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    Fortunate Son

    3.8 (1.5k reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Noodles
    Closed 3:00 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Fortunate Son Takeout or Delivery

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    FORTUNATE SON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Recommended Reviews - Fortunate Son

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    Reviews With Photos

    ORANGE CHICKEN
    Bernadette M.

    Good food, good vibes, and definitely worth the visit! Fortunate Sons serves up flavorful bites that had us coming back for more. The service was excellent! The staff were friendly and cheerful! If you're a foodie looking for your next spot, add this one to your list!

    Honey walnut shrimp
    Elizabeth V.

    I was SO EXCITED to visit this location with all the reviews and hype on Yelp! Sad to report, I was SO disappointed with the quality of food! I'm summing the hype of the reviews to be mainly due to the ambiance of the restaurant and not so much about the food. Or maybe, this location is the best Chinese food in the area...I'm just not sure. I have to admit the ambiance is nice and photo worthy but, I need the food to hit just as hard if the ratings are going to be upwards of 4 stars and it just didn't for me! WARNING: This is a very small restaurant! Reservations are HIGHLY recommended! They do offer indoor and sidewalk dining but, it is very limited in space. We ordered: Szechuan green beans - green bean were ok Honey walnut shrimp - this was the best thing on the table as it was not too overly dressed with sauce and shrimp was nice and crispy FS fried rice - different taste with the garlic butter but, in a good way Shrimp and pork dumplings - I didn't care for the sauce and dumplings themselves lacked in flavor Crab rangoon - NOT A FAN of the flavor! I think they use real crab meat and it was just more on the fishy smelling and tasting side. Char siu ribs - enough to feed 4 people but, they appeared well dressed in sauce but, still lacked in flavor Golden fried custard - NOT A FAN! Custard was weird, needed more of the lychee sauce for it to have ANY taste at all. If you are looking for authentic tasting Chinese food, in my opinion...this location is NOT IT. Everyone's palette is different though...SO DO YOU!

    Cocktail
    Isabel E.

    This is the best meal I have had in so long. I stopped in by myself and really soaked in the experience. The atmosphere was amazing- great lighting, beautiful interior, vibrant people. Staff were kind and helpful. The orange chicken was a 12/10. Loveeeed it! Crab rangoon... arguably the best to ever exist?!?! There's no way it gets better. The cocktail was also amazing! I asked to be surprised with a vodka cocktail and it was delightful. Perfect dinner!

    General TSO'S  CHICKEN
    Marilyn G.

    Went here with my son and husband and my son's friends. I didn't make any reservations 'coz it was a weekday and I was thinking that it probably wouldn't be that busy, but omg I was wrong we waited like 1 hour for the table 'coz the inside was already packed when we came. But the wait was worth it. We enjoyed our dinner here. For the 4 of us I ordered a lot 'coz when I was reading the Menu they all look so good :;) Here is what I ordered for the 4 of us: *EGGROLLS *CUCUMBER SALAD *DUMPLINGS *CRISPY TOFU *MAMI NOODLES *FRIED RICE *GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN *BEEF & BROCCOLI *SALT & PEPPER SHRIMP *HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP *CHAR SIU RIBS *DAN DAN NOODLES *GOLDEN FRIED CUSTARD *2 MOCHI The plates and serving size look small, but it's actually a good portion in person and very filling. There's so much food for me to discuss all of them, so I'm just gonna tell you guys which one I liked the most. The one that I will get for sure on my next visit is the CRISPY TOFU, SALT & PEPPER SHRIMP, DUMPLINGS, MAMI NOODLES, HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP , DAN DAN NOODLES and TSO 'S GENERAL CHICKEN. These are very Tasty and delicious. The one I'm probably not gonna get next time are the Cucumber salad, Eggroll, and the Char siu ribs. The cucumber salad taste meh, it didn't have that good, strong taste of condiments I was looking for. The eggroll wasn't that good. The Char siu ribs was good, but when night time came and the lights got dimmed I couldn't tell the difference between the meat, garlic, ginger, etc., 'coz the color of them all together are all the same and it's hard for me to pick which one is the meat ;) For the dessert the Golden fried custard and Mochi , not a fan of them . For drinks we just got water coz they dont serve Cocktail . But all in all I would come back here again 'coz the service is great and there's lots of food I still wanna try here. Parking is kinda always hard in this area.

    Crab Rangoons. Delicious.
    Bridget V.

    Everything was outstanding. The food, the service, the ambiance. Our server put me up game. I'm ordering off menu next time.

    Sean H.

    One of the best spots. I am a sucker for any consortium holdings place but this is one of my favorites. Have been here so many times...but you know the rules...one quick review: Food: amazing. So good and huge portions and not too pricy Ambiance: it's a consortium holdings spot...so this part is amazing...for sure Service: great and on point for orders, can take a bit of time if busy but good.

    LO MEIN NOODLES
    Donald G.

    Fun decor with indoor and outdoor dining. Parking is limited street parking. Reservations are recommended. Service was spotty. We had to ask for condiments multiple times before receiving them. The food: The egg rolls were not crispy, the cucumber salad was good. The beef lo mien was really good. The kung pao was ok. There was no heat to it and the chicken was dry. The szechuan green beans were very good. The menu pricing is very reasonable. We will go back.

    Courtney O.

    I had my doubts. CH is known for being all vibes, no taste, but Fortunate Son may actually be one of their restaurants that is getting it right! The food here is really good! My husband and I couldn't narrow down our favorites so we ordered more than we needed! We got the crab rangoons, fried rice, orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp and green beans. Everything was delicious! You can never go wrong starting with crab rangoons. The fried rice was really tasty and well seasoned. The orange chicken had that real orange glaze (not overly sweet). Our stand outs were the honey walnut shrimp and the green beans. Both were crisp and cooked so fresh! We had plenty to go after because they did provide some nice sized portions! The restaurant itself is very vibey and over the top, as to be expected, but way smaller than I expected. Definitely make a reservation. They have a limited drink menu with a few non alcoholic options and 3 beers. Glad I finally got to try this place and that I was so pleasantly surprised by the food!

    Ambiance
    Alyssa N.

    Come for the ambiance but nothing really else! My friend from out of town was craving Asian food so I made a Thursday reservation for this spot since I've been wanting to go also! We got there around 7 and it wasn't busy. I found street parking easily a couple blocks away. The restaurant is pretty small, I'd recommend at most a party of 4 here. Well decorated as all of their establishments are. You order family style. We ordered the cucumber salad, noodles, and honey walnut shrimp. Service was alright. The food was really really salty. But aside from that, good portions! Definitely enough for 3 people and then some. Bill came out to $55 which is a bit more than other Chinese food places you can visit in SD for lower quality. I'd visit again but nothing to write home about.

    Sophia N.

    Very underwhelming compared to all of the hype on social media. The place is very small on the inside and the aesthetic was unique but not as impressive as I was expecting. Food was quite bland and one noted. I've always wanted to try this place and glad I did, but wouldn't go back or recommend.

    Patty T.

    some of the best food that you'll eat in the city. We got in super easy there no lines although when we left, there was a line halfway down the street just to get in. The ambience is beautiful like no other. My favorite dish was the scallion stirfry beef, we also got the general TSO Chicken, which I thought was just a ok and we got the cucumber salad, which was delicious. I'd highly recommend visiting.

    CUCUMBER SALAD
    Courtney C.

    I'm so thankful that our hotel concierge recommended Fortunate Son to me on a recent work trip because it was one of my favorite restaurants we tried. The food is incredible and the restaurant decor is just as good! I was stunned by the pink and green exterior, I loved everything about it. My mom and I split the cucumber salad, dumplings, and the scallion stir-fried beef. Everything was delicious but we were most blown away by the scallion stir-fried beef because the beef was so tender and it was surprisingly delicious for how simple it is. I'd recommend a reservation because it's a small space. I think you can also go next door to Polite Provision and get Fortunate Son takeout which is such a hack.

    Inside
    Marisa T.

    Decor is adorable. Service was good. Menu was small. Restaurant was hot as hell! Food was okay. The prices are right but not sure I'd be back. It was way too hot in there today.

    Inside

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    Page 3 of 39

    Fortunate Son Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Fortunate Son

    How big are the portions?

    My gf and I easily split one entree with some leftover. Portions are great sized

    What are the vegan options (if any)?

    noodles with veggies, fried rice without meat, cream cheese won ton

    Hi~ Could a "frequent diner" here please recommend a best time to go? We'd like to celebrate a BDAY. It would be a party of 5!…

    They open at 3PM, and because you have to be there to sign in your name, as there are no reservations, I would get there when they open at that time. Eat early and then maybe go to one of the 2 bars that are next to it continue there after you have… 

    Hello! Are any of the chicken options made with chicken breast, or only dark meat chicken? Thanks!

