Lee's Kitchen in Baltimore: Cantonese Dim Sum and Roasted Meats on a Budget

Lee's Kitchen is a counter-service Cantonese restaurant in Fells Point that specializes in dim sum, roasted duck, and soy sauce chicken at prices well below sit-down dim sum houses. You order at the counter, pick a seat in a small dining room with sparse decor, and eat quickly. The menu is printed and straightforward. It is the kind of place that draws regulars on weekday mornings and lunch crowds on weekends.

What Lee's Kitchen Actually Is

Lee's Kitchen operates as a fast-casual dim sum and roasted-meat shop, not a full-service restaurant. The kitchen roasts duck, chicken, and pork in-house and sells them by the pound or in combination plates. Dim sum arrives fresh throughout the day, served from rolling carts or handed across the counter. Soups, noodles, and rice dishes round out the menu. The space holds roughly 30 seats, most tables two-tops or four-tops. No reservations. No table service. You eat among other customers quickly and leave.

Menu and Pricing

Roasted meats cost $10 to $15 per pound; a half-pound plate with rice and vegetable runs $10 to $12. Dim sum items (har gow, siu mai, char siu bao) are priced individually at $1.50 to $3 each. A combination plate with three to four dim sum pieces and a protein runs $8 to $11. Soups, noodle dishes, and congee range from $6 to $9. Verify current pricing before ordering, as meat costs fluctuate.

The roasted duck is the standout: dark mahogany skin, tender meat, fat rendered clean. Chicken and pork are equally competent. The dim sum is made fresh daily; skins are thin and filling proportions are generous. The char siu bao (barbecue pork bun) and har gow (shrimp dumpling) are reliable choices. Rice dishes are straightforward, not destination material, but adequate at the price.

How It Compares to Other Baltimore Chinese Options

Lee's Kitchen serves a different purpose than Chinatown's sit-down dim sum houses like Fogo or Ocean City. Those venues have tablecloth service, menu dim sum (not rolling carts), and bill $25 to $35 per person for a full meal. Lee's is half the price and half the ceremony. If you want dim sum for under $12 and do not need a leisurely pace or alcohol, Lee's is faster and cheaper. If you want a full dim sum experience with carts and choice at leisure, Fogo or Ocean City remain the go-to.

Lee's also differs from neighborhood Cantonese takeout (of which Fells Point has several). Most compete on volume and speed; Lee's emphasizes roasted meats and freshly made dim sum, trading pure turnover for quality control.

Who It Suits and Who It Does Not

Lee's suits people who want authentic Cantonese food at lunch speed and budget, who eat alone or with one other person, and who do not mind close quarters or plastic chairs. It works for weekday breakfast (dim sum is freshest 10 a.m. to noon). It suits anyone seeking roasted duck quickly.

It does not suit groups larger than four, romantic dinners, or anyone expecting table service. It does not suit diners who need a quiet environment or prefer eating alone in a booth. Vegetarian options exist but are limited to noodles, rice, and a few dim sum pieces.

What the First Visit Involves

Walk in without reservation. Menus sit on the counter or tables. Decide what you want, then order at the register. Pay immediately. The staff calls your name when food is ready (usually five to ten minutes). Grab your tray or plate from the counter and find a table. Bus your own dishes when done. Water is self-serve; no full bar.

Hours and Logistics

Lee's Kitchen is located in Fells Point, a neighborhood with street parking and municipal lots within two blocks. Hours typically run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, though dim sum availability is strongest 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Verify hours before a visit, as restaurant closures shift seasonally. The restaurant does not take phone orders; you must order in person.

Lee's Kitchen fills a practical niche in Baltimore's Chinese food landscape: it delivers quality roasted meats and fresh dim sum to people who neither want to spend $30 nor wait for a table. It earns its place by doing both well and refusing ceremony.