Reviews of Empire Chinese Kitchen (Restaurant)

Angela Piemonte

Love this restaurant! It's worth the wait and price! It's usually pretty busy, so the wait is worth it. And although it's Chinese food, it's a little on the pricey side, but the quality is excellent! It can be loud inside with all the people, and I think there's a rock club upstairs, so their take-out is always a great option!

Jane Croston

O my. I'd been told of a few certain dishes that were not to be missed. We didn't miss much. I dislike

Luke Darr

best food I've had in quite some time

Andrew Mass

love that place. fun. great food

Chad Butts

Excellent place to share small plates. Lots of great menu items to try - duck lo mein, lobster rangoons, garlic green beans... Very good local beer selection. Best to arrive at opening because they don't take reservations.

Holly Auerbacher

GREEN BEANS, I didn't know you could be so delicious! My partner and I have to try the "best" Asian restaurant in every city we visit, it's a tradition for us, and this is where we were told to head. We waited for over an hour for table but we did come prime time Saturday night. Everything we got was wonderful, great service, delicious "Dragon's milk" cocktail. Food comes out as it's ready so there's no coursing but the kitchen is quick and we prefer to share, so it worked for us! Try any of the veggie side/apps and the baos & buns, did not disappoint!

Jason Blanco

Always amazing !!! Recommend go early there is usually a wait.. but I have never had bad service.. The food is always delicious!!

Ryan Barr

This place is amazing! Chances are good you'll have to wait quite a while to get a table, but it's well worth the wait. Highly recommend the wonton soup, and braised beef ramen bowl.

John Banta

Just trust me and eat at this place. The food is Beyound delicious and everyone is a kind.

Joseph Gaudet

Small plates and big waits! Definitely worth putting your name in early and letting them text you when your table is ready. Plenty of places nearby to grab a cocktail while you dream of savory Chinese cuisine. Their vegan options are delightful, and good to share with everyone.

Anthony Lawless

Great atmosphere, good is excellent, prices are more than fair. Make a reservation or go early and sit at the bar

Amanda Harriman

Took my son for his birthday. Smaller venue, but I appreciated the more intimate atmosphere.

thoughfully lost

Absolute gem in Portland and some of the best Chinese food ive ever had, duck buns crazy good.

Sara Fallica

Great atmosphere wonderful food and great service

Benjamin Rothschild

In short, this place has exceptional and unique Chinese food. As a New Yorker I have Chinese food frequently and this place could give some of new yorks best Chinese restaurants a run for their money. Make sure to order the bacon fried rice and the noodles with beef (can't remember the exact name of that dish but it was on the right side of the menu in the middle if that helps)

Jonathan Damon

Great food that comes out fast as it's ready. Amazing green beans and soup dumplings. Will return again!

Mars K

Delicious plates and friendly service

David Brown

The food tastes great. The waitstaff was great too, they worked as a team. It was the best Chinese diner I've had.

Daniel Zajic

Holy cow, this place is amazing. Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. Everything was perfect. I'll be coming here again and again.

Jenna W.

Love this place! I've gone here a handful of times and each time my experience is great. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food is always spectacular.

Julie's bites

Winter 2018: Empire does not take reservations for small parties, and there is always a long wait. We came at 4:30 pm and were seated a little after 5:30 pm. Food and service were good. We ordered 4 dumpling,2 small plates, and 1 large plate. So many things sounded good, but that was too much food and we took a lot home. Summer 2018:Empire serves dim sum all day long. We arrived here around 2:20pm and despite the fairly late time for lunch this place was packed. We were sitted fairly quickly. I liked the dim sum here better then in Boston's Chinatown which I do fairly often. The food is made to ordered, delivered to the table steaming hot and delicious. The Peking duck steam bun is to die for. It is just the right amount of duck and bun (it is not a typical large bun).

Leo Egger

So amazing. Food, service, everything.

Cassandra Matthews

May be the best Asian food I have ever had. The service was great

Mark Babcock

Wait was 1+ hour, however the good was excellent.

Sam Reid

The food was absolutely phenomenal. It's a family experience, for sure, and a firm favorite of ours now. The Char Siu Buns are to die for!!

Jesse Clanton

The food was fine but the service was absolutely terrible. Orders were forgotten. Food took an incredibly long time to be prepared. It really is a shame, I would return if not for the long wait for food and bad service.

