Water Margin in Barnet

Aparecimos justo después de las 2 pm no estaba lleno, pero luego dejan de servir comida a las 3:00 pm y empezar de nuevo en 5. 30:00 h.

My family has been going to this restaurant for over 30 years and absolutely love it - the staff are so friendly and bend over backwards to please - their food is of the highest quality - my favourite is their roast duck and their won ton soup, their house soup is fab and their spring rolls amazing I could go on and on - my whole family adore this restaurant and I cant recommend it highly enough.

Une très longue carte qui nous a tout d'abord déconcertés. Nous avons commandé une « suggestion » pour 3, et nous avons eu du mal à tout manger à 4.

My long time favourite restaurant in NW London. Without going to Soho, you can enjoy authentic Chinese taste!!

I found the staff friendly and very quick to serve. Food came very quickly, almost not enough time to update my facebook status! The food was great and price was reasonable. I would gladly return.

Regresar después de larga ausencia a encontrar comida deliciosa pero peor servicio. La comida estaba caliente y apetecible, pero el servicio era tan indiferente que te desanime su comida. El restaurante estaba medio vacío, sin atmósfera. Sería difícil volver, lo cual es una pena, ya que la comida era buena.

Hemos estado yendo a la margen de agua para algunos de 30 años. Metimos en, después de un largo descanso, para un bocadillo y fue de los más decepcionados. Empezamos con el cracker de gambas que no sabor fresco. Tenía dos sopas que sabían aguada. Los niños tenían arroz frito huevos que era gris - recalentados, supongo, no es agradable. En este punto nos dimos por vencidos. Una experiencia muy decepcionante, especialmente porque hemos tenido dramáticamente mejor en el pasado. Buscando otros comentarios que debe haber sido en un mal día, pero luego no fue siquiera medio lleno en una noche de sábado. Insólito en el pasado.

Always authentic Chinese, I do get tired of reviews where people complain, I personally have eaten many different dishes here over the years, quite a few not my choice, and I must say that the basics are on par with every good Chinese, and the real Chinese food is always excellent. Fresh food, reasonable prices. Definitely worth going to.

Recuerdo este lugar desde los días cuando el Golders Green Road había tiendas y ambiguas entre literalmente lugares para comer en agua; Margen es uno de ellos. Bien, así que está bien establecida, pero sin duda es uno de los mejores restaurantes alrededor y si le apetece un chino, entonces adelante. No he iba a entusiasmar; un lugar decente y fiable en una zona decente que sirve comida restaurante chino decente. Yo estaría contento con eso. Así que si.

Fue presidida por coreano que estaba cerrado para el almuerzo. Terminó su lugar y no quedé decepcionado con la comida. El lugar era tranquilo a las 4 p.m. así que teníamos la completa atención del personal.

Looks like time has stood still here and this place is still going strong after all these years. The waiters barely speak English so do not ask for anything complicated. Duck with pancakes was very good the rest south of average.

Like others, been going there for 30 plus years. Used to have to book for any night of the week and the queue ran to the door. They controlled the queue by increasing their prices, significantly. Recently there was us and three other tables. That was it, so no atmosphere. We no longer recognised any of the staff and their habit of not waiting to clear plates before everyone has finished is very annoying. The food was pretty good, but not as good as before. They now have a wide screen TV. The night I go there and the sound is on will be my last ever visit.

Great atmosphere friendly staff the food was excellent and extremely generous portions. The staff were polite and attentive with out being pushy.

We've been coming here for the last 30 years and it never ever disappoints.On one occasion we thought we would try somewhere different where the service was so bad, we left after 15 minutes and ended up at good old water margin.Excellent food, excellent excellent excellent service and very child friendly.

Been coming here since Day 1 when it first opened. Always good food and good value. Staff are friendly and helpful. Great family restaurant. This was our local and though we now live miles away in Chiswick, we still keep coming back! One of the best ducks served anywhere, lovely crispy pork, and mostly everything else we have tried is pretty damn good. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work!

Hands down best Chinese food I have eaten in London or anywhere else for that matter. Sweet and sour chicken is a must. Very unpretentious which can be confused with bad service but food makes up for it.

Ordered roast duck and pork on rice. Important to state you do not want it microwaved, as all Chinese restaurants do to this dish, and ruin it. It was the best roast duck and pork I've had for years. Looking forward to next visit.

I have been coming here ever since they opened - about 40 years. I have eaten Chinese food all over the world and in some of the best restaurants in the world but I have always said on my way home from other Chinese restaurants "it was great but not as good as Water Margin"Mixed meat with fried noodles has yet to be beaten !

We've been ordering chinese takeaway here for the past 10-15 years. I'm writing on behalf of my parents and family, I remember eating at the restaurant when I was younger, good memories. About 2-3 times a month we order takeaway from here. I would say the quality of food is very good, otherwise we wouldn't be returning on a monthly basis! We usually order the beef or chicken chow mein noodles, beef ho fun noodles, fried rice with beef and peas, seafood rice, spicy ribs and others. Being from a chinese background, I feel confident in saying this is very good Chinese takeaway food (different from home-cooked style), you won't be disappointed in ordering takeaway from here. The portion sizes are good too, we recycle the plastic boxes that they provide (some chinese restaurants skimp on takeaway boxes).

I went with my family there ordered many dishes one of them came with hair I was disappointed and disgusted.they changed it but still lost my appetite.never again .they should be more careful before serving dishes.

A good Chinese restaurant is hard to find it think, but this place is really decent. Not fancy but good food. Would recommend the garlic broccoli and terrified roast duck and bbq sauce.

this restaurant has been going for as long as I remember-probably 40 years or so. the food is fine, friendly service in a somewhat dated environment. its ok if you need Chinese food and you are there at the time.

This restaurant has a great relaxed atmosphere. The menu is extensive and well put together. The food was cooked to perfection. I found the service excellent and the staff were very helpful in putting the correct choices together. The Crispy Aromatic Duck is a must.

Loved it, casual, decent portions (the wanton soup for 4 was massive) the duck wasn't crispy enough but overall, a nice place for a get together.Nothing fancy about it but very authentic.

I've been coming here with my family for as long as I can remember, in fact as I'm writing this now my dad has just gone to pick up a takeaway! The food is delicious. Any time I have a Chinese meal anywhere else I compare it to the Water Margin - it's never as good!! The staff are always lovely and service is quick. Highly recommended.

It still has the best char siu and duck in London. First went when I was a student in the late 70s or early 80s my memory fails me. They did manage to change the carpets.

Haven't dined here for a while but happy to return. Good value authentic tasting dishes. Hot and sour soup very delicious. Staff helpful and friendly.

Five of us went to Water Margin at around 5:30pm. The waiter seated us at a table for four people and added an extra chair. The table was very cramped before we had even ordered, so we asked to move to a larger table. The restaurant was almost empty and there were no 'reserved' signs on any of the tables, but the waiter refused to move us, saying "You've got enough room". He was rude and didn't even bother to make eye contact when telling us, so we therefore decided to leave without ordering. On the way out I saw that the food hygiene score was only 3/5, so perhaps it was a blessing that we didn't stay.

Had lunch there today. It's the only place to go for Chinese, as far as I'm concerned. Excellent cooking, service and choice.

I'm an oriental and came here with a group of friends following a recommendation. Service was quick and friendly, food was fairly priced, food was OK. We had three roast meats. The char siu tasted much of soy, the belly pork was very fatty but the duck good. There was also too much sauce on it which was pretty salty. We had prawns and the sauce was very gelatinous, which put me off! Wasn't bad though. Rice portions were also generous. We left content.

