Review Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant - Thornhill

The overall rating at 3.9 really doesn't do this restaurant justice. It's clean, offers great service, as well as delicious and quality food. I think it deserves at least a 4.5 overall rating. We had the B Set for 2 which is at $35.95 each. Every one of the dishes was good! We enjoyed the starters which comprised the Hot and Soup, Wonton Soup (quality meat!), Fried Chicken Dumplings, Spring Rolls, and Samosas (yum!). The mains - Lemon Chicken, Fried Garlic Shrimps, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Veggie Noodles - were tasty too! Glad we came here despite the rating. Recommended!

Wow still the best Chinese food consistently great quality, Lemon Chicken, Egg Foo Yonge etc Reasonably priced, clean, and authentically decorated It’s a must try, always busy because there food rocks. Thanks Mark

It was alright. For such a high price you'd expect better quality, and perhaps a bigger portion. I really liked the Crispy OK Chicken, everything else was generic unfortunately. For half the price at what you would pay here, you can get all the same stuff at any mom & pop Chinese restaurant with bigger portions. Service was good, friendly staff.

Thornhill staple restaurant. Best menu items include- wonton soup, crispy beef, and Shanghai noodles. Beautiful atmosphere and excellent place for parties and big groups.

Consistently excellent food and service! Lovely decor and atmosphere. Great place for fine dining Chinese food.

Went out for dinner with my family (family of 5), we have ordered shrimp dumplings which were absolutely delicious never had such amazing shrimp dumplings. We then had some seafood noodles which were delicious and had a variety of seafood items such as huge jumbo shrimps, scallops, calamari and mixed veggies. We then ordered the beef and broccoli which was so delicious and the beef was tender not chewy like most restaurants . Not the mention the service was amazing, the servers were very kind and quick and a very nice lady (which I assume was the owner) also helped server us and was so nice and hospitable it felt as if she welcomed us to her home.

Aouch- this is not a Chinese restaurant but rather some oriental influence for older Caucasian folks. They try hard with service and decor but even the Chinese in a Cuban resort leaves one with better impression. Glad they have such good customer base, but one shouldn’t expect to find any Chinese food here

Still Going Strong After All These Years!! I've been going to Cynthia's for what seems like forever. Over the years I've had family dinners, graduations dinners, promotion celebrations, birthdays, nights out, dates, and other reasons to eat there. I've had food off the regular menu and food from the group menus. I live in Markham now and food is different, but Cynthia's has a great combination of classic Chinses dishes, North-American style dishes and not only that they also can cater to almost any dietary request. They have always been good with that. Cynthia's is not only a great restaurant but it has a very opulent decor with an almost theatre-like dining experience. One of the reasons I keep coming back is the food. Over the years the food has been consistent in flavour, freshness and presentation. When you go to a place like this you must know already what you like from the sauces to the cooking style. This way you'll always get a great meal. You will find beef dishes, pork, chicken, and seafood dishes as well as vegetarian/Vegan. Call ahead and let them know when you make your reservation what the dietary concern or food allergy may be. They have always been great at accommodating special requests. Over the years there has only been once or twice that there was something I didn't like with the dish, and they more than happily replaced it with a fresh plate or offered a suggestion for something else. The same for any other person who was with me at the table. Service is one thing you will get in droves. The well-dressed staff are always happy and polite and there to help you have a great experience. This is why I keep coming back. This night was no different, we had a large group with kids, folks with allergies, with vegans and one person with a food allergy. We paid a little extra for our set menu but the food came out as everyone wanted so that all of us were happy. Cynthia's always been good to me so give them a chance, I'm sure you'll agree.

The lemon chicken portion was generous, the icing on the top part very soft, colorful, tasty and fragrant. The lemon chicken portion was generous, the icing on the top part very soft, colorful, tasty and fragrant.

