The restaurant was beautiful, loved the vibe and atmosphere, every detail was thought out. There was also a good mocktail menu which I really appreciate. The wagyu beef tongue was good, accompanied well by the mala dressing (numbing, but not spicy) and the kohlrabi (reminded me of pickled radish). Super refreshing. The tofu dumplings were really unique-- I've never tried anything like it. The soup was soo flavorful and made this my favorite dish of the meal. I wish the tofu dumplings had some sort of stuffing or was seasoned a bit more. Chongqing chicken was popular online so I had to try that. The skin was so crunchy and was cooked perfectly. Flavor was lacking a bit, not exactly the traditional flavor and I wish it was more salty. The aged duck breast was okay, with the sauce carrying the dish. I wish the dish was accompanied with some veggies for balance. Overall the food was okay, but I do see myself coming back for the atmosphere and service. read more

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Had dinner at First Born in Chinatown last night. We were a party of five, sat outside with our two pups,, and everything about the night was great. Daniel was our server and he was great. Attentive, friendly, and made the experience easy. We shared a bunch of dishes. Spiced carrot salad, wagyu beef tongue, Japanese sweet potato's, BBQ cabbage, fried Chongqing chicken, short rib, aged Liberty duck breast, and duck fat rice. Every plate was thoughtful, bold, and full of flavor. This is the kind of place you go when you want something creative that actually delivers. Would absolutely come back. read more

Firstborn - Sausage - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I must write a glowing review before they switch to a pre-fixe format. I think that Firstborn is a really wonderful addition to the elevated Asian food scene in Chinatown LA. The ambience and hospitality are just really amazing. I checked in for my reservation, but my table was not quite ready, so they ushered me to a nice bar seating area where I could start with a drink and wait. DRINKS  The cocktails were good, but surprisingly unmemorable as I look back on my pictures. I know that the bar director here has many accolades in his craft. I think the cocktails were really good, and that is what originally drew me to Firstborn, but I cannot draw any major highlights. I did get a N/A mocktail to try as it sounded intriguing, I got the Hojicha Orange Milk Punch, which was a very interesting drink. I spent my whole meal trying to decide if I liked it or not. I would say that I did. I've never had anything like it and it was exactly what it advertised itself to be. I would recommend trying it as a fun beverage! FOOD Wagyu Beef Tongue - This was a great start to the meal! It was a very light rendition of beef tongue. The mala flavor was fragrant, and the whole dish was made fresh by the arugula and the kohlrabi. Salt & Pepper Squid - My favorite dish of the night! I loved the slight unctuousness from the squid ink. It was so wonderfully seasoned as well. It was everything that you hoped from the nostalgic taste of salt & pepper seafood from your local Chinese restaurant, but refined to make it punchy and balanced. BBQ Cabbage - I am absolutely loving the new trend of charred cabbage dishes at restaurants. I order them everywhere I go, but the Firstborn version is definitely still a standout. The leek vinaigrette was so oniony, and it gave the dish a nice intrigue. Mapo Tofu - The use of sweetbreads here was genius. It gave the dish such a beautiful richness. Everything about the dish was velvety, and was a beautiful entree to share over rice.  Aged Liberty Duck Breast - They told me I got the last one of the night, and I am so glad I did! The duck breast was cooked PERFECTLY with crispy skin and juicy meat. The pairing of seasonal persimmon was just a beautiful complement to the dish as well. Overall, everything at Firstborn was very good, and I would highly recommend checking it out for date night. I don;t know what their set menu situation is going to look like, but I am excited for them to be able to showcase the dishes they are most proud of. I think in making traditional Chinese dishes and ingredients approachable in the fine(ish) dining format, sometimes diners have to be forced into trying things as part of a set menu. I am in full support of this transition and I am excited to try more! I hope you are too. read more

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We ate at Firstborn on Saturday, and silly me, I thought I was going to a Chinese restaurant. If you're looking for traditional Chinese food you'll be disappointed but the food is mostly good nonetheless. The fact that there is usually at least one item on a multi course dinner that is not your favorite is pretty standard, but the $68 per person is not. It's a great value for the service, the quality of the food and the atmosphere. We started with the melon and the tomato appetizers which were very good. My problem was with the next shrimp course which was a little underdone. The short ribs were the bomb with their fluffy white accompaniment and delicious sauce. The one area that they fell short was with the desserts. One was a ginger cookie with cream and I can't remember the other but it also had cream. We went to Cafe Trieste next door for some wine and people watching. All in all, a lovely evening that I would recommend. read more

Newish, posh restaurant inside the once-dead Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown LA. It's pretty lively now thanks to this spot and the hugely popular tea shop Steep right next door. Parking is not free anywhere here, which sucks for everyone except the city. Not sure if reservations are required, but it's recommended as this is a popular spot. Inside is dimly lit and slightly minimalist in decor. If you're able to, make sure you opt for the outdoor patio seating as it'll put you right in the middle of the plaza where you can people watch. It's like a fashion show over here. Menu is modern Chinese, some of it will be familiar, some not - for me, at least. Everything is served family style. Staff is attentive and helpful. Pricing is on the steep end. Here's what we ordered: - Wagyu Beef Tongue - 8.3/10: delicious, decadent app. Loved the flavors. Tongue came in bite-sized pieces and cooked perfectly. Had this smokey flavor to them. - Salanova salad - 8/10: nice palette cleanser. Tarty dressing. Fresh, crisp greens, and nice portions of mushroom ears to mix up the textures. Enough for two. - Fried Chongqing Chicken - 6/10: this was highly recommended by the server and many Yelpers. Unfortunately, it didn't cut it for me. Four large legs and thighs come in a plate. All the pieces are drizzled and infused with generous portions of chili oil. Inside, the meat was tender and juicy. But the breading was just way too hard. Unreasonably hard. It was like cracking open a walnut to get to the meat. Duck Breast - 7/10: duck was perfectly cooked. Skin was crisp and the meat was tender and juicy. Accompanying potato side was just a bit too much as it seems they were needlessly soaked in duck fat. Just too much of one flavor note. Dish overall could've probably used more acidity and sweetness. Desserts - 5/10: decided to try all three offerings - almond tofu, some kind of corn pie and something that had a drizzle of jalapeño juice and reminded me of tapioca pudding. They all had weird flavors, especially the almond tofu. It really didn't taste like almond tofu as it seems like they infused it with too much of this flowery, weird sauce. Would I come back? For the ambience and view, yes, but I'd try some of their cocktails and be a little more conservative with the other items. read more

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We made reservations by calling them for a table of 6, it was hard to make reservations on the website for more than 4 but the receptionist was so helpful on the phone. The food was good, the lamb and fried chicken were bomb! We sat outdoors since we had our kiddos, it was nice. The waiter was great. read more

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Phenomenal meal, cocktails and service. Must return! I was blown away after wanting to try for so long. I can't wait to come back.

The interior is pretty, but while the serving sizes were very generous, the dishes we got were very hit or miss. The fermented tofu caesar, japanese sweet potato salad, tofu dumplings and chongqing chicken were all very very good. Both salads and the tofu dumplings were standouts and must gets. The rest of the dishes were okay, the duck breast was well cooked but just okay, the bbq cabbage was innovative but very salty and too pickled, the gnocchi was also very salty, and the pumpkin congee was too sweet and poorly executed. The martini was delicious, and if I were to come again I would probably just get the few dishes that were good and a martini and skip all the other mains. Overall great service and decent experience, but the number of dishes that did end up disappointing were a little too many for comfort. read more

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This place is still a little under the radar, but that can't last, it should blow up. Second favorite meal of the year so far. We started with the very simply named "Sour" and "Paloma" cocktails; I the Szechuan peppercorns in the Paloma let you know they're taking risks that pay off big time. They recommend a bunch of dishes to share, and that's definitely the smart play. First dishes were corn congee (really rich and filled with umami), the duck sausage (so tender), and the BBQ cabbage, which might have been my favorite dish of the night. Charred cabbage, who would imagine it could be so good? The fish collar special was ok although maybe a little underwhelming. But things picked up again with the beef fat rice (GET THIS), sweet & sour sweetbreads. A rich and beefy Zhajiang Oxtail finished the main service. We finished with the Cherry Frangipane Tart...I could have skipped this, TBH. Nothing wrong with it, just not up to the standard of the other dishes. P.S. Somewhere in there I ordered the Lamb Fat Rob Roy. I repeat LAMB FAT Rob Roy. Heck yeah! read more

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i cannot rave about this restaurant enough. my partner and i were stunned into silence, indulging in our own little worlds as we tasted this unique and very delicious take on asian fusion. highly, highly recommend trying the lamb and cilantro terrine, as well as the ragu for the next course. the desserts blew us away as well. i don't think i've ever had something that delicious, and i'm not a big sweets person. this was so different, so innovative, and sooo memorable. additionally to the wonderful food, the service and the environment were absolutely inviting, warm, and super friendly. i don't have any pictures, since my phone died. you'll just have to trust this. i don't live near LA (just traveling), and I'm sad to be returning home where this doesn't exist in proximity. don't take it for granted!!! read more

We were able to get a 5.30 reservation on a Saturday night via Resy. Snagged some street parking. All of our dishes were excellent. We started off with the two best dishes of the night. The cabbage- I can honestly say I have never tried a dish quite like this. It is beautifully assembled dish. The egg custard with the tomatoes - very different from your classic dish. The duck sausage - oh wow the flavors of the green apple and sauce with the sausage, just divine. The chicken- I was on the fence about ordering this because of the mixed reviews, some had said the chicken wasn't well seasoned etc. that wasn't the case today. The chicken was seasoned beautifully inside and that skin- possibly the crispiest skin I've ever tried on fried chicken. It was delightful. And it's a hearty portion. Don't let the chilies or oil around it fool you. It wasn't spicy. The tofu dumplings -this dish didn't wow me like the rest. Don't get me wrong it was good, Just not as good as the others. I love tofu and I've never had a tofu dumpling. It was lovely with the mushrooms. For dessert we had the custard thing with the apple granita. It was also very good though I think it needed a little less granita. The ratio of granita to custard was a little too much. Our server was new so he wasn't a lot of help on the dishes. He needed to be a little bit more attentive to our table. The other servers made up for it though. All very friendly. Decor is modern and sleek. They have the cutest water glasses. I appreciated how many times they gave us fresh plates and cutlery between courses. I wasn't as excited by the cocktails. It was okay. I tried the non alcoholic milk punch and it was pretty good. Definitely recommend this place. read more

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This place is an amazing gem. First off the ambience is cool (as in color tone, not hipness) and relaxed with a just enough formality to let you know they have a plan but aren't stuffy about it. I love the drapes over the big picture windows which keep you connected to a social, public place without making you gaze out on an unattractive street. The cocktails are inspired. A few looked like something from a sci fi movie but tasted like they were made by a pro at the top of their game. The pre fix is all that is offered but they offer some add ons. My wife and I got the tofu and rice which was the perfect amount of food and allowed us to get two desserts. We had asked the waiter about two add ons but he steered us away, saying it was too much food. Although he did suggest we add the duck fat rice (which is it's own add on) to the tofu. We really appreciated his guidance there. We left full but not uncomfortable. All the food was very good there were no misses, but the local fish with preserved mustard greens and the roasted strawberry dessert were two of the best things I have eaten in many many years. This place is such a find! read more

Absolutely delicious food!!! Went there for Valentines day date! Had the Valentines day dinner menu plus champagne of course! Caviar blinis was perfect combo with champagne! I called it the mini caviar pancakes!! Had to order more! Hehe And the ginger cookie dessert was perfect as well! read more

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Firstborn is such a special spot tucked into Chinatown. Everything we ordered was creative, beautifully presented, and genuinely delicious. You can tell the kitchen puts a lot of care and intention into each dish--everything felt thoughtful and well-executed. * Steak tartare - One of my favorites. Loved the mapo tofu-style seasoning with bits of puffed rice for a crunch here and there. Definitely recommend ordering the beef fat rice on the side--it paired perfectly. * Cherry tomatoes - Super refreshing and light, I enjoyed the gelatin that was involved in the dish. * Duck sausage - Wrapped in tofu skin, which was such a cool touch. Great presentation and flavor. * BBQ cabbage - Charred beautifully. * Fried Chongqing Chicken - Crispy, flavorful, and seasoned all the way through. You can taste the efforts gone into marination. * Chamomile custard - Light and refreshing with green apple and cucumber, and the kinako shortbread added a nice buttery crunch. * Strawberry dessert - Beautifully plated, with a cashew biscuit that tied it all together. Loved every bite. The drinks were spirit-forward, high quality, and thoughtfully crafted--not overly sweet, just really well balanced. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive the whole night. The ambiance was bright, warm, and inviting with beautiful wall art painted by a local Chinatown artist that added such a personal touch to the space. Already looking forward to coming back and trying more--this place is a win. read more

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I was excited to try firstborn and it exceeded our expectations. We opened with the mushrooms and mapo tofu steak tartare-- both are must orders. The fried chicken lived up to the hype our waitress described and the cocktails paired perfectly with our meal. The stand out for me was the oxtail + beef fat rice. 10/10 bite! The outside patio is markedly different from the inside of the restaurant in that it is more cozy-casual than the modern-earthy interior. Nonetheless, the heaters and jazz band playing in the courtyard made for a fun girls night. read more

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Firstborn is almost shockingly good for Chinatown, whose hip arriviste eateries have all seemed to coast on far more hype than quality. The menu is New American with Chinese influences served as a four-course prix fixe set, with each course having three choices, and optional additions are available. (There is an à la carte menu available in the bar area.) I went very carnivorous on my selections, choosing the beef tongue carpaccio, duck sausage, and beef short rib. There was not a bad dish among these: The tongue was tender, soft, and delicate. The duck sausage was fantastically good as well; served with an apple jam atop Swiss chard, it was a sort of Chinese-Alpine fusion cuisine of which I never envisioned but instantly wanted more. While delicious, the short rib was overshadowed by its cabbage accompaniment. My server told me it takes four days to make that dish, and I would have happily ordered a full dish of just that. The kaffir lime curd dessert was light and balanced, perfect after the heavier meat courses and like a small vacation to Thailand on a plate. The one dish I did not love was the Chongqing fried chicken course I added. The chicken itself ― a boneless leg quarter ― was a large portion and well-prepared, but the sauce covering it was a thick layer of chilis (which, thankfully, were not inedibly hot) and straight oil, lots of oil. Eating so much oil like that made for gastrointestinal discomfort the rest of the night. The soy pickles helped cut the greasiness a bit, but they weren't vinegary enough to get that level of oiliness off the palate. The duck fat rice, though quite good, also did not help much given its fattiness. Given the chance, I definitely would have requested the oil-sauce on the side. I did appreciate the crunchiness of the batter, which never went soggy despite being soaked in that oily puddle for a long time. I did not find any wines by the glass that bowled me over, so I stuck to cocktails, which were good. Service was warm, personable but not intrusive, and brisk, while the room has the comfortable feel of a mid-century modern den complete with well-worn cookbooks on the shelves lining the walls. I would happily return to try the bar menu with cocktails or when the prix fixe options change. At $68 for four courses, Firstborn's prix fixe is one of the best fine dining offers in L.A. right now, and it makes a trek up to Chinatown worthwhile. read more

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First time eating here. Although the food was mediocre at best. The service was excellent. read more

We got the cherry tomatoes, duck sausage, carrot congee, BBQ cabbage, steak tartare, and oxtail. The space is really cool and the food is mostly solid. The tomatoes and the tartare were our favorite. The duck sausage initially tasted like pork dumplings and then processed meat - we couldn't really taste the duck, but maybe that's normal? Unfortunately, we sat next to a larger group of 6+ people and they were LOUD. The space itself seemed small with their voices echoing off the kitchen windows with nowhere to bounce but our ears. I'll definitely be back again because their cocktails were delicious, the food made me nostalgic for my Taiwanese roots, and the service was exceptional. Be sure to check out Steep (next door) for great cocktails too!! read more

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Mapo Tofu Steak Tartare 4.5/5 California Vegetable Rice 4/5 BBQ Cabbage 4.5/5 Fried Chongqing Chicken 5/5 Chamomile Custard 5/5 Cocktails 5/5 Service 4.5/5 Atmosphere 4.5/5 Overall 4.5/5 We did a date night at Firstborn on their opening weekend - it was their 3rd day of service. It was busy and the team often apologized regarding the delay, but service was fine after we were seated. It's beautiful inside the restaurant and the ambiance and aesthetic was excellent. Cocktails and mocktails were well balanced. We had the Lacto Blueberry Fizz, Ume Yuzu Last Word, and Shochu Bamboo. We loved all of them! The Mapo Tofu Steak Tartare paired with the California Vegetable Rice had all the essence of my favorite Mapo Tofu dishes but elevated to perfection. The BBQ Cabbage had a delicious leek vinaigrette which paired flawlessly with the grilled cabbage. My favorite dish was the Fried Chongqing Chicken! It was crunchy and succulent, overall superb. The dessert was unique. We had the Chamomile Custard with green apple, cucumber, and shortbread. I definitely need to come back for another date night and try more dishes at Firstborn! read more

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Not too sure about this place. The food was fine, but none of the entrees/appetizers really stood out to me. I don't agree with other reviews saying the food was bland, but with the menu descriptions I did expect more depth of flavor and maybe more variety in textures. When the sun's up the windows make the place look really beautiful. When it goes down it's a little too dark. One of our dishes was the black cod and the middle of the fish felt kind of gummy, but it was so dark I couldn't see if it was raw? Our server told us the fish tends to be more on the medium side and that was it ‍ The courses were quite spaced out. We made a reservation for 7pm for the dineLA menu (which is the prix fixe menu with "included supplement" dish) and finished around 9pm. By far our favorite experiences were the desserts, carrot tea, and the strawberry goat cheese jasmine cocktail. Not sure if I would come again for dinner but I wouldn't mind tasting some cocktails at their bar. read more

Grateful to have another great restaurant close to where we live! Amazing ambiance in a cozy space- we thought maybe the seating outside on Broadway was theirs, but their patio seating is actually inside the plaza not facing the road, which is great. Vibes were great- good for a date night or a few friends; there was a group of girls who had this constant, piercing cackle, so I guess it's great for getting lit too!! Also, like a previous review said- it seems like seating and pacing reservations need a bit of work. We got seated about 20 minutes past our rsvp time; but it's fine, it's only been a few days since opening day. Our server was helpful in recommending different dishes, how much to order depending how hungry we are, etc. very attentive, very friendly! All the dishes were great too - I definitely recommend getting the congee! We also had the cabbage, mapo tofu, and the tartare- all of which were amazing. We had the strawberry shortcake too and two drinks- a citrus non-alcoholic drink and a negroni, I would order both again. I'm not really that into non-alcoholic drinks but that one my partner got was exceptionally good, he said it tastes like a tootsie roll LOL because of its dark chocolate notes, which tbh is very accurate. Anyway thanks for an amazing experience! Very glad that y'all are in walking distance- would definitely return and bring more friends so we can try the rest of the menu! read more

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The restaurant is located in Chinatown, has a dedicated parking garage that is just adjacent to it (north of the restaurant, entrance is at the intersection of Bernard St and N Broadway, flat fee for parking for dining there). The location seems to be out of place given that is it a nice restaurant with great food, but that is sort of the theme of many trendy LA restaurants (eg. Majordomo amidst warehouses). Parking was convenient, reasonably priced for Chinatown, and the restaurant entrance is located inside a small plaza with several cute restaurant/cafe shop venues. The drinks were quite novel, some made with fat/oils, and really gives the cocktails a savory profile, which I did like a lot, although I can see how it might be too niche for the more conservative drinkers of traditional cocktails. Foodwise, the fried chongqing chicken was delicious, juicy and crispy. The beef short rib was also well made with salient flavor profile. Of note, I really enjoyed these dishes with the beef fat rice, definitely an excellent compliment to the other dishes; the fat enhanced the rice and really brought out the flavors of the other dishes and paired well with the savory cocktails. The staff was also very attentive and always walking around to ensure we had what we needed. We were a big party of over 10 people and we were well taken care of. service was quite fast as well, not over crowded. We did make a reservation ahead of time, so I'm not sure how easy it is to get a seat as walk in. Definitely recommend reservation for these kind of venues. Unfortunately, I cannot find my photos of the food. But portions were moderate, and I would probably say 2 to 3 main dishes plus an appetizer for two people would be enough. This is definitely a good location for a date or a business meeting. Upscale casual probably fits the vibe the best. read more

Really outstanding modern take on Chinese cuisine. They apparently change their menu every week so nothing is old. Their service was great and their servers were very knowledgeable. Their drinks also stood out in terms of creativity and the amount of work that goes into them. Overall, I put this on par with Baroo in terms of creativity, service and flavor. read more

I was hyped to try this restaurant. The chef has worked for my most favorite chefs (Jordan Kahn, Michael Voltaggio, and Eric Bost) who've delivered some of the best meals I've ever had. I had high expectations for the Chinese New American marriage. Chinatown has never recovered after 2020. It was suspiciously too easy to get parking on a Saturday evening (the meter was 50 cents/hour). I expect a bit of a struggle in this area, but I guess the restaurant dining crowd has fled to the SGV. I couldn't get a table for 5 online but was able to call the restaurant to make this arrangement. We sat outside which is still grubby looking from the Angry Egrette Dining days (I love Wes Avila's work too, come back to the east side!). The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous and has some classic millenial pink and greens. Bill Chait is the GOAT of LA restaurants (but not every venture lasts long). I studied up on Yelp for the best dishes. Overall, I expected more and didn't feel that the appetizer and entree dishes stood out. LA dining is competitive; I wouldn't bet this place lasts more than a few years (if PokPok couldn't make it, what will draw the Westsiders out?). The mapo tofu steak tartare had a unique take with the seasonings and texture contrast with raw beef and tofu. Other dishes like the custard and tofu-wrapped duck were forgettable. I came for the fried chili chicken; it had a thick crust. The chili was only 1 teaspoon on 1 chicken thigh. It was disappointing; if you are going to go Chinese chili crunch chicken, you go balls to the walls with it. I wanted the chicken dripping in chili oil. Some parts of the chicken just tasted like fried chicken with too hard of a skin. This dish seriously needs optional chili crunch oil to add on the side. The highlights of this place are the booze and desserts. We got 5 alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks. They were all pleasantly strong and the NA orange drink was a table favorite. The desserts were the star of the night for me with the chamomile custard in a cucumber granita and strawberry cake. The pastry chef is from Jordan Kahn's places and it shows. They were perfectly light, not too sweet, and complex with the mixture of ingredients. They encapsulated what I was looking for in this mixture of Chinese-inspired ingredients and fine dining techniques. Unfortunately, the savory dishes didn't leave a mark. Service was excellent and attentive. The dishes came out at a good pace. read more

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Modern location with abstract takes on Asian flavors. Went for a weekend dinner. There's a parking lot ($10) and street parking available. Restaurant has a bar, main dining room, and a patio in the shared plaza space. Patio seemed a bit separated from the restaurant, so chose to eat in the main dining room. Dining room was modern and minimalist - unfortunately the room acoustics were poor - there was a lot of echoing, so trying to have a conversation was tough with it being loud enough to hear everyone's voices except for the ones at your table. Service was prompt - plates were switched after every set of dishes. Drinks were refilled often. At the end of the meal, the server did hold the credit card machine and was looking as we tipped, which was a bit awkward. The food itself was - different. I'm not a savant when it comes to food - so it was hard interpreting the menu item descriptions. It was described mostly as ingredients vs types of dishes. Since this was a new restaurant, there weren't many pictures online to guide the ordering. We ordered snap peas & turnips, tofu & mushrooms, carrot congee, and the fried chicken. The snap peas & turnips were literally like just snap peas and sliced turnips with horseradish-type sauce on the side - it didn't seem anything was done to it. The tofu & mushroom dish was great - the tofu had a nice creamy texture and there was a bit of sauce to go along with it. The congee was decent - I'd say the crunch of the chopped veggies in it kind of threw off what I like most about congee - that it's soft / soupy / porridge-y. The flavor was good - just wasn't a fan of the texture. The fried chicken was well prepared - had a good crunch and the meat was tender. There was a little spicy kick to dish. Not sure it stood out flavor-wise though, felt a bit muted. Overall - was a bit disappointed. The aesthetics of the place were great, but it's hard to recommend as a date spot as you can't really have a conversation. The food was a bit hit and miss in the sense that the dishes were well prepared, but it felt either toned down or abstract. It didn't help that we had to imagine what we ordered (with how the menu described the food) - and for the most part, what was prepared didn't match what we thought we ordered. The fried chicken and snap peas were pretty expensive as well. $50~ for fried chicken alone is tough to stomach. Would be tough for me to recommend - but I'm sure others would take a liking to it if it fits the vibe they're looking for. read more

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Food and service were equally excellent! It does get a little loud in there when full, but the view of the neon lights of the motel opposite the restaurant was such a great vibe; you wouldn't forget you were in Chinatown, and I appreciate that. This is unique fusion - it takes what are traditional dishes and uses ingredients that you normally wouldn't think (e.g. using squid slices as "noodles"). This place is pricey but worth it as a treat. The shaved cucumber ice dessert was also amazing, and came highly recommended by our server, and lived up to their hype! Cocktail was delicious! I'm wondering if they paired up with Steep next door since I saw the same bartender who I've seen around at Steep LA too. Which means you know that their cocktail is going to be great. They also offer a tea menu at the end if you're wanting hot tea after, although I wonder if that tea menu would do better being offered up front. Wait staff were attentive and they always made sure to ask before they whisk away a plate, which in my books, is so much better than my plate being taken away abruptly when I'm not actually done. They were friendly but not hovering and overbearing. I did see another review prior to visiting that thought the service overbearing and rushed, so maybe my experience was in reaction to that and the servers were re-trained? read more

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Went to Firstborn yesterday. Overall foods are really good, but their Ogen Melon dessert is out of this world.

I tried their DineLA special and thought the food tasted excellent, but am conflicted with the way it was served for sharing. I'm not sure if it was just psychological or actually less food served in a bowl. I'm accustomed to the wife and I having separate plates of dishes, and not necessarily family style. It's hard to determine value over taste, as the quantity of food is something I always consider. I may try coming another day by myself to determine the value of the meal... read more

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Perhaps the best meal I've had in months, Firstborn offers spectacularly great modern Chinese with a slight French accent. Every dish we tried was excellent, but I'd call out the silky tofu dumplings, the excellent clams in black bean broth, and a melon & cucumber starter, latter in a very light almond sesame milk broth. Don't miss the delicious BBQ cabbage or the ribs with peaches. We didn't have any room left for the spicy fried chicken but it looked fab and neighbors were feasting on it. Located in Chinatown, Firstborn seems to attract hungry foodies and LA's Chinese community alike. I bet a bunch of us read the same Eater article, but this place is the real deal with food. It's a refreshing spot and an absolutely great meal, and it reminds me why I love living in Los Angeles. I already want to come back. read more

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The meal I had at Firstborn was by far the best dinner I've had in LA in years. I stopped by with two friends of mine after a performance at Dorothy Chandler mostly because it was close and the food sounded interesting to me. We asked if we could sit at the bar, which ended up being a great decision because it was so fun! I'm over complicated, obnoxious cocktails, unless they are actually interesting and delicious. Then the food starting coming out and every bite was fascinating, exciting, and absolutely incredible. The three of us have no problem talking to each other for hours, but this time we couldn't stop talking about the food. I think the bartender overheard us so he sent out the chef. Then we couldn't stop telling the chef how much we enjoyed our dinner. I got the feeling that everyone who works here genuinely cares about the creativity and the quality of the cocktails and food so it meant something to them that it mattered to us so much. And you can not beat the price. I had dinner at Lielle the week before and I think the bill for 3 people was over 3K. It was somewhere between forgettable and bad. Firstborn should have a Michelin star and a 6 month waiting list. read more

Hip restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. We started off the evening in the lounge area where we tried the bourbon fizz and midori sour. Both drinks were delicious and the lounge/bar had a cool, speakeasy-esque vibe. Once our whole party arrived we were seated quickly in the outdoor patio. Food was small plates and family style. We had the tomato appetizer which was interesting with gelatinous cubes accompanying the fresh tomatoes and fruits. My favorite dish was the artichoke and tofu dumplings. These were so soft and flavorful! We also tried the fried chicken which had a crispy exterior and was hot and juicy. Definitely large pieces and lots of meat. Overall wonderful meal with good service. Next time we'll try the dessert! read more

Firstborn - Tomato appetizer - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Getting parking was surprisingly easy. Firstborn is inside the Mandarin Plaza Mall. You only pay five bucks regardless of how long you're there. Goes to show how Chinatown wasn't ever able to truly recover after the pandemic. Thank goodness for Firstborn - they're doing a lot to resuscitate the area. The restaurant location is ideal. It's a relatively small space but they did so much with it. Traffic is manageable and there's ample space between tables so your conversations stay private. The food is sublime. Get the wagyu tongue. It's refreshing and the textures are interesting. I love the pickled peppercorn seeds - they truly make the dish. The fried chicken is crispy and flavorful. The sweetbreads were surprisingly good - included are these grapes that balance the richness of the meat. So much umami in one bite. The cabbage shocked us. We didn't expect to love it so much. Who knew that cabbage had that much flavor potential locked in it? We wanted to order this again but we were already so full. You'll enjoy your time here because of how unusual their food combinations are. The staff is kind and are bend-over-backwards accommodating. I appreciate how Tom was quick to replace my cocktail because I wasn't too fond of my first order. All in all, Firstborn is an excellent addition to Chinatown. You won't find food like theirs anywhere else! read more

