Empress Seafood Restaurant
2825 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO, 80219
Empress Seafood Restaurant Menu
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Address :
2825 W Alameda Ave
Denver, CO, 80219 - Phone (303) 922-2822
- Website https://www.empressdenver.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Brett S.
I honestly could not find a reason to give these guys any fewer than five stars. Right off the bat, this review is based 100% on the dim sum. I have had the family-style entree dishes before, but the dim sum is where it's at. It should also be noted that I hardly ever "order" anything here and the reason is twofold: 1. If you come during prime time, it's easier and more effective to just point out what you want as carts are wheeled around the restaurant. Even total dim sum novices will be able to hazard a few choice picks using this method, but for best results, try to... 2. ...come with people who know what they're doing. Stopping by with friends who know the language and the food (and even some of the staff) pretty much guarantees the quality of your food. It also enables you do get seconds by describing that one dish with the noodles, but not the stringy noodles, the big flat ones? but soft, and a little transparent, and there was shrimp inside I think and lots of sauce...? Amazingly, they will know what you mean. You would think excellent food would be enough, but Empress's prices are also hard to beat. I was beginning to get worried on my very first trip there when plate after plate of food was unloaded at our table. Getting me full to bursting is usually an expensive affair, but $10-15/head is going to be the absolute upper limit unless you're really ordering the ritzy stuff. So go to the Empress, and tell them Brett sent you, and then prepare for a lot of confused looks because nobody knows me by name over there (b',')b
(5)Jacky H.
The hot and sour soup was pretty mediocre. The sesame chicken would have been pretty good with about 1/2 of the breading. Spicy ginger chicken was really good but was in no way spicy. Delivery was quick and curteous.
(2)Jem C.
What differentiates Empress is their service and attention to customers. There is usually no wait on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch, and the staff is not only attentive and prompt, but very warm and friendly. It has become our go to place for Dim Sum. The food has always been fresh and flavorful, and the service courteous compared to the "other" places. Besides our usual dim sum, we will sometimes order the roast pork, with skin, off of the regular menu. Yum! They also hired new chefs and have expanded their menu so there are new and interesting things to try for adventurous souls.
(4)Sarah Z.
I came here in 2011 and was disappointed in the quality of the food. However, I recently came back with a friend who told me they are under new management. The quality is much better and the restaurant definitely worth revisiting.
(4)Melissa C.
I thought the food here was pretty average. I have had much better tasting dim sum at other places in town. I did appreciate the large room, and the service was above average for dim sum. They brought us exactly what we wanted when we asked, and very quickly, even if they had to go to the kitchen to get it. I did quite enjoy their hot mix (I don't know what it's really called, but it's the crushed red pepper jelly stuff that you mix with soy sauce on your plate). Most of the dumplings, especially the potstickers and the soup dumplings were very good. The duck was inedible in my opinion - I actually had to spit it out. It had a very weird, almost rotten flavor. I would probably only come back here for some specific purpose, but only if other dim sum places were not available for some reason.
(3)Shashu B.
Without question, the best dim sum experience I've had in Colorado. Not only was the food and variety fantastic, so was the service, which is rare for dim sum in any city. Will be back as soon as possible. Do yourself a favor and eat here.
(5)Jonathan K.
Great place, great food, energetic atmosphere. I really appreciate a place that combines good food with a unique ambiance, and Empress Seafood Restaurant nails it. It seems to be located in a former used car dealership, and can seat hundreds. The food is really, really good and excellent value. There is always a great mix of people there, though I've never been when it is overwhelmingly crowded, and service remains prompt and attentive. I'll be back, and I'm bringing others.
(5)Susan T.
We have been coming here for some time. Lately, however, it has been awful. We will never come again. The soup was totally tasteless - sink water in a bowl with one wonton. No seasoning of any kind. The rest of the meal followed suit. In addition, we noticed that the owner visited only tables with Chinese people. We were ignored completely. He is a relatively new owner and the quality of the food went down substantially when he took over. We are ex-New Yorkers who know Chinese food. This place is the pits.
(1)Lydia L.
They have a New Chef now. The dimsum is delicious. Egg custards nice and flakey. Love to take out as they are speedy and yummy food.
(5)Abby Q.
This was my first experience getting dim sum, so I really have nothing to compare this to, but holy cow was it great. We came here for a friend's birthday at the suggestion of Courtney B's chef/professor at Johnson & Wales. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and only one out of the five of us had ever had dim sum before. We were very excited about all the yummy, interesting looking things. We picked off the carts to our heart's desires. Chicken feet, steamed pork buns, pineapple buns, seafood dumplings, etc. etc. etc. By the time we were done, we were all completely stuffed. We split the bill four ways and ended up only spending around $15. For being so full, that price was DEFINITELY right. The food was plentiful, delicious, and a great price. I will be back as soon as I can!
(5)Stephen W.
Bad. Bland. Flavorless. Soggy. Ick The people are nice and polite everything is cheap. The food just doesn't make the mark Imo
(2)Christopher B.
I wanted to try some new Chinese food and found this restaurant by my house. The owners was very friendly and out going. I love the fact they had live opinions for food live lobster or live rock bass. I order side there sweet chili chicken wings, they were very dry and over cook. I couldn't even taste the sweet chili. Then I order the Szechuan chicken for my entry, I have tasted better in frozen dinner. My lady had the orange chicken it mostly breading. Their cheese wontons was flat and no taste. I wouldn't recommend this place ever. I should have walked Mcdonald across the street.
(2)Mariko A.
When you walk into Empress, you KNOW you're in a Dim Sum restaurant. A big beautiful ballroom with dozens of table, neatly decorated, and very clean. We happened to be in on a Thursday evening for a late dinner, and since I prefer Dim Sum for breakfast, we ordered off the dinner menu. My husband had his favorite go-to Chinese menu item: Squid with Spicy Salt, also known and Salt & Pepper Squid. There's was lightly battered, properly cooked, wonderfully seasoned, with plenty of fried garlic and jalapeno tidbits to satisfy. I was in a comfort food mood, so I ordered one of their 5 chow foon (Chow Fun) dishes: Beef Chow Foon with Bean Sauce. To me, Black bean sauce is the only way to have Chow Fun so I was thrilled. The portions were generous, the beef was tender, the noodles were a tad oily, but Chow fun generally is. $23 for a satisfying meal with white rice, and leftover Chow fun for our lunches the next day. Well worth it! Would love to go back for Dim Sum sometime as they have an extensive menu. Bonus: They have Thai-style dishes also, thought it was interesting. Will be going back this summer for Dim Sum.
(4)Alicia J.
I haven't been here for a while and visited recently...had a table full of cheap/delicious dim sum....plus the $5 soy sauce chicken....If you never order anything ever again order it. Don't be surprised like I was, this plate was covered in stupid ridiculously tender chicken.
(4)Tralfaz B.
I just moved here from Hawaii where there are a zillion Chinese restaurants, but none of them can even approach Empress Seafood in Denver. My buddy and I just ordered sweet and sour chicken, beef with broccoli, fried rice and egg rolls. All of it was really really good! Because our order was over $20, the staff added some bonus crab gau gee type things. Honestly, I could eat an entire dinner of nothing but the crab thingys :) I highly recommend these folks. Xie Xie, Empress!!
(5)Lynda M.
Denver just doesn't have much to offer in terms of Dim Sum.... Food was WAY salty, and I love salt..... Other than the salt flavor, everything was bland... tasted frozen.... Guess I'm just gonna have to go back to SF.
(2)Dale Z.
I had not been out for Dim Sum in almost a decade. When a friend held her annual birthday meal here this year, I decided that I had to go. We were over 30 people in our group, and they put us at three large, round tables in the back. Each table had a large "lazy susan" in the middle to facilitate the sharing of dishes. For those not familiar with Dim Sum, it is small bite-sized Chinese dishes typically served in steamer baskets or on small plates. Carts of these fully cooked items are wheeled around the restaurant by servers, and you choose what you want. I am not a huge fan of steamed buns (Bones is a definite exception to this rule), as I generally find them too filling, and frequently too far on the sweet side of flavor-ville. The ones here are like that, but the quality seemed good. For my culinary adventure on this Sunday, I sampled: shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, deep fried shrimp balls, stuffed green peppers, turnip cake, steamed BBQ pork buns, spareribs with bean sauce, sesame dumplings, sweet rice in lotus leaf, sauteed Chinese broccoli, pan fried house noodles, and I am sure I am missing a few items. Most of these items were quite tasty. A few were outstanding. And a couple were not to my liking (like the sickly sweet sesame bun). I drank water and tea, and generally made a pig of myself while having a good time talking with friends, some folks I had not seen in years, and some new people. When the bill came, the gratuity (a reasonable 15%) had already been added on. The shocking part was that for our table of 9, the total cost (including tip) worked out to just over $13 per person. That is an incredible deal. I would definitely recommend this place to others. Come early, and come hungry.
(4)J G.
I sit on a board that ate an 8 course dinner here recently. I've had a 10-course dinner here during the Lunar holiday, so leaving a review is now necessary. Seafood-tofu soup: light with nice, bit sized shrimp. An excellent appetizer. Steamed whole fish: I've had better. Shrimp and Chinese broccoli: The shrimp, again, was very well cooked. Peking Duck: Satisfying, but not quite oily enough. Fish with pepper and onions: Tender and well spiced. I recommend this restaurant over the high-priced, tasteless downtown, chic places you find popping up. Sure, the ambience is not amazing. But still, you'll receive a much more amazing culinary experience for your buck.
(4)Shelly G.
Love the dim sum, even when it's delivered. Sui ma, dumplings, pork buns, sweet buns - all very yummy. Fast delivery, very friendly.
(4)Dee S.
Group of us went on a Sunday for dim-sum. We had a reservation so there was no problem getting a table. The room was huge. I don't think the room ever got to 100% while I was there. If you have a large party (40), then they will sit you at 4 large round tables. Appears they don't have large buffet type tables. Servers go around either with carts or trays. There is also a menu on the table with pictures so if you see your favorite item, you can order it even if you don't know the name. Servers did a good job keeping the water glasses filled. We had a wide variety of items. Some items came out real hot and some items came out not hot enough. The number of items offered/available is not as vast as I'm used to, but I was content with what I had. The menu should state the number of items offered per plate.
(3)Jamie L.
Being in a sea of good-to-great Dim Sum restaurants in the neighborhood, you really need to stand out. Empress just doesn't. It's not bad, it's just competing with places like Star Kitchen, and Empress really can't. I don't like that they don't serve Dim Sum from carts, instead having you order what you want and bringing it from the kitchen. Not only are the carts part of the fun and Dim Sum culture, but keeping the food hidden allows them to serve you day-old sticky rice, left in its' original lotus leaf wrapper, but re-wrapped in a new leaf and re-steamed. It was hard and chewey, not sticky and gooey. Also the portion of it (and the dumplings) was small. Every other Dim Sum place I've been to, from New York to Denver, serves their Stick Rice in Lotus Leaf in pairs. This was one, and not even larger to make up for it. The Har Gao, while fresher, were also smaller than any other I'd ever had, including those frozen ones from Pacific Ocean Marketplace. Same for the Scallop Dumplings. The rice crepes wrapped around shrimps with XO sauce was good, and the shrimp were plentiful. This is one of my favorite cravings, and it definitely satisfied me. Also good were the fried shrimp balls, crisp and non-greasy on the outside, sweet, succulent on the inside. Yum. We also noticed the Curry Squid on the Dim Sum menu, and it struck my craving, so we got it. The texture ranged from tenderized to chewey, but the flavor ranged from overly fishy to strangely tasting of soap. Weird. And the curry was very bland. I mean, if they put "Seafood" in the name of their restaurant, I really expect impeccably fresh and well-prepared dishes. Skip the Curry Squid. Lastly, we ordered the Char Siu Bao (Baked BBQ Pork Buns.) Um, yeah, they are HUGE. I mean, simply HUGE. Larger than your average softball. (See Photo.) The problem? The BBQ Pork, which I usually savor, and crave, tasted honestly like pork chunks coated in sugary ketchup. SO not good. I had two bites. So, basically, re-reading my review, Empress seems to be Hit-or-Miss. But, as I mentioned before, in this 'hood, you gotta be great to stand out. You can find me over at Star Kitchen.