I've been coming here since 1987 and found it one of the best Chinese restaurants in London; the crispy pork, spinach in fermented bean curd sauce, ho fun with beef and black bean, and particularly the large portion of salt and pepper squid were staples of our family's frequent visits. The last two times we visited I ordered the large portion of squid but was brought a small 'starter' portion, and there were only rings, no tentacles. I told the waiter this wasn't what I'd ordered and he told me the other portion was too large and 'no one wants the tentacles'. Whether this meant they no longer offer them as customers have not eaten them I don't know, but the experience was repeated the next time we went and makes me reluctant to try again. Has there been a change of management?

there are not that many Chinese restaurants in Golders Green, so I encouraged to see all the positive reviews.We booked for 7pm and the room was 2/3rds full, its a smallish, buzzy downstairs, with a upper floor, for large parties (who would make their own atmosphere). Service was competent and swift, from a very comprehensive Cantonese menu. I wished there had been more of us so we could try things like eel in black bean sauce. There was no trendy Schechuan or tricksy fusion dishes, so that could account for the sizeable portions at sensible prices.as we were just 2, we had a 1/4 duck (which loses a little of its taste in the smaller size - a 1/2 would have been better - then belly pork, squid, aubergines and Singapore noodles. With 2 beers the bill, with service, came to £50. And we couldn't finish it all.As good a trad Chinese meal as any. Recomended unreservedly

I go to Water Margin every few months. When I fancy a bit of Fujian fried rice and some barbequed meat I head there and am always satisfied. I must admit I have limited knowledge of the menu but the things I have tried are all good.A very decent local chinese food. The Fujian fried rice is goooood.

Love this place. I grew up in North London and it's always been a family favourite. My mum is Chinese and super-critical of Chinese restaurants. She'll go to specific ones for specific things - Water Margin is all about the roast duck rice and Kailan stirfried with garlic (ask for no MSG - still as good). They also do a very good steamed seabass if you are pushing the boat out a bit. My husband fell in love with it too and so we had it as our wedding breakfast! Not traditional in any culture but hey - it went down well!!! :-D

This is a very good, no frills, good value, quality food Chinese in Golders Green which casts my mind back to the famous Chinese restaurants of the 70's and 80's in Chinatown in London's West End. It is quite large and very busy with lots of activity and atmosphere, where, after eventually getting a table (even after booking a table we had to wait a few minutes) we are immediately served and our soup arrives almost before the waiter has left for the kitchen with our order. The service is fast but not pressured, the food from a very extensive menu is very good (the crispy duck was very large and tasty) and the wine reasonably priced and better than you might expect.Very good if you are not seeking a romantic diner for two.Recommended.

I love the roasted duck, only go there for take away, been there many times, yesterday I went there around 7.30pm to buy half roasted duck, I paid £11.50, when I went home and opened it, all I saw was bone part and no leg , I didn't understand which half of duck they gave me and charged me £11.50?

This was my first visit to this restaurant and I found the food really superb! One of the best Chinese food I have had in recent times. Especially you need to try out their Roasted Duck and the Prawns. A lavish dinner experience!

we went along having made a Reservation which is nearly always recommended here as it is always busy (always a good sign especially a number of Chinese patrons) and were not disappointed . We decided on the Set 4 Course Menu which was excellent Value for money and for our main courses had a great Chicken dish, Duck which was superb and Sweet and Sour Pork , Rice all accompanied by a Chinese Beer. The service was excellent and cuisine very good, definitely worth a visit for dinner if you are in the Golders Green area of North London

I found this review one of the more difficult ones to mark out of five and there's a possibility that I have been over zealous to the negative on this occasion. It only occurred to me a couple of days ago that I had never reviewed the water margin and, after 35 years of being a very loyal customer, perhaps it was about time! It's so easy simply to review central London restaurants. The truth is never once have I had a bad meal here. I also have to tell you that there are times where I have had bad meals at very expensive restaurants. I believe that the best review that I can give the water margin is that, in my opinion, it ranks as good as any of the better Chinese restaurants in London's Chinatown. Whilst I wouldn't suggest that if you're staying in the West End of London that you made a D tall to find the water margin, certainly if you are staying all living in North London it is probably the most authentic off

I live in the local area and go here pretty often - some of the best Chinese food I've ever had, and isn't an anglicised type of affair either. Very cheap considering how great the food and service is. :)My partner tends to get some form of either seafood or beef - he can testify it's always well-cooked and tasty, and swiftly delivered to your table by polite and friendly staff. I'm vegetarian and have to say their selection of vegetarian food is awesome! It's even possible to eat entirely vegan here. I always have one of their bean curd (tofu) dishes, and then my partner and I like to share a vegetable dish - their bok choy in garlic is amazing, though if you're on a date I hope your companion likes garlic too as it doesn't hold back!I'm very lucky that he loves garlic too and if you're on a date here with someone who doesn't, dump them! No sympathy for garlic-haters. Oh and the restaurant isn't like suuuper romantic, no candles or any of that stuff, and my partner and I have been together for long enough that this isn't even slightly an issue. If you want romance maybe go somewhere else. It's not UNromantic, if you're with the right person, but it's not specifically geared towards gooiness.Really good selection of drinks (partner likes the beers which are generally Chinese brands rather than like, Carlsberg or something - I don't drink so have no idea what I'm actually saying here) and if you order green/jasmine tea to share it comes in an enormous (practically bottomless) teapot. I like the fact dining etiquette here is to put a small amount of food into your bowl at a time and finish that before adding more. Chopsticks, I find, make me take more time to eat and only eat what I genuinely want - though the food here has me trying to cram in every last morsel!Clientele is locals (a lot of families, who I always enjoy watching using the lazy susans and ordering WAY too much) and the restaurant also seems to cater to the local Chinese community, which is a good sign of the quality and authenticity of the food. I like that there isn't much music on, except really quietly and in the toilets, because you can sit back and enjoy snippets of other people's conversations and chat properly to your dining companion without having to yell.Toilets are very clean and nice, hidden away down or upstairs - I genuinely can't remember which, but there are stairs which lead to the loos - and the service is very quick. I think a lot of people confuse quiet efficiency with rudeness? Personally I don't go to a restaurant to chat to the staff and have them ask me my life story, so the detachedness of the Water Margin staff is brilliant for me. If you want staff to fawn over you and give you a giant eye-watering fake smile go to TGI Fridays.All in all, great little spot, imagine I'll come here for years to come. :)

Disappointing food, charmless service and a disappointing Barnet Hygiene rating..just 3 out of 5.Never again.

Wonderful and authentic chinese food at it's best. Been successful since the1970s when we started to visit.Lots of wonderful seafood, crab, wonton soup, barbeque duck, squid etc etc.Friendly staff and great atmosphere - so many Chinese people seem to eat here.Some of the poor reviews must be from people who prefer a more anglicised street corner chinese takeaway.

Have been coming here for over 30 years. Best chinese in town by a long shot! Food is delicious and very good value for money

Good basic Cantonese food with pleasant staff. Roast duck & noodle dishes particularly good. Big menu of Cantonese staples. Fair wine & drinks prices. Good local choice for a family meal.

Visited this Chinese restaurant last week before going to the O2 arena!We got there about 6 for an 8pm performance! Quite busy, it is a buffet very reasonably priced, to my mind, the best feature here is pick your own food to be cooked in front of you! Absolutely lovely! Lots of fresh prawns, salmon, beef, and vegs. I would highly recommend! Lots of other dishes to choose from, but this was my favorite!Lots of choose on desserts too!

