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Swatow Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
309 Spadina AveToronto, ON M5T 2E6
Neighbourhoods: Chinatown, Kensington Market, Downtown Core
(416) 977-0601
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
30 reviews for Swatow Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Beef with Black Bean over Crispy Noodles - Yummy."
(in 3 reviews)
"The beef brisket is covered in a wonderful sauce and it's..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...but DO try their Hot and Sour soup because it's one of the..."
(in 2 reviews)
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
11/3/2011
Among most restaurants among the Spadina strip, this is one of those which for some reason seem to alwasy come up as a heavy weight.
Ask anyone who likes to eat Chinese food on the strip and they will all mention Swatow at one point or another.
To put it quite simply they are pretty strong when it comes to almost all their dishes --at least for a non-Chinese customer like me, although there are a lot of Asian customers so, that's a good thing. Their seafood, beef and chicken dishes are always tasty.
They are generally always packed and they are friendly to the late-night clubber crowd. So if you come after midnight, expect the place to be packed and there be a waiting line of starving, semi-drunken people waiting in queue to be served.
Their prices are not bad, on the south side of cheap, but overall pretty standard for the neighbourhood. Which brings me to the point that in the end you are coming for the food, not the service nor ambiance, so expect those to be spartan and utilitarian, oh, as a rule of thumb, like most restaurants in the strip, expect a language barrier with your server.
But the food is tasty. I recommend it.Listed in: My Reviews, 30 Day Movember '11 Challenge
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Review from Jasper C.
York, ON
2/10/2012
It's a fast-and-furious, hit-and-miss, hole-in-the-wall. The noodle soups have depth and done al dente (beef brisket and tripe the best I've had in the city - including those in Markham & Richmond Hill); some of the rice and chow mein dishes (e.g. Satay Beef & Shrimp w/eggplant) are saucy and well-seasoned. Main courses lack sophistication and finesse (vegetables are poorly chopped or over-blanched).
Late-night diners: ALWAYS double-check your bill. Greasy, slick-hair manager who runs the cash likes to overcharge unsuspecting customers not familiar with prices on the menu. I've been burned before. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
2/6/2012 1 photo
It seems like the only time I came here at first was after concerts during university. And even then - in an era when my diet consisted of hot dogs and yogurt - it was only *OKAY*.
I was dragged there again recently and still confirm that it's *OKAY*. We had a couple of stir-fries, which were slightly lacklustre in flavour.
But beyond that, I think maybe if they toned down the blinding fluorescent lighting system, just a notch, I may be compelled to actually step foot in there again. Until then, there are heaps of other restaurants along the strip that I'd rather frequent. (And not be blinded by the light.) -
Review from Tim S.
Etobicoke, ON
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Swatow is a staple of Chinatown, the food portions are huge, and some of the best general tso in the city. Can be a bit tight, and service isnt the greatest, but thats Chinatown. Usually very busy, but moves quick.
Wonton soup is king here too. -
Review from Tiff G.
9/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Swatow was the first meal after our arrival in Toronto. It is DELICIOUS TO THE MAX! I must say, the food here is better than NYC Chinatown!
We ordered:
Shrimp Dumpling Noodle Soup - Delish!
Swatow Special Soup Noodle - Delish!
Lobster Special - Could've used a little more salt.
Snails in Black Bean Sauce - WO HOP (NYC Restaurant) beats you in that dish. I would not order at Swatow.
Watercress Veggies with Bean Curd Sauce - Cooked just the right way. Not too soggy and not too raw.
Beef with Black Bean over Crispy Noodles - Yummy!!!
Beef with Tomatoes over Rice - About the same as NYC Chinatown
Paying in American $$s is also accepted (now that it's dollar for dollar) and the waiters did not give us any problems about that, unlike the peeps from Pacific Mall.
I recommend! -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Restaurant: Swatow
Cuisine: Chinese
Location: Chinatown
Address: 309 Spadina Ave
Price Range: ~$10
1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent
Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3
Extra information:
*Middle of Chinatown
*Open till late
*Specialize in Cantonese noodles
*Cash ONLY
Recommendations: Fried Rice, Sizzling Meat Dishes
Swatow is another busy Chinese restaurant located near Dundas and Yonge. It's usually packed with people but the wait wasn't bad when I went. It's only cash at Swatow so make sure to check your wallet before coming here.
We had to wait around 5 minutes before we were seated. Waitress here actually spoke proper english! I love it :) Anyways, their menu varies from the typical soup noodles, dry noodles, fried rice, seafood and meat dishes. Once we ordered, food came very fast so there was not much wait time there.
Ordered: BEEF STEW (HO FUN) NOODLE SOUP- 2/5
*This came in a small snack size bowl and was $4.88
*Soup was a clear light broth made from vegetables and meat
*Rice noodle is thin and soft so it breaks very easily
*Veggies and Meat pieces on top of the noodle
*Meat was tender but too soft
*I prefer thicker noodles and stronger spicy broth
Ordered: YEUNG CHOW FRIED RICE- 5/5
*Fried rice is always a safe option at Chinese restaurants especially Yeung Chow style because it has meat, seafood and veggies.
*This fried rice was big in portion and had lots of shrimp + BBQ pork pieces
*Stir fried egg is added when the rice is cooked and it gives that yellow color
*Overall well seasoned and I didn't even need hot sauce for this
*This was one of the best fried rice I ever had and I've tried so many different fried rices!
Ordered: SIZZLING BEEF STEW- 4/5
*This seemed to be one of their specialty dishes as many tables around me were ordering them
*Notice the name 'Sizzling', it comes in a hot black stone bowl and takes extra 5-10 minute to prepare
*It comes covered in tissue paper because it's so hot the sauce can explode in your face
*This dish came with lots of beef and turnip pieces
*I would eat this with plain rice since it is heavily drenched in sauce
*The sauce is based on strong soy sauce flavor
*Beef pieces were soft and tender
*Turnip was cooked thoroughly and seasoned all the way inside with the sauce
*Green onion that was added to the dish was fresh and went well with the dish
The only issue I had with this restaurant is that they rush you out. Yes, I understand that it's a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown and to be honest why would I want to sit there for hours....BUT just let me take my time paying and wipe my mouth with a tissue Ok? But then I guess it is a very busy restaurant and they don't care to shower you with ambiance so it's somewhat understandable.
Summary: Note that it's not one of the cheapest chinese restaurants located in Chinatown but I would come back to Swatow if I wanted some good ol fried rice! -
Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
7/10/2011
Okay, I love this place..yeah, the decor isn't great, but the food is delicious. I'm certainly not giving it 4-stars because of the decor or the ambiance, because there really isn't any.
The food is consistently delcious, the service is fast even though the place is always busy. I love the General Tao Chicken, the deep fried shrimp wontons, the beef with crispy noodles, ANY of their eggplant dishes!
Prices are reasonable. -
Review from Kris E.
Calgary, AB
12/7/2010
I found the food at Swatow to be kind of... forgettable. Not bad, but not extraordinary.
My burly manfriend had a shrimp wonton noodle soup with barbeque pork, which was very good.
Unfortunately, and I don't know if it was just a case of picking the 'wrong thing'... I was not as lucky. I ordered the 'char cheong noodles' (I assume this is to resemble 'jar cheung mian'- the Northern Chinese noodle dish). When I ordered, I was asked a couple of times by the waiter if I was 'sure' I wanted this particular dish. Nope, just pulling your leg! I'm never sure what to make of it when I'm asked this in a Chinese restaurant. 'Chances are, it's going to be
a) really good. 'How-could-I-be-missing-out-on-this!?' kind of good.
or
b) what... the hell is this?
The char cheong noodles were a striking 'b'.
Bright red...? Kind of sweet...? Is that meat...? So many questions.
I would go back, but I would be considerably more wary of what I ordered.Listed in: Cruisin' Spadina
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Review from E G.
7/23/2011
We were recommend this place as the best chinese food on spadina. Ithas your basic chinese restaurant decor but the food was amazing. We had the orange chicken with spring rolls and fried dumplings. Orange chicken was delicious specialty but the spring rolls had cinnamon which made themunique and fantastic. Dumplings were some of the biggest we ever seen prices are very affordable and services fast. Swatow did except US currency.
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Review from Darren L.
Scarborough, ON
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went there for the first time and there was literally a fight that broke out in the line for the food. It is so good! The noodles are amazing. Great place to go after a long night of partying
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Review from Jennifer N.
Toronto, ON
2/20/2009
Introducing me to Swatow was one of the best things an ex-bf has ever done for me. I've been frequenting Swatow for over 15 years and it's never let me down. It's basic and to-the-point Chinese food with no nonsense service. It's oftentimes busy so don't be alarmed if you're asked to share a table. I'd rather share than wait.
Get the Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, Shrimp Wonton Noodle Soup, Stuffed Tofu, Stuffed Eggplant and the General Tso's Chicken.
They don't take Debit or Credit here so make sure to bring cash. Also, don't be surprised if you see Susur Lee here late at night. He comes here often and he always gets the noodle soups. -
Review from Janna S.
6/4/2010
I'm not an expert connoisseur of Chinese food but this place seemed better than most of the others I've been to. The service is lightning-fast and the food was fresh and tasty. I went with a friend but we had more than enough; the portions are quite generous. Maybe I'm out of touch because I prefer these "classic" dishes to some of the "Asian fusion" fare I've had, but it's kind of refreshing to go somewhere that serves simple, consistently good food without the need to innovate.
I'm not sure if they serve Chinese mixed veg in their dishes but I got regular broccoli in the Cantonese noodles I ordered; maybe I'll ask for Chinese broccoli next time. My friend and I both noticed the lighting here is exceptionally bright, but we didn't go for romantic ambiance - just great food! -
Review from Angel Z.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2010
We visited for late night eats this weekend. It was packed as usual and brusque and efficient was usual. Of 6 of us at table we each ordered something different and did not share dishes. One girl could not stomach the taste of her food and ate only two bites. The rest of us ate normally and paid the price.
I was kept awake half the night with stomach cramps. One guy got ballistic diarrhea most of the next day and two others in the group were also ill to their stomachs.
I leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Swatow? Just say NO! -
Review from Mark M.
Toronto, ON
10/8/2009
Swatow is a very good Chinese restaurant located in Chinatown. They don't do anything new or spectacular and if you are not familiar with the area you will probably walk pass Swatow not knowing that you just passed by one of the city's most reputable Chinese eateries. I'm not lying, anyone I know who goes to Chinatown, knows Swatow. They might not eat there or they may even hate this place but they know about this place.
I have been going to Swatow ever since I was a little kid because my dad is a friend of the owner. The always relaxed owner can be seen many nights in his restaurant talking with customers and even serving dishes. When I was little I always felt special my dad knew the owner but when I grew I found out that almost every regular here knows the owner. I believe his name is Peter and the guy sure is a character.
The restaurant itself is one of those shady looking dive restaurants. The place is tiny, crowded, and the tables and chairs must be older than Chinatown itself. I have to admit that I love the atmosphere here because it is something that hasn't changed in ages.
The food here is its selling point. It is really good and non-pretentious. It comes to your table quick and fresh. My favourite things here include the seafood chow mein and the beef brisket on rice. The chow mein noodles are crunchy until they soak up all the sauce. It is crammed with seafood toppings and veggies. The beef brisket is covered in a wonderful sauce and it's piled on a bed of rice. Both are served in large portions and are very filling so it's nice to share with a friend.
I do have to agree with other people here when they say that they come here only when they are drunk. I have noticed me coming here after a night of drinking more often than coming here during the day. That's not a downside though because that just means this place is open late and can understand the slurs coming out of a drunk party goer.
Swatow is great. The food is great. The owner is great. The business hours are great. Yup, if you are new to the area and walk pass this place thinking its just another Chinese restaurant, you just foolishly passed by one of Toronto's great eateries. -
Review from Wil L.
Mississauga, ON
11/30/2010
Best place in Chinatown for Traditional Chinese wonton noodle soup. Other must try: Hoa fun beef brisket noodles, stir fry clams, fried tofu, fried hot pepper with fish meat. A very small restaurant with cramp seating, but food arrives in a flash which compensates for the lack of comfort and ambience.
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Review from Kara M.
Toronto, ON
7/14/2009
Y'know when you're out past last call and you'd really like some greasy chinese food? What you really want is to go to Swatow. Open way late and a big menu with lots of tasty choices.
I consider it a bonus that it has a cheap fast food atmosphere (in fact, I always feel like I'm in a Wendy's) because when it's late, I'm probably a bit messed up myself and wouldn't feel right some place nice.
Also, I was once in there with an 80 year old woman who turned to me and said "There's too much skin on this chicken." I replied "that's not chicken, it's tofu." She looked at me and said "I don't care what you call it, but I know chicken, and this chicken has too much skin." Apparently the tofu is chicken. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
10/2/2008
This place has EXCELLENT Chinese food. It's hard sometimes to navigate around Chinatown and find a good place that has great food at a great price. Well this has both. The food here is phenomenal. I always get the chicken noodles and veggies and it's delicious. The lemon chicken is also super duper tasty.
They're no frills here though - the service is fast but not the friendliest. But they are quick and the food is always hot and consistently tasty. Don't run around China Town looking for a place to enjoy some authentic Asian cuisine. Head here and dig in to some really delicious grub! -
Review from Hood R.
5/27/2011
One of the better places in Chinatown for traditional Chinese food. Popular spot with the late night clubbing crowd. The food is consistently good, but overpriced. Friendly staff and fast and efficient service. It can get busy at times but the wait won't be long.
Watch out for Big Boss who only works the night shift. He has a mean look that means business and staff is visibly scared of him. He rules from behind the cash register with an iron fist and does not hesitate shortchanging you if you show any sign of inebriation. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR BILL IF BIG BOSS IS BEHIND THE CASH REGISTER. Payment is cash only. If you find a discrepancy (trust me you will) DO NOT argue with Big Boss. Just casually mention it to your waiter when Big Boss is not looking and he will re-adjust your bill. You have to be very tactful because Big Boss sees EVERYTHING. Do not fcuk with Big Boss.
The hot & sour soup is pretty good. So are the sizzling plates and beef with blackbean sauce. The portions are large and can be shared between two people. The restaurant was cited for violations and closed a while ago, but the cleanliness is likely at par with other joints in the area. I have personally eaten at this place many times and taken many people with me, and no one got sick. The dishes are over-priced but with so few choices of good food in the area, where else can you eat? -
Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
10/17/2010
Where do you go at 2:30 AM in the morning for good reliable food and an alternative to the usual slice of pizza. Swatow is your place. Average tasty greasy chinese food ready to eat in 10 minutes. Busy little spot on Spadina that I've been going to for around 17 years. Of course the frequency of my visits has dropped but I was there last night and nothing has changed. Fast reliable cheap food. Five of us dined for 15 dollars each and stuffed ourselves on 5 different dishes and tea. my favourite has always been the Eggplant and Shrimps. The place was as always still relatively busy at 2:30 AM but we were able to get a table right away which is a rarity in this small place. By the time we were leaving there was a small line up. Recommended!
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Review from Ian C.
Toronto, ON
3/28/2010
It's the sort of restaurant Chinese people like: good food for cheap. Don't expect any fancy decor, its not fusion, just classic Cantonese comfort food. I tried the braised beef and wonton, and it was great - beef was tender and the wontons were tasty.
I'm Chinese and am mostly unimpressed with Chinatown, but Swatow was an exception and I'll be back to try their other selections. The restaurant is named after a city near chiuchow, so chiuchow-nese food there should be good. -
Review from Karen S.
8/30/2010
Yum! For a quick, bite, go for their shrimp dumpling noodle soup! It's made up of delicious, plump shrimp dumplings that are pretty much a more glamorous version of wontons, plentiful noodle, and as a bonus, greenery in the form of a couple of stalks of Chinese veggie that's not lettuce. I find that places like these don't often include quality veggie with their already cheap offerings, so I'm very happy plunking down my dollars at Swatow for their delicious noodle and quick, no fuss service.
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Review from Soukia S.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2009
What do you want from a Chinese food restaurant? Fast service, relatively inexpesive eats, and... Yeah, that's about it. And this is what Swatow has. This place serves up consistently good Chinese food with good portions, nothing fancy and don't go for the ambience but DO try their Hot and Sour soup because it's one of the best in the city. This is not a date restaurant but good for friends and a quick dinner.
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Review from Ken H.
2/5/2009
This restaurant has tasty food. The menu is a standard sampling of dishes for a Chinese restaurant in North America. I tried several of the basics including sweet and sour pork, General Tso's chicken, a dish with scallops and broccoli, and a crispy noodle dish with mixed seafood. Even though the restaurant was full when we ordered, our food came out quickly. All the dishes were very well seasoned and I thought the vegetables were fresh and tasty. The General Tso's chicken was my favorite even though I thought the chicken could have been chopped into smaller pieces. The scallops were cooked perfectly.
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Review from Paul F.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2009
This place is the best and I know many of you agree. The food is great, the service is friendly, and the prices are very reasonable. I've been going there for so many years that most of the workers there know my name and it's great to have that familiarity. I have my staple dishes when I go there but your eally can't go wrong with much there. Highly recommended!!
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Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2010
Not at good as 'Taste of China Seafood Restaurant' across the street - nor as charming. seriously, just walk across the street their General Tso is way better!
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Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
2/17/2009
This place only barely passes because you're never hear unless you're hungover or drunk. This is old-school quick and dirty Chinese food. Most of dishes are greasy and come out hot. I still love it whenever I need that fix but please people...this is by no means "good" Chinese food.
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Review from Samia M.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2011
Don't be fooled by its placement next to a massage parlour. Swatow is somewhat of a charming joint by Spadina standards, nestled in the heart of Chinatown. For a place that's remarkably clean as it is, the food is spectacular. Although I'm sure some of their dishes use MSG like most east Asian restos in the city, it's a far cry from the Mandarin buffet. Having traveled to the far east, I can tell you this is as authentic as it gets in the city. Try the shrimp wanton noodle soup!
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Review from kai s.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2008
Try the noodle in soup with beef brisket and wonton. Couple that with an order of Chinese salted doughnuts for dipping. Heavenly. Hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant best for take-outs, quick dash or drunken after-party meal.
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Review from A. T.
5/11/2009
One of my favorites in the downtown T.O. chinatown, and its quality hasn't gone down over the past decade. The kong xin cai and beef chow fun make a good late night snack. If you only have USD, the owner will quote you a fair exchange rate.
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Review from Melanie H.
Toronto, ON
1/16/2010
For years I scoured Chinatown, eating one terrible meal after another (without knowing it), until I had my first encounter with Swatow. From the outside, it looks like every other average Chinese joint on the Spadina strip, but let me tell you why it stands out from the rest. My favourite thing about Swatow is that in the 2 years I have been going there, they have gotten to know me. They don't bring me a fork anymore, they know I always get pea shoots so if I forget to order them they remind me, and when I go without my boyfriend, they ask me where he is. Sweet no? Other good things include speed of service, consistency in quality, and a relatively inexpensive bill at the end. Watch out they take cash only. They are open at all hours of the day and night. Once I had the pleasure to eat there at 3 am - the place was packed! At one point that song "lean on me" came on the radio, and one of the servers turned the volume up, and everyone in the restaurant started singing in unison. It was unforgettable. Order the pea shoots, the clams in black bean sauce, and all their crispy noodles are delicious.
