Paul Kee Restaurant
11305 Georgia Ave,Ste B, Wheaton, MD, 20902
Paul Kee Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Wheaton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Wheaton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Wheaton for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
11305 Georgia Ave,Ste B
Wheaton, MD, 20902 - Phone (301) 933-6886
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Giang L.
I've been eating at Paul Kee since I was a little tot, the food quality hasn't changed. Nor has the decor and the staff. The food is always delicious. The char xiu, sour cabbage and squid and the duck are always my personal favorites. This place seems to cater to more Asian taste buds rather than Americanizing everything. I think if you are unfamiliar with the menu, try going with someone who has been here before and knows the menu pretty well. Also, they stay open late so it's great to come by here on the weekends after a long night of partying.
(4)Bradley D.
You know you've arrive at the right place when you see the hanging poultry behind the display case! Everything they serve is authentic Chinese food; not the Americanize junk we're used to. Order the snow pea leaves or the watercrest! Salt and pepper beef short ribs are my favorite! You won't see this on the menu, but order the egg noodles with duck and beef brisket! Amen. The only knock is the parking; but that's Wheaton for you. Try also: Lemon chicken (tastes like cake)!
(4)Karen P.
We've been coming here for years and it is still my favorite chinese food restaurant. My favorite is the beef with sour cabbage. Kids like the sesame chicken. My husband likes the black pepper beef. It is all very tasty and well prepared. The stir fried chinese spinach with garlic is yummy. I forget what they call it. It is not regular spinach. It is a no fuss place without the frills but great food!
(5)HighStandard S.
Friendly, low-key service. Stand-out dishes include spicy fried pork chops and the roast meats. Lotus delight mixed vegetable dish and fresh snow pea shoots cooked simply with slivered garlic balance out the sins of the fried, fatty stuff. Parking in the little strip mall can get hairy, but there is more parking in the back around the corner. Check out the nearby Thai deli where a grandma spoons out authentic take-out home-cooking; the Jewish market that has terrific chopped liver and baked goods resplendent with poppy seeds, and Max's dinner, where you can have the Israeli salads/pickles/sauces with falafel or shwarma experience that approximates that little place by the bus station in Tel Aviv. Love this little neighborhood! And as a bonus: on nearby Amherst St., give Ruan Thai a try, especially the crispy fried watercress!
(4)gracy C.
Saw two roaches on my table in one visit... Gross. Never going back ever...
(1)Alexander K.
We just took some quick carry-out from this spot on Georgia Avenue; after scouring the menu we decided just to get some roast duck and be on our way. It did not disappoint, very good succulent flavor with a nice roasted fatty skin, yum.
(4)Melissa P.
I'd like to start off by saying that ordering General Tso's chicken is my litmus test for trying new chinese restaurants. It's a seemingly easy recipe.. sweet, fried chicken- not too complicated- yet so many get it so very wrong. I arrived at home with my food ready to dig in and completely veg out.. i reached in the bag and pulled out... a soggy cardboard box normally reserved for rice or lo mein.... The soggy box wouldn't have been bad if there was saucy goodness inside only the sauce was entirely too sugary and the chicken was really breaddy and soggy. ...and they totally forgot to give me my side order of white rice.. :(
(1)Gregory O.
I'm so glad I saw all of the positive Yelp reviews and tried this place. I'm a Chinese food novice, but this restaurant had some of the best I've ever had. The service was very attentive as well. Tip: There is additional parking in the rear of the restaurant.
(4)Shine S.
This place definitely has some good food, but after about 100+ visits in a lifetime, it does kind of start to taste the same (the selection of food here) I would recommend: * Roasted Duck/Soy Sauce Chicken/BBQ Pork * Fried Rice * Chow Fun with Gravy and Chinese Broccoli * Pig Knuckle * Salty Deep Fried Pork I think those are my top choices here. Of course there are more things here that are delicious, but those mentioned above are my favorite. Service: This is a true asian restaurant, you got the waitress ignoring you or speaking loudly "WHAT YOU WANT?" , The parking is decent back and front, the only thing is when you come through the back door, it smells kind of odd. *shrug* But it adds to the ambiance (sarcastically speaking) I do recommend the food here. It's open late too!
(5)Sarah H.
Love their wonton soup. Every time I make a visit home, it's on the top of my food list to go there and get a bowl. Haven't found another bowl like it. I could actually just eat the wontons (which are shrimp wrapped in a delicate noodle) and be happy. Everything else is good too, but the soup rocks my world!
(5)Andrew K.
It was pretty busy on a Saturday night here and it's hard to find parking around here. We ordered the roast duck, roast pork, watercress, pan fried seafood noodles and steamed flounder. The roast duck and pork was kind of disappointing because it was cold and I was hoping it would be warm since there were pigs and ducks hanging outside the door. It tasted ok but I like my meat warm and hot so it was not that good for me. The steamed flounder with ginger and scallion was warm and tasty. The watercress and pan fried noodles were also good. I would give it another try but try some other things.
(3)Lester K.
Went again, this time, on a hot date with Paul M.. That guy sure does slut it up and get around. I will say the waitresses are some of the friendliest I've ever encountered anywhere. Same waitresses since back to the 90's when I went here all the time. This day, they smiled a lot, were very nice, and never let my water glass go below half. Ordered the usual: Beef brisket Deep fried spicy pork chops Barbecue: roast duck, soy chicken, roast pork Stir fried watercress I let Paul M. watch me eat and then allowed him to smell my fingers afterwards. Everything besides the watercress were good. Watercress was meh. Still 5 stars! Just a friendly advice: The main listed address is on Georgia Ave. This is where the front door is. Paul Kee virgins tend to always enter through the front door, but diehards know that the preferred entry is through the back door. Just go directly behind the front door location and you'll see a darker, less inviting entrance. Just be warned: The back door can be a little messy, dirty, and smelly from buildup of a lot of in and out action, and a lack of frequent cleaning, but don't be afraid to go in it. Watch yourself when you're about to go in because the back door entrance itself can be a little sticky and slimy and mysterious fluid-y. Once you make your way down the long, tight, dark, narrow corridor, you'll know you hit jackpot by the aroma that defines delicious goodness.
(5)Rebecca P.
lol. so this shall be the first review to pop my yelp-cherry... my family and I have have been coming to this place for 15 years...thats like 3 generations of paul kee lovers... and i know at least one of the servers has been there for longer so thats why you might not get the best of service from them yes i know it be lookin all dirty up in there...and yes they serve seafood with heads intact...you can go to PF chang's or Pei Wei if that shit bothers you. my favorite is the deep fried shrimp with head on...eat the whole thing...dont bother peeling the shell and head off. i've really never had a dish that i didnt like there, from the "classic" orange chicken (GET THE ORANGE BEEF), to lobster in black bean sauce, pig knuckle appetizers, hot and sour soup, kung pao shrimp with actual shrimp, sesame shrimp, fried whole fish, spicy dumplings, tripple delight, hunan beef, roast bbq pork, roast pig (yes there is a difference and yes i've seen the entire pig hanging in the kitchen, head on), small intestines in soy sauce- ITS ALL GOOD water and tea is enough to wash it all down...maybe a beer if you are a person who must have an asian beer to complete the experience and thank god that it is open LATE...weekdays it closes at like 11, weekend it closes at 1 am. i've definitely have had my share of driving there late at night craving for food. i actually wish that some kinda 24/7 chinese joint would open up in the area, but this place is good enough i guess. their lunch combos are great too! for 6.95 you get the entree, rice, and eggroll/soup. there are more options too as to what to get than a normal take out lunch menu.
(5)Brian H.
Not bad for Chinese food for the States. Food was a little too salty.
(4)Paul M.
Absolutely phenomenal Chinese food. Came here for lunch today - this is the first place I had bookmarked and it has taken me almost year to get there. I can guarantee it will not be a year before I come back. I rarely eat Chinese food - too many bad experiences, too many mall lunches, too many better options. But when you come to this place you realize how good Chinese food can be and regret not eating it more frequently. I was tempted to go full brisket and order the duck's blood with ginger and scallion - another day perhaps. The menu is worht salivating over - especially the page of gourmet options not for the faint of heart. You 're not gonna find this Chinese food in Kansas. Instead me and the Honey split a Beijing Crispy Duck ( not on the menu, we asked if they did it) and the kids split a beef noodle. A few started and four beers and lunch for 5 is about $50. Absolutely tremendous value for the quality of food we got. Insert when-I-was-a-lad-story here: First time I had Beijing Crispy Duck Beijing was called Peking and it was in a famous restaurant off Tianmen Square. I was the only dabizi in the place, and the food was magnificent. It was just like that today. Two other points worth noting: they server beer, and half way through the meal our lovely server came up to us to ask if everything was OK.
(5)Duy N.
This place is all around pretty good and is open late! Read phi's post about it as he goes here more. I've had the mapu tofu, and beef and scallops, and several other dishes. It's all good!
(4)Uy H.
I've been coming here for nearly 15 years and there's good reason why I keep coming back. The menu's authentic, the food tastes great, and is affordable, especially in large groups. For lunch I normally stick to the wonton or shrimp dumpling noodle soup. Both the noodles and wonton taste fresh and the broth is worth sipping on even after you've finished. For dinner, I recommend coming with a group of 5-10 so that you can order a bunch of dishes and eat family style. Some favorite dishes and must-haves include: deep fried spicy shrimp, deep fried spicy pork chop, shrimp stuff tofu, chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, beef chow foon (dry), seafood/chicken pan-fried noodles, and roast duck. If you're adventurous, the duck blood and pig's knuckles are good stuff. The service is gruff and to the point, but that's part of the charm. Don't expect to get coddled here, but you won't have to wait long to place your order or get your food. One of my favorite waitresses is the one that never smiles and has her signature "Whachuwant?" line.
(5)Mark O.
