The food is excellent. Good quality. Highly recommend. The egg rolls are some of the best I have ever had! Look no further if you want real authentic Chinese food. Some of the best sweet and sour pork I have ever had. The quality of the food is excellent. This is a 5 star Chinese restaurant. Delicious! Anyone who gives this a negative review does not know quality Chinese food. Excellent restaurant. read more

I have been wanting to come here for a while. I'm a SD native and can't believe I still hadn't hit this spot. So, after my hair appointment, I decided to take myself to dinner. You figure it's on La Jolla blvd and it's been here forever so they gotta be doing something right. Place is cute, parking was fine, seated immediately, relatively empty though so my "Spidey"Senses get going. I get seated in a booth and a lady (server) jets by and tosses a water on my table. That's it. I'm soon greeted by a wonderful OTHER server that takes fantastic care of me (David or Daniel sorry), He was great. Food was great! BUT, said other server, continued to berate other tables, slam table ware, slam doors... all the while, there were only maybe 3 tables of people in the restaurant. I felt inclined to tell my server that she is making the entire restaurant so uncomfortable. One table got up and left. I just would hate to see a long time establishment lose focus and potentially lose more because of failings of staff or their management. Off my soapbox now, the crab Rangoon was bomb, but sit in the right section read more

Ordered takeout. The beef didn't taste right and tasted old. Shame on them. Used to be much better.

Best hot and sour soup ever and my favorite waitress of all time. The orange chicken was good but the crab wontons were great

Love this place! On week days they have a special deal called "date night" and it's basically a giant cocktail (a bowl that the light on fire) + two entrees + two soups + rice all for $55! We had tons of leftovers too. Food was also great - got the wonton soup, orange chicken, and kung pao chicken. We went there without a reservation on a weekday and probably waited for like 15min. It was packed but service was pretty good. read more

Mandarin House - Orange Chicken - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

Came here on Christmas Eve and it was packed!! Luckily we were seated right away as we were just a table of 2. They were out of the lo mein unfortunately so we got the chicken with vegetables and the kung pao chicken (our favorite of the two!). The rice was kind of dry but we let it slide since it was such a busy night. It's a big restaurant with plenty of tables and it's nicely decorated. read more

This was the most epic dinner of my week long trip. I sat down and ate dinner with Paulie Shore, Mike binder, bob Wheeler who are all comedians who performed at the Comedy house in La Jolla. The place was a vibe! We ordered and shared food. The walnut chicken was Misty Shore's favorite and it didn't disappoint. We shared wonton soup that was the best I've ever had along with a few other dishes. My contribution to the order was the kung pao shrimp and it didn't disappoint. Started with egg rolls and they were some of the best I've had. Sitting here typing this makes me want them now! Everything I tasted was amazing. This is a must if I return. The service was great. She handled this slightly fickle group with ease. read more

the crispy noodles taste just like the wonton strips used to at the old location!!! THANK YOU :)

The food just isn't very good. Way too expensive for the quality you get. No real flavor. We tried five different things from soup to fried rice to chicken and beef. Nothing stood out. read more

i finally got to try mandarin house after driving by it so many times, and was very impressed! first off, the ambiance of the restaurant was so cozy and beautiful, i love the lanterns inside and it felt upscale but still comfortable. for food, we got the cashew tofu and the orange chicken-- both were DELICIOUS! everything tasted very fresh and the portions were amazing, we definitely had more than enough to take home for lunch the next day. the service was also super quick and friendly. want to come back here soon! read more

My friends and I were in San Diego for the weekend. We were staying close by and could smell the deliciousness wafting out of here all day. We finally decided to get something to eat and when we walked in we didn't realize they were already closing. So we decided to leave and find something else. A very nice young man ran out after us and asked us if we needed to eat. We said "yes" and he said "come on in then". I've never had experience like this before, it was really cool. We all felt instantly welcomed. The food was beyond amazing. We ordered a lot and everything was perfect. They have the absolute best eggrolls I've had in my life. If you're anywhere near San Diego you need to try this place. read more

Pretty basic and old school. We loved the food and the service was great. Pretty large size servings meant to be shared

I like this place. Food was so good and I'll definitely be back. I wish it was closer to Hillcrest.

