Tropical Chinese Restaurant

After many years hearing about how good this place was, I finally had the opportunity to visit for lunch this past Saturday. Ahead of time we called to see if reservations were needed and they say that they did not offer reservations unless it was a large party. We did ask about the average wait times for a Saturday and they told us that it really starts to get very busy after one in the afternoon. We arrived that Saturday at 12:30 PM and they were already starting to get busy but we did get a table for 4 pretty fast. Definitely by 1pm there was a wait time by the door and outside the restaurant. The restaurant noise level was in the high side, and there is constant movement around you and there is not much room around your table as they have had to maximize their space for the high demand this restaurant has. The service was average and you deal with different waiters throughout your dinner.

This place is known for their dim sums, and you have the option to order A La Carte or what we opted for, which is the carts they wheel around the restaurant table by table with different options of ready dims sums. There was also carts with beef, chicken, spring rolls, desserts, etc.

I should say that everything we tried was really good. The majority of the dim sums that were passed around contained shrimp in some combination so if you are allergic or just don't like it, you are better off ordering off the menu. You pick as many of the samples as you want and the waiters mark the paper on your table that keeps track of how much you have eaten.

Overall, I enjoyed the food tremendously and wouldn't mind coming here soon again to enjoy food from their menu.

Best Chinease food anywhere close to Miami.

It's not fancy, it's crowded, but

1 whole Peking Duck, 10 pancakes with the skin then the meat served with stir fried veggies and rice.
2 orders (4 each) of shrimp dumplings
1 order (4) of shrimp roles
1 order (8) Bok Choi
3 Lychee Matinis

$160 with tax and 20% tip.

I have eaten Peking Duck at Hakkassan and in Beijing (both at fancy hotel restaurant and street restaurant). This was the best. The dumplings are huge and have 2-3 oz of shrimp each.

Best Peking duck in town! I had only ever tried Peking duck at Komodo which was really good, but this felt way more authentic. Restaurant workers brought it out, cut it up and prepared the rolls for us! There was even a second course, a duck fried rice they prepared with the leftover meat.
Aside from duck, this is one of the best spots for Dim Sum in town! I think I still prefer Kon Chau which is located right across the street, but you can't go wrong here!
Definitely worth the drive to this part of town for some good Chinese food!

Dim sum please.
OH.
MY.
GOSH.
Why haven't you people put me up on this place!?!! This is what I've been looking for! So as soon as we sat down, the dim sum carts began rolling to our table. There were so many tasy morsels to choose from that we had to pace ourselves! We tried the following:
Shrimp spring rolls: 8/10
Tender beef: 10/10. Joel actually ordered another one!
Pork buns: 9/10. Actually, not my thing, but these were delish!!
Shrimp rangoon: 7/10
Shrimp w/ spinach dumplings: 9/10
Baby bok choy: 9/10 (just needs some sauce to become a 10)
Taro shrimp cakes: 8/10
Shrimp & pork shumai: 9/10
Egg custard tarts: 8/10
We are SO HAPPY we found this place. The customer service was excellent, the food was served hot & it was tasty, we'll definitely be back to explore the dinner menu & to try more dim sum!

Been coming here for a long time.
We can for dim sum. Got here around 2pm and there were only 2 carts. Most of the things we like we were told sold out. Very disappointing. I don't know if the owners changed but will not be coming back. The place does not wow me any longer.

If you want white table cloth with cart service for dim sum, this is the place to go to. We had a delicious lunch of an assortment of dim sums to welcome the New Year. Of course we ate too much ... from chicken feet (not everyone's taste, but you've got to try them), to shrimp dumplings, to steamed buns. The shrimp sui mai were delicious. The sesame balls were freshly made, among the best I've had.

It's a pretty, bustling restaurant, but I found where we were sitting to be a bit dark, which I did not enjoy. The cart service was a bit inconsistent. There seemed to be 2 carts with the same items. Finally, we ordered additional dim sums from a waiter.

Came here twice with a group of friends to dim sum

I enjoy going to dim sum with a group of people since you get to share small plates tapas style, giving you the opportunity to eat many different foods in one meal. This dim sum was the type where you order from the carts that come by often and they mark down on a piece of paper at your table which placing you ended up choosing. My friends who have never had dim sum liked this ordering style because they got to see in person what foods they had.

Ended up getting the pork ribs, pork siu mai, shrimp siu mai, chicken dumplings, steamed BBQ pork buns, egg custard buns, egg tarts, Chinese broccoli, fried rice. Some of my friends' favorite dishes included were the pork siu mai and chicken dumplings. The meat-filled buns/dumplings aren't the best I've had but still decent. My favorite had to be the egg tarts. They were quite sizable. I loved the ratio of ear tart filling to crust where there was more filling and it wasn't too sweet.