Renee Green

You taste every single delicious flavor throughout every dish, and feel pleasantly full!! My boyfriend and I travel from manchester, nh just to eat their amazing food.

Alexander Blackstone

Amazing food, seriously go here! They bring plates out as they're ready which is fun and better then letting half the food get cold waiting. This seemed to bring about confusion as two plates we didn't order were dropped off and the server was on their way before we could tell them it wasn't our food.

Last Goliath

This place is quite good. Premium Chinese food with a fitting price point. The best time to go is around 4pm just before the dinner rush (and oh boy is it ever a rush). If you go at a more normal time you may be waiting for quite some time. Their bao dumplings are extremely tasty, the best I've had in Portland. The teriyaki chicken I got was a bit too sweet for me, but still very good.

James King

A friend with serious taste told us that Empire was his favorite in Portland. We had the shrimp, orange beef and green beans. Epic!!

Lauren Maziarz

The atmosphere was great, service was excellent, and the food was phenomenal! We had ramen, lobster rangoons, and a couple different types of dumplings. Everything came out of the kitchen hit and fresh. So yummy! We loved sharing and trying different things. We’ll definitely be back!

Nicole Pare

Food was fantastic! We had lobster rangoons, pork potstickers and bacon fried rice. Every bite was delicious, and our service was amazing as well!

Francisco Santana

The food here is amazing but last time I was here I overheard employees complaining about the tips on multiple occasions.

Ryan Seely

Food and service were both fantastic!

Candace Poirier

Great service! Awesome bao. So fun.

Tati C

It will be insanely busy whenever you go, but go you must! What sets Empire apart from most other Chinese food experiences is the quality of ingredients and a lightness in preparation that avoids the common pitfalls of less mindful Chinese cuisine-- overly sweet, salty, MSG-y sauces and flavors. Here you will find nothing of the sort! Every sauce, every flavor is just the perfect balance. Things you MUST try: •Char Soul Bao •Chinese Eggplant •Hot and Sour Soup •Garlic Green beans •Beef and Broad Noodle •Lobster Dumplings •Orange Beef Grab one of their fun cocktails, order 5 or 6 plates, and get ready to share an incredible meal with a friend in the best Chinese spot in Maine!

Mike Anderson

Amazing food and delightful service. Mongolian beef dish and Book Choy app. were amazing. Seated 10 of us with a hour or so notice to fit it in very gracefully

Cynthia Edmonds

Busy, casual, family style Chinese small plates. Sooooooo delicious! The food comes out as it's finished and you can keep ordering as you go. Perfect with a small group. Our table of four tried 6 different dishes and all were fantastic. Definitely recommend.

G M

Excellent noodles in a cozy spot. We went for the beef&broad and kale noodles, which sound very different, but they tasted oddly similar. The garlic green beans were a tasty side. Didn't need to be as expensive as it was, though. The noodle prices hovered around $15 and appointed themselves "sized to share." I'd say that's true for 2 not-so-hungry people.

John B.

Simply suberb Chinese food. Some of the best I've ever had

Brittny Asper

Such a great place to get a few small things or even a full entree. The quality of food is out of this world and the drinks are great. Super friendly and welcoming staff and over an excellent experience. Fantastic little date night place!! Will be coming back again and again!

Megan Angis

My favorite restaurant in Portland. The vibes is fun and the food is ALWAYS amazing! My husband and I had dinner there last week and our server, Trish, was absolutely fantastic!

Autumn Edwards

Food was great. The wonton soup is the best I've ever had. I also recommend the lobster Rangoon, bacon fried rice and spicy pork belly buns. The specialty cocktails left much to be desired.

Kit Hoff

Absolutely the BEST Chinese food I've EVER had. Peking duck buns are soft and tender and crunchy and delicious. Fried rice was perfect, shrimp dumplings were amazing. My daughter and niece ate every bite of their food.

bonnie clariot

Really good food usually, although I got the Duck lo mein and there were not slices of duck, I got mostly duck skin which was really dissapointing

Roxy LaFrance

Nice event space. Small venue, standing room only, everyone has a good view, full bar. Not handicapped accessible. They allow you to go outside and re-enter during events.