My friend lives within walking distance from this restaurant, so we decided to check it out one night. They were open for dining in, but there were still tables and decor that was not put up yet. We ordered the wonton soup, noodle soup with tofu, walnut shrimp, salt and pepper chicken, and Yang Zhou fried rice. Everything came out as it was ready and the food was decent. The wings were a little wierd and nothing really stood out, but the service was nice. Our server was friendly and made some good recommendations. read more

See all

My mandarin house review... My evening started with an adult beverage, speaking to me from the menu. Reminding me of an advertisement from years past.... "Be someone" oh yahhhh It was euphoric and it well positioned me for the next stage of the experience... a warm cup of Hot n Sour soup! Yum. My taste buds in utter nirvana. Rising from the cup, I began to observe the atmosphere surrounding me... the authentic vases, Chinese symbolism throughout, and a wide array of affordable dinner delicacies on the menu before me. "Sweet and Sour Pork please..." "but of course..." after sipping on yet another of the extraordinary adult beverages, I was presented with an enormous plate of sweet and sour pork. .. and suddenly confronted with the dueling prospects of both fear and challenge presented right in front of me. Can I tackle this? Chopsticks in hand, I grabbed a nice portion of the dinner. It was time to test this challenge. Put simply, that first bite was amazing. Few words describe fairly what I felt at that moment. Several minutes seem lost as I found myself enjoying one bite after another... after another. ....alas I suddenly realized I had finished it all. Soon thereafter, proceeding yet another beverage to wash down the amazing experience, I was approached by the wonderful waiter with the check. I was not disappointed. For at that moment I realized I got one heck of a deal! As the fortune cookie stated "you have much happiness before you." I agree, for I definitely plan to return. read more

WOW! This place has some seriously delicious food, a surprisingly extensive drink and cocktail menu and great ambiance. The decor/interior is very pretty and not what you might assume from the outside (which is also very cool looking but a very different vibe). The servers were really nice and the food came out fast! We enjoyed sake, the lychee martini, dumplings, wonton soup, beef lo mein, and orange chicken. Everything was great, will be back and would highly recommend! read more

See all

I had Shrimp Kung Pao, and it was delicious. The staff were attentive to everything, and the restaurant was spotless. They have hot chili oil the table, which made it nice to spice it up even more. read more

Mandarin House has reopened after being shut down for a couple of years from a kitchen fire. They are still doing takeout only, but I hear that dine-in service will resume later this year. The parking spaces in front of the building were all dedicated for curbside pickup. I liked how at the top of the menu, there was a description of the color codes representing the taste profile of each of the offerings (i.e. Sweet and Decadent, Crispy and Crunchy, Savory w/ Vegetables). It was the equivalent of a map legend and removed the guessing game of how a dish would be flavored. I ordered only one dish, but it was the most interesting and expensive on that side of the menu. The Upside Down Noodles were twice pan fried lo mein noodles which made the exterior crunchy and the interior soft. Chicken, beef, and shrimp were the proteins to accompany the vegetables and brown sauce. Most sit-down Chinese restaurants have a version of this item. The one served here was okay as the sauce was not overly salty which happens too frequently. read more

See all

Service? What Service? I can't even start with the food cuz i've been waiting for my takeout half hour since it was supposed to be ready. I didn't leave just because it's paid for. I read more

I ordered delivery today from Mandarin House which I have not been to in a while but I always used to love their food. I was quite disappointed with the food that got delivered. These shrimp toast was burned and way too crispy. The egg roll was still as good as I remembered. The big disappointment was the shrimp and lobster sauce. They used to have these really nice big shrimp. Now they're all this little teeny shrimp that don't have a lot of taste. It is so full of water chestnuts and bamboo shoots that it feels like that's the main ingredient. There was nowhere near enough sauce in it and all in all the dish just didn't have much flavor. It was extremely bland and I was very disappointed in it. This was always one of my favorite meals at Mandarin House. I don't think I will order from there again after tonight's experience. read more

This was our first time at Mandarin House and we did Take Out on a Wednesday evening. The lobby was was filled with people waiting to be seated and a handful of those waiting to pick up their orders. The hostess was also a server and bartender. It was a bit crazy and waited 10 minutes just to get my takeout. We got our usually two favorite dishes to compare. Kung Pao Chicken and Fried Rice as well as Chicken Wings. The Kung Pao and Fried Rice were decent. However the Chicken Wings were extremely salty that after a couple bites we set aside. All and all I would say it was okay. I am sadly disappointed because we have been trying to find a great old school Chinese restaurants that we can keep on going to. However, it might be worth trying one more time and dine in! read more

It's really pretty simple. Mandarin House serves the best Chinese food in San Diego. Period. The portions are generous. The service is friendly and fast. The prices are very reasonable. The atmosphere is fabulous. In a world where it seems you can't get dinner without taking out a mortgage and getting lousy service, Mandarin House is a breath of fresh air! Absolutely love this establishment and recommend it 100%. read more

We were visiting the San Diego area from Chicago. We stopped here for lunch, and it was delicious. The homemade egg rolls were excellent. The orange chicken was very good, too. Highly recommend. read more

We've been going to the Mandarin House for 35+ years. The last two visits have been less than satisfying. Both times i ordered the hot and sour soup and the crispy beef - my standard order... The hot and sour recipe seems to have been changed. Not the same crisp taste that has been the hallmark of the restaurant. The crispy beef again something has changed and not as crispy and smart taste I'm use too. It's not bad... I guess just not the consistent taste I look forward to when I go for Chinese. Frankly it might be my tastes have change or something may changed in the kitchen. I'll give it one more try and make the final report. read more

