Chef Lin Restaurant

Best chinese food in markham before unfortunately recently i dunno if they changed chefs but the food isnt the same anymore. Service has become horrible. I ordered for delievery waited over an hour… no apology turns out they forgot it was for delievery. Also my daughter found hairs in her chicken today… done with this place

WOW, usually the take-​out Asian food in my area fills me with regret. They’re good for the first few bites, then I get super sick of it after five minutes.
But this isn’t a place where I go out of desperation once in a blue moon because I need a dinner-​for-​one. I actually find myself *wanting* to go back for their delicious Malaysian curries. And unlike other fake Asian places that give you that nasty fried rice, you get proper steamed white rice… that’s right. Real steamed rice.
Their food is delicately made with lots of flavour. For the curry you can expect to be picking random herbs out of the sauce… love how they use real herbs! There was finely chopped ginger in my dish. There’s so much texture to their food. It’s heavenly (in both smell + taste)! I didn’t think I could find some place with Asian curries I actually liked and that wasn’t bland (I think Phoenix restaurant is OKAY… but not amazeballs) =P I think a lot of work went into their dishes. I’m still a little hesitant to try things like Pad Thai but I heard from another friend that their green curry here is A+. I’ll be browsing through the reviews to see what else I must eat from here!
Bonus: their website is very easy to use. I used it to do my pick-​up orders, but you can also use it for delivery (min. $ 25). The lady working there is super nice as well.

Came here for the first time and the food was good, not great on flavour. A family run atmosphere and the folks working there are nice. They have a wide variety of dishes like northern Chinese, Thai, and Hakka. Let’s just call it Asian fusion for short. Prices were relatively expensive for the portion size and what I mean by that is if you are a big eater, one plate of a noodle or rice dish will not be enough, even though it seems it wasn’t meant for one to eat.
After all, Congee Queen is just 2 km away and just slightly more expensive but makes up in portion if I wanted to eat Cantonese food, or several Hakka restaurants that is more authentic and equal price. If it’s convenience and craving that you’re looking for and don’t feel like driving this is a good walking alternative in the neighbourhood to try out.

I picked up my lunch from Chef Lin yesterday and [spoiler alert] I am going back!
I love how they have an online ordering system so nothing gets lost in the translation of accents or the static of my horrible phone.
I ordered the pad thai noodles (less sauce) and the general tao chicken.
The pad thai was a little sour as many of the other reviews have mentioned but squeezing the lime onto it fixed the problem. There was a little less chicken than I expected (.5 star off) but otherwise the dish was good.
I loved the general tao chicken. It was crispy, the sauce was good, the texture was amazing. I even ate less to save some for lunch today … but then my bf came home 3 hours later from work and ate my pad thai and chicken): I rarely eat general tao chicken as I don’t believe it as authentic Chinese food but this is my new sweet & sour pork replacement.
And the last 0.5 star off for forgetting my drink):

Discovered this place while looking for new Chinese restaurants to try in Markham this weekend– was a little hesitant at first after seeing the number of cuisines they offer however the food and service at this restaurant spoke for itself.
While the restaurant boasts an unassuming exterior, I have to say that they make a mean glutinous purple rice roll (filled with picked veggies and egg) as well as green onion pancake. Having grown up in Taiwan on traditional rice rolls/​balls, I have to say that this place makes one of the more authentic versions of this snack. The green onion pancake on the other hand was pleasantly doughy on the inside with a light a flaky exterior.
We also ordered:
1.) Taiwanese beef noodle soup: great noodles and soup base with a slight kick, cut of meat could use some work however
2.) Deep Fried squid with salt and pepper: the texture of the squid was great, crispy on the outside but not overly chewy, I found it to be a bit too spicy as I personally cannot handle too much spice but my friends thought that it was delicious
3.) Mie Goreng: my palate runs on the sweet and sour side so while this does not taste like traditional mie goreng, i found it to be delicious as it is not overpowered by the sauce it is cooked in
4.) Hakka-​style Chili Chicken: this was my least favourite dish that we ordered as I am not a fan of Chilli Chicken to start but it was also received positive reviews from the others I was dining with
This restaurant, run by a husband and wife duo won my belly and heart with the warm and earnest service that they provide. While ordering, the wife provided recommendations after seeing that we were having a hard time deciding and even let us know when we had ordered too many dishes. After eating, we sat chatting at our table 30 – 40 minutes past 10pm and they did not rush us out or come out to let us know that they had closed. Overall, I will definitely be returning to this place to try more items on their menu.

It’s been almost half a year since I first blundered into Chef Lin, and I’m glad to say that after trying their other dishes, I have yet to find something that I dislike here. Everything is delicious and made with care and love. I love it.
In our most recent visit (we actually go here almost every week), we tried something new: the Mango Chicken. In most places, this dish is basically deep fried battered chicken with a sweet sauce that has a bit of mango taste to it. Not here. The chicken is NOT battered, and the sauce is almost certainly using only fresh mangoes. Hell, there are even mango chunks in the dish. It’s a bit sweet, but aren’t mangoes supposed to be that way? It was great.
The cumin lamb, another new dish to us, is also very good. Now, I will say that there is a strong lamb taste to this dish and it was a bit gamey, but again that‘s kind of the point of having lamb. I personally really liked it.
Also, a new discovery: their bubble tea is simple but refreshing and good! I half-​expected that the bubble tea here will be on the same level as T&T‘s $ 1.99 offerings (i.e. mediocre) but it was actually delightfully refreshing, with a nice pronounced tea taste and the tapiocas weren’t half bad.
In fact I’m so impressed by this little mom and pop shop that I wrote a whole article on this (
). I highly recommend this place for those who want a no-​frills but excellent Chinese restaurant that is still a bit of a hidden gem.

Ok not sure who is reviewing this restaurant to give it such high scores?!?
The bubble tea recommendation was bang on, 5 out of 5. Very good for what you pay. Definitely will come back for this.
The hakka chow mein with chicken and shrimp was $ 10, and half the size of what I get from Tangra Villa at under $ 8. I’ll take the additional time to drive by Markville instead. Kids said it tasted like spaghetti, and we couldn’t argue with them on that.
Kung Pao chicken was not crispy at all, so not sure the appeal of this dish. Seems just like chicken breast cut up and mixed with a gravy.
Cashew chicken was same thing, chicken breast mixed with cashew and some veggies.
And the portions were tiny for $ 10. You get twice the size from a food court (Peach Tree Plaza or First Markham Place) for only $ 6.
Glad I tried it out, will only be back for the drinks.

i’ve eaten here twice now, and as a local business owner i can say without a doubt that Chef Lin gets my vote. Food is tasty and well prepared. Some portion sizes are a little small, but so far so good. I’ve had the General Tao chicken, the mango salad, the deep fried chicken wantons (10), and the stir fried spicy shredded beef, all good only complaint is the beef has more peppers than beef

Without exaggerating, eating at Chef Lin might have been the best meal I’ve had in 15 years of Markham.
The General Tao chicken was remarkably tender and flavourful without being overly strong, easily the best I’ve ever tasted by far.
The chicken pad Thai was great: no complaints. I love pad Thai and I’d order this again in a heartbeat. Slightly saucier than I’m used to which was nice, with very tender noodles. Not the world’s best like the other dishes, but very good solid food.
The braised eggplant in chili & garlic sauce was also great: I typically don’t like eggplant (my girlfriend ordered it), but it was delicious. Again, probably the best eggplant I’ve ever eaten.
The Taiwanese style fried tofu was good: I think my girlfriend liked it more than I did. I don’t usually like tofu’s texture or taste, but this was pleasant. I think the entrees stood out more than this did, but my girlfriend might disagree with me on that.
The sweet corn soup with chicken was fine: we were cold and it was warm, but it was nothing to write home about. My girlfriend liked it.
The mango pudding was served as a dessert instead of an appetizer: it worked better that way. It was sweet and tasted great!
Between the two of us, we finished the appetizers and maybe half of the entrees: we probably would’ve been satisfied with just two entrees, but we wanted extra to eat tomorrow. Our gluttonous order was under $ 50 before tip, not bad! The extra 10% off for paying cash doesn’t hurt either.
The server Aiko was super friendly. We were the only customers there for dinner on new years day, and she made us feel like she was as excited to feed us as we were to eat :)
I no longer live in Markham, and I used to brace myself for Markham’s acceptable-​but-​nothing-​special food when I visited. Chef Lin has changed that, and given me food to look forward to :)

This was the best take out I have every gotten. The on-​line ordering was clear and easy to use. The food arrived on time. We ordered Thai, Chinese and Malaysian selections and they were all excellent.
I will definitely order again soon!

This is one of those serendipity restaurants — something that you happen across by chance and something that you’re so happy to have found.
Located the street right to the east of Markham Main Street (& Hwy 7), Chef Lin is in a spot that you wouldn’t find if you weren’t looking for it or you’d find it if you were on that street for another reason. While it’s no 5-​star ambience, I can promise you that the food makes up for that.
Our order:
We both got items from their lunch menu (11−5pm, excluding holidays) — these come with rice, a spring roll, and a soft drink or water.
General Tsao Chicken with rice ($ 7.99): This was so so so good — a straight-​up recommend. I’ve had other General Tsao orders but this is by far my favourite. Crunchy, the right amount of sweetness and sauce — a well-​rounded meat dish that was served with white rice, steamed veggies (broccoli and carrots), and a spring roll.
Hakka Chili Beef with Rice ($ 7.99): This was pretty delicious — it packs a bit of spice so watch out for that if spiciness isn’t your thing. I’d recommend it — it’s a saucy and therefore heavier dish so come hungry!
Bubble milk tea with tapioca ($ 3.69): One of the best bbts I’ve had — the tea flavour is stronger than most places I’ve been too but I like it this way — you get more flavour!
I am definitely going back to Chef Lin. They also have a deal that if your order is $ 25 and over before taxes, they take 10% your bill. They also do delivery!
Food was amazing, service was quick, super friendly, and accommodating, and the prices are right. Chef Lin deserves more business and I happily recommend their services.

3.5÷5, +.5 for service
This restaurant is your true definition of what a hole in the wall means. It is a very unassuming restaurant in a very unassuming street that’s easy to miss if you’re coming from Highway 7. There is literally no décor inside, and the interior looks like an old building that was only slightly refurbished. Regardless, these are the types of places where you don’t worry about the décor and focus solely on the food.
Chef Lin Restaurant is definitely family owned, and the staff speak mandarin as their first language. However, they serve Hakka Chinese, Malaysian, and Thai food at lower prices than Little Bangkok further up Markham Village.
I ordered a chicken pad thai, after reading some reviews here on how it’s an excellent value for the size. In fact, it’s not just an excellent value for the size, I actually thought the pad thai was decently comparable to some of the best pad thai I’ve had in the GTA. It has its unique zest to it, and there was an obviously spicy feel to it as well, which some people believe is the true Malaysian/​Thai pad thai style.
During my time here on a Tuesday night at around 9pm, there was a steady stream of take out orders, as well as another dine-​in table including mine. Business here looks to be quite good for an unassuming place!
Service was excellent and very warming, as the lone server really wanted everyone to be satisfied with their meals. Her English may not be the best, but you can see she tries, and honestly for the product this restaurant puts together, I’ll definitely pay another visit to this place.

Pretty good. The staff are friendly and it shows they are trying to make an effort. In it’s current incarnation it feels like a hybrid of HK style tea shop and Americanized Chinese fast food.
Given the location, they’ll need to focus on something to be sure patrons keep coming back.

The food here was really good. I had the Malay chicken curry, I would definitely come here again

I came here after seeing a ROTD and I’m glad I did.
Staff: When we came in no one was around. Waited a few moments and thought we’d just take a seat for now. Eventually a lady emerged from the back with food for another table and scurried back to grab more. At that moment we realized there was one server. When she noticed us after a while she apologized for the delay and took our order. She was very friendly and constantly upheld a cheery disposition even though she had so much to cover. Although it was slow in some aspects, the food came quickly. Overall the service was alright.
Ambience: There isn’t much to the restaurant. A few booths, a couple of bigger tables in the centre. There isn’t a dine-​in menu, but that doesn’t matter too much. It is loud though even though there were only two other tables. 3 more tables came in later and it got even louder, but nothing deafening. It’s a very plain place with plain furnishings.
Food: Spicy! Like really spicy. I’m sure I could’ve asked beforehand but it was spicier than I’ve had in a long time. It was then pointed out by my date that Hakka foods are often really spicy. Flavours were pretty good. We had the Hot and Sour Soup (more hot than sour), the Pad Thai (sweet and less peanutty but I enjoyed that), and the beef noodle soup (tasty, spicy and tender beef). It was all very satisfying.
I think I’ll come back again soon (and maybe ask if there’s a less spicy option). One thing to note is if you pay in cash and it’s $ 25+ you can get a 10% discount. Also I love how you can see the restaurant sign used to say «Chef’s Lin» but they realized their typo and took out the «‘s».

Small restaurant with limited parking. More of a takeout place. Lots of different options to choose from. Went with a chicken/​shrimp pad Thai and also a beef flat noodle. I ordered for takeout and while I was waiting inside the restaurant I was given an ice water. That was really nice of her and shows that extra effort they are putting in to get the word out. Portions were huge and there was lots of beef and shrimps in my dishes I ordered.
The lady at the front counter was very energetic and could do all languages thrown at her. During my short stay there I heard her speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Her English is not the best but she made the effort and communication went through smoothly.
The food was good, prices were around $ 9-​$ 10 from the items I ordered so very affordable. If you want quick food that is good and at a good price then come check this place out. Great for family takeout.
I give them an extra star for great service.

10% cash discount for orders over $ 25.
Came here after reading a few of good reviews. I thought it was fine… nothing special. They have Chinese, and some Thai and also Hakka Chinese dishes. We ordered only the Chinese dishes, so maybe the other stuff is better. But then again, the menu consists primarily of Chinese dishes.
Favorite was the Cumin lamb. This is my standard order at restaurants that offer it. It was probably one of the better tasting cumin lamb dishes that I’ve had.
Also ordered sweet corn fish, which was pretty good.
There were a few fails though:
–the Shanghainese noodles were pretty bland. And there was very minimal meat
–the Mango chicken dish was just weird (maybe it was our fault for ordering a dish like this)
Portion size was maybe a little smaller than you’d get at regular Chinese restaurants. Prices were okay… most were around the $ 8 – 12 mark (pre discount)
The waitress (owner?) seemed nice. Takes credit card. There’s some parking out front and apparently some at the back too

I do support local business and I am just glad that Chef Lin opened up in my neighbourhood.
Being a small scale neighbourhood restaurant, I don’t really see the need to offer such an extensive menu; Thai, Malay, Hakka, Cantonese, Northern Chinese, Taiwanese, Shanghainese Dim Sum and more. Seriously they need to trim down the menu and concentrate on some Signature dishes instead. Maybe some Chef Lin’s Recommendations?
Lunch menu from $ 6.99 has over 20 items to choose from and includes a can of pop/​bottle water.
Chicken Pad Thai ($ 7.50) is just too saucy and with only a really flat one dimensional taste: Sour. Though Pad Thai might be argue to be something that Chinese immigrants has a great influence on, but Pad Thai is not equal to Chinese food. Thai food does has the distinctive taste of hot, sweet, sour and spicy.
I know it is unfair to compare to a Pad Thai that is done by an authentic Thai Chef: Jatujak or Pai but sadly what Chef Lin’s version has not much Thai in that.
Chef Lin does shown promise and is really working hard to be establish in the neighbourhood but just dishing out ⁴⁄₅ stars is not helping the business at all as customers has a really high expectation after reading those reviews and ended up being disappointed.
I would come back to try their Taiwanese Beef Noodle soon: handmade in house noodle sounds promising.
Chef Lin being quite new and hopefully would improve overtime and would one day found their identity and their signature dishes!

Chef Lin is not a glamorous looking restaurant. I would call the decoration clean, pleasant yet no frills. Don’t be despaired, because the price point correlates with the ambiance.
We ordered a Malaysian Curry Chicken with Steamed Rice ($ 9), a Sliced Lamb with Cumin Spices ($ 12), a Mee Goreng Egg Noodle with Seafood ($ 9) and a Mango Salad ($ 7.6).
Sliced Lamb with Cumin Spices — While I am no expert of Malaysian food, the lamb with cumin happens to be a Chinese dish. I could attest that it tasted authentic compared to similar dishes that I had ordered in Chinese restaurants. This was my favourite dish of the evening, because it was bold in flavourful (how not to be when you add lamb and cumins and salt together). This 1-​chilli dish had just the right level of heat to enhance the flavour and cover excessive lamb taste.
Mee Goreng Egg Noodle — The Mee Goreng egg noodle tasted delicious with a mix of flavours such as sour, sweet, spicy. I didn’t know how authentic it tasted, but it looked exactly like the many pictures of Mee Goreng noodle that showed up in google search. This was my second most favourite dish. It was well portioned and filling.
Malaysian Curry Chicken with Steamed Rice — It was yellow curry that was strong with curry flavour and was sweet. It was mildly spicy. The chicken slices were from thighs, so they were tender. The only thing was I liked my curry creamy. This version was slightly soggy, though I don’t know if this is the Malaysian way.
Thai Mango Salad — well, the mango was too sour, because it was way not ripe. This would be compensated if the mango stripes were covered with a bit of Thai Sweet Chilli sauce, except this dish wasn’t. This should be an easy fix for the chefs.
Services was very friendly and helpful. The non-​curry food could take a bit to come out, because it appears that they are cooked per order.
For those who want more background information, I was told that there are 2 chefs in the kitchen. One specializes in curry, and the curry here is well regarded. The other chef specializes in Chinese dishes. He comes from Taiwan. I will surely try the Taiwanese beef noodle for my next visit.
Markham sorely needs a good SE Asian restaurant. This restaurant offers very good value. It crunches out competent and delicious food. Overall, 4 stars

Thought we would check out this place for an early dinner. Am I ever glad we did! Super good food, excellent friendly service.
We ate in.
Only a few tables in the place but it was clean and comfortable. They also do delivery and pickup.
The green curry chicken was the best I have had!
General Tao chicken and spicy crispy beef were also delicious.
A great addition to the community.