Yesterday at noon we picked up a dinner for 4 takeout at the Thornhill Cynthia's yesterday. Took it over to my sister's house to celebrate her 79th birthday.<br/>Very embarrassing. I spent the time apologizing for the food, instead of enjoying the company.<br/><br/> The lemon chicken was so dry and oily, it seemed as if it had been sitting out all night unsold, then popped back in the hot oil to make a quick buck from the early lunch market. It was inedible.<br/>The general Tao chicken was also dry and chewy, in spite of the nice sauce. The rest of the meal was OK . <br/><br/>The family has frequently used this restaurant before, but never for lunch. This is not a cheap dive, so should not be serving sub-standard food.<br/><br/>If you must order lunch from Cynthia's, wait until all the leftovers have been sold. Don't be an early bird!!!

I have ordered from this restaurant for many years.  Over the last year, every order seems to have something wrong with it!  I order not spicy, it comes spicy, I order one fish, I get the other!  The worst thing is when you call to complain, you get the rudest guy on the phone who keeps arguing with you!  For the money they charge, its overpriced and waay rude and too many mistakes!  I would not recommend it!

I have been going to this restaurant on and off since we moved into the Richmond Hill area 16 years ago. Tonight on our way back from the hospital and being Labour Day we thought we would call them to see if they were open. So I got Siri going and got the number. I dialed it and asked if they were open. The lady on the phone said that they were very busy and that I should make a reservation. I did and off we went. When we got there the first clue that something was amiss was that the place was nearly deserted and they could not find my reservation. We took our seat and proceeded to order. Not five minutes into this and we get a call from a local number, it was the first restaurant we called wondering where we were. As it turns out the owners of Cynthia's created a tangent restaurant called Cynthia's Paradise and put it literally right next door. Talk about confusing your market. Given the way the night was going to unfurl we should have packed up and gone next door.<br/><br/>I ordered the Hot and Sour Soup to start. This is one of my favourites and when I looked at the $4.95 price tag I assumed we were going to get a bowl big enough to share. When it came I got this little golden globe before me which revealed inside an even smaller ceramic bowl which if it held 1 cup of soup I would have been amazed. The soup was adequate. It has a nice balance of all the flavours I am used to but in no way was this worth 5 dollars. I mean for just one dollar more at another chinese restaurant I got a bowl of soup so large that it would have filled that little bowl before me 20 times over. What really drove the point home though was the little tiny $3.50 Egg Roll and the 2 HarGow for $4.50. This place was way over priced. So maybe the service was going to be exceptional. I mean, there were more people on the floor, behind the counter and that could be seen in the kitchen than there were patrons sitting at the tables. The 2 HarGow came one at a time in the tiniest steam boxes I have ever seen. We ordered Moo Shu Pork, Chinese Broccoli and the House Special Fried Rice. The food took way longer to get to us than was comfortable for me but taste wise it was very good. Far too expensive but very good. Ended the meal with the Deep Fried Creme Brulee and with a 13% tip the meal came out to $94.75.<br/><br/>Frankly I can think of a number of places that I would like to spend that kind of money for 2 people. Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant is no longer one of those. As a comparison the meal at Cynthia's Paradise would have cost $54 for two people all you can eat. I will do a review of Paradise when I go there but this place will never see another dime from me.

Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant Thornhill is the worst food I have ever had in my life. Do not eat it. You are better off making our own food from T&T because that will be 100 % better. It is so sad that this business is allowed to stay in business with their tasteless food and rude delivery people. Ordering from this place is a shame to the entire world of Chinese cuisine. Their food would make chefs faint from disappointment. Save your money and love your stomach by not eating here!

I went to try this place with my husband and we were quite dissapointed with the service and the food. We ordered the hot and sour soup with bbq pork which was presented nicely but it was average tasting and the meat was barely there. We also ordered mongolian beef ,it was awfull with tons of sweet and sour sauce and lots of onions , very little meat and not very high quality. Also we had the pad thai which tasted very fishy and shrimps were overcooked inside and once again very little chicken. Our waiter was not very attentive and the food was very overpriced and did not taste good. The verdict is we will never go back .

I can serve myself. Food was alright but I didn't like it when they tried to put food on my plate and used the same spoons for all the dishes. They don't know what people like or can eat, so please don't put food on my plate that I can't eat.

Not accomodating and kind of expensive. The food is good and it arrives quickly and very hot but it's fairly pricey for chinese food and they won't let you make any substitutions. In my opinion there are better chinese restaurants in Oakville that value their customers more.

