Two Words: BEEF BAO I have NOT stopped thinking or talking about these buns since I had them weeks ago. They are PERFECT. Best buns I've ever had... The texture of the bun is spot on AND it's pan fried on one side. I've never had pan fried buns and it definitely changed my life. The beef filling is extremely flavorful and juicy. read more

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The husband and I walked in while waiting for a performance at One Longfellow Square. It's been over 10 years since either of us had been to Empire, and we were blown away by the service, ambiance, and food! As a bariatric patient I can't eat too much in one go, so we opted to go with dumplings and drinks, and it was totally the way to go. Drinks: * Strawberry Mojito: sweet, flavorful, and not over powering on the mint. 10/10 from the husband. * Margarita: sour, strong, and they were so wonderful to make it a passion fruit one for me as well. Just a bit small for me. 9/10 Food: * Shanghai soup dumplings: soft and flavorful. Full of filling, but lacking in soup base so it didn't really hit the spot. 7/10 * Steamed pork dumplings: large and in charge! The rice wrapper was a lovely texture but too delicate, resulting in completely falling apart. 8/10 * Garlic bok choy: Converted my husband to actually enjoying bok choy instead of questioning it at every turn. Only wishing it was more garlic forward! 8/10 Go to Empire Chinese Kitchen for a lovely evening out for food or drink! You won't be disappointed. read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Strawberry mojito Margarita - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

This is an awesome little restaurant. Its got plants everywhere and cool asian inspired trellises for them to climb on - there is a good mix of high top and low top seating, a bar area that looks like it could be part of a speakeasy - dark, and eclectic , anyways, while I appreciate all that - how did the food stack up? 3 things to go over - Lobster rangoon, Duck Bao Buns and Orange beef. Lobster rangoon, order them yesterday. They're absolutely amazing. Little sweet, little tangy, rich, very light exterior, plenty of filling; they checked all the boxes. I wish an order came with double! (I wouldn't judge if you put in a double order). The Duck Bao, for me, would be a pass for next time. They were good- just not standout. The bao bun itself was very nice and pillowy, just as you'd want, so they are working with a great foundation. I just wanted a little more out of the flavor for the duck. Maybe it could have used some freshness in there, there was a touch of scallion and some soy based sauce in there but could have benefited from some veg like shredded carrot or daikon or something else. Either that or it would have needed to lean even harder into the umami, caramel- deep flavors. Onto the orange beef. I didn't know how to feel about this when it was first put in front of me. The portion seemed okay, but I realized as I kept eating, the pile of beef wasn't going down as quick as I thought it would (good problem to have!) the beef was crisp, the orange flavor was tangy and sweet - it was really tasty. Beef wasn't tough but also wasn't super tender. Not good nor bad. My only complaint here is that there could have been a little more bok choy and the rice was not very easy to eat with chopsticks. It was a jasmine rice from what it seemed and it didn't have any starch to stick together at all. To pick it up I was having to press the beef into the rice to stick it all together. Not super easy to eat but maybe its just a me problem. read more

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Great restaurant with great food!! We enjoyed the char siu pork, orange beef, chive and shiitake dumplings and spring rolls. All very good!! Clara our server was spot on. Great personality !! Very clean restaurant with a great vibe!! Photos below. read more

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Always a great experience. Friendly staff delicious food and fun drinks. They have changed the floor plan a bit to allow for more seating. The orange beef is my favorite read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Dumplings - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

We had a wonderful dinner experience here. Good service and a pleasant atmosphere. We ordered a bunch of food in waves so that we could enjoy things as they came out. An excellent third stop on our impromptu culinary tour of Portland, and our party grew from two to four. I had the Shanghai cowboy cocktail, the bourbon hits, and you can definitely taste the mint more than the guava. All the foods in order of my preference, this was a tough list to rank because everything had great flavor and came out hot!! Lobster rangoon: yes, I would love to have another order of these! Great flavor, nice crisp wonton, just a wonderful rangoon experience! Pork pot stickers: mmm, love me some pot stickers, and these lived up to my expectations, great flavor and texture! Sa cha chicken skewers: so very tender, great flavor, would gladly eat again! Garlic meatball skewers: good flavor, nice dipping sauce, happy we added these to our selection. Shanghai soup dumplings: in general a fun food item, great flavor and they were highly recommended by the everyone who suggested we eat here. Mongolian beef: the beef had great flavor, the broccoli was cooked properly, not mushy, the onions were well caramelized; delicious! Har gow: good flavor, nice steamed dumplings, glad we tried them! Peking duck buns: my friend was in love with these, it was good, but not something I was immediately obsessed with. More than enough food for the three of us adults! The toddler had an order of steamed noodles. I definitely forgot a few photos, but the food was just so good!! read more

