The Mandarin Chef in Test Valley

What a lovely little Chinese buffet. We went for a celebration meal and we weren't disappointed. The food is all delicious and cooked fresh. With the duck being the star of the show. The staff were friendly and helpful and explained everything. The selection on the menu is extensive with a wide range of starters, duck and mains. Any of which you can ask for more of. I will be returning.

Very disappointing Mothers Day family meal. Service incredibly slow and several items just not delivered to the table. Dreadfully overpriced for the Buffett and limited choices particularly for the mains. Food quality was dreadful and inedible in many cases. The Chinese curry was particularly bad and should be avoided at all cost. Sweet and sour chicken was a gloopy mess and chicken was dry and tough. Best part was the starters. Sea weed was nice. We ordered salt and pepper ribs but they didn't arrive. The duck course was OK. Overall not an experience we will repeat. Not recommended.

As always the food was good. Three of us went to the restaurant for quiet family birthday. We had the ‘buffet’. Effectively you choose any dish from the menu and they bring you as much as you like. The starters are mostly deep fried, but still good and it’s great if you want to have a Chinese tapas kind of pick and mix. Second course is always the duck and pancakes, really delicious. By the time you get to mains, we’re mostly full but again a wide choice and plentiful. The challenge last night was it was freezing cold in the restaurant. We sat with coats, as were other tables, we would have left had we been driving but we’d gone by cab so we could drink and felt obliged to stay (too British of us) and despite moving tables it never really warmed up while we were there. Two other tables also moved and one did leave it was so cold. It’s time for the restaurant to be refurbished with double glazing and heating that actually works. Go and enjoy the food there - but only if it’s not cold outside and it will be as cold inside.

This place used to be good, we gave it a try on the 17/11/23 as we hadn't been for a while. Everything inside seems messy,out dated and seems to be a damp musty smell in the air.. The staff seem to have all changed, no nice greeting etc. The tables now have paper covers on,like a cheap cafe. We ordered from the buffet and the menu is really limited now for £27.50pp. The food quality was poor to say the least, Luke warm over cooked food. Whilst eating an older guy with glasses walked around the room like a prison guard watching people. This place has gone dawn hill and we won't return.

Never having written a review of any sort on a restaurant I feel obliged to now do so. The take away experienced today of six dishes had no redeeming features whatsoever From deep fried battered prawn balls that were inedible to chicken and sweetcorn soup that had seen neither of those ingredients to duck with pineapple that included garden peas and dry chow mien, bbq ribs without sauce but overloaded with onions. Had we not lost the will to live having tried to find anything acceptable about it we would have delivered it back to the restaurant. I am afraid that the team need to have a very serious look at the quality of their offering

Phoned Father’s Day afternoon. No answer all afternoon as they are closed . My kids keen to go so persevered. Got through at 5.30pm they agreed to fit us in immediately. Arrived at 5.40 pm with my 3 children and 80 year old mum. there were staff in other side of restaurant and we waited at the sign to be seated for 5 full mins. No problem , then phone rang , older staff member came towards us , I politely said hi , expecting some sort of acknowledgement . Not a bit , totally blanked me . Walked passed me and answers phone , with her back to me . When I’m about to drop at least £150 on a dinner , then I expect basic manners ! They must be doing very well here to have that attitude . We turned around and left. Not for us

Don't go here for takeaway told a time had to wait half an hour on top of hour wait only started cooking food when I turned up they got order wrong which meant one of our party ended up going elsewhere for there mistake food was below average and not at all nice .

We visited this restaurant today for lunch. In addition to our table of 8, there was only 1 other table. The place was deserted. I can remember when this was a prestigious restaurant in Romsey, but the building is now looking shabby, the service lacks attention and the restaurant was practically devoid of patrons. Food quality was ok, however they prevented us taking any leftovers away with us, preferring instead to throw good food away. With so many starving and homeless people, this restaurant would literally prefer to throw good food away rather than feeding the poor. Such a shame their standards have plummeted since the 80s.

The place is an absolute s#/t tip.... Dude staff I'd rather have eaten road kill... Jesus wept its bad people wow

We had a lovely lunch. Staff were very friendly and the food was delicious and very reasonably priced. Good options for both meat eaters and vegetarian/vegans in our group.

Wanted to write a review for a really great takeaway dinner we had from The Mandarin Chef a few weeks ago. Not been there for a few years as we had moved, tried other Chinese in Romsey but this was so much better Every dish really tasty, great value for money too Couldn't fault it...well done

Decidedly average, dated decor. Cobwebs around the wall lights. Customers were packed in tight, which meant the staff were running around with no time for a personalised service. It was rushed to say the least. I wouldn’t recommend

We had a fabulous dinner at the Mandarin Chef. The service was excellent and we were looked after so well. This is a great restaurant with the focus rightly on the food and atmosphere rather than the decor. Our varied selections came quickly and always freshly cooked and piping hot. Great value for money and run by staff that clearly care about your enjoyment and the food they serve. We shall be back very soon. The Smith and Matthews families.

we have been eating here for so many years & never disappoints, the staff are friendly, the food is great & fast coming out, always full of flavour. the buffet is great to choose dishes you wouldn't perhaps order normally. we moved away but in the last 6 months we have eaten here every time we visit the area. only negative is the different menu mid week so no prawns which is a shame

We were less than impressed with all our meals and is the worse take away we’ve ever have. The beef stir fry tasted like gravy poured on badly cooked veggies. The ‘bam bam chicken’ was just cold chicken with Swiss poured onit! Very disappointed

Having Dined at this Restaurant a good few times sadly i have to say that on this occasion the food served wasnt up to their normal standard infact it was very below par. The majority of the dishes looked like they had just been slopped onto the plates with no presentation whatsoever. The oyser sauce tasted like gravy, the satay chicken was undercooked and the Seasonal Veg dish was nothing more than Cabbage soaked in the same gravy tasting oyster sauce which looked totally unappetizing. Having said that the only dish which was any good was their crispy duck but overall the dishes were very bog standard and lacking in excellance

By far the best and most tasty part of the buffet menu was the hot towel at the end. This happened to be full of flavour unlike the microwaved food that had been thrown at us for the previous hour.

Really fancied a Chinese after Lockdown, our first, very disappointed, below par I am afraid and not as remembered from past experiences, piping hot, suspect microwave heated, lacking of basic presentation skills, never asked at any point how everything was, staff rushing around, total of only three tables with customers seated, tasteless food…. Best part was the cider. Oh and if the service doesn’t drive you bonkers the music will,,,,,, massive need of a refurbish,,,, Oh and the toilet was wobbly and Lopsided and lifting to one side….needed re securing to the floor, staff not interested at all with any of these raised comments….

Absolutely lovely. The best noodles I’ve had in 15 years. Thin noodles as standard not like everywhere else with their fat stodgy bland noodles. Plus the other 5/6 dishes were cracking too. Duck, rice, chicken dishes can’t fault any of it. Free bottle of wine as we spent over £45. The water margin did have the best title a few years ago but they lost their way by reheating & for different other reasons. The Mandarin is by far the best in Hampshire (that I’ve found ) hands down. 10 out of 10. A very well done. Can’t wait to return. Crave my noodles everyday again now.

Ordered a takeaway for family night in, could not fault the food at all, we had a variety and nothing disappointed, it was fresh, hot and tasty. Will definitely be returning.

Very good Chinese takeaway . Food was delicious and would definitely recommend as it’s well priced and was made quickly and efficiently. Would go there again as the atmosphere was nice and staff were kind. There is also a lot of vegetarian options which was also great.

We went for a belated birthday meal. It was a great choice. It was the best fun we have had in a restaurant for years. The waiters were lovely and very attentive. One of them was a brilliant comedian. He kept us laughing all evening. He made sure the "Birthday Boy" felt special and made us all feel so welcome.Of course, the food was excellent too! It was delivered very smartly and the buffet starter just kept coming.We we certainly go back there again.

This is our local Chinese restaurant and it's always super reliable, the service is amazing, foods brilliant. They're very friendly and chatty. If you go on a day for the buffet you get so much food for a fixed price, it's a bargain. Highly recommend.

Amazing food going back again with my sister and have recommended to others thank you. Cant wait for next visit. Manager was very friendly.

Recently got a take away from here and the duck had yellow fatty skin that was obviously never crispy, the rest was somehow dry. So I called the restaurant to tell them and a women answered. She said it was our fault for picking it up late which was a load of rubbish anyway as we was there ten mins early ! She had a right attitude ! After some time and a battle, she said she will only refund the duck and not the pancakes and not the cucumber and sauce that came with it ! Ridiculous ! Then she just kept saying (so basically) with every reply with some crap reason not to refund us, after requesting around 50 times to speak to the manager she put a chinese guy on the phone to just keep talking in chinese without taking a breath. Won’t go here ever again just simply because of the rude obnoxious immature inexperienced staff ! Eat at your own risk ! Better make sure there isn’t anything wrong because they don’t care !!

We went to The Mandarin Chef for their buffet night and came away really PLEASED.Good variety of dishes - all were really tasty and nicely cooked. The service was excellent and the waiters very attentive. The place itself is nice, a big main dining room, nice and light and bright A really good restaurant which I would definitely visit again . Food yummy !

We had heard good things about this place, it was very busy, always a good sign you think. We found the staff quite rude, the Buffett menu was minimal, the main dishes were nice but came away feeling dissatisfied to

A party of ten of us had the buffet with a couple of extra dishes also ordered and it came with speed, all the staff were on it and one was a bit of a comedian. The place was rammed but the staff stayed focused and polite. The food was delicious, served on a large, central lazy Susan stacked with food warmers - so by gently revolving it, we were all able to help ourselves to a bit of everything. And when the piled high plates ran out, we were repeatedly advised that we could simply order more. We didn't, as there was always the next course on the horizon! The drinks were fine too, not expensive, and the wine was good.My only observation is that the toilets are a bit scuzzy and you have to pass a large industrial plastic waste bin on the way in and out of the loos - most unappetising - fortunately I passed it early enough in the evening for it to be mostly empty......

We went to the Mandarin Chef as a part of a Christmas Eve evening with our family of 4. We have previously been here and been very impressed by a few aspects of the restaurant. The friendly staff; Quality of food; The price. However we went there recently and it was full up completely with families and as a result of this the Car park was full. Incompetent car drivers taking up 2 spaces this lead to no where to park. We were rushed all the way through the dinner( no space between each course) which was unpleasant. Then the bill came out overpriced, without letting us know. They charged the buffets at £22 pounds each, this meant it was £88 let alone without drinks or other items. They had increased the price of the buffets as it was the festive period which is a joke. Disappointed and dissatisfied, will not be returning !

It's clean in there but the toilets need a deep clean. The staff can be a bit bossy but they were very nice to me in there and they tried to explain everything very well. On the way to the toilet there was an overflowing bin and I think that that is a bit odd that it is on view to everybody. I think the toilets need a good revamp. The chairs need a good clean out too.

Very rude waiter. Tried to keep faith with this restaurant as it is local but have now given up. All they seem to do is take your money and get rid of you.

Four of us arrived for dinner on a busy Saturday evening.Our waiter probably thought he was funny but came across as rude .. at one point saying ‘you’re not listening’ !He was definitely wanting everyone in the restaurant to order the same way .. mixed starters for first course .. I’m guessing that’s the only way they can cope with so many diners. We wanted a particular dish and had to ask 3 times before he reluctantly made a note of it .. we still got the favoured mixed platter but with a plate of our choice on the side.After our main course was served it felt as though we were done , no one returned to ask if we wanted anything else or a dessert . No complimentary liqueurs or even a chocolate with our bill. The food is not cheap £20.50 is a fairly expensive buffet rate. The food is plentiful yes, but not fine dining .I feel there are better ways to eat Chinese food than this . Wine was cheap , shame they added about £25 worth of gin to our bill that we never had.

