
HK Cafe
A bustling Portland institution for authentic dim sum and Cantonese favorites, known for its lively atmosphere and extensive menu.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

HK Cafe

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A bustling Portland institution for authentic dim sum and Cantonese favorites, known for its lively atmosphere and extensive menu.
"This is the best dim sum I've seen in Portland, loud and fast with authentic flavors!"
Prepare for a Wait
Expect lines, especially on weekends. Arrive early or be ready to check in with the hostess.
Parking Challenges
Parking can be tight. Consider arriving early or parking a bit further away.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Chinese
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Authentic Dim Sum Experience
Savor a vast array of traditional dim sum dishes, from classic siu mai to unique regional specialties, served from carts.

Flavorful Entrees
Enjoy freshly cooked Chinese staples with bold flavors, perfect for sharing with family and friends.

Family-Friendly Atmosphere
A lively and spacious dining room, complete with murals and paper lanterns, often featuring a balloon artist for kids.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Prepare for a Wait
Expect lines, especially on weekends. Arrive early or be ready to check in with the hostess.
Parking Challenges
Parking can be tight. Consider arriving early or parking a bit further away.
Tip the Balloon Artist
Show appreciation for the balloon artist's effort, as they provide free entertainment.
Communicate Clearly
Staff may have limited English. Pointing at menu pictures can help ensure you get what you want.
Tips
from all over the internet
Prepare for a Wait
Expect lines, especially on weekends. Arrive early or be ready to check in with the hostess.
Parking Challenges
Parking can be tight. Consider arriving early or parking a bit further away.
Tip the Balloon Artist
Show appreciation for the balloon artist's effort, as they provide free entertainment.
Communicate Clearly
Staff may have limited English. Pointing at menu pictures can help ensure you get what you want.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Diners praise HK Cafe for its authentic dim sum and flavorful Cantonese entrees, highlighting dishes like siu mai and green beans. While many appreciate the bustling atmosphere and attentive service, some reviews mention challenges with communication, occasional cold food, and inconsistent service quality. Overall, it's considered a top spot for dim sum in Portland for those who enjoy a lively, traditional experience.
"My family absolutely loves this place. I have been there twice. My wife and daughters, so many more times.
It is loud and chaotic, but in a good way. The din of happy people eating good food eclipse the ability to hear.
It is a brunch destination on the weekends with a line out the door, and with good reason, food at good prices.
Everything is good. Go with four people and share."
Rain Dog
"The dimsum and the food is generally good and authentic.
The service is poor specifically because of that one person, waiter (Older man) who was serving our meal at the time. We've had take-outs here before but this was our first time for dine-in. It was a Sunday evening, it wasn't very busy. First, I asked what soup was that on the picture, it looks good and I wanted to order it. He kind of yelled at me and said, " don't look at the pictures, just look at the writings". I wanted the one in the picture, but he seemed like he was getting impatient with me, so I just had to guess which one I want. Second, when this waiter was at the counter, so visible from our table, he was picking his nose (not just once but twice, Yikes!). Then we also saw him picking at his teeth! Go to the bathroom, please! Then he came over serving our dinner with Bare hands. Geez. This inappropriate behavior needs to be addressed by his supervisor ASAP. It's too gross and unsanitary to see at a restaurant. It should not be something we expect at somewhat nice restaurant. Now I feel like IF we go back, I'll have to look around first who's going to serve us. It's so gross, and you just can't make that stuff up!"
Mia Soliven
"I was expecting great things from this place, but it was disappointing overall. The service was okay, but we had a hard time communicating because the staff didn’t really understand what we were asking for. Most of the food came out cold, which really took away from how good the dishes could have been. We asked a few times for warmer dishes, but they didn’t seem to understand. The dishes themselves were good, but if they had been served hot, they would have tasted so much better."
Chul Lee
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Popular dim sum items include siu mai, steamed dumplings, taro dumplings, chicken feet, and cha siu bao. Many diners also rave about the egg tarts and pineapple buns.
Yes, the restaurant has a family-friendly atmosphere and often features a balloon artist, making it enjoyable for kids.
Weekends are very busy with long lines. Consider visiting on a weekday morning for a less crowded experience and better selection from the carts.
The restaurant is often busy, especially during peak hours, and does not typically take reservations. Be prepared for a wait.
Beyond dim sum, patrons recommend freshly cooked entrees like stir-fried vegetables and soft tofu dishes.
Parking can be challenging during busy periods. It's advisable to arrive early or consider parking a short distance away.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
Best Dim Sum in Portland