I was ready to give up on Chinese food until I ate here. Really, the crap that is being served at most Chinese restaurants in the DC area is criminal. Only in America can a refined, ancient cuisine be reduced to a $5.95 lunch platter of High fructose corn syrup covered gloop heaped on top of greasy fried rice and some other assorted slop. Anyway, I digress. Back to Paul Kee. Let's get the ugly out of the way first, when you walk into this place, just ignore the filthy mouldering carpet and the decor that hasn't changed since the first episode of the Golden Girls. You came here to eat good food. The rest doesn't matter. I have tried the shrimp dumpling and noodle soup (lick-the-bowl-clean fabulous), the Cantonese roast pork (moaned at first bite), and the stir-fried beef with sour cabbage (sweeter than I expected, but still very good. The tenderness of the beef being the star for me). I've not yet tried the seafood, but I am really looking forward to sampling their steamed sea bass and lobster dishes soon. This is another jewel in the crown of ethnic dining options in Wheaton.
(5)visalsok n.
5* for taste. 3* service. I go there at least one or twice a month. I got to say it one of the best taste chinese food around the area. im talk about the real chinese food, not those carry out chinese. If you want chinese carry out food then go somewhere else cuz paul kee is not good u; China King in Aspen Hill recommended for carry out. The service is ok. The waiters are typical old chinese ladies, not really friendly and don't understand the american way about service. but If you a regular there, just tips them ladies good *20% or better)and next time u there, u gonna get good service.
(5)Bill H.
I don't understand all of the good reviews for this place! We went on a slow weekday afternoon and had truly mediocre-at-best food. The General Tso's chicken was some of the worst I've had - not tangy or sweet at all, just way too salty and vinegary - almost inedible. The vegetable fried rice came out as an undercooked clump, with no real flavor at all. To top it off, one of the male staff members was having a meal in the dining room and kept yelling at the female staff very loudly and rudely in Chinese. It was incredibly distracting and inappropriate. There are *no* vegetarian options at this restaurant. Even the stuffed tofu was filled with seafood! (The menu doesn't tell you this, btw.)
(1)Alex A.
Reading some of the other reviews, in particular, Michael C.'s made me want to try this place. I can't say I agree with the assessment that it is the best. Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing? I had Taiwanese-style noodles, Spicy Dumplings, and my fiancee had wonton soup. It is always very strange to me that Chinese food is so oily, since culturally they seem so much more keen on being healthy than we do. So, the food was less than stellar. The location was good, right off Georgia Ave. and with enough parking around back. The inside was, as others have said, a total dive. That's fine by me, I'm sure it would be a great place to go late at night with a bunch of drunk friends. I ordered food to pick up, and got there within 15 minutes and it was already ready. So they're speedy, at least on a Wed. night. The menu is good, there were a couple of things on there I've never seen before, although I can't say they all looked appetizing (Stir Fried Intestine with Sour Cabbage, and only 9.95?). With that in mind, it's impossible to say the place isn't "authentic", they even have roast ducks hanging up inside, but my first experience with the cuisine left me unimpressed. A link to their menu can be found here: dc495.com/wiki/index.php…
(2)Sarah S.
One of my first Chinese restaurant loves...and for that alone I bumped up the rating to 5 stars. I don't visit as much as I should, but I always leave happy. I pretty much refuse to get the salt & pepper squid anywhere else but here. The ma-po-tofu is always a good choice, along with the deep fried pork chops and snow pea leaves. I've tried a pretty good range of some other things, but I just can't remember right now. I'm not sure if you'll still see the ducks hanging by the neck in the display case, but I love peking duck so it doesn't really bother me at all. Bring on the yum!
(5)Theo T.
3-1/2 stars. Great place to take groups, as they have big tables. The best Chinese restaurants in Silver Spring, in my humble opinion, albeit you pay a couple dollars premium per dish. Favorite is the shanghai beef, and they also serve a pretty mean veggie/tofu stir-fry. Have had better roast meats though...
(3)John K.
One of my favorite places to go for Chinese food (Far East comes in at a close #2). This place may not have the greatest decor, and it may seem like they hold meetings for Chinese gangsters somewhere in the back (that was a joke), their food is great. Even if you go with the "Americanized" Chinese food (aka stuff you order like "#2 with fried rice and egg roll), it's still top notch. I would recommend certain dishes, but I can never remember the names. It's even better when you can get one of your Chinese friends to order stuff thats "not on the menu." THOSE DISHES ARE SILLY! Parking kind of sucks in the front, but go to the back and you'll usually find parking there. And then you can see the shady backside and walk past the fish tank that always has too much fish. 4 for taste. 1 for being a local favorite.
(5)J A.
One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the DC area. Authentic food, good prices. A great "joint" kind of restaurant, and I mean that in the best possible way. The only thing keeping this from 5 stars is the ambiance itself; the restaurant could use a makeover and a good cleaning.
(4)SteeVee D.
Can a Chinese restaurant ever be considered a "dive"? Well if it can then Paul Kee can certainly be described as one. It might be off putting to most when you first walk in, but don't let that stop you at the door or you will be missing some EXCELLENT food. Great authentic dishes...good "Americanized" dishes...and just about everything tastes fantastic. Plus you can get youtiao (Chinese fried bread stick) at ANY TIME of the day!! Paul Kee is also open late for those late night roast duck cravings!
(4)Jeff C.
I must have passed by this place a hundred times before stepping in after reading Yelp. I was looking forward to a place similar to Full Key. Unlike Full Key, this place resembles more of the larger Chinese restaurants with large banquet size tables, and banquet type dishes. The menu is more extensive then Full Key, and resembles that of the larger Cantonese places in Wheaton. We had our usual fare of congee, soy sauce chicken, and hot and sour soup. Unfortunately they ran out of pork rind turnip. The congee is more flavored due to added flavoring, but lacks the true deep flavor of a long cooked congee stock of Full Key. The soy sauce chicken is not as tender or sweet as the Full Key ones (perhaps due to lack of marinating). The hot and sour soup was very flavorful. Overall, Paul Key is good in their flavoring, but I feel the true natural flavor of the food from slow cooking is short changed. Neverthless, I still believe this place to be one of the better in Wheaton. Just that I found Full Key before this, and we enjoy their congee and soy sauce chicken better.
(3)Christian M.
Great food & good for groups. Very tasty.
(4)Ina C.
I admit, I've never been to China, but I can vouch for the authenticity of the choices in Paul Kee's menu; There's something to be said about a Chinese restaurant whose patronage consists of mostly Chinese people. That being said, Paul Kee has great Chinese food! And although they have the "Americanized" Chinese food that you'll never find in China (General Tso's, etc.), they also excel in preparing the CHINESE Chinese dishes you know and love - salt & pepper squid or pork, chow fun, etc. If you live in MD and don't want to go all the way into Chinatown to get some good Chinese grub, head over to Paul Kee's and you won't be disappointed. Another perk: They're open late! 1am Sun-Thurs, 2am Fri-Sat. Amazing. Is anyone else surprised that Paul Kee hasn't made it onto Zagat yet?
(4)Mikey B.
Best late night spot around!
(4)Liza K.
Loved it. I ordered takeout, got the deep fried pork chops based on another recommendation and they were delicious. Reminded me of the good food I ate in China.
(5)Liz L.
We've been going to Paul Kee since it opened and we just love it. When my husband was unemployed we went once a week just to keep our spirits up. I don't know what the big deal is about parking out front. We can almost always find a spot, and if not, we park at the Chevy Chase bank across the side street.
(5)H. R.
I eat here frequently, sometimes as often as once a week. They have a varied menu that will appeal to those looking for authentic Hong Kong-style food and for those looking for Americanized favorites. I've probably eaten here between 100 and 200 times, both dining in and takeout. I've never had a bad meal. The food has been consistently amazing. They have many different noodle dishes that have all been good, though I especially recommend the Taiwanese style rice noodles, with a variety of seafood mixed in. They have whole ducks and sides of pork hanging at the front, both of which are delicious. They also do a great job on soups. Their Americanized favorites (like General Tso's chicken) are just simply better than other places I've eaten. While they have good vegetable dishes, if you're looking for fried food (deep-fried spicy squid or porkchops), this is the place. And, the bill is always surprising...in the good way. I frequently find myself saying, "We ate ALL that, and it was THAT good, and it cost THAT little?" I don't know how they do it. They are also open late if you're looking for something outside of normal eating hours. I think this is the place that the employees of other restaurants come to eat when their restaurant closes.
(5)Vivian L.
The foods are ok. I've had better. I really liked the soy sauce chicken though! And the servers are nice.
(3)Melvin B.
We really enjoy this restaurant. We've had the roast duck, garlic kong xin cai, and crispy squid- all were superb. We like that they have the ducks hanging in the back of the restaurant- shows that they are fresh. One of the better roast ducks that we've had in the Washington DC area. They serve it with a small bowl of a dark sauce (not sure what it is, although it is a lot like soy sauce) which makes everything taste phenomenal. Also like that the veggie and crispy squid weren't oily, which can often be the case at other restaurants. The portions are large, and the price is low, so it is a great choice for dining out!
(4)Melanie Y.
If you need a chinese restaurant that offers late night yummies, look no further! I loved coming here when we were living closer in Silver Spring especially during the winter times sitting down to some yummy shrimp wonton soup or their tender beef with thick noodles. Add some spicy sauce and it's heaven! The atmosphere is a bit run down with shabby carpets and peking duck hanging up near the chef counter but the food, there's nothing to complain here. The other food on the menu rocks as well!
(4)Kevin L.
We go out of our way to eat here when in the DC area. Quality of food is consistently good. Seafood and veggie selection is abundant, Tourists get a kick out of the hanging meats in the kitchen window, and then marvel at its taste when ordered. All-in-all, a solid choice, though be patient finding a parking spot.
(3)Frank F.
Service leaves a bit to be desired, the decor is tacky, but the food is cheap, good and authentic. A true Chinese noodle shop.
(4)Alex C.
This place has the best roast meats here. The Roast pork, Roast duck, and Cha Siu Pork is VERY VERY delicious. The restaurant's outlay is fairly messy. The food is sort of pricey, but rather delicious.
(5)Jane Y.
food is good. closes late. gay club at night. legit.
(4)Lisey W.
For authentic Cantonese cuisine, this is the place to go! Our family has been coming here for decades (literally) and we just love their soy sauce chicken, ginger/scallion lobster or crab, shrimp wonton noodle soup, porridge (jook), and just about everything we order. Wish there were some good Cantonese restaurants like this in the Rockville area.
