Dripping in red neon and lanterns, this raucous Chinese restaurant by the south gate of Ditan Park is a magnificent monstrosity that never closes – even for Chinese New Year! Four bustling floors of great-value Southern Chinese, dim sum and family-style dishes are rarely less than heaving; expect to take a number and queue at busy periods. Great fun.
At lunch and dinner you'll be dining with Chinese families; after-hours with red-faced patrons from the nightclub and KTV next door. Look out for the trolleys serving cold salad dishes and alcoholic drinks. Jīn Dǐng Xuān was one of the first 24-hour restaurants in Beijing when it opened in 1993 – an anomaly in a city where many eateries wind down by about 8.30pm. Now with several locations, this is the flagship, relocated here from Ghost Street in 2002.
