The New Water Margin in Derby

I’m afraid as a regular favourite this continues to go down hill… we visited with family and despite filling in the order sheet with the portions we wanted we found the portions to be small and not enough. Cold too. Quality has suffered and dishes are not as tasty as they once were and lack the attention to detail that happened previously (nice little decorations on the plates and heaters to put plates on). We asked for more dishes (it’s all you can eat) and these didn’t come. We tried to ask other staff who didn’t understand English at all. Then we pointed out the manager who had written down the order and in fairness he apologised but we waited so long for the extra food. In all it was not worth the money paid and for the first time in a long time there was no tip left. The toilets remain a scene from the ‘Saw’ movie and are desperate for some investment with sticky floor, fluorescent lights from the 80’s, a door that needs painting and cubicles that are past their prime… this restaurant needs investment and to get the standards back - or close down. Would be a shame but really has gone downhill.

Posted years ago....more high end prices

The restaurant it's self is okay... if you don't mind sticky floors and decore from the 70's Service was okay..ish. except you feel slightly rushed because the staff are just hovering waiting to take your plate. The food ... The pork and prawns are just deep fried balls. All the sauces tasted the same - gelatinous, bland and cold. The beef was... well, I have no idea what it was, it was thin, fishy and had the texture of jelly. The vegetables in the dishes where still raw. I had to chew the ribs that much my jaw hurt. Looking at the reviews, I may have caught it on a bad day. But it was a really disappointing experience.

Food and service good, with a good all you can eat menu. Always on the cold side (room temp) in the restaurant every time we’ve been. Disappointed tonight that our 10 year old didn’t qualify for the children’s menu (for 10 and under) because “she looks 12”. Maybe I should bring her birth certificate next time!? Left a bitter taste to end the meal with that issue - and will make us think twice before returning again - very rude.

Delicious food and welcoming service. Chicken kung po is a favourite dish.

We went on a Sunday lunch eat all you want with our children, which was excellent overall! The food was lovely, very fresh and tasty. The service was fantastic. Highly recommend this restaurant, we will be back soon.

food was cold and the value for money was shocking.portion size for a half duck was a joke and the sauce was all over the inside of bag covering toast and nothing left for the meal.

Food was on point . It was really nice . Staff was nice . There was only one bad point and that was the cold restaurant. So unfortunately I not be going back to a cold restaurant. Hope they can sort this out

A nice place, seriously good food, did not get a chance to taste Duck Roast (available only on Saturday and Sunday! ) but rest of the food was very nice, size of dimsum was massive.. Fast service, friendly staff... Will definitely recommend

food is wrong. vegetarian spring rolls ard meat of some description

Nice food as always. Would help if they brought dish warming units to keep the food warm while you eat.

Love this restaurant and have been going here for dim sum over 40 years. In my view you won't get better dim sum anywhere in the uk.

we've ordered crispy noodles with shredded pork before and what we got this time was really disappointing. the noodles were exactly the same as the noodles with beansprouts with a few pieces of pork added. Not crispy, not the dish we have ordered in the past.

we absolutely loved these after trialling 2 different other Chinese restaurants in the past 2 days on our trip to Derby. definitely recommend

Great place food service quick and food was good quality

Lovely. crispy noodles and sauce were in separate containers, so the noodles stayed crisp. It makes a difference. New Water Margin always thinks of these little things.

When I received my delivery I was horrified to find that I had just spent £60 on nothing. The chicken balls were £13.50 each and I barely received 6 as I ordered 2 I had just spent £27 on 13 chicken balls which I thought was going to be atleast 10. I had 7 people to feed including kids and when I saw the size of the portions I felt sick. I had thought that a nice takeaway Chinese would be a lovely treat, just to find that it was a shit show. I am absolutely appalled at the pricing compared to what you get. DO NOT ORDER FROM HERE. As soon as I had received it I attempted to call to complain but even after 8 tries they still hadn't answered. I also ordered the chips with salt and chilli, trust me, they are plain chips. They had no flavour at all, for saying they were £5.50 and promoted as chips with this flavouring, they were awful.

