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Empress Pavilion in Los Angeles is a three star Chinese restaurant. Located in the Chinatown neighborhood, this restaurant is very affordable. It's known for its dim sum. When you step inside the restaurant, you'll notice an elegant atmosphere. This restaurant features private rooms and breakfast. This restaurant is good for groups. Diners found the food good.
In this cavernous banquet hall, a fleet of black-tie servers look after every table with eyes like hawks. Though they will readily offer thoughtful recommendations, they may steer ardent diners away from...
citysearch.com - expert review - 10/14/2004
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Janna rates it at 5. Jack rates it at 4.5. YUMMY
yelp.com - user review - 09/27/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Empress Pavilion (EP) used to be one of best dim sum restaurant in the Los Angeles area. Lines were long on the weekend, and the parking was difficult to find. but, the food was worth the wait. Not any…
yelp.com - user review - 09/20/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Yes, it was hard to get their attention, but the food was great. This is definitely the best place for dim-sum. You can't never be too shy to call them over to your table. They sometimes linger in one…
yelp.com - user review - 09/12/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Wow, I hadn't been here in 11 years, since before my first daughter was born. Yesterday I came here with my wife and a good friend. I had resisted going here because previously the only time I had…
yelp.com - user review - 09/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
IMO, this is the best dim sum place in LA and I'm chinese. Empress Pavillion is the "must go" place for all my friends in and out of town.
yelp.com - user review - 09/03/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a great place for dim sum. I've been here twice now and am a big fan. I don't know what anything I ordered is called, I just know that most of it was delicious and I've had just about all of…
yelp.com - user review - 09/02/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
drum roll please....3 stars! our menu..
yelp.com - user review - 09/01/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! It has become a family tradition to eat here, and I am always so excited when we go....
yelp.com - user review - 09/01/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This rating is for Dim Sum only as I have not eaten in the restaurant except for Dim Sum. My grandfather insists this is the best Dim Sum around; that it has the most authentic taste of the Dim Sum he…
yelp.com - user review - 08/31/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I only actually made it halfway through the meal (doing dim sum). The service was so laughlingly and shockingly bad that our entire party of 8 walked out halfway through the meal. I'm never ever going…
yelp.com - user review - 08/31/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
as i have stated in one of my earlier reviews, i have somewhat boycotted eating at any asian restaurants in chinatown. i do all my asian dining a few miles east of chinatown in the san gabriel area.…
yelp.com - user review - 08/27/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
4 stars for the shrimp with candied walnuts tried the dim sum on a weekend
yelp.com - user review - 08/27/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I gave it a try. Maybe if I would have been seated next to the window and therefore near the place where the carts enter the floor, I might have eaten more than 3 dishes in 30 minutes. As it was, I…
yelp.com - user review - 08/14/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
The times I've been here have been underwhelming experiences. The dim sum tastes alright but looks shabby and doesn't hold together. The hargow falls apart before it hits your mouth. The last time we…
yelp.com - user review - 08/14/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This is in Chinatown. I have yet to have good dim sum in Chinatown. It's always extremely packed but if you drive 10 mins down towards San Gabriel Valley you get extremely good dim sum!!! Sooo close…
yelp.com - user review - 08/12/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A very reliable dim sum standby if youre in chinatown. Their custards are excellent, the tsong fun is great with lots of fillings of either beef, chicken or shrimp. The Lo bo gao is great (turnip…
yelp.com - user review - 08/05/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
YUMMY!!! I love coming to Empress Pavilion for dim sum! I will drive an hour for good dim sum...so worth it! I usually order the steamed chicken feet (fung tsow), steamed pork ribs (see jup pai…
yelp.com - user review - 07/23/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I grew up with Empress Pavilion, but unfortunately the quality and price you pay for is just getting worse and worse. I remember that just one year back, there would be a long wait time just to grab a…
yelp.com - user review - 07/20/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Hate. The only thing good about this place is there's a parking structure attached and it's easy to get to.
