I love this place! If you're looking for a fun place with live music, performers, dancing, and great food then look no further than golden gates! This is an Eastern European style restaurant however everyone speaks English and the music is American, European, and Latin. The food we ordered was the "deluxe banquet." There are 4 banquet option menus you can see on their website but I believe you can also order a la carte. The restaurant is BYOB so we brought our own liquor and wine. I stopped taking photos of all the food throughout the night, but the servers continuously clear out plates and replace with new ones- cold apps, hot apps, main entree, and dessert. I can't wait to for another reason to come here for a fun night out read more

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Disappointing Experience at Christmas Party. We attended a Christmas company party at Golden Gates Restaurant on 12/20/2025 and were very disappointed. The venue was overcrowded, making it difficult for guests to move around or enjoy the dance floor. The food was cold and of poor quality/not tasty, and the show and music did not meet expectations. Overall, the experience felt chaotic, and the space seemed inadequate for the price. Unfortunately, we would not recommend this restaurant for parties. read more

Great experience at Golden Gates. I recently went here on a Saturday night as a guest for my wife's Christmas work party and we left impressed. It's BYOB btw. Parking was found easily in the shopping center lot and when we left at 1am the lot was still packed! The outside of the building may not look like much, but the inside is nice. They had the entrance/front area decorated with white Christmas trees and furniture out front which provided some really nice pictures. The dinner started at 8, live entertainment at 9 and the food kept coming out until midnight. Food wise - we were greeted with cold appetizers - pickled vegetables, eggplants, several different salads ..... then came some seafood towers that included shrimp, lobster tail, salmon and clams casino ..... in waves came fried potatoes, mushrooms baked in a cheese dish, something that looked like a baked/samosa with meat in it, and lamb shanks .... later Kebab's with chicken, beef and maybe pork .... lastly some cakes and fruit came out with coffee and tea. I'm not sure which package her bosses purchased, but everyone was stuffed with food and we all left with take home containers. I thought most, if not all of the dishes were delicious. I probably left out some dishes on my list, my apologies for that. The entertainment included a couple of dancers and three or four rotating singers with a DJ. The songs ranged from some recent POP hits/techno to some from the 80's, 90's and 2000's. The singers were up in the air on cables for a few songs and the dance floor in front of the stage was full of people for most of the night. There is also a video screen behind the singers/entertainers and lots of lighting. I didn't see any issues with shoving or fighting. If your not much of a dancer, this is a great place to listen to music, watch the show and people watch! I enjoyed seeing so many cultures of people (mostly European/former Soviet countries) and how everyone was dressed. Lots of smiles and good times were being had. The staff was prompt and if you asked for anything they had it out right away. All in all I thought it was a great time and would definitely return. If you are looking for a new experience, I would highly recommend a visit! read more

My first and last time in this place! Absolutely disgusted with the service we received at the event we attended. Overcharging is an understatement. Food was less than mediocre, a few people from my party had gotten sick immediately after consuming food. Service staff was very inattentive. We did not feel welcome. Event was under booked, half empty banquet hall, and for a good reason! read more

Always a good time.The food and entertainment are great.With they were located closer to where we live.

Bumping up a star. So this is post-pandemic party update from my earlier review (I've to many parties here over the years pre-pandemic). I attended a birthday party on a Sunday night we were the only party there so the table setup was much more spacious. I can't say if this will hold true to a busy night where there are multiple parties at once or on a major party holiday like New Years Eve but it was definitely a welcome change to formerly being packed in almost back to back with other tables. More than anything else that impressed me was the huge improvement in the food quality. It was so much better than pre-pandemic. I don't know if the staff changed or if they just are not as slammed so they are making things with better care but the quality is far better than before. All in all it was a much more enjoyable experience even if we didn't have the live band and just a DJ. read more

Good food but insanely loud and worse, my credit card was "accidentally" overcharged by more than $50 all 3 times I was there for an event. You can not give them your bill and card and gave them charge what you owe. read more

This is the big kahuna of the Russian restaurants of Philadelphia. Don't be deceived by the restaurant designation, the place, like most bigger Russian restaurants, is more of a dance hall with lots of tables to serve patrons with tons of mass produced food from mostly prix-fixe menu. I will start with the good that encompasses my reason for going there regularly (several times each year) for over 10 years. The place is very big, it will seat hundreds of patrons in relative comfort, it has a big stage, powerful sound system, large dance floor, resident band, BYOB, and a good overall layout. This makes it great for weddings, birthday parties and other major events. Since Golden Gate has been around for a longer time and has had more or less stable ownership and workforce, the waiters tend to know their duties, restaurant at full capacity will generate handsome tips. There are very few walk-ins, most business is done by reservations for larger groups with menu setup well in advance. I have not scheduled parties there, but many of my friends have, so I am somewhat of a regular guest who never gets to actually order as prix-fixe "banquet" decision has been made for me well in advance. Now the bad, or the reason why I don't like to schedule events in GG. It is too big. Just too many people at the same time for an enjoyable dining experience. There is next to no intimacy within the table, only few obstructions to view for most of the dining area, some parts are raised up in order for patrons to be better seen. Moreover some tables are mere inches away from large dance floor that does fill up to its gills at times. Band is way too loud and somewhat obnoxious. Talking to person 3 feet away from you is often problematic. If you want to talk in between dishes, best bets are either to go into hallway or even outside. 99% of the songs played are repeating every night, sometimes several times each night. Most of songs are covers and remixes of Russian, European and Italian pop music, mixed in with something slow sang by request, so don't be surprised to hear singing in three or four different languages within mere 10 minutes. And to make it all stand out, few things are sang in a way that would want to make you hear that performance again. Food is mass produced. Menu will have some of the greatest delicacies of European food, seafood, sushi, caviar, foie gras, etc., but don't expect that it will be prepared by several chefs trained in France for many years, for all purposes GG cooks are nameless creatures hidden deep within the kitchen. So if you want to spend big money on foie gras, lobster or sushi, lookup a specialty restaurant in center city or in well off suburbs, GG is not the place for it. Last concern is the regular patrons. You will see all kinds of people on almost every night. Every age group from teens and sweet 16s to elderly celebrating quadruple bypasses and 50th wedding anniversaries. One thing for sure, everyone dresses to impress and everyone dresses about the same. While elderly are a problem only on dance floor and sometimes with long addresses to birthday boys and girls (including self-made poetry), the under-aged crowd is a different problem. There is no drinking control there, its 100% BYOB, so expect wildly drunk teenagers. There is no dress code there either, so expect very slutty looking girls. When there are lots of booze, teenagers and slutty girls... there are fights, but they end fast. Lastly dress code for most others. Men in suits, women in black dresses, other colors make it look like a reenactment of Pleasantville. End result, its doable, it is still a great place for a huge party, but for majority of dining out with handful of friends, this is just not the spot. read more

Loved it. It's all about the experience and gathering together the right group of friends. Unbelievable people watching, even better to throw yourself into the fray. The food just keeps coming, we went family style. Nothing special but a wide variety and generous portions. Feels like you're paying more for the experience and the floor show than the dining. You were going to a Russian night club, it's a bring your own. Not an inexpensive evening when you throw in the Uber but for a special occasion highly recommend. Service was OK, well-meaning and attentive even if there was a language barrier. Dealt with Alex in advance on the menu and preparation and He was a pleasure. read more

Golden Gates is a fixture, a pillar, a staple in the Russian community - this is where the parties, the celebrations, the Bar / Bat Mitzvahs and weddings take place. They also do a great job hosting holidays, especially the New Year's. But be prepared to pay, and sit / eat / dance shoulder to shoulder - this place is p-o-p-u-l-a-r! The restaurant / night club [depending on your age & generation] has been part of Russian Philadelphia for many. It has morphed from a long, narrow, kitschy. crowded area into a spacious, better-planned, more elegant environment. Some would consider it "over the top", but hey - have you met a Russian who isn't "over the top" in one way or another? The food at Golden Gates is fantastic - the choices are abundant: Russian & European cuisine; and they will step outside the box and tickle your fancy with anything you like: as long as you are ready to cover the associated costs. Same goes for decorating for your special event, arranging for kosher foods, and creating a fabulous dessert table - it's not a "table", it's a feast of decadent desserts fit for a tzar. There is a very large elevated stage, well equipped with the necessary audio / visual & lighting technology, and they have a house band. I've been coming to this restaurant through its "evolution" for ages (!), and have always had a great time: the food, the service, the company of friends & family, literally dancing the night away -- all are top notch. But, my most recent visit to Golden Gates left me extremely disappointed with their band: they simply sucked! The music selections were incongruent, performances were quite sloppy [3 singers], the MC was loud, obnoxious, and there seemed to be no cohesion to the band. It simply did not "flow" well through the 6 hrs of celebration. Most of the time, the dance floor was empty. So, note to the band: shape up, or you'll start costing the owners the business. Get on with the program, update your repertoire, and stop wasting peoples' time and waiting for them to "feed the band" with money. You certainly did not earn your "base salary" recently, why would anyone want to "feed" you more?? Zhorik - please take note. They sucked! read more

So I don't really know what the inside looks like, but I used to hang out in the parking lot a good amount. Great place! Great variety of salvage-titled vehicles. One or two fights, but overall safe. This is the heart of northeast. read more

This is the third time I been to GG and it is always a fun night with live music and performances and delicious food. I celebrated my wife's birthday and we had a blast. read more

Best experience! Great food, great music, great vibe! Fix price menu, BYOB, live band music, pop and dance hits; English, Russian, Polish, (ex-Soviet regions). Live performance: classical and modern. Dress to impress, Jacket and dress European style! This is the best all-in-one party experience for Saturday night!! read more

A pretentious Russian woman who is on the board of a local Russian federation with no members, runs a scam non-profit, and wears fake Chanel accessories brought me to this place. She has thrown at least two "events" here and tried to tell me that it's sooooo "upscale". It's actually overdone and tacky just like her. I gave points for the entertainment troupe, but I'm from New York and I've been to Europe....This place is nothing extraordinary. It's not more fun or more interesting than other local clubs, Russian or American, and the food just isn't good. read more

As I write this, I am in the last few hours of a wedding and wedding reception (ends at 3 am) at The Golden Gates, and I am enjoying everything here. Before the ceremony, all 200+ guests sat at tables. Servers brought to each table delicious hors d'oeuvres -- caviar, tuna slices, salmon, eggplant, shrimp, beets w/fancy cucumber, tender steak slices, fruit, cheese/meat, and some other seafood (not sure exactly what kind). Then we were served lamb shanks with risotto, foie gras, duck, sea bass, and lamb chops. Everything was cooked just right. (Yes, I confess I have a large appetite, but I had small portions.) A lot of us -- even my husband and I -- had fun dancing. We also enjoyed watching the professional dancers on the stage behind moving laser lights and in front of huge light show screens. This has been a very merry wedding, and I highly recommend Golden Gates. read more

The food is VERY mediocre and I'd actually give it about a 2 out of 5. Food quantity is fantastic. Food quality is mediocre at best. The entertainment act deserves a 3-4 star rating while the venue itself gets a 2 out of 5. It looks very rundown and a like a bad strip club from the outside. The inside is better but still sorely in need of renovation as it's dated, worn and stinks of that old food/musty smell. This place is well past it's prime. We went for an anniversary party so didn't pay for ourselves but I did look into doing NYE there in the past and was floored at how much they're asking for NYE admission. Fortunately we went somewhere else as I would have been very disappointed to pay that much and be so disappointed in the place. They sorely need to renovate this place and find a chef that can pump out some better quality food. A good party otherwise if you can overlook those things. read more

I have been coming to golden gates since 2012 for many birthday and bachelorette celebrations! they have definitely upgraded the entrance and it is beautiful to take photos in. I have always loved coming here not bc of food, which i always thought was just mediocre, but for the music and a large dance floor. They have really outdone themselves with so many different singers, and dancers, and other entertainers! it is a blast to be there! I was there just last weekend but it was super crowded with not enough room to dance so i would love for them to increase the size of the dance floor :/ also before we used to be able to order Uzbek songs or just whatever songs we wanted to if we paid, which is no longer possible and that was disappointing. As for the food, the quality of it has deteriorated from the past unfortunately ( our cold appetizers weren't very fresh, meat pies were so dry ) and for the price they charge, that was very upsetting. I guess they are now focusing and investing more on the show than the food. I would give the food 2 stars but i am upping the star bc of the live show and music. read more

We spent New Year's Eve here for $250 per person. For that price the experience was pretty disappointing. We had been here on a regular Saturday and the show that day was as good or even better than NYE show. They did not do anything for midnight except counting it down, no lights, things thrown in the air or dancing. The whole show included a lot of almost naked girls lip syncing, another issue I have when I paid $500 for my husband and me. They decided to serve extraordinary food for NYE, which all ended up being seafood. I understand that red caviar, crab and lobster, ahi tuna, cold fish cuts and pork served under chocolate and raspberries are all expensive and glamorous meals but after eating 90% seafood for hours my family was so happy when they brought out grilled chicken, steak and lamb chop. It is completely worth going to Golden Gates on a regular Saturday for $65-$85 and experience great food and show, but NYE $250 is a waste of an evening and money. read more

I love Golden Gates and feel lucky that one of my Russian friends was kind enough to introduce me to it. This is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday, anniversary, or a graduation. The best way I can describe it is it is like going to an opulent wedding without having to pay the $100 to $150 obligatory gift to the bride and the groom. The food is plentiful and marvelous. It is BYOB and the entertainment is great. I like to dance but at my age (number not revealed) I feel a bit old to cue up next to the 20 somethings in front of a velvet rope waiting to get into a club. Here you can join the dance floor with an eclectic mix of different folks (well most of them will be Russian - - but Russians of all ages). This brings me to another point - even if you don't dance, this is great people watching. Sometimes when I walk down Chestnut street I see shoes or outfits and think to myself, does anyone ever actually wear those shoes? or that dress? or those cut out leggings? Why yes, yes they do - you will see it at Golden Gates. Another plus here is that the food is just delicious and if you take it home which is encouraged you can forget going grocery shopping that week. The portions are huge. I have tried most things on the menu and love the seafood pasta, the steak, and the potatoes. One tip is that this place gets crowded late and is open late so plan your BYO and designated driver accordingly. Think beyond wine (Vodka, champagne, scotch) etc. The only downside, well it's a Russian establishment so the band leader speaks in Russian - this can be expected but as a non-russian speaker you will be reminded that you are out of your element - but that in and of itself has a certain appeal doesn't it? Viva Golden Gates! read more

So much better under the previous ownership! Had an event scheduled for 40 people on agreed date. Owners suddenly cancelled to accommodate a wedding . Explanation from the owner - he'll profit more from a bigger party . They did offer to switch to a different date - not possible due to work schedule, also , one kinda hoping to celebrate their bday possibly within the same month of a bday date..may be? Not to mention having to uninvite then re invite guests who already adjusted their plans to be able to make it to the party on a scheduled date ! Was considering a 200 ppl wedding there. Nope.. Business ran with short term goals in mind only , translates into failed long term success . Good luck , Golden Gates! read more

What an amazing, fun, experience. Friendly staff with limited English understanding. Great place to party with a fun group while enjoying food and drinks with great music and dancing all night long! Very fun. read more

Wow! What a fun night. My friend organized a party for her boyfriend's birthday at Golden Gates with a large party. It was like attending a vibrant wedding in another country. I think I danced for five hours. Very interesting live entertainment. An array of food. BYOB. 20 - 30 minute Lyft ride from Fishtown. read more

I love the place, but the valentines day was disgusting! Was over craft, we haven't got at least 3 dishes with food, wich we ordered before. read more

I loved that place. Everything was awesome.Great service.the only thing that make me feel bad is they don't have a diapers changing station.Also when I asked a room to feed my baby, they told me I can do it in the restroom:((((I would love to see one of them eating in the restroom. read more

When you leave your negative comments, please, be brave enough to leave your contact info as well. I would say that Golden Gates band is the best in town. I had my Birthday there and it was a great time for me and my guests. Music was unbelievable, great singers, MC was intelligent and funny. With best regards, Lana Sheveleva. read more

For people, who will plan their party in Russian restaurant "Golden Gates": DON'T DO IT! My daughter's iPhone and 4 i Phones of her guests kids were stolen right in the middle of her "Sweet 16" party - some Russian guy came to restaurant, took 5 phones from the table (the expensive ones) while the kids were dancing, and left. The cameras in the hall sitting there just for decoration. Police filed the report right away. The "owner" just left and so was the band. So the party was ruined in 2 hours and nobody is responsible. I paid the full price for it (for at least 4 hours) and didn't receive any discount. BUT! I was really hopping that my daughter will have a good memories about her birthday party. And I will blame myself FOREVER for giving an idea to do it in the stupid "Golden Gates" ! ! ! read more

We had our Wedding there in April 2015, Amazing food, entertainment and service!!! Cant say enough!!!A+++ Highly recommend, Thank you for a Great Wedding event!!! read more

Apparently there is not enough competition for Russian cuisine or entertainment in Philadelphia. The environment of kitschy 90s, overpriced food that is rather bland and too greasy, the tables which are too close to each other and the music that is way too loud. Yes, there were a couple of ok singers, who belted out Russian and English songs, but the volume was so astounding, that it is hard to appreciate anything. read more

The best place in Northeast to celebrate any occasion. I was there couple of times on Saturday and Friday. Some Friday nights they have there Insomnia show - completely different and new concept with beds and couches setup through the place! Spectacular show with different artists, sexy dancers, cool club music from different DJs the whole night. I like atmosphere there, very special and fancy. A lot of beautiful girls and people...Good tasty food... Thanks Lasha and Ilya Dzlieri for great time I've spent there!! Definitely will come again. Highly recommended! read more

I will think twice before I ever go there again!! Everything was arranged: I discussed the menu with the chef-cook Ella, ordered a birthday cake from her and left a deposit. My biggest concern was that that there was enough food. The chef assured me that there would be more than enough. On Saturday morning I called to confirm that there were going to be 10 ppl. However, they messed up. The food that I ordered was never served. I even discussed with Ella what type of cake I want for the Birthday guy! But we did not get the cake!!!!! How come??! If we did not have our own cake, that would have been a disaster. The bottom line: mediocre food, OK service, and horrible management. They did all they could to f... up the birthday party: forget about the cake, put unopened wine bottles on the table (literally, I had to ask 3 waiters to open the bottles), ignored my preferences regarding the food. I can say my guests were not happy - I would not be happy!!! I went to Samarkand a couple times - it's great there!!! Music, food, service!!! Never-ever let GG ruin your party - go to Samarkand instead!!! read more