Water Margin in Test Valley

This was our first visit to the Water Margin and it was a Wednesday evening. On arrival we were initially surprised at how busy it was but after experiencing the extremely attentive service and partaking of the delicious food we realised why it was so popular. We had the buffet menu, meaning we could have as many different dishes as we wanted and it was a very full menu. All the dishes looked very fresh and appetising and were extremely tasty. Nothing was too much trouble and the staff were friendly and regularly checked on us. We will definitely be back in the not too distant future.

We have been a few times for the all you can eat buffet during the week. Really good value for money and so nice to be able to pick a variety of plates. Staff are always attentive and polite.

This amazing restaurant always delivers..guaranteed delicious food and professional yet friendly service. We’ve been before special occasions or just a meal out and it’s always fantastic. Thank you

Nice food. Good service. Pleasant surroundings. Small carpark at rear of establishment. We selected from the buffet menu and this turned out to be very expensive. More than if we’d just ordered off menu.

We phoned the Water Margin at short notice and they were pleased to take our booking. We chose one of their set menus for 2. I had wanted to have Chicken Chow Mein there as they make it exactly as I like it, so I asked if they would replace the Chicken Chilli dish on the set menu with Chicken Chow Mein and they were happy to do that for me. It was an amazing meal. They use food heaters to keep the dishes warm. Starched tablecloths and napkins as well, which I really appreciate in a restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was respectful. There was so much food we asked if they would box up what was left of some of the dishes which they did for us. The staff were kind and attentive. We had a lovely evening in a very pleasant setting.

Food is fantastic however very rude and abrupt waitress which spoilt it for us . We came for the Buffett lunch at 1pm and was told the kitchen closed at 145pm so felt very rushed as it says Buffett goes on till 230pm! So we felt rushed to order and wasn’t the relaxing lunch we had hoped for ! Parking is also a nightmare so I surgest you park in the car park opposite as not everyone is considerate when parking in their car park especially disabled blue badge holders as they feel they can just park anywhere !

The most delicious food, exquisitely cooked and well balanced with the spicing. Professional and engaging people and a real repeat. Absolutely top notch

Visited with family some of which have severe allergies. We asked about the starters and were just told that it would be ok and that we we would avoid obvious foods The manager then came over to state that the starters ordered should be avoided as they use the allergen in the preparation! This resulted in the person only having soup for their starter and feeling nervous about eating anything. The service from the older waitress was really poor we felt she hurried us, was abrupt and every small request was too much effort. On previous occasions this restaurant had been really supportive offering to cook items in fresh oil and advising about items to avoid.

This is the place to go if you want a good atmosphere, excellent service, delicious and fresh food, and amazing choices. It ticks every box….we love it and it delivers every time. Thank you 🙏

Poor takeaway. Quarter crispy duck was dry and flavourless, not crispy and the salt/chilli ribs were a small mass of tiny bone chippings without edible meat @ £6!! So different to previous occasions. I was disappointed recently in the restaurant but did not want to review negatively. Crispy noodles were not crispy with a few huge chicken chunks and too many mushrooms and bamboo shoots - needed bean sprouts. Also hate getting almost everything in plastic containers instead of foil containers so can’t heat dishes / keep warm in the oven.

The buffet menu is great, lots of options, really tasty, Friendly staff and efficient service. Thank you 👍

A pleasant surprise half an hour from Southampton. Only 4 tables occupied on a Saturday lunch. Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Just glad I'm not going tonight. It's fully booked.

My partner and I went here last night as we had been for the first time a couple months ago and absolutely loved it. The food is amazing here and the majority of the staff are too, but unfortunately one staff member ruined our whole night this time. I don't know his name, but he was the only male server there. We ordered two lemonades with a female server, but the male server came back with only one. My partner asked him if the other would be out soon, to which this server extremely rudely said "you only ordered one" and started to walk off. I suffer with anxiety and my partner isn't one to confront others either, so he politely just asked if we could get another. This server again told us in the same rude tone that we didn't order two but would get one for us anyway... He never came back with our drink and we had to order with another one of the female servers instead. One of the tables next to us heard the way this server spoke to us and told us how shocked they were. Later when paying the bill, the male server just shoved the card machine in my partner's face. Assuming this was his indication for us to tap our card, my partner apologised and said he didn't have contactless so would need the other end of the machine; the server said nothing, turned the machine around, we paid and he walked off. No "thank you for coming" or anything... I'm still in complete shock and am so disappointed because I really loved this restaurant. It's not cheap here either; our bill for the two of us came to £80 including a 10% service charge, which I wouldn't mind paying if we weren't treated so poorly by this one server. I'm just incredibly disappointed and unfortunately won't be returning 🙁

Very popular, great food, lovely attentive service

Best Chinese in miles. Great service and Hugh chicwnof food. Well worth a visit. Booking a table advised.

