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Yueh Tung Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
126 Elizabeth StToronto, ON M5G 1P5
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 977-0933
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 12 am
Sat 12 pm - 12 am
Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Yueh Tung Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"famous for its spicy Hakka cuisine." In 8 reviews -
"...right), green beans with black bean sauce), the shrimp with..." In 3 reviews -
"The take-out guys were friendly and efficient." In 3 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah L.
Markham, ON
4/14/2012
This restaurant has been around for years and I love it. The waiters and waitresses are super nice and friendly. And the food is amazing!! The cuisine is Hakka Chinese food and my favourite dish is the chili chicken! A little spicy for those that can't take spice but it always satisfies my belly!
I've dined in a couple of times and also had take out and the food is just as good either way. I will definitely be a life time diner here.
Thanks Yeuh Tung! -
Review from Mervin F.
Toronto, ON
5/21/2012
My family has been eating here for about 20 years and I absolutely love the place. The place has renovated twice since I was a ye ol' lad and went from a grimy dive to a family restaurant. The service is excellent because the servers do respond to your order as soon as they can.
I suggest getting the dinner menu if you're in a group as it gives you a big serving that can serve to about 3 to 4 people each dish (which is roughly around $10 a dish). Even if it is "dinner time" you can still get a lunch menu for the best deal if you're dining solo.
If you like chicken you should try their Manchurian Chicken/Ginger Spice Chicken or Chicken Pakora. Those are their specialty and you won't find a restaurant anywhere in Toronto that can make it better. -
Review from Jonathan C.
Oakville, ON
11/6/2011
The good: The chili chicken and crispy beef. Great prices, and huge portions
The bad: Nothing. Everything I've had ranges from decent to great.
The ugly: They need to update that carpet!
I have to vehemently disagree with Mr. Vivek S here on the quality of their Chili Chicken. Yueh Tung, in my humble opinion, has some GREAT Chili Chicken, maybe some of the best in Toronto. You can order with sauce, or sans sauce (my choice), as per your liking, but each time I've been it's been delicious! It's usually not overly spicy, but just enough that I can enjoy my meal without needing a drink to sooth my palate.
The crispy beef is also done well. It's, well, crispy! Also fairly sweet.
If you order dishes from the menu (not the lunch menu) the portions here are HUGE. This is what Chinese food is about, large, family sized portions, so be prepared to share!
I've tried a few things here, the lobster sauce of rice, fried noodles, noodles in soup. Everything is fairly average, except for the crispy beef and chili chicken. -
Review from Ratika N.
7/11/2011 3 photos
I was visiting Toronto when I stumbled upon Yueh Tung...famous for its spicy Hakka cuisine..boy, was I in for a treat! the Chili chicken and the Manchurian chicken took me back to my days in Delhi...perfect spiciness and flavor...best Indian Chinese I have eaten in this part of the world. I was so excited to see the menu and knowing I would miss this food back in LA, I ordered way too much...:)
We did take out so the review is only for the food and yes, it was that good! we ordered the steamed live oysters in black bean sauce...they are jumbo sized oysters and totally worth ordering, loved them! The Manchurian chicken was yummy as was the chili chicken. We also ordered the chow mien and one of the rice dishes and they were ok. I would come back here just to have the chili chicken and the Manchurian chicken....If you have never eaten Indian Chinese, then be aware that these dishes are very different from the regular Cantonese menu items and are spicy and pretty flavorful. I can't wait to go back to Toronto and try them again. -
Review from Mel L.
1/24/2012
Yueh Tung is an average Chinese restaurant with a slight Hakka flair. It's heavy on flavour, but mostly on salt and chili sauce that somehow isn't spicy. I tried the Manchurian Chicken and I liked how under the sauce, the chicken was nice and crispy, but I didn't think the sauce tasted particularly great. Also had the Chili Beef, which had a sauce on it that looked different from the manchurian chicken but actually tasted about the same. For lunch, dishes are all around $7 and you will definitely not leave hungry, although I didn't leave with any leftovers either. The dishes are almost all served on rice. The service is efficient, but not attentive.
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Review from Eve H.
Toronto, ON
10/2/2011
Came to Toronto twenty years ago and was introduced to this restaurant by a Chinese friend. I have been going ever since. I've never had anything bad here over the years.
Favourites are: chili chicken on rice (of course), beef chow men (noodles are actually crispy and the beef tender and sauce just right), green beans with black bean sauce), the shrimp with lobster sauce (savoury heaven), whole steamed fish (perfectly done), stuffed tofu (mmmm) and lobster cantonese style.
I also love the steamed chicken with chinese mushrooms (don't let them substitute the half chicken with mushrooms), but you have to wait a long time for it because it is a steamed dish.
It's cheap and awesome. Just writing this is making my mouth seriously water.... -
Review from Vivek S.
3/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yueh Tung (pronounced "yueh tung") is a Hakka Chinese restaurant at the corner of Dundas and Elizabeth, right above Pho Orchid. The entrance is on Elizabeth St, so you'll have to head a bit south of Dundas to find it. Once you've ascended the opulent carpeted stairs, you'll find the glory of Yueh Tung. I was worried at first by the row of seated patrons at the entrance, but it turns out they were waiting for takeout (a good sign). We headed for the maitre d' and Even though the restaurant was packed on a Friday night, we snagged a table pretty quickly.
Three of us ordered the Hakka chow mein, BBQ pork fried rice, chili chicken and hot and sour soup. It's a good thing we ordered the "small" soup portion because it was enough to feed eight people. I can't imagine why our waiter even gave us the option. Would he have brought us the large if we asked for that? I could imagine him clunking it down with both arms. "Here's your punch bowl of soup. Idiots."
Let it be known: the portion sizes at YT are enormous. Minutes after ordering we were buried. The chow mein was cooked in a sweet soya sauce and was really nice. I've been spoiled by other hot and sour soups in the city, so I can only give theirs a 'meh.' The chili chicken was OK, but a bit overcooked and saddest of all: not spicy. The BBQ pork fried rice was BBQ pork fried rice, so I liked it.
So, while I was underwhelmed by the food, I'd have to say this place gets major points for value and service. Dinner for three clocked in around $30 including tip AND we had tonnes of leftovers. We also espied more than a few sizzling dishes pass our table, and wished we had gotten us some of that. I'll give them another try.
Obligatory Title Pun: Get this TUNG in your cheeks.
Menu Readability: It's pretty long, but all your options are well-laid out.
Need to mention: They accept debit and credit.
What this place teaches me about myself: I can't pronounce Yueh Tung. -
Review from Lisa K.
Toronto, ON
7/11/2011
Chili chicken is the signature dish here, and for good reason... but I also love the Manchurian chicken which has a great ginger kick along with the spice.
A lot of the low reviews are those who went here at lunch... the food is cheap at lunch, and the place is often packed, but it is worth the extra money to go at dinner because you will likely get reheated leftover rice at lunch, and I think they make giant batches of chili chicken, which is not nearly as good as getting a freshly made plate of the stuff.
One of my go-to take out places downtown... but the food is much better if you eat it there.
The hot and sour soup here is killer! -
Review from Tong J.
After a 7 course dinner last night, you think I would slow down on my caloric intake and have something "healthy" for lunch.
Yeah, right.
Deep fried pork chops with spice and pepper and simple egg fried rice, come to papa!
The pork chop dish takes a bit longer than others to prepare. But let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Crispy pork with chili and onion, oh man, completely satisfying. I can't think of anything else that would compliment the pork chop than a simple fried rice. The smokey flavor from a hot wok and crunchy vegetable pieces, talking about comfort food.
Um, um, um ... good!Listed in: Asia On My Mind
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/26/2010
Mom & Dad and auntie seem to love this place; for the home style cooking, familiar flavors and… Read more »
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Review from Payam Z.
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5* is about right...
having worked in the hospital district I have met more than my share of people who rave about Yueh Tung and look at me with disbelief when I tell them I find the food to be just aight!
The restaurant has become somewhat of a Toronto institution, and I guess for good reason; Yueh Tung has a certain consistency that most cheaper Chinese restaurants can not maintain! That being said, I have found the food to be consistently at standard level! The famous chilli chicken has ceased to really impress me and the Manchurian candidate, I mean beef is not something I have crave when I think of Hakka!
In brief, the portions are huge, the famous dishes are tasty albeit a bit too salty, and the value is just right!Listed in: 30 Day Yelpathon
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Review from lucinda k.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 12/3/2010
I have been here many times, and was usually very happy with the food and price.
This reveiw is for today's lunch... I recommend staying away Friday's at lunch-- it progressively went from meh to bad...
1. Line up was atrocious but waited patiently- somewhat expected on a Friday lunch
2. Got the food~ dry chili chicken with chinese broccoli which looked great, but stone cold- not exagerating unfortunately.
3. Told the server who took it away, only to return a few minutes later with the same food microwaved- not cool.
4. Ate the burn- my- mouth- not- so- good -food.
Can't believe a restaurant would do that, even if it is the middle of a rush.
I really wonder if I will go back.
Stay away during busy times or if you send food back specify you want it fresh, not microwaved and you should be ok.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/9/2010
I've been coming to this restaurant pretty regularly for ~3 years and it's been pretty consistantly… Read more »
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Review from Jo M.
Toronto, ON
3/9/2011
NOTE: I'm giving 2-stars for the dish, not the resto.
I've heard the hype about their chili chicken so when I passed by the resto on my walk home last night, I decided to order it for dinner. The restaurant was empty except for one couple. The take-out guys were friendly and efficient. Didn't wait long for my food. On my walk home, I kept smelling the food and was salivating with every step. Finally get home and give it a try and...........lackluster. I honestly did not find anything special about this dish that gives it all the hype. Quite disappointed with it actually, especially since I gave up my healthy dinner of fish & veggies for it.
I will go back and try their other foods though. I haven't had good hakka since I moved from Scarberia years ago. -
Review from Sunny V.
Toronto, ON
10/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
If you are in downtown Toronto and want to grab some cheap lunch. This is the place to go. Lunch special is about $6.99 and they have like 30 items to choose from. From their famous chilli chicken to some crazy ass Chinese shit.
Just one advice. Stay away from this place during pay day. That will usually be Thursday or Friday :-) This place is like a zoo during those days. -
Review from Hana B.
10/20/2009
What do you say to scrumptious cheap food that will result in leftovers for next-day lunch? HELL YA!
Yueh Tung, is the best Hakka Chinese(Indian influenced Chinese) place I have been to in the city. The Chilli Chicken, Manchurian Beef, the Chow-mein are all delicious, spicier than normal and a flavour explosion in your mouth. Be prepared for a lot of garlic-y flavours. The price can't be beat at around $10 for a family sized serving easily enough for 3-4 people, the rice or noodles will cost you extra though.
The main dining room is HUGE and excellent for groups without a reservation even, its acceptably clean but not great in terms of ambiance. The bathrooms are a bit sketchy. But the food easily makes up for all that. -
Review from Devan R.
11/13/2009
I have been eating at this restaurant from since I was a little child. I have been there approximately 25 times, and every single time I have ordered the chili chicken. It's not so much the best chili chicken I have ever had, but it's so damn sentimental to me. The particular flavour has never changed over the years and when I eat it I'm transported back to my younger days.
The dish has always been very cheap which is a major +, roughly $7 for the chili chicken. I have taken some individuals there who thought the chili chicken was not all that, but to each their own. You either really like it, or you'll think it's meh, personally I would bathe in it. -
Review from Dave W.
Toronto, ON
3/13/2010
I don't get it.
So, I had the chili chicken since it's their signature dish, apparently. Someone else on yelp called it a bowl of steamed rice with chicken-in-sauce glop. Totally agree. It didn't taste like anyrthing other than garlic, water and cornstarch. Notice how I didn't mention spicy? A big ole' Meh, as the 2 star rating implies. (more than a 1 because it was fast and cheap)
The service deserves a mention because it is horrible to the point of endearing. Let me explain. The food came quickly after we ordered. In fact, it came not just once but several times. Each time the reaction from the server was a combination of confusion and annoyance. As I was told, it is common for servers to show up to your table with random plates of food several times a meal. If our food didn't show up so quickly, it would have been annoying to say the least. Instead, the comedy of errors that was the service gave the place a certain "charm" as my frustration turned to pity.
Any way, I am missing whatever it is about the food that gets people so excited. And really, food is the reason why I go (and go back) to a restaurant. Flavorless glop, however, is, even for $6, not enough incentive to get me to return. -
Review from Joe R.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2010
Sorry guys, I was not impressed. Don't get me wrong, I love good, cheap, greasy, garlic/chilli-infused food, but Yueh Tung didn't do it for me.
I went with my brother for Friday lunch at around 1:15pm. We were seated immediately, but our table was close to the door so there was a pretty bad draft. We ordered the Chilli Chicken and the Manchurian Chicken.
What arrived were two heaping plates of rice and chicken-in-sauce slop.
The chicken meat was terrible... tough and stringy. The sauce and chicken close to the top was cold so I had to dig down to get a few hot pieces of meat. I could probably deal with tough stringy meat if the sauce was to die for, but neither sauce was very interesting. The manchurian was a bit more interesting than the chilli. From the other reviews I was hoping for something more spicy, garlicky and flavourful.
Oh well. -
Review from Shaz S.
Toronto, ON
11/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
i've been to this hakka place a handful of times - they're consistently good - i enjoy their food, usually get the shrimp pakoras, chili chicken/manchurian chicken, beef fried rice and chicken corn soup. their servings are family style and large portions, so tons of leftovers.
the service it not the best, and the actual restaurant is a bit run down, there's this distinct smell that's always around, damp carpet smell (ick) so i would recommend takeout rather than dine-in. the place is usually always crowded on the weekends and there's a line-up.
they're location is convenient, dundas/yonge - so if i'm craving hakka in the city then i usually go here - although i think its time to find another hakka place...
this place is good enough, cheap and whets the appetite...just dont mind the eating conditions... -
Review from Fast Eddy F.
East York, ON
2/17/2009
This restaurant is buzzing during the day filled with City workers because it is located just behind City Hall. Anyways, I go to this place because of the Manchurian Chicken on rice. IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!! Again, I travel the long distance just to satisfy my craving for this dish. I've had other versions of this spicy dish in other restuarants but at Yueh Tung it is the best in the city, if you like spicy food try this dish.
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Review from Galt R.
North York, ON
11/16/2009
This is my absolutely favorite Hakka (Indian Chinese) restaurants. I've been going here since I used to visit Toronto on work years back and am a regular now when I live in Toronto. The staff know exactly what I want which isn't surprising - Chilli chicken rice with a side order of stir fried mix veggies with Tofu. Cannot.go.wrong. The flavors are amazing, the quantities are large and the service is quick. Chili chicken, the beef sizzler (forgot what it's called), the manchurian chicken...they have a ton of options most of which are a gift to your tongue (not always to your arteries). Yueh Tung is a city landmark for me.
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Review from Jerry J.
North York, ON
10/7/2009
The best Manchurian Chicken in town... Great place, Great food, Great service. the place is packed during lunch time, if you want to grab a table better be there around 11:45 or else you will have to wait 30 mins or more...
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Review from Tiffany G.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2010
I ended up at Yueh Tung because it supposedly is one of the best Hakka restuarants within Chinatown but I would beg to disagree. Though - the shrimp and eggplant with pork was very tasty the chili chicken was disappointing. Sure, there was chicken and there was chili but there were no fireworks. And the space lacked ambience - there was no music and the lighting was way too bright.
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Review from John C.
Mississauga, ON
Updated - 12/9/2009 2 photos
I was back there yesterday and had Veg and beef soup Man size and oh boy it was soooo good.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2009
So good I Love there Chili Chicken.
It seem's to be there hottest dish that they sell.
Just under… Read more »
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Review from David B.
Toronto, ON
5/7/2011
Snow pea shoots w/ garlic was okay.Chili chicken is awesome. At first, it tastes merely decent but as you eat more and more of it, it tastes better and better. I don't know why it does, but it just does.
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Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2010
Quite a busy lunch place. My friend took me here. Luckily I was able to sneak away from work for more than an hour (a rarity) as quite the wait for a table. I had the Spicy Chili Chicken. Not too spicy but not bad. Ordered it mixed with rice and Chinese Brocoli. I would go back again. Restaurant was clean. Lots of hustle and bustle. Typical Chinese fast food restaurant. I agree. Brightly lit. Located on the second floor on the corner
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Review from Gibran K.
Scarborough, ON
3/31/2010
I've heard a lot of good things so I decided to go the other day for lunch with a buddy of mine. There was a lineup to get seated but we didn't wait for more than five minutes. We got a window seat which was nice but there was only one little menu for the both of us....not cool. Oh well, I got chili chicken with rice and my friend got chicken and vegetable with rice. My plate came about 15 min after ordering, however my friend wasn't too lucky. He had to wait 45 minutes for his food!! It wasn't even busy anymore, the lunch rush had died out and more than 50% of the seating area was empty. It's not like we sat there unsuspecting either, we kindly asked our server a few times where the rest of our order was....she would always say "It's coming."
Obviously I was not impressed at all with the service one bit. I'm not too sure what could have gone wrong for the second dish to take so long to make. I understand shit happens sometimes so I will go back and give it another shot. The food was simply outstanding. I've had my fair share of chili chicken and this was the most tender and perfectly sauced chili chicken I've had! Damn you customer service for ruining potentially a great experience. -
Review from Sean M.
Winnipeg, MB
6/9/2010
Super fast lunch spot, good free tea, and the chili chicken is awesome. nice to get it and then eat in nathan phil square too. i haven't met many women who like the place, and at lunch it's mostly men b/c it's saucy, filling food. and it's damn good. this isn't high class Chinese food. I've eaten here dozens of times,
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Review from Henry F.
London, ON
12/28/2009
It's all about the chili chicken. Very similar to their Manchurian chicken.