Asked the grumpy waitress for some veg and rice with our starters, which was made up of all meat dishes and were told we couldn't have them! Insisted. Supposed to be an all you can eat buffet. She wasn't happy. The dishes we ordered were dried up and hard, obviously reheated from yesterday's leftovers. Roast pork tough and grissly. Ordered mixed vegetables and received some watery cabbage. Spring rolls tough and hard.The waiters were always rushing around which made it difficult to relax.The worst Chinese meal we've ever had.Avoid.

Great choice of food cooked to perfection and copious amounts. Lovely atmosphere and pleasant staff.

Absolutely disgusted with this restaurant. 7 of us went there, for what was supposed to be a nice meal for our dads birthday. We were basically told what we were ordering. When we asked to order additional bits, which I will say we of course were paying for! We were grunted at! She tries everything she could to stop us ordering additional bits, acting like she was paying for it! After our starters, she RAN round our table clearing it and re plating etc. Again RUNNING! I feel I need to clarify this was 18:30 on a Wednesday evening. We plus one other table were the ONLY people in the restaurant. My mother in law asked her if the plates were hot? None of us could understand why she was running like her life depended on it. We had the 2nd round of starters and found their behaviour vile so we didn't stay for our main course we decided to leave. They offered 1 shot of any liquor because 7 of us turned down our main course. I will NEVER step foot in this place again. The staff are very very rude, argumentative and TELL you what you must order. Worst service I have EVER recieved. We normally go the the Water Margin in North Baddesley but fancied a change. What's the saying, better the devil you know ! So very true. Disgusting service.

This place offers lots of choice on the menu and our food came fairly quickly. It was all very flavoursome and very well prepared & cooked with no scrimping on the more expensive ingredients or the portion sizes. Delicious! There was a misunderstanding with one item and something different from what had been ordered was brought but staff were happy to rectify, so it didn’t cause an issue. The only slightly negative thing about our experience here was that we felt a little rushed; I would have liked a bit more of a relaxed feel to our evening.

Welcomed by friendly staff. Lovely round table but a bit cramped with 14 of us. Chairs were a tad on the low side. Excellent and efficient service - delicious unlimited buffet - superb. A return visit is definitely on the cards. Thank you Team Mandarin Chef.

From the phone call to make the booking right through our dining experience till the end a very helpful and friendly service was in abundance. You can read bad reviews which I guess are inevitable on any busy venue. We enjoyed our food and even when we went slightly off piste with our ordering this was received with a smile and helpful service. This was from 3 different members of staff and the manager. Thank you to all at the Mandarin Chef for great food and a professional friendly service making this a wonderful experience for my girlfriends birthday.

Ten of us dined at a lovely round table. We’d been before so knew that they’d serve us their ‘Unlimited Buffet’. They brought a huge platter of mixed starters, followed by duck with pancakes. We then each chose a main course with a side dish. It was excellent value at £16 each. Service was efficient and friendly. We’ll be back next year ...!

The atmosphere was so noisy it was difficult to speak to my partner and hear him speak. I also couldn't hear myself think. This was really off-putting when trying to concentrate on the menu and having a conversation with my partner.

I am sad to have to write this review but we had to leave this restaurant tonight without eating. We waited close to an hour for our food to arrive despite the fact that every other table had received their food - some of which came in up to 45 minutes after us. No explanation or confirmation of when we could expect food was given save for they were busy with take aways! The added sting in the tail as we explained why we had to go was that they charged us £3.50 for a bottle of sparkling water. I think they could have let that go given the circumstances!!

One of the best Chinese in the area. Needs to visit there to collect the food since they don't deliver but do not mind to come and not using other takeaways.

Hadn’t been here in 25 years so was a bit anxious as to wether it would be as we remembered it.

We had spring rolls, sesam prawns and spare ribs as a starter. Crispy duck in the second round. Szechuan beef, oyster sauce jeans as the main course. All very food and service with a smile. Second time we were here (2014 first time). We enjoyed it again.

We had set meal A and it included the best duck with pancakes that we have ever had. Portions were very substantial; don't think anyone finished their meal completely. Staff were attentive and courteous. Highly recommended.

firm favourite and best chinese around. With one who needs gluten free food they are accommodating and many vegan options such as the beancurd (various types), vegetable spring rolls and seaweed.

Me and my partner visit here frequently as our Chinese restaurant of choice. The smoked chicken is extremely delicious, as is everything else we have there. The decor is slightly dated but the general atmosphere in the restaurant is great, it is always buzzing and the staff are really friendly. Always leave feeling very satisfied!

Lovely chinese buffet, cooked to order. Staff were lovely, and very entertaining. The food was hot, of a very high quality, and finished with a complimentary liquer of your choice. We will be back !!

We have visited this restaurant on many occasions over the years and never had a bad experience of food or service, the staff are extremely friendly and go above and beyond to help.

Works outing with 14 in the party. Good selection and service and a waiter with a great sense of humour. Set menu great value. Enjoyable will go back .

We went for a. Late valentines stroke engagement we had asked for an intimate table for two we wernt informed s not possible on a sat. Eve we arrived early 630 shown to a horrible table Had asked n been assured it would be made too look romantic n decorated but no Horrible plain waiter was rude we were rushed we ha no time too look at menu told shared plater best before we could speak told you have that. Then we were sat under a speaker loud happy birthday played all eve the waiter had bad servicoi left in iii left in tears attitude handed me a red hot plate n myth fiancée got his plate thrown don in front of himchicen

Visited for the first time with friends. Very impressed with attitude and efficiency of staff on a very busy evening. Our waiter had a terrific sense of humour. All food delivered to our table very quickly and with a smile. Food quality was excellent. Will definitely visit again and thoroughly recommend this restaurant. ..thanks for a great evening! Greg and Lili.

Went here for an 18th birthday meal with a rather large party of 25 people. The staff were very welcoming and on the ball at all times. The food was piping hot and freshly made to order. The quality was great. If it was missing anything we just asked and they bought it over. I asked for water and within minutes it was here. Sometimes you go to places and they either forget or you get it half an hour later. Overall the food was really good and atmosphere was nice. I will be making another visit in the future.

Great good, had been for a long time but the take away service needs sorting out, even from placing order to receiving.

I’ve been here twice recently, just before Christmas with my family and last night with friends. Staff are always friendly and attentive.

Went for a Birthday celebration on 23rd December, did not want a Sunday roast so close to Xmas. Service slow, very busy, but food very good. Had the Buffet, all you can eat.

Keep coming back to this place to sit in for their buffet and for their takeaways as their food is just amazing. Always piping hot and takeaway pots are full to the brim! Very generous servings. Reasonably priced menu, especially for lunch buffet.

Chinese takeaway in Middleton. Ordered set meal for one with sweet and sour chicken balls, chicken with bean shoots and fried rice. All excellent and well recommended. Best takeaway in the area.

Hadn’t visited the place for a few years but upon return, found that it hadn’t changed at all, lol. Does need a makeover however staff are friendly and food is good quality. Has off road parking and is children friendly, well worth a visit.

Chinese Lunch on a rainy Saturday. The menu was a bit limited for vegetarians but what they did have we shared and very much enjoyed. Service was friendly and excellent.

First time i visited and was amazed with the quality and excellence of the service although it was fully booked. We had the Buffet and really did eat as much as we could.From starters to main and desert were prepared and presented to the highest standard. The best part was i was expecting a high bill and was pleasantly surprised when it was time to pay. Really one very good place to eat.

