Oh the timing. Just when I finally get this written out to post, it turns out that Frank's BBQ & Noodles has come and gone. Not that I can say I'm all that surprised in hindsight, but it's still kind of a shame. Mostly because I just wish the food had been better, but also because, despite how impressive the OC food scene is, I hadn't come across any BBQ joints/Cantonese restaurants that SF has so many of until randomly stumbling across this place! Then again, maybe I've just been too distracted by the many Taiwanese options that the Bay Area is so criminally short on... Compared to some of the Chinese BBQ joints that I frequent in the Bay Area, this place felt so much newer and a whole lot cleaner/nicer. That said, while the menu appeared to be a whole lot narrower, they still had a decent selection of offerings to choose from. Along with their nearly twenty different sides/snack dishes, which include items like pig ears with chili sauce, cucumber salad, chicken wings, wontons in chili oil, and tofu skin salad, they also had BBQ meats, like Roasted Duck, Soy Sauce Chicken, and Char Siu, a mix of rice and noodle dishes, and combination plates of their BBQ meats over rice or noodles. Sadly, though, no crispy skin roast pork, which was a huge bummer. -- SWEET FRIED CORN Admittedly, this initially didn't catch my eye, but I'm glad we ended up trying it. Every piece was crispy and I liked how sweet and flavorful the corn was. Plus, it was how this wasn't all that oily, though, I wouldn't have minded a bit more batter for some added crunch. -- WONTONS IN CHILI OIL Not too shabby. Although the skins felt a little overcooked, each piece was fairly plump and I thought the filling was pretty tasty. It was also unexpected to see a bit of broth with the chili oil, but it had a nice flavor to it and just the right amount of spice. -- TWO BBQ ITEM RICE PLATE with Char Siu and Roasted Duck I was the most excited for this, but it left me feeling conflicted. On the plus side, the bowl had a fair amount of both meats and the duck was really good - really juicy and the skin was golden brown. On the other hand, the char siu was super fatty and the rice was mushy. -- DICED GROUND PORK ON RICE...$13.99 More solid than spectacular, but still satisfying enough. Like with the BBQ plate, the meat to rice ratio favored the former and I thought the egg and the veggies complemented this well. At the same time, I wish this had more sauce to it, as the pork look a little dry/pale. In addition to how convenient it was to come here (there was a steady crowd, but it never got packed inside), I appreciated how fast our food came out. Also, I'm not sure if we just got lucky, but it wasn't nearly as hard to find a space in the complex's parking lot as it seemed it would be. Between all of that, the food being decent, and the relatively friendly service, Frank's BBQ & Noodles wasn't bad for some Chinese BBQ. However, it definitely could've been better, especially if Roast Pork had been one of their offerings! read more

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Rating: 8/10 First time trying this spot. I was seated quickly with no wait, and ordered on the table QR code. I ordered the 3 combo (soy sauce chicken, char siu pork, roasted duck) plate with rice. All the meats were freshly chopped and tasty. Protein (and fat) packed hearty meal that I would definitely come back for! read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - 3 combo plate - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Pig ears 3/5 $8? Haven't had this since Taiwan, they are dressed in a slightly numbing sauce. Not the best flavor, but ok as a snack. You do get a lot for the price and there was a slight numbing as my tongue that stayed. I also got some rice noodle soup with protein, but found the protein quantity to be lacking this time around.. was a bit sad with the amount given the price of everything. Makes me want to cook it at home instead lol read more

