Golden Dragon

I've long given up on Chinatown as most of the restaurants seem to have become mere tourist traps. But happy to make an exceptions when friends are in town, especially when aromatic crispy duck is included in the deal ...
Gold Dragon was busy with a good mix of people, ie not just tourists but also large groups of Chinese families, and staff were extremely friendly and efficient.
But it is the quality of the food that makes a great restaurant, after all. Perhaps we would have enjoyed everything more had it been a bit hotter. The pancakes served with the duck weren't even luke warm but cold with the main courses arriving on plastic plates - what happened to the old-fashioned tradition of hot plates?
I am also not a big fan of MSG and all dishes were heavily reliant on this additive. Some of the sauces actually tasted as if they came straight from a bottle - all very underwhelming.
Never again.

This is by far the best Chinese restaurant in Soho.

The food is divine (i've never felt OD'd on MSG as one person mentioned). If there's something you want that isn't on the menu they will do their best to accomodate you.

Some of the female waiting staff aren't the friendliest in the world and if you want a relaxing, sedate meal then this definitely isn't the place for you.

Little tip, order the steaming bowl of fruit for desert lol

In China Town gibt es sehr viele Chinarestaurants, das verwundert kaum. Doch welches ist gut? Im "Golden Dragon" habe ich sehr lecker gegessen. Dass fast nur chinesische Gäste dort waren, werte ich auch mal als Qualitätssymbol!

this restaurant is a must try as the service was as good as the food along with the soft music in the background and nice interior.

In the chaos of China town restaurants this one is always a good staple. It is quite large and there is a lot of coming and going. Guests are asked to leave their name and number of guests and are then called out. I have never waited longer than 15 min.

They have an excellent dim sum during the day but not in the evening. The quality of the food is excellent and decent value for money. If you do not like the hustle and bustle downstairs ask to be seated upstairs.

A word of advise: This is an extremely busy restaurant so sometimes it can be a challenge to get the attention of the waiters. Some of them can be quite rude. The breakdown of the bill is written in Mandarin, so try to keep track of what you ordered. Service charge is included in the bill, do not let them charge you twice.

Verdict: Good quality food for decent prices in a very touristic area. Good for large groups, but don't expect a zen moment in this busy place.

Chinatown staple with all the usual dishes but it’s open until late which is always handy.

It’s a bit quieter upstairs, so ask to be seated up there and you can fit bigger groups.

Always good to wash it all down with some Tiger beer.

Excellent place to venture if you’re in need of a dim sum hit. The swanky interior is nice if not a bit snobbish, but the food is lovely.

Had some great sui mai here, as well as some of the others things the menu has to offer. Recommend the deep fried squid - very tasty!

It’s often hard to choose where to come when you’re surrounded by so many in Chinatown, but this one always seems to shine.

If your after consistently good Chinese food or dim sum and you happen to be in Chinatown, you can’t go wrong with Golden Dragon. The place can get extremely busy so try to book or come extra early if your after Dim Sum. I have been coming to this place for years, since childhood in fact and I have to say I have never been disappointed. Prices are very fair for the food you get and the staff are very good compared to some places in Chinatwon. My only tiny niggle would be the roast meats, (such as roast pork) they seem to lack tenderness and moisture that I look for. Though this might just be a personal preference.

Golden Dragon is always a reliable place to go to for some great dim sum, or for some decent Chinese food. They have two large floors that are constantly busy with people, so much so that it’s sometimes hard to get a waiter’s or waitress’ attention. There are so many tables on the floor that they can quickly accommodate especially large groups, something many other Chinese restaurants in the area struggle to do.

All of the dim sum dishes are always consistently good, and if anything I highly recommend people try the black sesame dumplings for dessert. It’s a little bit of an acquired taste, but when you bite into those warm, white dumplings to intercept the tasty black liquid that fills it, there’s just nothing like it.

One word of warning is that sometimes they ask if you want to put extra service on your card, when it’s already been included in the bill. Sometimes it pays to double check the items you order as you end up having to decipher Chinese characters to validate your bill.

If one afternoon you’re in Chinatown on the prowl for some delectable Dim Sum, you’ll be hard-pressed to trump the Golden Dragon. Dishes are moderately priced and you certainly won’t be doing your taste buds a disservice. Must-tries include the prawn rice noodle rolls, lotus leaf-wrapped glutinous rice and their mini egg-custards (a sweet alternative to the British nutmeg-laced treats). Be aware however that the staff have a tendency to impose a minimum dish order not levied against linguistically able compatriots. Still, the main menu has much to offer also, and will appear much less daunting if accompanied by an aficionado of Cantonese cuisine. As with most high quality Chinese restaurants, sharing is the key to a rounded meal, particularly given the generous portions afforded for main dishes here.

The ambiance encapsulates the fervent collective, both large dining areas ornate and joyous in their decoration, typical of the nation’s favoured depiction of prosperity. The service is efficient without being overly boisterous, but do note that as much as they would like you to believe otherwise, the bill summary does include a standard service charge (you can always check the total against the detailed list, albeit written in Chinese).

The highest accolade I can bestow upon this restaurant is the simple fact that the three generations of my girlfriend’s family (originally from Hong Kong, and including a retired chef), have selected this as their Central London point of convergence. Evidence enough to give the place a chance? Well you know my answer to that…