Wong Kei

terryturbojr

An Institution 21st October 2008

1 found this helpful

For me this place is a tale of two restaurants, one good one not so good.

If you go in and order a load of mixed deep fried starters and a sweet and sour chicken prepare to be disappointed.

Sitting downstairs on my own, watching the West End pass by as I eat crispy pork and rice, beef brisket noodle soup, mixed seafood cirpsy noodle or, my personal favourite, assorted meat fried ho fun is one of my favourite London pass-times. The food is cheap and basic and the staff brusque but it's fantastic - and that's why it gets 5 stars.

bellaphon

Tea for all 2nd October 2008

1 found this helpful

Irrespective of race, creed, colour, sex, age, nationality, disability, veteran or veganism, all diners are offered a gratis pot of tea.

If you do decide to come here to get abused; may I suggest you walk up to the main counter preferably reminiscent of Forrest Gump and ask for a fork instead of the chopsticks that’s already in place. You’ll be crushed. However if you do decide to come here and dine properly, please go to the off-piste section of the menu where you might well be surprised with the results.

Drinking tea is comforting and assuring, doubly so when it’s free; any humiliation before and after is therefore dispelled.

Niamheen at 03/10/08

Lol. I haven't been to Wong Kei in years. I'll give it another try. I don't go in for the abuse but didn't find them too bad when we were there. A little abrupt maybe.

foodbymark at 03/10/08

Ha well, this is a fair review... I've never even thought about going off piste on my choice of dishes... what would you recommend?

bellaphon at 03/10/08

Eel and Roasted Pork Belly on Rice, Deep Fried Stuffed Pork Intestines, Salt and Peppered Pork Chops on Rice, etc. The huge Mixed Meat Fried Noodles at £4 is an absolute no brainer, it's also like having an entire abbatoir served on a plate. :)

foodbymark at 05/10/08

Perhaps I'll give it another try then!

bellaphon at 05/10/08

a-b-a-t-t-o-i-r- can't spell for nuts, poor :(

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foodbymark

upstairs downstairs... AWFUL 21st September 2008

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The fact that there are some Chinese people eating here - truly baffling... From the start of my review I have nothing good to say about the food here. Prices are typical of most of the restaurants in the area. Cheap.

Wikipedia says Wong Kei is a famous restaurant in London's Chinatown. It is probably the most famous in fairness. I'm not a fussy eater, I will eat anything from chicken feet to foie gras and sweetbreads to dried locust and some things worse I dare not mention here, but what you are paying for is bland food thickened and beyond with corn flour and laden with your favourite flavour enhancer, Monosodium Glutamate. That's not to say that other restaurants do not do the same but there is a limit and take it past that. You will get very thirsty eating anything here. Virtually every dish has the same background taste is only made different by the sauce of choice (black bean, plain soya etc.) so essentially no better than the local chinese takeaway.

I don't mind sharing tables but then there is the little matter of the service. You get exactly what they have always prided themselves in, two options - rude or abrupt, or if you are lucky both at the same time. The experience is always subjective but in the same way that some people insist on adding sweetcorn to bolognese sauce, I am purist and do not enjoy this place. No sweetcorn in my bolognese please.

Been there, done that, and someone else bought the t-shirt. Don't go here.

delphinus

Wong Kei 11th September 2008

2 found this helpful

A long day out in London can leave you weary and hungry. Fast food doesn't have to be burgers or pizza. For years now our trusty, fill-up has been Wong Kei on Wardour Street.
This is not a posh restaurant, it isn't usually peaceful but the food is always delicious and plentiful. In addition it is quite an experience; one which reminds me of eating out in Hong Kong.
Be prepared to share your table with strangers unless you are part of a large party. Expect no airs and graces but a very prompt service, fresh, hot, tasty Chinese food and unbelievable rock-bottom prices. Be prepared - they only take cash. Even if we are not in the area we'd hop on the tube to eat at Wong Kei. Try the Won Tun soup. Tip - when your teapot is empty leave the lid open and they will swiftly deliver another one.

monkeyslaper

Wong kei (Recommended!) 4th September 2008

0 found this helpful

Order anything from peking duck to deep fried chilie salt squid and you cant expect anything but very traditional, perfectly cooked food. No complaints about the quality of the dishes. Excellent value for money as well.

