Young Cheng Buffet — Restaurant in London

Visited yesterday with the family for lunch during the Chinese New Year festivities, very busy and had to queue around 45 mins. When we finally got a table, the staff were very abrupt and not welcoming. I told the waiter that we were having the buffet (very expensive at £14.99 pp in comparison to other places nearby) and that only three of us were eating, my partner was not very well and didn't have the appetite. Although there was three of us eating the waiter said that if my partner was occupying a seat then you would have to pay and that was policy of the restaurant. He was very rude and said we would have to leave otherwise. As we were hungry and had been waiting, I paid for my partner too although she hardly ate anything. When we got our food from the self service counter and sat down to eat the waiter came up behind me and slapped the receipt of the table and said I had to pay before I eat. Again he was very direct and abrupt. I literally had started eating and he was standing over me and watching. It made me feel very uncomfortable and the kids also became concerned. I told him to wait but he refused so I asked for the manager. She came over and stated it was restaurant policy and I should of been told when I came in (which I wasn't). She agreed to let us finish eating and pay at the end. However I was asked a further two times for money in the space of 10 mins and being constantly watched as if I was going to run without paying. The manager came over again and said that I'd had enough time and I had to pay right away. I reluctantly left the table Although the kids were still eating and paid at the til. I realised I was short of money £2 as it was cash only. I said I'd go to the cashpoint and come back but to my surprise they said I could pay the difference by card. This was completely contradictory with signs up and staff repeatedly saying its cash only. At £14.99 pp and cash only policy, its obvious that how the restaurant is run is very suspect and the hmrc are been taken for a ride. An small, dingy place which was not clean and with rude staff. The only thing they were interested in was taking people's money and no care at all for the service. As I left the restaurant I expressed my disappointment and complained but I got zero compassion. Just a smirk and wishing my a happy new year! I won't be coming back here in a hurry, be warned! There is a far better Chinese buffet available cross the street called Mr Wu for...

This place is located in Chinatown in London very nice area and really close to main streets.

Type: Buffet (CASH ONLY) Price: £8.50 ($12.19) per person for buffet £5.00 ($7.17) for take out (they call it take away)

PROS:

LOCATION: The place was located pretty close to the major streets so of you don't know your way around (like me) it's really easy to find your way back to the major areas.

SERVICE: The service was great everyone was helpful and they all spoke English. The waitresses were very available for anything you needed and came around to the tables a lot to get you anything or take your finished plates away.

FOOD: The food was really good I had the fried rice with chow mein, steamed vegetables and fries (or chips). It had a great flavor to it and the vegetables were cooked very nicely. The buffet was replenished very often and there was no instance when something was out for too long. I didn't have the chicken drumsticks but my wife said they were very delicious. They had a decent selection from steamed rice, aromatic duck, prawns, and a lot of chicken.

CONS:

PAYMENT: This place was cash only, which was very inconvenient because it was very cold and slightly drizzling and we were very hungry and we had to take time to find an atm and pull money out because I was trying to avoid service fees (I am from the United States) and my bank wasn't out there.

RESTAURANT: The place was very small and cramped, I am not sure if that is the norm in London so if it is please discount this. My wife went to the bathroom and she said it was filthy, there was no toilet seat covers so she had to squat to use the toilet.

CHARGES: Tap water was free but for ice water they charged 50p, sparkling water I think they charged £1.85 but I am not sure.

FOOD: I don't eat pork, chicken, or red meat so there wasn't many options for people who just eat fish, most of the items contained chicken which is good if you eat that but I don't so I didn't like it.

Overall I give this place a 3 star rating just because I am all about convenience. I really didn't like that I had to find an atm while it was very windy, cold and drizzling and we had also walked all day. The food was good though I really enjoyed what I could eat but if you are with a big party or like your space this might not be the place for you. If it's just you and maybe 2 other people and you have cash, it might be...

Third time and last time I shall visit. The manager is very rude and now they've gone from accepting card to cash only. On previous occasions they've cleared my table and my drink , in a passive aggressive manner to force me to surrender my table and seat . However, today on 28th December 2024, I had the manager telling me as I'm not eating food, to leave the premises (yet unpaid for the buffet!). I was drinking a pot of tea, which I was pressured into having before I was even seated. if they're going to not let you finish your drinks or beverages at the table, then they simply shouldn't offer them. I had not even dined there for an hour. The pressure to eat quick is so intense, that customer's are almost having fights with one another at the buffet carts. The food is quite good, however you're rushed and don't have time to actually enjoy it. They failed to actually give me a paper cup and poured my hot tea into a plastic cup, which actually started to melt and leak. I took a picture of the cup before the leak. This is highly unacceptable. The manager was quite pleased and said "good fthank you" when I told him I shall not return. Maybe it's that old saying "first time shame on you, second time shame on me". As I visited this establishment three times since August this year. Never again. I can honestly say they're very rude and just want to grab as much money (cash only) as possible. You're treated worse than cattle and told where to be seated . When I went to the table downstairs, which the concierge had told me to go to I was instead placed upstairs and they tried to talk to me as if I'm a "delinquent junior school boy". Careful of the chicken curry in here, they waitress brought a container of it and it had a skin on it, this means it has been sitting for hours before it got anywhere near to the buffet cart. The prawns still have the shit sack and so you'll have to have much patience to remove these. I actually would recommend not eating here. If you do, don't buy drinks, as you won't be allowed to actually remain at your table and enjoy your pot of tea. I'd highly recommend a real Chinese restaurant, where you can order a few dishes amongst friends , where you won't be ushered out so hastily.

I would certainly recommend only dining here if you're not on your own. They see you as weak if...