Budget
Peach Farm
A below-street-level restaurant serving some of Chinatown's most creative seafood dishes, with speedy service and at budget prices. Not much decor to look at neither peach nor farm, but filled most of the time with locals in large groups. Spicy dry-fried salted squid and/or scallops, stir-fried pea-pod stems, braised chicken hot pot, clams with black-bean sauce are some of the favorites. Main courses range from $5 rice plates to $34 Peking Duck with most items less than $13; fresh live seafood at market prices.
Bao Bao Bakery & Cafe
A fairly cheap Chinese bakery with a large variety of Chinese styled pastries. Moon cakes, a Chinese specialty and treat, can be available, but only during the Chinese New Year and The Autumn Festival. There are a couple tables, but people normally buy stuff for on the go.
Ho Yuen Bakery
Another cheap, but delicious bakery stocked with pastries, buns, and tarts.
King Fung Garden
A small place that looks run-down from the outside, but is widely regarded as serving some of the best food around. Very few tables, so take-out may be best.
Ocean Wealth
This cramped eatery on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a building in Chinatown is one of Boston's best kept secrets, serving extremely tasty Chinese food at dirt-cheap prices. Their special is the "Lobster Special", where you get 2 lobsters for $10 if you buy $30 of entrees 3 entrees minimum. However, you'll pay more if you don't know how to read and speak Chinese, as the English menu is more expensive they'll deny there's a difference, but it's $1 on average, $9.99 Chinese menu entree, $10.99 English menu entree.
New Saigon Sandwich
Dirt cheap bánh mì, i.e. Vietnamese submarine sandwiches on baguettes $2.50-$2.99, and boxed lunches for $3. No tables, but you can walk over to the Boston Common and eat your lunch there.
Taiwan Cafe
Another restaurant with well priced authentic comestibles. The "mini-steamed pork buns" are a notable specialty, and are similar to those at the Gourmet Dumpling House which was founded by ex-employees of the former.
Eldo Cake House
An assortment of Chinese styled cakes. Chinese styled cakes often incorporate fruit and arenât too sweet. Also, this shop offers some specialty drinks, i.e., milk teas. Thereâs a small eat-in area.
Midrange
Hei La Moon
Just outside of Chinatown proper...but only just. Hei La Moon is relatively new on the Chinatown restaurant scene, but it has already established itself as a worthy competitor, particularly in the area of dim sum.
China Pearl
Great food, great value, has many loyal patrons. Particularly well known for its dim sum: some regard this as the best place for dim sum in Chinatown. If you come during peak time Sundays from 11 AM to 1 PM, expect at least a half hour wait.
Imperial Seafood
A mix of fresh seafood and Chinese-American dishes. Serves dim sum on the weekends.
Chau Chow City
Seafood on the first two floors, dim sum on the third floor.
East Ocean City
Authentic. Chefs will make a custom dish from something you select from the live tank.
Empire Garden
Also known as Emperor Garden. Located in a former theater, so the dining room is vast. Serves dim sum on the weekends: due to the large dining room, waits here can be shorter than at other places.
Buddha's Delight
A dream come true for vegetarians, as the entire menu is vegetarian here. Features fake meat dishes e.g. "chicken", "pork" as well as arguably more authentic vegetarian creations. Second location in Brookline.
Grand Chau Chow
Fresh seafood prepared in the Cantonese style.
Jumbo Seafood
Freshest seafood.
Apollo Grille
Located in Chinatown, stop by for some Korean and/or Japanese cuisine. The sushi selection is vast, and they're all great. Comfortable environment, open late, friendly service, and relatively inexpensive.
For authentic Chinese cuisine, you can't do better than Chinatown although you may wish to stay away if you prefer the Americanized dishes served at most Chinese restaurants in the U.S.. Chinatown is also known for having a number of restaurants that stay open late on weekends 3 or 4 AM. Many of these restaurants have been cutting back their late night hours, so call ahead to confirm closing times. Another potential pitfall for late-night dining is the 2:00 rush from closing bars that may swiftly fill nearly all open restaurants.