Obviously I'm not Thai, but my partner is and I've travelled throughout Thailand so I have a fair idea of what's good and authentic and more importantly perhaps what's not. I ordered the number 1 without skin for health reasons (although the skin is delicious). The food was decent. It wasn't outstanding but, it was sufficient. I did feel it was a little on the salty side though. The chicken was fresh and tender and the rice was perfect. The soup was good but like everything else slightly salty. The ambiance... well it's located in a corporate park in Irvine so I wasn't expecting too much ambience and that's exactly what I found. The place is obviously set up for mostly to go orders. The service left a little to desire. The taller girl with braided hair was very nice and friendly, but the shorter girl with eyelashes nearly as long as the brim of her hat was not. She wasn't very inviting nor friendly. No, "hi, can I help you" or "how are you"? I get it she's busy but at least smile and make me feel as though you're happy to have my business. It really does make a difference with customers. If you read this then give it a try. You'll understand why after you do. All in all I probably won't return because of the saltiness, but there isn't too many Hainan chicken places here in Irvine so if you're really craving it then it's worth a try. It's definitely not bad.
Vy H.
Delicious! The chicken (we got the thigh only option for the classic) was very moist and the rice was cooked perfectly. We wish it had more hints of ginger and garlic, but as is, still good. The sauces provided all compliment the chicken very well. The Hat Yai chicken is also crispy and worth a try.
Nikki P.
the original (5/5): very good! the chicken, both breast and thigh, was very juicy and tender. i enjoyed the veggies, rice, chicken broth, and the KMG sauce too. everything was just very balanced and done well! there is no seating inside the shop, there is 3-4 tables outside to sit at if you'd prefer to eat in the area. i went at night so it was busy and took ~30 minutes to get my food, but the staff was really nice and helpful when explaining all the sauce options. i ordered an extra of 'the original' for a friend who didn't eat it until 2-3 hours later and he still said it was good!
Art C.
Ordered The Original which was delicious. The chicken was moist and very flavorful with the KMG sauce. Comes with a small chicken broth which meshes perfectly with the food. Overall super clean and healthy feeling dish while still maintaining a very appetizing flavor. Perfect for a quick pick-me-up lunch or macro-friendly meal for your fitness goals.
Sally I.
Pros: food and service was ok, easy to find, and plenty of parking Cons: long wait for food, only outdoor seating, food was ok - not best in OC, they charge $1 for scallion sauce, and although they were nice, service was not very proactive. Good to try if youre in the area, but not worth second visit.
Lilypad518
Great price and portions!! The specialty rice and scallion sauce are really good too. It doesnt come with the sweet soy sauce that usually comes with Hainan chicken rice but just heat up some soy sauce with sugar at home. I think this is our new fave Hainan chicken rice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Kevin N.
This place was promising. The first two visits were excellent. The chicken was very moist and tender. The rice was fragrant and fluffy. We ordered eight portions of variety, each visit and they order were correct. The price was fair for being Irvine. Though a little more rice would've been better. The last couple of visits, it seemed that went in a different direction. It felt as if they were under a different management or different staff working. The chicken was dry. The pieces seem very broken. The rice was wet and clumped together. The order was inconsistent. We ordered eight portions, which we usually do. Some were missing cucumbers, and some were missing the sauce, and others, the portion volume seemed reduced. I sure hope they turn around and correct these mishaps. Would hate to see a good potential place go away.
Carol M.
The chicken was very tasty. We had the chicken without rice and also the Thai fried chicken, and were very happy with both. The sauces really added to the experience. This is mainly a take out place but there are a couple of tables outside. It's not cheap, but worth an occasional splurge. Plenty of parking.
Jolleen T.
So delicious! I got the original and the popcorn chicken. Loved the tom yum flavor on the larb popcorn chicken
Beverly C.
Amazing, simple and affordable. I rarely write reviews, but I finally found a lunch place with the perfect balance of healthy & satisfying-- all just under $15! I got "The Original", it was a substantial amount and had leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Don't be intimidated by the amount of ppl waiting, their service is efficient and fast. I came during peak lunch hours & waited less than 10 min. Definitely coming back to try their other items!
I ordered take out and they weren't real busy. It's in an easy to find strip mall. It looks new and clean. My food was ready and waiting on the counter. I can't say much about service. The rice was good. The chicken cutlet was crispy. The chili that came with it was good. I feel like there really wasn't anything special about this place. I saw it on Instagram and wanted to try it. Maybe next time I would try the OG chicken?
Scott M.
Some pretty good stuff here... The popcorn chicken is better than the original (number1) but both are good. The sauces they offer are really good. Lots to try so we need to come back for another round.
kevin w.
I must commend the Hainan Chicken Thigh with ginger scallion sauce--it was an absolute delight! The soup, bursting with flavor, was a standout, earning top marks of 10/10. Despite the busy lunch rush, my order was promptly fulfilled, and I noticed they efficiently handled everyone else's orders too. While there is not indoor seating, ample covered outdoor seating was available.
Stef G.
I love Hainan chicken. no inside seating, only outside seating. Food was good - they had special sauces - habanero is hella hot haha!
Victoria P.
All I gotta say is this place is delicious!! Hands down best hainan chicken in Orange County. The original plate is great! It comes with rice, cucumbers and poached chicken along with a side of chicken broth. You have the option of picking a variety of different dipping sauces. My favorite is the ginger and a side of siriacha. For an additional price you can upgrade your protein to thighs and dark vs light. Service was super quick. The plaza is fairly small, so there is limited outdoor seating during peak hours. I also order them through doordash for convenience.
