Chén Chè in Berlin

I’ve never felt so mistreated in a restaurant before. My friends and I went out to enjoy a relaxed evening just to eat, have a drink, and chat quietly. However, the manager’s behavior completely ruined the experience. He was incredibly rude and kept pressuring us to leave, even though it was a Monday, and the place wasn’t busy. We had planned to continue ordering and enjoy our time, but he wouldn’t even let us place more orders. I can’t help but wonder if his attitude was rooted in something deeper, but his treatment of us was unacceptable. On the other hand, the waiter was kind and patient, which made the manager’s behavior even more confusing. We were just a group of four women talking peacefully, and for some reason, the manager targeted our table while ignoring others. Would I recommend this place? Absolutely NOT. We didn’t even get to enjoy our food, and the manager’s attitude left a terrible impression.

Incredibly unfriendly staff—and the location is so beautiful. It's such a shame; we definitely won't be coming back.

The service is terrible. Avoid this place, the vibe is just so off because of the unfriendliness of the staff!

Unfortunately I cannot recommend this restaurant at all. Despite making a reservation in advance, we were informed upon arrival that there was no reservation. Instead of looking for a solution, we were assigned the worst seat in the restaurant. The behavior of the employee at the entrance was particularly shocking. He was extremely unfriendly and condescending towards guests who obviously did not have German roots. It was also noticeable that guests without reservations seemed to be selected based on their appearance: those who looked European got a table without any problems, while others were turned away despite many free seats. To top it all off, we were charged a fee of €2 after the meal just to have the leftovers packed up - absolutely outrageous! This behavior is unacceptable and I advise anyone who values ​​hospitality and fairness to avoid this restaurant.

The service at this restaurant is really, really bad. When we entered the restaurant, we informed the owner that we were only here for tea. But we were there for less than an hour when the waiter handed us the bill and told us to leave. But when we entered the restaurant they didn't say that our table was reserved. Finally, they told us they would only take cash and give us two minutes. It's really bad.

Very rude service. Without prior notice and after only an hour we were sitting there, they just slapped the bill on the table and said we needed to leave because they needed the table for other people. Adding insult to injury, we said we wanted to pay with a card, this was their reply «We only accept cash and PayPal, but there is an ATM nearby, I give you two minutes»

Very pleasant atmosphere and good service. On the other hand, the dishes do not have the expected flavors. The rice dish has almost no taste, except for the beef (very well cooked, which we really liked).

Very beautiful and atmospheric place, which is unfortunately absolutely spoiled by arrogant and impolite attitude of the stuff. Other than that, wide selection of teas. The food isn’t bad either, however not something special as well.

If you have 10 years to order and then wait another 20 years for food, it's totally fine.

If you want to wait for your food forever and also get a wrong order, this is your place. Terrible service, not worth it at all. Avoid :)

Really unique ambiance and unique food. Definitely recommend this place.

Everything was amazing we had the passion fruit tee, the hot pot and the waffle with coconut for dessert. The attention was great and I can’t wait to come back

Really great food, really, really excellent teas and a real visual highlight: We were really impressed with the Chén Chè. I have rarely been to such a beautiful Asian restaurant with such a great atmosphere. Tea time is also highly recommended! It is centrally located not far from Hackescher Markt - and not an insider tip! Reservations are therefore recommended. It's also worth trying the teas with your meal: very tasty and definitely something special. We thought the food was excellent and it came quite quickly, which we really liked. Service is generally very polite - except for one person who usually stands at the entrance. You can be turned away quite abruptly if there is no space. When we ate there recently, a group came for dinner who had reservations. When asked whether it was possible to put two tables together to sit together because of the large number of people, the answer was very definitely: No. It does not work. When I asked for the card again, I first had to answer the question "What for?" answer. I don't actually know that. The toilets also take some getting used to, well. You have to know beforehand that you can ONLY PAY CASH. For a restaurant and teahouse of this size and quality, this is actually absurd. Nevertheless: We will be happy to come back.

Food is ok, the place is well decorated, the service is really poor.

The whole restaurant smells like sewage. The food was really bad with a chunk of sticky noodles that weren’t cooked throughly, chicken was like some another bird, prawns were so thick you couldn’t even chew. Plus you can’t pay with card, it’s either cash or PayPal. I will never come to this restaurant ever again.

Very cool interieur, I like the food. As well acceptable service

Last summer the food here was sumptuous and sophisticated. This week the food was completely different. The €17 curry was so much rice that there wasn't a wet spot. 70% of the food was rice. Additionally, only cash payment is desired or PayPal *friends and family*. The receipt was an *intermediate* invoice without a TSE certificate. You can imagine then.

Food was fine even though tea is not worth of 6.5 euro. Receptionist with the glasses was very rude. I will never go again

Terrible experience very rude staff

Terrible Experience – Avoid This Place Had an unexpectedly awful experience here. The food and tea were poor quality, and the service was even worse. The waiter was rude, judgmental, and made us feel unwelcome from the start. When we ordered a tea set and coffee, he criticized our order for being too small and pressured us to buy more. Despite complying, they still told us to leave after just 30 mins—without any prior notice. As a Chinese person, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were treated differently based on race. While they had Chinese signage, the attitude toward us was distinctly unwelcoming, while white customers received much better treatment. I don’t understand the hostility, but I certainly won’t be returning.

In itself a very nice restaurant - but we were greeted very unfriendly with the words: Only 90 minutes. When we asked why the time was so limited (we had reserved) the answer was harsh that they had to be able to pay their rent. The three of us had a small space downstairs right next to the bar, where it was very loud. When we asked if we could sit upstairs (there are 2 floors), we were again rudely told that everything upstairs was occupied. As it turned out later, everything upstairs was free. The other staff was ok and the food was good. It must be very nice there in summer, great outdoor area. It's a shame that the person in charge there is so unfriendly, we didn't feel welcome, the guest is not king here, but should accept everything and leave after 90 minutes.

Really bad attitude form one of the servers. I had eaten there once and I liked the place and the food but today I wanted to eat again there and I had to leave because of the servers attitude. I told him I wanted a table for 3, he asked where the other 2 were, I told him on their way, only 1 min away, and he said he was not gonna give me a table until everyone was there. Then he told me to move from the door. It pissed me off so and that I left.

If you enjoy terrible service, this is the place for you. If you want to try inauthentic tea, this is the place for you. And if you like the decor, congratulations—all the elements you admire are Chinese, but the restaurant is run by Vietnamese people. We visited this restaurant with Chinese-themed decor, but the experience was disappointing. The food was mediocre, and the afternoon tea was particularly bad. The tea was nothing like authentic Chinese tea—served in oversized bowls (typically used for meals in China) and murky, like dishwater. We sat down at 3:00 PM, and it took over ten minutes to place our order. By 4:00 PM, we were told to finish within an hour, even though there was no mention of a time limit when we entered or on the menu. We left by 4:30 PM, leaving a tip despite the rushed and unwelcoming service. The table next to us had the same experience. It seems the restaurant prioritizes turnover over customer satisfaction, constantly pushing guests to leave quickly. If you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon with friends, avoid this place at all costs.

Very authentic, a bit hidden but very coolly decorated. delicious dishes and finally an original vietnam cafe! gladly again

Update unfortunately the quality has deteriorated significantly. The food is lukewarm and the service is distant. Decorations, especially lamps, are covered in dust and covered in cobwebs. Fan heaters try to keep the room warm. We were disappointed. —————————————————- We discovered this enchanting Vietnamese restaurant by chance. Even the entrance is designed like a garden oasis. Bamboo and a fountain with fish. In the restaurant there are typical lights and simple benches with tables. At the counter there is a selection of teas in sturdy glass containers. From the restaurant you can access the leafy garden with lanterns, Buddhas and simple seating. It was busy at lunchtime. Our food was very good, fresh ingredients and a feast in terms of taste. Interesting selection of tea specialties. Toilets very clean.

The service was so unfriendly. Right at the entrance we were told that we were only allowed to stay for 90 minutes (despite having a table reservation). After an hour we were escorted out. Never again!

We were there for the 5th time yesterday and this time we were very disappointed. The food was mediocre, nothing special. The reception: you only have 90 minutes for the pre-reserved table. The service quick. Exactly after 90 minutes, the bill without being asked. It was too cold at the window despite the heating (dress warmly) and the sanitary area... The general ambience as usual. That was the last time for us.

I don’t know if this was supposed to be a joke but how on earth do you serve this quality for these prices. I rarely write reviews but this was the worst Vietnamese Food i had in Berlin. The presentation, the taste, the prices ? This place used to be good a couple years back but the experience left me speechlees. This turned into a tourist trap.

+ Food came super quickly + Service was very attentive + It seemed very structured + Ambience is great - Food just wasn't to my taste/I've had better versions of the dish Been there twice now and will go again in the summer. I like it there even if I don't think the food is great.

I have known this shop for several years and am always impressed!!! Great service and the food is simply great!

The Chen Che is beautiful. This is immediately obvious when you enter the backyard. The food is extremely good and of high quality. And special too. You can get food and drink here that is not easy to find elsewhere. There is a slight deduction for the waitress, who seems a bit stressed and refuses if you want a glass of tap water with the otherwise quite expensive food and drinks you ordered. But a visit is definitely worth it if you want to spend a special evening in a great atmosphere. Beware of the bitter melon tea. It's really for connoisseurs, just like the card says. ;)

Very nice atmosphere, very mediocre food… The seating is really nice, unfortunately the food is absolutely below average. Every less hip Asian in town offers better quality. More for visitors who will definitely not come back…

The older gentleman at reception is extremely unfriendly and unable to serve guests.

It's really cool and I'm sure the self-promoted tea ceremony is great. The food was good, but the service left a lot to be desired.

Employees are unfriendly and the food wasn't good. In the end he simply put a box on the table for me so that I could refill the food myself. What a service with the prices... You can't even pay with a card.

Extremely disappointing experience. The tea was overpriced at €6.50, which would’ve been acceptable if the service matched the price—but it was far from it. We ordered drinks and a dessert while deciding if we wanted to have dinner, but instead of being welcomed, we were rushed out. The waiter told us we could only stay for 30 minutes, with an unfriendly attitude, even though the place was completely empty. To make things worse, he cleared our plates without asking if we were done, and right after that, he brought the bill without us even requesting it—despite the fact that we were still drinking. The whole experience felt like we were a burden just for being there. With service like this, it’s no surprise the place was empty—and I’m sure it will continue to be. Definitely not coming back.

Beautiful restaurant with lovely furnishings...I felt very comfortable. The food was delicious and authentic. Service friendly and good. I would recommend making a reservation

Terrible service – do not recommend! I arrived at the restaurant at 5:50 PM and ordered green tea and a shrimp appetizer. The tea was served quickly, but after 50 minutes (6:40 PM), my food never arrived. I reminded the waiters about my appetizer, and each time they assured me it would be ready soon—but it never came. Meanwhile, guests who arrived later were already eating their main courses. When I decided to leave, the waiter just shrugged and said “Sorry, it happens.” No apologies, no attempt to fix the situation. Complete disregard for customers. A waste of time and a disappointing experience. Apart from the beautiful interior, there is nothing good about this place.

The gardens and decor are insane 😍 Staffs are friendly. But i was expected more in the menu.

This charming restaurant is a great spot for an Asian culinary experience. The vegan pho had a rich, aromatic broth, proving plant-based dishes can be just as satisfying. The meat-based bowl was equally flavorful and well-seasoned. The highlight was the mango sticky rice with a unique Vietnamese twist—sweet, fragrant, and perfectly sticky. A refreshing drink rounded out a truly enjoyable meal!

A really beautiful restaurant, with a great ambience and really delicious food. All in all I really enjoyed it.

Comfortable environment and good lunch formula. The dish was just the right size, the seasoning and flavor were normal. Fast and kind service

Excellent Vietnamese restaurant offering authentic flavors and freshly prepared dishes. The selection of dishes is diverse. Everything tastes incredibly fresh and tasty. Particularly noteworthy is the beautiful furnishings, which give the restaurant a pleasant and cozy atmosphere. The service is friendly and attentive. A real insider tip for all lovers of Vietnamese cuisine! Highly recommended!

Always delicious and beautiful there

Nice space but the service is very inattentive and rude.

Menu is small and for an Asian, it is just a normal taste.

No credit card payment. I didn’t like the meals. I ate better Vietnamese meals. U can go just for the atmosphere that’s it

Very friendly service, interesting interior design and successful food.

I used to go here often (more than 10 years ago) and the food was unusual and very good. But very disappointing these days has nothing to do with the old concept. Too bad.

Food and the service were average and even lower than average The only good thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere and it's beauty

The duck is a bit dry but everything else is great. Thank you

Chén Chè is like stepping into a serene oasis in the heart of the city. The tranquil atmosphere, complete with lush greenery, pairs perfectly with their authentic Vietnamese dishes and fragrant teas. It’s the kind of place where time slows down—ideal for escaping the chaos and indulging in a moment of Zen.

Very good and very expensive, poor service

Great ambience & the food was incredibly delicious!

Very good food, unfortunately the maître is a bit loud and strict, but we'll still be back

The food was just wonderful, and the staff were so kind and helpful. We went with a few friends and it was just as good as we thought it would be. The atmosphere is so welcoming, and the staff are ever so kind and attentive, always ready to help with a smile.And the food! We tried the duck, noodles, and a variety of other dishes, and everything was just delicious. The flavours were so authentic and rich, making each bite a joy.And the food arrived in plenty of time, just in time for us to chat and enjoy a relaxed meal. One tiny thing to be aware of if you're thinking of sitting outside, though – the benches are not the comfiest!

It is a beautifully decorated space with a lot of attention to details! The tea was really exceptional and and the food was quite good, it was very refreshing to find some more special traditional dishes like banh Gio instead of the same menu you can find in every other average Vietnamese restaurants. Every dish was also nicely arranged. The service was extremely fast! We had an overall great experience and I can recommend it, although the menu is not too large and the waiters seemed all a bit grumpy (didn’t even say thank you after tipping and never smiled) - kinda made us not feel welcome 😅🥹

Service was unfortunately subpar, a friend had breathing problems while eating - i.e. an emergency situation, which we also drew attention to - and our request for water was first acknowledged with 'We don't serve tap water' and then asked whether we wanted water with or without fizz. I'm speechless! The dessert we ordered, which had obviously not yet been eaten, was cleared away without asking. Overall service was unfortunately very unfriendly. The food was good.

Would share a negative score if it was possible. The most rudest customer service. They let us in saying we had 1hour since the table was reserved for after 1 hour but as we sat ready to order the waiter said "if you order appetisers then I can only allow you to stay here for 30mins." And then i asked back why that was so and he said simply repeated the same thing again. The guy even spoke in a very rude tone. We came in with a month old baby in the cold. We just wanted a small plate of dimsums. The waiter was so rude. Then i told him we rather leave and he said "yes, good" .If he didn't want to accommodate us then why even let us in, seat us and then ask us to leave? Never coming back here. If possible I'll tell everyone I know not to come here. Horrible. Horrible. Hated it.

The food used to be much better. Vegetables were just cabbage and chicken and soup were okay but used to be much more interesting. Service oh well!

Very good restaurant but BE CAREFUL ⚠️ they only tell you at the time of the bill that they do not take the credit card, no announcement on the site, no announcement from the Service. On December 31 at 11 p.m. go and find a distributor in Berlin for a table of six people for almost €350. Method which, to say the least, raises questions... making cash to avoid credit cards, once but not twice!!!!

The food and ambience are delicious and pleasant. Unfortunately the service from EVERYONE is very unpleasant. The waitress stands far from the table, very serious attitude, no service orientation. The whole experience is corrupted. Too bad.

The interior looks great, unfortunately the food is very bland and missing flavour. Cash Only.

Attention tourist trap!!! It's a shame you can't give 0 stars! An extremely unfriendly greeting from the older man at the door, the service is terrible! The food was very mediocre or simply uninspired. I guess my spring rolls were frozen and not freshly made. Anyone who has ever been to Vietnam will immediately notice that it is a mass process, the food tastes like nothing... much too expensive for that! €6.50 for a tea is also pretty cheeky. You are thrown out in the most unfriendly manner after 90 minutes with the information that this is the case everywhere in Berlin. Apparently they assume that only unsuspecting tourists fall for this really underground restaurant! Hands off! You can't pay by card, which means you'll have to pay a bit of tax... our tip: keep your distance, look for another restaurant!

Really great food and a nice atmosphere

Beautiful ambience with great food. The selection of dishes is wonderfully manageable. The dishes are available with meat or as a tofu version. The service was very friendly and attentive.

I know Chen Che from the earliest beginnings, and it has become a shadow of itself. The service is so bad it almost feels as if one is in a place to learn how not to treat guests. I was there today, December 26th, and there was an older man - he was so unfriendly and rude to everyone. No basic polite manners and no friendliness. One guest who came with his daughter left immediately after speaking with him, although there were still many tables left. But he was so irritated by this man's behavior too. The other service people cannot speak English or German well - it is very hard to communicate if you have food intolerances or the like - and they are not nice and don't smile either. You can have the nicest decoration - when the service and management is cold and rude - it comes across. The Chen Che used to be a favorite place of mine in Berlin, but this place has lost its soul. You need to work on/improve service in a much more competitive restaurant landscape.

It was a dream! Incredibly great service and very good food.

Delicious and quality food, attentive service

Delicious, nutritious, cheap, great

Very very good food, insanely good tea, very tasty desserts. Good selection of dishes and drinks, short waiting times and attentive staff. Ambience in the summer 11/10 because it is simply very nice with the garden and the furnishings, but unfortunately a little colder than expected in the winter but not bad.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Vietnamese restaurant and tea room and I have to say I was very impressed. Even before entering the restaurant, the ambience was really nice and the courtyard was inviting. The pleasant atmosphere continued in the restaurant itself and I loved the huge selection of teas, all of which tasted fantastic. The food, served in large bowls, was also very tasty and I couldn't wait to share and enjoy with friends. The service was very friendly and attentive and everything was done quickly and efficiently. I can definitely recommend the restaurant and will definitely come back. -> Unfortunately it was just cold in the room ;( Overall I had a great experience and I think anyone looking for a great Vietnamese restaurant should give it a try. Many thanks again to the restaurant team for a wonderful time!

We want to rate fairly, so the food and ambience get a better rating. The waiters are so unfriendly, we have never experienced anything like that in Berlin! My friend was 10 minutes late when the waiter came and said to me: “Where is the second person - you only have 90 minutes to eat!!!!” In addition, our table was ignored the whole time, considering we only had 90 minutes. After we ordered our starters, we had to wait about 35 minutes for them - the whole thing was too stupid for us and we lost all our good mood. When we wanted to pay we were ignored again for 15 minutes. Such time pressure, you are not greeted and served in a friendly manner - NEVER AGAIN!!!!

Great atmosphere, nice service and fantastic food!

Super nice restaurant but the food was inedible, let alone normal service was offered. If you order Dim Sum you will get fried dough balls with little filling, the chicken with peanut sauce also fried instead of grilled. Really a disappointment and will never come back, a waste of your money.

Nice restaurant with a clear menu of dishes and many tea specialties. Unfortunately, service was only ok - even unfriendly. We had made reservations with a larger group and were rudely told several times that the table was only available to us for 90 minutes, even though there was still plenty of space in the restaurant and we all still ordered. In the end, as consuming guests, we were mercifully allowed to stay seated longer, but unfortunately I found the way this was communicated in advance very unfriendly. We were not informed of this when making the reservation by telephone, as was stated several times on site. :/

The older Gentleman is spreading some really bad vibes and they made us pushed and stressed to eat fast and even brought the bill without asking us if we want to order something else! Very rude attitude, you feel pushed to eat fast and go! The organic glühwine was amazing though and the atmosphere is great but the older guy destroys it all

We reserved a table at 12 p.m. and were in the restaurant at 11:55. An employee rudely mumbled as she walked past that they were still closed. When we asked if we could still sit inside for 5 minutes because it was quite cold outside, it was repeated again that they were still closed. We walked out again and canceled the reservation. The staff are so rude that they don't even look you in the eye when talking and you could have asked the guests in for 5 minutes. We would also have waited for the order. We will certainly not go there again and recommend it to others.

Food very tasty. Nice shop, but as you can read in other reviews, the service is sometimes really rude and unfriendly. The older gentleman at reception shouldn't actually work with people.

Worst service, extremely unfriendly waiters

Stunning interior and outdoor garden. Their decor will teleport you to Vietnam. They don't have an extensive menu but they prepare their food really well. I was most surprised by their selection of teas. Great place for a romantic dinner or even a team lunch.

Super tasty, great ambience, nice staff!

The tea was excellent, the food was just okay, but the atmosphere was lovely.

Unfortunately very poor service. Not friendly and “business” driven

Myself and 2 others had a great time at Chen Che! As a vegan I was happy to hear they could recreate pretty much the whole menu into vegan. All the dishes were fresh, flavoursome, and they gave generous servings of tofu in each dish which I was so happy about as some places only give a few bits. The atmosphere is stunning. Highly recommend! I will be going back! Also between 3 of us we got a drink each, starters mains and a dessert and spent 30 euros per person which I think was good value!

Incredibly tasty, authentic menu. Hard to top. Ambiance & atmosphere simply makes you feel good. Lovingly planted courtyard, fast, attentive, friendly service. Over and over again.

Really rude staff and the noodles I got were so dried that they weren't edible. Aesthetically everything is great for Instagram posts, but service and taste are unfortunately not quite a priority apparently...

The food and tea were so great! Truly a Vietnamese restaurant that stands out. The service is never really talkative when it comes to Vietnamese... what do you expect??! And paying in cash is normal for me in Berlin.

Super tasty and great ambience.

Tried the hot pot and it was lovely. Great service thanks!

The Vietnamese hotpot was so nice! So worth it for the price too

It used to be very nice and tasty! Unfriendly service for tasteless food and only cash 😭

You go for the vibe not the food. A Phò should be benchmark for any Vietnamese restaurant. I would say it's ok if it wouldn't cost 17€ ! You could easily get a much better Phò in Berlin for 30% lower price. The chicken was dry and the broth was missing some punch. But if you wanna take nice pictures , that's surely the perfect place for it.

Not recommended - food is not very tasty and absolutely crazy overpriced. 6,5€ for ginger tea and 17€ for curry soup. Plus no card payment

It was 5pm and we just wanted drinks, got rejected in a very unfriendly way although it was empty

Great Vietnamese food, wonderful teas in an incredibly wonderful, relaxed atmosphere. Beautifully lovingly furnished. Friendly service. A magical place, completely hidden in Berlin Mitte. Insider tip!

This place sums up every thing that’s wrong with restaurants in very. You get treated like paying idiots. Very unfriendly Service. You can only pay with cash or by PayPal friend (very trustworthy)

Exceptionally good Vietnamese style food. You should make a reservation. Very pleasant. Plus, the restaurant is in a backyard and apparently doesn't need to advertise it out front. (So ​​no sign there.)

Cozy atmosphere, very nice and attentive staff! Food is simply great! Thanks for the lovely evening!

This was one of the most beautiful, atmospheric, classy, wonderful restaurants I've ever been to. The place is gorgeous, the food is amazing and the whole experience is magical. Unfortunately, I found the service quite disappointing. The waiters were rude, didn't smile or acknowledge me (despite the restaurant being deserted) and they refused very simple requests. Really a shame for such a wonderful place!