The price is unbeatable. They give you such a large portion of rice, vermicelli, or lo mein as the base. The scoops (4) of all the dishes are also pretty generous in my opinion. I would consider this elevated mall Chinese food. The flavors are not bad for most dishes, but some can be a little hit or miss. You have many many options so very customizable for each person. It is cash only. Will probably be back because of the value! read more

Jin Wei - Meal - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I came here with my girlfriend for a quick bite after running around all day since we did not have time to go home and cook. This spot is great for grab and go, with quite a few options to choose from. You can pick three items, along with rice or fried noodles, and it also comes with the soup of the day. Overall Ratings Atmosphere - 3/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 3/5 Parking - Street Parking Atmosphere - The restaurant feels pretty outdated and nothing really stands out. There are a few tables if you want to eat there, but most people seem to grab their food and head out. Service - The staff working the line is friendly for the most part. You should not expect five star service, but it is perfectly fine for what this place is. What We Ordered - We ended up ordering two rice dishes with eggplant, Chinese cabbage, roasted chicken, fried fish, lemon chicken, and their version of mapo tofu. The soup of the day was pork and vegetable soup. The food was good enough to satisfy our hunger, and for the price and amount of food you get, it is hard to beat. It is also worth noting that they serve different dishes each day. Final Thoughts - I would come here again if we need a place with plenty of options at a price that makes sense. read more

Jin Wei - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

So we heard about the $8.50 meal and were really interested to see how the food would be. We went a little in the afternoon so the food looked like it had been sitting out and pretty low/almost gone. The options that were left weren't the best but we were able to get some chicken and pork sides. The soup had no flavor and was not eaten. The rice was good, the meat itself had decent seasoning but was cold and dry (even after we warmed it up). Would recommend going here knowing that you will be getting an $8 quality worth of food and not having high expectations...at all. Maybe if going earlier in the day would serve better options but most likely will not be going back to see. read more

Jin Wei - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

The food was decent and good, the service was pretty alright because I can tell she speaks English and Chinese. But, I got some other stuff in my food like bits of noodles or beans of some sort. Maybe be careful when serving due to food sticking on the tongues read more

For the price that they are serving these $7.50 buffets, how can you beat 4 different meats, to go with a choice of either white rice or lo mein? It's a great spot to go to for lunch. They'll fill your tray, and the selection always isn't the same. Cash Only. read more

Jin Wei - Fried chicken, lo mein, chicken & broccoli, etc. - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hole in the wall spot on china town which judging by the clientele is popular with the locals. Inside youll find seating, though its a bit cramped and pretty crowded around meal times. Known for their less than 10$ combo platters, i came in with expectations that quanity might be the main seller here, something that definitely appeals to the deal finder in me. I grew up going to places exactly like this on the west coast, essentially similar to the panda express model of choose a base and a few meat/veggie based items. However, I think Jin Wei does not execute super well on this idea. To be fair, its hard to be too nitpicky at the price point, but the items i chose were all pretty underwhelming. The kungpao chicken was soggy, the beef tough, and everything pretty bland. On top of all of this, the food all had the look and taste of seeming to have been sitting just a touch too long. Again, it's impossible to beat the price and value Jin Wei provides, but you can come close at other Chinatown spots without comprising the quality quite as much as you have to here. read more

Jin Wei - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you're looking for a no-frills Chinese fast food joint, Jin Wei is a gem to find in Chinatown. In contrast with the inflated pricing at many other establishments in the area, their $7.50 3-entree lunch box + soup makes them a go-to place for those looking to save money. Taste-wise, it's decent but nothing to write home about. Ambience here is adequate for those looking to quickly eat and get on with their day. read more

This is a good choice for when you aren't sure what you want, so you can get your top 4 with a soup and rice or noodles. For just $6.50 (at the time of this review) you get an incredibly generous portion of food - probably the best bang for your buck in Chinatown! The food choices are much more diverse than your typical American Chinese restaurant, so you'll find some good stuff here. It doesn't taste as great as most of the other restaurants in Chinatown, but it's hard to argue with the cost. So, if you want a lot of food and a lot of choices to choose from, this is the place for you. read more

Jin Wei - a take out container with rice and vegetables - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Obscene value at $8 for 4 items with noodles and rice. Don't get how people could like Panda Express when something like this exists.

Extremely large portion of soup + food (I would say 2x portion of what you get at a food truck for the same price). It's a bit more of a quantity vs quality games but I think it definitely hit my craving for simple Chinese food. You get to choose 4 dishes along with rice or noodles + the soup :) very good deal and might come again if super hungry! read more

Jin Wei - a take out container of soup and vegetables - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great price, enjoyed my platter and the worker was very kind, will be back. I took my food to go but it looked like a clean and comfortable place to eat too. read more

5 stars for price. 4 stars for choices, and 2 stars for taste You won't be able to find a Chinese lunchbox shop that goes as cheap as Jin Wei. For $5.50 you can get four selections of meats with a side of rice. More than enough for a lunch. AMBIANCE: There are quite a few tables, but beware this isn't a proper restaurant per se - no table service, all self serve, and still is primarily a takeout spot. Since this is Chinatown don't expect grade A decor. Don't expect it to be the most hygienic place either. Its quite dark and dingy inside. PROS: Lots of selections of meats! ranging from different types of chicken, beefs, pork, and various vegetables. The price once again is unbeatable for a quick lunchbox set around the area or if you want a quick takeout spot. All the food has already been prepped and can be consumed immediately and checkout process (Cash only) is very fast and straightforward. Fried shrimp were my personal favorites - tasty, cripsy, and salted very well. Chinese Meat balls were well sauced and had a good balance of sweet and savory flavors. CONS: Since everything's already cooked and prepared, there is a chance that the food isn't as fresh as you want it to be. Its cheap, so there might be an off chance that the business would cut corners. The other dishes that I ordered in my lunch box weren't as impressive - the spare ribs were cold and rather bland and need more salt, and the fried fish was also underseasoned as well. The rice was slightly cold and all the dishes more or less had the same flavor and textures, making the meal rather monotonous. OVERALL: Good for a quick, cheap meal if time is against you. Good selections of choices but rather downside is the food tasted quite underwhelming. read more

See all

Jin Wei offers quick cafteria style service with a wide selection, at an exceptionally great price ($7.50 for soup, rice or noodle with 4 entree/veg selections at the time of writing this). read more

Wow, less than five bucks for a whole tray worth of food?? Who wouldn't want to come here. The food is like any other American Chinese fast food restaurant but you got tons of food for only $4.75. They have a wide array of dishes from sesame chicken to green beans. I ordered the lo mein with sesame chicken, pig feet, tofu, green beans, and it comes with free soup. The soup was very satisfying with the egg and seaweed mixed it. Overall, I dig the spot. My only comment is that the food isn't the hottest so order take out and throw it in the microwave. read more

Jin Wei - Dinner Platter - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

$4.75 for over two pounds of food and a soup? I've only previously heard of this place, but on my way to choo choo pho last night I noticed this was right next door, and decided to take the plunge. Upon entering, there was a spread over 25 entrees in addition to the base carbs (rice, rice noodles, lo mein noodles). Basically it's like an assembly line where you pick a carb, then four subsequent entrees from any of the options. The food itself kind of tasted like a less greasy version of panda express, with the addition of some slightly more authentic options (pig feet? tomato egg?). This also came with a side of seaweed and egg soup, which tasted like the one my mom makes. I was a bit skeptical when I saw the price, and wanted to wait a day after my meal to write this review, but I've had no stomach issues so far! Some of the entrees were lukewarm which made my friend and I a little uncomfortable since we were eating in. I would suggest the takeout option and heating it up a bit more before consuming. The restaurant itself is also not somewhere you want to go for a nice evening. It's actually quite atrocious, haha.. but I know I'm paying $4.75 for for an unhealthy portion of food and not for the decors or service. Will keep returning till my stomach says otherwise. read more

Jin Wei - $4.75 baby - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Don't know how they do it so well for so cheap. I've paid twice as much for Chinese food that wasn't half as good. Cannot believe how much food I got for$4.75! It all was delicious. Huge selection;most labeled in English. Some odd sounding and looking. They do speak English; at least the woman who waited on me did. She was nice, friendly & helpful. Initially she gave me steamed rice. At the end of the hot bar they have stir fried vermicelli & lo-mein, which can be substituted for steamed white rice.No attitude whatsoever when I asked to do so.You then pick four choices of assorted protein and vegetable based dishes. I got Chinese eggplant w/garlic sauce, Chinese broccoli,Sesame Chicken,& sliced roast Chicken(W/ mahogany skin & bone) + stir- fried rice vermicelli. Seaweed egg- drop was soup of the day; also included! The portions were huge; about two pounds of food and 12 oz. soup. Took it home., reheated it and loved it all. Place itself is nothing fancy; but seemed clean. Men's room was tidy. A lot of Chinese people eating in, and Hispanics hanging out. What's up w/ that? Shout out to fellow yelpers once again for helping me to find this place which I surely will be frequenting.And oh yeah; most of the business info is incorrect; i.e. $$$$ for price, formal attire LOL. Open 10AM - 9PM I believe. read more

I really like Jin Wei as a quick and cheap meal and have come here quite often. The price has steadily risen unfortunately and is now $5.50 but that's still extremely cheap for the amount of food that they give! I've attached a photo of my take out box and they include seaweed soup as well. As you can see it's quite a decent amount of food. It comes with a choice of rice, chow mein, or mei fun (rice noodle) and 4 (yes FOUR!) entrees and soup! I usually get the rice noodle, I think it's quite tasty and I find their rice to be a little too mushy (but to each their own!). The entrees I had here were clams, spicy chicken, pepper steak, and mushrooms in sauce. It is a small place with few tables so I recommend it as a take out place. Also everything is prepared already so I see a lot of comments about freshness. I personally have never had a problem with the food, even the seafood, maybe I'm less sensitive or just luck of the draw. But in my opinion they have huge variety and many authentic dishes. They ARE cash only so come prepared! read more

Jin Wei - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Quantity over quality Chinese takeout place that is cheaper than most Chinese takeout restaurants - only $5.50! for 4 sides of your choice with base of rice/noodles with complimentary kelp soup. I personally liked the honey chicken the best. Better to come during lunch or dinner hours to ensure you are getting the freshest batch of food prepared. Cash only, enjoy! read more

Best bang for your buck in Chinatown, hands down. $5.50 gets you a full take out box with 4 dish choices and a soup, which goes so well with the abundance of food. They offer massive amounts of choices, and most of them are authentic Chinese dishes. Some of them are almost as good as my dad's cooking, and that's saying a lot read more

Who the heck said this business is closed? It's open! Yelp get it together will you! It's called jin wei $5 you got 4 dish and soup You can choose rice or noodles as options I just bought food from here,last week last month What's wrong! read more

Came here after reading the ratings- not impressed. food was cold and they only accept cash. Update: got sick after eating here on our vacation. would definitely not reccomend read more

Portions have slightly diminished but it's still a steal at $4.75 for 4 entrees, rice or noodles, and a soup. Honestly, that's cheaper than a food truck and if you are like me and like to nibble a variety of dishes, it's perfect. Highly recommend the pan-fried butter fish. read more

If you've been here you either are fluent in Chinese or got lost. Either way, you left happy. The whole establishment is humorously authentic. There are 20+ dishes to choose from but maybe only three are labeled in English and don't bother asking too many questions. At this point, if you have an issue with a language barrier, I would advise not to go here, but if you like large portions for pennies then stick around. I really had no idea what I was ordering. 10 things looked like chicken but could have easily been pork, beef, etc... Bottom line: 4 dishes, cup of the soup of the day, and either lo mein or rice noodles for just $4.50. That's the price of a hipstery cupcake. You honestly cannot be too disappointed for that price. Just go a couple of times so you can try everything and thus make more educated guesses by your third or fourth visit. read more

Want a quick meal that'll fill you up for under $5? Say no more. This place is a life savior for when you're a poor hungry student--or just trying to save money. Basically you choose from lo mein, white/rice noodles, or rice. Then you choose four other kinds of food (like sesame chicken, veggies, etc.) That's pretty much it, and you also have the option to get soup for free! The portions are really good in my opinion; some days are more than others. (Tip: they usually give a lot more when you order take out!) The food is actually pretty good for the price too! If you're expecting a romantic dinner here though.. just don't. Like another review said, it's a cafeteria-like set up and it's very small. Usually I just come in, get take out and leave. All in all, this place is worth it for only $4.75. There's a lot of variety and the ladies there are always nice and quick with everything. It's filling and won't kill your wallet! read more

Jin Wei likes to flag our American flag upside down along side a properly hung Chinese flag. An upside down flag indicates that we are under duress. I will never eat at this eat hole when they violate our flag. read more

Jin Wei - Fly my flag wrong? - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm a fan due to price and selection. Food is pretty good and unique......not what you'll find in a typical Chinese Restaurant. Locals were dining there; a school girl stopped by to pickup dinner on her way home. For $4.95 you get four entrees/vegetables and soup. Amazing deal. Food is prepared and displayed behind glass--cafeteria display. Nothing fancy inside--very basic tables and chairs. The Bok Choy is amazing. Chicken was also good. I had two entrees that questioned my authentic Chinese food identification talents......regardless, they were good. I just had the kind server surprise me. Meal for two with one beer and a soda was under $13.00. Amazing. Only negative--two of the entrees were not "hot" only slightly warm. read more

My stomach is churning just thinking of what just happened. I should've trusted my culinary instincts before entering the doors to Jin Wei. Lets begin. Upon walking up the stairs, you are met with two (2) gigantic trash cans to your right. I was told in my younger years to "never trust a book by its cover." I should've not listened. Entering the doors to your right is what I now call "the pigs trough." Behind smudgy glass partitions lays the food. You pay up front, so no going back. $5.50 USD. After throwing your money away, a server, places a white styrofoam plate on an orange plastic tray. At this point, you navigate the trough as the server asks what can be plopped on top. Five (5) choices, choose wisely, or actually, just walk out now. After receiving my meal(s), I sat down next to a mirrored wall. My guess is, one, the mirror is there to make the place seem larger, two, so that you can look at yourself in the mirror to understand how disappointed you should be in yourself for going through with this. Food was cold, almost as if bringing leftovers home after a dinner out, and it being so good you just had to have a second bite. That kind of cold food. But without the flavor. There was a woman sitting next to me, barefooted, scraping her dead skin off her feet. This is not a lie. She got up and left flakes on the chair, again this is not a made up story. Needless to say, I walked out after a couple of bites from my styrofoam plate and left. Please spare yourself the $5.50. read more

I love eating at Jin Wei because I hate waiting and I like seeing the food before I get it. For $4.50 cents, you get 4 servings of dishes, 1 big serving of rice and a big cup of chicken broth. The food tastes authentic. Most customers are Chinese and Latin people who seem to work and live around the area. There are 20 dishes to choose from. I like the braised tofu, fish with cauliflower, chicken with broccoli, tea eggs and roasted chicken. She serves pork and beef dishes too. Maybe it's my upbringing, but the Chinese woman who runs the place runs the place with a caring but stern attention. She's no-nonsense and it shows in the good taste of the food. read more

Typical cheap ctown eats. 4 choices + rice or lo mein + small soup! They seem to cater mostly to Hispanic and old Chinese folks, with the occasional student and white tourist. I don't expect quality at these types of places but I was pleasantly surprised that even the soup didn't taste overloaded with MSG. Even though it Seems like they've bumped up the price by a quarter (it's $5 now), it's still a steal compared to elsewhere for the variety. I personally don't mind, but I suggest takeout if you're daunted by the thought of a stranger sitting with you, since seating is limited. There's probably 16 seats max with 4-5 tables. Also (for the ladies at least), I hesitated on using their bathroom but it was actually clean and didn't stink. read more

Jin Wei - $5. Usually comes with rice or lo mein, but I opted out - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Four dishes + 1 soup + rice for 4.75. Twenty plus dishes to select from. This is a place more for the local Chinatown people and workers. I would not come here if you are with friends who want a social experience. Good place by yourself alone and just want to venture for some Chinese dishes. read more

Jin Wei - Chinese Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Not very good considering the location. I think I gained 4 lbs of water weight from the salt or MSG. This reminded me more of a Chinese buffet where they actually have waiter service. Would not have come here if not for having a business meeting. read more

For what it is, the food is pretty good. Tasty, not extravagantly delicious but great for someone on a budget and don't mind that most of the food quality is alright. It definitely helps with typical Chinese food cravings for a cheap price. I like that the soup isn't some random meat stock like some places would do. read more

Authentic and very well prepared . Cafeteria style so don't expect much ambiance. But what it lacks on ambiance it more than makes up on quality and price. $7 for a selection of 5 dishes and a drink- hard to beat. read more

It's not everyone's kind of place, but for $5.50, you get a LOT of food. I came to China town looking for a back ally experience. Not necessarily "authentic" Chinese, but something that was simple and had ambiance. The best thing I could compare Jin Wei to is something of a dive bar. This is not, however, to say it's not up to health standards. There are those speaking negatively of the health, but, in my multiple trips here, I haven't seen any cold food or unhygienic acts by staff. What I mean by "dive bar" is the ambiance. It's primary client base is locals. I've seen the occasional Hispanic or African American, but I can say I'm the only Caucasian I've ever seen set foot in this place. However, I'm not afraid of being the minority, and quite outgoing, so it was just what I was looking for. Food wise, you get 4 entrees for $5.50, plus lo mane or rice. It's buffet style, but the woman behind the counter does the actual scooping. The names are labeled in English and Chinese, though they don't seem to be regularly updated. So, as far as food choice, you are on your own. One of my favorites I don't even know the name of. I've asked the woman a few times what it's called, but I can't understand her well, as she has a thick accent. It's a whole fish, cooked and seasoned. Head and all. It's certainly odd, but I figured I'd try it, and, despite the oddness of eating head and all, it's actually quite good. The seasoning is a very mild spice, just enough to flavor it without being "spicy," and it lingers in your mouth for a minute or two after. Wouldn't recommend if for everyone, but if you are looking for something VERY removed from conventional western food, try it and you won't be disappointed. To sum up, it's not the place for most, I'd say. However, if you are the kind of person who likes different foods, doesn't mind being not 100% sure of what you are getting, and is ok with being in the minority of patrons at a place, the price and taste just can't be beat, and I try to make it a point to go here every time I'm in the city. read more

So just went to this place on a high recommendation for lunch at 11:45am. We walk in and see $5.50 and plethora of choices, great! So the items are listed in Chinese and English. The amount of food you get is great for the price. After we got our food and sat down, we noticed a lady (i'd assume the owner, relative or employee ) sitting down at a table across from us. She was picking her feet and the dry skin was falling..yuk! we tried to avoid and at least taste the food. The lady gets up and walks away. We then start to eat. The food was cold and some parts luke warm. I have worked in the food industry before and the cafeteria service style, which this is, is supposed to be hot. the temperature was not even as I mentioned some parts cold to some luke warm. The lady return as we are eating and proceeds once again to sit down and pick her feet. We didn't get very far in making a dent in the meal. We discarded the food and went elsewhere. This place needs to be checked for cleanliness and proper temperature of the food and the display holdings. Avoid, otherwise enjoy the plethora amount of food for $5.50 read more

Chinese folk love their deals - and this is a pretty good place to find one. For $3.95, you get rice, soup and a choice of any four dishes (4!!!!). The place has a bit of a Chinese cafeteria style vibe and the food is certainly not as good as say, Nan Zhou next door. But in these tough economic times, it helps to find places like Jin Wei to turn to in order to get bang for your hard-earned dollar. read more

My name is Enrique Roman and my friend Micheal have recently ate at this establishment and is was not pleasing. First the lady said the cook staff was to busy to cook lo mein and it will take more than 30 minutes and told me not to wait and get something else. I complied with her and took a different appetizer but a minute after I purchased my meal she brought out the lo mein. I was in shock and asked if she can add the lo mein and she did not comply with my request. The rest of the food was worth the 5 dollar value but it not somewhere I will take my family to . read more

All of these people who gave this place bad reviews are wrong.... the price is great, food taste very good, and so far I haven't had a problem with the freshness of the food. read more

Being a Philadelphia resident, this was the place to go when you're craving Chinese food for $5.50. However, this will be my last trip there. I walked up to the register and handed them a $20 bill and only received $4.50 in return. At first I thought this was just a simple mistake and pointed it out. But it quickly turned into a shouting match between the cashier and the manager. I even heard the cashier say that she didn't remember what bill I handed her. After looking at the security camera (which clearly couldn't register the bill because it lacked a zoom function), they started to accuse me of scamming them. I was opened to the idea that I made a mistake, but not after repeatedly being belittled and called a liar in front of the other patrons. I tried to be honest with them but my words fell on deaf ears. As a repeat customer, I expected at least a little benefit of the doubt from them. But alas, they didn't care and left me alone at the cash register after yelling at me. It was then I decided this place wasn't worth my time and left. So, I guess I just spent $15.50 on Jin Wei's, three times the usual amount. In summary, below average food, combined with the worst customer service. As a warning, be careful when handing them any cash greater than a $10 bill. I honestly hope this wasn't a scam, but there are no excuses to treat people like trash the way they did. read more

Cafeteria-style Chinese food with a blend of more traditional stuff and some Americanized Chinese classics. $4.75 for 4 things and a soup. Someone is clearly being a wise ass on this Yelp page and saying that it's super-expensive and fancy, but as you can probably, tell, it's barely even a restaurant. Go here to eat some simple food and leave. That's it. I like it because it's great for what it is, which is insanely cheap, simple food. read more