36 Best Chinese Restaurants in Irvine

“Had an amazing experience at Haidilao! The food was fresh, high quality, and there was a great variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables to choose from. The broth was flavorful, and everything came out quickly.

What really stood out was the exceptional customer service. The staff were attentive, friendly, and constantly checked to make sure we had everything we needed. They went above and beyond to make the dining experience enjoyable.

The restaurant was clean, well organized, and had a welcoming atmosphere. If you're looking for delicious hot pot and outstanding service, I highly recommend Haidilao. I'll definitely be coming back!“

“Awesome restaurant!

Service, food, and atmosphere was excellent. We ordered 2 fried noodles, cucumber salad, and beef noodle soup. The beef noodle soup was very aromatic with very well cooked noodles, and flavorful beef. The fried noodles were good but could’ve been boiled a bit longer but the flavor was nice. Cucumber noodles had an amazing taste, with a bomb of flavor. They were savory, spicy, and sweet. Serve was great and always checked up on us. The atmosphere was filled with kind people, with calm music, comfortable seats, and overall very clean. Dishes were also at a reasonable price. Great place for everyone!“

“The staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and welcoming throughout the whole experience. The service felt professional but still warm and genuine.

The food was also fantastic, especially the California Roll and Mongolian Beef. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared.

Great atmosphere, great team, great experience overall. I’ll definitely come back.“

“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.“

“Really enjoyed the malatang here. The broth has great flavor with a good balance of spice and numbness, and the ingredients taste fresh and clean. Portions are generous and pricing feels fair. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to come back and try different combinations. Overall a solid spot for malatang.“

“Amazing food! My friend and I have been meaning to try Dolan’s Uyghur cuisine for sooo long and we finally got the chance! The place is beautifully decorated and the staff is so kind. We ordered the Manta, special laghman, and the tofu with chives. All 10/10!!“

“Food here tastes really authentic, like proper home-style flavors, not watered down at all. Portions are solid and the price, for the US, feels very fair, tbh kind of rare around here. Seasoning is on point, you can actually taste the spices, not just salt. Staff moves fast but still friendly, casual vibe, nothing fancy, just comfortable. Strongly recommending this place to anyone who cares more about flavor than decor, works for me.“

“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.“

“Taste was good here, exactly the kind of spicy comfort food I wanted. I liked that it’s self-selected ingredients and broth, so I picked a bunch of veggies and some tofu and went with the bone broth mala soup, nice heat but not too much, lips tingling a bit. Place looked clean and hygienic, tables wiped, no weird smell. Staff was friendly in a low-key way, helped explain the sauces and smiled when I kept adding more chili oil, lol. Overall felt like an easy, no-fuss meal that hits the spot.Taste was good here, exactly the kind of spicy comfort food I wanted. I liked that it’s self-selected ingredients and broth, so I picked a bunch of veggies and some tofu and went with the bone broth mala soup, nice heat but not too much, lips tingling a bit. Place looked clean and hygienic, tables wiped, no weird smell. Staff was friendly in a low-key way, helped explain the sauces and smiled when I kept adding more chili oil, lol. Overall felt like an easy, no-fuss meal that hits the spot.“

“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 ordered the chicken leg meat with dipping sauces and broth. Honestly, the chicken was great on its own. I didn't care for any of the sauces. The rice was a bit salty but still good.

The setup felt a little odd. There was a loud speaker on loop reminding Uber and DoorDash drivers to pick up orders in the back. It was super annoying. I really think they would benefit from having a host instead of relying on that speaker.

That said, the place itself was cool, and I liked that you can order from several different shops all through the same kiosk.“

“Wowwwww… tried this place for the first time tonight for dinner and I was blown away!! I ordered the Chongqing chicken and spicy pork wontons with white rice and loved everything. Service was fast for dinner time and the cashier was so kind and helpful and even gave me some recommendations too. The chicken was just the right amount of spicy and the wontons were some of my favorite I’ve had. Portions are also big enough to share. I wish I lived closer so I could come here more often. Easy parking too. I will be back…“

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

“Cannot skip the big plate chicken and scallion beef at Northern Cafe Irvine! Portions are incredibly generous with spot-on traditional tastes. The servings are so substantial that a full spread will fill you up completely. It’s such a no-nonsense local eatery serving hearty, flavorful northern Chinese comfort food that always hits after a busy 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.“

“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.“

“I’m really pleased with Le Shrimp Irvine. Their Hainanese chicken rice is the best I’ve had locally so far—the rice was flavorful, the ginger sauce was excellent, and the broth was rich, though slightly on the salty side.
My only disappointment was the chicken. I’m not really a fan of plain breast meat; I prefer the bone-in breast and drumstick pieces with skin, which I was told was an option. I was also informed they were out of the skinless breast meat, so I expected to receive the bone-in option I had ordered, but I still ended up with breast meat.
Overall, I’d rate the Hainanese chicken rice a 4.0. It tastes very authentic, with that Malaysian/Singaporean style I really enjoy.

I also tried the Shrimp Broth Trio Noodles with veggies, prawns, prawn balls, and wontons, and I loved the shrimp flavor. The broth reminded me of the Har Mee soup base I’ve had before, but with a richer, creamier, ramen-style twist. The fusion works well, and the flavor was delicious, but with a bowl packed with noodles, shrimp, wontons, and toppings, it became a bit too rich by the end. I would personally prefer it a little lighter and more brothy, but overall it was still very satisfying.

I’m excited to try more dishes. I also heard the owner is Singaporean and the chef is from Malaysia—fabulous!“

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

“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.“

“Tomato broth hot pot here is the best! Despite the name, they offer non-spice broth options. 😋 I really love malatang and would usually get this and heytea on the same night. I think they price everything fairly and they give you good portions. The staff are equally friendly and they also offer take-out options if you wanna order to go or doordash it.“

“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.“

“Good food Good staff Good owner what more do you want !“

“Came in for lunch before shopping for some ingredients at Hmart. I've been to their other locations and this one is consistent with their other ones. I usually order the jjajang as it is already a moderate size enough for 2 people to share. Server was friendly and we were able to find an empty table to sit at as we wait for our food to be ready“

“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!“

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

“I genuinely recommend the First Sandwich. We ordered from here multiple times, and they never disappointed us. The food is fresh and tastes amazing. I love the avocado walnut salad; it’s very refreshing. The sandwich is flavorful. The clam chowder bowl is creamy and well balanced. They gave us so much food with reasonable price. The owner is always so kind and attentive. Highly recommend!“

“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!“

“I am a regular at this Panda Express, visiting at least 200 times a year for lunch. Over the years, I’ve learned that not all locations are created equal, and this one is truly outstanding. The food quality is remarkably consistent—the Orange Chicken is always perfectly glazed and the Kung Pao has just the right balance. Even after years in business, the dining area remains spotless and modern, with no signs of wear and tear. It’s easily the most reliable location in Irvine.“

“I ❤️ their boba! I traveled 30 min to go here!“

“One of the best Chinese BBQ restaurants in Los Angeles! Food tastes great, the services are excellent, environment is nice and clean! The other store in Rowland Heights is also wonderful. You even can practice your BBQ skills there! Great places to hang with friends and family!“

“China Garden! My go to for authentic and delicious Chinese food. But, what sets this place apart for me is not only the food, but the exceptional employees! John, Robert, and Brian are fantastic! They are definitely the best! Extremely friendly and pleasant! I always order the same items, seafood/tofu hot pot, fish fillet with ginger/scallions, or even seafood pan-fried or soft noodles never disappoints. Full of flavor, fresh, and yummy! I absolutely recommend this place!“

“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!“