Empire Dimsum Kitchen & Bar in Oklahoma City: Cantonese Dim Sum and Seafood in Midtown

Empire Dimsum Kitchen & Bar is a full-service Cantonese restaurant specializing in dim sum service and fresh seafood preparations, located in Oklahoma City's Midtown district. The restaurant seats roughly 80 diners across a main dining room and offers both traditional cart-based dim sum during lunch hours and an à la carte menu that emphasizes live seafood tanks and cooked-to-order Cantonese dishes.

What Empire Dimsum actually is

The restaurant operates as a dim sum destination during midday service, when servers push carts of steamed dumplings, baked items, and small plates through the dining room. Outside dim sum hours, the menu shifts to full-order seafood and Cantonese cooking. This dual identity makes it distinct in Oklahoma City's seafood landscape: it is not a casual dimsum takeout counter, and it is not a fine-dining Chinese restaurant that treats dim sum as an appetizer course. The space reads modern casual, with booth seating and open kitchen views, designed to accommodate families during dim sum service and small groups or couples during dinner service.

Dim sum service, à la carte menu, and pricing

Dim sum service runs during lunch hours, typically 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and extended weekend service, though hours should be confirmed directly as they occasionally shift seasonally. During these hours, servers offer continuous cart service; diners pay per item ordered, with most dim sum selections priced between $3 and $6 per plate. Typical offerings include har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), char siu bao (barbecued pork buns), and rotating daily specials like chicken feet or tripe preparations. A moderate dim sum meal for one person typically runs $15 to $25.

Dinner service operates à la carte, with an emphasis on live seafood. Whole steamed or wok-fried fish, prawns, scallops, and crab are priced by weight and market rate; expect $18 to $35 per entrée for most seafood dishes. Noodle and rice dishes run $12 to $18. The restaurant also serves beer and wine, with draft beer around $5 to $6 per glass and house wine by the glass at similar pricing.

How Empire Dimsum compares to other Oklahoma City seafood options

Oklahoma City's seafood landscape divides loosely between casual fried-seafood spots, upscale fine-dining seafood restaurants, and Asian seafood specialists. Empire Dimsum occupies the middle-to-upscale segment within Cantonese cuisine, a niche few restaurants address directly. Ted's Cafe Escondido and similar venues offer fresh ceviche and Mexican-style seafood but operate in a different flavor profile and price tier. Cattlemen's Steakhouse and other high-end proteins focus on beef and land proteins, not seafood. Anzu, also in Midtown, offers Japanese seafood but through sushi and Japanese preparation methods rather than Cantonese wok cooking and dim sum culture. If you want fresh dim sum during lunch with live seafood options for dinner, Empire Dimsum is the rare local choice; if you are seeking casual fried fish or upscale Japanese preparations, those alternatives serve different needs.

Who it suits and who it does not

Empire Dimsum works best for diners comfortable with Cantonese flavor profiles (soy, garlic, ginger, fermented ingredients) and those seeking the interactive dim sum cart experience. Families with children often use lunch dim sum as an exploratory meal. Small groups and couples choosing à la carte dinner service will find fresh whole fish and competent wok technique. The restaurant is less suitable for diners seeking fried seafood, butter-forward sauces, or strictly raw-fish preparations like sushi. Those unfamiliar with dim sum etiquette may feel hesitant during cart service; the staff is accustomed to guiding newcomers through selections.

What the first visit involves

Arrive during dim sum hours (lunch) to experience the full restaurant identity. Expect to be seated quickly during off-peak times (before noon or after 1:30 p.m.); peak midday service can produce short waits on weekends. Servers will bring a pot of hot tea and a cart of dim sum selections; point to items you recognize or ask for recommendations. A first-time diner can reasonably sample 5 to 8 different dim sum plates, which provides enough variety to understand the menu and the restaurant's quality standard. The bill arrives after you finish eating, calculated by counting plate tallies. For dinner visits, request a table away from the kitchen if noise sensitivity is a concern; the open design carries wok heat and sound.

Hours, parking, and access

Dim sum service operates during lunch hours, typically 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and extended hours on weekends; confirm specific times before visiting. Dinner service begins around 5 p.m. and runs into evening. The restaurant has dedicated parking in its building lot in Midtown, accessible from the street level; parking is free. The space is street-accessible with no stairs to the main dining area.

Empire Dimsum fills a specific gap in Oklahoma City's dining options: it is the only restaurant that combines reliable dim sum service with live-seafood cooking and professional Cantonese technique. For diners seeking that combination, it is the local default.