South Garden Chinese Restaurant Reviews

If you live in the Miami (West Kendall area), then you probably know how awesome South Garden is, literally a no-brainer! For everyone else, it's definitely worth the ride or road-trip to get an authentic Chinese meal at a reasonable price without having to travel to NYC, Boston or San Fran! They also have lots of yummy vegan dishes too! Giddy up N' Eat!

South Garden's dim sum is as good as any but cheaper than "the other place" and less crowded, so the carts circulate more regularly. Unfortunately, they only use the carts on the weekends, so during the week you have to order from the dim sum menu. The dim sum staff is also more congenial and than "the other place," although this may be because the restaurant was only about a quarter full. Ordering from the menu is also a very good option as South Garden's Chinese food ranks among the best in Miami. Everything tastes good here - authentic and deftly executed. Located in a fairly large shopping plaza, parking is hassle free.

We went there for dim sum on Sunday morning. Make sure you are there before 11:30 otherwise you are going to wait for at least 30 min. They have the dim sum carts on Sunday. It was really good. Good variety and great taste.

We went on a Sunday at about 11:30 am for Dim Sum. Party of 6. The restaurant was packed but we were seated quickly. I also had a Groupon. Dim Sum is cart service which we LOVE! You get what you want right away and start eating! Food is good, fresh, and hot! Prices are very reasonable. Located in a strip mall, so lots of parking. Repeat customers, and we'll continue to go back!

the atmosphere is nice. The cashew chicken was very good & a large potion with a good pork fried rice.the price was only 7.95 & it also came with a very good eggroll/

This is a very good Chinese restaurant, and if you are coming from the east it is worth the drive. All the American Chinese staples are there, as well as more authentic dishes. If you are dining in during lunch hour they have an excellent dim sum that is about half the price of the other big name place on Bird Road.

I live very close to South Garden and I was hoping to have found an authentic chinese restaurant next door (which would be the dream!) but instead have had hit or miss experiences here. I came for dinner alone already knowing that I wanted duck, but was interested in looking at their dim sum menu. For dinner, they only have a small section of dim sum where everything costs $3.95 which is not a bad price for what was on it. I wanted to order and eat as I go which I often do at other restaurants but the server there was pretty insistent that I order everything at once and kept taking the menu away when I wasn't done looking at. I ordered the chicken rice soup as a quick appetizer and as a way to ease my hunger. I was surprised by how tasty it was and they definitely don't skimp out on the chicken with huge pieces throughout. I thought to myself at the time that I would definitely come back for this the next time I catch a bad cold or am sick. I had ordered the soup, chicken feet, and the shrimp/scallop dumplings as appetizers from the dim sum menu but instead immediately got the half duck after my soup which bothered me a bit since I didn't receive the rest until I was almost done eating. The duck was definitely the star of the meal and a half is only $13.85 which I was very happy about. It was a huge platter-----the duck was cooked perfectly (not overdone) and the exterior was nice and crispy. YUM! In general, I'd come back for the duck only and order it out or share it with someone. I also remember coming a time before this where they had a large dim sum menu at lunch so I would think about coming back for lunch. IG: @KFitzEats

My order was takeout but after seeing the redecorations I wish had eaten in the restaurant.I Ordered a very tasty combo of chicken chow mein with pork fried rice.I also ordered a excellent shrimp dumpling dish/

Typical, but will return for the service. Decor, service and food are slightly above average. It’s pleasant, and staff are nice. Food is not greasy. A few dishes could have been hotter. Loose leave Jasmine tea is nice although I don’t taste jasmine but my taste is not all that sharp anyway. They slide the menu up front - maybe they expect you to order off it, even there are multiple carts circulating the room - the ladies all dressed in a burgundy color Chinese style top, which is neat and nice. One lady is clearly pretty old whom I found cute: she came to our table, open the covers of the dishes two at the time in her cart continuously until I signal the chicken feet. All the while she utters nothing. Yellowish 8 River hot pepper sauce is a discovery -:) Small plates - dim sum we’ve: 韭菜饺Chives cakes - bit cold and the shrimp is overcooked 凤爪Chicken feet - tender 虾饺 shrimp dumplings 烧卖 meat dumplings 肠粉 shrimp rice rolls 煎 Friend stick rice ball - bit cold and very little red bean paste - as most of other restaurants’. But I like their small size. Temperature is just right - I don’t have to wear a sweater or shawl: thanks for saving the energy.

