I don't even know where to start, but I guess it will have to be that I'm so sad I missed the rave event they hosted here LOL. Back to the actual topic of food though, honestly any dim sum here in HK exceeds Houston by so much that I can't even bridge the gap with words. Portions were larger, dumpling skin was thinner/softer, rice noodle/rolls were silkier, and pork ribs were so damn tender. The flavor of chicken feet done just right. Maybe this is nothing special for those who have regular access to dim sum in HK. For those of us overseas who can only find half decent imitations, Lin Heung Lou is as good as it gets #373 read more

Old school place for dim sum with a great vibe and superb har gow, translucent skins, right number of folds. Pai gut (pork spareribs) pretty good too, although not too meaty. Service is good, main knock was that selection was more limited than I expected for such a well-established place. Still, well worth a visit of you're doing a dim sum tour of Hong Kong, even if it's not my favorite place. read more

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After landing at the airport, we headed for Lin Heung Tea House, probably the only place we could get dim sum at 8am. There was no line and we were seated immediately and did not have to share a table. This is one of the few remaining restaurants with cart, maybe four or five that go around the cramped room. There is a station in the middle of the room with the steamed items like char siu baos, har gow, siu mai and chicken feet. The food is probably more like three or three and half stars. Nothing to go out of your way for. The best thing about this place is the history - 100 years in this location - and the fact that it was open early. Since Yelp doesn't allow 3.5 stars, I'm rounding up to 4, just for the history. Their restaurant in Central closes in April and will be reopening elsewhere. Lin Heung Lau also has a 24-hour restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui. read more

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I have not been here since 10 years ago. This place has been around since a long time ago, and they keep a lot of the originals decorations. The bank sponsorship is the only new things that is added. This place was very busy during lunch time. I recommended coming over during brunch time. There was a line when I got here, but the line moved very quickly. Tables are very closed to each other, so be ready that you will bump into others shoulder. Also, if you are party of less than 4, you might have to share a table with strangers (this is a tradition, and I see this as an opportunity to meet new friends). You can choose your favorite tea, and my go to is po yi. There is a dim sum station set up in the middle of the restaurant, and you will have to take your "dim sum card" with you when you order the food. Keep this dim sum card secure as you will need this for the bill. I ordered the traditional pork stomach siu mai, bean curd roll, scollop dumpling, and cotton chicken. The dim sum tastes very delicious. I will come back for more next time! read more

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It is sad that Lin Heung Lau has become a caricature of itself in 2026. It's been decades since I've been here. What used to be one of the most iconic places for a quintessential tea house experience is now reduced to a madhouse of a tourist hot spot where the lines are long and the rush takes away from what yum cha is all about. Gone is the relaxing act of drinking tea, enjoying the experience of a leisurely yum cha with family and friends. Instead, tourists rush in, grab their baskets, gobble the food, then quickly leave. Rinse, lather, repeat. The dim sum is just okay. If you're looking for delicate, perfectly refined morsels of dim sum, this is not the place. But if you want to say you've been to the iconic Lin Heung Lau, then come just to say you've been here. read more

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An intimate, traditional dim sum tea house in Hong Kong. Food is good, but it wasn't my favorite dim sum spot. Having read a previous review (from Anita L.) and from my experience, I think you can actually skip going. It's truly "Rinse, lather, repeat" experience and I don't think you get the yum cha experience you'd want. I've had a better experience at a dim sum place in NYC... If you do go, the pandan steamed layer cake (dessert) was so good, but very filling-- make sure to have it at the end. I also really liked the golden lava buns/ liu sha bao. They are known for their meat dishes, but because my friends didn't eat meat, we missed out. You can order dishes, but for dim sum, you get up and pick out which ones you want. Service is okay, but my take is that it's a pass. read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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This was a chaotic, but good spot for dim sum! The place we were trying to go to originally seemed too packed so we found this spot instead. When we arrived, we only had to wait a few minutes before getting seated. They do have carts walking around between tables so if anything looks good you can take from there, but the more popular items are all in one cart, which you have to walk up to. We got a huge spread of items, all of which I thought were pretty good. Nothing too outstanding that I haven't had before, but all very solid. I think my favorite items were the lo mai gai, ham sui gok, and the baked bbq pork buns, but they were all yummy. It was loud and noisy but that just adds to the authenticity of the experience, so I'd definitely recommend! read more

Wow, heard about this place for a long time and finally here for DimSum. The old building still keeping their old decors just the bank sponsorship is the new thing. They do kept them clean and up today as much as they could but you can see the old stuffs that had been there for decades. Waited for 20mins to get a table that we shared with another couple. You got to go couple stations to get the DimSum, but they do have 3-4 cards that go around for you to pick out. It's big place but packed with tables that you just either keep hitting into people or something by for sure. The staff are that do the DimSum stations and cards are wonderfully nice and friendly with a smile on their face. The foods are amazingly delicious. Great portion for a great prices. There ALOT of foods for sure and I wish I could try them all but can't do, it's a lot. But so glad that I got a chance to try one of the oldest place for great DimSum in HK. read more

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Can't go to Hong Kong without eating dim sum! It wasn't too crazy packed on a Wednesday morning but still kind of busy. Depending on the number of people they put you with others and you share the space. There's a shelf right under the top table to store the tea and stuff as well. Aunties will come around with carts from time to time but they have two fixed areas to walk up to and order. Then they circle the paper they give you in the beginning. Our waitress was super nice. We initially kind of spread everything out and she came over and told us to stack because of space. But when she noticed I was trying to take a picture she arranged everything for me nicely. And showed me where to put some of the extra things on the table. They have curry squid here! The last time I had it was decades ago at the dim sum place we frequented back when I was little in LA. Cue tears of joy. Excellent dim sum. Awesome chrysanthemum tea. read more

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The original place we wanted to eat for dim sum at a private event that day, so I was somewhat scrambling to find a back up plan on Google maps, and didn't get a chance to read thorough ratings. Reading through though, confirmed my experience. Overall food was good, but nothing vastly different or better quality than dim sum I've had in America (I've had the privilege to eat in NYC and DC area which has some great spots). If you want the hectic experience that Lin Heung Lau offers, feel free, but as tourists who just wanted to some really good food and had walked 10 miles the day before, we were stressed!! There was one main dim sum trolley by the kitchen entrance, and we were unfortunately seated all the way in the back, the furthest you can be from that cart haha. So we rotated between us all going up to order some fresh dishes - making sure to bring a tray and our ticket/bill. A lot of the dishes we typically enjoy ordering weren't available and had sold out for the day (especially the char siu buns!) There were a few trolleys that did come around but either they had dishes we weren't interested in (same with tables, since the vendors didn't seem to sell much of the food, so they were continuously going around with that same food). Some other aspects of service that were confusing was there was a sauce station, and while the sauce bowls were in reach, there was a staff member who was stationed there making the sauces themselves far out of reach so we had to ask the staff member to get it for us. We were seated next to a group of older folks at the same table, who started chatting us up and sharing the tradition of yum cha and the pouring of tea with us (you pour the first steep into a "trash bowl" of sorts, and actually drink the second steep). Eating here was an experience for sure, but given the price and quality (price was as expensive as the US! and quality wasn't extra special), I'd consider different options... If you do decide to go here, just know what you're getting into! read more

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Dim sum with hectic, spoon and bowl clanking harmonics -- CHECK! Yum-cha service available for a decent portion of the day (until 16:00) -- CHECK! To be precise, we came at 14:20 for a late lunch. Workers moved with on-character haste even though the yum-cha service was evidently winding down, tables largely thinned out of patrons. We were seated in this upstairs dim sum dining room immediately and at our own table. You're pretty much in the trenches when it comes to accessing the carts, so it's best to send someone with your order form on the hunt directly to them. We did just that and got all the goodies (i.e. har gow, siu mai, shrimp rice roll, etc)! It was around 38 HKD and under (3-4 USD) for each dim sum. As per the norm, each item was priced on a tier system from mid-range to top/ premium items. It was 360 HKD total for 7 items and tea. Excellent pricing, in my humble opinion, with ultra tasty dim sum. read more

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Located in the Tsang Chiu Ho Building for more than a century it was after a 20-month closure that Lin Heung Lau reopened in April 2024, the Tea House and Dim Sum Parlor returning to its traditional cart-style service popular for both the quality and low prices. A two-story space on Wellington Street, tightly packed tables navigated by trained staff with a variety of items, guests are invited to approach stationary podiums reloaded frequently to make selections or to wait patiently for gracious servers offering Soups and Sweets. Featured in films and print, though on this day a packed house appeared entirely local, best bites come from molten-centered Egg Yolk Buns and delicate Har Gow while Sticky Rice Wraps, Congee and Siu Mai also perform admirably. read more

