Hands down the best and most authentic Cantonese food in San Diego! As a native Cantonese who's dined here nearly a hundred times over the past seven years, The Noble Chef never fails. Their steamed sea bass, roast meats, and freshly made-to-order claypot rice are absolute must-trys. Top-tier service and incredible flavor every single time. If it disappoints you, come find me! read more

The Noble Chef - The Noble Chef never fails. Their steamed sea bass, roast meats, and freshly made-to-order claypot rice are absolute must-trys. - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Highly recommended, good barbecue pork and duck. The soy sauce chicken was genuinely Hong Kong style taste. Cantonese lobster noodle was extremely tasty. read more

A quiet neighborhood Chinese red with the best duck around. Great food with a big menu to satisfy most Lots of parking and a great staff. This is a secret that needs to be shared read more

We were waiting outside for them to open at 4PM. The door was open so naturally, we decided to wait outside by the restaurant. However, one of the workers came out and rudely said "go wait inside your car, you're blocking the door". We were so taken aback that we left to go somewhere else. There are nicer ways to say things...being rude like that is unwarranted. Highly do not recommend this restaurant after that experience. read more

The French style steak blew me away! Every bite is so juicy and flavorful. Each piece was so tender. This is not normally a dish that I'd order at Chinese restaurants, but I'd definitely order this every time that I go to Noble Chef. We also got a half order of the soy sauce chicken. The presentation almost looks like other roasted ducks that I've had in the past. While the flavor was tasty, I wish that each piece had more meat on it. I've seen pictures of the Peking duck courses that Noble Chef offers, so next time I'll be ordering those courses as well as the French style steak. read more

The Noble Chef - Soy sauce chicken (half order) - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Im pretty sure I've been to place at least 10x since my initial review... and its NEVER failed me. Food comes out tender, flavorful, crispy, and well-timed (plates come as you finish when its busy). This is my number 1 Chinese restaurant in San Diego. read more

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I moved to San Diego recently and was craving some Chinese food. I stopped by on a Monday evening and to my surprise, it was packed! I waited about 45-60 min for a table. I put my name and phone number down but they didn't call me, only yelled out my name in which I didn't hear because I was waiting in my car. I'm not sure if they were going to call me or just give up my table. This is your no frills Chinese restaurant. My family and I got garlic pea shoots, clay pot fish and tofu, and chef's spareribs. The spareribs claimed to be "paper wrapped" but really just came in foil, which is misleading. I'm not sure what the purpose of the foil was but it made it really hard to unwrap and eat the spareribs as the sauce was stuck to the foil. The pea shoots were a bit oily and many pieces were not tender. Our favorite dish was the clay pot fish and tofu which had a lot of flavor, big pieces of tender fish, and paired nicely with rice. The flavors seem to be more northern Chinese. They even gave us complimentary dessert at the end, which was some sort of taro, sweet potato, bean sago. Not too sweet, perfect way to end the meal. All in all I've had better Chinese food but I think this is the best it will get in San Diego. read more

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I had never tried the Noble Chef and was excited to try it as it was highly recommended by our friends. We tried two takeout dishes, beef with peppercorn and house chicken. The beef with peppercorn was a standout. I've had this dish at many a Chinese restaurant but these were the biggest and juiciest steak pieces I've ever had in this particular dish. I was pleasantly shocked that the steak was also a nice medium which made the meat quite tender. The flavoring was really well done with sauce on every piece. The house chicken reminded me of a traditional roast duck but with soft skin. It was pretty tasty but there wasn't much meat on the pieces - a lot of bone so I would have liked more meat and more value. Overall I will need to come back for the beef with peppercorn again. read more

The Noble Chef - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

This Chinese eatery is as authentic as it gets. A friend and I decided to check it out based on a recommendation from a local YouTuber. The service was efficient. When I was struggling to remember one of the vegetable dishes the YouTuber had recommended, the server knew exactly what it was and mentioned they've seen a real uptick in new diners since that video dropped. The eatery was simple and clean. read more

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This authentic Cantonese spot is tucked away in a west of Balboa Ave strip mall. It's a small, no-frills place but clean, well-lit, and with fast, friendly service. Our kids actually recommended it, and we were pleasantly surprised. We started with the garlic string beans which was fresh and crunchy, a great appetizer. For mains, the sizzling beef steak with black pepper (4/5) was tender with a flavorful sauce, and the silken tofu with mushrooms (4/5) was comforting and well-prepared. Sweet and sour pork (3/5) was tasty, though the coating could've been crispier. The standout was the honey walnut shrimp (5/5); perfectly cooked shrimp with a great bite and walnuts. Everything was well-balanced, not overly salty or greasy. Some of the best Chinese food we've had in a while. Definitely a place we'll return to explore more of the menu. read more

