May Wah Fast Food

I think if I was 5 years old this would be my favorite restaurant HANDS DOWN. Fried chicken leg, yummy sauce, rice, and pickled vegetables. This is everything I could ever want for food.
This is definitely more of a comfort food type of thing, and it’s only comfort food if you consider this comfort food… You had to have grown up eating something like this to really enjoy it today.
It’s good in the sense that I would be down to eat it again, since it’s pretty decent value and tastes good if you’re in the mood for it, but it’s not exactly the healthiest option because the chicken keeps getting refried over and over during the course of the day, there aren’t any vegetables, and it’s pretty salty. At best it’s comfort food.

Since when can you still find meals under $ 5??? At May Wah fast food you can! It’s kinda disappointing that their chicken leg is getting smaller and smaller but that’s okay the sauce and egg will fill you up. There’s two separate entrance, one is for take out and the other is to eat in. It got super packed during lunch time. But the food came right away. The only thing I have to complain is that the chicken is a little too salty.

3.5
It’s a very nondescript, hole-​in-​the-​wall place that I wouldn’t enter unless I had some sort of recommendation of sorts (my grandma used to come here). There are two sides of the «restaurant» — one for dining in and one for takeout and in the middle is an apartment entrance.
The service was quick on the takeout side — we ordered chicken thigh with rice (came with some pickled veggies and a tea/​soy sauce hardboiled egg). They scooped the food from their burners into a plastic takeout container and we were off (very quick). Then we went to the dine-​in area to ask if we could eat — I don’t think the woman behind the counter liked that. But really, what’s the difference. The décor and cleanliness of both sides weren’t that great but fine if you’re just sitting for a quick meal. The chicken was good, though not a great amount of meat. There was A LOT of rice. I’m not sure, but I saw some other people get a small cup of soup (that may be reserved for Chinese who speak Chinese) — not uncommon practice. The cheap plastic utensils also weren’t effective at cutting the chicken. And the TV was pretty loud.
But the food was just $ 4.75, and I enjoyed the food for the most part. Again, don’t come for the service (it kind of stunk) or décor — it’s the food and price that are the draws.

Oh my. Too salty! I feel like I had to go on at least a 2 day detox after eating at this place. Such a shame that I didn’t get to try this place before they switched owners since previous reviews raved about it :(
While they do give hearty portions, it’s actually very hard to even get to half of it because it’s too greasy and too salty. The pork chop itself was okay, but the sauce over the rice tastes like nothing but salt + oil + shacha sauce.
On the other hand, their hot & sour soup is neither hot nor sour… Quite bland, actually.
This is not how Taiwanese food tastes at all. Very disappointed.

Okay, I lied about the last Taiwanese chicken leg over rice place.
THIS PLACE IS THE BEST SPOT.
Hands down. I’m actually eating this as I’m writing this.

The ultimate comfort food. I have been coming to May Wah for years and years.
It’s a tiny dumpy hole in the wall with an open kitchen so you can watch the ladies frying up all the artery cloggin goodness — pork chops and chicken legs — two feet in front of you.
My go to is the pork chop over rice but the chicken leg is excellent too. The order comes with an insane portion of rice, a ladle of meat sauce and pickled cabbage for $ 4.75. 50 cents more if you want the tea egg (do it). Whether I get the pork chop or chicken leg, it’s always been super satisfying. So. Juicy. And that meat sauce with the pickled cabbage! I could eat it for every meal. The flavor combo is so savory and just makes for that perfectly balanced bite. Make sure to ask for extra!
This location is the take out spot but they have a sit down just next door.
Cheap, no frills, but super satisfying, always. Go!

$ 5.35 for filling, tasty, and satisfying pork chop (or chicken) over rice with egg and mustard greens and curry-​like sauce. This is my go-​to place whenever I am in Chinatown. I’ve sat down in the dine-​in area and the service is quick and the lady is always really nice. They also have the take out area next door. You’re not waiting any more than five minutes to get some bomb food.

This place caught my eye as I was walking by. I wasn’t going to have my dinner until another hour but decided not to wait after reading some of the reviews. I guess Hester St. doesn’t attract tourists by the horde like Mott or Grand so these guys fly under the radar a bit.
There are a handful of tables inside the dine-​in section which has all the charm of a typical chinatown hole in the wall but it was clean. The lady at the counter takes your order and gets your food from their take-​out section next door.
I went with the black pepper pork chop over rice. It came with an egg and some mustard greens. The flavors were bright and balanced. There was some sauce to the side which was really good and tasted familiar though I couldn’t, for the life of me, put my finger on what it was (if you do — please let me know!). The pork chop was pretty decent as well thought it’s a bit annoying to cut it with a cheap plastic knife. That’s the flip side to paying $ 5.25 for a meal.
I wouldn’t come here with any more than a party of 4 unless you are willing to split up into groups. It’s perfect for a quick, cheap, really cheap meal. I’ll definitely be back

Fried chicken with a mix of gravy? Oh yes please. Worth the trip? Most definitely. Now that May Wah has a dining area (on the left side, next door), I’m sure it’ll entice patrons to try this staple dish. It can sit up to 10 — 15 people and it has air conditioning. Clean and simple décor, which I was a little surprised haha. If you’ve been wanting to try it, now it’s the time to go.
Waitress was quick. She took our order and scurried away to put things in motion. The interesting concept is they cook the food next door and bring over to the dining area to serve. One less kitchen. Smart.
The fried chicken leg was very tasty (better than the pork chop). Love the crispy skin. The added tea egg ($ 0.50) was good too. I wouldn’t mind coming back to sample the other items.
P. S. Skip the hot and sour soup, not that spicy or sour…

Would be great to have a couple more vegetarian options however their style is too unique to leave anything under 4 stars.
If you like Chinatown, this place is like a crash course of its history via tastebuds. I hear they invented the original chicken/​rice that you now see in many other places (meaning they’ve been around for a good while).
Sure, it helps if you speak Chinese but they’re v friendly in the side with tables and all the food is quite affordable. Great place for a nutritious meal.

This place has been around for quite a number of years now because I used to walk past this place when I was little and I remembered the aroma of fried chicken. You could literally smell the deep fried chicken from a block away. Now, not so much. I’m assuming they changed ownership a couple of years back.
Anyways, the chicken and rice with the tea egg would suffice as the regular for me. For $ 5.25, you can’t beat that. The sauce that they pour over the rice is delish and the chicken is crispy and succulent.

For 5 $, Chicken leg over rice is like heaven served on a plate by middle aged ah yees. That is as close as heaven gets for me. Located in a small little dingy shop in Chinatown this place is a hidden gem. For its value and taste, it is hard to find anywhere else in Chinatown.
The secret sauce is the main ingredient that ties everything together. No matter what meat you order this sauce goes well with EVERYTHING. I would always ask for extra sauce on my order.
Service: not exactly the best. its Chinatown. lets face it. Don’t get intimated if they sound like they are yelling at you or rushing you. That’s just their way of welcoming people

A very popular hole in the wall gem in Chinatown for cheap, filling, and delicious Taiwanese meal. I mean… If you have a lot of Chinese/​asian friends, it’s like c’mon you have had to heard of May wah or constantly seen pictures of their chicken leg over rice dish on their FB newsfeed or Instagram. That being said, DO COME HERE FOR A VERY WORTHY CHEAP, SIMPLE, AND QUICK MEAL IN CHINATOWN!
I always get their famous specialty chicken leg over rice dish. Do so tell them you want an egg to complete your plate and extra sauce if you want your white rice covered and drowned in that deliciousness. The chicken leg is thinly and lightly fried, of course very juicy too. I usually only come here for that, few times if I wanna change it up or craving for pork, I’ll get their follow up popular dish, the pork chops over rice.
BTW: There’s two doors next to each other, the right side is just for take-​out. The left side is if you want to dine-​in. CASH ONLY.

Right side is fast food take out, to the left is a small seating area. Not sure if it’s with tax… But eating in costs a smidge more. They give you hot cup of tea while dining in. Bathroom is clean, waitress is nice. She brings in the same take out food from next door to your seat.
Food is comfort food, reminds me of Chinese mall food courts. Extremely tasty gravy sauce!!! Very salty (in a good way!). Not a large portion of meat but for $ 5, can you complain? There’s a niceeeeeee helping of rice. An extra serving of protein (chicken leg… pork chop…) is only $ 2.
Tried the pork chop and chicken leg. Equally delicious. Great cheap eat joint!

You come here and you definitely have to get the chicken leg over rice. It comes with picked vegetables, eggs, a big fried chicken leg, and May Wah’s amazing secret recipe sauce. This dish hits the spot every time. If you ever wondered if you can buy the sauce, you can buy the sauce to go in small or large container.
There are other dishes that are good, but nothing is better that the chicken leg with that special sauce they use. On the left side, you can sit down and eat. On the right side, you just pick your order up to go. Either way you eat this, there or to go, its always just as good.
I highly recommend not getting their drinks such as bubble tea because I feel like its too sweet, artificial, and you can taste the powder a lot of the times. But do come here for what they’re good at, the chicken leg over rice.

Maybe it was because I had high hopes for this place, but I am seriously left feeling very disappointed in May Wah Fast Food. I got both the chicken and pork chop over rice and at $ 5.25 per dish, it’s a pretty good deal. However, the taste was kind of lacking. The sour vegetables were not sour at all. The sauce was really salty and weird tasting if you don’t mix it adequately with the rice. The pork chops were alright, although a bit dry. The chicken however, was really dry and flavorless.
While a meal here will definitely fill you up without breaking your wallet, it just doesn’t taste that good. There are many other restaurants in Chinatown that are worth trying over this place!

TL;DR You’re cheap and in Chinatown. Great Chicken Leg or Pork Chop over rice.
Another prime example of why I think you can be a beggar on the street and still get a decent meal. I dare say this is even better than the Hallal Guys; May Wah is definitely cheaper!
This place has been open since… I don’t even know, but the owner has changed. The new owner also exchanged tastiness for cleanliness. It’s not as good, but it is a lot more clean now. They also opened a spot next door for a sit down experience. They take your orders and literally run next door to get the food. The main things to get here are the pork chop over rice and the chicken leg over rice. Ask for a little more sauce and an egg, and you got yourself a meal to last you the whole day of 5k runs.
Pork Chop ($ 4.50 over rice, $ 2 by itself): This was their claim to fame. I don’t like pork chops, but I do eat pork chops over here! It’s juicy and tender even after they put it in the deep fryer. How does that even work? You just fried the dam thing without breading. How is it not hard as cardboard? Miracles of May Wah.
Chicken Leg ($ 4.50 over rice, $ 2 by itself): The pork chop may be what started it all for them but the chicken leg is my go to. This is actually THE LEG AND THE THIGH. The out side is crispy and the inside juicy. It’s like when you eat a perfectly toasted bagel. You bite into it and that cracking of the skin, then it get’s soft inside. MMMMmmmmm. I’ve actually resorted to getting the chicken leg by itself without the rice. It’s cheaper than Popeyes if you think about it, and although different is just as good.
Rice, meat sauce, and sour cabbage?: They give you a ton of rice, so it’s best to ask for more meat sauce, otherwise you’re just eating white rice. That meat sauce is so good, I can just drink a bottle of it. I wish they made jars of it so I can jsut spread it on my rice, my pasta, my sandwiches, my burgers, EVERYTHING! They also give you the sour cabbage with the rice which has a pungent smell and taste. I used to hate it as a kid, but I’ve grown to love it. It’s like as if your grandma soaked her feet in vinegar and didn’t wash it for a few days… then she kicked you in the mouth. That’s how the sour cabbage tastes like. The sour cabbage is definitely an acquired taste. You can always ask for the rice without it.
Tea Egg (50 cents): I’m really not sure how long they’ve soaked the egg in the tea, cause I’ve had better. But it’s a solid hard boiled egg (get it?).
yup…that’s all folks.

After all these years, May Wah continues to being well-​oiled machine pumping out Taiwanese style «pork chop over rice» boxes to go like nobody’s business. This open-​kitchen, hole-​in-​the-​wall still looks old and run down like your typical Americanized Chinese takeout spot. With that said, the prices seem to be as old as its kitchenware as their signature dish is still under $ 5 (tea egg is now an add-​on item). May Wah actually added a sit-​down area next door recently as well.
Taiwan Pork Chop House on Doyer Street is the only other restaurant that serves the pork chop over rice with grounded pork stew and pickled vegetables. And while Taiwan Pork Chop House may serve a better (and fresher) version of the dish, May Wah will always have a place in the heart of this Unilocaler as a pillar of Manhattan Chinatown serving the community all these years. There aren’t many of those left.

My boyfriend took me to May Wah Fast Food to have brunch here one day. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this hole-​in-​the-​wall, but never had the chance to try it until recently.
We decided to dine in the dine-​in section. It wasn’t that big, but it was big enough. It looked very new, clean, and cozy. The waitress greeted us and took our orders and our food came out in less than 10 minutes.
The boyfriend ordered the Pork Chop over Rice with an egg. I tried a small piece of the pork chop and it wasn’t dry or overcooked. It was perfect and had a slight crispy and crunch to it. YUM! He also ordered a hot and sour soup.
I ordered the Chicken Leg over Rice and an egg and man I really enjoyed it! It was seasoned just right, moist, tender, and had a nice crunch to it. There’s a special sauce the chefs use too, but don’t know what’s in it or what it is, but it’s really delicious and bomb!
It was an enjoyable experience at May Wah Fast Food. Food was cheap and yummy! I could really go for this again especially since I am craving for it every time I see food photos on Unilocal.This is definitely a good place to come for a cheap, quick, and delectable meal.

There was a time when something authentic, cheap, and fast would be enough to make me a fan. But after living in the area for a couple of months I realize that cheap, fast places are a dime a dozen in Chinatown.
I stopped by for lunch to try the chicken leg over rice that everyone seems to rave about. I was ignored for a few minutes while the ladies behind the counter took care of their phone-​in orders. They had bowls of rice ready to go and simply threw some sauce, cabbage, and chicken on there (plus the egg I added). The portion was generous for $ 5.25 total… but again, that’s easy to find in this ‘hood.
The chicken was tender and skin crispy, but I found the rice mushy and the sauce too salty and flavorless. If we’re going to go for cheap and quick chicken, I think I prefer Wah Fung #1 Fast Food on Chrystie.
Definitely a place that I’d consider if I’m pinching pennies or really in a rush, but there’s so much tasty stuff to choose from in the area that I don’t feel like I’ll need to settle any time soon!