Dazhaimen 大宅门

Set in a lavish Beijing palace courtyard, Dazhaimen gives its customers the royal treatment in elaborate wooden chairs. The menu offers “palace cuisine” and four other flavors: tongue numbing Sichuan spice, the sweeter flavors of Guangdong and Hong Kong, Beijing snacks including bitter douzhi (a type of soup made from fermented soybeans), and bone marrow soup sucked right out of the bone. The average dish runs RMB 25 and up, while imperial diners can sample the more extravagant turtle soup and roast duck. The main dining room also features a variety show on the main stage with performances of Peking opera, dulcimer (guqin) and acrobats, and private chambers come elegantly furnished with high-backed chairs and blue-and-white dishware – an entire room can be booked for prices starting at RMB 1,000. All Chinese and foreign credit cards are accepted.