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This is really a gem of place that doesn't have much reviews at all so I was thrilled to discover it. Simple offerings in most standard Chinese bbq places but the quality is just excellent. Beef stew noodles could be easily customized and I chose the wide rice noodles. Perfect texture with nice chunks of melt in your mouth beef. Next the 2 item combo with char siu and hainan style chicken. Gosh this was delicious and they didn't skimp on the lovely ginger garlic sauce with silky chicken that pairs with crunchy char siu is as good as a meal in HK read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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I was attracted to this business for the convenient and approachable way I could order a la carte or combo plates to satisfy a craving for Chinese BBQ. I went with a three-item combo of roasted duck, char siu, and white chicken to sample a range of their options. The white chicken was my favorite of the meats. It was nourishing, with the ginger-scallion sauce delivering just the right amount of subtle heat and depth of flavor. I do wish the chicken was a bit more succulent, but it was not dry or tough by any means. (4/5) I was most excited about the roasted duck, which isn't common around here outside of pricier restaurant settings. While I did enjoy the flavor and tenderness, I wished that the skin was more crispy and the meat/cuts retained more richness that I associate with roasted duck. (3/5) The char siu was a bit chewy, with the fattiness leaning more toward rubbery. The flavor was typical - salty and sweet, but somewhat bland in my opinion, and could be accented with more punchy aromatics or smokiness in addition to smokiness to round out the flavor. (1.5/5) Unexpectedly, I enjoyed the rice, which was drizzled with a savory sauce that complements any of the meats because it's not too salty and doesn't have an identifiable flavor yet whets your appetite for the next bite. I also liked that the combo comes with some pickles and greens to balance out the meats with a bit of freshness and crunch. Overall, my impression is mixed. I like the menu, white chicken, and flavored rice, but was unimpressed by the char siu and price point, especially the $2 up-charge for roasted duck. This experience was perhaps a 3.5/5 for me, but rounding down, as I feel the current ratings are slightly inflated. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - 3 Item Combo (Roasted Duck, Char Siu, and White Chicken) - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Frank BBQ & Noodles is a hidden gem serving up some authentic Hong Kong/Cantonese style bbq. This spot is located in a plaza with a decent amount of parking spots and an underground parking garage with additional parking spots. They have a casual interior with about 7-8 tables for seating and additional seating in their patio. For their menu, they have noodle or rice combinations with all the classic Hong Kong bbq meats, side dishes, and more. Wifey and I got takeout for dinner and got the 3 Item Combo with Flat Noodles, Minced Pork, Braised Beef, Wontons, and a Side of Broth and the 3 Item Combo over Rice with Roasted Duck, Char Siu, and Soy Sauce Chicken. Everything hit the spot and tasted so comforting to the soul! Overall, this spot will definitely be our go to spot moving forward when looking for some good roasted duck in the Irvine area. All of the staff here are very friendly and efficient. This spot has the staples down pat with classic and authentic flavors that you can never go wrong with! read more

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Frank's BBQ & Noodles is where I go for Hong Kong style barbecue. You can choose any combination from roast duck, soy sauce chicken, or char siu (roast pork belly) to go with rice noodles. I got the char siu bowl with egg over rice and roast duck bowl. Another signature entree here is rice noodle soup in fish broth. Since Sam Woo has closed down, having Frank's BBQ in Irvine is good news! They have another location in Lake Forest. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Char Siu with egg bowl - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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I love me some roasted duck and Franks been on my radar because of this. The duck is delicious! But I will say I wish the duck I was served was meatier? There wasn't a lot of meat for the price. The ordering process is really straightforward - with the cashier or with the self-ordering kiosk. Nice ambiance, it would be lovely to dine in. read more

Frank's BBQ offers delicious, freshly made Hong Kong style BBQ. The portion was generous and they all tasted so juicy and savory. The staff were attentive and food came out quickly (roast duck took 15 minutes). Ambiance is casual and bright with both indoor and outdoor seatings. Highly recommended! read more

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Food here was incredibly delicious. You get to customize every plate to your liking up to 3 different meat options. Portions are big and feeling. The rice itself was moist and had a tasty light sauce on it. The only downside would be the beef tongue side order where i thought portions were really small and pricy for the size. Chicken and duck might have a lot of bones if you don't watch out. All and all i would definitely be back for their rice plate where i can choose 3 different protein options. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

I was excited to see a Cantonese bbq place in Irvine open up and saw all the good reviews so had to give it a try myself. It's very reminiscent of an old style Cantonese BBQ place where you can order take out or get the bbq plate where you get veggies, rice and the bbq meat of choice. They appear to have outdoor seating as well. I opted for take out and ordered the roast pork (char siu), soy sauce chicken and roast duck. Out of the 3 options, the roast duck was the best. The skin was nice, the flavor was great and the meat was juicy. It looks like that may be their best seller as they were constantly bringing duck to the front. The soy sauce chicken has potential if the flavor from the skin could be imbedded into the meat more. The roast pork was the least liked of the 3. It looked like it was sitting out for awhile so it was dry but the pieces we got were also 75% fat. I guess I'm used to a leaner cut for pork. The staff was friendly and the place was clean. I would come back for the roast duck. read more

