Very yummy food and super chill vibe here. A friend dragged me in after raving about their handmade…read moredumplings and yeah, this spot hits. Walk in, you get that classic red-lantern, cozy Chinese feel, and you can literally watch the staff wrapping dumplings and xiao long bao behind the counter, which is lowkey satisfying to stare at while you wait. We shared the soup dumplings and some wontons in chili oil - skins nice and thin, broth inside the dumplings was legit flavorful, not bland at all, and the pork filling tasted fresh. Wontons were bouncy, chili oil had a good kick but still tasty, not just burning your mouth for no reason. Fast-casual setup but the food feels more homey than "mall food court." Staff were friendly, patient, answered a bunch of our questions and didn't rush us. Grabbed a bag of frozen dumplings to cook at home too. Easy spot to hit when you're craving comforting, juicy dumplings and simple, solid Chinese food :)

Great cozy Chinese place! Dumplings are delicious and service is quick and friendly! Would…read moredefinitely comeback.

This is a hidden gem in Lake Forest where you can get the best braised beef noodle soup and the…read morebeef pancake that was the best I've ever had! I love the clean taste where the food wasn't too oily and greasy. The cucumber salad was super crunchy and perfectly seasoned and the walnut shrimp was delicious! Overall the food is authentic and the ambience is very welcoming. Perfect for takeout and catering too! Prices are very affordable and there's plenty of parking. It's a must visit!

Went to Kirin Noodle House after catching a movie at the Regal Movie Theater…read more Everything we tried was delicious. We started with the Beef Roll and the Three Delicious Ingredients Dumplings. The roll was so fresh and flavorful. The dumplings were soooo good! I don't normally eat as many as I did. The Diced Chicken W. Chili & Pepper was my husbands favorite. He loves szechuan spice and this hit the spot. Will definitely be back.

Good food, and also great service! The ambiance feels very Japanese, and it everyone's super nice.read more

Soba Izakaya Minami is a go-to spot for my partner and me! We absolutely love the soba here and…read morefind ourselves coming back specifically for the Duck Dipping Soba. It's a little different from the more traditional cold soba with a standard dipping sauce. Instead, you dip the soba into a warm, savory broth with duck, and that's exactly what makes it so memorable for us. Neither of us are normally huge fans of duck, but we are obsessed with it here. The broth is incredibly flavorful, and paired with their soba, it's amazing. We haven't found anything else quite like it nearby. We also really enjoy their tempura. The breading is light and crispy, and it pairs perfectly with the soba. Another thing we love is that you can get free refills of the soba noodles, and they definitely don't skimp on the refill portions either. Our most recent visit was especially memorable because of our server, Patty, who was incredibly kind and made an already great experience even better. Definitely have to give a shoutout to her! Overall, we absolutely love Soba Izakaya Minami and always look forward to coming back. The Duck Dipping Soba alone keeps this in our regular rotation and is something I'd definitely recommend trying.

Best Chinese food. I always get the pickled cabbage soup with lamb. The Scallion pancakes. Tufo…read moreomelette. The layout of the restaurant is great. There was also outside seating. Service is much better.

Ma's House makes those thick Chinese onion breads that I cannot find anywhere in South OC. They…read moreoffer a thin version, Thin Sesame Bread with Green Onion ($17.50), and that's the one I opted for. It was huge and definitely worth the price. However, it didn't have that green onion fragrance that I was hoping for. It was covered in sesame seeds. So much so that the sesame seeds flavor was overpowering and I couldn't taste anything else. It wasn't crispy by itself, it was only slightly crispy due to the amount of sesame seeds there was. I also tried their Lunch Special: Dried Sautéed String Beans ($14.50) and Lunch Special: Lamb with Jalapeños ($15.50). The String Beans was not the flavor that I was expecting, they were very heavy-handed on the preserved veggie and it was way too salty. The Lamb was probably the best dish flavor wise. There wasn't enough Lamb, but the sauce was good to dip the bread in. The waiter who took my takeout order was very friendly. Overall, this is not a bad place, it just isn't for me.

Flew into Laguna Hills for lunch at Hai Master Kitchen…read more I ordered two dishes: the Shrimp & Pork Spicy Wontons and the Chives & Pork Pan-Fried Dumplings. The spicy wontons were outstanding! Tender, delicate wrappers surrounded the shrimp and pork filling, complemented by a rich, flavorful chili sauce with sesame seeds and green onions. Beautiful presentation and an incredibly appetizing combination. The pan-fried dumplings were equally impressive! Generously sized, beautifully golden-brown, and filled with pork and chives. The contrast between the lightly crisped exterior and tender dumpling wrapper made these especially enjoyable. My grades: Shrimp & Pork Spicy Wontons -- A Chives & Pork Pan-Fried Dumplings -- A Two dishes. Two A grades. Both absolutely delicious! 太好吃了！好好食呀！

This family-owned restaurant serves traditional Chinese food with a variety of items on their menu…read more I ate here last weekend for the first time and I was blown away by the quick service, generous portions, and delicious entrees! There wasn't any dish that disappointed. I will happily return to Hai Master Kitchen to try their other food and I'll definitely order takeout at some point. I don't know many restaurants in this area of south OC, but I'm glad I now have a new favorite on my list!

