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    Mandarin Garden

    4.0 (377 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Bars
    Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Waitlist - Mandarin Garden

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    MANDARIN GARDEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Sweet and sour shrimp
    Christian Vincent M.

    Great service and warm atmosphere. We were freezing and came in for lunch and some hot tea. This place hit the spot. We saved Mandarin Garden to our playlist when we come back to Lake Arrowhead. Normally the only Chinese restaurant in a small town isn't anything special but that isn't true in this case. Thank you

    Our meal - à la carte, less than $50, tons of food, very flavorful.

    Welcoming environment, decision food, exemplary service. Will come again when visiting area!

    Bar and register
    Melanie G.

    Mandarin Gardens has improved the look of their restaurant by finally getting rid of the old, stained carpet and replaced it with engineered vinyl flooring. It looks a million times better and I no longer have to worry about what I'm stepping on, haha. Their food is some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. I'm always a fan!

    My Chinese zodiac.
    Ania K.

    Chinese food high on top of a mountain near Lake Arrowhead. What can I say? I was really craving Chinese food while staying at the lake. This place has been around since 85 which is incredible. Inside it's dark and retro as hell. Love it! Locals seem to enjoy it as everyone dining the day I came in was joking around with the sweet owner. The food is ok. What threw me off was the very thick sauce on my beef and broccoli, maybe extra msg? And the egg flower soup was also extremely thick. Flavors were great and their lunch specials are awesome as they come with an abundance of food. My beef was very tender and the slightly crispy broccoli nice and fresh and cooked to perfection. I would most likely come back since I visit Lake Arrowhead several times a year but I'm guessing all their saucy dishes are made on the very thick side. Undecided at this point. 3.5 stars from me once Yelp gets their shit together and allows half stars.

    Free food
    Bin S.

    Parents truly like theirs food. Super Delicious . Service are amazing too. The boss is a wonderful funny lady. We were chatting so happy

    Thank you Derek for your help. You were AWESOME! Your customer service was the BEST we've had at any restaurant. Easygoing, funny, and knowledgeable of the food. Thanks for talking to us. We didn't get to see or ask who was cooking the food but EVERYTHING they cooked was AMAZING. The appetizers and our meals were PERFECT! Soup, Egg rolls with the sweet and sour sauce, beef skewers, chicken, Broccoli& Beef, Sweet& Sour Chicken, the rice, and the green tea! We loved it all. We were surprised the place looked a bit lonely but that made it more comfortable for us feeling like we had the restaurant to ourselves and a few others. Mandarin Gardens will be a necessary stop anytime we're around Arrowhead. Thank you again

    Mikaela M.

    First time dinning in after driving by a couple times and glad I did. Amazing service and tasty food. Came in on a Friday night and got seated immediately (2 ppl) Shortly after we were seated, we were given hot tea and crispy friend noodles. They had so many options it was hard to choose but we opted for Chicken Fried Rice, Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken & Pork Chow Mein. Chicken Fried Rice - $12.95 Good portion and taste. It tasted more like white rice with scrambled eggs but surprisingly really enjoyed. Mongolian Beef - $16.95 My least favorite item but may just be preference. Included thicker sauce, meat, green onion, bamboo shoots & small amount of chopped almonds. The meat tasted sweeter like it was pork but portion size was good. I'd personally skip this one and try something else next time. Orange Chicken - $16.95 Favorite item of the night. Will definitely come back for this. When it first came out, I was disappointed because I thought it looked way too saucy but it was so good and crunchy! It even has a hint of spice. Would recommend to anyone looking for a delicious safe choice. Pork Chow Mein - $13.95 Solid plate of noodles. I prefer my bean sprouts cooked down a little more but still a great side. Had a mix of bean sprouts, green onion & cabbage. The service made our experience that much pleasant and memorable. From the man that sat us to the woman that dropped off our tea, to our server. They were all friendly and looked happy to have us. We were even serenaded at the end by our lovely waitress.

    David S.