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A very old school, traditional tea and dim sum house. My partner and I specifically came here because they still do the trolley experience and it's so fun. However, instead of waiting for the trolley to come to you here, you must get up and forage your own sustenance before all the good stuff is gone! We came during the mid-autumn holiday weekend, many other restaurants were closed so we were glad they were opened. We shared a table with another couple that shortly finished up after we got seated. We got the staples, shrimp dumpling, sui mai, rice rolls, tripe, bean curb wraps, and a few other items. The dim sum was fresh, delicious and still steaming hot because the auntie just push the trolley out of the kitchen. We enjoyed every bit of this place, including the old school decor, super quick service, the food and the overall experience. If you're up for a different kind of dim sum experience, definitely check out Lin Heung. read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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Old timey place that is now full of mainland tourists. There are maybe 2 od 3 left in HK. The spittoons are gone but the boiling pots of water for tea is still next to the pillars are still there. Happily, the food is still pretty good but cacophony of the crowds & clatter of plates is not very soothing. read more

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We came by to have dimsum for dinner and it wasn't too packed. Most tables ordered more typical dinner type dishes and added dimsum on the side... not us! We were on a mission to have dimsum in Hong Kong before we left. My friends, being non-Chinese, were fascinated by the concept of a lady at a cart where customers would line up and "fight" over the dishes they wanted to grab; first come, first served. I was amused at their excitement and let them take the honours haha. Pricing was mid to higher end for dimsum, sure the portion sizes were decent, but I felt like the variety left much to be desired. It was the same kinds of dishes rolling out every 15 minutes (har gow, siu mai) and I was really craving some rice rolls or wu kok. Perhaps it was because we came by late at night so there wasn't as much variety. I'm glad my friends enjoyed themselves though and it was a highlight of the trip! read more

Somehow much more expensive than a lot of other places with average tasting dishes. Packed with locals and tourists alike. Quite a vibe with the push carts but not worth the price read more

amazing dim sum delicious tea quick and polite service wish i lived in hong kong so i could eat here all the time read more

蓮香茶室 - dim sum yum - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

If you like "firsts", and you like crowds, then you'll like Lin Heung Tea House, the oldest "yum chai" ("to drink tea") eatery in Hong Kong - so I guess that means, it's the first and oldest yum chai tea house in the world. In truth, Lin Heung Tea House was at least the oldest still existing yum chai eatery in the Guangzhou Province of China, opening in 1889 in central Hong Kong. Its original shop in China is still there, and we went to it. The Yan family is the current owner and operator of Hong Kong Lin Heung, and they have owned it for generations. But how did I get here? I came here first in the late summer of 1985, when my mother insisted on hauling my 26 year old butt to China, after she visited Epcot with my niece, and saw the panoramic Guilin exhibition at Epcot's Chinese Pavilion - and she became inspired. I had been to Europe a number of times by then, twice with my parents and twice with my friends. But this was my first trip to Asia, and it was sure great that my mother was footing the bill. We began our adventure in Japan, flying then to China for a four week tour of the PRC, which ended up in Hong Kong for our final week. And believe me, after 33 days in the Peoples Republic of Communist China moments after the death of Chairman Mao, where everyone dressed the same, and there were nothing but bicycles on the streets, I was overjoyed to finally land in a city that had cars, electric lights, and a decent Health Care System. Our fellow tourists, including our Canadian guide, were so overjoyed to be out of the Peoples Republic, with its pigs ears for breakfast and its hacked up fish with bones, that all they wanted in this hundred year old British Colony was to get a pile of cheeseburgers and crawl into their air conditioned hotel room to watch some English language Television. But not me, or my mom. While everybody else on the tour raced off as fast as they could to the nearest McDonald's, my mother and I took a taxi to the oldest Dim Sum place in Hong Kong, Lin Heung Tea House. Up a long flight of red ceramic stairs was one of the most crowded and loud restaurants I have ever been to. The energy in the room was electrifying. As each jam packed steamer cart emerged from the kitchen, customers leapt from their chairs, pushing their way to it waving their dim sum count slip above their heads, quacking loudly in high pitched Cantonese. It reminded me of traders trying to buy stocks at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or a neck to neck horse race. They descended on the cart like birds of prey, and in moments the cart was empty. This happened over and over again with each cart that emerged. And nobody seemed bothered by the noise or the running and the pushing; not even the aged women who were pushing the carts. In fact, everybody appeared to be enjoying themselves. It took a while for my mother and me to be seated, but when we finally were, our own horse race began. I leapt out of the starting gate like a crazy person and descended on the nearest cart as if I had been doing it all of my life. And it was delicious: cheap and delicious. And I got a free workout to boot. HERE'S SOME HISTORY AND FACTS ABOUT DIM SUM (not written by me) During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), people would stop by small houses to catch-up with each other and drink tea. In Cantonese, drinking is "yum" , and tea is "cha". There weren't many tables, just benches and seats where people could rest for a moment. "Tea", written茶, is pronounced chá in Mandarin and Cantonese, but te in the dialect of Southern Fujian Province and Taiwan. What is yum cha called in USA? Literally meaning 'drink tea' in Cantonese, yum cha is as common a meal in Hong Kong as coffee and toast in Western culture, where Chinese tea is enjoyed with dim sum at traditional tea houses. The world's oldest tea remains have been dated to 453BC-410BC in China in a new study by archaeologists from Shandong University and scientists from the University of Science and Technology Beijing. The 2,400-year-old remains of tea leaves were discovered in a royal tomb in Zoucheng, Shandong province Unsurprisingly China is top of the charts as the spiritual home of the humble cuppa and tops the list as the world's largest tea producing country. China produces some 40% of the world's tea weighing in at 2.4 million tons. read more

