Review Oriental Tea House - Melbourne

Especially loved the prawn dumplings, very fresh, loads of filling. Was overall very enjoyable and the flavours were excellent! Would come back again next time I come to Mel. @ the executive chef and the restaurant owner, there is a little details that could be improved, i.e. removing the non-edible stem attached to green beans before cooking, which causes so much inconvenience preventing the enjoyment of delicious food.

First time and absolutely not the last one. Food was delicious. We loved pretty much everything. Sharing is a very good option. The staff was very friendly and kind. Recommended to book beforehand. I'll be back

So disappointing. Very Western-Asian fusion vibe, & so was the food. It looks better than it tastes - just get some frozen food & steam it at home, not much difference. Spring onion pancake wasn't crispy or tasty. BBQ buns & mushroom dumplings were good, but not amazing. Most of all, the price just wasn't worth the tiny portions & mediocre flavor. $5 for 1 piece of dumpling. I won't be back.

The best dumplings I've had in Melbourne! Taking the humble dumpling and doing it justice, everything on the menu is packed full of flavour. The menu has the usual pan fried dumplings and xiaolongbao, but the chefs have outdone themselves with their unique Peking duck, wagyu beef and flamethrower pork dumplings. The dining area has excellent ambience, perfect place for date night and special occasions. Service was quick and we had all our dishes on the table moments after ordering. Cocktails are delicious.

Oriental Tea House’s menu was pretty extensive; they had a lot of dim sum varieties, main Chinese dishes, and also seasonal delights. A lovely cosy venue, and was definitely one of my go to restaurants when I didn’t quite know what I felt like having!

Ambience was nice. Service was great. Fried barramundi (not pictured) was lightly coated and wasn't oily at all. Lemongrass chicken dumplings tasted like a strange meatball. Xiaolong baos were thick and stuck together so they broke and spilled the soup while trying to pick them up. White chocolate dumpling dessert was pretty yum. Overall it was a nice place although more expensive than other dim sum joints.

Such a beautiful space. First time in the city location and it did not disappoint. We did the Dumplings for Dating set menu which honestly levelled up the whole dimmer date experience. So much fun to play while they serve you each course of dumplings, mains and the amazing white chocolate dumplings for dessert. I love that my favourite cocktail the Hello Vera is part of the offer and my partner enjoyed the Pink Panther. Highly recommend for a great time, delicious food and drinks. Props to our waiter who was super attentive and adjusted the menu for my dietaries.

Upscale dumpling house with unique food and excellent ambience. An excellent place for date night and special occasions. Oriental Teahouse goes beyond the staple dumplings (pork and chive, xiaolongbao etc.) and experiment with uncharted combinations e.g. Peking duck, lemongrass chicken, wagyu beef etc. Unfortunately, the tea served here is diluted and subpar. Despite a large volume of tea being served, the intensity of the tea is extremely low.

Walk into a modern and yet chic teahouse which offers an amazing range on the menu. <br/><br/>There was so much to choose from on their menu. We ordered the smoked chicken, spring rolls and dumplings to share and it was really yummy.<br/><br/>The flavours were really good and the smoked chicken was infused with tea which was really unique.<br/><br/>The food here is amazing, should definitely check it out if you're in the area.

A few friends and I decided to make reservations at this place due to the glowing reviews. We were pretty excited to try out the food and check out this place. We punctually arrived at our reserved time (7.45pm) and was shown to our table next to the kitchen. We sat down and perused through the menu and decided on quite a few dishes. We called over the waiter who appeared to be attentive as he ‘registered’ our orders. We then ordered our cocktails as we eagerly await for the arrival of our dishes.<br/><br/>25 minutes tick by... then 35 minutes.... then 45 minutes.... 50 minutes.... <br/><br/>It has been more than an hour at this point. We were all terribly starving (we avoided any prior snacking so we can actually enjoy many of the dishes we ordered). Unfortunately, there was no sign of our food coming. We then called the waiter over to ask for an ETA, only to be bluntly told there was no record of our order. We were confused because the waiter clearly took our order prior to ordering our cocktails, with the waiter even reciting back to us what we had ordered to confirm. <br/><br/>The place wasn’t even busy (8.30-9pm), as there were empty tables around us. Surely the team would have seen something was amiss with us... we had confronted the staff at the counter only to have the waiter denying he even took our order at all. <br/><br/>Extremely disappointed at the lack of service and professionalism here. We we're pretty polite and patient with the whole ordeal but I couldn't leave the place without documenting on what has been a terrible experience at this restaurant. Definitely will not revisit this place.

Very skeptical when I was invited for a function here, as the dinner crowd catered for a mainly Caucasian palate. I was pleasantly surprised and really impressed with the authenticity of some of the dishes, plus the variety of tea we could sample (hot and cold) that was inclusive in the package. For a big tea person that really clinched it. Outstanding service too which again surprised as so often you get dishes thrown at you in Chinese restaurants. Well deserved 5 stars here!

Very disappointed ! The so-called "feast for 4" was quite small and for $45 ea was a rip-off, we were all still hungry afterwards, $10 pots of Asahi were a joke, and we all had to pay a surcharge to pay by card wtf. Would not go back or recommend.

Visited the Oriental Tea House on 7th September to celebrate my wife's birthday with a party of 15 friends. We booked the 'White Room' which offered semi-privacy from the rest of the restaurant. We ordered a 12-course feast and the food was fabulous. Included in the party was a vegan, a vegetarian and one with food allergies, and the restaurant catered for everyone. Without exception, everyone loved the dishes that just kept coming, especially the Szechuan Pepper Chicken and Salt & Pepper Tofu. And the final two courses were dessert - white chocolate dumplings and fried walnut, peanut butter and chocolate wantons - signature dishes and a tasty must for everyone who visits (and a far cry from lychees and ice cream, and banana fritters!). The service was unobtrusive but top rate. Full credit must go to Ojesh (OJ) who organised the function for us with great attention to detail. None of my guests had been to the Oriental Tea House before but all, without exception, stated unprompted that they would definitely visit again. The restaurant is located in Little Collins St between Elizabeth and William Streets, away from what has become a crowded and run-down Chinatown. Although the decor is modern, it had a distinct oriental atmosphere. Readers of my reviews will note that I do not hold back on my comments but I thoroughly recommend the Oriental Tea House for a great dining experience.

