I came here for lunch with my parents and had a great experience. We (ambitiously) ordered 4 entrees and a dessert for 3 people (spoiler alert: we didn't finish), but it was nice to try a variety of dishes. We ordered the Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken, Pan Fried Egg with Tomato Soup, Fish in Sour Pickled Broth, Peapod Leaves, and the Golden Sesame Balls. Everything was great - freshly cooked, made with quality ingredients, and very flavorful without being overly salty or greasy. My favorite was probably the Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken. Service was friendly and efficient. They don't have many waitstaff, but you save a lot of time by ordering and paying independently using a QR code system. Ambiance is simple but clean. Recommend a visit!
Yunhe R.
Best Chinese food I've had in a long time. Food arrived so quickly and was super fresh and delicious! Our party of 8 had a great time thanks to the friendly and attentive service and great food. We'll be back!
Raven O.
One of the most authentic Szechuan cuisine in the wider OC area. Friendly people. Inside was not big but clean.
J C
Fav restaurant in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 金汤肥牛 Sliced Fatty Beef with Pickled Soup
Maggie Sun
I came here by chance with my friends~ It was a surprise to be able to eat such authentic Sichuan food in Irvine~ The price is moderate~ The four of us ate more than 100~ We also packed the remaining two dishes~ The service was very warm~ The food was served Soon ~ I will come again next time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 金汤酸菜鱼 fish in sour pickled broth
Jake Pae
Kuan Zhai Alley’s dry chili chicken satisfies your late night sichuan cravings. Plenty of authentic chinese dishes to choose from and a great place to take your family and friends. Lemon tea is definitely a must.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken
Joseph Liao
The food is delicious. Highly recommend the tamagoyaki tofu and garlic cabbage.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken
Wayne H.
Wow, this is the best Sichuan food we've had outside the Sichuan province - no joke! After looking at the menu of several "Sichuan" restaurants and finding things like honey walnut prawns, I finally came across KZA and they had none of that food that caters to people that have no idea what Sichuan food is, and that's a plus in my book when I'm looking for something authentic. Tried a few dishes (ordered through Uber Eats - do not recommend btw, see note below) and all were bangers: 1. 夫妻肺片 - without a doubt, one of the best I've ever had. Cold, thinly sliced beef and pieces of tripe in a delicious sauce that was only a little spicy, a bit sweet, and a bit numbing. Perfectly balanced and an awesome way to kick off the meal. 2. 香辣仔鸡 - not exactly the same as 重庆辣子鸡, but equally delicious and they nailed it. The biggest difference here is the addition of cumin whereas the Chongqing variant would not have it, but it worked well and was delicious, though you may not enjoy it if you're not into cumin! The chicken pieces are well fried and boneless - pros and cons to it. A big pro is you get tons of super crispy, small bits of chicken but the con is that the chicken meat is a little dry vs. the one cooked with bones. 3. 担担面 - really delicious sauce, plenty of meat, and plenty of preserved veggies. The major downside to their version are the very thin noodles, which, unless eaten fresh, are going to turn extremely soggy while sitting in an enclosed container making an hour+ Uber Eats journey. Do not order this for delivery. 4. 水煮牛肉 - nice fermented bean/chili taste and very ma la. The slices of beef had a great texture - still a little chew but not at all overly tough. There were bean sprouts and baby bak choy as well. The quintessential saucy dish to have with steamed rice. They also have a version with fish as well. Overall, the food is authentic and outstanding. Regarding online deliveries, the packing and following order notes could use improvement. The 水煮牛肉 ended up leaking all over the inside of the bag and for the amount of food (for 4 people), we asked that they include chopsticks, forks, and napkins for 4 people. What they actually included were 4 pairs of chopsticks and 2, thin, paper napkins... lol. In addition to noodles going soggy due to their thinless, the chicken wasn't as crispy as it could've been had they cut vent holes into its container, as is commonly done with fried food items. I'd 100% recommend eating the food sit-down as opposed to delivery. Uber Eats prices are $2 more per item than listed on their Toast menu.
Kevin J.
The food is authentic Sichuan style. The amount is big! It's a bit pricy but worth the flavor and amount. Owners are friendly. Hard to find authentic Sichuan food in Irvine.
Sandra L.
