Black Bean in City of London, Westminster

If you go to this place i'd highly recommend the black bean tofu. You see, it has to be done in a certain way so the flavors come out just right. i have mine with white rice.

¡Qué agradable sorpresa de encontrar este nuevo restaurante en el centro, en el corazón de Londres, Chinatown y me dicen que está abierto solo 5 meses pero ya muy ocupados. En contraste a la comida china en el barrio le ofrece realmente cocina malaya auténtica y cocinamos sorprendentemente bien y auténtico. El servicio es rápido, pero no está mal para ir a Chinatown. Una buena elección para la comida que puedo recomendar.

Fuimos a este restaurante en Chinatown después de ver un espectáculo en el Savoy theatre. Mi esposa come sin gluten así que generalmente es difícil encontrar algún sitio que atiende bien a ella. Sin embargo, el personal era muy servicial y nos indicó lo que pudo haber del menú. Nasi Goreng y pollo con albahaca, dos grandes platos y absolutamente deliciosa con una copa de vino. 30 libras con propina, y pensamos que era una buena relación calidad-precio, teniendo en cuenta la ubicación.

We had a very good quality meal of gadow gadow and singapore noodles with glasses of good quality sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon all for £25 a head and the service was friendly and fast

Supper with work colleagues on spec and because all the customers were Asian. Seated very quickly a hard top table with no table cloth. Drinks served quickly and order taken not too long thereafter, but then my food (chicken satay) arrived after about 5 mins, one of my colleagues' food (another chicken satay) arrived 5 mins later and the remaining 2 dishes (both beef satay) a further 5 minutes later, by which my food had had 10 minutes to cool down. It was however spectacularly tasty and very tender. Plates were cleared quite efficiently but then my main course, or at least part of it (Kung Po rains) arrived almost immediately, about 10 minutes later my colleagues' dishes all arrived together with a dish which we assumed was one of our Nasi Gorengs, but then no further rice appeared for 5 minutes until 3 Nasi Gorengs arrived (one colleague had not ordered any rice). Turned out we had some other form of Nasi *** which was destined for another table! Once again the food was mouthwateringly delicious, but the shockingly incompetent delivery meant that I had largely eaten my prawns by the time my Nasi Goreng arrived. Overall I'd recommend this place again, but would warn diners to be ruthless about identifying what has been delivered. It was not cheap at £30 a he'd to include one pint of tiger beer each.

I've tried a few Chinese restaurants in China town but I always go back to this one. The prices are decent and actually taste nice with a good variety of dim sum.

Visitamos como una familia de cuatro, ya que estábamos en la zona y caminamos a través de Chinatown muchas veces anteriormente nunca había hecho nos paró para comer. Estaban ofreciendo un menú de precio fijo que parecía una buena relación calidad-precio así que decidimos intentarlo.

He usado para comer aquí cuando era Tai Ka Lok para comida casi 25 años donde la comida y el servicio eran siempre maravillosa y fantástica, me encanta aquí.

Hay muchas opciones en Chinatown, he estado buscando una buena confiable para un largo tiempo. Finalmente encontré el alubias negras, el menú es razonable y así lo probé, al principio me fui para el almuerzo y el personal era muy agradable! Me tomó un grupo grande volver la semana siguiente y fue excelente porque el personal era más atento de la primera vez y todo el mundo estaba encantado con la calidad de la comida. No es demasiado caro y uno de los mejores restaurantes de mejor calidad en Chinatown.

Not great. One out of four meals was good. Two ate duck which, to be frank, wasn't as good as the Tesco version, while the fourth had noodles which were overcooked and pretty tasteless. Staff okay but nothing special.

We ordered from the menu at £ 13, the food seemed made ​​from scraps, cold and inedible. Horrible experience, the service was rude too. Absolutely not recommended.

I went to eat today 13 of August 2014. . . Food was great but I don't feel comfortable and not very welcoming. After my last few soup spoon of my food and drop the soup spoon, the waitress came straight to me asking if Im finish eating, while me trying to swallow my food in my mouth to answer. That mades me feel like they want me to leave as soon as I finish eating. And it wasn't that busy at all. I don't see the point. Very bad service. Shame.

This restaurant has everything you'd want from a good Chinese restaurant. Good scenery, amazing food, and the best staff. Will definitely come again!

Chinatown is full of restaurants offering bad food and worse serviceWe went into Black Bean by mistake - I was looking for a restaurant I had eaten in years beforeIt turned out to be a mistake well worth makingThe food was very good and generous and well pricedService was reasonableThe only downside is that it lacked atmosphere and the toilets were not greatBut for a good Chinese meal this is worth seeking out

My husband and I went here for lunch, we got a set menu at £9.50 each. We had spring rolls, Crispy Duck with pancakes, Chicken & Green peppers with blackbean, Sweet & Sour Pork with Chinese Vegetables and Rice.So filling at just £9.50 per head, amazing value for Chinatown and was extremely tasty, will return here soon.Highly recommended

Estávamos à procura de um pato laqueado para o almoço e entramos no Black Bean. Não ficamos desapontados, embora a chinatown de Londres não seja tão autêntica como a de Nova Iorque o prato estava à altura. O preço, porém, muito maior.

Bored waiters and seemingly bored cooks, producing one of the most meatless, adipose ducks I've had the misfortune to encounter, and little to recommend the place. Shame.

We arrived here cold & hungry & left full-up & warm. Exactly what we needed for New Year! An good menu with plenty of set meals to help you out. Not the most elaborate restaurant but it was clean and the food hot and tasty, with courses carefully planned and no pressure from the staff to move on. Service was quick but we didn't feel like we were being rushed out like you do in many Chinese restaurants. The servings were generous & the food was very hot. The prices were average. Nothing special, but no faults or problems. I'd definitely eat here again.

We have bean going to this restaurant for over 40 years & with a change of owners we thought it may not be as good we went on Friday the 25 of April & it was so good we went on the Saturday night as well Thanks for 2 lovely meals Keep up the good work.

An good menu with plenty of set meals to help you out. Not the most elaborate restaurant but it was clean and the food hot and tasty, with courses carefully planned and no pressure from the staff to move on.

I've been eating at this restaurant for a couple of years (and many years before when it was Tai Kai Lok).The food has always been in my experience very good and well priced, I can recommend the half crispy duck and 2 beers - seems to be an ongoing promotion for £16.The Ho Fun dishes are typically very good too and they are not at all shy to keep the tea topped up.#Recommended

It's not just the taste, but the skills, freshness & sauce that dim sum is rated altogether.I didn't have high hopes initially because this place is relatively lower priced than Dragon, Jade or Joy in Chinatown, Leicester Square. I walked in because it was the only one that came up to a solo traveler like me with a smile.I ordered the prawn rice rolls (粉肠), the steamed dried bean curd skin (腐皮卷) and the deep fried buns with pork & chives (菲菜角). I was surprised when I first saw the prawn rice rolls (粉肠), and that one look I knew that I have come to the right place. Underneath the almost transparent rice skin (which scores really high) are large crunchy prawns (another score points). Some restaurants give shrimps, not prawns. And it doesn't serve with the usual light, saltish soy sauce. Theirs has a tint of vinegar taste, not too salty. When I asked to buy the sauce, they do not want to disclose it since it is home made recipe. The same delight when I sank my teeth into the chives buns (菲菜角) and the steamed dried bean curd skin (腐皮卷).Mmm! Crunchy (fresh)! Only thing is the chives buns are kinda oily.Having reviewed dim sum from various authentic dim sum worlds like Hong Kong, Guangzhou, San Francisco & Singapore, I do recommend this place.

Che esperienza,mai più!!!!! Il cibo non é ottimo,il locale non è spettacolare e il personale....beh è da prendere a schiaffi!!!!! Non professionali,chiassosi,maleducati da morire!!!! Che tristezza...

cena a china town in 4....cibo niente di eccezionale ma mangiabile..locale triste e personale chiassoso e non professionale...non preoccupatevi che il 10 % di mancia per il servizio anche se non la meritano la mettono sempre in conto...

Having my lunch break there every so often. most of the times go for a noodle soup with three meats. In and out in 30-40min, bill well under tenner for what is a very good meal. Would recommend. Although be prepared for traditional Chinese service if owner - or a man that looks like isn't there.

Mediocre food, below average service. Prices are decent though. Somewhere to go if you need to live off a shoe-string budget and don't really care about the quality of the place

As a family of 4 we went to the Black Bean in search of a place to enjoy good Chinese food in the atmosphere of Chinatown. when we arrived we were put into the corner by scowling staff right beside the microwave. The staff were unapproachable and didn't even tell us what food was being laid on our table when the food arrived it was soaked in grease. We all agreed our local takeaway was far tastier and a better experience considering the rude staff in Black Bean.NEVER AGAIN

We arrived here cold & hungry & left full-up & warm. Exactly what we needed! It was early evening on a Saturday & fairly full. Service was quick but we didn't feel like we were being rushed out like you do in many Chinese restaurants. The servings were generous & the food was very hot. The prices were average. Nothing special, but no faults or problems. I'd definitely eat here again.

Я люблю посещать китайские рестораны. Мне очень нравится китайская кухня. Поэтому, гуляя по Лондону я зашла в китайский квартал. Выбор ресторанов большой. В Black Bean зашла наугад - что сказать, осталась довольна. Утка была изумительной :-))) Порции большие, цены умеренные. Персонал отзывчивый, на мои сомнения "я не очень-то умею есть палочками", сказали, а зачем тебе приборы европейские - вот порезанная утка, вот соус, вот лепешки, вот овощи - "твори", руками :-))) Пока писала очень захотелось ту самую утку...пойду поищу китайский ресторан в Москве ;-)

Decided to try Black Bean as the menu seemed really varied. Had chicken and sweetcorn soup to start but it was very bland with very little chicken, no spring onions and lacked flavour. Followed with Duck Cantonese style and rice. Again quite uninspiring. Not great for the price - came to £17.40, needless to say I didn't leave a tip. This is one I definitely won't visit again.

We ate here at 8pm on 02 August. ..only came across the receipt now....we wrote how bad this was on the receipt. Anyway we ordered Roast Duck with crispy noodles and 1/2 Aromatic Duck with Rice and two beers. Ok the beers were in the small 33cl cans and were English. ...but the beer and the food were almost the same temperature. Service was non existent. It was wet outside and we were looking for a nice meal in China town. This does not deliver. They rely on tourists....hence no locals.

My visits to China Town is increasing very fast. And I myself was surprised by the snacky nature of the courses and the amount we ate between five of us and still managed to walk and shop around the Square. This was like the Chinese version of tapas and better than a bellyful of meat and vegetables! Will surely go back again:)

We chose this restaurant in china town, as it was the only one without a queue to be seated. Food was not particularly tasty, but was edible. Service is typical of all Chinese restaurants ie not very friendly. We won't be going back, better to queue at a nicer restaurant.

We ate in Black Bean Restaurant with the two of us. The restaurant was cold, but the beer was good. The food was OK, but not fenomenal. What annoyed us was the staff. They more eyes for eachother than for the customer. They were noisy ans unpolite. Threw bottles of soysause on the ground.

We went into this restaurant because that was the only one open at around 11am in Chinatown London while the others were still busy preparing.We ordered some typical chinese food such as sweet & sour pork, roast duck, BBQ pork and roasted pork belly but all of them were so disappointing. Food tasted like they had been cooked and ready much before the shop opened and been keeping warm until ordered.Service was so-so , but was quick (probably because the food was served quick too from the kitchen).Definitely would not come back to this restaurant anymore. Have tried several others in Chinatown and none of them was more disappointing than this one. :(

After coming to the old restaurant on this site for over 25 years it was with trepadation that I crossed the threshold of the Black Bean.None of the old staff have been retained and yes the new staff are a bit on the surly side but I find this in most places in China Town. It doesn't add to the charm it's just how things are I suppose.My wife and I opted for the set seafood meal and my young daughter ordered the chilli squid.Not only was every dish in our set menu superbly cooked but the portions were huge and we could have easily fed 3 hungry adults with the ammount of food that kept arriving at our table.My daughter's squid was cooked to perfection and again the portion would have been too much for an adult never mind an 8 year old.We're all looking forward to visiting again the next time we are up in London

The staff can be a little distant and at times almost rude. However, this has been my experience in Chinese restaurants before...The food was very good. We opted for the Cantonese set meal for 2. The food was very good and plenty of it. I had a couple of draft Chinese beers and the bill (tip included) was £47. My only issue was that the food was warm and not hot.It is well worth a visit. I would go back but would try individual dishes next time.

My parents and I have recently ventured into the world of Dim Sum and this place we happened to go visit this place first a few months back and we've been going here ever since for the last few months. The service is always great - fast and efficient and the food is always delciious.I took one of my friends with me to this resturant last month and he liked it. The food is always great and the atmosphere is always laid back and the decor is pretty cool too. I always come back to this restaurant for Dim Sum because its ideal, prices are reasonable and affordable and the staff always helpful.If you go to China Town go to this restaurant, there are others around, but after trying out a few places around the China Town area, this one for sticks out for price, delicious food and fast service. Go try it!

We ate here quite early on a Saturday evening with a couple of friends. From the outside, the restaurant looked quite busy, but we were immediately greeted and taken up to the top-floor of the building where it was fairly empty; that said it quickly filled up.The air-conditioning was somewhat over-bearingly cold and despite repeated requests to the waiting staff, it appeared to remain at the same temperature and other diners started to put their coats back on. Very soon it was very obvious that the in-house music lacked variety as the same songs were being played over and over again.Now the food, we opted for a set-meal for three as the dishes included suited all of us. The food arrived in a timely fashion without any real interaction from the waiting staff other to point out what the dishes were. The food was nothing outstanding for China Town and I have certainly eaten better at other places close by. I also found the food to be heavily over-loaded with MSG; this became very apparent a couple of hours later when I developed an insatiable thirst. The only time the staff really smiled was at the point of delivering the bill to the table - I wonder why!Would I return - definitely not as there are plenty of other restaurants in Gerrard Street to try and the Black Bean offers notthing out of the ordinary.

