China 1

Love this place!!! So glad I found a place in the lower eastside that serves good chinese food. Sesame beef is to die for!!! The decor in the place blew my mind, you totally wouldn't expect it from the outside. Downstairs there is two dance floors with two different DJ's, both spinning good, classic music. This place was great, top to bottom. Highly recommended!!!

Pros: Food, decor, music

Posted 07/23/09

I went to China 1 Lounge last night for a friends birthday and it was my first time there. The people were nice, the DJ played great music, and a bartender/server made the whole experience delightful. She always served with a smile on her face, was quick to pick up a request, and when she couldn't come through with a request, she handled it like an expert. Even though it being slightly crowded bothered me, she sealed the deal on the overall experience and will gladly go back to your restaurant & lounge.

Pros: Great service, awesome music, good bartenders

Cons: slight crowded

Posted 07/20/09

If you've lived in NYC for a while and are disappointed about all the cool joints were disappeared - and you refuse to go to those boring, over-priced clubs or simple dive bars, you should check out this place in east village! I went to China 1 last Friday for the first time and was amazed how well done this 3-space wonderland is. It was beautifully decorated, staff were cool and low-key, DJs spinned old schoole tasty hip hop and disco, and there was a nice crowd swinging. I heard they have different theme every night, definitely check out Friday!

Posted 07/20/09

Went to this destination spot in the East Village and now I remember why I don't past 14st.! LES and the East Village is so gross! I went to this place called China 1 and I stumbled into the kitchen from the lounge and I saw RATz! Atleast 4 or 5 scurrying around China 1's kitchen! I hate the LES/East Village it's so gross and disgusting down there. Never going to party down there ever, nevermind thinking of ordering food!

Cons: disgusting ratz

Posted 07/18/09

Despite having a reservation, it took forever to be seated. When we finally sat down, it took forever to get our food. By the time we got our food, the restaurant part cleared out and the music was blasting. I spoke to the owner and he was very rude. I would def. not recommend this place. Take your money and go somewhere decent.

Cons: Very long wait and management was clueless

Posted 06/28/09

I was there twice in one year, and I feel an obligation to write this reveiw. On a bachelorette party we were promised so many things from the 2 owners and we were completely dissappointed from the type of food that was initially promised to double booking us and keeping in a lounge for dinner, but the worst part is there is a smell of sewage down there! So disgusting! Then about 5-6 months later I was there for a birthday party and that sewer/toilet smell was there again! That lounge is a sewer hole! There is no way I would eat or drink in this hepititis place! Go there and smell the stench permeating from the sewer. I would be very cautious to ever drink from a glass or eat any food in this place.

Cons: Wrenched smell of sewer,

Posted 06/26/09

Had a very bad experience. Made arrangements with management prior to coming. The waitress did not know the menu, the kitchen combined our Dim Sum orders incorrectly, so we had to pass food across a long table. Food can out cold, and several of the main meals can out 20 - 30 minutes after the first main courses were served. Might have a good nightlife seen, but i would avoid eating there at all costs.

Pros: decor

Cons: FOOD/Services

Posted 06/23/09

The atmosphere is great, the food and service is also good. It's reasonably priced, and you can make it your whole destination for the night.

Posted 06/16/09

Went on a Thursday night for dinner, food was amazing!!! But that's just where the story begins. I was told by one of the waitstaff that there were going to be some live music performances downstairs shortly so I stuck around. Low and behold the downstairs, which I had no idea was even there, was a beautiful 2 room set up with its own bar!!! The acts were all hip hop and I was loving the whole underground vibe and the music was great. So glad I randomly stumbled into this place, I will be back!!

Posted 06/11/09

I recently had my birthday party there and it was a complete success! Had a pre-fix dinner upstairs (food was amazing w very generous portions) and then headed downstairs for bottle service. Very nice/easy to work with management, great music - lots of fun!

Pros: Great vibe!

Posted 06/07/09

enjoyed a birthday party there

Posted 05/25/09

great decor downstairs. i move to arizona and whenever i stop into the i party there. nice girls and guarantee good time.

Pros: food

Cons: none

Posted 05/20/09

this place has a nice stage downstairs. we hosted an open mic and a comedy show. on weeknights the crowd is cool. the food is not bad

Pros: modern chinese menu

Cons: ...........

Posted 05/20/09

i was invited to a birthday there and i loved the food and the vibe...the djs play everything downstairs.

