This was my first time trying Mei Sum Dim Sum in Chinatown and was relatively cheap. It's located in a tiny gated, but open building, on Nuu'anu Ave across from Mark's Garage. There is a small parking lot where you will turn left into and use a QR code to pay. If you decide to street park, keep in mind that it is FREE on Sundays. Also, keep in mind that this place is CLOSED on WEDNESDAY'S! I went with a couple friends around 12:00pm on a Monday so we wouldn't have to wait and got seated right away. We ordered quite a bit of dim sum: * Seafood dumplings: delicious * Pan fried fish cake: it was honestly just mid for me * Deep fried shrimp: typical * Pork with vegetable bun: typical * Bean curd roll: my least favorite. Just wasn't for me * Mochi rice: it was wrapped in Lotus leafs, but was also typical * Shrimp pork hash: yummy * Spinach with scallop dumplings: my absolute favorite! Besides dim sum, they have a regular menu where you can order from as well which has a wide variety. We were too ambitious on ordering dim sum that we were too full to order anything else. There have been reviews where they say there is a slight language barrier. I honestly didn't think so. We were greeted, seated, they took the order and brought the food. If you needed something else, you would wave down the staff since they actually leave you alone to eat. It was wonderful. They also have take out available too. read more

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Appreciate that Mei Sum has re-opened for dine-in service. Since Oahu is in Tier 2 of Mayor's order, you must follow protocol by signing in and providing your phone number. We were traipsing through downtown and needed to grab a bite and didn't want to move the car. It's nice to be able to sit and relax, enjoy your tea and meal in a clean environment: simple pleasures during the current pandemic. Having dined here numerous times, I'd have to recommend ordering from the menu. The dim sum we ordered that day was not steaming hot; the pi or wrappers did not have the proper texture. read more

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Great place, authentic dim sum almost in the heart of Chinatown. Affordable prices, delicious food overall great experience.

Went on Saturday night for dim sum. Out of most items on menu. Wanted to push things that were left over that no one else wants. Maybe just a bad night but on a weekend night I would think they would be stocked. Oh well, may try again one day. Food they did have was tasty tho. Stock up please! read more

The new normal, taking out during COVID19. We decided to drive around Chinatown to figure out where to pickup dim sum. Found parking right in front of Mei Sum, so why not :D I highly recommend if you plan to order from here then to call in your order a head of time. We did order a lot because we decided to buy extra to drop off for family. Our order took about 45 minutes to be ready. Overall the dim sum was good and fulfilled my craving. A huge MAHALO to Mei Sum for operating during this pandemic. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum (COVID19 Takeout) - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It's been many years since we've been back to Mei Sum since they moved to Nuuanu Avenue from Pauahi Street. A positive point is that there's still a parking lot right across the street. However, it costs $6 an hour. LOL! The dim sum was more expensive than I recalled, and the taste was a tad disappointing considering the cost. Although, the har gau and turnip cake was very tasty. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - L to R- black bean pork, shrimp & chive dumpling, siu mai, dry scallop dumplings, chicken and mushroom dumplings - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Lunch here on Jan 5, 2024 and my friend & I saw a huge, black rat run from the dining area to the kitchen then back to the dining area. We told the server after the first sighting and she "asked what kind?" And we responded "a big one!" Nothing was done as we thought would happen. We were grossed out and won't be coming here again. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - still tipped after rat sighting - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went there on a Sunday when it was fairly busy. Ordered chicken feet, bean curd pork and shrimp haw gow amongst other items. It took well over 20 mins for the food to arrive and when it did. The first thing I noticed was the bamboo steamer was cold. Which meant the food was cooked separately. Definitely a first as I thought dim sum food was always steamed with the bamboo steamer. The haw gow was completely frozen inside and the bean curd pork was cold too. Nice aunty apologize and took it back. Now I can't confirm but I'm pretty sure they tried to microwave it. It comes out a few minutes later. Same thing. Everything was cold inside. I literally poked my finger inside the chicken feet. The skin was hot, however the inside cartilage was cold. Overall the staff was friendly. But the food was just terrible. Staff was nice enough to give my kids "free" bbq buns as they knew they were hungry. As a visitor to the island, I definitely will not try this place again. read more

