Old habits die hard, this is an good old fashion yum cha joint with quality food and decent service. Been a few times and although I've been burnt once or twice generally they try pretty hard to please their patrons. Food is great and it came at good pace/intervals. Prices have gone up though, expect $35-45 no booze.
Classic yum cha. Service was good, prices on par with my usual Sydney experiences, i love tripe but wasn't a fan of this version, cooked well texturally but lacked flavour. Enjoyed all the other dishes.
Went there on a Sunday afternoon around 130pm, there was no line as it was pretty late for yum cha. However, there're still plenty of varieties left on the carts. The food was really really good and everything was served warm!!
The only downside is that some of the older waitresses (cantonese-speaking) are kinda rude. But I think that's how it works in a chinese restaurant right 😅
Overall, I'd definitely go back for its food despite the not-so polite waitresses (just one of them, not all)
This is one of the best yum cha places I have ever tried.
Every dish was delicious, the service was amazing. We got there at 11am when it just opened so we are easily seated straight away which I recommend. They also have non-stop trolleys which is seriously so great!
This place is a must go in melb!!
The food is very nice, this place would be my first choice when I want yum cha.
Shark Fin House has climbed the ranks to become my favourite place for yumcha!
The first thing I think of when I think yumcha is the rolling carts with steaming hot dimsum in a billion varieties. Shark Fin House delivered this & more... for once in my life I had the comfort of the regular dimsum dishes that I knew, and the curiosity to try new ones! Most of the new dishes were a hit, a testament to how good the dishes at Shark Finn House was.
The service was quick, especially in the 2 hour slot you're allocated. Flag one of the many bustling servers around for something special (we requested chilli oil and water) and be amazed at the quick delivery.
Make sure you call to book your table beforehand as well!
The one thing that didn't make me smile was the mango pudding. It wasn't the gold lead standard of orange jiggly paste in an ocean of evaporated milk, but rather a cup of stoic solemness. M00d.
Nonetheless, Shark Fin house still gets my crown 👑.
This place has good yum cha and always busy on the weekend, the price is good too and food is fresh. Service is average.
The crisp on the pineapple bbq pork bun is thick and super satisfying, despite from the onion in the bbq pork bun fill, everything is excellent.
Whenever I want yum cha in the city this is the only place I will go to. Hits the spot every time! I could feel like I'm over eating but we always only end up paying no more than $30 per person! So good!
This a great yumcha spot in china town! We went on Mother’s Day weekend and the staff were super friendly and gave all of the mothers a rose.
The food was also delightful. They had items that you wouldn’t usually have a local yumcha restaurants such as congee, laksa soup and noodles, but they also had the yumcha classics - hargow, dumplings, etc.
Excellent yum cha, great service, non-stop trolleys that ensure your table is constantly filled with steaming hot baskets of dumplings. The custard buns were really good.
This restaurant has been part of Melbourne’s Chinese food scene for a few decades. The yum cha or dim sum lunch is one of the best in town. Very busy restaurant and there are a few levels.
Was at this restaurant with my whole family ( 12 persons) for yum Cha at 1.30pm session. They serves 11.30 am and 1.30pm. We were allocated to 2nd floor level and a nice table overlooking the little Bourke St. The yum Cha at this restaurant has no complaints, good food and efficient staffs. We ordered extra large plate of seafood fried noodles to fill our stomach before leaving. Everyone is happy. This restaurant is our usual destination for dining in too. We love this place, nice food and good ambience. ( 8 June 2019).
Been there few times and always nice staff and great serving for customers. But just one thing should check that bit burn taste the fried rice. Anyway others were good good!
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We came here on a Saturday night. We made a reservation via Zomato but when we got there the restaurant told us they did not receive our booking as they have been having a problem with Zomato bookings. Nevertheless they quickly arranged for us to be seated immediately. The service was great and the staff were really friendly and the food came out really quickly.
We ordered crab noodles with ginger and spring onion sauce. The crab was fresh and sweet and the noodles soaked up that sauce and was very delicious. We also ordered stir fried spinach with garlic which was very fresh and cooked well. We also got an egg tofu dish with prawns which was also yummy. We also got the sizzling pepper beef - the sauce was very addictive and the beef very tender. The dish that I wasn’t too keen on was the braised duck with mushrooms and bok choy. the mushrooms were cooked really well in Chinese rice wine and the duck was very tender however it had a powdery texture which I wasn’t a fan of. They then served us red bean soup as dessert which was good but too sweet for my liking. A great place for good Chinese food and crab noodles!
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Dinner review:
It’s been a long time since we’ve been back for dinner at Shark Fin House, and I can confirm that it is still my favourite Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown! Not only is the food cooked really well here, but it is reasonably cheap for the quality and the service is exceptional.
Their best dish we’ve tried has to be the drunken chicken! It’s cooked so well and the flavours are spot on. Also highly recommend the honey glazed fillet mignon and the braised eggplant. Their spicy Sichuan fish soup was pretty average, but otherwise you really can’t go wrong with any of their dishes!
Highly recommend this restaurant for traditional Cantonese - you won’t be disappointed.
Yum Cha review:
One of the earliest establishments in Chinatown, and still serving the best yum cha in Melbourne. We booked here for a yum cha session from 11-1:30 for a group of 12, and we were very satisfied and well-taken care of the whole time.
The service is very attentive, and the food is delicious. We tried an extensive amount of dishes this visit, but our must-tries every time are definitely the Liu Sha Bao (golden lava bun), century-egg congee, and the prawn toast. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classic siu mai and har gow!
Overall, we had a wonderful meal here, and the bill was very reasonable for the amount of food we ordered. Would definitely recommend Shark Fin House for a good yum cha fix!
A nice lunar New Year dinner with the family. You can never go wrong with Shark Fin House. The quality consistency is amazing. The ambience and atmosphere is a little bit rundown. But the food is always fresh and tasty.
We came here for Chinese New Year dinner because we heard Shark Fin's Low Sang is one of the best in Melbourne.
The Cantonese style main dishes and desserts are amazing here.
I have been here for yumcha, dinner and supper a few times.
Will definitely come back again for Chinese New Year dinner.
It is the best Yum Cha I know in CBD！ 每次必点：鲜虾肠粉和凤爪。牛筋，流沙包和奶黄包也很好吃😋哈哈哈啊哈哈哈哈哈哈哈啊啊哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈啊哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈
This is my place to go for yumcha craving!
Went here for family reunion for luncheon.
Great selection of yumcha, fresh yet tasty.
I really loved the porridge, dumplings, unfortunately the suckling pig wasnt ready.
It's my favaourite.
The service was really good. Recommended!!
I came here for my birthday. The highlight dishes for me was their tripe, abalone and eggplant. Service was a bit slow but it was expected for Chinese restaurant. You go there for their food not necessarily their service.
It's been our go to place for a group yum cha for many years now. And on the last visit, it still hadn't disappointed us. The price was all right and they had plenty of dumplings, fried stuffs, balls, parts of animals that normally you wouldn't eat outside yum cha and of course dessert to choose from. Before, they were quite keen to push us away once we finished eating, but on the last visit we actually got a decent time to chat among ourselves over a pot of tea. It was surely a welcomed change.
Always a must-have when our family comes to visit! The food is very authentic, not to mention they serve up the best lobster noodles in town 👌 It’s also BYO which is always a plus!
Dinner with family - 8 dishes of golden salted egg prawns, tofu seafood claypot, vege dish, roast platter, siizzling deer dish, abalone with vege, beef and vege and egg tofu dish. Very filling for eight people!
The ambience was comfortable and the food is nice. the mvp go to chicken feet and the egg custard bun, i could say it’s one of the best i have ever eat so far in melbourne. The rest was taste nice as well. Buy they have less choice since their delivery was too slow compare to other place.
