About
Welcome to Big Dish Restaurant, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Oakland's Chinatown. This delightful spot combines the charm of a classic dim sum experience with the convenience of a quick-service deli. If you’re craving authentic Chinese cuisine without the lengthy wait, Big Dish is your go-to destination.
As soon as you step inside, you'll find a bustling atmosphere full of energy—a place where the community gathers to enjoy delectable bites at wallet-friendly prices. With most dim sum items priced at only $1.10, it's hard to resist trying a little bit of everything. Signature dishes include succulent shrimp dumplings, flavorful chive dumplings, and the ever-popular roasted pork. The portions are generous, and the flavors are spot on!
Customer reviews bring Big Dish's offerings to life, highlighting the quick, friendly service, and fresh ingredients that leave diners coming back for more. One satisfied visitor noted, "the freshest dim sum!" while another exclaimed about the superb har gow and roast duck. These dishes have clearly won the hearts (and stomachs) of many. The unpretentious vibe paired with exceptional food makes it easy to see why Big Dish has quickly become a favorite among locals.
While primarily a takeout spot, there is limited seating available for those looking to dine in. However, it’s worth noting that the atmosphere can get a bit lively and loud during peak hours—just part of the charm! With prompt service and a menu filled with culinary wonders, Big Dish Restaurant stays true to its name by serving up generous portions that satisfy both your hunger and your wallet.
In conclusion, if you find yourself in Oakland craving delicious dim sum or tender BBQ pork, look no further than Big Dish Restaurant. Whether you're grabbing a meal on the run or treating yourself to a leisurely lunch, this spot promises an unforgettable dining experience.
For more information, you can reach them at (510) 839-3188 or visit them at 339 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607. Your taste buds will thank you!
“ We originally wanted to go to a sit down dim sum restaurant but didn't feel like waiting an hour. We found this place by chance, and it did not disappoint. $1.10/pc and they were big and tasty. They also have party trays to order in advance. Staff was friendly and cordial, as well as efficient. This place is really simple but the food was tasty for the price. ”
“ What a classic dimsum takeout place right in the heart of Oakland Chinatown. I found the service to be quick and friendly. Price for most dimsum items was $1.10 each, including pork siu may, har gow (shrimp dumplings), chive dumplings, shrimp pearl dumplings, and many more. Har gow and chive dumplings were delicious, even though the skin/wrapper fell apart with it being a bit too soft. But the flavor was super spot on, especially the shrimp dumplings with good bamboo shoot crunchiness in each bite. To my surprise, my fave was the shrimp pearl dumplings which are essentially shrimp balls covered with a thin layer of sticky rice. Texture was amazing, taste was delicious! I'd get those again, and lots of them next time. I also got their bbq pork (by the pound), and price was pretty competitive at $10 per pound, compared to other competing businesses in the vicinity. The pork was succulent and tasty. I'd get that again for sure as well. I bought a handful of their pan fried sticky rice cake filled with red beans, but they were unfortunately just meh. The sticky rice was way too greasy/oily. $1.20 each. The the shop was very small, so there would not be any space for people to dine in at all. ”
“ Big Dish is a Chinese "deli", where you can get BBQ items (BBQ pork, roast duck, roast pork, etc.) as well as different baked goods (including the seasonal moon cakes) and different dim sum items. What I mean by deli is it's quick and easy, not a fancy meal. Years ago, you could get a container of BBQ meat and rice for $5, I'm sure we're a long ways from there. I like their BBQ pork (cha siu) and roast pork, as something I could use as part of a meal, and also make fried rice with the next day or so. There's also a variety of dim sum you can get (taro cake, shrimp dumplings, etc.) relatively quickly compared to a sit down restaurant. Especially during the lunch rush, they seem to replenish those steamer baskets regularly. I recently got a pound of BBQ pork for about $12 and a pound of roast pork for $19. They're always going to be salty, but they weren't too salty. They accept credit cards with a $25 minimum, these days it's safer not to carry cash/too much cash. Most people just grab the food as takeout, but there is some seating if people ever wanted to eat-in. ”
“ Very friendly staff, fast service, the freshest dim sum! And they have the tastiest chicken feet and har gow I've ever had in my life the roast duck is also superb. Cute lil hole in the wall dim sum spot in Chinatown and the prices are very reasonable! Love this place! ”
“ Plenty of places around downtown Oakland but this is one of the best places for reasonably priced dim sum to go. Other places charge $0.30 to $0.50 more per menu item and not as good. May not seem a lot but it sure does add up if you're buying a box full of bbq buns or sesame balls. Tips: bring cash. I think they have a minimum purchase of $25 for credit cards, and it is a small place and could get really loud sometimes. ”
“ Date: 1/28/2024 Time: 3:15 PM 63° Partly cloudy It was at the recommendation of my sister-in-law to get dim sum pastries from Big Dish instead of going to my usual go-to place in Oakland Chinatown. Okay. There is an event happening in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza. Live entertainment with dancers and singers on the performance stage in celebrating a Chinese New Year event is occurring. Here's my chance to check out Big Dish, which is half a block away. How delightful to see a pastry that my late mom used to prepare for my siblings and me when we were growing up. That pastry is called the chicken cage (gai loong). Oh those wonderful memories of consuming them. Gai loong was something my siblings and I enjoyed many moons ago. Visiting today, the selection was limited to what they have on hand. I can only guess I have to get to Big Dish earlier and not later in the afternoon. The menu board lists all sorts of pastries. Yummy! Big Dish also has roast duck, roast pig and chicken, congee, noodles, rice, etc. The red awning indicates what they serve, and the characters are written in Chinese. I can still read some of the characters, but writing them is a different story. Service is good. The employee was helpful. I basically bought what I wanted. However, I did not see any fried turnip cake. I also should have asked if they had bowl pastries. One of my sisters calls them "flying saucer pastry." They are white and glutinous, shaped like a flying saucer. (Woon dai go) Return visit? Yes! Yes! Yes! ”
“ *** 3.5 stars -*** An option for dim sum located in Oakland Chinatown. Mom likes their steamed chicken and lotus buns here but no lotus buns today...oh well. Ordered a fried taro, steamed black bean pork spareribs over rice, steamed chicken bun and sesame ball. Sesame ball are not the best here as the dough is thick even when they come out fresh and warm from the kitchen. The filling of red bean is different like they added some dried orange peel..different but I prefer the traditional Their dim sum is good and (to me), better than the popular place on Franklin (spot with the peach on the window and noodles displayed). The issue I have at this spot is order taking is a bit chaotic so takes longer to get your items and leave Cash and credit card accepted. Some street parking if lucky so park in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza garage. Entrance on each side on Franklin and Webster between 10/11th Streets $6 for 2.75 hr parking on a Saturday ”