Golden Unicorn

"OK we know this guide has “date night” written all over it, but here’s an idea: plan a dim sum date on a weekend (or a weekday for lunch). Golden Unicorn delivers their excellent dumplings, fried shrimp balls, and egg custard tarts until 3pm every day. Our favorite dim sum dish is the baked pork pastries, which come as flaky, egg-washed triangles of pastry stuffed with sweet pork hunks. You’re going to want at least two to yourself." - hannah albertine

"Once there were a half dozen of these giant banquet halls in Chinatown, with dim sum pushed around on carts in the morning and early afternoon hours, and a broad Cantonese menu favoring seafood in the afternoons and evenings. Now Golden Unicorn is one of the only ones left, a multi-floor extravaganza done up in celebratory red and gold. The dim sum is some of the best in the city, with delicate wrappers on the dumplings. Don’t miss the whole fish presentations at dinnertime." - Eater Staff

"Did you recently get married or earn a degree in something? If so, have a celebratory brunch at Golden Unicorn. For special-occasion dim sum, this classic bi-level Chinatown spot is our top pick. The fancy curtains and colorful mood lighting make Golden Unicorn feel fun and festive, and the pig-shaped custard buns are both adorable and delicious. Get an order of those, and don’t skip the leek dumplings, crispy turnip cakes, or spare ribs in black bean sauce. Golden Unicorn also serves dim sum at dinner, so stop by then if you want to avoid the crowds." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman

"Golden Unicorn is another big dim sum spot on the second floor of a building in Chinatown, and the space is filled with massive round tables that will fit most families or friend groups. Use it for anything from a birthday brunch or team outing to a private event." - bryan kim, matt tervooren

"Since 1989, this restaurant has offered Cantonese dining at its glitziest. Take the elevator to either of the two levels at the direction of a walkie-talkie-wielding host. Inside, sample dim sum displayed on rolling carts. The braised chicken feet are impossibly tender, the turnip cake earthy and wiggly, the shrimp siu mai sprinkled with crunchy roe, and the vegetarian crystal dumplings possess a green translucence." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff