I really enjoyed the food. It tasted very authentic, and everything was delicious. I'll definitely be back! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Wow really authentic and Szechuan style Chinese skewers, the beef lamb and chicken were all really good! The potato tornado was also very good read more

Parking: [Irvine] had a parking lot situated behind the building or street parking. Came in for lunch so I did not get the skewers but everything was great! Ordered: Sweet and Sour Cucumber Hunan Style Crispy Belly Stir-fried Pork with Lotus Leaf Pancake Northeast Cold Noodles Foil Clam Vermicelli If you like spicy food, I highly recommend getting the hunan style crispy belly and the stir-fried pork with lotus leaf pancake. The cold noodles were insanely refreshing and the cucumbers were so crunchy and flavorful. The clam vermicelli was light and savory. Definitely a great place to visit and share food with friends because their portions are large! read more

This was my second time here, and I'm still loving their grilled skewers! I really love the cumin seasoning, so fragrant and flavorful, and it makes the skewers so addictive! There are so many options to choose from, and I love trying all the different cuts and textures! The malatang had that perfect numbing, spicy kick that was so satisfying, and the stir-fried bok choy had a delicious garlicky flavor that went so well with all the skewers. Definitely a spot I'd keep coming back to!! What we ordered: -Lamb Skewers (5) -Beef Skewers (5) -Beef Tendon Skewers (5) -House Special Garlic Chicken Skewers (5) -Chicken Cartilage Skewers (5) -Chicken Heart Skewers (5) -Beef Tongue Skewers (2) -Malatang -Seasonal Vegetable (bok choy) -Rice -Suntory Beer read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Had a great experience here at 949! Came here with my girlfriend because she was craving those little Chinese skewers. Place seated is immediately and it was very easy to order using the QR code. Some music was playing and the place was quite lively with an open kitchen. Definitely would come back for their house special chicken and the potato tornado! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Skewers - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

A great spot for authentic Hunan dishes, bold flavors, and heat! The foil clam vermicelli was tasty and affordable, the noodles soaked up a lot of the sauce. The foil pork brain was also surprisingly good, I was expecting it to have a strong pork odor, but it was seasoned very well! Every dish I tried was pretty spicy, but with some rice it was toned down! I don't think I would get the skewers again, they were on the dryer side and a little too expensive for the amount of meat. The takeout process was very smooth and my food was ready in around 20 minutes! The restaurant is located on the bottom of an apartment complex, and the parking structure makes it very convenient for a convenient and casual meal. read more

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Service is very good. Food is ok....... almost like back to Dongbei lol. See Irvine friends.. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is pretty expensive considering the amount of food you get on each skewer. The fried rice was priced at $12 for not even a cup and a half of rice. The seasoning was good but the speed which food came out was really inconsistent. Our first round came out in 10 minutes so, when we were still hungry after ordering $70 worth of food, we got 1 order of 5 beef skewers which took over 20 minutes to come out. And i would take the good reviews here VERY lightly since they offer $8 off your bill in exchange for a checkin. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Their frog dish is good a little spicy so ask for less spicy if you can't handle the heat. read more

949 Grill Lounge - The frog diah is good. - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Good skewers in Irvine! We were seated and served relatively quickly. This place has large seating capacity and seems to be tailored for those looking for a quick bite. We got a variety of different skewers including Chicken Skin, Chicken Cartilage, House Special Garlic Chicken, Pork Belly. Overall, it was great but not particularly noteworthy relative to other skewer places. Would recommend to those in the area looking for skewers in Irvine! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Skewers - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Great spot! Food was so good we ate most of it before I remembered to take the pic. Cucumber appetizer has an amazing flavor / sauce and the skewers were really good as well. Fried rice and kung poa chicken were both rock solid. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

I felt like we were in China. The food was so bad. The chicken was full of bones. It felt like they cut up a back and parts. The Kung pao chicken was too sweet like chicken cooked in Maple syrup. The skewers were full of Gristle. read more

