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    Mandarin Wok Restaurant

    3.9 (892 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Diners
    Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Mandarin Wok Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Mandarin Wok Restaurant Photos

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    MANDARIN WOK RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Mandarin Wok Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Alycia A.

    The service was excellent! The food was DELICIOUS!! The restaurant was very clean, nice and quiet. I loved their decorations and how nothing appeared dusty. My family and I will definitely return!

    Lunch special: gluten free sweet and sour chicken and gluten free Egg Rolls
    Stephanie B.

    Today is my birthday and it's also Lunar New Year so I wanted to celebrate at a Chinese restaurant. I'm from out of state and couldn't find a Chinese restaurant with gluten-free options that I liked, so I was disappointed until my husband found this place! They took excellent care of us as we celebrated and my whole meal was gluten free: egg drop soup, rice, egg roll, and sweet and sour chicken! I was so happy because I haven't had Chinese food since I went gluten-free 15 years ago for my health. This food was great and we were both happy with our meals!

    Tung-An Chicken
    Vanessa T.

    This mom and pop shop serves up some super solid Chinese food! I got the Tung-An chicken which comes with a side of rice. The chicken was seasoned and comes with baby corn. It tastes great and the portion is massive so you'll have food to take home. The service was very quick and they were attentive when refilling water. The interior was decorated with care and added to the experience.

    Peking pork in a sweet and sour sauce
    Bobby T.

    If you want no frills Americanize Chinese Food that's super tasty.. this is definitely the spot! Egg Foo Young was perfection. Egggy and tons of delicious bean sprouts. The fried rice was on point. Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings were coated and deep fried! Super crunchy and hot! Love the garlic pieces. Peking pork has a sweet and sour sauce that was delicious. Pan fried noodles had tons of meat and vegetables. The noodles were crunchy and I wasn't too fond of that but the sauce and meat were delicious. They even gave us some free white rice. Super nice of them. The inside is giving Chinatown realness! Artificial flowers in vases, lanterns, a young lady at the very front doing her home work. Chinese Lanterns! This is a place that is family owned and you can tell! They seem to have tons of take out but this place needs people inside. The vibes of this place is giving Shanghai vibes! Very 80's. Green carpets and booths! We will definitely be back.

    Drink menu
    Genie N.

    Kieu (pronounced "Q") was welcoming and friendly as we entered the restaurant, smiling pleasantly and motioning for us to sit down. The restaurant was empty as we walked in, approaching 4:00 pm. Kieu brought us menus and brought us our drinks shortly afterwards. We decided on the specials they had where you order a select entree and it comes with a soup, a few appetizers, white or fried rice and your entree for $20.50 a person. I ordered Buddha's Feast and hubs ordered the shrimp with lobster sauce. The egg drop soup was fresh and hot, delicious! The appetizers were served about 5 minutes after the soup and hubs enjoyed his portions. I opted to wait for my entree as the portions there are generous. My entree was very flavorful, all vegetables cooked so they were still crispy, very fresh, the brown sauce was perfect. Hubs finished all of his entree and said his was quite tasty as well. If you're looking for a good Chinese meal I highly encourage you to come try this place. It's a great family friendly place and service, food is great! Come see for yourself! Say hi to Kieu!!

    Kung Pao Chicken
    Mauresha F.

    My sisters and I ate here last night for lunar new year! I enjoyed the food so much! I knew the food would be good as soon as I walked in because it was like your old school Chinese restaurant feel in there super authentic. I personally don't really care for the super over top aesthetic Chinese restaurants because most times the food isn't good. They're too focused on how cute the restaurant is versus how good the food is. Thankfully that wasn't the case here! The food was delicious and the service was great, the guy who I assume is the owner, he felt like your Chinese uncle or something lol. They were super sweet in there, and the food were a nice large portions and they were fairly priced. Definitely will be back!

    Hanafi M.

