Mei Sum Dim Sum — Restaurant in Honolulu

THIS REVIEW IS ESPECIALLY FOR THE TOURISTS VISITING HAWAII! BEWARE!!! Don't go here. Don't waste your time or money. This place is filthy, messy, the food sucks, and the staff are beyond rude. We were in Hawaii on vacation and this place was recommended to us for Dim-Sum. First issue; there was NO Dim-Sum (and if you know Dim-Sum, they roll around the carts with dishes for you to choose from) only ordering from the menu. If I wanted to order Chinese food from a menu, I could've gone to a traditional chinese restaurant. They advertise that they are a true Dim-Sum place. Second issue; we watched an employee drop food on the floor when the curtain to the back was left open, and he put it right back into the container and placed it back into the refrigerator. DISGUSTING AND DANGEROUS. Third issue; the staff were rude. I mean downright condescending. If you aren't a local/regular, they look at you like you have a second head. The ladies talk over you in Chinese, laugh their butts off, and look dead at you. You know they're talking about you. Once we were seated, other than bring the food out, out server didn't refill water, ask how we were, nothing. Just dirty looks. The fourth issue; cleanliness. It was dirty, tables with bits of food from the previous diners, greasy tables, sticky floors, packaging boxes piled high in the corners like a hoarder's episode. Food on the floor. And lastly, the fifth and most important issue; the food is HORRIBLE. I mean oily, flavorless, and awful. No standards upheld here. I have no idea how they have a 4.1 rating. It needs to be a -0. Maybe the locals like it, and get better service and food. We definitely did not get the "Aloha Spirit" showed to us (and we are former Hawaii residents who now reside on the mainland). I didn't want to leave a tip at all, but they added it onto the bill so I made sure to leave it in change, mostly pennies to piss off the rude server. (Another thing; cash only! Hello, it's 2025!) The health inspector needs to make a visit to this establishment, and now that I am safely back in the U.S., I think I will be making a call. 🤢🤮😵 WORST...

I recently visited this dim sum restaurant in Chinatown and wanted to share my experience. While finding parking in Chinatown can be challenging, this restaurant offers a convenient parking option right across the street. The parking process involves scanning a QR code to create a profile and set the duration of your stay, with rates of $7 for an hour and $10 for two hours. It's a quick and hassle-free process.

Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed that it was relatively small and may not immediately give off an inviting vibe. However, after a short wait of about five minutes, we were seated. The menu took a little longer to arrive, as the server asked if we were ready right when she brought it, which was a bit amusing. We asked for a moment to decide, and she returned after about 10 minutes.

The wait for our food was around 20 minutes, which felt a bit longer than expected. However, the wait was worth it as the dishes arrived piping hot and were made to order. We ordered the special garlic fried rice, wonton soup, mixed veggies, soft shell crab, and spare ribs with black bean sauce. The flavors were delightful, and each dish tasted delicious.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to take pictures of the food because I was too hungry and eager to dig in. On the downside, the restroom left much to be desired in terms of cleanliness.

Overall, while the service wasn't exceptional and the restroom could use improvement, the food itself was a standout. The dishes were flavorful, well-prepared, and served hot. Despite the initial wait times, the quality of the food made up for it. If you're willing to overlook some minor shortcomings, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit for a satisfying dim...

This place gets a 5 star for it's food alone. My family and I have been going their for years and even to their original location before this one and we have always favored their dim sum over anywhere else in town.

The quality of their dim sum far surpasses everyone else for it's freshness and preparation. It is always a good value here, so it won't bust your budget to splurge on a big meal there. They have all the classics and then some for dim sum.

My favorites and must haves are as follows: Spareribs, Siu Mai or Shumai aka Porkhash in Hawaii, Shrimp Dumplings, Steamed Look Fun, Chicken Feet Tripe, jellyfish, Fried Garlic Eggplant, and of course Egg Custard for dessert. Of course there is a full menu of Chinese classics you can order from if you need something more. We like to get a plate of Choy Sum with Oyster Sause for some veggies and sometimes some Crispy Fried Noodles with Seafood if feeling hungry.

Most of the staff have been there a long time and may seem a little rough around the edges, but they know what they are doing. In a a busy place like this, there is no time for niceties and it shouldn't be expected. I don't mean that they are rude, they are just not going to bend all over you like a fancy restaurant.

The place has seen a lot of traffic over the years and it shows it in the overall condition of the restaurant, but I feel that it is clean and never had any problems eating there. Don't let looks deceive you, because if you don't go based on this place's appearance, you will miss out on some really...