Gol's Lanzhou Noodle — Restaurant in Waterloo

This place deserve more than a 5 star rating! We went to Bingemans Big Splash water park in Kitchener and was looking for something to eat for dinner. Thanks to the yelp reviews we found Gol's Lanzhou Noodle! This is really a hidden gem!

Ambiance: Very modern look with lots of wood! I love it! There's a window where you can watch them make hand made noodles fresh from scratch. It was awesome! That kept my daughters busy while we waited in line. Only downside is it only has 1 unisex washroom in the whole restaurant. Seems a bit strange.

Service: We only waited in line for 15 mins but when we left the line up it was out the door way. Since this restaurant is located near Waterloo university it was packed with university students. The service was excellent. Our server was so knowledgeable and explain how the noodles work and what was in each dish. He also kept refilling our water. Our food came really quick.

Food: Ok the best part of the review is definitely the food. There was a variety of bbq items on the menu. We got the bbq pork belly skewers and the bbq lamb skewers. The pork belly was so crispy, moist and coated with this sweet sauce that was so yummy! The lamb skewers had some cumin and chilli flakes. Also so tasty! The soup was so amazing! We each order the beef noodle soup. You get your choice of 9 different noodle with different thickness. My daughters had the thinner noodles and I had the super thick ones. The beef was tender, noodles was chewy and the broth was so flavourful and not too spicy, even my kids was able to handle it.

Tip: we ordered 3 regular size soup but for $2 more You can the large, which is a huge bowl and you can share that. $12.99 vs $14.99. The price is fair.

Amazing meal! Would definitely come back again. There's another location in North York which my sisters been to and it's...

Gol's Lanzhou Noodle is a hidden treasure that truly captures the spirit of traditional Chinese dining. Stepping inside, you're welcomed by a warm, authentic vibe, with soothing Chinese music adding a special touch to the atmosphere. It’s like being transported straight to a little noodle shop in China.

The experience started off perfectly: the lady at the counter was incredibly polite and patient, taking the time to walk me through the menu and share details about each dish. I kicked things off with their Cucumber Mix in homemade spicy sauce—a refreshing, crispy, and delightfully spicy start. Then came the sweet and sour mini fries, an unexpected treat with thinly sliced potatoes, a hint of spice, and a sprinkle of peanuts—such a great appetizer.

The main event was the Chicken Chow Mein. You get to choose your noodle type, and I opted for the SanXi, which had the texture of thick Udon. When they say "hearty portion," they mean it—this dish was loaded with dry noodles, spicy sauce, colorful veggies, and generous chunks of chicken. It’s definitely a dish for sharing! I ended with their Yogurt with Lanzhou organic wheat, a light and refreshing dessert that rounded off the meal beautifully.

One thing that caught me by surprise, though, was that as the last customers, we were asked to wrap up our meal quickly. It felt a little rushed, especially since we were nearly done. I get they wanted to close, but it would have been nicer if they’d let us enjoy those last few bites without the pressure. That aside, Gol’s Lanzhou Noodle delivers authentic flavors and a unique ambiance, making it a wonderful spot to dine with friends and family. Definitely worth a visit if you're after a true...

Lively atmosphere, prices are normal (noodle soup regular size $10, beef chow mein $11), noodles were nice and chewy, service was quick, and workers were kind.

I was a bit disappointed though. I heard good things about their food here but I did not find this place worth my try. Although I really enjoyed their noodles (the plain noodle itself), I did not like any of the dishes I tried. I got their regular noodle soup and beef chow mein. There is a lack of 'body-flavour' to their dishes... Both dishes were bland salty. I'm thinking they do a lot of cost cutting based on their ingredient choices. I would not eat here again, it just isn't worth the money even for a $10 noodle soup.

The noodle soup was pretty salty which I feel masks the poor broth - all I tasted was salt water and essences of beef/meat... I'm no expert but I just tastes like instant powder broth to me, who knows maybe it's just the saltiness that gave me that impression. I did not upgrade my toppings. The regular toppings it had were fine except I didn't like the choice of cilantro paring with this broth... More green onions would be better. The beef chow mein I enjoyed better than the noodle soup. The beef pieces were spongy and definitely tampered with... As in, it wasn't freshly cut and cooked but rather modified cheap beef cuts to be made softer. There was a surplus of bean sprouts adding to the bulk of the vegetables in this chow mein... Cost saving here maybe? I wish I got more broccoli, I only have two pieces of broccoli in my chow mein.

Two stars, but I'm giving it three stars because I appreciate the chewy noodles and the lively...