(3)Sara C.
When I first moved here 7 years ago, I was told this is a good place to have dim sum. Really? I have only been there once, and never been back after that one experience. Food was greasy, the containers that held the dim sum were greasy... not so fresh dim sum when I was there. Meats were tough... Had better and fresher stuff at other restaurants. Will never go back cuz other places are just better.
(1)Ashley H.
We went to a wedding here. Food & staff were great! Walnut prawns were delicious. Can't wait to go back during regular hours for dinner and/or dim sum!
(4)Megan R.
I moved to this area about a year ago and I drive by The Empress every day...from the outside it doesn't look too great-it took me over 6 months to stop in and I was pleasantly surprised. It is nice inside with a pleasant atmosphere. The food is incredible! Whether you want to try all their dim sum, eat something simple like fried rice or try something more adventurous, they have something to satisfy everyone. They also have super fast delivery!
(4)Junam L.
My first time checking this place out. They have really good crab cheese wonton and their lo mein were delicious. The restaurant is really big inside and a karaoke machine!
(5)Riza H. C.
Thank you Robin M, for meeting me and have Dim Sum this past Sunday March 7th 2010. We meet up at about 10:30hrs. When we arrived, there are several other patrons dining away having their Brunch of Dim Sum what nots. Since this is my very first visit at The Empress Seafood Restaurant, I was quite excited on what they can or will offer. From what I can recall these are the Dim Sum spread I had on that Sunday with Robin M. * Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) * Scallop Dumplings * Stuffed Green Pepper * Chicken Bun * Stuffed Fresh Mushroom * Shrimp Chives Dumplings * Shrimp Steamed Crepes * Malaysian Muffins Robin M also ordered the Roast Pork Croissants. I bet she likes those "Croissants". I opt for Chrysanthemum Tea while Robin M, opt for Jasmine Tea. The ambience was not as chaotic as compared to other Dim Sum restaurants that I have been too. Not too many carts being pushed around. All in all is an OK experience having Dim Sum here. The highlights of that Dim Sum Brunch were the Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and the Shrimp Chives Dumplings. These dumplings I like. Not forgetting the wonderful conversations I shared with Robin M. Thank you Robin M. The disappointment was the Chicken Buns. Hmm.. arent sure what they put it in the Chicken Buns at all.. its just taste weird. Another disappointment was the Shrimp Steamed Crepes. The Shrimp Steamed Crepes were a little chewy for my taste bud. Its the crepe itself. Oh well... I will come back perhaps one day again to try out some other dishes that I did not try. By the time, we finish our Dim Sum Brunch, we were pleasantly surprise to see, Doug Y and his lovely wife. Many more patrons fill up this establishment when we left @ 12:30hrs.
(3)Noel J.
The Dim Sum was pretty tasty although the service was a bit slow for it being lunch time on a weekday. We were digging the grub up until we got up to leave and noticed a cockroach on the tablecloth belonging to the table across from us. Kind of left a bad taste. Seeing that I have been to Denver twice, and eaten here twice, its likely that I will give them another chance on the next trip.
(3)Jenny C.
I've only ever come here during the week day, when they have their lunch special going on. For the most part, everything is consistently cooked the same. There are times when the chef is either new or feeling creative and it doesn't taste the same as it always does. The service is friendly and Robert is my favorite server. If you want to go the inexpensive route, for about $8, you can get the lunch special, such as szechuan beef, which comes with an eggroll and soup, complementary tea (and water) and give a $2 tip (included in the $8). The bathrooms kind of smell, but I think that's more of a plumbing issue rather than a cleanliness issue. I don't have reason to be in this area much anymore, but I would make a trip out of my way to stop in here on occasion.
(4)Ecila U.
I've been to Empress about a dozen times. Most times, I'm there during off hours and the dim sum is freshly cooked to order. No complaints, I order what I want, get what I want and eat to my stomach's content. I've brought friends and family here, most have enjoyed themselves. I've had dim sum in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Toronto and Vancouver (yes, they count) and can't say I'm disappointed with the food at Empress. The prices are higher, and it doesn't have cheap dim sum before a certain time of day like Toronto restaurants do, but still good! I would recommend this place.
(4)Carley W.
This is by far my fav meal in Denver. Inam so happy to have found this gem. Shrimp chive dumplings, BBQ pork buns and pork croissant are must haves. It's cheap, delicious and never a wait.
(5)Lani P.
One Delicious hole in the wall place, but in my experience they usually have the most tastiest foods. There Dim Sum is delicious especially their Baked BBQ buns. I'm from Hawaii and we like steamed, but I have to say Baked is now my favorite because of this place. We've done both Dim Sum on the weekends for breakfast and dinner at night. We love and always get Sesame chicken, bbq pork or shrimp fried rice, Chow Fun w/gravy, garlic bokchoy. The reason why I gave this place a 5 star is because they actually have my Sticky Rice. "Yummy" It's called sweet rice in Lotus leaves. I was first introduced to this about 4 months ago when I still lived in Las Vegas and it was tasty. I've had sticky rice with my Thai meals, but didn't know it was also a chinese dish. A little 101 about this is that it usually has chinese sausage, some ground meat, mushrooms, bamboo shoots inside of it. I absolutely love it! Though it seems my hubby doesn't share my opinion. :-) But if you like this dish, then this place knows how to make it.
(5)Joe Y.
They have large banquet menus but Super Star and star kitchen has better dim sum.
(3)Justin Y.
The most reliable dim sum in town. Solid food, lots of parking, and always easy to find a seat in their huge space. I'm always amazed at how little it costs to feed your face at the Empress.
(4)Janet L.
I will never go back there again! The food was terrible and served super old rice crepe shrimp. It was yellow and transparent as if it was microwaved. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Nancy C.
The Empress has new dim sum chefs!!! They've recently changed. They have a lot of new menu items!! It's the only place in town that has dim sum that is remotely close to NYC or SF. You have to try the shrimp and chive dumplings and the scallop dumplings. I also went there for dinner. They have BOGO lobster!!! We got their house special. It was so good that I licked the shells after like a lobster lollipop.
(5)Jude Emmanuel P.
