China Garden

China Garden delivered exactly what I would expect from a Dim Sum restaurant in the U.S. Very-​to-​the-​point waiters, pricey dishes, decorative interiors, and ample seating. I’ve had dim sum at Hong Kong’s best, so I’m used to the unique style of service (they might come off as rude, but don’t ever take it personally) that prioritizes efficiency over «niceness». A lot of reviews complain about service, but I think service is great. I like that I get my stuff on the pronto minus any small talk.
The food was decent. It didn’t blow me away or disappoint me. My favorites are the shrimp rice noodle, hargao (shrimp dumplings), luo buo gao (radish cake), tripe, pai gu (chunks of short rib pork), and shrimp paste and bell pepper.
I love dim sum, so yes, I would go again.

My family and I came to eat dinner here in celebration of one of our extended family members who graduated from college.
We were from out of town and were looking forward to a great time together and delicious dinner (since our family members from DC mentioned that it was a 10 course dinner), but I must say that the service (particularly from the food «captain» [btw, his name is Tom]…was beyond HORRIBLE!!!) And here’s why…
We were in the middle of our meal, and he literally shoves a tray of cake in front of us and said, «Everyone grab a piece of cake. Hurry up because I’m tired.»
U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.E.A.B.L.E!!!
That did it… although the company was excellent and the food was alright… the experience we had went downhill from that point moving forward. Everyone ended up complaining.
I will make it a point to never ever come here again… highly NOT recommended to anyone.

Had to come here for lunch with a group of 20 people. The restaurant has ample seating, but it just looks like it’s in serious need of an update and they just keep forgetting to renovate. Despite having a large group and being pressed on time, we were fed and out of there within an hour. We had 2 servers that were running around bringing food and explaining item names to non Chinese guests. The staff wasn’t bad or good, just average friendly. The food itself tasted just alright, but did not look fresh to me. Also their glasses were dirty.
Overall can’t really complain about anything, but I would not return unless with another Chinese group for work.

I’ve only gone for their weekend Dim Sum and it is the best in the area. Take it from someone who grew up with authentic Chinese food and moving down to DC to only be seriously disappointed by the tiny Chinatown. It’s a very large restaurant but you’re usually seated within minutes of arriving there. You’ll need to have your whole party there to be seated.

After checking in at my hotel early after a red eye flight from Los Angeles, this dim sum eatery was convenient to walk to during the mid week. They offer a lunch menu special since Roslyn has many people that work in the city.
We ordered dim sum basic entrees per request since they don’t have push carts. The stand out dish was the lotus wrapped chicken sticky rice and the other dim sum was average but cured my dim sum craving. We also ordered a lunch special of moo goo gai which was loaded with crispy stir fried veggies and white meat chicken that was yummy. Service here was decent and accommodating.
Prices here seem on the higher side but this was so convenient, I got my dim sum fix and would recommend this place if you’re craving dim sum and don’t have a car to get around.

China Garden has average dim sum — some things are better than others. They do seem to have less variety here compared to other dim sum places in the burbs, but it is more convenient to get to this restaurant from DC.
Here is what is good :
–Taro radish cakes (Lo bo gao) is quite good. Better than HK Palace in VA
–Shrimp rice crepes (Ha cheong) also fresh and tasty.
It is a plus that the restaurant is pretty large which makes it easier to get a table than a small place like Oriental East in MD. Just keep ur fingers crossed you don’t come here at the same time as a big tourist bus.

Amazing dim sum. I’ve only been to this place on the weekend which is the only time they serve dim sum but it is awesome and lots of fun. I suggest going with a smaller table but they have large tables with a lazy Susan for sharing of the small plates. Unlike other dim sum places, I’ve never had an issue with getting the type of food that you want. And if you still haven’t seen that cart come by, just ask and they will send that person over when the food is ready.
Gotta go and get the pork buns, chicken fried dumplings, beef and noodles (forget the name for this one), green beans and of course the tea.
Also a good tip is that they validate the parking garage that is underneath the building which has a ton of parking spaces with an elevator that goes straight to the restaurant.

Dim sum hours have changed, they end at 2:30pm now.
(The website says 3pm. I am starving and irate.
I kindly and politely told the manager the site is wrong so he could be aware and maybe fix it, but he seems disinterested. He blames me for not magically knowing. «Look, everyone else knows it». Customer service fail.)

I went to China garden with a group of 8 on Saturday at noon for brunch. I recently moved to DC from Atlanta where Dim Sum is prevalent and this was my first foray to explore the Arlington Dim Sum scene. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience. The dining area was packed but we were still seated pretty quickly despite the crowd. The tea was hot and new pots were given to us regularly. When we were first seated we were flooded by carts. As the meal went on, carts were more sparse but we flagged someone down to ask for the dumpling cart to come by and they promptly did. The food was great. My favorites were the radish cakes and the shrimp dumplings. Also the chili sauce was fantastic. At the end of the meal we were all stuffed and paid just $ 35 per couple for the meal. I am looking forward to my second visit.

Fiine, I will give this place three stars. Teetering on two stars but this is the best dim sum in the area. The only dim sum in the area.
The main things that can go wrong with dim sum is that it is too salty or oily. Thankfully, dim sum here is not too salty or oily. The dim sum is okay. It is the frequency of the carts coming around that is not okay. Both times, I have been seated by the walls and carts came around very rarely. I asked for a table in the middle but the middle-​aged hostess SHUSHED me. Not okay.
Another one star issue is that they always run out of egg tarts. You can tell the servers you want egg tarts and they will bring it to you, but it will take a sweet forever and they will be pipin’ hot and not as good as completely cooled ones.
I have also been here for a celebration dinner and I DO NOT recommend it. Everything was super super salty and no one wanted to eat.

A good dim sum places boils down to the staples:
–sumai: shrimp and noodle smooshed together in a round ball. Sweet and salty goodness. I’d give it 3 stars.
–shupao: BBQ red pork bun (the soft white bread). Pork could have been softer, but they are very generous with the bread. I’d give it 4 stars.
–pork spare ribs: succulent. No need to say more. 4 stars.
–custard tart: the custard was the right touch of sweetness and the crust was flaky. I would give it 3 stars.
I would recommend going on the earlier side. They ran out of shupao by 1:30 pm on a Saturday.

This place is the absolute worst. If you can think of a more stereotypical Chinese establishment, this would be it. I don’t know why Chinese people are so rude to fellow Asians and nauseatingly friendly to foreigners, it seems to be the case everywhere. The server treated me with a lack of regard of that an annoying fly. I do not expect much, but I do expect to be treated with respect if I am paying to eat your food.
I ordered the beef lo mein on their lunch menu. The plate of food that came was so tiny for a Chinese restaurant, where you expect semi-​large portions of food. The beef was hard and small in amount. The noodles were oily and lacked flavor. They put CANNED mushrooms in my meal.
When the check came with the fortune cookie, I thought at least I would have the cookie to eat. But even that tasted strange and left a pasty taste in my mouth. This is not a good representation of Chinese cuisine nor is it worth the visit!

Dim Sum here was a-​ok. I wish there were more options in the dim sum. What they have is good except the dumplings which are way too doughing and not very hot. Luckily with dim sum you can taste many things and it won’t be too much of a waste if you don’t like it. The chinese broccoli was especially good and I’m not a huge veggie lover. I think most with bigger appetites will order from a regular menu. They don’t seem to have noodles as a dim sum option.
Come early and come with your entire party or you will wait. Glad they are doing well at least on the weekend. Had my wedding here and was happy with that experience.
Most of the dim sum servers know enough English to explain what is inside each item, but having a Chinese speaking friend helps.

Oh the shit. The food is below average and the servants will treat you like a nuisance. They will force you to pay 15% of tips. Personally I don’t really mind to pay 15% or more but I don’t like people to add that shit to your bill without asking you! Won’t recommend to tourists

It is exceedingly difficult to find (non-​fusion) Chinese food in DC, so with the location taken into consideration, it is a decent find. Located close to the Rosslyn metro, it is easily accessible albeit a little hidden within the ABC (?) building.
Food-​wise, you should definitely hope for a seat close to the kitchen because the farther you get, the colder and fewer options you get. I was here twice recently: once for Chinese New Years and once on a random Saturday. On Chinese New Years weekend (Sunday), it was absolutely paaaacked so I was seated as far from the kitchen as humanly possible and I didn’t get any of the typical dim sum offerings because they were all gone by the time the carts came around. The second time, I was seated considerably closer, so I got the first choice of dumplings, noodles, buns, etc. As mentioned before, the food itself is mediocre, but if you live in the area and have a hankering for some dim sum, this is the place to go.

The boss’s attitude is horrible! When I finished checking out and went out, asking her to help validate the parking ticket, she pointed to the other side of the room without saying anything. She was pointing to the validating machine over there. What fucking attitude it is? Are you running a business? Who do you think you are? God or something like that? She must want a punch on the face.
Beside that, food and price is ok. They used to include the service fee in the bill. But it seems that they have changed it. Maybe because they got complained for that stupid behavior lol!

China Garden has really good dim sum and I can’t complain about their food. They are always so busy, but you can get a seat quickly. They have quick and fast service. You go in and wait around for carts to come around with delicious dim sum. You can pick out the things you want and they will put it on your tab. Good dim sum!

Not the best dim sum you can get around the area. Heres why, the food i received was cold. Lemme just say, cold clams are not good. Even the dumplings they «cook» in front of you was warm, not even hot. If you want hot food, i suggest ordering straight from the waiter. The food lacked seasoning, not the best flavor you can get out of dim sum.
The seating is not so bad, its not as cramped as other dim sum restaurants so thats good. But the table was legit sticky. The best table to sit at this restaurant would be near the kitchen where your the first to see the carts. Yay hot food!
Service here is quite slow. If you ordered something specifically, mind that you may have to wait a long time to receive it. This place a bit more pricier than other places. Including the expensive parking fee.

I love this place for dim sum! I usually go here Sunday mornings. The dim sum is fresh and it’s clear that the food is not sitting around all day waiting to be ordered. I have been to so many dim sum places that offer plates that have been sitting around for a few hours and thus the food have gone cold and stale. The at sue Baos are the best. Omg I could inhale three of them. One order comes with three Baos. The bread is soft and moist. The pork filling is salty and sweet. Yummmmm. It’s heaven in a bun.
I have also been her for dinner. It’s so odd because so many people have their wedding here… And the restaurant staff literally still seat you to eat dinner even with the random wedding happening. I am not going to lie. It is sooooo awkward to eat while a stranger’s intimate wedding is going on. The restaurant itself is large but it is a pretty small space for a wedding and a normal dinner service to coincide.

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My favorite place to get dim sum on weekends!
The wait is ⁵⁰⁄₅₀. Some days we’ll just waltz right in and get seated. Other times, it’s a 20 – 30 minute wait.
Once seated, I just love eyeing the carts being trotted around by the ladies. Which cart do I eye? CHICKEN FEET! My absolute FAVORITE dimsum item here! I’ve tried chicken feet at other local dim sum spots and they are either too soggy or too salty. If you have a recommendation on the best chicken feet dim sum, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I have yet to find one that beats China Garden!
I always, and I mean ALWAYS, get these 3 items, which I shall call them our Holy Trinity of Dim Sum at China Garden:
Chinese broccoli, shrimp crepes, and chicken feet.
AMEN!
BTW– for those interesting in checking this place out for the very first time, park in the garage and don’t worry about paying to park. Just take the ticket and China Garden has a machine inside you can validate the ticket yourself. :)