Dee Yi
Quick info
About Dee Yi
Down an alleyway off Heavitree Rd in Exeter, Dee Yi is a Chinese restaurant with sofa seating and a wine menu alongside its takeout counter. Ordering runs walk-in, and eating in carries a £10-per-person minimum along with a 20% premium over takeout pricing, a distinction worth knowing before choosing how to order. The menu runs to steamed fish and duck, while 辣子鸡 and 口水鸡 cover the spicier end for those who want it. Calling ahead for a takeout order is worthwhile given the kitchen's typical pace. The building itself gives little away from outside, with the dining room set back down the alley behind it.
Good to know
- ReservationsWalk-in only
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention steam fish, 口水鸡 and 辣子鸡, duck and slow service.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention steam fish, 口水鸡 and 辣子鸡, duck and slow service.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often return for the duck, praised as excellent with generous portions, and for the steamed fish, singled out as particularly good in one authentic Cantonese meal. Several also point to the restaurant's spicier offerings, naming dishes like 辣子鸡 and 口水鸡 as recommended for those who can handle heat, alongside a wine menu one reviewer calls really good. Multiple reviews describe the place as an unassuming, easy-to-miss spot down an alley or tucked away, with friendly service and prices called student friendly or reasonable for the portion size. Against this, two reviews break sharply from the pattern: one reports the sweet and sour chicken balls were dry, the meat dumplings slimy with a poor flavor, and the satay flavorless, and also describes a damp smell and stained sofas. Another describes long, frustrating delays getting drinks and food out, an owner perceived as arrogant, and a dispute in which staff reportedly blamed a vegan guest for the slow pace.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often return for the duck, praised as excellent with generous portions, and for the steamed fish, singled out as particularly good in one authentic Cantonese meal. Several also point to the restaurant's spicier offerings, naming dishes like 辣子鸡 and 口水鸡 as recommended for those who can handle heat, alongside a wine menu one reviewer calls really good. Multiple reviews describe the place as an unassuming, easy-to-miss spot down an alley or tucked away, with friendly service and prices called student friendly or reasonable for the portion size. Against this, two reviews break sharply from the pattern: one reports the sweet and sour chicken balls were dry, the meat dumplings slimy with a poor flavor, and the satay flavorless, and also describes a damp smell and stained sofas. Another describes long, frustrating delays getting drinks and food out, an owner perceived as arrogant, and a dispute in which staff reportedly blamed a vegan guest for the slow pace.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Amazing food, authentic Chinese food at an excellent price! Perfect place for a casual meal and the wine menu is really really good!”
- Google user
“Really weird spot down an alley way very unassuming from the outside but actually some of the best chinese food I've had. Definitely one of the best restaurants in exeter.”
- Google user
“Great taste, good price. Driver very polite ! Generally , customer service is very good”
- Google user
“I am genuinely not sure if I somehow went to the wrong restaurant, because I cannot believe that the other reviews posted here are of the same establishment. The food is terrible. The chicken from the sweet and sour chicken balls is so dry I struggled to get my fork through it. The unnamed meat in the Har Sui (meat dumplings) was slimy, wet and had a flavour profile of grey. The meat in it however, was a gruelling shade of off-pink (picture attached). The satay skewers were presented in a bed of one lettuce leaf and smothered in a sauce which looked disgusting and was completely flavourless except for the taste of expired spices. The chicken underneath was similarly rock hard and overcooked. The boiled rice was also overcooked, and looked and tasted like paper maché. The restaurant smelled of damp and the sofas were stained and dirty. The best thing about the meal was the soy sauce accompaniment, which was thankfully strong enough to mask the taste of the rest of the meal.”
- Google user
“We sat in a warm restaurant (just what you need on a cold Friday night). The staff were friendly. The food delicious. The price was also very good. Will be returning again soon.”
Location
Chinese Restaurants near Dee Yi
- Yummy House3.7850.5 mi
crispy duck, sweet and sour pork balls, pork fried rice
- Rainbow Chinese exeter4.42091.3 mi
huge portion sizes, the curry sauce, salt and pepper chips
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dee Yi | 4.2240 | — | steam fish, 口水鸡 and 辣子鸡, duck |
| Yummy House | 3.785 | 0.5 mi | crispy duck, sweet and sour pork balls, pork fried rice |
| Rainbow Chinese exeter | 4.4209 | 1.3 mi | huge portion sizes, the curry sauce, salt and pepper chips |
The 2 nearest chinese restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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