I went here for an early dinner so definitely there were plenty of seats. We got the spicy beef noodle soup (beef and tendon), beef roll, fried chicken, scallion pancake, and XLB (soup dumplings). The spicy beef noodle soup was decent, with a good amount of beef and tendon in it. The noodle was on the softer side. The beef roll is delicious and filling. The fried chicken is more air fried / grilled and did not carry the Taiwanese popcorn chicken seasoning, so it was a bit different from what I'd have expected. The scallion pancakes were nicely made but not the best I tried. The XLB was okay. Service is very hands off - it can be a bit of effort to flag a server to fulfill requests but otherwise the meal is pretty solid and quick. read more

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I finally made it to A & J Restaurant to try some of their famous Taiwanese staples. Overall, it's a solid spot, delivering on certain dishes and providing exceptional service, though some of the items I tried could use a little more flavor. The experience is pretty straightforward; it's a typical busy Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant. You sit down, the servers are attentive, and the food starts coming out almost immediately. Service: 5/5 We came on a Friday night at around 6 PM with a party of 7 and we were seated within 15 minutes. The service here was fantastic and our waters were constantly being refilled, and the food came out incredibly fast. The servers were friendly and very communicative, making sure to announce when a hot plate was coming in or when they were walking behind us. They were really on-point and clearly prioritize customer attention. Food: 4/5 This was a bit of a mixed experience, but the hits were truly great. The absolute standout dish was the Ground Pork over Rice. This dish was incredibly flavorful and mixed perfectly with the rice, I highly recommend ordering it. The Scallion Pancake was also a winner. While it was a bit thicker than I'm used to, the flavor and satisfying crunch were excellent. The side dishes were good, the spicy cucumber was slightly sweeter than I expected but delicious, the Veggie Delight (marinated tofu, seitan, mushroom, and edamame in a sweet soy sauce) was a solid vegetarian option, and the Pig Ear and Potstickers were your typical Chinese/Taiwanese dish. The two main dishes that fell a little flat for me were the Beef Noodle Soup and the Beef Roll. The Beef Noodle Soup (tried both thin and thick noodles) was just okay, it lacked the rich flavor I've found in other spots, especially compared to places like 101 Noodle Express in SoCal (though it was definitely better than Northern Cafe). The noodles didn't seem to be hand-pulled or have the satisfying chewy texture I look for. The Beef Roll was also fine but needed more meat and stronger flavor overall. Ambiance: 3/5 The ambiance is standard for a Taiwanese restaurant. It's clean and functional with tables throughout, but there's nothing particularly unique or memorable about the decor or atmosphere. You come here for the food, not the setting. Overall: 4/5 Pros: -Exceptional and attentive service -The Ground Pork over Rice is a must-try -Scallion Pancake has great flavor and texture -Food comes out very quickly Cons: -Beef Noodle Soup lacks deep flavor compared to other restaurants -Noodles are not chewy or hand-pulled -Beef Roll is sparse on meat and flavor read more

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

When I'm craving authentic Taiwanese/Chinese, freshly made, chewy hand-torn noodz..I always go to A&J in the Arbor Village Center (by Taiko). In my opinion, it's the best of the best hand-torn noodles that I've eaten in SoCal (my ultimate fav of all time btw is Magic Noodle in Las Vegas..go check out my RxFoodie Yelp review for that yummy joint). They don't take rezos, no Yelp check-in..just OG take your name down, give you a numbered ticket and wait..so be prepared during lunch/dinner peak hours. The parking in this plaza can get cray, esp. with them Asian drivers, so beware! The restaurant is very minimal inside, no decor whatsoever but so long as it's clean, I'm just there for the food so that's fine with me. Lol My go-to 100% is always the spicy beef noodle soup, with a side of cucumber salad in hot garlic sauce and depending on my hunger level +/- a five spice flavored egg, fried tofu, scallion pancake, or pan fried pork dumplings. I personally like to add some white pepper, chili oil and a dash of the vinegar to my spicy beef broth for that extra oomph flavor to take the noodz to the next level, but it's not needed. The broth has a lot depth and flavor on its own. Everything is always on-point deelish here and the service is consistent. The OG ladies are efficient with taking your orders and clearing the table. Definitely a RxFoodie recommended/must try. Thank me laters! read more

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A & J, you make my day A & J, I don't even know what to say A & J, hooray A & J is always a solid option. Nice variety of options and everything is good. I've tried the xiao long bao, spicy wontons, beef rolls, beef soup, chicken bowl, cucumber salad, and a couple other items. Chicken bowl is actually my favorite thing here and I also really like the beef soup but it's a little bit inconsistent imo. read more

surprisingly after being to this plaza a million times, i have finally tried A&J... year after year I would hear the same thing about how bomb their dumplings were and how it was the best restaurant and people would drive an hour to come here. THE FOOD: -pan fried pork dumplings (8) - nice and crispy + well filled. this was one of my favorites! -spicy wonton - solid! not my absolute favorite, but up to par -beef noodle soup - flavorful and had lots of noodles and beef! i liked that you could choose the thickness of the noodles PROS: -good food and felt authentic (even had them at a table next to me making the dumplings... witnessed absolute skill) -priced appropriately -finally a beef noodle soup that is seasoned well -filling on the food felt adequate CONS: -on the smaller side so don't be shocked if there is a wait -parking can be a hot mess (but you'll find something) OVERALL: i understand the hype! try it out!! read more

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My coworker and I came here for lunch since it was a rainy day and we were craving noodles. It's located in The Arbor Village Center on Jeffrey Rd and Walnut Ave. One of the major drawbacks for this location is the parking situation. Your best bet is to get here early before the lunch rush. We both ordered #101, spicy beef & tendon noodle soup with small noodles. My only complaint was that it doesn't come with mustard greens. You have to order it separately. We also ordered #134, pan fried pork dumplings (8), #151, sliced pork ears, and #154, vegetarian delight to share. The portions for the appetizers were pretty tiny. Everything came out pretty quickly, except for the dumplings. At one point, we thought maybe they didn't see it on the order form. Although I wouldn't rate it as the best, it is quite decent for Taiwanese food. read more

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Literally my family's go to restaurant for years. It's always consistent and tastes great. The quality has not changed since years ago so it's always our go to and we hope it stays the same We always get the braised beef noodle and sometimes the appetizers or potstickers and pancakes The noodle never disappoints read more

A & J Restaurant - Braised beef noodle - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This was my 5th time going to A & J! My friend and were seated right away and we chose to sit in the back where it was quieter. My favorite is the spicy beef noodle soup. The beef is flavorful, tender, and plentiful. I also recommend getting the beef roll appetizer. It pairs well because it is crispy similar to a scallion pancake and has a hoisin-type sauce that is slightly sweet in flavor. Also, love the flavor of the chili oil at the table. Highly recommended spot to try! read more

A & J Restaurant - spicy beef noodle soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Easy parking + no wait time. Prices are cheap and food is good. Price reflects the portion. We got the noodles in sesame sauce with peanut powder ($9.50) and pork chop rice ($13.50). read more

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

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My go-to for comfort food, but skip the bean curd. A&J is my absolute favorite spot for comfort food in Irvine. I always come here for the Spicy Beef Soup (with added tendon)--the broth is spicy and flavor-packed, and the meat is tender. It never disappoints. Recently, I've been cutting back on starches, so instead of the usual noodles, I asked for extra pickled mustard greens (a large order on the side) and bok choy. They were great about accommodating the request, and the greens really helped balance out the richness of the soup. Waitress still brought my noodles on the side for the family to eat. The only downside to this visit was the vegetarian bean curds, which were unfortunately really salty this time. read more

On a cool evening night, there's nothing better that hits the spot with the combo of the cucumber infused in garlic hot sauce & Szechuan beef noodle soup (request the thick noodles). The spices do creep up on you with the noodle dish, but the savory soup, thick handmade noodles, and slow-cooked beef are a home run every time. Every time I've gone, the service is swift, and what I love is that you're quickly in & out after finishing your meal. The people are welcoming, and the food speaks for itself. read more

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There are not a ton of Taiwanese restaurants in Orange County and I typically have to go to Rowland Heights or SGV for good Taiwanese food so when I heard about A&J, I was thrilled to learn there was a good Taiwanese restaurant closer to me. I went here with a party of 6 around 6 on a Friday night. We got a table right away but it got pretty busy right after we arrived. The restaurant inside is small yet loud. The restaurant is very casual. There seemed to be only 1-2 large tables and the rest of the tables seemed better suited for smaller groups of 2-4. We ordered beef noodle soup, fried green onion noodles, szechuan style spicy wontons, pork chop fried rice, scallion pancake, beef roll, and pan fried pork dumplings. Everything was good however I was a bit disappointed with the pan fried pork dumplings and the scallion pancake as they were lacking in some flavor. The pork chop fried rice and spicy wontons were my favorites. Service is good and quick. They made sure we always had water at the table. All of the food came out quick and when it came time to pay the bill, they were very fast about this as well. They do take credit cards which is a nice plus. The parking lot is busy so keep that in mind when making plans here. There are a ton of businesses in the plaza so parking can fill up fast and can be hard to find at prime dinner time. Definitely worth a try and I'm looking forward to trying more food off the menu here. read more

A&J Taiwanese Restaurant in Irvine is hands down one of the best Taiwanese restaurants in town! Every dish we tried was excellent, but the beef noodle soup really stood out; comforting broth with extremely tender beef and variety choice of noodles. The dan dan noodles also had great depth of flavor with just the right amount of spice. For appetizers, I recommend the spicy wontons. Even the cucumber appetizer was refreshing and well-seasoned, making it the perfect starter along with your meal. If you're looking for authentic Taiwanese comfort food done right, A&J is a must-visit. read more

It has been awhile since my last visit to A & J, mostly because it usually has a line out of the door and I despise lines, especially when I'm hungry. An out of town friend specifically asked for A & J today for old time sake so here we are. I was pleased to see many familiar faces when we got in, almost the entire waiting staff. It may not be obvious from outside, but it has a few round tables, so our party of 8 were seated promptly. We ordered enough food for a banquet, from appetizers to noodles, pancakes, dumplings, beef rolls, & fried rice. XLBs are still served in metal dimsum containers, 4 per order. I was surprised that we ate them all. They cleared empty plates as fast as we finished them, just in time for new arrivals. Happiness is as simple as enjoying a good meal with friends. read more

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Came here recently and ordered the spicy beef and tendon thick noodle soup, thousand layer pancake, taro flaky buns, and a cold mustard greens with beans side dish. SPICY BEEF AND TENDON NOODLES: The spicy beef and tendon noodle soup was the highlight. The noodles had a good chew, and the broth was flavorful without being too heavy. The spice level leaned mild, which worked because it let the depth of the soup come through instead of overwhelming it. The beef and tendon were both soft and properly cooked. So far, this is the best version I've had in this area. THOUSAND LAYER PANCAKE: The thousand layer pancake was nicely flaky with good structure. Also fun to pull apart. I dipped it into the soup out of curiosity and it actually paired well. It's also solid with a little chili oil and vinegar. TARO FLAKY BUN: The taro flaky buns weren't the typical smooth taro paste filling. It looked more shredded, possibly taro or another root vegetable. I'm not completely sure, but the texture was interesting, and it's on the savory side of flavor. I appreciated that it didn't feel heavy. COLD MUSTARD, TOFU SKIN & BEANS: The cold mustard greens, tofu skin and beans dish was refreshing and balanced out the richer items. This would be especially good during warmer weather. I could eat two bowls of this stuff. SETTING AND PRICE: Ambiance is casual and a bit noisy. It's not trying to be upscale, and that's fine. The food leans more homestyle and comforting than refined. Pricing feels comparable to SGV for similar quality and portions, which seems fair. VERDICT: I'd come back if I'm nearby and in the mood for noodles. It's solid, and sometimes that's exactly what you're looking for. read more

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Was seated very quickly for a party of 5! Service was polite and frequently checked in on us. The food was amazing especially for this type of weather. Szechuan wonton with any noodle soup bowl hit the spot. Restraunt itself is relatively small but they managaed to make it work. Highly recommend 11/10 stars! read more

A & J Restaurant - Wonton Noodle Soup 11/26/2025 - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