Southeast PortlandThe best thing about this newish dim sum-ery?. Their menu has pictures, so you can cross reference the items on the cart AND be able to point at 'em and ask for the cart with whatever looks good to you. And it all will, because the quality is good and the turnover means the food is always fresh, which makes this the best place in Portland to finally try those chicken feet.
30 Portland Restaurants for the Ultimate Local Dining Bucket List
A multisensory clamor of grinning maneki-neko cats and rattling carts that leave pork- and ginger-perfume contrails in their wake, this east-side strip-mall hall has quietly usurped Portland’s dim sum crown with its massive roster of flavor bombs. Nibble plump, pork-and-shrimp-popping siu mai dumplings and sautéed green beans heady with tiny fermented shrimp. Sample translucent, sesame- and chile-slicked jellyfish salad, roasted meats, and snack innards.
10 Restaurants for Delicious Dumplings in Portland
It is not unusual to see lines forming around the block indicating in traditional Portland fashion that dank food awaits behind the doors of this hotspot that resides in the Lents district. With an extensive menu of Chinese staples, tea, and dim sum, you have entered dumpling heaven!. There are deep-fried pork dumplings, shrimp dumplings, pork and shrimp dumplings, fried taro dumplings, chive & shrimp dumplings, and steamed shrimp & taro dumplings.
Top 15 Best Brunch Spots in Portland
Situated in southeast Portland’s Lents neighborhood, HK Cafe is a restaurant that specializes in dim sums. This bustling restaurant has a crowded dining room that is brightly lit and gaudily decorated with murals, hanging paper lanterns, and parasols. The restaurant is known for its wide selection of small dishes and special menu items such as bok choy, cha siu bao, custard buns, noodles, radish cake, and shumai.
The ultimate guide to Portland's 50 best inexpensive restaurants
Two recent visits to HK Cafe, one just as the dim sum menu ended, the other just as the doors opened, showed two completely different restaurants. In the afternoon, most of the soggy dim sum should never have made it off the carts. In the morning, HK rivals Pure Spice as the best dim sum spot in the city, with juicy dumplings, beef and shrimp noodle wraps and shiny golden barbecue pork buns flying off the carts.
Portland's Best Chinese Food
HK Café is a Portland dim sum institution, the biggest of the major teahouses left since Wong’s King and Ocean City shuttered. Grab a table near the kitchen for the best views of what’s hot and fresh out of the kitchen. You can count on solid versions of all the dim sum standbys here, but particular highlights include the siu mai, the ham sui gak (deep fried meat dumpling), and pineapple buns.
Don't Go To Chinatown For Portland's Best Chinese—Instead, Go Here
This huge dim sum hall next to the Dollar Tree is now the go-to spot for the city's Chinese community. Some carts are loaded up with your standard array of pork buns and shumai, but there's just as much action for the ones ladling out bowls of silky sweet tofu or congee. Dim sum is its own universe, and HK chases the trends, which means there's always something new and exotic on offer.
19 Restaurants for the Best Chinese Food in Portland (2024)
HK Cafe offers an exclusive range of Cantonese specialties, each one being more delicious than the next. If you’re looking for a new place to try in Portland that’s going to give your taste buds some flavourful goodness, this is it. The prices here are incredibly reasonable as well so definitely check them out when you get the chance.
A Chefs' Guide to Eating Out in Portland, Oregon
Portland isn’t known for its diversity, but when you go to HK Cafe, it’s all Asian people and Asian families. When I go for dim sum, I usually order the siu mai, which is a wonton wrapper stuffed with ground pork and shrimp, and the har gow is also nice. I like the barbecue spareribs, and the chicken feet are really good.
Reader Survey 2017: Best Chinese Restaurant in Portland
HK Cafe gets my vote for the best dim sum in Portland, surpassing my previous choice, Wong’s King Seafood. The restaurant is large, but you will wait for a table during prime hours. That said, the trolleys are on parade during those hours and the delicate dumplings are fresher when it’s busy.
25 Best Brunch Spots in Portland
Well, Portland’s best in this category is the happy, fast-paced and boisterous rolling-cart emporium, HK Cafe. HK sits in a giant strip mall deep into southeast Portland. HK is a great option if you’ve got a large party because they’re equipped to seat and feed a lot of people quickly.
Highest-rated Asian Restaurants in Portland, Oregon, According to Tripadvisor
- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (120 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)- Type of cuisine: Chinese, Asian- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 4410 SE 82nd Ave Unit 1000, Portland, OR 97266-2955- Read more on Tripadvisor
Where to Find Chinese Food in Oregon
Gather a group for morning dim sum fresh off the carts at Excellent Cuisine or HK Cafe. For a quick meal, stop by Fortune BBQ Noodle House for the city’s best won ton noodle soup, topped with barbecue pork or roast duck.
Portland Restaurants
Locally beloved spot for authentic dim sum, seafood and Hong Kong-style dining. This restaurant can get busy, so anticipate a wait to be seated.
Breakfast in Portland | Top 17 Spots for 2025
HK Café is a place to enjoy good food and good company, which is why you need to make this your next stop for a Chinese breakfast in Portland.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit