“ Went on CNY day and the place was jam packed. Food was delicious and the service was decent. Ambiance is nice. Menu is expensive. Go only if you are ready to splurge for higher end food. See my pics for lobster noodle, crab claw, Peking duck. A lot more dishes on the menu we want to try. ”

“ We were surprised to find Chinese food in Fidi, but we're glad we gave it a try! Yao served mostly traditional Cantonese dishes (some a little fusion) in a modern setting. We loved the beef with rice noodles and truffle lobster. There were a few dessert options, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're not used to traditional Cantonese flavors. The grapefruit ice cream had the salty Chinese dried tangerine peels in it, and the stewed milk was really strong in ginger. I loved them, but it's not for everyone. All the dishes were presented beautifully, which explains the price. It was a little confusing getting here being on the second floor of a hotel, but once inside, the restaurant was large. Service was great, and we would come back! ”

“ We booked a private room for a celebration. The food was good, and dishes like the cha siu, Peking duck, and smoked chicken were visually appealing and entertaining to watch as they were being served. ”

“ We were all in for a very exciting culinary journey at beautiful Yao; a modern take on Cantonese cuisine at the helm of Chef Kenny Leung, who takes short rib to a whole new level in its mouth watering "I love meat that melts in your mouth" (thank you June for the quote of the evening) succulence. The fried rice with diced angus short rib that sent my senses reminiscing back to childhood sensory memories of my granduncle's roasted rice soup (fan dew) in its comforting bits of crispy flavorful rice. There were many other memorable dishes such as the smoked soy sauce chicken under glass, roast duck with giant truffles (true decadence!) I was deliriously reeling from food coma. In sum, this was truly like an Omakase Chinese style with each dish surpassing the last dish, with many intriguing surprises. The best part was we were in our private room but connected to other diners with the understated opulence of the elegant Dining room. The service was excellent but not overbearing and we were doted upon by Chef Kenny and Co-Owner Thomas Tang who were most hospitable, they provided us with explanations of the dishes and made us feel like honored guests. It was a most memorable evening...highly recommend for a special food experience! ”

“ A nice place for group of people, a little bit fusion Chinese dishes, not limited to Cantonese at all. High recommend Mapo tofu and Peking duck is great! Specially it's hard to find a good Peking duck in the city. The environment also comfortable and quiet. The only downside is the elevator share with hotel, sometimes need a long waiting time! ”

“ Absolutely amazing. One of the best Chinese restaurants in NYC. Great food and great service. My favorite dishes were the Peking duck (amazing), the steamed Dungeness crab with meat (pork), and the egg custard tart dessert. The salted chicken was also very good and quite unique. Everything else we got was also tasty, including the snow pea shoots with chanterelles, the cauliflower, the pork, the pumpkin dessert, and the swan custard dessert. The service is also amazing. They were constantly swapping out our plates and refilling our waters. There is also some fancy $350-some-odd meal per person you can preorder two days in advance. Not clear what it includes. And there's a beautiful inside as well as some private dining rooms, I believe. Highly recommend. Can't wait to return! ”

“ Welcome to Yao, where Cantonese cuisine gets a modern makeover and your taste buds embark on a Harold and Kumar flavor adventure. The decor is prettier than the Met on a first date, and your wallet will likely hate you at the end of the night, but at least you're in for a truly sumptuous meal. Let me take you on a culinary rollercoaster through some of their best dishes: - Marinated Jellyfish with Sesame: My litmus test for most Canto spots. Nothing wrong with Yao's, except that it's too small. - Grilled Berkshire Pork: Presentation much? This dish was meant to be 'grammed. Imagine pork so succulent it's like biting into a cloud of happiness. Char siu never looked so sexy. - Traditional Chinese Salt-Baked Free-Range Chicken: If chickens had a spa day, this is what they'd look like after. Tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor, this chicken is so good, it's probably the reason why the phrase "winner winner chicken dinner" was coined. - Fresh Whole Sea Perch with Bones with Dried Tangerine Peel and Douchi: Dive into a sea of flavors with this dish! Plus, picking through those delicate bones feels like a culinary treasure hunt. - Mapo Tofu with Lobster: I hate how much I loved this. Silky tofu meets crunchy lobster in an actually spicy sauce that doesn't skimp on flavor. $68 is painful, but it hurts more not trying this. - Beef Brisket with Turnip in Clear Broth: Like a warm hug on a cold day. The beef melts in your mouth, and the broth tastes like Fri evenings with mom. - Snow Pea Leaves with Chanterelle: Crisp, vibrant snow pea leaves paired with earthy chanterelle mushrooms--it's a green dream come true! - Stir-Fried String Bean with Minced Pork and Kale Borecole: A classic for a reason, and Yao's is generous. - Fried Rice with Scallops and XO Sauce: Flavorful and perfectly cooked. - Fried Rice with Diced Angus Short Rib: Also flavorful and perfectly cooked. I'm not sure which fried rice was my favorite, TBH. - Pumpkin Cake: Yes, we desserted. This cake oozed sweet egg yolk that made me want to cry, it was so tasty. - Sesame Ball with Red Bean Paste: Another classic for a reason. You get five balls in this order, so it's perfect for sharing. Not too oily either. - Custard Pastry in a Swan Shape: Get this just for the 'gram. But also, it's actually quite crispy and delightful. Fly, my pretties, fly right into my mouth! - Portuguese Egg Custard Tart: Yao's best dish, bar none, and quite possibly the best egg tart in all of NYC. Made fresh every day and already their most popular dessert. My Macanese grandma would not only have approved, she would've ordered 12 more to take home. I didn't want to love Yao because, let's face it, "elevated" Chinese food almost always subs presentation for flavor, but Yao managed to avoid that for the most part while providing a gorgeously modern dining experience. ”