Chynna Dim Sum Lounge

First and last time here. The food was great and our server was friendly, but he informed us it would be their last day open. We had a few items, the ha gow, the crispy tofu, Chinese broccoli, veg dumplings, and the shu mai. They were great, I was especially delighted with the ha how because I love shrimp. I was surprised at how good the tofu was, because I’m not a big fan of tofu. It was crispy on the outside and super creamy on the inside.
Sad to see them go.

I came here for a GoGoBot sampling event. It was a lot of fun and I had no issues with this restaurant. A bunch of friends were here trying out the dim sum and several other odds and ends.
They have a very nice bar in here and I would think that that was their main attraction. The dim sum was kinda average but when you add in a bunch of nice cocktails, wellllllllll it always makes everything better doesn’t it?
Pro Tip: Street parking is free after 6pm nearby ;)
The restaurant was set up with some funky looking tables/​booths. The décor was awesome. Warm wooden hues with black lacquer and a warm red throughout the restaurant and bar. Several of the pieces of art grabbed my attention and seemingly didn’t let it go. They are inspiring some future potential photo shoots as well.
So everything that I experienced here was pretty much en pointe. But if you have a tasting event and its not, your place is doomed for sure.
I haven’t been back, but that is likely due to the fact that I have great dim sum within a few blocks of my house. Why drive to DTLA when you live in the SGV?

Raw, the food was raw. We bit into a dumpling and I tasted raw pork. Then the next one came out, but into it, it was cold in the middle and the shrimp was translucent! Wth. After we told the server, he came back with cooked ones, but even the properly cooked food didn’t taste good, maybe my taste bud was spoiled by the raw food :(
Not coming back, I don’t want food poisoning or worms.

Pros: the price of the dim sum is reasonable ($ 4 each), interior décor is nice and cozy, friendly service
Cons: the taste is not authentic chinese, the dishes came out veryyyy longg one by one.

Really good food! Drink menu was very good too. They use top shelf alcohol in their drinks and they have a very unique selection. I was thoroughly impressed with the drinks. I went with some friends and we shared some appetizers from the happy hour menu and the apps were delicious. Service was good too. They have a nice big bar with lots of seats and and pretty cool atmosphere. The place was really clean. Will definitely come back here. I would definitely recommend this place.

I didn’t eat, but came for drinks. Drinks are decent and decently priced. A nice chill spot for groups, dates. Not really a solo spot. TV’s to watch the game and there is music. I would come back for drink and possibly try the food!

PROS
large bar
extensive beer/​cocktail/​wine selection
dim sum $ 4
friendly staff
CONS
empty on a friday night
far from other lounges
sleepy music
food was ok

The Good: Modern décor, attentive wait service, clean bathrooms, and dim sum available in the evening, and a bar o’ liquor.
The authentic dim sum experience (should shared and guided by an experienced person) is a true meal of clusterfuckery you should experience at least once in your lifetime. You fight your way in a sea of people to everything. You fight to get into the parking lot. You fight to find parking. You fight to get a # for your table. You fight your way to the table and then you finally fight for the attention of the dim sum cart popo’s. Notice how much violence I’ve already mentioned to get a few bites of heaven? This is why I go a few times a year even though I’m physically close to all the great dim sum joints in town.
All night dim sum place is a great concept. There are a few all day-​night dim sum hole in the wall cafes in the SGV. The problem? It’s all the way in the SGV and no one wants to drive that far into an unknown foreign land east of Vermont. :P
The Bad: No rice noodle rolls (chern fun) which is a travesty because that shit is the biggest highlight of dim sum in my book. Sweet shrimp enveloped in a heavenly pillow soft rice noodle cocoon, bathed in warm soy sauce — sigh. There is none of that here. I can understand why they might not have this since the rice noodles need to be fresh to be decent enough I serve. I suspect that most of the dishes they have here are bought in and heated up to order.
The Ugly: My people invented dim sum, not Koreans (I’ve heard this place is owned by Koreans). I was brought up on dim sum since I was a wee lass so I should be able to discern what’s good and what’s bad. The dim sum here is very subpar — I’ve had much better in the all day dim sum cafes. The seafood chow mein was a lukewarm soupy tasteless sad mess. We had: hai gau, siu mai, chicken bun, fried crab wontons, shrimp and leek dumplings, Shanghai XLB, egg tarts, snow cap buns, egg cream buns. Everything except for the crab wontons was flavorless. I was hoping it would be at least somewhat decent but the food was just bad.
It was a Saturday night and it was very empty. I am surprised they have managed to survived this long since Chinatown is next door. Mind you, Chinatown is the red headed stepchild to the SGV in terms of food but it’s definitely much better than Chynna Dim Sum Lounge.