    They use the chicken thighs, which is dark meat.

    What's the average wait time to be seated, on a Saturday evening?

    Last time we were there on a Saturday evening we waited about an hour and a half.

    Do they take reservations now?

    No reservations, you have to show up in person and put your name on the wait list.

    Do they take walk ins party if 5 + 2 babies?

    Yes they sure do (I've brought parties that size and always have my 3 kiddos) My advice?… 

    Is their outdoor dining?

    Yes, small patio

    Do you do takeout? Thank you

    Yes they do!

    What s the parking situation here? Is there a lot? Street parking? Free? Paid?

    There is some nearby free street parking in the residential streets

    Do they allow walk ups?

    Yes,but be prepared to wait especially if you want indoor dining. Restaurant is small but so worth the wait. As someone else mentioned, get there early for first seating

    Do you use MSG?

    They do add MSG to most items. You can ask which items dont have it but I wouldn't risk it.

    Msg used in the food or soup? I have a severe msg allergy

    They do add MSG to most items. You can ask which items dont have it but I wouldn't risk it.

    Are you still not taking reservations and do you plan to in the future?

    They don’t take reservations at the moment!

    Do they have gluten free options?

    They have a lot of foods that do not have gluten naturally. I was there tonight and didn't see a specific GF option on their breaded entrees.… 

    Is it pet friendly?

    That patio is

    Can this place accommodate a party of 16?

    Yes but you will have to wait to be seated might take up to 3 hours

    Is this restaurant owned by a POC (person of color)?

    No it's not POC owned, It's own by Consortium. Fortunate Son's chef Tony Guan I believe is a POC.

    We tried to go tonight around 6:30 pm and were told there was a 3 hour wait for a table...? How is this possible and how do we manage this if there are no reservations? Many customers in line has the same question.

    There's no trick to trying to get in on the weekends, outside of NOT trying on the weekends unless you're prepared to grab yourself a nice table at Polite Provisions and wait it out. Tuesday/Wednesday are less busy if you get there anytime before… 

    Hi are you guys taking any reservations at this time?

    Just called and asked ahead of Valentine's Day. They are not taking reservations at this time. It's a normal waitlist, first come first serve.

    View All 45 Questions

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    Shan Xi Magic Kitchen - 10. Biang-Biang Spicy Hand Ripped Noodles

    Shan Xi Magic Kitchen

    4.2(2.4k reviews)
    4.2 miKearny Mesa
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    Came on a Saturday afternoon and added myself to the waitlist. It was busy but I didn't have to…read morewait long for a table. They do QR code and in person ordering (whatever you prefer). I opted to order by QR code to get my order in faster. My boyfriend and I both got biang biang mian but he got the version with cumin lamb. The portions are large and super filling. I honestly think one bowl is two meals worth of food at least. The noodles were chewy and bouncy. I love the flavor just make sure to properly mix the noodles - all of the good stuff sits at the bottom of the bowl! The chili oil is fantastic as well and I loved the spice level of these dishes. Service was pretty quick which was nice. I am excited to come again to try the other dishes! Highly recommend and was authentic - it can be hard to find authentic and delicious Chinese food in SD County.

    We ordered the Biang Biang noodles, cucumber salad, and the Mapo Tofu w/ Beef Brisket. The cucumber…read moresalad was good. Personally I liked the sauce and flavor for the Mapo Tofu more than the BiangBiang noodles. The mapo tofu sauce was more tangy. The beef brisket was very tender. The BiangBiang noodles are very long, but I love the texture of the noodles. Spice level was low. As someone who is weak to spice, I was able to handle it and needed to add extra chili oil in. For a sunday night dinner, wait was about 20-30 minutes. Service is standard. It was not very crowded and a good spot to get dinner. I would come back and order the Mapo Tofu again out of everything that I had there.

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    Tasty Noodle House - House Sauce Noodles with Pork

    Tasty Noodle House

    3.9(1.7k reviews)
    4.5 miKearny Mesa
    $$

    I have been sleeping on this spot, i never really had the desire to try it but we decided to go and…read morei was wrong!! Everything we ordered was soo flavorful and the portions are huge! My only complain is that some of the soup dumplings didn't have soup in them. But the meat filling was really tasty. The service was okay, they had a short wait and a few open tables , they were a bit slow but it wasn't too bad to where we felt forgotten. Definitely will be a go to spots i really loved the orange chicken but i will say i wish rice was included with the meat dishes.

    The food here is worth parking lot nightmare, you'll probably have to park nearby and walk, which…read moreisn't so bad because the waddle back will help with the fullness! The menu is so long it's almost overwhelming in the best way. The Walnut Honey Shrimp was addictive and my favorite dish! The shrimp was huge, fried perfectly, and the sauce was sweet. The beef rib noodle soup had a broth that tasted like it could heal your soul. The orange chicken was the perfect sweet and spicy protein! The house seafood chow mien was not good because the basil was overpowering and the noodles needed more sauce. They were too chewy and bland. The soup dumplings were the second best thing we ordered and they were a close second. The dumpling filling was literally bursting with flavor and made me forget everything wrong with my life. The pan fried bao buns had too much sesame for my taste personally, so I wasn't a fan. I'm letting all the bad stuff slide because of how delicious the honey walnut shrimp was 5/5 fasho

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    Oodles By The Noodbar - Garlic Butter Noodles

    Oodles By The Noodbar

    4.5(285 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    I came in person recently with 9 friends. They were able to accommodate us even though we were just…read morewalking in. The woman was super friendly even though it was a little chaotic. At first, she said the order only could be done on 1 bill. And then later she compromised with 2 bills, 5 people per table. That was nice of her! I just had 2 coffees before entering so I decided to skip ordering Thai tea. But they had a large drink menu, of fruit teas and more. My friend had the lychee tea which was very large and looked super refreshing! They also came by often to top off our waters which was nice. To eat, I ordered the $16.99~, Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with White Rice. It came with onion, green onion, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and cashews. The carrots were beautifully cut, but a little too crunchy for me to properly enjoy in the stir fry. Everything else was delicious! I think this could definitely be shared between 2-3 people. It was a lot for me, even after a large hike. The sauce was flavorful and not overly salty. I didn't ask for any spice level, but I think I'd choose mild or medium next time. My friends ordered-- - $12.99, Dirty Fried Chicken: This had a blitz coating of lime, mint, and spices. And it was decorated with thinly sliced green onions with a side of sweet chili sauce. The chicken was hot and plump, not dry, and very much mouthwatering! Would recommend. - $14.99, Thai Grilled Chicken Salad: Grilled Chicken Breast on a bed of mixed green salad, carrots, and cucumbers with peanut dressing. It reminded me a little of chicken satay~ it smelled and looked incredible. I think I might order it next time, when I want something light and fulfilling after a hike. - $11.99, Cream Cheese Avocado Wontons (6PC): These came out piping hot and when you took a bite they were oozing. It was very creamy and when you dip into the plum sauce it's a delectable bite. A nice appetizer to share with the table. - $16.99-$19.99 (depends on what protein you get), Pad Thai: This proportion was manageable for one person. The restaurant used thin rice noodles, but it didn't clump excessively compared to other restaurants. The prices are what you'd typically see at a Pan-Asian restaurant, a few dollars more than what you'd want to spend. But these kinds of restaurants, in my opinion, are for enjoying with others. So, if you're sharing food and all that-- the price is worth it (esp with the quantity that is given). Next time, I would probably order one of their noodle dishes rather than rice. Oodles by the Noodbar has such a large and diverse menu so I would highly recommend coming in to try them out.

    Been here a handful of times, we are always greeted with good friendly service…read more Usually I get the lychee ice tea, tried the red guava ice tea this time around. I'd get it again, but I do feel it has a more subtle flavor than the lychee version. The salad roll was good, but I did think they looked smaller than what you might typically expect. The one thing I did not care for was the dipping sauce. I believe the menu said it was a peanut sauce but I was personally not a fan. It tasted more like a coconut curry sauce. The place is always clean and usually not very loud. I recommend you stop by if you are in the area.

    Photos
    Oodles By The Noodbar - Counter decor

    Counter decor

    Oodles By The Noodbar - Trio Pork Over Rice

    Trio Pork Over Rice

    Oodles By The Noodbar - Trio Pork Over Rice

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    Fortunate Son - chinese - Updated September 2026

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