Review China Lane - Sydney

Good tasting authentic Asian cuisine. Ordered take away as I was staying in the city for the night and it was highly recommended by the hotel staff I spoke to. While yes, the meal was good, it was a little more on the expensive side compared to my usual local Chinese takeaway. I did however appreciate and like the hanging birdcage installation in the lane way out front.

We ordered the banquet option at China Lane. Overall the food was good, but nothing mind blowing and a bit on the salty side. They also miscalculated our alcohol, but fixed up their mistake quickly once we pointed that out. The lychee gin cocktail was the highlight of the night, yummy and went well with the food.

Pretty common Chinese dishes done well. Staff was friendly and helpful and while it's a bit pricey this was a good experience. Recommend pork belly.

Raw duck, duck bathed in blood. Soggy eggplant dish not appetising at all. This place use to be a hit, now it’s gone down hill. Maybe it was because it was a Tuesday!?!? Photos look better than the actual.

The fried rice is good however the pork belly is too sweet, I felt like I ate a bag of sugar 😩

Never had such a bad experience before. Only in this restaurant. The lady doesn’t know how to take order. We order 1 served of each dish and she just doubled the order without asking. Almost get 18 dish for 8 people instead of 9 dish. How can she even think that’s possible?? So sad I can’t even get to know what her name is. She is so unprofessional to work in a good restaurant with a good food. Feel bad for the chef🥲 She also has no knowledge about birthday party celebration. We gave them the cake with a candle inside just to hope that they can put the candle on the cake. Instead, she is just hand it over with a cake inside the box in a bag and say “is everything okay?” C’mon!! Do you think that’s okay? We would not give the cake to you if you return it back as it is. We can just keep the cake with us. No common sense at all. Will never come back to this restaurant

Came with few work colleagues for a Tuesday lunch. The restaurant is located at cosy corner of Angel Place. It was not overly crowded but outside seating was not available probably due to weather. Highlight of the meal was definitely the Pork Belly. Overall a good experience.

Great food, great friendly service. Probably wouldn't order the prawns again as they are just your average prawns. However the matter stock pork belly is to die for. John Dory City excellent as well. Keep up the good work.

This is an okay place for modern Chinese food. The atmosphere is nice and dishes were good but not worth the price. We did the $77 banquet which was definitely very filling especially towards the end. The highlight dishes for me were the burnt miso chicken salad which was fresh and flavourful and the soy braised crispy pork belly which was really good. The spring chicken was not too bad as well but just a tad dry. For dessert, the coconut sago was much better than the black sticky rice which was over cooked so the rice became almost like congee.

There are three over-used flavours here: Sichuan pepper, chilli and coriander. Every dish seems to have them and it gets rather same-same. The biggest problem is that China Lane thinks “burnt” is a flavour. Not only that, they think it’s a flavour to be used on everything. The crispy pig’s ear was fried to the point it was burnt. The cauliflower was burnt. They actually do a burnt tofu salad. This wasn’t an accident: they think burnt is a flavour. There are far, far better places.

Very disappointed with dinner tonight. Was expecting good things but I must say the food is not to par for this level of restaurant. We ordered the hummus plate to start. Loved it! But that’s about all I loved tonight. Then ordered the spring rolls... why would you put melted cheese in a chicken spring rolls? What the hell was the chef thinking? Absolutely tasteless! Then came the mains.... vegetable fried rice, crispy pork belly. I get the fact that fried rice is oily. But if it’s tasteless with no seasoning, then why waste calories? The crispy pork wasn’t crispy and was really soggy and fattening. Again lacked seasoning and taste and was so sweet so much so that I had to ask for salt and chilli. The waiter brought me cut up chilli. Please put that in soy sauce next time - but I guess I won’t be back. Not worth the money!!

I was very excited to visit China Lane, a modern Chinese restaurant in Sydney, the sister restaurant of China Doll, a restaurant in Wooloomooloo I had visited years ago.  While China Doll wasn't particularly memorable, China Lane gets fantastic reviews, and the menu really called out. So when I needed to organize dinner for a group of 8, it was right near the top of my list.

A longtime fan of China Doll, I attended a joint China Doll + China Lane event held at China Lane last year, which was completely on point. Took the opportunity of Valentine's day to go to China Lane for their Valentines day menu, thinking it would be amazing. However, the food, overall lacked flavour, depth and style, and the beef was overcooked. I was anticipating a lot more from China Lane. Especially for a set menu for this occasion that I'd anticipate would've been well established. Disappointing, and not sure if I'll return.

As the name suggests this place is famous for its chinese cuisines.the best part about this place is their sitting area it has a large sitting area and it's very comfortable also we tried their dim sums of different types they were just amazing it's a must visit place for chinese lovers.

Really good food, but quite pricey. Dumplings and spring rolls were very good, and the curry was amazing. The seating process was a bit disorganised (but they were quite busy that night and we didn't have a booking). Service was very friendly

Fusion Asian- my absolute favourite dining choice. I couldnt go past the pork, prawn and scallop dumplings- yumo. Next favourite was definately the tempura whiting with wasabi mayo. Both dishes were completely out of this world. Smooth dry warm sake. Sashmi had some nice sweet new flavours , nice touch with the shredded apples beneath. Would definately come back- the ambience of hearing bird sounds amoungst the bird cage installation- is s drawcard , so is the great service. Its not cheap but well worth it.

Lots of amazing options for Chinese dishes. I recommend the chicken wings. However. Very westernised food and courses, the portions are quite small. Overall great service and ambience however food was lacking authenticity. They had a vegetarian section which was good. We had a male waiter with dark features who was amazing. Best service ever.

Had a lovely meal here. The dumplings were fluffy and tasty and the fried whiting was really cooked to perfection. Finally the blue eye was wok tossed and a great meal all up.

Saturday night went to China Lane Restaurant, having a banquet menu for $62 p/ prsn, which is really good deal, and food was really tasty and fresh. <br/>A bit disappointed with the way food come out, probably because on Saturday night. <br/>

(astounding) but not in a good way<br/>Had dinner with 5 friends on the last Saturday in Feb.  The food was OK, but the staff were rushed and distracted, it felt more like a food court than a restaurant.  The Manager, Simon was an absolute Pig.  When asked what was wrong with the air conditioning he replied angrily that we were the problem as there too many people in the restaurant?? he then stormed off in a mini tantrum leaving us open mouthed and slightly embarrassed.  We laugh about it now, but at the time it was horrible and it kind of spoilt the night.

We had a group function and they were really busy that day and time! The wait stuff could have been more helpful or professional, but they were a bit unprofessional at organising and assisting the menu! Other than that, some dishes were good, some dishes were hit and miss! I like their sashimi, flavours and vinaigrette worked really well on that plate! Scallops were nicely cooked, salads, vegetables were alright but nothing was speacial. I had John Dory as main; as nice as the fish itself,I found the curry sauce is a bit salty and didn’t quite corporate with fish, but seperately they were nice.

We came here pretty randomly, without any plan to, fairly late as well. We were still served with extremely friendly waitstaff that let us know that the kitchen would close soon, so we should order as quickly as possible. We let them know we wanted vegetarian food, and our waitstaff gave us a few suggestions which we immediately said okay to. We had some delicious vegetarian dumplings and shiitake mushrooms and the wok-fried tofu all from the vegetarian section of the menu. The dumplings were really tasty! I loved the mushrooms which were sweet and lightly spicy too. I found the tofu a little heavier to eat, but it was still a delicious meal overall. I'm keen on coming back to try some of their other meal options :)

China Lane is a popular restaurant in Angel Place (near Martin Place). Like its sister restaurant China Doll in Woolloomooloo, the crowded eatery offers some tragically insipid Asian/Chinese fare. <br/><br/>Take their pork, prawn and scallop Siew Mai for instance, the over salty steamed siew mai was prepared several hours before service and the dumpling egg skin was soggy and flat. The scallops and prawn also reeked fishiness and staleness. <br/><br/>Their salt and pepper prawn with smoked chilli was equally salty. The batter was soggy and lacked crispness whereas the prawns were powdery and stale. For a “recommended” eatery on the Good Food Guide which nearly received a hat, it was unbelievable that the ingredients were not better sourced. <br/>

Excellent service, delicious food-well sized for the hungry, loads of vegetarian options, meals served all together so a little bit of a wait but the banging cocktails tided us over well.

Absolutely amazing, had great meal but it was a while ago, looking forward to go back when I visit Sydney again. Location of it is like finding a hidden gem

Came to china lane twice. Would recommend the wagyu puffs and duck pancakes. They are absolutely fantastic. The duck - never had Peking duck so good. I tried the barramundi, the chicken and lamb rump, they were good but no where near the duck and wagyu.<br/><br/>Also would recommend the chocolate mousse with ice cream. It's big enough to share!

Came here with a group of friends who were raving about how amazing this restaurant was and we decided to get a banquet. The food was nice but did not meet the high expectations that I had. I did however love the rice pudding desserts and the service was friendly, if not a little bit slow.

It is one of the few places that has a great vegetarian spread in its menu. Rare for me to find such fabulous authentic chinese food anywhere. The desserts are also nothing short of scrumptious. <br/>Service is great and so is the ambiance. One of my all time favourite places in Sydney.

