Chinese
Beer/Wine
Asian
Fusion
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Modern style Asian fusion and dim sum restaurant. Could get vegan dumplings, vegetable stir-fry, a few of the appetizers, plus noodle dish without the meat - be sure to specify. Prices are moderate to slightly expensive. Open Mon 11:30am-9:00pm, Wed-Sat 11:30am-10:00pm, Sun 11:30am-9:00pm.
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- Outdoor seating
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Last update on 02 Sep 2015 by Guest
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Added by cookiem on 19 Aug 2015
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18 Reviews
First Review by cookiem
SL1
Points +177
Delicious vegan options - Edit
Vegan Chive shiitake dumplings and Tofu buns were different and delicious!
Read moreThe server was exceptionally helpful and kind.
Parking is always an issue in Portland
Pros: Great vegan food, Fantastic service, Lovely, warm and cozy atmosphere
Cons: Portland has limited reasonably priced parking
Guest
steggi55
Points +72
The best Veg food in Maine - Edit
Best veg food I had during my Acadia National Park trip. Tofu buns, chive shiitake dumplings and ginger fried rice- so flavorful and filling. I was a happy camper when left for the airport.
Read moreGuest
RavishingRavenous
Points +3322
Solid Veg-friendly Chinese Food - Edit
Old review 2018: Menu clearly marked with vegetarian, gluten free and vegan items. Food is a good option if you have already been to Green Elephant during your trip.
Read moreGuest
SaraNorlin
Points +3848
Decent take out option - Edit
Good take out options. This place is only open for take out now, not dine in. The broccoli dish was good
Read moreGuest
sophiefrenchfry
Points +1509
Tasty, and lots of options - Edit
Empire Chinese is easy to over-look, but it is definitely worth a visit. They have small plates, dim sum, and larger plates. Everything is appropriate for sharing. My husband and I shared two different kinds of vegan dumplings, garlic green beans, and kale noodles. Everything was tasty, came out fresh and hot, and just made us happy. The green beans and noodles were my favorites. The atmosphere in the restaurant is relaxing and our waitress was super friendly.
Read moreUpdate on June 23, 2022: Empire Chinese is now open for take out only. They have excellent, easy, and very safe take out or curbside pick up. Their online menu makes it easy to specify food allergies. I’m allergic to wheat, and there were tons of vegan, gluten free options. They even included gluten free soy sauce in our order. I would give Empire Chinese five stars if possible!
Updated from previous review on 2015-11-08
Guest
fitzdrake
Points +204
One of my favorite spots - Edit
So many vegan options and you can’t go wrong with any of them. So delicious. It does it get packed on weekends, but worth the wait
Read morePros: So many vegan options
Guest
lindsayp
Points +66
Amazing food! - Edit
This restaurant deserves 5 stars but it won’t let me because it’s not fully vegan/vegetarian!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Great food
Cons: Usually a wait
Guest
DMD
Points +38
WORTH THE WAIT - Edit
LOVED IT, lots of vegan options (and lots of options for the non-vegan in your party). Had vegan dumplings, boa, and the chinese eggplant. Everything was GREAT. It's a very busy place but worth the wait (you can leave a number and they will contact you when your table is ready).
Read moreGuest
joegelay
Points +573
Awesome veg options - Edit
Don't expect a ton of vegan options, but what they do have is GREAT. Vegan ramen with mushroom broth is bomb.
Read morePros: Ramen
Guest
RicaMoon
Points +42
Packed house usually, but worth the wait. - Edit
The vegan bao was good, as was everything else, but the bao stands out as so very worth it.
Read morePros: Handful of vegan options
Cons: Can have quite a wait depending on time of day
Guest
addieth
Points +17
Great spot for gluten free as well! - Edit
I always go to Empire when I am in Portland and I love it! I cannot eat gluten so it’s great that GF items are clearly marked on the menu and that many items are vegan and GF. The kale noodles, spinach dumplings, and green beans are all amazing.
Read morePros: Clearly marked vegan and GF options on the menu
Cons: Pricey
Guest
jackiebousquet
Points +84
Really good food - Edit
Empire has delicious rice noodles and the spinach dumplings are to die for.
Read moreGuest
madoublethew
Points +380
Middle empire - Edit
The food here was mediocre, especially for the price. The options are very clearly labelled, which was welcome, but the actual food execution left something to be desired. Wouldn’t not recommend the ginger fried rice as a main — there was not enough substance to it, though it was okay as an accompaniment.
Read moreGuest
Sarah P
Points +8861
absolute yum - Edit
A table was easy for dine-in on a Sunday before noon, and the restaurant filled up quickly to a full standing-room wait for tables after 12:15. Even though the vegan options were not ample, they were clearly identified, and absolutely delicious. The vegan ramen was filling and a treat for an uncommon option, and the bok choy was excellent. The servers were very welcoming to vegans, and we were not rushed as the restaurant swelled with people waiting to eat. The server explained that the kitchen is adept at accommodating gluten-free requests, and takes excellent care in keeping GF tickets untainted. We will definitely be back.
Read morePros: excellent quality, fun atmosphere, GF and vegan options are uncompromised
Cons: can be a long wait- but worth it!
Guest
ShannonTaylor
Points +47
Will definitely come back - Edit
This is definitely 5 star in my opinion! There were several appetizers, dumplings, and entrees that were vegan. The bartender even pointed out which cocktails were definitely vegan as well. Great experience, and loved that there is a music venue attached (upstairs!). Made for a really fun night out!
Read morePros: Two vegan dumpling options!
Guest
iamrunningthis
Points +177
Delicious food with multiple labeled vegan options - Edit
The food was incredible and the vegan labeling made it easy to order with confidence. There were 3-4 appetizer and entree options to choose from as well as two types of vegan dumplings. Food was delicious, albeit a little oily for someone who limits oil at home. Wine, cocktail and beer list were decent. Reservations a must for dinners on weekends - food is so good that this is becoming a really popular restaurant! We tried twice to make dinner reservations and ended up going for lunch.
Read morePros: vegan labels, delicious food
Cons: reservations recommended, a little oily
Guest
nafanc
Points +1615
Okay, pricey - Edit
They have a good number of vegan options that are clearly labeled on the menu. We ordered a handful of dim sum dishes and small plates. The food is pretty good, but it is expensive, especially compared to most dim sum places (even those in NYC and Boston). As someone who grew up eating a lot of dim sum in more modest settings, it was hard for me to get on board with Empire.
Read morePros: Vegan options
Cons: Pricey
Guest
cookiem
Points +5906
Asian Fusion Labels Vegan and Gluten-free - Edit
If you're in downtown Portland, you will probably, as a veg*n, hop on towards the Green Elephant, but, if you want something more authentic in Asian cuisine and don't mind being in a non-veg restaurant, Empire is an incredibly tasty choice. I was suspect and skeptical, to say the least, that this place would have anything near authentic for dim sum or Asian or Chinese cuisine, but I was wrong.
Read moreThe menu is easy to navigate because they label everything that's vegan and gluten-free. It's so cool. There are at least 6-8 incredibly delicious choices for vegans who are also gluten free, and 2 more choices for vegetarians.
You cannot go wrong with either or both dumpling choices: spinach or mushroom chive. The latter is pan fried on the bottom, so it's super special like that. The fillings are similar, but the latter has, well, mushroom and chive, and the former is way more spinach. I could have eaten all of these dumplings easily and then been happy with some baby bok choy and sautéed garlic green beans and been done. Delicious.
For good measure, they have an awesome kale and rice noodle dish (gluten free and vegan!), as well as a fried rice. The drink list is just as impressive with sake, beer, wine and cocktails. No dessert, though.
Delicious, fresh, steaming hot food that hits the spot. Make reservations if you can, because this place is hopping! 4 cows because I am surprised that Portland has a great choice like this!
Pros: Vegan items marked and delicious, Authentic flavors, Baby bok choy
Cons: Not 100% vegetarian, Busy busy busy - i.e. wait time
Guest
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