Once Upon a Time in the Middle East

2026 • 2h 21m •

Drama War

MOVIEVIBE Rating

★ 8.9/10

57 reviews

Your Rating

Seeking a fresh start, chef Xu Fu travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. Alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, he transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business. But when war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered and the restaurant becomes a refuge for those caught in the conflict. As danger closes in, Xu Fu must risk everything to protect his newfound community and preserve a small beacon of hope amid the devastation.

"Eat well, stay alive."

Top Billed Cast

Shen Teng

Xu Fu

Jiang Qiming

Ma Junsheng

Omar Sherif

Seif

Aarif Rahman

Tony

Sherif Sabry

Zayd

Ahmed Salim

Ali

Faruk Muhammad

Jamal

Russell Shealy

Morgan

Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews

T tomaslisheng Verified TMDB Critic

2026-08-15

I went into *Welcome to Dragon Restaurant* expecting another Shen Teng comedy — and walked out with my eyes swollen from crying. It far exceeded every expectation; this is not a comedy at all, but one of the most powerful anti-war films I've ever seen.
Director Wen Muye never relies on spectacle or bloodshed to condemn war. Instead, he exposes its cruelty through contrast: a humble Chinese kitchen planted in the middle of a war zone, where a sizzling wok and a bowl of hot rice become the quietest, most devastating protest against violence. Shen Teng, as chef Xu Fu, sheds his comic persona...