Review Red Emperor Chinese Restaurant - Melbourne

April 2022. What a nice place! Not "inexpensive" but very good value for a very high quality meal. We wanted a good "Chinese" meal, and we got the works. Very busy restaurant on a Sunday night, but apparently family run, and lots of staff. Service was very efficient, friendly and helpful. Menu is extensive and exotic, but you can just order what you would like - no problem. We LOVED the food! Very fresh and cooked to perfection.

This restaurant has withstood the test of time. I remember coming here 20 years ago and my most recent visit was Xmas Eve 2021. Food is delicious. Fresh, full of flavour. Tofu was the only thing that was average in terms of dishes. Ice cream was abysmal. Go downstairs. Definitely worth the drive in to come here at least once.

Authentic Chinese food prepared with style. The staff is very friendly, even some of them don't speak a fluent English, but the service is great. My friends and I visited for CNY '22 and everything was great. Awesome entertainment as well with the Dragon dance. Recommend for groups and even couples.

If you’re a yum cha fiend and can polish off 8 to a dozen plates by yourself, Red Emperor is a great option for lunch. All you can eat yum cha - what a godsend. Friendly service and the team really aims to please. Delicious food served piping hot - I definitely got my money’s worth

Came here for lunch. The place is buzzing with customers. We ordered Tim sum. The dim sum was good. Prawns dim sum was fresh. Service was good although the food trolley was slow in coming. Overall good lunch

There's a choice of all you can eat yum cha or a la carte here. So definitely something to keep in mind if you can eat your money's worth! All the classic yum cha dishes are available here, and you really can't go wrong with desserts such as mango pudding, tofu pudding and egg tart. Flavours are good, all in all a pleasant experience.

they are a little pricey but for the location , i guess is reasonable. they pushing a little trolley with the Dim Sun which is pretty nice, a little bit of the feel, too bad she didn’t yell out the name of the dim sum like Hong Kong 😆 but the services are definitely pretty good, the lady explained what’s the dim sum they have, and recommends some really really good desserts, the salted egg bun are pretty nice, matcha red bean pudding thingy tasted pretty great. definitely come back for some other thing as well.

The staff were very friendly and service was excellent. The food was excellent, fresh and very tasty. Best Chinese meal I have had in years. Would definitely recommend.

This was the first time at the red emperor the food was good but very overpriced a plate of vegetables $21 ridiculous we were asked to tip the staff when we refused. Immediately given the bill and asked to pay. And ushered out. Really rude. We don't live in Melbourne, but I won't recommend that restaurant to friends.

Came here for a family dinner with a large group of family and friends. The taste of the dishes, quantity and service is not worth the cost of our dinner. For the same cost I can easily get better experience at more high end Chinese restaurant or cost less.

Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Ambience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/>Value: ⭐️⭐️⭐️<br/><br/>The service was quick and to the point. Not much customer interaction. <br/><br/>The dumplings were delicious - translucent skin, and super glutinous. The shark fin dumpling was a tad dry. The chicken feet tasted bland and lacked the black bean sauce I like. Very generous with the chilli sauce - something that other yum cha restaurants should learn. <br/><br/>We did not go for the all you can eat yum cha because we didn’t see the value of it. We went a la carte instead and ate until we were full. Ended up spending less. <br/><br/>A great place for yum cha with the family.

This is one of the worst Chinese restaurants I've ever had. The waiter strongly recommended black chicken soup. After I tasted it, I thought that I have been cheated. Not only did it cost 20 Australian dollars for a small bowl, but the taste is as plain as water. I can make better soup than this. Food was served at a surprisingly slow pace. The restaurant staff told us that the eating time for customer is 1.5 hours from 6:00pm to 7:30pm, and the last two dishes hadn't arrived at 7:30pm... When it finally arrived, I tasted it and was disappointed. The beef was too salty, and the Fried rice with black truffles was like steamed rice with a handful of black truffles on top of it. Halfway through the meal, the waiter said that the next wave of guests were coming and they were going to kick us out. We said that you were taking too long to serve and that's why we didn't finish. It costs 95 Australian dollars per person, and it's really expensive and disgusting. I would definitely not recommend this restaurant!!!

I have been to Red Emperor for a few times in the past few years and i have seen its service and food quality downgraded.<br/><br/>Once the staff recommended a stir-fried beef plate, but did not inform us it is wagyu beef and charged us over $100 for that plate. <br/><br/>What is worse is the staff forced me to give him bill. When I refused to do so, he said that people in Hong Kong usually tip so I should be. I insisted for a no and he immediately walked away angrily.<br/><br/>The recent experience with them - we ordered a fish and it is not even fresh! Cost us over $270 for that! What a rip-off! <br/><br/>I do not recommend anyone going to that place for a rip off and bad quality service!!!!<br/>

We tried this restaurant because of the high rating on Zomato. It’s definitely NOT DESERVED 4.1 star rating. <br/><br/>Food, average, overpriced, try it if you want to be ripped of. <br/><br/>Service. NASTY. Let me begin with our entrance into the restaurant. The couple before us greeted by staffs and one of them welcomed the couple to a table. After the couple were gone, the four of us stood at entrance no staff came to serve us. I spoke to a staff and said there’s four of us, then he pointed a direct with finger said: ‘There.’ and turned his back on us. Hmmm okay. <br/>After we sat down, no staff came AT ALL. We had to stop a staff and ask him to bring menus and water. Hmmm okay. That’s fine. But why the table next to us got 3 staffs serving them hot towels and taking orders? Can anyone of staffs come over here please? <br/>To make it clear the restaurant wasn’t busy, still got plenty empty tables and few staffs around. <br/>While we were waiting for our order, I saw few customers walked into the restaurant and they all got served. I was wondering why we were ignored. <br/>When staffs bring our dishes to us and passing on plates, instead of going to the other side of table and give plate to my friend, he simply reached out his arm right in front of me and passed the plate. I had to lean backwards to avoid his arm. <br/>Not to mention the arrogant tone when some staffs speaking to us. <br/><br/>Still, some staffs aren’t that bad. It’s mostly the Cantonese speaking staffs are rude and arrogant. <br/><br/>Dear restaurant, I sincerely hope you to trade Asian customers equally as white customer. Non of things I mentioned above happened to any white customer.

