We decided to get a snack here while waiting for our table at din Tai fung. Both are located in the Irvine spectrum center. I'm from Sacramento so the Irvine spectrum center is comparable to the fountains at Roseville or the Palladio in Folsom in the sac area. We ordered popcorn chicken, french fries and drinks (mainly for the kids) and to get a snack since we were hungry. Inside has a few tables, which there were one or two other customers inside dining. Inside the space was pretty messy. It looks like the workers did not have time to clean since there were crumbs and bits of trash. I'm glad we didn't dine in. For the food, since it's made to order, we waited just over 15 minutes for the fried foods. It came out piping hot, which we didn't really get to enjoy since by then, our table at din Tai Fung was ready. So we brought it with us. The chicken was really good. It was seasoned well and they even gave us a seasoning packet to add more flavor to the popcorn chicken. I'll go back if I'm in this area and want boba and popcorn chicken. read more

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J&G Fried Chicken is one of the better Taiwanese fried chicken spots in Irvine. The popcorn chicken was super crispy on the outside while still juicy inside, and the seasoning had that perfect savory Taiwanese flavor. The oyster mushrooms were also surprisingly good -- crispy, light, and addictive. The staff was friendly, service was quick, and the outdoor seating made it a nice casual place to hang out. Portions were solid for the price too. Definitely a great late-night snack spot if you're craving Taiwanese street food vibes. Will be coming back to try more items on the menu! read more

good but not great. it comes crispy but if the box comes closed (which it did for me) do be aware that the steam will soften the crisp if you aren't eating it right away. also remember to grab a utensil into the bag before you leave since they didn't give me any or tell me to get any. it didn't taste like other Taiwanese popcorn chicken i've had, more like a western style especially the sauce. the chicken is super juicy though and it was seasoned okay. for the price, the quantity wasn't much, and it also took pretty long to be ready even for the small box. also even more disappointed to see that they use AI to automate responses to all their yelp reviews and presumably don't take in the feedback...probably this review too...? read more

I ordered the Ji Pai combo that comes with the curly fries, bread, coleslaw and the drink and it was so good! The chicken was crispy and juicy and the sauce (spicy sauce) was a good touch to it! I also got the sweet potato balls and those were delicious as well. They have kiosks inside where you can order and it was a fairly quick process to order and receive my food! read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Ji Pai Combo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is a Taiwanese fried chicken restaurant and is a different style of fried chicken that is softer and less crunchy. It is much less heavy and does not make you feel too lethargic after. You order at the tablet and pick up at the counter. Very chill and casual spot with friendly staff are fair prices. read more

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Ordered the J&G popcorn chicken and spicy sauce. The popcorn chicken was crispy and the meat was real chicken meat (I think chicken thigh). The taste with the spices was yummy as well. Fast service. Ambiance: easy to find spots to eat and sit at read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - J&G popcorn chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

A mentor friend had treated us to this place. We came at a time when it was really busy - the line was long and it was noticeable that the place was understaffed. The food is as expected for what the restaurant represents - a little elevated fast food place. It's definitely geared towards the younger generation. I wish there was more support and inside seating area. There's great potential! Still - thank you all+ read more

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We were so excited to try the popcorn chicken from J&G Fried Chicken after noting the great reviews and high ratings advertised on their screens as Taiwan's best fried chicken. Sadly, we were disappointed to see that their popcorn chicken was not traditional Taiwanese popcorn chicken. It was missing the chili spice powder and fried basil, and the fried coating was thicker than the traditional version. Our chicken was good, but I wouldn't consider it to be Taiwanese popcorn chicken. Maybe the actual shops in Taiwan are much better and authentic. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

We ordered the popcorn chicken combo the chicken was super tender and juicy, and the fries were perfectly crispy. Loved it! The service was great too. Seating inside is limited, but no worries there are plenty of outdoor seats in the plaza. Super convenient to grab while shopping. Such a foodie way to enjoy your day! read more