Elise Malvicini

By far the best Chinese food (and food in general) that I have had in a while. Had the Braised Beef Ramen and Char Siu Bao. Would get both again without a doubt. Although a little pricey, absolutely worth it. Our waitress was the best, both funny and helpful. The atmosphere was chill and hipster-y, with lots of cool decor and plants making it very lively. Seriously contemplating driving all the way back to Portland just for this restaurant.

Traci Ferguson

Awesome shrimp app. And great drinks

James Ganley

Great food and awesome service. Can be busy.

Jade Adele

The wait was an hour and 15 minutes, but that's great time to walk around and explore the rest of nearby areas of Portland! The wait is so worth it. Then food is acclectic and amazing! Highly recommend for a night out in Portland.

Joseph Collura

Had a great meal here - they handle gluten free very well, homemade noodles were great as were the dumplings. Very satisfied.

Ron Scammon

Food here was phenomenal!

Bob Leger

The food was good but not great. The service was below average. Overall, the experience did not live up to the hype.

Corey Laplante

Arguably one of Portlands best places for lunch! We eat here on the regular! The food is very fresh, creative and locally sourced! we love everything about this place, the wait is well worth it!

kenneth hirsch

Great for dim sum and ramen bowls. We had Peking duck buns, soup dumplings, lobster dumplings and a szechuan ramen bowl (shared). All excellent, especially the lobster dumplings. With a draft IPA, life is good. Caution: you will wait.

Joel Moceri

Phenomenal experience from start to finish! We are here on our honeymoon from PA, and this was easily the stand-out amongst so many others! Our waitress, Trish, was exceptional, from her recommendations to an authentic, engaging service. Don’t miss out on this gem!

sandra morris

Delicious and great service!!

Ben Handler

Excellent inspired Chinese food with a unique twist. The hand-crafted drinks are delicious. The Garlic Green Beans are a fan-favorite and one of many phenomenal dishes to split with two or a group.

Danielle Bernier

Everything was fabulous. We did a share of 4 items- Sauteed eggplant (amazing) , spinach dumplings (melt in your mouth), ginger fried rice (very tasty) and vegetable fried spring rolls with dipping sauce. We loved everything we ate and left satisfied. Expect a bit of a wait but it was worth it. Next time I go I am getting the flamingo drink, I saw it made multiple times and it looked so tasty! Service was pretty good considering how busy they were albeit we ate at bar to get that food faster! ;)

Frank M

Excellent food. Great service.

B W

Yes, worth the hype plus a really fun place (& late night food option)

Paul Cote

Always fantastic food and great service

Francisco Perdomo

Delicious. High standards with sumptuous dishes.

Angel Morales

A culinary highlite of our time in Portland. Seriously. Put the lobster down and go have some outstanding Asian cuisine. The orange beef was truly amazing. The ramen was also incredible. Want a special different? Baby Bok Choy - awesome. Sake selection wasn't incredibly deep, but diverse enough to satisfy.

Elvis C

I'm from Maine born and brought up and this was my first time. We had a bit of a wait which is expected for a Saturday night at 5 in the Old Port. But they take your name and will text you several minutes before your table is ready. So we went to have a drink at Dogfish Cafe and sat on the nearly roof top patio which is a great spot! Went back to empire and had an amazing meal. I got the Teriyaki Chicken and my friend got the Kung Pao Chicken and we shared the Spring Rolls and the Steamed Pork Dumplings to start off with. The service was great and everyone was polite and friendly! The whole experience was outstanding!!

Peter Salem

Must stop in Portland for vegans and non vegans alike - amazing selection of finely crafted Asian dishes that are the perfect level of filling without being too heavy. Reasonable prices for a restaurant that encourages sharing smaller plates, a great value for the quality. Very colorful and enjoyable decor aesthetic, as well, even if the A/C could have been a littleee stronger on a hot day.

Elizabeth Kordek

Great food, and they are very helpful with unusual allergies Many vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options, and the best wonton soup I have ever had, and the pastrami rolls are a treat you won't find anywhere else

Thomas LaNigra

Food is fantastic! Ginger rice is amazing. Favorite Chinese food place.

Sonny howell

Great food and inventive cocktails. Service is always quick and attentive. Looking forward to coming back soon.

Mike Nguyen

It good food

Libin T L

Good food and neat place

Matt Glennie

Excellent food and friendly knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere.