China Lane is located in the CBD in a cool laneway with sounds of chirping birds and beautiful birdcages hung from above. A modern and fancy Chinese restaurant with a nice selection on the menu. The king mushrooms and the mackerel were tasty. Excellent presentation. The San choy bao were disappointing and overpriced. We couldn't fit in dessert but there were a few tempting options. Maybe next time.

This is a very strange restaurant. It's a potpourri filled with spices and herbs from East to South East Asia. The dishes don't quite do each influence properly, and you're never sure whether it's intentional for their fusion sensibilities, or is just bad technique. It gets worse when you combine dishes from different regions. At its price, that's a real disappointment.<br/><br/>Also: pickles should be free. $8 is a travesty.

A lot of people I know would dismiss the likes of China Lane and Mr Wong's as overpriced Chinese food which has been Westernized for the masses. Why pay for these restaurants when you could grab delicious Chinese dishes for half the price down in good old Chinatown? Well in my opinion, sometimes you want the tasty dishes but also a bit more of restaurant service. Meaning nice atmosphere, decor, service in addition to the food and this means having too fork out that little bit more. Sure, not likely something to enjoy all the time, but every now and then - why not.

Asian fusion restaurant situated in a small lane way. Nice, trendy and romantic. the hanging bird cages is definitely a feature. <br/><br/>Food..hmmm I found it was a bit average. May be my standard was high as it was set by chin chin in Melbourne.<br/><br/>Food was a bit too oily. It taste all right.

Amazing food, great place. Food and decor have been meticulously thought out and well executed. Highly recommended for special occasions as well as corporate lunches/dinners.

Was a little cautious to eat here on our special weekend away based on the other reviews. However, we had the most amazing night with stunning food. The service was brilliant. Will recommend this restaurant to everyone.

Average. Sashimi is good; deep fried shiitake is good; Crispy chicken is not crispy; pecking duck is too meaty; curry beef is simply not delicious... a bit disappointed, probably won't come back.<br/>Everything is salty, and the lady serving our table is a bit grumpy.

Me and my friend visited with excitement. however<br/>we were treated so badly. They kept us waiting for a long time without saying any comment. <br/>They seemed to ignore us. Especially female staff were very arrogant with bad manner. They just served other customers even if I called them. <br/>I would say we were discriminated by race cuz we were they only asians at that time. <br/>I have never experienced such a rude obvious racial discrimination in sydney. We all know Aussies are generally so friendly and kind especially in restaurant.<br/>Rather, its very hard to find such a poor service restaurant recently. what a surprise@<br/><br/>food was quite nice though, i wouldn't go back here. <br/>

While the menu presents to be traditional style Asian, I would say most of the dishes we tried, were as modern as the restaurant promotes. It's definitely not the type of restaurant my parents and wider Asian family would frequent (crowd at lunch is mainly white collar), it is most definitely has a lunchtime professional lunch crowd vibe. We arrived for the first sitting during a week day and were seated right in front of the door - which I was slightly annoyed at, given we are in the middle of Winter and was freezing each time the doors opened (which was many many times despite the waitress's assurances this spot was warm) and there also were many empty tables available at the time and we had booked the table a several weeks in advance. <br/><br/>The waitresses were friendly, and treated the business crowd with much enthusiasm but I noted with interest, when a cute elderly Asian couple dressed in humbler styled clothing arrived  they were not afforded the same courtesy. They were left waiting at front of house for quite some time (I could see this all unfold as we were seated pretty much at the front door) with not one staff member seeing to them (I felt a desire to go and help them even mid meal!) and finally when the elderly lady made a move to leave, a waitress came over and just tersely said 'we have a table.' Not 'sorry about the wait'. Rude. This was mid meal, which I was actually enjoying.  The staff are also trained in aggressive drink promoting, I was asked if I wanted a drink no more than 4 times. Um, no thank you. no thank you. no thank you. Finally I caved and ordered a coke so she could be satisfied I would pay for a drink. I understand if it was a Saturday night, it may look strange that I was the only person in table not drinking, but come on lady, it's the middle of the week, middle of the day, and it was a client lunch. <br/><br/>Poor table wait staff manners aside, we had the Chef's 7 course menu and the Wagyu was deliciouso - tender and tasty. The scallops were a little dry. My favourite dish was the coconut sago, a wonderful 'take' on my much loved Malaysian favourite. <br/><br/>Would have rated this place much higher as the food is nice, had the treatment of the sweet older couple I witnessed compared to other diners didn't leave a poor taste on this place.

