Fong Wing Kee — Restaurant in Kowloon

A famous old institution in the area, famous for their satay hot pot (they are supposedly the first to come up with this version). Apparently, it has been around since 1955, all along catering mostly to the local crowd until recent years when the advent of social media gave it lots of exposure and now it sees a steady stream of mainland Chinese diners. It is also famous as the setting of one important scene in the famous 2003 Hong Kong movie PTU.

Though looking forward to finally experiencing it for myself, I kept my expectations realistic, having read mixed reviews with some complaints about atrocious service and claims that it was a far cry from what it used to be.

I shall not bore readers with more long-winded ramblings. Let’s delve straight into the review.

Food: 4.5/5. The satay broth was delicious. Slightly sweet with savoury notes, it was thick and rich but not too heavy, and even after the staff topped it up with hot water several times (there is a charge for topping up with fresh broth), it stayed the same and did not turn diluted at all. The various ingredients were tasty and enjoyable. Unfortunately I did not order their prime beef selections as I thought they only accepted cash (silly assumption on my part) and did not have enough cash on me – I later found out that they accept card payments too. But even the lower-priced items were good enough. The beef shank and pork neck were delicious, but of particular mention were the pearl oysters. At just HK$68, they came in a huge serving, and they were so fresh and delicious. The clear broth was quite tasty too, flavoured with huge chunks of dried sole. But the satay broth was definitely unique and worth the visit. I’ve read other comments complaining that it is overly salty and MSG-laden, but it was hardly salty to me and on this occasion, I dined there with my mother who is sometimes quite sensitive to MSG in Chinese food, but she suffered no ill effects here, so I dare say that if there is any MSG in this soup, it is certainly not excessive.

Service: 3.5/5. After reading so many complaints of terrible service at this place, I was pleasantly surprised. Service here is typical of many old-school Hong Kong establishments. I would say the staff here are typical Hong Kongers – slightly rough around the edges from the city’s fast-paced environment, with no time for niceties, and don’t expect an effusive welcome or five-star service, but they are not deliberately mean and no ruder than the average Hong Konger. Having said that, a few of them were actually quite helpful and took the initiative to show us to a less cramped table or to give recommendations.

Environment: 3/5. Similarly, after reading reviews about a cramped, dirty environment, I was pleasantly surprised to find it a lot cleaner than expected. Once again, don’t expect comfort, it’s a typical Hong Kong joint with tables cramped close together and small stools without backrests. In my case, it was fine at first but when a group occupied the table behind us, I had to shift my stool into a rather uncomfortable position to avoid leaning against the back of the person behind me. Still, it wasn’t too bad.

Price: 3/5. Slightly on the high side but not too bad for the overall experience.

Overall: 4/5. A disclaimer, my review is based on this one experience, and I have never tried it in the past so I don’t know how much better it could have been, but dining at this old-school establishment turned out to be an enjoyable experience. As with so many other Hong Kong eateries, so-called rude service was nothing more than the typical brisk Hong Kong attitude, and the food was decent and...

I had an absolutely dreadful experience at Fong Wing Kee Hotpot, and I strongly advise everyone to stay away from this place!

Firstly, the quality of the meat was mediocre, the taste was overly salty, and the prices were exorbitant. The food quality does not justify the high prices at all.

What made it worse was the horrendous service. After we placed our order, the dishes hadn't all arrived, and the waitstaff began rudely rushing us to eat faster. Their language was incredibly impolite. When the last dish finally arrived, we were met with personal threats, as they insisted we remain silent, eat quickly, and leave immediately.

The most shocking part was when they demanded we pay in advance and tried to snatch my bank card. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable, and we are considering reporting this incident to the local Hong Kong authorities.

In conclusion, the service and food quality at Fong Wing Kee Hotpot are abysmal. I will never return, and I hope others can avoid such a...

DON'T GO TO THIS PLACE. this is the first time i rated a place this low. Came here because a friend said this place is popular amongst tourists (mainland). One look and I already knew this was gonna be a bad idea and I was not wrong. we did the satay hot pot. The sauce was very basic and taste like they just watered down pre-made sauce. it was also much more savory than normal Malay or Thai satay flavors. ingredients were quite expensive but the beef was nothing special unless you are ready to pay double normal prices. the service is average and they obviously know local HK is not their clientele [they focus on mainland tourists who have no clues]. Definitely don't go. plenty of places where the food is better for half the price. their food was so average....I didn't even bother to...