This is the place to go for a late night snack after clubbing or movie. Very very fast service. Order and a few minutes later the food is right there.

We ordered chow mien and swatow duck. Get the swatow duck! (not the soy braised one) Very crispy skin and perfect for a late night snack!

We had late night cravings and decided on Swatow. It was a good choice. The food was good, service was fast and prices were excellent. I give it a four because the restaurant itself is not too nice but this is China town.

Great food and selections, fast and good service.
Would be great if they put less salt in their food, I can hardly taste anything beyond the first few bites.

I ordered takeout from this restaurant to try out a new Chinese restaurant. Swatow seems to specialize in noodles because I noticed the majority of the dishes are noodle dishes. I ordered the BBQ pork noodles (dry lo mien). It was really good. I regularly go to King's Noodle restaurant which is just across the street and I can say that I prefer the noodles and the BBQ pork here. They also gave... more

We ordered the special combo B. The egg drop soup was good. Eggroll was mediocre. The shrimp was horrible! It was not fully cooked and mushy. Then we told the waitress and she literally said she'd recook it... Not even making it new. AND for the two pieces of shrimp we didnt eat they were too cheap to replace it. The special noodles were slightly above average. In summary I dont think this... more

Had their special noodles which contained a little bit of everything including their famous swatow style meats. Definitely wasn't a fan of the pork liver (kidney? some type of offal, in cantonese it's pronounced ju yun). However, the noodles were normal, the broth was really good, not sure if it was MSG or not but it was a delicious broth. The assortment of meats was also delicious, my favorite... more

Finally went to the infamous Swatow for a late night noodle fix. Ordered the satay beef fried ho fan (rice noodle) & beef fried noodle. The satay one was very flavourful and highly recommended - great "wok flavour" but the fried noodle was too salty. Brisque, fast service. Good for late night dining.

We went here a few weeks ago and omg very, very Yummy food, we had the noodles and tofu (we substituted beef for tofu). Friendly service and very generous portions! The three of us could easily share one dish! Very delicious and affordable!

We will be back!

This place lived up to all the hype. The food was delicious, it came out fast, and service was on point. It reminded me a lot of the Chinese (American) restaurants I used to go to growing up. Not really the place if you are looking for Hong Kong (cha chaan tang), but really legit Chinese stir fries, and classic dishes over rice, etc. I will be back!!!!

Remember the last time you had a meal that wasn't too heavy, too light, and that hit the spot?

We came into Swatow restaurant in Chinatown in between lunch and dinner, which is always a great time to sneak in another meal. It's awesome, mainly because it's not too crowded, and I would often get a good sense of the restaurant's vibe when I visited. Most prices here are under $10.

At $4.75, I... more

I went to Swatow for one purpose: shrimp dumplings. I ordered the shrimp dumpling soup (~$7) and watched a man make wontons at an impressive rate while we waited. He'd fill them with one hand and fold them with the other hand. (It looked like he was just mashing them with his fist but it was more intricate than that, we just couldn't tell how he did it.) The broth was nice but the dumplings... more

Cantonese cooking at its best! Everything cooked perfectly and comes out scalding hot which is the way it should be. Lots of regulars who comes here! Food taste great just like in Hong Kong. When in Toronto, one should come for a few stops. Recommend the clams with black bean sauce, the hollow vegetables, and the beef stew cooked with turnips. I'm hungry just in writing this review... more

Excellent food. Great service. Prices could be better though. But they tend to cater to mostly non-asian customers and hence, can charge a little more (white people...am I right? haha)

Price are pretty expensive but the food are great and nice staff... Good place to eat at late night

go to spot. get the dumplings, black bean fried noodle, and chicken fried rice

As a Chinese, I have to say the food there's horrible
I had the noodles soup there for lunch and that's just so bad. The soup is apparently just water with some soy sauce... And the noodles wasn't even soft...
The service was ok but the environment wasn't good neither. A little bit to nosey.

I come here for one reason. The Cantonese Chow mein. For the most part, everything is pretty decent, but when I need that crunchy noodle chow mein fix, swatow is my go to.

Love this place but avoid the char cheung. Not sooo good and i have such regret I didn't order something better.

Just came in for some yummy soup. As usual it was delicious. Service was prompt n people were friendly.

Hands-down the best Hor Fun Beef Stew Soup Noodles in Toronto. Just like the ones back in Asia. That's just about the only dish I order when I come here. Sometimes I would order their fish paste peppers, which is also done traditionally well. The food taste fresh and is reasonably priced here. Every single time I eat here, it makes me feel like I am back home. Too bad it's so far from where I... more

This place used to be decent back in the day but it seems to me that the quality of food has diminished and the prices have crept up.

This is your bare bones Chinese food joint with good and cheap food. I absolutely love love love the shrimp dumpling soup ($6-7) which you can get with noodles if you like, beef in black bean sauce ($10-12), and the Yeung chow fried rice ($10-11). Honestly though a lot of their food is good and so affordable. I usually do take out; the service is quick and friendly. I've never had a bad... more

One of the best chinese food in Toronto - it is so good without the need to get drunk to say it is a so good as it is very good :-)

Recommended dishes:

1. Sweet and sour chicken
2. Assorted fried noodle
3. Salted fish and chicken fried rice
4. Fired tofu with fish and shrimp

If it's swanky decor you're looking for, consider this place the anti-swank. It's a no frills bare bones type of place, with lighting that most closely resembles a hospital corridor. It doesn't matter. Once you taste the food, it won't matter to you either.

First off, this is THE MOST efficient restaurant I've ever eaten at. While that often means cold, robotic service when talking about... more

Delicious food, fast service... Almost too fast... Nice late night option though even sober, food can be enjoyable.

Great place. Informal affordable and delicious you must try the meat with black bean sauce and fried noodles it's unbelievable

This small restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown, Toronto. Despite being in a sea of other Chinese restaurants, this one really stands out with its superior customer service, delicious food, and reasonable price. The owner at the store is very friendly. Definitely recommend this place and I will go again in my next visit to Toronto:)

I've been going here for years and it never disappoints. Staff unbelievably efficient and food tasty and reliable and cheap! Small room that is always busy but totally laid back!

I have been coming here for years!
Honestly the best Chinese I've ever had. The beef with black bean sauce is out of this world. One of the best thing about this place is it's virtually always open and the quality of the dishes are consistently delicious!!

A must try!!!

Glad to see this is still a students' favorite resto

Awesome food, fantastic prices, generous servings, bold mouth watering flavours

Saved me from student residence food (thank goodness)! Can't study hungry and probably starve otherwise!

Every time I have a hankering for super fast Chinese food in Chinatown this is it.

Atmosphere: Very humble small family restaurant.Not the fanciest place but clean and standard for Chinatown. Bathroom is down the stairs and very tight squeeze.

Service:If you want quick service this is it, runs like a well oiled machine! The optimization of efficiency at its best, seeing as more tables served... more

We went to Swatow twice during our stay in Toronto! Small Chinese restaurant, this place offers so much. I certainly recommend. If you like noodles, don't hesitate to order a noodle soup. Yummy! They use fresh noodle pasta they make in the kitchen. Very very good.

Their soups are good, fried noodle meals are delicious. You must plan a 10-15 minutes wait before you are assigned a table, but it... more

Great quick service with medium-large servings. Food is all fresh. The meat was just above standard and the vegetables were amazing and crisp. Highly recommended for a midnight meal with your friends and to duck away from the cold. Its easy to order too much. Pricing is very affordable.

Good spot for a late night spot. Massive portions and the guys who work there are hilarious. Always a fun and interesting crowd.

As others have mentioned, Swatow is a cramped Chinese restaurant that delivers on tasty, large portioned, cheap food.

I went here today with my Chinese relatives who were smacking their lips and saying how fresh and delicious everything was (and had been since the 1970s when they went here as university students themselves), so + 1 for authenticity.

