Lovely to find a dog-friendly patio just up the hill from the shoreline! While it doesn't have a view, it does have a multi-level patio and the staff are super nice. The portions were much bigger than we expected-- we had Cantonese chow mein, cashew shrimp, sesame chicken, and a small bowl of rice, and this was enough food for SIX people! Docking a star only because it wasn't super flavourful (no gwai los here!), but if you're looking for Canadian-style Chinese food, this is your spot. It looks like it's been around for decades and decades, and it's definitely a local favourite. read more

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I'm obsessed with this restaurant. Honestly, the green beans give me life. I'd eat them daily if I could. Vegetable crack... is that a thing?! This place is nicknamed by locals as the GOOF. Not sure about the origin story on that one. My guess would be the sign, but I think there's likely a better story to be uncovered there. The food is fast, greasy and salty, but in the best way possible. They recently renovated, but it's still a bit of a dive. It's cozy and comfy, and the owners are friendly. They have great lunch specials and nice window seating to gaze upon your fellow Beachers. Tip: Try the green beans with pork! read more

It's a good thing I don't live close to this place, cause otherwise I'd be here 5 times a week. Okay, I have a soft spot for greasy Chinese food. And I do like it when they mix in western options as well. It makes it even better when it's pretty decent. Garden View scores on all points. I got the sweet and sour chicken balls with fried rice. The chicken balls are really good. There's actual chicken in them and they're not too greasy. The woman at the counter even knew to ask me if I wanted the sauce on the side which I did. The request was too late as they made the food quick but I was okay with it and she was very apologetic about it which she didn't need to be. The dish came with an egg roll which wasn't anything special, but I haven't found an egg roll in this city that really is special, so it's a wash. Anyhow, the whole deal was $7.50 and the portion generous. I'm going again! read more

I really want to like this place, and I wish I could give a separate rating for the service, which is very friendly and attentive. However our food recently was disappointing. The hot & sour soup, spring rolls and mixed vegetables were ok (if fairly typical) - but the fried rice tasted burnt, the "orange" chicken and s&s spareribs were terrbly overcooked and chewy, were almost all batter and no meat with overpowering sweet and salty sauce. Almost inedible really. It is only our second visit and I know lots of Beachers love this place so maybe it was an off night. read more

I love coming to garden gate restaurant! Their menu is so extensive!! They have breakfast food, Chinese food! The best soups !! An outdoor patio where you can sit in the summer and impeccable service. read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I love this restaurant, from its location, to service, ambiance and of course (and most important) the food. The location is great, close to the beaches so you can walk by the boardwalk after your meal if you want but not so busy you can't find parking. They are very friendly and the ambiance is perfect for a low-key, not fancy restaurant. Now the food is also quite good, portion wise and well prepared. This is my ideal Chinese restaurant. read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - General Tao - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The Goof is an amazing gem of a restaurant, a Toronto institution. I've going a regular for the past fifteen years and while the place has seen lots of changes (especially when it comes to the décor), fortunately the food quality and price have remained unchanged. What makes the Goof such an amazing and successful place is that they don't try to be what they're not. They make simple, fast and affordable food. From Chinese food, burgers, breakfast, Italian food, there's something for everyone here and it's all decent and affordable. The staff working here, while not the friendliest at first glance, are very efficient. Give them some time and get to know them a little bit before making judgments. These are extremely hard working people, decent people and kind if you also make the effort to know them. Great hours, great location (the Fox theatre is across the street, Ed's Scoop and Chocolate by Wickerhead are nearby), great price, good food. Definitely worth at least one visit but to fully appreciate it, several visits and a stroll around this amazing neighbourhood are a must! read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - Stir fried egg noodles. - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Used to order from here all the time. Found a huge bug in one of my meals (photo attached) when I ordered delivery. Will not be ordering from them again. read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Came here on lunch time. Good Chinese food, you shouldn't be disappointed. The service was friendly and prompt. The stir fried seafood were amazing! I like their brunch menu, too. The prices is reasonable. read more

