Super 7: Miami's Best Chinese Restaurants
For those with a different kind of Christmas tradition
Dumpling King
Way before Dumpling King went viral on social media for their soup dumplings, I paid a visit to their North Miami location thanks to my late friend from the Philippines. And considering I’m an anti-MSG chick who has traveled to China and subsequently visited the world’s finest - this little hole-in-the-wall in a strip shopping center that’s suitable for a ‘Hidden Gem’ is the best spot in the USA for Xiao Long Bao. If you’ve never had their beloved homemade ball of soup - each one delicately hand-wrapped in dumpling skin and filled with flavor-enhanced broth, you can choose from Shanghai style or crab and pork. Either way, you can’t go wrong and the one tip we offer is to poke a tiny hole in the skin before you indulge to let the steam out before it hits your tongue.
Pro tip: When we first visited, it was 10 years back. They have since expanded, so if you’re in Boca, Pembroke Pines or Coral Springs, pop in!
@dumplingking08 //237 NE 167th St., North Miami Beach
Rainbow Palace
Straight out of the Arnold Schwarzenegger film True Lies cir. ‘94, this restaurant resembles the wild scene from the shooting. And just like that explosion, their food is the bomb. Worth the shlep to Oakland Blvd to enjoy their steamed Lobster Dumplings, the off-menu Sweet & Sour Chicken (massive chunks of clean chicken breast), the mixed-Fried Rice - let it be known that Rainbow Palace it’s more on the elevated side, they have lazy Susan situations on certain tables, it’s worth the price point and not easy to get a reservation at. But try, and thank us later. Oh, their wine list is also incredible and the private dining room is chic AF.
Pro Tip: If there are no reservations online, just call as they are rather accommodating. They also have a bar where you can sup and sip with big-screen televisions for sports fans.
2787 E. Oakland Park Blvd, Oakland Park
Tropical Chinese
Serving dim-sum every day of the week, Tropical Chinese gained its recognition from being simply excellent meal after meal, and year after year. Perhaps that’s because under the helm of Mei Yu not much can go wrong! The entire menu is superb, and that’s the benefit of Tropical; it’s not a destination for just ‘one’ dish. From the tofu in black bean sauce to their Emperor’s Shrimp Prawns - a dish that’s glazed with sweet creamy Grand Mariner and topped with ground peanuts served on bed of broccoli, its healthy yet satisfying.
Pro Tip: If a few people at the table like Peking duck, we say don’t miss it!
@tropicalchinesemiami // 7991 Bird Road, Miami
Mimi Chinese
Once in a while, you’ve gotta admit a place with $26 plates of Chow Mein is actually worth going to. So while it pains most people to drop $100 on dinner at a Chinese restaurant, if you’re gonna do it, Mimi Chinese is the place. The food is spectacular – try the shrimp bread toast with hot mustard mayo – and watching the waiter cut up the four foot belt noodle like an invasive tapeworm is entertainment in itself. It’s a bit of a scene, but once you accept that you’re eating Chinese food in a place that’s one bad decision short of a velvet rope Mimi is a good time.
Pro tip: Tables are jammed in next to each other, so try and make friends with the people next to you. You never know, they might share!
@mimichinesemiami // 1575 Alton Road, South Beach
South Garden
You know how the bars where all the service industry people go after shift are always the best bars? That goes double for Chinese restaurants, and if you want to eat where the staff of other Chinese restaurants eat, make your way out to South Garden. While at first glance the menu’s nothing revolutionary, dig a little deeper and you’ll find the kind of authentic, we-don’t-make-this-in-America Chinese food that adventurous eaters seek out. So if you’re looking for chicken feet or squid with black bean sauce, look no further.
Pro tip: If you’re into dim sum, this place has it every afternoon, and it’s where you’ll find servers fueling up for evening shifts.
10855 SW 72nd St., Kendall
Good Chef
Wander into this unassuming strip mall spot way out west on 107th Ave., and you’ll wonder why it hasn’t popped up in your Instagram feed. It’s done up in hanging lanterns and cherry blossom trees, and despite its suburban locale plates are meticulously crafted for photography. But unlike some places that are all aesthetics, Good Chef’s food is really the main draw. Don’t let the “Asian Fusion” label fool you – yeah, there’s some Pad Thai and curry on the menu too – but the Mongolian beef, potstickers, and chow mein are where Good Chef really shines.
Pro tip: There’s two locations, so if you’re further south try the one at Bird Road and the Turnpike.
@goodchefrestaurant // 113 SW 107th Ave., Sweetwater
King Palace Chinese Barbecue
Aside from depending on your fabulous editors at The Leftovers, another excellent source of restaurant recommendations are chefs. So if you asked, say, Michelle Bernstein where to find the best Chinese food in Miami, she’d likely steer you to King Palace. Or at least, that’s where she steered us. The barbecue duck comes highly recommended (as you’d expect from a place with ducks hanging in the window) but the big menu at this little neighborhood joint is packed with hits. Even after over 20 years, prices are still reasonable, and you can be out the door for under $20 per person.
Pro tip: The chef gets a little more inventive than at most neighborhood Chinese restaurants, so definitely try something from his “special” menu.
@kingpalacemiami // 330 NE 167th St., North Miami