Comfortable decor, well organised with friendly and professional staff. Good selection of Chinese Teas, served promptly and by knowledgeable staff.<br/><br/>Food, all though delicious, is very Westernised. They don't offer many of your usual Yum Cha dishes (No Tau Foo Fa or Egg Custard Buns even!), but they still offer plenty of other options that cater more to Western tastes.<br/><br/>A must visit on the Yum Cha circuit, but not if you're expecting Authentic Yum Cha. Good experience overall.<br/><br/>PS: At least get Egg Custard Tarts, I overheard other customers asking for it too.

Thanks you Oriental Teahouse for accommodating for 17 guests last night. As part of a work function/send off for one of our co-workers, Oriental Teahouse helped with the surprise! The mushroom dumplings were chewy on the outside but so soft on the inside. The mi goreng was spicy, sweet but fresh at the same time. The lemon ice tea was very refreshing and herbal! They are also very accommodating for vegans 🌱 The service was incredible too, thank you ❤️❤️

I found this place over priced. Over $200 for 3 females, we didn’t order drinks, only tea and came during lunch hour. The food was a bit bland and we were disappointed with the quality of food. Service was okay. Not much of a positive impression.

Oriental Teahouse Little Collins St has a wonderful, distinct Australian Chinese restaurant aesthetic except spruced up - in a good way. While the beautiful interior primes your appetite for some delicious Chinese food, what you get is food that is simply not up to scratch. My partner and I ordered the Ginger Prawn Dumplings, Satay Peanut Chicken & Herb DUmplings, the Calamari and the DIY Peking Duck Wraps. The Ginger Prawns were not fresh - a common theme throughout our dinner. The Satay Peanut Chicken Dumplings took the place of Siu Mai which were unavailable. The skin and filling had mush-like consistency and did not offer any 'bounce' or resistance when bitten into. Furthermore, it was lukewarm. The peanut sauce did its part but could not cover up the disappointment of the body of the dish. Oh the other hand, the Calamari compared to the other dishes were enjoyable and flavourful, although a little chewy. <br/>The DIY Duck Wraps, a dish you'd typically expect to be the star of the show was sub par, with tough and lukewarm duck. Quantity of this dish was particularly small as well. <br/>

We loved 😍<br/>We went during their lunch time yum cha service. Their dishes has a more westernised taste. The xo scallop dumplings are a must try! They had these pink duck dumplings which were surprisingly good. <br/><br/>We disliked 😖<br/>The service was a little slow. We were seated near the front of the restaurant and had to wait a while between dishes. <br/>I would prefer the dumplings at a more traditional place for yumcha. They also did not have Chun fun - the rice noodle rolls which are a yumcha favourite!

Wondering through the streets hungry after a nice morning stroll, we ended up hungry and really felt like some good dumplings, through our search, my partner and I decided to try Oriental Teahouse.<br/><br/>We ended up getting the feasting menu for 2 and all I can say is it was definitely worth it, the dumplings had plenty of flavour, the main of sweet shredded steak was on point and flavoursome, but the best part was the dessert which was there signature white chocolate dumpling. <br/><br/>The service was great and we had a great time there. Definitely worth it!

Came here with a big group and they set us in a spacious table which was very accommodating although temperatures kept going hot and cold. It was all you can eat from a selection of dishes. The satay peanut dumplings and spring onion pancake was a stand out for us. <br/>Food 3.5/5<br/>Service 3/5<br/>Ambience 3/5

We were there for a party and had a banquet. The food was tasty, and the vegetables fresh. I'm not a vegetarian, but the salt and pepper tofu was amazing. The szechuan pepper chicken was a little on the dry side. <br/>We had the upstairs section to ourselves, which meant we could spread out and make a bit of noise without affecting other diners. Downstairs is a bit cramped, which is fine for small groups / couples, but we had a larger group and I doubt if it would have been as good being downstairs. Staff were friendly and helpful, my only real complaint was that drinks service was a little on the slow side.

The best dunplings in Melbourne?<br/>I first tried their delicious dumplings at the Night Noodle Markets and my palette has been craving the full experience ever since. It is safe to say my visit to their Collins St restaurant ticked all the boxes. We got the feasting menu which was the perfect amount and variety of food. My partner has not stopped talking about the chinese brocolli whilst my tongue is still thanking me for those divine spongey gooey white chocolate dessert dumplings - unbelievable!<br/>Service with a smile and not overly quick like some chinese restaurants tend to be. Great value, definitly recommend to stop by for lunch / dinner.<br/>

This is a great place to enjoy Chinese food and dumplings in a more upscale setting. The decor is very delicate and tasteful, the staff are polite and lovely, and the food is absolutely delicious! They also sell a variety of teas within the restaurant (and teapots!).

Went here for some desert and to try the tea. <br/><br/>Weren’t too many people and we were happy to wait, but the wait was very long... <br/>food came fast but 34min for tea to come. <br/><br/>

Staff were fantastic, food was great, and atmosphere really nice - so definitely liked this place!<br/><br/>I came here for a graduation dinner (think about 20 people incl. staff members) and everyone had a great time. I was able to order in the day so that our meals would be ready by the time we arrived and ready to eat - saving us the hassle of a large group trying to decide everything then and there.<br/><br/>There was a range of dishes from all over the menu and every person finished theirs off easily. I particularly like the Chinese broccoli dish with oyster sauce. Simple yet tasty and a generous portion. There was a mix up however with three dishes (thinking there should have been two) so one person was waiting for an extremely long time without realising what had happened. But our waitress quickly rectified this and even gave her a free drink plus a larger serving.<br/><br/>The wait staff were very kind, quick and efficient with any requests that were made, and the restaurant was clean (however quite hot). Really enjoyed the experience here, and wouldn't hesitate in returning.