Very unpleasant experience. The food was overpriced and was extremely salty. Their service was terrible. We sat there for 10 minutes and nobody came to us (there were not many customers there) . And one of the waiters even forced us to tip at the end.

It is very pricy, if you are not sitting at the window to enjoy the river view like we did, you will definitely feel like being ripped off badly. To be fair. The Cantonese food they served is above average compare to some other similar venue, and the portion size is ok, but paying almost $300 among 2 adults and 2 kids one being a 2year old who barely eat anything it’s considered overpriced. And the mid aged waiter who served us seems a bit cold and snobby which is weirdly common in lots of Cantonese restaurant here in Melbourne. If it’s not after a late concert craving for some descent Chinese food and there are not many options near the art centre, I will not recommend this place

Came here for yumcha. The dim sums are very traditional and yummy, but lack uniqueness.<br/><br/>The place is situated inside Southgate and in a more quieter environment. Wouldn't have found it if I didn't Google this place and purposely came to find it.

We had a large, loud group of people for dinner and the staff did a great job dealing with us. No orders were missed and the food was really good

Terrible service. Terrible staff especially the one serving tables near the entrance. He thought we are travellers and recommend expensive food. Not happy looking if we didn't order. Finally, we are even pushed to pay tips. He entered the amount by himself! I cannot bear it and changed to a less amount. He then unhappy and went away without say something when we leave…worst experience in Melbourne.

We came here for the dim sum (yum cha) and found the food just average. The other people I dined with thought the food was pretty good but I found other places like Gold Leaf to be better. The BBQ pork puff wasn't really golden on the top, and there wasn't much filling compared to the pastry, though the pastry was decent. The prawn and chive dumplings had a nice filling, but the skin was a little sticky and gelatinous. The chee cheong fun (rice noodle roll) was actually quite good with a decent amount of BBQ pork. The siu mai was a bit dense and not that enjoyable. There was not as much variety of dishes here - they served more of the traditional and less of the fried dishes for example. However, when we were there it was not very crowded, so that makes it a decent place for dim sum if you like your space a bit better compared to some of the popular spots around Melbourne. Also, considering each of the dishes mentioned costs $9, I think it's a bit pricey for what you get.<br/><br/>Given the restaurant has a history of cleanliness issues, we were a bit concerned when we saw a couple of waiters cleaning up a large table that had just left, and one of them took a plate of 'uneaten' turnip cake to the kitchen even though the other waiter was clearing and stacking up all the other plates. I really hope they aren't doing what I think they're doing. Otherwise, the staff were quite friendly compared to your typical Chinese restaurant. They speak English and cater to the western crowd well.

Tried the $50 all you can eat Yum Cha lunch.<br/><br/>It was alright, not a disaster but nothing to rave about. It started at 12pm and they started winding it up early around 1-1.30 so would have appreciated more food and more variety since it was all you can eat (maybe they did this because it was a Monday?). Positive was that food and service were good. <br/><br/>Ambiance and location are top notch, located right on Southbank with magnificent city views. <br/><br/>WIR? Maybe but not in a hurry

This has to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne. Food, service and ambience make a wonderful dining experience, also be sure you leave some room for dessert as their fried ice cream and toffee banana is delicious in taste and presentation.

A regular go to place whenever we crave Chinese, Red Emperor always delivers and satisfies the Chinese food cravings. Love the fish and beef with black bean sauce and to top it off, we love the Yalumba selection of wines they carry!

We have been going here for 24 years to have Yum Cha at least on a par with ANY in the world let alone Melbourne. Simon and Christine are excellent hosts, their staff are well trained, courteous, professional........A REAL PLEASURE to go every time. We will be back soon.

A little more shmick than your normal yum cha place, choice of tea and you order from a menu. The food arrives hot which is a big plus but all in all pretty standard fare with the usual range of dumplings, tofu, braised pork, etc. However, there are these donuts that I assume are chinese style donuts. They are fluffy and full of air and they are sprinkled with icing sugar, you should ask for these when you book. They are great. Really great.

Have you ever checked out a progressive dinner? It is a fab idea to try 3 restaurants in one night!<br/><br/>What an absolutey gorgeous restraunt with elegant furnishing and beautiful relaxin ambience. Did you know that they are one of the longest serving restaurant on Southbank with over 20 years service!<br/><br/>We participated in the progressive restaurant and we came here for our mains we enjoyed the beef and black pepper & shallots along with the Red Emperor Mandarin Chicken with thr sweet blend of plum and grounded black bean sauce, this was my favourite meal for the night.<br/><br/>Now along with the attentive service we also enjoyed the 2016 Mud house sauvignon blanc and the 2017 St Hallet Black clay shiraz too.<br/><br/>Lovely atmosphere with gorgeous views of Southbank.<br/><br/>Thank for the invite.

I have visited Red Emperor on several occasions and it always delivers. The san choy bow was the best I’ve ever had.The filling was very flavoursome and saucy. I also recommend the mandarin chicken and sweet and sour pork. The chicken and pork were super tender and the sauces had a balance of sweet, sour and salty flavours.

We came here for the all you can eat yum cha on Mother's Day. The place was fully booked but food was served fairly quickly. The dumplings were well made and delicious. My favourites were the prawn and coriander dumplings as well as the scallops dumplings. The chicken feet dish is also not to be missed. Service is pretty efficient despite the restaurant being busy.

Polite & pleasant customer service, with staff who attended to all our needs. We ordered the salt & pepper calamari, peking duck & prawn dishes. All were delicious, flavourful & ample in portion size. Will be back again..

