Jade Cathay Chinese Restaurant

https://sf.eater.com/the-move/204191/jade-cathay-dim-sum-punk-show-san-jose

San Jose Dim Sum Spot Jade Cathay Serves Punk Shows With Dumplings | Eater SF

"Live music here is loud and unabashed — crashing cymbals and booming vocals echo throughout the building, a startling contrast to the delicately steamed, subtle-tasting dumplings; at one point lead singer Alvin Alvarez even shouts, “Dim sum!” and the crowd goes wild. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood adjacent to the San Jose airport, the space is stylishly dressed with chandeliers and sleek wooden accents; jade chairs and lazy-Susan–equipped tables are pushed against the wall twice a month to make room for dancers and drum sets. The family-run staple (open since 2011 and approaching its 15th anniversary) began hosting indie rock shows after owner Mandy Lu reached out to the Heavy Lemon collective in 2022 — Heavy Lemon, created by Chris Gough, organizes DIY shows at restaurants, bars, and cafes around the Bay (their name is inspired by the group effort it takes to get the “juice” — aka put on these DIY musical performances) and also programs events at Chromatic Coffee and Tamper Room. A typical band night might feature a high-energy act like Oakland’s pop-punk Poser Emo, with “the amps metaphorically rocking the chandeliers,” a guitarist sipping a bright green bottle of Tsingtao, about forty young adults bobbing along (and one toddler in light-up sneakers sporting noise-cancelling headphones), and the crowd eating dumplings between songs. Food is served family-style: guests are greeted with a catering-style serving table loaded with golden chive dumplings, barbecue pork bao, fries, chow mein, and siu mai, with dim sum carts parked nearby stacked high with steaming baskets; every dish is sold in sets of four to seven pieces (all in the $8 price range), you pay at the card reader mounted on the wall, and some tables are left set up for anyone who wants to sit down. The kitchen is run by Lu’s parents, Grace Guan and Kevin Lu, and the regular dim sum menu includes lo mai gai (a package of sticky rice steamed in a lotus leaf), pot stickers, rice noodle rolls, and deep-fried treats. Lu also runs a full bar and experiments with cocktails for each show — her latest hit is an elderflower spritz mocktail that “can be spiked with gin or vodka” — and the combination of shareable bites plus a bar makes the restaurant an attractive, community-minded venue where local rock fans come together and find a kind of comfort food in both the music and the meal." - Octavio Peña

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-dumplings-san-jose-south-bay

12 Best Dumpling Restaurants in San Jose and the South Bay | Eater SF

"Jade Cathay first opened in 2011 with a selection of handmade dim sum items and wok-fired dishes. Diners frequently stop by for dim sum during brunch hours, and the siu mai with pork and shrimp, sesame balls, cheung fun, and steamed egg custard bun make popular choices. Jade Cathay also offers a variety of dishes from the Canton region in China such as walnut shrimp and Mongolian beef, with a goal of recreating nostalgic meals with local ingredients. And for those who want some extra dumplings to enjoy later, the restaurant also offers an assortment of frozen dim sum to take home." - Cathy Park

https://sf.eater.com/the-move/204191/jade-cathay-dim-sum-punk-show-san-jose

Family-run since 2011, this North San Jose staple turns out Cantonese classics and a full lunch dim sum lineup—plump har gow, silky cheung fun, and egg custard buns. Recently spotlighted by Eater SF for blending local music culture with dumplings.

Dim Sum in San Jose (2025)

https://sf.eater.com/the-move/204191/jade-cathay-dim-sum-punk-show-san-jose

Family-run since 2011, this Cantonese favorite doubles as a community hub with weekend dim sum and occasional live music nights. Highlighted by Eater SF for its spirited events and solid cooking, it’s where bamboo steamers meet local culture.

Chinese Food in San Jose (2025)

Chu Qiao Lu

Google

A Hidden Gem with Outstanding Dimsum and Dedication I visited Jade Cathay on a busy Wednesday afternoon, and despite the packed dining room and an understaffed floor, this place still managed to impress me. Let’s start with the dimsum—absolutely incredible. The siu mai were juicy, flavorful, and perfectly steamed, with that ideal balance of pork and shrimp that melts in your mouth. The BBQ pork buns were a highlight: soft, fluffy exteriors with rich, sweet-savory char siu filling that had me craving more. And the beef chow fun? Hands down one of the best I've had in the area—tender slices of beef, perfectly chewy noodles, and that unmistakable wok hei flavor that’s so hard to find these days. Even though the restaurant was clearly short-staffed, I still feel service were very attentive. As someone who has worked in a busy restaurant myself, I could see the mental and physical effort they were putting in to keep everything running. It takes real dedication to stay composed and still provide good service under pressure—and they absolutely pulled it off. I'll definitely be back again. Not only for the amazing food but also to continue supporting a restaurant where the team truly cares. Highly recommend Jade Cathay for anyone looking for authentic, high-quality dimsum with heart.

