Since moving to the North Bay from New York, I've been mowed the fact that Sonoma County Chinese restaurants just a uniformly fairly mediocre to acceptable. But the drive from Glen Ellen to San Francisco for dinner is just a bit too far. This Saturday night, four of us discovered EMPRESS M. Absolutely extraordinary food. The hot and sour soup was neither as hot or as sour as I would like it, but everyone else was delighted. The Tree ear salad was perfectly balanced. The scallop and rice, vermicelli dish, besides being beautifully plated and of generous proportion was as good as any similar dish I've had in Hong Kong or mainland, China. The Seabass was superbly cooked; we were joking that the portion was so large that we couldn't make it at home for that price. The spicy shrimp was perhaps the weakest dish but I would give it a solid 4+ stars. The wait staff were engaging without being intrusive; the manager was personable and delightful. Not only will we be back, but we've talked about using them for catering. Can't wait to try the AYCE dim sum sometime very soon! read more

I'm Impressed with Empress M. To start, the establishment seems much larger on the inside than it appears on the outside. Besides the beautiful outdoor dining courtyard, the inside houses a sports bar, a VIP dining room, and a casual dining rooms for your selection. As a conneseur of fine, authentic Chinese food, the menu was very impressive. When you see chicken feet on the menu, you know it's authentic! In addition to the chicken feet, we also ordered the Peking duck, mapo tofu, and a few different types of dim sum. (Sorry I wasn't able to post any photos. But I did notice that the menu we saw had a little more than what other customers posted on Yelp.). Bottom line, the food was simply fantastic. Chef's kiss!!! Last, but not least, the staff is phenomenal. We were waited on by 3 different employees, each of whom gave impeccable service. Although all 3 were great, we have to give a special shout out to Jesse. He shared his creativity with us from his delicious cocktail creations to his AI-generated memory photos, which IMO would be any customer's novel reminder of their wonderful dining experience at Empress M. We will definitely be back! read more

Best place for dim sum! The staff was hustling and providing great service throughout our meal. We loved seeing the carts roll by with so many options to choose from such a fun and authentic experience. The soup dumplings were outstanding, and the spinach dumplings were the most surprising favorite of the table. One of our diners even tried the stomach lining and said it was incredibly flavorful and delicious. We toasted with champagne and finished with the perfect egg custard tart. It was also wonderful to see the owner greeting guests and making everyone feel welcome. We will definitely be back! read more

Empress M - Outside area - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

Today, I'm in Napa again. It feels good to be back in Wine Country. It's a very beautiful day in Napa, it feels cool right now like Fall. I'm here at Empress M for some Dim Sum this Friday at Noon. This location is just beautiful, kinda charming, and there's a really nice seperate Banquet Dining Room for Parties and Celebrations. I got Black Pepper Beef Ribs, Mushroom Dumplings, Spinach Dumplings, Sautéed Garlic Green Beans, and Stir-fried Noodles. Everything was exquisite. I want to give this a 4.4 stars, but I'm going to give this 4.4/4.5 stars out of 5 stars. It was amazing. read more

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Empress M -- Where Cantonese mastery meets Tang-style calm and Sichuan fire Stepping through the red gates of Empress M, you feel an unusual balance - the grandeur of Tang-style architecture paired with a quiet, almost meditative calm. My companions even described the space as having Zen energy - soft light, red lacquer, and a subtle elegance that frames the dining experience beautifully. But once the dishes arrive, calm gives way to excitement. The chef here is unmistakably a Cantonese master, yet his craft extends far beyond Guangdong - weaving in Sichuan, Hunan, and even Southeast Asian nuances while keeping every flavor in balance. The Salt & Pepper Fish Fillet was unforgettable - made with authentic Jixin chili, the fiery slender pepper beloved in true Sichuan kitchens. It's spicy, yes, but the fragrance comes first, layered and complex, followed by a clean, elegant heat that lingers like incense. This isn't fusion heat - it's the soul of Chinese fire. The Eggplant & Long Bean Claypot was pure mastery. Fragrant, oily in the right way, with that deep wok aroma that defines great Cantonese stir-fries. I'm convinced the chef infused it with dou-su - the same soy crumble used in steamed cod - to recreate that signature fish fragrance without fish itself. You don't see the dou-su, but you taste it - rich, nutty, umami, woven into the oil. Even the green peas stayed crisp - a small detail, yet a true mark of control. The Beef Brisket Curry is an homage to Hong Kong's cha chaan teng roots - comforting, nostalgic, yet refined. Knife work shines: tendon cut small enough to melt, brisket braised to velvet. The spice blend unfolds in layers - aromatic, warm, quietly persuasive - the kind of curry that makes even those who rarely eat rice reach for seconds. Empress M is that rare restaurant where Cantonese precision meets Sichuan soul, framed in Tang-style serenity. Refined, soulful, balanced, confident - a place where calm and fire coexist in harmony. Five stars - without question. A master at work. -- Dr. C Only writing for what truly earns the stars. read more

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we live just around the corner from Empress M, and this has become one of our go to spots. Such a good spot. Great bar, great food, great drinks. Love the big TV to come down here and have a drink with some great appetizers and watch the game. The chicken wings are always bomb, the fried fish is a 10 out of 10. my wife is a big fan of their dim sum especially on the weekend where it's all you can eat. It's such a great deal and an easy place to bring the whole family, including our teenagers. Friendly service, good atmosphere and consistently good food. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Empress M - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

We came here on Friday night for dinner and we had a reservation. We came here a bit early but were able to get seated. The ambiance was friendly but not too lively. We ordered: - Fried Impossible Wontons - this was the first time I've gad wontons with impossible beef and they were delicious! Very crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. - Mushroom Dim Sum - the mushroom filling was very flavorful and the wrapper was super soft and chewy; the combination was great - Wood Ear Salad - I really liked the crunchiness of the wood ear mushrooms and the slight citrusy flavoring. - Pineapple Fried Rice with Beyond Beef - the pineapple fried rice was my favorite entree! The beyond beef was a great combination with the pineapple rice. This usually has seafood, but we were able to ask to take out seafood and egg and beyond beef instead. - Chow Fun with Tofu - was not super flavorful in its own but it was good when eaten with the chili sauce. - Thai Milk Tea with Boba - honestly my favorite part of the meal! The boba was super soft and the tea was delicious and super fresh! One thing I really liked about this place was how customizable and vegetarian friendly it was. Most of entrees we ordered were either primarily meat or seafood based but we were able to ask for beyond beef and tofu substitutions. The portion sizes are also very generous. What we ordered was more than enough for 4-5 to share with leftovers. Overall, this was a great experience and I would love to come back to try other items on the menu! read more

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Dim Sum in Napa at Empress M cuisine and Ordered 30 dim sum dish for 3 peoples. We ordered beef short ribs many times. It was so good. Forgot to order, black sesame cake and sticky rice dumpling. I give it a 7.5 out of 10. Not the best, limited choice and no rice rolls or fancy dim sum but for the price, it is good enough. Restaurant is very clean, rest room is very clean too, very good service and they are so very friendly and interior looks so fancy. Not bad and better than average. Taste good too and not to noisy and carry a conversation. read more

Came here on an absolute whim tonight. I didn't even know this place existed (I bowl at the alley literally a minute away from here). It is a very clean spot and the service was great. Food was so good too! We ordered War Wonton Soup, Chicken Chow Mein, Rice and Mongolian Beef. Easily fed three of us. Everything was nice and hot. It's a bit pricey, but honestly you get what you pay for! read more

Empress M - It was so good I forgot to take a picture! - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

Not sure where to start and wanted to be positive but... Went for all you can eats dim sum and selection was limited though what we had was good. Carts didn't come around enough. Was not offered refills for my drinks except water. Service was a miss. Too many gnats that they ended up in my wife's plate twice. 20% mandatory tip. Unfortunately will not be coming back. I have to imagine they are new owners bc can't see how they received the reviews they have. Wish them the best but you only get one chance at a good impression. read more

