The present disclosure provides a method for making a semiconductor device having metal gate stacks. The method includes forming a high k dielectric material layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a metal gate layer on the high k dielectric material layer; forming a top gate layer on the metal gate layer; patterning the top gate layer, the metal gate layer and the high k dielectric material layer to form a gate stack; performing an etching process to selectively recess the metal gate layer; and forming a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack.