Original Dim Sum Garden

I actually accidentally left this review for the other dim sum garden.
My visit was last year in February.
I don’t get the hype around this place. I’ve heard so many friends talk about how great this place is and it’s only subpar at best. Food was kinda gross and cold and the dumplings weren’t really that good. While their prices were great, the food was not.
I won’t ever return. Would rate zero stars if I could!
Not only that but it also made me incredibly sick! I threw up all night and felt rather horrible. Definitely never grabbing food here again…

This place looks pretty shady. But if there was ever a spot that played into the whole «looks can be deceiving» thing, this would be the place. This is my go to spot for a quick dumpling meal when I’m either in Philly or traveling — the Greyhound bus station is right around the corner. It’s a very simple spot with some tables and chairs set up. No frills. However the food here is amazing and it’s so cheap! The soup dumplings are so yummy and come out hot. I tried a few of the other dumplings and shumai here. All worth getting! I think honestly every time I come here whether by myself or with a group I’ve never really spent more than $ 15 and I always leave very full and happy.

Wow — when you first get in there is a huge line, but it moves very quickly. The food was AMAZING though the resturant is load and crowded. Was such a fun night out. I would recomend bringing friends to share the food with.
Reminder: this place does not have carts — you do arder of the menu.
Best items: bok choy, soup dumplings, moon cakes

I only ate the soup dumplings, so I can only vouch for those. They’re about 6 bucks for 8 and super tasty. Probably as good as Din Tai Fung (but I haven’t had those in awhile). They steam them fresh for you, so I would probably recommend calling about 5 minutes ahead so they’re ready when you get there. The restaurant itself is kinda dingy, so you might want to take out.

Wrote a recant to my first review then I realized this isn’t the page for the actual spot that I used to go to which is now around the corner. This spot carrying on with the same name is not only confusing but just flat out wrong… the other dim sum garden is awesome and I can’t speak to this location other than knowing they haven’t changed the name.

I’m from Vancouver… and my hubby and I were staying across the street at the Hilton from dim sum garden on 11^th st. It was late and we were craving Chinese food, so we decided to try dim sum garden out. The place is clean, spacious, and we were able to see the kitchen (which is a bonus, so I could assess how they cooked our food). We had ordered, general tso’s chicken, beef brisket, wonton soup, and stir fry Bok choy. Omg!!! Everything was so delicious! I’m usually very picky about my Chinese food, but I couldn’t stop eating! The food portions are huge as well! We also found out that the owner is from the same town as my husband’s mom (luo-​yang) and he threw in a few scallion pancakes and tea for free! Yay!!! Awesome service, amazing food and great location for out of towners like me. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ stars!

Although the owners of this place have moved on to what’s now known as THE Dim Sum Garden on Race St., the dumplings here are still delicious! Pork and chives and pork and napa — you can get them panfried or boiled. We’ve also tried other small dim sum dishes (no carts here); I remember the soup dumplings were pretty good but the spicy tripe was just okay.
Come here for quick eat-​in or take-​out. The atmosphere will likely deter you from entertaining out-​of-​town guests here, but there’s never a wait and the food is very solid for the price. Cash only.

Good soup dumplings, small selection of authentic things on the menu but if you frame it as a typical takeout restaurant, which it sort of appears to be from the outside, this place is incredible. They’ve got some roast duck which is decent, but I find that their entrees have too large of a portion of rice and fillers and not that much meat or whatever it is you’re actually wanting to pay for. Prices aren’t what I would consider super cheap either, and you may find yourself with a bill higher than expected relative to the casual look of the place.
Their crispy scallion pancakes are also fantastic. They make all their dumplings by hand, and I even saw a lady insert a huge pan of dumplings she’d just constructed into a freezer by my table.

I came in here mistaking it for the new Dim Sum Garden. The food was so so. The bottom of the soup dumplings kept breaking and leaking soup. I wasn’t crazy about the location of the restaurant (next to the bus station in an alley). While eating my food, a woman in the kitchen suddenly gave a loud scream… don’t even want to think about what could possibly scare a Chinese cook.

I used to frequent this place 4 years ago, when they were just a hole in the wall joint under a bridge. I’m very excited, but not the least bit surprised they have succeeded and expanded.
The food here rivals, if not exceeds the quality in NYC. As someone who has tried soup dumplings all over the world, including China, I will definitely vouch for this place.
Start with the steamed pork soup dumplings, an absolute must here. You can get them pan fried as well, which are also good but after a few, the oil makes me feel sick.
You won’t go wrong with the scallion pancakes or noodle soup dishes either.
Its cash only which is why I docked a star. On the flip side, that’s probably why they are so affordable. If you’re looking for good shanghai cuisine in Philly, this place is hard to beat.

I was on the east coast so far from home and craved some good Chinese takeout. Since it was a solo trip, my boyfriend didn’t want me staying out too late, especially not walking around alone at night. I tried to order take out, but it was a little too confusing for me, so I tried calling them and there was some miscommunication. In the end, I decided to walk there really quick to order the take-​out and then head back to my hotel pronto.
When I got there, my negative impression of them totally diminished! The workers there are the nicest I have ever known in the restaurant business. They were very helpful based more on genuine generosity rather than acting that way just to get business.
They double-​checked my order before creating it, made sure I had everything I needed, and even when I was walking out the door, one of their workers ran up to me last minute and handed me a physical copy of their menu to keep («for next time» they said even though they knew I was from California).
I ordered the PEKING DUCK OVER RICE dish and a WONTON SOUP. Man, it was a lot of food! I loved the PECKING DUCK OVER RICE dish (I’m a little bias with duck — love the fatty duck skin) because the rice had this sauce over it that made everything so sweet and savory. However, I really wish the rice was more fresh because it did taste a little rough/​hard and I believed it to be a day old and not fresh. The duck meat wasn’t the thickest or meatiest, but hey, it was a cheap dish so I knew I shouldn’t expect much. As for the WONTON SOUP, it was so huge (enough for 2 people as a simple appetizer). There were 10 wontons in there and I couldn’t finish it all.
I remembered the wonderful service more than the food though, because they seem to be people who are really passionate about their food and really care for their customers. Hoping to visit them again whenever I’m back in Philadelphia!

I returned here with my boyfriend because he was craving some dim sum. As I tried some new dishes, I realized that most of what I had was more of a three-​star than a four-​star rating.
We had the steamed pork soup dumplings and scallion pancakes again, and they didn’t disappoint. This time, we also ordered a dish of seaweed, which was really salty – it made the tea taste sweet. The seaweed and egg soup was also on the saltier side, but not as extreme. Although it’s called an egg drop soup, it looks like the cut the egg into strips after it was cooked to resemble the seaweed more. Although it was more visually appealing, the egg tasted a little hard. One thing I do enjoy about the soups I’ve tried is that they aren’t thickened. We also tried the sweet potato cakes, which were fried and crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and filled with red bean. While I did like them, they were too greasy for my taste.
Overall, the dishes here tend to be too salty or too greasy for me. However, the staff here are always super-​friendly, prices are reasonable (this meal was $ 20 including tax), and complementary tea is always a plus. This isn’t my favorite place in Chinatown, but I don’t mind going with my boyfriend when he’s in the mood for some dim sum.

Perfect. Very pleasant, attentive service. Meal starts off with hot tea. Food was delicious, served hot and quick. We had pork dumplings, sweet potato pancakes, chilli cabbage shredded pork soup, and spring rolls. Yummy. :)
All for just $ 13. Came back a few days later. Exactly the same. Great service, great good, great prices

Came in from a long trip on the Greyhound on a muggy day– and this place made me so happy!
Waiter was super patient with me, sat me where I wanted to, and my order came fast.
This place is a family-​run joint, love their relaxed and calm atmosphere.
An order of pork soup dumplings was the perfect, not too filling amount for lunch for one person. They were flavorful and served at the perfect temperature so I didn’t burn my tongue. And at $ 6 it’s a steal, I know plenty of places that charge $ 10! After the first bite I was happy to have all 8 to myself :)
I wanted to try their scallion pancakes, but I’m just gonna trust them that they’re very good. SO glad I found this place!

