We had a few errands to run in the city this morning and stopped in at Swatow, a nostalgic fave…read more Ordered: Seafood and fish maw soup (small); Stuffed taofu (2 pcs); JaJang chicken hotpot. JaJang chicken was to die for! Skillfully chopped chicken (bone in) in an almost sticky black bean sauce with onions and bamboo shoots. The chicken had a beautifully lacquered appearance and the JaJang clung to the chicken. Gorgeous. 5/5 Stuffed taofu is our go-to here and it did not disappoint. Taofu was fresh, not greasy and beautifully stuffed. 5/5 The soup had too much corn starch for our tastes. The seafood was fresh and plentiful but the texture a bit gummy. 3.5/5 Service always very pleasant. 5/5 A favourite nostalgic Toronto Chinese food restaurant for good reason - including fortune cookies - very few Chinese restaurants do this anymore - it's an old-school North American tradition in some older Chinese restaurants.

Use to be the spot, decided to come here for lunch with my mom…read more Food was great, there was no interaction other than the waitress standing by their designated spot gossiping. Ordered my regular Stir Fried Beef rice noodle (lots of Wok Hei) and Fried bean curd with vegetables. Food came out great and tasted great. The only thing I did not like was when my mom barely finish they brought out the bill to rush us out. It wasn't that busy since it was after the lunch rush hour. The thing is when the bill came they overcharged us by a buck and we just decided to leave it be along with tipping them greatly. There was absolutely no interaction or even a thanks for stopping by and come back for more. This was my fave spot to eat whenever I'm craving for Chinese food, guess I will have to find something else. It's also cash only since they have an atm by the washroom entrance.

This was one of the very few HK Cafes that I've gone where the service was so exceptional. I was…read moregreeted by the warmest owner , she sat me down got me a menu and grabbed me some tea. She explained the menu and of course I had to try the baked pork chop rice. The dish was really good and comparable to the ones I have in Hong Kong but the sauce is on the slightly sweeter side. The inside is cozy and super inviting. The star was the owner, she was the absolute sweetest. You don't normally get the best service at these places but the service here was amazing!! Would highly recommend.

Very good lunch deals for cheap with soup, drink, and entree. was enough to take home for another…read moremeal. Owners were very friendly and a nice, cozy atmosphere.

Whenever I host HANK's curated food tour through Kensington Market for friends, family, and…read morevisitors newly arrived in Toronto, I invariably make a pilgrimage to Juicy Dumpling, where we indulge in no fewer than six soup dumplings apiece. It never fails to enchant. I still remember one my Colombian friends' first try of dumplings in her life here, and the radiant smile that spread across her face. Since 2018, the price, quality, and flavour of these parcels have never disappointed. I first discovered them in late 2018 while preparing to leave Toronto for work temporarily in 2019, and I was heartbroken at the prospect of forfeiting a daily soup dumplings ritual. (Adding insult to injury, six dumplings cost a mere $2.99 CAD then.) Even now, at $4.99 in 2026, the value remains unrivalled. What impresses me most is their unwavering consistency over eight years. Not once has a visit disappointed. I confess I am not a devoted lover of dumplings since little as it's always a hit or miss for most of the establishments (eg mother's just a block north), especially because I am acutely sensitive to any hint of taint/smell or improperly prepared meat/pork, which is usually amplified in dumplings and steam dishes for me. Yet I have never encountered a single lacklustre dumpling at Juicy Dumpling: each is richly brothy and deeply savoury, leaving a moreish umami finish that lingers on the palate - always. My late grandma would be astonished to learn that I have become so besotted with a humble dumpling in Toronto. Perhaps it's a character development.... The service was always standard - you order and wait for the buzzer. No frills, no pretense, only efficiency.