It's a lovely place, quite an array of food.it was my nephew's birthday, so there was 16 of us, it would of been nice to of sat on the same table, and it would of been nice if we were asked if we wanted to give a service charge, which both tables had to pay £30 service charge, which I feel if we were a party altogether we should of only paid the £30 service charge.

Food is absolutely outstanding would definitely return and I encourage anyone to give it a try ..some of the staff are so friendly and helpful some members of staff could of been a little happier but it wouldn’t stop me returning

One of the best Chinese restaurants I've been too in a long time. Pity I don't live near otherwise I would definitely visit on a regular basis.

Love this restaurant my favourite place for Chinese fantastic food fantastic staff,since becoming disabled,the only 2 critisisms is that,there are no disabled toilets and no hand rail in the toilets,for me it was an issue,and th ere has been a huge price hike.

Great food and splendid takeaway.

If you want to have a wonderful experience with delicious food for any occasion.. this is the restaurant to go to. The staff are friendly and professional with a warm welcome. It’s continued over many years to maintain, its high standards and fresh and delicious food. Thank you for a lovely evening

First time I have eaten here and it won’t be the last. The food was delicious piping hot and really tasty. Very quick service and very friendly staff. Definitely recommend.

Great restaurant which serves superb food and has really good service. Only downside is it’s a little dated inside but the food more than makes up for it.

A Group of us celebrated my wifes birthday Our first time here .and the staff and service are brilliant the food is 5 star quality each member of our group have said we will return. A special thank you to Nicole

Not impressed ! This was a special meal for my father’s 85th birthday and we wish we had gone somewhere else . Ribs were tough and chewy , shredded chicken was like rubber , king prawns were tough and tasteless - would not recommend….

Not the best food or service. Always a bad sign in a restaurant when one is eating and there people in a queue waiting for take away.

Food is very tasty and very big portions on each course (buffet). Staff are friendly too! Giving 4 stars instead of 5 because of the price of the drinks- expensive even for soft drinks which will put me off buying next time!! Also the carpark is very tight so I would consider parking elsewhere

We ate everything we ordered from the buffet apart from one small plate of spicey chicken which we thought we would try but it wasn't our liking, after all it's a buffet, it's nice to try new things but when I said we didn't like it the server older lady become extremely rude and made us feel uncomfortable. I understand they don't want people ordering and lots of wastage but we ate everything, it was just unacceptable how this horrible woman changed her meanor towards. If you can't try a buffet without not liking just the one dish you ordered and trying something new I would avoid this place. Atmosphere was dull, the radio speaker sounds broken/distorted and quite annoying. Food tasted under average! Save your money!

All round good evening. Good food, nice ambience and a fair price. Tables close together but that proves the place is popular but makes walking through a mare. All said it's worth a visit.

Fabulous food and friendly efficient service with everything served hot and to a high standard. Can get a little noisy when busy (which is most of the time!) but to be expected for a restaurant this good. Definitely worth a visit, but be aware, parking at the rear is a little restricted but a lot of people seem to park in the community centre opposite

Food was fantastic and good value for money, most of the staff were great but the lady serving us never smiled all night. But still the best food I've had in a restaurant.

We went on a sunday for lunch the food was AMAZING 👏 The service was brilliant. I dont know what they put on the mushrooms, but OMG, they were lovely 😍 the only improvement i would recommend would be they do sort out the background music 🤪 mind you once the food came out the music goes out of your head 😁 i am definitely going back.

Eaten there a few times and not disappointed. Had a take away this evening for three, one of the most tasteless takeaways we have eaten. Would not recommend getting a takeaway from here.

