Having been a faithful patron of Full Kee restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, I thought I would try out the "main" or "mother" Full Kee restaurant in D.C. Fodor's 2014 guide to Washington D.C. gave it a great review. Upon entering it, I thought it was going to be great, as many modestly decorated, but authentic, Cantonese restaurants in the U.S. are. But the roast duck was overcooked and a tad dry. The scallops in garlic sauce were sugary sweet -- and the scallops were sliced overly thin (it gave the impression that the dish had more scallops than it did), but they did not amount to more than two and a half scallops. I was so embarrassed by it that I gave all the scallops to my guest. The stirred fried vegetable (豆苗) was excellent. When the server asked how the meal was, I told her that the scallops were too sweet. She just walked away. Then again, when she came at the beginning of the meal to give us the menus, she carried the menus in her armpit. Well, the Full Kee restaurant is Richmond is reliably good. I look forward to returning to it. read more

My boyfriend had been with his family so we decided to go on a Saturday night. First off the weather was terrible and it was pouring outside so getting there was an adventure. The location is a bit on the small side, though they have a downstairs sitting area for larger groups. We ordered the Crab Ragoon for an appetizer and it was okay; I've had better. I had the chicken fried rice and my boyfriend had a half of duck. Both were good. I don't think I would get the chicken fried rice again, it had a ton of onions in it, which I didn't enjoy. if I did get it again I would say no onions. It was pretty expensive for the 2 of us to go, so that was my other issue. The staff was attentive and always there when our waters needed to be filled or when we needed to pay. I would definitely go here again! read more

Pretty decent Chinese place in chinatown DC. They have most of the staple Chinese items. Decent food quality, but nothing stands out as great. Prices not bad, pretty cheap. read more

Stopped by on a tuesday night and it was pretty empty. After eating there, I can see why. The food offered is definitely traditional - no orange chicken here - and service was good, which is why I bumped it up a star. We ordered the jellyfish, peapod tips, and duck noodle soup. Nothing seemed fresh, and everything was too oily. Somehow, even the plain rice was greasy. The duck actually wasn't too bad, but the soup was terrible. On the whole, it was edible but not enjoyable. We didn't finish half our food, and I didn't take it to go. My Chinese grandmother is going to yell at me for that, but... it was just not an experience that I wanted to relive again. read more

We are forced to pay the chip....When it comes to pay the money they were very strong tone .

You know you're in a good Chinatown restaurant when you're the only two non-Chinese people eating in it amidst a crowd of locals who all seem to know each other, despite an event going on outside that's drawing a bazillion people of all backgrounds to the area. Full Kee is That Restaurant. There is nothing remotely "touristy" about it, in fact from the outside it looks like a dive, it's not on a fancy block and the guy is cooking the food in the front window. But the food is good and plentiful, and the atmosphere is friendly with the wait staff busily chatting in Chinese with regular customers, parents bringing in cute little kids, and a good view of the fellow in the window (in the front of the top floor dining room) cooking up interesting-looking grub. There is a slightly fancier-looking dining room downstairs where some people who had reservations were being ushered, but I was very happy to be seated in the main room which is basically no-frills lunch joint, because that's where all the action was going on. DON'T order from the menu. It has about 200 dishes in it and when you're hungry, do you really feel like reading all that? I know I don't. DO order from the 15 or so dishes posted on the wall, which are helpfully translated into English, contain a good gamut of beef, fish, seafood, duck and frog (yes, frog) choices, run between 12 and 18 dollars and serve 2 ordinary people or 1 really hungry person. Or order off the little congee card menu if you're brave enough to try stuff like "pig's blood" as an ingredient. Or skip the menu entirely and just ask for "Shrimp dumpling noodle soup" as half the restaurant was doing. We weren't in a soup mood so ordered some duck and seafood dishes off the wall and were very happy with them. One of the few times in DC I've had duck with an actual meaty, tender, slightly fatty texture unlike pieces of duck-flavored cardboard box. The meat and sauces were just flavorful enough without being so fatty/ greasy as to require an antacid for dessert. As for the service and the restrooms, they're quite functional as long as you remember you're in a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown DC, not at the Ritz-Carlton. Set your expectations accordingly and you will be fine. The service is actually reasonably efficient because the place gets busy and needs to get people in and out relatively quickly, so it doesn't help them to keep you waiting for food or the check because that's not freeing up the table for the next people coming in. At the same time I didn't feel like they were in a hurry to push us out the door like I do at some places. So DO feel free to have a Tsing Tsao beer and just relax about the whole thing. Unfortunately I work clear over on the other side of town or I would probably pop in here for lunch more regularly, but we will definitely go back on a weekend to try some noodly goodness. I'd take this place over a chain any day. And yes, they do take Visa and Mastercard now, as shown by the big credit card stickers on their door, though we paid in cash anyway. They'll also make your food for carryout - just order at the counter. read more

I ate here while in DC a week and a half ago. The food wasn't bad, but the servers looked like they had a long day. (It seemed like we were 'bothering' them,) So-so, but I am used to the Asian restaurants in California ! read more

Staff very funny and courteous. Food was plentiful and tasty. The sesame shrimp was crispy, the general two's chicken was succulent, the noodle soup cames with healthily stuffed shrimp dumplings and the mu shu vegetables were served with obviously handmade pancakes. The staff kept the water and the tea flowing. The usual fortune cookies were complimented by orange slices as well. A perfect dinner to follow up a movie. read more

Hmm. Looks promisingly low-key from the outside but it didn't razzle or dazzle. Good size servings, prices good, and popular (with very good wait time-10 mins with full house, upstairs and down AND line) so maybe we should have ordered the house specialies/recommended at front of menu. I had General Tso shrimp, dinner companions had shrimp with garlic; pork with snowpeas. All brown sauce-type dishes. Veggies and shrimp good but like I said merely okay. read more

If you're a fan of authentic chinese cooking, this is a good place to visit. This place is one of my favorites in chinatown. I like their pork congee w/ thousand year old egg. Their chicken chow mein cantonese style is pretty money too. They're usually a little heavy on the oil and MSG, but that's typical chinese cooking... read more

Overall I found the restaurant in need of better upkeep. It was dirty inside and it questioned the cleanliness of the food. The BBQ pork was good but everything else was way too greasy. You can place the piece of food on a napkin and watch it soak up the oil. read more

Tried the beef, broccoli, pan fried noodles as the restaurant was out of the fish ball noodle won ton soup. Lunch menus are a good value for the money as cost ranged between $11-$6/person. The is a good place to bring a group. Our wait staff was extremely nice when requests are translated into Cantonese. read more

I'm impressed by their hot soup noodles for lunch. Very reasonable prices and good quality (duck or pork noodles)

Out of all the "Chinatown" area Chinese restaurants, I found this one to be the most enjoyable experience. Though I am not Chinese (but am Asian American), I could relate to the entire decor that reminded me of my grandparents kitchen and really gave the restaurant a more home-y feeling. It wasn't try to play itself off as something that was more than it actually is (like some of the restaurants down the street.) The prices were fair, $7 for a Wonton Noodle Soup that was pretty good and probably one of the better ones in DC and significantly more accessible than driving to somewhere like Eden Center. The Beef and Chinese Broccoli Pan Fried Noodles are also really good and more than enough food for 2 people, it's a dish that I would recommend sharing. Overall: Food - 3.75/5 Ambiance - 3.75/5 Service - 4/5 Price - 4/5 read more

Decent chinatown place to grab some quick food. Wonton noodles and beef with vegetables were not bad. Congee was kind of weak. This place is comparable to the average noodle place in chinatown ny or philly. Their duck is not that good. read more

Full Kee has an understated appearance when you arrive, but it serves good Chinese food in the fun China Town district of Washington DC. I have eaten here twice and received good service and tasty food. The location is very convenient being that is is close the the Gallery Place China Town Metro train station. read more

Happen to stop in for lunch with my mom after a cooking event at Living Social. Mom wanted to walk to Chinatown to eat since she hasn't been there for years. Our preference for authentic Chinese cuisine is the Asian hub of Rockville. Full Kee is a small two level restaurant with no ambience. Few tables with a small cashier booth towards the back. Three waitresses stood by and talked amongst themselves while staring at us throughout our meal which made me uncomfortable. I ordered the beef tendon noodle soup with wide rice noodles while mom ordered the beef chow foon and stir fried greens of some kind. I forgot the English name but this was a green only available at the Asian grocery store. My mother asked the waitress if the greens were fresh and tender. The lady replied yes. But when we tasted it, the stems were hard to chew. My soup was okay but I can make better version at home. The chow foon tasted like any typical Chinese American carry out. There's Chinese dishes listed on the wall besides the menu. So if you can't read Chinese, you're SOL since the wait staff seems to care less. The review is really 2.5 stars. I will stick with Rockville to get my authentic Chinese and Taiwanese food or my mom's home cooking. Too bad she lives in Loudoun County. :-( read more

Full Kee - Beef tendon wide rice noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We came here during Chinese New Year and got to watch the dragon come into the restaurant and perform. That was definitely the best part. The food was decent, but expensive. It is authentic but I've had better. read more

Pros: Family style portions. Cons: Typical inattentive waitstaff. read more

Everything I had was really terrible. The dumplings were big, doughy and tasteless. The shrimp dish was supposed to be spicy Sichuan style but had no flavor and was topped with a sickening sweet and sour sauce. It wasn't spicy. The decor and lighting are very divey and the place seemed to need a cleaning. Service was fine, fairly friendly. read more

Super slow. Went for lunch; I had to ask for both the check and a box by the time they delivered my food. Szechuan chicken was 80% celery with token amounts of carrots and of celery. Not a fan. read more

Fast, good but seems more pricey at $12-14 per entree. Old school Chinatown with full Chinese wait staff. Very casual.

Beware of the congee though. Congee is not just about adding water and rice.

Certainly not a bad place but nothing I've tried has been above average for a Chinese restaurant. The price is on par with the surrounding Chinese restaurants at around $11-13 for an entree. Service is good though. read more

Was okay overall, nothing special. Duck was good but the dumplings were NOT.

Traditional Chinese tough to find these days. Generous portions and friendly staff. No disappointment here staff even offered to share their crab that wasn't on the menu. read more

My friend introduced me to this place as one of the more Chinese restaurants in DC (as opposed to American Chinese). The place is a little run down and old, a sign that it must be rather authentic. The food here's good and cheap. I've had mostly wonton noodles here, but everything else looks okay as well, especially for the price. If you're looking for something affordable in the area, this is definitely worth checking out. read more

Food not served as advertised, said dish was spicy was not at all, was actually chewy beef lots of fat. Tried to fix but no point the person I was with had their meal 5 minutes before mine. Also was seated in the corner in the basement, very dirty. read more

I was VERY disappointed in my meal last night. I ordered scallops in black pepper sauce and there were these big fatty balls in the dish that when you cut into, contained a very tiny scallop. The gelatinous stuff around the scallop was nasty and tasted fishy. Furthermore, the restaurant smelled terrible inside. Like there was a mildew problem. I felt like I had walked into a damp moldy basement. Made me wonder if they have had any recent health code violations. Won't be going back to Full Kee! read more

I ordered the wanton noodles soup which is good taste, yet I think the noodles could be cooked longer and no sign of any single vegetable. Stir fry Snow pea leaves with garlic were delicious. Service was decent. Pretty much nothing to complain about. read more

Full Kee - Wanton noodles soup - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great local/authentic place to eat, make sure if your not experienced in the Chinese cuisine you order by the Yelp photographs, the shrimp stuffed duck is excellent!!!!! And egg rolls are very larger too!!! read more

Wonton soup is good. The wonton wrapper is not too thick. Salt and pepper squid is tasty, but relatively expensive for a small portion at lunch. We used to eat here a lot. They used to serve bigger portion at cheaper price. Now, it's the other way around. Maybe they are paying more rent now that the big businesses are moving in? Anyway, if you don't mind shelling out more from your pocket, the food is still good. read more

Wanton soup is excellence, roast duck and pork are good... Chaofan with gravy also recommend

As far as their soups go, 5 star. The rest, 3 star. So I give it a 4 star rating. Been to Hong Kong and this place is the closest thing to authentic Chinese noodle soup. Highly recommend this place for soup lovers. read more

This is an authentic Chinese restaurant. You're here for the food, not decoration or service. We ordered 1/4 of a roast duck, wonton/noodle soup, and General Tso' s chicken. 5 stars for the General chicken; the sauce was great, came in huge portion. Wonton/noodle soup was as good as it gets. The noodle was cooked just right, the wonton was so flavorful.-5 stars. Now to the roast duck...total disappointment, not going to even give it 1 star. I had lots of expectation coming to a place like this for roast duck, but I have had better. The sauce was salty, the duck skin was not crispy. The duck tasted too gamey. Bottom line, order anything else but the roast duck. read more

Not to be confused with the place of the same name in Falls Church, VA--that place looks ok. This one... not so good. You can trust me--I've been part of a Chinese-American L.A.-based family for about 15 years and know what real Chinese food is supposed to look and taste like. And I love Chinese BBQ and roast meats. This place is divey looking, but that's not a turnoff for me. The clientele when I visited were mostly Caucasian, but that's not always the indicator people say it is. The proof is in the pudding. And the pudding was lame. Somehow this place did the unthinkable. They made a roast duck--that fattiest, crispiest, most savory of meats--taste totally bland (not even salty), feel totally squishy, and at parts be inedibly rubbery. I'd stay away from the duck. The only good thing I had there was the BBQ pork--char shiu. And that was just ok--definitely not in the same league as what you can find in Rockville or Silver Spring or Falls Church--which is apparently where you need to go if you want good Chinese food in this region. DC just doesn't have it. Not even Tony Cheng's, no. read more

Good food but poor service The egg drop soup was excellent The other food was good buy not exceptional Our waitress ignored her tables, most of the time; she wasn't helpful to any of her customers The owner or manager did not manage his staff; he just stood there read more

I finally decided to give Full Kee a try after seeing that it's one of the best reviewed Chinese restaurants in DC's Chinatown. But the fact remains that a good Chinese restaurant in DC's Chinatown is an oxymoron. We tried 3 different dishes here: * HK style wonton noodle soup * Pork & preserved egg congee * Seafood pan fried noodles The wontons were pretty good, but there were only 5 in the bowl. The noodles were al dente, as they should be, but the chef failed to get rid of the alkaline lye smell/taste. And I swear the soup was made from a cheap instant broth powder full of MSG. The congee also tasted heavy on the MSG side, and the consistency was weird. It seemed like they used some sort of cheap starch filler to substitute for rice in addition to some real rice. It was too thick and gloppy. The seafood pan-fried noodles was passable. The noodles were crispy, and the topping was decent. The shrimp in this dish were strange though. Instead of the firm white flesh that I'm used to, they were a strange pink hue and tasted a little rubbery. Maybe I've been spoiled by good Chinese food (preferably Cantonese) in real Chinatowns. Or maybe, being a Chinese person, I've come to expect a certain level of quality in Chinese restaurants. But one thing's for sure. I'll be heading to the superior Chinese restaurants in VA or MD the next time I want to go out for Chinese. read more

This place gives you rather generous portions for a fair price. Tried with 4 people - Dry style beef chow fun - Lean pork and egg porridge - Wonton noodle soup All really good. Walked out with less than $22 spent. read more

There are 2 menus here (not counting the specials on the wall). One for generic, other for HK-style noodles/rice. We tried the noodles and to be fair, the noodles were decent. However, the service here was horrible. When we walked in, the staff told us to wait in a rude tone. After we finally got a seat, the waiter dropped the menus and a tea pot at our table and left us for at least 30 minutes without coming back. Instead, they went and served 3 other tables that were seated after us. Also, while 2 staff were cleaning one of the tables, one told the other to be more careful and clean the table better because it was too oily. The second staffer gave a rude retort and went off. The men's restroom had a strong urine smell and the floor of the place is pretty nasty. Before we finished our meal, they were quick to drop the bill. When we gave them a tip, they complained that it was too little right in your face. For such a horrible experience, I shouldn't have even given them a tip. Last time I'll ever visit this place. read more