Worst Chinese ever, £27 for 13 chicken balls!!! Bot even cooked properly were all soggy and pink inside had to throw out. Had about 10 chips in pack. Egg fried rice wasn’t egg fried just plain and bland. Dont waste your money absolutely awful

The food was delicious, and everything was cooked perfectly. The staff were super friendly and helpful, and the place had a really nice vibe. The restaurant also provides a parking space which makes it easier if you’re making your way there by car. Would definitely come back again in the future. 🌟xx

Best Chinese I've had I a long time

The portion sizes are a joke smallest chicken balls known, pots half full of sauce no prawn crackers for £43 total rip off

Lovely Chinese restaurant, 6 of us went last night. We had three “all you can eat” menu. Great choices and lovely food. Service excellent and had some red wine which was good too. Price is competitive with similar restaurants. Would definitely recommend and will be coming back.

We were appalled by the service at this restaurant. We rang on Friday night from the other side of Derby to confirm we would get there in time for food before a half an hour walk to the restaurant. We were seated, sold drinks before being told we would have to be served all three courses at once! The staff were rude, unwelcoming and unprofessional.

Went for my granddaughter birthday.. Could not fault service or the quality of the food.... Such a shame I have to travel 90 miles 😁 love it

They close quite early at 9.30 but did visit mid week.

Excellent food and service. Highly recommend

Worst chowmein ever ,the noodles were very very crispy and served separately from chunks of fatty meat no taste at all no Chinese seasonings, truly inedible

Amazing buffet! Highly recommended. Unlike other buffers where the food is already cooked and you will just pick whatever you want in the food aisle. They have menu where you can order your food and they will cook it fresh. You can also order as many times as you want providing you pick the buffet option as they also have an alacarte menu.

Hong Kong-style tea drinking, excellent dim sum, reasonable prices, and an old-style tea house environment.

Not been here for years. Went for Sunday lunch , have to say it was a lovely experience and will definitely go again, it seemed hard to book in but actually they do take walk in's and phoned me back straight away, we had the all you can eat buffet ,what impressed us the most is it is all cooked fresh and brought to your table , you choose from the menu and the amount of portions , (no queuing people coughing over the food , picking out the best bits or all the bits I hate from buffet's!! ) It was all very tasty and you could actually tell what you was eating, really really impressed.

Very friendly Beautiful food especially the starters All cooked fresh to order which makes much better than the usual all can eat buffet stations Will be returning

We got the wrong rice and it was cold only half a pot of source and 8 small balls …. Call the water margin but the lady was very rude and hung up she just said it’s just eat’s fault and take it up with them

Booked for 12 people at 8pm. Menu on tables not clear, paper sheet to fill in with quantity required for all you can eat buffet but no normal menu provided. Those not on AYCE buffet had just to say what they wanted without menu choice or price. Just seemed a strange way to do it. Food was hot though. Rushed during main course, they came and said......anything else! Quick quick, the kitchen is closed..this was 9.30pm Probably won't return.

Dim sum is finally back on the menu, hooray! Food was delicious, authentic and homemade. Worth the wait.

Spur of the moment stop off for food, we were welcomed with no booking and seated in a lovely atmospheric area. We have never eaten here before so decided to have the all you can eat so we got to try a variety of what they had to offer. The highlights for me, were the kung po chicken for its wonderful flavour, and the beef in black bean sauce, which was cooked to perfection. It really was a fantastic experience.

The portion is very small compare to the price the taste are ok not anything special I don’t recommend

The food was cold, the quality of the ingredients is very poor. Will not be ordering again. Very pricey, no free prawn crackers. £50 order. Very poor.

Good experience. Friendly staff.

