Tim Ho Wan, the Dim-Sum Specialists     添好運點心專門店   ( Relocated:  )

Tim Ho Wan had been reported as the eatery offering the cheapest Michelin 1* cuisine in the world and this was but one of the reasons why people were willing to queue just to get a ticket. We had visited the flagship store at Tsim Sha Tsui on numerous occasions only to be turned away by hour-long queues.

Entering the eatery was like squeezing into a narrow alleyway since it could house barely 30 people. I would strongly advise against having any bulky items on you when visiting for there was simply no space and mind you, you are barely a feet away from the next table of diners.

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Glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf (糯米鸡)One of the best versions had in HK and SG. The fragrance of the lotus leaf was well infused into the glutinous rice. The ingredients were bountiful with large pieces of tender chicken meat and Chinese mushroom, which enhanced the aroma of the dish as you unwrap the lotus leaf. The savoury viscous gravy was the vital element which summed up the dish with a thumbs-up from all 3 diners on the table.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Char siew buns - barbecued pork buns (叉烧包)The surface of the char siew buns was almost perfect. It was served warm and as crisp as you could possibly ask for, so needless to say, crumbs were left all over the table! The taste of the barbecued pork on the inside did not have a strong Chinese rose wine such as the version tried at Dim Sum Square, but it had a perfect balance of savouriness and sweetness. The pork in the buns was in sizeable chunks and not minced. Coupled with the crisp crust on the surface, it was so irresistible that we ordered a second round.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Turnip cake (萝卜糕)Prior to ordering, I overheard a lady seated adjacent criticizing the turnip cake but we figured it was a must-try for a dim sum outing, so we ordered it anyway, but this was indeed a letdown. The taste was rather bland and fragrance of turnip was barely evident.

Verdict: 6.0/10

Steamed sponge cake (马来糕)The aroma of the muscovado sugar was in the air as this light delicacy was served to us. Unlike normal brown sugar, muscovado has a darker shade of brown, slightly coarse and stickier. Owing the flavour and colour to sugarcane juice, it tasted much richer than the usual steamed sponge cakes. Pipping hot, the sponge cake was airy as seen by the pockets of air present in the mid-section of the cake. It left a subtly sweet after-taste of the brown sugar, but the flavour and taste was rather empowering in a good manner. The best testament was that we ordered a second serving despite the bursting tummy.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Pork dumplings/siew mai - (烧卖)The siew mai was bite-sized and it was how we wanted it to be, crunchy prawns atop succulent minced pork and a wrapping that did not stick to our teeth. The seasoning of the minced pork was savoury and delivered that oomph punch. It was good but not exceptional.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Soy sauce fried noodles (豉油皇炒面)The 'wok-hei' of the fried noodles was perfect which helped imparted the flavours of the soy sauce to the al dente noodles. We also liked that it was not too greasy and it was the perfect dish to sum up the evening for the savoury tastebuds.

Verdict: 8.0/10

Char siew cheong fun (叉烧肠粉)We did not enjoy the cheong fun as much as we did for the other dim sum dishes. The steamed rice roll was too thick for our liking and the filling was bare. Also, it lacked elasticity and springiness derived from the addition of tapioca flour.

Verdict: 6.0/10

Osmanthus cake (桂花糕)The fragrance of the osmanthus flowers was somewhat reserved in this common Chinese dessert. The 'cake' itself was jelly-like, similar to what many would refer to as 'agar-agar' though this was lighter. It tasted okay but was not good enough to leave a lasting impression.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Tim Ho Wan, the Dim-Sum Specialists

A cheap Michelin 1-star restaurant, flaunting that their Dim Sum are freshly steamed only when you ordered them.

Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok — a hot spot belonging to our RC racing car fanatic. Each time when I was here, I will think of the secret behind this little restaurant’s successful, why many local people and tourists like it. But the queue is always crazy… so I would not try to get inside~.~

Today was also the same as before, frightened by the queue. But I boldly walked to the shop, took a number. Fortunately, I was able to get inside after a short period because I came here only on my own. “Go back and you need to wait for a very long time until the world end” I laughed at other people, in my mind =)

Dim Sum is not a fine dining in the eyes of Chinese, it is more likely to be snack or breakfast. So you may find it hard to fully fill your stomach.

To distinguish the difference between other Dim Sum restaurant, I ordered some common dish below. The service is OK, the waiter friendly gave me my takeaway Steamed egg cake with a plastic bag. But the seat is XS size, I would say that it is impossible to sit if you are a bit overweight…Crispy and fluffy bun, soft and juicy honeyed pork inside. The top layer of the bun actually is the top layer of 菠蘿油 (Pineapple Bun with butter, another local food, but no pineapple stuff really), and mixed with some granulated sugar, enhance it’s texture. Well, I am surprised by the fantastic combination of 菠蘿油 and 叉燒包! I strongly recommend this to you!Juicy and refreshing prawn, the skin was thin and not chewy. Fresh ingredients but actually not special, taste like most of the restaurant. Although it was mouthful, the freshly steam method made it so hot, I need to finish it with 4-5 bites.As the traditional method, the taste of pork was stronger than that of the prawn. It was juicy and the lard smell good.

The steamed egg cake was soft as normal, nothing special, so I didn’t take a photo of it.

My first time to write my comment

添好運點心專門店 is very business , food is ok la........if you have not been to 點心 for 1 month ............. but the service ...........poor. Yes, in English is worst in Mong Kok but good in Sham Shu Po shop . The waitress and cashier and the door ..woman at Mong Kok should get pay at $28 but ....we pay $ 200. I belive HK people need to know Andy LAU nor!!!

- With only one full day in Hong Kong, I thought I should look for Dim Sum on a Sunday Morning, as a way to connect with my childhood memories of eating Dim Sum in NYC in Chinatown. Since I was staying in Yau Ma Tei, a quick internet scan popped up Tim Ho Wan, and I set off quickly. Once I got near the restaurant (it was 9:50 am), which opened at 10AM, the line was about 75 folks...(WOW). I got in line
and was very fortunate that when she asked me how many in my party and I said ONE, she was able to seat me immediately..(lucky american). I joined a very nice Chinese Family of 5, and quickly ordered 4 dishes that I knew were comfortable for me. I had the Steamed Rice with Beef and Egg, The steamed bun with chicken and mushroom, the steamed shrimp, and the steamed pork dumplings (with shrimp). The waitress quickly filled my tea cup, and I was able to enjoy an excellent chat with the father sitting across from me who spoke perfect english. Overall the food was excellent, not necessarily better than Dim Sum in USA, but my tablemate explained that many of the HK Dim Sum places use frozen meats, or fillers/substitutes, and you could often taste the difference. THW clearly had a strong reputation for quality, and only using fresh meat. I can say that every item was excellent. The pricing is also quite reasonable, as my four dishes cost about $10 US ($73 HK). I chose to leave a tip of $7 HK, but it is not required. I understand the family I joined sent their grandfather at somewhere around 8:20AM to gain their early position in the line and immediate seating, so be forewarned. If you have the time, and get lucky, it is worth a visit. Is it really a Michelin STAR?, quite honestly no, but in comparison to its competition, probably yes.

The food's so-so and service sucks. Wonder why so many people bothered queuing for it. The lady who gives out the numbers is rude. When we entered, they gave us another chit and disappeared leaving us to wonder whether we need to order again, which we did. Only to be scolded and complained about in our presence. Felt super uncomfortable the whole meal.

The food's not extremely great. In fact, it's so average that I must say I've tasted much better dim sum.

Think twice about heading there as typically you have to wait 1-2 hours and it is not that worth it.

When I had the chance to visit Hong Kong back in January, I knew I had to try Tim Ho Wan despite all the warnings of a 1-2 hour table wait. I took some advice from most sources and decided to be there by 9.30am. A well 30minutes before their door opens.

I have to say I was extremely lucky to get in during the 1st round! Was the last 4 that was ushered in We ordered the usuals like crispy BBQ pork bun, siew mai, har gao, cheung fun and to end it - kwai far gou.I love their crispy BBQ pork buns! Crispy skin but tender, juicy pork inside! LOVE! Maybe it's me but I'm not used to having my cheung fun swimming around in pure soy sauce, hence.. too salty for my liking. But the steam rice roll was awesome! Not too thick - just right to hold everything together!one of the best siew mai! Fresh succulent prawns and just the right amount of pork mince. I've always heard of this jelly in all sorts of TVB drama series... when I saw it on the menu I was gleaming LOL
Not too sweet and there's goji berries in it too! Not bad... but if you're looking for a smooth texture then maybe skip this as you still bite through the tiny bits of the flower and goji berries. But I like it..

