The Mandarin House staff makes you feel at home from the minute you walk in the door. The ambiance is amazing. Service is always 10/10. And the food makes you smile and dance while you eat it Some of my favorites: Egg Rolla King Pao Chicken Honey Walnut Shrimp Won Ton Soup Orange Chicken Peking Duck Bok Choy Beef Lo Mein read more

Mandarin House is brighter and newer looking inside than when I first visited back around 2000.  There was a bigger lunch crowd back then. I tried the upside down noodles.  The plate was huge and I took about 20% home for dinner. Delicious char on the noodles.  Shrimp was plump and had a fresh flavor.  Beef was tender and moist with nice flavor.  Chicken was tender but could have used some time in a marinade.  Broccoli and snow peas had a fresh flavor.  Very good dish. Wor won ton soup with lo mein noodles.  Soup base had a light chicken stock base.  Wheat based lo mein noodles had a very light flavor.  My preference is for thin egg noodles like at Minh Ky.  Won tons had the thin wrapper I like but sadly this dish was overcooked and the won ton wrapper was disintegrating.  Char sui was tender and had a delicious 5 star powder based flavor.  Wish there were more pieces.  Pork, chicken, and shrimp were good.  This dish was ok. The guy in charge was very nice and efficient. read more

See all

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Charming old school American-Chinese joint. Established in 1977, it said on its marquee, and the exterior certainly looked it. The interior was nicer than what we were expecting, though--there must've been a fairly recent renovation. We ordered: - Cocktails: Lychee martini & Zombie (they were nice and strong; happy hour 4-6pm) - Sze Chuan string beans (fresh beans, zero spice--unexpectedly sweet) - Veg mapo tofu (best veg mapo I've had in a restaurant: some spice, nice mix of diced mushrooms, zucchini and water chestnuts in the sauce) Very nice service: my fortune cookie had no fortune so the server gave me two. Would certainly hit up again should the occasion arise. read more

See all

We went twice while staying in La Jolla. First time dumplings which are large and completely filled with goodness. Staff are wonderful. 2nd time: The flavors and tastes of the Mandarin house brought many childhood memories of Chinese food from the 70's and 80's . Flavors were very Americanized and touches your heart. So we went full traditional with Egg rolls which were not a version of a spring roll, much better. Chicken Chop Suey or Chow Mien on the east coast. Sesame chicken Wonderful and would recommend highly! read more

Great food. They have egg foo young and moo shoo. Been here for years. I overheard the table next to us saying she is a chef and this is her favorite Chinese food place. That she's been coming for 30 years and the friend who took me said the same thing. So definitely a local favorite read more

Worked up an appetite from swim lessons this afternoon and had a hunkering for those addicting Szechuan String Beans. I scooped up my girlfriend and popped in for lunch. We were seated at a booth. Didn't even need to glance at the menu. I just hit repeat on my solid favorites: Crab Rangoon, Mushu Pork and Szechuan String Beans. Our attentive and friendly server Justin, made sure to bring our waters and sauces before food arrived. Major bonuses points for that. He was also kind enough to bring out chopsticks. Crab Rangoons were served within 5 minutes and seemed on the larger side today. Not complaining just observant. Love the dipping sauce that accompanied it. Szechuan String Beans were on point per usual. I can honestly just eat the whole plate of those solo if they weren't so greasy. Mushu Pork was good, I didn't really care for the pancakes to wrap today so I just gobbled it up with steam rice. Surprisingly, we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. Which was nice. My girlfriend pointed out how spacious it is and is considering hosting her mother in-laws birthday here in the future. read more

See all

Our family has made Christmas Eve dinner at Mandarin House a tradition for 20 years, but this is the last. The staff seemed completely overwhelmed -- from the very unhelpful hostess to the frazzled servers to the weak mai tais to the super bland food. Don't know yet where we'll end up next year for Christmas Eve, but we'll be starting a new tradition somewhere else. read more

Mandarin House - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

Note to self: love the hot & sour soup, pass on the Singapore style curry noodles, and bummed this time the salt & pepper chicken was mostly just crumbs and hard to chew. Last time, the chicken was tender and delicious. read more