I have been visiting this China Town spot for over 15 years only to find out that the name has been changed and it is under new management . I was told by one of the waitresses that this change happened about a year ago. Over the years I have recommended this restaurant to family and friends I took my God son out for a birthday treat and was extremely disappointed at the service. Especially when they started to clear the table while we had not finished properly. I thought it was a very odd when they started changing the table cloth while we were still seated.For anyone who has used to the place in the last couple of years would notice the drop in standards . To top it all, the food was not great too. I how I miss the old owners :(

Visited on the 6/10/2013. We were greeted outside of the restaurant and shown to our table. Starters arrived quite quickly and were very good. Our main courses arrived shortly after finishing our starters. Food was fresh and very good. The bar has a good choice of drinks. Price was reasonable.

Tout simplement horrible. Aucune qualité gustative, aucun goût, immangeable.Nous avons a peine touché à nos plats et sommes vite parti dîner ailleurs.Quand on sort de là, on a plutôt l’impression de s’être fait prendre pour des pigeons. Je ne recommanderai cet endroit à personne, c’est un piège à touriste avec rabatteur à l’entrée.

The roast duck was really delicious and authentic Cantonese style. We have ordered black pepper beef, stir-fried vegetable and a pork dish. They taste good as well. The price was reasonable and we were satisfied with the food quality and the price.

After hearing some rave reviews about this place from family who have visited, this seemed to be the must visit for dim sum.Arriving lunchtime on a Saturday, it was about ten minutes before we were seated on the third floor (no lift just a creaky staircase so beware if you're older) and presented with several menus. The menus made everything look amazing and the prices were surprisingly cheap, particularly for London.We ordered a stack load of dim sum as it was practically free at these low, low prices. Sadly, we soon realised why the dim sum was cheap, they were hugely undersized. Yes, they were tasty (siu mai, har gow, cheung fung) but very small, hence the price. This was forgivable, as you paid less for smaller dumplings and the like. What wasn't so forgivable was full price for a slightly above half portion of noodles, such was the tiny size of the dish. Again, it was tasty, but if you're going to serve small portions then have a smaller price tag.Chinese tea was charged at 80p a person which is nothing but slightly surprising as almost every single Chinese restaurant I've ever been to across the UK, Europe, China and America don't charge for tea. Still, at least they didn't charge for top ups of boiling water.I ordered an iced lemon tea which didn't come with ice but it was chilled and seemingly made of powder or a concentrate of some sort and also come with a head. I've never had lemon tea with a head before, so that was novel.Still, it was relatively cheap and the food was nice.

Was really craving Brisket beef, googled and found this gem. We ordered loads of dishes, all were excellent but the soup was amazing, went back twice. The dim sum was really tasty. Waiters were also friendly and efficient.

The food was ok and plenty of it. There's a good choice of set meals. The staff were not very friendly at all and for that reason, I wouldn't go back!

Went down to London to renew my passport, after long day travelling around london underground train, I were hurry so we headed to Chinatown and saw this black bean restaurant, well it were the most busy looking around so the food must be great... The service was okay, not very smiley or helping must, but no matter as long the foods got on the table. Went we've orded the food, its seem to come out really fast, like 7-10mins I order rosed duck and egg fried rice and my dad order pork Chinese style. Theywere petty must average and so was the quality of service. The bill come to £38 odd which included service charge! 10% but we still let them keep the changes.

Food is decent and good sized portions but nothing special. A few things are a little down-market, such as the Coke comes in cans (with a separate glass) and the napkins are paper. Also we had spare ribs but we didn't get any replacement napkins. Service was efficient if a little lacking in warmth. One final thing was that I noticed that the menu states they will add 10% service charge, which is kind of okay it's common enough, but personally I don't like this assumption. When the bill arrived it was itemised but not totalled and did not include the service charge. There was a separate piece of paper with just a total on it that added up to the amount plus 10%. It is only because I noted the inclusive service charge on the menu that I knew the total included the tip (I checked with the calculator on my phone) and didn't leave another tip but I wonder how many do because it certainly isn't obvious on the bill.

There are lots of mediocre places in Chinatown, so I was delighted to come across this place, which served good food at reasonable prices. Sadly, I'll never be back, after last night's experience.I think it's been going downhill for a while. Service isn't as friendly as it was, and last night it was positively brusque, despite the fact that they weren't busy. Maybe it was because it was late and they wanted to close. The spring rolls, always greasy, last night had obviously been left out for a while - they were lukewarn, and the grease had congealed to a thick coating on the underside, which stuck them to the plate. Honestly, it's a long time since I had anything so disgusting. The Szechuan was nothing special either.Nope, I think I'll head for pastures new..

After reading some of the reviews, I was a bit dubious when told the family get together was to be at this restraurant, but was pleasantly surprised by the overall experience.Service was slow, only 1 girl serving and she was under a fair bit if pressure so you have to make allowances. We did mention the time sent waiting and more staff we put on. The place was very busy but with additional staff the service improved greatly.We had a varied range of dishes which were all excellent and the bill (for 13 people in the party) was amazingly cheap, especially for London.Overall, it was a good experience and I would go back again.

