Great place. The food is very tasty and homemade. Combines several cultures I discovered this place by accident and am sure that I will be a frequent visitor here. Service at a high level. Very hospitable The atmosphere is both cozy and elegant. I really liked the pictures reflecting the country and area where this cuisine comes from. Very interesting. And I recommend it to everyone. Food for every taste
Cam H.
Nicely decorated down to the cool plates. First time trying Uyghur cuisine and it was all good. They were out of the one dish I tried to order though and the food took a really long time to come out.
Guzel G.
The service was great, the staff members were friendly, the food was delicious and authentic, the manager Alkat was experienced and added to the warm atmosphere, and the restaurant looked inviting in a great location. I recommend Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine Restaurant to everyone.
Michael Z.
Place is great. We stopped by for a quick lunch after a meeting, and we loved it. Service was quick and easy, as the waitress was very nice. The inside is very clean and decorated well with cool art and traditional items. We got the Big Plate Chicken, the Uyghur Goshnaan, and the Shredded Potato. The noodles in the big plate chicken and its flavors were so good, I'd go back just for this. The Goshnaan was good as well. The shredded potato was alright, not very flavorful but decent. Servings are so big, we didn't come close to finishing anything between 2 people. Can't wait to go back to try all of their other things as well!
Dirk Huang
This was my first time trying Uighur food and it was really good!The restaurant decor and ambience is also very nice. Utensils and tables were clean and staff very friendly.I’d highly recommend to give this place a try. The tower kebab of lamb and chicken plate are also really good for sharing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Boneless Small Plate Chicken, Big Plate Chicken, Dolan's Tower Kebab Pound, Uyghur Goshnaan
Hatice Aise Sahan
The food’s quality was exceptional, and the ambiance was outstanding. The honey cake is ?. Highly recommend it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Manta
Robert Turk
Amazing food, amazing place ❤️ Well done guys!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yulia Vyrva Elarabi
As someone who loves exploring unique cuisines, I was thrilled to discover a blend of Uyghur and Central Asian flavors under one roof. The restaurant's ambiance is very inviting, and the staff are incredibly friendly and attentive. Every dish is bursting with authentic flavors, perfectly capturing the essence of both Uyghur and Central Asian cuisine. From juicy kebabs to aromatic Plov to traditional Lagman noodles! One particular standout is the Samsa – puff pastry filled with savory goodness. The attention to detail in every dish was evident, showcasing the chef's dedication to authenticity and quality. Overall, my experience at this restaurant was nothing short of exceptional. I'm so grateful to have such a gem in Irvine, offering a culinary journey unlike any other. If you're a fan of bold flavors and cultural exploration, this restaurant is an absolute must-visit.
Amazing food and atmosphere. Every dish has unique flavor :) The interior is very beautiful. Prices are very reasonable.
Sherwin S.
We got the lamb kebob (skewers), big plate chicken, fried naan with beef, and they were all pretty tasty. As another Yelper commented, the interior is really pretty, lots of ethnic Uyghur decorations, and the dishes and silverware were all quality pieces. I like the food overall and plan to come back to try more dishes!
Hearty Uyghur food with indoor sit-down table service. Recommend any of their excellent hand-pulled noodle dishes--they have noodle scissors available if you're sharing. Also recommend the manta boiled dumplings: they are large and well-seasoned with black pepper. The lamb skewers are very flavorful--lots of cumin. Be warned that the Uyghur Milk Tea is salty, not sweet (those expecting the mild and sweet flavor of bubble milk tea are in for a shock).
Ali J.
We had a great time here. A very unique restaurant. I would describe it as a blend of Chinese and Afghan food. The bread was spectacular. Fresh out of the oven. For appetizers we got the samsa and the dumpling. The samsa was the only item that wasn't great. I wish it had vegetables inside instead, or in addition, to the meat. The dumplings were superb. For main course we ordered the noodle and the rice. Both were very good. The rice had pieces of raisin and carrot, one of the most delicious rice dishes I've ever had. We had a few baklavas for desert. All were very delicious. The atmosphere is very nicely decorated. Servers were real nice. My kids loved it too.
