Peking Enten Haus — Restaurant in Hamburg

Quintessence: The entrees were very mediocre, the Peking Duck was nice though. They do give you refills of pancakes/slices of cucumber/spring onion and sweet bean sauce. The restaurant looks more fancy from the outside than it actually is inside. The service was okay.

In detail:

Two friends and I ordered the menu for 3-4 people. We had the option to choose two out of four entrees. We decided to order the fried fish and beef. The fish was coated in a tempura kind of dough and deep-fried. Both entrees were very mediocre, a little bit salty. They were served with some kind of mixed rice, definitely not pure jasmine rice as the grains were not sticking together as much. After finishing our entrees they served the Peking Duck. A chef came out and carved the duck in front of our eyes, which was kind of nice to watch. The Peking Duck was served with steamed pancakes, slices of cucumber/spring onion and a sweet bean sauce. Whenever we needed more pancakes or slices of cucumber/spring onion we could always ask for it, but the waiter also made sure we had enough by coming around every now and then checking if we needed anything. We couldn't finish the duck as fast as we probably should have. At some point it got cold and a bit chewy.

The waiters were friendly but kind of forgetful. Even though there were only three other people in the restaurant when we ordered they couldn't remember who ordered which drink. Instead of asking they decided to randomly give us our drinks.

The inside of the restaurant doesn't look anything like you would expect when you see the outside. It doesn't look like a traditional Chinese restaurant, but a bit plain and boring. (One of the waiters told us they'd be moving to another place. Maybe they'll change the interior design at their new place.)

In total I would have expected more as this restaurant is quite expensive. Moreover I'm disappointed that they don't use pure...

Based on a recent visit, there are a few key considerations before booking which may inform your decision. Our experience was extremely negative but here I will try to be neutral and distill the key points. Bear in mind that this is a place to have a SLOW meal as will become apparent in the notes below, do not arrive here hungry:

A table booking during peak time did not guarantee that the table was ready when we arrived. As we saw happen to many other patrons once we were seated, you enter the restaurant, and may be stood in the entrance for several minutes. The waiters may acknowledge you briefly, or say that someone is coming, or some comment about how busy they are, but you will not have a seat or real idea of what is happening.

Though just over half the restaurant was occupied, there were only two waiters who were clearly rushed off their feet and the impact on service was clear. Their unkempt white shirts set the tone as they looked rushed and had little service or care.

Although the peking duck is the main dish the restaurant produces, it is expected that you will eat it around ONE HOUR AFTER YOU ARRIVE. This is part of the reason why the set menu has starters as explained by the waiter. We had wanted to just have the duck and were basically told we would have to sit and wait for an hour...

The restaurant attempts to make it more prestige with the visible carving of the duck but this simply makes the whole process longer with seemingly only one duck at a time ever being carved. How such a large restaurant can only produce one duck every 15 minutes is beyond me.

Overall, there was a lack of care and organisation, the waiters were poorly prepared and needed more support, and the duck was painfully slow considering it is the only main dish they produce.

Not worth the wait and...

In a nutshell, the duck is great — the atmosphere and service missed the mark. You come here for the crispy skin and tender meat of a proper Peking Duck, once served to emperors and now, thankfully, to an average Joe in the city. The cooking is done in the kitchen, but the carving is performed right at your table, and watching the chef slice the duck with such precision is genuinely impressive.

The rest of the food is fine, nothing more. The rice pancakes are a matter of preference, the dark sweet sauce is delicious but needs just a tiny touch so it doesn’t overpower the duck, and the accompanying sides are standard. Jasmine tea is nice, again nothing remarkable. If you come here, come for the duck — full stop.

Where things shift is the atmosphere. The dining room feels empty and dated, with no real sense of mood or identity. And then there’s the service — an Italian waiter who is casual, loud, and completely out of sync with the dish he’s presenting. I wasn’t expecting ceremonial bows or theatrical Asian hospitality, but a royal recipe like Peking Duck deserves a hint of dignity.

Still, I want people to try it because the duck itself is genuinely worth it — just ignore everything happening around you and focus on the plate. Practical note: there’s a big parking area right in front of the restaurant, which is always...