Imperial Bento in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

This has closed, and re opened at Rings End, March Road, called Mama Tree ( previously called Oriental Garden). Signs are up stating that a Carvery is about to open.

Al haber cerrado la sucursal principal en Peterborough, su sucursal actual en Thorney peaje cierre y también de una fuente fiable que me dijeron que Bento está en movimiento a las instalaciones del anteriormente 'Oriental Garden. Me di cuenta que había obreros estaban renovando el restaurante y esperando para abrir en octubre! Espero que las nuevas ofertas del restaurante 'dim-sum' nuevo!

Birthday party at bento last night turns out to be there last night open. That are closing but reopening elsewhere. The food was great and the staff lovely nice to have them finish on a high, good look in their new venture.

Fuimos a la Imperial Bento hoy para el almuerzo. Cuando llegamos nos informaron en primer lugar ya que nuestro hijo 2 cm sobre los 140 cm de altura de niño tendría que ser clasificado como un adulto. Aunque no estaba contenta de haber aceptado esto como tenía hambre. También nos dijeron que teníamos que salir por 3,30 debido a otra reserva, nos sorprendió ya que sólo había 4 mesas en uso, pero esto no fue un problema para nosotros como tal. La comida era de una calidad media y de buen tamaño. Pato sin embargo era una pequeña porción. de plato principal sin embargo era enorme y nos dieron demasiado lo que era una pena debido a los residuos. Caminamos por el personal más como guardias de seguridad en pares o tres es más que evidente que ofrece un buen servicio. El restaurante en sí es ahora aspecto cansado y ha ido cuesta abajo en apariencia. En general por el precio que es caro para lo que ofrece. la experiencia de mala calidad. El servicio de atención al cliente le faltaba para determinados. No volveré. Es una pena, ya que hace un año tenía una preciosa visita.

We arrived around 7.45 on a Sunday evening for a takeaway and were turned away unless we wanted to eat in.

He comido en el Imperial Bento unas cuantas veces, la primera vez hace más de un año y que era de primera clase!

Hemos estado aquí muchas veces. La comida siempre ha sido muy acertadas y el servicio es igual de bueno. Es muy triste que oír malas críticas acerca de este lugar. Yo diría que algo no estaba "negocios como de costumbre" en ese día!. En verdad la comida es normalmente de un muy buen nivel y los camareros siempre muy educado y estoy seguro de que se obligan ningún inusuales peticiones.

Ayer (12/7/15) estábamos buscando algo para almorzar y un amigo mío específicamente quería chino. El local en extremo Rings estaba cerrado (que parece ser que no es la primera vez que he hecho - deberían ser abiertos!) Tuvimos un google y encontramos Imperial Bento.

Habíamos oído muchas cosas buenas sobre este restaurante, así que fuimos allí la otra noche. La apariencia desde fuera no te dan una gran sensación, parece un área de servicio de gasolina! Sin embargo, cuando llegues, está bien. La comida era buena y cocinan todo fresco. El precio era 20 libras por cabeza con niños en £11, bebidas después nuestra familia de cuatro Neal llegó a 90 libras. El problema para nosotros fue que no necesitamos toda la comida que puedes tener y si los artículos habían sido individualmente razonable, estoy seguro que habría pasado menos dinero.

Well that was an experinance. .If we were critics we would have scored them 8 out of 10 for the starters...but from there the standards drop..you are expected to keep the same spoon and fork throughout your courses. We put ours tidy on finished plates for the waiter only to take them off and hand them back. The table was not wiped between courses. The second course was duck or lamb . The lamb tasteless and the duck was derved with a empty bone ? I ordered a main . Discription was fresh prawns wirh strawberries in a light special sauce served with jasmine rice...wat i got Was 4 dried frozen prawns in batter with a few tinned strawberries and a few chunks of pinapple wich tasted strangllike bitter cider? The same pinapple was in my friends sweet n sour dried chicken. My special sauce tasted like it was a mix of the tinned strawberries and tinned pinapple juice with a touch of jam to thicken. The rice was plain boiled thick n starchy..although my friends fried rice looked ok. Towards the end of the meal we had to wait long gaps between visits from the waiters. . We did amuse ourselves though and had a good giggle ..total score for this restrant 4/10.

We went for a family dinner to celebrate my brother's birthday, before our food arrived we opened the birthday cards and then put them underneath a chair to make room for all the food on the table. Upon returning the cards to the table we noticed a slug had attached itself to the cards. We then looked down to the floor space where the cards had been, to see slimey snail trails all over the floor and coming out from under the skirting boards. Now disgusted. Called the manager over to our table to air our disgust and he knew of the problem said sorry but there was nothing he could do about it. We asked for the bill and went to pay, but before doing so asked for a reduction on the bill as it isn't acceptable to have customers sat in a restaurant with pests. The manager was then rude and unhelpful, he refused to reduce the bill at all and said if it wasn't in our food then it wasn't a problem. He then accused us of trying to get out of paying when in fact we were trying to be diplomatic and just ask for a reduction I.e the drinks to be free. But he said wasn't having any of it. I for one will not be returning, the building is old and disgusting and not somewhere I wish to eat my dinner.

I had heard lots about the wonders of Imperial Bento and I wasn't disappointed. This is an all you can eat restaurant, but you order off a menu to cut down on waste. Each diner can order up to 4 dishes at a time; and you can re-order as much as you wish from each course before you move onto the next.There was a wide variety of starters on offer from the traditional prawn toasts through to chicken satay and salt/pepper asparagus. The next course is duck and pancakes; again diners can order more once they have eaten the first serving. Main courses are limited to two per diner per order and again diners can ask for more food as they desire. The staff are friendly and efficient, no matter how busy the restuarant gets (and it is phenomenally popular at weekends). Very impressed and looking forward to my next visit.

We recently went to imperial bentos for my husbands birthday on arriving there was no prawn crackers no offer for a drink we had to ask! Every time we wanted a drink we had to ask no clean knives & forks or napkins. Food was greasy & wasn't hot Feel so dissapointed I don't bother with reviews but since our bad experience there don't want it happening to anyone else. I used to use it all the time but it's gone DOWN HILL I will never use it again!!