I love going this Chinese restaurant! My family and I would visit and have lunch here on an occasion and really, the food is great and authentic! Coming from the Philippines, and visiting Hong Kong several times, the food and it's taste is the closest to what I had there in Philippines and Hong Kong. The ambiance and how the place looks is very Chinese and exquisite, it does give you this look and feel of China, and for me, Hong Kong. As a tea- type of guy, their jasmine tea is very good! The Dim Sum has many good choices, just a bit slow though when there's a lot of people, but still worth the wait if you're really into Chinese food.
(4)Bonnie G.
My husband and I have frequented The Empress numerous times and have always been happy. Even when it's packed, there's never a long wait. I went to King's Landing once and wasn't impressed at all. Today, we were one of the first people there and by the time we left, half the place was filled, bustling with big parties. The menu has so much variety! This is the first time I left without being drunk from food.. The carts have the more common dim sum items, but you can order anything from the menu. I usually stick to the doughy things since it's too early for me to eat chicken, but I do have their shrimp dumplings and shrimp crepes. My husband does have the meat options and he's always enjoyed it. The service is fine, tea is always hot, the carts are always going around, and for two people you can't beat the prices for the amount of food!
(4)Emily C.
The new chefs cook AMAZING stuffs. Top quality. If you haven't been here for a while because things tasted unexciting, it is definitely worth trying again. We weren't planning on dining here, but was convinced by our friend who is an Asian bakery chef. The hargow (steamed shrimp dumplings)m often a test for a Chet's calibre, was top notch. The dinner dishes were fresh and delicious. Ditto Nancy's review about lobster. 4 full and satisfied bellies for $15 a piece!
(5)Mailou V.
A student organization I'm in usually has a banquet gathering here. So here's the juicy stuff: The good: *The food was a hit or miss, some of these entree's Ive had before freshly made at home, but for the price I was paying for the 10 entree's, I settled for it. *Service was good, responsive *Dim sum was good, this was my first dim sum restaurant, so can't say I've had better The bad: -n/a
(3)Alison C.
I adore this place on the weekends. The carts come and have hot, fresh dim sum which is quite tastey. Great for groups, the more people the better, that way you get to taste more of the yummy and interesting offerings from the carts. My favorite is the yellow egg custard patty thingy. I forget what it is called but it is great. The BBQ prk buns are huge and alwyas good. I think it is fun to try something new every time. I personally wasn't a fan of the 1000 year old soup (..something like that) but it was really neat to see it and experience something new with a friend.
(4)Doug B.
Against my better judgment, I let a friend talk me in to having dinner with him here. I've mostly given up on Chinese food and have found that Vietnamese, Thai and Malaysian are much more flavorful and usually healthier. That comes from the cooking style -- Chinese chef's prepare the entree and the sauce is the last thing added. In Vietnamese and Thai (I've never taken Malaysian cooking lessons) the flavors are infused from the very beginning of the meal preparation process. And the spices and flavorings are more distinct. Chinese cuisine is tired and mostly too familiar. And as such I believe less attention goes into making it. Nothing stood out as excellent -- the Dim Sum dumplings were OK. The duck's feet were down right nasty. No flavor, rubbery. Sauce has almost no flavor. Well I tried this place. No need to go back.
(2)Robin M.
Oh goodie, different dim sum! It's fantastic that so many Denver restaurants have good dim sum, all of it somewhat different, all of it delicious. I fell in love here with their scallop dumplings and sweet barbecued pork croissants, and they make an excellent shrimp dumpling too. All the Empress's dim sum so far has been good to excellent -- and I haven't even had a chance to order from a cart. (Most people think the dim sum from carts is better. I can't imagine how it could be, but I'm willing to find out. I just have to get there during the early hours on Saturday or Sunday when the carts are rolling. Otherwise, enjoy the menu.) One weekday when I had a craving for sesame chicken, I tried the lunch combination menu. The egg roll was fat and lovely looking but was nearly flavorless; sauces were a necessity. To me, the mark of a good egg roll is that it tastes great plain. (But the next time I had an egg roll there, it was one of the best I have ever eaten. Go figure.) The hot and sour soup was strange; a very good broth with plentiful strips of tofu and black fungus and nothing else. It was okay but I missed the bamboo shoots, mushrooms, meat, and eggs usually crowding this soup. The sesame chicken was okay. The surprising star of the meal was the pork fried rice accompanying the plate. Instead of the nearly-naked fried rice with tiny bits of egg and maybe a little onion served by most restaurants to fill out your combo, this was an excellent mixture including healthy chunks of delicious char siu pork. Second time it was good but not as spectacular as the first time. Wonton soup was a low average rating. The barbecued spareribs were plenty meaty and tasted pretty good, but not the best I've had recently. But this place earned its spot as a Top 100 Chinese Restaurant in the nation with its dim sum, not the Americanized lunch combos. Go for the dim sum; it's definitely worth it. Counter to Chinese tradition, they serve it late -- so occasionally there are some good things to be said for Americanization!
(4)Mr K.
Empress used to be the spot for Dim Sum. The food is hit and miss. We also had their chow fun and the noodle was over cooked and mushy. With so many newer Dim Sum joints within few blocks, I think it will be awhile 'til we stop by again.
(3)Aa A.
Place is good. Not amazing. Food is pretty decent and the environment is good. A bit dark though... big spacious space is def a plus. Makes me feel like it's a proper Chinese restaurant. Just had dimsum here and beh... it's mediocre. Nothing special. For a quick fix, it'll do.
(3)Charles D.
Its simply the best place in town. It's not very Americanized. The menu's are written in both Chinese and English. Most people go for their dim sum, but their main menu is great too and extensive. As far as the Chinese community goes, this is their nice place. Wedding receptions happen here etc.... I always order the duck breast as an appetizer, just delicious. They take chinese food to the next level up and its obvious.
(5)Gerry K.
I asked the lady who owns the 88 market where i could find decent dim sum in denver. she said "there is no decent dim sum in denver". i asked where the best place was, and she recommended Empress. So I checked it out with my brother and a friend. The vibe is ok, like well dressed waiters trying to serve well in an older building. The menu is a little odd. They were missing a lot of things I'm used to seeing on dim sum menus, and had a fair amount i hadn't seen before. (and i have been to lots of dim sum in san francisco and las vegas) While i missed a few of my favorites, particularly some dumplings and salt and pepper shrimp in the shell, the stuff they had was pretty tasty. And the best part was that they are a bbq shack. They have the ducks and roast pork sides hanging in a window inside the restaurant like the bbq joints in any chinatown! I think the lady at 88 said that they were the only place to get roast pork in denver. (btw, roast pork is pork with the crispy skin on it, not char-siew, the reddish sweeter barbeque pork, if you haven't tried it when ur hung over, get a pound next time!) so i will go back next time i'm jonesing for dim sum, and if anyone out has dim sum places they like better, turn me on, i'm new in denver! UPDATE: I've been to Super Star and that is my new go to dim sum place in Denver!
(3)Kendra P.
best dim sum that I have experienced in Colorado. I have been to China plenty of times. I just moved here from Chicago where they have a pretty awesome China town....I know my dim sum. good stuff...good price. I recommend it.
(4)K. F.
Having had amazing dim sum in Hawaii earlier this year I was craving it again. So my mom, a friend and I decided to try dim sum at the Empress. Upon walking in I was instantly disappointed with the atmosphere. There was a strange smell and strange collections of clutter--tables and chairs stacked around here and there. The music was on and was playing horrible 80's rock songs that just seemed inappropriate for a dining experience. I decided to look past the atmosphere and give the place a chance. I began looking through the dim sum menu (I had hoped for the carts experience but must have been there at a non-cart time). When the server came to the table I asked if there was MSG in the items. Perhaps this is considered impolite? As she walked away in a huff, I was rudely told that the dim sum menu items had MSG and I would have to order from the lunch menu. But I was specifically there for the dim sum! Ugh, another thing I would overlook, but ok, I was willing to risk a potential headache (from the MSG) since I was starving and really wanted to try the dim sum. We ordered a large assortment of items and were served without much delay. Our food was ok. It was not as good as other places I have had dim sum at, but as others have said, for Denver it was pretty good. I think the final straw was seeing shark fin soup on the menu. I despise this entree due to the inhumane method of killing sharks for their fins and dumping them back in the ocean to die. Needless to say, I think this was my first and last experience at the Empress.
(1)Raian V.
I was craving Dim Sum because the day before I read on Asian Magazine on their article about Dim Sum. I should had remember the one they recommend! Anyways drove by here and decided to give them a try. Walked in and the interior has seen better days. Got a seat and it's not those places that push around the cart. You look at pictures and some without pictures and you order what you want. I hate these type of Dim Sum places because I want to see them. He brought hot tea which they charge per person. There wasn't no chop sticks on the setting! They had one spoon and 2 forks! Totally catering to American. Anyways I ordered the Chicken Feet "as always", Shu Mai, Jelly Fish, and rice noodle with bbq pork inside. Rice Noodle was bland, I had a ton of soy sauce and hot oil just to eat it. Shu Mai was average, it doesn't taste that good and it was warm. Jelly Fish was actually pretty good, that's the dish I cleared first. Chicken Feet was decent, doesn't have that wow taste. 2/3 of the way I felt I was hungry, so I ordered their Lunch Special Chicken with Broccoli. It came with Egg Drop soup and Egg roll. Egg drop was decent tasting, a bit bland. Egg Roll was all veggies and it was horrible! It's one of those soft wrapped one that just fall into pieces when you bite on them. I couldn't even eat half of it and put it to the side. The sauce on the chicken was very watery, and pretty much bland like the other food. I was super full just 1/3 into the chicken dish so I had to take it to go. I would say beside the great service, that guy was my race so we talked for a bit. Everything else pretty below par. I would not recommend this place to anybody. There's Super Star Asian Cuisine that serve dim sum down the street and it's much better than here. I can't eat an Asian restaurant where you have to ask for "Chop Sticks."
(2)Laura B.
I have only had the dim sum here and I think it is solid! My favorite part is that you can get it all day, every day! I sometimes stop by on my way home from work and grab take-out dim sum for dinner. Love that! :)
(4)Tom W.
For the best Dim Sum go to... San Francisco. Seriously, I love the little Asian area around Federal & Alameda. We often shop at Pacific Ocean Marketplace (though we prefer the one in Broomfield) & Viet Hoa and we get Dim Sum at King's Land a few times a year. I've been to Empress a number of times, but the only thing I can think to recommend it is that (I hear) the bathrooms are passable. Don't get me wrong, the food is ok, but that's it. It's just ok. The only great disappointment I've ever suffered here was undercooked chicken feet. They're gnarly little things if they haven't been fried forever. Oh, and take back that "only" part. I forgot that I find the service here to be rather poor on weekends. Maybe I need to learn how to scream "HEY YOU!" in Mandarin, so I can get the cart girls' attention. I'll stick with King's Land for the food and come here if my company is incontinent.
(3)Tony O.
Empress makes the best roasted duck in town. The skin is crispy and the meat is moist. Check it out and you will see why.
(4)Jennifer L.
After an abysmal Valentine's dinner, my bf found Empress and we decided our Asian tastebuds needed some Asian food to make us happy campers. He said we needed to redeem our meal from the night before so we went "all out." We ordered lobster with ginger and scallions and a half order of peking duck. We also got 1 order of a vegetarian bean curd thing off the dimsum menu. Just because we could! That's my bf's favorite dimsum item (but usually with meat). It was alright. The meal was definitely better than our dinner the night before. Coming from Southern California where there's a TON of authentic Chinese restaurants, this wasn't the best, but it was quite satisfying. Pretty authentic as well. Can't say much for the dimsum, since we only had 1 item, but the rest of it was yummers. Pretty good food and service. I liked!
(4)james v.
Good but not great dim sum. I've experienced dim sum in 20 different cities including Chinatown in both San Fran and New York. Just average at best. Contrary to other reviews, they do serve dim sum from carts. At least Saturday and Sunday.
(3)John W.
Dim sum has changed over years, decreased in quality, but is still a good place for it. Their family style dinners are still still high quality and are the made of the quintessential Cantonese dishes. This means steamed fish, seafood, lobster with scallions and ginger, as well as roasted pork and chicken. This restaurant hosts a lot of Vietnamese weddings, which means you may karaoke :-) if you're there on one of those nights!
(4)JR R.
Everybody knows that this place serves some of the best dim sum in Denver (bested only by superstar cafe, located 2 blocks east). When it comes to roast duck noodle soup and crispy skin pork, empress reigns!
(4)Robert B.
Great place for a date. Great Dim Sum.
(4)Manoj I.
I hear that this place used to be the king of Dim Sum. But the quality has deteriorated over the years. We had dim sum dinner here, the food was ok but not great, I have had much better dim sum.
(3)Wei L.
I am chinese, living in San Francisco, and I went to Colorado for sightseeing, during labor day holiday weekend. I knew of empress seafood 10 years ago, when I was single living in denver. Now I went there again, with my family. The restaurant ambience looks the same. But I wanted to give a "0" star, because I ordered a soup, and while I was eating it, i saw in my spoon a dead cockroach baby. Oh my god! So we told the maitre, and he look spooked when he saw the little bug in the dish. We left without paying for the dinner.
(1)David C.
The biggest dim sum place in Denver is also one of the best, though their regular menu is also very good. They do things a bit differently here - you mark what you want on a checklist, similar to sushi places, and they bring it to you. But for those who have not enjoyed dim sum before, this is a good way to start. They have a couple of things here that I've not found at any of my other favorite places, so depending on what I'm in the mood for I can go to whichever place I need to visit. The noodle dishes here are all very good, and their duck is better than that of the other dim sum places. The dinner menu has some standards as well as some more interesting options, but I mostly find myself coming at lunch for the dim sum. This place is excellent for larger groups as well, and many times on weekends you'll see a wedding reception being held in part of the restaurant. There's a second parking lot across the street as well, so you'll be able to get here and enjoy what they have to offer.
(4)Safford B.
Empress is one of the better known dim sum spots in Denver, and is a little cleaner than some of its competitors in Alameda Square down the street. Weekends can be incredibly crowded, but if you can get a seat, you'll be ensured hot, fresh food with lots of variety.
(3)Hubert H.
This place would get 1.5 stars in California. In Denver, I give it 4. Friend and I ordered standards: har gow (shrimp dumpling), ham shui kok (tofu with cellophane inside), taro fried dumplings, fried rice with meat inside, and couple of others. I was fairly pleased with the availability, but sadly the dishes revealed a lack in artistry. Shrimp dumpling wrappers were too mealy, tofu skins not the right flavor, taro shells too 'stiff', not crumbly enough, and on and on. Actually, possibly my favorite dish was the fried dry beef rice noodle dish. A good mix of noodles, beef, and bean sprouts, with enough 'fire' taste in the wok, and not overly greasy. Perhaps what is needed is a field trip for Denverites to go to SF or LA and see what dimsum can taste like! For now, perhaps this will have to do.
(4)Jarred F.
I have to say this Dim Sum is pretty darn good in comparison to most Dim Sum I have had.. they have all kinds of things from chicken feet to the traditional shrimp pouches. I do recommend coming on certain days as Dim Sum isn't hugely popular in Denver and freshness can be can issue. Saturday or Sunday at 11:30am.. the best time.
(4)Eddie H.
Decent Dim Sum. The ha gao had this pasty texture which, was a bit odd. I would probably need to go back during the day when they have the push carts to get fresh food. Other than that the prices were pretty standard for dim sum. I'd say it's an average place, but I'd go back.
(3)Thomas S.
I made the fatal error of trying to go to Super Star late on a Sunday morning. They were predictably packed and I was powerful hungry. Rather than risk starving to death over a long wait, we decided it was time to give Empress a whirl. Empress is a decent standby, in case Super Star is unavailable - but still doesn't quite measure up in terms of quality. However, they do stand out in terms of the massive variety they offer. I especially enjoy how they have a full dim sum menu you can order from, in case you are hankering for something not seen on the carts. Overall, it was a good experience, but next time, I will get my butt up earlier so that I can get the real deal at Super Star.
(3)David S.
The closest thing to a NYC dim sum experience, with carts making their way around to your table every weekend. The food is good, but the dim sum experience is even better. For better dim sum, I go to China Jade around the corner (see review).
(3)Karen L.
This rating is based solely on their dim sum. One word to sum it all up: AWFUL. I honestly don't even know how they got these awards for top dim sum and blah blah blah. They didn't even get the basics right. The har gow had a really weird aftertaste associated with it. Their BBQ pork buns had very little flavor and it was also on the dry side.. Their siu mai was also off-color and tasted really funky. The rice in the lotus leaf wasn't even mixed in well with the sauce inside. It was pretty much like eating plain rice by itself. Having a little bit of meat in there added some flavor, but it didn't help much. I was so disappointed that one of my favorite things to eat was SO incredibly disgusting at this restaurant. And to top it all off, they don't even have their dim sum in carts. The only thing that was decent was their roasted duck, but that's not enough to bring me back here for dim sum again!
(1)Doug Y.
Well the history of dim sum in Denver is relatively short. There used to be two main competitors in the "Little Saigon" area of South Federal. That would be China Garden restaurant in the Far East Center and the Empress. There were other dim summeries :) but these were the big two. Early on, dim sum was only served on the weekends and when China Garden started serving it everyday well that was downright revolutionary (but no big deal because it tasted like the weekend stuff re-heated). Well the Empress being cleaner and generally better won out. They had constant lines and long waits for tables. There would be a constant motion of carts pouring out of the kitchen with steaming hot dumplings and carts with brimming shelves of assorted tasty sweets and savories. Many times we would be told that they had sold out of our favorite items and maybe that's where their downfall began. First King's Land and then Super Star came along and stole the Best Dim Sum joint title. The Empress is now reduced to two or three carts that run occasionally into the dining area. The quality of the food isn't bad just not great anymore and pales in comparison. Their dinner menu is still pretty good and their Char Siu (BBQ pork), Roast Duck, and Roast Pig is still the best in town but no longer the go to place for dim sum. Ho nem mwat ho nai.
(3)Valerie M.