Went here just for the xiao long bao! I have to say its pretty good. They have hands down the best sauce to dip it in. its slightly sweet and very delicious. I wish more places offered this sauce.
Scallion pancakes were also yummy!
Oo also the prices are super cheap. We got two orders of the soup dumplings and a scallion pancake for 16 dollars!

We were craving some Asian comfort food after a long rainy day. Wanted to try something new and liked the casual happy vibe that we saw through the window as we were strolling around Chinatown and decided to give dim sum garden another chance after being underwhelmed by the other location.
The service is friendlier and much warmer here. The food came out faster and fresher tasting with a slightly thinner skin to the pork soup dumplings– hallelujah! Delicious soupy fresh dumplings = done deal/​happy tummy.
The napa and pork dumplings weren’t bad though wouldn’t order them again. The spicy tripe dish (which is a cold appetizer– we were surprised) wasn’t bad either. The brisket noodle soup was a huge generous serving with a nice handful of fresh choy. I would definitely come back!

Silly me. I thought I was ordering delivery from Dim Sum Garden, but apparently I ordered delivery from the Original Dim Sum Garden. With all the hype about Dim Sum Garden, I was super excited to try it. Luckily, I’ve never eaten at either location before so therefore no comparisons or disappointment was needed.
I ended up with some pretty yummy Chinese food. My hubby and I went to town and ordered the hot & spicy soup, chili cabbage shredded pork soup, Pork with Sauce Noodle, the chives & pork dumplings and finally the scallion pancake.
I didn’t love the soups. This was my first foray into both hot & spicy and chili cabbage shredded pork so it was probably more a personal preference thing. The hot & spicy soup was thick with egg, tofu and noticeable peppers. I found it hard to eat after a while. The shredded pork soup was a broth that just got boring to eat after a while. You live, you learn.
On the other hand, the rest of the order rocked! This was hands down the best scallion pancake I’ve ever had. It was kind of greasy, but in a good way. It was soft and full of scallion with each bite. The pepper dipping sauce was a killer edition. The chive and pork dumplings were also really great. There was an option for steamed or fried so we went with steamed. While they were still technically small dumplings, they were pretty stuffed and not tiny. There were 10 to an order for about $ 6.00 which I thought was a good deal.
The star of the show was the Pork with Sauce Noodle. We opted for the hand-​made noodles and declined the option soup. I’ve had similar dishes but nothing exactly like it. It was really flavorful and tasty.
Next time I’d probably give them a try in person though. The $ 5.99 Grubhub delivery fee was a little steep. The food was pretty inexpensive so that could have gone to an entire extra item.
So I didn’t eat from the restaurant I wanted, but I ended up with another good option in Chinatown

My favorite Chinese restaurant ever. And when I say ever, I mean ever – I don’t even live in Philly.
I always get the following and it always rocks my world:
xiaolong bao (so good)
scallion pancakes (omg)
Chinese broccoli (yessss)
some kind of pan-​fried dumplings
And then whatever else looks good. Very affordable, very tasty, good service and super prompt.

BEST authentic Shanghainese food~!
Although it may not be the greatest location or look the bestest, the quality of the food they provide makes up for it. I have tried their food since they first opened and was sad when they decided to close down and followed them till they reopened again and STILL they have NEVER failed to satisfy my cravings.
They have the best scallion pancakes, shanghai wontons, and xiaolong baos (soup dumplings) that Philly has to offer. Their prices are affordable and their service is great.
People talk and things happen. All the speculations about who the real owner is does not really matter. What matters is the taste and satisfaction that is guaranteed once you step into their store.

Dim Sum Garden is definitely a hidden gem.
The Good: Not your typical dim sum! The food tastes incredibly fresh and most items are handmade in the kitchen, not shipped in frozen bulk packs from dumpling sweatshops in Mexico or whatever. Try the Xiao Long Bao and other dim sum dishes, you’ll taste the difference. DSG’s service is exceptional as well — the servers are attentive and staff members are friendly and accommodating! (They only speak Chinese.) If you’re looking for the authentic Chinese experience, look no further.
The Bad: They don’t have the cute little carts. Boo.
Apparently they are unrelated to the new Dim Sum Garden which just opened on 10^th and Race? Regardless, completely worth going!