Loved it! The staff were so friendly, food was great and fresh!!!

Met up with some friends for a pre six nations lunch and opted for the buffet lunch menu. The selection was varied and the food was all very tasty and efficiently delivered to us. We had the large starter selection of which the mushroom dish was lovely and thats coming from a non mushroom fan. The choice of dishes available was huge and excellent value for under £20 a head. Will definitely be revisiting

Tastey food, very nice service, friendly staff. Very busy.

The service here is excellent. Even on a very busy day, you will still be seen to within a few minutes. The staff is also very friendly. I often go to this restaurant.

Great food and service, all hot and fresh.... new owners have kept all kitchen staff, some here for 20+ years... can understand why so many positive reviews. Thoroughly enjyed the evening, we'll be back... try the Peking Feast, 24pds per person, excellent value,, loads of food.

Friendly restaurant that offers an amazing buffet served at the table with a wide range of dishes to pick from, all for a reasonable price considering the quality and quantity of food available. Ala carte menu also available if you are after a lighter meal. Would recommend booking if planning on visiting in an evening, especially on popular nights and the weekend. Take away service also available.

After many lovely meals in the Water Margin, I heard the owner had retired so I was curious to experience the new owners. Family meal for three last night on a Tuesday evening , so pleased to find wonderful new staff, a full restaurant and what an array of hot superbly cooked food. Wonderfully attentitive staff and great atmosphere. A superb eating experience wholeheartedly recommend the Water Margin in North Baddesley.

This place is definitely in my top 3 best chinese in hampshire. Great service, great flavour, and always busy. We'll worth the extra money to have an enjoyable meal.

Always a fantastic night when dinning here Just love the restaurant Only whisky the car park was bigger

No complaints about the food or the service, but I felt the restaurant was too crowded and too noisy so it was an unpleasant experience. I also wondered whether we would be able to get out if there was a fire in the kitchen. I couldn't see any signage and wasn't sure there was a safe exit.

Had a wonderful evening here celebrating my sons birthday this week. Arrived on a Wednesday at 6.30 and restaurant was already busy with a nice atmosphere, we were greeted on arrival by friendly member of staff and shown to a table near the rear. Once seated we realised we were close to the door for the kitchen which we thought might get too noisy for my father in law who has hearing issues, we asked the waitress about getting a different table but they were fairly busy but she did try further down with no luck so offered one in the back corner. In the end we stayed where we were and being near to the kitchen really wasn't a problem. The staff we encountered were friendly and explained the menus for us, we decided to opt for the buffet menu and if you do this everyone on the table must also have buffet which makes sense. So the buffet is not food kept hot in serving bowls but a list of dishes (extensive) which you order as much as you want, we all really enjoyed this as you could try different dishes. The food came out quickly, freshly cooked and hot and if you fancy more starters for example you can just order more as long as you finish them they will keep them coming. The main dishes were on the smaller side but then that reduces waste if you don't like a particular one, also we ordered more starters with our mains which was no problem. Drinks were reasonably priced (£19 bottle Pinot Grigio) but Fosters as the only draft lager was a bit disappointing but you could get Tsingtao in smaller bottles. Overall we had a great evening the staff we encountered were great and we all really enjoyed the food, will be back soon.

Went for a birthday dinner with my wife and two children and we all had a fantastic meal. The food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful. They have a wide range of vegetarian options and we can highly recommend the vegetarian crispy duck (served with pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce) as well as the salt and garlic mushrooms, both of which are amazing. The egg fried rice was also very good - beautifully light and fluffy rice with a strong egg flavour exactly as it should be. The only unfortunate thing is we don't live very near to North Baddesley so don't get over that way too often but are already looking forward to our next visit.

Shocking! Such a rude, in-your-face, would-not- listen waitress, who had no consideration of providing a nice lunchtime for her customers. She took our order in a brusque and hurrying way, and then later asked for a far higher payment than we were expecting. She handled our querying the bill in a very rude and accusatory manner. Terribly unpleasant. She says she has been there 30 years. Also it was £4.60 for a pint of Lime and Soda (it was served in two halves when a pint was ordered). I won’t go again. Terrible place.

Service was awful, abrupt and unfriendly.

