Dragon Tea House in Oklahoma City: Authentic Chinese Tea Service and Dim Sum

Dragon Tea House is a full-service Chinese restaurant and tea lounge in Oklahoma City that specializes in dim sum service and a curated selection of Chinese teas, operating in a sit-down dining format rather than cart service.

What Dragon Tea House actually is

Located in the Chinatown district along NW 23rd Street, Dragon Tea House combines a traditional dim sum restaurant with an intentional tea program. The space seats approximately 80 people across multiple rooms and operates as a casual but sit-down establishment, meaning servers bring printed menus or order sheets rather than carts rolling through the dining room. This format differs meaningfully from dim sum houses in larger cities where cart service remains standard, making it more suitable for diners who prefer to order selectively rather than choose items as they pass.

Menu, tea selection, and pricing

The dim sum menu runs roughly 40 items, with prices ranging from $3.50 to $6.50 per order (typical orders are 2 to 3 pieces). Signature items include har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls), and char siu bao (barbecue pork buns). The kitchen also offers pan-fried items like turnip cakes and egg rolls alongside steamed selections.

The tea menu lists over 30 varieties organized by type: oolong, pu-erh, green, white, and jasmine varieties dominate the selection. Tea service includes a pot for two guests, priced between $4 and $8 depending on the grade. High-mountain Taiwanese oolongs and aged pu-erh cakes represent the upper end. A single cup of tea costs $2.50 to $3.50. Tea is brewed fresh to order; the house pairs lighter oolongs with steamed items and darker pu-erhs with richer dim sum choices.

The restaurant also serves hot rice congee, fried rice dishes, and noodle soups ranging from $8 to $12, making it possible to build a meal around tea rather than dim sum alone.

How it compares to other Oklahoma City tea and dim sum options

Oklahoma City has few dedicated dim sum venues. Golden Palace, also on NW 23rd Street, offers cart service at lower per-item prices ($2.50 to $4.50) but with a smaller tea selection and less emphasis on brewing technique. Dragon Tea House appeals to diners who want to study tea as part of the meal and don't mind ordering à la carte rather than assembling a plate from passing carts.

For tea-focused venues without dim sum, Oolong House (a newer addition in midtown) emphasizes gongfu brewing and tea education but does not serve food. Dragon Tea House is the better choice for those seeking tea and food in one visit. Specialty coffee shops throughout Oklahoma City offer tea service, but none prioritize Chinese tea varieties or provide the brewing knowledge that Dragon Tea House staff demonstrate.

Who it suits and who it does not suit

This spot works well for diners familiar with dim sum or those willing to ask for recommendations, groups of 4 or fewer (larger parties can feel cramped in the smaller side rooms), and anyone interested in exploring Chinese teas beyond basic options like jasmine. The environment is casual and conversation-friendly, making it suitable for business lunches or leisurely weekend meals.

It does not suit diners seeking a loud or trendy atmosphere, those uncomfortable ordering from printed menus without cart browsing, or anyone expecting the scale or variety of dim sum houses in major metropolitan Chinese enclaves. The dim sum selection, while solid, is smaller than what exists in Dallas or San Francisco.

What the first visit involves

Plan to arrive between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. during peak dim sum hours, when the full menu is available. You will be seated promptly unless the restaurant is at capacity. A server will bring a printed menu organized by category (steamed, fried, rice and noodle, and so on). Ask for a "sampler" recommendation or specify your preferences (vegetarian, shrimp, pork). Order tea either before or alongside food; if you are new to the selection, mention your flavor preference (light and floral versus deep and earthy) and the server will suggest a variety. Tea arrives within minutes; dim sum typically follows in waves as items are prepared, not all at once. Budget 60 to 90 minutes for a leisurely meal.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Dragon Tea House is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (verify current hours, as they may shift seasonally). Monday closures are standard. Street parking is available along NW 23rd Street, with metered spots filling quickly during lunch service; a small lot on the side of the building serves overflow. The space is not wheelchair accessible due to narrow interior passages between dining rooms. Reservations are not taken, though waits rarely exceed 15 minutes outside peak lunch hours (noon to 1 p.m.).

Dragon Tea House fills a specific niche in Oklahoma City's food landscape by treating tea and dim sum as a cohesive experience rather than add-ons to each other, and by bringing brewing knowledge and variety to a market where tea is usually incidental to the meal.