Emperor of China

Excellent food, service and ambience. We have never been disappointed so much so that we travel from just south of Croydon, Surrey to the EoC just for lunch. We have only found one other chinese restaurant that comes anywhere this one and that is in Cala Blanca, Menorca.
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Lesley and Brian - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, March 28, 2011

We attended as a walk in on Friday night. Front of house staff were friendly and efficient, with only a short wait for food after ordering.

The food however, was very disappointing. The first course (mixed dim sum platter) was bland and unseasoned with an unusual inedible plate decoration of a carved figure part wrapped in cling film.

The mains were little better. The beef was well cooked and soft but with a sauce that had nothing other than an unpleasant acidity to it. The chicken was little better.

In summary: efficient and attentive service let down by poor quality food.
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Mike and Abby
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Friday, October 01, 2010

Excellent food, excellent staff, excellent ambience. Little expensive but worth every penny. House Dim Sum particularly good.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, March 14, 2010

lovely food, great atmosphere staff really helpful highy recommend this resturant.. will be going again very soon
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donna mitchel
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Saturday, December 05, 2009

my mum, my partner and i went to the restaurant on a sunday at 6pm. it was very quiet - there was one other group there.

the staff treated us well and were very helpful - explaining and answering any questions we had about some of the dishes.

the food was the best Chinese food i had ever tasted. I'd personally recommend the beef noodles - such a basic dish, but so so nice.

the only thing about the food was i thought that for the price, the dishes were quite small, apart from the rice dishes.

we bought 7 dishes and had 5 drinks and our bill came to £51 however, we were very full and only just finished all the dishes.

they even gave us all a set of chopsticks to take home - not the cheap wood ones either :D

i would definatly go again and i'd strongly recommend it to others - maybe not on busy days though.
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alice
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

THE best chinese in brighton ! only complaint dont think they deliver in the marina?!
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leigh
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

We often eat here, the staff are friendly, helpful and efficient and the set vegetarian meal for two is excellent and good value.
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Lesley Rose
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Friday, May 15, 2009

I really dont know where to start, I had to check the number on my mobile and the restaurent address, just to make sure I wasn't going to review the wrong restaurant!!

Anyway, here goes... My girlfriend and I wanted to go out on mothers day and assumed that everwhere would be booked up, so I called the Emperor, who (I should have caught on at this point...) stated I didn't need a booking, could fit me in and didn't even ask my name...

We walked from my flat to the Marina, thinking "let's try somewhere else", as we normally go to the Pagoda, which is the floating chinese, actually on the Marina (pretty good as well....!)

I dont want to waste to much time with this review, so here are the facts, in no chronological order of how disgusted we were...

1. When the waiter came to our table, he made no eye contact, grunted and spent more time looking around the restaurent looking for who had left tips, or who was walking in the door with Chanel shoes, Vitton bag etc...

2. The food was untasty, had no life, was full of sugar (because as you know, all us Westerners love a sugery Chinese..!) with portions that wouldn't partially satisy an anorexic hampster...

3. There was less atmosphere than the moon and far far far too much talking between customers, who played with their food, more than a 5 year old at a tea party..

4. It was about 8 quid for a main (if you could call it that..) we had crispy beef containing no beef and their "special noodles" cost a whopping 8 and a half quid which were discoloured, stale looking and at best dry... (I had to pour sweet and sour sauce over them, shortly after giving my choking girlfriend the Heimlick manouvre..) She described them as "dehydrated worms, with a hint of MSG..." The prices are extortionate!!

To summerise, when I informed her I would still be leaving a tip, she nearly fell over....

My tip..? Gut the place but at least you get what you pay for!!!

Get your act together emperor, dont rely on passing trade from London who wont take the time to write a review, just because they've had a lovely day in Brighton, as you may just get get a local like me, who will really say it as it is...

As for the others who have written their reviews, I respect your individual opinons, but please believe me, there is a dam sight better Brighton has to offer, once you look beyond the boats and the sunshine..

One last thing, the guy who's review said that "the restaurent looks out over part of the Marina", I think you've just reviewed the Pagod by mistake, there are certainly no lovely views from the emperor!

My rating, 2 out of ten and I'm being generous...!!

Ruined our day, will never go back..
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Never again...!
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 23, 2009

We went there 22/03/09 on a hot, sunny Mother's Day.

The restaurant was very busy & upon arrival our party of 5 was seated in the very far corner from the entrance.

I have eaten at this place before when quieter & was very impressed with the food & the service.

This time however, there was a decided lack of care & quality from the service staff and/or the kitchen.

Our food was rather slow in arriving - we got in at 13:10 & left the place at 15:45 and had to catch the attention of waiting staff to let them know we'd finished our courses - but the main problem was that each course was served in stages to our table!?

For instance, 2 bowls of rice & a main appeared. 5 minutes went by & another 2 mains appeared. Another 5 minutes & the last dishes came out.

To be honest I've never seen such shambolic service. Some of the food was piping hot, whilst other items were going cold because all the items arrived at intervals.

On the positive side the food when it arrived, was very good.

The meal cost £130 & needless to say I didn't leave a tip.

I've left a positive review on this site from a previous visit, but unfortunately now I will never go to this restaurant again.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Monday, March 23, 2009

Big, delicious and groovy. Enough about my wife - the restaurant is great - we go there at least 3 times a year and also for Valentines which is always a great evening.

Staff are quick, efficient, sometimes a bit "too efficient" (you see the speed at which the tables are prepped when a party leaves - it's brutal).

Overall - a well deserved 8 or 9.

Ignore the whingers - this is a good eat.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 12, 2009