Somewhat in the middle of nowhere in particular, this outwardly humble, inwardly 80's HK style banquet hall was the setting for a relatively intimate, rehearsal dinner for a wedding. Decor really is reminiscent of old school TVB (major television network in Hong Kong) colour schema. While familiar to my eye, it's not really my cup of tea. But it's done in accordance with the style choice, with pinks and lighter reds and pale blues... and lots of gold. Brilliant wedding, by the way. The rehearsal dinner was definitely a feast. 10 courses of highly competent southern chinese cuisine, prepared with verve with only a couple of not-quite-as-stellar dishes. Cold Plate: pork, beef, pickled vegetables Soup: shark fin, lobster meat, fish stomach Battered Shrimp, fried almonds, suite sauce Peking Duck (southern style wrap (somewhat of an oxymoron)) Twin Lobsters in a garlic sauce Sauteed seafood served in a nest of fried taro root. Breaded fish in a red sauce with a twist of chili House fried rice (Probably Yang Zhou style, not sure. Actually a standout dish. Very well prepared. Yi Mian (A southern coarse noodle -- not as good.) I enjoyed almost every dish and left feeling like I needed to loosen my belt two to three notches. I can't imagine what would ever bring me back to Colmar, PA... but if I did, and I even vaguely wanted to eat chinese food, I'd drive up to 20 miles to get here. It was impressive... Superb service (although the owners knew the bride, so they might have been being extra attentative) Smashing. Moreso given the utter lack of local competition... :)
(4)
Cong C.
I had my wedding reception here. I chose it because it was one of the bigger restaurants and it has parking, unlike Chinatown. 1. On my wedding day, I walk in to find that there is another wedding booked next door. My wedding already had 34 tables. It was very crowded. The had some cheap divider separating the 2 parties. The divider didn't go all the way to the ceiling so we can hear the other wedding's music. I was never told anything! I even came to the restaurant the day before my wedding to put up decorations. NO mention of another wedding. 2. People at my wedding could not hear the announcements and speeches because of the other wedding's music. People from the other wedding came to use OUR open bar. I actually had to kick out some people for using OUR photo booth 3. During our tasting, we had duck. We included duck on our menu to serve guests on the wedding day, however at the reception we never received the duck. When we confronted the owner, she said it was listed in the menu she gave us. We said we made a deal and you were suppose to include duck. THe menu she had given us was written in chinese and it didnt include duck on it. The food is ok. Never ever book an event here. The owner is full of lies and deceit!
(1)
John L.
Take what I say with a grain of salt since I used to work here, my dad and his Pharmaceutical communists friends swear by this place, and I still go here for Asian gatherings. The menu is your standard above average and adventurous Chinese fare. Good seafood nest, Fish Maw, stir fried lobster, duck, basically if you've ever been to a Chinese wedding you know what you're getting. They do sometimes get more adventurous with baby abalone, birds nest, shark fin, and eel some days, but its Montgomery County how far can you really be allowed to go is based on demographics and access to ingredients. The key to this place that most people must realize is this is not you everyday Chinese restaurant. More importantly I would NEVER recommend anyone eat here for dinner for 2, or by oneself as there are better option in the area. The food that is served is sub-par and below standards of what is served in larger parties, banquets, and weddings. This is from first hand experience of course from working, eating, and everything else there. However, the food is amazing during banquets, as they bring in their best chefs, ingredient, wait staff, and decor. They're accommodating and have we-will-do-what-ever-it-takes-to-make-you-happy attitude. This place is owned by the same owner as Joy Tsin Lau in Chinatown, but the day to day operation is handled by another couple which shall be unnamed and their satanic off springs. Again, another result of having worked there. But nevertheless good place for parties and banquets, but not eating there day to day. P.S. They're really satanic off springs.
(4)
Tyler R.
My girlfriend and I went here for a Lunar New Year prix fixe 10 course menu. If I had to sum up this experience in one word, I would have to say, GREASY. At least half, if not more of the dishes were deep fried food, there was very little vegetable offered, and the execution on some of the items left it very bland or just salty. The service was also a bit questionable. At times, they were quick to bring our food, but there were instances when we didn't see them for 20 minutes. Our tea ran dry, and so did our glasses of water. My girlfriend didn't even get chopsticks until the second course. From what I hear, the restaurant is actually very good, and this is an atypical showing for them. In their defense, they were managing a wedding that evening, and we were a group of 10, and they gave three free desserts to take with each couple. The bottom line: Be very careful of the prix fixe menu-- it gets greasy, and be prepared to have a 2.5 hour dinner if you do choose that path.
(2)
Lee N.
I decided to take my mom here yesterday for Christmas. I had fried rice and broccoli. I also got food poisoning from it. The service was meh and the food literally made me vomit. Don't eat here.
(1)
Steve G.
(2.50 stars) Reliably good food and service at this very large highway eatery. The menu combines several Chinese cuisines with a menu page or two of Chinese-American choices. I've enjoyed what I've ordered here. The layout of Golden City resembles a banquet hall; by no coincidence, many catered events are held here.
(2)
Dave H.
Golden City is one of the few Chinese restaurants of its caliber in the suburbs, Lai Lai Garden probably being their chief competitor (note they're not that close to one another). They have a large space appropriate for banquets (up to 500 people) - a friend actually had his wedding reception here. Their menu is a combination of Cantonese, Szechuan, and Mandarin dishes. Family and I dined here some time ago, and it was here I first tried sea cucumber. (Honestly, not sure I've had it since!) We shared various meat and noodle dishes family-style, and everything was delicious. Don't want to sit down? Take out is available. Last I checked, they were open every day of the week. Stop in if you're in the area!
(4)
Kunal P.
The rating should be more like 3-3.5. If you were to compare this place to the plethora of hole in the wall take outs, Golden City might come out ahead. But, comparing to other full service chinese restaurants, I'm not sure. Lets start - from the outside, the place is quite impressive with its giant sign. Walking in, you enter into a vast space of emptiness that looks awkward. And then the actual dining area seems more like tables arranged in a gymnasium hall rather than a proper restaurant. I went with my brother, so we didn't care much for the floor set up. But, if you are considering to go here for a date, might need to think about it. Regarding the food: I ordered orange beef and my brother ordered singapore chicken from the dinner specials section. I was pretty disappointed with my orange beef cause it didn't have any orange flavor and rather was quite bitter. And my brother's singapore chicken was good but sweet. Last time I had singapore chicken at a different restaurant, it had a spicy zing to it along with the sweetness. Not sure if the taste profile of the dish is variant on the cook, could possibly be... On the good points, the service was quite good and our server was quite knowledgable on the menu. They have an interesting beverage menu and serves alcohol. The bar is located right infront of the main entrance with the awkward empty space. If they added few tables/chairs in the area, it could very well serve as a separate area to serve folks who may want to stop by the place just for their intriguing selection of beverages. The menu in its entirety seems quite authentic, or as authentic as it can get for any chinese restaurants in this country. As per the food, I'll have to revisit for some other items as the other testimonies signify much better experience than what we had.
(4)
gwen L.
I've been going to Golden City w my family for 20 years now. As far as I recall the quality's been consistent. I vaguely recall the food tasting better years ago but can't tell if their quality went down or my palate has become more discerning over the years. Some of their dishes especially the veges are awesome but some of their other dishes like kung po chicken are a miss. Must try: their steamed oysters on the shell w black beans and the peking duck!
(4)
Kristen S.
I have had a love and hate affair with Golden City over the years. I've been coming here for at least 20 years - Golden City is the default place that we go to when all the family is in town. When I was a kid, I hated coming here and eating all the "weird" food. Now, as an adult, this is the type of food that I crave when I'm away from home. We always order the banquet with additional dishes - I usually find the food overly greasy and there's too much fried foods, but I have learned over the years that my sick stomach is usually because of overeating than with any flaws in the food itself. It's standard Cantonese banquet food and there are some dishes that I always look forward to: the pork chops, the steamed flounder, the fried rice, and the salt and pepper fried chicken. On my last visit, I found the food to be top-notch (4 star worthy) but I knew from past experiences that the quality of the food changes and that you can never really be sure of the consistency aside from my favorite dishes. Overall, I hope that more people give Golden City a chance; it's the type of restaurant that needs to exist in the suburbs of Philadelphia!
(3)
John W.
Went to golden city on christmas eveing with my family,we were seated right way at a table for 10 people when we only had 4 people in my family,then are night mare began,we were given menue's and waited 30 minutes before are waiter came to ask for drinks and take are food order,we waited another 20 minutes before i asked a busser to get are waiter,he came back to are table and said i forget to order your drinks,he came back about 10 minutes later with are drinks,and told us are apps would be right out,approx 25 minutes later are dinner's come out served by a different waiter,i told him we did not recieved are apps,he replied i will check on them,and takes off for the kitchen,i had to ask a busser if he could get us some rice since it was not dropped off at the table and the waiter had vanished,the busser came right back with are rice bowls,as we finished are meals are first waiter showed up with are apps in hand,i told him we did not want them,he say;s to me i will box them up and you can take them home,i again told him no to take them back,and get my bill,are bill is delivered by a 3rd waiter and we are charged for are apps,which i had to track down the hostess to have them removed.which she did with no problem,we were there about 6 p.m and the place was a little busy and i do understand we would have to wait,but when you leave a chinese resturant at 9:10 pm something is wrong,the food was just fair nothing to talk about,service was very poor,the only good thing was are busser and the hostess.i would avoid this place at all cost.
(1)
Luan P.
