Submitted by MI Reviewer on 09/06/2022
Good Chinese Food. The restaurant was packed and the line was huge. Even with that it didn't
take too long to get seated. The staff really wants to get people in and seated. This restaurant was busy for a reason. The food is good and everyone knows that this is where you come for dim sum. The menu had a good variety and the food was delivered fast. Will return if I'm in the Chicago area and if you're in the Chicago area craving dim sum this is the place to go to
Submitted by Atom Tarragon on 09/04/2022
The food was EXCELLENT in flavor, and the seating was comfortable. We had reservations so we were seated immediately, which was great because this place was absolutely slammed to where people waiting for tables were spilling out the door and into the plaza in DROVES. We were grateful for the efficiency in the reservation system and being seated quickly.
The restaurant was also beautiful inside, with lots of interesting and tasteful decor, and tables spaced appropriately.
However, there were also a few rough spots in our experience. First, a paper dim sum menu and a tablet were slammed down on our table by a surly waitress, with no explanation. We figured we were supposed to order on the tablet, but a lot of the dim sum items were not found there, and nobody mentioned that the paper menu offered totally different selections than the options on the tablet, but some of them did overlap. We only found out after we placed our tablet order.
It was also not expressed to us that there was a translation option on the tablet, which would have made it much easier for us to muddle through the ordering process.
Second, our food took about AN HOUR to all come out, and we had to ask about it. The waiter explained that during busy times, the dim sum and deep fried dishes might take as long as 45 minutes. It would have been great to know that in advance. But then, although the calamari came out piping hot, the fried shrimp balls were at room temp, which meant they had NOT just come out of the fryer, but had been sitting on the counter for a while.
We never got water to drink, but they did bring us a pot of tea, which was appreciated. And once we got our food, everything extra we requested (soy sauce, chili oil, etc.) was brought out very promptly.
So we're going to chalk our experience up to the fact that this place was a madhouse on this Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Would still recommend for the excellent quality of the food.
Submitted by Christina Price on 07/27/2022
We came around 10pm.. got a table right away and they were still pretty busy. Everything had great flavor! The fried pot stickers were the best thing we had. The baked egg yolk creamy buns were over baked. The food came out really fast. It was ridiculously cold in the restaurant. It made it hard to enjoy dinner with it being so cold. Overall good experience.
Submitted by Thanavich Chanpaiboonrat on 07/07/2022
Decent dim-sum place with pretty good prices. The dim-sum tasted good but nothing special. We filled ourselves to the brim and spent just over $30 per person, but I think $20 is more than sufficient for a normal meal. The atmosphere can get a little hectic. Would still recommend overall.
Submitted by Eric Yeager on 06/30/2022
Such a good spot. Definitely a good price for the quality dim sum that you get. The sauces they serve are also fantastic (haven’t been to many dim sum restaurants, so I don’t know if this is typical or not).
It was still a little bit expensive to get me full overall ($25 for one person), but I’d say this is a more expensive option well worth it. The dumplings and buns were hot and fresh, and you can try other delectables often absent from many Chinese restaurants such as chicken feet.
Will be back, service was also quick and easy!
Submitted by Dylan Ivanov on 06/28/2022
One of the more popular and well known restaurants in Chinatown with various other locations in Chicagoland. Restaurant is typically fairly full but an organized system ensures that customers aren’t waiting too long for a table. Upon walking to my table, I was hit with a odor resembling chlorine/chemicals which took away from the otherwise pleasant ambiance of the restaurant. Orders were made digitally and service was fairly impersonal. However, dishes came out quickly and we enjoyed everything that we ordered. Portions were fairly large like many restaurants in the area and pricing was nothing out of the ordinary. This restaurant’s prestige and name recognition are well deserved, but that special something to set it apart from others was missing.
Submitted by Samantha Smith on 06/26/2022
We came here to celebrate a wedding ???? recommendation: MAKE reservations! This place was packed. The food was amazing. The service is what you would expect. Fast and accurate. Highly recommend the short ribs, green beans and any of the dumplings. I loved the lazy Susan. It made grabbing the food with a large group so much easier. Enjoy!
Submitted by Jay Shen on 06/12/2022
Every time I go to Chicago I visit this place for whatever reason, and have been doing so for the past 6 years. Honestly from a food flavor standpoint, I do not think it has the best dim sum in the area, especially if you choose the wrong thing. The chicken feet and the shrimp dumplings (whichever kind) I think are always great. The baked creamy egg yolk bun (金酥流沙包) I will get every time. The sweet egg pastry (金黄蛋散) unfortunately I will not get again. Food-aside, the place is super accessible and huge, which explains its popularity. Dim sum is served at a very efficient manner, and over the years they continue to try to improve their menu by adding innovative items or expanding categories instead of being content with what they already got. The fact that this place serves dim sum day and night for the Chinese community and beyond in the Chicago area seven days a week without having people do too much other than just eat and enjoy is why I am giving it a 5 star. I will need to expand my dim sum horizon the next time I visit Chicago, but this place always has a place in my heart.
Submitted by Shashwat P. Baxi on 05/25/2022
The service wasn’t great to begin our dining experience. The waitress initially seemed surprised that we asked about vegetarian food and then was unhelpful in finding items that we could eat. The food was good. There were some dishes that were better than others. Overall, a decent restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Not the best for vegetarians, especially for those who don’t eat eggs.
Submitted by Kiljoong Kim on 02/16/2022
Given its popularity, crowded Sunday afternoon was expected. It was probably the most crowded setting I’ve been since the beginning of this pandemic. Despite such large crowd, the orders arrived promptly without any error.
Overall, most of the items were slightly on bland side. Also, the ingredients were not specified well in the menu so some people were caught by surprise upon arrival of the food. For example, someone on the table ordered chive dumplings thinking it is a vegetarian dish. When it was brought to the table, we discovered that it actually contained pork.
The service is great and its Chinatown location is quite convenient.