Lao Wang was delicious! I ordered the Garlic Tofu bowl to go. The veggies were fresh and really good. The garlic sauce was bomb and a perfect pairing with the tofu. They have a seating area inside and outside, and it it pretty spacious. Service was quick. I didn't wait more than about five minutes for my to-go order. I would definitely get the large size next time and try a stawberry margarita! read more

See all

My family and I ordered several dishes at this restaurant yesterday for lunch. I ordered a rice bowl. Last night, when I got home, I felt unwell and had diarrhea twice. I usually have a very good stomach, so I'm pretty sure there was something wrong with the rice. Thinking back to when I ate it, the rice balls seemed sticky, the taste was bad, and I didn't finish it. So, I'm fairly certain that this restaurant called Lao Wang has food hygiene issues. I don't recommend trying it. read more

Lao Wang - Picture of the restaurant and - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

I haven't been to Lao's in awhile, but I really enjoy the food they serve. The broth is flavorful and the ingredients always taste fresh. It's a bit pricey as many other places are in IV. Ambience and service was okay, a popular location for people to socialize on the weekends. read more

Lao Wang - Mala Tang Noodles Hot and Spicy with Enoki Mushroom, Quail Egg, Rice Noodles, Fish Balls, and Beef Tendon - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

The food is really good. The buns could be better but other than that, probably one or if not the best Chinese/Asian restaurants in Goleta/SB area. read more

Food was so yummy. Service was friendly. Sat outside because it is Santa Barbara and the weather was divine. Also, serves Diet Coke which makes it the perfect spot. read more

Ramen is sooooo yummy but pretty expensive for each topping. The garlic tofu is delicious

Lao Wang in Goleta serves up a solid bowl of noodle soup with customizable toppings, perfect for tailoring to your taste. In the evenings, it's a chill spot to grab a beer -- small selection, but well-chosen. It definitely has a college vibe and can get busy at night with the student crowd, but that adds to the energy. A great place for a low-key meal and drink. read more

Delicious food! We love the malatang soup! Spicy, flavorful, and so comforting! There's not many good Asian places in SB area so this is a place we keep going to when we're craving malatang or baos. The baos are reasonably prices ($3-4) as many places are trying to charge $8 bucks for one. They have a good amount of seating and a screen TV that was playing the game! Staff are kind and helpful! Highly recommend! read more

Lao Wang - Mala Tang Special Hot and Spicy and 2 Buns - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

My favorite restaurant in IV! Quick and friendly service. Vibey decorations with custom murals inside. Flavorful dishes, and soft, sweet, moist bao buns. Chicken is crispy without being dry. They even have fries! I like getting the noodle soup on chilly days. Spicy and non-spicy options. There are a little quail eggs in the soup that are cute and tasty! I highly recommend the chicken curry rice bowl. Phone didn't eat first (not pictured: popcorn and pork belly bao buns). read more

Lao Wang - Curry Chicken Rice Bowl - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

My go to spot for comforting noodles in IV! I love the sauce station inside where you can get chili oil, peanut sauce, or peppers. Great hangout spot too if you want to grab pitchers with your friends. I will always come back here for food on the days I want to treat myself. Special Hot N Spicy - 5/5, basically the same as the Mala Tang Dinner but with some extra toppings for better value. Tastes very similar to the Vietnamese Bún bò Huế except with a little mala spice. The chefs are usually very generous and I've gotten up to 4 quail eggs before in a single bowl!!! The soup is a little simple and salty, but that's exactly what I crave sometimes. When it comes to egg versus rice noodle, rice noodle is definitely the way to go. read more

Lao Wang - Mala Tang Special Hot and Spicy - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Always come here for a warm bowl of soup. Good quantity for a good price. Their sides are good as well, we tried the popcorn chicken and a Chinese sausage bun and it was good. All this with a pitcher of boochcraft! The service (Kelsey and Josh) was quick and amazing and the atmosphere was bustling with high energy. We also used the Axxess app and got a FREE Chinese sausage bun with our bowl of noodles! read more

