Lin Heung Lau — Restaurant in Hong Kong Island

This review is based purely on our personal experience, so take it with a pinch of salt.

We went as a party of 3 to Lin Heung Lau excited and hoping to experience an authentic old-school dim sum experience for the first time but ended up utterly disappointed.

The service was extremely awful and the food was highly overrated. We lined up for 1/2 hour thinking the experience and the food would be worth the queue, but it did not deliver whatsoever. Upon arriving at the queue’s end we were assigned a seat with 4 other people, which we knew was normal given that the tables were usually shared in these kinds of establishments (even though the tables were clearly way too small to accommodate 7 people). After being seated however, no utensils were offered to us and nobody even explained how the ordering system worked, expecting us to magically understand it. We sat at our table for 10 minutes thinking that restaurant staff would approach us, but unsurprisingly that did not happen. Naturally, I thought we had done something wrong so I got up and searched for a card (used to grab food and get a stamp based on the item’s price) on my own. After squeezing through the sea of people I was able to get ahold of one and immediately lined up for what seemed to be the only food cart in function at the moment. After 10 minutes of queuing and getting close to the queue’s end, some people started to slip ahead of me and getting their food first, to which the overwhelmed workers just could not care enough to do anything about it. After getting my food, I went back to our table, only to notice that even then, nobody had brought any utensils over. Once again, I had to get up on my own and search for everything myself. Not having found anything, I asked around, only for an incredibly rude waiter to aggressively open a utensil cabinet and angrily yell at me to grab the things I needed faster than I could. Needless to say, I was shocked, but brushed it off considering the place was an utter chaos and the waiters were clearly very busy.

After sitting down with our food, we realized the food quality while not bad, was far from being great. What’s more, compared to dim-sum abroad (mind you, we come from Argentina, where dim-sum is scarce not to say almost non-existant with Royal Mansion 御府being the only one we know of) the food from Lin Heung Lau not only didn’t live up to expectations, but was slightly worse than that of Royal Mansion back home, albeit a little bit cheaper.

Later, when asked how to order a bowl of Wontons, a waiter angrily yelled at us for not having our table number and party size written down on our ordering card. Clearly, I was not supposed to grab a card on my own, but given that nobody had even approached us, I don’t think we were left with much of a choice.

Finally, the cherry on top and what finally made me want to write this review was when we tried to pay. The lady at the register had an absolute resting b face and an attitude that would make Skyler White look likeable, while being extremely slow at her job. When we received our check, we noticed that she had charged us for 3 people’s worth of tea, which we had not consumed given that nobody had even offered it to us. We were not happy about it given that the whole experience had already been pretty horrible. After a lengthy discussion with the cashier, she finally gave up and gave us the refund.

Needless to say, we did not have a very nice experience in this place. Staff were generally in a rush and very rude, while the food was hard to come by and objectively not as good as to merit the bad service. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend eating here if you have little time and you care about good service. There are other places around Hong Kong that deliver more in terms of both food quality/ taste and service level.

1/10 Very bad experience.

PS. Also, keep in mind that if you are mainland chinese (which we are, given that our parents were immigrants in Argentina), then you can expect to be treated even worse in Lin Heung Lau (or at least that’s the...

It doesn't get better than this. For those of you who are nostalgic for the old timey dim sum service, look no further. It is highly recommended that you get there EARLY if you go on a weekend, otherwise you'll have a substantial wait in line.

I think the staff are hired for their telepathic abilities, because it seemed to me that they were on top of everything I wanted before I barely knew it myself. And for those of you familiar with HK waiters, you'll be pleasantly shocked by the friendly, professional attitude of the folks at Lin Heung.

Another tidbit...if you're a senior citizen, you don't pay for the tea service if you are in and out by 9:45AM. The seating is organized chaos. It's unlikely that you will have a table to yourself. There are 6 seats to a table, but given how cramped it is, they usually only place 4 to a table, so if your group is 4, you can avoid sharing a table (but that's part of the great atmosphere of the place, rubbing elbows with strangers and enjoying terrific food.)

Now...the food. This is old style Cantonese, right down to the cart service. When you're seated, you'll be given a score card which you take with you when you visit the cart. Simply tell (or point) the cart lady what you want, she'll mark your card and will load the stuff up on a tray and give it to you (sometimes they'll bring it to the table themselves). The cart that has the basic stuff like sui mai, char sui bao, har gow, fung zao, chicken bao, etc. is stationary, you go to it. All the other stuff will be on a circulating cart, simply grab what you want when they come around to your table and get your card marked.

The food is terrific. My taste buds have become jaded over the years from the decline in the quality of the dim sum that is available, as most of it is now made in a factor and delivered to restaurants. Fresh, sort of, but not restaurant-made fresh. The only place that I think still has authentic dim sum is Pan Xi in Guangzhou. I haven't been there for some years, rumor mill has it that it's no longer as good as it used to be, I'll have to find out in October when I'm in China again. But I can happily report that Lin Heung is the genuine thing. There are two kinds of chicken bao, one is huge, and the other is normal sized bao. The big one (seen in the photos) is, IMO, the best one. I'll be much briefer for the rest of the food, it's all delicious. I was excited about the chicken buns because they're so difficult to find and I was happy to have finally found another place that has them (Very Good Seafood in Tsim Sha Tsui on Nathan Road, Burlington Arcade is the only other place I know that has them).

Bottom line: Lin Heung Lau is a great choice for friendly, courteous service, enjoying excellent food in a congenial atmosphere. As far as HK is concerned, LHL is much less expensive than most...

Lin Heung Lau is one of Hong Kong’s most historic Cantonese restaurants, preserving its traditional charm and atmosphere to this day. From the moment you step inside, you are transported back in time to old Hong Kong, with large wooden tables, the lively chatter of diners, and dim sum carts being pushed around the restaurant, creating an authentic dining experience reminiscent of a bygone era.

One of the standout dishes that should not be missed is the Cheung Fun (腸粉), or rice noodle rolls. The rice noodles are delicate, silky smooth, and perfectly thin, enveloping a well-seasoned filling and complemented by a savoury soy-based sauce. Each bite is incredibly soft yet flavourful, showcasing the skill and craftsmanship of the chefs.

Beyond Cheung Fun, the restaurant offers a wide range of classic Cantonese dishes, many of which are now difficult to find in modern restaurants. From char siu bao (BBQ pork buns) to har gow (shrimp dumplings) and even roast meats like crispy pork belly and roast duck, every dish embodies the essence of traditional Hong Kong cuisine. The flavours remain authentic and unaltered, making it a great choice for those seeking a genuine taste of Cantonese culinary heritage.

However, the dining experience may come as a culture shock for those unfamiliar with traditional Hong Kong eateries. Table-sharing is common, especially during peak hours, and the restaurant can be quite busy and chaotic. Finding a seat and ordering food efficiently requires some adaptability, but this is part of the experience that makes dining here unique. If you are looking for a quiet and modern setting, this may not be the best option, but for those open to embracing the city’s local food culture, it is an unforgettable experience.

While Lin Heung Lau may not offer the most refined service or contemporary setting, its dedication to tradition and the rich flavours of its Cantonese dishes make it a must-visit for those who appreciate heritage dining. If you are a fan of authentic Cantonese cuisine, this restaurant is well worth the visit, offering a taste of history...