Home On 8th

I’ve been coming here for years. The food quality is solid and reliable. And they have a huge exclusively vegetarian menu. (should say vegan, because there’s tons of vegan options). I’ve never had a bad experience and always left full and satisfied.
It’s been fun to see it gradually get classed up, but the last time I went the prices were just out of line with the experience. It’s just too casual a spot in décor and menu to creep up like it has. I feel like my money goes further at other spots on 8^th ave.

I wouldn’t call it «home» for me, eactly — maybe «Lunch on 8^th». This place is one of the cheapest, most reliable options close to my office. The lunch specials are the way to go; you’ll leave here with a full stomach for under $ 10 (cash only, though — be warned!). There’s at least a good 20 – 30 options on the lunch menu, and entrees come with either soup or a free soda. (I say go for the generous portion of the piping hot soup, and grab a cup for their water cooler set up in the dining area.)
Food is ready in a flash, they’re willing to steam stuff for me without a blink of an eye (or an additional charge), and they have bottles of sriracha available. The ambiance is clean and comfortable, though the lighting is a bit dim, and the whole thing can seem confusing when you first walk in: Do I sit? Order at the counter? Stand here and ogle someone’s food until another person enters and show me how it’s done? The girl at the counter is all business and never cracks a smile, so don’t expect help there. (Answer: order at the counter.)
I’ve ordered all vegetarian catering from Home for a work event and was very satisfied. They gave us a TON for the money, and although you could probably swim, bathe, and cook with the amount of oil in the entrees (for weeks), everyone seemed to enjoy it.
I think Main Noodle House a few blocks north of Herald Square is better, but the incomparably chaotic, crowded environment in there can definitely trigger a seizure or panic attack, and I avoid that place like the plague between 12 and 2 on weekdays. Home on 8^th, with it’s Asian elevator music or random mid-​90s pop, spacious, calming ambiance, and comforting food, never disappoints. Home Sweet Home (on 8^th!)!

A friend who is a vegan recommended we go here for dinner. She says it is a very tasty and reliable place for vegetarian Asian food. I went her with her and another friend.
The atmosphere is casual and welcoming with nice prints on the wall.
You can order from a vegetarian or meat menu.
I was told the vegetarian items were quite good so I gave it a shot and ordered the Vegetarian tangerine chicken. It was a very tasty dish served with faux chicken that is breaded and stir-​fried. The faux chicken did taste pretty close to chicken though was a bit chewy and tough. It was accompanied by very fresh and perfectly cooked vegetables. The sauce was your typical tangerine sauce that didn’t stand out in any way though it was well-​prepared and I could not find anything wrong with it. This was my first time ordering faux vegetarian meat dish and I was impressed how tasty the faux stuff tastes.
The other dining partners ordered the meat version General Chicken and it was a very good version of this dish and better than most versions but did not stand out as being memorable. The chicken was crisp and non-​greasy and accompanied with the usual steamed broccoli. The sauce was a mild good version. My vegan dining partner said her vegan curry dish was well-​prepared and tasty.
Prices are a decent value and service was friendly and for the most part attentive. Though it took us 10 minutes to get our check which is not good considering the place was nearly empty.
This would be a good place for vegetarian and their meat lover friends to dine at if you are in the area. Both would find something they would like at this place.

BYOB and good Chinese food near Madison square Garden: what could be better. The place clearly looks much better inside than outside. But the food is good, served fast.
There is a vegetarian menu. While this may be of no concern to us who come for a quick pregame respite, i’m sure other’s may like it.
The dumpling soup was quite good, and a great price. We also had the fried squid, which was fresh and fresh out of the fryer.
A definite repeat, especially before game time.

First off, points for the Bruce Lee doll collection and the Clockwork Orange diorama in the display case.
Came here for a work lunch, but I’ll definitely be returning again on my own. The atmosphere is nice enough that it looks like a waiter service restaurant, but you order at the counter and then go up and get a tray with your meal. Lunch specials are $ 7.50 for more typical Chinese selections, $ 7.95 for the «specials,» which seem to have a more South Asian flair.
I got the Spicy Mango Chicken, which was tasty and not overly sweet, but wasn’t particularly spicy. Next time I’d ask for «extra spicy.» I also tried the iced Jasmine Green Tea with honey — excellent.
I didn’t keep track of everything our table of 6 got, but reactions ranged from «all right» to «excellent.» They do offer vegetarian «chicken.» The lunch portions were big enough that some people took leftovers with them.

