Chung Ying Central Bar & Restaurant

I can’t believe I haven’t already reviewed Chung Ying Central! One of my favourite restaurants in Birmingham. The food is excellent quality and an absolute bargain. The cocktails are unusual but made with excellent ingredients. The service is good, the decoration is stylish, it’s in a great location on Colmore Row.
I’ve had the set menu which was good and very generous but the star of the show is the Dim Sum selection. The pork and prawn dumplings are my absolute favourites.
Perfect for a meal and drinks with friends or a quick bite.

So we were actually following directions to check out Pure Bar and stumbled upon this place on the way. Stumbling upon things is one of the best way to try new places I feel.
Firstly we noticed the 2 4 1 menu, specifically the cocktails, absolute bargain really if I’m honest. £6.95 for two cocktails Monday — Saturday 5−7pm. They are actual cocktails as well not ‘cocktails’ — the wetherspoons edition (we added some vodka and then some pre-​mixed drink out of a carton, we recommend you double up to actually taste the alcohol).
So we ordered two Shanghai Roses, like lychee? Try that one, even get a lychee in the bottom soaked in alcohol to finish off.
I’m pretty bad at carrying cash and was a little surprised to find that a place like this has a minimum charge of £10 to pay buy card I had to open a tab and I also ordered the food from the 241 menu. Veggie wontons and veggie steamed dumplings; in all honesty it was nothing special and I’ll only be coming back for those drinks.
When we checked in we were awarded with he complimentary free house cocktail for spending over £10. I thought that this would really be per bill not for both of us, but the waitresses looked very puzzled and at first didn’t really know what this was. Ended up discarded my friends voucher and also redeeming mine but we got both drinks anyway. I ordered the artisan cherry and my friend the coconut dream. Mine tasted a bit like pop and I finished it off daily quick.
There is some outdoor seating but it’s a bit rickety, they also aren’t fond of you having a tab under £10 and sitting outside; understandably incase you decide to leg it.
I found the inside interior quite tasteful and staff very polite. A large (probably replica) statue of a terracotta warrior is by the entrance. Oh yes, and you get a little complimentary basket of prawn crackers as well.
I wouldn’t say this is the place to go to for your night out but I would recommend it as a good place to start with that happy our offer.

Cool atmosphere, with very good food. The Dim Sum is not to be missed. It’s a little on the spendy side but it’s great food right in the centre of town.

Having done a bit of shopping and had a couple of drinks one weekday evening, me and Mrs H decided it was time to grab something to eat. Having been to this place once before for a quiz, and enjoyed the taster of food, we decided to head over to Chung Ying Central.
Located in the now trendy Colmore Row area, CYC is the sister restaurant of Chung Ying and Chung Ying Gardens over in the arcadian. Its a thoroughly modern affair within, and there were a few diners enjoying their meals when we arrived. The waitress told us that the kitchen were getting ready to close so we would have to order fairly quickly, but this wasn’t really a problem so we sat down with a couple of drinks to pick what to eat.
Now CYC has a great dim sum selection, and we decided on 5 dishes between the 2 of us, a mixture of steamed and fried delights with meat, seafood and vegetables. The quality of the food is really high at CYC and we demolished the dishes along with a serving of prawn crackers.
5 dishes between two was just enough to fill us up, and the bill came to a total of £29 including 2 pints of Tiger. A real bargain in my book.
CYC do some great lunch time offers, and I’d recommend this for anyone wanting to check out the place prior to going for a meal. Their soup and dim sum for £5.95 is a real bargain.

Eek! My first review… go easy on me!
Having been to Chung Ying Central a few times I thought it’s only right that I write a review and encourage others to go and experience it!
This is the place to be on a Friday evening, so make sure you book, or you risk being turned away and missing out on what was an amazing start to the weekend. The Happy Hour here is from 4pm — 7pm and includes cocktails, beer and dim sum as well as other bar snacks! This is I would say one of the best #happyhours in Brum! You can’t go wrong… and we didn’t!
The food, service and cocktails were all amazing. Dim Sum was fresh, and the curried spring rolls are a must try! The cocktails (we tried a few!) were all very good, with a good punch of zesty oriental notes… I would recommend the Shanghai Rose and Eastern Promise… and the Horse!!! ;) From start to finish, we were welcomed at door and greeted by manager, thanked for visiting and even though it got really busy throughout the evening, our cocktails and food arrived without delay and always with a smile.
You will not be disappointed if you visit here! Go, enjoy and try something new!

Located off Victoria square this bright and contemporary restaurant injects a little flair into the normal Chinese formula by using a «small plates» approach.
Along with the things you would expect to find on any Chinese restaurant’s menu (which they also do well) you’ll also see a large selection of Dim Sum and from the ones I’ve tried they all seem to be little tasty delights.
To reinforce the contemporary feel here there is also a fully stocked bar with an extensive cocktail menu, in fact I’d say if you were just looking for a few drinks with friends this wouldn’t be a bad choice.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to review Chung Ying, I could have sworn I’d done it already! This place has great food, drinks and location… what more can you ask for! At happy hour, you can get the whole food menu for £16, it couldn’t be more of a bargain. It also buy one get one free on cocktails as well.
If you check in on Unilocal and spend just £10, you can get a free cocktail. The cocktails are based on the Chinese zodiac so you can pick the one that matches your year of birth. Even though its not my year, the Horse cocktail is one of my favourites as its based on a Cosmopolitan. The service is good, they’ll bring the cocktails to the table so there is no need to hand around at the bar.
They do an express lunch throughout the week and you are perfectly able to get in and out in 45 minutes and there’s no compromising on the food. There are numerous options you can have — you can create your own or select your own dish. There’s options for dim sum or soup and a selection of drinks.
Chung Ying is based on Colmore Row so catches the work crowd and is large enough to cater for it. I’ve been here for a few Unilocal events and we have been welcomed every single time.

I’ve been to Chung Ying Central a few times now for various different functions. My last visit I was hosting a quiz for the Birmingham Insurance Institute in which we had hired out the entire restaurant.
The quiz I run is an interactive quiz for use with Smartphones and it requires a decent PA set up and its runs better with access to TV screens as well. What surprised me the most is that Chung Ying Central have a better set up than most pubs and bars that I have hosted quizzes at.
I have eaten from the menu previously as I have also tried their more buffet style food and I have to say the food is sublime. This is some of the best quality chinese food I have tasted and definitely gets my choice as a go to place for chinese in the centre of Birmingham even up against all the restaurants in the chinese district (where actually 2 more Chung Ying restaurants exist as well).
My only gripe with CYC is the price of the only lager they have on tap (Tiger), I think £4.80 is pretty steep for a pint, however in their favour most places in the Colmore Row area are charging pretty much the same price now anyway. I would just prefer to have the option to have a cheaper pint than that if possible.
Overall I have to say that I love Chung Ying Central and I look forward to going back again and perhaps doing more quizzes there in the future.

This is my favourite Chinese restaurant in Birmingham. I’ve been a few times and have always enjoyed my dining experience. The lunchtime menu is fantastic value, and if you love cocktails you will find so many taste inspirations!

Instead of going for our usual pub lunch I dragged my friend to Chun Ying Central a few weeks ago and totally forgot to write about it here.
I’d tried a few yummy cocktails at Chung Ying one afternoon in August and this was my return lunch visit.
Chung Ying Central is an afternoon place to watch the city go past the window.
The staff are friendly give good advice when you are unsure. I’d tried the lunch time deal after seeing Unilocal Birmingham community Manager Victoria O’s photos of soup & dim sum.
I really enjoyed my Peking Hot and Sour and Dim Sum. You should give it a try!

A Chinese restaurant thats smart, trendy and friendly, has plenty of vegetarian options and very interesting menu — thats my kind of place! We had a lovely welcome and were invited to either sit at the high tables at the window or the regular tables at the rear.
Drinks and food ordered, I took a moment to ‘check in’ on my trusty Unilocal app. I do that as a wee reminder to myself of where I’ve been, and a future prod to write a review. It’s only fair to write a review since it was fellow Unilocaler reviews that helped me choose Chung Ying for dinner in the first place!
What a lovely surprise when the offer of a free house cocktail appeared on the Unilocal page. Yes I had ‘spent’ £10 or more so I was eligible for the offer. Cue a little cocktail-​envy from my fellow diners when my delicious Jade Dacquiri appeared.
While we waited for our dishes to arrive we all tucked in to the complimentary prawn crackers — nice touch. Everyone’s starters were declared super yummy. Main courses included sweet and sour chicken ‘the best I’ve ever had’, cantonese style beef ‘so good’, and my braised tofu and vegetable parcels.
My tofu parcel dish was tasty, but by the time I’d got a third of the way through I kind of lost interest a bit and craved a little more variety. I would have preferred to share two different dishes with someone else, but I was the only one eating vegetarian, so that wasn’t an option. Not that I had much room left to eat any more anyway. I was definitely having an ‘eyes bigger than my belly’ moment!
The overwhelming consensus was that the food, staff and vibe at Chung Ying Central was superb — definitely a cut above any Chinese restaurants I’ve eaten at before!
Set lunches look like great value and there is a happy hour for cocktails which got the place buzzing — we arrived just as it ended. Bad timing on our part lol. The bill for three people (two courses each, three pints and a G&T) came in at £80. Highly recommended.

I’ve been here twice now, once for a Unilocal Event with cocktails and food and once for Dim Sum with University pals. I plan on returning for their set seafood menu which may gain them an extra star!
The dim sum is tasty and fresh, and after only two dishes along with the complimentary prawn crackers I was stuffed. I ordered off the Happy Hour Menu (yes, a happy hour menu that includes food) of which I was amazed to see that my two dishes and a lemonade came to just £6.50. Bargain! I would have been more than happy to pay full price in non happy hour for the same things. Yummy!
Their customer service is spot on, which you can’t always say for oriental restaurants. The servers were attentive and friendly but didn’t bother you unnecessarily. The place is clean and modern without being cliché or tacky.
I can’t wait for my next visit!

I live in the US and visit Birmingham nearly every 8 – 12 weeks. This is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants I have been to, during my international travel. James and his ever-​smiling staff are extremely welcoming and make you very comfortable. The ambience is very relaxing and the cocktails amazing; appetizers and the main course are all delicious and full of flavor. An absolute «must go» while you are in Birmingham, UK.

Having attended a Unilocal Elite event here, I thought I would take my partner along so he could experience the restaurant and the food too.
We decided to book a table as it was Saturday night, but were surprised that we were the only customers having arrived at 7:30. It was nice to have the restaurant to ourselves and to miss the hustle and bustle of other areas that were likely to be busy in town.
Unfortuantely because they were not busy, the waitresses would almost pounce on us as soon as we had finished and were a bit too quick for my liking to take our plates away.
On a positive note the food is of a very high standard. We decided on a set menu that consisted of spare ribs, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork and beef in black bean sauce. I am actually drooling at the thought of these dishes!
They have a good selection of beverages and the cocktails are particualy good.
I wouldn’t hesitate going to this restaurant again and recommending it to others. Hope the business thrives and they get busier.

Chung Ying Central is the third restaurant from the Brum favourite Chung Ying brand. If you live in Birmingham, you’ve probably heard of Chung Ying and Chung Ying Garden; two Cantonese restaurants based in the Chinese Quarter of the city. Chung Ying Central sets itself apart geographically by moving away from the Arcadian and into the business area of the city centre.
The shift in geography comes with a shift in style. The restaurant has a chic, oriental inspired interior with a mix of bar stool seats and a more traditional seating area. There is also a bit of a shift on emphasis here too. The bar is a prominent feature in the layout which, to me, places an emphasis on the more «place to do business» feel of the restaurant. There is a great selection of cocktails available, as well as the more standard (Chinese) beers, wines and spirits.
The emphasis on the food here pairs well with this style. The Dim Sum is put forward as the star attraction. Dim Sum is, for want of a better description, Chinese tapas; small plates of food designed to be put on the table and shared between diners. It’s a traditional concept which suits the style of this restaurant well.
I have been a few times now and I’ve always enjoyed it. The drinks are good and well priced. If you’re a cocktail person, there’s enough of the well known ones for you to start working through. There is also a set of zodiac themed ones that you might not recognise which are great for trying.
The food is also great. I tend not to eat whole animals, but I’m almost obsessed with the deep fried baby octopus, one of the Dim Sum available here. Everything else I have tried from the menu has also been great; the dishes are either something new and delicious, or something that you know from your local Chinese takeaway. But infinitely better. If you’re used to gloopy sauces with flavours that punch you in the face like bad kung fu, try the dish here and see what it is supposed to taste like.
I’ve given CYC 4 stars, because overall, I think this is a great restaurant. It didn’t get 5 for two reasons; one I’m reliably informed that the food at the other Chung Ying restaurants is marginally better. And as I plan to give them a whirl, I need to save that star, just in case!
The other is an unfortunate consequence of being a new restaurant. All the staff here are new, which is great — they are all learning to be great front of house staff. But they are still learning; I’ve had times when it’s been a little hard to get the bill, and I’ve had times when they have been so attentive, they’ve almost joined the table. Their knowledge of the menu can also be lacking at times. They are, however, all extremely pleasant and accommodating. Give it another 6 months max, and I’m sure this element will be running smoothly.
In summary, if you’re after great Chinese food, a lively atmosphere and sumptuous surroundings, you’ll be hard pressed to find better in the city. Oh, and if you’re slavish about eating your Chinese at home, they do take away too ;)

This is my new go-​to place in Birmingham for oriental food. Reasonably priced for its location, has a BOGOF cocktails ‘happy hour’ between 4−7pm. I have been twice in two weeks and the food has been excellent. I live near Wolverhampton and would happily travel with friends and family rather than going to local Chinese restaurants.

Not tried it yet, but food looks great too:)
–Ok so since having the amazing zodiac cocktails, I have been back for another amazing Unilocal event which involved sampling some of the restaurants amazing dim sum — wow! I can’t eat prawns, but nevertheless the rest of the choice were amazing; so light and full of flavour. The staff were again welcoming an friendly and ofcourse keen to hear what we thought. The atmosphere is relaxed and quite calm, which makes a change from some places in the City. I would definitely go back for a full/​proper meal.
They do an Express lunch too, so worth checking out at lunchtime:)

Chung Ying Central is the second venture from the owners of the popular Chung Ying Garden (located in the Chinese Quarter). As the name suggests, this new incarnation is located centrally in the City on Colmore Row. It’s a 5 minute walk from Snow Hill Station and easy to get to on a number of buses; it’s a great location to head to if you’re doing a bit of mooching around the Cathedral area.
I was meeting a friend (and Unilocaler) Clare B. on Friday for lunch and was in a bit of a quandary on where to go. Having had a bit of a dizzy moment on Thursday and turning up on our originally planned lunch date location a whole day early, I didn’t fancy going there for lunch two days in a row (although it was very nice). On the walk down to meet Clare, I spotted a billboard advertising «Express Lunch from £6». Express and reasonably priced? Well worth a go, I thought.
It turned out to be a great choice. The venue itself is a little hidden away on the corner of Victoria Square and Colmore Row, but the billboard should give you a good idea of where the entrance is. Upon getting to the venue, we were warmly greeted by the well-​presented serving staff and given our choice of tables. Although we were meeting quite early, we weren’t the only diners (with every table getting tip top attentive service).
Once presented with the menu, we pondered our choices with care. The £6 deal includes soup (a choice of hot and sour with prawns or chicken and sweetcorn) and a serving of Dim Sum. There are at least 10 different kinds to choose from meaning there are plenty of different combinations to try (if you are a regular luncher).
I opted for the hot and sour and the king prawn dumplings. My partner in lunch went for the chicken in sweetcorn and the beef dumplings. After explaining to our server that it would have to be very express, we were bought water to the table and she dashed off to the kitchen. All of our food was bought to the table within 10 minutes of ordering, with the soup arriving first.
The food was fresh, hot and delicious. The beef dumplings came in a rich sauce, whereas my king prawn were delivered in a bamboo steamer. The soup was thick and tasty (with plenty of prawns). The dumplings were especially nice. One serving was 3 medium dumplings and when combined with soup, this was just enough for someone like me.
When it came time to settle up, the staff were again helpful (although as they had only had new menu’s that day — a little confused). We ended up being dealt with by the owner himself who enquired how our meal and the service had been. As a nice touch, he refused to take the tip himself (insisting we gave it directly to the waitress) as he didn’t want his staff to think he was taking their earnings.
Settled up, full and feeling genuinely impressed; we went to leave. At this point the owner came bounding over and presented us with a voucher for a free cocktail on our next visit. Again, another lovely touch on what had been a very pleasant dining experience.
I can recommend this little venue if you are in need of lunch in town. Whether it be an express «catch-​up» with a friend or a business lunch, give it a go.