What to Order at Sal Tang's

Sal Tang's (saltangs.com) is a Cantonese-American restaurant in Carroll Gardens from Sal Lamboglia of Cafe Spaghetti and Wilson Tang of Nom Wah, an ode to the classic Chinese-American cooking they grew up on at spots like Wo Hop and Peking Duck House. The menu is broad and built for the table, so knowing what to order helps. This guide covers the dishes to get, what to know about the room, and how to actually land a table. DinnerElite tracks Sal Tang's and emails you the moment a table opens.

What should you order at Sal Tang's?

Start with dim sum, since the kitchen runs a deep list of it. The crystal shrimp dumplings, pork soup dumplings, and the crispy fried wontons are the ones to anchor the table, and the crab rangoon and egg rolls with plum sauce are the nostalgic picks. For larger plates, the crispy orange beef and the double-cooked pork belly are the standouts, with General Tso's chicken and black pepper beef and broccoli covering the classics done well. The char siu pork and the salt and pepper shrimp are strong additions, and a bowl of hot and sour soup rounds out the start. For the table's carbs, the golden fried rice and the pearl noodles are the picks over a plain lo mein. This is Chinese-American comfort food cooked with care, so order broadly and share everything.

What should you know about the room at Sal Tang's?

Sal Tang's is a corner restaurant on Hicks Street in Carroll Gardens, restored with fire-engine-red awnings, and it leans into the warm, nostalgic feel of a classic Chinese-American dining room. The concept is a tribute rather than a reinvention, drawing on Chinatown institutions like Wo Hop and Peking Duck House, so expect familiar dishes cooked with better ingredients rather than a modern rework. It only serves dinner, Wednesday through Sunday from 5 PM, per Resy's opening coverage, which makes the booking calendar smaller than it looks. The pairing of Sal Lamboglia and Wilson Tang draws a crowd, so weekend tables are the tightest. Come with a group, since the menu is built for sharing across many plates.

How do you actually get a table at Sal Tang's?

Sal Tang's drops reservations about two weeks ahead on Resy and welcomes walk-ins, per Resy's opening coverage, so there are two real ways in. Because it only opens Wednesday through Sunday at 5 PM, the calendar is smaller than a seven-day room, and weekend prime times go quickly given the Lamboglia-and-Tang draw. Walk-ins are a genuine backup, especially earlier in the week, but a booked table on a Friday or Saturday usually comes down to the release or a cancellation. That is where an alert helps. DinnerElite watches Sal Tang's around the clock and emails you the moment a seat opens, whether from a fresh release or someone else's change of plans. We send alerts and never book automatically. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human on our team books hard tables on your behalf. If you like this team's cooking, our guide to what to order at Cafe Spaghetti covers Sal Lamboglia's Italian room, and our roundup of the hardest restaurant reservations in NYC has more of the city's toughest tables.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sal Tang's known for?

Classic Chinese-American cooking in Carroll Gardens from Sal Lamboglia of Cafe Spaghetti and Wilson Tang of Nom Wah. It is known for a deep dim sum list and comfort-food classics like crispy orange beef and General Tso's chicken, done with care.

What should you order at Sal Tang's for the first time?

Anchor the table with dim sum like the crystal shrimp dumplings and pork soup dumplings, then add the crispy orange beef, the double-cooked pork belly, and the golden fried rice. It is built for sharing, so order broadly across the menu.

Who is behind Sal Tang's?

Sal Lamboglia, the chef behind Cafe Spaghetti and Swoony's, and Wilson Tang, the restaurateur behind Nom Wah and Cha Cha Tang. Sal Tang's is their Cantonese-American tribute to the Chinatown restaurants they grew up on.

Is Sal Tang's hard to get into?

It can be, mostly because it only opens Wednesday through Sunday at 5 PM, so the calendar is smaller than a seven-day room. It drops reservations about two weeks ahead on Resy and welcomes walk-ins, so early-week arrivals are a genuine backup.

Does DinnerElite book the table for me?

No. We send alerts and you book the table yourself. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human concierge books on your behalf.