Howan Takeaway
“Serving Fresh and Delicious Chinese and Fish & Chips. Our business runs on a MADE TO ORDER system to provide the highest quality products to our customers. Please call ahead to avoid waiting times in-store. £10 Minimum Card Payment.”
Quick info
About Howan Takeaway
On Newtown Rd in Newbury, Howan Takeaway is a Chinese takeaway that also serves fish and chips, so one order can cover both menus from a single counter at number 121. The Chinese side leans toward British-style cooking, with chop suey and chow mein among the dishes. Every order is made to order, which is why the kitchen takes orders by phone and quotes a ready time for pickup. On the fish side, cod and chips come with chips and cheese on chips as an add-on.
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention soggy fish and chips, tasteless chow mein, watery sauces and burnt chicken balls.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention soggy fish and chips, tasteless chow mein, watery sauces and burnt chicken balls.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers are sharply split, but most describe bland, soggy food, with the Chinese dishes called wet, grey and flavourless. The sauces and chow mein are singled out as watery and tasteless, and the chips and cod are described as soggy, undercooked or overly oily. A few name specifics: chicken balls burnt to a cinder, chicken cooked to a leather boot texture, and a Thai green curry that was watery. Small portions and a £1.50 charge for a little cheese on chips draw value complaints. Two reviewers report an off smell in the meat chop suey and other dishes, and both say staff insisted the food was fresh, were rude on the phone, and refused a refund even when one offered to return the food. A few note wait times that run longer than the quoted 15 minutes on busy days. Positive reviewers praise quick service, consistent quality, and excellent value, with the fish and chips called good and the flavours geared to the British palate. One reviewer says service has always been great, while another found it very good despite the food. One caller was told to ask for no fish sauce next time.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers are sharply split, but most describe bland, soggy food, with the Chinese dishes called wet, grey and flavourless. The sauces and chow mein are singled out as watery and tasteless, and the chips and cod are described as soggy, undercooked or overly oily. A few name specifics: chicken balls burnt to a cinder, chicken cooked to a leather boot texture, and a Thai green curry that was watery. Small portions and a £1.50 charge for a little cheese on chips draw value complaints. Two reviewers report an off smell in the meat chop suey and other dishes, and both say staff insisted the food was fresh, were rude on the phone, and refused a refund even when one offered to return the food. A few note wait times that run longer than the quoted 15 minutes on busy days. Positive reviewers praise quick service, consistent quality, and excellent value, with the fish and chips called good and the flavours geared to the British palate. One reviewer says service has always been great, while another found it very good despite the food. One caller was told to ask for no fish sauce next time.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“One star is generous. The food was terrible, and the chicken was cooked to the point it resembled a leather boot—dry, rubbery, and impossible to enjoy. It was clear no care had gone into preparing the meal. A complete waste of money, and I won't be coming back.”
- Google user
“Very good food and quick service. Quality is consistent.”
- Google user
“What a terrible shame! The service was very good, only let down by the tasteless, bland & soggy food! I can’t say I’ve ever had a worst Chinese takeaway. The food did not have any sense of Chinese flavour! The sauces were watery and equally as tasteless as the chow mein. This place used to be excellent but sadly no more!”
- Google user
“Won't be returning. Portions are resiculously small! Or maybe I just got unlucky. Terrible value for how much we spent.”
- Google user
“I’m absolutely disgusted at this take away restaurant. The meat chop suey had a horrible, rotten smell. The Thai green curry was watery and completely tasteless, and the cod fish was bland and soggy. The food quality was completely unacceptable. When I called to complain, the woman I spoke to was incredibly rude and dismissive. Instead of taking responsibility, she kept insisting the food was fresh and told me that next time I should ask them not to add fish sauce. How am I supposed to know that? And this wasn’t just fish sauce — it smelled like the food had gone off. I even offered to send the food back so they could smell it themselves and refund the money, but she said I could return it and they still wouldn’t refund me. That is completely unacceptable customer service. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Terrible food, terrible attitude, and no accountability. Staff seriously need proper training on how to treat paying customers.”
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