Obviously I'm not Thai, but my partner is and I've travelled throughout Thailand so I have a fair idea of what's good and authentic and more importantly perhaps what's not. I ordered the number 1 without skin for health reasons (although the skin is delicious). The food was decent. It wasn't outstanding but, it was sufficient. I did feel it was a little on the salty side though. The chicken was fresh and tender and the rice was perfect. The soup was good but like everything else slightly salty. The ambiance... well it's located in a corporate park in Irvine so I wasn't expecting too much ambience and that's exactly what I found. The place is obviously set up for mostly to go orders. The service left a little to desire. The taller girl with braided hair was very nice and friendly, but the shorter girl with eyelashes nearly as long as the brim of her hat was not. She wasn't very inviting nor friendly. No, "hi, can I help you" or "how are you"? I get it she's busy but at least smile and make me feel as though you're happy to have my business. It really does make a difference with customers. If you read this then give it a try. You'll understand why after you do. All in all I probably won't return because of the saltiness, but there isn't too many Hainan chicken places here in Irvine so if you're really craving it then it's worth a try. It's definitely not bad.
Delicious! The chicken (we got the thigh only option for the classic) was very moist and the rice was cooked perfectly. We wish it had more hints of ginger and garlic, but as is, still good. The sauces provided all compliment the chicken very well. The Hat Yai chicken is also crispy and worth a try.
the original (5/5): very good! the chicken, both breast and thigh, was very juicy and tender. i enjoyed the veggies, rice, chicken broth, and the KMG sauce too. everything was just very balanced and done well! there is no seating inside the shop, there is 3-4 tables outside to sit at if you'd prefer to eat in the area. i went at night so it was busy and took ~30 minutes to get my food, but the staff was really nice and helpful when explaining all the sauce options. i ordered an extra of 'the original' for a friend who didn't eat it until 2-3 hours later and he still said it was good!
Ordered The Original which was delicious. The chicken was moist and very flavorful with the KMG sauce. Comes with a small chicken broth which meshes perfectly with the food. Overall super clean and healthy feeling dish while still maintaining a very appetizing flavor. Perfect for a quick pick-me-up lunch or macro-friendly meal for your fitness goals.
Pros: food and service was ok, easy to find, and plenty of parking Cons: long wait for food, only outdoor seating, food was ok - not best in OC, they charge $1 for scallion sauce, and although they were nice, service was not very proactive. Good to try if youre in the area, but not worth second visit.
Great price and portions!! The specialty rice and scallion sauce are really good too. It doesnt come with the sweet soy sauce that usually comes with Hainan chicken rice but just heat up some soy sauce with sugar at home. I think this is our new fave Hainan chicken rice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hainanese Chicken Rice
This place was promising. The first two visits were excellent. The chicken was very moist and tender. The rice was fragrant and fluffy. We ordered eight portions of variety, each visit and they order were correct. The price was fair for being Irvine. Though a little more rice would've been better. The last couple of visits, it seemed that went in a different direction. It felt as if they were under a different management or different staff working. The chicken was dry. The pieces seem very broken. The rice was wet and clumped together. The order was inconsistent. We ordered eight portions, which we usually do. Some were missing cucumbers, and some were missing the sauce, and others, the portion volume seemed reduced. I sure hope they turn around and correct these mishaps. Would hate to see a good potential place go away.
The chicken was very tasty. We had the chicken without rice and also the Thai fried chicken, and were very happy with both. The sauces really added to the experience. This is mainly a take out place but there are a couple of tables outside. It's not cheap, but worth an occasional splurge. Plenty of parking.
So delicious! I got the original and the popcorn chicken. Loved the tom yum flavor on the larb popcorn chicken
Amazing, simple and affordable. I rarely write reviews, but I finally found a lunch place with the perfect balance of healthy & satisfying-- all just under $15! I got "The Original", it was a substantial amount and had leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Don't be intimidated by the amount of ppl waiting, their service is efficient and fast. I came during peak lunch hours & waited less than 10 min. Definitely coming back to try their other items!
Restaurantji Recommends
I ordered take out and they weren't real busy. It's in an easy to find strip mall. It looks new and clean. My food was ready and waiting on the counter. I can't say much about service. The rice was good. The chicken cutlet was crispy. The chili that came with it was good. I feel like there really wasn't anything special about this place. I saw it on Instagram and wanted to try it. Maybe next time I would try the OG chicken?
Some pretty good stuff here... The popcorn chicken is better than the original (number1) but both are good. The sauces they offer are really good. Lots to try so we need to come back for another round.
I must commend the Hainan Chicken Thigh with ginger scallion sauce--it was an absolute delight! The soup, bursting with flavor, was a standout, earning top marks of 10/10. Despite the busy lunch rush, my order was promptly fulfilled, and I noticed they efficiently handled everyone else's orders too. While there is not indoor seating, ample covered outdoor seating was available.
I love Hainan chicken. no inside seating, only outside seating. Food was good - they had special sauces - habanero is hella hot haha!
All I gotta say is this place is delicious!! Hands down best hainan chicken in Orange County. The original plate is great! It comes with rice, cucumbers and poached chicken along with a side of chicken broth. You have the option of picking a variety of different dipping sauces. My favorite is the ginger and a side of siriacha. For an additional price you can upgrade your protein to thighs and dark vs light. Service was super quick. The plaza is fairly small, so there is limited outdoor seating during peak hours. I also order them through doordash for convenience.