Food prices keep climbing, and a lot of plates seem to get smaller every year. Out in Queens, though, some Chinese restaurants still pack the container until the lid barely closes.
These are the dim sum halls, roast meat counters, and corner takeout spots that feed big families on a fair budget. We ranked ten of them, from Little Neck to Astoria, so you know where your money still buys a full meal.
1. New Northern Manor 新同乐, Little Neck, NY
Pushcart dim sum is getting harder to find in New York, and that alone puts this Northern Boulevard dining room at the top. Carts and big family-style platters still run the show here, the way Cantonese restaurants did for decades.
The menu covers a lot of ground. Soy sauce chicken, Peking duck, lobster noodles, Peking style pork chops, fried flounder, sweet and sour pork, and seafood pan fried noodles all share space with a large dim sum selection.
Portions are built for the whole table, and dinner for most people lands around $20 to $30 per person. High chairs and space for groups make it easy for three generations to eat together.
Weekend mornings and early afternoons are the busiest stretch, since doors open at 9:30 AM on Saturday and Sunday. Dinner reservations are recommended, and parking can take a little patience, so plan ahead.
2. Jumbo Chinese Kitchen, Jamaica, NY
Some restaurant names oversell. Over on Jamaica Avenue, this one is simply honest.
Jumbo Chinese Kitchen is a no-nonsense neighborhood takeout spot where the containers come heavy. The orders that keep regulars coming back are the classics: fried pork dumplings, pork lo mein, pork fried rice, and a rotation of soups.
Most meals land between $10 and $20 per person, and the size of each order means leftovers are pretty much guaranteed. Freshness gets as much attention as quantity, which is not always the case at bargain takeout counters.
Delivery is quick, and dine-in seating is available if you cannot wait to get home. Plan around Tuesdays, when the kitchen is closed.
Weeknight evenings from Wednesday to Friday are the busiest times.
3. Shun Wang, Elmhurst, NY
Roast ducks hang in the window, and the cleaver keeps moving. Shun Wang is a true Cantonese barbecue counter on Broadway, the kind that has fed Elmhurst for years without any fuss.
The stars are crispy pork, roast duck, char siu, and spareribs. Get them over rice or as combo platters, and expect a full plate for roughly $12.
The congee is a serious reason to come back too.
There are no frills here, just rotating tables, fast service, and counter or table options. Breakfast counts as well, since the doors open at 8 AM every day.
Keep the hours in mind. Shun Wang closes at 7 PM, so this is a lunch or early dinner stop.
Weekend and Monday mornings get crowded, and street parking takes some hunting.
4. Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House, Elmhurst, NY
Just a block or so down Broadway from the roast meat window, the focus switches to dough. Lao Bei Fang is a compact Northern Chinese kitchen built around dumplings, soups, and hand-made noodles.
Pork and leek fried dumplings are the signature, and the house special noodles have their own following. Noodle soups arrive in big bowls with chewy, bouncy noodles and a rich, balanced broth.
Prices are among the lowest on this list, usually $10 to $20 per person. That makes it a regular stop for college students and anyone feeding a crowd on a budget.
Ordering is at the counter, and there is no table service or reservations. A full vegetarian menu is a nice bonus.
The shop is closed on Tuesdays and stays open until 9:30 PM the rest of the week.
5. Fu Ying Restaurant, Rego Park, NY
Every Queens neighborhood has its go-to combo plate. In Rego Park, a lot of people would name Fu Ying.
This long-standing Chinese-American spot on Queens Boulevard is known as a classic local institution. The General Tso’s chicken combo is the order to know, and it comes with fresh broccoli tucked in, which is a nice touch.
Chicken chow mein and the other combo specials follow the same formula. Fair prices, fast service, and portions that cover dinner and then some.
Late hours help too. The kitchen runs until 11 PM most nights and 11:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, with delivery and takeout available.
It is the kind of spot you save in your phone and never delete.
6. Great Wall, Forest Hills, NY
Chop suey and moo shu are not trendy, and Great Wall does not care. This no-frills strip-mall storefront on Queens Boulevard sticks to the old Chinese-American playbook.
Chow mein, moo shu, and chop suey anchor a traditional menu that many places quietly dropped years ago. The spare ribs are big, and the portions across the board are generous.
Meals run about $10 to $20 per person, so it is easy to feed a household without blowing the budget. Fast delivery makes it a weeknight favorite.
It is a takeout-first operation with no table service and no restroom. Hours run 11 AM to 10:30 PM daily, and evenings late in the week get busy.
7. Cho-Sen Garden, Forest Hills, NY
Kosher Chinese food has deep roots in Queens, and Cho-Sen Garden on 108th Street has been a community staple for years.
The menu mixes kosher Chinese and Japanese dishes, along with kid-friendly options and a full vegetarian menu. A prix fixe meal for around $30 bundles soup, an egg roll, an entree, and dessert.
Some of the portions are flat-out massive, which explains why groups and big families pick this place. There is a private dining room, high chairs, and a kids’ menu.
Hours follow the Sabbath schedule. It is closed on Fridays, reopens Saturday evening from 8 PM to 11:45 PM, and runs noon to 9:30 PM Sunday through Thursday.
Reservations are recommended for dinner.
8. Long Spring Garden, Woodside, NY
Lunch specials are where old-school Chinese spots prove themselves, and Long Spring Garden passes easily.
This established Woodside restaurant on Roosevelt Avenue serves classic comfort food at very low prices. The General Tso’s chicken lunch special comes heaped, and the orange beef is the dish people return for.
Service is quick and the staff are helpful, whether you eat at the counter or call for delivery. It even serves coffee, which is a small surprise.
Open 11 AM to 10 PM every day, it handles everything from a midday break to a late dinner. There is no restroom, and parking is paid street spots only.
9. Peking, Queens Village, NY
A takeout spot earns real loyalty when people drive past closer options to reach it. Peking on Springfield Boulevard has that kind of following in eastern Queens.
The menu is classic Chinese-American. Chicken and broccoli, lo mein, shrimp with cashew nuts, General Tso’s, and fried chicken wings are the usual picks.
The kitchen is not stingy with portions, and prices stay reasonable. The shop itself is clean, with counter service and quick delivery.
Free street parking is usually easy to find, a real perk in Queens. It is closed Tuesdays and open until 11:30 PM on Friday and Saturday.
10. Golden House, Astoria, NY
Astoria has plenty of trendy dining, but 30th Avenue still has room for an unfussy Chinese counter like Golden House.
The staples are all here: General Tso’s chicken, egg rolls, fried rice, and moo shoo pork. Homemade dumplings set it apart, and the shrimp dishes come big and piled high.
Lunch specials run seven days a week, keeping a solid meal affordable. Most orders fall around $10 to $20 per person.
Plan around Wednesdays, when it is closed. Otherwise it is open 11 AM to 10:30 PM with delivery, free Wi-Fi, and a full vegetarian menu.
It is a fitting finish to a list that proves generous Queens takeout is still alive and well.
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