Lakeside Chinese Deli

Sorry you missed the best dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. It was fantastic, but Brenda needed a break and retired. I can't tell you how sad that made me to see my favorite restaurant go. I also would love to see a place of this caliber but I don't think it's possible unless Brenda and her husband feel like working their butts off again. I think Ricky should take over. more

Sad news for those who have frequented this incredible place. It is now closed as the owners have retired. There is a paper sign in the door advising of this. We can only hope that Brenda comes out of retirement or her employees open a place as great as this was. If anyone knows of a place with the same quality and style as the Lakeside, PLEASE post it. Regards to all the nice people we saw there and best wishes to Brenda and her staff. Pros: Food Quality -Value Cons: Closed- Retired! more

I get take out from this restaurant and like to order chinese basic foods that I can't find anywhere else in chinatown. It's the simple pleasures like fried rice with salty fish that make this restaurant so worth it for me! They have quick and polite service along with fair prices - can't beat it! Pros: Polite and quick service Cons: Not for fine dining more

Lakeside's food is awesome. Their dim sum is just like the dim sum I grew up eating in NYC's Chinatown restaurants. And their rice platters are very tasty. The prices are very affordable, and are a really great value considering the quality of the food. I typically can eat for less than $6 and have more than enough. The decor is very plain (typical mom-and-pop Chinese restaurant) but I'd rather have the owners concentrate on the cooking anyways. Their food is just like Grandma's! Pros: inexpensive, excellent food, great value more

My fiance and I lunched at Lakeside Chinese Deli yesterday. It was off the main street of Chinatown and it was little hard to spot. We were seated and given an extensive menu. It will take a while for you to make your final choices from the menu! I couldn't believe my eyes, dim sum starts at a 1.25 per dish! So we ordered up on 4 dim sum dishes and two bowls of noodle soups (I recommend egg noodles). Sure there aren't any dim sum carts strolling around but I'm pretty sure the dim sum sizes are a bit larger than at Imperial Inn. We ate and became merry and bloated. The bill came to under 18 dollars for two people (including drinks). The waitstaff were really kind too. Because it was Christmas season, they gave us a free Chinese Zodiac calendar. Pros: Super Cheap, Dim Sum, Huge Menu Cons: , No DS carts (oh well) more

This is the best dim sum place I have been to so far! The dishes are fresh and come straight from the kitchen. The service is super friendly, helpful, and most importantly QUICK! There is no waiting around starved at this place and even the poorest diners will come out full as the prices are totally economic. I love this place and fully agree that it should be kept quiet so that it remains unspoiled!! Pros: great food, great service Cons: , plain/cheap decor more

The dim sum is very fine and served all week and at any time of day, quite rare outside NYC. It may be missing that last spark found in the premier locations in NYC, but I find it easily the best dim sum, and in fact the best Cantonese, in Philadelphia. The selction of dishes is modest, however. Pros: food, cost more

It is not the traditional dim sum restaurant where employees push a cart going around and around the restaurant every so often. Maybe because it is a very small restaurant so it is not feasible to do that. Anyway, the food was good and the price was about right for dim sum. The attendant was very nice and helpful at the very beginning of an order. Unfortunately, it is very hard to call on them attention afterwards, i.e. to have some water refills. more

The food at this remarkable restaurant is extremely well prepared, fresh and delicious. The Dim Sum is heavenly and brought from the kitchen, not on a cart. If you do not know what is what on the menu, it will be explained to you pleasantly and without a hint of resentment. This place should be kept a secret since if everybody goes, I'll never be able to get in! A real gem. Pros: Inexpensive, Open good hours Cons: Difficult to Park, Salvation Army Decor more

With its location and food, Lakeside has been known to be one of the best hidden secrets in chinatown amongst students and faculty members in philly. (Why else do you think it is still around when most other restaurants in chinatown went belly up in the past 5 years?) Like any other restaurants, it all depends on what you order. Lakeside's dim sum is as bad as others in chinatown but when it comes to ""plate rice"" dishes, they are by far the best, so give them a try and welcome to the crowd. Pros: food, service Cons: decor more

Lakeside Chinese Deli is a must for dim sum. We asked our waitress for guidence when we ordered. She was extremely helpful and her suggestions were all fabulous. It's also quite a deal - $15 and two of us ate until we were very full! I can't wait to go back! more