I have eaten here for nearly 2 decades. Seriously. But I will never come here again. The staff is extremely rude, but the owners are just obnoxious and think customers owe them a favor. Meals come with a small soup, the upsized soup is $1.00 more on the menu. So we ordered 2 upsized soups with our meal expecting to pay $1.00 more. Instead we were charged the full $2.50, ignoring the soup our meal comes with as an upcharge. I asked the waitress, and she deducted it back down to $1.00 more each. We left. A few weeks/month later we came back, and did the same thing. That was when the waitress informed us that the owners made her pay out of her own paycheck the $2.50 because of what she did. I explained that the menu clearly sells the larger bowl for $1.00 more, so the upcharge should be $1.00 given the meals come with the smaller bowl. Nevermind the fact it is a violation of state and federal labor laws to deduct from your employees paycheck such things. Right about then the owner (mean looking lady) came out and started screaming at me and my daughter. I told her that we were overcharged, and she said no. I told her it is illegal to charge her employees for a mistake (which really wasn't a mistake), she told me to mind my own business. I explained to her we have been coming there for 20 years, and will never - ever return.. She said she didn't care, and that she was doing us a favor by serving us anyway.. We left, and it has been nearly 7 months and we will never go back. These people do not deserve to be in business. As for the food? Below average. Standard oversalted, too much MSG American based Asian food.. Nothing special whatsoever. The fried rice is hideous, overcooked, and improperly prepared. The place is a dump that hasn't been remodeled in 50 years. Sanitary conditions are extremely alarming, we were once served a bowl of chips that had hot mustard sprayed down in the middle of them. Meaning another customer had these before us. These people are so cheap they will do anything to cut corners! No free refills on drinks? Really? Chinese places are a dime a dozen, this one can be avoided without missing anything. I really don't understand why we ate there for 20 years with better places all around it. Peking House in Royal Oak is 10 times better, with friendly staff.
(1)
Matt S.
I'm not one for writing reviews, but I've seen some scathing reviews for Lim's Palace and they (in my opinion) really do NOT do this establishment justice. Visually, Lim's hasn't updated any decor since they opened in 1973 as it would seem. This is part of the charm of Lim's for my wife and I. When we have a hankerin' for some good (albeit Americanized) Chinese food, we head to Lim's. We only order one thing, a number 25 because it's just delicious (General Tso's Chicken). The presentation is pretty nice, and the food is just outstanding. The broccoli is crisp, green and crunchy, the sauce is sweet and spicy, and the standout (for me) is that the chicken is ALWAYS nice generous chunks of white-meat (none of that grizzly dark meat that you get at many of the take-out joints). We have NEVER had an issue with the service. The staff has always been pleasant, and last night the older woman who served us was very attentive and beyond polite. Good food, fast service, and pretty friendly. If you haven't been, give Lim's a shot!
(4)
Ashley H.
We eat here once per year, on Christmas, and that's it. All other days of the year it's just so-so. I'd rather go to China One or Young's before here.
Their food is just ok. I've had carryout a few times from here and it's kind of underwhelming. Tried again yesterday for a family party so it was a large order. Upon returning with everyone's food we discovered that they had not included any of the spring rolls or egg rolls we'd ordered extra. Of course, no one wanted to drive back and get them, so money spent for food not received, plus the people that had ordered them were irritated at not getting their items. They also forgot one of the vegetarian meals, so that left one person eating only rice. I ordered shrimp with black bean sauce and while the sauce flavor was good, it was mostly sauce and hardly any shrimp or vegetables. I was still hungry after eating - which is unusual for me since I'm a light eater. Ate some of someone else's General Tao chicken - the chicken was tough and the broccoli dead. Not a fan, hope I never have to eat their food again.
(2)
Sharon L.
We have been getting carryout from Lim's for as long as I can remember. It was always excellent but we haven't been there since 2007. We went there for dinner tonight and we were very disappointed. It definitely isn't as good as it use to be. I always order a Mai Tai to drink and today it tasted like pop. I couldn't even taste the liquor. We had the Chinese fried shrimp dinners and the only thing that was half way good was the shrimp. The wonton soup was watery, the egg rolls tasted like they bought them frozen and the fried rice was awful (over cooked and too much soy sauce). Looks like we will have to find a new Chinese Restaurant. I'm thinking the original owners must have sold the buisiness.