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Everything we ordered here was really good. Service was good. Portions here are quite big. The restaurant is kind of small so there might be a wait. Parking in the area is abundant unlike many I've come across in San Diego. read more

We found this place by chance. We typically don't go to places that have less than 4 stars but we were hungry and wanted Chinese food. Walking in, all the servers are dressed in white long sleeve shirts and dress pant, this is when I knew it's going to be good. The servers are there just for that, to serve you! So don't expect them to put on an act to win over your tip. Listen to their recommendations, order, and receive your food fast, hot, and delicious. Everything was delicious! I would highly recommend visiting the noble chef! read more

I came here for dinner on a Wednesday evening, which also happened to be Christmas Eve, so it was understandably busy. The entrance was very crowded and there wasn't a hostess, so it was a bit confusing at first on how to get seated. I ended up flagging down a waiter who directed me to a notebook to add our name and party size. Since it's a smaller restaurant and they were packed, it took a little over 20 minutes for us to be seated. Once we sat down, the food made the wait worth it. We shared the BBQ Pork, Green Beans, and Beef Chow Fun. Portions were generous and everything had good flavor. Overall, a solid meal despite the initial seating confusion. read more

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豪记The Noble Chef Cantonese Restaurant used to be one I'd highly recommend, but I went there with friends recently and tried their new Pipa Duck. It was mostly just fat and bones with barely any meat on it. On top of that, it was overly salty and tasted terrible. I'd advise everyone not to order it. The other dishes we had were pretty good though, so it's safer to stick to their classic menu for reliable quality. We brought up the issue with the Pipa Duck to the staff and even showed them the actual dish--they admitted it was indeed full of fat, yet gave no real explanation or proper response. Their service quality really needs improvement. As long-time regular customers, we're pretty disappointed. read more

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Got seated immediately when we came here for lunch on a weekend. The restaurant is smaller than I expected. Roast duck and chicken - very flavorful and decently juicy, the sauces that came with it were both very flavorful. The yellow sauce is a savory garlic and the other one is sweet. I do wish they had a soy sauce or vinegar based sauce. Water spinach - yummy vegetable, was a little too oily for my taste towards the end of the meal. I wish they didn't put so much oil. We actually wanted the pea shoots but they didn't get their shipment yet that day. House special chow mein - bigg portions for this one. We could've done without the meat as it never really adds much value to chow mein in my opinion. It was good but could've used more a bit more seasoning for the amount of noodles. Eggplant with XO sauce - not entirely sure what the XO sauce is but I've never had eggplant this way! Usually I get them in the braised style and they're cut diagonally and the sauce is tangy and savory, but these are cut in a way that reminds me of plantains. Also they are deep fried, with a savory sauce over them. I did like it but I'd prefer more acidity in the sauce. Overall I would come back here again, but after eating I felt quite greasy and oily. I think cantonese food in general doesn't have the acidity to balance out the flavors, which is no fault of its own. read more

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THE NOBLE CHEF @ BALBOA Parking is available right out front. The restaurant is located in a small plaza shared with other businesses, but parking is free and convenient. I visited on a Saturday, and it wasn't very crowded. My friend had been recommending this place for a long time, and I was excited to try it. It's a family-owned restaurant that focuses on authentic Chinese cuisine. The setting isn't fancy or expensive, but it has a welcoming, homey feel that really adds to the experience. When we arrived, the staff immediately invited us to sit anywhere. We ordered their green beans and chow fun, which arrived within 15 minutes. Interestingly, the chef had been on break but returned to prepare our food, which was a really thoughtful touch. The dishes were full of flavor, generous in portion, and reminded me of a meal at home. Although I didn't take photos, I knew I had to leave a review. This is now one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, and I definitely plan to return. If you're in the area and looking for authentic Chinese food, this is the spot. The ambiance may not be modern or renovated, but it feels warm, inviting, and very much like home. read more

Food is amazing. Pepper steak was sooo tender. You can cut it with a spoon. Honey walnut Shrimp was tasty and the black bean chicken was very tender and delicious. The West minced beef soup was delicious and so authentic. Definitely a hidden gem!! read more

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One of the best places in all of convoy and San Diego! We got the stir fried noodles, soup, the pepper steak, fish and some other things. Everything was cooked great! The service was good and there's a lot of hustle and bustle in the small dining area! Very good restaurant and definitely worth a visit! read more

The Noble Chef - The pepper steak was sooo gooooood - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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We ordered the roast duck and it was juicy and a little crispy on the outside, the dipping sauce that they provided was good. It's a small restaurant, but they moved fast and are very efficient. The service was good too. The beef chow fun, lacked flavor in my opinion and were very oily, not sure if that is how Cantonese style noodles are, but I wouldn't order them again. read more

