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    Hot Lobster Dim Sum

    4.3 (105 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    HOT LOBSTER DIM SUM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Reviews With Photos - Hot Lobster Dim Sum

    Polly H.

    Best place in niagara falls friendly and affordable place for dim sum and chinese food in our week long trip we came back twice haha lobster is fresh and tasty and food comes out piping hot

    Beef fried rice noodles
    Daniel C.

    An authentic Chinese restaurant located in Niagara Falls. This place looks really random both from the exterior and interior. It's a red house with parking in the back. You walk inside and it definitely feels like someone just created a restaurant out of their living room and it's awesome - on par with Niagara Falls feel. However, do not let the looks deceive you, this is no tourist trap restaurant (well for the most part). I do think ownership has changed hands in the past year when we spoke to the owners. The food is authentic and delicious and, relatively speaking, a great bang for your buck. Food: 1) Beef rice noodles - it has the Wok Hei flavor and aroma that comes with doing this dish right. Lots of beef cooked well and tender, tons of noodles, the right amount of bean sprouts, onions, green onions and red peppers to add variety. 5/5. 2) Tofu and vegetables - the tofu they fry up here is different than the typical deep fried ones. There's no typical outer shell which tells me they likely took fresh tofu and fried it up. Lots of brocolli, red peppers, green peppers and onions accompany this dish with a savory sauce - 5/5. 3) Chicken with snap peas - chicken is cooked well and tender. Snap pea also cooked well but retain that crunch. Great dish that pairs with rice. 4.5/5. 4) Sweet and sour pork chop. So this was the only miss for the dishes but mainly because I was expecting pork chops but what we got with deep fried pork balls in the very Americanized sweet and sour sauce. The dish itself is pretty good, the deep fried pork has a great crispy exterior and meat is juicy and tender. The sweet and sour sauce is definitely very artificial and sweet. If this is what you want from sweet and sour pork - 4/5. Because it wasn't what it said it should be - aka pork chops - lowered to 3/5. Price: Very reasonable for the quality and amount of food especially just outside Niagara Falls tourist area. Also no tourist tax!

    AYCE or a la carte dim sum
    Lucy Y.

    I live in LA, where I have easy access to lots of excellent dim sum & Chinese food. When I'm in Buffalo, however, it's a lot harder to find anything better than mass produced dumplings that come from a big frozen bag. So I am thrilled to have found Hot Lobster Dim Sum - an easy drive over the bridge away! We were seated immediately & chose to order a la carte dim sum instead of the ayce. Our food came out slow enough that we knew it was all being made to order - but fast enough so we knew they got to working in our order right away. * Har Gow - perfect, w/big plump shrimp, YUM! * Shanghai Dumplings - soupy, meaty steamed dumplings, SO GOOD! * Pork & Chive Panfried Dumplings - great wrappers & flavors - YUM! * Shrimp & Pork Siumai - meaty & delicious! * Vegetable Eggrolls - perfectly crispy * Sticky Rice w/Pork - always one of my faves * Fried Eggplant - soft insides, crispy seasoned battered outsides - YUM! * Steamed Noodle w/Shrimp - soft & sauced perfectly All the chewy wrappers were clearly made there. The dumplings were packed w/quality meat, & all the shrimp were fresh & plump & perfectly cooked. I think my favorite was the fried eggplant! So soft on the inside & crispy on the outside - would satisfy my craving for fries! Service was warm & attentive. We saw the lobster dinner menu items & made mental notes to come back with more people! Their lobster tank was full, so clearly the secret it out. This very casual place is 100% worth going out of your way for, if you want great dim sum or Chinese food, & very fresh lobster. If you live nearby, lucky you. I will definitely be back!

    sticky rice, shumai, and egg tart

    good food and the ladies working there were nice. we got other food too and everything was good. not too expensive

    Vannesa A.

    I loved this place. We waited long for our food but the staff give us extra in house shrimp. We ordered the 2lbs lobster for 3. Hongkong style cook. It tastes so good. Parking at the back. You don't need to go fancy at the falls area. It's a tourist trap. Come to this place and it will get your money worth. Serving is huge.

    bbq pork bun; chicken wings
    Bruce G.

    The food probably deserves about a 3/3.5 but the service was great. We were warmly greeted right away by our server. We initially thought about getting the all you can eat dimsum plus one lobster, but decided against it since we probably wouldn't have eaten enough to make it worth it. We ended up getting one lobster, the beef noodles flat noodles, shrimp siumai, fried chicken wings, pork steamed bun and seafood fried rice. The portions were HUGE and we were definitely stuffed in the end. The chicken wings were pretty crispy and juicy. The beef noodles were okay--it lacked a bit of flavor. The lobster was pretty solid and it came with some vermicelli noodles. The shrimp siumai was a bit dry but still okay. The seafood friedrice was probably the most disappointing as it lacked flavor and the toppings didn't taste fresh. It was a little bit pricey for what they offered, but overall a decent place. The actual restaurant seemed a bit old with dated wallpaper, but it was cozy.

    Restaurant exterior

    After spending a fortune for a mediocre meal in one of the falls-view touristy restaurants, we were very pleased to find Hot Lobster Dim Sum a quick Uber ride away from our hotel. I'm so glad we decided to explore beyond the strip because this meal was one of the highlights of our trip to Niagara Falls. The restaurant itself is quaint and inviting with its homey tables set up in various rooms of what appears to be a former home. We asked for assistance from our server in selecting a variety of dim sum to sample, as we aren't very familiar with the options. We wound up ordering a variety of about eight dim sum dishes as our meal. Everything we tried was absolutely wonderful. Favorites were the sticky rice, steamed bbq pork bun, and fried eggplant. We also ordered some wonton soup. You'd think wonton soup is so popular at any Chinese restaurant that it would be difficult to find one that's distinctive. They surprised me, though. Theirs is hands down the best I've ever had. The flavor of the broth was superb! Niagara Falls was a vacation visit for us and I don't know if we'll ever get back. If we do, I can assure you we will be eating here again. I'm jealous of locals who can enjoy this whenever they like!

    Ginger and onion lobster (2lb) with steam shrimp dumplings and manapuas (steamed pork buns)
    Mike L.

    My wife and I were visiting Niagara Falls for the first time. I tend to look for the places to eat away from all the tourist-y type places. When "Hot Lobster Dim Sum" came up on Yelp, I said, "With a name like that, how can we not go?!" When you walk in, you feel like you are taking a step back in time with the old wallpaper still up but you're greeted by the fresh lobsters immediately. Some may feel the ambiance is a tad weird but this totally has "hole in the wall" vibe for sure. We ordered the lobster dinner for two. Visually, it looked really amazing. The shrimp dumplings were not minced, but whole shrimp. The pork buns were a little over steamed but flavor of the char sui was on point. The lobster may not be for everyone. It's messy and delicious. You're either picking the meat out with your fingers or sucking the meat out of the legs. It could use a touch of shoyu but other than that the flavor of ginger was strong which made the dish for me. I'd love to try the other cooking methods if we ever come back this way. I could have used a side of rice but I'm a Hawaiian guy who eats rice with every dish so I just assumed it came with. Service was nice and friendly. All in all 8/10 and happy to go again!

    2lb lobster Hong kong style
    Pelezo T.

    The food was so good!!! Everything was 10 out of 10. I will be back and you should too. 100% recommend

    Hong Kong Lobster
    Doug D.

    Let me start out by saying this place is straight out of the the 70s (In a good way if you are prepared). The inside is decorated in classic Chinese restaurant decor and tables are scattered everywhere in a house turned restaurant. The food is authentic and reasonably priced. I had the Hong Kong Lobster and ordered a ton of dim sum. The waitress barely spoke English but was very attentive and polite. Overall, I would recommend this place to those who like nostalgic restaurants and good old fashioned Chinese food.

    Salt and pepper lobster

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    2 months ago

    I walked 30 minutes in their poor neighborhood to find out they are not open. But they clearly said open in yelp and took my reservation.

