Hou Hou Mei in Highland

Food superb, staff fantastic, friendly and service was top notch will definitely be back. Made my birthday evening special.

On entering a restaurant I’m used to being greeted by a member of staff or at least seeing a sign stating, ‘please wait here to be seated’ but there’s none of that here, I stand looking at numerous members of staff stood by, or behind a counter, finally one shouts, ‘can I help you’. There’s still no welcome, ‘have you booked’ he says pointing to a tablet, I had. He points us to a table up a couple of stairs saying it’s the one with the green chairs, all the chairs are green. ‘Will you be having the festival menu’ is his last request, I state I don’t know as we haven’t seen any menus as yet We seat ourselves in the appointed green chairs, the paper menu is a double-sided place mat. This I quite like as I’m able to study it throughout the meal. We’re served complimentary Jasmin tea by a younger member of staff. Mr no meet no greet doesn’t attend to us again Bookings are tight here and you’re only allowed to have a table for an hour and forty-five minutes. We’re not offered the festival menu, probably just as well as time is precious. The ticking clock bothers me whilst eating and I find myself checking the time to make sure we’re not overstaying our welcome. Starters arrive quickly; my vegetable tempura is coated with a thick chip shop like batter rather than the thinner type that I expect. It’s greasy but the enclosed veg are perfectly cooked although taste under seasoned My partners spring rolls were cigar like in size (small) and had a crunchy pastry; I suspect bought in rather than made in house and maybe cooked for too long. The filling was bland and hard to identify. We both have tofu-based dishes for our main course. The tofu were large cubes that I ended up cutting to make more manageable to eat. My vegetables would have been nicer had they been cooked a little longer and our two different sauces shared a similar odd taste and had been heavily thickened. My spicy sweet garlic sauce was certainly sweet, but I failed to detect the garlic Rice is kept in a large rice cooker visible behind the counter and was served warm rather than hot The young staff were very attentive and there seems to be a lot of them. The one question we had for our server was answered ‘I don’t know’ rather than I’ll go and ask chef so we still don’t know. We weren’t that impressed with the food. It felt as though I was paying high restaurant prices for mediocre take away food and I’ve certainly cooked nicer similar dishes at home. But it’s clearly a popular venue with a stream of customers coming through the doors on a cold February night, perhaps it’s the fortune cookies that pull them in or maybe the unseen festival menu was just amazing

This is my second visit and first time for my fellow diners. Felt so welcome from the minute we arrived, till we left. The complimentary Chinese tea was fab. Food to die for. We went for the large plates and weren’t disappointed. Very efficient and friendly staff. The service, food and ambiance was perfect.

After all the hype around, I was expecting something really special,however, it's just OK. Not what I'd class as authentic asian meals. Everything was very salty - MSG? The light batter was really thick, too much so for me. There were sesame seeds sprinkled on most things ,and these were not toasted - a very basic thing in authentic asian cookery. Staff were nice, but I'd neither recommend nor return as it was take away standard food at a higher price. The portions were huge, I should add - but personally, I'd rather quality over quantity.

First and foremost the service is not good the staff are itching to get away from us. Twice I managed to order but waitress is gone before my husband can give his order, so I got served my dessert before my husband got a chance to order as your the staff couldn’t look on where we are sitting. then my husband twice went to the bar to ask for something! That is terrible. The food is okay nothing special to it, my monk fish for £20 said ligthly batter but the batter is more than the fish so disappointing and the Sweet crispy chicken my husband had is more chewy than crispy and when told the waitress there was no apology anf just asked us if we want that relayed to the chef!!! Really?? No apologies as my husband can only eat half of it and has a sore jaw after. Not even offered anything. The ice cream mochi dessert was served absolutely frozen from the freezer in a cold plate to the table. Didn’t even try to even thaw it a little before serving. I can get the same taste in my local chinese for a third of a price.

Very disappointed with the whole experience. A number of our friends had given it glowing reviews so we were quite excited about finally getting to eat there. First thing you noticed when you walked through the door was that it was colder inside than out (not east to achieve in mid February) the music that was playing was quite lound and inappropriate (American rock music!!). The food was very poor - my Thai curry sauce tasted processed NOT fresh and the lumps of chicken that were in it had the look and texture of processed chicken chunks. The other food on the table was just as disappointing. Overall very dissatisfied and we will not be back!

This is an over rated Asian restaurant, the quality of the ingredients leaving a lot to be desired, processed chicken chunks, rather than fresh. The flavours in the sauces were ok but didn’t seem fresh, again appeared processed/packet sauces especially the curry sauce that comes with the katsu chicken. That was the same as you buy in a plastic tub from the local butchers. The place was cold and lacked atmosphere, playing soft rock music, not what I would expect in an Asian restaurant. So disappointed as friends had rated it. Won't be back.