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I think I am a one hit wonder here at Empire. I mean, I order the GF Broccoli and Broad Noodles and garlic green beans every. single. time because I am never disappointed! I honestly do not know how they do it. So good every time. I've tried to duplicate at home and can't. The service was great. Friendly, attentive and fast. Sitting at the bar along Congress St means great people watching. Honestly, I don't think I've ever sat elsewhere which is fine with me. read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Broccoli and Broad Noodle - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

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OMG. Now I get the Empire hype. Empire is known as one of the best spots in Portland for Chinese food, and now I understand why. We finally visited during the winter and were reminded why I usually avoid going in the summer. It was packed on a Wednesday, and they sadly do not take reservations. Everything we had was phenomenal. The menu is extensive, split between shareable small plates and larger plates. We went the family style route with small plates so we could try more and I am so glad we did because everything was so freaking good. We ordered the Chinatown roast pork, garlic green beans, Peking duck buns, spicy pork belly buns, Shanghai soup dumplings, and the garlic meatball. I still cannot pick a favorite, but I have to say their pork dishes are some of the best I have had. We also loved the ambiance. It felt cozy and tucked in, and the space is much more spacious inside than I expected. Service was absolutely fantastic. We cannot wait to go back. read more

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We stopped in for dinner before going to a hockey game at the Cross Insurance Arena and (somehow) had no wait to get a table for four! The server was very nice, the vibe was peaceful but engaging and the food was 10/10! I have tried to go here several times before and you're typically met with a long wait (no option for reservations). I think the key is to get in there early, before the popular dinner-time rush! Looking forward to going back in the future! read more

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Such cozy amazing place, pork bellies top notch. The buns second to none. Highly recommend

I hadn't been to Empire since before the pandemic, so I was excited to finally revisit! They're smaller than they look from the outside, so expect a wait. It was easy to join the waitlist though!: I just gave my name and party size at the host stand, they told me the wait time, texted me immediately to let me know I was on the waitlist, and then texted me when my table was ready (with a bit of a grace period for us to get back over there from the other restaurant we were having drinks at). The staff here is an 11/10. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, thoughtful, and welcoming. Thank you to our server for going out of their way to give us space to chat and catch-up; they knew how to "read the room" PERFECTLY. For me, the food wasn't as craveworthy as I remember it being. I got: + Garlic Green Beans ($8 for the small): wok fried with grilled onion and tamari, these are A MUST when you're here. If you're with someone who says they don't like green beans, this is the dish that will change their mind entirely! So flavorful and cooked to perfection. - Spring Rolls ($7): two rolls filled with cabbage and carrot that are unfortunately mostly layers and layers of crispy, very-fried wrapper with little to no filling. - Chive Shiitake Dumplings ($10): three pan-fried dumplings filled with corn and celery; I found them to be soggy, slightly greasy, and underwhelming. I think the sauce is doing most of the heavy lifting regarding any flavor. +/- Broccoli & Broad Noodles ($18): beansprouts, carrot, broccoli, wide rice noodles, and tamari; for the price, these leave a lot to be desired. If the broccoli had been slightly more cooked, the noodles slightly more saucy, and overall the quantity to be more plentiful... then yes, so satisfying. But these just slightly miss the mark for me. + Dragon's Milk ($14): jasmine infused gin with Thai basil and pandan coconut cream; this compliments everything on the menu. No, it's not too sweet or too tropical or too herby. It's just a lovely little concoction unlike anything else in the city! It's a reliable spot in Portland for dietary restrictions: the menu is clearly labeled with what's gluten-free and vegan. It's not a place I need to return to again soon, but it was nice to revisit it after all this time. read more

