MR JI Asian Restaurant Camden in Camden

Quirky, fusion, unique & worked! Found the beef shin on the oily side. The Taiwanese chicken a little too dry but everything else was lovely! Will come back to try some other dishes!

I got a week of food poisoning from this restaurant. I have never been so unwell. The food was nice at the time but not worth feeling that way.

What an incredible find! This spot has amazing food that truly showcases the quality of its ingredients in every dish. The service was absolutely stellar, too! Thanks to First Table, we snagged a fantastic discount on the full menu, allowing us to try way more dishes than we usually would. We indulged in so many delicious options, like the coppa ham (definitely one of my favorites!), daikon cake, and bloomed cabbage. The marinated anchovies were fresh and flavorful, and the prawn toast was a dream—soft on the inside and crispy on the outside; I just couldn’t get enough! We also enjoyed the n'duja and shacha mussels, grilled sardines, and the Taiwanese fried chicken. But my absolute favorite had to be the smashed duck leg—so packed with flavor! To top off our meal, we couldn’t resist their incredible cheesecake, which was one of the best I’ve ever tasted! And let’s not forget about their fantastic selection of wine and sake. The cocktails are a must-try, too; my salt plum negroni was perfection! Everything was so delicious, and we were super grateful for the First Table discount that let us explore so many options. The experience was made even better by the attentive service and friendly staff. This place is a hidden gem that you absolutely need to check out!

The food here is amazing. My favourite restaurant. 10/10. And the cheesecake, absolutely fantastic

By far the best service I’ve had in London - Arty and Brenn are legends. Food is exceptional too. Great for all occasions.

Great cocktail, amazing food & great service!

10/10!! Me and my partner went here on a date last Saturday night and we were blown away by the food and service, the place had a really lovely atmosphere and was buzzing with life, if you get the chance definitely pop in for a bite (our server artie was a class guy, hope to see him again when we revisit!!)

Disappointing. Had been to the Soho location a few times a couple of years ago before the restaurant moved to Camden and loved it, so was excited to finally try it again. Ordered about half the menu - the prawn toast was just as good, the chicken was ok but portion much smaller and too heavy handed with the seasoning on top, everything else was mediocre at best. The flavours lacked authenticity, and were just neither here nor there. The service was great though.

Food was amazing (fried chicken is a must try), service even better. The atmosphere is very relaxed. Will definitely come again

The food didn't live up to expectations. Starter was bland and main over salted. Kimchi was watery not fully fermented. Sitting below a blaring speaker with music that's too loud wasn't the best. One of the chefs was smoking right outside without even taking off their apron. It filled a hole but I can't recommend it and won't be coming back.

Delicious food in a friendly laid back atmosphere. Would recommend the mussels to anyone who will listen!

Food was mediocre at best, service and ambience were great on the other hand.

Hidden gem of Camden. Delicious, great service, great vibe

Me and my boyfriend attended the restaurant via a “first table” booking. The food here is bloody lovely. Every dish is carefully curated to leave a different impression on the customer with a pan-Asian twist on each dish. The chef brandy was heavily enthusiastic about her craft and you can tell she was passionate about delivering the best dining experience for the customers. She explained that all of their sauces and recipes are developed in house from scratch which made this experience even more special. My favourite dish was 10000% the pork lettuce wraps!! For a dish so simple, the flavour was so impactful and would return for that alone. My only criticism would be that I wish the pork-lettuce-cups were deconstructed and had more lettuce so you could build your own and maybe have a couple per person if that makes sense? Other special mentions are the radish cake (savoury), Hong Kong crab rice, smashed cucumber and the truffle mushrooms. People are absolutely loving the prawn toast on tik tok, and it is definitely a must-order, but I’d say the other dishes mentioned prior were actually life changing - however, my boyfriend was particularly fond of the prawn toast! It’s deffo not your typical prawn toast flavour, but delivers a very unique Italian twist on a cult favourite. 8/10 would 100% come back!!

