Tai Soen in Wijk 06 Binnenstad

Authentic Chinese food. Super tasty and at a great price with correct size portions.

Went around lunchtime and it was absolutely packed youmight want to make a reservation because I had to wait in line at the door Icould eat these oysters forever 🦪😍😍

Easy to find, near Centraal in a shopping center. Service is top, taste authentic, gonna try more for next time

One of the best options for Chinese/Cantonese food in the Netherlands. There are options to dine in our take out. Or start with dining in and take the rest home because you ordered too much. It can get very busy, though. Best to reserve a seat or come at less popular hours.

666. The sign says they close at 10 PM, but they stop taking orders at 9:30 PM. The staff don't even look at customers properly.

The food is amazing, the restaurant is clean, lots of Asian people eating there… Great choice if you are looking for a Chinese restaurant in Utrecht 🥰

Making a reservation is pointless; we waited another half hour before we could be seated.

Too expensive for what you get. Ingredients are not prepared fresh but bought ready-made. Pickled mushrooms instead of fresh ones, for example. Breaded chicken is the same.

A better environment starts with yourself and certainly not with Tai Soen. When I indicate that I don't need a 25-cent plastic bag for takeout because I have my own bag, I am told that the bag is an integral part of the packaging (!). Of course, it turns out to be just a plastic bag. Service is fine when a male employee is present (who gives the impression of being the owner or a relative of the owner), but when the ladies are alone, there is a lot of grumpiness and impatience among the staff. The food was tasty, hence 4 stars.

I tasted the true essence of Chinese cuisine in a distant Western land. No further words are needed. I haven't tried Peking duck, so I can't comment on that.

Enjoyed a really great meal here and would highly recommend. The staff is friendly and helpful. Food was excellent. We tried dumplings as an appetizer and they were super tasty, as were our meals. Server was great. Place was clean. It checks all the boxes and was a really nice meal.

Very tasty, we will definitely come back

Tasty food, but rarely have I encountered a waiter who was quite so impatient and rude. We were practically gaslit over the ordering times.

We had a delicious meal. I do recommend making a reservation in advance. It can get quite busy.

I have already been here twice and loved it every single time! The food is incredible and the stuff polite and fast! Being inside the shopping mall and next to the central station might make you think that it's a tourist trap or not really worth it, but it's actually one of the best Chinese I ever had!

My family has been coming here for over ten years; the staff is always friendly and the food is delicious!

Traditional Chinese dishes are especially delicious!

The food was good and delicious. It helped alleviate homesickness when I missed Asian cuisine.

Friendly staff, extremely tasty Chinese cuisine. The dishes are authentic, not your mainstream Chinese. Loved the jelly fish salad with century egg. It’s hard to find something like this in the Netherlands, this place has become a favorite!

The food was very tasty, I really enjoyed it, the atmosphere was good and the staff was friendly. Definitely recommended!!!

We had a delicious meal. Fast and good service.

Great local spot, beautifully decorated, friendly staff and authentic food

A very disappointing dining experience. We ordered stir-fried beef noodles, braised chicken rice, coconut cake, and wonton soup. Only the stir-fried beef noodles were barely passable. The braised chicken rice was particularly terrible: the portion was tiny, with less than eight small pieces of chicken, and the taste was mediocre, not even good enough to eat with rice. The rice itself was also extremely poor quality, like leftover rice, utterly tasteless and bland – I've never had such bad rice before. The wonton soup further highlighted the restaurant's "precise cost control." The soup was served in a small bowl containing four wontons, the rest being nothing but cabbage. Yes, cabbage! I've never seen Cantonese people cook cabbage in soup before!

It started right away with the pushiness of the staff. We arrived around 6:30 PM, and just as we were well and truly seated, the first frustration set in; a member of the wait staff came to the table immediately to take our drinks order—great!!! But she immediately added that we needed to hurry up with our order because, according to her, the kitchen was closing in about an hour. That turned out to be nonsense, as the website stated otherwise, and other people were still regularly coming in to dine. In the first 10 minutes we were seated, someone came to the table at least five times to take our meal order. After we had ordered, it took roughly 45 minutes for the soup and dim sum to arrive. My soup tasted reasonably good; in contrast, my wife's was extremely bland with huge chunks of cabbage and seaweed in it, and our son's dim sum were also surprisingly large but bland as well. While we were busy with our starters, the appetizers arrived, each one bland in taste, and they all looked like they had just been dumped onto the platters. Consequently, the presentation was pathetic. We had ordered a chicken, a beef, and a shrimp dish, but what mattered (the chicken, beef, and shrimp) were barely to be found, let alone tasted. Finally, the toilets were particularly unhygienic; it stank and the floor was sticky; it seemed as if the guests were not allowed to escape. The bill, in contrast to the dinner, was quite "steep".