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful food and hospitality. We are here on vacation and was very happy to find this spot. We plan on going again before we leave!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ma Chinese Cuisine

    Ma Chinese Cuisine

    4.3
    (92 reviews)
    14.6 km
    $$$

    Did not expect to walk into such an upscale and authentic Chinese restaurant in St. Catherines. We…read morewere visiting nearby for a photoshoot, and just needed a place to unwind and grab some food. With its nearly two thousand Google reviews and tasty looking menu, it was a no brainer. Instantly as we stepped in the restaurant we were blown away by the elegant decor and ambiance. You could have a classy dinner date, birthday celebration, or even wedding here if you wanted to! The space is built for all kinds of occasions and has many private rooms and spaces for the same. We, of course, sat on the main floor, with a couple other people eating at 4PM. The service was professional and fast, although I didn't feel too confident on the menu suggestions they gave me. We ended up ordering the Braised Beef Noodle Soup ($18), DongPo Pork ($27) and Xiaolongbao ($7) to share between two people. We did not need the dim sum dish - the other two items had sufficient portion to have us full. The star was definitely the DongPo Pork, which was perfectly braised and super tender. With rice, it was delicious. The noodle soup, while tasty, was a bit overhyped by the waiter who made it sound life changing - not at all mad at it, but I have definitely had better. In St. Catherines, I would assume that 'better' does not exist, so I understand. Overall, great visit. On the pricer side for Chinese food (around $80 all in for two people) but it certainly is upscale dining. I don't live anywhere close to St. Catherines so unlikely to be back, but I will recommend it to my friends if they visit the area.

    It was recommended to us by local friends. It's a very big restaurant with plenty of seating -- a…read morebit dark, but still comfortable. Even without a reservation, we were seated right away. Service was great, and so was the food. They offer quite authentic Chinese dishes alongside some more Westernized Chinese options. Either way, portions are generous, so maybe skip a side or share one. Prices are more than reasonable. We could even bring our own bottle of wine for a corkage fee of CAD 25 -- a nice touch. The one downside -- the menu offers a staggering 200-ish dishes, so be ready to make a decision. But this is definitely a place worth visiting in St. Catharines.

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    Ma Chinese Cuisine
    Siu Mai
    Siu Mai
    Char Siu Bao baked

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    Char Siu Bao baked
    Crystal Asian Cuisine

    Crystal Asian Cuisine

    4.1
    (124 reviews)
    26.9 km
    $$

    I'm so freaking happy! I had never heard of Crystal Asian Cuisine before last night. We stumbled…read moreacross them because it was pretty late for dinner and our regular Chinese food place was closed. Crystal stays open until 1 am! They open at 4 pm, just an fyi. We got a bunch of stuff and everything was delicious. Literally the best beef lo mein I've had since I moved here six years ago. I've been just settling with it at other places so this was an exciting discovery! We also ordered sesame shrimp. It wasn't like other sesame dishes we've gotten. It was a pink sauce that was similar to sweet and sour, but it was very good and the shrimp were large and plump and cooked perfectly. We tried their fried dough just on a whim and it's like nothing I've had before... it's a nice little add on for $3.50. They have American Chinese and also authentic dishes, which is fun. Prices are in line with other Chinese food restaurants and portions are pretty generous. We'll definitely be back...like, hopefully very soon!

    When you pull up to the restaurant, it doesn't look like much. You might even think it's closed (I…read moredid). But go inside and enjoy some delicious Chinese food and extremely reasonable prices. The service is friendly and super fast, and the portions are huge. I only had their American style Chinese food, but they also had a large menu of authentic Chinese cuisine on the weekend. The interior is simple but very clean, with lots of booths. I highly recommend Crystal Asian for great Chinese food!

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    Entrance
    Entrance
    Sesame chicken
    Sesame chicken
    Beef lo mein. So good, my favorite in Buffalo so far!!

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    Beef lo mein. So good, my favorite in Buffalo so far!!
    Mandarin Restaurant

    Mandarin Restaurant

    4.3
    (242 reviews)
    3.8 km
    $$

    Mandarin is possibly the best Chinese buffet I have ever been to, and I have been to a lot. The…read morefirst thing you notice is the restaurant is vibrant and very clean. The serving area, the tables, and even the bathrooms are pristine. The food quality and variety is great. They offer all the normal stuff you see at a Chinese buffet plus extras like Maple flavored meatballs and wings. The sushi section is a little smaller than others but gets the job done. The desert section is incredible and you will want seconds. Try the maple ice cream! We went here twice in the short week we were in town, and I were a local this spot would be on my regular rotation for sure.

    Excellent service- Welcomed with smiles. Arrived a couple minutes past our reservation time, and…read morewas sat immediately. Was provided a hot lemon infused cloth to clean up prior to going up to the stations to eat. Cup never emptied without an ask for refill. Very attentive the entire time. We were sat in the 'C' dining area area. There were room upon room so there's plenty of seating. Each room with a slightly different theme. Ours had a wall of beautiful fish tanks. The dining area, food stations and bathrooms were all very clean, which is so important at a buffet. They even have gloves at the end of each station in case you didn't want to touch the serving utensils with your bare hands. The variety of food goes from everything you can imagine at a Chinese buffet like sushi and fried rice to American options like burgers and fries, to surprises in-between like New England clam chowder and prime rib. Tons of dessert- hard ice cream, cakes, pies, fruit, jello, even Crème brûlée and waffles. One of my favorite surprises was the variety of mocktails. Most places offer me pop as a mocktail or a Shirley Temple at best. Decent pricing. Father's Day special dinner menu was $50/pp (Canadian) about $36/pp (American) which is pretty great for all you get and that's WITH their high tax. I believe the refular pricing is about $10/pp less. A must try only 30 minutes from Western NY.

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    Buffet area
    Buffet area
    My lunch - mostly Chinese dishes and a super salad with all the works, plus a white sangria cocktail
    My lunch - mostly Chinese dishes and a super salad with all the works, plus a white sangria cocktail
    Exterior

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    Exterior
    Golden Duck

    Golden Duck

    3.5
    (116 reviews)
    32.4 km
    $$

    We came for the dim sum on a Saturday afternoon. It was outstanding…read more The place was packed, in booths and at tables, with Asian families enjoying traditional dishes like congee with roasted duck, and multiple types of noodle dishes and dumplings (bao). Although the dim sum menu is a single page, there are enough different kinds of foods here that even the pickiest of eaters will find something to satisfy them. Vegetarians and vegans will be happy here too. I was really pleased to see that hot and cold soy milks are offered: This restaurant caters to the Asian community, many of whom are lactose-intolerant. The bao are $5.50 - $6.50 for a steamer basket of 3-5 items; it's listed on the menu how many bao to expect, in case you're dining with a crowd. (And you really should!) The congee is listed as "small bowls" for $7.50, but I think at least 3-4 cups of soup fits there. It's easily shared. The stuffed eggplant I ate in Nanjing had ground pork, garlic scapes, and ginger. The ones served here are stuffed with an enormous sweet shrimp in each piece of tender eggplant: Better than I remember. The sesame balls were a little different too: I remember a pale, sweet paste inside a crispy deep-fried ball covered in sesame seeds. Here, the inner paste was sweet and black, but the flavor was the same. So was the joy in eating them. The pork with black bean sauce was so tender and delicious! We made that plate disappear! The har gow/crystal shrimp were perfect. We plan to return soon to try their spicy beef noodles ($13.95) and custard tarts - the recipe for which the Portuguese Jesuits brought to Macao in the 16th century. The atmosphere of the Golden Duck is very relaxed: A dim sum meal is usually a time to drink a little tea, eat a little food, and get caught up with family or friends. There's a full bar if you're celebrating; there's also a private banquet room. The regular menu is also available during the dim sum hours, as is a Mongolian buffet. The regular menu has Peking duck, available with some notice. My favorite celebration meal! Parking is in a strip mall lot, well off the street.

    The absolute WORST hot and sour soup I have ever had. It was thick and slimy, had nothing but 2…read morehunkss of tofu and a couple of bean sprouts and had zero flavor. Tried to add my own extras at jome to make it palatable, but couldnt get past the sliminess. The shredded beef szechuan style was also awful. Tasted like fish. Never again.

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    Buffet
    Buffet
    Beef noodle soup @ Golden Duck
    Beef noodle soup @ Golden Duck
    Exterior Golden Duck Buffalo NY

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    Exterior Golden Duck Buffalo NY

    Hot Lobster Dim Sum - dimsum - Updated August 2026

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