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Glad they opened in irvine, saves me a few minutes from going to lake forest. They have solid Chinese bbq for an affordable price! Chashu 5/5 imo, not really your red chashu think more like a favorable pork belly Soy sauce chicken 5/5, great soy flavor and tender chicken 4/5 roasted duck, tender but a bit lacking in flavor. It's there but a bit muted 3/5 Hainan chicken, a bit dry and the sauce couldn't really save it read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Found out about this spot recently after having a mad Char Siu craving learning I'm not far from it. A little tucked away spot in an unassuming little strip mall. Ordered a two item combo of Char Siu and Minced Pork over rice. Very flavorful and really hit the spot for a lunch time craving. A bit pricey but expected and didn't disappoint in my opinion. If you're in the neighborhood and in the mood for HK Style BBQ I definitely recommend! ^_^ read more

Slightly pricy for the portion and just alright for Cantonese bbq. The soy sauce chicken was very bony and not a lot of meat. Cha siu was better and they don't have roast pork which is disappointing. Service was ok and the restaurant dining area is pretty small. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

First timer here! My husband and I ordered pig ears as an appetizer and the 3 meat plate with duck, beef belly, and pork. Service was quick. Plenty of parking, lighting, and seating. It wasn't crowded on the day we visited, which was Memorial Day. I would definitely come back to try other dishes! read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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My family and I came to try Frank's after having a hankering for some Chinese-style roast duck. We used to frequent Sam Wu back in the day, so we were optimistic that we found a new replacement. The restaurant is clean and tidy, and service was prompt. My only complaint with ordering was that the restaurant was out of both the char siu pork and the spicy beef. We came to the restaurant at around 7ish -- prime dinner time -- so it was surprising to hear that the restaurant was already out of meats. Nonetheless, the rest of the ordering process went by smoothly. The food itself was fine. I ordered the egg noodles with wonton and roast duck. The roast duck being an extra +$2 surcharge was surprising, bringing the total cost of the bowl of noodles to $18. I'm used to wonton noodles having a clear, thin broth, but the broth at Frank's was on the thicker side. The wontons were yummy -- the meat was tender, and there was ample filling inside each wonton. The duck, in my opinion, was ok. It was tender but a bit bland. I did appreciate that the duck was fresh and sliced to order, though. Not a bad experience by any means but just "eh" for me last night. read more

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Tried this place for dine-in lunch and i have to say the cut of duck and portion was much better than my previous to-go order. I did take the owner's suggestion this time and requested for breast meat in the comments section of my order, so I can't say if it was due to my request or if it's just better dining in. The taste and quality of the food is still very good. I got the duck noodle soup with egg noodles and I appreciate that the noodles came with some veggies and wood ear mushrooms. The soup was flavorful as well. Got a lemon iced tea as well. It was decent but I wish they would offer drinks maybe at a discounted price as a lunch combo similar to what other HK cafes offer. I will definitely not hesitate to come for dine-in, and maybe I'll try to-go again in the future. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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Parking was a bit tough, but they do have an underground parking garage. The restaurant is small but worth waiting to try their food. You scan the QR code on the table to order. We ordered the Honey BBQ, Roasted Duck, Wonton, Ginger Scallion Oil Chicken, Fried Chicken, and Lemon Tea. Everything was delicious! You must try their Honey BBQ and roasted duck! It was very flavorful and tender. The wonton was also good and not spicy. The Ginger Scallion Oil Chicken is cold served, but it's also very good. The fried chicken is like popcorn chicken and served with spicy flakes. Every dish we had was delicious and very filling. The lemon tea was also very good and not too sweet either. I'd definitely come back for more! Recommendation(s): - Honey BBQ - Roasted Duck - Wonton - Ginger Scallion Oil Chicken - Fried Chicken - Lemon Tea Service: 5/5 Tip(s): - Parking can get tough, but they do have underground parking - Restroom available - Scan QR on table to order read more

