Kau Kee

I’ve ordered the e-fu noodles beef curry 75HK$. I was so tasty! Highly recommend. Efficient and easy service. Delicious meal. I will for sure come back to get the same order! Love the noodles & the beef was so tender!

Beef brisket was delicious and tender, service was also very nice. Lady at the counter chatted with us and gave great recommendations! Pleasant experience and would come back!

Waited for about an hour to get (shared) seating. It's a small eatery with limited seating. We ordered both the beef slice and the beef brisket hor fun "rice" noodles for lunch. The soup broth was flavourful and the beef slice was ok but the brisket was a disappointment. It was tough and chewy. The service was rude as well blaming us for a wrong drink order. Not worth the Michelin Star that it received.

Food is amazing, so good, beef tender, service rude as you would expect (and even crave) for this type of good place. Price not necessarily cheap and two portions are necessary for bigger eaters. Be reader for a queue and to eat fast.

Joint seats in a small store are a must. It was full even though it wasn‘t mealtime, and I ordered No. 4 and No. 14 as recommended, and both were full of meat, and No. 14 curry beef noodles were really delicious! If you like spicy curry, I definitely recommend it.

Noodles were cheap and delicious. I didn’t need to wait as I was travelling alone so could be squished in the corner of a shared table. The bustling nature and minimal service is pretty typical for authentic Asian cheap eats, so was as expected. Note it is cash only.

Let me save you the trouble: this place is the epitome of style over substance. The beef brisket? Mediocre at best and served in portions so laughably small you’d think they were rationing for a famine. The noodles are equally uninspired, the kind of bland you’d expect from a cheap instant pack, not a restaurant charging premium prices. But the real standout here isn’t the food—it’s the staff. I’ve met friendlier people at a tax audit. From the moment I walked in, I was met with eye rolls, sighs, and an attitude so hostile it felt like I was intruding on their private club. Asking a simple question about the menu was treated as a personal offense. To anyone considering this place: don’t. Hong Kong is a city overflowing with incredible food and warm hospitality, but this restaurant offers neither. You’ll leave with a lighter wallet, a heavier heart, and the distinct feeling that you’ve been scammed. Final verdict: 1 star for the chopsticks. At least they were functional.

there’s always a lineup here, but it moves fast, i only waited about 5 minutes in line. you will need to share tables and it’s very cramped, make sure you know what you want before you sit down to minimize how long. it’s the usual eat and leave type of place. had a curry beef tendon flat noodle. which was very good, although portion size is on the small side for the price. curry broth has rich flavor, the beef tendon is soft, noodles are a bit undercooked but passable as the main thing is the broth. also got an iced milk tea which was on the sweet side. the staff here are loud and take some getting used to.

Exactly as described. Arrived after a short hike from the Central MTR. Waited about 13 minutes in an initially daunting line extending down a set of stairs. Moves quickly though. Waiter directed us to a tiny table that wouldn't fit 2 back in the states but we had 5 there. Small bowls of soup noodles with brisket. The soup is clear, light and tasty. The meat is chewy and flavorful. The noodles have a good texture, soaking up the noddles but also still requiring a few bites before giving way. Tiny and rustic. But trust the lines and the hype. Just be prepared to order and eat quickly and you might avoid getting yelled at. Do as I say, not as I do.

Kau Kee Restaurant / Central (Hong Kong) -- I heard their beef brisket noodle soup was mythic. Multiple vloggers praised it to the skies on YouTube, but I asked myself, "Should I trust the unproven tastes of monetizing youngsters whose primary motivation is eliciting a Like vote from me?". However, I read the Michelin recommendation and realized there might be something to this online folderol. Jamie W and I made a beeline here after checking into our hotel nearby on Jervois Street. Mind you, it was a Saturday evening at 6:30, and the queue was staggering. We gave up that night and went to Mak's Noodles a few blocks away, but returned Monday evening where we saw tables were occupied, but gratefully there was no line. We were thinking we'd have to wait, but they pointed to two empty seats at a round table where four people were already busy slurping. No problem. Nobody even lifted their heads to acknowledge our presence. Their menu was comprehensive but we realized it came down to whether you want soup or not and what kind of noodles you prefer. Curry and oyster sauce looked to be other options. With due consideration, it was one of their signatures for me, the HK$70 Beef Brisket with Flat Noodle in Broth (photo: https://yelp.to/tt8_RDDGTI). They managed to make the meat velvety tender and the noodles had just the right consistency. The broth was clear and yet intensely flavorful. Jamie switched out the brisket for Beef Slices (photo: https://yelp.to/FgTqy9AO18). Same flat noodles, same broth, same price. Genuinely delicious. That was it. There were no appetizers, side dishes, or desserts to consider. Nothing that would encourage lallygagging. We were here for no more than fifteen minutes. No one rushed us out. Two people took our places in seconds. It was like clockwork. Life goes on. FOOD - 5 stars...yep, the YouTube kids are right for a change AMBIANCE - 3 stars...clean but a tad on the prison cafeteria side SERVICE - 3.5 stars...I can't say we made new friends TOTAL - 5 stars...it's all about the brisket, noodles, and broth RELATED - Exploring Hong Kong? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AGgadg