The Noble Chef - Roast Duck - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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The place is quite simple, service is good but prices are quite high. I noticed that Shrimp, beef dishes, etc. are quite expensive but in general everything is more expensive than their competitors. Portions are big but I don't think it justifies the high prices. We ordered: Combination Platter (Pork Belly , BBQ Pork ) 明爐燒甲（半只）- it was so so. Cantonese Roast Duck (half) 双菇扒玉子豆腐 - I was disappointed, skin was not crispy and bland flavor. Two Mushrooms & Silken Tofu 扬州炒付 - ok Yang Zhou Fried Rice - good portion and ok. I'll go back to try some more dishes but so far I wasn't impressed. read more

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I've been here twice and the first time was better. While overall, the food is average to good, nothing stood out. The 3 types of bbq meats is still worth getting and the fish fillet with black bean sauce had good flavor but too much onion used as filler. Everything else including the lobster noodles is average and somewhat pricey. read more

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Great Cantonese restaurant with an extensive menu! They have everything from meat, noodles, rice, seafood, veggies, etc! Service is prompt and efficient and the food comes out in a timely manner. They have both banquet style round tables for larger parties as well as smaller tables for more intimate groups. They start you off with complimentary hot tea. We ordered 1) garlic beef. The meat was so incredibly tender and perfectly cooked with onions, whole garlic pieces, ginger, with crispy green snap peas. 2) seafood tofu clay pot- a generous portion of fried silken tofu, fish fillets, shrimp, squid atop sliced napa cabbage in a simple yet clean garlicky white sauce. It came out piping hot and fresh. Don't forget to ask for their spicy chili sauce which was the perfect complement to the dishes we ordered. Prices are slightly on the higher end but the quantity and quality make up for it. They have a free parking lot right outside. read more

The Noble Chef - Seafood tofu clay pot - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had a perfect comfort food meal at Noble Chef. Started with a large bowl of Chicken soup with corn. It is served piping hot and could easily serve 6. The chicken chow Mein with crispy noodles is so tasty and satisfying. Our server was patient and described the dishes perfectly. We had plenty of leftovers as well. read more

The Noble Chef - Chicken chow Mein with crispy noodles - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Solid place for Cantonese food. Roasted duck is top notch and received high appraisal from my mother who was visiting from Toronto. Anyone who enjoys duck should definitely order one here. Their shanghai chow mein was decent but noodles were thinner than what I was used to. The pork slices were nice. We also got their pork red sauce chops and those were tasty. Little one devoured a lot of those. We also got a seafood soup that was great and we also tried their sizzler beef chunks. They provide a nice assorted bean soup at the end of the meal which was also great. Not much bad things to say about this place. The place itself is kind of small so definitely need to avoid peak times or reserve in advance to prevent from having to wait especially when you have hungry little ones. read more

Always a family favorite when we have special occasions to celebrate and want an excellent Chinese meal served family style! One of my nieces is addicted to the Corn Soup and her sister loves the West Lake Soup, so we always have to order both soups EVERYTIME we come here! We've never ordered something that we didn't like. Some of my personal favorites: west lake soup, fried soft tofu with mushrooms, salt & pepper chicken wings, soy sauce noodles, clams with basil, and spicy eggplant. Service is always excellent, and complimentary dessert is served at the end of the meal. The restaurant is not very large, but they do have some tables for large parties of 10. If you have a large party, I recommend that you make a reservation in advance! read more

The Noble Chef provides authentic Cantonese dishes and flavorful duck that is hard to come by. I came to this place after hearing from a mutual friend that this place is popular among the natives and I was delighted by their dishes. Each meal comes with complimentary hot tea similar to traditional dim sum restaurants. We ordered their tofu with bamboo shoots fungus and combination platter (duck, char siu). The duck and char siu was tender and flavorful. I wished it was more meaty with the duck but overall, was not disappointed. The tofu dish was okay as it came out lukewarm, I think I was expecting something different with more variety of mushrooms with a darker sauce (Deep Fried Crispy Tofu). I really liked the duck here; I'm always on a hunt for a good duck because it's hard to come by and this place does it well. I hope to come back for a full order of duck in the near future. read more

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Always great food. I recommend the chicken wings and the 3 flavors lo mein. I order ahead and it's always ready when I walk in.

