Thanks, I'm glad you like it. It is too bad that these great old places are disappearing one by one. You're right about the new one, coffee OK buns not.
beautiful vid. filled with good ny humor. a true tribute to one of the great historic sites in ny chinatown -- violation ridden, to be sure, but the only place to go. i've only been to the new place just once, right after they opened. their baked bao (roast pork bun), which was always the main attraction for me, was atrocious. just a sad, sad reminder of the formerly great, and aparently gone forever, king of the most delicious baked bao of all time. alas! looking for recipes to make my own...
@xXSwizXx WO HOP . i've been going there since the 1960's. there are two of them. one is upstairs & the other one is downstairs. they're located on 15 & 17 MOTT ST. between mosco st. & chaham square. i usually eat the beef chow fun. things have changed for the worsr since then. worst of all the movie theaters have gone. enjoy.
Thanks so much for this video! I used to go there with my wife and daughter (now we live in Japan), we miss it a lot. We went there again when they reopen but we like it more how it was before, now it looks too 'new', but the food is still great!
I'm glad you like the video. More and more of the old old places are getting modernized and they look so homogenized. The old Mei Lai had real character.
Yes, the New Mei Lai is open. I was in there about a 2 weeks ago to see what was going on and by chance met the new owner. Very nice guy. He assures me the coffee will be great and the menu will be similar. I'll have to take some more photos.
Well, I am certainly sad that Mei Lai is gone. New York should have realized what at gem they had and tried to work something out. If anyone is interested, I may have other Mei Lai photos, so if requested I can make another little movie.
I think they opened in the early 70's and that's when I 1st went there and I have been going ever since. It's amazing that I've stayed 15 all these years.
Yes, unfortunately they are closed. I stopped there yesterday and was not only shocked to see the yellow DOH sticker on the window but also a farewell sign adressed to the loyal customers saying " We are now officially closed for business. Thank you, Management." Seems that they are closed for good......BUMMER!
I can't believe they are closed. I haven't been to Chinatown in about a month, last time i was there I made my usual stop in. If they don't reopen the world has lost one of the last true authentic coffee houses.
Thanks for posting this. Mei Lai Wa rocks. Easily the best (or one of) coffee and milk-tea in town. Those guys that work in there are hardcore, and they don't take any bs.
The guy that got on your case in the comment below is outta line. It is very hard to photograph in there. Those fellas DO NOT apprieciate the attention! And who could blame them? I have a beautiful blk&wht of one of the urns that I took back in '85 with an old 6x9 cm bellows camera. The old man yelled at me for getting cigarette smoke in his face LOL. That was back when you could light-up in a public place.
Thanks for posting this!! What a flashback for me! I used to go here at 6am, when I worked midnight shift. My company was sold1971so it had before then. The inside looks about the same. Some Dim Sum then was 35 cents. PS- I was asked once to leave another Dim Sum rest. I was videotaping in, 1990's. So this is ok !
I've been going there since I attended SVA in the late 80's. Now my wife and I make it a point to go there every Christmas day. It's true. Not only is it the best coffee in town, but it is perhaps the best anywhere! I only wish you got a shot of the mammoth coffee makeing contraptions.
I merely posted some still shots of a great old line coffee house. I have been going to MEI LAI since it opened, these photos capture my experience, I'm not trying to create a piece of art. Your obviously immature sense of music is only amplified by your ignorance of the musicians who are actually playing on the piece.
I viewed your unrealized attempts at movie making on your account. Until you can get your act together, I'd watch your negativity towards others.
Thanks, I'm glad you like it. It is too bad that these great old places are disappearing one by one. You're right about the new one, coffee OK buns not.
bean42 1 year ago
beautiful vid. filled with good ny humor. a true tribute to one of the great historic sites in ny chinatown -- violation ridden, to be sure, but the only place to go. i've only been to the new place just once, right after they opened. their baked bao (roast pork bun), which was always the main attraction for me, was atrocious. just a sad, sad reminder of the formerly great, and aparently gone forever, king of the most delicious baked bao of all time. alas! looking for recipes to make my own...
erosamuk 1 year ago
i mean the biddies man..lol...
xXSwizXx 3 years ago
where are the best places in chinatown nyc..
xXSwizXx 3 years ago
For a quick meal i go to Wonton Garden.
bean42 3 years ago
@xXSwizXx WO HOP . i've been going there since the 1960's. there are two of them. one is upstairs & the other one is downstairs. they're located on 15 & 17 MOTT ST. between mosco st. & chaham square. i usually eat the beef chow fun. things have changed for the worsr since then. worst of all the movie theaters have gone. enjoy.
d4seasons 1 year ago
how bout da milk tea and coffee???
stay da same as it was
axelfocker 3 years ago
they fucked it up man. they let go of the old workers that gave the place character. sure it looks newer cleaner, i miss the old MLW.
blazedadevil 3 years ago
Thanks so much for this video! I used to go there with my wife and daughter (now we live in Japan), we miss it a lot. We went there again when they reopen but we like it more how it was before, now it looks too 'new', but the food is still great!
Nusta11 3 years ago
I'm glad you like the video. More and more of the old old places are getting modernized and they look so homogenized. The old Mei Lai had real character.
bean42 3 years ago
its open again i just came from their. its now mei li wah. and its looks nice inside. but the food is still the same which is great.
nofx1091 3 years ago
Yes, the New Mei Lai is open. I was in there about a 2 weeks ago to see what was going on and by chance met the new owner. Very nice guy. He assures me the coffee will be great and the menu will be similar. I'll have to take some more photos.
bean42 3 years ago
yea they r opened on bayard st
rockets6743 2 years ago
i dunno, but i passed by there today, and it says will re-open, just closed for renovation!
skycaptain12 3 years ago
Well, I am certainly sad that Mei Lai is gone. New York should have realized what at gem they had and tried to work something out. If anyone is interested, I may have other Mei Lai photos, so if requested I can make another little movie.
I think they opened in the early 70's and that's when I 1st went there and I have been going ever since. It's amazing that I've stayed 15 all these years.
bean42 3 years ago
They are opened again!
wetsons 3 years ago
Yes, unfortunately they are closed. I stopped there yesterday and was not only shocked to see the yellow DOH sticker on the window but also a farewell sign adressed to the loyal customers saying " We are now officially closed for business. Thank you, Management." Seems that they are closed for good......BUMMER!
old0351 3 years ago
Thank you for posting this. The Chinatown community lost a gem. We'll miss them dearly.
sinotique 3 years ago
i got nowhere to go now... i hope they don't get away with the cat...
pplareppl 3 years ago
I can't believe they are closed. I haven't been to Chinatown in about a month, last time i was there I made my usual stop in. If they don't reopen the world has lost one of the last true authentic coffee houses.
bean42 3 years ago
they closed last week because of the sanitation department. lot of other small stores that serve food in nyc as well.
sad....
writen on april 22, 08
STAINILIIEY 3 years ago
Thanks for posting this. Mei Lai Wa rocks. Easily the best (or one of) coffee and milk-tea in town. Those guys that work in there are hardcore, and they don't take any bs.
212Aperture 3 years ago
The guy that got on your case in the comment below is outta line. It is very hard to photograph in there. Those fellas DO NOT apprieciate the attention! And who could blame them? I have a beautiful blk&wht of one of the urns that I took back in '85 with an old 6x9 cm bellows camera. The old man yelled at me for getting cigarette smoke in his face LOL. That was back when you could light-up in a public place.
mercoid 4 years ago
I appreciate your thoughts. Mei Lai is an important part of my life experience. Like you, I started going there years ago. Now I bring my kids.
When I was taking the photos. i tried to keep really low key, because as you said, they are probably sick of the cameras.
bean42 4 years ago
Thanks for posting this!! What a flashback for me! I used to go here at 6am, when I worked midnight shift. My company was sold1971so it had before then. The inside looks about the same. Some Dim Sum then was 35 cents. PS- I was asked once to leave another Dim Sum rest. I was videotaping in, 1990's. So this is ok !
Rivieratime 4 years ago
I've been going there since I attended SVA in the late 80's. Now my wife and I make it a point to go there every Christmas day. It's true. Not only is it the best coffee in town, but it is perhaps the best anywhere! I only wish you got a shot of the mammoth coffee makeing contraptions.
mercoid 4 years ago
terrible music
pplareppl 4 years ago
Your video miss so much of what Mei Lai Wah is about: the atmosphere, the folks, the vintage style... and the music is horrible, stereotypical...
pplareppl 4 years ago
I merely posted some still shots of a great old line coffee house. I have been going to MEI LAI since it opened, these photos capture my experience, I'm not trying to create a piece of art. Your obviously immature sense of music is only amplified by your ignorance of the musicians who are actually playing on the piece.
I viewed your unrealized attempts at movie making on your account. Until you can get your act together, I'd watch your negativity towards others.
bean42 4 years ago
thats a cool video
surfinthefray 4 years ago
I love this place. My family lives near it - always visit :]
misubitz 4 years ago
Yeah that place is great, and the sweet pork stuffed bread is the BEST! I dont drink coffee but when I go there I order milk tea.
MessyCans 5 years ago
wasabi
igorwillcox 5 years ago
yo i agree this place the best. My dad use to always drink coffee wit his boys her in the morning.
gfireblitz1 5 years ago