Hong Kong Chef

When I was a kid, my parents used to order take-out from Hong Kong Chef (20 years ago). I haven't lived in Houston for many years but always make a stop here when I'm in town. Last time I stopped in, the owner saw us taking pictures out front and she came out and talked to us about the history of the restaurant. A very friendly lady! To the reviewers who commented on the rudeness and lack of customer service- this place is always packed full of people and is extremely busy, the curtness is to be expected, deal with it! I love the huge egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, sesame chicken, curry chicken. I have yet to order something that I didn't love! I hope they stick around another generation or two! Pros: cheap, tasty food, large portions Cons: small size, cash only more

Dirt cheap, with great food and a fun, clean hole in the wall atmosphere. The couple that have owned the place for many years really take pride in their establishment, and it shows. I recommend the all day lunch specials, talk about food for your money. The service is fast, but can sometimes be very curt. \r \r So, if your a big sissy baby and need to be coddled by your server, go elsewhere. Pros: cheap, tasty, fun Cons: you will probably leave feeling like a balloon more

The only good things about this place are cheap price and friendly waitress. The food is not authentic . If you want quantity and not quality then it is perfect for you. Pros: Cheap and friendly Cons: Quality, ambience more

We discovered this place when my daughter went to Bellaire HS, its well known to the students there. Thats been about 5 years and I love the place and the food and continue to go back. They can be kurt when its busy but I've also been there when Mimi was very gracious. One visit she sat with a customer that hadn't been in Houston in over 20 years and was thrilled they were still there, talk about going home, and Mimi was just a doll. I love the food and travel several miles to get it. The one customer was right about the won ton soup and the dumplings are incredible with a dipping sauce not found anywhere else. It can be a little quirky and not a cookie cutter resturant , obviously not for everyone, but the number of years they have been there and the repetitive customer base really says it all. Pros: food , cost Cons: small place, am dependant on cards so I have to get cash to go! more

I could not disagree more, with the last three comments on here. In fact, I have an answer to some of the comments. Hong Kong Chef does not take credit cards, because for 40 years they have strived very hard to keep their menu prices at a low cost. To do this, they refrain from paying 10-15% sales fees to Visa, MC, and Amex, so they can continue to keep their menu prices as low as possible. \r It's true, that Mimi is often curt or quick to cut off talking with customes when they are busy. The reason this place is so busy, is because the food is fresh, authentic, and reasonably priced. Why else do you think their phone rings non-stop with people calling in their ""to go"" orders for pickup? If you want to have a leisurely conversation with Mimi, stop in some Tues. night when things are slower, and you will notice that she takes much more time to meet and greet customers. \r And as for ""Wonton Soup"" being the only good item on the menu? Ha!!! ......Take the time to try and sample different items from the menu, and you will soon discover that everything they make is delicious, hot and fresh. Mimi and her husband Abe have worked very hard to deliver top-quality Cantonese inspired dishes to people, while operating from the same location they have had for more than 40 years. \r Try the Shar Shew pork, sizzling vegetable platter, chicken kew, spare ribs, beef with brocolli, etc, and you'll soon realize why this little place is always hopping with business, with the phone constantly ringing off the wall. Don't forget to notice Mimi's husband Abe, cooking like crazy at the huge wok. He never stops cooking up some of the best Chinese meals in town. I hope Mimi and Abe will be around at Hong Kong Chef for many years to come. Pros: Best Cantonese food in town Cons: minimal parking more

OK... So a group of us were together and decided to order food... We did some review searches for the Meyerland area for asian cuisines and found that THIS place was ""the best chinese food in town""... HA@!! ... I guess the best, if you don't consider having morals or good customer service as a prerequisite...\r \r To make a long story short, the ""owner"" who takes orders and answers the phone upset me SO badly prior to me even leaving the house that I REFUSED to order food for myself because as I later told her, ""I don't give my money to rude people that don't appreciate their customers."" She was rude, impatient and extremely unappreciative with her horrible tone and her inability to have patience through my hesitation and EVERY time I said the word ""um"" she placed me on hold... She literally sounded like she was extremely stressed and answering 50 phone lines at once... She was screaming saying, ""What you want? Customers know what they want when they call. I have no time, I only one here."" When I asked, ""What is in the Vegetable Combo?"" Her response was, ""The same thing that we use.""... ok???? and this means what to me????\r \r My friends had read reviews as well and REALLY had their hopes up for this food so I still went to fetch the food, but did not eat...\r \r To top it all off, when I got there, the only woman in site was pushed to the side for the ""ever-so-kind"" man to help me as he proceeds to state that they are cash only.... NO CREDIT CARDS.... ugh!!!!!!!\r \r While they did enjoy their food, they did state that it wasn't the best and made it even taste worse considering the mess we had to go through to get some food.\r \r \r \r Pros: cheap, portions are acceptable, you can see the kitchen and cooks (thank God because otherwise would have NO CLUE what you were getting) Cons: HORRIBLE service and personnel... If you expect to be appreciated for your business, go somewhere else... IF you want to order food over the phone WITHOUT stress, go somewhere else. more

