Harden's survey result
Summary
“Never changing” but still “unbeatable for a cheap, quick meal in Chinatown before the theatre or similar”: this famous institution, seating 550 diners on four storeys and now its sixth decade, has always gloried in its no-frills swagger, although the hysterically rude service of yore is now merely “cold and brusque”. But ratings were undercut this year by one or two unusually disappointed regulars who feel “the food quality has declined” (“the chefs were ‘phoning it in’”: “char siu and duck were risible”).
Summary
Many long-in-the-tooth Londoners regard this “no-nonsense”, multi-floor Chinatown veteran as their “go-to Chinese restaurant in the West End”. “The legend of Wong Kei was the sheer rudeness of the staff. Nowadays they are just casually brusque but still provide a wide range of well-priced Chinese dishes” – “where else to have a complete meal in the West End under a tenner? Wonton Soup with noodles is ordered even before the menu gets slapped on the table”. Top Tip – “all dishes come with free green tea”.
Summary
“No frills, no smiles but always fast and reliable” – this “Chinatown standby” has fed generations of West End revellers and theatre-goers with “great cheap Cantonese food”, serving up to 500 people at a time over several floors. “Service is not what it was – the staff are no longer rude!” – but “the speed with which scoff arrives at the table remains utterly predictable”. Top Menu Tip – “still love their Singapore noodles”.
Summary
“Tasty mountains of food” served with “no frills” make this Cantonese landmark one of London’s most enduring low-budget eats. “Yes, it’s basic” and the “super-quick” service “no longer has the ‘rudeness’ of the 1990s” that had its own masochistic entertainment value. But many reporters note that “they are still visiting after decades, so something works”: “it’s great cheap food”. “The ambience is tired with token Chinese decoration … wouldn’t have it any other way!”
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Wong Kei?
41-43 Wardour St, London, W1D 6PY
Restaurant details
Wong Kei Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Great value Chinese food served in a no-frills school-canteen-esque restaurant. Soft shell crab and roast duck are fantastic. The iconic rude service has unfortunately disappeared but it is nevertheless cold and brusque, even somewhat refreshingly so."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £28.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
41-43 Wardour St, London, W1D 6PY
Opening hours
| Monday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Thursday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Friday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Saturday | 11:30 am‑11:30 pm |
| Sunday | 11:30 am‑10:30 pm |
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