China Princess in Oklahoma City: Dim Sum and Cantonese Cooking in Midtown

China Princess is a full-service Cantonese restaurant in Oklahoma City's Midtown neighborhood that specializes in dim sum service and traditional Hong Kong-style cooking. The dining room seats roughly 120 guests across multiple sections, and the restaurant operates as both a weekday lunch destination for dim sum and an evening spot for table-order Cantonese dishes. It anchors the local Chinese dining scene as one of the few places in the city where dim sum carts roll through the dining room during service.

What makes the dim sum service distinct

Dim sum at China Princess runs on a cart system during lunch hours, with servers pushing trolleys of small plates, dumplings, and baked items through the dining room. You order directly from carts as they pass your table rather than selecting from a printed menu. Typical carts hold har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), char siu bao (barbecue pork buns), chicken feet in black bean sauce, taro croquettes, and egg custard tarts. This format separates it from dim sum spots that operate on a checklist menu, where you order everything upfront. The cart approach means you see and taste options before committing, a practical advantage if you want to sample unfamiliar items or adjust portions on the fly.

Dim sum pricing typically runs $3 to $5 per order, with most plates serving 3 to 4 pieces. Lunch service, when carts are active, runs Thursday through Sunday. Monday through Wednesday, dim sum is available by order only, eliminating the cart experience on those days. Verify current dim sum hours before visiting, as service timing shifts seasonally and with staffing.

Cantonese mains and the evening menu

Beyond dim sum, China Princess offers Cantonese table dishes in the evening, including whole steamed fish (grouper or sea bass when available, around $20 to $28 depending on weight), roasted duck, shrimp with black bean sauce, and clay pot rice served in individual earthenware vessels. Entrees typically land in the $12 to $18 range. The restaurant stocks a small wine list focused on whites that pair with seafood preparations, and beer options include both domestic and Asian imports. A full bar serves cocktails and Chinese spirits like baijiu on request.

How China Princess compares locally

Oklahoma City has other Chinese restaurants, but few offer the same dim sum cart service. Golden Phoenix, also in the Midtown area, serves dim sum from a printed menu rather than carts, giving you a faster but less interactive experience if you know what you want. For Cantonese seafood cooking specifically, China Princess stands out because it sources whole fish and emphasizes steaming and light sauces rather than heavy American-Chinese soy-based dishes. If you want that particular style and the cart-service element, this is where it happens in the city. Other Chinese spots in Oklahoma City lean toward Sichuan or Americanized takeout formats.

Who fits here and who does not

Dim sum works best for groups of 3 or more; a single diner can participate but loses the social, sampling rhythm that makes the experience worthwhile. Families with young children fit well during lunch, when the pace is relaxed and portions are small. Business lunches work on weekdays only if you skip the carts and order from the regular menu. Diners uncomfortable with whole fish preparations (head on, bones intact) should order only the boneless Cantonese dishes or ask staff for recommendations. The dining room fills quickly on weekend dim sum days, so arriving early (11:30 a.m. or shortly after opening) cuts wait time.

What to expect on a first visit

Arrive for lunch dim sum service with cash or card ready. Carts begin rolling within 15 minutes of opening. Signal a server to stop a cart at your table, point to items you want, and they'll place them on your table and mark your bill. Ordering continues throughout your meal as new carts emerge from the kitchen. Pace yourself; carts keep coming, and it's easy to over-order. Small plates stack up fast, so eat as you go. If you sit near the kitchen entrance, you see carts being loaded, which helps you judge which dishes are fresh. Tea service is standard and usually complimentary with dim sum.

Hours, location, and parking

China Princess operates in Midtown. Verify hours before visiting, as dim sum service times (Thursday to Sunday lunch, Monday to Wednesday by order) are subject to change. Street parking is available in the surrounding area, though weekend lunch crowds can make spots tight. The restaurant does not require reservations for dim sum but will hold a table if you call ahead for larger groups during peak hours.

China Princess remains the primary cart-service dim sum venue in Oklahoma City and the clearest choice if you want to experience that specific style of Cantonese dining rather than order-ahead alternatives.