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I love their storied history and also, I am always keen to support small neighbourhood businesses. However, if you're looking for flavourful, authentic Chinese food, I think you will find that the food here is incredibly bland. It is absolutely insipid. The people are lovely though, and the place seems clean and the ambience is nice. read more

I've walked past the Golden Gate Restaurant a lot of times. From the sign outside it looked traditional, perhaps a bit run down, but I'd never been inside to actually test my hypotheses. It turns out I was both right and wrong. I was wrong about the place being run down. Inside is a clean, low walled, set of dining booths with a line of wood tables and chairs lining a wall. It gives the feeling of an older diner without feeling run down, dank, or otherwise unpleasant. I was right that it served traditional diner fare, though had t realized that there was also a Canadian Chinese food menu included as well. The menu is extensive; eating even half the things off just one of the two cuisine style sections would take weeks of continuous eating. And that's a good thing because it's functionally impossible to not find something that is appealing. Oh, and I should mention: the prices are tremendously reasonable. I ended up getting the 'Garden Gate' chicken sandwich (a chicken club with cheese), with fries and slaw, with a side of gravy. I had coffee to drink. All this was about $13. The sandwich was large enough to be filling without being obnoxiously large. And while there was mayo on it, the sandwich wasn't slathered. Mayo was also on the side in case I wanted any more. The slaw was a bit sweet to my taste but wasn't either watery or limp. The fries weren't anything to write home about but were good enough in either the mayo or the gravy I got separately. That gravy was a bit thin, which was fine by me, but if you're looking for a really thick and heavy gravy you're going to be disappointed. The coffee was non-exceptional. And that's a good thing! I'm picky, picky, picky about my coffee and while it wasn't great there wasn't anything noticeably bad about it either. I can't say that about most of the coffee that's sold in restaurants so I consider this a positive when it comes to the Golden Gate. When I was here the restaurant wasn't busy though there were a few families here and local neighbourhood kids. The value was great, the ambiance was good for someone like me who likes quiet, and the restaurant generally had a very homey feeling. I don't know that I'd come here regularly but I'd have no issues dropping by again. There's a lot more menu to try, after all... read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - The Goof - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Went to this restaurant this evening for dinner just because my family and 1 were in the area and they have a pet-friendly patio so we could bring our dog along. The person who gave the place a good review for the service must have been lucky that day. Our waitress was not at all friendly..We asked for a couple drinks from the menu and all she said was, they were not available and walked away, and didn't bother to suggest alternatives, The menu was mainly dishes which are not authentic Chinese ones, Who still eats chop suey?! Considering an evolving Toronto with authentic ethnic food served all over town now? Anyway, I shouldn't be sarcastic because 3 in my group were non Chinese and ordered things like sweet & sour pork and lemon chicken. I on the other hand, thought I should try their Chow Mein and a scallop with peas & veggies dish. The noodles were quite alright ...however, the so-called scallops were not scallops at all...rather, some cicular shaped pieces of chicken mixed with flour or whatever... I have eaten enough scallops throughout my life to know what scallops taste like.. I told the unpleasant server that ...and she insisted they were scallops.. I told her it's not her fault but the cook/owner should be honest and give customers what they ask for..I also said that they could fool a local white customer but not a Chinese..(sorry guys, my boyfriend happens to be white himself ). So anyone who fancies their food and gave them a good review don't know what authentic Chinese food is. Continue to patronize the restaurant...just avoid the scallop dish!! read more

Horrible food. Tasted like Uber a heat lamp for hours.emailed company before posting. Nerves replied. Did ask first anything that

Love this place! An institute of the Beaches for many years, it's just a community restaurant with great service and comfort food.

This was so extremely disappointing. Food had no flavor. House lo mein came with NO sauce of any kind. Wonton and hot and sour soup both bland and tasteless. Entrees came with no steamed rice. All of this and it cost over $50! Ouch! read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - a plate of noodles and vegetables - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wow, only 2 reviews for this Beach institution. I guess it's a bit too far east. Anyway, my breakfast of eggs over easy, home fries, toast and coffee was about average. Eggs were good, home fries a bit tasteless, toast was that brown Wonder stuff (no texture) and the coffee was a bit above average for a diner. OK, here's the fun part. I essentially ordered the breakfast special with no meat. One of my friends ordered the breakfast special. We had exactly the same food except he had bacon and I didn't. His bill? 5.93 (5.25 + tax). Mine? 6.22. Whaaa? OK, here's what happened. The breakfast special is 5.25. Apparently, I didn't have the breakfast special. I had "Two Eggs" at 4 bucks, and a coffee at 1.50. So by NOT having the bacon (which, incidentally, goes for 3.35 as a side), I paid an extra .29. It was definitely worth the table conversation. ;-) For .29, I didn't complain, but I thought I'd give y'all the heads up. :-) read more

I'm no chineese food expert or anything, but this place is my favorite. I always get fried rice, chicken balls, chow mein, and an egg roll. It's really cheap, like $8.00 I would say. My dad has been going here since he was a teenager! Oh and the portions of my chineese food are huge! It's like a full plate. I can never even come close to finishing it! read more

I live close to "The Goof" and having walked past it a handful of times since moving here, I thought "Let's find out if it's any good". I had read other users reviews which said it was cheap Chinese food, which is exactly the type of thing I was looking for that night! Well they are what they profess. Cheap. I got the giant Chinese platter (came with Chicken Chop Suey, 3x Chicken Balls, 1x egg role, and fried rice). Ok, it tasted decent. Not fantastic, but still lived up to what I remember of going to the Chinese Buffet's when I was a kid. Same sweet red-sauce taste on the chicken balls as I always remembered. So it tasted ok. Not great, but decent. But the price, now THAT'S what I'm talking about. The price of the Chinese platter was like $6.50, and it was more than enough food to fill me up (and I'm a big guy who can eat a lot, so getting full for $6.50 is awesome!) They also offer a full breakfast menu which my girlfriend and I ordered on a different time we went. Breakfast was like $5.50, so it's also inexpensive. It was decent with some good sausage or bacon, home fries, and toast. We also got coffee that we were not charged for (do not know if that's the norm or a mistake from the waiter). The only hitch is we ordered cheese on top of our scrambled eggs, and when we got it, we realized it wasn't fresh cheese, but a processed cheese slice (like Kraft Singles kind of thing). I was ok with it, but my much healthier, beautiful girlfriend wasn't impressed she wasn't told it wouldn't be real cheese. Oh well, she scraped it off and we still ate. Again, two people are full, and it cost $14 after tax. Not to shabby. They also have standard american food, like hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. So it's not just a Chinese food house. Although the food didn't taste good enough to get a 5-star rating from me, the fact that it hits the spot for what you're craving, and it doesn't hit you in the wallet, was enough to make me pretty sure I'll be heading back there whenever I need a quick and cheap meal. 1/2 sized "Win" for me. read more

Great food in the east beaches of Toronto. My wife and I have been coming here for 20 years. It's kid friendly as well, burgers and fries, also a fantastic breakfast. read more

More commonly known to the locals of The Beach/The Beaches area as The GOOF, Garden Gate has been serving mish-mash of Canadianized Chinese food, all-day breakfasts and homemade burgers since 1952. The servers are brisk and friendly. Your water glass will always be filled. The fare is good - my faves are combination plate # 7 (Beef and almonds, bean sprout chicken chow mein, fried rice and an egg roll for $6.99) and the 2 egg breakfast (2 eggs any style, choice of bacon/sausage, toast and hash browns) for $5.99. Even though I'm no longer a Beach local, the GOOF and I are still close friends. read more

I really like "The Goof" as locals call it. It's been in the beaches for over 50 years I believe. i usually get the Lo Mein and Sweet and Sour chicken balls. The food is good here and they have a big patio which is nice in the summer. I've only sat in and eaten here twice. But it's nice and close to my place and it's reasonably priced. Very popular for breakfast (I haven't actually been for breakfast though. Have a broad menu if you are visiting with somebody who doesn't like Chinese food. read more

