Late-night cravings in Fort Collins? Empire Palace offers a massive Asian fusion menu and dim sum until 1:30 AM. Here’s what to expect—good and bad.
🥢 After Midnight in Fort Collins: Enter Empire Palace
Every city has one: that late-night Asian fusion joint where cravings, convenience, and chaos meet. In Fort Collins, that place is Empire Palace. Tucked into a humble strip mall off South College Avenue, Empire Palace is as divisive as it is well-trafficked. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a dump with great dumplings, or a pho oasis open when nothing else is.
With a Yelp rating of just 1.7 stars and hundreds of public reviews split between frustration and fondness, Empire Palace isn’t trying to be fine dining. Instead, it leans into what it does best: being open late, serving hundreds of dishes, and offering a mix of takeout, groceries, and full-course meals that defy categorization.
In this deep-dive guide, we break down six essential things you should know before picking up the phone—or your chopsticks.
Updated 2025
Table of Contents
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🍜 1. Open Late—When Other Kitchens Are Closed
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When it’s past 11 PM in Fort Collins, your dining options start to vanish. Bars may be open, but kitchens usually aren’t. Empire Palace fills that void. With hours that stretch to 1:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, it’s one of the few sit-down restaurants in town where you can order pho, dumplings, and sesame chicken well past midnight.
The full-service kitchen churns out hot meals long after other spots flip the chairs and mop the floors. It’s not uncommon to see shift workers, college students, and late-night delivery drivers posted up for quick bites—or stumbling in for egg rolls and rice bowls after a CSU party night.
Hours of Operation:
- Mon, Wed–Thurs: 2:00 PM – 1:00 AM
- Fri–Sat: 2:00 PM – 1:30 AM
- Sun: 2:00 PM – 1:00 AM
- Closed Tuesdays
This makes Empire Palace a reliable go-to for late-night cravings and a savior during weird mealtimes.
📜 2. The Menu Is Massive—and Borderline Overwhelming
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Empire Palace’s menu reads like a pan-Asian novel. With more than 200 items, it covers nearly every East and Southeast Asian cuisine category: Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and even a few odd fusion hybrids.
You’ll find everything from crispy salt & pepper wings to Singapore mei fun, red curry, pho, pad Thai, sesame balls, lo mein, teriyaki steak, miso soup, Korean ramen, and even peanut butter curry.
A few standout items that show off the diversity include:
- Dim Sum Special B – A full spread of steamed chive shrimp dumplings, siu mai, BBQ pork buns, sesame chicken, and more
- Dragon & Phoenix – A spicy blend of General Tso’s chicken and shrimp in garlic sauce
- Chive Pork Dumpling Soup – Comforting and rich, especially after midnight
- Thai Basil Fried Rice – Fragrant, slightly spicy, and made to order
- Vietnamese Rice Noodle Bowls – Served with egg rolls, cucumbers, fish sauce, and your choice of grilled meat
This isn’t the place to expect culinary refinement—but variety and customization are part of the draw. Reviewers often say “there’s something for everyone,” and for picky eaters or large group orders, that matters.
🧾 3. Reviews Are Mixed—But Some Dishes Shine
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Let’s not sugarcoat it: Empire Palace has some of the most polarized online reviews in Northern Colorado. On Yelp, it holds a 1.7-star rating across 26 reviews. Common complaints include:
- Inconsistent portion sizes
- Long delivery times or wrong orders
- “Unkempt” or “chaotic” dining atmosphere
- Bland or overly oily dishes
However, amid the critiques, a loyal base of repeat customers still exists, and they point to specific dishes that stand out—often ones that lean into dim sum or Vietnamese soups.
According to consistent review patterns across Yelp, Reddit, and Grubhub, here’s what regulars recommend sticking to:
- Hot & Sour Soup – “Perfectly peppery,” says one reviewer
- General Tso’s Chicken – Crispy, sweet-spicy, and satisfying in the classic Americanized way
- Cream Cheese Wontons – Always fried to order and never soggy
- Pho with Roast Pork – A rich broth that’s surprisingly balanced given the kitchen’s late-night rush
- Orange Chicken & Fried Rice Combo – Simple and consistent
The key? Ordering the right thing, at the right time. The later it gets, the better Empire Palace performs—perhaps because it’s built for off-hours traffic.
🥟 4. A Low-Key Dumpling Destination
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While Empire Palace might not be a dim sum purist’s paradise, its selection of buns, dumplings, and dim sum combos deserves some attention.