- Ah, shark fin house! Despite the controversial name that may trigger some environmental fanatics, it’s a great place for yumcha (if you don’t actually order shark fins).
- It quite close to Jade so I guess there is obligatory comparison. Being Cantonese myself I love the traditional Cantonese hospitality spirit here. The food may not seem *as* polished as the other side, but it’s nevertheless great.
- However dinner menu would probably get beaten by Jade. It’s okay, but not thrilling.
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I love having sharing dishes with my partner because... food envy is a real thing guys! The great thing about Hot Pot is that you get to share everyone’s dish! My experience of Hot Pot at Shark Fin House was actually on another level, literally. Taken to the second floor of the restaurant and seated in a seperate room, the focus was directly on the bubbling giant pot in the centre of the table, with various quality options surrounding it. We had our broth split down the middle; one side was a rich and earthy chicken broth and other side was a exciting sate flavour! Both delicious. If I had to pick my favourite ingredients for the hot-pot it would have to be the fresh prawn balls as it just seemed to really soak up much more flavour and you can cook it to the perfect level of juiciness. A little secret the waiters shared was to not forget the restaurants specialty XO sauce. We ordered this and got a little carried away, ordered a few more and even added it on top of our appetiser prawn crackers! On the flip side, and by far my favourite, were the uber delicious slices of wagyu of which are what really made this Hot Pot stand out.. mmm those succulent and marbled slices of wagyu. We loved everything we tried, but discovered that you need a trial run to get the cooking times right. So this ones on you! I had a lovely time experiencing Hot Pot at Shark Fin House and would definitely recommend it for any occasion.
Shark Fin house is a solid place to have yum-cha on a nice Sunday morning. I love the selection that they have, especially their chicken feet - great! Their food is definitely delicious!
I would say that the quality service is not always consistent, as I have had days where the staff were super friendly and helpful however some days you just can't seem to get anything you ask for. Overall, still a very great place for yum-cha!
Went for noodles with crab and ended up having the $58/person banquet. Terrific value and lots of food. Excellent and very well priced wine list. Food highlights were the mud crab with ginger, shallots and noodles as well as the tempura style chicken. Beef was tender but a bit too sweet. Service was a little rushed and could have been a bit more refined (e.g. don’t spill the wine when pouring, place plates into clean up bins a little more carefully to reduce noise). Would definitely go back.
Quality dim sum at a good price - go to the 11am sitting for freshness guaranteed and next level hustle and bustle for a genuine yum cha experience. Yes it’s busy and the service borderline brusque, but you can’t beat this Chinatown stalwart.
Have been coming to Shark Fin house for over 10 years now and it is always fantastic, food is always good and the staff are really attentive. Book in advance if you can as it will be busy especially Sunday. Does not disappoint!
Been here twice. Service was impeccable and everything was beyond satisfactory. I feel pretty lucky that neither time I had to wait for a table, which was quite unusual for a busy restaurant. Saw lots of Cantonese eating there so it must be good.
One of the better Chinese restaurants of Melbourne. always exceptionally good services with food to match. definitely worth booking to ensure your spot.
With every option you'd expect from a good restaurant, always a good option for a dinner in the CBD.
A contender for best yum cha in Chinatown. Seafood is beautiful and has much better food than some of the other places. The service is quality and good for a family.
I don't go to yumcha often so my standards for yumcha isn't very high!
Everything we had was delishhh apart from the mango soup?? that kinda just tasted like canned mango+melon soup? Some dishes were a little salty, but that's just yumcha I guess!
Had a good feast here :')
Very good food, good service , especially the golden prawn, better than what I can eat in Asia. Very fresh, I am amazed by how they can deep fried something but it can be so juicy in the inside
Flew down from Sydney and was recommended to eat at this joint. Paid an exorbitant amount of money for a jug of OJ priced at a juicy $28 and a small plate of fried rice for $14. $498 lobster deal was too good to be true. They show you the 3kg lobster but the sashimi comes out on a bed of ice without the head. Highly suspect that some sort of switcheroo took place behind scenes when the second course arrived. Regularly wine and dine clients, this place I won't visit again.
Shark Fin is still my gold standard for yum cha restaurants (in Melbourne). I love the buzzing and bustling atmosphere, the cornucopia of dishes. Everything is tasty and fresh. The service is brusque but efficient. Dishes were cleared away speedily, tea was topped up constantly and new plates were provided without any prompting. There is a bit of a language barrier, which only makes ordering more exciting. Do try the durian egg tarts and walnut cake! They’re divine.
Used to visit here for special occasion dinner with friends. A bit more on the upper scale of Chinese restaurant, but it was worth it. Love their off menu dish the most, 'Xiang Xu Baiku'. Crispy battered pork ribs with light dressing. Really aromatic and burst with flavor.
Shark Fin House has the best BBQ pork buns in town! The traditional yum cha with a variety of dim sims and dishes are served from trolleys. You can also pre-order some of the dishes if you want. Service in general is good. They are always busy so make sure you make a booking.
A great Dim Sum place that probably is closest to the ones I used to have back home. Sure, some of the textures and flavours were a little sub par, but compared to other place? This was one was great. The staff was surprisingly really friendly which was a definite plus! The chong fen was good and it's the first place that I've been in Melbourne that sells these. Was so excited when I saw it carted around!
Great cheap yum cha place in the city.
We were here on a Saturday morning with a table for two pre-booked and were quickly escorted to our table on arrival.
We tried multiple yumcha dishes and they were all good. The chicken feet were soft and balancely marinated. All the steamed ha cao were made with fresh ingredients inside a firm and smooth skin.
We also tried multiple type of pastries. They were all balanced in taste with the right texture (i.e. crunchy for baked buns, and smooth and tender for steam buns).
One bad dish was the prawn rice rolls. The prawns were fresh and plumb but the rice rolls were starchy and did hold well.
The price seem to be slightly cheaper than other yum cha places. Service was standard and efficient enough. Overall, it's a good place for yum cha but probs not the best.
Food was nice especially the custard bun and tart.
The service was great too
Especially the waitress name as Jenny.
Good service!keep it up👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Today Father's Day , everywhere if without any booking then please wait more 30 minute for breakfast/ lunch . Finally come over here the manager totally excellent and experience solve my problem , cheers !!! food dim sum not bad , and the price reasonable too . Thumbs up .
Stopped in for a big yum Cha for 14 people on a Sunday. I was disappointed we were stuck on a few round tables poorly and barely put together despite booking weeks in advance. I got over it when the food started coming thick and fast,.. there was plenty and most of it was good (though the worst yum Cha "footballs" I've ever had, cold and oil logged and the calamari could've been fresher). Orders were taken for some extra dishes. Then, as fast as it began, it suddenly stopped. By abut 2.30 (if that) the trolleys were few and between, so we moved to dessert to be told many dishes had run out, the bill was totalled before we finished and it was clearly time to go. I had enough food, though wouldn't say I was "chockers" - well priced at under $25 per head but next time I'd go the first Sunday session!!!!
A Melbourne establishment. Good consistent quality in yum Cha dishes. This place can get busy, so be prepared to queue. As with most Chinese restaurants, service is prompt and efficient, if a bit impersonal.
Came here for dinner, and was seated on level 2. The service was really good. The food is really tasty, We ordered half a peking duck and the waiter wraps the pancake for us.
Very efficient service and cosy environment, especially if seated on the second floor. The food is very delicious and boasts a plethora of options.
The pork and chicken buns, in particular, were a family favourite. There is also great room to try more exotic foods, such as chicken feet.
There can be a slight language barrier and slight difficulty in consistently understanding what some options were.
Definitely recommended for large groups.
