Royal Mandarin in National City never disappoints when it comes to their famous salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings were crispy, flavorful, and easily the highlight of the meal. I don't make it to this area often, but when I'm craving great wings, this spot is always worth the trip. We also ordered the noodles with shrimp, but they were a bit disappointing. There were only about four shrimp in the entire dish, and since we split it, I ended up with just two. I was definitely hoping for more of a shrimp fix. If you're coming here, my recommendation is simple: stick with the salt and pepper chicken wings. read more

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Came to try the viral salt and pepper chicken wings. Came for lunch and got the egg drop soup and it was yummy. Got the bbq pork and it came with rice and a spring roll and I chicken wing. The rice was okay. The bbq pork was so good. The chicken wing is a good wing but nothing really special. The orange chicken wasn't good. Maybe it was over cooked. read more

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Our nephew was in town and last time, we ate here in person and I meant to post a review. This place was a must-visit on his next trip so we made time this weekend. We got the Salt & Pepper chicken and the Orange Chicken. Our group loved both! We ordered it to-go and it didn't take too long. The food is always better fresh in the store since the to-go containers can make the food soggy. Both meals were seasoned perfectly and the only portion side is fairly large so we had left overs to take to our other family. Please note: photos of to-go containers aren't as appetizing but the food was better than the pics show read more

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I came here with some east coasters after this being recommended. People said it was similar to NY Chinese food, which it's not haha but it was still good. I got the Mongolian beef which was really good. For the same price pretty much you can get it with two chicken wings, an egg roll and some rice. It was definitely enough food with some for leftovers. The waitress was nice but not very attentive. There's plenty of parking outside. The inside has plenty of seating. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Mongolian Beef - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

my go to for salt n pepper fried goodness. Ive been eating here since childhood! my family favorites are definitely the salt n pepper shrimp and chicken wings with extra green onion and it is a must to order some of the wonton chips and shrimp fried rice. and their beef n broccoli is an honorable mention as well. this is one of my favorite asian restuarants, especially the salt n pepper chicken n shrimp :) read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

Heckin' HUGE portions! My friend recommended this place to me and oh my! They did not miss at all. I've eaten lots of Chinese food, more times than I can count, and it was above average than most others. The combos menu is quite large and offered a good chunk of food for the price. Would hiiiighly recommend the egg drop soup for sure! Super savory, even comes with fresh hot wonton chips to dip in. I got the orange chicken combo platter. Comes with a huge bowl of egg fried rice, 2 pcs of salt&pepp wings, and an eggroll! The combo platter was practically 2 servings. Wings were seasoned perfectly, orange chicken was super crispy and had the right amt of tang, and the fried rice practically made the meal! Orders were taken swiftly, food came out hot and fresh, and my party got their food at the same time. My friend literally scarfed down his platter in under 10 minutes, that's how good it was!! Was moderately busy and had plenty of seating inside. Service was nice and friendly as well. Def recommend this if you're ever in the area. read more

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These are definitely the best salt and pepper wings we've had so far. Better than Golden Chopsticks. We liked that the batter is lighter but still crispy. The seasoning is a bit different, less peppers and less chunky, more like just seasoning straight on the wings. It was super flavorful, perfectly fried, and so delicious. We called for a pick up order and it was ready in 10 minutes. They have the ordering and pick up system down. Super efficient, tons of orders. We were in and out and enjoyed them freshly fried in the car. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salted Pepper Wings - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

Best salt and pepper chicken I've ever had. We always eat here whenever we are in San Diego. The lunch special for the chicken is of great value and the service is always fast when it comes to the chicken. The seating is great for big families. read more

Very rude and unprofessional I drove all the way from Del Mar excited to try this place for the first time got to the location , I asked two different employees for service /help & they where just rude answering with well what do you want with attitude very unprofessional and unpleasant read more

