All the small bites had unique flavors so you would get something different on each bite. The tomato pork chop over rice was definitely a hit. As someone who grew up eating at HK Cafes baked pork chop rice over tomato sauce definitely a staple. And Four Kings definitely did a amazing job in elevating this dish! Definitely will come back again just for the pork chops.
I was a little disappointed given how much hype this restaurant has gotten. I felt that the dishes were too heavy and lacked balance. Portions are also quite large and so the recommended 2-3 dishes per person is a lot of food.
In a city with so many new restaurants, and with fierce competition around Chinese food, Four Kings really stands out. The dishes are riffs on classics with some unexpected flavours but everything is very well made, nicely balanced and always has a little something different. Really loved the rice in clay pot, the eggplant, the egg squash croquettes and the mango pudding. The ambience is also really nice and fun. Highly recommend but it was insanely hard to get a table (they only have two tables of 4). Easier for 2 people (and you can walk in) but you can share less, so maybe go a few times?
Tiny portions. Way too expensive
Skip the skewers, they were meh. The rest of the dishes were good. The only stand out, 'would come back for' dish was the clay pot. It was excellent. For dessert, we got the silky tofu. It was good, as were the other dishes. Nothing to write home about.
From pop-ups around the city, Four Kings’ permanent home is much-deserved and highly anticipated. It’s one of those places you keep returning to for the good vibes, good food, and good drinks. I loved the XO Escargot with the heavenly milkbread, three colored steamed egg, gizzard skewer, shaved ice, and huckleberry hot silken tofu. Plus, the menu with all the cute drawings is designed by the chef!
April 2024: Excited to try this place. Scored reservations on a Mon night and was seated right on time. Drink selection was decent. I tried a local hazy IPA and was happy with the taste. All of the food was excellent. We had the escargots, the pea shoots and the squab! The escargots were spicy and served with a huge milk bread that helped cut through the spiciness of the escargots. The squab was my favorite of the meal. I would get it again sometime in the future... But next time, I am going to try new dishes (like the chow fun ). Service was good. No issues.
I visited Four Kings on a weekend night and the place was pretty packed. Make sure to make reservations on Open Table in advance if you plan on dining here. The atmosphere is truly an intimate bar style and I recommend seating at the bar if you are dining with a date so you can enjoy the open kitchen. The meal starts off with complimentary peanuts and cucumbers. They were both really delicious (and re-fillable). Cucumbers go well as a palate refresher throughout dinner. They have a list of unique Chinese beers so I recommend trying one of those or the high balls. Main entree portions are pretty generous. I was able to try several dishes since I shared with friends. Recommend getting the following: 1. Black bean mussels: Flavorful broth that goes well with any rice dishes (or plain rice) 2. Chow fun if you want something traditional or mapo spaghetti if you want something flavorful and spicy similar to an asian carbonara. 3. Claypot rice: This one was my favorite. The crispy rice at the bottom of the pot was delicious. 4. Eggplant: Good portion size and delicious with any of the noodle or rice dishes. 5. Green beans: This was my favorite vegetable dish. Could probably eat just this and rice. 6. Shaved ice or Mango pudding: Get one. Or both. Overall the alcohol and food combined with the atmosphere make it this place a good vibe.