Hope Y.

I really like this place. I mean realllly like this place. Came across this place while walking around chinatown, and after previously trying dim sum and a different restaurant, we thought we'd try again at a smaller place. Looked in the window, and all we saw were Chinese people. That's always a good sign when it's ethnic food, but especially with Chinese. Yes, it's kinda dingy....not filthy, just old and small, and very cozy. Hey, most Hole-in-the-wall-restaurants are! You have to get up to get your own dim sum if you dont know what it's called, but that's not a problem either. Their Engrish is not so good, but it's enough to take your order. I'm sold on the house crispy noodle. Reminds me of cake noodles, but so much crispier....and they use large scallops that you dont have to hunt for. The dim sum is so inexpensive, go ahead and try something new. At under $4 a plate, you can't go wrong. I took some friends there recently, and for 5 of us eating dim sum and ordering a few platters, the bill was $45. Sweet.
(4)
Natalie J.

Loved it! First of all, yes, its got a dim tinge to it, but honestly, our table was not greasy, and our utensils were clean. Our cup of water did not look like it had an oil slick on it, which is a huge plus (you have NO idea how many restaurants I have to return cups of water to). Went last weekend with my mom and their Char-Siu fried rice is the best I've had yet. Authentic Chinese cuisine in an authentically Chinese restaurant. Being there made me want to learn to speak Chinese and get more involved in the culture, but that's just me. What can I say, food moves me in different ways (not just gravitationally downward, as I pack on the pounds). A very nice hole-in-the-wall type restaurant! Will definitely go back again! If you're ever in Chinatown, this restaurant is a must. But beware - it's Cash Only.
(4)
Tammy C.

Happy Garden.... Sad Belly We were really looking forward to dim sum here because of the reviews... but unfortunately we did not experience the same. Maybe because it was a rainy day in Chinatown and there was no line out the door or in the door... but the food was not fresh. All was reheated (resteamed) except for the lo bo go, which was not fried all the way. The Jin Dui was renamed Chicken Dui because it smelled like meat and had a little meat flavor to it.. probably because of the oil. We ordered, taro puff, shrimp dumplings, chive dumplings, lo bo go, mochi rice, char sui bao, custard tart, and jin dui. The best thing out of those was the lo bo go but my friend's other half that she refused was not hot... Unfortunately, this place has strengthened my policy of NO CHEAP DIM SUM. Maybe if I walk by and it's super duper busy, I'll try again... but DON'T go in if there is NO line and you will stay in a HAPPY place.
(1)
Michael B.

I enjoy watching Zimmerman try new foods. To be honest, I do not remember his review of this place other than he had the deep fried intestines. Arranged for an equally adventurous friend to join us and off we went. The layout of the restaurant is very clever, allowing the tourists to see the dim sum as they walk by. The staff often only speak chinese and you assume that is a good thing. Unfortunately the food was not good. The intestines were very gamey, a polite way of saying barely edible. The other items were the worst I have ever had. My friend Paul is very experienced with dim sum from around the world and does not like to be critical so the conversation was limited until we left. Left, never to return. Sad but a wasted meal. Cross this place off your list and wander further.
(1)
Malia A.

In all my 25 years with Chinese blood flowing through my veins, I have never eaten dim sum and am always criticized for it. So on a trip to visit the Hawaiian side of my family, I yelped "dim sum" and Happy Garden was one of the highest rated results. We called to make sure they were open (they closed at 10:00 that night) and made the late-night drive down to scary Chinatown. Honestly it wasn't that bad, but I think my brother was a little freaked out. He kept commenting about the cop car that was parked across the street, when in reality, the cop came in to pick up some dim sum for takeout. YES most everything is $2! Everything I liked was on the $2 menu, my favorites were: -Manapua (always a must eat when I visit 'home') -Chive balls (these were totally amazing) -Mochi rice in leaf (looked a little weird once you opened it but tastes wonderful) -Pork Hash (mmmm) -Chicken and Mushroom Bun (mmmm too) -Shrimp dumpling (I was jealous and ate two of my boyfriend's order) I know we ordered more than this but I honestly can't remember, I was so full of starch and meat, and very content about it. The bill came out to $18.25. Considering how full we all were, and including the free tea they provided at the beginning of the meal, this place was awesome! Now I am back home and already missing it... just another reason to go back to Hawaii for a visit :)
(4)
Paige K.

I was really excited for happy garden after reading it on yelp. but in the end, i wasn't all that satisfied. it was just okay. of course it was probably my fault for not going earlier. i went at 7pm and most of the dim sum was sold out. so we had to order the regular dishes. we ordered the garlic shrimp (it was a bit too salty), the pan fried noodles (wasn't bad, wasn't great), and the chives dim sum (this was probably my favorite). the dim sum is cheap so i'm hoping to come back and see what all the fuss is about.
(3)
B. S.

Whenever I am in Chinatown, I walk past and look in the window. If I see baked manapua, I am so buying some to go! I'm really addicted to it. One time, they only had one left, and a roach walked on it and I seriously thought about eating it. Then someone threw it away. I wept. I have gotten other things from here, but nothing compares to how the baked manapua makes me feel.
(4)
Eric X.

Good spot for late night dim sum action, which can be hard to find since dim sum is typically a morning/brunch meal. There are better dim sum joints in Honolulu, but maybe not open at 7pm you know? Had some shrimp har gou, pork & vege steam buns, mochi rice in lotus leaf, and hot and sour soup. Dim sum plates are roughly $2 each and the soup was around $5.50 for about 8 cup servings. Good value. As for cleanliness, I'd say no worse than average for a chinese restaurant in chinatown. I am pretty picky about sanitation, but I'm not a girl about it. Tables seemed wiped down, and I saw not a single bug. If you think any restaurant is bug free in Hawaii you're delusional.
(3)
Mark B.

Awwww Yeah ! Dim Sum the way God intended. Cheap, yummy, and authentic! Shaka Bitches !
(5)
Amber W.

This place was a bit too cramped and traditional for my taste, my bf and his sister however loved it. Corn dumplings with cilantro and meat and the beef fried rice were my favorite. Be careful as they come around offering you things; it adds up quick and the bill is in Chinese.
(4)
Jennifer L.

Surprisingly this restaurant will be featured on Bizarre foods in a future episode! My source (my brother) said so and thats exciting for the restaurant and state of Hawaii! Growing up in a Chinese household I've had many "touches of the heart", the English translation for "DIM SUM". The ambiance and hygiene is not very appealing at many restaurants in Chinatown but this place just has good tasting food. This is my favorite Dim Sum joint in Hawaii. It is just consistent. Its hit or miss with these types of restaurants. I always get the turnip cake stir fried with bean sprouts, jook rice porridge with fish or pork balls. I dont eat pork so just have the fish. All steamed items come out a little at a time so freshness retained!
(4)
Taylor S.

We came here because all the dim sum in the window looked amazing! The food was good. The chives and shrimp dumplings were all chive with one shrimp in 1/3 of the dumplings, kind of sad. But other than that it was delicious. The three stars is because the first thing we asked before we sat down was if they took credit cards, the lady said yes so we sat down. Come time to pay, I had to run to an ATM in the nearby marketplace because they didn't accept cards. Please pay a bit more attention to what your customers are asking, then you would be great.
(3)
Kim C.

The dim sum here is okay. The serving size is bigger than most dim sim places and the prices are cheaper. However, it's a tiny place. They tried to sit my family with an older gentleman who had stacks of dishes on his table. We had to wait half an hour for a table. Since the place is so small there are no room for carts. There is a designated area where the dim sum is located at the front. The staff hurringly explains each dim sum to you. If your lucky you'll get seated in the area where the staff walks from the kitchen to the front. They will quickly flash you the dim sum and ask if you want it. The server also made sure we were tipping her! After we got our change she told us to leave tip (4 times). GEEZ. I had every intention to tip lady : /. For a family of 3 we spent $25.
(3)
Munz C.

I was really looking forward to trying this place out cause i saw it on an episode of bizarre food. I was very disappointed. I honestly have to say that the place is too small and the service was really bad! I found hair on 2 of my dim sum orders and they didn't even apologize! They just asked if I wanted another one! I would never go back that's for sure!
(1)
Terry K.

Small restaurant so be prepared to wait or go before or after the lunch rush. Someone told me if you go to a place where there are local ethics eat, you can be assured you're getting the real stuff. They pound the pork rather than to ground it like most.; gives texture to the dim sum itself. Sad they didn't have the dried scallops dim sum but for what they had it was good. And the best part? The price!
(4)
Thuy M.

Not what I was expecting based on reviews. Inside is antiquated, dirty looking even, from the interior to the uniforms. this does not take into account what we found belly up on the floor. I would not be back. It wasn't memorable, and ask someone tasked to shoe people around, I felt very embarrassed this is where I took them, anticipating a good meal as someone on Google convinced me with the comment that the dim sum here is just like in China....well....no....it isn't!
(2)
Haein P.

Nothing beats eating dimsum in China town and Happy Garden is no exception. The venue is rather small and therefore, everyone is packed inside like sardines - well, almost. They don't have room to push around a cart, but they do have their cart and display case of delicious morsels of meat, seafood, vegetables, etc right in front of the window so that you can stand up and choose or even decide what you want on your way in. FOOD FAVORITES: -shumai & spicy shumai : super flavorful and juicy -pan-fried chive dumplings : crispy and robust NOT SO MUCH: - spare ribs : not as well-seasoned here as other places - shrimp look fun : slightly off in texture (not as gelatinous as usual) SERVICE: i don't usually expect the best service at chinese restaurants, but the people that work here are somewhat more pleasant than others I have encountered, thank God. TIPS: - cash ONLY - if you're eating with your bf/gf or whomever and you're just a party of 2, they may make you share a table with another party/family during their busy hours.. which is... interesting but kind of awkward and uncomfortable especially since some of your dishes can get mixed up with theirs.... otherwise, still a good place to go & try out!
(3)
Stacey H.

Looking for authentic dim sum? This is the place. In Chinatown you have a number of choices, but I'm glad we went with this one. Delicious and immense menu. Beef fried rice was great. We also ordered the house special noodle. Although a bit salty I enjoyed the plethora of mushrooms and green onions inside. Steamed corn dumpling was tasty. And the grand finale my favorite sesame balls. This place is small so don't expect them to go around with carts like a traditional dim sum restaurant. Overall delightful experience.
(4)
D C.

We ordered four items, we only got three. One was really cold, the other was supposed to be pork it was green onions, and the other was something we didn't order. They got the second star because the place was clean and had cool AC. Below average food. Below average service. Don't waste your time with this place. There are other places that are much better!!!!
(2)
Addie L.

Update: Just went over there today and now the prices are $2.40 for the "small" plate dim sum (which is most of the dishes). Still a pretty good deal.
(4)
Doris D.