Ambiance: family style beef stew place, packed and crowded inside, and you have to share the table with other strangers Service: self serving utensils and dressing, attention they don't have napkins here Food: simple menu items and variety combinations of beef and noodles Beef Brisket with Flat Noodles in Broth - ***** the broth is so good, soft and juicy meat, highly recommend Beef Tendon with E-Fu Noodles in Curry - **** flavorful curry with spice enhancement, rich in broth and chewy meat, recommend Price: moderate portions and affordable prices, which vary from HKD 65 to 210, they don't take cards, cash payment only and be prepared to have exact change

We came here right before they opened and there was already a line out the door. We were in the area the next day or so around 2-3 pm and there was almost no line. The service isn't great... you'll have to sit next to strangers at a table and be ready to order when you sit down. If you're able to, I would recommend sitting in the front because the back (even though you may get your own table) is very hot and uncomfortable as the kitchen is back there. The beef noodle soup with flat noodles was soo good, the meat was juicy and tender. There are different type of noodle options. I would highly recommend this spot! The line may seem long but it does move fairly quickly.

Great beef noodles. So much so there is always a line. I waited 30 minutes in the rain to eat here today. Although I enjoyed it, I don't think I am willing to wait again for it. When I left around 1PM the line was a third the size. Generous portions of beef and very affordable. I had the curry version. A lady next to me ordered a second one because she joked, "I waited long enough and want to make it worth it." Oddly mine had a red coating while hers didn't. The coating added an extra layer of spice. Overall the dish was mildly spicy, but the broth was too concentrated.

This is my second time eating here and it definitely did not disappoint. When I first came pre-pandemic, I lined up about 30 mins before opening and the line was out the door, down the stairs and I still had to wait about an hour total before getting a seat. The restaurant is pretty small but probably fits about 30-50 people squeezed into tables. I remember the first time I came I had both the curry and the beef noodles and I loved the beef noodles way more. This time I tried just the beef noodles but with different noodles types: 1. Beef noodles with e mein: SOOO GOOD! I liked it with the classic e-mein and it was so perfectly cooked The broth was so rich and beef so tender. I also liked the size of the bowls that it wasn't too big where I was stuffed and couldn't continue my HK food adventures but enough to fill me up. 2. Beef noodles with glass noodles: broth exactly the same as above but the glass noodles gave it more of a pho feel and was basically a bowl of pho with brisket instead. Still good but I liked the E-mein better. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall, I loved this place. I like that there aren't any lines anymore post pandemic (came around 2pm) and you can just walk in to get a table. Each bowl is very fairly priced. The service was also really good. I didn't know what I was ordering and I assumed what they were famous for was item #1 but they corrected me telling me that #1 is just a huge bowl of beef and pointed me in the right direction. Im sure that happens to them a lot but it was nice of them to tell me.

Food portion is small but taste good, waiting line is long and opening time is too late, so crowded impossible to enjoy the food

Worst service ever . You don't want to feel like a beggar, don't go there. I think it is a tourist trap. Spent 80 dollars and had to share small table with strangers. Food is just average...

So I came on Monday, 11:30am, and waited in line for about 45 minutes, while being entertained by staring at the butcher who was setup outside the place cutting up meat. They were supposed to open at 12pm, but they seemed to be getting the place ready at 12p. Finally sat down for a seat for two at 12:15pm and ordered curry brisket with e-fu noodles, and one with regular wide rice noodles. The brisket was melting my mouth and had a nice spicy heat. Iced Milk tea definitely was a great addition to the meal and must be ordered with your bowl of noodles. Worth the wait.

Im going to break this down into 3 parts 1. Food - 4 stars for the beef brisket noodle soup. Beef was tender and soup was flavorful. The soup broth is unique here because it's clear, not dark. I ordered the beef brisket with flat noodles, but I didn't recieve flat noodles?? I was given a curly looking egg type noodle. Still good, but not what I ordered. Portions are small for the price of $55 HKD. So if you're a big eater, one bowl won't be enough. 2. Abiance - if you want to experience real Hong Kong local dining atmosphere (crowded, tight, rushed, dirty) then this is the place for you. Restaurant is tiny and tables are cramped. If you have a small party, you will probably share a table with strangers. Felt super rushed when I was eating. Not a place to lounge around and chit-chat with friends. This is a "eat quickly and leave" type of place. 3. Wait time - if you come at peak hours, be prepared to wait. I came on a week night at 6:30-7:00 with a party of 3 and had to wait 30 mins. Good luck on weekends. Luckily the weather was nice that night since the line goes out the door. Overall, good noodles, but small portions and certainly not worth the wait.

