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    Kar Son

    4.5 (80 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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    Chili chicken (large), branzino, green beans, Dan Dan noodles, soup dumplings, jasmine tea (not pictured: cucumbers)
    Katherine B.

    This is probably the restaurant I am excited about the most out of all the new restaurants I've tried. I would give it a 4.5, but the service bumped it up to a 5. So e for the cucumbers and omg were they delicious. We actually saved the sauce and dunked our chicken in this sauce as well. 9/10 The string beans, same thing, packed full of flavor! I was blown away that these veggies were holding their own like this! 9.5/10 The we got a large order of the chili chicken, it was SO good! Perfectly fried, great flavor, great texture. I loved this dish. 9/10 The branzino was cooked very well, I liked this, but it wasn't quite my favorite branzino I've ever had. It was hard to get the lime juice out of those slices, we could have used more acid. 8.5/10 The soup dumplings were also delicious, not quite as delicious as other soup dumplings I've had, but still, really good. 8.5/10 The dan dan noodles were also delicious, a little less exciting than Pine and Crane's Dan Dan noodles, but still lovely. 8.5/10 The jasmine tea kinda blew me away. I always get oolong but my friend wanted to try the jasmine and I'm glad we did. So yummy! 9/10 We finished with the chocolate dumplings. They were absolutely delicious! 9.5/10. The condensed milk was the perfect complement. Service was AWESOME! Great vibes, very patient and helpful. There is a parking garage where the first 2 hours are free. This whole little setup is lovely with string lights everywhere. I have been recommending this restaurant to everyone I know!

    Green beans, mapo tofu, chongqing chicken
    Edward C.

    Food was really good! I would say the chili peppers in the chongqing chicken was fried well (same with the chicken as well but getting good fried peppers is more of a rarity). Everything was delicious - green beans were fried well, mapo tofu was not as mala but understandable to appeal to a wider audience. Service was great, they kept refilling water and ambiance is really cool. Mix of Asian but also open brick to mix into the arts district aesthetic. It's in the Row so parking is easy

    Menu
    Garvey S.

    Located in the Row DTLA with a convenient parking structure, Kar Son offers an elevated Chinese cuisine experience. We came on a Sunday around noon, and was able to grab a table for two immediately. We ordered the wood ear salad, hot and sour soup, silken tofu with shrimp and roe, and sweet and sour pork. We did have to order two bowls of rice since they don't provide complimentary rice, which was a bit disappointing, but the food more than made up for it. The wood ear salad had a delightful tangy, slightly mala chili oil on it which made it a great appetizer. The hot and sour soup had a good amount of ingredients and kick to it. The pork's balance of sweet and sour was well done, and the meat had a good fry to it. The silken tofu was delicious with a strong umami taste, but was our least favorite; nevertheless it was still quite good. Service was great and attentive, and price was OK with its decent portions. We definitely look forward to visiting again next time we're in the area!

    mark y.

    Attempt at elevated Chinese food was short due to several factors- food taste mainly dependent on spiciness, really thin portions of meat. The decor and waitstaff were really awesome, it was just the taste of the food didn't meet the prices except for the fried rice.

    Green Beans!
    Judith F.

    The best green beans! Super flavorful, garlicky, great bite. Delicious! The vibe was great, nice stop between shopping for a Mother's Day gift next door Scent Bar. I also had the shrimp and pork wontons with chili oil. They were good but not great. But will definitely come back for the green beans!

    fried rice
    Vivi L.

    Made a resy for Wednesday night at 7:30 PM and got seated immediately -- no wait at all. You could get free 2 hour validated parking at the lot, and then I google mapped the place to find it. I put "birthday" in the special occasion notes and they surprised my friend with a free drink!!. The kindness!! They only serve non-alcoholic drinks here, the waitress said they're still waiting on their alcoholic license, but they are so, so good. One of the best drinks I've had at a restaurant, alcoholic or not. We got the mapo tofu, the chili chicken (buried under a mountain of dried chilies), the spicy wontons in chili oil, garlic green beans, and the Chinese sausage fried rice with egg. Every single dish was great but my top dish was the mapo tofu. The silkiness of the tofu, the depth of the sauce, the perfect level of spice and numbing heat -- it was everything!! I kept going back for more spoonfuls even when I was already full. The ambiance is cozy and dim without being too dark, the noise level was just right for actual conversation, and the decor with the paper lanterns gave such warm, intimate vibes. This place is good for a casual dinner with friends but I would even go here for business dinners because the atmosphere and interior design is really nice as well. I will definitely be back again for their alcoholic drinks menu.