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This is Cantonese style food for the most part. It is well executed and they know about "wok-hei" for their fried wide rice noodles. The restaurant has always been full when I have been there and it feels a little tightly spaced but their popularity is a good sign, right? I think their prices are a little high but that's because there is not much competition for good Chinese food in the Greater Portland area. read more

Yes yes yes!! The oldest Chinese restaurant in Portland has never been a disappointment for us and it still reins true! Fast, courteous service as always. It's great to be able to sit and eat here. (Post Covid was take out only) Street and meter parking are close by. The food is always amazing I suggest small plates and sharing read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Drink menu - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

Last minute walk in and enjoyed Garlic Meatballs, Beef Bao, Char Siu Bao and green beans. Everything was hot, tasty and enjoyable! Our server was pleasant and attentive, even though we came in later. Solid choice! read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Beans and meatballs - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I am used to traditional Chinese food but this was a nice switch up! Everything was great, but some better than others. My top dishes were the char siu, pork belly bao, and walnut shrimp. They were so unique and full of flavor. I like that things come out as they're ready so it is hot and ready to be shard. The soup dumplings and potstickers were not my favorite because they tasted like frozen isle items from Trader Joe's that I have had before. They weren't anything special in my opinion. If I come back I would definitely lean toward to bao/buns! read more

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Did this place change ownership? Just not as good as i remember. Beef and pork so dry. Rice seemed very old and stale. Green beans were bland. Even bacon fried rice was dry and lacked flavor. Very disappointed. Dumplings were good but did taste different read more

Visited on a busy Saturday night with an hr wait and it was worth it! Shared a few small plates and the bacon fried rice and couldn't be happier! Sat off to the side of the bar with a street view and had fast and very good service! Take out or dine in, you will be happy read more

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Great selection of vegan and vegetarian options. It wouldn't hurt to change it up once in a while, though. It's always packed and they don't take reservations for less than four people. It's always pretty loud when I've been there, but it's not overwhelming. read more

very good, the matcha green tea cheesecake just tastes like plain cheesecake tho. why do my reviews have to be longer i only have so much to say... read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - cheesecake - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

I ordered the Curry Udon with tofu and a side of garlic green beans. Yum! This place is easy to get to, very nice looking & welcoming on the outside. Serving sizes were perfect with even a little left over, that is refreshing. This meal was packed with fresh, cooked just right vegetables. Wow, what an amazing meal! I ordered take out, the text said ready in 30 min, it was ready in 15 min. I walked with my dog to pick it up. They were kind enough to bring it out for me with a smile! I will definitely be going back here. read more

So glad we stopped into Empire Chinese Kitchen today! Great food, great service and a neat atmosphere. We really enjoyed the soup dumpling. The dumplings could have used a little more soup in them, but still really good! read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

In Maine for vacation and this restaurant was on the top of our list. Staff was great, quick and efficient but not overbearing. Restaurant resides in the building where the first full service Chinese restaurant opened in the area. Cool vibes in the updated version. Food knocked it out of the park! Everything had such amazing taste and flavor. First time trying buns and I'm hooked. Also every Chinese restaurant should have bacon fried rice. Go check this place out read more

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I've been here several times -- for work lunches and with friends -- and I'd say the food here is solid. Not great, not bad, just solid. Somewhere in between a 3.5-4 stars for me. Empire is an Asian-fusion spot, with stylish decor and efficient service. There are small plate options to share, and also larger entrees if each diner wants to order their own thing. I've tried a bunch of things on their menu at this point, and I'd say the best is still their green beans, which is also their best-known dish. It's blistered, garlicky, and delicious. As for the rest: the flavor profiles often lean too salty or too sweet for me. The lobster rangoon is pretty good, and everything else is just fine. The bacon fried rice is alright, but there is no wok hei or any extra flavor pizzazz that I couldn't conjure up at home. The eggplant and the curry udon were both too sweet for me, and even the string beans are on the cusp of being too salty. Prices are on the higher side. One big plus is that this place is relatively vegan- and vegetarian-friendly: they do a good job of marking which dishes are vegan or vegetarian on the menu. Otherwise, I'd say stop by if you're in the area and looking for a solid lunch spot. But I can't say I understand the hype -- I've heard the wait times can approach or exceed an hour during the summer months. read more