Went for a meal on April 17th a party of 26 4 of our party wear 12 and we had to pay £22 each for them adult prices 4 of our party wear 7 and 8 and we had to pay £11 pound so that left 18 adults paying £22 making a total of £406 4 children at £22 = 88 4 children at £11 = 44 18 adults at £22= 406 TOTAL £538 It was a Wednesday night and thay warnt busy ,so would have thought l would have got better discount for the children, who eat very little, I WAS DISGUSTED and felt TRIPPED of. FOOD MODERATE!!........................

It was cold in the restaurant. Very small portions, crispy duck was fatty and not crispy We asked to see Manager and no one came, expressed our disatisfaction when we left, but the Manager just was not bothered

The place felt dirty and your feet stuck to the carpets in the bar area and the rest of the carpets were just filthy . Couldn’t take our coats off as it was so cold , we did complain but still it remained cold . The food was unappetising in appearance and most of it was cold . Chicken and beef meat dishes were tough . Everything looked like it had been sat for days and then warmed up. Our booking was for 6.30 for four people and the place remained almost empty for the rest of the evening , so obviously people are now avoiding this place as I will in the future !

£98 for 4 people on all you can eat is false. You had to specify what you wanted on a sheet of paper, outlined by what you could order. Most food items was stacked out with onions. I can still taste them now. I won't be going back

Had a lovely takeaway from here tonight, the food tasted amazing. Well worth the price as it's hard to find a decent restaurant .

All can eat isn't a buffet as was advised so selected menu which was disappointing but food served wasn't bad. Service was bit of a nightmare as server's we had didn't understand the dishes and slow for drinks so gave up and left soon as had finished eating

The food was not nice today service was slow

Usually an amazing experience. They didn't record my mother's day booking & the guy was rude to me. Wasted 15 pound on taxis, even though I have a call log to confirm I made the call to book. We usually spend £100 for4 people there. Will not return 😡

Was here for mother's day they accused me of not booking. I have proof of calling and they basically insinuated I was a liar. Very upset the guy was an ass to me. Will never come back I'm genuinely annoyed at you all. Was really looking forward to seeing the new water margin after so long.

Will call in again when in Derby food and service was great. We had a party of 24 every one enjoyed the evening

The service here was good - it was efficient and the staff were very polite. The food was good - lots for the money although charging extra to take left overs home seems a bit odd seeing as there is a set price. It would be good if the menu for “eat as much as you want” was clearer on portion sizes and serving sizes. The atmosphere in the restaurant was nice. It was cosy and not too loud, however the decor looks a little tired and could do with some sprucing up. On the whole, a decent experience.

The ‘all you can eat’ buffet was great. All cooked to order and great portion sizes. Staff are lovely.

Lovely place to eat. The staff were fabulous, the food good. We were there for Chinese New Year and really enjoyed the traditional entertainment.

Went for the Chinese New Year 2024 as well as a Special Five Course Menu also included excellent entertainment in the form of a brilliant Magician who went round the tables followed by a singer and of course the traditional Lion Dance. Service was very good & the food as always excellent - a great evening out - the singer even had folk dancing as he was that good.

Food was nice and reasonably priced, however, service was slow between orders, portion sizes were small, we were very rarely checked on. Our drinks order was taken eventually but when it arrived one was missing, which we had to chase up when someone finally came round again. A lot of the dishes we requested had run out, our table was 19:15 on Saturday.

The food on a hole was beautiful cooked but the servers and everything else was appalling didn't ask if we enjoyed meals was only allowed a set amount of food and we ordered from the all you can eat menu I also went to the ladies toilets and had to clean the seat and was freezing in there too not a night at all very unhappy customer

Went with a party of ten. Some of us ordered from the set price buffet menu, others the a la carte. The food was delicious. One of our party is vegetarian yet some items on their vegetarian menu contained oyster sauce and pork! Nevertheless, the food really was delicious. The drinks waiter didn't actually know which drinks were diet or not and didn't know the difference between wine and gin and some drinks had been forgotten. All that said, we had a lovely time in a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by traditional Chinese decor. Would definitely return.

delivery driver was very rude poor service and told me I need to come to him he's was at the wrong entrance at the hospital

Authentic Chinese dishes at reasonable price. Great to have this restaurant in Derby

Went with the guys from work on a Friday night. Booked for 8pm after a few drinks sat down and was served at around 8:25. Starters came, followed by a few mains, we were just getting into our stride with 6 small dishes between the four of us. Decided on a few more but when we tried to order we were told the kitchens were now closed. They closed at 9pm. Left £120 poorer and still hungry! Not value for money. Shall not return.

Five star service and food, in a typically Cantonese style restaurant. Highly recommended.

Food is always fantastic, service staff were always happy to help. The best chips I have ever had, the lemon and honey chicken and the beef curry were outstanding.

Everthing is bad but the water the water was so new and i drank it it tasted so good

Booked for 20 people we all Ordered off all you can eat menu . Disappointed with what came out . Starters where fine waited ages for mains to come out . portion size was terrible ordered chips and sweet and sour chicken for 4 we had one small plate of chips and one for sweet sour chicken some dishes never even came out by the time they came back in to see if we wanted anything else we had given up waiting. Definitely not worth the £25.29 each .

We have been eating at this superb restaurant regularly since Covid - never had a bad meal here. Great service with friendly staff & owners. Nice house red & Sunlik Lager whats not to like.

I half of my meal was missing and for the price I expect better and I haven’t got my refund yet

Great restaurant. food was absolutely amazing, prices weren't the cheapest, and the restaurant itself looks a bit tired, bit overall the food was the best I've had for a while.

Massively overpriced. Small portions, poor quality. Soup was inedible.

In my opinion the best place for Chinese food in derby, staff are great well worth a visit, or 2 👍

The menu was varied, well presented and delicious. The service was excellent. We would definitely go there again.

Tasty food, reasonable price and good service

When Chinese ppl half fill the restaurant, you know it's good!

The prices are reasonable considering the quality of the food and the level of service provided. The portion sizes were generous, ensuring that you leave the restaurant fully satisfied. I wholeheartedly recommend this Restaurant to anyone seeking a delectable Chinese dining experience.

Very good. Hand made dim sum and excellent big bowl dishes.

Had a wonderful night out with the family. Our server Tim was polite, attentive, and helpful. A brilliant member of staff. The food was amazing. We had all you can eat, and the variety was brilliant. Would really recommend giving this place a try. We will definitely be coming back.

Rubbish portions and was absolutely horrible didn't taste nice at all and the duck oh my the worst iv had feel like I got robbed oh and 5 king prawns for 13 odd pounds no thanks will not be coming again

Is advertised as buffet, but is table service. Food is good. Friendly staff. If you're expecting to feed the kids quickly, it's not ideal. Prices reasonable. Chicken and beef was halal. Staff helped us to find halal items. Would visit again.

Booked a table and was expecting an all you can eat Chinese as advertised, we were asked to order what we wanted and were told 3 options each were too many and it would not fit on the table ,even tho there was lots of empty tables, so were asked to cross off two options and we could order them after if wanted , the food came out was OK, I was then told the kitchen was closing so ordered the items I originally wanted and wasn't served them , poor service and poor beer ! Avoid

A special treat after a weekend at Alton Towers… we had a fantastic meal here based on the all you can eat menu. Wonderful service, handy parking outside and we were really impressed with the decor and food inside!!! Well worth a visit - you’ll be pleased you ventured inside…

Booked last minute for Sunday lunch. Lovely welcome on arrival. The decor is beautiful. Went for the all you can eat option so we could try different dishes. Great variety and tastes divine. Will definitely visit again, I can't recommend enough.

Been going for years. Remember when it first opened before ‘all you can eat’. My friends come down from Cheshire as they think the quality, choices, service and value is worth travelling for. Have booked for them on 14th again.

Read the reviews, very mixed. For me I found the service to be fine, the as much as you want menu was explained to us, the food was lovely and £25 a head inc drinks I thought was very reasonable this day and age when you consider that they, like the rest of us , aren't immune from rocketing costs

Definitely not worth the money.

Food is good, nothing special, but never had to complain. The restaurant is long established and over the years its popularity has waxed and waned due to food ratings. We have never experienced anything but enjoyable food. My only issue is with the staff. Get served by the wrong guy and your experience is put on an immediate downer. Not seen him last couple of times 😊

Awful food and way over priced, friend ended up with a bad stomach won't be going again

Not been for a long time and it was an all you can eat menu and it was served at your table. Really enjoyed it. Great staff and food to match.

Foods are delicious and authentic, except the twice-cooked pork belly slice 回锅肉 is really dry :( All the staffs are friendly and patient, the atmosphere is very oriental too. Definitely recommended! Although you should call them to order your food in advance (like roasted duck, fresh fish and seafood etc.). My boyfriend and I went there many times but didn't get to eat what we wanted every time. The most recent time we went, there was no beef, no chicken, no duck and no lamb 😭

The food here is outstanding and the staff are really friendly and helpful. One of my favourite places to go.

Love the food and the hospitality. Clean and welcoming ambience. A great place to try out

We called the restaurant on Friday and checked if they could cater for coeliacs which they confirmed they could. On arrival the lady that greeted us didn’t seem to know what we could have and said a lot of food was cooked in a shared fryer but she said the waiter would know so she took us to our seats and gave us the menus. The menu states that allergies can be catered for so when the waiter came over we asked what we could have. He went to check with the kitchen and then advised all we could have was a portion of vegetables. We asked for the bill for the drinks so that we could find somewhere else to eat. When the lady came to take our payment she said are we sure we don’t want anything as we would be ok with the rice and maybe some other things and also meat dishes. Despite the fact that the chef in the kitchen had already confirmed that the only gluten free item and suitable for coeliacs was vegetables! This place really needs to be aware of allergies and the dangers of people with allergies eating food that can cause us serious harm. Would not recommend on this basis.

The perfect place for an evening with loved ones! My boyfriend and his family have been coming for years and practically nothing has changed - delicious traditional style food is always served! Especially for me (coming from Poland), you can literally feel like you're in China! The beautiful interior and the friendly and fast service adds even more value to this place ✨🇨🇳🎋

Best Chinese in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

We always eat Chinese food here and it's the best place in Derby. We are always made to feel welcome and the food quality is excellent. Highly recommended.

Room was quite cold but food was nice. Good value

Everything is fresh and cooked to order from the very very extensive menu probably the best Chinese restaurant in derby and well worth a visit.

This used to be a favourite place. A destination for a celebration. Rice and other dishes ‘to die for’ …buts it’s all slipping away. The restaurant is looking ever more tired, the toilets get ever more terrible (think of a scene from ‘Saw’ and it could be filmed there, but would smell less). Dishes that used to have nice decoration no longer have it. Favourites like Mongolian lamb, squid etc have gone from the all you can eat and replaced with lesser quality. I’d rather pay two price bands for buffet and have these options back. Service has also deteriorated, we ordered a soft shell crab as an extra to the buffet and it came with the starters! Why? We had to send it back for a fresh one, which fair play they did - but shouldn’t happen. I fear this restaurant will not survive much longer unless it invests in itself, believes in what it can offer and goes back to what it once was. Please please do this soon before it’s too late.

We visited last night again food and service was excellent the five of us all enjoyed our food and we will be coming here again soon

Best Chinese buffet in derby! 👌

Got to the restaurant and we were greeted by staff. Managed to find a table for us quickly. Little confusion over how to order but soon answered our questions. Food was super tasty and plenty of it. Glad the other place we went to was too busy and we had a great time in lovely surroundings. Reasonably price and we were able to take left overs home. See you again soon. !!!!

Excellent food and staff are really attentive. Always will go above and beyond especially if you're vegetarian/vegan which my fellow guests were. Best Chinese food in and around Derby without a doubt.

琴晚去咗食 勁好味👍冇諗過可以係Derby食到咁正宗既中式嘢 價錢合理 會再去食😋

Good food, the only traditional Chinese food restaurant in Derby!