(2)
Hope N.
This is bad Chinese food, second attempt, last attempt! I can't seem to find a good Chinese spot in Royal Oak area, we'll keep searching, but won't be back here again, to each his own, some people love this place, we all have different palettes.
(1)
Patrick R.
This is crappy Americanized Chinese food at its best. As a child, this was my favorite kind of food. Now that I'm grown up and have far expanded tastes... I still like it (even though I recognize that it is terrible for you) when I'm in the mood. Everything you expect... Thick flavorful sauces, few vegetables, lots of fried. Again, this isn't going to blow you away... And maybe for me it's just a throw back to my youth. But I get my cravings, and I call Lims.
(4)
Josephine M.
They have a full bar, but don't order an old fashion. Consistent. Their eggs rolls are with bean sprouts. I've had better crab Rangoon. Their General Tao, Sesame chicken are great.
(3)
Heidi P.
I've been going to Lim's since I young...it's still my preferred Chinese restaurant. However, that may be only because I don't like change. Lim's Palace is hit or miss. One visit everything is terrible, but the next visit it's all wonderful and fresh. The good: Silver Needle Noodle, egg rolls and duck sauce, dinner rolls. The bad: pop with no free refills (srsly), wonton soup is mushy, food is good only sometimes. They have minimal staff and when it gets busy, you WILL wait. Actually, it's a long meal regardless whether it's busy or not. And yes, their smoking section used to be inside the main restaurant...not good and probably obsolete since MI now has the no smoking law. Since I'm a creature of habit and don't like change and the place gives me little nostalgic fuzzies when I go, I'll continue to go. I sometimes wonder why though.
(3)
Debbie K.
This place has gone downhill. I will not be going back. The staff was rude and the food was horrible. I would not recommend this to anyone.
(1)
Matthew D.
Back into the non smoking section and the food is awesome! This place deserves 4 stars, as one of our constant lunch stops. Even though I'm still afraid to ask for the "real" menu =)
(4)
Dan L.
I had the Kung Pao chicken. lighting was a bit dark to get pics. portion was big and taste was good. service was ok. they were quite busy Christmas Evening.
(3)
Courtney S.
Im so glad I have found a good Chinese food restaurant!!! I visit the Detroit area every week from Cincinnati and since there are no good Chinese restaurants there, I have been on a search to find one here. Thanks to google reviews I saw the key word I was looking for- fresh. In Cincinnati they make a big batch of fried rice for the day and then toss in whatever you order. At Lim's, everything is COOKED TO ORDER and sooooooooo good :) Luckily my hotel was 5 minutes away, but I would seriously travel from Windsor to get this good food :)
(5)
Stacey C.
The general tso's chicken is sweet, spicy and stays crispy even after a ten minute ride home. The crab rangoon has little bits ginger and garlic and has a lot of filling compared to other places. The people are friendly and it is reasonably priced and clean.
(4)
o o.
After calling The Golden Ball and a couple other Chinese restaurants on Christmas Day, I ended up with carry outs from here. It was jammed probably because its the only place open in 20 mile radius. I have been coming here for years. The food is average not at all like my Melisa's of SF. I got the sesame chicken which was lightly breaded and deep fried but was still semi soggy. The veggie stir fry was definitely not crisp or fresh - seemed as if it had a starchy sauce to accompany it. The sweet and sour chix is standard. The best dish is the silver needle noodle chicken---Homemade. Three stars - Two stars for food - One star for being open on Xmas. I was excited for this to be my first Chinese Xmas, fortunately it didn't disappoint, although, it was not as good as my Khmer one.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Ted H.