My friend and I came to Mr Ji after seeing it on Intagram Reels. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The portions are extremely tiny (palm sized) for the price, and you are not informed of this because the menu does not have any pictures or state anything about the size of the plates. For example, I ordered the scallop dish for £7. There was only ONE small scallop, which my friend and I had to cut in half and share. We had 3 small dishes (shared between the two of us), each of which can be eaten within 2 or 3 mouthfulls, and the bill added up to £30+. What's more, the food wasn't amazing either. The chicken karaage was very dry, the scallop had an oily sauce, and the trout was OK but nothing special. As for the atmosphere, I noticed that there were many flies around. My friend and I left the restaurant hungry and went to a nearby Wendy's to satiate our hunger because we had already bombed our budget on this restaurant. It was unfortunate because this was a farewell dinner and meant to be something nice for my friend and I to look back on. Also, if you came to the restaurant wanting to try the Taiwanese chicken that I saw on the IG Reels, they are not serving it anymore. I would say the only positive thing was that the staff were friendly and polite. Update: I would just like to clarify that the £30+ price was for 3 small palm-sized dishes that can be finished in 2-3 bites, and not 6 dishes, as stated by the owner's reply below. Having lived in London for the past year, this is certainly not the kind of quantity or quality of dishes you can get at this price, so please do not be misled. You can easily get full meals at £10 - £15 at other places.

Phenomenal! This is a hidden gem with a laid back vibe but stand out service. As someone that likes to cook I often find it hard to justify eating out however the menu here packs a punch! I loved the fact the menu is made up of small plates for sharing at super reasonable prices which ensures you get to try a lot / all of the menu. They have a seasonal menu which is ever changing so I’ve been delighted to try new things each time I’ve been back. I loved their unbelievable fresh octopus dish best :)

Stopped in before a live band and had an incredible experience. All the food was expertly executed and the flavours were awesome. Definitely try the prawn toast. Staff were friendly and helpful. Highly recommend a visit and feast!

Very tasty food, quick and friendly service. Had the chicken karage “sando” special for lunch, and it was the clear standout. Can’t wait to come back!

One of my new favourite restaurants in the whole city! Very friendly service and incredible food! Everything was delicious, especially the Hong Kong scrambled eggs. The fried chicken was the best I ever had. I can't wait to visit again!

AMAZING! staff are unbelievably kind and food is out of this world

Wonderful food, with each dish providing a unique twist on our traditional favourites - particularly love the steak and chips with black bean sauce, and the Basque cheesecake. Arty shows love to the local community, and we've introduced loads of friends to the restaurant since our first visit.

Just had my birthday dinner at Mr Ji Camden, having not visited since their days in Soho. Truly fantastic! The prawn toast remains a staple, shitake mushrooms have a delightful earthy umami flavour and best of all... Brendan our server was an absolute delight, very attentive and went above and beyond when he learned it was my birthday. A wonderful evening thank you.

Just love this place! Tried it for the first time a few months back and keep coming back to it as often as possible. Artie and his team only cook fresh ingredients in a super creative cuisine. Food is incredible and staff so cool. So difficult to choose from the menu as everything is full of flavours with great use of herbs and condiments. Tarama, prawn toast and the newly introduced Hong Kong crab scramble are must tries though

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Mr Ji. Well thought out Asian fusion menu. The prawn toast and miso shiitake mushrooms were especially delicious. Great value too!

Delicious food, fantastic service and immaculate vibes. Also very well priced - highly recommend.

Amazing! The food was all 10/10 — the anchovies were our favourite, and prawn toast second best. Negroni was delicious (and I’m a big negroni fan). The prawn toast was missed at first, but they brought it quickly and even took it off the bill without us asking, so great service. Would highly recommend!

Lovely food and great service! My favourite dish was the anchovies.

We came to Mr Ji for my friends birthday meal. What a meal. I'm pretty fussy but everything was well balanced and tasty. The octopus and prawn toasts were sublime. It was worth every penny and I was impressed that the cocktails didn't cost an arm and a leg. The only thing I would say is that there was so much delicious sauce on the cabbage dish that more cabbage per portion would balance it out. I shall be returning for more.

Extremely satisfied with this experience. The restaurant is on a human scale, decorated in a minimalist style with great taste. The food is simply incredible for very fair prices! Top notch service. I recommend without any hesitation: go for it!

Amazing food and excellent staff! The O'ji chicken is incredible definitely recommend and not expensive at all for the quality of food, three drinks and a full dinner for two for 85 pounds including a tip!

What a lovely evening! Amazing food - the octopus, the prawn toast, cheesecake etc. so many delicious dishes to try! The service was perfect and we and everyone around us were having a great time. 10/10

Came for valentines and the food was to die for. Best splurge was the octopus and sweet potato puree. The hyped prawn toast was well worth it. Cocktails were strong and our server was super lovely. Best cheese cake I've ever had to date

Food is well presented, absolutely delicious! It's a great Asian fusion restaurant. Be mindful to reserve seats, this place looks is fairly small.

Delicious and inventive food! Service was 👌 Could do with a slightly more exciting cocktail & wine list but totally worth it!

Ambiguous menu, executed with a lack of care. Also expensive for the amount of food you get. Additionally I got a mouth full of grit with a mushroom based dish. Not great but maybe a one off as others eating there were having a nice time. The service was excellent.

Incredible food. This chef is a genius!

Food was incredible. Our server ensured we were comfy and gave us a list of recommendations for our main, to which turned out to be one of the main highlights of the night! If you do visit, you MUST try their cheesecake dessert - probably one of the best i've had in.. forever? :'D

Crazy delicious, amazing and warm welcome, thoroughly recommend!

By far my favourite place in Camden

O.M.Ji. 1st class. Can't wait to return to this beautiful little restaurant, and try more of their extraordinary creations. The menu is a delight, and the service too. Highly recommended.

Not sure I can recommend the food in this place and given the prices are high for the quality of food you receive . The prawn toast wasn’t exciting and was bland. The hot and sour soup wasn’t even sour. The fried rice could be done better by my local Chinese takeaway and the fried chicken was not crispy. I wasn’t excited by any of the dishes but I was intrigued with how fried rice mixed with hot and sour soup mixed together would taste, I’m glad to say they don’t mix and shouldn’t be mixed together at all. I would say it’s more of a gimmick. In addition the music was really loud it was hard to hear inside, The restaurant aims fusion of asian dishes with a European twist, but to be honest you’re better off eating the original takeaway food or real asian food as it was intended to be eaten and not mixed together just to make another dish out of it. Service was OK so I cannot fault that. Overall a 3 star for me.

Thanks to Arty, the experience was wonderful! We tried almost every dish with my mum and loved it. The tastes are well balanced, it’s original and all the advices given were on point and with such a smile! Special congrats on the Daikon cake, firecrackers, kimchi, and prawn toast. Oji sake was subtle and comforting. Final note: that fermented tofu ice cream was heaven! Félicitations!

Excellent food, amazing fusion food. Highly recommended

Absolutely fab! Small and cosy. Perfect for first dates or even dine in with friends. It’s an explosion of flavours!

One of the more brilliant meals I’ve had in London.

Very delicious and surprising food. I would not call it a fusion restaurant, it goes more into the direction of a minimalist modern gastro pub with Asian flavors. Unique combination of flavors that work out really well. Highly recommend the daikon, fried rice, kimchi and cuttle fish noodles. Loved the atmosphere, music and art on the wall. I seriously don‘t understand how someone can give this place a 1 star review (even on a bad day), for all the 1 star reviewers: you don‘t deserve to eat here (no pearls before swine).

In recent weeks, I have been bombarded with Instagram and tiktok videos about Mr Ji’s and their culinary prowess. So it didn’t take me long to visit. Quite frankly I don’t normally leave reviews, let alone while I am still in the restaurant, waiting in vein to get my bill. Unfortunately the whole experience from start to finish was subpar, to start with I was seated under a blaring speaker, playing music at the volume you’d expect from a night club rather than a small restaurant. When I asked to be moved to one of the other empty tables, the waitress simply walked away. So I’m somewhat stuck not being able to hear my thoughts. To add insult to injury I was stuck at my clubesque table for 15 minutes with no menu and an inability to get anyone’s attention. When I finally did get a menu, I was pretty much expected to make a decision as to what I wanted on the spot, and was being consistently pressured to order things I don’t want, with the waiter simply adding things to my order stating “you should have this” even when I showed no interest in that item, resulting in my constant protestations. I eventually ordered the food I actually wanted, and unfortunately the food was also disappointing. The Asian chorizo arrived cold and oily and quite frankly resembled cut up cocktail sausages you’d encounter at a unsatisfactory picnic. Moving forward the O’Ji chicken was extremely oily and greasy, while the golden kimchi tastes of pure sugar. Unfortunately I am yet to find anything redeemable about this restaurant which I am quite disappointed about given all the hype. I’d like to hope it was just a bad night but given the number of things that went wrong I am doubtful.

