26 Best Asian Restaurants near La Mesa

“Heard about this place on Facebook. Small place but has about 7 dine in tables. Not much on looks but the food is delicious. I had the salt and pepper shrimp that was incredible. Good portions of food that you can share. Prices are bit higher with an average of $16-$20 and entrée“

“Very friendly service, great food. The menu has traditional Chinese dishes but they also have some extra stuff you wouldn't expect at a Chinese place like buffalo chicken fries which were great. The salt and pepper chicken was also top tier. Just found this spot but will be going often in the future.“

“Best food, drink, service and atmosphere I have experienced in a long time. Rivals Michelin restaurants.“

“I loved !!! great food and service“

“A Culinary Masterpiece: An Unforgettable Evening with Chef Jiwoo Choi From the moment my girlfriend, Kassandra, and I stepped into the Choi’s in downtown San Diego, we knew we were about to experience something truly special. What followed was an extraordinary seven-course tasting menu crafted by the incredibly talented Chef Jiwoo Choi, a chef whose passion for food is evident in every detail of his dishes. Chef Choi created the menu around several questions sent via email before the date. He truly took his time to understand his customers and who they were. The dinner was designed around my girlfriend, for whom the night was centered around for Valentines Day. The customer service was impeccable from the start. The hostess greeted us warmly, immediately making us feel at home, and the entire staff was attentive yet unobtrusive throughout the evening. We were sat at an oval table exclusively to ourselves with candles and wonderful ambiance. Included was a little note card that read “A Dinner Written By You” . Wow. Our server was Chef Choi himself. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the ingredients, offering insightful explanations of each dish, telling the story of the meal, and even sharing about the inspiration behind his creations. The entire team worked seamlessly together, ensuring that every moment of our dining experience felt effortless and elegant. Now, onto the food—a true work of art. Each course was not just a meal but a beautifully presented masterpiece that engaged all the senses. Chef Choi has a remarkable ability to balance flavors, textures, and aromas in a way that leaves a lasting impression. Every dish had a story, each bite revealing new layers of complexity and creativity. Some standout dishes included: A delicate amuse-bouche that set the tone for the evening, bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors. Inspired by Kimchi, a sauce enveloped the bits of tofu with a fried rice cake. A The main course was an Australian Wagyu with fingerling potatoes in a chile con carne sauce based from my girlfriend’s childhood. The wagyu melted in our mouths. Potatoes so crispy and delicious you forgot what other potatoes tasted like. A sauce so savory, bursting with tomatillo, garlic, and other flavors. Perfectly balanced as all things should be. The unexpected dish that left me in so much shock was the Greek wedding soup. A cold dish that is better experienced than explained. If I could eat that everyday for the rest of my life it would never be enough. Nothing I could say would live up to the incredible flavors. I ate mine and half my girlfriend’s portion. Finally, a dessert course that was as stunning as it was delicious, showcasing unexpected flavor combinations that worked in perfect harmony. A hot desert, a play on sticky rice. Cardamon, sugar, a small stone fruit with rich notes of raisin and plum. The second dessert was unexpected and intended for my likes (which I found to be such a class act). A ferment plum wine reduction that he infused into a frozen dish (somewhere in the realm of sorbet meets gelato) with a crème brûlée top. Amazing, outstanding. Chef Choi himself took the time to visit our table, a gesture that truly elevated the experience. He shared his inspiration for the menu, spoke about the ingredients, and genuinely wanted to ensure that we were enjoying ourselves. This level of dedication and personal touch is rare and speaks volumes about his commitment to his craft and his guests. He even orchestrated a surprise set of roses for my girlfriend and played it off like I planned it. By the end of the evening, Kassandra and I were completely in awe. The attention to detail, the passion behind every dish, and the warmth of the staff made this one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had. Chef Jiwoo Choi and his team went above and beyond, creating an evening we will never forget. Five stars are simply not enough!“

“Love you food! The dumplings are perfect! The Dan Dan noodles are a family favorite and I can’t get enough of the chili wonton! Love you guys!“

“this was the very first time i ate something so delicious that i felt like writing a review on how good it is, our server was extremely kind we felt very welcomed there. the drinks and appetizers got to the table in 3-5 minutes and the entrees got to the table around 10 minutes after ordering them(we did not feel rushed btw i really appreciated the fast service) and when my ramen got to the table it was amazing, the broth was rich and creamy and just the right amount of salty, the noodles were delicious and not too mushy but were still nice and soft, the pork was so rich and flavorful and it just melts in your mouth and the way that the flavors all came together was truly enlightening.“

“Great food specially their pad thai. Servers are nice and very welcoming. Will definitely come back over and over again. I’ve found one of the BEST Thai Restaurant in San Diego“

“Good service, great variety, cooked for perfectionists!“

“First time (dined in) for the lunch special.
1. Fried gyoza 4.5/5
2. Spicy dumplings 3/5
3. Takoyaki 3/5
4. Vietnamese coffee 10/10
5. Teriyaki beef lunch special 4.5/5
6. Teriyaki chicken lunch special 3.5/5
7. Egg drop soup and salad lunch special 3.5/5

They had amazing customer service! They were very polite, and the atmosphere was very hole in the wall, but in a really really good way!!! The fried Gyoza was excellent, The spicy dumplings were not at all spicy, but still pretty good, The takoyaki As explained by my husband was a little too thick on the batter side HOWEVER The Vietnamese coffee was out of this world! The teriyaki beef lunch special had amazing flavor, but I will say that the fried rice was a little bland so next time I’ll just go with plain steamed rice, The teriyaki chicken lunch special looked a little small because my husband asked for no vegetables Still pretty good, Egg drop soup needed a little bit of salt, but the salad was on point! Overall, for a lunch special solid 4.5 out of 5! Highly recommend!“

“Delicious food! Excellent service!“

“It's been forever since ive had pick up stix. I wish you could have items a la carta if you want more than one item but the portion size makes up for it. I got the hot honey chicken and it was delivhtful! I forgot about how yummy their fried rice is too it's not dry and it's really flavorful 😋“

“Omg, this place is amazing.
Atmosphere was even great !!!!
I have been a big fan of Pad See Ew and Green curry and this place serves the best dishes !!!
And highly recommend you to have Basil Eggplant! Sweet, garlic soy sauce is fantastic with rice !
We enjoyed all the dishes. Thank u !!!“

“I’ve tried a total of three malatang style places in SD and this has been the best! Their soup base has a better taste and while I know it’s all MSG at the end of the day, the other places tasted too salty.

I also liked their raw selection a bit more, their beef wasn’t super fatty and they have beef tongue which I haven’t see at other places.“

“I loved their lao papaya salad! Only thing was at spicy level 10, I tasted no spice. I guess this is a ME problem. I eat too much spicy! Their lao sausages are also so good!

Service was fantastic and its nice and quiet here. I would definitely come again for lao food.“

“We ordered a tray of their yummy bahn Cuon. Super tasty! It came with the bahn cuon, Vietnamese meat, vegetables, herbs, and sauce. I’m very happy with the order, I would definitely order from them again.FYIWhen you go in to the restaurant there is a bell on the counter. If not one is there make sure you ring it in order to get their attentions.“

“The Sesamed honey chicken is delicious I even started eating before taking the photo. The staff was super nice and the service was quick. This is going to be my new spot. If you’re in the area I really recommend coming out and giving it a look. Thank you guys and I will be back.“

“A friend and I were looking for late dinner after an event on Sunday night, and this was the only Korean restaurant we could find that wasn’t all you can eat. I am so very happy we gave it a try, because it totally hit the spot! I get nostalgic for my Asian roots sometimes and just love a good late night meal. We ordered the wonton soup, lamb kidney skewers, squid mouth skewers, and pork belly wrapped enoki mushroom skewers to share. We wanted to try more skewers, but some only came in larger portions which would have been too much, and we really liked what we picked already. The squid came raw to cook on the self rotating grill while the rest was prepared in the kitchen and served to us on the top rack. I’m not sure if it’s always this way, or if they helped us out since it was closing time soon, but we were happy for it. The wonton soup had fantastic flavour. Loved how many unique options were available for the skewers, though I think my favourite was still the more common pork belly wrapped enoki mushrooms. The staff was friendly, quick, and attentive. Most of the crowds had cleared for the night, so there were only a few tables occupied in the simple but clean atmosphere, and it was easy to just enjoy our food over good conversation. Thank you for a wonderful meal! We will be back soon!“

“Cute little restaurant with Thai, Chinese, and Cambodian fare. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, delicious food. Would visit again if I was back in the area!“

“Asia Wok is truly one of the most underrated restaurants I’ve ever been to. Every time I order from here, the food is absolutely amazing fresh ingredients, rich flavors, and perfectly cooked dishes that always hit the spot. Whether it's their entrees, sides, or even the sauces, everything tastes like it’s made with real care and consistency.

What really sets Asia Wok apart is how generous they are. They always hook up the portions way more than expected, and you can tell they value their customers. It’s rare to find a place that not only delivers great quality but also goes above and beyond to make sure you get your money’s worth. For the price you pay, the amount and quality of food you receive is unbeatable.

On top of that, the staff is friendly, fast, and always makes the experience easy and enjoyable. Asia Wok deserves way more recognition than it gets. If you’re looking for delicious food, great service, and portions that won’t disappoint, this is the place you want to go. Definitely a hidden gem that I’ll keep coming back to.“

“Wow!! They have the BEST happy hour! See picture attached! I had the garlic edamame, from the nigiri option I had salmon and crunchy roll from the happy hour menu. I decided to try their house salad, it was bigger than expected. The house dressing has ginger and it was fresh and delicious. Nice and light option to start off with. The nigiri salmon was delicious and fresh great portion as well for $6.50! Wow! I added the lemon & cilantro roll and OMG it was my favorite out of everything!! I highly recommend it. The staff was attentive and friendly! Thank you Monse for your recommendations. Rubén the manager at the time also came to check up on me, I greatly appreciate the attention and ensuring I was having a good experience. Plenty of parking! I also learned that they Monday night all you can eat sushi for $39.95! Call and Double check in case there are changes. I’ll post menu options. Patio area is great, especially on a summer day like today! I can’t wait to come back! To the owner, Ruben is incredible and Monse took great care of me.“

“When I tasted the water I knew it was going to be great. Next was the edemame which was amazing. I got the golden dragon duck. Best duck I ever had. Everything was so good. Service was on point. Definitely coming back any time we are in SD.“

“Great place to go when you’re craving ramen. They are very generous with the pork portions.“

“🙌 Wow..! Max’s in Chula Vista is amazing. For starters, their service is impeccable. Got seated right away, very friendly servers. The food - I’m a first timer of Philippine food and it was absolutely delicious. Everything was made to perfection, and I was told all their food is made to order, which I could certainly tell by the quality of ingredients! Atmosphere - The whole restaurant had such a cool modern hip vibe to it - very chic and trendy. This is the kind of place where you want to experience something new and fresh to the area. Oh and they have some beer too! Philippino type beer of course which was pretty awesome, I had a nice lager that went well with my food. Very clean and well organized restaurant across the board. Will be coming back for sure ..! Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Food was extremely good and fresh while we waited for chow mein. There was a line out the door that was moving pretty steadily. They also pack the plates with food I rarely have left overs and I had a lot left over bc of how much food I was given definitely worth coming“