Unimpressed.
I ordered food for delivery, it was super quick. Half of my portion was brown rice (12oz)…uh, I have plenty of rice at home. I asked them to take the tofu out of my entrée and he said «sorry the meals are prepackaged with tofu»…what?
My friend got the spicy mango chicken, it was spicy & bitter. He ate it (but that is no indication of quality or flavor).
I wont be trying again.

Very cool concept! You can request a vegetarian menu or a normal menu, both with similar dishes (although the vegetarian menu does not really try to replace seafood dishes).
I got the vegetarian Hawaiian fried rice, with pineapple, tofu, egg, and veggies. My friend let me try the red curry shrimp, which was also delicious! I ate way too much and felt wonderful.
One thing I appreciated about Home on 8^th is that they did not rush us at all. We were a group of 4 and we sat and chatted for at least an hour after dinner without feeling pressure to pay and get out. Of course, there was not a wait, but I know plenty of restaurants that would not want to keep serving water once they cleared the plates.
This is a good crowd-​pleaser because of the variety of items, as long as everyone is happy with Asian-​influenced food.

Crispy Vegetarian BBQ Pork Belly: that’s what i said and i meant it. and it’s delicious.
ordered delivery from the vegetarian/​vegan menu. everything was pretty tasty and the servings are large. i would love to try some other dishes another time.

ANOTHER Chinese restaurant that caters to celiacs with gluten free items!
While they don’t have a separate gluten free menu, when I called, I was told that they could make most items on their menu gluten free with slight adjustments (even the lunch specials, without jacking up the price) and directed me to order with white sauce instead of oyster sauce. Shrimp and Broccoli ended up being delish in this sauce. And despite my paranoia — no sickness after eating!
Reasonable prices too!

Home on 8^th is simple and minimal in decoration. There are a few canvas paintings on the wall, lacquered tables (8 4-​person tables and 4 2-​person), black wooden cushioned chairs, and a red tiled floor. It borderlines looking like any other typical Chinese take out but just a notch up. But then there was Christmas music playing, which I found peculiarly odd.
Lunch Specials are served from M-​F: 11:00 AM — 4:00 PM, most priced at $ 7.55, with several Chef’s Lunch Special at $ 7.95. Each lunch special also includes Pork Fried Rice or White Rice, and Choice of Egg Drop Soup, Wonton Soup, or Soda (Brown Rice — Add $ 0.50, Vegetable Fried Rice — Add $ 1.00). I ordered from the Chef’s Special Lunch, Spicy Basil Chicken ($ 7.95 + tax = $ 8.66) along with Pork Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup. My food was ready in 5 minutes, one of the quickest Asian takeouts I’ve encountered in NYC. Regardless if you eat in or out, your lunch will be served in take out containers.
The Egg Drop Soup was very typical, super yellow chicken broth with whisked eggs. It was good, but minimal in ingredients. I was expecting at least scallions, tofu, or black pepper.
The Spicy Basil Chicken is served in a brown chili sauce, sauteed with fresh onions, mushrooms, green and red peppers, sliced carrots, and snow peas. All the vegetables were cooked just enough so that it still maintained a crunchy texture. The chicken was tender and tasty. But what really lacked in this dish was that there the spice was so subtle, you may have considered this dish Chicken with mixed vegetables. There was no basil in this dish, nor was the basil flavor pronounced. I found the flavors to be very flat and boring. The brown chili sauce did help, but even then it was your typical semi salty/​sweet oyster-​like sauce you get in many Chinese dishes (i.e. Beef w/​broccoli, etc.). The other ²⁄₃ of the platter contained the pork fried rice consisting of bits of pork, peas, onions, and egg bits, but again I found the fried rice to be standard fare.
Home on 8^th is a step above your typical Chinese takeout. Everything was very good, solid by any Chinese takeout standards, but not even close to amazing. I really tried to like it, and I did, but it just didn’t wow me. Now that I think of it, I really felt like they were penny pinching, minimal ingredients in the egg drop soup with not even scallions; no hot & sour soup as a choice for the lunch special; no basil in the Spicy Basil Chicken; fork/​spoon/​napkins stapled in an egg roll wrapper (no sauces or chopsticks included). With so many Chinese and Thai restaurants in the area, I’d probably go there before thinking about coming here again.

