Purple Dot Cafe

It's been a while since I was here last, so we decided to come here. Plus, the GF hasn't been here before. Looks like they cleaned the place up a bit. It looks better from the last time I was here. Sadly, the service is lacking. The guy at the register was doing a lot, and the one lady server was just serving. The food was really. I'm glad that never changed. I'm warning you now though. They take tips automatically, so when you get your bill the tip has already been added. 20% to be exact. The last time I came here, they never did that. I'm sorry, but your customers need to know that you're doing that. Tips are optional. Service wasn't the greatness, so for them to be doing that to customer isn't right. Sorry, but you're going to lose customer that way. Sad to say, but we don't plan to come back here. Unless that changes, you just lost us as customer. I really like their food. Also, we didn't see anything posted about the automatic gratuity, and legally they're suppose to have a sign or at least tell you about it. So if you decide to eat here, you won't be disappointed with the food, but be sure to bring up the tip on the recent. I usually base the tip off our service. You can opt not to pay it, and if you need more info on the matter it is available online.

We ordered a number of dishes from Purple Dot for a big party event. The prices were very fair and they were very communicative on delivery times. We had a few other food options catered from other restaurants but the dishes from Purple Dot were a big hit! We were also able to order some Vegetarian options and those went very fast. We will definitely order from them again for another event!

Evening/dinner staff are super efficient and more friendlier. The day staff were good too but it gets too busy and sometimes they forget about your order. My significant other loved loved their Shu Mai so much. We loved their food. It's great price for a great amount of food and taste

Christmas Day dim sum! This place was jam packed which was probably why the service was super super slow with items coming out one at a time. Food was decent... ordered dim sum along with a few dishes from the menu. Did not take pictures of everything. Nice interior and spacious tables for seating. Staff nice but just overwhelmingly busy today.

Had to eat Greasy food at late night due to bad service: There aren't many restaurants open near my workplace around 11 PM. I had passed by this one several times but never tried it, and unfortunately, my first experience was somewhat disappointing. I wanted to eat something light & healthy, but due to a mistake by the restaurant, I ended up having to eat very greasy vegetables. The waiter misunderstood my order for broth-based vegetables as stir-fried vegetables with garlic, and even though I corrected him and watched him make the correction, they still served the greasy garlic fried vegetables. I didn't want to go to sleep with a mouth full of garlic late at night, so I asked for a change. Surprisingly, they didn't remake it; they just poured the same stir-fried dish into the soup, which made the soup too greasy and full of garlic too. I didn't bother asking for another change, but I probably won't return to this restaurant.

Food is oily, bland, and chewy. Not only that, they have a hidden service charge/fee of 15% on top of tips. This place is a literal joke. Not to mention, the utensils are oily; it's almost like they never even bothered using dish soap. Atmosphere is normal, nothing special. Service and food wise are horrid. As I said previously, the food was oily, bland, and chewy (eating the beef stomach felt more like tendons). The service was also bad. Every time I tried to call someone over, nobody would come. There's literally a better restaurant across the street. Would recommend that over this joke of a place any day. Do not come here unless you wanna pay more than you expected and eat food that's worse. 1/5, would not recommend.

I love the egg yolk buns! Very yummy. I also tried the steamed chicken buns, which were equally delicious. My husband loves the deep fried shrimp dumplings. The prices are good and we like the tea too.

We decided on this place because Honey Court was packed. The minute we walked in, it was clear they'd just cleaned the floors, the smell of cleaning stuff was pretty strong. It eased up enough for us to stick around for a meal, otherwise we might've just grabbed a takeout. We got 1 soda, shredded pork with crispy chow mein, fish and chips, beef tendon, fried oysters, and some white rice. The chow mein was okayish, the deep-fried oysters were fresh but the batter was a bit too greasy for my liking, the beef tendon was tender and had a okay taste, the fish was nothing special and we've had better before. All came to about $94 The staff were on the ball, making sure our tea pots were topped off and we had enough napkins, and they checked in with us regularly to see if everything was okay. They were even nice enough to check with everyone in the restaurant to see if they wanted to order anything else before the kitchen shut down for the night in 13 minutes. All in all, the food wasn't great and definitely nothing to write home about, maybe that's why their rival across the street was so crowded and had a waiting list.