When we are at A&J's, WE ARE FEASTING. I discovered A&J's my freshman year at UCI (2015). I don't live in California anymore, but when I do visit-- I need to eat at A&J! So this was that time. A&J's is a great place to meet up with your college friends, grab some lunch/dinner, and reminisce about living in Irvine and missing all of the good food that is there (including A&J's). To be quite honest, ordering at A&J's is not difficult at all. Just try everything! However, the non-negotiable and must haves for the table are the following: - pork chop with rice - spicy wontons - xiao long bao - beef wrap - peanut sesame noodles - spicy beef and tendon soup - scallion pancake - house dumplings Make these items at least 2 orders (trust me, you want to be eating this for your leftovers the next day). A&J's is a staple in Irvine. A mom and pop restaurant that serves the best food and is so nostalgic. read more

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

this restaurant has been around for as long as i can remember, and they've always been extremely consistent and reliable. would say they are known for their beef noodles, which are absolutely wonderful. i found myself craving the tendons today. i also highly recommend the 烤麩 which is a nice cold savory glutinous treat that balances out with the noodles very well. read more

A & J Restaurant - Spicy Beef Tendon Noodle Soup (Szechuan Style) - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This is one of my favorite Taiwanese food spots! It's so delicious. It's located in a busy plaza and I usually have to circle around to find parking. Depending on what time you come and party size, there's will usually be a 10-20 minute wait. Once seated, they provide a paper where you mark what you want to order. I think it's in Taiwanese so you can match by the number. spicy beef noodle soup - 5/5 it's really flavorful and so good with their thick noodle. spicy wonton - 5/5 it's the perfect amount of spice tomato noodle - 5/5 a nice mix of spicy and sweet cucumber salad - 4/5 it's so refreshing, but I wish it was more crunchy Service is quick and they're kind and attentive! read more

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My fav Taiwanese spot! Fast and efficient service! Lots of tables so the wait is quick. Menu is extensive with lots of cold plates. My favorite is the spicy beef noodle soup with wide noodles. They make everything well and taste fresh. It's a great spot to grab a quick bite to eat. read more

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

I wasn't sure if I should give a 3 or 2 but since there was some good things I'll give a 3/5 stars. The good: when we sat immediately served water and when we dropped a chopstick they heard it and instantly came with fresh ones. Service was fast but we did come at 4 pm on Tuesday and the only ones there. Also Feels pretty clean in there, they were also cleaning while we were walking in. The bad: the food was nothing special. I came because I saw multiple reviews raving about this spot. I felt the dumplings were made sloppy and some had little to no meat. I felt everything had no flavor. We even paid an extra $3.75 for a side of sauce to throw on everything for it to be better. read more

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A & J Restaurant is a classic Irvine staple - homely, warm, and hearty :) I've been coming here since I was young and it's like nothing has changed. The women who work here are so hardworking and lovely, they always welcome you in and say goodbye as you leave. The food here is reliably delicious and served quickly, best shared. Many items on the menu are on the heavier/salty side, but everything is always yummy! I especially love the cucumber salad and pork dumplings. read more

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Portions got smaller, beef soup noodle diluted down, and of course prices increased. Thought we'd give them a shot again after a year and was disappointed again. read more

Food -Dumplings (4/5) Really good meat to wrapper ratio! I really enjoyed how juicy the dumplings were. I do like eating dumplings with chili oil but I think their chili oil was a bit underwhelming for me -fried pork chop (5/5) Good flavor, exterior is very crunchy with juicy meat. Rice is cooked perfectly and it comes with pickled veggies which creates a well balanced dish Service Everyone was so friendly and all the food came out decent time! Parking sucks! Small lot so be prepared to find a spot during the weekends read more

The dishes offered here are Taiwanese. I ordered the Beef Wrap and Minced Pork on Rice. Both were yummy, but the pork to rice ratio was not great. Too much rice for the amount of pork they gave. I was also shocked that they charged 2.50 for tea. read more

