19/10/2016

• 9 check-ins
• ROTD 28/10/2016

King of Kings has been a Yum Cha favourite of mine for YEARS! Have been coming here for 10+ years now, and will keep going back.

Good variety of standard yum cha dishes on the menu - and a good selection of specialty dishes too. Can't go past a BBQ pork steamed bun or the pork and prawn shu mai. Also particularly love the sesame and chili green beans, calamari and the steamed Asian greens (typically kai lan) with oyster sauce.

Service is a bit slower during weekday lunch service, but come here on a Saturday or Sunday lunch / brunch and you could be waiting up to an hour to be seated. You can either order yum cha off the menu, or wait for the carts to come around and make your selection from up to 6 dishes on the carts. Sometimes its hit and miss trying to understand the wait staff who don't speak a lot of English - but hey, sometimes that's half the fun.

Haven't had a bad experience here yet, and love bringing friends here for yum cha - especially yum cha newbies!

20/10/2018

Fortitude Valley institution
This Fortitude Valley institution used to be our go-to place for yum cha.  The service is still good & the atmosphere is great with the staff wheeling the dim sum trolleys between the tables.  But I thought the dumplings were a little bit too big and tasteless.  We'll be going to Sunnybank for yum cha in future.

5/10/2018

There was hair in our dim sum. When telling them, they didn't apologise. Instead the asian waitress rolled her eyes. Then the manager came and just said "sorry" (his actual words, nothing else he mentioned, just a plain "sorry", not even an "I AM" sorry or "WE ARE" sorry.)
Disgusting asian food in Brisbane. Eat somewhere else.

26/9/2017

• 1 check-in

I've come here off and on for years and always loved the dining experience- not so today.
Came in at 1.00pm with my Mother for Yum Cha lunch and was severely disappointed with the service and the food.

We were greeted warmly by one waitress and the hostess who seated us at a greasy, not incredibly clean table. Before she left I notified the waitress that I had a severe shellfish/crustacean allergy. She nodded and said she understood and then went over and grabbed the other waitress who was wheeling around the cart of food and told her about my allergy. She nodded also then offered me a Pork and Prawn dumpling... I politely declined and said I was allergic. She then offered me Chicken and Prawn, Prawn and Coriander, the list went on. My Mother grabbed some of the Prawn dumplings (she isn't allergic) and said they were awesome!

We waited a little longer for another cart but instead a waitress came to us with a menu and said we needed to order off of it as it wasn't busy enough for them to have the usual service. I know that this means that the food is fresh, which is a good thing, but the main reason we came to King of Kings was to have proper Yum Cha. We were in plenty of time for the usual service (12.55pm to be exact) and even if it was quiet we should have been forewarned that they were changing to ordering off the menu when we first walked in, not ten minutes after.

I still ordered some food (I was starving) but I was really annoyed by this point. I haven't been to Yum Cha in years and this was a special treat for my Mum and I while I was in town from LA. The BBQ Pork Buns were okay, the Chicken Dumplings were delicious and the Beef Rice Paper Rolls were a little weird.

Thoroughly disappointed in King of Kings and will not be returning.

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  Chicken Dumplings and BBQ Pork Buns

  Chicken Dumplings and BBQ Pork Buns

4/10/2016

Gotta love Brisbane where you can book for yum cha!!

Came here 7 years ago & it's was great to hear that this was my guests favourite yum cha as well as bumping into someone who I was at yum cha here 7 years ago - just goes to prove the place is a staple.

The staff kept forgetting our drinks which was a little bit disappointing.

Some of the dumplings come out on big trays & the staff serve it onto plates when you order, which is a little bit different.

There's a menu which you can order from.  They range is HUGE!!  Was disappointed that they didn't put this on the table to begin with & I only saw it at the end, when it was near closing & I had to order some take away, did they bring the menu.  If only I had known!!

The range on the menu is waaaay better than what they have on their trolleys.

Loved that I got to engage with the owner as I paid to leave.  

Definitely know where I will go to yum cha next time I'm in BrisVegas.

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  Har gou

  Har gou
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  Tripe anyone?

  Tripe anyone?
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  Steamed dumplings

  Steamed dumplings
• See all photos from Tina R. for King of Kings Seafood Restaurant

14/2/2016

• 1 check-in

Came here for dim sum (yum cha) with my friend this weekend for lunch. It is located around the corner from the main Chinatown alley and on the 2nd level. They have a huge hanging sign so it wasn't difficult to find.

The decor of the place is pretty typical of Chinese restaurants that doubles for a banquet hall - red carpet, red walls, mirrors on the walls, and a stage. Nothing of particular note to that, just that most things are on the more used side including the silverware. To be safe I would take the time to wipe down the utensils, cups, and plates before using it.

Food wise it was okay, nothing special. Small plates were $4.5 which includes things like Steam Buns, fried taro, and the likes. Some other plates were $5.5 for medium, and $6.5 large/premium dishes. They also had bbq plates which includes roasted duck and BBQ pork for $9.5. Most of it by the time it got to use was either cold or lukewarm... which was very disappointing.