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很久沒有吃，我小時候最喜歡食的黑芝麻！ 在美國不易找到。 We hopped off the mid level Central escalator and walked over to this restaurant. The restaurant has been around since 1920s but was closed for a few years and now has a new owner. The service was attentive. It has a lively atmosphere with old school charm. The food was delicious and it's obvious it was not premade from a frozen package. Their gift shop sells tea leaves, some of which are 20 years old! read more

蓮香茶室 - black sesame dessert - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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Survival of the fittest! That is what's going to happen if you come here. Not only do you have to get your own table, you have to grab your own food as well. The restaurant is packed with other patrons standing behind tables waiting for them to finish eating. Once they get up, you better sit down otherwise someone will try to grab the seats. Sharing tables is common in Asia as well. Once you are seated, the waiter may take some time to come over and clear the table. He will provide a bowl and hot tea to wash your utensils. If you do not have napkins in Asia, good luck because most places will not provide them. The waiter will give you a stamp card as well which you use to get your dimsum. There were two areas in which the dimsum carts will go to. They do not serve the dimsum until they get to the area so have fun maneuvering to their spot. Each time they came out of the kitchen, they usually had 4 different plates you could choose from. If people know they have har gow (shrimp dumpling) or siu mai (pork and shrimp dumpling) they will flock to them like hungry savages. You may lose a hand trying to get one of those. Overall I thought the dimsum was okay but I was disappointed that I did not get to try the har gow and siu mai. It was pretty pricey as well compared to other dimsum places. read more

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You can't skip out on Lin Heung if you're in HK. It's just one of those last places that still serve dim sum in a cart. You have the option of ordering your tea in an individual tea set or just the typical pot. This isn't a place to really just sit and relax. You look for your own table, there's no host. The chairs are not the most comfortable, and the tables are close to one another. If you have a small group, there's a high chance you'll be sharing the table with some other folks. I'd say come early as some of the rice dishes get sold out mid morning (10am). Keep that stamp card close by you, because you'll want to bring that with you when you fight everyone in your way to your food. Kidding, it's not that violent. But you do have to get up from time to time to get your food. The carts might be empty by the time they come by your table. They have quite a bit of dishes that I haven't quite seen at other restaurants. There's the fish maw wrap, pig liver shumai, big bun (with chicken, egg, etc filling), roasted pork belly bun. You'll also have the classics like barbecue pork bun, malay cake, egg tarts. I love their malay cake, it's very soft and spongey, light and airy, with just a hint of sweetness. read more

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I had dim sum here with some Japanese and Mainland China friends one of my last trips to HK. It is RAW. You basically seat yourself, where you can find chairs, and then you go for it. The dim sum is good, and cheap. Their Tea is good and authentic. They don't have napkins. At one point the soy sauce dripped on my poppy colored pants. I was in a state of disarray. They also don't take credit credits cards. So although I offered and had every intention of paying the tab for our group, they don't take credit card (on short 2-3 day trips I rarely get cash for HK), so my Japanese friend ended up picking up the check. I was surprised to see that is place is pretty raw. I mean I don't think I had been to a place where Chinese get up and walk to the cart to get the dim sum in a while. This place is as another review put it, dirty. I suspect the kitchen is filthy, but hey it is a taste of old HK. I'll come back. But I'd need to make sure to have HKD on me. read more

