Martin C
The best choices in the region for authentic Cantonese dim sum. You could find more special dim sum if you visit here on Sunday, including Crispy Fried Dough Stick, Egg Custard Tarts, Char Siu Pastries etc. The deep fried cuttlefish cakes are really recommended. Staff are generally nice and price is fair.
Lee Warne
1st time visiting, lovely family run traditional Chinese restaurant. Beautiful food and great staff. We was looked after by tony and he told us about the restaurants history and recommended a steamed sponge dessert which was delicious. Thank you for a great night.
Melanie Scarlett
We had the most fabulous meal here last night.
Every dish was cooked to perfection, but the Dim Sum and the fresh, (gigantic) crab were particularly amazing!
The service couldn't have been any better, we had the perfect evening, highly recommended!
Lea Roffler
What an incredible place!
We enjoyed the food and the service was excellent. Very friendly and considerate. Also acessible for people in a wheelchair (But the toilet is upstairs).
Helen
We visited this restaurant last month. We traveled from the US and only at Southend on sea for 1 night. We went there for dinner and ended up returning the next afternoon for lunch before we left Southend on sea because we really liked the food. We ordered congee, rice and noodles, and some dim sum. They were all amazing! It was very authentic but not expensive. It reminded us of the food we ate at home! It was way better than the Chinese restaurants in the US. The service was superb. All of the waiters/ waitresses spoke fluent Cantonese and English. When we went there, it was almost fully booked, so I believe this restaurant is very popular in the town. If we travel to the UK again in the future, we will definitely travel to Southend on sea for this restaurant!
Samson Wan
Dim sum at the beach.
Service was great and the food was even better. I was really impressed by the homemade deep fried squid cake and the fried turnip cake in XO sauce.
Had a light lunch and then off to walk the beach.
Simon Poon
Great restaurant that serves dim sum and it was good dim sum!
Beastie Boy
Dim sum was really tasty, only negative was the prawn dumplings. The pastry was damaged. Service was really good. Definitely will go back.
Sian S
Lived in Southend all my life and this was my first visit to this restaurant and won't be my last. Service, food atmosphere was amazing. The food was fresh and delicious. We didn't book and it is reservations only but they managed to fit us in which was amazing. When we left the restaurant was full. One of the best chinese restaurants I've been too. Worth a visit!
Blanche Chan
The dim sum there was surprisingly delicious, in fact in my opinion it is much better than most in London. We went there for late lunch on a lovely weekend, the door said "reservation only", but we tried our luck as it wasn't too busy around 2pm, the owner gave us a table. Staff was friendly and paid attention to details.
The prawn paste stuffed eggplant with black bean sauce was delicious. Glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leave was moist and tasty. BBQ pork buns and Cha Xiu (BBQ) rice noddle rolls were nice. Beef balls can be a pass. Two of us had 5 dim sum together which was quite filling. The final bill was GPB 34 which is much better value than others in London.
If one happens to visit Southend, worth to try. Parking was a little challenge on the weekend, we were lucky as someone was leaving. A nice stroll by the water after a satisfying meal would be a bonus.
Sam Tilley
Went as a party of 14 on a Friday night before a wedding in a nearby town. Some of the best chinese food i've had & not one person had a single complaint. Tony also looked after us with the Baileys at the end of the night!
Stuart Walker
We eat here frequently. Whether you want somewhere for date night or a special celebration, the Pearl Dragon will satisfy you. This is THE best Chinese restaurant in town. The food is superb with loads of choice and the service is fantastic!
Slimfrank
+ beautifully presented food.
+ Prices may seem high but for what you get it is worth it.
+ Great variety of seating choices.
+ Calm ambiance, professional feel, very helpful Chinese waiters.
- unless you are from Southend, you may find it's a little off the beaten track as it's location isn't central (Kursaal ward).
James Hill
Been coming here since I was about 6 years old and it’s still the best Chinese in the area by far!
Am gutted the takeaway has shut next door but appreciate with prices and inflation it had to close.
The Dim sum menu is awesome (on par with Chinatown in London) and I also love the roast duck 🦆. The service is great and so friendly. This place is an institution in Southend… always a winner.
