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Crown Palace
Category: Restaurants Chinese Dim Sum Dim Sum [Edit]
1285 State Route 35Middletown, NJ 07748
(732) 615-9888
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Crown Palace
Review Highlights
21 reviews in English
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Review from Eric N.
Holmdel Township, NJ
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
This review is for the dim sum lunch that they have every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Whats dim sum? It's a traditional style of chinese food that is served in small portions. The waiters push carts filled with assorted dumplings and numerous other types of fried and steamed food. When the cart gets to your table, the waiter explains what's on the cart. The food comes in little metal steamers or little plates. Simply pick what you want and the waiter puts the food on the table and stamps your check. A typical steamer or plate comes with three to five pieces of whatever you ordered. There's seafood, beef, chicken, pork veggies...and the list goes on. The first couple of times you go, pick what looks good. You will eventually learn what you like to eat. I've eaten lots of dim sum all over Chinatown and elsewhere, and Crown Palace does it just as good, if not better! Chinatown dim sum has more items, but they are usually the more hardcore items. The great thing about dim sum, is that it's cheap. Steamers/plates are usually between $2.50 and $5.00. The restaurant is usually quite crowded for dim sum. Mostly Asian people and caucasians in the know. I usually go every Sunday to get my fix. If you like Chinese food, definitely give dim sum a try! Crown Palace is the real deal.
Oh yeah...right next door is a legit Asian food store. You want it..they got it. Great spot to walk around and burn calories! -
Review from Gloria S.
8/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Authentic Chinese food but first male server was an order Nazi. Literally put two hands on his arm and said " calm down, relax", he was so rude and desperate for his missed hit of meth.
Service sucked. Asked for glass of ice water from different servers in chinese (no excuse of language barrier here), after the fourth time finally got it, but meal was almost over.
Complained to manager, he reacted like he knew who I spoke of immediately, hopefully the guy will be washing dishes by the time you go.
Beautiful decor, classy place, pricey, nice Asian grocery store next door. -
Review from carol g.
Red Bank, NJ
1/8/2012
Something has definitely happened here. Crown Palace used to be the half-way decent place for Chinese food in the area, but tonight's food was horrible. I knew something was different when I walked in the front door and got hit with the smell of old fish. The people at the front desk were very nice, and the prices were as high as they always were, but the food was the worst. The orange beef was greasy and not spicy, and the soup was not much better. Have they recently changed ownership or management?
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Review from Irene H.
6/27/2011
I grew up in the area and Crown Palace was THE Chinese restaurant in the area that everyone went to. Years passed and CP isn't what it used to be. They've been running a lobster special (2 for $23.95, cooked however you like it) so, my parents took me when I was visiting since it's harder to order for just 2. In addition to the garlic style lobster (with noodles added underneath), we also got the HK style wonton noodle soup and our old standby's of orange beef and Grand Marnier shrimp.
Service was alright and the place was almost empty. Our food didn't come out super fast. Maybe my palate has gotten pickier over the years and perhaps they don't have as good of a chef as they used to, but I was deeply disappointed over the meal and am pretty sure the food used to be better. There is Chinese food and there is Chinese-American. Their food bordered upon Chinese-American. Everything was way too sweet - yes, even the lobster dish was sweet. And the shrimp was drowning in mayo.
My parents rarely go here and I'll make sure we never frequent this place again on my visits. -
Review from Sara J.
Middletown, NJ
11/30/2011
I have ordered take out here many times and always felt it was ok, not real bad not real good. But it looks shabby lately, it smells like dead fish and I'm not sure if it's from the restaurant or the Asian store next door or both but if the public spaces are gross I can only imagine what the kitchen looks like.
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Review from Erica Y.
North Middletown, NJ
10/22/2010
We have been going to Crown Palace for many years, but just recently started going on Saturdays and Sundays to their Dim Sum hours. So, the other experiences have all been great - but this review is mostly about Dim Sum.
First - Dim Sum is FUN. You are allowed to choose from carts that the servers roll around the room and mark on a scorecard(your bill). Pork Buns are awesome, sticky rice not so much. They have a wide assortment of things to choose from, although if you don't get their early enough the good desserts are mostly gone.
The bad part - waiting and waiting for drinks, more carts to roll around, or the particular cart that you want. If you ask any random server they say "Not my cart". Particularly, not good service.
Recommendation - Go early, it starts at 11. Grab a TON the first time around so you don't have to wait. Try the Bubble Tea!! Definitely get the fried pork dumplings and steamed pork buns.
Bring your appetite! If you like whole, deep fried prawns this is the Dim Sum for you.
(the plus side is that they have an Asian Market right next door with all the delicious fixings for anything you could possibly make) -
Review from Danny M.
Keansburg, NJ
7/30/2008
My main spot for real Chinese food (and by that I mean quality dinner stuff and not take-out). They're consistently good and they have a wide variety of different dishes. They even invent some stuff on the fly. It's a pity that the place never seems really full on weeknights.
Word of advice, come early if you're going for Dim Sum, it can get crowded quick.Listed in: Om Nom Nom
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Review from Patrick M.
Holmdel, NJ
6/13/2008
On the weekends there is always a crowd waiting for a table. The same seems to be the case at both the Marlboro and Staten Island restaurants as well.
If I am in the mood for Chinese food the Crown Palace is the place I go. -
Review from Katrina S.
Washington, DC
3/15/2011
We went to Crown Palace for dinner when we were visiting the SO's parents in New Jersey and I would definitely go back. Their drinks are crazy cheap (from someone who is used to Philly drink prices) and the food comes in large portions and is yummy. Service was great!
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Review from Justin E.
Oceanport, NJ
1/5/2011
My friends will abandon me for this... but I do not like their Dim Sum. There, I said it! (sorry!!!!) I love chinese food and have had some great dim sum before (even in China, that was awesome). Anyway, I found this place's dim sum to be unusually oily and not-too-fresh. I don't know why I keep going. Everytime I leave after Saturday or Sunday dim sum at Crown Palace I get headaches and feel starving. Won't come here again. Sorry friends! *Note: the act of eating dim sum is fun... everybody should try it, and you can probably find something in the carts you really like. That being said, if you know what good dim sum is, like me, you may not like theirs.
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Review from Brian L.
Brooklyn, NY
1/2/2010
Go for Dim Sum! mmmmm
Dinner is good too! -
Review from R S.
North Middletown, NJ
7/18/2011
This was the go to place in Middletown for Chinese food but I no longer go there. The dishes started to all taste the same so i started going to the smaller take out places that have been popping up. To be quite honest I like them better.
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Review from Lisa-Oanh V.
Houston, TX
5/24/2010
I was in NJ for a wedding and my friend's had their rehearsal dinner here. Go Leo & Ika! I didn't know what to expect since all the Yelp reviews talk about their dim sum. It was a little difficult finding the place, even with the GPS. We had a private room in the back and it was not set up in time when we arrived. They did have a wide assortment of things such as shrimp toast and green onion pancake. The food was pretty decent but I don't see myself going out of my way to eat here.
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Review from Mr. C.
Shrewsbury, NJ
9/30/2010
I only go for the dim sum. Service can be spotty, but when you're in the mood for dumplings and such, it's a decent local place. Shrimp rolls are good, nice variety of dumplings, and I love the sticky rice. Salt and pepper squid is good too, the hot green peppers are a nice touch- definitely feel the salt effects for an hour or so afterwards.
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Review from Michael W.
Los Angeles, CA
5/20/2009
Eehh this was closer to my school. But this location sucks slow service and seems not crowded as the other location in Marlboro.
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Review from Ronald E.
Eatontown, NJ
1/5/2010
Surprised at all the negative reviews.
Been a semi-regular customer of Crown Palace for the past 6 years. I go at least 3 or 4 times a year and have never had a bad experience or meal for that matter.
Yes, very pricey Chinese food. However, it's gourmet -- not the stuff you get at takeout. Always start with a PuPu platter which is delicious and then move on to my absolute favorite dish, the Grand Marnier Shrimp.
Friends whom I usually dine with usually opt for Duck which they absolutely love.
I have noticed a huge decrease in traffic at the restaurant during recent visits and there usuallly is always some sort of party going on in the back. However, this still remains my quintessential Chinese Restaurant experience. -
Review from Kelly K.
10/12/2008
I went here about 2 years ago and never went back. Did not like the quality of the dim sum or the dining environment.
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Review from Raymond W.
Cambridge, MA
Updated - 1/3/2010
My latest trip to Crown Palace was a disaster and suffered all the negatives that wasn't new to me. They raised the price of their dinner for two to $45 for 2 bowls of watercress, pork, and tofu soup, shrimp with walnnuts, and lobster with ginger and scallion. Considering the lobster was $16 we were definitely on the losing side of the math. The shrimp with shrimp was drenched in the honey mayo sauce making the dish look like shrimp in custard. No thanks. We asked our waiter why there were no walnuts in the dish and he said that he would bring out some hot walnuts. He returned with a small bowl of walnuts straight out of the fridge. My parents and I vowed for a year long boycott of this Crown Palace.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/17/2009
Another staple Chinese restaurant on route 35 in Middletown, which serves much of Holmdel, Hazlet,… Read more »
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Review from Alicia M.
Boston, MA
1/22/2009
The food at this place is really great! Also, the staff is really friendly. I recently threw my parents a 25th Anniversary party at Crown Palace and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. I've been going to this place ever since I was a kid and will continue to go there.
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Review from lenny A.
Keyport, NJ
3/14/2011
HORRIBLE!!!! The absolute worst chineese food i ever had! The waiter down right rude and had terrible body odor. I ordered PUPU Platter for 2, soup, RP Fried Rice and the Four Seasons dish. Pu Pu was very greasy, teh rice tasted liek it wa smade ina dirty work and teh entree was cold, over cooked, flavorless.and inedible. There was so much salt in teh food that i'm still drink water and all i had was a few fork fulls of teh entree and rice, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! Panda Express in the mall is better food
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Review from Jon D.
Daly City, CA
7/4/2010
i've been here maybe 10 times over the years, only for dim sum. and that's the only reason why i've been back more than once. the service sucks. most of the guys pushing the carts dont even stop at your table unless you yell "hey, what you got there?". went there today and it took such a long time just to get a glass of water. honestly, i feel like they only go out of their way to please white people. those of you who have had good service are probably white. if their food wasn't so good i would never return.