I have eaten here for nearly 2 decades. Seriously. But I will never come here again. The staff is extremely rude, but the owners are just obnoxious and think customers owe them a favor. Meals come with a small soup, the upsized soup is $1.00 more on the menu. So we ordered 2 upsized soups with our meal expecting to pay $1.00 more. Instead we were charged the full $2.50, ignoring the soup our meal comes with as an upcharge. I asked the waitress, and she deducted it back down to $1.00 more each. We left. A few weeks/month later we came back, and did the same thing. That was when the waitress informed us that the owners made her pay out of her own paycheck the $2.50 because of what she did. I explained that the menu clearly sells the larger bowl for $1.00 more, so the upcharge should be $1.00 given the meals come with the smaller bowl. Nevermind the fact it is a violation of state and federal labor laws to deduct from your employees paycheck such things. Right about then the owner (mean looking lady) came out and started screaming at me and my daughter. I told her that we were overcharged, and she said no. I told her it is illegal to charge her employees for a mistake (which really wasn't a mistake), she told me to mind my own business. I explained to her we have been coming there for 20 years, and will never - ever return.. She said she didn't care, and that she was doing us a favor by serving us anyway.. We left, and it has been nearly 7 months and we will never go back. These people do not deserve to be in business. As for the food? Below average. Standard oversalted, too much MSG American based Asian food.. Nothing special whatsoever. The fried rice is hideous, overcooked, and improperly prepared. The place is a dump that hasn't been remodeled in 50 years. Sanitary conditions are extremely alarming, we were once served a bowl of chips that had hot mustard sprayed down in the middle of them. Meaning another customer had these before us. These people are so cheap they will do anything to cut corners! No free refills on drinks? Really? Chinese places are a dime a dozen, this one can be avoided without missing anything. I really don't understand why we ate there for 20 years with better places all around it. Peking House in Royal Oak is 10 times better, with friendly staff.
(1)Matt S.
I'm not one for writing reviews, but I've seen some scathing reviews for Lim's Palace and they (in my opinion) really do NOT do this establishment justice. Visually, Lim's hasn't updated any decor since they opened in 1973 as it would seem. This is part of the charm of Lim's for my wife and I. When we have a hankerin' for some good (albeit Americanized) Chinese food, we head to Lim's. We only order one thing, a number 25 because it's just delicious (General Tso's Chicken). The presentation is pretty nice, and the food is just outstanding. The broccoli is crisp, green and crunchy, the sauce is sweet and spicy, and the standout (for me) is that the chicken is ALWAYS nice generous chunks of white-meat (none of that grizzly dark meat that you get at many of the take-out joints). We have NEVER had an issue with the service. The staff has always been pleasant, and last night the older woman who served us was very attentive and beyond polite. Good food, fast service, and pretty friendly. If you haven't been, give Lim's a shot!
(4)Ashley H.
We eat here once per year, on Christmas, and that's it. All other days of the year it's just so-so. I'd rather go to China One or Young's before here.
(3)Stephen R.
I have Ben going to Lim's now for the past 5 years after hesitantly giving it a try over five years ago. As other reviewers have mentioned, it is very dated and likely hasn't been updated since it opened in the 70's. That being said, my fiancé and I both find it to be very charming. Regarding the food, it has always been excellent and at a reasonable price. The General Tso's Chicken is my favorite, but other dishes and their egg rolls are outstanding (for Americanized Chinese Food). Everyone I take here has also been equally impressed with the food. Highly recommend giving it a try!
(5)Kim L.
Their food is just ok. I've had carryout a few times from here and it's kind of underwhelming. Tried again yesterday for a family party so it was a large order. Upon returning with everyone's food we discovered that they had not included any of the spring rolls or egg rolls we'd ordered extra. Of course, no one wanted to drive back and get them, so money spent for food not received, plus the people that had ordered them were irritated at not getting their items. They also forgot one of the vegetarian meals, so that left one person eating only rice. I ordered shrimp with black bean sauce and while the sauce flavor was good, it was mostly sauce and hardly any shrimp or vegetables. I was still hungry after eating - which is unusual for me since I'm a light eater. Ate some of someone else's General Tao chicken - the chicken was tough and the broccoli dead. Not a fan, hope I never have to eat their food again.
(2)Sharon L.