蓮香茶室 - Dim Sum w/Japanese and Harbin friends at a very tradition (read old) Dim Sum joint. Cash only. - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

Lin Heung is one of the traditional bakery and restaurant that has been in Hong Kong for a very long time. It's one of those cannot miss restaurants in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, it is closing next week after more than 80 years. Therefore, my parents and I had to visit one last time. Excellent dim sum. I especially couldn't get enough of their egg yolk bun. Of course, they are well known for many other things such as lotus seed bun and moon cakes. I feel very sad for the employees that will be out of a job next week. Many of them appear to me to have been there for a very long time. My parents and I am so glad that we got to experience this legendary restaurant for one last time. We will miss you, Lin Heung! read more

蓮香茶室 - Lin Heung in Chinese. - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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The boyfriend's aunt took us out to eat dim sim at Lin Heung Tea House. This place is best known for being one of the old school dim sum places around. If you look up at the ceiling, you will notice birdcages with fake birds. My boyfriend was telling me way back when, locals would come to eat dim sum and bring their pet birds with them on their outing. How cute! Lin Heung is different from the dim sum places we have back at home. Once you arrive, you seat yourself and usually it is common to share tables with strangers, so don't be shy to just plop down at a table that has some space available. Additionally, instead of carts filled with delicious dim sum items coming around to each table, you make the trek out to grab the food from the carts. Now this part is where it can get messy as many, many people will crowd over the carts to get the more popular items such as the hargow and siu mai. However, there are still plenty of other items to try out even if those items are all gone by the time you make it to the cart. Lastly, service is almost nonexistent. There will be a staff that initially comes and brings you the stamp card, tea, and a bowl to wash your utensils. If you are fortunate, you will also be able to get the "old school" teapot versus the regular teapot. The boyfriend had a lot of fun pouring with this old school teapot. Also big pro tip, always carry some hand sanitizers and napkins with you! Overall, the food was appetizing, but I think the experience was much more fulfilling. I had to deduct an additional star because the day we were there Lin Heung had no running hot water, which meant not much food was being made and I was also forced to question the cleanliness of things. Lin Heung is a hot spot for locals and tourists alike. Again, food was tasty, but the experience was far more memorable. read more

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If you want THE authentic dim sum experience, make your way to Lin Heung! And by authentic, I mean all the commotion, hot tea spilling, and savory dumplings to your heart's content. Not the best per se for new Asian travelers, but perhaps the one meal to set the tone for all your food adventures in Hong Kong. Insider tip: You have to be proactive here, competitive even, as all the best dim sum is practically auctioned-off as they enter the vicinity. read more

I went in hungry, I left hungry. Excited to check out one of the oldest tea houses in HK, I went in with good spirits. You have to find your own seat here and then someone will ask you what tea you want- or he just happens to be still cleaning my table so he asked; not sure. I was a bit alarmed when he just wiped down the oily table with water and then put my chopsticks on the table! Good thing you get to rinse all your utensils and cups/ plates prior to eating. I didn't get a teapot, but an individual cup and basically was spilling half of the bitter tea when I was pouring. You will always share a table unless you come in a big group and get lucky to get your own table. We came at 11AM on a Thursday and found a seat easily. Lots of old folks and I saw some foreigners. Bathroom is okay. I thought the dishes were pretty small. I didn't get any of the dishes I usually eat so I basically didn't eat, but my mom got some random dishes that she had to get up and fight for. 5 dishes and the bill was $168HKD and only one person was full. I had pretty much 2 pieces of spareribs and 2 pieces of chicken feet. There is NOT ENOUGH food on the carts. I would never come here again and the food was not good. Great that it's a taste of old school - but I rather go somewhere else and actually get to eat. I went to get a meal somewhere else after this. Unless you really need to go to one of the oldest tea houses, I recommend you skip this and go to a different dim sum restaurant. I've never had such a horrible experience where there was not enough dim sum. You can order off the menu but I think it's rice dishes and soups. No thanks- overpriced and gross and not enough for the crowd. read more