If u want to have a nice lunch/dinner date in IDC Seattle this is it! Ambiance: clean and visually appealing decor Food: good Service: Excellent. The sad part is I did not get the server's name.

We were around after midnight so it was great to know there's restaurants that run super late. We had some noodle soup, beancurd roll, vegetable dumplings, green beans and siomai. They served complimentary tea as well. Food wise the siomai was good, the beancurd as well. But the noodle soup the soup was a bit salty but tolerable. Also the soup got soaked up very quick. Additional soup is $5 extra which we forgone. Their service was very hospitable and went above and beyond. The ambiance is your typical Chinese restaurant brightly lit and really best for family style eating. Parking wise is mostly street parking so hit or miss on that depending on the events happening in the area. Overall though it's a great place to just come eat and hang out late night. I would definitely come back for more dimsum options too.

The food was a little to salty but still the average Chinese food. I also want to say that the dim sum had one shrimp skin where it wasn't supposed to have. I want to say that the service is decent and in time. But once I walked into the restaurant, it smelt like an old man with stanky breath. Also, the waiter was nice. I recommend this place to go once a 2 month. The ambiance while being in the restaurant is really Chinese-y and would say the food is right on point. There is a lot of people eating here and many seem to enjoy the food. Food could be better in my opinion, I wish it was not as salty and could have some color to the food. Also the cold chicken was super duper cold and I personally think that it should not be this cold. Next time do not make the chicken that cold and have it a little bit warmer. Finally, the food is top notch and would recommend the vegetables because my brother forced me to eat 2-3 whole ass plates of it. But overall, I enjoy this amazing experience with this place and would up my rating to a 3 to a 3.1. Thanks. P.S. the waiters are really nice and Chinese-y. I think the place could need some freshers because this place is stinky af. Next time I come back to Seattle, I better be able to breathe. Also I want this place to be a little bit more cleaner. I can smell the bathroom from a mile away. Thanks and good night!

Always reliable and delicious! We used to come here after the bars/clubs because they're open late, but it's also become a spot to grab greasy Chinese food for when the cravings kick. Love their chicken wings, baked spaghetti, thousand year old egg pork congee, and beef chow fun!!!

Good place for quick dim sum but nothing was outstanding. Good service. We got everything off the 6.99 menu and filled up quickly. Love the tea!!

First learned about Purple Dot during a noodle walking food tour with Wing Luke Museum. I had seen an update for its return to later hours. This came in handy driving back north from a late night concert (6/2/23). Something different from the usual default Dick's run. The stars aligned after detouring off I-5N and finding late night parking. The vicinity was hopping between Hong Kong Cafe, Honey Court, and Purple Dot on Maynard. We were immediately seated with menus and hot tea. Ravenous since our last meal was nine hours ago. Vast menu choices plus dim sum! Ordered siomai, custard buns, baked spaghetti, oyster sauce beef, and steamed rice. Everything hit the spot with the hot tea and copious refills of iced water. Definitely will need to return as other menu items looked intriguing. Support the CID! Glad for the late hour - great choice returning home from a road trip or the airport! Substantial, generous, and tasty. Great service too.

The pork hok app was so tender. Their Szechuan cold chicken didn't miss either! The service was friendly and efficient, making the whole experience smooth. Great job chef!

Popped by at 2AM for late night munchies after a night out. I've always been a regular at next door's Hong Kong Bistro, but as Purple Dot was open later, figured I might as well give it a shot. Overall impression, the pricing is fine and the late night hours are nice, but the food is incredibly sub par compared to HKB. Restaurant was relatively empty (less than 10 tables), but enough people were around that you certainly didn't have the entire place to yourself. The dim sum was fine, will fulfill any cravings you might have, but also nothing to write home about. I quite liked the steamed spare ribs; other dim sum items were very meh. Congee was fine, a little watery for me and kinda bland, but you can always season it yourself. Honey walnut shrimp IS A TRAVESTY. The texture of the shrimp and the fry is not bad, but the sauce???? The shrimp was actually just tossed in straight up mayo. Disgusting will never order again. Maybe their more traditional Hong Kong cafe style are better, but my experience was pretty underwhelming.