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Located conveniently in Irvine Spectrum, J&G Chicken is a perfect quick bite to get while you're shopping. The restaurant is small and doesn't have many tables, but there's plenty of tables outside and the service is quick. It's my first time having a Taiwanese chicken chain, and I didn't know what to expect but they delivered. I liked how the chicken bites were marinated in a sauce that really seeped into the chicken. The flavour was delicious, but most importantly everything was so juicy and crispy! I got the chicken tenders and the juice flowing out was crazy. Paired with the perfectly crunchy and seasoned curly fries, there wasn't a lot to complain about. The sauces are also pretty good, not too spicy if you care to give it a try. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Chicken tender - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

I wish there was one closer to the Fresno area. I'm a sucker for good popcorn chicken and this one absolutely didn't disappoint. The chicken was cooked just right. The meat was still nice and juicy. The one thing that I wasn't a fan of was the fish cake. It tasted like a fishy mochi. Scratch that it wasn't bad but I would get it again. The chicken for sure is where it was at. The service was friend and the place had a few seats but it was more of a to go place. Oh and the sauces that I got especially the J&G sauce was like a spicy mayo was very good. I think it's even better than the Cane sauce and would go good with the Raising Cane chicken. read more

Got the popcorn chicken and oyster mushroom. I gotta say, it was pretty dang good. I don't crave popcorn chicken ever but this one I could imagine craving. Something about the spices was delicious. Maybe the white pepper? I wish it had basil though... then it would've been perfect. The oyster mushrooms were like little nuggets of deliciousness. Cut into cubes and fried with a similar batter and similar spice profile. A bit of peppery heat but not intense. Chili packets on the side to amp up the flavors and spice but wasn't very spicy. Sweet and sour sauce was whatevs but the j sauce was pretty good! Order at a kiosk but be sure to write down the number, not your name! Inside was clean and small. Ate outside at the tables around the mall. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Popcorn chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

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Got the popcorn chicken-very flavorful and crunchy, just the right amount of spices. Super tender too Also got the fried oyster mushrooms. Also a hit! Fried the same way as the chicken. The mushrooms were diced which gave a nice crispy exterior and soft chewy interior Chili packets were available on the side which had a good flavor, mild spice. Would go back to try other things Order at the kiosk and grab a buzzer which was fast. Didn't have a wait. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Oyster mushroom and popcorn chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

What a waste of calories. The food here is not great. The texture of the popcorn chicken isn't the same as typically popcorn chicken. It seems it was just coated the same as the chicken tenders. The flavor in their batter left a weird after taste in your mouth. Was really disappointed. Also the staff here all look so miserable like they hate their jobs. The ordering is done on a kiosk. We ordered a tea and added boba. When the drink didn't come with boba, my daughter went to inquire about it. And the response was "there's no boba". Like hello, it says add boba on the receipt. Other people before us had boba, so what do you mean? What the staff member should have said was "I'm sorry we ran out of boba". We found out that's what she meant when someone else asked a question about their drinks. read more

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The quality is no longer the same as it used to be. Food portion gets smaller, price increased, quality dropped. A $8+ chicken cartilage now is in a tiny box and the tiny box was not even half full!? Joke. NOT GOING THERE AGAIN. read more

I wanted to try J&J Fried Chicken after hearing about its opening at the Spectrum, so we stopped by to check it out. We ordered the popcorn chicken, which was pretty average overall. It tasted fresh and was fried decently (just with not much batter, Taiwanese style), but nothing particularly memorable. I went with the J&J spicy sauce which added some flavor, though it still needed more heat. Luckily they have extra spice packets at the condiment station, and those definitely helped enhance the flavor. Overall, it's a convenient option if you're already at the Spectrum, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way for. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Popcorn Chicken with J&J Spicy Sauce and Spice packets - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