A few problems to begin with; the price is outrageous, prepare to spend hundreds if you got a party of 4 or more. The waiter is very unfriendly, most of the times anyways. There isn't enough waiters. Why did I give it a 4 star then? The food is just THAT GOOD! This restaurant serves one of the best Chinese foods I've ever eaten. If you are in the area, don't miss out, you have to try this place. On a positive note, the restaurant is huge, you won't feel cramped up like you would eating in China town. They are also very generous with their portions.
(4)
Sen D.
Quality materials, and outstanding (authentic) cooking. The staff were attentive, the environment is clean and upbeat. One little thing: I don't like the background music that much.
(5)
Katie C.
Golden City...sucked. This was my experience: I always drove by this place for years and I finally stopped in for lunch. The outlandish decorations were an eye sore. That should of been my first clue. Me and my boyfriend sat down at the smallest table in the restaurant when the entire restaurant was completely empty. We got waited on by three different people. Our original server was screaming on her CELL PHONE phone...the ENTIRE TIME. And that room echos. I couldn't even hear myself think. Then we got served food. Of course they forgot my drink order and my sauce. My garlic chicken was cut so thinned it looked like it went through a blender. I don't even know how they got it that small! Then our server decided to eat her lunch in front of us...that was a nice touch. The only salvation was the very kind busser who constantly refilled our drinks and checked on us. So in short...BEWARE. This place is probably the worst experience I have ever encountered. Did I mention my boyfriend and I have been in the restaurant industry for 10 years....
(1)
Simon C.
This is definitely the place to go for the traditional Chinese restaurant experience. I have been here a few times and the food, despite being quite pricy, is definitely justified by the fact that they give you huge portions and is a multi-course affair regardless of how you order. The food is also quite good. In terms of accessibility, it's not the best. The entrance is not the most wheelchair-friendly so for any wheelchair-user people, I suggest that you bring a friend to help you with the doors! Once you're inside, you should be fine :) For authentic Chinese food, this is the place to go in the area.
(4)
Thuong D.
The food is good but a bit pricey. What i did not like was the lack of English speaking staff members there who are willing to help you. Granted it was my fault for leaving my sweater there but it shows you how honest some of the workers are when i call back to see if they still had my sweater.
(3)
Carrie E.
Just because it's December 25 doesn't mean I don't want to go out for dinner. The ol' belly doesn't really care what the calender says, but apparently restauranteurs do, making it next to impossible to find a place that's open on Christmas. We've been to Golden City for three 12/25 dinners (and a few in between as well) and they've never disappointed. Take my advice and order the sizzling eggplant stuffed with mashed shrimp in oyster sauce - the name may be a mouthful but the taste is amazing. Golden City would be a great place to hold a big party (they have stages and karaoke!), and the restaurant is big enough to hold really large groups. But my favorite memory of this place will always be with the giant wooden Buddha in the entry way. My oldest daughter (now 11) tried to nurse on it when she was a toddler. She is horrified at this story now, but trust me, it was pure comedy gold.
(4)
Louis G.
My friend warned me that Golden City was hit or miss, and our experience was mostly miss. I went there hoping for something resembling actual Chinese food, not the typical Americanized barf found on every other block in the greater Phila area, where expectations for Chinese food are both low and dumb. The menu is daunting, and I'm guessing there's some good stuff on there if you know what to look for. The pork dumplings were pretty edible, though they were probably chicken. The house fried rice was quite good; supple, light and flavorful, it was considerably better than the "rice" peddled elsewhere. The sizzling eggplant is where the meal started to take a dip. Some of it was good (jalapenos with shrimp stuff). The tofu and eggplant were barely so-so, and overall the dish was somehow bland, even though it was chock full of things (scallions, black beans, peppers, garlic) that should have made it flavorful. The worst dish of all was, by far, the sauteed squid. I asked for a recommendation, and the waiter steered me away from squid with pickled mustard greens, which probably would have been a lot better. It turned out to be abysmally bland, almost as if the squid was sauteed in water and nothing else. The vegetables were by and large uncooked--tomato, zucchini, which would have been okay in some other dish, but here they just prompted the squid to cool immediately. A few mushrooms and snap peas were edible, and that's about it. The waiter never came back to ask how I liked his recommendation--he probably saw the untouched platter and sought to avoid hearing that it sucked. I'm pretty sure our meals were adjusted for the typical Caucasian American palette, which aggravates me. If I wanted that kind of gross snot-sauce food I could have gone to Golden Panda Dragon China Garden Moon Wall. I was initially tempted to ask for recommendations all around, given that it was our first time there and the menu was so huge, but we probably would have been pointed to the cashew chicken and General Tso's. EDIT: After talking with an Asian friend, I learned that Golden City does indeed serve Asian and non-Asian patrons differently. Non-Asians are seated at tables with fried noodles and duck sauce, while Asians start out with more authentic accompaniments. Asians are provided with chop sticks, and non-Asians get cutlery. My friend said she once brought a Caucasian guest, and by default they were treated differently, as described above, during the same meal. Now, I know this is a pretty common practice at crappier Chinese restaurants, but someone needs to get a memo to Golden City that it isn't 1976 anymore.
