Favorite Chinatowns in America (neighborhoods, live in, shops)

[f1000]

In Seattle where I live, there's a pretty small Chinatown on the fringe of downtown. More of such an ethnic enclave is seeming to develop throughout the suburbs, as in strip malls. This is the case in many California cities, although the Chinatowns in Los Angeles & San Fran continue to be packed with locals & tourists- same with the Chinatown in Honolulu. Up in Vancouver, its Chinatown seems to be dying, however there's lots of ethnic development in the suburbs too. I was not too impressed with the Boston & New York City Chinatowns in terms of variety of stores, good atmosphere, etc...although I remember Queens to have a thriving "ethnic enclave"

Do any of you have a favorite Chinatown in America, for whatever reasons?

Also, I'm going to Dallas & Houston late next year & was wondering if there's a Chinatown district in those areas or is it ethnic suburban strip malls that fill that void in those areas? As in, they are like Buford Highway outside Atlanta, in terms of how ethnic enclave developments go? How about Washington, DC?

[ontheroad]

I'm most familiar with NYC's Chinatown, but generally seek them out in any large city I visit.

NY's is bustling, always getting bigger, has lots of good food, and more and more interesting shops. One whole strip has fresh produce, and the other end lots of good junk.

[MobyLL]

In order:

NYC -- Manhattan
Toronto
Boston
NYC Flushing
SF
Vancouver
NYC Brooklyn (8th Ave)
Philly

Have not been to Chinese/Asian district in Chicago or Houston. Been to Seattle and Portland but do not remember well enough to comment.

Don't like the Chinatown in LA or DC. Monterey Park was OK for a suburban type area.

[case44]

Originally Posted by f1000

In Seattle where I live, there's a pretty small Chinatown on the fringe of downtown. More of such an ethnic enclave is seeming to develop throughout the suburbs, as in strip malls. This is the case in many California cities, although the Chinatowns in Los Angeles & San Fran continue to be packed with locals & tourists- same with the Chinatown in Honolulu. Up in Vancouver, its Chinatown seems to be dying, however there's lots of ethnic development in the suburbs too. I was not too impressed with the Boston & New York City Chinatowns in terms of variety of stores, good atmosphere, etc...although I remember Queens to have a thriving "ethnic enclave"

Do any of you have a favorite Chinatown in America, for whatever reasons?

Also, I'm going to Dallas & Houston late next year & was wondering if there's a Chinatown district in those areas or is it ethnic suburban strip malls that fill that void in those areas? As in, they are like Buford Highway outside Atlanta, in terms of how ethnic enclave developments go? How about Washington, DC?

Dallas doesn't really have one. Houston does. It's just east of downtown.

[RuralCoastalGuy]

Boston for sure! It's bustling and vibrant.

[tande1n5]

San Francisco hands down, although it's actual "Chinatown" is way more touristy than it should be. The place to be these days for the true experience - the inner Richmond, especially on Clement Street... if you could combine these 2 neighborhoods for the sake of this post, I think that there'd be no contest.

[Tesaje]

It used to be San Francisco, but now the one in Manhattan is a top contender.

[cjester]

Within a few years Houston's Chinatown should surpass in size and number San Francisco's and be on par with the one in LA. Just now another development has been anounced in Houston's Chinatown, "Located between Bellaire and Beechnut, the $300 million project will also include about 170,000 square feet of retail and office space, a hospital and a subterranean parking lot."
Check out this video on the project:

http://www.citymv.net/action/viewvideo/84/Houston_Park8_3D_Introduction/ (broken link)
http://www.chinatownconnection.com/h...wn_history.htm

[lammius]

Originally Posted by MobyLL

In order:

NYC -- Manhattan
Toronto
Boston
NYC Flushing
SF
Vancouver
NYC Brooklyn (8th Ave)
Philly

Good list here, though I haven't been to Vancouver. Chinatown/LES in Manhattan gets points for being HUGE and growing all the time. Flushing is THE place in metro NY to get awesome authentic Sichuan food and other things you won't find in the tourist-packed Manhattan Chinatown.

[CMDallas]

Originally Posted by case44

Dallas doesn't really have one. Houston does. It's just east of downtown.

Most Chinatowns in the US suck, the only really good one is San Fran, NYC is decent. DC's chinatown is pitiful, Houston's isn't that great.

Seattle doesn't have an actual Chinatown, they have an Asian district which is a mix of Japanese, Viet, and Chinese. The Chinese are struggling for their own district cause they don't like being clumped with the viets but i could care less.
Dallas does have a Chinatown, its all in eastern Dallas county.
They have a Chinatown in Garland, and a growing one in Plano. Dallas doesn't formally have a Chinatown which makes me angry because the Dallas Chinatown seems to be more then the little DC one.
According to Dallas, Chinese is the 2nd prominent Asian group after Indians, yet we seem to be one of the least organized groups.

The Indians are organized even worse though. The Indians have isolated strip malls, they have a huge presence. Irving is the place to go if you're Indian... Indian supermarkets although Irving, Las Colinas, Valley Ranch, Southern Irving...yup...
anyways, the funny thing is we have a pretty big Korean town, and they are the 4th largest Asian group. I live in such a Korean area I know how to read Korean now (and I'm half Chinese and Mexican XD) everyone here assumes you're Korean if you are oriental, not Chinese like everywhere else.
anyways, Dallas has one in Garland in Plano(which is predominantly Chinese out of the Asians)
We also have scattered little Saigon's, they are EVERYWHERE. Viets composer the 3rd largest Asian group.
this is sort of accurate: http://www.dallasasian.com/aboutus.php
the Japaneses number is at least 5000 not 500, its a typo. and They neglect the Khmer population which Dallas has one of the higher of.
ANYWAYS, back to Chinatowns.
Dallas doesn't have a real one, but if you like DC's then you should be fine with Dallas'. San Fran is undoubtedly the best though. NYC is decent...
the best Chinatown in the world though...
that would go to Shanghai, yes I Know its in China, but they have a Chinatown...
Manila has a crappy Chinatown, in the east a Chinatown is an area where the business owners are predominantly Chinese, not an actual ethnic enclave or neighborhood... its big though... LOL
I really wish the Chinese population would explode though(in DFW) we need a china town like SF, not a couple of blocks of Chinese strip malls with this cheap sign that says Chinatown...