Chinese Tuxedo

You are standing near the site of one of the most significant buildings in the history of New York Citys Chinatown. The restaurant you see today, Chinese Tuxedo, occupies the former home of the Chinese Theater, which opened its doors at 5 Doyers Street back in 1893. As the first Chinese-language theater in New York and the only one east of California at the time, it served as a vital community hub where immigrants gathered to watch performances and maintain cultural ties. While it functioned as a social center for the local Chinese population, the theater also drew curious non-Chinese tourists who visited to experience what they perceived as an exotic attraction. The building eventually housed a mahjong den and even featured a secret network of tunnels that connected to nearby Chatham Square.