Canton Cooks

Canton Cooks is located in Whole Foods Plaza in Sandy Springs. It’s kind of hidden in the back, a few doors to the right of the Dollar Tree.
If you are looking for authentic Chinese food, this is not your spot. The food is very Americanized and saucy. The food wasn’t bad, but I was quite disappointed since I was craving authentic Chinese food! On the bright side, the service here is good. Our waiter brought our food quickly and they serve warm Jasmine tea (*for no charge).

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Atlanta. They even have a second location open a mile up the road because of their success!
Located in the Whole Foods plaza off of Roswell Rd with easy parking and dine-​in/​take out options. They are open late and it’s very casual. The service is decent but this place is popular for its food not service, be prepared. They serve generous portions, be ready to ask for To Go boxes.
My favorite dishes are the egg drop/​dragon soup, salt & pepper squid, pan fried seabass and Mongolian chicken.
Hands down, best food coma experience!

This place is only good for take out. The service inside is horrible, they rush you out and it’s a revolving door of servers. If you sit at a round big table you will be seen before everyone. Never going again. Very disappointing

excellent food
service very good, but family felt that service was cold. (took order; dropped off food; and didnt say or ask anything)
We had excellent dragon soup for 2, but had two portions for wife and I plus one for my son; daughters had wonton soup and egg drop. all enjoyed. highly recommend the dragon soup though
We all shared of course: chose pan fried sea bass as main dish — waiter recommended pan fried instead of steam to get a little crispy, but had to peel the crispy away, so the fish inside was therefore not as flavorfil wouldn’t do that again — the sea bass was very fresh and good — and at $ 31.95 expensive. (if get it again will try the steamed fish)
Daughter chose chicken lomein. It was the thinner (singapore style noodles) very tasty and good texture. other daughter chose mu shu beef — excellent. I chose the wor sue duck (mostly boneless) for my son. Duck was excellent flavor and good broccoli too. — he usually sticks to sesame chicken, but he had a bit of everything (large bit of everything actually)
food wise best chinese food we have had in atlanta all three times we came here. definitely like this better than their other location.

Yuck. One the worst if not the worst Chinese restaurants ever. I was with a large group so I sampled many dishes. The service was fine, it was just that the food that was not good.

Great service. The food was great. Sorry I toke the pic late… the can improve on the lighting in the restaurant. I got the lo mein and chicken.

Used to be better, but somehow they changed the menu recently. There used to be two menus: one Chinese specials and one more Americanized.
My family used to order amazing dishes off the Chinese menu, but when we visited tonight, only the Americanized menu was available! We still ordered some of the dishes we remembered, and they obliged. When we asked about the Chinese menu, the waiter denied any knowledge of it. So strange.
We ordered
— pork meatloaf with salted egg
— sauteed vegetables
— squid with pickled vegetables
— tofu and shrimp hot pot
Not as good as I remember, but still decent. I wonder if the lack of Chinese menu is a move towards a different clientele. While we were there, all of the other clients were not of Asian descent, which probably means they’re changing to less authentic food.
Bottom line: try to find the Chinese specials still hidden in the menu (some listed above)!

All their food is really Great just a tad bit pricey, but in this restaurants favor you get what you pay for.
And you get some AWESOME food.
Enjoy–

Overrated. Sorry. Maybe Chinese food and me just don’t get along well. Especially if it’s Americanized. Sure, some reviews say Canton Cooks is authentic. Maybe. If I ordered outside the lunch menu. I mean come on, even my Chinese friend told me this place is good. I believe her. I mean, she is Chinese, right?
I always prefer to go to lunch around 11:30 to beat the lunch crowd. I’m glad we did. I mean, as soon as we turned around after getting our food, the place was packed! I ordered kung pao chicken cause I didn’t want any of my chicken breaded. I paid an extra 50 cents for brown rice, just cause it’s healthier lol.
Honestly, the food was just alright. To me, it’s very Americanized and lacked flavor and the food was really greasy. It’s like I could eat it at any other Chinese take out joint. Seriously. Even my Bengali & Mexican friend thought the same way as me.
The only pro for this meal was that it was cheap. Otherwise, I would not drive that far for Chinese food again.

In all of GA I honestly haven’t found a better Chinese restaurant. I’ve been coming here for years and am finally putting up a review. Their dishes are served family style (larger portions, so be ready to share).
Here are a list of some favorite dishes:
Fish maw and crab meat soup– hands down my favorite (of course if you like seafood). Western Style Soft Shell Crab (yes, the crab shell is soft so you bite and eat the entire crab), Salt & Pepper Squid, Steamed Sea bass (but fried is delicious as well!), Snow Pea Leaves, Salted Fish Fried Rice and of course… extra balachan sauce on the side (balachan is shrimp paste sauce). I have yet to find a place that serves the Western Style Soft Shell Crab better than this place. I’ve eaten it for years, and still can’t find another replacement!
They have plenty of other dishes that are delicious as well! I recently had their duck dish as well and it was delectable as well. So far, I haven’t tried a dish and was disappointed.
If anyone has a Chinese restaurant better than this, please let me know because I really haven’t found one yet in GA! :)

A definite mixed bag. Eating family-​style, our party of five began with a double order of the fried dumplings, before advancing to three entrees and roast pork lo mien. Perhaps we caught them on an off night, but we found the service to be unacceptably slow (almost 10 minutes to receive menus), cold and mechanical. Water glasses were, however, refilled faithfully.
The fried dumplings were of a frozen purveyor familiar to me, and not known as a quality brand. Doughy and thick, with a dense meat filling, they lacked both character and discernable flavor. Coupled with a timid dipping sauce, they could have been much better. Next came Wor Shu Opp (duck), beef with mushrooms and bamboo shoots and a shrimp dish whose name escapes me. The shrimp were ordered «medium spicy.» Trailing the pack by at least five minutes was the pork lo mien.
The duck was quite light in its protein content, but a respectable rendition of a classic Cantonese dish. I appreciated the fact that it was completely boneless, and that a more flavorful kitchen-​made sauce replaced the ubiquitous brown sauce which so often denigrates this dish. Beef with mushrooms and bamboo shoots was tasty, and seemed to be the most popular of the entrees amongst the diners at our table. Both entrees were solid and generally enjoyable.
Our shrimp dish is where things began to slide downhill. With little detectable chili heat, few shrimp and a pasty sauce, the dish clearly missed the mark. This brings discussion to the pork lo mien. Very light on both slices of roast pork and vegetables, the noodle was a vermicelli. The dish was stir fried with just enough soy sauce to lend a light brown color, but not enough supporting ingredients to provide the umami flavor generally sought in this dish. A bit of garlic and a tablespoon or two of oyster sauce would have improved the flavor greatly, as there was just too great a portion of vermicelli to be balanced by the meager quantities of other ingredients. This was, unfortunately, a rather unpolished example of Sino-​American cuisine, circa 1965.
Minimally decorated, the interior walls of Canton Cooks were painted in pink. Perhaps only a subjective take, but this also brought back memories of ’60’s Sino-​American chow mien houses.
The tab was reasonable, and while inconsistent and poorly serviced, our dinner at Canton Cooks was strictly «alright;» nothing special, but generally inoffensive.

True story: When I arrived in San Francisco several weeks ago for a business trip, I sat across the foot-​long aisle from a Taiwanese couple that kept staring at my Godzilla-​like destruction of $ 100 worth of dim sum. (I’m a dim sum gangsta.) In order to break the awkwardness, I introduced myself. And in our conversation, I found out that they’re both from the Atlanta ‘burbs and have lived there for over 20 years! So I had to ask them the most important question of all: «Where do Chinese people go for Chinese food in the Atlanta metro?» Their answer? Canton Cooks #1.
Two weeks later I’m sucking the sh** out of a garlic cooked crab and stuffing salt & pepper squid (same time? Maybe) without shame, while washing everything down with hot tea in front of my Taiwanese girlfriend and her mother. Authentic Cantonese eats? Hell yeah.
I. FOOD
Look, I wouldn’t venture to this restaurant if you’re the type of person that likes to eat Kung Pao Beef, General Tso’s chicken, or cream cheese wantons. Honestly, I’ve never met an Asian person that has liked or ordered these dishes. (If you have, feel free to introduce yourself to me, because that would be a first. lol.) Canton Cooks is for authentic Cantonese eats, so consider ordering what we had:
*Fish Maw Soup: I’m not sure what all is in there — think one of the things is fish lung? — but it’s delectable and a great way to start a meal.
*Lobster w/​Garlic Sauce: Honestly, I don’t think there’s any better way to consume lobster. It’s messy, so be prepared to use your hands. And like what I did, suck the sh** out of them shells, yo.
*Steamed Sea Bass w/​Soy Sauce & Garlic: It was good, but definitely could have used more soy sauce. Also, the fish itself tasted like it’s been in the freezer for a while. Not bad, but not sure if we could’ve ordered it again.
*Salt & Pepper Squid: We read the Unilocal reviews and decided to include this dish in our order. And you know what? It was one of the best that night. Nicely fried, perfectly chewy, and slightly spicy — I could eat this all day.
*Pea Tips: It could use a tad bit more salt, but I loved it. Veggie lovers, this is a must.
*Seafood Chowfun: Sauce was a bit too watery, and I think they could’ve used some starch to thicken it up. It’s my preference, though, and not a knock against how they cook it.
II. SERVICE
There was a lot of yelling in this restaurant from the owner/​manager, so we definitely took this as a sign of fast service. (And it was!) Owner/​manager also came out and talked with my girlfriend’s ma. She’s cool. lol.
III. ATMOSPHERE/​DÉCOR
It’s drab, yet it looks like many other authentic Cantonese restaurants I’ve been to. In other words, it’s not the type of place a dude should take a lady on a first date. It is the type of place to see if she’s wifey. Nah mean? Lol.
IV. PRICES
$ 12-​$ 30+ for dishes. Obviously, the cost of seafoods depends on the season so they fluctuate. Very reasonable, though. If you got all those dishes above, it’ll cost you somewhere north of $ 130+.
V. OVERALL
I’ll continue to search for great Cantonese in the «A,» but for right now Canton Cooks is the clear favorite. Thanks mysterious Taiwanese couple! If you’re reading this, send me a message so we can reconnect! Maybe over some lobster with garlic sauce.

You can find Canton Cooks at the Exchange shopping center anchored by Whole Foods. You can also find two of my favorites, Hearth Pizza and Mike’s Hotdogs in the same shopping center so there are several alternatives if you’re not in the mood for Chinese food.
Since the restaurant is in the middle of a strip-​mall, it doesn’t look like much — you’ll find it from the octagonal window and red double-​door entryway.
I’ve been coming to Canton Cooks for many, many years and it’s identified as a favorite by Sandy Springs locals. While it’s not exceptional swag (aka Americanized) Chinese Food, it does have all your basics and does them well — it’s also been very consistent throughout the years I’ve visited, that’s been at least 10 years and introduced by my friend Alec P (who’s now off in LA producing movies). Besides consistency and convenience, Canton Cooks also offers incredible value for the food it produces, especially during lunch. It’s really the only decent Chinese restaurant within several miles and much better than Chin Chin 5 down the street.
The interior is larger than you would expect, but a bit dowdy/​dated (the place has been here for some time and could use some freshening). Don’t let that scare you off though as the food is good.
Most recently I visited with my usual lunch crew — we were greeted with a half-​filled restaurant (we were early) and immediate seating. The food came out fast and blazingly hot. Lunch comes with your choice of hot-​and-​sour or wonton soup plus a spring roll and crispy chicken wing. Lunch prices here are way cheap, between $ 6.95 and $ 8.25.
I think Sangam and I had the hot-​and-​sour soup (Sid passed due to the chicken broth) — it was good but nothing special. It came with fried wontons, your basic bowl of deliciousness we all know we shouldn’t eat but do anyway.
My eggetarian friend Sid ordered the veggie egg foo yung. It was good but next time he say’s he’ll get it without the brown sauce. Fried rice for him.
Sangam and I both ordered the Kung Po Chicken — the chicken was flavorful but a little bland — nothing that a spoonful of chili oil can’t fix. Plenty of veggies and peanuts. We both opted for steamed rice.
The food was tasty and well done — the portions were large and the service exceptional. For all you Chinese food snobs, this place isn’t bad at all and for Sandy Springs, well worth trying out.
(slightly different version of this review also posted to my food blog)

This place has been one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Atlanta. The space is small so you are likely to wait for a table on the weekends.
My favorite dishes are mostly the salt and peppered dishes. It tastes the same every time. I can never eat all of my favorites at once because there was too many. Here we go.
1. Duck and bamboo soup with black mushrooms
2. Braised chicken wings
3. Salt and pepper shrimp no shells
4. Salt and peppered squid
5. Salt and pepper tofu
6. Salt and pepper Dungeness crab
7. Ginger and scallions lobster
8. Salt and pepper pork chops
9. Seafood and tofu hot pot
10. Ong choi with garlic
11. Snow pea leaves with garlic
12. Pan fried sea bass
There’s a lot of good stuff here and these are just my usuals. Don’t be scared of the clutter and dirtiness here and there. It’s all about good food here. They can serve food in an alley way and it will still be the most delicious Chinese food in Atlanta.

I’ve been here many times but for some reason decided not to leave a review… Multiple instances.
A couple of random facts (mentioned by a friend, so I can’t take all the credit):
1. Best fried chicken wings in town. You love Mary Mac’s or Busy Bee Café? Your mind will draw a blank if you order these. Bigger than Taco Mac wings (how is that even possible) and crispier and juicier than any fried chicken wings I’ve had.
2. Open late to cater to the restaurant owners of ATL. The Chinese restaurant owners gotta eat somewhere, might as well be somewhere good.
I love the Cantonese food here! I’ve never gone wrong with nearly any order. The fried tofu in any dish is so good! My parents had a few complaints:
1. Vegetables: too oily (but seriously. Is that a complaint? The oilier the better, in my book).
2. Eggplant: too sweet (I mean… It’s sweet and sour for a reason!) although I do agree that the flavor of the eggplant was a little too sweet. I would have preferred more of a spicy kick.
3. Lo Mein: no good. Always go with the Chow Mein. There is seriously a difference. Just go with it.
A solid option when Buford Highway’s Bobo Garden is not convenient.

