Mandarin House in La Jolla

From the moment we stepped into Mandarin House in Bird Rock, La Jolla, we knew we were in for a culinary treat. The cozy and welcoming ambiance set the stage for what was an unforgettable dining experience.We started with the Salt and Pepper Wings and Fried Dumplings. The wings were a perfect blend of crispy and savory, with just the right amount of seasoning to tickle the taste buds. The dumplings were a delightful surprise, golden and crisp on the outside, with a succulent filling that melted in the mouth.The Crispy Duck was a showstopper, cooked to perfection with a crispy skin that gave way to tender, flavorful meat. But the real star of the evening was the Upside-Down Pan Fried Noodles. This dish was a masterful display of textures and flavors, combining perfectly cooked noodles with a mix of savory sauces and fresh ingredients.The service was nothing short of amazing. Attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable, the server made us feel like honored guests, ensuring that every aspect of our meal was perfect.In summary, Mandarin House is not just a restaurant; its a culinary journey that delights the senses. Whether youre a local or just passing through Bird Rock, this is a dining experience you dont want to miss. We left with satisfied palates and the promise to ourselves to return soon.

Best Chinese food weve been able to find. The service is not as good on a busy night so try to go during less busy times. The atmosphere is a little bit throwback 50s/60s chintzy on purpose, so if you cant handle that, then dont go. Its a wonderful landmark restaurant thats been around forever in downtown La Jolla. Its great to see it still in business since so many places of old La Jolla are gone. Please keep this place going.

The Mandarin House has delicious food. The 1st night our server was professional and attentive. I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. The last night, I ate here alone and instead of getting a table, I told the server I would sit at the bar to avoid taking up a table. The restaurant was very packed. The owner was my server at the bar and he didnt have a service type of personality. I almost left like I was bothering him. He turned my previously good experience into a bad one.

We decided to come up here for lunch today as we both been going here since the late 80s. It had been closed during covid of course like many restaurants. This restaurant had opened not too long ago. The greater/staff person had an attitude at the moment we walked in. Told us that they were closing in an hour and that we needed to order right away. When we were served the moo shu chicken the pancakes were cold. My friend asked if he would heat them up and she told me later that he rolled his eyes back into his head and said that they would be hard she said its okay. He delivered them and later are compiled chicken which hardly had any spice in it at all. We decided to get boxes and get out of there. When the waiter returned we asked politely of course for boxes and bags. He returned them to the table as he packed our food looking down at it and said that we were wasting his time. How rude! We would both have to say that the food was just okay and remember it being a lot better. Giving it the 3 stars as there are very few Mandarin or Chinese restaurants that are worth eating at in San diego. We wont be going back to this all-time favorite that we loved in the 70s 80s and the 90s . The plus side it is closer to the ocean and we did go down there to take a look at the big waves today and thats always a treat. Be sure to call besides checking their website for their hours. There is a little bit of parking in the front but if you go around the corner there is street parking.

We are visiting and this place was such an experience. We had the chicken corn soup, fried wonton, Mongolian beef, popcorn shrimp, fried rice and the YZ fried rice (date night special). The serving sizes were more than ample. The beef just seemed to dissolve on my tongue because it was so tender and full of flavor. The staff seemed to work well together and I would recommend this place to those living in or visiting the San Diego area.

Really great American Chinese Food. The owner has been there 36 years! I recommend the chicken corn soup, the beef lo mein (as pictured) and the Sesame Chicken.

It was our first time dining her and we were not disappointed. The food was excellent. I had Sizzling chicken and my husband had Kung Pao chicken. Both dishes were hot and freshly made. The waiter was a bit abrupt but he gave excellent service and the food was very good so we were happy. We will definitely go there again.

Its a really nice place, fair pricing and food was good. I had orange chicken, it tasted very good and strong orange taste which I liked, but Id rather it be crispy and it wasnt at all. It looked like it should be though. But it was very good. My wife had chicken with snow peas in a light sauce, she thought it needed salt. But thats it, pretty good overall and service was very good too.

This is one of those restaurants Ive driven by and never stopped at....and then I did. So good. Food was amazing, service friendly and accommodating. Couldnt be happier and will stop in every time Im in the area. RUN dont walk.

Extremely rude waitress! She clearly tried to rush us out of the restaurant and was very unpleasant throughout the entire experience. She was only tolerable when the manager came out for a brief moment to talk with other patrons. The worst came as we were packing our food to leave. The waitress aggressively grabbed the dish out of my boyfriend’s hand to pack it herself. It was clear he was not packing the food fast enough for her. Felt extremely rushed and not welcomed in the slightest. Awful experience, will definitely not return.