This is at the heart of the busiest tourist area. Being in ChinaTown and at the prices on the menu one cannot expect good waitor service nor even haut cuisine for an average of £8-£15 a dish typical. The last owner was "forced" out by the exorbitant rent £100k+ per year and retirement. I worked this out to be 136 plates per day of duck and rice @ £5 if £2 out of the £5 was the rent contribution in the price just to pay the rent! Nevermind all the other expenses! As the old owner used to say that's a lot of plates of duck and rice. The rent and other costs are the real threats to your plate of food rather than food material costs and hardworking labour.Nevertheless the food, cleaniless, speed of service, toilet were all very satisfactory, the best that could be expected in China Town. I would place this place at the top quarter percentile in China Town. So I offer 5 stars as they have certainly max'ed out customer enjoyment for the convenient, food quality, cleaniless, sitting comfort for the pricing (which is typical in China Town).Here is more: the tables all have table cloth (not paper and not bare melamine nor glass), the sitting compactness is reasonable (not street hawker style), the style of cooking is HK Cantonese style, roast meats are good and come neatly trimmed and chopped. I recall the external walls, just outside the glass partition are adorned with the most beautiful dragon raised tiles but the inside is elegantly simply decorated? We spent £18 for 3 people just to have a quick plate meal with no drinks including the discretionary 10% service charge labelled as surcharge.

We went there after we gave up on queuing at both branches of Four Seasons restaurant in Chinatown. One cardinal rule I try to follow in selecting Chinese restaurants when travelling overseas is to pick those with many Chinese patrons. On this basis, we should not have selected this restaurant. However, we were tired and hungry and the name Black Bean was intriguing, although it may put off some customers. Deco was minimal and we took a table on ground floor. Menu was standard fare and we ordered 4 dishes (for 4 people) and we were surprised that the food quality was quite decent. Service was fast. Total bill came up to £55 (no alcohol) which we thought was very reasonable. Overall no complaints.

I wouldn't go back to this restaurant. The girl outside was really charming and was hoping the charm would continue once we sat down. Sadly it ended there. The staff couldn't care less. All they're interested in is to get your order, bring you the food and give you the bill. There was too much clanking of plates about which caused a lot of noise. The food was good but on the salty side. I'd go to Dumplings Legend next door anytime.

We were told by the staff outside the restaurant that it was last orders for dimsum, because they stop serving it at 5pm. We sat down and went to order and was told that we couldn't have any dimsum. Unfortunately we decided to stay. We placed our orders for 3 starters and 3 mains. Starters arrived fine, followed by only 2 of the mains. We left it a while just in case it was still cooking because it was the only rice dish ordered. It never appeared. So I mentioned it to the staff. They were apologetic and said it would be ready in 2 minutes. And it arrived a few minutes later. Throughout our meal, none of the staff enquired about our wellbeing or if the food was ok. They did not seem interested in any of the customers nor did they engage in any kind of conversation, apart from the minimum when taking orders. None of them appeared to want to be there, nor did they once raise a smile. Food was ok. A 10% service charge was mandatory. Needless to say we won't be revisiting.

I think the superlatives from (some) other reviewers are a bit OTT, but this place certainly does everything well. Décor is simple, service friendly enough and the menu more interesting than many places in Gerrard Street. Food was fresh and tasty and thankfully free of the gloopy sauces that one often encounters. Quite a number of spicy dishes (indicated by one or two-chilli symbols) that are worth checking out. Starters for two, five shared main course dishes and two pints of beer for a very reasonable £63 inclusive.

Food I had was not the best and didnt like being in the basement, service was ok, there are better restaurants in China Town.

At start the staff was very nice on entrace to get us in but when we entered smiles stopped and they have been quite unpolite.We ordered one of the combined 3-course meals with "crispy" duck as a 2nd course. It was the worst duck ever, dry, cold in little peaces that seemed like they have been gathered from leftovers (I hope my feeling about this one is not correct but I presume it's correct) and probably cooked quite a while ago.Other food was nothing special, and I've eanter much better chinese food at London restaurants.Never again!

One of a vast range of Chinese restaurants in this area (being China Town!). We were looking at menus outside the various establishments and went in here 'cos one of the staff was lurking outside to persuade the undecided. The restaurant is on two levels and we went upstairs. Overall it was unpretentious and informal. The food was of good quality, plentiful and reasonably priced. It was late afternoon, so not busy but even so, the food arrived super-quick - probably less than 10 mins between the ordering and the serving. If you're not looking for "fine dining", I would recommend this place

We visited one Saturday night and opted for the set menu, mixed starter nice but a bit average, crispy duck delicious two mains and rice both of which were nice but nothing too special. For the price in London good value and not bad food, could be worse.

this is our 3rd visits this time. We tried their dim sim menu. price has gone up. the food is still good as well as the service.

We fell upon this restaurant in Chinatown during our trip to London. The food was really delicious. Great service and good prices.

Headed to Gerrard Street to visit Tai Ka Lok which has now become 'Black Bean' and has been nicely refurbished. We didn't have to wait too long for a table - excellent menu selection, food superb and the right price - highly recommended.

Sehr lecker.Sehr gutes Preis - Leistungs Verhältnis für Londnoner Verhältnisse.Menues sind zu empfehlen !

From personal experience, most of the Chinese restaurants along Gerrard Street are much of a muchness really, with very little to choose from - it all depends on which one is less busy on the night, or has a better "atmosphere", and by and large it's the same sort of food. Black Bean looked OK, although we were seated in the upstairs which felt rather clinical and soulless compared to the downstairs - more like the inside of a transport caff or dinnerschool rather than elegant restaurant. Foodwise it was again - perfectly good, bog standard Westernised Chinese food you can find in any takeaway up and down the land, the standouts for me were the pork dim-sum and the chow mein noodles. Bill for our party of four came to just under £100; that was for two courses per person and two bottles of wine. So all in all, we left pretty satisfied, although watch this space for another review of one of its neighbours which will no doubt be almost the same!!

Andamos um pouco em Chinatown procurando um restaurante e acabamos entrando no Black Bean, que pareceu simpático. Comemos noodles de carne e porco. O atendimento foi rápido e atencioso e a comida chegou rápido. O restaurante não é chique, mas o ambiente é agradável e a refeição, gostosa. Nossa refeição, com cervejas, custou £ 20.20. Eu comeria lá de novo.

We visited Black Bean again on a saturday afternoon for a quick lunch. staff was helpful and polite. the meal was great and tasty. the roast pork was really crispy. the cost for this meal was less than £15.

Very good food at budget prices in authentic setting. We had the lunch for 2 chicken swetcorn soup, 3 dim sum dishes, crispy duck, and fried rice with 3 mains plus drinks.All for under $50

We had been looking for a restaurant that we had very mcuh enjoyed on previous visits to London but sadly it was nowhere to be found. We stumbled instead across the 'Black Bean' but I had a strong sense of 'deja vu'; the moment the fabulously wonderful food arrived, I knew it was THE restaurant we had initially been searching but under new ownership (talk about a small world and in London!!). Staff friendly and attentive without being pushing. Prices extremely competitive. Try 'mixed meat & seafood ho fun' at about 40% less in price compared to surrounding restaurants and enjoy a sensational tasty and generous dish.

This is not the most luxurious restaurant, but it wasn't unpleasant. Food was plentiful and in my opinion good value. This was the first restaurant we looked at in China Town so cannot say how pricey it was compared to its neightbours. Wouldn't have a problem eating here again.

We had a real feast and it was all very delicious, but for those of us who are not used to Dim Sum it was pretty confusing. We ended up ordering from three different menus, although the resturant didn't seem to mind, the waiter seemed a bit fed up with us as we dithered. Perhaps because of the way we mixed and matched menus, the service sort of ran out of steam part way through the meal and we wondered if our last course would ever come (but it did). The meal was very good and not too expensive, but we were seated downstairs and it lacked atmosphere a bit. They don't take credit cards so be prepared to pay with cash. We would go back now that we have a slightly better idea how to order.

We have just eaten here after a recommendation from someone off our tour today. The place is quite small compared to others in the area but has outstanding Chinese food, quality service and the prices are reasonable. This place comes close to the best Chinese we have eaten in any country,, all very fresh . We are even going 2 try going back again before we leave.

Black Bean looks really small from outside but there is another room downstairs which is very pleasant. I loved the large round table in the corner which made our evening very pleasant and intimate. We went for the set menu (6 set menu for 7 people - £18.50 per person ) which includes rice, assorted starter platter with satay , seaweed, prawns toasts, vegetarian springrolls and fried chicken filets, the sweet and sour prawns was really delicious, beef cashew nuts, chilli chicken, delighful crispy peking duck with pancakes, spare ribs were a bit dry. We had added a lovely plate of saute pak choi and a succulent dish of ginger and spring onion lobster with soft noodles which was really worth it ! final bill with tips at about £23 per person with tea and soft drinks. Not bad for a lovely feast and even doggy bag take out for left over. Service was very attentive. Would I go back ? yes, I would not go for the menu if only 4 people, I will definitively chose ginger and spring onions lobster noodle (soft) + pecking duck with pancakes, sweet and sour prawns , boiled rice and a starter platter ! Be aware that lobster price is £5 more over the new year period only !

Really enjoyed our lunch at the Black Bean. Food was better than most provincial Chinese restaurants. All the dishes were fresh, tasty and looked good. The surroundings are not exactly plush but that's not what eating in Chinatown is all about. The place was full of Chinese people of all ages. That should tell you something....

Food from cans. Uneatable. We ordered chicken with casewnuts, chinese green and pork dumplings. All were disgusting

We were initially tempted in by the attractive look of the place and the extensive Dim Sum menu. On entering we were immediately transported from the bright fresh look of the main restaurant into the cellar. It could I suppose at a stretch be described as cosy, but to me it was just cramped in addition we were seated right next to the bar and till and so when the waiter was not busy he was hanging around just behing us, at one point I felt as though I should invite him to draw up a chair and join us. We ordered 11 dishes between the four of us and whilst most of them were up to standard (nothing really stood out though), 3 of our Dim Sum 'staples' proved to be a disappointment. The Cheung Fun, Spare ribs with Black Bean sauce and Chicken feet were bland in comparison to other Dim Sum restaurants we have visited, specially the chicken feet of which we have had some very tasty Dim Sum dishes in the past. Finally the bill arrived and on adding it all up I reckoned I was overcharged, on questioning the bill I was just told plus ten percent service charge, I was not advised if this was optional and I certainly had not noticed it on the menu (which I normally do). Pretty average but with the disappointment factor and the upset of the bill I have to rate the overall experience poor.

We had a table in the window (one of two) and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of people in China Town passing us and looking at the menu outside of the window. We had the P1 set meal for two. The mixed starters were excellent, as were the crispy duck pancakes that came next. The main course was more mixed, mainly due to our concerns that the light cooking of everything left the chicken in the black bean sauce a little undercooked (chewy and a little pink) for our liking. We therefore ate the sauce but left the actual chicken as a precaution. The egg fried rice, King Prawn Szechuan and mixed vegetables were good. Overall, an enjoyable experience at £14.80 a head (plus drinks and 10% service charge), but check the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Went this evening with my partner. We ordered starters and main course. We were charged £2 for the traditional crackers and £1.50 for extra cucumber for the duck as there wasn't enough, i'm not sure why we should be charged extra for something that should be part of the dish we ordered. The noodles I ordered arrived a bit burnt and the vegetables had no sauce on them. Overall the meal shouldn't have come to £65. I was very put off by the customers on the next table laughing as a hyena. The bathrooms were a joke. My partner visited the men's upstairs and came back to tell me urine all over the floor and barely any room, basically a box of a toilet.. no wonder the men missed.. The ladies was engaged the whole time. Probably wont return to this restaurant.

The raucous main dining room teems with waiters squeezing between tables and toting plates of exceptionally fresh seafood. the lobster with noodle was so tasty and the deep fried tofu with shrimp paste was textural marvels—crunchy on the outside, light and spongy inside.

Great food, so friendly and nothing too much trouble, we have been elsewhere but won't go elsewhere in future. We will be back soon !!

Good solid Chinese fare. Helpful service. But truly awful Chinese lager and overpriced - the waiter quickly steered us to this awful stuff for nearly £5/pint - tastes watered down & awful!

My partner is Taiwanese Chinese and we have lived extensively in Asia... so we like to think we know good Chinese food when we come across it. We have lived in London for last 3 years + and have tried the majority of Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, eating dim sum most weeks. This is our new favourite - I adore their prawn in beancurd steamed rolls, their Vietnamese style rolls, fried squid strips... and their luobogao (less attractive sounding turnip cake) is less oily than other places. And for those that like chicken feet, this is the best in Chinatown in a black bean sauce. The restaurant is cleaner than most in Chinatown, but no-one should expect a fantastic or romantic ambience - it is very functional, service is still Chinatown style, so don't expect anything more... sit, order, eat, pay and out... But great food and good value.

amazing food very cheap and relaxing, main of chicken chow mein was really nice and starter of prawn dim sum, and pork buns were stunning. the only advice i have is do not try the chicken feet they were awful.

Last week went went for lunch in Chinatown (London). The restaurant looked clean and the menu enticing. Unfortenuately the lunch we had was very average. The che fung with bbq pork were not tasty as you would expect them to be and the fried dumplings were even less of a revelation. The fried squid was beautiful and tender and so was the char sui pork served along the singapour style noodle dish. The kids gave the char sui steamed buns a 8 out of 10, as it is always there favourite next to the che fung. So will have to try a different place next time in China town.

Decided to visit here after reading the reviews on trip advisor. Even though the restaurant is only small, the food is lovely. Ordered one of the set menu's, and as we weren't keen on one of the main meals, we were allowed a substitute at no extra cost. Our starters were the mixed appetisers, followed by crispy duck, then our mains of chicken in black bean sauce and sweet and sour pork, all of which was nice quality. The wait staff were lovely, not too pushy as in other restaurants. Would definitely recommend.

I ordered crispy pork belly and glutinous rice dumplings with pork/chicken fillings. The pork was average although the skin is crispy and nice. The dumplings are not worth mentioning.

I went to The Black Bean Chinese Restaurant a couple of weeks. Food is excellent. Prices is values.