By far some of the crispiest, crunchiest wings I've had in San Diego - WOW BEST WINGS 5 STARS If you're into fried chicken wings, this spot is a must. The salt and pepper wings are straight up amazing super crispy on the outside, juicy inside, full of flavor. I also grabbed the Buddha Delight great add on , nice balance with the wings. Service was fast, no waiting around, and there's plenty of parking which is always a plus. I even managed to take a pic this time before I ate everything overall easy five stars, no complaints at all best chicken wings I've ever had in San Diego county -clean location -friendly staff #ChineseFood #AsianEats #FoodieFinds #ChickenWings #FriedChicken #WingLovers read more

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This is the second location for family party food pickup. We pulled up and struggled with parking for pickups, as usual. After locating parking (took about 7 mins which is good here), we went inside to pay and pickup our 100 Salted Pepper Wings Tray (L fully full Tray size). After paying, we waited 5 more minutes and the freshly prepared salted pepper wings came out and were ready. This place also offers dine-in food. I also like the Canton Bakery next door. This visit I noticed a new Boba/Tea spot as well. I will have to try that drink place out soon. Great salted pepper wings catering option for family/work/large events. read more

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One of the not so secret , secret, places in National city to get the best salt and pepper chicken wings. Ever since I was a kid, this has been the go-to spot for Chinese chicken wings. So popular that, it's always known to be a staple at parties with their party trays. TBH. It's been a while since I went to eat here in the restaurant, but I know everything in this menu is delicious. Don't forget to come during weekdays, to catch their lunch menu. Recommendations Salt and pepper chicken wings House noodles Honey, walnut shrimp read more

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速戰速決吃出飽的地方 店員會說中文 不會太鹹也不油膩 椒鹽雞翅真的好吃 I came here to try their famous salted pepper chicken and it was very delicious. I even think this could be my favorite fried chicken in sd, compared to all the brand korean fried chicken I'm used to as a Korean. It was served super quick, but was freshly fried hot, soft juicy fried chicken. We tried their orange chicken too but it was okay. Honestly would revisit later only for their chicken and white rice. read more

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The only bad thing is size and portion too much We couldn't finish but every dishes it's very enjoyable read more

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Amazing service. I swear my server read my mind when she suggested that the hot and sour soup with pork. I'd like to think I know this kind of soup, and this is the best I have had. Always had the wings when someone brought them to the party. Oh yea they are worth coming to RM. I heard it gets busy and the take out line is very efficient. I got my food within 10 minutes wow! Mongolian beef- thin sliced marinated and wonderful. And I love it so much I got salt and pepper chicken nuggets for lunch tomorrow. Definitely try it out! read more

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Visited on a Thursday night and it was so busy. The inside is loud because it's so busy. Luckily I was seated immediately but then the fun began because I was flagging down the staff to order and it took about 10 mins no one came to you I legit had to flag them down. Staff was very kind though and apologized for the wait. I ordered a large egg drop soup, garlic green beans, salt and pepper chicken, salt and pepper squid (calamari), mixed soft big noodles with beef, and a cup of fried rice. All of the food came out very fast and hot and fresh. The portion size was great for sharing. My favorites were the chicken and green beans both crispy and delicious. Everything else was just standard didn't blow my mind. I would have like the squid more but the batter was falling off and it wasn't crispy it was kind of soggy it needed better batter. read more

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Royal Mandarin 14 years later and still a San Diego Chinese-American food staple. Today's visit was with my two sons, and even after more than two dozen visits since my last review, this place remains a go-to for me, my family, and frankly half the West Coast Third Fleet when it comes to their Crack Chicken (official also known as the spicy garlic fried chicken). We went with the $60 dinner menu special and were very pleased all around. The chow mein noodles had a distinct, memorable flavor. The fried rice was on point not dry, not stale, clearly made with fresh rice. And the orange chicken, which I'm usually not a fan of anywhere, actually hit perfectly today. We also tried the spicy garlic fries as an appetizer along with the egg drop soup. My only complaint? Those fries were so damn good I can't believe I've never ordered them before. They're always busy, but we've never had to wait long for a table. Service is excellent, the dining room is clean, the bathroom is clean, and while parking can be a bit of a challenge during lunchtime, it's absolutely worth it. Vibe here is always welcoming and be ready to eat! Highly recommend every single time. read more

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My husband and I came here for a late lunch. He had heard that the salt and pepper wings were the best, so we had to order that for sure. In addition to our wings order we ordered veggie rolls, shrimp fried rice, and a beef noodle dish. The salt pepper chicken wings were delicious! I can see why everyone raves about it. It had yummy green onion/scallion with pepper flakes toppings. The shrimp fried rice was good but just needed a little salt to really bring out the flavors of the dish. It's better to be under salted than overly salty. Plenty of good sized shrimp topped the rice platter and throughout the rice. The noodle dish was tasty, the meat was very tender. The color of the noodles gave an indication that it was going to be flavorful. My drink with this great lunch was Thai Tea with Boba. That drink was exactly how I like my That Tea. Our server was the best. She wore a mask over her mouth, but you can tell not only by her voice that she was friendly, but because she smiled with her eyes. There is only indoor seating. Plenty of tables and booth options but I could see them fill up quickly. It was filled when we arrived and as we were eating the lunch crowd was slowly made their way out. The room is will lit by the natural lighting that enters the room thru the large windows. The booths were comfortable. Nothing about the decor felt inviting or warm, but the food made up for that. Come for the food! I hope to save room for dessert next time. read more

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Second restaurant of finding the best salt and pepper chicken wings in San Diego! Royal Mandarin is one of the most recommended places for their salt and pepper wings so you know I had to give it a try! Royal Mandarin is located in National City. I went on a Sunday night and the restaurant itself was busy and it did take some time to find parking. I also wasn't able to call my order advance of time, I tried calling over 5 times but luckily it took about 5 minutes to get my order. It was very crowded, which shows me this place is a favorite of the locals. I ordered the salt and pepper wings combination plate that came with an eggroll, fried rice and 9 pieces of chicken wings. Compared to another restaurant I thought the fried rice was better. For the wings itself, I personally thought it was a bit too salty for my taste. The breading on the wings was more simple but I thought it was juicy on the inside. Personally I probably wouldn't consider this the "best" salt and pepper wings in San Diego (6.5/10) and I probably wont come back just for the things, I am open to try the other dishes they have here! read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Combination Plate with Salted and Pepper Chicken Wings - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

The food is good, but the service is not. I was accused by the manager of trying to pass a fake 100.00. I have been a customer for almost 30 years and to try accuse me of this is ridiculous. The manager said he tested the money by wetting it and tugging on it and it tore. This happened on Saturday Sept 5, 2026. They called the police, the idiot admitted to the police that he did not put the money thru the machine that checks for counterfeit money and nor did he use the pin. I gave the police another bill and this time he put it through the machine and proclaimed, this one is good. I was given back the torn bill and told that I was not welcomed backed into the restaurant, I'm cool with that! I normally do takeout any, but I had a couple of family members in town and wanted them to have some good Chinese food. I went live on fb and the family and friends that know my character are outraged at this accusation. Tuesday, Sept 8, 2026 I went to BofA with the torn "fake money " I explained everything to the teller, he checked the bill and said it is fine, just torn. He replaced it with a new 100.00 bill. I asked for something in writing to take to the restaurant to prove they falsely accused me of doing something illegal, but they don't provide any written proof only if it been fake, the bank would have issued a letter to me. I honestly believe the manager was trying to humiliate me and I think he thought I would get upset and start yelling, but I didn't. I worked in retail for 35 yrs, retired 2yrs ago from one of the military bases. I have had years of customer service training. I would never accuse someone without proof. I will never recommend this place to anyone because of this. I will refer them to GOLDEN CHOPSTICKS. read more

No need to review. We already know they have the best salt and pepper chicken wings... aka crack chicken. The Egg Foo Young was delicious as well. The amount they give you is enough for a few people. It was crowded on a Saturday night but service was quick! read more

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The wings are a solid 10/10. Super crunchy, perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of salt, and packed with flavor. They really live up to the hype. Customer Service: 2/5 The food is amazing, but the service could definitely be better. A little more friendliness and attention would go a long way. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salted Pepper chicken wings - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

Good: their salt and pepper wings and fish are delicious! Meh: egg foo yung is 90% egg and bean sprouts, chow mein is okay, honey walnut shrimp is decent. Bad: you can order 7 entries at 150.00 and they don't include steamed rice I even called back to confirm and the woman that answered the phone confirmed "it's all separate". Thats disappointing. read more

Why do I need to review Royal Mandarin? I feel like they are the OG for salt & pepper chicken wings. It lives up to the hype. Mom & pop restaurant. It gets crazy busy. They are great with phone orders. Super easy and fast if you ever need to cater a party. read more

Visited on a Friday evening for dinner. The place was busy with lots of large parties. Royal Mandarin is definitely kid friendly and on the louder side. We ordered one of their combos which comes with beef and broccoli, fried rice, chow mein noodles and salt and pepper wings. Everything was just ok. The beef and broccoli was more broccoli than meat, the fried rice lacked flavor and the chow mein was just ok. The salt and pepper wings definitely saved the day! They were delicious. The service was great! read more

Salt and pepper chicken wings forever. My friend and her family has been coming here for years, yet I was only recently introduced. I could take down a plate of wings here, they're so freaking delicious as everyone well knows. We got one of the dinners to share which was a reasonable price considering the portions are substantial and we had leftovers to take home. Ours had fried rice, noodles with shrimp, chicken, AND beef, beef and broccoli, and those chicken wings. Everything was yummy and served to us quickly. Don't be deterred by the line out the front door like I was; most of those people are waiting to pick up their food. The seating and decor is simple, the parking lot not too shabby (go to the back), and I will be back, if for nothing else but the wings. read more

Five stars for the salted peppered chicken wings. Period . Nothing else really matters. It's the main reason to come here and if that's all you get, you won't be disappointed I came here for lunch recently and ordered off the lunch special menu. My entrée came with a wing just for fun. I decided to order the boneless salted pepper chicken nuggets appetizer. Also I generally like boneless chicken so I thought it would be superior to the wings I was wrong . The wings are still the best thing in the world. Everything else taste delicious here the service is friendly and efficient. The space is clean and open. Portions are large and you will have leftovers Looking forward to my next visit. I might just order a tray of wings. read more

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It has been 8 years since I've been back. And sadly I think it's the last time. Salt and pepper wings which was the best of the city lost its flavor, it's all salt and no pepper. They were crispy and had plenty of flats (my fav), but none of that special seasoning that made Royal Mandarin the go to place for wings. Their special wide noodles is just grease and dark soy sauce. Their noodles were short. Their lunch special orange chicken was missing citrus and chicken, it was as mostly sugary breading. If you like Thanksgiving stuffing, try the egg rolls that come with the combination platter. Service was good. Does anyone know if they've hired new chefs or changed ownerships in the last decade? This is not the royal mandarin I remember. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Meh - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

I come here for only one thing, and that's the salt and pepper wings! I've never tried anything else off the menu so if you come and try anything else, that was your choice lol... Royal Mandarin is a Restaurant that runs like a factory- 3 or 4 cashiers lined up taking your order, they give you a number and wait for your number to be called outside. You can also call in your order, Wings are very good, can't find anything close to them in Los Angeles so get enough to have for later. They air fry well but 90% of the time, they never make it home! read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

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Meh. The wings were great as always but that was about it. For $100 everything else tasked like a dirty wok. Disappointment for sure. read more

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Our families go to! The calamari is the best, ask for side of vinegar. The hot tea is so good. Never disappointed when I come!

The place the was very busy when we walked in however we got seated right away and drink orders taken with in minutes! Shortly after the server arrived and we placed our order. We order the salt and pepper wings combination plate and orange chicken (not pictured). The food came out very quickly and it was easy to flag someone down when we needed additional drinks and lemons. Overall, the food was very flavorful the orange chicken and salt and pepper wings had a great flavor and a nice texture. We probably would not order the salt and pepper wings with the combination plate again because we felt like the fried rice could've been better and was fairly cold plus the egg roll was not great. Excited to go back and try more from this expensive menu. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salted Pepper White Meat Chicken* - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

Everyone in SD knows this is the OG spot. Famous for their CRISPY salt and pepper wings. They hit every single time. We always get two orders of that, chow mein, and some fried rice. This time we ordered French fries for my 3 year old and even those were good too! Fast service and reliable. Always coming back to this gem. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salt and Salted Pepper White Meat Chicken* - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

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Very crispy wings and their Thai Tea is really good! I really enjoy coming here and their service is very nice.