Wanted to try this spot while walking around the Spectrum, so I ordered the regular-size popcorn chicken with their signature sauce. Pros: The chicken was good quality. It wasn't rubbery or mushy and had a nice texture. I ate it right away, so it was still moist. I also liked that they included spicy powder packets to add extra flavor. Cons: It didn't have a deep crispiness and overall lacked flavor. Thankfully, the spicy powder helped. I also felt that the signature sauce didn't really complement the chicken very well. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Popcorn Chicken w/ their signature sauce - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

I had a blast getting the chicken. Tendents it was so delicious I would live on the stuff. I find the service fast and simple. The place is packed and you know its good when you see many people coming and out. Try the chicken pop it's worth the taste buds. The place is a chill spot and it's clean. read more

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This place is the bomb! Love the chicken. It's from Taiwan but the plus is that the meat his higher quality since it's in the US. Definitely get the chicken filet, taro balls and the orange green tea slushy is sneaky good! read more

J&G Fried Chicken has a pretty solid fried oyster mushroom--crispy, savory, and honestly the standout of the menu. The chicken itself is decent but nothing special, more on the "gets the job done" side than memorable. Overall an okay stop if you're nearby, but not one I'd go out of my way for. Service and interior were also good considering it's a quick bite typa store. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - oyster mushroom & chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

J&G Fried Chicken is a Taiwanese Fried Chicken spot in Irvine Spectrum near the Apple Store and Target. It's located by 85C. Its origins were originally from the streets of taiwan. I love Taiwanese popcorn chicken, so I absolutely had to try this place. I have to say that their spicy chicken fillets were huge. The spicy was a little numbing and a little spicy, but it was mainly flavorful. Curly fries were a good thing to eat with the chicken. If you get their combo, then they give you a bun with pickles on the side, so that you can make your own sandwich. Their mango green tea with boba was okay for me. The boba had nice chew but was borderline hard. I'd definitely come back for the made to order fried chicken and I think it's a really good option at the Irvine Spectrum! read more

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We tried the popcorn chicken, the chicken tenders, and the chicken sandwich and they were all underwhelming. The flavor and seasoning in the chicken was just not for me. The popcorn chicken was oddly sweet with seven spice dusted on top. I didn't eat much of it. The sauces for the chicken were just blah. The curly fries were the only good thing about the meal. I would not return. Paying $50 to only enjoy fries is not worth it. read more

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The fried chicken sandwich was okay in my opinion. The chicken was overcooked so the chicken was very dry and rubber like. They have a house sauce that makes the sandwich a little less dry. The sauce was very sweet and not very tangy like the orange chicken I am used to. You order off a kiosk instead of from a person so you only see people working in the kitchen. The kiosk must have not taken my order even though I was charged so we waited 20 minutes before we asked if our order was going to be ready soon. They didn't get anything in their end so they quickly made us our order which was nice of them. The inside has plenty of seating and is nicely done. If you're a chicken sandwich enthusiast I wouldn't say this place is a must try but I will admit that they have unique sandwiches. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Orange Chicken Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

*Please note I did not try the food* I came into J&G Fried Chicken for the first time on a hot day. I saw a sign out front that had mouth watering pictures of various types of lemonade and lemon drinks. It was the perfect day for something refreshing. I was honestly really surprised by the state of this restaurant. When I walked in there were probably only 2 small groups of people eating and around 3 staff members. It seemed really quiet, yet the dining area was a mess. Maybe I came right after something spilled? There were towels under the table, trash, and food smears in the tables. It was not appealing at all. I ordered the green tea lemonade and it took an absurdly long time. I didn't add boba or anything. I wasn't sure if maybe the lemon was fresh squeezed or something? That's the only thing that would explain it, but when I tried the drink it barely tasted like lemon at all. I actually ended up only drinking a little and then throwing it out. After all that time making the drink, they couldn't even sift out the lemon seeds (weird). The green tea wasn't even very good. I hope their food is bomb, because from my experience, I'm not sure I'll be visiting again anytime soon, sadly. read more

