A long-running Edinburgh Chinese institution with strong lunch-menu value, a loyal local following, and plenty of classic dishes, but service speed, takeaway consistency, and occasional quality misses keep it from being a lock for everyone.
Rendezvous Chinese Restaurant delivers solid food quality anchored by consistent praise for signature dishes like duck, beef ho fun, and dumplings, supported by efficient service and warm hospitality. A modest gap between dine-in reliability and takeaway consistency, combined with mixed online sentiment, prevents a stronger grade. The central location and loyal following underscore its role as a dependable neighborhood destination.
Rendezvous feels like one of those old-school city-center institutions that has outlived trends by simply being useful: central, familiar, and often genuinely satisfying. Reviews keep coming back to the same themes — hot food, quick service, a roomy dining room, and the sort of staff who can be either warmly efficient or a bit brisk depending on the day. One regular summed it up like a place people return to for decades rather than just once for novelty. The cooking is classic Chinese restaurant fare with a few more traditional touches: duck, ho fun, dumplings, hand-made noodles, curries, and the usual Cantonese crowd-pleasers. It is not a fireworks show or a tasting-menu kind of place; the appeal is comfort, familiarity, and solid execution when the kitchen is on form. The lunch menu is repeatedly flagged as the sweet spot for value, while a few diners note that takeaway and delivery can be less reliable than eating in. Families should do well here. The menu includes familiar, kid-friendly picks like sweet and sour chicken, chow mein, spring rolls, dumplings, fried rice, ice cream, and banana fritters, so picky eaters are not stuck. That said, this is still a traditional upstairs restaurant with stairs and no lift, so it is a better fit for families who can handle the access setup.
Area vibe: Georgian commercial-residential district with shopping, offices and tourism.
Safety: Generally safe with good lighting and steady foot traffic in evenings on main streets.
What's nearby: Close to Princes Street, Waverley Station, shops, hotels, offices and the New Town restaurant scene.