Folded away on Gitanga Road in Lavington, For You restaurant has made a name for itself as one of Nairobi’s top budget-friendly Chinese spots. It’s the go-to place for family and group dining, leaning more on the family-friendly side and offering some of the best bang-for-your-buck meals in the city. If you’re watching your wallet but still want good food, For You Chinese is an easy pick.
For those dining with a crowd, they’ve got big shareable platters and a playground to keep the little ones busy.
We’ll be rating everything out of 5 stars – pricing, food, ambiance, and service – and then averaging it all for a final score.
A Summary of For You Chinese Restaurant:
Ambiance Score: ★★★☆☆(3)
Value Rating: ★★★★★(5)
Food Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
Service Score: ★★★☆☆(3)
Pricing
Rating: ★★★★★(5)
Sundays are just packed, and for good reason. The food’s decent, prices are super cheap, and the portions? Let’s just say “generous” is an understatement—some might call it excessive.
For You Chinese is a solid spot for a group hangout with coworkers, family, or friends. Most menu items are between Sh 300 and 1900, averaging around Sh 700. So, if you budget under 1,500 bob per person, you’re golden—even with drinks. That’s why For You is always buzzing with people.
Sure, there are other affordable restaurants with even better food, like Crave in Kilimani and Red Ginger in Parklands, plus Barbeque Nation in Westlands has an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet for KSh 2,650.
But fair warning: Red Ginger’s service can be bad, so as much as it is affordable and good value, it is hard to recommend it since service is important to me. Crave’s a solid choice, especially since it’s Halal, and Barbecue Nation for a decent buffet and great Indian food
Menu & Dishes
Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
The food’s alright, but I wouldn’t hand out a 5-star review because I’ve had the real deal when it comes to authentic Chinese. The rice? Pretty bland. The noodles? Just kind of flat and uninspiring.
A few other dishes hit the mark for me, though. So, yeah, it tastes like Chinese food, but let’s not get carried away here. On the bright side, their prices are super affordable, and the portions are downright massive—definitely expect some leftovers!
Here is a summary of For You menu items;
Starters: Spring Rolls, Wings, Prawns, Baby Corn, Gravy, Dumplings, Fish Fingers, Fried Mushrooms, Fried Tofu, Potato Wedges, Fried Calamari, and Fried Veggies.
Specials: Bok Choy Veggie
Soup: Seafood, Chicken-noodle, and Chicken-mushroom
Beef: Chilli-honey, Beef-Oyster, Sizzler-beef, Beef with Cashew nuts, and Beef with Broccoli
Pork: Chili honey, Sweet & Sour Pork, Sichun Pork, Sizzler Pork, and Pork Fuyoung
Vegetarian: Sizzler vegetables, Mapo-bean Curd, Garlic Broccoli, Garlic-bean Sprout, Vegetable Fuyoun, and more
Sea Food: Sweet and Sour Prawns, Sweet and Sour Fish, Steamed Crab, Chilli Garlic Prawns, Deep Fried Fish -whole fish, Deep Fried Fish -Fillet, Fish with Cashew Nuts, Garlic Squid, Ginger Crab, Lemon Prawns, and Prawn Fuyoung
Chicken: Chili Garlic Chicken, Chili Honey Chicken, Curry Chicken, Gao Bao Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Chicken with Oyster Sauce and more
Rice & Noodles: Vegetable Rice, Beef Rice, Vegetable Noodles, Cashew Nut Rice, Chicken Rice, Egg Rice, Fried Noodles with Beef, Fried Noodles with Chicken, Prawns Rice, Prawns Noodles, Plain Rice, Plain Noodles.
Sides & Drinks: Chips, Sauces, Water, and Sodas
Ambiance & Atmosphere
Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
The vibe inside isn’t exactly a winner—tables are crammed together, and it can feel a bit claustrophobic. On the plus side, the lighting’s decent. If you want some fresh air, you can sit outside, which is even better if you’ve got kids since there’s a playground with plenty of equipment and an adult supervising. So, you can relax while you eat.
As for the decor and furniture, they’re pretty average. I’m fine with that; I’ve been to places that look all fancy but serve mediocre food. Honestly, if the food’s decent, I think modern decor is just a nice bonus—unless you’re just there for the ‘Gram.
If you’re after Instagrammable spots, check out places like Botanica or Caviar. Just a heads up: For You Chinese isn’t great for dates—it’s loud and packed. If you’re aiming for a nice romantic night, consider spots like INTI, Ezo Neo Japanese, or Slate, but be ready to shell out at least KSh 7,000 for the two of you!
Service
Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
The service here isn’t exactly stellar—it’s pretty average. With the place being as packed as I’ve mentioned a million times, it’s no surprise that the quality of service takes a hit. You’ll have a much better experience if you swing by during off-peak hours or on a weekday since Sundays are a bit more laid-back.
There are some bright spots, like how quickly they greet you at first, but then the wait can drag on with all the hungry folks piling in. The staff seems dedicated to making sure you’re comfortable, though they look like they’re running a marathon most of the time.
The booking and reservation process is pretty lacking, which you’ll find echoed in various reviews, so if you’re planning an event here, it might not go as smoothly as you hope.
On the bright side, they do serve complimentary dessert—specifically ice cream—after your meal. I can’t remember the last time I got a freebie at a restaurant unless I was pretending to be a food critic.
And it doesn’t stop at the ice cream; they throw in little gifts like key holders and small purses, which kind of bumps up the service rating from “meh” to “okay.”
Final Thoughts
Overall Rating: Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
With my personal rating sitting at a solid 4, I’d say For You Chinese restaurant’s popularity is definitely earned and well-deserved.
Sure, the ambiance and service are just average, but they really step it up by providing a play area for kids and serving up tasty food in massive portions. It’s one of the best places for your shilling.
All these factors make it a great spot for family outings. And if it gets a bit crowded on weekends and holidays, that just goes to show how much people love it!
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