Pretty standard, satisfying stuff! It gets pretty rowdy around the weekends since it's popular with old Chinese folks who like a good deal (don't we all?!). The dim sum chefs shuttle back and forth between the kitchen and dim sum stacks area, and there's a lot of yelling between them and the waitresses, ordering more of this and that. It's atmospheric and entertaining to me, maybe because I'm Chinese and I can understand them? I can see how some people would be turned off by how hectic it is. The dim sum is on par with mei sum in terms of price and quality (cheap, filling, but not the best). I was pretty satisfied with the regular items like chicken feet, ha gau, siu mai, egg tart, fried items, etc. I've also been here for lunch a few times, and it's a deal. Got congee once and it always warms the soul. Got the wonton mein once and it's filling and tasty.
(4)
Miki L.

My eyes are bigger than my belly. I walked to Chinatown this morning in search of an interesting meal, something for $10 or less. Perhaps my mistake was stopping at Lee's Bakery and Kitchen first, a place that specializes is flaky pies, like pumpkin, custard, peach-pear and apple - all baked daily for $9.75. I've been told their apricot is The One to get. I grabbed a couple of sweets for later - two little custard tarts and two black sugar mochi, costing me $3.30. Next I stopped at Happy Garden, Inc (!) on Maunakea Street. A wee, eight-table spot, where you are in the minority if Chinese is not your language of choice. You choose your dishes from the hot bamboo steamers in the window. You may also order a bevy of dishes off their menu. I gladly settled for dim sum, picking baskets of pork hash, shrimp-ginger dumplings and seafood rolls - for a total of eight pieces of hearty, hot, fresh food. I started getting full after one of each. I managed to muster thru the hash and dumpling, leaving behind most of the seafood roll. I found fake crab tucked into the roll, along with moist white fish, shrimp and scallop. The fake crab made for an odd and disappointing touch. This is a popular place, nearly every table taken on a Thursday morning. On the weekends, you will often see a line. My dim sum came to a big $7.20. So for the total morning meal, I went over "budget" by fifty cents, but I also bought more than I could reasonably eat. I could have cut the dessert in half or even a quarter and skipped one of the dim sum items, coming well under $10! Next time.
(3)
Cindy L.

Decent dim sum starting at $2, that's a price you won't find in many places. The portions were larger than others, however, the taste is just okay. I also tried a stir fried rice noodle with sweet & sour veggie, not the greatest, it was WAY too sour and salty. I had the same dish at Royal Palace and it tasted a lot better. The restaurant is small and gets pack fast during lunch hours with locals and tourists.
(2)
Judith H.

My favorite dim sum. Ignore everything else about the experience or get take out. Only the food is 5 star.
(5)
Caleb K.

The food here is truly amazing and authentic, but there is really no room and service isn't so great either.
(3)
Rick L.

A small little dim sum joint, food is ok and it's a bit small in there. They're fairly new, only a few years old.
(3)
Veronica S.

Found this place on yelp when I yelped "dim sum" and was shocked to arrive here in downtown Chinatown. It's very tiny, and reminds me of a restaurant from the 70's or something! The walls are like a neon/aqua green color. The food here is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! Wow. lunch for 4 people came to $20- say what? I guess even the prices are from the 70's, too =P
(4)
Q L.

A friend brought me there for some fresh homemade dim sum "directly translated as 'a bit of heart'" from Chinese. The dim sum dishes are both traditional and made fresh. We ordered the spicy shumai (pork dumplings), chicken feet, shrimp rice rolls, tofu skin rolls, chives dumplings and ma lai go. Best of all, they were freshly made and tasted like how I remembered them tasted when I was a kid in Hong Kong. The prices are also very very reasonable. The establishment is very mom-and-pop's and quaint. It's truly dim sum--a bit of heart.
(4)
Ngoc D.

I like there dim sum but some of the waitress there is so rude. They just not helping you or give you extra sauce when take out.
(2)
Myong C.

As a frequent dim sum eater, I like to try all the different places that serve it. So I went to check this place out a few months ago and it did not go well. First of all, the ambience, yuck. Tiny, dirty, and dingy. Okay, but a lot of hole in the wall Chinese places are like that. Fine, next. My father and I ordered about 4 dishes to start off with. The first to arrive was the pork hash. We took one bite and asked for our check. It was that bad. I paid for the one lousy dish and then we walked to Tai Pan to get real dim sum. Avoid this place at all costs.
(1)
Richard C.

This place is great. They have these delicious dinner items. Recently, they came up with a dish with shrimp and look funn noodles! It was really delicious. You have to find street parking but it is worth it! Dessert is this sweet steamed egg pudding! Happy Garden is one of my all time favorite restaurant. It is a great place to dine and I have been coming for years.
(5)
Mike Q.

a recommendation to all of you who see the sign "we serve dim sum all day" and decide it would be neat to do dim sum for dinner. it's not the same. the variety is limited and it feels more like a "chinese restaurant" vs. a "dim sum restaurant". most upsetting to me, they didn't have the "taro baskets" at dinner. i cried....literally cried. this is still a great place - it's just best to do the "dim sum" thing at lunch.
(4)
Bong R.

Thanks to Bizarre Foods my family and I tried this place. Small, dirty, unfriendly servers. The food serves the worst dim sum we have ever had. If this is the best dim sum Hawaii has to offer I would suggest you try other types of food. One of the dishes (beef spare ribs) was so raw that they had to take it back to the kitchen twice. When we even visited another eatery they questioned why we even went there. If I could give this place zero stars I would. Happy Garden? No, more like crappy garden.
(1)
Curtis C.

Good Dim sum at a great price. I only tried 3 items: Baked char siu buns, shrimp dumplings, and chive dumplings. The char siu bun looked like it was stuffed with jelly? Way too sweet for my tastes, but I didn't let it go to waste. I really liked the shrimp dumplings. Will definitely be back!
(4)
C H.

This is our go-to dim sum spot, primarily because my dining companion is enamored with the chili oil sauce that is provided at every table. We also really like the crispy eggplant when it's fresh from the kitchen - it's delicately crispy with bits of garlic and peppers strewn over it.
(3)
Melanie G.

3.5 stars We came here on a weeknight, craving some dim sum. The complex has its own lot with metered parking. It was pretty much deserted and we were seated right away. The decor was a bit fancier and very "chinese restaurant". We ordered a couple dim sum and a couple plates. The food was pretty good, notably my eggplant plate which was delicious! The price was reasonable, a bit on the high side. The waiter wasnt particularly friendly but we didnt feel neglected. All in all, an "A-OK" experience.
(3)
Lindsay J.

happy garden is one of many places in chinatown that serves dim sum. you pay per plate (about $2-$4) but they also offer regular sized portions of other chinese delicacies which run between $7-$12-ish. we got the fried mochi (which looked like fat little carrots, but surprise! no carrot inside, just mochi), pork hash (combination of pork and shrimp in a delicious thin wrap), chicken cake noodle (the chicken was juicy and i like when the cake noodle has some texture to it, not mushed... this was was pretty good), and kau yuk with some sort of potato (very saucy; we ordered some plain buns to accompany this, very fatty but good). *make sure you check your order - our waitress forgot our pork hash and we didnt realize we didnt get it until we were practically almost done eating... and then waited 10 minutes for it. but, it was definitely worth the wait. other than that, order away... fyi: they only accept CASH.
(3)
Yun Y.

Okay so i'm trying to play catch up with my reviews as I've been taking a maternity hiatus. During my haupai days though I was able to compare a number of different restaurants and this being one of my OG (original) dim sum places that I loved I decided to give this place a try again since this was my other pregnant gf's fave place. They've recently expanded the restaurant so theres double the tables but that means they have to tend to double the patrons. There was even a line outside of people wanting to take take out. The prices are still great although I think they went up a few quarters since I last visited them probably three years ago. Still, their dim sum - they have a great selection and its so fresh and yummy. Their congee is great too! Nothing is too greasy like some other places or have too much of the wraps that I tend to discard kind of like the crust of a pizza if it's not tasty. So I guess this is my backup #2 dim sum place due to it's ease of parking. Downside is that they're pretty crowded but they do try to service you as fast as they humanly can.
(4)
Mari S.

Yesterday I had lunch at Happy Garden with a friend of mine. It was my 4th visit dining there. Previously, I've had fairly positive experiences. The dim sum is very reasonable starting from $2.00 & up. The seating is limited and sometimes the staff will place two parties together on one table if it's a larger table & a smaller party. Yesterday we ordered a couple of dim sum and shrimp look funn. The dim sum was tasty except for the plain manapua my friend picked out. We thought it was a mistake but the wait staff confirmed it was a plain bun. That was kind of strange, I don't know why they would make it without the meat inside? Towards the end of our lunch, my friend realized there was a bug floating in her cup of water. ...gross... Sanitation is an important factor in my decision to dine at a certain establishment and that wasn't exactly a turn on. New glass table covers to replace the cracked and extremely dated ones may be another aesthetic & sanitary suggestion. So while I enjoy the affordable prices on Happy Garden's menu, I hope to see a cleaner and more inviting atmosphere the next time I do give it another shot.
(2)
Ruth T.

Maybe the next time will be a better experience. The tripe tasted like it was going bad, the spare ribs were so-so. The food overall was a mix of good and so-so. I was clumsy and spilled my tea. We flagged a person down and told her so that we could get something to wipe up with, but she just look at us, like we were strange and went to the back and never came back to our table. Since my husband speaks Cantonese, it was not a language problem. I've had dim sum in a lot of places and my experience could have been better.
(2)
Jon L.

What a trip. I give this place 4 stars for the experience, but 1 star for everything else, dropping it down to 2. For some background, my roommate and I were searching for some dimsum at 4 pm on a Sunday. A terrible time to find dimsum. Happy Garden, along with Mei Sum and Tai Pan were the only places open. My glorious iphone told me that yelpers say "4 star for Happy Garden!" So we roll, in, immediately sketched out by the small, ghetto-ness. The place is filthy. I mean, yeah, I been to dank, dirty asian restaurants, that serve really good authentic food, but this was too much. There was crusted rice on the seats, stains on the table, random sticky spots, etc. I didn't want to touch anything. But hell it got 4 stars, so press on!! The staff were old school chinese that didn't speak a word of english, and also COULD NOT CONTROL THE PITCH OR VOLUME OF THEIR VOICE while talking to me. After a hectic bout of pointing at menu items and saying "no no no!" or "uhm.. yea," we got our orders in. The food was OK. The buns had meager filling, and the shrimp roll (which is their version of the fat chow-fun type noodle with soy sauce on it) was bleh... The cleanest thing there was the tea pot, only due to the scalding water that (hopefully) killed all the bacteria on the pot. As I was finishing my OK tasting meal, a little girl, no more than 5 years old, walks in and orders chiar sui manapua. Damn girl where are your parents?? They just give you 5 bucks and send you walking through chinatown by yourself?? Luckily she wasn't alone... As we walked out, we saw her sitting with her friend, another 5 year old. Great. As we walked home, a crackhead asked me for 50 cents, and I told him I spent my last 50 cents on an eightball. Mean? Whatever it takes to keep from getting stabbed by a plastic fork.
(2)
Toby T.