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

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Casual spot for a quick sit down lunch. Service was fast and food was served very quickly. The menu was large, but not overwhelming. You order by marking down what you want on a paper ordering form. I got the spicy beef noodles, beef roll and a side dish (Bean curd strip with mustard greens and soy beans). The side dish was an unexpected hit. It was cool and a good refreshing addition to the other two dishes. I might try more of the side dishes the next time I come. The noodles in the soup were thick and chewy (you get to pick from two types of noodles), the beef was ample and tender. The beef roll was good, but probably could've benefited from a little more flavor and fillings. Overall a positive experience for some yummy food at a good price. read more

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

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It pains me to write this, but after being a loyal customer for nearly 15 years, I think our time with A&J has come to an end. This has long been our go-to for Taiwanese comfort food, and while the flavors weren't always 100% authentic, they hit the spot. However, our recent visits have been disappointing. The restaurant has become incredibly "penny-pinching" with their service. I was recently told there would be a $1 charge just for a sprinkle of scallions and another $1 for a small side of clear broth for my dry noodles--requests that were never an issue before. Furthermore, when we ordered extra noodles for my son's beef noodle soup, the original portion seemed intentionally smaller, defeating the purpose of paying for the add-on. Between the degraded service and the "nickel-and-diming" atmosphere, it is no longer worth the 30-minute drive. The vibe has changed, and the pleasure of dining here is gone. read more

After my last trip down to Irvine, it seemed like almost everyone asked me essentially the same question - "did you go to A & J?". It was bad enough to realize I missed out on something so tasty after the fact, but it was even worse to (unintentionally) get reminded of it again and again! To be fair, this wasn't the only place that I got asked about more than once, but I made it a point to not repeat the same mistake when I was back in town again. In fact, I even managed to come here twice! Like I said - I definitely wasn't going to miss out again! Now, before my first trip here, despite how confident I was that A & J wasn't going to let me down, I still had some level of fear that it could happen. That is, until I saw the crowd of folks waiting outside - with so many other Taiwanese restaurants around, surely there was no way they could disappoint! Thankfully, we only had to wait about 10-15 mins for a table (it was mostly larger groups ahead of us). Looking over the menu, just about everything they have to offer sounded so enticing. It's even more impressive when you consider all of the different dishes they have to offer - tons of noodle soups, rice dishes, small plates, and appetizers. We came in with a few dishes in mind that we knew we had to try, but there so many more that piqued my tasted buds! -- (#129) FRIED CHICKEN...$8.95 This wasn't quite what I expected, but it was still pretty good. Even though it lacked a crispy coating like the ji pai dishes I've had elsewhere, I liked how juicy the chicken itself was and how it had just the right amount of seasoning on it. -- (#101) SPICY BEEF & TENDON NOODLE SOUP (SZECHUAN STYLE)...$14.50 Easily my favorite dish here! I love how tender the chunks of beef were and how the tendons were so soft, but the star of the dish was the soup - rich, flavorful, and with just a slight kick. Also, while both types of their noodles are good in this one, I liked the thin one more. So good! -- (#127) MINCED PORK ON RICE...$12.95 Honestly, it didn't look all that appealing (like a very wet chili), but this was actually pretty decent. While I wish this had some chunks of pork belly in it, the minced pork was flavorful with a nice meatiness to it and I loved the marinated egg. -- (#130) FRIED TOFU...$8.50 Not that I didn't think this was going to be good, but I was pleasantly surprised how tasty this was! The tofu had a nice crispiness to it yet the batter isn't super thick, which is great. However, it was (literally) the sauce that made this so flavorful and delicious. -- (#139) CHINESE BEEF WRAP...$15.50 This might be one of their most popular dishes, but it fell flat for me. The roll was fairly plump and the beef was decently tender. However, it was also rather dry, both in terms of the pancake (it's a bit thick) and the lack of sauce. For the money, I'd rather pay less for another bowl of noodles! -- (#106) SHREDDED PORK & MUSTARD GREENS NOODLE SOUP...$11.95 Not too shabby, but, admittedly, not as good as I was hoping for either. I liked that there was a good amount of mustard greens and pork in this, but the meat felt very lean and the taste of the soup wasn't very robust. I also liked the bite of the noodles, but wish we had gotten the thin variety. -- (#102) SPICY BEEF NOODLE SOUP (SZECHUAN STYLE)...$14.50 Since this one didn't have any tendons in it, it felt a bit beefier and leaner by comparison, which may or may not better depending on your taste. Personally, I liked having a few tendons, but this is almost just as good! If there was one "knock" to be said about A & J, it's that finding a parking spot in the lot can be a little challenging during peak hours. In part due to the number of folks that come here, but also because the complex isn't all that large and there are several other popular eateries (and businesses) here as well. That being said, it's not incredibly hard to find a space, especially if you circle around to the back, and it's actually pretty easy if you come here outside of the prime lunch/dinner hours. Either way, the food at A & J is well worth the effort. My only fear now is finding out that there was a really good dish I missed out on trying. That is, until the next time I come back! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more

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love this place. been here a couple times already on our way up to santa barbara. satisfies that craving for some taiwanese dishes. can't go wrong with their beef noodle or minced pork rice. side dishes were also on point. the services were quick even though it's always busy. great little joint read more

One of my favorite go-to spots! This is such a great spot for comforting Taiwanese food, the ladies there are like your local aunties and the service is always amazing! A super cozy spot for a meal! We ordered the Spicy beef noodle soup, tomato and pork sauce noodles, fried chicken and rice bowl, and a seaweed appetizer. Spicy beef noodle soup is always a good choice, the broth was perfectly seasoned, and the meat was really tender! You get a choice of thin or thick noodles for all the noodle dishes and I chose thin. Though if you can't handle spice we'll like me, this dish might be a little too spicy. The tomato pork sauce noodles were not spicy at all even though it had a spice sign next to it. Perfectly seasoned and not too overpowering in flavors! I believe they make their meat sauce in house too so it definitely tasted homemade and comforting. The seaweed salad is honestly one of the best ones I've had in OC as a Taiwanese myself. So definitely recommend to give it a try! Refreshing and garlicy! read more

Hubs wanted to give this place a try after seeing it on social media. We got here a few minutes before opening time and were surprised that there was a line waiting for them to open. It was pouring rain also, so they must be good for people to be willing to stand and wait in the rain. The restaurant is pretty big, but it has a large "cube" wall in the middle, so the dining area feels very private no matter where you sit. We sat on the left side of the restaurant, where the tables ranged from small round tables seating up to 8 people to 4-person square tables. The walls are white with the bottom half being made of dark brown wooden panels. The restroom was on our side of the restaurant and was situated near the back. On the wall was also a framed picture of the Chinese characters for the restaurant's name as well. We ordered the following: 106 - shredded pork & mustard greens noodle soup- daughter liked this a lot and said that it was nice and salty. She said that the amount of pork and mustard greens were just right. This was perfect for a rainy day and it hit the spot. 111 - noodles with ground pork, bean sprouts & shredded cucumber- Hubs always liked the Taiwanese version over the Korean one and this didn't disappoint. He said that the noodles were thinner and the sauce wasn't as thick and there were more vegetables, which is how he likes it. 119 - spicy wontons with hot red sauce (Szechuan style)- this was pretty good but could use a bit more spice. 147 - bean curd with thousand year old egg. Hubs said it looks like splattered brain matter but it was delicious. LOL. Daughter loved it as well 139 - Chinese beef wrap- daughter liked it a lot and said that this was one of her favorite entrees of the day. She is craving it as we speak. LOL. Hubs said that he thought it was ok but he wasn't crazy about it. Service was quick and friendly. Glad we got to try this place! read more

One of my favorite meals is a good bowl of beef noodle soup. I generally prefer the Taiwanese style soup but like the Northern Chinese style noodles. Also, when I want spice, I prefer the Szechuan type of spice. Some places like A & J combines the best attributes from all those separate regions and that's what brought me in. I got the Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup with the wide hand pulled noodles. It was delicious and exactly what I expect when I want really good beef noodle soup! read more

A & J Restaurant - Beef and Spicy Beef Tendon Noodle Soup (Szechuan Style) - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I had wonton noodles and something like beef buns. The price and portion size were just right, but the wonton noodles tasted a little bland. The service was just right, too, so next time I think I'll try one of their rice dishes. read more