amazing meal! prawn toast, o'ji chicken breast, daikon cake, sichuan burger all delicious. the service also was amazing tonight - really friendly. can't wait to return

Hands down my favourite restaurant in London! Also doubtlessly the best Asian fusion restaurant❤️👍🏻 All the dishes were amazing! Good to share coz they are in “tapas” portion, and you could literally order everything on the menu! Words can’t even describe how good the food are because every bite was a symphony in my mouth😍🙌🏻 Service was great too!

Such a shame I won’t be going back here because the food is excellent and so are all the other people who work here but the one waiter called Jo-elle was super arrogant and downright rude to us and really caused disturbance to our meal and harmony. I wont go into all of it but he seems to really hate his job and also his paying and happy customers. We overheard him bad-mouthing and did also share insults to my face when I told him my name after being friendly. The highlight was at the end, after we had asked when we first ordered if we needed to order the cheesecake ahead of time so as not to miss out and we were told that it’s fine and they would save us one and can order after our mains. Jo-elle made it a point to go against his colleague and give the last cheesecake away without checking with us. When we asked him about it he said “I did it on purpose to make you come back” he didn’t realise I was there the very day before and had already come back but sadly will not be again as long as he is there. For all I know he’d spit in my food, we got that vibe from him 🤨😔🤮

Incroyable découverte , une expérience qui ne ressemble à aucune autre. J’ai été transportée dans votre univers. Je suis enchantée d’avoir eu la chance de goûter votre talent. Merci infiniment

Friendly and attentive service in a cool space, extremely uneven food. The kimchi was oddly really sweet and the salad would have been fine had it not been soggy from being doused in dressing. Cocktails were fine, but also quite sweet. The standout was the Sichuan burger, which was excellent, and the cheesecake was also yummy. Overall somewhat confusing concept and unclear what they’re going for here.

Amazing food, although plates are quite small. It's relatively more expensive, but honestly haven't had food like this before! Basque cheesecake was also amazing😋

Some high level culinary skills going down here with super tasty unique, original dishes. The wonton/tortellini and fried rice dishes were yum. Will be back

Great service! Very quick and observant! Delicious food that was served with care. Out of everything pictured, I wouldn't get the flattened chicken thing again but everything else was a solid 10.

Walked past on a weekday and the menu looked interesting. So glad that we stopped as food was excellent - really delicious and unique. Nice atmosphere and friendly service. We’ll definitely be back!

One of the best dinners I've had recently. A menu that leaves you wanting to return, and the food overdelivering on high expectations. Kudos to all involved to produce such visual and flavoursome food. The chicken wing was incredibly innovative wrapped in pork and prawn, and usually not a dessert person but the basque cheesecake was the star of the show.

One of the best and most memorable meals I have had in London. Every single one of the dishes that we ordered was so unique and so full of flavour, you won't get anything like these dishes anywhere else. Stand outs, were the daikon cake, the wings, chicken hearts and the chicken burger (probably the best chicken burger I've had) and the prawn in toast. The sake paired well with every meal and the cheesecake was the best way to end the meal. Staff were so attentive and chatty as well. Will be back!

Truly one of the best meals of my life. So incredibly delicious and beautifully presented! The menu is very inventive, and our server did a great job of bringing us a wonderful array of dishes. The decor is not quite on the same level as the food. Don’t let this deter you! This place is really worth a visit.

OMG, highly recommend this place!! Every dish that we ordered was superb - we got the wings, beef tartare, trout tartlet, fried rice and prawns in toast. I wished my stomach is bigger to order everything else on the menu!! Definitely coming back again to try the other dishes. They deserve all the hype and love!!

Amazing service highly recommend

Amazing food and cocktails with a great atmosphere! The location is perfect, right in the heart of Camden. Would definitely recommend!

The cheesecake is soooo soooo gooood! Huge, shared for 2.

Great food and amazing service, highly recommended!

We had an amazing dinner ! Everything was delicious and the service was excellent! We will come back soon ✨

Mr. Ji is a great concept where east meets west, located in Parkway in Camden, so you don't have to go far. For this standard and type of food, this place is a local gem. From the starters which are all very well presented and didn't disappoint. The beef tartare in seaweed, daikon cake, the trout tartlet and the prawn toast, all delicious. Then as mains, the wonton tortelloni was superb, as were the chilli fries. The Sichuan burger has to be tried to be believed. The fried chicken inside it was so tender, has got to be one of the best burgers in London. A reason to go to this restaurant alone. For dessert the mochi ice cream was great, but the cheesecake was something superb. Selection of drinks very impressive. Friendly service and good vibes, is a place you have to visit.

Truly an excellent find. Really interesting flavours, cool presentation

Best dining experience I’ve had in a long time! Service was great, food was delicious. Perfect menu size, excellent dishes and very well priced for the quality. We ordered a bottle of sake we were expecting to be sweet (my bad) and they were more than happy to change the order and recommend us what they think we’d like. Really great restaurant and great people, can’t wait to go back. Can’t judge the atmosphere as we were there on a very quiet Sunday however everything else 10/10!

Amazing food - one of the best I’ve had (especially the cheesecake) and very reasonable pricing for the quality. Service was pleasant and overall instantly one of my new top spots. I would personally prefer slightly lower music volume and brighter lighting.

Fantastic place for some fun food & drinks. We loved the look of the restaurant and the menu on our walk and decided to book the next day. It did not disappoint. We had the kimchi and trout tartlet to start with, followed with wings and hearts then fried rice and wontons as mains. Everything was very interesting and delicious but some of the dishes didn’t taste as very well balanced as I expected. I hope they get better as the menu develops!

Went late on a Sunday and were the last kitchen orders. Food was delicious, interesting and creative. Good portion sizes for price and very helpful waiter. Would highly recommend.

had a great diner her with the wife food was amazing there was only one server on and he smashed it !! highly recommend

Food was excellent and service from the lithuanian waiter fabulous. Had 6 dishes only one i thought was average, the chorizo. The other 5 were excellent especially the bechemel toast and the cheesecake......was not busy when we came at 6pm....but i get it s superb on weekends when packed.

Really unique and delicious food - the trout tartlet, the wontons, the shrimp and the wings were delicious. Nice drinks and good service. Would highly recommend!

Fantastic food hidden behind Camden Market. It’s basically Asian fusion with Western techniques: think of fried chicken thigh burger with sichuan mayo, some cucumber and a pineapple bun. The starters set the tone: bold flavours and great textures. We had the spicy beef tartare served with some crispy seaweed, the fried chicken heart lettuce wraps, and the extremely Instagram-able brioche stuffed with a prawn and corn béchamel with a mountain of Parmesan cheese on top. Delicious food where every dish surprised us: imagine stuffing a fried brioche with a prawns béchamel! For mains we had the O’Ji fried chicken breast with Piccadilly and the chicken burger. The burger was phenomenal: the fried thigh was so juicy and paired beautifully with the hot and creamy sauces: definitely a contender for London’s best chicken burger. Definitely recommend.

Visited here soon after arriving in London and was blown away by the great food. I’d call it experimental Asian fusion - the flavours are familiar but the execution is very interesting. I loved this place so much I came back on my last day in London! Service was welcoming and friendly. Prices are reasonable.

Food was confusing and underwhelming. Service was just bad. Waiter managed to accidentally throw another customer’s used chopstick at me, and acted like nothing happened. Lol.

Very delicious food and amazing service.

One of those places that blow your mind, the flavours were on point we had 6 dishes all of them were really good. But If had to choose one, it would be the wonton tortellini! You won’t be disappointed, unless you don’t can’t tolerate spicy food, In that case you would be really disappointed.

One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Amazing and unique flavour combinations. Highly recommend the beef tartare and the daikon cake. Even the side salad had such an incredible dressing that I had to order a second. The osmanthus soda was amazing too, wasn’t sure what to expect but was delicious.

Innovative but quite small potions, not particularly good value. Quite noisy.

Have never heard of this restaurant and just went in because it looked interesting. So glad we did; this was one of the most exciting menus I have ever experienced. Food was beyond delicious, sake and cocktails.. yummy... What can I say, thanks to the hosts, you have a hidden gem of a restaurant!

