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    Mandarin Kitchen

    3.8 (69 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
    Open 12:00 pm - 11:30 PM

    Mandarin Kitchen Photos

    MANDARIN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Mandarin Kitchen

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    Lobster noodles
    Molly H.

    Very good Chinese restaurant right near Kensington Palace. It's a one minute walk from the Queens Way tube station so it's in a very convenient location. The first thing we noticed was the staff were all wearing masks and gloves and hand sanitizer was provided at every table. Thank you for being COVID-conscious especially when the rest of London doesn't seem to be! The Chinese food was very good - not greasy or heavy at all. I got the lobster noodles that they're known for with the ginger sauce. It was very good but my only grievance was the sauce made the lobster very slippery, almost gooey and difficult to crack open to get to the meat. I realize it's a lot more work but I wish they had cracked the lobster open in the kitchen and put the lobster meat on top of the noodles instead. Or, just cook the noodles in the sauce and then put the lobster in the shells on top, but cooking the lobster in the sauce wasn't as successful for me. If we ever went back I'd probably order something else off the menu. My husband enjoyed his dishes!

    Noodle lobster
    Tommy A.

    Noodle lobster is amazing & delicious I highly recommend this place very clean busy You have to reserve before you come here They're very welcome I tried few place didn't like it at all But this place at London it's good

    Eugenia Y.

    Honestly was a bit disappointed with this place. The service was not amazing (pretty slow), and the food was only okay. That being said though, it seems like most people order the lobster noodles which sounds like a huge hit, but we didn't. We just had the duck and some string beans for a quick dinner. Overall okay, but wouldn't come out of my way to come back unless someone really wanted to. Would be keen to try the lobster noodles though!

    Fried noodles with Prawns

    The Chinese food wasn't bad to taste. Place is very crowded. The Fried Noodles dish could have had more flavors but tasted all right. The Fried Rice with dry fish was a tad better. Restrooms are hard to get to through all the crowds in the restaurant.

    Allan A.

    Food taste authentic with little twist; crispy noodles are just fried enough to be crunchy not over fried the gravy is just enough not over powering the dish, chicken with salted fish fried rice is good not too salty or fishy, stemed gailan is still crunchy not over cooked, mushroom with tofu has a good mixture of sweetness and saltiness, the eggplant with minced pork has an excellent mixed of spiciness but not over powering, the roasted duck is ok but i had better from another restaurant on the same street block

    King prawn and crispy squid
    Kat P.

    Mandarin Kitchen was our first stop for Chinese in London. The restaurant was clean and welcoming. The smells coming out of this place were amazing. We started with the Steamed King Scallops with Garlic Soya Sauce. The scallops were huge, and the sauce light, yet flavorful, with a robust garlic soy punch. For the meal, we split Yeung Chow Fried Rice (Pork & Shrimp), Squid in Black Bean & Chilli Sauce, and King Prawns in Mandarin Sauce. This meal was a-mazing! 惊人!!! The regulars next to us had two lobster and a whole fried fish. This looked so good, and they said that they never stray from the lobster. Later, I seemed to see a pattern here: everyone gets something lobster here. Sad we missed out on the trend, but we really enjoyed our meal. The service was friendly and kind. We were served quickly and carefully. Our drinks were poured for us to start. The jasmine tea was a wonderful accompaniment to the meal. Did I say 惊人?! Amazing!

    Susan L.

    I have to thank author Kevin Kwan for getting me to this place, because I literally was reading the sequel to Crazy Rich Asians on my flight the day before - and that's where I first heard of Mandarin Kitchen. In the book, the lobster noodles here are described as one of the "trifecta" of Chinese restaurants in London (the others being roast duck from Four Seasons and...I forget the last one, whoops). So we walked to the restaurant and I already knew what we were getting - we also ordered a salt and pepper chicken wing appetizer just to add to the meal. The lobster tasted SO good (I'd say fresh, but I'm not a seafood expert so not sure if that's the right term; the noodles were fine but the lobster really made the dish). They serve it in front of you and give you a pick, as well as plates for the shells and lemon water (I hope for washing your hands, because that's what I used it for...) The chicken wings were also delicious - perfect amount of crunchiness and a great contrast to the tossed noodles. If you're looking through the menu and can't find lobster noodles, that's because (I learned from the receipt) it's actually the lobster with ginger / scallion + noodles. One star off because the serving staff made me feel somewhat intimidated (not sure if I was projecting after reading a book about rich Asians frequenting the restaurant) - I was actually kind of scared to ask what the lemon water was for and just copied another table. Awesome food though!

    Q B.

