Mixed reviews...again, some love it , others think meh and overpriced
Mr. K's Restaurant
570 Lexington Ave
(between 50th St & 51st St)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 583-1668
(between 50th St & 51st St)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 583-1668
- Nearest Transit Station:
- 51 St. (4, 6, 6X)Lexington Ave./53 St. (E, M)5 Ave./53 St. (E, M)
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 11 pmSat-Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Validated
- Price Range:
- $$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
95 reviews for Mr. K's Restaurant
Review Highlights What's this?
-
"i would recommend their Peking Duck." In 12 reviews -
"The crispy beef is incredibly tasty and full of flavor, one of my..." In 12 reviews -
"High ceiling, art deco, and inside a landmark building." In 5 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
95 reviews in English
-
Review from Nicole K.
New York, NYPretty good Chinese food. They have prix fixes year round. I especially like that they give tiny ice-cream-like things to clean your palate between appetizer/entrée. -
Review from Irene E.
Great Neck, NYA good place to have a conversation. The ambient is better than the food. High ceiling, warm hue. The water glasses are nice.
The freebie bean spouts roots are not snipped
The eggplant is ok.
The so raved shrimp is so so, and
The Peking duck - are they kidding me? It's sooooo huge (hamburgerized!!) and the thin tender creeps are not right, does Mr K's shops at local supermarket instead of making them in his kitchen? Feels like the pre-packaged store-bought taco shells, thick and chewy.
Service is good. Billy knows his craft.
One fly was spotted.
This restaurant reminds me of its former neighbor Tse Yang (now closed). Both up scale with edible food. The difference was I went to Tse Yang before the Chinese-are-coming. At Mr K's half patrons were Chinese. At times there were loud chatting at the foyer.
The evening wasn't busy but they brought the bill before we asked.
I asked why no tea was served. They were nice about it ....
"$3.5 per cup. .... No worry I'll bring you a cup. On the house."
I just don't get it. People come here would stingy about paying for the tea? Not sure if they serve better grade tea. ... They should. Yes, I'd like to see a tea menu.
Food: 2 star
Service: 4 star
Atmosphere: 4 star-
Hamburgerized Peking duck at Mr. K's. The thin creep seems … -
Mr K's ambient is nicer than food. It you don't have a nois… -
Mr K's way to serve rice.
-
-
Review from Crystine W.
New York, NYMr K's Restaurant is a fancy venue space that seems perfect for special occasions. I was at Mr. K's recently celebrating the nuptials of two friends and it was a pretty good time overall: plenty of food and the decor was very upscale. Parking wasn't difficult to find in Manhattan Midtown East on a Saturday afternoon.
So why the lower rating? The layout of the space is incredibly awkward and contributed to much confusion and constraints. We didn't have much space at all to dance - maybe a 15' x 15' space only ... For 175 guests. It was very difficult navigating the dining room space as it only offered one way to get to your table because of how cramped it was. There was a long dinner table placed in between the columns, but shell-shaped round booth tables that line the two walls. During cocktail hour, it was very hard to get drinks that we ordered. I waited over an hour only to learn that my pina colada had been given to someone else. Apparently they started making them in large batches since so many people requested them and I managed to snag one from a waiter much later as he was rushing past. I was disappointed by the drink as it wasn't mixed well and they clearly rushed through the making of it: literally, coconut cream sat on top of pineapple juice and there was some floating coconut flakes in there that I tasted. We were shooed around during cocktail hour, into a random office lobby looking area and then into the dining room away from the bar area. I don't appreciate being herded around at all. Some servers were very dismissive while others were incredibly attentive and would return minutes later with whatever I requested.
The bathrooms downstairs are quite fancy with the marble floors, gold hues and individual bathrooms, but fancy is not enough to excuse an overflowing sink, not having toilet paper available for guests and not bothering to refill the napkins for guests to dry their hands.
