You’re standing on the corner of Congress and Free Street, probably shivering if it’s any month between October and May, watching people inside a packed dining room pass around bamboo steamers of soup dumplings. If you didn't put your name in an hour ago, you're likely out of luck. That’s the reality of Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine. It isn't just a restaurant; it’s a local institution that managed to bridge the gap between "hole-in-the-wall" vibes and high-end culinary execution. When Theresa Chan and Todd Bernard opened this spot back in 2013 in the bones of the old Empire Dine and Dance, they weren't just opening a dim sum joint. They were filling a massive, gaping hole in the Portland food scene that many didn't even realize existed until the first sip of their hot and sour soup.
Portland has plenty of amazing food, but for a long time, Chinese cuisine was relegated to the standard takeout spots—good for a late-night salt craving, but maybe not where you'd take a date. Empire changed that narrative.
What Actually Makes Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine Different?
Honestly, it’s the dough. Most people go for the flavor, but the technical skill in their dim sum program is what keeps the kitchen afloat during the brutal summer tourist rushes. Dim sum is notoriously difficult to scale. You have a kitchen staff hand-pleating dumplings while the dining room turns over hundreds of covers. It’s a delicate balance. The Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine menu focuses heavily on Cantonese soul food, which means you’re looking at a lot of ginger, scallions, and textures that range from the crunch of a spring roll to the silky, almost translucent skin of a shrimp har gow.
A lot of folks get confused and think this is "fusion" food. It’s not. While they certainly use local Maine ingredients—you’ll see seasonal greens and local proteins popping up—the techniques are rooted in traditional dim sum houses. However, they've stripped away the rolling carts. If you're looking for the traditional trolley experience you'd find in Boston's Chinatown or Flushing, you won't find it here. Everything is made to order. This is a crucial distinction. Made-to-order dim sum ensures that the delicate skins of the dumplings don't get gummy or tough from sitting under a heat lamp or circling a room for twenty minutes. It takes longer. You’ll wait. But the quality jump is massive.
The Soup Dumpling Obsession
Let’s talk about the Xiao Long Bao. If you’ve never had one, it’s a pork-filled dumpling that contains its own soup. It’s a feat of engineering. The soup is actually a highly concentrated collagen broth that is chilled into a jelly, folded into the dough, and then melts into a liquid state when steamed.
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At Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine, the XLB is the litmus test for the kitchen. If the skin breaks when you lift it with your chopsticks, the experience is ruined. The broth leaks out, and you’re left with a sad, wet noodle. They nail it more often than not. The trick, which the servers will often tell you if you look like a novice, is to place the dumpling on your spoon, nibble a small hole in the side to let the steam escape (so you don't burn your esophagus), sip the broth, and then eat the rest. It’s a ritual.
The Cultural Pivot of 575 Congress Street
The building itself has a weird, cool history. It was a legendary music venue. Seeing a dim sum parlor take over a space where punk bands used to sweat on the walls was a bit of a shock to the system for long-time locals. But the owners kept the "Empire" name as a nod to that history. The interior is moody. It’s dark wood, exposed brick, and those iconic red booths that feel like they’ve seen a thousand secrets.
Business-wise, Empire did something very smart. They stayed consistent. In a city where restaurants open and close within eighteen months, Empire has maintained its core menu for over a decade while only tweaking the edges. This creates a sense of reliability. You know exactly what that General Wong’s chicken is going to taste like before you even park your car.
Speaking of the chicken—it’s a polarizing dish for "authentic" food snobs. But the version at Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine uses high-quality thigh meat and a glaze that isn't just sugar and red food coloring. It’s balanced. It’s the kind of dish that appeals to the person who wants comfort food, while the person sitting across from them dives into fermented black bean clams or chicken feet.
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Logistics: How to Actually Eat Here
If you show up at 6:00 PM on a Friday and expect to walk in, you're dreaming. Here is the reality of the situation:
- They don't take traditional reservations for small groups.
- The waitlist is digital, but you often have to show up in person to get on it.
- The bar is the "secret" spot. If you're a party of one or two, hover near the bar. The full menu is served there, and the bartenders are some of the fastest in the city.
- Lunch is the move. Dim sum was traditionally a morning/afternoon meal anyway. The light in the front windows is better, the crowd is thinner, and you can get in and out in forty minutes if you're efficient.
Misconceptions About the Price Point
You’ll hear some people grumble that it’s "expensive for Chinese food." This is a tired trope rooted in some pretty outdated ideas about what Asian cuisine should cost. When you factor in that the kitchen is hand-making dumplings and sourcing from local farms, the prices are actually quite reasonable for the Portland market. You’re paying for labor. You’re paying for the fact that someone spent hours perfecting the pleats on a dumpling so it doesn't fall apart in your steamer basket.
Compared to the high-end sushi spots or the French-inspired bistros nearby, Empire is actually a mid-range steal. You can get a massive spread for two people for under $80, which, in 2026, is becoming a rarity in the Old Port or the Arts District.
The Specifics of the Menu You Shouldn't Ignore
Everyone orders the dumplings. That's a given. But the real pros look at the "Big Plates" and the greens.
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- The Bacon Fried Rice: It sounds simple. It’s not. The wok hei (the "breath of the wok") is present here. It’s smoky, the rice grains are individual and not mushy, and the bacon adds a fatty depth that pairs perfectly with the spicy house-made chili oil.
- Green Beans with Minced Pork: Get these. Even if you hate vegetables. They are blistered in the wok until they’re slightly wrinkled and tender, tossed with garlic and savory pork bits.
- The Lobsters: Being in Maine, they’d be crazy not to. Their ginger scallion lobster is a mess to eat, but it’s arguably the best way to eat Maine lobster if you're tired of the standard butter-drenched rolls.
The cocktail program also deserves a shout-out. They do a lot with tea infusions and flavors like lychee and ginger that actually complement the salt and spice of the food rather than fighting against it.
Beyond the Food: The Impact on Portland
Empire paved the way for a more diverse culinary landscape on Congress Street. Before they arrived, the "fancy" food was mostly clustered down by the water. Empire proved that people would flock to the top of the hill for high-quality, specialized cuisine. It anchored that block. Now, you have a dozen other incredible spots within a three-minute walk, but Empire remains the gravity well that pulls people to that neighborhood.
It’s also one of the few places that feels truly "Portland." It’s a mix of tourists who read about it in a travel magazine, office workers grabbing a quick lunch, and local artists who have been coming since it was a music venue. That's a hard vibe to manufacture.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
- Check the hours: They occasionally close for "mid-day breaks" between lunch and dinner service to reset the kitchen. Always check their social media or website before walking up the hill.
- Order the Chili Oil: They sell it by the jar. Buy it. It’s better than anything you’ll find at a standard grocery store and it’s the easiest way to level up your cooking at home.
- Park at the Elm Street Garage: Street parking on Congress is a nightmare. The garage is a five-minute walk and will save you thirty minutes of circling the block.
- Go with a group: Dim sum is meant to be shared. If you go alone, you can only try two or three things before you’re stuffed. If you go with four people, you can basically order the entire dumpling section of the menu.
Empire Chinese Kitchen Portland Maine isn't trying to be the most authentic dim sum spot in the world. It’s trying to be the best version of a Chinese kitchen for this city. And by focusing on technique, local sourcing, and a vibe that fits the gritty-yet-refined aesthetic of Portland, they've pretty much nailed it. Whether you're there for the soup dumplings or just a cold beer and some salt and pepper calamari, it’s a staple for a reason. Don't let the line intimidate you. It moves faster than you think, and the first bite of a Peking duck bun makes the wait feel irrelevant.