Good Friends

Reviews

• James Y.

  star star star star star 15 June 2026

  There's a fair few Chinese restaurants in Brighton and Hove but this is by far the best. The food is excellent and really, really reasonable.
  The first thing you notice when you arrive is the amount of Chinese people eating there which is always a pleasant sight. The staff make you feel welcome from the moment they greet you and show you to your table to the moment they bring you the bill.
  
  The house white wine is very drinkable indeed and at £11 a bottle, there's no need to hold back ordering the stuff!
  
  My favourite part of any Chinese meal is the appetizers and at Good Friends, they really are worth making the most of (even if you order a smaller main course). My favourite is the salt and pepper squid which hits the balance so well between flavour and spiciness. The won-ton soup is light and really gets the taste buds ready for the next few courses which in my humble opinion should consist of their crispy duck and pancakes and then some sweet and sour pork with special fried rice.
  
  I'm always too full up to eat a pudding but they do have a selection of sorbets and ice-creams.
  
  We've had so many meals here from birthday parties to engagement celebrations and have never been disappointed. A truly warm and welcoming place that cooks it food extremely well.

• Karolina G.

  star star star star_border star_border 13 June 2026

  I would regard Good friends as a rather small and quiet restaurant - is doesn't boost with many special offers, meal deals, super long menu, etc. To be fair, as for vegetarian, there wasn't too much choice for food. However, that was really great, that the waitress agreed to serve me some dished with vegetables instead of meat.
  
  Hot and sour soup was absolutelly lush, the rest of food was ok. Everything tasted really nice, but as many people mentioned before, nothing will really surprise you. Food was obviously fresh and warm.
  
  Most visitors, as I've noticed, are Chinese people, which aslo suggets, that food is pretty much authentic, good quility.
  
  As for price, when you have a look at menu, it doesn't seem too exepnsive, but final bill was much higher than I expected.
  
  Staff is ok, it took a while to wait, until they serve, etc, but still was ok.
  
  Overal, I think, good friends is a good place to eat out with friends and family, however, I wouldn't suggest going there for sophisticated personalities, for exploring of new stuff or romantic dinner. It's more about just filling up stomach.

• Qype User (vuivun…)

  star star star star star 3 June 2026

  Best Chinese restaurant in Brighton if you are looking for authentic chinese food and i mean authentic.
  Ordered from the chinese menu and it has all the exotic stuff which you don't in the other usual chinese.
  Most other chinese restaurant had taste/ food adjusted to to be not as tasteful/ spicy/ etc.

• Chris H.

  star star star star_border star_border 30 May 2026

  Good Friends, another Chinese restaurant on Preston Street, is actually a big step up from some of its neighbours. Run by the same people who run the hugely popular China Garden, at the end of the road, Good Friends is clearly intended to be the slightly more upmarket version of the aforementioned, but poor marketing and an unassuming shop front mean that Good Friends is more often empty than full. Nonetheless, the food is really good, although the constant pale blues and greys of the decor are a bit glaring.
  
  Where China Garden does plate upon plate of dim sum, Good Friends' menu is much more stereotypical, offering a variety of mains and starters. It's always a good sign to see a menu in Chinese and English, often showing that the food is made for the Chinese population in the area, meaning it will be authentic, and the selection is pretty sizeable. I've been a few times, and don't think I've ever had the same dish twice: quite a formidable achievement.
  
  Apart from the great food, Good Friends can feel a little disconcerting. As it is often empty, the waiters are always on you like hawks, asking if everything's OK: I feel they have little else to do. Similarly, the design scheme is a little harsh: lots of pale blues and whites and greys. Obviously, if the place was busy, it would make it seem light and airy: when you're there on your own, it's just a bit garish.
  
  One of the better Chinese restaurants in the area, Good Friends is a great alternative to the often over-busy China Garden, and generally good quality and good value for money too. Try and go during busy times: everything seems to fit so much better then.

• Mike F.

  star star star star star_border 18 May 2026

  Located towards the foot of Preston Street, separated from Western Road by a glut of other Oriental places, Good Friends is often unrightfully neglected. Whether this is down to its location or its inconspicuous exterior is beside the point. The fact is the food is great. It avoids being overly MSG-reliant and this allows space for the dishes' natural flavours to emerge. Although it might not knock you for six, reliability seems to be the philosophy of Good Friends, which makes sense because surely that's what friends are for.