Mr. Lam — Restaurant in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

Mr Lam is named in the Michelin Guide but don't let this fool you.

The outside of the restaurant with its black heavy imposing doors gave an upmarket feel. Once we had confirmed our reservation with Maître De we made our way to the table. This was situated on the 2nd Floor (of three) with views over the nicely lit lagoon. When we arrived at 7.30pm, there was only one other table of about 6 people on the 1st floor and one on the 2nd floor. The restaurant started to fill up quickly after that.

We were handed the menus with the waiter speaking in Portuguese. We asked “Voce fala Ingles” to which he answered “a little”. This to me meant “depends what you are going to ask me”.

For drinks we ordered Bohemian Beer and some still water.

To start we ordered the Chicken Spring Rolls, Shrimp Prawn Rolls and Xiao Long Bao.

The spring rolls arrived first, both were accompanied by sweet and sour sauce. We noted that there was no soy sauce provided. The chicken spring rolls were not anything like what we had anticipated. They were like eating a chicken and cheese pasty. Other than the shape and the deep fried filo pastry with sesame seed at each end, there really was nothing Oriental about them.

The Shrimp Spring Rolls on the other hand were delightful. When they first arrived, they were an extremely hot temperature. Whilst they cooled down we got stuck into the chicken, which really should have been given up as a bad job. Once they had reached a temperature that wasn’t going to take off a layer of the inside of our mouths, we proceeded to devour. They were literally packed full with the juiciest prawns and gave Singapore airport lounge a run for its money and that is really saying something. Like the chicken version, they were dipped in sesame seed at each end but these did feel truly Chinese.

It went down hill from there on in.

The last starter we order was Xiao Long Bao. They lacked the juicy soup and a plain meaty flavour. Instead they were over seasoned with pepper and not even the black vinegar could save them

Once we were finished with the starters along came the mains. I ordered the Peking chicken and my husband ordered the Filet Mignonette Beef. Both were pricey, especially the beef.

Along with this we ordered egg fried rice. Whilst I had been in the lavatory, one of the waiters had returned to the table to inform my husband that this also contained shrimp. This was not a problem for us but maybe the restaurant should consider a menu update to state this.

Both the chicken and steak dishes were massive but then for the price they should be. Where do I start in terms of each as both were a huge disappointment. The meat of the beef dish was melt in the mouth but was short on any distinctive flavour and was horrendously bland. We felt we had to eat as much of it as we could because of the cost. It had most of the key ingredients, onions, peppers and black beans but where was the garlic and the much needed seasoning.

The Peking Chicken, which when we have tasted anywhere else but mainly in the UK normally comes with a peanut fruity sweet sauce. In this version, there were cashew nuts scattered alongside the diced chicken. The sauce again lacked substance and flavour.

The chef had made an attempt at some kind of sweet sauce but again the diner was left wanting more. Not wanting to end up with a projectile vomit situation, I had to leave.

Throughout the whole meal, we felt like we were under direct scrutiny from the waiting staff. As soon as we cleared a plate, it was removed. The moment we sipped some water it was refilled. Could they lip read? We thought absolutely yes. We kept our conversation to a minimum which meant that we barely enjoyed the meal (not just because of the taste) or each other’s company.

Once the meal was over but not finished, we made a swift exit.

I was left wondering, did we order the wrong dishes? A lot of other guests seemed to be ordering some form of noodles and...

I want to start by highlighting the exceptional service we received at Mr. Lam’s. The staff truly went out of their way to ensure our dining experience was memorable and made our table feel particularly special. However, when it comes to the food, I have some concerns. The dishes we tried felt overwhelmingly greasy and heavy. To summarize the menu, it consisted primarily of fried rice loaded with oil, overly crispy fried chicken that left a slick residue, and spring rolls that, while crunchy, were drenched in grease. Even the items that weren’t deep-fried had an unsettling greasy texture and lacked distinct flavors, making them taste rather bland.

On a more positive note, the restaurant itself boasts a lovely and open atmosphere, which adds to the overall dining experience. Nonetheless, despite the excellent service and inviting ambiance, I feel that the steep prices do not align with the quality of food served. The high cost makes the experience feel less worth it, overshadowing...

A friend and I tried giving Mr. Lam a try and we were clearly profiled at the door by a security guard and a hostess. They turned us away with little to no explanation. They claimed that they were closed, however, 2 minutes later, we observed a caucasian family being allowed entry into the restaurant. They were also dressed down and were giving preferential treatment. It’s a shame that in 2025 and during my first visit to the beautiful city of RIO, that I had to experience instances of discrimination and homophobia. I definitely would not recommend this restaurant if you’re black or a member of the lgbt community. Please find somewhere else to go. So many other restaurants have made us feel welcome during our stay, it’s a shame that Mr Lam...