we were picking up medication at the nearby pharmacy and decided to stop by at Juicy Dumpling since…read moreI haven't had Chinese dumplings and bun's in so long! It was so packed but my brother was able to save a table while I did the ordering. This was a very casual and self service type of restaurant in which you can order at the front desk or at their kiosk. They had a limited time "promotion" going on in which you can order a maximum of 2 orders of their xiaolongbao or steamed mini soup dumplings for $2.99 with a minimum spend of $10. But honestly, I've seen this promotion since last year so I'm thinking it's actually a permanent offer. We ordered two orders of their pan fried pork buns, 1 order of their pan fried chicken dumplings, and 2 order of their promotional steamed mini soup dumplings. I thought everything tasted pretty good. The pan fried buns and dumplings were very crispy and quite juicy. My only nitpick is that I wished they put some kind of veggies or chives in their filling. It was just meat and felt too 1 dimensional for me. The steamed mini soup dumplings was actually really good though which is such a surprise at this price point. The outer layer was very thin and the filling was packed with soup. It was very delicious and hearty. Are these the best Chinese dumplings and bun's I've ever had ? No, but they were great especially for the price point. I would definitely come back again next time I am craving Chinese dumplings and buns. Also they take Amex which is always a plus in my book.

One of the best Chinese restaurants I've been to! Cheap and yummy, the chicken cartilage is…read moreaddictive.

Took advantage of their promo and tried the 10-piece beef & onion dumplings ($10.99) and…read moreXinjiang-style fried rice with chopped beef jerky($11.99). The dumplings were generously filled with meat, and the dough had a really nice texture. The fried rice was fragrant, spicy and full of flavour, with sweet bits of beef jerky throughout. Both were delicious and great value for the promo price! However beef jerky in my fried rice was a bit too sweet for me.

Came here after a disappointing meal nearby, and were very happy with the quality, cleanliness, and…read moreservice. Food was great: + Beef chow mien was perfectly crispy and flavored + Pork and century egg congee was excellent + Shrimp and chive patty was good + Taro puff was good

First visit to Wok Theory on a weekend located in Chinatown and was seated as soon as I walked in…read more The restaurant became busy shortly after and unfortunately as a result the service was impacted. The dim sum menu ranges from S-M-L-XL-SP-XP pricing ($5.38-$12.88). A lot of the items are considered L or XL but I think price is reasonable and is comparable to restaurants uptown in Markham / Richmond Hill. There is a tea charge of $1.50 per person indicated on the menu. Ordered: Congee with lean pork and preserved egg, Shrimp and Chives dumpling, Curry Squid, Ha Cheung, Bean Curd Roll with mushrooms and Stuffed eggplants & peppers. Food was fresh and had good flavours - no overwhelming MSG taste! The dumplings especially stood out and they didn't skimp on the shrimp filling. Overall, I'd recommend Wok Theory if you're in Chinatown but be aware service can be slow. Speak up and ask if your food is taking a while. For us we waited almost 20 minutes and other tables received theirs before us. So, despite the lack in service ; the quality in food would welcome another visit!

I've been craving Szechuan-style whole grilled fish for the longest time, so I was really happy…read morewhen I stumbled across this spot while walking on Spadina. The posters outside caught my eye, and I decided to come back with a group of three friends to try it out. We came a bit late around 8 PM, and most of the fish were already sold out except the original. We ended up ordering the Signature Spicy Grilled BBQ Fish ($40), a whole fish served bubbling hot with three toppings (potatoes, spam, and lotus root). You can choose between catfish and turbot, we chose the turbot fish. It looked extremely spicy, but the spice level was actually perfect. It was a bit on the oily side, but pairing it with rice balanced it out nicely. The fish was very tender and buttery, everything tasted amazing! We also ordered the Stir-Fried Egg with Tomato. The eggs were soft, the tomato sauce was rich. Not to mention the portion size was huge, we even had leftovers after eating until we were full. The restaurant itself was spacious, clean, and had plenty of seating. I think they were doing some sort of promotion so they gave us a $25 off coupon, though it expired pretty quickly so we didn't get to use it. I'd definitely come back for that grilled fish.

This is a new Chinese restaurant featuring Hunan and Szechuan cuisine. The spicy dishes emphasize…read morespiciness, not numbness. A few of their dishes come out on a sizzling plate with flames underneath. They are still in soft-opening mode with several specials. You can see the menus via a QR code. The Hunan cuisine is listed as "Hunan Noodles" and the Szechuan cuisine is listed as "Chopfire Menu". The Szechuan dishes are listed with 1 to 3 chilies representing the spiciness. If you can't handle spicy, then avoid eating the chili pieces and you might "survive". The restaurant decided to minimize their food offerings so that they can focus on refining their dishes in terms of quality and taste, including from customer feedback. We ordered the following: 1. Signature Spicy Grilled BBQ Fish ($39.95). 2. Home Stir Fried Beef ($21.95). 3. Bullfrog with Baby Ginger ($19.95). 4. Stir-Fried Cauliflower with Preserved Pork ($15.95). 5. Drunk Oolong (charcoal roasted oolong tea base) x 2 ($5.95 x 2). 6. Lemon Taro Balls ($7.95). We also saw the following: 7. Stir-Fried Sliced Pork with Green Pepper Noodle Soup ($9.99). First 10 customers each day, only pays $1.00. 8. Ink Painting Cocktail ($5.95). The Signature Spicy Grilled BBQ Fish came out on a huge sizzling platter. The BBQ Fish, a Turbot Fish, was very fresh and flaky, easily coming off the bone. There is no head attached like at typical Chinese restaurants but it would not have fit in the platter. The platter had a delicious sauce (soupy consistency and not sweet), luncheon meat slices, lotus root slices, and two other vegetables, along with chili pieces. The entire dish tasted great together with the various flavours. The menu listed it as 2-chili spicy but I could handle it by avoiding the chili pieces. The Home Stir Fried Beef is tender. It is listed as 3-chili but I could handle it by avoiding the chili pieces. The Bullfrog with Baby Ginger has the bullfrog cut up in little pieces; no you don't see a whole frog! The meat was actually good but most pieces have bones in it, so it takes time to eat it carefully. There was ginger slices in it but it, but we thought the slices were quite large! The Stir-Fried Cauliflower with Preserved Pork was very delicious! It came in a sizzling plate. The Cauliflower was flavourful and was not crunchy and not too soft. I've never had preserved pork slices before; it was quite good, not as salty as Chinese preserved vegetables. The Drunk Oolong has comes in a small bowl a with gin and ice. On the side, they include pieces of the charcoal roasted oolong tea leaves so you can smell it; quite a good smell indeed. You can also order it without the gin, which is what I ordered for mine (since I don't drink alcohol). It was such a nice drink! The Lemon Taro Balls dessert was pretty. In the centre was a slice of lemon. The customer service was good. There is plenty of indoor table and counter seating, including a small private room at the back. There is also an outdoor patio during warmer weather. There is pop music playing in the background. There is no free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, but there is no door-open button. There are two gender-neutral washrooms downstairs, so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2025-026

The cash only sign sets the tone for what you should expect. Quick service for the roast pork on…read morerice I ordered. Was surprised to get a big glass of hot tea and pork + corn soup. Lot of single diners on a weekday for lunch. Finish your lunch and move on so they can clean the table and serve the next person. I bet it's really fun to become a regular here.

No frills bbq restaurant that's been around Chinatown for a looooong time. Menu offers a lot of…read morevariety. Got the duck noodle soup, as that's my usual pick. $11 now, so can't say it's that cheap anymore, but it is a warm meal with a hearty portion of soup, noodles, and meat. The noodles had a nice bounce. BBQ pork noodle soup is still under $10 so that may be my next pick. Service is quick and efficient. Perhaps lacking in niceties, but upbeat and energetic. The tables and washroom are not very clean. Cash-only, and they'll just go ahead and take the tip on your behalf lol.