Man… I really do hate giving bad reviews for places downtown but when it’s deserved, ya gotta be honest.
So, Saturday afternoon and I’ve been stressed out with my move. I feel like shit, look like shit, and been eating like shit. I really wanted to get some quick udon at the Galleria Market but The Dude wasn’t up for it. Being the diplomat that I am, I suggested dim sum on the fly. He agreed so, here we are.
The restaurant itself is pretty large. Comfortable booth seatings and large tv screens fill the space. The service was good. Our waiter was very nice and everything came out within a reasonable time BUT… THE FOOD. UGH… Bad. Tasteless, flavorless and just bad. We ordered several different dim sums and wonton soup and all of it was just bland. Worse than bland. I felt like I lost my palate or something. Like my tastebuds died. I was not happy.
I’m not quite sure how they’ve even lasted this long. I don’t see it lasting much longer. Maybe this is a place for drunks. I dunno. I can’t imagine eating here sober. Actually, I can’t imagine eating here ever. Drunk, cracked out, or sober.
Bathrooms were gross too.
FAIL

Not sure if this place is still operated by the management for Café Bleu in K-​town, but it is formerly Vault XXI, which closed down several years back. The venue used to be a bank so you’ll see a vault in the middle of the joint. The restaurant features a dim sum menu, along with Hong Kong café style dishes. You’re still gonna see the slight Korean influence, with the usual Hite Beer and Jinro Soju present inside the bar fridge.
I can’t tell you anything about the food cause I’ve never tried it. They do try to sell the concept that the dim sum comes fresh out of the kitchen, rather than being carted around. Wouldn’t make much sense at a place like this anyway. They promote a friendly bar atmosphere and their drinks prices are slightly on the lavish side. However, you’re not going to find too many bars like this at the Little Tokyo Shopping Center and that’s how they get you.
Based on the Unilocal reviews, a few of you guys mention vouchers from Groupon, so I guess that’s the way to go. There’s 2 hours of FREE parking with validation, so this part shouldn’t be a hassle. If I’m trying to kill some time at this mall, I’m usually at the Chynna Dim Sum Lounge to have a couple of drinks. I don’t see myself doing anything other than that.
Another reason that I can’t spend too much time inside is the poor cell phone reception. Something, about this place blows when it concerns that so even standing outside to send a few texts or instant messages gets to be quite a burden.
ENPLUG
I’m starting to see more businesses like Chynna Dim Sum Lounge use the Enplug software for their digital displays. It allows real time social media interactions between the social media sites and the end user. Social media apps include — Twitter, Facebook, Unilocal,Foursquare, and Instagram using a business’ custom hashtag. Advertisement is also available, with the business owner paying a monthly fee to access the software.

Dim Sum at midnight?! .We found a place to fulfill our craving — score.
The menu is limited (no pushing carts here!), they have most of the basics. Nothing was extraordinary but here’s the skinny:
+ Lychee Bellini’s. I love anything and everything lychee, they were delicious.
+ Salt and pepper calamari. Winner! Breaded and extra crispy. Has some kick (spicy cuz of the jalapeños) but was tolerable for those who are sensitive to spicy dishes.
— Shu mai was OK, same for the Ha Gao.
It’s nice as a late night option but it didn’t blow me out of the water.

Decent dumplings although they seemed to be lacking the true authentic feel and flavors. Wouldn’t go out of my way to dine here unless I were in the area *drunk* and wanted to sober up on late night dim sum. On the upside the ambiance was enjoyable, seating arrangements were a little too comfortable as we were ready to crash on their sofas following our meals.
As for the food, meh. Sticky rice was a letdown, filled with mushy bland pork filling and a few slices of sausage. My favorite condiment at Chinese restaurants is their chili oil, the lack of it made everything taste slightly bland. Their food definitely needed enhancements of dipping sauces. Shrimp & Pork Dumplings contained the same mushy pork filling used in the sticky rice, I’d skip on this. Shrimp & Scallop dumplings were decent and light in flavor, not too fishy, much preferred to the previously mentioned dumplings. Shanghai Pork Dumplings were probably the tastiest of them all. Packed with meaty filling, they were juicy and flavorful.
Location was hard to find as it’s connected to the Little Tokyo Shopping Center a.k.a. Market Place. Instead of entering the mall, take a right and you’ll see it on your left hand corner. Parking is validated for 3 hours. Gives you enough time to roam around the empty mall. :)

I think your opinion of this place can vary depending on how you approach it. If you go here expecting great dim sum and Chinese cuisine for dim sum and Chinese sake, you will be disappointed. If you are more in the cosmopolitan mood but still want some dim sum, you will really like this place. I was NOT in the mood for the typical old Chinatown hole-​in-​the-​walls or the massive dim sum cafeteria-​like caverns, but still wanted dim sum for dinner with my sister. What do you know, in Little Tokyo there is this dim sum place that looked like it came out of a connoisseur magazine. Seriously, gotta try this, I thought, expecting much in atmosphere but not so much in food.
I came away a bit turned around, actually. I was still impressed with the décor, ambiance, and chic factor, but it was pretty empty. A place like this should be buzzing with people at dinner time, after all it’s what most people are probably expecting and paying for. The place is big, bar to the left and booths everywhere. I think if there was a proper crowd it would be a really cool place. The staff were very friendly, one overly nice Asian waiter who probably needed to tone it down a bit but otherwise attentive and pleasant.
The food was not bad, actually pretty much the same dim sum you get anywhere (I used to frequent Empress Pavilion) but at a modestly inflated price. There was a pork dish we hated, but otherwise quite standard and acceptable (meaning good) dim sums. They have a proper bar with proper drinks, which is a huge plus. Couple of glasses of white wine with dim sum is lovely!
So, if you’re craving dim sum and want to run out and get some in your sweats, this is not the place for you. But as an alternative to the western style spots when you’re feeling a bit dressy and want some dim sum with your other chic friends, I don’t see how this place can miss. It’s really 3.5 stars, but I’m adding half a star hoping people will patronize them more.
Table-​for-​1 Factor: Actually, there is a large bar so it might not be bad…

This restaurant is freakin good!!! I was amazed with their food. It’s in J-​Town where vault 21 used to be in Woori plaza. I came here for lunch and ordered a few things from it. Cubed beef, salt and pepper calamari was good! Then ordered some dimsum items. Shrimp har gao and shumai.
The inside of the restaurant is nice, a full bar and a lot of beers on tap. They validate and their service is great. Never went without anything. You guys should check this place out, you can get dim sum even at night.

I wasn’t really impressed with the food compared to the hype of the location. Basically you pay 2 to 3 times as much as you would 2 miles away in Chinatown. The food quality wasn’t bad, just overpriced for you run of the mill Cantonese food. They also don’t do dim sum as you would expect with the carts and crazy hustle and bustle on a Sunday morning. Actually there was only 1 other party there at 12 in the afternoon when we went.
That being said, the décor is very modern and the overall ambiance is actually pretty nice. Maybe they get a better crowd during the cocktail hours? If that’s the case I wouldn’t mind giving them another shot in the evening if it’s picked up a bit and more social.

While most places offer dim sum until lunch, Chynna Dim Sum Lounge offers dim sum all day long. The idea is revolutionary, I must say, and I like it! With authentic tasty food, Chynna Dim Sum is a great addition to the Little Tokyo dinning scene for those looking for other non-​Japanese food options.
What to love about Chynna Dim Sum Lounge:
1. Great for Groups-​Easy to make reservation and perfect for any group size! They have a private room that can fit around 20 people. They also have circular tables that are perfect for groups of 5 – 6 people.
2. Authentic dim sum favorites like shrimp har gow and pork sui mai:
I enjoy ordering their har gow and sui mai because they are as authentic as the ones you’ll get in some SGV dim sum places and they are actually less greasy than some places. If you are not in the mood of dim sum, you also can get other Chinese food entrees like sauteed string beans, chow fun and fried rice. Girl likes options and Chynna Dim Sum Lounge got me covered!
3. Mixologist and Bar Manager, Janice Paik:
I have organized two events at Chynna Dim Sum Lounge and working with Janice Paik has made the planning a piece of cake for both events. She helped us put together the menu. She is honest about what to get [i.e. customer’s favorites] and what will feed the most people. The food was ready and prepared on time at both events. It is great to go into the event, knowing that Janice and Chynna Dim Sum team got the food covered and restaurant ready.
4. Service here is fantastic and consistent. The waiters are attentive and helpful.
Overall, Chynna Dim Sum is my go to spot for «late-​night dim sum» and for group events in Downtown LA. Another perk is that you can get three hour free parking (with validation) if you eat/​drink/​hangout at Chynna Dim Sum Lounge, which is hard to find in Downtown LA.

So this place is a hidden gem right by the Tokyo shopping center in Dtla.
I heard about this place from my fiancé’s coworker. He was raving about this place, so I was like hey lets check that place out.
Upon entering the nice lady behind the bar greets me with a friendly hello and the hostess promptly seats us in a very comfy booth. The ambiance has the real cool vibe. Right when you enter the restaurant to the right there’s this cute low ride motorcycle. The booths are rounded and have these cool bamboo/​wooden seats. The above lights are pretty awesomely designed. Hard to explain, but if you ever go here look up and you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s so modern and contemporary. Very beautifully decorated. I really liked just looking around. There’s also a small outside patio area for seating as well. The bar area upon entering is to your left. This would be a great place to grab a couple of drinks. Couple of big screen TVs to watch your favorite team playing. The bartender seemed super friendly and bubbly.
So as we were seated I started off with my order of hot tea. It was a pretty cool day. Nice change with the 80 some degree weather we’ve been having in the middle of January. So when my tea came normally I’d usually wait awhile because it normally comes out super hot at all the dim sum and chinese restaurants I’ve been to, but this tea was very very slightly just a tad but warm. I guess it’s not a big deal but I was looking forward to that steam I feel exuding from the heat of the tea once poured in my little cup, but nope no steam heres. i was slightly disappointed that the tea was not hot enough.
Oh well moving along… I was in a dim sum kind of mood. And awesome to say yes dim sum all day!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh yah! I ordered one order of pork shumai which came in 4 pieces. Wow these were super delicious juicy the texture, taste, and flavors were all on point. Very skeptical liking these because I’ve been to those authentic chinese dim sum restaurants in Monterrey park and San Gabriel area. Knowing these areas are infamous for dim sum and the shu Mai here blew me away. They are out of this world! ⁵⁄₅.
I also ordered one order of the veggie dumplings. They give you three pieces. I really enjoyed these also. The outer shell was great in texture, but what was filled inside these shells just bursted with so many yummy flavors. It had these leeks in it and nuts. The nuts surprised me when I bit into it. Absolutely loved the nuts, leeks, and greens all mixed in here. Very delicious. ⁴⁄₅.
I got the sweet bbq pork bun. The top layer of the bun had these sweet but not overpowering glaze and inside were tiny pieces if barbecued pork. Great combination of the sweet and salty, which made a very savory dish. These still cant beat the ones at NBC seafood place in Monterey Park. Anyways one order gives you 3 buns. Pretty big in size. Will definitely fill you up. 3.5÷5.
I tasted their honey walnut shrimp. IMO the mayonnaise custard part was a little too thick and heavy to my liking. The walnuts were super delicious and sweet just like candy. The shrimp itself was really good. Came out super hot. I enjoyed this dish. 3.5÷5.
For dessert we got the egg custard tarts. One order they give you 3 pieces. They were just ok. Very mediocre. Definitely does not compare to the milk custard tarts at Jim’s Bakery in Monterey park. The crust was very doughy. Not crispy, crunchy or flaky without that perfect crust consistency. The egg custard was good, but not the best I’ve had. 3.5÷5.
The service overall was great. They were very attentive and polite. My overall experience of this restaurant was good. I can’t wait to try other items on the menu next time.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t so excited about trying a dim sum place in downtown, especially having amazing dim sum in Monterey Park last week. But since my dear friend was excited to try this new place, I tagged along. I am so glad I did!
The dim sum was fresh, yummy and pretty good. We ordered shumai, har gow, shrimp and leek dumplings, taro cake and what not. I was impressed with the quality and freshness. Make sure to order in one go as when we wanted more dishes, it took a pretty long time for them to come out. Also, beware of the hot mustard, its insanely hot! I might come here again just for that.
Overall, it’s a bit more expensive than dim sum in Monterey Park but there is nothing lacking in quality or flavor. It’s a cool sit down joint with modern décor and yes, they have a full bar. Love the three hour validated parking, super easy. I would definitely come here again when I’m in downtown next.