18 years we've done business with South Garden and both service and food have always been excellent. Today the owners Sister answered the phone and beside not understanding my question snapped back that we can take our business somewhere else. When I tired to explain what I was saying she just repeated "You order from somewhere else" I was absolutely shocked!!! Well - we will take our business somewhere else!!! And if YOU continue to treat people like this YOU might as well lock your doors for good. Perhaps the Owner should fired his Sister to save his business. No, I would no longer recommend South Garden to anyone!!!

I had a to go order of ribs & PORK FRIED RICE/ The ribs were wonderful & the rice was very good.The order was ready on time also.This is my go-to chinese resturant.

After living in many northern cities with awesome Chinese populations, coming to Miami we missed a great Dim Sum Sunday. Now we are happy. This dim sum is very balanced and at a great price; many flavors with a great selection of plates. Although crowded the service was flawless... Many Asian families on Sundays... We are becoming regulars.

I have dim sum on Monday at this restaurant but the dim sum was not very good and similar not even cook AC Nd inside still frozen I would give this restaurant one star

So we went on Fathers Day with a group 10 waited a little but not too long at all. It was packed. We sat down and they immediately asked for the drink order. Then the plates began to fly onto the table top. This is the typical Chinese family style eatery where there is a lazy susan in the middle and we all fight to see who gets the food onto their chopsticks fastest. Food was excellent. We even tried chicken feet! lol Similar to Spanish Tapas, Dim Sum involves the enjoyment of a wide variety of small dishes, all meant to pair harmoniously with different teas. From the dumplings, to steamed buns, to the salt and pepper squid. All items were delicious. Be prepared for a very fast paced experience as the ladies come by your table in rapid succession with different offerings. The variety is amazing.

We wanted to try a Chinese restaurant. It was OK but lacked any ambiance/ warmth. Very production line type of operation. The sea food could have been cooked longer. Plenty of food and authentic. Probably an off day

Dim Sum is the name of their game. And judging by the crowds they have a Sundays you can see they definitely have fans. Including, and maybe most important, a large following amongst the Chinese community in Dade county. My rating may seem harsh and definitely isn't shared by some, including at least 2 members of my wife's Chinese family. Too close to room temp food temperatures, dumplings sticking together in a manner that suggests they were prepared hours earlier, and a wimpy amount of black bean sauce in some dishes leads to my cynicism, not to mention my fandom of a nearby competitor(hint: it's not Tropical) The food here is decent and you could do much worse, as Miami does not possess a vast and varying Dim Sum scene. Dim sum here is generally brought out on carts and you see what looks good and order off the cart. Don't be shy, flag down as many different carts as possible because each one has different things. Most of my favorites here don't come on carts, such as the freshly made pan fried chive dumpling, steamed Chinese broccoli, and some tiny whole fried fishes that we usually get. The prices are nearly unbeatable by any other cuisine in Miami as feeding a family of 12+ never exceeds $140. Some complain of bad service but I've never experienced anything like that, I could classify it as rushed, but never discourteous. I will be back many more times and if you've never been it's definitely worth a visit.

Restaurant can hold up to 160 folks. They catered to our event. Had around 11 courses. They can cook authentic Chinese food. Their fried chicken and whole fried or steamed flounder was excellent. Salt and pepper shrimp was very good and I enjoyed their bitter melon dish!