The noodles here are freaking bomb!! I can't believe that I only tried this place recently and not the prior trips I've taken to HK. This place was recommended by family members and friend so I had to come and wait in that line to try for myself. I came here on a week night and waited about 20 minutes, which isn't that had. However, given HK's humidity, it felt 20 minutes too long. Upon being seated, I ordered their beef tendon in e-fu borne with curry (#14). Pictures don't do you justice but it's literally an orgasm in your mouth. The beef is so tender and juicy, unlike certain places where it takes you over 10 chews before you can even swallow. The types of noodles they use is an interesting combination because I've never had e-fu noodles with beef tendon, especially in a curry broth. For about $55HKD (~$7USD), it's worth your money and time. The bowl is small compared to what you think in pictures but that gives you room to try other dishes either here or at restaurants nearby. Give this place a shot and you will not be disappointed!

This restaurant and Yat Lok were two of our favorite spots in Hong Kong and after visits to both can understand why Hong Kong is a foodie's paradise. We originally hadn't planned to visit Kau Kee on our trip. We noticed it on our walk for late night ice cream one night and were surprised to see a long queue at 10 pm waiting to get in. With the line looking like many locals, one knew it had to be good. The service was so friendly and they managed to seat our party of six together after 15 minutes in line. (It was a long line on our night to visit too but it moves quickly). Four of us opted for beef brisket and egg noodles and two days later and half a world away I'm still dreaming about it! The broth was so flavorful and the amount of brisket was generous in each bowl. It was piping hot but not unpleasantly so. It was the perfect bowl and loved the scallions as well that were added to it at the end. We also had a side of steamed vegetables (boy Choy I'm guessing) and enjoyed those so much added a second one quickly. Until my next visit to HK, will be dreaming about a return visit to Kau Kee.

I'm not normally a fan of beef brisket noodles but I'll make an exception for Kau Kee. Locals say that this place is "OK la!" but for me, it was just more than OK for me. We got there at 12:30 and saw the queue. At least 50 people (mostly mainland, Singaporean and Korean tourists) were ahead of us, and in the sweltering heat and humidity we waited patiently for over 30 minutes. By the time we got up to the front we only wait a minute before the lady barked at us to sit down in the back. Yelpers raved about the Curry Beef Brisket Noodles and that's exactly what we ordered. The steaming hot bowls of noodles literally arrived 3 minutes later and the office ladies who were sharing a table with us took one look at the noodles and ordered the same thing. This was AFTER they finished their beef brisket noodles with clear broth! The bowl was small (perfect portions for us) and we dug in. It came with egg noodles, the curry flavor was nice and spicy and the beef brisket was tender. This was one of my favorite bowl of noodles I've had on this trip. Would I wait over 30 minutes in the heat for this bowl of noodles again? Why yes I would...

Pretty delicious noodz here and pretty cheap too. I got the beef brisket with rice noodles in the "clear" broth. Damn delicious and pure tasting. I tried my bf's curry noodz and it was packed with spices if you wanna go that route. I didn't think they were rude at all, it was actually a fun experience for me to share tables and to be rushed because you know they're busy. () be aware that you will 99% he sharing a table with other peeps. It gets hot in there and man- I was sweating and people stared LOL. But enjoy your noodles and be conscious of the space you take up cause it's tight in there. Cash only and make sure to bring your own napkins! Come at an off hour time, probably after lunch rush to get in fast. We waited like less than 20 mins to come in. :)

One word, scrumptious. The soup? Flavorful. The brisket, tender. The noodles, delicious. Really the queue outside made sense. Really if you see the queue fear not, it is worth the wait. The establishment is crowded and bustling but the staff is nice and to the point.

The food is 5 stars, but the service is 1 star at best. When we arrived, there was a LONG line out the door. The shop is super tiny with only a handful of tables. After waiting about 20-30min, we finally got a seat crammed into the corner with 4 other strangers at a tiny round table, I could barely move my arm. The restaurant requires a minimum spending of $48HK per person, so each person has to order 1 items. We got the classic beef brisket, and the curry beef tenderloin flat rice noodle soups. Portion sizes are extremely small compared to other noodle shops, the food is very tasty, and the beef was cooked perfectly. Service was super rude, almost abusive to the customer, and they make you eat super fast so they can turn over the tables. I guess that's their way of getting more revenue. I would come and order a to-go, but would not recommend dining in.

Food is great but lousy service. The waiters are so rude and they stick people anywhere there is a seat available. The taste is very good and I like to go there but it would be a much more pleasant experience if the staff every made a small effort to be polite.

I was in Central and near LKF so I figured I stopped by this famous beef brisket noodle place in HK. My friends had raved about how good it is, so I was pretty excited to give it a try. I was there on a Saturday afternoon and the place was pretty empty, could be due to the current activities so there are less tourists visiting. Shared at a table with another couple, and got myself the curry beef brisket noodle with ho fun. I did regret not ordering the yee meen since that's apparently what you should be getting, but oh well. The curry brisket and tendon ho fun came relatively quickly. It's quite a small bowl, so don't expect you will be full if you order just one item, unless you have a lighter appetite. My first impression of the broth was actually quite mediocre, lacking that deep beefy broth umami flavor. Brisket pieces were a bit too broken apart. The best part of the bowl were the beef tendons. They were super tender and soft. I loove tendon! The ho fun noodles were too soft and were falling apart. Thought it was an average bowl of curry brisket noodles, not worth traveling here for!