Seven of us aged 7 to 80 had saturday buffet lunch. Slightly chaotic service but no complaints from us as the quality food and happy staff made up for it and so reasonably priced. We've visited before and will definitely visit again. And lots of parking.

Another visit to the Chinese restaurant. Having a person who has food allergies we wondered how it would be. Thanks to a lot of help from Ricky the waiter everything was fine. The food as always was excellent and good value for money.

My friends took us here for a Saturday meal. All of the courses were excellent. Lots to share. Very attentive service and friendly waiters. I thought the duck was the best. If I lived near Romsey I would eat here every month. Too bad we're from Florida!

Food amazing, service great & prices low. Eat as much as you want buffet. Thank you for a lovely time.

Went here with my husband, food was excellent as was the service, so much variety, you can also have the buffet which is a set orice

We booked in for 7pm on a Saturday and are glad we did as it was very busy. Lots of locals. The food was excellent and the service was very attentive even though they were very busy. We had the buffet and the portion sizes were very generous, we left feeling very full! This has to be the best Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. Another reviewer mentioned the hygiene score, this is now at 5 stars from their last inspection.

Thank you so very much for very enjoyable Birthday lunch !!! Food amazing service perfect !!! Our second time eating there and can not fault either time. We will be back !!!! 👍. Whole family had great time !!!! 👍

We visited this Chinese Restaurant for a family occasion and found the staff very welcoming with a good sense of humour

We have been to this restaurant many times over many years but it it is not what it used to be. Starters were greasy, crispy duck was chewy and tasted as if it had been reheated several times. Also worrying is the Food Hygeine rating of only 2........

Went as a family group. We ordered that many starters, and the restaurant delivered so many of each, that we ended up with the biggest platter of 'beige food' the world has ever seen. We felt compelled to give this a good go to save embarassment, which meant very little room was left for anything else. The duck course was solid enough, but not the best I'd ever tasted. Main meals were good, but some had already given up by then, you have been warned! Would recommend for good value. Sunday lunch was surprisingly quiet, was just our group and one other couple.

Daughter's 30th birthday. Great atmosphere a s good food. Service was very good with attentive waiters. Thanks for making it special.

We had been advised to book fro this Restaurant. We did! Why, I do not know. It was empty. Perhaps that should have warned whatb was to come. We ate the whole meal on our own. We were sat in a window wit the blast of an A/C unit on us, there was snow on the ground outside! The waiter referred to us as "guys". The food was of questionable quality. We were asked to leave our table before our coffee arrived, so it could be cleared. It was not our fault that we were close to closing time. We had booked for 1/2 hour after they had opened!

We visited the restaurant for my wife’s birthday meal, the restaurant was extremely busy (Saturday evening) and a great atmosphere, all the waiters were very pleasant and efficient, and no long waits for service,

We booked this place for our daughter's 13th birthday. While booking on the phone, the manager asked if it was a special occasion. After we finished our meal which was superb on all counts, to our daughter's utter surprise the manager brought us a pudding with a candle on it to the background score of 'Happy Birthday to you'.

Took my wife here for dinner for the first time, we were seated quickly as we had booked in advance. This place is busy !

My family visited the restaurant, to celebrate a 'big birthday' for my special daughter. We were a group of 14. The welcome we received was very warm, the food was outstanding, and the whole evening could not have been better.

massively mixed feelings about the MC. Clearly popular as it was very busy, the buffet was 4/5, service and friendliness 5/5, value 4/5, decor and cleanliness 2/5 generosity 5/5, running out of seaweed (or cabbage!) 0/5

Just had lunch at the Mandarin for the first time in about a year. Such tasty, flavoursome food! The staff are so attentive and friendly and to top it all, great vale too. Love it

Have visited this Restaurant on a number of time now alway with work colleagues. And I have to say the staff are very friendly . Food is as you would expect from an all you can eat buffet lots of it and all quite tasty something a little greasy. But over all worth a visit if your hungry and on a small budget.

