Asian ex-pats and students fight through the crowds to snag a seat at Chinatown's top destination for dim sum.

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this acclaimed restaurant has become synonymous with dim sum, offering a breathtaking variety of Chinese delicacies. Weekend waits are a given for the suburban families and homesick college students who fill communal tables (larger groups usually get a table of their own). Harried servers are constantly in motion, pushing rickety carts of dim sum past curious onlookers. While there's a standard Cantonese menu of familiar dishes (orange flavored chicken), most diners come here for the high-quality dim sum, of which there are dozens of varieties. By offering authentic, Old World delicacies (periwinkles with a spicy black bean sauce, steamed chicken feet) and simple, tasty buns and dumplings (savory shrimp shumai, sweet barbecued pork buns), the kitchen keeps dim sum veterans happy while providing beginners with a wonderful introduction to this popular dining phenomenon.