Lim ran the restaurant with his wife, Nu Lee Wong Lim. Owner Koon Yen Lim, known as Papa Lim, was 13 years old when, chasing the American dream, he emigrated with two brothers from what was then known as the Chinese city of Canton, now Guangzhou, to California, and then San Antonio. The cafe opened in 1932 just blocks from its current location at 821 W. It was a milestone third-generation owner Bo Jean Lim wasn’t sure they would see. “Many things have come and gone since 1932, but throughout that time, one entity has become a fixture … on the landscape of San Antonio and that is the Golden Star Cafe,” said former mayor Henry Cisneros, who grew up on the West Side. The restaurant marked its 90th anniversary recently with local officials, loyal customers and longtime workers on hand - and a lion dance to bring good luck and fortune.

Time to find someplace new.Golden Star Cafe, a Westside institution for nearly a century, is unique for its longevity in a fast-burn industry and its blended diner-style menu of traditional Chinese, American and Mexican fare. This is our go to place for over 10 years. The sweet and sour sauce was a runny watery mess for the chicken balls and had been diluted with VINEGAR to thin the sauce out. We ordered a couple of spicy dishes but both came out sickly sweet. I dont know what happened over the phone but the order taker understood as he repeated each item back as I placed them. So, 50% of our order was wrong and one item was missing. Sadly tonight when we placed an order for pickup we found out he is no longer there and is now under new ownership. He really turned the food around and brought it up to an incredible quality.

It was bought by a lovely Guyanese gentleman a few years back when the food started to go downhill. Since it first opened many many years ago under the name Kings Garden. Wow ! We frequent this restaurant quite a bit.

Chinese food golden star