33 Best Chinese Restaurants in Irvine

“My fiance and I have been coming here for a while now and we absolutely love it ! Our guy Kevin is the BEST! He always welcomes us with the friendliest smile and truly cares about our experience here ! We not only come back for the good food but for Kevin he really just makes this place great ! Thanks Kevin for all you do !“

“We recently had a fantastic experience that truly made our family dinner special.
The afternoon started perfectly with the hostess who kindly and efficiently fulfilled our request for a round table by the window. It was exactly what we wanted and set a great tone for the meal.
However, the real highlight of the night was our server, Melissa. She was absolutely exceptional! Melissa was incredibly friendly, polite, and courteous, and she made my entire family feel right at home from the moment we sat down.
Melissa took care of us every step of the way. She was wonderfully attentive, constantly checking in to ask if we needed anything else. Our drink glasses were never empty, and she was quick to refill our sauces without us even having to ask.
And of course, the food was wonderful as well! Everything was delicious and served piping hot.
It had been a while since my family and I had dined at P.F. Chang's, but this experience guarantees our return. Thank you, Melissa! You are truly an asset to your organization.“

“Haidilao Hot Pot was a very great place for dinner. The service was very quick, employees were patient and respectful. Our server Jacob asked to reopen their kitchen just to make us some dessert even though it was after hours. He also gave us a complimentary food option in case they weren't able to make the dessert for us. The service is unbelievably nice. I would come again for dinner.“

“I’m really glad we found this place, and it’s highly recommended if you are slightly adventurous and trying out some ethnic Chinese flavors.

Everything we ordered was excellent. We knew the crispy lamb buns (aka Chinese Burger) was going to be good, but not sure about the $20 fried pork which was #1 chef recommendations, it turned out to be delightful.

The lamb soup came out first, it was tasty and refreshing, Liang pi was cool, you don’t get it in many places. String beans were nicely done, a delicious necessity to balance out the meal.

The first bite of crispy lamb buns was a delightful surprise: crunchy layered thin bread and lamb with slightly cumin, it was an amazing feast.

Fried pork is an even more interesting surprise that I would not spoil. Ha ha. Try it to find out!

Service was fine, we were seats and water was provided quickly. Orders are done by scanning QR code, browsing the online menu, and order directly. I find this efficient but lacking some personal interactions.

We did purposely ordered a lot for the two of us, we obviously didn’t finish. I was surprised the bill wasn’t as much as I expected. We got a lot of leftovers to go and enjoyed rest at home.“

“01SEP2024 | Nice to Meet You Skewer Hot Pot is a chic hotpot restaurant. My first impression was that it was clean, with delicious food and attentive service. The prices are just right for the quality of the food and ingredients. I would give it a 10 out of 10, and we will definitely be coming back.“

“I tried Yangguofu Mala Tang and honestly it’s such a fun, customizable dining experience.

You grab a huge bowl and walk along the ingredient bar filling it with whatever you’re craving. There are tons of veggies, noodles, tofu options, seafood, and meats, so it’s easy to mix and match. Once you’re done, they weigh your bowl and you pay by the pound, which makes it feel fair and totally in your control.

After that, you choose your broth. You can go classic, mild, or full spicy mala depending on your heat tolerance. They cook everything fresh and bring it out steaming hot, and the flavors really soak into all the ingredients.

I also loved the drink selection. They have so many options to pair with the spice, which makes the whole experience even better.

Overall, it’s a great spot if you like interactive meals and want something different from traditional hot pot. Perfect for groups since everyone can build exactly what they want. 🌶️“

“Food is very appetising but I find it not spicy enough.
The Lemon Iced Tea used Jasmine based tea which I didn’t quite like. It was not stated on the menu as I would not have ordered that.
Ordering is by scanning the menu which can be switched between Chinese or English. In English mode, choice of Less Salt, Less Oil, Less Spicy was still in Chinese. Staff helped to translate for me.
Pork Belly skewer was a bit too thin. I preferred the Lamb ones which was listed as ‘Beef’.
Eggplant and Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetable were good. I got more hungry as I ate them.
Sichuan style Chive n Pork Dumplings were juicy.
Will come back again.“

“I recently tried Show Hotpot and was blown away by the quality of their broth!
The MalaTang here is genuinely the best I’ve had, it’s so rich and flavorful that, for the first time, I finished the entire bowl.
The atmosphere and service were also great, making the whole experience enjoyable from start to finish.
Highly recommend Show Hotpot for any hotpot lover, especially if you’re a fan of MalaTang!“

“The freshly boiled bone broth here is legit, like super rich and full of depth. You can tell they don’t cut corners—just feels real. Flavor? Totally authentic, reminds me of Yunnan-style dishes I’ve had before. Prices are solid too, which is great for students like me trying to eat well without spending too much. Portions felt generous, and it’s just overall good value.“

“We were excited to try this as Singaporeans! This chicken rice has about 85% similarity to authentic Singaporean chicken rice. The chicken is super soft and flavorful, the rice is the right taste too. The sauces are different, however - thai sweet chilli, 90% similar dao you, and a salty ginger paste.

We were served by a friendly young man with great attitude. Overall, will be back for the chicken rice!“

“Loved the Golden Soup Beef Noodle here ！the soup was flavorful and the noodles were perfectly chewy. The Juicy Lamb Dumplings were a highlight too, really juicy and packed with flavor.

The sautéed bok choy with garlic was simple but super fresh and slightly sweet. Great balance with the richer dishes. Definitely a solid spot for noodles and dumplings in Irvine.“

“Very family style, large portion and authentic Chinese food featuring various Chinese food options. The cold dishes are good choices.

You sit yourself, choose from the menu, and order from the front. They will deliver food for you. You may need to get your own utensils at very busy times.

Portion size may be too large for 2 people, so expect to get a take out box (or get your own box).“

“Chai Lan in Irvine is such a great find! I ordered the black bean sauce noodle with pork, and it was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The servers were very nice and friendly, and the whole place felt clean and cozy — a really comfortable spot to enjoy a meal.

Free parking is a big plus! Highly recommended if you’re looking for tasty food, great service, and convenience.“

“Amazing place! The food is absolutely delicious—fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Portions are great for the price, and everything feels very reasonably priced, especially for the quality you get. Another big plus is the parking: plenty of space and no hassle at all. Overall, great food, fair prices, and convenient parking. Definitely coming back and highly recommend it!“

“Amazing Food. We ordered quite a few dishes and everything was delicious! The Peking Duck and green beans were my favorite!“

“This place is super convenient for work trips. It's right next to my office!“

“I just wanted to take the time to really thank Pick Up Stix at the Lake Forest location. I always have had a great experience here - whether it be for the food or the customer service.

Recently, I decided to venture off my usual choice - Chow Mein - which I think is the best ever. Unfortunately, the new dish I ordered was subpar, I called the restaurant and spoke to a nice lady (I forgot her name unfortunately), she went above and beyond just replacing the meal. And I really appreciated it. Customer service like this is now rare - but she was so nice about it. A) didn't make me feel low or stuck-up (I hate that feeling esp when the vendor makes the mistake) - this was not the case here B) replaced the meal with another of my choice C) And added a generous extra item on the house

Thank you so much! My family loved the dinner - per usual :)“

“Great food, friendly staff and clean atmosphere.“

“👍👍👍👍, very clean and nice. Good service too.“

“This Place is an exciting experience for fans of authentic Sichuan flavors. We chose the half-and-half hot pot base with spicy mala broth and a milder herbal soup. The spicy broth packs a punch with a complex blend of spices, while the herbal soup is a comforting balance. The ingredients, like the thinly sliced beef, shrimp, and vegetables, were fresh and flavorful.

What we ordered:

- Spicy mala broth - 5/5
- Herbal soup - 4/5
- Thinly sliced beef - 5/5
- Shrimp - 4/5
- Vegetables - 4/5
- Tofu - 4/5

Service was attentive, though it can get hectic during busy hours. The staff were friendly and helpful. The restaurant can feel crowded and noisy, but it adds to the lively atmosphere. Prices are reasonable for the quality and variety. If you love hot pot and can handle some spice, YinTang Spicy Hot Pot is worth a visit!“

“kindness. Moved to Irvine from the San Gabriel area. In comparison, the food here is delicious and the price is very reasonable. It feels cheap and the food tastes delicious. Of course, it may be that I am too hungry. Overall, I am very satisfied with this meal. Good reviews. Will come again.“

“Panda Express is consistently clean with scrumptious food that is made fresh in small quantities. Fresh batches are constantly being made so the food is never left sitting for long. I love the walnut shrimp with fried rice and veggie eggrolls. My son always gets the delicious orange chicken. The prices are quite low. And I usually have leftovers that are great the next day.“

“The hotpot I eat most often with friends is Lao Pier. The first time I ate flying pancakes was at Lao Pier. Now that I think about it, it still tastes delicious.“

“Chinese food not bad. Orange chicken was ok, fried rice good, and chow mein not good. I think at certain times of the day the food is good, and sometimes meh. Over all give it a try. Good place for chips, gum, and energy drinks, and doughnuts..“

“One of my favorite places when I’m craving noodles or soup. Good food with big portions at a great price. I ate here last year and the service wasn’t very good and the place felt smaller, but when I visited this week, they’ve improved a lot. The two ladies serving were very friendly and attentive. The customer service was so much better this time, and I’ll definitely be back. I recommend ordering the wontons in chili sauce, braised pork with sticky brown sauce, and braised beef noodles everything was delicious. Totally worth it!“

“It was surprisingly good over the top service delicious good good atmosphere hip cozy friendly . I’m definitely coming back w/ friends!!!“

“Chicken pot thing was weird. Noodles were bomb!!!!!!“

“Paik's Noodle, owned by Chef Jong Won Paik (one of the judges from Culinary Class Wars), provides korean-chinese comfort food in the H-Mart located in North Irvine. And does it deliver!!

Paik's is known for its Jajangmyeon (fermented black bean noodle stir-fry) and Jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). Their noodles in all of their dishes are perfectly chewy, and satisfying for hearty noodle lovers. If you're new to these dishes, the noodles are like a mix between an udon and ramen noodle, typically using thick, wheat flour.

The Jajangmyeon hits that spot when you want a comforting meal with an umami punch. This dish has a perfect balance of sweet and savory (more on the savory side), with flavors oozing from caramelized onions, the salty, smoky, and decadent fermented black bean, and a generous portion of elongated ground pork adding a nice meaty touch. For meat lovers, you can order this with extra meat, and for vegetarians, they offer the dish without meat at all. They even have a seafood version of this dish!

The Jjampong uses the same noodles, swimming in a spicy broth infused with seafood umami. With muscles and chunks of tender squid and the occasional baby shrimp, the soup is so rich in flavor and satisfying.

While there are other strong dishes here, the noodles are the star. And each dish is accompanied by Korean pickled radishes to provide fresh, crisp respite between indulgent bites.

Sitting within the food court, there is no traditional service, but the staff are friendly and very quick - even during peak hours. It's easy enough to find seating, but during busy times, it's best to secure seating earlier if you can unless you plan to take the food to go.

If you're looking for comforting, filling, and delightful noodles to switch up your Asian noodle-ventures between ramens, phos, pad thai, and more, you should explore the menu at Paik's. You might just find yourself hooked by the flavors - after all, that's Chef Paik's most important criteria when judging good food.“

“The food here is amazing and they give you your money's worth. I am used to going to panda express and getting a 3 item plate and still feeling hungry afterwards. I ordered a 2 item plate from here and was unable to finish the whole thing. Now I have some tastey leftovers. The quality of the food is also very good!“

“Really great noodle restaurant in Los Angeles! I love Chinese Bamboo Spicy Noodle Soup. Oh my god! It hit me home whenever I tried it! would highly recommend the restaurant! They really have authentic Chinese noodle soup which you cannot find anywhere else. I always go there when I am in LA.“

“Ordered the pickled fish soup, pepper pork, and spicy eggplant stir fry. Everything was great! Please note, the flavors are strong because it's meant to be eaten with a side of rice. In my experience, that's just the Sichuan way.

I saw some reviews here that were complaining about that, and the service, etc... I went in with my guard up because of that, but really can't relate to them in my experience. The server and cook were warm and friendly. I understand there's a language barrier for some, but a simple xiexie (shye shye) goes a long way.

The eggplant was my favorite dish. If you're looking to expand your palette or enjoy some classic dishes, this is the place!“

“This was my first time dining at GUI BBQ in Irvine, and I was pleasantly surprised. Even on a Saturday, we didn’t have to wait long to be seated, which was a great start. We were warmly greeted and shown to our table right away.

The atmosphere is lively yet relaxed—perfect for catching up with friends over a great meal. While the prices are on the higher side, the quality of the food justifies it. We ordered a variety of dishes, and everything was cooked to perfection.

Service was friendly, though a bit slow at times, but that’s understandable given how busy they were. The staff wasn’t overbearing, which I appreciated, and they still made sure we had what we needed.

Overall, GUI BBQ is a hidden gem in Irvine. Delicious food, a great vibe, and a solid spot for a night out.“