Came across Yu's Garden because Chong qing mei wei across the street is closed permanently. You can choose to dine in or take your food to go. I sat down and ordered boiled spicy fish fillet and yang chow fried rice. The boiled fish tasted excellent just like the same dish from the closed chong qing mei wei across the street. The fried rice had a good portion of shrimps and lots of chinese sausages. There are selection of other entrees you can choose from, just like panda express. Prices are cheap and affordable. The two dished i ordered cost a total of 26$. Overall Yu's Garden is a very good place for authentic chinese food. It's delicious and cheap! read more

Yu's Garden - Boiled spicy fish fillet - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Food was amazing! Perfectly seasoned and portions are huge for the price Had a line so you know the food was good~ Staff was nice and helpful as well, will definitely be returning read more

I love this place! The prices are great and the portions are very generous. The food is always delicious, and they have a lot of variety--from chicken to vegetables to seafood. The staff are always friendly and welcoming. I've been coming here pretty much every day for a quick, good meal, whether it's lunch or dinner. You really can't beat the price for the quality and portion size. read more

Great Food -- They Just Moved, Not Closed! This restaurant is still open -- they've simply relocated to another spot within the same plaza. They serve comforting, home-style dishes that truly taste like real home cooking. You can dine in and choose either congee or rice with your meal, and both can be refilled, which is a great deal. Prices are very economical for the portion and quality. If you're looking for simple, honest comfort food at a good value, this is a place worth returning to. read more

I'm a big fan of Yu's Garden! As much as I love how many food options there are in OC sometimes I think it's better to roll with the basics and Yu's Garden does that perfectly! I usually get their tofu skin side with celery and carrots, the spicy tripe, and the spicy pig ears side but yesterday I saw a lot of sides I don't usually see and decided to go with those. Really thought tofu skin, spam and tripe with chili oil was a combo was pretty unique and was intrigued by that as well. I love how the porridge here has sweet potatoes and the price is solid as well. Service is no frills and the ambiance is nice as well! They have lunch specials on weekdays and BOGO drink offers as well. read more

Yu's Garden - 3 sides! - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm not so sure about this place. Started off good, then I ate lunch there. I woke up in the middle of the night wanting to throw up, which I eventually did 4-5 times plus diarrhea. Maybe it was the veggies cause thats what came back out as vomit. read more

Yu's garden has been our go to for a delicious and quick dinner on nights that we don't want to cook. The food is pre-cooked and you pick out what you want. They do fill it pretty well and everything that we've tried has been delicious. For the amount of food you get for what you're paying, it's a great deal and there's a good variety of dishes to choose from. If you're looking for home style dishes, this is the place to go! read more

Been going here for years. They expanded their business. Go support there business. Ran by and operated by an Asian woman. More power to her. Inside is beautiful and the food still just as amazing. These places are becoming rare so let's not make them extinct, read more

One of the best deals in Irvine! Very good Taiwanese food. Get takeout! Hidden gem and great value for the price. Impressed with how many food options there were and the service wasn't bad at all. read more

One of the best deals for Chinese food in Irvine! Food was great and staff is friendly and provides great service! The soymilk is always buy one get one free towards the end of the day and I would definitely recommend it. Make sure to bring cash as there is a 80c fee if you pay my card. read more

Don't have time to cook? Looking for comfort, home cooked vibes? YU got the right spot! I've been coming to this local spot for a few years now for quick, casual, and convenient authentic Chinese meals. Great news - they've UPGRADED their dine-In chairs and tables. Seats have leather cushions now! Their lunch & dinner takeouts from the food bar are most popular. So many authentic Chinese food selections, from hot to cold dishes. Prices have inflated: as of 2023, lunch special is $10.50 for 2 items and a dollar more at $11.50 for 3 items. Comes with rice. My go to is green veggies, sliced chicken, and mapo tofu, which they put in separate cylindrical styrofoam container. I also like pairing my meal with their BOGO soy milk, unsweetened. Their food is a tad on the oily side but delicious nevertheless. Be careful that the sauce and oil doesn't drip or spill outside your to-go bag. Just for the cushy chairs, I recently decided to dine-in :) Just kidding, I was craving Beef Noodle Soup... but they were OUT of ingredients/shipment didn't arrive! WHAAA... happened twice now over the summer :( Tried their pork crispy noodles, scallion pancakes, and pork with bamboo shoot dishes instead. Scallion pancakes were crispy warm but didn't come with a dip. The other two pork dishes were delicious, just a little salty in the sauce. Dine-in comes with tea in the pot, which was nice for a cloudy day. Tables best suitable for groups of 2-4. Bring cash, since credit card has service charge. read more