    Spicy wontons, hot n sour soup, XLB, and Dan Dan noodles
    Ashley H.

    Such a cute little date night spot! I love the cozy and intimate ambiance. The food was good too, but I will say the portions are fairly small. Each plate can be reasonably shared between 2 or maybe 3 people, but definitely great if you want to order multiple dishes and eat family style. I don't remember our servers name, but she was very helpful and gave our table a silly little laugh. Shoutout to Miss Server that currently goes to USC and is getting her degree in Communications LOL

    Menu
    Vince P.

    Kar Son is a modern Chinese American restaurant located at The Row, known for their elevated takes on classic Chinese comfort food. To get here, there is garage parking that is usually free for the first 2 hours or free with validation as well. Inside, they have a beautiful interior with a good amount of seating. Wifey and I stopped by for lunch with a reservation and were seated right away. For their menu, they have a good selection of appetizers, noodle, and rice dishes to choose from. We opted to get a spread consisting of the Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil, Chow Mein, and the Sweet & Sour Pork. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here. Everything we had was delicious with familiar yet elevated flavors. All of the staff here are very friendly and accommodating. This is a great spot to come grab a nice meal with a date, some family, or friends.

    Danielle E.

    Immediately loved the vibe when we came in! Minimalist, modern, oriental look. One of their specials here I believe is the Chongqing spicy chicken, we just got a small one since we got other dishes too and it was pretty good and I found it addictive with the mala spice. Also got the salted yolk chicken wings, chinese sausage fried rice and the eggplant. Everything we got are scrumptious. Don't forget to order the chocolate xlb for dessert! Parking: The Row DTLA parking structure

    Soup dumplings
    Brandon S.

    I heard that a relatively authentic chinese restaurant opened in DTLA and had to try it out. Lo and behold it's located in ROW DTLA. I went for lunch with a group of friends to try as many dishes as we could. One of us made a reservation beforehand but it doesn't look like wait times would be too long either. We got soup dumplings, chocolate dumplings, a crispy chili chicken, beef noodle soup, house special fried rice, salted egg yolk corn, wasabi shrimp bites, and yunan style grilled whole branzino. The two instant standouts for me were the yunan style grilled branzino and house special fried rice. The branzino was moist and seasoned very well, which paired along with the fried rice containing what tasted like minced dried scallop bits. The beef noodle soup and crispy chili chicken didn't skimp out on the heat and gave a nice tingle. Overall, a surprisngly good chinese meal. I would consider it relatively authentic and comparable to the average chinese restaurant you would find in SGV. This just happens to be the first authentic chinese restaurant in DTLA + West LA vicinity. Very happy for the new chinese food representation to the city.

    Yuna K.

    Such a solid spot! Usually when a restaurant is a vibe, the food tends to be mediocre or the service is bad but here I thought all three elements were solid. First of all the food. It's very sichuan based and although it isn't as authentic as an actual chinese restaurant, for a cute date night spot in the row, the food hits the spot. I really enjoyed the Dan Dan noodles especially with the hint of Sichuan. I also tried the sweet-and-sour pork which was super crispy and piping hot, the green beans which had such good texture, and most surprisingly their soup dumplings- they were really juicy inside and piping hot. Honestly comparable to din tai fung. I really enjoyed this spot and will come back!

    Harold S.

    Underrated spot that should be getting more buzz!! Went for Tuesday dinner time and lots of walk in seats available. A bit sad but expected since The Row seems to do a bad job of marketing and word of mouth as "the hangout" spot for all the businesses here. Seasonal vegetables, hot and sour soup, tomato beef clay pot, Chinese sausage fried rice. All really good. I'd come back here with friends and family or date night! Bathroom has Aesop soap but the faucet water splashes out of the sink and onto your clothes so be careful!!

    Fanny S.

    Their fish dish was really impressive, they even removed all the bones, so it was incredibly easy to eat and the texture was perfect. You can tell they put a lot of care into the preparation. The good came out quickly, and the service was friendly and attentive. Even on a weekday, it was pretty busy, which says a lot. Parking at ROW DTLA is very convenient, and you can also walk around and explore the area before or after your meal. Definitely recommend!