We have had some unpleasant experiences with restaurants in China Town, namely going in for a set meal for 2 priced at say 15.00 each and ending up with a bill for 50.00, however this was certainly not the case at the black bean.We chose this place because of the price, in mid June 2012 the set meal for 3 was 13.50 per person, which for what you got was a very good deal, there was a young lady outside touting for trade but she certainly wasn’t pushy, the staff inside were polite and courteous (a rarity for me in China Town), the drinks prices were clearly stated as was the 10% service charge which would be added to the total bill (something which some China Town restaurants find hard to do).The food was probably the best Chinese food I have ever had, soup was out of this world and the main course filled all 3 of us up, and we aren’t small.The place was clean and tidy and the men’s toilet was clean and well cared for, not something I am used to it China Town.Overall a fantastic place to eat, if you are in London don’t hesitate, I was once told that if a plce is full of Chinese folks eating you know you have found a good one, this place was packed.

Dopo essere arrivati nel quartiere di china town siamo rimasti colpiti dalle persone che affollavano il locale.....Subito accolti con sorriso e cordialità abbiamo guastato un ottima cena cinese....quindi io e mia moglie ci sentiamo di consigliarlo vivamente!!!!!!!P.s prezzi nella norma in 2 con quattro antipasti ,due primi,due secondi e acqua abbiamo speso 40 sterline!!!!

We were impressed with the quality of food and with the service we received on both our visits. The specials are excellent.

Piccolo ristorante cinese confuso in mezzo a tanti altri nella via principale di Chinatown, uno dei pochi aperti dopo le 22 ed è stato questo il motivo della nostra scelta. I prezzi abbastanza economici, sono allineati con tutti gli altri, ma il locale non ha alcuna atmosfera è solo un posto dove si va solo per sbrigare la pratica del pasto inteso come esigenza non come momento conviviale.Noodles e anatra accettabili e abbondanti come porzioni, dopo un errore di comanda hanno sostituito subito il piatto sbagliato. Da evitare i dumplings dall'involucro troppo spesso e appiccicoso e dal ripieno non molto saporito.Solo se non avete di meglio dove andare.

Situated in the middle of China Town, near a bunch of other Chinease Restaurants which, although have a different name, display exactly the same menu and pricing. You can reasonably suspect they are all owned by the same person. But mysteries aside, the Black Bean is a very nice Chinese Restaurant, though it does not come as cheap as I would have expected. Take any food deal with the duck with the apple sauce, it's delicious.

Those of you who have lived in London for awhile and frequented Chinatown may have noticed the relatively quick turnover of restaurants. There are some old stalwarts like Wong Kei, where tourists go to literally get abused but new restaurants seem to come and go at quite a rate. I've heard on the grapvine that it may be for tax purposes but who knows?Black Bean has opened on the site of Tai Ka Lok, one of my favourite hole in the wall places in Chinatown where I could go for a plate of cheap BBQ meat and rice. They had a nice touch in always serving a bowl of free soup of the day. Sadly, it shut and Black Bean has finally risen from its ashes quite a few months later.Well, it's no longer a hole in the wall and with decorative features such as cool carved stone dragon motifs on the wall, I think they're aiming to go a ittle more upmarket. However, happily, their prices are more mid-range than upper range like Plum Valley next door.Like a lot of restaurants in Chinatown these days, they offer a variety of cuisines - dim sum is available during the day alongside the mainstream Chinese dishes.I ordered beef brisket noodles in soup to test how they cook basic dishes, which is an important foundation for restaurants. This was nice with the meltingly tender brisket sitting in a flavourful soup alongside nicely chewy thin egg noodles.I couldn't resist some dim sum and ordered 'fish fin dumplings'. I'm not sure if dim sum restaurants are bowing to political correctness but these used to be shark's fin dumplings and with shark hunting under the spotlight, they may be having to change the composition of the dumpling or they may be merely changing the name so as not to offend people with shark conservation sensibilities. These were nice with the meaty robustness of the dumplings being enhanced with some chilli oil.I also ordered some thing I hadn't seen before on a dim sum menu - deep fried bean curd skin wrapped glutinous rice and duck. Haha, I sometimes forget to let my sensible head rule and let my stomach loose. It tasted exactly as described! Glutinous rice and duck usually comes steamed in bamboo leaves and honestly, the deep fried bean curd didn't really add anything to the traditional way of serving it.Black Bean has plonked itself right into the mid-range of Chinese restaurants on Chinatown's main tourist drag of Gerrard Street and while pleasant, I probably won't return as it doesn't have anything to particularly distinguish it from the crowd. I will miss Tai Ka Lok

Decided on this restaurant just because they had oysters on the menu (our favourite). My wife chose deep fried and I had oysters in ginger and spring onion. We also shared a special fried rice. All the food was cooked to perfection and tasted delicious. We will now return here every time we find our selves in London. Oh yes, the service was exceptional as well.