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  4. Manhattan
  5. Upper East Side
Wa Jeal, New York, NY

Wa Jeal

4.5
4.5
318 Reviews
$30 and under
Chinese
Wa Jeal Sichuan Chili House is a pioneering Asian restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, serving authentic Sichuan food. Wa Jeal is a new type of Chinese restaurant that you definitely don't want to miss.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 11 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 11:30 am–10:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (212) 396-3339
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress

What 318 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • New York / Tri-State Area

    Chinese

  • Manhattan

    Chinese

318 Reviews
  1. Melanie

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely dining experience. Food and service was EXCELLENT.

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  2. MaryC

    New York Area

    43 reviews

    5.0

    43 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    So so so good! Tommy and his team took great care of us! If you like HOT SICHUAN, order a Dry Pot Combo! Can't wait to go back again!!! 🥢 🥡🎉❤️

    Is this helpful?

  3. segs

    New York Area

    10 reviews

    1.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2023

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Absolutely horrible dinner. People were walking out left and right. We were about to when our dinner arrived after over 1.5 hours of waiting. Appeared they cared more about filling the take out orders than the in house meals. It was chaotic and the staff was rude- no explanation. There was only one table that received the desired service- seems they were “friendly “ with the staff. NEVER AGAIN

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 19, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always excellent. Duck was delicious. $14 martinis.

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  5. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on October 7, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Always good every time we go. We frequent this place often.

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  6. MikeW

    New York Area

    35 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Extensive menu. It has many of the dishes that almost all Chinese food places have but also have many special dishes that are much less usual to find. Everything that I had with my date was very good. The waiter helped us select some of the dishes and I'm glad she did.

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  7. JimT

    New York Area

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on August 31, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The real deal, an excellent dining experience. Highly recommended.

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  8. RonaldS

    New York Area

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on August 31, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    My wife and I had a great meal there last night. We started with a half order of Peking Duck. Then, sesame noodles which were excellent. Roasted prawns in chili peppers was superb.

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  9. Kevala

    New York Area

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on August 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always excellent food and service. Highly recommend Wa Jeal!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Could not be nicer. Great food and wonderful staff.

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  11. JudithK

    New York Area

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on August 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a fine restaurant! The food, service, and ambiance are all wonderful.

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  12. cfood

    New York Area

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on July 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Extraordinary food and experienced, attentive waitstaff. A standout value for money. I have been there maybe 50 times and it never disappoints

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  13. MariaJ

    New York Area

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on July 9, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Superb food. The best Chinese restaurant in town.

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  14. Laury

    New York Area

    71 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    71 reviews

    Dined on July 3, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Every step of the way could have been better. The place is dark and seems ill-kept. The food tastes as if they forgot to add the ingredient that would appeal to taste-buds. The waiters seemed overwhelmed even when the place was half empty. There are some very good Chinese restaurants that charge less.

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  15. FrosinaG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 14, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delectable food, impeccable service, serene atmosphere! Highly recommended 😊

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  16. Catnip

    New York Area

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on March 22, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best Chinese restaurant for dining out on the Upper East Side

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  17. LarryK

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on March 15, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We always have a good meal here. The food is terrific and the service is fantastic. Highly recommend this restaurant!

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  18. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on March 15, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Always very good.

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  19. Rosi

    New York Area

    12 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent,authentic Szechuan cuisine. Have been here many times and we always have a good experience.

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  20. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on January 23, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Very good, as always.

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  21. BrittanyE

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 11, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’ve been coming in for years and it never disappoints. My favorite!

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  22. IWNYC

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 2, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is just wonderful at this peaceful restaurant. We've been happy with the beautifully prepared, fresh, and delicious main dishes every time we've eaten there —this was our fifth or sixth visit. I especially enjoyed the spicy kung pao shrimp. We enthusiastically recommend Wa Jeal for fans of fine Chinese dining.

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  23. east87th

    New York Area

    49 reviews

    5.0

    49 reviews

    Dined on December 25, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always great food. Very crowded on Christmas day and they did an amazing job managing everything.

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  24. Bird

    New York Area

    72 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    72 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service. The honey glazed spare ribs were delicious as were the dan dan noodles.