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Food is good, price is good, but we always end up on the porcelain throne. We've gone here multiple times and half the time we'd end up with stomach aches, its definitely a gamble. Not entirely a big deal for us since we have an iron stomach, but other's may not fare so well. If you're like us though, you may not be able to resist the food, especially the lunch deals. I love the pick your own take-out items. They have a a plethora of protein and veggie dishes and I always get the 3 items for $13. The procedure is to walk to the counter and tell them you want the 3 item combo and then you point to the items you want. The combo also comes with rice or porridge. They also have this for dinner but its costs a little more. Items I always pick: -veggie wood ear mushroom -mustard greens with edamame -bean curd -eggplant - the smoked chicken -squid - read more

This is one of my go-to places in Irvine for Chinese food. It's not "the best" but nonetheless very capable of hitting your cravings. My favorites are the chicken with basil, the fish in white sauce, and the bean curd with bamboo shoots. This is all from their take out section. The line can go out the door sometimes, but it usually moves quickly. read more

place is not that big but crowded. staffs are ok and service is quite fast. i will definitely recommend the spicy pig ears. it is so good. the fried meatball is also ok but eggplant is too sweet for my tongue. the porridge itself is just ok. price is average... read more

Yu's Garden - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Best authentic Chinese take out! Prices are also great, 3 item with rice was only ~$13. Make sure to bring CASH only. Service is quick and fast which is great for lunch. They also do sit down if you prefer, but the 3 item is only a deal for take out. They're also famous for their rice porridge. read more

Yu's Garden - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I recently discovered Yu's Garden, and am very happy to find this gem. I was looking for Asian fast food that was more of a "mom and pop shop" instead of part of a large chain franchise. Yu's Garden did not disappoint with the Kung Pao Chicken, and I loved the "buy one boba milk tea get one free" deal. You save money if you pay in cash as there is a fee for using a credit card. They tell me that soon they're going to be moving across the parking lot from where they are now, and they already have the Yu's Kitchen sign outside the new place. I think the new place will be good for them, because it's hard to find parking in front of the restaurant since they're currently so close to very popular Honeymee and Hey Tea stores. When Yu's Garden moves across the parking lot they'll be close to two store spaces that are currently empty, which should make parking in front of their restaurant easier. read more

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The servers are always stuffing your plate, making it overflow, and giving you more than you can eat. This place is a Panda-Express style, where you can walk in and order from their many pre-made options. They provide white rice, and you can select either 2 or 3 entrees. This place serves legit and delicious taiwanese dishes. Absolutely recommend this place, as I've been going since I've been a kid. My Order: Tomato Egg + Minced Pork + Tofu/Celery read more

Yu's Garden - Green Beans + Egg Plant + Minced Pork + Tomato Egg + Tofu/Celery - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This is usually one of my go to spots but unfortunately due to lack of serving size. I may not come back. I got the braised pork belly and no joke, they probably gave me 4 pieces. read more

Still great value for Tasty Authentic Chinese Food even during times of inflation. Large portions. Lots of options. Food is ready. Cash or credit with surcharge. Small hole in a wall. Not sure theres a restroom as I usually take my order to go. A bit of an english barrier. Basil Chicken and Garlic Spinach with porridge is my go to. read more

Loovveee this place. Super nostalgic and it's really good food. The ambiance is really homey and not the nicest I'm sorry but the food makes it so worth it. Favorites are the eggplant, bamboo shoots, bitter melon, bean curd salad, and woodear mushrooms. read more

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Looking for one of the best hidden gems? Look no further than Yu's Garden in Irvine, California. This place has been here for ages, but we only discovered it about 5 years ago! They're servin' up classic Chinese takeout, the authentic way. Check out this beautiful spread. Classic dishes laid out, cafeteria style, but don't get it twisted. This isn't anything like your school lunch. They've got some great staples like braised pork and eggs, smoked chicken, and stir-fried eggplant. We got our order and went on our way to a table in a nearby shopping center to enjoy our meal. Don't worry, though! You can eat your takeout right inside the restaurant if you want! Josh got basil chicken, mapo tofu, and some tofu skins with celery. I usually don't like celery, but this was crispy, refreshing, and sweet! I got spicy chicken, bok choy, and tripe. the mapo tofu is killer, and it's a must-order. It's incredible. After you order, they'll ask if you want congee or rice to go with your meal, so we got both! The congee is a hidden sleeper. If you haven't had it before, it's a must-try. Everything tastes extremely homemade, and I think you'd be SILLY not to give this a try. read more

Yum wish there were more of these around! Loved the dim sum and they had specials on iced teas read more

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After 5 years, the terrible customer service still remains. The owner told me when I paid , my mandarin is Hong Kong mandarin., meaning that it's not the type of mandarin that she thinks it's standard. Then she asked me if I even understand mandarin. This is plainly rude. To the owner: we are all Chinese living in the country. Let's all get along well together and let not make our language to divide us. I used my broken mandarin out of respect. I could hand spoken English. I personally will not visit this store again. read more

This is such a hidden gem! If you are looking for authentic Chinese food, this is the place. The food is delicious, and there's such variety. Amazing value for the price, especially if you like to try a little bit of a lot of dishes. And the service is truly spectacular! The workers always provide recommendations for some dishes, refill the rice and porridge generously, and are so kind and helpful. There's always a consistent line of customers, and for good reason! read more

Food are good for its price, the owner is really impressive when welcoming her customers, feel you are taken cared of

Fast Chinese food style but restaurant quality. Also very reasonable priced. I visit them once or twice per week so I don't need to cook.

Great food, great price, nice service, very welcoming environment. Strongly recommended.

This restaurant is conveniently located in the 99 ranch market plaza right off of Walnut Ave & Fwy 5. Lots of parking. I went around 2pm Wednesday and the restaurant was pretty full. You can either dine-in or take-out. First off, I have to point out their service was incredible and I'm not just talking about food service. When I walked up to the restaurant , this lovely lady employee was out front assisting this elder customer with a walker. Talk about going above and beyond. She is super friendly behind the counter and I noticed she recognized some of her returning customers. I totally forgot to take a picture of the lunch special & main menu posters out front. You can either order the 2 or 3 items lunch specials (includes rice or white porridge cooked w/ yam) where you walk up to the counter & pick from already-made dishes OR order from this massive menu with lots of choices. I ordered the 3 items for around $11.50. Keep in mind, prices went up just like everywhere else. The amount of food & variety you get for $11.50 is a steal. You can pay with a credit card but there is a $.80 cent service fee. I ordered 3 items: pigs ears 豬耳朵, spicy tripe, and Shredded Pork with Bean Curd (香干肉絲) + white porridge. The food are pretty good, alittle greasy. I would definitely go back to this place if I'm in Irvine area. read more

Yu's Garden - 3 items: pigs ears 豬耳朵, spicy tripe, and Shredded Pork with Bean Curd (香干肉絲). I already ate some of the food before I took this photo. - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Just realized my last review was more than 10 years ago!! We still frequent Yu's Garden, especially in the last year with not being able to dine in. I love the choices of vegetarian items on the steam table, and on those days where I'm buying for more than myself, there are meat/fish offerings as well. The lovely lady behind the counter is still there. Lately, I've been getting to-go from here at least once a week. I crave all the home cooked-style dishes which I don't want to make at home. I always get the 3-items, which gives you your choice of rice or porridge for $10.25. The portions are very generous. I buy two bentos for three people and often, we have a little leftovers which is enough for my lunch the following day. Yu's Garden gets very busy during lunch/dinner rush but it moves quickly if you're grabbing to-go. Happy to see they're still going strong after all these years! read more

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Eight years later, hubby and I still eat here maybe once a month. Rather, we get takeout after one of my nearby work-out classes. It does get busy at dinner time and it really looks like the dine-in folks get shorted on the service because the staff is busy catering to the take-out folks. Food here is solid/comforting and every once in a while, the chef gets adventurous and puts out a dish or two that's outside of the normal repertoire. Our staples are: Cold side: chili garlic pork, tofu skin, chicken gizzard and tofu noodles Hot side: eggplant, bitter melon (to the dismay of hubby), and sour bamboo. Couple things to note: - I HAAAAAAAATE hate hate hate their to-go containers. You can't tell but they are smaller than the usual compartmentalized Styrofoam boxes and are very shallow. I imagine this is done to make their portions look huge. They always leak when they stack up the boxes unless you picked non-sauce items. - I don't recommend keeping leftovers for longer than a day or two. They pre-make a lot of the cold dishes and sometimes you smell that telltale sourness as soon as the next day. The food is still edible I think but the lifespan in your house is shorter than you think. - The taller nice lady gives fairer portions. The other one is noticeably chintzier. They charge a small fee for using credit cards now which I think is better than having to meet a minimum (because their food is pretty affordable and you'd have to buy a lot to hit it). As others have pointed out, this is comfort food. It's not going to knock your socks off but it'll make you feel like someone cares. Check it out! read more

cute! little to no ambience but i like it that way, i like to hear the clank of silverware. you get to pick items that are all in seperate plates and you can get it to go or for sit down. you can also get rice for like 2$ which is worth. they give you complimentary tea which was nice and had a mild jasmine flavor. the food was good, especially the cucumber salad. this place is chill. read more

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We've been going to Yu's for decades and it's always a hit or a miss with the service. Yesterday I ordered 3 orders of the 3 item combo and the portions were pathetic. The lady barely put anything in my order but had no problem piling on food for Chinese speaking patrons. It was so obvious!! This is not the first time either and I suspect it will not be the last. I guess Chinese Americans are not welcome at this establishment. read more

I've been going to this place for 16 years. This place has changed owners multiple times, and each time has been for the worse. The portion is smaller than it used to be when you dine in and the food doesn't taste the same. For example, the sliced beef is so thick and chewy with little flavor. I came back twice to check it wasn't a one off that it didn't taste the same. It is not. Sadly I won't be returning. read more

I was looking for a quick lunch after doing a boba run for my fiancé nearby. Unfortunately, all the other restaurants that I used to go to in the Ranch 99 plaza closed so it was pretty slim pickings. I had walked past Yu's Garden in the past but never walked in and when I saw that it was a lunch box style, I walked in to check it out. Usually when I go into these types of places, I don't know what I am going to order, but it'll be based off of what other people get, what looks fresh and delicious and what is the best value. I got the 3 item lunch box which was $11.50, not bad at all! There was a massive selection to pick from and there was almost a point where I wanted to get 2 so that I could try 6 different things. However, after reeling myself back in, I ended up picking the Steamed Chicken, Shredded Pork w/ Bean Curd and Tofu Skin. There was an option to pick either white rice or porridge, and I went with white rice, although I totally understand why some of the toppings looked perfect for a nice porridge. All the food tasted super fresh and delicious, it was an amazing value and I will definitely have to come back again if I am in the area! read more

Tons of choices! They happily refill the rice porridge and the staff are all very friendly. The dine-in includes free tea and unlimited porridge/rice refills. The flavors of all the side dishes are great and decently priced. Come if you're looking for authentic home style Chinese food! read more

Yu's Garden - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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One of my favorite spots for takeout and for Chinese food. They have a cafeteria style area, where you can order your food from if you're in a hurry. They also have a menu of fresh, made to order food. Both are delicious! I'm personally a fan of their: - beef noodle soup - Tainan peddler soup - cold, spicy pork - peanuts - tomato and egg - scallion pancakes (so crisp) - tofu noodles - black fungus salad - meatballs - salted eggs This place is consistently good and is fairly affordable. What's nice is that you order about half a plate of each item, so you can get a wide selection of food. read more

Not friendly at all! Food is good but one old Chinese lady is mean and not friendly. Most of the people here super friendly but she is rude and mean. read more

Who doesn't love a casual Chinese spot that has lunch specials? The menu board located right at the front window is extremely intimidating but as soon as you walk in the door, you can visually see all of the options right in front of you. The lunch prices are super reasonable and they are generous with the portions too. For a 3 entree lunch special (which includes rice), it's about $11 which is so affordable. I'd definitely frequent this place if I lived closer. read more

Yu's Garden - Menu - Taiwanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Was excited to try based on others' yelp reviews and photos. Their cold 3 item combo started off rocky. One of the items spinach was not fresh, tasted old and dirty. When I asked to swap for something more fresh, the two ladies said they could not until the mgr came out (took her awhile). I also ordered two dishes - eggplant w garlic sauce, chicken w garlic sauce. - Both had exactly the same sauces - The chicken meat was weird, very dry, as if chicken jerky (unable to eat it). They set your dine-in table with hot tea, and a container of rice (not the best quality, but edible). The star was one of the servers. She was so cute and friendly and offered five star service to me. Very attentive. She had straight shoulder length hair and bangs. I would go back just to see her. LOL. Very sweet personality. read more

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It has been a few years since my last visit to Yu's Garden. I wonder if a new owner has taken over because it felt like a very different experience than what I remembered. We came today because my wife wanted something light, like porridge. I was surprised to see they allowed indoors dining, as limited as it is, max 3 tables of 10 available. The 2nd surprise was the line never stopped! Many customers are ordering to go. It was so cute to see a young lady came in to place an order by showing the lady at the counter a picture on her phone what her mom wanted to order. Ms. Hung, the lady at the counter, I suspect she is the owner/partner. I am very impressed to see she knows many customers coming in and she remembered their favorite items. The service we received are way better than other Chinese restaurants we have been to. Their price is very reasonable. 2 items on a plate is $7.50. 3 items on a plate is $8.50. Rice/porridge is $1.50 per person. It is very likely we will be back! read more

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