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Fast service, lively atmosphere, and great seasoning! I didn't feel as though the chicken really needed any sauce, and the oyster mushrooms were very good. I'll definitely be back :) read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Fried cartilage and oyster mushrooms - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

I wanted to try J&G since it first opened a store in the Irvine Spectrum Center, and today is the day as I am in the neighborhood. It wasn't busy when I walked in. Its price may be a factor as it is on the high side comparing to KFC. I ordered a chicken leg & thigh combo. Since all orders are made to order so I know I had to wait a few minutes. I do like the flavor of a freshly fried chicken. The meat is tender & juicy. The curly fries was okay. I was offered 3 flavors of sauces: the Jiguang spicy sauce, sweet& spicy Sriracha, and Thai sweet chili. I like the house sauce the best, it was creamy and full of flavor. The background music was kind of loud. It would be hard to have a conversation. Perhaps that's the effect J&G wanted. read more

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This place is tucked into a large busy outdoor shopping area. The parking is very difficult. Might be a good idea to try this place on your next shopping trip to make it worth the ride. The prices were a little high for the portion sizes. The chicken was fresh but lacking flavor. The curly fries were more like curly pieces. The service was quick and the staff were helpful. You have to order at a kiosk. Limited seating inside and out. read more

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Super friendly service. My first visit here and I tried their famous popcorn chicken and curly fries combo. The chicken was very tender and I loved it with the chili powder. There are also a variety of sauces that you can get complimentary or with an upcharge. I also tried the golden and purple yam balls and it was so delicious!!! Came out perfectly fried and hot. There was a lightly crisp texture on the outside and chewy mochi texture inside. Super good and leaves you wanting more. I think this item is the hidden gem that people don't necessarily know about. It's better than mochi donuts!! Perfect for dessert after your chicken or just a snack when walking around the spectrum. Plenty of seating and clean open seating with some background music playing. read more

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We did a pick up order from the Irvine Spectrum last night and I would say it was ok. You place your order through a kiosk and associate a buzzer with your order when you pay. We ordered the popcorn chicken combo with curly fries and the agave vanilla soda, fish cake fries, and the purple yam balls. We got our order in about 15 ish minutes and when I was handed our order, I had to remind the guy that our order is suppose to come with a drink. Other than that, no real hiccups with service, but seeing it's a self ordering pick up establishment, there shouldn't be any hiccups. I was expecting string spices from Taiwanese style popcorn chicken, but it was on the light side. The curly fries is similar to what you would get at Jack in the box. My girlfriend enjoyed the fish cake fries which had an interesting texture: almost like mochi in my opinion. The purple yam balls were ok. The agave vanilla cream soda is a little different but if you enjoy cream soda, that might be a flavor you would enjoy. Overall, J&G is decent but nothing really stood out. read more

Unfortunately our first experience with J&G was not the greatest. We went to order and then we sat down for about ten minutes. During this time, I asked my boyfriend if I could run and pick up a drink from the shop two stores down. By the time I walked to that shop, waited on line to order, placed my order, waited for my pick up and walked back (another 10ish minutes) my boyfriend was STILL waiting. Then when I sat down, we waited yet another five-ish minutes and finally the food was ready. At that point, we were incredibly hungry and still thought the food was not up to par, especially with the wait time. The chicken was dry and I could see the meat was thin on the bone. It wasn't incredibly busy either. We're not sure what took so long but we're not interested in coming back. Our experience was not worth the price and the wait. read more

