This Burmese restaurant has been bookmarked forever and we finally got to try it. We visited during a weekend dinner, and it wasn't too busy. The first thing that stood out to us was the incredibly friendly and attentive service. They were constantly checking in on us and made sure everything was to our liking. Onto the food, we ordered the tea leaf salad, samusas, and tea leaf lamb. Wow. Every dish was delicious! I'm usually not a fan of samosas because of how dense they are, but the samusas were perfect. They are wrapped in a fried and crispy shell and were so much lighter. The tea leaf salad was a must get as well. So many different textures between the pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and greens. The tea leaf lamb was suuuper tender and not gamey at all. The sauce was flavorful and perfectly coated the meat. This restaurant is a total gem and we cannot wait to come back! read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Tea Leaf Lamb - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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This cute little restaurant was such a surprise and delight !!! I loved the menu , great variety for all people in a group !! I am not vegan but enjoy eating vegan foods , they have many great foods on their menu that qualify. My husband loves lamb and he enjoyed his selection very much . We got their famous tea leaf salad to share, and the falafel appetizer! Both excellent!! The service was great, explaining some foods that were new to us(our first time with Burmese cuisine) The decor was special also . As we were leaving I saw a musical instrument on their counter. So beautiful!!!! We will be going back !!!! read more

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One of the best meals I've had in a long time. I've had this spot on my list for over a year and was so excited to finally try it. I was expecting a fantastic meal and that's exactly what I got. Tea leaf salad - their most famous dish and I definitely understand why. Amazing flavor, crunchy texture from the seeds and peanuts. All around delicious salad and perfect way to start the meal Burmese falafel - crispy falafel with Burmese flavors and a great tamarind sauce to go with them Tea leaf lamb - I was SHOCKED at how tender the pieces of lamb were. I could literally eat this every day. The flavors were like something I've never tasted before Paratha with yellow curry sauce - crispy, fluffy, perfectly cooked paratha and was a great vessel for the lamb and rice Coconut rice - after eating this, I don't want rice any other way. I saw good reviews about it but I was still surprised how delicious it was. I could have eaten 5 bowls of it but I limited myself to just 1 Dessert - the owner recommended the coconut jelly dessert that was served with a bit of chocolate sauce. I've never had anything like it and it was a perfect end to the meal We also ordered the fresh coconut juice and I got a Burmese tea at the end. Similar to masala chai but with Burmese flavors. Amazing read more

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The food is to die for-everything from the classic tea leaf salad and catfish chowder to some of the masalas and rice dishes are equally delicious. You can tell the quality of the ingredients not only by the taste but also because you don't feel over full even if you had a good portion of food. Servers are very attentive but not overly so-they check in to make sure you're enjoying your food, replenish drinks and leave you to feast. We will be coming back, many times! read more

I've visited Myanmar (Burma) and had been craving Burmese food and flavors! Love the roti appetizer and samusa, fresh tea leaf salad and the beef! Excellent service on a Saturday night. Highly recommend everyone to visit this place for a traditional cultural experience. Everything was freshly made and felt like a home cooked meal. Delicious and tasty. Super overlooked restaurant! Ambiance was very pleasant as well. The coconut milk rice is perfect with the beef curry. Definitely will come back!! read more

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First time trying Burmese food. It was good and interesting, though not something that left me craving a return visit. Tea Leaf Salad: Different, interesting flavor. Not bad. Very crunchy. Catfish Chowder Noodle Soup: The best dish I tried. Flavor was delicious and unique. However, I did order another one to eat at home and it didn't taste as great as it did in the restaurant. It also didn't come with cilantro or lemon like when I dined in. Chicken Masala: Tasted like Viet chicken curry to me. Delicious. Tea Leaf Beef: Beef was tender. Flavor was different. I thought it was okay. Coconut rice: Delicious. You must get this. Overall, it was a fun experience. Food is good but I wouldn't know how good it is for Burmese standards. Service was great. Thanks for the experience! read more

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Flavors like no other place! This unique restaurant should be in your restaurant circuit! The masala, in any meat choice ( chicken, beef, or lamb) is so delicious! Accompanied with coconut rice...mwah! chefs kiss! Any foodie would be impressed! Come treat yourself! read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - This place is charming and the food is deliciously unique and flavorful! - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

This is a hidden treasure!! The food quality is very good and portion also enough. They offered Chinese and Indian style Burmese cuisines which is very okay to eat for different ethnicities not only Burmese. I hope they can keep this good quality, and portion of food in future. Me and my bf both enjoy eating the food from Irrawaddy. The young guy who is servicing at the counter also very polite. read more

The famous tea leaf salad was crunchy and full of unique flavors. I also tried the coconut chicken noodle soup and it was incredibly comforting. read more

We had the best experience here trying Burmese food. Their staff is extremely nice and attentive. The place is clean and inviting, with decors showing casing the culture and foods the food was so delicious. From the pork ribs to the eggplant m, everything was on point. It's a good hidden gem in this area. read more

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Going to start this review off strong by saying that I've been looking for a tea leaf salad in the area, and this one is really good! It has peanuts, lentils fried garlic, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, tomato, and romaine lettuce with a lime tea leaf dressing. Great textures from the nuts and seeds, fresh tomatoes and crisp lettuce, and an amazing dressing! We also enjoyed the Fish Curry. They use swai fish simmered with a mild tomato based Burmese curry, bell peppers, and cilantro. Very tasty and goes great with rice! Would get this dish again! The Mandalay Style Coconut Noodles (Kauk Sware Thote) has wheat noodles mixed with coconut chicken, shredded cabbage, toasted chick pea powder, onion, and garnished with carrot and cilantro. I enjoyed the flavor of the coconut chicken, and the noodles were good as well! The only dish I was a bit disappointed with were the Green Beans. They were soggy and not crisp despite the name of the dish being called "Crispy Green Beans." But will give it another chance next time! Just a note for ordering online, there is an option for adding eggs to many of the menu items, but it doesn't apply to all dishes on the menu despite being available to check off. A little confusing, but now you know! read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Green Beans, Tea Leaf Salad, Mandalay Style Coconut Noodles (Kauk Sware Thote), Fish Curry - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

Not easy finding a Burmese restaurant...we always go to Burma Superstar when in SF but so happy to finally find someplace local! Ordered the garlic noodles, basil fish, and tea leaf salad and it was all so good and went really well together. Ordered online and the food was ready to be picked up as soon as I got there...can't wait to come back when I'm in the area! read more

We came here for lunch the other day and immediately got the whiff of cleaning agent. It was pretty strong and unfortunately threw off the lunch experience. The food has always been great. I appreciate that we can order half of the tea leaf salad and not the whole order. We also had the paratha which can be dangerous since it's easy to eat it all at once. It's delicious, so soft and flaky For main dish we shared the lamb masala with coconut rice. We love how tender the lamb dish is every single time. Do recommend the food but maybe for dinner next time. read more

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I discovered this restaurant years ago. I'm not often in the area but I was today and luckily remembered it and it was still open! The food is delicious! I had 2 appetizers: Golden Tofu which was made with chickpeas and Samusas which was a Burmese version of the Indian samosa. This restaurant is like a cross between Indian and Thai cuisine. We also had the Coconut Shrimp and the Sweet Basil Shrimp. Amazing. The curry used is not as strong as Indian. The flavors were great. The dessert was amazing. We had the Par Lu Dar, ice cream with jellies. I can't wait to go back again--and willing to make the drive next time. So glad I rediscovered the restaurant! read more

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We came here for dinner and the chili sauce paired with the food hit the spot! - Egg Okra - Chicken Viryani - Tealeaf Salad - Southern noodles Highly suggest to have the Chicken and noodles with the special chili sauce!! read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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Food was tasty, portion were small. Samosa were very oily. Service was good. Nice ambience and the place was clean.