Super Late Dinner... The dim sum was on point and you can tell it was just made nice soft and juicy. Pad Thai was delicious. But the Beef brisket & wonton Noodles was a NO, broth was watered down too much that I can't even taste the flavor. But I would still come back. Just order everything else but the noodle soup. Ambience was nice it's been updated but could be loud in there.

I always appreciate a good dim sum and this is THE place if you're in the International District. It's very spacious inside and we had a pretty short wait time overall even on a Sunday afternoon. The service is excellent and friendly and the food is definitely the best part! You have the standard dumplings, bao, congee, sesame balls, radish cakes, and rice paper rolls. All of it was delightful and the serving sizes are standard for a dim sum place.

Purple Dot Cafe is a culinary gem in our city, offering not only great food but also the convenience of being open late. The chow mein, dumplings, and shrimp are personal favorites, showcasing their diverse and delicious menu. A definite staple for anyone seeking a delicious late-night dining experience. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the ambiance and customer service. It's not horrible by any means but in my opinion, it doesn't quite reach the level of excellence expected for a 5-star rating.

Purple Dot is one of my go to restaurants in Seattle since it's great for any outing! Date night? Family event? Graduation? Drunchies? Purple Dot will deliver day or night! I would recommend Purple Dot if I was sober OR Drunk! That's how good the food is! Their menu is diverse so they have food that can fill anyone's stomach! 10/10 would definitely recommend.

Great spot in Chinatown for late night dinner. Service is fast and efficient. Menu is wide variety of soup dishes, stir fried dishes and appetizers and more. Price is fairly reasonable and ambiance is great and bathroom is cleaned and well maintained!

RAW FOOD AND ARGUMENTATIVE We got served raw pork, the waiter took it back to recook but by the time the food came back out we lost our appetite to have that dish. So we ask the server to remove the item for the bill, which he agreed. However, when we went to pay it was still on the bill. The manager had the audacity to ask for a tip in lieu of removing the item. We would have tipped but he was incredibly rude about the whole experience and said to us "we don't care if you eat raw food, we will re-cook it. Nothing is free in life". Incredibly embarrassing as we brought family from out of town to have a meal. Way to go.

If you are a ha gao & siu mai person like me, come here for HUGE portions of dimsum. Pieces are large than bite size, not too salty, just right. Also highly recommend this place if you are having late night cravings. Not sure what to order? Baked Spaghetti and salt+pepper chicken wings. Food comes out very fast and you will not be able to finish if you come alone.

Dim sum all day! It's "to order" rather than carted-- likely a change since Covid. The space itself is attractive-- very female in design with lots of comfy booths. We ordered four dim sum dishes and tea. Don't miss the Shrimp with Pan-fried Eggplant-- so delicious. And so reasonably priced.

Given there are so many dim sum restaurants clustered around in International District, I am surprised more people do not come to Purple Dot Cafe. We had a group of eight (six adults and two children). We had a reservation for dinner on a Sunday, but it did not seem necessary since it was not that busy at all in there. Everything we ordered was pretty much as expected. Customer service was good. The bathroom was a little silly though. In the women's restroom the stall door is so short. I am only five feet tall and I could see over the stall door.

Purple Dot was my childhood growing up. I would have given it a 5 in the past, but my standards have definitely increased while Purple Dot's consistency decreased. I would say it's pretty average now. I do still enjoy stopping by but I'm not sure if it's because I have an attachment with nostalgia. Regardless, I'll continue to visit as it's a solid Hong Kong spot that's also open late. Also some decent dim sum here, but there's a ton of fantastic dim sum the area so it's tough to say. Baked Spaghetti with Meat Sauce - Very much like Filipino spaghetti which has a sweeter sauce. However, the ratio of spaghetti to sauce is heavily skewed towards the spaghetti so you'll be eating plain spaghetti a third of the time. Baked Pork Chop - pork chop, tomato sauce, and fried rice, a great combination. I swear there used to be some cheese to crust the pork chop and tie the dish together. If it wasn't cheese, there was something that made the dish more uniform and stringy, but that didn't exist here.

Big menu selection. Only few things on menu is solid. Most things could use a bit of more seasoning. The restaurant space itself is very nice. Prices also very reasonable.

This place has been around for a long time and obviously survived the Covid crisis. We were originally going to eat next door but it was all about the hype and wait time was no where to be seen any time soonest. I suggested Purple Dot because it's as good as it gets also and quick, and tasty foods. My fam agreed and so we sat for lunch. We ordered what we wanted and enjoyed every item. Service was fast and efficient. Staff was great and on point with some special requests. I still like this place. Their pork chops is amazing and we crave from time to time. I recommend it. Just like every thing else has gone up, the upside is their generosity with portions. It's plenty to share. This place has improved in cleanliness and presentation. Way to go Purple Dot! Keep up the good service and consistency. Parking can be challenging but pick your own battles. Wanna eat here? Do find a good, secure parking because you might take a while as you'll enjoy your food and company of your love ones or whoever you come here with. Enjoy enjoy enjoy!

Fast service and decent food. 4 stars just because I wish there were more things on the dim sum menu. Egg custard was super good, definitely a highlight along with the cucumber salad. I'd definitely order a larger entree next time since there is such a variety of food. Also, love that they're open late, but the area is kinda sketch at night.

2 star for service 2 star for food People who serve there are rushing for the order and late on giving the food. There were times when the waitress forgot our order and sidnt serve us for 45mins. Sad part was, it wasn't even busy.. though I can see why. Goto Hong Kong Bistro down the street instead.

This place deserves to be rated a lot higher in my opinion! I've been coming here for years with my family, and the dim sum is always made to-order, piping hot, and on-point in terms of authenticity and flavor. I especially recommend the shrimp dumpling with pan-fried eggplant, and the radish cake. Their live seafood dishes are amazing as well, especially the ginger and scallion lobster and the steamed tilapia. The place is never too busy but the food is consistently great. We are on good terms with the owner and he always makes sure we're well taken care of. All in all I can't recommend this place enough!

The perks of going to Purple Dot is that if I'm craving dim sum they serve it all day! What waxes this place from others is that each dim sum order is prepared fresh to order and not resteamed or sitting on a warmer for hours. We had the har gaw, steamed bean curd roll stuffed with pork, bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms, siu mai and the most delightful fluffy pan fried pork buns with a crispy top and bottom but airy and pillowy inside dough on inside. We also got the beef brisket lo mein with a side of broth for dipping and the wok hei stir fry noodles with bean sprouts. You can't wrong here with anything on their menu!

Overall experience was okay. I did think the ambiance was cute. Customer service was okay. Food was only OKAY. It was only my first time here so maybe it was an off-day but I've had better flavors for the same price elsewhere.

I usually go to to Honey Court, but I decided to try Purple Dot. Seating was fast. No wait. Disappointed many of my favorite Dim Sum spots have resorted to order as you go instead of the carts. Purple Dot is menu ordered items. The beef meatballs and beef rice roll were delicious. The Pork fried "football" was cold. Ha Gow. Was nice large size. But the wrap seemed a little flaky? In general it felt like some of the items were fresh, and some were not. The fried donut with noodle wrap tasted fresh. The Chicken buns were good. Overall, a bit mixed. The items that were fresh were really good. The other items, were a disappointment. Overall, the experience wouldn't cause me not to return, but I have some other favorites in the International district that I prefer.

Went here after a mariners game because it was the only spot with available seating (for a reason). Waitress kept walking away while I was ordering, guess I ordered too much, and didn't even get my order correct. Had the worst service and when I asked where certain items were they just handed me the check. Also be aware they add a 18% service charge without telling you and it was only me and another person. If you don't speak Chinese or have Chinese friends don't eat here you won't get good service, Hong Kong bistro or honeycourt which are both next door are both far better places to eat.

Would give 0 stars if I could. I don't expect much from Chinese restaurant service, but the waitress with the bangs was HORRENDOUS. She was so incredibly rude. While taking our order she started walking away. Like wtf? Never brought our drinks out, I wonder why. She kept saying "what" every time we tried asking a question. We eventually had enough of her, so we asked for to-go boxes and our check. She grabbed us several but didn't care to grab a soup container for our soup. Slams both the containers and our check down. Okay cool... so we definitely know she doesn't like us. She stops by so quickly that we have to wait for her to pass by again to ask for something. But she'll chat with other tables for a long time. We probably waited 20 mins just to get a soup container because she was too busy being attentive to other tables. Oh and another surprise to our horrible time here, they seem to add a 18% service charge for two people. Are you serious? For such bad service we have to pay a service fee? I know we all have bad days as a service worker myself, but I've never met anyone like her with such bad attitude. She clearly should not be a waitress with the way she treats certain customers. The food was also not amazing, just average. You're better off going to HK Bistro or Honey Court. TLDR: Don't waste your time at this restaurant. Shitty service, mediocre food, added 18% service fee just for two people.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon and was able to get seated promptly. The menu has a large variety of items and it can be overwhelming to choose what to eat. We had our minds set on dim sum, so we mostly ordered dumplings. My favorite of the dumplings were the rice dumplings with shrimp and shumai. We also ordered the beef chow fun, which tasted good too. Overall, I would recommend this place. There are a lot of options to choose from when with a large group of people. I definitely plan to come back and try other things.

Very disappointing all around. The food wasn't that great, as a group of nine the food came out in decent time. We asked for forks when we ordered but never received any until we had to ask again midway through our meal. One of our dishes was forgotten, we reminded the server about it but never received it. At the end of the meal, we reminded the server that we never got it and he offered to get it but we told him our meal was over and we no longer wanted it. We asked for boxes and our checks. He came back with only our checks and waited for our payment cards, when he gave them back we barely had time to sign before he started asking for the signed receipts back. We asked for boxes (again), he only brought over two containers and one box... for nine people. When we asked for a couple more, he seemed annoyed that three boxes was not enough for our group. We won't be returning because the service made us feel unwelcome to say the least.

Worst dim sum I've ever had. And I'm from San Antonio. Thick, chunky, underdone dumpling dough and under cooked, flavorless pork filling. The bbq pork buns were also undercooked and doughy. Yuck.

I have never been so disappointed to eat at a Chinatown establishment like I have a purple dot café. First off, we had droves of people get seated before us, and when we did get seated we were never asked what we'd like to drink nor was our orders taken. A woman who is not our waitress came and dropped off some food that we did not order. When we finally got up and talked to the host at the front table, she comped that food and had a server come take our order. Twice did the server ask if we wanted soft noodles or crispy noodles in our Order of pork chow mein and both times we said soft. When the food arrived, the chow mein was incorrect and we never received the pork buns we ordered. Honestly by that time I was so fed up I just paid for the chow mein and left. Service - 1 star Quality of food- 2 stars Friendliness - 1 star

This place is one of our go-to dimsum restaurants. They are consistent with their food on flavor and portion over the years. They have friendly and attentive servers. We love their baked spaghetti, fried shrimp balls & pineapple buns! Yum! Can't go wrong with any of their dimsum dishes.

I love this place, it reminds me of home when no where else can. I came here just to try out a new spot but it turned into a place i will surely come back too in the near future with not just family, but friends aswell.

Read the reviews. The least stars are the most accurate. Servers here are completely rude and pushy on adding food to the bill. We ordered pork innards congee with Chinese donut, chicken feet and sticky rice with chicken. The congee was okay. I can tell that the meats were previously cooked (still some scum on it) and reboiled. Chinese donuts were delicious. Chicken feet was delicious. As for the sticky rice with chicken, the rice was undercooked and the dish itself was not worth ordering. 1 star because these servers are demanding and always trying to have me add more to the bill. At least it's open until 1AM or 2AM! Food is decent, but everything else is not worth it.

Bland boba but great service. Soup broth is just water. Undercooked vegetables. Crunchy stuffed peppers. Kinda gross bathrooms but not that bad. Hair in the sticky rice. Great service. Amazing eggplant dish. Great service.

I know Chinese food well, and this is a great spot. Service is good, ambiance is spot on. If you are looking for a fancy up-scale Chinese place like most of these less than 4-star reviewers seem to be, you won't find it in Seattle. This place is a great and worth a try if you've never been!

