Daisy Garden Restaurant 金菊園

I am sorry other posters got bad service. When I went there it was for the steamed chicken with ginger sauce, so delicious, the taller lady would give me more ginger sauce the moment I ran out and my tea cup was never empty and I usually drink 3 large per meal. I am a good tipper so maybe they appreciated that. I certainly appreciated them and hope they come back, there or anywhere.

Sadly the restaurant is burned down in a fire.
Not sure when will it be re-​opened, or possibly re-​located?

A hole in the wall — literally. Unfortunately, this place had a crazy fire a couple days ago and it started in the hole in the wall. Life imitating art or art imitating life?

I am Asian myself and I expect bad service from a Chinese hole in the wall restaurant, but after experiencing 3 rounds of bad service I think this will be my last time there.
Today I went in to order a take out during lunch time, the lady gave me my take out and when I asked her for a pair of chopsticks to go with my congee, she snapped at me: «I gave you spoon already, why do you need chopsticks?»
Well, I had Roasted Duck with porridge and can’t exactly eat the boney pieces with a spoon? She promptly THREW a pair of chopsticks at me…
This will be my last time taking the abusive service attitude here. There are a lot of really good restaurants in the gastown area, no need to come back here for sure.

I had their Lemongrass Chicken with Shanghai noodle in soup lunch special. It was basically 6 pieces of breaded deep fried chicken fat and a bowl of tasteless noodles. Very disappointed. I really think they used the fat scraps from other chicken dishes for the lunch special. Given the choice, go with a Cup-​o-​Noodle instead of their lunch special.

Seafood Congee and BBQ pork. Cheap, and cheerful. This is one of my colleagues and friends regular lunch meet up spot.
Sometimes I crave it and show up before they open and press my face against the glass doors till the owner let’s me in and serves me BBQ pork.

I’m going to keep this short. Very short. In fact, I only have 3 words…
SOY SAUCE CHICKEN.
Get it in a bowl, on a plate, over rice or on its own. Either way, your meal at Daisy Garden will not be complete without it!

Great Cantonese cuisine. We enjoyed the Hong Kong chow mien, duck, pork, veggies, and fried rice. It may not look like much, but the food and service is great. We were in Chinatown and used Unilocal to find this place. Very high quality for the price!

My craving for BBQ meats and rice took me to Daisy Garden. I had read the reviews and I thought… this is a solid place.
Service was quick. I ordered a Char Siu /​Roast Duck over rice. The meats were good, but not outstanding. The duck was a bit salty for my taste. OK, but don’t know if would go back next time I am in Vancouver… might try a different place.

Best soy sauce chicken in town!!! … And I should know because soy sauce chicken is my all time favourite dish :)
I’ve been eating here for almost 30 years now and the chicken tastes as good today as I first had it when I was a kid and fell in love with it. Now that has to account for something. What makes it so good is their master soy sauce that doesn’t focus purely on the anise flavour but other spices as well, which I only wished I had the sophisticated palate to decipher. Bottom line is that the flavour is truly unique from other restaurants.
I’m also in love with their beef chow fun. Perfect smokey wok flavour and tender meat.
These two dishes ought to be Daisy’s signature items, for truly no one does them better. Hence this place is a must visit for me whenever I’m back.

You don’t come here for the service ok? It’s more a diner than a restaurant. As is with most Chinese diners, you’re here for the food and the price point and NOT the service. If you want service, go somewhere pricier or family owned.
I’ve had their BBQ items several times and liked it each time. If you have a preference for the cut (ie: breast or leg), they will accommodate. Tried the BBQ pork and it was decent. The soya chicken and roast pork are tasty.
The congee is good but not outstanding.
We had a bowl of BBQ with rice and a plate of BBQ with rice and a plate of veggies and the bill came to $ 25 — not bad in my books.

Deliciously moist and tender soy sauce chicken. The roast pork is also delicious with nice crispy skin but slightly on the salty side when eaten alone.
Cash only.

This is the real thing! Thought I went back to Hong Kong! Unilocal didn’t have many reviews so I wasn’t sure, but upon looking at the food outside and trusting my nose! I walked in and ordered roast duck, roast pork combo (bowl size), so cheap! Rice was hot with nice sauce, roast pork was nice belly cut with the best tasting skin! Crispy and thick! I wish I can order more
(Like wonton fish cake noodle) but I am full already. I would like to come back!!!

This is the old Kam Gok Yeun location, New Name same menu new owners… Same amazing Chinese clean but greasy spoon style Hong Kong Cantonese cooking. One of the better China town.

Beef curry brisket is Devine just take it home and add cauliflower or any veg and you have a feast. Otherwise enjoy it with rice for a stick to your ribs meal that makes you feel good through and through.
The sign says Daisy garden and for years I didn’t even know the name! I just knew it by location, because older Chinese would call it by the previous name.

One of the best deals in old school chinatown– support this business!
Kam Gok Yuen also has the best chilli sauce.

Love Kams! From the day I moved here when I was 5. my family and I have been loyal customers and spent countless family dinners at their old Hastings location. However when they closed that didn’t stop us from visiting their Chinatown locay which I still visit often to this day. I have to admit. it’s not the fanciest of places but whenever I step in I am greeted with «little sister» as they literally have watched me grow from a toddler to a full grown adult.
My absolute most favorite menu item has to be their shui kaus. I will admit. their BBQ items have gone downhill as years went on but I guess it’s hard to «relive» that magical taste that you’ve had it for so many years. Anyways… shui kaus are always a hit for me as well as their pork ball and liver congee. (Don’t hate offal meats until you’ve tried!!)
Oh and can’t forget service. Some people might not be used to the quick hustle and bustle of service. but the fact is… they are busy and if you have ever been to any Asian city… speedyness is key! There are lots of businessmen and women that come in for a quick bite to eat during lunch and BBQ items sell out by 5 (6 if you’re lucky!). Give this place a try if you haven’t already!

Am I in Hong Kong?
Born and Raised in New York City, I just found the best wonton noodle soup I think I ever have had in America/​Canada.
NYC compared to Kam Gok Yuen is straight up embarrassing.
Reminiscent of the best Hong Kong style food can be found here in Vancouver. I chugged the whole Wonton soup broth. Who does that anymore with the stigmatization of MSG?,…psh. me.
The fishballs can bounce son and the curry squid came cold-​but the bursting curry flavor got me bumping to my own rendition of Biggies «Curry, Curry, Curry, can’t you see. Sometimes your squid just hypnotized me».
If you’re here for the wonton noodle soup, get ready to CHUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG that broth too. The whole table better clean house.
And don’t worry about the ugly ass décor. …it gives the familiar Hong Kong street stall feel. Dip your chopsticks in tea for an extra sanitary cleaning prior to your chow down. BOSS.

I really don’t know where to put this, is it a 4, 4.5… it’s somewhere there and a place I always think about going when I am in Chinatown. I was raised on this type of food at this place, and I can say not much of this place has changed for this place. If you are in Chinatown, and just need the best BBQ pork located around here, come here, whether it is to go, or you are sitting in, you can’t go wrong, and depending if you want flavour, and willing to clog your arteries a little bit (or a lot!) ask for the fatty piece, or a half-​halfer! Don’t forget to ask them to add more sauce (or drench it), to make the rice (don’t bother with noodles, rice is where it is at with this dish!) more tasty and make every spoonful bite the more happy to your mouth!
Forget about aesthetics, that was thrown out the window a long time ago, probably after this place opened up. When I was a kid I still remembered the paintings on the wall, and the jade green paint they used, well not much has changed, if anything at all. Don’t ask me about the washroom as I have never been there, and wouldn’t want to know what I find in there. When you come in, on both sides there is something going on. On the left, is where the butcher is dicing up the meat for you to devour, and on the right is the other guy who is cooking up noodles in broth, it’s your standard setup for these type of BBQ meat houses back in the day.
My dear partner was looking for some soup noodle on this cold day, and I thought may as well come to this place. We came in, and it wasn’t too busy (this place is big, it may not look it from the outside, but it’s deep) and we were welcomed, and practically sat ourselves. A tip, if it’s cold outside, don’t sit near the front, from the constant people coming in to get good grub, you are going to feel the wind hit your back! We ordered a bowl of round rice noodle (lai fun) bbq pork and roast duck, and a bowl of round rice noodle and fish balls. This maybe simple dishes, but when was simple ever easy? This place does it right, it may not look like much when you get the plate of ‘whatever’ in front of you, but it’s just comforting knowing that what has made them successful continues to be the food here.
There some old stained bottles of sauce on the side. From the salt shaker, and the white pepper, to the soy sauce, and their chili oil. I don’t know what is in their chili oil, but it’s like magic sauce when you use it to dip, or put it in your bowl (watch out though… it’s HOT) it just goes with what your eating. I always seem to enjoy my food here, whatever I order, there are sometimes I just buy the BBQ pork to take out. My mom says their stuff costs more, but you know what. I would rather smile eating the whole piece of meat, than be let down by a more inferior version of the same thing!
Aside from your generic tea served in a big glass cup, and trying to get any ounce of service here, as we ordered from one of the cooks who was bringing a plate out to the table, this place always has a soft spot in my heart. Even though there wasn’t many people sitting in this place, the constant cutting from the butcher (as the knife hits the meat) and the feeling of the cold wind from the door opening and closing tells me they are doing just fine, and will be here a long time. Chinese BBQ meats, you want the best, your in Chinatown, get your ass in here, don’t mind the ‘hole-​in-​the-​wall’ ambiance, and eat up!

Kam Gok Yuen is an institution in Chinatown. It’s been here forever, and many Asians in the older generation grew up in this place.
Parking sucks (stupid Vancouver 2200 metering), so hopefully you can find a spot a few blocks away.
The interior is seriously dated. It screams 1980s, with the Chinese fans and artwork on the walls. Of course, the green paint doesn’t help.
The waitress was friendly, and talked to us like we were her children. Aww.
Their claim to fame is BBQ duck. Unfortunately we missed the last of it by a couple of minutes. This is a sign of how good it is. Oh well, next time.
Not sure if it’s a permanent special, but try the «4 bo fan» (4 treasure rice). It had soy chicken, BBQ pork, roast pork (siu yook), and salted eggs. Too bad there was no duck, or you’d get the Royal Sampler. The pork here is something special. The BBQ pork was super tender and moist, and the roast pork had a crispy but light skin. Most other places make the skins hard as a rock and super brittle (both bad).
Their «lo mein» is fantastic. Bouncy feel, delicious MSG flavour. Oh baby.
The only dish that was a bit off was the curry chicken. For this one, Mui Garden is better.
Our orders came with melon soup. This was good, though the melons were a bit undercooked.
I’m hoping this place keeps operating for years. One day, when I have kids, they’re growing up here as well.