For more than two decades, the downtown business crowd, wealthy Japanese tourists, and Hong Kong elite have been drawn by the beautiful soaring art deco space and some of the freshest, most authentic dim sum this side of Kowloon. Though ordering is done mostly à la carte, trays of fresh dim sum are brought around for additional sampling. Steamed spare ribs with fermented black beans balance... more
Stunning Setting
Combine the opulence and elegance of a French fine dining establishment; a majestic room with soaring ceilings, chandeliers and huge windows and some of the finest Cantonese cuisine available anywhere in Vancouver and you begin to get an idea of what the Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant is all about. Located in a restored heritage building between two of the city's five...
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Imperial 'dim sum to die for' - It has to be consistently one of the best Chinese seafood restaurants in town and with unquestionably the best view of Stanley Park and the north shore mountains in the background. This reviewer has never taken notes on Dim Sum, for as Dim Sum lovers will attest, we all have our favourites. There... more
Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant is a downtown Vancouver landmark for business lunch dim sum. The standard dim sum savory items are readily available as they are carted in from the kitchen, traditional style. The har gow and gai lan are especially great.
An item not usually found at other dim sum places, but found and served at Imperial is the...
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I don't care about "tradition" when millions of sharks are finned alive and threatening the balance.
Killing bears for their gall bladder, tigers for their penises and rhinos for their horns for "natural chinese remedies" WAS tradition but are not acceptable anymore.
Tradition is THE WORST excuse for keeping this practice going. shame on you.
Used to be great. No longer. Not one item was above below average. Service also below par. It's too bad. It used to be great. Skip it.
This restaurant was chosen by a friend due to its convenient location downtown, near our hotel. The food was average, and I know that much, much better Chinese fare can be had in Vancouver. Peking duck was dry, other dishes were just so-so. Would choose to go elsewhere next time I'm in Vancouver.
We wanted to eat dim sum while in Vancouver and went here about noon on a Sun. at the recommendation of our hotel concierge. We had read luke-warm reviews about dim sum in general in Vancouver. So this was a nice surprise. The whole experience was excellent. Although located in a business neighborhood, the restaurant appeared authentic. The restaurant was... more
According to the guidebook I read, this is one of the top Chinese restaurants in Vancouver. We went for dim sum on a Sunday. There are no carts until 11:30 and then it's waiters bringing around trays. Most of the food was tasty but nothing outstanding. The salted deep-fried squid was awful. Pork BBQ buns were excellent. I've had better... more
This WAS the go-to place for dim sum in downtown Vancouver, but alas no more. Even the most basic standard dim sum dishes like har-gow, siew-mai, char siew bau, etc tasted as though they were mass produced by an amateur chef with no inspiration. Try Kirin on Alberni instead.
Dim Sum for the uninitiated can be a big adventure. Don't shrink from it. Not surprisingly, a few feet from the waterfront, the principal items on the menu involve seafood (though there are some other options) and many are wrapped and deep fried. If you are on a diet, you have to be prepared to cheat. The food was generally... more
The food was ok and service was not bad but the check came and we were blown away. This is the most expensive chinese restaurant we have ever been too.
Tried dinner here on the reccomentaion of hotel staff. We were tired, hungry and cold. The food we had was beyond yummy. The shrimp were large, fresh and perfectly prepared. I can't recommend this resturant any more.
We came here for lunch and selected several of their freshly prepared dim sum along with a portion of a spicey tofu dish (a VERY generous portion). Everything was delicious and the jasmine tea that... more
I can't in good conscience eat at a restaurant at this day and age that still serves Shark Fin Soup. I understand that it is a traditional delicacy to the chinese culture, but does that still make it... more
First, please seriously consider disregarding the previous "terrible" review. I have been eating dim sum since I was a child (>45 years) and have eaten it in numerous US, Canadian, European, Chinese... more
If you are an avid lover of Dim Sum or if it's your first time trying it, I would not suggest this place to anyone.
You pay for the dazzle and decor and you don't really get the experience of Dim Sum with the bustling carts and the array of choice. Instead you get a flashy sparkled "hotel banquet room"...
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A business lunch, in a chic vintage building, decorated in crystal and white linen. While packed with suits and daily regulars, the focused staff impressed us very much. Clean, neat, fresh, tasty and attentive from the doors in and out. Priced very well. Recommend it highly.