We as a family use south garden around 4/5 times a month. Never had a bad meal there yet! Best Chinese food around and fresh. They cater for locals and gave authentic Chinese dishes on another menu. A must try is the dim sum on weekends. BEWARE!!! You must arrive early on a Sunday or try book as its busy until dim sum ends at 3pm! Saturday not as busy. Weekday offer a limited dim sum. Please try the pork pastry at weekends. I usually order 3 at a time! Enjoy

This place has been around since the 1980's. The Dim Sum is exceptional and the American Chinese food is good. they have a Authentic Chinese menu that is fantastic and they have aChinese Specials menu that is truly 100% chinese food that rivals N.Y and S,F - huge portions!!! A gem

The services is reasonably good the lady manager made me feel welcomed. Staffs is helpful Dim sum are very cowboy. Well what do you expected in Usa to have a Chinese speciality dim sum. Price is not worth money Once if the dishes bring suggested by the managers “ stirred fried bean leaf bud in garlic sauce” is really tasty$15 only. The only dishes made me feel good

Person on the phone totally uninterested in my concern Higher price, lower quality Tha honey garkick sauce was not what the served before chicken was overcooked and very hard

You know this is a true Chinese restaurant when everyone else is Chinese except you! Great food! But their fried rice is not the American style fried rice you would expect. Their's is a little different but DELICIOUS! Wow! What flavors!

It’s the best Chinese restaurant we went so far in Miami! Very clean, very good menu with lots of options and very traditional at the same time. They serve quite fast and delicious food well served. Great portions. I fully recommend and enjoy all plates so far. I’m always repeating there as it’s great and besides, great price as well.

Dim Sum on Saturdays is fresh and the carts are passing continuously....service is excellent.....place looks dated but the food is amazing. The menu items are very good and hefty qty. the Gral Tzo's Chicken is to die for and also the roast pork. We have made it a weekly stop every Saturday for the last year.

Bottom Line: Decent dim sum. Details: We stopped in for lunch on a Friday afternoon around 1 to a mostly empty restaurant. Dim sum selection is offered on paper which you check off items you want. The dishes were pretty good but nothing special stood out. Staff was friendly and attentive. Traffic outside was horrible even at 1pm in the afternoon. I would visit again.

I did take out and I got a very good chicken & broccoli. It came with a very large portion of pork fried rice and won ton soup and an egg roll. Everything was very good. .

Want freshly made dim sum without a lot of fuss? South Garden is the place. The food on the carts is hot and fresh, unlike a lot of other places. The special fried rice is delicious, filled with vegetables, shrimp, chicken and pork. Not greasy at all. And the fresh greens in garlic sauce, which are different every time we go, are the best dish on the menu. Service is attentive, but not overbearing. Definitely worth a visit in a town where most Chinese food is bland and mushy.

Ordered the cashew chicken combo for dinner - it was great and a fabulous deal! Even came with yummy fried rice and soup!

The sweet and sour Shrimp "Hong Kong" style was outstanding. recommended by our Chinese waitress we were not disappointed. I don't think it is on the menu, only the regular S&S Shrimp. Our table also enjoyed the Honey Chicken Pepper Steak and special fried rice.

Food was mmm, delicious. Service was a bit rushed, since there was 4-5 ladies/waitress, but of course multitasking. The dim sum was awesome, shrimp, shrimp and pork, chicken feet....oh wow! My 5 year old loved the steamed chicken, the peking shrimps were amazing. I loved their authenticity of their flavors and vegetable use. It was chinese broccoli, not regular broccoli, crispy, crunchy...Wow, incredible..their hot tea also was really good, i had tea leaves in my tea.. i woud definitely recommend to everyone nd anyone that knows how to appreciate food. Food was great, quality and affordable, you normally don't get those two together.. a

We amazed by only three carts. Service was pretty bad. The three things we found to eat were good, however.