Very good beef noodles, but not life-changing. Disclaimer: My hometown is Lanzhou, home of the famous Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, so my biases should be clear. That said, I still really enjoyed this style of beef noodle. I got an order each of both the signature beef brisket noodles and the curry tendon noodles. Never had this style of noodle before, but it passed my universal noodle benchmark of having ample chew, so all was good on that front. Meat in both bowls was fall apart tender, which I liked. I slightly preferred the curry variation, as it had a stronger kick to it from the curry and also more interesting textural variation from the tendon. Portions are on the small side, but definitely worth trying if you're a beef noodle lover!

We just flew in and wanted something to eat. Followed my fellow yelpers with this recommendation and yanno what guys? I have to agree with a few people out there, I was just aiiiiiight for me. I didn't understand the hype. I was prepared for a long line and looked up the menu before hand because I heard they're really short/rude. Which, I experienced neither of those things. Yes, we were placed at someone else's table but I didn't mind that whatsoever because you're suppose to hurry up and order, eat and freaking leave and that's exactly what we did. I ordered a #14- curry beef brisket with e-fu noodles. Bowl is pretty small. Brisket was tender. Broth was robust. Noodles were... different. I was expecting chewy but it was just a different texture of chewy. At some points, I felt like I couldn't cut it with my molars chewy? Whatever it was, I finished the bowl. It was good- it wasn't mind blowin' like everyone described it. Call me crazy but It kinda tasted like a Vietnamese dish called bun bo hue and the only thing different about it was it just has really weird chewy noodles in it. There's a 50$ minimum per head. The bowls came out SUPER quick. No waters. Oh! And it's a BTON (bring your own napkin) restaurant. Two bowls and two beers total = 152 HK $

Another cheap priced food place that I must eat when I am in Hong Kong! On a hot sunny day, the line wraps around the stairs ! Bring an umbrella or something because you're gone be sun burnt. The line isn't all too bad because it moves pretty quick. The customers don't take long to eat. People just eat, finish then pay and leave. The space is compact and they fill in every seat. All the tables are communal so be ready to eat with strangers, we all just keep to ourselves. They have a rule that everyone has to order at least HK$50 per person. This is some basic beef noodle soup, it's not out of this world amazing but it was good, cheap and filling. Let me tell you how good it was... or maybe I was just super hungry at the moment. It was so good when I slurped, some broth got in my eye and my face on multiple occasions. I first ordered the clear beef noodle soup and ordered another bowl but the curry one right after I finished my first bowl.

OK BOMB. When I was searching for food places in HK, I stumbled across Kau Kee. When I saw pics, I got so excited. I was told that this place was famous by all my aunts and my mom so naturally, I made it a point to come try it. Here's the situation with the lines. There's a to go line and a sit down line. The to go line was what we opted in for but still took 15+ minutes just to order. All good. When we went for dinner time, they ran out of their rice noodle. I opted in for e-noodles and mmmm it was still good. I had the curry beef tendon noodles. I was so worried that it was only tendon and no brisket but it can out with both! My cousin got the beef brisket noodle and she loved the broth. However, by the time we walked back to our place, most of the soup was soaked. It was probably only a 10-15 min walk. Still so good. Highly recommend. Be prepared to wait, but it's so worth! Cash only.

Whenever there are lines in HK, it's assumed that there is something good at the end of it. In NYC, lines are a perception of either a show / exclusive event, something all about hype, or something ultra touristy. So, like a faux New Yorker living in Hong Kong, I did everything I could to avoid eating here. Turns out, Kau Kee (九記) was one of those places constantly recommended to tourists and yet revered and hated by locals at the same time. The lines are so bad that there could be as many as 50 people waiting outside even before the place opens. One day I got my chance when the lines thinned out and I left speechless. That was one of the best bowls of beef noodles (牛腩麵) I've ever had. Since then, I've probably been back at least a dozen times with the same, if not similar results. It's painful to watch this place from the outside. The lines can be anywhere from 20-45 minutes long during peak times. The seating is ultra tight and most people are solo diners just looking for a good meal. The thought of bringing a gang of people here would never cross my mind, considering how little seating there was to begin with. Service can be a little shoddy, since they literally want you to order, eat, pay, and leave. On top of it, the noodles are $45-50 HKD, which would make this a premium bowl compared to any other 牛腩 shop. But let's be real. The regular beef brisket noodle soup (清湯牛腩伊麵) is undeniably good. Their noodles aren't just any kind of noodles, but my absolute favorite: E-Fu / Yi-Fu noodles (伊麵). Combined with a soft and tender brisket, it is so wildly good. If you want a spin on the classic, try the curry version with beef tendons (咖喱牛筋伊麵) and while the flavor is a bit spicy for some, it is undoubtedly one of the best noodle soups I've had. I've become a bit of a regular over time and while I know there *has to be* other places that are just as good, I simply haven't found them yet. My relatives have already given me a bit of grief for having given in to the Kau Kee hype, but my stomach is happy even when my wallet isn't. Pro Tip: If you can stomach the idea of eating your noodles somewhere else and not having to share your space with strangers, just order it to go. Not only will they nicely package your soup + noodles for you, but you can eat it in the park nearby or take it home to enjoy on your own time. I highly recommend ordering more than one, just so you can indulge in the experience.

Came here our first night in HK. Busy even at 9:30pm on a Thursday but got seated quickly sharing a table. Bowl was small but filling. Broth was very flavorful but a bit salty. They don't have napkins so be prepared. Very quick service.

Get ready to wait in line (surprisingly no wait for us) Get ready to sit elbow to elbow with fellow beef brisket/tendon noodle lovers unless your party is big enough to occupy entire table for which you'll likely have to wait even longer Get the curry beef brisket, much more flavorful than the original one Get your pick of noodles (yee mein and flat rice noodles are my preferences) Get out

Huge shout out to my pal Michelle, who came with me to all my HK must eat spots. I let her shop around while I held our place in the 45+ minute line. (It was a weekend night) Once we were inside everything moved so quickly. We sat near the kitchen where I just stared at this flawless assembly line of noodles. The bowls look small, but the have this Mary Poppins magic in them where it feels like your bowl never empties. I had the tendon curry noodles and she had the brisket noodles. Even though I was full 3/4 of the way, I couldn't let a noodle go uneaten. I sometimes dream about living in HK and being a regular here. Maybe one-day my noodle dream will come true

been thinking about coming here since my arrival. dont! the staffs are rude and loud & racisit not to mention " you have to share table with total strangers.the food is so so . dont bother coming here major disappointment.

Come in. East fast. Get out. Those are the rules of this restaurant. Tried dropping my napkin and they did not pick it up and fold it. Don't make the mistake of making too much eye contact, and don't take more than 20 seconds to order. If you can follow these simple rules you will enjoy your experience here. Like everyone else I recommend the curry tendon bowl. It looks like a small bowl, but it is mighty mighty. E-fu noodles and other popular ones run out early, so be prepared with a plan B. Careful... or else it's "no soup for you!"

This place is pretty famous for their beef brisket and for good reason. The brisket is soft, chewy, and full of delicious fat that you sink your teeth into and it just melts. Prepare to line up. The mainland tourists all have heard of this place and so they all flock here for great beef brisket. You sit down communal style and quickly order your food. From what I remember, the food came out after 3-5 minutes, a little slower than how fast these types of hole in the wall Chinese restaurants usually serve. Whatever. Food was great. Noodles were chewy. I was happy

I HONESTLY DONT GET THE HYPE. yeah the meat is pretty tender but apart from the curry one, the other flavors are whatever. The curry flavor is pretty good but it's not out of the world or anything. I don't know if I'm such spoiled being from SoCal and coming to Taiwan all the time but this is not something super amazing at all. I'm not a food snob or anything, good food is good food but this is really just average, and along with the wait and the service, this place is below average. Hong Kong service is pretty bad, we all know that, but this restaurant is even worse. If you're not ready for the pressure, don't come. Along with the ingredients in the bowl, the server adds a little extra flavor with his thumb in the bowl when he delivers the food to you. Wonderful and sanitary. Of course this isn't a classy 5 star restaurant so I know what I'm getting into, but that doesn't justify the finger in the food. There's a reason why the store that they opened in Taiwan awhile ago had to close. It doesn't come close to some of the things you can find in Taiwan. Service - 1 Star Ambiance - 1 Star Food - 2.5 Stars

BE WARNED: This is a bit of a high anxiety noodle nazi place. Recommendations: 1) Get the e-fu noodles. Best texture and noodle to catch the broth in the noodle. 2) The regular beef brisket is pretty good, but the curry ones are what makes this restaurant unique. 3) There is no curry beef brisket noodle, so you will need to get the curry beef tendon noodle which has a little bit of brisket and some very soft and tender tendons. In Cantonese we call it "Ngau lam." I was a little worried I'd get nothing but chewy tendons but it was ridiculously soft and good. The workers will push you as fast as possible and there's a lot of yelling going on. Just move quickly and get out lol.

A small nook sort of restaurant that is always packed. I came here at around 9pm and there was a line out the door. The wait is not bad since it's a very fast food and fast eating type of restaurant. Expect to share a table with some nice strangers for sure! I got the beef brisket and tendon curry noodles (on their menu it will only say beef tendon but have no fear, it comes with brisket too!). My bf got the regular noodle brother with flat noodles. I thought both bowls were amazing. You get a small dainty bowl but don't judge it too soon like I did because I was actually not able to finish all the noodles in my bowl. It was packed with tons of noodles and beef! Overall I liked the curry noodles better since I always tend to steer towards very thick and savory noodles. But the regular broth is better if you are looking for a light broth. :)

BEEF BRISKET HO FUN (not to be confused with "hoe fun")!! this is the OG spot in HK for this dish. i kind of stumbled onto this place on my way to PMQ but it wasn't open yet (even though it was 11:30AM! dafuq kinda hours is this?!). i wasn't sure if it was the Kau Kee of legend since there was no line out the door but then i realized they don't open til noon (!) so i kept it pushing and went to PMQ first. fast forward a couple hours and $$$ in souvenirs later and this place is poppington! yoooooo, the line was down the dang block like they was giving food away. whatever, i'm here already so i might as well get in line. i was travelling dolo today because my partner in food was out doing some other sh*t. this worked out in my favor because they could cram my big body onto a shared table with some randos way ahead of parties with 3-4 peeps. yasss! the staff here is slightly more friendly than the seinfeld soup nazi, but only just slightly. i felt pressure to order quickly lest the glares from the peeps outside burn a hole in me. i went with the basic brisket ho fun soup and i was not disappointed. portions are small (by american standards) but YUUUUGE in flavor. noodles were top notch (idk if made there or not but super fresh). again, the portion was small-ish but that left room for my next bang anyways. if anything, next time i go, i'm going to order a side of brisket and noodles in plain broth. that's what it looked like the dolo girl next to me did and i was wild envious. #rookiemistake 10/10 would come back again.

Come early to avoid lines. I came maybe 15 minutes before the place opened and there was already a long line to get in. Very good beef brisket noodles. I tried both the curry and the clear broth. First bite I preferred the intense flavors of the curry, but after eating it for awhile I liked the clear broth better. Especially on a hot and humid day. The curry is spicier than I expected and a little different. It was really good though, but it's pretty thick. The clear broth is light, but flavorful. The service is a bit no nonsense, but not bad. They are quick and efficient here.

After reading about how famous this place is, I was super excited to try it. Everyone is right about the service: it stinks. Especially if you're clearly a tourist, like me. I'm clearing not from anywhere is Asia.... but I digress. I thought I was going to be blown away. There was a line but we only waited 20 minutes. When we say, I followed the advice of other yelpers and got the brisket and tendon with E-fu noodles. And honestly, they were just okay. Not amazing, not horrible. There was hardly any tendon, it was mostly fat, which neither me or my husband ate. Both broths were fairly good, but again, nothing I felt like I HAD to have. Maybe I expected to much? Not sure. But I definitely am not going back.

Was worth the hype! Lined up with my fAmily. Small portion of noodles & choice of meat! Delicious!!! Definitely will get the traditional hk feel of small, squishy, fast paced, busy cafe style! Will come back!

With over 90 years of history on Gough Street, Kau Kee still never fails to deliver its most popular Beef Brisket Noodles in Clear Broth. What distinguishes Kau Kee from other noodle restaurants is that they only serve Beef Brisket in clear broth and curry soup. Follow my Yelp if you love my Yelping & welcome everybody to ask me questions about Hong Kong.

Expect to wait in a long line to try some of the most amazing beef brisket soup in all of Hong Kong...but trust me, you'll be happy that you waited bc it's totally worth it. The broth is flavorful and meat is so tender. It might seem like a simple noodle dish but that broth is what makes it so delicious. I slurped and drank that broth up! They aren't open on Sunday's and don't open until 12:30 pm from Mon-Sat so plan your day accordingly.

There's beef noodles, and then there's KAU KEE BEEF NOODLES. Although I try to avoid combining here in the summertime, the line doesn't deter me. Yes, it's excruciating when you're out waiting 15 mins in the humid summer HK heat, but yes, it is worth it when you go inside the restaurant where there are air-conditioning units hovering over every single table and you get to slurp up one of the best beef noodles in the world. The process has been described in earlier reviews - pretty straightforward. You line up, and when you reach the front, the cashier lady will tap (or rap) the window to get your attention, and ask you how many there are in your dining party. She will then check inside if there are available seats, and call you in. Otherwise, she will call outside for groups that can fill in available seats, should yours not be available. It can be a bit intimidating if you're not used to this rough customer service, but hey, welcome to Hong Kong ~ this is considered pretty normal. I came here two nights in a row, both times around 7:30pm. I can't imagine going later as they usually run out of the 伊麵 (e-fu noodles fairly fast) and the beef brisket getting too tough. The first night, I ordered the Beef brisket in clear broth with E-mian noodles 清湯牛腩伊麵. The beef broth is just soul-warming, with such generous and tender slices of beef. I've never tasted anything like it outside Hong Kong. The second night I ordered the curry beef tendon e-mian noodles 咖喱牛筋伊麵. The curry had me working up a sweat on my face, which the air-con couldn't relieve. But it had me good, with the chewy tendon chunks and peppery curry soup. YUM. There were some Chinese mainlanders seated at our table and they pointed to the curry beef noodles I had ordered, "I want that too." Then, after devouring their first bowl, one of them ordered a second bowl of the same curry beef noodles, and when it arrived, the look on his face was nothing but pure foodie joy. I feel ya, man, I feel ya. It's simply the best.

When I did research on the best food at Hong Kong, this place shows up on many blogs and reviews. I was at Central and my friend took me to this place. The line was long even when it wasn't during lunch or dinner hours. We line up for about 30 minutes and we had to share table with other strangers; therefore, it was quick. Their customer service isn't the best either, but it really is about the food. I had their curry beef noodles and seriously it is one of the best I ever had. I am from Chicago and we don't get to encounter yummy curry beef noodles like the ones here. I remember their beef are tender and not super super chewy. It just melts on your mouth, my gosh. I would definitely come back here when I visit HK again.

Truly one of the best noodle soups I've ever had (and I've tried quite a few) This place is the epitome of a hole in the wall type restaurant - small round tables where customers are cramped with other strangers, old stained stools, and loud waiters who shout your order across the room. Amazingly this combination was able to produce the most perfect bowl of noodle soup that I've ever eaten. I ordered the beef tendon with e-fu noodles in curry. The broth had so much flavor and the tendon was cooked perfectly. There may be a long line but it moves pretty fast and the food is completely worth it.

After a long day at Hong Kong Disneyland, we were feeling a little peckish and my dining companion had mentioned this joint that was renowned for their curry. We arrived and immediately got in line, and after a wait of about 15 minutes, were shown to a round table with several other customers. (One thing I absolutely do not miss about Hong Kong is this sharing tables thing. You're there for just the food and nothing else in a situation like that, and it's not exactly super relaxing.) Anyway, we immediately placed our orders of Brisket and Tendon Curry with Noodle and got the food within a few minutes. The curry is mind-blowingly good. Like, out-of-this-world good. It's probably the best curry I've ever eaten and I could've easily just drank the stuff out of a glass. The pieces of brisket were amazingly tender and the noodles were well-cooked, too. The tendon, on the other hand, was pretty gross and I wound up giving big chunks of them to my dining companion. But my god, that curry. I want to carry it around with me in a water bottle at all times.

If you want the beef brisket you should give this place a try, said my friend who used to live around the area, and since I was on vacation everything is pretty much game, I just didn't expect the line-up going about 15 people deep when we arrived around 2:30 PM. One of the true motto's of any place that is popular in HK is that if there is hype... usually the wait follows when you get there. Amazingly enough we got here after using my horrible GPS and once I saw the lineup the expectations rose. Waiting around I noticed a sign posted at the door saying, "no baby strollers, no luggage"... until you enter, you realize how small and tight the seating situation is. Any time of day this place has it's fandom of people, whether visiting or local, wanting their popular hyped beef brisket, it's in their name in Chinese that this is what they do. A warning to all you non-beef eaters... this place is really not for you and if you are coming with a friend who doesn't eat this variation of meat.. well just remember, as stated on the menu, there is a minimum $40 per head to sit in here. Our orders for the three of us consisted of a curry beef brisket with ho fun, their regular house beef brisket with ho fun, an order of their lo mein beef brisket with wonton mein and a side of greens to balance it out. This place is no nonsense, once the order gets put in, you are there waiting, not too long, and magically the bowls are appearing right in front of you. This place is not a place you sit around and enjoy, you wolf it down, and you GTFO... before paying for your food right at the exit. We were obviously pretty hungry on this hot day, and when you get in here the a/c is blowing hard, so best way to warm up is with a nice hot bowl of noodles. The bowls come, and you need to fend for yourself for the spoons and chopsticks and sauce dishes that are in the centre of each table. How did I find this place, more hype than anything else, I found just eating through this bowl to be a heavy experience on the internal system. Everything in the bowl tasted the same, from going from my own 'lo mein' to my friends 'ho fun' soup, it was just so beefy in taste that I was thankful there was a dish of greens on the side. The curry dish our other friend ordered was the same, not much in terms of curry flavour, just color. If you're in for a meaty, beefy, tasting bowl of noodles, by all means... come here, you will not be disappointed one bit. If you are not one who likes cramped spots, waiting in line, over beefy goodness.. well walk right past and check out another place, this is one of those fan favorites.. either you are a fan or you are not... I'll let you decide.

The beef is amazing! I think this a 'must try' if you are in the area. Came Monday night at 5:30 pm, maybe only like 6 people in line, so got seated quickly. Was sold out of some of the popular dishes, but we were able to get a bowl of beef curry with flat noodles, and the beef brisket with flat noodles. It also came with a bowl of soup, which was one of the yummiest bowls of soup I have ever had in my entire life. I didn't care for the flat noodles, not my thing, but whatevs. Come to think of it, if they just serve the curry beef a la carte without the noodles, I'd buy like, ten pounds and eat it every day. The beef was melt-in-your mouth tender and so flavorful. I liked being able to try both the plain and curry flavors. I like the soup of the plain one better, but the taste of the curry beef better. Don't get hung up on what you think service "should be like" according to American standards, and enjoy the experience for what it is, getting yelled at and all. When we tried to come back on a Saturday around 1 pm and again at 2pm, the line was at least 45-60 min long. So, be prepared to wait.

The service was poor, but that's expected in HK. However, many other events took place that subjected me to give this experience 1 star. Based off the Yelp reviews and the recommendations, I had some sort of expectation for the restaurant to be a rather memorable experience, but sadly it was rather disappointing. I mean I know what HK service means, but its unsightly to see our servers thumb sunk deep into our bowls of soup, swimming with my brisket. We asked if we could order a side of Chinese lettuce, if they had any. To our surprise our server wasn't even aware of what vegetables they served (odd...). Anyways, they informed us that they did serve it and when it came out it wasn't even it (what? Aren't you a local? Shouldn't you be knowledgeable of your menu? Especially if what I ordered is a Chinese staple... Not some overseas foreign request) Btw, the broth is saltier than necessary, nothing special. At the end we asked if we could get a to-go box. Our server said it'd be $1 HKD, which is fine. He asked if he could pack our food, we said it was fine (thank god we did). He ended up giving us a dirty take out box...that was most likely used. It was greasy, too... He had the audacity to tell us it was "new and clean, it's just covered in a little kitchen grease" new and clean means... Spotless and unused, no? Haha the while experience was a joke but I don't know what to say, "it's to be expected?" I think that's more of an excuse than anything because I've been to Dai Pai tongs and other restaurant that provide a more human and overall just a better experience.

Food: 4.0/5.0 Service: 2.0/5.0 Value: 3.0/5.0 Decor: 2.0/5.0 Overall: 3.5/5.0 Very good brisket noodles, but the cuts were fattier than the ideal range for this 'foreigner'. Very tight seating space. Prices are honestly higher than I was expecting. Try to go during off-hours -- little/no way that way.

Things to know: 1. Language - English friendly: both menu and waiter. 2. Wait time - Anywhere from 15-30 mins for dinner time. 3. Ambiance - Loud, very small place, super cramped, filled with both tourists and locals. Have to share table with strangers & they'll rush you to get out once you're done. Don't expect good service, the workers're quite snobby and rude lol. 4. Payment - Cash only, very affordable. Oh and no luggage allowed whatsoever. What to order: #4 - Beef Brisket with E-Fu Noodle (flat, wide egg noodle). Their beef brisket's to die for, they're prob the best Chinese brisket I've ever had in my life! So flavorful & they just melt in your mouth! The noodle's very chewy, flavorful and has great texture. Broth's very legit, you'll prob end up finishing all of it :P I know the curry broth's also pretty popular, but I didn't find that to be all that. Stick with #4!!!

You know a restaurant is popping when the wait line outside resembles the wait line of attendees trying to enter Coachella at start time. I normally wouldn't go out of my way for beef brisket noodles so I almost passed on this recommended spot, but at the insistence of a close fellow Yelper (her words, verbatim: "these noodles are life changing"), I detoured here, and to repeat: these noodles are life changing. I picked the Beef Brisket with E-Fu Noodles in Broth. I had no idea what E-Fu noodles were before this bowl, and to be honest, I still don't know what they are exactly, but if I had to describe it, these were the most perfectly chewy, soft, bouncy noodles I've ever eaten. Paired with broth that tasted just right and amazingly done beef brisket, I get the hype. Tip for those who absolutely hate long lines: skip the line and order takeout. Same price, same flavor for a fraction of the wait time (our order of 3 noods took 5min). There are a ton of long, spacious stairs near the restaurant that is a popular spot for people to sit and dine with their takeout noods.

Before trying this place, I was not a big fan of beef brisket/tendon. After trying this place a few years ago, this became THE standard that I compare any other Chinese style beef brisket/tendon. This is a very popular spot. Waiting 20 minutes or less to be seated is considered lucky. We waited only 15 minutes on a Friday 3PM. Yep, that was our good planning. ;) Limited space and don't expect great service or ambiance here. If you want to be polite, you may have to wait a while to get your order in. Squeaky wheel gets the oil here. Be assertive and flag down the staff to place your order all at once. That's how to survive in densely populated Asian places. =) Ordered 上湯牛爽腩 (Special Beef Brisket in Broth) and 上湯肥牛伊麵 (Beef slices in e-fu noodles in broth). Wifey detected quite a bit of MSG, but I didn't mind so much. The e-fu noodle was not very special, and the "fat" beef slices were good, but not particularly amazing. I'd give 3.5 stars for the Beef slices in e-fu noodles in broth. What amazed me again was the Special Beef Brisket in Broth. This was my most anticipated dish for my whole HK trip and it did not disappoint! It did not have any noodles, but that was perfectly fine as I wanted to focus on just the beef. Each piece of meat had the perfect ratio of fat and lean. The lean part was tender and juicy. The fat part was chewy but not hard. The flavor was heavenly. If you feel overwhelmed by the fat and richness, adding a little vinegar or chili would offset that and also tasted great. The perfect drink to go with this dish was lemon iced tea (凍檸茶) - a cold lemony drink that washed down the richness of beef brisket. I ate this dish and pondered how something could be so utterly amazing. I rarely give out 5 stars for anything, but I just have to give this dish a 5-star. Otherwise I'd be betraying my conscience. I will still come here for this dish the next time I visit HK. Yes, it's that good. Still haven't had a chance to try the curry, but perhaps next time. This place will continue to haunt me until I come back. 吃了牛爽腩，成了有爽男!