【Background】 Sunday, July 26, 2026, 8:15 PM Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine has three locations in Irvine, Alhambra, and Rowland Heights [1]. I decided to finally visit and chose the Rowland Heights location since it's conveniently located next to a 99 Ranch, and I wanted to go grocery shopping after. Dolan's has received many accolades such as winning #63 on the L.A. Times 101 Best Restaurants in 2025 (#44 in 2024) and received an 8.0 rating from the Infatuation [2, 3]. If you're curious like me, the word "Dolan" refers to a people or region of what is now the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and refers to an earlier culture and civilization in the region [4]. The restaurant is comfortable, not too many tables. Since I was eating dinner pretty late, there was only one other party finishing up their meal. The walls are decorated with plates, musical instruments, and trinkets that I'm assuming are associated with the Uyghur culture. A huge mural near the back features comically muscular men playing musical instruments with #GoogleUyghurs on the top right corner, referring to the oppression of Uyghur and other Turkic minorities in XUAR. The Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide published its report "Eight Years On, China's Repression of the Uyghurs Remains Dire" in February 2025, and I thought it was a great resource that provides a thorough background on the matter [5]. You can also read more on the "Persecution of Uyghurs in China" Wikipedia page [6]. 【Food】 While reading through the restaurant's reviews (on Yelp, Reddit, other sites), many of the same dishes were constantly being recommended: Big Plate Chicken (available in bone-in and boneless), Uyghur goshnaan, lamb kebab, Uyghur polo, and laghman. I've also seen a few recommendations for the spiced blossom tea, but I didn't want an entire pot just for myself. Sadly, the Rowland Heights location doesn't have the Small Plate Chicken option that the other two locations offer, and I thought the Big Plate Chicken would be too much food. You can't go wrong with a rice dish, so I ended up ordering the: * Uyghur Polo ($19.95) The dish was absolutely delicious, probably the best thing I've eaten so far this year. The savory leg of lamb was fall-off-the-bone tender and paired perfectly with the sweetness from the soft carrots and onions. Not gamey at all. There was a sheen of oil on every rice kernel. The rice was perfectly spiced with cumin seeds speckled throughout. I wasn't super hungry when I walked in since I had a late lunch, but after one bite, I was addicted. A small side of chili crisp is provided for a little heat. After looking at the description online and older reviews, it seems the polo recipe has been modified. For example, in the past, lamb chunks were used instead of a leg, and chickpeas and raisins used to be included. 【Service】 Service was good. The employee was friendly and attentive, albeit a bit quiet. Food came out 10 minutes after ordering. 【Parking】 The parking situation at this plaza is usually pretty hectic since there are a ton of popular restaurants. However, I visited late on a Sunday, so there were a decent number of empty spots. ---------- [1] https://www.instagram.com/dolans_uyghur_cuisine/ [2] https://www.latimes.com/food/list/101-best-restaurants-los-angeles [3] https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/dolans-uyghur-cuisine [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolan_people [5] https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/china/report-eight-years-on-chinas-repression-of-the-uyghurs-remains-dire [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Uyghurs_in_China read more

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First time dining at this location. I had been wanting to check it out as I'm a fan of their Alhambra location, which I've been to many times. We went for dinner on Saturday and it was not crowded and there was no wait, unlike my experiences in Alhambra. This location seems newer with a casual, modern cafe style. The service was also very casual and not very attentive. The food however is still good. It was not too oily like some of the times I've experienced. The Uyghur Polo lamb was super tender and the flavor was good, not gamey at all. Parking in the mini mall did get pretty crowded on the Saturday night we were there. read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Uyghur Polo - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Uyghur food is hard to come by in LA, so I'm glad Dolan's exist because Chinese Muslim cuisine is my one of my top favorites. I got to try their big plate chicken, lamb chops, and laghman. It's really flavorful and delicious. Parking is a nightmare though on Friday nights in this plaza because it's in a plaza with a bunch of other popular restaurants. read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Big plate chicken - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Food, service, and ambiance were great. There was plenty of parking despite there being other well known restaurants in the same plaza. We came on a Saturday for lunch. I don't normally like lamb meat but it was cooked so well that I did not sense any gamey-ness too the meat. All of the things we ordered were delicious. I would definitely come back to try other dishes. It was also my first time trying Uyghur cuisine and I'm so glad that I did. read more