    ANOTHER tasty meal at Mandarin Garden folks! THANK YOU to Derrick for tonight's friendly and friendly service! I post about this delicious Chinese food restaurant. Because? My wife and I simply love the food, the service, the ambiance, ect. Congrats to Larry, Wendy, Derrick, and the entire staff. They really DON'T have much competition in what they do. And for your money? You will enjoy a wide variety of Asian delicious entries and delicacies! Shown in the photo below, is a delicious beef skewer flame broiled table side. It's a cool experience at your table. We simply rotate the skewers to our likeness. I little bit more char or less? And again, I paired it with a large warmed bottle of Sake'. So, from the egg flower soup, add paper wrapped chicken, spring rolls, large tempura shrimp, and then close with the Sweet and Sour Shrimp?... Just another OUTSTANDING dining experience. Thanks again folks! See you again... next week maybe?... TY!

    Heating the skewers on a cold November afternoon.  Are my hands next? :D

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    2 months ago

    Best Chinese food ever! Will go back for sure! Staff is very friendly. The ambience reminds me of an old restaurant but very warm

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    9 months ago

    Awesome food and great people. Don't pass this up!! New floor looks great! Have fun and enjoy

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    Ask the Community - Mandarin Garden

    Delivery offered near by?

    Do you deliver to Running Springs?

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    Dynasty - Got to choose my own lobster. He was delicious. Service and food are always awesome

    Dynasty

    (670 reviews)

    $$

    Our entire family was up in Big Bear for Christmas for 5 days and decided we were sick of turkey…read moreand ham leftovers from Christmas. I was in the mood for sweet and sour pork or chicken. We saw this place near our Air BnB and decide to try it. We absolutely loved it. We got the combination meals which included a bunch of appetizers, egg rolls, beef skewers, hot and sour soup, cheese wontons etc.... Our main entrees were Sweet and Sour Pork and Honey Walnut Shrimp. Rice comes with the meals as well. We chose fried rice. We absolutely loved the food. Everything we ate was delicious!!!! The only thing I didn't like as much was the Spring roll appetizer. I would have liked maybe a little more bell peppers, onions and pineapple in the Sweet and Sour Pork but everything was delicious. Most importantly though the service was amazing! Our server Matt was very nice and attentive. We will be coming back here for sure! Thanks Matt for the great service and meal!

    We felt like some Chinese food & decided to visit the Dynasty restaurant for lunch today. We…read moreordered a couple of lovely drinks to start off our visit and to peruse the many paged menu to hunt down our item of choice for today. I ended up with chicken egg foo young, which was delicious. It arrived as expected, but with more to it then I had received at other places in the past. The flavors were good and I see why this restaurant has been around as long as it has has. Everything was delicious! Good portions, friendly service, and a relaxing atmosphere all contributed to our enjoyable lunch. I would not hesitate to return next time I am hungry for Chinese food in big Bear Lake, California!

    JW China Wok - Jjampong

    JW China Wok

    (161 reviews)

    $$

    We were excited to find a place in this area serving Korean-Chinese dishes like jjajjangmyeon,…read morejjamppong, tangsuyuk, and more. The ladies serving us were super friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself is small. It felt more like a full size family restaurant that was jammed into a small coffee shop type space but it was clean and comfortable. We went as a family and ordered the jjajjangmyeon, jjamppong, kkangppong fish, fried rice, braised eggplant, honey walnut shrimp, and steamed rice. The entrees were the standout. The fish, shrimp, eggplant, and rice dishes were all so delicious, and we will absolutely be back for those. The jjajjangmyeon and jjamppong were a bit underwhelming, so I probably would not order those again, but everything else was solid and very satisfying. Overall, a great find for this area.

    Diane and I came here again for dinner, and began with Juicy Pork Dumplings that were indeed juicy,…read moreand Wor Wonton Soup that was packed with vegetables, some shrimp, and imitation crab that looked and tasted a bit fuzzy. The wontons in the tasty broth held very dense chicken that tasted like dough. For my entree I selected Tomato Beef that contained big and juicy fresh tomato wedges, while Diane ordered Honey Walnut Shrimp that initially came out without walnuts because of a miscommunication. Diane had asked for no vegetables in her Honey Walnut Shrimp, which was misinterpreted as including walnuts for elimination. They were added on request. Steamed White Rice rounded out our meal. Service was very good, including our waitress running to clean up a spill after I knocked over my filled water glass. We washed everything down with good Hot Jasmine Tea.

    Rui's Shanghai Bistro - Sushi bridge

    Rui's Shanghai Bistro

    (1.1k reviews)

    $$

    My party of 10 was very grateful to have gotten a reservation the day of for a birthday…read morecelebration. The hostess noted that reservations could be made at least three hours in advance. For a Saturday at 4:30pm, we were seated and waited on immediately. The menu was expansive and I was surprised with the amount of vegetarian options for a Chinese restaurant. Our server was helpful in suggesting various fish options and knew their wait times. Some notable dishes were the sizzling beef with black pepper, beef scallion rolls, honey walnut chicken, mapo tofu, and fried chicken. The dishes that could be improved for flavor were the vegetarian steamed dumplings, steamed whole fish, and beef chow fun. We probably ordered around 8-10 plates (all dishes came with rice) and many arrived at the same time. The prices were very reasonable for the portions and it was just enough for everyone. Since we had a birthday celebrant, they were able to put our personal cake in the fridge. Our server provided a complimentary matcha cheesecake and candle towards the end of our meal. His robot server sidekick also sang happy birthday! I did feel like they were understaffed because the lobby hostess had to find the server for me several times when I asked for our cake and the check. Overall, it's a great place for large groups and celebrations.

    Today, I visited this restaurant with a party of five and wanted to share my experience…read more Unfortunately, our first interaction set a negative tone for the visit. When we arrived, the hostess attempted to seat us at a table that would not have comfortably accommodated our group. I politely asked if we could be seated at a nearby table that had more space. In response, she rolled her eyes and let out an audible sigh, which felt unprofessional and dismissive. When we were eventually seated at the requested table, she placed the menus down abruptly and did not hand one to me directly, instead leaving it at the end of the table. The interaction came across as unnecessarily rude and, frankly, not in line with the level of service I would expect from a hostess. That said, I want to note that the rest of our experience was positive. Our server was friendly, attentive, and provided excellent service throughout our meal. The food itself was also very good (I would not recommend the orange chicken though) and something I would return for. I hope management takes the opportunity to address the front-of-house experience, as first impressions matter and can significantly impact a guest's overall perception. (She was white and had unique, colorful, round glasses)

    China House - Beef Ramen

    China House

    (208 reviews)

    $$

    I've been coming to China House since I was a kid, and it still hits exactly the same way every…read moretime. This isn't one of those fancy fusion places trying to reinvent American-Chinese food -- it's pure, classic comfort, done right. Got the orange shrimp (the star of the menu, obviously) and it was perfect: plump, juicy shrimp tossed in that iconic sweet-tangy sauce, with just the right amount of crisp on the outside. The broccoli on the side was fresh and not overcooked, which is a win for any Chinese takeout spot. Service was warm and fast, even on a busy Saturday night. The place has that cozy, no-frills vibe that only comes from being a family-run staple for decades. If you're in Lucerne Valley and craving the kind of Chinese food that tastes like home, skip the new spots and come here. 10/10, will keep coming back for another 43 years

    We love this little random place in the high desert. I believe they're under new ownership, but the…read morefood is still delicious and the staff is still extremely friendly and helpful. I believe the old owner still may be the chef, but I'm not quite sure. I know this place gets mixed reviews, but we've always liked it as an American takeout Chinese food option. It's just very nostalgic of my husband a nice childhood with the flavors they offer. The war wonton soup was delicious and filled with goodies like meat and shrimp. And I get Moo Shu almost every time because it's just yummy. Honestly, we all finish our plates when we come here. I think the spice is a great meeting place for lunch or dinner when you're in the high desert my whole family will highly recommend this on any given day as a meeting place.

