Great experience. Loved all the dishes we tried. I celebrated my birthday, and it was an amazing experience, thanks to Michele! She went above and beyond to make the evening special. Her friendly and attentive service made us feel so welcome. Michele even surprised us with a dessert to celebrate, which was such a thoughtful touch. The food was delicious, the ambiance was perfect, and Michele’s exceptional service truly made the night unforgettable. Highly recommend dining here and asking for Michele!

Only came here for happy hour. Sat at the bar while our kids were shopping in the mall. We had four amazing cocktails plus some shrimp dumplings and total bill was $32. For $5, the Pink Lotus drink IS A MUST. All restaurant happy hours need to be like this, seriously! Bartender was really nice too. This is a huge restaurant by the way. A nice anchor to this swanky mall.

Went in for lunch and the place was empty at 11 am and maybe 2 more tables filled until I left. The beef roll was pretty good and the portion was perfect for sharing. The shrimp wontons was a fail for me because of the mushy squash inside. The beef soup dumplings was ok but didn’t like slight herb scent, so it might be better for Chinese tastebuds. But I liked they provided other meat options besides pork.

Stopped by on a weeknight and found the restaurant relatively full but I get it! The restaurant itself is open and clean. The service is fast and friendly. Given so many people I was happily surprised how quickly the food came and how attentive the service was. The food, honestly, loved it! The portions are a good size. The flavors are spot on. They offer a grilled menu after 5pm, which is fun to eat!

It was my first time trying malatang, so I didn't know and put too much stuff in my pot/bowl (whatever you called it), which costs ~$36, and I can barely finish like 70% of it! The flavor is not bad, and of course, it was super cheap, considering the amount of food that was in my bowl. They have lots of unique fish cakes that you can try if you are a fish cake fan plus tons of different things so be careful and don't put too much stuff in your bowl like me because as you first time trying it you won't know how much you can eat and the fact that you can only do it once (you can't go back and add more food into your bowl after you check out) will make you unsure whether it's enough. Anyway, I would recommend this place if you haven't tried malatang before

Zhang Liang Mala Tang offers a wide variety of food items. My wife prefers their Tomato Soup over YinTang’s Spicy Hot Pot, while I enjoy the Bone Soup at YinTang. However, the minimum order of 0.8 pounds isn't ideal for families with kids, as it increases dining costs. When kids are feeling under the weather, they can’t eat more than 0.8 pounds, and Yin Tang has no such limitation. We've visited Zhang Liang twice. Some frozen items didn't cook well inside, unlike at YinTang. At Zhang Liang, you pay upfront with a mandatory 15% tip, while YinTang lets you pay with an optional tip after dining. For families, it’s better to avoid buying a large bowl to share, especially when family members are feeling under the weather, as kids like having their own bowls. Overall, Zhang Liang offers great variety, but be cautious of the undercooked frozen items and the mandatory tip. Additionally, no sign indicates the 0.8-pound minimum and it’s not kid-friendly.

Ordered takeout via Fantuan, and overall, it was quite disappointing. 1. Stir-fried pork – The meat was tough and dry, resembling pre-made food rather than freshly cooked stir-fry. 2. Braised beef and beef offal – The flavor was mediocre, nothing special about the broth, and the ingredients didn’t seem particularly high-quality. 3. Century egg with mashed eggplant – The portion was shockingly small, with just one century egg and a tiny amount of eggplant and green pepper. Overall, the dishes were overly greasy, the prices were unreasonably high for the portion sizes, and the quality did not justify the cost. Would not recommend.

We visited this place for a weekday lunch and we were disappointed. First of all the price for each dish is pretty expensive: about 20 dollars for a dish. The amount does not match the price. we thought the rice would be free or an extra couple dollars but nope, the only way to get rice is ordering that rice dish with few corn in which is 3.5 and it was so little amount of rice. The food was pretty authentic, well with a good amount of oil and salt. The best part is the beef in the rice noodles. Two of us ordered 3 dishes plus rice and it was 60+ before tips and we were not even full. We poured our own water, napkins and chopsticks are already in the table drawer. The waiters served our food from five steps away and cleaned our table in a hurry right after we finished. I was hoping it could be an authentic sit down Chinese restaurant but it seems like just another fast food style but expensive place.

The only Chinese-style hamburger joint (as of the date of this review) in Irvine but luckily it happens to be an incredibly delicious one that’s authentic to the ones coming from Xi’an, China. Highly recommend the braised pork and black pepper beef hamburgers as the recommended selections.

Aka. Crispy Rougamo A hidden gem. We ordered two crispy lamb buns, garlic string beans, and lamb soup, and all were filling and worth the value. The lamb bun is the size of a burger, and super flaky and fresh. The lamb soup came with a side of fresh cilantro and spicy paste, add to taste - gave an extra depth to the soup for sure. The lamb broth was soothing to my soul. Definitely will be back to try other dishes here.

I always order take-out, so can’t really comment on the atmosphere. But the DIM SUM is great. All very tasty and good. Peking duck is also fantastic. It’s easy to order online for a set time to pick up, even a day ahead. You have to park in the structure, but they validate for pick-ups.

They should have more reviews! Their food is amazing. It’s not easy finding good dim sum. Everything tasted amazing. Seriously. I’ve seen someone break down the prices for their food and it looks expensive, but compared to other dim sum places, this is a bit cheaper. Come and give it a try! Order 30min prior to when you want to pick up. Park in the structure and go into the Twenty Eight restaurant and someone will give you your order. And you validate your parking ticket inside too so free parking. There’s tables outside if you would like to eat there as well.

It's an almost fully self-service spot, which is great, but may not be what some are looking for. They have a number of great dishes and I love the flavor of their dumpling sauce.

If you're looking for a flavor-packed adventure, look no further than Northern Cafe at UCI! I tried their spicy beef hot pot and sour vegetable noodle soup, and let’s just say: my taste buds went on a rollercoaster ride of excitement. The spicy beef hot pot? It’s like a warm hug with a little bit of sass. Tender beef swimming in a bubbling cauldron of spice— it’ll make you break a sweat in the best way possible. It’s fiery enough to make you feel like you’ve earned that second bowl of rice, but not so hot that you regret it immediately (looking at you, other spicy foods). And then there's the sour vegetable noodle soup. It's like the perfect mix of tang and zest that makes you feel like you've just won a flavor jackpot. The noodles were just the right amount of chewy, and the sourness of the broth had that "I can’t stop slurping" effect. Honestly, it felt like a rejuvenating spa day for my soul, except with more noodles and less cucumber water. All in all, Northern Cafe isn’t just a place to eat — it’s a spicy, sour, and soul-satisfying experience. You’ll leave with a smile on your face and a satisfied stomach... and maybe a slight craving for another round of that spicy beef hot pot.

This restaurant has a good variety of authentic Chinese dishes. We got the braised pork ($14.95), lamb casserole ($14.95), and eggplant ($9.95). For the price, I have to say I was impressed! The braised pork had mostly really tender pieces and great flavor. The lamb casserole had a strong lamb flavor and delicious noodles in it! I thought the lamb pieces were kind of tough. The eggplant was delicious. We asked for less spicy, and it was perfect.

Quick service. Food came almost immediately after the server took the order. All the dishes were very delicious!

I preface this review by saying I am in no way in tune with Chinese cuisine and the different regional offerings. That said, noodles were delicious. Cold noodles is a new concept for me and wouldn’t order again. Exotic protein options including intestines, my wife had a hard time eating with me because the menu didn’t have English descriptors and what she did understand was for acquired tastes. Try it out and be your own judge, nothing wrong with this place.

A must-visit for noodle lovers！ The Lamb Skewers perfectly spiced, and Suo Yi Cucumber crisp and refreshing. Chicken Wonton Soup is comforting, and Sweet Rice Wine Balls make a perfect sweet finish.

The taste is pretty good. You choose the ingredients, but they add it to your hotpot. The advantage is that it is more hygienic than other buffet-style restaurants. It is geared more toward carry out and delivery. The bowls and utensils are all disposable. The food court is kind of run down. The people working there are not that communicative. Also, they don’t offer cups of water. When you order, the machine asks for a tip and there is no clear no tip button. We were not very impressed. They must be doing something right because it was popular when we were there.

The beef combo was so filling and much bigger than I thought for the price it was worth. There was little to no wait time and came out super hot and cooked! It was so good and I loved the rich flavor of the broth! Def coming back sometime soon for more!!

The food is good and the prices are reasonable. They have an underground garage, so it makes it much easier to park. They do clean up regularly, but the sauce section can get pretty messy as people are messy when they scoop up the liquids. The broth flavors and ingredients are great. I recommend the bone broth. The lamb is great.

soup is amazing! and they have different events going on all the time~ sometimes you get free drinks and sometimes you get free chances to play the claw machine :) recommended

Today, I visited Yun Chuan Yuan, an affordable Sichuan restaurant in Irvine, and I was absolutely amazed! Every dish was so delicious that I can't help but rave about each one. Here's my detailed review! 👇 🌟 Twice-Cooked Pork: The perfectly balanced fatty and lean pork is stir-fried to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich savory sauce! The green peppers and garlic sprouts are also super flavorful. One bite and I was in heaven! 🌟 Shredded Pork with Sweet Bean Sauce: The pork strips are tender, and the sauce is rich and flavorful, with the perfect balance of salty and sweet! Wrapped in thin pancakes with scallions and cucumber strips, the layers of texture are amazing, and it's not greasy at all. Absolutely fantastic! 🌟 Cold Skin Noodles: The noodles are chewy and smooth, with a spicy oil that's fragrant but not overwhelming, and the vinegar is just the right amount of tangy! Paired with cucumber strips and bean sprouts, it's refreshing and appetizing, perfect for summer! 🌟 Dry-Fried Green Beans: The green beans are slightly crispy on the outside but still tender inside, with a rich, dry aroma! The minced meat and chili peppers add a wonderful fragrance, making it super satisfying with rice! Overall, Yun Chuan Yuan is a highly cost-effective Sichuan restaurant, and every dish kept me coming back for more! Highly recommended for all Sichuan cuisine lovers! 💯 #IrvineFood #SichuanCuisine #YunChuanYuan #FoodieAdventures #AffordableEats

The service was really nice. The servers are amazing! The atmosphere was also really nice too. So, I didn't know that spicy city was a chain. But, the one in SD is a lot better. We ordered cold dish of pork neck, gizzard and black fungus. Pork neck and gizzard could use more chili and flavor. Black fungus was great! Then we got fried intestine. I didn't realize that they had batter. I never had it fried with batter before so this feels much greasy and heavier. The last thing was orange chicken. That was fine. It's just orange chicken.