Have not been for a year or so, we had stopped going following some so so meals.But, it is back to brilliant.Staff friendly and efficientFood well cooked, plentiful, tasty and hot.Nice relaxed atmosphere and not rushed.Thoroughly enjoyed the evening, will definitely go again.

Having first visited this place about 4 months ago and being wow'd by the amazing food we have been back almost 5 times. But it must be admitted that on our last visit I have to say it was a let down! The food - Some parts still tasted really nice, like the noodles were ace. But some dishes seemed like they were bought from an Iceland store and stuck in the oven pre-cooked. This goes for the platter of starters we had. What is usually the best part of the meal was dry and boring. Unfortunately we found this with the crispy duck as the wraps tasted like washing up liquid - weird I know. The staff - Some staff seem friendly, some seem cold. But I did find it shocking that not once did anyone ask if everything was okay or would we like to order any additional dishes etc. Some did not speak much at all as they appeared to be a lanaguage barrier. Also throught our meal one staff member bumped into my boyfriend twice just because she wasn't looking where she was going. Although she did apologise I found it highly unprofressional, which sort of went with her casual blue converse lace up trainers. Nothing against casual dressed staff but as everyone else was in full smart dress it made her look very scruffy.The atmosphere - Unlike previous visits, when we walked into the restaurant there was a weird atmosphere. It was extremely quiet and all you could hear was people's conversations, no music. When we asked why is there no music today the star memeber informed us that people had complained that it is too noisy in the restaurant, which we have never found before - weird. It also didn't help that when the restaurant was less than half full we got sat very closely to 2 other couples, literally like less than a foot away, which was highly awkward and made our visit feel very exposed and unromantic :(The decor - is something else! The place seriously needs an update otherwise I think this branch, like their Peterborough branch, will close to. It's dark, dingy, and the cardboard boxes on the vents are just something else. The decor was something we chose to ignore previously because the good was so good. However, needless to say we will not he visiting there again.

We visted Imperial Bento last night as a family and had an amazing meal. The service is friendly with plenty of waiting staff who are great with the kids. You will not taste food like it anywhere, their food is amazing. Smoked chicken is a must to try. There isn't anything that we have tried that we haven't liked or finished. If you want more of anything, you only need to ask and they will gladly cook it fresh for you. It's always a good idea to phone and book a table as it can get busy and you wouldn't like to be disappointed with no tables left.Definately THE BEST chinese restaurant in the Peterborough area. Actually my favourite restaurant. Can't wait to visit again. Compliments to the chefs and waiting staff!!

Many years ago this restaurant used to be wonderful. But the standards have dropped considerably.I visited with my Mother and son who is 9. Although they offer a child's rate for children under 12, when I asked for a child's rate they made him stand against a height chart. He was considered too tall to be a child! So we were charged £19,99 when he ate a couple of ribs and nothing more! We sat in the corner where I stared at a smeary plastic panel, near the door. There was no music playing and the place lacked atmosphere. The silence was punctuated by the telephone ringing very loudly every 5 minutes or so.So, the food. The starters were ok, nothing more. They consisted of largely deep fried food which didn't taste fresh. They were ok, but of the kind of standard you would expect from your local supermarket.For the second course of duck, lamb and pancakes, the servings were minuscule! Ok, an abundance of pancakes but scarcely any meat. The lamb was also incredibly fatty and largely inedible.The mains - again, mediocre quality and a lack of freshness. Everything was so sweet, that the dishes tasted the same. We ordered sweet and sour chicken and duck, amongst other dishes; thick syrupy sauce, which was overly sweet and bland. We also ordered Thai Chicken curry, again this was very sweet.In total, for the three of us the meal cost over £60 and it wasn't enjoyable. The service was brusk and food disappointing; but insisting on charging my 9 year old an adult's price left the nastiest taste in my mouth.To top off the evening, they then seated a large group of men next to us who mocked the staff and swore with abundance. Delightful! Never again.

I visited here after a Sunday (31st May) shopping visit. It was my first time here and the staff was very friendly and helpful and explained what happens we had a little wait after being seated for our drinks order to be taken then they returned with our drinks and took our starter options all starters were nice but even though they was starters there was small portions for example all 3 of us ordered ribs for our starter and 3 single ribs came out, there was a lot of salad on the plate though which we didn't order or ask for. then we got a small plate of or 2nd starter which only had meat options and then we had pancakes and cucumber and spring onions. then we got our mains we ordered 2 bowls of there rice with pork and shrimp we got told that that rice would come in a bigger bowl and was for two to share then i ordered egg fried rice i was shocked to find that the bowl wasn't in fact bigger and was exactly the same size as my egg fried rice bowl for 1. BE WARNED THEY HAVE A CHARGE FOR FOOD WASTAGE found this in the back of the menu. All food tasted good, bit of wait between meals and my coke was watered down. All food was in small portions.

I attended the Thorney Imperial Bento on the 10/5/15, I have eaten there previously on many occasions and the food is very nice. However they are increasingly becoming greedy with charges, bank holidays etc and the last visit they "accidently charged my 9 and 11 year old children as adult for the buffet.This visit, as soon as I was seated I was questioned about the age of my children by a very rude waitress. When I informed her of their ages, she glared at me and told me that because people were "trying to abuse the age ranges for child meals", my daughters would have to be measured against the wall. As my eldest daughter was adjudged to be to tall, I was informed I would have to purchase an adult buffet for her. I was not happy, and when I complained was told that I would also have to pay for my youngest daughter to have an adult buffet because she would not stand against the wall to be measured.When I pointed out that my youngest daughter has a broken leg and was unable to walk to the wall, they just glared at me and told me I would have to pay for 4 adult buffets.I told them to poke it.

Having had a few takeaways from here before we decided to eat in the restaurant for the first time. There was me, my wife, sister in law and her husband and our twin boys who are 3 and a half. We were made very welcome, service was very good, the food was even better then when we have a takeaway. The prices were very reasonable as well. All in all a very enjoyable meal.