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I'm a huge fan of Chinese BBQ and I've been looking for a place in Irvine for a while. I normally drive back to the 626 if I'm craving skewers so I was super excited to find out about 949! We went on Saturday night and waited about 20 minutes for a table. The restaurant is fairly small and probably wouldn't be able to accommodate too large of a party. Service is pretty hands off and everything is ordered through your phone. The food comes out quick and skewers are placed on a hot place to keep warm as you eat. We ordered the lamb, beef, pork belly, and chicken skin skewers. I will say, these skewers are pretty small and aren't the best quality. The lamb was my favorite, followed by the chicken skin. I don't think they use a super great cut for the beef but maybe we just got unlucky with the pieces. The pork belly was definitely the biggest disappointment. Although it tasted great, it was a VERY thinly sliced piece of pork belly and not worth the price. I will opt to get another order of the lamb in place of the pork next time I come. The standout star for me was the cabbage, though. I was expecting a small plate as a side but instead, we got a humungous place of delicious cabbage that was absolutely covered in seasoning. I could have eaten that with a bowl of white rice by itself! All in all, this place really does hit the spot when you're craving skewers as long as you know what to order. I'll definitely be back! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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949 Grill Lounge is located near apartments in Irvine, so it's kind of hidden. There is parking in the rear so don't panic when you see the 30 minute parking signs on the street. The parking structure is free too. We ordered a variety of skewer options: Lamb, beef, pork belly and chicken. They were all so delicious and super flavorful. My bf ordered the lamb spicy and he said it wasn't too spicy...kind wish I did it for the rest of them. We ordered their house fried rice, green beans and we wanted to try something new so we got the sour and spicy fish belly. The rice was tasty. Green beans were not too salty or too garlicky. The fish belly was a little too spicy for us They also have a variety of drinks to go along with your food. Soda, tea, beer, and other stronger dranks! It's open till 11pm which later than other restaurants in Irvine, so you can get that late night craving fix. They also have a membership option if you love it and plan on going often, they have lots of benefits. There is wifi too, which I recommend using bc the connection kind of sucked for me. If you're looking for a place to watch the World Cup, they'll be playing the matches at both Irvine and Santa Ana locations. Enjoy some good food, drinks while watching the game. read more

This place is always packed with Chinese foodies, so you know it's the real deal. I usually come for the skewers, but I love that they offer so much more than just that. The menu is surprisingly extensive, with everything from hot pot and noodle dishes to stir-fried dishes. I jwish they had guo bao rou available every day since it's my favorite but they only serve it once a week because it's such a labor-intensive dish and they make it fresh to order, which is understandable. The skewers are consistently good, they're open late, and it's become my go-to spot when I don't feel like driving out to the 626 for great skewers, definitely a good find for Irvine. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Yummy skewers! Price is reasonable. I recommend the beef and chicken skewers. You can choose between spicy or non spicy. I especially liked the grilled toast and bun. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

TLDR: verrrry authentic Chinese restaurant. Great ambiance. We were definitely the only non-natives there. You order through a QR code. Their menu changes regularly based on demand I think. A little concerned that they reuse their skewers.. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

If you're craving Chinese skewers in Irvine, this place is easily one of the best. The skewers are flavorful and satisfying, even though everything is cooked in the kitchen rather than in front of you. That said, consistency can vary--sometimes the skewers come out a bit dry or slightly overcooked. The spice level is no joke. "Spicy" is very spicy, so it's better to order non-spicy and add the dry chili powder on the side to control the heat yourself. It's a small restaurant, so waits can get long when it's busy. Our go-to order is always the beef skewers and lamb skewers. The chicken wings are usually good, though they've been a little dry the last few visits. The foil vermicelli is solid and can be ordered non-spicy. Oysters are hit or miss--sometimes nice and plump, sometimes smaller. The grill setup is more for show than actual cooking, but it still adds to the atmosphere. Overall, it's a great spot for lighter eats on days when you're not super hungry, and surprisingly, it's not as smoky or smelly as you might expect from a skewer place. read more

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As a 626 resident, I can confidently say that this place rivals some of the best Chinese skewer places in the SGV!! My go-to order has been: lamb skewers, sweet and sour cucumbers, *lamb vermicelli soup (I come back just for this), tornado potatoes, and the garlic chicken skewers. The orange sorbet is also a fun and refreshing dessert to end off the meal. In fact, the food was so good that I ended up forgetting my phone at the restaurant. Thankfully, the staff were very kind and held onto my phone until I could pick it up again the next day. Overall, a great experience if you're craving Chinese skewers or a late night eats. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Lamb Vermicelli - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've ordered DoorDash from these guys a few times, finally managed to go in person recently. Parking was a problem. Limited spots in that residential area. But once you're in, the skewers were all good. The restaurant itself is for skewers but they are the same restaurant as 雞飛蛙跳 so you can also order full dishes too, like spicy frog or stir fried stuff. I like both. It's a good mix option if you find skewers too greasy. read more

