Royal China - Docklands in Tower Hamlets

The best dim sum place in London, fantastic service from everyone, especially Kenny and Jenny, our favourite people in London!!!

Beautiful experience and delicious food

Amazing food, excellent service. Amazing staff

The food was amazing and brilliant Kenny and Letty were amazing and good customer service

Nice Chinese food other than China Town

The food was like this, the service was a bit strange, it was cold in the room, the food and drinks were expensive. I wouldn't go there again.

Had a very bad experience at this restaurant amd staff was very rude when I asked about different food options and they never came back to my table for a long time and the taste of food was not really good.

Tucked away amidst the bustling streets of the city lies a culinary haven: Royal China. Recently, I had the pleasure of dining there, and what unfolded was a veritable feast for the senses. From the moment one steps inside, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, with the quiet murmur of conversation and the gentle clatter of fine porcelain creating a backdrop of elegant vibrancy. The service, much like the diligent worker bees of a thriving hive, is attentive and seamless — each dish arriving with impeccable timing and care. The food itself is nothing short of marvellous. Each morsel — from the delicate dim sum to the richly flavoured main dishes — is crafted with the precision and artistry of a master at work. The meats and seafood offerings, in particular, are outstanding: bursting with flavour, perfectly balanced, and presented with understated elegance. It must be said, however, that for those creatures of the earth who prefer a more herbivorous diet, the options are somewhat limited. While the few vegetarian dishes available are crafted with the same deft hand and exquisite seasoning, one finds oneself yearning for a greater bounty of plant-based delights. Nonetheless, Royal China remains a true gem — a testament to culinary tradition, executed with grace and excellence. It is a journey well worth making, and a reminder of the joy that thoughtful, skilful cookery can bring.

Very bad experience the staff was too rude and the food was raw, and awful taste.

Take notes📒 Remember to use less salt next time you come here If you want to have snacks, remember to come at noon

Very good - better than most places I chinatown

Great dim sum, lovely tea, fast and friendly service. We sat at a really nice table outside under the trees, with outdoor heating.

So far pretty much all the dishes were on point. It's even one of the rare places with lava Nai Wong Bau. It's NOT fusion, so don't go there for a westernised style (including the atmosphere). It's worth the price if you appreciate Dim Sum and other Cantonese dishes.

Royal China Riverside never disappoints. The service is consistently warm and attentive—especially KENNY, who's always welcoming with a great sense of humour that adds a personal touch to every visit. The food is full of bold, flavourful dishes that hit the mark every time. One of the highlights is definitely the stunning view over the Thames, perfect for a relaxed lunch or dinner. It’s one of those spots I keep coming back to, and for good reason.

Lovely food and great atmosphere and view

Went on a weekend for lunch(busy time). Had to wait for 20 minutes for the table, which is fine as there are no prior reservations for weekends. Food: Dimsum was good, the black egg yolk bun and the xiao long bao were the best among all dishes. Food was overall very good. However, we were not given enough chillii oil and sauce for the table. We ordered 10 dimsum, and I am quite sure some of them need some dipping sauce.

It was a lovely experience and I recommend it

Amazing food and customer experience must try

Thank you, had a lovely birthday meal.

Love the late afternoon dim sum. My favourite Chinese restaurant, great staff .

Very nice food and great service and great view .

Royal China (Canary Riverside) is a solid choice for dim sum lovers, offering a wide variety that covers both classic and modern options. The food is tasty, with decent quality across most dishes, though not every item reaches the same standard. The riverside location adds a nice touch to the overall dining experience, especially on a sunny day. However, the service could be improved. The staff seemed a bit inattentive at times, which slightly took away from an otherwise enjoyable meal. Still, it’s a good spot for a weekend lunch or casual gathering if you’re in the area.

Amazing service! Kenny and the staff have been stars! So accommodating and lovely! They made my mum feel so special for her birthday! First time and will be back!

Great service from Kenny and good food . We always have a wonderful time here.

We’ve been coming to this restaurant for years because of the great food and friendly staff. On our trip today, they accommodated us on Mother’s Day even when we didn’t make a booking. They also gave us complimentary flowers and made us feel very warm and welcome throughout the evening.

Lovely staff, made my cousins birthday dinner memorable!

The food was wonderful!! Our server ,Kenny was wonderful!! The atmosphere was wonderful!! Restaurant is located opposite the ferry at Surrey Quays Pier. Enjoy!

Disgusting service, AVOID AT ALL COSTS. The bald waiter with the blue blazer and glasses started off by asking what drink we wanted, and after we said tea, he quickly scurried off and brought back the most expensive option without asking which one we wanted first. After requesting to change it with the actual tea we wanted, he gave us extreme attitude and got very rude and impatient. We also originally ordered a sprite before this, but asked for it to be taken off, which he did not hear since he ran off before listening. He got very passive aggressive and said we “can’t do this” in Chinese and even touched me. He then also talked to another waitress about this and we received extremely passive aggressive behaviour/attitude from the rest of the staff too. The food was very bland too, portion size was small, and overpriced. If you are ever thinking about having Chinese food or dimsum, do not even consider this place.

Good food and service, totally recommend

Amazing food and atmosphere! Strong Recommendation!

Consistent quality through the years for great dimsum. Always tasty and freshly steamed. Classics expected with some dishes unique to Royal China. Great location with the uber boat right outside and river views. Staff can be a bit abrupt but it is expected during busier periods. If you arrive after 2pm for dimsum it is much calmer.

Good service and atmosphere but food was average

A very good experience, Thanks Letty for the professional service！lovely dining experience！

Kenny was great! Nice chill meal

Really tasty and great service - recommend!

Super recommended! You all should try this amazing place: food is do delicious!! Thank you Vicky for taking care of us and for the great service ! We will definitely be back soon

Food was excellent, service was efficient and there was great attention to detail. Favourite dishes were the Peking duck and stir fry noodles

Food is not memorable but I’ll tell you what I will remember they charged us a side of chili oil and side of vinegar. I’m from US just not used to the culture I guess

Excellent food and friendly staff. 10/10 would recommend!

Visited this restaurant on a Sunday with my friend and her family. As expected, it was packed, and no seats were immediately available. They operated on a token system and informed us of a 25-minute wait. However, the wait felt short, and we were soon guided inside to a lively atmosphere filled with diners enjoying their meals. Despite the rush, the service was exceptionally efficient. The staff managed to keep things running smoothly, and our orders arrived promptly. The food itself was a highlight—each dish was fresh, flavorful, and well-prepared. We particularly enjoyed the crispy duck, sizzling dumplings, lobster, crispy calamari, and prawns, all of which were cooked to perfection. One of the standout features was the view overlooking London City Airport, where we could watch planes take off and land—a unique and engaging backdrop for our meal. The only drawback was the interior, which could use some attention and an uplift to match the quality of the food and service. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience with delicious food, excellent service, and a great view. With some improvements in the decor, this place could be even better! Would definitely visit again.

We received great customer service from Kenny! Thank you and we will see you soon ✌🏾

I think overall it’s a good option in this part of London. A bit overpriced.

It was our first time at this restaurant as my daughter was adamant to have Chinese food in Canary Wharf. Having reading the excellent reviews before hand we were expecting a 5 star experience. We were so wrong as the food was the worse Chinese I’ve had in my life. Coming from a south Asian country Chinese is our favourite cuisine and this made us doubt our choice. The food was so bland as usually we order a variety of dishes. The pork was distasteful and squirmish l, the starters were a far cry. Furthermore the manager asked each of us to give a 5 star review in exchange of a dessert (please refer images) which we couldn’t even have a bite. My goodness where did they come up with this concept? No wonder they have these fake 5 star reviews. I will NEVER sight this restaurant again.

Food is mediocre at its best . They request us to give five star by offering free desserts ! This is by far the most ordinary Chinese food we had in UK for the last 20 yrs

We had an amazing time here at the Royal China, the staff were great, the music was on point and the food was to die for. But Kenny was the star of the show. You can tell he really cares about his food and the food royal China has to offer. He really made our evening and you’ve now gained a repeat customer. Absolutely amazing work guys. Thank you very much

Very busy Sunday lunch - quite a wait but worth it. Lovely dishes with great flavours and freshly made and served hot! Good tea selection. Fast service

Enjoyed our meal very much. Services was good. Location is perfect.

Kenny and Sam very nice staff very kind and amazing fried squid!!!!

Lobster braised noodles are super delicious

We go there once a week for dimsum. Great food and great service, especially Jenny goes out of her way to make us welcomed.

Kenny and Shan were amazing, food - especially the the pork and service was fantastic! Will definitely be coming back for the dim sum!

Thank you Kenny who hosted a lovely birthday dinner for me and my lovely friends tonight. Perfect food , please come here

Really great! Highly recommended.

The dim sum menu has some variety - It has your steam/fried dumplings, buns, and cheung fun. It was made really well - not doughy, dry, or oily. There was 1 chicken feet dish but not much beyond that. It's still really nice. For the standard portion, 3 dumplings in a basket for ~£6.50 are quite pricy. For optional 13% service charge, some things need improvement. The restaurant wasn't busy, only a handful of tables. We had to be on the lookout for someone to take our order and wave a few times for the bill. The lady who took our order felt rushed and never came to check on us. Another girl did after helping us arrange the table to help us eat comfortably. And to the gentleman who double-checked we got all our food. Many thanks to the both of you!

Very impressed with the food, the service and the atmosphere at this venue, would recommend 👌🏽

The soup was too bitter for me, the hygiene was good. The environment was spacious and bright. It had a calmer and more elegant decoration than other Chinese restaurants. The employees are friendly and helpful. Food was delicious

Me and my partner used to visit this restaurant all the time but we will never return after our most recent and FINAL visit. We went at a relatively busy time so it took 10 minutes for us to be acknowledged and an additional 5 minutes to seat us although we had already made a booking and arrived on time. We waited 15 minutes for our order to be taken with the first server ignoring our food orders so another server had to come and take our food orders. Me and my partner decided we weren’t going to pay the OPTIONAL service charge but instead leave a reasonable tip for whichever server came first. We asked for the bill and takeaway containers and we were given four. It was never once mentioned that we had to pay for these. Once I asked to remove the service charge and we paid the appropriate amount, the manager/ server came and told us that we had to pay for the CARDBOARD takeaway boxes since we weren’t paying for service. It wasn’t until I finally said we were going to tip that she stopped arguing about payment for the boxes. I am appalled at this service, I have never been told such a boldfaced lie and my money held up because this server wanted to fight a £5 service charge. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone who values customer service.

Food is always good, especially the dimensions sums. Jenny is so friendly and cheerful, always smiley even when there were many people.

We always come to celebrate each other friends birthdays . First time in years we left disappointed...the service was way below average, we are used to the food as we were regular before the refurb....the quality has significantly dropped..and the new layout in not great. We felt tight .. Massive draft in the restaurant to a point that we were cold....Will not come back unfortunately.

Good food. Service excellent. Especially Jenny.

The experience was excellent from start to finish. However, when it came to settling the bill, a 13% service charge—labelled as “Rec. Gratitude”—was automatically added, which I was happy to pay. But then, the payment system prompted me to select an additional tip, with options of 5%, 10%, or 15% on top of the already-included service charge. That felt a bit cheeky, to say the least. Make sure to check your bills so you don’t get service charged twice!

I enjoyed my first time at this restaurant, Its very modern and nice. I went on the day on my birthday and they were so kind the customer service is well done , the food is delicious and the portions are ample and the atmosphere is safe. I would recommend to go on your birthday and any other day. The two staffs that were my favourite are Jenny and Yan but all of them were so nice. The money was worth it . Lovely

Really amazing staff, very yummy food & dessert

I feel that this place is super Hong Kong because it’s extremely crowded, the back of my seat is right in the middle of two guests behind me, we are given 90 min to eat, the manager has no smile all the time, the assistant manager is talking to you without looking at you, everything is soo rushed! I thought I have gone back to HK, so deadly authentic. Food is yummy though, it’s really up to you to choose if you want food or ambience 😂

We have been here many many times and always have a good time here. Food always superb, staff are very friendly.

10/10 experience, authentic cantonese food👌🏻

The sea bass was excellent as were all the dishes we had. The service was good.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in London. Good food with reasonable price.