Delicious food, welcoming and friendly staff, highly recommended

The stir-fried dishes were delicious, but I didn't like the other dishes. A bit pricey; the garlic kale was surprisingly €23.10.

The food is okay, not very special and pricey. Friendly staff who pay attention to their guests.

Delicious and authentic Chinese food.

Had a lovely meal here with a colleague. The price was good. The food was also good. Friendly service and staff. You get your food and drinks quickly. I recommend everyone give this a try!

We have come here for the third time and have noticed that the service quality has dropped. We reserved a table for 4 people. The first staff member we met (she had short hair and was wearing a waistcoat) was very nice to us. She recommended that we sit at a round table, as it offers more space for food. Unfortunately, one of my friends was sick and called us at the last minute. So we informed another staff member (a woman with long hair, dressed all in black and slightly older than the first one) that we ended up with 3 people. She asked us to move to a smaller table. I don’t understand why she asked us to do that when it was not busy at all (14:30). Her communication could be improved, as she mixed Dutch, English, and Chinese in the same sentence, which made it difficult to understand at times even though we speak both Dutch and English. She also asked if we wanted chopsticks or a fork and knife. We asked for both chopsticks, forks and spoons (we ordered dim sum and a rice dish). We were surprised when she said we could only choose either chopsticks or cutlery, because chopsticks would come with a small bowl and the other dishes would come with plates. Does it matter? Why can’t we have both? but ok, finally we could have them both. We ordered two kinds of main dishes and three dim sum items but there's no shared dishes provide. Later, we had to ask the first staff member we met for extra plates. The service today was not impressive, and I have never experienced this in any Asian restaurant in the Netherlands. The food tastes good as always, but we just feel frustrated with the service.

Had a delicious meal, nice, friendly people, honest and helpful. Will be back!!

The food is really great and tasty! They deserve higher grades!

We had a farewell dinner for a colleague. There were eight of us. We got a round table. The service was good and friendly. The food was delicious. We had a super enjoyable evening. Thanks, people at Tai Soen!

Ate here today. Unfriendly male staff. He doesn't know how to deal with customers. He seemed irritated. The food was okay. I wouldn't recommend coming back again.

Not great food at all. Cold. Tasteless. Spicy noodle were pretty bad. Dimsum was good but nothing else was great. Way too overpriced for the quality of food. Service was good though.

Food is not that exceptional and one particular person in the staff was very impatient with us when we asked for recommendations in the menu, even when we asked which teas they had.

A great place for authentic Chinese food.

Very friendly service. Dishes very good and flavorful. Highly recommended!

Our favourite Chinese restaurant in the Netherlands! Excellent authentic food and very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

The food was delicious. The beef was nice and tender.

Nice place for an easy meal. Food is ok, but not very special. Service is good with friendly staff that is attentive. Price - quality is just okay

We ate here; the restaurant is located in a shopping center. The food was extremely expensive for what it is. We had chicken curry with fries and chicken in sweet and sour sauce with noodles. The noodles were okay, but the chicken was incredibly bland. It had no flavor and no sauce at all. We also asked for mayonnaise with the fries; you could probably dip five fries in the mayonnaise. We had to ask for it twice, and it was charged twice at €1.40 per portion. We also asked for extra fries (the fries were tasteless); the fries only arrived after my meat was finished. We had to wait at least 15 minutes for the extra fries and mayonnaise. When it finally arrived, our meat was already gone due to the long wait, and we ate dry fries. The staff is friendly, though. It was around €21.50 for the chicken curry, and the fries and noodles weren't even included in the price; you have to pay extra for those. It was €2.20 for the fries we got with the chicken, and when we asked for extra, it was €4.50. Scandalous! This restaurant is definitely not worth the money!!

Had delicious Chinese food with a Dutch twist. There is also a menu with 'authentic' Chinese dishes. It all sounds equally tasty. Service friendly and fast. The decor could use an upgrade...

Ordered the fried rice - the capsicum is too overpowering, totally spoiled the taste.

Damn, why they charge 10,50 for a pot of tea with your dimsum. First time this happens, its ridicilous

I went with a friend who had never eaten Chinese food before. We loved it and will definitely be back. The staff were also helpful. A nice place to unwind after shopping in Hoog Catherijne.

