Review China Inn Restaurant & Bar - Palmerston North

Our experience of dining at this long serving establishment in the Manawatu is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable, one of the most memorable, & by far one of the best outings as a family we have ever had. Friendly, professional, & simply incredible hosts made way for some of the most sumptuous meals we've eaten. Charismatic & devoted owner Danny Yeung, & staff are the epitome of what caring for your customers is all about. Loved every minute of our time as soon as we walked in. Sharing stories, having a laugh, & being made to feel welcome is what Danny & his team do best, & they are miles ahead in this department in comparison to all the other eateries we have visited over the last 4 years of living in Palmerston North. We would love to congratulate Danny & everyone on their dedication to the tireless work & joy they have provided many locals, visitors & others over the last 37 years of business in the region. We left with happy hearts & satisfied tummies. We wish all the very best

Dining at this restaurant was an experience in both hospitality and traditional family authenticity. From the slightly over cheery greeting to the understated attentiveness the service was top notch. Not in a silver service way but in a way that reminded me of old world charm. I ordered entree and main and both arrived within good time and I was impressed by the flavor and freshness of each dish. There was nothing flashy but the sauces were not over done and the servings were liberal. I left the meal feeling satisfied and not overwhelmed by any greasy sheen. Upon leaving I was given a few Roses chocolates which really was a surprise. There is something I like very much about the attention to detail. It made me feel like a valued guest even though this was the one and only time I have dined here. This is certainly worth a spin.

After being caught up in traffic coming out from wellington. On route to Napier we stopped at the China Inn. Not been there before,what a delight. The staff were all very friendly. They had a karaoke night on lots of fun. But the food was amazing !!!! We had a special deal $22.50 each so much food from start to finish ....would definitely recommend this place 😀

I'm 19 now and I remember singing karaoke with my sister, mother and father when I was very little. Now I see Danny when I'm in town drinking, and he is still as lively, bubbly, entertaining and approachable as ever. The food and drinks are cheap, and the karaoke is the best and makes for a good laugh (especially on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights)!

Have been going to the China Inn for over 30 years ago from a teen - still a major favorite. Meals are what you want - can order the small quick banquet or go the full meal deal - everything fresh and plentiful - delicious! China Inn is a place of fun and smiles, unrelenting service and amazing hospitality. Great Atmosphere when its just the two of us, with a group and with the whole family when in town . Thankyou for making kids, birthdays and everyone feel amazingly welcome. Love this place - Danny and staff you're brilliant! ............Not many restaurants can top what you do.....

First time here in many years and the service and quality is still amazing! Food was hot, fresh and delicious! Even as a take away and walking back to my motel, the food was still piping hot by the time I got there. Staff were warm and welcoming, and even indulged in some small talk that made the experience and wait for food even more relaxing.

Don't know how we ended up there one night but some of my best memories of Palmerston North was at this place. The seediness adds to the karaoke bar atmosphere ☝️. Can't comment on the food and based on photos I've seen it's probably best to avoid.

Absolutely awesome haven't been for some time and fantastic greeting from Danny and Nancy. Beautiful food spot on service and an amazing night with friends who also loved karaoke. Thank you two for a memorable evening and thank you to my friends for your magnificent singing we made happen and your continued friendship I so cherish. That's what China Inn does for me provides a place to catch up with long time friends who also want to sing. And great food in the mix . Thank you once again. Will be back very soon. Love Momo.

Well from the time we entered until we left. We were greeted by our hosts shown to our table with courtesy and hilarious introduction to the menu. Very entertaining if you love to sing and even if you can't. A laugh a minute. Didn't take long to bring out our food. We had the banquet for two which consisted of 5 courses. Couldn't eat it all. Brought the rest home. Lovely evening had by all. My husband was presented with a birthday cake and a box of chocolates because it was his 65th birthday. Wonderful evening.