This place never fails to impress with food. We first went to Red Emperor 10 years ago and it was amazing food back then. Attended Mother’s Day weekend and we came for yum cha lunch. The service and food was outstanding. Loved having awesome yum cha in a clean and upmarket restaurant. Polite and helpful staff and a beautiful restaurant. Would definitely be recommending this place.

Love the fresh lobsters and crabs here. Been here serval time for yum cha as well, beautiful view to the river as well, one of my favorite Chinese restaurant. A bit expensive and totally worth it. Have to try their homemade almond biscuits after any meal.

Attended a banquet lunch here in the enclosed dining area. The service was impeccable, as to be expected for such fine dining Chinese. Food was cooked and flavoured well, but not necessarily better than other less premium Chinese restaurants. A lovely place for a special meal, especially the private dining room.

We came to Red Emperor for yumcha on Sunday as part of my partner’s work social club Chinese New Year activities. It was a group of 12 people, 8 adults and 4 kids under the age of 12. Yumcha eat all you can on the weekend normally costs $55 per head. I always prefer yumcha in bigger group so we can order more variety of food to share. The restaurant has a beautiful location, located in Southgate, overlooking the Yarra river at Southbank. Most of staff are all very courteous and attentive, which is a refreshing change from a typical Chinese restaurant which usually have abrupt, non- English speaking waiter/ waitress. This is definitely on the upper end of yumcha experience. Generally the food here are good with a few hits and miss. Personally I find the biggest let down were their calamari dishes which are either too tough or too oily. I wouldn’t mind returning but probably $55 per head is too much per person. Might just pay by consumption or ala Carte.

I booked this place not knowing too much about it. To be honest, it was around Christmas and most places were closed or already fully booked so I was a little sceptical as it was a bit “too” easy to get a booking. But I was not disappointed at all, we sat on the balcony and the ambience and views were amazing and the food was delicious (special mention to the crispy chicken, jumbo prawns with black pepper and honey sauce, and triple cooked pork) not to mention decent serving sizes. Most impressive was the service! All staff (Alex and Gary in particular but really all of them) were excellent. It’s great getting honest opinions about which dishes were good and just pleasant and attentive service. Made my sisters birthday one of the most memorable family dining experiences! Thanks if you’re reading! You made our night.

Very disappointing. The food is way overpriced, but that seems to be the case for most of the restaurants in Southbank (we have tried a few). Much better value in other parts of Melbourne.  Coming from Sydney where the Chinese food is excellent, far superior and cheaper, I have been sorely disappointed by Melbourne's Chinese food. We also went to another Chinese restaurant in Chinatown which seemed to be extremely overpriced and subpar as well.We had dinner and $25-40 for an average dish for very simple food is crazy. It also says on the menu that you must order at least $30 per person. (maybe lunchtime yumcha is better).<br/>The food is no better or worse than your average corner takeaway store or the food court below for 2-3x the price. I'm saying that as a Chinese person who knows what good Chinese food is supposed to taste like, having grown up with it my whole life. The people who gave it a 4 or 5 star rating have obviously never tried the good stuff. The food was not bad, but for that price I would expect way way better. It does appear to be a tourist trap to cater to foreigners who don't know what good Chinese food is supposed to taste like.The service we received was professional but somewhat cold and snooty, not friendly and happy at all. We said we'd like a table outside on the balcony (and they knew this as I had mentioned it when booking over the phone) and they asked us if we'd prefer a table inside with air-conditioning on arrival. We said no. We were then asked again (asked to confirm?) by another waiter if we really did want a table outside and he suggested a table (again inside) in a really crappy small corridor area  (which is strange given a selling point of the restaurant is the balcony overlooking the river and the view).<br/>We were then asked if we wanted wine and when we said no, the waitress took the glasses away. Then we got another waiter who again asked us if we wanted wine. What the-? <br/><br/>Their customer service is definitely not up to scratch as from our experiences they don't seem to care what paying customers actually want and want to sway our decisions to suit themselves.<br/>We were also asked to tip as as the people reviewers have mentioned.<br/><br/>Unfortunately you only seem to be paying for views in Southbank :( Restaurants in other parts of Melbourne are way better!

Oh how I wish I scrolled through all the other reviews about them forcing you to tip. Not cool. Food was okay. Will not go back - service isn’t great and forcing customers to tip is awful practice here in Australia.

Went for a work lunch and had yum cha. Got the choice between all-you-can-eat for $45 or just pay for consumption. Hard choice to make, but we went for the pay for consumption. Ended up paying about $170 for 4 people in total, so ended up about the same (we did have a few drinks as well, but all non-alcoholic). Food was pretty nice and they came with some vegetarian options on request. Service wasn't very friendly and didn't all speak very good English.

Was there on the weekend (Saturday) for yum Cha and very happy with the food and service. There are wide varieties (good quality restaurant made) dim sum. I don’t feel rushed by the floor staff. Was able to have a good relaxing yum Cha. I booked a day before so the table was all ready with a high chair for my little one plus an additional space to park the pram right next to the table. One of the floor staff saw us wiping the high chair table, he came to help and bring along additional wipes. Well done young man. <br/><br/>We ordered quite a variety of steamed dim sum, fried items and dessert. The taste is really good, the skin is transparent, thin and did not break apart when lifted from the bamboo basket with chopsticks. Good dim sum skin should be that way. The fried items are a little oily for me however the filling is generous and delicious. The sweet bean curb tofu is smooth and nicely sweeten so does the mango pudding.<br/><br/>A little drawback, The steamed prawn rice noodle skin is a little thicker than what I expected but I have not had any thinner skin steamed rice noodles in Melbourne. The filling of the egg tart is not smooth and way too sweet. <br/><br/>I have read comments about credit cards and tips here but I can’t comment on this because we decided to use cash and we leave them tips due to pleasant experience we have and delicious food. <br/><br/>Definitely give this place a try. The dim sums and service is good. And it is spacious. They don’t try to squash you by arranging the tables so close to one another like most of the yum Cha place at Lt. Bourke. <br/><br/>I will definitely return for another yum Cha session and main meals. If you are driving, worry not, there are at least 2 Wilsons parking there. One underneath South Gate and is at the Eureka.