Yiding Zhang
Tasty and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mayu T.
I really appreciate the introduction to a new cuisine you don't typically find in the area. The combination of spices and ingredients is both familiar yet unique in a way that suited my palate. This was true for the Korma Chop, which is a classic sort of stir fried hand-pulled noodle dish with beef, onions, and peppers. The noodle texture was soft without being mushy, though it dries out quickly due to being stir fried. (4/5) The Goshnaan was thinner than the picture looks, which seems like it might be a fluffier bread, but the black pepper really comes through as the hero ingredient for this savory pastry. While crispy, the fried dough with the rich meat filling is a bit unbalanced. (3.5/5) The Cumin Lamb was the best thing we ordered because of the flavor. The taste is straightforward but in a sumptuous and satisfactory way. As with any lamb dish, it can be a little chewy, but I thought it was still on the tender side. Order this with rice or noodles. (4.5/5) Be forewarned the dishes are a bit on the oily side and definitely feature heartier meats, and you'll see the residue accumulate on your plate. But it's worth the adventure! The decor is classy and modern while also distinctly cultural. The set up is ideal for families and groups of about 4-6, and I imagine they could accommodate gatherings, including chatting while sharing a pot of tea shared in beautifully ornate cups. Experience is 5/5. Rounding up to support the business.
Colditz K.
Across several visits, this place is plagued by inconsistency. It seems like some of the food is made in batches and when you are given a fresh batch, it tastes great. However if you just get a reheated portion of a smaller batch, then things taste downright awful. The star of the show is undoutably the big plate chicken with its array of spice and hand made fresh noodles. When getting this make sure you get extra noodles as well. The various meat pie or dumpling type dishes all use the same meat mixture, so only order one of them to avoid repetitive flavors. The service has always been good here, so the issues mostly stem from the kitchen. When the food is fresh and hot, then this would have been a 5 star place. When the food was lukewarm and cooled immediately, then this could have even been 1star.
Great place. The food is very tasty and homemade. Combines several cultures I discovered this place by accident and am sure that I will be a frequent visitor here. Service at a high level. Very hospitable The atmosphere is both cozy and elegant. I really liked the pictures reflecting the country and area where this cuisine comes from. Very interesting. And I recommend it to everyone. Food for every taste
Nicely decorated down to the cool plates. First time trying Uyghur cuisine and it was all good. They were out of the one dish I tried to order though and the food took a really long time to come out.
The service was great, the staff members were friendly, the food was delicious and authentic, the manager Alkat was experienced and added to the warm atmosphere, and the restaurant looked inviting in a great location. I recommend Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine Restaurant to everyone.
Place is great. We stopped by for a quick lunch after a meeting, and we loved it. Service was quick and easy, as the waitress was very nice. The inside is very clean and decorated well with cool art and traditional items. We got the Big Plate Chicken, the Uyghur Goshnaan, and the Shredded Potato. The noodles in the big plate chicken and its flavors were so good, I'd go back just for this. The Goshnaan was good as well. The shredded potato was alright, not very flavorful but decent. Servings are so big, we didn't come close to finishing anything between 2 people. Can't wait to go back to try all of their other things as well!
This was my first time trying Uighur food and it was really good!The restaurant decor and ambience is also very nice. Utensils and tables were clean and staff very friendly.I’d highly recommend to give this place a try. The tower kebab of lamb and chicken plate are also really good for sharing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Boneless Small Plate Chicken, Big Plate Chicken, Dolan's Tower Kebab Pound, Uyghur Goshnaan
The food’s quality was exceptional, and the ambiance was outstanding. The honey cake is ?. Highly recommend it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Manta
Amazing food, amazing place ❤️ Well done guys!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
As someone who loves exploring unique cuisines, I was thrilled to discover a blend of Uyghur and Central Asian flavors under one roof. The restaurant's ambiance is very inviting, and the staff are incredibly friendly and attentive. Every dish is bursting with authentic flavors, perfectly capturing the essence of both Uyghur and Central Asian cuisine. From juicy kebabs to aromatic Plov to traditional Lagman noodles! One particular standout is the Samsa – puff pastry filled with savory goodness. The attention to detail in every dish was evident, showcasing the chef's dedication to authenticity and quality. Overall, my experience at this restaurant was nothing short of exceptional. I'm so grateful to have such a gem in Irvine, offering a culinary journey unlike any other. If you're a fan of bold flavors and cultural exploration, this restaurant is an absolute must-visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Uyghur Polo, Manta, Lamb Kebab, Mongolian Beef, Laghman
Amazing food and atmosphere. Every dish has unique flavor :) The interior is very beautiful. Prices are very reasonable.
We got the lamb kebob (skewers), big plate chicken, fried naan with beef, and they were all pretty tasty. As another Yelper commented, the interior is really pretty, lots of ethnic Uyghur decorations, and the dishes and silverware were all quality pieces. I like the food overall and plan to come back to try more dishes!
Restaurantji Recommends
Hearty Uyghur food with indoor sit-down table service. Recommend any of their excellent hand-pulled noodle dishes--they have noodle scissors available if you're sharing. Also recommend the manta boiled dumplings: they are large and well-seasoned with black pepper. The lamb skewers are very flavorful--lots of cumin. Be warned that the Uyghur Milk Tea is salty, not sweet (those expecting the mild and sweet flavor of bubble milk tea are in for a shock).
We had a great time here. A very unique restaurant. I would describe it as a blend of Chinese and Afghan food. The bread was spectacular. Fresh out of the oven. For appetizers we got the samsa and the dumpling. The samsa was the only item that wasn't great. I wish it had vegetables inside instead, or in addition, to the meat. The dumplings were superb. For main course we ordered the noodle and the rice. Both were very good. The rice had pieces of raisin and carrot, one of the most delicious rice dishes I've ever had. We had a few baklavas for desert. All were very delicious. The atmosphere is very nicely decorated. Servers were real nice. My kids loved it too.
Tasty and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really appreciate the introduction to a new cuisine you don't typically find in the area. The combination of spices and ingredients is both familiar yet unique in a way that suited my palate. This was true for the Korma Chop, which is a classic sort of stir fried hand-pulled noodle dish with beef, onions, and peppers. The noodle texture was soft without being mushy, though it dries out quickly due to being stir fried. (4/5) The Goshnaan was thinner than the picture looks, which seems like it might be a fluffier bread, but the black pepper really comes through as the hero ingredient for this savory pastry. While crispy, the fried dough with the rich meat filling is a bit unbalanced. (3.5/5) The Cumin Lamb was the best thing we ordered because of the flavor. The taste is straightforward but in a sumptuous and satisfactory way. As with any lamb dish, it can be a little chewy, but I thought it was still on the tender side. Order this with rice or noodles. (4.5/5) Be forewarned the dishes are a bit on the oily side and definitely feature heartier meats, and you'll see the residue accumulate on your plate. But it's worth the adventure! The decor is classy and modern while also distinctly cultural. The set up is ideal for families and groups of about 4-6, and I imagine they could accommodate gatherings, including chatting while sharing a pot of tea shared in beautifully ornate cups. Experience is 5/5. Rounding up to support the business.
Across several visits, this place is plagued by inconsistency. It seems like some of the food is made in batches and when you are given a fresh batch, it tastes great. However if you just get a reheated portion of a smaller batch, then things taste downright awful. The star of the show is undoutably the big plate chicken with its array of spice and hand made fresh noodles. When getting this make sure you get extra noodles as well. The various meat pie or dumpling type dishes all use the same meat mixture, so only order one of them to avoid repetitive flavors. The service has always been good here, so the issues mostly stem from the kitchen. When the food is fresh and hot, then this would have been a 5 star place. When the food was lukewarm and cooled immediately, then this could have even been 1star.