We went here because we normally go to Thai Chinese and Express next door but wanted to try something different. Was disappointed because the pictures looked intriguing but the food itself didn't live up to the expectations. (0) Food: Bland and not very flavorful. We had the following; -Beef Soup: Lacked flavor and depth. Had to add some sriracha to give it more of a kick. The texture of the noodle was nice. not too chewy and not too soft. Meat was bland -Pork braised noodle: I liked where this was going but wish it had more flavor in it. (+1) Venue: this is in a little plaza that offers several different restaurants. Easy to find seating although I've never been during lunch. Never had problems with parking although I can see the lot getting crowded during rush hours (+1) Service: the food came out quick at least so that's a plus! (+1) Menu: I'm not sure if this should be a plus but they offer a wide variety of foods. It's not just your basic Taiwanese food. They have Americanized sandwiches and salads as well. I guess variety in this case isn't a bad thing. I can't really say much about this place but I've had better from what I've tried. read more

First Sandwich - Beef soup - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Awesome service and authentic Taiwanese food!!! The price is reasonable and the owners are so nice. I will come back for more taiwanese food and their chili sauce is awesome! Love love love! Definitely recommends to anyone who wants authentic taiwanese bento, and beef stew noodle soup!!! read more

First Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

I've eaten at this restaurant more times than I can count but still never got tired of it. I've tried a majority of their Taiwanese dishes and think they are all pretty solid but what really stands out to me are their sandwiches. The pastrami bacon is one that I've gotten super often and the turkey avocado bacon sandwich tastes amazing on toasted rye! I haven't been in this area for a while now but still think about the good ol' days when I could get this for lunch haha read more

This is Sparta!! I have finally hit review number 300. Although I didn't bowl a perfect game, I have come a long ways from a yelp reader to a Gold Elite :). Cheers to 300 and more reviews to come. First Sandwich is the under dog that I am rooting for. It is the one that is the most unique dining experience in "cookie cutter" Irvine. I think there are plenty of great options in Irvine but let the outsiders make fun of it. Haters gonna hate. Where else can you get Taiwanese food in an American sandwich shop? Only at first sandwich. This place is located in my favorite lunch time spot the Main Street food court. Don't bother going to The District unless you like crazy drivers and construction. The Diamond Jamboree area is okay but only a few restaurant stand out but not all of them are lunch time friendly. I can say that most of the Main Food court is good expect for Main Street pizza that place is nasty only cater that place for lunch if you want to punish your employees. Why does First Sandwich impress me? I get some Taiwanese food and boba without a long wait or wasting my lunch break going to Class 302. Large portions and a great price. I enjoyed the philly sandwich and the turkey avocado was okay. I'm mainly here for the spicy beef noodle soup and the non menu items. Yes the ones written in Chinese and has pictures. Don't worry you can always ask questions if you are unsure what to eat. The lady that works there is very friendly and says hi to everyone that comes by. I would say it difficult to say no with such great hospitality. She also works hard and tries to take your order fast and provide good service. You can also refill your drinks. You get the feeling that mom is taking care of you. The reason why this place steals my heart. I use to eat at California Teriyaki and Thai and Chinese the most but I felt my food was mass produced. At Thai and Chinese I always wonder how they can cook multi orders in less than 10 minutes maybe it's pre made or cook in one large batch. I also everything is fried and the Chinese food I heard is very bad. This is sad that the Thai food is better here because the owners are Chinese. I wanted something new and First Sandwich paid off. I need to warn you that this place will not impress any foodies but it will give you options for those days when you don't have much time for lunch and you need some thing quick and tasty. I would say the food is okay to most people but for me the great service and unique menu is good for me. You will have plenty to eat because they don't skip the way food trucks do. read more

First Sandwich - Beef stew rice - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

Mom and pop shop is holding it down, staying open when neighboring restaurants have closed up for the evening. Got my usual, slow cooked stew pork with rice. The dish is accompanied by pickle veg, mince pork, seasoned egg, stewed tofu, and cooked veg. It is a comforting dish, loaded with stewed pork... it can be split between 2 people when ordering a side dish to share. Normally, I only order the stewed pork at this shop, but I can recommend their chow mein and fried rice. Both are pretty tasty and solid choices. Other options offered at this spot are traditional American style sandwiches and salads. read more

See all

Been coming here for many years. Was already an amazing sandwich shop before adding the Chinese dishes. Recommend the hot coppa/pastrami/meatball sandwiches with pepper jack. Far better than the franchised shops. Support a small biz and get more and better food, win/win. read more

Large portions, the lunch special with chips, salad, and a drink is a pretty good deal. I had the french dip sandwich with au jus as a lunch special deal... it came out to be about $9 Not too bad, definitely was very filling. The au jus was good, but the beef wasn't seasoned like i would expect. Definitely had a lot of filling beef/cheese though. Will try again read more

Food Beef Noodle Soup Ordered with rice noodle. I expected ho fun/flat rice noodle or mi fun/small Chinese rice noodle. However, it came with Vietnamese pho rice noodle. Feint five spices and beef broth aroma. Timid five spices, medium saltiness, deep earthy beef broth flavor. It was sadly quite monotone. Beef shank cut had stew texture and a bit chewy. Noodle was way overcooked and mushy. Raw green onion gave some contrasting sharpness. Together with raw spinach, it also gave texture. 3/5. Service Food court. Friendly and quick. 4/5. Ambience A hidden food court at a hidden strip mall. Sidewalk patio outside a la Irvine. 3.5/5. Overall Sufficiently comforting, will probably come again if I am craving the food and is in the area. 3/5. read more

First Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

In the midst of a multi-cultural food court lies a Sand which shop owned by an older Taiwanese couple. They serve the basics, turkey, roast beef, ham, pair it with cheese and veggies and they make a great sandwich for lunch. But wait, I see characters on the wall, as well as pictures of Taiwanese food... is that pork-chop rice? Pork stew? Beef noodle? WHOA, hold on a second now... YES! They do indeed serve some popular Taiwanese dishes you can find at other places in Irvine, but within the proximity to my work, and not to spend extra $ at DJ... this is a godsend. And reasonably priced too ($7-$9) I've had the pork chop rice and the beef noodle so far, and they were good. I wish they would have more condiments, as I prefer my soup a little sour (need red vinegar), and my pork chop doused in hot sauce (chili garlic sauce)... but it's not that big an issue. Only con to this place is that their soda machine say "refill once only" so grab water, or go to another spot that has unlimited refills. read more

First Sandwich - Half eaten bowl of beef noodle soup. - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

Love this place! I always come here during summer for their Chicken Cold Noodle. Good portion of meal and great service read more

First Sandwich - Chicken Cold Noodle - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

The best sandwiches ever!! Super fresh and the quality is amazing . The owner Gary and his wife are super nice and friendly. We have been coming here for 14 years !! Will highly recommend read more

First Sandwich - the inside of a fast food restaurant - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

Note: There are no listed prices for the taiwanese section of the menu. There are pictures posted behind the counter though. The plaza is really crowded during the lunch hour and this little shop is located in the food court in the corner. Actually reminds me of a cafeteria or a small mall food court. I ordered the pork chop and rice and it was $7.99. Took around 20 minutes to come out so fair warning, if you have a 30 minute lunch hour, order ahead. The meal came pre-packed in a strofoam TOGO box lined with aluminum foil. The amount of food was less than I thought it would be but it was tasty. Half of the package was full of sweet pickled cabbage and the layer of rice was very shallow. The pork chop came pre-cut which made things easy... especially since you're dealing with a plastic spoon and fork. The variety of the plate made the plate worth the price but the amount of food wasn't substantial. Don't share this dish. You'll both be hungry. TLDR: beware cooking time busy lunch hour, parking is scarce. located in corner of plaza in food court. don't share dish, not enough food lol read more

First Sandwich - Pork chop and rice $7.99 - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

We have been there many times. The wife works at the front and she is very friendly. Husband is the cook and he will come out and talk if they are not busy. We normally order Chinese food and try most of the items. They are good, large portions, and reasonably priced. I'm sure you can find better at other restaurants but not for the price and convenience. They are located in a food court so be prepared to self-service. read more

This place is a true gem!! I've been coming back for three weeks in a row for the pork chop rice! IMO, easily best Taiwanese pork chop rice in OC! Great mom and pop place - please give them a chance! read more

First Sandwich - Taiwanese pork chop rice - best in OC! - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

The pork chop rice and beef noodle are totally legit! I usually get the pork chop rice but today I tried the beef noodle, 100% authentic. read more

I was looking up places to eat in Irvine and stumbled upon this little eatery, First Sandwich. What got my eye was they offer you traditional sandwiches but also have a side menu with Taiwanese/Chinese food. Looking at the pictures people have previously posted they mostly had their Taiwanese food so I decided to get them the two times I visited them. The two dished I tried were their pork chop on rice and beef noodle soup and I have to say you gotta try them if you're in the area. The pork chop was crispy but wasn't too crispy since it laid on top of the rice and steamed vegetables. The beef noodles was also delicious and comes in mild and spicy, I got mild since I can't handle spicy foods too well. What I liked about this dish was the noodles held their own and didn't completely absorb the broth, beef was tender and balanced out with enough greens to complete the dish. After going there twice I can say they are a must try. The owner is very friendly, helpful and always has a warm smile welcoming you in their little corner of the Main Street food court. I would differently go a again to try out some of their sandwiches next time. read more

First Sandwich - pork and rice $7.99 - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Small scale family business with great value. Ordered a California Steak and absolutely loved it.

more like 4.5/5 stars. This place is pretty legit. Who would imagine a sandwich shop selling tasty beef noodle soup?! *slowly raises hands* ... not me. I was looking for something to eat on my lunch break and i noticed that this place had beef noodle soup. and i told myself, what the hay, should be interesting to try beef noodle soup from a sandwich place, let alone a food court... to my surprise, the soup was solid. the noodles could have used some work, but the broth was good. the chunks of beef were not too shabby. it was a very filling dish. the person working there was extra friendly, but i think that's because she was speaking to me in Taiwanese. they also serve other miscellaneous asian dishes, of course various sandwiches and alcohol! for people who need to get their drink on. lol read more

First Sandwich - Pork stew rice - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

This little spot across the street from my work serves ginormous sandwiches and asian food? So random but they do. I have ordered the magic mountain and boy for the price you get the biggest sandwich ever! I could not even possibly try to finish it. I had half and took the rest home. The sandwich was delicious; It was stacked high in meat and veggies with a heaping amount of mayo. Next time, I'll ask for light mayo haha but overall delicious. I came back last week and had a huge craving for asian food. After browsing at pictures for a while, the porkchops over rice was calling my name. This was seriously so good, not as good as my mom's but pretty darn close. For 8 bucks, I got a huge to go box with rice, pickled cabbage, a boiled egg and a ton of pork chops. The lady who works the front is super super nice too. read more

First Sandwich - The magic magic mountain - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Ordered sandwiches and salads for the office and all the ingredients are super fresh. We love their sandwiches and highly recommend this place for lunch. The owners are super sweet and will definitely be back again !! read more

Love the food! This food stall is ran by a friendly Taiwanese couple. You can order everything from standard western food like sandwiches, salad, to Taiwanese food here. They make their own Taiwanese pickled vegetables that are very authentic and yummy. The prices are great and the each portion is huge. I highly recommend this place. read more

I had been picking up take-out at the Thai/Chinese joint in this food court, when, like T H. I saw a sign for Pork Stew Rice. I tried it. It's delicious. The rice is fresh and hot, the ground pork and sliced pork tender, not too fatty, and flavorful. For those of you who question my review, I've ordered Pork Stew Rice up and down Walnut and Jeffrey, and this one, found in a business park on Main, can hold up to its brethren quite nicely. I also ordered a mango smoothie. It was pretty and bright, and tasted OK, but wouldn't order it again. read more

First Sandwich - pork stew rice! nomnomnom - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

This place reminds me of home! Even the Asian couple welcomed me as if I were their own son, we spoke in Chinese for a bit and they gave me their suggestions to order. I got the pork stew over rice and the fried pork chop. You know the type of food that just brings back memories and takes you home? This was it, I live in San Diego so good Taiwanese food is hard to find---without it being all chain restraurant like. The friend pork chop was crispy, hot, and cut to perfection. This is like the dream when you can bite into this and hear the crunch. The tofu, lu dan, and veggies on the side were good also. Seriously though the reason it gets an extra star is because of the customer service, the price and the food quality. Make sure you stop here for a visit if you are in town because I know that I will! read more

Came here today and had the Magic Mountain sandwich, which is basically every deli meat that you can throw on with a slice of Swiss cheese and veggies. Nothing special, I felt like I could make the sandwich myself. The bread and meat tasted like it was purchased from Ralphs and the avocado was more like a guacamole spread. For nearly 7 bucks, I thought it was fair at best. The owners, however, were super nice and friendly. They had a huge smile and service was prompt. Their business model, however, was having an identity crisis. Are they a Chinese food joint or a sandwich shop? They have Chinese characters near the menu board, which I assume are food items and their special was the beef noodle soup. On the board next to it, the sandwich of the day was featured....... yeah, it's strange mix. read more