John Osterman

Empire is definitely one of the best restaurants in Portland. Asian fusion. All meals come out as they are finished, so you get a steady stream of smaller things to eat while you are there. The flavors are incredible! Empire Egg Roll has salami, a definite must, along with the green beans. Staff is always fun, and it is a welcoming, child friendly atmosphere. Do not miss this place on a trip to Portland!

Ty Schlegel

Great cocktails, cool atmosphere and the food was absolutely delicious. Long wait for a table but the bar has a full dinner menu.

Deb Webster

Amazing food. Chinese with a twist.

Rob O'Brian

Excellent food in a small plate format. Something for everyone.

sam tarbox

Good food and service. I was also impressed that they Urban Farm Fermentory, Blueberry Cider (ah) on tap. Recommend calling ahead to reserve a table.

Susan Roth

Read a recent review and felt I had to try it given that I've been searching for dim sum since moving to Maine last year. Place was packed on a Sunday night, so be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Dim Sum was very good--hargow, pot stickers, shu mai. Bacon fried rice is worth trying as are several of the main dishes--Mongolian beef and jalapeño shrimp are two. We were all a little disappointed by the teriyaki chicken. But no matter, it got eaten. Our waitress Katie was on it and provided great service. My only complaint, the woman at the reservation desk had an edge. Granted she was inundated for a time, but really there is no reason why she shouldn't have been pleasant. She told some people the wait was an hour when in fact she seated them 10 minutes later. Many set tables sat empty, and quite a few people were so put off by her tone, they just walked out.

Rich C

More mid-century Macau or Hong Kong than your typical Chinese food place. Offers a unique spin on the classics but great nonetheless. Great place with a great vibe.

Elizabeth Waters

Try the kale & house made noodles. The lobster rangoon will change your life. Busy spot but worth a 30 minute wait.

Kirk Fretwell

With fresh twists on the classics (lobster fried rice), and great execution on all the dishes we had, eating here was a pleasure and a good value for your dollar. Playful/casual decor. Give your name and cell to the hostess, so you can browse the shops along the street if there's a wait. Parking next door is pricey! Search around for other options.

Tyler Couture

Went here for live music, was not disappointed.

Angela Feroze

GREAT food AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL SERVICE. Bartender is just horrible. I ordered edamame buns she ordered the incorrect ones with PORK. I’m MUSLIM I DONT EAT PORK. She argued. My apps, meal, meal to go was not coordinated well. My meal to go cans before my actual meal. Bartender was more interested in the hippie dude with a man bun next to me vs actually being a bartender. What a shame!!!

Daniel Cook

Wonderful dim sum (no carts, just order off the menu). Great vegan fried rice.

H Bowser

The. Best. Evah.....

Justin Foster

Only 5 starts because 6 is not available. Amazing take on great classic and modern dishes. Go hungry, expect to share plates and try everything

Knarf Zednelem

This place has great servers and service. I just feel like their Chinese food is overrated. The food we had here was ok, but it's not the best Chinese food. They also gave you small portions and it was expensive.

Sergey P

Man-o-man! This is my kind of Chinese restaurant, delicious, with great variety, wish I had it nearby. Highly recommend!

Clayton Carter

It’s a person who regularly eats what they hunt and fish for, I was a little skeptical of this this restaurant due to all the focus on vegan options. I had the XO Lobster Fried Rice. Not only was it delicious, the portion size was generous. Also, our waitress, Trish, was possibly the greatest waitress of all time. Make sure you ask to sit in her section.

Amanda Davidowitz

Lived up to the hype for me! I would recommend arriving really early on a weekend (like in late afternoon) to put your name on the list, so you don't end up eating dinner at like 9 or 10pm. I really enjoyed this place as a vegetarian - I thought the veg items were delicious and creative.

Mikefire Sixnined

The food and staff are amazing

Sam Jones

We got a ton of different dishes to share between 3 people and it was perfect! Service was great, drinks were great! Somewhat pricey, but not too bad.

Jon Mailman

Wow really good food.

Stephen Collins

Wow this place rocks. Love that there are so many vegan options and everything looked delicious. Long waits but seats at the bar are easier to come by. The veggie ramen medium spice was on point. A must visit restaurant in downtown Portland.

