Illawong Chinese & Seafood Restaurant — Restaurant in Sydney

It appears my review will be one of few from an Asian perspective.

For clarity's sake, a few things must be established. This is not a "Chinese Restaurant". This is an "Australianised Chinese Restaurant". This means that the cuisine is not traditional Chinese food from any region. For example, Mongolian lamb is not a Chinese dish, and the dim sim is actually Australian, as is San Choy Bow with pork. And since when was Laksa Chinese????? Overall, the dishes resemble Cantonese cuisine; keyword, resembles.

So for people seeking authentic Chinese food from any region, this place is not for you!

However, what if said person is seeking Australianised Chinese food, back when Chinese restaurants were kings, and thai takeaway was non existent?

Then this place is perfect for you, although, disclaimer, it is expensive. The mongolian lamb is indeed very nice, the Shang tung chicken is also very nice. The combination chow mein used to be very good, but a change of ownership and three head chefs later, it is pretty poor. The satay beef/chicken is another stand out, very creamy and rich. The mapo tofu I found quite nice, although it isn't particularly tailored to Aussie tastes.

They do offer Xiao Long Bao, shanghai soup dumplings. However, these are double the price and half the quantity and quality compared to dumplings from specialist shanghai cuisine restaurants, such as Taste of Shanghai or Mr Stone pot. But, it is in the Shire, so lack of competition, I suppose.

Overall, as far as an Australianised Chinese restaurant goes, it's a 5/5 for taste, -1 for price, so 4/5. Just don't expect authentic Cantonese food, as it isn't that at all. It is perhaps a relic from a bygone era. But in the Shire, I expect it to survive a while longer. And I...

5 Stars – A Hidden Gem Worth Discovering!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Illawong Chinese and Seafood Restaurant, and I can honestly say it was one of the best Chinese food experiences I've had in a long time! From the moment we walked in, the staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, making us feel right at home.

The food was absolutely delicious – full of authentic flavours, beautifully presented, and made with fresh ingredients. The Green beans mince and Shreded Crispy beef pecking style standout dish, was a highlight – perfectly cooked and bursting with taste and incredibly satisfying.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, perfect for both casual dinners and special occasions. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes, and the service was consistently friendly and efficient throughout our visit.

If you're looking for a great Chinese restaurant that serves honest, flavour-packed food and treats you like family, look no further!! Highly recommended – we'll definitely...

Have eaten here before, and it is like any generic suburban Chinese restaurant. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes there are inconsistencies like too much batter over the prawns/chickens - which is pretty much reasonably expected from traditional suburban Chinese. 3 stars on this alone.

The reason for this 1 star review is service. Just rang through a collection order with a 20 minute ETA. Turned up and found out the order had not been passed on to anyone, and know one knew anything about it. Showed them my phone record of when the order was placed.

Manager (I presumed) said 'ok will give you a discount'. Went to walk down that road with him, only to be told after re placing my order, that the discount would be if I paid cash and not by card!

Own your mistakes, and don't try to negotiate in your favour your very own stuff-ups with unhappy customers.

The reason most people eat 3 star food = convenience. That's gone for me at this greedy little restaurant. ...