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Empire Egg Roll on a crispy stroll, tightly wrapped and rolled. Sa Cha Chicken on a skewer so neat, Smoky, savory, dancing with heat. Szechuan cucumbers cool and bright, Garlic and chili strike just right. Flounder tempura, golden and light, Crunch in the day, disappear at night. Chinese eggplant, sweet-tangy flair, Silky and bold with garlic in the air. Green beans snap with a garlicky gleam, Simple, roasted, a perfect dream. Orange beef glows in citrus glaze, Sticky and crisp in a sesame haze. Baby bok choy with a gentle sauté, A peppery whisper to finish the play. Friendly, kind server, and great drinks to boot. C- ya later Toot toot. read more

My husband and I have been here two times and it's been excellent. Soup dumplings and boa buns are excellent. The bacon fried rice is absolutely amazing. Our favorite thing though is the broad and beef noodles, definitely recommend trying it! The staff is friendly and the food comes out promptly. The restaurant feels bright, with lots of windows. They are typically playing upbeat music. The location is also near several bars which makes a night out easy! read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Beef and broad noodles - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We came here as a larger group and had dinner family style. There was kind of a wait, we had about a 60 min wait. Servers were nice and food started to come out pretty quickly after we ordered. Unfortunately our table did not have a lot of space to hold the food, but the kitchen and staff did good at trying to stagger it so we could get through most of the food before new dishes came out. Sometimes it took a little while for someone to pick up the empty dishes, so they kind of sat at my end of the table until we could wave someone down to take it away. We ordered a bunch of different things, and it was good. I especially like honey walnut shrimp so it was a treat to have! Their shrimp was battered and fried well and the coating/sauce was good. Also, the garlic green beans were very good. The prices were pretty reasonable for the dishes that we got. So I definitely would come back! read more

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We have been patrons for many years; Food and service have always been very good, but we were disturbed during our last visit 1/25/26) to see the young busboy: 1) Using the same broom to clean the floor AND the seats, 2) Using ungloved hands to clean floors & tables, immediately followed by, 3) setting the tables, directly handling plates, utensils, and glassware with unwashed hands, immediately followed by, 4) bringing us our food. This cycle repeated itself throughout our stay. Please institute better training and hygiene procedures for your staff. read more

I am a regular at Empire and it is definitely some of the best Asian food in the city. Their dumplings are always delicious. It can get pretty busy at night so make sure to arrive early. read more

Oh my goodness, is this place incredible! This is the highest quality Chinese restaurant I have been to in New England. I came here with 3 other friends on a Friday night. The wait for a table was around 1 hour 45 minutes - we almost left, but were so thankful we didn't because it was SO worth the wait! We all came in starving, and ordered pretty much everything on the menu (...not joking!) Every menu item we got was made fresh and delicious. My favorite were the broad noodles and the garlic green beans. I definitely suggest getting a few plates to share with others, so you can get a little bit of everything! The cocktails were also delicious. The staff were so friendly and had a great sense of humor. We put in multiple orders of food at different times, and they were always so attentive and accommodating. Be aware, the kitchen closes 15 minutes before closing... so make sure you get your orders in! This is definitely a new favorite and will now be a "must stop" restaurant on our list for our future trips to Portland! read more

Empire Chinese Kitchen - Mongolian Beef - Dim Sum Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great dim sum! I was recommended this restaurant while visiting Portland and it was great! Every dish was very fresh and flavorful. The standouts were the Bok Choy, chicken potstickers and Chinese eggplant. I wish I tried the bao buns, they looked very yummy. Our waitress was helpful with her recommendations and the space was clean and open. Would go back! read more

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We stopped here for lunch today. Located in an old bank building, the interior has been renovated to bring the space new life. We enjoyed bacon fried rice (to appease our 9 year old), roast duck lo mein and the chinatown roast pork. Such wonderful flavors! Service was friendly and quick to accommodate additional needed items. So happy we stopped! read more

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Great service good drinks and can't wait to take the food home to eat always amazing! Love the garlic green beans! read more

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Great Cantonese restaurant. The bbq pork is delicious, the mushroom dim sum is good. Unfortunately I was on a trip so won't be back.