I don't know why anyone would subject themselves to stressful dining experience offered here. There is zero customer service, the ambience is pure chaos and the food is actually quite bad. We were told by a HK person living in the USA that this is one of the only yum cha place that still uses push carts. Also it was supposed to be old school. Came here for lunch before 12pm and the place was already packed. There was no wait staff and you are supposed to find your own seat which meant sharing table with maybe one or two other parties and competing with other guests for any empty seat. If you make a mistake of seating yourself on an empty chair without checking with the rest of the party there, you could be scolded for it. And that wouldn't be the first scolding of the afternoon! When you find a seat, someone will come over and set you up with tea and an order card. You are supposed to walk up to a cart if one happens to be nearby with the order card, and wrangle for some dim sum from the cart lady. The 4-5 times I walked up to a passing cart, I had to fight with 10 or more patrons for the cart pusher's attention. I once made a mistake of grabbing a dish and was angrily told off by the lady who said I was being impatient. What was one supposed to do when there was absolutely no system in place to get your food? I had to stand out amongst some burly men and aggressive women who elbow you out of the way. All these hungry folks surrounding the cart fighting for food and if you are not assertive, there would be no food left. The experience left me quite traumatised. Alright, once you get your food, are they any good? Was it worth it? The answer sadly is NO. The char siu bao was all dough and little meat. The two types of dumplings we had were ok and the skin fell off the filling as soon as I picked it up. The sticky rice in lotus leaf was quite bland. This restaurant is truly a case of hype which made it a destination for curious tourists. I don't recommend this place. read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

If you want a memorable dim sum experience in Hong Kong this is the place to go. Some friends were visiting and we decided to check out this iconic dim sum place in Hong Kong. We got here around 10:30am and took us about 10 minutes to find a table for 6 people. We came prepared knowing we would need to fight for our food so we sent our friend out first and she managed to slip in through the crowd of people to the lady at the dim sum card for some dim sum. We had the traditional dim sum fare like the shrimp dumplings, Siu Mai, glutinous rice rolls with shrimp, sponge cake and I think the short ribs rice was the best. All of these food tasted average but we were really here for the experience. It helps if you send tall guys with longer arms to the cart to grab and catch the lady's attention and one who's not afraid of holding hot bamboo cages of food. We came here for food and got our round of exercise as we battle our way to the food carts. It's a tourist trap but a memorable experience to say the least! read more

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You try traditional Dim Sum? Lin Heung Tea House (蓮香樓) and Lin Heung Kui (蓮香居) are same group. I was born in Hong Kong, welcome everybody to ask me questions about Hong Kong. read more

蓮香茶室 - Steamed Meat Ball - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

Came here for dim sum. I've had better in America. PROS: Old style dim sum with carts Reasonable prices Dining with locals CONS: Bringing your card to the carts No menu or description of dim sum Just okay tasting Not very clean Small variety of dim sum read more

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My favourite place to go for Yum Cha when i m back to Hong Kong. Dont worry if you dont speak local language. Bring the card waiter gave u when sit you down, and point at things you like when the trolley go by your table. Love their tea too. Ask for recommendations from waiters. They know everything read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

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Fantastic local spot for dim sum. Hole in the wall type vibes add to the whole experience. I went with a group during lunchtime on a weekday-- it was super packed! However, tables turn over quickly as they often combine tables for groups (to maximize seating capacity). This is common in many HK restaurants. Their dim sum did not disappoint! In other words, try everything. Can't wait for the next time I get sum...!! read more

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Let me preface my review by saying that I lived in Shanghai for 2 years, & travelled widely & extensively in China, often in remote areas. So I know (& cherish) the authenticity of Chinese cuisine, and sought it out. Often these modest restaurants were basic, but cleanliness & hygiene (at least for China) was maintained, the food was genuinely authentic & delicious, and the owners & staff were always friendly and engaging. If you're looking for anything that approximates that here, you will be deeply disappointed. The dirtiness is just that: filthy. Its not charming, its not Chinese, and its definitely not 'authentic'. Its just nasty. The food is dreadful. Honestly, its like somebody decided they gave far less than a fuck a long time ago, and then worked hard to improve on that. Dim Sum is not showcased here; rather, its just boiled up nonsense, that doesn't have any kind of authenticate flavor. Seriously, avoid this place. Instead, try 3.6.9 Restaurant. Or McDonalds... read more

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Best known for being an old school dim sum place. Get ready to push carts and people over while you run toward a fresh batch of dim sum being served! The demographics here is a little strange, its basically full of old local people and tourists. With not much in between from the few times I've been there. For those unfamiliar with old school dim sum, basically rather than ordering your food from a menu, a worker instead pushes a cart around with dim sum inside, and you just walk up to it and order what you want. Different carts come out of the kitchen and are pushed around. Do note that the limited and more popular dishes will usually be taken right away, hench why people will run toward the carts right when they come out of the kitchen. Its definitely a stressful dining experience, unless pushing things calms you down. Aside from that waiter service is almost non-existent. Its self seating and self serving (except for the tea). For those coming the first time, just grab any seat you see available, then tell the waiter and order the tea, he will give you the 'receipt' paper which you can order food with at the cart. They will stamp your card based on what you ordered. Its hectic, but a unique place to bring your tourist friends. As for the food, its okay. Nothing particularly great or bad. It is pricey though compared to other local dim sum places. Just walk up to every cart and grab what you like. Do note that like most Cantonese restaurants, its probably not the best place for a vegan to come to since almost everything is cooked with pork oil. read more

I'm not a dim sum connoisseur, so I can't speak to how the food here compares to the best or to any sort of ideal. What I can say is this: 1) The food was great! We were two people and ordered eight dishes. At the end we were broken, but satisfied. I don't know the names of most of what we had. The red bean bao were poofy and full of, you guessed it, beans. The chicken feet were pretty tasty. There was one dish that was savory meat in a flaky, filo-ish pasty that reminded me of Israeli-style bourekas. And another dish that was just stewed chicken on top of rice, and it looked awful--the chicken was lurid pink and looked undercooked--but it was delicious, juicy, flavorful, etc. The jin deui were beautiful to look at, these three perfect little gold sesame-covered globes. Thumbs up to everything. 1) Lin Heung opens at 6am, significantly earlier than any of the other widely recommended and/or guidebook-approved dim sum shops. This is really convenient if you're trying to plan other things later in the day (such as a second breakfast at a cha chan tang, because time is limited and there is much to eat!), but more importantly it gives a tourist an opportunity to beat the crush that comes later in the day and, to boot, to sit among locals. We arrived at 7am and the place was bustling. It was nearly full but we were sat right away. We shared a large round table with an older gentlemen who was reading his paper. He didn't pay us much mind, for better or worse, though at one point he noticed we were taking photos and then he played photo director with us for a minute, enthusiastically insisting we frame the Lin Heung menu and logo into some of our pictures. 3) Lin Heung has been in Hong Kong for ~90 years and I'm not sure it's been remodeled or ever even modeled. It's a big dining hall with white walls and ~50 large tables, a set of servers in white tunics, and dim-sum trolley-pushers in blue. The ambiance, or non-ambiance, is made memorable by the crowd, which gives the place its energy and somehow makes it fun. Tips for tourists: * The dim sum trolleys won't necessarily come round to your table. Don't be afraid to walk up and get the dim sum yourself. Bring your order sheet to be stamped. * Unless you come with you own big group, you will probably sit at large table shared with others. This might seem odd to someone from the US but don't worry about it, just sit and eat. * The staff pretty much speak no English. Just point and smile. * They might offer you jasmine tea as a default but there are several others on the menu, if you want--pu-er, oolong, etc. read more

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Fans of old school Dim Sum experience will find it in Lin Heung (蓮香), which been around for several decades. It offers a glimpse of another time, down from the decor to the staff, and remains a local favorite amongst the older crowd. There are Dim Sum carts, people haggling over food, spitoons, and table sharing; an experience that has been lost with the new wave of Yum Cha establishments. If you arrive in a group of 4, the chances of you scoring your own table is very high. Otherwise, get used to the idea of sharing tables with strangers. The ideal time to be here is before 11am, as the food is at its freshest. Another pro-tip would be to be on alert for your favorite dishes, be sure to walk over to the trolley with your receipt since locals are quick to snatch up the good stuff. Traditionalists may argue the food here is better than most places, but I would beg to differ. My usual picks are all available here but the flavor is lacking a bit. Shrimp dumplings (蝦餃) are steamed a little too much, forcing the dumpling skin to break apart too easily. The rice noodle wraps (豬腸粉) need sauce of some kind always, and the beef balls (牛肉球) can get a little tough at times. The BBQ Pork buns (叉燒包) are fluffy, but have a significant amount of dough and little meat. None of it is deal breaking of course, but disappointing after having to "fight" over it. What I will vouch for is their rice dishes. Whether it's a shrimp in lotus leaf (鮮蝦荷葉飯) or the minced beef with egg (牛肉蛋飯) served in a metal bowl, they're a sure thing compared to the steamed Dim Sum dishes. Even the salted fish cod (鹹魚) is very tasty with some sweet soy and the glutinous rice with minced meat (糯米雞) is a meal in itself. Lin Heung is cash only and quite an experience. For so many folks seeking the nostalgic feel of Dim Sum of yesteryear, this is the place to be. Also, avoid the bathrooms at all cost. read more

