Kweilin Cantonese Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

Have been going to this restaurant with my family since childhood. The food is always excellent, the staff warm and welcoming and feel lucky to have such a jewel in our city.

I don't know how long ago someone wrote you could get a meal there for £24. Mine came to a few pence within £30 with Service for a 1 course meal. What service? It took them nearly 2hrs 30mins to serve something my local takeaway could knock up in 10mins. No apology, no explanation, no "How was it?". If you decide on their very average food, and I do feel as a veggie I was treated poorly, make sure you DON'T have anything you are booked to go to afterwards. I could have embarked on a train from Euston and got off in Manchester in that time.

Great British Chinese food. This place is a great find as they have a cheaper three course lunch menu now. During the Festival! Full standard menu is available too.

My wife and I are fairly regular visitors to the Kweil Inn and once again enjoyed the food and the service. The wafer paper prawn starter is delicious, as is the lemon chicken.

Terribly outdated atmosphere. Food is passable but when my card was refused they did their outmost to blame me, they probably knew their banking system is flawed. Some people are beyond stupid really...bad place, bad payment options. Sad all around. Avoid.

First time here having tried a few other restaurants in Edinburgh. Lunch menu was great and varied- not usual basic stuff. A La Carte menu also available. Staff were excellent and engaged in conversation if that is what you wanted. Will definitely be back and this time for dinner and off the A la Carte menu. Not far from Waverley station- perhaps 15 min walk but worth the effort.

Food is lowe average but service is rather poor. My main issue waf that my bank card was refused for no reason. First time ever. Staff was rude and it created s really uncomfortable atmosphere in the group and work colleague were very quick to judge. Main issue is that they cancelled my card for a few days. Horrible business with no customer care. Avoid.

Super meal. Restaurant almost full Sunday evening. Very nice renditions of classics like aromatic crispy duck and mapo dofu, really good appetiser of spiced soft shell crab, and hearty monkfish and tofu clay-pot. Friendly service.

This used to be a family favourite. Delighted to say our most recent visit fully met our expectations. Absolutely fantastic. Food and service top notch. Would recommend the crispy duck.

Good food. Crispy duck meal is very good value. Paper wrapped prawns and toffee apple are great.

On Friday we visited our favourite restaurant! The food here is always TOP CLASS. Ting Ting our waitress was really lovely. She was so friendly and entertaining. The staff are very attentive. The service is excellent and our meals arrived timeously

We had a FANTASTIC dinner experience. Ting Ting was our waitress. We had such fun with her! She looked after us so well. The food was well-presented and so tasty.

Been going here for years and it’s still fantastic. An iconic Edinburgh staple. Great food and the staff are first class 👍👍

Another visit to this excellent restaurant and the usual delicious food and incredibly attentive Staff were evident. So highly recommended.

So pleased to be reacquainted with this super establishment. Top quality ingredients used and the enthusiastic and welcoming Staff ensure a most enjoyable evening. Highly recommended.

Another really lovely lunch at the Kweilin. Fantastic value; tasty and well presented food; excellent service (despite being busy) and only 5 mins from the east end of George Street. Would thoroughly recommend.

Fantastic;passing by n dropped in. Had a very nice seafood lunch. Highly recommend the scallop steamed with ginger n shallot. The chef prepared the soya sauce meticulously. Fried lobster with ginger n shallot is a must-try as well!

Never like it if I feel it's all about the sale. When I order a glass of tap water it felt like the waitress was disapproving and sort of irritated. Then I was told I couldn't leave a tip on my card! It had to be cash only. Food was good though.

Very well serviced restaurant, friendly staff, freshly cooked food to order

Have just returned from Kweilin Chinese Restaurant after a super meal with friends. An excellent choice of dishes, All beautifully prepared and served by friendly and enthusiastic Staff. Highly recommended.

It has been a good few years since my Wife and I dined in the Kweilin and we have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed the food and the service, which was very friendly indeed. We really enjoyed our night out, thank you very much indeed.

I can’t understand why this place ever gets negative reviews, it’s absolutely excellent! Last night we ordered several different starters and mains, everything was fresh and packed with flavour. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Loved it!!

Nice and quiet reasonable prices

Traditional Chinese dishes to fill your belly with.

The food is of very poor standard. I was here with my friends for a 40th birthday dinner. We ordered the chicken satay and bbq spare ribs to start. The ribs were awful, hardly any meat on them and bland. The chicken satay was tasteless , no hint of peanut taste, just really bland. We then had Cantonese special chowmein with crispy noodles . Firstly the dish was tasteless, there was a very thin layer of different meats on top and the rest was just noodles with no flavour. The beefsteak in pepper sauce was just ok. We will not be returning

Good was excellent and the staff friendly.

