Fresh User Reviews for Chinese in Sydney

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

If you are looking for good old-school Chinese food, Dumpling Inn is the place. There is nothing modern about the decor, the service or any other aspect of this restaurant but the reason why it's stood the tests of time in it's obscure location is because the food is delicious and reasonably priced. If you get a chance try the Honey King Prawns and Mongolian Chicken.

May 31, 2012

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Value  10     

Yum steamed buns, definitely worth a try!

May 31, 2012

3.8 Below Average

Quality  5      Food  4      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  3     

Went for yum cha lunch on a Saturday two weeks ago. It's just like your typical "yum cha" experience, although this restaurant looks a bit more "upmarket". Service could have been better. They should offer extra free parking for the customers who eat there and also do some shopping, as after 3 hours, it is not free to park in Parramatta Westfield. And yum cha is not a "quick and go" kinda experience.

May 31, 2012

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Spotted in our local paper that the chefs from Shangri la Chiang Mai were over for a special Thai food promotion, so popped in for lunch today. Very welcoming staff into a lovely, bright buffet room (very 5 star hotel, so nothing original, but not dated or tired). Staff couldn't have been more helpful and the buffet was varied and good value at $48.00.

Loved all the salads, thought the chef had made a nice balance between satisfying those diners who like an authentic level of spice, and those who prefer it milder. Really enjoyed all the hot dishes, especially the beef massaman, the green curry, the tom kah gai and the chilli mussels.

All in all a delightful experience (even for my father who doesn't like thai food).

May 30, 2012

6.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  6      Value  7     

I go to this yum cha alot due to location. I always take a chinese friend with me as they find it hard to understand me (aussie). I find the prices are average. The service is a little rushed as its always busy. I love the food, variety and taste and will continue to dine here.

May 30, 2012

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  10     

Really nice old fashioned Chinese food. We got the stir fried veges, chicken fu yuen and Szechuan beef. All were really full of flavour and fresh without that gooey Msg some other Chinese restaurants do. Friendly staff always on hand to help and the prices are great. A good experience, relaxed environment. I reckon they'd do a great fried rice.

May 29, 2012

6.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

Pretty average yum cha, no better or worse than others in the city. Dumplings are good, the usual roast pork and duck and chickens feet, all the usual fare done in the usual way. Best for those who favour seafood. The restaurant is a reasonable size for al a carte, but maybe not for yum cha in the city. The wait for a table at lunchtime mid-week can be longer than most. Try arriving a bit before the hour for best chance of reduced waiting times.

May 29, 2012

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

The food was so delicious and plenty enough to go around. Staff were friendly and explained us for many details. Your staff were just brilliant. So friendly yet very professional.

May 29, 2012

6.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  7     

Good parking discounts for customers in CBD. I came with my family and we orders many dim sums from the trolleys. The steam dumplings are healthy and tasty, pork buns are hot and delicious.

May 29, 2012

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  3      Service  10      Value  10     

Great value food, taste is awesome and Great service. My favourite food is the Dim Sum and I love the price and quality. They know how to take care of Large Families.

May 28, 2012

5.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  5     

Must agree with most of the commentary below, this is a good place for a quick bite but do not expect warm service or a blow your mind meal. Given it is always super busy, you are treated quickly and without much attention, enough to get by.

The yum cha is pretty good and if you know what you want and like a bit of variety, it is worth it. Had the rice noodles with prawns, wontons, beans in some sauce (black bean maybe), calamari and steamed dumplings. Enjoyed all of them for what they are, nice clean flavours but minus any wonderful fireworks. Dishes were warm but not overly hot, understandable I guess given the amount they churn out.

The mango pancakes are Fabulous, worth alone a visit! Finish on these and the other sins are completely forgotten. Room is a bit bland, lots of grey and has a frenzied atmosphere but it goes with the yum cha territory.

May 28, 2012

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  3     

What appeared to be a popular and unpretentious Chinese restaurant seemed a perfect pick for dinner after the movies with the kids. The only table was loaded with dirty dishes, but we took it and waited for it to be cleared and waited and waited. We asked a couple of times, but it was only cleared when a Chinese gentleman on an adjacent table kindly asked the waitress to clear it for us.

We then ordered and waited 45 minutes for a single bowl of soup to be served. Tables around us which came in 15-30 minutes after us were serve, we were still waiting on rice bowls. When I asked for some we were given plates and spoons, I politely asked for rice bowls which we then got. Two plates of food were wrongly delivered, they were for the table behind us which had arrived 30 minutes after us.

