Ho Lee Fook

This place was good. Just no reservations for parties under like 5 I was told. So we had to have a few cocktails up Elgin (lots of options in this area) but once seated here is what I liked about this joint–
— There are 3 Hostesses, all were very friendly and walked me to an assortment of appropriate venues for drinks prior to dinner.
–They serve a nice assortment of Kalavan whiskey (my new favorite)
–The food is solid, with expensive not cheap ingredients. We had Pork Belly, a dish of high quality greens, and a dish of House made noodles and large clams.
–Service was friendly, music was 90s hip-​hop (yes I think I heard some EPMD)
It reminded me of the excitement of what Mr Chow originally was in NYC. I like this spot, although not cheap (but I would not say overly expensive either), I think it’s quality was much better then many places I tried which were around the same price or a little bit cheaper.
I’ll be back.

Had an early dinner this week.
The food was excellent. I would highlight the ribs, cauliflower/​brussel sprouts & the scallops.
Service was attentive & efficient.
Great place to bring guests from out of town.
Go early as you cannot reserve a table.
I will be back.

Hands down, great experience! As soon as you walk in, you see all the cooking going on to your left. Service was excellent, from the hostess to the bartender to the waitstaff. The food was amazing! We had the Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts, the Cabbage Dumplings, the Waygu short ribs, and my absolute favorite was the Waygu Tartar! Definitely one of the best dining experiences.

The restaurant is in the basement and the large art decoration is excellent, it has an intimate and sexy tone to it. However, if you are looking to have a conversation with your date, this is not the place. Most of the crowd are English speaking, including the hostess and servers, it almost feel like I went back home to Toronto!
The food was great, but not memorable. The wagyu ribs that everyone recommended: good and might be too much for two person. The sauce is on the sweeter side, might be too sweet for your average asian pallet. Everything we sampled was big on flavours.
Side note: when asked what water you want, if you pick ‘Still’ it will be around $ 68 dollar for a bottle, so you better order an actual beer or wine instead. Or say ‘Tap’.

First impression: snotty bartender rolls his eyes when my girlfriend asks for a tiny sample of sake to make a decision, then heavily underpours the glass of wine that she ended up deciding on. She pointed it out and… more eye rolling.
Last impression: like one other unfortunate Unilocaler, I got terrible food poisoning from Ho Lee Fook. Beyond that, when I politely asked for my money back due to receiving food that was not fit for human consumption, they told me that it was against policy.
When I make it back to Hong Kong, I will not be visiting this place again. Customer service was absolutely horrific.

Really good food and incredible service: my water glass never got below 1 – 2 sips before being refilled! The waitress must have refilled it at least a dozen times during our meal. Everything on the menu was so good and the items we didn’t try read great for next time.
Reservations can only be made for parties of 5 or more, and the wait during popular days/​times can be 1 – 2 hours so plan accordingly.

Three words: SEVERE FOOD POISONING. I came here on my last night in Hong Kong with my boyfriend. We were really excited to try this place as we are both foodies and previously worked in the hospitality/​food industry. Rarely has Unilocal steered me wrong in the way of finding a good place to eat. We waited for ten minutes around 9:30p.m. on a Sunday. When we sat down the server was really welcoming and made several menu suggestions. We ordered exactly what he had said. The Waygu Beef Shortribs, the Spicy Cabbage, & Cauliflower/​Brussel Sprout dish. First indicator that something was wrong was the meat dish came out so quickly, about 6 minutes after we ordered it. The other two dishes came out within ten minutes. General rule of thumb for food coming out in a sit down restaurant: mains should never come out that quickly.
I remember thinking that the meat tasted off, but didn’t feel nauseous until I left. How do I know that it was this place that made me sick? Two reasons: #1) the only other place we had both eaten that day (specifically that morning) was the same place we had gone the whole week (Din Tai Fung– check it out– its the best) AND reason #2) We both felt incredibly nauseous after eating here. Fortunately for my boyfriend, he was throwing up for most of the night. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t begin vomiting my brains out until we boarded the plane (20-​hour flight, btw). Anyhow, I suggest avoiding this place, unless you want to risk it. Oral rehydration packets are sold at most pharmacies in HK. Good luck.

Ho Lee Fook was one of my favorite dinners whilst in Hong Kong (albeit also one of the most expensive). If I hadn’t done my homework in advance, I would’ve written this place off as a tongue-​in-​cheek tourist-​trap (try saying the restaurant name 5 times fast). Joke’s on me, Ho Lee Fook (meaning «good fortune for your mouth») is a strong restaurant with a creative menu, and is well worth your time.
We over-​ordered and ended up taking 90% of our meal to go, but the highlights for us were definitely:
+ PRAWN TOAST x OKONOMIYAKI
+ WAGYU STEAK TARTARE (best that we’ve ever had)
+ FRIED CAULIFLOWER w/​BRUSSELS SPROUTS
+ ROAST WAGYU SHORT RIBS (although a bit too sweet for our taste)
We also grabbed an order of their kurobuta pork char-​siu, which was good, but not remarkable. My biggest complaint was that the food seemed to be over-​everything — seasoned, sauced, salted, etc. Not to a huge fault, just not to my preference.
The only notes I have are:
— Tables are extremely close together, so request to be put in a quieter corner if possible
— Only complete parties will be seated
— We showed up 30 minutes early, but the place on a Tuesday night didn’t start filling up until an hour+ after opening
— There’s a 90 minute time-​limit for how long you can be there; after 90 minutes, you’re outta there~
Overall, a good meal, just pricey and a bit too rich for my blood!

Not really bad, but too crowded, too noisy, too hip, too generic. Food is ok but too pricey.

I came here about 9pm on a Friday and didn’t have to wait for a table for 2. The place was definitely full though. While I ate at this restaurant, I honestly forgot I was in Hong Kong. After over two weeks of trying to communicate in various Asian countries, I was thrown off when we were greeted in English and led downstairs to a predominantly American and European crowd. This place is definitely pricey, especially for Hong Kong, but the food is solid, and it’s a really cool atmosphere.
Roast Goose Lower Quarter (⁴⁄₅) — Wonderfully fatty with a nice skin. The sauce that came with it was great.
Grilled Pork Belly, red cabbage salad, roasted chili, and almond salsa (4.5÷5) — This pork belly melts in your mouth without being too fatty. Great mixture of flavors.
Prawn Lo Mein with shellfish oil, grilled shallot, and crispy garlic (³⁄₅) — This dish was okay, but honestly it was pretty forgettable.
Service was pretty good. Our servers were really nice and personable.

Excellent place in a city full of great places to eat.
Very hip, great drinks.
Only issues for parties of two is that they do not take reservations for 2.
Our wait was about 1 hour on a Wednesday night.
Not that big of a problem in Hong Kong because there are so many cool little bars to waist an hour or so.
We ordered wings which were excellent.
And the recommended wagyu ribs which definitely lived up to expectations.
I would go back here again when I get back to Hong Kong

Trust me, I actually didn’t get this cheeky name until I was just randomly pronouncing the name of the restaurant — then I stopped for a while, what? Super catchy name, and this place was the ‘tai chow’ or ‘dai pai dong’ being represented in the modern and contemporary way — and guess what, I like it so much!
I would say that this place is very much a modern Cantonese restaurant that serves awesome food, which also explains the crowd. Even if you have made reservation, you will still be allocated your meal time, which for a group of us and a table full of dishes, we were only given 90 minutes to finish our meal. But it did feel sufficient, provided if you don’t spend too long deciding what to order! Also, their waiters here are very helpful too, which makes you feel a lot more comfortable, instead of pressured.
One of the benefits of going to an interesting restaurant in a group is that you get to sample a lot of different dishes on the menu. Their ribs’ a bomb! But, besides that, one dish that made me keep thinking about it even until now would be the beef tartare! Wagyu beef diced and served with crunchy crackers, as refreshing and fun as it could be!
Aside from the selection of creative dishes that they offer here, also please look at their cocktails menu! Seriously, I was torn apart because apart from the long list of cocktails that they have here, they also have a very extensive selection of whisky and other spirits here. Hibiki, Yamazaki, you name it. I tried a cocktail which has Yakult in it, and of course also my favourite — gin. Loved it, but there are just so much more on the menu, decision, people, decision!
Of course, all these being said, the place shows 3-​dollar sign, so it’s definitely not on the cheap side. But the ribs and beef tartare and cocktails, it’s all worth it!