Service was great, a little more modern compared to other dim sum spots. They come by and take your order . The ladies working were so nice and everything came out hot and quickly. Although we got full quickly and didn't get to try as much as we wanted to , the best part of our meal was the garlic chicken. It was sooo delicious, crispy and garlicky. I wanted to scoop all the leftover garlic chips into my mouth but (manners) lol. The shrimp dumplings were a 5/10 it lacked flavor and that wow factor . I prefer Sing Cheong Yuan bakery over this dumplings. The chicken feet also lacked flavor and the beef tripe was bland. The Char Su hun was very good , nice and soft but not the best ive had. 4 stars because it wasn't awful it was just okay. read more

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There are so many dim sum spots in the city/Chinatown but this will always be my go to. It's not too busy on a Sunday. The quality is usually consistent every time I come here and the price is affordable. My faves are the pork hash, shrimp dumplings, fried taro and the look fun. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Ordered roast duck $17 upon arrival asked if the item is roast dick or deep fried duck, maybe they made a mistake. The duck was old, hard, non and deep fried. They would not admit... gave them 3 opportunity to make it better.. did not eat the duck , paid the bill and walked out .. Lost a customer read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Old roast duck - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of my favorite dim sum place on the island. The quality of food is good, fast, and efficient... if you're ordering from the kitchen be prepared to wait because it can get busy on holidays or rush hour... go during slower times of the day and the service is excellent. read more

Service: Terrible / inattentive 2 of the women decided to have a yelling argument Food: 4 items ordered (2 out of 4 items came warm not hot Ordered wonton soup ... it later ... a table that ordered a wonton soup after us got their before us Ambiance: okay read more

The food was very delicious and hot straight out of the kitchen. The atmosphere was nice and the service was quick.

On Christmas day, to enjoy the combination of present opening and good food, my family and I decided to order dim sum takeout from mei sum. I had ordered the day before, and it was a rather large order. I expected that parts of my order would be missing since I was going to be picking it up first thing in the morning. As soon as I got there, my order was waiting for me at the table and everything was as I had asked for. The cashier was very nice when she rang me up and the price of everything was quite reasonable. The food itself was very delicious. The tripe was very tender and tasty. The pork hash was very moist and savory. The har gow, fried taro and bean curd were all very delicious and succulent. Unfortunately, I think the chicken feet could've been left in the steamer a little bit longer. The tendons and skin were not very soft and we're a little gummy for my taste. All in all the food was very good and hit the spot. Sometimes when I eat Chinese food, I tend to go straight into a "kanak attack" due to all "seasonings" (cough* cough* msg cough*) that restaurants use. This was not the case after eating this gigantic feast. I had enough energy to enjoy Christmas and opening presents with my family. I'm a pretty generous grader when it comes to good food . However, in this case, I have to submit the score of three stars out of five. The only reason is because when I entered the restaurant to pick up my order, I noticed that there was a pigeon inside the restaurant by the front door. As I opened the door, the pigeon flew over the cash register and might have left its own "Christmas present" in the cash register area... If I do come back to this place, it'll probably be only for takeout and not for dining in. read more

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I really wanted to like this place. My wife and I were craving dim sum and I guess based on the hit or miss reviews I wanted to roll the dice. What we liked: tons of selection. They had cool things like fried king crab dim sum and the specials included fried oyster which was looking like a tempura style. What stood out was the prices was a little higher but I take that into account of this place being more central of Chinatown; therefore, higher operating costs, such as rent. Why two stars? Major reason was how it is a Friday night and they only have two people to take orders, bus tables, cashier, and serve the food. When we had to order, they were rushing us. They also suggest a 20% tip. It is hard since they do not have enough woman power to help everyone in a timely manner. We did not get water refills or checked up on after, so be sure to speak up if you want to order more. I do not want to come off critical but I humbly think this place is popular for a reason. We want to come back to try their non dim sum items since their dim sum was lacking in flavor. Major let down was the pork hash and pan fried pork bun. The other things we ordered was mediocre. I mean I still ate the left overs the next day. I am not picky but I think there are other options in the area worth trying. If you cannot find street parking, there is a municipal parking structure on the street behind of the restaurant. The parking is less than parking by Mark's garage. read more