Dim Sum Special A and B serve as impressive spreads for around $47–$56, which include:
- Siu Mai
- Cream Cheese Wontons
- BBQ Pork Buns
- Steamed Pork Dumplings
- Sesame Balls
- Chicken Stickers
- Egg Rolls
- Veg Lo Mein or Pad Thai (depending on the combo)
You can also order individual dim sum items, such as:
- Chive Pork Dumplings (steamed or fried) – $5.55–$6.55
- Vegetable Dumpling Soup (8 pcs) – $7.95
- Scallion Pancake – $5.55
- Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (2 pcs) – $5.55
These items hold up particularly well for takeout and delivery, and are often cited in reviews as the best part of the menu. Notably, the restaurant also sells frozen dumplings and buns in bulk, so it doubles as a supply stop for dumpling lovers who prefer to cook at home.
Here is Part 2 of the 2500+ word “Deep Dive Review” of Empire Palace in Fort Collins, continuing from Part 1:
🛍️ 5. It’s Also a Mini Asian Market
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One of Empire Palace’s most surprising assets is its in-store Asian grocery section. Near the front counter, you’ll find freezers, dry goods, instant noodles, sauces, and snacks—offering a grab-and-go pantry for locals looking to stock up on niche ingredients or late-night munchies.
It’s not a full supermarket, but it covers key categories:
- Frozen Dumplings – 30-packs of pork, chicken, or vegetable varieties ($11.95)
- BBQ Pork Buns – 10 packs available frozen for $10.95
- Ramen – Instant spicy Korean ramens like Samyang 2x Spicy, Cheese, Stew Type, and more (5-pack bundles for $12.99)
- Dim Sum Staples – Scallion oil rolls, glutinous rice balls, red bean pastries
- Specialty Noodle Packs – Sweet potato noodles in sesame or chili oil sauce ($7.99 per pack)
It’s ideal for:
- International students missing pantry staples
- Budget shoppers looking for bulk dumplings
- Locals who want to keep gyoza on deck for DIY stir-fry nights
Most diners have no idea this market exists unless they order in person. It’s an underrated gem for Asian grocery lovers, even if you don’t stay for dinner.
🍲 6. Who Empire Palace Is (Actually) For
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Let’s be honest: Empire Palace is not for everyone.
It’s not where you go for ambiance. It’s not a date-night destination. And it won’t win any hospitality awards.
But for certain customers, it checks every box:
- College students: Affordable combos, huge menu variety, and late hours
- Shift workers: Food well after midnight, available for dine-in or delivery
- Dumpling lovers: Quick access to steamed buns, siu mai, and frozen take-home options
- Budget families: Combo meals starting at $10.95 and portions big enough to split
- International expats: Groceries and packaged ramen from brands not carried at big-box stores
Empire Palace operates like a cornerstone late-night diner meets ethnic grocery hybrid, and for its fans, that’s more than enough.
🍱 Quick Snapshot
- 📍 Address: 2020 S College Ave, Suite B1, Fort Collins, CO 80525
- ☎️ Phone: (970) 377-1180
- 🕒 Hours:
- Mon, Wed–Thurs: 2 PM – 1 AM
- Fri–Sat: 2 PM – 1:30 AM
- Sun: 2 PM – 1 AM
- Closed Tuesdays
- 🌐 Website: empirepalaceco.com
- 🧾 Known For: Dim sum, frozen dumplings, massive late-night menu
- 🚗 Delivery: Grubhub
- 🛒 Bonus: In-store Asian grocery section
🧠 Final Take: Late-Night Lifesaver or Dice Roll?
Empire Palace is a study in contrasts. On one hand, you have over 200 dishes, grocery items, and late-night hours that make it one of the most flexible takeout joints in Fort Collins. On the other, the restaurant carries a reputation for chaos, long wait times, and inconsistent food quality.
But if you’re willing to:
- Stick to the dumplings, soups, and rice bowls
- Forgive a little disarray
- Embrace the 1:00 AM ordering window
…you’ll find a niche late-night restaurant with serious upside—especially for those who know how to navigate the menu.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not.
But for dumpling seekers, ramen slurpers, and anyone stumbling home hungry after hours, Empire Palace delivers—literally and figuratively.
🖋️ Author Bio
David Lanketh is a late-night dining expert and Asian street food fan who tracks Fort Collins’ best (and boldest) takeout joints. He focuses on no-frills flavor, authenticity, and under-the-radar spots that locals rely on when it counts.
🧭 About the Blog
ColoradoFoodReviews.com maps out authentic eats and under-the-radar gems across the Front Range and beyond. From legacy Chinese kitchens to modern noodle houses, we spotlight what locals love.
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