Happy Together

There’s no way around it: At the wrong time, the wait can be hours long at Happy Together, a best-in-class dim sum joint located inside a Holiday Inn in El Monte. Luckily, the cuisine here is more than worth it—and you can also add yourself to the restaurant’s Yelp waitlist ahead of time. Originally from Chino Hills, Happy Together serves flawlessly executed standards like har gow, char siu puffs and lotus leaf-wrapped packets of chicken and sticky rice. The kitchen distinguishes itself further with an excellent poultry and barbecue selection, including a unique coconut crispy chicken and classic juicy red pork, which are cooked in small batches to maintain quality. Just don’t come here for the ambience. Despite white tablecloths and somewhat tacky banquet seat covers, the end result is still a fairly casual yet utterly delicious dim sum experience.