(3)
Daniel H.
With regards to the wedding banquet I held here last year, the service and food were impeccable. If I recall correctly it came to $500-$600 per table of ten people and everyone had a great time. The leftovers were also packed up and given to the guests and my family members ate banquet food for the next week or so. In hindsight, I would have nixed the wedding favors and tagged the leftover containers with "Happy Eating" or something. What amazes me about this place is their ability to mass produce such large amounts of quality food and still keep everything hot and fresh. Stick to the multi-course meals and their specialty menus. Happy eating.
(5)
Sub S.
If you live in the area, there is no reason to drive to Philly unless you want your dim sum fix. They have EVERYTHING here and its pretty good. The Peking Duck + Duck bone soup combo is great. The skin could be a bit crispy but you only have to ask to make that happen. The house special wonton soup is made in house and has a very delicate skin wrapped around some decent sized shrimp. The pea shoot tips (or any greens) in the shrimp paste sauce is awesome...just ask them whats good and go with it. The also have an American chinese menu, which I am sure is pretty decent, though I didn't get a chance to check that out. They have way too many other options on the vietnamese/chinese menu. Pros: Duck Bone Soup and Peking Duck, greens in shrimp paste Cons: NO dim sum
(5)
Jennifer N.
The Blue crab stir-fried Singapore style with ground pork which we saw on their Specials board at the front of the restaurant was wonderful. It had a spicy flare to it and was very well seasoned. Blue crab tasted FRESH! The kicker was the million course (not REALLY) complimentary dessert served at the end. Grapes, oranges, Chinese Che (Chinese pudding, this one had beans), almond cookie, and coconut pastry. It was a meal in itself!
(5)
Andrew W.
Golden City is by far the best choice for Cantonese food in the area. Obviously, it can't match the better restaurants in Philadelphia, and we wouldn't bring our relatives, who are used to world-class Cantonese cuisine, here. That said, the white flower stuffed eggplant is very good, and the fried stuffed tofu hasn't been bettered in my experience. Moderate your expectations and order accordingly.
(4)
Brian E.
I really like this place. Very good for groups and a nice sit-down meal. The food is very tasty and very traditional. The menu is very big and has a lot to choose from. Make sure you try the hot tea they give you, it always sets the mood. The only down side about his place is that it seems to be run by only a few people. So if there are more than 3 tables, which that is rarely the case (especially on weekdays), be prepared to wait while the chinese server lady runs around and tends to everyone elses needs but yours.
(4)
Alana M.
I love Golden City. You know it's good when people from that background flock to an establishment! The decor, while seemingly stuck in the past works well together however old fashioned it may seem. Not very glitzy or glamy, but delicious. The food is plated gorgeously and more importanly--generously! Definitely not your run of the mill chinese place in regards to quality..Try the peking duck with the buns! :) Staff is always friendly and SUPER accomodating!
(5)
Eugene H.
Golden City has more choices on its menu than any other Chinese restaurant I've been to. What's even better, is that all the dishes are wonderful. This place is huge and usually has some sort of banquet or party going on, but there's always room for regular customers. Try the peking duck!
(5)
Karen C.
My husband and I went to Golden City on Saturday as people said it was good. Well, it was the most horrible restaurant I've ever been too. From the decor, MUSTY smell, food on the curtains, already placed noodles, duck sauce and what the hell is the onions and halepeno peppers on the table for???? Totally disgusting.... We couldn't understand the women (with the hand brace) what she was saying, so we ordered the PUPU platter for 2, WHICH WAS SO GROSS, it didn't even look like real food.... The "steak on a stick" which is "beef teriyaki", was COMPLETELY RAW....The chairs were old and ready to fall apart.. We couldn't eat the food, not even my husband, I asked politely for the check and that we really couldn't eat the food and the beef was raw. Well, the brace hand lady comes over and starts yelling at us that she "told us what the PUPU platter was, first do not yell at me, the food is RAW, but then she rudely interrupted me to cook it on the flame.. NO, I'M NOT COOKING IT ON THE FLAME THAT 15,000 OTHER PEOPLE COOK IT ON, IT SHOULD BE COOKED... She was the rudest, disgusting person I've ever met. The waitstaff however, was very sympathetic... She said I will take off the PUPU platter but we have to pay for the rice and dumplings, WHICH WE DIDN'T EAT because it looked like dog food... Again, she yelled at me, I got up in her face and said do not raise your voice to me again. Give me the check so we can leave.. It took 10 minutes for the check which I should've gotten up and left, but, I'm not the kind of person. Anyway, the Chinese Food at Golden City and owner(s), establishment is friggin gross and can't believe it's still in business..
(1)
S C.
Good real authentic Traditional Cantonese Chinese Food without having to go to Philly Chinatown!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Hannah W.
Delish!
(4)Ferdinand H.
Somewhat in the middle of nowhere in particular, this outwardly humble, inwardly 80's HK style banquet hall was the setting for a relatively intimate, rehearsal dinner for a wedding. Decor really is reminiscent of old school TVB (major television network in Hong Kong) colour schema. While familiar to my eye, it's not really my cup of tea. But it's done in accordance with the style choice, with pinks and lighter reds and pale blues... and lots of gold. Brilliant wedding, by the way. The rehearsal dinner was definitely a feast. 10 courses of highly competent southern chinese cuisine, prepared with verve with only a couple of not-quite-as-stellar dishes. Cold Plate: pork, beef, pickled vegetables Soup: shark fin, lobster meat, fish stomach Battered Shrimp, fried almonds, suite sauce Peking Duck (southern style wrap (somewhat of an oxymoron)) Twin Lobsters in a garlic sauce Sauteed seafood served in a nest of fried taro root. Breaded fish in a red sauce with a twist of chili House fried rice (Probably Yang Zhou style, not sure. Actually a standout dish. Very well prepared. Yi Mian (A southern coarse noodle -- not as good.) I enjoyed almost every dish and left feeling like I needed to loosen my belt two to three notches. I can't imagine what would ever bring me back to Colmar, PA... but if I did, and I even vaguely wanted to eat chinese food, I'd drive up to 20 miles to get here. It was impressive... Superb service (although the owners knew the bride, so they might have been being extra attentative) Smashing. Moreso given the utter lack of local competition... :)
(4)Cong C.
I had my wedding reception here. I chose it because it was one of the bigger restaurants and it has parking, unlike Chinatown. 1. On my wedding day, I walk in to find that there is another wedding booked next door. My wedding already had 34 tables. It was very crowded. The had some cheap divider separating the 2 parties. The divider didn't go all the way to the ceiling so we can hear the other wedding's music. I was never told anything! I even came to the restaurant the day before my wedding to put up decorations. NO mention of another wedding. 2. People at my wedding could not hear the announcements and speeches because of the other wedding's music. People from the other wedding came to use OUR open bar. I actually had to kick out some people for using OUR photo booth 3. During our tasting, we had duck. We included duck on our menu to serve guests on the wedding day, however at the reception we never received the duck. When we confronted the owner, she said it was listed in the menu she gave us. We said we made a deal and you were suppose to include duck. THe menu she had given us was written in chinese and it didnt include duck on it. The food is ok. Never ever book an event here. The owner is full of lies and deceit!
(1)John L.
Take what I say with a grain of salt since I used to work here, my dad and his Pharmaceutical communists friends swear by this place, and I still go here for Asian gatherings. The menu is your standard above average and adventurous Chinese fare. Good seafood nest, Fish Maw, stir fried lobster, duck, basically if you've ever been to a Chinese wedding you know what you're getting. They do sometimes get more adventurous with baby abalone, birds nest, shark fin, and eel some days, but its Montgomery County how far can you really be allowed to go is based on demographics and access to ingredients. The key to this place that most people must realize is this is not you everyday Chinese restaurant. More importantly I would NEVER recommend anyone eat here for dinner for 2, or by oneself as there are better option in the area. The food that is served is sub-par and below standards of what is served in larger parties, banquets, and weddings. This is from first hand experience of course from working, eating, and everything else there. However, the food is amazing during banquets, as they bring in their best chefs, ingredient, wait staff, and decor. They're accommodating and have we-will-do-what-ever-it-takes-to-make-you-happy attitude. This place is owned by the same owner as Joy Tsin Lau in Chinatown, but the day to day operation is handled by another couple which shall be unnamed and their satanic off springs. Again, another result of having worked there. But nevertheless good place for parties and banquets, but not eating there day to day. P.S. They're really satanic off springs.
(4)Tyler R.
My girlfriend and I went here for a Lunar New Year prix fixe 10 course menu. If I had to sum up this experience in one word, I would have to say, GREASY. At least half, if not more of the dishes were deep fried food, there was very little vegetable offered, and the execution on some of the items left it very bland or just salty. The service was also a bit questionable. At times, they were quick to bring our food, but there were instances when we didn't see them for 20 minutes. Our tea ran dry, and so did our glasses of water. My girlfriend didn't even get chopsticks until the second course. From what I hear, the restaurant is actually very good, and this is an atypical showing for them. In their defense, they were managing a wedding that evening, and we were a group of 10, and they gave three free desserts to take with each couple. The bottom line: Be very careful of the prix fixe menu-- it gets greasy, and be prepared to have a 2.5 hour dinner if you do choose that path.
(2)Lee N.
I decided to take my mom here yesterday for Christmas. I had fried rice and broccoli. I also got food poisoning from it. The service was meh and the food literally made me vomit. Don't eat here.
(1)Steve G.