Brian Iglesias

Google

There were flies in the soy sauce. It got all over my rice. Unfortunately I didn't notice until after my first bite. EDIT: the staff agreed to comp the meal and I agreed to up the review score. But the image is still a real image of the rice I ate.

Penny Kai

Google

Large portions but on the expensive side so you definitely need to go with others when trying their dim sum items. Plenty to choose from by using their QR code to order. Check your items print out because the app is a bit sensitive and it’s hard to tell if the order went through. I couldn’t tell from the app. It’s pretty quick with plenty of parking and seating.

Sandy Lee

Google

Very good dim sum and the beef chow fun is one of the best I have ever had in the bay area. I recommend the sponge cake, which is still still made by the traditional method. I am impressed.

Rocky Zhang (Rocky)

Google

First of all, I want to say that the food here tastes very good, and the prices are reasonable—these two aspects deserve a 5-star rating. However, the service attitude here deserves a infinitely negative score. There was a male server with dyed yellow hair whose attitude was absolutely terrible. I've been in the U.S. for over 10 years, and this is one of the worst service experiences I’ve ever had. After our family was seated, I reached out to him, signaling that we needed some water and children's utensils. He was pushing a cart to deliver dim sums and made eye contact with me at least five times, but not once did he respond—not even a nod. Later, he went to talk to a female server, and I signaled again another four to five times. He continued to ignore me like I was invisible. Then, when he pushed the cart past our table, it was like he had amnesia or had gone blind, completely oblivious to the fact that I had already tried calling him about ten times. I stopped him and asked, “Did you hear me calling you? Did you see me signaling to you? You should at least acknowledge me, not pretend you didn’t see anything.” He had no remorse whatsoever—not even a single "sorry." Instead, he gave a smug, sideways smirk and said, “I didn’t see,” then just walked away. There were only two servers in the entire dining area—this man and a woman. If the male server deserves a score of -100, the female one would get -99. I understand that lunchtime can be busy, but that’s no excuse for poor service and arrogance. I advise everyone to stay away from this restaurant. No matter how cheap and how good taste the food is, if it leaves you feeling this angry, it’s just not worth it. We cannot tolerate this kind of misconduct, their attitude does not deserve any tip.

Olivia Tam

Google

This dim sum restaurant has undergone some changes. We ordered dim sum directly from a device and paid through the device. This part is convenient. The tables are well spaced too. The quality of Dim sum is a bit disappointing so it seems the improvement has been on the setting rather than the food. Among the dim sum, we like the congee and the fried shrimp dumpling. Overall expensive considering the offerings.

L G

Google

This was my first time here. It was for a red egg and ginger party on a Saturday for lunch. The restaurant shares a parking lot, and there was plenty of parking. (There is a lightrail stop right outside, so make sure to take all your valuables with you). The food is pretty good. We had 10 courses, which were baked bbq pork buns, broccoli beef, salt pepper fish, beef chow fun, salted fish chicken fried rice, lemon chicken, mapo tofu, stir fried string beans, egg tarts and mango pudding. Our table's favorite were the string beans and salt pepper fish. I liked the mapo tofu, the egg tarts, and the mango pudding. I would come back.

Katharine King

Google

Very nice Cantonese style restaurant, their steamed chicken feet is the best one in the past couple years I've ever had. Also enjoyed their fish fillet rice noodle roll. The service is friendly.

Lloyd C.

Yelp

We came on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was crowded. It was good to see! We've been here for both dim sum and dinner time. Parking is plentiful, and they have a large lot shared amongst the 4-5 restaurants here. The service is very friendly, courteous, and attentive. The owners frequently visit each customer when they have a bit of time. Place your order via QR code. They have a bar, mostly hard liquor, beer, and wine only. Simple Chinese decor, clean but aged. Separate bathrooms each for men and women. The dim sum was good. My wife liked the bbq pork rice noodle. My mom and I liked the scallop shrimp dumpling. The deep-fried salted egg pumpkin was better than I thought. I personally don't care for the Salted egg, but my wife and mom love it!

Peggy W.