First timer! Wednesday night dinner and didn't have any trouble finding parking. Seated right away. Service is really fast, food came out minutes after ordering. Staff member came by often to refill our water. read more

A & J Restaurant - Chinese Style Fried Chicken on Rice and Minced Pork on Rice - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

A&J sells some nice Taiwanese dishes. Knowing that, I already have a must-try list! Spicy oil wonton, beef roll wraps, and spicy beef stew noodle (wide noodles). Too bad they didnt have the spicy oil wonton. No worries, I sub'd it with the spicy cucumber salad. Really good and got nice chunks of garlic. The beef roll wraps came in a bit flat. Both in flavor and wrap, unfortunately. The beef stew noodle was pretty traditional. I like my noodles wider and broth heartier. But it had the traditional beef stew taste. Overall, quite nice but falls very well within standard for me. Though this place is quite popular, always full. I would recommend it overall! read more

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It was my first time coming here and it did not disappoint. I ordered the beef noodle soup after seeing a few recommendations, and it was so yummy. The beef was tender, and the thick, chewy noodles were super good. Everything paired really well together. It usually comes with bok choy, but I decided to skip it this time. They also have a good variety of other items to try. Overall, a solid spot! read more

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

Came for lunch. I ordered the clear broth beef noodle because I was hungover and gf got the zha jiang mian. Everything was solid but I was feeling pretty roughed up. Would come back to try again when my insides are melted. read more

Came here recently and was seriously impressed. The fried pork with rice was bomb, crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and perfectly seasoned. It had that fresh-fried texture without feeling greasy, and the portion was solid too. I also tried the beef noodle soup and it did not disappoint. The broth was rich and flavorful, and you could tell it had been simmered for a long time. The beef was tender, and everything came together really well. Super comforting bowl, especially on a cooler day. The spot itself was chill and low-key, nothing fancy but clean and welcoming. Service was friendly and the food came out pretty quick. Definitely a place I'd come back to when I'm craving fried pork and a good bowl of beef noodle soup. read more

Not as good as it used to be, just average. Beef noodle soup - broth decent, but beef to not as tender and pork chop is too fatty and overcooked. Also had the beef roll - ok, but not as flavorful like Noodle Street. read more

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My boyfriend and I were heading up to OC to have a small "staycation" to meet up with his brother and some of his friends as he hadn't seem them for a while. However, we weren't meeting them until later that weekend and decided to meet up with one of my San Diego friends who happened to be in OC visiting her cousin. We randomly found this restaurant and decided to check it out. It's located next to Sunmerry Bakery and Evergreen Health & Herbs in The Arbor Village Center on Jeffrey Rd in Irvine. There's a huge parking lot with ample parking but could be very difficult to find a stall on a weekend. It took us a while to find a stall, and it was at the end of the shopping plaza. When we arrived, there was a line of people waiting to be called in to be seated. We didn't realize this restaurant was that popular but seems like it really was in the area. It took us about 45 mins to an hour to get seated. Luckily, there were small stores around for us to kill time at which included the SHIBUYALA. My group and I decided to order appetizers to share around the table. We shared the Pan Fried Pork Dumplings and Sliced Beef Tripe w/ Hot Red Sauce. The beef tripe was soooo good. The flavor, MMM! Loved it! It was a cold dish that was very tender and the spiciness show in the dish. It did look kind of sus (peep at pic) when we got it, but looks are deceiving as I really liked it! Definitely a hit for me. The pork dumplings were also really good. They were very plump and full of protein. YUM, great start of our meal. I ordered their Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup. There was a lot of everything in this bowl and for the price, it was super worth it! The beef and tendon were very tender which I fully loved as it indicated that they've been cooking for a while. However, I wasn't very impressed by the broth as it lacked flavor, and the noodles were overcooked for me. My boyfriend and my friend both got the Wonton Noodle Soup. The wontons were really sad. Tiny little pieces with barely any protein in them. Boooo. The soup was also very unimpressive. Unfortunately, the main courses could not match the energy we had with the appetizers. Overall, not a bad restaurant to have Taiwanese styled foods. However, I did wish our noodle soups were better. I would definitely come back to try other foods, especially the spicy wontons everyone raves about to see if it lives up to its hype. read more

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