32 Best Chinese Restaurants in Irvine

“My fiance and I have been coming here for a while now and we absolutely love it ! Our guy Kevin is the BEST! He always welcomes us with the friendliest smile and truly cares about our experience here ! We not only come back for the good food but for Kevin he really just makes this place great ! Thanks Kevin for all you do !“

“I ve been to Haidilao many times, and every visit feels like coming home. The staff are always warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The service is consistently excellent, and the atmosphere makes you feel relaxed and taken care of. The food is fresh and delicious every time. Haidilao never disappoints! Highly recommended.“

“Whatever they’re paying Michelle, TRIPLE it. What an absolute gem of a woman. Most attentive and kind server I’ve ever had. She made our dining experience unforgettable. The food was just okay, but I’d come back just because of our exceptional server. Thank you for making our night easy and fun. Michelle, you rock!“

“I’m really glad we found this place, and it’s highly recommended if you are slightly adventurous and trying out some ethnic Chinese flavors.

Everything we ordered was excellent. We knew the crispy lamb buns (aka Chinese Burger) was going to be good, but not sure about the $20 fried pork which was #1 chef recommendations, it turned out to be delightful.

The lamb soup came out first, it was tasty and refreshing, Liang pi was cool, you don’t get it in many places. String beans were nicely done, a delicious necessity to balance out the meal.

The first bite of crispy lamb buns was a delightful surprise: crunchy layered thin bread and lamb with slightly cumin, it was an amazing feast.

Fried pork is an even more interesting surprise that I would not spoil. Ha ha. Try it to find out!

Service was fine, we were seats and water was provided quickly. Orders are done by scanning QR code, browsing the online menu, and order directly. I find this efficient but lacking some personal interactions.

We did purposely ordered a lot for the two of us, we obviously didn’t finish. I was surprised the bill wasn’t as much as I expected. We got a lot of leftovers to go and enjoyed rest at home.“

“I like YGF-Malatang because you can choose your own toppings and flavor, which makes it fun and customizable. The food itself is good and satisfying.

However, the staff aren’t very friendly, which makes the experience less enjoyable. Overall, the food is nice, but the service could definitely be improved.“

“The food is really good. Just a heads up for spicy choices - they are HOT! My husband enjoyed all the dishes. We ordered the duck soup, fried rice with vegetables and beef with cilantro - all delicious! Service was courteous and friendly. Very helpful with first timers like us. The ambiance is quiet and relaxing.“

“I recently tried Show Hotpot and was blown away by the quality of their broth!
The MalaTang here is genuinely the best I’ve had, it’s so rich and flavorful that, for the first time, I finished the entire bowl.
The atmosphere and service were also great, making the whole experience enjoyable from start to finish.
Highly recommend Show Hotpot for any hotpot lover, especially if you’re a fan of MalaTang!“

“Happy to hear they have a Northern Cafe here now! I remember when this place used to be a ramen shop lol. BUt I also remember it being more expensive that I could afford as a college student. But I'm happy to hear NC is here instead! I recommend trying their spicy beef hot pot if you can handle and like spicy food. It's very flavorful and it kicks you in the mouth a bit, but not so much that you're downing cups and cups of water. Will be coming back!“

“FOOD WAS AMAZING but what really matters was the service! I didn’t get her name but amazing service! Always so nice and smiley! Would def recommend to everyone! The portions are big and I was expecting all of these to be ~$80 since some places in OC charge that much but it was only ~$50!“

“This has become my go-to canteen-style Chinese restaurant in Irvine — I literally know the menu by heart at this point! My coworkers and I often come here for dinner after work, and everything always hits the spot.

⭐ Grilled Skewers: Don’t underestimate their BBQ! It’s hard to find good skewers in Irvine, but these are legit — juicy, smoky, sizzling when they arrive. Must-tries: lamb skewers, chicken cartilage, and wings. I also love their nostalgic Chinese-style sausage (淀粉肠) — so good!

⭐ Stir-Fried Dishes: I’ve pretty much tried them all and none disappoint. Every dish has real wok hei (that smoky “breath of the wok”). Favorites: scallion beef, fish-flavored eggplant, and sweet & sour ribs (tastes like Hong Kong-style “sweet-sour pork”). Perfect with a bowl of rice.