Yelp

Surprised that it wasn't crowded on this Saturday at noon, a week after Chinese New Years. My nephew reserved a table for 9 and he used their digital tablet and ordered all kinds of good stuff The food came out quickly, and everything looked and tasted great. There were no bad items! This was the first time I've seen fried siu mai on the menu, and they did not disappoint! We later ordered more of those. Service was fair. Had to ask for more water for our teapot although we left the lid askew for quite awhile. They closed out the tab once all the food arrived at the table, so later, when we asked for additional items, they made a separate invoice. And then they tried to bring us a third order of fried siu mai, and we had to have the bill readjusted. Oh well.... a little miscommunication, but I won't ding them for that. I'd come again. Prices are better than some of the dim sum places in Oakland and Alameda.

Jim L.

Yelp

Dim sum without the cart ladies. They have dim sum brought out in the carts after you order with their electronic tablet on the tables. But be aware they really only look at the food order that prints, and you have to ask the human waiters for water and napkins, even after you select those things on the tablet. Food was decent, the service was decent, large parking lot in san jose is a big deal. The price is lower than higher end places, and if you are okay with to go chopsticks and cantonese (or pointing) as the main communication, this is a decent option. I would come here if i did not want to spend double at asian pearl. But if i want bigger and better quality, maybe only if i was less than 5 miles away.

Anna C.

Yelp

Solid dim sum by SJC airport. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. Traditional with a flair. I liked the tall teapots that hold more tea so you don't have to flag for a refill as often. And the jade theme is very pretty. Parking lot wasn't too busy, even on a weekend. Order items on your phone via QR code near your table.

Sara T.

Yelp

Came here with my friend after picking her up from SJC and it was super close to the airport! The food is pretty good! We got a variety of typical dimsum items like rice noodle rolls, chicken feet, siu mai, and congee. We also tried the pumpkin with salted egg and it was pretty good! Kinda salty but as expected from the salty egg. It actually paired pretty nicely with the congee. Seems like it is also a pretty popular spot as there were a couple parties there when we were there, possibly some regulars. Not too crowded though. Pretty easy to order because you can either order from your phone via a QR code or one of the tablets if you're sitting by the wall I think. Parking lot

Jennifer C.

Yelp

Great: - My friend asked for her leftovers to be boxed up, but the server misunderstood and threw the food away. When she realized her mistake, she had the kitchen make a new full order to-go. That is some amazing service! Not great: - The food is on the saltier side. Mid: - The location has a dedicated, free parking lot. - They have an option to pay via venmo/zelle. There's much better Chinese food nearby, so I wouldn't choose to come back here on my own. However, if a friend wanted to grab a bite here, I wouldn't protest.

Mary L.

Yelp

Surprisingly, this old place has good authentic dim sums and Chinese foods. First visit. We drove by a few times in over 20 years on North First Street & downtown in San Jose, but never stopped here. Old building. Huge parking lot with decent spaces at Gish Rd & First Street intersection. Hotels are up and down the street. Looks on outside can be deceiving. Inside is ran and operated by Cantonese-Chinese/Hong Kong folks. Good service. Spacious interior with bar area. Order from tables on table and they will bring everything immediately to your table. Quick service. Seamless experience. No lines or huge crowds on Sundays after 1 PM. Yes, expensive here, but all dim sums are luxury foods nowadays. There are better options out there, but this old place is also unique for folks who don't want to wait. It's definitely a new experience with the tablets on the table though, because you can order and pay instantly from your table without having to wave down the staffs. No hassles. Best siumai here. Hargow shrimp dumplings were plumped. Huge! They use a lot of rice flours here in ingredients, so you get a thicker rice flour coating. Same with shrimp rice rolls. Big fresh shrimps used! Radish cake had Chinese sausage pieces in it. Custard buns have very generous yellow custard in it. Only thing I disliked was the BBQ pork buns because those weren't freshly made and were frozen type. This is a great quiet place for quick bites. I liked it. Jade green color cups for hot tea were my favorites. Loved those jade green color cups and designs on each of them. No, they didn't charge extra for pot of good hot tea! Nice. Overall, good place. Not your typical huge fancy modern dim sum environment, and not huge dim sum selections available on menu, but the basics are here. Good tasting foods. Good staffing. Looks good for now. Hidden gem.

Jessica M.

Yelp

Like everyone else who has made a review, I think Jade Cathay is a great place to go to with a larger party or if you don't want to wait. My friends and I went on a Saturday at 10:30am and got seated immediately. The food here is pretty good. They have the assortment of dim sum, and it's very reasonable pricing. I would definitely recommend checking this spot out if you want dim sum without the hassle!!!

