Tim Ho Wan East Village

Why is this place so underrated? Situated in Manhattan, East Village, this place is a must go when you’re in the neighborhood. It’s probably my third visit in the last five years and everytime I come back I leave happy after having the meal there. The food is really good and don’t get me wrong - it’s not just me but also my Chinese friend who knows her cuisine. Try it for yourself. What I love the most is Baked BBQ Pork Buns, they are to die for. The service was very professional.

Tim Ho Wan – Pure Deliciousness in NYC Tim Ho Wan was absolutely fantastic and a highlight of our trip to New York City. It was conveniently located right around the corner from where we were staying, which made it an easy and perfect dining choice. While we didn’t get to try food in Chinatown for comparison, this experience alone was simply pure deliciousness. Every dish we tried was exceptional—from the flavorful rice rolls and the sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves to the rich, comforting pork soup. The dumplings, in particular, were outstanding: perfectly made, full of flavor, and incredibly satisfying. Overall, Tim Ho Wan delivered an amazing meal with authentic flavors and beautifully prepared dishes. I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone visiting NYC who wants to enjoy truly exceptional dim sum.

I had been wanting to try a Michelin starred restaurant for a while and had heard all about Tim Ho Wan's legendary status in Hong Kong. I will admit I was skeptical. With their expansion, I wasn't sure if the New York location could live up to the original hype. But it is conveniently located in the East Village, so I finally decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. This place is dim sum only and it is truly excellent. Our server, Leo, was wonderful and incredibly gracious. He helped us navigate the menu and made fantastic recommendations. The quality of the dim sum genuinely impressed me. The chicken feet were different from the usual, braised and not fried, and I really appreciated the tender, flavorful preparation. The steamed meatballs had a distinct, authentic taste of tangerine peel. The shrimp dumplings, or har gow, were perfect with large pieces of shrimp wrapped in a thin, delicate skin that held together perfectly. That is a true sign of a skilled dim sum chef. The sticky rice was packed with generous filling, and the steamed rice rolls had that thin, silky skin that is another mark of mastery. Of course, we had to try their famous baked BBQ pork buns. Leo was kind enough to bring them to us piping hot so we could enjoy them at their deliciously best and I now understand why they are the bestseller. The fluffy, sweet on outside with savory bbq pork filling is truly amazing! Even the desserts stood out. My dad loved the osmanthus jelly with goji berries. He said it was not too sweet and was a perfect palate cleanser. My mom liked the coconut sago and my personal favorite was the green tea sesame balls. My daughter could not get enough of the fried turnip cake, which had a great crispy texture. And the whole table agreed the deep fried glutinous rice croquette was a standout. It was crispy, not soggy, with a perfect balance of sweet and salty. I did not expect to be wowed, but I truly was. The food is authentic, carefully made and served with genuine care. We will definitely be back for more.

Overall: A huge disappointment Ambience: outdated decor, but very good for solo lunch, quite a few tables are solo diners Service: not the waiter’s fault but the cheap plastic green chopsticks are a mode killer… Food: Huge disappointment: everything screamed previously frozen. The classic chicken feet is barely cooked (the traditional dim sum chicken feet should be so soft they melts in your mouth). The coffee and milk tea is very mediocre as well. The only redeeming dish is BBQ pork bun. Honestly don’t know how this shop can make it so far in the competitive food scene of New York City. Will never come back for sure.

We found a worm in our vegetable (should have taken a picture but they took it away very quickly). They took the veggies off from the menu but felt reluctant. The food was mediocre. We are not going back.