Chef Too Restaurant 美西西餐厅
Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu,
Chaoyang Park
Between the West Gate and Lucky street
朝阳公园西路枣营南里小区东门南侧
朝阳公园新西门斜对面
6591-8676
Open Tue-Fri 11am-2pm; Tue-Sun 5-10pm; Sat & Sun brunch 9:30am-3:00pm
Price Y300-Y399 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards
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- City Weekend says
With comfortable, unpretentious decor, spot-on service and some of the best steaks in Beijing, this place is a rare find. One of the few steakhouses that uses chilled imported cuts, never frozen, it offers simple, hearty American food. Wash the meal down with Brooklyn East India Pale Ale and don't forget to try the homemade ice cream.
- Contributor Description
We are a fine dining neighborhood restaurant - featuring - Steaks, Chops, Seafood & Pasta
American Cuisine a la New York City style - only the freshest chilled beef, seafood, farm fresh vegetables and house made desserts -
The philosophy is simple: - keep it simple, make great food and give exceptional service
Contributed by chefbilly
4 years, 11 months ago
Reviews
Been there? Add a review!
Just givin' Chef Billy's restaurant some love, lest people forget that it's still awesome.
Back when it first opened, it was pricey. But now, half a decade later? Solidly middle-of-the-road. And you're getting just what you expect in return for your money: hearty food and friendly service like you'd expect in your favorite neighborhood joint in the States.
Bravo, folks. Keep up the good work!
The food is good, no doubt about that. The brunch was delicious. However, it is just so so expensive. I went with friends and chose a cheaper option - the pasta, but it was bland and tasteless so that was disappointing. Too expensive to go on a regular basis and while the food is great, I'm not quite sure it's worth the expense if it is not a special occasion. Perhaps if the prices were a bit more reasonable, the patronage would increase - that's certainly what I get from reading many of the reviews here. I would give more stars for more affordable prices. At the moment, I won't go back.
Everything, starting from the brunch to the dessert, was absolutely phenomenal. Sure, it's a little pricey, but the food is worth every penny (or kuai). To start, the complimentary bread was perfect, with a thin, crackly crust and moist interior. Not chewy at all. I had the ribs, which were juicy, and exploding with flavour. I didn't even need to use my fingers to gnaw on the bones, the meat came off all by itself; the telltale sign of good ribs. My dad, who has had countless pieces of steak all over the world, declared the one he ordered here as one of the best ever. The apple pie I ordered for dessert was all-American, delectable and exquisite. It came with a scoop of the yummiest ice-cream ever: creamy, studded with flecks of vanilla bean. The service was also very attentive, enthusiastic, but not overly so. Thank god for Chef Too. There's finally a true America in China!
Forgott the rating
I have been there with my husband and baby twice for brunch and once in the evening. All the times it was excellent. The pancakes and hot browni are to die for! ;-) The salads at for the brunche are realy big but good for sharing. We would definitly recommend a reservation for the brunch as it is always well visited. In the evening we had salamon and spare ribs.... very good! Prices are ok, for this portion size. The stuff was very friendly and had good english language skills. We are definitly coming back again!
Pros: Good place to feel "not in Beijing". Portions are filling. Food is good. Cons: not affordable for local (or non-expat salary) friends. Not practical for parties > 4. Food is "just" good. Suggestion: make a reservation if you want to go, especially on weekends ~1pm
Overrated place. Food was good when I visited a year ago. I dont want to discuss too many finer details of food as we had ordered around 8 dishes for 3 of us and now I forgot the dishes names.This time all the dishes were so so ,none stood out as yummy food. One of the chair we used was is torn off and the place needs to be redone. I also dont like the place in winter. It gets stuffy. Though the service was quite okay the waitstaff looking after our table was new so he was making too many mistakes.But thats not a big thing. Overall ,just okay,nothing spectacular as some have mentioned in these reviews above.
I think they get busy sometimes and forget to serve! So I reckon, it's ok to ask for them esp when you look forward to them and one of the reasons why you choose their venue!
I second that! But the last couple of times we were there for our Sunday Brunch, they 'forgot' to give us the mini cinnamon roll as our welcome starter. We were embarrassed to ask for it too... but it would have been nice if we had gotten it.
We love this place and mostly go there on Sundays. Top 6 reasons why we go there -
- Mini cinnamon roll as a welcome starter
- The kids' menu is free (we have a 4 year old kid)
- The fresh brew coffee is free and refillable(with hot steamed milk, not cold)
- The creamed spinach is really, really good (I can't copy it at home!)
- The pasta meatballs is so yummy - my mouth water when i see it coming!
- Chef Billy, his wife and staffs are all so friendly and generous with their attention and water service!
Notice, that the above 6 reasons are a balance of good food, good service and strategy! Our brunch cost whether at Chef Billy's or Blue Frog or Mrs Shannen's, etc always come to about the same price for each visit. But the Chef Billy is appararently a shrewd businessman as well and that's why we always choose his venue. Mini pancakes, bacon, some grilled cheese, mini cinnamon rolls or even freshly brewed coffee thrown in for free is a small amount to pay for marketing when you get regulars who turn loyalists as well.
The food is good but there is a problem always making a reservation. I've tried calling the day before a few times and everything is book. They need a bigger space or another location. Compliments to the chef, when I can actually sit down and eat there. Very irritating...
We ordered turkey meal again last Canadian Thanksgiving Day and this time everything was perfect. Last year when we ordered turkey meal, we felt the pumpkin pie was missing something, was a bit bland. But this time, ou la la, very delish! The whole meal was perfect. Thanks, Chef Billy.
This a great place for a nice Sunday brunch after church. Good food all around. Really good steaks. I just wish they had a kids menu. I don't really want to spend 50 RMB to get my daughter a huge meal that she won't be able to finish. Just a few small dishes for 20 RMB like grilled cheese or mini pancakes...
What a fantastic little place this is. The food is simply divine, service is attentive and friendly, and pricing is very fair. Highly recommended!
Went to Chef Too for the first time a few weeks back. Went back again the following week. Plan on going again in another week or so. Steaks are just like Manny's or Ruth Chris (if not better) and the creamed spinach is simply awesome. Oysters hit the spot too. Bad for my diet, good for my soul.
Had a great time here a few nights ago. Chef Billy had oyster's flown in from the USA, they were incredible!
Got the "Carolina" style ribs, which although not Carolina style, they were very, very tasty and cooked perfectly ( I am from North Carolina so I can claim what is true Carolina style... and Chef Billy did warn me they were not as authentic as he would like) still.. VERY yummy.
The chocolate brownie was also a tasty treat coupled with the house red.
OVERALL another stellar performance from Chef Too.
Ok but not great. The steak was expensive but overdone and fatty. The burger was not the best. They make it with a so-so bread that was soaked with the blood from the meat. The fries are frozen fries and not home-made. The place is small and has nothing impressive or distinguishable about it. Wouldn't go back. Much nicer places in Beijing. Hope Meat and Wine co. come back!!!!
Love their quick and easy salads. They are great to pick up for a BBQ! Great food and great service!
Tried their filet mignon steak. The best steak i ever had in beijing. Will be back soon.
In a league of their own, keep'em coming!
I stopped by last weekend for an enjoyable ladies brunch and was pleased with the whole experience. The meal included a breakfast amuse bouche--a mini cinnamon roll--that was tasty, but would have been better served heated and not so dense (or old, which ever was the case). I ordered the eggs benedict, which came served with a choice of two sides. I chose the fried potatoes and the creamed spinach along side of my traditional eggs benny. I also added a glass of Chardonnay, but would have preferred a mimosa if it wasn't so damn expensive (RMB80 or 90...i forget). I have a moral issue with ordering drinks priced for the French Laundry crowd when it's served in a Beijing setting.
Anyways, the eggs benedict was tasty and the eggs were perfectly cooked--not like the hard boiled excuse for poached eggs dished up at the Village Cafe in the opposite house. And...unlike the pathetically shoddy service rendered for breakfast service at The Vineyard Cafe, the entrees and sides arrived at the same time for the entire table. The fried potatoes are my favorite in Beijing--nice and brown/crispy on the sides. The creamed spinach seemed like a rather unconventional choice, but the creamy, rich, palate-covering spinach goodness was a great match for the ham and potatoes.
My friends ordered the breakfast club (which looked huge), and another tried the blueberry pancakes (really thick and yummy)--both looked like equally appetizing choices, depending on your taste.. Besides the pricey breakfast cocktails (ok, maybe I'm the only person that really dings a place for morning libations), the whole experience was lovely and I highly suggest Chef Too for a non-hotel brunch experience..
Never had a bad experience at Chef Billy´s. Always makes sure I get time to go there on every visit to Beijing. Top food, reasonable price, friendly atmosphere and most often interesting wine offers.
For Christmas Eve dinner, we catered from Chef Too. We asked for the tradition roasted turkey dinner complete with all the side dishes, bread, mashed potato, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, plus two desserts, apple pie and pumpkin pie. I must say we were really satisfied with everything we had from Chef Too. The roasted turkey came sliced already, so we didn't need to slice it again. Fellow friends from Canada and USA even said the turkey and everything really resembled what they will have back home.
Except, I have to agree with the reviewer before me, their pumpkin pie was a bit bland. Everyone in the table felt there is definitely something missing from the pumpkin pie. Apple pie in the other hand, pretty good.
This is a review for the PUMPKIN PIE we ordered, and is no reflection on the other food served here. We picked our pie up a day ahead for the Thanksgiving holiday; everyone looked forward to it after our meal. Sadly, to our surprise, it didn't include a single spice. No cinnamon! None! No ground ginger, no ground cloves, none! It was pleasantly sweet, however, and had a nice creamy texture. Still, why would you sell a pie like this for a holiday, and make it into something that has no resemblance to the holiday dish? Especially when it's the easiest pie in the world to make?
I guess they call it pumpkin pie because it has pumpkin, and you could taste the pumpkin --- but it was not the kind of pie anyone would ever dream of serving for the American Thanksgiving, and our kids were mightily disappointed. I guess we should have asked in advance. Now we know. I hope nobody else got this pie. I wouldn't care much except for our kids who were really looking forward to a taste of "home". I hope someone at the restaurant will read this and fix the pie for next year.
I was very happy with this place. Very good service, quiet and comfortable, and good food! I thought the antipasto and bbq ribs were great!
While the food itself is quite good the service is horrible. Just back from brunch there, we were 4 people ordering. One was simply ignored (after the other 3 dishes arrived the staff asked again if he also wants to eat, though of course he ordered the first time). A second order came with extra spinach (not ordered) but without the bacon and without the toast that actually was ordered.
I had an out of town guest from Nanjing in town the other day, and he insisted on eating in a western restaurant. I'd never been to Chef Too, but did sample their carry out turkey last year (excellent flavor, skip the sides, btw), so I knew this was my chance for a visit. Once our party of 6 was seated, our drink order was taken (the service was attentive, but not overbearing) and the amuse bouche was serviced. It was a simple bruschetta--the tomatoes where diced and juicy red and the toast was nice and crunchy-garlicy..yum. I started out with the soup of the evening, a truffled carrot soup. The soup was well-made and not masked with butter or cream, but they must have used Chinese truffles, as it was not as smoky as I would have expected. I do appreciate the fact that they used truffles and not just the truffle oil. For my main course, I ordered the prime filet with cajun gravy (other choices included pepper, merlot or bernaise sauce) with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach (which, on a side note, was of a much higher quality than what was offered with the turkey set), although the home fries or steamed veggies option both looks great too. The mashed potatoes were traditional, except for a couple scallions mixed in. The creamed spinach was excellent, mainly because it was more the latter and less of the former. One person at the table had the BBQ ribs, and he said that it was the perfect combination of meat, with the right amount of fat--he was very pleased. For dessert, I had the apple pie with ice cream. It was excellent. Probably the best apple pie I've had in Beijing (not that the competition is so fierce). The several glasses of wine I had were all 42rmb a glass and our total bill came out to 1700rmb for 6 people. I highly recommend it for a dependably good western meal, especially if you don't want to subject yourself to the commercialism of the local hotel options. I'll be back to try their brunch soon.
food is great! Will go there again.
Steak was awsome. Good seasoning and superb Bearnaise Sauce.
Blue cheese bacon salad is creamy and delicious!
Lobster pasta is not so great tho. The pasta itself is good, flavor also. But the lobster is over cooked, the meat is kinda chewy. =(
Service is good. Restaurant is more like a family setting. It might be better if they dim the light a bit. =)
Will go back soon!
We had the penne meatballs and the Santa Fe Chicken and thought that both were very good. Although the prices are a little higher than warranted, the service is excellent and the mains and dessert were delicious. Not really a place to go to for a private meal - but the atmosphere is very pleasant.
good
very good
Very good brunch, oh my god! But a bit pricey... which is why only the Chaoyang Laowei crowd with money to burn go to Chef Too.
knew billy from china drive, and he is a talkative chef, but seems have ideas on what he cooks. It is a nice neighborhood restaurant, and give real American dining experience. The steak is excellent, and the decor is cozy.
ignore raphael77, he works for Meat & Wine Co - so hardly an unbiased review. Pretty good food , nice eggs. Nice steak. Actually, the Chef Too Go delivery of roast beef to my door is still a food highlight of the last year. Dinner party wolfed it down
shit food, needs a lot of improvement, the bruschetta on arrival was soggy and tasteless, the burger was overcooked and dry, the mash potato was sour and stale, sorry guys, but you have a lot to work on
the ribs and the chicken are delicious, and the portion are huge! service is spotless too, plenty of nice and available staff. a bit pricey but definetely worth it. only 4 stars because the brunch is so-so, not worth the price. so go there for dinner.
As I am never a big fan of hotel brunches, this place is Beijing's gem and answer to Sunday late breakfasts. After several months of not dropping in, I am pleased that last Sunday's visit was consistently delightful. The place was packed hence food came a little slow but then again, more time for me to enjoy my pressed coffee and the much-needed Bloody Mary (a little too generous with the Tobasco though). Service is spot-on and even those that couldn't understand English was quick to find one that does. Oh, if you and your friends like to have long breakfasts, I suggest arriving there after 2p.m., else one would feel obliged (guilty) for hogging the table (as folks would be queing outside waiting for tables).
Disappointing, considering all the great reviews that I've read and heard. Ordered the fillet mignon medium to well done - it was overcooked and too dry. The bernaise sauce had gelatinised and wouldn't even pour out of the gravy boat. Happy to pay RMB158 for a steak if it's worth it - this one definitely wasn't. Have had much better steaks elsewhere including Morrel's and Med. That said, have also heard that their brunch is good so willing to give it another try.
last night i had one of those times when you think, 'dang, ive worked so hard so far. let's treat myself for something good.' and i chose to treat myself for a steak. a good, juicy and delicious one. so following cityweekend's review for best steaks in town, i chose to go to chef too since it's close to where i live and i've never been there.
to be honest, i almost walked pass by this place. it was lucky enough for me to turn my head in the right moment and realized that 'hey, there it is!'. the place from is a not like what i expected. i thought its going to be like all those fancy restaurants. but i ain't complaining. instead, im pretty satisfied with the warm, simple decor. it's good for a date, but still good enough for casual meal. they have 2 rooms. one is the room where the entrance door in. the other one is on the left of the entrance door. i like the second room better. gave me more american feeling.
i ordered mussels and a 28oz black pepper sauce filet mignon with creamed spinach and french fries. the food came at the right timing. i never had to wait for too long but i also didnt get the impression that they just re-heat my dishes. the mussels are good. i like it. but the steak was the one that made me smiling throughout the dinner. the steak was made exactly like what i wanted. tasted really good and juicy. plus the creamed spinach was so good as well. at the end i washed all those calories with a a delicious brooklyn ale. was still thinking to get a tiramisu or ice cream, but i had no space left in my stomach, so i had to pass the dessert.
very good service. they were very attentive and polite. they know what they're doing. they keep paying attention to your table without giving you the feeling they're lurking. :D
for all of those things i've mentioned, i paid RMB 300. i think its still ok. everything that i had worth every penny. and im fine with the 10% service charge, since back home i always have to pay that too, so its ok.
i think this restaurant able to keep their philosophy: keep it simple, make great food and give exceptional service. and for that, i will recommend this restaurant to friends and definitely will come back again.
Chef Billy, your fish and chips are pefect in every way.. the soft delicate fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside beer batter is wow! The firm fish was so fresh and perfectly cooked and just flaked into chunks. Complimented with the fat juicy capers in the light mayonaise. This is such a tantalising treat to my tastebuds.
Dessert was the cinamon rolls with the soft icining.. with a hint of vanilla.. oh these are so light you certainly should make room for more.
It sure beats Two Brothers Fish Restaurant Finchely London.. I would defintley visit you again when I am next in Beijing.
Thank you for sharing your expertise.. and for wowing my tastebuds..
I wish to go Chef Too as soon as possible when have browsed the comments above,i have made a reservation on thanksgiving day, so i am waiting that wonderful night!
4 stars
the burger...soooo gooood. i had it the other day, real good stuff, waitress didnt speak chinese tho, that was funny to me
By far my favorite restaurant in Beijing.
Atmosphere is quaint and suitable for whatever type dinner your are having - dinner with colleagues, customers or a romantic dinner for two. It's very cozy.
Service is fantastic - plenty of staff and they are one of the few places in town that is attentive when they need to be and leaves you alone when you don't want to or need to be bothered.
The food is fantastic - the steaks are top notch and always well prepared. I like my beef cooked to rare plus and this is the only place in Beijing I feel safe in getting it done so. Everything is fresh, including the oysters flown in daily from the east coast. My only complaint would be to have a wider selection and some northwestern US varieties, but this is splitting hairs.