For as long as I can remember, my family and I have been to this restaurant for years. We celebrated my parent's Ruby anniversary there a few years ago as well as my niece's one month celebration meal.The service is one of the best that I have experienced. It is highly efficient and the whole team knows straightaway for needs to come next or what cutlery needs to be replaced, etc. I can see however that for some this can be a bit overbearing.The food is also excellent. We always order traditional dishes and they are always made with the utmost professionalism and tastes wonderful. The dish we always order (and its not always a favourite who many) is the steamed bean curd with egg yolk and spring onions. It is glorious dish but only for those that like it!The prices have gone up recently but I guess it is to continue its excellent service and remain competitive. Due to this, it may be worth going to this restaurant as a treat rather on a regular basis. However, this will make the visit far more worthwhile...

Really the worst Chinese ever - the chicken came with some kind of clear slimy sauce over it the duck was dry and hard and the prices were stupid for that quality of food. Also the atmosphere is weird - I feel like this may be a front for another business.

We had lunch there today, the choice wasn't very good. The worst thing was dessert though, there was only cheap ice cream and tinned fruit. When we asked for toppings for the kid's ice cream they said the sweets on the shelf were for display only and they didn't have any syrup either. Very disappointed for a restaurant in the o2. Will never go back.

We ordered to take out. We ordered 1 x Sweet & Sour Prawns, 1 x Chicken & Black Bean Sauce, 1 x Egg Fried Rice.It was yummy and made very well, well balanced flavours. Chicken was fresh and soft. The prawns were juicy and indeed king prawns. The egg fried rice needed a little bit more soy sauce but really we have no complaints and will use Water Margin again and again!

Went here for a family meal as we had visitors over. We had been before last year but it was much better this time. The food arrived quite fast and was good. The roast duck, mixed vegetables and tofu and crispy fried beef were good but the sea bass was really excellent. The service was friendly and the restaurant atmosphere was quite relaxed. Found the prices reasonable as well considering we had 7 people dining. Will be going back again with the hope the food will be just as good!

went there 9:45pm on a friday evening, with family of 4, sat down (only 2 other tables), got the menus and were told to hurry and order because the kitchen staff were leaving in a few minutes (sign said closed at 11pm) - so hurriedly ordered our meal ( 5 dishes), poured the jasmine tea, had a few sips, and within minutes all our food was on the table!!! literally less than 4 minutes!we could not believe it - we dug in, but the speedy serving of the food was showing - the food was tasteless - portions were small and nothing to write home about - our worries for the express service were unfortunately, reflected on the final resultpity, because we were really looking forward to having a nice meal together, as a family -it turned out to be just so so, and felt so hurried it was uncomfortableshame on you

This is a very good local restaurant that I have visited many times. It has changed little and rarely disappoints. It is not posh, it's actually very unassuming and relaxed. It is frequented by many regulars and Chinese people which must be a good sign.You will find all of your old favourites, waiting staff who have been around a long time and an altogether very pleasant experience. Also good for takeaways, of which I have had many.The roast duck is highly recommended.

I have been coming to this restaurant, I believe for over 30 years and always rated the food as top-notch and very affordable. I visited with a friend recently and I have been here literally hundreds of times, but not for the last 6 months and would have to say that the food was sadly, at best average. The first thing that struck me was the massive hike in prices- at these prices, there are better places to eat. The other thing that I have noticed in the last few visits, is the ease of getting a table- often impossible in the past without a wait. I hope that this is just a glitch and that it will return to 5* standard.

My girlfriend who is from Hong Kong and regulary viists this restaurants loves the food here, that says a lot about the food and the restaurant.I am not a massive Chinese food fan but I can appreciate the food here, the food is very nice and the service is excellent.Defionetley would recomment this food to anyone looking for tasty chinese food.

I started going to the Water Margin about 28 years ago then it was the "it" place locally. It was famous for big potions and very good food and great to share with friends. The decor was always naff and the staff not the most friendliest but some how the food madeup for it. For me now it has changed, the menu is very expensive and the food maybe not so exciting, It still has a following of older locals but competition means most of the time you can just walk in. Last time I went for lunch and my spring rolls where burnt still the same old difficult staff they took them away and brought me back the same ones!!!! Will probably still pop in one a year, I see.

