Tim Ho Wan

Cantonese restaurant · Melbourne

Tim Ho Wan

Cantonese restaurant · Melbourne
206 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

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Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null
Tim Ho Wan by null

Highlights

Famous Michelin Star dim sum, known for BBQ pork buns  

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206 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia Get directions

timhowanaustralia.com.au
@timhowan_melb

A$20–40 · Menu

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206 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia Get directions

+61 3 9663 9691
timhowanaustralia.com.au
@timhowan_melb

A$20–40 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 7, 2025

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Kay Shaw

Google
Went back several times for baked bun with BBQ pork. Both dine in and take away are always good. Even I left it cold, still so tasty. Egg fried rice is good too, simple not greasy. Vermicelli roll with Chinese Doughnut is tasty but skin is a bit too thin. The staffs are very friendly.

Amanda Juray

Google
This used to be one of our favorite places. We hadn't been there in a while so we wanted to see if they had anything new and exciting: not really. They have some new seasonal items but they're not great. The prawn dumplings in "superior" broth and sweet & sour chicken are especially disappointing. The soy sauce noodles weren't anything special. The baked buns, prawn vermicelli rolls, and chicken/sausage rice are as great as they ever were. They have QR code table ordering now, but prices remain pretty high in such a competitive area. We weren't disappointed overall but we probably won't return in a hurry.

Karam Devnani

Google
I’ve been a huge fan of Tim Ho Wan and have tried multiple outlets accross different countries. Most of them were really good and there are some that are just okay. This branch didn’t have bad food, dont get me wrong. But it was all just okay compared to other branches. It is still tastier than other yum cha places in Melbourne, and also reasonably priced. But it is just okay. The pork buns was different for some reason. The filling was equally good, but the bun itself felt different. It didn’t have the same appeal that wowed me when I get it from branches in other Asian countries. The service was also not quite there. The staff didn’t seem enthusiastic and happy to be working. And the atmosphere was very dull. Could just be a timing of the day thing tho. But overall, it’s all just okay, thus 3 stars.

Eric

Google
Delicious and fresh food, just like always! I appreciated the convenient QR code ordering and the option for refillable hot tea. The service was excellent.

life

Google
Great relaxed place for a meal with a friend to chat eating delicious food that comes quickly with a smile ! The Baked Bun with BBQ pork was delicious and a very interesting sweet twist.

Alice Carroll

Google
Delicious fresh food served competently in a brusque environment. Service is hands off but fine, food arrives quickly, very busy and very popular. Well priced for the quality.

peko2_diary

Google
Tim Ho Wan is a great spot for yum cha with consistently good flavours and a cozy atmosphere. The menu has a nice variety, making it easy to try different dishes without overordering. We ordered the gold-dusted charcoal bun, pork dumpling with shrimp, spicy fried radish cake, beancurd skin roll with shrimp, mango sago pomelo, and iced milk tea. The charcoal buns were a standout—soft, gooey and flavorful inside. The spicy fried radish cake had a great texture and a nice touch of wok hei. The service was friendly, though the restaurant was quite busy during our visit. If you're planning to go, it's worth arriving early or being prepared for a short wait. It's definitely a solid option for yum cha in Melbourne!

Paul Feng

Google
While the service and ambiance were acceptable, I found the dishes to be underwhelming. In particular, the radish cake in the first picture had an unusual taste. I would kindly request that Tim Ho Wan's staff consider improving the quality of their food. Furthermore, I noticed the tea was served in a plastic cup, and without a teapot 🫖, this is not acceptable. I understand the need for cost management in the restaurant industry, serving tea in individual teapots is a fundamental aspect of the Cantonese tea house experience. I believe each table deserves this traditional service. I have visited many Tim Ho Wan around the world, and this is the only one so far that I have experienced this. I am looking forward to the improvements in the future 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Doug L.

Yelp
We were passing by Tim Ho Wan when we decided to grab some dim sum. It was a good size restaurant but less than half full when we arrived for an early dinner. We got seated right away. Ordering was done via QR code. Bathrooms were not in the restaurant but outside about halfway into the building. It wasn't well signed. We ordered our favorites (BBQ pork buns, shrimp and pork dim sum, bean curd wrap) and taste and quality were consistent. We also tried their congee for the first time and it was quite good. Service was good and when we were finished we paid at the cashier. The credit card surcharge was the lowest of any restaurant we ate during that trip.
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Candice F.

Yelp
Tim Ho Wan, Melbourne's dim sum restaurant with a Michelin Star. We walked right in at 10:45 am on a Monday. Pretty limited menu with 28 items on their regular offering, with 4 additional monthly specials. Write your requests on their checklist ordering paper and then press the button on the table, which signals to them that you're ready. Minutes after they pick up your order, food will magically appear! We ordered the famous baked buns with BBQ pork, the radish cake, vermicelli roll with BBQ pork, braised chicken feet with abalone sauce, pork dumpling with shrimp, spring roll with eggaq white, wasabi salad prawn dumpling and the monthly special gold dusted charcoal buns. Skip to the bottom to read our favorites! The BBQ pork buns have a crunchy coating, which reminds of pineapple crunch topping. Pretty similar to our local Koi Palace dim sum, but just a tad sweeter. The spring roll is excellent, expertly fried with a football pointy shape (versus round). The gold dusted charcoal buns were unique for us. Filled with custard, they are definitely a desert option. Charcoal bread is a bit heavy, which will fill you up. The chicken feet had good flavor, different from your standard offerings. Not spicy at all, which is what we like. Wasabi salad prawn dumpling is visually beautiful with good flavor but the sauce makes the fried skin soft. Vermicelli roll and radish cake were both very standard. All in all, a good lunch stop with a couple winners. Our favorites were the BBQ pork buns and the spring rolls!
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Nick N.

Yelp
Food: 5/5 Service: 3/5 Cleanliness: 4/5 Decor & Style: 3/5 The best BBQ pork buns I've ever had in my life. The hype was totally worth it. The way it just flakes off into your mouth, wow! All other dishes were good, but not the best I've had. 5 stars overall just for the buns themselves. I will come back here!
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Vivian Q.

Yelp
This was actually my first time at a Tim Ho Wan, so I was excited to see if the food would live up to the hype. We ordered several classic dim sum dishes, and overall, the dishes here seem more precisely constructed than some other locales - for example, the shumai were topped with a goji berry, the beancurd skin rolls had very thin skin. I was most impressed with the BBQ pork buns - like a previous review mentioned, very unique that the bun tastes similar to a pineapple bun, such a nice sweetxsavory taste. (The buns were brought out almost instantly, but I was disappointed that they seemed only lukewarm.) I also liked the special of charcoal buns - the custard filling made for a nice dessert. Overall, nice quality dim sum but a little pricey.
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Chantelle T.

Yelp
Is it amazing and delicious? Yes! But it's almost like a cafeteria style deal that serves up delicious foods. Apparently it's a Michelin star business but I just don't get that bit. It's quite an interesting and incredibly efficient way of service. Go in, mark what you want on the sheet, ring the bell for service and they'll bring you the food when it's ready. It is really good food, the pork buns were the best I've ever eaten in my life. Crispy, sweet and filled with pork I could have eaten so many more. Prawn dumplings were nice and the wonton noodle soup was surprisingly delicious. The broth was subtle with fresh noodles added. It seems almost underseasoned until you bite into the wonton and the perfect saltiness matches the rest of the dish. No complaints about those garlicky chicken wings either. A really awesome experience and well priced given the notoriety and Michelin star attached to the business. Highly recommended and I would definitely return.
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Maria L.

Yelp
It was ok. Nothing special just another dim sum place but very limited menu. Apparently this place is known for their Michelin star, but I think din tai fong is much tastier. The selection of items here is pretty limited maybe less than 15 or 20 things to choose from. We had the radish cake, Congee, shrimp dumplings, pork roll, pork and shrimp spicy dumpling, truffle fried rice. The radish cake didn't have a good consistency, the pork roll was very average, the shrimp dumplings were fairly good and so was the congee. The fried rice was very dry. They don't have Chilli oil, only Chilli sauce which has vinegar in it. They don't have ginger for the dumplings either. The staff were Chinese and almost couldn't understand English. All in all super average place. Good to try but nothing special.
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Feren Y.

Yelp
It was A-OK. I have tried it twice as I have luckily not had to wait in line for long at all but the 2nd time didn't change my opinion. The all day yum cha is a fantastic idea but the menu is tiny, the food is good but not amazeballs and it was all...ok. The service is pretty quick as they want to get through as many people as possible it wasn't overly friendly and no split bills. The pork bun: crispy top with sweet bbq pork filling...I love the top of the bun as it is sweet and I wish i could have that for dessert by itself. Vermicelli with bbq pork/sesame: very thing noodle and bouncy but not enough filling or sauce. MORE SAUCE please. Lotus leaf rice: fragrant but about the same as most other yum cha spots. Chicken and chinese sausage rice: really didn't have any flavour...skip this one. Turnip cake: I actually quite like this one, quite smooth and it has bounce in it and not too floury. Pork spare ribs: tiny portion, nothing special. Steamed egg cake: It was light and they seemed to have used some mix of golden syrup/molasses/brown sugar but it was so small for the price you pay and didn't really taste all that different to the regular ones. Spring roll with egg white: Very crispy on the outside but I had to douse it with chilli and soy sauce. My friends tried the prawn dishes and they finished everything but we all agreed that we wouldn't travel to the city just for this in the future and would not go if there was a line. There you go, if you are around the area give it a try but don't make a fuss over it.
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Leisha C.

Yelp
When I first heard the now chain version of the worlds cheapest Michelin starred restaurant was coming here I almost peed my pants. I've been waiting for over a year for Tim Ho Wan to come to Melbourne, and I left today feeling a little meh about the whole thing. I probably should preface this with I have been to the original in Hong Kong before it was pimped out, Wolfgang Puck style (seriously, that guy is now everywhere in the US). I purposely flew home from India via HKG so I could have 7 waking hours to go to Tim Ho Wan, and it was totally worth it (hence my excitement about the Melbourne opening). So almost 2 weeks after opening, I had the time to wait in the line to get in. HKG used to get 3 hour waits, thankfully I'd heard Melbourne was around 1 - 1.5 hours. I ventured in at 15 minutes past opening on Easter Sunday, to an as expected already large line (10.15am). An hour into the wait, I made it to the outside stools (thank god, was starting to get antsy standing up), and was handed the ordering sheet. 20 minutes later I was in and had placed my order, and 5 minutes later my first dish arrived (baked pork buns). The 2nd dish arrived within a few more minutes, but then I had a gap of about 10 minutes of twiddling my thumbs for my final 2 dishes to gradually came out. The food: Baked pork buns - the inside was the tastiest pork I've ever had. 5/5 on these for sure. The casing tasted a little oddly sweet for me, but I'd totally go them again. Steamed Egg Cake - at first I was taken aback as I think my eyes expected something sweeter, but after the first couple of bites I couldn't get enough. Light and fluffy and I'd eat again if it was in front of me. Prawn Dumplings - I LOVED these in HKG. Today I wasn't very impressed. Bland except for pepper (which I swear they didn't have in HKG but I could be wrong), and 1 wasn't even sealed properly. Liver rice rolls - extremely watery, and just blurgh. Wasn't impressed at all. The Service: Staff were super friendly. I was taken in before a couple of people in front of me, as I was dining solo, but they didn't make the most of this. I was put on a 2 seater table on my own, when there was plenty of spare seats around where I could have squeezed in on a table of 3. I went on my own expecting to get in quicker, but they're not taking advantage of this opportunity to get more people in sooner! The cost: This is where they've really lost me. $32.90 for 4 dishes & a soft drink, for a 2 hour visit (where only 25 mins of that was eating) with so-so food, in my opinion not worth it at all. We are too spoilt in Melbourne to pay this much and wait this long for dim sum. Fun Fact: you can get leftovers to take away, and there's a roller window leading into the arcade that hopefully means you can order to go soon without having to wait!
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Jessie S.

Yelp
Be it the wait or talk of a Michelin star, Tim Ho Wan had me hungry with high expectations. Unlike other Yum Cha / Chinese menus, the selection was pretty constrained. Their top 4 recommended dishes are plastered front and centre (everywhere) and selections can be easily made with their impeccable wait staff. The process is void of head bobbing, awkward signals and excessive eye movements; a simple press of a discreet buzzer and assistance will arrive at your table. The food is without doubt, delicious. Bold flavours combine with delightful textures and the experience behind these dishes is pretty evident. I just didn't feel wowed. Of the dishes I ordered, I would enjoy the steamed then baked pork bun and vermicelli noodle with bbq pork if it were offered to me again. The bun was lavish, it's saucy, meaty centre reminiscent of a homemade chunky meat pie. Combined with high levels of butter in the crisp and fluffy bun, my 1 + 1/2 portion was enough. Vermicelli was doused in a sweet and salty sauce complimenting the silky noodle and bbq pork. Other notables would be the fluffy steamed egg cake which tasted like a maple syrup chiffon and their complimentary chilli sauce (more sweet than spicy though). Happy we visited and really enjoyed my meal, but can't see myself lining up for it again.
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Sophia N.

Yelp
Had catch up dinner with some friends here. Lucky for me i only waited 5 minutes to get in as i was running late. For them they waited at least 45mins-1hour. Make sure you're not super hungry when you decide to come here. We basically ordered nearly everything on the menu as there isn't a long list to decide from. Their menus have pictures so it's easier to decide what you want. The thing i was most looking forward to eating was the baked pork bun so we ordered 3 plates of it. Each plate comes with 3 buns on it. I've heard everyone rave on about these buns so i had pretty high expectations for them but Unfortunately they were pretty over rated. They are good but they didn't blow my mind. The outer shell of the bun was sweet and crunchy which was delicious but the filling inside tasted like any other bbq pork bun you can get at any vietnamese bakery. For a michelin star restaurant i didn't see anything special about it as i can get betrer dishes at my local yumcha restaurant. Either way it was worth a try. I would recommend to try it as it's new but it's pretty pricey for yumcha food. Service was great though. 2 thumbs up!
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Sarina W.

Yelp
I vowed that I don't want to go to Tim Ho Wan, considering I will go to Hong Kong in exactly a week's time. But I was craving for pork buns and cheong fun (steamed rice rolls) and walking past early on a week day there was no queue, so in I went. First thing I was impressed by was the service. It was certainly a change from the Hong Kong THW, with big wide smiles and half bows everywhere. I ordered the vermicelli roll (rice roll) w sweet sesame sauce, but told them to hold the sweet sauce. So the lovely waiter gave me all the sauces separately instead so I can use it to my hearts content. The vermicelli roll was exactly what a good vermicelli roll should be like, smooth and silky. The pork bun is a bit sweeter than the ones in Hong Kong, and it was a little bit too crispy. Otherwise it was good. Very good. The only gripe is that the prices of the Melbourne THW is so much more exxy than the one in Hong Kong! I guess the wages in here are more expensive but it was certainly a great experience and when I come back from HK and craving for yum cha I will know where to go.
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Reem A.

Yelp
Strongly recommended. Clean, fresh, professional. The food: If you see my comments you'll notice how a big fan I am for authentic in the kitchen. I was fortunate enough to set in front of the kitchen and witness what goes on behind the scenes. Everyone cooking are middle aged and older, which I highly praise. Because that's when you get soul food my friend. Secondly, the system followed in the kitchen is what makes food fresh and executed perfectly every time you visit. One note though there is an extensive use of pork on the menu which makes options for people with different backgrounds limited. That is the only downside I saw. But seafood options are delightful. The service: Is professional and flawless.. good place to eat in peace The prices: It is not cheap but average and above. One dish cost 6$ and above, if your hungry you'll might spend 20$ and above.
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Vinita P.

Yelp
If you are expecting the best dim sum you have ever had because of the Michelin star, you will be disappointed. However, if you just need a dim sum fix and are willing to pay a premium, this restaurant is for you. I can recommend the bean curd skin roll with pork and shrimp. The weekly special beef brisket noodle soup was good. The haa gow and turnip cake were below standard- 50% shrimp paste is considered lower quality, and turnip cake mostly starch filler and served luke warm. The pork buns looked promising: light crusty perfectly shaped buns. Unfortunately, the pastry is crusty because of a high sugar content. Paired with the candied pork filling pushes the sweet meter to over load.
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Robin T.

Yelp
The queue for this place was long. Ended up queuing for at least 45 mins before we were seated. The venue itself is small hence the queue and seating arrangements. This didn't matter as the food was just delectable. Most memorable was definitely the Baked Bun with BBQ Pork. I've never had such a pork bun before and it was really really good. There were other dishes that were equally good as well like their Vermicelli Rolls with Sesame Sauce and their Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp. The shrimp was tender and cooked to perfection. Not tough like most yum cha places. Everything else that we ordered was just yum. Explains why we are lil thirsty now. The service was good and friendly. Not pushy like most. It is on the pricier side but I think that's warranted.
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Vanessa B.

Yelp
Walking through the city one night and saw a huge line of people and thinking what on earth is going on to realise that a new dim sum place had opened up. So after a few days we decided that lets go and line up and get some yum cha! We waited in line for just over half and hour but the turn over was pretty quick. Pretty much everyone leaves after finishing their food which is good, as the line for this place never ends. We ordered 1 serve of the baked bun with bbq pork (3pcs - $7.80) - which were absolutely amazing! (why does Perth not have these!!) Would of happily had another serve of these. Also ordered the vermicelli roll with sesame sauce ($5.80) and the beef balls with beancurd skin (3pcs - $6). We did have to wait a long time for the vermicelli roll, had to ask the waitress and within 2mins she brought it out to our table. Can see why this place is very popular - it's in a great location and when people walk by they are interested as to why everyone is lining up and line up too... if they are willing to wait hehe :)
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Lukus W.

Yelp
The range is really poor at Tim Ho Wan. The food also wasn't anything to run home and vlog about to be honest. The reason I decided to visit was because I heard their BBQ pork rolls were "OUT OF THIS WORLD" honestly I've had better. The environment of the place isn't that great either, I didn't feel like I was in a comfortable setting arrangement. The tables need to be moved a little further apart, they have the space why not use it? I got it practice my chopstick skills so I guess that was a thing?
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Paul A.

Yelp
I waited til the hype had died down, as I didn't fancy queueing. In fact when I turned up at 6pm midweek the restaurant was only half full. With a small menu it looked like a good sign. Often I am overwhelmed by the pages of options at Asian restaurants. I chose half a dozen items including the eponymous bbq pork buns. First out came my greens - which were crunchy and fresh. Next was vermicelli roll with shrimp - also delicious and clean tasting. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worst with the bbq bun - sickly sweet, it was almost a dessert .. I got half way through and couldn't stomach any more. The turnip cake felt like it should've been crispier rather than limp and mushy. They've done well with their marketing - but I am guessing this outlet has come a long way from its Michelin star origin.
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Dahokolomoki Z.

Yelp
Surprising its only 3.5 stars, given that the dim sum is good quality, the pricing is not bad, and the BBQ pork buns are heavenly and very unique.
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Danny T.

Yelp
uhhhhh don't bother!!! another expansion plan gone totally wrong!! food here is edible but def. does NOT live up to the hype!!! looking around ... patronage is based on PRC tourists who don't know better but recognise the label. Anyway... come try for yourself.... prawn vermicelli was soggy and shrimp all mushy. Not fresh. The pan fried turnip cake... was goooey .. too much water in the flour mix. salty and simply not enjoyable to eat. The baked bun BBQ pork was probably the only thing that was ok. No standout as it claims to be ... the #1 restaurant???? I doubt that even in Hong Kong .
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Katherine A.

Yelp
Small selection, nothing extraordinary. I was expecting a little more given it was awarded a Michelin star. Food was decent, was expecting a little more but maybe I didn't order the right dim sum dishes.
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Heinzy B.

Yelp
This was our first visit to the Melbourne Tim Ho Wan, having just come back from HK and trying out the THW over there. We had the BBQ pork bun, shrimp vermicelli, tofu black truffle, lotus leaf rice, and soy sauce fried noodles. These BBQ pork buns are outstanding and clearly worth all the praise and accolades. The Melbourne versions are certainly on par with HK. A surprise favourite was the tofu black truffle, the accompanying sauce was sweet, sticky and plentiful. I also really enjoyed the lotus leaf sticky rice as there was plenty of meat. Would have loved another shroom or two but no real complaints here. We arrived for dinner and were seated immediately. Service was fast and efficient with food arriving within minutes. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed each dish and look forward to coming here again.
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Stanley L.

Yelp
The baked bun with BBQ pork is absolutely delicious! And we got har kow, siew mai and fried carrot cake here, Hong Kong style and taste!
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Chris P.

Yelp
Just like Costco, you can forget about trying to come here on the weekend; it not happening. People seem to think that they have to eat here on the weekends which explains the enormous queue all day Saturday and Sunday. I've been wanting to try this place since it opened but I hate having to queue up for anything. Fortunately, Tim Ho Wan is usually half empty after work on most weekdays. They don't have a dinner menu though, so you kind of have to be in the mood for yum cha for dinner. I'm not sure I like the layout of the tables. They're all uncomfortably close together so there's not a whole lot of privacy here. But if that doesn't bother you too much, you'll love the food here. It's probably as good as yum cha gets. They have all the standard dishes you expect from yum cha. I have no complaints; everything is fantastic. Now, because they make a really big deal of the baked pork buns, I made a point of ordering some, and I must say, they were pretty good - very similar to the ones you get at Secret Kitchen, but not quite as good. I'm glad I tried this place. The prices are a tad higher than I'd like, but they are still very reasonable. And while the food is very good, it's not so good that you should queue for more than thirty minutes or more.
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Susan A.

Yelp
The food was very tasty, and good quality. The staff was pretty quick with clearing the table and the wait to get the food after ordering wasn't too bad. The turnip cake was really amazing / one of the best I've had. The rice paper wrap (cheung fun) was good and the bamboo leaf sticky rice was super awesome. More expensive than in the US, but given quality and cost of service in Australia, totally reasonable. I think the restaurant can be best described as "simple, but good."
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Suma J.

Yelp
Dining on your own has its perks... You get seated straight away despite the line of 40 odd people at 5.30pm on a Thursday! Not being a pork lover I found the menu disappointing and limited... I asked the waitress what Fish Maw was she replied with an "I don't know"! I braved the choices and opted for: *Vermicelli roll with BBQ pork *Prawn Dumplings *Beef ball with beancurd skin Hopefully this will be enough to fill me up and satisfy my Tim Ho Wan curiosity. I'm seated near the kitchen which is noisy with the sound of crockery and the bell when food is ready.. The food comes out whenever it's ready, the first to arrive was the only pork dish I was game to try.. The Vermicelli rolls were delicious and melted in your mouth - The Chilli chutney made a great accompaniment and masked the pork flavour. The prawn dumplings were next to arrive and on point with soft transparent skin and juicy Prawn filling. The beef balls in bean curd were surprisingly soft but lacked flavour. Will I be back? Probably - but will most likely stick to the dishes I tried today. 3 stars for this review as the limited menu certainly didn't live up to the Michelin star hype
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Alan F.

Yelp
So I've been to two different Tim Ho Wan locations in the past few weeks. The new one in Melbourne (this one), and one in Singapore. I rated the Singapore location a 5, but Melbourne - you get a 4. Here's why: You're way too damned busy! You need to open at least 3 more location in Melbourne to get over the current hype-hump you've generated. Prices are ever so slightly higher than overseas. One of the things that won my heart with THW in the first place was being able to go in and stuff yourself for $15! Can't do that in the Melbourne one... stuff is just not that cheap. Now the food is 'nearly' the same as their outlets around the world... but not quite. The BBQ pork buns were a bit less professionally shaped, and the glutinous rice was just... not right. Look, it's not bad. It's just not Michelin-star good.
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Shirley N.

Yelp
I had tried their baked BBQ bun and some other dim sum, it was really over the moon feeling. The BBQ bun is a must try for anyone visiting, I cannot find anywhere else have this kind of baked bun with such high standard.
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Shonine W.

Yelp
This is probably one of the best places for dumplings that I have ever been to. I'm excited that they're going to open a branch in Irvine, California which is a little closer to where I live. The food is delicious.
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J C.

Yelp
I just came back from Hong Kong and must say the dim sum is hopeless. I can still tell if dim sum come from a freezer rather than freshly made. Just because you earn a reputation doesn't mean the chefs can all go on holidays and make premade dim sum. That's how you stuff up the franchise from being lazy
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Phil K.

Yelp
Hype is a funny friend. It can either bring you good fortune or slap you in the face. Tim Ho Wan has had a great amount of hype, boasting the best pork buns, number one Asian restaurant and a Michelin star restaurant. Big shoes to fill. I'm not a fan of lining up for a restaurant but I gave them the benefit of the doubt and joined the hordes of people and joined the queue. After a 45min wait we got seated and quickly ordered. Pork buns, rice and beef with a fried egg, turnip cake, pork ribs with black beans and a vermicelli bbq pork roll. After a decent wait, our food started to arrive. First up, the infamous pork buns. The signature dish of the venue. Not bad but certainly not worth the hype. I personally found them overly sweet. The little amount of meat inside was nice but, not enough. Next the beef and rice, bland with little flavour. Pork ribs, again nice but nothing to hype on about. Next we had the vermicelli bbq pork rolls. These were great and full of flavour. The turnip cake, I love turnip cake and was looking forward to them, but they were simply terrible, soggy with a real fishy taste. The service, non existent. Tried to order drinks but for some reason we got forgotten. Really disappointed. Will I go back? Probably not, and for a few reasons. Firstly the food was average and the menu was too heavy with shrimp. And secondly I'm not a fan, as I said of lining up for a meal.
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Michelle B.