It's a battle for brunch at Lin Heung Tea House! It's one of the oldest tea houses in Hong Kong, and I'd venture to say... one of the deadliest! (It's part of the fun!) I came late on a Saturday morning by myself and was lucky to find a single open seat at a communal table. If I was here with another person, we would have had to wait because the dining room was packed! After finding a spot... the battle began. Every 5-10 minutes, a dim sum lady would roll her cart out, and before she can get out to the diners, hoards of people would rush up and crowd over her trying to grab dishes! There was lots of shouting, pointing, and waving of tickets in front of her face... I felt bad for the poor dim sum ladies! *TIP* It's every man for themselves so be quick and assertive. Otherwise the dim sum lady is going run out of food, roll her empty cart back into the kitchen, and you'll be left to starve! I managed to get several dishes, but then I had to be very careful walking back to my seat. This was because other people were getting up and running to dim sum carts and waiters were running around with huge kettles of boiling water to refill tea pots. I watched in amazement as how no one got burned! I fought successfully to try 4 classic items: 1) Siu Mai: Yum! These were big and meaty! 2) Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings): Big chunks of shrimp with lots of flavor wrapped in a translucent skin. 3) Char Siu Bao: Giant buns that were a bit doughy, but had tasty pork filling. 4) Gnuw Churng (Rice Noodle Rolls with Beef): Big portion, but the rice noodles were too thick and dense. Overall the dim sum is solid, and the portions were very generous. However, I don't know if I'd come back the next time I'm in Hong Kong. Dim sum should be a slow meal where you're allowed to chat with friends & family while small plates are rolled over to your table... leaving your table to rush up to the carts to battle for dim sum takes away from that experience! It was fun though! read more

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Who would have thought that in the middle of central food market area, there is one world acclaimed restaurant that looks like it is decades old. It is Lin Heung Tea House, Lun Heung literally means Fragrant Lotus. Opened since 1928, it has not been refurbished in any way so everything is well preserved from the old times. I personally cannot smell that scent there (its Lotus paste buns are just mouth watery) but people flock to here from around the world just to have its authentic Chinese food. Be prepared to share the same table with strangers while sitting in shabby seats, this is the place where you can have a taste of the cultural and culinary authenticity of Hong Kong. So expect some grumpy looking Chinese guys talking loudly with their mouths full. They are so many delicious dishes here but if I have to pick, I would, surprisingly, recommend Malay Cake. Yes, it is nothing fancy and of course they have dishes that are better than that. However, the fact that they still manage to excel a dish that is the common dish you can get everywhere in Hong Kong earns its reputation. Try it. Its sweet and refreshing scent. Also the texture is unlike anything else you have ever tried. Notice that you probably need to acquire certain degree of Cantonese to be able to order. So better bring a dictionary or a Cantonese speaking friend. If not, you will still know the drill after observing others for a while. read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK

The place is a true traditional style of Dim Sum restaurant which has been in an existence well over a century year old. I appreciate the fact that LHL has maintained its tradition. However, if you are a foreigner and want to experience this place, it may be difficult if you don't have one of the locals to help navigate the ordering process. I was glad I speak the language but battling the dim sum selection is like fighting off with your opponent to see who gets in front of the dim sum lady first. Otherwise you will be left behind without food because you weren't aggressive enough to fight for the dim sum dishes. The food was good but me being up so many times to fend off with others for dim sum kind of took my enjoyment away. read more

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This place is really "old school". We were taken here by a friend who could speak Cantonese which made things much easier!! The menu is not written in English, so you're out of luck there if you can't read Chinese Characters. Our host did all the talking for us. It's very noisy here, and you need to "fight" for your seats. When you see people almost finished with their meals, there will be a group of people patiently waiting at the side of their table to grab their seats. Waiters don't escort you to your table. Don't expect a "Din Tai Fung" experience here! We were told that waiters do not respond to you if you hail them down. You just have to wait til they come by, then communicate to them what you want. You can order from the menu or get up and walk over to the dim sum carts and grab what you want. Also, our host taught us how to "wash our dishes" with the tea. Y So, if you're a westerner, like me, you probably may have a difficult time here. But, I did enjoy my experience here. The food is good! read more

蓮香茶室 - Cantonese Near Me - Hong Kong, HK