I’ve been to this place for lunch and dinner. Even though dinner might have been just slightly better… I was very unimpressed with everything.
It was a while back when I tried lunch so I’m not exactly sure what I got, but nothing too impressive. I remember saying I wouldn’t come back for lunch though.
So I decided to give dinner a try. I’ve been to this place a few years ago and remember really enjoying all of the food that was ordered. Yeah… not so much this time unfortunately. Here’s what we got:
— Wonton soup:
I didn’t get to try this aside from the soup but I was very disappointed in the way it was served. It came in this super tiny soup bowl. On the menu, it’s priced at $ 4.95, but when we received the check, they marked it at $ 2.95. So I’m not sure if they made a mistake or not, but obviously I was expecting something a lot bigger if we’re going to pay almost $ 5. The soup itself tasted really watery. No flavor.
— Salt and Pepper Squid:
We decided to try this since it was highly recommended on Unilocal.Eh… Not sure what the hype is about. I didn’t really like it and it had a very weird after taste to it.
— Bean Curd and Mixed Seafood Hot Pot:
This is always favorite type of dish to get. Although this dish was better than the first two, it was still not really that good. Portion was a decent size, but everything in there was mostly vegetables. It wasn’t cooked very well so it tasted a little bland to me…
Service wasn’t good. It wasn’t terrible but not good. One of the servers snapped at me when I told him I changed my mind about the hot and sour soup because of the tiny bowl it came in. No thank you sir, and I know I won’t be back anytime soon if you’re going to offer poor service and average/​below average food.

Maybe I just didn’t order the right dishes, but the food here was horrible. It literally wasn’t worth the effort of moving the food from the plate to my mouth. I got the vegetable noodle soup and the Chinese broccoli. I wanted to try the snow pea tips, but they didn’t have them. Everything was completely tasteless. There was oyster sauce drizzled on the Chinese broccoli, but it only made it onto one broccoli. I had high hopes for this place because of all the great reviews, but I was thoroughly disappointed.

Our goto place for Chinese food.
Ultimate favorite dishes are the salted pepper squid and schezan shrimp.
It’s a staple for Atlanta.

BEST CANTONESE FOOD IN TOWN, HANDS DOWN! Large portion, fair price, amazing flavor, quality food, good service, what more can you ask for?
I do recommend going with a small group of friends and do family style, because 3 entrees is enough to share with 4 people. You can also ask for this Malaysian sauce (similar to a dry shrimp paste) and/​or vinegar infused jalapenos on the side!
Some must-​try items are the salt & pepper squid, snow pea leaves, and steamed seabass with ginger and green onions. Yum :)

Canton Cooks is not a great restaurant. I am not sure how else to put it. I went here with a group of 4 recently and was widely castigated by the group for my choice. The food was at best uninspiring, in a older place with poorly updated ambiance and ok service.
We went during dinner and had some Unilocal recommendations. (I try to only go to places that have at least 100 reviews and Unilocal four stars. I may have to delve in deeper before making choices.) First, the menu is a typical American-​style Chinese restaurant. Although there are large groups of folks who would seem to know the menu, it’s a diverse crowd. (There are tables of Chinese families dining in so that was a plus.) However, the age of the menu, both the actual paper and its contents was concerning.
We order a Tsing Tao, that comes out at the end of the meal. (OK a little confusion perhaps.) And then the egg plant and Worshue Duck. Both were tastless and uninspiring. The Worshue Duck was fried duck, but without any flavor. The egg plant had hints of what was proper flavor — though cooked to a pulp. Both dishes came out very quickly, but not hot, suggesting they had been made previously.
The meal was described by others at the table as disgusting. My stomach was quesy in the restaurant.
The ambiance is old, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The food is just not great.
This is the odd thing: It’s packed and highly reviewed. So how to explain that? Most reviews are several years old and may not reflect the food. Also, I’d have to believe that they serve different food to different folks. There’s no way that the tables of Chinese families I saw could possibly bring guests with food that poor. (And in tasting the food, I could believe that someone knew how to make them.)
The problem is that my meal was the worst I’ve had in a very long time. (I’ve done nearly 200 reviews and few have merited 1 star.) I would recommend Bobo Gardens or Chef Liu’s, if you are in the mood for much better quality food.