Osmanthus Dim Sum Lounge

"Osmanthus feels random. It’s smack dab in the middle of a touristy section of North Beach, has a full bar decorated with miniature dragons and pagodas, and sometimes streams horse racing on the big TVs. The crowd is a mix of locals and visiting families, and they’re all filling up the quirky space for one reason: the surprisingly excellent dim sum. The menu covers dim sum standards like siu mai, shrimp cheong fun, and XO noodle rolls that get the job done with ease. But the runaway hit, however, are the chewy, fragrant garlic noodles, which are some of the city’s best. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"We don’t expect to find garlic noodles at dim sum restaurants. Especially at Osmanthus, a swanky Cantonese spot off a touristy stretch in North Beach. But they’re on the menu, and they’re f*cking incredible. Each noodle is the ideal level of chewy and has the right ratio of fresh garlic to butter. And once a plate lands on the table, you’ll have to be pried off the premises just so you can stop yourself from ordering another round, and then another." - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"Osmanthus wears many hats. It’s first and foremost a dim sum restaurant on a touristy stretch of Broadway with excellent Cantonese standards, like shrimp cheong fun and slightly crispy XO noodle rolls. But this place also has a full bar in the back decorated with pagodas and dragons, TVs streaming horse races, and some of the best garlic noodles in SF. Leaving without getting face-to-face with a heap of the chewy, fragrant noodles is not an option. " - julia chen 1, lani conway

"Osmanthus feels random. It’s smack dab in the middle of a touristy section of North Beach, has a full bar decorated with miniature dragons and pagodas, and sometimes streams horse racing on the big TVs. The crowd is a mix of locals and visiting families, and they’re all filling up the quirky space for one reason: the surprisingly excellent dim sum. The menu covers dim sum standards like siu mai, shrimp cheong fun, and XO noodle rolls that get the job done with ease. But the runaway hit, however, are the chewy, fragrant garlic noodles, which are some of the city’s best. " - Julia Chen