Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sichuan Impression

    4.3 (1.5k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Waitlist - Sichuan Impression

    Waitlist closed

    The restaurant is not taking waitlist parties right now

    Order Sichuan Impression Takeout or Delivery

    Sichuan Impression Photos

    SICHUAN IMPRESSION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

    More like Sichuan Impression

    Recommended Reviews - Sichuan Impression

    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

    Janine K.

    The mapo tofu here is seriously top tier and my fave! It's rich, flavorful, and perfectly numbing with that signature Sichuan spice especially with a bowl of rice! We also loved the Impressive Cold Noodles which were really addicting. We ordered the mild version and it was the perfect balance to complement the stronger, numbing flavors from the other dishes. It still had plenty of flavor without being overwhelming. One dish that kinda threw me off was the Couple's Sliced Beef. Since it's served cold, the texture of the beef felt a bit firmer and hard, and less tender than I personally prefer or expected. Overall, this is a place I can see myself coming back to multiple times a year. The flavors are bold and numbing (how it should be), the portions are generous for the price, and the whole meal just feels warm, satisfying, and comforting! This spot does get busy so make sure to check in on the waitlist ahead of time!

    Shannon Z.

    Came in a weekday evening for dinner - there was a good amount of customers but no wait. Ordering is easy and through an app, food comes quickly. Our favorite dish was the cold chicken with chili sauce - it was so flavorful and not as spicy as it looks! Chicken was so moist as well. Also really enjoyed the fish in chili sauce - the fish was so tender and melt in your mouth. Spicy wontons were yummy too. Overall ambiance is casual and parking is very easy.

    酸菜鱼Fish fillet with Pickled Vegetable Soup
    Christine B.

    This place is so good! This was my second visit, and it definitely didn't disappoint. We came for dinner on a Saturday, put our names on the waitlist, and ended up waiting about 20 minutes. We ordered the mapo tofu (my personal favorite), fish fillet with pickled vegetable soup, stir-fried chili chicken, and dry-fried string beans. We went with a mild spice level, which was perfect for us, but if you're more sensitive to spice I'd recommend going one level lower. Overall, it's a solid spot for Sichuan food, and I would definitely come back.

    ting h.

    After late-night swim practice, the kids specifically asked for Jincheng, so we headed straight to the Tustin location. Turns out they're running a promotion right now -- talk about perfect timing They're offering a 5 full-size signature dish combo for just $78, plus three add-on dishes you can choose from. Promotion runs from 1/23-2/6 (only 15 days -- miss it and you'll have to wait another half year!) Their Sichuan food is very authentic -- no surprise since they've been Michelin-recommended for seven consecutive years. That said, it's not just spicy food here. They also have plenty of non-spicy, kid-friendly options, which makes it great for families. If you're planning a meal with family or friends, now's the time -- grab a table while the deal lasts! Don't wait until it's over and regret it later. Bonus: you can also get a free taro & sweet potato ball dessert

    Filet 酸菜鱼Fish fillet with Pickled Vegetable Soup
    Doris J.

    In a nutshell.. we went here looking for peppercorns and medicinal spice.. did we get it? No.. sadly everything was not as spicy and sichuan as we hoped it to be. The service was your typical Asian restaurant where they don't really look at you I. The eye and you can self order.. we did ask for a bowl of rice with a human waiter and they brought it immediately. This restaurant was in a plaza and we were able to get a bottle of water in the bodega within the same plaza. I give this place a 3.5 stars.

    Lamb on Toothpicks, Kong Pao Chicken
    Lani K.

    Solid Sichuan cuisine with some of the best numbing peppercorn dishes around--it keeps me coming back again and again! Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. My personal favorites are the cauliflower stir-fry, mapo tofu, and kung pao chicken. I'm not from Sichuan, but I've visited a couple of times, and let's just say when I taste authentic food, I know it.

    Jared K.

    Oooooo I love this place! Sechuan Impression is delicious packing with great flavor and quality. I ordered 5 dishes, that being the Cucumber, cold noodle, stir-fried chicken, fish soup, and the taro rice dessert. The dishes are so flavorful and are definitely made to be shared family style. With these dishes, we even had leftovers to take home! The cold cucumber appetizer is a lightly pickled and salted cucumber that blends well if you wanted a pallet cleanser or just a refreshing bite. It has a slight bit of heat from the chili peppers which is also a great touch. The cold noodle was soo yum and was a surprise to me. I ordered it since it was a popular dish on YELP and I would say order it and let it speak for itself! The stir-fried chicken and soup were a great combination as you can double up on protein! The stir fried chicken has a perfect blend of seasoning and flavors and is most similar to better flavored/seasoned popcorn chicken in my opinion. The fish soup was also awesome and comes in a spicy or non-spicy flavor. For dessert, the taro rice is a simple, yet tasty dessert. The best comparison I could make is like an arroz con leche, but less rice and milk. Still a great refreshing dessert to end the meal! Overall, the experience was great! The staff was nice and quick to service, even helping us pack our leftovers! I will say if you come in the evening try to get yourself on the Yelp waitlist ahead of time so you get seated ahead of time !

    Intestine Noodle of Shuangliu ($12.99) takeout. 12/13/2025
    Sandra L.

    It's hard for me to stray from my usual Sichuan spot, but Sichuan Impression offers some unique dishes that made m want to try, and I'm so glad I did. Here's what I ordered for takeout: Boiled Fish with Rattan Pepper ($23.99), Tea Smoked Pork Rib ($27.99), A-Choy Taiwanese Lettuce with Garlic ($13.99), Tender Bamboo Shoots in Chili Sauce ($9.99), Mini Lamb Skewer ($22.99), and Intestine Noodle of Shuangliu ($12.99). Every dish was flavorful and delicious. The Tea Smoked Pork Rib was a bit pricey for what it is, but it was still tasty and I'm glad I tried it. Everything was packed very well, and ordering over the phone saves you some money compared to ordering online through their website. When I arrived, the people who helped me with my order were friendly and efficient. Overall, the prices here are comparable to or slightly less than my usual Sichuan place. There are definitely things this place does very well, and they offer unique dishes that I'd come back for. I do wish they used lived or fresh fish for the Boiled Fish with Rattan Pepper, but for the price, it's still pretty good even with frozen fish fillet.

    plum juice
    Willis N.

    Some of the BEST Szechuan food I ever tasted. Restaurant looked liked any casual Chinese dining spot. Service was very quick and standard. The flavors of the food were very bold. My favorite highlights were the chicken with green Szechuan sauce and the street fries in mala seasoning. Everything was ordered in mild but did not sacrifice the mouth numbing aspect one bit. My friends and I had a silly moment trying the plum juice and with a 100% consensus found that it tasted like Carl's Jr bbq sauce lol Cant wait to come back try the other items

    Kung pao chicken
    Melissa O.

    Came in on my own for dinner while in town for a work trip. This is right in my old neighborhood but was not here when I lived here. I wish it had been! Best kung pao I've ever had. This is kung pao done right. I ate the whole plate in one sitting because I just couldn't stop myself. Service was fine. I didn't need it to be more than what it was. And prices are fair. The place is packed and popular. Even as a party of 1 on a Sunday night, I had to wait 30 minutes, so keep that in mind. But I will definitely come back next trip to try the mapo tofu.

    Mini Lamb Skewer
    Jimmy L.

    I'm still sweating just thinking about my experiences here! My tolerance for spicy is not the greatest, but every time Sichuan Impression has one of their special set menus (which seems to happen at least 2 or 3 times a years), I have to pay a visit. Most recently, in celebration of their 11 year anniversary, they ran a $78 combo (that serves 4-6 people) that allowed you to pick 5 courses. And the best things is that some of these selections include some of their most popular dishes. My absolute faves include: Boiled Fish with Rattan Pepper Stir-Fried Chili Chicken (although I wish their set menu includes the intestine version in addition to the chicken) Mini Lamb Skewer Tender Bamboo Shoots in Chili Sauce For the amount of food you get, it ends up not being a bad deal, especially splits amongst 4+ people. If you're into sichuan food, you can't really go wrong with any of the selections here. But if you're like me and start sweating the moment that first peppercorn hits your mouth, be sure to ask for extra napkins at the beginning!

    Calvin G.

    Came here with friends for Chinese new years. The food was amazing and the service was fast. The food was decent spiciness and I liked the tang each food gave.

    Becky C.

    One of my fave sichuan places! I crave the lamb skewers and picked fish soup at least once month so bad. The service is super quick here too. I came here on a Friday got sat right away and scanned the menu and sent in our order and the food was out within minutes. I really wish there was a way to get a smaller serving dish combo that is like the fish, the lamb and the rice as a special lunch menu because sometimes the servings are so big I get so much left overs to take home. Anyways I always appreciate the consistency of food throughout all locations.

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 3
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Trent V.
    379
    198
    281

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tiffany L.
    134
    46
    28

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Tremendous fish, particularly these bass. All items excellent. Professional and friendly wait staff. Extremely helpful. I'll be back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Linya L.
    0
    33
    206

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fan Z.
    15
    35
    51

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A L.
    0
    87
    29

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of May L.
    1
    29
    9

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Chao Z.
    94
    22
    73

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 39

    Sichuan Impression Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sichuan Impression

    Do they offer outdoor seating?

    sorry, they seem don't provide outdoor dining currently.

    Do they still use disposable utensils and plates?

    Yes, they do.

    Do they offer indoor dining?

    Not at this moment. Only outdoor seating.

    Do they have outdoor seating during covid?

    I went as of 11/18/20 and there was outdoor seating

    Can you recommend kids food? I like spicy so I think i have so many options for food but kids menu is hard for me. I really want go there please recommend kids menu 😊

    My kids love the Kong Pao Chicken which they can make it non-spicy. We always get that for our kids which has a sweet savory taste that they love.… Read more

    I saw a line out the door and am intrigued to try it since moving into the neighborhood. Do they have vegan-friendly options?

    Thank you for your interesting, new neighbor:) . We have few options for vegetarian like impressive bean jelly and cold noodle, Mapo tofu ( please asking without ground beef) and fried vegetable, potato strips. I hope this answer is helpful and… Read more

    View All 14 Questions

    EverSpring Modern Chinese

    EverSpring Modern Chinese

    4.3
    (458 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$
    Vegetarian friendly
    Casual dining

    Leaving this review after an almost bad experience to help the restaurant or anyone else that may…read morehave eaten here today. 5 stars for fixing the problem immediately for us. We've been here several times before and what keeps us coming back is the quality of the food. Today, they had a new chef cook our food and it was terrible. Green beans were extremely sour (way way too much vinegar). Mapo Tofu had a ton of oil but not enough sauce, so it was just flavorless except the oil. The fried pork chop was over fried where some pieces you can't even bite through. The rice had too much water in it and was mushy. I rarely return food but this time it was so bad we had to let them know. We returned all of our dishes back to them. They let us know there was a new chef today, and they would remake all the dishes for us with the original chef. The replacement dishes were just as good as all our previous visits and it was excellent again! So thanks to the staff for fixing the problem. I'm not sure if they are training a new chef to take over, or as a backup, but they need to be careful as serving bad quality food like that would drive most people to never come back. We knew the food was good from prior experience, so we knew we could ask why the food quality changed. For first time customers, or those that may have ordered to go - if you had bad food today, it may have been a fluke due to the new chef. Service however was a amazing as usual. For all our visits including today, the staff has been kind and always looking for ways to help out and make sure we were having a good experience. So besides the food being good, I would say excellent service is also huge plus here. Don't be fooled with the automated ordering and robot delivering the food into thinking there is no service. The people behind the counter are awesome! Hope management takes care of this new chef issue quickly since their food quality is the main reason people come here. There was a night and day difference between the original food we got today, and the replacement!

    We have eaten at EverSpring many times ever since they opened and my family loved it because it…read moretasted like authentic cantonese dishes. It had been a couple of months since we were last there and my parents and my daughter had been asking to go back and were really looking forward to eating there. However, we were so disappointed when we went back 2 weeks ago! The menu changed a bit, which was fine, and all our usual dishes were still there. We did notice that the cooks have changed and the original Cantonese chef was not there. I think the kitchen staff really changed how the flavors of the dishes for the worst. My 7yo daughter used to love their shrimp fried rice, but as soon as the fried rice came out, the first thing she said was "how come it looks so different from before." Not only did it look different, it was BURNT. It was like they fried the rice in a burnt wok so every grain of rice was coated in tiny black burnt bits. It was essentially inedible. They also just topped the rice with some tastless blanched shrimp instead of actually stir frying the shrimp into the rice. The green onion pancake used to be flakey with layers and expectedly oily for this dish, but the pancake we got this time was essentially a tasteless tortilla. It literally looked and tasted like a tortilla. No layers, flakes or oil at all and was the worst green onion pancake I've ever had anywhere. The fish with black bean sauce was acceptable, but it was definitely not the same. It tasted more like American Chinese flavors instead of the previous authentic Cantonese flavors. The only dish that I thought was still good was the stir fried eggplants, although my parents said it also tasted more Americanized. We are so sad that the food here has changed so much and it was one of the rare places my Cantonese dad actually said tasted authentically Cantonese in the area. The restaurant was full during our latest vist but we did notice that 90% of the diners and people ordering take-out were non-Asians. When we came previously, there was a good mix of Asian and non-Asian diners, so it seems like the clientele have shifted, which might explain the flavor changes or vice versa. The staff is still very nice and friendly, but it seems like the robot server has been laid off. I don't think we will be coming back again unfortunately as the food is no longer what we loved before. However, they seemed to still be doing well so others must still like it.

    Photos
    Crispy Beef. Photo is for demonstration purpose only, not our actual serving size.
    Crispy Beef. Photo is for demonstration purpose only, not our actual serving size.
    Orange Chicken
    Orange Chicken
    Dry Chili Chicken

    See all

    Dry Chili Chicken
    Mama Lu's Dumpling House

    Mama Lu's Dumpling House

    3.9
    (848 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    I would say this is a very solid 3.5 stars but rounded up because there was only 1 dish that wasn't…read morequite up to par. This is a chain and I've been to the ones in LA and always enjoyed the food there. I was happy to see one open up in the OC. The interior is very unassuming and is next to a bulk sized grocery store for Asian food. The signs are almost hidden from the front so you wouldn't know to look for it unless you read these reviews first! We tried a variety of items: Shrimp egg rolls, fish with seaweed, fried pork buns, Shanghai rice cakes, and salt and pepper pork. All the items were really tasty except for the fried pork buns - don't get those. The bun part was very mushy and you didn't get any soup inside. The fish with seaweed and salt and pepper pork chops were excellent. Very flavorful and not too salty. I would definitely get those again. The Shanghai style rice cakes are also very good, nice and chewy, definitely cooked correctly. And you can't go wrong with the shrimp egg rolls - they came with large chunks of shrimp which was nice. Prices are very reasonable and portions are generous compared to what you would find in Irvine for similar quality. I would come back!

    Highly recommend. Mama Lu's is actually inside the store. It's a whole restaurant with plenty of…read moreseating inside. Dumplings were all a 10/10. You can't go wrong with any of the choices. My favorite was the juicy pork. You can tell they're freshly made. Tasty. Flavorful. The service was excellent. Server checked on us quite a bit. Dumplings come out within 15mins.

    Photos
    Seating
    Seating
    SINGAPORE STYLE VERMICELLI | IG @moniquedao
    SINGAPORE STYLE VERMICELLI | IG @moniquedao
    1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10)

    See all

    1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10)
    KPB Asian Bistro

    KPB Asian Bistro

    4.4
    (239 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$
    Certified professionals
    Catering service

    I was surprised to find that I really like this place as I have been disappointed lately trying to…read morefind new Chinese places that were tasty. This place has great deals and happens to be next to one of my fav Japanese restaurants too! We started with egg drop soup and it was thick and hearty, added a little soy and spice to it and it was great, the schezwan wontons were amazing as well and had an interesting spice chili sauce to them which was great (I used the leftover chili sauce to add to my other food as well). The beef and broccoli had a lot of flavor but was my least fav of everything we ordered. Not bad but typical dish. The fried rice was cooked fine and I liked the veggies they included, it had nice taste and complimented the food as well. The chow mein was delicious and had great flavor and fresh ingredients too. Service was quick and excellent. The restaurant is pretty small so any party over 4 will need to combine tables which is what we did but it worked out. This may just have became one of my new fave Chinese places!

    I visited this restaurant for the first time and was really impressed! The lunch specials ($13.99)…read moreare incredibly affordable, especially considering the current economy, and the portions are huge. Each meal comes with rice, a main dish, soup, and even two dumplings--such a great deal! There's also convenient parking right in front, which makes it super easy to stop by. I went a little after the lunch rush, so it was nice and quiet--perfect timing. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Filet mignon
    Filet mignon
    9/21/23 (thu): Lunch Special Kung Pao Chicken w/ eggroll, brown rice & crispy cucumber salad. My fav!! Sooo good!
    9/21/23 (thu): Lunch Special Kung Pao Chicken w/ eggroll, brown rice & crispy cucumber salad. My fav!! Sooo good!
    EggRoll

    See all

    EggRoll
    Six Alley Xi’an Biang Biang Noodle

    Six Alley Xi’an Biang Biang Noodle

    4.5
    (578 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Happy hour specials

    I came here around the end of the day absolutely STARVING. We got seated quickly and everything was…read morehandled promptly. The restaurant itself is a bit on the small side so you'll be close to your neighbors not that it was an issue personally. My buddy and I ordered our items and shared with each other for a good full experience. We got the three-in-one noodles medium heat and the Ma Hu Beef noodles with mild heat alongside the cucumbers with medium heat as an appetizer. Cucumbers were very fresh! However, they really were just cucumbers with a little heat on them so they weren't anything too special. Once the main entrees came in, I couldn't stop myself from digging in! I forgot to take a picture until after some damage was done to our meals. Three-in-one was so flavorful and sweet with the noodles becoming incredibly soft after having mixed it all together. The star of the show for me though was the Ma Hu Beef noodles. The beef was remarkably tender and delicious and the noodles had a firmer texture that complimented with the flavors. Oddly enough, the mild heat on the Ma Hu Beef was spicier than the medium heat three-in-one! If you find yourself in the mood for Biangbiang noodles, this is definitely the spot to go to. On a side unrelated note about the parking which did not influence my review; the parking here is rough. It's consistently packed so watch out for that. There is a structure across the street that allows parking for the food court. I parked in the structure but I had a bad experience because since it's also parking for the residents above, the gate was closed on us after 8pm. I had to wait for a vehicle to come out and open the gate for not only just me but for multiple other people that had also parked in the structure!Just something to keep in mind. Hopefully that doesn't continue being an issue for future guests.

    Food tastes good. Service perfect! Ambiance good. Comfortable at all! Lucy's service is very good…read more Definitely will come back soon!

    Photos
    Ranked #36 -- Among Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in Orange County 2025
    Ranked #36 -- Among Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in Orange County 2025
    N3. Mahu Beef Noodle
    N3. Mahu Beef Noodle
    Braised Beef Rib with Oil-Poured Noodle

    See all

    Braised Beef Rib with Oil-Poured Noodle
    Northern Cafe

    Northern Cafe

    4.2
    (450 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    Delicious Chinese food and great for family style! Near full house each time I visit but no worries…read more- got seated quick. Casual restaurant with a selection of cold dishes displayed up front. Lemon water in pitcher is provided once you get seated. Order via QR code. A standout dish was the pork pancake, which was layered almost like a savory crepe. The exterior was crispy and slightly oily. Plenty of flavor packed into each bite mmm I also ordered the spicy sauerkraut lamb hot pot. It comes with flames & reminded me a bit of Boiling Point. Lots of napa cabbage in the broth. The lamb was excellently fatty... tender and soft! I've recently had another hot pot place with lean lamb so this was on point. Portions were generous and the price felt very reasonable. My favorite dish of the meal was the fatty beef with scallions. The beef was indeed fatty and rich flavor, with what I think was a nice subtle Shaoxing wine or cooking wine flavor. The natural sweetness of the onions balanced the savory, salty sauce nicely.

    I have said it time and time again and I still stand by it... northern cafe gives din tai fung a…read morerun for its money!! The food is always prepared to perfection. Their menu is much more extensive. Their portions are much larger. The flavors are much bolder in my opinion. And they have fried chicken on the menu (say less) The ambience is always lively, fairly loud but no louder than any other sit down restaurant you'd visit. Their servers are quick and efficient. If you haven't tried northern cafe, highly recommend you give them a try!

    Photos
    Northern Cafe
    Szechuan Mala Pot 麻辣牛油鍋 | IG @moniquedao
    Szechuan Mala Pot 麻辣牛油鍋 | IG @moniquedao
    Half a Smoked Chicken

    See all

    Half a Smoked Chicken
    A & J Restaurant

    A & J Restaurant

    4.1
    (2.8k reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    A&J is an Irvine institution!! Can't even remember how much times I've visited in the last ten…read moreyears because it's probably my favorite Taiwanese spot in the area. It's about time I reviewed them! My number one dish goes to the minced pork rice- it's a pretty simple dish, but it's sooo good here for some reason. I've ordered this dish at other Taiwanese restaurants and nothing compares to the one at A&J- the pork is always SO flavorful, never dry and enough to coat all the rice, the egg is perfection, and all the little garnishes compliment the dish so well. It's also just as amazing takeout which I always appreciate. Other go-tos are the spicy beef noodle soup- the beef in it is always so tender and I love getting the thick noodle option because of the rough texture it adds. Beef roll and pan fried dumplings are always a good option for sharing. Have tried a lot of things on their menu and nothing so far has disappointed!

    Went to A&J with a few friends on a Friday night. There was about a 15-minute wait. We checked in,…read moretold them our party size, received a numbered ticket, and were seated shortly after. We ordered a variety of dishes to share, including the beef noodle soup, minced pork over rice, spicy wontons, fried pork chop, and scallion pancake. At first, the portions looked smaller than we expected, but the prices were reasonable and the food ended up being more filling than it appeared. We actually thought we'd need to order several more dishes for our group of four, but by the end of the meal we were completely satisfied. My favorite was definitely the spicy wontons. The wontons themselves were great, but the sauce was flavorful, slightly spicy, and addictive!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    #151 sliced pork ears w/hot and spicy seasoning, #154 vegetarian delight (gluten puffs, bean curd, and mushrooms)
    #151 sliced pork ears w/hot and spicy seasoning, #154 vegetarian delight (gluten puffs, bean curd, and mushrooms)
    Chinese Style Fried Chicken on Rice

    See all

    Chinese Style Fried Chicken on Rice

    Sichuan Impression - chinese - Updated June 2026

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