(4)M G.
Bottom Line up Front: Authentic Catonese restaraunt. I was the only non Chinese person in the joint. Stopped in for lunch after reading I could find Hong Kong style noodle soup there. I haven't had that in over 10 years-a fond childhood memory. I ordered Roast Duck Noodle soup, with the wide rice noodles. Yep, it was the real thing. Now I know where to find the stuff when I'm in the mood. Duck was good and meaty, not too fatty. Price? $6.95. No complaints.
(4)Orchid C.
best chinese duck in the area. waiters are from hong kong, so they love it best if you speak cantonese or mandarine. little hole in the wall place, but hey, i'd rather have a cheap good place than an expensive good place.
(4)John W.
Chinese Cuisine A good place to get some small eats or a quick meal when it's kinda late. I've come here to have roast pork on rice and my friend who had the wonton noodle soup. It's not really alot to rave about, but the service is quick and the food is good. If you are in the area and you want a quick meal, head over here for a quick pitstop.
(3)Ibis W.
Paul Kee can be a slap in the face to those who are sole believers that food is only part of an overall going-out to eat dining experience. Here, food IS the experience. Here, it is and it never was about the dcor, the ambiance or as much I hate to say it, it's not even about service. Don't get me wrong, the service isn't poor by any standards, but you have been warned if you get a slight feeling from your waitress that she abhors your presence. Toughen up, if you don't, the waitresses can actually make you believe that you live an odious existence before your meal is over. You won't find pedantic debates over the food presentation or the selection of ingredients that went into your dish. Although by all means, you really should; given the caliber of the under-raved chef who works only behind the scenes like most other true masters of Chinese cooking. On top of that, consider the Chinese history and culture in which the recipes were born. Paul Kee is unrivaled in its authenticity in the Washington DC area. They are what every single other Chinese restaurant in the area wishes they could be, leaving them behind in a distant second leagued. (Such as Full Key, just down the street.) Paul Kee succeeds by sticking to its roots. Nothing is compromised under American alienation. Not Americanized. I love that. Even the prices are unamericanized. Dirt cheap combination meals can be ordered all day long, and oh! The noodle soups. Their duck noodle soup (with wontons, of course) is the only bowl of yum that can peel me instantly away from a severe case of dysania on any given day. I can also have for a whole meal of just pork intestines stir fried with sour cabbage. Normal menu dishes are also very reasonably priced, way too reasonably priced for this area in my opinion. But hey, I'm not complaining. This fact alone always leaves me wonder why would anyone pay more to eat Chinese elsewhere for food that is simply of lesser quality. Complete with full ducks and chickens hanging by the neck in the grill window like any respectable Cantonese restaurant should, food here is served the way it was intended to be, the way it should be. They boil away the misconception that people have today that a 5 star meal means being treated like kings and queens, paying an exorbitant amount of money because somehow, the more money you dish out makes you feel like the more quality you are getting, all the while you practically enslave a server to your side. It is not about any of that here. While this precious point gets lost in translations through other Chinese food joints because either they try too hard to please Americans, or it's because they just have no pride, Paul Kee makes genuinely good food at a price that is easily accessible to everyone. I would even to go as far to say Paul Kee is on par to some NYC Chinatown joints I've been to. You can have your cake and eat it too; there is no need to pay out of your behind for 5-star food.
(5)Michael C.
One of my favorite chinese restaurants in the DC metro area, and that's saying something considering that we have so many good chinese restaurants. It's been awhile since i've eaten here as it's a bit of a hike now that i live in germantown, but i absolutely loved the chinese broccolli last time i ate here. Also the salty spicy pork chop and seafood. Yes it's a bit of a dive, but when the food's so good who really cares?
(4)Brian R.
This place is quite good and rather authentic (the people complaining about General Tso's chicken tend to embarrass the rest of us gringos). Anyway, I went with a Cambodian-American friend and we got spicy seafood soup and "casserole' with tofu, chicken, and shrimp. I ordered a "sizzling chicken" casserole, but I swear that they brought me something more Americanized because I'm white.
(4)Joel K.
I started coming here back in my undergrad days at Univ of MD. Lots of times we studied and crammed into the late eve / early morn hours. Paul Kee was a straight-shot out Univ Blvd, and they had soup noodles late into the evening. After graduating, my wife and I would hit this place up on any night when we were too tired or too hungry to cook. Soup noodles with some of their BBQ items (BBQ pork is my favorite) is great, as are any of their wonton noodle soups (shrimp wonton is another good one). Best HK style noodles in the DC area.
(4)Michael C.
enjoyed the food. everything was great. especially the crispy pork... one of my favorites. service was ok. only thing bad about it.
(4)Tonny T.
good stuff and I can afford it
(4)Zdisław G.
Been eating here since the early 90s. Wheaton may be ugly as hell but I can never write it off as long as Paul Kee is there. Quality has flagged a bit since the olden days IMHO, but between Good Fortune and New Kam Fong around the corner, all your Cantonese needs are pretty much met here.
(4)MaryFoodie M.
The best authentic Chinese food in MD. Low price with a superb quality.
(5)Thugnificent M.
I've been going here ever since I can remember and the food has always been good. I usually get the food to go, but there is a seating area which can accomadate mid size groups. The looks like a NY Chinatown restaurant. If you've never been to one you're probably going to think it should be closed down by the health dept. There are dead ducks and pigs hanging upside down with their skin missing. But with presentation aside the food is amazing. I always get the roasted pork or the sour cabage and beef. Both are delicious.
(4)Ruben B.
On July 11, 2009 at 11:15 P.M. I entered Paul Kee Restaurant with a friend to eat a late night dinner. We sat down after being greeted and ordered 2 egg rolls for appetizers, 1 order of combination fried rice, and 1 coke. Upon receiving our 2 egg rolls we asked for some sauce. our waitress brought 2 sauces that were in glass containers that were held inside a metal holder. we lifted the lid off one of the sauce containers and out came a small roach. At first I thought I was seeing things. No i had not been drinking. I asked my friend to confirm what I was looking at and we were disgusted. the person next to our table saw it as well. I quickly called the waitress and told her there was a roach in the sauce and it was alive. she calmly picked up the container and placed it back with the other containers and had the nerve to bring us another one from the same area in which the first one was at. I told my friend to get up and we were leaving. I also told the waitress to not even bother we were leaving as well. We refused to pay and just calmly left out. We never got any apology or anything from the staff or management. I HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE TO EAT HERE EVER!!!!!!
(1)Clayten G.
I'm done with this place. Three times in a row with bad service. This time we only got water and menus, no tea. Had to wave for some one to come over and take our order. Then we sat there staring for 10 mins at our food at the counter. Place was not even busy. We got up and left. They have the best roast pork but I'll never sit down again. only carry out if they are lucky. When service gets to this point the end is near and good riddance.
(1)Jennifer K.
Came here with my family (Three generations of chinese/taiwanese) and the only good dish/food was the oranges at the end. My dad said the fortune cookies weren't bad either. To be fair, so were the beverages. Many dishes were not prepared authentically and more "Americanized". All the salty dishes were way too salty; We chugged gallons of water. Service wise the waitress was short with my mom when she asked her questions about the dishes. Later she gave her a dirty to go box when we asked for our dishes to be packed. Last time we ever eat here.
(1)Maggie H.
My fiancé and I have been coming here about once a week for a few months ever since PJ's Rice Bistro closed across the street at the mall. I wish we would have discovered it sooner!! It's a solid Chinese spot with all of the favorites. One thing that really stands out for me is the wonton soup. You've probably had a million mediocre wonton soups in your life but this one DEFINITELY isn't one of them. The wontons are handmade and filled with delicious pork and shrimp. They are steamed to order so be prepared to receive your soup a few minutes after others at the table but, don't worry, it's well worth it! The star is definitely the broth - it's hot, it's savory, and it's got a little kick. By far the best wonton soup I've ever had! We typically also get the lo mein, which is great! The noodles are cooked perfectly and still have a little bite to them, which is a breath of fresh air compared to the plethora of mushy, overdone noodles I've had over the years. This place has definitely become our new go-to local Chinese spot! Whether you are dining in or picking up, they are always very quick and give you great portions. Come hungry!
(4)Steven A.
I have yet to find Chinese food in the DMV to contend with this place. Sesame Chicken, Beef Lo Mein, Spicy Shrimp Dumplings all ideal. The best bit are their hours, closing at 2-3am at times. If you're a Chinese food lover, this is the place you need to be.
(5)Sam S.
Ohhh my goodness. This place is like a hidden gem, literally. So damn good! Must try their cantonese roast duck!! The flavor is all the way to the bones (as you can see in the pic) lol. Anyway, not your fancy restaurant but more old school mom & pop. The servers didnt speak much english but who cares, the food was great & the bathroom was SUPER clean. FYI- there is additional parking in the back as well as an entrance. MUST GO HERE!! Better than Oriental East & Spring Garden in Silver Spring.
(5)Putri S.
Food is great, service is horrible. My favorite items on the menu: - deep fried seafood - seafood pan fried noodles - crispy beef - congee with beef - all their noodle soups Their food is so amazing! Also, their lobsters are to die for. However, their service is terrible. I've literally been coming here as a kid, but never really realized or care enough about the service or anything till I grew up and started going out to here without my parents. I get ignored and it takes forever to finally order something. Also, they watch you as you sign the check and literally hover over you as you write down for tip. But that is definitely something I can get over for their food, just wish they can improve on their service! Maybe it's just best for carry out.
(4)Ni C.
This is my favorite New York style Chinese restaurant in the DC metropolitan area. I've been going here for many years, since I was a teenager. The food is still fresh and yummy with an unbeatable price. My favorite thing to get is their pig knuckles. It's a cold pickled appetizer that you appreciate more and more every time you try it. I love the wonton soup, roast duck, soy sauce chicken, crispy roast pig, beef pan fried noodles with Chinese vegetable, beef and sour cabbage and their deep fried shrimp. You gotta taste their jumbo salted deep fried shrimp right from the kitchen. This is a great place to eat with the family or just when you want to grab a quick bite. Their food is fast, fresh and the price is excellent. Go check them out and tell me what you think;-)
(5)Julie D.