    The last time I dined here was five years ago, I have not missed much. Very little English is spoken. I inquired as to this dish and that dish, to describe it to me; totally went over their collective heads, incredible. Lunch special is $11.00 to $12.50. Soup, an Entree, and an egg roll. FAST SERVICE, FRIENDLY STAFF. Decent parking, very clean. I'll return in another five years, maybe.

    Angela D.

    Okay so hear me out. This review is not strictly based on the food. It is based on a lifetime of memories that this restaurant has given me and my family. I am 38 and I cannot remember a time in my life where this wasn't the chosen Chinese restaurant of my family. It is conveniently located in Clairemont. The restaurant is always clean. The food is what I measure all other family style American Chinese. The staff is always lovely. I now live in Florida and when I am in town, this is my go-to for American Chinese. Yes, I know it is not authentic Chinese. Yes, I am perfectly fine for that. If I want dim sum or soup dumplings I know where to go. But when I want a tasty egg roll, my favorite Kung Pao and egg flower soup, this is where I am going. I have searched far and wide for another Kung Pao like theirs and have never found it. I talked to an owner last time I was in and was actually given their secret ingredient since I told him I actually tried to replicate here in Florida. I promised to keep it a secret and I intend to honor that and die with that secret. I will always return here. I hope they never close (although everyone deserves to retire) I just selfishly don't want them to. I love that now we can bring my nephew and bring a fourth generation of our family here. I was so happy my nephew was actually wiling to try the Kung Pao last time and has been addicted to peanuts since. Thank you for my lifetime of memories!!!

    Dinner Special with Mongolian Beef, Fried Rice, Hot and Sour Soup, Shrimp Tempura, Cream Cheese Won Ton, and Egg Roll
    Sydni S.

    I got the dinner special from Mandarin Wok and it was a great deal! It was around $20 for a great amount of food. I got the Mongolian beef with hot and sour soup and fried rice. It also came with an egg roll (my favorite of the three), shrimp tempura, and a cream cheese won ton. The beef was super tender and had great flavor. The fried rice was pretty simple and didn't have much in it, but it was offered for no up charge which I appreciate. I will definitely be back!

    Broccoli Beef
    Bryan B.

    Tucked into a quiet corner of the neighborhood, Mandarin Wok Restaurant is the kind of mom-and-pop gem that reminds you why small, family-run restaurants still matter. I was genuinely impressed by how fast the service was, my order was ready almost instantly! It felt like we called ahead of time! It's rare to see such efficiency without compromising quality. Huge kudos to the team! Prices are fair, portions are generous, and everything feels deeply personal. It's not fancy, but it doesn't need to be. If you're looking for soul-warming Asian cuisine made with love, Mandarin Wok delivers every time. These dish everyone's had before, but here, it's better. The beef is tender, the broccoli perfectly crisp-tender, and the sauce hits that just-right spot between savory and slightly sweet. The warm cream cheese wonton, the shrimp is plump, juicy, and cooked just right--not rubbery or overdone, which is surprisingly hard to find these days. Crispy, salty, spicy, and totally addictive--these Salt and Pepper wings are a must. Skip them? Not a chance!! If you're in San Diego and craving honest, no-frills Asian comfort food, Mandarin Wok is the spot you didn't know you needed in your life.

    Outside

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    4 months ago

    Food was not good. Lemon chicken dry and hard. Beef dinner was very chewy and tough. Decorations were pretty. Beer was not cold.

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    11 months ago

    Love the food and authentic ambience. A favorite of locals in our community. Their portions are ample and delicious

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    Page 1 of 23

    Ask the Community - Mandarin Wok Restaurant

    Do they take reservations?

    When I called a few weeks ago they said I wouldn't need one. But when I got there, they only had half the seating open. Was very crowded, not worth it to eat off of paper plates from food out of cartons.

    Are there gluten free options?

    Give them a call I'm sure they whip up something that would suit your needs

    What options are gluten free?

    My daughter has celiac and Joanne (the owner) is very knowledgeable about gluten. She can prepare many dishes without flour and soy sauce. Ask her for suggestions. Our favs are the shrimp in white sauce with veggies, and sweet and sour chicken with… Read more

    Does their food have MSG?