We had seen a few good things about Hou Hou Mei on social media, it didn't disappoint. I would advise booking in advance so that you don't miss out. We visited on a Tuesday night in January, the place was fully booked and they were turning folk away! Although the outside of the building is really unassuming there's a really great vibe in the restaurant. The staff were lovely; really friendly and helpful. We both had starters and a main. The food was delicious and good sized portions. We'll definitely go again when we next visit Inverness.

Service was fantastic, all the servers were really friendly and efficiant. The food was amazing! Can't wait to come back and try something different from the menu!

First visit here with a couple of friends who had been before. Was not disappointed in the slightest! Started off with some lovely cocktails and some starters to share. Mains were incredible! Even the steak which I don't particularly like in general was melt in the mouth out of this world! The sticky sesame chicken was to die for! The portions were so generous we didn't have room for desert. Would like to say a big thank you to Anna who just made our whole dining experience so lovely. She was chatty, friendly and nothing was a bother at all. Will be back again soon!

My family and I attended Hou Hou Mei for a birthday meal. There were four of us. The food was tasty and the presentation was nice. My only issue was the feeling of pressure from the staff because they needed the table back. In fairness they tell you when you book that you have the table for two hours. However to ask if you'd like dessert but tell you that you have 10 minutes in the same sentence I found rude. What REALLY annoyed me was when they explained that they would charge me a 10% service charge to bring the birthday cake to the table (a small self bought cake for 4 people)! Yes they told me beforehand, but it wasn't like I was going to tell my family that we are going somewhere else. I have never experienced this before and actually found this disgusting. In comparison to another local restaurant (I'll not name) who catered for 12 of us and couldn't have done more for us during a birthday dinner.

Excellent meal. So good to have a quality Asian restaurant back in Inverness. Lovely staff and good service. Can't wait to return.

Having been before and had a wonderful meal with attentive polite service this recent visit was very poor in comparison. Perhaps a change of chef or owner but meal was mediocre at best. Food served luke warm and flavourless. It could have been a packet sauce - overpriced at that. Service was rushed and borderline rude. So disappointing when it had been so good back in May.

We were late to the Hou Hou Mei party and only came here for the first time in February 2023 but we’ve made up for it since. The food is magnificent. I absolutely love the Bao Buns they must be made in Heaven. The Kindo Prawns are also highly recommended. Inverness has long since needed an excellent Chinese and this has filled that slot admirably. Special mention has to go to Caitlin, our waitress for the last few times we’ve been. My wife & I both work in the service industry and it’s a pleasure to be served by someone that is helpful, knowledgeable and engaging 10/10 for customer service.

We'd heard lots of good things about this place and had wanted to try it for ages. The food was delicious. Jasmine tea was offered to start and then we ordered cocktails which were lovely. We had a few small dishes then shared one large plate. The small dishes were very tasty and so many to choose from - I'd happily just eat lots of them next time! Food arrived relatively quickly and the waiting staff were all friendly and helpful.

Second trip but not so good as first! Table for two at a door way draft was uncomfortable. Food was served too quick to be cooked to order perhaps. Not the same standard as our first visit! May not stop a repeat visit but gives...

Took family here whilst visiting us for a weekend as this was one of our favourite restaurants in Inverness and have eaten here regularly over the past year. We were greeted by a lovely girl who I think must be quite new as haven’t seen...

Fabulous Chinese Asian fusion meal in lively vibrant restaurant. The food was all beautifully presented and excellent, as was the service. I’m coeliac and the menu was clearly marked and the staff were very aware of gluten free dishes and avoiding cross contamination. Made me...

Positive - Good food Negatives - good food but each of our four dishes served on cold plates..... Offered tea as we arrived - still waiting...... Ordered a bottle of white wine - girl poured and then asked if she could pop it on the...

Incredible food, great service, lovely atmosphere. Such a great addition to Inverness. Delighted to have a restaurant of this quality in Inverness and child friendly as well!

Amazing, tasty, fresh food, stunning interior, great service. Highly recommended. Staff also offered to box up the remind which I was delighted with as it was so tasty 😋

Myself and a few friends went to Hou Hou as part of my 40th birthday celebrations. The staff were very welcoming and the service was flawless. I opted for the Bao buns with pork belly as my starter, which was absolutely beautiful and well presented....

