Mission 261 Restaurant
(626) 588-1666
261 S Mission Dr
San Gabriel,
CA
91776
34.099
-118.1096
Neighborhood: Rowland
What People Are Saying About Mission 261 Restaurant
The Editor
Martha Burr
Citysearch
In Short
Symbolic of L.A.'s endless cultural transmutations, this century-old Spanish mission-style former city hall has become a Chinese dim sum palace of the first order. The gorgeous architecture remains with white walls, tile floors, oak beams and a magical courtyard under a 100-year-old grapevine canopy. Three big rooms serve elegant meals, from dim sum to dinner. Forget about dragons, red lanterns and rolling carts--this is modern dim sum ordered from a picture menu, with offerings even seasoned experts will find intriguing. Deep fried "bees" are actually minced shrimp encasing a salt egg, artfully decorated. The fried taro dumplings are among the best in town. Chewy imperial tea dumplings are sheathed in fresh bamboo leaves, and delicate, steamed spinach and sea scallop morsels are pale as spring shoots. Shanghai rice dumplings trumpet richly with cured ham and vegetables, and steamed juicy pork bun is exactly that, bursting with flavor.
User Reviews
fluteplyr011
January 02, 2009
I used to think the Dim Sum here was expensive, but it has gone done, with the quality of the food going up. Their mango pudding is the best, with actual mango pieces in it. The dinner there is affordable too. Though the parking lot is atrocious. On the roughest of nights, the parking lot overflows to the street, with cars jammed into the tiny spaces, reminiscent of sardines. The cars often park in two spots too. Unfortunately, as of next month, the restaurant will be closed so that they can build a hotel atop the restaurant. I have no clue when it will be reopened though.
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yummy2006
July 06, 2006
You know what, they have a good ambience and when I ate the dim sum in there at the 1st time...I think that it's a little bit pricy...however, the taste is pretty good.....(actually the price is still reasonable coz I compare to the similar style restaurants) then I went there and tried their dinner..... the dinner is also good....and i'm surprise by their good customer service......better than the one of Hilton hotel in San Gabriel (customer service). Anyway, i'm highly recommended for those ppl who never tried before.
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gradgirl21
June 19, 2006
Granted, we went on Father's Day, when there may have been an above average amount of guests... but the service in this place was just terrible. No one seemed to be serving our table and we had to wait 15 minutes after being seated just to get a menu. Even asking the manager for a menu did not help - so we had to borrow one from a neighboring table. They brought half of our order and forgot the other half... until we grabbed somebody and asked them what was going on. They then brought the rest, in the wrong quantities. The worst part is that the food did not make up for this lack of service. There is a limited selection, and it tasted okay, but I've had much better Dim Sum at more affordable places in Rosmead and Rowland Heights. The service is much better at the cheaper places too.
read full reviewThe Details on Mission 261 Restaurant
Save Money:
Arrive before noon on weekdays for 20-percent off dim sum.
Where to Sit:
Reserve a table on the stunning grapevine patio--something no other dim sum venue in L.A. county offers.
Look Good:
Walk off your meal by touring the adjacent shops, galleries and the Mission itself.
Know Before You Go:
If you're nursing a hangover, try a big bowl of jook, comforting rice congee with fish, pork or lobster.
The Extras:
The entire venue or private rooms can be rented for banquets and weddings.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Special Occasion Dining, Outdoor Dining, Private Rooms, Historic Setting, People Watching, Family Style Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining
