Royal China (Queensway)

Food is above average for dim sum but the service is horrendous!!! They should really have a better customer service greeting people and answering phone calls... As I called them up just recently and was not greeted by any professional/ customer courtesy...
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4 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, January 04, 2012

I was encouraged to try this restaurant as an alternative place to get dim sum.

All in all it was a bit of a disappointment. The food reminded me of a takeaway. In fact I may have been able to find better offerings if I really had gone to a takeaway! The service is patchy at best and abrupt at worst. They may be very smartly dressed, but they didn't make me feel welcome. Yet they do seem to bring in the crowds. Perhaps they are surviving on tourist trade, given the locality of hotels in the area.

The decor is dark! I think times have moved on. In years gone by I would have probably liked this. But on my visit I simply found it too dark and oppressive.

The bill was also a bit steep for what it was. Had the service been friendlier, I'd have felt better about it. Like a previous reviewer, I also noted the 13% service charge and also queried it. For the record, I got the same answer about security. I wish I'd queried further now.
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Alan Ingham - View all reviews by this user
4 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Friday, November 25, 2011

I am appalled at the quality of the service. Having been to the Queensway branch on numerous occasions I have always enjoyed the food and put up with the brusque service.

However, on my last visit there with some friends the service was particularly poor and we decided not to pay the full service charge of 13%. At this point, the 'sullen faced' waitress became extremely abusive and agressive, not to mention the lack of apology for the numerous mistakes that they had made. She was then backed up by another male member of staff and we felt intimidated.

I would not patronize this restaurant again and I would not recommend to anyone.
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annoyedofkensington
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 4
Thursday, August 04, 2011

I went here last night with my fiance, she is a flight attendant and I am a city IT professional however since we both had the day off and were moving into a new flat nearby we went in casual clothes - which I might add seemed to fit the dress code of all the other tourists inside!

We were "looked up and down" before being shown to a table, which was in the "family" section so a childless couple looking for a quiet dinner like us were surrounded by families and children running around.

After 15 minutes of forced browsing of the menu we eventually had our order taken, the food arrived very quickly unfortunately the quality and taste was on par with the local chinese takeaway at our old place in Old Street.

The service at all times was just awful, getting a recommendation and even semblance of conversation from the 3 different waitresses that served us was like getting blood from a stone.

We ate and were presented with an outrageous bill, I didn't much fancy an argument so we paid and left £70 lighter after two courses, no offer of dessert or coffee or anything!

I will never go here again and I recommend to anyone thinking about it... don't!! There are so many amazing restaurants in London choose something else.
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HJ
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

I have been going to this restaurant for years and for years I have put up with very bad service. However, I quite liked the food, especially the dim sum and it is conveniently located close to two tube stations. Today I booked a table for two at 12.30 and it was accepted. When I arrived I was unceremoniously asked to leave and never to return to any of the Royal China restaurants, for they have me on CCTV and would recognise me, because my companion and I had asked for the bill to be re-presented on several occasions without the recommended gratuity. We always left a tip of 10% or so anyway but felt that their recommendation was far too steep. The last time I dined there, we did not leave a tip after a roaring argument with a very sullen faced waitress who protested vehemently at our request, which I must say was eventually granted. I tried to talk sense to the manager today but he came up with all sorts of excuses. What can I say? Is it even legal? Do they have the right to refuse my custom on this basis? Needless to say, I and many others will never dine at Royal China again. Their loss.
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0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Do not go here at all. This is absolutely the worst service i have ever experienced in my whole life. I arrived early to grab a table for nine, we waited for friends to turn up, we waited a while whilst a EXTREMELY RUDE female waitress told us we must leave if the friends do not turn up in 10 minutes.
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- View all reviews by this user
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, February 07, 2011

Food is good but service is not as expected. Worst is the treatment they gave you when requested to pay 'Recommended Gratuity' which was added automatically to the bill seperately. We were embarrased then when being stop by the manager (i think) to talk about this. They said this is not a tip but a SERVICE CHARGE. We suggested to the restaurant manager to make this clear on the bill as 'Rec Gratuity' is misleading. The manager confirmed that it is a SERVICE CHARGE and not recommended tip which is voluntary.

This is not all. In my previous visit, when you make payment on your card without asking for 'Rec Gratuity' to be taken off, they would hand you the machine at the point where you would enter tip amount (again!!!) to be charged on your card -tricky!!! So watch out if you still want to dine in this restaurant.
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Kim
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

I took my relatives today for lunch and was very very disappointed with the service. We made a reservation which they had no record of, but still showed us to a nice table. The waiters were very rough today. We were billed for a bad dish and bottle water which we did not have. This was corrected.

Royal China needs to work on customer service, I was told that there was no one in charge today to lodge my complaint with.

There are lots of good Chinese restaurants in this city , to keep up with the competition I suggest that the owners have a good talk with the staff at this restaurant. I personally do not like to support a restaurant with bad services even if the food is good. This restaurant has a lot of potential, I hope the management does something about the services.
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5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, January 27, 2011

This place is a food factory. It produces ok food at ok prices. Other reviewers who refer to excellent food and Chinese food at its best have evidently led a very sheltered existence.

Service is a serious problem. On our visit today it ranged (with different staff) from cool and inefficient to sullen and out and out rude. It's a pity that places like this promote the reputation of Chinese restaurants in London having a bad attitude to service. I would never dream of going back.
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Joe
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Sunday, January 16, 2011

Plus points are very good dim sum, and a wide variety of specials that change fairly regularaly. Unfortunately the downside is that the service can be brusque, and that they persist in trying to scam you on the service charge. I don't mind that service is included (even at 13% which is a bit steep for the level of service you receive). What I object to is the attempt to extort an extra gratuity from you by printing off a slip for you to add an additional "tip" when you come to pay. When I queried this practice they claimed it is for added security! This claim is a complete fabrication (I took the trouble to check this with my bank, it was not a security measure they had ever heard of!). I am sure many diners will fall for this ploy. I hope by writing this review I can at least prevent some people from being fleeced.
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Shappo - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, October 04, 2010