Received great service here on a Saturday morning, a little after they opened! This place is definitely popular and gets crowded quick, so make sure you come early! I ordered the pork cutlet bowl and it was delicious! I definitely recommend this dish if you're not in the mood for a noodle dish. The servers were extremely accommodating with our requests and made sure that we had a great dining experience. Definitely try the soup dumplings! read more

A & J Restaurant - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

We came here around 2:30PM and it was probably around the end of the lunch rush because there was about a 10-15 minute wait before we were seated. They gave us a paper (in chinese) to mark down our order and an english menu to reference. It was easy to match up the numbers on the menu to the ones on the paper. We got spicy beef noodle soup, spicy wontons, and chicken rice bowls. The service was friendly and the food came out quickly. It smelled amazing and tasted amazing, too! It was my first time there and I will definitely be returning in the future. The restaurant was clean and the food from everyones table smelled great. I already have a few other things I want to try out! read more

A & J Restaurant - spicy beef noodle soup, spicy wontons, chicken rice bowl - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Great tasting dumplings, noodles, and rice. My favorite part of this establishment is how quickly food arrives. It's affordable and a gem of local Taiwanese cuisine read more

This is a great place for Taiwanese food. I love their pork ears. I wish we had more appetite for appetizers. But my kids wanted the main dishes more. My son loved the beef noodle soup with the wide noodles. He did say it wasn't spicy enough for what he's used to. Both kids had the Xiao Long Bao. They loved drinking the soup first before eating the dumpling. The soup is very tasty. We also enjoyed the fried chicken and pork chop. Since we don't eat a lot of rice, we ordered the chicken with the rice and just did the pork chop as an add-on. This place thought of everything! My hubby enjoyed the scallion pancake. It's his staple dish whenever going to a Taiwanese or any restaurant that offers it. Would love to go back to try their other dishes on the menu. read more

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Food comes out very fast! Love how efficient everything is. I highly recommend the beef roll and dumplings. The dan dan noodles was very good with some vinegar to balance out the saltiness. Beef noodle soup was nice and super hot -- i wish had a little more flavor and beef soup taste. Solid place, very quick. It felt like just a simple cafe! read more

A & J Restaurant - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

We used to really enjoy this place many years ago but like many things, its just not the same as it was before. We had their signature spicy noodle (knife cut) beef soup today with the steamed dumplings (beef and leek). The soup broth lacked flavor. The soup had a hint of spiciness but broth seemed diluted. At $15.95, this was very disappointing. The steamed dumplings had some holes in them and my wife believed that these were probably from the freezer. It was supposed to be a dozen dumplings but I counted eleven. read more

The food was delicious and service was fast. Lots of options at different price points. Fun to try multiple dishes.

So good!! It's always too long a line for us to go at night, so we went this time mid day on Sunday. Everything was excellent - cucumber salad, spicy wontons, spicy sesame noodles and pan fried pork dumplings. Efficient and friendly service too. read more

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Stopped for a quick bite, food was very good and portion was good. It was busy but minced pork rice and some sort of spicy noodle i ordered was great. read more

A&J is a classic and a go-to spot for my family when in Irvine. Don't sleep on this!! I almost always get the 紅燒 beef noodle soup, beef wrap, and chili wontons. I don't think you can go wrong with anything here. I've also enjoyed their potstickers, 炸醬麵, the clear beef noodle soup (not spicy), cold appetizers (seaweed, bean curd), pork chops, green onion pancakes, dan dan mian, and more. On many occasions, I have also ordered takeout, and it was a seamless process. Just call ahead to place your order! If you get bored while waiting, you can walk around and find boba/dessert, since there are many options in the area (7 leaves, happy lemon, lollicup, soma, melo melo). read more

A & J Restaurant - 8/3/2022 faves - beef noodle soup, beef wrap, spicy wontons - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I finally found a place that felt like I was back on vacation in Taipei. I wish it was closer, but I will definitely stop here every time I'm in Irvine. The service is fast, it's waitlist style, small mom and pop place, but it does get busy. Everyone was so nice too! Ok so we started with the cucumbers and bean curd with mushroom. I honestly forgot to taste the bean curd because I was eyeing everything else, but the cucumber salad was really good! Good spice level with the oil. The scallion pancake was great! A perfect amount of scallions chopped up in there. The Taiwanese beef roll was also very good, good portion overall and it was filled up nicely with beef and scallions. Minced pork on rice was something I was waiting for! It did not disappoint. I could eat it all the time and it was just as good the next day as leftovers. The pork marinade was flavorful and I liked the corn addition to give it a crunch. The star of the show, the spicy beef noodle soup, A+ bowl of soup. The noodles were exactly what I wanted, the texture and cook were perfect. The broth was so full of flavor. The beef was tender. Bok choy is always great to have. I loved it. If you are in Irvine you have to try A &J! read more

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Still as good as before. They take credit card now. Same server for 25 years. Always a must visit. read more

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This is delicious and not American Chinese food. The real deal. Limited menu. Always busy which is a good sign.

As a fan of Taiwanese food this is a regular place for me. I like the location as there are drink places nearby and the supermarket across the street. This restaurant always seems to be busy and you should get there early and have your whole party there as they will not seat you without your whole party. The place is small so it fills fast! The service is efficient and the servers have been there forever so they know and understand the menu and the food they are offering. It is a no nonsense place. Polite and quick service. The food is what I go for! They have a nice variety of Taiwanese specialties and are sure to have at least a few dishes to meet your cravings! Their food is made fresh, including their side dishes. I went for the tofu with 1000 year egg, a vegetarian side dish, shao long bao and the beef noodle with thick noodles. Everything tasted delicious to me. Especially the vegetarian dish and noodles. A couple of my all time favs! read more

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some of the BEST beef noodle soup you'll get in California! worry thing about it is perfect. the beef is so tender, tendon is perfectly soft, and the broth is so flavorful. the thick noodles give great chew and the portion is perfect. the beef scallion pancake roll isn't as good as I remember. the pancake wasn't flaky and it was too crunchy in the wrong way, without the layers. probably wouldn't get that again, just get the beef tendon noodles soup! pro tip: save the leftover soup to take home and make another batch of noodles for a second meal! read more

My favorite is the tomato meat sauce with noodles. Not much of a fan of the gyoza as it's way too greasy. It's always a great place for a quick nosh. read more

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To be honest, I didn't find much of our selections amazing. I feel like I have had better at other restaurants in LA county but perhaps this is one of the better ones in Irvine. I didn't have complaints about the service or the wait time (it seemed like a fave among locals). We waited for about 20 minutes or so, given we did come after the dinner rush (around 8 pm). Out of all our dishes, I really enjoyed the fried tofu and the thick noodles (although I didn't find the soup very spicy). I wasn't a fan of the pickled cabbage as I didn't feel like it was pickled much. The pancake on the beef roll was overdone and super crispy that it fell apart. The wontons were stuck together so the wrapping pulled apart when you grabbed one. The cucumbers and pork ears were decent. Overall, it wouldn't be my number one choice given all the selections in the area but if it's the only Taiwanese restaurant in the area, then fine. read more

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A little hole in the wall. Its been here for years. I believe its Taiwanese style food, but regardless its pretty good. Various assortment of noodle soups, rolls and dumplings. I like the beef noodle soup and the wonton in chili sauce. My fiancé likes the jia jia mein. The minced pork over rice is also very good. read more

I don't often eat Taiwanese food so choosing what to eat here was really difficult. I ultimately got the minced pork on rice and it was so flavorful. I'm definitely planning on coming back to try the noodles next. It was very busy when I got there, but the service was still decent. It was also giving family vibes. Very homey. read more

A & J Restaurant - Minced Pork on Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

We went here on a hot afternoon for lunch. We were sat down relatively quickly and started ordering our food. The food took about 10 minutes to start coming out. The food was good and the price wasn't bad. The service was very good. The ambiance was decent. I would recommend trying out this restaurant. I would probably come here once in a while. read more

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I highly recommend A& J as the go-to place for authentic Taiwanese food. The clear broth soup was rich, flavorful and the thick handmade noodle was simply perfect. Of course, we had to get the minced pork in rice; it hit the right spot plus the portion is large. The Chinese beef wrap rounds out our meal as we are getting full from this plus the fried pork chop and slice pork ear. Overall, the food was delicious. Service was quick and fast. Ambiance is typical of a family-owned Chinese restaurant. They do accept credit card so that's nice. Ample spaces of parking out front. read more

A & J Restaurant - Minced Pork on Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

If you want that good Taiwanese food fix, A&J has got you covered! It's not easy to find authentic Taiwanese food in San Diego so when we were up in Irvine, A&J was recommended and good thing they did. This is one of those no frills food places when it comes to decoration/exterior. It's all about the food here. Everything we had was delicious! The cucumber salad in hot garlic sauce was refreshing and pretty spicy. I was caught a little off guard on the spice but I loved it anyways. The bean curd and Mushroom assortment was also a nice side dish to get. Both the scallion pancake and beef wrap had a dry-look on the exterior, but inside was moist and great. It basically wasn't very oily or greasy! For our mains, we got the minced pork over rice and the spicy beef noodle soup. I haven't had the pork minced before so the texture was very different and was reminiscent of a meat sauce in pasta. Although I do prefer the actual pork cut up in the traditional way, the flavors were still what you would expect and were great. The beef noodle soup was amazing, especially the thick noodles. The noodles had the perfect chew and heft to them. The broth was also very rich with flavors. Wish we had this closer to San Diego! read more

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The food is very authentic and delicious! The staff is friendly and attentive to the tables. The overall feel of the restaurant is lively but not overwhelming. My friend and I did not have to wait to be seated but I have heard that it can get busy. I'm definitely coming back! read more

Quick service, delicious food, and busy evenings. They give you a menu and you order your food on a separate piece of paper that the waitresses take. Fast, efficient, and very very delicious, authentic, Chinese food. read more

A & J Restaurant - Spicy beef noodle soup, half beef half tendon - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I am so glad I found this hidden gem in Irvine! It has one of the most authentic taiwanese dishes I've had. I got the beef noodle soup and they give you the option to opt in for thick or thin noodles, and I chose thick. The beef chunks are so tender and juicy and the soup is so rich and flavorful. The minced pork with rice comes with a marinated egg and corn which makes it sweet and savory! I love the beef wrap so much! It's so crispy on the outside and the beef filling is so tender and delicious. The service is great and they are very hard working. Nice, cozy restaurant with decent seating! read more

A & J Restaurant - Beef Noodle Soup, Minced Pork on Rice, Chinese Beef Wrap - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Sometimes the best things are found unintentionally! Was looking for a dim sum spot near here and stumbled upon A&J. What a great choice it was. This restaurant has a good amount of selection for a great price! Our servers bring the food in a timely manner, and everything is hot and fresh!! We ordered the spicy wontons, fried pork chop over rice, beef wrap, soup dumplings, and spicy beef noodle soup. Every single choice was great! I personally loved the spicy beef noodle soup (I chose the thick noodle, you have an option between thin and thick noodles). The fried pork was greatly paired with the rice and veggies, I wish I knew what the veggie on the side was! Spicy wontons and soup dumplings were delish as well. Keep in mind, it does get very busy, especially during peak times. I tried coming 5 min after opening and within 15 minutes of opening, they have a full house and line waiting to seat! The restaurant has a lot of lighting and comfortable seats. Lots of open space and very nice restaurant overall. The walking space can get a little tight at times but well worth it. read more

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I've been to A & J a handful of times, experiencing both in person and take out meals. My go to order is a non spicy beef noodle soup plus a combinations of sides such as their green onion pancake or spicy wontons. Let me tell you, THEY NEVER MISS!! Everything is always so tasty and so fresh I have no complaints. The service is amazing and the workers are so sweet. It's located in a plaza with plenty of other shops so the parking lot can get a little busy. I recommend coming earlier as the shop is quite small and can get busy as well. The ambiance is so cozy it's the best place to go for some comfort meal on a cold day. read more

We love A & J! So does the community as they are always packed. They're probably the best Taiwanese food restaurant outside of 626. We love their spicy wontons and their minced pork rice especially. There's worst part is probably that parking is pretty tough in this plaza. read more

A & J still has a special place in my heart. Whether it was before college, durjng college, and after, it's still one of my go to places for Taiwanese food in Irvine. Though on the pricier end I really love their beef roll and the large quantity and I think that their beef noodle soup here is solid. The lu rou fan here is solid as well and I love how the five spice flavor shines through and how the braised egg ties everything together. The service here is really quick and efficient as well and the atmosphere can be a little loud depending on when it is during the day. read more

A & J Restaurant - Braised Minced Pork on Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I really wanted to like this place because of all the glowing reviews but the soup bases were watery and lacked flavor. Cucumber Salad in Hot Garlic Sauce - hot garlic sauce was very subtle. The cucumbers were very soft and soggy and didn't have a crunch. Chinese beef wrap - I liked how the pancake was thin but very dry. The beef was tender and the hoisin sauce and green scallions gave it flavor. Because of how dry the pancake was, it felt like it needed more sauce. Spicy Beef & Tendon Noodle Soup - beef was tender and the tendon melted in your mouth but the soup base was very watery. It only tasted like spice and lacked flavor. We had the wide noodles and they were pretty thick. Beef Noodle Soup (clear broth) - had literally no taste at all. It made eating the wide noodles hard because I felt like I was just eating plain noodles. I've had beef noodle soup in clear broth before but it's always had flavor. read more

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So consistent and so satisfying I have loved this place ever since I was a little kid and find myself coming back for their spicy beef noodle soup and spicy wontons. It's just the perfect amount of spice and everything is always made just right, especially in the spicy beef noodle soup the chunks of meat are very big and satisfying, and there are a lot of wontons in the spicy wonton overall is extremely quick and efficient and I definitely will be plenty more times. read more

This Taiwanese food restaurant is always busy. I ordered the fried chicken noodle soup And the beef noodle soup along with some sides. The soup that I ordered with the chicken is not as flavorful as the beef soup. Fried tofu was soft and crispy outside. Vegetarian delight was small but tasty. Hard to find parking on a Friday evening, read more

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Every visit to Irvine from Hawaii is a must for me. It reminds me of my childhood in Taiwan. The food tastes delicious and always brings a smile to my face. My favorite are the vegetarian delight and the green onion pancake. I also enjoyed the beef noodle soup with the wide noodle and the pork chop on rice. Wishful thinking... If they would open one in Hawaii :) read more

A & J Restaurant - Happiness :) - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

A great place for Taiwanese food. There are a few vegetarian options and they were all good - veggie pancake, mustard greens, veggie tofu side. For the meat eaters at the table, the favorites were the chili wonton, beef noodle soup, and the beef green onion pancake. The very best part of the meal was the chili sauce condiment. Yes, that condiment instantly improves any dish you put it on. It's a well seasoned chili sauce and not too spicy. Parking lot is tight. Look for parking in the back if needed. They get busy and there's usually a wait. Service is fast inside once you sit down. read more

If I want some good beef noodle soup Taiwanese style, this is my go to place. The line gets long sometimes but it's totally worth it. They also other side dishes are good. read more

Perfect food n fast service! Wish they have more franchises all over LA n Orange County !

came in on a friday night and was seated fairly quickly. the restaurant was pretty busy but our order still came out in 5 minutes. the spicy beef noodles were extremely delicious! i would come back just to eat this dish again. however, the xlb's were a miss for me. we also ordered the dry noodles and i wasn't a fan of the flavor. overall, 7/10 and i would only come back for the spicy beef noodles. read more

A & J Restaurant - Beef Soup (Clear Broth) - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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A busy Taiwanese restaurant that is most notable for their fast and efficient service. As noted on other reviews, wait times on weekends are about 15-20 minutes but once seated, they take your order and bring out food very quickly. Service is the most outstanding part of this restaurant. The food quality was decent. The beef noodle soup was quite generous w the beef pieces. Broth was nothing to write home about, but they give you the option of thick or thin cut noodles. The pan fried dumplings were quite juicy. Minced pork w rice is tasty, but not mind blowing either. Overall, A solid joint for Taiwanese staples, and overall good value. Great if you're a local. read more

This place is legit! NOTE to get your name on the list, you need to go inside and tell the host the # of people in your party. You'll then get a ticket with a number on it and someone will yell out the number and party sizes as they become available. We got the spicy beef tendon noodle soup with wide noodles, spicy wontons, and xiao long bao. The wontons were yummy and very flavorful, with strong spicy umami! The house made wide noodles in the spicy broth were perfect, yet tough to lift with even a skilled chopstick user by myself since some of the noodles were over a foot long! All in all, solid and authentic food with Szechuan spices. They move very fast as you leave to clean the table for the next guests, so please eat rather quickly and then chat at a coffeehouse afterward! read more

A & J Restaurant - Spicy Beef Tendon Noodle Soup with wide noodz! - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm sure this used to be a very good place but the food now is definitely below average. The small plates were all very bland or one note. Only the cucumbers were good. The tofu and thousand year egg was just straight bad. At least put some soy paste or something for some flavor. The Lu to Fan was also not good. The fried pork chop was quite good. But overall will not be trying this again. One note, service was excellent! read more