3.5. Have been to the South Yarra branch and I admit I prefer the interior and atmosphere of their city branch better. We had friendly, attentive staff and the dishes came out quite fast. Wasn't the biggest fan of the cocktails I tried (might have just been the ones I chose), but I did enjoy the dumplings a little more than I recall from my visit at the other branch. The prawn (har gow) dumplings, prawn and shallot dumplings and crispy wontons were my favourites. The ginger prawn dumplings, panfried pork and chive dumplings and roast duck dumplings were ok, whilst my XLB broke as it was stuck to the paper underneath... Mushroom dumpling wasn't quite as good as I recall from the other branch, and our pulled pork dumplings were forgotten. Admittedly, we forgot we had ordered them as well so it wasn't a problem. Really enjoyed dinner, although the prices are much higher than I would normally like to pay for dumplings.

The yum cha was the best I’ve ever had. Honestly everything we ate was delicious. The satay chicken dumplings were amazing. If you want the best dumplings in town then this is the place for you. Can’t wait to go back.

Oriental teahouse is by no means the best dumplings in Melbourne or the best value, but I still sometimes get a craving for the combination of sweet fruity iced tea and dumplings - and there are not many other places who do that. Their dumplings are nice, but never perfect, and expensive for the serving. However, this place still has charm to it, and I love that you can try a heap of teas at their tea tasting table while waiting for your food.

Came here on a Tuesday night for dinner and love how they have some sample teas at the front of the house. We ordered some dumplings, stir fry noodles, shredded steak and fried octopus. The seaweed and prawn dumplings were a stand out for me. Absolutely love them and the shredded steak was definitely a winner. Noodle was ok. Would go back to try other dishes

*EDIT BELOW*<br/><br/>Food took a solid 30+ minutes to come out. Not only this but drinks weren’t served until then either. (Not sure how it could take so long to pour liquid into glasses). Food wasn’t terrible and probably only the thing saving this place but it wasn’t amazing enough that the wait was worth it<br/><br/>Edit: Went to this place again and was so pleasantly surprised. We came during yum cha and everyone was super attentive to us. There was a nice selection of dishes that we got to try. Much better experience!

I came here for The Dumpling Party and got the Unlimited Dumplings and Unlimited Wine package. I was surprised with the variety of dumplings (pork belly, prawn and ginger, desert white chocolate dumplings to name a few) as well as other items (chicken ribs, desert custard buns, etc etc). Taste was really good, however there were a few too many seafood/prawn dumplings in relation to other meats/vegetables and too many steamed dumplings, only one pan fried and a few wontons. Service was good and constant wine top ups were fabulous. The only thing was that it was more like a 2-2.5 hour sitting, not “unlimited”, there was heaps of food so that wasn’t the issue, just thought it would go on for longer. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend it to others, but personally I would probably try a new dumplings restaurant or go back to another well-loved place in Chinatown than return here in the near future.

Oh this is one of my favourite places to go to! I am never disappointed. Spring onion pancake was surprisingly delicious and simple. White chocolate dumplings are amazing! I would usually try different dishes here but I have to have white chocolate dumplings every time.

Great service we went for lunch with a table of 14 of us & they were very accommodating, recommended a feasting menu & just brought out exactly enough for everyone.<br/>Great flavours, dumplings were delicious as were the mains & the dessert dumpling was a treat.

The YUMCHA here was so delicious ! I especially loved the pork belly dumplings and the white chocolate dumplings !! Such a delicious dessert and something which I’ve never tried. The service here was also so spot on as well !! Cannot complain at all, will definitely be back again

Oriental tea house is one of the most unique yum cha places in Melbourne. There is a massive list of various tea. Their food has modernised and fusion twist to the traditional chinese. We feel the place is more suitable for non chinese food pros. It is not daunting like a lot of places in china town.<br/><br/>For tea, we had the baked apple sencha and peach melba iced tea. The sencha was really nice, where the iced tea was super refreshing.<br/><br/>We had various dumplings for lunch and our favourites are chilli wagyu dumplings, ginger prawn dumplings, and roast duck dumplings. Super delish! <br/><br/>We would definitely come back for sure 🤤

Atmosphere was great, and the tea they offered was really unique. Their buns were yummy too (especially Xiao Long Bao, recommended!) Only disappointment was the VERY lacklustre desert, we ordered the bun with slinky custard and there was almost no custard to speak of, and the waiting time for the dessert was about 20 minutes. Ended the meal rather disappointedly which dampened the entire experience, not sure if I’ll be willing to come here again because their savoury dishes, while great, do not stand out particularly from other places I’ve tried

One of the best date spots I’ve come across, I love the activity they provide for couples on first time dates (More on this later). <br/><br/>An idea I’ve always had, was a bar-restaurant establishment which also supplies its diners with quality tea. While exploring the CBD I walked by Orient Tea on my way to dinner and made a mental note that I needed to come back. <br/><br/>When I finally did get a chance to come back, I’ll admit the ambience and atmosphere was perfect for dates. It was spacious and the service was attentive. The drinks were pretty awesome, certainly creative. What was a complete surprise was the Dumpling Date game, a perfect activity for those on first-dates. Its fun and the illustration/design of the game was awesome. Basically the game has questions that prompts discussions, then based off the answer you give the game recommends a dish. Its a brilliant idea, we played the game not ordering the dishes which was fun n, although we did pick up some prawn dumplings. Glossy wrap and a sizeable stuffing the dumpling was a great scrumptious snack to go with our drinks. <br/><br/>Showstopper: The idea of the game is beyond novel and perfect for Orient to distinction itself from competitors.<br/><br/>Overall Grade: A-

I've tried oriental tea house in South Yarra multiple times before, thus decided to try the branch in the city for yum cha as well. The dumplings were delicious , standouts for me were the scallop dumplings with XO sauce, ginger prawn dumplings and steamed fish in a basket. The fried rice was really nice but serving is small. In the end, we spent about $30 each for lunch which was reasonable. The reason why I would give a score of 3/5 was the service. We had ordered two serves of teas ($9) at the start which came in a teapot. When I wanted to try some of the tea as my family members could not finish it and asked for a cup, the waitress then informed us if I wanted a cup, I would have to order another serve of tea. I understand that this was a specialty tea place, but I think the laws laid down at the restaurant regarding tea is rather unfriendly. Thus I didn't request for a cup anymore and didn't try the leftover tea my other family members had because I was not allowed to unless I paid for another cup of tea. Also I was also told I couldn't use my glass to contain tea as well when I asked. Perhaps the restaurant staff should consider just charging a reasonable price for a pot of tea  (more than $9) or just serve tea by cups only if they are worried about more people drinking from a single pot of tea.