A Cantonese local voucher: large portions at a great price. Money is no object; the key is the food – it's even better than Amsterdam! If you're craving tea in the Netherlands, besides The Hague, Ute Da Shun is the top choice. The food is fresh and delicious. We've been here many times and highly recommend it!

The food here is very good, especially compared to Asian restaurants in Amsterdam. Even better than in Munich. I highly recommend it!

The restaurant has been newly renovated and offers authentic Cantonese cuisine. Fast service and excellent food – highly recommended!

The service was slow, their own staff made a mistake and they offered no apologies, causing customers to wait a long time.

Is it possible to get decent food in Hoog Catharijne? It’s been there for at least 50 years, mind you! Friday afternoon, 4 friends, lots of Asian-looking people eating in the restaurant—great! Not the coziest restaurant, but the food and service were really pleasant! We feasted on various dim sum, spring rolls, siu mei, steamed ribs, Peking duck, beef tenderloin, cha siu, and Chinese tea. Delicious!

Before Paradijs closed in 2017, we used to go here regularly. To be honest, it was our second choice. But last Monday, we were surprised by the quality of the food. They have given the interior and decor a makeover. Not very surprising, but it does look much better. What is also special is that you can enjoy Dim Sum here in the evening as well. Traditionally, this is only served at lunchtime. You can also come here for Chinese-Indonesian cuisine, but we are not interested in that. I actually don't understand why anyone would choose that. We hadn't made a reservation, but the restaurant didn't have any suitable tables left. Neither did a group for us. But we were fine with eating together at a large table.

Today, I dined with a foreign friend at a Cantonese restaurant in the Netherlands. I had hoped he would experience Chinese culinary culture and the atmosphere of Cantonese dim sum, but the experience didn't live up to expectations, mainly due to an unpleasant service interaction. The restaurant uses a self-selection system where customers tick or write the quantity on the menu. I wrote "1" next to the dishes I ordered, using the common European format. Because the pens provided weren't very smooth, one of the "1s" was slightly illegible and might have looked more like a "2". The waitress didn't check or confirm the menu when she took it away. A few minutes later, she returned and asked, "Is this 1 or 2?" After I clearly stated it was 1, she said that the staff had all thought it was 2, adding, "None of us here knew it was 1; we all thought it was 2. Don't write '1' like that at other restaurants." This communication style surprised and made me uncomfortable. Customers come to restaurants primarily to eat; if there's a question about the order, a simple confirmation is sufficient. There's no need to make the customer feel blamed or lectured. She then said in English, "OK, this is one, alright," and left. What bothered me more was that although my foreign friend couldn't understand our Chinese conversation, he still felt the atmosphere was somewhat tense after the waiter left. I had hoped this meal would allow him to experience Chinese food culture and hospitality, but the final impression didn't quite meet my expectations, which I found regrettable. From an experience perspective, the restaurant could improve in a few ways: 1. Provide simple confirmation when collecting menus When customers need to fill in quantities themselves, a simple check can avoid misunderstandings. 2. Communication could be more calm and clear When questions arise, focus on explaining the situation; this will improve the customer experience. 3. Ordering tools should match the process Since customers need to fill in numbers, I suggest providing pens that are easy to write with. 4. Service experience affects the overall impression Especially when serving international customers, details of communication directly impact their overall impression of the restaurant and its culinary culture. In addition, while the restaurant specializes in Cantonese cuisine, its overall flavor differs somewhat from traditional Cantonese dishes. I recommend trying it! I hope the restaurant can further improve its service details and communication methods in the future, providing customers with a smoother and more comfortable dining experience.

Good food, cleanliness and service.

The environment is even better after the renovation! The food came out quickly!! The owner was very welcoming and chatted with us~ The beef offal that day was amazing! We even ordered twice!!

The food was really delicious, though it's a shame it sometimes takes a long time to arrive. And the front area feels a bit lacking in ambiance, with just a white wall. Otherwise, the staff is very friendly!

This is what I received from their special menu for two people. The portion was far too small—I was surprised to see that the bowl wasn’t even full. It cost €65, and with service and delivery fees, the total came to €72.88.

The food is very nice, the people not that much

The restaurant is located inside the shopping mall integrated with the Utrecht train station in the Netherlands. By 7:00 PM, the place was already packed, and we had to queue. Most of the staff were women and appeared to be from Hong Kong, which I could tell from the language they spoke. ​As for the food, the taste was average and the portions weren't particularly large, making it quite expensive relative to the quality and size. I ordered the fried shrimp, sweet and sour pork (kuluyuk), and coconut pudding for dessert, along with some dim sum to take away. The dim sum was actually quite good. ​The atmosphere was bustling with many Westerners, likely locals. One incident stood out: a waitress poured the rest of my bottled drink into my glass without me asking. It turned out she just wanted to clear the table quickly, so she emptied the bottle just to take it away. While it felt a bit rude, many people from Hong Kong operate this way; I’ve encountered this frequently at Chinese restaurants across various cities in Germany, the Netherlands, and elsewhere. However, if you are white, you generally receive better service than most Asians—you know the reason why. Despite all this, the restaurant is clearly popular here and maintains a very high rating in Utrecht.