I am so impressed with the quality and taste of the food here at Kuan Zhai Alley! Before you let some of my photos or negative Yelp review scare you off, you have to know what traditional Szechuan food entails. Many Szechuan dishes come drenched in oil. This oil is infused with the Szechuan peppercorns that gives it the iconic numbing spicy flavor. In addition, a lot of Szechuan dishes are covered in dried chili. That's just part of the flavor and look of the dish - it is not meant to be eaten like some people may think. Szechuan food is typically overly salty for the average person. Knowing this, you can't let the negative reviews on how the dishes should be prepared deter you away from this place. Now, Szechuan food isn't for everyone, but if it is your thing, this is the place to go and here is why: 1. The food is fresh and made really well! I highly recommend the Fish in Peppercorn Broth - Snakehead fish ($28). They filet their own fish and you can really taste the difference in the quality of the fish meat. 2. Everything came out piping hot and nothing looked or tasted old. 3. Flavors were on point with what they should taste like. Even though I know that Szechuan food is typically very salty, the Cucumber Salad ($12) was a tad too salty for me, but I would order it again! Overall, I highly recommend this place. There were a few things that I'm not a fan of. I didn't like that the Szechuan String Beans ($15) was such a small portion for the price. I also didn't like that they charge $1.50 per bowl for rice. Looking back just a month ago, I read on here that rice was free of charge, but I guess that has since changed. You cannot eat Szechuan food without rice, and I just think that it should be included with the meal. Service was a hit and miss depending on which server you get. I find that the one person who spoke decent English was the most friendly while the others weren't as friendly. It's a nice clean restaurant where you can order on your own using the QR code or with a server like I saw another table did.
The best Sichuan food in Irvine. The food, service and dining environment all make people feel friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 火爆双脆 Stir Fried Pork Kidney with Pickled Peppers, 金汤肥牛 Sliced Fatty Beef with Pickled Soup, 红糖糍粑 Glutinous Rice Cake with Brown Sugar, 水煮牛肉 Boiled Beef in Spicy Szechuan Sauce, 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken, 梅菜扣肉 Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables
Rajnish S.
Food was awesome. Service was great. We had reservations, so that was a good decision. This is a very popular place. Kids loved the place as well.
John L
tasty!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cris W.
Great addition to the Irvine food scene. Excellent service. Authentic dishes. The shrimp dish is especially delish!
Kathleen F.
This food is the best Szechuan we've had. We especially loved the boiled fish in numbing sauce, the eggplant, green beans and slippery mung bean noodles. Staff is so friendly. We could go every day.
I came here for lunch with my parents and had a great experience. We (ambitiously) ordered 4 entrees and a dessert for 3 people (spoiler alert: we didn't finish), but it was nice to try a variety of dishes. We ordered the Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken, Pan Fried Egg with Tomato Soup, Fish in Sour Pickled Broth, Peapod Leaves, and the Golden Sesame Balls. Everything was great - freshly cooked, made with quality ingredients, and very flavorful without being overly salty or greasy. My favorite was probably the Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken. Service was friendly and efficient. They don't have many waitstaff, but you save a lot of time by ordering and paying independently using a QR code system. Ambiance is simple but clean. Recommend a visit!
Best Chinese food I've had in a long time. Food arrived so quickly and was super fresh and delicious! Our party of 8 had a great time thanks to the friendly and attentive service and great food. We'll be back!
One of the most authentic Szechuan cuisine in the wider OC area. Friendly people. Inside was not big but clean.