Shark Fin House is an institution of China Town. The food is very high quality. We had scallops, beef, prawns and crispy skin chicken. All dishes hit the mark and were delicious. Service is first class with attentive and skilled wait staff. The prices are on the expensive side so whilst you may feel heavier your wallet will feel lighter!
had a nice little dim sum lunch yesterday, love the liu sar pau which means runny salted duck egg buns! They are the only one of few in Melbourne CBD that do it well. The Lo Mai Kai - glutinous rice was amazing too. So flavoursome. A tad bit on the salty side this time Shark Fin House! But apart from that, great!
Came here for Dim Sum with my family. I would highly recommend their shark's fin dumpling, fried carrot cake, Liu Sah pau, egg custards and glutinous rice. Would definitely come back again.
An old restaurant in China town and famous in Melbourne. Yum cha is available in the lunch time. Sea food is nice here. Service is okay. Lots of choices.
Good place to eat. Authentic Chinese food, unique way of serving.
Great pork dishes, as are the egg cupcakes and the tasty desserts.
Try the chicken legs if you're feeling quite adventurous.
Worth a few visits since the place is really economical.
Had the usual dumpling offer at Shark Finn, after all these years I do feel they have a really large range. It is an institution for a reason as all the dumplings are spot on. I also tried for the first time the mango and tapioca 'soup' dessert. It was delicious and really refreshing, my friend even had two serves...yikes!!
We have been here 2 years ago. This restaurant achieved many awards. So, we came back on this trip.
Love the food! We ordered chicken and beef..
Yeeha yum cha. I've been coming here for years for super traditional tasty yummy cha cha. Ask any Chinese person you know where they recommend for authentic Chinese food and they will likely suggest Shark Finn House. One of the most popular spots in China town it is always super busy so ensure you book. Atmosphere wise it's probably a cut above your average Chinese restaurant in terms of service (but still don't expect too much) and the fish tanks add a little something to the decor. A must try melbourne institution
We came here to have dinner and when we got the menu and saw the vast number of items, we just agreed to the pre set banquet for 2. It satisfied, filled us up and made our tummies very happy. The san choi bao were clean and crisp, the calamari were fresh and not oily, the soup was refreshing, the beef soft and fried seafood very filling. I would suggest that the seafood needs to be stir fried rather than fried as it was a heavy end to the meal.
The dessert was our only disappointment. It was a scoop of shop bought ice cream and this coconut jelly thing which we weren't even hungry for which was good because we didn't like the texture of the smooshy and almost sponge like jelly.
The best yumcha I've had. The sumai and prawn dumplings were perfect. Dumplings didn't break or look close to breaking every time you picked them up. This place is generally busy on a weekend so good to get in early. But if you're a fan of yumcha and you're in the city, would definitely recommend. Please try the chicken feet.
Shark Finn house is a staple of Melbourne's China Town. Widely considered one of the top Chinese eateries in the area, and I would have to agree.
The yum Cha is very consistent, and of a high quality. The service is good, and the interior is very Chinese. The fish tanks are also a great addition.
Dinner here is also quality, with the duck a highlight.
The only place for yum-Cha in the cbd in my opinion. Chicken's feet and char sui pork buns are lip smackingly good. The oolong tea there was great too. Don't have too many plates though - those little dishes add up fast. Have been several times and would go again.
Last visit Nov 2016
I have been a couple of times with friends and family - and I definitely rate it above average. It has the old school feel for yum cha; you can sense its long time existence as a Chinatown anchor tenant... from the old stainless steel trolley stores to the pushcart servers, it really is a blast from ye olde past!
Verdict: Nostalgic old school yum cha done competently. Value for money not bad. I think it certainly rates a small cut above the rest.
High quality seafood restaurant, one of my favourite lobster restaurant, 广东菜式，主打海鲜，but deco inside slightly dated, 包房需要装修下，菜式正宗，味道鲜美，price wise mid to high spenders
👍 I believe by far this is the best place in Melbourne for Yum Cha
👎 Sometimes when you order a specific dish, it can be not hot enough. It's pricy for Yum Cha
😊 Will I Go Back.... 110%
It used to be my favorite Yum cha in Melbourne. High quality food, friendly staff and reasonable price. But with more new Yum cha restaurants open, more choices I have. I would consider the dining environment as well. I prefer spacious restaurant. Here, tables are so close.
