Mouthwatering Soup in Irvine

Saigon Beach

★★★★★ 4.6 (945) • $$

"Great Vietnamese food in Newport! It's a nice little spot in the popular area of Newport Beach. There isn't much seating but it's the perfect grab n go. The service was good and quick. The food was even better. Grilled Turmeric Chicken Vermicelli Noodle was a 10/10! The chicken was seasoned and perfectly cooked. The noodles were great. It was filling and the sauce was perfect. The shrimp spring rolls 10/10. They taste like authentic spring rolls. The peanut sauce was untraditional, but still good peanut sauce."

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."

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."

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!"

眞 Jin Cook - Authentic Korean Soul Food

★★★★★ 4.5 (652) • $$

"My favorite galbi jjim (braised beef shirt ribs), hands down. The short rib is so tender, fall off the bone. The sauce isn't too sweet compared to other places I've tried. I love how the potatoes, squash, carrots and rice cakes are perfectly marinated in the sauce. It's good to share for at least 2-3 people and comes with rice and banchans (side dishes). You'll wait a bit on the weekends during lunch and dinner time, so I recommend coming during off times. They're open late and have a homey, traditional ambiance."

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!"

Hatam

★★★★☆ 3.7 (850) • $$

"Had the best time celebrating my 50th birthday. We had an exclusive banquet room and it was perfect for my intimate birthday party. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. The owners Sunny and Babak are very professional. Puya, the manager, made sure that everything went well, with the food and helped with the cake service. I highly recommend this place. It's beautiful and luxurious!"

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!"

Kaju Soft Tofu

★★★★☆ 4 (705) • $$

"Great place for when you're just craving tofu soup. It's currently $17.99 for their soondubu and comes with a hot bowl of rice and refillable banchan. The servers, along with the cat robots, are pretty attentive and stop by to refill your drinks/banchan regularly. Note: there are 7 spice level options on the menu I got a medium spice level which ran on the milder side, so I recommend getting spicy if you have moderate spice tolerance!"

Wok-In

★★★★★ 4.7 (508) • $$

"Love this place! Still coming here since the beginning! Bruce has recommended some amazing options for me when I come in. I hope to eventually try everything on the menu. My fall back is always the rare beef pho!"

Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shop

★★★★☆ 4.1 (643) • $$

"I needed something quick for lunch and I'm so happy to have found Mr.Pickles!I got the mini Big Jake on Dutch crunch and it was amazing! The mini was enough food for me (to not get sleepy at work) and a great price. They were super nice and included a free cookie :)Walking in at 12:15pm on a friday there was a lunch line but nothing too bad. I believe there were some tables towards the back if you wanted to eat there. I ordered online to be in and out and it was ready at the time I pickedJoin their rewards program, you get a free mini after your first $5 purchase!"

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (878) • $$

"Our kids loved dining at Olive Garden when we lived in Lynnwood, WA. After moving to Irvine, CA, we go there regularly for the lunch special. The Irvine location is the best one in Orange County. The service is consistently excellent, making each visit a pleasant experience.Our kids enjoy the kids' menu and love dipping the signature breadsticks into the Zuppa Toscana and Chicken Gnocchi soups. They always say it's so tasty.I highly recommend it for a delightful family meal!"

Its Tofu

★★★★★ 4.6 (455) • $$

"So I've never been to BCD Tofu but I took a friend to this restaurant who goes there all the time and they told me that It's Tofu is a better and less busy version of BCD. In all honesty I still haven't been to BCD yet and after what she told me I don't think I'll be going unless I get a craving late at night Walking into the restaurant you're immediately greeted by all the employees, no matter what they're doing. The restaurant is a bit minimal as far as decor goes (at least when I went) but the food speaks mouth for itself. Even though I walked in at a busy time, myself and my friend were immediately seated and greeted by the staff. They took the time to explain the items on the menu and provide recommendations. Not even 5 mins later our waiter brought all the side dishes to the table, along with some tea and a rice pot for each of us Once the food got served we both dug in. The cut of the beef was so clean and tender, the broth with the soft tofu were phenomenal and you can tell everything on the table is fresh to order or at the very least prepared fresh daily. I made the mistake of falling in love with this place because all I do now is crave it almost 24/7 LOL My only complaint is that this place does close earlier than most restaurants, but it's not something in my book that is worth docking a star over. If you love Korean-centric food at a affordable price, this is the spot for you"