    Yes it does

    Is this place good for groups of 20+?

    Yes

    How is the chowmein?

    Idk but lo mein really good

    View All 7 Questions

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    Shan Xi Magic Kitchen

    Shan Xi Magic Kitchen

    4.2
    (2.3k reviews)
    2.6 mi
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    Located in the same Convoy plaza as Yun Tea House, the parking here is absolutely horrible, and we…read morehad to wait about 10 minutes to be seated--but the food easily earns 5 stars! They have a super easy online ordering system right at the table which makes things convenient. We ordered the spicy lamb biang biang noodles and the non-spicy beef pulled noodles, and both had the perfect chew and incredible flavor. We also ordered the garlic green beans, but they came out so late that we were already completely full from the noodles, so we took them to go. Thank god we did, because they turned out to be pretty salty on their own and really needed to be paired with white rice at home. Overall, an amazing spot for authentic noodles! Absolutely love this place and will be back.

    We came right before the dinner rush and I can definitely see why this place got packed so quickly…read more It isn't huge inside but there is ample seating, we were sat right away and the menu was fully online. Something I didn't love though, you order and pay through the online menu. Considering you leave a tip I don't fully understand how it works when we did this whole process ourselves. I also noticed other tables getting plates and bowls which we had to ask for. Overall, I felt the servers weren't too friendly either and seemed to rush through our table despite them standing around not seeming too busy. The food was excellent though! The soup had a great spice to it and super flavorful. The beef and onion was so juicy and addictive, the green beans were good too and had a slight kick to them.

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    Inside
    Inside
    93. Lamb Skewers
    93. Lamb Skewers
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    Fortunate Son

    Fortunate Son

    3.8
    (1.5k reviews)
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    Slightly better but doubly expensive Panda Express, just with an amazing ambiance…read more Food: 3/5 The star of the show was the Honey Walnut Shrimp. The shrimp were huge, and the caramelized walnuts were broken up and sprinkled all over so you could taste it in every bite. The portions were alright--three dishes were enough for two people. The Orange Chicken felt like there was more dough than chicken. I wouldn't say the food blew my mind; it's just a step up from Panda Express, honestly. Service: 3.5/5 Our server was nice! The waitstaff made themselves available if you needed anything while dining. We made a reservation online and indicated it was for a special occasion, but nothing special was done. We didn't expect anything, really, but it doesn't make too much sense to have the option to mark our dinner as a special event on the reservation website. Atmosphere: 4.5/5 It was warm and dimly lit, which made the dinner feel very romantic. We really had dinner by candlelight. The music was a bit loud where we sat--the speaker was right above us. I would recommend this place for a (first) date night, an older family meal, or a place to hang out with friends. Final rating: 3.67/5 (rounding up to 4 on Yelp)

    Come for the ambiance but nothing really else! My friend…read morefrom out of town was craving Asian food so I made a Thursday reservation for this spot since I've been wanting to go also! We got there around 7 and it wasn't busy. I found street parking easily a couple blocks away. The restaurant is pretty small, I'd recommend at most a party of 4 here. Well decorated as all of their establishments are. You order family style. We ordered the cucumber salad, noodles, and honey walnut shrimp. Service was alright. The food was really really salty. But aside from that, good portions! Definitely enough for 3 people and then some. Bill came out to $55 which is a bit more than other Chinese food places you can visit in SD for lower quality. I'd visit again but nothing to write home about.

    Photos
    Instagram: @hungrytamale
    Instagram: @hungrytamale
    General Tso Cauliflower! Crispy, mildly spicy zing, tender but with some crunch - well sauced and prepared! Definitely a nice option!
    General Tso Cauliflower! Crispy, mildly spicy zing, tender but with some crunch - well sauced and prepared! Definitely a nice option!
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    Wei Wei Asian Express - San Diego

    Wei Wei Asian Express - San Diego

    4.4
    (1.3k reviews)
    9.2 mi
    $$

    TL;DR It's really good. Go here…read more -------------- I came here after a friend recommended it when I told them I was coming down to San Diego for a day trip during my spring break from school in Orange County. I was born and raised in LA, so I've had a lot of Chinese food growing up, and I wasn't expecting to be this surprised--but I really was. I ordered the black bean eggplant and the salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings are what they're known for, but I have to start with the eggplant because it completely caught me off guard. It wasn't mushy at all--crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside, and coated in sauce without losing its texture. Every bite had depth and balance, not just saltiness. I actually meant to start with the wings, but the eggplant was so good I ended up eating half of it before even getting to them. By that point I was already getting full, but I still made sure to finish the wings--and I'm honestly excited to take the rest of the eggplant home as leftovers. By the time I got to the wings, I understood why they're popular--crispy, flavorful, and super satisfying--but what stood out to me was how both dishes complemented each other. One rich and layered, the other crisp and bright. I never got tired of eating, which honestly says a lot. I even told the staff how much I enjoyed the food and they thought I was joking, but I meant every word in saying I thought it was comparable, if not better then the food I've had in Chinatown in LA. Really glad I came here and the next time I have a chance to come back down to SD I definitely will come back here and that's not negotiable for me

    Stay away from this place, seriously do NOT believe the positive reviews. We ordered on a…read morerecommendation from other people and some goofball online. Well, let me tell you. This place is NOT worth the high rating it has. We ordered the Fried Green Beans, they were cooked in oil that was obviously not to temperature. Too greasy for consumption. To make it worse? They were drowned in salt! The Crispy Beef was nothing but thick dough with no beef inside. To add insult to injury it was BURNED so badly that all you could smell was burnt dough and taste burned dough. Hardly any sauce on it as well. The Shrimp Fried Rice should have just been plain white rice for how bland it was. The Vegetable Chow Mein literally was just a container of salt. Slim noodles and salt, disgusting! We spent so much money and all of this is going right into the garbage. Stay away from this hole! It should be shut down for trying to poison people. Feels like I am going to go blind from the amount of salt I ingested from only a few bites. Gross!!

    Photos
    Wei Wei Asian Express - San Diego
    Chicken Chow Fun
    Chicken Chow Fun
    Salt and pepper chicken wings

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    Salt and pepper chicken wings
    Taste of Hong Kong

    Taste of Hong Kong

    3.8
    (382 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    for only $19.99 AYCE, they have sooo many hong kong style dishes to choose from -- dim sum,…read morenoodles, roasted meats, seafood, desserts, and more everything came out hot, flavorful, and perfect for sharing with family & friends definitely one of the best budget eats in convoy if you're craving authentic cantonese comfort food!!

    The $19.99 AYCE on social media is deceiving…read more I took my mom here so we could try this new AYCE option this place was offering based on social media influencers. It was empty coming in around 5:30pm on a Friday, but it soon filled to capacity in the next hour. So coming into it, we thought we would choose between Menu A and Menu B. Afterwards, we thought it was AYCE on the menu of your choice + the side buffet where there are limited selections of sides and refrigerated drinks. We ordered orange chicken, Chinese style fish and something else. Again, this was on the thought that we could order more than one item on our selected menu. So imagine our surprise when the bill was nearly $100 for two people? It was a misunderstanding. However, the initial staff gentlemen was completely rude about it and ignored us as we sought to understand. Finally, a second female server came and heard our concerns regarding the false advertisement and unclear messaging. She was able to provide us the price we thought this was for based on Menu selection. All in all - I don't recommend the AYCE option. I think it would be important to make a distinction that AYCE clearly on the menu and at the front - AYCE means each individual selects ONE entree (which is a one small portion) and the AYCE component of the deal is ONLY for the side buffet.

    Photos
    Delivery Menu Page 2 as of 11/07/22
    Delivery Menu Page 2 as of 11/07/22
    Delivery Menu Page 1 as of 11/07/22
    Delivery Menu Page 1 as of 11/07/22
    Taste of Hong Kong

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    Mandarin Wok Restaurant - chinese - Updated June 2026

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