We enjoyed a really lovely dinner here tonight - the food was delicious and you could tell it was cooked fresh. Definitely lived up to the hype and we will be back. Would highly recommend the bao with Korean glazed chicken, amazing! Thanks very much

Highly recommend Hou Hou Mei, Inverness, received an excellent meal given an excellent service, favourite was the Chicken skewers and the puds to die for😋

The restaurant is not in a prime spot but is clearly very popular. We now know why. The menu offered a good variety at reasonable value, the main courses and pineapple egg fried rice which we had as an extra were superb and the portion...

Amazing Asian food, could not fault it with great service and friendly staff. Definitely will be coming back to try more of the menu.

Quite simply excellent. The service was swift yet friendly. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was buzzing. The staff were all great but a waitress called Evie was particularly amazing

Lovely meal and great service from our waitress Anna considering we were a larger table also. Couldn’t do enough for us all.

This place is amazing from the fantastic food to the wonderful service. Jasmine tea to start brilliant. Fantastic cocktails/mock tails our waitress Caitlin was extremely attentive nothing was too much trouble for her. Amazing mix of starters me and my son in law went for...

When I do Asian, I almost exclusively go for the sub-continent versions but I had heard and read so much about this venue that I just had to go there. The fact that I was drawn, Bisto Kid-like to the door was another factor. I...

They will probably know who I am, I was the customer who was served a dry, tasteless dish and had the audacity to send it back I was the customer who was told by ‘the manager’ there was nothing wrong with it, as the chef...

Booked for an Anniversary dinner - essential to book online, very popular so book in good time to get a good slot. Friendly buzz in the restaurant, lovely waiting staff, always attentive. We were offered, for free, 2 types of tea while we waited for...

… all too often when you’re dining alone you’re made to feel an inconvenience. Not here, great welcome, friendly and helpful service and no pressure to order too much. Portion sizes are generous and quality great. If I were to dine again… which is perfectly...

What a great place, understandable why you have to book ahead for weekends but it was all worth it! 3 courses each and a soft drink with extras too all for under £90! Phenomenal value we will be back!

It was fabulous, apart from that idiot that just wrote that terrible review. We had the steak too, and it was fabulous. Yes, a customer did threaten him; note customer, not owner, just before I was about to phone the police to have him arrested...

I eat in restaurants almost every night of the week. I almost never need to complain. This one though where can I start. Rather than being wishing to please the customer they just want confrontation. I was served a steak dish which was way to...

Too long; didn't read: The absolute best part of our stay in Inverness, the main redeeming factor in an otherwise mildly disappointing weekend away. I have been meaning to write this review for over a year, because we had such an AMAZING meal at this...

Excellent quality food with good service and nice decor. Will certainly go back again. Lovely fresh flavours & hot food.

Idea location, service was amazing, food was piping hot, fresh, cocktails were great, made to order.

We've been here a few times already and it's been consistently good. Food is very well cooked, and we love getting the small plates to share. We've noticed that the portion sizes seem to be getting smaller, which is not great considering the prize of...

Totally amazing food! I think this is possibly the best Chinese food I’ve ever had. Salt and chilli squid and chicken wings to start - perfect. Followed by a chicken dish (can’t remember the name) and a sublime sirloin steak with broccoli. Try it if...

Went out for dinner here to see what all the hype around the place was. First impressions were good, nicely decorated inside and decent atmosphere. Staff were polite. We ordered a mango and lychee martini which were excellent. We then ordered the sticky cauliflower, chicken...

Been hearing great things from family and friends about this place The food lived up to those expectations - so many lovely choices it’s difficult to make up your mind Could ideally have done with some guidance from the waiting staff to encourage us to...

Having heard of how good the food was at Hou Hou Mei our expectations were heightened and boy were they not let down! Amazing food, amazing service and an ambience and atmosphere that just created one of the best dining experiences we have ever had...

Hou Hou Mei is fabulous! Lovely surroundings and amazing food and cocktails. We had great service from our waiter Jack. Highly recommend.

Delicious food and excellent service. Our waiter was relatively new but absolutely superb! Very personable and friendly. Unfortunately didn’t catch his name but a student in Edinburgh University. Food was fresh and delicious, would definitely return!

10/10 we will 100% be back, not a complaint at all about the place! Service was amazing, wasn’t too much was just right. By far the best restaurant we have tried in Inverness and it will be very hard to beat.

The best Asian food I’ve tasted in a restaurant! Everything was fresh, tasty and beautifully presented. Definitely will be back!

Overall nice experience but let down by a couple things . Lovely young lass and boy served us, really friendly and kind service.. until we went to pay- a manager/owner woman was very rude & disgruntled when we presented a £50 gift card.. which my...