Cheeky name, I know, but the food makes up for it. Add in the trendy ambiance and it’s understandable why this place is completely booked, even on a weeknight. The staff was adamant that we finish within 1.5 hours, and even though we ordered a lot of dishes, the kitchen was very fast so we were able to finish with time to spare.
The cocktails here were a lot of fun. I had this Yakult gin drink and I found it interesting and refreshing. Our group tried a variety of dishes but my ultimate favourite, hands down, were the Wagyu short ribs. I don’t know what they do to it, but they were the juiciest, tastiest, Asian style ribs I’ve ever had. Nothing else comes close to you… no one makes me feel the way you do!
The main dining area is in the basement, where your phone’s data will most likely die. Luckily, they offer free wifi, no password required. Nice touch.

Dark, intimate, great service, and again, really freakin’ dark. Definitely don’t bring a first date or try to pick anyone up here as it’s downstairs and essentially only candlelit. You will regret it. Unless it’s a literal blind date, then by all means.
The food itself was on the pricier side for what it was, but it still tasted phenomenal. We got the shrimp lo mein and a vegetable dish that my sister and I split with some drinks.
You should also totally shout the name of this restaurant in English 3 times, really really fast, and in public.

Since I’ve been here 4 times in the last year, including their pop up Belle’s chicken event, I really shouldn’t be so lazy and write a review…
Ok so I first heard of HLF even before it opened. Being Aussie and a foodie I unashamedly follow (stalk) chefs on Instagram to see where they’re eating, what they’re saying about places, etc. So when I saw that one of the innovative Aussie chefs who was at Ms Gs, part of the Merivale group was leaving the sunny shores to open up a joint in HK I knew I had to eat here when I was still unsure about moving here late 2014. At that time all my HK friends were like, what’s this restaurant? Never heard of it, Asian fusion? But we’re in Asia! Anyways, since then HLF has become the cool dining spot that most expats know and have tried at some point.
So, as I am a glutton and having been here so many times, I’ve pretty much tried their entire menu.
If you order nothing else on the menu, you must order:
— prawn toast
— cauliflower
— wagyu short ribs
I think I’ve ordered these 3 dishes every time I’ve come here, whether with 2 people or 6. Bringing more dining companions just means you can eat more food. But take my word for it, these 3 are the holy grail at HLF and word on the street is that the ribs supply may only last till the end of the year so get your fix soon!
Their cocktails are tasty and fun, similarly to Ms Gs in Sydney, some are served up in the bubble tea cups which is fun but more importantly, convenient when you’re a bit boozed and won’t be spilt.
One annoying thing however is that booking is allowed only for 5 or more and even when you do book, if you’re the second seating, you’ll end up waiting. Not really their fault if people eat slow I suppose but cmon, by 9pm my stomach is eating itself.

Wagyu short ribs! Short ribs! Short Ribs!
Wait, did I forget to mention their short ribs?
Easterners and Westerners alike will love the name of this place. But once you get past that, the food here is quite superb. A cute little downstairs establishment in Central, this place is kickin’ some of the best eats I’ve had in Hong Kong to-​date.
Okay, so the short ribs? I don’t even know how to explain this one. it’s euphoria in every bite. Sex hardly even compares to these short ribs (well, okay, perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit, but you get my point).
Everything is decadent here. I’m not even a fan of brussels sprouts (a childhood hang-​up) and I thought theirs were out of this world. C’mon, fried Brussels sprouts with cauliflower and crunchy bits of bacon? Mmm! I could have been satisfied with just this and short ribs and call it a night. But I didn’t! Also tried a few more things, including the french toast. Perhaps more to the point — it was butter with a little french toast! OMG most delicious heart attack ever.
It’s hard as a traveling foodie to want to return to the same place when I know there are hundreds more restaurants in HK I want to try in my limited time visiting. But Ho Le Fook has me wanting to repeat visit at least a few more times.
I’m a devout fan.
Short Ribs!