The food was average at best. For hors d'eurves, we had a plethora of fried chicken spring rolls, crab toast and dumplings, but they were very stingy with the chicken satays on a stick. So basically, the easy-to-make stuff was plentiful, but the foods that required more work were very scarce.
Dinner started later than anticipated. To save time & space, there wasn't anything memorable other than the fruit medley at the end (and it was mostly because the passionfruit sorbet tasted so good). A quick summary and rating of what I had that night for the multi-course dinner:
- Dragon & Phoenix soup, B
- Peking Duck Wrap, B
- Lemon Sorbet, B
- Lobster Tail w Ginger & Scallion, B
- Beef Medallions, B
- Firecracker Fish, B (Spicy)
- Sauteed Bok Choy, A
Again, Mr. K's is a beautiful venue and has amazing potential to do great things, but understand that the space constraints actually lended to much confusion and dampened the experience. If you're coming here and want to impress a date, by all means, book it because the decor will likely keep you/your date distracted without cramping your style. If you're having a large wedding (150+), this really doesn't offer enough space to accommodate the guests comfortably. -
Review from Mislade C.
Bronx, NYI loved the service @ Mr. K's - Frank the server was GREAT
We were a party of 18 - and the staff was quite accommodating - there service was superb
Although, one of my friends said the decor was a little tacky I personally thought the dining experience was great
We all went with the $48 pp prix fixe menu - all dishes were amazing
Started with the Shaghai Spring Rolls - w/ chicken & shrimp quite tasty
Then moved onto the Shrimp Won ton Soup - the soup was tasty and the won tons were huge a small chalice w/ lemon sorbet to clean your pallet was well worth it
then we moved onto our main course - I had the fireman's fish - it was in a great brown sauce served w/ fried rice - I love the gold utensils and the ambiance of intimate dining
The desert was yummy - Vanilla Bean Ice Cream can't complain
Mr. K is well worth the $50 dining experience -
Review from Jin Y.
Overprice? You bet, for Chinese food this place will cost you an arm and leg. The food is more Westernized to fit the taste buds in the area. So don't come here expecting authentic Chinese food because you will be disappoint. But the food here itself is really good and presentation is beautiful.
This place is one of the most beautiful restaurant I ever been to. High ceiling, art deco, and inside a landmark building. Very pink, romantic, and relaxing type of place. The chairs are very comfortable that I didn't want to get up. I really love the big pink booths too. You get hot towels as you sit down, ladies get orchids, and at the end of the meal you get mint chocolates with your bill they don't have fortune cookies I asked.
Couple of unique things about this place, gold chopstick display of famous people who dined their. The really cool scientific coffee maker made right by your table. The cool gold thing to hold your soup and rice. The little lemon sorbet and cute little spoon. I recommend getting the peking duck here, they wrap it in front of you. Also, the trio appetizer you get crispy beef, lovers dumpling, and spring roll. So tasty! This place is really great for special occasions or to treat yourself to a nice and relaxing place.
On to the service, yes it was a little slow when we were there that will be the only thing I will complain about. Don't forget to take some free matches at the front on your way out. -
Review from Bryant R.
To describe this place as "tired," would probably be a compliment as it implies that it could have at one time had some vigor. The interior decorations definitely reflect this. Everything is over the top, yet obviously old and faded. The food is overpriced and uninspiring. The beef pan seared dumplings were quite good, however my entree of "crispy fish," could not really be described as crispy; I'm not even sure that it was any sort of fish that I could identify. The service was attentive yet inexpert and awkward. They definitely try to push drinks on you. I had a third of my second martini left when they asked me if I would like another. (I did, later on as the Martini's are good.) I don't even think that I ordered my third martini and they delivered it anyway.
I wouldn't recommend it. -
Review from JB Y.
Philadelphia, PATwo stars is generous - while the appetizers were decent, the main courses ("supreme" chicken was one - nothing supreme about it) were close to tasteless - I would have considered it good had it been purchased for $6 at "China King" hole in the wall in Queens, but we expected much better and didn't receive it. Not only that, they ran out of rice. Let me repeat that, a four dollar sign Chinese restaurant in midtown Manhattan ran out of rice. And finally, most frustrating, they made us wait literally 20 minutes between courses. We skipped desert after realizing we had been there for over an hour and a half and had gotten through two courses.
Don't go here, instead walk a block north of it on Lex, turn right on 52nd, walk half a block towards 3rd and eat at Chipotle. -
Review from Arben S.
Manhattan, NYLast time I went, I took my baby mama for her bday.
This time, I went with Russian Rick Ross.
They cease to impress over and over.
I take my hat off to the patrons of this establishment and give credit where credit is due.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/15/2011
took my baby mama here for her bday with boogie, fini and jaetwon. definitely my fav chinese in nyc… Read more »
-
-
Review from Roy P.
Los Angeles, CALunch is best here. The reviews say it all.
Decor - a bit over the top but I don't mind it.
Food - decent chinese food
Service - hit or miss
If you're in the area then it's either here or shoot a little further uptown for Phillipes and Mr. Chows. -
Review from Dmitry M.
South Orange, NJI read the other reviews and wondered: considering how well kept and classy this restaurant is, can the food really be comparable to your local Chinese delivery? The short answer is Yes.
Shrimp spring roll and pork dumplings were pretty good.
Crispy beef had no meat texture at all, weak.
Ginger chicken literally tasted like delivery... No hint of ginger.
Firecracker fish was tender and decent but not mind blowing.
Vegetables were simple broccoli cauliflower and peas, good .... Like your local Chinese.
Forget about price, there are a ton of places w better Chinese food. -
Review from A K.
Manhattan, NYnice expensive Chinese food. But little too expensive. -
Review from ImaYesfa N.
Brooklyn, NYIts like eating corner chinese take-out at a palace in China. Fancy surroundings and ornate gold forks , knives and chopstick holders ..great service. But the food, it was terrible. Came out cold. Was overpriced too. If you want you can go in for a drink and an app just to see it, then move on. If you want really good chinese food mosy go to chinatown on mott or bayard street and get real food and leave this for the chinese businessmen and tourists. -
Review from Scott S.
Went with the family for Christmas Eve dinner. Hadn't been here in a very long time. Still elegant with perfect service. The food is outstanding, My mongolian lamb was a mouthwatering delight as was the seafood won ton soup. My Daughter's prawns were gigantic and tasty. My other Daughter had a wonderful duck roll and pork tenderloin as an entree. Prices are high here but the quality and the service are top notch. Everything about the place is elegant and special which is what I was hoping for. Well worth coming back to. -
Review from Michael O.
Atlanta, GAMy wife and I just finished moving from SF to NYC and are shacked up in a hotel in Murray Hill. I ask the wife what she wants for dinner and she says, "Chinese". I ask the concierge who delivers and she suggests Mr. K's although they don't deliver...so I did take out.
We went on line to check out the menu and order. Not your typical Chinese food joint. Menu is written with this big loopy calligraphy and they have a prix fix menu?!
When I walked in to pick it up, I had to make sure I was in the right place. Very quiet, elegant dining room. Guys at the podium in nice suits, etc. As I am paying for my yummy dinner, this lady walks to the podium and asks for a table for 2. The guy peers down from behind the podium, looks at her husband and says, "we don't allow shorts". OMG, a Chinese restaurant with a dress code...I Love it!! I lmao when I saw the look on that woman's face. That's why I gave them the last star!
We kept it simple...pork fried dumplings, sweet and sour pork, combo fried rice and half order of Peking duck. All was very good. The dumplings were much more meat than dumpling, if you know what I mean. The wife is typically not a pork fan but really liked the sweet and sour pork. The Peking duck was delicious! They come made and wrapped already which I thought was cool...and they were HUGE! They looked like 2 enormous burritos...no wonder they cost a fortune!!!
Only down side of course was price...$84 for the above...ouch...welcome back to NYC prices...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered