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Growing up in Toronto my family always frequented this Chinese restaurant in Scarborough, a few years later, they moved to Markham. We still went and dined there at least once every two weeks. Magic Wok. 'Sung dung'. Man, so many amazing memories and great food. They closed down and the place still sits empty. Decades later. Just found the restaurant that has many of the same dishes! Back in Scarborough! Amazing bird's nest (taro!!), sweet and sour pork, fish! I am so thrilled to be transported back to the tastes of my childhood! Will be back with my family and friends!
My husband and I were really looking forward to share a 3 to 4 lbs lobster at May Yan. I been here several times before when they were called Maple Yip and really enjoyed the food. Unfortunately, we were extremely disappointed . On their menu, they advertise a dine-in lobster price of $22.99/lb with a minimum order of 2.5 lbs. There were no wording saying a larger lobster will cost more per pound, which we would have gladly paid. We spoke to the waitress in Cantonese ordering 3-4 lbs lobster cooked maggi-styled, satay beef with veggies and half a fish sauce chicken. First, we got complementary soup, then the chicken came, followed by the satay beef with veggies. I mentioned to my husband that it's weird that all the other dishes came and they didn't come till is what the final weight of the lobster was. I understand not all places will bring the lobster out for you to see, but they usually tell you what the actual weight of the lobster is before cooking it. To our disappointment, the lobster dish came and it was 3 smaller (approx 1.25lbs each) lobsters. Foodies know that one 3-4lbs lobster just doesn't taste the same as multiple ~1lb lobsters. We asked the waitress about it and she said we didn't specify. "And that bigger lobster are 27.99/lb and assumed we didn't want to pay the price". Lol...it would be nice if she at least asked. The lobsters were fresh but it just wasn't the same. We finished the lobster dish, and when she came to collect the dirty dishes she said, "wow, you guys actually finished it". LOL. The satay beef with veggies was very oily with no "wok hay", something I would expect from a Cantonese restaurant with decor dating back to the early 2000s. The chicken was average, nothing to write home about. A tad bit too salty but it is cooked with "fish sauce" and we didn't order white rice to go with our dishes, so the saltiness is acceptable. With the meal being approximately $170 with tax and tips, and we had both half the chicken and beef dishes to pack home, I would say the price is reasonable. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here or wait in line for a table. They do take reservations though!
Came here for a family dinner on a weekend and it was pretty busy. We got their set dinner at a pretty reasonable price. The portions are pretty big, and every dish is flavorful. Loved the sweet and sour pork as well as the stir-fried beef, very tender. Highly recommend this restaurant, and we'll be back in the future.
Good value, reasonable quality. We saw May Yan Seafood on social media, and the set menus looked like value you couldn't get anywhere else in the GTA nowadays. We did make a reservation, which seems to be necessary if you go on a weekend since the restaurant is pretty small. It is a typical Scarborough restaurant, with limited decor and embellishments but solid food. We found that all our chopsticks were sticky but we didn't let that interrupt our meal. We ordered the set menu for 6, which came with 2.5lb lobster, steamed fish, sweet and sour pork, beef and veggie, fried rice, and half a chicken. For $128 dollars, this is a great deal. We added $10 to get the lobster done in typhoon style, rather than ginger and scallion. Overall, the taste was good - nothing too special, but I enjoyed all the dishes. I think the portion for some of the dishes was small to be shared amongst 6 people, but you can always add another dish. Split amongst 5 people, we each paid $35 including tax and tip which is a great price nowadays. For a normal dinner, this is perfect, but for a special occasion I would choose something different since the environment is not the best.
TLDR - Overall value 4 stars; food rating depends on what you order. The place has seen a busier time, but it still worths a visit. I patronized May Yan three times within the last two months, twice for weekend family dinners and once for a birthday celebration. My honest opinion is the chef is skilled. Not only can s/he cook a large variety of dishes, s/he can cook some rather uncommon dishes. These dishes require pre-ordering. Everything tastes okay to good, with seafood tasting the best. The flavor profile is bold and traditional. And the pricing is affordable. $26.50 for a steamed live whole Tilapia fish? Sign me up! The plating is impressive and the sauce is good. And portions are generous for other meat and vegetables dishes. Check out the pictures. What set May Yan back are 1) the decor and ambiance, and 2) the ingredients. There is probably nothing the owners can do about the older building, or the numerous spas in the mall. Maybe they can refresh the venue with a new coat of paint; that is about it. In terms of ingredients, the non-seafood ingredients could be fresher from my experience. No, they are not spoiled by any means, nor do they taste funny. But they are not as fresh as say Congee Queens. Nothing that I cannot look passed when I look at how much food I get for how little I pay. And if you stick with entrees that have high turnovers, you probably can get around the freshness issue.
We used to live nearby and visited the Maple Yip restaurant quite often. Now with the same chef and menu but a new owner, it was renamed as may yan restaurant. This is the first time we tried it after the ownership change. We ordered a few dishes as part of the CNY dinner takeout, the food quality was still quite solid (as good as dine-in). You have to reserve their signature dish such as "sticky rice stuffed chicken" at least a day jn advance. Flavour was perfect, with skin still being crispy even after a long drive home. Portion was also decent. We also tried their steam fish and shrimp dish. The fish was quite fresh and was cooked just perfectly. The so-called medium size shrimp dish should be renamed as large size shrimp dish. The portion and size of the shrimp were both quite decent. Unlike many other restaurants who tend to overcook shrimp dish, this dish here was cooked perfectly. The texture and flavour of the shrimp both turned out great. I especially like that the glass noodles which absorbed all the flavour of the shrimp and had a pleasant seafood taste. Strongly recommend this place and glad to see the chef's super solid cooking fundamentals and the restaurant's value for money has not deteriorated at all over the years.
42. Sauteed Assorted Seafood w/Vegetables in birds nest $23.95 102. Beef tenderloin "cantonese style" $16.95 111. Stir fried beef with vegetables $13.95 174. Fried E-Fu noodles with mushrooms $13 Short ribs with honey glaze sauce (not on menu/only featured in party tray so ask) $15.95 Rice $2.50/bowl Lobster Typhoon (2.5 pounds) $24.99/LB + $10 = $62.50 Includes a Lai tong (soup) and dessert (tofu pudding or red bean dessert) Service from the main lady ( I believe owner) was very warm and welcoming.. she was very personable and she made me feel like I was a regular.. kept checking in and was hands on to help! Other servers were okay Everything was 10/10 for pricing, value, portions, taste... highly recommend if you want some quality Chinese food that wont break the bank.. its not the fanciest place and thats what I like about it.. its the kind of restaurants I went to growing up so it gives me a comfort cozy feel!
I've been here twice but my review is for my most recent visit in August 2021. We typically order the small winter melon soup which is good enough for 7 people. You have to place the order for it 24 hours in advance. We ordered from the Lobster & Fish combo menu that had 2 sauteed lobsters, General Tao, half a chicken, fish, stir fry vegetables and beef, and fried rice. I was really surprised how yummy the lobsters were as well as the fried rice. Everything else was average-good. The lobsters ended up a bit "overweight" so we had to top of the difference in price. This place seems reasonably popular with locals as it quickly fills up at supper time on the weekend. It's best to reserve a table by phone first.
Got takeout from this location during COVID for a family dinner. Lobster - was very fresh and meaty. The way it was prepared added great flavor without taking away from the lobster. Fish - the fish dish was big and lots of meat. Again very fresh seafood. Loved the pork underneath to give some saltiness and deep fried rice that absorbs the sauce. Steamed chicken - pretty standard Chinese fair. Meat was done well and had great flavor. What I expect from good Chinese restaurants. The fish omelette with preserved vegetables - also a great dish. Word of warning the preserved veges are not everyone's favorite and are quite the salt bomb so it's definitely for those who enjoy they flavor. Overall it works well as the egg and fish are more subtle flavors and the preserved vegetable provides the salty kick. Beef with Chinese broccoli - a tad too gingery for me but overall good. Meat cooked well and tender, veges also not overly done. Overall, great place for fresh seafood cooked in Chinese style.
Bright White table cloth Relaxed atmosphere Huge portions ($308 combo). Attendant serves everyone. Taste good Loads of MSG‽
Came here for my aunts bday lunch and it's okay. It's not bad but I have been to other Chinese restaurants with better food.
Just ate at this place and it was just okay. Maple Yip used to be in the exact location. We ordered their half crispy chicken, 2 ginger and green onion lobsters and a seafood bird nest. The crispy chicken was good but the one at Asian Legend is better. The ginger and green onion lobsters was very bland but the lobster themselves were fresh. The seafood nest was just meh. If you are a seafood person like I am you will be disappointed. Will not return.
Dining with my elder relatives is always a pleasure, especially when we enjoy delicious food from one of our favourite restaurants, May Yan in Scarborough, is that place for us. We started with their Crab Meat and Fish Maw Soup, and followed with Pork Loin with Chef's Special Sauce, and Cantonese Chow Mein. As usual, everything tasted great! We'll definitely be back! read more
May Yan is like the reliable old friend who one doesn't appreciate enough. They're always there and never disappoint. We ordered a seafood and taofu soup to start and a seafood birds nest. The soup was light and comforting with a dash of white pepper. The seafood in bird's nest was absolutely sublime, with fresh vegetables and thinly shredded ginger. Seafood was comprised of perfectly scored squid, shrimps and scallops. No mussels unfortunately. This was a wholesome lunch which left us feeling full, healthy and not weighed down. It's a quiet place, no blaring music. Staff are lovely people who go the extra mile. read more
May Yan Seafood Restaurant is a hidden gem! Stop by for a quick bite after your Spa treatment, or post-Tuina massage! Tasty, well-prepared food. Fresh ingredients. Great for large groups, birthday parties and family friendly dinners! read more
Growing up in Toronto my family always frequented this Chinese restaurant in Scarborough, a few years later, they moved to Markham. We still went and dined there at least once every two weeks. Magic Wok. 'Sung dung'. Man, so many amazing memories and great food. They closed down and the place still sits empty. Decades later. Just found the restaurant that has many of the same dishes! Back in Scarborough! Amazing bird's nest (taro!!), sweet and sour pork, fish! I am so thrilled to be transported back to the tastes of my childhood! Will be back with my family and friends! read more
1 year ago
My husband and I were really looking forward to share a 3 to 4 lbs lobster at May Yan. I been here several times before when they were called Maple Yip and really enjoyed the food. Unfortunately, we were extremely disappointed . On their menu, they advertise a dine-in lobster price of $22.99/lb with a minimum order of 2.5 lbs. There were no wording saying a larger lobster will cost more per pound, which we would have gladly paid. We spoke to the waitress in Cantonese ordering 3-4 lbs lobster cooked maggi-styled, satay beef with veggies and half a fish sauce chicken. First, we got complementary soup, then the chicken came, followed by the satay beef with veggies. I mentioned to my husband that it's weird that all the other dishes came and they didn't come till is what the final weight of the lobster was. I understand not all places will bring the lobster out for you to see, but they usually tell you what the actual weight of the lobster is before cooking it. To our disappointment, the lobster dish came and it was 3 smaller (approx 1.25lbs each) lobsters. Foodies know that one 3-4lbs lobster just doesn't taste the same as multiple ~1lb lobsters. We asked the waitress about it and she said we didn't specify. "And that bigger lobster are 27.99/lb and assumed we didn't want to pay the price". Lol...it would be nice if she at least asked. The lobsters were fresh but it just wasn't the same. We finished the lobster dish, and when she came to collect the dirty dishes she said, "wow, you guys actually finished it". LOL. The satay beef with veggies was very oily with no "wok hay", something I would expect from a Cantonese restaurant with decor dating back to the early 2000s. The chicken was average, nothing to write home about. A tad bit too salty but it is cooked with "fish sauce" and we didn't order white rice to go with our dishes, so the saltiness is acceptable. With the meal being approximately $170 with tax and tips, and we had both half the chicken and beef dishes to pack home, I would say the price is reasonable. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here or wait in line for a table. They do take reservations though! read more
Came here for a family dinner on a weekend and it was pretty busy. We got their set dinner at a pretty reasonable price. The portions are pretty big, and every dish is flavorful. Loved the sweet and sour pork as well as the stir-fried beef, very tender. Highly recommend this restaurant, and we'll be back in the future. read more
Good value, reasonable quality. We saw May Yan Seafood on social media, and the set menus looked like value you couldn't get anywhere else in the GTA nowadays. We did make a reservation, which seems to be necessary if you go on a weekend since the restaurant is pretty small. It is a typical Scarborough restaurant, with limited decor and embellishments but solid food. We found that all our chopsticks were sticky but we didn't let that interrupt our meal. We ordered the set menu for 6, which came with 2.5lb lobster, steamed fish, sweet and sour pork, beef and veggie, fried rice, and half a chicken. For $128 dollars, this is a great deal. We added $10 to get the lobster done in typhoon style, rather than ginger and scallion. Overall, the taste was good - nothing too special, but I enjoyed all the dishes. I think the portion for some of the dishes was small to be shared amongst 6 people, but you can always add another dish. Split amongst 5 people, we each paid $35 including tax and tip which is a great price nowadays. For a normal dinner, this is perfect, but for a special occasion I would choose something different since the environment is not the best. read more
1 year ago
TLDR - Overall value 4 stars; food rating depends on what you order. The place has seen a busier time, but it still worths a visit. I patronized May Yan three times within the last two months, twice for weekend family dinners and once for a birthday celebration. My honest opinion is the chef is skilled. Not only can s/he cook a large variety of dishes, s/he can cook some rather uncommon dishes. These dishes require pre-ordering. Everything tastes okay to good, with seafood tasting the best. The flavor profile is bold and traditional. And the pricing is affordable. $26.50 for a steamed live whole Tilapia fish? Sign me up! The plating is impressive and the sauce is good. And portions are generous for other meat and vegetables dishes. Check out the pictures. What set May Yan back are 1) the decor and ambiance, and 2) the ingredients. There is probably nothing the owners can do about the older building, or the numerous spas in the mall. Maybe they can refresh the venue with a new coat of paint; that is about it. In terms of ingredients, the non-seafood ingredients could be fresher from my experience. No, they are not spoiled by any means, nor do they taste funny. But they are not as fresh as say Congee Queens. Nothing that I cannot look passed when I look at how much food I get for how little I pay. And if you stick with entrees that have high turnovers, you probably can get around the freshness issue. read more
We used to live nearby and visited the Maple Yip restaurant quite often. Now with the same chef and menu but a new owner, it was renamed as may yan restaurant. This is the first time we tried it after the ownership change. We ordered a few dishes as part of the CNY dinner takeout, the food quality was still quite solid (as good as dine-in). You have to reserve their signature dish such as "sticky rice stuffed chicken" at least a day jn advance. Flavour was perfect, with skin still being crispy even after a long drive home. Portion was also decent. We also tried their steam fish and shrimp dish. The fish was quite fresh and was cooked just perfectly. The so-called medium size shrimp dish should be renamed as large size shrimp dish. The portion and size of the shrimp were both quite decent. Unlike many other restaurants who tend to overcook shrimp dish, this dish here was cooked perfectly. The texture and flavour of the shrimp both turned out great. I especially like that the glass noodles which absorbed all the flavour of the shrimp and had a pleasant seafood taste. Strongly recommend this place and glad to see the chef's super solid cooking fundamentals and the restaurant's value for money has not deteriorated at all over the years. read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
42. Sauteed Assorted Seafood w/Vegetables in birds nest $23.95 102. Beef tenderloin "cantonese style" $16.95 111. Stir fried beef with vegetables $13.95 174. Fried E-Fu noodles with mushrooms $13 Short ribs with honey glaze sauce (not on menu/only featured in party tray so ask) $15.95 Rice $2.50/bowl Lobster Typhoon (2.5 pounds) $24.99/LB + $10 = $62.50 Includes a Lai tong (soup) and dessert (tofu pudding or red bean dessert) Service from the main lady ( I believe owner) was very warm and welcoming.. she was very personable and she made me feel like I was a regular.. kept checking in and was hands on to help! Other servers were okay Everything was 10/10 for pricing, value, portions, taste... highly recommend if you want some quality Chinese food that wont break the bank.. its not the fanciest place and thats what I like about it.. its the kind of restaurants I went to growing up so it gives me a comfort cozy feel! read more
I've been here twice but my review is for my most recent visit in August 2021. We typically order the small winter melon soup which is good enough for 7 people. You have to place the order for it 24 hours in advance. We ordered from the Lobster & Fish combo menu that had 2 sauteed lobsters, General Tao, half a chicken, fish, stir fry vegetables and beef, and fried rice. I was really surprised how yummy the lobsters were as well as the fried rice. Everything else was average-good. The lobsters ended up a bit "overweight" so we had to top of the difference in price. This place seems reasonably popular with locals as it quickly fills up at supper time on the weekend. It's best to reserve a table by phone first. read more
Got takeout from this location during COVID for a family dinner. Lobster - was very fresh and meaty. The way it was prepared added great flavor without taking away from the lobster. Fish - the fish dish was big and lots of meat. Again very fresh seafood. Loved the pork underneath to give some saltiness and deep fried rice that absorbs the sauce. Steamed chicken - pretty standard Chinese fair. Meat was done well and had great flavor. What I expect from good Chinese restaurants. The fish omelette with preserved vegetables - also a great dish. Word of warning the preserved veges are not everyone's favorite and are quite the salt bomb so it's definitely for those who enjoy they flavor. Overall it works well as the egg and fish are more subtle flavors and the preserved vegetable provides the salty kick. Beef with Chinese broccoli - a tad too gingery for me but overall good. Meat cooked well and tender, veges also not overly done. Overall, great place for fresh seafood cooked in Chinese style. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Food is still good like the old Maple Yip. They were seriously under staff, waited long time for our food, one by one, with lots of time apart. read more
Just ate at this place and it was just okay. Maple Yip used to be in the exact location. We ordered their half crispy chicken, 2 ginger and green onion lobsters and a seafood bird nest. The crispy chicken was good but the one at Asian Legend is better. The ginger and green onion lobsters was very bland but the lobster themselves were fresh. The seafood nest was just meh. If you are a seafood person like I am you will be disappointed. Will not return. read more
5 years ago
3 years ago
Everything is delicious and so traditional. A must visit in the east end. Sorry, only one photo too busy enjoying. Stay tuned for our next visit. read more
7 years ago
Four stars seem to fit this restaurant. At first, the restaurant that is tucked into a corner does't seem eye catchy. But the restaurant is quite busy and I found the the reason is the food is quite decent. My group of friends enjoyed the food and had a good time. I do recommend to try. read more
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More info about May Yan Seafood Restaurant
4227 Sheppard Avenue E
Unit B2
Scarborough, ON M1S 5H5
Canada
Scarborough
Directions
(416) 297-1398
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.mayyanseafood.com
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May Yan Seafood Restaurant - seafood - Updated August 2026
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