Ho Lee Fook! (I just want to grab the chance to say these three words together.)
For a lot of you not Chinese thought the name would be some offensive to Chinese, I for one to find this name amusing. I find it more offensive when a local restaurant use a French or Italian made-​up words that you can never pronounce (and yes, it happens a lot in HK).
Anyway, I’m writing this today as they are going to have their 1^st year anniversary, which also marks that I have been waiting for a full year before I finally get a taste of it. The rational side of me keeps telling myself that «cheeky name» + «modern Chinese cuisine» never works well, but the Unilocal reviews have been saying otherwise.
We didn’t make a reservation, but we arrived early at 6:30pm on a Saturday evening. The staff was nice enough to get us a very comfortable table, but also reminded us to kindly return the table by 8pm. Funny enough I knew it wasn’t for another booking at 8pm (because they offered no booking for less than a group of 5), but I didn’t really mind if they wanted to do another round of business on the busy night.
The two of us ordered cauliflower and brussels sprouts, a quarter of a roast goose, and a wagyu short ribs. I got a ginger mule cocktail and my partner got a (something something) martini. Both drinks were amazing. Yet my drink was served in a «Taiwan bubble tea”-style plastic cup, and my partner’s in a classy martini glass. I wasn’t even mad, but it’s just very entertaining (i.e. being made fun of by my partner…). The cocktails were the shit, especially on these super hot days. I would have ordered another glass if it’s not the time constraints.
Cauliflower and brussels sprouts — very well cooked and had the classic Chinese wok-​style taste (or the breath of the wok, «鑊氣»).
Roast goose — Very decent and comparable to those fancy star restaurant that specializes in roast gooses. One thing though, it got fair bit of fatty meat (which I admitted I loved those meats), and it worked against any diet plan for your week/​month.
Wagyu short ribs — HO LEE FOOK. Forget about the price tag and get this one every day please. Got the best of both world. Texture tasted like wagyu, and the crispiness tasted like char siu (Cantonese roasted meat), and the sauce was second to none. They separated the meats with soft bones on the other side of the dish, which was equally amazing. It’s easily a dish to share among 4 people, but we had no regrets ordering it.
All but one staff were very nice, friendly and helpful. Obviously the price tag and the potential waiting time forbids most of us to visit regularly, but I’ll be lying if I say I don’t want to go back right after I finish this review.

Sexy, fun and hip
Ho Lee Fook is a good place to impress your friend visiting Hong Kong if you’re looking for a fun Chinese restaurant to dine at. Reminds me of fusion Asian places in New York City. The dishes were pretty tasty here too, which came as a surprise since you know we all have our judgement with fusion-​y places. Though I would say this restaurant is definitely geared towards expats as I barely see locals dine here.

This restaurant was on my list of places to try in Hong Kong since I heard great things about it. With a name like Ho Lee Fook, who wouldn’t want to give this place a try?
Overall, it’s good food but on the pricier side. When we went, we had the wagyu beef tartare, and oh my goodness, that was my favorite thing on the menu! The beef is fresh, and the flavors are perfect. Definitely good fusion tartare. I loved it and would eat this again. We also got the pork belly, which was alright. The sauce was good though. Lastly, the dessert! This was the part of the meal which I was most excited for, but it didn’t impress me heaps. The matcha cake was really good… gorgeous on the eyes! The mesh of all these flavors (green tea, chocolate ganache, and strawberries) were excellent. That was the better dessert of the two we tried. I did not care for the granita we had. It was different from what I was used to, but not in a good way. I expected it to be more like Hawaiian shave ice, but it was more like large chunks of ice with no taste.
The ambience of the restaurant was lovely. It has that American feel of a Chinese restaurant that I can’t explain. Kind of similar to fusion restaurants in the states. The exterior is lined with mahjong pieces, while the interior is decorated with many Chinese elements. I loved it. The restaurant is also dark, perfect for a date setting.

I normally avoid restaurants featured in in-​flight magazines, but The Boy was so excited to read about Ho Lee Fook I couldn’t say no. We arrived early (6.30) and the staff were able to fit us in with an agreement we would give the table back by 8.45 for a booking.
We had the wagyu tartare, the fried cauliflower & brussel sprouts, the pork dumplings, and the wagyu short ribs. We were going to order the pork belly as well, but the server was kind enough to steer us away, with the caution that the short ribs were designed to feed 3 – 4 people as a shared main, and we were only 2.
The food at Ho Lee Fook was beyond next level. I was amazed with every bite — I don’t know how Chef Jowett Yu manages to get the short rib so tender and crispy (and I’d prefer not to know in avoidance of home recreation attempts gone wrong). The tartare was delicately spiced, the cauliflower beautifully peppered with chili jam.
Ho Lee Fook was by far the best meal I have had in recent memory. I’ll be heading straight back next time I find myself in Hong Kong.