Was very disappointed with the food. This place has good reviews and was full for dinner on a Saturday. I neglected to take pictures but I got wings, beef noodles, and spring rolls. The wings although crispy smelled bad. The very lowest quality. They were black on the inside like they were all bruised. Even some bones were broken. The noodles tasted good but hardly had any beef. Just a few pieces in the entire dish. I felt gypped. The spring rolls tasted good but the wrap was so thick with mushy filling. I'm not going back. I gave two stars because at least some of the food had good flavor. read more

Cantonese style food reminded me of my childhood. Upon entering, hanging duck in the window looked delicious. Ambiance was nostalgic. The restaurant may hold about 90 ppl tops and wait times can be long but it is worth it. Wait time about 15mins. We order a variety of delicious dishes for two. Spicy fried Salt and Pepper chicken wings (4pc) Sautéed Green Beans in Garlic Assorted Seafood with Tofu Clay Pot Hai Nan Chicken (half order) We needed a Togo box but I'm glad I got to experience the food. One downside that I would comment on is the Clay Pot, the tofu and seafood marinate was over salted. The prices here are on the pricier side but I thought the food was prepared well. The waiters are very attentive and friendly. I look forward to my return and bringing other family and friends to experience. read more

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We waited 30 minutes and it was worth it. The hot and sour soup was very good. Fish with black rosacea was tasty, the pork and duck was wonderful. Once we sat down the service was rapid. Spot on. Delicious meal will return can't miss. Highly recommend read more

The Noble Chef - Outside of restaurant - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

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My husband found this gem on Tiktok, it said it's one of the best and authentic Chinese foods in San Diego. We tried it for a couple of times. On our first visit we ate sweet and sour pork, sautéed pea shoots, and roast duck. We also ordered Two mushrooms and silken tofu to go. All the dishes were seasoned well, not too salty and not too spicy. The servers were all friendly and attentive. On our second visit, we had Sizzling beef steak with black pepper, crispy pork belly, sautéed pea shoots with garlic, silken tofu, salt and pepper pork chops, and General Tso's chicken. Everything was delicious and the server was very nice as usual. The restaurant is not so big for big parties so if you have a big party and you're planning to eat there, make sure to call for reservation. read more

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Someone mentioned that if you don't speak Chinese you have to wait a long time, I experienced the same thing last night except I do speak the language. The fact is if you don't know the owner you are in for a long wait. We were waiting for over half an hour and were the next one to be seated then a family who just walked into the restaurant and chitchatted with the lady owner (死八婆) and were seated right away. If I weren't that hungry I would had left but after this incident I am done w them. read more

2nd time dining here. Had to come back with my daughter after celebrating a friends birthday dinner here last week. This place has really good hot and sour soup, beef broccoli and the best orange chicken I've had in the U.S. read more

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My first impression was "wow, look at that duck". We came here on a busy Saturday night and had to wait maybe 10ish minutes to be seated. Not a problem, it's a small restaurant and because they were so fast cleaning tables for the next round of guests. We ordered the combination roast duck and honey pork. We also got a (huge portion) of pork fried rice. Let me tell you, that duck and pork were both so good! Service was very quick and even boxed up the leftovers for us. I'm definitely coming back to try other items. read more

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My favorite Cantonese restaurant in SD! My Chinese family has been coming here for years. We usually come early around 4:30 pm to beat the crowd. We ordered the salt and pepper pork chops, yang zhou fried rice, crispy beef chow mein and sautéed fish filet. Everything was delicious! The salt and pepper pork chops were flavorful and tasty but a bit salty and fatty. The crispy beef chow mein was my favorite, savory and flavorful and crispy. Service is pretty good as well. I would definitely keep coming back! read more

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My favorite Cantonese restaurant in SD, my Chinese family has been coming here for 5+ years. My favorite is always the salt and pepper pork chop- though it can be a bit salty and fatty, it is super flavorful! This time we also ordered the Yangzhou fried rice, beef chow mein, and sautéed fish fillet which were all delicious. I appreciate that the fried rice isn't dry. Service is pretty good and usually comes with a complimentary dessert to end the meal. We usually come for an early dinner around 4:30PM to best the dinner rush; I would keep coming back! read more

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Been to this restaurant a handful of times, and I appreciate the authenticity of their dishes. This is a no-frills Cantonese restaurant with an extensive menu. Never had an issue with parking. Service is always fast and efficient and dishes come out piping hot. The restaurant can feel quite cramped especially when it's packed with all the locals. My favorite dishes are the mapo tofu and assorted seafood with tofu claypot. Can't go wrong with any of their claypot dishes! They give huge portions and always offer to box up your leftovers for you, which is sweet. Coming here always heals me and satisfies my craving for real Cantonese food when I'm in San Diego. read more

Highly recommended for dinner with friends, all the foods are served with best quality, and love servers, they always treat us friendly

My new go to for Cantonese chinese food in San Diego! Service is attentive and food has the "wok-hei" freshness! As a result of this success, tables are hard to come by. Need to come early. read more

The Noble Chef is not what it used to be. The lobster noodles was underwhelming for the price paid, the black pepper steak seemed to have been artificially tenderized, and the flavor of scallops in XO sauce was off. My mom, who usually has no issues with seafood, developed some itchy red bumps on her face and neck a few hours after the meal. We will not go back. read more