Pros: best place to throw a birthday

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 05/20/09

My girlfriends and I went out on a ladyies night out. We knew that china 1 was a great place to party and get drunk but I was pleasantly suprise how great the food was.

Pros: The food is great

Posted 05/19/09

I went to china 1 last weekend for my best friends birthday and we had a great time. The food is good and the girls are hot.

Pros: Beautiful girls

Cons: none

Posted 05/19/09

I had my bachelor party 3 weeks ago. The management staff were great. The food was great and there were a lot of pretty girls

Pros: Lots of pretty women

Posted 05/19/09

I love the decor and the hot waitresses and how hot the guy with the pony tail is. I think he is a runner for food or something but he's hot. I would go back just to watch him clear my tables.

Pros: The women

Posted 05/19/09

went there for a friend's birthday this weekend... it was a cool spot.. the music was good..(primarily hip-hop mix)...and pretty crowded....HOWEVER, its good to know beforehand though, that if you don't get there around or before 11pm, they (the chick at the door) will not let you in... they say, "reservations or bottle service only" - we went about 2 weeks prior to check it out, and thats exactly what happened then! it was pretty annoying... but overall, it was a great time!

Pros: good music

Cons: reservations and bottle service only

Posted 03/29/09

We had a girls night out at China 1 last weekend. it was amazing. it's a great place to have fun with friends. we had dinner and then went to the sexxy, beautiful lounge. love the vibe there. the food was great, the music was great, the place was great. what can i say, we had a blast there!

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 03/14/09

Had a great time here two weekends ago. It'd been awhile since my last time here and it reminded me how much i like it. lots of good looking people, music was great. i don't know about having your bday here but definitely a good spot if you're in the area. at one point in the night it got a little crowded but i didn't have an problem getting a drink so as long as that isn't an issue i have no problems. supposedly there are drink specials during the week but it was normal pricing when i was there.

Pros: Good crowd, good music

Posted 03/12/09

Last weekend I celebrated my birthday at China 1. A group of us had dinner upstairs in the restaurant. The food was great and perfect for sharing. At about 1030 we headed downstairs. By 1130, the place was filled with a great crowd. Most of my friends got in without too long of a wait. The music was great, everyone had a blast. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone having a birthday or just a cool place to go. I would recommend getting there before 12ish though if you dont want to wait.

Pros: Fun Music, Great Crowd, Accomodating Staff

Cons: None

Posted 03/08/09

I went to China 1 last night and the hottest door girl works there. She almost did not let me in as I came with 3 other guys and only 2 girls but she did lets us in when we told her that would buy some bottles and for a Saturday night the place was packed and the bottles where reasonably priced. We got Black Label and Vodka for only $500 and it lasted most of the night. I am still wasted! The door girl was so nice and helpful and let my friends come in who stopped by later in the night. I am going to go back there just to get the door girls number! Check this place out!

Posted 03/07/09

I recently celebrated my birthday on a Saturday night at China 1. I had the best time ever!! I came with about 20 of my friends. The music was great (DJs in all 3 rooms)!!! It's definitely a party scene with no attitude. I don't know what these other reviewers are talking about. The staff was accommodating and the place is just really fun!!! I like to change it up, but I'm already thinking about having my next birthday here. I'm also thinking of coming in on another night for dinner. I heard the food is really good!!! I have already recommended it to friends and I would highly suggest having your next birthday here!!

Pros: Great scene, fun, good music

Posted 03/03/09

I went to this place for a private B day party along with many others. We stood outside for over a half hour after a crazy blonde flat chested hostess on a power trip screamed at us stating that just because we made a reservation did not mean that we could go into the party. She then tried to tell us the only way we would get in is if we went in for bottle service. When we got into the place, there was no private room as had been promised to the party organizers and the basement where the event was to be held was jam packed with people who were not part of the private party. The management was not helpful in the least. This place is run by a bunch of frat boy armatures. Be prepared for the lamest time of your life if you end up going there.

Pros: no pros

Cons: every single con you can think of

Posted 02/19/09

I went there for a private B'day party and had a terrible experience. In spite the reservation and RSVP list, management made everyone stand in line in bitter cold for 45 minutes; management was rude and made no attempt whatsoever to honor the reservation. And the best part was there was no private room for the party. The place was very crowded, one could barely move, corridor ceilings were dripping and music was loud.

Overall a horrible experience. If you are looking for a party there are a few good bars right across the street.

Pros: Loud Music

Cons: Rude management, dont honor reservations (or tell that upfront), little place

Posted 02/17/09

While the restaurant (the upstairs at least) has an interesting dark/noir vibe, the bar is very small and seating is close together.