After 50 minutes, I stood up and asked a waitress where our food was. Much flapping of hands on their part, and suddenly all our dishes arrived in a great flurry. Food was fine. Service appalling. If you seek a field trip to demonstrate empathy then this is your place, for a pleasant meal go elsewhere.

May 28, 2012

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  2     

Experience at this restaurant was beyond terrible.

Dined this restaurant with about 6 people, sat down at a fairly large round table near the back of the restaurant. At first, things were ok. Menus handed out tea served etc.

Ordering the food was fine but when it came for the food to come out, it took about 30 minutes. We were originally going to dine at the restaurant opposite this one, a new Beijing Duck place. But the wait was too long but little did we know, with the time it took for the food to get out of the kitchen we could have dined at the other restaurant.

I should also mention that we were having a vegetarian meal. The waiters didn't seem to take us seriously. By that I mean that our food was so slow to come out, that we wanted to cancel an order as we had already eaten all the other dishes we order, the waiter claimed that "it was already in the steamer". Sounded like some BS.

There were also multiple mix ups with our table that frustrated us further. Giving us fried ice cream Thatr we didn't orde when clearly we were only in the middle of our meal. They also managed to give us the wrong bill, claiming the person was "new" and that was why it was wrong. The waiters also had attitude, not even a smile!

May 27, 2012

1 Not Recommended

Service  1     

I didn't even try the food but can tell you all not to bother. Called at 6.30 on a Sunday night and was told the delivery would be 45 minutes. After an hour, I was told to wait another 15 minutes, then was promptly hung up on. After another 15 minutes, I cancelled the order only to have the delivery man arrive 10 minutes later with some abuse! Amazing service.

Sorry that I can't rate the food but I can definitely rate the service.

May 27, 2012

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  7      Value  10     

Perfect place to go on a cold winter's night. Hits the spot and great square spacious table to talk over a split pot in the middle. I go here 3-4 times a month in winter or summer! Its that good! When they closed down for renovations in Jan/Feb 2012, it was torture!

The renovations was for the better though and now the dining experience is even better with partitions everywhere and ipad ordering menus. Though some of the prices did go slightly higher and some portions have decreased in size.

May 27, 2012

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  8     

From the outside it looks like an ordinary cheap-and-cheerful Chinese restaurant, but the long queues outside are a giveaway. The food is of great quality and comes in huge serves, so in terms of pricing it's actually quite good value for money. We are relatively unfamiliar with Sichuan food, so really appreciated our waitress being very helpful and willing to give us advice on which dishes would most suit our tastes.

We ended up having the deep friend whole barramundi (1 chilli rating) and the pork with crispy rice cakes (0 chilli rating), both were fantastic. Make sure you book ahead or go really early because they are so popular.

May 27, 2012

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

Dined here in the early evening Friday 18th May with family members. The staff were friendly and quite attentive. We were seated at a window table overlooking the fast ferry pier. The view is definitely a plus and was an enhancement to our dining experience.

We shared our meals which lived up to expectations of such a venue. After reading reviews on this site about rude waiters and bad service I am happy to report it was not the case for us. We had a very enjoyable birthday celebration for my elderly mum.

May 27, 2012

5.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  7     

Tried a few dishes and found a few good ones, Pork Ribs in special shallot ($18.80) sauce and Yangzhou meatballs ($13.80). The ribs was so tender and the meat just fell off from the bone and the meatballs were very soft and juicy. Will go again.

May 27, 2012

2 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  1     

The most horrible chinese restaurant in town! We came with 2 vouchers and they only gave us one set of peking duck. We kept asking for the 2nd one but had to wait for another hour. What a waste of time! They might have planned not to give us the second one if we didn't ask for it as they have already served all other tables which came later than us.

The pictures on the menu were stunning, however, the real food served were the total opposite. They were all tiny and dry and super thin, as they were shown big, juicy and attractive on the menu. Peking ducks were flavourless and dry. Desserts were also jokes. The whole thing was a total ripped-off.

May 27, 2012

3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  8      Service  1      Value  1     

We had a terrible time! Order was wrong and when finally corrected, cold and tasteless. I think they rely on their position too much and forgot they need to feed people with reasonable quality at a fair price. Way too expensive for the quality they serve.

Finally it was freezing, I asked to be moved to a table near a heater when available and they did not give a hoot. As each table became available they seated new clients and left my party on the side in a chilly breezeway.

To top it off the bill was wrong. Do yourself a favor, go elsewhere and don't spoil your trip to somewhere else.

May 27, 2012