Past its best giving one star at push

Having seen two poor reviews on Tripadvisor this year, I was nearly put off going to the Kweilin last night. (I come up to Edinburgh three or four times a year and always go there when I am here). I am delighted to say that the restaurant was busy and there was no change in the quality of the food, or the friendliness and attentiveness of the staff. Well done Kweilin, keep up the good work!

one of the best Chinese restaurants in Edinburgh 10/10

Been for lunch several times - bean curd starter and sweet and sour prawn main every time - both are top notch. Best Chinese restaurant in Edinburgh IMO.

First, the good bits, the food was good and the place has been decorated. The bad bits were that the service was unfriendly, no smile, no customer service chat. When we received our lagers, they were practically thrown into the glass. My glass was chipped and the lady who took it away was very pleasant, but after 5 minutes I was still waiting to have it replaced and they had forgotten obviously. We’ve been going there for years but will give it a miss for a while. The restaurant has to understand that poor service will lose customers.

Food is legit Cantonese (although it can take a bit to arrive) and delicious. The menu is varied and I'm looking forward to trying more in the future. Staff is helpful and friendly. The decor is old school, one might say "kitsch," in the cosiest sense possible. I really enjoyed going there and will be back.

Really nice restaurant. Excellent fish dishes. Welcoming and efficient service.

Delicious authentic Cantonese. The xiao long baos are to die for, as well as the chicken satay. I could go on, but it would take me all night. Banana fritters are also great!

Was treated to this place and was thoroughly impressed. Food was amazing, fresh hot and very tasty. Staff were friendly and attentive. The environment is quiet and comfortable, if anything maybe a but closed in but that doesn't hinder the experience. Thanks for lovely meal and a great evening.

My wife and I have been coming to the kweilin twice a month for years and it has always been excellent. Our visit on 24th Feb 2023 was far from excellent. We always chose from the set menu so are very familiar with how the food should look and taste. What was presented to us this time was very disappointing. Each main dish looked quite different from how they usually look. The portion size was smaller and there was a lot of oil on the plates. The beef in the beef and black bean was inedible. The pieces of beef were thick and I couldn't bite through despite giving it 3 or4 tries. The flavour of each dish was also disappointing. We asked a member of staff if there was a different chef in the kitchen which she confirmed. We shared with her our disappointment with the meal and she did offer to provide replacement dishes but we refused the offer. My wife and I felt that the same chef was unlikely to produce a significantly higher standard than was done previously. When we suggested that the restaurant might consider taking something off the bill we were told that only the manager could do this and he wasn't available so we were obliged to pay the full price for a substandard meal. I accepted that the staff weren't empowered to make even a modest adjustment to the bill so left my contact details and asked that the manager contact me to discuss the issue. The manager failed to get in touch. As long standing customers it is sad that the management didn't attempt to deal with our dissatisfaction and keep our custom. Obviously the customer isn't king at the Kweilin. Sadly we won't be back.

We only had our starters and got toled to leave! We ordered hargau dimsums and they came really thick and tasteless and the chicken satay was really bland i toled the waiter and the manager came and said no one complains who comes and we were the only ones who was in there lol place was empty and the guy said just leave I’m sure if they served good food they would have a lot more custom.

Delicious food, generous portions. Service timely and very pleasant

The salt&pepper ribs were tasty but hardly any meat on them, the garlic and chilli beef was inedible, we have threw almost all of it away. I was actually surprised because the chinese people tenderise all their meat (including chicken). We also got a Szechuan chicken, which was nice. The stir fry noodles were ok, nothing more. I have specifically asked to be cooked with sesame seed oil, they said yes but they didn't do it.

Been going here for the last 15 years. But , booked a table there a few times now Since covet. And there service has been terrible 😤 . We have booked a table with family more than twice . And One guy’s attitude is really bad . Grate food but service is horrendous🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

The food is good, clean if that makes sense. Not too oily, not overly packed with salt, sugar or msg. The ingredients are good quality. It's better than most in the area but the takeaway prices are high. I was £30 for 3 standard mains with no sides. I'd expect this to be closer to £20. Realistically, I will be back but I will be handing over my cash grudgingly.

Every time a meal worth the trip. And somehow I'm always under dressed.

Still a fantastic choice , great food and service

Still really good after many many years , service and food were superb

Pleasant premises and very attentive staff. The food was generally nice but could have done with a stronger flavour in my opinion.

Everything was excellent. Tasty food and good service

Ristorante cantonese molto buono, preso un menù completo in due, oltre a saziare fa scoprire gusti nuovi, personale veloce nel servizio e molto gentile

Arranged to meet with family and friends for a re-union dinner. Very friendly staff who are most helpful, quiet location at table in the back, all dishes ordered very good and quick to arrive, decor has changed and is much brighter now and makes for a very pleasant evening. Need to book as busy even on a Thursday evening. Good to order in advance if want Chinese roasts - duck, pork, chicken - freshly prepared.

It’s surprisingly difficult to find good Chinese food in Edinburgh, this place is one of the best we’ve found. It’s never super busy so you I’d only book if you’re a bigger group or going at the weekend. The service is always fast, even when it’s busier. Most of the dishes we’ve tried have been great, we’ve only had one that wasn’t was the aubergine in back bean sauce. I particularly like the egg fried rice, it goes perfectly with any main dish. The portions are generous so I’d suggest getting a few things to share. They give you a platter to keep the plates warm. You can also pick up a takeaway bit I definitely recommend eating in for the best experience.

Once again,a lovely meal,only the chilli beef let it down overpowered by ginger flavour and a lack of sauce,it was not as we remember it.but all in all very good🙂

Comida de calidad y una agradable experiencia

Det var vel verdt å gå ut av hovedgata for å spise mat her. Veldig vennlig personell og god atmosfære! Maten kom raskt og det ble plassert på små varmere på bordet. Vi kunne få vanlig kokt ris eller stekt ris med litt egg, det var veldig godt med stekt ris! Vi spiste opp all maten, det var kjempegodt! Kommer gjerne igjen!

Delicious authentic cantonese cuisine!! Great, friendly service! Highly recommend!!

We’ve been dining here for many years and we are never disappointed. The staff are very welcoming and efficient, and the restaurant is pristine. The dishes are well presented and delicious. Lunch is better value than dinner, but we still feel it’s worth the price,...

Amazing food recommended to book

Cannot believe ANY of the bad reviews. I’ve been eating at this restaurant once a fortnight for the past two years and it surpasses some of the supposedly best in London. There’s just nothing not to like. My favourite dish recently recommended to me is...

As always food was good and staff were very tentive atmosphere lovely

Amazing authentic Chinese restaurant. Awesome dumplings

Extensive menu. Attentive and prompt service.

Great foodand service but decor needs updating

Great Staff and very efficient, made us feel welcome coming inside. On the other hand, the food was very bland. We've ordered the Char Siu w/ Honey Sauce and came in with high expectations but did not meet it at all! - minus 2 rating...

Been in the kweilin before and I have to say unfortunately the take away is a complete different standard than the restaurant I eat around 3 or more times a week from a Chinese take away or restaurant and I have to say the standard...

The staff were very friendly, efficient and the service was just great. The food was just as good. I had the bbq ribs and the sweet and sour pork. Both were delicious and very satisfying. My daughter is vegetarian and had the spring rolls and...

Friend’s night out at Kweilin. I’m not sure if they’re catering to an undemanding Scottish crowd but no way would they present that food to people from Hong Kong or Asia . The starters were greasy - the prawn toast, spring rolls, even the sea...

We went last for the first time and the food was amazing! The quality of the food was fresh, beautifully cooked and super tasty. I had the wafer paper prawns because I’d read reviews and didn’t disappoint, my husband the duck spring rolls. Followed by...

SO disappointed. Used to live very nearby and was a loyal customer for many years.. Just had an £80 take-away and it was ALL awful. Even the garlic rice was horrid. Don’t know if there’s a new chef, but shoot him if there is. Terrible...

Used to come here a lot in the nineties. On Sunday had to pick my son up from Waverley and we were passing so popped in. Wafer paper prawns as good if not better than I remembered. Chicken wings brilliant, crispy shredded beef amazing and...

We arrived to be shown into a small CHILLY room with only space for two tables, the staff came through to use the bar, the patrons to use entrance to the toilets! From arrival it took 40 minutes for 2 starters, my wafer paper prawns were greasy, spare ribs were chewy. The mains, lemon chicken and king prawns were nice, but very disappointing, I mentioned cold room to no avail.

As a Hongkonger, this restaurant is giving you an authentic Cantonese style dishes! Very delicious and very budget! Very good service...what else? Mm... I'll go back to have other dishes.

Covid having robbed me of two of my favourite Edinburgh Chinese restaurants, this long-time stalwart of the genre beckoned. Why I had never got round to trying Kweilin before, who knows; maybe rumours of above average pricing played their part. True, prices are slightly above the Edinburgh average, but, goodness me, the high quality of the product more than justifies the price. Lemon chicken in a crispy coating that defies turning soggy in the course of the meal is a rarity that Kweilin has mastered. Spare ribs are among the meatiest I have ever tasted and, for once, they were complemented, not drowned, by their barbecue sauce. The welcoming room has a simple but upmarket take on chinoiserie. Service is impeccable.

Food was lovely, staff were very helpful and made us feel Covid safe. Decor was traditional. We had a fantastic meal, thank you!

Excellent Cantonese food. Tasty, authentic with great service

You just can’t fault this place. We’ve never had a bad meal. The service is always first class and the food is absolutely tremendous!

Found this little gem on our walk round Edinburgh. We stopped for lunch and were not disappointed . From the starters to the sweets we couldn't fault a thing. Served by our wonderful waitress who was friendly and chatty. The 2 bottles of Sake (served...

Arrived to find a very tired looking restaurant. Staff not the friendliest and abrupt. Starter was vegetable spring rolls which where greasy. Chicken and sweetcorn soup was ok. Main I order a vegetable chow mien which consisted of burn noodles around the edges. They did...

Food was ecvellent and so was the service. Plenty space between the tables. Never been disapointed in this restaurent.

Decorations a bit dated food and staff amazing

Delicious food, great service, very clean and 'safe' feeling.

正宗港式口味，裝潢優雅，招待親切，極力推介 龍蝦麵， 椒鹽魷魚，仲可以預訂 燒肉， 港式燒鴨，片皮鴨，蒜蓉蒸帶子。 5：30 後就免費泊車👍

Lovely post lockdown lunch with friends. Great choices from both lunch and main menu, food was lovely and reasonably priced, service was also fabulous. We will be back again.

Absolutely delicious Chinese Cuisine. I always dine at this restaurant when I visit Edinburgh. The service is fantastic, the food is wonderful and the price in not overly expensive for the quality of the food you receive. Its well worth a visit if you live locally or are visiting Edinburgh from afar.

Delightful meal, wonderful food and lovely service. A very peaceful place to enjoy a dinner.

Nice friendly staff, very covid-19 aware. Excellent meal.

Restaurante muito bem decorado, comida formidável e staff atencioso. Porções grandes! O noodle ao estilo cantonês serve duas pessoas.

Fabulous meal, thorough enjoyed by our group of friends. Portions huge, fresh, tasty, beautifully cooked. Service attentive. Lovely evening out.

I've reviewed Kweilin before but places change so thought it would be worth noting that even through Covid the quality has never faltered and nor has the service. We had a fantastic dinner, quite simple crispy duck, lemon chicken and spicy beef, with rice and...

Only managed to get one takeaway from this restaurant which was excellent. Not even sure if it is still open. Sad because the food was really good.

Fabulous! Menu is terrific, quality and flavour of food is outstanding and service is efficient and very pleasant. Highly recommended, Wafer Paper Prawns are our favourite!

This place advertises itself as being open from 5-10pm from Tuesday - Saturday and here we are, we’ve tried to call the restaurant’s number and no one is picking up. With the exception of some dimmed lights at the back of the building, the place...

Stopped by an hour earlier than our booking and were very pleased to be able to sit and dine . We had the duck menu for 2 and it was very good . The decor is very 1970s and was a pleasant change from the...

Staff is wonderful as it the service and food but the restaurant is looking tired now and the toilets need urgent attention.

Takeaway food well presented, fresh, not greasy. Quick service. Friendly staff.

Amazing restaurant. The staff are fantastic, friendly and helpful. The food is devine! I cannot recommend this place highly enough. They also have a Chinese menu which offers traditional Chinese dishes.

We very much enjoyed ourselves at The Kweilin. The staff were pitched it perfectly, being polite and attentive without being too much. The food was superb. If you like Chinese food and are in Edinburgh, this is definitely worth a visit.

If I'm honest wasn't too sure from the outside, but glad I gave it a chance food was great.

Delicious food and great service, as always

Known for its seafood, traditional Chinese restaurant

Very good and consistent Chinese meal fab service

This is a long standing favourite for all the right reasons. The duck banquet is simply fabulous and at £27.50 per head also stunning v,are. Huge mounds of excellent crispy beef, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork, many many Cantonese specialities. Un,Isabel and we will...

Went for an early CNY dinner. Food was excellent. Dishes was generous and very delicous. Staff were super friendly and always at hand when you needed them. Only negative, it was roasting in there, if we can get some air-con on next time thanks!