This bustling dim sum hotspot offers a delightful array of dishes, with must-try treats like custard buns and flavorful meats, though be ready for a lively atmosphere.
"Head to this spacious Sunset Park spot, which got a full facelift in 2017, for a festive Chinese meal. Dim sum is reliably fun-filled and gregarious, with lots of surrounding action and no need to worry about kids being noisy or long waits for food. Expect a plethora of dumplings, taro cakes, and slippery, shrimp-studded har gow. Bamboo Garden also turns out massive soup dumplings that require a straw to eat. During the evenings, the menu emphasizes pricier seafood." - Eater Staff
"This excellent dim sum parlor in Sunset Park is one of the city’s finest. It closed in 2017 for a thorough renovation, and now sports a new gold and baby blue color scheme and sparkly, Vegas-like vibes. Luckily the same excellent, often innovative dishes such as pig custard buns and giant soup dumplings are still rolled out post-revamp, and the crowds are thinner for weekday lunch — or breakfast, considering Bamboo Garden opens at 8 a.m. on weekdays." - Alexandra Ilyashov
"The shu mai and har gow at this Sunset Park institution are great. In fact, all of the dim sum here tastes like it received a little extra attention in the kitchen, the seafood items in particular. But that’s not why Bamboo Garden is one of our favorite places for a daytime meal. We keep coming back for the roasted meats, which you’ll see on display near the windows up front. Be sure to get a plate of the juicy, caramelized roast pork for everyone to share. With its shimmering ceilings that feature enough glass fish to populate an ocean, this place feels just a little bit fancy, so it’s a good choice for when you need to impress some folks (your in-laws, say)." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman
"Bamboo Garden closed and reopened in 2017, refurbishing a pair of luxurious dining rooms in gold and powder blue, and adding meats and dumpling carryout in the front vestibule. Many now-popular forms of dim sum appeared here for the first time, including pig-shaped custard buns (aimed at children), giant soup dumplings that floated in bowls of soup, and a chicken-and-mushroom hot dish that circulates on small saucers." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff
"If the crowd levels at East Harbor Seafood Palace are approaching Disney World during summer vacation, try Bamboo Garden instead. This place also has great dim sum and a big banquet hall-style dining room that’s ideal for big groups and private parties. The siu mai and har gow are our picks from the dim sum side of the menu, but the roast meats are why we keep coming back. You’ll see duck and pork on display near the entrance, and it’s important that you have these things in front of you at some point throughout your meal." - Carina Finn Koeppicus, Bryan Kim