Service - great Ambience - I find a little weird. It was really dark at the entrance but the other side of the restaurant is so bright, a bit unbalanced. Not sure if that's the intention. We were seated next to the glass wall/partition. It was bright so we can see the dust on the glass clearly. Also we noted across the room, the wall was not painted at the bottom of the floor. Small matter but reflect the owner's attention to details. The food was just ok, can't really describe the Chinese/French twist, felt experimental to me. Every dish is drenched with sauce, some light, some too heavy for my taste. Overall, just an ok experience for me personally. read more

The food at Firstborn is top notch! We sat outside on a Saturday evening, and there was a jazz band playing live that really added to the great ambiance. We had the Steak Tartare, which was done in a Mapo Tofu style, with silken tofu lining the steak - amazing and unlike anything I've had before. The Tofu Dumplings gave "grandma's Sunday dinner" vibes and reminded me of this stew my uncle used to make for everyone, when we'd pound mochi in his backyard in the spring. The Duck Sausage is not to be missed and reheats for leftovers with rice SO WELL and made as good of a breakfast as it did a dinner. My only qualm is over the fact that a large table outdoors had long finished their meal and, instead of moving on, stayed and let their kids run circles around the planters lining the dining area, and climb all over the table and chairs, and scream loudly over the music. At a different point, the kids kept bumping into our chairs, the chairs and tables of people around them, and the servers trying to work - and no one at Firstborn said or did anything. At one point one of the kids knocked over a bunch of empty wine glasses on the table and sent glass shattering everywhere. And still they weren't asked to control their kids. I get that it's the parent's job, and not the job of the waitstaff to babysit, but at some point maybe think about how this is affecting the experience of other customers when they have to step over glass to get to the bathroom or keep spilling their broth from the spoon because someone's kid keeps kicking their chair legs? Other than that, food was excellent. Maybe next time, I'll try to get a table inside (because I didn't see any kids in the dining room). read more

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We loved some things, but also unimpressed by others. We had reservations to celebrate my friend's birthday dinner and were seated immediately after checking in. Hosts, our server, Stefani, and bussers were excellent, friendly and helpful. Restaurant is spacious with comfortable seating, and while it was a bit loud inside, I couldn't make out other guest's conversations. Mixture of couples, families, and friends rounded out the crowd. We ordered: 3/5 Salanova lettuce- exactly what it says on the menu, pieces of lettuce with wood ear and sliced turnips tossed in a black vinegar vinaigrette. Nothing impressive. 5/5 duck sausage- duck was tender with no gaminess, onion brodo was mild. Dish was slightly under-seasoned but was excellent, nonetheless. 4/5 sweet & sour sweetbreads- sweetbreads were cooked liked popcorn chicken, crispy coating with tender sweetbreads. The beet juice sauce was more tart than sweet and a bit overwhelming. Golden raisins seemed unnecessary. 4/5 steamed manila clams- black bean sauce was decent, slight black bean flavor but seasoned well. Clams also cooked perfectly. Sourdough were large croutons tossed with the clams and sauce. I prefer toasted bread on the side. 1/5 fried chongqing chicken. Batter was hard and dense, would prefer an airier version. Chicken was tender but tasted precooked before being fried with that overnight/leftover taste noticeable in dark meat. Chili oil wasn't necessarily flavorful. The fried chili slices helped bring in some smoky, spiciness but overall the dish flavor profile tasted incomplete. Unimpressed especially at the price point. 10/5 beef fat rice. So good we ordered a bowl per person. Hints of scallion and ginger were perfect. Still thinking about this dish. 1/5 melon sago. New dessert menu. Not sweet enough to be dessert and jalapeño oil was overpowering and made the dish savory. Unenjoyable. Sliced melons were underripe. 2/5 cucumber/green apple granita. Was okay. Think green apple shave ice. Good as a palette cleanser. Too light to be considered dessert. We also ordered a bottle of wine which was enjoyable with our meal. Overall, while we loved the duck sausage and beef fat rice, the other dishes including the dessert were lackluster. Most were under-seasoned and any hint of Chinese flavors were barely detectable, catering mostly to the Caucasian palate. Prices ranges from fair to robbery. The salad at $17 makes no sense, there is no sophisticated technique in putting this dish together nor are the ingredients rare. While we were recommended the cabbage, we could not make sense of the $22 price tag, it's a slice of burnt cabbage with sauce. 10minutes after closing out the bill, the manager asked us to vacate our table. We weren't being obnoxious, we were sitting quietly trying to digest our meal a bit before heading out and trying to order our Uber. Another 5 minutes wouldn't have hurt. Left a bad taste. Recommend only for the wine, rice, and sausage. Order anything else at your own risk to your wallet. P.S. no birthday candle(s) given for the celebrant, but a handwritten card. read more

Yum! Would come back again, and will make reservations for next time as it's a popular weekend dinner spot! Nevertheless we got lucky here. Despite being super busy on a Saturday night, the friendly team was kind enough to accommodate us as walk ins. We were seated indoors at the bar, and still able to enjoy drinks, happy hour snacks to the full dinner menu selections. The food was solid. Wish I took more photos as you could tell the team put in so much care into dish plating and of course taste. The interior was nicely lit, cozy and just the right volume levels (if that matters to sound sensitive folks). Although the inside was full with diners, you still felt like you had privacy in your conversations. Nice that we don't have to yell to hear your dining companions here. It seems the menu change seasonally, so there's always new dishes to try. At this time...I highly recommend pairing the rich duck fat rice with the savory dishes for dinner. While we enjoyed the surprising combination of heritage tomatoes with the stone fruit, the jasmine jelly was an acquired taste. I wish it was replaced with the crunchy texture of fried shallots or something else, maybe even jelly fish? But that's just a me thing - the jelly isn't make or break. But the white nectarine was simply fabulous, sweet and succulent with each bite. We thoroughly enjoyed each dish, including the steamed clams. In this case, the sourdough bread absorbed the black bean sauce while still retaining a delicious crunch. Love it! The star of the show was the super tasty dry aged lamb. Wow. Cumin and lamb always go well together. The meat was melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked with the skin retaining a nice salted / spiced texture. The shredded potatoes were a surprise as it reminded me of a cabbage or another type of vegetable! The sauce had a nice kick to it too without being too spicy hot. We ended the night with dessert and left quite full! Fair prices for the amount of food served including drinks. No idea about parking, but this is a close walk from the Chinatown metro station so make it a transit friendly date night! read more

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Disappointed is really an understatement- I've been looking forward to dinner here for months. We were having a final dinner for a friend who's moving out of town and quite frankly I was sad that this was his last meal he'll remember having in LA. We had the 3 course tasting menu. Every single dish we had was either way too salty, extremely bland, or just not good . People work hard for their money to eat in restaurants especially in this economy and it just feels like a complete slap in the face when the food is this bad...smh read more

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Decided to try this place since they're partnered with Resy with which comes with Amex! Thought it was interesting since it was Chinese food with French influences. Service was quick and the waiters were great with their recommendations. We got the tofu dumplings, a calamari dish, a squash dish, and their duck leg. Everything was great, and each dish was either a Chinese traditional dish with French style preparation/flavors and textures or the other way around. Ambiance was also good, definitely a nicer atmosphere and somewhere you'd go for a special occasion rather than a more casual meal. Would come again! read more

Firstborn - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Firstborn was inventive & unique. We had a really nice Saturday date-night meal. I originally had booked through Resy for a couple of weeks prior but had to reschedule. Parking in their adjoining covered lot was $5... The space is nice, light woods, moderate table lighting, beautiful bar and a peek into the kitchen for those tables on that end of the dining room. The lady ordered the firstborn spring martini ($22) and she liked it very much. Topped with drops of celery oil and served it beautiful stemware. It looked lovely and she enjoyed it so much she ordered another. We had the wood ear mushrooms ($16) which with came snap peas, turnips, horseradish & black vinegar. This was a light and healthy first appetizer. My lady really liked it. I wanted the dressing drizzled over it more than it just sitting at the bottom of the bowl. It was a tasty one with a slight kick. Next was the tofu dumplings ($21) with came green beans, artichokes & shiitake mushrooms. The sauce this was good but would have liked it to have more flavor, perhaps a little more saltiness. The dumplings itself were great and held up well. We also got the duck sausage ($24) which are wrapped in a tofu skin and sits in an onion broth. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. I loved the taste of the duck sausage and the tofu skin as a wrapper for it. I could have even used more flavor in the broth. We would spoon the onion broth and add some of the green onion with each serving. Delicious. We also got the chongqing fried chicken ($26) and that was really good. Perfectly fried and crunchy breaded fried chicken topped with dried peppers. Seeing photos of it, I knew we would get it. I was expecting some sweetness in it but it is a savory fried chicken. You get 4 pieces, drumsticks and thighs. Next was the bbq cabbage ($22) which was great. The 2-day process to make this dish was not lost on us and the leek vinaigrette it wass bathing, in gave great flavor to the densely packed charred cabbage. I loved this dish. We even had leftovers of this dish and the fried chicken. We also ordered the zhajiang oxtail ($30) which was topped with pickled cucumber and served with squid made to resemble pasta. This was an expensive dish for the amount you get IMO. I was expecting more rich flavors from this dish. We ate this mostly with beef fat rice ($9) which was good and it was mixed in with fried scallions. Service was good. Plates and utenstils were changed out regularly. Chopsticks were provided with the first courses of appetizers. Bowls and plates were provided for the other shareables. Bottled Aqua Panna was $9... Paying with card, you get the server handing you the reader and you add the tip on the spot. No time to think or calculate. Lol. I'm not the biggest fan of that. I rather get the check and have time to write it out. This same device is what they use to take your order so I get it. Firstborn was a memorable meal. A lot of new flavors and combinations for us. We liked it a lot... A bit pricey for the amount you get but still good. It was packed and seems like people are really gravitating towards it. I asked for and booked a table inside and glad I did because it was a drizzly evening. read more

Had an amazing experience at Firstborn! Went here with a good friend on opening night and was not disappointed. The service was great, food was comforting and familiar yet with a creative spin. The cocktails were also quite tasty. I definitely want to go back again to try more dishes. read more

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