It's not terrible but it's not good either. It's got 3 stars because of the sheer amount of food you get. But the tofu fried rice was terribly underwhelming. I must admit that yesterday I had tofu fried rice from my most favorite Asian food place ever (pho xe lua) so it made the experience here seem much worse in comparison. It lacked flavor , period it tasted like nothing. I had to add way too much chili sauce and soy sauce in order to want to eat it . Honestly, I take back the 3 stars and give it 2.5. It wash BAD it just wasn't good either. Sigh
(3)
R D.
Been there a couple of times, as it looked busy! Food is blah & service awful! Guy behind the counter kinda unfriendly and unprofessional. Last time, took money upfront then says that item was not available. Suggests an alternate, takes a long time to make and spills it on the counter while serving! LOL additional wait! Whatever! Not worth it!
(1)
Lizzie S.
Cheap and quick. Service could have been friendlier, but ma po tofu was good. Plenty of rice, not too greasy, and good flavor.
(3)
Chris G.
I can't deny it. The shrimp fried rice was very good. Not the best but it met my expectations of what fried rice should taste like. Definitely would order again.
(4)
Leah Y.
Bang for your bucks, lots of food for your money I ordered shrimp fried rice very good. I was very happy with it, has the right amount of veggies to set it off seasoned very well I will definitely be back to this place to try more menu items.
(4)
Steve K.
I met some folks at Reading market, and I was kind of hungry for Chinese after we met. Since I had a hankering for Chow Fun and as I walked by (BIG BIG mistake) Sang Kee and had not noticed Chow Fun on the menu I walked some more... I ordered Beef Chow Fun at Golden Bowl and it came soon enough - but the beef was very tough, the noodles were lacking flavor and all in all it was not great food, certainly not for a place a few blocks from Chinatown. I requested chop sticks and my fork (valuable plastic) was confiscated forthwith with great dispatch - what if I touched it or something? Not striking me as too sanitary. The waitress (owner?) requested payment while the food was cooking - ok since I was there late about 5:50 and they close at 6. The bill was 7.30 and I gave 8 bucks - I never got my change! Likely when leaving even if unhappy I would have left a buck, and perhaps somehow my change was forgotten but hey walking by Sang Kee is a mistake of mine that YOU should avoid! 1 star rating due (in part) to being next door (literally) to Chinatown - in Pottstown they surely would earn 2 stars.
(1)
Beth U.
This is my favorite Reading Terminal restaurant. Their Singapore Noodles have good curry flavor and plenty of veggies, which I like. Good counter space and friendly staff.
(4)
Purple J.
taste terrible!!! we buy the chicken with green pepper and the eggdrop soup, the chicken tastes so bad!
(1)
Ritawa R.
Staff was nice but food was just okay. Had the fried noodles and vegetables with shrimp (lo men) Shrimp was already cooked and a bit hard, did not taste fresh. The sauce was just salty, not flavorful. Be aware that if you order a hot one, it'll burn your mouth.
(3)
Kevin W.
I for the life of me cannot figure out why this place doesn't have good reviews. Granted, this is my first time here and maybe I got lucky. I ordered the Singapore Chicken aka Mei Fun. It had great curry flavor, noodles were tender and chicken and veggies tasted fresh. I also had Egg Drop soup. It wasn't as tasty as others I've had but nevertheless was still good. Singapore Noodles or Mei Fun are my favorite dish so maybe I am biased, but I thought theirs was above average and tasted good. I'd give the place 4 stars since their food is above average and not excellent, but they get the fifth star because they have a nice counter to eat at. That's a plus compared to a lot of the market vendors here.
(5)
Scott B.
Good service, reasonably priced, but mediocre Chinese food IMHO. I got the Moo Goo Gai Pan, and while the white meat chicken was lean and tender and the veggies were crispy, the overall taste was underwhelming. Maybe I just tried the wrong thing because, boy, those noodle dishes looked awfully good! However, I was trying to be semi healthy today, so I stayed away from the fried noodles.
(3)
Drew B.
I am sure some of the bad reviews are people people don't understand cultural differences. This place was totally fine! I ordered shrimp fried rice, watched it made right in front of me. It was very good and a huge portion for a heck of a price. Super good deal. If you want a lot of hot fresh food, this is a place to go to. I could have made 3 dinners out of the amount I was given. The lady behind the counter was short with her answers but not rude or condescending or anything. I didn't expect any differently. It isn't a fine dining establishment but for the money you pay and the selection available it is hard to go wrong here.
(4)
Ben C.
Who said it's not terrible? I got dry, reheated bbq pork. If you are in the market, you have so many other good options. If you crave chinese, you are literally next to Chinatown! No excuse to visit here!
(1)
Kelsey C.
If you're craving Chinese and you're about to die of starvation or just don't have time to wait, Golden Bowl is really efficient, but make sure you have the stomach for copious amounts of grease. The Veggie Fried Rice may have been cooked up in a New York minute, but it's sticky with oil, and there's really not much flavor. But my friend loves it - I guess it hits the spot if you're in the mood for takeout.
(2)
Karen F.
No good. The dumplings are doughy and not good at all. Get your dumplings from Sang Kee right down the aisle. We came here at 5:45 PM (RTM closes at 6 PM) and Sang Kee had already pretty much shut down and the little one HAD to have dumplings and even she said, "Mommy, I don;t like these. I want Sang Kee." Smart 5 year old. That said, the (female) owner was really, really nice to us. It's a shame the dumplings were so heavy & mystery-meatish.
(2)
Sal W.
Horrible. Chicken and broccoli tasted like pickled hamster hair. The guy behind the counter also overcharged me and I didn't realize it until I was eating. Will never eat here again. Ever. Cash Only. Food Quality/Taste = 1 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 3 Stars Price = 3 Stars Service = N/A Experience with Staff = 2 Stars
(1)
Edward M.
I just got one dish here -- once. It was the tofu with mixed vegetables (as a general rule, I like to avoid mystery meats). It was okay -- and made better by the hot sauce. The portion size was fairly large and filling. There's certainly better vegetarian Chinese food in the area (Su Xing, for example). But -- this place is in the Reading Terminal Market, with counter seating, and the woman there was very nice and even gave me water without being asked to.
(3)
G F.
Meh. Pass on this spot. Yes, it's inside of Reading Terminal Market. But on the other hand, chinatown is only a couple blocks away. Speaking of a couple blocks away... Dim Sum Garden is only a short walk from here. You'd do yourself much better to go there instead. This is bland food for a mostly transient client base.
(2)
Dana B.
Before I discovered Shanghai Gourmet, I gave Golden Bowl a try. Even though the counter staff was very sociable, friendly, and struck up a conversation with me, I was not that impressed with their sesame chicken. It had a different consistency than what I've had at other places, and was a bit more spicy than what I was used to. I'd only return if there were too much of a line at Shanghai, and if I do, I'll try something else on the menu.
(3)
Grace S.
this place is always packed at lunch so i finally tried it. the beef noodle soup is just salty broth with some noodles and raw onions and sprouts in it. the general tso's was atrocious--you could tell the meat was extremely low quality and the rice was just doused in artificial sauce. we left with most of the food uneaten.
(1)
Rick A.
I had the ever popular General Sho dish and hated it. Skip this place... China town is close and way better. Check out David's
(2)
Anjali M.
Golden Bowl is one of the many places to eat in Reading Terminal Market. And it has seating! The menu on the board is organized by meat or veggie sort of and the menu you get to look at is organized by type of dish (chow fun, lo mein, etc.). I'm pretty much a fan of Golden Bowl. My friends go every weekend almost. They're most definitely Golden Bowl's biggest groupies. The staff know us pretty well. My friends usually get the same thing every time, but whenever I want to get something different, the staff is pretty friendly to suggest something.
(4)
Kat L.
I got the chicken with garlic sauce and it was just terrible. I had to throw it away because I could not eat it. The wonton soup was pretty good though.
(1)
Annie W.
Bad. I ordered the beef chow fun, and it's got to be the worst that I've had that I had to throw it away given that either I eat that or starve. Wasted $7.
(1)
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Address :Reading Terminal Market,51 N 12th St
Philadelphia, PA, 19102
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Lunch Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : 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.
Nicey J.
It's not terrible but it's not good either. It's got 3 stars because of the sheer amount of food you get. But the tofu fried rice was terribly underwhelming. I must admit that yesterday I had tofu fried rice from my most favorite Asian food place ever (pho xe lua) so it made the experience here seem much worse in comparison. It lacked flavor , period it tasted like nothing. I had to add way too much chili sauce and soy sauce in order to want to eat it . Honestly, I take back the 3 stars and give it 2.5. It wash BAD it just wasn't good either. Sigh
(3)R D.
Been there a couple of times, as it looked busy! Food is blah & service awful! Guy behind the counter kinda unfriendly and unprofessional. Last time, took money upfront then says that item was not available. Suggests an alternate, takes a long time to make and spills it on the counter while serving! LOL additional wait! Whatever! Not worth it!
(1)Lizzie S.
Cheap and quick. Service could have been friendlier, but ma po tofu was good. Plenty of rice, not too greasy, and good flavor.
(3)Chris G.
I can't deny it. The shrimp fried rice was very good. Not the best but it met my expectations of what fried rice should taste like. Definitely would order again.
(4)Leah Y.
Bang for your bucks, lots of food for your money I ordered shrimp fried rice very good. I was very happy with it, has the right amount of veggies to set it off seasoned very well I will definitely be back to this place to try more menu items.
(4)Steve K.
I met some folks at Reading market, and I was kind of hungry for Chinese after we met. Since I had a hankering for Chow Fun and as I walked by (BIG BIG mistake) Sang Kee and had not noticed Chow Fun on the menu I walked some more... I ordered Beef Chow Fun at Golden Bowl and it came soon enough - but the beef was very tough, the noodles were lacking flavor and all in all it was not great food, certainly not for a place a few blocks from Chinatown. I requested chop sticks and my fork (valuable plastic) was confiscated forthwith with great dispatch - what if I touched it or something? Not striking me as too sanitary. The waitress (owner?) requested payment while the food was cooking - ok since I was there late about 5:50 and they close at 6. The bill was 7.30 and I gave 8 bucks - I never got my change! Likely when leaving even if unhappy I would have left a buck, and perhaps somehow my change was forgotten but hey walking by Sang Kee is a mistake of mine that YOU should avoid! 1 star rating due (in part) to being next door (literally) to Chinatown - in Pottstown they surely would earn 2 stars.
(1)Beth U.
This is my favorite Reading Terminal restaurant. Their Singapore Noodles have good curry flavor and plenty of veggies, which I like. Good counter space and friendly staff.
(4)Purple J.
taste terrible!!! we buy the chicken with green pepper and the eggdrop soup, the chicken tastes so bad!
(1)Ritawa R.
Staff was nice but food was just okay. Had the fried noodles and vegetables with shrimp (lo men) Shrimp was already cooked and a bit hard, did not taste fresh. The sauce was just salty, not flavorful. Be aware that if you order a hot one, it'll burn your mouth.
(3)Kevin W.
I for the life of me cannot figure out why this place doesn't have good reviews. Granted, this is my first time here and maybe I got lucky. I ordered the Singapore Chicken aka Mei Fun. It had great curry flavor, noodles were tender and chicken and veggies tasted fresh. I also had Egg Drop soup. It wasn't as tasty as others I've had but nevertheless was still good. Singapore Noodles or Mei Fun are my favorite dish so maybe I am biased, but I thought theirs was above average and tasted good. I'd give the place 4 stars since their food is above average and not excellent, but they get the fifth star because they have a nice counter to eat at. That's a plus compared to a lot of the market vendors here.
(5)Scott B.
Good service, reasonably priced, but mediocre Chinese food IMHO. I got the Moo Goo Gai Pan, and while the white meat chicken was lean and tender and the veggies were crispy, the overall taste was underwhelming. Maybe I just tried the wrong thing because, boy, those noodle dishes looked awfully good! However, I was trying to be semi healthy today, so I stayed away from the fried noodles.
(3)Drew B.
I am sure some of the bad reviews are people people don't understand cultural differences. This place was totally fine! I ordered shrimp fried rice, watched it made right in front of me. It was very good and a huge portion for a heck of a price. Super good deal. If you want a lot of hot fresh food, this is a place to go to. I could have made 3 dinners out of the amount I was given. The lady behind the counter was short with her answers but not rude or condescending or anything. I didn't expect any differently. It isn't a fine dining establishment but for the money you pay and the selection available it is hard to go wrong here.
(4)Ben C.
Who said it's not terrible? I got dry, reheated bbq pork. If you are in the market, you have so many other good options. If you crave chinese, you are literally next to Chinatown! No excuse to visit here!
(1)Kelsey C.
If you're craving Chinese and you're about to die of starvation or just don't have time to wait, Golden Bowl is really efficient, but make sure you have the stomach for copious amounts of grease. The Veggie Fried Rice may have been cooked up in a New York minute, but it's sticky with oil, and there's really not much flavor. But my friend loves it - I guess it hits the spot if you're in the mood for takeout.
(2)Karen F.
No good. The dumplings are doughy and not good at all. Get your dumplings from Sang Kee right down the aisle. We came here at 5:45 PM (RTM closes at 6 PM) and Sang Kee had already pretty much shut down and the little one HAD to have dumplings and even she said, "Mommy, I don;t like these. I want Sang Kee." Smart 5 year old. That said, the (female) owner was really, really nice to us. It's a shame the dumplings were so heavy & mystery-meatish.
(2)Sal W.
Horrible. Chicken and broccoli tasted like pickled hamster hair. The guy behind the counter also overcharged me and I didn't realize it until I was eating. Will never eat here again. Ever. Cash Only. Food Quality/Taste = 1 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 3 Stars Price = 3 Stars Service = N/A Experience with Staff = 2 Stars
(1)Edward M.
I just got one dish here -- once. It was the tofu with mixed vegetables (as a general rule, I like to avoid mystery meats). It was okay -- and made better by the hot sauce. The portion size was fairly large and filling. There's certainly better vegetarian Chinese food in the area (Su Xing, for example). But -- this place is in the Reading Terminal Market, with counter seating, and the woman there was very nice and even gave me water without being asked to.
(3)G F.
Meh. Pass on this spot. Yes, it's inside of Reading Terminal Market. But on the other hand, chinatown is only a couple blocks away. Speaking of a couple blocks away... Dim Sum Garden is only a short walk from here. You'd do yourself much better to go there instead. This is bland food for a mostly transient client base.
(2)Dana B.
Before I discovered Shanghai Gourmet, I gave Golden Bowl a try. Even though the counter staff was very sociable, friendly, and struck up a conversation with me, I was not that impressed with their sesame chicken. It had a different consistency than what I've had at other places, and was a bit more spicy than what I was used to. I'd only return if there were too much of a line at Shanghai, and if I do, I'll try something else on the menu.
(3)Grace S.
this place is always packed at lunch so i finally tried it. the beef noodle soup is just salty broth with some noodles and raw onions and sprouts in it. the general tso's was atrocious--you could tell the meat was extremely low quality and the rice was just doused in artificial sauce. we left with most of the food uneaten.
(1)Rick A.
I had the ever popular General Sho dish and hated it. Skip this place... China town is close and way better. Check out David's
(2)Anjali M.
Golden Bowl is one of the many places to eat in Reading Terminal Market. And it has seating! The menu on the board is organized by meat or veggie sort of and the menu you get to look at is organized by type of dish (chow fun, lo mein, etc.). I'm pretty much a fan of Golden Bowl. My friends go every weekend almost. They're most definitely Golden Bowl's biggest groupies. The staff know us pretty well. My friends usually get the same thing every time, but whenever I want to get something different, the staff is pretty friendly to suggest something.
(4)Kat L.
I got the chicken with garlic sauce and it was just terrible. I had to throw it away because I could not eat it. The wonton soup was pretty good though.
(1)Annie W.
Bad. I ordered the beef chow fun, and it's got to be the worst that I've had that I had to throw it away given that either I eat that or starve. Wasted $7.
(1)