It's hard to come by Burmese food in OC, so I'm happy that Irrawaddy exists! The staff was super friendly, and they have a variety of local dishes that are soo good! read more

Absolutely amazing, and will be coming back. This was highly recommended to me by professional chef, IG: @cheftiffanythomas. I was blessed to have her as company and guide me through the menu. Our server ROSANNA H pointed out bestsellers and her personal favorite entrées. The "Tea Leaf Salad," is a great starter, along with the "Coconut Noodle Soup." I would order a side of coconut rice, to pair with the main dishes. We ordered three additional entrées and our absolute favorite would be the servers choice "Pumpkin Pork Stew." The service is welcoming and of course we were talked into ordering two additional plates of "Lamb Masala," and Eggplant Curry. And for the finale we treated ourselves to a coconut dessert. read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Eggplant curry - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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I've had a few sprinklings of Burmese food in the past, but my mind was blown away from my visit with Irrawaddy with a Burmese friend who knew WHAT to order. I LOVED this place and can't wait to come back and get some of these dishes again! We came with a pretty large group and were able to try a number of items. Below are the items we got to try, partially for your information, but more for my notes so I know what to order. * National dish - Catfish soup * Egg chickpea noodle * Beef potato curry * Okra eggplant * Samosa * Tea leaf salad * Pumpkin chicken curry * Sour leaf shrimp * Southern noodles with thick noodles I feel like there were a few more dishes I didn't get to note down, and honestly, the night was a complete blur of decadent flavors and great company. But trust me when I say you'll want to give this place a try if you're curious of Burmese food. read more

They are another strip mall hidden gem. The family is super friendly and very helpful with explaining the menu. We usually come with a group of between 4 to 6 people and I would say the entire restaurant might only accommodate around 35 people. I think everyone that comes here knows about the tea leaf salad. It's AMAZING. It's a must on every visit. I think the same guess for the pork and pumpkin stew. It's pretty difficult for me to try more things on the menu because of how delicious these two items are. I think I could eat that salad every single day. read more

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Coming from out of town to find some kind of good Burmese food in SoCal, they are excellent. The tea leaf salad is of course very good, and the garlic noodles with the hot sauce are solid. Everything was flavorful, well cooked and authentic. The server we had recommended the tea leaf lamb, which you have to get if you go. The staff is attentive and quick with orders. Overall, a great experience. read more

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My friends and I wanted a cozy, quiet place where we can have our yearly Galentines' Day celebration--just 5 of us this time, and since one of us have tried this place in the past we decided to come here. Simple ambiance in a simple complex with really great staff. The owner Rosanne was fantastic. The food was sumptuously distinct! It was my first time to have Burmese food and I loved it. The dishes are very distinct, I assume authentic Burmese (first time to try it) but not too exotic for the American taste -- sorry I have to say it :) but this is one Asian place I can bring my (white) boyfriend to! All items we tasted are worth coming back for -- the samosas are great; I enjoyed too many parathas I almost did not have room for the rest; the Tea Leaf Salad is the bomb--I intend to have this to-go one of these days for lunch at work; the Coconut Rice and the Burmese Fried Rice were very yummy; the Mandalay Coconut Noodles is perfect with some chili garlic. By the time I got to the (supposedly) main entrees, the Pumpkin Pork Stew and the Garlic Butter Shrimp, I was so full but I still had it as it was so delectable. We had all that in family style; once we divided the total cost, (with our tea and desserts), my share was only about $45. Awesome. Can't wait to come back. read more

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I had the pleasure of eating here with a Burmese friend, who did all the ordering for our table. Reservations were made because we had a group of 10 adults on a Saturday evening. By 8:50 PM, which was 10 minutes before closing, the restaurant was cleared up and ready to close. Including tip and tax, it came out to about $33-35 per person. *We had one vegetarian in the group, and she did not leave hungry! Highly recommend this restaurant for non-meat eaters. Parking: plenty in the lot. Bathroom: available, to the right of kitchen. Food: -tea leaf salad $16 - We ordered two for the table. This was delicious. It seemed like a small portion for the price. (They sell tea leaf salad "kit" that comes with two jars for $27.) -golden tofu salad $16 - It looks like mango! But it's tofu. Very tasty. If you haven't had this before, I recommend trying it. For me, I would rather eat tea leaf salad. -paratha $6 - each order comes with two. This was so delicious on its own, but obvi the dipping curry/sauce made it more heavenly. I recommend getting one piece per two people if sharing. -Burmese falafel $8 - one order comes with 5 pieces, so we ordered two plates. This was perfect for sharing in our group. One piece was good enough for me to try. The sauce was surprisingly vinegar-y. -??? shrimp $18 - We had a red-colored shrimp dish, so I am going to guess we ordered paprika shrimp. This item was the group's least favorite. -??? beef - I am also going to guess that the beef dish we got was beef masala $18. We ordered two for the table. This was the most flavorful (salty) dish that we ordered in my opinion. -variety of soups and noodles. The ones we tried were all good. I remember two of the noodles looked so similar because they were both yellow, but the noodles under the soup were different. -steamed rice $2.50 - we had several bowls of rice that sadly went untouched because these came out close to the end. We had already eaten so many appetizers. *Remember to tell them your spice level preferences! We did not order dessert because we were all so full. It would have been fun to try their version of halo halo, par lu dar $10. read more

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Never tried Burmese food before. My sister told me about this place so we went together. Food was fantastic. I've never had anything quite like it. The Tea Salad was delicious and unlike anything I've ever had. I ordered the tea lamb, and it was absolutely for tender and delicious. Again, uniquely, flavored, but wonderful. I also had a side of their coconut rice, which was good. Can't wait to take my wife here read more

Good food and good service. I've been here more than once on dates, and with other friends, I would recommend it.

This restaurant is such a hidden gem, tucked away in a strip mall center--you'd never guess what awaits inside! The moment I walked in, I was so pleasantly surprised. Everything was super clean, and the decor was thoughtfully designed with cool, modern touches. Even the restroom was impressively clean and well-maintained, which really stood out to me. I had never tried Burmese food before, but it's clear there's a beautiful blend of Indian and Thai influences in their dishes, creating an incredible explosion of flavors that will leave your taste buds delighted. We tried several dishes, and each one was a standout. The chicken salad was unlike any I've ever had--absolutely delicious and a refreshing change of pace. The chicken noodles, pumpkin pork stew, and paratha with coconut curry were all phenomenal, but the real star was the Tea Leaf Salad. It might sound unusual, but trust me, it's an absolute must-try. So unique, and soooo good! This place has instantly become a favorite. It's only 20 minutes away, so I'll definitely be back soon--probably 1000% sooner than I should! read more

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I recently dined here and had an uncomfortable experience. Not only was the food mid for the price, but when I asked for chili peppers -- which were supposed to come with one of the noodle dishes I ordered -- the owner tried to upsell me on their packaged chilies instead. This has been the second or third time my friends and I have had a disappointing experience here with the owner lady upselling and forcing people to order what they don't want, and this last visit confirmed that I won't be coming back. read more

Great service, unique food, nice setting and good price. To my knowledge, this is the only Burmese restaurant in Irvine. The wait staff was fast and nice, and the food came pretty quickly too. I'd recommend the tea salad, the curry and the fried chickpea tofu. Catfish soup was meh. In general the food is on the oilier side though, so be ready if you decide to eat here :) read more

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Incredible food, nice people that work there, Benny the owner is awesome!!! Great value for the money!!!

Um, I can't believe I've never had Burmese food until my late 30's. I've been missing out on this for how many years??? Once I took my first bite into the tea salad, I was sold. The strong flavors, the crunchy textures of the cabbage and peanuts really impressed me. I started to feel sad that I never ate it before, but grateful I got to finally try it. 10/10 delicious as hell. The service here was also great! Attentive, friendly, and patient. 10/10 would eat here again. read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Tea Leaf Lamb - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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We don't find many Burmese places in OC so this looked worth the 30 minute drive. The decor is clean and new. We arrived when they opened Saturday. There was a strong scent of cleaner which may have been because the place had just been cleaned. We were kindly greeted and seated. The server was very courteous and spent some time to explain the menu and make some recommendations. The coconut noodles were good but I needed to add chili flakes that he provided. All in all, it was a tasty meal and the service was excellent. read more

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Irrawaddy Taste of Burma serves delicious food with a combination of Indian, Thai, and Chinese flavors. The servers are all polite and the restaurant interior is clean. My favorite dish was the tea leaf salad. It was so fresh and flavorful; I would honestly order a whole salad for myself as a meal. The salad with the coconut rice was amazing. The paratha was also really delicious and came out hot and crispy. It's a bit oily, so it definitely needs to be eaten with a salad for some lighter fare. The Burmese fried rice was a unique take on a classic dish. I preferred it as more of a side rice dish than a main entree. Also loved the chicken kebat and the golden tofu salad. Overall, really flavorful food and I can't wait to come back for more! read more

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Everything was delicious. Trying to control HBP, so requested low- sodium items. In general, menu overall may be lower in sodium than other Asian cuisines, because Irrawaddy uses no sow sauce, plus they only use salt lightly. Don't recall all of the dishes ordered, but all items were delicious, including the tea leaf salad, as well as the fried rice. Wife and I have found another favorite restaurant! read more

Irrawaddy is an excellent Burmese restaurant. I've only been here a couple of times, but each dish is amazing. Here are my recommendations: - Tea Leaf Salad: this is a must get. My friends introduced me to tea leaf salad before I went here, and this is one of the best rendition I have as well as the tastiest dish here. - Masala Chicken: The meat just falls off the bone, so satisfying! Very saucy dish and it pairs so well with the delicious coconut rice - Mandalay coconut noodles: soo good - Burmese Milk Tea (hot): This is pretty reminiscent of Hong Kong milk tea and also very satisfying especially on a cold day The staff here is also wonderful and fast. Highly recommended. read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Tea Leaf Salad - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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The food was very delicious and the drinks were good. The coconut dessert was yummy but there was a hole in my seat and it was annoying and I complained. read more

I have had this place bookmarked for so long and I'm so glad I finally got to try it. I love Burmese food, specifically the coconut noodle soup. Food was great! We came in during dinner time on a Saturday night and it was busy. We ordered the tea leaf salad, coconut noodle soup, and southern style noodle salad. 10/10 would recommend these dishes to anyone. To drink, we had the Burmese sweet tea (milk tea) and Myanmar beer. The restaurant itself was clean and nicely decorated. Looked like a nicer mom and pop shop. Plenty of tables and servers worked quickly and very attentive. Located in a plaza with lots of parking. It's really hard to find a Burmese cuisine around here and it was very delicious. read more

Irrawaddy Taste of Burma - Southern Noodles (Nun gye thote) - Burmese Near Me - Stanton, California

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Burmese food is so underrated. Happy to have found this spot in a non-descript strip mall, one of the only Burmese restaurants in OC. Flavors were a bit more modest than what we have here in the Bay Area but the food was still delicious. Ask the friendly staff for recommendations if you don't know what to order but do not miss out on the tea leaf salad -- a savory crisp, grain filled salad for texture eaters like me. Skip the Chinese items, they're not their specialty and not nearly as good as the Burmese items. Great spot. Plenty of parking. Hard to find flavors. A new go to for our family! read more

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Dined in for lunch on 11/08/24 on a Friday. It was empty around 1:00 pm. We had a party of 3. We ordered two appetizers, tea leaf salad and samusa, two main entrees, mandalay coconut noodle and roasted pepper chicken, and dessert, par lu dar. Tea leaf salad was amazing as always. Perfect blend of sauce with nuts to add a crunch. You have to order this! The samusa was okay, kind of salty in my opinion. The potato inside didn't have much of a taste and the sauce was just okay. I wouldn't order this again. Mandalay coconut noodle with chicken had great flavors together. I enjoyed this dish and the coconut wasn't overpowering. Also there was a yellow crunchy topping that gave it a good texture. Roasted pepper chicken was okay. The flavors were mild and I didn't taste any spice to it. Par lu dar was delicious! You have to get this. The ice cream compliments the jelly, tapioca and pudding. I could eat this all day! Overall, the food was good, but my big complaint is I wished the portions were a little bigger. It is on a pricier side for what you get. read more

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Forgot to review but will review now-- this place is delicious. I especially loved their eggplant curry! They have lots of vegetarian and Vegan options as well, would highly recommend going here to try Burmese food. read more

Good service decent Burmese food. I prefer a bit more spice and ginger but it is certainly authentic. There few burmese restaurants around so its refreshing to find a place with quality dishes. read more

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