Pekin Noodle Parlor

This is, with all sincerity, one of the most horrible places that I've ever dined; ‘Pekin Noodle Parlor’ lacks in everything from it's cooking to its so-called 'ambience'/'atmosphere'. <br> If you were to overlook everything else, the service was acceptable. The waitress seated us & promptly hurried off to fetch us a teapot filled with last night's laundry water - upon her return, we were furnished with menus listing a wide variety so-called "Chinese" cuisine. The house specialty being 'noodles' (to state the obvious), we ordered a dish of egg-noodles with a beef chow-mein, and were served something resem-bling (in terms of taste and appearance) a dollar-priced TV dinner with a side of ramen. Though not espe-cially pleasing, I'll admit that the meal was cooked & served expediently. <br> To say the most, our meal was sub-par; Drenched in oil & spiced so overpoweringly, I was al ... more

This is, with all sincerity, one of the most horrible places that I've ever dined; ‘Pekin Noodle Parlor’ lacks in everything from it's cooking to its so-called 'ambience'/'atmosphere'. <br> If you were to overlook everything else, the service was acceptable. The waitress seated us & promptly hurried off to fetch us a teapot filled with last night's laundry water - upon her return, we were furnished with menus listing a wide variety so-called "Chinese" cuisine. The house specialty being 'noodles' (to state the obvious), we ordered a dish of egg-noodles with a beef chow-mein, and were served something resem-bling (in terms of taste and appearance) a dollar-priced TV dinner with a side of ramen. Though not espe-cially pleasing, I'll admit that the meal was cooked & served expediently. <br> To say the most, our meal was sub-par; Drenched in oil & spiced so overpoweringly, I was almost glad that they did all they could to cover up what tastes like vegetables & meat that were prepared 4 days earlier & re-heated in a microwave shortly before we placed our order. <br> Most notable was the restaurant's interior, which is, quite simply, appalling. It's austerely colored, hung-Masonite walls are barely standing, painted in the most distasteful color of pink & dimly lit overhead by a sparse number of exposed bulbs; It’s true, if you're looking for the authentic opium-den ala 'Chinatown slum' experience, this is without-a-doubt it! <br> Seating & tables were easily as historic as the rest of Butte, MT: the wire-cast & wooden seats were proba-bly the Shangri-La when your grandmother's grandmother last sat in them, but have been poorly preserved over their many years. While they deserve merit for the continuing employment these antiques, even a few plastic lawn-chairs from the local Wal-Mart would make a significant difference in both comfort & aesthet-ics. <br> Overall, I give this restaurant a 1/5 stars - a rating I've not given any establishment in a long time. 'Pekin Noodle Parlor' is unfortunately little more than an execrable dining experience that has seemingly survived only on the coattails of it's former reputation amongst Butte's historic businesses. <br> There are several other oriental cuisine spots in Butte offering vastly more satisfying meals for a vastly more reasonable price as well - I would recommend them highly, and not waste your time & money. less

The Chinese came to Butte to take their share of the ore from the placer mines but more often they worked as launderers, tailors, and cooks. At one time there were 10 to 15 noodle parlors in the uptown area. Most of these stood in the Chinatown section of Butte where the Pekin Noodle Parlor now stands up the alley from the defunct Mai Wah and Wah Chong Tai. During the 1920's, hundreds of Chinese lived in this block which was adjacent to the red light district of Butte known as "Venus Alley" or "The Line." The Pekin, which was built in 1909, is the last of these Chinese noodle parlors still serving Chinese food in Butte. The Pekin is still operated at its original location by Danny Wong, descendant of the Chinese family that has continually operated the restaurant since 1916. Settle into one of the curtained salmon-pink booths and order the great chop suey or the house specialty - noodles in clear broth topped with chopped scallions, served plain or with a si ... more

The Chinese came to Butte to take their share of the ore from the placer mines but more often they worked as launderers, tailors, and cooks. At one time there were 10 to 15 noodle parlors in the uptown area. Most of these stood in the Chinatown section of Butte where the Pekin Noodle Parlor now stands up the alley from the defunct Mai Wah and Wah Chong Tai. During the 1920's, hundreds of Chinese lived in this block which was adjacent to the red light district of Butte known as "Venus Alley" or "The Line." The Pekin, which was built in 1909, is the last of these Chinese noodle parlors still serving Chinese food in Butte. The Pekin is still operated at its original location by Danny Wong, descendant of the Chinese family that has continually operated the restaurant since 1916.
Settle into one of the curtained salmon-pink booths and order the great chop suey or the house specialty - noodles in clear broth topped with chopped scallions, served plain or with a side of pork, beef, or chicken strips.
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 5 pm until 12 am Friday and Saturday 5 pm until 3 am Closed Tuesday
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