I fell in love with the food at Pearls! The service was fast, and the food was amazing! It is a small restaurant, and the menu was large. The fried rice was to die for, so we will be back the next time we're in NY.
I discovered this 'hole-in-the-wall' on my first trip to NYC in 2007, after a long day of sightseeing New York. So on my latest visit to this wonderful city I went to this restaurant again for lunch. They got all the usuals here for a good price. Most people do take-away, but they have tables on two floors for a quick bite. They do delivery as well. Service is quick and efficient and the food tastes good. They also offer a free glass of water plus refills to all eaters, so if you're on a budget and/or craving for some tasty Chinese food after wandering the Times Square area, then go an find this place.
I decided to give this place a try and was not expecting much. I ordered off their takeaway menu and for under 10 bucks got a real good meal. The hot and sour soup is as good as any you will find and my main, Szechwan beef, was cooked well and very flavorful. The restaurant it's self is under impressive, but if you want a well above average meal at well below average prices this is your spot.
First things first: there are two kinds of Chinese food in NYC from a tourist's point of view --> expensive full-service places like Shun Lee (very good) on one end of the spectrum, and delicious but inexpensive places like Pearls (outstanding value) on the other end. I've been going to Pearls for a long time. The place has been very consistent over many years -- something you can't say for most places in Times Square where stores and restaurants change like the weather. Pearls has a standard fast-food type Chinese menu focusing on Szechuan and Hunan-labeled dishes. What sets it apart from other Chinese is that the food is a bit better (very tasty even though the place looks like a hole in the wall), they don't skimp on meat in the dishes (very common at this price range), and despite being in a tourist area, the value is excellent. You can get a good lunch for $6 (beverage is extra) and dinner for $8. The restaurant also tends to be a favorite among the working stiffs in the neighborhood. You'll see a stream of workers in suits come in to grab their take-out during lunch time. Seating in the restaurant is spartan on the first floor, but there's a second floor with more chairs and tables. Service is abrupt but efficient and very quick. And the prices can't be beat at this level of quality. I saw someone complain that certain dishes aren't sufficiently spicy. Simply ask them to make a dish spicier, and they will. Remember that many Europeans and South Americans (e.g., Brazilians) don't generally eat spicy food, so the hot spice tolerance level for tourists from these places is often low, and restaurants try to keep their dishes tourist friendly.
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