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Dim sum! I love it! And Empress Pavilion is great! I think as long as you go at the half hour during the afternoon rush or after 1pm or whatever, you're fine. I went there at 11:30 and there were a…
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I can't compare EP to places in Monterey Park like the others on this review board -- and in all seriousness, I bow to you all and your expertise -- but I must say that for a decent Chinatown…
yelp.com - user review - 07/14/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
solid yum cha for those of us who: - don't want to venture all the way out to the MPK
yelp.com - user review - 07/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
WONDERFUL DIM SUM!!! Convenient to Downtown LA if you live/work there, fast service (particularly if you go at 1pm instead of 12 noon), wonderful food, great for big groups because there is more to…
yelp.com - user review - 07/12/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I haven't been to China Town for a long time. Today I went here for some Dim Sum. It was crowded like most Dim Sum places but the crowd here mostly consisted of people on vacation from out of state.…
yelp.com - user review - 07/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The best Dim Sum in LA. I have been to most others... even in Monterey Park, Alhambra, etc and have found the flavors here to be better. The best rice noodle w/shrimp or fish, etc. Incredible scallop…
yelp.com - user review - 07/06/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Tripe, shrimp and chicken feet are my favorite dishes here. You'll get great dim sum and will be pleasantly surprised when you get the check, thinking to yourself, "That's all?" They serve dim sum on…
yelp.com - user review - 07/06/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Well it's not outright BAD or anything, but there is really nothing to recommend it either. Plain old mediocre food... I can only imagine it still draws crowds because people living in LA take their…
yelp.com - user review - 07/03/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I really like this place. The food may not be thee best Dim Sum around but it is good and it's a great place to go with a larger group especially for the price. I've been to nicer ones and ones with…
yelp.com - user review - 06/30/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I've been going here since I was little. . .like elementary school little. My mom said they had the best dimsum than anywhere else. And yeah, it sure was the best (see the "WAS" PAST TENSE there?)…
yelp.com - user review - 06/26/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
If you want to eat dim sum in LA Chinatown, this place is the one to go. LIke everyone said, if you want better everything, go further east.
yelp.com - user review - 06/20/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place is not great, but OK. Probably one of the last busy dim-sum restaurants in Chinatown. The service is typical for a Chinese restaurant. Food quality is served pretty hot because of the high…
yelp.com - user review - 06/11/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I had to give this place 4 stars since all of you are making this place average at a 2.5 stars (gotta help keep them in business) Their food is good, what are you guys taking about?!?!?! it's authentic…
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place has 2.5 stars?? Every now and then, my mom's best friend and her family takes me out to get Chinese food since they know I don't really have access to that stuff on my own (they are the…
yelp.com - user review - 06/08/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Solid dim sum for being downtown, but take the extra 15 minutes to go to Alhambra. I would consider this spot as good for dim sum. We went on a Saturday morning, and we didn't have to wait at all.…
yelp.com - user review - 05/28/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I went to have dim sum on Saturday and got there at about 2:45. Dim sum was only from 11am to 3pm so I understand that it was probably not as fresh as it might usually be. What I did have was good…
yelp.com - user review - 05/19/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Boo! I love dimsum, but not so much the dimsum here at the Empress Pavillion! I went there yesterday with a bunch of friends and the first dumpling I bit into had hair in it!! *gross* The only…
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I was pretty disappointed by my visit here. The carts didn't roll down our aisle at all. We had to flag a waiter down to "special order" the stuff we wanted. On the bright side, he was really good…
yelp.com - user review - 04/25/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Dim sum is an exciting because you can make going to dim sum an event all on its own with all of the wait staff hustling carts around to show off their pork baos or shrimp dumplings or chicken feet,…
yelp.com - user review - 04/23/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Compared to CBS Seafood on the other side of Chinatown, this place is a palace....but the odd thing is everytime I come here, I usually sit in the same place, near the main entrance. They have a…
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
My coworkers took me here today for a late birthday outing. It was a nice spot, didn't really feel like I was in Chinatown.
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i've been here for an event, when i worked with some chinese people. i had never had a 10 course chinese meal, so i enjoyed it. except when i started choking on my rice at the end of the meal. they…
yelp.com - user review - 04/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Went there last night for a bar association dinner. I usually go for dim sum, which can be good or bad, but was itching to try out dinner. 10 course meal people! Here's what we had:
yelp.com - user review - 03/29/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I was there this morning. They had excellent prices, but the food is average to good depending on the dishes you get. We mostly got a few dim sum dishes. The white ones with shrimp inside are the…
yelp.com - user review - 03/29/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
not worth it, go to 888 in san gabriel, worth the drive
yelp.com - user review - 03/21/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Let me just start off by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of dim sum (OK, commence stone-throwing....now) pair that with the mediocre food, cheap decor, and lazy service and you have my latest trip…
yelp.com - user review - 03/20/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Good food, fair price. Although they were having a banquet in the main hall when we went, the staff was nice enough to still accommodate us. They made their two banquet halls available to those that…
yelp.com - user review - 03/13/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Dim Sum, some better than others. I've had better Dim Sum. The good thing about EP is that unlike other places I've gone that run out of the more popular items, this place had plenty and kept it…
yelp.com - user review - 03/12/2008
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Just went here for the first time for dim sum. Their shu mai is all time...
urbanspoon.com - user review - 03/11/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I just moved from Boston, where there was pretty good dim sum. This place, although was extremely busy, had only mediocre food. There seemed to be a huge difference depending on where you are seated…
yelp.com - user review - 03/10/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
EP is a good restaurant. It is used regularly for our organization's events. Great variety of dim sum, and they offer a solid 7 course meal.
yelp.com - user review - 03/07/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Food - 3.5 (for dim sum only, as I've never been here for any other meals) Service - 3
yelp.com - user review - 03/07/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
So I decided to take a 2 hour lunch break and go with some friends to Empress Pavilion in Chinatown. This was upon the recommendation of a co-worker and also my other friend who has been there…
yelp.com - user review - 03/05/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
There is better dim sum at other places like Monterey Park but this is Chinatown. It probably is what out-of-town guest would envision a Chinatown should look. You can start your day here and roam…
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
My buddy and I had a hankering for dim sum today after church so we decided to drive to Chinatown coming from the valley. I was trying to look up various dim sum eateries in Chinatown on my mobile…
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2008
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OK, everyone complains about the service. I don't get it. We got a table on a Saturday afternoon dim sum service in about 10 minutes. We sat down and within minutes we were offered so many different delightful...
citysearch.com - user review - 03/01/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
This place SUCKS BALLS... not the sesame kind.. I mean the CHICKEN, COW and PIG kind! Seriously! Like there are 6,098,467 tables and only (literally) 5 carts going around for dim sum.
yelp.com - user review - 02/28/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Things to remember when visiting the Palace: 1. Do not make eye contact with the jello ladies. They will attack you.
yelp.com - user review - 02/19/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Maybe 1 1/2 stars...only for the shrimp dumplings Went around 1 on a Sunday, which probably wasn't the best idea. Our group of 6 was seated in a corner table. After 20 minutes, we managed to get our…
yelp.com - user review - 02/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Good, not great. Best dishes: Peking Duck, sizzling scallops & prawns. Still better than most, especially for a large group. Service mediocre.
yelp.com - user review - 02/18/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Actually, 2.5 stars... My family and I ate here today and came early for dim sum...around 10:00 a.m. Party of seven, got seated right away, no problem. The cart service was slow and intermittent - it…
yelp.com - user review - 02/17/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Okay so we went here on Valentines Day 2008 around 12 o`clock. So theres was alot of people waiting outside to get seated and when we asked how long the wait is for two they say about 15 minutes. Then…
yelp.com - user review - 02/16/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The food here was really good in 2004. I've been back a couple times since and it seems the quality has really declined. The key for these places is to keep the master dim sum chefs for as long as…
yelp.com - user review - 02/14/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
So I guess it's just me, but this place is disgusting. #1) It has a B. I don't generally eat at places with B's. I've worked in restaurants forever, and it's REALLY easy to get an A. Just trust me on…
yelp.com - user review - 02/14/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
first time i had dim sum, ever... wish the experience was a little better... not a good selection of choices. the shimp dumplings were awesome. the lady's that bring over the food really rush you and…
yelp.com - user review - 02/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The Empress, like everything else in LA's Chinatown, is old school and no nonsense. My other Chinatown favs: pho 87 and Hop Louie--drinks only! Althought Hop Louie's food is so bad it's almost…
yelp.com - user review - 02/10/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
This place used to be my fave place for dim sum, but it has gone downhill. We went to get some dim sum today and since it was a week day, there was no wait. The dim sum tasted alright today, not sure…
yelp.com - user review - 02/04/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Pretty convenient - right in Chinatown, in plaza type thing - so, easy parking and other to look at before or after you eat. Also, if you're in a bit of a hurry - aka, not in the mood for a sitdown…
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
eh, this place, is not my first choice for dimsum. I prefer MP, but whataya gonna do, my friends in the valley wanted to meet half way. I had to flag down the manager dudes in the black jackets for…
yelp.com - user review - 01/27/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My first time ever having dim sum was at this place. I was so confused when I walked into the dinning room. It felt like the baquet hall to the Hilton Hotel. I didn't mind though.
yelp.com - user review - 01/22/2008
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I used to go here about once a month... But the service has degraded and so has the quality of the food. I'm utterly dissapointed with Empress.
citysearch.com - user review - 01/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Dim Sum til you can't Dim Sum no more. If you want quiet atmosphere, no wait, and English only - then get the hell out of Empress Pavilion.