This is our go to dim sum spot! We love the quality and variety they serve while still being reasonably priced for dim sum in the area. I also like that while it's popular, it usually not overrun during peak times so we usually don't have to wait long for a table. The service is very efficient as well so you don't have to wait long for your food. There are definitely many great dim sum places in the international district but personally this one will always be our favorite

This is the place to get the most authentic Hong Kong cafe style rice plates! There are many Hong Kong restaurants on the same street, but this one is the one that got it right the most. I would recommend everyone steak in black pepper sauce.

Purple dot was my first Seattle dim sum experience and I've gotta say it was great! The food was amazing and the portions were pretty large (and that's coming from a southerner). The space is clean with plenty of seating. The service was good as well. Our server made great recommendations for us. I also love that they close so late! Perfect spot to come when I have some late night cravings.

i got the beef chow fun (rice noodles w beef) and the longevity noodles (braised e fu noodles). the rice noodles were okay, nothing special. can definitely skip on the longevity noodles next time as there was barely any flavor or toppings in it. the menu does have a lot options so there's a lot to choose from.

What is wrong with you guys. I order online, didn't receive silverware, came into the store to get some, and they told me to get out and said "they dont have silverware"??? Seriously some of the fucking worst service I've ever received. I tried to show my receipt and was asked to leave. Great food, but your host is a fucking asshole. I have no words. If I could give zero stars I would. I used to come here everyday but I don't think I'll be coming back

Came recommended by a local. Well priced and loved the white seating. Great service. I think the din sum was well priced but not the best I've had which maybe is hard to measure up to. The shrimp balls were our favorite.

Purple Dot is a staple in the ID, and we finally had the chance to check it out on a Saturday around ~8-9 PM, when it was still relatively busy. We were seated right away, and ordered the following. - Singapore Style Vermicelli | I knew nothing about this dish going in, so the curry flavor caught me a bit off guard, but it was good! Very generous portion, and good value. - ChaoZhou Dumplings | This is my favorite dim sum dish, and this was great! The wrappers didn't stick to the paper/bamboo too much, and it was easy to pick up without it completely falling apart, which is always a win. - Pan-Fried Eggplant Stuffed Shrimp | They totally forgot about this dish when we ordered it, as we had to remind them about 15-20 mins after we got our first two dishes that we were still waiting on this. 2/3 pieces were delicious and flavorful, but the last one was shockingly bland, so not sure what happened there. Service was a bit spotty, but nothing egregious besides the forgotten eggplant.

Solid dim sum. I'm surprised it's not rated higher considering half the reviews are spillover diners who couldn't get into Honey Court (which IMO is far worse quality with an absurdly long wait that doesn't live up to the hype). Most of the dishes here are pretty good, on par or better than other places in ID. Service is a little hit or miss but is it even legit dim sum if it's not??

Came here for an early dinner on Saturday and the restaurant was mostly empty. The wait staff was attentive and fast and also helped give recommendations since the menu is huge and i have decision paralysis when I have this many options. Decided on the baked pork chop in tomato sauce over rice and it was delicious. Crispy pork, tangy sweet tomato sauce, perfectly cooked rice. Super fragrant dish overall too.

This is our go-to late night post-party dinner spot. The food is fantastic and service is very quick, even when they're very busy, which is all the time! We've seriously been there at what I swear was 3 am before and it's still packed! Most recent visit we had oysters which were AMAZING. Must try - oysters in stone pot or something like that. We always get the salt pepper squid, which I didn't see on the menu the last few times we were there but they still served it to us no problem. It's not your typical Americanized Chinese -it's so. much. better. Also noteworthy: - They will only bring water if you ask but give you hot tea. - No matter what size a crowd I bring, we've never had to wait to be seated! - No matter how drunk the crowd is, we've never seen any unruly behavior.

They were able to get a group of 15 in with no wait on a Saturday for dim sum. No carts, you just pick what you want. Food ok and reasonably priced. Service lacking- did not bring requested water (ever) not chili oil. We finally took sone oil off another table. I'd go here again, but just sufficient, nothing to write home about.

Terrible service food comes one by one and takes forever so you need to follow up each time also make sure to review the receipt there was only 3 of us and they added a service charge when i ask them why is there a service charge the waitress pretends that it was added by mistake.