Golden Unicorn

(212) 941-0911

18 E Broadway (at Catherine St.)
New York, NY 10002 40.7137 -73.9968

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Neighborhoods: Chinatown, Downtown

goldenunicornrestaurant.com/

Years in business

Established in 1988

Hours:

Daily 9am-10:30pm

Price:

$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Private Rooms, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Live Music, Food Delivery, Cheap Eats

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Chinese

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Golden Unicorn

Featured Review

Allison Austin

Contributor

Mammoth and multi-storied, the restaurant's decor consists of pink upholstery on glossy black chairs, tables for two, four, six and more scattered about, and the centerpiece--two golden dragons with light-up eyes set behind a stage. During weekend brunch, carts are pushed around the tables non-stop; weekday dim sum service is less frenzied. Although a standard Chinese menu is offered, most diners come for dim sum. Carts here have pictures on them--handy when a language barrier rears its ugly head. Be sure to stop the steaming carts for pork shu mei and fresh fish balls. Don't miss the…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
On the weekends, when dim sum is most popular, it's best to get to the restaurant before noon, when the rush picks up steam.
drinks
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “went there last week, i very enjoy on drinking chinese green tea with delicious dim sum.”
  2. “Waiters are slow to clear your table, refill water or tea, and on numerous occasions I have seen and experienced waiters who have given their suggestions on what gratuity should be left.”
  3. “chinese tea and dim sum is good”
food quality
92.30999946594238% positive
  1. “Great dim sum, the people handing food in the dim sum carts are pleasant, the animals are the people in suits that bring you the check or grumble if you ask them for water.”
  2. “So if you like shrimp with the vein in it then this is the place to go.”
  3. “Every thing was fresh and delicious - staff was very friendly- can recommend and will go back when I visit NY again.”
  4. “The food was overrated and cold and not tasty!”
  5. “That aside, the food was good and the other servers were wonderful.”
  6. “The food is okay and the price is reasonable.”
  7. “Authentic chinese food, great for a meal with family.”
  8. “While the food was very tasty and served in huge portions, the service has made me not want to return.”
  9. “The roasted duck is excellent - but I wish it didn't share the plate with pork.”
  10. “With that said, the food is quite good and it's not overly crowded during the week.”
  11. “The food at the Golden Unicorn is quality and the crowd is steady which is why they don't and wont go out of their way to be courteous overly friendly or otherwise spectacular.”
  12. “went there last week, i very enjoy on drinking chinese green tea with delicious dim sum.”
  13. “Golden Unicorn is a great place to go to for fresh dim sum.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Didn't have other menu items, but had dim sum which we thought was below average: package tasting glue like shumai, fishballs were too fishy, nothing really tasted good.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “This is a great dim sum place.”
  2. “Golden Unicorn is a great place to go to for fresh dim sum.”
  3. “In fact all the good dim sum is in Queens (and one particular place in Brooklyn).”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “While the food was very tasty and served in huge portions, the service has made me not want to return.”
  2. “Every thing was fresh and delicious - staff was very friendly- can recommend and will go back when I visit NY again.”
service
52.3799991607666% positive
  1. “When I have had good service I have left 20-25% tip.”
  2. “If you do go to Golden Unicorn, please do not reward poor service as this will only encourage poor service.”
  3. “Re: The best in dim sum/ terrible service.”
  4. “But when I have had poor service, I have left 5-10%.”
  5. “The waiters were rude and yelling amongst themselves.”
  6. “Rude, rude service.”
  7. “While the food was very tasty and served in huge portions, the service has made me not want to return.”
  8. “Waiters are slow to clear your table, refill water or tea, and on numerous occasions I have seen and experienced waiters who have given their suggestions on what gratuity should be left.”
  9. “However, service was terrible.”
  10. “Food is always good and the service is great.”
  11. “This place is consistently great, with fast service and so inexpensive.”
  12. “OVerall the wait staff is very friendly and helpful.”
  13. “Every thing was fresh and delicious - staff was very friendly- can recommend and will go back when I visit NY again.”
  14. “Was rude when I reminded him of my request.”
  15. “In my opinion, only at shi-shi (sp) dim sum places (or at places that cater to non-Chinese) will you get attentive service.”
  16. “Great dim sum, the people handing food in the dim sum carts are pleasant, the animals are the people in suits that bring you the check or grumble if you ask them for water.”
  17. “Food was OK, and service was bad”
  18. “The food at the Golden Unicorn is quality and the crowd is steady which is why they don't and wont go out of their way to be courteous overly friendly or otherwise spectacular.”
  19. “have had both good service and poor service here.”
  20. “Overall, the waiters are rude.”
  21. “That aside, the food was good and the other servers were wonderful.”
value
80.0% positive
  1. “Reliable dim sum, a little expensive”
  2. “This place is consistently great, with fast service and so inexpensive.”
  3. “The food is okay and the price is reasonable.”
  4. “Food was excellent, portions were generous, and the prices were quite reasonable.”
  5. “While the food was very tasty and served in huge portions, the service has made me not want to return.”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “Waiters are slow to clear your table, refill water or tea, and on numerous occasions I have seen and experienced waiters who have given their suggestions on what gratuity should be left.”
2 Star Rating: Below Average