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  25. padolly

    New York Area

    67 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    67 reviews

    Dined on October 18, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Terrific Szechuan restaurant. Excellent heat level - hot but not too hot. We love the hot & sour soup, the cold sesame noodles and the eggplant in garlic sauce. Our guests enjoyed the mei fun tofu/vegetable dish and the sauteed bok choi. Will return!

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  26. smaa

    Minneapolis

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 17, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible food! Definitely a hidden gem in the UES!

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  27. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2022

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Always good

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  28. NYCfoodie7

    New York Area

    9 reviews

    1.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on July 31, 2022

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was inedible. The pork main entree was tasteless, we left the pork dumplings on the serving dish uneaten, the sesame shrimp had some shells on it and was sweetened almost beyond eating. The pancakes were dry and served only with soy sauce…no plum sauce. Will not return. I should have taken heed of the reviews I read. Woeful

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  29. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 17, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very good!

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  30. Traveler

    New York Area

    47 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on June 11, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We eat her often. It is a small local place on the UES. Food is solid. We do have two frequent issues with the food: 1. For me, not quite spicy enough for Shicuan food. I always have to ask for hot pepper oil on the side. 2. Not enough vegetables for most entré dishes. Plenty of meat, but we like more veg in our food. The place is well run and does a lot of take out. We live a 5 minute walk away, so we have never had the take out.

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  31. joseph

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 18, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Pleasant setting good food. Fast service.

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  32. Traveler

    New York Area

    47 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on May 3, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    This is a long term Sichuan restaurant on 2nd Ave in the UES. We went early, so it was quiet, but. a steady stream of takeout was going out the door. Bar - limited bar with good service (no Cointreau for example - forgiven) Food: very good. Not too salty, excellent ingredients and well cooked. Chicken with Cashews - well done, brown sauce, very tasty. Shrimp with peanuts and chili peppers. Very good. Shrimp cooked just right. Excellent dish. Hot and Sour soup with very nice. Total bill with drinks much more affordable than usual on the UES.

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  33. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Why didn’t I get points?

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  34. SHARPKNIFE

    Jacksonville

    194 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    194 reviews

    Dined on April 2, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Back after a few years and everything was a s we remembered it. Wa Jeal is an excellent, non-assuming place for Chinese food.

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  35. SallyG

    New York Area

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on March 18, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food. Too noisy for good conversation when full.

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  36. Betera

    New York Area

    183 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    183 reviews

    Dined on February 3, 2022

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    We generally love Wa Jeal, so last night's poor service was a bit of a shock. Two of our party were served while one sat waiting for quite a while--we had to finally ask when his dinner would arrive. It is unusual for a restaurant in New York to serve a table when one meal is not yet ready, so we were surprised and not very happy. No one ever asked how our meal was or came by unless called over (for more tea, to replace the lukewarm soup, frankly for anything at all). We would have ordered dessert but none was offered. When we arrived home I noticed that one item meant to be in the takeout bag was missing. A small item, but one that I had specifically asked be included and confirmed by the server. So, all in all, a big disappointment and departure from the service we've had in the past.

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  37. Betera

    New York Area

    183 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    183 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love Wa Jeal, both for ordering in and returning to dine indoors. The space is so relaxing and lovely, with delightful and soothing music playing. The service is excellent, with engaging servers who patiently explain each dish. The food is top quality, copious portions, and beautifully presented. We will always return. Thanks!

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  38. Anewyorkeater

    New York Area

    144 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    144 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2021

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Always good! We ear here a lot.

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  39. markiv

    New York Area

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2021

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    we had the spicy pork dumplings, a shredded beef with peppercorns and bok choy----all excellent and washed down with beer. It was a Monday night, so the place was quiet ---- usually a lot busier.

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  40. AllisonB

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2021

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We've been to Wa Jeal many times and it never disappoints. The food is great and the people who work there are so nice. We'll definitely be back.

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FAQs

Wa Jeal does offer delivery in partnership with Postmates.

Wa Jeal is rated 4.5 stars by 318 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 11 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Wa Jeal

1588 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10028

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Upper East Side
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 11:30 am–10:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Chinese
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
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