The Empire in Trafford

This restaurant never fails to impress, ordered food for all family as a takeaway and have enough left over for the day after, nice big portions, quality of food is second to none, salt and pepper dishes were seasoned just right, the 15 minute dirve to collect is well worth it

Food was amazing from starters to main ( there was no more room left for desert 😋) highly recommend,

I have been going to the Tai Hing since it opened as The Dragon City. I have always enjoyed the food and the ambience. As I live in North Wales now I don't visit so often but I still go with friends when my wife and I visit Urmston. We had heard about the name change and we visited on Friday 24th March 2023 whilst we we're visiting our friends in Flixton. Fortunately we had booked a table for 7pm as when we arrived the restaurant was absolutely packed with just our table remaining. In spite of the numbers of diners the service was very good and we didn't have to wait long. I recognised some of the staff from previous visits. The food was just as good as it always was; no better but certainly no worse. Now to the downside: the tables were of the kind you would expect in a cafe and were far too close together, so much so as to feel almost involved with other people's conversations. It was extremely noisy and sounded like a 'Bear Pit'. The decor, if that's what you could call it was pure white walls and brilliant white ceiling lights. The atmosphere such as it was, was noisy, totally clinical and not at all conducive to a pleasant dining experience. We will try it again, perhaps the next time we visit our friends but if when we arrived the place is as busy as this last time we will walk out, booked table or not. I'm sorry to say that the revamp has not improved the restaurant at all, in fact the previous atmosphere has been totally ruined.

After the refurb, not only have prices increased significantly, I feel that they are trying to fit in too many diners, which stretches the kitchens to breaking point and the staff are rushing round to cope. Booked in for 7:30 and nowhere to sit. Two tables and four chairs were moved about and placed in between other diners - very cramped and one of our party had to remain standing by the toilets for half an hour. We have been pleased with the food and service before but this visit was very disappointing. Our four starters were brought out in stages - five minutes apart and we had to ask for the final starter three times (prawn toast almost £10 !) - the kitchens couldn't cope. A platter for two at over £16 per head was poor and very over-priced. A complaint brought and extra four spring rolls. A glass of medium wine was sent back as it was awful yet we were still charged £5.50 for it. £4 for a pint of lemonade ?? The main courses were variable. Sadly we will not be returning - a rethink is needed - fewer covers would help but we will never know as we will find somewhere else.

We have been going to the empire for many years and wanted to go and try out the refurbished restaurant now it’s under new management and the new name Tai Hing. We’d read that all the old staff had gone and it was a pleasure to see a lot of them still there. The food was absolutely delicious, as good as ever, but the prices have been significantly increased. Whilst I appreciate that an investment in the refurbishment will have been costly and the new management will want to recover the costs, the rates seem in line with eating in Manchester City centre not a local Urmston restaurant and I fear that this could be at the detriment of the restaurant long term.

Called in for a takeaway as reopened with new owners on friday and is now called tai hing. Thought as just opened they may have wanted to make a good impression how wrong i was! Ordered 2 special curry egg fried rice chips. The curry was flavorless and gelatinous pretty much like slop meat was awful The rice was greasy and the chips were frozen! The empire will be sadly missed if this is their interpretation of chinese food! WILL NOT BE BACK!

Fancied a night out and headed for The Empire. They seated us really quickly, despite not booking and we were lucky, because it filled up once we had sat down. Really great to see them so busy. Service is really very good, very attentive and checking to see that all is ok. Had a Three delicious soup and chicken satay to start, I followed with rainbow duck and my wife had crispy chicken and sweet chilli sauce. It was very busy, but the food came at good intervals and we did not feel rushed at all. I didn’t recognise anyone, so guess maybe it’s a new team or a new family, but regardless, still the same good experience. It’s nice to have such a nice Chinese restaurant locally, perhaps the only one now, so it will likely be busy, I’d suggest booking ahead, to avoid disappointment. Everyone who came in after us had booked, we were fortunate.

Always fantastic!! I've lived in Urmston for 35 years, I've tried most takeaway pleases. I don't mind saying I'm not loyal to any particular one but The Empire is by far the best Chinese take away within miles!! The salt and pepper chips and c&p chips are amazing and the kung bo is always my go to.