Lovely meal can not fault the food and the staff were nice too but we waited a long time for our duck to be cleared away and the mains took about 30-40mins to come. The table next to us got served their main course at the same time as us and they arrived an hour after us!

Like this place for a group meal. Decor, menu and service need some attention. It was very busy when we went but the staff need to be more organised or need more staff. Good was good.

We visited this restaurant on a Sunday evening. The food was great as usual but the service was poor. Although the restaurant was virtually full, there was only 2 servers trying to service the whole room. This just did not work; we had to keep asking for everything. At one point the lady server spend 20imns just cutting up birthday cake for a large party table and the rest of the room got no service at all. When she politely tried at the end of our meal to get me to add a service charge on the bill, I found that a bit insulting, sorry.

Yummy as ever, I am a regular visitor and with Peterborough city centre closed I've been visiting thorney toll as a replacement.Finally bought my boyfriend after months and months of raving in about it.The staff were off the charts helpfull when it came down to Food choices and my request of a 'spinny table' :)This is now OUR favourite chinese/ oriental resturant throughout Peterborough.We will be back soon .

We called in early evening last Saturday, already quite busy. Decided on the buffet. Could have had as many of the starters as we wanted, followed by the duck & pancakes and then again as many main dishes as we could eat. One of the best chinese meals we've had recently. What we liked was the time left between each course, just right. The actual restuarant could do with a bit of a face lift but the food makes up for it. By the time we left there was a queue waiting for tables, which speaks for itself.

We're huge Bentos fans and are never disappointed with the food, it is always excellent. Service is always pretty reasonable too considering how busy they always are.

Usually I rave on about how amazing the food is at this place but our visit last night was so disappointing, mainly due to the staff. We visited as a group of four friends for the all you can eat buffet (£19). We ordered quite a few starters which were all lovely. However the squid was not to our taste and slightly chewy so we didn't finish this off. We then asked if we could have the satay chicken they'd missed off and some extra ribs before the second course and were told no as we had 'wasted food' in the first starters and would have to pay for the food we had left. After a bit of a battle they provided us with the missed starter and extra ribs but as our party were discussing between the 4 of us that we shouldn't have to pay extra than the buffet price stated a waitress turned around and said 'if you don't like a dish you shouldn't order it and if you've never had it it's common sense not to order it as you might waste it'. Utterly ridiculous rude staff at an 'all you can eat' buffet. No mention of extra charges for minimal food leftovers in their long list of terms and conditions either. Won't be visiting again and safe to say we didn't pay more than the buffet price!!

Went here on Friday with friends! Much prefer this Bentos to the one in town as it's not as big meaning you can hear what the people on your table are saying!Food was very good from start to finish! Service was great even with the place being rammed.Would definitely recommend!

This place in amazing. Not at all what you would expect to find behind a garage.Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. The food is wonderful, loads of lovely starters, as many as you want, followed by crispy duck or lamb with pancakes, then onto the main course, plenty of choices including so many veggie options. All served on lovely hot plates and bowls.They also do takeaway but you have to collect.

Been for the first time this year for the buffet service, was a great buffet and is actually probably the best oriental buffet I have experienced, the staff are great and attentive the only thing that let's it down is the decor inside, looks aged/dated and really has a food hall feel to it, these guy should invest in a revamp and better lighting/seating arrangements. Buy Letting this slide they are robbing themselves of a fantastic review as the food is very good for it's type and the menu style buffet is a great addition! Recommended!

The food speaks for it self.. it is nothing short of amazing.. The decor is nothing great.. it could even use a makeover, but that does not mind, because if you really like chinese, this is definitely the place to go.. A complete and utter fan..

Having drove past this placE hundreds of times my boyfriend and I decided to go here for a late valentines meal. We are both great lovers of Chinese food and had high hopes for this place!We were welcomed and seated quickly, which was when I noticed the outdated, fixer-upper, dull decor. The wallpaper was horrifying as were the cardboard boxes and duck tape on the vents. Overall the decor was pretty poor!Thankfully the food was AMAZING! I would say probably the best Chinese I have ever had, and I've eaten a lot of Chinese!! Everything we ordered came quickly, was hot and tasted fantastic!! From the noodle dishes to the squid. This place deserves an A*!The price is steep, however we would happily pay this for such amazing quality food! We will definitely be visiting here again!

Imperial Bento is located by a petrol garage on Thorney Toll.The food is beautiful, the staff are always welcoming.It's a buffet, but you order your food from a menu from your seat. If you would like the same dish again, you can... but once you move onto the next meal, you can't have the first meal again.We always look forward to a "Bento", and we'll keep coming back.

Partner and I, with 4 children. Booked for 6pm, only 1 other party in restaurant but had filled by 8pm. Service was excellant, if anything a little quick but when asked for a little more time, obliged willingly. Food was excellent, as always, tasty and hot. Only complaint was very cold restaurant, having read other reviews went prepared with thick jumpers, other customers kept coats on. Spoke to waitress who replied, yes its a cold building! Please sort the heating.

We went here for my 30th birthday on a saturday night, we would normally use the bentos in Peterborough however this is closed for a refurb. Firstly we waited half an hour for our drinks and 1 hour for our starters to arrive, we had to eventually ask a waitress who was rushing by us for our drinks..we then sat there with empty glasses and our starter plates for another half hour, the plates were cold and the food was just about warm, we would all have liked some more starters but didn't dare ask for more as didn't want to wait another hour, after the hour and a half and still no sign of being cleared I went to the bar in search of the manager, I explained our problem and he said ok sorry and he came and cleared our plates, 20 mins later our duck and lamb arrived. There was 6 of us and the amount of lamb and duck we got was only sufficient for 2-3 people, I got 1 lamb pancake and again we all would have really liked some more but didn't want to wait the long waiting times, when our plates were removed another 20 min wait, our last course was ordered we waited another half hour for our mains to arrive and by this time I was not that hungry having waited 3 hours to get to our mains. when our second course was taken I asked the waitress if they was under staffed with which she replied no we would normally have this amount for the weekend its just the workers we have only have 2 speeds, slow and stop. they was really busy which I take in to account however they were taking walk ins, and also doing takeaways. Personally I think they should have been trying to look after the customers they already had, they had no clue to what was going on at our table and again we had to track someone down for another drink and to take our plates away. we then waited another half hour for our birthday cake which they only had to bring out with the candles lit. we got given no plates or serviettes so ate the cake out our hands. We then had to go and ask for our bill and I was extremely shocked to find they hadn't even offered a free round of drinks, but then the service was that bad I don't know why I was shocked. The food was ok, really not of the standard we are use to from bentos, so we was all disappointed, none of us would go there again nor would we recommend to a friend. Maybe they should get some tips from there Peterborough branch as I have been there when its full, we have never been left waiting and ignored and our food has always been hot and presented perfectly. In my opinion they should hire more staff, train there team in basic front of house service, for example taking note of when glasses are empty. They should stop ramming customers in when they clearly cant cope, the manager should have realised his team were struggling and his customers were suffering. In the long run they have lost money as we wont be back and im sure all the diners in that night wont be either.

We popped to Peterborough Bento and it was shut, so we high-tailed it over to Thorney...I wish we’d tried this place years ago!It was a cold January evening, but when we entered we were greeted warmly and shown to a large table. The menu is the same as Peterborough’s restaurant. The friendly waitress (Wendy?) took our drink and food order. 5 minutes later the drinks arrived, followed swiftly by our starters. They were cooked beautifully...we polished them off smartly and ordered more. Again they arrived quickly.The restaurant started to fill up a bit, so the duck course was a bit slower, but still timely. Both it and the main courses were very tasty. Eat as much as you can here, just finish everything they bring to the table.The food quality and service at Thorney are great. The restaurant is a bit cold, so wrap up warmly if you go when it’s cold outside. We’ll be back soon...

We visited Imperial Bentos at Thorney. There were some good and poor points.Firstly the good points. Friendly Service. Unlike the comment below we found them to be quick at serving all dishes and drinks but then they weren't overly busy the evening we visited.The food itself was good but wouldn't say it was any better than Imperial Bentos in centre of Peterborough.It was reasonably priced.Now for the poor points.Like other diners have commented we also found it to be very cold and sat with our coats on for the duration.Location could be better - is situated directly behind a petrol station.Interior leaves a lot to be desired. Had the distinct feel of a village hall about it and had no atmosphere whatsoever.Have given this restaurant a rating of 4 as the service, quality and pricing of the food were very good. Shame about the rest though.

I visited this restaurant on New Year's Eve as part of a party of 7. We had an excellent evening.The buffet is about £20 a head. The choice of starters, second courses and main courses is vast. The quality of food is excellent. Everything is really tasty and you would be hard pushed to find better Chinese food. Unlike a help yourself buffet, at this one you order your dishes from a menu and they are served to the table. This is the best format buffet I have been to. There are some downsides though; The service was slow, although this may be because it was New Year's Eve and they were particularly busy. We were seated for about 30 minutes before we were offered a drink which should not be allowed to happen. Also, the restaurant was cold. We were all sitting with coats on (as were other diners). So be prepared for this if you do visit the restaurant!All in all a pleasant evening. If the 'dining experience' was improved this would be the perfect Chinese restaurant.

The title sums it up - the best Chinese I've ever had!It's an all-you-can-eat style buffet so you can really stuff yourself, but the food is very good.Right now I feel like a python that's eaten a monkey - I could do with three days sleep to digest it!

This place is ideal for several people meeting together. Food is good with lots of choice. Really enjoyable evening.

Went on a Saturday night it was quite full. Service was good and staff very friendly. Had second round of starters because they were so good. Main meal also very good. Only drawback was its very noisy when full, will go back midweek.

We haven't actually had a meal at the restaurant yet. As the title to this review suggests the two times we have had food from here it was takeaway on both those occasions. To be able to give it full marks everything would have had to be perfect. Unfortunately the first time we tried this restaurant we weren't overly impressed with the chicken & sweetcorn soups we ordered. Other than that everything was rather nice. Now this second time around we didn't order any starters ( soups ). Just like last time the sweet & sour chicken balls were actually rather delicious! In comparison to most other places these were crispy and even had a decent amount of chicken in them. The thing that stood out about them was the batter, where in most places the batter can be quite stodgy and not that nice, here it actually is brilliantly light almost at tempura level and the dipping sauce you get has a much more natural colour! For anyone who loves ginger as much as I do the Beef/Lamb with ginger & spring onion will be a delight. I absolutely love it here, actually quite big pieces of ginger in it. The Singapore noodles we had were lovely as well. The other chicken dish we had this time I think was called "Mela chicken" now that a little spicy which for most of us isn't a problem, but the chicken itself was so lovely, tender and moist it was unbelievable. We definitely have found our favorite local Chinese now!!

Visited on a busy Saturday night, drinks extremely slow, food good and plentiful but staff noticeably to busy to have a moment to welcome you with any meaning , extremely noisy in there when full, wouldn't be a romantic meal

Wanted to find a place to go with a work colleague which was near work and home so a47 was perfect. Menu was good and had some different dishes to usual Chinese menus. Service was good, place was busy and food tasty, what more can you ask for a Friday night Chinese after work!

We've been meaning to try this out for a while as we drive past it a lot, but weren't really sure what to expect. Stopped by 12 noon (opening time) on a Thursday lunchtime and had the place to ourselves for the duration of our meal. It must be Cambridgeshire's best kept secret because the food was delicious, the service was friendly and quick, and it was amazing value for money. We got to choose a starter and a main, served with rice or noodles, plus spring rolls for £6.99 pp (drinks extra). Please don't go at lunchtime and please don't tell your friends - we want the place nice and empty for our next visit (next week!)