The dimsum $2 PER PIECE, which seems pricey for such a small amount, about the size of a 1/2 dollar. The "sharing plates" are just absurd, $13 a plate for a small piece of cod or chicken, we were told that a plate is only enough for 4 bites, so to make it a meal you would have to buy 3 of them. $39 for some cod? No way.

There were only 4 entrees, two of which were duck and chicken. The pad thai was alright but not outstanding and the duck with sweet pancakes was good but very fatty.

If you are in the area, I would say maybe stop in for a drink, but the whole expereince was nothing short of mediocre. This restaurant makes themselves out to be very hip, energetic and packed but on a Saturday night at 9pm there were only a few other couples there. The website is much more intruiging than the actual establishment. The area is also not the safest, so I would not reccommend females hanging out in this area alone. I definitely didn't feel safe while looking for a cab.

Pros: Can't think of any....

Cons: Drafty, limited food choices, long wait times, bad area

Posted 02/08/09

A group of 5 of us with birthdays in February organized close to 100 people and reserved with the manager who said that we would have whole or a part of the room to ourselves. But here's the service we got instead:
- They had all our guests wait in the line outside in the cold for a long time, causing people to bail, in person request to the management to let our guests in were ignored in the order they were received
- There was no section dedicated to us, not even a small one, at all and we had to mix in with everyone else who came to the bar
- They turned up the music so loud that we could barely hear each other
In a nutshell we didn't get to enjoy each others company nowhere near as much as we'd planned to.
If you would like to have a private party with lots of people, look for another place.

Pros: nice ambiance

Cons: terrible service

Posted 02/07/09

I had a birthday party here - we had about 20 people. We all had a great time. The music was a perfect mix of rock, hip hop and 80s. We got a table and the bottle service was relatively inexpensive. The wait staff was friendly and prompt! I would definitely go again.

Posted 01/11/09

I love this place. I've been there twice in the past month - once for my birthday and once to meet friends for food/drinks - and we all had a blast both times. The food is really tasty (the new chef is wonderful), the specialty drinks are excellent, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the place itself is beautiful. The decor is just gorgeous! Everyone there is very friendly, and the service is great. As for the music, it wasn't too loud either of the times I went - both were Sundays. Perhaps the other reviewer was downstairs in one of the lounges as opposed to upstairs in the restaurant? Anyway, the music wasn't intrusive at all, in my opinion.

Overall, a great place to go with friends for some yummy food, tasty drinks, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere!

Pros: Ambience, Service, Food

Cons: A little far from the subway

Posted 12/30/08

I went there for my friend's birthday. We got there around 6 pm on a weekday, there was no one in the restaurant, and the first impression was the place was beautiful and well decorated, however, the music was loud, I meant VERY LOUD. We sat there talking face to face, we could barely hear each other, then we had to ask them to lower the music, they did but not too much. So the whole dinner time we were suffering by the loud music. Please note we are the person who love music, but this place played music way too loud, it was over the limitation for a normal person! On the other hand, the food was good, that's why I gave the rate as "Average". And for those people who love noisy place, this must be a good place to go and have fun. After 8 pm the place is getting busy, you may have to wait in line if you go there around 9 pm. They even have bouncers!

Pros: Nice deco

Cons: Too noisy

Posted 12/16/08

This is a unique setting for chinese food here in NYC. Instead of being ultra modern or ornate upscale Chinese place, it is instead an "Antique Lounge" which reminds me of refurbished flophouses turned bars in Singapore. Perhaps there's an opium den quality, but it's chic, retro, kitschy, and classic all at once with great Chinoiserie lamps, art, and other furnishings. The food is really unbelievable because the place is enough of a draw by itself. It's amazingly authentic and every dish introduced some new approach to some seemingly standard dishes, while there were some things that I've never seen on a Chinese menu even in NYC. The crowd is great and can really build up, but then the service gets slower as the night gets longer and the velvet ropes come out. I hope this place is around for a long time. Don't miss the cavernous downstairs!

Pros: Great decor and atmosphere

Cons: Can get very crowded

Posted 12/14/08

I went here a few weeks ago on a Friday night and I thought it was great! Not too crowded, there was a guy playing the drums, which is always awesome - music was FANTASTIC, drinks werent too expensive....highly recommend it.

Pros: Great music!!! Great crowd, not too small.