Service was also on the okay side. Was greeted and seated immediately after entering. Tea was brought promptly. Unfortunately they only had 2-3 carts half empty carts going around. If you know what you want, ask for a menu to order from. They also have take away containers if you need it.

Overall come here if you are nearby... otherwise spend the extra time to go to Sunnybank for much better food.

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  Fried rice, roasted duck, and veggies.

  Fried rice, roasted duck, and veggies.

8/1/2017

What a disappointment, we have not been to this restaurant for years and what a disaster today was. So looking forward to some good dumplings pork buns etc but did not happen.
The beer was the best thing on the menu we tried the duck and something that was masquerading as dumplings, could not eat it, paid the extremely expensive bill, for what we had, and left.
Never to return such a shame it used to be so good, a large crowd queuing on the stairs waiting for a table, not today, that should have been a warning sign.

18/6/2016

Disappointing Yum Cha.
Staff were friendly, that's what the second star is for. That's all they get.
Should have been a warning sign when we walked in and there were no Chinese patrons!
Every dish had the quality and flavour as though it came out of a frozen packet. I'm betting it actually was. The pork buns even had a burnt colour on them - um, aren't they supposed to be steamed? They were, but...???
Leave this place off your radar.

3/10/2014

• 1 check-in

To be honest, it probably worth a little more than three stars, but not quiet 4...

If you're looking for a spot for a quiet intimate dinner at 8pm on a Friday night, then King of Kings is probably not for you. Actually it's defintately not for you.

There's nothing wrong with King of Kings if you get the mix right. If you're in a big group and you're BYOing I'd say it's probably one of the better options for you.

The room is big and loud, the staff move quick and there's obviously a lot of top quality systems in place.

So, if you're looking for a quick feed before heading out on the town and you don't want to think about how the food is made or if "love" is the secret ingredient. Then head to King of Kings. Kylie Kwong isn't really sure about what's going on at King of Kings but that's ok!

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  Sesame prawn toasts

  Sesame prawn toasts
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  Sweet and Sour Pork

  Sweet and Sour Pork
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  Fried Rice

  Fried Rice

29/9/2012

I've been lazing about for the past few days, which will probably come with consequences pretty soon since exam week is coming up - but we were craving yum cha, so we tried to "research" the Brisbane area.  The choices are really quite meager, as we found a few places scattered around, but none that seemed to be particularly popular.  Since we decided yum cha was what we wanted, we decided that we wouldn't set our expectations very high, and just go for the best one we could find [with best being most convenient and decent].

Our search landed us in the center of Chinatown in the Valley, at King of Kings Seafood, a place pretty much the epitome of Chinese restaurants - with the live fish and the big round tables.  When we got there at about 1pm, it was actually rather packed.  There were groups of families - both Asian and non [I mention this because it may just as well be a gauge to how authentic a restaurant is], and the place remained busy even as we were leaving since the place serves dim sum till late.  Also, because there were constantly diners coming in and out, some of the yum cha that was being reeled around was pretty fresh!

The food was as expected - decent - but not great.  Everything was very standard, and the cha siu pastry was not too bad, but I don't recommend the taro cake (?-), which was way too dry and didn't taste much like taro.  The duck that we had was also a bit dry, which disappointed me, since duck is a very forgiving meat.  Overall, it was not a bad experience, and the waitresses were very friendly, but it was a bit pricey.  We got quite a bit of food and were filled to the brim, but it was a bit over $20 for each of us - and I don't know if I can get used to restaurants here charging for tea per person.

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  Roast Duck

  Roast Duck

19/8/2015

• 2 check-ins

Food is amazing. Mongolian lamb, sweet and sour pork - My favourite in all of china town. The actual restaurant is a little shabby so don't bring anyone here if you wanna impress them. But food so good.

31/1/2016

• 1 check-in
• ROTD 17/2/2016

Coming from Melbourne, I'm used to the hustle and bustle of a quick-turnaround yum cha service, complete with carts hurrying past and short but polite responses. Not having a car to travel to Sunnybank has left our dumpling experiences a little lacking, until now.
A great selection of fried and non-fried items including old favourites and some as-yet-unseen-by-me options, with Shanghai pork dumplings, prawn and scallop dumplings, and filled rice noodles all highlights. Red bean sesame balls also a winner, not as oily as others I have had so definitely recommended. I noticed a good balance of Asian vs Caucasian diners - I always rate a plate on whether those of the native cuisine are into it, and King of Kings definitely attracts the good kind of crowd.
Go hungry, on the weekends there isn't a specific time for sittings so you can turn up whenever, power through a few bamboo baskets, and roll out very satisfied.
Minimum $15 spend per person, $20 minimum on card transactions, Amex accepted. Solo-diner friendly (if you're hungry!)

20/7/2014

• 1 check-in

As far as yum cha goes, King of Kings has to be some of the best in Brisbane.

I am a pretty regular customer here, I love waking up late on the weekend (often hungover) knowing that I can take my sweet time dragging myself out of bed and into the valley because they serve late!

I have tried most things on the trolley menu and am yet to be disappointed. Everything is fresh, succulent and piping hot. If you can't find something you like on one of the numerous trolleys, they will cook to order as well.

It can get pretty packed here which doesn't affect the quality of food but depending on where you are seated you may find yourself at the end of the trolley line with only scraps to choose from. If this happens you're probably better off flagging someone down and ordering off the menu.

My boyfriend and I will completely stuff ourselves stupid, order a non alcoholic cold drink as well as bottomless tea and we have never paid for than $45 for the two of us.

Seriously awesome yum cha at seriously awesome prices!

2/8/2015

In my opinion half the fun of yum cha is looking at all the dishes that pass you by in the wheeled carts. Ordering off a menu simply will not suffice for me. Luckily this place does traditional yum cha (or dim sum as we would call it back in the US) and it is quite good. We enjoyed all of our steamed and fried dumplings (of which there is a ton of variety - we had at least 10 types at our table and had to watch many other types of dumplings and buns sadly pass our line of sight due to the limited capacity of our stomachs). The sautéed green beans and greens with oyster sauce are also nice vegetable dishes to accompany the rich dumplings. Now, for the adventurous eaters, this place also does chicken feat. I've tried them once before and probably won't do so again, but I do like to see it being wheeled around as a sign of authenticity (and also so I can brag to my dining compatriots that I have tried them before).

As far as desserts go, definitely get the stuffed mango pancake, two delightful yellow pancakes wrapped in the shape of pillows filled with whipped cream and mango puree. If you love whipped cream, you'll think you have died and gone to heaven with this dessert. I'd say this place is on par with the better dim sum restaurants in the US. I've had better, but this place is tasty.

14/4/2015

• 1 check-in

The tolerance of this staff is amazing. The entire restaurant is filled with groups of drunk twenty something's who find it hysterical to order birthday drinks so the entire restaurant starts singing happy birthday.

Great food, great night out, just be prepared for a lot of alcohol at every table.

28/3/2014

• 3 check-ins

Yum Cha is always a good catch for brunch with friends!

The prices are ranging from $4.50 to $6.50. The prices and food portions are reasonable, however the tastiness is not hitting the pitch of my Yum Cha's standards.  

After a split, it's about $15 per person for 4 hungry people with about 10 bamboo baskets of Yum Cha.

I recommend you for BBQ pork golden pastry, not the bun ones because it was cold. Some dishes are disappointing because they are cold or else the flavours will be bombarding in my mouth.

My next trip there is to try their seafood menu. So I'm looking forward....

22/11/2013

• ROTD 29/12/2013

It's in the city and it is yum cha, so those are two positive points right there. If you want traditional dim sum and you don't want to go far, this is the place for you. The servers are very friendly, and I would go so far as to say that their customer service is well above par.

The food is ok. Everything was competently made, and tasted right. I wouldn't use the word "excellent"... It's a subtle complaint, I know, but there was a certain flavorfulness that was missing.

The variety is very good, and they push around the traditional carts, which is fun. Unfortunately the tablecloths are old and stained, the carpet is worn, and the dinnerware is stressed to the point of failure (our teapot, for instance, was badly cracked at the spout so that the tea was running over jagged chunks of porcelain). All in all not a big deal, but they could sure use a makeover.

I found it a little expensive. We ate well, but not overstuffed, and the bill was $48 for two people. Where I come from (and I don't even come from Hong Kong), good yum cha is the cheapest food around. I'm not sure why this is.

11/10/2014

• 3 check-ins

This is a very large place situated upstairs in the famous Brisbane Fortitude Valley. The service is good although the Chinese national waiters sometimes struggle to understand what you are trying to order. You often just need to point to the dish on the menu for them... no big deal. The food is good, quite good in fact and they don't skimp on portion sizes. The service is really very fast too. Only downside was they used to take Amex but do not anymore as I found out the hard way.

3/12/2011

• First to Review

This is the second best yum cha I've eaten and we used to be on a mission to go somewhere different every few months - mostly around Brisbane - so I'm happy to visit here anytime.

I've only eaten from the a la carte menu once and those meals are delicious too, priced from around $15-25 and offering a wide range including bugs and lovely fresh scallops. It's clearly so busy at King of Kings that the food will always be very fresh.

But getting back to yum cha - how good is it to sit and watch the trolleys roll up with exciting new offerings for the taste buds while sipping green tea - or beer - and taking your sweet time over each little plate? Love the dumplings, the mango pancakes and the Asian greens (not in that order).

The trick is not to get so excited that there are too many plates on the table at once; this is a feast that doesn't need to be hurried and there's no need to rack up the bill by doing so. I think $25-30 each will get you a nice spread of treats. The staff are friendly and eager to please, so check it out and enjoy being treated like a king - or queen - for a while.

19/8/2012

• 1 check-in

Two meals and serve of pork buns each feeds three people happily. Really big servings. Really nice food. Something about the smell and lighting reminds me of Taipei so I guess that makes it fairly authentic.
It's quintessential China Town, really. NOM