Finally back for dim sum…read more First off, they need to fix their reservation system. Don't accept 1:45pm reservations if the dining room closes at 2pm. Also, when we call to check if dim sum is being served, it makes sense to inform us of the dining room closure instead of having us come in anyway. We settled for eating in the lounge which ended up being good because bartender, Aiki?, was excellent as our server. Really great. Ordered the following: King prawn Har gow: standard. Not worth the premium Mott charges. Miso black cod dumpling: not good. Wouldn't order again Shredded Peking Duck Spring Roll, Sliced Vegetable : Excellent. We loved this! Nice and crunchy. Delicious duck inside. Good vinegar dipping sauce. Good volume Hot & Sour Iberico Pork Shanghainese Soup Dumplings: Fantastic and unique. The dumplings don't really need dipping sauce since inside there is a hot and sour soup along with pork. These are unique and delicious. Fried Wagyu beef taro croquette : pretty good but really tasted like a Jamaican patty Cold noodle with shredded duck : very generous with meat. Honestly a lot more than any other restaurant that serves this. To be fair no one charges this much either so it should. Flavour could be stronger but certainly decent. Fresh Mango, Coconut, Glutinous Rice Roll: nice fresh dessert. Our favourite. Frozen xiao long bao with chocolate and nut: Tastes like a mochi. Not bad. Dragonball Zen - fun name. Delicious drink. Jasmine Dragon Ball Infused Tanqueray Gin / Peach Liquor Lime / Rose Water / Mint / Seltzer Over $200 for this meal before tip. It's premium an debatable if with it. Will be back but just occasionally.

Mott 32 absolutely feels like one of those places where the entire experience matters just as much…read moreas the food. From the moment we walked in, the space already set the tone.. dark, dramatic, elegant, and beautifully designed without feeling overly stiff. It has that upscale energy that makes dinner feel like an occasion before you've even ordered anything. Food-wise, there was a lot to love. The signature apple wood roasted Peking duck was definitely a highlight, especially with the tableside carving, which made the whole experience feel even more polished and memorable. The skin had that beautiful lacquered finish, and the duck was rich, flavorful, and very satisfying. We also ordered a few larger dishes for the table, and I really appreciated how everything still felt refined without losing that comforting, indulgent side of Chinese dining. Some dishes leaned rich and luxurious, others were lighter and more aromatic, so the meal never felt repetitive. Service was another standout. Attentive without hovering, smooth without being too formal.. exactly the kind of service you hope for in a restaurant like this. Overall, Mott 32 is absolutely the kind of place I'd come back to for a special dinner, celebration, or just one of those nights when you want the meal to feel a little more elevated than usual.

Toronto Review 4/Many: I went to this excellent Lanzhou spot with another person as one of my…read moreearlier meals. Our server, Sophia, was bubbly and friendly, giving suggestions and helping with the ordering process for the other person who wasn't as sure what they wanted. We eventually went with two appetizers and two entrees, which was more than enough food, and honestly, we could have only ordered one appetizer. The better of the two appetizers was the CAD 8.95 Hand Shredded Pepper Chicken/手撕椒麻雞/Shou Si Ji. The dish consists of cold chicken in a flavorful sauce, topped with some greens. The chicken was tender, with a mild, pleasant spice and a bit of numbingness from the Sichuan peppercorns, along with some fragrance, presumably from sesame oil. It reminded me a bit of salivating chicken you find in some Szechuan spots, but it was more aromatic and a bit less spicy. The other appetizer was the Steamed Edamame/岩鹽毛豆 with Himalayan pink salt for CAD 5.95. The other person chose between this and the vegetable dumplings, as he avoids pork, and it was, of course, lighter than the other appetizer. The decent portion of edamame was topped with some pickled carrots as a garnish. My main dish was the Braised Beef Noodles/紅燒牛肉面/Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian. The dish included several options, including size, noodle style, and spice level. I chose the large for CAD $20.95, medium spice, and for the noodle style, I chose flat/宽面, as it was closest to the prism style I like at Lanzhou spots in the States. Along with these, I also added a tea egg for an extra CAD 2.95. Outside the add-on, the dish also had a couple of large slices of radish. Compared to some spots in NYC, I slightly preferred the QQ/bouncy texture of the noodles at a spot near me. However, the broth was better here with a balanced amount of mala, though I would likely order spicy next time, as I tend to add chili oil to the relatively lighter Lanzhou broths. The beef was also much better, being tender with a mild chew regardless of whether it was tendon or other cuts. The tea egg was flavorful and worth the add-on, especially when the inside was dipped further into the broth. I can see why others order this. The other person went with the Signature Stir-fried Noodles/招牌炒面/Chao Tatiaozi. There was an option of protein, and he went with Chicken for $17.95 and added the same egg. I tried a bit, and there was a pleasant pepperiness with a bit of numbing flavor, but less than my dish. The noodles had a good bounciness and overall had a slightly better chewiness than mine. This was lighter overall, but also tasty. This spot has apparently come to the US already at the Mall of America, and I would love it if there were a location closer to me. Good place.

One of my go-to options when I'm on campus & hungry! I always get the cold sesame noodles, they're…read moredeliciously tangy and have a nice lingering spice that makes me want to eat more. The other noodle dishes I've tried from here have been consistently good as well. They let you select what noodle thickness you like, and I think the thick flat noodles were too big for me, I was making a fool out of myself trying to slurp them all up ! I recommend getting medium ones so sauce doesn't splash all over you like what happened to me! A great, affordable meal option.

My boyfriend took me here for a birthday dinner and I could not have picked a better place myself…read more This place had incredible food and an amazing Hong-Kong diner ambience. We made a reservation for 5:15pm. This place is in a tucked away corner in Kensington market; you have to actually go in one of the stores and there's a long hallway that leads to the restaurant. This restaurant is quite hard to find by itself, but there was already a long line by the time we arrived (it opened at 5pm). Although my boyfriend said he was able to get a walk-in table a few weeks ago, I highly recommend getting a reservation prior. The inside has a quaint diner feel to it. We were seated on a long "bar" near the kitchen and it was nice to have a view of the cooking. One thing I noticed is that the lighting across the restaurant is quite dim, which made it a little hard to take pictures and also made me quite sleepy! We ordered the tasting menu which comprised 4 courses. We received a tofu amuse-bouche which was quite lovely. The first course was the bluefin tuna and the husband + wife beef, served with a side of rice. The beef was very well seasoned and a little spicy, which worked well with the rice. The tuna was nice as well. The real star of this course was the char siu donut, which had this amazing crisp exterior and a savoury pork filling. I did wish there was a little bit more filling, but the pastry and filling combo worked very well. The next course was a noddle dish, stuffed chicken wings, and grilled zucchini. I'm not a huge fan of zucchini but this one was nice enough. My favourite part was the chicken wings. It had so much flavour (the cilantro was a nice touch) and was quite substantial. I was using the noodles as a substitute for rice since the chicken wing flavour was quite intense, which was a good idea. The third course was the twice cooked pork, green beans, and fried rice. Although I thought this course was outshined by the other previous ones, it was still great. I particularly liked the seasoning of the pork (even though it was a little fatty for my taste). The fried rice was good and more of a muted flavour, which is good since it allowed the pork to shine. The last course, which was dessert, was actually my favourite. The french toast was amazing, one of the best desserts I've ever had in a restaurant. The sweet condensed milk sauce and the nutty toasty flavour of the black sesame french toast was an excellent combination. The ice cream had these corn chip bits that also elevated it. They put a candle on the side because it was my birthday! Overall, an amazing dinner. Usually, when I dine at these full course restaurants, the portions are too small and I leave feeling hungry still, but this was just the right amount of food. I highly recommend coming here if you want an elevated take on Chinese food, and you want great dessert.

Was in the Kensington area enjoying a summer weekend and remembered Sunny's was nearby. Came here…read moreto try the dessert since I've heard so many great things about it. Sunny's is located within a small hallway, look for a nostalgic hk style neon sign outside a non descript door. We were treated warmly and I advised the hostess I wanted to drop in quickly for their popular sesame dessert, and was promptly seated in their outdoor patio. They have a quaint and surprisingly quiet outside patio. We ordered the sesame French toast and it came out exactly how I imagined it. I request the oolong condensed milk on the side. It was a light and small treat for the afternoon. The sesame flavour wasn't overwhelming and the sweetness was just right.