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Mei Sum is very conveniently located in town & they also have street parking as well as a paid parking lot (find the sign to scan the QR code to pay parking) across the street. We've been eating here for years and they cook any Chinese food that you can think of even if you don't see a picture of it or see it listed on the menu. You get your dim sum very quickly ; when ordering form the menu like chow fun that might take a couple extra minutes Dim sum is my favorite food so this is why we go here; we always get: Shanghai dumpling Chicken and mushroom dumpling Baked snow cap taro bun Shrimp pork hash steamed look fun with shrimp Shrimp dumpling Seafood dumpling BBQ manapua bun I do enjoy their tea with my dim sum! You can even make group reservations! I will always continue to come here read more

Things were jumping in Chinatown due to Chinese New Year activities throughout the day and I somehow found this place around 11 am. It was busy but I got seated right away. Requested vegetarian options and they suggested a mixed vegetable plate with some white beans (similar to garbanzos) with vermicelli - I don't think it was on their menu which was all dim sum as far as I could see. Took an unusually long time to prepare, but was worth the wait, but fortunately I had two dim sum plates with shrimp to keep me going until the vegetable plate arrived. The serving staff was attentive and congenial. Really good place. read more

Happy to see OPEN sign in window once we parked in the $20 lot in front of Mark's Garage. We had enough time before our check in at Hawaii Theater for a sit down meal. They have dim sum made to order after 2 pm which brought smiles. The food comes out quickly. The waitresses are quick to remove the emptied bamboo steamers. The mochi rice was our favorite- comes two to a plate. Maybe we should have had two orders, SO good. Pass on the egg tart, sorry! Rest was very good. Restroom is gender neutral with stacked chairs. People keep streaming in, almost every table except two is now filled at 6:41 pm. Glad this location was close to where we need to be at next. read more

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Mei Sum Dim Sum is one of my favorite places for dim sum. The service is great and the food usually does not disappoint. On this visit, we ordered a bunch of different things. 1. Custard Tarts - The custard was delicious and creamy and the crust was flakey. 2. Salt & Pepper Pork Chop - very tasty with a generous amount of seasoning. 3. Deep Fried Seafood Seaweed - perfect crunch with soft seafood(crab, scallop, & shrimp) inside. 4. Deep Fried Garlic Eggplant - this is one of my favorites here. The eggplant is stuffed with scallop and maybe fish cake, lightly battered, deep fried, and topped with crunchy garlic pieces. Very delicious especially after dipping it into the mustard, soy sauce, sambal, mixture. 5. Deep Fried Garlic Chicken Wings - this is another favorite but this time the wings were a little pink on the inside. The wings are also lightly battered, deep fried, and topped with the garlic pieces. There is something about the garlic pieces and its flavor. 6. Shrimp Dumplings - Very good as usual. Shrimp wrapped in the steamed rice paper. Pretty simple but also delicious in the sauce. 7. Shrimp Look Fun - Flat rice noodle with shrimp rolled up and placed in a soy sauce. Very delish. Texture is a little softer than chow fun noodles. You can choose different options for the protien. 8. Shrimp & Snow Peas - shrimp stir fried with snow peas, carrots, and mushrooms. 9. Deep Fried Taro - Taro is smashed and placed on top of some flavored ground pork, then battered and deep fried. All of the food was delicious. The service was great. Our server came to our table often and checked on us. The place was not as clean as usual as our table appeared to have a sticky residue on it. Prices were reasonable. We ordered double and triple of several items and our bill was about $150. Our overall experience was good. read more

