Hong Wah Restaurant

Was really disappointed in the food here. My former coworkers had raved about this place for so long and I finally was in the area and decided to try it. I ordered the broccoli in garlic sauce, general Tsos tofu and the triple delight. They were all smothered in sauce, yet lacking in flavor. The broccoli and tofu were supposedly “spicy” (indicated by a pepper 🌶️ on the menu) and they were not even a little bit spicy. They just tasted sweet, like duck sauce or something. The food was so disappointing that I threw out the leftovers. My husband agreed that it was nothing special. Would not go here again or recommend to anyone.

The whole experience was lovely, customer service was excellent, and the food was the perfect rainy day dinner! Our first time here but it definitely won’t be our last! :)

Just picked up my order, orange chicken was so hot and spicy, I haven’t ever had spicy orange chicken, also this chicken they are using is very rubbery and old tasting. Had an order of sesame chicken this was also very rubbery and had an old taste. I asked for pork fried rice, it was only yellow rice, no vegetables or pork inside of the rice. Honestly very disappointed, this was my first time ordering from here. I know if I was to call they wouldn’t do anything about this, so I figured I would leave a review.

Food is pretty good, staff are friendly, and prices are good. Mostly (if not completely) take out at this point. Be prepared to wait a bit after you’ve placed your order, but the food is fresh and consistent.

I can’t speak of the atmosphere as I have not had the opportunity to eat inside. Ever since the pandemic it doesn’t seem like they are open for business to eat inside. However, their food is AMAZING!!!! I’m from San Francisco where the food in China Town is exquisite. Since moving to Penfield I have tried all the local east side Chinese restaurants. None co late to this place. The chicken lo mein is fantastic. The pan fried pot stickers are to die for and definitely try the general tso chicken. It’s not too sweet like most places. I only wish this place delivered!!! I can’t find it available on grub hub, DoorDash or uber eats!!

NO MORE DINING IN, TAKE-OUT ONLY! Until further notice I was pleasantly surprised at this small hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Service is outstanding while the food is very palate pleasing. Stopping in for a visit you'll enjoy the atmosphere as well.

My food was excellent.. the unbreaded chickens was fresh with right temp .. the spicy beef was also fresh with the right spice .. it was firm .. yellow rice was packed in it’s container to the top and it was tasty too .. friendly service .. can’t go wrong here

Absolutely love this place best egg drop soup in Rochester! Such kind people, and great service!!

Always consistent and great priced food. No matter what you get. Very glad they are in my community! Nice couple!

I have had the food here in years past and I always thought it was pretty decent, but unfortunately that wasn't the case in my recent experience. When my mother called to place the order. The woman said to call back in an hour and she'd be better to assist us. My mother had called at 11 when it said it was open, but I guess maybe the lady wanted to open at noon instead that day? It was a Sunday so not really sure... Fried rice was tiny minuscule pieces that didn't really taste like friend rice- not sure how to describe it. The sweet and sour chicken was decent, but unfortunately that was about the only meal that was worth a mention. Very surprised and disappointed.

Service was consistent and the woman working was amazing very welcoming! Food is fantastic very flavorful! Their rice too even the plain white is just so goood

The food was very bland. Even though we ate in the dining room, we were served in to go containers. The service was slow and one meal was served after everyone else had finished eating. The prices were low, proving the old adage that you get what you pay for.

I have never had a bad meal here. I LOVE their fried dumplings and lo mein. They haven't won awards for nothing! They are reasonably priced and there is always a lot left for leftovers! I'll always recommend Hinh Wah!

Wish I read reviews before ordering, chicken sesame was not eatable, couldn't even chew it. There are enough mentions about the chicken being bad in reviews, they need to do something to fix the problem. Seafood casserole had a really weird smell and odd taste, certainly not made fresh. Too bad, its a neighborhood restaurant that I would love to support but won't be going back.

The best take -out Chinese food in Monroe County! Owners, Vicki and Kevin are hands down the nicest people you will meet in the restaurant business!

Always great. A highlight of my visits to Penfield. Delicious, tender pork ribs. The very best eggplant with garlic sauce. Generous portions, welcoming service.

We have been regular customers for many years. Generous servings are always delicious. Owners are friendly and nice.

Every time I've been here the lady at the front is very short and miserable. The place is gross boxes all over. Food had little bite size pieces of chicken fried rice no flavor . Good luck to them!

We had very good takeout including the sesame bean curd (great balance of sweet, sour and savory) and the mushroom and bok choi special (deliciously savory greens and mushrooms in a flavorful brothy sauce). The dry fried string beans are exactly the right texture but could use some more seasoning. I also loved that they gave us our order in a reused cardboard box instead of a plastic bag.

Found a screw in my boyfriends food, he had fried rice and lo mein on his plate and the nail was at the bottom! So gross! Had to dump the rest of the food! Paid $50 just to throw it all out.. never again! Can't imagine if he ate that what would've happened!

Ordered chicken ginger with green beans which was not overwhelming with ginger, the way I prefer. Lots of chicken and beans for a good price. The sesame chicken was and large won ton soup - soup base could be more flavorful, small wontons but they do give you about 6 wontons in the large size to go.

I've visited Hong Wah and got take out several times and have always left pleased. I'm sad that they no longer have a dine-in option, but I can understand since it allows them to focus on food instead of everything that goes with a sit-down restaurant. The meals are always perfectly cooked with great portion sizes. I placed my order tonight for myself, my parents, and my girlfriend, who is visiting amid her PhD studies. Hong Way makes scallion pancakes, which I absolutely adore and cannot find anywhere else. My mother prefers their beef & broccoli as well as their egg rolls. My girlfriend has tried several different dishes, including the Pad Thai chicken. It smelled quite spicy, but the cooked flavor was perfectly balanced. Their friend rice dishes are also a great balance of ingredients. And my father loves their beef Lo Mein, eating the entire dish in one sitting with how great it was. Highly recommend Hong Wah for take-out both for their service and the fantastic quality of their food. They've always been a favorite of the Chinese restaurants on the East Side of Rochester and I plan to continue getting food from them anytime I need to feed a large group.

My husband and I have literally been talking about coming here for years! He tried to come here once and order inside, and had a very strange experience, so he left. The next time he pre-ordered on the phone, and that went much better. I got sesame tofu and scallion pancakes. The scallion pancakes were very good. The sesame tofu came in a cardboard container, which I don't like because it always makes it soggy. I prefer the plastic containers. It definitely was not my favorite sesame tofu. It was ok. The sauce was not great. My husband got egg foo young, calamari and a shrimp dish. He liked his much more than I liked mine. He is more into Chinese food than I am, and he noticed they had cheaper prices than other places. You get a smaller portion than some places, but he was ok with that, too. We haven't been back yet, so it wasn't anything he loved. I don't mind giving it another chance, but I personally probably wouldn't go back here. I'm sure my husband will pick it up again at some point. It's also still to go only. You can't dine it.

In my, opinion, the best Chinese take out in Penfield, evidenced by the fact that they never seem to have a lack of customers! Consistently good food backed by consistently good service keeps us coming back over and over again.

Just tried them for lunch for the first time and the chicken was like rubber...so stingy, oily and tough...it was not good at all! The fried rice was a strange yellow color and completely flavorless...maybe 3 veggies in the whole dish...the small pieces of bell pepper. I tried it all and tossed it all in the garbage. I'm afraid Panda Express is looking pretty good although I wish I could spend my money locally.

Worst Chinese restaurant ever! They served our food in takeout containers with one small appetizer plate. . Warm water served in disposal coffee cups. My sesame chicken was like chewing on rubber. Lemon chicken was dry was toast. . I suspect they precook the chicken only to reheat it again in the fryer. Disgusting! The owner and his wife are extremely deceptive! They really don't care. It's the money they want.

Food is always good. While only take out now, the restaurant is always clean and kitchen odors stay in the kitchen. Service is friendly.

I have been going to Hong Wah for years and it is, hands down, my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Rochester area. The dining area is clean and neat, the staff, most of whom have been there as long as I can remember, and the owners, there every day, are all fantastic. I've sampled many dishes but always go back to the garlic chicken or shrimp in hot spicy sauce. An order of fresh spring rolls and pot of tea are a great addition to round out a meal. Everything is always fresh, hot and nicely presented... At a very reasonable price. For those who are so inclined, Hong Wah does offer adult beverages as well. Take out is efficient and orders are correct... That shouldn't have to be mentioned but, more and more, it's becoming a rare quality in a restaurant. Seriously, if you get take out, don't forget the fresh spring rolls... Yum! Hong Wah is great for a quick lunch, take out after a long day and a comfortable dinner with friends. Give them a try!

Moved to the area 2 years ago. Thought we would try this local Chinese place. I'm not doing a long review, but the food was really, really bad. Chicken was super fatty, all dark meat lots of skin and very stringy. Just really horrible.

We keep trying this place in hopes it will be better. Dishes with chicken or seafood have very little meat and mostly fillers, a ton of celery in one dish. Tastes high in sodium, and lacks flavor. Very tight squeeze between tables. Seems a bit unorganized. Rushed feeling.

Half the restaurant was partitioned off. Hot and sour soup and sesame chicken was okay. Strangely, food was served in takeout containers without plates. Overall, not a good experience. Service was fine.

This is our go to Chinese Restaurant. The food is excellent. Vicki runs the restaurant like a well oiled machine. Multi-tasking master! Some of our faves include egg rolls, fried dumplings, sweet & sour chicken, pork lo-mein, sesame chicken, and moo shu pork. They offer fried rice or white with meals, sadly no brown rice. We arrived at the restaurant tonight to dine in as we had several weeks ago however they have gone back to take-out only for the time being. So if you want to dine-in I suggest calling as their website and FB is typically not updated.

I may forget to check in every time I still to get orders to go. Vickie & Kevin are hustling to keep the to go orders flowing as smoothly as possible during Covid. They're not open for dine in but that hasn't asked the number of orders the prepare and serve by much. Prime need to learn to clear away from the door. If you placed your order already, take a seat in one of the boys, facing out, so there's some social distancing and other people can come in and go out. If you need to place an order, stand in Socially distanced line extending into the dining room so Vickie can take your order. Then go sit down. Vickie is very good at checking in who is waiting and what they have in order. Kevin is non-stop on the phone taking orders to go. The food is a good as ever. A little (un)common courtesy by the Katrina can help keep everyone safe.

Disappointing. I was visiting my sister in Penfield, and she suggested we get some takeout here. The owners are very lovely people. I wish I could say the same thing about their food. Some suggestions: You're apparently a Chinese restaurant so why are you also making Thai food? My sister's "Pad Thai w/Chicken" did not resemble one of my favorite dishes. It was tasteless with few of the spices required for this dish. My sister had a few bites and threw it away. Same goes with my "Cashew Chicken." This dish had the requisite red pepper icon next to its name, notifying customers that the dish was spicy. Au contraire. I've had mashed potatoes with more spice. And the chicken was way too chewy. Like my sister, I threw it in the trash. Oh, and how can you mess up fried rice? At least we had some leftover pizza from Perri's Pizza. Yum. Up your game, Hong Wah. This is 2022. Everybody is a foodie now. You need to serve great food.

Delicious food, huge portions, reasonable prices and friendly people .A winning combo . You must try it it will become a favorite spot for you as well. Wonderful selection of lunch combos and dinner menu options for take fast out.

Hands down best Chinese food I've ever had. The staff is very professional and friendly as well :)

This is only my 3rd time here since I just moved closer. I love their food here! The prices aren't bad and the food was freshly made and hot! I got the Sesame Chicken which had a nicely sweet sauce and broccoli. It was delicious as was the plain fried rice, egg rolls and crab rangoon. They also had it ready when I got there. I have leftovers for tomorrow that I am definitely looking forward to!

One of my sons, favorite restaurant ever love the family that owns it, super sweet and very personable!!! Sesame Tofu to my favorite dishes

Good food. Not quite as flavorful as some others (not counting hot and spicy). Ready on time for pickup. We'll probably go back.

Ok so the food here is EXCELLENT. Probably the best Sweet and Sour chicken I've ever had. I highly recommend. My ONLY issue is the service during busy times like holidays etc: The restaurant gets very busy during holidays which is a prime time when people are gathering together with family and friends. Each time I've gone there on New Years Eve, the restaurant appears to be very short staffed. I was told that my order would ready in almost 2 hours and when I arrived, I waited inside for my food about 35 minutes. There were probably between 10-20 other people also waiting their orders as well as again. They were clearly backed up. I understand that part of this is unavoidable due to the holiday rush, but I also feel having a few extra people working might help to lessen these delays. The only ones working in the main room appeared to be the owner and his wife who were literally busting their butts to keep up with the orders. Everyone probably saw how hard they were working and cut them some slack on the wait time. I know I did! While I admire their unreal work ethic, I think hiring additional help during these times might help make the situation better for everyone. Still the food is great and totally worth the wait!

Not impressed for what I was expecting. Portions were small and service was poor. Almost confused. We had trouble ordering and getting our check. Family style meal came out very disjointed and ruined the meal. We felt like we were competing for food as it came out. We ordered plenty, but it just wasn't served in a way we could enjoy it. Taste was above average but not excellent. Best part was the crispy dishes were crispy. Sauces lacked flavor and the lo main was very bland. This was not quality food service or quality food ****** Adding a star after I learned they were short a cook and a server. The hostess was almost in tears apologizing.

Been before, with no complaints. However, today I was served raw beef in my beef and broccoli. Not undercooked, raw! Hate to leave such a bad review, but it has to be noted.

Always very good, fresh ingredients, friendly staff ...... I can't wait until they reopen for in house dining. Unfortunately they have indicated they find staff so they can reopen. Hopefully they will reopen soon!

We saw the ads that claim this place has been rated one of the top Chinese restaurants in the country and figured it was just a marketing ploy. And it was. This place is just OK and here is how many stars I am giving to each aspect of our experience: 2 stars for ambiance or lack of... this generic white space probably had been a Greek diner in its former life. Pretty boring 2 stars for their Zombie - the price was right but I could not detect any liquor in it and if you've ever had a Zombie that is never the case. Perhaps they made me the Shirley Temple Zombie. 2 stars for service - blunt and almost rude waiter (not unusual for many Chinese restaurants in town) though it was funny in its own way. 3 stars for the Sesame Chicken - good price and decent portion but a bit bland. 4 stars for the Happy Family - very tasty and better than other places as were the fresh shrimp spring rolls. Given all of these factors when we want an old school Chinese food experience we will go to Chen Garden where the Zombies are strong and the atmosphere is cave-like!

Ordered take out and they were overwhelmed with orders and clearly understaffed. An hour wait time was nearly 2 hours and the food was "meh". Would not go out of my way to eat there again.

Went for lunch during the week and ordered off the lunch menu, so choices were limited. Decent example of your typical American-Chinese food. But nothing interesting or exciting. Food quality did seem good. Dining room was bright, airy and clean. Service was a little slow, but the server did try.

Sesame....chicken? Heck if I know. There wasn't any meat at all. NONE AT ALL. We had asked for white meat chicken because at other restaurants this actually lead to more chicken and less breading. But not so here. We ordered 2 dishes of "sesame chicken" in white meat, and received either fried strips of skin or ligaments....or, something we could not identify. Tearing them apart did not yield any further hints as to their composition. It just looked like you were tearing apart fried skin. I called the restaurant to give them a chance to explain or make good. I explained things, told them I was not happy, and that it was inedible. But they just said that is how their white meat chicken is. Ok then. Please check out the pictures, and don't do it to yourself. Also, I don't think I have ever seen this much "roll" in the eggroll. it was bland, and mostly "roll". This was not our first time at Hong Wah- But it is certainly my last.

My family and I have been coming to Hong Wah since I was a child growing up in Rochester, and every time I come home we try our best to stop in at least once. I've never had issues with the meals or service at Hong Wah, and Vicky (the owner) is always so nice and friendly to the people coming in for a meal. Even on Christmas which is absolute madness for the restaurant, she and the entire restaurant staff seem calm, collected, and happy to welcome dinner guests. While I've sampled most of the menu, some of my favorites are: Honey Beef, Scallion Pancakes (probably the best I've had), Hot and Sour Soup, and their dumplings are fantastic! Even things like Sesame Chicken or Lo Mein are very good and seem to have more flavor than other restaurants. As someone who no longer lives in Rochester/Penfield, I envy the people who get to have such a good (and AFFORDABLE) Chinese restaurant so close by!

Our Favorite Chinese Restaurant when we are in or around Rochester. This IS the best of the best. We have traveled across the states and find Hong Wah to be the best that we have ever ate at. Thanks Vickie and Kevin for running such a wonderful experience in Chinese cuisine.

My husband picked up take out from this restaurant for dinner yesterday. We ordered pork and chicken as Pad Thai and almond chicken. The almond chicken was good which was why the two stars tho there appeared to be more celery than anything in the meal. However the Pad Thai was old and dried up as were the spring rolls. We will never order from this restaurant again. Not the kind of meal you want to give to a customer in these times. You knew you were serving food that wasn't fresh and did it anyways.

This was my second time here and as before the food was fresh and flavorful. The waiter was good but it seems they have a tight schedule to setup for the next patron so give yourself a bit more time if going out for dinner. The water is filtered, the Chinese noodles are plentiful and fresh and the meal, so far is always excellent. I've had the vegetable soup and sesame tofu, both great. The best meal though was the sweet eggplant dish and an order of bean curd in brown sauce. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Great food. Unfriendly service. This is my first and sadly my last time (for some time at least) coming to this restaurant. What was good - 5 STARS: my server was friendly, attentive and engaging. I tried the Chicken Phat Thai and it was awesome ! The food came out quickly and was delicious. The portion size was great. What was bad - 0 STARS: They were busy when I first got there (not the issue) so I had the opportunity to observe the customer service level as people were paying their bill at the counter. I found the man and woman (appear to be husband/wife team) behind the counter to be engaging and friendly to ALL the customers. AT ISSUE: the wife passed my table a few times and checked in each time to make sure I was happy with service and meal. Her husband on he other hand was so disrespectful and dismissive to me - AS I AM PAYING THE BILL. This was not a question of skills because I saw him in action earlier. He just didn't feel he needed to extend his good customer service skills to me. Sadly. I could be wrong on this but I suspect that his change in service level was racially motivated. Why do I think this: I was the only Person of Color in the restaurant. I was dressed in business attire so he could not have objected to my clothes. Details: When I approached the desk I said hello and was just about to share that I was a first time customer and that I was planning to come back and bring a group. I knew something was wrong when he grabbed my card out of my hand (making NO eye contact) and did not say a word. Swiped my card and shoved it back into my hand. My recommendation: If you are a person of color or believe in the equal treatment of others I would avoid this restaurant. To the Owner: if you plan to be in business in today's world you need to VALUE every customer. Today you not only lost future business revenue from me but from the other customers I could have sent your way.

Excellent quality! Generous portions. Reasonably priced. The flavor of the fresh vegetables and meat/seafood shine through! The best Chinese food I have ever had!

Hands-down the best Chinese food around...Can ALWAYS count on the food being ready, fresh, and delicious. My personal favorite is moo shu shrimp. To boot, Vickie amazes me with remembering my name, the names of my family, and the name of anyone I come in with. Miss going in and being served, but they seem to be putting all their energy on preparing the most flavorable food...and having your order accurate and ready as promised.

This is the best place to get Chinese in all of Rochester! I've never had such good food and service. So amazing! I've eaten there and had anything bad! I would recommend it highly to everyone!

I have eaten here many times in the past and never had a bad meal. Met a friend after work last night, had Beef with Garlic Sauce, white rice and egg roll. It came out timely, fresh, hot and delicious! Decided to take an order to go along with vegetable fried rice as my meal was so good. Place is clean, never really busy, but steady crowd, good service, and price is right for what you get. You get fried noodles to munch on with duck sauce while waiting and hot tea. I definitely will return as I think this is some of the best Chinese in Rochester.

Food is consistently good and the service is beyond excellent! They have many loyal customers to prove it.