The perfect place to end our anniversary holiday! Great vibe off the laneway as you walk in, it helped the the restaurant was packed and buzzing. Our waitress was exceptional and I'm actually heartbroken my husband failed at leaving her a tip! She guided us through the menu, asked really open ended questions to understand what we wanted from the night and then with an air of authority she said leave it me... Two delicious cocktails arrived shortly after she left and they were matched to our tastes brilliantly! The food started to arrive and it was just plate after plate of amazing flavour! We had the master stock pigs ears, Pork San Chou buo, salt & pepper cuttlefish, tempura quail, and to finish a half serving of the sticky pork belly and Asian greens. We were stuffed!! But agreed it was the best meal we have ever eaten. Thank you for such a delicious experience!

Just had an excellent lunch @ China Lane. Picked a few dishes to share; dumplings, noodles, pulled pork bao & mushroom croquettes all of which were top notch! Sitting outside under the "birdcalls" made it extra special. Will definitely be back again!

You couldn't ask for a more perfect setting, location and setup are beautifully done.<br/><br/>For me one of my fave modern Chinese places to eat and relax at the same time.<br/><br/>Food is always perfect and presented well. Service is delightful and knowledgable

Spice up your evening with an extremely delightful feast for the Zomato x Sydney Festival x China Lane special menu. Glaze with a couple of cocktails to top off the night with good company and flavoursome food of course. Marinate your taste buds through the 9-course banquet with my highlight dishes being the incredibly juicy sichuan chilli chicken and the famous caramelised pork belly! Every dish is delicately crafted with unique combinations of flavours, leaving the biggest smiles on your face.

Ordered: Soy braised crispy pork belly w/ chilli caramel ($34) , Tuna Sashimi (Special) & Coconut Sago with seasonal fruit ($12).<br/><br/>+ The pork belly was very tender and juicy.<br/>+ The chilli caramel sauce was very flavorsome.<br/>+ Tuna Sashimi melts in your mouth- the sauce was sweet and tangy.<br/>+ Generous portions.<br/><br/>- Coconut sago could of been softer and less sweet.<br/>- Really difficult to contact the restaurant to make a booking.<br/>- No booking for table = time limit to eat.

Have been here before a few times and the food has been good but this time the service was very slow and there were cockroaches...enough said

Dinner with a few friends. Nice decor and reasonable service. Food was mixture of different asian dishes ranging from Chinese , Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and more. My friends thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was a bit too salty and pretentious for me. Spent $75 per head which includes wine.

Tucked away in a lane way not far from Wynyard station, China Lane, an absolute treat. A group of 20+ of us made our way here to celebrate two of our friends birthdays and I can safely say this place will remain in my memory. As a vegetarian my dishes differed from those of others but every single dish was delectable and full of flavour. I enjoyed a vegetarian san choy bow, shiitake mushrooms croquettes, soba noddle salad and my favourite, the silken tofu and tomato sambal, I could live off that dish! The meat eaters were happy with their dumplings, quail, bao, pork belly, chicken and other dishes. I can't wait to go back!

I can't believe I hadn't visited this place sooner! Sister to my all-time favourite restaurant, China Doll, it's safe to assume the same high quality is maintained. The restaurant is tucked away in Angel Place so its a nice escape from the bustling George St and Martin Place. It's also a great place for a work lunch/business meetings as the chefs are trained to cook within the strict work time frames (without lowering their quality either). The food is absolutely delicious and the cocktails are a treat too.

I joined some friends for an after work meal to celebrate Sydney Festival on Monday. China Lane is one of the sister restaurants of swanky China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf and China Diner in hipster-eqsue Bondi. With that in mind, I had big expectations and they were certainly exceeded - what a truly enjoyable night! As we walked through the door we were greeted by fantastic and attentive wait staff. The Sydney Festival set menu was varied, extensive and catered to all taste buds and preferences. We enjoyed pickled vegetables, sichuan style chilli chicken wings, prawn san choy bao, edamame soba noodles, two different fish dishes (both incredible!) wagyu beef massaman curry, wok fried asian greens AND crispy chicken. Knowing their soy braised crispy pork belly is a staple at the China Doll venue, we had to order a half serve for good measure. Our feast was then topped off with creamy coconut sago and black sticky rice. Foodwise, the stand outs would have to be the coconut sago, prawn san choy bao and the pork belly. I was on the verge of having to be rolled out of the restaurant as we left - I was THAT full! If you're up for a drink, their drinks list is extensive and they offer a fantastic range of cocktails. Sydney Festival and China Lane have definitely executed this offering, allowing diners the opportunity to eat top quality food at an affordable price point.

What an awesome dining experience. China lane is every bit as good as its big sister China Doll! I was lucky enough to have dinner with a large group which meant we could try an array of beautiful dishes! The mixture of both subtle and bold flavours was just perfection! Even the cocktails were delicate and delicious. This is not just a business lunch restaurant. Must try is the classic caramel pork belly but do not miss the prawn San choy bow, chilli chicken wings and the barramundi. Can't wait to go back!

We went to China Lane on a Monday night as we tried to get into another restaurant nearby which was full and had a ridiculous wait time. I am very glad we did. China Lane has a cosy vibe and attentive staff. The duck pancakes were delicious as was the crispy chicken and the stir fried greens. Highly recommended.

We had the salt and pepper prawns and Porkbelly as mains both of which were underwhelming. I stand that the food is a modern twist, fusion thing but when they lack substance then it's changing for the sake of changing. Not that the dishes were hugely interpretive. The prawns lacked zing and bite of scezhuan pepper and the pork belly was a little greasy. Our large Asian greens were forgotten about by the waitress and arrives at the table after prompting when our mains were almost done which was a shame.

Great restaurant for a group dinner with good share options and an intimate private dining room. Solid wine list and consistent service levels.

It was pretty good Asian food to be honest, not really a fan of the masaman curry but you definitely have to try the pork belly dish!! It's was uh-MAZING!

Had dinner here last night and loved literally every single bite. Have never had chilli chicken wings that good, wagyu beef massaman curry was amazing the meat was so tender, and the salt and pepper prawns were up to standard as well. Amazing service. At first thought the prices were a bit expensive but it is so worth it for the portions you get and the flavour. Pity we live in Melbourne and can't come here all the time because we definitely would.

Oh my God! This rating is a joke, amazingg food, the wagu beef is unbelievable and the staff are so sweet , so glad we came to this place instead of Bulletin Place! Absolutely recommend if

I was super keen to try China Lane as I was starting to feel like I was the only one who had not been there. There’s a first world problem for you:  it’s actually hard to get through all of the places I want to dine. I want to go to them all!. But the day finally came and it was a Friday night after a big work week which was even more appreciated. We got the last outside table and to be honest I felt the choice was easy.

Nice ambience with the bird cages decor and artificial birds chirping outside. Service was good until it became busy and the waitress tried to take away the food we have not finished (not sure whether it was to rush us). A Chinese fusion restaurant but the food was quite salty for my Chinese palate. Fish did not taste fresh but the pork belly and green vegetables were quite nice.

Nestled under the swinging bird cages of Angel Place is China Lane, a chic and casual eatery serving delicious and contemporary Asian food to the hungry diners of Sydney's CBD. We had the pleasure of dining alfresco in the lane (with the help of some conveniently placed heaters) and were blown away at the quality, atmosphere and service of this dining gem.

Beautiful Chinese fusion restaurant set in the lane way behind George street. The staff here are absolutely amazing. Usually we will ask them to just recommend their favourite meals and or surprise us, as this place can do no wrong. If you aren't that adventurous, go for the pork belly or one of the amazing curries!

Very average service at lunch time. Waiter was not attentive, clumsy and generally annoying. Food was average at best - ignore the pigs ears - dry no flavour!

China Lane is owned by the same people that manage China Doll, Woolloomooloo and China Beach, Manly. The restaurant has a stylish yet informal dining feel. We noticed it caters not just to the young crowd but to slightly older crowd as well. My two girls were the only children in the restaurant when we dined, and I am proud to say they are always well behaved in restaurants.

Simply Scrumptious!!. If you want a taste of NYC dining in Sydney, you must visit China Lane. Located in the CBD’s Angel Place under the beautiful Birdcage artwork, my fiancé and I were swept away with it’s romantic hideaway ambience. The prawn, sugar snap & water chestnut dumplings were scrumptious flavour bursts and kicked our night off with a bang. The magic cocktail list made us swoon and we had to try a couple of different ones, each sip matching the food we were feasting on. Our favourite dish was the john dory in a coconut sambal not to mention the mouth watering dessert selection – let just say we left on cloud nine. From atmosphere to service, food to beverages China Lane has got that classy, inventive NYC style mastered. Cannot wait to return!

Rushed and mains were very salty. We had the first seating of the night and we were reminded about 5 times that we have to leave at 8pm. Starters were ok (not exceptional), mains absolutely very salty- had to send one meal back as it tasted extremely salty. Even though all the meals were rushed on our table we had no time for dessert:-(. Great experience in China Doll but definitely not coming back here again. (Supposed to be a rare occasion that my husband and I get a break from our son and have a night out that got ruined by the dinning experience)

This was my favourite dish. Hope that my dinner guest went to the bathroom so I could eat it all.

Beautiful food. The food here is wonderful. I'd have to say it was one of the best asian meals I've had in my life, also such a good atmosphere right next to the lane full of birdcages. It was my birthday night and at the end for a surprise they brought out 4 sago puddings (best sago pudding I've EVER HAD) and it was on the house! If you go, do your self a favour and order the salt and pepper prawns with sichuan pepper.... yum.<br/><br/>They did forget a couple of things on our order but when we told them they forgot it they brought it out in MINUTES! <br/><br/>A beautiful experience and one every asian food lover should try in Sydney X

Love the pork belly dish with the sour chilli sauce - could eat the whole thing!!!. Have been about 5+ times and always come back to this dish

Certificate of Excellence.....hmmmm?. One of the worst restaurant experiences in Sydney CBD. Service:The restaurant manager said that we can have table till 7.45pm after 5min the waitress changed to 7.30pm, After 20min the waitress confirmed "you can have the table for the night". at 7.40pm the dessert menu was given to us and as we didn't feel for any dessert we were told that we have to vacate the table. Result: whole evening "fight" for a table. Service rating: PATHETIC.Food: Only highlight of the evening were sichuan chilli chicken wings ($18). The silken tofu with tomato sambal a micro one teaspoon dish priced at $16 gave us clear indication that we are heading for a total rip off night. Undoubtedly the poorest quality dish was wagyu beef makassar $34 looked and tasted as overcooked lamb shanks. Food rating: BELOW TERRIBLE.

Worst dining experience ever. 1. the waitress who served us and took our initial orders was abrupt and rude. <br/>2. both of the main meals that we were given were incredibly salty. <br/>3. our meals were served far apart so that my partner had pretty much finished his dinner before mine was even served. <br/>4. the restaurant was very noisy and we could hardly hear each other speak.<br/>5. We were over-charged $$ on an item that we didn't even order, but the cashier gave us the refund at the end and apologized for the mistake

The food was no fuss Chinese tapa style, this restaurant is also in the heart of the city so I assume they also do a quick lunch for the suits. Lots of fresh sashimi, scallops and prawns which were seasoned to perfection, we had the salt and pepper prawns which were lightly fried but not greasy and the size where MASSIVE, and we got a free tapioca pudding so that is always a bonus

China Lane is to be found below a myriad of bird cages, next door to the City Recital Hall on Angel Lane. It is the third restaurant to open as part of the China Doll and China Beach family. We went as a group of 7 and grabbed a table in the outdoor area, which was generously heated. Would definitely recommend booking ahead of time, especially for larger groups – the restaurant was completely full on a Thursday night. Service was wonderful and attentive.

One of my favourite dishes of the evening were the Crispy Lamb Ribs with Tamarind, Chilli & Plum. If there’s one thing that you probably don’t need to do with a fatty lamb rib is deep fry it, however, this cooking method seems to crisp up the rib perfectly whilst keeping it juicy and sweet in the middle.

The first time I walked passed China Lane I almost missed it.  You see tables, but no obvious sign and no China-ish theming outside.  I looked at the menus people had on the tables outside to determine that I was at the right place. Look up though, and you will see a fabulous menagerie of birdcages. If you’re going during warm weather, ask for a table outside on the cobbled pathway and people watch a little. The other reason that I prefer outside is that the inside is well, meh.  Its a 70′s look, wood laminate type walls, some green vinyl looking couches, a little dark. Not quite sure how it all ties together. On both occasions its been a little hard to get the energetic waitstaff’s attention, they are all zipping around all over the place. But once you do have it, they are all gushing and friendly. Its reliable modern Asian here, fresh, well executed, and I’m sure it will become a CBD regular, in part due to the fact that you can get out there for $50-60 a head if you want to fairly e

My highlights were the Pulled pork bun and the Crispy pork belly. The service was good and the waiter who attended us while taking our order was kind enough to suggest we reduce the quantity for the pulled pork bun and the pork belly as he was concerned we would struggle to finish all the dishes. He was right, we were feeling quite full towards the end of our meal.

This place…looks heaps funky, fusion and nice…and right by the Argyle….so I knew it would be a relatively pricey meal. I normally don’t like paying for pricey Chinese food…being Asian..lol…but went to this place because my friends were all catching up with a friend visiting from Hong Kong . This place we nice…the food is a little fusion…has the Chinese tastes but adding some western ingredients in… It was lovely…all the dishes were full of flavour..and we had a few dishes to try too. The bill actually didn’t work out to be too expensive, it was around 60 dollars per person? I do think this place is worth it, if you are going for someone’s birthday or a special occasion and want something different. It’s popular! So must book!

I liked China Lane as soon as I walked in. Its website says “it could be described as Shanghai meets Madmen” but I would say it is a little more relaxed and less complicated than that description allows. It has none of the pomp and circumstance of many of Sydney’s modern eateries, but is quiet, understated and very unassuming.

What better time for unveiling the latest sibling of China Doll (Woolloomooloo) and China Beach (Manly) in Sydney's CBD than when China is on top of the sporting world, leading the medals table at the London Olympics? At least they were when I started writing this .... damn you Yankees! Barely a week old, China Lane has popped up in - where else? -  a laneway, but not just any old inconspicuous laneway. Situated in the middle of well known Angel Place off Martin Place, it is surprisingly around the corner from The Ivy and Merivale's stable of hipster nosheries, and it is not hard to spot; directly above its entrance is a menagerie of empty bird cages that is a magnet for tourists and their cameras. Inside the restaurant and it's as homogenised an interior as they come: dark walls, dark ceiling, and predominantly dark furniture with minimal no decorative pieces or artwork to draw attention. The kitchen is visible through an open window and there is a bar on one side of the room. Not sma

Good service and an enjoyable banquet ($50 per person) tempts me to return to try other dishes. Favourite dishes were Crispy master stock pig’s ear and Chilli lemongrass cuttlefish with garlic & chilli vinegar although everything served was enjoyed.

We swooned over the bbq lamb ribs, in all their finger-licking glory. Cooked with tamarind, lemongrass, chilli and peanuts and the balance of key flavours was spot on.

Beautiful Lunch. I had a beautiful lunch with a colleague at China Lane recently. The ambience of lunching in the laneway under the bird cage was great and the food and cocktails were superb.

Chinese food for middle class white people. We went here over the weekend expecting it to be proper Chinese fine dinning, instead we got pub Chinese style Australian food. There are so many of these new restaurants around I am really sick of them. Obviously it was designed for middle class white people who cant deal with eating at restaurants with Asians, going to Chinatown or dealing with Asian's bad eating habits. Check out their kitchen staff and the people who ate there-all white. It all means the food is really bad. The good bits about this restaurant is it is clean, sociable (noisy), with lots of drinks to offer and it's civilise which is what is lacking in a lot of Asian restaurants out there but dont expect it to be fine dinning either.

Four of us ate here a few weeks ago. The servings are small and pricey, the food was really only okay, but we were drawn in by the ambience.. There was also very loud construction work taking place across the lane. Not a great experience..over $250 for 4 and we left hungry..

Cuisine, China, phenomenal!!!. We all know why places as this get such a poor urban spoon rating.<br/>disgruntled ex employees.<br/>wow, wow, wow.<br/>I have been to the moon and back with my tastebuds. just tantalising and totally satiated is what I can say.<br/>everything from start to finish was sublime.<br/>service. food , ambience come and experience it for yourself.<br/>I have a very refined palate.<br/>this rates in my top 5 of Sydney restaurants!!!!

Amazing, Awesome Chinese food. So different from the rest. Distinctive amazing flavours with fantastic service. In my top 10 Sydney restaurants for sure. A must try, great experience all round

We went before a 7 o'clock concert in City Recital Hall. We waited outside in a biting wind for 15 minutes until they opened at 6. We asked why they didn't open earlier for concert goers and they said they could have a full restaurant and still get people out in 45 minutes! For my $80 or more I would like a more leisurely dining experience than that!

Disapointing overpriced food. Ordered what we thought were two mains. One was entrée sized. Two baby octopi in an unmemorable sweet chilly sauce and some red and green garnish. Wine by the glass came in a huge glass with little more that a tasting dribble at the bottom. I asked the waiter for a recommendation. He looked confused, burbled something and left. For one entrée, one main, a glass of white, a beer and a sparkling mineral water, $93 including a credit card surcharge. Obviously we left no tip.

Divine. Had a fantastic meal Saturday night. Not your normal Chinese, it was delicious. Staff attentive. Absolutely delicious.

Are there last night .. The food was interesting & good .. But why is it when there are two people .. And you have duck pancakes .. Do they only give you 3 pancakes ? We had to ask for another pancake .. the service was sharp ! Frenetic ! Rude ! Unnerving ! Diabolical ! Had to go to Felix for a calming drink after that very unrelaxing dinner at China Lane !!!

China lane. i will never return. We were not greeted properly at the door and had to queue outside despite having reservations. We had been told we had to be out of the restaurant at 8 o'clock and as we were eating at 6.30 had not a problem with that. However, the food came before our glasses of champagne, all the three dishes arrived so promptly that we were finshed, yes, by 7.05! <br/>The food was good and the service pleasant but the speed and lack of ambience made the 35 minutes we spent in the restaurant most disappointing. Do not go here in search of a pleSant dining experience! You have been warned!

So so food and poor service .... So so food and poor service<br/>Too noisy for a work lunch

Good food, good staff, but too pricey!

Sensational dining experience. China Lane is set in Angel Place off George Street - the laneway with all the bird cages. This made for an excellent setting for one of the best dining experiences I have had in Sydney.<br/><br/>Hands down the best customer service I have experienced at a restaurant. The staff, particularly our main waitress, were fantastic. Friendly, knowledgeable, down-to-earth and happy to have a quick chat at the end of our meal.<br/><br/>The food was also fantastic. Their dishes are designed for sharing which made it a great way to try a number of different dishes. I was a big fan of the chicken wings and the salt/pepper prawns. But every dish was great.<br/><br/>I highly recommend checking this place out. Personally, I think the outside seats are a great spot for entertaining guests from outside of Sydney.

Fabulous lunch. My husband and I had the good fortune to dine at China Lane today and found the experience amazing. The restaurant was busy but everything appeared to run smoothly due to the very efficient waiters. Being vegetarian we were very pleased to see so many dishes for us and all of a high standard. We enjoyed all our dishes esp the desserts so please leave some room for the latter.<br/><br/>We would like to say a big thank you to Cameron our gorgeous waiter who was super efficient and treated us like old friends. Additionally he was very knowledgeable and certainly enhanced our experience. Thank you Roger and Martina bondi

Yum!. It was our first time there and we happened upon it by chance! We got a table on a Friday night straight away and although the waitress was a bit pushy with what we wanted to order, we still had a great time. The food was excellent and it was reasonably priced. The decor was fantastic. Will definitely visit again!

Worst experience I've ever had at an overpriced restaurant. Tonight, I booked a surprise dinner for my wife accompanied by my inlaws and family.<br/>Sat down by weirdo looking waiter with a sleazy looking 'car salesman ' moustache.<br/>This particular waiter showed total utter disrespect in selling us the menu, <br/>Not only did he put my father law in his place, he managed to make my wife go to bathroom and cry,<br/>The story gets worse and worse and I'll stop here for a second and wait for my phone call from management before we go on with review!<br/>If the management have any compassion to my story, or care about me revealing the next part of my horrible experience at this place , please don't hesitate to contact me directly on <br/>Michael 0414 396 936<br/>'Oh yes and I'm one of the Sydney food Heath inspectors' <br/>See you or hear from you soon

This was such a god awful place with bad service which I could forgive if the food was at least average! It could have easily been from a food court but for triple the price! Very disappointing and big waste of money! Don't be fooled by the cages and the deco...!

Excellent meal and great service, everything was delicious and well presented, staff were terrific too, a perfect evening

Great anniversary dinner. My husband & I was there last weekend and enjoyed the food immensely. We ordered the spiced pork belly and it was superb and delicious! The other dishes (lamb with star anise, braised green vegetables) and our entree (duck pancakes) were also excellent. I'm Australian of Chinese descent but I'm no food snob and enjoy a good meal as the next person and happy to pay for good quality food and attentive/friendly service. Glad we finally booked to come here. Must mention that bookings look to be essential as the steward did turn couples away even though we did see free tables during our dinner there (we were one of those couples a few months ago). Just a side observation.

3 of us had a terrific meal at China Lane on Wednesday night. All of the dishes were beautifully cooked and presented - particularly the cured trout with tofu and the sloooow braised wagyu. I suppose arguments could be made as to how "authentically Chinese" the food is, but why should anyone care when the quality is excellent? We had a marvelous (I think) French waiter, but all the staff were friendly and helpful. Great night, we look forward to returning.

Decent food but slow service. Had the $59 banquet menu a few weeks back for lunch, and while the food was pretty decent, overall the menu was a bit too salty to match well together. <br/>The inattentive staff and slow service did not help the experience, with large gaps in attention from staff (10 minutes for water to come, 20 minutes between the main and dessert). <br/>The meal ended up taking 2 hours, which does not bode well when people are busy.

Avoid it. The food is overpriced, the service is poor. In short a bad experience was had by all! If you want expensive Chinese (which this place is) that is worthy of the cost (which this place isn't) go to Spice Temple. If you want good Chinese that is cheap and cheerful - go to BBQ King!

Good food, great location, not sure about dessert. What's great? John Dory with coconut sambal, soy braised pork belly with chilli caramel, slow braised wagyu shin and, asian greens with asparagus and tofu, to balance the tastes. The atmosphere was good, just the right level of casual and noise for a group night out. The location charming. But skip the Asian desserts - the mahjong chocolate is verry pretty for puctures but excessively sweet, it should have health warnings; the sticky black rice ok; the coconut sago is good but you can get that anywhere.

Lemon & Ginger Chicken awesome as was the pulled pork bao. Lovely Melbournian ambience & a visit to the trendy amenities is a must. Wish there was something of this standard in Brisvegas!

Excellent service, perfect location and food comparable with the likes of Hakkasan in London. Always seems a bit cheaper than expected when the bill comes, too, which is quite a pleasant dessert!

Great venue. Great food. Great staff

Highly Overrated. Average-Tasting <br/><br/>Highly Overpriced (when the portion is so small and the food is average-tasting and mediocre)<br/><br/>Bad Service <br/><br/>NEVER COMING BACK!!!