Restaurant looks run down and dirty both inside and outside. The service seemed very rushed and annoyed whenever we would order something and they would push us to get something we weren't trying to order. It also felt like Antartica in there since all of the ACs were on full blast. Even though I had a bad initial experience, the food did come very quick and it tasted great. The fried rice and chow mein were dry and bland, but other than that everything was delicious.
(3)Alex D.
Simple easy chinese restaurant. I have been coming here since I was little however I do prefer Full Key which is across the street better. I love that it opens late to get something and take it home.
(4)Kris M.
High hopes. Ordered the bean curd with veggies spicy, seafood with pan fried noodles and the third some meat dish with broccoli ( we wanted a popular dish to try so we asked the owner to choose our third entree for us ). Portion size was huge. I feel 1 entree was perfect for two. The flavor sadly was not there. Everything looked so good but the taste, well there really wasn't any. To top it off one of the waiters without any shame was picking his nose in front off here they have the roasted ducks, rolling it in his finger. High hopes that fell hard. Won't be coming back.
(2)Trang T.
The reason why I'm going to the give this place 2 stars is because the employees are extremely rude. They are all over the place and seem to can not get it together. Their food is good but service was just bad. Not coming back.
(2)Tiffany L.
This place has been the same... Since I was a baby.. And I'm not 25 years old. My parents told me stories of how we used to come here and I'd gather my sisters and we would urine on their floor......... Doesn't that sound gross. I've had so many bad instances here. I have recently tried not to come here because it makes me feel some type of way. My grandmothers were hungry so we stopped by for late dinner.. It was like 1030/11pm. One thing, my chopstick was dirty. Second, I don't usually drink soda.. Especially not at a restaurant.. But I ordered a spite because I didn't want to drink their water and it was too late to drink tea. I know.. Water is usually tap and it should all be the same but it's something about this place. So it was me, my aunt, cousin, and two grandmothers.. We ordered beef chow fun dry, shredded pork pan fried noodles, crispy salt and pepper pork chops, and baby clams. Okay so: Beef chow fun- the noodles were bland but the beef was salty... Don't even want to figure out why or how. It came with bean sprouts and some spring onions. It was greasy but not anything you wouldn't expect from a Chinese joint. Pan fried noodles- I liked these.. My aunt said it was salty. The pork had a weird texture but it might have been me.. I'm trying to cut out pork but Asians love their pork! It was saucy and had a lot of pork. Not so much veggies but that was fine.. I just like the crunchy noodles with the gravy. Salt and pepper pork chops- smelled really good when they came to the table. Had that charred garlic smell, yum. I had a piece and it was still really oily.. Some pieces looked wet because there was so much oil. I had one piece and it was good enough for me. I usually really like this dish but again.. It's pork and it was too greasy for me. Baby clams- these were good. Not fab to me but good. Might have been a touch salty but it was okay. Our bill for three sprites and four dishes came out to be 55$~~. And we had about half the beef chow fun left, quarter of the pan fried, and more than half of the pork chops left. We def could have left out a dish. I ate as little as I could.. I was hungry but didn't wanna load up on their food.. This place is one of the few late night places around.. That isn't ihop/American. But for convenience or whatever you prob sacrifice cleanliness. There was this one time I ordered a soda... Prob almost ten years ago.. And the guy kept putting my straw in between his fingers and this black thing kept rubbing on my straw.. Kept happening and being emotionally frustrated and young I started crying. Just gross. And he didn't even realize his hand was dirty! We left.. I don't even know if we ordered or ate anything. Another time my uncle said he found cigg ash on this food.. And the back alley area smells and feels dingy.. Extra dingy. I try not to come here but the food is okay I guess. I prefer full kee for their vibe and food. My aunt and cousin like Paul key.
(2)Julie H.
This is the best place for roast duck and only roast duck. I have bought one or two roast ducks upon every visit. The owner knows me by face and when I show up to the restaurant 10/15 minutes before opening he will always greet me and ask me what it is I want to buy. While I wait, there is a TV to watch and I get to pick the roast duck I want. This review is solely on the roast duck and the service I get for the roast duck (this would be 5/5 stars) But considering..... I don't like dining here because the service is otherwise awful, the waiters are rude and I do not like the service. Come here for takeout & roast duck, its the best!
(4)Li D.
Went to Paul Kee for dinner on Wednesday night. A couple of Asian friends recommended Paul Kee, as an alternative to Full Kee. They said that the food was equivalent to Full Kee, but the service at Paul Kee was better than at Full Kee. Being huge fans of Full Kee, naturally, we had to try Paul Kee. Discovered that Paul Kee is a gem in Wheaton. The food is really good, and the wait staff are friendly and engaging. We ordered the clams in black bean sauce, beef with sour cabbage, vegetable pan fried noodles, and roast duck. All were excellent! The sour cabbage was tangy/sweet. The vegetable pan fried noodles were some of the best I've ever had - crispy, the way pan fired noodles are supposed to be. The roast duck was juicy. Highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the Wheaton area. Parking in the front of the restaurant may be difficult, but there is parking in the back.
(4)Bruce G.
It's wonderful how they manage to keep their prices down here. Today I had a noodle soup -- with roast pork, in my case, but other meats would be possible at the same price -- and my entire meal, including tax, still came to under $7. Some of the other dishes on their "noodle" and "rice" menus cost a bit more, but in any case, you'll get change from a $10 bill, something rare these days. and I find the taste is just fine, though my roast pork was a bit fattier than I've remembered from previous visits.
(4)Karrie Y.
There are no words to express how much I love their Chinese BBQ pork (char siu) and roasted park (siu yuk). There isn't any restaurant in the area, not even Chinatown in NY can contend with these two foods. The bbq pork is sweet, delicious and marinated to perfection. The roasted pork has the perfect crisp of skin and delicious with the hoisin sauce. However their service is a bit bad. Sometimes the ladies can be rude or nice depending on what kind of mood they're in. But it doesn't matter because nothing will ever detract me from obtaining their char siu and siu yok.
(4)David F.
Food was ok. I've been several times and have tried the fringe foods. Pork blood etc. I suppose it's ok, but there is too much stench of Americana with it. I have a couple rules in life, if a Mexican restaurant serves sour cream, or a Chinese restaurant gives you a fucking fortune cookie run away. Well we have a understanding now, if you bring me a cookie I am going to toss it at the ducks. I hear a lot on the rudeness of the staff. All I can say is HELL YEAH! I love the way they treat people. Stop thinking you're so fucking special.
(3)Alecxander P.
They have really tasty food here but, it's pretty greasy. The staff is a bit rude and the overall hygiene of the restaurant isn't great at all. If you don't mind the uncleanliness and want some decent Chinese food I'd give this place a try.
(2)Zhi Z.
My family liked this place when they visited last year (seafood especially). So few days ago we decided to come here again for a late lunch. We had 3 and ordered about 5 dishes, the food was good like how we remembered it to be. But the service was bad, we had to ask twice for our drinks and even though the restaurant was empty (2pm on Fri), the staff/waitress was not attentive at all. Instead they were more interested in eating their lunch, watching TV, and talking really loudly. But since it's a Chinese restaurant we didn't really except any great service, just came for the food. If that was the end, then I probably give it a 4 stars rating and come back in the future. But when we got the bill (around $95), I paid $110 so it's around a $15 tip (standard 15%). Then as we were getting up to leave, the waitress came over with our receipt and asked my mother for more tip because we ordered a lot and $15 wasn't enough. My mother didn't want to argue so she said she will add a few more dollars, and I was ready to ask for the manager/owner. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST. All the service this waitress provided was bring the food to our table, unable to explain the menu or explain the house special, not bring our drinks, didn't give/ask us about water refill, didn't clear our table when we finished a dish, and just overall not paying any attention. And she excepts more tip?! WTF tips are gratuities I pay based on service and the service was SHIT! Service 101, You don't come and ask for more tip! Like other reviews, this restaurant has THE RUDEST WAITRESS HARASSING YOU FOR TIP!!
(1)Fay F.
I always came to Paul Kee with friends at college. It used to have great authentic food here. However i don't know why, over the years, the service went down, food quality went down, and i found a nail in the food they wrapped to go for me. No. No matter how much i loved this place before, not going back again.
(1)Mosart R.
Came in the back door to use the restroom, workers were also using the restroom. The urinal didn't flush. A worker was doing number 2 and didn't even was his hands and went straight to the counter to serve food Told the manager and he said " oh it's ok he washed his hands inside" How!!!!! I was right behind him!!!! Anyways I walked out Beware of this place.
(1)Sisley C.
I've been coming here since I was a kid... And nothing has changed (even all of the same waitresses are still there!). Good Cantonese-style food in the Wheaton/Silver Spring area. The place is a hole in the wall but the food is good. I've had pretty much everything on the menu here throughout my life. The roast meat hanging at the front is good, but I'm not a huge fan of that stuff so I don't really eat it. Not because it's bad but I don't eat meat like that! Crispy noodles with seafood and clear sauce is also really good here too. They're also open really late! Like 1am or something I think.
(3)HK L.
Descent service and excellent food.
(4)Lillian C.
