Early Bird Dim Sum

[eco987]

Does anyone know of any good early bird weekend dim sum specials?

I've been going to:

Paridise and Crown Prince ($2.75 before 11am)

Rich Land Chinese Cuisine ($2.50 before 11:30am)

This lower price option seems to be a new trend with even the higher end restaurants. Are there any other good ones to share?

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Early Bird Restaurant
2 Merritt St, St Catharines, ON L2T1J3, CA

Crown Princess
1033 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3A5, CA

[loodle]

Does anybody know if Sam Woo is still offering early bird dim sum and at what price? We would like to try it

[T Long]

Sam Woo Seafood has early bird dim sum @ $2.50. per dish. Cutoff is 11:00 am on weekends, 11:30 am weekdays

[jennjen18]

Went to Very Fair (on Finch, between Midland and Kennedy) on the weekend w/my mom and she told me if we went before 11am, it'd be fixed price dim sum. Food was good -- tried the herbal chicken's feet and my mom told me to drink the sauce as it was full of good herbally things (goji berries too). They charge for tea though.

[Asianfoodlover23]

Will be in TO next month. Can someone give an update on early bird dim sum places? Are prices still the same? Any new places? Thanks!

[Charles Yu]

If you happen to be 'up-north' and quality of food is your criteria, then I would suggest Crown Prince'. For a few cents more than their competitors, quality is better. Not to mention the ambiance and decor.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/856763

[smfan]

Da Fu (Steeles/Middlefield) $2.1 and tea is free. The dim sum is average.

[cutehinano]

Since my mom has been here to visit we have been going for dim sum every week for the past few weeks. Wanted to post some more recent reviews:

Grand Chinese cuisine - reliable food, good service, calm environment. Really like the fried squid, sticky rice, and steamed pork buns. The har gow filling is good but their dumpling skins are a bit thick. Siu Mai is also very good. Rice rolls are decent but again are a bit thick. No early bird here.

Shangri la - service was rushed given the chaos at early bird (before 11am). Decent selection of dim sum but unfortunately the food was not very good, especially given the chaos and food ended up sitting at the station and cooling down for a long time before being brought out. The egg tarts and squid were inedible. Would not visit again.

Brilliant Chinese cuisine - no early bird here but they gave us 10% off (didn't seem to have time limit). Really not necessary to have early bird discounts here as the food was fairly inexpensive. Service was fine but the decor was not as nice as others, however the food more than made up for this. Everything was fresh and steaming hot. Nice thickness in dumpling skins and rice rolls. Siu Mais were very good as well but didn't love the filling in the steamed pork buns.

Spring villa - definitely the busiest of all the early bird places we have been to. Got there around 9:50 and waited around 10 mins to be seated which was not bad. Good selection and the food was fantastic. Everything was really fresh and steaming hot. Standouts included fried squid, beef short ribs, har gow, Siu Mai, fried shrimp balls, and vegetable dumplings. Amazing value with the early bird pricing ($47 for 12 dishes including tea, taxes and tip). Would definitely visit again even if it meant we'd have to go really early or really late to get a table.

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Grand Chinese Cuisine
655 Dixon Rd, Toronto, ON M9W1J3, CA

Brilliant Chinese Restaurant
7220 Kennedy Rd, Markham, ON L3R0N4, CA

Shangri-la
50 Esna Park Drive, Markham, ON L3R 1E1, CA

[Yongeman]

Mmmmm. Where exactly on Woodbine is Spring Villa?

[HSz]

Spring Villa Chinese Cuisine:

7301 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, ON
[phone]

Intersection of Woodbine/Denison (just north of Steeles Avenue).

[Yongeman]

thanks HSz.

[caitlink]

Maybe they don't have it anymore. But two months ago, we went to Brilliant and they had 20% early bird discount if you leave before 11am. Maybe it was just an anniversary special. But did not find dim sum to be impressive. Enjoy it for dinner but dim sum I would rate 3/5.

For value for money dim sum, I would go to Full House (Midland & Finch) next to the Pho place. It is the sister restaurant for Casa Imperial (most sizes are $2, I think). And stirfry noodles (smaller portions) are $6. But it is very busy and crowded. Lots of regulars.

Another one would be the new banquet place at Peachtree (Kennedy & 7) inside the mall. Early bird before 11am is $2.30. And they have stirfry noodle specials as well.

For splurge, I actually prefer Casa Victoria. We tried Lai Wah Heen but everyone came away hungry.

Fancy early bird discount - we used to go to Crown Prince (Victoria Park and McNicoll). And Paradise (Leslie & Finch). Paradise is our favorite - $2.80 if you order before 11am, I think.

[plug]

Went to Brilliant recently for dinner and the manager mentioned the 20% off dim sum discount. So it is still live.

[cutehinano]

Were you at Brilliant on a weekday? I vaguely remember seeing that the discount was 20% off for weekdays and 10% off for weekends.

It's possible that the horrendous food at Shangri-la made Brilliant seem significantly better to us by comparison.

[plug]

I was actually there for dinner and the manager was trying to bump their dim sum promotion to my family and I. He just said 20% off but didnt' specify it whether it was an all week promotion or limited to weekdays.
the last few times i've had shangri-la its been pretty good, especially the 'korean' short ribs ... might've been an off day?

[LearningHow]

Is there a more recent updated list?

From what I've read (on this board, and on other websites), Ka Lung Court is now closed down and someone else stated a couple of weeks ago that Golden Crown appeared to be closed down as well.

Another website indicated that Rich Land no longer offers the early-bird special, but 20% off all day.

Another thread also stated Crown Princess no longer offered the early bird as well.

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Crown Princess
1033 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3A5, CA

[babybluepowder]

Just came back from Szechuan Legend today for the first time. Dim sum was pleasant. Service was decent. Didn't have to wait too long considering it was the long weekend. I like the antique furniture used in the restaurant. The food was okay. It didn't blow me away but it wasn't too oily either. It's good for the price though. It's 1.98 during the weekdays and 2.20 for the weekends plus the cost of tea.

[AngelSanctuary]

I second szechuan legend, you don't even need to wake up at an ungodly hour it's 1.80 (or about) till 3.

[szw]

IMO Chili Secrets is much better than Szechuan legend. My GF and I were fans of Szechuan legend a while ago until we noticed quality go down. We tried out Chili Secrets and we like it much much better. Restaurant is also a lot nicer.

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Chili Secret
9021 Leslie, Thornhill, ON L3T7N5, CA

[Ruth]

Spring Villa on Woodbine - early bird until 11am on weekends

[jennjen18]

I believe the threshold is 10:45am, not 11am.. all you have to do is get your order card in, and they'll stamp that you ordered everything before 10:45am, and that you'll be eligible for the discount.. which is a fixed price (I can't remember) for everything!

[Charles Yu]

Why not 'Golden Crown Dynasty Cuisine' or 'Kar Lun Court' in Richmond Hill which I reviewed recently?! Good quality. Starts at 8.00am. All dim sum $2.30 across the board.

[caitlink]

out of golden crown and kar lun - which do u prefer? And is it $2.30 all day?

[Charles Yu]

Prefer Golden Crown more because of the diversify menu.

Kar Lun is all day but Golden crown only applies to 8.00 to 12.00 and 2.00 to 4.00.

Both places have dishes that were excuted well and dishes that flop!

[thefoodpursuit]

Might I suggest Chili Secret or Szechaun Legend? Both locations are ~$2 all day and serve very similar items in taste and variety. Chili Secret is a lot more comfortable though so I would choose that location. And great service either way.

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Szechuan Legend
3280 Midland Ave, Toronto, ON M1V, CA

Chili Secret
9021 Leslie, Thornhill, ON L3T7N5, CA

[T Long]

Sam Woo Seafood - $2.30 for SML before 11:30 am M - F; before 11:00am week-ends & holidays.

[lamaranthe]

I suggest you call Casa Imperial 4125 Steeles Ave E - Scarborough - [phone]
www.casaimperial.ca -- Their dim sum is exceptional

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Casa Imperial
4125 Steeles Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1W 3T4, CA

C
4360 Boul Des Sources, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, QC H8Y3B7, CA

[caitlink]

i don't think casa imperial has early bird.

Crown Prince at Vic Park and McNicoll does.
And same with Emperor.
Both are uptown and very good.

A cheaper option is Full House at Midland and Finch. It is $1.80 or $2 all day and belongs to same fanily as Casa.

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Crown Prince
3600 Victoria Park Ave, North York, ON M2H 3B2, CA

[Asianfoodlover23]

Caitlink - Is the Full House ur talking about the same one listed on the site located on Hwy 7 in Richmound Hill? I did a search on Google and I couldn't find the Full House on Midland and Finch. Do you have an exact address?

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Full House Restaurant
328 7 Hwy E, Richmond Hill, ON L4B3P7, CA

[caitlink]

Not on highway 7. It's at the corner of midland and finch. Right next to the Vietnamese pho place and dollar store. Same plaza where there is a Macs and Pizza hut.
We were just there last weekend again. Very busy.

[Asianfoodlover23]

Thanks Caitlink! One more ? regarding Full House. Is that price ($1.80 - $2.00) limited to certain hours or is it good all day? Is it good on weekends too? Will be in TO next month so please let me know. Thanks

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Full House Restaurant
328 7 Hwy E, Richmond Hill, ON L4B3P7, CA

[caitlink]

$2 all day weekend plus tea charge. I think it's $1.80 weekday but no sure.
Har gow for $2 is great deal compared to Casa Victoria. That's why we alternate between economical and fancy dim sum.
Steamed spare ribs with rice,shrimp rice roll and the fancy 'shark fin' soup dumpling are all $2 as well although keep your expectations low for the shark fin :-)
Do not expect fine dining quality but good value and food for that price.
We also like the stir fried sticky rice for $4. They have lunch menu for noodles and rice.
My next try will be Golden Crown as per Charles' rec.
Let me know what u think after your visit.

[aser]

Full House in R.H. has closed, pretty sure about that.

Dragon Boat in R.H. also has an early bird, before 11am, weekday only though I think.

http://www.dragonboatcuisine.ca/prodd...

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Full House Restaurant
328 7 Hwy E, Richmond Hill, ON L4B3P7, CA

[AngelSanctuary]

Oh I did not enjoy Full House at all the food was subpar. I just feel like it has less choices than szechuan legend (which is less than a block away) and the things that are the same Full House does it blander.

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Full House Restaurant
328 7 Hwy E, Richmond Hill, ON L4B3P7, CA