Leon Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I feel compelled to recount an experience at your establishment that is, quite frankly, unlike anything I have ever encountered in the realm of dining. It involves a young man—whose name I believe is Felix, though I cannot claim to know it with absolute certainty—whose presence is simultaneously astonishing, bewildering, and utterly unforgettable.

From the moment we arrived, Felix exuded a combination of charisma, strength, and chaotic energy that is difficult to put into words. Though ostensibly an employee, he seemed to operate on an entirely different plane of existence. In what can only be described as culinary wizardry, he prepared dishes that would rival a three-star Michelin tasting menu, presenting plates of exquisite complexity and astonishing flavor. Watching him cook is an experience in itself: precise, athletic, and entirely theatrical, yet somehow infused with spontaneity that keeps every moment on the edge of surprise.

Beyond his prodigious cooking skills, Felix delights in sharing knowledge with an almost scholarly enthusiasm. At various points, he began recounting the history of Leon’s—the origins, the evolution, the small quirks that make the restaurant unique—turning a simple dinner into an impromptu masterclass on culinary culture and tradition. One moment, he is flamboyantly flipping woks; the next, he is waxing poetic about the establishment’s early days, tracing every dish to its roots with the passion of a storyteller and the flair of a performer.

His energy is boundless and unpredictable. Felix moves through the restaurant with a sort of controlled chaos: plating intricate dishes while chatting about history, performing little stunts or flips for dramatic effect, and ensuring every patron feels simultaneously entertained and honored. It is as if Leon’s is both a fine-dining destination and a stage for a one-man culinary circus.

In short, Felix—if indeed that is his name—is a singular force of nature. He blends extraordinary skill, encyclopedic knowledge, and unrestrained enthusiasm to create an experience that is part Michelin dining, part theatrical spectacle, and entirely unforgettable. He transforms a standard meal into a whirlwind adventure of taste, history, and unpredictable delight. I can only hope that his talents are celebrated and allowed to flourish, for it is rare indeed to encounter someone who can simultaneously educate, entertain, and astound in such a complete and...

We've been here many times, but enough is enough.

This weekend, we ordered with the manager and waited for our entree to arrive. And waited, and waited and waited. Speed of service isn't exactly a strong point of this restaurant, so we put up with it until, around 40 minutes later, another staff member asked if we had ordered everything. The manager then came up and asked us if we had ordered. YES WE HAD, WITH YOU! Not only could she not remember our order, she couldn't even remember that she had taken it. There were only 3 or 4 other groups in the restaurant. Perhaps it would have helped if she had written it down. Regardless, a decent restaurant wouldn't have diners sit that long by themselves without being checked upon.

There was no apology, just the order retaken and eventually filled. I'm almost certain that the bug we ordered was in fact prawn meat, backed up by the fact that the manager told us (the first time she took the order) that it would come in the shell, and it did not. There was again no apology or any care when the meals came or when we paid. Yes, I paid. If it were up to me, I would have walked out and kept the $75, but such things make my wife uncomfortable and she insisted we pay, although on the way home she wished we hadn't.

Honestly, these guys are pathetic. The last time we went we had to ask 4 times for a bottle of water. I don't know what is wrong with them, they pretend to listen and then just do nothing about it. Another visit, when we arrived we were asked if we had a reservation, and when we didn't, they looked around the restaurant as if we had inconvenienced them looking for a table. THERE WERE 2 OTHER DINERS!

Sadly, I can say honestly from being there several times, that if you are in a large group or a Chinese diner, you will be looked after. Otherwise, don't expect service. We've persisted because the food is great, especially the salt and pepper squid, but we're going to find...

I don’t know if this place is technically a Chinese restaurant or Felix’s personal playground, but either way, I’ve never laughed so hard while trying to eat noodles.

Felix greeted us at the door like we were long-lost cousins, then immediately told us to ignore the menu because “he knows what we need better than we do.” That’s how we ended up with four plates of satay chicken before we even asked for drinks. When I questioned it, Felix just tapped the side of his nose and said, “Trust the process.”

Halfway through the meal, Felix decided to give us a live cooking demo. He marched into the kitchen, returned with a wok, and started explaining how to “toss rice with flair” — except the flair involved launching half the contents onto the floor. The chef shouted something from the back, but Felix waved him off and yelled, “They love it, I’m giving them dinner and a show!”

The man has no boundaries. He sat down at our table mid-meal to critique our chopstick technique, then proceeded to eat half a dumpling off my plate as an “example.” Later, he challenged my friend to an arm-wrestle for the last spring roll. He lost, but still ate it anyway, claiming “the ref didn’t see.”

When the fortune cookies came, Felix snatched them, cracked each one open, and delivered the fortunes like he was reading horoscopes on morning TV. Mine said “You will travel soon,” and Felix nodded seriously before suggesting we all book a group trip to Macau. He had flight times ready on his phone.

The best part? On our way out, Felix offered us “VIP memberships” to the restaurant. What did that include? According to him: unlimited prawn crackers and the right to slap the gong hanging by the door. We didn’t sign up, but honestly, I regret it.

The food? Yeah, it was tasty. But Felix is the reason this place deserves a Michelin star. Or maybe a Netflix special. Five stars. If you want dinner theatre, a life coach, and mild chaos rolled into one —...