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About Tai Pan
Tai Pan is a Cantonese restaurant on Waverley Street in downtown Palo Alto. Its menu celebrates Hong Kong-style Cantonese cooking, with a long list of dim sum alongside seafood specialties and family-style dishes. The name has a meaning the restaurant spells out on its website: "In Chinese culture, a Tai-Pan is an individual who shines above all in their field."
The restaurant has drawn press attention over the years. Its site lists a San Francisco Chronicle review by Michael Bauer and a "Hot For Lunch" column in the Daily News by Katie Caputo.
A word of caution about the website. It carries a mix of current and older material, including a pandemic-era message and a past holiday note. The most recent dated menu we found was the Summer 2025 main menu. The home page links to current delivery listings, which suggests the restaurant is operating, but calling ahead before a special trip is wise.
What is on the menu
Dim sum is the headline. Tai Pan lists more than 80 varieties, covering seafood, meat and vegetarian choices, on a separate dim sum menu. If the choice feels overwhelming, the Dim Sum Plate brings 6 types together.
Dim sum is the Cantonese tradition of small dishes, steamed, fried or baked, shared around the table with tea. It is usually a lunchtime meal. Newcomers do well to order a mix: something steamed, something fried and one or two vegetable plates to balance the richer dishes.
The main menu goes well beyond dumplings. The chef's lobster and crab specialties are a focus, along with shrimp and abalone dishes and clay pot dishes. For vegetarians, the menu lists "Jai" Buddha's Delight, a dish of mushrooms and vegetables. Jai is a traditional Buddhist vegetarian dish that many families also eat at Lunar New Year. Clay pot dishes arrive at the table in the pot they were cooked in, which keeps them hot through the meal. Menus change with the seasons, so check the latest PDF menus on the website before you go.
Drinks
Tai Pan has a full bar. Its cocktail list goes under the name Lunar Bar. There is a wine list as well. You can bring your own bottle, though the website lists a corkage fee for it.
The rooms and private events
The main dining room has a skylight. The restaurant describes the design as having a "subtle European influence." Tai Pan is built to handle crowds. The main room and the Tai Pan VIP room together seat up to 150 people in one seating. The VIP room alone seats 14 to 36 guests for private or corporate functions. Groups that need more space can rent the whole restaurant. Banquet menus are offered for these events.
That capacity makes Tai Pan one of the downtown options for a wedding banquet, a reunion or a company dinner. Ask for the banquet menus when you inquire, since set menus make planning a large meal simpler.
Who it suits and tips
Tai Pan suits groups and families who like to share. Dim sum at lunch works well for a relaxed weekend meal. Dinner suits a celebration with whole seafood dishes and a few rounds of drinks. The private room is useful for business entertaining near downtown offices. Vegetarians can build a meal from the vegetarian dim sum and the Buddha's Delight.
- Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m., so dinner ends earlier than at many downtown restaurants.
- The website says the restaurant is open every day, including holidays. Call to confirm for a holiday meal.
- Takeout is available. Delivery runs through DoorDash and Uber Eats.
- Book the VIP room well ahead for graduation season or a holiday party.
- Downtown street parking has posted time limits. The Palo Alto Caltrain station is within walking distance.
Planning a family dinner during graduation weekend? Our Stanford commencement guide covers timing and crowds. For other Chinese and Asian restaurants around the city, see our Asian food guide. The downtown guide covers what is nearby.
Location and getting there
Tai Pan is at 560 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.
The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away. That is roughly a 9 minute walk.
Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).
Hours
| Every day | 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. |
|---|
Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.
What is nearby
- Avocado Green Mattress, store, under 0.1 mi
- Hamilton Post Office, service business, under 0.1 mi
- Apple University Avenue, shop, under 0.1 mi
- CVS Pharmacy University Avenue, practice, under 0.1 mi
- U.S. Bank University Avenue, service business, under 0.1 mi
- King Plaza and City Hall, 0.2 mi
- University Avenue, 0.2 mi
- Cogswell Plaza, 0.2 mi
Other restaurants nearby: Curry Up Now (under 0.1 mi); Curry Pizza House (under 0.1 mi); Crepevine (under 0.1 mi); Zola + BarZola (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.
Before you go
- Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
- Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
- If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.
About this listing
Checked October 29, 2026 against Tai Pan official website; Tai Pan: restaurant information; Tai Pan: about the menu. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tai Pan in Palo Alto?
Tai Pan is at 560 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area. The nearest Caltrain stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away.
Does Tai Pan serve dim sum?
Yes. Tai Pan lists more than 80 varieties of dim sum, with seafood, meat and vegetarian choices, on its own dim sum menu. A Dim Sum Plate with 6 types is an easy way to try several.
Can Tai Pan host a private party?
Yes. The restaurant's VIP room seats 14 to 36 guests for private or corporate events. Together with the main dining room it can seat up to 150 people at once. The whole restaurant can be rented and banquet menus are offered.
Is Tai Pan open every day?
The website says Tai Pan is open every day, including holidays, for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Some notes on the site are old, so call to confirm before you go.
What are Tai Pan's hours?
Every day: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m..