Mandarin Kitchen — Restaurant in Bloomington

To the American palate the food probably doesn't taste too bad to our family this place is stuck up. If you're new in town there are plenty of other Chinese restaurants to try in town easily just 10-15 minutes away. Our family enjoys dim sum on the weekend and dinner on the weekdays. Here's how the past several experiences were like and why it's hard for us to come back.

I have to say their atmosphere is nice, very modern very classy. But the overall staff still work as if they're the owners standing around and not willing to help customers. If you come here in the morning on the weekend when it opens you're already too late. It's very over hyped on the quality of their food. The lines are busy but the staffing and seating are a big issue. If you were to get you name in for a table of ## they may just give your table away if they see a friend. Expect a longer wait. The dim sum is over priced, just due to the reasons of the neighborhood or the chaos does not give a company to over charge but since we know the prices going in it's fine.

Dinners - You are in for a real treat. You walk in and there is a fish tank built in on the left some roasted meats in front a bar to your right and the dining area. We were particularly hoping to seat at a larger table for the big family we sat inside the big rooms in the back. Since seafood is seasonal we simply asked how much the fish cost, the waiter sneered back at us and I repeat asked "what you can't afford it?" what business does this?!

So on three occasions we've had enough, the atmosphere is nice/ decor, the service was absolutely rude and don't expect to get a refill without asking and the food is okay at best. Try something else especially if you're new...

longggg confusing menu list of dishes with dish names without descriptions, a few has pix. Good - lots of authentic chinese dishes on menu mixed-in with common americanized chinese fare. Bad - Big pictorial menu has all pricing taped over which gives me a bad impression; wondering why the need to hide the prices, except for 1 page. Only when asked about pricing, was given a simple 1-sheet takeout menu with pricing. Reminds me of other cutthroat restaurants gouging tourists who would order based on pretty pictures of dishes, with the prices sight unseen. Server claims the pictorial menu is for reference but then why didn’t i get both at same time? Bad - Menu dishes seems overpriced. Ordered off-menu, a plate of 2 mixed roast meat (pork belly & duck) for $26 as recommended by server. Had no side vege side at all. high expectations based on pricing end up disappointed. Duck drumstick was tender & tasty but also very greasy. Pork belly tasted bland & the skin was crunchy & hard instead of softly crispy. Good? - served a small bowl of pork soup as (free?) appetizer, without asking. Bad - Charged extra $2 for a bowl of plain white rice. Bad - some items like a plate of vege stirfried with garlic without meat is menu priced $18+. Enquired about adding some fish slices to said vege dish and the quoted price more than doubled other similar menu dishes bcos apparently they consider that as 2 separate dish orders. so customization costs a premium unlike most authentic chinese restaurants where this is standard good customer service. Overall - Substandard for such...

Amazing food. We always go for dim sum, it is the best. If you show up just a little before 10 you can get in first- a line will form, just before it opens. Almost everyone in that very long line (several stores down) will get in. It's a much bigger place than it looks. There will be a line for a while after 10, that will have to wait through people eating. I'd show up at 10:30 or 11:00 to have a short wait. Your first time might be a little overwhelming, there is a learning curve- if you're not used to dim sum, you might not know which dishes to grab. You can never go wrong with a dumpling of any kind, and the egg tarts are the most beautiful thing I've ever eaten. If you see a ball thing with shrimp tails poking out of it GET THAT. Sticky rice is nice, as well, you'll see it wrapped in some leaves, it has egg and meat hidden inside. A very helpful person suggested this strategy: if you don't know what a food is, get it, put it in your mouth. If it's good (and chances are high it is) get it again. If it's not, then don't. Taking lots of people (4 or more) the first time is a great idea, cause chances are, someone will like that thing you don't like. And everybody will get to try lots of stuff, almost everything can be split up, and small foods often come in threes and fours. This place is very authentic. They do serve chicken feet. Don't freak out, fellow white people, everything will be okay. Chicken feet are delicious, quite soft and juicy. My only complaint about chicken feet is that there's just not a lot of meat...