Northern Cafe now offers skewers during dinner. We arrived around 7pm and it's packed!…read moreRestaurant is known for their carb dishes like xiao long bao, dumplings soup noodles, fried rice and Chinese pancakes. Cold dishes are only $14.99 for combination of 3. Portions are huge! No wonder everyday is getting them. Spicy cold chicken uses dark meat and is tender and flavorful. We came here to try their skewers: Lamb is the best! Also got chicken cartilage, scallops, Cali flowers, corns and fish tofu Beijing style pancakes has beef filling inside the crispy skin Pork ribs with string beans in hotpot is highly recommended They hire a lot of staff! Service is great!

Came here really hungry! It was wonderful and filling with…read morearomatic plates after plate! Xiao Long Bao - juicy pork with pop of soup 4 stars skin is a bit thick But dumpling is still tasty! Shanghai Rice Cake with Chicken 4 stars Beef Roll 4 1/2 stars Spicy Chicken Won Ton 4 stars Service 4 stars

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!

Modern Chinese, Ancient Disappointment…read more EverSpring looks great, sounds great, and is priced like it plans to deliver something memorable. Unfortunately, what I'll remember most is how quickly my excitement turned into polite disappointment. The salt and pepper pork chops were...bold. And by bold I mean shockingly salty, like the chef was trying to preserve them for winter. I've had salt and pepper chops more times than I can count, and this version tasted nothing like any of them. Overcooked, oddly flavored, and just completely off. If this was a creative interpretation, creativity may have gone a step too far. Then there was the crispy beef. I say this with sincerity: it was inedible. Not "I'm picky" inedible--burned-breading-that-tastes-like-toasted-mistakes inedible. Each bite delivered a charming note of scorched regret, like someone deep-fried a crouton and called it a day. I stopped eating not because I was full, but because my taste buds filed an HR complaint. And look, if this were cheap comfort food, I'd shrug it off. But this is sit-up-straight-when-the-bill-arrives pricing. For what we paid, I expected at least one dish to make me say, "Okay, this works." That moment never came. The concept is solid, but the food just didn't deliver. I wanted to love it. My taste buds, however, requested an early exit. Everything went to the trash can. Never again.

Kuan Zhai Alley has changed my perspective on Sichuan food. As someone who was never big on the…read morecuisine, this restaurant exceeded my expectations. Everything we ordered was delicious, but there are some dishes that really stood out to me. The sliced fatty beef in pickled soup was full of flavor and had the perfect amount of sourness. The tofu with salted egg yolk was crispy on the outside and super soft in the inside, which I really enjoyed. I loved the crispy shrimp with lemon sauce. The batter was perfect and this honestly beats the typical honey walnut shrimp you get elsewhere. At the end, we had the glutinous rice cake with brown sugar. If you like mochi-style desserts, this will be your new favorite sweet treat. In addition, the service was great and the food came out fast. I'll definitely be coming back to try more dishes!

Of all the Szechuan restaurants, KZA is one of the most delicious and authentic szechuan food…read moreexperiences you'll ever have the privilege of tasting in CA!! Everything is incredibly flavorful, and every dish is perfect in its own way; fried, seasoned, sautéed, it's ALL good. The restaurant interior is very cozy and modern. It's the perfect place for family dinners, dates, celebrations. If you're worried about spiciness, there are plenty of non-spicy options as well. I honestly wish I could try every dish, but will just have to return again soon!! Some of the dishes we got: 干锅鸡翅 Spicy Dry Pot with Chicken Wings 金汤肥牛 Sliced Fatty Beef in Pickled Soup 柠檬脆皮虾 Crispy Shrimp with Lemon Sauce 鱼香肉丝 Pork in Garlic Sauce 蒜炒空心菜 Stir Fried Ong Choy with Garlic Enjoy!!

It is really hard to find good Chinese food, in my opinion. This place is consistently amazing…read more Its SO good. Very fresh, and quick service. You order at the counter and they bring your food to your table. The cucumber salad is THE BEST I have ever had and the garlic sticks with you the rest of the day and I am so here for it. They have good eggrolls too! Parking can be challenging as its in a huge shopping center with a ton of places and near a University but its so worth it. They fill up quickly as soon as they open.

Went here for lunch, and it could get packed during lunch time but the service is fast. We ordered…read moreDandan Noodles, egg plant with garlic sauce, yangzhou fried rice, sweet and sour ribs and pork and shrimp dumplings. Dandan noodles is okay, nothing special. Egg plant with garlic sauce is too greasy probably because of they fry the eggplants first. Yangzhou fried rice is okay, lots of shrimp. Sweet and sour ribs is too sweet for me and too saucy that it feels overwhelming already and lastly the pork and shrimp dumplings is just okay, you need to put their dumpling sauce to make it taste better. They do have outdoor seating and we have our dog with us and the tables are clean despite being in a busy street. Overall, the food is just okay, service is fast and place is clean.

Can always rely on the consistency of flavor and quality here…read more Cant go wrong with any if their dry dishes

Bottom Line Up Front: If you love mala (the numbing and…read morespicy seasoning derived from Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers), Six Alley will deliver the heat! The Food: As its name denotes, Six Alley Xi'an Biang Biang Noodle specializes in noodles, which is handcrafted in house. Ironically enough, I decided to have one of their burgers instead because that's such an unusual option. Though, I can attest that the noodles are delicious after having a taste of my friend's noodles. Now, back to my burger. I ordered the Cumin Beef RoujiaMo, which is stir-fried beef mixed with cumin and chilies and served on a crispy flatbread. It's listed on the menu under Asian burgers, which is actually inaccurate. After all, there's no lettuce, tomato, mayo, or any condiments that one would come to expect from a burger. It's more accurate to call it a "Chinese sandwich," which would help set the right expectations. Semantics aside, the Cumin Beef RoujiaMo was tasty. The meat was tender and the flatbread was crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. I quite enjoyed it. Just note, it is spicy! I asked the server how spicy and she said, "Mild." That's "Asian chili-lover mild," folks, not western mild. By American standards, it's more of a medium spice level. The Location: It's located in a small strip mall off MacArthur Boulevard near the 55 Freeway. It's not difficult to find, but it is difficult to find parking -- especially during peak hours on the weekend. To make matters worse, the parking stalls themselves are narrow. If you normally drive a large truck or a wide SUV, consider taking a sedan or smaller vehicle if you have one. The Service: For an Asian establishment, the customer service was surprisingly solid. I say this as an Asian myself; old-school Chinese restaurants are known for having employees with non-existent customer service. But this crew was young and understood that being friendly was essential for western restaurants. The staff didn't check up on us or offer exceptional service, but they were accommodating and knowledgeable when whenever I flagged them down. The Setting: Even though it's a smallish-medium restaurant, there's a decent amount of tables to accommodate a decent number of people at one time. It's clean and nicely decorated. However, the bathroom was another story. Sure, it had soap, paper towels, and toilet paper, but the back of the faucet was coming apart due to corrosion and it looked like the toilet bowl hadn't been scrubbed in months. Overall, a shocking sight considering how tidy the dining area was. The Conclusion: If you love spicy Chinese food, you'll love Six Alley. While I don't, the dish I had and the customer service was good enough for me to want to go back and try some of the other dishes. It was an enjoyable experience overall.

Stopped by here to grab a quick dinner and it did not disappoint! The lamb rougamo aka hamburger is…read morewhat caught my initial attention, but everything else was tasty as well. They also have the option for beef and pork if lamb is not your thing. Also tried their wonton soup, which was actually really savory while comforting, as well as their cold and spicy plate of beef and tripe and decided to give their eggplant, potato, and some peppers a try and even the table next to us was curious about the dish bc it looked and tasted so good. Service was very attentive too, making sure everything tasted delicious. Overall, a casual and small group-oriented restaurant that warrants a solid try.

Simple restaurant serving reasonably priced, casual Chinese food. My son and I were on our own for…read moredinner and decided to try something new. This spot was on the way to football practice, so we popped in. Staffing was minimal -- just two servers running the whole place -- and ordering is done through a QR code, which seems to be the norm these days. The ambiance is basic: plain tables and chairs, minimal décor, nothing fancy. We ordered the fried chicken cutlet w/ rice, the crispy rougamo, and the garlic string beans. Everything was solid, but the crispy rougamo was the standout. Flaky pastry packed with strips of peppery steak -- simple but really satisfying.

the duck tasted really good with the sides and wrap. probably the best duck place i have tried!read more

Growing up eating in SF Chinatown and having some of the best Peking duck in both San Francisco and…read moreNew York, we came in with high expectations -- and Meizhou Dongpo absolutely delivered. The Peking duck was exceptional: crispy skin, juicy meat, and incredibly fresh wraps and condiments. Easily one of the best we've had in Southern California and noticeably better than many surrounding Irvine spots. The Sichuan dumplings were also amazing with a flavorful spicy sauce, the sweet and sour fish was perfectly cooked and balanced, and even the sticky rice dessert stood out. The decor and atmosphere were also beautifully done -- a great spot for either a themed dining experience or just a nice dinner out. The colors, design, and overall ambiance felt very intentional and well thought out. Service was smooth and welcoming throughout. We unfortunately didn't catch our original server's name, but Tate closed us out and was extremely friendly and personable. In such a competitive Irvine food scene, this place genuinely stands out. Definitely worth coming back for.

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!

It pains me to write this, but after being a loyal customer for nearly 15 years, I think our time…read morewith A&J has come to an end. This has long been our go-to for Taiwanese comfort food, and while the flavors weren't always 100% authentic, they hit the spot. However, our recent visits have been disappointing. The restaurant has become incredibly "penny-pinching" with their service. I was recently told there would be a $1 charge just for a sprinkle of scallions and another $1 for a small side of clear broth for my dry noodles--requests that were never an issue before. Furthermore, when we ordered extra noodles for my son's beef noodle soup, the original portion seemed intentionally smaller, defeating the purpose of paying for the add-on. Between the degraded service and the "nickel-and-diming" atmosphere, it is no longer worth the 30-minute drive. The vibe has changed, and the pleasure of dining here is gone.

I've done take out and I've eaten inside the restaurant. I went around 12PM? Inside there's a lot…read moreof families and the tables are a little close together but it's not bothering. The service was fast and they were constantly checking on my friend and i if we were ready. Food came out in about 10 minutes~, even though we were talking a lot the food was still really hot. We got the scallion oil noodles (I forgot what they're called), gyudon bowl, and 2 servings of dumplings! My friend and I were stuffed and we eat a lottttt. We also had their drinks which weren't bad for $6.50. He had the strawberry matcha and I had the jasmine tea with crystal boba! For take out, the food was packed neatly & the set of condiments and utensils they provide is really good. It felt a little more "higher end" of a take out place. My friends and I ordered about the same things we did inside the restaurant, cucumber salad, and the wonton with chili oil. Our favorite was the chili oil wontons & we regret not ordering more. Fed three people!

Visited on a Saturday afternoon and it was very busy but the wait wasn't too long though maybe 25…read moremins. They don't have many table to seat large parties (3+) they mostly have bar seating and the booth seating is pretty tightly packed so just a heads up that if you have a larger party you might need to wait longer. Luckily I got sat in their few middle tables that were spacious. I was able to order quickly and the workers are nice and gave me recommendations. Passion fruit green tea and this was definitely my favorite thing I ordered that day the drink was so light, refreshing, flavorful, but not too sweet the passion fruit seeds being in the drink was annoying though. (4/5) Spicy XLB they came out quick but I wished they were hotter they were just warm but delicious flavor and filling sadly was not spicy though no kick no heat at all. (3/5) Beef rolls nice and crispy lots of scallions and the cucumbers added a nice fresh aspect and crunch but needed more sauce. (3/5) Pan fried dumplings took the longest to come out were crispy but not that flavorful again very filling though. (2/5) Golden prime beef noodle soup I'm sorry but this was just not for my taste at all I can't even describe what flavor the soup was something I have never had before very unique. The noodles were nice and chewy but again I'm expecting soup to be hot but it just came out warm. (1/5) They had some sauce and chili oil on the table and I made a mix but it did not help add flavor to any of the items. I ordered too much and the leftover beef rolls and pan fried dumplings reheated well in the air fryer.

Met with friends from all over So Cal for an event down South. After the event our friend found a…read morenoodle house in Santa Ana, odd find location but lets go ... Massive parking lot so that was easy, one friend went ahead and let them know we had 10 incoming. They made room and we sat immediately. One of the spots that you scan a menu at the table and you review, order and pay all in the app. I was really not familiar with the line up and went with the "House Special Beef Pot Roodle" (Roodles are their rice noodles). It was a weekend only item and I tried that. The noodles came separate from the soup. Over all it was very tasty. The meat was a bit fatty and the soup had tendons too. I took that part home and my wife loved it. I tend to avoid the fatty meat and tendons are not good to me. 10 of us so some of the appetizers got passed around. The smashed cucumbers are excellent, and my buddy also got some friend potatoes of sorts, reminded me of a fat French fry. Because my buddy and I sat at the same table we scanned the same menu, he ordered a bunch of stuff and also House Special Beef Pot Roodle. That confused the kitchen and they asked me if I meant to order 2, I said no and didn't realize I cancelled my buddy's order. Part of the confusion of a large party and many scanned menu orders. My buddy was struggling to order and our initial waiter seemed to not understand my friend and that took a little bit to work out, young lady came from the back and was able to quickly resolve some of the confusion and get questions answered as needed. In the end he had lot of food to explore. One thing that caught my eye was several couples there and sharing a large soup item served with a tray of various food items for the soup. Kind of a date night visual and something that looked very interesting. Several couples around us had that same dish and its got me more curious. Might have to come back with my wife and try this one.

I decided to give this place a try because I heard their noodles were very authentic, and as…read moresomeone who loves noodles, I was excited to try it. I ordered their most popular dish, the A1 set, but honestly, it didn't really live up to the hype for me. The broth tasted pretty underseasoned overall. From what I understood, you're supposed to mix all the toppings into the soup with the noodles, but even after doing that, I still felt like the flavor was lacking. Yes, they provide seasoning on the side, but personally, I wish the broth already had enough flavor on its own without needing to adjust it myself. Would I come back? Probably not. Nothing really stood out to me enough to return, and it felt more like a one-time experience. Overall, everything was just okay.