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We came for dinner on a weekday, the place isn't big and all the tables were full. We wanted to order the Boneless Big Plate Chicken but they ran out. So we ordered Taranchi Laghman and Manta. Both were really good. The noodles were chewy and flavorful. The meat in the dumplings had a hint of cumin which is my favorite. We will definitely come back again to try the Big plate Chicken. read more

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Dolan's Uyghur Cafe located in Rowland Heights, is a super clean store that serves up traditional Uyghur cuisine. I would suggest coming with more people so you guys can share the dishes and enjoy more food. This food does not contain any pork, which I love. Many of the meats and styles are lamb, chicken, and beef. Their lamb skewers were fire and I would say yes you need to order this for sure! If you are a chicken fanatic I would say get the big plate chicken and add extra noodles. The noodles soak up the sauce, and this dish is also tasty. Overall we had a good time and for sure if you want to try Uyghur food come to this spot. read more

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Dolang's is my go to place whenever I'm hungry. I've been going there almost 2-3 times a week. They have such good house made pulled noodles. I love their Laghman made with mixed veggies, beef and homemade pulled noodles.. so delicious. The place is super clean a d the staff are super friendly. I think they are know me already since I've been there so many times. Try their yogurt! I think I am addicted to their simple yogurt. Came with raisins, crushed walnut and honey.. I think their yogurt are made in house as well. Thank you guys for making my day, every time I'm there . Definitely will be back soon. read more

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Been wanting to go here (Alhambra one) for years and finally went yesterday and it was amazing! Best fresh hand torn noodles I've ever had! Big plate bone in chicken was delicious but highly recommend getting the extra noodles option w it bc the noodles and sauce were delicious! Huge portion.. enough to fully feed 2-3 people w the extra noodles... also tried the lamb skewer, which was very tasty and the signature authentic noodles dish w veggies and beef. which was good but a bit bland compared to the big plate chicken. Next time I'll try the meat pie instead of the 2nd noodles dish... the yogurt at the end is super delicious as well!! Highly recommend getting it.. can split one between 2 people and perfect after some spice. Their homemade hot sauce is delicious too! Def going back soon. read more

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Really awesome Uyghur food here - tender lamb dishes and strong flavors. Everything tastes fresh and I was expecting some of the dishes to be heavy and greasy, but they weren't at all. The hand pulled noodles were so chewy. Easy parking too. read more

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The food is very flavorful..we ordered the chicken dish, a tofu skin salad and lamb shank rice, topped with lemon mascarpone cake. The young man who served us was very friendly and personable. Easy to talk to as we weren't familiar with Uyghur cuisines. read more

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My family and I wanted to try new places and we stumbled upon Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine! The interior was very clean and service was welcoming. The server asked if we were first-timers (we were!) so he recommended the meat pie, spicy noodle, and lamp. These dishes don't come with rice, so my family ordered their naan to try. Lamb = 4/5 Super tender with meat falling off the bone. I'm not typically a lamb person, but I really enjoyed the flavor Meat Pie = 5/5 Wow! I really liked this dish. I was expecting a thick layer of meat, but it's a thin layer of meat between two fried layers. It wasn't greasy or oily at all. There was such a nice crunchy texture, I would definitely recommend getting this dish! Stir-fry noodle (4/5) was also very light tasting, not heavy at all. The server gave us scissors to cut the noodles, making it easier to eat. There were chunks of tomato, beef, and peppers. I personally cannot handle spice, but this was tolerable (I made sure not to get the pepper) Overall, I'd come again and try other dishes! read more

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Great experience and food! Service and food delightful! Recommended and would return for more!

