Cameron Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Kitchener

I provided feedback to Cameron's and now I am no longer welcome as a customer. Ummm, what?!?

I purchased a takeout order for my dad's 86th birthday. He could have had anything and he chose Cameron's as he had not had it in quite some time and wanted "a treat". I ordered 3 individual combo dinners and a side of ribs.

The food was such a disappointment that we ate about a quarter of the food I ordered. The breaded pork and chicken were mostly that - breading. With the combo meals, everything is put together in one container and they put the sauce in with it which makes everything, including the breaded items soggy. There was mostly overcooked rice in the order with little of the other items on top. It just seemed like the classic "make it mostly filler food like breading and rice and go light on the real items".

I called Ping and all she wanted to do is argue that she was not working that night and that the cook is the same for 22 year (translation - it is my problem). She was not going to do anything until I requested to talk to the owner. She then talked to the cook, came back to the phone and said that they would return my money but they will no longer take an order from me (clearly my feedback was an insult instead of an opportunity to improve). I said " this is how you treat your customers? They provide feedback that they did not have a good experience (btw I have eaten there at least 10 times prior) and your response it to tell them they are not welcome anymore. " Unbelievable. She said "how do we know that you will not order take out again and complain it is not good?" Yes... she said that.

I went to the restaurant 2 days later to take them up on the refund. I was not met with any kindness nor a desire keep me as a customer, it was more like contempt. I was told that she talked with the owners (in Toronto) and it was reiterated to me that this 'refund' was in lieu of me not coming back as a customer.

So yeah. Unbelievable. I am very happy not to ever return. With a huge decline in value for the food you get and an even worse 'customer service' attitude I will spend my money elsewhere.

For context, this is my first review posting ever. This experience...

Cameron Chinese hits the savoury delicious flavours of dim sum spot on. There is a lack of competition in the dim sum category in Kitchener, and we felt the prices suggest this. Prices ranged from $6.50 to $10.00 per dimsum. The chicken feet delicacy sold for around $8, which is absurd. Tea was $4.00/person, and this is quite expensive compared to what I am used to in York Region, even a small plate of chilli oil sauce was $1.50. I looked at a photo from 8 years ago by another reviewer, and tea serving used to be $1.75 per person and $0.50 chilli oil sauce, I suppose everything is more expensive nowadays, but that is a 3x increase.

The exterior of the restaurant looks a bit run down, but the interior is well decorated and looks quite nice. I suppose this is what is meant by “don’t judge a book by its cover”.

We ordered 6 dim sums costing about $67. Our biggest gripe was the cost and amount of food per serving. For instance, the three taro spring rolls tasted great but for the price, an extra fourth spring roll would be reasonable.

In summary, I have two perspectives: On one hand, as someone that lives in York Region, it felt like a tourist trap; I’ve had quality dim sum for cheaper where I live. On the other hand if you reside in Kitchener then it hits the dim sum cravings perfectly, there honestly is nothing better, as far as I’m aware. We came around 12:00 and the place was already packed, the free parking lot was also full, so the place is quite popular...

If you’re looking for a warm, authentic Chinese dining experience, this is a great choice. The food was flavorful and cooked with just the right amount of spices to bring out the perfect taste - not top-tier fine dining, but more than satisfying for anyone who enjoys hearty, authentic flavors. Since it’s a seafood-focused restaurant, some non-seafood dishes might carry a subtle seafood aroma, which could feel unusual if you’re not used to it - but for seafood lovers, that’s part of the charm.

These guys really know how to cook with just the right amount of spices to bring out the perfect flavors. People/Staff are super nice as well, very very polite and professional. The staff is also really knowledgeable about flavors and food and - for the undecided ones or for those that like to mix and match - might even help you select the dish !

The interiors are also classy, authentic, well-kept and safe - somewhere you feel safe to take your parents. Parking could be a concern on busy evenings but on a positive note, we arrived at an evening hour and got a chance to see a most beautiful tree right above where we parked. It was almost like in the movies, that perfect Japanese/Chinese cherry blossom tree.

That said, since there is construction 🚧 🚧 🚧 happening around the place GPS can get confused so "driver discretion" is advised - but that should be a temporary thing.

All in all, a warm and cozy...