Went for a long awaited lunch with friends. The food was pleasant but the staff let the places down completely. The older lady was very abrupt when 1 piece of prawn toast was left and behaved this way throughout. In fact all the staff seemed to resent being there.

Not great for Vegi/Vegans. Had a sweetcorn soup and they just took ‘most’ of the chicken out. Very friendly and good prices, if you like meat it’s probably fine.

Best Chinese in town And very friendly staff

The business lunch is good value with great service and has kept to the same high standard for the many years this popular restaurant has been running. Tasty, freshly cooked food with extra touches, i.e., coffee top ups, with a chocolate and a mint with the bill. Just right for a midday meal. So nice to have proper tablecloths. The restaurant is very cosy and welcoming but needs a little TLC in places to the decor. However, quite prepared to overlook this in favour of the experience as a whole.

Very disappointed with service! Arrived on time orderd a set meal the first 2 courses came quite prompley then… it started filling up a waiter took our jasmine tea and forgot to bring it back staff running around like headless chickens. Someone ask us if we wanted to order???? Said waiting for our maim meal off set menu brought 1 bit but 4 other dishes still didnt come out THEN they brought other dishes and within minutes this man came over to tell us we had to go !!!! customer’s in bar spilling out onto the front staff arguing trying to get people to leave we werent the only ones they packed out food up snd put it on the table to take home !!! Then overcharged us with wrong set meal we realised when we got home !!! ABSOLUTE CAOSE would not recommend or go back

A lovely evening celebrating my daughter’s birthday. Food and service was good. However did have to wait over 40 minutes for our table!

5 of us Went for my daughters birthday meal. We had the buffet menu. After the food came out we realised that we’d forgotten to order rice. We also realised they’d only given us 4 prawns for 5 of us. So I politely asked if we could have some rice and more prawns. The waiter said he wouldn’t bring us anymore until we’d finished everything on the table, which is fair enough but it was Rice we wanted to go with our dishes, and more prawns as we couldn’t all have one as they’d only given 4. Food is tasty but you’re made to feel greedy and unwelcome. The manderin chef in romsey has better service and are generous with their buffet menu portions. I think In future I’ll go there as I don’t like to feel awkward or encounter rude waiters.

Starters were great and tasty from buffet the mains were mixed but overall really enjoyed it

Came here for my daughters birthday had the buffet ‘all you can eat’ when it came to the mains we forgot to order rice, so I asked politely if we could have some rice and some more prawns as they’d given us 4 prawns for 5 of us. Was then very abruptly told no and that we’d have to finish everything before they’d bring the rice and prawns, and that he doubted we’d be able to eat anymore and we’d be charged if any was left over…I only asked for a rice and the missing prawn! Been here many times but won’t bother again. Don’t like to be made to feel uncomfortable or a burden at restaurants. Don’t do a buffet menu saying ‘all you can eat’ if you’re going to hate the customers when they ask for more food.

Since this place has been taken over, it has gone down hill badly, the prices have shot up ridiculously. They have happy hard core blaring from the kitchen. We had a table for 2 near the back, and with happy hard core blazing out the kitchen was horrendous,. The atmosphere is awful, and when we mentioned about the music they shrugged us off and tried to say they couldn't hear it, until I moaned enough, which I should never have had to do. They food just isn't as good as it used to be... I've been coming here for years and w weeks ago is the last time I will ever go there. I will not return again.

Felt a little rushed to order as soon as we arrived at 6 pm . One female staff member of staff was excellent in customer service however her other colleagues were not so welcoming and the gentleman was rude and impatient throughout the service . The food was excellent and could not fault.

We enjoyed a delightful evening at the Water Margin Chinese Restaurant. We had not reserved a table but we were welcomed in and quickly found a table. This restaurant has a nice ambience with staff who are pleasant and attentive. Our meal arrived quickly and was excellent. Starched white tablecloths, table food heaters to keep food warm and respectful service with a touch of gentle humour. It has a happy atmosphere. Thank you to everyone.

Amazing Food, all cooked fresh and delivered straight to your table by the great staff, then you can order more, I wish I could of had the room in my tummy to sample more of the what must have been 150 dishes, but wow the Garlic Salt and Pepper Chicken was to die for. Restaurant is really lovely too will be back soon.