LOVE the concept of having dim sum at any hour of the day… or night. Chynna makes getting dim sum chic and cool. No asian ladies screaming at you and no dim sum carts. The best thing is that you can have a (good) beer and drinks with your meal. They have a really great selection of beer on draft and also a full bar. Your neighborhood dim sum joint might be cheap and tasty, but TRUST ME when I say it’s not as cool.
The bartender, Janice, is super chill… and cute too! :)
Get the salt&pepper calamari, hot&sour soup, and seafood crispy chow mein. effin’ bomb for drunk munchies.

Young, simple, modern, Asian. When I heard there was a new dim sum joint in downtown, I strapped on my running shoes and trekked out to find it. «No more driving to the 626 to get me some mid-​morning weekend dim sum fixes!» When I walked in, I immediately realized this was not your typical dim sum joint. It’s all about the excellent service and the food here. There are no little old ladies pushing the carts around, and you just order your regular dim sum faire (shu mai, har gow, etc) stright off their menu.
Dishes run about $ 5 per «steam tray» (XLB, etc). And, as an added bonus, you can add an alchy drink to your meal, or have dim sum all day!
I had the spinach and garlic, which was a simple, filling, delicious dish. It was nicely sautéed, not too watery. Garlic taste was there, but not overpowering. Loved it.
Added on har gow and shu mai cuz you cannot judge a dim sum joint without trying those two staples. I had high high hopes, and while I was not thoroughly disappointed, I also was not blown away. Something about the taste was just slightly … not authentic enough for me, especially if I were having a major dim sum crave (as I obviously was at that time, having run 2 miles to get here).
I was STUFFED with that order. Shoulda stuck to the spinach and one other dish. My total bill for all three was $ 17. pricey to eat dim sum by yourself.
So I would return, but only knowing that it is pricey for what you get, and that I might not leave 100% satisfied during a major dim sum craving. Search for something in dtla to rival 626 dim sum continues.