Cap off your meal with a selection of custard tarts, sesame balls and pillowy pineapple buns. The menu goes on for several pages, offering favorites like BBQ pork buns, shrimp and leek dumplings, shumai, salt and pepper tofu, taro, porridge and chicken feet. Carts roll by in all directions, and each server is wired with a tiny microphone to relay orders to the kitchen. Luckily for the waiting throngs, the seating here is plentiful, including tables fit for two to 12. Large families gather around the plants up front and cluster on the sidewalk. The line begins to form an hour before opening at this bustling Alameda eatery, where gilded dragons snake across the walls. East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, San Francisco, CA Shutterstock “The Original” egg roll (chun juan), is the size of a prizefighter’s meaty fist and comprised of a soft, eggy crêpe, stuffed with shredded chicken and mushroom. Char siu bao (fluffy BBQ pork buns) explode with shredded meat and caramelized onions. ![]() The historic house specialty, xing ren bing (almond cookies), are as big as dinner plates. The classics remain, alongside brunch mimosas and gluten-free options. Today, the biggest fight on the block is the weekend wait for Nom Wah-now the oldest dim sum parlor in the city. Given Doyers Street’s notoriously grisly gang wars in the early 20th century, it’s a surprise that the original owners of Nom Wah decided to set up a dainty tea shop there in 1920, turning out reputation-making moon cakes. They’re the best dim sum restaurants and, if you’re a dim sum lover, your foodie bucket list. From Chinatown in San Francisco to downtown Manhattan to Miami, Vegas, Portland and beyond, these restaurants do little-dishes-on-carts (and sometimes not on carts) better than the rest. But so are we-nothing pleases us more than a steamer full of har gow straight from the cart - which is why we pushed forward with the task. Because people are passionate about their dim sum. Okay, we’re wading into dangerous territory here: Declaring the best dim sum restaurants in America is a task sure to excite the same level of furious disagreement that we faced when we endeavoured to rank the best Mexican restaurants and best sushi restaurants in America. The 17 best Chinese restaurants in America ![]() It can take some time to find a parking spot, and there are parking meters on Webster Street.The 20 best Mexican restaurants in America It's been full every time we've eaten here, so we usually park on the street. They have a small parking lot behind the restaurant. The restaurant specializes in seafood, but there are pork and vegetable dim sum dishes available also, as well as a few chicken and beef items. Despite the language barrier, we've never had a problem ordering here and we've always enjoyed our meal. The servers who bring the carts are friendly, although communication can be challenging for diners who don't speak Catonese. We've thought about coming here later in the day, but the crowds also seem to pick up as the day goes on, so there's a trade off. It's been our experience that some of the more interesting and creative dishes come out later in the morning (usually after we're stuffed). They have a good variety of dim sum dishes, and servers bring carts by your table frequently, so there is no waiting around between bites for the next offerings to arrive. They call your number when your table is ready, and a host or hostess shows you to your table. You sign in at the front desk when you enter, and they give you a number. We recently came here on Saturday morning, and the place was still busy, but we didn't have to wait long to be seated. ![]() (Regular lunch service begins at 11 a.m.) Their large dining room gets pretty crowded on Sunday mornings, but it's worth the wait. The restuarant opens for dim sum service at 10 a.m. It's a nice alternative to Sunday brunch. If some of the folks in your party don't want dim sum, they can also order off the menu. There are good dim sum restaurants in San Francisco, but this place is our favorite in the East Bay.
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