After hearing the buzz about Mei Lai Wah, we decided to give it a try, and I must say, it lived up to the hype. Let me be clear, their pork buns are fantastic. Everything we ordered was tasty, but I have to highlight the pineapple pork bun – it's a real winner. Plus the food is really cheap. Each bun costs between $1.5 and $1.8.
Just be ready for a bit of a crowd; this place is pretty popular. Luckily, our wait was short, around 20 minutes, which was well worth it. One thing to note is they don't seem to have indoor seating, but you can grab your food and enjoy it over at Columbus Park nearby. That's what we did!
Pork buns are AMAZING!!! The steam roast pork bun was probably the best one tbh and the pineapple pork bun was also very good. You’ll order on a kiosk outside and there’s also kiosks inside too. They’ll text you when it’s finished then squeeze in line and grab tell them your name.
PS. Do not buy the “big bun” that comes with chicken and pork. It’s kinda weird, fatty, and gross. Some might like it but it’s not for me personally.
Also, i’d recommend to take your food down to Columbus Park and enjoy the music and culture while eating. There’s also restrooms in Columbus park too.
Had to stop by and try the baked buns. I tried the pineapple bun with roast pork and the baked pork bun. Both were good in their own way of course the pineapple bread was sweeter. The meat can be very fatty which I am not a huge fan of but these had great flavor! It’s difficult finding an affordable snack but these are a great price and tasty. I got there and believe it or not there was no a line but one quickly formed. You can also pay at a kiosk, they have one outside and one inside! Even with the line that formed the wait was not long. Definitely worth trying at least once.
I recently went to New York with plans on eating lots of food in Chinatown. I will say Mei Lei Wah is an essential stop for any Chinatown crawl, and the constant line out the door serves as proof of this. I got the pineapple bun with roast pork, steamed roast pork bun, and the famous bun. The buns with filled with the perfect amount of meat to bread ratio. The pork fillings themselves were phenomenal and elevated the simple but delicious bun portion. The famous bun was plain with no filling, but I’m never one to turn down warm bread. Additionally, all of the buns are super cheap and affordable. There’s a reason you will almost always see a line out the door. There is no seating so be prepared to eat on the go. Also, bringing cash can help you bypass part of the line because many people are waiting for the card kiosk. I’d highly recommend adding Mei Lei Wah to any upcoming New York Trip or to any New York residents.
Mei Lai Wah's pineapple pork bun is a delightful blend of sweet and salty flavors, served warm for a comforting treat. Inside the bun, you'll find fatty pork chunks in a savory soy sauce-based sauce, while the outer layer is covered with a sweet and crunchy cookie dough. Although there's often a long line outside the store, you can bypass it by having cash ready and simply ask the cashier for the buns you want. I also recommend trying their custard buns. Mei Lai Wah is an affordable choice if you're looking for delicious snacks.
Best baked pork buns I’ve had in my entire life. The filling is already on the sweeter side for marinades but if you want something slightly sweeter the pineapple pork bun is a must try. They are very affordable, massive, and not many people realize that if you pay in cash you can skip the line and pay at the counter inside! Absolute must go in Chinatown.
I saw a video about cheap eats in Chinatown and I came to Mei Lai Wah and I was not disappointed. I ordered 2 pork buns and 4 shrimp dumplings the food is very cheap and tasty. Definitely more authentic than you would find at your local takeout jawn. The lady working there was friendly and I have nothing bad to say.
I’m not a New York resident but after tons of research on where to eat on my NYC food crawl, this place kept popping up!
So I decided to give it a shot and let me tell you it was so worth it ! I had the pineapple pork but and the meat to bun ration was perfection !
The crispy top and the chewy and slightly sweet bun with the savoury roast pork filling and an absolute flavour of explosion.The buns were hot and fresh and recommend you eat them on the spot.
I paid approx $3 for the huge bun and it was deff a filling snack!
The line moves fast and it’s much quicker if you have cash. Deff give this place a shot if you are in NYC Chinatown!
Heard about this place from TikTok/Reddit. Their pineapple pork buns are pretty good, crunchy and sweet though the pork they use are very meaty and has a lot of fat.
Recommend ordering on Snackpass for convenience due to the long lines.
There’s always a line out the door and for good reason. This place makes the best pork buns you can get your hands on.
I tried a few things of their menu and it was all good, but the star of the show is the pineapple pork bun. The dough was crispy yet soft. The filling blended together so well with the perfect combo of flavors. I could’ve eaten 100 of these.
A must stop in Chinatown!
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