A solid 4 star place- it's obvious people come here for the BBQ. This is no Chinatown, NYC/SF level BBQ but it's adequate for DC. For $14.95 you get an ample plate of two BBQ choices, for three dollars more, you choose from three. I personally think the flavor of Wong Gee's duck is better, but theirs is bonier than Paul Kee's so it's a give or take. The roasted pig here leaves much to desire because it's super lean. Fattier pork with thick skin and more fat striations is much juicer, flavorful, and has a more pleasant mouth feel. This is actually a win for SOME people because more American types hate the tender mouth feel of pork fat and my SO who started eating meat after 20 some odd years abstaining wouldn't have liked that. Next up is the beef chow fun. I didn't think it was too hot but it's not an abomination either. It's been said that a chef's chow fun is a testament to the chefs skill. The chow fun here doesn't have be "wok flavor" I was looking for and the noodles were obviously old because it kept on breaking apart when I was eating it with my chopsticks (fresh noodles are gelatinous and have a slight chew). The real let down here is the prevalent ginger flavor in theirs. Ginger and beef chow fun is a no-no: it makes it taste like it's soapy and I usually dig ginger in my food. It's not that they actually added ginger to the dish- having grown up in the Chinese food industry, the flavor here is unmistakenly of the soy sauce mother stock used to make soy sauce chicken. I actually appreciate the fact that they use a mother stock (anyone who gives a damn about Cantonese cooking knows the importance of a mother stock) but it just shouldn't be used for beef chow fun because it contaminates the flavor. I wouldn't order beef chow fun again in the future on that basis but I'll be more than happy to peruse the rest of the menu. By the way: service was a little off, waitress was doing other errands and chatting so we had to kind or coax her to give us the bill even though we were one of three tables, but the food came out quickly enough after the order was placed. It's a traditional banquet style joint.
(4)Nai L.
I have been coming here with my family for as long aa I can remember and even though there's a lot of other good places I've tried, this is still my go to place. My favorite dishes here are steamed sea bass, steamed chicken, soy sauce chicken, and roast duck. I definitely recommend this place if you want really authentic Chinese food.
(5)JK K.
Closes late and most of the customers here are chinese which is usually a good sign. Awesome authentic chinese food! One of the best BBQ (especially honey roast pork and soyed chicken) and their spicy shrimp dumplings are off the hook!
(5)Kyungeun P.
Yelp you tricked me. Because this place is only appropriate if you are drunk and unable to make good life choices. I've been here after drinks late at night, and thought it was fine. But I came back here during broad daylight (and sober) and was horrified by the blatant lack of cleanliness. It's like they don't even care and are loud and proud of all their grimy glory. Although I say this.. I get the stinking suspicion I may be back one day if I ever get too drunk to care about eating food out of a filthy kitchen. Honestly, if it's before 10 or 11pm, just go literally around the corner to full key. It's cleaner and the food tastes about the same or better.
(1)Lauren Y.
Legit roast duck. Legit Char Siu, Legit Soy Sauce Chicken. Dirty carpets? Check. Cheesy Chinese zodiac paper place mats? Check. "Crystal" stemware for ice water? Check. Super brewed Chinese tea? Check. Servers in fancy bow tie and vests? Check. Large portions? Check. All the elements of a good greasy Chinese restaurant. My husband and I came here on a Saturday afternoon to get some comfort Cantonese food. Pork with 1000 year old egg Congee and wonton mein with ''ping pun," which is a choice of two meats. The congee was perfectly thick and white and the salty pork was salty. There was plenty pieces of the thousand year egg to share. The wonton noodle soup was also big enough to share. The best dish of the lunch was the ping pun of roast duck and char siu. The roast duck was not ridiculously fat and there was tasty meat and crispy skin. Not too charred. The char siu or bbq pork was not too lean and warm so you know it is somewhat fresh. Would I return? Of course. This place also closes at 1am or 2 am so knowing that, for sure this place has a following.
(3)Brianna H.
Food is excellent! I highly recommend getting the orange chicken. The sauce is amazing and it's not like biting into a ball of fried dough and only bits of chicken. It's mostly chicken and sauce. A+
(5)Sandy T.
Been going here for years now with my family. They serve really authentic Chinese food. The service can use some work and the restaurant itself could also use some renovation, but the food itself is impeccable! DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK! must order Parking is a huge hassle, so good luck with that!
(4)Mai N.
My family and I have been going here for 2 years. I have to say the food is pretty good. However, their customer service is the WORST. They always seem to be busy and we always have to call on them to help us on our orders this can take more than a minute. Moreover, I remember ordering for carryout and I think the guy who was the manager there said he was going save the last duck for me and when I went there to pick up my order he said there was no more duck left. I wasted 20 minutes and gas money to drive there, so be careful when you order for carryout.
(3)Paul D.
This is some Good Chinese, better than you're standard ghetto delivery/carryout Chinese food that you'll find in most places in the DMV. However it's not even the best Chinese at the intersection of Georgia and University. I like it better than New Kam Fong around the corner, but few places top Full Key, also around the corner but accross the street on University. I got carry-out, so I can't speak to the ambiance, other than it's dark in there, but the Crispy Beef was excellent! The Hot & Sour Soup was sub-par though. But the home made dumplings were some of the best I've had! And the Egg Roll was perfect. So, they got that going for them. The downside is, I think their food is riddled with sodium, cause I could feel it after I ate (pounding MSG headache), Perhaps that's why it tasted so good? I'm conflicted. :-/ I'd Give this place 4 stars if it were in a different neighborhood, because it's better than most. But alas, Full Key is right there. Sorry...
(3)Mickey T.
I really really like this place and my parents took me here ever since I was a little tiny kid. But my last visit will be my last. :( I just to grab a mid night meal on a Friday night and call it a day. So I just order a wonton noodles soup. I was half done with my bowl and there It was. A huge roach float up from the bottom. Of my soup. : {. I've inclosed a picture of this event just browse though the picture tab and you will see it. I address this issue with the waitress and she said "Ai yea. Now what should we do. I guess you don't have to pay for it then" it was all said in Chinese. Sad sad night. Bye bye Paul Kee :.(
(1)Sally Y.
I have literally been to any and all Cantonese style sit-in restaurants in this area. Once again, this place is cheap, convenient, and quick. Oh, and large portions.Meh service but maybe because I go in with my parents and they chit chat too much with the waiters and waitresses. Highlights: roast meat especially the suckling pig and duck (quite fatty but that's the Cantonese style for ya). They chop the meat right in front of you (not at your table but in the front of the restaurant). Place is a little dirty in my opinion especially in the little corridor where the fish tanks are. There's a bit of a smell in that area. Parking is okay. Park in the front or the back but make sure you're not parking in the wrong place (some are marked for the carpet store next door). Can get pretty loud on weekends for dinner because of the large families with kids.
(3)Julie D.
The worst! They will harass you for tips even though the customer service was horrible! And they are so dirty! I saw them pick up oranges with their bare hands and than pick up cookies with their bare hands! AND than pick up dirty dishes! It was the worst! Never coming back
(1)Chet C.
I have been to this place a few times with friends. The food is excellent and I have to agree with other reviewers in that this place is one of the places that sell the best roasted duck. There are more parkings spaces at the back of the restaurant.
(4)Alicia G.
Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs - this became more and more obvious given the server's look on her face as we placed our order. (This often happens at A&J too...) Two shrimp dumpling noodle soups, fried stuffed tofu and the crispy honey duck. The noodle soup was priced perfectly at $5.95 and was a piping hot bowl chock full of noodles, scallions, jie lan and shrimp dumplings. I no longer need to go into the city to Full Kee to get my noodle soup fix. As for the tofu - it was good but not very flavorful. I mean, yeah, I know, it's tofu so it's not exactly bursting with flavor to begin with but add a little of the dipping sauce and it's golden. The crispy honey duck was served with a sweet and sour sauce a top it - I realize now this is what the server was trying to explain to us that we just blindly said okay. The duck itself was good - tender meat, crispy skin - just the way you want duck. If I were to order this again, I'd definitely ask them to put the sauce on the side. It sort of overwhelmed the dish. We certainly went home with our leftovers that satisfied even on the 2nd day. Glad this is in my hood. I am eager to return. That noodle soup is calling my name.
(4)Tunaidi A.
I was craving some Cantonese congee. Paul Kee Restaurant was able to satisfy. At the time of my craving, I'd give this place four stars. In somber judgment, however, I still think it only deserves three. The good: The congee varieties were fantastic. This is especially true for me as I'm located in Baltimore, where this specialty is not easily obtained. In addition, this place is pretty cheap. The service is quick and accommodating. I've noticed that most Asian restaurants don't like to split credit cards, but our server was glad to oblige. The not so good: Forget ambiance. There is none. Parking is limited. Food other than congee is borderline average.
(3)C.c. C.
Parking sucks, both in the front and the back. I don't recommend you entering from the back if you are squeamish. Back door is only for the pros/vets. Newbies keep away! I only come here for the duck and the lobster. Yeah it's not clean and it's crowded but the food is GOOD!
(4)Carl n.
This is one of the two most authentic Chinese places I have had in the metro area and they happen to be close to each other. So really, just close your eyes spin and point and you can't go wrong with either one. I thought this was a little better, just a tad. I felt like I was back in China for my two years there. I would say, this is more authentic than anything you get in DC, by a long shot.
(4)Sharon T.
Food was just OK, was there yesterday. Granted I hadn't checked these reviews before going. Sounds like Duck is good, but we were just there for lunch. There was only one party there and it took a long time for our meals to arrive. The Asian workers were busy chatting towards the back of the restaurant. Again, food was just OK, but what grossed me out was it looks like they must never clean this place. What I thought was some sort of decoration hanging from the picture next to the front door, was actually some nasty dripping stuff coming from behind it. UGH. Now after seeing the reviewer who said the worker didn't wash his hands after using the bathroom, apparently cleanliness is NOT important to Paul Kee's employees. Too bad as it's always in the Washingtonian Mag as a good Cheap Eats. There are too many other good, CLEAN Chinese restaurants in the area for me to venture back. I hope the owner reads this review and does an overhaul of this place. It's been there forever, and needs a MAJOR cleaning and review of basic sanitary practices.
(2)Jon W.
Amazing! HashTag #WOOHOO! This was a surprise and a treat. It's one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Don't miss the Szechuan Spicy Dumplings. Don't miss the deep fried spicy porkchops. Though, next time we will probably ask to make their dishes labeled hot, even hotter. It's because we love the flavor of those roasted chilis. Not because we just want things to be hotter. The hot roasted chili oil was an absolute delight! And these are probably some of the best EggRolls you'll ever have! Everything we ordered was a pleasure, everything was perfect from temperature, to rich complex flavors and scents that absolutely delighted the senses. Though getting there is over an hour away from the harbor, we will definitely back sooner than later! I love you guys!!
(4)Eric J.
Their beef flat noodle dish (gan chao niu he) was meh.
(2)Michael J.
Paul Kee is one block away from several other similar Hong Kong style Cantonese restaurants. I haven't been to the others, but Paul Kee seems quite solid in their offerings. Very typical and standard HK fare with no surprises. As previous reviewers have mentioned, this place is not for the faint of heart. It's very authentic Chinese. Yes, with heads on their seafood and everything. I haven't tried too many of Wheaton's Chinese restaurants but compared to my previous experiences in other cities and HK, I have to say the food is very solid. It's not exemplary or outstanding by HK standards but it's satisfies in what it offers, a family restaurant serving food to the common masses. I would highly recommend it to those who are looking for something authentic and local as opposed to the General Tso or sweet and sour (insert meat). This is a great example of substance over style. You can't go wrong with that.
(4)Helen S.
The Chinese food here isn't fantastic but definitely solid. We came here cause it was one of the few places that was still open late at 1am and my friend was starving. We split deep fried spicy shrimp in shell and stir fried clams in black bean sauce, and both were pretty good although I was struggling with the shrimp shells for a bit. Overall, I dunno if I would want to come here for a regular meal but it's a great late night option.
(4)Phil A.
My family and I used to go to this place often. It was our go to chinese place when we wanted to go somewhere that's not fast food. After our awful experience, no one in my family is going back. The food was whatever. Nothing exceptional or bad. It was the bill and tip part that has us not coming back. I didn't think anyone else had this problem but I read another reviewer's review on the same thing. So the bill came and it was a moderately large family gathering. My dad's cousin was paying the billwhich came out as around 150. He proceeds to pay the bill. After thewaitress came back with his receipt and stood right there glaring at him until he tipped cash, he tipped 15%, the standard, because service was not exceptional. Right when we were going to stand up and leave, she loudly says something along the lines of THIS IS NOT A TIP. IT IS TOO LITTLE, YOU NEED TO TIP MORE. At the time I was preoccupied with talking to my brother so I didn't mind it but after it all happened it hit me that this woman just rudely DEMANDED more in tips. I have NEVER IN MY LIFE ENCOUNTERED SUCH ATROSITY at a restaurant. My dad's cousin, being a guywho doesn't want to cause a scene and be rude, he went ahead and gave more in tips. Best believe, if it was me, and I wasn't around older family members, I would cause the biggest scene these people had ever seen. All this woman did was bring out the plates of food and bring them back in. We did not ask for anything else. No crazy demands. We couldn't even have our water refilled when we ran out (not like it was busy at all during our visit)And she expects more than standard tip?! Tipping is for when service is great. Not like we under tipped. We thought service was average so we tipped average. This is AMERICA. These women need to learn they cannot act like crazy rude people and expect customers to just do what they say. Sooner or later no one will come back if they keep it up. There are two other great chinese restaurants within close range that we enjoy going to that don't have rude waitresses try wong gee or new kam fong. DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HARASSED BY RUDE WAITRESSES ON YOUR TIPPING.
(1)Shayla N.
What more can you ask for? Authentic Hong Kong dining with very agreeable prices. Love the lunch menus - you can get lots of food for so cheap! If you get the triple delight - good luck finishing that in one sitting. Definitely a fan!
(4)Lynn M.
You have got to try their lobsters, I think their lobsters are way bigger than any Chinese restaurant around but the price is only few bucks more . The other food are ordinary Chinese fares . To be honest, there is no such thing called " decent Chinese restaurant in Silver Spring" , sad but true .
(4)Marian M.
This is without a doubt the best Chinese restaurant in the area, and probably th best one I've been to. I'm disappointed that it's often not crowded, but I think that's because there is so much saturation in this market;I can't count the number of other Chinese restaurants here. When we have people vist us, even from other countries, we always take them here, and they always think it's great too. They have both "American Chinese" and actual Chinese food, and they are all great. One of my personal favorites is deep fried spicy squid, but I also like their Kung Pao and Hunan chicken, deep fried spicy pork chops, lo mein, really, everything I've had there. The only thing they DON'T do is dim sum, so if you want that, go to Hollywood East, but otherwise, I cannot recommend Paul Kee more.
(5)Michelle V.
Came Friday night around 7 pm had crispy skin pork and peking duck and they were cold. Wish they would reheat it somehow. Minced beef congee was ok, but huge so 4 people can share. Breadstick to go with congee was hot and crispy mmm tried the deep fried pork chop people were raving about but don't get the hype. It's dry and nothing special. Also had Chinese broccoli Vietnam style and it was ehh
(3)Joel S.
We don't care so much for Chinese food, but Roy said he wanted to eat Chinese and Neomi said she was in Silver Spring and asked why wouldn't we all meet here for lunch. So I picked Paul Kee out of Yelp. We were not sorry. Bingo. We started with spicy Szechuan dumplings, which were the best we have ever eaten.i would come back here just for them. I had lobster in ginger for the main dish. I have eaten better in Boston and New York China Towns, but it was still decent. Neomi had a buffalo fish in casserole for the main dish. It was awesome. Roy had king pow chicken and liked it. We'll come again.
(3)Cynthia L.
Good Canto food at a decent price! A place that has literally been here forever, (well, forever in my little dictionary). Paul Kee always does a consistent job keeping their quality and quantity to par with their prices. If you aren't familiar with Cantonese food, you have a go at their roasted duck/pork, stir-fried vegetables, and deep fried spicy squid. If you are feeling super adventurous, go for the thousand-year-old egg & pork congee; the little kid in me totally had this all the time, but I always do enjoy seeing people's reactions for those that have never tried this :)
(5)Stephanie S W.
Yet another Wheaton great. This place continues to amaze me with all of its wonderful restaurants. Paul Kee is in all ways a typical Chinese restaurant with duck and char shu hanging at the counter top. Their lo mein is to die for (get it with pork char shu), and I'm a fan of the green tea brought to the table. Everyone is very friendly and service is prompt. Many more trips ahead to Paul Kee...
(5)Lynn F.
Excellent Chinese food, a little oily but totally worth it. The portions are large and prices reasonable, I eat here all the time. They have great specials, though I don't know any way to find them out except to go there and look at the signs on the wall. The duck and chicken are delicious and beautifully spiced, a bit oily but perfect if put under a broiler to melt away some of the fat. I love their pan fried noodle. It's the deep fried crispy thin noodle style. You pour the hot sauce on top and it's heavenly. I was hoping for cake noodle, but I don't think that exists on the mainland-- but this is just as good.
(5)John D.
In an area swarming with Asian restaurants, Paul Kee makes its mark as an excellent place to go to for Cantonese and Hong Kong-style cuisine. The appetizers are wonderful, the soups are dead on, and the entrees are delicious and plentiful. Our family can be fed on two orders alone. My ONLY caveat is that the spicy foods could use a little more spice.
(5)Kris G.
ok boys, you want to know the way to my heart? PORK. yup, give me some salty, delicious pig products, and i'm all yours. screw diamonds, get me some pork. and i have just found the perfect way to woo me - the char siu at paul kee. yes, paul kee is kind of dingy, lowlit, and employs servers who are far more interested in efficiency than smiles. but let's be honest, that's any authentic chinese place. and the reason to go to paul kee is not its customer service; it's the truly delectable cantonese fare. while staying at my folks' for the holidays, a recent trip to this pork palace reminded me of just how good they are. any chinese place with chickens, ducks, and sometimes pigs hanging in the window immediately gets a vote of confidence from me for their scenes of brutality. let's just go ahead and scare away all of the neophobic picky eaters who would rather dine at pf chang's, and leave more roast pork for me. and their cantonese roast pork (char siu) is my hopes and dreams realized in pork formation. the meat is perfectly salty, yet sweet from a BBQ glaze. it's juicy and tender and melts in your mouth, yet retains that crisp bark that char siu lovers crave. let's just say it is delicious enough to make you push aside the roast duck, shrimp fried rice, and lo mein on your plate to ensure you have more room in your stomach for pork. that roast pork is so good that after we had our annual post-christmas chinese food dinner, i insisted on going back the next week for lunch. that might sound crazy, but nobody in my family objected! happy new year y'all!
(5)Jeff T.
This restaurant would terrify most of the white people I know. First of all, it typically has ducks, chickens, and a whole pig hanging from the window to the kitchen. Extremely appetizing for an Asian, but that shit freaks white people out. It also serves its roast poultry and seafood with heads still attached. And if you locked a bunch of white people in a room with plates and plates of delicious chicken and shrimp with their heads still attached, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves and would eventually all starve to death. Second, it's kind of dirty. The restaurant itself smells kind of like a wet towel. Their carpet floors might have been attractive once but now it's just an evergreen-colored tragedy that's obviously impossible to keep clean. White people care deeply about cleanliness in their restaurants even though their dorm rooms are basically superfund sites. Lastly, the service is brusque. Every time my family goes to this restaurant, my mom asks for a leaner cut of roast pork. The waitress usually says something along the lines of "That is out of my control!" and stomps away. This does nothing to faze my Asian mom; she goes back to sipping tea. If a white person heard that they would probably sue somebody, (assuming they didn't die of anger). But I don't know any better Cantonese restaurant. The food is consistently delicious. Some of the chef's/daily specials (if you can read them) are borderline genius. And it's one of the best deals in the DC area; we recently had a dinner here for 12 people for $150. p.s. I wish i could slap all the people that gauge Chinese restaurants by their rendition of General Tso's chicken.
(5)Jae S.
Great Chinese restaurant in Wheaton area. I would say this place has the best spicy fried squid and pork chops. Get them extra spicy, trust me it's not that spicy, only more jalapeños and garlic on top. I also like their Beef Lomein, yes I know, it's really not true Chinese but it tastes great. Service in other hand, needs little work. I understand Asians are little bit "cold" in service area. But it would be great if they greet you with a smile. It is open late night. If you are craving some Chinese food during late night, definitely visit this place.
(4)Ken L.
