I'm not sure why this place got low reviews. As a Cantonese person who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I can tell you that the dim sum at Kwan is very good and high quality. Even my parents who came to visit me for the week agreed this place was legit.
Summary: Good for brunch, groups, dates and family time.
Price: Moderate
Service: Pretty decent for a Chinese place
Details:
Dim sum, like sushi, is not meant to be huge ass pieces of food for dirt cheap. I would be concerned to put any meat in my mouth that cost only 25 cents a piece. Dim sum should be small and bite size. Also important, dim sum should not be overly greasy and the shrimp should be de-veined. Any steamed dumpling should still be slightly al dente and not soggy or falling apart. Kwan delivers on all these fronts while producing piping hot food.
Though not every item on the menu is "traditional", there is no rule that dim sum should be stuck in a rut! I appreciate that Kwan has some modern twists and damn cute shit on the menu! I mean...bunnies?! Porcupines?! BUMBLE BEES?!