We went in to Empress M for a quick bite in the late afternoon on a Sunday. Environment is always welcoming and transports you into the mood for Chinese cuisine. The restaurant seats a lot but there was only one other 2 top in the entire restaurant. Food is served family style and is meant to be shared. Which is good because it can become pricey. Our service was friendly and efficient. We had the Sichuan Calamari to start and enjoyed the freshness along with the nice batter with hints of spice that traveled around each bite. We shared Wonton Soup and the Sauteed String Beans w/Garlic. Everything came out hot and was delicious. The green beans caused our eyes to pop open with delight and the soup warmed our souls. It would be a nice place to celebrate a slice of life like a birthday, anniversary, etc. We are glad we stopped in on impulse. Thank you! read more

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Empress M was a wonderful experience! We reserved a beautiful private dining room and they were very accommodating of all our needs. We had a custom menu and the chef nailed every dish. Coco and team provided amazing service, going above and beyond throughout the lunch. They even have a fun karaoke bar to enjoy! read more

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I grabbed a to-go order today... it's been a while since I've done that and normally, I would get dim sum... but they've changed the menu and the sampler doesn't interact me. I ordered the citrus chicken, chowmein, and potstickers.... Have to say, I really enjoyed everything. The only reason it doesn't get 5*.... Drama. Lots of drama happening at the bartender vs. the women employees.... Everyone has a bad day and he was most certainly having one. But wasn't eating there, so.... Good for me. read more

The dim sum selection isn't huge but with what they had was really good. The black fungus salad, five spice cold sliced beef and smashed cucumber salad that you not normally see in dim sum restaurants was really good. I missed having pork and egg congee but their steamed tripe is good. The price was a great deal along with the all you can drink mimosas. Will be back! read more

The food here is absolutely delicious. We came here yesterday before we headed over to Bottlerock for dim sum. The siu mai was flavorful and juicy. The beef ribs were super tender. We also ordered beef chow fun and it was so good! The restaurant is also beautifully decorated and the outdoor seating area is lovely. The staff is also super lovely, Michelle is wonderful - thank you for looking out for us! read more

Had a chance to meet up with some friends and share a fantastic meal here. The service was attentive and the food was as usual, quite amazing. Our favorite tonight were the rack of lamb, walnut shrimp, and the Chilean sea bass. The sea bass was especially outstanding! This is without a doubt some of the best Chinese food on Northern California. read more

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We celebrated a birthday and ordered a bit of everything. It was so delicious!! I dont think there was anything i didnt like. It was very very good food. Would definitely cone back. Great service. Love the ambiance. read more

Enjoyed this beautiful Bloody Empress at Empress M restaurant in Napa ... Crab , Lobster , Duck , Beef ,Lamb , Shrimp , and more delicious things to explore on this dish. read more

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This place was confusing and incredible in the same visit. We had driven past it earlier the day we ate here and commented on how nice it looked. Without realizing we were going to the same place, we picked a Chinese place off Yelp and were pleasantly surprised when we drove in. We were greeted promptly and told to pick any table we liked to sit at. Because we were the only customers there. At all. Granted it was a Thursday night, but there was no one else there. A little odd. And it further makes even less sense when we got our food. I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles and my wife got the Citrus (Orange) Chicken. Oh. My. Gosh. Both dishes were AMAZING. We've spent a non-trivial amount of time in China and the Dan Dan Noodles took me back to Szechuan province and the little place we ate at. They were absolutely delicious. Not going to lie, I ate the whole thing. My wife's chicken was, bar none, the best Orange/Citrus Chicken I've every eaten. Lightly breaded, fried perfectly, sauce was just right, not too sweet and not too much of it. Crispy, tender and just plain amazing. Wow - Napa, I don't know what the heck you people are doing on Thursday nights, but you're missing out. You need to be at Empress M! read more

Not worth $60 super small containers the food was just ok for all the hype it had on Facebook

We had a surprise engagement party here and it was amazing! The staff was very great at helping with the surprise and getting everything settled the night before and during the day of. The Chinese food was authentic, which is quite hard to find in Napa. And it was great because they also had karaoke for all the uncles! read more

Empress M - Karaoke - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

Sat in the bar. Massive TV to enjoy the Warriors NBA game on Chinese New Year and we had a feast with the highlight being the Peking Duck. Old school employees that know service and just a great night. Forgot to take pictures into the destruction was done read more

Empress M - Everything! - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

We were enjoying a weekend wine tasting and were staying down at the Meritage Spa & Resort about 9 min from Empress M. We ordered to-go and had a drink at the bar while waited. The staff were super friendly and food came out before we finished our refreshments. A local patron was paying her bill and said this was the best Chinese food in town. There was a nice patio, both covered and uncovered. The dining room looked inviting as well. We enjoyed potstickers, sesame chicken, crispy walnut shrimp, beef short ribs and chicken chow mein. It was all delicious. Parking is limited around the building but there was a sign that read additional parking next door at the tire shop. read more

Empress M - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

Restaurant website menu boasted dim sum, which was why I stopped in on a Sunday evening in January. Numerous doors were wide open and the whole place was freezing (even the waitress wore a winter coat). The menu I was given was devoid of dim sum, which was disappointing. Vegetarian options were very limited. The lettuce wraps with plant-based meat were delicious but messy, with liquid dripping down my jacket sleeve. read more

What a disappointing experience. I was craving Chinese food and discovered this on Yelp. It was on my way home so decided to give it a try. Firstly when I ordered hot tea I was told that it was $5 instead of the $3 indicated on the menu. Usually tea is included at Chinese restaurants but I was in the mood so I ordered it anyway. I ordered one of only 4 lunch specials, Szechuan chicken. Orange chicken was brought to the table. Probably should have just kept it as the Szechuan chicken they did eventually bring was grossly over salted and had almost no vegetables except for onion. A one dish lunch special with hot tea came to $30 with tip. I couldn't eat more than half of it so brought the rest home in a box. Probably will end up throwing it away. What a waste of money and time. read more

Wonderful food and the staff is sweet. The large TV in the bar is a great visual when grabbing a happy hour drink

My husband called the night before Valentine's Day and was lucky to get a reservation for 3! Our reservation was at 5:30pm but we ended up arriving @5:00pm and they took us in! We ordered the dumpling sampler, chow mein, hot and sour soup, calamari, more dumplings & Mongolian beef! The whole bill cost $183 including tip. The calamari is probably the best dish ive had so far. Some of the foods we had were salty but we let it pass and took the rest home. It's a beautiful dining area & super family friendly. Highly recommend this place for a late night family dinner. The only downside is that it's hidden in the back of the car dealerships and the parking is extremely limited. read more

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We ordered a large order from Empress M over the weekend at my job. Everything was extremely tasty but the Peking duck was the only item I was able to catch a photo of and honestly, it deserved its own photo anyways. Sooooooooo good! This is only my second time having this dish and I will order it again and again. read more

Empress M - Peking Roast Duck - Whole - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

We went to eat at their all you can eat Dimsum on Sunday. The food was good but the service was the worst service we ever got in any given restaurant. We were seating on the table for 40 minutes without food served. The carts kept coming but serving the same thing over and over and lapsed for 40 minutes. The ambiance was nice. When we talked to the Manager, she said they did not expect a lot of people that day so they ran out of food and was just starting to cook? So we were paying all you can eat and nothing was served. Never again. read more

I love Empress M! Amazing service from Freddy and Coquito! I love their Dim Sum their food is so delicious and there is a really elegant elevated ambiance as well. It's a wonderful space in Napa where there is not a lot of great Chinese food. I love it there! read more

Empress M - Dim sum - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California

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I usually don't leave bad reviews, especially because the food here was actually good, but the service on Mother's Day completely ruined the experience for my family. We made a reservation for 1 PM for the all-you-can-eat dim sum cart special, and when we arrived the restaurant was completely slammed. Even with a reservation, we still had to wait around while tables sat dirty and unorganized. We weren't seated until around 1:30, and while waiting they had us standing around a table covered in dirty plates. The whole restaurant looked chaotic. The manager was running around stressed, nobody seemed organized, and we honestly felt forgotten most of the time. We had kids with us who were hungry and upset, and we kept watching other tables get properly served while we sat there waiting. The biggest issue was the dim sum cart service itself. The carts barely came to our table at all. Nobody explained what was being served or what was included. Meanwhile, we watched other tables getting offered multiple items and full service while we were ignored. At one point, I had to ask someone when we were finally going to get food, and they randomly handed us a few dishes with no explanation. It honestly felt discriminatory seeing larger parties around us get treated completely differently. We got water in plastic cups that wasn't even cold while other tables got glass cups. We ordered 3 mimosas and only received 2 half-filled drinks. When I went to ask for the missing one myself, the drink tasted rushed and terrible. They brought us the wrong chow mein. The spring rolls came out cold. We never had an actual waiter checking on us. The food itself had potential, but the service was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. Mother's Day is obviously busy, but if you're going to offer reservations and special events, there needs to be way better organization and communication. We left feeling ignored, frustrated, and disappointed. read more

I went there for Mother's Day this year hoping that there would be a good Dim Sum in the area and it was just that good, not great, not bad, but good. I did like the atmosphere, however, for brunch the choices were slim, I mean slim.... the same cart kept coming around hoping to push what had not been taken. This is where I was disappointed. Also, the service was not that good. I understand that it was mother's day, but the person that sat us down was pretty rude. I had made reservations for six, but something did happen where there was only the for of us.... His comment was, I wish you told us sooner... Really?! This is how we were greeted. So back to the food. It was so bad that I decided to order Peking Duck and salt/pepper pork. It was great! It made up for the poor showing of the dim sum. But later when we were to leave, there came the honey walnut prawns.... Look, we paid $200+ for the meal and felt we deserved more than what we had. I been in a lot of pressure situation and feel that there needs to be someone there to come them down and just say "customer service". read more

This place is. It prepared for large crowds of business. No organization in their service. Very slow and were told we couldn't order drinks due to bar not being able to handle the orders. This place could be much more enjoyable if they'd just revamp their system and actually organize their business! Sorry but this will be our first and last visit. read more

A 20% gratuity was already automatically added to the bill without any notice. It's lunch for 2 people.

I absolutely agree with the 5 star reviews of this restaurant. My family owned a Chinese restaurant for decades which makes me an ultimate critic. I couldn't believe how the flavors were so balanced and the wok fire was really present in every dish. The salt and pepper pork was perfectly breaded, the wood ear salad was bold and flavorful, the soup dumpling was juicy and fresh, the chow main with beef was the best I've ever had. Definitely coming back! read more

I finally decided to make my way to the actual restaurant as I had tried their food when it was a pop up at the Oxbow Market. I decided to go by myself today around 4pm. They were out of tofu out of all the days... again, no big deal I totally understand that situations happen. I still decided to dine in. The restaurant itself is very esthetic. However, I am disappointed that I was in the middle of my meal and the waitress/bartender brought over my tab without me asking for it (I tend to sometimes order extra food at the end to take with me for the next day, but because she brought the tab ahead of time I decided not to). I also got up towards the end to use the ladies room (I was gone less than 2 minutes) & the waitress tells me when I walk up back to my table that she had thought I had dined and dashed. Very rude. ‍ read more

We ordered the following from the menu: - Dim Sum sampler with its careful preparation and quality ingredients, it was well worth its moderate price. It did not disappoint. So delicious! - Chicken feet is my favorite dim sum dish. This version is the best, with a delicious and tender texture. I would definitely order this again. - Shanghai soup dumpling is expertly prepared and flavorful. - Peking roast duck, although the dish didn't have the typical spices I'm used to, but we enjoyed it and ate whole dish. - Salmon fried rice, decided to give it a try. Unmixed cooked white rice was visible in the fried rice, despite that, it was delicious. - Shumai Dim Sum, extremely tasty and satisfying. I would definitely return to this restaurant to try a different dish on the menu. 5 stars- Service in this restaurant is not only prompt and attentive but also friendly and welcoming, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for all diners. They have designated parking lot. read more

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Food was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Atmosphere was great. This place like make it in any city. Wish there was one back home because I'd go all the time. Definitely returning next week when I come back and will make this place a regular on my travels to Napa read more

We have been waiting for over an hour and they forgot to make our order. The Shirley temple drink taste like water and we have to return it. Until now we have not our order yet.. we only have the dimsum 45 minutes ago... read more

My husband Carl's surprise 80th birthday luncheon was held Oct. 29th. All 34 attendees would agree that the food was outstanding, the service timely and the atmosphere special. Hostess Coqueta gave Carl a Chinese party hat, taught us to say hello and drew a happiness sign. An afternoon of fun. read more

Empress M - Happy 80th Birthday! - Dim Sum Near Me - Napa, California