Had a set meal for two from takeaway the chicken and sweet corn soup was so thick you could stand you spoon up in it ,the ribs was so tough and dry not nice at all the chicken wings look like they had been cooked 3 times ,the spring rolls were great and the two main meals were very nice .its not upto the same standard as the resturant food which is very disappointing so next time will be going to sit in the resturant

This place really is a little gem. Visited for a family birthday celebration. Had the “Empire” banquet for four, no problem swapping one of the set meals for an alternative. Food & service absolutely fantastic. Staff quickly picked up we were celebrating a birthday & brought out a cake (we hadn’t previously arranged) at the end & sang happy birthday to the (20 yo) birthday girl. Thank you Empire Restaurant, we had a fabulous time & will be back !!

Pleasant clean surroundings good atmosphere and great food at a good price. Who could want more Dim sum, crab soup , sweet and sour chicken and chow mein - all great and good portions

Not been to the Empire since 2019. Had set meal for two as take away. What a mistake. The ribs were dry and over cooked; the chicken in the sweet and sour was over cooked and the vegetables raw. The beef in the black bean sauce was very chewy. Will not be going there again which is sad as I remember it as a top take away.

Had a family birthday meal last night & it was fantastic. The staff made you feel so welcome & the food was delicious. The staff went above and beyond- bringing out a cake & singing happy birthday, brought ice cream for all the children & even kindly gave a bottle of wine for the birthday girl. We have been going to the restaurant for over 15 years and would highly recommend it.

Nice family meal booked for 5 and as soon as we sat down were treated to the best Chinese meal imaginable as well as the best staff who were very hospitable and funny , highly recommended place

We ordered a takeaway from here on 22/10/19. The Singapore Vermeclli was burnt to the point that neither of us could eat it, because the taste was so revolting

Lived in Urmston since the late 90s and never had a disappointment on visiting here, foods nice and service is good, can get a bit cramped inside, the takeout option is also available

We had a meal tonight in what used to be the families favourite restraunt in the area! What a mistake we made, from the second we walked in we were made to feel so unwelcome, to the point where the manager was taking the ‘michael’ out of me for placing our order! Didn’t get any better from there on, our soup came out about 0.02 seconds after we ordered it, which is a total put of straight away! We were just finishing our platter as the plates were snatched of the table as one member of our party was still eating, a hospitality no no! Our main courses arrived, far from being hot and lacking much meat, not acceptable for something you pay good money for! The worst part was yet to come, we asked for the bill, in excess of £100, the waitress who we hadn’t seen all evening proceeded to count the money out on the table infront of us, not only is this rude but left us all very embarrassed! Safe to say I will not be going back, which is a shame since we loved this place before the takeover, service like this will drive all your regular custom away!

Are as far as we are concerned this is the best Chinese rest in Urmston the staff work very hard if there is problem they will do their best to rectify it the food is very good nice atmosphere there always seems to be an occasion to celebrate and the staff manage great see you soon

Absolutely no way would I ever go back 3 meals purchased just totally bland no taste at all don’t waste your money really don’t bother

Lovely clean restaurant, helpful staff and yummy food! We went for the early bird menu great price! And lots of food! Soup and a Sharing platter then a main each! Will definitely return.

New owners since we made our reservation and they have continued to maintain a high standard with some improvements. The staff are very friendly and amusing and seemed genuinely concerned that everyone had a good time. Service was excellent. The price was also very good.

Had a fantastic meal food was excellent as always staff and service brilliant. The waiter was a joy. Would highly recommend

Been tonight. Pretty much all the food was awful. The aromatic lamb was full of fat. The curried beef samosas were devoid of beef - reminiscent of some £1 frozen meal in a cheap supermarkets “value range”. The satay chicken skewers had an awful slimy, chewy texture, almost like mechanically recovered, shaped meat. The sizzling steak was passable as were the chips and boiled rice. It was obvious from what we left that we weren’t happy but the staff were either not interested enough to ask what we thought or simply didn’t want to hear the answer. We have the Tung Fong on our doorstep which knocks this place into a cocked hat; maybe we’ve been spoiled. Or maybe the Empire is just rubbish.

Great quality food whether you sit in or take away. Great service and quality, definitely recommend.

Another wonderful visit to an excellent restaurant. The food was very well prepared and served by attentive fantastic staff who always have a laugh with you whilst serving your food. Nothing is to much trouble and our Grandchildren really enjoyed themselves. Our 6year old couldn't wait to tell her Mum & Dad all about it. See the photos

Staff are very friendly and good at their jobs. Food is excellent and always served fresh. Nothing is too much trouble and the girls always take time to chat with you. Love it!

We have been customers of the Empire for many years. Very friendly staff, tasty food always hot and promptly prepared and good value for money. A great family run business!

This restaurant never fails to impress. The service from the various members of the family is always outstanding, they’re all so lovely and happy to help and take the time to chat. The food is amazing, always fresh and some great choices.

We always used to go here when it was Dragon City, but for some reason (can't remember why) we changed our usual take away to a different one. For a change we returned to The Empire and we are totally glad that we did. The food is FAR superior in both quality and quantity to any of the other Chinese Take Aways in the area. When I phone to place an order it is ready so quickly and also piping hot. Our orders are always correct despite us having weird tendencies at times ! When spending over a certain amount you get free prawn crackers / spring rolls / salt and pepper wings. The lady who serves at the take away is lovely always smiling and never flustered. Really rate this place. I will be eating in the restaurant very soon, which I can't wait !

Very Good quality food lovely staff and that's from someone who ran a chinese restaurant for the past 17 years...good going empire.

First visit to The Empire. Had the banquet menu. Really good food, excellent service. Will definitely be back.

went to the Empire for the first time in 15 years dont know why we left it so long, the service and food were excellent , we had the set menu and enjoyed every bit of it, we will be going again without fail

The food here is the best Chinese food in Urmston, they do a fantastic menu, lots of choice, food is all cooked fresh. Loved it

We have been here couple of time and it's been great every single time. Early bird menu is great plus service is absolutely wonderful every time. Even got so speak to staff in Cantonese which just makes it feel like home. Will recommend to everyone I know if they fancy Chinese food or not. See you soon xxx

Los dos estábamos en la zona y que han pasado del imperio alrededor de 1, 000 veces, pero nunca llegamos a muestras, a pesar de algunos comentarios de nuestros amigos. Mi esposa y yo tuvimos una noche gratis, así que pensamos "vamos a hacer esto'.

Long time family favourite Food has got even better and the staff are as attentive as ever Great value early bird menu as well

Siempre puedes ir aquí en una ocasión. Magnífica comida, especialmente el dim sum platos combinados. Un servicio encantador cada vez. Sin duda volveremos.

Visited on sun eve Early bird menu.We started with chicken sweet corn soup.Very good.My wife's main course was ok. Nothing special. I had a fried rice dish with supposed prawn and char Sui pork.Struggled to find the prawns.char Sui all most non existent.Complained to lady server. Very apologetic and offered to refund my meal.I got the impression they cut back on these set meals.Its a shame as a nice restaurant. Will not be returning.

Been visiting the Empire for many years and never disappoints. Small restaurant, usually full! Always good food. Friendly service. Nice atmosphere.

We wanted to try a new Chinese restaurant near to our new home. We were not sure about The Empire, even though the reviews were excellent. OK I admit it, we look for deals, and The Empire seemed a bit more expensive than some places. This may well be true, but if you get what you pay for, then well worth it. So, here is a Chinese restaurant nowhere near other nightlife. It doesn’t need to be. When we went in, it was like going to a party. Even though it was a Tuesday night, the place soon filled up. Staff treat you like old friends. Food was plentiful and tasty. The atmosphere of a local café with the quality of a top restaurant.

We called in after a recommendation and we weren't disappointed. The food was very tasty and reasonably priced. The only bit of feedback I would offer the restaurant is that I felt a little prejudged when we arrived. I have 3 young children and was told not to allow them to run around the restaurant. I have always taken my children to restaurants from a young age and they know how to behave in this environment. By the end of the meal the staff were complimenting us on the behavior of my 3 lads and 2 nephews and they were very interactive with the kids. That said this didn't ruin our meal and I would recommend you try.

When I am in the mood for a Chinese and it's not that often I always turn to the Empire for a good feed, the only Chinese I trust to be consistent in making very good food, no complaints cracking feed.

Excellent meal at The Empire Restaurant Urmston. The food was really good and very reasonably priced, one of the nicest Chinese meals my husband and I have had for a long time. The staff were really friendly and the service was very good, a nice relaxed atmosphere, we will definitely go back there. It wasn't too busy as it was bonfire night but other times it is advisable to book as it is popular and can get busy

The Empire is a local family run Cantonese restaurant & first class Take Away(next door).Who offer authentic oriental & professionally cooked food only using fresh ingredients.What comes as standard is first class quality food & enthusiastic table service to give you only there best experience.Their next door take-away has an extensive & excellent value menu.That will please the most discerning of palate. Been here many time & have full intention to come many more times as I strongly suggest you come asap.Gets my vote of approval.

I absolutely love this place. The food is incredible and the staff are so friendly and welcoming. I've been to several different Chinese restaurants and none have the same feel as The Empire. If I could give a 6 I would.

Have used the take away service for many years and recently started to also use the restaurant.The ladies who serve you are just fantastic, the food is great and always fresh and hot. We were treated to magic tricks one evening, which was just such good fun.Great menu, great choice.I can highly recommend it to anyone who likes a pleasant environment to eat in, not feel rushed and for well prepared food.

We have been visiting this restaurant for over 10 years and have to say on recent visits it has been going down hill. On this occasion was the worst it has been. We were a family of 8 and as the restaurant became busier the service became worse. Starters cleared before everybody had finished as was the soup bowls. 3 main courses sent back due to foreign objects in them and 1 not eaten due to another hair. The person then decided to tell the table and the entire restaurant that she would knock 5 pounds off the bill for the inconvenience. Disappointing and embarassing. Don't think we shall be returning.

We always come here for my birthday and family celebrations. Over the years we have always eaten great food, with great service from the friendly staff. The price is very reasonable and the selection of meals is second to none. I would highly recommend the hot and sour soup. Nobody does it better!!!

What can I say, reliably good food and service at a reasonable price.I have eaten here a few times and have never had a bad meal. I have also used their take out service which also offers the same quality at a good price.also has an early bird offer on throughtout the week which is very good value.

Let's face it we have all eaten in many restaurants though the years both in the UK & abroad.So its rare when I or you discover a restaurant that deserves special a mention for 100% quality, 100% flavour 100% excellent value & a restaurant that seriously ticks all the right boxes.We like many couples are always keen to discover a good deal.£10.90 for 3 courses sounds pretty good to me.We both shared a starter of "Dim Sum Platter" which consisted of fresh fried 4 Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings, 2 Spring Rolls, & 12 crispy Won Tons & Seaweed all of which was very good.Mains.We had the shredded Chicken or Beef with Sweet & sour sauce with fried or boiled rice. The food was full of flavour & the portion sizes was huge.Dessert if you can get anymore down.Vanilla Ice Cream.4 Fresh Orange segments & hot towels to wipe your hands on.I had a pint of Tetley's Bitter & my wife had a half a Larger, Bar bill was £4.90.Total bill was £26.70.The place was almost full by 7pm on a normal Thursday night, always a good advertisement in my book.We sat my the large fish tank which gives you the added free entertainment of watching the fish swim round.The table is larger for 2 people than the average size.The Service by the 2 Cantonese lady's was very efficient & pleasant without being too friendly.All in all an great meal was had by all & we will most defiantly be going back.There is free parking by the restaurant, It just before the round about & its a 5 minute walk from Trafford Hospital.I noticed they give a extra discount to anybody who works at the hospital.They also have a great take-away next door.

We've had a few takeaways from they're take away next door and we thought we'd try a sit down meal. The food was tasteless and cold and so so so very over priced, we could of got 4 take ways for what we paid. So disappointed and ruined our treat of a night out

Good good and good services. Reasonable prices, appeared to be very family friendly with lots of families eating there at the same time.

