The Tastiest Noodles in Irvine

Pho Akaushi

★★★★★ 4.7 (822) • $$

"Ordered pho combination to go. It felt very home feeling when I walked into the restaurant and was greeted by an elderly couple. They were very kind, and patient. Although I ordered food to go, they offered me water while I waited for my food to be prepared. I appreciate it the hospitality. Broth was very flavorful. Meat to noodle ratio was fantastic. It definitely hits the spot, especially during these cold winters. Location: love that there is plentiful of parking."

Izakaya Habuya Okinawan Dining

★★★★☆ 4.3 (950) • $$

"this place literally feels like a izakaya in japan! I love the decor and it felt like I walked into japan LOL! they have SO MUCH little trinkets and it keeps my eyes busy! the service is also great too!!!the quality of fish was amazing! maybe the best salmon sashimi I've ever hadddd arguably!! the place is pretty tight and the wait can be long so get on the waitlist early! we went on a Friday night so that may be the reason for the crowd!!Here's what we got!salmon sashimi: 5/5 SOOO FRESH AND BUTTERY!! i loved it fried squid: 5/5 so crispyyyy beef sukiyaki bowl: 4/5 a little bit on the sweeter side for me but once everything is mixed, it was more balanced! comes with a poached egg ;)) purple yam fried: 5/5 I've never had purple yam fries before so I was pleasantly surprised!!Overall i give this place 5/5 for the food, service and ambiance! So much fun!!"

Kingchops Irvine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (957) • $$

"There are so many better Taiwanese places in the area than Kingchops. We've been here a few times, and I keep hoping it will get better, but it doesn't.The service is non-existent, and you have to do everything yourself. You order via their app and pay via the app, and all they do is bring the food out. And they're always in a rush! It's never really that busy. Plus, the music is super loud here; I don't know why that's necessary. The food leaves much to be desired, as they use the same vegetables for different dishes. For instance, "seasonal vegetables" are just napa cabbage and have always been napa cabbage. Why even say seasonal vegetables? It's so misleading. The popcorn chicken is a decent dish, but it is pretty heavy and does not have flavor. Avoid the beef curry at all costs; the beef is not edible. Bamboo shoots are okay but come with a lot of liquid. I found it overall disappointing and with bad service, it's a hard pass."

Soup Shop - State College Blvd/Lincoln Ave.

★★★★☆ 4.3 (793) • $$

"I have been sick and store bought soups are worthless. How wonderful to find a delicious, cozy little soup spot near me that serves fresh, hot, packed soups of nutritional value that are just what the doctor ordered to help me regain my strength. They have much more than soup too. I'll be back because if their soup was this amazing, I'm sure the rest of the menu is too."

Nguyen's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (927) • $$

"Ok. I really don't know why this is so highly rated. With so many really good Vietnamese restaurants within 10 miles, the only reason to come here is that you are too lazy to drive.Barely comparable to food in Little Saigon. The vermicelli was soggy and the sauces were mediocre. To top it off, it's double the price as a dish that is twice as good in Little Saigon.Drive."

Elephant Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (798) • $$

"On this cold evening warm Thai food sounded perfect! One of our favorite local places is Elephant Cafe in Lake Forest. This small restaurant is on a busy corner intersection so if you aren't paying attention, you can miss the driveway to enter and then you have a long block before you can turn around. Elephant Cafe is a charming place with super friendly staff and amazingly authentic food. There are plenty of options for everyone. They even customize the level of heat on many of their dishes. Tonight the place was hopping! Booths full of customers chatting away and a constant flow of take out orders. I got take out as well and only had to wait about 10 minutes or so for our food. Tonight's menu was fried wonton, Thai Basil Fried Rice with veggies and Mild heat and Pad Kee Mao noodles with Chicken and Mild heat. We are so happy eating our yummy Thai food and watching college basketball at home! Prices are excellent too and I highly recommend Elephant Cafe!"

Silk Thai Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.1 (805) • $$

"Silk Thai has really impressed me with their Lovely food Great service, and awesome ambience. The quality of foodie superb. This is definitely authentic Thai food that reminds me of home in Thailand."

Grandpa's Kitchen - Grill Bar 168

★★★★☆ 4 (815) • $$

"Been wanting to try this place mostly because I love egg noodles and I actually prefer dry noodles. This restaurant in garden grove serves dishes that are $9.99 and everything on their menu is delicious. My friends practically ordered half the menu and I needed to try all of them cuz I knew I'd want to go back. They serve dry noodles and soup noodles and appetizers. Service was excellent and very fast! I was more impressed with their noodle dishes versus their appetizers. I also had the green thai tea and tasted the herbal tea and both were good and would definitely get again. I'm already craving this place and will ask them to add extra quail eggs in my noodles."

Pho Nam Dinh

★★★★☆ 4.2 (728) • $$

"This pho was ok.....was it the best...no but it satisfied my craving for some soup! Service was pretty quick and the prices were decent. This place was very casual and not fancy at all."

Ramen & Tsukemen TAO

★★★★☆ 4.2 (721) • $$

"Made a 20min drive out to check out this 3 time Michelin Star winner restaurant. I am surprised to see reviews on bad customer service because our experience was nice and it was busy. I can understand maybe a language barrier with the gentlemen bringing out the food but our waitress Yoshiko (name on the receipt) was great and taking care of every single table. It is a small place so expect a wait at peak hour. The food did not disappoint everything was great. I would not make the drive out but I'd definitely pay them another visit if I'm conveniently in the area."

Capital Noodle Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (834) • $$

"I was on a work trip and was looking for a place to eat dinner. I found this place through a social media influencer. When I entered the restaurant I was greeted by staff. The staff were friendly and very helpful. I ordered the capital noodles bowl. The bowl had shrimp, fish ball, sliced pork, fish cake, minced pork and egg noodles in broth. The bowl was phenomenal and very delicious. The price of the bowl is reasonable. Great selection on the menu. Ambiance is customer service friendly and plenty of seating space."

Slurpin' Ramen Bar - Costa Mesa

★★★★★ 4.5 (618) • $$

"The tsukemen was good and flavorful! They use my favorite type of noodles for the ramen and load you up with the toppings, which I thought was very generous. If you check in on Yelp, you get 2 free toppings, so I definitely took advantage of that! Our server Tristan was so amazing and hooked us up with free sides/toppings for us to try. They were the perfect pairing to the meal!"

HiroNori Craft Ramen - Sand Canyon

★★★★☆ 4.3 (676) • $$

"Heard many great things about this place so decided to check it out. Located in a plaza with many other food shops right next door, but noticed that 80% of the people were eating this ramen! There is plenty of seating outside where this ramen place as well as other vendors will bring out the food to you if you choose outside seating. We chose to sit outside because it was a beautiful weather and wanted the fresh air. My bf and I both ordered the shoyu ramen and I added the garlic and house spicy sauce to mine which were free! Service was pretty good, they brought out the food at an efficient time and did check on us throughout the meal even though we were seated outside. The ramen was incredibly flavorful and I could see why it is popular. I would rate it a 7.5/10 as I have had better but it is still a good ramen spot to checkout. Total came to $38 for two bowls bc they automatically add a 10% gratuity fee. Great place and location! Check it out if you are in the mood for ramen!"

SEN Vietnamese Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (641) • $$

"Let's get to it. Yum and yum. I stopped by for lunch and tried their phở Bắc đặc biệt & bánh mi que pate. Bánh mi que - try it with or without the lemon grass chili sate on the table! One of my 2 top bánh mi que in the area. The other spot that wins my tastebuds is Trung Nguyên E-Legend's. You've got better ones in mind? Please do share--I'm dying to hear about them! Pho - fresh wide noodles with the perfect softness! Broth well-balanced not as fatty and meat very tender. 10/10 would visit again and again!"

Mo Pho Mi

★★★★★ 4.5 (605) • $$

"Amazing delicious dishes and always wonderful service. Love to support family owned businesses. Highly recommend !"

Pho Vina

★★★★☆ 4.2 (689) • $$

"This restaurant is an absolute must-visit--a true hidden gem! The broth was incredibly flavorful and perfectly balanced. I hesitated to add sriracha or hoisin sauce because it was already so delicious on its own. I couldn't stop raving about it to a friend! I visited on a Saturday evening and ordered takeout; the restaurant was packed, which makes sense given how amazing the food is. One suggestion: update the pricing on the website. I saw pho brisket listed at $10.95 online, but my small order ended up costing $13.95. Still, the quality made it worth it!"

Capital Noodle Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (916) • $$

"Still one of my favorite soup places in OC. I come here strictly for their Hainan soup! Looks like they are currently offering a special on all you can eat noodles. Some tables are communal."

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

★★★★☆ 4.1 (700) • $$

"The Ramen here is super good.Both of my kids will eat more Ramen than they should.They would eat this every day if they could. And the storefront uses a lot of wood. And if you're really hungry for Ramen, then you really should."

Silverlake Ramen - Irvine Spectrum

★★★★☆ 3.8 (810) • $$

"The place is cute and has very nice interior decor! We were seated in the booth area in front of the neon signs and I was so happy to see the sign. It was a good experience!We both got the classic combo with different side dishes!Our server was nice and quick when it came to ordering.The food was good. Rich and creamy broth."

Soup Shop - Euclid St./Ball Rd.

★★★★☆ 4.4 (604) • $$

"The Soup Shop on Euclid/Ball is our go-to for awesome late-nite food after a long day at Disneyland. Chianti and all of the night crew are efficient, attentive and friendly, even when it gets close to their closing time. With Disneyland employees and guests both heading over after the park, the restaurant is still bustling at 1am! Just be sure to be there before 1 and if they still have room, they'll be able to seat you.The rib-eye and rib bone pho options are both excellent and our kids love the popcorn chicken. With such consistently excellent service and food quality, we're regulars even though we're not locals!"

Loi's Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.6 (552) • $$

"I don't understand why this place is so highly rated. My friend and I ordered 2 bowls of Bun Mam. My bowl was brought out first. The broth wasn't hot enough and the fish was still raw because it hadn't completely thawed. I was so hungry that I left the fish and ate the meat and fish cake. The roast pork was very hard to chew . I had almost finished 1/2 my bowl but my friend's bowl still hadn't been brought out. Meanwhile, the two of us ordered 2 bowls of Bun Mam at the same time. And I reminded the waiter, my friend's bowl of Bun Mam was also brought out and the result wasn't any better than mine. The broth wasn't hot enough and the fish was raw like mine. After that, I had diarrhea all night. It was scary. Opening a restaurant requires a conscience and careful cooking to serve customers, otherwise no one will dare to come back to eat."

Mdk Noodles

★★★★☆ 3.9 (752) • $$

"Korean food makes me happy...If I'm starving, it's a good time for Korean food!If I'm pretty full, it's a good time for Korean food!I was able to try MDK Noodle on two separate occasions, and it was good both times. The interior is minimalistic at best....almost sterile.The waitstaff rushes around with pushcarts filled with menus, banchan, and water...it's pretty fun to watch.They shoot over to your table drop everything off, and they are gone!Once they come back around, you are able to order....and then they show up with your food on the cart. Its that simple!The surprising part was that you never receive tableware or napkins. There is a hidden shelf built into your table and everything is inside!The dishes we tried were tasty and the portion size was decent. We weren't blown away by the flavors, but it was satisfying. The items were a little expensive for what they was...but that's everything nowadays...This is your place if you need a quick, expedited sit-down Korean restaurant. It's relatively fast, and you can eat and get out of there if you really need to.Enjoy!"

LePho

★★★★★ 4.5 (547) • $$

"Tried out their vermicelli bowl with chicken with Thai tea and I loved it. Fresh, warm and delicious."

PhoTasia Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (755) • $$

"This place is great. I got take out on a Sunday morning. The wait was minimal. I got to order at the kiosk and it was super easy to order and customize the pho. The price is great for the portions and the quality of food. The veggies were fresh. The broth was delicious! I will definitely come back. Plenty of parking available. Sitting is available inside and outside."

Le Shrimp Noodle Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (645) • $$

"On cold days, a big bowl of hot noodle soup always sounds so comforting and delicious! The shrimp broth is what Le Shrimp is known for, but I wanted to switch things up from my usual order and try the spicy chicken broth with delicious dark meat chicken and wide noodles. This dish really hit the spot! The chicken was tender and full of yummy five spice flavor, and the noodles were chewy and extremely satisfying. The broth was just spicy enough and very savory. I couldn't get enough of it!Would definitely order this again and I think it would also be a really nice dish if I'm feeling under the weather. Service was friendly and the ambiance at Le Shrimp Noodle Bar is casual. They're pretty efficient too so we got in and out fairly quickly.Look forward to our next visit!"

Pho King Way Noodles and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (625) • $$

"The pho here is always flavorful and generous in serving size. There is a vegetarian broth available too. The staff are welcoming and helpful. The restaurant isn't fancy though clean and comfortable. Especially comforting on a rainy day!"

Classic Chinese Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (687) • $$

"The hostess didn't listen to a single word I said. She just denied the table and started talking to another party waiting for a table. Even through she was still adding people to the waitlist even if that courtesy was not available to me. I'm guessing business must be good. They pick and choose their clients. I can think of a few factors they use to make that determination. Thankfully, we are no longer in an era where that matters anymore - I have brought countless people to this restaurant and recommended them heavily. For the food, not the service. But this has clearly crossed the line and frankly, it may be due. The place is run down anyway. With all the new exciting Chinese restaurants open in irvine and even Lake Forrest now; I don't think anyone is missing this place at all. The rundown carpet and disgusting bathrooms can fade away into the annals of history where they belong."

LUA Asian Fusion Eatery

★★★★★ 4.8 (364) • $$

"Food service was wonderful. Our waiter explained the whole menu patiently and made qreat suggestions. It was clean. The food wow was very flavorful and high quality.We went there because of the Dan Dan noodle promotion and 5 star reviews on Yelp but when we got there the waiter said the place was under new ownership and they didn't have any dan dan noodle pho. We tried something different and the food was delicious."

Pho Nic

★★★★☆ 4.4 (419) • $$

"Pho Nic is one of those rare spots where the energy is always calm, no matter how busy it gets. My sister is autistic and easily overstimulated, but we come here every single Sunday because the atmosphere is consistently peaceful. It's never chaotic, never overwhelming. The customer service is another standout. The staff is proactive, accommodating, and never rushed. Even when it's busy, they handle everything with ease, making sure you're taken care of without feeling hurried or brushed off.The food: it's solid and feels health-conscious. It's not mind-blowing or the best Vietnamese food I've ever had, but it's decent. The shrimp wontons are packed with actual shrimp (no filler), the egg rolls are crisp without being too greasy, and overall, the quality is there. Plus, the location is super convenient.If you're looking for a place with good food, great service, and a consistently welcoming vibe, Pho Nic delivers every time."

My Pho

★★★★☆ 4.2 (459) • $$

"Really good Pho here. The broth is delicious. I stopped by here for a TO-GO order. (My dentist is close by Target)I am glad I took a chance on this place. This was Wed, 8/28. I ordered two of the #13-Rare Steek, Flank, Brisket and Meat Ball Pho Combo Noodle Soup.Took it home and put everything into a real bowl because I don't like eating it out of the plastic bowl. Things can get quite hot.Pro-tip for TO-GO orders. Since they did all the work for you, the least you can do is to pour the broth into a pot and boil it. That way everything is nice and hot. They way Pho should be served.Service was fast and friendly. I paid cash and got a discount on my order. Place was clean and organized. I will be back to try other dishes.As for the Pho and the meat. It was great!"

Soba Izakaya MINAMI

★★★★☆ 4.2 (450) • $$

"Soba noodles are some of my all-time favorite Japanese foods. After having a few disappointing sobas around SoCal, my wife and I came to Soba Izakaya Minami on a recommendation from a friend.Like the name implies, this restaurant is part soba restaurant, part izakaya. We didn't try anything off of the izakaya menu. Instead, we wanted to focus on their soba noodles, so we got two different versions: a cold soba with tempura and their signature soba with duck dipping sauce.This is quite possibly the best soba I've had outside of Japan. The noodles have exactly the right texture: firm, yet cooked all the way through, and chewy without being mushy. The tempura is a little bit on the oily side, but I'll give it a pass due to the outstanding soba.When you order, you can choose how many servings of soba you want to start off with: one, two, or three. Three servings is like a typical American-sized meal. There's no extra charge for this, so unless you're a lighter eater, you'll probably want three servings.Onto the duck soba. I typically like cold soba, but the hot duck broth was very interesting: rich, smoky, and full of umami. There are a few pieces of duck meat in the broth as well. I enjoyed it, but given that the prices are equivalent, I'd rather get the soba with the tempura.Laguna Hills is not the closest city to us, but we'll definitely be back the next time we're in the area and craving soba!"

Hoa Binh Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (536) • $$

"This place has been here for decades and I feel bad that I never gave it a try until now! It shares a kitchen with the now-closed Banh Canh (vietnamese udon) place across the street and so they have 2 menus! There is so much to choose from! I got the wonton BBQ pork soup and my cousin got the recommended banh canh #15; both were solid. The BBQ pork in the soup was delish. Banh canh was actually very good too; you could get the broth more thickened or a thinner broth. My cousin ate the entire thing and said she's definitely coming back. The lady serving tables was so sweet too. She had recommended the banh beo but we had no stomach space. I presume the owner was the elderly gentleman who came by our table to ask how everything tasted. He was also very sweet and happy we enjoyed the food. Definitely coming back with a bigger party next time so we could try different things!"

Fusion Corner

★★★★☆ 4.3 (414) • $$

"Came here one evening based on reviews and was in need of some nice broth. Service was great, place was clean and employees were very tentative. Bummer was we waited about 15 minutes for our food once ordered. We asked the waiter as there was only one other party dining, is are food almost ready and the gentleman said yes give it a minute or two, next thing we know the microwave bell goes off and out comes our food, I'm like damn what a bummer-he microwaved pho. I was hungry, scooped a spoon full of broth and it was luke warm! I asked the dude hey put it back in the microwave another 10 minutes and should be good to go lol.Never went back and probably will avoid this type of restaurant. I mean just put the broth in a pot, turn on stove heat add the goods and serve it up hot n proper. I won't comment on wilted veggies and quality of cuts in my pho."

Sheung Shui - Fish & Rice Noodles

★★★★★ 4.5 (363) • $$

"Clean and good service is the first impression of this place. We order a take out , Jay is great to help us to place the order. Food is tasty, if you're hurry to get delicious food , must try here!!"

Hue Oi

★★★★☆ 3.5 (594) • $$

"Just for the bun bo hue.Tasty and all the meats were tender, the blood cake was very clean .Service was gracious and fastCareful with the side serving of hot sauce ,it is NOT sriracha .Lit me up like a Christmas tree \but it was soooo good"