Everybody goes to Royal Mandarin for one thing, and that's the salt and pepper chicken. As expected, they did not disappoint. The chicken was crispy, fried to perfection, and a solid 10 out of 10. The service is always quick, which is one thing you can consistently count on at Royal Mandarin. The prices are also reasonable, so no complaints there. Unfortunately, everything else was a letdown. The rice tasted old. I don't know if it's being reused or sitting out too long, but it definitely did not taste fresh. The lumpia were ridiculously small. I wouldn't even say they were the size of my pinky. They were probably smaller than that. I've never had lumpia that looked more like a toothpick or a straw, and there was barely anything inside. The egg roll that came with the lunch special wasn't much better. The inside was mushy and soggy, almost like it had been frozen and then reheated. I actually had a similar experience the last time I came home. Some of the food just tasted old. While I thoroughly enjoyed the salt and pepper chicken, everything else on the plate was disappointing and not worth ordering again. If you're coming here, stick to the salt and pepper chicken. That's still the star of the show. read more

Royal Mandarin has been a household name in my family for as long as they've been open. From eating from dinner combos, a quick bite to eat for lunch, or even catering parties for the hundreds, Royal Mandarin always has me covered. I did note, in recent years prices have gone up, not substantially, but I believe it has do do with rising food costs all around. A few of my favorites: - Salted Pepper Chicken Wings (A staple for most parties in San Diego and the best in the county IMO) - Salted Pepper Calamari (Same thing but in squid form - my preferred choice) - Mongolian Beef (Wok fried beef with onions) Don't know what to choose from a la carte? Choose a dinner combo according to the amount of people you are feeding. Trust me. Party you need catered that won't break the wallet? Order from their selection of tray sizes. read more

if I can give this place 1000 stars I would. i've been coming to Royal Mandarin since I was a newborn baby. (I'm 20) . The salt and pepper chicken is to die for, and the sweet sour sauce is soooo delicious I wish I could buy it in store. THE FRIED RICE (combination rice) IS SO FLAVORFUL. I will always come to royal mandarin every single time i'm craving them. The service here is so amazing, every time I've came here I haven't had to wait. I do miss seeing Helen around. I hope she's doing well. read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salted Pepper French Fries* Salted pepper chicken wings Combination Fried rice - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

The food and service is here great! The worker could use some sharpening in regards to her customer service skill but she keeps the line moving and the food coming! Felt sorta like COVID precautions were still sort of in practice here as to-go orders had to be waited for outside. Beyond that, 5 minute wait for 40 pieces of the amazing Salt and Pepper chicken wings during a busy dinner service is unbeatable! Really, I expected to wait 20 minutes or longer. The parking even around this time was not difficult. I will definitely be returning! read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Delicious chicken! Hard to not eat it all on the way home! - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

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Food was good. The chicken was excellent and the vegetarian options were tasty. You should have gotten two servings of the egg fried rice because it was really good. read more

A solid place to fulfill your cravings! We ordered their house thin noodles which come with beef, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables and their salt and pepper shrimp without the shell. The service is quick and efficient, a no frills kinda place. The food came out within 10-15 minutes and was piping hot and fresh. The noodles had a nice char wok flavor with a nice al dente bite. I asked for their house chili oil on the side to spice it up! The shrimp was crispy and crunchy but I do wish it had a little more flavor. It had a nice garlic umami flavor to it, but more subtle. They have free parking and a lot of people order trays of their popular salt and pepper chicken wings here! read more

Royal Mandarin Restaurant - Salt and pepper shrimp without shell - Chinese Near Me - National City, California

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