The Oriental Tea House at 378 Little Collins St in the city and at 455 Chapel Street in South Yarra is a trendy Chinese restaurant specialising in dumplings and tea but their menu is pretty big and includes a lot of other amazing dishes. The CBD location can cater for functions to accommodate groups ranging from 10-50 guests. Both locations are open 7 days a week, with Chapel St having slightly longer opening hours. The Oriental Teahouse is a great restaurant to come to for either lunch, dinner or a special occasion. Today, we came here for a late lunch. The venue is absolutely massive, spanning two levels, decked out with trendy chairs and tables and decorative art work around the walls. The decor is classy and inviting. We ordered the Golden Lemongrass Chicken Dumplings and the Peking duck served with cucumber, spring onion and plum sauce for our entrees. For main, we had the Shredded Steak in a sticky sweet chilli sauce and the Szechuan Pepper Chicken. The dumplings were insanely good. Masses amount of flavour and cooked perfectly. A serving comes with 3 and we would have loved more. For main, we loved both dishes. The Szechuan Pepper Chicken was extremely spicy so I would definitely only recommend this dish if you can take the heat! The Shredded Steak was also delicious and so tender and the sticky sweet chilli sauce was like a party in your mouth. Both were generous servings. There are some unusual desserts on the menu which is not seen on many Chinese restaurants so that’s definitely a bonus. We absolutely loved our experience at The Oriental Teahouse. The service was great and the food even better. What more do you want? We will be back to try some of the other amazing dishes on offer and I recommend you should too!

This place is super aesthetic. It is extremely well decorated and It loses a star because the food is slightly more expensive than it is actually worth, but the taste of the food is amazing and I would definitely recommend trying out this place. The textures were perfect here- a great balance between crunchy and smooth. I LOVED the combination of flavours in every dish. Although the fried rice was a bit small, it was still delicious.<br/><br/>The drinks tasted the same, and the strawberry honestly just made it taste like medicine. <br/><br/>100% recommend trying this place, but be wary of the meal cost.

This place gets 5 stars for the ambience and service. We had vegetarian spring rolls, salt pepper tofu, vegetarian fried rice, pulled pork dumplings with slices of pork belly. That pork belly was a winner with my friends. The dishes tasted great but quantity was less for the price charged.<br/><br/>Otherwise the place is best for it's menu, tea and cocteas 😍

We had an amazing lunch at the Oriental Teahouse! We chose to have the Pork Dumplings, Duck dumplings, vegetarian spring rolls and fried rice. All the dishes were amazing and so delicious. The pork belly that came with the pork dumplings was so soft and full of flavour! I can not fault anything. The service was amazing we felt very well looked after! <br/>I also had the raspberry and lime iced tea which was super refreshing and delicious.

Was recommended to Oriental Tea House by friends and I was definitely not let down. Came here on a busy Friday night yet had great service and prompt arrival of food. <br/><br/>For entree we ordered BBQ pork buns and Satay Peanut Chicken & Asian Herb Dumplings followed by mains of Legit Special Fried Rice, Salt and Pepper Calamari, and Crackling Roast Pork Belly. The meals were flavorsome, fresh and all incredibly clean. Despite we ordered a fair bit, we came out feeling very content. The restaurant focuses on the quality of its food embedded with just the right amount of sauce/spices.

The food was good... the tea is just embarrassing. “Jasmine pearl” was so weak, tasted like water and dirt. Service team did not care... rather buy a full pack from Woolworths for the amount you pay for one crappy tea. Disgusting

Don't go in a large group. The "unlimited yumcha" is very much, limited. <br/>Between 24 people they put 3 plates of 4 dumplings down. Then waited half an hour and put a 3 plates with about 8 tiny slices of pork. And so on.... <br/>I am fully aware yumcha is small portions but I left after only eating 5 dumplings and one cube of chicken. After 3 and a half hours mind you. <br/>The service was extremely slow and not friendly. The food I would describe as okay-ish. The one star is for the decor, it looked really nice in there. That was it.

Great plant-based options. Must try is the veg version of their BBQ pork buns. I recommend Long Jing tea with your yum cha. Atmosphere is nice and service was slow but very friendly. We did go during lunch on a Friday. I'll definitely go again. 😀

Valentine's Day at Oriental Tea House was off the charts this year! In part thanks to the introduction of their Dumplings for Dating experience and the rest just because their food is freakin' amazing. Whether you've known someone for 5 minutes or 50 years it's impossible not to have fun with this meal.<br/><br/>Take your date on a board game adventure as you answer some fun questions about each other that could be potentially hilarious/awkward/intriguing or all of the above. As you make your way through the game, you get to choose your date's 'foreplay' cocktail and their entree. After that? Come to gather to choose mains and a dessert to share. While the food at OTH is always reliable, their beef dumplings, chicken ribs and duck were sensational on this visit. No complaints from us. The cocktails had the right amount of edge to curtail any nerves and the wonka chocolate flavoured dessert dumplings were an excellent finisher.<br/><br/>Love dumplings? (Who doesn't?). Find someone with swipe right genes and get booking.