(2.50 stars) Reliably good food and service at this very large highway eatery. The menu combines several Chinese cuisines with a menu page or two of Chinese-American choices. I've enjoyed what I've ordered here. The layout of Golden City resembles a banquet hall; by no coincidence, many catered events are held here.
(2)Dave H.
Golden City is one of the few Chinese restaurants of its caliber in the suburbs, Lai Lai Garden probably being their chief competitor (note they're not that close to one another). They have a large space appropriate for banquets (up to 500 people) - a friend actually had his wedding reception here. Their menu is a combination of Cantonese, Szechuan, and Mandarin dishes. Family and I dined here some time ago, and it was here I first tried sea cucumber. (Honestly, not sure I've had it since!) We shared various meat and noodle dishes family-style, and everything was delicious. Don't want to sit down? Take out is available. Last I checked, they were open every day of the week. Stop in if you're in the area!
(4)Kunal P.
The rating should be more like 3-3.5. If you were to compare this place to the plethora of hole in the wall take outs, Golden City might come out ahead. But, comparing to other full service chinese restaurants, I'm not sure. Lets start - from the outside, the place is quite impressive with its giant sign. Walking in, you enter into a vast space of emptiness that looks awkward. And then the actual dining area seems more like tables arranged in a gymnasium hall rather than a proper restaurant. I went with my brother, so we didn't care much for the floor set up. But, if you are considering to go here for a date, might need to think about it. Regarding the food: I ordered orange beef and my brother ordered singapore chicken from the dinner specials section. I was pretty disappointed with my orange beef cause it didn't have any orange flavor and rather was quite bitter. And my brother's singapore chicken was good but sweet. Last time I had singapore chicken at a different restaurant, it had a spicy zing to it along with the sweetness. Not sure if the taste profile of the dish is variant on the cook, could possibly be... On the good points, the service was quite good and our server was quite knowledgable on the menu. They have an interesting beverage menu and serves alcohol. The bar is located right infront of the main entrance with the awkward empty space. If they added few tables/chairs in the area, it could very well serve as a separate area to serve folks who may want to stop by the place just for their intriguing selection of beverages. The menu in its entirety seems quite authentic, or as authentic as it can get for any chinese restaurants in this country. As per the food, I'll have to revisit for some other items as the other testimonies signify much better experience than what we had.
(4)gwen L.
I've been going to Golden City w my family for 20 years now. As far as I recall the quality's been consistent. I vaguely recall the food tasting better years ago but can't tell if their quality went down or my palate has become more discerning over the years. Some of their dishes especially the veges are awesome but some of their other dishes like kung po chicken are a miss. Must try: their steamed oysters on the shell w black beans and the peking duck!
(4)Kristen S.
I have had a love and hate affair with Golden City over the years. I've been coming here for at least 20 years - Golden City is the default place that we go to when all the family is in town. When I was a kid, I hated coming here and eating all the "weird" food. Now, as an adult, this is the type of food that I crave when I'm away from home. We always order the banquet with additional dishes - I usually find the food overly greasy and there's too much fried foods, but I have learned over the years that my sick stomach is usually because of overeating than with any flaws in the food itself. It's standard Cantonese banquet food and there are some dishes that I always look forward to: the pork chops, the steamed flounder, the fried rice, and the salt and pepper fried chicken. On my last visit, I found the food to be top-notch (4 star worthy) but I knew from past experiences that the quality of the food changes and that you can never really be sure of the consistency aside from my favorite dishes. Overall, I hope that more people give Golden City a chance; it's the type of restaurant that needs to exist in the suburbs of Philadelphia!
(3)John W.
Went to golden city on christmas eveing with my family,we were seated right way at a table for 10 people when we only had 4 people in my family,then are night mare began,we were given menue's and waited 30 minutes before are waiter came to ask for drinks and take are food order,we waited another 20 minutes before i asked a busser to get are waiter,he came back to are table and said i forget to order your drinks,he came back about 10 minutes later with are drinks,and told us are apps would be right out,approx 25 minutes later are dinner's come out served by a different waiter,i told him we did not recieved are apps,he replied i will check on them,and takes off for the kitchen,i had to ask a busser if he could get us some rice since it was not dropped off at the table and the waiter had vanished,the busser came right back with are rice bowls,as we finished are meals are first waiter showed up with are apps in hand,i told him we did not want them,he say;s to me i will box them up and you can take them home,i again told him no to take them back,and get my bill,are bill is delivered by a 3rd waiter and we are charged for are apps,which i had to track down the hostess to have them removed.which she did with no problem,we were there about 6 p.m and the place was a little busy and i do understand we would have to wait,but when you leave a chinese resturant at 9:10 pm something is wrong,the food was just fair nothing to talk about,service was very poor,the only good thing was are busser and the hostess.i would avoid this place at all cost.
(1)Luan P.