The food is a given great so I'll start with service.....which was impressive. We got there at rush hour and there were 2 big shows in town. We had to wait for 45 min but they kept us informed and that was helpful. We sat down and they took our order immediately and not 5 min went by before the first dish arrived then it kept rolling as they do. Just amazing. The food was soooo good and hot from start to finish. We (2 of us) ordered 5 dishes and each was better than the last. Thank you Empire for another dinner where when you walk out you feel like it was money well spent. read more

So we live in Biddeford, Today I placed a $200 order for dinner for myself and guests. My husband went to pick up the order and was given the wrong order - a much much smaller order. I got a call 20 minutes after my husband picked it up - now he is in off the highway and in Saco heading home - stating we were given the wrong order. The options they gave me two options a) drive back to Portland and get the right order b) give us a credit for the difference of the two orders...I don't have any idea what is in that order or if I can eat it. I asked them due to the size of the order and that this was their mistake - to a) have a currier deliver the correct order b) refund the total amount. I was told that they could only offer me a credit for the difference and if I wanted a full credit would need to bring back the order. So making their problem my problem. The women apologized and stated that this is all she is authorized to do. I disagree- she could have called a manager to make this right and she chose not to. Customer recovery is just as important as the food you eat...when you have a bad service experience unfortunately- don't know why however is does affect the taste of the food and your feelings of the restaurant. I have been going to Empire for over 15 years...I will not be going back for a while. Update - I received a call from the Manager who apologized, offered me a full credit, and stated they were going to speak to their staff about service recovery. I am very thankful for the timely outreach and service resolution. Thank you, wishing the entire Empire staff a happy Thanksgiving! read more

Got takeout from here the other day and this wasn't my first time here either. Have been here a handful of times and am never disappointed. Service was good and quick and was in and out in 20 minutes. The dining area is also pleasant and the service has always been quick. I got the Chinatown pork with white rice, the duck bao bun, and the wonton soup. The Chinatown pork I always recommend. The pork has almost a sweet sugar coating on it and when the juices mix with the rice it is so delicious. The bao buns were pretty good but I felt the duck ones were missing something inside. They certainly were not bad but there wasn't a ton going on and the duck was a little chewy. Finally, the wonton soup. This was my favorite park of my meal. The broth was so rich and smooth and the wontons inside were huge and packed with flavor! I would highly recommend coming here if you can or getting takeout. There's a reason Thai is such a popular spot in Portland and you won't be disappointed. read more

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I met Dan at the bar at Empire, and he was absolutely wonderful! He was so kind, easy to talk to, and made me feel really comfortable and welcome. It's rare to meet someone who truly listens and makes your day better just by being friendly. Empire is lucky to have him, he really made my visit special! I will definitely go back soon. read more

Quick service with delicious food. Very attentive staff and a welcoming atmosphere. Consider going into it with the mindset of sharing with who youre dining with because I'm pretty sure the portions are meant to be pretty much family style overall. Yum read more

WOW. Party of four and every one of us loved the food, vibe/ambiance, and service. We came on a weekday afternoon for lunch and we just snagged the last empty table. Ordered a bunch of small plates to share - hot and sour soup, five spice tofu bai, garlic green beans, sa cha chicken skewers, honey walnut shrimp, Chinese eggplant, and shrimp dumplings. Everything came out pretty quickly and arrived steaming hot. The green beans true to their name were garlicky, yum. The chicken skewers were cooked so well, the texture was soft. The shrimp had a slight crunch to them and were sweet and tasty. The shrimp dumplings were delicious, with and without the dipping sauce. The eggplant was a little sweet and sour. The tofu in the bao was marinated well. We enjoyed every single dish. Wow. The service was exemplary as well. We were greeted and served with a smile always. We asked for a couple of extra sauces and they happily obliged with not just those but recommended others too. I also made a mistake while ordering expecting the shu Mai to be a shrimp shu Mai. However the shu Mai here had pork which we don't eat. Our server very kindly replaced the dish with the one we wanted to order, the shrimp dumplings. Overall, this was a wonderful lunch! read more

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Good food - especially the Bao and pork belly buns. Drinks were creative and good Mongolian Beef was good as well On the fence about 4/5 rating. I'd give a 4.5 if I could read more