So glad to find this Taiwanese fried chicken brand. It's right next to 85C bakery and in front of the kids playground area, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, so it's perfect for a quick snack stop. Tried their spicy chicken a few times now, the flavor and texture have been consistent, tender and juicy with a mild spicy kick. However, the size of the chicken has shrunken significantly the last time I went, a little disappointing.. wish they kept it as the "da ji pai" read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Spicy chicken cutlet - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm surprised about the low rating this place has. I've had this place twice so far and I really enjoyed the J&G Fried Chicken Fillet. It's for $10 and it comes with a sauce. Both times I've had it, it was on a Saturday. Be prepared to wait. It's made to order, freshly fried. It takes about 20-25 mins. My husband is white and he gives it a 3/5. I say the one item I've only tried is 5/5. The reason why it's good is because it comes out piping hot and the batter with spices is very tasty and flavorful. The crunch is perfect and the chicken is juicy. I'll have to take my friend here so she judge it. She's studied abroad in Taiwan and used to tell me how great this was. She will really tell me if it's actually good or not. Regardless, I do like it and I recommend it. read more

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I wanted to try this place since it was all over social media, but have to say it was a little disappointed. It is not bad but it is not great either. Their best product was popcorn chicken, but it was bland and not as crispy. However, the chicken does taste fresh and chunky. My favorite is leg and thight. It was very crispy. However, it wasn't worth the price. It literally one tiny leg quarter, like smallest piece and flatten it out for $10. Their large size of popcorn chicken is like elsewhere regular size. Probably not coming back. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - One chicken leg & thigh for $10, large box of popcorn chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

How do you mess up popcorn chicken? Chicken was not very tasty, lacked spices/flavor, batter was not crispy + soft. If you're going to charge a lot for a few measly pieces of chicken, please at least make it taste good. Even below average popcorn chicken/boba places or frozen popcorn chicken is better than this. I'm honestly quite impressed in not a great way. It's about $9 for a regular size popcorn chicken which is about 9 pieces, and the box is half empty. Employees expressed no concern after asking them. I'd stick with Cha for Tea for now. The Fillet & Popcorn chicken seem to be their most advertised items, but I don't think I'll be coming back at all for either. Not much to say, hopefully their other options are good, because not many people seemed to happy to eat here. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

Genuinely the worst fried chicken I've ever tasted in my life. I got the popcorn chicken, medium seasoning, and it was tasteless and mushy.

Fresh fried chicken! It's pretty good but if you want a chicken sandwich, you have to buy a combo and it comes with a sandwich bun. And then you have to build the sandwich on your own! It's kind of fun to do but it is a hassle. Can they do this for me? Otherwise - it's good and next to the playground. A little pricey and the grease is a little old. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Chicken tender combo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

Chicken cartilage is good. Maybe not 8$ good. The sandwich though. Very odd, because the flavor is there but what even is that piece of chicken? A chicken tender sandwich? Their house spicy sauce is good with the fries. Was not busy when I went on a weekday afternoon ~6pm. Feels pretty clean inside, so I may try dining in, but not ordering the sandwich again read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - A sad chicken sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

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I really wanted to like J&G, but unfortunately, it didn't hit the mark. I saw a lot about it on social media and was excited to try it. The popcorn chicken was juicy and flavorful, but truthfully, nothing special--definitely delicious, but for the price, I'd rather just go to any boba shop that sells popcorn chicken. The fries were nice and crispy, but again, nothing standout; they reminded me of Jack in the Box fries. Also, they barely fill the sauce containers, and extra sauces are not free. If I'm paying for sauce, I'd hope they actually fill it. Overall, it's not bad, and it may be worth trying if you're in the area, but it likely won't live up to the hype on social media. read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - popcorn chicken and curly fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

Popcorn chicken was super mid. Not very crunchy and not much going on but at least it wasn't dry. We should've got the cutlet. Looks like the crunch is completely different. Popcorn chicken: wouldn't recommend or get again sorry read more

J&G Fried Chicken - Irvine - Popcorn chicken mid - Chicken Shop Near Me - Irvine, California

Just had the chicken sandwich here and halfway through eating it I noticed the chicken is a little raw. Be careful when you try the chicken sandwich. Also the sandwich was just OK read more