I have been coming here since the early 2000s, and my visit yesterday did not disappoint. We went for dimsum around 11am on Saturday and were seated right away. My friends got a kick out of the preservation of the theatre in the dining room, which has elaborate and ornate decorations on the wall. A funny and endearing mismatch to the place being on the dingy side overall.I only speak English and most of the staff doesn't, but we were able to easily order our dimsum usuals by pointing to the carts roving around. (To me, dimsum must have carts to be a true experience!) My personal usuals include chau siu bao (pork steam buns), hakow (steamed shrimp dumplings), shao mai (steamed pork dumplings), sticky rice in a leaf, and hong kong egg custards.A lady came up toward the end to ask us if we wanted anything else. My friend showed her a pic of an egg custard steamed bun, and a few minutes later, she was enjoying one to her delight. When I ran out of water, there was promptly a water pitcher added to our table. Same with the tea refills, very prompt. When we went to pay, they brought to go containers without us having to ask.I was a little surprised and pleased to see how many non Chinese guests they had. Maybe 20-30%. Years ago, I recall few and far between being non-Chinese.If you're accustomed to Chinatown dimsum, I believe you will enjoy this place as I have for decades now. If not, this is still a great first time dimsum place as long as you come with an open mind and an empty tummy!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Steamed Bun with Yellow Cream, Pork Buns, Stick Rice in Lotus Leaf, Dim Sum, Egg Tart
JC S
This place does not deserve a star. I do Not recommend dining here.Everything is awful. I’m not sure if the food was worse than the service. Both are horrible.
Sandeep Silwal
Authentic experience. Amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Farrell
Good but not amazing dimsum. Regular menu food is of variable quality.Wheelchair accessibility: They may have a way to be wheelchair accessible but I didn't see it. The restaurant is on the second floor and then you have to go down some short stairs to the seating area.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns, Dim Sum
Wendy Chen
This place is so good and has no wait! Service is great too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Vedran Jukic
In the vibrant heart of Boston's Chinatown, the Empire Garden Restaurant stands not only as a culinary landmark, but also as a breathtaking visual experience. Located in a building that once housed a theater, the Empire Garden's setting is filled with a majesty that captures the imagination. Upon entering the restaurant, you are immediately transported to another world, thanks to the water colors and impressive architecture that adorn the space, creating an almost unreal atmosphere - in a good way, of course.The Empire Garden's fame is no mystery among the local Chinese community; it is considered a sort of mecca, especially on Sunday mornings, when the atmosphere is charged with an almost spiritual energy. Tradition blends with conviviality, transforming a simple meal into an event not to be missed.As for food, Empire Garden offers a menu that reflects traditional Chinese cuisine with a variety and depth that is difficult to find in smaller Chinese restaurants. However, despite the wide range of unique dishes, the flavors tend to fall into a "too average" range, perhaps a compromise to suit a wider audience. This aspect may not strike the palate of the gourmet looking for exceptional flavors, but it is still adequate for those who want to enjoy a good meal in an extraordinary context.Ultimately, the Empire Garden Restaurant is much more than just a place to eat; it is an experience that involves all the senses. While the dishes may not be the most extraordinary you have ever tasted, the overall experience, amplified by the unique setting and rich history of the venue, makes a visit to this restaurant an unforgettable moment. If you find yourself in Boston and are looking for an experience that goes beyond the simple act of eating, the Empire Garden is the place where the eyes, as much as the palate, will have something to feast on.Kid-friendliness: Ample space for children, children with parents, groups of teenagers or entire complete classes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Regan Brunetti
The venue for this place is amazing! I absolutely loved it. Everyone here is so nice and friendly. I didn't have too much to eat because I have a pretty bad shellfish allergy, so unfortunately I don't have the best review of the menu but the place was packed and that kind of speaks for itself. Everything I did eat was
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Abbey Chang
Here is full of the atmosphere of festival. I like their Chinese dishes. Especially, the white cut chicken, its meat is tender and juicy!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hot and Sour Soup
Ava C.
Everything about this place screams fantastic. All of the food has hella flavor but my favorite part is the cocktail menu. The zombies are incredible, there's no description for what's in them... two WILL take you down. 10/10 recommend also love the LED lights they add great ambiance. Must try when visiting Boston and MUST try the world famous zombie.
Christopher Mullins
My girlfriend and I went for Dim Sum for lunch. It was fast, friendly, the food was great, and it was clean with a cool atmosphere. The place used to be a theater and it's a very cool piece of architecture.We went in and told them that we have never done Dim Sum and they took very good care of us. It was a really cool experience.
(to be fair all this happened during new year, so really busy but...) waited an hour min for duck only to be told it was out, lots of dishes unavailable, plates dirty but told to clean them ourselves, charged me more than was written (very little but irked me)don't go if it's busy igotherwise food was good
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Hyoomun
Very old-school dim sum restaurant in a lovely old theater, good quality and friendly staff, and still push-cart style! A mainstay classic of Chinatown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
William K.
gross, worst one in the city, i need to write more words so it hits the needed review limit, literally awful
Pogo Okeo
Hi! So we were here for lunar new years with a group of 15! We had reserved as well.First of all, they forgot a plate for one of us which is fine, I can cope (they didn’t get it for us after we asked 3x). It took them a while to get to us (30 mins) and they told us to wipe our own plates when a friend asked for a new one because it was visibly dirty. I quote “you have a napkin WIPE IT URSELF”. They also exasperatedly told us to write our entire order on a napkin AFTER SPILLING WATER on said napkin. Like bro???? What??? And then they came by again like 15 mins later and made us read of the napkin. Like why??? Were they just testing our Chinese speaking/writing skills??? And then my friend asked if one menu item was vegetarian and they said I quote”im serving food. im not answering questions.” Like girl!!! why the sass?? Like if u don’t know it’s fine but why…The food came at around 7:30 (we arrived 6:00) Which is fine like it’s busy I get it. We ordered Peking duck which was why we came to this place btw and at 8:20, they told us “u ordered duck? No duck.” LIKE BRUH we ordered at 6:30 and u tell us 2 hrs laterrrr I don’t get it.Food was good, like I enjoyed it was quite buss if I do say so myself. But the service was so horrific lol. And we’re quite young so I feel like we were very very nice about all this.I enjoyed the time with my friends tho. I’m just disappointed in how rude they were. Anyway, Happy new year :)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Robyn B.
Food was decent, but the service was TERRIBLE! Took a very long time for someone to take our order, also took a long time for our food to be served. Only half of us received our food (after probably a 45 min wait). The remaining food showed up 20 minutes later - and it was only 2 bowls of rice and vegetables. It seemed very chaotic inside. I saw a few people leave after giving up waiting for someone to take their order. The waitress never once came back after bringing our water and taking our order. We had to chase her down to get the check. The interior is interesting as it was an old theater but it looks run down. I would not return.
I have been coming here since the early 2000s, and my visit yesterday did not disappoint. We went for dimsum around 11am on Saturday and were seated right away. My friends got a kick out of the preservation of the theatre in the dining room, which has elaborate and ornate decorations on the wall. A funny and endearing mismatch to the place being on the dingy side overall.I only speak English and most of the staff doesn't, but we were able to easily order our dimsum usuals by pointing to the carts roving around. (To me, dimsum must have carts to be a true experience!) My personal usuals include chau siu bao (pork steam buns), hakow (steamed shrimp dumplings), shao mai (steamed pork dumplings), sticky rice in a leaf, and hong kong egg custards.A lady came up toward the end to ask us if we wanted anything else. My friend showed her a pic of an egg custard steamed bun, and a few minutes later, she was enjoying one to her delight. When I ran out of water, there was promptly a water pitcher added to our table. Same with the tea refills, very prompt. When we went to pay, they brought to go containers without us having to ask.I was a little surprised and pleased to see how many non Chinese guests they had. Maybe 20-30%. Years ago, I recall few and far between being non-Chinese.If you're accustomed to Chinatown dimsum, I believe you will enjoy this place as I have for decades now. If not, this is still a great first time dimsum place as long as you come with an open mind and an empty tummy!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Steamed Bun with Yellow Cream, Pork Buns, Stick Rice in Lotus Leaf, Dim Sum, Egg Tart
This place does not deserve a star. I do Not recommend dining here.Everything is awful. I’m not sure if the food was worse than the service. Both are horrible.