Stephanie Thomson

I will be back. There are lots of chinese places. Come to this one. Beautiful service and amazing food!

labby Jane

Shared plates, delicious .

Nikola Belskis

Overall it gets an 8/10. When we arrived at 1:30 on Saturday we were told there was a 40-50 min wait. We walked around while we waited. We Ordered the Lobster Rangoon, Korean pork, pork pot stickers, and Szechuan Ramen bowl. The food delicious and reasonably priced. Service was mediocre, with minimally friendly servers who were less than attentive. The atmosphere is a mixture of high end/ cheap old small town Asian restaurant. The building was clean and well lit. I will be back.

Robert Gaida

Ridiculously good Kung Pao with noodles. The guy waiting on the table next to mine is running for mayor. The young woman waiting on me just plain pulled up a chair from the next table so we could collaborate on my order. So, great vibe, great food ... just great in general.

Emily Barrett

Love this place! We go out of our way every year to make sure we get to stop for lunch. Highly recommend the soup dumplings, baby bok choy and kale & noodles.

Jessica Duffy

Food is amazing and comes out as it is ready. Great experience for friends or business associates.

Chris Deluca

Best upscale Chinese I’ve ever had. Great place to try new dishes that give you the ability to share

Jeremiah

Delicious food, great menu. Empire is always busy. The wait is worth it, but plan on stopping in to put your name on the list, then get a cocktail elsewhere while you wait. There are no reservations, and the bar is first come first served.

Corvus Group LLC

Wonderful- better everytime - but bacon fried rice is always the best- server Sam Girl was outstanding! A+

eric warren

Great food and the prices are reason Seating is cramped, but worth it.

Spooky Zukey

5 STARS... Best egg roll east of the Mississippi - I may add the wonton soup did taste like wet dog though.

Emily Belanger

The food was delicious, and as busy as they were, our waiter was super chipper.

Maria Kent

This place is amazing! They have gray food and the waitress we had was very knowledgeable! She was extremely helpful in recommending orders. Everything we had was delicious!

Mark Gallagher

Wasnt your average Chinese menu. Be sure to check the menu online before going. My wife and I ended up leaving without ordering anything because neither of us could find anything we would have liked.

Val Slobodyan

Tasty food and hospitable staff

Sheila Rivera

I had a very unpleasant visit. First everything was great , good service excellent food but without even finished my food they gave me the check. I founded very rude to gave me the check without even asking me if I wanted another thing. I was having a great time with my daughter and I was about to order more stuff when they just drop the check. I understand that there were people waiting but I waited one hour to be sitting down. Very disappointed!!!!

Ian Cravatt

High End Chinese food that's well worth the price. I mean bacon fried rice. Need I say more.

Michael C

Absolutely delicious! Everything was exceptional! I’m not even going to drone on about it because it was just awesome. You will not be disappointed!!!!

Andrew Lynn

This is a great restaurant. The wonton and hot & sour soups are the best I’ve ever had. The bacon fried rice is flavorful and light, not at all greasy. The roast pork with honey hoisin sauce alone is worth the trip. With well executed classics (very tasty duck buns with crispy skin), local twists (pastrami egg rolls, lobster dumplings) and vegetarian and gluten free options there’s something for everybody.

Myles LaBonte

Love this place. Great food and entertainment!

Amanda Kimball

Currently my favorite restaurant in Portland. Food is always amazing. Great service. It's best to come during nonpeak hours or you will be waiting a while for a table. Great vegan and gluten free options.

Graham Norton

I've never had better food.

Sam Agretfethr

Recommend the braised beef ramen bowl, so pleasant

Troy Daly

Empire is an awesome Chinese restaurant It has a cool, casual atmosphere and excellent food and cocktails. Sophie was a great bartender. I definitely recommend Empire!

Dion Brown

I feel horrible writing a bad review to a place I really enjoy but today the service I received was absolutely disgusting. Apparently if you go in alone you're not allowed to choose a booth to sit in without being treated like absolute trash. I didn't know there was a policy in place like that. I made a small request to sit in a booth as the place was almost empty but the hostess didn't like that. To the point of making me feel uncomfortable I had to leave. Food is great, I recommended takeout so you don't have to deal with staff like that. 5 stars for food. Which sadly I didn't get today.

Brad Bogus

Holy hell is this amazing Chinese food. Didn't expect it. Don't know why. It had great reviews but that hardly is a definitive indicator. The hot and sour soup is one of the best in the nation, and also vegan and gluten free! Highly recommend.

Philip True

Fantastic food and happy wait staff. The bacon fried rice was perfect and the pork dumplings with soup was amazing. You will not be disappointed

Marybeth Noonan

SO delicious and great prices!!! It's hard to find a place in Portland that has amazing food, good portion sizes, a nice atmosphere AND isn't over priced. Empire has it all! I highly recommend.

Patrick Robinson

Szechuan bowl was amazing!

Aaron Sin

Authentic Cantonese food, authentic white people prices. Great food, drinks, and service. You get what you pay for here.

Trevor Geiger

Love this place so much! Their arrival in Portland nearly 6 years ago set a new (high) bar for Chinese food in Maine and left everyone else scrambling to catch up. Fresh & local ingredients. Great recipes. I recommend the Garlic Green Beans and Har Gow dumplings :)

F. Valle

Best Chinese place ever. Great vegetarian options. The green beans is a must have. I have been here multiple times and every single thing was amazing. Don’t forget to grab some guava candy on your way out, they are really good. The place is super cute and extremely popular. So if you plan to go on the weekend during lunch and dinner get ready to wait in line. Or try to get a table at the bar where you can also have food. I always try to do a late lunch and go during weekdays so I do have to wait.

Christopher Weis

Chinese food done right when you want a cozy atmosphere and a modern twist. They serve as it comes out of the kitchen offering a long but engaging experience with friends and family that you will remember! Definitely check this place out for great Chinese food!

Ben G

Server was short tempered. Original plates has old food all over them. The vegan dumplings tasted like frozen vegetables and spinach that just got reheated. Lacked flavor. Only thing that was good was the ginger rice. Really disappointing. Didn’t even take pictures. Server killed our mood after she gave us attitude about the dirty plates.

Sharon Lee

We stopped here by chance. It is not your usual Chinese restaurant. It's small, and when my husband and I were there, crowded, though we were late for lunch and early for dinner. We chose things to split off of the menu -- steamed pork rolls, steamed dumplings, garlic green beans, house-made broad noodles. Everything was terrific, our server was patient and good-natured. If we lived in Portland, I can see it becoming one of my go-to places.

Ellen Thomas

Amazing gluten free options! Best lobster dumplings I've ever had. Reservation reccomended during peak service hours. 10/10 will enjoy again.

Laura Cabot

Loved the gin fueled "Dragon Milk" and were comfortably seated for apps until a table became available. The biggest dilemma is what to order. All the dumplings are top notch

Davian Akers

High energy place with really great food. The service is great too

Kuroi Heiwa

Good fried rice, waiters were pretty cool

Jennifer Day

Always a great experience. Dishes are consistently prepared with quality ingredients and flavors that are not over complicated. I recommend an order of every type of buns, garlic green beans & kale noodles for the table to share. If you still have room, duck lo mein lobster fried rice for the win.

Bruce Fisher

Food was out of this world great, server was very helpful and fast, gave excellent food suggestions , the restaurant has great atmosphere and each item we ate was better than the next, YUMMY!!!!

Scott Payson

Not the only dim sum in town, just the best. Our party of five ordered and shared 12-15 different dishes. The bacon fried rice is amazing, but other favorites were Shanghai soup dumplings, pork dumplings, walnut shrimp, pork belly buns, Kung pao chicken, beef and broad noodles, kale and noodles, and pork pot stickers. Great food, super reasonably priced and a full bar (it was lunch so we didn't partake but the house-made lemonade was excellent).

Kaitlyn Myers

I would never recommend this location. My husband and I were attending a nearby show and made 5:00 pm reservations through Open Table more than two weeks beforehand. We got a call about four hours before our reservation date/time that they do not honor Open Table reservations. Umm, what - then why are you on there? Not only that, but they would not make us a new reservation either, because they require you to be a party of 4 or 6 people. What?? They did not bother contacting us for the two weeks we held that reservation until just a few hours before which meant we had very little time to try and re-group so that we did not miss our show. Management was rude and unhelpful during the call and offered no solution but to come and wait for a table and hopefully we'd make our show. No thanks.

Evan Linger

Always busy because it’s always good. If you want a table for dinner make reservations. If you don’t mind sitting at the bar you’re in for a great meal and great cocktails. They have a few vegan options which are all amazing and a few more of the dishes can be made vegan upon request. I’ve been here close to twenty times and it’s always a perfect experience.

lisa melo

Outstanding as usual. The egg rolls, the garlic green beans, and the bacon fried rice are just some of the things that are right on point!

Jared Hall

Good experience overall. Funky vibe inside and attentive service. Empire's dishes strike a nice balance between authentic and accessible. We enjoyed what we ordered, particularly the pork and shao mai. The eggplant was ok, albeit sweeter/gloopier than yuxiang qiezi as you'd find it in China. Only real complaint was that the rice was oddly undercooked.

Limes Lemons

Holy cow the pastrami egg roll is great. Chicken teriyaki was spiced incredibly well and was the best I've ever had! Great mixed drink too! Will try a different one next time, their recipe was so spot on with this one.

T B

We tried this place spontaneously, and were impressed. The steamed dumplings were fantastic. We tried several varieties. Sadly, they were out of the soup dumplings. Otherwise, this would likely be a 5 star review. I will return when I'm in Portland again, because I NEED good soup dumplings! Update: I was back recently, and soup dumplings were available - not as good as what I've had in Manhattan, but good enough for me to give them a 5th star (even though our bartender appeared to be in a bad mood, and was a bit short with customers - that should be addressed).

Stephen Taylor

Great service, great drinks, and really great food. The vibe and decor were also cool.

Madison Sage

Love this place! Best Chinese in Portland. I might be partial since my mom’s from Hong Kong and the food is Cantonese style. But also tasty is tasty I think.

Wendy Zenor

The food was so delicious, such flavor.

Shawn Wu

This was a great restaurant. The food was great and the service was great. They never made the food too sweet or too salty. The dumplings were cooked just right.

Brett Barlow

Great service. Bacon fried rice, baby bok choy (due to the sauce), and the Peking duck buns were the standouts but all excellent.

Allen Small

Some of the best Chinese around. Boneless ribs and Mai Thais are fantastic.

Peter Anderson

Great food, long wait for a table.

Allison Scott

Food is great but don’t tell me to be here by 5pm and make me wait until 6:30pm to get seated. What’s the point of a reservation. Extremely annoyed.

Daniel Milbrandt

Great Food, Great Service, Great Drinks! A bit of a wait - so put your name in and hit up the bar there or a place close by while you wait for your delicious foods. Pro Tip - They send things shotgun style - so as soon as they are done - they are dropped on your table.

cody ballweber

Get there early to get into a waiting list but the food is always worth the wait.

Justin Knowles

Busy.. but worth it. Portland is bustling , it's to be expected. But that Salt Cod rice... Dang. Ask for the chili paste.

James Smith

This is a great Dim Sum place! The atmosphere in nice, and I love that they use 21st century technology for reservations so we can leave and walk down the street for coffee or something and not worry about losing our spot because we're not camped out in a breezeway waiting for our name to be called. The food was all top notch, between the 4 of us I think we ordered 10 items and all 10 were phenomenal. The Bao and Ramen were standouts, as were the dumplings, Wonton soup, and Kung Pao chicken. They use duck broth for the Ramen, which really helps give it that full-boded, slightly greasy taste and feel that I think proper Ramen should have. In just one trip this became out default restaurant when we visit Portland!

Fredrick Drake

By far the best Chinese food in Portland. There is a variety of items to suit any taste. Seating is comfortable with a separate bar area. Wait staff is courteous and attentive. My wife has had a few of their cocktails and always enjoyed them. I wouldn't hesitate to bring anyone here.

Casey Smith

You will not find better customer service in all of Portland then you will here. I am not a big Chinese food fan but the food here is always well done. The atmosphere and accommodations are and have always been top notch. It is a bit pricier than other places but it is well worth the money.

Nicole Johnson

Fantastic food. We enjoyed Jalapeno shrimp, Teriyaki Chicken, Lobster Ragoons and spring rolls. My daughter had Braised beef ramen noodles. The lobster ragoons were a hit, so we order another. Staff were friendly and made the kids a shirley temple. Wait was about 10min and bustling until close.