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Stopped by Frank BBQ and Noodles today. Having lived in Taiwan for many years, 3 delicacies on rice was and has been one of my favorite meals living in Asia. The dish is three meats: bbq pork, duck, and smoked chicken. It is served over rice, add a few veggies and a sweet and tangy sauce to dip your duck in. This is the working man's meal of Asia. At Franks, the advertised price on the wall is $19.00 but to order, you must use the computer to order. This is the part that disappointed me. When you punch in your order, you must increase the price to $21.00 since you ordered duck. This is not on the wall menu. When I finished, it said I owed $26.00 plus tax. What? How? That can't be right? You must include tip. It's included automatically. I wasn't served? They called my name, I took my food and left. They charged me for tip but didn't serve me at all? To solve this, I had to redo my order and put in other for tip and then select 0 for other. Then I paid $23.00 and left. The pork was almost all fat. The duck was good, but the chicken was mostly skin. There were little or no veggies. I don't mind paying a good price if the quality is there, but I did not find quality BBQ at this place. read more

It's super hard to find a good Cantonese bbq spot in Irvine nowadays, due to many establishments closing down, but Frank BBQ and Noodles brings back that nostalgic taste for me!! The cha siu (roast pork) meat is tender and juicy and incredibly flavorful. A bit smoky and charred but delicious nonetheless. The soy sauce chicken was also great but I liked the cha siu more :) We also ordered a side of choy sum for my daily allowance of veggies~ Service was good! My mom spoke mandarin to the waitress but I did hear the chefs speaking in Cantonese so maybe they can speak both? Ambiance is cozy and casual. It was really tiny inside but they have some outdoor seating! read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - soy sauce chicken and roast pork, choy sum veggies - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Small little restaurant with a small outdoor seating. This is the same Frank's in Lake Forest. They specialize in cantonese bbq (soy sauce, roasted duck, char siu). You order via through QR code which takes you to a website and food is delivered to your table. The combinations with rice provide a lot of meat and carb for everyone. The char siu was flavor and thick cut but slightly dry. Roasted duck came with a side of plum sauce and had nice flavor, but lots of bones. The show stopper ironically was their soy chicken! It was packed with flavor. The noodle soup was good and slightly different (they use fish broth). My kiddos loved it and I found it not too salty which is a plus. read more

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Good place for a quick solo meal if that's what you're looking for. They serve up chinese style bbq over rice and noodles with some greens. The size is perfect for an individual meal. I tried the soy duck, braised duck, minced pork and rice. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - interior - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had the 2 item combo here - char shiu and duck. The pork specifically was absolutely delish. The duck was a bit on the fatty side tho but I guess that's to be expected. Service and ambiance here is pretty straight forward, order on mobile phone by scanning the QR code at the table ~ it's a busy spot with only 1 waiter. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Char siu + duck with a healthy dose of Chinese broccoli, cucumbers and ginger. - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

I really enjoyed this place but it please update your business hours if you are taking a break every day, thank you! read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Please update the business hours if take a break every day, thank you! - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

food was good even though the lady didnt understand what i was ordering. i asked for the beef brisket with egg noodles. i received spicy beef short ribs with egg noodles. dont know how she can get it that far off. but for what it is it was delicious. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - spicy beef short ribs with egg noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Good food, poor service/operation! The roasted duck was juicy and favorable (order with rice - rice is not great). Also tried the beef belly noodle soup and grilled beef tongue - both are decent, but didn't stand out. We ordered Pork Cha sui at first, but were told that they ran out already (at 6:15pm!!). How can you not have one of 3 BBQ items at 6pm when the restaurant is called BBQ! The waiter was a bit misorganized and was never there... read more

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When I first enter this place, it looked like an upscale Chinese barbecue spot that I am used to seeing in Chinatown. As you enter you, see seats as well as hanging duck and a register for you to order and like any good Chinese place the service is rather brisk. Now I know that noodles is in part of the name however I've been craving Roasted goose over rice. It is something that I had when I was in Hong Kong at the one Michelin star Yut lok. So when I saw roasted duck over rice, I immediately had to order it. I also ordered tofu skin salad as well as pig ears as those are some of my favorite sides and the Hong Kong milk tea. Since my order was inspired from a restaurant in Hong Kong. I asked one of the servers if they served Yuen yang milk tea (a drink that mixes Hong Kong milk tea with coffee) and they immediately answered no. Most of the people I hear in this restaurant spoke Mandarin. The food came out very quickly. The appetizers were very tasty and they roasted duck over rice, though not as fat as goose had enough flavoring to infuse the rice. The duck was not as tender goose, but it was still pretty tasty. It came with some vegetables and pickles, which helped cut the fat. Overall it was a very good dish. I will be coming back here to try their noodles, and perhaps those may be even better since it's part of the name of the restaurant. Besides, I really want to try their wonton and spicy sauce next time. read more

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I come here for my Bbq Duck and pork. Nothing spectacular iits clean and service can be friendlies. I appreciate i can get roasted duck, char su pork. I miss Sam woo. But again, if you're looking for roasted duck. Here is the place to go in Irvine. read more

We were going to go to Yoo's Place in the same plaza and decided to try this restaurant. It's soooo delicious. Their soup base is really delicious. We ordered the won ton noodles and the roast duck noodles. Both were super tasty. Can't wait to go back. It's a little hole in the wall. Nothing fancy just good food. read more

AMAZING the food is so yummy and service is so kind the area is clean and the food is very authentic read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Roast duck - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

I've really been searching for a place like this for awhile. Long ago in Chinatown Boston I used to have nice bowls of duck with egg noodles and it's been hard to find since. The quality of the food and the bbq meats was excellent read more

It was crowded when we stopped by to pick up a 2 item combo on a Sunday afternoon. The order came out quick. We ordered bbq pork and soy sauce chicken over rice. The bbq pork is flavor. Soy sauce chicken was ok. The restaurant is small but there is also outdoor dining. They are the same restaurant as the one in Lake Forest. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is legit! I've came here back to back weeks. I've had their cold chicken with rice, and the pork feet noodle soup. Both are great selections, and to be honest given others' food orders I don't think any food order can be wrong. The ordering is nice if you are fine with scanning a QR code and placing the order from your phone while you sit at your table. I've seen some people try to order through the waitstaff but this place is small and efficiency is their best attribute. This place is small and appears to not have a large staff. Usually one person for lunch brining out food, another behind the counter chopping the meats. Don't know how many in back. But keep in mind this is Hong Kong BBQ so service is all about quickness and efficiency. The food comes quick. This is not a place to hang out. It is come get good Hong Kong style BBQ and leave when you are done. read more

Yum! Three combination with bbq pork, duck, and beef. Very tasty meat over rice dish. read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - 3 combo! - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

The Cantonese BBQ here isn't good. Guess I'll still have to drive to Rowland Heights/SGV. Much better quality and portions over there.

Trying this newly opened place for the first time, and the food is EXCELLENT!! The BBQ pork is very good, a rare find in OC. The soy chicken is also very tasty and tender, and its sauce on rice makes the dish excellently flavored. The shop is a bit small but cozy. Patio seatings offer an outdoor option in good SoCal weather. Highly recommended!!! read more

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Interior is basic traditional Asian place nothing special. The food is delicious though. Got the BBQ pork and soy sauce chicken, both were full of flavor and juicy (does not taste dry). If I can improve it any, is to increase the portion size...I can eat a lot of it. read more

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Never imagine a Togo bowl with just one meat would take 25 mins. The meat is literally on the display window don't you just cut it up and put it in a container?? I asked the hostess a couple times and it just seems like they don't care read more

I ordered the duck soup with flat rice noodles. Good portions of duck that were extremely tender and flavorful. The soup also comes with some greens and mushrooms. I will definitely be back to try the rice dishes as the meat looks like it's prepared in ever more flavor. Service was fast, friendly, and accommodating. I had many questions and changed up my order several times. Parking can be difficult at the surface level but there's also a structure. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outdoors and it was shaded with a nice breeze. Highly recommend this spot if you're a fan of duck! read more

Frank BBQ & Noodles - Duck with flat rice noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Ordered the wonton noodle soup w/roast duck. Duck is great but it was more bones than meat. The wonton was tasty with both pork and shrimp. But if you are expecting the HK style wonton soup, this is not the place. The soup base and noodles more ML Chinese vs. HK. That parking lot was a total nightmare. I will avoid it in the future. read more