soft since its in sauce) and the inside was soo silky. The crabmeat sauce is what made the dish. So tasty! Its 11 bucks for the dish, and should fill you up with rice. -
Review from Kate Y.
I'm Chinese - more specifically, an ABC. When my parents were around, I knew the places we went to eat would serve authentic Chinese food (they had the Cantonese flowing with the menus written in Chinese). However, now that I'm on my own, I like to see who the patrons are when I try a new Chinese restaurant (well, new to me). And I gotta say, this is authentic with a capital C. No fail - when you go there, there are a million Chinese people crammed into this pretty big space (okay, not a million, but A LOT). As one of the reviewers below mentioned, this seems to be a standard stop for tourists from China. It can get pretty claustrophobic and noisy. Also, be prepared to get jostled and elbowed (sometimes gently, sometimes not - but never intentionally...I think). Best to come a little before noon - once it hits 12:30 / 1 p.m., the place gets packed. If you sit down and eat, don't dillydally - you'll have customers standing over you like hawks waiting for you to be done. (Not trying to sound negative, but just want to put it out there - I come here for the food, not the ambiance).
I love their Bean Curd Soup w. Spinach - (#304), and was delighted with their Steamed Shanghai Style Sticky Rice - (#126). Whenever I look around the room as I wait for my take-out order (which I prefer and recommend), I see my childhood - home-cooked meals served family style. The food is not always perfect (last time the soup was seasoned just right, this time it was a little saltier), but hey - it doesn't have to be. It's a good meal at a good price cooked the "real" way, you know what I'm saying? Mom didn't always make it perfect either.-
#126 - Steamed Shanghai Style Sticky Rice
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#304 - Bean Curd Soup w. Spinach
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Review from Niu N.
New York, NY
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