A Toronto institution since the 1950s, the 'Goof' has always been the place of my childhood and my early teen years. I went in on my last holiday home and felt like I had stepped into a time warp. Even the prices were relatively similar to when I was younger. The food was also the same, with my favourite Chicken with Almonds still on the menu and served with an egg roll. It's not haute cuisine, but it is yummy and the staff are still the best. read more

The last time I went to the Goof, it was during the Christmas Holidays. I walked out right afterwards because it was cold inside. The waiter told us to wear a jacket. I went there a month prior and it was the same situation temperature wise inside. I haven't been back since and not sure if I will anymore. Plus the food is nothing to write home about. read more

Given the apt moniker The GOOF after the "D" in the neon "Good Food" sign burnt out years ago the Garden Gate restaurant has been an institution in the eastern Beach/Beaches since the early 1950's. Specializing in contemporary Canadian-Chinese fare, the GOOF does comfort food like no other. On my last visit I ordered the banquet burger with fries n gravy and was not disappointed. The food was as I remembered it from years past, simple yet substantial. I opted to pay an additional dollar to upgrade to what was referred to as the house made patty and did not regret the decision. It is painfully difficult to give an iconic neighborhood locale a mediocre rating and do feel that I must qualify such. Gone are the days when the GOOF resembled a comfy 1950's movie set diner. The comfy over stuffed booths, Formica tables and juke box have been replaced by a stark modern interior that is more suited to low grade over priced Asian fusion restaurants associated with the harried Bay St. crowd, than the comfortable Beach institution that it is. Simply put, the GOOF is trying desperately to be something that its not, and it needn't try so hard. The service is still passable and the food is still more than decent, yet the GOOF is missing it's identity and for this I am truly sorry. read more

After checking out the reviews of places in the area, I decided to check out "The Goof" for dinner tonight. I wanted someplace that was within walking distance and wouldn't be too hard on my wallet. A bunch of the reviews had mentioned the dinner for one (number 5 seems to be a favourite) so i went with that and added a wonton soup just to try something else off the menu. I called in my order and they told me it'd be ready in 10 minutes, which was about the time it took me to get my shoes and coat on and walk down to The Goof. The place wasn't too busy when I got there, maybe a little less than half the booths full but I think I'd just missed the dinner crowd. There were two staff around taking care of takeout and cleaning tables. I noticed on the menu that chopsticks were going to be an extra $1 but when I asked for them in restaurant, they didn't charge me which was nice! First off - a LOT of food. I keep forgetting that my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I'll easily get multiple meals out of the food I got. The dinner for one would have been enough to stretch into two meals (especially if I'd gotten a second egg roll for the second time around) and the wonton soup would probably have been sufficient for dinner tonight seeing as how I wasn't THAT hungry after all. Chicken balls are pretty much chicken balls - these ones were pretty good but its hard to screw those up. The eggroll (usually my favourite part) fell a little short for me. Not that much flavor inside but that was made up for by the wicked deep fried outside. Something in that was great - would have been a home run if the filling was better flavored. And the rice... I am not generally a rice person, chicken fried rice is okay in my books but not fantastical. But this rice was amazeballs! Loved the flavor in the rice, am looking forward to having it again tomorrow for lunch. The wonton soup was okay, the wontons are HUGE, but it probably would have been enough for a small meal. I ended up pulling the wontons out to go with the rice for tomorrow :):) Overall, I pretty much echo everyone else's sentiments about this place. Good, cheap food. It's nothing fantastically amazing (besides the rice) and its not the best chinese food I've ever had but its good for a quick dinner (and perhaps leftovers the next day!). read more

I have been coming to this Chinese Canadian diner for 30 years and they never disappoint! Hazel the waitress is legendary and Jackie the waiter kind and attentive. The food is exactly what you expect it to be! read more

We went to The Goof last night for a pre-Jazz Fest dinner. It is essentially a Chinese diner. You can get breakfast, burgers and fries or you can order one of their Chinese food options. I haven't been in years, but it always seems busy but service is fast. The value is quite good. I had the Beef and Vegetables with Almonds and Sweet and Sour ribs. It came with an egg roll and fried rice but I substituted plain white rice. It was only $6.35 and it was a large plate of food! My husband had the most expensive meal on the combination page, Chicken Chop Suey with Chicken balls and it only cost $6.75. What was great was that my daughter could have a grilled cheese sandwich for only $2.75. Portion sizes are enough for sharing, or taking home. We will be back. read more

As many people have mentioned, the point of this restaurant isn't to wow you off your feet with flavour. It's cheap food, friendly atmosphere and really great portions. My parents have been going here since before I was born, by no means is it "authentic" chinese food, but it's a very decent north american take on chinese food, which is what most of us are used to anyways. It's got a huge menu with lots of flexibility, so if you're there with less than adventurous eaters, they can find a comforting burger or even peanut butter sandwich! Some of the servers there have been there for multiple decades, and I'm not kidding. If you go there enough they recognize you by name, and are really friendly, qualities like that in a restaurant are what spawn loyal customers, so it makes the place awesome. The pricing is ridiculously awesome, you are literally getting amazing value for what you're paying. I don't think there's a better restaurant in terms of that. The "Goof" will always have a special place in my heart, and a full stomach :) read more

Went for a long walk along the beach today and decided to head up to Queen St for lunch. Lots of places to eat, but being from the west end didn't know where to go. We like the look of this old style Canadian/Chinese restaurant. Old decor, if you can call it that, but looked beyond that to try the good. The place is busy with locals even this time of year. I tried the banquet burger with the optional homemade patty. Cooked on a flat top and topped with caramelized onions, bacon and cheese. Reminded me of the way burgers used to be cooked. Highly recommended. My wife had Chinese - Moo Goo Guy Pan. Perfectly seasoned and delicious. read more

This is my second visit to the "Goof" in the last few years. The interior design reno is a nice improvement but it's still definitely a diner style place. I know many have said the greasy tables are endearing but I thought it was gross. The patio is outside is great though and if the tables are greasy, at least you can't tell as the tables are metal. Maybe the rain washes the dirt away? My friends and I ordered a wide range of food; two of us shared typical Canadian Chinese food favs (chicken balls, noodles, tofu) and the other half ordered items from the breakfast menu (eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes). The food was delicious, service was fast and it's fantastic value for the money. I'll be back! read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - Celebrated my birthday here with an early dinner. We all cleaned our plates! Everything was delicious. - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This place served my kid rancid apple juice. I complained and the server brought him a new glass, so I thought. It was water in a yellow plastic cup so it kind of looked like apple juice but was not. I am glad I did the taste test myself before giving it to him. When they brought his chicken, he told me it had gone off. The server told me he was wrong, he didn't like the Chinese spices. I told her we had been getting it regularly as take out and he liked it then. He knew it was off. They charged me for it. I paid and never went back. Now I am writing this. read more

Been here few times for lunch since it's only a few blocks away from work. Their lunch specials are decent as for under $9 you can't ask for more in this area atleast. Good fast service. Portions are good. The restaurant is quit roomy and big. Will need to try their regular menu before commenting on their food. read more

I really, really wanted to like this place, but it has not disappointed me on 2 separate occasions. The Chinese food here is just awful - I ordered delivery, so maybe it's a bit better if you actually eat at the restaurant. Dishes I ordered: Combo dinner for one (rice, chicken chow mein, chicken balls) which was served with a completely INEDIBLE sweet and sour sauce that was all sweet and no sour. I had to take matters into my own hands and add 1/4 cup of vinegar to 1 cup of the sauce just to get it to the point where you could eat it. The rice was literally just plain fried rice - no bean sprouts or even a green onion to be found. The chicken chow mein was watery but had ok flavour. Beef Ho fun - Most Asian places marinate their beef so it's nice and tender - the beef in this dish was tough as a boot. Would not order again. Turkey dinner entree. This was good, and quite frankly, the only reason I bothered to give this place 2 stars. IMO the diner food is the only reason why anyone should order from The Goof. If you want Chinese food, there are plenty of other (better) options in this area of the city. read more