I'm very thankful for Chef Billy and his greatness...a great place to slip back into American life, if only for a couple hours.
Divine American fare. Don't miss it.
Simply amazing. I have to say that it is one of the best restaurants i've been to in beijing. Not only the service is top notch, there is not one bad dish there. From their amazing sunday brunch to their mouth-watering roast beef sandwich to their home made ice-creams. yummy.
Every one should taste the mexican wine in Chef Too, you can't drink LA.Cetto any where in Beijing!
Good food, especially good steak and eggs, the service is perfect with a smiling and speaking english staff. We went for brunch on saturday, looking forward to try on the evenings. Sure they are specialists of steaks and burgers. If you like them, I recommend the excellent Eggs Benedict!
Chef Two is a great little restaurant. Even going there on your own you feel right at home and amongst friends. They do service the best steak in BJ, with good wines and really pleasant service that is attentive yet discreet. The owner is often there to welcome guests and seems a genuinely nice guy. Add to this a very reasonable price and what's not to like about Chef Two. Did i mention that they have the best brunch in town as well..??
One star for... ummm.. not sure, but I feel bad not giving something. I can't get the rave of this place. It's just not worth the money. There are so many other places offering seriously better food for the price. I felt a bit taken advantage of when the bill came to almost a hundred dollars - both here and back home I expect everything to be outstanding for that amount of money (a day's work for me here) - and I just felt that at Chef Too, it was not. The steak was OK, service OK, salads a little bland... a bit disappointed.
GRACE2MAINE What did you mean: "As a vegetarian, it's nice to find a place willing to accommodate. "
What did you have?
Ok, there's enough reviews here, but I'll do it anyway - my son had the 10oz NY strip steak and said it's the best he's had in Bejing. I had the penne pasta with sundried tomatoes, spinach & artichoke hearts; I was disappointed that there was ONLY ONE VEGETARIAN entree, but it was really good, excellent. Problem is, being the only choice for a vegetarian, it'd make me hesitant to go back, already knowing what I'll eat and having no choice. Perhaps just use the the same meal but with an alfredo sauce choice? Or get cute and stay on the steak theme and get some fake meat (like Morningstar Farms bbq flavor "riblets") for a healthy and semi-amusing non-meat "steak" meal. I'd be thrilled to find that in beijing! I'd giggle and say "wahoo! cool, I'm getting that!" instead of "well let's just hope this one non-meat dish is good" (which it WAS, absolutely, but still, it's disappointing having no choices)
The caesar salad (one of my usual favorites) was a little blah. The dressing needs pepper or some other kick. The lettuce was whole leaves, to be cut by ourselves, which wasn't bad but it seemed very white... not much green in the salad; maybe that batch of lettuce just wasn't very good. A little too white and blah for the price.
After reading lots of review, I've finally made my way to this beautiful bistro.
The decor was subtle, yet simple and charming.
The menu was simple, but offering lots of variety and anything that is made on the day is just up on the walls.
Service was perfect all the way in.
Had a NY strip steak, soup of the day, blue cheese and bacon salad (bacon was absolutely delicious!), Lobster pasta and Chocolate pudding. Cost around 400 in total.
Wouldn't really call this restaurant either cheap nor too expensive, just right.
After all we work hard for the money, a bit of pampering isn't out of the way.
Would definitely come back, thanks for taking care of us Maria!
Awesome awesome awesome steak! Chef Billy can talk your ear off but he never wastes words if that makes sense? You have to try the fried liverworst (sp?) and their 28oz steak has to be tried with the chutney. Perfect.
food & service is good... just that it can be a little noisy with many lovely kids in the restaurant (yay for being family-friendly though)... oh, brown sugar seems to be missing. i think my cappuccino would taste better with that :)
It's a little hard for me to understand why this place draws such strongly negative reviews. Sure, it doesn't look like a restaurant in a swanky 5 star hotel, but its prices are reasonable for the quality of food/environment you are getting. There are restaurants outside of China that serve better western food. But for people like me who have been in Beijing for a while, Chef Too is really a gem when you start missing western food.
Food is pretty good. I personally love their steaks (best value/money in Beijing in my humble opinion) and the rest of their food is good. My picky dessert friends say their Crème brûlée is pretty good too.
I ate here with some friends last week and was extremely impressed. The salads and the burgers were great, and the service was spot on. I'll definitely eat here again.
This is a wonderful place for brunch: the food is tasty and in good quantity (make sure to get the waffles for desert!), the service is very attentive and the atmosphere unpretentious and cosy. Definitely good to know this place, since this will make my Saturday/Sunday mornings more comfortable. Make sure to reserve though!
Chef Too offers authentic American cuisine. A rare find in China (besides fast food). Chef Billy aims to please and he will usually grant any request that he can. As a vegetarian, it's nice to find a place willing to accommodate. Also, the desserts are to die for! A+
Chef Too is an excellent restaurant that never dissappoints. I am a frequent visitor (almost two times a week) and am always pleased. The service first and foremost is outstanding, they are all very attentive and friendly. The French manager in particular is very impressive, and has left an excellent impression on me and my colleagues. The food is also just as impresssive as the service. A personal favorite which I seem have a hard time pulling away from is the eggs benedict which really just hits the spot for brunch. The bloody mary is also one of the best i have had in Beijing, holding a spiciness that i feel many places seem to lack. Prices also are hard to beat for a restuarant of this nature. I feel I most comment on the unnecessary bashing of this restaurant from the blog above. I am fresh off the boat so to speak only arriving in Beijing 6 months ago and feel that this restaurant would enjoy just as much success in Manhattan, where I from, as it does here. I pitty those other restaurants that have to put up with a bitter customer such yourself who can so effortlessly discredit a restaurant from one meal. Keep up the good work Chef Too!!!
Thanks!!
My girlfriend and I frequent this place often, on average twice a week.
Always the service is fantastic, the food excellent and whilst the price is higher than other places, the standard of food and service more than make up for it.
I have found nowhere in Beijing that does a steak this well and the desserts are out of this world.
We have probably eaten there 20 times and never had any bad experiences, so I'm not too sure what other people are complaining about. Some people lose perspective because the prices are generally lower in Beijing, but someone above said something about paying $60 in the US for a similar steak and I agree.. we're from Australia and you'd pay at least $40-50 for a similar dish which only runs us $20AUD here. The people who complain like this have just lost all perspective on prices..
Overall an excellent place and we'll be back often.
After hearing endless praises for this restaurant, my boyfriend and I went there for dinner last Friday night and we were deeply dissatisfied. The wait staff and decor were both fine - the service was some of the best I've had in Beijing, but the food was a huge letdown! It is definitely not as good as everyone builds it up to be - maybe expats who love this place have simply forgotten what amazing western food should be! The steaks were good, I will give you that...but they are FAR FROM EXTRAORDINARY. The Veal Marsala was very plain. Nothing special there either. The mushroom soup was average at best. The antipasta platter was full of soggy, oily, under marinated items and the blue cheese dressing was way too sweet - it's missing that blue cheese kick. While the home-made ice creams are worth a try, the creme brulee is definitely not. Overall, I think there are many other great restaurants of this type in the city (Mare, Alameda, Aria, Morrel's, etc.) and this one is not worth the adoration.
Also, the bill for our dinner was nearly 600rmb so when you take the price tag into consideration, the food is just not up to par.
Last note, we walked in on a friday night at 7:30pm without a reservation and there were many empty tables so I think this restaurant is definitely starting to loose its luster.
Ya know I don't get it, really, the trash talk here is just something I guess I'll never understand.
Xigor - whats you beef? the manager, the owner zoe - she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and as a restaurant owner shes exceptional -
You must have a serious language and commuication issue or something!!!, I just simply cannot see her trying to extract tips from you, and if she appoligized to you for a mistake then whats; your problem... by the way the menus outside the restaurant - the ones the general public can see before they step into the place clearly say a ten % tip is added -
In my opnion, and I eat and have eaten all over the world and in many many restaurants here in Beijing - Chef Too is doing may things right and with no comparison from others - their steaks are fantastic and for sure are the best value in town... the brunch OMG where else can you get eggs benidiect, a real western omlete, fresh squeezed juice, for under a 100kuai ?
The steak I had the other day at another steak house was 360rmb, not juicy and I had to wait almost 2hours... go figure!!
chef, keep up the good work and thankyou...reallly!
[quote]The only downer is that it's non-smoking[/quote]
You must be kidding that is a big plus!
Hopefully you will quickly get used to the idea that as part of the preparations for the Olympics smoking will soon be banned in all public places.
[quote]BEIJING (AFP) - Beijing is about to extend a ban on smoking in public places ahead of the Olympic Games despite the Chinese capital's image as a paradise for smokers who have faced few restrictions on where they can light up.
According to a draft bill published on a municipal legal affairs website, the majority of public places, such as restaurants, schools, hospitals, stations, libraries and museums will have to be non-smoking.
Hotels will also have to reserve at least 70 percent of their rooms for non-smokers.
Smokers who ignore the ban will face a fine of 50 yuan (6.9 dollars, 4.7 euros) while those who allow them on their premises will have to cough up between 1,000 and 5,000 yuan, according to the bill.[/quote]
My three work colleagues and I went out for dinner at Chef Too last night and everything was perfect. Two of us ordered steaks, the others ordered lobster and salmon and everything tasted fantastic and looked divine. I ordered my steak medium rare but it was a bit too red for my liking, and there were no problems sending it back and having it cooked a little longer. Service was excellent and the free bread and free bruschetta were a nice touch. Drinks were well made and prompt, and they didn't mind making drinks that were off the menu. Pretty pricey but well worth it for what we got. The only downer is that it's non-smoking, but it was actually kind of refreshing and there was a smoking patio out in the back. Yay, Chef Too!
Food was a real disappointment based on the reviews I read here, not to mention about the absolute excessive prices. Come on, we are not in NY here to justify such high prices!
Their Sunday menu price list didn't mention about 10% service charge anywhere (because it had just been "renewed"), yet the boss still insisted for the 10% charge to be paid because she claimed to be a custom in their restaurant. She also tried to make us feel guilty that the service charge revenue was going directly to the salary of their waitresses. In the end, she agreed for us not to pay the service charge. Well, I believe there was nothing to argue when a customer points out the restaurant own mistakes. We left the restaurant on bitter feelings in the stomach and in the mind.
I had a small Christmas party catered from Chef Too. The food was delicious, price reasonable and the service great. A friend booked for dinner for me the day before and when I showed up on Christmas at 3pm to pick up, they had all the fixings and turkey prepared in a Styrofoam container and baking pan. Fapiao no problem. I didn't even know they made steaks. Thanks Haohao!
I have eaten here a couple of times now and I have to say that the food is excellent. Really good quality produce cooked really well.
The dining area has a great atmosphere with lots of dark wood. Very North American. Can't really fault the friendly and efficient wait staff, but they have had one or two bad moments.
The only quibbles are with the pricing, it does seem a little steep for Beijing. While the RMB 68 lunch deal is good value, things do get expensive if you deviate from this.
All in all, well worth a visit for an occasional quality treat.
Ya ok, I have to agree with a few of you. I love it. Everything I've ever eaten there has been delicious. As far as food is concerned, they get six stars.
But after going again this weekend, I must agree... the prices are a bit over the top. I mean, this is China after all... not New York or France, and the prices I paid were New York prices. The 10% service charge on top of that doesn't help their case.
My brunch bunch loved the food but sadly it won't be a regular Sunday hangout place.
I was there a few days ago for the first time and had lunch there.
The atmosphere was cozy and pleasing though it felt a little strange being in a virtually empty restaurant.
The food was good but the price was indeed too high to make it a regular place for lunch. The set biz lunch price was adversely affected by the number of courses. I think that most people would settle for a one-course lunch. The items not included in the set menu were indeed too high for me to return there on a regular basis.
As in most business one needs to find the right balance between the volume sold/consumed and the unit price. I suspect that the current prices will keep the number of customers down.
Go there again – Yes, but only on a once in a blue moon basis.
Sorry I don't get it - Jonny-b you got an axe to grind or what?
I've been there several times and had what I can clearly say is the best steak I've had outside of N.America - as for price, I think it is very reasonable and far form cosmic! - a steak of that quality in Sydney, NY or any other major city would be 60USD at least and you would usually have to pay for the extra dishes - wine - this could very well be the most reasonable wine list I have seen in Beijing,small, but OMG! I had a RM Napa I would swear they are loosing money on, the same bottle, at the St Regis was three times what CT charged, did I say three times!, further to that, I have brought my own bottle and they were exceptionally gracious and did not charge a corkage - which in my experience here in BJ is unheard of -
so for my bet, Chef Too is hitting all the right notes and I will go back evrytime I want a great steak
Jonny-b you should not so critical and try to see the positive notes of this place - the food is exceptional and if they need to charge a good dollar then why not - you and I don't know, maybe their rent is high or the cost of doing business is high - but for sure they are no more costly than any other restuants serving up the same quality...
Johhhny_b is actually right about the prices being a little high but he is completely out of line referring to Chef too as a "crappy neighborhood joint." There is nothing "crappy" about it and it really is a quaint comfortable atmosphere. Now, having said that, you definitely don't expect the prices that are charged, but the food is very good and while dining there on a regular basis may be a bit costly, it is totally worth going... as I said previously we will definitely go back.
I guess different people like different things. I went there yesterday, and once I sat down and "inhaled" the atmosphere, a very calm and relaxing feeling came over me, one of those "life is good" experiences, and I'm pretty picky about ambiances.
They got the lighting right, they use lots of wood, the place is small and naturally cosy, and the wood fire oven smell is pretty unique in Beijing.
micheal, the main reason why I am arguing about the actual value of this place, is the fact that he has overpriced his menu. I don't say the food isn't good but it is just annoying to see that a place that offers only one of the essential elements - good food (and not show) is able to charge such cosmic prices...In a "normal" place Chef Billy wouldn't be able to survive but I guess in Beijing this works...
johhhny_b Based on your review it seems like you're primarily arguing against the interior design of the place. I have to say, I'm quite happy it's not 'exquisite' -- as places like that are usually more show than substance. I rather like the fact that I'm reminded of a nice Boston or Bay Area restaurant with good sunshine and a clear view of the great food. I hope Chef Billy keeps it the way it is... :-)
I went there for brunch a few weeks ago and reading the reviews here I thought I will get enjoy something nice. Well, firstly, the interior is really a neighborhood-kind of joint. There is nothing bad in that but the concept is just not well thought-through. It is just wrong to charge
these prices at such a place; prices would match better some of the more exquisite places in Beijing, not a crappy neighborhood joint like this one. Will never go back to Chef Too.I have been to Chef Too for both dinner and brunch and have been pleasantly suprised each time, especially with the deserts. But now I have something new to applaude Chef Too for... Thanksgiving dinner! Chef Too provided us with an amazing spread; Turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, spinach cheese caseroul, fresh veggies, etc. and three types of pie! It's difficult to do a good bird in the States and these folks did it perfectly; truly superb. All of our guests loved the meal and you can bet that we will be going back to Chef Too to try more of their culinary offerings.
Went back, and since I didn't rate it last time, I must say, it still deserves all five stars. And if there were six, that's what I would give it!
Very nice place. I went there two weekends in a row for the brunch and, unlike the others, have only tried the salads and an omlet --- though the sausage was really good, so I have high hopes for the steaks. The complimentary bruchetta and spritzer big enough for two get high marks in my book, and the crème brûlée, while quite good and very good for Beijing, could use a slightly thinner, flakier melted sugar top --- there was a little too much 'crunch' in it when I had it.
Looking forward to dinner there again tonight!
This place really has the feeling of a boutique steakhouse, with friendly and attentive staff, cool blues/jazz background music, and overall good ambiance. Although the mains run from RMB 100-200, it's not expensive considering what you're getting.
I had the BBQ Chicken, and my gf had the Salmon which they were kind enough to customize into a grilled salmon; both were great. I'll definitely try the steak the next time.
Additional bonus: free wifi, yeah! :)
I went there for Brunch this morning and was thoroughly impressed. On top of an amazing meal (poached eggs AND a waffle Sundae), the atmosphere was great and the waitstaff extremely friendly. It reminded me of a place I used to go to in Denver, and by the end of my meal I didn't want to leave. Chances are, I'll be back next Sunday.
This new place is a rare find -- authentic, solid, American-style cuisine, high-quality ingredients, comfortable environment...I agree that the steaks are exceptional -- better meat, grill job, and sauces than Morels. Chef Too also gets my vote for best Western brunch in Beijing! They're still training up the staff, so service can be a little spotty, but extremely attentive and friendly, and still a cut above most restaurants here in Beijing.
I had the dinner with my friend yesterday. The Filet Mignon is the best steak I had in Beijing. The Veal Scaloppine Marsala also is so good.
I eat here somewhat regularly - once or twice a month now for a couple of years.
As this is my first ever review I'll keep it simple- I like this place and keep coming back because of the quality - every time I have lunch,brunch or dinner ( great steaks) I always leave happy and well satisfied- I really cannot say that about to many places in this dusty old city- I eat out most meals and have tried as many places and rarely can say I genuinely would be happy to go back.
Chef Too is one of the few places here that I can safely say I am happy to go back again and again.
As for the naysayers about price - really? This place is not what I would call expensive not by any stretch on ones imagination. Brunch I have never spent more than 120rmb, dinner no more than 400- for the quality steak I get there with good service a nice glass of wine- One could do a lot worse in this town...
My kind regards to the staff and owners- keep up the good work