We love Chef lees, the food is good and better quality than the Chinese place located right down my road. I find it to be worth the drive. It's much easier for us to do take out though, the prices are a bit high but..we will be back! read more

Updated!!! December 2014 Okay so I have always liked the food, and my previous rating is based upon the Atmosphere and I can't eat that. DO NOT EVER BRING a party here. The service is horrible. We had about 18 people this past Saturday and I got one glass and never a single refill or even asking about one. The worst part if you are with a reserved party you ARE FORCED to pay a tip even if the service is HORRIBLE. When I spoke to the register clerk he offered to get the manager, but I never saw him instead the head waitress brings the waitress up and points saying is this the one. I was like really!! I paid because a family member is good friends but seriously planned service should be a lot better especially if you are forcing people to pay a tip! I do not tip when I get bad service! Oh the bartender is AMAZING. Ask anything and he will Oblige. In fact I would go here just to sit at the bar if I could! read more

Review I went here with intentions of eating Chinese food. Being from NY i thought I knew how it WOULD be. Let me get into it this review now. First off their menu had no photos of what they make. Every other place, even restaurant, have had some photos so you know what you were getting. I ordered the Orange chicken. I THOUGHT i knew what orange chicken was. Normally you get chicken pieces cut up, breaded, and fried with orange sauce. What i got was chicken breast, like a grilled patty, and they breaded and fried it and poured sauce on it. Then they cut it up into some sort of strips. Nothing like I wanted. The sauce was horrible. They gave an egg roll, or at least i think it was an egg roll, about 3in long, if that. Also came with from fried wonton or something. My son got general tso chicken. When it came out it looked nothing like other general tso chicken i have ever ordered. The chicken looked like calamari and had sauce poured over it. Half of the chicken was sauceless. The only thing that was somewhat ok was the garlic chicken. It just came with to much veg. read more

The exterior is flat out ridiculous. It is over the top. The interior decorations continue the same theme. However, the food is just OK. Not great, not wonderful, just OK and very greasy. Service was not very fast or attentive, and when another waitress was flagged down she was a bit rude. Go here for the "ambiance" of the ridiculous designs, not for an excellent culinary experience. read more

Chef Lee's Peking Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Columbus, Georgia

This is hands down the best Chinese restaurant with which I've had the pleasure of dining. The entrance corridor is elaborately designed and should appeal to all ages...for me to even notice a restaurant's decor is saying plenty (since giant HD TVs or a hot bartender is about all that I'll let distract me from good company and quality food). Regardless, you walk into the sound of rushing water - which cascades off one wall, and then you notice an aquarium serving as another wall - and just when you think the place has got spunk......you realize you're walking over the bottom of the same aquarium, and through the clear floor are a collection of koi to add even more color. The food was great, along with the service....and there's nothing like having Chef Lee, himself, walk out- introduce himself, and provide food suggestions, which...btw....he prepares himself! read more

Had a quick lunch with the wife today. Food was just right, service superb, and cost just a few dollars more than fast food. Beautiful decor, cool pond, plenty of parking. We'll see you again soon. read more

Chef Lees seems to be the place to in Columbus for Chinese. However our visit this day was not the best. Service was good but food was nothing special at all. I had ordered the Prawns and the breading was quite soggy. Shrimp did not appear cooked all the way through. My son had ordered sweet and sour chicken and once again breading was soggy. Disappointed on both meals and for the price we would of better off going to a fast food Chinese chain. Not sure we will visit again. read more

First time and never again..... this chicken and broccoli smells awful like pig guts. I couldn't smell it at first but I tasted and taste was pungent so I smelled it and nearly threw up. The only reason I'm not taking it back is bc I am way too tired. So not what I expected, this place is too beautiful for the food to smell or taste like this. read more

Chef Lee's has been a tradition for our kids for the first day of school - and today was their last one. The staff was patient with our big group, and the food was quick & delicious. Fun experience for us. read more

I have tried food at dinner time but never ate at lunch time. Hostess is a bit rude when she welcomes customers. Seems like she has memorized the same phrase every time which make it sound like she does not want to be there..why should I? Lunch dishes come with a nasty egg drop...hot & sour also was not tasty at all. My vegetable pork was served in an ocean of dark sauce not that appealing to me. Overall, I think this place deserves two stars because they concentrate more in the volume of people coming in than the quality of food. This is not an authentic Chinese restaurant option in town, neither a first choice for people who enjoy the art of cooking! read more

First of all the restaurant itself is beautiful. The staff is very friendly and the service is quick. The food is delicious, especially the Mongolian Beef. My daughter was enchanted with the koi in the koi pond in the front of the restaurant. Tonight was our first visit, but we will definitely be back! read more

I love Chef Lees and spend a lot of birthdays and family meals there. It is delicious and I love the Mongolian Beef and Mu Shu Chicken. Mrs Lee and the rest of the staff are amazing. We can't wait to come back! read more

As a Chinese Food lover, I would say this place is the best you can get in the Columbus, GA Area. The food here is good and the service is prompt and quick. They have a secret menu that is not on the menu. If you want to try and Chinese-Korean Collaboration dish and you are an adventurer, I highly recommend trying the "JIA JIANG MYUN," it is a black bean based sauce with meat and vegetables poured over some delicious noodles. They also have an entree that is similar to General Tsos that is called the "TONG SUE YOOK," sweet sauce and crunchy fried chicken exterior. read more

Food was not what I ordered... I ordered chow mein (veggies) and they sent me Lo Mein (noodles) and then told me it was chow mein with noodles... first and last time buying from this place... buyers beware... read more

We have been a customer since 1988. Our favorite Chinese restaurant. We make the drive from Montgomery, AL at least once a month. The Mongolian beef is second to none. Highly recommend without reservation whatsoever. read more

The best Chinese/Peking food on the planet!!! It was my family's first meal in Columbus after being away from Columbus, Georgia for ten years. It was even better than we remembered! read more

Very disappointing, was there with a group of about 30. Got there late and last to order at my table, others already had their soup. Got my soup quick enough then was among the first to get my meal - sweet and sour chicken, worst I've ever had. Chicken way dry and not hot. Appeared to be a leftover order that they served. I did not complain, I just will not return. This is supposed to be an upscale Chinese restaurant but they take shortcuts you would expect at lower priced places. They don't need my business and for sure won't get it anymore. read more

This place is great for the price! I feel like you get every penny and not to mention the decoration and everything!

Standard go to Chinese food in Columbus.quickly seated and waited on. Food is pretty consistent. I get same thing every time. Prices are great for lunch. They nearly double for dinner. read more

I always enjoy eating at Chef Lee's. We came for Father's Day and was pleasantly surprised at how short the wait time was for a family of 7. I love that they offer their lunch special on Sundays! It's always more than enough food, so I don't care to order the dinner portions because that is way too much. I ordered Mongolian beef and when it arrived it was hot and cooked to perfection. The only thing that was lacking was their Flower soup (aka egg drop). It was lukewarm (everyone else in my fam that ordered it thought so, too). They probably just need to make sure they stir the pot and dip from the bottom before placing in bowls. Overall, everyone was satisfied with the service and their dinner and we will be returning soon. read more

Really good restaurant that never lets me down! I highly recommend if you are wanting some good Chinese food.

UGH. The fact that so many people in Columbus rave that this is the "best Chinese in Columbus" says a lot about the city's dismal restaurant selection. I've been to Chef Lee's a few times and probably will not go back. I went for lunch the other day, and the server was extremely brusque to the point of rudeness, and she brought my food less than a minute after I ordered it, which indicated that their food (or at least lunches) must not be freshly cooked. After I salted my meal, she came back, grabbed the plate back and said "wrong order!" took it away and then came back and plunked the right order down on my table. The food was so bland it had almost no flavor, and the egg roll tasted like it was a month old and barely reheated. It was so hard to chew that I took only one bite. Sadly, this might be one of the better Chinese restaurants in town. read more

Had my sisters graduation party here for about 25 people and it was awesome. The wait staff and management were wonderful. The food was so delicious and well worth the money. read more

The food was less impressive than the architecture. If you haven't already look at the pictures. The building alone makes it worth going to once. The food and the service, at least on a Sunday afternoon, were less impressive. The waitress was carrying on a conversation/shouting match with somebody over her shoulder as she took our order. The garlic eggplant was overcooked and underflavored to the point that it was essentially generic bland food mush. The shrimp in spicy sauce wasn't *bad but wasn't particularly *good either ... and it was definitely NOT spicy. Would have been nice if they'd asked: "how spicy would you like this?". We asked our waitress for hot oil shortly after the food arrived but she never came back with it. When we were almost done eating we were able to get the attention of somebody else and got some just before we finished ... so not terribly useful. More rice would have been good. Not terribly expensive but not cheap either. $37 for 2 entree 1 appetizer lunch. Now that I've been there I doubt I'll go back. read more

Having eaten Chinese Food all over the world and often in New York City and California, this place had some of the best Chinese food I have ever eaten and the price was incredible. Before the pandemic, our table usually ordered the Mongolian Beef, House Chicken, Moo Shu Pork, Kung Pao Chicken and Sesame Shrimp. We also had their Hot and Sour Soup (better than the Hot and Sour Soup at the Chef Lee's Mandarin House in Monterrey, CA) and Egg drop soup. Every dish was seasoned perfectly! Service was efficient and quick. Even if there are long lines to get in (before pandemic), you still got seated quickly and the food came surprisingly fast. Every thing was super clean (including the bathrooms). This restaurant is now my favorite Chinese restaurant! Since the pandemic, we have been trying different menu items by Take-Out. So far, we have never been disappointed! read more

Food can be good, but the boss lady running around barking at employees spoils the experience. She stepped in front of me one time and I could not sit down with my wife until I finally asked her in a demanding tone to move. It is really sad she is this way and nobody will stop her behavior. It is rude and causes an intimidating, hostile work experience for the employees, something you can see in the worker's faces when the boss lady is around. It is equally sad that I have cut my visits to Chef Lee's because of her. read more

After reading all of the old reviews, I was hesitant to try Chef Lee's. However, the food was amazing and the score was 100. My son had the chicken chow mein, my husband had the princess prawn, but the star of the night was my twice cooked pork. We even got an order to take home for the hubs who doesn't like cabbage, but thought the cabbage in this dish was fabulous so he got extra cabbage for his to go order. Also, they will make the food without MSG which is a blessing. I would definitely recommend Chef Lee's and we will surely be back the next time we pass through Columbus! read more

its the best columbus has to offer in Chinese food. every thing was on par but nothing is over the top. Fast food for lunch. They also offer everything on there menu diet. So it helps if you are watching carb intake. read more

Nice building, decor, and staff. Matt was our server. We arrived during lunch but wanted to see if the dinner menu was more extensive. New to town, my husband and I ordered the Peking chow mein special over crispy noodles. My fault for not clarifying that the crispy noodles were not chow mein noodles. The "noodles " were fried won ton noodle pieces. We also ordered the Mongolian beef dinner portion also. Food arrived quickly and was not terrible. White rice was served with carrot and peas..interesting. If you are originally from California, Seattle, Portland, New York, or any area that has a Chinatown presence , you won't be happy. All others, the food is freshly made to order and comes out quickly..you will be happy and full. As we all know, our past experiences with food, our travels, and our personal preferences define our expectations. This is just one person's opinion from one point of view. Overall, I would encourage anyone to try the lunch menu to gain perspective. It's very reasonsable. read more

Love this place, it's magical with the see through glass floor in the front with all the dozens of koi fish swimming beneath you! I was scared to step across the floor at first, but I seen plenty of patrons with no weight conscience standing around so I decided, why not! the service was nice, the atmosphere is so thought provoking! I've ate there many times, and each experience was better than the last. It's a pricey place, but the food is delectable, if you want something exciting and want to step over to the adventurous side, go with the pineapple duck, the shrimp in lobster sauce, or you can do something familar, like the teriyaki chicken or sweet & sour chicken. The fried rice is always wonderful, never greasy! Fun, pleasant atmosphere, always crowded but never too busy for taste buds bursting with curiousity! read more

I honestly don't know why this place isn't rated higher. The service is fast and food just keeps coming out. Was visiting my brother at Fort Benning and we brought him here twice because my family loved it. Being from a predominantly Asian area in California, this place does great Chinese food. read more

a case of knowing what to order. there really aren't many great chinese restaurants in our area. or, if they exist i have yet to try them. chef lee's suffers from what most chinese establishments in america suffer from, their clientele. i don't think that most people in our awesome city know too much about authentic chinese. conversely, the owners/chefs probably think that we're only interested in ameri-chinese cooking. hence the bland egg rolls, piss-colored egg-drop soup and virtually blah food that William P. described. most experienced foodies will tell you that the best litmus test for chinese fare anywhere in the world is to start by ordering clear broth. the basis for almost all good chinese cooking, clear broth is essential in the millions of delicious chinese soups and dishes we all love. it also happens to be the main ingredient in wonton soup. chef lee's doesn't even have wonton soup. what does that tell you? essentially, the lunch special is the big draw. (also, the really inexpensive bar). but, if one knows what to order, it can actually be pretty good. for example, if you're in the mood for a big mess of fried, go for the special $15 egg roll. it's large, fun and great for sharing. the regular egg rolls aren't worth a lick. the hot and sour is the better of the soups. i would say that the shrimp fried rice is the best rice option and the black mushroom pork is a great standby and probably the reason i'll keep coming back. though loaded with cornstarch, the szechwan chicken is also pretty good. at the end of the day, the sad fact remains that columbus goes without excellent chinese every day. for now, anyway... read more

The egg drop soup is absolutely amazing. When I go I order the same thing everytime, the mongolian chicken. Why mess with perfection? My husband on the other hand has tried the entire menu, and has raves reviews! The only reason I didn't give Chef Lees 5 stars, was because of the hostess. We are regulars and they are just not friendly at all. Also I always have to ask for a straw. That may seem small but it's important to me. read more

If you're up for cold soup served up with some even colder service, this is the place. Chef Lee's USED to be great but over the years has just declined - especially where customer service is concerned. From the hostess who barks at you, throws menus on the table and never smiles or makes eye contact to the server who rushes you to place an order, to the soup as cold as your ex's heart (even after sending it back), you'd be better off going somewhere else. Yes, you can get in and out on your lunch break and the main entree was decent but I'd rather give another restaurant my business than deal with these grouches again. read more

First off, I'm Chinese. I grew up on Chinese food. I lived in NYC, ChongQing, Vancouver, and Hong Kong. This is not Chinese food. What it is is American food with Chinese decor. I was served with silverware and plates. I had to request for the chopsticks. The food is bearable and what you would expect from a take out. And I had better take-out "chinese" food. However, with a lack of choice in Columbus, I would rate this higher if I'm rating based only on what is available in the area. But, I don't live here so for the people visiting that are not a stranger to real Chinese food, you might want to try the Korean food options :). read more

This place is fantastic. It has spectacular curb-appeal, but isn't in a good location. It seems ultra-fancy, but the prices are actually lower than it seems they would be. Aside from that, it's a generic chinese-food place. Service is fast & friendly, food is not bad, but they really should consider cutting some trees for higher visibility. read more

The food at Chef Lee's isn't the best Chinese ever, but it's probably the best chinese in Columbus. I have been eating here since it opened, and my favorite dish is definately the shredded pork with garlic sause. They get extra points for the plexi glass floor that allows you to see the fish swimming around under you. read more

The food is outstanding but the gentleman who works at the front register was very rude. The waiting staff was inexperienced. Soon as i put in my appetizer order the waiter jetted off before i could finish. This place is lucky the food is good. read more

We came to Columbus to ride out the storm that hit Florida. What a wonderful surprise to find this wonderful restaurant. Not only is it beautiful but the food was delicious. We had the lunch specials and where very satisfied. If you're in the area definitely a great choice! read more

Ms. Lee was our server, and boy howdy she needs to just take a nap. I have been going to Chef Lee's with my family since 1997, back when they had the old location with the impressive grotto. This was such a disenchanting experience, it was my first time back in 3 years, and I regret to say it will be my last. The tea has always been incredible. The fried rice is great, even better that it is complimentary. That service was shameful. I have never felt more unwelcome in an asian restaurant. I have worked in five different asian restaurants in the past 6 years. I currently work at Chili Thai, so I know the business. It was unacceptable the way we were treated. Her tone was very dry, unfriendly, and condescending. She told me I looked like a little girl and laughed to my face. In the 20 minutes we were there, we were reminded a total of 7 times that they closed in 30 minutes, a fact I was very aware of as I called before coming over. My girlfriend and I were basically rushed out the door ten minutes after we got our food even though three tables had still yet to order and we were very much not the last people to leave. Also, the pineapple chicken looked like the new IT movie. It was this scary neon clown makeup red and the sauce was so bland and sweet at the same time you could barely taste the large visible chunks of pineapple. Kool-aid chicken would have been a much more fitting name. We left a 20% tip she very much did not deserve. With all due respect Ms. Lee is just awful and needs to learn how to talk to people. read more