I have visited this restaurant twice, it has great food but the service is terrible. I believe it is the owner that takes the orders, she is very rude when taking the orders. She takes your order in a rush, she does even give you time to take a good look at the menu because she is rushing you. Oh, and if you ask a question she will answer with sarcasm. i am not returning just because of the poor service. Pros: Ok food and low cost Cons: very bad service more

I'll definitely add on to the praise of this place. It's got awesome food for awesome prices! A whole family style dish costs about half the price of a fancy chinese restaurant with about the same or better taste. And knowing that it's been around since before the Vietnam War and is still steaming with loyal customers, I think it's worth your try. The fried crab-stuffed wontons are probably the best I've ever had anywhere. Although I can't say how the eggrolls are, it was the first thing my friends ordered when they sat down. So be sure not to miss out on that popular item!!! Also, you can't miss the place with their giant dragon on the front windows. Really nice people too. more

I've been eating here for only a year (but I'm sure there will be MANY more years to come), and I have yet to eat anything bad. I LOVE their daily specials. In a pinch, when I don't have a menu to look at, I get the Gen. Tso's ($4.95), which I believe is 5 1/2. They have GREAT chow mein, too... which is the most inexspensive meal on the specials, I think ($3.95). Their eggrolls are delicious, and their hot mustard... WOO! It will light you up! Service is good, there, the dining room is small, but cozy. If it's not too terribly busy, you may get a romantic moment, but don't count on it. Also, it's pretty much cash only, but they DO take checks, if everything matches exactly. My checks say my school apt. address (RIGHT around the corner, they could come visit if they wanted, heh), but my driver's license says my parents' address... so it took a while before they'd start accepting my check. Anyway, go there, try the specials, and make use of their carry-out, because it's SUPER fast--15 minutes at most. Pros: Food, price, service. Cons: Cash-only, parking can be tough. more

I was turned on to this place by a former coworker back in the mid 1980s. And I completely fell in LOVE! Their egg rolls are the best in town. Nice and hearty. And my favorite dish is the ""Almond Guy Ding"" (almond chicken with mixed veggies). You can request steamed rice in place of the fried rice, which I usually do to avoid the excess salt/sodium.\r \r And I LOVE the fact that drinks are still less than ONE dollar, much unlike every other restaurant in town! Extremely affordable, and the food tastes delicious. Pros: Very affordable - drinks under a dollar! Cons: Parking - sometimes have to park kinda far. more

I'm a born & raised Chinese and this restaurant has the most authentic tasting Chinese cuisine that Houston has to offer. For the price of the entrees, they really pile on the food! A must try are the egg rolls and Cantonese Stir Fry Noodles! The owners are wonderful and make you feel so very welcomed! It is a small family business with a small dining room that is nestled behind the kitchen (which is what you actually see first upon entering). This place is a must have! Pros: Great food and service (especially for quick lunches) Cons: Small parking lot, cash only, small dining room (better for to-go) more

They are one of the very few places in town who make ""chicken kew"", otherwise known as 'Hai Shu Gai Kew"", which is one of my favorite Cantonese chicken dishes. They also have great Won Ton soup, as well as dozens of other great, inexpensive selectons on the menu. I would love to find a Hong Kong Chef location out by Seabrook or League City, if they ever decide to open a second location. \r All of their dishes are cooked in the open air kitchen while you wait, and all are excellent. They have been in this location for 40 years, and I've been coming here since I was a kid growing up in Bellaire. Pros: Cooked Fresh, Inexpensive, Owners on hand Cons: Small dining room; mainly for takeout orders more

The place might not look like much, but the food is really great. My fav was the sesame chicken. It was perfect, and the portion was HUGE! Twice as much as normal places! If you go, be sure to get something off of their ""daily specials"" menu, then you'll get a unusually big eggroll and large serving of fried rice and all of this for only $3.45 - $4.95. The only catch is they perfer if you call in first for the daily specials. As for the place itself, I have to admit that it has its...charm. The kitchen is in the waiting area, which is a bit unusual, and it's not the most romantic scene, but the people there were very nice and hospitable. I would recommend take-out, rather than dine-in. So give the place a shot, if you're on a budget like I am, you won't be dissapointed! Pros: cheap, delicious, friendly Cons: shabby, hard to find more

I have also been going to Hong Kong Chef for years. I am always greeted by name. I always receive a delicious meal and Wonderful Cust. Service. Such a great value for the price. If u want to try something different try their #26: War Shu Guy - a great chicken dish. Pros: Great Food, Wnderful Cust. Srvice, Great Prices Cons: , Cash or Check only more

I have been going to this place for over 25 years now, and I plan on going until they close (hopefully they won't). The food is the best Chinese I have ever had, and the prices are extremely reasonable. I take everyone I can to this place. Don't miss it!!!!!!!! more

I found this ""easily missed"" place and have yet to be disappointed. Don't let this ""hole in the wall"" fool you! There is no wonderful atmosphere, but there are friendly faces, good service, and consistently great food! more