Vee V.

Yelp

This unassuming restaurant serves great quality authentic Chinese food at a good price. Plus they have all day dim sum!! I tried the honey walnut shrimp, garlic snow peas, and sticky rice. All of which exceeded my expectations. The service and quick and efficient, I was able to go in and out in a little over an hour! I love how they have a mobile menu with photos which helps people know what to order.

Minh-Chau D.

Yelp

Food was standard dim sum. Pretty busy during lunch. I like that you can order on the tablet. The price is a little expensive but I think every place has raised their prices recently. I ordered chicken feet, bbq pork rice roll, and pork and century egg porridge and I enjoyed all three dishes. Service can be slow or forgetful sometimes but they have a small staff.

Nieves O.

Yelp

Mandy was our very able waitstaff but she was also the daughter of the owner which made her more knowledgable. We had so much food and everything was fresh, served quick and clean. I think you should try it to believe it , Jade Cathay is real authentic, serving dimsum whole day too! Also, they will make vegan food for you as an extra service! Definitely recommend this restaurant. And i will definitely be back. Ample parking too!

Ya Y.

Yelp

Had an opportunity to check out this restaurant last week~ I am a big dim sum fan, but I decided to try some other dinner entrees from here too! I ordered a variety of dishes, and my favorite dishes were - Peking duck bao (the meat was so juicy!) Beef chow fun (rice noodles texture was spot on~) Pumpkin seafood (big portion and very flavorful!) They also serve ice creams from Ujitime at the restaurant. Unfortunately they ran out some of the flavors, but I got to try tofu flavor for the first time and I really liked it. It was silky and refreshing~ Additionally, they offer catering service as well. So if you like Chinese food and want to host for a big party, this will be a great spot!

Ying Xin F.

Yelp

Dim sum gives me Siu Mai-ch joy! Jade Cathay has all day dimsum, so you can have it for lunch and dinner! The dimsum here is handmade and you can pair their dishes with cocktails for a fun time. I recommend the siu mai, radish cake, fried meat dumplings and pork ribs. Even though the dimsum is a little pricey, I like the convenience to get dimsum all day/ at night and the proximity to downtown San Jose.

Josh F.

Yelp

My family really loves this place. The food is consistent, it is very authentic, the prices are fair and the owner is lovely. Is there a better dim sum place in the area? I haven't found one. Din Tai Fung is very good but that's not a fair comparison. It's very expensive and you have to wait forever. Jade Cathay is top of my list!

Shinn L.

Yelp

Went there on Wednesday and ordered a lobster noodle, walnut shrimps, claypot eggplant and beef rice roll. Lobster is very small and pricey and didn't see any pinchers. Eggplant didn't come in a claypot. Wife stated that the standard has dropped.

James Y.

Yelp

Jade Cathay located along a strip mall off of the VTA track in Downtown San Jose next to Genji Japanese restaurant offers dim sum but classic Chinese food cuisine. With, I believe, all menu items available most of the day, selecting them off of your phone via a QR code makes ordering fairly easy. The food selection is fair, the prices are OK, and the tastes aren't too bad. Not what I'm necessarily used to, but still reminiscent of the flavors I'm accustomed to. The service is nice and decently responsive. But I do have two main issues with Jade Cathay that makes this experience rather unpleasant. The Teas are $2.30 each person. This is quite steep. Other places don't charge this much, per person... do they? There is an extra service charge for Credit Card usage. I don't have a problem with this except you didn't tell me until I got my bill. It wasn't a small amount either, it was a hearty 3.84% of my bill. If you told me in advance and I chose to eat at your establishment, that's my choice. But you show it to me after I get my bill is quite a discouraging form of practice. The food really wasn't that bad, but the "hidden" fees really disappointments and discourages me from re-visiting this establishment.

william c.

Yelp

Excellent dim sum Excellent service Dim sum is authentic as it gets No oily aftertaste Pricing is good for nowadays

Ronald C.

Yelp

Jade Cathay is very much a hidden chinese Dinsum place in downtown San jose. The exterior really need some work but the interior looks okay better than the exterior. Upon seatdown, we ordered the tea and a few Dinsum from the menu. I was a little surprise the prices are about 8 to 10 USD for each dimsum. Food taste and presentation are average and the word average summed up the whole experience.

Nancy H.

Yelp

My boyfriend and I ordered 7 plates of dim sum, all of which were delicious. My personal favorite was the shrimp rice roll noodles in sweet soy sauce. Mandy, our server, promptly seated us and offered different types of tea. Ordering was very easy as we used the QR code. The dishes came out hot and fast. Overall, a delicious restaurant to satisfy your dim sum cravings.

