This International District spot has been around since the ‘80s, and for good reason. The food is always fantastic, the service is fast, and you will leave with leftovers that are even better the next day. On weekends you’ll find hungry people under the marquee waiting for their name to be called and watching roasted duck get meticulously chopped through the window. And once you do sit down inside the two-level dining room, prepare to order so much great food you’ll have to play dishware tetris.

Across the street from Harbor City is Jade Garden—another classic ID dim sum restaurant. From the outside, this boarded-up building looks pretty tame, but inside is a buzzing dining room with live seafood tanks, baskets of some of the city's best dumplings covering every square inch of the tables, and lazy susans working so hard they should be put on the payroll. This place is great for a group hang, but wait times can be very long, so plan accordingly.

To complete the trifecta of great dim sum within a two-block radius in the ID is Honey Court Seafood. And while this spot may not be the best of the three, there are consistently great dishes, like corn and shrimp dumplings or honey walnut prawns. Just know that when trying to score a Sunday morning group table at pretty much any one of these three places, you will need an airtight strategy.

Sitting down for a leisurely dim sum meal is undeniably awesome, but sometimes you just want a few pieces of dim sum on the go. That's where Dim Sum King in the ID comes in. At this small counter spot, everything is priced per piece, making this the perfect place for an indecisive person who wants to try a little bit of everything. Choose from parcels of sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, sui mai, and red bean-stuffed sesame balls all packed in to-go containers.

Triumph Valley is a Renton Chinese restaurant that specializes in both hot pot and dim sum. And while the tables are set up for a broth-based meal, you should come during lunch to eat some of the greatest dim sum in the South End. Order the deep-fried chive, shrimp, and pork dumplings that puff up like dainty profiteroles, and make sure the stuffed Chinese eggplant overflowing with flavorful shrimp paste hits the table. And if you really want to do it big, get their garlic fried crab.

Whether you’re showing off Pike Place to out-of-towners or just passing through on your once-a-year visit Downtown, do not leave without a quick stop at Mee Sum Pastry counter. The BBQ pork hombow (get it baked or steamed, both are great) at this walk-up window is excellent, while their curry beef puff and green tea sesame ball with black sesame filling come in at a close second. Get here before 11am to avoid sellout and hoards of tourists.

The stir-fried rice rolls from A+ Hong Kong Kitchen might just be our favorite dim sum dish in the International District. These chewy and griddled rolled-up noodles get doused in a tingly XO sauce and topped with sauteed scallions—and they cost under $15. The menu here is pretty long, but a few orders of these stunning rice rolls and a refreshing sago beverage all make for a great spread. We usually take our dim sum to go, but there are a couple of tables if you want to sit down.