Amazing. Our office ordered from there...first,the driver was prompt and courteous.....and the food was amazing.Fresh,nicely laid out and i know this is an odd word to describe food but it looked so 'clean'.At one point,I pointed to a dish and asked 'what's that?" someone said 'chicken fried rice" ...it looked so different and 'clean' and fresh..............the taste surpassed all that ,it was amazing.<br/>Thanks Cynthia's<br/><br/>Ashlee

Great place to eat. We are regulars at this restaurant. The food is good and the staff are always pleasant.

My favourite restaurant $$$. I am a Chinese and have dined in this restaurant numerous times. I read some of the reviews, some very positive and some very negative and felt that I need to post something to clear the confusion.<br/><br/>Cynthia's is not an ordinary "Chow mein style Chinese" restaurant you'll find in a corner plaza. Because it is situated in such a place, diners probably thought it is and therefore get pleasant or unpleasant surprise. If you are into authentic Chinese food, this is the place to go. If you are into just a quick meal of chop suey, fried noodle, fried rice and chicken balls, you will be paying far too much for this kind of food.<br/><br/>Almost all upscale restaurants charged extra to serve the Birthday Cake you bring. This is similar to corking fees a restaurant will charge if you bring in your own booze. If you order a birthday cake here, it will cost you $40 + tips.<br/><br/>This restaurant does not add MSG to their food. Some diners may find their food "tasteless" if they are used to MSG laden food served in other Chinese restaurants.<br/><br/>Deep Fried Wanton never ever contains meat. If you want meat, order the pan fried dumplings.<br/><br/>I do agree that this place is a lot more expensive than other run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurants. But for that special evening, this is the place to go for very good authentic Chinese food. Funky Thai and Sushi Hour are not in the same league so you cannot compare the pricing and the food.<br/><br/>If you pay cash, you'll get 10% worth of coupon for you to use in your next visit.<br/><br/>They have live music every Thursday evening.

Over priced tasteless food. Not sure what else to say.

We celebrated my mom and dad's 41st wedding anniversary at Cynthia's Chinese Fine Dining. The food and service is excellent. They even sang to my parents for the event. They made it memorable.

Food is ok. Like their wonton soup and cantonese chow mein. I do Find it crazy that they jack up the prices if you eat in versus delivery. Also don't like the service -- waiters hover over you while you eat. I dont need someone to put my napkin on my lap or serve me my portion. If they got rid of this I would eat there more often.

I recently moved in the area and just happened to pass by for lunch. It was a nice surprise. The food was great, much better than the buffet style I'm used to. Would definitely go back.

Overpriced, Tasteless and Sodium Laced.. On Friday, June 8t, 2012 , my partner and I decided to visit and sample the cooking at Cynthia's Chinese restaurant which is located just south of the corner of Neyagawa and Dundas Streets in Oakville. The decor of the place is very nice as are the costumes of the people working there, but that is where the niceties end. We were seated by the greeter and proceeded to order drinks, My partner had a Perrier water and I ordered a Diet Coke which came in a glass. The Diet Coke tasted funny which I pointed out to the waitress serving us. Maybe the glass had not rinsed well or there were problems with their dispenser, I really don't know but as I stated earlier, it tasted strange. After a few minutes she brought me a can of Diet Coke which tasted fine. Problem solved. For appetizers, we ordered mango rolls, spicy sesame shrimp, and seafood dumplings. The two mango rolls which were the thickness of a person's finger cost almost $6 which I thought was incredibly pricey. The other two appetiizers were even more costly. The seafood dumplings were four small pieces cost $8 while the spicy sesame shrimp which had three pieces cost $9. We sampled the food and both concurred that the appetizers were tasteless. Even the dips that came with the appetizers could not save them. Next on our table came the General Tso's chicken, the Indonisian noodles with shrimp, Prawns in lobster sauce,and Chicken fried noodles. The General Tso's chicken was burntas someone had brazed or cooked it in soya sauce. There was no other flavour exhibited. I next sampled the Indonisian shrimp noodles which came in a sweet tasting sauce. I was starting to wonder if the chef of this restaurant was a rookie cause that is the only taste that showed up. Earlier, while perusing the menu, there was a pepper attached to the dish signifying some heat and spicyness....well, that pepper must not have showed up for the feast....another disappointment. The Prawn in lobster sauce tasted like it had been cooked with a ton of soya and black bean sauce. There were no hints of lobster flavour or any other flavour except soya. My tongue was beginning to burn from the over-exposure of salt. The Prawns were buried underneath this soya laced sauce. The texture and size of the prawns was good but the overkill of the sauce negated any positives. My partner had the Chicken fried nooles which she said were good. The vermicelli was crunchy and the vegetables were crisp. I sampled a forkfull and I agreed so maybe that was the most positive meal. She ended up taking a doggy bag with her. The manager of the place, Jacky, came by and asked us what we thought and I explained to him all the concerns listed above. He pointed out that everything can be made to one`s specification if one so choses. I thought that comment was kind of strange because a person has to try their food before one can judge it.........so I guess one needs to go back a second time which I don`t plan to do. Another aspect of concern is the service. The customer should be asked by the server if they want the server to dole out the food ordered at the table or not. Some of the serving was sloppy which does not speak well for their skills of doling it out. I personally prefer to dole my own food onto my plate. In addition, the server was always within a proximity of 6 feet from the table....like someone was eavesdropping on my conversation. That did not sit well with my partner nor I. Overall, it was one of my worst experiences and I will not be back to this establishment.