Pho Lux

★★★★☆ 4.2 (471) • $$

"Great location & easy parking! Quick drive from the Beach. Big menu with lots of options, including Vegetarian dishes. I ordered the classic Pho Chicken (soup) & spring rolls. Casual seating and near other eateries (in shopping center) if you decide to take-out. The Thai Tea is perfect for dessert."

Tabu Shabu Huntington Beach

★★★★★ 4.7 (368) • $$

"Tabu Shabu has been my go-to spot for Japanese hot pot for the past six years. We always arrive right when it opens at 5 PM to avoid the wait and take advantage of their 20% off happy hour deal from 5-6 PM, Monday through Friday.Here's what we usually order:Sukiyaki broth, large Angus beef, udon, brown rice, carrots and spinach.Spicy miso or plain water with kombu, regular Angus beef, shiratake noodles, white rice and all the veggies.One of my favorite things is the garlic, sesame oil and green onion seasoning they put on the raw beef. It adds so much flavor as it cooks. They also provide generous servings of ponzu and goma sauces which are perfect for dipping. I appreciate the shiratake noodles as a gluten-free or low-carb option.During the pandemic, we often ordered takeout and enjoyed their delicious hot pot at home using our electric pot. Even now, we occasionally opt for takeout when we're in the mood for a cozy, leisurely meal at home.The servers are always attentive and incredibly helpful making the dining experience even better. We love coming here and will continue to support this location!"

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!"

Ramen Hub & Sushi - Fullerton

★★★★★ 4.5 (396) • $$

"Honestly, this is my go-to ramen spot in the Fullerton/Anaheim area! The ramen is always a perfect 10/10, and I love that they offer more than just pork broth options for non-pork eaters. I usually go for the miso chicken and make it extra spicy!**Plus, all their fried sushi is amazing."

Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang

★★★★☆ 4.1 (476) • $$

"It has been a while since I've been back to Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang. We stopped coming since prices were creeping up. However, since prices have skyrocketed everywhere, we decided to give it a try. The service is the same - friendly and helpful. They serve delicious ban chans (side dishes) with your food order. My hubby and I shared #14. Chicken Soup ($22.99). It was more than enough food between the two of us. This is a great soup to get if you want something that is clean and comforting. The ginseng is mild and the chicken is not dry. Prices are comparable to other Korean restaurants in the area so I will likely be coming back to Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang as I love their soups!"

Kaju Soft Tofu

★★★★☆ 3.5 (651) • $$

"Absolutely love this place. The servers are sweet and kind. The prices are reasonable (in my opinion) for what you get. I usually order the spicy tofu soup that comes with the panchan. The little crispy fried fish are also a favorite. Recently, I shared the steamed egg dish and it's so fluffy and delicious. I can't wait to try the ginseng chicken."

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!"

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"

Mai Thai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 (445) • $$

"Mai Thai is our go to spot for Thai food whether we want take out or dine in.The dining room is good for 1 or a group. The staff takes their time to explain every little detail to the picky eaters or novelist Thai food eaters. The drinks come up super fast. And honestly no one waits long for the food. Family style portions for food.... Well each plate va. Be for 1-3 people for sure.If you love Pad Thai. Go with Pad See Ewe. It is a very special treat especially if you are a creature of habit and always order the same thing. But want go try something new.The pineapple rice is AMaZiNG! Very flavorful. It's a fav of mine.This time around my companion ordered the dick curry with a level 3 spice and loved it. I'm not a fan of duck so I didn't give get a try. But the bowl was fully, meaty and packed with all kinds of extras.Soda, water, beer, wine, hot tea and Thai Tea are all served here. Don't complain you are thirsty because all the glasses are large.Enjoy!"

