Summer Palace Restaurant — Restaurant in Burnley

Came for a quick meal out with my partner this evening. First time visiting. Started off with a complimentary little dish of prawn crackers and got our drinks. The only lager on tap was Sun Lik. Which was pretty flat (it's not an overly carbonated lager in the first place). And my partner had an orangeade. £4.50 for an unbranded orangeade is definitely overpriced. We ordered a sharing starter. Which was worded like it was £8.50. However when we asked for the bill it was £8.50 per head. For that you get one spare rib, two very small crispy won tons, a char sui roll and a couple of forkfuls of seaweed (Savoy cabbage). I asked for the spiciest dish they did, I've forgotten the name of it as I'm typing this. But had it with Char Siu. And a portion of noodles with fresh chillies. My partner had chicken hoisin and unspiced noodles. Waiting times for the main seemed initially good. However my chilli noodles came out by themselves, then after another couple of minutes my main dish came out on a "sizzler" plate/skillet. No idea why this is a thing, but anyway.... I was waiting for my partner's meal to be brought to the table. And about another five minutes had passed. Then her noodle's get brought to the table. Then yet another delay of her chicken hoisin, which got taken to two other tables by accident before it finally reached us. By this time my noodles were cold. And my sizzler main had no sauce, and charred veg from sitting on the skillet for so long. I was not happy in the slightest. However my partner is literally nine months pregnant, and did not want me to say anything!

Positive points. The waitress who initially taken out order was polite enough. The starter was okay, but over priced. The waiter who brought my partner's dish when it finally came out apologised and was decent about the mistake (the terrible timing of the meals leaving the kitchen wasn't his fault). The quality of the dishes were mediocre.

Negatives. One beer on tap which wasn't great. Way overpriced unbranded orangeade for my pregnant partner. The way the sharing starter is worded is misleading. Terrible timing of bringing the mains out. It was around ten minutes of me getting my noodle's, then main, then my partner and I sat awkwardly waiting for hers to arrive as I wouldn't start eating without her. Then she gets brought noodles without her main. And we have to wait a few more minutes again for her main to come out (and get brought to the correct table) By which time my noodles are cold, and main dish is dry and charred. I waited that long we just wanted to eat, and not say anything...

So we were £60 in for this experience. Sorry, but we definitely will not be coming back. I'm being generous...

since covid it hasn't been as popular which is why the atmosphere isn't the best but that's not a restaurant is for. If you want atmosphere go watch arsenal at the emirates. Anyway, Summer palace is a brilliant place to dine with your partner or have a lovley 3 course meal with friends. The food is fresh and cooked to order unlike some places in this modern day. Out of three taps they only have one beer on tap which is the Sunlik which makes up for the other two. This is the best larger alcoholic beverage I have ever had in a long time. They also offer a takeaway c; considering they only have a few members of staff is good going! The staff are really friendly and Sammy (the owner) is the soundest lad I've ever met in my life. 34 now he is getting on abit now though haha. The food manages to stay warm for hours which is ideal for people like me that likes to home after not managing the potions they give me and finish it in front of the tv. Overall its a brilliant place to wine and dine with friends and family If you haven't been here i would defiantly recommend trying. The staff are like your best friends here which makes it a welcoming environment rather than waiter/waitress/waitthey server...

We have had this Chinese many times and have a had a good experience for the most part. So on this occasion we decided to order in.

We ordered via on online menu and when the food arrived we were shocked at the price, it was nearly double, this would have been fine if there had been an updated menu anywhere!

We paid the bill, and got out the food and had there been substantial amounts I would have been fine with the price, the the price was doubled and the portions were halved!

Salt and pepper chips which were going to be shared barely had one portion in and the contained a poultry amount of what was ordered.

We complained on the phone, and was explained that it was 'measured out' but if it was it was measured out, not much was.

We then did not receive an apology or any consolation, we did not want to send it all back, nor a free meal offered, but a simple acknowledgment or an explanation beyond 'measured out'.

It's a shame because if I ate in we would have gotten a far better portion for the same price!

Very...