Forkelo ranking · Updated November 2026
6 mapo tofus across New York City, ranked on what people say about the dish itself — never the restaurant's overall rating.
Szechuan Mountain House · East Village, Manhattan
5 dish-specific mentions · 80% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans rate the mapo tofu a must-try, with great spice and numbing heat. A critic found it extremely spicy.
Mapo Asian Restaurant & Bar · Times Square, Manhattan
4 dish-specific mentions · 75% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans call the mapo tofu flavorful and spicy, with soft tofu in a meaty sauce. A critic found it really salty.
The Best Sichuan · Midtown, Manhattan
6 dish-specific mentions · 50% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans call the mapo tofu deep, rich and flavorful. Critics found too much cornstarch or not enough heat.
Cafe China · Midtown, Manhattan
7 dish-specific mentions · 57% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans call the mapo tofu authentic and delicious. Critics found it bland or felt it was off on recent visits.
Mountain House · Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
5 dish-specific mentions · 40% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans praise the big portion and well-balanced spice. Critics found it too spicy or oily.
Blue Willow · Midtown, Manhattan
6 dish-specific mentions · 50% positive · 1 source type · menu verified November 2026
Fans name the mapo tofu a favorite and recommend it. Critics call it a letdown and say it has lost some spice lately.
Every score is built from evidence about the specific dish: how often locals recommend it, how strongly, how recently, and whether independent sources agree. A restaurant's overall star rating is never converted into a dish score.
Quality and confidence are reported separately. A dish two people loved can score high, but it is marked limited data until more evidence backs it up. The whole calculation — every constant, and three dishes worked through line by line — is written out on the methodology page.
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