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    The food was wonderful and the ambiance was perfect for a Sunday night dinner. The dumplings were

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    Ask the Community - Kar Son

    Hi! is there anything made without gluten?

    What's the parking?

    Parking is available through the ROW DTLA structure. For more information, please visit the ROW DTLA website: https://www.rowdtla.com/visit

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    I recently ate at Yang Chow in Pasadena, so I was pleasantly surprised that my coworkers wanted to…read morego to the original location in Chinatown. We had two orders of slippery shrimp, kung pao chicken, eggplants with hot and spicy garlic sauce, juicy steamed dumplings, and pork fried rice. Overall, both restaurants in Chinatown and Pasadena provide great food quality. The ambience was cozy with dim lighting. Our round table had a wooden rotating tray. They have pictures of celebrities and politicians who've visited their restaurant. Service was relatively quick, but there was a 20-minute wait for the dumplings. Valet parking can get difficult when the lot gets full. A few cars entering the narrow driveway had to reverse out of the way to let others leave. The kung pao chicken was very tasty with a good amount of spice. I noticed that the slippery shrimp didn't taste as spicy as the portion from Pasadena. Reviews say that the spice is adjustable. Regardless. it tasted great as it came right off the pan. The pork fried rice was delicious with a savory flavor that didn't seem overpowering. I thought the juicy steamed dumplings were the weakest dish out of our whole order. There wasn't enough flavor and heat from the broth. I didn't try much of the eggplants, but they tasted adequate for me.

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    Some call it comfort food, others might call it fine dining on a budget. That evening we went-- it…read morewas simply an amazing dinner. Anything you can eat you any night you don't have to cook is usually a great night out. This evening was no exception. Our waitress was kind and accommodating. Positive energy, drinks filled and smile that felt genuine. The ambiance of the restaurant was bar like, but with adequate seating for dining in. Everything was prepared wonderfully and had tremendous flavor. I recommend trying their Hui Tou, stuffed with pork or beef, pork and leek pancakes, they also have vegetarian options. Their pork shumai was delicious, xiao long bao's soup dumplings were flavorful. Delicious. I definitely need a second trip here to try their soups and more of their variety of dumplings.

    I'm convinced Hui Tou Xiang is one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets for Chinese food. I've been…read morehere five times now, and they consistently deliver - every single visit has been excellent. Our go-to dishes are the cucumber salad (refreshing and perfectly crunchy), green scallion pancakes (especially good with the chili sauce), pork shumai (better than Din Tai Fung imo), and the spicy pork wontons. On our most recent visit, we tried the sesame noodles, and I've been daydreaming about them ever since. The staff is always friendly and attentive, the vibes inside are great, and there's a solid drink selection with cocktails, draft beer, and bottled options. And the price point? Outrageously reasonable, especially in this economy. Consistently delicious food, great service, and incredible value. Highly recommend!

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    Firstborn - Zhajiang Oxtail squid, cucumber

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    This place is a. Hidden gem in china town When I first…read morediscovered it they had just been opened 1 days I came back few months later to grab a drink and service is great, Great drinks and got to only try out Duck fat rice and cocktails I plan to come back for dinner was already impressed too bad my stomach was fill for any other meals

