San Antonio · West Commerce Street · Since 1932

Golden Star Cafe Menu & Prices

Come for the fried fish with gravy. Stay long enough to notice the egg rolls, enchiladas and chicken fried steak on the same menu. Golden Star’s mix makes sense once you start building an order.

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A little of everything Several orders on the table show the range of this three-cuisine menu.
Rice, sauce and a crisp side A plate from the restaurant, with rice and cream cheese wontons alongside.
The fried fish order Ask for gravy when you order; the photo shows the breaded fish and sides.
Fried rice up close The menu separates side portions from full fried rice orders.
The weekday lunch board

Pick the day. See the two rotating dishes.

Two lunch choices change with the weekday; the everyday selection below stays on the board Monday through Saturday.

$11.55 11 AM–3:30 PM

Monday

ABeef Chop Suey

DShrimp & Broccoli

Tuesday

AMoo Goo Gai Kow

DMongolian Beef · spicy

Wednesday

ABeef & Mushrooms

DChicken & Broccoli

Thursday

ABeef & Broccoli

DMongolian Chicken · spicy

Friday

ABeef & Vegetables

DChicken & Broccoli

Saturday

AChicken Chop Suey

DMongolian Beef · spicy

Sunday

The cafe is closed on Sundays. Choose Monday–Saturday for lunch options.

What comes with lunch: The general lunch offer includes fried rice and a choice of egg roll or cream cheese wonton. Lo mein has no rice included; fish and enchilada choices with specified sides are listed below.

Tea: Available on request with a dine-in lunch special. It is not listed as an automatic drink with every order.

Everyday lunch choices

  • BSweet & Sour Pork
  • CLemon Chicken
  • ESesame Chicken
  • FShrimp Lo Mein · no rice
  • GGeneral Chicken · spicy
  • HChicken Lo Mein · no rice
  • KKung Pao Chicken · spicy
  • MFMexican Fish · spicy; rice & beans
  • RSweet & Sour Chicken
  • FATwo-piece Fish · fried rice & egg roll
  • MATwo Cheese Enchiladas · Spanish rice & beans
  • PBPepper Beef
  • SCSShrimp Chop Suey
  • SS FISHSweet & Sour Fish
  • TDTriple Delight

A useful lunch comparison: The FA lunch choice—two pieces of fish, fried rice and an egg roll—is $11.55. The regular Golden Star Special lists two fish fillets, fried rice and an egg roll for $14.25. That is a $2.70 price difference when ordering from the lunch menu during its serving hours.

Golden Star Cafe menu · San Antonio

The full menu, without the guessing

Prices follow the menu published on the restaurant’s website and may change. Item numbers are included where listed.

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Fish, shrimp & signature orders

The Golden Star Special has two fish fillets and an egg roll. Chef’s Delight pairs one piece of fish with chicken strips instead. Both are $14.25, but they are different orders.

Golden Star Special · #99 Two fish fillets, fried rice and one egg roll.
$14.25
Chef’s Delight · #100 One piece of fish, Golden Chicken Strips and fried rice.
$14.25
Fried Fish · #52 Three pieces. Ask for gravy; request salad with a takeout order.
$14.25
Fish & Shrimp Dinner · #48 Two fish fillets and four shrimp.
$15.85
Fried Shrimp · #50 Six shrimp.
$15.85
Plain Broiled Cod Fish · #53 Allow extra preparation time.
$15.85
Fish Caldo Fish and vegetable soup with Spanish or fried rice and tortillas.
$8.99

Appetizers & soups

Start with something crisp, or choose a small soup before your main dish.

Egg Rolls · #1 Two; an extra egg roll is $1.99.
$3.98
Cream Cheese Wontons · #4 Six pieces.
$6.95
Pan-Fried Dumplings · #55 Eight; allow extra preparation time.
$6.95
Wonton Soup · #10 Three wontons.
$3.75
Egg Drop Soup · #11
$2.75
Fish Nugget & Egg Drop Soup Combo · #13 Allow extra preparation time.
$6.75
Hot & Sour Soup · #14
$2.75
Chinese main dishes

Choose the sauce, then the rice

These mains include steamed or fried rice. Most beef and chicken choices share a price, so the useful decision is the preparation: battered and sauced, vegetables from the wok, or a dish marked spicy.

Pork · $13.29

Sweet & Sour Pork (#2), with sauce served on the side.

Beef · $13.29 each

Beef with Broccoli (#3)
Oyster Sauce Beef (#5)
Beef with Vegetables (#90)
Pepper Beef (#95)
Mongolian Beef (#96) · spicy
Beef & Mushrooms (#104)

Chicken · $13.29 each

Lemon Chicken (#6)
Almond Chicken (#7)
Moo Goo Gai Kow (#8)
Pepper Chicken (#9)
Kung Pao Chicken (#93) · spicy; contains peanuts
Sweet & Sour Chicken (#94)
Mongolian Chicken (#96CHK) · spicy
Chicken & Broccoli (#97)
Sesame Chicken (#101)
Orange Chicken (#102) · spicy
General Chicken (#103) · spicy

Shrimp · $13.59 each

Mongolian Shrimp (#12) · spicy
Chinese Vegetables & Shrimp (#15)
Shrimp & Broccoli (#98)

Triple Delight · $14.10

Beef, chicken and shrimp with vegetables. This is a mixed-protein main, rather than a fried rice order.