The food here was ok. We had a lobster in ginger sauce, roast duck soup, shrimp and chives dumplings, shrimp dumplings, stuffed mushrooms, and egg custard. Nothing stood out, nothing was bad either. Actually, my boyfriend did not like the duck as he said it was too gamey. I liked it just fine and found that it was nice and tender. Next time we are going to try Super Star as that seems to be the dim sum place Yelpers prefer.
(3)Kristi E.
One of Denver's best-known dim sum joints, Empress Seafood offers tasty Chinese tidbits and is great fun for the whole family. We just celebrated Chinese New Year here and enjoyed the steamed and baked BBQ pork buns, shrimp dumplings, spare ribs, meatballs, Chinese broccoli (you have to order that one, it doesn't come around on the cart!) and a bunch of other tasty morsels that I don't know the names of. Try the dessert custard thingies -- one is white and tastes like coconut, and another looks like flan but has more of a vanilla flavor. Another table ordered some incredible-looking crab legs. We'll have to try those next time. One tip -- if you go for Chinese New Year, try to make a reservation! It was packed, but we enjoyed watching the lion dance while we waited for a table.
(4)Mira S.
If you want good dim sum, go to King's Land (also on Alameda) or Star Kitchen (on Mississippi) - they make it right every time. Both places are super busy especially Sat and Sunday brunch times. I used to go to Empress ten years ago quiet frequently, but since they changed the ownership some years back, things just haven't been the same, in terms of food quality and preparation. Last time I went to Empress was on weekday evening for dinner, we had a company of 4 people. We were all eager to get our dim sum, especially me because I was craving dim sum. We ordered a lot of seafood varieties as we all are big dim sum eaters. As soon as my shrimp dumplings came out, I took a big bite, and immediately noticed something was wrong. I bit from all 3 other pieces in the dish to confirm, and yes, they were all the same - the shrimp dim sum tasted Ajax or some other dish washing soap. My friends tasted the other shrimp dumplings (we ordered 4 trays of it), each dish had shrimp dimpling that tasted more like dishwashing soap than shrimp (as if someone just marinated the shrimp with Ajax). Then, we frantically tried to find other edible dishes, unfortunately because all their seafood dishes contain dish (shrimp, seafood, scallops, shrimp & spinach, shrimp & leek, shrimp & scallions, shrimp & mushrooms), they all had a taste of Ajax. We immediately called the manager who at first was unwilling or unable to understand. We told him to taste it, at first he wouldn't. He kept denying all the dumplings tasted like dishwashing soap. Well, after I mentioned how I was going to take few of the pieces with me so I could get them to State Health Department or Tri-County Health for testing, he reluctantly took couple of the plates with him to the kitchen. He returned 10 minutes later and began apologizing profusely, agreeing that the entire batch (from which our order was also made) contained some unknown substance tasting like a soap. He didn't know how it happened blah-blah-blah, although one can certainly speculate. Anyways, at least he offered to give us some other food off the menu but at this point it was already almost hour and half later since we sat down for dinner and we just did not want to eat anything prepared in that kitchen. Never been there since.
(1)Casey H.
Came here on Thanksgiving with the Mom. Staff was really nice and the food was absolutely wonderful! I had the Shrimp and Hunan Pork and it was perfect. Everything tasted really fresh and well made and the price was very reasonable. I think I have found my go-to place in Denver for Chinese food!
(5)Matt R.
so this was my first time having dim sum so i can't say that i have had better but it was good. we went for dinner so some of the items weren't being served. the items we did get were pretty good. but as i stated, this was my first time so i have nothing else to base it off of.
(3)Cloud W.
Empress is well known in the Denver area for dim sum, in fact we have been going here for many years but lately the food has gone down-hill. Not sure if it's true or not but I heard they changed chefs so that may account for the slide in quality dishes. Anyways, Empress sure does beat out the other dim sum places in Denver (for now).
(3)KaThy T.
I came here for a wedding. The venue looked alright, nothing fancy. If the venue was cheap to rent out then I'd give it 4 stars. But the decorations were cheap; it looked like they used things from the dollar store (no bueno, unless you're on a tight budget). The 8 course dinner tasted like any food at an Asian wedding. It was delicious! And the staff were pretty efficient. The waiter came around often to see if we needed anything, which was great; this is rare. Parking was okay for me since I came early, but I think other guests had to park on the street to eat there.
(4)Jeff T.
Overall, if you have a craving for dim sum late on a Thursday night (like we did) Empress works. No limited time offering for dim sum and they deliver! Those two points alone earn at least 3 stars. If I were to rate the dim sum itself, then it would be just below average. Pretty much all the dim sum we ordered had a faint flavor of sesame oil. The potstickers were good, but the outer "skin" was a little tough. And, finally the portions were on the small side. Delivery was prompt and as scheduled on Eat24 so that was a definite plus. Delivery person was very friendly. Will have to try their regular menu items, so this review is really just about delivery service and dim sum.
(3)Kelli H.
We had dim sum. It was very mediocre. The food could have used more seasoning for sure.
(3)Jen W.
Every time we go, there's always great service, and amazing food. We always enjoy going there. I recommend going on a weekend when they bring the carts around!
(5)Emilee D.
Dim sum without having to wait forever in line? Gimme! Although the service was very friendly, it's not very efficient here. The server kept disappearing for long periods of time. I'm also not a fan of not being able to choose items from the carts. You write your choices on the sheet they give you (like when you order sushi), then as the carts carrying those items come around, they mark it off and drop off your food. This makes getting another round of the same thing a hassle. Also, if you want something from the regular menu, you may not get it because they don't check the extra order box on the sheet and it can take forever to find your server. And sometimes the cart you need doesn't come at all so you end up missing half of what you ordered. Eating dim sum is my favorite hobby. Don't tease me by not bringing everything I ordered. It makes me sad. As for the dim sum, I thought it was pretty good. The only one I don't care for is the shrimp cheong fun. It had an off taste to it and looked like it was old. The rest was really good especially the scallop dumplings. If you're looking for more noodly offerings, try the beef chow fun. The noodles are cooked perfectly and the sauce is delicious. They also do a decent spicy pepper shrimp.
(3)Melissa C.