Myung Dong Tofu House

★★★★☆ 4.1 (423) • $$

"It was a chilly evening so my boyfriend and I were looking for something soupy for dinner. We decided to get tofu soup at Myung Dong Tofu House. It was really busy the time we came in, and there were a lot of Korean friend groups and families dining here, so it's probably authentic. One funny thing about this menu, is that it calls out a limit of a maximum of 2 side dish refills. We were actually neglected the whole time and didn't get anyyyy side dish refills. If you love side dishes, this isn't a spot for you. My boyfriend and I shared a BBQ Beef Short Rib (Galbi) + Tofu Soup Combination ($32.99) and a BBQ Sliced Beef Rib Eye (Bulgogi) + Tofu Soup Combination ($28.99). My boyfriend got the Clam Tofu Soup and I got the Beef Tofu Soup as part of the combos. The side dishes and fried fish came out first. The side dishes were average. The fried fish was on the soft side, lacking crispiness. Surprisingly the meats and rice came out before the tofu soups. They left our rice in the metal pot and warned us it was hot and to move it around with the wood thing it was sitting on. I saw other tables where staff scooped out the rice for them, but not with us. My tofu soup had good flavor, but not much beef bits inside the soup. The meats were well marinated. There was too much fillers like onions in the bulgogi for my liking. The galbi had good taste but the meat was a little tough. The perfect balance of a meal for a cold evening. We both felt full, and I had a little leftover for the next day. We had to waive down staff for boxes and the check. We got boxes first, a wrong size box and then a new box... thennnn still no check after a while. So we waived down a different staff member for the check. Still a nice meal for the most part, but I don't live close enough to be in a hurry to come back."

Suthathip Thai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.3 (362) • $$

"I have been a fan of Suthathip ever since they opened in Anaheim Hills about 7 years ago. Although it is a bit out of the way, I still come here on and off just because the food is so good. I assure you that it is definitely worth the extra driving distance to get there as you will find some of the most authentic and delicious Thai cuisines in the entire OC.Their lunch special is also one of the best bargains in town and each entrée includes soup or salad. Pictured above is a broccoli and chicken lunch special served with steamed rice and fried wontons. I also like their traditional pad thai (fried rice noodles) as well as their curry dishes. The restaurant's yellow curry is particularly on point, and I like it moderately spicy.For a hearty dinner, I recommend crying tiger - a tender and flavorful rib eye steak served with their signature sweet chili sauce. Seafood lovers have plenty of fish entrees to choose from. My personal favorite is deep fried tilapia with garlic pepper."

Pholuscious

★★★★★ 4.7 (292) • $$

"Originally, my husband picked Pho Lab. When I saw pho luscious right next door with the nice spacious interior, we went on yelp like ninjas to compare the two. We saw tons of fake reviews for Lab (ppl who only reviewed once) but once I saw the bashing review of a non asian customer on Luscious, I knew we had to give Luscious a try. It sounded like a competitor .Luscious did not disappoint. The portion is great. Pho was piping hot with the stone bowl. Noodles perfectly cooked and not sticky. Flavor was savory but not overwhelming with pho cardamon smell, and didn't make me dry or sleepy after. Price was amazing. $14 or $16 for combination. Beef brisket was tender with perfect amount of fat, tendons were plump soft. Vegetables had good amount. My first visit was near closing time so that time only had 1-2 ngo gai. Otherwise, vegetables on my second time was plentiful. The shaken beef was quality beef. Very tender like from costco . My only negative is that it was a bit oily and the pasta wasn't cháy cạnh but that's a personal preference. Overall we ate everything and even bought to go's. I'm now spoiled and can't eat Pho without that stone bowl. It made all the difference with this cold weather and crazy kids. We'll definitely come back."

Gam Ja Tang House

★★★★☆ 4.3 (348) • $$

"My boyfriend and I love to eat here! Whenever we are feeling sick or feeling some korean, this is our go-to spot. We always order the GamJa Tang meal, it comes with rice, side dishes, and vegetables. My boyfriend always finishes his bowl, but for me I always have leftovers for the next two days. The place is easy to find and we park behind the building. The workers there are always quick and efficient to the point where sometimes they're rushing us maybe 30 minutes before closing. Although we understand their urgency, we feel that we cannot enjoy or relax and feel like we need to rush and get out so they can close up as well."

Pho Broth

★★★★★ 4.8 (275) • $$

"I've been here several times now and each meal I've had here has been delicious! Pho Broth is one of the few late night Pho restaurants open until midnight in OC and they have been rock solid on the food and service since they have opened.I've had the garlic butter wings & parmesan truffle fries as appetizers and both have been delicious, rich, and flavorful. The fries are crispy and well-salted and there's a good amount of parmesan sprinkled on top along with the dipping sauce they give you, it's yummy. The garlic butter wings are crispy, have a lot of meat on them and aren't too heavily fried which I like so it's not as greasy.I usually get the Expert bowl when I come here and you can choose from 3 of the 5 proteins which they offer or you can step it up to the Challenger bowl if you want everything! The noodles are springy and plentiful, there's a good amount of meat in the bowl, and the broth is fatty and rich. The inside is clean and well-lit with plenty of seating available for groups. Service is fast and friendly and you can order to-go or online if you want to do takeout! A great spot if you are craving Pho!"

Season Thai Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (323) • $$

"I have lived in RSM for 5 years and this was my first time at Season Thai! Oh my gosh it was delicious and I can not wait to come back! We had coconut soup with shrimp, crying tiger beef dish and yellow curry with chicken! Everything tasted amazing and the service was so nice!"

Thai Way

★★★★☆ 4.2 (350) • $

"Came here to have dinner with a friend. It's a very small restaurant but the food is good and the prices are inexpensive. The service is very nice. Definitely coming back when I'm around the area."

Pho Mazing

★★★★☆ 4.4 (313) • $$

"It was Pho good. I had ordered two large beef Phos and the meat was fresh and lots of it. It was packed good when I picked up my order. The place is clean and very friendly staff. I will go back again and try the rolls!"

Mix Gourmet

★★★★☆ 4.4 (294) • $$

"Mix Gourmet is the best Chinese food in Yorba Linda, period. My wife Veronica only orders from here. Their food is fresh and sauces are tasty and light.Even the iced tea is delicious.Recommend this place for all your cravings.Bon appétit!"

Pho Saigon Gem

★★★★★ 4.6 (266) • $$

"Well, the third times a charm!They just reopened under new (the third) management and with a new menu, so I had to stop in again.As always I got the #1 Pho. The flagship mixed pho which to me is all that matters at a pho shop.Whereas the previous two owners had completely failed to make a decent version of this basic pho, the new leadership has succeeded!Now, it's certainly not up to little Saigon standards, and it's relatively expensive, and I'm not a fan of mysterious "surcharges" being added to my bill, but Pho Saigon Gem at least now finally puts out a reasonable product for South Orange County. After three years or so of not doing that.The broth is okay, a bit light and underseasoned, but passes the gelatin test and is fine after adding the available condiments. And you get a decent amount!The mix of meats is finally the correct and traditional cooked beef, tendon, tripe, meatballs and raw beef. A little shy of a decent portion, unfortunately. The noodles are fine, and a good amount.The all-important toppings, basil, sprouts, lime, sliced green peppers were all just ok.A bit skimpy, but next time I'll ask for more.The place seems fresh, clean and inviting, but I almost always do take out, so...I'm happy to say I'll be back, it's just blocks from house and that definitely works for me! I gave an extra star just for that."

Jaws Topokki

★★★★☆ 4 (342) • $$

"~ * * GREAT COMFORT FOOD ** ~ (located on the 2nd floor in the food court of The Source, the service is more like a fast food type) I normally get the: - Medium fried set ( fried squid, fried seaweed rolls, fried mandu, & fried sweet potato) - shrimp gimbap w/ wasabi mayo (SO GOOD)- 1/2 Topokkitip: dip the fried set in the topokki sauce it's so yummy!!"