Decided to be adventurous today and tried Uyghur cuisine. I am not a fan of lamb but someone in my party was so we decided to give it a shot...lamb skewers (forgot to photo) was well seasoned and tender. The popular chicken plate is a braised chicken served atop a bed of handmade thick flat noodles, potatoes and bell peppers however it is spicy! Tastes good but if you can't handle heat be careful, they can only make this dish a bit less spicy which for us was still whoo! Beef dumplings were not bad but dough was on the thicker side. Our favorite item was the meat pie, I recommend this! Crusty shell is homemade and provided great texture. read more

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First of all, the food was super delicious and the flavor was definitely there in each and every bite. My personal favorite was Korma Chop noodles, the noodles had the perfect texture and spice. The Big Plate Chicken had such tender meat and again, perfect textured noodles. Other than the food that makes me want to come back, the service is what sets this place apart. The staff were very attentive, especially our server Chris. He definitely made our experience at Dolan's much more enjoyable and memorable. Chris had such a positive attitude and was very attentive. SHOUT OUT TO CHRIS The place was clean and nice, with a welcoming atmosphere. I would recommend this place over and over again read more

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4/5, vegetarian/vegan review included: I've been to the Alhambra location in the past and really enjoyed my dining experience, but this was my first time at the Rowland location. I believe the menu is similar, if not the same, from both locations, and perhaps simplified here. Regardless there are several vegetarian and vegan options, including appetizers (salads) and mains (noodles). We opted for one of the non spicy salads to share as the appetizer, and I opted for a vegetarian dish--tomato egg with noodles. There's also other noodle dishes that they can make vegan by removing the meat! My friend ordered a lamb forward rice dish. Both of us really enjoyed our orders--they were flavorful and the noodles, especially, we could tell were made from scratch because they were super bouncy. For the vegans/vegetarians: The menu does indicate what ingredients are used per dish, but the menu is not specifically labeled with a plant sign for anything vegetarian friendly. I do wish they would come up with a specific vegan entree though that also included a source of protein. I didn't get the impression that the vegan version of any noodle option included a protein, so that is a bummer. Service wasn't the fastest or most attentive, as we went on a busy Saturday and there was only one server on duty. But it was kind and they really let us dine for a while without rushing us to leave. The interior is brightly lit, clean, and has cushy seats. The parking situation in that plaza is fairly chaotic--it's a large plaza with plenty of parking that somehow is not enough for the amount of restaurants it holds. So you'd likely be better off parking across the street at the supermarket. read more

I'm so glad we had dinner here because we tried something different and it was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Authentic Laghman and my boyfriend had the Uyghur Polo. Both dishes were incredibly flavorful. The servers were friendly, and the overall experience was great. This restaurant is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

Everything was delicious!! It's been a long time since I've had Uyghur food, back when I was in XiAn. The service is friendly and the restaurant gets quite busy, even on a weekday. The lamb kebab is so flavorful. The meat pie is delicious but also very juicy. My favorite dish was the hand pulled noodles, sooo yummy. They even gave us table scissors to cut them. We also ordered the baklava which I've never been a fan of but my friend really liked it! read more

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Great food, good service and very good ambience! One of our best eating experiences in SoCal!!

The inside is so nice and modern looking. Definitely an upgrade from their Alhambra location, which is so refreshing to see. I ordered the beef Laghman, but I got it with the flat noodles instead and the flavor was PERFECT! The noodles were a little less tender than I would have liked, but still pretty good. The flat noodles at Ma's Kitchen are still my favorite, but the beef and seasoned broth is better here. I feel the service could have been better. The guy taking my order seemed annoyed and more interested in watching the news or whatever sport he was watching behind the counter. I was trying to order something that was labeled beef on the menu, but I know a lot of Uygur cuisine has lamb, so I asked if it does and changed my mind when I learned it has lamb. He told me, "That's what gives it flavor," in a semi-rude tone. Yeah, maybe if you like lamb, but it ruins it if you don't. It would have been nice it if was labeled as beef AND lamb on the menu, I could have saved him the trouble of having to answer. read more

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I've been here couple times and it never let me down. I believe it's under the new ownership which makes it better from before. I don't have a favorite dish cuz they are all delicious. Even the salad, lol, sorry no picture of it cuz it was too good and we finished it very quick. Oh, please try their salted milk tea. It's their specialty, I love it very much. And the yogurt for sure. The servers are very handsome, and friendly. The whole restaurant is very clean and it's located in the same plaza with boiling crab. Lots of Parking space. Will definitely come back soon again read more

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Delicious food and great service! We stop by this plaza often since they have Chicha Sanchen, Sun Nong Dan and Boiling Crab and we always look at this place. Finally tried it today and I can only say I wish we came sooner! We got the samsas, tiger salad, lamb skewer, and lamb soup. The samsas were so crispy and perfectly salted, the lamb soup was their secret recipe and the lamb skewers were perfectly seasoned. My favorite was the Tiger Salad. It was an assortment of bell peppers, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes dressed in the perfect sour and spicy sauce. The meal ended with complimentary yogurt. DELICIOUS! We will definitely be back. read more

The handmade noodle is very satisfying I saw someone walk in and order 5 meat bun so I'm very tempted To try that too I'm going Back very soon read more

First time here! I came in and asked a bunch of questions, the lady attending was very kind, she had to serve a few tables but was still polite and even suggested a few items. I placed an order to go, then after paying I switched to eat at the establishment, they were very kind about that as well. Food was really tasty!! I ordered the spicy noodle with beef and absolutely loved it. The place was clean and really nice overall. I look forward to coming back here again really soon!! read more

This was our first visit and it definitely won't be our last. Everything was so flavorful and tasty. We got these meat pies for an appetizer and they were amazing. The dough was the perfect amount of flaky and the beef was super flavorful. Everyone got different noodle dishes and everything was a hit. Korma Chop -dry noodle dish. Super flavorful and contains a lot a little bit of spice. I wished there was a bit more meat but overall, super flavorful. Northwest Rice Noodle (med+ spicey) - I didn't try this but sweat beads were rolling. Was told this was "so good". Our meal came with homemade yogurt dessert that was scrumptious. I really wanted to try the honey cake but they had sold out. Definitely excited for our next visit. read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

This is the most delicious lagman I've ever had in California. It's simply divine! Rahmat read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Authentic. Before we embarked on our 3 weeks's trip to XinJiang, we tried this restaurant. It felt ok at the time as we were not familiar with Uyghur food. After our trip, I got hooked on the way they cooked the polo/rice, missed their frangrant teas, kebabs, etc. We came several times after our trip and their dishes tasted authentic to what we had in Xinjiang. Their polo with leg of lamb is to die for. If you want less oily, then it wont taste the same, do keep it the way it is. Yum! It tastes better than persian polos! Spice chicken, lamb kababs, their special tea, flat bread with lamb, baked beef paos, all taste wonderful. I wish they could make the one-handed baked paos that they make in Urumqi's Hotan 2nd street and sell the fermented honey soda (kawazhi? lol wrong spelling), but I am content with what they have and super happy that their polo is sooooo good. Not cheap, but worth every penny. read more

Dolan's is always a must-visit when in the LA area and my friends had never had Uyghur food before, so I HAD to take them! This was my first time coming to the Rowland Heights location and I love how it's surrounded by so many food spots. We looked like the first customers and were immediately seated. The Pearl Noodles and Big Plate Chicken have always been a must-order for me! The Pearl Noodles always hit for the spot and the Big Plate Chicken is always so tender, and I love how it comes with noodles and potatoes. The cucumber was a nice starter to the heavier food. This was my first time ordered the samsas as well and I thought they were tasty. Highly recommend this spot and I know I'll be back! read more