I've been dining here for over 10 years. My parents took me here since I was a little kid. The food is here is amazing. We always get Orange Chicken (the best I've ever had), Chinese Broccoli with garlic, and Deep Fried shrimp w/ the head on. On my recent trip here we had the deep fried spicy pork chop and the hong kong noodle soup with wonton. I would also recommend these dishes. You might find the service a little bad but you get used to it after a couple of visits. There's extra parking behind the restaurant if you can't find any in the front. Enjoy!
(4)KanKan Y.
The food here is good and this places opens until LATE which is great for those who get post partying hungriness or late night food cravings. I recommend trying their rotisserie section. The honey-ed ribs are soo good. Their meats tend to be on the drier side. If you like it to be more moist, then I'd recommend Full Key which is just a few blocks away. I love their other foods as well but my favorite is their pan fried noodles. Mmmm...think of eating some honey ribs/duck with a plate full of seafood pan fried noodles...OM NOM NOM NOM =)
(4)Phi N.
PK serves the best Chinese dinner food around! Hot and sour soup is amazing here! The shrimp toast is another appetizer I'd recommend. As for the main course, I'll list the dishes that I've had... Mapo tofu: Tofu w/ pork. Delicious sauce! I always get it. Don't be fooled just because it's not on the menu. They definitely make it! Shrimp in lobster sauce: It's basically how it sounds... shrimp in lobster sauce but with eggs scrambled in. Very good! Beef & scallop with mixed vegetables: Fantastic combination! beef is super tender, and scallops are pretty large. Comes with broccoli, carrots and peas in a salty sauce. MMMmmm Salt & peppered seafood combination: Scallops, shrimp, and squid in fried batter with salt and pepper. Pretty simple but definitely worth it. Clams in black bean sauce: The clams taste good, but they were just too small. Shrimp in black bean sauce: Shrimps are large, and the sauce is very tasty... Probably pretty similar to most restaurants, but that's okay with me. As long as it's good! Chinese broccoli: I've had better, doesn't always taste like it's the freshest around... Orange chicken: This is an americanized-chinese dish my brother loves to order. It's okay... I'm not so much a fan. I've had a couple other dishes, I remember them being okay, like peking duck, and salt and peppered short ribs, and some of the lunch dishes... but it's been a while so I don't want to write a review about 'em just in case my memory fails me... The black peppered short ribs are also a decent item on the menu, some might consider there to be too much batter on it though. **adding a couple more dishes i recently tried** Shrimp and scallop in blackbean sauce: same black bean sauce, I think it tastes great, maybe be too salty for your liking though. A very generous amount of shrimps and scallop. Seafood casserole: i'm not a fan, but my family likes it a lot. It's a seafood combination order that comes basically in a little heated hotpot. Not sure how to describe the sauce, if you've ever had the seafood pan friend noodles, it's kind of the same sauce. Roast pork with snow peas: I think it's sa siu. It's in some sweet sauce mixed with snow peas and mushrooms. The meat was kind of hard but I really enjoyed the vegetables Probably the BEST part about this restaurant is that it serves late night! Opened until 1 on weekdays and 2 on weekends!
(5)Jacob H.
I've been here a few times. They actually have pretty good chinese food in MD. Coming from SGV there are plenty of good restaurants but at MD good chinese restaurants are rare. This place hits the spot but also leaves a dent in the wallet since it's not cheap chinese. I'm more accustomed to the $6-7 a dish and not the $10+.
(4)Jeff B.
Paul Kee is soooo on point! There were eight of us 22 year-olds, and we ordered the six-person set meal, which came out to about $20-23 per person. The set meal comes with seven or so courses: bowl of rice, some type of fish soup, sweet and sour pork, pork lo mein, lobster, duck, pork, tilapia, bok choy, and greens. The set meal menu is in Chinese, so you can only order it if you know Chinese. Kidding! No yeah anyone can get the set meal. I recommend the set meal. This was my first time here, but I'm sure ordering individual dishes is just as cool.
(5)Jean H.
The food is almost always good here @ Paul Kee. HOWEVER, the service is a different story - the waitresses are nasty. Right off the bat, they give off a bad attitude and stare you down while they take your order. They take their breaks and eat in the dining room while you are eating too. They don't pay attention to you unless you flag them over, even that could be scary sometimes because you are interrupting their lunch/dinner. When you are done paying your bill, they stand over you and watch what you tip them. It seems like it's a life/death situation that they need to get their hands on the signed bill to see what you tipped them. Then they look at you and ask you, "What did you say about my mother?" One evening while I was having dinner with my family there, the service was just flat out bad and I had to refill my own water glasses and get my own sauces, etc. I gave them a lower tip than I usually give because I was not happy with the service provided, then the waitress lady confronted me & harassed me on the spot, pointed at the tip and demanded more tip money. It actually worked because I frequent that place a lot and didn't want spit in my food the next time I visit. If they don't like how you tipped, they harass and confront you right there. They start speaking in Chinese to each other and put you on full blast.
(4)A.R. P.
(2.5 stars) As I have not visited Paul Kee in quite some time, I didn't want to try anything particularly fancy. I wanted to to test out the kitchen's preparation of some Cantonese standards. If the food was good and the execution sound, then, I would think about coming back to have a larger, more "proper" meal. So, I thought the best way to follow this plan would be to order some comfort-food (like beef chow fun and beef brisket casserole). The beef brisket casserole was executed very well. It featured a pleasing mix of tender meat, tendons, and chunks of white daikon radish that were cooked to perfect doneness (not too soft and not too firm). The sauce too was flavorful and hearty. This dish, in the end, was worthy of multiple bowls of rice. However, the beef chow fun did not impress me. Why? Well, it is the common issue of chow fun (the "dry" version of it) not being stir fried dry enough when it is supposed to be dry. The chow fun came out with a saucy sheen that probably came from a mix of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and, perhaps, a hint of broth. Thus, the chow fun did not have "wok hei" (that quintessential smoky aroma that only the marriage of a fiery wok, oil, and dry execution can produce and that singularly raises Cantonese cooking to its greatest heights). Also, the chow fun noodles were slightly mushy. That means they were either overcooked, or the noodles were not fresh (or were previously frozen). Beef chow fun is such a good test of a kitchen's skill because a chef cannot rely on a sauce to cover up his inadequacies. If a sauce is used in the dry version of beef chow fun, it is to compensate for a lack of wok hei or to flavor the noodles because a proper searing was not achieved. In the end, a chef must crank up the BTUs on his wok burner and deftly stir fry his ingredients like a master (if he is indeed one). The beef itself was tender. Few Cantonese restaurants with any skill and self-respect will get this wrong. Would I come back? Sure. I wouldn't mind digging deeper into their menu at some point (maybe, try the steamed whole fish, the steamed oysters, and some fresh snow pea shoots). When? I don't know. There are a lot of restaurants out there to chose from. However, I am not going to say, like rock fans did back in the 60s, that "Paul is dead." Certainly, unlike John Lennon, I will not utter the words, "I buried Paul." I'd like to resurrect my habit of eating here...even if infrequently.
(2)Kevin K.
Man why do all the good places have to have the worst issues with pesky critters. I really enjoyed the food here even the way that the wait staff ask for what you want...instead of actually caring about what you need. Its very fundamental....ask and you will receive but if you don't have the right question you lose out on specials. Regardless, I ordered the shrimp dumpling soup, and the deep fried short ribs, and the soya chicken(yeah I know I am a fat ass for ordering all this, at least I had a lot of leftovers). The broth for the soup was great I think a little better than Full Key and definitely better than New Kam Fong. The dumpling were a little looser that Full key but had distinct texture( you knew it was shrimp and wood ear mushrooms, unlike NKF where its a little hard to figure out if its shrimp or pork). More chinese broccoli than both places, very good at $6.25 The deep fried short ribs were very good and had a nice salty crust and just a very small hint of heat. I would say very well done and they weren't too greasy. The soya chicken is pretty much a staple around this part of wheaton. Served with just enough saltiness from the marinade and a lil soy sauce to really penetrate the meat. All the food was good. Let me tell you why this place gets only 1 star. Right after I ordered food, I was waiting and looking around, when I saw a amber colored bug crawling on the molding in front of the next table(it was a 2 inch long cockroach). Now I have read in other reviews that there had been a bug problem, but did not want to say anything because I am sure that they know. Unfortunately this is a deal breaker in my eyes. It really is a shame because I think that this place has better selection than both restaurants in the same 2 square blocks, Because they have not fixed their own bug problem it's really a matter of the owners not caring about the restaurant and not putting forth the effort to rectify the problem. I know they are just there to make some $$$. Too bad. I don't think there will be a repeat I think I am getting a little sick just thinking about it again. What a shame...
(1)Sam C.
YUM!! This place is authentic Chinese, I would start off by saying this is not your regular Chinese take-out place the Chinese classics may seem pricy ( general tso's, sweet and sour chicken) might even seem to be a lot more expensive than what it should be but trust me it's worth it. But the seafood is top-notch though! I tried shrimp fried rice,shrimp lo mein, jumbo fried shrimp,and a platter of lobster/crab meat. All of which were excellent however the lobster had a bit of an off taste but no problem all the other good flavors make that one fade away. Really good experience and will definitely return when in the area
(5)Lynn L.
Paul key it good food, but watch out for carry out . If you order meat they cheat on you. You make sure the weight you order. They alway give you less , what ask for.
(2)Ray C.
Okay, this is how it's gonna work. I tell you what to get. You get it. You eat it. You like it. No one gets hurt. Don't follow these instructions and you'll learn what Kee really means my friend. The eating formula to calculate how much food to order- # of people plus one. You could do one dish per person but truly you're not getting the variety that you deserve. Plus one is perfect. Enough variety plus usually enough to have a good lil doggy bag to take home. The usual suspects: 1. Deep fried spicy pork chops(this is probably why oil was originally made) 2. Crispy beef(best described as "if meat was candy") Orange chicken/General Tso's Chicken (basically the same dish with a slight taste variation) 3. 3 Meat Variety(hanging roasted meats) -this thing is to die/cry for. Roasted pork, soy sauce chicken, and roasted duck. Peep the pic someone posted for that deliciousness. 4. Deep fried seafood platter (If you're into seafood then this is the ultimate. Lots of delicious deep fried goodies) 5. Seafood Chow Mein -I'm pleading with you to get this. It's amazing. Truly. Crispy crunchy noodles as a bed with beautifully cooked seafood sitting atop. Make sure you mix it before you eat it! The noodles just get slightly soggy and the combination of flavors are overwhelming. I usually look away for a private moment to reflect after the first bite of this wonderment. Like Lester K. pointed out the waitresses have been there forever!! Amazingly still remember us even if we haven't been in a while. Good people, pretty fast service, and very authentic chinesiness.
(4)Sam M.
This place gave off good vibes with the Chinese clientele that occupied it when I first walked in. I listened to fellow helpers and got the roast duck as well as roast pork. Both were delicious. The shrimp wonton soup with wontons only(no noodles) had soft and well textured wontons. The schezuan string beans were addicting bites of green. All affordabley priced
(5)Lucy X.
Apparently Paul Kee is a Cantonese classic. Figures because the canto style dishes they serve here are pretty on point (according to our Cantonese friend who also owns a Cantonese restaurant). My favorite dish is definitely their scallops. Tangy sauce served over huge, tender juicy scallops, yum yum yummyyy. So good we had to get a second order lol!! But so worth it too. Everything else we got (clams in black bean sauce, sweet n sour pork chops, fried assortment of seafood, preserved egg and pork congee, chicken fried rice) I'd say were a-okay, though still very satisfying to our hungry hungry stomachs :)
(4)Liza A.
Updating my review just to say that I haven't found any other Chinese food with the consistency of this place....every time is great...like I said waitresses are kind of mean but food is worth anything....my favorite lobster with black bean sauce....deep fried shrimp
(5)Meilie M.
If you're not used to heads and appendages on your food, then you've been eating at too many franchises and maybe it's time to stop, or go back to those type of establishments, as I don't consider those eateries. Ethnic food is just that, ethnic. If you had to catch, kill, clean and cook your food, you'd starve or learn to understand and enjoy what real food is about. The preparation of food is varied and can be simple or complex. This style is more on the basic, but good with a decent variety. This place is not for the faint of heart (or eyes). It is not fancy, it's almost dreary and dingy, but it has good food, almost as good as Mom's. If you want good basic Chinese food that people of Chinese decent would eat, then go here. The main dishes are down to earth cooking for Chinese, similar to what an American style diner offers representing American style cooking, fresh, tasty & hearty. Their specialty includes the roasted duck, chicken, crispy skin pork and char sui pork (BBQ), all of these are seen hanging in the glass case and are readily chopped by a petite woman with a powerful right arm to order. They have a table plaque listing a very inexpensive menu of soups with dumplings and/or noodles, especially good on a cold night. The shrimp dumplings are some of the best, full of solid pieces of shrimp and veggies. You can get a variety of meats with the soup & noodles that are a generous portion of the roasted meats, some like the duck which can be greasy, but very rich and tasty. I ask for the meat to be plated on the side, otherwise they pile it on the soup and it gets soggy. This usually gets a dark look from the waitress, but give her a tip and she may forgive you. They also have a tank of live fish and of course, the head & tail are presented when cooked. If you sissys haven't realized this yet, the reason you have these still attached is 1) To show it was nce a real live fish, 2) Parts of these are a delicacy and why would you throw away something edible? Even the fancier Chinese restaurants present the fish whole. It's tradition, so either get with the flair of the ethnicity of the food or go to Mickie Dees and eat pre-fab unidentifiable things called "nuggets". So why only 4 stars if I like the food here? The place is a "dive", and the service is sometimes less than cordial, but the eats are good enough to drive a few miles on a cold late night. I believe they are open until 1 AM, but you need to call to confirm.
(4)Edwin L.
If you want cheap food, this is the place to go to. The food is decent here, but one complaint I have with Paul Kee is they do skimp out on their meat. I ordered the roast pork over rice, and they would give you around 10 pieces of roast pork with a buttload of rice. But overall, the experience was great if you are in for some authentic Cantonese food. The service was very fast and efficient; I literally sat down and got out of that place in 25 minutes. The atmosphere is not great. Let's put it this way, I wouldn't bring anyone special there for a first date, but if I want something quick and Chinese, I would recommend Paul Kee.
(3)Meggie C.
love this place too.... full key is near it almost the same thing. parking is limited though. recommendations: duck roast pork pig intestine with sour cabbage beef chow foon with chinese brocoli
(5)Mei-ye J.
Okay, so the service can suck, but the food is pretty good. I mean if you want service go around the corner to Full Kee on University Blvd., but if you want great taste for Cantonese/ Hong Kong Style cooking this is the place. And from experience most really Chinese joints don't treat young Asian looking customers all that well. Again, the wait staff don't think you're going to tip well. You get a rushed feeling because they keep coming to your table asking if you are ready to order even though you only got the menu a minute ago. And you know what?! If you're Chinese and you don't mind strange delicacies the Intestine with sour cabbage for $9.95 that someone else mentioned is actually really yummy. However, if you chow down this baby the way I do with rice, you're going to need to do some cardio afterwards! It's very greasy and fattening, but aren't those the best? Unlike a lot of places since Paul Kee has a consistent Chinese clientiel it doesn't try to hide delicacy and truly authentic dishes like other Chinese restaurants. That's exactly why you'll find things like Intestine and Sour Cabbage on the menu. I'm your average Southern Chinese girl and I'll eat just about anything that taste good, so give me! But...on that note there may still be some dishes that aren't on the menu just because those items might have seasonal ingredients. Parking can be a head ache, but I know you can probably park in the Safeway lot which is adjacent to the street that Paul Kee is on. Otherwise there is supposed to be parking in front of the restaurant and at the back of it. There's a back entrance so you don't have to worry about walking all the way around.
(4)Mic X.
Another Public Service Announcement. When going to a Chinese restaurant that caters to Chinese patrons, keep in mind that when you order the steamed shrimp - the shrimp are served, from head to toe, completely intact. My wife discovered this fact when we visited Paul Kee recently and the waitress placed a plateful of fresh, bug eyed shrimp staring right back at my perplexed wife. The Wife: I can't eat this. Me: Why not? The Wife: Seriously. I can't eat this. Me: All you have to do is cut off the head and peel the shrimp. The Wife: You do it. Doing my manly duty as a husband, I pluck a shrimp and squeeze down on the shrimp's head. As soon as I applied the pressure to the shrimp's head, a ketchup like red juice began to flow out of the body and head. I immediately thought that the shrimp was not fully cooked. We called on our waitress and explained the situation as best we could about our shrimp. The staff came up with a quick solution, which was to fry the shrimp and they would cut off the heads for a nominal charge. Crisis averted. As for my meal, I order the spicy squid, shrimp, and scallops. Maybe there was something lost in the translation, because my dish was a plateful of deep fried squid, shrimp, and scallops mixed in with green onions and chili peppers. It was more salty than spicy. It was nice, but nothing that I had imagined. So a couple of other notes about Paul Kee; *It ain't purrty. The exterior of the restaurant is need of repair and is wedged in between some of failed businesses with "for lease" signs in the windows. The interior is not much better. Think 1975 (if you can remember back that far) standard Chinese restaurant with big round tables covered with cheap table cloths and dark lighting. *The patrons will be mostly Chinese. This place doesn't pretend to cater to the P.F. Chang's crowd. It's the kind of place where the Chinese customers don't even bother with the menu, because they just order what they want to eat. That being said, you can still order your General Tso's Chicken. They have a section for the faux Chinese fare. So, just remember when you are ordering the steamed shrimp for the first time - the shrimp will still have their heads.
(4)Matt B.
Open late with fresh seafood!!! Deep fried seafood combo/salt n pepper shrimp squid and scallops. Baby shrimp over rice. Seafood pan fried noodles. Szechuan dumplings and green beans. Great life.
(5)Fat T.
Food is very good overall, remember tons of msg is in the food. Deep fried spicy pork chops was too greasy and fatty and I wasn't able to finish it. The pieces of fat were too big and almost caused me to spit it back out. Pan friend noodle was excellend whether you eat it at first when it's crispy or later when it's soggy.
(4)B.M D.
I used to like this place, the food was good, until I went for a late meal with a friend. I had just ordered and there was a mouse running around under thetable and I was disgusted. The owners saw our discomfort, saw that I got up and took my purse and didn't acknowledge us. When we told them there was a mouse and we couldn't stay to eat they said ok and didn't even apologize. I wish I would have taken a picture of it but I was too upset. Stay away if you are disgusted by bugs and rodents.
(1)Silvia A.
Best chinese food in the DC area, no kidding, we all have a chinese joint around each corner, and eaten there, but this restaurant is now a tradition in our family, we come here for every celebration, and food has always been great, ignore the waitresses who are never nice, you have to try the BBQ pork and roasted pig, soooo freaking good :)
(5)Sara L.
This is chinese food for chinese people. Its easy to get to, but parking sucks. Paul kee has a fairly high price point for such a mediocre atmospherehe, but thats compensated for by a menu that is as far out & authentic as it gets. Specialties like intestines, roast meats, and tanks of fish, are combined with other fresh ingredients and served in large portions. I've had the duck noodle soup a few times & it's ranged from light & flavorful to greasy but still delicious. The service is equally as varied, but it doesn't detract from what always proves to be a culinary adventure.
(4)Frank O.
I always marvel how people will take a restaurant that serves authentic Chinese cuisine dishes... and rate them based on their sweet and sour chicken or beef and broccoli. Please people, try the REAL dishes... not the Americanized dishes... Anywhoo... We have been here quite a few times, but our most recent visit was a lunch for my brother in law's graduation. We had kingdom pork chop, lobster in the ginger and scallion sauce, greens, noodles, a sauteed fish, and a few other dishes, all of which were very good. I recommend coming with a group and ordering a preset dinner. You'll get a good sampling of some more authentic dishes.
(4)Janice J.
I love this place, would go here again if it wasn't so far. Went here last week for grandmothers bday. A bit small and cramped but well worth it. The food was awesome. They had the best duck, crispy beef, fried short rib, and shrimp. Well worth goin here again if I'm in the area. Wish all the Chinese restaurants had as great food as this place.
(5)