上海灘 Shanghailander Palace — Restaurant in Arcadia

Wow , this place is surprisingly good. For a while I've been very skeptical about trying this place thinking that this is just another Chinese place. Plus I read the review on Yelp regarding the bad service . However , I'm glad I still gave it a chance. We come a bit early before the rush hour on monday dinner so maybe that's why we got decent service (at least for a Chinese restaurant standard ) . Food is a bit more expensive than what I'm used to, but I've seen worse place . But at least they give you a decently sized portion for what you are paying. The item we ordered are : Seaweed deep fried fish : my shanghainese friend introduced me to this dish on other place but this one is the best I've had so far. You don't smell the seaweed / fish that sometimes comes with this dish. It doesn't feel as oily too. Shanghai chicken / cold white chicken : I'm not sure why we ordered this dish as I'm not a big fan of cold dishes , yet I was surprised that I actually enjoyed it. The chicken itself is pretty bland but it comes with the sou sauce with a hint of some Chinese herb , which h give it a nice flavor. The Chicken itself has good texture that it's not too soft / too chewy . Seafood tofu pot : I picked this one because this was one of the cheaper item they have , and my mom loves seafood tofu hot pot , which again is surprisingly good . And it comes with sea cucumber , even though only a little bit of it , for the price we are paying we do not expect to get anything special .

Final verdict : I'm glad I find another Chinese restaurant around Arcadia area that is pretty good and doesn't cost you and arm and leg for it. As we were leaving , the place was pretty packed and I can feel that the service is starting to lack. However , if I visit these place a few more times and I'm getting the same service and quality I'm getting today , I'm revising this review into 5 star.

Also , plenty of parking spot , so that's a plus .

**Update as of June 28 Well, I am downgrading this place to 3 star, which is 3.5 star for food 2.5 star for service . I was wrong about the parking spot . It seems like it's alot of space , but I have to park on the street coming on Thursday night . The restaurant is about 60% full. I come in and stand around for about 5 minute before anyone helping us getting our seat. That includes one Chinese lady who cut in line and spoke directly with waiter in Chinese (I don't speak Chinese ) which turn out because she have reservation with the place . Food wise : 1 seafood hot pot. Still ok Seaweed fish : not that great since it's not as crispy even though it just come out from the kitchen Sweet sour pork sparerib . Pretty ok, but it has alot of piece of inedible soft bone , or cartilage or whatever those thing called. The food quality overall is still good while definitely not as good as the first time I was here .

Service : Well this place is a slightly better than other big Chinese restaurant that doesn't speak English. If you don't speak Chinese at all, i really suggest you bring someone who does if you come here , or you better have some good experience with rude Chinese restaurant. The server in this place are not rude (at least not all ) and they're actually pretty attentive , they actually refill my water cup without being asked . Unfortunately however , I had to ask for that water 20 minutes into waiting for our food, because nobody offer...

Shanghailander Palace is a true gem for those seeking authentic Shanghai-style cuisine, and honestly, I’m surprised this restaurant holds a low star rating. While the service leaves room for improvement, the quality and authenticity of the food far outweigh any shortcomings, making it well worth a visit.

Ambiance: 4/5 The dining area is simple yet comfortable, with a traditional feel that suits the style of cuisine. It’s not overly flashy, but it creates the right atmosphere for enjoying a hearty, family-style Chinese meal.

Authenticity: 5/5 If you’re from Shanghai—or familiar with its culinary traditions—you’ll immediately recognize the flavors here. The dishes are classic, nuanced, and true to the region’s cuisine. It’s rare to find a restaurant that delivers Shanghai flavors this faithfully.

Flavor: 4/5 The food is deeply satisfying, with well-balanced seasonings and a great mix of textures. From their signature Shanghainese dishes to their flavorful stir-fries, each plate reflects skill and care in preparation. This is comfort food at its finest, with a clear nod to tradition.

Service: 3/5 The service is average at best and could use improvement, especially given the price point. While staff are polite, there’s a noticeable lack of attentiveness, and the pacing of dishes can be uneven.

Cost: 4/5 While prices lean on the higher side, the authenticity and taste make it a worthwhile splurge. If you’re craving genuine Shanghainese flavors, this is the place to indulge.

Final verdict: Shanghailander Palace may not deliver a five-star dining experience in terms of service, but when it comes to true Shanghai flavors, it’s hard to beat. For those who value culinary authenticity over polish, this spot deserves a...

I came here recently with my family and we all really enjoyed it!

Backstory is that my mom works at another Shanghainese restaurant in the area and a lot of her customers told her that they also frequent this place so we decided to give it a try. We're a Cantonese family and typically frequent the same HK cafes and Cantonese Chinese restaurants in the area for dinner. Dinner is always reliably good, but it gets a little old after awhile.

I'm really glad we came for dinner. We got the braised pork belly, Shanghai-style spare ribs, snow pea leaves, wined chicken, and pan fried buns. If you're a fan of pork belly... oh boy was the braised pork belly good. It easily made my dinner & I could've eaten the whole pot myself. Unfortunately, there were other people at dinner too so I had to stop at 4 pieces. Snow pea leaves were good. We also enjoyed the spare ribs, though I think my dad makes it better at home. Wined chicken tasted a little too much like alcohol for my liking (but c'mon, it's WINED chicken). Pan fired buns were mediocre -- would not order again.

Service was a little slow at times and the restaurant is a little crammed, but I would 100%...