Overall no better than ok. Best rice I have had, and the spring rolls were really good. The rest of the dishes we had were ordinary at best. I have to agree with the overpriced reviews.

Take out is always super fast and the food is good!

Overpriced, poor quality food. For the price and quality of food, I would probably pick another chinese restaurant. managers weren't willing to fix our meal when we told them we didn't enjoy our meal. unfortunately there aren't many good chinese restaurants in the area..

Reasonable prices for lunch. Great place for special occasion dinners. Like Bahn Thai, great decor and upscale Chinese.

Unreasonable Pricing. First, some menu items are misleading The deep fried wonton was only deep fried wonton wrap without any meat inside. Wonton soup has the meat filling, but the deep fried wonton doesn't. This menu item is defintely not worth the price charged!<br/><br/>Second, there is a fuel surcharge added to my delivery order, which was not explained up front when I placed the order. Although I was told there would be a delivery charge of $7 because my order was under $50 (for delivery in Oakville!), they charged additional $1 fuel surcharge. So it is baffling what the $7 delivery charge is for??<br/><br/>So, caution to customers... inquire about ingredients on menu dishes and hidden surcharges that may appear on your bill. Better yet, there's a more reasonable price and better tasting Chinese restaurant in Oakville called Bronte Chinese Restaurant that you should try.

I didn't like it. My family and I went there for a birthday celebration, we chose Cynthia because I read the reviews on this website. The food was below average and the price was way too high. I have had much better food for half the price. I found this restaurant nickle and dime you for everything. We had to pay $2 per person to bring our own cake and to have them serve you, and I ordered Peking duck, and only got 4 lettuce, if I wanted more, I had to pay. I have never heard of that, other Oriental restaurants give you ten pieces of lettuce or more because after all a duck can feed more than 4 people when it is served as an appetizer. Having said negative things about this place, I will say that the service was excellent, and the ambiance was better than most Oriental restaurants. Would I go back? No. You can get better Chinese food at Mom and Pop type restaurants.

Outstanding Chinese Food & Atmosphere. We have eaten several times at Cynthia's and the experience has been excellent. The food is outstanding and the restaurant has an ambience which we found quite unique and enjoyable overall. I would highly recommnend eating there as it is without a doubt the best Chinese food in Oakville and our favourite in the GTA.

Great Expreience!. Best service, food and ambience. Every detail about this restaurant stands out. Staff are so professional and friendly, dressed in traditional costumes

What a nice surprise! When I saw the prices on the menu I thought it was a little expensive. But when the food was delivered it was well worth the price. The prawns were quite big and fresh. All the food was very tasty. We even has tiramasu for dessert. I'll definately be ordering from there again.

Honestly one of the best restaurants in the area. Great service, Great food, Great layout, just the whole place was a great experience. Will be back forsure!

Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant. This is the best upscale Chinese Restaurant I have visited. I've been twice and on both occasions the food, service and ambience were excellent. We took friends the second time and they too were most impressed with everything. While it is a little more expensive than the run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant, you still get value when compared with the costs at other upscale non-Chinese restaurants in Oakville.

Our experience at Cynthia's. Went to Cynthia's tonight with a group of friends and will not be returning...we were a group of six and we ordered the fixed price banquet menu...we had soup and then appetizers....four of us received our appetizers and the other two people were told that theirs would be arriving shortly....ten minutes later, two of their appetizers arrived and they were told that their third appetizer would arrive shortly...by the time it arrived we were ready for our main courses...which came in two separate servings...totally, totally disorganized and will not return. <br/><br/>Do not, do not order the wine that they showcase on the table....it was over a $100 a bottle...why can't they show the price when the have it on the table. No wonder the waiters kept coming back asking if we wanted a second bottle.....totally, totally disgusted with the service and the evening...the coupons you gave us are in the garbage as we will definitely not return.

Unreal.... I ordered 85$ worth of food this weekend. <br/><br/>Just noticed I was charged a $.00 delivery fee and a $1.00 fuel surcharge !<br/><br/>what a joke... I guess they really needed that 1.00 !

The customer service at the Thornhill location is just absolutely awful! When my husband called to complain about our meal, we were told that we wouldn't be able to get a full credit and that we would have to come into the restaurant to pick up a new order. They would cook our meal while we waited which in our opinion was a complete waste of our time!! They were not sympathetic or apologetic at all! We were told that the dining room wad busy and that they didn't have time to "deal with us." We were also told that we had problems because we didn't accept their "solution." We have been loyal customers for years, but not anymore!! Do yourself a favor and eat and don't waste your money at this establishment.

Late lunch - Bit Surprised. My bf and I came here for late lunch because our original plans did not work out. At first, I didn't want to try the place because of the english name.. which is not very compelling, but we thought, why not? We were pleasantly surprised by the nice decor, clean environment, and attentive service. Actually, their service is really great. My bf ordered the dinner banquet for 2 as I was indecisive despite the small selection. The soup surprised us in a fancy gold mini cauldron, and the deep fried apps were tasty. So initially, I was very excited about the quality of the food here. However, the entrees were better-than-your-average-canadian-chinese-takeout-food. Perhaps we will be back to give some more authentic dishes a try, but until then, this is just a fancier place for canadian-chinese food for me. I would recommend this to people who really like canadian-chinese food.

Most amazing service I have received in my life! Delicious food. Worth the money. Definitely try!

Chinese Food with that certain: Je ne sais quoi. It was a car accident that caused me to relocate to Richmond Hill back in 2003. I had always frequented the Pearl Court in downtown Toronto and felt this was the Gold Standard among Chinese Restaurants. However, within a span of two visits to Cynthia's at the Promenade Mall, I QUICKLY had to re-adjust my thinking.<br/><br/> This restaurant represents for ME what I classify as fine dining with that certain je ne sais quoi………..- perhaps it is Cynthia's elegance and the way she ALWAYS makes time to socialize with her clientele regardless of how much they spend or who they are, perhaps it's the elaborate ceremony attached to the unveiling of the Peking Duck or perhaps it's delightful flavours and sharp contrasts that are introduced with each course and each morsel of food that hits your table......... Hence..., it has that certain "Je ne sais quoi"!<br/><br/> Among my personal favourites are the Crab meat with Sweet corn soup, the Bass steamed in a spicy ginger/shallot sauce, the Chicken n' Crispy Leaf, the Jin Jiang Chicken...., the list is endless depending on the occasion and my mood. I am getting hungry just recalling these items.........<br/><br/>I STRONGLY recommend this restaurant, be it dinner, lunch..., a late afternoon snack, a celebration, a quiet night for two- Cynthia's is the PERFECT fit and a place to feel right at home.......!<br/><br/>Fire back at me if you need help in creating your ideal menu....<br/><br/>RS

Terrible Customer Service. The food is good but the aggravation and service is not worth it! We ordered delivery and they sent us the wrong dish. After we called them and asked them to credit our card for their mistake and offered for them to come and pick it up they argued and lied to us that it was not possible to reverse a charge. They said they would give us a credit next time we ordered. When we asked to speak to the owner they lied once again and said that she was at the other location. When my husband called back 10 minutes later she WAS there and just didn't want to deal with the problem or an unhappy customer. Its unfortunate because we were good customers and ate there for years. We will NEVER go back - they were rude, lied to us and were very argumentative.