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It's great to have a dim sum place in Chinatown that offers dim sum day and night. When they do not have carts, you can order it off the menu and they prepare it for you. Pros: -dim sum all day and night -good mochi rice -a restroom is available. It looks like it also serves as a storage space Cons: -menus with photos are on the table. Unfortunately I did not realize until we ordered that depending on where you sit on the table, you might not be seeing all options (ie the person across of you might have a different menu in front of them) -I wouldn't recommend eating things from the window if it was sitting out all day and you come here at night read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Limited dim sum options and more like 2.5 stars, but will give 3 stars for serving dim sum during dinner hours. They were so many fliers inside the restaurant! They were so annoying. I know it is a Chinese restaurant but other dim sum restaurants aren't as bad. The food was mediocre. The ha gow and shu Mai were not memorable. Service was okay, but also there were only a few tables occupied during my visit. Wouldn't necessarily come back on my next visit. read more

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I truly enjoy going to Mei Sum Dim Sum with coworkers for lunch. It's the 1st time we've all gotten together in 20 months We had to make a reservation as well as show our vaccination cards. I didn't have any issue with either of these requirements. We arrived at 1:30pm, our reservation was for 2pm. The young lady took us right in. We started with Hot Tea. Sharon began to order family style. Scallop Dumplings, Pork Hash, Red Bean Jin Dui, various Dim Sum choices, soft shell crabs, Char Sui, Noodles, pan seared bun, garlic fried rice & dried scallop dumplings. I had an bowl of corn chicken soup. It was enough to serve 5 of us. Every dish was hot and fresh. It just kept coming and coming. We we so enjoyed the company as much as the food. This spot is a hidden gem on Nuuanu Ave. it's been here for years but I truly don't come here often enough. Will definitely be back in the near future! read more

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It's one of the best Dim Sum places in Honolulu The food was delicious and the service was excellent. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - It's one of the best Dim Sum places in Honolulu - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

As dim sum is a breakfast/lunch tradition in Hong Kong, this is the only place to get it late for dinner, that I know of in downtown Chinatown! I could be wrong tho?! If cash poor, only order the starred * items below to share & split w/ur best friend (cuz ur a nice person?)! Or not! Ha! Hope this helps! Especially for first timers to the restaurant & newbies to the dim sum life! NOTE: Remember every1 there is in a hurry, speak Chinese as a 1st language & you are an absolute pain in the okole (butt). Once U acclimate yourself to this humbling thought process, U will see that they really DO give great service, U jus gotta be patient, assertive & know what U want when ordering. Study the menu ahead of time & know that anything FRIED should be ordered 1st, as it takes the longest to prep/cook, especially during peak dinner hours! ENJOY!!! MUST HAVES: *Fried shrimp + EXTRA mayo (3-pcs/order) Spinach dumpling w/scallops (3) Mushroom chicken dumpling (3) WOW! *Look Fun Char Siu fat noodle + EXTRA sauce *Deep fried garlic chicken wings (4) WOW! *Garlic eggplant Deep fried garlic eggplant fishcake *Char Siu Pork Gin Dui (3) Steamed egg custard bao (3) for dessert read more