Authentic experience. Amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good but not amazing dimsum. Regular menu food is of variable quality.Wheelchair accessibility: They may have a way to be wheelchair accessible but I didn't see it. The restaurant is on the second floor and then you have to go down some short stairs to the seating area.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pork Buns, Dim Sum
This place is so good and has no wait! Service is great too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
In the vibrant heart of Boston's Chinatown, the Empire Garden Restaurant stands not only as a culinary landmark, but also as a breathtaking visual experience. Located in a building that once housed a theater, the Empire Garden's setting is filled with a majesty that captures the imagination. Upon entering the restaurant, you are immediately transported to another world, thanks to the water colors and impressive architecture that adorn the space, creating an almost unreal atmosphere - in a good way, of course.The Empire Garden's fame is no mystery among the local Chinese community; it is considered a sort of mecca, especially on Sunday mornings, when the atmosphere is charged with an almost spiritual energy. Tradition blends with conviviality, transforming a simple meal into an event not to be missed.As for food, Empire Garden offers a menu that reflects traditional Chinese cuisine with a variety and depth that is difficult to find in smaller Chinese restaurants. However, despite the wide range of unique dishes, the flavors tend to fall into a "too average" range, perhaps a compromise to suit a wider audience. This aspect may not strike the palate of the gourmet looking for exceptional flavors, but it is still adequate for those who want to enjoy a good meal in an extraordinary context.Ultimately, the Empire Garden Restaurant is much more than just a place to eat; it is an experience that involves all the senses. While the dishes may not be the most extraordinary you have ever tasted, the overall experience, amplified by the unique setting and rich history of the venue, makes a visit to this restaurant an unforgettable moment. If you find yourself in Boston and are looking for an experience that goes beyond the simple act of eating, the Empire Garden is the place where the eyes, as much as the palate, will have something to feast on.Kid-friendliness: Ample space for children, children with parents, groups of teenagers or entire complete classes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
The venue for this place is amazing! I absolutely loved it. Everyone here is so nice and friendly. I didn't have too much to eat because I have a pretty bad shellfish allergy, so unfortunately I don't have the best review of the menu but the place was packed and that kind of speaks for itself. Everything I did eat was
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Here is full of the atmosphere of festival. I like their Chinese dishes. Especially, the white cut chicken, its meat is tender and juicy!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hot and Sour Soup
Everything about this place screams fantastic. All of the food has hella flavor but my favorite part is the cocktail menu. The zombies are incredible, there's no description for what's in them... two WILL take you down. 10/10 recommend also love the LED lights they add great ambiance. Must try when visiting Boston and MUST try the world famous zombie.
My girlfriend and I went for Dim Sum for lunch. It was fast, friendly, the food was great, and it was clean with a cool atmosphere. The place used to be a theater and it's a very cool piece of architecture.We went in and told them that we have never done Dim Sum and they took very good care of us. It was a really cool experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Restaurantji Recommends
(to be fair all this happened during new year, so really busy but...) waited an hour min for duck only to be told it was out, lots of dishes unavailable, plates dirty but told to clean them ourselves, charged me more than was written (very little but irked me)don't go if it's busy igotherwise food was good
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Very old-school dim sum restaurant in a lovely old theater, good quality and friendly staff, and still push-cart style! A mainstay classic of Chinatown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
gross, worst one in the city, i need to write more words so it hits the needed review limit, literally awful
Hi! So we were here for lunar new years with a group of 15! We had reserved as well.First of all, they forgot a plate for one of us which is fine, I can cope (they didn’t get it for us after we asked 3x). It took them a while to get to us (30 mins) and they told us to wipe our own plates when a friend asked for a new one because it was visibly dirty. I quote “you have a napkin WIPE IT URSELF”. They also exasperatedly told us to write our entire order on a napkin AFTER SPILLING WATER on said napkin. Like bro???? What??? And then they came by again like 15 mins later and made us read of the napkin. Like why??? Were they just testing our Chinese speaking/writing skills??? And then my friend asked if one menu item was vegetarian and they said I quote”im serving food. im not answering questions.” Like girl!!! why the sass?? Like if u don’t know it’s fine but why…The food came at around 7:30 (we arrived 6:00) Which is fine like it’s busy I get it. We ordered Peking duck which was why we came to this place btw and at 8:20, they told us “u ordered duck? No duck.” LIKE BRUH we ordered at 6:30 and u tell us 2 hrs laterrrr I don’t get it.Food was good, like I enjoyed it was quite buss if I do say so myself. But the service was so horrific lol. And we’re quite young so I feel like we were very very nice about all this.I enjoyed the time with my friends tho. I’m just disappointed in how rude they were. Anyway, Happy new year :)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Food was decent, but the service was TERRIBLE! Took a very long time for someone to take our order, also took a long time for our food to be served. Only half of us received our food (after probably a 45 min wait). The remaining food showed up 20 minutes later - and it was only 2 bowls of rice and vegetables. It seemed very chaotic inside. I saw a few people leave after giving up waiting for someone to take their order. The waitress never once came back after bringing our water and taking our order. We had to chase her down to get the check. The interior is interesting as it was an old theater but it looks run down. I would not return.