Lai Hong Lounge
Dim sum restaurant · North Beach ·
Dim sum classics, crispy noodles, and banquet seating available
Dim sum classics, crispy noodles, and banquet seating available
"If you threw a wedding on a submarine, the banquet room would probably look something like Lai Hong Lounge in Chinatown. It’s partially because this dim sum spot doesn’t have any windows aside from the front door, but it’s also large enough to fit a whole ship’s crew in one seating or host a rehearsal dinner where you can seat the obligated invites far, far away where they belong. And the bright yellow and red that cover this place add to the celebratory feel - if you’re the kind of person who wants to celebrate your own birthday, but hates big expensive meals or ironically doing a fake treasure hunt on Treasure Island, this is where you should go. The menu here is pretty standard and all of the food - from the shrimp har gau to the xiao long bao - is solid, but this is one time when you can skip the steamed pork bao. And even though the crowded room makes it feel like you’re here for something big, you can get in and out of here only spending about $20 per person, which makes it great for everything from showing some visitors around to just going on a Sunday when you woke up wanting dumplings." - Will Kamensky
"A long-running Chinatown dim sum institution that briefly closed to remodel during the pandemic and has since reopened with refreshed dining rooms, this Michelin-recognized spot serves classic dim sum like chicken feet, pork buns, and siu mai. The kitchen is also noted for Hong Kong–style crispy noodles that are parboiled then stir-fried to finish." - Mae Hamilton
"“This windowless dim sum lounge looks small from the outside, but there’s room for over 100 diners inside its cherry-red dining room—with dozens more hopefuls lined up on the street outside. The largely Chinese crowd attests to the authenticity of the food, which ranges from steamed pork buns and taro dumplings to chicken feet with peanuts and Peking duck—if you’re hoping to skip out on the wait, go at dinner instead of lunch, or call for takeout. Favorites include rice noodle rolls stuffed with ground beef and aromatic herbs and crispy, golden pan-fried tofu with a silky interior. Shanghai pork soup dumplings arrive in a steam basket in individual metal cups. Served with black vinegar for dipping, they're achingly fragile but terrifically tasty.”" - The MICHELIN Guide
"This windowless dim sum lounge looks small from the outside, but there’s room for over 100 diners inside its cherry-red dining room—with dozens more hopefuls lined up on the street outside. The largely Chinese crowd attests to the authenticity of the food, which ranges from steamed pork buns and taro dumplings to chicken feet with peanuts and Peking duck—if you’re hoping to skip out on the wait, go at dinner instead of lunch, or call for takeout. Favorites include rice noodle rolls stuffed with ground beef and aromatic herbs and crispy, golden pan-fried tofu with a silky interior. Shanghai pork soup dumplings arrive in a steam basket in individual metal cups. Served with black vinegar for dipping, they're achingly fragile but terrifically tasty." - The MICHELIN Guide
"This windowless dim sum lounge looks small from the outside, but there’s room for over 100 diners inside its cherry-red dining room—with dozens more hopefuls lined up on the street outside. The largely Chinese crowd attests to the authenticity of the food, which ranges from steamed pork buns and taro dumplings to chicken feet with peanuts and Peking duck—if you’re hoping to skip out on the wait, go at dinner instead of lunch, or call for takeout. Favorites include rice noodle rolls stuffed with ground beef and aromatic herbs and crispy, golden pan-fried tofu with a silky interior. Shanghai pork soup dumplings arrive in a steam basket in individual metal cups. Served with black vinegar for dipping, they're achingly fragile but terrifically tasty." - The MICHELIN Guide