Years ago, on a visit to Maui, I fell in love with Teddy's Burgers. Oh my god, I couldn't get enough Teddy's. Every day my wife asked, where do you want to eat today, and every time I answered Teddy's! I think we ate there like four or five times in one week. She still teases me about how obsessed I was with Teddy's tater tots (those suckers are good!). Oh, but now the table has turned. My wife fell for this place, Mei Sum, like I fell for Teddy's. (In truth, I loved Mei Sum as much as her, but I played it off like this was her Teddy's, just to keep the score card even). We ended up visiting here three times in the ten days we were on Oahu. The dim sum was outstanding, I've never had better. Standouts for me were the Shrimp Dumplings with Chives, the Potstickers, and the utterly fantastic Deep Fried Garlic Chicken Wings. My wife favored the Shrimp Look Fun, the Dried Scallop Dumplings and the Mochi Rice in Lotus Leaf. After our first visit, there was little doubt we would be craving more of this deliciousness before we left for home. Our first visit was on a Sunday. We were back on Tuesday and Thursday. Only regret is not having enough time to make a fourth visit. The Deep Fried Garlic Chicken Wings here are not to be missed. So crisp, so garlicy and so moist inside. Normally, I never order chicken wings in restaurants because I make my own at home and mine are freaking excellent. But another couple was seated next to us immediately after we were seated and before the hostess could walk away, the guy orders the Deep Fried Garlic Chicken Wings. There was a particular urgency his voice. Not like he was rushed, but rather like what he was saying was really, really important. He sat up and leaned forward in his chair as he spoke. It seemed as if he had been thinking about that order all morning. Like those wings couldn't possibly appear on the table soon enough. That was testimony enough for me. When the waitress came back to check on us, I ordered me up some wings. The guy at the next table looked my way and nodded. I nodded back, thank you brother. As difficult as it is to admit, these wings are better than mine. Not just a little better, either. The wings here at Mei Sum put my wings to shame. It was quite humbling. Mikey C says: forget it Jake, it's Chinatown. read more

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CODY ordered take out CODY chose seafood vegetable cake noodle CODY food was ample and tasty CODY staff were friendly and efficient CODY thought restaurant was clean and inviting CODY will order more food in the future read more

Dim sum was decent. Servers were nice. Ambiance is like a hole in the wall. The chicken feet was flavorful. The mochi fried balls could use more filling. Char Siu baos were decent. The har gao was bland. read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A buddy of mine were looking for Dim Sum and read a review of Mei Sum that mentioned a language barrier. We thought this translates to authentic and we're not disappointed. If speaking Chinese is not your forte, don't worry, the menu has pictures. We actually tried 7 different type and found them not only authentic but very delicious! Can't wait to go back here and will take our visiting friends for a true Chinatown experience. Thank you for a great meal Mei Sum!! read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The reviews had me a little hesitant to eat here. Deep fried garlic chicken wing- It came with deep fried garlic on top that exploded everywhere. Very bland but PERFECT skin on it Shanghai dumpling- Very flavorful! Great ginger. Have to ask for soup spoon because they don't give it with you. Sweet red bean sesame ball: sweet subtly. Freshly made! Good crunch to them. Pork and shrimp hash: good flavors texture took some getting used to Mochi rice ball- very good but very filling Bbq pork/ delicious. Had a lot of breading Overall it's a good restaurant. Wendy took care of my party. She is quick and to the point. I can respect that. I went around 6pm and was able to find street parking two blocks away, a nice walk after a filling dinner. The establishment is not the cleanest but it is nice and cool inside. read more

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Twice I came here in the past 3 months and both times they demanded a tip. From our recent visit and after I paid up at the front, I was planning on leaving a cash tip on the table after we get up and leave, but the lady came back to our table 2x to demand a tip. I ended up not leaving anything because they demanded a tip. Very rude service! Like other reviews for this place would say.... Avoid this place if you don't want to be harassed for a tip! read more

I love how interactive and friendly our sever was. Since we came in during non-peak hours, we were served right away, and our food all came in within 10-15 minutes. The price is reasonable and might actually be cheaper than quality and taste of the food. My favorite one was the Kung Pao Chicken. Tip: public parking is right across from the restaurant, but you need to pay for it. read more