Expect to be well fed with a still-happy... more

Swatow Restaurant is a cozy, no-frills traditional Chinese restaurant north of Dundas and Spadina. Bottom line: come here for 4 star food. Prices are cheap, service is quick, and portions are huge. I'd say almost anything on their menu is good but I had the Wonton soup and crab/corn soup. Both were delicious and the portions were huge; wasn't expecting this and had to eat both because they were... more

Food here is nostalgic. Brings me back to childhood and the essence of good Chinese food.
No dish is bad here. Prices are reasonable and portions are more than healthy!!
Any time of the day this place will always satisfy the Chinese food craving.

The go to place for late night snacking. Always a good, piping hot bowl of noodle soup waiting. All kinds recommended, but I typically go for wonton or duck. Congee and long donuts is another favorite. Cantonese fried noodle, mmmmm. Good value.

A small place, but offers great food. This place can get pretty crowded due to limited space, so there can be line ups and it can get really loud. I have been coming here for many years now and the food has always been good. Whenever I'm around Chinatown, this would be the place I'd go to grab a bite, either alone or with family or some friends. If I wanted to be quick, I would order something... more

My Chinatown fav.

Been coming here for close to 2 decades so long overdue review.

There is a reason a restaurant can last as long as swatow has. Their food is pretty topnotch. They are reasonably priced, taste and portion is great and they are open late.

My go to dishes are, Cantonese chowmein (best in chinatown) beef stew on rice, wonton noodle soup, and any of their fried rice (extra... more

I have eaten at a lot of Chinese restaurants in my day, in New York, London, Los Angeles, as well as Toronto and many other cities. This is by far the worst I've ever had. It wasn't disgusting or anything, it just had no taste. The Chicken with cashews looked and tasted like it had been boiled in water. The "spicy garlic chicken" had no taste whatsoever. The sweet and sour soup tasted like they... more

Food is better then average but costs is also more then average. This place is a dive and very small with limited seating. Service is quick and what you would expect from typical Chinese restaurants. There are waits during peak dinner hours so be prepared. Also no private lot so you have to find your own parking. I pretty much enjoyed everything I ate but no wow either. With so much to choose... more

Been going to Swatow for 20+ years. Best shrimp wonton soup I've ever had. Their hot and sour soup is also amazing. Have never had a bad meal here in 20 years.

For most people in the GTA who aren't of asiatic descent, Chinese food has taken on a meaning far from the original, in fact many canadianized Chinese restaurants offer items that aren't even remotely Chinese. Examples of this include chicken balls, almond chicken, and even chicken fingers to name a few. But then, from the midst of the mess that is Canadian Chinese food, emerges Swatow. In a... more

been going here since time. good food and friendly service. opens late too

Solid 4 stars. Ordered the ma posted tofu and the pork was so incredibly tender it fell apart in my mouth before chewing. Great flavor!

The the tong choy veggie dish was delicious too. We ordered the traditional pig's blood with chive dish and it was fresh and yummy.

Great Chinese food in Toronto's Chinatown

On a recent visit to Toronto, which is a great city undergoing tremendous growth and construction, we found ourselves in Chinatown and on recommendation from a Toronto resident, had a meal at this tiny, very clean restaurant.. We were greeted and seated immediately, and were a bit overwhelmed by the 205 items on the menu. We chose a wonderful noodle... more

Really good food in the heart off Chinatown. One of my favorite places to go add they always seem to be open no matter what time of day it is.

As for the food I highly recommend the black bean beef chow mein. (Crispy noodle with slices of beef and veggies with a slightly spicy sauce) the general Tao chicken is also delicious.

Good but oily kinda salty but i recommend their black bean sauce shrimp lobster, somewhat it is better than regular shrimp and their sause is amazin.

Good chinese food

The soup is fresh and super tasty. They have the broth in huge pots with fresh greens. The noodles with lobster sauce are too die for. Good cheap chinese food with great hours.

Decent Chinese food

At first, you would not think much about this place. It doesn't look like much on the outside. Once you get in, you feel like you are back in HK and enjoying some delicious eats. Great for dim sum, great for stir-fry, and great chicken wings too! This is the type of place that is best enjoyed with a big... more

Don't second guess- just go

A few friends brought me here...I thought okay what makes this Chinese restaurant in Chinatown stand out!? What a gem. Service instantly warm and don't hesitate to ask for recommendations from the menu. Food arrives fast, fresh fresh fresh and in good portions. Right spice and flavour. I slowly realized this is not your average after a night out of... more

Best clam and snails

If you like Chinese black bean snails or clams, this place is for you. I love coming here for late night snack whenever I have the munchies for seafood

Full on 4 stars for one of those fill you up Chinese restos. Their food is good and hits the spot, it's always bumping so it doesn't feel like some random Chinese restaurant that no one goes to, they are quick and guaranteed to satisfy a late-night craving! It is not some upscale Asian place, but it's not sketchy... Only downside, no desserts :( ah well, that's not why we go for Chinese anyway!

Not what it used to be

I decided to go to this place because I heard that this is where Susur Lee used to go after he closed up his own place for the night. I've been there a couple of times, and I must say, the prices went up, but the quality went down. On top of that, Toronto Chinatown at Spadina and Dundas is... more

Fast & furiously tasty

Just left NY city and drove to a (local hole in the wall) in Ontario, Canada Chinatown district.
We asked a local city worker which local Chinese restaurant she likes going to out of all the Chinese restaurants here..
We were pleasantly surprised that the service was quicker than a big box burger place.
The food was reasonable priced, large... more

Clean and fast service, but

I took the advice of my fellow tripadvisors and was disappointed. Trying to find Chinese reviewers to get a better view of Chinese food failed me. Beef Stew Wonton only had 3 wontons; beef was flavorful, but not tender, the wonton was all shrimp with no pork, good, but different. Chicken with black bean sauce over crispy noodles would have... more

I give it 5 out of 10

We always rate our meals out of 10. This one gets 5. Given some of the reviews this restaurant gets I expected the food to be top notch. No so at all. Tiny bowls of soup compared to most other Asian restaurants. Tough beef on the rice with Chinese beef dish. Tea was not hot. We expected the restaurant to... more

It's all been said, but worth saying again

Don't be confused with all the neon, and plethora of china town, Toronto choices, just head straight here. Though the line up but the door may seem daunting, it moves fast.
If you're looking for a nice sit down, quiet, business meeting hotspot, forget it. This place is spartan, clean, but not fancy. You may likely be forced to share... more

Good Chinese Food

This was our second visit to Swatow. It will not be our last. The food is fresh, very good and inexpensive. Probably some of the best Chinese food I've ever enjoyed. I'm hoping to find a comparable restaurant where I live.

Just average

We had lunch here a year ago. We had read somewhere that Swatow was one of the best in town. We live near the other Chinatown (Little Chinatown) and wanted to compare. But our meal was tasteless, service felt a bit rushed and the whole experience was underwhelming. Each of us noted the bland tastes on our plates. We have... more

Carried by reputation pretty much

The food is fine, nothing that stands out in particular compared to all the other restaurants, but what I can't get around is how popular this place is! Susur Lee slapped an OK on this place now all the non asians love this place while the people that actually know Chinese food go to one of the other restaurants that... more

Classic Quick Chinese Food

Hungry for a quick fix of Chinese food? This is the go to place. Don't go for décor(nil), nor gourmet dishes, just very good fast meal. Bowl of noodles, rice dishes, noodle dishes and so on, can be enjoyed within minutes of ordering. Inexpensive, $8-10 can get your tummy satisfied. Service is fast and a great late night meal, way... more

Great Food and Service

Wonderful Chinese food. One of the best on Spadina. Food is consistently good and affordable, service is friendly and fast. The space is very clean and bright. I have never been disappointed.

Late night, yes

I do not want to write a lot. I am kind of not in the mood but anyways I do not have to write a long memoir of this place because is just what it is.
Yummy.
Spend 15 dollar, invite a friend and burst your late night stomach of proper and sizzling served fa kiu fried rice and orange... more

Nice Chinese Noodle Place

They know how to cook the wide-rice noodle dishes. The fish-ball rice noodle soup is very good, almost as good as some of those noodle places in Hong Kong. Although the name is Swatow, it does not have all the native Swatow dishes, which was a bit disappointing for me. However, their pigblood dish is very good, smooth and soft.... more

Simple store front-great food

We found this place on Tripadvisor and all reviews are on target! Vegetarians easily accommodated. Shrimp with eggplant a stand out, but tell them not to overlook General Tsao's Chicken-we ordered it based on reviews but it was a bit overdone. Place fills up quickly. Service quick and quite friendly. Highly recommend!

Best chinatown noodle dishes in TO

My asian friends took me to this place. Been back many many times. Great chinese food at a great price, nice and hot. They really excel at noodle dishes too. Typical style of sparse, basic, and minimal furnishings. Very busy at night.
They do custom dishes as well. I asked for chicken and egg plant over ho fun noodles. Amazing... more

Best General Tso's Chicken in TO

There is NO great General Tso's chicken in Toronto. Go to NYC if you like crispy spicy GTC. That said this is one of the few places that even make a respectable attempt. Their hot and sour soups one of the best on the street. On the whole this place is quick fast and very reasonable

Luck Joy

Toronto Chinatown, stroll south down Spadina, so many places to eat. I was looking for somewhere at the cheaper end of the scale, so discounted the places with table cloths. Swatow looked nothing special, I picked it because there were a few tables for one along one side of the quite small room, all the tables for 4 on the... more

If you're looking for an Amazing Hole-in-the-Wall

When I go to Toronto, the first thing I do is go to Chinatown, as it's the only oasis for great Chinese food in eastern Canada. Swatow is not much to look at, but it's top quality. From the outside, you'd think it was an nondescript diner. But it's great. I had the duck noodle soup (not the basic soup,... more

This is the Classic Chinatown

an old reliable that never disappoints. Believe me sparse, too bright but food is always good; especially late at night.
Barbeque pork fried noodle, crispy squid and B.C. crab with scallion and ginger right on... Hot pot is always good too, my favourite is always the beef with turnip.
This restaurant is always busy yet has good, friendly and fast... more

If you want great Chinese flavor - "Village Style" this is the place

This place is what one would typically call a "dive" - though its slightly better given new furniture (maybe in-between a dive and a canteen). Many of us have visited "dives" that have very low prices that, but whose tastes are like: "I'd rather eat that vs. something that costs 2X as much". I've tried many low and high end... more

T.o. Chinatown littlest surprise

Swatow Restaurant has been forever there in the same location on Spadina as far as my memory stretches. The Downtown Chinatown was 'grotty' and 'unsanitary' before and amazingly after SARS it turned a new leaf into 'clean' and 'respectable'. The Swatow is now not only cleaner, brighter and 'bless our mouth and stomach' the food remains as good as before.... more

Great Food nothing else

During a Kinsington Village walk, it was lunch time. Checking my Google maps, Swatow had star based on a previous recommendation. We decided to go for it. The restaurant front is far from enticing, however, I had to push the door open and check the interior. The place was full with few tables available. The decor, well, it did not... more

Great food

Don't expect Swatow to be a fancy restaurant cause it's not but DO expect the food to be exceptional! This place is a family favorite, the food is delicious, the customer service is great and it's a great friendly atmosphere. I'm going back tonight!

Hit me baby, one more time

Swatow was recommended by someone in China town as a decent traditional restaurant. It was okay, but I wouldn’t go back. The server/maître d was, of course, Chinese, and his approach was more aggressive than a pit bull. He dropped off the long menus and hovered over the table expecting us to order immediately. He answered questions with the finesse... more

Delicious Chinese Food

Had a great lunch at this restaurant in Chinatown. Nice menu selection at very reasonable prices.

The food was so-so nothing out of the ordinary

The food was average, the atmosphere is not very comfy or clean.
If you are looking for a very good shrimp wonton soup w/ noodle, I will highly recommend Jim Chai Kee Noodle at 270 West Beaver Creek Rd Unit 18 Richmond Hill, they make the shrimp wontons and fresh fish balls everyday, so fresh, so tasty.

Best Chinese Restaurant in the Toronto area

I've been going to this restaurant for the past 25 years, great service and staff. Can't really complain when the food arrived at your table within 5 minutes no matter how busy they are. But the best thing is their food, prices are reasonably low and the food is fantastic, I can't think of 1 dish I would say was... more

awesome food; shrimp

We ate here after visiting the AGO. The food was to die for. Fish Sliced Noodle Soup, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Pan Fried Dumplings, Deep Fried Shrimp Wonton, Shrimp w/ Eggplant on Rice, Shrimp in Lobster Sauce ... mmmmm

Tasty and consistent

Your average hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant with reliably good soup and broad range of dishes. Open late for night owls.

Best Chinese in Toronto

If you're looking for the best Chinese Restaurant in Toronto, look no further. Swatow is the place to eat! Great, great food!!!

Set aside the tired decor and cafeteria-like atmosphere, the food is fantastic

Swatow has been our go-to Chinatown spot for years and now that we've moved to Ottawa we miss it dearly. Dropped in there last week and were not dissapointed; huge portions of delicious, no-nonsense, Fukien style food. The soups are always great although we did find the "Four Kind Balls" soup stretched our comfort zone a little.
Ask your server... more

great food and great price

We passed this restaurant in Toronto's Chinatown and saw some Zagat recommendations.
We looked in and saw Chinese people eating here so we thought that was a good sign. The food was great and the prices reasonable. It is not a fancy place and you are not paying for the atmosphere but if you want tasty food at reasonable prices,... more

This place is an institution for great chinese food. Probably the best black bean dish in chinatown.

Swatow has declined

We've stopped going to Swatow, having discovered it and dined there frequently since 1990. The food is not what it used to be. Hot & Sour soup has become under-spiced cabbage soup. The Fried Rice is no longer aromatic and perfectly cooked. It's now overcooked and laden with soy sauce, like mall food court rice. All of the spicing is... more

Cheap, tasty food

Great value. I had shrimp dumpling noodle soup and my husband had sweet and sour chicken with rice. The sweet and sour was yummy and my soup was nice too. Was very cheap - £7/8 for both meals and chinese tea. Don't expect service with a smile, the older waitress was almost rude, but the other staff were normal.

The food is consistently

The food is consistently good and the prices are so reasonable. Finding street parking is tough and sometimes there is a wait...but WELL WORTH IT!

Best Chinese in T.O. consistent, not great atmosphere, rushed environment

Best Chinese in T.O. consistent, not great atmosphere, rushed environment

Swatow is very consistent. Their food always comes out fast and tasting great, even during busy hours

Swatow is very consistent. Their food always comes out fast and tasting great, even during busy hours.

best tasting chinese in

best tasting chinese in toronto!!

It tastes much better late at night after a long night of clubbing and drinking - greasy and salty when you're sober

It tastes much better late at night after a long night of clubbing and drinking - greasy and salty when you're sober.

There is nothing better

There is nothing better at 3am

Food is as good at 2am as 2pm _ where else to go with eight friends and chow down while singing along to the radio en

Food is as good at 2am as 2pm _ where else to go with eight friends and chow down while singing along to the radio en masse?

I wouldn't call it 'dining', but this is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants. Go for the food, not the ambience

I wouldn't call it 'dining', but this is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants. Go for the food, not the ambience. Eat and get out type of place. Expect a huge lineup late night- worth the wait if you're not too wasted.

My favorite chinese. Best chowmain #69. Hole in the wall atmosphere

My favorite chinese. Best chowmain #69. Hole in the wall atmosphere

they're quick.. they're

they're quick.. they're open super late... great for after a night out. food is really good too!

late night cold tea

late night cold tea!

Don't know what all the

Don't know what all the rage is about. They are fast, i'll give them that!