02/07/11

Dim Sum?

by YvetteR

Went here for after the New Year's Parade. Don't know if the timing was off or they were just worn out. At first we had our pick of the offerings. The rice & pork in the bamboo leaf is delicious. The shrimp balls are also very good. After maybe 30 minutes, nothing new was coming out. My husband even tried the chicken feet just because he felt bad for the woman going round & round. We left before dessert because no dessert carts were coming out.

Glad we tried it but would try another place next time.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/31/10

Another great Dim Sum contender.

by gaiamcraft

This is a great Dim Sum place. I would have to pick this one over Jing Fong as far as actual taste. There is cart service, and the waitresses either speak English or will get someone who does.

The roasted duck is excellent - but I wish it didn't share the plate with pork. The sweet buns and the "specials" fried dim sum are a great treat here. The dim sum is very standard but all good. Once in a while they will bring out some special dish, but run for it because it disappears fast.

Really, you need to spend at least 2 hours here I'd say between 11am and 1pm on the weekends in order to taste a little of everything since they tend to switch up the carts around noon.

  • Pros: dim sum, carts, price
  • Cons: lines, small choosing
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/07/09

Great dim sum

by gepp

Every thing was fresh and delicious - staff was very friendly- can recommend and will go back when I visit NY again.

Service was actually great!

  • Pros: all fresh and hot - good selections
  • Cons: may need to wait to get in
4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/18/09

Reliable dim sum, a little expensive

by nobananas

Golden Unicorn is a great place to go to for fresh dim sum. The line can be a bit long on the weekends, and the service can be overwhelmed. However, the abundance of food is worth the trouble and wait.

  • Pros: Food, prices, seating
  • Cons: Service, prices
2 Star Rating: Below Average

08/16/08

Decent Food and Attentive though Rude Service

by lexislee2002

I went here last night with my best friend and boyfriend. While the food was very tasty and served in huge portions, the service has made me not want to return. When the waiter brought the check, he stood there for me to write in his tip and take it away at that moment. I tried to buy time by putting away my card but he stood strong, with his hands behind him, just staring at the table. This flustered me. I normally ask my friends for input in calculating a respectable tip but with him staring at me I just doubled the tax and wrote that down. So he immediately takes the receipt and doesn't just walk away, but stands at the table and inspects the tip right in front of me! I just found this ridiculous. That aside, the food was good and the other servers were wonderful. Perhaps I just got the bad apple but that's all I have to go on.

  • Pros: Value, Spacious Dining Room
  • Cons: Rude Service

The Details on Golden Unicorn

Place Categories:

  • terrible service
  • good rude service
  • good great dim sum
  • great dim sum place
  • cold food
  • very friendly wait staff
  • rude waiters
  • not best reliable dim sum
  • overly friendly courteous
  • quite reasonable price
  • disappointing recent experience
  • bad apple
  • like shrimp
  • wonderful other servers
  • great treat
  • good nothing
  • big hall
  • rude was
  • great dim sum contender
  • good chinese tea
  • excellent roasted duck
  • huge portions
  • great experience
  • quite good people handing food
  • authentic chinese food

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