First Sandwich - Magic Mountain Sandwich. Large portions, questionable quality. - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

An X-Chicago associate told me about this place in hopes of saving me from driving to Portillo's in Buena Park for their French Dip. Rather do the drive, bread of the sandwich was good, the au jus not bad, the meat was processed and he heated it up in the microwave was not my cup of tea. read more

Beef stew rice is the bomb!!!!!! This place is in a tiny food court, they sell sandwiches but it's ran by Taiwanese people, so they also sell speciality Taiwanese food. He beef stew rice was so delicious, it had a generous amount of beef and gravy over white rice and the flavors were amazing. read more

First Sandwich - Beef stew rice - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

My favorite lunch spot in the area. The two signature menu items are the Taiwanese noodles: "Spicy Pork Dry Noodle" and "Beef Noodle Soup." A hidden treasure is the spaghetti, which is prepared with traditional meatballs but also with less-traditional bell peppers and onions. Although the highlights on the menu are A++, every single dish is at least a B or B+. "First Sandwich" is an appropriate name since the cold sandwiches are dependable and good, while the hot sandwiches are either great (like rib eye) or solid (like pastrami, French dip). The name is also useful in sayings like this: "OK boss, I will finish the TPS reports by 2 p.m. But First, Sandwich." I also recommend the smoothies (my favorite is an avocado smoothie with boba but without sugar). Another thing I feel compelled to mention is that this is a mom-and-pop shop operated by the loveliest and sweetest couple you will ever meet. The proprietor lady, Sherry, has a wit sharper than a steel trap and has perfected the art of the 30-second "small talk" conversation in many thousands of trials over the years. I have nothing negative to say. If forced to criticize something, I would say that the two-person husband and wife team, occasionally, can be busy during the peak hours, resulting in delays. But as you spend the wait-time watching daytime soaps on the food court TVs and gazing at the shoelaces of passersby, just remember that Gary is in the back preparing every dish with attention to detail and pride in his culinary craft. read more

I just really wanted the pork stew rice. I was just thanking the heavens that there was Taiwanese food next to my job so that was three stars right there. The owner that took my order was so cute and so sweet - it kind of felt like home. The pork stew rice may be one of the only good items there, and though it was missing some spices that home cooking offers, it was still good enough to satisfy my cravings. The tofu was overcooked, but who cares. My friends good the beef stew rice (I think thats what it's called), and that was mediocre. Pork stew all the way! read more

First Sandwich - Pork stew rice - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

The sandwiches are amazing and the Asian food is even better! Got the beef stew noodle and chicken curry today with the taro boba and it did not disappoint! I will definitely be making this place a regular spot. read more

They are understaff and the orders were coming haphazard. Nobody knew what food is out and people coming to the counter and sitting back finding it wasnt their order. Myself had to do that 3 times. They forgot my order and it took 30 mins to get the food and when chicken noodle was out it was nasty. I took a bite and threw away the food ewww. The chicken was smelly and noddles were salty. read more

First Sandwich - Nopes can't eat that! - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

first sandwich's taiwanese food is too legit to quit! i've had first sando bookmarked for some time and finally had a random porkchop over rice craving so i found my way to first sandwich. owned and operated by this cute older taiwanese couple. the wife is the cashier and is super inviting, friendly and always smiling :) the husband is in charge of making the food. i've only had the pork chop rice thus far and i give it two thumbs up! i do wish the porkchop was a teeny bit larger in size... but for $7.99, the meal was able to last me a good two meals due to the amount of rice... can't wait to try other taiwanese items on the menu! can't comment on the sandwiches because, lets be honest, i won't ever order a sandwich over taiwanese food. read more

First Sandwich - too legit to quit - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

I have to say there is a very interesting menu a lot to select from as you could see by the pictures. I have to admit the owners are the most friendly people and I enjoy going back every time because they are always in a good mood smiling and want to chat. I always seem to get the different sandwiches because the other dishes look great but will be too much for a lunch. I've tried about 4 different ones and they are all very good very clean tasting and fill me up just perfect. I will always continue to come for lunch this place is great. read more

First Sandwich - Awesome sandwich first time I've tried the pastrami but well worth it for $7 - Sandwiches Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here specifically to try the beef noodle stew. Very friendly lady at the front and pretty easy to order. This place is inside an indoor food court within the business side of Irvine. I could see parking being horrible during lunch hour but I came for dinner. I think my beef noodle stew preference is not the typical type people prefer such as A&J so if you're looking for A&J type I don't think this is comparable. I thought this was pretty comparable to Mandarin Deli in the valley but still doesn't top it. I definitely felt like I needed a bunch of water after to rehydrate. I'll continue my search. read more

I have to rate this place... Since Taiwanese will tell the truth. We got Pork Chop Rice and Pork Stew Rice to go.. The 排骨Pork Chop when you open the box all you smell is that old fired oil . Not 排骨香. Not freshly made. Dry and taste liken jerky. Outside is not crunchy. Just tasted like they double fried it and just don't care. Then we had high hope for the pork Stew cause the great photos and review from yelp. Then damn, pork was not tender, slightly taste like soy sauce and bleh ..Good thing I got my hot sauce in my bag .. The good thing about this place compare to other Taiwanese places is that they give you more side dishes but then the main should be what it's at . Very disappointed but oh well. Don't come here for Taiwanese food! read more

Oh my gosh. Forget Subway. The sandwiches here are sooo fantastic and perfect for a quick lunch fix. First Sandwich's turkey avo on toasted squaw literally saved my life earlier last week when I had one of the worst hangovers of my life. The ingredients are so fresh and they definitely don't skimp. Tons of turkey, lots of tomatoes/lettuce, and probably an entire avocado to bring the entire sandwich together. It was stacked! Too delicious... This place is owned by some nice folks and I love how the shop has a family feel to it. The girl working the counter was so nice and provided super quick service..what more could you ask for? I'm also a fan of their beef noodle soup. Can't wait to come back! read more

FIVE STARS FOR...the most unexpected and delicious food item ...PORK STEW RICE! I was eating at Thai & Chinese Express...and I saw a sign for Pork Stew Rice. I then noticed that the owners were Chinese. I put two and two together...and decided to ask if they served the pork stew rice I crave ALL the time (I haven't been able to find a decent place in Irvine ): ). AND LO AND BEHOLD, they had the pork stew rice. I was so full from Thai & Chinese Express but I tried it anyways. It was really cheap for an entire..big take out box full. Less than $5. I was really surprised when I opened it. The pork stew isn't your typical disgusting 3/4 pork fat, there were lean chunks of pork on rice with a tea egg& pickled vegetables. You have no idea how happy I was to see the delicious pickled vegetables. I think the price has increased for them so even the places in the 626 no longer give you them for free. A&J even charges .50 cents for it!! It's so flavorful and possibly the best pork stewed rice I have by far. What a pleasant surprise :) First Sandwich is my new go to place for pork stew rice. read more

It's 3.5 stars. The owners are Taiwanese, and on a side display in Chinese, lists the Taiwanese meat sauce rice, beef noodle soup, pork chop rice. I got the taiwanese meat sauce rice to go. It was a big portion for the price, but the meat sauce was lean, and they removed a lot of fat. Part of the reason meat sauce rice is so good is to have some fat from the fresh pork belly mixed in. For me, this was a bit too lean and there were some spices missing in the flavor (I keep tasting soy sauce). It's OK and definitely edible but I've had better. For people who like "healthy" meat sauce rice, they may like it more than me. read more

Very unassuming spot for good food. I'm not a big sandiwch fan, so I used to walk past this place (located in Main Street Food Court) without looking at the menu. Then I saw "Pork Stew Rice" on their special menu board one day and had to check it out. Turns out that they make other Taiwanese dishes as well (beef noodle soup, beef stew with rice, etc.). The pork stew rice is definitely a hit. And at 5 bucks, it's a great option for lunch (or takeout for dinner)! The owners are very friendly, too! read more

See all

I would have never thought a good sandwich could be had in a food court. Not in a million years. Not a bi-zillion. But this place? I had forgotten about this place since I no longer work near here, but meeting a friend of mine here this week at this food court, I just had to see if the turkey, bacon, avocado club with squaw bread was as good as I remembered it. And the verdict....a slammin' "yes". The bread is soft fresh and soft. OK, the turkey itself was just OK, but the bacon was nice and crisp and the avocado was mixed in with the mayo. Good job guys. And last but certainly not least, a while ago, it used to cost $0.50 for refills. Now, it's free refills. Nice. Very nice. read more

Came to the main st. food court during lunchtime and stopped by this sandwich shop (btw seating was very limited due to rushhour) but nonetheless i'm glad i tried this place out! Ordered a BLT on toasted sourdough and it can't get any better than this! They give hefty portions but i just saved the unfinished half for later. Give this place a try... just try to go a little earlier than lunchtime read more