    Inside Chinatown's Mandarin Plaza sits firstborn with indoor and patio seating…read more This is a 4-course prix fixe menu, coming out to $68/person, before taxes and fees. I've come here two times - with a 5:30 p.m. reservation - and enjoyed the food, service, and ambiance. Pro-tip #1: Do not get their bread & butter starter; it is an absolute waste of money - a mate of mine went only to find out that it is a literal small smear of butter. The price is outrageous at $6 for 3 small pieces of bread and $5 for that butter smear - I promise you, this is not worth your money whatsoever. The first time I came here, we got bar seating and shared everything: 0. DRINKS & AMUSE-BOUCHE 0.1. Hojicha Milk Punch: Kettl Fuuka Hojicha, Cara Cara Orange Zest + Juice - $16 I do not recommend this - all I tasted was the yoghurt. 0.2. Celery root blini, creme fraiche, N25 ossetra caviar, reduction of apple and black vinegar - $15 A little too much apple reduction & balsamic vinegar, but otherwise, 8/10 - a little more caviar would be good. 1. COURSE 1: APPETISER 1.1. Wagyu Beef Tongue Carpaccio: Fermented kohlrabi, mala vinaigrette, arugula I didn't get the appeal of the Wagyu beef tongue - I have a lot of lengua (tongue) tacos and this honestly tasted like every other tongue I've had. The mala vinaigrette was gorgeously mouth-tingly, but I could have done with a little bit more kohlrabi and arugula; after a bite, I did feel a little heavy; despite it being a muscle, it doesn't taste anything iron-y like liver would. 1.2. Trout Tartare: Oro blanco, preserved chilies, jasmine Oh so absolutely fresh - I loved that I could taste the jasmine in a subtle manner & it was balanced perfectly with just the right amount of spicy kick from the preserved chillies, with the citrus juice from the oro blanco truly making this such a stellar "spring" dish with the trout. The gelee jasmine that was served was the right amount of tartiness with the oro blanco that I had knew I had to come back a second time to have it again. 2. COURSE 2: APPETISER 2.1. Duck Sausage en Crépinette: Apple condiment, red braised daikon, swiss chard It's a hefty, single (but not fatty or heavy) meatball and I personally found you only need a little bit of the condiment as it's sweet. 2.2. Stuffed Morels: Tofu and mushroom parfait, young peas, green garlic, buddha's hand This. This is the SINGLE dish that I would get again and again. It was such a fresh, refreshing, light, citrus-y, mildy chewy dish, perfectly balanced with young peas & green garlic. 3. COURSE 3: ENTREE 3.1. Grilled Short Rib: Black garlic, cabbage and leek terrine, yuxiang, pepper jus So rich, but not heavy; almost like it was a mole sauce - the beef was super tender. 3.2. Roasted Local Fish: Preserved mustard, green Sichuan, fennel, glass noodles Delicious, fresh, and light. 4. COURSE 4: DESSERT 4.1. Vanilla Sponge: Red bean, oolong, blackcurrent, blackberry Light sponge, delicous sauce; well made and not-too-sweet - a high compliment. 4.2. Lime Leaf Curd: Cashew, coconut, white chocolate This literally took me back to my childhood in Southeast Asia - I absolutely loved - LOVED - the strong lime leaf flavour, paired with the --Loved the seafood dishes because everything I got was fresh, citrus-y and light dishes; the meat dishes were a little heavier in the mouthfeel & sweeter due to the sauces they came with. The second time, we did patio seating & shared everything, except the last dish: 0. DRINKS 0.1. Oaxacan Old Fashioned: Agua Del Sol Espadin, Empirical Ayuuk, Be Bright Alo Faficho Natural, Fresh Passionfruit, Mole Bitters, Orange Coin Strong and well-made; definitely recommend. 0.2. Lacto Blueberry Fizz: Seedlip Grove, Lacto-Fermented Blueberries, Lemon, Soda - $14 Refreshing; good non-alcoholic option. 1. COURSE 1: APPETISER 1.1. Wagyu Beef Tongue Carpaccio 1.2. Trout Tartare 2. COURSE 2: APPETISER 2.1. Duck Sausage en Crépinette 2.2. Stuffed Morels 3. COURSE 3: ENTREE 3.1. Dry-aged Liberty Duck (for 2): Oolong-scented chestnut purée, grilled cauliflower, blackberries We got our own plate with duck and it so well made with a crispy skin and tender duck meat, paired perfectly with the chestnut purée. This is a must order - having tried other items from that course, I strongly recommend it. 4. COURSE 4: DESSERT 4.1. Vanilla Sponge: Red bean, oolong, blackcurrent, blackberry 4.2. Banana Pudding: Rum gel, tonka cream, brown butter Awesome crunch; lovely, thick gel texture; yummy butteryness. Service was great - attentive, not-too-talkative or hovering, and consistent. I do recommend, like others, coming earlier - with a reservation - because after 6 p.m., they get extremely busy and packed. You can park in the parking lot that this building is in for $10 (cash) or you can try to find street parking anywhere in Chinatown - depending on the day, you might get lucky. Pro-tip #2: There is a 3% service charge added to each bill, but you can ask for it to be removed, otherwise factor that into your tip.

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