Not the most inviting place, unless recommended I wouldn't have tried it looking at the outside and the decor a bit dated, however the food was fantastic, very hot, extremely tasty. Excellent service and great value for money.

You know when a restaurant is good, cos from 7pm it's full. The imperial bento is no exception, always full, busy and the buffet menu is just the best, the food so so good. It's the best Chinese in the whole Wisbech, March area for sure. Buffet menu cost about £16.99 these days, which is pricey, but well worth the mixed starter, the crispy duck and then choice of mains which effectively you can have as much as you want to order so long as you eat it. Over order for the sake of it and fairly they will charge for your greediness. The food is first class and has been for the last ten years or so since it opened. Recommend it, absolutely.Jamie of wisbech

We prebooked a table for 5 people as my son wanted to go here for his 24th birthday meal. We had previously been to the one located in Peterborough and, although were impressed with the food, didn't really care for the loud ambience of the place, you could hardly hear yourself think in there so opted to try this one as had heard it was quieter. Good job we had booked as this venue seemed popular also, our table was booked for 6.30pm and as we entered we were shown to our table straight away. We were all impressed with the standard of food and service wasn't too bad, only a tad on the slow side but all the tables were full. The decor could do with a bit of brightening up and perhaps using more oriental types of paint, i.e. red/gold. It seemed quite dark in there with windows only to the front of the building which looked out onto a petrol station forecourt so the view wasn't very pleasing but perhaps they could look at maybe installing some frosted glass and more internal lighting. Using the large chinese style lampshades hanging from the rather tall ceiling would look quite good and perhaps having oriental type music playing in the background would add to the ambience. As this was the first time we had been to this location am not sure if and when they last had a refurb. Would probably go here again in the future.

Visit every year for my birthday , last year we went to the Peterborough one as this one had a one star food hygiene rating but wasn't as good. Now hygiene has a 4 star rating :)Delicious food, quick to be served, absolutely love it. For those saying its small portions, you are given enough for one each if everything on the starters but you just order more if you want it- this means you get to try everything rather than just one dish eachOnly niggle is tap water is not provided so drinks can be a bit pricey.Best Chinese in this area by a clear mile

Visited on a busy Saturday evening when the restaurant was full to capacity. Our table for 6 was ready upon arrival.Like the option to pick off menu with food delivered to table but able to pick whatever you choose.We had a large and varied selection, fabulous taste could not fault.Wine and drinks served and not overcharged either that is good.£18 a head for an eat as much as you like. Not sure if this is expensive, but when eating as a group an ideal place. Not what I would call an intimate restaurant for two, and doubt would go as a couple.

Stopped here with no. 1 son on the way to a chaps weekend away. They do a buffet menu, but we only wanted a quick scran and then on our way, so we ordered a couple of dishes off the a la carte menu. It was nice to see chinese food cooked using fresh ingredients and what appeared to be properly homemade sauces. Thoroughly enjoyed, the yummie yummie chicken (yep that's what it's called) and the crispy beef. Service very pleasant and reasonable cost. Would definitely use again. Ignore the surroundings and give it a go.

Visited in May with family and friends for daughters birthday ,it was very busy and we waited a good while to order .Ordering was a muddle not all the dishes appeared and we were unsure of which were which ,drinks are expensive as in most Chinese restaurants .Didn't feel especially valued as customers ,they might do better to book less tables and concentrate on service ,food was nice but nothing special.

Went there last night for the first time in a year.We've always sung the praises of this Chinese restaurant but things change I suppose.The food isn't as tasty as I remembered it. We always loved the starters but both my wife and I had mixed reviews of the starters.The main courses were the best but not quite the high standards of before.The staff - faultless. There's no way anyone could criticise the efforts of the people who work here unless you're talking about the cleaners..........The place is in need of a deep clean, menus were greasy, backs of chairs had greasy fingerprints on, the carpet stinks and the decor is very dated and worn - aquarium at the entrance is pretty grotty I'm sorry to say :(The exterior also requires power washing and smartening up.Previously I'd have rated this 9\10 but last night was a 5\10 or at best a 6\10.I feel sorry for the staff as they work hard and try hard but standards are slipping in my honest opinion

I decided to take my family here on Sunday the 22nd of June at 5.30pm for dinner as we all love Chinese food. The waiter was very friendly and the service was very good, the food was even better with an impressive choice - I've never seen my children who are 3 & 6 years old eat so much - we all really enjoyed it. When we had finished the 3 courses we decided not to have desert as we didn't feel we could eat any more and I asked for the bill. Shortly afterwards the waiter appeared with 2 complementary bowls of jelly with cream and sprinkles for the children which they both somehow managed to wolf down. I would highly recommend this family friendly restaurant.

I love this restaurant! The food is so delicious and staff are friendly and attentive. Good value for money I highly recommend.

When you arrive at this restaurant you are instantly put off by its location - right next to a service station. Please do not get back in the car, you will not regret it! The staff are there to welcome you inside and show you to a table in this cosy little restaurant. You can eat as much as you like but they serve it to you at the table. The food is to die for, all perfectly cooked and made with delicious fresh ingredients. We always order plenty of the starters - the best bit!!! You then get the choice between duck or lamb to go with steaming pancakes, hoisin sauce and cucumber/spring onion strips - beautiful. The 3rd course consists of rice and noodles, as well as curries and other meat dishes in tasty sauces. They do of course have a vegetarian menu also. 5 stars - highly recommended!!!

I visited the restaurant on the 17th May with my Daughters, And despite the outside looking tired was very surprised/pleased when we went inside. The service was excellent and the staff were smartly dressed and very helpful and polite. The food was excellent and were large portions. There was a wide choice of food, and this was well cooked and presented. the thai curry was the best that one of my daughters had and she has travelled to Asia. As it was my Birthday the restaurant brought out a birthday cake and placed it on top of a container of dry ice, the results were brilliant.

