Lee How Fook Reviews

Dined here on a Sunday night. Usual fare: hot & sour soup, spring rolls, lychee duck, salt baked jumbo shrimp on shell and two other entrees. There was nothing special about the soup, appetizer or entrees. More importantly, every employee with whom we encountered had a negative attitude. I read another review make a similar comment two nights prior to our dining experience. Other than that, the restaurant ambiance was fine and generally clean. If the waitstaff had been friendlier, I would give the place (3) stars, however, in this case they lose a notch for the above stated reason. All in all, a less than satisfying experience.

we travel from NJ to Phila. just for this restaurant. We have been going there for about 5 yrs now and this tiny restaurant always excels. m.voigt

Spent my 40th birthday celebrating with friends and family at my favorite restaurant Lee How Fook! Their private dining room has its own entrance and is beautifully appointed. Its BYOB so you can bring your choice of libations and their catering menu includes a good variety of foods from their expansive menu. The team at Lee How Fook left no stone unturned and ensured my birthday celebration was memorable.

Well we had Groupon for this restaurant and read lots of mixed reviews before we went that had us a little skeptical about what we were in for. But we went in with an open mind and hungry stomachs. Parking was bad, as is all center city restaurants. When the other reviews said the place was small, they understated it. Small wasn't even the word. It was the size of our living room. We walked in and had no idea what to do next. No one really approached us and we were standing in the middle of the dining room. When we finally got the attention of one of the waiters, he quickly sat us. (we highly recommend reservations cause there’s not much seating). The tables were extremely close to each other. You could hear and be heard by your neighbors on both sides. Although this turned out to be a good thing, because we were seated next to a very nice and friendly couple. We sat for at least 10 minutes while servers scattered around the very tiny restaurant dropping off water and green tea...but no menus! We had to ask...twice. But let’s get to the good stuff. Everything we ordered was brought out piping hot and delicious. We had the pan seared pork dumplings, fried rice with shrimp and roast pork, shrimp with black bean sauce (amazing) and pan fried noodles with beef. The food was absolutely great and the prices were very affordable. So, to sum it up if you are ok with sub par service but like excellent food for a cheap price...this is your place. We'll definitely be back!

Lee How Fook's is a small Chinese restaurant located a couple blocks north of the convention center that has great food at a reasonable price. Don't go there if you are looking for atmosphere or chatty servers, go there for good Chinese cuisine served in family style portions.

Food here is very good. I will definitely go back. Large and varied menu. Simple little restaurant, with simple wood lined walls. Service is helpful and friendly, although a little slow. It is just what you would expect a Chinatown restaurant to be. I liked the atmosphere and everything about it.

We have been going to Lee How Fook for over 20 years. Even though we moved to the suburbs, often I will place an order for take out on the way home. The potstickers have very fine wrappers and the filling is really delicious. I always order the salt baked shrimp with the shell on. Divine! It is crispy and tender with a kick from a sprinkling of jalapeño pepper and sliced green onions. Hubby loves their hot pot (definitely an eat in option). We have never been disappointed!

Great hot pots.

I'm at a loss for words when it comes to this restaurant. All I can say is that this restaurant feeds you well! By the time you're finished, you'll be pleasantly stuffed that leaves a grin on you face. It's a BYOB which is fantastic for those interested in pairing certain wines with dishes. One appetizer that I can't get enough of and always seem to get are the pork buns. They are the best around. Even the display is like a work of art. Definitely check THIS place out.

Coming home to Philadelphia to see family is always a treat! Visiting china town brings back memories until my visit to Lee How Fook! We read reviews and visited the restaurant once before but our second visit was horrible!!!!! I ordered the chicken and broccoli an easy dish and the chicken was old had been recooked. My sons chicken fried rice had a rather nasty taste to it!!!! Couldn't put my finger on it!?? My husbands dish was mediocre at best!!! I don't know what they did in a year but we will not go back! It was so bad we ate a few bites and left! Very disappointed as we always look forward to good Chinese food when visiting!!!

Excellent Chinese Food and Awesome service. the people who work there is very friendly and easy to make their customers happy!

We absolutely love this restaurant. Our faves: steamed or fried pork dumplings, salt fried squid, any of the noodle soups, seafood pan fried noodles, triple delight hot pot and any of the fried rices. Their food is so above and beyond. Cannot get enough.

A wonderful chinese restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown. make a reservation for the weekends or be prepared to wait. Excellent food. Try the Salt Baked Squid, one of the best dishes I have ever had. A unique menu with huge variety. Won Ton soup that is very different from the average place. Delicious! Don't miss this place.

I read favorable reviews and ordered delivery. The won ton soup for 1 was exactly that. Unfortunately, the price was outrageously high. Not worth it. The spring rolls were fair. The shrimp with Chinese vegetables was fair at best as the sauce was watery & quite bland. The best part of our meal was the excellent delivery service. Won't patronize this rest. again.

This was the best thing my ex ever did was bring me to this place. Returned the other night with a party of 5 other friends to show them what I think is a good kept secret in Chinatown. We ordered pan fried pork dumplings (great!), spring rolls (Standard), salt baked squid (my favorite dish ever! YUMM! Even if you skeptical of squid get it!), shrimp with lobster sauce (very good), chicken with american brocli (really good), general tsos chicken (another favorite), and pork fried rice (awesome!!!). This place is BYOB. Overall a wonderful night and very affordable. It was $17 a person with tip!! How awesome is that?

Not much to look at from the outside, but the food was great. Orange chicken prepared very well--unique, excellent texture. Hot and sour soup was delicious. Everything was very tasty and reasonably priced. Service was attentive and quick, but we went when the restaurant wasn't busy; other reviews have negative comments regarding service.

I've gone to the fancy Chinese restaurants with cool decorations and ambiance, but they do not compare to Lee How Fook. It is small and tables are nearly next to each other. It is a BYOB. Never had a bad meal here. Soups are great and in large portions. I like the salt baked squid and the Sea Bass. Every dish has been great. Parking can be a problem. Sorry, no references to Werewolves of London. :)

Our experience was a little off from previous visits. The food was generally good, but the rice was served cold and was sent back for hot rice. Our dinners, honey walnut shrimp and subgum duck wee very good, and the wonton soup was excellent. I would be interested to hear from others who have dined here over the last few years as to whether they have noticed a discernable shift recently.

Sometimes one just needs decent chinese food in a place that is not such a scene. For that, my go to is this place. The snow pea greens dish is excellent! I was with a friend who is vegetarian but I usually also love their salt baked shrimp!

We stopped here for a bite on a blustery Sunday afternoon. Small, casual restaurant and pretty plain as far as any ambience. Our server was sitting at a nearby table on her phone and she would get up if needed. I ordered a chicken/shrimp spring roll and it was delicious - good size, fresh and hot and very tasty! Next my husband ordered the shrimp fried rice and that too was good sized and he loved it. I ordered the shrimp with mixed vegetables and there were plenty of shrimp and vegetables. I would definitely return, esp. for the spring rolls!

Every time we gather in Philly for family events, we schedule a meal at Lee How Fook! Even though the owners are family friends, there isn't a better Chinese restaurant in Philly, or for that matter, any where. This time, we had a smallish party of 20 for a Friday lunch. We set it up in advance so the restaurant could prepare for us, thus requiring the second chef. We were seated in the special party room in the back. Now, my family does sit down for a typical noon time repast. We have a tendency to order the whole nine yards, lunch time or not. We ordered a little of everything...spring rolls, beef chow fun, chicken chow fun, beef low mein, chicken low mein, sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice, crispy chicken, snow pea pods and tofu, Cantonese shrimp, beef and bok choy, and Chinese broccoli. But the salted ribs and the fried calamari are a must!!! We rolled out of there fully sated, knowing that there was a wedding and reception to go to that evening. But hey, we're only in Philly every so often...

If you are staying in Center City, this place is a great find. I had read other reviews and we decided to venture out on a very stormy night for a quick walk from the Hilton Garden Inn. Since we had a party of 3 (including a 2 year old), the wait staff asked a very nice pair to move to a smaller table so that we wouldn't have to wait. The place was packed the whole time that we were there, and reservations are suggested on the weekends or a Friday night as the hour gets later. Food was great. The jumbo shrimp with lobster sauce and pork fried rice are amazing. Service was very good even though every table was taken the entire time that we were there. The reviews concerning the restrooms should be ignored as they were perfectly clean when I was there. Loved it and we highly recommend it.

My wife and I do not claim to be Chinese food experts, however, we try to visit Chinatown (in Boston) once in a while because we love Asian cuisine. Since we were staying near Chinatown in Philly, we decided to explore! We found good reviews for Lee How Fook on Yelp.com, so we decided to try it out. We dined with another couple, so we went with the "family style" ordering. We each chose a dish, and shared everything. Our dishes were: Orange Chicken, Tofu with Crabmeat Sauce and Broccoli, Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce, and the Scallops with Cashew Nuts. All of these dishes were FANTASTIC! It seemed like the top two favorite dishes were the Tofu with Crabmeat Sauce and the Orange Chicken. The tofu was crispy on the outside and soft, tender, and yummy on the inside. The crabmeat was fresh and the sauce was delicious, and the broccoli was fresh, green, and crispy. The Orange Chicken had a little spice to it (just enough) and was crispy (but not deep-fried) and flavorful. My wife and I agreed that this was the best Chinese restaurant experience we have ever had, and it seemed like our friends loved the place as well. This meal was actually the highlight of our trip to Philly!

I went to Lee How Fook with an old friend for the purpose of catching up and talking business --- we had last worked together in Philadelphia in 1984. He had remembered this restaurant from the old days and had not been to eat here in several decades. When we walked in, his first impression was "it has not changed a bit". There was probably seating for fewer than 40 patrons but we got their early enough to take a seat. There is nothing fancy about the decor, and my rating of average for atmosphere simply reflects that standard old old fashion style of this type of restaurant and nothing negative. The menu was typical for a Chinese restaurant but we set our site on the Hot and Sour Soup and Peking Duck. The meal was wonderful. The soup was perfectly seasoned. The duck was prepared perfectly and served with the thick sticky buns, accompanied by onions and duck sauce. The service was prompt and what you would expect in a traditional Chinese restaurant. The meal was wonderful, fully worth the calories. When we left 90 minutes later the place was packed. Based on the soup and duck, this place is a find. I cannot say anything about the other dishes, but when I come back here I will order the same food again!

We recently returned to Philadelphia after 16 years in Washington, DC. Our youngest son, who is not familiar with Philadelphia, was home from college so we decided to introduce him to Chinatown. We stopped at another local restaurant that is highly rated, but it was mobbed and the wait was long. Fortunately I had scanned reviews which led us to Lee How Fook. What a terrific discovery. The restaurant is small and although it sits on busy 11th Street, it is easy to miss. There were a number of diners there, but also empty tables. We arrived about 9:00 though so others may already have come and gone. Our server promptly brought us water and tea. Each place was set with a plate, a napkin and chopsticks--the first clue in my mind that was an authentic Chinese restaurant. A pot of green tea arrived promptly after we were seated. When we opened the large menu, we were amazed at the selection of dishes, some of which were familiar, but many of which were not. We shared a dish of Peking spareribs in a delicious sauce complemented by chunks of pineapple. My wife enjoyed jumbo shrimp in mandarin sauce, our son pan friend noodles with chicken, and I a dish of lychee duck. All were excellent. Choosing our meal was a challenge because of the extensive choices in virtually every category from seafood to vegetarian dishes and everything one can imagine in between. Service was efficient. Water glasses were never less than half full for long and our dishes came within a reasonable time. Interestingly, dishes were served apparently as they were completed, and not all at the same time. The decor is modest, but certainly not a "hole in the wall" motif common to some Chinese restaurants. This is a BYOB place, which I had overlooked in reading about it. Looking at an adjacent table reminded me to bring a bottle of wine next time. And we definitely will return. My understanding is the Lee How Fook has been in business for more than 30 years--I can certainly understand why. If you are in Philadelphia as resident or traveler, in choosing a Chinese restaurant you cannot go wrong with Lee How Fook. Oh, and before I forget, prices are very reasonable. Our dinner total was $46.00 and change not including tip.

Orange chicken, Sweet and sour jumbo schrimp and and Won ton soup are my favorites at this restaurant. The salt baked Scallops are especially good. You will always great consistent food here, eat in or carry out.

It's not a fancy place but the food is great. I love the Ma Po Tofu there. Service has always been pretty good too.

this place in not in the center of China Town, it's off the beaten path and quite difficult to find parking. Inside is rather small, the waiters speak minimum English and it takes some time for your food to arrive, BUT it is all worth it. Food is served sizzling hot, fresh ingredients and well seasoned, affordable prices for the portions you get. I will definitelly be back.

We have been to Lee How Fook numerous times in the last 30 years. First with the parents, now with the kids running the restaurant. Great people with a restaurant flair!! My husband is Cantonese, and this is our go to place when in city, especially when taking friends out to Chinatown. It is a friendly place, usual service one finds in Chinatown. No frills, but good food. We always get spring rolls, soups, sui mai, and several dishes, including hot pots and stir fry items. This is comfort food for my husband, so I gladly go, and always have a great meal and a fun time. First time we went, in early married days, I reminded him of lyric from song "Werewolves in London" from Warren Zevon, where they mention a restaurant called Lee How Fook. I think lee how fook in Cantonese means Good Fortune, so you will have good fortune when you eat here. Nice, straightforward Cantonese food in clean and happy space. Check it out!

One of my favorite chinese restaurants in Philly. It's a BYOB. For people not from Philadelphia that means bring your bottle (wine or beer and no corkacge fee). Be adventurous and try the whole fish (they debone at the table) The salt baked shrimp is also a keeper.

Small restaurant on 11 St. Good food and service. We were happy to get in and enjoy our dinner. Try it when in town.

Have not been here in 5 years. Still as good as I remember. Hot sour soup is huge. The chicken for General Tso's was crisp, flavorful and super tender. Prices are extremely reasonable. Nice job !!!

Their food was a little bland this time. I normally would give this place the highest rating. Will definitely come back.

Poor service, mediocre food when it finally did arrive. If you are not a friend of the chef, you get no attention at all. We never returned and have lived a full life!

We have been here several times over the years and I just have to say this trip was average. The food was uneventful not nearly as good as it has been in the past! The Szechwan had no spice to it whatsoever. I really don't mind when the staff comes out for their lunch and eat in the restaurant as a group however the volume coming out of them was very loud. They were friendly as usual but I'll wait a while before we tried again.

I have been going to Lee How Fook since I came to Philadelphia for the first time in 1979. Even though the management changed but both the previous and current management has kept the food the same -- tasty, prompt, and at a reasonable price. The waiting staff have always been friendly, unlike quite a few in Chinatown who are rude. Lee How Fook also does not dictate how much you should pay for tips, unlike some Chinese eateries that make you pay what they want you to pay -- to the penny. I'll go to Lee How Fook for friendliness and tasty comfort.

Friends who live in Philadelphia took us here because they know we like Chinese food. We came back on our own because we had such a good meal the first time. It's a BYOB place, so if you want to have beer or wine with your meal you need to bring it. The Sea Bass was delicious as was the hot and sour soup. Lots of great menu choices and a nice ambience (but if you like quiet, go early).

My friend and I filled up our table with delicacies served family style. The Hot & Sour soup was terrific, as was the Seafood Fried Rice. Service was prompt and the dishes were served piping hot.

We found this little Chinese restaurant online with good reviews and went searching for it. There are so many little places in the Chinatown section. It was crowded, we didn't have a reservation, luckily they sat us in a back room and we had a good, inexpensive meal. The back room was nicer than the front - roomier.

One of my top 5 places truly worthy of filling Lakeside's place (the others being Nan Zhou, Vietnam, Shiao Lan Kung and Empress Garden)...

Really good Chinese food, large menu, modest prices, and much better inside than from the street. Can accommodate large groups easily.

We have been going to Lee How Fook for years. Every meal has been a delight. And the sauces clealy are freshly made. Clams with Back Bean sauce is a staple. Highly recommend the Hot and Sour Soup. The Chinese Greens are fresh. For the brave, Duck Feet is worth a try. Centrally located, you might want to try the bakery for desert right down the street on the corner of 11th and Race

the best & lowest price hong kong chinese rest in chinatown

Yummy, great prices and totally low-key!

Dined here with a large group. There was something for everyone even those not into Chinese food. But also very authentic. Great friendly service.

A variation of the name of this venerable spot has been immortalized in the lyrics of a great Warren Zevon oldie: I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand Walkin' through the streets of Soho in the rain He was lookin' for the place called Lee Ho Fooks Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein Aaahoo! Werewolves of London This place is not in London. LHF is your basic Chinese-American menu, located in a very clean and small space in Philly. Very quick service and rapid turnover must be key to the success of this tiny spot on north 11th Street in Philadelphia's Chinatown. We arrived shortly after 6:00 PM on a sultry summer Friday and were the only patrons at that early dinner hour, but within twenty minutes the restaurant was full. It's a BYOB, so bring some cold beer or wine to go with your pepper steak or chow mein. One or two ethnic Chinese patrons were observed enjoying nice and noodle dishes, so the food does have legitimacy, but overall, this is not a restaurant to sample unfamiliar fare; for that you gotta go a little deeper into C'town. We found the dishes we ordered to be very tasty, and we were quite happy. I'm sure most visitors (and their kids) would love the food. I would go again. Aaahoooooooooooo!

#1 authentic

It just doesn't get any better than Lee How Fook. I have loved everything I've gotten to eat, but I can't go without ordering salt fried squid and pan fried dumplings. My kids love their noodle soups and I absolutely loved the hot pot I recently ordered. It's always delicious and you cannot go wrong!

I really shouldn't be telling you this but Lee How Fook's is THE undiscovered gem in Philly's Chinatown! We try to get there at least once a month. Hopefully, it won't become to popular as it is rather small. Luckily, the food is not your average American-Chinese and unadventurous eaters might be put off. There are several dishes that we just get a craving for and have to have. The salt baked squid is addictive. The pan-fried dumplings are not to be missed. We have our favorites that we get every time we go, like the chicken with preserved bean curd sauce and sauteed snow pea leaves. Our friends from out of town insist on coming here every time they are in Philly. Definitely worth a visit.

We travel from NJ just to eat here. Parking is a problem (in all of Phili.) We often park at a lot across Vine for about $5.00. Highly recommend the flavor of the roast duck and tofu soup. (Suggest using your fingers to get at the duck meat.) The hot pots are great. Also, don't miss the snow pea leaves. Strongly suggest you make a reservation. This is a small place and always filled with people enjoying the food.

I enjoy this place very much! The Hot pOt we had was just right for the two of us. Spring rolls were delish. Great menu and the servers are very accomodating!

Go here for the duck, not the ambiance. We had Peking duck, perfectly prepared and note they have multiple other ways of cooking it. We also enjoyed an oyster hot pot, and two different types of dumplings.

We have been going to Lee How Fook for over 30 years. My husband is Cantonese, and this is his favorite place, as this is "comfort food" for him. It is under new ownership. Some new items added to menu, but same delicious food as always. Friendly servers, great food. My favorites are siu mai, the soups, hot pot, the whole fish, the duck.....yum! Lee How Fook! Great fortune for you if you eat here.

It was a go to place for salt baked foods but a change of owner/chef left it undistinguished

We have eaten here often and never had a bad meal. the decore is nice and the place is clean. Their duck is just the best crispy bronze goodness with no fat under the skin and the meat delicious.

Authentic food, fine service, outstanding value. We had a group of 8 or 10, mostly just flew in from China, and they gave us a private room at the back (separate entrance). That was quiet. Similar to food I have when in China. No beer license, though.

We will definitely return back to this place. The food was really good and was served nice and temperature hot. Since we went there on Ash Wednesday they had plenty of seafood and vegetable dishes to choose from.

LHF serves some of the best Chinese food I've ever had (even including many trips to Shanghai over the years). The duck roll, dumplings, and lettuce wraps were all fabulous. Orange chicken was nicely spicy and just a little sweet. Service was excellent. Overall, a must-do place in Philadelphia's Chinatown area.

Little unpretentious restaurant serving great fresh tasting Chinese classics. We enjoyed especially the Peking duck, Peking ribs, Jumbo shrimp with walnuts. The Fook noodles were a little bland, but good; the vegetables in all dishes were fresh and well cooked. Well done, we will be back.

I lived in the greater Philadelphia area since 1987 with the exception of a 5 year period living in Singapore, where I wrote extensively about Asian food of all types throughout South East Asia, China, and India. In Philly I have eaten at probably every Chinese and other Asian restaurant in Chinatown and South Philly. And I definitively believe that Lee How Fook provides the most authentic, flavorful and outstanding Chinese food in the entire city. The majority of the cuisine at LHF hails form Taiwan, though there is also a lot of Cantonese and some Hunan and Sichuan influence. The menu is large and varied, yet everything is fresh and the quality is always extremely high. I have eaten at LHF no less than 50 times (that's not a typo). I have taken many dozens of people to this place and virtually all of them have loved the dining experience. I have celebrated many birthdays and celebrations there, including my wife's and my rehearsal dinner before getting married. So when I say this place is outstanding, I am not understating it. For me and everyone to whom I've introduced this special little restaurant, the leading dish is Salt Baked Squid. This is something that is not to be missed when there. The other salt baked dishes are also excellent, but the squid is profoundly delicious and will make you crave it regularly until your next visit -- which there will be if you try this dish. But don't stop there; also try the lychee duck, fish with black bean sauce and the luscious steamed dumplings, so silky and flavorful with ginger, scallions and delicate meat. Dumplings are a universally popular delicacy to everyone who likes Chinese food, and these are among the best available in the city. In this professional food writer's opinion, not only is LHF the very best Asian restaurant in Philadelphia, it is one of the best restaurants of ANY cuisine in the city. Don't miss it.

We stopped into this restaurant after seeing a Groupon deal, and reading great reviews about it on websites and in travel guides. I would definitely recommend making a reservation - we came around 6 and had no problem getting a table, but within 10 minutes the place was full. Overall, I was very satisfied - the portions are extremely large, and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in dining in Philadelphia's Chinatown and don't want to break the bank.

By far the best chinese i've ever had

Had a late lunch here on advice of hotel employee. Good choice. Pleasant, efficient staff, reasonable prices, extensive menu choices. Tried a pork, mushroom, and turnip soup - very good! Spring rolls were large(like egg rolls) also good as expected. I had the Chef Special Seafood fried rice - loaded with shrimp, scallops, and crayfish. So much I couldn't finish it all. Wife had sirloin steak with Chinese vegetables. Meat was a little tough for her, but otherwise good. Would recommend to friends.

We have been here multiple times and never disappoints. Favorites are sweet corn soup, vegetable dumplings, seafood rice and the AMAZING sweet and sour chicken. Service is quick and prices very affordable.

My boyfriend introduced me to Lee How Fook, and now I am hooked! Although unassuming in appearance, with basic decor and self-seating, the food is delicious, authentic, and reasonably priced. All you could ask for in a Chinese restaurant. I highly recommend the salt baked shrimp and squid...so good! Lee How Fook has items you will not find at your generic neighborhood Chinese restaurant, and is super affordable. I definitely recommend you try this!

If you're looking for good food at a reasonable price, you should give this place a try. Not a destination for a fancy dinner party, but the food is great, the service was excellent, and the price was good.

I saw a guy with a Chinese menu in his hand. Walking through the streets of Philly in the rain. He was looking for a place called Lee How Fook's - he wanted to get a big dish of Beef Chow Mein.

We found the Lee How Fook on Tripadvisor and found the restaurant by walking through darkened and rainy streets. The outside is unpretentious and the inside is modest: but the food was some of the best we have tasted in a Chinese restaurant and the service could not be faulted. The next table was occupied by a man who has been a customer for many years – and we fully appreciate why. You will too if you visit. It’s rather too far for us to make a return visit – but next time in Philly .....

great chinese

Tried out Lee How Fook based on customer reviews here at TripAdvisor. It is located a several blocks away from the convention center near the Chinatown section. I found a table easily. The waitress was very polite and gave me an ice water. The table was sticky, as was the floor and even the plastic coated menu. I got the feeling it hadn't been washed in a while. There was food on the floor when I arrived, though someone swept it up partway through my meal. I had the Kung Pao chicken with rice. I'm not sure there was much chicken in it and it wasn't very spicy. Lots of mushrooms. Still, it was OK. Average. But I wouldn't return. Prices were average, as well. I was disappointed, based on my expectations from reading other folks' reviews. Perhaps it was a bad day, or the fact I came in at 2pm after the lunch rush.

we have dined in this restaurant several times during the past 10 years. The quality is still the same: good food and good service. Would recommend the pan fried noodle with fish filet and the seabass filket with black beans and hot peppers.

Nice ambiance, excellent food!

My son and I went Chinese food restaurant hopping one night and this was our first of 4 stops. They had the best I've ever had. It's not fancy but, it is honest and solidly good. Every neighborhood should have a place like this.

I love chinese food. I cook at home and enjoy quality chinese restaurants. Philadelphia has some wonderful chinese food- Four Rivers, Imperial Inn and many more. For my most recent visit I wanted to try a new place. I looked up on Yelp and Trip advisor and it looked like Lee How Fook is the place to go. I got there before the rush hour. Within 15 minutes the place was packed. However, I did not see one chinese person dining at the restaurant which in my experience is a sign of american chinese food. I asked the waiter for the staple of the restaurant and he mentioned the salt baked squid. I have had salt baked squid in several other restaurants in NY and Philly. This was by FAR the worst. Dry, flavorless and way too salty. I had a few bites and couldn't keep eating. The waiter suggested he will bring duck sauce. Duck sauce? The appetizer I got was not great either. If you are looking for good food near by please try the Bun in Vietnam next door or go to Four rivers for a real salt baked squid.

If you are in the mood for really good Chinese food, you should go to Lee How Fook. It does not look like much from the outside, but the inside is a cozy little restaurant with about 10+ tables with an extensive menu. We had the Lobster in black bean sauce and Sirloin steak with vegetables. Both dishes were excellent. I also enjoyed the hot tea. It was different than what is normally provided at most Chinese restaurants. There were repeat patrons and I can understand why. This is the type of restaurant you will go when you are looking for good food without all the fuss.

We had some traditional Chinese food at Lee How Fook. We were provided with a new waitress that was not able to explain ANY of the dishes effectively. Once we finished ordering our meals, several people received their soups and appetizers. They seemed okay, but no one raved about the first course. The main course made everyone happy,. The food was very good, it arrived at the table extremely hot and fresh, and tasted delicious.

Best Chinese food in Philly!

Filled with people from the 'burbs who still think it's as good as it was 8 years ago.

I dined at Lee How Fook on a sat. night before going to a comedy club. We made reservations since we were a party of 5. The pan fried dumplings and signature sauce were exceptionally good. We had the wonton soup and egg rolls which were average. Our entrees included Buddha Delight, Singapore Noodles, Pan Fried Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken. All of the entrees were delicious. Service was good, food was promptly served and food was fairly priced. We had ample time to enjoy a leisurely dinner prior to the show. We’ll return for sure.

Picked this out of a dining guide handed out at the hotel. Dined on a Thursday night. It is in Chinatown less than 1 block from the convention center. Small restaurant filled up quickly but quiet and comfortable none-the-less. It is bring-your-own-beer or wine. Two adults, a 13 year old and a 10 year old spent less than $30 (before tip) for an excellent, delicious Chinese dinner. Large menu with several creative offerings.

We were visiting Philly and looked up some restaurants to try while there. Thanks to other good reviews, we can add another one. The food was really excellent. Good-sized portions. Good slection and all delicious. The place is on the small side. Has no atmosphere to speak of. But as many folks know, these are often the type of places for the best food. And despite being very busy, the service is good!

It was not particularly busy. We were given a tiny table near the bathroom. We ordered two vegetarian entrees which were done with no special care. The string beans were swimming in oil and hardly the normal wonderful crispy. The pad thai with tofu looked very unappetizing. No lime, no nice peanuts on top. Again, it was swimming inoil. Very upsetting because this was one of my favorite long time Chinese restaurants. Oh, and the ladies room odor was absolutely disgusting.

This place has amazing soups that you can find no where else in Philadelphia. Best Lemon Chicken, and Orange Chicken in Chinatown. It may look like a hole in the wall but locals who know go to Lee How Fook. The food is amazing and the prices are cheap. Enjoy a great meal for two people for $25. Simply the best of Chinatown. Parking can be tricky but if you spend 10minutes and aren't affraid to park on the other side of the Vine St. Expressway you should find street parking at night for free.

We were recommended this restaurant by a shopkeeper in Reading Market - it is a few minutes walk from the market. We were served quickly and enjoyed the large portions of good food. Our favourite was the beef in black bean sauce. Peking duck was served with the main course (we are more used to it as a starter).

The place is small - at 6:00pm we were the only ones in the place but by the time we were done the place was packed with a line at the door. The service is good, the food freshly cooked and served piping hot...don't burn your tongue! The boneless pork rib appetizer is out of this world good....Sea Bass, hot pot, spring rolls, etc, etc - everything was really good. It's a BYOB so come prepared if you want to drink. I cannot wait to go back.

We have been to Lee How Fook many times over the past 3 years. We had not visited in awhile and went this past Saturday for lunch. We always make reservations, but have never really needed to use the reservation. I will go back to making a reservation just in case. We walked in and got the last table for 4 in the restaurant. And as a table would empty it would be filled again. A constant flow of customers. Yes, Lee How Fook is very small but it was 1:30 in the afternoon! As usual the place was half of Chinese/Asian customers. Always a good sign in a Chinese restaurant. And once again the food delivered, in fact better than usual was the General Tso's Chicken. The pan fried pork Dumplings were as usual, light as air and so delicate. Had the Orange Chicken for the first time and it too was excellent. Also tried the Ginger/Scallion Lo Mein for the first time. The noodles were good, and not as much sauce as we like but they were good. Probably will try again but with more veggies and maybe Shredded Chicken. My only complaint was we got the last table left, which was right at the entrance and would get quite a blast of cold air from outside everytime the door opened. But the food was so good we didn't really care! p.s.Lee How Fook is BYOB!

Used to be so much better

The hot and sour soup is the best in town. They had changed the taste somehow during the past year or two but glad to report that they are back in top form! The Hot Pots are excellent as well. They also do a good job with 3-4 standard Chinese sauces applied to a combination of meat and vegetable ingredients. Small dining area. This is a BYOB, thankfully, allowing a nice bottle of wine with the meal. Service is always excellent!

We have been here often over the past 20+ years always perfect fast service consistent dishes and always delicious despite having changed ownership

This is an a great restaurant in the heart of China Town with great food and a fair price. The bake salt squid is to "die for ". A small family restaurant upstairs, but room for a celebration downstairs. food is served right out of the pan and is always hot.

Visited after reading "great" online reviews. It's certainly one of the cleanest restaurants in Chinatown with native English speaking staff. The recommended dishes weren't anything special compared to other Cantonese restaurants in the area, though. There is a price mark up as this restaurant aims to woo the tourists and non-Chinese speakers. It's definitely accessible with good food, but if you don't care about the service or the setting it'll be cheaper in other venues.

Our family frequently goes to this restaurant located in a corner in Philadelphia's Chinatown. Food's always good and affordable. We ordered Peking duck with scallions and Hoisin sauce and hot Bao bun, Baked salted shrimp ms and squids, Cantonese pan fried noodles with Chinese broccoli and beef, fried pork dumpling and sweet and sour pork. All good except the sweet and sour pork had bones. Will always go back for good chow.

This is a relatively small place rather sparsely decorated but as many times in Chinese restaurants looks can be deceiving. The food is good, vegetables are fresh, and service is very attentive. I particularly liked the vegetable filled dumpling and the salt baked squid, a step away from the traditional fried version.

Every time I have been here, the service has been very friendly and the atmosphere is very tranquil. My only complaint here is that they do not have a lunch special menu. Everything is full price all day.

Love this hole in the wall. The food is fresh and it has a cozy atmosphere.