When you want to binge-eat, few things beat Chinese cuisine. As it happens, our team was in the mood for some fried rice and dim sum, so we ended up doing one of our lists about it!
We went through just about all the eateries recommended to us over a week, and after an added kilogram to each of our midsections, we think we’ve found the best Chinese restaurants in Calgary.
Table of Contents
The Best Chinese Restaurants in Calgary
The following are the criteria we use in choosing the best Chinese Restaurants in Calgary:
1. Silver Dragon Restaurant
| Menu options | 5/5 |
| Food quality | 5/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
| Customer service | 4/5 |
| Place | 4/5 |
Silver Dragon Restaurant is a fantastic way to experience China’s rich food culture in Calgary. They are one of the city’s oldest Chinese restaurants, having first opened its doors in 1966.
With that kind of history, it’s safe to say that the restaurant already mastered its craft. You can even see this in their extensive menu, which includes over 200 Chinese food favorites.
Since there are a lot of dishes to choose from, we suggest that first-time customers try their most popular dishes such as shrimp toast, oyster sauce, fried chicken, and Peking duck. They also serve a wide variety of dim sum for small eaters.
Another thing that makes them the best is their easy access. Customers can avail of their favorite Chinese dishes through dine-in, take-out, and delivery options.
Plus, they can also be hired to cater events like weddings, birthdays, and other occasions.
There was only a minor issue for dine-in customers, as there were a few complaints about the restaurant being overcrowded at times. Fortunately, this didn’t affect their service and they were still able to deliver orders quickly.
Overall, Silver Dragon Restaurant lives up to its name as one of the best places to get a true taste of Chinese cuisine. And although quite pricey, we believe its long history of Chinese food-making makes it worth the try.
Pros
- Over five decades in the industry
- Extensive menu with over 200 items of Chinese foods
- Serves a wide variety of dim sum
- Available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery
- Caters to special events
Cons
- Can be overcrowded at times
- Minor issues with dine-in accommodations
- Quite pricey
Always, fresh, best Chinese food
Some of the best Chinese food I’ve ever had. Been for the Dim Sum and ordered takeout (usually for Christmas). Always fresh and most of the dishes are tasty. – Brittany Hemmerling
Speedy and efficient, great ambiance
Everything ordered was delicious. The spare ribs and chicken feet dimsum were both umami bombs. The House special fried rice had perfectly cooked shrimp and evenly-flavoured rice grains. Lemon chicken and ginger beef were both crispy and flavourful. Ambiance was great too and since it was past lunch rush when we ate there, the service was speedy and efficient. – AngeliMarie
2. Chinese Cultural Centre Cuisine
| Menu options | 4/5 |
| Food quality | 5/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
| Customer service | 5/5 |
| Place | 4/5 |
Chinese Cultural Centre Cuisine is yet another Calgary Chinese restaurant with a solid reputation in the city. After all, it’s easy to trust restaurants that many people love for various reasons.
To begin with, they are a seafood restaurant, so you can expect to see more Chinese seafood dishes on their menu. From shrimp, fish, and squid, to lobster and crab, they can satisfy seafood cravings with a variety of cooking styles.
The ingredients they use are what make their seafood dishes so delicious. This is because they only take the freshest items from the market, although we can’t go much further about their sources as it’s their business secret.
Moreover, we love that Chinese Cultural Centre Cuisine has friendly and polite staff on board. During our visits, we felt at ease and comfortable despite the place being relatively busy (meals were served pretty quickly too!)
Now, we also appreciate that their website makes ordering easy for all customers. Their entire menu is available there, although weirdly without their corresponding prices – you’ll see the prices on the actual, in-store menu, of course.
On the plus side, the restaurant is reasonably priced, making them a nice choice if you want to get full without breaking the bank. Their space is also large enough to accommodate up to 70 guests, so dining in isn’t much of a problem.
Pros
- Specializes Chinese seafood dishes
- Offers food in a variety of cooking styles
- Uses fresh ingredients
- Solid customer service
- Spacious place
- Menu available online
Cons
- No mention of prices on online menu
Consistently well-done food
Very tasty Chinese food at a reasonable price! Having dined here many times, I can say their food is consistently well done. Large portions, good flavors, and generally not too oily. The service has always been quick and the space is quite large with tables well spaced out. – Eric Leung
Friendly, very good suggestions
Friendly staff. Food is always tasty, and amazing. The ladies their Lisa, Linda, and Vivian are awesome. They give very good suggestions if you don’t know what to order. We really enjoy there fish soup, fried fish, and salty egg soft shell crab with tteokbokki. Lovely pairing. – Angela Louie
3. Emerald Garden
| Menu options | 4/5 |
| Food quality | 4/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
| Customer service | 4/5 |
| Place | 5/5 |
Emerald Garden is among our favorites when it comes to a range of food options. From appetizers and hot pots to chicken and pork dishes, their selection is truly a feast for those who want a taste of Chinese cuisine.
Aside from providing reasonably priced foods, another thing that won our favor is their complimentary soup and dessert with any order. It sure is effective at bringing in customers, as they’re always jam-packed daily, especially at night.
About that, Emerald Garden can be a great place for dinner gatherings, as their tables are quite large and can accommodate a variety of meals. Not to mention the restaurant’s fantastic ambiance for such occasions.
Customers appreciate them for take-out and delivery orders as well. It’s because they can pack the meals properly and their portions are generous, so orders can be large enough to enjoy at home.
As per their menu, Emerald Garden does not appear to have any specialties. However, their most popular cuisine is their noodles, which come in a variety of styles such as vegetables, fried, rice, and so on.
Overall, Emerald Garden is a convenient place to satisfy your craving for Chinese cuisine. Plus, they’re also a healthier choice because they can accommodate certain dietary restrictions and allergies.
Pros
- Ideal for dinner gatherings
- Take outs and deliveries are available
- Reasonably priced
- Complimentary soup and dessert with any order
- Can accommodate dietary restrictions
- Large setting
Cons
- Place can be full at times
Authentic and tasty, good prices
I’m Asian and I’ve lived in both Hong Kong and Vancouver. The food here is delicious! I consider myself a sweet and sour pork chops connoisseur and they make the best here. Every dish we had was authentic and tasty. The prices are great too. We have enough leftovers for 2 more meals. The service was wonderful being a family-run business. I’m definitely making this place a regular for my family. 10/10! – Melissa L
Delicious, big portions
Food was delicious. We got the ginger beef here and it was so soft and easy to eat. The hot and sour soup tasted so good and no watery taste like so many other places I’ve been. The dinner for 2 was more like dinner for 4 even with how hungry my mother and I were. Will be coming back for sure – Brittney Creencia
4. John Wong’s Restaurant
| Menu options | 5/5 |
| Food quality | 4/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
| Customer service | 4/5 |
| Place | 3/5 |
For Chinese food enthusiasts in Calgary, John Wong’s Restaurant provides a unique experience. They’re not your typical restaurant that allows customers to dine in – instead, they focus more on online ordering and pickups.
Some may find it inconvenient, but we believe it’s a fresh idea that distinguishes them from their competitors. Plus, with the ease of online food ordering nowadays, this approach is usually the best way to go.
Now, when it comes to the menu options, John Wong’s Restaurant doesn’t disappoint at all. They serve the usual stuff that a genuine Chinese restaurant offers: dim sum, noodles, and various meat dishes.
If this is your first visit to this restaurant, we recommend you try their combo meals so that you can sample their flavors with just one meal. To be honest, it’s also cost-effective because you can save a few dollars and still get a full stomach.
We sincerely appreciate that, even though they serve online only, they always make an effort to respond to customers’ inquiries as courteously as possible. However, there have been a few complaints about how slow they can be at times.
Given the authenticity of their cuisine, John Wong’s Restaurant is easily one of the best Chinese restaurants in Calgary. Perhaps the only issue with them, which is certainly obvious, is that they don’t accept dine-ins.
Pros
- Serves a wide range of authentic Chinese cuisines
- Offers cost-effective combo meals
- Efficient online ordering system
- Caters to take-away orders
- Competitive pricing
- Convenient online payment methods
Cons
- No dine-ins and delivery
- Few complaints about being slow at times
Very tasty, would recommend
Great service and delicious food! Would recommend the green onion and ginger hot pot. Very tasty and piping hot! Sauce was great with white rice. Hot & sour soup also very tasty – not too sour like some other places make it. Their deep fried wontons are delicious and are exactly like how they serve them in Hong Kong. – Crystal Ma
Kind service, perfectly cooked food
This was hands down by far the best chines food I’ve ever eaten in my life. It was absolutely perfectly cooked, I was very impressed with the chicken fried rice, it was not dry at all. The ginger beef and sweet and sour chicken was super delicious. And don’t get me started with the spring rolls, they were the freshest spring rolls ever, like they just came out the oven. The crust was thick and not thin which made it perfect. The lady at the front who helped me was absolutely wonderful! She was soo kind. 100% would recommend this place. – Brett Porter
5. iBaoza
| Menu options | 4/5 |
| Food quality | 4/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
| Customer service | 5/5 |
| Place | 3/5 |
iBaoza is the type of restaurant that serves real Northern Chinese cuisine to the Calgary community. In fact, they were voted the most popular Chinese restaurant in the area for Northern Chinese-style food in 2019 and 2022.
We were actually surprised by the level of recognition they’ve received given that the restaurant has only been operating since 2017. In our opinion, this speaks volumes about their commitment to providing authentic Chinese cuisine to their customers.
Speaking of which, the restaurant specializes in steam buns, which rings true to its name (Baoza or BaozI means Chinese steamed stuffed bun). They also have expertise in other flour-based Chinese foods if you want to try those.
Their dumplings are their best-selling item among the steam buns they offer. They are filled with various types of meat, including beef, chicken, tuna, seafood, and vegetables – honestly, the range of fillings is really mouthwatering.
Aside from their food, another reason that iBaoza makes our list is that they go above and beyond in terms of customer service. They take orders quickly and are prompt when customers come to pick up their food.
Now, there is nothing fancy about their place since they only do pick-up orders, so dining here is not an option. Unfortunately, they do not offer food delivery, so we suggest you only try them out if you have the time for pick-ups.
Pros
- Offers authentic Northern Chinese cuisines
- Specializes in steam buns
- Wide range of steam bun fillings
- Quick to take orders
- Always on time for pick-ups
- Decent pricing
Cons
- Dining is not an option
- No food delivery
Tasty, same as China
The best baozi, so tasty! Same as in China, also the lady working there is very nice and really made my day. I will definitely come back to buy more of them. – Olga Borsa
Good amount of meat, delicious!
A nice authentic Chinese bun shop. Run by a very friendly and open Chinese lady, the food here is delicious! The Liangpi is simple but incredibly tasty, the buns have a good amount of meat and are soft, and the sour and spicy glass noodle soup is so savoury. – Jason Ngo
6. Great Taste Chinese Restaurant
| Menu options | 4/5 |
| Food quality | 5/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
| Customer service | 5/5 |
| Place | 3/5 |
Since opening in 2011, Great Taste Chinese Restaurant has done much to promote traditional Chinese food in Calgary. So, when looking for authentic ones, this restaurant is not to be overlooked.
We’ve learned that they’re dubbed by their customers as the best place to get Shanghai dim sum as well as Sichuan dishes. Although still subject to personal taste, we highly recommend you try them for these meals.
Additionally, their entire menu offers a diverse selection of dishes from various Chinese culinary styles. Through this, customers can explore more of Chinese cuisine, which is really the edge we’re looking for.
If you ask us, the only complaint we have is their place, which we find a little boring. In our opinion, it’s best to operate in a space that embraces Chinese culture to provide a more wholesome dining experience.
Great Taste Chinese Restaurant, on the other hand, appears to excel when it comes to food presentation. We care about plating too and we can say that they met all our standards, even though food quality is really our concern.
Beyond presentation, the taste of their dishes is what completes the entire culinary journey. It’s amazing how, despite having a wide variety of foods, they manage to make each one flavorful with that authentic hit of Chinese spice.
Unfortunately, many of their customers find them to be quite pricey, even for dim sum. But, if we’re being honest, it’s well worth it to get your Chinese food fix since the food is truly authentic.
Pros
- More than two decades of serving Chinese foods
- Diverse selection of Chinese dishes
- Excels in food presentation
- High food quality
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Has quite a dull place
Impeccable taste, truly the best
I’m eating out at least a 3 to 5 times a week for 20 years. This is by far the best restaurant I’ve ever found in all of Canada in the US. If you are looking for a traditional Chinese food that is absolutely impeccable with its taste, great portion sizes, I honestly can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. I’m sitting here eating leftovers from last night right now and it’s so damn good. Truly the best Chinese food I have ever had in my life. – Claire J.
Go to place, service is always good
This has become our go to place for great tasting food. They have so many tasty options on their menu and have maintained the quality over the last couple of years. The service is always good too. – Matthew Howorko
7. Bulage Prague
| Menu options | 3/5 |
| Food quality | 4/5 |
| Pricing (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
| Customer service | 4/5 |
| Place | 4/5 |
Bulage Prague is one of Calgary’s best Chinese restaurants if you want to try a variety of Chinese dishes. They’re known for having an interesting menu that keeps their customers’ taste buds interested and their cravings satisfied.
Customers return to this restaurant because of their special pot menu, particularly their seafood hot pot. It’s a $30 dish, which we think is quite pricey, but it’s quite worth it since it is stuffed with shrimp, fish balls, fish noodles, crab, and clam.
Besides this one, Bulage Prague also has other menu options for you to consider. They have side dishes in all sorts of styles including fish snacks, deep-fried dishes, and seafood.
Special desserts are also available if you have a sweet tooth.
This restaurant also gets points for availability, especially since it’s open every day. They also provide dine-in and take-out options, so you can get your Chinese cuisine in whatever setting you prefer.
Unfortunately, when it comes to takeout orders, we have mixed feelings. There have been a few complaints about them messing up orders, so it’s best to consider them for a dine-in experience instead.
Nonetheless, Bulage Prague has always been one of the names that come to mind when discussing the best places to eat Chinese food. Sure, they had minor flaws, but they still managed to be at the top of their game.
Pros
- Has a wide range of Chinese cuisines to serve
- Has a special pot menu
- Open daily,
- Provides dine-in and take-out options
- Offers house special desserts
Cons
- Minor issues regarding takeouts
- Some items are quite pricey
Clean place, attentive service
We noticed this spot has been open for a couple months by our place so decided to check it out and were not disappointed! The restaurant is super clean and service is attentive. We tried the fish balls stuffed with pork, fish noodles with shrimp and steamed dumplings and everything was super tasty and fresh. It was like having a home cooked meal, and we had plenty of leftovers too! – Christina Free
Authentic, delicious food
New Chinese restaurant featuring dishes from Fujian province, which is where I came from. Really authentic taste, very delicious!! Recommend ordering Fuzhou Fish Ball soup, fried rice cake (seafood is better)! Enough parking spot, convenience location just at the center st, so basically you can take bus No.3 or other routes to there. Just opened in August 24th, already lots people in the dinner time! Overall a nice restaurant I definitely will recommend to my friends and will go again in the future! – Zhaohan Xu