To be honest, Im not sure why I gave them 2 stars instead of 1 star. I think it may be because they were nice people, and had a really funny display case of vintage disco ken dolls below the cash register.
However, I got dumplings and egg drop soup. Pretty standard. The dumplings were TERRIBLE! I got them steamed, and the pork was dry inside in a little weird ball and the noodle part was tough, thick, and tasteless… The soup tasted fatty and didn’t have much of the egg in it (I like it when some of the egg whites are cooked in it) and there was none… lame. For 9 $ that whole meal was a rip off.

Solid choice for delivery in the Chelsea area. As far as Chinese takeout is concerned, their food is pretty tasty and not terribly greasy.
As an added bonus, delivery is incredibly prompt: I do not believe I have waited more than 20 minutes for my order — ever!

Food: It’s primarily Asian but they have seitan & some good meat subs. The best part is that they have a vegetarian & non-​vegetarian menu!!! I highly recommend it for mixed company.
Desserts: I amazingly haven’t tried it yet.
Atmosphere: Clean & well spaced out. It’s never been busy while I was there so it’s always seemed pretty spacious too me.
Service: no qualms.
Price: Nothing extravagant. Normal mid-​range dishes.
Macrobiotic/​Vegan: You can easily find macrobiotic options. I really don’t know about vegan though. If you’re a strict vegan I’d ask before ordering.

The place is very zen and clean. Loved that
Its counter service. Don’t love that but… Okay, I can do that.
Ordered appetizers for lunch (didn’t see the lunch specials) that came out to $ 11. Ouch.
The cold sesame noodles were good although its not really a sauce but more like a smoother peanut butter from a jar. Odd but taste-​y.
I know someone else mentioned this but bears repeating.
The much talked about buns were expensive, dry and a complete ripoff. Not for me, not again.
I will keep coming out here in the summer because the place was very peaceful, the other food looked good, and the walk is long enough that I will have walked off my vegetarian meal by the time I get back to work.

Diamond in the rough. Seriously, maybe one of the ugliest blocks in the area, but the restaurant is nice and clean inside. My #2 delivery spot if you live in the ‘hood, right after Grand Sichuan on 9^th Avenue.
Dragon and Phoenix is a great dish, as well as the Honey Walnut Chicken, and Spicy Mango Chicken. Was pleased with the roast pork, it was a little tough but that’s because there was no fat in sight. Hot and sour soup is excellent as well.
If you’re tired of the mostly disgusting Chinese delivery in the area, Home on 8^th is your spot.

On my way back to NYC after a turkey filled, carb loaded visit to Boston, it only made sense to seek out delicious food at Home on 8^th to finish off the weekend.
I found Home on 8^th through Unilocal.It was the only real option in the area where the buses dropped us off, and this place is a hidden gem. The place smelled awesome and the food was fantastic.
I had the peking bun appetizer because Unilocalers suggested it, and it was great. As was the noodle soup and the beef with broccoli. I’ll definitely head back here when the hunger pangs start after getting off the bus. It’s worth mentioning that they have an entire vegetarian menu, so it’s fun for the whole group.