Mandarin House - Sad Salt & Pepper Chicken this time - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

Everything was delicious! The orange chicken was great! The service was fast and friendly. The place was crowded. It's expected when you have great Chinese food! Some of my pictures didn't come out the best but here are a few. read more

See all

A blast from the past. Love the decor. Service was great, food was very good. There was a charming detail that I will share in photos. They took a stainless steel wok and made it into a sink in the restroom. The faucet is a pot filler. I love the whimsy. Somebody was thinking! read more

Mandarin House - Bathroom sink made from a stainless steel wok - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

Good, standard fare Chinese. Nothing unusal. I dined here during a meeting of about 60 guests. Plates came out fast and furiously, and were devoured as quickly as they were delivered. There were no leftovers! read more

Excellent Chinese dishes with which I have been familiar for decades. Excellent pleasant service.

Finally tried Mandarin house and I was not disappointed!! It is the most East coast style Chinese food Ive had since Ive been in San Diego. The bbq spare ribs were excellent. They were seasoned just right with a good char on them. The eggrolls were hot and crispy and served with duck sauce and hot mustard. Roast pork lo mein had great noodles with a nice smoky flavor and lots of pork. These came out a little cold- maybe sat waiting too long. Lastly we tried the popular cashew chicken. Super flavorful and lots of cashews. Atmosphere is loud and busy with lots of loud children. Looking forward to trying it for takeout some time soon. read more

Under new ownership this lovely business came back from being closed! I'm glad they made a few updates to the dining room and improved the ambiance. Upon HS graduation our son picked this as his graduation meal! From hearty Wor Wanton soup through a zesty Mongolian Beef to a filling Lo mein, you will not leave hungry. read more

I really love this place! The food is so good that I would actually never consider another Chinese restaurant in the La Jolla area. The staff wait on you and provide everything you need to enjoy your dining experience.. David is a really awesome guy! read more

all of it was amazing! the service was fast and the staff were excellent. the food was very scrumptious and the portions were LARGE! I have no complaints, plenty of leftovers for me. i enjoyed the ambiance and the set up of the restaurant. will most definitely be coming back and recommending to friends. read more

I always visit Mandarin house right when the open. For some restaurant experiences this can be a dealbreaker. Not at Mandarin House! Justin, who is always present at opening is consistently efficient, friendly, and overall just fantastic. Food wise, I'm never disappointed. Great and authentic cuisine and good bang for your buck. read more

What can I say? This place is an institution. I went to the Bishop's School for Boys and Girls back in the eighties and still call this place home. If you love American Chinese, this is your place. read more

Mandarin House - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

I've been going to this restaurant for many, many years, and it's always been consistently good.

This restaurant has been here since La Jolla was discovered. The food is always tasty with fresh ingredients. The servers have excellent upbeat energy and surprisingly was the bottomless drink fountain. My glass of cola was always kept full. As usual we over ordered so we'd have leftovers. Our favorites were relatively simple mainstays - sizzling rice soup, crispy chicken, duck and tofu vegetables. read more

I have been eating at Mandarin House for well over 15 years! If you have not eaten here, YOU ARE MISSING OUT on the best Chinese food in San Diego! We have come here for Many special occasions and it's Always a delicious experience! First off, their Crispy Beef dish one of a kind-crispy beef covered in a yummy sweet sauce! Then the Hot & Sour soup is just the right amount of spicy and sour. The Shrimp Toast app is my absolute favorite, and I can't find this anywhere else! Their Kung Pao Chicken is also a favorite, the sauce is so unique and has something in it that makes it one of a kind! They have so many dishes and we have never had a bad one! The service is quick and efficient! The ambiance is festive with the lanterns hanging from the ceiling! GO! read more

Love Mandarin House, get the crab rangoon. DO IT! I miss them being in Bankers Hill. read more

I love the decor, nostalgia, and old school menu. If they turned down the lighting a little bit and played up the lanterns, it would be even more magical! The food is very average American palette Chinese food. I had the YZ fried rice which was underwhelming until I got home and added some pizazz to the leftovers. My friends' veggie lettuce wraps and vegetable lo mein were unremarkable. On a positive note, the portions were huge and more than enough to share and have leftovers. Our main waiter was friendly and attentive. The other servers we dealt with were a mixture of confused and surly, but it didn't bother me that much. Would I come back here? Not right away. Maybe in another 10 years if they're still around. read more

We've been going to Chens in La Jolla for the last year. Thought we would give our old fave a try. We're so disappointed in our to go order. We ordered Mu Shu Pork which is supposed to come with four pancakes which basically holds the whole meal together we're missing. We order the Crab Ragoon which had very little filling. Just a total disappointment. If you haven't been to Chens in La Jolla it is amazing and they get their orders right. read more

It is quite the experience to even have dinner here. The service is a bit punchy as they go for volume here. Get you in, get you out. We saw a table of three sat, fed, and check paid in under 30 minutes. Food was fair enough. We're glad to have experienced it and appreciated them being open on Christmas. read more

See all

Service was absolutely horrible but the food was good! Our second waiter was pretty great, the people at the front desk aren't so great. If you would like to change seats even if the restaurant is empty and they say you can, it takes them forever to actually move you. It also takes a while for you to get a waiter to take your order or bring you water. Absolutely loved the food and the quality is great! I loved the Orange Chicken, Sesame chicken, and Mongolian beef. I unfortunately couldn't get the Lemon Chicken but it looked amazing! read more

Mandarin House - Orange Chicken Sesame Chicken Mongolian Beef - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

Took the family down to La Jolla this weekend. We celebrated my daughter turning 3. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express La Jolla. Right next to the hotel was Mandarin House. We just walked right over. Seated Immediately and the staff was exceptionally friendly. We sat in the booths. Very comfortable. Had booster seats and high chairs for the kids. We had the Salt & Pepper Wings, Mu Shu Chicken, Mandarin Fried Rice, and Crab Rangoon(not pictured). I would rate everything a 5 except the Mu Shu Chicken. Serve Coke products. I prefer Coke over Pepsi. Overall experience was great. Highly recommend. read more

See all

The fried wontons are good and their orange chicken as well but I was quite let down when I tried their salt n pepper chicken it was lacking in so much flavor and tasted just like fried batter and chicken the seasoning wasn't there at all which is quite disappointing as their other dishes do have a decent flavor. The service itself isn't bad but our waiter almost seemed like she didn't want to be there. The place is clean no bad smells. Nevertheless you could try and see for yourself if you like it or not I would give it a try. read more

Mandarin House - Menú - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

i finally got to try mandarin house after driving by it so many times, and was very impressed! first off, the ambiance of the restaurant was so cozy and beautiful, i love the lanterns inside and it felt upscale but still comfortable. for food, we got the cashew tofu and the orange chicken-- both were DELICIOUS! everything tasted very fresh and the portions were amazing, we definitely had more than enough to take home for lunch the next day. the service was also super quick and friendly. want to come back here soon! read more

We LOVE Mandarin house and have truly never been disappointed on our visits. The decor is lovely, the service is quick and the food is delicious. They have tofu and other vegetarian options such as veggie egg rolls. Although we did not try one of the fancy drinks, I can see how this would be a fun place to go for a celebration. Super kid friendly, we saw many kids during our meal there! Love that they have "plain noodles" a kid favorite for sure!! We will definitely be back. : ) read more

Mandarin House - Inside of the restaurant - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

I really do not recommend dining here. This place used to be good, but now it is absolutely awful. We were the first customers in the restaurant on Christmas. We ordered soup and several other dishes. The soup arrived cold, and the shrimp was raw. All of the food was cold, and it was very clear that it had been reheated and not even properly. The table was sticky, the glasses smelled bad, and the restrooms smelled like urine. Everything felt dirty and unhygienic. A huge disappointment. read more

What a wonderful and nostalgic place! I happened to drive my Mandarin House and saw the retro signage and "world famous" notation so I had to try it. We came back that night and had dinner there. This place is loud and there's a lot happening here. Mandarin House has a lot of history and nostalgia. The man at the front told us he's been there over 46 years! Wow! He was nice and professional and has great pride in his restaurant. There's cute paper lantern lights all over the ceiling and a row of old school high backed booths along the front window side. When we walked in we saw an award sign behind the front counter that said "Voted best place to celebrate a birthday". While there, we saw at least 2 birthday parties going on. They certainly live up to their award! The food is wonderful. Among us, we had an appetizer of Salt & Pepper fried chicken wings, and for dinner we had Walnut Shrimp, Orange Chicken, and Crispy Beef, white rice and fried rice. All were very tasty and we had ample portions and enough for leftovers. I will return here one day when back in the area. I think it's a gem for the La Jolla neighborhood. read more

Mandarin House - Our receipt - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

This establishment is a gem in La Jolla. The staff and owners are gracious and the food is amazing. Pungent shrimp, salt and pepper chicken, crispy beef and hot and sour soup are some of the must haves. Thank you for the decades of tradition and excellent food. We will always be back! read more

Best Chinese food in San Diego. It is truly hard to find but this place is great!! Great quality and quantity for the price. My go to Chinese spot from now on after trying it this week. read more

This place was delicious! My girlfriend has celiac disease so finding places to go out to eat can be challenging. The Mandarin House had tons of truly gluten free options and our server was super kind. The food was excellent, the service was great and it's cute inside. 10/10 will be returning. read more

Mandarin House - Gluten Free Entrees - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

Busy restaurant. Lively and loud. The first Chinese restaurant I've ever been to that has a full bar. There were gigantic cocktails served in cauldrons of fire!! The service was fine. Food took longer than what I'm used to at Chinese restaurants. Probably because there were tons of people. We ordered: Veggie egg rolls - tasty. Arrived very hot. Salt & Pepper Tofu - good Buddha's Delight - 10 kinds of vegetables. It was good. Mushu Pork - okay Crispy Beef - loved this! Overall, everything was decent. read more

See all

Since my son and I were in the lower part of La Jolla( if you come through Bird Rock area this is where you will arrive). We decided to visit a place that we had spent a lot of time at when he was just a kid and a young adult. That's when I live there. BTW, they do have the best Mai tai's and Volcano drinks in San diego. We were greeted by we think the host / owner. This place has been here since the early '70s and has an excellent reputation for delicious Mandarin food. We came here after a nice visit at the beach. Ahh, the smell of the ocean nothing like it. We ordered Jasmine tea, sizzling chicken chow mein with no bell peppers, perfectly cooked egg rolls (4) and moo shi chicken. We let our server know that we had been there many times over the years. It seemed to help he was very friendly and smiled and served us very quickly. There was a lot of food it smelled delicious and tasted great. Talk about leftovers! I have enough food for the next two days breakfast lunch and dinner. The bill was $48 Plus a nice generous tip. I love what they did to the ceiling with all the beautiful lanterns so colorful and peaceful in there. This was around 1:00 and they were only a few tables in there so it was quiet. read more

See all

They only have one person working at lunch time in the front as receptionist and waiter. I can't blame him if he is the only one there. Nobody checks customers walking in, nobody clean the floor and seats. Not clean, not welcoming, will not going back. read more

I ordered from here for New Years Day and picked it up quickly. The Lemon Chicken was delicious, and the Sweet and Sour Chicken was great. Mandarin House used to have a location in Bankers Hill that my wife and I used to love ordering from when we were dating so to learn of and order from here again brought back great memories because was as good as we remembered it. read more

I was looking forward to trying this restaurant. I was disappointed The host/manager asked us how many? We said three he grabbed menus, then the phone rang, he grabbed the phone and motioned us to follow him. Not a welcoming start. The service was attentive, friendly and efficient. Food was served quickly. Portions were generous. We ordered the following: Wor won ton soup - the broth had a strange flavor and it needed more stuff in the broth Hot and Sour soup - just ok. Fried Dumpling - they we plump and perfectly pan fried. There was a lot of meat in the dumplings but not much flavor. Upside Down Noodles - this was the best dish. The noodles were too chewy. Sesame Chicken - breaded chicken with a sweet sauce. It was just ok. Overall it was an ok dining experience experience. They have a full bar. Prices are reasonable. Parking can be a challenge. read more

Mandarin House - Kung Pao 3 Ingredients - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all