Marissa C.

Yelp

Dim Sum served ALL DAY!! Finally, some quality dim sum in the South Bay! All of the dishes we got had sooo much flavor!! The deep fried items were the best we've had compared to other restaurants and of course I had to get my two favorite dishes - Chicken Feet and BBQ Pork Rice Noodle! Steamed Chicken Feet Spare Ribs w/ Black Soy Beans Shrimp Egg & Pork Siu Mai* BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll Sesame Ball* Shrimp Dumpling* Deep Fried Stuffed Meat Dumpling* Daikon Radish Cake Beef Chow Fun* *Listed as Top 10 Most Popular Items

Megan M.

Yelp

We stopped by from out of town and had a great experience! Hot jasmine tea and dumplings were delicious. My favorite was the shrimp chive dumplings. My only regret is not staying for dessert

Tam R.

Yelp

A great place for traditional Chinese food and dim sum. Every time we go to San Jose we make it a point to stop at Jade C. And the staff is very welcoming.

Marc T.

Yelp

Arrived at this place on a Saturday afternoon around 1:45 pm and was glad to see a spacious parking lot in downtown San Jose! Large venue but not many diners dining when we walked in- great place for family gatherings and dates. The service was lacking since there wasn't much interaction from the servers other than food delivery, not even servers floating to check in on the quality of the food nor water refills. Yet, the food was somewhat of the saving grace. Green Scallion Pancakes: It was intended to be an appetizer before the big dishes, but this one arrived dead last from the kitchen... Weird timing but the flavors were crunchy, savory and hot. A staple that I always love to order. BBQ Pork Buns: Great bun to meat ratio! Shrimp Dumplings: Always delcious to have at dim-sum. Hot, juicy and savory! Custard Buns: Excellent dessert to end the meal. The buns were super soft in texture and the custard was sweet but not too sweet! Hot and Sour Soup: The broth was lacking in flavor; it tasted a bit watery but it did have the flavors of heat and sour. General Chicken: Great color on this dish and lots of chicken for portion quantity! The meat was tender and the flavor was a bit sweet and mostly savory. Overall, a good local dim sum place.

HanNa P.

Yelp

Near the Vta. We were wanting dim-sum and came here to satisfy our cravings. You order off the Qr code placed near the table. There were decent choices. Taste was just ok to be honest. The lady who took our drink order was nice. I will say the waiter messed up on our check, so please look over it before you pay. Probably wont comeback anytime soon

Ann N.

Yelp

Had such a long morning of calls and finally felt the hotel to get something to eat around 1:30pm. Jade Cathay is literally 2 lights away and I'll be able to have dim sum until 2:30pm. Scored, I thought. Arrived and parked in the front. Walked in and was seated right away. Only other tables were occupied. Scan the QR code on the table to get the menu. You order online and the food are brought to you. Wow, so high tech for an older looking restaurant. Prices are crazy high. Food was good and the steamed dim sum items melt in my mouth Prices are crazy high. 4 har how is $8 for example. Service was attentive and good Overall ok. Older looking restaurant, good Chinese food, high prices and good service. I'm debating if I would return.

Jessica D.

Yelp

Was craving dimsum and decided to give this place a try instead of our usual spot. You order through a QR code and the staff brings out your food. we ordered the sui mai, chicken feet, fried shrimp balls, shrimp rice rolls, and the shrimp and chive dumplings. Overall everything tasted good and flavorful but the portions are a bit on the smaller side for example the sui mai are smaller than the other restaurants we have been to. the prices are also a little bit higher. Also everything did come out one by one which was a tad bit annoying for example one dish would come out every 2 min. I think this is a solid dim sum spot but I would only come back if there was no other option or if someone wanted to go to this place.

Howie I.

Yelp

Food is excellent. The dining hall ambiance is slightly lacking but the quality of the food and service is excellent. Come for the food.

Gwyne P.

Yelp

A very fancy dim sum place located in North SJ. It has its own private parking lot right next to the bus stop. COVID updates - QR menu & payment - masks & gloves all around - hand sanitizer available - tables are nicely spaced from each other Dim sum came quick, wait wasn't super long. Each order comes with 3-4 pieces of dim sum and is about $7-8/plate. It's a bit pricey, but food is absolutely delicious and bigger portioned than most places. The ones that came with sauce wasn't swimming so that's a plus. The XLB soup was very ginger and I loved it! Servers are attentive and friendly. I would definitely come back for more of the scallop dumpling! SUPER tasty!