Why do so many Chinese people eat here? Because the food is Fantastic!

Service and seating arrangements leave much to be desired, but the food really does speak for itself, hence its 500 person capacity often being packed.

jes1uk

Good value food 3rd September 2008

0 found this helpful

Recommended if you want authentic Chinese food at a budget price and you're not that worried about the service.
Good for a quick eat and then out! Try the roasted duck with rice priced at only about £4 ish.
But bear in mind that the decor is shoddy and plain and the service is somewhat lacking and certainly without a smile!
It is also likely that you will have to share a table, so if you like to have private conversations and prefer them not to get overheard then this place is not for you.
There are better Chinese restaurants than this one in the locality but they will be a little more expensive, but Wong Kei maybe worth a try sometime!

vexille

It's still there for a reason! 24th August 2008

1 found this helpful

OK, so everyone moans about the waiters being rude and the service being shocking. So they definitely aren't the friendliest, but people seem to take it as gospel and when they aren't treated to a barrage of abuse still tell everyone that it's awful to keep up this, in my opinion well out dated view!

Anyways, I digress.

Good food, large portions and quick. It's the fast food of China town and in some instances much better! Yes, you might have to table share, but this isn't a sit down and eat for hours restaurant. It is in, eat and out! You get to meet some interesting people too!

The menu is plentiful and you can, if you know the menu inside out, make up your own dishes which they charge a little extra for.

For those who've not been yet, try the aromatic duck and deep fried intestines, very very tasty!

dafinki

You've got to know the menu 1st August 2008

4 found this helpful

Back when the waiters at Won Kei were incredibly rude, I was a student. I used to go there at lunchtime with my chums and stock up on meat, tea and face-melting chilli sauce then spend the afternoon's lectures honking of garlic in an MSG coma. Those were the days.

Apart from the change in the demeanor of the staff (affable!) not much is different. You can still fill up on cold meat on hot rice for under a fiver. Barbecue pork crispy pork with extra sauce, beef brisket soup, Singapore noodles, monk's greens – all these things are yummy. Go off piste and choose the mixed random animals or whatever it's called and you'll come a cropper.

Still, don't ever ask for your own table or you might find your dinner in your lap.

lenalouise

bad meal 1st August 2008

3 found this helpful

I came here with a big group of people and we were seated straight away even though it was on a busy Friday night. I wasn't expecting the food to be great but I still managed to be disappointed! The food was extremely sub-standard and bland. There wasn't anything that was good in any way. The food was gloopy and full of unappetising food colourings. I agree with the other reviewers that is is cheap but there are places around the same price that actually has edible food. I don't think I'll be back

coldclimate

Super noodle soup 24th June 2008

2 found this helpful

Wagamama's it's not - and thank goodness.

Wonkies is about as close as you get to Hong Kong noodle houses in the UK as far as I can tell. It's busy, you share tables, the waiters are curt (I refuse to call them rude, they're just very business like), and the food is very fast. Everything comes in plastic bowls, the tables have soy and chilli oil, and there's a good chance that you'll be sitting with somebody you don't know (always more fun).

I really enjoyed their barbequed pork noodle soup, and the won ton soup was good too. The crispy chilli beef was excellent, the lemon chick less so. The whole bill came to £23 quid for two of us, and was way more than we could eat between us. The "starters" definitely outshone the mains, but then again the roast pork and rice on the table next to me looked and smelled excellent.

Worth noting that the décor is dated, the stairway less that clean and your chances of being disgruntled high is you aren't willing to bend you head down and crack on.

Take a bunch of non-fussy eaters, and you'll have a great meal for not a huge amount of cash. Take one fussy person, or be annoyed but one dish being just ok not great, and you'll all hate it.