Food was soaked in fat & overpriced. Asked for the yum Cha but was subsequently charged for individual meals until it was contested. They then added an $18 charge for fried rice. That's the most expensive rice I have ever paid for!

Pretty pricey, but pretty good food. We have been here a couple of times for work events. It's usually pretty busy with people on office lunches. Haven't had a chance to try dinner yet.

Lovely spot located on South Bank. <br/>My children's first yum cha experience did not disappoint.<br/>We had a lovely meal for the 7 people in our lunch date.<br/>Our fave yum Cha dishes were the prawn steamed dumplings & Peking duck dumplings.<br/><br/>Great service, great location - only downfall was our bill was over $200 - would have been nice to have the actual menu of what's on the trolley at our table so we could of had an idea of what each dish cost.<br/><br/>This was definitely the most expensive yum Cha lunch I've ever had. But the food was totally worth it.<br/><br/>See you again Red Emperor.<br/>

Delicious food! Our waitress was so nice, we got the Banquet A for two people and it was delicious. Our waitress explained each course to us and we got to choose what we wanted for dessert from plenty of options. An amazing view out to flinders st station. They will ask you to tip when paying! Glad we checked reviews so we knew that was coming as it's obviously not in Australian culture to tip, but knowing that they ask we were fine with it, as the food and service was amazing!

Visited last week - casual business lunch - for YumCha on a Wednesday at midday.  Sat outdoors near the balcony facing the Yarra.  Have been here I reckon 5 times in last 12 months each time in a group of 4 - 6 people.  YumCha choice is wide and varied covering Australian and more traditional Asian palates (my friends are definitely multi-cultural!).  The standard has been consistently high for the food across all visits and the service has ranged from OK to good - on average say somewhere in the middle.  We chose the eat as you go option where everything you order adds to the bill.  There was a fixed price all you can eat offering in 2016 and we haven't asked this year if it is still running but we have never chosen that.  We have generally walked out spending $35-$45 each including say 1 beer and 1 soft-drink each.  On one occasion a really friendly manager who was looking after us on the day prepared a take-away gift of their own made crispy chilly oil mix which I had commented how much I had enjoyed it during the meal when we were checked on and asked if all was OK.

We wanted an early dinner so chose from the pre-theatre menu. All of the food served was disappointing - San choy Bai was heavy - couldn't taste the chicken, pork dumplings were stodgy, Rockling fillets bland and beef curry tasted like it was spiced with Keens curry powder. Maybe food ordered from the regular menu is much better but I won't be back to find out.

The service and wine were good, the food was not. We ordered the slow cooked pork belly to start. It was essentially just fat, and not the type that melts in your mouth. For mains we had the slow cooked duck (avoid, very bland) and the crispy beef (tasty but very sweet). Overall it was very expensive for what we got. Spend your money elsewhere.

The piking shredded beef was a standout! <br/>Lovely ambience and extremely friendly staff that are attentive to your needs. Delicious cookies and a hot towel to finish off! Will come back again!

Not impressed by what my mother inlaw has just told me about here meal last night with her visiting American friends. When the bill came to the table the American friends paid with their credit card. The waiter said to them that they were from America and they should pay a tip. Here in Australia that is up to the customer. The waiter refused to return the card until they paid a tip up to 20 % of the cost. My Mother and her friends were horrified. I believe this should be reported and am now making it known for others not to get caught out also.<br/>My husband will be speaking to the management shortly.

Extremely terrible and rude service especially from a Chinese guy called Simon, incompetent chefs who cannot cook basic Chinese dishes, and charges outrageous prices. They even scam customers by overcharging on "hot water" which is free from all other restaurants. Absolutely terrible experience ruined our night and I would not encourage anyone to dine here!

Incredible food! Particularly enjoyed the calamari which I think is a must for anyone thinking of going here. Service was excellent with the exception of having to fetch our own menus (a once off I'm sure). Water mist dispensers to keep you cool on the balcony while you sip your wine and admire the sights and sounds along Southbank.

Amazing location, spectacular views, friendly and courteous staff. Excellent banquet options, outstanding ala-carte and yum cha and classic Chinese dishes.

Bad service and they rushing you to go and rude manager. The food and yum Cha is not even good for the price. Rather go somewhere else and enjoy my hard earn money for weekend

We went here last night for dinner and ordered the chicken spring rolls, beef with shiitake mushrooms and the beef black bean which all tasted amazing! The beef was really tender and each dish had their own unique taste. The service was very attentive but a little too attentive for our liking. We felt a little too rushed as when we finished eating the plates was cleared almost immediately and we were offered dessert or the bill. The one thing that annoyed us most was when we were paying the bill the waiter asked if we would like to add a tip to the final amount to which I said 'no' then the waiter asked me again and said 'so no tip?' With a rude tone! When you go to a Chinese restaurant who charge over $30 for a main and $18 for a large fried rice you don't expect to be pressured to tip, especially the fact that we live in Australia and this is not apart of our custom!

I had somewhat low expectations, as many of the Southbank restaurants are tourist traps that don't rely on repeat customers. I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised with Red Emperor. The decor was clean and modern, the service was very efficient but not pushy or overly obeisant. And the food was expertly prepared ... every dish was practically flawless. One dish I'll never forget: the lightly-battered, fried Shitake mushrooms with a spicy, vinegary sauce. It was something I'll remember for a long time. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Melbourne!

We went to a pre theatre meal and ordered slightly off menu with one of the dishes they where very obliging and the meal arrived without delay and very good service was A1 and the cost was reasonable for the quality of the food will defiantly return to dine and try more of their food

Lunched today at the Red Emperor for the first time in over 10 years and ordered their Red Emperor Mandarin Chicken (stir-fried chicken breast fillet with a tangy sweet blend of plum & grounded bean sauce) at $30 and it was truly superb, 5 star dining at it's best. The Mandarin Chicken was full of great Cantonese flavours and served within 15 minutes of ordering with the restaurant being moderately busy. The décor is eye-catching although not overly ornate. The service provision was impeccable by uniformed wait staff who were attentive - there were 5 wait staff & the Manager so no customers weren't cared for promptly. This restaurant has been on the mid-level for 4 years & 20 years before that on the upper level of the Southgate Complex & seats 150.<br/><br/>The Juror's Verdict: Food 4.5/5, Service Provision 5/5, Will I return: Yes, definitely<br/><br/>Phill Jury (food critic & writer)

Yummy yummy Chinese cooking! Went with a friend; we tried the Banquet A. The Dim Sum and the Ginger Prawn dish was superb. The fried rice (we changed the beef with chicken due to dietary reasons) - it was awesome. The Quail was sweet but had character and tasted delicious. And desserts - those with a sweet tooth would love it! All in all a good evening at Southbank!

Sunday yum cha all you can eat is priced at $55 per head, much cheaper way to do it if you some bigger eaters at the table. A lot of the plates/dishes are pint-sized, but if you've got some smaller eaters possibly the "as you go" yum cha option is better.<br/><br/>Quite greasy, but that's Chinese cuisine for you. BBQ pork in plum sauce, prawn dumplings & sesame prawn toast were standouts, spring rolls were dry and lacking in flavour. Mango jelly dessert was intriguing, not too sweet and a good way to finish off. Service was good and the balcony spot is a ripper as it also has an automatic clear plastic shutter! Not fine dining by any stretch, but we left there pretty full!

Good service, the waiters were polite & helpful, the trolley cart people didn't give us greasies everytime we chose nothing from their cart. Very much enjoyed sitting out near windows, not cold even for mid-august, winter day. The good was good, not overly fatty or salty, sometimes smaller portions than other yum cha places I've been but in a good way & there is a $55 all you can eat on Sundays although we didn't do that.

A royal in name only, the food is "common". Went for dinner with family members one night to celebrate a reunion. First course was sang choy bau, which was alright taste-wise but they could have been more generous with the lettuce  - each one of us got just a tiny leaf which was hardly enough to hold the pork mince filling, and as a result, a lot of it spilled onto the table as we were eating. Then came chicken & sweet corn soup, standard Chinese fare, decent enough, nothing spectacular, somewhat insipid though - if chopped spring onion was added as garnish, it would have made a significant difference. We also had salt & pepper 5 spice fried chicken which was okay, again, nothing flash or fancy, Cantonese beef fillet in a tangy sauce, steamed barramundi & claypot duck and shiitake mushrooms. The fish dish was proclaimed in the menu as having a "special sauce" although the only ingredients that I discerned was soy sauce & shallots. The rice was of the right consistency to eat with chopsticks - sticky yet to the bite. For dessert there was almond cookies & fruit platter, which was offered complimentary.  All in all, I would describe the dining experience as okay, but would reiterate that the food, while palatable, was definitely nothing outstanding. But since I was just a guest, and another family member's shout, I suppose I shouldn't complain. But IMHO for was paid for the meal (I would be prepared to say it would be in 3 figures) -  the family would have been better off dining in one of the restaurants in Chinatown in Lt Bourke St, where we could expect similar dishes for 1/2 the price. Still, the experience of having dined in an upmarket section of the CBD is a once in a blue moon event, although I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to travel from where I live just to have a meal here, when there are cheaper places close to home which serve the same food for a fraction of the price. A number of reviews by others rave about the yum cha, well I don't know about that. I've eaten yum cha in so many other places that I personally don't see what Red Emperor could possibly have to offer that's different. If I was to be invited as a guest, then I might probably come back, but certainly I wouldn't make the effort to suggest dining here, not for the prices charged.

Went on Sunday for All You Can Yum Cha for 3 people ($55 per person). I got a table at the balcony with a nice view and it was well covered and warm. <br/><br/>Food: There was a lot of variety of dumplings as I tried almost all that were available, haha. They all tasted so good, flavourful, unique and not too salty like some yumcha places. The desserts were delicious as well, my favourites were the Mango Pudding & the carrot shaped fried dumpling filled with red bean paste, similar to the Sesame Ball. My dad really enjoyed the Green Tea & Red Bean Jelly and Sweet Tofu Dessert. The only disappointment was that there were some items missing from their dim sum menu (even though it was the weekend) which I wanted to try such as the Steamed Malaysian Sponge Cake, Steamed Scallop Dumplings, Stuffed Eggplant and Shredded Duck & Chives Rolls. Overall I really enjoyed the food. <br/><br/>Service: Service was pretty good. The staff were really attentive as they knew we wanted to consume more different items and gave us new bowls and plates when our current ones were messy because of the sauces haha. The empty steam baskets were removed promptly before our table became full with steam baskets. We requested some items and it came out quickly as well.

Typical Cantonese restaurant with 點心 (dimsum) served on pushcarts. You can opt to go for a-la-cartes (pick as you like from the pushcarts which ranges from $6 to $12) or a all-you-can-eat buffet for $45 on weekdays and $55 on weekends. My favourite are the egg tarts because they are crispy, fluffy and very soft. The barbecue pork pastry is pretty good too, it's pastry is fluffy and crispy and the barbecue pork is juicy. I would recommend sitting indoors to keep both yourself and the food warm as the wind is rather strong, even though the view is pretty good. The only thing that was disappointing was the Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce (鳳爪) as its nail were still there. It would have been better if they have removed it, which makes it more hygienic and easier to eat. I was there around 11am which is the perfect dimsum / brunch time.

Located at Southgate, Southbank a casual walk away from my place, this was a surprising delight. The place was recommended by my parents and it exceeded expectations. As usual, we do the Asian thing and order a few things to share. This was a soft pork belly dish served with a side of deep greens. The pork was soft and flavoursome and the greens crunchy.

