Eat & drink · Seafood
Jesse Restaurant (Old Jesse)
Images provided by Google Places
A legendary, cramped institution serving soul-satisfying, traditional Shanghainese home cooking.
- Signature
- Cod fish head baked in a mountain of scallions.
Reviews from Google
Jesse Restaurant is a long-standing favourite for authentic Shanghainese cuisine, and it is easy to see why it has earned Michelin Guide Shanghai Bib Gourmand recognition over the years. The restaurant focuses on traditional home-style dishes that are rich in flavour and deeply comforting. The menu features classics such as braised pork, stir-fried river shrimp, and seasonal vegetables prepared in true local style. The flavours are bold yet balanced, with the slightly sweet and savoury notes typical of Shanghainese cooking. Portions are generous and meant for sharing, which makes it a great place for family-style dining. The setting feels traditional and unpretentious, adding to its authenticity. Service is efficient and straightforward, and reservations are strongly recommended as it is often busy. If you want to experience genuine local cuisine rather than modern fusion, Jesse Restaurant is an excellent choice.
This place to me, is quite over priced. Please have that in mind if you decide to eat here. Is it worth it? I am not entirely sure it is. It doesn't help that the waiter can be very demanding, making sure you order a lot. My advise, if you feel it's enough, then gently tell them that your dishes are adequate for that meal. Is it good? Fortunately it is. But whether it's worth the premium price? That's hard to say. The cold dish of chicken and duck isn't exceptional. Skip it if you aren't in need of cold dish. So is the rice cake dish. Some rave over it but to me, kinda average and I didn't get the enjoyment of eating it. Everything else is good though. Fortunately. The stand out and to me, a must order, it's their pork belly. Now that, is worth the trip. Perfectly seasoned and incredibly well cooked, it is tender, oily, and literally melts in your mouth. I could eat this regularly and not be bored with it. All the others that I ordered were well cooked, arriving fresh and hot from the wok, smells incredible and pairs well with their rice. Price. It will all come down to price. That, will be between your wallet and your stomach on whether you will be returning to this place.
👉 Lao Ji Shi • A very famous local Shanghainese restaurant. • Authentic Chinese comfort food. • Very popular with locals (very authentic). ✅ "Worth a visit!" But ❗ NOW… it's not Michelin-starred/fine dining.
Waited for close to 60-90mins and then ushered to the wine bar opposite. Was told to eat quickly since we are using another restaurant's premises. The guy taking our food order is quite arrogant when we asked him for suggestions and he says all good. Our food bill came up to CNY 1400+ which we got a shock. The food honestly does not trigger any return requests.
Prices are definitely on the higher side. But I can’t find a braised pork belly of this standard anywhere else in the world. It LITERALLY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH. My son loves the scallion noodles, and he didn’t wanted to share with us. One warning thou, it’s really quite greasy. I felt stuffed & bloated the whole afternoon. But it was worth it thou.