Went for an early bird meal last night.food was fantastic as was the excellent service. The empire restaurant is the best Chinese restaurant in the area. It's been a long time since I've ate such good food since the closure of the cheff peking. Thanks for a lovely evening to the staff and an excellent cheff.see you soon Mr wright

5 of us went last night and had a banquet. Everything was lovely and hot and very tasty. Good service even though it was very busy. Would recommend.

It was once a lovely restaurant and take away but over the last year it has gone down hill. It's the same family run business so it's very disappointing. We always had our weekend treat from here but after 2 iffy orders we gave it one more chance and got the third bland Luke warm take away. It is slightly pricey compared to others which you don't mind paying when it's good but not when it's gone down hill.

Went for my sons birthday in June. Great service as always, food was excellent, not greasy, full of flavour and they even make my special chow fun for me on request!Feels like family whenever we visit.10/10

We have been going to this restaurant for a couple of years now and always had great food and excellent service . Staff very friendly would recommend a visit .

Just visited for the fist time this evening. The place was already full at 5pm with people enjoying the early diner special. The food and service were second to none. We will definitely be going back on a regular basis.

We are frequent visitors to both the restaurant and take away, the service is excellent and the food is delicious! I'd highly recommend a visit...

This was not my first visit, I have always enjoyed eating at this restaurant but my latest experience has prompted me to write a review.The service is excellent, they ask you when you are ready for each course and do not put you under any pressure. The food was as is usual very good, especially the crispy duck! Excellent value for money but more than anything else is the attitude of the staff. They are genuinely interested and attentive and not 'in your face' and have a good sense of humour.I would highly recommend this wonderful Chinese restaurant.

Arrived without a reservation having done a quick Google search and reading the TripAdvisor reviews. We were new to the area and in search of a Chinese restaurant. It was a Sunday evening and we were the only people there. Far from feeling empty and desolate, the staff were very friendly and welcoming without being obtrusive. We both had a fabulous meal, very tasty and well presented. Will be back again when we're next in the area.

The family who run this wonderful Chinese restaurant work hard to ensure that the food and whole dining experience are of the highest possible quality. We've been dining here as a family for at least 14 years and are always welcomed and treated as if we're part of their family. Our most recent visit this weekend was to celebrate my Dad's 80th Birthday and we couldn't have selected a better venue. The banquet and exceptional, friendly service was enjoyed by family and friends aged 16 to 101. Love it love it love it !!!

Went without booking a table, and when we got there the restaurant was very busy. The staff were very happy to accommodate us and in no time at all we had a table. Even though the restaurant was full we didn't have to wait long for drinks or the menu. Our food order was taken by a very pleasant member of staff. When our starters arrived the portion size was amazing, as was our main courses too. The food was very tasty and of good quality. All in all an excellent meal in a fabulously run family restaurant. By far the best Chinese restaurant for miles

We decided to get a takeaway this Saturday and as my husband didn't want a curry we opted for chinese. However we were apprehensive as the last chinese we had (not from the empire) was rubbish full of fattty and rubbery meat.We were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meals we chose, they seemed freshly cooked with fresh veg in the stir fry plenty of sauce as well as meat in the meals, there was plenty of noodles for us and our daughter, we all enjoyed the food. It was well priced too, we would definitely return maybe eat in. It took longer than we were told though but I suppose you would expect that on a Saturday night and we would rather wait a bit longer for better quality. I hope it can maintain the standards and not resort to using cheaper rubbery meats!

Lovely, family run restaurant. First visit, made to feel extremely welcome. Food - fab, very clean, overall BRILLIANT! The royal banquet is TOO MUCH food for 3 people!

We randomly stopped off here to get a set dinner takeawayfor 2 on our way home. it must be the worst Chinese we have had to date.The spare ribs were just that a mild flavoured very dry spare rib with no sauce or marinade.The Prawn crackers were stale.The fried rice nearly made me gag, and the prawns in the rice tasted like they had been bleached, there was still clumps of boiled rice in the fried rice and the rice was very bitty (broken). The spring rolls tasty like a english beef pasty , not very Chinese yet were the nicest part of the meal. the beef and black been was just ok, and my husband said the chicken sweet and sour tasted OK but felt it was like packet chicken added to uncle Bens sweet and sour.

we were a group of 8 for a leaving do and I cannot fault any of it. I reserved a table online and received a speedy response off them enquiring if it was a special occasion. I had to email them again to reduce numbers to 8 from 12 and they were fine about this. When we arrived we were greeted by the very friendly staff, a sorry your leaving balloon was on our table - provided free of charge. We were very well looked after, the food was lovely and very cheap for what we had. The early bird menu is a must. Nothing was too much for the staff. We are definitely going back

My business partner and I went on 18/09/14 for a meal. The food was excellent as always and the staff were very friendly as usual. The new wood flooring gives the restaurant a more sophisticated look. We will be back soon.

Staff will not give the password for wifi and rather rude in replying that he doesn't got the password.

I went to this restaurant with my family for my 20th birthday On 8.8.14. It was the nicest place ive eaten. The staff were friendly and made my birthday extra special by turning off the lights, playing happy birthday sountrack and bringing out a cake and singing to me. The cake we didnt eat the staff boxed up and we brought it home. The food was delicious we had the banquet for 3 but they let us have 4 plates as we knew the baquet for 4 would be way to much food for us. We will definatley be returning. Thank you for a great birthday.

My favourite Chinese restaurant and take away. The food is always good and the prawn toast is the best around.

Went out on a sper of the moment food was absolutely fantastic as was the service would recommend it to everyone

Very friendly and welcoming staff. Food is amazing and such good value for money. Would highly recommend :-)

Me & my family came here for Father's Day (15th July 14) we eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants and this is by far the best! We even asked for the recipe for the hot & sour soup!I always say you get what you pay for & this is great food for a great price! Will defiantly be returning soon as my dad keeps asking when will I take him again!

The hot and sour soup is the the best ive tasted and ive tasted a fair few.. infact all the food was delicious the ambience of the restaurant and staff was exceptional and the price was very reasonable I would highly recommend this restaurant... I am a very fussy at where I choose to eat I like good food and excellent customer service and I can honestly say that is what we received thank you so much we will deffo be in again soon.

We've been coming here for years and since the current owners took over it was absolutely amazing!! We went yesterday (4 of us - 3 adults and 1 child) and the good wasn't nice at all. The complimentary prawn crackers were stale, the coke is out of a big bottle and not a post mix and the draught lager was cloudy and tasted sour. The chicken and sweetcorn soup was very nice however the hot & sour was ridiculously hot. The chicken wings were hard and stale. The mains came, the chips weren't as nice as they used to be, the sweet & sour pork was rock hard as was the crispy shredded beef. The early bird menu has gone up from £7.50 to £13.50. It was a quiet night and too many staff. The staff would stand around (whilst dirty glasses lined the bar) watching you like a hawk - the second you finished your drink they'd be there to snatch your glass and try to take your plate before you've finished eating as they've 'nothing else to do'. It also needs a very good decorator!!!

The Empire used to be one of the best Chinese takeaways in Urmston, however, now its lacking.Firstly the décor is horrendous drab and dirty. Then the food itself. The ribs are stale, the chicken wings are stale, its clear they are from the day before or frozen just before they're going off. I also find it expensive compared to other Chinese takeaways. We wont be back!!

I've never been to this Chinese restaurant before but it came highly recommended by my brother who visits regularly.We just had a main course and the duck in orange sauce was the best I've ever had - honestly, it was delicious. I would go back again just for that dish, and it's quite a trek for me to get to.The service was excellent, albeit it was a quiet night, the staff were very attentive but not overkill. After our meal we were asked by the owner if we had enjoyed it (we had been asked by the waiter just after we'd started our meal as well) but the owner really wanted to know about the whole experience and I thought this was a nice touch, she seemed genuinely interested. I would definitely return to the Empire - especially for that duck!!!

have eaten here a lot of times my favourite Chinese, value for money. good quality food friendly staff, not overpriced

This has been a family favourite for a couple of years now and we chose it again for a family birthday. I thought the menu was extensive and the banquets worked out really good value. The crispy duck was a little dry but overall a very good meal. Nice extra with the birthday cakes being brought out.

Have been going to the empire now for quite a while and can't fault it, friendly staff, great food and nice atmosphere, i would definitely recommend.

This used to be the goto chinese for me and my friends. Nice but limitef menu. Friendly but now needs a refresh