We have been getting carryout from Lim's for as long as I can remember. It was always excellent but we haven't been there since 2007. We went there for dinner tonight and we were very disappointed. It definitely isn't as good as it use to be. I always order a Mai Tai to drink and today it tasted like pop. I couldn't even taste the liquor. We had the Chinese fried shrimp dinners and the only thing that was half way good was the shrimp. The wonton soup was watery, the egg rolls tasted like they bought them frozen and the fried rice was awful (over cooked and too much soy sauce). Looks like we will have to find a new Chinese Restaurant. I'm thinking the original owners must have sold the buisiness.
(2)Hope N.
This is bad Chinese food, second attempt, last attempt! I can't seem to find a good Chinese spot in Royal Oak area, we'll keep searching, but won't be back here again, to each his own, some people love this place, we all have different palettes.
(1)Patrick R.
This is crappy Americanized Chinese food at its best. As a child, this was my favorite kind of food. Now that I'm grown up and have far expanded tastes... I still like it (even though I recognize that it is terrible for you) when I'm in the mood. Everything you expect... Thick flavorful sauces, few vegetables, lots of fried. Again, this isn't going to blow you away... And maybe for me it's just a throw back to my youth. But I get my cravings, and I call Lims.
(4)Josephine M.
They have a full bar, but don't order an old fashion. Consistent. Their eggs rolls are with bean sprouts. I've had better crab Rangoon. Their General Tao, Sesame chicken are great.
(3)Heidi P.
I've been going to Lim's since I young...it's still my preferred Chinese restaurant. However, that may be only because I don't like change. Lim's Palace is hit or miss. One visit everything is terrible, but the next visit it's all wonderful and fresh. The good: Silver Needle Noodle, egg rolls and duck sauce, dinner rolls. The bad: pop with no free refills (srsly), wonton soup is mushy, food is good only sometimes. They have minimal staff and when it gets busy, you WILL wait. Actually, it's a long meal regardless whether it's busy or not. And yes, their smoking section used to be inside the main restaurant...not good and probably obsolete since MI now has the no smoking law. Since I'm a creature of habit and don't like change and the place gives me little nostalgic fuzzies when I go, I'll continue to go. I sometimes wonder why though.
(3)Debbie K.
This place has gone downhill. I will not be going back. The staff was rude and the food was horrible. I would not recommend this to anyone.
(1)Matthew D.
Back into the non smoking section and the food is awesome! This place deserves 4 stars, as one of our constant lunch stops. Even though I'm still afraid to ask for the "real" menu =)
(4)Dan L.
I had the Kung Pao chicken. lighting was a bit dark to get pics. portion was big and taste was good. service was ok. they were quite busy Christmas Evening.
(3)Courtney S.
Im so glad I have found a good Chinese food restaurant!!! I visit the Detroit area every week from Cincinnati and since there are no good Chinese restaurants there, I have been on a search to find one here. Thanks to google reviews I saw the key word I was looking for- fresh. In Cincinnati they make a big batch of fried rice for the day and then toss in whatever you order. At Lim's, everything is COOKED TO ORDER and sooooooooo good :) Luckily my hotel was 5 minutes away, but I would seriously travel from Windsor to get this good food :)
(5)Stacey C.
The general tso's chicken is sweet, spicy and stays crispy even after a ten minute ride home. The crab rangoon has little bits ginger and garlic and has a lot of filling compared to other places. The people are friendly and it is reasonably priced and clean.
(4)o o.
After calling The Golden Ball and a couple other Chinese restaurants on Christmas Day, I ended up with carry outs from here. It was jammed probably because its the only place open in 20 mile radius. I have been coming here for years. The food is average not at all like my Melisa's of SF. I got the sesame chicken which was lightly breaded and deep fried but was still semi soggy. The veggie stir fry was definitely not crisp or fresh - seemed as if it had a starchy sauce to accompany it. The sweet and sour chix is standard. The best dish is the silver needle noodle chicken---Homemade. Three stars - Two stars for food - One star for being open on Xmas. I was excited for this to be my first Chinese Xmas, fortunately it didn't disappoint, although, it was not as good as my Khmer one.
(3)