Went for lunch, they had a special set meal 2 courses, plus tea or coffee for £11.50. Very good choice to chose from, food was very tasty,nice atmosphere and clean, very busy,which is always a good sign. Restaurant looked very nice from the outside and inside did not disappoint ,lovely clean toilets too. Service was excellent, very warm welcome ,would throughly recommend and look forward to my next visit. Plus parking at the back.

Lovely food very well presented

Good takeaway. Tasty food and large portions; we fed five adults with a set menu for three. Very prompt service, on our last visit collecting at lunchtime food was ready and waiting immediately at our collection time.

Been here a few times and the food is absolutely amazing and the staff are friendly.

Lovely Food. Great Service. Good all round Experience. Will definitely be Back. Can Highly recommend the Salt and Pepper Mushrooms and the Crispy Lamb. 👍

We had the most amazing meal last night at this lovely restaurant. It is under new ownership and we couldn’t fault it at all. The new owner Alan and his staff did an exceptional job. The food was exceptional and the service prompt, friendly and efficient. Nothing was too much trouble. We had starters, followed by lobster and black bean sauce with Pak Choi on the side. Absolutely delicious! We couldn’t resist sharing a banana fritter with ice cream at the end. All very lovely! Thank you to all staff for your efforts. Highly recommend. We will return in due course.

Currently at the water margin, the atmosphere and ambiance is electric. The food is immense and my palette is in heaven.

We have been here many times and we've never had a mediocre, let alone a disappointing meal. The food and service is phenomenal and well worth the price. Each dish is flavourful and there is a really good range. You must have the smoked chicken, it's heavenly. Thank you to the wonderful staff who really make every visit one to remember.

Rude manager, food was OK but due to the staff we won't be back!! We arrived at 12:30, we knew the restaurant closed at 2:30 which was fine. However asked to order final course at 2:05 to be told the kitchen was now closed, we could have coffee and ice cream though. We all said yes please, that would be great. 2:15 no coffee or ice cream had arrived so I managed to get the attention of the waitress, ordered 4 coffees and 5 ice creams, by which time it was 2:20 with discussion of flavours etc., the manager just plonked the bill down and said no!! Sorry, no to what? No coffee or ice cream as the machine is off we close in 10 minutes!!! I explained that we had actually order the coffee and ice cream just gone 2pm, he just said ''no, all closed, we are closing!! If they are going to be that strict on times they should tell you in advance what time things need to be ordered by!! Awful service, very rude and we won't be coming back!!

Great food and lovely atmosphere

Only ever had take away and has never disappointed. Great food and good service

Lovely cooked Chinese food. Plenty of choice, served hot to your table. Busy restaurant need to book.

I love the water margin and it’s my favourite restaurant. The staff are really nice and the service is really good. The Food and Drinks are amazing, the presentation is really nice when you order the food and is a really good restaurant to eat out with family and friends

If you want things spicy make sure you ask for it to be spicy

The dining experience was subpar - unfriendly service, unimpressive food portions for the price, and slow service. We won't return. We've ordered takeout here before, and it was ok. However, when we visited for the buffet with our kids, two waitresses were exceptionally impolite and made us feel most unwelcome. The buffet servings were minimal, eg just 1/4 of prawn toast per person, and additional dishes such as another spring roll took over half an hour to arrive. After our starters, we requested rice and main dishes, but were told the kitchen couldn't accommodate it and we couldn’t both have a main dish of our choice. We paid £26 per person for the buffet and received spring rolls, prawn toast, and 2 duck rolls. They were rude to us and our restless children, insisting they be quiet. The restaurant owners need to catch up with the times - children should be welcomed, not silenced. We won't be returning to this restaurant; it was a disappointing experience.

The service was terrible, not at all family friendly and food portions did not give good value for money. We won’t be returning. We have ordered takeaway for here previously and the food has been ok, however this time we visited for the buffet with our children. We found two of the waitresses to be incredibly rude when taking our order. The buffet portions were very small, such as one piece (1/4 slice of bread) of prawn toast per person and if you ordered more or another dish it took over half an hour to arrive. After starters we both ordered a portion of rice and a main dish each and we were told that the kitchen couldn’t cook this as it was too much to order. I paid £26 per person for the buffet menu and for that I got a spring rolls, a piece of prawn toast and 2 duck rolls. They were incredibly rude to us and our children who were getting very bored as the service was taking such a long time. We were told our children were too loud and to make them be quiet. The owners of this restaurant are living in the 1950s when children should be seen but not heard. We will not be ordering from or eating in this restaurant again. Very disappointing.

