Mandarin Kitchen is located in an older strip mall away from the 494 freeway. Parking is ample which is shared by other stores. Seating was quick and the tea arrives quickly. Potstickers are excellent and generous. Chow Fun with black bean sauce has visible ginger slices so be careful if you are sensitive as I am. Sesame Chicken is not spicy as expected but still very tasty. Overall, a very good traditional meal at this location.

Wow! What a great experience! Took my aunt here for a birthday brunch and she loved it as her first dim sum. We got here super early not knowing what to expect and having seen and heard about the line being long to get in during the morning. However, know that this place has their operations down to a T and as soon as the door opened the entire line was seated within minutes. So it's not going to be as serious as it might seem (though still recommend coming a bit early if you want a guarantee. ) We had 4 of us, we are fairly fit people, and ordered the following: - rice cake - bbq pork - pork chops - steamed shrimp dumplings - egg custard bun - pork rice noodle - pork and chive - fried taro bun - another shrimp dumpling - egg rolls And maybe a few more I can't remember here, for roughly just over $100! For four people I'd say that's a steal! It was such a quick service and they come to your table with trays to offer food (similar to Fogo de Chao if you've been there.) The setting is a bit loud once everyone is let in, and not all the servers project their voice, so you have to really assess the food you're presented with and listen intently- don't be afraid to clarify! The food was super fresh and we walked away feeling stuffed, but not heavy! It was such a great gift to give my aunt and a first for both my aunt and uncle. Once you're finished, bring your table ticket to the front to check out and you're all set! We sit so quickly and service happens so fast that o forgot to take photos! but can promise this is the spot to check out!

This is another restaurant that I'm rather amazed that I've never reviewed. Although I have been to the restaurant for dinner a couple of times, mainly it's the Dim Sum on the weekends that I'm after. The quality and variety of the food is always top notch. I am impressed at the consistency and excellence of their Dim Sum. Pro-tip #1: The restaurant opens at 9:30 am for Dim Sum. If you come at 9:30, you probably will not get seated and you will have to wait until people have finished their meal. The trick is to arrive by 9:00 am and stand in line to get in. The line grows quickly as 9:30 gets near. Also, many people are "holding a place" for others who will arrive closer to 9:30, so you will actually be further from the front of the line than you were originally. Be on line by 9:15 at the latest. Pro-tip #2: Mandarin Kitchen serves their Dim Sum the old fashioned way. So, instead of ordering what you want off a menu, servers push carts of food around the restaurant and briefly display what is inside each steamer pot. If you want a serving, they will give it to you and mark your check, depending upon the price (currently $5.55 to $11.25). Unfortunately, the English skill of the servers usually is limited. They can tell you what something is (the main ingredient), but don't expect a very good description. Also, you only have a little bit of time to decide before they move onto the next table. If possible, come with someone who is familiar with Dim Sum, if Dim Sum is new to you. Don't be intimidated. You will learn from experience! It's worth it. Pro-tip #3: Each cart usually has a variety of different dishes. Don't assume that because the steamer pot is the same from item to item, the contents are the same. They will lift the cover of each pot if you ask. Put away your Minnesota Nice and have them show each variety to you. Ask questions, even though the answers may be challenging to understand. You learn by doing (and eating). Pro-tip #4: As mentioned above, prices vary. They are called "small," "medium," "large, "Special Dishes," and "Premium Dishes." Small, Medium, and Large do NOT refer to the size of the dish, but the PRICE of the dish! Before you go, look at https://mandarinkitchen.co/dimsum (scroll past the FAQ's) to get a sense of which dishes are at each price point (the paper they mark indicates the "size," not the price. Don't be paranoid, it's just the process. Most dishes range from $5.55 to $7.55, but there are some more expensive ones. The dishes are NOT marked as to "size" or price. Pro-tip #5: When you are all done, take your marked check to the cashier at the front. Push past the people waiting for a table and give your paper to the cashier. She will convert the sizes to actual dollars and tell you the total. You can then split that amount however you want with the people you came with. It's best to use cash because they tack on a percent for using a credit card or a debit card. Pro-tip #6: Tea is included in the price, so that's not extra! Also, they automatically add a (mandatory) tip, so you do NOT need to give them more than the amount totaled by the cashier. Based upon my personal experience, it will be about $30 to $50 per person, depending upon how many dishes you get and which dishes you select. You can get boxes for leftovers. Most dishes reheat pretty well.

This is the best Dim Sum place in twin cities. This restaurant is very authentic with a variety of options. The food tastes fresh and yum! The service is amazing! There always are a lot of waiters and waitresses to serve you and explain the dishes to you. They have a lot of tables and their space is huge, but they are always so busy. If you want to get the food right away when they open, you need to get in line about half an hour early. Otherwise, parking lot is crazy and you have to wait for a long time. I wish their waiting system would be better.

This place is the best! I've been going here for years and it's my favorite in the twin cities area. Many restaurants seem to have gone downhill since the pandemic I am happy to report that Mandarin Kitchen has not. It is as delicious as ever!!

Went to this place on a Saturday and it was packed, waited 40 mins but it was hands down worth it. Right when you enter you see the juicy duck bbq and crispy pork belly. The environment of the place is loud and really fast- everyone is moving. Lol. Of course with the people with the silver carts with different food. Everything my cousins and I ate there was amazing, the duck (was AMAZINGGGG), pork belly, congee, the different shumai, chicken feet, pork dumplings , and buns. I almost forgot their TEA! I don't remember what the tea was called but it was really floral and pretty much revived our soul. I wish I took some photos but we were all so busy eating. Most definitely coming back to Mandarin Kitchen when I come back to Minnesota.

From the moment you walk into Mandarin Kitchen, you are met with an amazing aroma, great service and delicious food. By the time we sat down, we were already met with waiters and waitresses bringing us food. Being new to Dim Sum, I wish there was a physical menu because it was difficult to know what exactly I was ordering. However the waiters and waitresses were great at explaining each dish. The food was absolutely amazing. Each food is compact with a variety of delicious flavors. My favorite dish was the egg rolls, which are some of the best egg rolls I've ever had! A great experience and I can't wait to come back again!

I was here with a largish group of 20 people, taking up two of the large round tables. We arrived early enough that we were the first customers of the evening. They were expecting us, and it felt like our group had our own entourage to take care of us. They were kind enough to let us pay individually. Super happy I looked at the menu in advance as it's huge (but nicely organized by type of protein). Luckily I ended up seated next to a gal from Taiwan, who verified the authenticity of the restaurant and said it's her go-to place for Chinese food. My choices were fried dumplings and shrimp with walnuts. I was expecting the dumplings to be wonton size, and was delightfully surprised when six huge dumplings arrived ... nicely fried on the flat side and fluffy soft on the top with a delicious pork filling. The walnut shrimp was sweet and scrumptious with a generous amount of candied walnuts. We also shared white and fried rice family style at each table. The food was great! The service was great! My only critique was how the noise bounces around and makes cross-table conversations difficult. As I left, I stopped to admire the tanks of fresh seafood in the reception area and chat with the super friendly and knowledgeable greeter.

Mandarin Kitchen has been our family's go-to banquet, seafood, and dim sum restaurant for three generations. We came here when my grandparents were around for weekend dim sum get-togethers. We had our groom's dinner here. And to this day, this is one of the only legit standard bearer for Cantonese cuisine in the Twin Cities. Thanks to Debbie and her and her loyal employee-owner staff for bringing and maintaining the old-fashioned Hong Kong banquet level hospitality to the Twin Cities through the decades. This is the remaining dim sum that retain a legit dim sum chef. Most other places serve re-steamed frozen dim sum. So the high prices are a reflection of their commitment to doing dim sum for real as it has been done for millennia. Besides dim sum, we come here for multi-course sit down dinners. If you order seafood for dinner, you get a soup and dessert with your dinner. Dessert is usually a sweet soup like red bean or mung bean. I should add that the only place you can get red bean dessert is here and Mango Mango. And it's not even on the menu. The only way to get it is to have a seafood dinner Oh yes they have the biggest live seafood selection of any restaurant (yes even counting the American seafood places.) You can get the giant lobster, steamed monk fish, eel, and even live king crab when they're available. For late night fare, MK also doubles as a "dai pai dong" or what used to be open-air Hong Kong food vendors that served up noodle soups, congee, and rice plates with BBQ fare. Pictured is wonton and roasted duck egg noodle soup. Be aware none of this stuff is cheap eats as it was in the old country. But if you want the real stuff, MK, Peking Garden, and HK Noodle are the only spots left. If you're into authentic Chinese food, a visit to Mandarin Kitchen is a pilgrimage.