Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Kar Son

    4.5 (93 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Kar Son Photos

    Business Info

    KAR SON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Kar Son

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Eggplant
    Callie S.

    Wow what a beautiful new Chinese restaurant in DTLA!! Easy to reserve on OpenTable and staffs are very welcoming. Eggplants were delicious and juicyyyy. Soup dumplings were medium hot but the skin could be a bit thinner. The branzino tasted like a lot of spices similar to south East Asian cuisine dish- I actually would skip this next time because I thought it was kind of dry. The fried rice was great. String beans were good but a little dry. The highlight was definitely the salted egg yoke chicken wings! They were so delicious and unique! It was my friend's bd so I had to get the matcha mousse cake which was delicious if you like mousse!

    Kate L.

    So glad we walked in! Modern Chinese decor with the most comfortable chairs. The staff were knowledgeable, patient, and best recommendations. We ordered lots to share & try. This is Szechuan Taiwanese dishes. With Szechuan, the heat is in the back and it was delicious. *Wood ear Mushroom Salad: perfectly crunchy, love the savory sweet sauce. *Crispy Tofu: light and traditional Taiwanese. The green pepper sauce was our favorite with a smoky flavor. Perfect on fish *Soft Shell Crab: a plate full of chili have to hunt for the delicious crabs *Dan Dan noodles: refreshing *Clay Pot tomato slow, braised beef: omg, rice is a must with this dish. The beef is melt in mouth tender, tomato sweet, a must try *Dumplings: savory & chocolate dumplings must order * whole Bronzino: Star of the show!! Tender and juicy. We'll be back to try other dishes Oh. Beautiful restrooms they even give you mouthwash.

    Cucumber salad
    Arminda D.

    First rate: food, service and ambiance. It's minimalist yet classy and warm. Staff was very knowledgeable about the menu. They don't have a liquor license yet. But the food is really outstanding. We had the cucumber salad, dumplings in chili oil, eggplant and the braised short ribs. I love the entire complex of multi use tenants. There is plenty of parking and lots of fun retail stores nearby. I wish i had more time to come back. Maybe some day. Food is outstanding and worth the visit.

    fried rice
    Vivi L.

    Made a resy for Wednesday night at 7:30 PM and got seated immediately -- no wait at all. You could get free 2 hour validated parking at the lot, and then I google mapped the place to find it. I put "birthday" in the special occasion notes and they surprised my friend with a free drink!!. The kindness!! They only serve non-alcoholic drinks here, the waitress said they're still waiting on their alcoholic license, but they are so, so good. One of the best drinks I've had at a restaurant, alcoholic or not. We got the mapo tofu, the chili chicken (buried under a mountain of dried chilies), the spicy wontons in chili oil, garlic green beans, and the Chinese sausage fried rice with egg. Every single dish was great but my top dish was the mapo tofu. The silkiness of the tofu, the depth of the sauce, the perfect level of spice and numbing heat -- it was everything!! I kept going back for more spoonfuls even when I was already full. The ambiance is cozy and dim without being too dark, the noise level was just right for actual conversation, and the decor with the paper lanterns gave such warm, intimate vibes. This place is good for a casual dinner with friends but I would even go here for business dinners because the atmosphere and interior design is really nice as well. I will definitely be back again for their alcoholic drinks menu.

    mark y.

    Attempt at elevated Chinese food was short due to several factors- food taste mainly dependent on spiciness, really thin portions of meat. The decor and waitstaff were really awesome, it was just the taste of the food didn't meet the prices except for the fried rice.

    Calm & Pretty entryway
    Kay Y.

    Came on Sunday for Smorgs to support the Cambodian style grilled corn but unfortunately they weren't here today. So we decided to Check out this spot! Since I haven't been since they opened. Entire staff was so warm and welcoming! Aside from the food being great that was also the best part too! Jay was our lovely host and server and he was the sweetest and greatest with chit chat and recommending dishes. We got their Chongqing Crispy Chicken which was so crispy and had a hint of Mala flavoring. We also got the Hot & Sour soup which I thought was delish but mom found it too sour? Lastly we tried the house chow mein w/ beef. Beef was tender and good the noodles was nothing special to me. Love the ambience here as it's a traditional elegant Chinese interior design. Calm and tranquil not in your face. Jay was again so sweet, I had fraud on my card and he didn't rush me as I called my bank to sort that out. Def don't sleep on this place give it try if you're craving SGV style Sichuan/Canto style dishes ^_^

    Chili chicken (large), branzino, green beans, Dan Dan noodles, soup dumplings, jasmine tea (not pictured: cucumbers)
    Katherine B.

    This is probably the restaurant I am excited about the most out of all the new restaurants I've tried. I would give it a 4.5, but the service bumped it up to a 5. First we had the cucumbers and omg were they delicious. We actually saved the sauce and dunked our chicken in this sauce as well. 9/10 The string beans, same thing, packed full of flavor! I was blown away that these veggies were holding their own like this! 9.5/10 The we got a large order of the chili chicken, it was SO good! Perfectly fried, great flavor, great texture. I loved this dish. 9/10 The branzino was cooked very well, I liked this, but it wasn't quite my favorite branzino I've ever had. It was hard to get the lime juice out of those slices, we could have used more acid. 8.5/10 The soup dumplings were also delicious, not quite as delicious as other soup dumplings I've had, but still, really good. 8.5/10 The dan dan noodles were also delicious, a little less exciting than Pine and Crane's Dan Dan noodles, but still lovely. 8.5/10 The jasmine tea kinda blew me away. I always get oolong but my friend wanted to try the jasmine and I'm glad we did. So yummy! 9/10 We finished with the chocolate dumplings. They were absolutely delicious! 9.5/10. The condensed milk was the perfect complement. Service was AWESOME! Great vibes, very patient and helpful. There is a parking garage where the first 2 hours are free. This whole little setup is lovely with string lights everywhere. I have been recommending this restaurant to everyone I know!

    Green beans, mapo tofu, chongqing chicken
    Edward C.

    Food was really good! I would say the chili peppers in the chongqing chicken was fried well (same with the chicken as well but getting good fried peppers is more of a rarity). Everything was delicious - green beans were fried well, mapo tofu was not as mala but understandable to appeal to a wider audience. Service was great, they kept refilling water and ambiance is really cool. Mix of Asian but also open brick to mix into the arts district aesthetic. It's in the Row so parking is easy

    Menu
    Garvey S.

    Located in the Row DTLA with a convenient parking structure, Kar Son offers an elevated Chinese cuisine experience. We came on a Sunday around noon, and was able to grab a table for two immediately. We ordered the wood ear salad, hot and sour soup, silken tofu with shrimp and roe, and sweet and sour pork. We did have to order two bowls of rice since they don't provide complimentary rice, which was a bit disappointing, but the food more than made up for it. The wood ear salad had a delightful tangy, slightly mala chili oil on it which made it a great appetizer. The hot and sour soup had a good amount of ingredients and kick to it. The pork's balance of sweet and sour was well done, and the meat had a good fry to it. The silken tofu was delicious with a strong umami taste, but was our least favorite; nevertheless it was still quite good. Service was great and attentive, and price was OK with its decent portions. We definitely look forward to visiting again next time we're in the area!

    Spicy wontons, hot n sour soup, XLB, and Dan Dan noodles
    Ashley H.

    Such a cute little date night spot! I love the cozy and intimate ambiance. The food was good too, but I will say the portions are fairly small. Each plate can be reasonably shared between 2 or maybe 3 people, but definitely great if you want to order multiple dishes and eat family style. I don't remember our servers name, but she was very helpful and gave our table a silly little laugh. Shoutout to Miss Server that currently goes to USC and is getting her degree in Communications LOL

    Menu
    Vince P.

    Kar Son is a modern Chinese American restaurant located at The Row, known for their elevated takes on classic Chinese comfort food. To get here, there is garage parking that is usually free for the first 2 hours or free with validation as well. Inside, they have a beautiful interior with a good amount of seating. Wifey and I stopped by for lunch with a reservation and were seated right away. For their menu, they have a good selection of appetizers, noodle, and rice dishes to choose from. We opted to get a spread consisting of the Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil, Chow Mein, and the Sweet & Sour Pork. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here. Everything we had was delicious with familiar yet elevated flavors. All of the staff here are very friendly and accommodating. This is a great spot to come grab a nice meal with a date, some family, or friends.

    Danielle E.

    Immediately loved the vibe when we came in! Minimalist, modern, oriental look. One of their specials here I believe is the Chongqing spicy chicken, we just got a small one since we got other dishes too and it was pretty good and I found it addictive with the mala spice. Also got the salted yolk chicken wings, chinese sausage fried rice and the eggplant. Everything we got are scrumptious. Don't forget to order the chocolate xlb for dessert! Parking: The Row DTLA parking structure

    Soup dumplings
    Brandon S.

    I heard that a relatively authentic chinese restaurant opened in DTLA and had to try it out. Lo and behold it's located in ROW DTLA. I went for lunch with a group of friends to try as many dishes as we could. One of us made a reservation beforehand but it doesn't look like wait times would be too long either. We got soup dumplings, chocolate dumplings, a crispy chili chicken, beef noodle soup, house special fried rice, salted egg yolk corn, wasabi shrimp bites, and yunan style grilled whole branzino. The two instant standouts for me were the yunan style grilled branzino and house special fried rice. The branzino was moist and seasoned very well, which paired along with the fried rice containing what tasted like minced dried scallop bits. The beef noodle soup and crispy chili chicken didn't skimp out on the heat and gave a nice tingle. Overall, a surprisngly good chinese meal. I would consider it relatively authentic and comparable to the average chinese restaurant you would find in SGV. This just happens to be the first authentic chinese restaurant in DTLA + West LA vicinity. Very happy for the new chinese food representation to the city.

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Karson C.

    Karson C.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    The food was wonderful and the ambiance was perfect for a Sunday night dinner. The dumplings were

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Amazing meal. Each dish I had was better than the last. Im generally not a fan of shrimp and I couldn't get enough of the wontons.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 5
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Kar Son

    Hi! is there anything made without gluten?

    What's the parking?

    Parking is available through the ROW DTLA structure. For more information, please visit the ROW DTLA website: https://www.rowdtla.com/visit

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Hui Tou Xiang

    Hui Tou Xiang

    4.3
    (485 reviews)
    6.8 mi
    $$

    This is a very nice restaurant. The waiters are kind and the service is fast. There are also a lot…read moreof very delicious food and drink options that look as good as they taste. Overall, it is an amazing place to eat.

    Came here after a long day of walking along hollywood and i am so happy we did. I wasnt too sure of…read morewhat to expect, but the interior was so beautifully done with a mix of a subway/ speakeasy vibe and perfect lighting for any occasion. It was a but busy when we got there but luckily we got seared pretty shortly after arrival. We originally wanted to sit at the bar, but opted for a table for less wait time. When first looking at the menu we were shocked by the prices. I knew immediately i wanted to get the hui tou potstikers with pork and noodles. We ended up adding on the hongkong style wontons too. To my suprise the wontons arrived in a delicious and warm broth, keeping them perfectly moist and plump. The broth was so delicious even on a hot day, tasting faintly of sesame and scallion. Despite both dishes being pork they were so different and equally amazing in flavor. The pan fried potstikers which were CRISPED TO PERFECTION especially reminded me of black bean shortribs that you get from dimsum, fatty but hearty and had me wanting more and more each bite. The minced pork noodles were to no suprise, so good. Noodles tasted fresh, the sauce was umami with mushrooms and pork. While im not the biggest fan of mushrooms, i still ate it up. I feel it would be so good with some picked cabbage too to complement the saltiness. Most notable thing... THAT CHILI OIL. We probably used almost half the jar left at the table. It wasnt spicy at all, but it had this flavor that i genuinely have never tasted before. The texture of the chilli and sesame and the nutty flavor had me in awe. Enough to take two jars home... i would do it again. Servers were so quick, made sure everything we needed was at the table. Regardless of the crowd we were met with promptness and generosity. This that wonton place your girl tells you not to worry about forreal. Will be coming back despite the long drive from home.

    Photos
    Hui Tou Xiang
    Liang Ban Noodles
    Liang Ban Noodles
    Ahh!  The beer help extinguish the fiery chili oil.

    See all

    Ahh! The beer help extinguish the fiery chili oil.
    Golden Tree Restaurant

    Golden Tree Restaurant

    4.4
    (388 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    We came here after attending a Dodgers game and were craving some Chinese food. We ordered the hot…read moreand sour soup, chicken with string beans, broccoli beef, and the house chow mein. Overall, we really enjoyed all of the food. The portions were good, everything tasted fresh, and the dishes were flavorful. The hot and sour soup was a little peppery for our taste, but it was still good and had great flavor. The staff were hardworking, attentive, and kept things running smoothly even while busy. We had a great experience and would definitely come back the next time we're in the area looking for Chinese food. Highly recommend!

    First off, AI let me down on this one…read more I came here expecting it to hit the mark for some solid kung pao chicken and mu shu pork after what I thought was a thorough search for the best Chinese food in Chinatown. That was my first mistake -- they don't even serve mu shu pork. That one's on me for not checking the menu first. I ended up getting my kung pao chicken and settled for the Mongolian beef, and veggie egg rolls. The Mongolian beef I could definitely pass on. The kung pao chicken was good at first, but somehow lost its flavor as the meal went on. The egg rolls were just okay. Nice and crispy on the outside, but too mushy on the inside for my liking. I was also pretty surprised (and a lot sad) that they didn't have hot mustard. The tea was really good though! Service was fine. The server was attentive, just clearly busy keeping up with all the takeout orders coming through. Ambience is definitely on the lower side here, so don't come expecting a nicer Chinese restaurant. It leans more Santa Ana burger joint vibes. That said, everything felt clean and they were pumping out a ton of takeout orders while we were there, so clearly they're doing something right. Overall, it just didn't hit for me, and I don't see myself coming back.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Shrimp Fried Rice 虾炒饭
    Shrimp Fried Rice 虾炒饭
    Menu as of May 2026 (p. 4 of 6)

    See all

    Menu as of May 2026 (p. 4 of 6)
    Woon

    Woon

    4.2
    (601 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Woon is one of those spots that just hits differently - homestyle Chinese food with such a good…read morevibe to match. The pork belly bao is an absolute must-order. The braised pork belly was so incredibly soft and melt-in-your-mouth, and paired with the pickled carrots and cucumbers tucked into that steamed bao bun - so juicy. We also got the scallion pancakes which were crispy, chewy, and came with a soy ginger dipping sauce. The wood ear mushroom and bean curd stick salad was a nice lighter contrast to the heavier dishes too. We tried the beef noodles as well. The noodles were a bit on the tougher side, which is kind of expected with this style, but the flavors were solid overall. But do NOT sleep on dessert. I had to order the deep fried bao bun with ice cream scoop inside and it was delicious. Absolutely worth saving room for if you're looking to end your meal off with a sweet treat! Parking is easy with plenty of street parking nearby. Love that there's both indoor and outdoor seating - the patio outside is perfect for bigger groups at night, and the inside has its own aesthetic vibe that's equally great. Great service, good vibes, and delicious food. I'll be coming back!

    i really don't think you could go wrong with any choice off the menu! the service is always great…read moreand quick. i was actually quite surprised by the braised pork belly over rice. this is such a classic dish that i've always loved from my childhood and they made an amazing version of their own. just this alone was able to keep me full and happy. the cucumber pickles are a nice touch! even if you're not well-versed in chinese food, the menu is a great introduction to delicious staples that you typically can find in asian restaurants! went right before dinner so parking was easy and it wasn't busy.

    Photos
    Dining Area
    Dining Area
    Pork Chop Sandwich - Insta @friesandchives
    Pork Chop Sandwich - Insta @friesandchives
    Beef Noodles 牛肉粗炒麵

    See all

    Beef Noodles 牛肉粗炒麵
    Sichuan Impression

    Sichuan Impression

    4.0
    (944 reviews)
    11.6 mi
    $$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    6 years in business

    The service was good. You'll just have to flag them if you need something. They were all helpful…read moreand nice. Food wise - everything we ordered was great. The cumin lamb was flavorful and spicy. The Mao Cai was spicy, full of meat and the broth was tasty. The boiled fish was my second favorite - spicy and fish was not overcooked. The fried intestines were really great! The shrimp fried rice is ok. I wanted either a whole fish or a whole crab but they ran out - on a Saturday night. They have a good Asian beer selection. $35 for corkage. $6 valet parking with validation. Free for 1 hour only with validation. It's a very casual place. Clean.

    My kiddo is a big fan of sichuan food especially fish fillet in chilli sauce so we came here for…read morelunch out of her recommendation as this is her favorite Chinese restaurant in town. The reception wasn't warm as the girl was on the phone and she just waved at us to get in. Food was scrumptious. Their basa fish fillet in chilli sauce had to be the best I've tasted. The fish was tender, sauce yummy, veggies fresh! It was excellently prepared. Husband and Wife beef and tripe slices was another outstanding dish. It was so good I had to order more rice to eat with it therefore happily broke my diet again. Steamd eggplant with pickled condiment on top tended to be on the salty side, it was soft and tasty. I loved it! Service was lukewarm at best. The girl performed her service in a convincingly nonchalant way. But at least I got lemon infused water refilled twice. :) Well decorated with Chinese cultural elements. Very spacious, clean and peaceful ambience. We had a lovely time and will return.

    Photos
    Wonton in chili oil 红油抄手
    Wonton in chili oil 红油抄手
    Beef noodle casserole 砂锅牛肉
    Beef noodle casserole 砂锅牛肉
    Intestine noodle of Shuangliu 双流肥肠粉

    See all

    Intestine noodle of Shuangliu 双流肥肠粉
    Firstborn

    Firstborn

    4.2
    (134 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$$

    Really outstanding modern take on Chinese cuisine. They apparently change their menu every week so…read morenothing is old. Their service was great and their servers were very knowledgeable. Their drinks also stood out in terms of creativity and the amount of work that goes into them. Overall, I put this on par with Baroo in terms of creativity, service and flavor.

    Firstborn is almost shockingly good for Chinatown, whose hip arriviste eateries have all seemed to…read morecoast on far more hype than quality. The menu is New American with Chinese influences served as a four-course prix fixe set, with each course having three choices, and optional additions are available. (There is an à la carte menu available in the bar area.) I went very carnivorous on my selections, choosing the beef tongue carpaccio, duck sausage, and beef short rib. There was not a bad dish among these: The tongue was tender, soft, and delicate. The duck sausage was fantastically good as well; served with an apple jam atop Swiss chard, it was a sort of Chinese-Alpine fusion cuisine of which I never envisioned but instantly wanted more. While delicious, the short rib was overshadowed by its cabbage accompaniment. My server told me it takes four days to make that dish, and I would have happily ordered a full dish of just that. The kaffir lime curd dessert was light and balanced, perfect after the heavier meat courses and like a small vacation to Thailand on a plate. The one dish I did not love was the Chongqing fried chicken course I added. The chicken itself ― a boneless leg quarter ― was a large portion and well-prepared, but the sauce covering it was a thick layer of chilis (which, thankfully, were not inedibly hot) and straight oil, lots of oil. Eating so much oil like that made for gastrointestinal discomfort the rest of the night. The soy pickles helped cut the greasiness a bit, but they weren't vinegary enough to get that level of oiliness off the palate. The duck fat rice, though quite good, also did not help much given its fattiness. Given the chance, I definitely would have requested the oil-sauce on the side. I did appreciate the crunchiness of the batter, which never went soggy despite being soaked in that oily puddle for a long time. I did not find any wines by the glass that bowled me over, so I stuck to cocktails, which were good. Service was warm, personable but not intrusive, and brisk, while the room has the comfortable feel of a mid-century modern den complete with well-worn cookbooks on the shelves lining the walls. I would happily return to try the bar menu with cocktails or when the prix fixe options change. At $68 for four courses, Firstborn's prix fixe is one of the best fine dining offers in L.A. right now, and it makes a trek up to Chinatown worthwhile.

    Photos
    Firstborn
    Duck sausage
    Duck sausage
    BBQ Cabbage

    See all

    BBQ Cabbage

    Kar Son - chinese - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...