    First and foremost--service and the gentleman that helped us get a reservation for the next evening (since they were completely booked the first night we came there) was so nice! He even remembered us by name. Service was really top notch. The seafood was really fresh and the lobster in ginger and scallion sauce is not to be missed. Be forewarned though that the noodles they recommend to go with the lobster is an extra £6 charge. The MP for lobster in April was £36, which might seem pricey but is basically what any higher end restaurant would charge for a lobster dinner. I next time I'd skip the noodles and get rice--but that's personal preference. We had three appetizers to start and the prawns were the best! So juicy. The vegetable lettuce wrap and scallops were forgettable. A really great dinner overall and literally seconds away from the Underground station.

    Soomin R.

    I went for dinner with friends and had a fab time. We ordered crispy duck, lobster noodles, mafo tofu and string beans. Everything was solid and flavourful, with my favourites being the lobster noodles and string beans. Whilst the crispy duck was great, it wasn't too different from other roast or pecking duck I had had. Mafo tofu was good too, but not spicy or strongly flavoured as I would have liked. Service was okay, but when it got busy, we found it very difficult to get anyone's attention. Otherwise, interactions with staff were very limited (not surprising for a Chinese restaurant). Ambience was spacious and clean, but nothing fancy or sophisticated. Great to have a casual meal or even celebrate an occasion, but don't expect anything too decorative.

    Lobster Noodles

    Amazing restaurant. We got the lobster noodles, mushrooms with sauce, and fried pork. Best Chinese restaurant I've been too outside of China just for the shear consistency of dishes. Some restaurants have one or two dishes that are amazing, but at Mandarin Kitchen everything is amazing. Bravo!

    Lobster noodle was amazing!
    Naofumi S.

    It was an amazing dinner. Not too formal but well organized and operated suitable for business occasion as well. Very high cost performance. Looking forward to visiting next time!

    Lobster Noodles

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    3 years ago

    Service is A+ . Food is outstanding!! I love this Restaurant. Make a reservation if you can. Exceptional staff works hard.

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    7 years ago

    Location is closed until September. Wish this was updated before making the trip! Reason for 2 Stars.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Mandarin Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Mandarin Kitchen

    We started with the aromatic duck, which required the server to slowly shred the flesh.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Mays Chinese Cuisine - Home Delivery : Roast Pork Fried Rice, Kung Po chilli pork, sweet & sour chicken hong kong, #YelpEveryDamnDay

    Mays Chinese Cuisine

    (3 reviews)

    Kilburn

    I have read quite a few bad reports on this place but I've used them loads of times and I have to…read moresay, I've never had a bad item from here. Food is always piping hot and always loads of it. Their beef curry is spot on and I'm very fussy with that. Would definitely use again.

    Ordered home delivery from here today (2Pounds charge) and husband says this is the best Chinese he…read morehas had in London. I guess this is because its the closest to the Indian-Chinese food that he grew up with. I ordered via Hungry House which had an offer of free prawn crackers for bills above 15, but if you call them directly, they offer free dishes on each bill threshold. The food arrived quite quickly and was piping hot. The crackers were packed separately, so they hadn't crumbled. Quantities are large & prices are low, yet it is high on taste and quality. A perfect combination for takeaways & home delivery. The only 2 dishes that fell in the middling range were the pork dumplings because their wrapping was on the thicker side and the Thai red curry, that was more of a side dish than a curry. They tasted good, but did not meet my expectations, especially compared to the rest of the food. The roast pork fried rice and the chicken chowmein were very good, with lots of flavour and tender meat. Not too oily (the bane of many takeaway chowmeins) The sweet & sour chicken hong kong style was yummy and the first time that I was able to eat pineapple added in sweet and sour dishes because it wasnt too sweet or sour or squishy. The kung po pork with chilli was the standout dish of the day. Just the right amount of chilli without going over the top. Really loved the food from May's & I'm guessing that we will be ordering in from here whenever someone is in the mood for Chinese :) #YelpEveryDamnDay

    Green Cottage

    Green Cottage

    (26 reviews)

    ££

    Swiss Cottage

    As I'm still to scared to go out to eat, here's another London restaurant that I used to frequent…read more The Green Cottage was my parents favourite place. It's been there for 20 years plus which in London is a recommendation in and of itself. I don't usually have starters but it's quite impossible not to order the crispy lamb. So succulent beneath the crisp exterior. Followed by Cantonese roast duck and/or crispy belly pork. Sensational, especially the pork. Or, even though it's Cantonese, they do Peking Crispy Duck which you can have either as a starter or main. Dried crispy shredded beef with Chili is another favourite. Service is friendly and the price very reasonable. A great mix of styles. Highly recommend. Easy to get to by tube or bus.

    Oh my! Have to…read moreconfess that I was not expecting this place-- which I once ate at 25 years ago -- to be this good but it is among the favorite Chinese food meals I've had. The "25" for food on Zagats seems spot on while the decor is nothing special. The service was good and even replaced a soup which I misordered. Speaking of soups, the hot and sour soup was outstanding-- some of the finest I've had. And I've had literally dozens of them. Not too heavy on the pepper, it was chock full of yummy vegetables and pork. Loved this soup. The main dishes were all knockouts but the crispy half duck and the veal with salt were among he standouts. But I could also have the chow mein and the fried scallops too. Overall, an excellent example of how a Chinese restaurant can stick around through the years and still reinvent itself each day. Hurray!

    China Garden

    China Garden

    (8 reviews)

    ££

    Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road

    I have been here a few times and have always been happy with the service and food. I find that the…read moreportions come a little small, but if you order a couple of dishes, it is still quite reasonable and then you have a couple of dishes to eat from. If you go in a couple, I would suggest getting two mains and that would be fine. On my last visit I had some Dim Sum, and absolutely loved it. Everything here is of a high standard in my eyes, the food and service is fantastic and has never been too heavy on the wallet so it is definitely worth a visit. They also have a take-away service which I have not yet tried but it is good to know that they do.

    I definitely think this is a hidden gem for North Londoners…read more I was reaaaallly craving dimsum over the weekend but being pressed for time, I could not afford the wait at Royal China or treking all the way to Soho. So to get my Dim Sum Fix, I decided to try out this restaurant on Finchley Road. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise I was delighted with both the food and service. The cheung fun was perfect, the gyoza was grilled to the T and the pork dumpling in spicy soup was absolutely divine. I also go the squid in salt and chilli which was yum- but I suspect the bean curd option might be better. I cant say much about the mains as I was there on a mission, a dim sum mission. The service was really good- not rushed at all. The ambiance was not really much to speak of, but what really is the ambiance of a Chinese restaurant supposed to be like? The place itself was quite busy with people who seemed like they came there often. The prices were pretty reasonable too. I am certain I am going to be back here again soon!

    Gung Ho - Inside tables

    Gung Ho

    (3 reviews)

    £££

    Finchley Road, West Hampstead

    Having passed by this restaurant on West End Lane many times on my way back home, I decided to give…read moreit a try. Sadly, it has been my WORST meal ever in a Chinese restaurant, and I might even add that no self-respecting Chinese person will dine here, but this might seem a little harsh. So I'll say.. if you wish for truly authentic Chinese cuisine, AVOID Gung Ho at all cost. The restaurant does however do an excellent job of bastardizing Chinese food to suit western audiences, so The place was reasonably empty (only 2 other tables were taken) when I first arrived, although more patrons arrived during later on. The restaurant claims to be Sichuan, but try as you might.. you will find very limited Sichuan cuisine on the menu. Most of the dishes are Cantonese, with the ever popular sweet+sour/black bean sauce selection. My guess is, they are trying to differentiate themselves from other Chinese restaurants by calling themselves Sichuan, but sadly, this is misleading because you can only find a handful (and I truly mean only 4-5) of dishes under that name. Worse, they are not even authentically prepared. The bang bang chicken was very bland, and portions were horrifyingly small (think saucer). The fish with rice wine was horribly fishy (I'm serious about it being the worst fish dish I've ever tried), and even the seasoning of wine and MSG could not disguise the foulness of it. The coffee beef was a bit of a joke, as there was nary a hint of coffee aroma or taste to be found. This was part of the Chef's Speciality too! Portions were very small for every dish, but since the food wasn't particularly good, I was rather grateful! In the end, despite knowing I would not be full from the meal, I was determined not to order more dishes, as prices were a rip off (approx £9-12) and I simply refuse to pay for bad food. What utterly disgusted me was the service. While the waiters were not exactly rude, their attitudes were hardly warm towards us. They took a long time to come to our table (which, considering only 2 other tables were filled besides ours, the restaurant is overstaffed at that point!), although the staff hovered and lingered around the tables of other patrons. I was not surprised to see this pandering behavior directed towards the other diners who were Caucasians. Gung Ho is obviously a restaurant that aims its clientele towards serving Caucasian locals living around the area (West Hampstead, Finchley Road, etc). Most diners do not appear to have travel far, and as the evening progressed, more and more families turned up. None were Chinese though. If you wish for good Chinese food, you're better off dining at Royal China, which gives you better cuisine at similar prices. You also get better service, and will be exposed to a variety of authentic Cantonese cuisine. I hate to admit it, but my local Chinese takeaway gives me better food than Gung Ho. As I pointed out earlier, I left the restaurant still feeling a little hungry, and definitely unhappy with the very poor meal. In the end, we drove down West End Lane, and ended up grabbing a burger at GBK for comfort food. The ultimate insult - my burger made a far more satisfying meal!

    It's my local favorite Chinese. Been here at least 5 times. Always spot-on food and service…read more I really wanted to give them 4-star but just had to balance out the 1-star unjustified review in my opinion so gave them 5! Food is classic well executed Chinese with warm, friendly and authentic atmosphere Recommended both for non fancy family occasions and a nice romantic (casual) dinner

    Mandarin Kitchen - chinese - Updated May 2026

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