Panda Dim Sum & Dumpling House: Is the Hype Real in Denver?

The Setup

It's in the suburbs, which I'll just say upfront. If you're used to hitting Star Kitchen or Ma's Kitchen on Colfax for dim sum, this requires a different kind of commitment. The menu is massive — noticeably larger than what you'd find at most dim sum spots in the metro — and the space has that new-restaurant energy where everything is still a little shiny. The panda branding is leaned into pretty hard, which is fine. It's not subtle.

What I Actually Ordered

The BBQ pork buns were a genuine standout. Good filling, right ratio of dough to pork, and the kind of thing where you consider ordering a second round and then do. The green beans were also a hit — simple preparation, well-executed, the kind of side dish that disappears off the table fast.

The panda custard buns are clearly the signature item and they look great. Visually, they deliver. The custard itself was fine — a little less rich than I was hoping for, but not bad. If you're going for the first time, you're probably ordering them regardless of what I say here, and that's a reasonable call.

Not everything landed at the same level. A few dishes felt like they were still being dialed in — nothing inedible, just the kind of uneven results you sometimes get from a newer kitchen working through a large menu. The volume of options is impressive, but there's a cost to that, and occasionally you can taste it.

How It Compares

Denver's dim sum options are limited enough that any serious addition matters. Star Kitchen has been the default recommendation for years, and Ma's Kitchen brought something different to the Colfax corridor when it opened. Panda fits into that conversation, not necessarily above those spots yet, but worth knowing about — especially if you're already out in that direction or you've made the drive specifically.

The five-star average is the kind of thing that should be taken with some context. This is a new restaurant with an enthusiastic early following, and that always inflates ratings a bit. The more useful benchmark is whether it's worth your time, and the answer there is conditional: if you're a dim sum regular with a strong reference point, go in with measured expectations. If you're newer to dim sum and looking for a place to explore a big menu without feeling rushed, this might actually be the better starting point.

A Few Practical Notes

The menu size means you'll want to take a few minutes to look it over before ordering, or you'll end up defaulting to the things you recognize and miss some of the more interesting options. Weekend brunch hours tend to be the natural time for dim sum, and I'd expect a wait then. Going on a weeknight cuts down on that significantly. Parking didn't feel like an issue from what I saw.

The panda custard buns are worth ordering at least once, the BBQ pork buns are the thing I'd come back for, and the green beans are the kind of sleeper dish that usually gets overlooked on a menu this size.

If you're a dim sum fan and you haven't been yet, it's worth the trip out. Just don't walk in expecting perfection across a menu this large — walk in expecting a few really good dishes and a kitchen that's still finding its footing, and you'll probably leave satisfied.