Let's start with the price $2 for most dim sum. That's good. There is a good variety here and even the mochi rice is $2, which is very delicious. The taste of the other dim sum was average though, but when you are paying $2 for each dim sum, I won't grumble about that. The one thing I did not like was the space. You can get trapped in your chair because it is a small (11 tables) place. Also, like most of the bargain Chinese restaurants in Hawaii, smiling and being kind is optional for the staff. I was actually a little afraid to ask my waitress for water! The other negative is that it's in Chinatown. No free validated parking. Oh well, $2 dim sum!
(3)
Michelle L.

after seeing all of these reviews, this is definitely a hot place for dim sum. unfortunately for me, my aunty took me here for dinner and it's not quite a place for other chinese dishes we had their famous crispy pigeon/quail, stir fried string beans, honey walnut shrimp and a pumpkin casserole. everything but the honey walnut shrimp were delicious. they gave us a free egg custard dessert which brought me back to my childhood :) i will definitely check this place out for their dim sum :)
(4)
Shirley L.

This restaurant is tiny. There is a total of 11 tables in the entire restaurant. So, if you plan on coming here for dim sum on weekend mornings, I suggest that you arrive early - especially if you plan on taking advantage of the free curbside parking on Sunday mornings. We ordered a slew of items when we first entered the restaurant. But, in hindsight, as a general dim sum rule, we should probably have ordered as we ate because the AC was very cold and our food became cold quickly. We had the chive dumpling (our favorite), pork shumai, BBQ pork bun, chicken feet, shrimp dumpling, chicken and mushroom dumpling. It was all pretty standard, and very cheap. Service was...what you would expect from a pretty cheap Chinese dim sum place in the middle of Chinatown...
(4)
Love S.

The only reason for the 5th star is the price. Dim Sum $1.88 THAT IS A DEAL. The spicy shumai is my favorite. This is my secret dim sum spot. When it's my treat this is where I take guests. When I'm being treated I suggest we go to Legends. This WAS my secret dim sum spot. Tip : Go early when the dim sum is hot and fresh. You can also order takeout. No charge cards here. Cash only.
(5)
Monica S.

This place is great for dim sum. Almost everything I ordered was A+. The exception was the baked cha siu bau because it didn't have that much meat in it. I'll pass on that next time. The best items were the ones that just came out of the steamer. Because the Hawaiian diet lacks vegetables I ordered a plate of choi sum (Chinese green vegetable) which was tasty. My family ate it all up. Other caveats include slow service and cash only. Cleanliness can be an issue for some, but, duh, you're in Chinatown.
(4)
Cobra K.

Make sure you confirm your order with the waitress before she leaves. They messed up our order three times! But hey, the food was GOOD! Get the dim sum if you want instant gratification though. We ordered the Chicken Chow Fun, Shrimp with Salt and Pepper and the Yeng Chow Fried Rice. Most of the clientel are older chinese peeps...that tells you two things, the food is good and cheap! Oh, the first time we went, 6 out of 9 tables were full. The second time, it was a full house.
(4)
Monica L.

My hidden gem. I've had dim sum all my life. My family used to take me every weekend when I was a kid. It's in me. At first, I was a little hesitant to post this up because I wanted it all to myself! No lines. No waiting. No desperate search for a table. But, I realized that a lot Yelpers have contributed their reviews on great places. If it were not for them, I would have never known about it. So here's my contribution. Here's why I love this place: They have a stationary dim sum cart near the window, so people passing by can take a look at what they have. (drool, drool, drool...) The waitresses are so nice. (Hah! That's a first for a Chinese restaurant!). If you order something that's not immediately available, they'll put in an order for you. One lady came out with a bunch of freshly steamed dim sum and went to several tables to ask if they wanted. When she came by and we agreed to the dish, she asked which one we preferred (they were all the same). We have choices?? Most places wouldn't give a crap about which dish you get. I was impressed with their level of service and attentiveness. The food was great! I found the taste on par with other similar establishments. I would recommend the Look Funn rolls and most of their $2 dim sum items. Their rice soup is definately worth it, it's a huge portion and can probably serve 2-3 people. They also serve dim sum all day. It's the first place I know of that does this. Dim sum is mostly a lunch item. **One thing I did notice though, was that some of the people ordering take-out seemed a little upset. Looks like they waited a long time for their food, but were told otherwise.** ----------------UPDATE------------------- I went back for dinner a couple days later and was a little disappointed. The service was slower and there was a piece of plastic in my food! Yeah, the chairs also had crumbs on it. Oh well, I will still go back for dim sum though.
(4)
Gene K.

Like others, I'm giving this a 5 star rating because it's so cheap. Every dim sum item is $2. And most of it is just about as good as any other dim sum place. You can also take the stuff to go (which we did) and they're open until 9pm! We got: **Mochi rice in leaf *Baked manapua *Half moons Chive balls *Shrimp look funn *Shrimp shumai Mochi ball with pork and peanut There was so much food for wifey and I, that we were eating it at home from lunch through dinner. So for $14, we ate all day!
(5)
diego m.

Was not feeling too well and so was forced to order the Congee/Rice Soup. I have tried both the chicken and fish rice soups and they are huge portions and tasty. Very Nutritious/Filling. Also indirectly serve as a weight control device for people who worry about their calories intake or who want to lose weight without reducing their diet. Their custard egg mini-pies were great too. I do not know if they have a specific name. Overall, a cheap dim sum if you do not mind eating in Chinatown aka Mouseville
(4)
Patrick L.

har gow & siu mai were made to order & were served hot & fresh. they were tasty. house fried rice had good presentation. lots of ingredients. tasted good. was freshly made. beef chow fun tasted good. could use some vegetables. won ton noodles was not a soup but like a chow mein style with gravy. ask for vegetables. was tasty.
(4)
Wayne T.

the best! just do it!
(5)
vic w.

Not a fancy restaurant to sit down and eat some dim sum, but it definitely gets the job done when you are craving it. It's got the usual and really how much difference can you tell from one place from the other. If you can, I'm sure you already have your favorites so don't need to be reading thus review. I would go back again, but not a place to impress out of town guests.
(4)
kathy y.

Great experience!! Offers several types of tea and they serve almost all dim sum all day! They also make their own spicy sauce which goes well with their food! Love their rice soup, jin dui, and har gau! They also give a free dessert after dinner!
(4)
Merry C.

Eaten here a few times, never my choice, just chosen by others. Initially wasn't too bad (the food) but lately has gotten pretty ... bad. On my latest visit, after my meal I found out there was a huge cockroach running around under the table. I could sorta deal with bad food but I cannot deal with cockroaches ( you know how they say you see 1 but there's really 100s around). And not to mention they have a cat that walks around all over the kitchen. I love kitties and think are they super duper cute, but kitties don't belong in restaurant/kitchens. Ohhh and they wash dishes on the kitchen floor.
(1)
Diane L.

Happy Garden was an awesome place to get great Dim Sum in Honolulu because they had a great authentic Cantonese comfort food. If you are traveling to Honolulu make sure you stop by this little hole in the wall place that have mouth watering yummmy food. Another thing, the service is great and the ladies there are so friendly. Make sure you know what you are ordering.
(5)
Satoru Y.

A quaint location that is reminiscent of San Francisco. This place makes me very nostaglic of Chinatown in SF. It has many things that are very similiar. It's a boxcar restaurant. It has very authentic Cantonese food. It has Dim Sum "To-Go" take-out set-up with a steamer in the front. The only thing that is missing is an incredibly long line waiting out the door to pick up orders. I'm glad that the line is not a characteristic of the place, because the dim sum is very good. On one of our many excursions into Chinatown during the weekends, my girlfriend and I decided to try this place out. I very glad that we did. The dim sum was great, and of better quality than most places on Oahu. We had a small array of selections. The Stuffed Buns were great: the buns were nice and soft, and the meat was more moist and tasty than other locations. The Pork Hash and Half Moons were fresh; and they were not too oily. The one that I really enjoyed the most was the Lotus Leaf Rice with Chicken. They put a ton of chicken in there, which my girlfriend did not like...but I did. Inside, the rice was perfect: not too oily or too mushy. All of it was delicious. I must stress again, that what made a lot of the food worth-while is that all of it was fresh. Now, those were just the default items on the menu, there was so much more selection. I wanted to sample more of the unique items on the menu, but we had an appointment to keep that day. The service is a little laggy, but nothing too bad. You just have to get their attention. The place was a little full the time that we came. The place is also CASH ONLY. So remember to bring some legal tender before entering, or else you will have to hit the ATM. A great neighborhood spot that serves fresh and delicious Dim Sum; and "To-Go" available.
(4)
Andrew Y.

I've only been here for dinner and you get decent chinese food at reasonable prices. I like their seafood tofu bowl, scallop and egg whites fried rice, and my absolute favorite is the quail or squab or pigeon. I always forget which one it is. Anyway, it is only $2 for one. I found a feather in it once. Can someone tell the cook to skin those small birds really good....
(4)
L. Y.

Great beef chow fun dry. Friendly service.
(4)
J C.

Great little Chinatown restaurant. We tried it out this morning. It was pretty empty at 720am with 3-4 other tables occupied. Not the cleanest place but the norm for the area. We had: Shrimp Dumplings Chive Dumplings(2x) Tofu Roll Pork Hash Chicken and Mushroom Buns Shrimp Look Funn Everything was great: food and service. Other customers were mostly Chinese speakers so I was comfortable. Very good meal for 2 at $15 plus tip.
(5)
Jeff B.

Tea was acceptable, so one star for that. Food quality was low. All of the pork had bone-splinters in it. Everything was cold or near-cold. Really, its going to take years to get my wife to forgive me for taking her there. And you have to order off a menu instead of pointing at what you like on the cart. Mei Sum is right around the corner, so why would you bother with Happy Garden?
(1)
Jonathan N.

the food there is good. i always have the beef wrapped in look fun with green onions and parsley!
(3)
Leslie T.

I have been enjoying their dim sum for years. I haven't had a bad one. The look fun roll and the chives dim sum is awsome. You will go home wiith some cash in your pocket and a full stomache.
(5)
Mark G.

Really good food. My co-diner said the food tasted "clean" I don't know exactly what she meant by that but somehow I agreed. The place is small so either go early or pack your baggage and just sit next to another diner. Try the water chestnut cake. It has a great caramelly taste.
(5)
Lyzel M.

This is a fairly good place to get your dim sum fix. It's a small, no I take that back, a tiny restaurant. The ladies there were actually nice and gave pretty good service compared to some other dim sum places where you had to flag a server down only to be ignored again. Big ups for having a good variety of dim sum and bigger ups for how cheap they were.. $2 a dish. A big no-no was the lack of cleanliness, it wasn't busy when we came in and out of all the table they chose to seat us where there was food on chair. The lady just looked at it and then looked at me and continued to pass out the menus. And when we asked for an extra plate, it was still wet and had a piece of food on it.. Yuck!
(3)
Zoua S.