The food was great. The problems started with the bill. First they added an entree we didn't order or receive. They removed the extra entree and presented us with a new bill. So instead of an extra entree they increased the price of everything $2-$3....and they added brown rice which we never ordered. CROOKS!! read more

I've lived here a long time and finally took the advice of my neighbors..."Get take out from MH!!" So on Valentine's Day and several times since we enjoyed the truly delicious dishes created by our local spot. We ask for low salt (No MSG) and everything is really tasty. Service is fast, friendly and super accommodating. I love the bustling noisy dining room with plates and glasses clinking, chatter snd satisfied chatter. It's exactly what a good Chinese restaurant should be. read more

We ate here about two years ago and it was great. Tonight is was absolutely horrible. Lettuce blossom was mushy and no flavor-we did not eat it. Pork Fried rice was wet, soft, sticking together and the pieces of pork were very fatty. Cashew chicken was undercooked and tasted almost raw- it was really bad. Mongolian beef was not very good either - very soft and mushy too. Sweet and sour pork was the best of the orders but had big hunks instead of nicely cut pieces. Not sure what happened to this place but tossed the food out when we got home. Maybe they had a diff cook tonight of maybe just a bad night, but either way, I would never ever go back to this place again. Total waste of $110 read more

Reminded me of my favorite Chinese place that closed down almost 20 years ago. Good food, generous portions, and nice servers.

I ordered takeout so I can't comment on their customer service. I walked in and ordered some salt and pepper wings and egg drop soup. The wings weren't a flat or drum, more like a whole wing. I liked the flavor but I didn't like having to pick at a whole wing. The egg drop soup is a good value at $8 for 32oz and a bag of crispy noodles. But to me it was a little too salty. read more

Service is not good. They don't seem short handed but they are not good at keeping tabs on their tables. We were provided a teapot full of water with no tea bags. The tea was awful. The kung pao was too sweet and salty. Not spicy at all. The sizzling beef was drowning in sauce. The fish fillets were mushy in the salt and pepper fish fillets. read more

Mandarin House - Salt & Pepper Fish Fillets Sizzling Beef Kung Pao 3 Ingredients - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

See all

Food totally Americanized. The steamed wontons with chili sauce were overcooked, gummy, and there was not enough sauce. The kung pao was overky sweet and not spicy in the least. But the broccoli was crunchy! Service was unreliable, although all the employees were friendly. read more

Loved the food quality! Super excited to see a place that makes Mu Shu AND tomato egg, very hard to find an authentic Chinese restaurant that also served those. Very quick service, didn't get to eat inside and see how the place was but the portions were great for takeout price! Ps, make sure you ask for extra utensils and napkins if you are in a place you can't readily access these. They don't automatically stuff them with them. read more

The food was amazing! They have a nice atmosphere, and their own parking lot! Can't wait to go back. read more

I visited this restaurant for the first time this evening and I was not disappointed at all. Clean, friendly & attentive staff. Parking could be an issue but there is enough side street parking to help out. For a Friday night they had continuous walk-ins and a line of to go orders that were just waiting to be picked up. There were three of us in our party. We decided to order individually but share (family style) and I was so happy we did! Everything that we ordered was very delicious, hot, seasoned just right, and the entrée sizes were huge. We had enough to go around for seconds, thirds, and fourths! The place was full but we were seated quickly (5 min wait). I will return!!! read more

Mandarin House - These are the items we ordered. - Chinese Near Me - La Jolla, California

Service was great and the food exceeded expectations. I really appreciated how clearly the menu items were marked as gluten-free--it made ordering so easy, and I felt great afterward. Our family ordered a ton of food, and not a bite was left behind. We'll definitely be returning. read more

We came in around 1pm, they close the kitchen from 2 to 4pm. The place itself is well decorated. They have parking out front and there is also street parking. I ordered the kung pao chicken with fried rice which was really good. When we came in there was a lady that was waiting for takeout, she used to be a regular and lives in Austin now and when she is in San Diego she comes here. I took her suggestion and order kung pao chicken. We also got the hot and sour soup, never tried it and it was not bad. We got the legendary dumplings, they were good. My friend got asparagus chicken and it was good as well. My friend also got the crispy beef which was also good. The do have a full bar, my friend got a Bombay Gibson and he enjoyed it. The service was good. I would come back. read more

See all

Very good food . Wish they had Authentic Chinese Music to add to the ambience. Other than that , its good read more

We've ordered the kung pao chicken, Mongolian beef, chow shan sen, lo mein, and crispy beef. Food is pretty good but service is awful. They really need to focus on improving. read more

This place makes excellent fried rice , I live in LA but when I'm in La Jolla this is a must go to..

Best Kung Pao chicken in SoCal... bar none! My son will scarf down an entire family serving of their orange chicken faster than a jackrabbit on a date! Service is always friendly in a classy atmosphere with a chic 70s vibe. read more