Noodles near Lake Forest, CA

“Amazing place with amazing food and amazing people who work here!! My daughter and I loved our food yesterday so much and he was so nice to explain what everything was and answered all of our questions. We can't wait to come back and try more stuff!! This place is a must try so yummy and amazing!! Thank you so much! 🥳💕🥰😋😁💕“

“The best vegan pho I’ve ever had.“

“I have been coming here for years. The service and food are great! My favorite is usually the Pad Thai, but the Crying Tiger I tried tonight was also amazing. My wife likes the yellow chicken curry, which is also delicious when she shares some with me.“

“Food is really good :) is well located and prices are reasonable for the area“

“Stellar food, friendly service (they even threw in a few jokes), customizable menu options for vegetarians, ridiculously good fresh lemonade, and affordable prices. It’s a casual dining place with comforting fresh Vietnamese food and I’ll definitely come back next we’re in the area.“

“We ate at Pho So 1 in Lake Forest and ordered a few dishes, including brisket pho, BBQ spring rolls (#4), vermicelli bowl (#89), and #57. The total came to about $72, which felt a bit pricey—but the food was tasty.

The BBQ rolls were our favorite,.

Dish #89 was light and refreshing. It’s perfect for a warm day for anyone who prefers clean flavors.

Dish # 57 was just okay.

Service was quick, and the restaurant was clean and comfortable. Overall, it’s a solid spot for Vietnamese food if you don’t mind spending a bit more. We’ll definitely be back.“

“Delicious food! I highly recommend the filet mignon over fried rice. Excellent fried rice! Also, I am not usually into chicken nuggets but here they are extremely crunchy, juicy and the taste of the fried batter was addictive. Very casual basic atmosphere but do not be fooled!“

“Our first time at Sunny’s Dumpling House. What an amazing experience, reaching them make each and every dumpling by hand. This made us enjoy the dumplings even more. We had them suggest some of the favorites and they didn’t disappoint. Try Sunny’s, we will be back, so much more to try!“

“Great ramen rice noodles soup 🍜“

“Good food and interesting service!...

Roaming around Irvine searching for somewhere to eat with something soupy and warm, my girlfriend and I came across this place. We joined the Yelp waitlist and once it was our turn to be seated we went inside.

Once inside, we waited in another line to get to the check-in kiosk which was a little inconvenient since it cause a crowd of people to awkwardly wait inside by the front door. I feel it would have made more sense to place it outside of the restaurant. The host, or at least the person at the register for the to-go orders, was stressed and it was very obvious. She was visibly in a hurry and talked extremely fast and seemed to be running out of breath. The one server (at the time) was also walking around stressed and at times was visibly upset with that person. The restaurant wasn't full, but the seating on both sides were taken. The long table that runs in the center was completely empty. Well, empty until we came. We got seated at the long table.

Any who, the food is what you want to know about! I ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup/Rice Noodle Soup and the Beef Roll Pancake. It didn't take long to get the food, maybe 10 minutes at most.

How was it?

- Spicy Beef Noodle Soup/Rice Noodle Soup: Chunks of beef shank, kale, pickled veggie, cilantro, and green onions. Between standard round and knife cut noodles, I went with the knife cut noodles well... because my girlfriend chose it haha. It was a good choice though, they were wide noodles and hit the spot. The meat was good, decent sized chunks and very tender. The soup was tasty and had a good kick to it.

- Beef Roll Pancake: Beef, green onions, cilantro, and hoisin sauce. These things were huge. Plenty of greens in each of them. I've had beef roll pancakes at other places and wasn't a fan of how sweet they were. The ones here though, are just the way I like it. Not overloaded with sauce and not heavily sweet. These were good.

Plenty of parking everywhere in the lot, though I can see it getting more full later in the night. We came around 6PM and didn't have a problem finding a spot.

Service was OK. Even with the limited interaction that I had with the stressed out workers, it got me feeling stressed as well!

I'd come back for the food :).“

“The best pork chop I have ever had! Great atmosphere and kind staffs too I will definitely visit again 👍🏼“

“The food was delicious, and their service was fast and friendly. We stopped here in the way to Santa Ana airport. We had the spam musubi, beef fried rice, hot and dry noodles, sauteed string beans, shrimp and pork dumplings in chili oil, sesame balls and one other dumpling that I can't remember the name of. Everything was so good,“

“Service is wonderful. Everyone is friendly. It’s like going to my Obason’s to have dinner. Everything about this place is authentically Okinawan. Oishī“

“We dropped in at Pho Saigon last night and had a wonderful takeaway. The food was typical Vietnamese, light, fresh (in the sense of flavour and beautifully cooked. The service was swift but not pressured and the takeaway was parcelled neatly and securely. We will return...“

“Pretty good ramen and sushi. Our group ordered the tonkotsu black and spicy miso ramen. Both were very flavorful and filling. We also order the salmon bento box and chicken katsu with curry. Both the bento boxes were good, but katsu seemed a little dry. It's better with the curry, but I wouldn't order it again. The sushi was great. We got the baked salmon roll and crunch fire roll. Both were fresh and delicious! I would come back to try the other ramen.“

“Ever After Tea Room really impressed us! We tried the beef noodle soup, Thai Basil fried rice, rib eye, and salmon entrées, and each dish was absolutely delicious. The broth in the noodle soup was rich and comforting, the fried rice had bold flavors, and the entrées were perfectly cooked and well-seasoned.

We also treated ourselves to the matcha red bean bingsoo with taro, and wow — it was so light, fluffy, and not too sweet. Exactly what we were craving! The real taro drink was another standout — made with actual taro chunks and red beans. It tasted so fresh and creamy, nothing artificial at all.

The staff was kind and attentive, and the decor is super cute and cozy. It’s also a great study spot with plenty of outlets and comfy seating. Definitely a new favorite for both food and vibes!“

“Absolutely dee- lish! Would definitely go again.“

“If you’re a content creator this place is for you. They get treated better than the average person staff are attentive to them . If you are a regular person like me . Welp let just say it takes a while to be seen only attentive person was Issac he was nice actually genuinely seems interesting in giving good service.“

“I often pass by this small shop and have thought countless times about trying the spicy beef noodles. Unfortunately, I always had to wait in line. Today at 1:30 PM, I found an available seat, so I happily sat down and ordered the spicy beef noodles I had been looking forward to, choosing the thick noodles. The first bite took me straight back to Yongkang Street in Taipei—absolutely wonderful!

Kid-friendliness: Yes

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“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.“

“I have been eating here since 2002 while still in high school. First time ever eating Pho here. These 3 Viet guys from my classes introduced me to Pho at this place. Been going here whenever I’m craving Pho or Viet food in the Irvine area. The most flavorful Pho broth out of any Viet restaurant I’ve ever ate in California.“

“We love it here! Super good food and nice employees. We went the other night for dinner. My husband got the chicken and beef teriyaki plate with white rice, California rolls, edamame, tempura, and Crunchyroll. They put a great variety of items on the dinner plates and it's so delicious! I got the Chashu ramen. It was delish. It was like a bowl of comfort. The only thing I would suggest is on the ramen there are green onions on top and I wish that they were chopped up instead of in strips. I feel like I always have a hard time chewing strips of green onion, but other than that, everything is so good.“

“Ordering is a little confusing. There is a monitor that allows you the option of dine in or carryout. But then you need to go to front to pay before they make the order.

Food was ok. Yellow rice was a little dry, and the chicken thigh was tough and dry. Egg rolls were very good. People were very nice. Probably should have gotten the pho.“

“I ordered the ramen tofu because there normal ramen was a combination of tonkotsu broth with pork and chicken.
Since I don't eat pork, it had to be the tofu one, which is really sad for me. I was expecting them to add chicken to it, but they couldn't, so I had to order a chicken lolipop on the side, which was actually pretty good.
So if you don't like/eat pork it's gonna be hard for you in there but otherwise the ramen tofu was good but I didn't want to eat tofu because I don’t like it but chicken but like I said I had no choice but to order it.“

“とても美味しいスープがお手頃なお値段でいただけます。“

“This and marafuku are my top ramen places in Irvine. Everything in the bowl is elevated and exceptional, great quality control and nice thick pieces of flavorful pork unlike most other traditional ramen spots that serve thin dry pork. The broth at times can seem a little too fatty/thick but that's a minor complaint. Also the indoor seating is very cramped and limited with reserved signs on all the tables, making you feel like you can't sit inside and have to use the outdoor seating only. As a ramen restaurant this is the opposite ambiance of what it should feel like.“

“Amazing food and wonderful customer service. They make you feel like family here! They have awesome Vietnamese dishes, and can get really creative with the menu. I've never had a PHO-RITTO before (Pho + Burrito) but it was AMAZING. Must try!“

“Really nice place with some yummy food! Especially the avocado volcano!!“

“Food here is on another level. One of the few Thai places I've ever eaten at using the freshest herbs and seasonings along with high quality proteins and other ingredients. Really elevated food that is consistently delicious. Get the drunken noodles for sure.“

“Very good food. Many choices on menu. Downside is they are very hard to get on phone. Also the hours they have posted online, even on this page, show “OPEN” Sunday, when we found out the hard way they are indeed NOT open. Please change your online presence to state correct days/hours. Including Yelp. This would be very helpful. Other than that, I give it “2 Thumbs up”.“

“Whenever I get a craving for Thai this is my go to spot. The food is authentic delicious and Just plain beautiful. The prices are reasonable the portions are large. The atmosphere can be busy, but comforting and relaxing, like a coffeehouse. The hustle and bustle of people coming in doesn’t distract from the atmosphere. In fact, it adds to it. I have always judged a Thai restaurant by their Tom kha kai. The first time I had it here I knew I was in for some good Thai. I’ve been making Tom kha gai at home for years now I know how it’s done and the subtleties of the ingredients. I highly recommend this restaurant.“

“Their service is great, and you can feel that they are paying a lot of attention to customers.

We brought our dog with us so we sit the outdoor area, and they have been very attentive all the time.

Food is great, they are noodle house but their rice is out of question also great as well.

I'll come here soon again.“

“the best sushi🍣 and service we been going there for years 😃“

“We have been going to Niko Niko for 10 years now. We love the restaurant and the community and the friends we made there I would definitely recommend this place, the food is amazing and the owners are very accommodating to the costumers needs. Love you Niko Niko family. My youngest daughter was so in love with their miso soup that they named an specific to go order with her name. “Christiana style”.“

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

“Delicious food, fun and inviting atmosphere, excellent service and the friendliest owners Key and his lovely wife Grace. Our local reliable go to.“

“A favorite restaurant for our friends and family. Food is always consistently good and the atmosphere is fun!!!“

“What is there to complain about? I always come by whenever I'm in the neighborhood. Still one of the few deals thats under $10 for an actual meal.Their Pork Cutlet Curry ($9.25+tax) is my go-to for its volume and the home-y feeling it gives you.The gentleman at the front gingerly took my order and my food came out ~10mins. Mind you, this was on a Tuesday afternoon (2pm)I prefer this locaction sometimes compared to its sister location in Costa Mesa. The choices here are limited, but you get the quiet and convenience.Tip: There's a parking in the back corner of the mall where you have direct access to the food court instead of parking and walking through the front. If you can find it...“

“It's the best cold noodles I've had since coming to the US.
There may be a standard of personal taste, but I have never failed when coming here with friends.
Highly recommended when you want to eat cold noodles!!!“

“I’d rate Soba Izakaya Minami one of south OC’s best izakaya. Their small portion (Japanese tapas) are delicious and served very fast. Don’t forget to order the Orion beer draft if you’re a beer lover!“

“I love � fukada“

“We come here often because it’s a dog friendly restaurant outside the patio. We love to take our fur baby here. Closer to home. And we can walk around after for digestion since it’s located in Irvine Spectrum like an outdoors mall with many restaurants, shops. They offer happy hour but drinks only and from Monday to Thurs.“

“Clean store and tons of Asian products too“

“First time at this location absolutely delicious food fresh and worth the wild one thing I didnt like is the service once ordered they rush all the food to you at once didnt even give us time to finish appetizers or anything by the time we got all of our food the table was stuffed they could have slowed down just a little give us like 5 minutes in between that's my only complaint other then that all good highly recommend“

“The best Chinese food I've ever had in my now twenty six years of rambling on this rock. The orange chicken was fried to utter perfection with the sauce not being to sweet nor salty. The lack of breeding was wonderful for the crispy nature was from a perfect frying. To great surprise not oily at all. Quy was my server and was a great man to talk to and very kind and insightful as to what to eat and how it was made. Price was nominal for the market rate. The wontons where wonderful semi sweet without the sauce and dessert like with it. Panda Express, eat your heart out.

Parking: Just a pain getting in or out of the lot as a whole.“

“I've only tried a couple of dishes, but they were really good. There aren't many Asian restaurants in south OC with flavor like they have here. I got the pork soup dumplings and chicken fried noodles. The flavor on the soup dumplings was really good. The noodles were really good also. You could definitely taste the garlic and the hot wok flavor.

The restaurant itself is decorated nicely, it looks very modern. The staff were all friendly also. It's cool to be able to see into the kitchen. I look forward to coming back and trying some more of their dishes.“

“The base soup is not too greasy nor salty. Larger portions than expected. Pro/con that there are only 4 types of soups to choose from. But makes sense since most Ramen places have few variety. Their salt Ramen was good but the spicy miso tasted like Mala seasoning, which I'm not a fan of. The combo is just rice + whatever topping you choose so it's simple but it tasted great to dip the rice in the Ramen soup. Only wish is for them to have takuan as a default side menu to have a refreshing taste.“

“Food is really good :) is well located and prices are reasonable for the area“

“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.“

“Cute space, and service is good. Food portions are GREAT for the price but the flavors are fine honestly. I personally felt like everything was too greasy but I still enjoyed the meal. I got the mixed vegetable chow mein, green onion pancakes, and pork dumplings.“