⭐ Mini Hot Pot: No explanation needed — go for the spicy beef or golden soup beef pot. Big portions, packed with flavor, and super satisfying.

⭐ Chicken Soup Noodles: I order this every single time. The broth is rich and flavorful, with tender poached chicken and plenty of veggies. Comforting and delicious!

⭐ Dessert Discovery: Tried their Mango Sago Lava Bun for the first time — so good! Warm, creamy mango-coconut filling with chewy coconut bits. Not too sweet, just perfect (but be careful, it’s hot inside!).

The menu is huge — from northern to southern Chinese dishes — and everything we’ve tried has been great. The cold appetizers are also worth exploring. We came with five people, ordered a full table, and still had leftovers. Around $25 per person — definitely qualifies as an “Irvine Canteen” spot in my book!“

“The Hainan Chicken rice dish is best I have ever tasted in OC. The chicken is tender and moist and all three sauces were provided were amazingly good - the sweet chilli with a bit of tang, sweet soy sauce, and the ginger scalion sauce. The rice is also very tasty if a bit hard but easily soften with the piping hot chicken broth included. If you love Hainan Chicken rice, this place is definitely a must!

Parking: Lots of parking on weekdays.“

“Amazing Food. We ordered quite a few dishes and everything was delicious! The Peking Duck and green beans were my favorite!“

“01SEP2024 | Nice to Meet You Skewer Hot Pot is a chic hotpot restaurant. My first impression was that it was clean, with delicious food and attentive service. The prices are just right for the quality of the food and ingredients. I would give it a 10 out of 10, and we will definitely be coming back.“

“The food here is absolutely incredible — every dish is delicious and full of flavor! The staff is very friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. The atmosphere is wonderful, with beautiful decorations that create such a cozy vibe.

But my favorite part is the payment system for large groups: using the QR-code makes it super easy, and everyone can pay for themselves without any stress or splitting the bills. We love coming back here, whether it’s just a small dinner or a big celebration with friends. Highly recommended!“

“This place is super convenient for work trips. It's right next to my office!“

“I just wanted to take the time to really thank Pick Up Stix at the Lake Forest location. I always have had a great experience here - whether it be for the food or the customer service.

Recently, I decided to venture off my usual choice - Chow Mein - which I think is the best ever. Unfortunately, the new dish I ordered was subpar, I called the restaurant and spoke to a nice lady (I forgot her name unfortunately), she went above and beyond just replacing the meal. And I really appreciated it. Customer service like this is now rare - but she was so nice about it. A) didn't make me feel low or stuck-up (I hate that feeling esp when the vendor makes the mistake) - this was not the case here B) replaced the meal with another of my choice C) And added a generous extra item on the house

Thank you so much! My family loved the dinner - per usual :)“

“Their service is great, and you can feel that they are paying a lot of attention to customers.

We brought our dog with us so we sit the outdoor area, and they have been very attentive all the time.

Food is great, they are noodle house but their rice is out of question also great as well.

I'll come here soon again.“

“This Place is an exciting experience for fans of authentic Sichuan flavors. We chose the half-and-half hot pot base with spicy mala broth and a milder herbal soup. The spicy broth packs a punch with a complex blend of spices, while the herbal soup is a comforting balance. The ingredients, like the thinly sliced beef, shrimp, and vegetables, were fresh and flavorful.

What we ordered:

- Spicy mala broth - 5/5
- Herbal soup - 4/5
- Thinly sliced beef - 5/5
- Shrimp - 4/5
- Vegetables - 4/5
- Tofu - 4/5

Service was attentive, though it can get hectic during busy hours. The staff were friendly and helpful. The restaurant can feel crowded and noisy, but it adds to the lively atmosphere. Prices are reasonable for the quality and variety. If you love hot pot and can handle some spice, YinTang Spicy Hot Pot is worth a visit!“

“We’ve been going to Capital Seafood for MANY MANY YEARS now and just realized I haven’t made any reviews yet! Well, here it goes… we so love this place! We always go during dimsum hours and we love their dimsum choices! The foods are all amazing and first class!!! The service is even better! Our drinks are constantly filled and they always check if there’s anything else we need. Their manager will also go around and help serve! Eventhough we live an hr away from Irvine now, we still make sure we go to this place at least once a month! Excellent food and VIP service!“

“Great food, friendly staff and clean atmosphere.“

“The best place in area to get traditional Chinese food! It's always fresh and not soggy. Menu has huge variety of dishes. But most important that prices are affordable and reasonable! I go here almost twice a month, will not stop as long as I'm living in that neighborhood.“

“👍👍👍👍, very clean and nice. Good service too.“

“Food was good.

Vegetarian options: Rice, noodles, they might still have the beyond the meat orange chicken

Parking: It is an open parking lot, it is pretty much easy to find parking

Kid-friendliness: Kids of all ages are welcomed

Wheelchair accessibility: Good amount of space“

“kindness. Moved to Irvine from the San Gabriel area. In comparison, the food here is delicious and the price is very reasonable. It feels cheap and the food tastes delicious. Of course, it may be that I am too hungry. Overall, I am very satisfied with this meal. Good reviews. Will come again.“

“It was surprisingly good over the top service delicious good good atmosphere hip cozy friendly . I’m definitely coming back w/ friends!!!“

“Chicken pot thing was weird. Noodles were bomb!!!!!!“

“The food here is amazing and they give you your money's worth. I am used to going to panda express and getting a 3 item plate and still feeling hungry afterwards. I ordered a 2 item plate from here and was unable to finish the whole thing. Now I have some tastey leftovers. The quality of the food is also very good!“

“Paik's Noodle, owned by Chef Jong Won Paik (one of the judges from Culinary Class Wars), provides korean-chinese comfort food in the H-Mart located in North Irvine. And does it deliver!!

Paik's is known for its Jajangmyeon (fermented black bean noodle stir-fry) and Jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). Their noodles in all of their dishes are perfectly chewy, and satisfying for hearty noodle lovers. If you're new to these dishes, the noodles are like a mix between an udon and ramen noodle, typically using thick, wheat flour.

The Jajangmyeon hits that spot when you want a comforting meal with an umami punch. This dish has a perfect balance of sweet and savory (more on the savory side), with flavors oozing from caramelized onions, the salty, smoky, and decadent fermented black bean, and a generous portion of elongated ground pork adding a nice meaty touch. For meat lovers, you can order this with extra meat, and for vegetarians, they offer the dish without meat at all. They even have a seafood version of this dish!

The Jjampong uses the same noodles, swimming in a spicy broth infused with seafood umami. With muscles and chunks of tender squid and the occasional baby shrimp, the soup is so rich in flavor and satisfying.

While there are other strong dishes here, the noodles are the star. And each dish is accompanied by Korean pickled radishes to provide fresh, crisp respite between indulgent bites.

Sitting within the food court, there is no traditional service, but the staff are friendly and very quick - even during peak hours. It's easy enough to find seating, but during busy times, it's best to secure seating earlier if you can unless you plan to take the food to go.

If you're looking for comforting, filling, and delightful noodles to switch up your Asian noodle-ventures between ramens, phos, pad thai, and more, you should explore the menu at Paik's. You might just find yourself hooked by the flavors - after all, that's Chef Paik's most important criteria when judging good food.“

“The hotpot I eat most often with friends is Lao Pier. The first time I ate flying pancakes was at Lao Pier. Now that I think about it, it still tastes delicious.“

“Amazing and delicious! I have been a fan of Sichuan food for many years and Chef Chuan is now my favorite Chinese restaurant in Orange County. If you do not speak Mandarin, use Google translate with the super friendly staff that does not speak English. I had the Fresh Cucumber, Chongqing style spicy chicken, Hand Shredded Cabbage. All three dishes were so delicious and authentic. If you don't like spicy food, just ask them to make the food mild.“

“Really great noodle restaurant in Los Angeles! I love Chinese Bamboo Spicy Noodle Soup. Oh my god! It hit me home whenever I tried it! would highly recommend the restaurant! They really have authentic Chinese noodle soup which you cannot find anywhere else. I always go there when I am in LA.“