Sunday buffet for choir and friends, excellent tasty food and loads of it. Slightly old-fashioned place but very good value...

20 of us celebrated my sons 40th birthday last night excellent service excellent food staff very friendly we had 4...

We have used this restaurant for decades, we enjoy the food but were horrified to discover that the food hygiene...

Visited here as the reviews seem to be pretty good. There is an all you can eat option where you can pick what you want from a menu. The food was tasteless and boring. The crispy duck was not crispy at all it was soggy. The beef curry was vile and looked like sick in a bowl mixed with peas. Peas do not taste good in a curry! The waiters are friendly but they seem to throw the plates and cutlery at you, the service in that sense is pretty poor. We felt very rushed it was not a nice experience and will not be returning.

We visited for a light supper on a Tuesday evening and were given a warm welcome. Our table by the window offered a good view of trees and a nearby church. A bowl of prawn crackers was immediately put on the table and we ordered Peking roast duck, chicken with straw mushrooms and egg fried rice, along with China tea for two. The tea was very good. I was very happy with my duck dish, which had plenty of meat on it. My wife's chicken dish was perhaps not such a good choice, because it had no tasty sauce (such as soy sauce). It was flavoured with garlic but was rather bland. I dare say if you choose chicken it is better to go for black bean sauce or something with more taste to it. The rice was well cooked and tasty. Although we had ordered modestly, we were offered a liqueur on the house as we paid the bill. It was a nice touch, although we chose to have some more tea instead. The waiters were friendly throughout and the cost of the meal was very modest, around £21. We look forward to our next visit. On most days of the week they offer a buffet. That seemed to be what most of the diners had chosen. .

I visited recently with my family. We had two children age four and eight with us. We opted for the buffet menu, the food was brought to the table in plentiful abundance. The food was all very nice and the staff very friendly. I would agree that the decor is dated but that aside this is a warm and friendly restaurant and represents good value for money.

We had relatives over for the weekend. Wanted to book somewhere quickly. Luckily the Mandarin Chef could fit us in at short notice. Food and service excellent and our guests more than impressed by both. Always worth a visit

We have been many times before and have always had good food and received a warm welcome from all the staff. We usually have the ala-carte menu food but decided to try the Sunday Evening Buffet, a good variety of food was on offer, the portions of all food was very generous. We had the mixed sharing platter to start it had a good selection of different items, a finger bowl was also given to cleanse our hands before the next course, when we had our next course of crispy duck we were given a new finger bowl which we appreciated. After finishing our main courses we were supplied with fresh hand wipes, really good to see a restaurant being so attentive to customers hygiene requirements. When anyone books a table they are always asked if booking is for a special occasion and if it is a Birthday Celebration as mine was they play Happy Birthday music to create a nice atmosphere which most people appreciate. Also a dessert is given with a candle in it and staff sing Happy Birthday and an extra little touch is an aperitif of customers choice is given, which like dessert is FOC. Needless to say you are made to feel special which is very welcoming. All of our visits have been thoroughly enjoyed with very good food and customer service and we will definitely be returning.

Great place to come for good food with a good atmosphere, good service and good value. We have been many times and have never been disappointed. The buffet menu is particularly good because it allows you to try a variety of different dishes and is good value. The service is very friendly and good, which really adds to the enjoyment of a meal here.The decor is perhaps a bit dated as some other reviewers have commented and are clearly bothered by, but for me this is part of the charm of eating here. The most important thing is the quality of the food, which is very good and very tasty. Overall a great place to go for a Chinese meal. Perhaps the best accolade for the Mandarin Chef is that is a very popular and busy restaurant, a sure sign that it is a very good restaurant.

We found the food to be 1st class, we had a table for 14 people for the Friday buffet and even though the restaurant was busy the food arrived hot and in good time. The staff we're very helpful and the manager eager to please. I recommend Mandarin Chef to anyone wanting good Chinese food and service.

