Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum — Restaurant in Austin

Disclaimer: I am writing this review anonymously because it may be a bit blunt, and maybe I just ordered all the wrong things.

Pros: This place is CUTE! The atmosphere and decor is very pleasant. Didn't eat on the patio but it looks lovely. Even the to go bags and boxes were cute.

The soup dumplings were delicious. Wrappers were a bit thick, but the broth inside was the tastiest I've had and the meat remained tender. The red sauce served with it is the perfect compliment.

Cons: This place seems to me to be for people who may be scared to eat Chinese food; we had the lo mein and it was very sweet, very bland. Only flavor was onion. Harsh, but it tastes like something from Sarku Japan (mall food court food). Which is fine- I love me some takeout food- the reason I have a huge issue with this is because it's so outrageously overpriced.

We also had the kung pao chicken (my mistake for ordering it, but it was the first item on the menu so I thought it would be good). It was incredibly sweet and the peppers and mushrooms were very al dente. Small portion. Expensive.

PRICE- I think it was $24? For 2 servings of mall food court noodles.... I think the chicken was the same price. Our total bill plus a 20% tip was $100. I left so disappointed I had spent so much money on such 5/10 mid food. This was the middest meal I've ever had in my life, and it was my birthday.

"FAMILY STYLE" is crazy. This place is only family style if you are a couple and you're both on a diet and want to spend a crazy amount of money on something you get from a food court. Warning to others: IF you want family style Chinese, try Bamboo House on Airport near the Crescent. Remains the only Chinese place in Austin I love. It's got a great combo of authentic and Chinese American dishes.

Lastly- the service was bad. The gentleman at the door greeting us was very friendly and polite, but our server looked like she hated us- which normally I don't care about the service at all as long as the food is good- but the fact that I didn't like the food, it was so overpriced, and the waiter was rude, and it was my birthday- it was a pretty bad experience. 2/10 overall. We also felt very rushed. We were there for about 35 minutes.

Overall, I would not recommend this place at all and I regret going on my birthday. I was totally fooled by the good reviews so I really wanted to warn other locals who wanted to try...

While exploring Austin, my wife and I both wanted some dumplings. So we made a reservation and headed to Lin Asian Bar and Dim Sum. Lin's is a health-conscious eatery serving Chinese fare and Dim Sum with locally-sourced ingredients.

We started with Lin's Soup Dumplings. The dumplings were sticky and chewy while the filling was tender and flavorful. The broth on the inside had a hint of sweet and a saltiness that pairs well with the chewy dumpling.

We also tried the Akaushi Beef Potstickers. Interestingly, the potsticker has a crispy wafer with it, however, it did not offer any flavor. The filling was tender and juicy but did not offer a lot of flavor. The dipping sauce was sweet with a hint of sour and adds needed flavor to the dish.

I ordered the Orange Peel Akaushi Beef with steamed rice. This entree has sauteed Akaushi beef in an orange sauce with orange peel and chili. The rice was cooked perfectly. The beef had a little crust on it and was very tender and slightly chewy, although it was stringy in a few bites. The sauce was thick, sweet with the orange flavor coming through the entire bite. The orange peel offers good flavor, with a sour finish.

I also tried the Egg Drop Soup with fresh Corn. This soup brought the corn flavor immediately and it lasted throughout the entire bite. It gave a freshness and texture to the soup. The soup was very flavorful, salty, with the egg cooked perfectly to offer a creamy texture.

My wife had the Braised Pork Shank with steam bun. This dish was made with braised pork shank, different spices and homemade buns. The pork was very tender, the spice was not hot, and the allspice comes through above all else. However, we both thought that the pork was under seasoned. The skin was fatty and gelatinous but worked when combined with the tender pork under it. The sauce was sweet and coated the pork well. The bao bun was sticky, spongy, soft and had a little sweetness to it. It chews well with the pork.

Lin's offers beer, wine and a full bar. The menu changes by the season. The wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The Fat Man says that Lin Asian Bar and Dim Sum is Fat Man Approved...

Let me tell you this place is great. Our server was the best. Everything he recommended we tried. Multiple entrees and multiple appetizers. We tried everything he recommended us even the adult beverages. Everything MARTIN did was AMAZING. He made the birthday celebration a great experience. Now when it came to tip. He had mentioned to us that he was a salaried employee. So I asked him what happens with the tip? He said don’t worry I get salary. The rest of them split tips. I do not believe in him having to share his tips when HE did a great job. So like any rational person would do I did not leave a tip. Why would I want a minimum of $60 tip to be left to split. Now the reason this place does not get a 5 star. The hostess called us when we were 1/2 a block away. “Tip is not included. Did you leave it blank on accident” we told her no we didn’t leave a tip. “Ok so no tip on a tab for 7 people” with the sorriest attitude and sass I have ever received. That is when I was handed the phone and I told her “we left it blank on purpose” “was the service that bad?” “No ma’am it was not bad. Martin told us he doesn’t get tip. So why would I want it to get split between people that didn’t serve us” he told us that he will not receive any of the tip! The audacity for the hostess to call us up and give the birthday girl sass that I have never heard from a hostess. SMH. That damn near ruined the whole meal. I suggest you charge the 20% tip automatically like everybody else does. I have no problem with that being split however the business likes. Avoid the situation we were just put through and avoid having customers that enjoyed your food and already were planning on coming back leave with a bad taste in their mouth and a bad opinion about your business. Again I say MARTIN was a great server and recommended the best things and we enjoyed...