I recently had the chance to attend The Lingnan as part of my friend's milestone birthday party (I can feel her evil eye, think Sauron post-Lasik's, if I reveal which age) to experience this restaurant I had heard so much about. Beautiful decor, simply breathtaking in quality. We ordered the Deluxe Dinner for 6: Won Ton Soup (two won tons, quite tasty and I loved the bouillon), Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp (quite scrumptious) Crispy Lemon Chicken (dry chicken and the lemon portion was a greasy jelly), Manchurian Beef Lobster Sauce (for the shrimp, quite divine), Cashew Nut Chicken Gai Ding (I felt the hard cashews clashed with the chicken quite a bit, the texture contrast was a bit like eating rocks), Cantonese Chow Mein (mmmm, good Chow mein, my second favourite part). Lingnan Special Fried Rice (my favourite dish! I polished it off when no one could eat any more!) and Fortune Cookies (always fun, especially at a birthday. I give it a 2/5 as it took the server over 5 minutes to acknowledge me with 4 servers present and only four tables at a vast restaurant being occupied. I say acknowledged, not even seated. Reservations were made a week in advance. read more

Epic phone answering skills. They have a reality tv series on now called quon dynasty. They make epic Chinese.

Visited this place as a recommendation by a friend and the first thing I noticed was the incredible decor they've got going on. Beautiful walls complemented by various items that add that extra wow factor. Great food, especially the spicy chicken! Overall really enjoyed this place! read more

I have eaten here many times. I always order the egg rolls. awesome. szechuan beef is fantastic. service in house is great. there are more traditional options and the usual "chinese food". my wife and I have been in and told the server to suprise us and they always do. read more

We went to the Lingnan with our kids on game night. We had the buffet because it was easiest to feed our picky kids. They were all able to find a couple dishes they really enjoyed. The food was great! This place had always served some of the best Canadian Chinese food in town. The over the top vintage decor just adds to the ambiance and magic that this place holds. The family and staff are nothing short of amazing. So warm and welcoming, they make each table of patrons feel cherished. It's an Edmonton institution that's worth checking out. read more

I live in a very remote northern town and do not have any good Chinese food. The Lingnan never fails to impress us. The food is always fresh and perfectly cooked. Ask for Amy or Wilson and have them come up with a menu to feed you. Service is absolutely perfect. The restaurant looks great for group dinners. I dream of this restaurant when I'm back at home.... read more

We came here for my in-laws anniversary. They say the decor hasn't changed in many years but it is very festive. They have a big menu full of variety. At first when I saw the prices I thought it was kinda pricey because at Chinese restaurants in Hawaii dishes are half that price. However when they arrived they were pretty big portions. Everything was hot, fresh and had good flavor. My favorite was the Szechuan beef. The peaches and cream with the shrimp was a little sweet for me. The service was timely and staff were friendly. Overall, would come again. read more

See all

UPDATE: The food was good the first time but they lied to us about our second order and the time it would take to deliver our order. We waited 60 minutes and called only to be told that the order had not even been made yet. We would never have ordered if they had told us 90 minutes at the outset. Not impressed. Would you wait one and one half hours for food, we won't! Not to mention the minimum $50.00 order to get delivery. When we called back to cancel our order the owner lied to us about another restaurant and then told us to never call again. read more

I would like to start with how amazing my experience was today . Food - awesome service- super cleanness of the restaurant- great . Even the bathroom was fancy as fu*k . 10/10 I would eat here every week read more

Ordered take out last friday evening for the first time. Delivery took quite a while, somewhere around 90mins. Everything was good. I loved the green onion cakes and ginger beef. Fried rice and chow mien was average. Overall it was worth it and i would eat there again. read more

Upon entering the restaurant, patrons are greeted by a sign stating that, because all the food is prepared fresh, they should expect dinner to take roughly two hours. Maybe I'm off my rocker here, but apart from fast food, don't most restaurants prepare their food fresh? If another restaurant made its customers wait an hour and twenty minutes from placing an order until the food arrived, there would be no end of complaints, yet somehow it's alright at Lingnan. The food isn't the only thing you'll be waiting for; despite having a reservation, we were made to wait fifteen minutes for a table, then another ten before any waitstaff appeared to take our drink order. Our server, by the way, was entirely manic all evening long - I would not have been surprised to learn he was snorting cocaine between table visits. The food, while not bad, wasn't particularly good and had a bland sat-in-the-smorgasbord-too-long feel to it. Again, it wasn't bad, but a very North Americanized style of Chinese, and definitely not worth the price. I've had Chinese food twice as good for half the price - our bill was over eighty dollars between four people, before beverages. I've been told in the past by Chinese friends that one can fairly accurately gauge the quality of a Chinese restaurant by looking at its clientele. Well, apart from the waitstaff, I did not see a single Asian in the place. The cost wasn't even justified by the ambiance in the restaurant. While it is hardly the restaurant's fault that its customers were noisy during my visit, they could have taken steps to encourage their patrons to be more respectful of other tables. I've seen children quieter and better behaved at Denny's than some of the adults during my visit. To summarize: the food is mediocre, the atmosphere is loud, the price is high, and the wait is near unbearable. read more

Excellent food! Really good quality Chinese food. So much care was taken to package the food to make sure it was still hot and not soggy. Highly recommended. read more

Super unimpressed! Made reservations at 5:30 for my grandmas birthday. They ordered our food (6 dishes) at 5:45, and it didn't come out until almost 7. My husband and I had to pack up and leave before eating as our children (3 months and 2 years old) couldn't handle waiting anymore. Waiting for over an hour for food is too long in my opinion, especially Chinese food. I can't tell you if the food is good but the service is slow and none of the staff seems to care. read more

Hands down the best Canadian Chinese that you will ever have. Believe the hype. Lingnan is consistently better than everyone else, both in terms of food and service. Try it! read more

Very dissatisfied with the owner of this establishment. I have ordered from here many times and will never order food from them again. My order was wrong and I did not receive a item which was lemon chicken. When it came time for us to eat our meal after we had the war wonton soup which was good there was no lemon chicken in the box. There was a container that held sweet-and-sour sauce with one slice of lemon and I called the restaurant to let them know I did not receive my lemon chicken. Maybe it was packed with something else with somebody else's order I do not know but the owner told me he packed it personally and he knows he put it in there and I said I've checked the box which was small and I checked again no Styrofoam container with lemon chicken. He basically told me I was lying he would send somebody back with another container of lemon chicken and he never wanted to have my business again. No I was thinking he'll send lemon chicken back but you're probably spit in it or something and so I called back and said don't bother sending chicken back because I don't trust you now and I also Will never deal with you again and I'll pass it on I guess sometimes when you have a big-name you tend to forget that you make mistakes totally disrespectful from the owner good day read more

absolutely fantastic and authentic atmosphere! great prices! Definite best chinese food i've had in edmonton. Only minus is there is minimal parking. Otherwise, only place I go for chinese food! read more

The Lingnan is the best place in Edmonton for Chinese food. The service is fast and always hot when we get delivery. I give the Lingnan 5 stars. read more

I've been here several times having both their buffet and menu items. I prefer ordering off their menu as they have several "hidden gems" not included in the buffet. During our most recent visit we ordered goo lo pork (sweet and sour pork), cantonese special noodles, and beef and broccoli. As always, the food and service was amazing. Amy came by and gave us tea on the house (last time we got wonton soup on the house). This restaurant definitely knows how to treat their customers and the food is always spot on. We're lucky to have a place like this in the city! read more

Lingnan was part of The Taste Of Edmonton again this year. It is the reason I went twice. I love the Dry Spicy Chicken. I am shocked to say I haven't been to the restaurant but I did grab one of their menus at the booth. So I am going to go to the restaurant or at the very least order the take out. I forgot how much I like this dish. I used to work downtown and often went to Chicken for Lunch which was also owned by them. Amy & her husband were the best at customer service. Amy always remembered EVERYONE'S favourites. I would go and she would say oh yes you like it spicy and you want steamed rice & broccoli! I have talked to other friends who say she did the same to them and would always remember their orders. Now that is service. So as soon as I go to the Lingnan I will come back and tell you how it is. read more

Was trying to find Gluten Free Chinese food & so pleased we chose the Lingnan! Buffet had 6 maybe 7 items gluten free and they even brought out special soup, spring rolls and 2 extra gluten free dishes on house for us celiacs. Food was absolutely delicious and top notch service! Will definitely be back! read more

First time ordering delivery from this restaurant, though have eaten there a few times. This was a delivery shared by 3 people. Although quoted up to 90min, delivery was in about 20 min, and was nice and hot. 5 dishes was about $80. With dishes came 3 packets of soy sauce. 1. Hot and sour soup. First time I ever had this soup that it was pink..Not spicy whatsoever, and tasted like the sweet and sour pork or chicken you usually get from a Chinese restaurant. Agreed upon 1/5 for this dish. 2. Special egg foo yong. Ok, but used to a sauce with it, and most I get have onions of one type or another in it. Ageed upon 2.5. 3. Schezuan Shrimp. A ton of shrimp in this dish. Pleasantly surprised. No spiciness to it though. Not used to almost nil for onions in a dish like this. Good flavor though. 4/5 from 2, 3/5 from 3rd. 4. Shadi beef. Decent flavor, nothing special, but again no onions and no heat. Not a fan of the little crunchies on top. agreed 2.5/5 5. Lee Hong Chong Aristocratic. (Mixed veggies with a few meat pieces and shrimp. A lot of broth, almost like a soup. Way too much broccoli, and most of it was not even close to being cooked at all. Stalks crunched like raw) 1.5/5 for 2, 3/5 for the broccoli lover. Overall view was that food was actually bland for the most part. The fact that the order only contained 3 soy packets not a great thing either. Will probably eat in the restaurant again, but sure would not order from them again. read more

The must have financed there own tv show honestly the worst Chinese food I've ever had to displeasure of tasting

I have heard mostly good things about The Lingnan and Ithink it was okay. My special chow mein was pretty dry and my partners choice of Korean Chicken was so much better - reasonably priced, good portions and the service was good, The only criticism I have is that the air conditioning was way too cold for me - had to sit and eat my meal with my jacket on. I would go back and try it again though, only this time ordering a saucy dish. read more

I used to be a loyal customer but things have been going rapidly downhill with service, food quality and general experience. Tried to call and voice my concerns, was told oh well, next time better. Sorry, there won't be a next time, take out containers broken open things all over the box...so greasy was disgusting, even the rice was off, and how hard is that? Won't be back there for sure. Tossed most of what was received, not even good enough for leftovers. read more

The best Chinese Food in Edmonton. We order the same dishes every time. Very consistent, delicious food. Lemon chicken, beef and broccoli, tomato beef fried rice sweet and sour pork, pea pods and pork, Won ton soup and egg rolls. Often we go for a birthday celebration and their version of the "Happy Birthday" song is the best!! Love to go, you won't be disappointed. Say hi to Wilson, our favourite waiter (who has been there forever). read more

I ordered a margarita and it tasted like shit. They can cook but can't make drinks . The food is quite pricey.and not as big servings as double greeting wonton house. It was delish tho! We will only come back for spicy chicken to go. read more

Best Chinese food I've found in Edmonton. Fabulous staff excellent quality in every bite they prepare. The owner even brought us out Chinese mini donut....MMMMMM read more

I had dinner there tonight with friends i had recommended this restaurant to. What a disappointment and embarassing The food was no better than i can get at the mall! Service was mediocre at best and now my stomach doesnt even feel good And No Place to Park!! read more

All I can think of with all these great reviews is, are your taste buds dead, it was unedible. OVERPRICED!