See all

Sampling the next of the Bao Buns on the menu, this time I tried the pork belly bao. The pork belly is less dry than the chicken since it has fat and is very juicy overall. The bun, sriracha aioli, herbs, and pork go decently well, but again the spicy chili sauce here is unnecessary since it makes the bun overbearing in salt; something pickled here would work brilliantly. For $3, this is a quick bite that is decent compared to that of the rest of the area. Additionally, I created another one of my own bowls with an aromatic original meat based broth. Adding on from my previous review, I like the fact that there are a wide array of Asian ingredients you can choose as toppings that are less traditional, like bean curd and tendon, which I can seldom eat elsewhere. The broth itself is flavorful, though on the salty side with no acidity. read more

Lao Wang - Pork Belly Bao Bun - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

My first time here, this is a terrificly authentic Chinese "noodle joint", with a wide range of selections, plus build-your-own soups. I had the Mala Tang noodle soup, which is a flavorful (spiced to taste) satay broth with peanuts, chicken, onion, green onion, rice noodles (egg noodle option), napa cabbage, enoki mushroom, tomatoes, and my added-on krab legg, pork rib, and pork cutlets. total: $25. A giant portion that I barely finished. See the pic. Extremely tasty, and a cozy, well-tabled college town seating area that was very busy. I will be back. read more

Lao Wang - The massive Mala Tang DIY bowl - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

The spice noodles were absolutely delicious! The perfect balance of heat and flavor made each bite incredibly satisfying. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a bit of spice in their meal. read more

Lao Wang - Special Hot 'n Spicy - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Although the name of the plate is hot n spicy, it did not feel spicy to me. Small portions of meat. It was tasty. Good size portion and very mellow place. read more

Lao Wang - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

me and my friends love Lao wang!! my favorite is their garlic chicken rice bowl and their sweet potato fries. and they have pitchers of golden state cider! fun music and good service. read more

The restaurant provides a very casual hangoutspot with very friendly servers, and the food is absolutely amazing! I ordered a spicy dry pot. Not only was this a dish full of spice and flavors, but the amout was also an impressive amount. I also decided to add some custom toppings, like fish tofus and beaf meatballs, and every bite was incredible. 100% recommended for anyone trying to find a vibey place to chill out at. read more

Lao Wang - Hot & Spicy Dry Pot - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

El lugar es bueno, solo que por estar en ciudad de estudiantes no es nada tranquilo, recomiendo si sabor. No tanto para ir a platicar o relajarte read more

Lao Wang - Soup - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

I FOUND A FLY IN MY MALA TANG DINNER. THE MOST DISGUSTING RESTAURANT IN IV EVER. I'm never coming back. Btw I've also attached a pic of the fly, very disgusting! They have serious food quality control issues! read more

Lao Wang - Fly the I took out from my Mala Tang - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Craft your own noodle bowl! I would come often for their lunch special, which was decently priced and had a plethora of toppings to choose from. I also occasionally pop in for a quick bite and order pork buns. If you're leaving campus and exiting through Pardall Tunnel, Lao Wang is the first restaurant on your right. This specific location has had multiple tenants over the years, replacing Otaco in 2017 (which replaced Angry Wings, which replaced Chino's Rock & Tacos). But it looks like the curse may have been lifted, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for them. There are small tables outside, with larger group tables inside. You walk up to the counter to place your order, and they'll call it out when it's ready. EZ as 123: 1. Select your soup base - Original, Spicy, Vegan, or simply Dry. 2. Select your noodles - Egg Noodle is the thinner version, almost like ramen. Rice noodles are a bit thicker. 3. Select your toppings - anything from vegetables, extra meat, to anything you'll find in hot pot meals. I tend to get beef, bokchoy, tofu, or imitation crab meat. The weakest link is their broth, it's very one-dimensional and lacking in flavor, which is unlike real hot pot. I feel like it's also on the saltier side, like someone dumped one of those packets you use for instant ramen. On the other hand, the noodles are well cooked and maintain good shape. I would get takeout even before COVID, and it won't be a soggy mess after a couple minutes. The toppings I get taste good, no complaints there. Their Popcorn Chicken is good by itself, I'm not fond of their popcorn chicken bun. Stewed Pork Belly Bao is well-proportioned, with the right amount of bun, vegetables, and pork with every bite. Haven't tried their rice bowls yet, that's for my next visit! read more

Lao Wang - Malatang Noodles & Bao Buns ⋅ Pardall Road - Isla Vista, California - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

In a nutshell: Chinese and American palettes mixed in satisfying collision _________ When my fatigued road trip gang heaved ourselves off the car, we very nearly missed Lao Wang despite parking almost right beside it; instead of the embossed traditional Chinese characters we expected from its name (老王), the place's name was displayed in black pinyin, or the English lettering equivalent. I guess the added American flair to the original Chinese name pretty much reflected the rest of our satisfying experience: Western and East Asian tastes intermixing to results harmonious for all my group's stomachs. I ordered the fried curry chicken rice bowl in the small size (definitely appreciated the different available meal size options) plus the sweet potato fries, a side dish that is reliably delicious no matter where you get it. The rice bowl defied expectations, with its puffy rice, crunchy fried chicken, rich curry, and mini spring roll stuffed in the corner. Needless to say, I devoured the whole thing. Other orders in my party ran the full gamit, from noodles to a platter of rice and golden potatoes and some kind of meat that I don't remember. But I do remember how much everyone enjoyed their respective meals and my rising temptation to eat all of their servings too. All in all, Lao Wang is a worthy lunch stop that delights in both food and decor-- boxing enthusiasts will for sure want to check out the large punching bag hanging in the center of a round wooden table ;) read more

I must say... Good eats for the good prices. This small shop reminds me of the many small snack/noodle shops in the LA area. Prices are good- nothing to complain about really. The amount of food is just right. The food tastes pretty good too. 3 buns for $9 Popcorn chicken is crispy and delicious Chinese sausage is tasty And the pork belly is super tender and flavorful Pork ribs bowl- the meat just falls of the bone... Sauce on the rice is a perfect amount. I got a small bowl and it was pretty filling after eating 1 bun. Popcorn chicken - crispy and savory. Not a big difference between the snack and the bun... The Hun has sauces some greens and a bun vs the snack which has just chicken (and it came with ranch sauce on side). Im always looking for affordable and tasty Asian food. This place is pretty good for what I offers. I'll have to try a noodle dish next time. Thanks for the great food! read more

See all

I was skeptical to try another Asian restaurant in IV as I'm so used to high quality, truly authentic Asian cuisine. Surprisingly this place hit the spot with their noodle dish! The Mala Tang dinner was perfect for me as it served a good portion size, warm, packed with flavor, & fit the description for what I specifically ordered on doordash. I truly recommend this, it was a perfect way to end my night after studying for finals! I'll be back to try other dishes. read more

Fresh ramen in IV!! The enoki mushrooms are fire! (It's like eating some crunchy noodles!). The rice noodles were soft and chewy: you can tell they were fresh. The vegan broth was pretty decent, but nothing stellar! A great to go meal for a cold, lazy night in IV!! (And a huge portion so you can save leftovers for the next day!) read more

The braised pork bun and malatang are my go-tos here! Affordable and great options for comfort food in IV.

Came here to grab something small for lunch. Service was good, restaurant was clean. The chinese sausage has a bite/snap to it, and it's not too chewy or hard 8/10. Popcorn Chicken had a nice crunch and the meat was tender 7/10. The soy pork belly wasn't the most flavorful and it was slightly chewy. I thought the soy pork belly would be the best, but i was proven wrong 6.5/10 read more

Lao Wang - Chinese Sausage on bun, Popcorn Chicken on bun, soy pork belly on bun - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Stopped in SB and tried this place...very meh. Had the pork chasu bowl & pork belly bun. Didn't really like. Friends also didn't really like their rice plates, maybe noodles are the move here read more

Lao Wang - Pork Chashu Bowl, Pork Belly Bun - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Nice quiet location away from the hustle and bustle of all the foot traffic. Maggie was up front super nice and explained the menu! It was getting a little chilly outside and soup was the right choice! I had the vegan broth with fried tofu, mushrooms and broccoli. Topped off with chili sesame seeds, soy sauce and man was it good. All students should take their dads there when they're visiting read more

Hours are wrong :( came here when it was supposed to be open & it wasn't! Disappointed!

YES!!! I never thought I'd see the day!! 5 years later I gave the place a try again and for the past 2 months I've eaten here religiously at least once a week. My go to order is their custom Mala Tang Dinner with rice noodles in hot and spicy broth, beef tendon, fish roe ball, and quail eggs. The broth is nutty with a spicy chili oil kick - I'm always craving it! My boyfriend is obsessed with their stewed pork belly buns! We order via doordash and get our food within 25 minutes. Given the amount of times we order delivery from here I'm extremely impressed how they nail it every time! read more

Lao Wang will always be one of my favorite places for comfort food. I ordered the Mala Tang Dinner which is basically a build your own bowl. I got the original soup broth with rice noodles, spam, enoki mushrooms, bok choy, and I added a spiced marinated egg. I also ordered a spam bun and a pork belly bun. Everything was so delicious. read more

Lao Wang - Mala Tang Dinner - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Food is amazing at this location. It's a good serving portion. The workers are amazing and always have a great attitude.

The food is great - I've tried a few of their rice bowls and so far I've enjoyed all of my experiences!

Upon buying my food, the guy at the register calmly looked up at and said "I love you." To be honest, I was taken aback by the remark and made slightly uncomfortable, but I got my two buns and sat down. Both buns I got, the popcorn chicken bun and the stewed pork belly bun, were spicy which I wasn't really expecting. To be honest, I was disappointed by the taste and only ate half of each before tossing out the remaining contents of the tray. Its good that there is some cheap street food in IV--on the order of $3 a bun--but there was an apparent lack of diversity in flavors, as both were soaked in the same spicy red sauce. If you're not a fan of that specific cilantro sauce, which I imagine is pretty foreign to the Californian palette, this place is not for you--or me for that matter. So if you want food that's all the same specific flavor, and a server who makes you uncomfortable, I guess this is your place. read more

This place is so fricken good. Spicy ramen makes my soul feel healed and all the ramen broths are both rich and still light and flavorful. Pricing is great for what u get and the buns are killer. Also great place to get a beer. read more

Lao Wang - Spicy broth, enoki mushroom, beef, bok choy - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

Delicious MaLaTang Noodle (Craft your own: Hot & Spicy soup base w/ egg noodles, toppings added are fish tofu, beancurd sheet, enoki mushroom, black fungus, beef tendon, seaweed, quail egg, frozen tofu, pork rib, pork chashu, spiced egg, etc.) read more

Lao Wang - MaLaTang Noodle (Craft your own) - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I would describe the food at Lao Wang as perfect for drunchies or munchies. I've tried the fried appetizers, noodles, and rice bowls, and all of their dishes are overwhelmingly salty and greasy. In addition, their fried chicken and other fried meat dishes are often crispy but overcooked on the inside. I haven't eaten here in a while, and I probably wouldn't again unless a friend really wanted to, because the food is pretty expensive for how it tastes. read more

Ordered some Lao Wang off of DoorDash. I had veggie egg rolls and the Mala Tang Dinner. Veggie egg rolls were good and crispy, with a tangy sweet and sour sauce to dip into. The mala tng dinner was a create your own ramen. In mind I added: hot spicy soup (yes the spice was REAL ), egg noodles, beef, brocooli, and imitation crab, with a peanut sauce on top. There was enough food that I had two meals out of this so I think the portion sizes were great for what you paid for. Like I said the hot spicy soup was super spicy and I can handle spice. I wonder if they have a medium spice option instead for next time unless you have a mouth of fire! Would definitely try again sometime read more

Lao Wang - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

This is the best ramen you will ever have. Plus, Josh is the best server you will encounter. He is so sweet and always makes sure that you have everything you need. Coolest dude ever! The food is so good it has me coming back weekly. Make your way down and try it for yourself. read more

Lao Wang - Mala Tang Dinner - Chinese Near Me - Goleta, California

The best Chinese food in town !!! Also the cashier josh is very attentive and helpful to decide what to eat !! if you ever come to isla vista this place is great to hang out with friends and family !! Beer and more !!ohh and I love that they have a punching bag in the middle of the restaurant !!! I give it 5 read more

See all