Had a good meal after visiting the motorcycle show

Taking the kids out to eat is supposed to be a happy occasion, but this time it was very disappointing. The service was indifferent, and the hygiene of the teaware was questionable. Most incomprehensibly, we only ordered one pot of tea, but were charged for two, with the reason given that "more than four out of five people need to be charged twice." This charging method is both unreasonable and not explained in advance. Even more outrageous, the boiled beef and fish-flavored eggplant casserole already included rice, yet we were still charged extra for two servings of rice, clearly double-charging. A few dollars isn't the issue; the issue is whether the pricing is transparent and reasonable. Taking the kids out for a meal should have been a pleasant experience, but this visit was very disappointing. The service attitude was cold, and the cleanliness of the tea set was questionable. What was most unacceptable was that we ordered only one pot of tea, yet we were charged for two. When we asked why, we were told that because there were five of us (2 adults and 3 children), any group over four people would be charged for two pots. This policy was neither reasonable nor explained to us in advance. Even more frustrating, the dishes we ordered (boiled beef in chili oil and braised eggplant in garlic sauce) already included rice, yet we were still charged for two additional portions of rice, which felt like duplicate billing. It’s not about a few dollars — it’s about transparency and fairness in pricing.

Delicious dim sum. Friendly service. Since the renovation, the front of the restaurant hasn't had much of an ambiance.

The renovation was a complete failure, lacking atmosphere, like eating in a shop window. No one comes here anymore.

Had a delicious meal in what seemed like an empty window. Nevertheless, it was cozy and packed.

The vegetarian bami was delicious 😋Best Chinese in Utrecht and polite Chinese people ❤️

I went with my niece and it was amazing. The Netherlands

I've been coming here for dim sum for years. After the renovation, the atmosphere is a bit chilly, but the temperature is better. Unfortunately, you also see shrinkage here, especially with the fried squid: smaller pieces, more cheaper stuffing, and a higher price. But the flavors are still good. The service is generally a bit gruff and curt, but recently a new face has arrived who actively goes the extra mile to please guests (hospitable in word and deed, explaining the dishes on the table, and checking in between to make sure everything is to your liking). A nice addition to a visit to Tai Soen!

Genuine dim sum! The “nest taro” dim sum no longer available in even Hong Kong but they serving it here! Must try as it may disappear in dim sum restaurants!

It's been renovated here, and it was our first time back after the renovation, and what a difference it made. The food was excellent again, especially delicious. We highly recommend it. The chef was another plus.

Quick dim sum stop before a concert. The personnel is lovely and the food was even better.

Definitely the best Chinese restaurant in Utrecht. Lots of options, including dim sum and other good options.

Staff was very attentive and kind, food was good and tasty aswell, and the atmosphere is good for family and friend gatherings

After years of walking past it and seeing the good reviews, we went here for dinner yesterday. We were hoping for an authentic Chinese restaurant that didn't have to be trendy, but this place had no atmosphere. We ordered dim sum and one larger dish. The quality of the food was very disappointing and tasteless compared to all the other dim sum I've had before. In short: it was nice to finally have been to this place, but we won't be going back.

Classic Chinese restaurant with the appropriate atmosphere.

The food takes a very long time to arrive

Great food in very generous servings. Worth the wait.

My brother and I have been coming here for more than a year and it never fails us. We either order for dine-in or takeaway. This can be for either lunch or dinner, both are fine. There are weeks that we eat here more than once, because it's one of the best places you can eat in Utrecht! The quality and value you get for the price is amazing. The new interior feels a lot more open and modern in comparison to what it was before. I'm really happy to see that people are finally finding the place as it is more crowded than before There are days where its definitely recommended to have a reservation. Previously walk-in, if you were with 2 people was possible, but nowadays it can be difficult. If you come here, I recommend ordering from the Dimsum menu. We always order the red chicken feet, cha sui kau, soybean wrapped spring rolls, potstickers and sea food rice porridge or fo nan

The atmosphere was really bad for Boxing Day. After the renovation, it's become a large room with tables and large windows that give the impression of dining outdoors. Too open and... The design lacks atmosphere. The food is good but very sparse. The service is good as always.

If you are looking to satisfy a Chinese food craving, look no further. This place is a gem! The standout for me is the crispy noodles; the sauce is just perfect. The dumplings are solid as well. I’ve visited more than 5 times now, and it never disappoints

Delicious Chinese food at affordable prices with good service. It’s best to make a reservation in advance, as the restaurant can get very busy

It hasn't become any more inviting since the renovation; it's become such a bare place, it looks like an aquarium. Even barer than an aquarium, actually... No atmosphere. Please, create more atmosphere! We were also unpleasantly surprised today that they were suddenly closed (Tuesday, December 23rd), even though the website says they're open EVERY day! I had wanted to get Chinese takeout, but that was suddenly not possible. We're disappointed, and that's why I'm giving them a bad rating.

We had a great meal. It was in a rather unusually decorated Chinese restaurant, with a somewhat sterile setting.

You don't have to worry about being overstuffed and not being able to finish the food; they've taken that into account. Furthermore, after the renovation, the restaurant has been given an "open look," so you feel like you're dining outside on the sidewalk.

The mochi is way too expensive.

The duck and chicken were gone, "That's always the case on Saturday nights." So you just buy more duck and chicken? Otherwise, the food was okay, but there was too much sauce and onion in the dishes.

The entrance suggests otherwise. But this is a must-try if you enjoy traditional, authentic Chinese food. The food is delicious and well-prepared. The service is fast. And above all, it's affordable.

The duck was 2cm in height and it was mostly skin, als it had no bones it was removed like “???” This is not supposed to be served for the prices on the menu. might aswell just go to the toko if you crave duck it’s less than a 10 min walk which also actually fills your stomach. This experience felt more like a foreign kind of concept which failed miserably, the noodles lord have mercy lets not go into details, i have never seen a restaurant that dared to snip the noodles. If i have to sum up my experience: this was the worst restaurant i ever went to in Utrecht. Personally i dont think they need to work on the interior but put more focus on the menu itself. I actually dont care about the prices but the joke in itself is i left even more hungry then when i arrived.

Went after renovation, it is more bright. Food was as always delicious! Really recommended!

Taisoen has never failed me. The food is consistently delicious, and the service is always fast and efficient. Every time I visit, I leave happy and satisfied. As a Chinese restaurant, they maintain great quality and flavor, and it’s always a pleasure to come back. Definitely one of my go-to places when I’m in the area. Highly recommended!

Excellent Chinese food in Utrecht. We ordered from the Chinese menu not the general menu. We loved the vegetarian spring rolls, pork buns and onion pancakes. Definitely recommend this restaurant. Definitely book your table in advance - it's very busy.

The best dim sum restaurant in Utrecht and the surrounding area. Since the change of ownership in 2024, prices have risen by at least 30%, so we don't go there as often anymore.

The porridge was delicious, but paying 3.70 euros for a small cup of hot water was a bit scary. Not recommended.

I'd personally like to wish Tai Soen and the staff all the best and success with the new look ;-) for the next few years. And I hope the dim sum menu has also been updated, so you don't have to search for the dish with a magnifying glass if you don't have healthy, young eyes anymore ;-)! I haven't been there yet, but I'm very curious and I'm always very satisfied with the staff: friendly, pleasant, and professional, so accommodating!

You can order so many different dishes here. From dim sum dishes to platters with various meats, shrimp, scallops, and even steamed oysters! The Peking duck with pancakes and the homemade iced tea are highly recommended. These are just a few examples, as they have much more on the menu. And it's a 10-minute walk from Utrecht Central Station, so it's ideal.

A great place, with wonderful food and very friendly staff. Highly recommended!

“The food is all very greasy, which is not good for the elderly.” The fried bihun and fried squid are too greasy and the portion of roasted pork is small, not in proportion to the price."

This one was a bit weird. Food is good but I couldn't help but think it was made to the Dutch palate. Quite bland, as in specifically avoiding strong flavors of any kind. Perhaps asking for hot sauce is the play but I won't be going back to find out

Yummy indeed simply to say. Big selection to choose.

At first glance, I thought this restaurant was a Chinese restaurant adapted to Dutch taste but I was pleasantly surprised. I've eaten at Tai Soen several times so far and every time it's been fantastic. I definitely recommend eating here if you want to try authentic Cantonese dim sum.

Great Cantonese food! As a Cantonese myself, I always come back here to get my dim sum fix. Always reliable in terms of portions and flavours. This place is also bit more affordable compared to other places. Fast service too. Worth the 5 stars!!