They serve you complimentary bottled water instead of offering hot tea, so in that aspect not like other more traditional dim sum places I've been to. Don't expect service to be super attentive but I felt that I could always get someone's attention if I needed anything.

Parking widely available as it's located in a plaza.

Overall would come back again if I'm nearby and craving dim sum.

Great dim sum spot. Went on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed. Luckily we had a reservation for 14 and we got seated almost immediately. So I definitely recommend reservations if you have a big party. Once you get seated immediately dim sum carts pass by and whatever you want is dropped on your table hot and ready to eat. This is a very traditional and authentic dim sum restaurant that I highly recommend. Food was amazing and service was great too.

Nestled in the bustling west end of this Miami shopping center, within a stone's throw of Tropical Park on Bird Road, lies a culinary institution that has stood the test of time: Tropical Chinese Restaurant. As the sun sets on this fine Friday evening, hunger beckons after a grueling day's work. It's been a solid decade since my last rendezvous with this gastronomic gem on our wedding anniversary, but according to friends they assured me it's still Miami's go-to spot for authentic Chinese cuisine. With anticipation bubbling like a simmering wok, we stepped in the doors and were greeted by the familiar ambiance that's aged like a fine wine.

First thing that struck us was the familiarity - very little seemed to have changed in the past decade. While cleanliness prevailed, a touch of sprucing up wouldn't hurt to shake off the hint of antiquity. However, any qualms dissipated the moment our waitress waltzed over, her smile radiating enough warmth to rival a summer day in Miami. Her service was indeed the cherry on top of our evening, a beacon of hospitality and one of the highlights to our great experience this evening..

Our culinary journey commenced with a pair of crisp Sintao beers, setting the stage for what was to come. The vegetable rolls, crispy yet tender, tantalized our taste buds for the feast ahead. Then came the pièce de résistance: ong choy, a seasonal delight not found on the menu but recommended by our ever-insightful waitress. This Chinese vegetable, akin to water spinach, proved to be a hidden gem, bursting with flavors that transported us straight to the heart of Canton.

The main course was a symphony of flavors, each dish a testament to Tropical Chinese's unwavering commitment to authenticity. From the aromatic Hong Kong special fried rice to the mouthwatering Mongolian beef and the succulent shrimp lo mein, every bite was a culinary revelation, a testament to the culinary wizards working their magic in the kitchen.

In a world where variety is the spice of life, Tropical Chinese Restaurant emerges as a shining beacon of culinary diversity. every dish tells a story, weaving together the rich tapestry of Chinese culinary heritage.

As the evening drew to a close, we bid adieu to our gracious hosts, our bellies full and hearts content. Tropical Chinese Restaurant may be a relic of the past, but it's a relic worth revisiting time and time again. Here's to another decade of delectable memories and unforgettable flavors at this culinary oasis on Bird Road. Cheers!

Tropical Chinese - A Go-To Spot for Authentic Chinese

Rating: (4/5 stars)

Decor:
Upon entering Tropical Chinese, we were immediately immersed in the vibrant festivities of the Chinese New Year celebration. Draped in the year of the dragon decorations, the ambiance was both electrifying and authentic, setting the stage for an exciting dining experience.

Service:
Despite it being our first visit back after a few years, we were greeted promptly at 6 pm and seated without delay--a testament to their efficient service, as shortly after, the wait for tables became evident. Although language proved to be a slight barrier, communication was manageable with my understanding of Chinese, and our waitress was eager to assist.

Food:
We began with shrimp and chive dumplings, hot and sour soup, and scallion pancakes--all of which did not disappoint and were bursting with flavor. A testament to their prowess, the Beijing Duck, for which Tropical Chinese is renowned, beckoned us but will have to be a treat for next time.
For our mains, we enjoyed clams with black bean sauce, Three cup chicken, Sichuan style fish fillets, and stir-fried pea pods. The dishes arrived in rapid succession, tantalizing our senses with their piping hot presence. While the quality was beyond reproach, there was a notable shift in the taste profile--a reduction in saltiness that hinted at a new, perhaps health-conscious direction or an attempt to cater to a broader palate. Although this left the dishes somewhat lacking in the robust flavor I recalled, a small tweak might restore their zest.

Conclusion:
Despite a dial-down on flavor intensity, the overall experience at Tropical Chinese remains stellar. True to form, the portions were generous, and we took a piece of our evening home in the form of leftovers. This establishment retains its charm and stands firmly as a must-visit for authentic Chinese cuisine whenever in Miami. We eagerly await our next dining adventure here.