Yelp
There was a huge line to get into this place, but it's well organised with order forms handed to you while you wait so you can decide what you want to order. All the dishes we got were good, but the baked BBQ pork buns were a highlight.
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Sharon H.

Yelp
On top of all that hype they also have Ice Barley water. Overall, the visit was pleasant and I'll probably be back for the super delicious Baked Bun. and maybe the glutinous rice.
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Jason C.

Yelp
2 hour wait to get in? No reservations? I don't care how good you are you've lost my interest. I'll come back when the wait is more sensible.
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Bradley D.

Yelp
I don't know any Asian languages but I'm almost certain that Tim Ho Wan means "Not That Great". Nothing against the service which was quick, efficient and friendly enough, but the dinky servings, high prices and "nickle and diming" ($2.50 for a small cup of tea?!) was too much to ignore. There are plenty of other good to great places in the CBD to buy dumplings and assorted dim sum. No need to bolster the undeserved reputation of this chain.

Tango T.

Yelp
Just the famous bao is excellent! Best sweet pork bao ever! Truffle bao was new and good too. We tried the other dishes, and their range and taste is rather ordinary... save your stomach and money. And sorry no ordering takeaways from the counter, you'll need to sit down first... why???
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Ron H.

Yelp
Yes the pork buns are great. But with so many good yum Cha places around I don't get the hype of this place at all.
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Ian K.

Yelp
When you shout about being a michelin-star rated restaurant and #1 in Hong Kong it starts to raise expectations. It feels a little 'franchisee' to me and my first glance through the menu made me wonder what's driving the hype. That said, once I settled on my choices I enjoyed the food. I have to say however, it's easy to find yum cha in Melbourne with a better range of choices and value for money. The 'baked bbq pork buns' were talked up to me as the reason for being there and I have to say, they didn't disappoint. I've never had anything like them anywhere else, although I see other reviewers have. I'm not sure about their sugar content - they seem a little on the sweet side - but they definitely impressed. I wouldn't queue for THW, but I'll happily come back (and already have) for those bbq buns alone.
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Alan W.

Yelp
Lived up to the hype. Had the baked bun with bbq pork and it was a whole other level.
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Caroline L.

Yelp
My experience left me underwhelmed. The staff were rude. I reported that we were missing an item of food, then they said we had eaten it. 20 Mins later without apology or explanation it was delivered to our table. We won't be coming back, the food was average at best and the service was less than satisfactory!
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Jason M.

Yelp
I have heard of this place before due to the Michelin reputation. So, I give it a try. Overall the food is good.

David B.

Yelp
I found very little difference between this restaurant and any other Chinese Yum Cha restaurant, with the exception of the price. It's lovely food, but definitely wasn't worth the higher price or having to queue up outside waiting for a table. I was impressed with the efficiency of the ordering process and speedy service, but no one mentioned that we had to fill in the menu card ourselves and then press the buzzer. It's worth noting that the couple at the table beside us ordered their meal but never received any food, so they ended up just leaving.
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Matthew R.

Yelp
I had walked past this place in the past and seen the queues to get into this "Michelin starred" restaurant which would have totally put me off. The format is to get sent to a table where there is a form to fill out with your food order from the standard menu or from the choice of about 3 specials. Ring the buzzer and staff come and collect the order. Bit like a plane service call button. Ordered the pork buns and two types of dumplings prawn and beef (fried). Food comes pretty quickly. As for taste an quality it was good. The staff friendly and attentive. But lets think about the Michelin star I perceive that this branch of the chain and probably others is living a little vicariously through this award. In simple terms it's just not that great. The food is good but it's a fast turnaround eating experience. I would never brag to anyone about going here and say "oh I eat at a starred restaurant". One final point you have to walk 250m to the toilets inside the shopping mall.

Jack B.

Yelp
Sorry, but the wait time was way too long! Though I won't complain about the food, I won't rave about it either.

Jess T.

Yelp
I first had their yummy shrimp rolls in Hong Kong, in a dingy mall... so, compared to my first impression of this now chain restaurant, the ambiance in Melbourne is an upgrade! There are windows:-) the food.... Turnip cakes were not good, but shrimp rolls and a few other dumplings were good. A little on the expensive side.