Dim Sum Garden is a tightly-packed Shanghai-style spot in Chinatown known for its steamed pork soup dumplings. In many ways, it’s like every dim sum spot in the neighborhood–dumplings are the most notable things on the menu, lots of sizzling meat or fried rice options, and the entrees are under $20. The soup dumplings are a must-order: you can expect a wrapper that’s soft and chewy, an ideal pork-to-broth ratio, and a satisfying whiff of steam coming off the entire order.

But don't let the line down the block fool you. DSG is wildly inconsistent–sometimes you get your Shanghai shao mai in the blink of an eye and other times you’re waiting the runtime of an episode of Stranger Things. They serve beer and wine, but you can also bring your own bottle (for a $15 corkage fee). It works as a last-minute choice on a night when you want to sip wine with friends and Ocean City or Nom Wah are packed. But if you want some great noodle dishes, scallion pancakes, or kung pao chicken, head to other spots in Chinatown.

photo credit: Rachel Lerro