Coeliac yum cha, if you aren't coeliac cheaper and better options available.<br/><br/>COELIAC - menu and staff aware of gluten free options/dishes so easy for coeliacs to eat here<br/><br/>TASTE - ok but not hard to find better yum cha in melbourne<br/><br/>VALUE - all you can eat is $55, if you don't feel like gorging expect $50 per head which is pretty expensive for yum cha. You do get a nice view though. They also ask for a tip at the table when paying by card.<br/><br/>SERVICE - Asian restaurants aren't know for friendly service and despite the premium pricing here Red Emperor is no different. They ask for a tip at the table when paying by card which I HATE.<br/><br/>WOULD I GO BACK - yes, but only because my partner is coeliac, if I didn't care about gluten I would give this place a 2-2.5 and wouldn't recommend

Had the Yum cha Buffet. Amazing choice, quality and value. Dumpling of high quality and a huge range from standard to deluxe dishes.                                                                                                                                           Parking is difficult but venue is very nice.

Came here for yumcha lunch today for Chinese new year. The place was buzzing with people and the balcony overlooks the riverside which was a a great spot to be seated at.<br/><br/>I cannot remember the name of the dishes we tried but over all i enjoyed my lunch. Also i was really really hungryyyyyy which kinda added to me probably liking the food more. I would visit again and hopefully upload some better pictures.

Cantonese Restaurant with the best view of Melbourne.<br/>Enviable location, elevated views of Melbourne.<br/><br/>Another restaurant that we go since opening whether be Yumcha, Lunch or Dinner, not as regular as we like as parking sucks but as long as we don't go there dining every night is not an issue.<br/><br/>Had their issues in the past with food safety, paid their fines and sorted, we hope.<br/><br/>Get a table by the window if you can.... enjoy the free view and their Cantonese food.

This place has gone a bit downhill. We visited for an anniversary dinner and the food was ok but the waiters seemed a little angry! The seats on the balcony were great though.

Excellent NYE banquet, if extortionately priced! I've spent less money at The Flower Drum!! I'll be back, to sample their normal everyday fare!

Had our work team lunch here. Yum Cha was still available when we sat down for lunch, but we all went for the lunch deal. The pecking duck (each person got two pieces) was very nice as entrée, and then we shared the four main dishes – beef, calamari, chicken and pork belly. The pork belly was cooked three times and it was tender and fell apart straightaway. Overall service was adequate, food was good but westernised and not too pricey.

Had high hopes, but the yum cha was sadly a disappointment. It would've been good value for $45 pp (weekdays) if the food was good. I appreciate that the dim sums are handmade in-house and MSG free, but it just didn't hit the spot. Out of everything I tried, the pork buns, red bean and almond cookies were the most memorable for good reasons and the prawn rice roll the most memorable for not-so-good reasons. I always look forward to egg tarts. The ones here were average.<br/><br/>Maybe it was because they weren't busy, but the yum cha lacked variety and there was only one lady intermittently pushing a trolley.

Excellent service food and wine experienced here with a client. You need to be hungry before coming here and eat their banquet. You will not be disappointed.

GREAT YUM CHA, GREAT LOCATION, FRIENDLY STAFF BUT SERVICE NEEDS TO IMPROVE -- I visited this place despite the low ratings and I am glad I did. I had one of the best yum cha sessions in Melbourne so far. <br/><br/>I was seated outside, in the balcony, and the ambience is wonderful. You are  protected from onlookers but able to hear the buzz of the river side, and surrounded by trees and sparrows chirping. Just an awesome place to have lunch. <br/><br/>The dishes I chose were absolutely top notch, flavoursome, fresh and yummy.  They were not the standard dishes, and those are the ones that always excite me.  Perhaps my favourite thing was the scallops (scallops cooked in their shell with bechamel and mushrooms. Awesome!), and the  eggplant and prawn rolls (divine if you love eggplant). The chives and prawn dumpling was very good as well as the first thing I ate.   <br/><br/>I watered down the food with a lovely Jasmine tea (a huge pot!) which the staff kept refiling. <br/><br/>I didn't try any of their sweets but everything I tried was excellent, so I will try their sweets next time.  <br/><br/>At the beginning the service was a bit chaotic and slow, badly timed, and I felt that I was being forgotten in the little corner I was seating in, but then they corrected themselves (taking my small camera out always helps!) and the guys were lovely and very attentive. There is a clear difference between the style of the old guys and the young ones. I think that is just a generational cultural difference and, also some of the older ones have a more limited English than the young ones have, so the service can be a bit cold, but they are still polite and professional, and if you tell any of the oldies that something is yummy their face lightens up. <br/><br/>Although they offer a "all you can eat" for 59 bucks, I thought that this might be 'dangerous' for me and my belly, so I had a normal session of yum cha. I had plenty of absolutely delicious food, left with my belly full and I paid 39 bucks. <br/><br/>MIND<br/>Although they do accept cards, EPFTOS payments arent accepted beware. <br/><br/>I'll be back.

One more great Chinese restaurant, wonderful yam cha (Dim sum), I would have expected a better service but I think they just don't care as they get customers poring in to eat and don't care of service. <br/>

Love this restaurant is been a favourite for 20 years had a meal there tonight very disappointing l think there's been a change of head chef meals quite different in flavour and size not for the better also not hot. service & wine excellent as usual

Be here many times, it appears that they have now lost their way and only just turning up.  Order changed without any discuss and they all seem to be in a hurry to go home or somewhere other than the venue.

Disgraceful service - most of the staff were RUDE! We came in with a pram and staff hovered around hurrying us to unpack so the could get it out of the way, literally threw drinks menu in the middle of the table and the high chair we asked for was dirty (staff saw me cleaning it and didn't even offer to wipe it down). Disappointed because the food was actually nice but the mood definitely dampened by the poor service

Foodie. Food = Ordinary<br/>Service = Ordinary<br/>Surrounds = Nice<br/>Summary = Won't be back

...Red Emperor did us proud. We like to think the dishes here are reasonably authentic

I am not not enamoured with this place. It would have been nice to have been impressed but I wasn't. Therefore, there is no real draw card for me. However, I might go back to try the yumcha to compare.

... Red Emperor has managed to avoid becoming stale, and keeps pumping out fresh and delicious food in a rather classy setting. So many Melbourne families have Sunday yum cha traditions here that it’s amazing anyone else can ever get a seat. The service is kind and attentive, and the view over the Yarra to Flinders Street Station makes you sigh and say, ‘Ah, Melbourne.’

Red Emperor is known for its excellent BBQ pork buns, or cha siu bao. The bun was soft and delicate, the pork filling rich and sweet. These are definitely some of the best in town, and probably my favourite part of the meal. I kind of wanted to get a heap of these to take away and keep them in my freezer for when cravings strike…<br/>

This was by far my favorite hot and sour soup of all time. Very delicious. The man from China even agreed, it was a 10/10. After the soup we all received a small plate of dim sum. I can’t describe it in great detail, but I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed Tess giving me her prawn dumpling as well. Thank you my dear! Next up was some Peking Duck with plum sauce in a simple wrap. This duck was fantastic

Our host for the evening was Red Emperor’s manager for over 20 years, Christine. Delightful, full of passion and a brilliant sense of humour, Christine made our visit to Red Emperor an absolute highlight.

...over the course of our session, I certainly didn't want for any more! Service was attentive with water glasses being re filled often, empty dishes taken away quickly and the tea pot topped up regularly. Food wise there was a wide choice of dumplin gs. The steamed ones were mostly good. There were one or two that didn't quite work - hot and sour dumpling which taste of tom yam soup which we love but not as a dumpling, f ishcakes

not sure whether I'll come back again.

It’s my all time favorite place to eat Yum Cha. I’ve been going there for over 5 years now. The quality of the food is impressive

Now located one level down, Red Emperor is now a much more intimate space, it's a touch stifling for me, but that's because I intensely missed those high ceilings! To it's credit, the acoustics are well done, and the interior is still quite slick and sexy.

Birthdays aren't usually a big thing for me or my family. My birthdays have generally been pretty low key and some years I don't think I even celebrated with friends. Although I'll never turn down an excuse to have cake! However, despite our lack of enthusiasm around birthdays, we do have one little tradition for my grandma's birthday. Every year, without fail, we've had a family dinner on her birthday at Red Emperor in Southbank. It's quite nice actually, the restaurant has kept well over the years, I don't feel the food or service has diminished at all and it's definitely a nice family treat. We are so regular every year, the Captain, Raymond, always recognises us and gives warm greetings when we all troop in through the door, ready to be fed deliciously. The restaurant is definitely Chinese. But not tacky or overtly so, which I can certainly appreciate. The decor is elegant, but unpretentious. I frankly, don't really like fresh walnuts that much, but caramelised the way the Chinese

My fav yum cha!. Bit of a foodie ( but aren't we all), and yum cha is one of my favourite Asian lunches. Others include pho ( cold weather), Korean , nasi lemak, mee goreng, laksa, there are so many!<br/>Sure there are the busy yum cha places in Chinatown packed to the rafters. They are cheaper but so is the experience. Been coming here for years and will continue to do so.

Very overpriced for the standard of food. Super expensive Australianized Chinese food. Price of one dish would get three people fed and lubricated in my regular restaurant in Chinatown. Nice ambience, good locale (Southbank) and great service were the upside. Way better value for your hard earned elsewhere though.

Very pricey. Ate here with my wife for our date night food was good service wasnt bad. We decided to try a really nice chinese restraunt as we had a discount voucher and so thought why not something a bit premium so we tried this place but as we paid our bill they asked us for a tip i thought hang on they already charge at a premium price why the tip anyway i gave the 10 dollars extra but probably won't eat here again not really that special

Umm could be better. The Red Emperor is usually a favourite pre theatre venue for us, however tonight's experience left a lot to be desired. Food cold, worst deep fried calamari I have eaten in living memory, service very average, and food quality generally just not up to their usual standard. Maybe tonight was just a bad aberration on usually a good dining experience, but at the moment it is a venue to be avoided.

Great to have so many GLUTEN FREE choices. Really knowledgable staff. Thoroughly enjoyed our 3 hour lunch.

Sunday Disappointment. After a few years of going to the Red Emperor the 3 of us have decided to sack this venue for all time. Too expensive - extremely ordinary food and average service<br/>$40 for 4 prawns. Not that tasty<br/>Cold Peking Duck ! <br/>$450 spend for 3 very disappointed people<br/>There are hundreds of better places to spend your money in Melbourne

Best service!!!!!!!!!!!. They had the best service i've ever received in Melbourne, and the staff were lovely!!! i had dinner there and the food was YUM. will be going back soon

Excellent Yum Cha. On a recent girly weekend in Melbourne, we chose Red Emperor for a Saturday lunch as we both craved some yum cha and the place had fairly good reviews. We booked a few weeks ahead and asked for the balcony as had been recommended on here and it was a lovely way to spend a few hours chatting and eating.<br/><br/>I am not sure about a previous review stating that the service was rude - that was certainly not our experience. It was attentive and pleasant and we were well looked after (I find that a pleasant attitude elicits pleasant service - just a tip to those who find the service in any place rude - perhaps a bit of self reflection goes a long way - anyway beside the point). And as for no EFTPOS - rubbish - I paid using my card without a problem whatsoever.<br/><br/>So onto the food - we really loved it. The trolley's kept coming with plenty on offer and everything we chose was delicious. I think my favourite was the scallops. But we also shared prawn & corriander rolls, steamed pork buns, pork dumplings, asian greens ... hmmm there was more that I simply can't recall now - but all of it was fresh and delicious. And the cute little choux swans we chose for desert were a fun little way to end a lovely meal.<br/><br/>As for the price - yes, not overly cheap but it is Southgate and it is good quality food. I have had some woeful yum cha up in Brisbane (where I live) that might be cheaper, but is also downright ordinary. For a special meal out, I would definately recommend.