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Good place to go to Dim Sum if you are willing to wait. I would recommend bringing guest from out-of-town b/c they will like the decor and the fact that it is located in the heart of Chinatown. You…
yelp.com - user review - 01/14/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Why the fuck every time I axe for Gai Lan they say "huh? chinese broccoli?" I mean am I speaking a different language? I don't think so. Not in this case sister. I said CHAR SIU BAO damn it. Not Pok…
yelp.com - user review - 01/03/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The dim sum here is good, if you can get any! On previous visits to Empress, the wait has been about an hour. In my opinion, waiting an hour is a stretch for just about any dim sum joint unless you…
yelp.com - user review - 12/30/2007
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I hate to say it, but I certainly concur with the negative reviews after my husband and two sons tried the Empress dim sum on Friday December 28th. Things started out okay, but after receiving some 5 dishes,...
citysearch.com - user review - 12/29/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Coming down the stairs from the parking garage, we see a large crowd in front of this restaurant. I automatically judge that the wait will be about an hour, and it turns out it was. Now comes the…
yelp.com - user review - 12/25/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
It's okay for dim-sum, but not a Destination restaurant. Only if you're nearby. I liked it better than Ocean Seafood in Chi-town, but that's a pretty low standard of comparison. While I was eating at…
yelp.com - user review - 12/24/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
"A review NOT about Dim Sum..." This is not a review about the dim sum at Empress Pavilion. This is not a review of their service or decor, which everyone seems to pick on. This is not even a review…
yelp.com - user review - 12/18/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Surprisingly, there was no wait for a table today. Food was good, but service is slow. It's been a while since I came back to Empress and lowered my expectations for this trip. Maybe because of…
yelp.com - user review - 12/17/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place is awesome for dim sum. They have a pretty good selection and the prices are very reasonable. Their selection can be limited on some days but on other days it is great. It's better to go…
yelp.com - user review - 11/28/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I laughed my ass off at some of the reviews of this place. Of course the decor is less than. Of course the cart ladies are slow and rude. Or at least that is how you perceive them to be. Ever hear…
yelp.com - user review - 11/25/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place is great if you live in West LA and can't find any good dim sum. I grew up on dim sum and although this isn't the best place, it sure as hell isn't bad. Prices are cheap and I can get…
yelp.com - user review - 11/19/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is the best place for dim sum in LA. With that being said, this is also THE busiest place for dim sum in LA. If you go after 11am on the weekend, expect to wait. Typical wait times can range…
yelp.com - user review - 10/24/2007
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China town restaurant that is very average. I am from Hong Kong and must say that the dim sum is marginal at best. The service is poor, but then again generally restaurants in Chinatown had mediocre service....
citysearch.com - user review - 10/20/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Service was not very good. I got ignored a bunch of times by those ladies pushing those dim sum carts. The circulation of dim sum carts are not very efficient and must be hunted down or flagged down.…
yelp.com - user review - 10/16/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I'm sorry - but I'm so not impressed. today was my second time eating here. The first time i had a better experience - but this time was such a disappointment.
yelp.com - user review - 10/15/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I haven't had time to review anything the past few weeks, but I get an uncontrollable urge when a restaurant does me wrong. My family rotates every sunday with waffles, pancakes, okonomiyaki, and…
yelp.com - user review - 10/14/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Oh my goodness, I can't believe this place gets such low rating here - it's my, no not just me, but my family's favorite place for dim sum, and we refuse to eat at other places for dim sum!! And trust…
yelp.com - user review - 10/10/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
The food is not spectacular- but solid. The prices are reasonable too. But here's the real head scratcher: what's with the service? Now, I'm used to Chinese style food service, being Chinese myself-…
yelp.com - user review - 10/08/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
My buddy Chris who is Chinese himself, always jokes that one should never expect good service at a Chinese restaurant. Case in point here this place, but as a waiter to their defense in a place like…
yelp.com - user review - 10/07/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Delicious Chinese food for a GREAT LOW LOW price. I wish I could have sat there for the day and eat and eat.
yelp.com - user review - 10/05/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I've been hearing that Empress Pavilion is supposed to be THE spot for dim sum in LA, so I headed down here to give it a try. My first impressions was that the decor is above average for a Chinese…
yelp.com - user review - 09/24/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This is a convenient place for dim sum - and probably only one of two decent places in chinatown to eat dim sum (the other is Ocean Seafood) ... but that isn't really saying much when all the really…
yelp.com - user review - 09/24/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love this place- only cause its the half-way mark from west LA to Monterey Park. Otherwise the lines are too long, and the parking is always crowded. Overall the dim sum is good quality. I have…
yelp.com - user review - 09/24/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
#1 Rule of Dim Sum - Don't chase after the carts. Please, DON'T CHASE AFTER THE CARTS. You know, I was going to give Empress Pavilion four stars originally. Four whole stars. But then, after looking at…
yelp.com - user review - 09/16/2007
