Won Kei, London

Wong Kei’s (pronounced “wonky’s”) is a well-known Chinese restaurant on Wardour Street, off Leicester Square in London. I had the pleasure of eating there last night, and this is a review of that visit. I have eaten at Wong Kei several times but had not visited for a number of years before last night. The restaurant is famous for its cheap food, fun and informal atmosphere, and most of all, rude waiters and I was interested to see whether the place ...
...over several floors and sure enough, when my husband and I entered, we were told “upstairs…please”. We joined the queue on the stairs, and after a few minutes, we were shown to two spare seats on the first floor. One thing to note about Wong Kei is that you do share tables with other diners, and this is usually part of the fun. However, we noticed immediately that most of the old, large tables for eight or more people had been replaced by a larger ...

Ali1000 13.02.2005 (26.03.2009) · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

...no atmosphere and high prices. Won Keis bucks that trend completely. It's also the most eccentric restaurant in London and so an entertainment fest to boot. Let me explain. Here's what'll happen when you walk in. You'll be one of several parties shuffling throught the door. Quite fast, you catch the eye of one of the notoriously rude waiters, who will look you up and down and snap. "How many?". Give the number of your party and however many it is ...
...surprised by the bill. And whatever has happened to the waiters, a trip here is still a quite unique experience: the ritual entry, the mad decor, the fantastical mix of diners - Won Keis is a London institution and long may it remain so. Miss it at your peril. ...

ImogenW 17.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

...Sqaure. When my family found Won Kei it was great because we knew their was a great restaurant where you could go to get delicious chinese food without spending a fortune. This restraunt is surrounded by millions of other chinese restraunts but it is always busy because everyone knows its a cut above the rest. Won Kei is open till very late at night so you can always get a meal after watching a late night film in Leicesters Square. The food at Won ...
...though the service is bad people still continue to re-visit Won Kei because the food is so wonderful and the prices are so reasonable. I you are ever in London I would definatley recommend this restaurant to anyone who'd love to have a great meal for an extremley reasonable price. ...

Pacyesangel 27.01.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

...out!) the food at the Won Kei is *very* good, and considered by many to be the best Chinese in London. I usually go for a big one-dish-meal, as these seem to be the best - my favourite is the Chow Ho Fun (fat rice noodles) with Beef in Blackbean Sauce. This is the perfect place to go with a quick (perhaps rushed if you're sat in the basement) informal lunch with friends (though expect to be sat on a large communal table with strangers, filling up ...

SmileyBen 21.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

This huge Chinese restaurant on Wardour Street has a cult following in London. Although as a chef I normally won’t go near a place that serves indifferent food, for this place occasionally I will make an exception, if I am drunk or up for a laugh. So I will add my Wong Kei story to the others, I think everyone who goes there must have one. I have been chatting on the Net for a few years now. When a lady that I chat to regularly in Bianca’s ...
...some of the UK chatters agreed to meet up with her. None of us had met all the others previously. As a couple of us are Londoners we decided that Wong Kei was the place to go to break the ice. As usual we were told by a surly waiter to join the queue of people snaking up the stairs, before grudgingly being given a table. We ordered the set meal, and settled down to our nosh, one of our party struggling because he was not allowed a knife and fork ...

spankygoodtime 20.05.2001 (26.05.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

Wong Kei is my favourite chinese restaurant.Its food is delicious and its big helpings are great value for money.During the years their waiters became less rude and sometimes they even smile and make jokes.More then once I wonder with my friends "Gosh he is smiling at me and he called me madam,are we sure we are in Wong Kei???" I always eat here with a friend of mine who has been their customer for about 32 years so by now I know some little tricks.One ...
...like chicken raw in the middle, a chinese way to cook it, but it is fine if you order"sweet and sour chicken rice" (not in the menu) or with blackbean sauce. Other two dishes that I love and they are NOT in the menu are "Beancurd and green vegetable rice" a vegetarian dish with oyster sauce fried tofu,carrots, green vegetables and mushrooms in a bed of boiled rice, or you can choose "Spicy pork chop rice" and you will have a dish with boiled rice ...

sweetcat 22.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London

Wong Keis is not your average Restaurant by any means, but once got used offers possibilities that no other Restaurant can. It’s like trying your first Lager or Guinness – you didn’t like it – no? But then after your second try and third you suddenly discover that you’ve become a lager lout! – Wong Keis is much the same vein. Its uniqueness and individuality sets it apart. It may take some getting used to but its well worth the effort. Wong Keis is definitely not about overly-Polite in your face Waiters, fantastic décor and light Chinese Music Playing in the Background. No! It’s not for the Escapist-types looking for a kind of Oriental Mystical experience that doesn’t and never has existed. For the price of a Burger King meal you can eat some of the best food you’re ever likely to have. I think the Service is actually pretty good there now – having really improved over the last 2 years – The Waiters often now say Please and Thank-you – In fact I’d go so far so say that these waiters are the most efficient you are ever likely to get in any restaurant – They respond instantly to any requests (I remember waiting half an hour in a very expensive restaurant just to get their attention to get a drink – eventually I had stand up and walk over to put the order in – this would never happen at Wong Keis – I’d say I’ve never had to wait more than 40 seconds to get a Waiters attention here). Also the accuracy of Orders is always excellent even when ordering quite complex off the Menu options . OK I’ll admit service can be a bit Speedy but that’s what is needed sometimes – especially when going there in a lunch hour. I would say this restaurant has very authentic Hong Kong/Chinese Cuisine from a variety of regions. There are always numerous Chinese/Hong Kong Origin Diners at Wong Keis which is always a good sign. The Menu is extremely extensive and expanded by the fact that ordering off the menu is allowed. The amount of choices you can choose from must run into the thousands! The usuals are all there: Duck with Pancakes, Prawn Crackers, Spring Rolls, Sesame Seed Prawn toast, Chicken and Sweetcorn soup,, Singapore Fried Noodles etc – These are all good and on a par with most other Chinese Restaurants (but at around half to three quarters of the price!). But regulars don’t usually go for these options. For a large meal its possible just to order one single plate on one single order with no side dishes (this took some getting used to for a Chinese Restaurant). You would first choose what you want your Food to be on – Plain Rice or Noodles. If you’re going for Noodles choose plain, fried, Ho Fun (my favourite a wide Rice Based Noodle) or Udon (think this may cost a bit extra however). Next you would choose what you want on your Rice/Noodles – Bear in mind this can be in combinations also – best choices include Monks Vegetables, Barbeque Pork , Crisy Pork, Roast Chicken , Roasted Duck, Shredded Duck, Stewed Pork and Beansprout, Beef and Tomato, Beef with Vegetables, Pork Chop, etc (this list almost goes on forever). You may be surprised that some of the Sole Meats ie Crispy Pork are actually served cold (but infact because the rice and sauce are hot I’ve actually come to prefer this). Also I’d recommend that newcomers stay away form the egg based dishes, although these do appear quite popular with the Oriental Customers, the egg may not be as well cooked as Westerns tastes will like. Another option is to go for the Congee (Porridge based) meals but I’ve never tried these. Also the Deep Fried Chilli Salt Squid is really superb. Because the Noodle based soups are so large also many diners just go for a Soup alone as a meal, which is more than enough and only £2.80. The two favourites are the Won Ton and Yau Nam Soups and I’d recommend having them with the Ho Fun Noodles. Just saying Won Ton Ho Fun will give you the best soup you’ve ever had I guarantee it. Also if going in a party try to be seated on the First (Upper) Floor as this has the best décor I think. So overall this is an Honest and Unpretentious Restaurant whose regular Customers keep coming back and back – If you’re near it and hungry give it a try – It fantastic value for money also - Whatever size your Party 1 to 70 – They will always have a place for you! ...

mike40 22.05.2007
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Review of Won Kei, London

A place of mad refuge from a crazy world...food is not tops but good and excellent for the price....won ton noodle soup at £1.50 is a steal...dishes vary hugely in quality..if that is measured by interest level...always generous tho and if you go a deux take care in ordering..try the fried intestines..I haven't but keep thinking about it....and still thinking 20 years on! Was originally in a little lane but outgrew that many many years ago.....what ...

Beerbiker 29.01.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Won Kei, London