Amazing, authentic Taiwanese fried pork chops in the heart of Irvine ! This unassuming restaurant…read moreis located in Irvine Village Center, amongst a variety of other Asian cuisine. The shop is able to accommodate groups of various sizes. Upon entry, you can expect to be seated and served relatively quickly. The menu and ordering system is via a QR code located on the table. I got the pork chop fried rice which is one of their best sellers (and for good reason!) . The pork chops were crispy on the outside and savory on the inside. Alongside the item, there were pickled veggies and a bit of scrambled eggs for a balanced meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and would highly recommend to anyone looking to get authentic Taiwanese food in the heart of Irvine!

LOCATION: Irvine Village Center, Jeffrey/Irvine Center Dr…read more PARKING: Busy lot, can be hard to find parking WHAT WE ORDERED: * Spicy Wontons ($7.95) * Cold Cucumber ($6.95) * Pork Chop Rice ($17.49) * Braised Pork Rice ($12.75) I've been craving Taiwanese braised pork rice ever since my trip to Taiwan, so I was excited to find this spot. The restaurant itself is pretty unassuming but inviting, with a casual, laid-back atmosphere. Ordering was super simple, too. You just scan the QR code on the napkin box and place your order online. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed the spicy wontons. He even said they were comparable to, if not better than, Din Tai Fung. The sauce had a nice kick, and these were definitely one of our favorites of the meal. I personally enjoyed the pork chop rice. The pork chop was flavorful and cooked well without being dry or overly oily. It reminded me a lot of the one I had in Taiwan, which was exactly what I was hoping for. I also wasn't expecting the dish to come with so many additional sides, so that was a nice surprise. The braised pork rice was another comforting dish that hit the spot and satisfied my craving for Taiwanese comfort food. One thing to note is that the rice portions are pretty generous. Both rice dishes came with plenty of rice, so we got full pretty quickly. Definitely come hungry, or consider sharing if you want to try a few different dishes. The one item I probably wouldn't reorder is the cold cucumbers. I was expecting something more pickled, tangy, and sour, but these were relatively plain and lacked the punch of flavor I was looking for. Overall, we had a satisfying meal and were happy to find a spot that brought back some of the flavors we enjoyed in Taiwan.

I think some of the negative comments about Frank's BBQ come from different expectations of what…read moretraditional Chinese barbecue should be. In Chinese cuisine, some barbecue meats and cold dishes are prepared in advance and may be served at room temperature or reheated before serving. Using a microwave does not automatically mean the food is low quality or not fresh. It can simply be part of the serving process. Chicken and duck are also commonly chopped and served with the bones still inside. This is a very traditional way of preparing and serving these meats, although customers who are unfamiliar with this style may find it inconvenient. The food here tastes authentic, and in my opinion, Frank's BBQ is one of the best traditional Chinese barbecue restaurants in Orange County. It may not match everyone's personal preferences, but I think it is important to understand the culture and preparation style before unfairly criticizing the restaurant or calling the food bad.

sauce. The beef fried noodles were underwhelming. My father-in-law couldn't even eat the beef from…read morethe noodles because it was so tough. One thing I found odd is when we ordered the sweet and sour soup, they asked if we wanted them to microwave it in the plastic takeout container so it would stay warm for the drive home. I understand that many people enjoy this restaurant but it just wasn't for our family.

I just ate here and was thinking it's good and I should leave a review letting people know about…read moreit. Then I got an email from yelp asking if I ate here and would like to leave a review? well yes I did, and yes I do! The food is very cleanly and well prepared, good fresh ingredients and flavors. not like the other places which often tastes dirty or there's something off about it. its kind of light, clean, bright. enjoyed it for lunch, I recommend you try.

Came here when their express menu was available which is available from 10am-3pm. This is when…read morecertain foods are discounted and you can also add a drink for an extra $4. I got the combination fried rice and the lychee lemonade. The combination fried rice came with an assortment of meats such as shrimp, chicken and beef. It was super flavorful and came with a good portion. The lychee lemonade was a really light, I wish it was more flavorful but it was refreshing on a hot dog and had small yummy bits of lychee in it.

This is a wonderful Chinese restaurant. I like everything that I have ever ordered there. Some of…read moremy favorites and the black pepper beef, salt and pepper pork chops, and their fried rice. The service is always great too.

My family and I have eaten here a number of times through the years and always enjoyed it. Until…read morethis time. We ordered a number of entrees the other day and while there wasn't really an issue with quality each one of us had side effects with different entrees that included very itchy watery inflamed eyes. There were other side effects that included toilets but I will refrain from leaving those details. None of us have had these types of issues when eating Chinese food before and we ordered the same dishes as previous from Asian kitchen so something in their ingredients were different. Shame as this was our go to for Chinese.

First thing you notice : the place is exceptionally clean, even the bathroom! The tables are…read morecleared quickly and spacing between tables generous. The food is good. Not fancy nor gourmet, but rather tastes more home made. The portions fill the belly and hits the spot. Will go back to try other items.

We came on a Friday for an early dinner and we had the place to ourselves. The restaurant is very…read moreclean and service is nice/fast. The wonton noodle soup was excellent! Chicken karaage was a big hit with my kid. The soup dumpling could have been better, they are large, but didn't taste very good. Overall, we'll be back if we're in the area.