Well worth the wait to eat here..... delicious...... proper Chinese food..... fresh and tasty..... even our fussy young ones loved it. Menu is fantastic.... the puddings unreal too. Service was super! Can't wait to go back. Thank you to our lovely waitress too. (Sunday at...

Hou Hou Mei is so hyped up and raved about so I went in with high expectations and it did not disappoint. It was amazing. I came here with 4 of my friends and we were all so impressed with the food and service. I...

Now this is a Chinese with a modern twist and I will say this you must book in advance that’s how popular it is and I can’t wait to go back again

After a day of touring, we tried to find a restaurant near our B&B for dinner, but all were booked on a Saturday night. We took a chance as walk-ins at this place. We followed a lady and her daughter into up to the receptionist...

I find it difficult to put in to words just how good Hou Hou Mei is, but I’ll try my best.. Firstly, the food is outstanding. Simply superb in every way. If the bao buns don’t have your eyes rolling in the back of your...

The place looks amazing inside, decoration is spot on. I tried the bao which were my favourite and the vegetarian ramen which might have been a mistake, I did not like them but that is just a personal taste I guess. We had two sorts...

We had been waiting for some time to find a day that suited us all and one where we could get a table. Yesterday was that day and we were not disappointed. Lovely greeting on our arrival and shown to our table. We all ordered...

One of the most delicious meals I’ve had in a long time. I would highly recommend this restaurant. I phoned to book a table, the girl in the phone was more than helpful, and squeezed us in. Staff were super attentive and helpful, giving advice...

This restaurant was recommended to us when we were renting our car and we do appreciate she did. The curry chicken was delicious with such good flavor. The noodles with pork belly were so good my son ordered a second plate. Honestly we had 3...

This was our 2nd visit to hou hou mei and unfortunately left disappointed. We arrived 10 minutes early for a 5pm reservation, the restaurant had 4 tables seated other than that it was empty. We were told they can’t seat us until 5pm so we...

Friendly staff and good food. Portion sizes large for a Chinese and reasonably priced but drinks were expensive although they do give you a complementary pot of Chinese tea

My partner and I were amazed by Hou Hou Mei!!! We had to book in advance to secure a table, and visited on a Sunday evening. The service was nice and quick, whereas the food was excellent, delicious and very nicely presented. I had the...

Had an amazing meal here last night, was welcomed in on arrival by Ryan and taken care of by multiple waiting staff throughout, all fantastic, really enjoyed the concept of the menu with good variety, Salt and pepper squid and Bao buns to share are...

This restaurant came recommended and did not disappoint. The food was plentiful and delicious. The staff were all professional, and River, especially, was very helpful and friendly. We had an enjoyable dinner for two.

“Very Very Yummy” - Our favourite restaurant to go to when we visit Inverness - simply delicious and so tasty and excellent presentation - would highly recommend and to book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

We have visited Hou Hou Mei serval times and continue to be blown away by the quality of food and service. On this occasion we visited with 6 people and all had starters, mains and desserts. The food was faultless and we all enjoyed tasting...

Easy online booking system. Good parking nearby. The decor was fab! Food was delicious. Great choice of drinks. Team were friendly and attentive. Can't wait to return.

First time after numerous recommendations & we were not disappointed ! Fresh hot food & DELICIOUS !!

Absolutely delicious. Great menu. Good portions. Staff were all very attentive and friendly. Can’t recommend enough!

What a hidden gem even the taxi driver when I was picked up was shocked I even managed to get a last min table, well the food was off the scale it was Chineese but with a modern twist all the food was fresh and...

What a find! Loved eating here. The place has a nice feel to it and the staff all very helpful and friendly. We really enjoyed the food choices available and can’t wait for a return visit . It gets booked up , so we were...

If you’re lucky enough to get a table it is well worth a visit. The food is cooked to a very high standard and is presented beautifully. Since it opened I have never met anyone who has had anything negative to say.

We had been looking forward to visiting for months and the food absolutely did not disappoint! Everything we had was just incredible, truly could not fault a single plate. We shared everything due to the fact that we had to try as many of the...

My partner and I had an amazing meal here. The food was delicious and the service was great. Will definitely be back.

I adore the food here, quality is amazing. Everything is delicious, prepared with care and attention. Service has always been first class and staff are friendly with out being clingy and always helpful. Great mocktails/ cocktails menu too I really love this place for Inverness...

