Garden Gate Restaurant

Stopped in after a movie at the Fox theatre just across the street. Had great cheap old style diner food, really good. They also do Chinese food. And they are open Sundays. Will visit again.

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

The day I was there, there was no heat. It was so strange, sitting in a fridge for dinner. If it wasn’t for the kitchen, it would have been completely intollerable. Add to that a very bad renovation and filthy bathroom (should have spent the reno money on that) definitely won’t be back.

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

The breakfast was pefect until it was time to eat my toast. There is a $ 0.50 fee for peanut butter. Jam free, but peanut butter fee. It was perfect until that moment. The waiter went on and on about peanut butter theft, people making sandwiches, etc but I just wanted to eat my toast. Nickle and dimming is so sad. I was excited about making this a weekly ritual– laundromat across the street, then breaky. Such a shame.

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

I was always curious about the «Goof», its burnt out sign and its offerings. After an amazing walk in the Beaches neighbourhood Monday, September 21, I finally decided to try it. It was around 4:15 pm and, sure enough, as dinner time was approaching, local families were coming in for an early meal.
In Toronto, there are two schools of diners: the Greek and the Chinese. The Garden Gate is a true diner of the latter persuasion. All the diner classics such as all-​day breakfast, hamburgers, sandwiches and steaks are offered. Absent? Italian-​style pasta dishes and souvlaki. However, half the menu offers Chinese-​Canadian cuisine. Now, too many people confuse this with Chinese cuisine. Chinese-​Canadian cuisine has been developed over more than a century to cater to an anglo-​saxon clientele, at a time when mass Chinese immigration had not started. It became a cuisine of its own, and is usually offered outside of traditional Chinatowns.
I was debating ordering a chicken chop suey with steamed rice when I looked at the «entrees» section and there I saw it. Liver steak. Glorious beef liver steak with onions and bacon and gravy and home fries. As I was ordering, the waitress told me it came with soup (chicken barley) or tomato juice, and dessert (rice pudding). All for 8.95! For 1.99 I could also add a side salad.
And here I am eating a delicious homemade chicken barley soup, not too salty but well seasoned and flavourful. The salad was romaine lettuce with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and was quite refreshing. The liver steak was a really good portion, well cooked, not dry and came with slightly sauteed onions in abundance and tasty home fried potatoes. I suggest you order the bacon crisp or well done. While tasty, it was a tad on the limp side.
Rice pudding, to my surprise was not the creamy concoction served in Greek diners and elsewhere. It was very eggy, with a slight crust on top and had a more cake-​like consistency, a bit reminiscent of a bread pudding. Taste wise and look wise, I suddenly had a flashback: my grandmother made rice pudding this exact same way and served milk or cream on the side to pour on the dessert, as is the custom at The Garden Gate. Delicious! The final damage was around 12 dollars.
If you are in the Beaches and crave some diner food or authentic Canadian-​Chinese cuisine (perhaps before or after a flick at the Fix Cinema across the street), this is definitely a great choice and I will go back.

Best Chinese food. Have been here 3 times now and have never been disappointed. Every time we try something new and its always deliclious. Definitely our new go to Chinese restaurant when we have a craving for Chinese food.

Blahh hmm after reading the reviews I wish I would’ve just judged the place by the outside. Dirty tables, dirtier bathrooms, mediocre food. I love hot n sour soup but not this strange tomato based odd one. Kids got typical diner food. It was adequate. Shrimp spring roll. Deep fried cabbage with no shrimp and dripping with oil. Gross. None of our food came out together and it was mostly left on the plates. Yuck

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

The «Goof», add it is lovingly known is a great place for dinner. Quick and friendly service, with helpful food suggestions. The food is great. simple straight-​forward and fairly priced. The portions are quite bug too! If you are in the neighborhood, stop by for a wonton soup!

I went to hidden gem with my friends Diana and Mel before attending a movie across the street at Fox Theatre. Basic Chinese cuisine and reasonable priced.

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

I discovered the Goof aka Garden Gate over 20 years ago when I started my current career. I was a regular back then, no money and needing to eat, this place was great! I haven’t been here in over 10 years and decided to pop in and see whats new. The place has been renovated about 5 years ago and I don’t think they cleaned the tables since. A nice coating of grease and finger prints seem to coat every table. Staff is friendly, the service in prompt and the food is exactly the same as it was the first time I walk in over 20 years ago. Now that is consistent. Why 5 stars you may ask, for what this place is, it is great! Definitely cheap and cheerful. Why did I stay away so long… :)

Classic American Chinese diner food. More sweet and sour chicken balls than pork bun, but sometimes that’s what you want.

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

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

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

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

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