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First time here. I have heard about this dim sum place from a few of my clients. I figure I gave it a try. I was immediatly greeted by Wendy, seated right away. I ordered bean curd roll, shrimp pork hash, tripe, crispy deep fried seafood and Mei Sum house special noodles. Bean curd roll was perfectly flavored, it had pork and carrots. Shrimp pork hash was a little smaller than other dim sum place but you get 4 pieces instead of 3 pieces like most dim sum place. It was a little more salty than expected but tasty. The tripe were moist and chewy, in a good way. The crispy deep fried seafood was so delicious. Love how crispy the fried won ton strip and the welled season stuffed seafood on the inside. If I wasn't full I would order another one. While devouring my picks, Jean ( I assumed the owner) strike a conversation with me. We spoke about Chinese New Year. My work, how I ended up here. Our conversation was genuine and friendly. The whole atmosphere filled with local vibes and great conversations. Like eating at your friend's place. Parking is a little tricky. If you're on Beretania make a left by the church into underground garage. Way cheaper than parking across the street unless you're lucky like me and found street parking. read more

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My go to Dim Sum place in Downtown Honolulu Chinatown. Metered Street Parking or Public Lots are the most reasonable. There is a Paid Private Lot across the street. Entrance is on Nu'uanu Ave. They accept Cash and Credit. Take out is available. Been coming here for years. I first started coming with my Mama at their previous location before moving to the current place. Food always taste consistent. I order Garlic Choy Sum with oyster sauce on the side as soon as I get seated. It takes a little longer then the dim sum baskets and plates. My usual order is Shrimp Pork Hash, and Crispy Shrimp Dumpling. A few months ago I had lunch with Friends and they introduced me to Pan Fried Turnip Cake which I like. Today my lunch partner ordered a few things I tried for the first time. Spinach Scallop Dumplings and Pot Stickers. I usually get Egg Custard Tarts but today I ordered Sweet Coconut Sesame Balls. read more

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The service may be blunt and lacking any personal touches but the food and dim sum is always spot on. It's BYOB so that's a plus. Parking is not the greatest there is a paid lot but stalls are tight. I usually do a few turns around the block and find street parking, worth the walk. Basic Chinese restaurant set up with round tables and tablecloths, bathroom needs updating. I recommend this place and have been coming for years read more

I had the opportunity to come and eat at this place. People kept telling me how delicious the food tastes. The food tastes like it has been prepared by a 5 star chef. They were right. Mei Sum looks like the typical Chinese restaurant found in Chinatown. From the outside, Mei Sum does not stand out. Upon entering the restaurant, we see an ocean of tables. Covered with white table cloths, Mei Sum restaurant looks neat and well kept. Servers come to patrons right away and ask if they plan to do a take out or sit in to dine. The dim sum carts come around and serve, you guessed it, dim sum. The menu includes shrimp dumplings, meat dumplings, and sesame balls with black beans. They taste fabulous. Anyone can order from the regular menu. One of my favorite dishes include seafood fried noodles. Delicious. The servers speak English and Cantonese. A perfect way for me to practice my language skills! I enjoy coming here as it reminds me of the Chinese restaurants in NYC. The dining experience tends to be comforting and light. Come and bring your date, family, friends, or even coworkers. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Dim sum is served all day, but after 2pm it's made to order. I found out today even before 2pm, some items are still made to order. Deep fried taro and soft shell crab were 2 dishes made fresh by the kitchen. Unfortunately, it took us 40 minutes to get the crab. The taro was still not ready so we had to cancel it. As it was, everyone was already full after the long wait. We just order dim sum although you can also order dishes if you prefer to order that way or supplement your dim sum plates. The staff is great with customers. They're nice and I love that they keep our water glasses full without us having to ask. The restaurant always seems clean. We all know some restaurants could use help in the cleanliness aspect. This one isn't so bad (knock on wood, hope it stays that way). Worth a try if you're having dim sum! read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim sum 2/2 - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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So good!! My friend and I left stuffed for only $36 total. Basically unheard of these days. I loved every dish. Excellent soup dumplings! This will be my go-to dim sum restaurant from now on read more

Mei Sum Dim Sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This spot was open for dine in and carry out during covid. Food came out very quick and the service was ok. You don't come to this kind of establishment expecting great service. The food good but I have had better dim sum. read more

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Best bean curd and har gao. Clean and efficient service if they only had parking but happy with food quality and portions