Mr. Gao — Restaurant in Hamilton

We are new to the area and choose this eatery because it has a 4-star review. Staff is nice, atmosphere is ok and it is clean. Yet, we are very disappointed with the food.

We have ordered 4 things. All....hmmmmn...failed to match what the dishes are called.

Veggie and tofu clay pot stew Stew means slow cook or simmer so the flavor of the ingredients slowly come out over time. This clay pot we have, has semi-raw carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms in an obvious ready-made broth, with tofu and some vermicelli in it. No way it is a real stew. It is like a soup which confuses us further - drink it or not?

Scallion pancake We know this appetizer can be oily, but do not expect it is that greasy like soaking oily. And where is the scallion?

Beef fried rice noodles 干炒牛河 This dish shows what skill level the chef is at - Mr Gao has failed totally. Not only does it has lots of soy sauce, but also the noodles are not cooked through (no, different from al dente). The finished dish has to be dry, and with scallion to call it 干炒牛河！I guess they have redefined this famous dish. It is just fried flat noodles with soy sauce.

Chicken fried rice The portion is very small, having used equivalent to a bowl of white rice at most. Chicken is fresh but the dish is way too salty and oily. Each of us (4 ppl) can only get half a bowl but likely that has already exceeded our daily sodium and fat value.

We have to wipe our mouth after each bite throughout the dinner and keep sipping water. It is that greasy and salty.

I read from the reviews that many said Mr. Gao is the best Chinese food in Hamilton. Well, maybe - in Hamilton - because there is minimal competition. Unfortunately, if it were to open in Toronto, it would not survive for long because the dishes are sub par, not even to match those at low-end food court. The dishes we have, match the old stereotype impression of Chinese food - salty, greasy, and...

Mr. Gao Restaurant is truly a hidden gem in Hamilton’s food scene! As soon as I walked in, I was drawn to the clean and tidy décor, and the warm and cozy atmosphere. The seating is spacious, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a meal with friends or family. The staff were incredibly friendly and patient, taking their time to recommend some of their signature dishes and even suggesting that we could adjust the spice level to our liking, which was a really thoughtful touch.

I ordered three dishes this time, and they were all amazing. As someone from Northeast China, I have high standards for Sweet & Sour Pork and I was blown away by how authentic it tasted here! The crispy, golden exterior and the perfectly balanced sweet and sour sauce were exactly like the flavours from my hometown. It truly took me back to my roots.

Aside from , the beef fried rice was also fantastic. The beef was super tender, and the rice was perfectly cooked with each grain separate. The aroma of the eggs and scallions filled the air, and the portion size was huge! It’s definitely worth it, and a single serving of fried rice can easily satisfy a hungry stomach.

The Sichuan Style Crispy Chicken is a paradise for those who love spicy food. The chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the combination of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns gave it a bold, layered flavour. It was spicy but not overwhelming, and each bite left me wanting more. The portion was also very generous, easily enough for several people to share.

Most importantly, the prices are really affordable! For such large portions, the value is amazing, and I left feeling...

This place came highly recommended and indeed, most of the food was good but some complaints. House special fried rice was actually quite dry and the chicken in it had a strange texture and taste... could have used more salt mostly. The wok dry spicy chicken is absolutely NOT as pictured on their website. I wish I'd saved a photo because what we got was dry, chalky looking bits of chicken meat, sure with a good level of spice but mostly bone. It was like they use strange cuts of the chicken to prepare the dish but it looks more rich and dark in colour on their website, not as powdery. The cumin lamb was good, as was the beef with onion. My only other complaint would be that when we called in the order, we were told it would be ready in 20 minutes. I'm not a stickler for this and can usually accept if it takes another 5 or 10 minutes... but honestly, when I got there to pick it up, both the person at the front and another staff member looked really puzzled when I said which order I was picking me up. I then heard a ton of frying going on not long after, and ended up waiting a full half hour MORE than what they told me! I was wondering if maybe they had not taken the order down properly and were preparing the rest of my dishes on the spot. So that was not cool. Lastly, their overview states there is parking on site but it's not QUITE true as the parking lot belongs to the Boston Pizza right next door. You still have to walk all the way around to get to their restaurant and that was unexpected and unpleasant especially in the rain. Would have had someone drop me right at the front if I'd known this...