I found myself unexpectedly on vaca w my 2 kids and MIL in Vancouver recently and under pressure to come up with a good Dim Sum restaurant. My MIL is from HK, so this would not be an easy feat. After consulting my usual sources ( yelp and tripadvisor) i came up w this place. The reviews were spotty about... more
I had dim sum here, and found it easy to walk-in and get a table for two, without a reservation. We were promptly seated, offered tea, and regularly visited by servers bearing trays of dim sum - the usual fare: assorted steamed dumplings, fried imperial rolls, pork buns, delicious mushroom-filled tofu and so-on.
Most dishes were fresh and hot, unlike...
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One of the truly outstanding Chinese restaurants in downtown Vancouver. Extensive menu and competitive prices.
"""This is probably the fanciest space for any Chinese restaurant in North America, off the lobby of the extraordinary Art Deco Marine Building in Vancouver. They actually have """"drunken shrimp"""" (brought to you live and cooked by lighting the rice wine, altho"""
After hearing great reviews we headed to the Imperial seafood restaurant for dinner.
Our initial impressions were of a very dated and ostentatious decor, but after browsing the menu we were looking forward to our meals.
My partner ordered a local larger, which was out of stock, I requested a water which did not get delivered until I chased it...
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The best food this side of Hong Kong! I could eat here twice a day.............every day. Scrumptious food & caring service.
some of the most creative dim sum I have had. And the location is dramatic
This is one of Vancouver's best Chinese restaurants. A fantastic lunch place. The owner will help you order and has a great knowledge of the yin and yang of food and of the teas he has on his menu. He chided me for ordering my grandfather's favorite tea e
This restaurant is very close to many attractions in Vancouver, a block from the water and located in one of the most historically important buildings in Vancouver, the Marine Building.
The average price per person is about $17 to $20, and the service is quite good if you arrive during the appropriate brunch time. It is a bit complicated to...
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Was there for a business dinner. Got to experience the whole multi course Chinese seafood dinner, a little overwhelming for me...
Of note, some Chinese colleagues in town for a meeting really enjoyed the dinner.
I loved this place! The restaurant is located in the Marine building which is worth the visit alone. The atmosphere is inviting and classy. At first we were a little nervous because we were given a table at the back of the restaurant. We thought that the wait staff would forget about us, but we were wrong. They were attentive... more
had lunch with some business associates at this restaurant during a conference.
I joined the table mid meal for the Dim-Sum lunch and took a shrimp and pork dumpling portion (4 pieces)
when the bill came I had to cough up 25$ for 4 pieces of dumpling.
the day before i bought a dim-sum meal from a dim-sum truck parked...
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The interior of this restaurant is opulent and in the art deco style. Clocks, nice chandelier and two level dining. Upstairs is great because you can see the ceiling decoration and other people's food. The wait staff wonder around with trays of steaming hot dim sum that has come straight from the kitchen. You just need to say "yes" or... more
Glad to find a chinese restaurant close to the convention centre. Again beautiful place, very clean and quality food. We ordered a whole bunch of stuff and shared. Very satisfying meal. Again the hot food compliments the weather.
I've had better dim sum, but this place appears clean and is very convenient to the Vancouver Convention Center, if you happen to be there for a conference.
The price is okay. Not cheap, but not all that expensive.
The service is professional and seemed friendly.
The busiest time appears to be at lunch for the dim sum deal. Assorted...
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This is my 3rd time to visit Vancouver and I am always happy with Chinese meal I have tried here. I should have listened to the mix reviews of this restaurant. I will give them the benefit of the doubt, that maybe the dimsum which runs from 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m. is good as some people comments.
Service is...
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Dinner was overpriced and quality was mediocre at best. The menu has a wide offering of choices but nothing we had was very good. The prices are about $25 per dish. The best thing we had was the Peking Duck. But I would not return or recommend this restaurant. You might want to try the Dim Sum lunch. I heard... more
The quality of the foods seems to have dropped with their loss of the view of the harbour. Very expensive when a meal just as nice could be found in a shopping centre.
lunch - quite traditional, quick, straightforward but fresh, fun. Good place to meet friends and enjoy conversation.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in Vancouver. Outstanding selection and presentation.
Fresh clean ingredients well prepared. We were served quickly during a shoulder period and enjoyed what we had tremendously.
Sensation of dining a grand manner aboard a cruise ship. Attentive service.
Very good dim sum without the journey to the new Chinatown. Very convenient to the downtown hotel area
Where downtown business associates go to have a varied dim sum luncheon. Can be very busy, so reservatons are suggested.
Georgeous art deco surrounfings and delicious reasonable dim sum make for a very pleasant afternoon.
best room for chinese food but upscale feeling. celebrity sightings.
Garish decor is absent; it's stark and clean and I like that. Unlike even the most "elegant" US chinese restaurants, attention is paid to cleanliness and comfort. No need for pretentions here. The service was highly attentive as the food was served quickl
Standard Chinese restaurant setting. Food is more authentic Cantonese cuisine ... very good. Very clean setting and great downtown location by waterfront.
Best for dim sum during lunch, but very busy. Get there before the lunch rush if you want to get a table. Fast service with the carts running around. Avoid a table in the corner if you can as the carts will miss your table.
Premium price, average experience. Not as good as it used to be. Still decent, but you're paying too much for something that's just not so special.
Love the Chinese food in Vancouver. Imperial is an old place, with good food!
My wife and I from Maryland on vacation.Good Cantonese variety which is hard to find in our area, great taste. Decor not much to talk about but restaurant was clean. Several oriental customers were there, but we were attended to with good humor throughout the meal.
I was pretty impressed - I like Chinese food, and this place has a great variety, and well presented. Want to go back.
Why are Chinese restaurants in Vancouver so UPTIGHT? The food is very average and the service unfriendly. Best thing about it is the lobby of the building!
This large restaurant has a harbour view. The opulent decor features crystal chandeliers and a Chinese jade carving at the entrance. The Hong Kong-trained chef prepares creative Cantonese seafood specialties. Dim sum served at lunch.
Novenber 24, 2007(dim-sum, lunch). The food is decent, but not very imaginative, (a view expressed by one of my Chinese friends). The decor looks tired and wastes the art-deco setting. The views of the harbor are now obscured by a new Fairmont residential development. In summary - OK for dim sum at a reasonable price, but nothing special.
We ate here last Sunday after hearing good things about the restaurant and we were terribly disappointed. Most of the restaurant was taken over by a private wedding party and those of us seated upstairs were definitely treated as "second class citizens" . . .service was rushed and unprofessional . .all courses were brought to the table within five minutes and we were rushed out. The noise... more
The most disappointing Chinese dinner we have experienced in years. Only the decor lived up to expectations. Mediocre Cantonese cuisine at lofty prices. We were rushed in and out by an unprofessional and unresponsive staff . . .first three courses served within the first five minutes. We would have been better off at one of Vancouver's many fast-food Chinese restaurants . . .the food would... more
...alas, the Imperial's food is a real drag. Waiters were eager to take orders, but reluctant to bring condiments, and after dropping our food on the table, disappeared. I reckon they were dreading the bad report.
I had dinner at Imperial Chinese restaurant and the best part about the restaurant was only the location itself -great interior and view! The food is only average and it is not world class cuisine when you compare it to other fine Vancouver Chinese restaurants. The service is the worst I have ever had for a high end restaurant! Note: there is only valet parking.
Lunch at Imperial is excellent, but dinner is over-priced. Dim sum selection is varied and of fine quality.
We were in Vancouver earlier this week and went to the Imperial for dinner. We were told that it was one of the best Chinese restaurants in town.
The best chinese food we have had in years! Many unusual, authentic dishes (my wife is chinese). We came to Vancouver for 1 night and we ate there for both dinner and dim sum. Simply wonderful and great atmosphere too. Service was very good. Water continually refilled.
Very underwhelming! weird menus. Food not as good as Northeast U.S.
no need to dress up for dim sum, it's casual sunday brunch for westernized palates. service is very chinese, view is lovely.
We arrrived in Vancouver and was told at the hotel to try this restaurant. I have had many dim sum lunches in Hong Kong, Beijing, and San Francisco, but have not had one better.
If you've ever wanted to know what chinese royalty are served, this is where you'd dine. Every dish is prepared like it was customed designed for you. With a freshness so pure you'd think the fisherman had his boat tied at the dock outside and the farmer had parked his truck at the back door. The most beautiful historical building on the western seaboard, where you gaze out floor to ceiling... more
High ceilings and picturesque views are the highlights of this restaurant. The food is average - there are many more Chinese restaurants that would get my vote for best Chinese in Vancouver.
Best dim sum in North America. Too bad the new buildings block some of the view through the 2 story cut glass windows.
Di RoNa award evry year since 1993. have dim sum evry day. have a set menu with lots of courses starting at $38.
If you have a sudden urge for good Chinese food, Imperial Chinese is the place to go. Fabulous beef, vegetable, and soup dishes, though the enormous open dining room feels too much like a catering hall.
Among the best Chinese restaurants in town. Apart from dinners, lunch time dim sum is affordable and delicious. Probably the best view among Chinese restaurants in Vancouver too.
Best chinese food ever.Food melted in your mouth..would return tomorrow if the airfare was cheap.
Wonderful seafood, and a magnificent place for chinese banquets for 10, or even for 250.
One of the very best Chinese resturants in the Downtown core.
Awesome atmosphere, great view, food was good but maybe not worth the high price. I'd go back just for the view.
This is one of my favorite chinese restaurants in Vancouver.
This is one of my favorite chinese restaurants in Vancouver. Comming from a community where there isn't too many chinese food, it's definitely a treat to eat delicious chinese cuisine served by this restaurant. The atmosphere was very casual and high class.
Was ok, we were a little disapionted in the service. But the food was very nice.
I found it rather expensive for what you get in service and quality of food, I think they could have done better here.
In my case, my family and I had a set banquet dinner. The food was nothing special considering we spent $500 CND for it. The personal service was nice. I thought some of the courses were seriously questionable. In particular, they served a melon and shrimp salad which was dripping in mayonnaise. Totally disgusting. I did hear the dim sum is good though, but didn't get a chance to try it.
Good view of the harbor, relatively expensive, good service, medium food quality
A little more expensive than your avereage chinese place but well worth the money. they have a very friendly staff and was very comfortable in there casual suroundings. Will go back again soon.
One of the higher class chinese restaurants in the city to take visiting guest. Service is high class.
Imperial Chinese is located in the Marine Building, which in itself is worth visiting for its beauty. The restaurant has furnished its open, interior beautifully and has a magnificent water and mountain view. A large well-trained staff gives outstanding service. I reccommend the weekday dim sum that attracts a large mixed crowd. The variety and the quality is the wonderful.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in Greater Vancouver! Food, authentic. Service, (as most Chinese res. offers no/poor service) excellent, even if you compare her to an AAA 5 diamonds establishment. Ambiance, used to have great view of the Coal Harbour, but now there's some construction around. Value, expensive than Middle/Lower class Chinese places. Overall, a must visit if one wishes to... more
Imperial Chinese Restaurant offers these services: chinese, restaurant, chinese restaurant.
A glimpse of this well-refurbished Marine Building exterior is reason enough to go inside. The awesome façade gives way to extravagantly decorated interiors, with dressed up tables, a huge stairway, carpeted floors and VIP dining rooms overlooking the sea. Once seated, the impeccably dressed wait staff will speedily serve you some delectable Cantonese cuisine, amid these opulent settings. Set... more
This world-class Cantonese restaurant, situated in the Art Deco Marine Building, overlooks the beautiful Coal Harbour, with the North Mountains visible in the distance. A grand curved staircase leads up to a dining room replete with chandeliers and Chinese and modern decor. The dim sum lunch is spectacular, and the seafood entrees made with lobster, shrimp or crab highlight the menu that is... more
This beautiful upscale restaurant sets the standard for Cantonese fine dining in Vancouver.
A glimpse of this well-refurbished Marine Building exterior is reason enough to go inside. The awesome façade gives way to extravagantly decorated interiors, with dressed up tables, a huge stairway, carpeted floors and VIP dining rooms overlooking the sea. Once seated, the impeccably dressed wait staff will speedily serve you some delectable Cantonese cuisine, amid these opulent settings. Set... more