I was dealing with a hangover and I was craving Sunday afternoon Chinese food. I called empress and it was great. We got sesame chicken which was excellent, Mongolian beef, and orange chicken. The orange chicken was very similar to the sesame chicken but still good. The crab cheese wontons were free with a $20 purchase which was awesome. It took a half hour and the delivery guy was friendly. I will order from them again.
(4)Kam D.
This place is a win because it's the only dim sum place that will deliver in my area. So on lazy(hungover) Sundays it hits the spot. Quality wise it's not on the same level as Super Star or Star Kitchen but it's not too far off. Not a huge fan of their chicken fried rice and the free wontons are almost always dry but hey, they're free. The dim sum options are pretty good. I really like their potstickers too.
(3)Sara M.
This was the first place in Denver that I had dim sum, probably 12-15 years ago when it was quite the place to go. It was time to revisit this summer. It's age is showing and the presentation of many traditional items a bit bland. It is a large space so it can accommodate many large parties as was evident from our visit. The staff members were very nice and got us items we requested that we did not see on the carts but the spark seems to be gone unfortunately. There are just so many good dim sum choices in Denver and they are all crowded so it would be nice and probably successful too, if Empress could do a little update in appearances and food quality.
(2)julie n.
No wait for dim sum on a Sunday at noon? A-OK in my book. The dishes were hot and tasted fine. They are in the process of remodeling. They took out the old carpet and replaced it will tile, looks way better...next up, the bathrooms, I hope. Service was very good which is somewhat unusual for a dim sum place. The cart pushers and wait staff are all very attentive. I wouldn't order the Chinese broccoli though, it was kinda mushy and $8!
(4)Alex P.
A Little Background You don't have to be an internationally reknown chef to know that not all Chinese food comes from the same area. Just like all american food doesn't come from Utah. Different areas represent different types of food. Empress for the most part is Shanghanese. Yet the dim sum is originally originated from Beijing. The food isn't bad, but it definitely isn't great. It lacks depth of flavor, creativity and frankly just straight up love. Two decades ago they made their stance in both the vietnamese and chinese community in Denver by offering one of only two "real" places for asians to hold their asian style wedding receptions. Now that the "X "generation is grown up and moved onto newer, better and higher quality food and spaces, Empress is the old turtle that has been caught left behind in the dust. Too slow for the times It's actually sad to see this place slowly go down the drain thru the decades. It's almost like you need to pour some Draino on it to help it go down faster to ease the pain. The food is mediocre at best regardless if its the lunch dim sum or the wedding style dinner dishes. It can't keep up with the changes times and competition in the area. Old Timers Running the Show Slow is smooth is fast.....yet not always. They've tried to change their "image" in recent years with the removal of the horrible karaoke stage and addition of two TVs. That is their response to the changing times and that is what they call "remodeling".
(2)Neena W.
After more than 6 months of hard eats and many visits to several dim sum destinations of Denver (star kitchen, super star, Kings Land), I have finally concluded that Empress Seafood Restaurant would be my go to place on Federal St to fix my Dim Sum cravings. Why? - It is not overcrowded, therefore I don't feel rushed to swallow my food and get out. - The dim sum size is slightly smaller but priced right. When eating dim sum, the bigger is not always the better in my book. If you are like me, and like to shovel in multiple dim sum courses during each visit, then the dim sum size at ESR will serve you well. - The dim sum quality although can't always be compared to those served in Hong Kong or in the Bay Area, they are, at least, as enjoyable as those served at the other several more popular dim sum joints around Denver.
(4)Dan D.
Had an opportunity to meet internet friends, and we decided dim sum would be great. Our friends recommended Empress, given many of the restaurants in this area do daily dim sum. Given it wasn't Saturday/Sunday, the restaurant was not packed, though you also didn't get to take advantage of seeing everything with the carts. That said, we did have a menu list, and were salivating over the choices. Unfortunately, one of our friends is allergic to seafood, so our choices were limited (although we did get a couple seafood dim sum just for us). Extremely tasty, nice sauces, and less pressure to get everything you wanted "now" versus a weekend. Also, they had aquariums showing some of the available offerings. As I approached the restrooms, I saw two eel swimming - thought to myself - hmmm, you'd be fun to eat!
(4)Ran T.
I pretty much give up on the dim sim scene in Denver. I visit my family in San Fransisco. So it's just really hard to go to a dim sum restaurant in Denver and expect the same. Empress is OK. It's pretty authentic and the waiter is very courteous. I am sorry to give them 3 stars but I can't lower my standard for dim sum. I took one star off due to their flavor and another star due to their lack of variety that usually separates dim sim from other cuisines. If you never had dim sum before, by all means give this place a try. Parking space is spacious and usually no waiting in line.
(3)Ellen L.
They're under new management and it's so much better now. The rumor is that the new chefs came over from Star Kitchen so you're getting the quality and taste without the lines! Oh, they also had clams, which means I'll be returning consistently.
(5)Tammy N.
What place can hold hundreds of guests, have a family style dinner course, and accommodate live music for weddings? The Empress Seafood Restaurant of course! I have been here for a multitude of weddings throughout my life and each time they are consistent with the quality and quantity of the food. These people know big weddings like the back of their hand and certainly stand their ground as a go-to restaurant for large parties. The service is usually quick and efficient. I am always in love with their roasted quail and rice dishes. The seasoning is perfect every time, so huge compliments to the chef for such versatility. Great space for entertainment during dinner as well, and I am happy to come back to Empress, for a wedding or just even a nice dinner.
(4)Jennifer K.
I've lost count how many times I've been here and I live in NYC! It's almost become a tradition that we come here for dim sum every time I come to Denver. This restaurant is very reasonably priced and service is always super fast. Everything is cooked to order and they have a wide variety. You can even get dim sum at dinner time!
(5)Hanh P.
Feel horrible having to give this review. But Empress, you have fallen so far over the years. It's sad. I've been there a couple times the past year... deserted, only 2-3 tables, last time we were alone on a Saturday night! The food is just ok. Pretty bland for my taste. However, bland could mean less sodium and MSG... so maybe that's a healthy thing. I always leave wishing things were better. Decor has not been upgraded with the exception of the TVs, as a wedding venue it's way too tight and cramped, you can't even walk around. The servers are usually confused during service. Sorry Empress. Your competition is too strong.
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