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[Food] Chinese Restaurants in Brighton & Hove.



Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,562
Cowfold
Now, I'm a great fan of Chinese food, and over the last thirty years or so was a regular customer at Mr Li's Restaurant in Horsham, sadly the Li family have been forced to sell up, and the business is about to close. Nowhere else in my immediate local area quite fits the bill, so l'm casting the net wider and considering my options in Brighton & Hove.

What are the possibilities there? Are their some good Chinese eateries? and if so where would you recommend? If the answer is yes, then l can enjoy a margarita or two in the Bee"s Mouth in Western Road before l go on to eat.

Over to you.
 

mothy

Well-known member
Dec 30, 2012
2,093
Very sad to see me li's is shutting. Have been going there since 1994 BUT the last few times (in the last 7 yrs or so the food was still great BUT the decor had died & so had the custom - all headed to east street. If he had moved with the times (redecorated& got his staff to modernise too) he could have survived in its hey day it was heaving
 

mothy

Well-known member
Dec 30, 2012
2,093
Hins in Hove. Very Good. Friendly staff and decent food.

Sorry to disagree. I have had numerous hins & they (like nearly all Chinese in hove & brighton) are pretty average (with dodgy chicken). The main 1 i go to is Danny's in Portland road.

If you've got the money go to gars.

AnOther ok is china china in Preston street
 

papajaff

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2005
3,965
Brighton
Gars in Prince Albert St, Brighton is my favourite by far. Always superb.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,562
Cowfold
Very sad to see me li's is shutting. Have been going there since 1994 BUT the last few times (in the last 7 yrs or so the food was still great BUT the decor had died & so had the custom - all headed to east street. If he had moved with the times (redecorated& got his staff to modernise too) he could have survived in its hey day it was heaving

Memories memories, yep you are absolutely right, it's heyday was probabaly the early 1990's when Madame Li was dressed in national costume and running front of house, what a marvellous hostess she was. There wasn't a table to be had on a Friday or Saturday evening.

Sadly as you say, the restaurant is a mere shadow of it's former self, although the quality of the food hasn't declined, just about every other aspect of it has. Tommy the one surviving waiter is tired, the building is tired, and should you choose to dine there you will probably be the only customers. You will eat in silence too as the business has lost it's music license.

A sad ending for a restaurant that was truly a Horsham dining institution. I believe the building is due to open as a Domino's Pizza outlet after a refit.
 

BNthree

Plastic JCL
Sep 14, 2016
10,742
WeHo
Found great restaurants for many different cuisines but never found a great Chinese restaurant in Brighton & Hove. Danny's is OK mainly as it is all so fresh due to the amount of custom they get but not great.
 

Diablo

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Sep 22, 2014
4,172
lewes
Know you said Brighton and Hove....However we in Lewes used to have Panda Garden which was very good now the Castle Chinese which is superb.
 


desprateseagull

New member
Jul 20, 2003
10,171
brighton, actually
Can vouch for Danny's - went there about 2 months ago, quite tasty, and VERY filling if you dont take it easy on the set buffet option!

Previously been to Chinese Garden on Preston Street, Gars (Ship Street), and Hiu's, in Church Road.

Overall, I would rate CG for the event, Gars for the food.
 

Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
23,683
GOSBTS
China Garden on Preston Street is solid, not a massive Chinese fan but do enjoy Dim Sum on the occasional Sunday and theirs is very good
 

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 10, 2003
25,553
Another vote for Danny's. Not fine Chinese dining but excellent value and good fun for a group.

Gars, choys, cheungs and the first Chinese I remember in brighton in east street (can't remember the name, very early 70s) all had their moments if you're old enough.
 
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Jul 7, 2003
8,542
The Imperial China in Worthing is always good. A little pricey but excellent food and service and worth paying a bit more for.
 

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 10, 2003
25,553
NanKing in east street, knew it would come to me eventually. Looking it up, I've seen that it goes back to the 60s and possibly 50s as the first Chinese restaurant in Brighton
 

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
NanKing in east street, knew it would come to me eventually. Looking it up, I've seen that it goes back to the 60s and possibly 50s as the first Chinese restaurant in Brighton[/QUOTE ]

I used to go there in the 60s as a young man and IIRC you had to go upstairs or perhaps they had 2 floors and I always chose upstairs.
 


Invicta

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Nov 1, 2013
3,192
Kent
Sorry to disagree. I have had numerous hins & they (like nearly all Chinese in hove & brighton) are pretty average (with dodgy chicken). The main 1 i go to is Danny's in Portland road.

If you've got the money go to gars.

AnOther ok is china china in Preston street

First time on Sat after Wolves game. Was v good.
 

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 10, 2003
25,553
NanKing in east street, knew it would come to me eventually. Looking it up, I've seen that it goes back to the 60s and possibly 50s as the first Chinese restaurant in Brighton[/QUOTE ]

I used to go there in the 60s as a young man and IIRC you had to go upstairs or perhaps they had 2 floors and I always chose upstairs.

I think you're right re 2 floors
 

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
For the OP just a short taxi ride away the China Brasserie in Haywards Heath has some good reviews although I must admit I havent eaten in there but I am sure somebody on here will have done. Whenever we park in Burgess Hill I see The Emporer and think I will try that one day.but havent as yet.
 

One Love

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2011
4,336
Brighton
Another vote for Danny's. Not fine Chinese dining but excellent value and good fun for a group.

Gars, choys, cheungs and the first Chinese I remember in brighton in east street (can't remember the name, very early 70s) all had their moments if you're old enough.

For me Cheungs was streets ahead of anything else and I was gutted when they moved on.

The best I've had recently has been the one in Bramber but still no replacement for Cheungs.

Gar's I've enjoyed but seems to be more heat than flavour.
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 23, 2003
33,695
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
Yet another vote for Danny’s. Our family’s favourite Chinese by far. Lovely people too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
May 27, 2014
1,638
Littlehampton
For the OP just a short taxi ride away the China Brasserie in Haywards Heath has some good reviews although I must admit I havent eaten in there but I am sure somebody on here will have done. Whenever we park in Burgess Hill I see The Emporer and think I will try that one day.but havent as yet.
China Brasserie is average. The Emperor has shut.
 

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