Very good food and outstanding service big ups kenny and the staff 🤞🏾🩸

Comida espectacular y un servicio impecable! Visitamos el 19 . 12 . 24 como familia para una celebración tardía del cumpleaños de mi marido y fuimos realmente consentidos por el equipo en la Royal China. Disculpas, ya que no tengo el nombre de los camareros principales, él fue increíble, nos escuchó hablar sobre el cumpleaños de mi esposo y consiguió que el equipo le cantara feliz cumpleaños al final de nuestra comida, gracias a este fue un bonito toque inesperado. ¡Volveremos!

Discreet and efficient service, good choice of dishes. Good and tasty creaspy duck, very enjoyable evening

Good service. Food portions are reasonable and the waiter, Kenny was lovely. I would recommend the seafood soup!

Lovely atmosphere and kemny was really fruendly and eager to help us, don't be shy to ask for condiments and they kept puring tea. Food was good fired rice was a bit bland but they gave me soy sauce when I asked for more. Ho fun noodles were great. I would come back.

Lovely lunch. The place had such a lovely atmosphere and the staff were very accommodating

Amazing service, top food! New and imrproved!

Great Restaurant and awesome service

Food is top notch one of the best Chinese I’ve ever eaten in my life mehnn the spicy chicken is sooo good🔥

Very nice place, enjoyed the dinner. The Chinese is nice

Great location facing the Thames. Spotlessly clean and recently refurbished to a high standard. Restaurant was however cold and all the dishes were too. There was the same song playing on repeat which was irritating. Staff were generally lovely, however they only asked how our food was when we paid the bill which is a bit too late, however we did provide feedback. Strange that we were told up front to stay no more than 90 mins even though the restaurant was quiet. Food was delicious, shame it was cold.

My favourite place for dim sum!

Attended a birthday dinner. Food was delicious and service was so friendly and personal. Our group was made to feel so welcomed. Great venue for a celebration dinner.

Best food ever! I have never ever tried best dim sum in London or in the world . I fully recommend this place . People is so nice service is very close and the ambience is fenomenal

Great food great staff especially Kenny he looked after us so well. Highly recommend this place!

Excellent service and tasty food! The food tasted fresh and very juicy compared to the rubbish we served in the US.

I had a really lovely dinner here with my friends, service was abit frosty in the beginning but warmed up and they all were amazing the food YUMM!!! That Char siu pork delicious!!! definitely will go back!!

Disappointed that the dim sum options were only available for lunch service and not evening meals. Service great and decor nicely presented. Food was very underwhelming, especially bland and not very special. Genuinely surprised at such positive reviews which made me excited to try. Duck was very nice, but everything else was average. Declined to take our leftovers to go.

Great service, very friendly and very simple

Lovely experience and recommend a visit! Food is brilliant and good atmosphere. It has recently been renovated and looks good. Thank you Kenny and Sham especially for the great service.

Delicious food, good atmosphere

Royal China always delivers great food. Newly refurbished restaurant at river Thames provides great atmosphere with enthusiastic service and amazing views. Been coming here regularly with my family.

Amazing service and great food. We had the dim sum lunch and food was brought over so quickly and just as good as ever. Been coming here since 2013 and their quality hasn’t dropped one ounce. Excellent restaurant

Really good! I come here a lot, good quality food and the waiters are very friendly 🥰 my weekend brunch go to! Make sure you have everyone arrived beforehand otherwise you can’t get a table. Also the managers are super awesome gave use free dessert!

Dim sum was really good! Would recommend for a weekend brunch - didn’t have to wait very long despite it being very busy!

The food was great.👍🏼 They had a great mix of spicy and non-spicy options. I would recommend the sweet and sour pork and the egg fried rice.

Delicious authentic dim sum with a great service! We have been regulars for over 7 years now and standards have not dropped. If anything, it has got better especially with the recent refurb! The front of house manager and the team continue to do a great job!

The BEST Chinese restaurant you will come across in London. The food is consistently exceptional and authentic and the service is without a doubt of the highest standard. A special thanks to Kenny and Phong who always make our visits so welcomed. Could not recommend royal china Canary Wharf more highly.

One of the best yum cha in town!

Very, very nice. Highly recommend

really lovely, decent food, lovely host!

I strongly recommend this restaurant. The best I have tried so far.