I grew up eating dim sum in Hong Kong. I have also looked for them in cities large enough to support them. I have eaten a lot of dim sum. The dim sum service on the weekend at South Garden is not completely traditional. Some selections were shown inside carts being pushed around by ladies. Some of the stuff wasn't traditional dim sum items. Since many items were not over steam carts. Some of the items we ordered could be hotter. Overall, it was dim sum which we were happy to sample but the quality was not at the top. The har-gau (shrimp dumplings) were not warm enough. The dough skin was way too thick. The char-siu bao (BBC pork in the white dough steamed bun) did not have the right taste in the filling. The shrimp wrapped in rice flour dough again had too much sIkin and the skin wasbtoobthicknnf . The rice dough wrapping was way too thick. The tea was pre-brewed although it came very hot. Overall, it was dim sum. However, the quality was lacking and the entire range was not available. The bill before the tip was $35 for two for lunch with tea as the only beverage. The price was a little higher and the quality was a little short. It is certainly well below New York, Boston and San Francisco quality standard. Did I eat it? Sure but it could be better. The ambiance was ok. The strip mall environment gave ample parking.

The restaurant immerses you into the Chinese culture with it's decoration and language: the menu is written in Chinese with it's English translation and the TV is in Chinese with subtitles among many other details. The food is good but nothing special and so is the service. Most probably wont return.

It was amazing, from the Dim Sum :Chicken Feet, Pork tips, chicken tripe, shrimp dumplings..Then the Steamed Chicken, Salted Chicken, fresh Vegetables....I am speechless..too much flavor all in one mouthful...define spot if you like authentic flavors, healthy foods and affordable prices. Quantity and Price is definitely accomplished.

Truly authentic chinese food! This place serve real Chinese food, not the one you are use to seeing and that looks traditional. This is real Chinese, menu in Chinese and everyone else in there is Chinese. But the food and flavors are AWESOME! Wow, get the small plate portions so you can enjoy all the different flavors and dishes! They have menus in English.

The food there is very good. But I especially like going there for dim sum on sat and sundays for lunch. Women walk around pushing carts with a large variety of dim sum (appetizers) and they are reasonably priced.

Being part Cantonese, I'm pretty picky about dim sum, but this place delivers the goods. Just make sure you show up during lunch hours, as it's only served at that time. There's plenty to pick from and the prices are decent. The rest of the menu ranges from acceptable to pretty good, but it really is the dim sum that should keep bringing you here. Especially those delicious pork buns!

Every time I go to Miami, i have to be there at least one Sunday, because of the Dim Sum!!, it's one of my favorite food in Miami!!,, it's so very very good!!!, and the price is almost like going to a McDonalds!! Of course don't expect a good service,,

Ordinary looking Chineese restaurant....but great food. Very goid menu,..... especially the 2 lobsters for $29:00 Never been dissapointed by the food or service! Consistantly great!

I went o Miami last Month for vacation and stopped this restaurant for dinner. The vegetable they have served are from cans and seafood they cooked are not fresh at all. After dinner, I went to bathroom two times and got stomach pain next day. This is horrible restaurant! I have been many countries and china for vacation and business. This is the worst restaurant I have been in all my life. I never had such bad experience! Don't go there!

A few days ago I had a craving for dim sum, so my husband took me to South Garden. We have been there several times with the family but this was the first time that we had gone as a couple. We were served by very cordial wait staff. The restaurant has an interesting and extensive menu including top-rated dim sum. The food was plentiful and delicious, followed by complimentary orange slices and the expected fortune cookies. When my husband saw the bill, he laughed and said we could visit any time I wanted.

I have traveled to Hong Kong and mainland China on multiple occasions throughout the last 20 years. Every day of each day of my stays, I eat dim sum which is their traditional breakfast and lunch food. This restaurant had the worst dim sum I have ever tasted and I mean I only tasted it- as I left every single dish on the table. Everything tasted like mashed up cardboard. This is a traversing of a restaurant pretending they serve dim sum. My associate ate from the regular menu and it was equally as bad. Run away!

When I want to go to Dim Sum, I go here. I have been to other places in South Miami-Dade, this one is far the best I have had and it is the cleanest. They have a large variety to choose from and is not that expensive.

We celebrated a birthday in our group today and specifically arrived in time for the dim sum trays. They were delicious and there were many choices to be had. The service is great and the staff are very organized. It is a large restaurant and the place was filled! Free parking outside in the large lot. We will go back.