Excellent good value for money lunch time special menu in lovely surroundings with very attentive and helpful staff and would definitely return and recommend.

Great place, amazing attentive staff, superb cuisine

Great food and service. Friendly staff

Great place (a little tight) but fantastic food.

Went with a family group of 8 adults and a child. Service was rude and unfriendly this time, which put a real damper on the meal and the day. Hope it was a one-off as the family has been going there for over 30 years.

Was travelling back from Dorset to Essex and were trying to find a chinese restaurant on route. couple miles of M3 motorway so easy to get to. The set menu's are excellent, but the staff are even better and make this place. Could see why it was busy and plan to visit again next time we are down that way.

We booked on the 17th August for a table of six and when we arrived on the 27th August no reservation was found. Water Margin found us a table and we had a lovely time. The staff were lovely, the lady in charge looked after us, especially my father who is elderly. The service was excellent, even though they were very busy. We had the buffet meal and every single dish was delicious. We will definitely be returning. Thank you for looking after us and for a lovely evening. The restaurant had a nice vibe and fun atmosphere.

Great food service second to non atmosphere is great will definitely be going back 👍

Having been here many times over years, I cannot believe how utterly miserable this place is with their prawn toast— 3 quarters of a slice of bread -7.50!! It’s just mean- I will not be getting another take away here!

Second time been here and second time this has happened. Look at your bill before you leave as an added extra could be on there without you knowing . With my partner scrutinising each thing they can’t get away with it with him. Both times have been an extra drink . A Diet Coke is £4.50 and for two £9.00 , we only had one on both occasions we visited but were charged for two . They do remove it when challenged and it’s removed immediately but just be aware when visiting . Other than that the restaurant is first class, food is amazing , service is fast , spotless inside and free parking out the back if you can squeeze your car in. Staff are very attentive and welcoming . You can choose to have buffet at just under £27 per person or order individually from a separate menu . If you order buffet you can’t take spare dishes away with you which is fair enough . Very enjoyable night out apart from the added extra at the end . It could have been a human error but to have it done twice in a few months apart seems strange . Wheelchair access will be awkward so call before you go . Some one tried to get a pram in there but couldn’t and they left without a meal .

best chinese in the north baddesly/ c ford / romsey area. Quick service for takeaways and even better dining experience inside

Had such a lovely meal there 😋 and great service 😀

Fantastic service, great food all in all highly recommended.

AVOID Just spent £108 on take out as I have family home from Canada, my good god, tasteless, watery curry, and everything overcooked. Avoid. I wouldn’t feed it to my dog. Plenty of others about and far better quality. I am fuming . I remember when this place used to be great having been there before and spending enough money on the bill. I can assure you I shall never be returning or ordering again.

Lunchtime offer was not good value for money and poor standard

Omg,better of going too KFC. My wife can cook better Chinese !!

This restaurant has extremely good quality food and the staff are amazing. I would not use any other Chinese in southampton plain and simple

Been coming here for many years and continue to enjoy the buffet. Delicious food. Go early especially for lunch as the kitchen closes (I think at 2 or 2.30) and you've got to save room for a pudding!

This was our first visit to this restaurant after hearing lots of good things about it. Food was ok. Nothing special. We’ve had equally good food in other Chinese restaurants and even takeaways. The service was fine at first but when we had finished our...

Would have given a zero but it won’t let me. Total joke tonight placed an order over £50.00 drove to collect and got home our 7 year old who has special needs who loves the chicken noodle soup, was upset thinking Daddy didn’t get him...

Really nice food, will come back again

The food was a disappointment. The service was pretty good. Two smallish king prawns for £8. They were cool, and served in a gloopy super-strong garlic sauce. The pork spring rolls were low in flavour and we also complained about that. The waiter came back...

Fabulous food that is fresh and piping hot.

We went for my husband's birthday. The atmosphere was great, the food was amazing but best of all was the service and the way the staff made us feel welcome. Will be going back.