A bustling Chinatown classic w/ authentic dim sum & carts! Famous for Peking duck & seafood too.
Step into a classic Cantonese dining experience at Golden Unicorn, a beloved Chinatown institution. This spacious restaurant is renowned for its authentic dim sum, traditionally served from rolling carts, offering a vibrant and interactive culinary journey. Beyond dim sum, they also boast exceptional Peking duck and a variety of seafood dishes, making it a go-to for both casual meals and larger celebrations.
Golden Unicorn is celebrated for its authentic Cantonese dim sum, particularly its traditional cart service. Highly recommended dishes include the Peking duck, small clams in black bean sauce, honey walnut shrimp, and tripe. However, diners seeking to avoid pork should be aware that traditional Cantonese cooking, including some dim sum items like beef balls and pineapple buns, may contain lard. There's also some debate about whether certain items, like tofu pudding, are pork-free. Some users find the overall dim sum quality to be below average compared to other major cities.
"Highly recommended dishes include the Peking duck (often cited as exceptional), small clams in black bean sauce, honey walnut shrimp, and tripe. Other praised items include shrimp rice rolls and pineapple buns."
Customers generally praise Golden Unicorn for its authentic dim sum and classic Cantonese fare, with many recommending the traditional cart service. Some negative feedback exists regarding decor and comparisons to other cities' dim sum scenes.
Important Note
Some traditional Cantonese dishes may contain pork fat or lard, which could be a concern for those with dietary restrictions. There are also mixed opinions on the overall quality when compared to dim sum in other major cities, and comments have been made about the restaurant's decor.
"This commenter mentions Golden Unicorn as a place they are a fan of."
Positive"This commenter suggested Golden Unicorn, noting it's a 10-minute walk from City Hall and popular with kids for its atmosphere and dumplings. They also mentioned it's BYOB."
Positive"Golden Unicorn is suggested as a non-traditional birthday brunch option for dim sum."
Positive"This user believes Golden Unicorn and Jing Fong are far below average compared to dim sum places in other major cities and are not comparable to Din Tai Fung."
Negative"This commenter believes Golden Unicorn and Jing Fong in downtown are much better than Din Tai Fung. Another user strongly disagreed with this comparison."
Neutral"The author states that the Peking duck at Golden Unicorn is the best they've had in the city."
Positive"The author recommends ordering the whole flaming duck at Golden Unicorn."
Positive"The author concurs that the duck at Golden Unicorn was good, despite the abysmal music."
Positive"Despite a dire decor and questionable menu, the Peking duck at Golden Unicorn was exceptionally good, some of the best the author has ever had."
Positive"The user recommended Golden Unicorn for dim sum."
Positive"Golden Unicorn is recommended for dim sum in Manhattan."
Neutral"Golden Unicorn can handle large groups of 40-50 people by using multiple tables of 10. They may even offer screens to create a more private dining space for the group. The commenter believes corkage fees at such establishments are unlikely to be high."
Positive"Golden Unicorn is a large dim sum restaurant that can host banquets and offers customizable menus. They can accommodate large groups by utilizing multiple tables of 10 and sometimes providing screens for a more private feel. Dim sum is traditionally served earlier in the day, but this establishment serves it later."
Positive"The user recommends Golden Unicorn."
Neutral"Golden Unicorn is recommended as a suitable Chinese restaurant option in Chinatown."
Positive"This restaurant was recommended as a suitable option for accommodating a large group of 30 people for an alumni dinner in Manhattan's Chinatown."
Positive"Includes Golden Unicorn among the big dim sum restaurants."
Neutral"Recommended Golden Unicorn."
Positive"Recommends Golden Unicorn for dim sum served on rolling steam carts."
Positive"Recommends Golden Unicorn as a Chinatown dim sum parlor to visit on a weekend morning for the full dim sum cart experience."
Positive
