Hongbin Building (Hongbin Lou)

Hongbin Building, known locally as Hongbin Lou, is a historic halal banquet restaurant on Dongxin Street in Xi'an's Beilin District, serving elaborate Hui Muslim feasts since the early 20th century. The kitchen's centerpiece is a whole roasted lamb leg, carved and served banquet-style, alongside a braised beef shank platter and an eight-treasure rice pudding that closes out meals on a sweeter note. As a halal establishment, the menu is built entirely around Hui Muslim cooking traditions, with no pork or alcohol served; the roasting and braising techniques applied to lamb and beef reflect a Hui culinary lineage distinct from Han Chinese banquet cuisine found elsewhere in the city. The dining room carries a formal, old-school banquet character, with dark wood furnishings, private rooms for group bookings, and a service style oriented toward shared, multi-course ordering rather than individual plates; noise levels stay moderate outside of large group bookings. Reservations are recommended, particularly for groups planning banquet-style ordering around the whole roasted lamb, since the dish requires advance preparation and is typically ordered ahead of arrival.