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My friends and I had a late weekend lunch at Dolan's before their 3pm closure. I'm a fan of the original Alhambra location, and I will probably stick to that one moving forward. - Big Plate Chicken ($19.95 for small + $5.95 extra noodle). The "small" portion was huge and big enough for our party of 5 to share. Unfortunately, the sauce was extremely salty. Even the plain noodle could not tone it down. I was missing the warm cumin flavor that used to be abundant in this dish. Everything else was objectively great: the boneless chicken was tender, the noodle was thick and chewy, and the potato was cooked through and creamy. Spice level was fine, and the flavor of Sichuan peppercorn came through. - Laghman ($13.95 + $5.95 extra noodle). Velvetized beef was stir fried with onion, tomato, wood ear mushroom, and green bell pepper in a mild tomatoey sauce. Thinner hand-pulled noodles soaked up the sauce. Together, it almost tasted like Italian fusion. I thought the dish was on the bland side upon first bite. After having the salty Big Plate Chicken, the sweeter sauce of the Laghman was a welcome change. - Quyash Qatlima ($20.95). We tried this crispy flat bread stuffed with ground beef, onion, and cheese. It ended up being my favorite item that day. The filling was umami, but the bread was bland. It made for a mild tasting bite until I added the yogurt(?) that it was served with. The condiment amplified the flavors of onion and cheese; it was fantastic! - Honey Cake ($7.75). I love the cake at the Alhambra location, so I was most disappointed by this one. The layers were uneven with gaps, and the crumb was extremely dry and stale. Though the cake still had flavor (similar to graham cracker), I barely tasted the honey. Even the icing was uneven and dry to the point that it lacked sweetness, which is not the case at the other location. read more

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first time trying Uyghur cuisine - it was similar and a good mix of mediterranean and chinese cuisine. we ordered lamb and chicken kabobs and those were very good, the small plate chicken (came with noodles and were VERY BIG- can comfortably feed four people, they were very good and is a popular dish from them), samsa (which is my favorite along with their chicken dishes), the goshnaan meat pie (reminded me of the chinese beef pancake- theirs is very juicy but i did wish for it to have some more flavor or would be better paired with some sauce at least to me), the uyghur tea (VERY good, has a beautiful aftertaste), and bird's nest for dessert (not much to it, just kanafeh/katafi with syrup and a few pistachios on top). we had a LOT of leftovers because the serving size were so good! and you can also tell theyre known for their lambs, they were good and tasty and not at all gamy! we didnt have a reservation and thankfully had an empty table for us during dinner time. the servers were so kind, approachable, and knowledgable of the dishes and brought a very welcoming vibe to the experience. aesthetic inside was also homey. would definitely come back! read more

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The lamb in the hand-pulled rice was incredibly tender, and the salad was super fresh. So satisfying! read more

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Order: Dolans special tea Big plate chicken Tiger salad Manta Fried cabbage Samsa Braised eggplant Pearl noodles Cucumber w garlic Lamb kabobs Laghman noodles read more

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Awww.. okay. Where should I start? I love and always ordered my favorite dish, called Laghman with soft homemade pulled noodle with mixed veggies and beef.. delicious!!! But wish they add more beef considering the price that they charged. I have stop going there due to lack of protein in my order. Service was always great and super clean place though. read more

Every single dish is super delicious ...love the salty milk tea(don't try if you are not ready, not everyone will like the taste) don't blame me though...decorations on the wall are beautiful truly elegant place to hangout with Halal food lovers read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Lamb Kebab - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Lamb and chicken are soft, juicy, and tasty. Will definitely come back. Loved the samsa as well. Service was good, clean interior, and relaxing background music. read more

I've always wanted to try Dolan's and was so excited to find out they opened a location in Rowland so I don't have to drive far to get it! Standout dishes: Laghman - The sauce is like crack, and the noodles are so delightfully firm. I'd bring home the sauce itself and put it on rice. Samsa - Fluffy, flakey puff pastry filled with savory and well-spiced meat. Definitely recommend! Special tea - So warming, nicely floral, and not too sweet. Honey cake - Eat this with the special tea! Since neither are not too sweet but have relatively light flavors, they go REALLY well together. Service has been decent, and of course, I need to mention that the plates and tea cups are really well-designed. Definitely love this place! read more

