Ying Chow Chinese Restaurant

Booking is essential as it’s always busy I mean always busy. Shallot pancakes where amazing hot and sour soup is perfecto topped with red pepper chicken and ended with red vinegar ribs. I have to say our group will be back perfect for a group dinner

The food here is delicious. We didn’t have the shallot pancakes, but that seems to be the signature dish as everyone around us was eating it. We had the vinegar ribs and the eshand eggplant hot pot. The eggplant dish was excellent and I’m not even a vegetarian. Very affordable — most dishes are between $ 13 and $ 16.
The place was crowded though, on a Wednesday evening. I recommend getting in early.

BBC eshand chicken salt and pepper squid and the vinegar ribs are just the best … Can’t miss this place. Love it

Short version:
Three words. Bad Chinese food.
Long version:
I’m Chinese and it saddens me to see this restaurant packed with people eating the this so called «Chinese food». Seriously, it’s just bad food.
We ordered Pork & Scallion Casserole and it taste like a lump of tasteless fat. Then the veggie, meh. It’s just fried veggie.
Finally, the shallot pancake. If you had it here and though it’s good, you have been deceived. These are not shallot pancakes. I have had a gazillion shallot pancakes in my life and these are simply not authentic.
If you want real good Chinese food, this is not the place to go.

Obviously no one is coming to Ying Chow for the terrific service, so forget about that and just focus on the food. If you can grab a table outside or by the door on a Friday night the atomosphere is great. While they do take reservations, they use the term very loosely because I have never rocked up and had a table waiting for me. I have usually ended up waiting the same amount of time as I would have without one.
Order Jasmine tea, cheap booze, BBC, e-​shan chicken or beef & red pepper prawns. If you want salt & pepper eggplant don’t get it here, go across the street to East Taste. I’m giving it 3 stars because lately the serving sizes have seemed smaller and because I am loyal to ET for my late night Gouger St feeds.

I love Ying chow and have for many years, I’m giving a 4 because the customer service is pretty average and at times rude, but the food is dreaming amazing! I recommend e Shan chicken, red pepper beef and red vinegar ribs! My baby loves the steamed bun!

Apparently this little gem is quite well known to late night foodies but as I am not much of a ‘clubber’ I haven’t found it until now. But I am glad I have and I’ll be back!
It was 1am and my group of friends were stumbling out of the Mars Bar (see my review on that one!). Someone in the group suggested Ying Chow and we cheerfully followed!
This place is nothing fancy but it didn’t need to be for what we needed — copious amounts of food, quickly!
I never saw a menu or any prices — my friend knew what was good and ordered a huge banquet for us. There was duck, chicken and the most delicious spring onion pancake (there was a repeat order for those) as well as plenty of rice both fried and steamed. Everything came out really quickly and we were digging in in no time.
The staff were great, this place is obviously a late night hangout for the drunken and hungry and they were very accommodating, friendly and accepting. We were well looked after with plenty of drinks and refills of rice.
We were all completely full and we paid about $ 20 each which I thought was really good value. I thoroughly enjoyed eating here and can’t wait to go back!

I concur with previous reviews — Ying Chow is indeed an Adelaide institution!
You don’t go there for silver service, or to be blown away by exquisite bathroom décor — you go there because you know this Chinese food tastes real good!
I was introduced to Ying Chow as a hospitality worker and the novelty of being able to enjoy a delicious meal (that wasn’t pizza or a bread product made by ‘sandwich artists’) after knocking off at 1am has never worn thin.
I tend to order Yingers as Take Away more than Dine In as the dinner idea usually comes to mind when working late in the city on those nights that you ‘just want to relax on the couch’.
Personal faves:
— Shallot Pancakes
— Fried Rice (something I tend to avoid at other Chinese restaurants)
— Sweet & Sour Pork
— Chinese Green Veg
— E-​Shand Beef

An Adelaide institution!
Though it can sometimes be hard to score a table, the food here never disappoints.
A simple menu which isn’t too packed with choices gives a good range of Chinese flavours.
Enjoy a pot of tea with your meal, and enjoy it almost anytime of night but expect to have to perform some theatrics to get a busy waiter’s attention to order!
Salt and pepper eggplant and BBC are faves!

Fast, always consistent and always busy. Great hot and sour soup, delicious shallot pancakes. Eshand is great too. It’s not a fancy restaurant by any stretch but it’s got the staff, the location and the food to make you forget about the décor.

Yes, it’s an Adelaide institution. But before you queue up for a table at this Gouger street eatery, remember to leave certain expectations behind.
After waiting 20 minutes for a table (not a long time, I submit), my friend and I were given a lovely spot near the front door.
Five minutes later we were moved to a small sliver of a table located near the toilets because Ying Chow had a table of 4 that they wanted to seat on our current table.
We had drinks on our table, water poured, and menus still open. My friend and I had to clumsily scoop all of this into our arms and retreat to the punishment table, as it would seem, since we were only 2 pax.
At least we weren’t made to wait again in the rain outside.
As for the food, expect the usual MSG offerings at a very cheap prices. This venue has a menu built for sharing main courses.

Evidence of the universal law that the quality of food in a Chinese restaurant is always in inverse proportion to the décor. Ying Chow looks like they aren’t even trying, but that’s because all the effort is in the kitchen.
There is virtually nothing on the menu that is not excellent. The biggest trouble you will find (beyond getting a table, as they are always busy) is becoming trapped in ordering the same favorite dishes over and over again. For me, it’s the BBC, Chilli Longbean and Brown Bean Chicken.
Ying Chow is an Adelaide institution for a reason.

Ying chow is our go to place for chinese. I’m a vego in a meat loving family and they have dishes to keep us all happy.
Our usuals? BBC, salt and pepper tofu, chinese greens, brown bean chicken, shallot pancakes (the bomb — don’t miss them).
There’s always a line up here so if you’re smart, ring and and book to skip the crowds. But don’t be late as they will give your table away if they are busy (which is pretty much all the time)
Reasonable wine list with beers and soft drinks too. I think they have a good byo deal too.

I have never been to China, but after traveling through and eating in china towns in LA, SF, Boston, Montréal and NYC. Adelaide’s China town leaves me feeling like there is something missing. Maybe it’s due to the outstanding customer service in North America? Or there larger cheaper portions? Or there lower alcohol tax? I’m not sure?
Anyway Ying Chow has average to below average customer service. The restaurant it’s self… Well some might say its a little run down. The reason people come to Ying chow is there food. It is really quite tasty. And for Australia, the prices are not bad. I have noticed a decrease in there portion sizes over the last couple of years. That kinda disappointing. But overall this is my and many other people in Adelaide’s number 1 place to go to for Chinese food.

So just after 12 on a Friday night, when the alcohol began to kick in, my entourage began to complain of hunger. Now I am a kind and thoughtful leader, so I agreed that yes, we could go get food — as long as there would be wine served at the same time.
I assumed Hindley Street or a few venues on Rundle would be thrown on the table but next thing the idea an entire Chinese feast was thrown into the mix. Rubbish I said — such a place does not exist in Adelaide at this time of night! Little did I know…
We made the journey and arrived at around 12.30 to a table big enough to accommodate myself and my entourage — as you can imagine, this is an impressive number — I’m just that kinda gal.
We ordered plenty of food as well as plenty of wine and I believe that it all arrived rather swiftly, although, to be honest my perception of time was some what skewed.
I do remember that the dishes were okay — nothing fancy, the lemon chicken was very battery and fatty but I am sure it is better than a lot of the other 1am food options.
Props to the staff who were very accommodating of my some what drunken posse and me *probably* — I can’t entirely remember — yelling «IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!»
Yay.

I should have read the Unilocal reviews before I went to this restaurant instead of the urbanspoon ones. I don’t know what those people are on but I thought this place was below average. It’s not fantastic. It looks like a cheap convenience store on the inside and the tea smoked duck I had was cold and flavourless. Most people at the table had similar experiences of their food. The lemon chicken apparently tasted like it had cheap lemon curd from a jar. It was crowded but I don’t know why. The staff were alright but not overly friendly. I have been to T-​Chow down the street and it is better. Sorry to the person that organized this one but it sucked. Not worth the price. Don’t waste your time here. Go to T-​Chow!

I’m here to further redeem Ying Chow. It’s also my brothers favourite, and there is quite a following backing us up.
Firstly, call me crazy, but I love the Ying Chow décor. I know it is nowhere near as fancy as some other locations but I like it that way.
Secondly, I like listening to people speak in their native tongue, and Chinese is no exception. Not to mention one of my white friends understands Chinese, so this is always beneficial.
Thirdly, I enjoy the food. I also enjoy the moderate to low price for food.
Fourth, I like how it’s open until late. Like really late when in comparison to other places of its sort down Gouger.
Fifth, I like how the menu at the front of the store is in Chinese. Lucky dip?

I’ve got one word for this place: «Meh».
I presume that after receiving critical appraisal, this restaurant has lost touch with what’s important. I’m not sure whether Ying Chow’s customer service has always stunk, or its the product of a newfound ego, but therein lies their greatest mistake. Customer service is the cornerstone to a good dining experience, and a lack of this can turn even the sweetest foods sour.
I came here one evening with my girlfriend after numerous recommendations from friends, and our expectations were high. Although this place is constantly packed to the brim, we were fortunate to get a table on a quiet night without a booking.
Though I do understand that sometimes outdoor tables get a little less attention than those inside, it shouldn’t translate into a total neglect of your outdoor patrons. We waited about ten minutes just to place our order with a reluctant waiter, who was never to be seen again until our food arrived. Strike one.
The food took an unusually long time to get to our table considering the restaurant wasn’t buzzing, but we’re patient people. It tasted good, but we were a little let down when we noticed one of our dishes hadn’t arrived. We were assured it would come soon, only to never see it arrive to our table. All the while, the reluctant waiter was seen squatting beside the restaurant’s entrance puffing away on a cigarette. Hey, I’m a smoker too, so it’s not the smoke that bothered me — but at least go out the back! Strike two.
When we went in to pay, we informed the staff that one of our dishes hadn’t arrived. We discovered that it had been sitting in the kitchen the entire time, only to become stone-​cold. The staff insisted that we pay for it, but there was no way we were going to pay for something that 1) we didn’t receive during service; and 2) was now cold and stale. They begrudginly cancelled the item from the bill. Strike three. You’re out.

I’d heard good things but what I experienced was the contrary.
The first thing that struck me as odd was when my partner and I rocked up at Ying Chow and the Asian girl standing at the door (presumably spruiking) failed to greet us, in fact, failed to notice we’d even squeezed through the doorway she was blocking. With as much competition as there is on Gouger st for this kind of dining experience, you’d think she’d be trying a tad harder.
The food came out quick and the service was ultra friendly once we were seated, we ordered the steamed duck, garlic prawns and steamed greens.
The duck was dry, which disappointing me to no end because it’s my favourite dish to order when I’m hitting up some Chinese cuisine. The rest was fine and I have to say I liked the way my waitress attached the straw to my coke, simple pleasures yes; I think I uploaded a photo of this.
All in all though I do wonder, what is so great about Ying Chow? I’ve had better along the same strip (next door even) I doubt I will be back with all the other options available.

Ying Chow, the rock and roller of the Chinese Restaurant world.
This fast paced, late night Chinese eatery has a strong local following and is always busy and vibrant up until its late closing hour of 1:00 in the morning.
Lodged somewhere between restaurant and nightspot, you will most likely find a sea of people crowded around the front door during normal weekend eating hours.
Getting a table is often tough, and bookings are advised. Also don’t expect a quiet evening, there is more than likely to be a table of twenty something twenty somethings riotously shouting feasting and swilling jugs of sangria within millimeters of your ear drum.
But don’t be dismayed, that’s why most people come here. A restaurant best suited for gatherings of old friends or a spot of people watching, for those who enjoy eating and drinking within an ambiance of «something happening.»
Seating is likely to be haphazard, close knit and most probably within the middle of a walk way. But the food is great, affordable and quick. There are both indoor and outdoor tables, each with a strong ambiance of their own.