Oriental Teahouse is one of the more underated Asian eateries of Melbourne.  Offering roaming yum cha all of the time (no need to wait for the traditional Sunday lunch), Oriental Teahouse has a venue both in Little Collins Street and South Yarra. On this occasion, we hit up Little Collins Street. Whilst Oriental Teahouse offers more than just dumplings, dumplings seemed to feature heavily on the yum cha roaming menu of the day. Of the dumplings we tried, both the peking duck dumplings and the prawn dumplings deserve honorary mentions - whilst the site of the pink peking duck dumplings made me slightly hesitant, both types of dumplings were fresh and full of flavour.

While I had a pretty average dining experience here the poor experience comes from the end of the meal.<br/>I came with a group of friends, we came at two separate times, ordered separately and finished separately (they actually forgot one of their dishes too). When I went to pay they informed me that they couldn't split the bill between the two groups, bit annoying but I get it. I paid for everyone and left thinking that it was pricier than I expected but was unsure what the other group had ordered.<br/><br/>While I waited for uber and were organizing to split the bills realized they had charged me $65 over what was on the bill. Went back in, seemed like an honest mistake but still extremely annoying.<br/><br/>Overall very, very average experience!

On Valentine’s Day, Oriental Tea House on Little Collins launched a unique concept catering to this modern world of swiping and texting – Dumplings for Dating. Sit down with your potential mate and work your way through four rounds of questions, ranging from the inane (what would your death row meal be?) to the deal-breaking (do you want kids?), while ordering off a secret ballot for every course. Not for yourself though – that would be too easy! You have to hazard a guess at what would suit your partner.

Came here for a party of 7 and they accommodated to our orders very well. I think it may have been partly because I was honest a week before on the phone specifically staying everyone's allergies and such, but they did not fail in modifying their set menu to items that we could eat. <br/><br/>The food was delicious and the only criticism I have was that the steak main sharing dish was a little too sweet. That's probably how its supposed to be, and if you like sweet stuff then it's great! I just wasn't a fan. Everything else, delicious. <br/><br/>Their cocktails are delightful, refreshing and moreish. Get a teapot to share with friends!<br/><br/>We were seated at the back of the restaurant on the bottom floor, and the only issue we had was that it was very loud. It's an enclosed space and the music speaker faces into the room. The sound is extremely amplified and we struggled to have an conversation between the seven of us. I suggest to turn the speaker around so it faces the main eating area or put the speaker on the very back wall and face it out. Or remove it all together. It's very noisy there.

We’re loving Oriental Teahouse brand new concept - Dumplings for Dating, which is designed to steer couples through a table-sized “getting to know you” board game over delicious yum cha items and fun cocktails. The concept kicked off on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday 14th February, with couples new and old subjected to the four stages of the game that situates a couple facing each other so that questions are only disclosed to the beholder.

I came here for lunch today. Initially the service was spot on and that level of excellent service continued throughout lunch. <br/><br/>The food was excellent, and a contemporary take on the traditional Chinese yum cha which I really enjoyed. <br/><br/>Everything was spot on, the food was fresh and plentiful and everyone enjoyed their lunch. I’ll be back thank you 😊

Came here for Christmas lunch with my colleagues on Saturday. We spent $160 for four persons. Here’s the breakdown <br/><br/>Food: 4/5 - I never thought fried rice can be so tasty. Most of the dim sum dishes were really good like the scallop one and shumai. Skip the wagyu beef one! The prawn toast is the biggest ripoff ever 4 little triangle (one small toast for 9.80 I almost complained!)<br/>Service: 3/5 - not bad not great. Food came out fast and steady pace. Definitely better service than you’ll ever get at 90% Chinese restaurants in Melbourne so that’s a plus. Friendly and helpful in general<br/>Ambience: 4/5 - I personally quite like the modern interpretation on the oriental Chinese deco and furniture. Nice ed sheeran playlist for the two hour but don’t think it’s appropriate after few songs no?<br/>Value for money: 3.5/5 - if you want cheaper and better dumplings there are few places to go in Melbourne Cbd. Come here for acceptable service and cozy ambience! It’s about the company for a place like this :)

Nice and funky atmosphere, this place seems to showcase a mix of asian cultures in the dishes and decor. Mostly chinese with vietnamese and japanese accents, everything we ordered was tasty and interesting. I strongly recommend their Christmas limited edition lamb dumplings, which were the highlight of our dinner. They were chewy, with pan fried bottoms, and came with a mint jelly that made the whole dish work seamlessly. Chinese brocoli was a bit overpriced (it's very basic in China) but it was well cooked, oyster sauce was balanced and I have to say it was the nicest i've ever had. Loved the prawn, spinach and basil dumplings, very fresh. <br/>Would definitely come back with more friends to try more dishes, and their dessert dumplings looked great too.<br/>Not a cheap eatery but I will definitely be back for an occasion.<br/>

Modern restaurant with nice decor. Average yum cha. Had the xiao long bao which didnt have much soup in them. The wagyu beef chilli dumplings werent as soft as I had imagined. Pork belly was a little overcooked, and peking duck werent as soft as they are at my local yumcha restaurant. Best dish was the soft shell crab sliders. Crab cooked perfectly and the bao buns were different and yummy. Probably wouldnt return, would rather gold leaf for yum cha which is closer to me.