POOR !!! I order one ginger beef what a joke there is 90% fried and 10% beef and no rice ??? My wife try the fried chicken. Only white rice and chicken there is no fried rice. We put it all in the garbage after 30 seconde. Very disappointed. read more

Ordered delivery, the service was fast... but the food had several issues. The batter on the chicken balls was not properly cooked, with about 1/3 of the order being mushy. This was of course, prior to adding the pineapple sauce. Several pieces of the Szechuen beef were quite stringy. There were also no fortune cookies sent. When I spoke with the girl that took the order, she said that you have to ask for fortune cookies. I guess I was supposed to read her mind to know that. When I spoke with the manager, I was told "that's the way we cook it, it's better than other places around". I've been a customer for over 40 years. This is an insult. I will never go back after this treatment. read more

Beautiful dining room. Exceptional old school chinese ambiance. Food however bland and overpriced. Its not that the food was bad, just nothing any other cheap cafe style place offers for half the price. Had much better on Edmonton for less money. Room though is an experience. read more

I heard food was awesome didn't feel like cooking tonight so I ordered to try it out.....OMG it is awesome, had to order more then I needed cause I live to far but I tell you all it was worth it, delivery man was very friendly and told me lots about Lingnan, and this is my to go place for chinese food. If you haven't try it you must it's amazing and you get plenty. my highest recommend it. hopefully next time I'll be able to go to restaurant with family. THANK YOU read more

Ordered delivery. Was pricey and the food was very average. Did not taste like authentic chinese food so I'm unsure what all the hype is about. read more

I ordered delivery, it took over an hour and a half for it to get here (which is not that good). The food was... Well... Amazing. I ordered Vegetarian spring rolls, lemon chicken, Szechuan beef and chicken fried rice, and each thing was delicious. I will order again. read more

By far one of the best places in town. Don't order the regular Westernized Chinese food, go for some of the others :D Hot and Dry & Korean chicken are excellent if you enjoy spicy food. Gee Gee Chicken comes in a hot pot and is probably my favourite dish there! The decor is a great change of pace as well. The best way to enjoy this place is to bring a large party and have everyone order a different dish and share. Though, booking beforehand on a weekend is probably a good idea. read more

Really good westernized chinese food. I don't like the true authentic stuff so this is just perfect for me. I am very pleased - you need to eat the dry spicy chicken, it is to die for! read more

I just ordered from the vegetarian menu. Unbelievably bland. The fried rice is basically just white rice that they trickled a bit of soy sauce over. The broccoli in black bean sauce has barely any sauce and what is there is so watered down that it has no flavour. The girl on the phone told me the Aristocratic greens were great. I see no greens. It is just the usual food court tasting chop suey with a few crispy noodles thrown in. I would expect more for the money they charged compared to what I actually got. You would think that a restaurant that was featured in a TV show would have a slightly higher standard of fare. I would not bother ordering from here again. read more

The food is good, especially the "crack chicken" - a must try. My issue with the Lingnan isn't with their food but their service. If you are a regular and have been going there for years, you will be treated as an honoured guest. However, if they don't know you, you get at best average service and it will be at a deference to regular diners. We were waiting to be seated one night and had the opportunity to view this in action. There was a confusion about the take out orders, with later orders being ready while a gentleman started voicing his concerns about his 1 hr over due order. The matron of the family quickly went and got "gifts" from the office. When we were seated and ordered, we observed several tables who had arrived and ordered after us receive their food. We waited 1.5 hours for our food and were on the verge of leaving when the fellow came with the hot plates (that were cold by the time the food arrived). We waited even longer for the food, which as stated was good. We like the food but now do exclusively take out. read more

Ordered take out yesterday from Lingnan yesterday for the first time, was very good, not too greasy. Menu is western style Chinese food but the basic dishes we ordered were tasty. read more