New World

This place is a legend!

It is the best place to go for dim sum in London. We have been eating here for years.

Service is not the best, but it is fast and efficient. The decor has been the same for years.

The reason for going is the food and the fact that it is pushed around on trolleys that come to your table for you to see and select.

The weekends are packed and often you are left standing and waiting to get it, but that just proves how popular this legendary place is.

The New World can never be called fancy, but it is becoming a long standing institution.
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Malachi Williams
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Friday, May 01, 2009

Been there several times with friends as the chef is one of my friends' cousin. Nothing really special and we have not got any discounts!
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King - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Friday, March 06, 2009

ive been eating at the new world for the last 15 years since i was a small child i think its really really good there the atmosphere and the decorations are amazing, i really enjoy the experiance of a different culture its easy to forget your still in london.
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frankie gibb - 18yrs
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, February 15, 2009

I've been eating at the New World for nearly 20 years now. Sometimes just two of us, sometimes in a small group and on a couple of occassions large groups of 15 or more (Xmas party).

Warning: Don't try and eat upstairs, if you are not Chinese or accompanied by someone who is Chinese you will have a problem with the menu: 1) it's not in English and 2) it has a few "exotic" dishes on the menu. However, this shouldn't happen as you should be shown to the downstairs part by the matre de. The upstairs isn't always open either.

I can see where the other reveiwer found the service not first rate. I have had a couple of occassions where the service was slightly below par but conversely I have also received delightful service.

The food is good with a wide variety of dishes. I love to come here when I am feeling under thr weather for a huge bowl of their Hot and Sour Soup. Guaranteed to "wake you up".

Their wine and (Chinese) beer list is on par with what you would expect from a good Chinese resturant - nothing special but not over priced either.

It is rather a large restaurant and when busy I have seen well over 100 people dining in there but there also seems to be an ambundance of waiters and waitresses so service has never been slow. AND you can normally get in fairly easy - with it being so large.

One thing I like about this restuarant is that you see many Chinese eating here and having been told by a friend of mine from Hong Kong to never eat in a Chinese restaurant in China Town where less than a 1/3 of the customers are themselves Chinese it seems to bear out. The food (and "banta") is good.

As for ambience - well there is none of the fake, cheesy themes you get in some Chinese restaurants than pander to the English. This is a simple restaurant with subtle Chines motif and if like me, you are there just for the food then it delivers.

The location is also good
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Phil Jarvis
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

We were a couple of friends from work that decided to go out and celebrate over dinner one day. One in our group booked a table for around 20 people. When we got to the restaurant they said that we had to split up and sit at two different tables-in two different corners, only because we didn’t ask for ONE table where everyone could sit altogether when we booked. At this time a few people hadn't showed up so we asked if they could change it for us so we could sit together, this seemed to be a big problem and we received a few sighs. After a while we did get a big round table, everything was fine. We started to order, and soon realized that we didn't feel very welcome. The waiters (especially one) were a bit rude and we seemed to bother him.

The food was good, not too expensive. One in our group wanted her meat a bit more cooked but the waiter didn't hear her question, or ignored it?

When everyone was ready, happy after some tasty Chinese, we started to calculate how much to pay, for every person that paid the waiter asked "did you count the service charge?" even though we said yes, he seemed to think that we couldn’t count, so how come..the bill added up perfectly!? He even counted it twice himself, almost losing it one of the times and said it was fine, and then counting again at the cash desk- suddenly saying we had to pay 20 pound more! But it was a mistake, and we did actually get a mumbling "sorry".

Overall, a good restaurant but no service- spoiling a good night out! Sorry.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 5
Monday, September 01, 2008

I turned up just before noon on a Sunday. Excellent time to go as you can just walk in and sit straight down. Straight away, you can pick food off the many trolleys. We had a variety of dim sum and also ordered noodles. The place is a bit shabby and the staff to the point but I wouldn't want to change that as it is part of the experience. I found the food to generally be a bit cold and not as good quality as is available elsewhere but if I was in the area I would go again as everyone enjoyed their meal and it was a good experience on the whole.
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Matt - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, July 21, 2008

I have been for lunch a couple of times. The Dim Sum is good (not the best because it is not always hot enough) but if you want something different and are feeling impulsive, the fact that the you choose your food from what is on trollies should satisfy these urges.

I do not know what the prices are like in the evening or whether they still do Dim Sum but lunch time food is unbeliveable value for money. The first time I went there was with four other people. We ordered enough dim sum to fill us up and the bill came to £60 (no alcohol just a couple of cokes and chinese tea). The second time I ordered a bottle of wine, noodles from the menu and had enough dim sum to fill me and a friend up. This came to under £25.

As for complaints about the atmosphere.......you bring your own, there is nothing to stop you having fun if you are with the right people.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, July 13, 2008

Besides the tad above average dim sum, where else can you physically enjoy to view and choose your dishes from the smiling trolley dolls in Blighty. That alone is pretty heroic.
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bellaphon
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Thursday, April 03, 2008

After reading all the positive comments on this restaurant I tried it out the other night and was not very impressed at all.

The staff paced up and down past the table all night which made it pretty uncomfortable. Plate and glasses were cleared out of your HAND almost before you could finish your last bite. The entire evening felt rushed.

The decor is very plain and there is no atmosphere.

The portions were so small I had to have a second meal somewhere else after, and they were certainly not value for money. Two small meals and 2 coke's cost £23.50, which in China Town is pretty expensive.

The actual food was OK, but I wont be going back, and wont be refering anyone else there.
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Shane
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I LOVE IT!

It's Always busy for lunch, so always has a great buzz! Really fresh! Really tasty Dim Sum!

The Decor has not changed for decades as has the food and trolly ladies that bring the Dim Sum to your table for selection, and why should it! It's fantastic!

Highly recomended for some authentic chow in the day time! and best of all it does not make a dent on your purse or wallet! Five Stars!!
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Kim Ngoc
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, February 07, 2008