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine - Samsa - Turkish Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Dolan is a nice restaurant to visit. We wanted any iced milk tea but only hot milk tea is available. Lamb dishes are very authentic: we recommend boil lamb and kebab they're served with raw onions. They are very tasty together. Uyghur polo is absolutely delicious carb for your lunch with a good portion perhaps good for three. We're mostly surprised by the fried cabbage: even if the portion is not large, it's very authentic northern Chinese style with chili and vinegar. If you like the crunch but not hard to chew texture, you should definitely give it a try. Carving it now while typing out this review... The decor is unique with the art having the touch of Uyghur music and culture. Don't leave the kebab cold you'll have to eat them quickly! Check it out! read more

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We tried almost everything on their menu already. Our favorite is the big plate chicken and the pearl noodle dish. Kabobs are great, and the beef-filled pastry is too. However don't leave without trying their homemade yogurt with honey and walnuts! So good... Service is great and I love their decor, it pulls you in and want to learn more about the culture. We will be back. read more

Love uyghur food. I've got a pretty good spot near my place in SJ but this spot has a lot of stuff I haven't tried before. Food was so good. The taranchi laghman was really good. Loved the chewiness and flavors of the noodle dish. The quyash qatlima was really unique and one of the must trys on the menu. Lamb skewers were par for the course. Only thing I didn't love was the beef mantas which is kinda like an xlb or dumpling without the soup/juices. I just couldn't get over the flavor of the spices in the meat. It was too weird for me since I'm so used to traditional Chinese dumplings but don't regret trying it. Overall, if you've never had uyghur cuisine, you can't go wrong with this restaurant as your first time read more

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Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine in Rowland Heights is undoubtedly a restaurant worth experiencing! This place brings the traditional Uyghur cuisine of Xinjiang to Rowland Heights, offering a feast for both culture and taste buds. Known for its rich flavors and unique cooking style, the restaurant's dishes are filled with the aroma of spices, especially their skewers and pilaf, which are highly popular among patrons. The restaurant boasts a warm and inviting atmosphere, providing a homely feel. Additionally, the service is attentive and friendly, making every guest feel truly welcome. Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine in Rowland Heights is undoubtedly the perfect choice for discovering and enjoying Xinjiang cuisine!Especially their oil-fried noodles with meat, big plate chicken, naan fried with meat, crispy baked buns, thin-skinned dumplings, meat naan, and more. read more

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We visited Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine on Friday night for dinner. We were seated right away since there were only two groups of customers. Dolan's offers authentic Uyghur cuisine. Before Dolan's opened, I had tried two other restaurants in the same spot that served similar Uyghur cuisine. I'm not sure if they have the same owner. The restaurant had undergone renovations since my last visit when it was a different different restaurant name, but some of the wall decor seemed familiar. We ordered the Small size Big Plate Chicken with Bone ($19.99), which should be their signature dish, and it was great. Even though it was the small size, it was still big enough for two people to share. The spicy stir-fried chicken was very tasty with good hand-pulled noodles. I always tend to order the Big Plate Chicken dish in any Uyghur restaurant. We also tried their Lamb Kebab ($3.95), which was very good. The lamb meat is less fatty than in most other restaurants I've tried. The Uyghur salad ($10.95) was decent. Dolan's Special Tea ($8.95/pot) was particularly special to me; it smelled and tasted very strongly of floral and sweetness. I really liked the tea set. The baklava ($4.5) was very good, although it was a bit sweeter than I prefer, but the sweetness tasted very natural. The Bird's Nest ($4.5) both looked and tasted great! The Lamb Soup (Small: $13.95) was okay, but I found it had too much white pepper for my taste. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner at Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine and will come back to try other dishes. read more

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