And this.. this is the killer of them all. Prawn dumplings / har gao.I'm not a person who enjoys prawn dumplings. Coz I never did like the outer skin.. a little too chewy usually. But I totally fell in love with this one! I can't quite describe it but you gotta try it! If a person like me who doesn't enjoy prawn dumplings can fall in love with the ones served at Tim Ho Wan.. it can't be that bad right? haha...

Overall, be there early to be the first 20 in line I'd say. A lady came up and asked one of the waitress how long more to her wait and got a shout. Yikes! But service is generally good once you're inside. And do fill up the order prior to entering. They're just outside the front door.

Now.. If only I live in Hong Kong, I will probably end up as one of their loyal customers. hahaha

Took my friend's recommendation and try out this outlet as my 1st dimsum shop in this trip.

Albeit the wait, Ordered Cheng Fun, Har Kao, Malai Kou, the texture and freshness are superb. will definitely come again

Tim Ho Wan presents very cheap, very well-made dim sum in a dingy environment with poor service, but people continue to flock here. Perhaps the Michelin-star success has gone to their heads or maybe my expectations were too high, but I definitely wouldn't wait for more than 30 min to eat here. If you don't mind the wait, give this place a try. Otherwise, for tourists, there are more accessible dim sum places.

My story: I'm not a big believer of "if there are lots of people waiting, it HAS to be good" but I was in the area around 3pm on Saturday and noticed there wasn't much of a crowd. Having heard about this cheap Michelin 1-star restaurant, I asked for a number, was given an order form and told to come back in about 20 min.

The menu is quite simple with only about 30 choices, none costing more than 20 HKD, so two people can stuff themselves for about 100. You place your order before you sit down, to maximize usage of the table time. The wait for a 2-top Saturday mid-afternoon ended up being around 30 min.

Once you get inside, you understand why there is such a crowd. The restaurant only seats about 24, so going with a party larger than 4 guarantees you a long wait, the same goes for trying to get a table during lunch or dinner. Our seats were squeezed right next to the cashier and there was only about 2 cm between the tables, so you have to slide the table out for the people sitting inside to get in and out.

There's only one choice for tea, unlike most dim sum places. However, they were very efficient and the dim sum began arriving shortly after sitting down and I started to see some glimmers of a 1-star restaurant. Everything was delicately made with very generous fillings to 5-star hotel standards (not surprising considering the chef came from the Four Seasons). However, the ordering system is very broken. We received 3 of 5 dishes very quickly but after finishing them, didn't see any sign of the other 2. It wasn't until we flagged down the only waitress that she shouted into the back and the last 2 items appeared instantly. The table next to us, which also had been waiting a while, also tried our strategy and finally got their last orders as well.

In terms of the food, everything on the menu is (or at least looks) excellent, although the pork liver cheung fun isn't for the uninitiated. However, I recommend avoiding the rice bowls, which were uninspiring.

If you want to say, "been there, done that" or if you're on a tight budget, give Tim Ho Wan a try. Otherwise, places like Maxim Palace and Crystal Jade will give you similar, if not better dim sum in a much nicer environment.

Best way to describe my experience: A Tale of Two Stories

1) 2 hour wait (even though the waitress said "30-45 minutes") was filled with anger and resentment for making me wait in the frigid cold and 2nd hand smoke even though I arrive 15 minutes before the store opened (opens at 10 am). Fortunately the restaurant is near the busy parts of Mong Kok w/ wet markets nearby and restaurants to window shop. Just make sure you are back in time (which is a stupid guess anyways). The waitresses were rude as they fended off patrons from entering the restaurant which, literally seated a max capacity of 20.

2) Finally called-in (#16, party of 4), we decided to order just about 1 of every item on the menu (31 items in total...before the VIP menu begins today). The "bbq pork buns" came out first (ordered 3 baskets X 3 buns for 4 people) which I could only describe as "love at first bite." It puts Fu-Shing's (Wan Chai and Causeway Bay) signature bbq pork buns to shame (which was previously my favorite dim sum of all-time). The "bit&?cy" waitresses transformed into friendly, funny hostesses kindly filling our tea (pu-erh) without hesitation and playing with the children as though they were their own (the tough-act was purely to ensure the inside patrons enjoyed their experience). Every dish that arrived was undeniably fantastic.