Nice chilled atmosphere with a simple and clear menu. The staff are friendly but not intrusive and let you be. <br/><br/>Given it was Saturday lunch, we were expecting a bigger crowd. It was quite quiet. <br/><br/>We a large veg section, there was a lot to choose from. The veg Buddha Bau and the veg sliders were brilliant. The vegetable mini baus were the best!<br/><br/>Definitely worth coming

Very disappointed..Came alone during lunch time,they were doing yum cha. Just because I was sitting alone,doesn’t mean I need less attention..After having few dishes,they brought another one,which I refused saying that will wait for next ones,coz it was pretty much similar of what I had before..I was waiting for 15 min,while they were keep serving other tables,completely ignoring my table...<br/>After few minutes i just went to the counter to pay my bill and left...The waitresses weren’t rude or something,but the ignorance and the way they were serving wasn’t correct,especially when it’s yum cha...the whole idea is being served multiple times...<br/>The food was ok,but not the best I had...Chicken with sesame seeds was a bit salty,spring rolls with duck had a weird shape,wasn’t comfortable to eat...<br/>No one asked me if I would like table water,while bringing it to others..<br/>Definitely not coming back..:(

K: Post transmission, my brother and I seeked a nice Yumcha meal to heal our bodies after intense raving and lots of standing. Choosing Oriental Teahouse, we were surprised to see not that many people in the restaurant despite being unable to make a booking through Zomato. Nonetheless the service and ambience were decent.<br/><br/>For food, we ordered the Satay peanut sauce, xo sauce, pork shu mai, and peking duck dumplings. Each plate had a very rich flavour and we enjoyed this hearty meal thoroughly. Not quite as great as we had read about but certainly a great YumCha fix if you are ever in the city. Decent price too!<br/><br/>Food: 3.5/5<br/>Ambience: 3.5/5<br/>Service: 3/5<br/>Value: 3/5<br/><br/>Overall: 3.5/5

My bf and I found ourselves in the city and decided to have a selection of dumplings for lunch at oriental tea house. The staff were very friendly and attentive. We ordered a couple of the special teas to start, which were quite tasty and complimented the dumplings well. The xiao long bao was delicious! The casing held together and the flavour of the soup inside was incredible. We also enjoyed the lemongrass chicken dumplings and the sauce that was given with it. A great place to come for gourmet dumplings, but it's a bit pricey so definitely a once in a while thing for me.

LIT!: the noodle dishes are affordable but the winners of this place goes to the Xiao long baos- the skin is thin and keeps the juice inside. Also make sure you don't forget to dip the prawn dumplings onto the side dishes- it increases the flavour 10 fold 😍<br/><br/>NOT SO LIT: pricey dumpling dishes but nonetheless enjoyable! <br/>Thanks for having us! X

We made a booking prior to arrival through zomato. When we arrived they had no awareness of the booking despite the confirmation from zomato. They assured us they would accommodate us anyway. After a few minutes they sat us near the door. We requested a different table further away from the door as it was a cold day and it was drafty. There was one that was empty. It just needed cleared. After five minutes the waitress came back and told us "I don't have time to clear the table you will just have to stay here". We told her we were fine to wait a bit more to get a table further away from the door. After 15 more minutes of a series of apologies we decided to leave. The waitress was very polite, but it was quite clear either she was over-worked due to understaffing or she had no intention of clearing the table for us. We won't be back again.

Absolute BEST dumplings in Melbourne... or even in Australia ! And I absolutely love my dumplings.... Their flavours are to die for!! 100% recommend. Staff are super friendly too

Beautiful decor and ambience but food was just ok and I suspect laden with too much MSG and salt. I dined with the kids and they were so thirsty after the meal. The tea selection was good. We had the long jing tea.

Ordered three dishes to start with, all of which were so bland and tasteless we decide not to order anymore and went somewhere else to satisfy our dumpling craving. All flash no taste.

This place is absolutely worth checking out if you are a dumpling lover! <br/>They serve the best dumplings in Melbourne. Is reasonably priced and offers variety of dishes. <br/><br/>The service is also very fast and efficient. You don't have to wait too long for the food to arrive. Is also a perfect place to host birthdays or catch up with a large group. <br/><br/>The location is also very convenient. Is not too far from Elisabeth street and provides ample parking around the area.

Cheap with a beautiful ambience and restaurant decor. Huge selections of teas and a plant based menu.. <br/>Staff very informative and attentive <br/>With tea refills <br/>loved it

Tofu was so bland and tasteless omg. Staff was impatient and service was pretty bad. Seriously needs more vegetarian options- mushroom was too heavy and over done. Drinks are alright.

Was very disappointed! Service was very very patchy, very slow, waiters were rude and couldn't speak English and made continual mistakes on orders. To top it off, it's quite expensive...and overall frustrating experience- will not return!!!!!

We did the all you can eat yum cha on a Friday night and were absolutely bursting afterwards. With value and quality like that I don't know why you would go anywhere else. They even had a dj spinning the beats which added to the already fantastic experience. The apple tea was also the absolute best I've had and the salt and pepper calamari utterly delicious. I'm frankly surprised at the poor reviews I thought it was a brilliant night out

Order a meal today, first time come here since I work this area. Food taste like the chef forgot put salt in it so I have to put some soy sauce.... and also the meal barely has protein and super oily . Point only for the nice service and the food came super fast.

Had dinner here with a friend tonight. Dumplings and wantons were pretty good, Asian mixed greens not bad and vege fried rice too bland. <br/><br/>The worst thing however was that there were sparrows in the restaurant the whole time and one flew across and $hat on my face and left sleeve. Not exactly what you'd expect while sitting inside a nice restaurant. Bad luck on my part but the staff didn't seem to really care. The waitress I talked to seemed somewhat sympathetic but was too busy putting plates back into place. <br/><br/>I wouldn't come back.

Our group of 6 shared the 6 person banquet and found it to be excellent value at $30 per person.  Delicious and varied dishes that were served very quickly and more food than we could finish.  This isn't your stock standard suburban Chinese but a more innovative and modern style of food.  A great selection of teas to complement your meal, we all left very satisfied!

just had yam cha lunch today since i visited 5 years ago. writing this review as i was waiting for next tray service. not many varieties, food was tasted okay. slow tray service, starving… tried to order some dishes but running out at 1:15pm! Paid $37 per person and still felt a bit of empty. Also 1.25% surcharge for credit card…needed to get some cash.<br/>not worth for the money, back to crystal jade.

The service was friendly however the food wasn't great. We ordered a selection of dumplings and they were very average. Not great when you're in the middle of Melbourne CBD. The food also took quite a while to arrive, with several tables who arrived after us being served their food well before us. Wouldn't recommend.

We went out tonight to try the 30 unlimited yum cha. The staff were awesome and polite. Probably best service I have ever had. <br/><br/>However, don't think it's worth $30. Most the food felt like it was frozen and just heated up or steamed. Had an okay experience but probably won't come back again.

$30 all-you-can-eat yumcha. These are the food that you will hardly order or allowed to order if you have Asian parents. But don't get me wrong, it's really delicious. The fillings are so much that half way for this you will filled full (good and bad in some ways lol). We were served more (was told not allowed but they provided more anyways). Excellent service and great food. Will go back!

Just not a winner from me when you consider it has to compete with so many great outlets in the CBD that serve dumplings and smaller plates. Tea is good and a wide selection, as you would hope from the Teahouse name. Decor is nice and it's a pleasant place to dine.

Had come here; the food was below average. Most of the dumplings were a little hard - especially the shu mai as it was a little cold. The wonton soup: while the wonton itself was not bad, the soup was really bland - it tasted kind of like water to be honest. The service was so-so as some staff were good and others not so much.<br/><br/>We walked around to taste some teas and a staff member thought we just walked in - even though he literally just took out order 30 seconds ago. <br/>The Chai is very nice though.

We tried the $30pp unlimited yum cha deal and boy did it satisfy!!!<br/><br/>I would say that if you've been craving all the traditionally popular Chinese yum cha dishes (not including delicacies such as chicken feet etc), you would definitely be satisfying that craving in one hit if you go here.<br/><br/>They also have DJ music playing and it just made the atmosphere fun.<br/><br/>The service is yum cha style, but instead of carrying small trays, they'll be carrying large quantities of food and they'll either place a few pieces of fried goods on a sharing plate on your table, or a small bamboo steamer with 3 steamed dumplings. One thing I will say, the staff are FAST. I can't believe how quickly our plates got refilled; and they were so considerate when we asked for another serving of our favorite dumplings/dishes too.<br/><br/>Food included: pork and vegetarian spring rolls, chilli oil wagyu beef wonton, fried wonton, spring onion pancake, deep fried prawn dumpling, fried pork dumpling, siu mai, prawn and pork dumpling, chicken dumpling, mushroom dumpling, sweet chilli beef, fried calamari, Peking duck wrap (with decent amount of duck in it!), stir fried vegetable, fried rice.. And a few others that I may have forgotten<br/>Dessert includes: egg tart, chocolate sesame ball, steamed custard bun

The Dear Luncher enjoyed a swift luncheon at the CBD branch of The Oriental Teahouse recently. Intentions were to order ala carte, however these plans were scuppered by food arrivals as part of the daily Yum Cha service. Resistance was futile. The provisions supplied were certainly decent, though the service was disorientated and flustered. The price tags however, were the biggest talking points. Overpriced, was the conclusion. Having gorged on similar food offerings in countless other venues, the recommendation to those that take notice of The Dear Luncher's reviews is to talk to your financial adviser.

I only go here for the all you can eat yum cha during Fridays worth $30pp. The price is okay for the selection and flavor of food.<br/><br/>My favorite is the pork bun. You can ask for more than one serving but you have to do this before they leave your table or else you may not get another chance because they only have limited supply of each dish. The servers rarely come back with the same dish.<br/><br/>I love their selection of tea. I have tried three flavors and I liked them all enough to buy a box each time I visit.

Oriental tea house has decent atmosphere and friendly service but for $30p/p I expect better Yam Cha. The food available were mainly fried dumplings and spring rolls, which I can heat up from the freezer section of Coles. Nothing like what their menu suggested. And it's barely all you can eat as the waiters only allowed one portion, which is fine, but that type of food never returns. Do not expect any authentic Yam Cha food that you will find in a legitimate Chinese restaurant. Ordered the prawn and scallop dumplings and had to remind the two different waiters three time for it to arrive at 10 minutes before your session is over. Not worth the money. You can definitely get better food, more choices for equal cost else where. Try sharkfin or golden dragon palace.

It was very quiet which I really appreciated.<br/>The tea selection was broad and the waiter made great suggestions.<br/>The food was also excellent, especially the prawn and ginger dumplings!

Came here to get my dumpling fix for dinner and it delivered! Quite a large tea selection, but a bit expensive for tea. Repeat customer for the food though.

Went here for dinner with a group of 4 on a Friday night. Food was sub par...wasn't very authentic. Dumplings and wontons were very dry and hard to swallow. Food left us very thirsty, questioning how much MSG was used. Some members of the group had the runs right afterwards. On the bright side, staff was very friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was very enjoyable.

Yumcha for dinner???????<br/><br/>Friday night, DJ is pumping his music, $30 all you can eat dumplings (Yumcha style), $20 all you can drink (make sure you are on Public Transport or got an Uber account), cool surrounding, split level, Mezzanine for couples ..... especially that high Bluestone wall.<br/><br/>Great food and very pleasant service, what could you asks for more?<br/><br/>Merchandise area, and they are also actively selling their tea range, 10% off for diners.<br/><br/>Definitely a successful twist to a formidable Chinese meal. <br/><br/>Who doesn't like Yumcha at any time of the day?

For $30, the all you can eat buffet is definately worth a visit. A few too many fried dishes and not enough steamed options for my preference but still fantastic food. Great environment, beats, staff and all. I would love to see a sticky rice option in the future when I come back :)

Two weeks ago I decided to give this place a try and I had the prawn hash browns and the spring onion pancake which I have to say are beautiful. What's unique about this restaurant is how it lives up to it's name because it's more than just a large range of  teas on the menu but a tea shop as well. I cannot give this place more than 3.0 because after the waitress asked me what I'd like to drink, to which I replied "Water please", her absent-mindedness let her down.

This place is surprisingly very, very good! Just popped in here quickly, and so surprised to see the menu consists not only of different fusions of Chinese tea, but also alcoholic cocktails, yum cha and full-sized dishes! Inside was also very large, with an upstairs area that could definitely hold a group for 20+. I just had the sauteed kale and garlic (yummy) and the baked apple sencha green tea, which was super-hot (took a few minutes to come down to drinking temperature) and came in a nice thermal cup with tea filter. Saw the other tables eating and the yum cha food that came out and it looked delicious!  They also have some group banquet meals and yum cha specials. Look forward to coming here for a proper meal next time. Staff were nice and patient as well, and didn't care that we just ordered tea and one dish. This could be one of Melbourne's finer hidden gems. Thumbs up!

Had the yum cha the other night not bad steamed dumplings were a little bland but the sweet beef and wontons were lovely, we went on a Friday night and they had $20 bottomless red and white wine not bad at all good for a large group

The yum cha is average at best, though the prices are steeper than similar restaurants. The teas we tried were excellent, but frankly, there is no point being listed as a yum cha restaurant when the highlight of the restaurant is tea!

Yumcha! Oriental Tea House has a wide array of teas and tisanes to suit every one. They also have delicious yumcha all day long. And if you're like us - we look forward to Tuesdays (Chapel St) & Fridays (CBD) were they have unlimited Yumcha for $30/each. Fave is football dumpling, chicken feet (😱yes!) and raspberry lime tea. Try it to believe.

Went here for a yum cha lunch with 4 adults and 1 child. The service was good, especially one waiter was very friendly. The food was nice. I would recommend the Xiao Long Bao and the Prawn, Roast Duck Dumplings & Shallot Wontons. Very yummy. We had the Ginger & Barley tea as well, it looked beautiful in a glass teapot. There were 3 teas for tasting at the front of the shop, which was very nice as well. It was a very good lunch for about $30 per person (tea only for 2 people). I will definitely come back for the Friday Night all you can eat yum cha for $30!

Group of 20+ for a birthday dinner. We paid $30 each for all you can eat (with the option to pay $20 extra for unlimited wine too). For a vegetarian the options were limited. For a vegan - even worse. Everyone who ate meat was happy & said there was a great variety of food. I was a little disappointed - thank god for the dessert! I filled up on the chocolate & white chocolate dumplings.

Walked in at 2:15 for a late lunch to a near empty restaurant. Got given a a menu. Made my decision in 30 seconds then waited for exactly 10 minutes for one of the eight staff i could see milling around joking to take my order or even bring a drink but no one could be arsed. Walked out. I counted 7 patrons inc myself in the restaurant.<br/>

I visited today as I was craving a Yumcha session and I had a great experience in the outlet in South Yarrah. I haven't been in this outlet since last year and now they don't have Yumcha on Sundays, just on weekdays. Total deflation. Today was just a-la-carte, more deflation.<br/><br/>This place is OK, it doesn't have the vibe and ambience of the SY outlet either. It is comfortable and modern for a weekday lunch or dinner, not as much for a weekend special thingie sort of thing.<br/><br/>The a-la-carte dumplings were expensive and underwhelming. Two dishes with 3 dumplings each and a green tea 22 bucks. What what what! Of course I was hungry,  do you think that six pieces of dumplings would appease my belly? I went elsewhere to feed the monster.<br/><br/>I had the wagyu beef dumplings and the pea leaves and prawn dumplings. They were very nice, but nothing beyond average. My belly has spoken. <br/><br/>I hate their chopsticks. One of those that are really slippery and make me feel clumsy and inadequate. It is not me next table-lady-looking-at-me-making-a-mess, it is the chopsticks. <br/><br/>The guy behind the counter and main waiter was gorgeous, hot and sweet. At least something good!

Really cool place great vibe they had a Dj playing which really made it. Was here with a group of 15 we had the $50 dumpling and wine package which was not bad value for money. Food is OK not a stand out by any means but well worth a try. Would recommend the 8pm sitting on a Friday.

Have your fill down at the Oriental Tea House. Dumplings and more dumplings with a side of dumplings all you can eat $30.0 p/p. Great value for money and has a great range to select from. Have I had better tasting dumplings? Yes. Have I paid less? Yes. But have I had better tasting dumplings for a cheaper price all you can eat in the city? No. Until I have better, gotta rate this place!<br/><br/>Staff here are friendly, there is plenty of them serving and carrying around all sorts of dumplings. In the chaos of the service, they don't do too badly however definitely could do with more improvement and managing sections. Had a wait longer than I usually would tolerate to order a drink and get the bill.<br/><br/>Decor is set up in as you would expect, an Oriental Tea House fit with lanterns, traditional paintings and murals but also has contemporary feels with drops of artwork throughout.<br/><br/>Wouldn't mind giving this place another visit and perhaps trying out their various assortments teas which look visually appealing in their artistic vessels. Till next time, this is Our Foodie Find!

Came here for dinner. The food is tasty and the service is very pushy. The staff were always interrupting our conversation even after we had ordered and started eating our food. Prices are on the high end. The environment has a lovely tea house feel however the staff push you to eat food.

The eight of us at this outlet for lunch. The yum cha is average if taken into account the cost paid. One could get much better yum cha in little Bourke but one will have to concede that we are paying for the ambience of the place until the place is filled with lunch crowd.. I would have to conclude that the food in this outlet is on the high side!!

Yum Cha dinner in a Friday night here for the first time. Got a good table by the window and they started serving immeidatley at 6pm. Loved the chicken and prawn dumplings. The food kept flowing however was a bit upset at the end when we were told they ran out of tarts to serve us as dessert but later saw another table being served with a full tray..<br/>Overall, is if you're looking to have Yum Cha for dinner - give it a go! <br/>

I think maybe once upon a time this place was decent... Not anymore. No atmosphere. Waitress clearly did not want to be there. Almost felt bad for asking for a menu.

This place has a nice atmosphere and the food is great. It is well priced and good serving sizes.<br/>The teapot cocktails are really good! .<br/>

amazing atmosphere to catch up and relax, love the tea selections, however the food is overly priced and only small portions, leaving me hungry (and im a relatively small eater) but the tea fortunately makes up for it :)