Good food. Amazing service! Meals were affordable. Tasty and crowd loved them. Super friendly owners who spoiled all of our children with sweets and chocolate after their desserts. Highly recommend

Absolutely top notch! Went on a fine and very warm, Monday evening, only punter in the house. Greeted like a king, 3 sauce steak was just banging and tons of it. Washed down with a deliciously cold Tsingtao, couldn't speak highly enough!

Went out with our family tonight and had a really great time. 7 children, and 6 adults. The Waiter and the waitresses really turned it on for us. From go to woa (the Chinaman, by his own admission) kept our table covered in lollipops, chocolate fish, and drinks for the littlies and adults. (Non alcoholic). Then it was time for dinner. All that we ordered was pretty much eaten, with a couple of doggie bags to take away left overs. Needless to say the food, the atmosphere, the staff, was all first rate. Hence 5 stars.

Good place to be entertained even if you don't like karaoke. Drinks are not expensive neither is the food. Danny the owner has a nice way of interacting with customers.

Awesome place and good price. Will definitely go again

I can't even recall the times I have been in here. Whether for a steak on a hot plate, a Chinese smorgasbord or a late night drink and a listen to some drinkin singin. China Inn is a great spot to chill out and enjoy a low key and easy dining experience. China Inn has added a lot to the Palmy experience and is a favorite for lots of people.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TIME! The food was amazing, the service was great, and the karaoke was phenomenal with a massive selection. I would highly recommend going here!!!

Danny, the owner of the restaurant is very kind! He serves every customer with passion and smile. What impressed me most was the BBQ pork fried rice and the happy atmosphere around the whole restaurant.

Wonderful dining experience! Love the service and food. A good option for dinner and gathering. Strongly recommend the sweet corn chicken soup.

Amazing service. This definitely made our food taste better 😂 the amount of care they have for their customers is honestly unbelievable. Food was great, we order lemon lime and bitter drinks which were unfortunately really tangy but overall awesome experience and will go back again

Fantastic food, amazing service and great service I highly recommend this restaurant. It was also very clean and has a huge variety of food. Best Chinese food we have had in years.

Such friendly service . Lovely owners who always made sure our water was topped up . Super cheap deals . We got a 4 course meal with lots of main options for only 22.90 each & there was even a option for a 5 course mean for 25.90 . Will definitely be back , you can see there are many regulars who come in . There is also a free karaoke facility for customers . A laugh to watch . But over all thoroughly enjoyed the cheap & cheerful meal . <br/>

Happy, bubbly service every single time, regardless of how busy it is and the food is wide in variety as well as amazing in taste!If you attempt to dine during the dinner rush you should probably expect a wait, but the quality of food is worth a small wait, I wouldn't expect to be served at one of Palmerston North's most popular restaurants during peak in 5 minutes.Great specials for those on a budget, or with bigger appetites, and I highly recommend the duck!

Arrived, and was seated. only to walk over to the buffet to find that there was hardly any food available. waited a while and still no food brought out so we left without eating

We had a less than enjoyable dining experience at this establishment,  the timing of the meals was terrible and my pork main was almost raw in the middle, inedible in my opinion.

China Inn Best place ever for the delicious food, best karaoke bar in town or Manawatu even. Love going to either have a yummy meal or just to catch up with amazing people and friends and enjoy karaoke with the wonderful Willy and Danny, and can't forget the lovely smiling face of Rebecca the awesome waitress.

Been to China Inn and what an amazing restaurant with fabulous food, bar and Karaoke entertainment. After an excellent Crazy Meal with excellent service, Smiling helpful staff, Danny and Nancy my favorite managers. The Karaoke starts at 8.30pm with excellent singers! These must be some of the best singers in NZ no BS! You owe it to yourself to discover this Choice Place. I give this place my highest score. Check it out!

Best karaoke in Palmy. Really good food, especially the spicy chicken wings. Love the crazy deal and steak with mushroom sauce too. Friendly staff. Danny is great。best Chinese food in town and a nice dining experience for decent prices。

I love coming to the china inn-fabulous food and karaoke.enjoy! My favourite dish is the whole fried snapper in sweet chilli sauce，give it a try! I'm a regular visitor to the restaurant and even though I've moved to Australia I always come back when I visit。

Me and my fiancée went to China Inn for Valentines Day. We got the Valentines Day special banquet. It was six courses for a really reasonable price! The salt and pepper chicken wings were amazing. Atmosphere was pretty romantic and the staff were accommodating, Danny has a great personality! We had a good time.

I went to the china inn for a staff party. The service was great everyone was so friendly. The owner Danny was certainly a personality. I had the chinese roast crackling pork. For starters it looked great; it was also nice and crispy and the sauce that came with it went perfectly with the pork. I'll be coming back for more of that pork. cheers china inn!

I went to the China Inn last week for a catch up with my friend who had come to visit. We came in and noticed the Karaoke was on. I asked the waitress if we could have a quiet table and she was very accommodating and put us in the back of the restaurant. I'm a vegetarian and also can't have onion and garlic. I explained this to the waitress and she was very helpful in finding me a suitable dish, I ended up having tofu and vegetables stir fried with vermicelli. It was just as i ordered, despite all my specifications and it tasted great. My friend had sweet and sour pork with chips and actually said it was the best she ever had! She said it was good because it wasn't fatty like most sweet and sour pork. For dessert we both ordered deep fried ice cream balls which were really yummy. I had a great time with my friend and a nice quiet meal that didn't break the bank. Thank you China Inn!

Me and my husband took our two daughters out for a family meal at the China Inn. We were pleasantly surprised when the owner Danny showed up with lollipops for both of the girls the minute we sat down. A very friendly waitress came up afterwards and brought us our drinks straight away. I had their special cocktail the Mambo #4 and I was amazed I could get a decent cocktail so cheap, only $7! Me and my husband each got a chef special. He got the Roast Duck and I got sizzling steak with three-flavours sauce. The steak was to die for! I loved the sauce. I never had anything like it before. They were good with the kids meals too and brought them out quickly so the kids didn't get restless. The kids even got free sundaes. I would definitely go back there again and the kids asked when they can go back again. Thank you Danny.

Whenever I go to the China Inn the staff are always really welcoming and helpful. The owner is even there and always comes and checks on us to make sure we are fine. I really love the gai po and wontons. Will definitely be back!

I went to the China Inn for dinner with my parents last week; the staff asked me what was the occasion, so i mentioned it was my mum’s birthday.<br/> <br/>We ordered the $34.90 specialty banquet, its 7 courses; the Chicken Sweet Corn soup came out piping hot and served with garlic bread, all the rest of course were delicious, fresh and great value!<br/> <br/>When we were waiting for our dessert, a Happy Birthday song came on and a staff brought out a cake and a box of chocolates for my mum, she was so impressed! Mum had a unforgettable birthday at the China Inn. And we will definitely be back!

Me and my girlfriend went to the China Inn for our anniversary dinner. As soon as we walked in we were greeted warmly. I had the gai po and my girlfriend had lamb, both were very good and exciting because they came out on hot plates. The service was good even though they were busy and the owner even gave us some chocolate to celebrate our anniversary! I would definitely recommend it.

This is my local. Awesome food, great service, and the karaoke, the best in town. A lot of fun for all. The menu ranges from snacks to 5 course Chinese or traditional Chinese meals. My favourite, pork dumpling soup, yum yum.

Coast Coachlines brought 35 guys in a Coach on a Sat night in September from Wellington to Palmerston for the weekend. We all had dinner at China Inn the meals are excellent. Karaoke was great we all had a good time.

If you enjoy celery, this is the place for you. I Have tried 2 seperate dishes here and both were indistinguishable from each other. Both contained plenty of celery and not much else. The atmosphere was pleasant but that quickly changed once the karaoke started up.

The usual all tastes the same, sitting over bain maries all day so called Chinese food.