FLAVOUR. Combine flavour and aroma with the best service and Cynthia's is a hit with us. $50 for 3 for lunch and the service is phenomenal and courteous

Our family enjoys the food and the service is excellent. The restaurant is very clean and well maintained. I find the food too salty but it is still the best chinese food in the area.

NOT WORTH IT!. The food is ok, but the prices are astronomical. Where do they get off charging so much for such tiny portions!!<br/>What a waste. If you eat there or get take-out, you're a sucker, 'cuz there's far better places out there.

Really great!. Best service I have ever seen in a restaurant! very impressive :)

Beware. The food is mediocre at best and is overpriced. Be careful for hidden fees added to your bill. Overall, you can get a much better dining experience elsewhere.

Very suitable for any occasion. Great interior and great service. Food is great but nothing exiting, missing that special ingridient

Very Impressive!. Are you tired of typical chinese with heavy, sticky sauces and bland flavoring? Well, Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant is a pleasant surprise. I ordered take-out, which was delivered promptly. The food was light, full of flavor and fresh. The fried rice was delicious, the dry garlic ribs were dry (unlike most restaurants which have them dripping in sugar) and the seafood in garlic sauce was splendid! I counted three LARGE scallops, three LARGE (jumbo) shrimp, multiple pieces of alaskan pollock and multiple peices of squid in the one dish. The prices were reasonable and the quantify was average. Good meal for two hungry eaters would cost under $50.00. I give this restaurant two thumbs up for food flavor, quality and manner in which prepared.

Cuisine Type:  Chinese Known for:  Chicken Wine list Vegetarian Pad Thai Cocktails Extras:  Family Friendly Extensive Wine List Delivery Take Out In the plaza of the Promenade mall lies a gem of a restaurant called Cynthia’s Chinese Restaurant. From the moment you enter the restaurant you will feel as you have been transported to Imperial China, as the decor and the uniforms of the staff are all authentic Chinese. The service is impeccable, and all guests will feel special from the moment they arrive. While most Chinese food places these days have leaned towards a buffet style, Cynthia’s food is all cooked to order. They have an extensive menu that has a little something for everyone. Their menu has won awards for being diverse and able to accommodate the needs of all styles of diners, and their attention to detail and your needs is truly remarkable. For the experienced dinner, you have the freedom to order as many dishes as you like to share and enjoy with your friends. If you are a f

You need to eat here if you haven't already! The food is amazing, the service is beyond finominal, and the ambiance of the place is just great. Also, there is live music that is provided by a pianist! I really have nothing bad to say about this place. You have to eat here!

In the plaza of the Promenade mall lies a gem of a restaurant called Cynthia’s Chinese Restaurant. From the moment you enter the restaurant you will feel as you have been transported to Imperial China, as the decor and the uniforms of the staff are all authentic Chinese. The service is impeccable, and all guests will feel special from the moment they arrive. While most Chinese food places these days have leaned towards a buffet style, Cynthia’s food is all cooked to order. They have an extensive menu that has a little something for everyone. Their menu has won awards for being diverse and able to accommodate the needs of all styles of diners, and their attention to detail and your needs is truly remarkable. <br/><br/>For the experienced dinner, you have the freedom to order as many dishes as you like to share and enjoy with your friends. If you are a first time visitor you have the options to order from the pre-set menu, which orders come with a choice of soup to start, then various appetizers and then various main courses. The food is delicious and plentiful. Cynthia’s also has an extensive wine list, and offer top quality wines from all over the world. They can also host events up to 180 people for all your special occasions. Take out and delivery are also available. Some come on down to Thornhill and indulge in a unique Chinese dining experience at Cynthia’s!