Lunch for 4, having practically purchased the entire menu, came out to 320 HKD per person (~$10 USD per head). At the next best dim sum (Fu Shing), this lunch would have been closer to 800 HKD. However, only go if it is for a party of 2 (or split up your party) as the line moves much faster than a party of 4 (and don't even think about 3 unless one is a child that doesnt take up much space).

"Best in class items" which are a must-have:

Bbq pork buns (if you forget this, you might as well not go)
Rice noodle rolls (all types..even the liver)
Glutinous rice w/ chicken (only eaten hot..warm loses its advantage)
Pumpkin soup dessert (very smooth and slightly sweet)
har-gow (could be placed in "average" but the seasoning gave it a distinct flavor)
Tea (mandatory, not bitter at all, and important to cleanse the palate of prior oils and flavors)
Siu mai (only when hot...slightly fishy, but chewy/crunchy like it should be)
Osmanthus jelly (ohh my gosh....amazingly delectable jello-shot with flower petals...might be as special as the bbq pork buns).

Average:
Steamed egg cake
Pan fried turnip
Steamed spare ribs
Chicken feet
Steamed dumpling in chiu chow style

Do not order:
Seasonal vegetables

I've had the fortunate opportunity to have eaten in dim sum restaurants in LA and HK, and my personal opinion is that Tim Ho Wan not only deserves its Michelin star, but also ((for what its worth), my admiration for the best dim sum I've ever experienced.

Well, you have to wait a long time, but this place really is worth the visit. We've been twice in the last fortnight.

Some tips:

Come as a pair or a quadruple, rather than in odd numbers. It's much easier for them to seat you if you're an even number.

Be a little pushy outside with the lady who takes names. She is tough but if you're persistent you'll get your ticket.

Be prepared to hang out elsewhere while you wait - try to find out how long you'll need to wait.

Food:

Awesome. Believe it or not you won't get an MSG headache. The menu is small but everything on it (we've eaten 90% of it) is great. The BBQ-pork dumplings (the char siu bao) are the sweet-dough type, very nice and better than other ones of that style I have had before.

Prices:

Awesome. We got ten baskets of various things and the bill was HK$140. Wow! We could have actually fed three people with that much food, but we kind of went overboard.

Environment:

Well, it's always full. The picture above of the queue outside could have been taken at 3pm on a weekday, when we visited. God only knows what it's like at lunchtime. Seems clean inside - our table was clean and free of grease.

Hygience:

Fine. Not nearly as dirty as you might expect for a little Chinese place in YMT. Male toilet was tiny, and the floor slippery and wet, but with water. There was even soap to wash your hands.

WOULD I GO BACK?

HELL YES. As many times as I can - the only problem is finding three spare hours. One or two to queue, the other to eat.

Visited this restaurant here based on the "award winner" on this website. Arrived around 11am, and the place was already packed. Waiting time for dine-in was 2 hours, so instead of waiting, we decided to order takeaway which required a 20 mins waiting time.

We ordered the following:
- char siew cheong fun (BBQ pork rice roll)
- har gow (prawn dumpling)
- gau choy gow (pan-fried chives dumpling)
- crispy char siew pau
- lo bak gou (pan-fried turnip cake)
- glutinous rice dumpling
- fung chau (chicken feet)

With our takeaway food, we ventured across the street to a seating area and ate. Time from food collection to first bite was approx. 5 mins. Granted the trapped steam had reduced some of the crispiness of the crispy char siew pau. But the rest of the steamed items were still warm/hot.

What a disappointment. The food tasted from "not so good" to "mediocre". Most were overly salty. The better dishes from the list above are the crispy char siew pau and char siew cheong fun.

Har gow skin was good (right texture and thickness) but the prawn filling was a tad salty and dry. Good har gow needs to have a bit of soup in it, which this does not.

Gau choy gau was just too salty to the extent that one can't taste the sweetness of the chives.

Lo bak gou was too soft; probably the softest I have every tried.

Glutinous rice dumpling was average at the best. Nothing special.

Fung chau was too salty and the taste was just off.

In a nutshell, if you are looking for quality and good taste, then look elsewhere. But if cost is your only concern, then this place is cheap. But against the quality and taste of the food plus long waiting time, this will be my first and the last visit.

Unfortunately, I am still hunting for a really good dim sum place in Hong Kong. My old favorite was Chau Inn at 1 Peking Road, TST. That has closed down, and I am unable to locate the chefs.

This place requires no introduction. It has been in the press all over the world, and has been blogged by many food bloggers all around the world! My colleagues, friends and family in Sydney and Indonesia have asked many many times whether or not I have been. This was on MG’s list of places to eat in Hong Kong and I was more than happy to accompany him. I was a little surprised when Hubby said he wanted to come – he is not the type to wait and queue.

We started off with the bbq pork cheung fan, and ohhh my… the rice noodles were so soft and silky, and fresh! It was incredible, and the bbq pork was fantastic! It was indeed a great way to start this feast!

Next the har gow, prawn dumplings – they were huge and juicy. The skin was thin and not chewy at all. Four perfectly shaped prawn dumplings were simply not enough for 3 hungry eaters! We should definitely have ordered more, but wanted to try the other dishes.

Teochew fun gou, vegetables dumplings which consists of chopped peanuts, garlic chives, pork, dried shrimp, radish and shiitake mushrooms. I absolutely love these dumplings, a combination of crunchy and chewy mixed together. The skin is slightly thicker and sweeter. It was outstanding. The boys didn’t seem to enjoy this as much as I do, I could have easily eaten their share if I knew they wouldn’t enjoy it!

Next the siu may – prawn and beef dumpling – these were incredible! They were huge (bigger than anywhere I have seen), juicy and succulent. It was definitely one of the best siu may I have ever had.

The steamed pork ribs in black bean and chili sauce was so so. The pork was succulent, however, I have definitely tasted better.

Their specialty, crispy char siu bao which is a cross between bbq pork bun and pineapple bun. Three words – OH MY GAWD! It was to die for! The bun – soft and fluffy, the inside – juicy and tender char siu, topped with a crunchy glaze. It was just incredible. Each bite was just heavenly – I wanted more and more and more…..

No we didn’t stop there – there’s MORE! Lo bak go – turnip cake – Hubby’s favourite. This was fantastic, you can actually taste actual turnip. The texture was smooth and tasty.

The deep fried glutinous rice dumplings were amazing! Served warm, it was crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.

Last but not least, the steamed beef balls, a favourite of mine and Hubbys. The meat was succulent and juicy, there is a hint of Worcestershire sauce which complemented the meat well. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed this and could have eaten half a dozen on his own!

read full review: www.gastronomous.wordpress.com

90+ minute wait outside

very cramped

Pork buns, best dish very different. 3 pieces small but good, sweet with sugar on outside

Poached Seasonal vegetables was steamed lettuce ( that is all ) , just outside was the finest range of fresh produce in the street market, the chef here is just plain lazy. LARGE PLATE LETTUCE BUT MOST WENT TO THE WASTE BIN (VERY DISAPPOINTED)

Spare ribs were tough, taste ok. 4 very small pieces

Catfish dumpling tasteless 3 pieces over steamed dumpling (chilli oil helped)

Deep fried spring roll with salad, this is a sweet custard in a deep fried wanton wrapper. very strange. 3 rolls would not recommend.

Steamed mushroom with fish stuffing quite tasty. 3 pieces

Steamed shrimp dumpling quite good also. 3 pieces

Cost $94 HKD no service charge.

Will advise better dim sum place when we find it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could not be bothered loading my photos, it's just not worth it

Totally overrated for the waiting time. The price is consider cheap but is it worth the long waiting time.

Glutinous Rice Dumpling - The slice chicken was very rough and I only manage to find 2 tiny slice of Lap Cheong in it.

Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow) - First bite - no taste, last bite only can taste something

Siew-Mai - again nothing fantastic

Steamed Spare-Ribs - so so

Steamed Beef Meatballs - not as smooth other dim sum place

Char Siu Cheung-fun - I only remember tasting a mouthful of flour

Spring rolls - the only dish that can be consider OK.

A lot of people recommended this place but I guess the quality has deteriorated. A relative told me that this place was review based on the price factor. Something about being very good at that price. If its not for the long wait, I might agree but I probably won't go back.