DonJ1973

Hey Guys
Have any of you been to Maxim's Palace at City Hall for Dim Sum? I heard it's one of the more popular places for Dim Sum. Anyone know how to get there? I heard you can find City Hall after getting off the Star Ferry from Tsim Tsha Tsui? Would any of you recommend this place? I'm going to be in Hong Kong next month after visiting China.

rkkwan

Currently, when you walk out of the Star Ferry pier in Central, make a left and the City Hall (low-rise section) is about 100 yards away. One minute walk.

The ferry pier is supposed to move this month, but so far I don't think that has happened yet, and I haven't read a set date for the move. Once it's moved closer to the ifc and Airport Express station, the walk will be a little longer.

chriss_hk

Hi Don. I can highly recommend Maxims at City Hall for a great dim sum (and no, this is NOT an advertisement!) The food is great, the prices are fair and the atmosphere is so interesting, with the ladies pushing the dim sum trolleys around and calling out what's inside them. Don't be shy about getting up and having a closer look at what's on offer. The directions given in the previous post are correct - Star Ferry terminal hasn't moved yet.

hebegebe

Metropol, 4/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty (Huge 1300 seat restaurant.

rhkkmk

in the basement of the kowloon hotel, there is a very good dim sum restaurant

Cicerone

The phone number for Maxim's is below. I would definitely make a reservation for Maxim's esp if you want a table at or near a window (and you do), and would make a booking for any of these if you plan on going on a weekend. Some other places are below, I agree with the Metropol recco, they also have the carts (but no view).

I am really sad to report that the great dim sum restaurant in the basement of the Kowloon hotel mentioned by rhkkmk above, has CLOSED and will become a Seibu department store soon. This is almost as bad as the wonderful Yu seafood restaurant being replaced by Nobu...

City Hall Maxim's Palace Chinese Restaurant
2/F, Low Block
5 Edinburgh Place
City Hall
Central
Tel: 2521 1303

This restaurant is in the City Hall building, very close to the Star Ferry, and has a nice harbour view. They have carts, and is one of the few places left which uses dim sum carts. To get there from the Star Ferry pier in Central, turn left as you come out into the covered walkway/taxi/bus area from the pier and follow along the water for 60 feet or so until you come the first large building on your right, which is City Hall. There is a map at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalSe...l/Map_test.htm.

As noted above, the Star Ferry is building a new pier about 300 yards directly behind the existing pier. As of about a week ago, it did not appear to be ready to be open. If it is open by the time of your trip, then you would take a pedestrian walkway (most likely an elevated walkway) in from the new pier to the Edinburgh Place area. Follow signs for the Post Office, Connaught Road and/or Edinburgh Place/City Hall. You can also ask, anyone can tell you where the City Hall building is and where Maxim's is.

Metropol Restaurant
4th Floor, United Centre
95 Queensway, Admiralty
Tel: 2865 1988
http://www.heichinrou.com

Also has the carts. Good food and good value. No views. It is across the street from Pacific Place Mall and easily reached by MTR or the Tram.

Zen
Pacific Place Mall
88 Queensway
Admiralty
Tel. 852/2845 4555
In a shopping mall at one end of Hong Kong park, not far from the Peak Tram, a good break for lunch. No carts, no view.
Fook Lam Moon
35-45 Johnston Road
Wan Chai
Tel: 852-2866-0663
fooklammoon-grp.com

Well-known and very popular in Hong Kong (they also have an outlet in Kowloon, check the website for the address.). This is in a very lively neighborhood near the old (and now virtually non-existent) "Suzy Wong" girlie bar area. It is also in a great area of day and early evening outdoor wet and dry markets which take place in the lanes along Johnston Road between it and Queens Road, esp Stone Nullah Lane, Garden Lane, Cross Street or Tai Wong Street .

DonJ1973

Wow! Thanks so much! Lots of great choices to choose from. I will definitely visit Maxim's since I saw it featured on an episode of Globe Trekker. I may check out the others depending on time.

rhkkmk

CIC---does that mean that the hotel is no more either??...i knew that the penn had sold it but thought it would continue as a hotel

rkkwan

Kowloon hotel is still there, and will remain a hotel under the Harbour Plaza group.

Another good place for dim sum in Tsimshatsui is "Serenade" at the Culture Center, directly across from the Pen. It is run by the same group as Maxim, and has harbor view.

Cicerone

Rhkkmk - I was in TST today and went over to the Kowloon hotel to see for myself, as it was my assitant who had tried to make a booking for me the other day and had discovered that the restaurant is closed. There is a sign at the steps leading to the basement where the restaurant used to be indicating that dim sum is being served in their Middle Row restaurant on the third floor. However, I don't think the chef is the same, and have not yet heard anyone who has been there, so don't know if it is as good. I don't know that I want to be the first to try it....

KMLoke

Had dim sum lunch at Wing Wah in Wanchai.

http://www.wingwah.com/

No view. Serves traditional dim sum.
Bill for 3 persons including chinese tea is HK$105 only.

Cicerone

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to report on one more dim sum place which is, according to my Cantonese assistant, the best dim sum in town. (She is the one who originally brought me to the Kowloon Hotel, now closed.) The place is called The Square. It is also run by the Maxim's people who operate the one in City Hall, but according to my assistant, this one is "5 star food" and the City Hall one is "4 star food". I ate at The Square yesterday and will say that I think the food seemed better than at City Hall Maxim's. I am not a huge fan of dim sum and my palate is probably not that refined so take that for what it is worth. The Square is much more elegant with polished wood floors, subdued lighting, and a nice ambience; it is also a lot quieter as it is much smaller than the City Hall outlet. It does not have the carts. It has a harbour view, but I have to say that the view is not really as good as the one at City Hall. It is about the same price, maybe a tiny bit more than the City Hall one. It might be a toss-up as to which to pick, if you want the noisy cart-ladies-shouting, gold and chandelier with 500 other diners experience (which can indeed be fun) then go to City Hall, if really really good food is a bit more important, then go to The Square.

The Square
Exchange Square, Block 2
4th Floor
Central
Tel: 2225-1163

The restaurant is in the same building as the main bus terminal and is very walkable from the Star Ferry, would take less than 5 minutes. From the exit area at the Star Ferry, go right, follow the sidewalk around the ferry building and around the corner to the open area with the Post Office on your right. You will see a flight of stairs across the street and to your left by a fountain, cross the street and go up the stairs which lead to a covered pedestrian overpass. At the top, turn right, then take you next immediate left about 5 feet down onto the connecting pedestrian walkway here (sign above should say ("Exchange Square/ Central Bus Terminus&quot. Walk about 20-30 feet, and then on the right you will come to a set of 2-3 steps up leading to some down escalators and a set of glass doors leading into a building on the left. Go through the glass doors. There may be a guard, tell him the name and address of the restaurant he will let you in. You will go up two flights by escalator, then will come into an open area with a Kelly & Walsh bookstore in front of you, walk past the bookstore, turn toward your right and you will come into another open area with an information booth and big windows looking onto the harbour. The Square is the second set of round stairs on the left, you may need to ask at the information both for the exact set of stairs.

hobbes

A place I really enjoy for non-traditional, somewhat fusion dim sum is Dragon I - do book in advance and ask for a terrace table.

Cicerone

Ah yes, I forgot the Dragon I. Very shishi dim sum with the Tai Tais. It is not in the Star Ferry area, it is up the hill a bit in the Lan Kwai Fong area and around Hollywood Road, so good for a stop after or before a walk down Hollywood Road or up to Soho.


Dragon-I
The Centrium 60 Wyndham Street
Hong Kong,
Telephone: + 852 3110 1222
http://www.dragon-i.com.hk/

DonJ1973

The information you guys have provided is awesome. However, I will only be in Hong Kong 4 days and 3 nights. So, I only have time to try Dim Sum maybe once. Should I just go for Maxim's Palace? Also, how much does the average dim sum entree cost? I know in a restaurant in American they range from 1.50 to 2.00

mktout

I heard that the restaurant on the THIRD FLOOR (instead of the more expensive one on the 2nd floor) at Maxim's Palace is more economical. Can anyone reply to this and let me know what the rates are? Thank you very much.

Cicerone

Well, the are only 3 restaurants in City Hall and NONE are on the 3rd floor. Take a look at http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalSe...aurants1.html; this is the website for the building which is operated by the city government. There is a restaurant on the fist floor, below Maxim's City Hall Palace, called Maxim's, but that is Eureopan, so would not serve dim sum. It may well be cheaper. I have never been. I can ask around about it. There is also a wine bar on the ground level. The restaurants don't have their own website that I know of, so you can't see menus or prices.

mktout

Thank you for the reply. So I'm taking my wife & 3 children (5 months, 7 years and 12 years old). So we're trying to economize. Are there good typical Dim Sum cafeterias that would fit a "family" (economy) budget? Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks so much.

rkkwan

Dim sum are not that expensive, and you just order whatever you can finish. So, in a way it's the best for a family. No need to order 5 "meals" for 5 people.

dperry

Thanks for the tip on Dragon I. That looks like fun- I'll definately have to go there on my next trip to HK.