Was craving for skewered bbq and didn't want to drive too far, so we tried this place. When we arrived they just opened, can't tell if the restaurant is clean or not, but staff were chatting and seems like they were having dinner. Their skewers are all fried not grilled, which is a huge red flag, service is friendly actually. I recommend their Hunan dishes, their stir fried rice noodles is very good, so is the fish maw, just don't come here for the skewers. Would be 4+ if not for the fried skewers. read more

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New favorite spot found! We live around the corner and never knew about this place. So glad we found it. House rice and cucumber appetizer was amazing. Oolong tea was soooo good read more

949 Grill Lounge - Oolong tea - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Nestled among Irvine's Plaza Resident Community, 949 Grill Lounge is a neighborhood restaurant that's sure to be a go-to for lunch or dinner! They have a modern design with an open kitchen, where you can see the chefs wok-fry with flames!! Pretty impressive to watch!! Their dishes are bursting with bold, authentic Chinese flavors, each dish tells a story. I absolutely love their Bento style Lunch Boxes, which comes with a main + 2 sides + soup and steamed rice that range from $17.99 - $21.99. I tried the Hunan stir-fried pork belly lunch teishoku set 湖南小炒肉-午市定食 with sweet and sour soup, Sweet and Sour Black Fungus, Sweet and Sour Cucumbers and bowl of steamed rice. I asked for medium spice and it was just right for me! So beautifully displayed on a wooden tray!! Their stir-fried baby squid with chili sauce 辣炒海兔（小鱿鱼) is a customer favorite!! I am in love with this dish!! So aromatic and satisfying, with the right chewy texture for baby squid!! Stir-fried Pork Belly and Chili Pepper with Rice 肉汤泡饭 features thinly sliced pork belly stir-fried with fresh chili peppers, aromatic garlic and ginger, and seasonings. Again, I asked for medium spice! Perfectly balanced!! They also have skewers (served after 5pm), Hunan stir-fried spicy dishes, foiled dishes, bullfrog dishes, stone cooked dishes, noodle soups, rice dishes, noodles, dongbei and Lao Dao specialties and a variety of desserts. They also have a full bar with an array of Sake. Dive into a culinary journey that both locals and foodies rave about. They have a full bar with an array of Sake. Alysa had terrific and friendly customer service!! read more

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The lamb skewers are good. The corn and the steamed bun barbequed was packed with flavor. The spicy meat off the bone was good. Service was slow. Took them a long time to get our orders and took forever to get water refilled. But I would still come back because the food tasted great? read more

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Overall, Most dishes were actually really good Flavor on point, great variety, and perfect for sharing with friends. Nice service and good ambiance. Definitely worth trying if you're in Irvine, Come hungry... you'll want to order everything read more

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Wow really amazing Chinese skewers! They taste really authentic and the flavor is really good!

if you've never had traditional chinese bbq before, go check it out!! order through QR code menu and food comes out quickly. got the scallop + vermicelli (so buttery, garlicy), a bunch of skewers (lambs, beef tendon, mushroom, eel, beef brisket), northern cold noodles (briny and refreshing), but my favorite was the egg and eggplant. it doesn't sound fancy but the egg makes the dish earthy/nutty while the eggplant is creamy and umami. please get it! place is super clean and staff brings around extra napkins/waters (: for 2 people, we couldn't finish everything and it was under 90$! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Northeast Cold Noodles, Preserved Egg And Eggplant W/ Green Pepper, Lamb Skewers (5 Skewers), Beef Hard Tendon - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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The lunch started well with the kung pao chicken and the generosity of the tray veggies, perfect seasoning on the cucumbers and radishes. It went downhill from there unfortunately: the cumin lamb and pork lunch set were super salty. The fried rice had a little section that was (accidentally?) super salty. Otherwise pretty normal, nothing special. There's only one server so expect the wait service to be 15-20 min longer than expected. At one point we saw a customer stand up to help deliver teishoku lunch trays to his table. read more

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Food was great and service from Jimmy was great too! I ordered the Stir Fries Noodles with eggs. Nice vibe too.​ read more

949 Grill Lounge - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

Really good food! Tasty skewers. Will be back for more. Recommend the frog legs and the eggplant dish. read more

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Nice service and delicious food. Pretty convenience place with plenty of parking spot. read more

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Authentic Chinese skewers, pretty fast service and many options. There's a much bigger parking garage in the back!

