01/02/09

Great Food

by fluteplyr011

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.

07/06/06

AWESOME! Nice Restaurant with over average food and good customer service.

by yummy2006

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.

• Pros: Nice restaurant surrounded by the historic San Gabriel mission...good food and service
• Cons: cannot handle large group if more than 30 tables

06/19/06

horrible service, okay food

by gradgirl21

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.

• Pros: none
• Cons: okay food, terrible service, disorganized

06/07/06

good quality dim sum

by lonediner

This is a fancy version of the usual dim sum places. So I would say if people are used to the other dim sum places, they would not think that the wait staff was rude. The portions are a bit smaller, but well executed. And on the saturday I was there, there was even a chinese harpist playing in the dining room, that was rather interesting.

If you want to book a large group for dinner, say 10-15, you can opt for the private room, but there is a minimum charge of $500. And of course, it is not dim sum , but chinese banquet style food.

01/24/06

Second rate service at best

by justinjsw

I came back to Mission 261 again to see if maybe they have upgraded their service to match their food. The food again was good but the service left me with a bad taste in my mouth. For the class of restaurant it claims to be, their entire wait staff starting with the hostess needs to be trained in the art of fine dining service. Maybe its one reason why there was no wait for a late Sat morning table.

• Pros: Food, Ambience
• Cons: Service, Service, Service

06/03/05

Vegetarian-friendly

by karenyin

As a vegetarian, I usually have to settle for desserts at dim sum restaurants, but Mission 261's embrace of the contemporary includes a satisfying selection of meatless options. My favorite is the Rice Pancakes with Oyster Mushroom Stuffing. On those mornings when you're not fully awake yet, the Congee with Corn and Mushroom really hits the spot. And, of course, the egg rolls are delicious. The prices are higher than at usual dim sum places, but I can't find these items anywhere else, so it's worth it.

• Pros: Vegetarian selection, Great service, Clean, well-lit
• Cons: Above-average prices

04/30/05

Well Decorated Dump

by carol188

I'm willing to pay a premium for 1) ambience or 2) great food and feel lucky if I get both. Unfortunately, the food here alone will prevent me from going back. Everything is bland to bad and overpriced--from banquet dishes to dim sum to tea (which is complimentary at most dim sum establishments). And though Mission 261 has nice outdoor patios, its interior is no more breathtaking than a generic airport lounge. Service is more than lacking. Don't expect to find a smile or anyone who speaks English well enough to understand 'Soy Sauce'-which you would think is a fairly standard request. Too many great places to spend time or $$ on a place like this.

• Pros: Outdoor Patios, Close to attractions
• Cons: Service, Food, Cost

04/27/05

Very disappointed

by sppk0619

Mission 261 was a major disappointment. We made reservations and was not seated til an hour later. The food was cold upon arrival and service was very poor and rude. There was not a lot of variety of dim sum and it was over priced.

04/12/05

Nice place, bad food

by ekyeoman

You would expect such a nice restaurant to offer superior food, but I have to say I'm terribly disappointed. The food is lukewarm - a big minus for chinese food. That certain affected the taste as well, which wasn't great to begin with. Sure, the place looks so nice and spacious, but I'd rather take myself to one of those cramped places that serve hot, fresh, tasty chinese dishes.

• Pros: Nice setting, Very spacious, Good service
• Cons: Subpar food, Expensive

02/17/05

Best dim sum in LA

by chains007

Took my parents here when they were visiting from out of town - very impressed. Top notch dim sum - freshly made when you order - not rolled out on carts. The standard Har Gow and Siu Mai are excellent. Prices are a little high - but you get what you pay for. The restaurant itself is pretty cool - an old mexican restaurant converted into a chinese dim sum place - interesting combination.