Sara J.

Yelp

The vibes here were immaculate! I love how front facing and hands on the owners here are. They have a way of making you feel like family even if it's your first time dining there. I don't speak Chinese and some of the dishes are still unfamiliar to me. I asked the man for help as I was trying to order Beijing Kao Ya (Peking duck) and he stuck his index finger in the air, said "Oh! I know". When the appetizers arrived, I realized that he did in fact know. Haha. He came through with the duck and the baos! Their cheng fun, radish cakes and shrimp dumplings are also worth ordering! This place does get pretty busy so I would try to arrive as soon as they open to beat the lunch rush.

Colin L.

Yelp

Waitress: is your wife Chinese? Because she soooo beautiful. Me : oh thanks we appreciate that, unfortunately she isn't? Waitress: no way are you are you sure not even half? She's gorgeous! Me : no we're full Vietnamese. Not Chinese at all but thank you for complimenting. Waitress : oh, okay , thought you were from Hong Kong My wife and I : uhhh okay? Waitress : walks away in Wierd disappointment .

Kimberly F.

Yelp

The soup dumplings had no soup in them, and they were stale! Like they were two days old. 4 stale soup dumplings for $12. I strongly encourage Jade Cathay to take them off the menu. I really liked the snow pea leaves with garlic. Snow pea leaves with the stem attached: $18. I would expect to pay that price only when the leaves are without the stems. Very expensive. At prime time dim sum time on a Saturday, 12:00pm - 1:30pm, the restaurant was only 25% full. Sadly, the quality has significantly diminished; the customer attendance proves it. The bathroom floor had a 5-foot wide shallow puddle of water on the floor. Not only for dim sum, I also used to come here often for juk (porridge). I won't be coming here again. I wish the owners all the best, to improve their quality and cleanliness. When it returns, and I see 4-star reviews and higher, I WILL come back.

Ngoc My H.

Yelp

This is a decent Dim Sum place in the San Jose area. My mom and I came here around 10:30 AM on a Sunday for some dim sum and to our surprise, we were the first ones in the restaurant! This restaurant isn't busy enough to do the push cart thing, which is a bummer because that's what I like the best about a dim sum experience. You can order on their QR code and they will bring your food out in a timely manner. Prices are a little steep for Dim Sum, but inflation is at an all time high so I understand. What we got: Har Gao, Siu Mai, Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce, Chive Dumplings, and Cheung Fun in XO Sauce. The good is good, not the best dim sum I've have but it does satisfy the dim sum craving. The service here is great and the workers are super nice and attentive. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with my experience!

Binh P.

Yelp

Got dim sum and few dinner items to go. Everything was pretty good. Particularly impressed with the take out packaging for the honey walnut shrimps. They packed the mayo on the side so that the shrimps wouldn't be soggy by the time it arrived home. But even without the mayo, the shrimps were incredibly tasty, plump, and juicy. Best honey walnut shrimp experience I can recall. The dim sum items were ok. The shrimp dumplings have a very chewy wrapper, but the shrimp was a little dry. The buns were soft but I wished the salted egg yolk bun was a little more salty. And everything else is pretty standard. Will still be at the top of my list when I want honey walnut shrimps though.

Danny D.

Yelp

Food and service were outstanding! Portions were family style. Recommended an out of town portion since way too large for a single person whom staying in hotel.

Diane W.

Yelp

We had a fabulous Dim Sum lunch today. The people here are very kind and it feels like a wonderful family place. We really appreciated the kindness and excellent service. To be treated so graciously was very wonderful. The food was very fun to order and everything was very fresh and immaculately prepared. We really loved the fresh green beans and beautiful assorted shrimp delicacies. They have a meat filled crispy football shape dim sum that I absolutely adore. I could be happy with a plate of these crispy dumplings. The shrimp are sweet and perfectly cooked. It was a cold and rainy day and we were warmly welcomed. To have such a lovely greeting and a cup of warm sweet tea was a wonderful experience. Everyone seemed so happy to be enjoying a lovely lunch. I can't wait to visit again. It will be very soon. We are very interested in trying their special ice cream Highly recommend this lovely place.

Joy Q.

Yelp

Definitely worth a visit if you're in northern San Jose and are in the mood for dim sum. There's plenty of parking in their adjacent parking lot. We were seated quickly on a Saturday morning and the waitress was incredibly kind and helpful! Ordering on your phone via QR code was easy, with fair prices and a good selection to choose from. The food arrived quickly and was very tasty! My favorites were the shrimp egg & pork siu mai, the egg lava buns, and the shrimp dumplings. The service was great and I'm overall satisfied with the experience. Happy to support a local family-operated business and would definitely come again. They also service cocktails and Uji Time ice cream!

Gregory S.

Yelp

Food is good. Portions are large. Staff is friendly and helpful. I had dinner here last night because I was staying at a nearby hotel, and I hadn't had Chinese food in a while. I was overjoyed that they had my favorite beer - Tsing Tao.

Wilson M.

Yelp

Visited for dim sum during Thanksgiving and was surprised it wasn't very crowded. Some of the food items were good, and others were not. The beef rice noodle rolls, shu mai, chicken feet, sticky rice wrapped in leaf, and fried taro were all good. While not on the same level as restaurants like Dragon Beaux in SF, they were still enjoyable (and much more affordale). The soup dumplings were honestly terrible. They were pricey, dry, and had a very thick wrapping. The har gow was also way overcooked and essentially fell apart when picking them up. The tea they offered was also unremarkable.

Ter L.

Yelp

Needed to find a good Asian restaurant for dinner tonight and although the last few visit with Jade Cathay for dim sum weren't good, I decided to give them another go with family- style dinner. We entered and were the only ones in the restaurant, I seriously thought JC wasn't open for dinner. The 3 employees running the show were busy making dumplings and didn't even have the lights on. A lady quickly told us to grab a seat in the corner and flicked on the lights. A gentleman approached us and mentioned that the table may be too small and offered for us to move. The initial lady comes back and informs us that this table was too big and at this point I'm honestly over playing musical tables & chairs!! We move one more time due to the back door being left wide open and it simply being waaay too cold for my toddler. [[I should have taken that incident as a sign and ran for the exit]] Dinner consisted of: Fried Shrimp Ball Shrimp Dumpling Pork & Shrimp Dumpling Shrimp & Chive Pan Fried Dumpling Chinese Greens [gai lan] Salt & Pepper Shrimp Beef Tenderlon & Jade Tofu House Special Fried Rice & Seafood Chow Mein Dim sum items came out first and were a sopping mess. Very wet and items fell apart when they were picked up with our chopsticks. Rice and noodles were extremely bland. The beef was overly chewy and extremely hard to eat. The honorable dishes of the night happened to be the S&P shrimp and Chinese greens. On top of having a not so enjoyable meal, this restaurant is not covid safe as our party witnesses a male worker whom I'm assume is some sort of manager walking around without a mask and coughing out in the open air without covering his mouth. The restaurant also allowed 3 men to come in without any face coverings all while dining indoor. 1 star. This experience has left me wondering why I continuously give Jade Cathay the benefit of the doubt. Money NOT well spent and restaurant is NOT recommended, especially during this pandemic.

Robert D.

Yelp

We visited only once by chance and are happy we did. We ordered only Dim Sum. Listed below from best to least favorite: 1. Chinese Donut Rice Noodle Roll. As odd as it sounds, we took a chance, and we were delighted how good it was in the end. We could return just for that. It has a slight cake donut flavor with the Noodle and sauce. Soft steamed Noodle wrapped around a slightly crunchy donut. 2. Scallop and Shrimp Dumplings. These were pretty delicious. 3. Fried Shrimp Ball. Not oily at all and tasted great. 4. Steamed Pork and Chile Dumplings. Not spicy. More on the sweet side. But still tasted great. 5. Rice Noodle Roll Shrimp. Staple for us and pretty standard menu item. 6. Shanghai Soup Dumplings. Taste was okay. There was no soup inside the Dumplings. Staff was friendly and attentive. You order from an app on your phone. Staff will come to repeat your order and tape it to your table.

Isabel L.

Yelp

The food was excessively salty, leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Additionally, the noodles were terribly overcooked, lacking any semblance of texture. Overall, I was highly disappointed with the quality of the food and would not recommend dining here.

L P.

Yelp

Terrible service.. and not friendly. They don't appear to care about customers . I would go somewhere else.

Jun A.

Yelp

Food is delicious and tasty, the service is great. Orders come really quick and the ambiance was not crowded. I will definitely go back again and try other menu.

Brian S.

Yelp

Amazing dim sum!! Very friendly staff and easy ordering system. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes

Liz P.

Yelp

I called in to see if they serve dim sum all day. A man picked up the phone and kept saying hello three times and I responded back each time. He hinged up on me. I called again and a lady picked up and answered my questions. She was very pol I went here with 3 other people. We picked the seats near the kitchen and and staff let us know it's near the kitchen. I guess people don't like eating near the kitchen? I don't know. I don't have a problem with it. We just wanted to socially distance ourselves from other tables. I guess we ordered a lot. We ordered fried shrimp balls, 2 har gow, 2 shu mai, chicken feet, tripe, rice wrapped shrimp, house special fried rice. The fried rice was really delicious. The dim sum was okay. Our bill came out to 98 dollars. I guess our servers mistook my crossing out for two items as items we wanted so I had them correct that. Service was good. One of the staff tried to adjust my seat.

Bao N.

Yelp

Jade Cathay offers some of my family's favorite dim sum experience. All the classic dim sum options are great so whatever you are looking for is gonna be pretty legit. My favorites are the Shrimp Egg Pork Siu Mai, Beef Tripe Ginger Green Onion, Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, Pan Fried Golden Chive Dumpling, and Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls. I miss the cart ladies, but these days they have a sophisticated online ordering system so you can guarantee to get what you want, so I like that!

Jordan H.

Yelp

Jade Cathay is located right off the freeway and offers it's own parking lot with plenty of parking. We got seated quickly and were directed to order off the QR code at the table. This was a perfect system for me as I could order whenever I was ready but I could also ask the servers questions if I had any. Once we ordered, we received our food really quickly. We ordered two of their newest drinks, the spiced old fashion(they use Szechuan bitters, which was something I've never had before) and the Jade's Last Drop. Food wise we ordered: - Shrimp dumplings - Steamed chicken feet - Steamed spare ribs with black beans - Shrimp rice noodle roll - BBQ pork pastries - Deep fried stuffed shrimp crab claws - BBQ Pork - Green onion pancake - Steamed pork and chive dumplings - Two ice creams, tofu and yuzu passion fruit I feel like everything that we ordered was tasty and worth it to get. The prices were inline with how big the portions were, how attentive the staff was and the quality of the food. I was definitely happy with what we ordered and we walked out feeling stuffed. My favorite items were the chicken feet, the pork pastries, the ribs and the Jade's last drop drink. Chicken Feet: These were cooked perfectly and the flavor of the broth that they cooked in permeated throughout the meat. They were super tasty and all the collagen made it feel like I was getting healthier after each mouthful. I feel like this one certainly fought for the title of one of the best chicken feet that I have ever eaten.Pork Pastries: Okay so this item was fire and I think this is a must order for every person that comes to Jade Cathay. The pastry was buttery and airy, with tons of layers. This perfectly complimented the bbq pork and made for a well balanced dish. I ate two of them without even thinking about it because they were so good. Do yourself a favor and try one when you come in. Steamed Ribs: The steamed ribs were super tender and flavorful. They fell off the bone and made for an easy eating experience. Just like the chicken feet, they soaked up the flavor of the broth that they cooked in and became extremely flavorful. Definitely one of the best way to cook ribs and I believe that they make them very well here. The black beans that they are cooked with give a nice fermented flavor and round out the rich porky flavor. Jade's Last Drop: Our server told us about their push to elevate their bar drinks and suggested some of their newest drinks. This one was our favorite. It is a citrus based drink with whiskey. It was super refreshing and I can imagine that on a hot day it would be even more refreshing. The citrus balanced out the alcohol and left the drink tasting like a really good complex lemonade. It also wasn't overtly sweet which was really appreciated and dangerous because I could have had a few of these without even realizing it. Overall, my lunch at Jade Cathay was a very enjoyable experience and I cannot wait to come back and try out more menu items! The ambiance was really comforting and I felt like I was eating at someone's home more than some random restaurant. I just wanted to thank the host and servers that made my lunch feel extra comfortable! You guys rock and I can't wait to see y'all again!

Carlos A.

Yelp

Went there for dim sum on a Saturday and surprising not crowded like other dim sum places and made me think. The service is good and the dim sum food itself is also good, but I think it's way too pricey. I now know why it was not crowded. I ordered my usual items and I paid about 28% more than my usual dim sum place. I will return only if my other dim sum spot is too crowded.

Alexa D.

Yelp

Food is good; however. We ordered at 12:26pm, entree didn't come out until 1:15pm. Service is a 1/5.

Farrah C.

Yelp

Jade Cathay is our go to dim sum spot in South Bay for affordable, fresh, quick and tasty dim sum. I recommend the shrimp dumpling, daikon radish cake, deep fried stuffed meat dumplings and beef chow fun! Other than their dim sum menu, they also offer a variety of Chinese dinner dishes with fun cocktails. I love that they have a large parking lot and always has tables available in their dining area. The service is quick and attentive

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