Lin Heung Lau

This restaurant serves traditional canton food. The dishes are delicious. If weather allows, I suggest visitors to take the star ferry to central and walk to the restaurant. Then, visitors can walk back to admiralty mtr station after eating a lot of food and feeling very full.

The atmosphere of this place is worth going for alone (at least once). The highlights were the siu mai and a delicious coconut tofu. Be quick to line up when the dumpling cart is replenished!

Food: legit local food, served steaming hot and fresh, price is decent too. Taste is great Service: good, they keep on going around to see which table needs help and refilling hot water for tea. Quite fast despite of how busy they are Atmosphere: Usually I prefer quiet places to dine, but hey, this is how local does in Hong Kong, so I go how local does it

The siew mai is delicious. Thé porridge is delicious. The fried wanton is delicious. The service is great! Everything is nice. Remember to get their bird nest coconut dessert, its warm and sweet, great for a after meal dessert. Soothing. Definitely going back for another round of food I’ve yet to try.

I visited Lin Heung Tea House on Monday late morning. The restaurant wasn't really busy, so I got my private table. The table was right in front of the kitchen door, which is very good location for seeing steamer activities. The cart ladies were only speak Mandarin. It was not a problem for me because I just pointed to the items. All items were serving hot and really yummy. The yam cha feeling as I expected, which bring back my childhood memories.

Grabbing lunch at this newly reopened 104-year-old restaurant feels like a trip back in time. They dish out traditional dim sum on vintage trolleys, and you can grab what you like from a central station. The staff are super friendly and welcoming, which makes the visit enjoyable. That said, the quality and taste of the dim sum could use a little boost. Unless you arrive with a large group, be prepared to share a table with other guests. Overall, it's a fun dive into a nostalgic culinary adventure!

Taste: Siew Mai was large and juicy. Vinegar pig trotters was ok, wished it was sticker, spicier and sour. It was towards the sweet side. This beancurd roll was protein rich as it was stuffed with alot of chicken, ham and fish bladder(?) Think it's good for the experience but I will probably not come back because they are on the pricier side. Staff were very helpful and nice. Cost: $HKD230 (Per pax tea $18) Waiting time: 5 mins Overall: 4/5, recommend for first timers

Traditional Dim Sum cart order?! Experience ♥️ Though we arrived later in the afternoon, we only had fewer dim sum options; everything we ordered tasted good! The egg yolk bun wasn’t too sweet but full-flavored. The meatballs were juicy, warm, and tasty. Taro bun was also great! Hagau was also fresh - I wish we had more Hagau. I saw a long queue for the actual lunchtime the next day, but I would love to go back and have the full dim sum options soon!

This restaurant serves traditional canton food. The dishes are delicious. If weather allows, I suggest visitors to take the star ferry to central and walk to the restaurant. Then, visitors can walk back to admiralty mtr station after eating a lot of food and feeling very full.

The atmosphere of this place is worth going for alone (at least once). The highlights were the siu mai and a delicious coconut tofu. Be quick to line up when the dumpling cart is replenished!

Food: legit local food, served steaming hot and fresh, price is decent too. Taste is great Service: good, they keep on going around to see which table needs help and refilling hot water for tea. Quite fast despite of how busy they are Atmosphere: Usually I prefer quiet places to dine, but hey, this is how local does in Hong Kong, so I go how local does it

The siew mai is delicious. Thé porridge is delicious. The fried wanton is delicious. The service is great! Everything is nice. Remember to get their bird nest coconut dessert, its warm and sweet, great for a after meal dessert. Soothing. Definitely going back for another round of food I’ve yet to try.

I visited Lin Heung Tea House on Monday late morning. The restaurant wasn't really busy, so I got my private table. The table was right in front of the kitchen door, which is very good location for seeing steamer activities. The cart ladies were only speak Mandarin. It was not a problem for me because I just pointed to the items. All items were serving hot and really yummy. The yam cha feeling as I expected, which bring back my childhood memories.

Grabbing lunch at this newly reopened 104-year-old restaurant feels like a trip back in time. They dish out traditional dim sum on vintage trolleys, and you can grab what you like from a central station. The staff are super friendly and welcoming, which makes the visit enjoyable. That said, the quality and taste of the dim sum could use a little boost. Unless you arrive with a large group, be prepared to share a table with other guests. Overall, it's a fun dive into a nostalgic culinary adventure!

Taste: Siew Mai was large and juicy. Vinegar pig trotters was ok, wished it was sticker, spicier and sour. It was towards the sweet side. This beancurd roll was protein rich as it was stuffed with alot of chicken, ham and fish bladder(?) Think it's good for the experience but I will probably not come back because they are on the pricier side. Staff were very helpful and nice. Cost: $HKD230 (Per pax tea $18) Waiting time: 5 mins Overall: 4/5, recommend for first timers

Traditional Dim Sum cart order?! Experience ♥️ Though we arrived later in the afternoon, we only had fewer dim sum options; everything we ordered tasted good! The egg yolk bun wasn’t too sweet but full-flavored. The meatballs were juicy, warm, and tasty. Taro bun was also great! Hagau was also fresh - I wish we had more Hagau. I saw a long queue for the actual lunchtime the next day, but I would love to go back and have the full dim sum options soon!

A very old school, traditional tea and dim sum house. My partner and I specifically came here because they still do the trolley experience and it's so fun. However, instead of waiting for the trolley to come to you here, you must get up and forage your own sustenance before all the good stuff is gone! We came during the mid-autumn holiday weekend, many other restaurants were closed so we were glad they were opened. We shared a table with another couple that shortly finished up after we got seated. We got the staples, shrimp dumpling, sui mai, rice rolls, tripe, bean curb wraps, and a few other items. The dim sum was fresh, delicious and still steaming hot because the auntie just push the trolley out of the kitchen. We enjoyed every bit of this place, including the old school decor, super quick service, the food and the overall experience. If you're up for a different kind of dim sum experience, definitely check out Lin Heung.

很久沒有吃，我小時候最喜歡食的黑芝麻！ 在美國不易找到。 We hopped off the mid level Central escalator and walked over to this restaurant. The restaurant has been around since 1920s but was closed for a few years and now has a new owner. The service was attentive. It has a lively atmosphere with old school charm. The food was delicious and it's obvious it was not premade from a frozen package. Their gift shop sells tea leaves, some of which are 20 years old!

This old timey and traditional tea house is open again! It was closed the last time I was in HK & it looks like they renovated... lightly. You can still come here & experience old timey HK

If you like "firsts", and you like crowds, then you'll like Lin Heung Tea House, the oldest "yum chai" ("to drink tea") eatery in Hong Kong - so I guess that means, it's the first and oldest yum chai tea house in the world. In truth, Lin Heung Tea House was at least the oldest still existing yum chai eatery in the Guangzhou Province of China, opening in 1889 in central Hong Kong. Its original shop in China is still there, and we went to it. The Yan family is the current owner and operator of Hong Kong Lin Heung, and they have owned it for generations. But how did I get here? I came here first in the late summer of 1985, when my mother insisted on hauling my 26 year old butt to China, after she visited Epcot with my niece, and saw the panoramic Guilin exhibition at Epcot's Chinese Pavilion - and she became inspired. I had been to Europe a number of times by then, twice with my parents and twice with my friends. But this was my first trip to Asia, and it was sure great that my mother was footing the bill. We began our adventure in Japan, flying then to China for a four week tour of the PRC, which ended up in Hong Kong for our final week. And believe me, after 33 days in the Peoples Republic of Communist China moments after the death of Chairman Mao, where everyone dressed the same, and there were nothing but bicycles on the streets, I was overjoyed to finally land in a city that had cars, electric lights, and a decent Health Care System. Our fellow tourists, including our Canadian guide, were so overjoyed to be out of the Peoples Republic, with its pigs ears for breakfast and its hacked up fish with bones, that all they wanted in this hundred year old British Colony was to get a pile of cheeseburgers and crawl into their air conditioned hotel room to watch some English language Television. But not me, or my mom. While everybody else on the tour raced off as fast as they could to the nearest McDonald's, my mother and I took a taxi to the oldest Dim Sum place in Hong Kong, Lin Heung Tea House. Up a long flight of red ceramic stairs was one of the most crowded and loud restaurants I have ever been to. The energy in the room was electrifying. As each jam packed steamer cart emerged from the kitchen, customers leapt from their chairs, pushing their way to it waving their dim sum count slip above their heads, quacking loudly in high pitched Cantonese. It reminded me of traders trying to buy stocks at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or a neck to neck horse race. They descended on the cart like birds of prey, and in moments the cart was empty. This happened over and over again with each cart that emerged. And nobody seemed bothered by the noise or the running and the pushing; not even the aged women who were pushing the carts. In fact, everybody appeared to be enjoying themselves. It took a while for my mother and me to be seated, but when we finally were, our own horse race began. I leapt out of the starting gate like a crazy person and descended on the nearest cart as if I had been doing it all of my life. And it was delicious: cheap and delicious. And I got a free workout to boot. HERE'S SOME HISTORY AND FACTS ABOUT DIM SUM (not written by me) During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), people would stop by small houses to catch-up with each other and drink tea. In Cantonese, drinking is "yum" , and tea is "cha". There weren't many tables, just benches and seats where people could rest for a moment. "Tea", written茶, is pronounced chá in Mandarin and Cantonese, but te in the dialect of Southern Fujian Province and Taiwan. What is yum cha called in USA? Literally meaning 'drink tea' in Cantonese, yum cha is as common a meal in Hong Kong as coffee and toast in Western culture, where Chinese tea is enjoyed with dim sum at traditional tea houses. The world's oldest tea remains have been dated to 453BC-410BC in China in a new study by archaeologists from Shandong University and scientists from the University of Science and Technology Beijing. The 2,400-year-old remains of tea leaves were discovered in a royal tomb in Zoucheng, Shandong province Unsurprisingly China is top of the charts as the spiritual home of the humble cuppa and tops the list as the world's largest tea producing country. China produces some 40% of the world's tea weighing in at 2.4 million tons.

You can't skip out on Lin Heung if you're in HK. It's just one of those last places that still serve dim sum in a cart. You have the option of ordering your tea in an individual tea set or just the typical pot. This isn't a place to really just sit and relax. You look for your own table, there's no host. The chairs are not the most comfortable, and the tables are close to one another. If you have a small group, there's a high chance you'll be sharing the table with some other folks. I'd say come early as some of the rice dishes get sold out mid morning (10am). Keep that stamp card close by you, because you'll want to bring that with you when you fight everyone in your way to your food. Kidding, it's not that violent. But you do have to get up from time to time to get your food. The carts might be empty by the time they come by your table. They have quite a bit of dishes that I haven't quite seen at other restaurants. There's the fish maw wrap, pig liver shumai, big bun (with chicken, egg, etc filling), roasted pork belly bun. You'll also have the classics like barbecue pork bun, malay cake, egg tarts. I love their malay cake, it's very soft and spongey, light and airy, with just a hint of sweetness.

I had dim sum here with some Japanese and Mainland China friends one of my last trips to HK. It is RAW. You basically seat yourself, where you can find chairs, and then you go for it. The dim sum is good, and cheap. Their Tea is good and authentic. They don't have napkins. At one point the soy sauce dripped on my poppy colored pants. I was in a state of disarray. They also don't take credit credits cards. So although I offered and had every intention of paying the tab for our group, they don't take credit card (on short 2-3 day trips I rarely get cash for HK), so my Japanese friend ended up picking up the check. I was surprised to see that is place is pretty raw. I mean I don't think I had been to a place where Chinese get up and walk to the cart to get the dim sum in a while. This place is as another review put it, dirty. I suspect the kitchen is filthy, but hey it is a taste of old HK. I'll come back. But I'd need to make sure to have HKD on me.

Lin Heung is one of the traditional bakery and restaurant that has been in Hong Kong for a very long time. It's one of those cannot miss restaurants in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, it is closing next week after more than 80 years. Therefore, my parents and I had to visit one last time. Excellent dim sum. I especially couldn't get enough of their egg yolk bun. Of course, they are well known for many other things such as lotus seed bun and moon cakes. I feel very sad for the employees that will be out of a job next week. Many of them appear to me to have been there for a very long time. My parents and I am so glad that we got to experience this legendary restaurant for one last time. We will miss you, Lin Heung!

Survival of the fittest! That is what's going to happen if you come here. Not only do you have to get your own table, you have to grab your own food as well. The restaurant is packed with other patrons standing behind tables waiting for them to finish eating. Once they get up, you better sit down otherwise someone will try to grab the seats. Sharing tables is common in Asia as well. Once you are seated, the waiter may take some time to come over and clear the table. He will provide a bowl and hot tea to wash your utensils. If you do not have napkins in Asia, good luck because most places will not provide them. The waiter will give you a stamp card as well which you use to get your dimsum. There were two areas in which the dimsum carts will go to. They do not serve the dimsum until they get to the area so have fun maneuvering to their spot. Each time they came out of the kitchen, they usually had 4 different plates you could choose from. If people know they have har gow (shrimp dumpling) or siu mai (pork and shrimp dumpling) they will flock to them like hungry savages. You may lose a hand trying to get one of those. Overall I thought the dimsum was okay but I was disappointed that I did not get to try the har gow and siu mai. It was pretty pricey as well compared to other dimsum places.

The boyfriend's aunt took us out to eat dim sim at Lin Heung Tea House. This place is best known for being one of the old school dim sum places around. If you look up at the ceiling, you will notice birdcages with fake birds. My boyfriend was telling me way back when, locals would come to eat dim sum and bring their pet birds with them on their outing. How cute! Lin Heung is different from the dim sum places we have back at home. Once you arrive, you seat yourself and usually it is common to share tables with strangers, so don't be shy to just plop down at a table that has some space available. Additionally, instead of carts filled with delicious dim sum items coming around to each table, you make the trek out to grab the food from the carts. Now this part is where it can get messy as many, many people will crowd over the carts to get the more popular items such as the hargow and siu mai. However, there are still plenty of other items to try out even if those items are all gone by the time you make it to the cart. Lastly, service is almost nonexistent. There will be a staff that initially comes and brings you the stamp card, tea, and a bowl to wash your utensils. If you are fortunate, you will also be able to get the "old school" teapot versus the regular teapot. The boyfriend had a lot of fun pouring with this old school teapot. Also big pro tip, always carry some hand sanitizers and napkins with you! Overall, the food was appetizing, but I think the experience was much more fulfilling. I had to deduct an additional star because the day we were there Lin Heung had no running hot water, which meant not much food was being made and I was also forced to question the cleanliness of things. Lin Heung is a hot spot for locals and tourists alike. Again, food was tasty, but the experience was far more memorable.

If you want THE authentic dim sum experience, make your way to Lin Heung! And by authentic, I mean all the commotion, hot tea spilling, and savory dumplings to your heart's content. Not the best per se for new Asian travelers, but perhaps the one meal to set the tone for all your food adventures in Hong Kong. Insider tip: You have to be proactive here, competitive even, as all the best dim sum is practically auctioned-off as they enter the vicinity.

I went in hungry, I left hungry. Excited to check out one of the oldest tea houses in HK, I went in with good spirits. You have to find your own seat here and then someone will ask you what tea you want- or he just happens to be still cleaning my table so he asked; not sure. I was a bit alarmed when he just wiped down the oily table with water and then put my chopsticks on the table! Good thing you get to rinse all your utensils and cups/ plates prior to eating. I didn't get a teapot, but an individual cup and basically was spilling half of the bitter tea when I was pouring. You will always share a table unless you come in a big group and get lucky to get your own table. We came at 11AM on a Thursday and found a seat easily. Lots of old folks and I saw some foreigners. Bathroom is okay. I thought the dishes were pretty small. I didn't get any of the dishes I usually eat so I basically didn't eat, but my mom got some random dishes that she had to get up and fight for. 5 dishes and the bill was $168HKD and only one person was full. I had pretty much 2 pieces of spareribs and 2 pieces of chicken feet. There is NOT ENOUGH food on the carts. I would never come here again and the food was not good. Great that it's a taste of old school - but I rather go somewhere else and actually get to eat. I went to get a meal somewhere else after this. Unless you really need to go to one of the oldest tea houses, I recommend you skip this and go to a different dim sum restaurant. I've never had such a horrible experience where there was not enough dim sum. You can order off the menu but I think it's rice dishes and soups. No thanks- overpriced and gross and not enough for the crowd.

I don't know why anyone would subject themselves to stressful dining experience offered here. There is zero customer service, the ambience is pure chaos and the food is actually quite bad. We were told by a HK person living in the USA that this is one of the only yum cha place that still uses push carts. Also it was supposed to be old school. Came here for lunch before 12pm and the place was already packed. There was no wait staff and you are supposed to find your own seat which meant sharing table with maybe one or two other parties and competing with other guests for any empty seat. If you make a mistake of seating yourself on an empty chair without checking with the rest of the party there, you could be scolded for it. And that wouldn't be the first scolding of the afternoon! When you find a seat, someone will come over and set you up with tea and an order card. You are supposed to walk up to a cart if one happens to be nearby with the order card, and wrangle for some dim sum from the cart lady. The 4-5 times I walked up to a passing cart, I had to fight with 10 or more patrons for the cart pusher's attention. I once made a mistake of grabbing a dish and was angrily told off by the lady who said I was being impatient. What was one supposed to do when there was absolutely no system in place to get your food? I had to stand out amongst some burly men and aggressive women who elbow you out of the way. All these hungry folks surrounding the cart fighting for food and if you are not assertive, there would be no food left. The experience left me quite traumatised. Alright, once you get your food, are they any good? Was it worth it? The answer sadly is NO. The char siu bao was all dough and little meat. The two types of dumplings we had were ok and the skin fell off the filling as soon as I picked it up. The sticky rice in lotus leaf was quite bland. This restaurant is truly a case of hype which made it a destination for curious tourists. I don't recommend this place.

If you want a memorable dim sum experience in Hong Kong this is the place to go. Some friends were visiting and we decided to check out this iconic dim sum place in Hong Kong. We got here around 10:30am and took us about 10 minutes to find a table for 6 people. We came prepared knowing we would need to fight for our food so we sent our friend out first and she managed to slip in through the crowd of people to the lady at the dim sum card for some dim sum. We had the traditional dim sum fare like the shrimp dumplings, Siu Mai, glutinous rice rolls with shrimp, sponge cake and I think the short ribs rice was the best. All of these food tasted average but we were really here for the experience. It helps if you send tall guys with longer arms to the cart to grab and catch the lady's attention and one who's not afraid of holding hot bamboo cages of food. We came here for food and got our round of exercise as we battle our way to the food carts. It's a tourist trap but a memorable experience to say the least!

You try traditional Dim Sum? Lin Heung Tea House (蓮香樓) and Lin Heung Kui (蓮香居) are same group. I was born in Hong Kong, welcome everybody to ask me questions about Hong Kong.

Came here for dim sum. I've had better in America. PROS: Old style dim sum with carts Reasonable prices Dining with locals CONS: Bringing your card to the carts No menu or description of dim sum Just okay tasting Not very clean Small variety of dim sum

My favourite place to go for Yum Cha when i m back to Hong Kong. Dont worry if you dont speak local language. Bring the card waiter gave u when sit you down, and point at things you like when the trolley go by your table. Love their tea too. Ask for recommendations from waiters. They know everything

Fantastic local spot for dim sum. Hole in the wall type vibes add to the whole experience. I went with a group during lunchtime on a weekday-- it was super packed! However, tables turn over quickly as they often combine tables for groups (to maximize seating capacity). This is common in many HK restaurants. Their dim sum did not disappoint! In other words, try everything. Can't wait for the next time I get sum...!!

Lin Heung Tea House is the only surviving tea house that serves it up with old fashion charm. A touristy visit is a must. If the staff think you're a foreigner they'll give you a teapot, if you look like a local they'll give you your own tea cups. The seating style is wherever you can find a seat. The two times I've been here I've had great conversations with locals and they're always incredibly nice. Coming on a weekday you don't feel as rushed or overwhelmed and you get to sit with locals that are half retired taking their time at breakfast before heading to work at 11. The food is dim sum pushcart style. The ladies don't give af and you have to go hunt for the bamboo steamers yourself before they get claimed by others. The curry squid, ha gow, siu mai, ha cherng, were all right. I've had better. Don't come here expecting to taste the best. The no mai gai, rice wrapped in lotus leaves was far better than anything I've had in the States. The rice was fragrant and the meat inside even had the crispy pork. After you're done with your meal just take your stamped card and take it to the counter before just by the stairs to go down to pay. Prices are a tad more expensive than I expected for subpar quality. Consider this a bias review, 2 stars for food plus 1 star for history = 3 stars.

Let me preface my review by saying that I lived in Shanghai for 2 years, & travelled widely & extensively in China, often in remote areas. So I know (& cherish) the authenticity of Chinese cuisine, and sought it out. Often these modest restaurants were basic, but cleanliness & hygiene (at least for China) was maintained, the food was genuinely authentic & delicious, and the owners & staff were always friendly and engaging. If you're looking for anything that approximates that here, you will be deeply disappointed. The dirtiness is just that: filthy. Its not charming, its not Chinese, and its definitely not 'authentic'. Its just nasty. The food is dreadful. Honestly, its like somebody decided they gave far less than a fuck a long time ago, and then worked hard to improve on that. Dim Sum is not showcased here; rather, its just boiled up nonsense, that doesn't have any kind of authenticate flavor. Seriously, avoid this place. Instead, try 3.6.9 Restaurant. Or McDonalds...

Best known for being an old school dim sum place. Get ready to push carts and people over while you run toward a fresh batch of dim sum being served! The demographics here is a little strange, its basically full of old local people and tourists. With not much in between from the few times I've been there. For those unfamiliar with old school dim sum, basically rather than ordering your food from a menu, a worker instead pushes a cart around with dim sum inside, and you just walk up to it and order what you want. Different carts come out of the kitchen and are pushed around. Do note that the limited and more popular dishes will usually be taken right away, hench why people will run toward the carts right when they come out of the kitchen. Its definitely a stressful dining experience, unless pushing things calms you down. Aside from that waiter service is almost non-existent. Its self seating and self serving (except for the tea). For those coming the first time, just grab any seat you see available, then tell the waiter and order the tea, he will give you the 'receipt' paper which you can order food with at the cart. They will stamp your card based on what you ordered. Its hectic, but a unique place to bring your tourist friends. As for the food, its okay. Nothing particularly great or bad. It is pricey though compared to other local dim sum places. Just walk up to every cart and grab what you like. Do note that like most Cantonese restaurants, its probably not the best place for a vegan to come to since almost everything is cooked with pork oil.

I had such a stressful experience chasing down the carts here. This place has unfortunately been ruined by tourists chasing down a poor old Chinese lady pushing a cart of food, then screaming at her, fighting for food, and waving their punch cards in her face. I was extremely annoyed when other customers tried to push me or tried to shout over me, it felt like we were fighting for food because we are living in a war zone. Honestly the food wasn't even good. It was average at most. Good luck even finding a table here. Nobody is going to help you find a table. You will have to walk in and find a table yourself. Most people claimed to be "reserving" empty seats for their friends, so it was extremely difficult to find a seat. I even saw people who came in, could not find as eat, and left. I was surprised to see that some people had reserved tables, I did not know you could make reservations. We left here hungry. There simply was not enough food served, and I was tired of chasing down the carts and fighting for food. The toilets here are disgusting as well, it was run down with no toilet paper. There is nothing "traditional" about chasing down food carts as if it was the last supper. Just go elsewhere like Maxim's dim sum palace where the food is much better, and you don't have to have a stressful eating experience.

Fans of old school Dim Sum experience will find it in Lin Heung (蓮香), which been around for several decades. It offers a glimpse of another time, down from the decor to the staff, and remains a local favorite amongst the older crowd. There are Dim Sum carts, people haggling over food, spitoons, and table sharing; an experience that has been lost with the new wave of Yum Cha establishments. If you arrive in a group of 4, the chances of you scoring your own table is very high. Otherwise, get used to the idea of sharing tables with strangers. The ideal time to be here is before 11am, as the food is at its freshest. Another pro-tip would be to be on alert for your favorite dishes, be sure to walk over to the trolley with your receipt since locals are quick to snatch up the good stuff. Traditionalists may argue the food here is better than most places, but I would beg to differ. My usual picks are all available here but the flavor is lacking a bit. Shrimp dumplings (蝦餃) are steamed a little too much, forcing the dumpling skin to break apart too easily. The rice noodle wraps (豬腸粉) need sauce of some kind always, and the beef balls (牛肉球) can get a little tough at times. The BBQ Pork buns (叉燒包) are fluffy, but have a significant amount of dough and little meat. None of it is deal breaking of course, but disappointing after having to "fight" over it. What I will vouch for is their rice dishes. Whether it's a shrimp in lotus leaf (鮮蝦荷葉飯) or the minced beef with egg (牛肉蛋飯) served in a metal bowl, they're a sure thing compared to the steamed Dim Sum dishes. Even the salted fish cod (鹹魚) is very tasty with some sweet soy and the glutinous rice with minced meat (糯米雞) is a meal in itself. Lin Heung is cash only and quite an experience. For so many folks seeking the nostalgic feel of Dim Sum of yesteryear, this is the place to be. Also, avoid the bathrooms at all cost.

This dim sum place is so different than the ones in the US. The moment you walked into the restaurant, you will feel the immediate chaos. You had to find your own seats and most likely you will have to share the table with other people. The waiter will bring out dishes and bowl with a bowl of hot water to clean your dishes and bowl. I found it is little strange but hey it is their tradition so I can't ask. To get your dim sum, you had to go the cart and picked out the dishes that you want. It was so chaos to do that because you had to fight with other people to get the attention from the lady to get you your dishes. It was an experience. To be honest, if you like quite time, please do not come . However, if you want to experience new thing and chaos, come and try it out.

If you want to see what Hong Kong was like 50 years ago this is the place. You fight for a spot at a communal table and then get up and close to the kitchen to get your dim sum order filled. They damp wipe the tables so bring your purel and the plates and disks are hand washed so memories of wiping down things. That aside, the food is incredible and super fresh. The hagow was great. The pork ribs so tender and the chicken feet wonderful (if you like that kind of thing) Net net a perfect spot to watch both the tourists looking perplexed and the true locals of HK

Traditional dim sum spot with carts, but be prepared to fight for your food. Vibes: Dim Sum in a state of anarchy. Find your own seats. Fight for your food. Get abused by the waiters. Bring your own napkins. Difficult for people who do not speak Cantonese. My friends and I split up to stand by a few tables that looked like they were wrapping up. We used to power of stink eyes to get our table. The food itself is good, but you have to be prepared to swarm the carts as they walk through to get the dim sum. I suggest using your elbows. The food: delicious, cheap dim sum. Price: I ate with three other friends for just $70HKD per person. Super cheap.

Lin Heung Tea House is a traditional dim sum restaurant that is due to close soon. Once seated, they will take your tea order and also provide you with a card. You then go on some food adventures chasing down the dim sum ladies to see what they have to offer and they stamp your card for the items you select. It gets crazy in there as you have hoards of people chasing these woman down crowding around trying to grab food. For me the food was so so but it was more about the experience and trying this place before it closes.

Authentic old tea house that hasn't changed with the old traditional dim sum. Very fresh and yummy. They also have large cleaning bowl to rinse the chopsticks, cups and bowls.

I wanted the authentic HK dim sum eating experience and I got it! Most likely, you'll have to walk to the trolley, choose your plate and have your order sheet stamped. They won't really go to your table. Food was good but portion wasn't the biggest. The shumai was small but packed with flavor. They walk around with a huge kettle of boiled water to refill your tea. This place was definitely a good experience though foreigners who don't speak Cantonese or Mandarin will have some difficulty communicating to the servers. I'd recommend coming for the experience.

I'm not a dim sum connoisseur, so I can't speak to how the food here compares to the best or to any sort of ideal. What I can say is this: 1) The food was great! We were two people and ordered eight dishes. At the end we were broken, but satisfied. I don't know the names of most of what we had. The red bean bao were poofy and full of, you guessed it, beans. The chicken feet were pretty tasty. There was one dish that was savory meat in a flaky, filo-ish pasty that reminded me of Israeli-style bourekas. And another dish that was just stewed chicken on top of rice, and it looked awful--the chicken was lurid pink and looked undercooked--but it was delicious, juicy, flavorful, etc. The jin deui were beautiful to look at, these three perfect little gold sesame-covered globes. Thumbs up to everything. 1) Lin Heung opens at 6am, significantly earlier than any of the other widely recommended and/or guidebook-approved dim sum shops. This is really convenient if you're trying to plan other things later in the day (such as a second breakfast at a cha chan tang, because time is limited and there is much to eat!), but more importantly it gives a tourist an opportunity to beat the crush that comes later in the day and, to boot, to sit among locals. We arrived at 7am and the place was bustling. It was nearly full but we were sat right away. We shared a large round table with an older gentlemen who was reading his paper. He didn't pay us much mind, for better or worse, though at one point he noticed we were taking photos and then he played photo director with us for a minute, enthusiastically insisting we frame the Lin Heung menu and logo into some of our pictures. 3) Lin Heung has been in Hong Kong for ~90 years and I'm not sure it's been remodeled or ever even modeled. It's a big dining hall with white walls and ~50 large tables, a set of servers in white tunics, and dim-sum trolley-pushers in blue. The ambiance, or non-ambiance, is made memorable by the crowd, which gives the place its energy and somehow makes it fun. Tips for tourists: * The dim sum trolleys won't necessarily come round to your table. Don't be afraid to walk up and get the dim sum yourself. Bring your order sheet to be stamped. * Unless you come with you own big group, you will probably sit at large table shared with others. This might seem odd to someone from the US but don't worry about it, just sit and eat. * The staff pretty much speak no English. Just point and smile. * They might offer you jasmine tea as a default but there are several others on the menu, if you want--pu-er, oolong, etc.

It was one of dirtiest restaurants I have ever seen!!! Dirty table, dirty chopsticks, they literally placed my chopsticks on dirty table:( The bright side is that he did give me a ball of hot water to wash things but common, they even hand wash dishes in the middle of dining room!!! Unless you starving to death avoid wasting your money and yes it's not even a cheap place to give it a shot...

It's a battle for brunch at Lin Heung Tea House! It's one of the oldest tea houses in Hong Kong, and I'd venture to say... one of the deadliest! (It's part of the fun!) I came late on a Saturday morning by myself and was lucky to find a single open seat at a communal table. If I was here with another person, we would have had to wait because the dining room was packed! After finding a spot... the battle began. Every 5-10 minutes, a dim sum lady would roll her cart out, and before she can get out to the diners, hoards of people would rush up and crowd over her trying to grab dishes! There was lots of shouting, pointing, and waving of tickets in front of her face... I felt bad for the poor dim sum ladies! *TIP* It's every man for themselves so be quick and assertive. Otherwise the dim sum lady is going run out of food, roll her empty cart back into the kitchen, and you'll be left to starve! I managed to get several dishes, but then I had to be very careful walking back to my seat. This was because other people were getting up and running to dim sum carts and waiters were running around with huge kettles of boiling water to refill tea pots. I watched in amazement as how no one got burned! I fought successfully to try 4 classic items: 1) Siu Mai: Yum! These were big and meaty! 2) Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings): Big chunks of shrimp with lots of flavor wrapped in a translucent skin. 3) Char Siu Bao: Giant buns that were a bit doughy, but had tasty pork filling. 4) Gnuw Churng (Rice Noodle Rolls with Beef): Big portion, but the rice noodles were too thick and dense. Overall the dim sum is solid, and the portions were very generous. However, I don't know if I'd come back the next time I'm in Hong Kong. Dim sum should be a slow meal where you're allowed to chat with friends & family while small plates are rolled over to your table... leaving your table to rush up to the carts to battle for dim sum takes away from that experience! It was fun though!

Can't say I've been to a dirtier tea house... literally bones on the tables and floors and you have to tower over the table you want to sit at! Haha with that said, it was still pretty good food, unique and authentic. A well known staple dimsum place to try not necessarily to frequent on a regular basis lol

Not worth getting stepped on or pushed unless that's your thang. I've been here a couple of times. Once to check it out and another time to bring some out of town family for shits and giggles. As soon as a cart comes there's already people standing and pushing to get to the front. Often times all the good stuff will be gone unless you are lucky or just one of the mob. Even when you do get it, yes there's definitely a sense of pride but taste wise - I've definitely had better. I think the only people who come here are the older locals who go really early and enjoying watching the mob or tourists hoping for an "authentic" experience.

Nice local restaurant in HK. Mainly populated by locals. Dim Sum (dumplings) is the speciality. If you come with a local or sit at a table with locals who speak English and could help you is better. The dishes come on trolley and you chose what you want. The waiter afterwards indicates on a sheet what was taken and you pay to total at the end. Price is cheap around 110HK$ for 1 person with tea and 5 different dishes. Payment by cash. Not possible to book, you need to wait for an empty table if you are a large group or to share a table with somebody else. Enjoy !!!

I'm told that Lin is really one of the only traditional HK dim sum spots yet, but this is a bit hard for me to fathom because I'm from NYC and all of the dim sum places are like this: communal tables, carts, and fighting over the dishes lol. Except in NYC they try to push you to buy everything they have whereas here we had to chase the ladies down a lot. Minus some stars. Also, as one might HK, of course this is China but they really do not speak English here. If you don't speak Chinese, just point. We went on a Monday morning so as tourists, we were with mainly locals. They gave us the down-low on making sure to use hot tea to wash your cups and chopsticks. I wanted to try the strong black tea that most of the locals seemed to be drinking to make sure you get that - they gave us green tea. It was really good- but still. Womp womp. We ordered very big and fresh shumai - one with pork, and the other with shrimp and amazingly fresh veggies like water chestnut. Not a bit oversteamed or mushy, you can really taste the crunch, flavor and texture. We also a huge steamed bun - they had the traditional BBQ pork ones but also had one that literally had everything in it - chicken, pork, potentially liver and parts, tripe, and such. My hubby ate this and enjoyed, he said it was unlike anything he had here in the US. We also had good beef rice rolls- the beef was well steamed and actually had flavor. I typically am not a fan of these rolls in the US. Definitely prefer shrimp though, too bad they didn't have those. They also had delicious sticky rice with pork - not a bit dry and well flavored from the banana leaf. I kind of wish they had things like fried turnip cake and tofu fah but we didn't stay that long so maybe they did/would have later. I found that while the selection was a bit limiting and service so non pushy, the quality of everything was super fresh. Plus our fellow diners at our table were super friendly :) Dim sum came to $20 USD; things in HK I felt were actually not much cheaper than what you can get in NY's Chinatown but overall it was cheap and I think this is somewhat of a destination dim sum spot in HK.

Our friend suggested we try this place if we wanted some more dim sum in a unique way. She gave us a warning that it gets a little crazy inside and you have to get up and go to the carts to get your dim sum. That was a total understatement haha. You have to first snag seats wherever you can and then fight for your food! We lucked out and got seats faster than others plus we were by the kitchen opening so we could see when replenished carts came out. It was a really fun experience but definitely not good for large groups or even groups bigger than 4 people. And don't expect to get everything you want or even a ton of food like at a normal dim sum place.

Authentic yum cha/ dim sum experience. Dim sum arrives piping hot and fresh as you order them off a trolley. Taste of the dim sum is flavorful as well. Loved this old school place, really enjoyed the har gow and chew cheong fan. Definitely a must try!

The place is a true traditional style of Dim Sum restaurant which has been in an existence well over a century year old. I appreciate the fact that LHL has maintained its tradition. However, if you are a foreigner and want to experience this place, it may be difficult if you don't have one of the locals to help navigate the ordering process. I was glad I speak the language but battling the dim sum selection is like fighting off with your opponent to see who gets in front of the dim sum lady first. Otherwise you will be left behind without food because you weren't aggressive enough to fight for the dim sum dishes. The food was good but me being up so many times to fend off with others for dim sum kind of took my enjoyment away.

Who would have thought that in the middle of central food market area, there is one world acclaimed restaurant that looks like it is decades old. It is Lin Heung Tea House, Lun Heung literally means Fragrant Lotus. Opened since 1928, it has not been refurbished in any way so everything is well preserved from the old times. I personally cannot smell that scent there (its Lotus paste buns are just mouth watery) but people flock to here from around the world just to have its authentic Chinese food. Be prepared to share the same table with strangers while sitting in shabby seats, this is the place where you can have a taste of the cultural and culinary authenticity of Hong Kong. So expect some grumpy looking Chinese guys talking loudly with their mouths full. They are so many delicious dishes here but if I have to pick, I would, surprisingly, recommend Malay Cake. Yes, it is nothing fancy and of course they have dishes that are better than that. However, the fact that they still manage to excel a dish that is the common dish you can get everywhere in Hong Kong earns its reputation. Try it. Its sweet and refreshing scent. Also the texture is unlike anything else you have ever tried. Notice that you probably need to acquire certain degree of Cantonese to be able to order. So better bring a dictionary or a Cantonese speaking friend. If not, you will still know the drill after observing others for a while.

This place is really "old school". We were taken here by a friend who could speak Cantonese which made things much easier!! The menu is not written in English, so you're out of luck there if you can't read Chinese Characters. Our host did all the talking for us. It's very noisy here, and you need to "fight" for your seats. When you see people almost finished with their meals, there will be a group of people patiently waiting at the side of their table to grab their seats. Waiters don't escort you to your table. Don't expect a "Din Tai Fung" experience here! We were told that waiters do not respond to you if you hail them down. You just have to wait til they come by, then communicate to them what you want. You can order from the menu or get up and walk over to the dim sum carts and grab what you want. Also, our host taught us how to "wash our dishes" with the tea. Y So, if you're a westerner, like me, you probably may have a difficult time here. But, I did enjoy my experience here. The food is good!

Authentic, delicious, chaotic experience of potentially one of the best dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong. After walking into the restaurant you are completely submerged in this local environment that provides an authentic feel to every inch of the place. The way the tea is brought out, the food is served and how the customers all seem to know each other brings a certain joy to the atmosphere. Although chaotic at times due to how crowded it is and the not-so clean environment, the food does not dissapoint. Food items are brought around in steam trays and you have to brawl with others in order to get what you want. Everything is amazing but some items may seem weird to foreigners. The pricing is all extremely reasonable and overall the restaurant was a great experience. Never have I been in such an authentic Chinese dim sum place, will definitely return and bring friends.

A stressful experience for an American tourist. There's no ordering process. You kind of find a worker with food and demand it. There is high ambient noise with clattering dishes and chatting. I shared a table with locals who were, on contrary, relaxed with tea and newspaper. Birdcages add to the decor. The hysteria induced indigestion, but it was cool.

Lin Heung has an old school charm that still draws in crowds to fight over the dim sum carts. I'm not too bothered by the dirty tables, lousy service, or crass loudness. They could be the biggest dim sum Nazis in the world, but they better have the best dim sum I've ever had. Unfortunately, the dim sum was subpar especially by Hong Kong standards. Ha Gow - Skins were too thick and gummy. They also stuck together and broke apart when we tried lifting them up with chopsticks. The stuffing was actually not bad. The shrimp was seasoned well with young bamboo, but I wouldn't say it was worth the effort in pushing aside all those old Chinese people. BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll - Thick and mushy. Haam Sui Gok - Completely cold. We actually left after this because the food was so underwhelming. If you want a throwback experience, you're more than welcome to come see what it's like. It seems like the atmosphere has stayed the same for decades. However, the food standard has not. Edit: I heard that this place is a lot better for dinner. Apparently, their braised duck is amazing.

This is very cool and unique place, worth a visit for the experience alone. Forewarning, this place is not easy to navigate or understand for a a local Hong Konger, let alone a foreigner (which is why I believe the reviews are lower then they should be). The food is simple and delicious, which this dim sum house has been serving up in HK for decades. Seating is a bit of a race, upon arrival you need to navigate your way through the many tables and carts to find an open spot for the number of people in your party, often sitting with 1 or more other groups. Once seated, a waiter provides tea and dim sum card, which is stamped for every dish you receive. Next up is the challenging part, there are a few ladies pushing carts around, you need to go to them to get dishes - the popular ones are often snatched up quickly, with many people swarming and pushing their card in her face. My first attempt was a failure, she ran out of the dish I wanted before I could ask for it. Suggestion is to look up some dishes to see what looks good, then track down the lady with those dishes, act quick and point to what you would like. We ended up having charsui boa, which is roasted pork in a soft bun, it is one of my favorite dim sum dishes and was good here. We also had rice paper rolls, with charsui inside, it was quite nice with some soy sauce on top. Then we had a curry squid which includes steamed squid in curry sauce. Lastly, we had shrimp dumplings, which are thin dumplings with a shrimp (prawn) inside. Overall, the dim sum was good, although I believe many people from HK have different opinions on which restaurant is best, this is one of the oldest and has a very interesting and unique experience. Try it out, pro trip, bring someone who speaks Cantonese!

Known for their dim sum but decided to try it out for dinner. Mapo tofu Shrimp with vegetables and chestnuts- kind of expensive and small for the price Beef with black bean sauce Everything was pretty good and the service was awesome. The funny thing was the waiter clearly wanted a tip and let us know by pointing at the tip line when he brought over the bill.

Best meal in Hong Kong! This down to earth eatery contains some of the best food I have ever eaten. Went with a party of three and had no wait. Sat down at a table of our choice, and were happily greeted by a wave of taste bud holiness. Started with a meatball in bitter melon, which was robust in spiciness, bitterness, and imani flavor. Then we enjoyed a banana leaf full of some of the best rice I have ever had. The rice was chock full of clam, egg, shrimp, mushrooms, and other morsels of flavor. The shrimp dumplings were chock full of shrimp with a wrapper that some of us thought was superior to even Tim Ho Wan. The shumai were good, but nothing spectacular (but how good can shumai really get). The sesame seed covered mochi provided a wonderful sweetness and the filling was superb. The star of the meal, however, was. a single dumpling. This magical creation was enough to merit 5 stars on it's own. The dumpling was a wonton wrapper filled with shrimp, mushroom, pork, and a quail egg. The single bite proved to be the epitome of good dim sum. The ambiance was inviting yet quaint. The service was wonderful, and the waitresses provided both fun and sass. The restaraunt as a whole deserves another 5 stars, and is a must visit when on Hong Kong island!!!!

Came here at 6am for the local dimsum experience. I am seated immediately next to another guy in his 30/40s who was reading his newspaper while sipping tea. The server promptly put my tea cup in a bigger bowl and poured tea over to rinse the cup, which was intriguing. The food was tasty, although not the best I've had. I had to walk over to stop the lady pushing the food cart around since I don't know Cantonese, and she quickly showed me the different dim sums available. I got siew mai, shrimp dumpling and char siew bun. The sweet tasting flour of the buns complemented the bitter yet refreshing tea and other dim sums well. I will recommend coming here for the experience.

This is a very authentic spot which I usually love but it was really hard to order/figure it out when you don't speak Cantonese (they aren't the friendliest with foreigners). The food was okay and there wasn't as much variety. I recommend coming here with a local that can show you around!

On someone's top 10 list for dim sum... Should be called vultures dum sum or fight for your life dim sum. Lol. Find your own table to share, find your own chairs, wash your own bowls, cups, chopsticks and spoon, and find your own dim sum! The struggle is real. Food is gamey. All of it. No customer service. The end.