Dim sum was yummy! i loved it. my husband had it for the first time and didn't like it. the place is quite small(packed with people to over its limit) and we have to share a table with other customers but i'll still go back cuz it was so delicious and cheap ($2 per entre)=]
(4)
Claire G.

I had hoped not to have to put any stars, but unfortunately I was forced to put one. On my quest to find new haunts after moving to Hawaii, I was excited to go here after reading the reviews on Yelp. I loved the fact that they served dim sum late and the prices were cheap so I made my way down to chinatown... After finding parking and walking over to this restaurant I was seated in the rear corner with an occasional view of the kitchen due to the swinging door. A look around showed me that this was definitely a smaller establishment and that it was definitely a hole in the wall, usually my favorite type of place to go to. After ordering a few shrimp dumplings (they weren't making shrimp look fun anymore) and an order of Hong Kong style chow mein, I waited for my food to come. While waiting for my food, a couple glances into the kitchen made me feel a little bit queasy because just from my view (maybe it was the lighting in the kitchen, maybe it was my angle) it didn't look the most sanitary. Getting used to the idea that Hawaii doesn't have that health inspection grading thing that was common (if not required) in California, I shrugged it off, decided to stop looking in the kitchen and thought, give it the benefit of the doubt. The thought "ignorance is bliss" also briefly flashed in my mind. Soon enough my food came out, steaming trays of dim sum, and piping hot noodles piled high with shrimp and vegetables, and all sorts of yumminess, I quickly dug in. I ate a dumpling, it was SO GOOD! I quickly put some noodles on my plate and started devouring it. It was cooked perfectly and in my head I was thinking, "wow, I think I found my new dim sum spot, this place is soooo good." While eating my noodles I noticed in the same tray where I had just removed a dumpling a small shiny brown bump of some sort. My chewing slowed as I looked closer at this bump and couldn't believe my eyes... that couldn't possibly be antennae sticking out of the bump could it? My mind refused to believe my eyes, but no, there it was, a cockroach, steamed with my food because it was still shiny from the steam and it's insides had apparently burst it's yellow guts near it's body. I quickly spat out my food, and told the waiter who seemed very embarrassed and quickly removed the offending tray and dashed into the kitchen. He then asked if I wanted another order of said dumplings, and I was so upset because everything was soooo delicious but I knew I would not be able to stomach eating here anymore. I sadly (and still reeling from disgust) told him, no, I think I'm going to leave the food I barely touched and just leave but thanks anyway? So, even though they did attempt to rectify the situation, and no I didn't pay, and yes, I understand Hawaii has it's share of "critters" especially in Chinatown, I still give it 1 star (and that star is forced on me!). Is it too much ask that you remove roaches behind closed doors before presenting them on the table so I can pretend they don't exist and ignorance would still be bliss? Probably not going to eat here again, *sigh* my only regret is that I did not take a picture to prove it really did happen, I just wanted to get out of there and drink some bleach, or activated charcoal or ipecac, get a lobotomy to remove that memory...*shudder*
(1)
Jennifer D.

Authentic cheap Chinese food. Nuff said!
(4)
Brian B.

I used to eat here for lunch a lot and always had great dim sum. The prices are very reasonable. Loved the baked manapua and the fried taro thingy! Scrumptious!
(4)
First Name L.

Ever eat somewhere and just feel like you're dirty on the outside and slimy on the inside? I've been here twice, first time was a positive experience, second time was my last. The first experience... it was a Saturday afternoon, long line, lots of people. When we finally got seated service was relatively fast, food was good, definitely cheap, and we left in a hurry cuz it was getting hot inside. Anyway, it was a decent experience. We went this weekend, restaurant was 70% full, had several tables that the "man" was pointing to but they were all dirty and he kept changing his mind. We finally settled on a table, they cleaned it immediately, and we got tea right way... not bad. Not bad except our dishes, tea cup, and tea kettle had pieces of food on it... freakin' gross! The tourist group of 20 in the restaurant was driving them bats and I somehow got to order before them maybe cuz I wasn't a rude tourist. Food took awhile and since we were seated in the back, I had a nice view of their operations. Overall the restaurant was not clean, the kitchen looked horrid, and the staff looked pretty dirty too. One guy in the back was cooking with no shirt on. They constantly looked confused at who ordered what and had a yellow sticky note system that only one lady understood. Overall, there was a chaotic order to the place. The main lady taking orders seemed rude in a chinese restaurant way which is normal I guess!? But there was another lady that brought us our tea and I ordered from her, she was awesome in a chinese restaurant kind of way. We ordered Chow Fun, various dim sum dishes, and fried rice. Chow Fun came out first and it had pineapples and a long dark piece of hair that somehow latched on to the chow fun gravy sauce and some pieces of noodles and veggies... ooohhh yeah, yummy piece of hair. I set the noodles aside. Our dim sum came out in sporadic spurts and it was clearly straight from the steamer. Everything tasted fine but nothing spectacular.. oh and a few eye lash hairs in the har gau was a nice touch. They don't fill your tea when you prop the top cover on your kettle, you have to ask for more tea which was fine except it took forever to get that done. The water had black spots of tiny pieces of dirt. All through our meal the tourists that occupied most of the restaurant kept saying but I didn't get to order yet... or hey that table never got to order. Trust me, the lady didn't care, she just went about her business until they stood up and walked to her to order. All criticism aside. The service is par for the course, you're paying for $2 dim sum for god's sake. The food was $2 good but the cleanliness won't cut it... they were dirty all around which doesn't sit well... obviously. OHHHH I almost forgot.... Since I was in the back I got to watch them cook a lot of things. They had a cooking area just outside of the kitchen where they made the turnip cakes and congee... so the lady was making chicken congee.... and she brought over the raw chicken stuck her had in the raw chicken and chicken juice and dumped it in the pot, then she kind flicked her hands over the pot... you know when you wash your hands and there's no towels around so you kinda flick your fingers to get the excess water off... she was doing that with the chicken juice. In the end raw chicken is probably dirtier that her fingers but it gives you an idea of how they treat your food. Yummmy I can't wait to go back!
(2)
G M.

Pretty darn good dim sum and really cheap! I went here with a group of Chinese family members and we all liked the food... and I think that if Chinese people like a place, its pretty good ;) We had to wait a little, but it was worth it.
(5)
Elle B.

I usually pop into this place now and then for dinner so this ought to be a different perspective from the dim sum focused reviews left by others. Dim sum at night not as good as during the day...but dinner is a great time to try their non dim sum gems. This place is a bargain. Two people can stuff themselves for about $30! Highly recommend the salt pepper shrimp, black bean clams, deep fried quail, eggplant casserole, pumpkin roast pork casserole, and capital pork chop. The Capital pork chop hands down best and most unique on island with a sweet sour sauce that hints of li-hing powder. yummy! service inconsistent but genuine.
(4)
Lina G.

Arrived this afternoon at 1pm. It was busy inside but still was able to get a table upon entering this small place of business located off Maunakea and right after Pauahi Street I am so fortunate to have parking karma =) The dim sum is cheap and the food is tastey! Did I mention NO MSG =) Unless you order something like the xo sauce or oyster sauce, fish sauce....then u get it! The owner runs a tight shift. Eyes like an eagle she notices if u need more water, tea (btw free hot tea as much as u can drink), breathing room after grinding :p You dont have to break your bank to have choke good grinds just some cash since they CASH ONLY! Hooray for small spaces with hot kitchens and AC!!! Thats right folks a cool AC We loved it made it more comfy to stay and grind up although my partner in food finds...did take 1-extra trip to drop 2extra quarters since the meters are 1hr max! I love their Rice Soup w/ fish bowl can feed 5-6 people and its $4 and some change....I rate this KANAK ATTACK WORTHY!!!!
(4)
mike l.

Price $2.00 on most dim sum. However, You will see cockroaches on your table.
(1)
Eric Robert R.

Dad loves Happy Garden! Chinese Ex-Girlfriend loves Happy Garden! Paul C. loves Happy Garden! "88" Review for Happy Garden! I bring you Good Luck & "Happy"ness! Enough said?! Should I stop my review since you already know the outcome? Nah. I'll go on... "HAPPY" (enough) AMBIANCE: Definitely nothing fancy, in fact tiny and 1-step above hole-in-the-wall, but what it lacks in the Wow, it more than makes up with efficiency and old school charm. Best described as the "older San Francisco dim sum spots on Clement St." GRADE: B "HAPPY" (enough) STAFF: Staff, like the ambiance, is efficient. Don't expect happy-go-lucky. Expect no nonsense and "Chinatown pleasant". "Have a seat"-"Ready?"-"Thank You". GRADE: B "HAPPY" (enough) GRUB: The dim sum is always fresh and tasty. My Ex-Girlfriend, who is Cantonese from San Francisco, approves of the dim sum here. And she's hella snooty too! From the Fried Taro Dumpling to Cha sui Bao to Dan Tat to Ha Gow to Chicken Feet, etc., etc. All fresh and tasty! Dad enjoys the Beef Chow Fun and I love the Spare Ribs w/ one scoop Jasmine Rice. GRADE: A- Yes, I've had the Chicken Feet once or twice to impress my Chinese friends, as a Westerner, my only advice is focus on not thinking too much and expect to chew, chew and chew. Hey, at least I tried! My Chinese Ex-Girlfriend, like I mentioned in other Chinese Restaurant reviews, has this awesome GOLDEN CHINESE RULE for a good Chinese Restaurant: -Chinese Owner. -Chinese Staff. -Chinese "Real" Foods. -Chinese Tea pot before you order. -Chinese patrons. More the better. I AM "HAPPY" TO SAY HAPPY GARDEN HAS ALL OF THE ABOVE! GUNG HAY FAT CHOY! May you become prosperous in the Year of the Wooden Horse! YELP REVIEW #177
(4)
Ryan S.

One of the grossest restaurants I have ever been in. First off the place is tiny. Everything has a greasy sheen, yellow tinge or just dirty look. The menus are under the glass of the table. The 1 lady working came and took our order. She never took a drink order but only brought waters to our table. She then dropped off our food and disappeared for the next 30 minutes. No refill on the water. I honestly could not tell the chicken over rice from the pork over rice. I was able to figure it out when I found a chicken foot in one. My wife refused to eat and did not drink the water because the glass was dirty. I tried to eat but basically poked at my food. We were brought here by another couple and they seemed to enjoy it. They did both agree that the place was disgusting. I must say the old Happy Birthday sign hanging up added to the nice ambiance. When I asked the other couple if they would have been shocked if a headless chicken ran out of the kitchen with a cook chasing it with a cleaver, they both answered no. I was secretly hoping this would happen. Other then the good story I would not suggest this place to anyone.
(1)
Blaine C.

I haven't eaten here, or eaten anything from here. Except for the mochi, deserving of all 5 stars! My mother and grandmother would bring home these super soft, sweet treats: peanut stuffed mochi covered in coconut flakes. Today we finally went to Chinatown to get some of our own. $2.50 for 3, its a must have if you're in the area.
(5)
Johanna M.

