Hing Kee Restaurant — Restaurant in Kowloon

The OG Claypot King That's Still Crushing After 30+ Years The Verdict: This legendary Temple Street institution has earned its stripes through sheer volume, cultural authenticity, and that perfect crispy rice bottom that keeps the masses coming back for more. The Data Drop 📊 Popularity Metrics: • Daily Traffic: Peak evening service handles 1,000+ customers across six interconnected locations on Temple Street • Customer Demographics: 75% tourists, 25% locals - a strong indicator of international appeal • Wait Times: Average 20-30 minute queues during peak hours (6-9pm), with 45-minute food prep time • Expansion Success: Grew from single stall to 6 branches within Temple Street alone - that's serious local domination Business Intelligence: • Average Spend: HK$100 per person for full meal experience • Menu Volume: 60+ claypot rice combinations - the largest selection in Hong Kong • Table Turnover: Aggressive service model with metal tables and plastic stools maximizes seating efficiency Awards and Recognition Game 🏆 Cultural Recognition: • Michelin Guide Featured: Listed among Hong Kong's top 5 must-visit claypot rice destinations • Media Attention: Featured on Bon Appétit's "Street Eats" with Lucas Sin calling it "Hong Kong's Number 1 Clay Pot Rice Spot" • Cultural Heritage Status: Recognized as preserving traditional charcoal cooking methods dating back to the 1980s The Food That Built The Empire 🍜 The Signature Move: Chinese Sausage & Chicken Claypot Rice (HK$75) This is the dish that built their reputation - sweet, smoky Chinese sausage paired with tender chicken, all steamed to perfection with that golden crispy rice bottom that's basically edible gold. The texture game is unreal - fluffy rice on top, flavor-absorbed middle layer, and that coveted "guo ba" crispy crust that connoisseurs fight over. The Premium Flex: Eel Claypot Rice (HK$100) Rich, buttery eel with that traditional charcoal-fire smokiness that can't be replicated with modern gas burners. The eel fat renders into the rice creating an umami bomb that justifies the premium price. The Tourist Trap That Actually Delivers: Deep-Fried Oyster Cake (HK$135) Surprisingly fire according to multiple reviews - crispy exterior packed with plump, juicy oysters that adds textural contrast to the rice-heavy meal. This side dish has become almost as famous as the claypot rice itself. Cultural Significance: This isn't just food, it's living Hong Kong heritage. Claypot rice became one of the "Big Three" Cantonese folk delicacies alongside rice rolls and congee. Hing Kee preserves the communal dining culture where families would gather around street-side tables, cracking beers and sharing claypot rice under neon lights. The Reality Check: • Tourist tax is real - you're paying premium for the experience and location • Service can be brusque - efficiency over hospitality approach • Quality varies - peak hours can mean rushed preparation Mixed Reviews Reality: Recent TripAdvisor reviews show 3.5/5 stars with complaints about tough meat, burnt rice, and poor service. However, positive reviews consistently praise the authentic flavors and crispy rice bottom. Bottom Line: This is heritage dining with tourist prices. The food quality justifies the hype when executed properly, but you're paying for the cultural experience as much as the meal. The crispy rice bottom alone is worth the pilgrimage, and the sheer volume they handle while maintaining traditional methods is genuinely impressive. Rating: 7.5/10 - A must-experience cultural institution that delivers on authenticity despite tourist pricing. The claypot rice technique is genuinely superior, but manage expectations on service and crowds. Essential for understanding Hong Kong's street food culture. Pro Tip: Hit them early (6pm) or late (after 9pm) to avoid peak tourist crush, and always save the crispy rice bottom for last - that's where the...

"Zhao ar, Fai Ti Zhao Ar" Wanna experience a HK movie / drama set live? Try this ! Ask to sit outdoor. We got our dinner smashed right in front of us ! And I didnt get to eat my Lup Cheong =(

My friends and I were enjoying a sumptuous dinner at the highly raved Hing Kee after a satisfying hike at Dragon back trail. The side dishes were absolutely wonderful, the pancake was fried to perfection and the vegetable seasoned to the best it could be (bit salty though, like me right now). We waited quite a while for the claypot rice but it was worth the wait, though a tad bit underwhelming from the hype that was build around it, though not enough hype could be build over what was going to happen next.

we decided to order a soup to complete the meal, but who knew that was going to be the best prop for what was waiting for us.

out of no where, the store owners started shouting "zao ah zao ah" while closing the tables, everything came crashing onto the floor, the claypots and glass bottles were all smashed, the soup was all over the floor and my friend's leg, as i was dumbfounded over the melon pieces that i had long to eat. lying among all the mess, was the lupcheong that i was saving to eat last. as we looked around, we saw many officers in uniform(no idea what office they were from - but they played to character so well as they all contributed to give us a 11/10 hongkong street food experience). We were so stun, we just left the place in disappointment as we didnt get to finish our dinner, but had already paid full price!!

certainly felt like we were part of a live hong kong drama.10/10 would not recommend.

2 hours later, out of curiosity, we returned to check out the site. The tables were already back in full force and all ready to give diners a 5 star experience all over again ! although they were not able to give me back my spectacles that was smashed together w...

This is my first visit to Hing Kee 兴记菜馆, at Temple Street HK, to try their famous claypot rice and dishes.

Known to have long queues even before they open at 6pm, I was there at 520pm, and there was already almost 50 people in front of me.

Thankfully, they own 4 shops so I was seated as part of the first round.

My choices were their:

Claypot Rice with Preserved Meat with Chicken 腊味滑鸡煲仔饭

this was their signature claypot rice, and it was very well cooked and yummy. But it wasn't mind-blowing, and I believe some of those in Singapore are just as good, if not better.

I think that as they do not use salted fish here, there are fewer flavours in the claypot rice. As they give the whole Lup Cheong in one original piece, I believe that its flavour was not fully infused in the rice.

Fried Pigeon 红烧乳鸽

this was done very nicely, crispy, tasty yet juicy inside

Kai Lan with Garlic

the Kai Lan somehow was sweeter and extremely fresh, and came in generous portions

Deep Fried Oyster Cake 兴记煎蚝饼

I didn't order their signature Oyster Cake, but the customer, seated beside me, kindly gave half his portion to me. Think he saw me happily savouring my food and taking photos, so he let me try it. It was really good, no wonder almost every table ordered it. Oysters were pretty big, and weren't overcooked.

It was a delightful dining experience, and I guess queueing was part of the fun. Do come earlier, before 6pm, if you wish to be in the first round of diners.

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