Authentic Northern Chinese barbecue and Hunan-style spicy dishes. its extensive variety of charcoal-grilled skewers using dry" seasoning method that creates a smoky, bold, and aromatic crust over charcoal flames. We enjoyed The signature spicy seasoning skewers ( garlic chicken,chicken feet, chicken gizzards, chicken wings and potato tower) Bento lunch Set - Kung Pao Bento lunch Set - Spicy Eggplant Green Beans with minced pork Pork ribs soup with corn read more

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My friend knows how much I love frog legs, so they recommended a spot right here in Irvine -- 949 Grill Lounge. The English name sounds pretty normal, but the Chinese name is hilariously dramatic: "Chicken Fly Frog Jump 949" Definitely memorable! We ordered the stir-fried frog with perilla leaves, which wasn't spicy but super flavorful -- even the kids enjoyed it! The frogs are killed fresh, and you can really tell -- the meat was incredibly tender and bouncy. It's rare to find freshly butchered frog dishes around here, so this was a treat. The kids saw the skewers and wanted to try some -- and to our surprise, they loved them so much we kept ordering more! The skewers have that classic Northeastern Chinese BBQ flavor, well-seasoned and grilled just right. I just wish the portion per skewer was a little bigger The restaurant has a great vibe for casual gatherings too. I'm already planning to come back with friends for a BBQ + drinks night read more

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Delicious food and good service! I especially recommend the chef's special chicken garlic skewer read more

949 Grill Lounge - Skewers - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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Checked out this spot with my coworker after work. I really wish this was around when I went to college in Irvine! The place was spotless & spacious with lovely vibes. Food was really solid except the regular clams. Skewers were on point, duck blood was generously portioned, and those frog legs had good heat The Gaelic razer clams is a must try. Definitely big plates so bring a group to try the array of dishes here! We wanted to try everything, but there's only two of us & the waiters were really kind to let us leisurely eat for almost 3 hours read more

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We got the beef and lamb skewers here. To our surprise, both sets of meat were super fatty! We ordered chinese beef and lamb skewers many places before and one of my daughter's favorite and have never encounter such fatty version. Taste-wise was okay. My mom didn't like how the meat were not pre-marinated like how they traditionally are. The chicken bones are on the overly salty side. Cabbage dish was torn so large that it was a little hard to eat. My mom and her friends like their frog dish and said they are one of the best frog dishes . Service was great! read more

I recommend coming for lunch! The lunch set comes with decent proportions. The hunan stir fried pork was yummy. I wouldn't get the stir fried beef again it was pretty oily and fatty. The service was good no complaints. Ambiance is chill and good place to go with friends and family especially if you're craving spicy food! read more

949 Grill Lounge - Hunan Stir-Fried Pork Belly(Spicy)- Lunch Teishoku Set (Main 2 Side Dishes Soup Steamed Rice) - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

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Authentic. I recommend the beef tendon skewers and the bullfrog shiso leaves dry pots. The razor clam dish is also amazing but I was told it's usually sold out. read more

949 Grill Lounge - Steamed razor clams with garlic and glass noodles - Barbeque Near Me - Irvine, California

We came here with our family for dinner as we can't wait to try their authentic skewers and frogs. The stir-fried frog was a pleasant surprise, tender, well-seasoned, and not gamey at all. We wish the pieces can be slightly bigger, they're a bit too small to get much meat. The lamb, beef, and chicken skewers were all nicely grilled with that smoky, spicy kick that makes you keep reaching for "just one more." Lamb skewers were the standout for me, juicy and flavorful without being too heavy. With kids, we ordered them no spicy and season them ourselves at the table. They're so good that we ordered a couple more rounds. The spicy clams with vermicelli were another highlight. The vermicelli soaked up all that garlicky, spicy sauce, and the clams were fresh and plentiful. Definitely a comfort dish worth trying. The house special fried rice and egg fried rice were classic and satisfying, great for balancing out all the heat, and definitely loved by our daughters. Portions are generous, food comes out hot, and it's a fun spot for sharing dishes family-style. read more

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