I’ve worked in the city for over 3 years and have never even heard of Home on 8^th until a friend of mine told me I have to try it out. He works for the railroad and said that this has been a hot spot for lunch for alot of guys for years. I figured it had to be pretty good to get that kind of following.
So today he calls me up and asked if I want to meet up at Home on 8^th for lunch. After the high remarks, being a big fan of Chinese food already, I figured what the heck, lets go.
So after some bad directions, even though it’s literally right on 8^th Ave., I meet up and find the place.
It looks like just another storefront on a pretty quiet area of Midtown, but once your inside you notice a few things different. The décor is very urban, artsy, and retro if that makes sense haha. I guess you can say it makes you feel kind of at home in a way. There are candles, artwork on the wall, and plants to make it a comfortable experience. The place is very clean, and they have a glass freezer in the back with Bruce Lee toys setup which is awesome! The staff was very friendly, the service was lightening quick, and the lunch specials were mostly $ 7 – 8. Maybe a $ 1 or $ 2 more than other Chinese places around for lunch, but so far, the place made up for it.
So after about two minutes, no exaggeration, the guy calls my name and my lunch was ready. I ordered General Tso’s chicken w white rice. One of 3 staple orders of mine when it comes to Chinese food. I was impressed by the portion I received first of all, and on top of that, the chicken pieces were the size of golfballs. They give you a very healthy amount for your money, and the chicken was top quality. It was not questionable at all whether it was chicken or not. I must of devoured it in about 15 minutes.
I would highly recommend Home on 8^th to anyone in the area. My friend and the rest of the train crew did not let me down. It is a bit of a hike for me, but I can see myself taking the walk maybe once a month to come back and try another of my staple dishes.
Check out my pics of the meal, the seating, and the exterior. I hope whoever reads this will appreciate it.
Eat up!
RM

The area around MSG/​Penn is kind of a dead zone for food — there’s Brother Jimmy’s and the Soup Spot and that’s kind of it. Or so I thought until a vegetarian friend hipped me to Home on 8^th. This place makes me wish I forgot my sack lunch more often. It’s also the perfect place to meet people for lunch or a quick after-​work dinner. If I were still on the market I would totally have all my first dates here.
I’m a meatatarian but I’ve ordered mostly veggie and vegan dishes here and don’t miss the meat at all. The peking bun appetizer is my absolute favorite — a little crunchy peppered fake-​chicken patty and vegetables stuffed into tiny steamed bread. Food labeled spicy generally IS spicy. I cannot stress what a big deal this is to me — there’s nothing I hate more than ordering something with a chili pepper next to it and getting something I could feed my grandparents. But it’s never been a problem at Home. Every spicy dish I’ve ordered has opened my pores without making my mouth so numb I can’t taste the other flavors.
I’ve eaten in and had delivery and both are perfectly friendly and competent. Delivery is generally super-​fast.

First of all, Asian restaurant and amazing service almost never belong in the same sentence. However, Home on 8^th treats service like those Asian parents who would ground and beat you for getting a 95% on your math test. It had to be perfect, and perfect it was. I accidentally dropped a fork and instantly saw the waiter perform a sharp pivot to come and replace it. The entrees were served after the appetizers were finished and the check wasn’t at the table until the table was cleared, leftovers were packed and until we asked for it 15 mins later. No herding you out here.
It was Chinese New Years and I accomplished quite a few things with this meal. I finally found another good Chinese restaurant in the city. I finally found good food of any kind near Penn Station. Most amazingly, I finally had an ALL vegetarian meal! (if you don’t count the protein shake I had right before. It wasn’t dinner…)
Onto the food, the Vegetarian Peking Buns (soymeat, scallion, hoisin sauce) had just the right amount of everything. The bread was fluffy, the soymeat lightly pan fried. Great texture, great flavors. The Cold Buckwheat Noodle with Peanut-​Vinegar Sauce was very refreshing. However, I like my noodles al dente and these were too limp for me. The dish could have used some cucumber slices to cut the peanut-​vinegar sauce as well.
The String Beans, Eggplant & Bean Curd Sauteed in Spicy Garlic Sauce had bold strong flavors. The string beans were cooked perfectly, crisp and sweet. The Glass Noodle Curry with fried tofu, kabocha, and veggies could have been a bit spicier and the curry slightly thicker and stronger flavored but that’s really me just being picky.
I may just have to go back tomorrow to try the meat dishes. Thinking about the halibut sautéed in white garlic sauce and black pepper beef are making me hungry… already. It’s a home run on 8^th.

We’d give it a 3… if 3 meant acceptable, but not spectacular.
The mango chicken was way too sweet. The food just wasn’t anything great.
Basically, I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there again.