Wong Kei

Excellent place. I go here every month for lunch with my dad and we love it. Brilliant food, very reasonable prices and a great no-nonsense vibe that's difficult to find in central London. Lots of Chinese people always in here dining so you know the food is good quality.
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- View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 13, 2013

Most of the comments are BS. I have been going to Wong Kei for over 30 years and it has never pretended to be anything other than a cheap eats cafe with a very loyal clientele regardless of the rudeness of the waiters.

Hot and sour soup followed by Fried quai due (Singerpore fried noodles made with the big fat Ho fun noodles rather than the traditional thin noodles) Less than £6.00.

Fried Crispy pork and Cantonese duck on rice. Less than £5.00.

Humungous portion of Salt chilli ribs £7.00

Humungous portion of salt chilli squid £7.00

Last year 5 huge portions of Cantonese duck noodle soup came to just over £20.00 between the 5 of us.

All food is served on plastic plates and bowls thus making them unbreakable which in turn means cheaper food as there are never any breakages.

Cash only which means cheaper food as they have no processing charges by the credit card companies.

I have indeed witnessed the waiters being rude to certain customers but only if they are arrogant and/or overbearingly pompous and demanding being in a place which is essentially a chinese version of a greasy spoon.

Wong Kei has no pretensions to being anything other than a cheap eatery catering not only to the tourists but also a very loyal customer base which numbers in the 1'000's.

I would never even dream of going there if I wanted to meet up with friends for a night out or heaven forbid bring someone to impress...There a far more impressive and tastier restaurants to take them to....However I make a beeline for the place if I have had a days west-end shopping and am need of a quick fix of carbs and protein for next to nothing in price but very satisfying
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rawhide
9 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Saturday, May 25, 2013

Have been dining at the Wong Kei for close to 30 years and if you frequent the place even just a couple of times a year (more often when I'm living closer to it) as I do you get to know what they do best. my advice would be to stick to the meals they make en mass. try the cold BBQ roast meats on hot rice be aware that almost all poultry served here is on the bone (as is most of the fish and eel), I personally tend to go for char siu and siu yuk (bbq roast pork and crispy roast pork). the noodle dishes especially the noodle soups are very good although the hot and sour soup is a favorite of mine, also the Chinese green vegetables (I think its Chinese broccoli) with oyster sauce is a great accompanying dish aside from the ones I named almost anything with Hong Kong style or Cantonese style in the name is generally good. of course they sell almost everything but if you want certain things like Peking duck or dim sum (the best dim sum restaurant is gone now but was situated where global radio is in Leicester Square) go somewhere that specializes in those dishes otherwise you are gonna get the exact same stuff you can buy frozen from a Chinese wholesaler/supermarket.

The restaurant was refurbished after a kitchen fire in the basement a number of years ago and subsequently the new kitchen was installed in the top floor of the building for safety reasons and the interior was renovated at the same time, as for the service i hear the words rude used a lot to describe it but in my opinion they are not rude just brisk which is about the same treatment you would get from a similarly low price establishment in Hong Kong, I'm English but i do know that a lot of westerners don't know anything about Asian etiquette for instance pointing with your index finger or beckoning by curling your index finger are considered insulting to varying degrees across Asia.

As for hygiene I think that the food is prepared in a clean environment and as testament I don't know of anyone from my family or friends that has ever gotten ill from eating here.

one last tip, if you finish your teapot and want more, don't bother calling a waiter just leave the teapot lid open and they will bring a fresh pot for you.
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A.P.W.W
8 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Absolutely disgusting food and the waiters are getting ruder. Can anyone suggest another half decent Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, as will not be going to Wong Kei's again, although have been going for a few years.
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Nicki
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Friday, February 22, 2013

Really bad food, really dirty dingy resturant, rude staff, the food is the worst I have ever seen and not fit for animal consumption.
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Matt - View all reviews by this user
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, February 11, 2013

Last time I was there was with a group of friends, one of whom had never been before.

When this chap asked where the toilet was I pled ignorance and suggested he ask an approaching waiter!!

On asking the seemingly helpful oriental gent if he would be so good as to direct him to the toilet, he recieved the following reply....."Certainly Sir. You see that door? Well go through that, turn right, and find it yourself!!"

Priceless!
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Ciaran O''Doherty
9 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 22, 2012

I attended this restaurant as one of a party of 27. The waiters were absurdly, but hilariously rude, to the point of refusing to change a customer's order ('naw! yu hav praw-nh!') and one, when asked for his recommendation impatiently replied with 'pick wha yu want!!!'. One waiter repeatedly got the attention of someone in my party with gratuitous prods which, while hilarious for the rest of us, became annoying for the victim! When said victim took receipt of his duck pancakes, the half-duck was slammed onto the table and then promptly shredded (while 8 people looked on). Although I commend the expedience and efficiency of the spectacle, watching 'Jackie Chan with spoons' rip a duck apart is not necessarily something I would like to watch at my table again.

The experience was utterly hilarious, and the food quite good, with generous portion sizes. However, the meats - especially the pork - were fatty, which is obviously a slight criticism. It was apparent that the signs such as 'please keep this area clean' were there just in case of a surprise inspection by the Health and Safety people, who'd have a field day.

I couldn't see 'Bah-zil Fal-tee', but I am sure he was behind the scenes somewhere.

The place is more of an experience than a restaurant and I would thoroughly recommend this place for anyone in a large group and who can take jokes; if you are in a smaller party, stay well away!!!
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Jack Drury
9 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Great experience! Cheap, tasty food and free entertainment, whats not to like? I ate in Wong Kei's for the first time about 10 years ago when I first moved to London, was shouted at to go 'downstairs' and steered to a table with 4 others. We ordered the crispy duck with pancakes and plum sauce as a starter, which the waitress implied might end up in my hair as it was too long!! Have gone there several times over the last few years and have always come away sated and happy, though the service is far more polite (my hair is shorter too!).
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AR
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, September 02, 2012

All I can say is that people go to Wong Kei for the excellent food and amusing service!

I only went last week for the first time, my Mum introduced me too it and she has been going for decades and nothings changed!

The Wong Kei's only focus is to make superb food at extremly reasonable prices and food that will leave you feeling full for weeks!

The restaurant is run down, and definitely not up to its best but that doesn't matter when you have hilariously rude waiters amusing you!

I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone!
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Emma Davies
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Miserable experience from entering and "up up" to being given a dingy corner table when mostly empty. The food is bad even my local Chinese beats this, coupled with rude staff. Has cash only policy as probably can't get merchant facilities with card processors. Enter this hellhole at your peril.
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Hits
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, August 26, 2012