    One More Bite Dumpling House - Pork Xiao Long Bao

    One More Bite Dumpling House

    (585 reviews)

    $$

    I dont know what gets into me.. The minute I walk in Im like a hormone filled teenager! Maybe there…read moreis something in the air or they have subliminal messages in the music?? hahaha kidding.. This is still the number one place that never disappoints! Especially the cute mafia style looking bosses here hubba hubba! That gentleman with the tattoo on his arms!!! Ahhhh... Made my day sexy! Then the tall masked mysterious one... Im blushing like a school girl! If you don't come for the food, just come for the eye candy! The ladies are pretty & friendly tooo! If I were the manager id close down at 9 pm on Friday night then re open a vip club 100 membership where you can pick a host for your table. As for the 1 star reviews.. 1.Yes they are pricey because they can be. The are the only place that has dumplings and Bao. If you want to drive back to Los Angeles for cheaper prices..well dont let the door hit you on the way out. Yes it would be nice if they incorporated specials or certian days at a discount.. we will see.. 2. Service has always been ZERO wait.. maybe that because I always come in with an Asian man? IDK? We have never had to wait even if it meant sitting all the way over on the boba side we were seated and there was someone working making drinks so we were never ignored. we have been here over 5 times now^^ Everything was spot on and 100% Yeah ...Bring on the Host club nights!!! *Smooches*

    Don't let the location fool you! One More Bite Dumpling House sits in a gas station plaza between a…read moreWienerschnitzel and an Anytime Fitness, but once you walk in, it's a completely different experience. The space is clean, bright, and welcoming, with some cool semi-private booths along the side that give it a nice touch. The menu is simple but hits all the popular dim sum-style dishes, with their specialty being Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). We went all in and tried a little bit of everything: shumai, shrimp dumplings, sticky rice in lotus leaf, BBQ pork buns, cucumber salad, pork XLB, black truffle & pork XLB, and beef fried udon noodles. Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and well executed........we cleared every plate. What really stood out was the service. Honestly, I don't always expect standout service at Asian spots (and I say that as someone who is Asian), but this place went above and beyond. There were multiple servers helping throughout, bringing food, refilling drinks, checking in, and everyone was genuinely friendly and attentive. As someone who waited tables for years, that level of service really stood out. They even brought us complimentary egg tarts since they were closing soon, which was a nice touch. You can also watch the dumpling makers through a glass window, which adds to the experience and gives off slight Din Tai Fung vibes, but without the long drive. It's family-friendly, great for sharing, and just a fun, satisfying meal overall. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to.

    Dogwood Tavern

    Dogwood Tavern

    (132 reviews)

    $$

    I own a place up here, and I spend at least one weekend every few weeks in Lake Arrowhead, and I've…read morebeen to Dogwood a couple of times. For the mountain, it's solid, the bartenders are friendly, the drinks are good, and the food is decent. That said, my main concern is with the atmosphere. It's... fine. And that's exactly the problem. As most of us know, there's a serious lack of entertainment options up here, especially for people under 60. Despite the older demographic, there's still a sizable group of younger, creative, and social folks looking for something to do. Sure, you could be satisfied with a '70s rock cover band for the 100th time in the village, but if not, then Dogwood has the potential to be the go-to spot if it just puts in a bit more effort. The last event listed on your website was in 2019. The last Instagram post was over two months ago, and the one before that was for New Year's Eve. With that kind of minimal effort in promoting and programming, it's no surprise the vibe is lacking. If Dogwood committed even 50% effort to curating consistent experiences and letting people know about them, I believe it could be one of the best spots on the mountain. Come on guys, my 94-year-old grandmother could do a better marketing job than you, and she barely knows how to use the internet. If you do better, you will be better!

    The staff especially Mike is amazingly nice and tentative to our large group!! Really appreciate…read morethe food as well - got the dogwood burger. It was delicious and the fries were good as well! Would recommend for a nice night with friends!!

    Mandarin Garden - chinese - Updated May 2026

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