The goof as it's commonly known to locals is an absolute neighbourhood staple. A wonderful atmosphere with a delicious menu, general tao chicken with cantonese lo mein has never failed me in over 10 years. Perfect for a family night out, to take a date or really any occasion read more

The worst Chinese food I have ever tasted. Drowning in sauce. Tasteless. If you like non Chinese style Chinese food this is the place for you. read more

Goof is the best Chinese food in the city. The chop suey soup is a classic. For $5 you get a soup that will fill your belly and leave you wishing you had more room. Delivery is quick. Close to the Fox theatre for a nice cheap date night. read more

Garden Gate Restaurant - Chop Suey Soup. Best soup in the city. - Chinese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've lived in the beach all my life and i come back here again and again. The food is always hot and fresh and tasty its average for Chinese food standards but they will take special orders and requests. Last night my sister and I went in and I was cold so i thought i would try the won ton soup along with my standard hot pork sandwich (the best i have ever had) big mistake on the won ton soup not on the restaurant but on me i could have just eaten that for dinner it was huge. The staff is always friendly and food is always hot and tasty I come here either for take out or eat in every other week and have for about 10 years and I love this place. My Mom loves this place and loves their Chicken Fried Rice when mom comes down to visit I go to the Goof pick her up the chicken friend rice and egg roll and something that sounds interesting since walking the 5 mins to the Goof is nothing and basically its cheaper than I could cook a dinner for the 2 of us at my house. The prices are very reasonable they go up every once and awhile but only 0.25 which is nothing. This is my go to restaurant in the beach when I don't feel like cooking and at the very east of the beach not a lot of choices but even when I lived downtown i would take the queen street car out to the Goof :) read more

I have never been disappointed by a meal I've ordered at The Goof. It's always good. It's always fresh. Especially love the breakfast menu. My eggs over medium are always just that. The General Tao Chicken and the Stir Fried Broccoli in Oyster Sauce are my dinner favourites. I'm going to have it tonight!!! read more

Ugh When I lived in the Beach I went to "The Goof" at least once a week. It did Chinese comfort food like no-other! Feeling a bit nostalgic and finding myself near the area, I decided to try the place again. It's been almost 2 years since I was last there. My partner opted for the Lunch Combo Plate # 8 - Chicken Chow Mein, Eggroll, Fried Rice and Chicken Balls...as it was his favorite. Well.....it's not anymore. When it arrived, the portion size was huge...and it looked just like we remembered (save for the rice...which was much darker than before...plus it had veggies in it). While the Chow Mein was still excellent and the Chicken Balls still good, the Egg Roll and Rice were downright awful. I can't recall the last time I saw him make a face like that when dining out. Utter disappointment I ordered one of the specials - General Tao Chicken with white rice. Now...I've had my share of General Tao Chicken at many a place.....what I got here was not General Tao Chicken....it was far too sweet...it was like they took the cherry sauce that they use on chicken balls and added a few ingredients to it...it was, perhaps the worst I have ever had. There were a few saving graces. The male waiter was excellent....and the food is cheap. Lunch as described above, with a coffee (included with the lunch special) and a Diet Pepsi...came to $19. Excellent price if the food was stellar, although in this case, you get what you pay for. read more

Have had food many times from here. Always Blah... not great and sometimes just awful! I find the staff harsh and rude, and even though they say they deliver the one time i called for delivery they actually gave me 3 reasons why i should just come in and pick it up myself. I really don't have expectations of grander when ordering from here. However, I will never give this place a penny again. Today i realized that they round up their total to the nickle. So if my bill is 9.61 i will pay 9.65. I just think this is in very poor taste to over charge like that. There are more then enough other places in the area that we can order from! Sorry Goof! perhaps there are other ways to save money... read more