Li Qun

11 Beixiangfeng Hutong , Zhengyi Rd.

Beijing , China

86 10 6705-5578

A real slice of old Beijing, this atmospheric restaurant is set along one of the city’s quickly disappearing hutongs. The place is perpetually loaded with locals, foreign businessmen, and well-informed tourists, who come in spite of (or, perhaps, because of) the restaurant’s somewhat gritty, down-at-heel aura; the warren of small dining rooms is dim, with rickety wood tables and peeling wall paint. But though a U.S. building inspector might spot a dozen violations before he even picks up his chopsticks, the roast duck would quickly calm him down: juicy and crispy-skinned, hot and fresh from the on-site wood-fired oven, the birds here truly can’t be beat.

Tip: Though the menu has page after page of other dishes, stick to the house specialty, along with an accompanying order of seasonal vegetables and spicy bean curd.