Wong Kei

I have been going to the Wong Kei for over twenty years.

The decor is quite basic but personally I find it quite welcoming by being so unpretentious. The restuarant certainly isn't meant to be a place for 'flash Harries.'

If you want good chinese food at very reasonable prices the Wong Kei is hard to beat. You can go there more or less any time of day and they will find you a table. -even if you are quite a large group. Sometimes you have to share a table with other people which actually isn't a big problem. Its one of those restaurants that you can go to on your own without feeling at all uncomfortable.

The waiters work hard and I have never been there without a pot of tea appearing within literally seconds of sitting down.

London wouldn't be the same without the Wong Kei - its a special place. People who slag it off have missed the point.
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Tony Kingsnorth
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 05, 2009

We went last night after reading so many great reviews......it was rubbish!!

Had to send the duck back as they seemed to have given me the underside of the duck that had only fat and skin on it?! NO MEAT!? After pointing out this I was told that my roast duck was deep fried and to deal with it. Fortunately I got another guy to swap it for a satay chicken for me, which in the end was quite nice.

My boyfriends meal of king prawns was awful and the starters of ribs and wontons (which had no filling?!) were dripping in grease and tasteless.

Cheap food brought out by rude staff. (for the most part they are just getting on with a busy job however)

I understand the traditional dishes here are alot better and it is what it's reputation is built on. But us silly westerners were not so brave!

SO SO SO DISAPPOINTED!! VERY UNIMPRESSED.
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Sarah Emery - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 5
Thursday, May 14, 2009

This place is simply one of the best places to go in China Town if you after a cheap, tasty and filling meal. 3 of us went, had 1/4 crispy aromatic duck and 3 bowls of wonton noodle soup, worked out to be £5 each and we were all very full afterwards. We are now regulars there..........

It's not a place to go for a romantic meal or if you are trying to impress anyone.
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Charlie Says
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The food is average and the price which is slightly cheaper than other Chinese restaurants does not make up for the rudeness of the waiters. I would normally have no problem with the community eating concept but patrons are not told how the resutaurant operates and for a first time visitor the rudeness from the waiter's can be unbearable. It does not belong in civilised society.
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R. Pale
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 3
Thursday, March 26, 2009

I have been going to Wong Kei for more than 3 years, and i love it. If you're looking for top notch chinese food and cheap, all you have to do is go to Wong Kei.

It doesn't have the best service but hell...it fills your stomach....and will give you a big smile.
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Chris
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, March 16, 2009

We had an awful dinner late 2008 at this seemingly popular chinatown (majority of guests were non chinese) venue, were we shared a dirty table with strangers, were served by indifferent staff on the first floor, and had to endure filthy WC.

Our choices, none of which we were able to finish, because they all were not really edible nor were they authentic (hence only a minority of asian-chinese), even by modest chinese standard! Won Ton Noodles £3.00, 0/10, the broth tasted like dish washing water, Roast Duck Noodles £4.00, 0/10 points, tasted like dish washing water and an old bird, Crispy Fried Mixed Meat Noodles £4.50, 0/10 was overloaded with things and vegetables, which honestly do not belong in such an dish.

The bill could not be better, ie cheaper (£12.00 for 2!!!), but service, atmosphere and crucially quality and taste of the food could not be worse!!! :-(

The discrepancy between our (and some similar realistic experiences) and other surprisingly complimentory reviews is quite striking, but life is to short to safe at the wrong end!
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tri
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, March 15, 2009

Lived in London for 3 years, my cousins (fellow uni students) introduced me to the experience that is Wong Kei. I made an effort to take as many visitors as I could to sample the atmosphere. My favourite features of this restaurant were the way they'd add other customers to your table if you didn't use all the seats and how they'd start clearing your table without your permission. On one occasion I remember the waiter coming to the table grabbed a nearly completed bowl, turned out in my plate and walked away. No questions, no problem. It's almost as if he was saying eat up and get out. Love it. My Materials lecturer did a 1/2 hour lecture on concrete and used Wong Kei meals as a metaphor. Classic!!
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D Bunting
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 10
Sunday, March 08, 2009

The best chinese food in London at the cheapest prices. If you are looking for somewhere to go for the evening for a leisurely meal with friends this is NOT the place. If you're looking for a quick, very tasty and extremely cheap meal then this is most definately the place to go. I have been going there for 30 years and have never been disappointed with the food. The ambiance on the other hand is severely lacking - plates are plastic - and service, at times, can be rather abrupt. However, if you are looking for a chinese meal for about the price of a fast food meal then this is the place for you. Absolutely superb!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 10
Sunday, March 01, 2009

One word: cheap! Food, atmosphere, service, everything makes you feel that you are eating on the street where happens to have a roof over your head. My parents liked it there when they were in London as they did not want to see me broke, but I felt sorry that I've brought them there....
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King - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wow - wanted to go for ages, and now finally it has reopened.

It's everything I expected and more. As a first timer I was hard pressed to spot exactly where the refurb was concentrated though. Water running down the wall in the basement (in a decorative sense) was a nice touch.

Service was prompt but not rude, and after a pot of tea, 2 mains, 1 side and one start we paid the princely sum of £10.80 for two.

Not the best quality, but when it's cheaper than the cheapest takeaway and compares and in some cases excels in quality who cares?

Don't be fooled by looking at the £4.20 sweet and sour chicken over rice (if that's your bag) and ordering crispy beef or lemon chicken and expecting these to be priced the same as they are a bit more expensive (£7) but looked plentiful when delivered to adjoining tables. Plus there are literally hundreds of other dishes at less than £1.

I am already planning a return - cannot wait!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, February 25, 2009