Rich C.

Megan M.

Esther knows how to make a meal into an experience. Whether it's a pick up, or dining in, she provides incredible Chinese food, well prepared, always fresh and tasty, while engaging and making you feel like family. The restaurant was full of patrons on Christmas Day, and Esther was doling out hugs and smiles, making sure all guests were enjoying the buffet, and receiving great service. There was a constant flow of dishes rotating in and out of the buffet. They don't use MSG (awesome!) and even had a light angel food cake with whipped cream frosting for dessert, and a myriad of fruit, and festive cookies. From beginning to end, the food was delicious. I especially enjoyed the sweet and sour chicken, and the breaded perch! We had great, friendly service, remarkable food, at a great value. It makes sense that many patrons make Golden Chef their tradition, as after our Christmas Day visit, we've decided to do the same!

Jackie T.

The food was good but the service is horrible. Come when you have lots of time. They were not even that busy. I wouldn't come back.

Custie 7.

While I hear Esther is as sweet as can be & I that the food is pretty good (Yen Yen, Wing Wah and Heng Wang are 100x's better, tho) it's all lost when you find roaches (plural) crawling out of the bag as your getting out of the car @ your destination! We picked up an order totaling just under $200 to take to another friend's house for a late lunch and when we arrived (a less than 10 minute drive from the restraunt), I picked the bag up off the back (passenger side) floor I spotted roaches crawling out of the bag. I immediately walked over to the dumpster & threw the entire order in the garbage! There was no way I was bringing the bag into someone else's home (nor my own), allow the food to be eaten or put it back into the car & drive it back to the resturant! Who knows how many of the buggers were crawling around inside the bag/food! After we called our friends & told them to order something else & we'd go pick it up we went to a full service car wash to have my friend's car fumigated (including all the mats)! My friend called & asked to speak w/ Esther and was told she was unavailable, left & message & she's still waiting for that call (6 mos later)! Thankfully, she has NOT seen any creepy crawlers in her car since (& never b/f the day this happened)! She did, however, have Orkin come out & do an inspection & everything was fine. She breathed a sigh of relief to learn that none of the bugs made their way into her car & that we got the bag out quickly enough! I hated to have to write this review! So much so, it's taken me SIX months to sit down & do it! Please check your bags and their contents thoroughly before bringing anything into your cars and homes. We were very lucky.

Ilene J.

I had been a regular customer for years. For the past year their service and food has been going downhill. Thought I would give it one last chance tonight and I'm sorry I did. I ordered my favorite meal, shredded chicken, that was always full of flavor with the little crispy noodles. Tonight it had no flavor whatsoever and no crispy noodles. Ordered mongolian beef well done and it was far from well done. Also ordered shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce, which used to be a dark brown sauce and this was a light sauce also with no flavor. Very disappointed and will not be returning. If they have new owners, they might have bought the name but certainly not the recipes! And the young girl at the counter asked me to wait a minute while she finished her texting!!! Then she grabbed another call for a carry out order and I had to wait through that too!

Jeff A.

The owners are nice but that's about it. Trying to think of a way to review without offending anyone. But if you want bland Chinese food that all tastes the same, this is definitely the place for you. Nothing but older locals with dead tastebuds tend to dine here. I'd even pick Panda Express over this place, unfortunately.

Ginger G.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, there were a handful of people waiting for their pick up orders. I could tell that some of the people were frustrated because they had to wait, but I had nowhere important to be so I didn't mind. We ordered Lo-Mein with extra veggies and egg rolls. The extra veggie order wasn't necessary because there was an abundance in the dish as it is normally made. The egg rolls were probably the best I've ever had. My wait wasn't longer than 15 minutes, which leads me to believe that the others that were waiting were just "hangry". I will definitely order from here again!!!

Bharat K.

Nice restaurant!! Good tasty food and friendly people!!! Nothing to complain about!!!

Alan G.

Long time Golden Chef customer. I didn't know that Wally and Ester sold the place until recently. The new menu looked interesting, but the server couldn't answer a single question about the new items. We went with our regular order. Soup was still good, but my favorite egg rolls I usually get baked were unbelievably greasy and almost flavorless. Oh and dead cold in the center. Our entrees were mixed - my wife liked her cashew chicken but that was barely warm. My chicken and eggplant dish with garlic sauce was warmer but not hot, however was almost like eating a salt lick. Portions were noticeably smaller, but reasonable. My biggest complaint was the service. We sat for twenty minutes without any service. People who came later were served well ahead of us. I also couldn't get silverware until I raised my voice at someone who told me yes it was coming. I asked no less than 5 times over the course of 30 minutes. Just so you understand my frustration, we got the silverware 10 minutes after our entrees arrived. I was already eating with my giant serving spoon. Also we had 4 different people waiting on us. It really looked disorganized. Far from a relaxing dinner out. We'll probably try again, but won't be rushing back.

Joseph L.

Nothing that stands out. There are better asian resturants around. This place is good if you want something quick to pick up. Don't let the nice interior fool you. It's average Chinese food with above average decor.

Norbert P.

AVOID THIS PLACE! Just got their orange chicken to go. The orange sauce came separate from the chicken, the chicken looks like chicken McNuggets but the McNuggets taste better. They have no taste no flavor. Combining it with the sauce did not help. I will NEVER come here again.

Eula I.

New owners, same menu, higher prices. Even though the menus is the same as the former owners, the preparation and ingredients have changed, not for the better. Poor quality. Sunday evening 6:00pm only two customers. Their reputation is poor. They have lost me a former regular.

Nik I.

Got a delivery via grubhub. Tasteless and really not worth the money. Pretty much all went in the bin. Waste of an order.

Hamza S.

Had the vegetable egg roll and shrimp fried rice for lunch. The shrimp fried rice could use a little more flavor, but other then that this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area compared to as in Northbrook.

Geo P.

We went here on Christmas night , and it was unbelievable !! The line was almost out the door. The place was under staffed. They really needed at least 10 more people to manage the crowd. This was one of the few restraunts open on Christmas. But for god sake , hire more servers !! We were in line for about 40 minutes. There was no manager helping the people in line. They were overwhelmed but come on !! There were people that were there to pick up their orders but there was no seperate line for them. They knew they'd have a big crowd tonight so at least hires few more servers. There were lots of people leaving . They don't have that many tables either !! The waitress was also overwhelmed too. The food was OK but we won't run back here !! Maybe it's because they have new owners !!

Melissa H.

I've been a customer here for many years and have yet to write a review until now. For me, Golden Chef is the best of the best when it comes to Chinese food in the area. Tonight, I don't know what it was maybe being New Years Eve and they were busy, but it did not taste or look the same. The high quality food here is on point always and tonight it was not up to par. I always get their food taken out and immediately noticed the containers of food were no longer in their styrofoam box (ok, not a big deal). The egg rolls usually have a nutty flavor, but it wasn't fully there the flavor for me tonight. The Mongolian Beef usually has tons of beef and the sticky noodles I dearly love. Tonight there was barely any beef or sticky noodles and mostly onion. The Orange Chicken is usually bigger pieces and tonight it was chopped up smaller than usual. I've read a couple recent reviews on here saying the place is under new ownership, but I did see Esther tonight. Maybe they've gotten a new chef? I also have to add that tonight when I got home I noticed they were going to charge me for their delicious house made sweet and sour sauce. I'm relived they didn't because I would've been upset based on principal. My initial review was going to be positive, but based on my experience tonight I was displeased.

Andrew M.

Stopped in golden chef for lunch with a co-worker. The owner came to our table to greet us. She was very friendly. I ordered an egg roll and General Tso's Chicken. The entree came with a vegetable soup. The egg roll was crispy and delicious. It tasted like it was fried in peanut oil. I ordered my chicken extra spicy, and it came out great. It had onions, peppers, and mushrooms. It came with a side of fried rice. The serving was very large. I ate it all, but I should have taken half of it to go. And at $7 for an entrée, you won't break the bank. I would defintiely recommend this place for lunch.

Thomas B.

We used their carry out service. They were spot on for when food was to be ready. My wife has been coming here for 11 yrs. Sorry to hear Esther sold the place. Orange Chicken was delis. Fried rice was a little heavy on the soy sauce but it was tasty. Sizzling rice soup was very good as in the past. Excellent fortune cookies too.

M G.

This place has been sold after many years. The food is pretty good but not the same. The owners must be retiring. The new owner did not say he was the new owner. However, Village of Wheeling minutes confirm new owner and liquor license. Wally and Esther were great. I wish them well.

doreen s.

Very good crispy egg rolls. I got (2) for $3.20!!! Nice size and made with real bbq pork and shrimp. I also ordered the beef egg foo young lunch combo, which was around 6 bucks. Fried rice could stand to have some color to it, ( i like mine a richer brown color) but it tasted pretty good. I got 2 nice sized patties and they tasted pretty good as well. I work in Northbrook and this is now my favorite chinese food place that satisfies. The owner is very friendly and nice too.

Jason C.

I have been driving up and down Milwaukee Ave for the past few years, but I haven't been paying attention to this restaurant. There are so many Chinese restaurants around Buffalo Grove and Wheeling, and Golden Chef is not really close by my place. Fast forward to a February Sunday morning, while driving by this restaurant, I saw the "Dim Sum" sign. I made a turn on the entrance and decided to give them a try. "What the heck" I thought, how bad could this be. I suddenly had a craze for dim sum and I was definitely not going to drive 45 minutes to Chinatown for that. When I stepped foot i the restaurant, Esther, the owner greeted me warmly and showed me the dim sum cart. I picked up 4 of the staples dim sum to go, and Boy they were so good! Stuffed Bean Curd rolls are solid and HUGE! Har Gaw came in six on a plate, and they were tender and juicy. Pan Fried Turnip cakes were yummy and flavorful, and they came with the dark sweet sauce which is pretty authentic and you don't usually see them around here in the suburbs. The best part is, they were only $2.95 each!! I believe Ming Hin or Phoenix in Chinatown are charging $3.25 for a smaller portion. I also ordered the Rice Crepe for $2.50 which loaded with BBQ pork, they were not fooling around with the BBQ pork... So 4 dim sum orders came up with a total of $12.60 with tax, the portion was so huge that was enough for two persons. I think we have a winner here. Sure, you can't really compare the dim sum here to the Chinatown restaurants. But I really think this is as good as it gets in the burbs. The owners really put in a lot of efforts to run this dim sum showcase for their loyal customers. You can definitely feel the love from the dim sum here. I will definitely be back again!

Tim S.

I cant say I would come back here again. The restaurant is literally 2 blocks from my house and I cant figure out all the awesome reviews. The food was very salty and very very heavy on the sauce. I've read some reviews about the "authentic" flavor and in my honest opinion it couldn't be farther from the truth. The restaurant is showing its age and is a bit dirty but the service is pretty good from my experience.

Jay S.

Tried the Saturday dimsum with the family. Yikes. Dumplings are soft like they were boiled. Chowfun noodles were just as bad, SOFT! Mongolian beef, too saucy! True Mongolian beef supposed to be dry with fresh scallions on top, not drenched in sauce. I was curious to see who the chef was and wish I could've talked with him/her to see if this was an honest work. No wonder lots of people take a long drive to Chinatown instead. Ignorance is bliss however. There were other families eating there seemingly enjoying the food. Service is very good, however. Sorry. From now on, it's either Chef Ping or Twin Dragon when we want Chinese in the 'burbs.

Ted T.

East doesn't alway meet West, but ya gotta hand it to them - they actually had matzo on the table. Showed up at 4pm. Empty. They sat me right next to the staff who were eating. Another member of the staff who was standing 15 feet from me was sucking on an orange - more than just a little audibly. Management proceeded to speak to staff from another table putting me in the middle of the exchange. Hey 1 billion people in china I guess the etiquette has to be a bit less than delicate. Hot and sour - not the worst but wouldn't order again. small portion. Kung pow - amateurish. This is clearly a Cantonese joint. Meat to goo ratio - fair. Not too skimpy on the meat. Weird sweet vibe to the sauce. Egg roll - well aren't they all the same? Price? Missed the specials so I paid full boat which is 15 percent too high. Would I go again? Doubt it.

Karen P.

Esther and Wally owned Golden Chef until I believe December. They sold it to a relative. Since then our food has not been the same. At times it is okay if a specific chef makes it. We too were there on one of the holiday eves (NewYears) and we were also there on Christmas Day...the service and the food had changed...still good but was different. And yes the servers were overwhelmed. Esther and Wally built up a wonderful and faithful following over the 20+ years being in this location and it is very concerning that things are changing. JMHO

Bharat K.

Nice restaurant!! Good tasty food and friendly people!!! Nothing to complain about!!!

Hamza S.

Had the vegetable egg roll and shrimp fried rice for lunch. The shrimp fried rice could use a little more flavor, but other then that this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area compared to as in Northbrook.

Jeff A.

The owners are nice but that's about it. Trying to think of a way to review without offending anyone. But if you want bland Chinese food that all tastes the same, this is definitely the place for you. Nothing but older locals with dead tastebuds tend to dine here. I'd even pick Panda Express over this place, unfortunately.

Alan G.

Long time Golden Chef customer. I didn't know that Wally and Ester sold the place until recently. The new menu looked interesting, but the server couldn't answer a single question about the new items. We went with our regular order. Soup was still good, but my favorite egg rolls I usually get baked were unbelievably greasy and almost flavorless. Oh and dead cold in the center. Our entrees were mixed - my wife liked her cashew chicken but that was barely warm. My chicken and eggplant dish with garlic sauce was warmer but not hot, however was almost like eating a salt lick. Portions were noticeably smaller, but reasonable. My biggest complaint was the service. We sat for twenty minutes without any service. People who came later were served well ahead of us. I also couldn't get silverware until I raised my voice at someone who told me yes it was coming. I asked no less than 5 times over the course of 30 minutes. Just so you understand my frustration, we got the silverware 10 minutes after our entrees arrived. I was already eating with my giant serving spoon. Also we had 4 different people waiting on us. It really looked disorganized. Far from a relaxing dinner out. We'll probably try again, but won't be rushing back.

Joseph L.

Nothing that stands out. There are better asian resturants around. This place is good if you want something quick to pick up. Don't let the nice interior fool you. It's average Chinese food with above average decor.

Norbert P.

AVOID THIS PLACE! Just got their orange chicken to go. The orange sauce came separate from the chicken, the chicken looks like chicken McNuggets but the McNuggets taste better. They have no taste no flavor. Combining it with the sauce did not help. I will NEVER come here again.

Eula I.

New owners, same menu, higher prices. Even though the menus is the same as the former owners, the preparation and ingredients have changed, not for the better. Poor quality. Sunday evening 6:00pm only two customers. Their reputation is poor. They have lost me a former regular.

Nik I.

Got a delivery via grubhub. Tasteless and really not worth the money. Pretty much all went in the bin. Waste of an order.

M G.

This place has been sold after many years. The food is pretty good but not the same. The owners must be retiring. The new owner did not say he was the new owner. However, Village of Wheeling minutes confirm new owner and liquor license. Wally and Esther were great. I wish them well.

Ginger G.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, there were a handful of people waiting for their pick up orders. I could tell that some of the people were frustrated because they had to wait, but I had nowhere important to be so I didn't mind. We ordered Lo-Mein with extra veggies and egg rolls. The extra veggie order wasn't necessary because there was an abundance in the dish as it is normally made. The egg rolls were probably the best I've ever had. My wait wasn't longer than 15 minutes, which leads me to believe that the others that were waiting were just "hangry". I will definitely order from here again!!!

Melissa H.

I've been a customer here for many years and have yet to write a review until now. For me, Golden Chef is the best of the best when it comes to Chinese food in the area. Tonight, I don't know what it was maybe being New Years Eve and they were busy, but it did not taste or look the same. The high quality food here is on point always and tonight it was not up to par. I always get their food taken out and immediately noticed the containers of food were no longer in their styrofoam box (ok, not a big deal). The egg rolls usually have a nutty flavor, but it wasn't fully there the flavor for me tonight. The Mongolian Beef usually has tons of beef and the sticky noodles I dearly love. Tonight there was barely any beef or sticky noodles and mostly onion. The Orange Chicken is usually bigger pieces and tonight it was chopped up smaller than usual. I've read a couple recent reviews on here saying the place is under new ownership, but I did see Esther tonight. Maybe they've gotten a new chef? I also have to add that tonight when I got home I noticed they were going to charge me for their delicious house made sweet and sour sauce. I'm relived they didn't because I would've been upset based on principal. My initial review was going to be positive, but based on my experience tonight I was displeased.

Andrew M.

Stopped in golden chef for lunch with a co-worker. The owner came to our table to greet us. She was very friendly. I ordered an egg roll and General Tso's Chicken. The entree came with a vegetable soup. The egg roll was crispy and delicious. It tasted like it was fried in peanut oil. I ordered my chicken extra spicy, and it came out great. It had onions, peppers, and mushrooms. It came with a side of fried rice. The serving was very large. I ate it all, but I should have taken half of it to go. And at $7 for an entrée, you won't break the bank. I would defintiely recommend this place for lunch.

Thomas B.

We used their carry out service. They were spot on for when food was to be ready. My wife has been coming here for 11 yrs. Sorry to hear Esther sold the place. Orange Chicken was delis. Fried rice was a little heavy on the soy sauce but it was tasty. Sizzling rice soup was very good as in the past. Excellent fortune cookies too.

Megan M.

Esther knows how to make a meal into an experience. Whether it's a pick up, or dining in, she provides incredible Chinese food, well prepared, always fresh and tasty, while engaging and making you feel like family. The restaurant was full of patrons on Christmas Day, and Esther was doling out hugs and smiles, making sure all guests were enjoying the buffet, and receiving great service. There was a constant flow of dishes rotating in and out of the buffet. They don't use MSG (awesome!) and even had a light angel food cake with whipped cream frosting for dessert, and a myriad of fruit, and festive cookies. From beginning to end, the food was delicious. I especially enjoyed the sweet and sour chicken, and the breaded perch! We had great, friendly service, remarkable food, at a great value. It makes sense that many patrons make Golden Chef their tradition, as after our Christmas Day visit, we've decided to do the same!

Jackie T.

The food was good but the service is horrible. Come when you have lots of time. They were not even that busy. I wouldn't come back.

Geo P.

We went here on Christmas night , and it was unbelievable !! The line was almost out the door. The place was under staffed. They really needed at least 10 more people to manage the crowd. This was one of the few restraunts open on Christmas. But for god sake , hire more servers !! We were in line for about 40 minutes. There was no manager helping the people in line. They were overwhelmed but come on !! There were people that were there to pick up their orders but there was no seperate line for them. They knew they'd have a big crowd tonight so at least hires few more servers. There were lots of people leaving . They don't have that many tables either !! The waitress was also overwhelmed too. The food was OK but we won't run back here !! Maybe it's because they have new owners !!

Custie 7.

While I hear Esther is as sweet as can be & I that the food is pretty good (Yen Yen, Wing Wah and Heng Wang are 100x's better, tho) it's all lost when you find roaches (plural) crawling out of the bag as your getting out of the car @ your destination! We picked up an order totaling just under $200 to take to another friend's house for a late lunch and when we arrived (a less than 10 minute drive from the restraunt), I picked the bag up off the back (passenger side) floor I spotted roaches crawling out of the bag. I immediately walked over to the dumpster & threw the entire order in the garbage! There was no way I was bringing the bag into someone else's home (nor my own), allow the food to be eaten or put it back into the car & drive it back to the resturant! Who knows how many of the buggers were crawling around inside the bag/food! After we called our friends & told them to order something else & we'd go pick it up we went to a full service car wash to have my friend's car fumigated (including all the mats)! My friend called & asked to speak w/ Esther and was told she was unavailable, left & message & she's still waiting for that call (6 mos later)! Thankfully, she has NOT seen any creepy crawlers in her car since (& never b/f the day this happened)! She did, however, have Orkin come out & do an inspection & everything was fine. She breathed a sigh of relief to learn that none of the bugs made their way into her car & that we got the bag out quickly enough! I hated to have to write this review! So much so, it's taken me SIX months to sit down & do it! Please check your bags and their contents thoroughly before bringing anything into your cars and homes. We were very lucky.

Ilene J.

I had been a regular customer for years. For the past year their service and food has been going downhill. Thought I would give it one last chance tonight and I'm sorry I did. I ordered my favorite meal, shredded chicken, that was always full of flavor with the little crispy noodles. Tonight it had no flavor whatsoever and no crispy noodles. Ordered mongolian beef well done and it was far from well done. Also ordered shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce, which used to be a dark brown sauce and this was a light sauce also with no flavor. Very disappointed and will not be returning. If they have new owners, they might have bought the name but certainly not the recipes! And the young girl at the counter asked me to wait a minute while she finished her texting!!! Then she grabbed another call for a carry out order and I had to wait through that too!

Bill R.

Esther and Wally are NO LONGER THERE! Used to get 8 bbq ribs for $6.95. today there were 4. The egg foo yong went in the garbage disposal. New menu and different owners. Forget about the friendliness also. Perhaps the Thai or other nationality dishes are ok but we'll never know. My wife tore up the new menus.. Esther and Wally are no longer mentioned on the menu but they did mention the high awards Esther and Wally earned.

Ted T.

East doesn't alway meet West, but ya gotta hand it to them - they actually had matzo on the table. Showed up at 4pm. Empty. They sat me right next to the staff who were eating. Another member of the staff who was standing 15 feet from me was sucking on an orange - more than just a little audibly. Management proceeded to speak to staff from another table putting me in the middle of the exchange. Hey 1 billion people in china I guess the etiquette has to be a bit less than delicate. Hot and sour - not the worst but wouldn't order again. small portion. Kung pow - amateurish. This is clearly a Cantonese joint. Meat to goo ratio - fair. Not too skimpy on the meat. Weird sweet vibe to the sauce. Egg roll - well aren't they all the same? Price? Missed the specials so I paid full boat which is 15 percent too high. Would I go again? Doubt it.

Karen P.

Esther and Wally owned Golden Chef until I believe December. They sold it to a relative. Since then our food has not been the same. At times it is okay if a specific chef makes it. We too were there on one of the holiday eves (NewYears) and we were also there on Christmas Day...the service and the food had changed...still good but was different. And yes the servers were overwhelmed. Esther and Wally built up a wonderful and faithful following over the 20+ years being in this location and it is very concerning that things are changing. JMHO

Kevin O.

If you are looking for FRESH, delicious Chinese food. Golden Chef in Wheeling is the place for you. I have been driving by this place for years but had never stopped in. Last weekend my wife and I went for dinner with three other couples and we were impressed. The lady at the front (Ester) introduced herself as the owner and told us why her food is the best (only the best ingredients, she's a trained nutritionist....)Then the food came and she was right - it is the best. The shrimp with lobster sauce was unbelievable. It was a huge portion with about 20 good size shrimp. Not only was it good for dinner, but it also made a tasty lunch. Give Golden Chef a try - you will be impressed.

Karen K.

A sign I shall not ignore again on the authenticity of an Asian restaurant: Walking in and noticing 100% (aside from my crew and the staff) are not Asian. We saw good reviews on yelp so decided to try this place anyway. The food was edible but definitely not at all what I was expecting. Half the reviews on yelp comment about how authentic the food tasted here but being Asian,not chinese.. it didn't even taste Asian..y. Everything was bland and tasted very similar to food I could get at Panda Express. The place is big and the staff is nice at least :)

Rena V.

I ordered a carry out one day. As I entered the host had a warm welcome smile and the owner sweet kind lady rushed into the kitchen to see if my order was ready. She was extremely attentive and spoke very kindly and caring. I felt right at home. I only tried mushu chicken. It tasted delicious. Even my daughter who is not fund of Chinese enjoyed two of the pancakes. The food is tasty but ordinary chinese food, however I give them 5stars for their costumer service.

candy b.

When I first walked in, nobody helped me until after 5 minutes of standing at the counter. (The waitress or whoever she was clearly saw me walk in and did not tell anybody I was there) Another lady passed me about twice when she finally said If I was waiting for food. Some very nice old lady named Ester (I'm guessing the owner) brought me my food and introduced herself and then bragged about how fresh their food was and non greasy. I thought the food was okay but I've had better Chinese. My plan was to order a dinner special that came with orange chicken but the lady on the phone it came instead with chicken mixed with vegetables, an egg roll and soup. I did not like the won ton soup it came with..the dumplings looked gooey n gross.

Jacob J.

First off, I like that they offer a gluten free menu and options for those trying to diet. For dieters, they will make your food with less oil and other additives. Also they offer dim sum, though the drawback is that its only available on weekends. Wonk, wonk, wonk.. Egg rolls are pretty good but they fall short because the sweet and sour sauce that is served with it is runny and watery. If a Chinese restaurant serves a "Solid" egg roll, I can't stress the importance enough of creating your own sweet and sour sauce to compliment it. Though many don't. Another reviewer said that the egg rolls are baked. I couldn't have that confirmed, however they were quite crispy and had a crunch with every bite. The egg roll was filled full with lots of yummy cabbage and pieces of shrimp. I detected a hint of peanut butter, but that is a flaw of egg roll preparation which I won't get into. Their pot stickers were also good and from the shape of them, one could surmise that it was shaped by hand and most likely here in their kitchen. I met with a friend for a work lunch, it was my first visit. A quick scan of reviews looked like it could be a 50/50 experience. One review which was rocking my nerves was that by Weisun C. I've met Weisun and if you read his reviews, they are pretty freaking thorough. Now, I have eaten at places Weisun has recommended on Yelp and I hated and vice versa but his review of this place versus some of the other glowing ones was on my mind. Regardless of feelings; my friend and I had already confirmed on the spot and so we tried. I already told you the egg rolls were pretty good, so were the potstickers and the chicken noodle soup which comes with the lunch special. I should note that during a weekday lunch they give you a special lunch menu. They have a standard menu which is available upon request. If ordering a few appetizers a la cart, make sure you receive what you paid for. I think somehow we were cheated out of a bowl of soup and two egg rolls. Our lunch specials were not good. His shrimp with lobster sauce was overly salty. I've never ever tasted this entree like this and it made me wonder if salt was added to mask the flavor of decay. I ordered General Tso's chicken. (I really have to stop ordering this entree, its almost never good anywhere and only at a handful of spots.) Here, the chicken tasted day old, if you told me the meat was previously frozen I would believe you. Also some of the pieces were gummy, which notes to me that its been sitting sometime. I'm looking at the leftovers now.. I can't decide whether to try and force feed myself (but I don't want to because I hate it) or throw it in the trash. Its a waste of money. Looking over the photos uploaded by Sherwin C. which is dated November 2011, the pieces of chicken which are in what I'm guessing is sweet and sour sauce looks much different than what I was served earlier today. The photo appears fresh and vibrant which causes me to wonder if it was ordered on the weekend. I would bet that their weekend service is far better than the weekday service. The place hasn't changed since the 1980's. There was another restaurant on this street that had the same interior look to it, like it was a party room in your grandfathers basement, the place I'm thinking of is Hackney's. Which is now closed. Like other reviewers mention, I assume this used to be a pancake diner turned Chinese restaurant. The feeling to the place is so casual. Take for instance the restrooms were just cleaned and they left the doors to them wide open. Customers walk in and out as if visiting the restrooms in their own homes. While sitting in the dining area sounds of the 1950s are pumping throughout the restaurant. I am quick to reminisce sitting in front of our old color television, banging on the side of the TV to get the picture straight because we're watching one of those old showtunes or stage musicals that are now in technicolor, WOO! Yep, those old movies, that's the music score playing in here. I want to like this place, I just need a reason. I wonder if they have an awesome bartender in here on the weekends, I freaking love dim sum but probably not enough to come back. I mean I live closer to Chinatown then traveling out here for another case of meh.

Malkal L.

I love this restaurant . Food is good , nothing fancy , but clean . Owners are the best . One time I came to a restaurant and I had a flue , they make me speasial soup , that is not on the menu . Food is great , you should try it .

Colleen T.

The portions are extremely large - the two of us probably could have split one meal and still been full after the meal. The food here wasn't anything great, there is better in the area. The atmosphere is a little strange as well. Again, it wasn't the worse food I've ever had - but there is definitely better in the Wheeling area.

Jenny Z.

My family and I ended up here after turning back from our drive to get dim sum in Chinatown because of heavy snow. Their dim sum selection is smaller than the ones you would usually find in Chinatown but overall it wasn't bad. My favorite was the fried eggplant with fish on top. I don't know of any other dim sum places in the north suburbs so this place will do for those who can't make it all the way downtown. Came here a second night for dinner and thought the food was excellent and authentic... we ordered five dishes off of the Chinese menu that had no English and they all tasted great. Especially the fish. However we also ordered a sweet and sour pork dish off of their regular more Americanized menu and it was awful. Too much breading and on the same par as Panda Express. Go with someone that can read chinese or ask one of the waitstaff for suggestions. The food on the Chinese menu (which they don't always bring out unless asked) is prepared way better than the food on the regular menu.

Tiffany L.

If I'm giving a place 5 stars on carry out and by carry out, I mean - my mother brought her leftovers up from Wheeling to Wausau, WI last night. It was delicious! The mushu beef was awesome and so was the mongolian chicken. These are two things I'd never order - mushu pork yes, not beef - and they were both absolutely delicious. Some of the very best chicken in Chinese food I've ever had. So good. There was also some seafood dish, no idea, but it was also very good. Man, I've missed living so close to Chinatown and now maybe I'll just have to hit Golden Chef next time we come back to Chicago!

Adam B.

4.5 Stars My family has been coming to Golden Chef for years, passing by many other closer Chinese places along the way. As you will read from others below, a charming lady named Esther runs this spacious, old-style Cantonese restaurant. Now, real Cantonese food, including Hong Kong cuisine, by the way, need not be simple or bland, and at Golden Chef it's not. The food is very flavorful, even spicy, and they are more than willing to tweak it to your taste. For example, we ordered the "Fish Filet", with extra garlic and black bean. It turned out to be a massive dish with two very large fillets (real pike, not tilapia), smothered in a rich black bean and ginger sauce. Seriously, this one dish ($14.95) could feed a family of four. The won-ton soup was packed with roast pork, excellent, large won-tons, and was made with a gorgeous, fresh broth. Order "for two" and get a four-bowl serving! The other dishes are similarly large and flavorful, and very good value. Why not five stars? Service can be a little haphazard. For example, our dishes came out as they were ready, rather than in the order we expected them. That did mean they were absolutely steaming fresh. So next time we will explain the order we want. Of course, we will be back soon.

Earnest K.

Wonderful people, wonderful food. They'll make what you want the way you want. Went back for dim sum on Sunday. Don't miss

Brad S.

My family has been buying from this family for 3 generations. My mom loves this place I think it is good enough to come back but the rating has as much to do with memory as good food. Often it seems that the dishes were prepared and not fresh cooked. This is a very average very American Chinese food restaurant. I do like the mushu and egg foo young.

Samantha R.

This place is right near my boyfriend's house so we started going here to break from our norm of Superdawg and Panda Express. Totally worth it. Esther is the owner and she is the sweetest person you will ever meet in your life. She was incredibly helpful to us as we placed our take-out order. She noticed my boyfriend sounded a little sniffly and offered him some "magic soup," which was just ginger/chicken broth. It was delicious and completely cured his cold. Golden Chef is our go-to place when we feel a cold coming on, solely for the soup, but the entrees are delicious as well. Make sure you say hi to Esther!

Tony L.

Probably the worst meal I have had in years. Food is tasteless. Had the dim sum platter which was mediocre and it was topped off by a bao bun that had a solid mass in the middle. I did not open it to find out what it was. Very dated decor and the "easy listening" background music had me longing for the check. Reading the other reviews, I'm sure they have a very loyal clientele that keep returning but I won't be one of them.

Weisun C.

We visited for the first time 2 days after Chinese New Year and 3 days after the 2011 Blizzard, so parking in a huge, cleanly plowed parking lot was convenient, and seeing the red paper remnants of recently exploded firecrackers was a promise of authenticity. On entering, the layout of the large restaurant reminded us of a pancake house, the larger dining room on one side and a smaller private party room on the other. Between the two rooms was the counter for the cash register, across from which was a large display of packaged dried foods (teas, candies, etc.) and miscellaneous trinkets -- all things you might purchase as a souvenir of your visit. This was also where the entrance to the restrooms were. On entering the dining room, we noted only one table large enough for 8 people, which also had the lone "lazy Susan" tray. Those familiar with going for dim sum in a large group will appreciate the availability of the latter item. Most of the room had tables like ours, set up for seating four people. We arrived before lunch and were only there to sample their dim sum. The table was given the hardcovered main menu and several copies of the Xeroxed dim sum menu (which you can see on their Web site). The decor was clean and bright, just a bit dated on close inspection. Hot tea was served right away, while we submitted our order written on one of the menu copies. The orders arrived pretty quickly in about four waves. Here's what we tasted and our rating of each item: * Shrimp dumplings - Very good; several small shrimp inside delicate wrappers. * Pork dumplings ("siu mei") - Excellent; meaty with bits of crunchy water chestnut. * Bean curd roll - Good; meaty, ground pork filling. The soy bean curd is a rolled crinkly sheet that's a little chewier than dumpling wrapper. * Steamed bun (BBQ pork "bao") - Excellent; half the size of most, but the filling is chunky with the pork and as much as in larger ones elsewhere. * Radish pie - Excellent; served as rectangular "logs," not much meat, but lots of strips of the firm, savory daikon radish. * Fried taro root pie - So-so; looked similar to the radish pie, but too "doughy." * Sweet & sour pickle - Excellent; essentially chunks of cucumber and slivers of carrot in a pickling sauce. Good to have with the whole meal. * Shanghai lumpia - Meh; have had much better. Basically tubes of egg roll wrapper filled with a nondescript ground meat filling, deep-fried. * Stuff(ed) green pepper w/shrimp - Meh; have had much better. The bell pepper should be blanched at least. a forgettable taste. * Stuff(ed) egg plant w/shrimp - Meh; the purplish eggplant is tasty, but the ground shrimp filling is the same as used with the green pepper. That was a LOT of dim sum! We had enough leftovers to take home. We liked that our waitress was friendly but not too hovering. One of the owners, Esther, stopped by and asked us about our meal. We'll be back to try their main menu soon!

Derek C.

olschool chinese place that hasn't been updated in a very long time. food was ok, nothing special, nothing bad. pricing was a bit high I thought, compared to Yu's or Chef Ping's. and the hot tea also tasted kind of funny to me, and I've had all sorts of chinese tea. Esther, one of the owners, came up to us to ask how things were, and she chatted with us for a bit. very nice lady. she told us that they serve dim sum on the weekends here so we'll be back to try that out too since it's close to home.

Danielle S.

This place is adorable. Very friendly service, very good food, and decently priced! You get a lot for your money. It is definitely not medern, but nice for a change! I would definitely come back again!

Shirley Z.

If I hadn't eaten at Golden Chef before, I'd never come back. I came in around 3 pm on June 11, 2013. I knew it wasn't dinner time but that shouldn't have mattered. After a short wait, I was seated in a virtually empty dining room. The waitress and waiter, sitting at a table.were dozing off and on while I was at the restaurant. I was brought a pot of tea in a dirty teapot. Food was stuck to the sides. I walked over to the sleepy waitress and asked for another (clean) pot. She brought out another dirty teapot. Soup and food came. Six tiny shrimp in a wad of bread crumbs were drenched in a thick sweet-sour sauce. I asked for Esther the owner. She took away the dirty teapot. But no one brought me another (clean) one until I complained again. As I poured tea from the third pot, the waitress and waiter resumed their nap at a nearby table. Esther thanked me for being such a good friend to bring the dirty teapots to her attention It appears customers have to complain to get clean ones. This restaurant is dated but the egg drop soup has always been a standout. Most main dishes are very heavy on sauces but if you like that type of food, it's okay. The restaurant is popular with locals. However, it seems Golden Chef no longer has an interest in providing a good experience for customers. Esther was busy on the phone as I paid at the front counter. She never looked up once as she processed my credit card. The servers were fast asleep at a table in the dining room. What has happened to this place? I made a special trip to eat there and it was a huge disappointment.

Sam K.

We got here 15 min before closing and the owner still let us sit and have a meal. How do I know it was the owner? Esther the co-owner and diabetic chef greeted us and filled our drinks. Portions are large and prices reasonable. We ordered a number of dishes: fried rice, chow fun, salt pepper shrimp, chicken lettuce wraps. All the dishes were slightly above average, but definitely better than anything in the neighborhood. The standout dish though was the Lung Fung Kow, it was awesome! If you need Chinese food in the burbs this is your spot.

Amy L.

This place seriously has the best food I have ever had and I am picky. The hot and sour soup was AMAZING. I called and told them I would dine in but if they could have it ready and when I got there they had my general tso chicken, soup, tea, and water and white rice all ready for me. The service was great as well. The owner esther came and said hi and the male server was great aas well. All for 7 bucks! I will go back!!!!

Kevin O.

If you are looking for FRESH, delicious Chinese food. Golden Chef in Wheeling is the place for you. I have been driving by this place for years but had never stopped in. Last weekend my wife and I went for dinner with three other couples and we were impressed. The lady at the front (Ester) introduced herself as the owner and told us why her food is the best (only the best ingredients, she's a trained nutritionist....)Then the food came and she was right - it is the best. The shrimp with lobster sauce was unbelievable. It was a huge portion with about 20 good size shrimp. Not only was it good for dinner, but it also made a tasty lunch. Give Golden Chef a try - you will be impressed.

Karen K.

A sign I shall not ignore again on the authenticity of an Asian restaurant: Walking in and noticing 100% (aside from my crew and the staff) are not Asian. We saw good reviews on yelp so decided to try this place anyway. The food was edible but definitely not at all what I was expecting. Half the reviews on yelp comment about how authentic the food tasted here but being Asian,not chinese.. it didn't even taste Asian..y. Everything was bland and tasted very similar to food I could get at Panda Express. The place is big and the staff is nice at least :)

Rena V.

I ordered a carry out one day. As I entered the host had a warm welcome smile and the owner sweet kind lady rushed into the kitchen to see if my order was ready. She was extremely attentive and spoke very kindly and caring. I felt right at home. I only tried mushu chicken. It tasted delicious. Even my daughter who is not fund of Chinese enjoyed two of the pancakes. The food is tasty but ordinary chinese food, however I give them 5stars for their costumer service.

Carl F.

The establishment has a good number of seats and spread out, so you can get some privacy here if your in need of that sort of environment. I found the place to be clean while the decor is showing it's age. The wait staff is also very friendly. The menu consist of the typical Chinese dishes, with the appetizers list being a bit sparse. The food itself is good and the portions are about average. Although it seemed to take some time in getting the order to the table, even with there only being around 5 other tables with couples. Overall, this is an average place to come. An ideal lunch or simple dinner location. I could also see this place working for a group of 10 or so people wanting to catch up on the times and not break the bank.

Sherwin C.

I've been here for both their dim sum and normal dinner and I wasn't really impressed either time. While it is hard to find dim sum out in the suburbs it wasn't exactly great dim sum. This is the way I feel about their normal cooking as well, it's not bad but it's rated so high only because the strength of local competition isn't very strong. In general, I feel the cooking is quite Americanized as the flavor relied quite a bit on sauce rather than the use of high level cooking techniques. The portions were quite large and the food wasn't excessively salty. But the price is a bit high for what you get. In fact there are gourmet options around Schaumburg and Arlington Heights with cheaper prices. In terms of specific dishes, the beef chow fun is a bit too wet for the normal Cantonese style. The sweet and sour fish fillet could have used better fish and used a lot less sauce. The stuffed tofu with crab shrimp could have used real instead of imitation crab at the price charged. The food didn't exactly taste bad but it could have used a lot more refinement in concept and texture. Normally for most Chinese restaurants, I will not make a comment about the decor and service except that since the price range is in the $10-$20 range for dinner, this must be judged as if it were a classier restaurant. With that said, the service was a bit impersonal for a restaurant in this price range and plate removal / water refills weren't as fast as restaurants like Sun Shui. The biggest complaint for me would be the outdated decor. The tables and chairs are okay but the lighting is too dim and yellow, the decorations look old, the carpet makes the place seem dark, and the curtains seem faded. Even if the restaurant doesn't do a full remodel, simple things like using brighter lights, porcelain or ceramic plates/cups, or decorative tile flooring would dramatically improve the atmosphere. It's also unusual how their competitive advantage is really their healthier cooking style, but they don't do too much to highlight that strength. It would help to justify their higher prices, but it's not really highlighted by their waitstaff or explained clearly in their menu.

Laura P.

Justin G.

Bill R.

Esther and Wally are NO LONGER THERE! Used to get 8 bbq ribs for $6.95. today there were 4. The egg foo yong went in the garbage disposal. New menu and different owners. Forget about the friendliness also. Perhaps the Thai or other nationality dishes are ok but we'll never know. My wife tore up the new menus.. Esther and Wally are no longer mentioned on the menu but they did mention the high awards Esther and Wally earned.

Carl F.

The establishment has a good number of seats and spread out, so you can get some privacy here if your in need of that sort of environment. I found the place to be clean while the decor is showing it's age. The wait staff is also very friendly. The menu consist of the typical Chinese dishes, with the appetizers list being a bit sparse. The food itself is good and the portions are about average. Although it seemed to take some time in getting the order to the table, even with there only being around 5 other tables with couples. Overall, this is an average place to come. An ideal lunch or simple dinner location. I could also see this place working for a group of 10 or so people wanting to catch up on the times and not break the bank.

Sherwin C.

I've been here for both their dim sum and normal dinner and I wasn't really impressed either time. While it is hard to find dim sum out in the suburbs it wasn't exactly great dim sum. This is the way I feel about their normal cooking as well, it's not bad but it's rated so high only because the strength of local competition isn't very strong. In general, I feel the cooking is quite Americanized as the flavor relied quite a bit on sauce rather than the use of high level cooking techniques. The portions were quite large and the food wasn't excessively salty. But the price is a bit high for what you get. In fact there are gourmet options around Schaumburg and Arlington Heights with cheaper prices. In terms of specific dishes, the beef chow fun is a bit too wet for the normal Cantonese style. The sweet and sour fish fillet could have used better fish and used a lot less sauce. The stuffed tofu with crab shrimp could have used real instead of imitation crab at the price charged. The food didn't exactly taste bad but it could have used a lot more refinement in concept and texture. Normally for most Chinese restaurants, I will not make a comment about the decor and service except that since the price range is in the $10-$20 range for dinner, this must be judged as if it were a classier restaurant. With that said, the service was a bit impersonal for a restaurant in this price range and plate removal / water refills weren't as fast as restaurants like Sun Shui. The biggest complaint for me would be the outdated decor. The tables and chairs are okay but the lighting is too dim and yellow, the decorations look old, the carpet makes the place seem dark, and the curtains seem faded. Even if the restaurant doesn't do a full remodel, simple things like using brighter lights, porcelain or ceramic plates/cups, or decorative tile flooring would dramatically improve the atmosphere. It's also unusual how their competitive advantage is really their healthier cooking style, but they don't do too much to highlight that strength. It would help to justify their higher prices, but it's not really highlighted by their waitstaff or explained clearly in their menu.

Bob C.

My wife, sister-in-law and niece went here last week based on the review by the Chicago Tribune. My first mistake was not checking the date of the review. After meeting Ester we met our server. A nice older woman who should have been sitting at home instead of serving tables. We knew we were in trouble when we had to repeat our drink orders three times. Then came the drinks. If I didn't know better, I thought I was drinking a glass of sugar. Couldn't taste any alcohol but made my glucose readings soar . My second mistake was ordering the daily special. It came with egg rolls that must have been sitting under the heat lamp all day. Very soft and mushy. Needless to say, our dinner was also very mushy as it probably been made earlier in the day. Prior to ordering dinner we asked for brown gravy on one of the dishes and no MSG. Now we know why our request was ignored. Overall the service was bad and the food lacked any taste. The price of our dinner was far too expensive for what we got.

Ralph L.

I had heard about this place from a friend who had a party catered from there. I was amazed at how good the food was and they say it's low fat and healthy. I started with baked egg rolls which were not crisp but really full and not oily! We ordered orange chicken, Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice, steamed veggies and red snapper. everything was REALLY GOOD!!! Orange chicken was baked fillets w/ no waste of fat and a really tasty sauce. The Mongolian beef was almost as good as Mongolian House. Lastly, the owner takes the order, she's a nutritionist and her husband is the cook. You can definitely tell they use fresh ingredients. Even the fish tasted like it was in the water that day! This place is worth the hike out to wheeling!

Francie F.

A great, local, family owned business. I grew up not far away and remember thinking it was delicious as I'm a huge fan of Chinese food. After moving back to the burbs with my husband and finding myself craving good Chinese I thought of the Golden Chef. We walked in and were welcomed by the owner. She was so happy to hear our story and that we came back after several years away. The food was just as good as I remember. The mongolian beef is sweet and saucy with nice sizes pieces of meat. The portions are tremendous also. Plenty left over for lunch the next day. If you're in the area definitely stop in.

Rich C.

Love their honey walnut shrimp dish! They have the best I have ever had. Nice people with good service. We even had our wedding reception dinner their, they made a special menu just for us!

shirley m.

WOW! All i can say this this the food your parents ordered on a Sunday night! They have the old school egg rolls with the thick sweet sour sauce and old fashioned mustard (other places the sauce isn't home made) The won ton soup is very light and well balanced. Our group ordered shrimp egg foo young, they arrived super light and fluff with a super tasty gravy, General Tso Chicken (although all of the szchwan dishes are really good) just the right amt of kick to the dish and singapore noodles which has curry, vermicilli, bbq pork and veggies. Esther and Wally are so nice and make you feel welcome wether it's your first or 100th visit. Everything prepared in house, sometimes you can catch Esther making dumplings!

Laura P.

I love this place. First, Esther and her husband are adorable and so sweet. They will make anything to order and will always remember a face. Once I hadn't been there in a few years and as soon as I walked in she asked how my grandmother was. They have the best egg rolls. In fact, I won't eat an eggroll anywhere else, since they never live up. I also really like their egg drop soup, fried rice, diet vegetarian delight and their mongolian beef. Try it, you'll love it.

Jade J.

very friendly staff. excellent food. good service!!!

Justin G.

Go here. You won't pay less than $10 for a meal at dinner time, but once you taste it and see the portions, you won't mind. I've only gotten take out and I will do so regularly. The owners are very accomodating and they even make special kosher passover dinners simply because they like cooking.

Vinifer D.

Great food, good family friendly service, huge portions, and healthy Chinese dining options. These are a few of the reasons you should go to Golden Chef. Their healthy options taste great, and are not greasy at all. They offer you low sodium soy sauce fried rice and baked egg rolls. Also, try their Singapore noodles....excellent flavor! This is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants in the suburbs!

Jo Z.

Great tasting food. Great Price. Generous Portions. Lunch or dinner is a great value. The Moys know how to make great food! You'll love every bite!!! They are also great supporters of the community. Truly an asset to Wheeling's Restaurant Row!

Henry Y.

If you have had dim sum in Chinatown, then you would be disappointed with the selection here. The prices are higher as well on many of the items if you pro rate it out. By that I mean, many of the items here come in twos and will be priced comparably to the Chinatown dim sum, where you get 3 or 4 of an item. Either way, the prices everywhere are high nowadays for what you get. However, if you live in the area, if you take into consideration travel expenses, it would not save money to drive into Chicago. If you are a large group and want the diversification that you will get there, then definitely go. There is a lot more than what they offer here...which is mainly a few basic items. The service is is more personable though as it is the owners.

Keith E.

Ralph L.

Scott B.

time in again I have come to this restaurant and have said nothing but the freshest and the best tasting food of any chinese restaurant I have gone to. the chicken with spinach and onions and peppers was awesome. I of course added fresh ginger to my dish, and there peanut free shanghai egg rolls are awesome. enough said.

Kimberly P.

Its like walking back in time! The music is killin the dim sum brought me in there now can't stop going. Try the beef stick on the dim sum menu, pot-stickers, shanghai lumpia, and taro root pie!! You must try ALL the home made sauces....chilli oil AMAZING....ginger vinegar......SURPRISING....sweet and sour really really good.....I judge a good Chinese place by their sweet and sour. This place is G. R. E. A. T!!!!!!! Oh and did I mention the MUSIC!!! so pleasing....the BEST elevator music........................

Hannah K.

I was not a fan of this place..First of all..I have Never had Hunan chicken with bones....Never..It was good but it would have been Much better without the bones. Secondly when someone orders Shrimp and Broccoli we don't expect to find pork bits in my sauce.. Thats just not right...Two stars is pretty much my rating for this place..

Frank L.

I give Golden Chef 2 stars for food, and an extra star for service. We walked in on a friday night at 9:20pm - after the listed closing time of 9pm. Esther, the owner of the restaurant said she could still take us and insisted we stay because there were still some people finishing up. Our food came really fast - about 5 minutes after we ordered it, which I think is great because the kitchen had to be close to shut down. I've had Golden Chef for a lunch and dinner now, and the food is always cooked very light - unlike most chinese restaurants in the neighborhood. The size of the dishes is also very reasonable (for comparison, you get about 1.25 as much than Tong's for about 3/4 the price of Tong's). who should go to Golden Chef: People who enjoy lightly cooked chinese food, not too heavy on the grease. Great customer service - especially from the owners. who shouldn't go to Golden Chef: people expecting a more modern dining experience (Golden Chef is over twenty years old at this location) people who are more accustomed to Hong Kong style dishes (single serve instead of family style)

Shanna S.

Crab Rangoon was amazing!!! Chicken fried rice was tasty as well! My new Chinese go to place!!!

Jack L.

We went here based on a friends recomendation. I wasn't impressed. The place and decor are very old and the carpeting is dirty. Food was decent, I wouldn't say it was great just plain. I would not go back. There are so many better places in the north burbs.

Jesusito S.

Golden chef is the best place to satisfy hunger. The food is great as in the perfect portions, you taste the food not the grease like other Chinese restaurants. If you have a craving for Chinese and happen to be in town, golden chef is the place to be. You will never leave still hungry or unsatisfied. If your in a hurry but still want to dine in, the food comes no more 10 minutes or less with friendly service when you order. Take out is also available.

Amy L.

This place was terrible. I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about. Should we have just not tried their dim sum? My family and I went there for dim sum on a Saturday and the dim sum didn't taste right. The usual dim sum choices we get did not look like it usually should at other restaurants. Plus it just didn't taste good. It wasn't only my opinion either. Everyone else thought the same. My mom was like that's so disappointing after 10 years they still can't get it right (it's an old restaurant apparently they took us to as little kids). We went here because a lot of people were telling her dim sum was great here. being a Chinese person I'm very disappointed too. I say still go to Chinatown for dim sum....like Shui Wah or Phoenix.

Seth B.

An old school Americanized Chinese institution on Wheeling's Milwaukee ave. restaurant row. This is where Jews go to eat Chinese food in the area, if they're tired of Wok King. P.S. The egg rolls and wonton soup are very good P.P.S. I think the building was once a pancake house

J B.

The wife and I were driving around looking for a rest that we were dressed for, drove up thru Mt Prospect and across Dundee Rd. to Wheeling and found Golden Chef. It was attractive and clean for a chinese rest. We got drinks, we passed on appetizers. We got stuffed eggplant w shrimp, chick w spinach, broccoli,mush and veg fried rice. We were very happy w the rest, food and prices.

Keith E.

I enjoy Golden Chef. If you are looking for healthier low fat options, this is a one to definitely check out. Esther takes time to remove as much fat from the items as possible. For anyone interested, Esther and her low fat/diet menu will be featured on the Noon/lunchtime version of the WGN (channel 9) News on February 23, 2010. Take a look.

Tiffany L.

If I'm giving a place 5 stars on carry out and by carry out, I mean - my mother brought her leftovers up from Wheeling to Wausau, WI last night. It was delicious! The mushu beef was awesome and so was the mongolian chicken. These are two things I'd never order - mushu pork yes, not beef - and they were both absolutely delicious. Some of the very best chicken in Chinese food I've ever had. So good. There was also some seafood dish, no idea, but it was also very good. Man, I've missed living so close to Chinatown and now maybe I'll just have to hit Golden Chef next time we come back to Chicago!

doreen s.

Very good crispy egg rolls. I got (2) for $3.20!!! Nice size and made with real bbq pork and shrimp. I also ordered the beef egg foo young lunch combo, which was around 6 bucks. Fried rice could stand to have some color to it, ( i like mine a richer brown color) but it tasted pretty good. I got 2 nice sized patties and they tasted pretty good as well. I work in Northbrook and this is now my favorite chinese food place that satisfies. The owner is very friendly and nice too.

Jay S.

Tried the Saturday dimsum with the family. Yikes. Dumplings are soft like they were boiled. Chowfun noodles were just as bad, SOFT! Mongolian beef, too saucy! True Mongolian beef supposed to be dry with fresh scallions on top, not drenched in sauce. I was curious to see who the chef was and wish I could've talked with him/her to see if this was an honest work. No wonder lots of people take a long drive to Chinatown instead. Ignorance is bliss however. There were other families eating there seemingly enjoying the food. Service is very good, however. Sorry. From now on, it's either Chef Ping or Twin Dragon when we want Chinese in the 'burbs.

Adam B.

4.5 Stars My family has been coming to Golden Chef for years, passing by many other closer Chinese places along the way. As you will read from others below, a charming lady named Esther runs this spacious, old-style Cantonese restaurant. Now, real Cantonese food, including Hong Kong cuisine, by the way, need not be simple or bland, and at Golden Chef it's not. The food is very flavorful, even spicy, and they are more than willing to tweak it to your taste. For example, we ordered the "Fish Filet", with extra garlic and black bean. It turned out to be a massive dish with two very large fillets (real pike, not tilapia), smothered in a rich black bean and ginger sauce. Seriously, this one dish ($14.95) could feed a family of four. The won-ton soup was packed with roast pork, excellent, large won-tons, and was made with a gorgeous, fresh broth. Order "for two" and get a four-bowl serving! The other dishes are similarly large and flavorful, and very good value. Why not five stars? Service can be a little haphazard. For example, our dishes came out as they were ready, rather than in the order we expected them. That did mean they were absolutely steaming fresh. So next time we will explain the order we want. Of course, we will be back soon.

Earnest K.

Wonderful people, wonderful food. They'll make what you want the way you want. Went back for dim sum on Sunday. Don't miss

Brad S.

My family has been buying from this family for 3 generations. My mom loves this place I think it is good enough to come back but the rating has as much to do with memory as good food. Often it seems that the dishes were prepared and not fresh cooked. This is a very average very American Chinese food restaurant. I do like the mushu and egg foo young.

Henry Y.

If you have had dim sum in Chinatown, then you would be disappointed with the selection here. The prices are higher as well on many of the items if you pro rate it out. By that I mean, many of the items here come in twos and will be priced comparably to the Chinatown dim sum, where you get 3 or 4 of an item. Either way, the prices everywhere are high nowadays for what you get. However, if you live in the area, if you take into consideration travel expenses, it would not save money to drive into Chicago. If you are a large group and want the diversification that you will get there, then definitely go. There is a lot more than what they offer here...which is mainly a few basic items. The service is is more personable though as it is the owners.

Shirley Z.

If I hadn't eaten at Golden Chef before, I'd never come back. I came in around 3 pm on June 11, 2013. I knew it wasn't dinner time but that shouldn't have mattered. After a short wait, I was seated in a virtually empty dining room. The waitress and waiter, sitting at a table.were dozing off and on while I was at the restaurant. I was brought a pot of tea in a dirty teapot. Food was stuck to the sides. I walked over to the sleepy waitress and asked for another (clean) pot. She brought out another dirty teapot. Soup and food came. Six tiny shrimp in a wad of bread crumbs were drenched in a thick sweet-sour sauce. I asked for Esther the owner. She took away the dirty teapot. But no one brought me another (clean) one until I complained again. As I poured tea from the third pot, the waitress and waiter resumed their nap at a nearby table. Esther thanked me for being such a good friend to bring the dirty teapots to her attention It appears customers have to complain to get clean ones. This restaurant is dated but the egg drop soup has always been a standout. Most main dishes are very heavy on sauces but if you like that type of food, it's okay. The restaurant is popular with locals. However, it seems Golden Chef no longer has an interest in providing a good experience for customers. Esther was busy on the phone as I paid at the front counter. She never looked up once as she processed my credit card. The servers were fast asleep at a table in the dining room. What has happened to this place? I made a special trip to eat there and it was a huge disappointment.

Kimberly P.

Its like walking back in time! The music is killin the dim sum brought me in there now can't stop going. Try the beef stick on the dim sum menu, pot-stickers, shanghai lumpia, and taro root pie!! You must try ALL the home made sauces....chilli oil AMAZING....ginger vinegar......SURPRISING....sweet and sour really really good.....I judge a good Chinese place by their sweet and sour. This place is G. R. E. A. T!!!!!!! Oh and did I mention the MUSIC!!! so pleasing....the BEST elevator music........................

Hannah K.

I was not a fan of this place..First of all..I have Never had Hunan chicken with bones....Never..It was good but it would have been Much better without the bones. Secondly when someone orders Shrimp and Broccoli we don't expect to find pork bits in my sauce.. Thats just not right...Two stars is pretty much my rating for this place..

Frank L.

I give Golden Chef 2 stars for food, and an extra star for service. We walked in on a friday night at 9:20pm - after the listed closing time of 9pm. Esther, the owner of the restaurant said she could still take us and insisted we stay because there were still some people finishing up. Our food came really fast - about 5 minutes after we ordered it, which I think is great because the kitchen had to be close to shut down. I've had Golden Chef for a lunch and dinner now, and the food is always cooked very light - unlike most chinese restaurants in the neighborhood. The size of the dishes is also very reasonable (for comparison, you get about 1.25 as much than Tong's for about 3/4 the price of Tong's). who should go to Golden Chef: People who enjoy lightly cooked chinese food, not too heavy on the grease. Great customer service - especially from the owners. who shouldn't go to Golden Chef: people expecting a more modern dining experience (Golden Chef is over twenty years old at this location) people who are more accustomed to Hong Kong style dishes (single serve instead of family style)

Shanna S.

Crab Rangoon was amazing!!! Chicken fried rice was tasty as well! My new Chinese go to place!!!

Jack L.

We went here based on a friends recomendation. I wasn't impressed. The place and decor are very old and the carpeting is dirty. Food was decent, I wouldn't say it was great just plain. I would not go back. There are so many better places in the north burbs.

Jesusito S.

Golden chef is the best place to satisfy hunger. The food is great as in the perfect portions, you taste the food not the grease like other Chinese restaurants. If you have a craving for Chinese and happen to be in town, golden chef is the place to be. You will never leave still hungry or unsatisfied. If your in a hurry but still want to dine in, the food comes no more 10 minutes or less with friendly service when you order. Take out is also available.

Amy L.

This place was terrible. I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about. Should we have just not tried their dim sum? My family and I went there for dim sum on a Saturday and the dim sum didn't taste right. The usual dim sum choices we get did not look like it usually should at other restaurants. Plus it just didn't taste good. It wasn't only my opinion either. Everyone else thought the same. My mom was like that's so disappointing after 10 years they still can't get it right (it's an old restaurant apparently they took us to as little kids). We went here because a lot of people were telling her dim sum was great here. being a Chinese person I'm very disappointed too. I say still go to Chinatown for dim sum....like Shui Wah or Phoenix.

Seth B.

An old school Americanized Chinese institution on Wheeling's Milwaukee ave. restaurant row. This is where Jews go to eat Chinese food in the area, if they're tired of Wok King. P.S. The egg rolls and wonton soup are very good P.P.S. I think the building was once a pancake house

Scott B.

time in again I have come to this restaurant and have said nothing but the freshest and the best tasting food of any chinese restaurant I have gone to. the chicken with spinach and onions and peppers was awesome. I of course added fresh ginger to my dish, and there peanut free shanghai egg rolls are awesome. enough said.

Bob C.

My wife, sister-in-law and niece went here last week based on the review by the Chicago Tribune. My first mistake was not checking the date of the review. After meeting Ester we met our server. A nice older woman who should have been sitting at home instead of serving tables. We knew we were in trouble when we had to repeat our drink orders three times. Then came the drinks. If I didn't know better, I thought I was drinking a glass of sugar. Couldn't taste any alcohol but made my glucose readings soar . My second mistake was ordering the daily special. It came with egg rolls that must have been sitting under the heat lamp all day. Very soft and mushy. Needless to say, our dinner was also very mushy as it probably been made earlier in the day. Prior to ordering dinner we asked for brown gravy on one of the dishes and no MSG. Now we know why our request was ignored. Overall the service was bad and the food lacked any taste. The price of our dinner was far too expensive for what we got.

candy b.

When I first walked in, nobody helped me until after 5 minutes of standing at the counter. (The waitress or whoever she was clearly saw me walk in and did not tell anybody I was there) Another lady passed me about twice when she finally said If I was waiting for food. Some very nice old lady named Ester (I'm guessing the owner) brought me my food and introduced herself and then bragged about how fresh their food was and non greasy. I thought the food was okay but I've had better Chinese. My plan was to order a dinner special that came with orange chicken but the lady on the phone it came instead with chicken mixed with vegetables, an egg roll and soup. I did not like the won ton soup it came with..the dumplings looked gooey n gross.

Jacob J.

First off, I like that they offer a gluten free menu and options for those trying to diet. For dieters, they will make your food with less oil and other additives. Also they offer dim sum, though the drawback is that its only available on weekends. Wonk, wonk, wonk.. Egg rolls are pretty good but they fall short because the sweet and sour sauce that is served with it is runny and watery. If a Chinese restaurant serves a "Solid" egg roll, I can't stress the importance enough of creating your own sweet and sour sauce to compliment it. Though many don't. Another reviewer said that the egg rolls are baked. I couldn't have that confirmed, however they were quite crispy and had a crunch with every bite. The egg roll was filled full with lots of yummy cabbage and pieces of shrimp. I detected a hint of peanut butter, but that is a flaw of egg roll preparation which I won't get into. Their pot stickers were also good and from the shape of them, one could surmise that it was shaped by hand and most likely here in their kitchen. I met with a friend for a work lunch, it was my first visit. A quick scan of reviews looked like it could be a 50/50 experience. One review which was rocking my nerves was that by Weisun C. I've met Weisun and if you read his reviews, they are pretty freaking thorough. Now, I have eaten at places Weisun has recommended on Yelp and I hated and vice versa but his review of this place versus some of the other glowing ones was on my mind. Regardless of feelings; my friend and I had already confirmed on the spot and so we tried. I already told you the egg rolls were pretty good, so were the potstickers and the chicken noodle soup which comes with the lunch special. I should note that during a weekday lunch they give you a special lunch menu. They have a standard menu which is available upon request. If ordering a few appetizers a la cart, make sure you receive what you paid for. I think somehow we were cheated out of a bowl of soup and two egg rolls. Our lunch specials were not good. His shrimp with lobster sauce was overly salty. I've never ever tasted this entree like this and it made me wonder if salt was added to mask the flavor of decay. I ordered General Tso's chicken. (I really have to stop ordering this entree, its almost never good anywhere and only at a handful of spots.) Here, the chicken tasted day old, if you told me the meat was previously frozen I would believe you. Also some of the pieces were gummy, which notes to me that its been sitting sometime. I'm looking at the leftovers now.. I can't decide whether to try and force feed myself (but I don't want to because I hate it) or throw it in the trash. Its a waste of money. Looking over the photos uploaded by Sherwin C. which is dated November 2011, the pieces of chicken which are in what I'm guessing is sweet and sour sauce looks much different than what I was served earlier today. The photo appears fresh and vibrant which causes me to wonder if it was ordered on the weekend. I would bet that their weekend service is far better than the weekday service. The place hasn't changed since the 1980's. There was another restaurant on this street that had the same interior look to it, like it was a party room in your grandfathers basement, the place I'm thinking of is Hackney's. Which is now closed. Like other reviewers mention, I assume this used to be a pancake diner turned Chinese restaurant. The feeling to the place is so casual. Take for instance the restrooms were just cleaned and they left the doors to them wide open. Customers walk in and out as if visiting the restrooms in their own homes. While sitting in the dining area sounds of the 1950s are pumping throughout the restaurant. I am quick to reminisce sitting in front of our old color television, banging on the side of the TV to get the picture straight because we're watching one of those old showtunes or stage musicals that are now in technicolor, WOO! Yep, those old movies, that's the music score playing in here. I want to like this place, I just need a reason. I wonder if they have an awesome bartender in here on the weekends, I freaking love dim sum but probably not enough to come back. I mean I live closer to Chinatown then traveling out here for another case of meh.

Malkal L.

I love this restaurant . Food is good , nothing fancy , but clean . Owners are the best . One time I came to a restaurant and I had a flue , they make me speasial soup , that is not on the menu . Food is great , you should try it .

Colleen T.

The portions are extremely large - the two of us probably could have split one meal and still been full after the meal. The food here wasn't anything great, there is better in the area. The atmosphere is a little strange as well. Again, it wasn't the worse food I've ever had - but there is definitely better in the Wheeling area.

Jenny Z.

My family and I ended up here after turning back from our drive to get dim sum in Chinatown because of heavy snow. Their dim sum selection is smaller than the ones you would usually find in Chinatown but overall it wasn't bad. My favorite was the fried eggplant with fish on top. I don't know of any other dim sum places in the north suburbs so this place will do for those who can't make it all the way downtown. Came here a second night for dinner and thought the food was excellent and authentic... we ordered five dishes off of the Chinese menu that had no English and they all tasted great. Especially the fish. However we also ordered a sweet and sour pork dish off of their regular more Americanized menu and it was awful. Too much breading and on the same par as Panda Express. Go with someone that can read chinese or ask one of the waitstaff for suggestions. The food on the Chinese menu (which they don't always bring out unless asked) is prepared way better than the food on the regular menu.

Samantha R.

This place is right near my boyfriend's house so we started going here to break from our norm of Superdawg and Panda Express. Totally worth it. Esther is the owner and she is the sweetest person you will ever meet in your life. She was incredibly helpful to us as we placed our take-out order. She noticed my boyfriend sounded a little sniffly and offered him some "magic soup," which was just ginger/chicken broth. It was delicious and completely cured his cold. Golden Chef is our go-to place when we feel a cold coming on, solely for the soup, but the entrees are delicious as well. Make sure you say hi to Esther!

Tony L.

Probably the worst meal I have had in years. Food is tasteless. Had the dim sum platter which was mediocre and it was topped off by a bao bun that had a solid mass in the middle. I did not open it to find out what it was. Very dated decor and the "easy listening" background music had me longing for the check. Reading the other reviews, I'm sure they have a very loyal clientele that keep returning but I won't be one of them.

Jason C.

I have been driving up and down Milwaukee Ave for the past few years, but I haven't been paying attention to this restaurant. There are so many Chinese restaurants around Buffalo Grove and Wheeling, and Golden Chef is not really close by my place. Fast forward to a February Sunday morning, while driving by this restaurant, I saw the "Dim Sum" sign. I made a turn on the entrance and decided to give them a try. "What the heck" I thought, how bad could this be. I suddenly had a craze for dim sum and I was definitely not going to drive 45 minutes to Chinatown for that. When I stepped foot i the restaurant, Esther, the owner greeted me warmly and showed me the dim sum cart. I picked up 4 of the staples dim sum to go, and Boy they were so good! Stuffed Bean Curd rolls are solid and HUGE! Har Gaw came in six on a plate, and they were tender and juicy. Pan Fried Turnip cakes were yummy and flavorful, and they came with the dark sweet sauce which is pretty authentic and you don't usually see them around here in the suburbs. The best part is, they were only $2.95 each!! I believe Ming Hin or Phoenix in Chinatown are charging $3.25 for a smaller portion. I also ordered the Rice Crepe for $2.50 which loaded with BBQ pork, they were not fooling around with the BBQ pork... So 4 dim sum orders came up with a total of $12.60 with tax, the portion was so huge that was enough for two persons. I think we have a winner here. Sure, you can't really compare the dim sum here to the Chinatown restaurants. But I really think this is as good as it gets in the burbs. The owners really put in a lot of efforts to run this dim sum showcase for their loyal customers. You can definitely feel the love from the dim sum here. I will definitely be back again!

Tim S.

I cant say I would come back here again. The restaurant is literally 2 blocks from my house and I cant figure out all the awesome reviews. The food was very salty and very very heavy on the sauce. I've read some reviews about the "authentic" flavor and in my honest opinion it couldn't be farther from the truth. The restaurant is showing its age and is a bit dirty but the service is pretty good from my experience.

Weisun C.

We visited for the first time 2 days after Chinese New Year and 3 days after the 2011 Blizzard, so parking in a huge, cleanly plowed parking lot was convenient, and seeing the red paper remnants of recently exploded firecrackers was a promise of authenticity. On entering, the layout of the large restaurant reminded us of a pancake house, the larger dining room on one side and a smaller private party room on the other. Between the two rooms was the counter for the cash register, across from which was a large display of packaged dried foods (teas, candies, etc.) and miscellaneous trinkets -- all things you might purchase as a souvenir of your visit. This was also where the entrance to the restrooms were. On entering the dining room, we noted only one table large enough for 8 people, which also had the lone "lazy Susan" tray. Those familiar with going for dim sum in a large group will appreciate the availability of the latter item. Most of the room had tables like ours, set up for seating four people. We arrived before lunch and were only there to sample their dim sum. The table was given the hardcovered main menu and several copies of the Xeroxed dim sum menu (which you can see on their Web site). The decor was clean and bright, just a bit dated on close inspection. Hot tea was served right away, while we submitted our order written on one of the menu copies. The orders arrived pretty quickly in about four waves. Here's what we tasted and our rating of each item: * Shrimp dumplings - Very good; several small shrimp inside delicate wrappers. * Pork dumplings ("siu mei") - Excellent; meaty with bits of crunchy water chestnut. * Bean curd roll - Good; meaty, ground pork filling. The soy bean curd is a rolled crinkly sheet that's a little chewier than dumpling wrapper. * Steamed bun (BBQ pork "bao") - Excellent; half the size of most, but the filling is chunky with the pork and as much as in larger ones elsewhere. * Radish pie - Excellent; served as rectangular "logs," not much meat, but lots of strips of the firm, savory daikon radish. * Fried taro root pie - So-so; looked similar to the radish pie, but too "doughy." * Sweet & sour pickle - Excellent; essentially chunks of cucumber and slivers of carrot in a pickling sauce. Good to have with the whole meal. * Shanghai lumpia - Meh; have had much better. Basically tubes of egg roll wrapper filled with a nondescript ground meat filling, deep-fried. * Stuff(ed) green pepper w/shrimp - Meh; have had much better. The bell pepper should be blanched at least. a forgettable taste. * Stuff(ed) egg plant w/shrimp - Meh; the purplish eggplant is tasty, but the ground shrimp filling is the same as used with the green pepper. That was a LOT of dim sum! We had enough leftovers to take home. We liked that our waitress was friendly but not too hovering. One of the owners, Esther, stopped by and asked us about our meal. We'll be back to try their main menu soon!

Derek C.

olschool chinese place that hasn't been updated in a very long time. food was ok, nothing special, nothing bad. pricing was a bit high I thought, compared to Yu's or Chef Ping's. and the hot tea also tasted kind of funny to me, and I've had all sorts of chinese tea. Esther, one of the owners, came up to us to ask how things were, and she chatted with us for a bit. very nice lady. she told us that they serve dim sum on the weekends here so we'll be back to try that out too since it's close to home.

Danielle S.

This place is adorable. Very friendly service, very good food, and decently priced! You get a lot for your money. It is definitely not medern, but nice for a change! I would definitely come back again!

Sam K.

We got here 15 min before closing and the owner still let us sit and have a meal. How do I know it was the owner? Esther the co-owner and diabetic chef greeted us and filled our drinks. Portions are large and prices reasonable. We ordered a number of dishes: fried rice, chow fun, salt pepper shrimp, chicken lettuce wraps. All the dishes were slightly above average, but definitely better than anything in the neighborhood. The standout dish though was the Lung Fung Kow, it was awesome! If you need Chinese food in the burbs this is your spot.

Amy L.

This place seriously has the best food I have ever had and I am picky. The hot and sour soup was AMAZING. I called and told them I would dine in but if they could have it ready and when I got there they had my general tso chicken, soup, tea, and water and white rice all ready for me. The service was great as well. The owner esther came and said hi and the male server was great aas well. All for 7 bucks! I will go back!!!!

J B.

The wife and I were driving around looking for a rest that we were dressed for, drove up thru Mt Prospect and across Dundee Rd. to Wheeling and found Golden Chef. It was attractive and clean for a chinese rest. We got drinks, we passed on appetizers. We got stuffed eggplant w shrimp, chick w spinach, broccoli,mush and veg fried rice. We were very happy w the rest, food and prices.

Keith E.

I enjoy Golden Chef. If you are looking for healthier low fat options, this is a one to definitely check out. Esther takes time to remove as much fat from the items as possible. For anyone interested, Esther and her low fat/diet menu will be featured on the Noon/lunchtime version of the WGN (channel 9) News on February 23, 2010. Take a look.

Ralph L.

I had heard about this place from a friend who had a party catered from there. I was amazed at how good the food was and they say it's low fat and healthy. I started with baked egg rolls which were not crisp but really full and not oily! We ordered orange chicken, Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice, steamed veggies and red snapper. everything was REALLY GOOD!!! Orange chicken was baked fillets w/ no waste of fat and a really tasty sauce. The Mongolian beef was almost as good as Mongolian House. Lastly, the owner takes the order, she's a nutritionist and her husband is the cook. You can definitely tell they use fresh ingredients. Even the fish tasted like it was in the water that day! This place is worth the hike out to wheeling!

Francie F.

A great, local, family owned business. I grew up not far away and remember thinking it was delicious as I'm a huge fan of Chinese food. After moving back to the burbs with my husband and finding myself craving good Chinese I thought of the Golden Chef. We walked in and were welcomed by the owner. She was so happy to hear our story and that we came back after several years away. The food was just as good as I remember. The mongolian beef is sweet and saucy with nice sizes pieces of meat. The portions are tremendous also. Plenty left over for lunch the next day. If you're in the area definitely stop in.

Rich C.

Love their honey walnut shrimp dish! They have the best I have ever had. Nice people with good service. We even had our wedding reception dinner their, they made a special menu just for us!

shirley m.

WOW! All i can say this this the food your parents ordered on a Sunday night! They have the old school egg rolls with the thick sweet sour sauce and old fashioned mustard (other places the sauce isn't home made) The won ton soup is very light and well balanced. Our group ordered shrimp egg foo young, they arrived super light and fluff with a super tasty gravy, General Tso Chicken (although all of the szchwan dishes are really good) just the right amt of kick to the dish and singapore noodles which has curry, vermicilli, bbq pork and veggies. Esther and Wally are so nice and make you feel welcome wether it's your first or 100th visit. Everything prepared in house, sometimes you can catch Esther making dumplings!

Laura P.

I love this place. First, Esther and her husband are adorable and so sweet. They will make anything to order and will always remember a face. Once I hadn't been there in a few years and as soon as I walked in she asked how my grandmother was. They have the best egg rolls. In fact, I won't eat an eggroll anywhere else, since they never live up. I also really like their egg drop soup, fried rice, diet vegetarian delight and their mongolian beef. Try it, you'll love it.

Jade J.

very friendly staff. excellent food. good service!!!

Justin G.

Go here. You won't pay less than $10 for a meal at dinner time, but once you taste it and see the portions, you won't mind. I've only gotten take out and I will do so regularly. The owners are very accomodating and they even make special kosher passover dinners simply because they like cooking.

Vinifer D.

Great food, good family friendly service, huge portions, and healthy Chinese dining options. These are a few of the reasons you should go to Golden Chef. Their healthy options taste great, and are not greasy at all. They offer you low sodium soy sauce fried rice and baked egg rolls. Also, try their Singapore noodles....excellent flavor! This is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants in the suburbs!

Jo Z.

Great tasting food. Great Price. Generous Portions. Lunch or dinner is a great value. The Moys know how to make great food! You'll love every bite!!! They are also great supporters of the community. Truly an asset to Wheeling's Restaurant Row!

Tim S.

Jay S.

Derek C.

Danielle S.

Henry Y.

Shirley Z.

Sam K.

Amy L.

Scott B.

Kimberly P.

Hannah K.

Frank L.

Shanna S.

Jack L.

Amy L.

Seth B.

J B.

Ilene J.

I had been a regular customer for years. For the past year their service and food has been going downhill. Thought I would give it one last chance tonight and I'm sorry I did. I ordered my favorite meal, shredded chicken, that was always full of flavor with the little crispy noodles. Tonight it had no flavor whatsoever and no crispy noodles. Ordered mongolian beef well done and it was far from well done. Also ordered shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce, which used to be a dark brown sauce and this was a light sauce also with no flavor. Very disappointed and will not be returning. If they have new owners, they might have bought the name but certainly not the recipes! And the young girl at the counter asked me to wait a minute while she finished her texting!!! Then she grabbed another call for a carry out order and I had to wait through that too!

Jeff A.

The owners are nice but that's about it. Trying to think of a way to review without offending anyone. But if you want bland Chinese food that all tastes the same, this is definitely the place for you. Nothing but older locals with dead tastebuds tend to dine here. I'd even pick Panda Express over this place, unfortunately.

M G.

This place has been sold after many years. The food is pretty good but not the same. The owners must be retiring. The new owner did not say he was the new owner. However, Village of Wheeling minutes confirm new owner and liquor license. Wally and Esther were great. I wish them well.

Ginger G.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, there were a handful of people waiting for their pick up orders. I could tell that some of the people were frustrated because they had to wait, but I had nowhere important to be so I didn't mind. We ordered Lo-Mein with extra veggies and egg rolls. The extra veggie order wasn't necessary because there was an abundance in the dish as it is normally made. The egg rolls were probably the best I've ever had. My wait wasn't longer than 15 minutes, which leads me to believe that the others that were waiting were just "hangry". I will definitely order from here again!!!

Bill R.

Esther and Wally are NO LONGER THERE! Used to get 8 bbq ribs for $6.95. today there were 4. The egg foo yong went in the garbage disposal. New menu and different owners. Forget about the friendliness also. Perhaps the Thai or other nationality dishes are ok but we'll never know. My wife tore up the new menus.. Esther and Wally are no longer mentioned on the menu but they did mention the high awards Esther and Wally earned.

Ted T.

East doesn't alway meet West, but ya gotta hand it to them - they actually had matzo on the table. Showed up at 4pm. Empty. They sat me right next to the staff who were eating. Another member of the staff who was standing 15 feet from me was sucking on an orange - more than just a little audibly. Management proceeded to speak to staff from another table putting me in the middle of the exchange. Hey 1 billion people in china I guess the etiquette has to be a bit less than delicate. Hot and sour - not the worst but wouldn't order again. small portion. Kung pow - amateurish. This is clearly a Cantonese joint. Meat to goo ratio - fair. Not too skimpy on the meat. Weird sweet vibe to the sauce. Egg roll - well aren't they all the same? Price? Missed the specials so I paid full boat which is 15 percent too high. Would I go again? Doubt it.

Karen P.

Esther and Wally owned Golden Chef until I believe December. They sold it to a relative. Since then our food has not been the same. At times it is okay if a specific chef makes it. We too were there on one of the holiday eves (NewYears) and we were also there on Christmas Day...the service and the food had changed...still good but was different. And yes the servers were overwhelmed. Esther and Wally built up a wonderful and faithful following over the 20+ years being in this location and it is very concerning that things are changing. JMHO

Kevin O.

If you are looking for FRESH, delicious Chinese food. Golden Chef in Wheeling is the place for you. I have been driving by this place for years but had never stopped in. Last weekend my wife and I went for dinner with three other couples and we were impressed. The lady at the front (Ester) introduced herself as the owner and told us why her food is the best (only the best ingredients, she's a trained nutritionist....)Then the food came and she was right - it is the best. The shrimp with lobster sauce was unbelievable. It was a huge portion with about 20 good size shrimp. Not only was it good for dinner, but it also made a tasty lunch. Give Golden Chef a try - you will be impressed.

Karen K.

A sign I shall not ignore again on the authenticity of an Asian restaurant: Walking in and noticing 100% (aside from my crew and the staff) are not Asian. We saw good reviews on yelp so decided to try this place anyway. The food was edible but definitely not at all what I was expecting. Half the reviews on yelp comment about how authentic the food tasted here but being Asian,not chinese.. it didn't even taste Asian..y. Everything was bland and tasted very similar to food I could get at Panda Express. The place is big and the staff is nice at least :)

Rena V.

I ordered a carry out one day. As I entered the host had a warm welcome smile and the owner sweet kind lady rushed into the kitchen to see if my order was ready. She was extremely attentive and spoke very kindly and caring. I felt right at home. I only tried mushu chicken. It tasted delicious. Even my daughter who is not fund of Chinese enjoyed two of the pancakes. The food is tasty but ordinary chinese food, however I give them 5stars for their costumer service.

Carl F.

The establishment has a good number of seats and spread out, so you can get some privacy here if your in need of that sort of environment. I found the place to be clean while the decor is showing it's age. The wait staff is also very friendly. The menu consist of the typical Chinese dishes, with the appetizers list being a bit sparse. The food itself is good and the portions are about average. Although it seemed to take some time in getting the order to the table, even with there only being around 5 other tables with couples. Overall, this is an average place to come. An ideal lunch or simple dinner location. I could also see this place working for a group of 10 or so people wanting to catch up on the times and not break the bank.

doreen s.

Very good crispy egg rolls. I got (2) for $3.20!!! Nice size and made with real bbq pork and shrimp. I also ordered the beef egg foo young lunch combo, which was around 6 bucks. Fried rice could stand to have some color to it, ( i like mine a richer brown color) but it tasted pretty good. I got 2 nice sized patties and they tasted pretty good as well. I work in Northbrook and this is now my favorite chinese food place that satisfies. The owner is very friendly and nice too.

Sherwin C.

I've been here for both their dim sum and normal dinner and I wasn't really impressed either time. While it is hard to find dim sum out in the suburbs it wasn't exactly great dim sum. This is the way I feel about their normal cooking as well, it's not bad but it's rated so high only because the strength of local competition isn't very strong. In general, I feel the cooking is quite Americanized as the flavor relied quite a bit on sauce rather than the use of high level cooking techniques. The portions were quite large and the food wasn't excessively salty. But the price is a bit high for what you get. In fact there are gourmet options around Schaumburg and Arlington Heights with cheaper prices. In terms of specific dishes, the beef chow fun is a bit too wet for the normal Cantonese style. The sweet and sour fish fillet could have used better fish and used a lot less sauce. The stuffed tofu with crab shrimp could have used real instead of imitation crab at the price charged. The food didn't exactly taste bad but it could have used a lot more refinement in concept and texture. Normally for most Chinese restaurants, I will not make a comment about the decor and service except that since the price range is in the $10-$20 range for dinner, this must be judged as if it were a classier restaurant. With that said, the service was a bit impersonal for a restaurant in this price range and plate removal / water refills weren't as fast as restaurants like Sun Shui. The biggest complaint for me would be the outdated decor. The tables and chairs are okay but the lighting is too dim and yellow, the decorations look old, the carpet makes the place seem dark, and the curtains seem faded. Even if the restaurant doesn't do a full remodel, simple things like using brighter lights, porcelain or ceramic plates/cups, or decorative tile flooring would dramatically improve the atmosphere. It's also unusual how their competitive advantage is really their healthier cooking style, but they don't do too much to highlight that strength. It would help to justify their higher prices, but it's not really highlighted by their waitstaff or explained clearly in their menu.

Bob C.

My wife, sister-in-law and niece went here last week based on the review by the Chicago Tribune. My first mistake was not checking the date of the review. After meeting Ester we met our server. A nice older woman who should have been sitting at home instead of serving tables. We knew we were in trouble when we had to repeat our drink orders three times. Then came the drinks. If I didn't know better, I thought I was drinking a glass of sugar. Couldn't taste any alcohol but made my glucose readings soar . My second mistake was ordering the daily special. It came with egg rolls that must have been sitting under the heat lamp all day. Very soft and mushy. Needless to say, our dinner was also very mushy as it probably been made earlier in the day. Prior to ordering dinner we asked for brown gravy on one of the dishes and no MSG. Now we know why our request was ignored. Overall the service was bad and the food lacked any taste. The price of our dinner was far too expensive for what we got.

candy b.

When I first walked in, nobody helped me until after 5 minutes of standing at the counter. (The waitress or whoever she was clearly saw me walk in and did not tell anybody I was there) Another lady passed me about twice when she finally said If I was waiting for food. Some very nice old lady named Ester (I'm guessing the owner) brought me my food and introduced herself and then bragged about how fresh their food was and non greasy. I thought the food was okay but I've had better Chinese. My plan was to order a dinner special that came with orange chicken but the lady on the phone it came instead with chicken mixed with vegetables, an egg roll and soup. I did not like the won ton soup it came with..the dumplings looked gooey n gross.

Jacob J.

First off, I like that they offer a gluten free menu and options for those trying to diet. For dieters, they will make your food with less oil and other additives. Also they offer dim sum, though the drawback is that its only available on weekends. Wonk, wonk, wonk.. Egg rolls are pretty good but they fall short because the sweet and sour sauce that is served with it is runny and watery. If a Chinese restaurant serves a "Solid" egg roll, I can't stress the importance enough of creating your own sweet and sour sauce to compliment it. Though many don't. Another reviewer said that the egg rolls are baked. I couldn't have that confirmed, however they were quite crispy and had a crunch with every bite. The egg roll was filled full with lots of yummy cabbage and pieces of shrimp. I detected a hint of peanut butter, but that is a flaw of egg roll preparation which I won't get into. Their pot stickers were also good and from the shape of them, one could surmise that it was shaped by hand and most likely here in their kitchen. I met with a friend for a work lunch, it was my first visit. A quick scan of reviews looked like it could be a 50/50 experience. One review which was rocking my nerves was that by Weisun C. I've met Weisun and if you read his reviews, they are pretty freaking thorough. Now, I have eaten at places Weisun has recommended on Yelp and I hated and vice versa but his review of this place versus some of the other glowing ones was on my mind. Regardless of feelings; my friend and I had already confirmed on the spot and so we tried. I already told you the egg rolls were pretty good, so were the potstickers and the chicken noodle soup which comes with the lunch special. I should note that during a weekday lunch they give you a special lunch menu. They have a standard menu which is available upon request. If ordering a few appetizers a la cart, make sure you receive what you paid for. I think somehow we were cheated out of a bowl of soup and two egg rolls. Our lunch specials were not good. His shrimp with lobster sauce was overly salty. I've never ever tasted this entree like this and it made me wonder if salt was added to mask the flavor of decay. I ordered General Tso's chicken. (I really have to stop ordering this entree, its almost never good anywhere and only at a handful of spots.) Here, the chicken tasted day old, if you told me the meat was previously frozen I would believe you. Also some of the pieces were gummy, which notes to me that its been sitting sometime. I'm looking at the leftovers now.. I can't decide whether to try and force feed myself (but I don't want to because I hate it) or throw it in the trash. Its a waste of money. Looking over the photos uploaded by Sherwin C. which is dated November 2011, the pieces of chicken which are in what I'm guessing is sweet and sour sauce looks much different than what I was served earlier today. The photo appears fresh and vibrant which causes me to wonder if it was ordered on the weekend. I would bet that their weekend service is far better than the weekday service. The place hasn't changed since the 1980's. There was another restaurant on this street that had the same interior look to it, like it was a party room in your grandfathers basement, the place I'm thinking of is Hackney's. Which is now closed. Like other reviewers mention, I assume this used to be a pancake diner turned Chinese restaurant. The feeling to the place is so casual. Take for instance the restrooms were just cleaned and they left the doors to them wide open. Customers walk in and out as if visiting the restrooms in their own homes. While sitting in the dining area sounds of the 1950s are pumping throughout the restaurant. I am quick to reminisce sitting in front of our old color television, banging on the side of the TV to get the picture straight because we're watching one of those old showtunes or stage musicals that are now in technicolor, WOO! Yep, those old movies, that's the music score playing in here. I want to like this place, I just need a reason. I wonder if they have an awesome bartender in here on the weekends, I freaking love dim sum but probably not enough to come back. I mean I live closer to Chinatown then traveling out here for another case of meh.

Malkal L.

I love this restaurant . Food is good , nothing fancy , but clean . Owners are the best . One time I came to a restaurant and I had a flue , they make me speasial soup , that is not on the menu . Food is great , you should try it .

Colleen T.

The portions are extremely large - the two of us probably could have split one meal and still been full after the meal. The food here wasn't anything great, there is better in the area. The atmosphere is a little strange as well. Again, it wasn't the worse food I've ever had - but there is definitely better in the Wheeling area.

Jenny Z.

My family and I ended up here after turning back from our drive to get dim sum in Chinatown because of heavy snow. Their dim sum selection is smaller than the ones you would usually find in Chinatown but overall it wasn't bad. My favorite was the fried eggplant with fish on top. I don't know of any other dim sum places in the north suburbs so this place will do for those who can't make it all the way downtown. Came here a second night for dinner and thought the food was excellent and authentic... we ordered five dishes off of the Chinese menu that had no English and they all tasted great. Especially the fish. However we also ordered a sweet and sour pork dish off of their regular more Americanized menu and it was awful. Too much breading and on the same par as Panda Express. Go with someone that can read chinese or ask one of the waitstaff for suggestions. The food on the Chinese menu (which they don't always bring out unless asked) is prepared way better than the food on the regular menu.

Tiffany L.

If I'm giving a place 5 stars on carry out and by carry out, I mean - my mother brought her leftovers up from Wheeling to Wausau, WI last night. It was delicious! The mushu beef was awesome and so was the mongolian chicken. These are two things I'd never order - mushu pork yes, not beef - and they were both absolutely delicious. Some of the very best chicken in Chinese food I've ever had. So good. There was also some seafood dish, no idea, but it was also very good. Man, I've missed living so close to Chinatown and now maybe I'll just have to hit Golden Chef next time we come back to Chicago!

Adam B.

4.5 Stars My family has been coming to Golden Chef for years, passing by many other closer Chinese places along the way. As you will read from others below, a charming lady named Esther runs this spacious, old-style Cantonese restaurant. Now, real Cantonese food, including Hong Kong cuisine, by the way, need not be simple or bland, and at Golden Chef it's not. The food is very flavorful, even spicy, and they are more than willing to tweak it to your taste. For example, we ordered the "Fish Filet", with extra garlic and black bean. It turned out to be a massive dish with two very large fillets (real pike, not tilapia), smothered in a rich black bean and ginger sauce. Seriously, this one dish ($14.95) could feed a family of four. The won-ton soup was packed with roast pork, excellent, large won-tons, and was made with a gorgeous, fresh broth. Order "for two" and get a four-bowl serving! The other dishes are similarly large and flavorful, and very good value. Why not five stars? Service can be a little haphazard. For example, our dishes came out as they were ready, rather than in the order we expected them. That did mean they were absolutely steaming fresh. So next time we will explain the order we want. Of course, we will be back soon.

Earnest K.

Wonderful people, wonderful food. They'll make what you want the way you want. Went back for dim sum on Sunday. Don't miss

Brad S.

My family has been buying from this family for 3 generations. My mom loves this place I think it is good enough to come back but the rating has as much to do with memory as good food. Often it seems that the dishes were prepared and not fresh cooked. This is a very average very American Chinese food restaurant. I do like the mushu and egg foo young.

Samantha R.

This place is right near my boyfriend's house so we started going here to break from our norm of Superdawg and Panda Express. Totally worth it. Esther is the owner and she is the sweetest person you will ever meet in your life. She was incredibly helpful to us as we placed our take-out order. She noticed my boyfriend sounded a little sniffly and offered him some "magic soup," which was just ginger/chicken broth. It was delicious and completely cured his cold. Golden Chef is our go-to place when we feel a cold coming on, solely for the soup, but the entrees are delicious as well. Make sure you say hi to Esther!

Tony L.

Probably the worst meal I have had in years. Food is tasteless. Had the dim sum platter which was mediocre and it was topped off by a bao bun that had a solid mass in the middle. I did not open it to find out what it was. Very dated decor and the "easy listening" background music had me longing for the check. Reading the other reviews, I'm sure they have a very loyal clientele that keep returning but I won't be one of them.

Jason C.

I have been driving up and down Milwaukee Ave for the past few years, but I haven't been paying attention to this restaurant. There are so many Chinese restaurants around Buffalo Grove and Wheeling, and Golden Chef is not really close by my place. Fast forward to a February Sunday morning, while driving by this restaurant, I saw the "Dim Sum" sign. I made a turn on the entrance and decided to give them a try. "What the heck" I thought, how bad could this be. I suddenly had a craze for dim sum and I was definitely not going to drive 45 minutes to Chinatown for that. When I stepped foot i the restaurant, Esther, the owner greeted me warmly and showed me the dim sum cart. I picked up 4 of the staples dim sum to go, and Boy they were so good! Stuffed Bean Curd rolls are solid and HUGE! Har Gaw came in six on a plate, and they were tender and juicy. Pan Fried Turnip cakes were yummy and flavorful, and they came with the dark sweet sauce which is pretty authentic and you don't usually see them around here in the suburbs. The best part is, they were only $2.95 each!! I believe Ming Hin or Phoenix in Chinatown are charging $3.25 for a smaller portion. I also ordered the Rice Crepe for $2.50 which loaded with BBQ pork, they were not fooling around with the BBQ pork... So 4 dim sum orders came up with a total of $12.60 with tax, the portion was so huge that was enough for two persons. I think we have a winner here. Sure, you can't really compare the dim sum here to the Chinatown restaurants. But I really think this is as good as it gets in the burbs. The owners really put in a lot of efforts to run this dim sum showcase for their loyal customers. You can definitely feel the love from the dim sum here. I will definitely be back again!

Bharat K.

Nice restaurant!! Good tasty food and friendly people!!! Nothing to complain about!!!