Although I couldn't fault the food the inside of this place is very dated and in need of an update. We were placed on a small table for two just outside the kitchen door which was right behind my husband with people rushing in and out all night. My view was of the open doorway which led to the toilets, housing a bin for food scraps and a lot of household type products. I would recommend for a takeaway but not for a table booking for 2They seem to cater better for larger groups having the buffet menu rather than 2 people having the al a carte

Went to try the buffet lunch menu today. My mum and I are both vegetarian, and there was only one starter marked as veggie but that was ok because there were plenty of mains. Ordered the starter and 2 mains with the waitress who seemed surprised we didn't order more starters, we explained why but she didn't understand. A few minutes later the chef comes out and starts trying to explain something to us but we couldn't understand, showing us different menus and that no one ever orders what we have and showing us everything we've ordered on the other menu. My mum and I were both very confused and he's talking louder to try and get us to understand and the other people in the restaurant are looking over and after about 5 minutes of this we decided it was best to just leave. In their defence they didn't charge us for the tea we'd ordered. But honestly we have no idea what the problem was, and just felt humiliated.

We had the all you can eat buffet. The format is great as you can order what you like and try lots of different things, plus order more if there is something you particularly like. We had two rounds of starters. The smoked chicken was particularly good, but the chef's pork chunks were chewy and tasteless - I would give them a miss next time! Luckily it's all you can eat, so if you have the odd dish you don't like it doesn't really matter!Crispy duck "middle course" was delicious. By the time we got to main courses we were already full but actually the main courses were not as good as the starters anyway. Staff were very friendly, food was delivered quickly and was all hot and fresh. We will visit again.

First off with the downsides, yes the building and décor are dated but the food and service are what you pay for and over the past 12 months we have eaten here regularly and travel some distance to do so and we have never been disappointed. I have been here when it is quiet and when it is packed and its always easy to park and you always get service with a smile.

I've noticed that the ingredients were quite good, and the food was delicious. Unfortunately I once again realized I don't like it. I love many Asian kitchens but the Chinese just... Hmm. I don't know. Maybe it's the greasiness :/I would still recommend everyone to go and taste, this is just my stupid opinion and I'm sure many will disagree with me :)

Went on a Sunday with 7 family members and enjoyed the buffet. Rather than traditional buffets, you can pick dishes from a set menu (plenty of choices, including Peking duck as a second course, before your mains) and they bring the food to your table.It is very good value and the dishes are very good, although do not expect fine dining presentation (as some reviewers might...). We enjoyed the smoked chicken starter dish in particular.Finally, I must add that the waiters are very jovial and polite, which makes a huge difference to your overall impression. I would certainly recommend Mandarin Chef as a good family venue (easy parking right outside too !).

Seeing the great reviews we decided to have a family night out here. The decor is dirty with food splashed up the walls next to the table. A hole in ceiling patched with a sheet of paper and cello tape! The table food warmers have probably never ever been cleaned and were disgusting covered in old food stains etc.Paper table cloths reminded me of a kids party but certainly were in keeping with the rest of the decor.Food was average to poor please don't ruin your evening by going and don't believe the other reviews they must be made up!Hope you don't make the same mistake as us! Peking Phoenix next time!!

We had a retirement party for 25 people in a separate room which we were able to decorate & it was a great success. The staff were very efficient yet discreet & the food was well presented & hot & everyone enjoyed it. It's not easy dealing with a large party but they managed very efficiently. We had 2 set courses & then all chose a separate main course which was for sharing also & served with rice & noodles. We had 3 round tables which are always easier for making conversation.They asked if anyone had any allergies or special requirements before serving us.The main restaurant was also quite busy that evening.

We were a group of 7 family going to the Mandarin Chef to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary and my wife's Birthday on Sunday 12th March. As always, the staff are fantastic and nothing is too much trouble for them. The food is excellent and the drinks are very fairly priced. We've been many times to this great place and we look forward to the next time.

Definitely recommend the lunchtime buffet. No complaints whatsoever.Extremely friendly and helpful staff.