This is one of the best Asian restaurants I’ve been to in London. We tried almost all of the positions in the menu and they ALL were just amazing. Also, friendly people and very nice atmosphere. Would visit it again and definitely recommend to my friends.

Had an AMAZING meal at Mr Ji. Been wanting to try this place for some time based on the reviews. It didn’t disappoint! Dare to say Michelin Bib Gourmand level food in terms of quality, innovation and taste. And in my Camden neighbourhood where it’s hard to find this level of dining. Normally have to go to Soho or Mayfair for it. Front of House Joel was lovely too. Will definitely go back to try more dishes!

Lovely restaurant with a great menù and service, super recommended

Great dinner! Awesome Asian fusion menu and really nice people. We’ll be back for sure

Some of the most creative, delicious, and innovative dishes I’ve had in quite some time. Wonderful staff and great vibes.

The service was good but the food was not up to the standard we were expecting. Portions are very small, especially considering the price. The toast and tarte did not taste good and the kimchi lacked a lot of flavour (it was white). The pork/shrip wings were good but only 1 wing per person (2 in total), which we felt was quite ridiculous. It was very disappointing overall.

Honestly very disappointed. Food was straight up bad, price was too high for the portions. Would not recommend.

Our friend from out of town wanted to try this restaurant. It was a great choice! I'm usually a bit hesitant with Asian fusion restaurants, but I was actually quite impressed by the food here. I loved the braised pig head tacos - they were light and refreshing. The combination of the sauce, cilantro, and cucumber really reminded me of my mom's cooking. I'd 100% recommend it. We also all loved the fried rice - I had no idea the hot and sour soup was going into the rice, but what a brilliant combo! It's not an uncommon thing to order both dishes at a Chinese restaurant, but to combine them together really worked for me. I really enjoyed our meal and would recommend trying this place out. You can make reservations online!

We were looking forward to trying Mr Ji when we found out they had opened in Camden and were not disappointed by our visit. The food was very good (the highlights were the stuffed chicken wings, pork tacos and prawn toast). The manager was very nice and accommodating with our baby as well. Highly recommend and will be back to try the desserts!

Excellent night out, warm welcome, felt friendly and swift, the two staff on the floor were great at giving recommandations yet didn't push when we chose to have a Whiskey+Sour against their advice, it's a strong drink but I couldn't resist, it's a nice touch to warn guest like that, this kind of balance takes skills and it doesn't go unnoticed thank you. Food was excellent, very inspired and with great twists. We just agreed with my wife that maybe the dessert menu could have more of an Asian incline, something around moon cakes or fried dumpling skin for example. I still 100% will recommend MrJi.

I made my second visit to Mr Ji this evening and it confirmed my suspicion that this is the best restaurant in Camden. All three front-of-house staff were very friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. Highlights were the wonton tortellini, the daikon cake and the cheesecake dessert. Can't wait to return to try more dishes!

Amazing lunch, one the best meals I’ve had in London in past 6 months! Inventive food & exciting dishes, and good excuse to try some London sake. Will be back again & again I hope ...

Service was very friendly and welcoming. Food took a long time to arrive at the table but nonetheless, everything was delicious. Our favourites were the chicken hearts and the amazing basque style cheesecake to finish :)

Excelente restaurante de comida fusión asiática y europea. Pedimos el set menú por 40€ cada uno y llegaron 6 platos con sabores sorprendentes. El postre un tiramisú deconstruido de alta calidad. Servicio impecable, buen ritmo de platos. Selección de vinos escogidos con mimo, precio 9€ copa.

Great food, great music and joel the manager is a top guy. Recommended

Great food. Try the chicken hearts!

Had our work xmas party here and really enjoyed it. Friendly, knowledgeable service, good choice of drinks and a really interesting tasting menu which made it something to remember.

After a good amount of research, I brought my friend to Mr Ji's spot. It was my best friend's birthday, and I wanted somewhere affordable and would have food that would be new to us but wouldn't be pretentious. We thoroughly loved our experience at the restaurant. Our waiter, Vigan (I think), was perfect. Super chilled, welcoming and great at some small talk. We ordered a good amount from the menu. We loved most of the food, a couple of dishes didn't resonate with us, but it was great to try them. The stand-out dishes, for me, were the Golden Kimchi and then the Sichuan Burger. I'll be coming again, and very excited to see how Mr Ji gets bigger and bigger!