Real China

Featured reviews

• G

  Google user

  ·3 weeks ago

  “Food is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese all you can eat. It was fresh, hot & tasty. Puddings are small but enough especially if you want a nice variety of them all. Service was excellent, staff couldn’t be more helpful & efficient. Only lost 1 mark on atmosphere as it could have a some background music”

• G

  Google user

  ·2 months ago

  “A friend and I came to visit the establishment and the service was good on entry. Slightly over £22 a head for 2 hours of dining. To be honest, it was good value. However, here's my review of the food. Real China. I wouldn't say it's as real as the title suggests. You have the variety of what you'd find on the menu, at most Chinese takeaways. However, there was also a lot missing. Additionally, the flavours were similar but confusing, the food lacked the traditional authenticity I grew up with and it lacked atmosphere. In the beginning, the selection (for what there was) was incredible. A variety of pork, beef and lamb, rice, noodles and sides. The pork I remember having was a little tough, but it was flavourful. The beef was simply tender, same flavour profile as the pork and somehow same with the lamb. At this point I began seeing a pattern, but more about that later. The chow mein was lacking in flavour, but putting the meats over the chow mein helped. The rice noodles were overcooked, gelatinous and more like a pudding. The rice was okay, but again the flavour profile had struck me. Upon getting my second plate, I began to realise that a lot of the food was sweet. The problem with that, is that it was blocking out the real flavours of the food itself. Even the shredded seaweed, which I tasted by itself. It was like sweet and salty popcorn, which was for confusing for my palette. I've never had sweet seaweed. Along with that, on my second plate, I got a few of the same things and also decided to try the sweet and sour Hong Kong style chicken. Now. I don't know what was wrong with that chicken. The smell and taste was foul. The scent profile, as honestly as I could ever be, smelled like sewage mixed with oyster sauce. It was so extremely off-putting yet I didn't want to say it was bad without trying it. However, the taste I had gotten, tasted worse than it smelled. I had to stop myself from gagging. I didn't want to believe that it was that bad, so I had my friend try it. To my surprise, he gagged too. At this moment, I knew it wasn't just me and we both knew that we no longer wanted to eat there. Lastly, the service was okay. The host was friendly and hospitable. The rest of the staff on the other hand, friendly but like Vultures. Waiting for the second they see an empty plate. We were approached twice, and we weren't finished. It just made us feel rushed and reduced the hospitable feeling we received at the beginning. If you want real Chinese food, Chinatown in London is your best bet. Variety ranging from xiao long bao to dumplings and char siu pork buns. Nothing wrong with coming here, just be careful with what you put on your plate and ensure you'll enjoy what you're eating. If flavours and authenticity is what you want, this is not the place for you. No matter how good of a deal it may be. Fortunately, neither of us will be returning.”

• G

  Google user

  ·4 months ago

  “I took myself out for a date night on my own and sadly the food just isn’t how I remembered it to be. The food is hot, but very limited amounts in each container. Also, the beef has think layers of fat that haven’t been broken down and the chicken in most dishes is dry sadly. All the food looks a little sorry for itself. The noodles are heavily overcooked and bordering mushy with the sauces not really having any flavour and quite watery. Can’t fault the service, I was greeted with a warm welcome and my plate was taken within a minute or so of me finishing. I just feel if you are called Real China, then you shouldn’t really be serving fried cocktail sausages, saute potatoes, hash browns or those authentic battered onion rings. The desserts seem store bought and tiny. Did I catch them on a bad night? Possibly..”

• G

  Google user

  ·4 months ago

  “The service received at the real China the galleria is shocking! Having a policy the require any child above the age of 2 to pay £10 to eat at a buffet is ridiculous. Even when I said my daughter has only just turned 3 and does not eat any of that food. I even proved it after. Therefore Pushpak in particular who claims he is management served me and my family and was extremely rude when I told him I paid £10 for my 3 year old daughter that did not eat one piece of food! He said well that’s the rules and regulations as a response then rudely told me to email as if there was no consequences for bad service. He pushed the paper on my face with an email address firstly that didn’t work and his name. The food is also disgusting! EDIT IN RESPONSE TO MANAGEMENT: To clarify, my daughter has just turned 3, which I explained at the time. The issue is not confusion over her age, but the way this was handled. I made it clear that my children would not be eating, yet I was still charged. The attitude from the staff member was dismissive and rude, and your response here reflects that same tone rather than addressing the experience I had. I understand your pricing policy, however this does not excuse poor customer service or a lack of discretion when dealing with very young children. This review reflects my genuine experience.”

• G

  Google user

  ·4 months ago

  “I came for the lunch buffet. The food were decent, a variety of options available. It is great when you join the early hours because the food is still warm, afterwards it's not warm anymore. The service is great, the employees always come to clear out the empty plates and tables. Overall atmosphere is sometimes quiet or noisy. But a decent place to eat on a budget and still have some options available.”

• G

  Google user

  ·5 months ago

  “Went here for a lunchtime buffet, plenty of food options and they were topped up regularly. Very friendly staff, well worth a visit”

• G

  Google user

  ·7 months ago

  “Food not the great and there drinks are bad as well. It a ok place if you want a easy all you can eat but you will have bad food memories. If you get the W.C. So it not the best but you want can't find anything else.”

• G

  Google user

  ·8 months ago

  “Gorgeous restaurant, the service was exceptional, they were all super polite and they constantly clearing you plates away so you have space to ho up and get more food. The food is delicious always hot and constantly being topped up so you don't run out of your favourite food. For those that done know, you pay a price at the door then its pretty much all you can eat. I was not a big fan of the desserts but all in all I would highly recommend. The prawns are my favourite”

• G

  Google user

  ·11 months ago

  “I stopped by the Real China recently, and here’s my take: Food: The buffet offered a wide variety—classic dishes like General Tso’s chicken, sesame chicken, fried rice, lo mein, and dumplings. There was also a decent seafood selection, plus sushi and a Mongolian grill station. Some dishes were fresh and flavorful, while a few items had been sitting out a bit too long and lost their crispness. The dessert table had plenty of options, including fruit, pastries, and soft-serve ice cream. Service: The staff kept drinks filled and cleared plates quickly. They were friendly but mostly stayed in the background, which made the experience relaxed and comfortable. Atmosphere: The restaurant was clean and spacious, with enough seating to handle busy times. The décor was simple but pleasant, and despite the number of people, it didn’t feel cramped. Value: For the price, it’s hard to beat the variety and portion freedom. If you like sampling lots of different dishes, it’s definitely worth it.”

• G

  Google user

  ·1 year ago

  “We visited this place for the first time, and we would not come back. We paid £20 per person without a drink, and the quality of the food was not worth the money. The food sat in the pot so long that it overcooked and dried out. We tried all different foods, and the best was probably just Thai-style noodles, slow-cooked beef, and sweet and sour chicken. The worst was probably the duck meat, if you can call it that. It looked like it was cooked a week before and sat there until now. I have never seen such dry meat. Food-wise, the choices are not the best. Probably the worst are the dessert choices. Never seen such poor choices of desserts in a buffet. They have their own made-up desserts, like whipped cream with the same sauce and a piece of chocolate on top, or custard with one piece of banana and a sprinkle. Like, what is it? Also, the candy section was hard as a rock, and I almost lost a tooth from how hard they were. Service is lovely there, so it is sad the quality of food let down this buffet. Also, everything tasted very salty as well.”