A few problems to begin with; the price is outrageous, prepare to spend hundreds if you got a party of 4 or more. The waiter is very unfriendly, most of the times anyways. There isn't enough waiters. Why did I give it a 4 star then? The food is just THAT GOOD! This restaurant serves one of the best Chinese foods I've ever eaten. If you are in the area, don't miss out, you have to try this place. On a positive note, the restaurant is huge, you won't feel cramped up like you would eating in China town. They are also very generous with their portions.
(4)Sen D.
Quality materials, and outstanding (authentic) cooking. The staff were attentive, the environment is clean and upbeat. One little thing: I don't like the background music that much.
(5)Katie C.
Golden City...sucked. This was my experience: I always drove by this place for years and I finally stopped in for lunch. The outlandish decorations were an eye sore. That should of been my first clue. Me and my boyfriend sat down at the smallest table in the restaurant when the entire restaurant was completely empty. We got waited on by three different people. Our original server was screaming on her CELL PHONE phone...the ENTIRE TIME. And that room echos. I couldn't even hear myself think. Then we got served food. Of course they forgot my drink order and my sauce. My garlic chicken was cut so thinned it looked like it went through a blender. I don't even know how they got it that small! Then our server decided to eat her lunch in front of us...that was a nice touch. The only salvation was the very kind busser who constantly refilled our drinks and checked on us. So in short...BEWARE. This place is probably the worst experience I have ever encountered. Did I mention my boyfriend and I have been in the restaurant industry for 10 years....
(1)Simon C.
This is definitely the place to go for the traditional Chinese restaurant experience. I have been here a few times and the food, despite being quite pricy, is definitely justified by the fact that they give you huge portions and is a multi-course affair regardless of how you order. The food is also quite good. In terms of accessibility, it's not the best. The entrance is not the most wheelchair-friendly so for any wheelchair-user people, I suggest that you bring a friend to help you with the doors! Once you're inside, you should be fine :) For authentic Chinese food, this is the place to go in the area.
(4)Thuong D.
The food is good but a bit pricey. What i did not like was the lack of English speaking staff members there who are willing to help you. Granted it was my fault for leaving my sweater there but it shows you how honest some of the workers are when i call back to see if they still had my sweater.
(3)Carrie E.
Just because it's December 25 doesn't mean I don't want to go out for dinner. The ol' belly doesn't really care what the calender says, but apparently restauranteurs do, making it next to impossible to find a place that's open on Christmas. We've been to Golden City for three 12/25 dinners (and a few in between as well) and they've never disappointed. Take my advice and order the sizzling eggplant stuffed with mashed shrimp in oyster sauce - the name may be a mouthful but the taste is amazing. Golden City would be a great place to hold a big party (they have stages and karaoke!), and the restaurant is big enough to hold really large groups. But my favorite memory of this place will always be with the giant wooden Buddha in the entry way. My oldest daughter (now 11) tried to nurse on it when she was a toddler. She is horrified at this story now, but trust me, it was pure comedy gold.
(4)Louis G.
My friend warned me that Golden City was hit or miss, and our experience was mostly miss. I went there hoping for something resembling actual Chinese food, not the typical Americanized barf found on every other block in the greater Phila area, where expectations for Chinese food are both low and dumb. The menu is daunting, and I'm guessing there's some good stuff on there if you know what to look for. The pork dumplings were pretty edible, though they were probably chicken. The house fried rice was quite good; supple, light and flavorful, it was considerably better than the "rice" peddled elsewhere. The sizzling eggplant is where the meal started to take a dip. Some of it was good (jalapenos with shrimp stuff). The tofu and eggplant were barely so-so, and overall the dish was somehow bland, even though it was chock full of things (scallions, black beans, peppers, garlic) that should have made it flavorful. The worst dish of all was, by far, the sauteed squid. I asked for a recommendation, and the waiter steered me away from squid with pickled mustard greens, which probably would have been a lot better. It turned out to be abysmally bland, almost as if the squid was sauteed in water and nothing else. The vegetables were by and large uncooked--tomato, zucchini, which would have been okay in some other dish, but here they just prompted the squid to cool immediately. A few mushrooms and snap peas were edible, and that's about it. The waiter never came back to ask how I liked his recommendation--he probably saw the untouched platter and sought to avoid hearing that it sucked. I'm pretty sure our meals were adjusted for the typical Caucasian American palette, which aggravates me. If I wanted that kind of gross snot-sauce food I could have gone to Golden Panda Dragon China Garden Moon Wall. I was initially tempted to ask for recommendations all around, given that it was our first time there and the menu was so huge, but we probably would have been pointed to the cashew chicken and General Tso's. EDIT: After talking with an Asian friend, I learned that Golden City does indeed serve Asian and non-Asian patrons differently. Non-Asians are seated at tables with fried noodles and duck sauce, while Asians start out with more authentic accompaniments. Asians are provided with chop sticks, and non-Asians get cutlery. My friend said she once brought a Caucasian guest, and by default they were treated differently, as described above, during the same meal. Now, I know this is a pretty common practice at crappier Chinese restaurants, but someone needs to get a memo to Golden City that it isn't 1976 anymore.
(3)Daniel H.
With regards to the wedding banquet I held here last year, the service and food were impeccable. If I recall correctly it came to $500-$600 per table of ten people and everyone had a great time. The leftovers were also packed up and given to the guests and my family members ate banquet food for the next week or so. In hindsight, I would have nixed the wedding favors and tagged the leftover containers with "Happy Eating" or something. What amazes me about this place is their ability to mass produce such large amounts of quality food and still keep everything hot and fresh. Stick to the multi-course meals and their specialty menus. Happy eating.
(5)Sub S.
If you live in the area, there is no reason to drive to Philly unless you want your dim sum fix. They have EVERYTHING here and its pretty good. The Peking Duck + Duck bone soup combo is great. The skin could be a bit crispy but you only have to ask to make that happen. The house special wonton soup is made in house and has a very delicate skin wrapped around some decent sized shrimp. The pea shoot tips (or any greens) in the shrimp paste sauce is awesome...just ask them whats good and go with it. The also have an American chinese menu, which I am sure is pretty decent, though I didn't get a chance to check that out. They have way too many other options on the vietnamese/chinese menu. Pros: Duck Bone Soup and Peking Duck, greens in shrimp paste Cons: NO dim sum
(5)Jennifer N.
The Blue crab stir-fried Singapore style with ground pork which we saw on their Specials board at the front of the restaurant was wonderful. It had a spicy flare to it and was very well seasoned. Blue crab tasted FRESH! The kicker was the million course (not REALLY) complimentary dessert served at the end. Grapes, oranges, Chinese Che (Chinese pudding, this one had beans), almond cookie, and coconut pastry. It was a meal in itself!
(5)Andrew W.
Golden City is by far the best choice for Cantonese food in the area. Obviously, it can't match the better restaurants in Philadelphia, and we wouldn't bring our relatives, who are used to world-class Cantonese cuisine, here. That said, the white flower stuffed eggplant is very good, and the fried stuffed tofu hasn't been bettered in my experience. Moderate your expectations and order accordingly.
(4)Brian E.
I really like this place. Very good for groups and a nice sit-down meal. The food is very tasty and very traditional. The menu is very big and has a lot to choose from. Make sure you try the hot tea they give you, it always sets the mood. The only down side about his place is that it seems to be run by only a few people. So if there are more than 3 tables, which that is rarely the case (especially on weekdays), be prepared to wait while the chinese server lady runs around and tends to everyone elses needs but yours.
(4)Alana M.
I love Golden City. You know it's good when people from that background flock to an establishment! The decor, while seemingly stuck in the past works well together however old fashioned it may seem. Not very glitzy or glamy, but delicious. The food is plated gorgeously and more importanly--generously! Definitely not your run of the mill chinese place in regards to quality..Try the peking duck with the buns! :) Staff is always friendly and SUPER accomodating!
(5)Eugene H.
Golden City has more choices on its menu than any other Chinese restaurant I've been to. What's even better, is that all the dishes are wonderful. This place is huge and usually has some sort of banquet or party going on, but there's always room for regular customers. Try the peking duck!
(5)Karen C.
My husband and I went to Golden City on Saturday as people said it was good. Well, it was the most horrible restaurant I've ever been too. From the decor, MUSTY smell, food on the curtains, already placed noodles, duck sauce and what the hell is the onions and halepeno peppers on the table for???? Totally disgusting.... We couldn't understand the women (with the hand brace) what she was saying, so we ordered the PUPU platter for 2, WHICH WAS SO GROSS, it didn't even look like real food.... The "steak on a stick" which is "beef teriyaki", was COMPLETELY RAW....The chairs were old and ready to fall apart.. We couldn't eat the food, not even my husband, I asked politely for the check and that we really couldn't eat the food and the beef was raw. Well, the brace hand lady comes over and starts yelling at us that she "told us what the PUPU platter was, first do not yell at me, the food is RAW, but then she rudely interrupted me to cook it on the flame.. NO, I'M NOT COOKING IT ON THE FLAME THAT 15,000 OTHER PEOPLE COOK IT ON, IT SHOULD BE COOKED... She was the rudest, disgusting person I've ever met. The waitstaff however, was very sympathetic... She said I will take off the PUPU platter but we have to pay for the rice and dumplings, WHICH WE DIDN'T EAT because it looked like dog food... Again, she yelled at me, I got up in her face and said do not raise your voice to me again. Give me the check so we can leave.. It took 10 minutes for the check which I should've gotten up and left, but, I'm not the kind of person. Anyway, the Chinese Food at Golden City and owner(s), establishment is friggin gross and can't believe it's still in business..
(1)S C.
Good real authentic Traditional Cantonese Chinese Food without having to go to Philly Chinatown!!
(4)