Hmmmmm......I wanted to like this place. I know there was a recent yelp event here, so I really made it a point to try it. One thing Happy Garden does have going for it is that it is one of the few places that serves dim sum all day. One thing Happy Garden doesn't have going for it is happiness... The staff was not really friendly and while I understand there is a language barrier, that shouldn't mean that you can't provide good service. Smile, fill up the water. I actually ran a little experiment and said "thank you" while attempting to make eye contact with our waitress every time she brought our dim sum steamers to the table....no reaction. I might as well had rainbows shooting out of my ears....nothing. It was actually kind of funny, but in all seriousness, this could make all the difference in the guests' experiences. The dim sum is just alright, I still prefer Legends for food and atmosphere, but I might still come back if I'm craving dim sum at an odd time of the day.
(3)
Tai M.

Hard to go bad with dim sum in Chinatown. This place is very tiny, so you go look at the steamers, pick what you want, and they bring it to your table. One item I've never had anywhere was the egg cake which was delicious. Prices are reasonable and everything we ate was great (mochi rice balls, har gao, beef look fun, beef meatballs, baked charsiu bao, half moons). The half moons were smaller than I've seen at other places, but I liked that they were bite size. Cash only - boo.
(4)
Russel M.

There are many choices in Chinatown for good to great Dim Sum. Happy Garden is a great choice. Not a huge selection but really fresh and inexpensive well made Plump Dim Sum. We really liked the Hot and Sour Soup and Shrimp Look Fun too. Cash only I think..
(5)
Fran C.

Guys, ever get scared to eat at a hole in a wall place in Chinatown? Well, sometimes eating in a hole in the wall spot is a good thing...........why I say? Well a few reasons is - 1. It's DIRT Cheap! DIRT DIRT Cheap! 2. You're not going there for the decor of the restaurant, but you're there for the food. 3. Yeah, it may not seem too clean in there........but that's what it takes to toughen up your body! 4. A lot of different kinds of people walk in to do take out..........how bad could it be? 5. So long as I don't find a cockaroach in the meal..........I'm good to go! What can I say about my experience venturing out to Chinatown last week for lunch............well, Happy Garden is the place to go for some awesome Dim Sum! Most dishes are just $2.40 a piece (how's that for cheap!). I ordered a bunch of stuff........... 1. Egg Tart (I'm a custard fiend!) 2. Shrimp Dumplings 3. Spicy Pork Hash 4. Chicken Feet 5. Shrimp Balls 6. Spare Ribs 7. And two other types of dumplings but I could not remember the name. Have pics tho. :) Overall, I had a wonderful experience...........food came out piping hot, and food tasted fresh. Service was fast & attentive. There were only 9 tables in the entire restaurant, as the restaurant is quite small. All the tables were taken, and there were a lot of people walking in for take out.......even the cops came in from across the street from the Maunakea substation for some dim sum take out. There is no parking for the restaurant, so you have to roll the dice on this..........either you find metered street parking, or you use the pay public parking structures. Restaurant is in a SAFE place..............safe I say is because the cops are just across the street. Not the fanciest of restaurants...........more like a hole in the wall dive, but food is pretty good I must say!
(4)
Julie H.

I was schnuffling around Chinatown looking for lunch when I happened to look into Happy Garden's window. Baskets of dim sum piled high and trays of baked bao, custards and other goodness drew me into the restaurant. I'm a dim sum newb so I ordered my go-to faves shrimp dumpling, bbq pork bao, half moon and then pointed to a mochi ball looking thing for fun. All of it was about $10. I eagerly walked back to my office ready to maul my dim sum haul. As I opened the bag and started taking everything out I found that there was no shoyu or hot mustard! HOW COULD THIS BE?? Luckily we had some shoyu packets in the office... that would have to do. First, the shrimp dumpling. Meh. Then the half moon. Eee... peanuts galore. BBQ pork bao was good. Mochi rice ball had pork inside which was alright except for all the peanuts. Peanuts peanuts everywhere! Overall, I probably picked the wrong things since there are a bunch of good reviews here. I might go back with someone more experienced/Chinese.
(2)
Val D.

As we're always trying to find a place to eat after work, we looked on Yelp to find this hole in the wall. We also read somewhere to order the pork belly, so we did, and didn't regret it. They also sell dim sum at night, so you don't need to wait until lunch hours to get it, however, although it's pretty safe next to the police station, I was dropped off a block mauka of the restaurant, and there were some questionable scary men out there soliciting, so just be careful when walking the streets around there: Pork belly - 4 stars - for $8.95, we thought "belly" meant the meat, like kau yuk, but got a pretty good tub full of pork stomach with lots of dried bean curd and other sorts of chinese vegetables in it. It was really tasty, but with lots of black pepper. Something I'd order again because they know how to make the sauce flavorful. Beef stew with turnip Casserole - 4 stars - For $9.95, braised beef with turnip with a strong ginger taste. If you like ginger, it's a very tasty dish. However, the beef was a bit chewy. Cold ginger chicken - 4 stars - for $12, A good size half fresh chicken and not pasty. Hard to find chinese restaurants these days with fresh ginger chicken. Cut into thinner strips to eat easily, but watch out for small pieces of bones near the cuts. Steamed custard bun - 3 stars - ok, and was nice and warm, but didn't have that custard egg taste I've had before. Mochi rice - 4 stars - although a bit expensive - $3.50 for 2 pieces, there was a good amount of ground pork marinated in a flavorful sauce. I asked for the custard tart, but it was sitting out in a glass display that was made since noon, so I opted not to have it. Service - 5 stars - looks like a family owned restaurant. I got a high school or college aged kid, who was really polite and accommodating. I will definitely go back and try more of their food. However, this place takes CASH only.
(4)
Liza S.

Happy Garden is where its at! Its a simple hole in the wall, service is fast but not fancy, like in China. So is the food, like a high class restaurant in China but instead in a little hole in the wall in Hawaii. Our favorites are shrimp dumpling and seafood tofu casserole. This is authentic Chinese cantonese food but don't expect over flavored, fancy atmosphere. Only certain people can enjoy truly appreciate this restaurant. Try it and see if you enjoy it.
(5)
L. L.

Born and raised in Chinatown NYC and I say this is legit old fashion dim sum. Little old ladies speaking Cantonese and gossiping over tea and steamed buns. This is NOT Hong Kong style dim sum if that's what you're looking for. Dim sum talk: Ha churng/ churng fun - They make their churng fun in house. Ha churng is super fresh and the shrimp are fairly large and better quality. The churng fun is fried, not really a fan of it. Pai gwat (spare ribs) are bigger pieces than I'm use to too! Jook (congee) is so delish, especially when I'm tired of eating greasy Hawaiian food. This is my 'recovery' meal. Cleaner than other dim sum spots I went to and while siting here, every patron has been Cantonese. Very local spot. You're here for the food, not service. Service is like a typical Chinese restaurant, you need to wave the lady down and shout out your order. No frills.
(5)
Amy Y.

First impression, rude and gross! It wasn't busy when we went there. The place was small, really small. Probably like only 10 tables. There were 3 tables that was not wiped. The table cloth and table has stains. So filthy! What have I gotten myself into?! When we got seated, 10 minutes or more, no one came to take our order, even when I'm staring at them. The other table next to us was to the point of going up and serving themselves food. We had to flag them down. Jeez! Talk about bad service. So finally when we got our food. The outside was steaming hot, the inside was darn cold! The other table already complained twice about their food being cold and not cooked. I never want to come here again! It's so uncomfortable and service was really terrible. My grammy shouldn't have left tip. Gosh, too nice.
(1)
Emma C.

I would give no star if I could. It's 8:30am on Wednesday morning. My family and I passed by and saw baskets of dim sum by the window. We decided to give it a try. A big no no. We could seat ourselves since there's no customers in the restaurant. We saw a cockroach on the table. As I was walking towards the back thinking the bathroom is passed the door. Another cockroach appeared. We didn't stay for dim sum. We picked up an order of sticky rice as a courtesy and walked out. I would not eat from this place and I would NOT recommend this place. This restaurant is so dirty!!!
(1)
Rdy S.

A wonderful stop for brunch before I shop in Chinatown. I choose what dim sum to eat here by watching the Chinese take out customers who come in the late morning. They seem to know what is good to take home or take back to their shop. Or, just choose comes right out of the kitchen - pork hash siu mai, yellow wrapped pork with bean threads and tree ear fungus, hot pan fried xiao lung bao. All great when they're steaming hot on a sheet pan straight from the kitchen" If it's not crowded the waitresses are really nice about explaining what each dim sum dish you point at contains. And there is nothing better than to stand by the steam table and look - just don't get the way of the waitresses putting together orders for take out. The dim sum here isn't delicate and complex, it's just hot, fresh, and satisfying. It's a fast meal and that's good when you only have one hour to eat and shop. Afterwards, I like to take out one of their hot dessert dim sum, like the three different steamed bean paste dumplings, and grab a cup of chicory coffee or strawberry taro bubble tea from Thanh Coffee across the street. Before I head off to shop.
(4)
John N.

When it comes to dim sum in Honolulu, there are plenty of choices. What will draw one to Happy Garden is the fact that this is the QUIETEST dim sum restaurant ever. Because of the small size of this place, this is a neat place to have dim sum and actually hold a discussion without the background chatter. The prices here are quite reasonable and in line with the cheaper range of dim sum in Hawaii. The menu is quite extensive with classics so there isn't much dim sum experimentation here. Ha Gau(shrimp dumplings) - The pei(skin) was extremely dry and slightly yellow. This is usually a sign that it was been steaming for quite a while. The pei wasn't too thick nor too thin, but did break when handled with chopsticks. The filling was good. One thing to note, they do their ha gau fillings old school with bamboo shoots. Not many restaurants serve ha gau with bamboo now. B Fung Jau(Phoenix Claws/chicken feet) - Sweeter than usual. Kind of like Panda Cuisine's current one. Not much moisture and seemed dry. Flavorful but sweet. C Chives Gau - Overcooked. The pei was bubbling and way too thick. It was almost all chives with little anything else. D Beef balls - Was fresh. The taste was beefier so that could be a plus or minus for some people. Looks like less than usual baking soda was used so it wasn't as tender as others. C Beef cheurng fun(beef rice noodle roll) - Perfect consistency with the cheurng fun, but the beef was the same as the beef balls. B+ Service here is straight forward and is pretty quick. This place isn't particularly clean so if you're worried about cleanliness, go somewhere else. Found a small dead roach by the bamboo steamer we got but it didn't phase me that much. This place is a definite 4 star for take out but for my dine-in experience, it only gets a 3 star based on the grades on dim sum alone.
(3)
Liana F.

CLEANNESS: C SERVICE: C FOOD: D- PRICE: B As soon as you enter this place, there's that nasty "greasy" smell rushing up your nostrils. It's probably a good idea to change out your vent. It's a very small restaurant, and if it gets busy it's pretty tight. It's nothing special, just your regular dim sum restaurant. It's located on Maunakea Street, right before Hotel Street. This place is just couple blocks away from my shop, so this is the ONLY reason why I stop here for dim sum. The price is cheap compared to most places, but it's not the best quality dim sum! This morning I called in a shrimp cheong fun because my mom was craving it, and I didn't have time to walk over to Cultral Plaza where I usually get my dim sum, so I decided to come here instead. Well, my view has changed after today's experience! A very disappointing experience I must say. I order two shrimp dumpling, chicken feet, and a couple of other dumplings. When I got back to the shop, I immediately opened it up and took a first bite into the shrimp dumpling. It was COLD & MUSHY! Omg, so gross. Keep in mind this is 8:30am in the morning, and the dim sum was cold. You would think everything would be fresh and hot at this time of the day, especially if they just opened. I got $23 worth of dim sum and they all tasted the same. We serve dim sum at our own shop, and I have a pretty good idea what dim sum is like and obviously this wasn't fresh! I could tell it was re-heated. In the shrimp dumpling, I could not taste any shrimp at all. This place is not consistent with their food. My next dish was the chicken feet, and it was OILY, COLD and SOGGY. Spit it right out. I couldn't take it. This is by far the worst dim sum I've had. Bottom line, never want to come back again. I wish i took a picture of my food, but it wasn't IG nor Yelp worthy.
(1)
Jo Y.

Enjoyed a delicious dim sum lunch at this nice little hole-in-the-wall restaurant! The set up is a little different here as compared to other dim sum restaurants. Because the place is quite small, dim sum carts cannot be used. Instead, the freshly cooked dishes of dim sum are brought out by the servers from the kitchen and stacked up on a warmer at the front window of the restaurant (good marketing strategy - people walking outside are tempted by the steaming dim sum if they look inside). From afar, you can see the steam coming out of the dim sum baskets, so you know they are really fresh and hot. You can either walk up to the warmer and point the ones you want to the server, and she'll bring them to your table; or if you know what you want sum, you can just order from the menu. If you don't see the dim sum you want, they are happy to make it for you. The dim sum dishes are really tasty here. Tried the shrimp ball, shrimp dumpling, chives pork dumpling, mochi gok with pork, spareribs with black bean sauce, beef tripe, and an interesting dessert I haven't seen elsewhere. The ono dessert is called "sai ching bao' which translates to crystal buns; they were three clear wrapped balls filled with black bean, custard, or lotus and were not overly sweet. The dim sum dishes were piping hot and very flavorful. Also ordered the House Special Crispy Noodles, which was excellent! It was a varied mixture of Hong Kong style thin noodles, fish, shrimp, char siu, pork, chicken, choy sum, carrots, and mushrooms; the sauce was delish! As with the dim sum, this noodle dish was served so hot that you can see the steam coming out from it. yelp.com/biz_photos/happâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/happâ€¦ yelp.com/biz_photos/happâ€¦ It was a full house during the lunch hour. There was a mixture of people (locals, Chinese nationals, downtown workers, tourists) enjoying the varied menu items. Saw people eating dim sum, noodles, rice soup (jook or congee), won ton mein, and regular Chinese chicken/beef/pork dishes. All looked like they were enjoying what they were eating. Service was not bad, as the servers were quite friendly and understood some English. Although they were busy, they were quite accommodating. The only problem we had was that because the place is small, there is not much space around the tables for more than one person to walk through. So, you'll probably have to take turns to walk up to the dim sum area to get what you want. But the freshness and great tasting dim sum and food entrees make up for it. Look forward to going back again!
(5)
Grace M.

Good little hideaway spot for dim sum next time you're in Chinatown shopping. Enough variety for you to go and choose from, food is good! But of course it's Chinatown so don't expect the most cleanliness or for them to really understand you but the prices are pretty decent
(4)
Bryan S.

Good dim sum and very well priced. Very small place but extensive menu. Shrimp dumplings were excellent. Downsides are $10 parking around the corner, tons of homeless people although not bothersome, cash only, and the food was generally on the heavy side.
(3)
Joanne P.

My in-laws from Los Angeles saw this place on a Discovery Channel tv show about strange food. I had never heard of this restaurant, so within hours of their arrival, we found ourselves crowded around two tables pushed together at Happy Garden (we called in the morning and they take reservations!). This place is pretty much what I think of when I hear "hole in the wall." I'm not sure what the tv show found weird about this food, but their dim sum was quite normal. The steamed items were all pretty good, although the skin of the ha gao and other similar items are on the thick side. The deep fried and baked items (jin doi, boh loh bao) had been sitting in the front window for a while so they were not very fresh and we liked those the least. I'm sort of a don tot (custard tart) snob so I also didn't enjoy their version because it was the cookie type of crust and not flaky pastry. It was a nice surprise to find they had ma tai go (water chestnut cake) and that was delicious after I sent it back for a little more pan-frying to make it crispier. I also loved how fast everything arrived at our table. Our large group of 11 was in and out of there in 50 min! All in all, a satisfying meal but I doubt I will return.
(3)
Gary F.

Take out Dim Sum. Quick. Call your order in and pick up. They have a nice variety of Dim Sum. Cash Only!!
(4)
Chon P.

Wanted dim sum....figured we'd check this place out! Food was awesome....very authentic dim sum....good pricing.. Service was also pretty standard! Only down fault....for my first experience here... I ordered "Steam BBQ Manapua" there was a small chinese "hair" steamed in my bun! Plus to top it off, I had "3 fruit flies" swimming in the bottom of my water cup! Which I didn't noticed...until I got to the bottom of the cup! Other than that....awesome food , not sure if I'm coming back for another try! Maybe it was just a one time mistake! My stomach just can't take eating here again!
(3)
Eduardo S.

Maybe its because I ate here at 10am for an early lunch, chicken feet were cold and chewey, seafood bundle was hot and sort of flavorful, pork hash was meh. My only enjoyable dish was the steamed pork intestine with black pepper which was lukewarm as well. Turnip cake tasted a little sour and fermented in a bad way. The chili sauce was enjoyable. Took home some baked cream buns, not so sweet and a little bland. Will stick to nice day, or happy day for dim sum.
(2)
Paula M.

Not what I was expecting considering the reviews. For starters I didn't expect the whole fancy restaurant style considering the conditions on the outside but boxes of food out and the trash out in the open like that? That's a bit unpleasant. This was my first time trying dim sum ever and being my first time I really didn't know what was good or not. Therefore I asked for recommendation, yet they didn't offer that either, they just told me everything is good. A bit rude, and forced when they shoved their serving tray in front of my face to show me. Also they have a strong Cantonese accent, I think, and spoke it majority of the time I was there so there is a language barrier. I did enjoy the shrimp shumai and their hot tea.
(1)
John C.

Visited here on my first UYE! Thanks to Paul introduced me to this family run home alike restaurant. Service was very good, the owner certainly take really good care of us. The portion was gigantic, no one table could finish what they order, everyone had a plate for their tomorrow breakfast. Price? Very very inexpensive! Would recommend for those that needs budget controls. As for the food itself, I'll have to be honest, not as good as Kirin or Jade's dynasty for the dim sums. But for this price range and the amount of food that it offered? I had to give it a 5, because that's what it deserves on its own price range arena. Comparing fine restaurant's food to it would be comparing Coach to Hermes. Timex to Rolex. Obama to Mayweather. Hilary to Clinton. Anyhow, you get my point.
(5)
Yao C.

Bookmarked this dim sum joint before I came here! I was pretty excited.... And when we arrived, it was a real SMALL place! Tough for large groups... There are pros and cons to Happy Garden! Pros: it's real authentic dim sum.... Everyone has there favorites and they have it all... The menu is on the table and you can order or they will bring selections to your table.... Service is friendly and efficient... Quick and simple... Food comes out fresh and hot.... And lots of people like this spot so it's a populist joint! They take credit card! Cons: small area... Can't bring large groups in... Max would be probably a party of 7... It was tough to fit 5 of us.... The place is not the cleanest.... Found a hair on the plate.... I didn't trust the cups of ice water.... Sodas were not cold... U needed cups of ice to drink. There are no carts on wheels to display food... Would we come back?? Maybe... There are some competition of dim sum in china town!
(3)
Andy F.

I am very surprised that I haven't typed out a review for this dim sum place as I've been coming here since it opened many, many years ago. And this is one of the better dim sum restaurants in Chinatown! I put it in my second tier with Mei Sum and The Mandalay. The food is almost always well-prepared and good quality. The servers are always friendly and very attentive, are a lot less aggressive, and are more patient with you. This dim sum restaurant is one of those small hole-in-the-wall places located in Chinatown (Maunakea St), similar to Canton House and Sunflower CafÃ©, so expect some tight seating. When you arrive at the storefront, you are able to see the stacks and stacks of hot, steamy dim sum right through the glass window including all the baked and fried dim sum beside it in the display case. If you were wondering where this "happy garden" is just look up when you enter. You will see the "happy" hanging "garden." :) On this instance, I met up with my grandparents for lunch. We ordered: Pan Fried Pork Buns - You always wonder, when you order something from the display case, of how long it's been sitting there, and whether or not it's cold. Of course, you can always ask if you are uncertain. In this case, the bun was still crispy outside, and soft and warm inside. The filling was warm as well, and very tasty and well-prepared. Glutinous (Mochi) Rice in Lotus Leaf - Straight off the steamer table, this was piping hot! It had a good amount of filling, which was tasty, and most importantly, the rice was tasty as well. Chicken Feet - My staple dim sum. I really enjoyed this as the chicken feet was super tender and easily came off the bone, and it was very, very tasty and delicious. It was so good that I even saved the sauce to dip other stuff in. Steamed Black Pepper Pork (Large) Intestines - This was one of my favorite dim sum. The intestines were very, very tender, and they weren't chewy at all. They were cleaned very well as there was just the slightest scent on a couple of pieces that tells you are eating intestines. The black pepper sauce was very tasty and went very well with the intestines. Spareribs Look Funn Casserole - The look funn is braised in a hoisin-based sauce (that typically goes with the Pan Fried Look Funn) with pork spareribs and onion and scallions. The look funn at this place is thin. Thinner than other dim sum places. The thinner sheet of look funn makes it more softer and better absorbing the sauce. The spareribs were tasty, super tender, and the meat literally fell off the bone. I really enjoyed both the look funn and spareribs, but I didn't feel the sauce went well with this dish. Don't get me wrong, I liked the sauce and thought it was tasty, but for this particular dish, you need something more fragrant and aromatic (such as black bean sauce) that makes use of the hot casserole pot. Assorted Pork Giblet Congee - This was the highlight of the meal. You get a huge bowl of congee with a good amount of pork giblets that had pork liver, kidney, small intestines, stomach, and regular pork slices. There was also fresh lettuce, ginger, and scallions in it. The congee was a nice thick consistency, and it was flavorful. All the awesome pork goodness inside was very tender and tasty. No pieces were tough or chewy. On previous visits, I always thought the pan-fried chives cakes were very good. It is always pan-fried extremely well to a nice crisp, and there's a lot of tasty filling. The baked char siu and pineapple buns are both good and pretty large compared to other places. The egg tart is good and larger than most places too. I've been here for dinner too, and I remember the fried pork intestines, capital pork chops, salted fish and chicken fried rice, beef chow funn, and the beef stew casserole being all spot on. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed all the food. Everything was well-prepared, well-portioned, flavorful, and fresh, which is all you need to ask for. Happy Garden has a very wide selection of dim sum, and the great thing is that you can order it at ANY time during their business hours. The prices aren't too bad and pretty much coincides with other dim sum places in Chinatown, but considering the entire menu and its portions and quality, this place one of the better deals. I personally love the service here. The servers are always smiling and very friendly. They are very attentive and are quick to remove your empty dim sum baskets and empty plates, refill water and tea, and are always there to get whatever you need. As I said in the earlier, Happy Garden is one of the better dim sum restaurants in Chinatown, possibly even Oahu. Heck, if Andrew Zimmern chose Happy Garden out of so many other dim sum restaurant in Hawaii for his Bizarre Foods television show, you know it's gotta be good!
(4)
Ryan K.

