China Boy is a cash-only takeout restaurant that serves the kind of food you skip home to eat. Walk up to the cloistered storefront and you’ll find a window decorated in twinkling lights and a cartoonized version of the menu drawn in bright pastel colors. You’ll be tempted to order everything on site, but start with the garlic spicy wings, which pack a punch. They’re savory and fiery, the skin is crispy, and the meat is tender.

For solo diners, Reren is a quiet lunchtime pick with impeccable service, affordable options, and really great food. When you walk into the restaurant, there's a mural of mummified noodles boiling in a pot of soup that you kind of just have to see it to believe. Stare at it mindlessly as you eat your order of beef and broccoli with headphones on—or read a book as is customary for most of the diners inside. Service is quick and the staff is willing to walk you through the menu.

Wok and Roll is a lunchtime dream, because while the price may be budget (lunch specials are under $10), the food isn’t. You’ll likely find high school kids spending their weekly savings here, and tourists who’ve wandered in after seeing the karaoke options through the window. And though we haven’t tried the karaoke yet, their food is A-1. There were no misses on the menu which includes classic Chinese dishes, so lo-mein, beef and broccoli, etc., AND sushi, hence the name.

If you’re looking for something sweet, Joy Luck House is a great stop on your Chinatown crawl. And while the small shop serves breakfast, the desserts here really shine. There’s a silver counter out back where a small but mighty selection of pastries are encased in glass display. Depending on the time of day, they serve egg tarts and moon cakes that are warm, fluffy, and just the right balance of light and sweet. The shop serves a selection of teas including a homemade ice tea and taro boba.

Time stands still at Tony Cheng’s, which continues to serve tourists looking for a memorable dining experience. There’s an old-school, albeit caricatured, Chinatown feel to the place with golden arches, red calligraphy, and Buddha head statues. The felt seats that surround each circular table are so sunken in that you’ll plunge down on contact just like the lobsters in the tank sitting squarely in the center of the room.

During the pandemic, Full Kee became one of those if you-know-you-know spots and that’s because their dumpling soup kept people sane. Back then, people took their order to go, but now it’s best to dine in and eat your meal right away. That way, you can enjoy the plump shrimp dumplings when they’re warm and slurp noodles that have been tenderized by the broth. There's downstairs seating that’ll accommodate large groups of people around geometric wooden tables.

Chinatown Garden is the go-to spot for groups trying to ditch the crowds (tourists) and sit down for a quick, quality meal. The restaurant offers a wide selection of communal-style tables, mostly booths that are great for families. Their retro menus take us way back. There are photos of each entree alongside bold black lettering. And luckily for us, the food tastes as good as it looks. The crab rangoon is crispy and is served with a sweet and sour sauce that pairs beautifully.