Best crispy chilli beef I've ever had. Well worth the money. Great service Would definitely go again

Absolutely fabulous meal. Really nice interior. Staff are welcoming and attentive. The star of the show is the food, well worth 5 stars. This is the type of restaurant Inverness needed to compliment the more Scottish based menus.

Waited a few weeks to secure a table but wow, it was worth the wait. Staff very warm and welcoming, great atmosphere, beautifully decorated and the food was absolutely delicious. Just what Inverness needs.

Couldn’t fault it. The waiter was lovely. V attentive and explained the dishes well. Our starters and main were excellent and we felt the food was authentic (both lived and travelled in far east) The cocktails were delicious and our desserts were yummy. Can’t wait...

After hearing how good this restaurant was meant to be we decided to go along and try it. We all ordered starters which looked lovely on arrival the duck spring rolls were home made and tasted really good and the dumplings which were pork and...

Having heard how good this place is I decided to book as a Christmas treat for our family. It did not disappoint! From the welcoming staff to the fabulous food and cocktails, just wonderful 10/10. We will most definitely be back.

Great food, good staff. But... The restaurant is way too dark to read the menu, and the letters in the menu were too small. So, so difficult to read. We waited a bit too long for food.

Just had an amazing 3 course dinner here and it was so amazing. Would highly recommend to anyone. The jasmine tea was so lovely as well. Staff were always on hand and couldn’t have been more helpful. The food was phenomenal and all came out...

A very pretentious little restaurant that is run more to suit the restaurant than the diner, the food was mediocre at best and the cost was at least twice what you would expect to pay in a decent Asian restaurant. I would definitely not go...

Looking for a Chinese after a cold wet visit to see Nessie on my birthday. We found this little gem! Even though it was very busy and we didn’t have a reservation we were graciously given a table for two. We were informed as we...

Been here a few times and would highly recommend. The food has been fantastic on all 4 occasions I have visited. Very friendly staff. Food is very reasonable. Food is unreal and so fresh. Highly recommend this place. Booking is a must.

I booked a table here with my friend on Thursday and we are both so impressed with this amazing restaurant! the food was delicious and so filling, it was all fresh from the kitchen and so delicious i can’t say enough how good! we couldn’t...

Amazing food can’t fault anything we had , the bao buns were amazing and standout dish for me but not far behind the Mizo brownie desert, the service was also excellent and loved the fact the food comes out when ready not held back to...

Opened recently. Looks uninviting outside, but boy, looks and snells great when you walk in. Greeted by a lovely friendly waitress/manager. We hadn't booked but thought we would chance it. 5.30 on a Thursday night it was very busy. Menu is your place mat. It...

The food was absolutely gorgeous, fresh and hot. We had the wonton soup, yakatori skewers and a portion of the sesame chicken each, washed down with some mocktails and we honestly could not fault anything we had. Service was attentive and the staff friendly. The...

What a great addition to the Inverness food scene. We had such a great experience and the menu was fun to choose from. It was all good but the Bao buns and the vegetable tempura were outstanding. Will definitely come back - but book as...

First of all, the food is excellent and if it wasnt for that, my review would be one star. Read to the end because I was quite shocked. The booking process is a nightmare and a bit of a joke, we were under the impression...

Top class.👍 Food is excellent, staff are accomodating, great selection of unusual dishes, nice drink selection... lovely atmosphere and good decor...

Welcome was so friendly. Food was absolutely amazing, fresh and really hot and in heat which was good, flavours amazing. Staff absolutely fantastic with lots of smiles and very quick service. Highly recommend you visit.

Wow wow wow! The most amazing food!! And brilliant service the restaurant has been decorated really nicely! Will defo be back!

Third visit to Hou Hou Mei tonight and honestly I cannot recommended it enough. The food is incredible - great flavours and a nice variety of menu options. The restaurant itself is lovely. Service has been excellent every time we have been. Save some room...

The staff are amazing, food is delicious and it comes really quick! I loved the gyoza and skewers! ♥️♥️

We have been waiting for a quality Chinese in Inverness for years and finally it has arrived. Last time I had a Chinese this good was in Hong Kong

At long last the Oriental restaurant that Inverness has been sorely lacking. Service was attentive & prompt & the food.......I need to keep coming back to work my way through the menu! Loved it :-)

9/10/22 Stopped by tonight for a belated wedding anniversary meal - I have been saying for years that Inverness needed a good, local Asian Restaurant (instead of all the chippys etc).... And Hou Hou Mei have filled the gap beautifully We ordered - Chicken and...

I have visited this new place in Inverness twice. Each time the service and the food were absolutely amazing. Karen & her front of the house team made us to feel so welcomed and they provided a friendly yet very professional service. We were lucky...