First time tried this place and I was quite impressed with the fried noodles. The roast duck is quite good too and the vegetable is the best. Cooked in perfection and tasty food although a bit oily overall. The salt chicken is tasty too. Not sure about the price as I didn't picked up the bills.

Been going to Watermargin for over 20years. They have been increasing prices over the past few years. However, their prices are not 40% higher than just a couple of years ago.I will not be returning until they come to their senses. A restaurant at Golders Green cannot charge prices like a top knoch restaurant in knightsbridge!Although their food is good, but not that good!

Well established restaurant,hav'nt been co r a long time,but food even more delicious than I remember,went at lunch time,plenty of staff working.so good service

This is a great takeaway restaurant. Although it has seating inside, it is small with average service. I would recommend this place for a takeaway only. Quick with a great menu, the food is a little more expensive than your north london chinese, but the quality is worth it.The bad thing about this location is that parking is a nightmare!RO

We pop into this restaurant now and again when we're in the area as this restaurant delivers the best quality Chinese food there is. There's a huge choice available, the service is quick and unpretentious and most of all, the food is well prepared and beautifully cooked.

la migliore wantong soup in londra, granchio con chilli fantastico. buon servizio e porzioni abbondanti.

This used to be a gem in Golders Green and its still in the same hands as it was 30yrs ago when my partner first started eating there as a baby - even has some of the same waiting staff!Really friendly people, some of the 'more traditional' dishes are excellent value and portion sizes are decent. However over the last year the prices have gone up, the service is not as good and portion sizes are smaller. Such a shame, my kids really love it there.Will not stop going back but will not be anywhere near as regulary as before.

The Water Margin is consistently the best chinese restaurant in North West London. The food is always of a high standard and the service is wonderfully efficient. The price is reasonable too.I would recommend this place to anyone. Some poor reviews here appear to have confused the Water Margin, Golders Green, with another restaurant in the vicinity of the O2 arena, which is the other side of London!

The Water Margin has been in Golders Green for a generation.An institution !Pentonville Prison is also an institution.The food there is possibly better,the staff no doubt friendlier.Bad food,poor service is compounded by the fact that it is simply not cleanAvoid

We have been going to Water Margin for many years.We have always had excellent food,especially the Roast Duck,the best in London.

I found the food to be below standard and not at all enjoyable. I shall not be returning.

Roast duck is wonderful. Good service, great food.

This is a great Chinese restaurant. We go regularly and often take our friends. The food is excellent and, I'm told, authentic. Many customers look Chinese and ALL customerrs seem very happy. The staff are courteous and helpful and the quality of the food is unfailingly good.I'm a vegetarian and have been able to find enough variety. My paricular favourite is Tofu with a Black Bean Sauce but, as it's not on the menu, i have to ask for ity and they are happy to supply it. I also ask for a vegetarian version of Hot and Sour Soup which is delicious.

This restaurant has been here over 30 years and while the décor hasn't changed much the food remains consistently good. This is not a posh eatery but a good old fashioned Chinese restaurant, all the old favourites etc. The Char Sui and Duck are still the stars and if you ask Vincent or any other of the staff they are more than happy to make something up for you. There must also be a reason why there seem to be a large number of Chinese/Asian patrons.........Keep up the good food.

I dont tend to go out locally very often for chinese preferring Chinatown.However we went to this restaurant last night.I have to say that i last ate at this restaurant many years ago when it had some interesting items on the menu.these seem to have disappeared leaving lots of fairly routine dishes.I had roast duck with noodle soup and mixed meat rice.Not very stimulating but filled me up .The intereior doesnt seem to have been redecorated for some time.Not a trestaurant i will be hurrying back to