My only feedback is play some traditional Chinese music instead of English pop music? Would be a better vibe.
And they need to start taking online orders instead of on the phone, it is 2023 after all! Come on guys get with the times please for us younger generation…nobody wants to be shouting a food order over the phone.
np1032681
Fantastic fresh dim sum, the XO fried turnip cake and cheung fun were phenomenonal. Very friendly and attentive staff
Kevin Ferguson
A good standard of food, we opted for the set meal for 2. The starter was very nice with good size portions, the set meal also included Crispy Duck & Pancakes, again good size portion & very tasty.
The main course included Special fried rice, a Lemon Chicken dish, A King Prawn dish & crispy chilli beef. All dishes were very nice however we felt the main course portion sizes were rather small for 2 people.
On the whole this was a lovely dining experience the staff are very friendly & hospitable.
No doubt we will return here soon.
Zoe Cheng
I have been dining at this restaurant since I was a small child, so nearly 24 years now, I feel like I have grown here, the staff taught me to use my first set of chop sticks and have greeted me by my name everytime I come back, the food is amazing and the service is quick and the food is authentic to the meals I would eat in China, a country my father originates from, if you're looking for good authentic Chinese food with amazing friendly staff and professional service, this is the place to be. Also dim sum on a Sunday is to die for. Fully recommend!
Jacqui Dallimore
We had our staff Xmas party 🎉 in January( we are in the hospitality business) in the wonderful function room. We had a fantastic buffet for 80 persons, DJ and Karoke. All staff have said it's the best party yet . Thank you Linda, Jimmy and Steve
Johnny G Love
Where does one begin, visited recently 2 members of the Group had acute food poising, 1 guest whilst there suffered symptoms, and the other threw up when home.
Very Poor Service by Old Chinese lady, who was rude to pre-judge hinting I didn't have money and asked me to look at the menu before choosing to eat there. But unknown to her I already saw the menu and knew I would enjoy the food. But nasty people like that don't bother me, when I sat down after freshening up, she realised she had made an error. She tried to apologise, by being sarcastic/flirty... but it came across as seedy and only done as a way to get her tip at the end of the night. Here's a tip, don't pre-judge.
Lovely interior, Ordered my Vegetarian food and wasn't given my order but told to eat what was given, by the same old woman, but couldn't as it wasn't what I ordered. But didn't want to cause a scene and ate it as she was very rude. I ordered overcooked soya with extra chilli's, no chilli's given and it was not overcooked as requested. I ordered thick noodles and was given Singapore noodles which I hate passionately. Added pepper and salt as well as chilli oil. What is funny when I spent time explaining to her what I wanted to be given something opposite, is frankly obnoxious.
The other waitresses were lovely, who changed my dish, I can't believe I didn't stop the service charge or say something there and then and walk out, but was very hungry and appearances from the outside and its sister cafe, made me assume the food was going to be exceptional....
.... but when they take away the table cloth in front whilst your sitting there waiting to order desert, it says a lot about the establishment. We walked out at that point. Enough.
Just looking at how to report this case to Local Food Standard Agency as I believe food issue was related to their prawn dishes or Prawn Crackers. Just noticed food hygiene is 4. I think in my opinion this should be reviewed as they haven't had an Inspection since 2012.
Over All, bland Chinese food with no level or attention given to taste or making authentic tasting Chinese food, poor service from female owner and poor handling of owner of not changing the food I ordered... friends do not go. Plenty of other Chinese Restaurants there with better food and better service.
Max Milligan
Can’t rate this restaurant highly enough. Staff are amazing and extremely accommodating. The food is exceptional. Won’t go anywhere else in Essex. Thank you PD!
Steve Chaplin
Simply the best - we have been enjoying the PD for over 30 years
The Pearl Dragon has become the bench mark yet to be surpassed.
Service levels very good and everyone so helpful - cannot not recommend it strongly enough!
Sally Carr Day
Superb meal. Very attentive staff. Happy family atmosphere. Thoroughly recommend the restaurant.
Louise Mclintock
Where do I start I have been going to this amazing restaurant for 19 years. It's truly the best. The food is just beautiful. The surroundings are stunning. Staff are Supurb and the family that own it are just lovely. Outstanding
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes