Walk down Berkeley Street and you’ll see it. The big red doors. Most people walk past them thinking it’s just another stuffy Mayfair spot where you pay £40 for a cocktail and a side of attitude. They aren't entirely wrong about the prices, but they're usually wrong about everything else.
Park Chinois Mayfair London is basically Alan Yau’s fever dream of 1930s Shanghai. If you don't know Yau, he’s the guy who gave us Hakkasan and Wagamama. He wanted to recreate the "dinner and a show" vibe from the Chinois era, and honestly, he went a bit overboard. In a good way. The place cost a reported £40 million to build. You can feel every penny of that in the velvet.
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It's loud. It’s dark. It smells like expensive perfume and Peking duck.
The Tale of Two Floors
You've got to understand that Park Chinois is essentially two different restaurants glued together by a gold-leaf staircase.
Upstairs is Salon de Chine. This is the "safe" choice. It’s all cream, gold, and pink silk. You go here if you want to actually hear the person sitting across from you. There's a live jazz band, a singer who sounds like she stepped out of a noir film, and an atmosphere that feels like a very rich person’s living room. It’s refined. Sorta.
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Downstairs is Club Chinois. This is where things get weird.
If Salon de Chine is a polite dinner party, Club Chinois is the after-party that got out of hand. It’s subterranean, moody, and features a full-blown cabaret. We’re talking burlesque dancers, acrobats, and DJs. It’s basically where Mayfair goes to feel "hedonistic" without actually breaking any laws. If you’re booking for a Saturday night, this is where you want to be, but don't expect to have a deep conversation about your tax returns. The music is loud. The energy is high.
What to actually order (and what to skip)
Most people order the Duck de Chine because it’s the "thing" to do. It’s £115 (or more depending on the year). Is it the best duck in London? Maybe. It’s certainly the most pampered. They prepare it for 72 hours. The skin is like glass.
But here’s a pro tip: the Carbonara with Japanese Wagyu is the sleeper hit. It sounds like a culinary disaster—Italian pasta in a Chinese restaurant? It shouldn't work. It does. It’s rich, salty, and totally unnecessary in the best way possible.
Also, the dim sum. People think dim sum is just for lunch. At Park Chinois, they serve it late. The Scampi Shumai with Beluga caviar is a ridiculous flex, but if you’re already spending three figures on dinner, you might as well go all in.
- The Duck: Order it. Even if it's a cliché.
- The Cocktails: The bar team actually won a Michelin Exceptional Cocktail Award. Ask for the "Rouge Passion" if you like things tart.
- The Wasabi Prawns: They have a kick that’ll clear your sinuses but in a "luxury" way.
Dealing with the Mayfair "Tax"
Let’s be real. Park Chinois is expensive. Like, "oops I accidentally spent my mortgage" expensive.
If you go à la carte, expect to drop at least £150 per person without even trying. However, there is a loophole. They do a weekday set lunch for around £29-£35 (depending on the current seasonal menu). It’s the best-kept secret in Mayfair. You get the same gilded ceilings, the same silk chairs, and the same high-end service for the price of a mid-range steakhouse meal.
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Honestly, the service can be a bit hit or miss if you aren't a regular or a "somebody." It’s Mayfair. It happens. But if you walk in like you own the place and treat the staff with actual respect, they usually take good care of you.
The Dress Code: Don't mess this up
They are strict. Don't show up in your "expensive" gym gear or those Balenciaga triple-S sneakers. They want you in a blazer. They want "smart." I’ve seen people turned away at the door for wearing shorts or flip-flops (who wears flip-flops in London anyway?).
Think "Bond villain on his night off."
Is it actually worth it?
It depends on what you value. If you want authentic, hole-in-the-wall Szechuan food, go to Chinatown. You’ll pay a tenth of the price and the food might even be more "authentic."
But you don't go to Park Chinois just for the food. You go for the theater. You go because you want to feel like you’re in a movie. There are very few places left in London that lean this hard into old-school glamour. It’s over-the-top. It’s flamboyant. It’s a bit ridiculous.
But in a city that’s increasingly filled with minimalist "industrial-chic" restaurants with concrete walls and uncomfortable chairs, the plush velvet of Park Chinois feels like a warm hug. A very expensive, gold-plated hug.
Actionable Advice for Your Visit
- Book the "Opera" table: If you're in Club Chinois, ask for the semi-private Opera area. You get the best view of the stage without being bumped by waiters all night.
- Timing matters: If you want the full show, don't book before 8:30 PM downstairs. The real "acts" don't start until the second seating.
- Check the bill: They add a 15% service charge. It’s standard for Mayfair, but just so you aren't surprised when the total looks higher than your math suggested.
- Use the Dover Street entrance: If you’re trying to be discreet (or just want to feel like a VIP), there’s a side entrance that skips the main Berkeley Street queue.