I looked on Trip advisor for and all you can eat restaurant where my mother lived to take her out for her birthday.The reviews did not let this restaurant down.The staff were fantastic and accommodating, they even played happy birthday music, brought the cake out lit with candles which we brought with us and the added extra of dry ice!My mum was chuffed to bits! Its not the usual buffet that you go up and choose from, you choose from the menu and there is LOADS of food, well worth the money you pay.If I didn't live in North Yorkshire, I would make this a regular place to eat.Just don't be put off by the location!Thank you for a great experience and going the extra mile :-)

Great Buffett choice and reasonably priced. My son always goes to visit here also when he comes up from london

We visited here last night Mon 12 May and it was closed. We hadn't been here for 6 months since the birth of our little girl. There's no signs on the door to say they close on a Monday now, the banners and signs on the restaurant still indicate they are open Mondays. I asked the staff in the petrol station next door and they confirmed they close Mondays. If anyone knows that they are open on Mondays again, please let us know on here. Oriental Garden down the road are open Mondays if you are looking for a quick alternative. Looking forward to visiting Imperial Bento soon for the best smoked chicken in the country!

I've heard people rave about Imperial Bento at Thorney for years, but have never ventured out there - it's a 40 mile round trip. This wekend was a family party and it was a treat, so don't want to appear ungrateful. However, whilst the food was very good and plentiful in quantity, the service was desperately slow and prone to errors and omissions. Those I was with tell me that it tends to be slow, but not that slow - we were about 20 minutes before a drinks order was taken, and we were in the restaurant for an hour before our starters arrived. As I said, food was fine, but would probably visit the one in Peterborough city centre next time.

Have to say I used to love eating here, the waitresses were always friendly and you got plenty of food for your money. However, sadly this doesn't appear to be the case anymore, rude staff and smaller portions. We tend to stick to take away from here now as we still enjoy the food just not the restaurant these days. Such a shame.

We have been eating for years and it has always been very good in the past.... How can it have changed so much, we was a party of ten out for a birthday meal, as walked in we noticed all of the staff were different, 3 waitresses and a waiter , poss manager, what a rude man huffing and puffing with you, he should not be speaking or serving the customers as he does, when we went to order our starters we were told by the waitress I won't take any notice of what you order il get you a mixture because they will get it wrong in the kitchen anyway ???? When it came it was not anything we tried to order... The portions were very small , had to ask for more about 6 times during the evening, when the duck came there was enough to make 8 pancake rolls, there was 10 of us. the waitresses were too busy chatting with each other rather than doing there job... The food was still good , what there was of it.... It's a real shame as this place used to be the best around for miles, i hope the owners read this and get the place back to how it used to be..... VERY DISAPOINTED

I have eaten at bento in Thorney toll for years and it's staff has always been great until tonight, our waitress was great really went out of her way to be good, our waiter was rude and did not bring us what we ordered Will have to rethink where we go from here on.

We visited this restaurant for the first time this weekend and were treated by our daughter - she frequents the Imperial Bento in Peterborough but took myself and my husband to Thorney Toll as it is 'quieter' on a Saturday night. Not quite so, a huge very, very loud party in from 7pm onwards, spillages started aroun 8pm!Apart from not being able to hear ourselves or the waitresses - the food was excellent and will return again but maybe not on a Saturday night.

Went to Imperial Bento yesterday for birthday celebration. Food was very good, and waiters were good and polite - except one. Think he was the manager. Very rude, impatient and when we complained about his attitude, he had no response. Having heard good reviews about this place, it has definitely put most of the members of our party (12 people + 2 kids) off going there again.Didn't get seaweed as ordered and couldn't have it as main as we were told "You can't go back!" which I think is quite an inflexible attitude.Also ordered an omelette for one of our party and one waiter said OK but rude waiter over-ruled him, so this person only had a bowl of chips, which was still charged at full fixed price of £17.99.Menu is a little restricted as no Chicken Chow Mein or Chicken and Pineapple available.Rude waiter raised his voice which bordered on the unacceptable.We offered to pay £330 of the £352 bill but was told full bill was payable.My two recommendations to the owners are. - that this waiter attends a People Management course. - he's removed from his post.

Took my mum for dinner with my little sister and niece.Been here before and the food was delicious and went down a treat.It's the family's fav chinese buffet restaurant in the UK

Great food, reasonable pricing and great service until I wanted to pay. Run out of receipt roll for the card machine so having to call up for every transaction and do it on the phone. I didn't like this idea so said I'd go to the car as my wife had cash instead. The waiter then came out and essentially pressured my wife into handing over the money in the car park while she was trying to put our children in the car. She dropped a £5 note but the waiter seemed just interested in his cash. He said he would bring our £2 change out but he hadnt brought it by the time we were ready to go and I was too tired to harass them for the sake of £2. Maybe they will give us the £2 on our next visit?

You can always count on this to be good food. We always have the fixed price meal, with starters then duck pancakes the the mains. Usually by the mains I am full, but force a second wind of eating to get my money's worth. You cN order more but will be charged extra if you are wasteful of over ordering, which is fair enough. I think this is the best Chinese food around and choose this restaurant as it's always busy which helps make a great ambience.Hope this help anyone

Charged 50p for a glass of tap water, advertise eat as much as you want, when placing order, don't get half of it, for example my three sons order sesame prawn on toast got 1 bit each, 1prawn each, when the staff were asked were the rest of the starters were they were rude n the food never arrived, been going for years, but never again, been getting bad for a while, but this is the worst. My advise is don't go hungry

We visited Imperial Bento and found the quality very poor and the food was not fresh but micro-waved and the service was rushed and you we were constantly rushed between courses and they, the restaurant was not busy. so over all I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Just excellent food and lovely service. Highly recommended for vegetarians/vegans as their veggie menu is huge, varied and so much more interesting than the norm.Have already been back.

This restaurant never fails to please and is of the highest quality and friendliness for an 'out of town' venue. Always busy and therefore wise to book in advance, especially at a w/e. The same family have run the restaurant for many successful years, hence why it is so popular.The food is quite authentic, as we have eaten Chinese food in may Chinese areas abroad, it compares well with most of them.The prices are very good for the quality that is served and everything is freshly cooked for each order.Polite and attentive staff, who recognise you, once you have been a few times.

Popped in to bento's for a quick bite with some friends, as always we hit the buffet quite hard. Everything was really good the service was great. The smoked chicken a big hit with all and the duck pancakes were very crisp but not greasy at all, all in all very good

The food is the best chinese food ever. We had a really lovely meal. You order your starters, as many as you like and your duck course then you select your mains.

I have been to this restaurant twice now. While it is value for money (as long as you are hungry), the best part of the meal is the starters which you can have numerous times before the second course. I personally recommend the Chompy Prawns which are a great size and texture. Wwhen I asked the waitress what the Two Winter chicken tasted of, she could not explain what the sauce was. I found out it to be garlicky and not as many mushrooms as hoped compared to how it was advised on the menu.At time this restaurant can get busy, so you will want to book in advance. Also service may be slower during these times, it took 25 mins to get my mains once order so if you are in it for the long haul also consider the time you want to book your table. Though this was not a problem on the second visit.The service is generally good, though there is one waitress who never smiles on both occasions I've been (luckily she never served me.)While it may be viewed as run down looking from the outside and inside the décor is slightly dated. I would say don't let appearances deceive you from a brilliant meal.

Ordered a take out, decent size portions, although a few more pancakes with the duck and a bit less sauce would have been nicer. Food was decent enough. A safe Chinese take out, with a broad menu. Would go again.

Thought id try Peterborough's baby sister while in the area. Not so appealing from the outside, and probably done best they can with the building on the inside.On a wednesday night was no more than a dozen diners but considering its location probably not so bad. Service was very good and staff were very friendly and attentive. Food was also very nice although menu had a lot of crossed out items. supposedly slightly cheaper than Big sister but i didnt notice it.

went monday evening as a birthday treat from our dear friends,as always food was excellent,we were met by friendly staff who promptly took us to our table, we didn't have to wait long for our food which didn't dissapoint, it was delicious as we have found on other occasions.The staff found out that it was a birthday meal and after we had eaten had a nice little suprise for us,it was lovely.

I have been several times to the Imperial Bento at Thorney and the experience is always a good one. On this occasion a number of friends joined me. From the outside the restaurant is not at all inviting and looks pretty much like a service station but the staff are really helpful and very polite and the food, in my opinion, is the best Chinese Food in the Fenland area. It's a little pricey for the set meal but you can eat as many dishes as you like at each interval (starters / pre main and main / side dishes). Remember if you are visiting on a Friday or a Saturday night you need to book a table as it gets very busy.

Our Saturday evening visit didn't start out to well when they had written our table booking time down wrong. After the initial confusion, we got seated. The service was good and the food was excellent. Although I thought it was a little pricey, we have had just as good elsewhere for less. The crunch came at the time of paying, they tried to charge us for drinks we never had. It took several attempts to get our bill right. I just don't think the staff were quite on the ball. This twinned with the very old fashioned decor and sticky toilet floors have made me give the average star rating. However, I hear the Peterborough branch is much nicer, so maybe we will brave the city centre and go to that one next time.

Choose this based on reviews on here to take two friends who live near here out for a treat. I think enough has been said by other reviewers and I agree with it all. Location and ambience a little lacking but the food is superb and there is a massive choice. Sevice was excellent and friendly and this is great value. Highly recommended.

Lovely food really like the salt and pepper squid. Always clean, great service and the only problem is in deciding what to have.

Friendly attentive service, excellent food at a reasonable price. This restaurant operates like an "eat as much as you like buffet" but with full waiter service

Had driven past Imperial Bento many times but never ventured in until reading reviews here. Have never even posted before but had to come home and switch on computer to recommend this place! Excellent value (£15.50 / 3 course meal), all pick whatever takes your fancy from a large selection and it all comes on a large platter to share! Great fun, even better food! Ignore the location - don't judge this book by its cover!!

Been a few years since last visit and the quality is just as good. Foods arrives hot and freshly cooked. Order mains as much as you like. Very busy place so book in advance.

We called in for lunch. Food was freshly cooked. Beautiful taste & great service as always. I would highly recommend especially to lorry drivers who are fed up with greasy spoons. Bento box at lunch 12-2 starts at £5.50 for a cracking filling meal. Enjoy x

food is nice, plenty of choice but that is about it, very expensive,wine is like vinegar and a lot of money,staff always asking if you want more drinks when you still have plenty on the table, we went as a party of 15 and by the end of the meal they was rushing us as they wanted the table, even though the bil was a lot of money

I have been eating at the Imperial Bento for several years now and I still find the food the best for value in the Fens. I urge you to not drive by but to stop and enjoy the delights of excellent food. Although its buffet style you don't have to leave your seats its all served at your table. You have three courses and the starters are fantastic.(As is all three courses) As you walk into the restaurant the aroma of ginger,garlic and oriental spices make your mouth water. I would suggest that you only have a snack through the day as the portions you are served are quite large. You can order as many starters as you want and before you go on to your next course you can still order more starters. Once you have enjoyed your starters then you have a choice of shredded Duck or Lamb. You can only order this course once. Then the main meal which consists of several dishes. Fish,Chicken.Beef and a vegetarian option. By this time I can say that you will be blown away with the options that are available to you. ( Oh and I forgot to say that when you first arrive you will be able to order you drinks and snack on some delightful Prawn Crackers whilst you read the menu. (And don't be afraid to ask for more if you want) I can honestly say that I have never had a bad meal at this establishment. When ever my friends come to stay with us in the Fens the first thing they say is " Can we book up Bento" ( And my friends live in Manchester) I would advise to book as the restaurant gets very busy due to its popularity. Double cooked Pork and Saigon Beef is my best choice . Why not look them up on the internet and look at the sample menu.Have a good meal

The setting of Imperial Bento hardly inspires confidence. The restaurant is located at the rear of a filling station next to the A47. However, the quality of the food ensures that customers travel from miles around to eat there. The meal was good value and consists of 3 courses in the set price. The first course consists of an assortment of starters which can be picked from the extensive starter menu. The second course was from a more select menu of three dishes; one vegetarian and two meat. We went for the crispy duck and the lamb which were both excellent. For our main course we were again presented with a large menu of dishes. This time we sought the help of our friendly waiter who recommended 4 dishes, all of which were good including 2 that were outstanding. In fact we enjoyed these 2 dishes so much that we asked for a further portion of each.At the end we fancied something sweet so had a dessert although there was an additional charge for this. Puddings aren’t Imperial Bento’s speciality so they weren’t of the same standard as the rest of the meal. However, we wouldn’t judge this restaurant on the puddings; in fact very few Chinese restaurants provide good desserts. At least this cooled our mouths after all the spicy food and was reasonably priced.We really enjoyed Imperial Bento and were impressed by the quality of food and service. We are already making plans to return soon.

We have eaten at the Imperial Bento on three occasions now – twice for dinner buffet and once for a bento lunch. On our most recent visit it was for the buffet.The exterior, as others have noted, is not very impressive as it is a dull diner-like building on the back side of a services forecourt. Beyond this, however, is a really fine restaurant. The décor is not very remarkable and has the usual features and motifs of Chinese restaurants everywhere. The defining feature of the Imperial Bento is the food. The dishes are tasty and well presented, and do not produce the all too common MSG induced super thirst. The buffet is table served rather than dish-up-your-own, and orders are taken for each course in turn. Do note that once you have passed from one course to the next you cannot go back to previous courses. Therefore, be sure to order enough at each stage (and be aware some of the starters are worth making a meal out of on their own- especially the cheese and garlic prawns). Drinks are a little pricey, but tap water is available as well.There are several seafood and vegetarian choices available. Each course is served on a large serving dish/platter with everyone’s order for your table together. If you tell the server if there is a vegetarian in your party, however, they will serve the veggy-fare separate from the meaty dishes.The staff are pleasant, and attentive, and the Imperial Bento is a really a pleasure to dine in. In fact, it is only location and atmosphere that keep me from rating it as an overall excellent.

Ive been to Imperial Bento a few times now - and thought best to give them some praise for their great food and service.its on the A47 which is a very busy trunk road and if you passing a quick glance you may thnk its a services stop. You will be pleased if you do stop - all you can eat freshly cooked buffet (you order what you want off the menu)lovely lovely fresh food - cooked to order (none of this flying out of the kitchen - you will have to wait for them to cook. no reheating here) Great to try new dishes you wouldn't normally order and.... the beer Sun Lik...possibly the best beer ive ever had. Really hard to come by in supermarkets...did find it in morrisons once when they had a chinese week special..wish id bought more. Trust me if you like lager...you will love itIts not a cheap experience, but considering the quality it excellent value. Staff are very friendly and do birthday specials etc, they are around but not in your face...perfect.On a previous vist a young waiter acidently kocked over my father in laws pint into his lap apart from being hilarious (from my point of view) the waiter and manager were so apologetic replaced the whole tabled drink immeditaely and were rushing round with towells etc - we insisted it was fine and would not consider requesting reduced bill - but they did knock some off anyway im sure if it had upset us they would not of charged anything. In a way its made us a bit like royal visiors, they remember us every time and really look after us.they have a very plush peterborough restaurant as well - (this one is beautifully decorated as well) but thorney Bento wins hands down on service and experience. Just a shame Its a bit of a drive from my house

Enjoyed good night out for about a dozen people. No problem to the management. Nice round table so could chat. Good hot food.

Very good food and excellent value,friendly staff,easy parking,all you can eat at a fixed price,what more could you ask for

We have visited Imperial Bento - which is actually sited at Thorney Toll on the A47 near Wisbech - many times.The restaurant is situated behind a garage and from the outside is not too appealing. Its much nicer inside, and we always enjoy our meal there. Its the nicest chinese food I have eaten, and better than other chinese restaurants that have been recommend to me in the past.Its a fixed price, eat what you want menu. The starters are particularly delicious. We usually pick several to share and that is followed by crispy duck and pancakes. Again we will pick a few mains to share. The food is so tasty that we usually eat more than we ought to.The only thing that would stop me visiting more often is the calorie intake!There is also a Bentos in Peterborough.

food was ok, no atmosphere and staff not the most helpful. was cheap enough but i would rather pay more and get a better meal/service.

We have eaten here for a number of years now and i can honestly say that the number of times the food has not met standard was probably once.We always have the buffet which is chosen by you rather than the get up and help yourself type and it is 3 courses, the one in the middle being duck or veggie option.The Thai green curry is excellent as is the Beef in plum sauce. The food is always hot, however, it is sometimes a bit cold in the actual restaurant!Being big fans of this chain we have also tried the one in Peterborough centre but i have to say, for some reason the food seems better at this one in Thorney Toll.It does not disappoint.

This restaurant has an unattractive setting off the A47 behind a now disused garage forecourt but do not let this put you off. Once inside it is modern, clean with a busy, chatty atmosphere. The staff are very quick to seat and serve you. WeWent on a Sunday evening for the al you can eat buffet for £18ph. This sounded alittle steep I thought when I frequently use 2other restaurants on a monday & Tuesday (an indian and Thai) which are only 10.50 & 10.99 for the same deal.. Or so I thought. Imperial bring you menus. You pick as many starters from the menu as you fancy,( it can literally be every starter listed), they them serve these on platters enough for all seated @ your table. Then they bring the dropsy lamb or duck pancakes. Menus bought again and you pick as many mains as you fancy. This was brilliant as you can literally have as many dishes as you want, try new dishes & it doesn't matter if you don't like them. We felt so full after all the starters and duck that we only ordered 4mains, 1noodles and 1rice for the 4of us to share.The food was fantastic, cooked to order, fresh, tasty, and quickly served. The place was very busy but fortunately we got a seat as we hadn't booked. If you can see past the location of the restaurant you will be very pleased that you did!!

Do not be put off by the exterior,   inside is very modern & clean. Reasonably priced, all u can eat buffet but served ag your table, just excellent!