Went today with a group of 4. The restaurant looks really busy since they are now having a lobster & Abalone promotion.
We didn't have the combo since we can't finish that much . However the lobster we had tonight is quite fresh and chewy (in a good way ) , goes perfectly with the spring onions and gingers fried egg noodles. We also tried few of the limited edition special, which are quite nice too.
Do : The Cantonese taught me , if you ordered the fried prawn crackers, do eat with the xo sauces. I tired , it really is . Better than eat the crackers it's self 😉
Solid. The staff was very attentive and we felt they were genuinely happy we were there. Every dish we ordered was good, with the special scallop fried rice being the standout. We were happy with our experience overall (and I’m very thankful that the staff put up with my poor Chinese). :,)
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Sweet memories from forty years ago when I was a kid. Used to go here every second weekend as a kid, with the food being nothing short of superb. Fast forward to 2022 and Shark Fin Inn still stands and still serves up outstanding fare. I was with my 10 year old daughter this time and took her out to dinner here, having told her about the beautiful memories I had of the restaurant. Can honestly say things hadn’t changed. The service was just outstanding and the food just mouthwatering. Between us we had the entree of chicken skewers, for mains the Mongolian lamp (oh yeah baby), lemon chicken (so so good) and steamed rice. To see a 10 year old kid fall in love with the smells and taste was so satisfying. The owner of the restaurant was there and was so accommodating and pleased to hear that 40 years on I brought my daughter. You do have plenty of Chinese restaurant options in Melbourne but give this one a try first. You won’t be disappointed. Excellent service, delicious food and competitive prices. Thankyou to everyone at Shark Fin Inn.
Senior Pretty Girl Jenny
+5
Great place to eat seafood! We ordered one lobster for two persons, and that lobster was LARGE!! Staff is also very kind. We’ll be there again.
A great place for dim sum and lunch whenever you are in the city. Very near to Parliament station. Attentive staff, quick service despite busy lunchtime and delicious food. Can’t go wrong!
Came in for Yum cha and was impressed with their different types of dim sums. Prices are higher but you pay for the quality. Services is good nothing short but impressive. Would definitely be back. The only criticism I have is the toilets is dated and no change tables if you are a young parent 😬
Overall 8/10.
Not bad. Not as good as secret kitchen but just solid yum cha. Has all the favourites: Cheung fan, siu mai, har gao, ham sui gok, fongjau/gaigeuk, char siu (charn ) bao. It was just above average yum cha, nothing that blows your mind. Will come back when taking people for traditional yum cha
The best egg tart ever and the truth Hong Kong style ever. Pastry is very fluffy and egg custard is really delicious. This is one of the rare egg tart that almost disappear in Melbourne. Beef meatball and beef mixed pieces are so yummy and lots of flavor. The chicken feet and pork rib rice is so soft and delicious. The price is normal and their yum cha food are always high quality even during lockdown. Very impressive :)
Four Stars 🌟.
Two people for Tuesday Yum Cha lunch. Total Bill @ $100.20.
Amazingly tasty, the food and service was very pleasant and prompt.
The Floor Manager was really service orientated, with awareness of pouring us Jasmine tea at the ripe times.
The waitresses were all pleasant and well mannered.
Top dishes recommended:
Chicken Feet, they were the largest and tastiest I'd had in a while anywhere!
The Scallop and Tofu Dim Sums,
The Steamed Rice Flour Rolls with Prawns (need to special order),
The Yellow Custard Bun for dessert were amazing! (need to special order).
They were fresh, steaming hot, fluffy and the custard inside was gorgeous.
Totally hit the Spot. ❤️🍮👌
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