Posted 10/19/08

My boyfriend and I wanted to reserve a private room to throw ourselves a party and thought China 1 had a great space. We've eaten there many times and the food is great. We explained what we were looking for to the waitress, who told us that this would be possible and for our estimate of 30 people at any given time, we needed to buy bottle service in the amount of 3 bottles at $250 each - not cheap, but we figured that we would get what we wanted - a private room where our guests could actually talk to each other. This was NOT at all the case. Basically, we paid a ton of money for NOT getting a private reserved room - we had a table set up in the back with drinks and glasses, and the room was mobbed with the usual clubgoers whom I spent no small amount of time body blocking from helping themselves to our "open bar" for our friends. Our friends manned up and had a good time as they came to celebrate us, but were shocked at how loud and crowded it was, since we'd told them we'd have the whole space to ourselves, as we'd thought we would!
In sum: place was fun, music was good, but I will never go back. I am still in such disbelief at how blatantly we were lied to and misled about getting a "private reserved room" which is what we clearly stated we wanted and decided to come out of pocket for. Even further, the waitress told us that the first room we requested was "not big enough" for our party! Clearly furthering our belief we had the entire lounge to ourselves and why we were paying quite nicely for it. No wonder the very unhelpful bartender gave me a withering look of death when I asked him to lower the music, since "we reserved the room and would like the music lowered so people can talk, thank you" - he obviously knew the truth, which I was unaware of (at least, for the first 20 minutes after we arrived). Very, very poor form to mislead the paying customer, China 1.

Posted 10/12/08

Nice atmosphere, great service. The red snapper was delicious, as were the (appetizer) mignon spring rolls. The "five spice sirloin" was a bit tough.

We ate at 7:30pm and it was still empty. The bar/lounge in the basement looked cool, but we couldn't hang around.

Posted 07/07/08

I had my birthday party here. I loved it!!! The place may look small on the first floor but they have a HUGE lower level. It is very decorative - BEAUTIFUL!!! Music was great and so was the service. Our waitress was very prompt with our drinks and was always around. There was a good crowd of people but not overly crowded, where you cant even take a step without touching someone. I didnt eat there but my friends did and were very satisfied with the food. It was cozy and intimate and you can probably go there with a date. Did I mention the place looked awesome? We all had a great time. I am a very critical person but I cant say anything wrong about this place. Also the pizza spot next door is awesome too specially after a long nigth of partying!!!

Pros: Awesome service and beautiful place to just enjoy your friends' company or dance the night away

Cons: Hard to get to without a car

Posted 03/17/08

I went to this place last Friday. The place was excellent. The food was delicious and the wait staff was excellent . The managers Alen and Steve were nice, they treated everyone with respect..That shows A lot about China 1..And after dinner they have an antique bar downstairs and a lounge where you can grab some of their famous martini's, have fun and enjoy live DJ's...

Pros: Good food, Good service, and great crowd (\beautiful women)

Posted 03/03/08

Its like a mini TAO! Great atmosphere, LOVE LOVE LOVE dining experience, Manager Steve bought us all (17ppl) dessert and a round of shots cause its was a BDAY party he said thats his job to buy shots and make sure we're having a great time! The food was very good and for what they charge its actually excellent!

For a great atmosphere without the attitude or breaking the bank I must admit I would recommend this East Village spot; as normally I prefer the other side of Houston st. or the meat packing.

Pros: decor/ no attitude door policy/ music/ GREAT PRICES

Cons: zero

Posted 03/02/08

Went here this past Saturday. Place was pretty busy, had beautiful decor and good vibes. We came there for dinner, which was better than we expected. Apparently they had a new menu and new chef. Dinner was delicious. Lots of options. The cocktails were yummy too. We ended up spending most of the night downstairs in the lounge. DJ's were upstairs & downstairs and were keeping things upbeat. I definitely recommend the space for a night out or party in the East Village.

Pros: Cool vibes, interesting venue, good food

Cons: none really

Posted 03/02/08

The new menu at China1 was great! For what you pay I would put China1 food up against many over priced places. The service from waitress Wendy was very very friendly. China1 is my new hidden gem! And try the seafood trio is off the hook!

Pros: Price, ambience, FOOD

Cons: so far none

Posted 03/01/08

when for a tasting because they have a new chef . The food was very good well presented . will go back soon

Pros: food / decor

Cons: none

Posted 02/11/08

Let me start by saying... I normally go to Le Souk, 230 5th, Gansevoort Rooftop Bar, Buddha Bar and love those places. I get in everywhere and have fun at all these places.

I was waiting for my girls and decided to stop in at China 1 alone around 10pm - thinking I'll stay for 1 drink (which was great and strong!), I started talking to the bartender (another female) and the manager - well, I ended up staying all night. The ambience was cozy, the music was good, and the crowd was classy - the drinks were strong but tasty and pretty reasonable. JC and Wendy are the best - Thanks :)

Pros: Friendly Staff / Great drinks

Cons: NA

Posted 11/15/07

geeeeeeew. this place is the WORST. first of all, they have a scary googley-eyed manager, who always seems to be looking at you like you're stealing or something- totally KILLS the fake chinoiserie and the overpriced chinese food. second of all, old four eyes and his staff are so rude... how DARE you ask them for food "to go"! i don't care if they are owned by the best italian purveyors in the east village (hmmm... italians serving chinese?), do yourself and your bank account a favor and go somewhere else!

Posted 10/14/07

I have been to China1 a few times lately-the first time with a bunch of friends for my birthday (like 12 people) then a week later for dinner with a smaller group and finally a third time with my boyfriend. So, 3 times in just as many weeks because it's such a great place. The food is great-they have every Chinese food item that I order for take out at home but it comes nice, hot, and delish and I'm not worried about what's in it. When I want spicy I order something Szechuan, sweet and I go for my favorite sesame chicken in the city-and the noodles are all good too. On two of my visits I stayed for the nightlife-their lounge is really cool and I love the fish tank. The DJ plays a good mix but it's not so super loud that you can't talk. Oh, and the bottles are super cheap compared to every other place I've ever seen. I'm surprised more people don't know about this spot b/c it rocks.

Pros: great menu, awesome food

Cons: can get crowded very late at night

Posted 02/18/07

Come here for the lounge, do not bother eating here as the food is about as pretentious as the service. Overpriced Chinese fusion can run you as much as $20 for a plate of bok choy, duck meat strips and chow mein with carmelized onions fused inbetween. That may sound nice, but its certianly not worth $20.00. The lounge / club aspect happens after 11PM and suddenly it becomes a cool place to enjoy a nice night out.

Pros: Service, Ambience, Music

Cons: Expensive Food / Drinks, Authenticity

Posted 11/06/06

Came by for a friends birthday. Arrived at 12:30 on Saturday night and was "greeted by the bouncer who questioned my punctuality ( i dont know if he was kidding or not). The place was jam packed. Music was not that good but got better as the night went on. Bar area is very small and crwoded but still easy enough to get a drink. Drinks are about $8. Bathroom line is very short. Overall ok experience.

Pros: decor

Cons: music

Posted 11/05/06

I organized a birthday dinner for 20 people here on Saturday night. Granted, we were there pretty early so the restaurant was relatively empty, but boy did they nail it. What an amazing job. They were on top of everything and perhaps even more importantly, they were NICE. They offered us a fixed price menu, but were perfectly fine when I said no thanks. Our very sweet server, Jeff, got all of our orders right and in an incredibly timely fashion -- and everything was delicious. The whole group was very impressed.

Pros: Hospitable staff, great food, perfect for large parties

Cons: None

Posted 10/29/06

I'm glad to say Chris Love and crew are back in the city doing their thing at China 1 every friday night. I have been there the past two fridays and the party's just keep getting better. Hip fashionable crowd, free vodka for the first hour, plus a dj line-up that would cost at least $20 anywhere else in the city, all for free. Don't wait till its too late check out what is sure to be the newest east village hott spot!

Posted 09/27/06

On a Wednesday night, a friend and I were wandering around, trying to find a place where we could sit and talk (and drink!) and he was really excited when he saw China1. Apparently, he had been there before and loved it. Inside, there was a main room, seemed like it was used primarily for dining. It was lit with multi-colored chinese lanterns and looked funky and fun. After taking a set of stairs, we descended upon a huge room with a big screen TV (playing Spinal Tap!) and a bar, also lit with Chinese Lanterns. Again, very cool. But the coolest part of the entire night was the other room we found, down a hallway from the big TV room. It was a very comfortable, seductive, plush (but not in a VIP room kind of way), and very dimly lit by candles. The walls were lined with comfortable couches with beautifully embroidered pillows and there was even a fishtank with the biggest goldfish I have ever seen. Recessed into the walls were these very intimate rooms for small groups, again filled with comfortable couches and draped in sheer fabrics. Very Cool. There was also live music, and they stayed open until quite late on a Wednesday night. I didn't eat the food, but I can't wait to go back and try it!

Posted 07/26/06