Bad value and bad food. Booked in here for Mothers Day and will never go back. We had the set Yum Cha menu which for $60 per person was not that much food. In each course, there were about 3 or 4 items per person and we walked out of there hungry.<br/>Apart from not being enough food, the quality of the food was quite low. The dumplings and fried food seemed like it had come straight out of a packet - which at that price, and in that location, you would hope that at least some of their food is authentic and made on site.<br/>What I didn't get is why with a banquet Yum Cha menu that they didn't give you any food that will fill you up. When we asked for some fried rice, they charged us extra! You would think that something as simple as rice would come as part of a set menu. Or at least give a glass of champagne to the mums on the table.<br/>It seemed like all they were doing was price gauging because it was Mothers Day. <br/>I have had Yum Cha at quite a few places in the CBD and in some of the suburban locations in Melbourne, and with most of them you will be rolling out after paying just half the price.

Do not recommend at all!. Very disappointing. i will never be going back. i took my mother there for mothers day for a banquet style yum cha! table setting was like a take away shop. when we got there our table had been taken by someone else. no serviettes or napkins on the table. we had to go find them ourselves! no water - we had to go ask for it. yum cha came out.... the worst yum cha i have every had. there was not enough food!!!! staff assured me there would be plenty but far from it. the plates they served food on were like take away cuttelry. no freindly service what so ever. it felt like they wanted us in and out and i got the last table sitting for that exact reason! food was just plonked on the table and all food was out within 1/2 hour!!!! and it was so over crowed. customer service 3/10 - yum cha 2/10 - disappointed because i wanted my mother to have a great experince. not value for money at all!

Worst meal & service in Melbourne in the last 2 years. Avoid at all costs. Terrible 2-star food-court quality for 5-star prices. Rude inattentive staff with poor English. No EFTPOS - but not told until paying the bill.<br/><br/>The food here is a spectacular disappointment, the likes of which I - a regular diner in my hometown (Melbourne) - haven't experienced in years. So much so it prompted me to join Urbanspoon to warn others.<br/><br/>My partner and I waited over 20 mins for a menu we eventually found for ourselves on a nearby counter. We were constantly pressured to buy a large mineral water even after ordering wine and tap water (staff were unhappy about this).<br/><br/>We ordered 3 entrees and 2 main dishes, one of which was described in the menu as Pei Par Bean Curd ($38) and was informed this was a stir fry. What we received can only be described as a plate of flavourless, savoury, football-shaped deep fried donuts (10 pieces). We regularly enjoy Asian dining, including in Asia, but there weren’t any discernable ingredients identifiable in this chewy, spongy dish, which made us feel very concerned as to what we were actually eating. At best, it tasted like artificially seafood-flavoured processed low-grade tofu, the kind anyone can buy from an Asian grocery store. The fried rice was not fresh and not the standard it should have been. The hot & sour soup was strange in flavour, lukewarm and again unidentifiable to us; a dish we have eaten many times elsewhere.<br/> <br/>Food was bung down on the table, there wasn’t any follow up during or after the meal, not once to how we enjoyed the meal, if we needed or wanted anything else. We were given lukewarm towels to use which had an unpleasant smell - we did not use them. We could not get staff to give us our bill so we went up to the cash register and offered our EFTPOS card only to be told in a curt / blunt way: “credit cards... cash only”. When we said that no one informed us of this on booking, the girl rudely pointed to the very subtle ‘No EFTPOS’ sign on the wall which is unnoticeable on entry.<br/> <br/>My partner left to find an ATM for cash in the Southgate mall, and while I waited staff spoke in Cantonese (Chinese) about us at the cash register right in front of me, looking at me directly and laughing in a rude and demeaning way, mentioning EFTPOS a few times to other staff.<br/><br/>We now know why this place was three-quarters empty on a balmy Friday night. Staying home with a jar of “Kan Tong” is a safer bet.

Friend of ours organised for all of us (group of 28) to dine here for lunch. Food was good. But the service, staff attitude and the surprisingly small portion sizes was a huge letdown. We all were in for the banquet menu and for the mains we literally got served a small bowl if frid rice and a table spoon of the chicken dish n beef dish! When asked is that all - our attendant replies yes, this is what is in banquet. The banquet is $5 cheaper than the all you can eat yum cha ... Arrogant staff with no sense of priority or service. Food was good; but didn't cut it for me. Will not go again, leave alone recommend or take someone there.

Fantastic range, great value for money and be sure to have the S&P Calamari. Warning the chilli paste that comes with dumplings is THERMONUCLEAR...you've been warned.

Shocking service, ok food but decent wine list. Nice experience when seated near windows but awful when near mall side. You could certainly find a better place to dine.

Worst Service in Melbourne, very average food and an overpriced menu . I am surprised this restaurant hasn't closed yet - must be the location.

Honestly would never recommend this non atmosphere Chinese restaurant. Better service at McDonald's drive through at least they smile. Food well very very average considering the large bill

Terrible service, mixed up orders, very bland tasting food,, bought better chicken at Coles deli, very disappointing

Overpriced.. I simply can't accept the fact that we were charged $15 for a saucer of XO sauce, what a rip off! That probably cost more than their highest priced range of dim sum dishes! They did not even notify us about the charge (some restaurants do before serving it to you) - definitely not impressed. <br/><br/>They recommended us the $45 pp 'all you can eat' dimsum which we declined. I don't think many people would have ordered enough dimsum that would equate to $45pp. While I think the food is okay, I think you'll probably find restaurants of similar standards with a cheaper price tag in the city/docklands.

Good quality chinese dishes. Good quality chinese food but comes with a price tag and small portions. Ambience - good. Staff - average( depends on how busy) Food? (In a big group we ordered approx 8 main dishes) excellent quality! However a little pricey