If you want inexpensive dim sum at a hole-in-the-wall place in Chinatown, then this is your place. If you want something fancier, then this is not the place for you. You walk in, grab a table, and then make your way to the dim sum counter. The waitress will quickly shuffle through steamers containing whatever dim sum they have on hand. Dont take too long deciding what you want or incur the wrath of the busy Chinese waitress. Once youve decided, the waitress will bring the baskets to your table and its dim sum time! I went on a Sunday for lunch and tried the wrapped mushrooms, chive half moon, pork and shrimp half moon, pork shumai, and sweet and sour pork. All were your standard dim sum fare... nothing fancy, but fast and cheap. They also have chicken feet, if youre into that as well.
(3)
Angel H.

I'll have to give this place a solid 3 stars. This place is on the smaller side and needs a facelift. It's pretty much a hole in the wall kind of place, which isn't a problem for me. Some hole in the wall places have the best food. I'm going to base my review on the food alone. I've eaten Chinese food my whole life. The flavors of the food here is a little different. Everyone on our table agreed that it had an earthy taste to it. Some dishes were better than others. I was here for a 12 course dinner for $18 per person. That's with the tax and tip, so it was really reasonable. The first course was the sour and spicy soup. I took one sip and gave it to Terrance. I just didn't like it. To be fair, I've never cared for that soup. The other people on my table seemed to enjoy it. I didn't try the pig intestine. It had a pungent smell and I just couldn't stomach it. The worst dishes of the night had to be the bean curd and eggplant. The bean curd tasted different than how the other restaurants make it. The whole thing was just soggy. The flavoring of the eggplant was also off. When I asked the server what kind of sauce that was, he couldn't even tell me. His response was "a little sweet and a little sour." No one on our table could figure it out. Thumbs up for the rest of the dishes that I'm about to mention. The savory jin dui was really good. Jin dui is extremely hard to make. When frying, you have to press down on all sides so that it'll expand. You can't press down too hard though, because then it'll break. You have to keep pressing until the dough becomes thin and crispy. I've watched my mom make this, so I can appreciate the complexity of it. I prefer the savory jin dui over the red bean or coconut. Usually, when making savory jin dui, people use pork or lup cheong. It was the first time I had it with pork and peanut. The shrimp dumpling and chicken feet were good. The shrimp was fresh and the wrapper was translucent, which is always a good sign. The chicken feet were plump and had a nice flavor to it. The shumai was huge and moist. The capital pork chops had the perfect flavoring and was pan fried. The noodle dishes were awesome. The crispy seafood noodles were to die for. The noodles were fried to a crisp, like eating chips. Then, they poured the gravy and seafood over it. Yummers! The beef chow fun was also executed perfectly. The beef was tender and the noodles not too dry. The best dish of the night was the salt and pepper calamari and fish. It was fried in a tempura batter. The calamari was tender and the fish was juicy. I would go back just for this.
(3)
Madd K.

Happened to walk past the shop and saw quite a bit of Asians inside for lunch. That was good sign. Ha gau and siew mai were decent, and so is the steamed chives pork dumpling (little chives and little shrimps) - $3 each container. I wouldn't go for the dessert-salted egg layer bun which the lady server recommended. I should have asked for the price. They are ok, but $5 for two pcs is a little pricey. The server seemed anxious for me to place more orders even though I went alone. She should understand a female appetite is not huge. I will go back because they are decent but won't allow the server push me around to place more orders.
(3)
Sophie P.

I came here for dim sum lunch with a friend/co-worker a couple of weeks ago and was pretty disappointed. I came for dinner (one of Paul C.'s UYE's) a few months ago and really liked it. So my conclusion is that I would come here for dinner (especially with Paul C!), but probably not for dim sum again. When we first sat down, I asked to see what dim sum they had available and our waitress pointed to the bamboo baskets in the window. We both walked over, made a couple of choices, and sat back down. We found the food "not fresh". Of course, when we finished our dim sum choices, a fresh set of bamboo steamers came out of the kitchen but by then we were too full to partake in the "fresh" stuff. We had char siu bao which was my favorite - the meat inside was an orange-ishy color rather then red like I am used to, and it had a pleasant sweetness. The shrimp and pork shumai were tasty, and the shrimp and chives were good. But we had one that had peanuts in it that seemed old because the dumpling just fell apart when you tried to pick it up. Sometimes, with places like this, you need to come with a regular - some who can steer you in the right direction for the good stuff. While I was disappointed in the dim sum lunch, I hope to have another opportunity to try lunch or dinner here.
(2)
Mica M.

NEVER.EVER.COMING.BACK. Our decision to try this place was the worst. We walked in, I thought the place looked dirty and yes, it's obviously dated. It's kind of tight too. We came on a Sunday afternoon, nobody was there. I saw two employees/owners that seem to operate the business who are seated and after a while saw them started pouring beer on their glasses. lol No greeting. No nothing. One guy was even walking around on barefoot. Then when we were looking at the dim sum pictures on the wall, a lady finally helped us out. While we were looking at the pictures of dim sum on the wall, I saw a roach going around the register! DISGUSTING! Who knows how the kitchen is like. But we pushed that aside, we still decided to try it because it was featured on DDD after all. We thought maybe the food's worth the drive. We ended up choosing 4 kinds of dim sum. We just took it to go. We waited and waited. We almost walked out and leave even though we already paid for it. Wouldn't you think dim sums are always ready? Isn't that what dim sum means? BUT I GUESS NOT. They packed 2 orders on each container. First container we opened had siu mai and pork bun. We shared a bite on one piece of siu mai and one piece of the pork bun. Nope, we didn't like them at all. Siu mai had an awful after taste and smell too! Second container we opened had freakin hair on it. That just topped it all. Two containers of food went straight to trash. I don't even know how they stay in business. Sorry for the patrons but I wouldn't ever recommend this place to anybody.
(1)
Patrick S.

Limited Dim Sum, but good. A bit pricey for Dim Sum (poek hash - $3.00). Good service for lunch time in China town.
(3)
Angela M.

A few years ago my aged, ill-tempered, highly unlikeable Chinese uncle took my husband to this restaurant and shocked us all by buying him lunch. It never happened again. The end. Just kidding. Since then my husband has been trying to convince me to forgo my usual Mei Sum and experience a new place. However, the smallness of the restaurant has always put me off as we typically have 3 or 4 children with us and I favor expansive places where people won't be angered by the fact that my children eat mostly plain rice. (I could convince them to eat other things, but as other things cost significantly more than plain rice I am seldom inspired to do so.) To solve this, we finally went to Happy Garden at 2:30 pm and it was completely empty. Which made the fact that they forgot my char siu bao TWICE a bit perplexing, but I did eventually receive it and it was incredibly disappointing. It was a teensy weensy teaspoon of charsiu filling encased in way too much bao, but it worked out as my 5 year old ate all of the bao scraps I had piled on my plate. So she had rice AND bread, a balanced meal if ever I saw one. My husband claims their chicken feet are the best he's had. Which I'll just have to trust as I don't like like chicken feet (Too many tiny, throat puncturing bones and too little anything else) and cannot make any sort of judgment. As for the rest of the food, I thought it was quite good. I especially enjoyed their turnip cake and garlic ong choy though I should mention I did not like their shrimp look funn at all. It seemed like the noodle was made with an excessive amount of water? Or something? That made it into an overly gelatinous starchy mass of tastelessness for $6 a pop. I'm not sure I would return as simultaneously eating char siu bao and shumai is my main reason for going to dimsum in the first place, but perhaps we will find ourselves there again.
(3)
Rissa K.

I came here today for dim sum and I'm so glad that there wasn't a wait! I usually go to Mei Sum and it's always crowded in there and there's always a wait. The waitresses here don't seem as pushy as Mei Sum too. The dim sum here not bad as well! Must try their deep fried taro dim sum! Mmm so good! Great place to get dim sum with out having to wait in line!
(3)
Krysten I.

I really wanted to love this place because there are so many great reviews by other yelpy friends. However, I'll continue sticking to my other dim sum favorites in chinatown instead of coming here. This is a very small restaurant with only 10 small tables. There were many Cantonese speaking customers and the dim sum selection was great. The food was comparable to other places in chinatown, as were the prices. I thought the service was great! Waters and our tea pot were refilled consistently and empty baskets were taken away seconds after we had emptied them. My dad asked for vinegar and another waitress brought him some so quickly it was as if they can communicate telepathically. Realistically, she probably shouted something in Cantonese but I didn't notice because the waitresses are constantly yelling back and forth at one another. My biggest pet peeve is that the dishes had cracks in them. The tea pot spout was cracked and even my water cup had several long micro fractures. It's really unsanitary to use plate ware and cups that have unfinished edges because it's very hard to clean and bacteria can grow in the cracks. Gross.
(3)
Lien V.

Approx 18 Yeeps signed up but more showed up for the UYE #4 at HG and 2 tables were pretty much filled to capacity. Somehow the table arrangement worked out very well for the attendees since 1table ended up with all the "vino" while the other was like a Sunday "dry county" without the slightest droplet of liquor. These were foodies (by consensus) who just wanted to concentrate on their dim sum. Paul did a great job hosting this dim sum dinner. The amount of effort he put in was amazing! I hope he had time to enjoy the food since he was constantly making sure the water glasses were filled, teapots were replenished with hot tea and the stream of food kept coming out of the kitchen. Some of us pretty much stopped eating because we were all so full after the 5th or 6th dish. Satisfied and bellies full we were but we felt good and happy at Happy Garden. And we each got a bag of great almond cookies for the road although some of us had them as "appetizers".
(4)
Angelena Z.

Food is 5 stars. It's a hole in the wall in Chinatown. Don't expect anything fancy. It's good cheap food. I went on a Friday at 1pm. It's tiny but there were only two other tables. Don't be shame. Go look at what they have near the window. Loved the Pork Hash and the Shrimp dim sum. Also tried the Crispy Qual. Definitely want to try the other dishes the next time I come.
(5)
Roxy W.

Food: My parents thought some of the dim sum they have were pretty unique and that you don't see it at other dim sum places. I rated this place at 1 star because I found a hair in the taro dim sum and a cockroach leg in another dim sum dish. I love dim sum and this was my first time coming after hearing rave reviews of this place. This was a big disappointment. Cleanliness: The floor had dirty napkins, my table was sticky and of course my food had hair and a roach leg in it. Service: The service was okay but you literally had to ask for every little thing from chop sticks, tea and water. I will NOT be back and I will NOT recommend this place to anyone.
(1)
C M.

Two stars because their food is good. Do not go off-peak, hours posted are something like 11am to 9pm. Got there about 3, the waitress rushed our ordering, suggesting what we should get and left. The entire staff then sat down to eat. We did get our order but thats all. No check up on us and no checking if we needed more food. When a couple came in I tried to order two more dishes, the waitress needed to have the items pointed out on the menu more than once, went into the kirchen and came back to say no more that. So, since we had our check from way earlier, we just paid & left.
(2)
Kirk P.

Small place and kind of dirty. The dim sum wasn't very good. I did like the baked chat siu buns though. Most of the food had a bad taste to it. I wouldn't recommend this place unless as a last resort. On the plus side, the water was very good and wow is this place cheap!
(2)
Phuong M.

I love hole in the wall places cause it's cheap and delicious! I first stumbled here in Chinatown looking for dim sum and tried a couple other places and they weren't really good which makes me wonder how do u mess up with dim sum? Anyway I saw this place cause you can't miss the variety of dim sum steaming from the hot bath right next to the window calling everyone to come eat!! I love my typical shiu mai (pork hash) these tastes way better than pork hash has right amount of salt, pork and that chewi-liciousness that makes my palates happy! My other one is har gau - pieces of shrimp wrapped in rice wrapper that has hint of fresh bamboo crunch and just plain awesome and of course the mochi rice with pork and veggies in creamy sauce wrapped in banana leaf...just try it! And the fried taro is flakey crispy they fry for extra punch that's too yummy to describe! But one of my bestest favs is the chicken feet! Yes chicken feet! I loooooove chicken feet and I will tell the world that! This place is a must! Always packed with old Chinese speaking folks that was my motivation to enter seeing how old school folks go there for a reason! Go visit and tell me what you think!
(5)
Maka K.

I've been to Happy Garden twice now, both times w/ Paul C. for his dim sum dinner UYEs---yup, dim sum for dinner! Parking: It's Chinatown, so metered street parking (free after 6p) or municipal parking are probably your best bet. Service: I don't speak Chinese (they speak Cantonese, specifically), but I've been lucky enough that the folks I went w/ did speak Cantonese. I'm not sure if they would have treated us differently if we hadn't been w/ a native speaker, but they were nice enough. They consistently refilled our tea pots (when you flip the covers) and refilled our waters. On top of that, the food came out rather quickly and it was awesome! Food: DIM SUM!!! Normally, I don't get to eat dim sum because ppl are at work, no one has time for dim sum during the day, and some places don't do dim sum on the weekend. That's the biggest attraction to Happy Garden that I have---they serve dim sum ALL DAY! And they serve it freshly fried/steamed even if it's 7pm! For only having been there twice, I swear I much have tried so much of their food, so I'm going to try and rank them: Definitely order: Mochi gok w/ mushroom & minced pork filling Corn dumplings Sweet n sour pork w/ onions Ong choy w/ shrimp sauce Fried shrimp chow mein w/ hoisin sauce If I'm still hungry (because they're pretty common): Fried taro gok Charsiu bao Shrimp & pork shumai Shrimp dumplings Chive dumplings Turnip cakes Green beans Steamed custard Probably wouldn't order again (I'm not really a noodle person): Chow mein w/ beef Black bean chow fun w/ beef Hong Kong style seafood fried noodles - I liked these noodles best because of the seafood toppings and thin noodle size If you're feeling adventurous (like meeeee!!): Fried chicken feet - Doesn't taste bad, but I don't like how many bones there are Fried squab - Tastes like fried chicken, really...even though it's pidgeon Deep fried pig intestines w/ sweet n sour sauce - The stuff Andrew Zimmern of Bizzare Foods ate; it reminded me of crispy chicken skin & the sauce makes it taste better Conclusion: I really enjoy the variety of food that you can find here at given time, so I feel as if this place has become my new favorite Chinese restaurant, which is saying a lot because I rarely ever would say I enjoy Chinese food, but I have good memories and a happy tummy from this place ^_^
(5)
Darin O.

As one reads many of the review about Happy Garden- one will notice huge discrepencies. There are 1 stars adn there are 5 stars and a mix of other stars. Why is this? Be warnred. If you only like Trump Quality of the best NYC expereince- then welllllll you need to go somewhere else. If you can take it like a local - they give it a try. I can understand the 1 star reviews- Things can look tacky or dated- the building and restruant looks old in that it could be fresher or more modern- if that turns you off- by all means go to PAnda where it has a McDonalds feel. If you don't like chipped display cases or broken doors- then go somewhere else that is just recently built and has polished furniture. If you don't mind having to ask the waitress for a cup and plate that does not have chips in it- thenn go to almost anywhere else. Yes, there seem to be more than a few chips and broken glassware if you eat in the resturant- it is not that big of a resturant so one would think- don't they notice????? I can only guess that they do. Even at the UYE event we went to- there were broken glass tea cups and plates(and these are the people that usually write extreamly detailed yelp reviews and definately tell their friends about their expereinces at the resturant). The 5 star reviews are valid too- chicken feet and tripe, although I don't eat it - it marks that they are willing to cater to the local and true population of food eaters that they have that have tastes that are beyond a McD hamburger. If you are featured on a Man V Food food network show- well you have to be doing something (notice I did say well yet). The food really can be cooked well though depending on what you order. I used to work on King St. for like 10 years. We'd have office parties every now and then. Once I had to get 3 full (huge to me) orders of Salt and Pepper Shrimp. Where do I go? HG! They were able to be the best item at the potluck/ party. Another time, I forget why... but I needed to find the egg custards late in the afternoon. The place that we would normally go for the custards is Lees but everyone knows they sell out by like 1 or 2 pm. Who had small custards that late in the day? HG! The dim sum may or may not be as good as Golden Palace- depending on what you like. But the taro ball with chicken and veg has a crunch that is better than golden palace. The shrimp balls are just as good or comprable to any other normal shrimp balls I think. The corn steamed dumplings though were a little different and unique. The chives dumplings still were not fully cooked so they still had a taste kick to them when you bite into them. All in all the dim sum is at least as good as other places and comprable. Fried noodle dishes are just great. There seems to be some good fresh fish steamed over steamed vegs. Tastey without the fake fishy flavour. At the UYE - we had fried calamari- that was the highlight dish for me that I would not have ordered by myself if we were not at the event. Just be ready - if you do not like the dirtyness of chinatown- then you will not like this place. Otherwise- go out and try some good chinese food- you'll be glad you did and your belly will thank you.
(3)
Candy T.

Been coming here for the last two weeks and I love the dim sum! Restaurant: Clean and atmosphere is ok, very small considering "china-town". If you can get back the little things, you're okay! Service: Could be better, but what can I say about these Chinese ladies? They come off rather nice at times, but aggressive (honestly, I ignore them). Tip: To have decent dim sum and actually enjoy what your eating..def go around 11-12pm. You have multiple selections of dim sum to choose from, they don't rush you, the ladies don't seem flustered and of course they cater to you. Otherwise, quite good and I am going back!
(4)
Paul C.

My sister suggested we go out for dinner as the kids start school tomorrow. Wanted to make sure the kids ended the summer on a high note so I took the liberty of making dinner reservations at Happy Garden. We had a total of 8 people tonight so we ordered up a storm: Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (5/5) Hong Kong Style Pork Hash (5/5) Savory Chicken Feet (5/5) Steamed Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaf (4/5) Pan Fried Radish Cake (4/5) House Special Fried Noodles (5/5) Beef Chow Fun (5/5) Tofu w/ Mushrooms (4/5) Salt & Pepper Pork Chop (5/5) Salt & Pepper Fish Fillet (5/5) Eggplant Casserole (5/5) It was a busy night so luckily I called ahead of time for our table. The food gradually came out at a good pace as the food was piping HOT, the way I like it. We tend to liberally consume their homemade chili sauce with our food to spice things up! My nephew sat next to me tonight and he commented how good the shrimp dumplings were (compared to Golden Palace he ate the other day). I was very hungry and made sure to try everything tonight but I ended up passing on several dishes. For dessert we had a special treat tonight as the boss lady made a tapioca, egg drop, bean curd concoction. It reminded me of my mom making something very similar on special occasions as a kid. Another fabulous dinner here at Happy Garden tonight. I have spoken with my fellow Yelp buddy Jo Y. to co-host an UYE dinner here for sometime in September as fellow Elite Yeeps of John N. and Cathy T. are working on a Chinese food gathering for August. Stay tuned for the details!!! P.S. Although I have yet to see the episode, Andrew Zimmern, the host of Bizarre Foods, came here to try the deep-fried pig's intestine.
(5)
Lindsey S.

Honestly I was terrified once inside! The staff was unfriendly, there was a black cat cruising around and the place seemed dirty... I got the sweet an sour pork and it was drowned in sauce, but I loved the tea and dessert, and honestly enjoyed the experience. Don't expect to get great service, but try the desserts!
(3)
Lyla D.

What can I say...I've passed by Happy Garden numerous times while "tooling around" Chinatown. The steamer baskets filled with various dim sum beacon "yum cha, yum cha". So, today, my hubby and I dropped in to give it a try. After being seated and served hot tea, our waitress, speaking in Cantonese, told me to make my selections from the cart at the front of the restaurant. I got up to make our choices as hubby looked puzzled as if I was going to just abandon him. Everything looked good...but, I must say, I did ask to get the steamer basket just under the top one (for freshness and hot serving temperature). We were a bit disappointed that the dim sum seemed a bit mediocre and somewhat flavorless. The prices were okay, ranging from $2.40 to $5.50. Portion size to price point, it's a good value. Maybe, if we had tried a noodle dish or an entree (pictures posted on the walls looked good) we might have gotten a better impression. Dunno.... Service was alright...for a Chinese restaurant, that is. It definitely gets filled with Cantonese speaking folks; the ambience gets loud voices from the wait help and patrons. Otherwise, this restaurant is clean and comfortable. Would/could I say that we'd return? Sorry to say...probably not.
(3)

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Address : 1113 Maunakea St
Honolulu, HI, 96817
Phone (808) 538-1088
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :7:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Happy Garden

1113 Maunakea St, Honolulu, HI, 96817

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