Golden Bird Restaurant

Hands down best spring rolls in the city! Great service every time. Perfect for downtown work lunch. I have been going to GB for years. Family owned, they take care of their customers!

Maybe I just came at the wrong time or on the wrong day. I had read on Unilocal how great this restaurant was so I came downtown to try it out. i got a little lost looking for it but spotted it on 97^th and found some parking about a block away. I went in the late afternoon and the place was empty. Two servers were on hand. I sat down and was handed a menu. I was in the mood for a vermicelli bowl and wanted to try the world famous salad rolls that everyone was raving about. More than I needed but if I was coming I was going to come and try it all.
I knew I was in trouble when I could hear the kitchen staff leaving the kitchen on what appeared to be a break. My order was placed and my server went back to the kitchen and was there for several minutes. I could hear the microwave opening and closing, turning on, opening again. I cannot guarantee that my meal was what they were warming up over and over but I did not hear very much sizzling or anything else aside from the microwave. Coincidently when I stopped hearing the microwave is when my meal came out. It looked passable but rough around the edges. The peanut sauce was thicker than I’m used to. It was quite chunky giving it a slightly unappealing appearance. As I bit into the shrimp they were dry and stuck to the skewer. The meat was better but still dry. Nothing tasted fresh nor all that good. I tried the salad rolls and sadly they too were sub-​par. As I was finishing my meal I could hear the kitchen staff returning. Really bad timing.
I doubt I will be back. I can think of so many other places right in this area that I would prefer. I would consider trying it again only if I was with someone that wanted to go specifically to this restaurant. Even then… we’ll see.

Omg if you want the best Vietnamese food in this city you need to check this place out. Been going for literally years and it is always amazing! Phở Hoan Pastuer is also a great joint but u can’t sit and anticipate your meal with an ice cold Tsing Tao. Salad rolls, vermicelli bowls and mains are all made with incredible consistency and your bill at the end will make you scream like the lady in the IKEA commercials. Start the car!!! Amazing
Andy

Came here a few times with friends after being introduced to this restaurant during the Red Bull crushed ice event. Loved the food here and the prices WERE very competitive with other Vietnamese restaurants downtown.
The portions are on the bigger side however the last time I came in (bottom of August), I noticed they had increased the price of their entire menu (new prices stuck over the old ones). Smaller items increased a buck or two though their variety bowls such as the 5 colour over vermicelli increased 3 or 4 bucks if I remember correctly.
I will probably frequent golden bird less now but still a decent phở place with higher prices.

I went here for the first time a few days ago. Service was great. The rainbow vermicelli bowl was very tasty and was a generous portion size for the price. The spring rolls were amazing!

First time here as it was recommended by my lunch dates. Spring rolls were amaze balls I do have to say! Grilled pork and shrimp rice vermicelli bowl was absolutely delish. Service was fantastic and fast. Will definitely be back.

Yet again one very quaint and good place off 97^st! Once I got over the initial fear of leaving my vehicle unattended in this neighbourhood I really enjoyed the experience here. Food was fast and delicious and they have FANTASTIC Spring Rolls. I’d recommend this place to anyone wanting to try some great and inexpensive food! :)

A family run joint, that provides a feast of handcrafted Vietnamese foods for $ 10 – 15 per person. Charming ambience and delightful staff, this is a China town dive with great food, not the place to go for fine dining but go have a 53 and a 134 you won’t go home hungry or disappointed!

I’ve been going here since my brother and his lovely wife introduced me to this gem about 6 years ago. Don’t let the décor fool you (although they have updated), this is the best Vietnamese food I have had … bar none… every time. The family is a big plus too, very friendly and respectful. If they seem dismissive, it is only because they are very busy and somewhat shy, just talk to them and they are lovely!
We had take out today, spring rolls and Hot and Sour soup, to remedy the flu that is going around. The soup is heavenly, the spring rolls awesome and the portions are more than you could ever need.
Keep it up Golden Bird, I wish lived closer! 6 stars out of 5!!!

Came into get some Vietnamese food on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t busy at all so the service was quick and friendly. By no means is this place fancy but it does the job. The meat on our dishes was fresh and perfectly grilled with just the right amount of crispness which is always appreciated. The portions were also fair. All in all, no complaints regarding food or service. I will say that the washroom seemed to be recently renovated. It was more updated than the restaurant itself and for an Asian place, pretty clean.

Bird, bird, bird! Golden Bird is the word!
I am always amazed at the density of restaurants in Chinatown and I don’t know enough about them to know where to go. A friend recommended Golden Bird for lunch. She lived in southeast Asia for years and, according to her, Golden Bird was very close to what one would taste in Vietnam.
She ordered the pork chop on rice, and I tried «rainbow» on rice (five different kinds of meat). The pork chop was crispy around the edges and so juicy in the middle. My dish included a skewer of lightly charred shrimp, Vietnamese meat loaf, pork, leaf-​wrapped beef, and chicken. I was especially beguiled by the shrimp and pork. I could imagine eating a skewer of this and wandering around Hanoi. The spring rolls are without compare — I’ve never tasted such crispy ones. The rice paper wrapping they use comes directly from Vietnam.
The owners are just lovely people who clearly take pride in what they do and take time to visit with customers. They’ve decorated the place with local artwork, and that really stands out.

Best fried rice in town! I don’t actually know if that’s true, but I’ve never found fried rice that tastes as good as Golden Bird’s. Golden Bird is in the heart of Chinatown, and not exactly in the greatest area, but the food is always fantastic. I agree with the other reviewers that it’s like going to a friend’s place or a family dinner. The forks don’t match and the water is served in containers from Superstore, but it adds to the charm. The staff are very pleasant and attentive, and the menu is huge. The items are numbered, and there are nearly 100 dishes to choose from. The spring rolls are also another favorite, and a good friend of mine loves their giant soup bowls. I usually get some variation of chicken and rice, and it’s always well-​cooked and flavorful. When we go for lunch, it’s busy, but dinner time on the weekend seems to be pretty quiet. There is free street parking on the block behind the restaurant, and also a pay lot if the street parking is full.

I’ve been meaning to try more restaurants in Chinatown, so I was looking forward to trying out Golden Bird after a coworker recommended the place for lunch. The restaurant was a quick walk from work, and even though we arrived before noon, there was plenty of seating available. I ordered the 4 Colors on Rice, which included grilled chicken, 4 skewered prawns, 1 Vietnamese spring roll, and crispy beef. The portions were good (I had leftovers) and the food was tasty. The crispy beef was a bit odd. It’s deep fried to the point where you wonder whether they left it in for too long, but it adds an interesting texture to the dish, and after awhile I started to enjoy it. It probably isn’t for everyone though, as I know other people who left all their ginger beef untouched. The fish sauce that accompanies the rice/​vermicelli bowls is rather weak sauce though. ha-​ha… But no seriously, it’s significantly more watered down than what I’m used to. I think a stronger fish sauce flavor would have made the dish better.
8 of us were seated at the round table closest to the cashier. I was a bit skeptical because the table looked rather small, and although it was a big snug, we managed to squeeze in. I think they could have at least offered to put some tables together to make it comfortable. The owners were quite friendly and they both brought the food to our table and cleared dishes out. By the time we were paying our bills (about quarter to 1), I noticed the restaurant was nearly full. The menu is rather extensive and the restaurant appeared clean. One thing I didn’t like about Golden Bird is how they use the green Palmolive soap in their washrooms as hand soap. It’s rather gross, how hard would it be to buy a bulk bottle of hand soap at Costco? All in all I’d definitely come back to try more menu items.

There’s simply no restaurant I’d rather support than Golden Bird. It’s not the «fancy-​date-​night-​out» kind of place aiming to impress people with elegant décor or impeccably formal waitstaff — it’s more like going to a relaxed family dinner at Mom’s house (if your Mom happens to be a great cook!). It’s a little table crowded, a little noisy when busy, very casual, very friendly (if you visit regularly, you’ll indeed be welcomed like family) and VERY delicious. There’s plenty of variety on the menu, and so far I’ve enjoyed everything. Just thinking about them has me craving their calamari and spring rolls — time for another visit! It makes me happy to eat there, and I can’t think of a truer compliment to them.

This is my favourite place to go for Vietnamese «comfort food» in Edmonton. Food is always hot and fresh. It’s a little different than other places; they’ve got their own spin on things. Their ginger beef is crispy — to the point where someone could mistake it for overcooked, but it’s not; it’s delicious if you like your food crispy. The bbq chicken makes me drool — I’ve never had chicken quite as good anywhere else.
I’ve been coming here for 10 years (at least) and I always get the four stars on vermicelli noodles. It’s amazing to go somewhere and know exactly what it’s going to taste like every time. My father has dietary restrictions and they’re always happy to accommodate him as needed.
My boyfriend and I have put this place on our ‘go-​to’ list when we can’t decide what to eat. It’s fast, friendly and always good.
Try the spring rolls; they can’t be beat.

Holy heckfire was I pleasantly surprised by this hole in the wall. Edmonton is a beautiful city but this spot is in the not so beautiful section. Still, I think it’s highly worth a trip just for the food.
Our party of 3 entered to an empty restaurant and we weren’t even quite sure if they were open. A pleasant older gentleman of asian descent ushered us in with a smile and sat us. He came and brought us tea while we perused the menu. As I was being taken on my Edmontonian food tour, I followed with advice of my guides and got 5 stars over vermicelli which had shrimp, beef, chicken, pork and a fried spring roll over beautiful noodles.
We began with some light spring rolls that were filled with pork and had a peanut dipping sauce. A beautiful start to the meal. The interior was crunchy and fresh.
When my dish came, I was a bit shocked. The portion was hefty but not overly so and there really were 5 things on top. I poured the small delicious cup of sauce (soy, vinegar, fish) over the and mixed it all together. I then proceeded to devour. The shrimp were grilled beautifully and nicely spiced. The beef and pork were also sliced thin, marinated and cooked to perfection. Each portion of this dish just rocked my tastebuds.
I left happy and satisfied. I’m glad I had the chance to eat here because I would probably make it part of my weekend routine along with a trip to the asian market down the street for supplies.

Spring Rolls! Need I say more?
Okay, I will. Golden Bird has the greatest Spring Rolls you have ever had in your life. If you don’t care for them, you clearly have some sort of brain damage. Their vermicelli bowls are second to none. And they have the most amazing Hot & Sour soup that has ever melted your face off.
I have frequented Golden Bird literally dozens of times and have yet to have a negative experience.
The staff of this fine establishment treat you like family even if you are too much of a jerk to deserve it.
I suggest to anybody who likes Vietnamese cuisine, in anyway shape or form, to try the delicacies at Golden Bird. If then, you still don’t like it, you’ll have to answer to me.

Hands down the best Vietnamese in Edmonton! Pham and Kim (the owners) are absolutely fabulous and can be found cooking and seating guests everyday. Their son, Wang (who wears an oxygen tank) is an absolute hoot and a good conversationalist (especially if you want to talk hockey!).
My husband and I love Vietnamese and have tried at least 20 restaurants in the Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert area and NO ONE beats Golden Bird.
They are closed on Sundays… so if you want to go on the weekend — go on Saturday!
They have the HUGEST and MOST AMAZING spring rolls on the planet and have won several golden fork awards for them! I personally think their calamari is to die for — slightly sweet & spicy!
Their grilled meats are superb and we highly recommend their vermicelli bowls.
If you live in Edmonton and haven’t eaten at Golden Bird you are missing out! The lunch rush is always full of downtown people from the Court house and Police station — always a sign of excellent food!

Golden Bird is just an alright restaurant. They serve Vietnamese food but it was just alright.
The food didn’t taste extremely fresh and the service was a bit slow. Our server was friendly but she moved at a turtle’s pace is seemed like. I am no expert on this type of food but I have experienced a few other places and found them to be better tasting.
I wasn’t totally put off by my experience here but they didn’t gain a customer.

Golden Bird is yet another Chinatown restaurant that simply gets packed around meal times. A small, cozy family establishment, Golden Bird serves a wide variety of the kinds of food one comes to expect on a Vietnamese and Chinese menu. Typical for me, I went for a bowl of steaming hot phở (VIetnamese noodle soup) with beef. It was huge, hot, and full of meat. While the meat was not the highest in quality, it wasn’t overly fatty or greasy either — a major phở foible. The staff were extremely friendly, and I left feeling very welcomed. I will definitely be back.