Fav restaurant in
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 金汤肥牛 Sliced Fatty Beef with Pickled Soup
I came here by chance with my friends~ It was a surprise to be able to eat such authentic Sichuan food in Irvine~ The price is moderate~ The four of us ate more than 100~ We also packed the remaining two dishes~ The service was very warm~ The food was served Soon ~ I will come again next time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 金汤酸菜鱼 fish in sour pickled broth
Kuan Zhai Alley’s dry chili chicken satisfies your late night sichuan cravings. Plenty of authentic chinese dishes to choose from and a great place to take your family and friends. Lemon tea is definitely a must.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken
The food is delicious. Highly recommend the tamagoyaki tofu and garlic cabbage.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken
Wow, this is the best Sichuan food we've had outside the Sichuan province - no joke! After looking at the menu of several "Sichuan" restaurants and finding things like honey walnut prawns, I finally came across KZA and they had none of that food that caters to people that have no idea what Sichuan food is, and that's a plus in my book when I'm looking for something authentic. Tried a few dishes (ordered through Uber Eats - do not recommend btw, see note below) and all were bangers: 1. 夫妻肺片 - without a doubt, one of the best I've ever had. Cold, thinly sliced beef and pieces of tripe in a delicious sauce that was only a little spicy, a bit sweet, and a bit numbing. Perfectly balanced and an awesome way to kick off the meal. 2. 香辣仔鸡 - not exactly the same as 重庆辣子鸡, but equally delicious and they nailed it. The biggest difference here is the addition of cumin whereas the Chongqing variant would not have it, but it worked well and was delicious, though you may not enjoy it if you're not into cumin! The chicken pieces are well fried and boneless - pros and cons to it. A big pro is you get tons of super crispy, small bits of chicken but the con is that the chicken meat is a little dry vs. the one cooked with bones. 3. 担担面 - really delicious sauce, plenty of meat, and plenty of preserved veggies. The major downside to their version are the very thin noodles, which, unless eaten fresh, are going to turn extremely soggy while sitting in an enclosed container making an hour+ Uber Eats journey. Do not order this for delivery. 4. 水煮牛肉 - nice fermented bean/chili taste and very ma la. The slices of beef had a great texture - still a little chew but not at all overly tough. There were bean sprouts and baby bak choy as well. The quintessential saucy dish to have with steamed rice. They also have a version with fish as well. Overall, the food is authentic and outstanding. Regarding online deliveries, the packing and following order notes could use improvement. The 水煮牛肉 ended up leaking all over the inside of the bag and for the amount of food (for 4 people), we asked that they include chopsticks, forks, and napkins for 4 people. What they actually included were 4 pairs of chopsticks and 2, thin, paper napkins... lol. In addition to noodles going soggy due to their thinless, the chicken wasn't as crispy as it could've been had they cut vent holes into its container, as is commonly done with fried food items. I'd 100% recommend eating the food sit-down as opposed to delivery. Uber Eats prices are $2 more per item than listed on their Toast menu.
The food is authentic Sichuan style. The amount is big! It's a bit pricy but worth the flavor and amount. Owners are friendly. Hard to find authentic Sichuan food in Irvine.
I am so impressed with the quality and taste of the food here at Kuan Zhai Alley! Before you let some of my photos or negative Yelp review scare you off, you have to know what traditional Szechuan food entails. Many Szechuan dishes come drenched in oil. This oil is infused with the Szechuan peppercorns that gives it the iconic numbing spicy flavor. In addition, a lot of Szechuan dishes are covered in dried chili. That's just part of the flavor and look of the dish - it is not meant to be eaten like some people may think. Szechuan food is typically overly salty for the average person. Knowing this, you can't let the negative reviews on how the dishes should be prepared deter you away from this place. Now, Szechuan food isn't for everyone, but if it is your thing, this is the place to go and here is why: 1. The food is fresh and made really well! I highly recommend the Fish in Peppercorn Broth - Snakehead fish ($28). They filet their own fish and you can really taste the difference in the quality of the fish meat. 2. Everything came out piping hot and nothing looked or tasted old. 3. Flavors were on point with what they should taste like. Even though I know that Szechuan food is typically very salty, the Cucumber Salad ($12) was a tad too salty for me, but I would order it again! Overall, I highly recommend this place. There were a few things that I'm not a fan of. I didn't like that the Szechuan String Beans ($15) was such a small portion for the price. I also didn't like that they charge $1.50 per bowl for rice. Looking back just a month ago, I read on here that rice was free of charge, but I guess that has since changed. You cannot eat Szechuan food without rice, and I just think that it should be included with the meal. Service was a hit and miss depending on which server you get. I find that the one person who spoke decent English was the most friendly while the others weren't as friendly. It's a nice clean restaurant where you can order on your own using the QR code or with a server like I saw another table did.
Restaurantji Recommends
The best Sichuan food in Irvine. The food, service and dining environment all make people feel friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 火爆双脆 Stir Fried Pork Kidney with Pickled Peppers, 金汤肥牛 Sliced Fatty Beef with Pickled Soup, 红糖糍粑 Glutinous Rice Cake with Brown Sugar, 水煮牛肉 Boiled Beef in Spicy Szechuan Sauce, 香辣仔鸡 Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken, 梅菜扣肉 Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables
Food was awesome. Service was great. We had reservations, so that was a good decision. This is a very popular place. Kids loved the place as well.
tasty!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great addition to the Irvine food scene. Excellent service. Authentic dishes. The shrimp dish is especially delish!
This food is the best Szechuan we've had. We especially loved the boiled fish in numbing sauce, the eggplant, green beans and slippery mung bean noodles. Staff is so friendly. We could go every day.