“Spicy” follows the menu’s markings. Ask about the sauce and ingredients if heat level or an allergy affects your order.

Same protein, different kind of meal

Fried rice, egg foo young & noodles

Read down for your protein and across for the preparation. Chop suey and chow mein share prices, but the accompaniments differ.

Full-order prices by preparation
ProteinFried riceEgg foo youngLo meinChop suey / chow mein
Beef$8.59$13.29$13.29$13.29
Chicken$8.59$13.29$13.29$13.29
Pork$8.59$13.29Not listedNot listed
Shrimp$8.89$13.59$13.59$13.59
Vegetable$8.89Not listed$13.29$13.29
Combination$9.19$14.10$14.10$14.10

Soft noodles or crispy? Lo mein uses soft noodles and does not include rice. Chow mein comes with crispy noodles. Chop suey comes with steamed or fried rice.

Egg foo young Includes steamed or fried rice. The menu asks you to allow extra cooking time for this category.

Combination is not identical across dishes Combination fried rice includes shrimp, chicken, beef and pork. Combo lo mein and combo chop suey / chow mein list shrimp, chicken and beef.

Mexican dishes

Mexican Dinner · #31 One crispy taco, one beef enchilada, one cheese enchilada, rice and beans.
$14.25
Bean & Cheese Taco · #32B
$1.99
Crispy Tacos · #33 Three, with cheese.
$7.50
Beef Enchiladas · #35B Three with chili gravy, cheese, rice and beans.
$13.29
Cheese Enchiladas · #35C Three with chili gravy, cheese, rice and beans.
$13.29
Chalupas de Queso · #36 Three with beans, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
$7.50
Nachos · #37 Eight with beans, cheese and sliced jalapeños.
$5.50

American favorites

These four plates include French fries and salad.

Hamburger Steak · #44 Brown gravy and onions; allow extra preparation time.
$14.25
Chicken Fried Steak · #45 Brown gravy; allow extra preparation time.
$14.25
Pork Chops · #47 Two, grilled or breaded; allow extra preparation time.
$14.25
Fried Chicken Strips · #60
$14.25

Burgers & fish on a bun

Prices below are for the sandwich; sides are separate.

Hamburger · #54
$4.25
Fish on Bun · #56
$5.25
Cheeseburger · #58
$4.99

Children’s plates

Listed prices are for children under 12 dining in. Takeout costs an additional $0.50; the menu also lists this surcharge for diners over 12.

One Fish Fillet · #39 With French fries.
$7.30
One Cheese Enchilada · #40 With rice and beans.
$7.30
Chicken Strips · #41 Five pieces with French fries.
$7.30

Drinks & dessert

Soda Refills $1.
$3.25
Iced Tea One refill with a meal.
$3.25
Coffee One refill with a meal.
$3.25
Hot Tea One refill with a meal.
$3.25
Cup of Water / Ice
$0.50
Slice of Pie or Cake
$3.25

Sides & extras

French Fries · #62
$3.75
Steamed Rice · #63 Side portion.
$1.99
Onion Rings · #65
$5.50
Tartar Sauce · #66
$0.50
Flour Tortillas · #67 Two.
$1.50
House Fried Rice · #69 Side portion.
$2.25
Jalapeños · #70 Side portion.
$0.99
Brown Gravy Side portion.
$0.50
One Piece Fried Fish
$3.75
Chili Cheese Fries
$5.50
A West Side original

Three cuisines on one menu, since 1932

Golden Star Cafe began in 1932, when “Papa” Lim opened the restaurant in San Antonio. The Lim family still owns and operates it. The menu carries that history in a very practical way: one person can order fish and rice, another enchiladas, and another a Chinese main without changing restaurants.

The fried fish with gravy is the signature order, but the smaller details give this menu its character too: Fish Caldo comes with tortillas, a lunch fish plate comes with an egg roll, and chicken fried steak gets brown gravy. This is the cafe’s own combination of Chinese, American and Mexican cooking.

Coming with a group?

The published menu says no separate tickets and adds a 15% gratuity for parties of seven or more. Agree on how to split the bill before ordering. Visa and Mastercard are accepted; checks are not. Substitutions and additions can cost extra.

Plan your visit

Golden Star Cafe hours & location

821 W. Commerce Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 223-1681

Monday–Saturday · dine-in
11 AM–8:30 PM
Monday–Saturday · takeout
11 AM–9 PM
Lunch specials
11 AM–3:30 PM
Sunday
Closed

Takeout closes later than the dining room. Call for holiday hours or changes before making a special trip.