Mad Dumplings - Irvine

Mad Dumplings is a spot that offers unique options of dumplings and also rice dishes. I always pass by this place when I walk around UTC but never got to officially try until last Thursday, which I came around 12pm with a friend and the store was pretty empty but did have more people as we were eating. Out of the four dumpling options, I opted for the longanisa because other than the fried chicken dumpling, the other ones have chives in them, which I was hesitant to get since I don't really like chives. My friend wanted to get the chili oil wontons, but apparently the staff member told us that they didn't have wontons at the moment and he was not sure when they would get it. My friend was excited to try the wontons so she was a bit disappointed, but she ended up getting the fried chicken dumplings. Most people I see get takeout, but there is also some bar seating for those who want to eat in person like I did with my friend.The longanisa came in 10 pieces, while the fried chicken was the kind that had 6 pieces instead but came in larger pieces than the longanisa, but both were filling enough for me and my friend. The longanisa was pretty good, though I was initially surprised by how the pork sausage had a hint of sweetness and maybe spice, making it both savory and sweet. It tasted better as I ate more. It came with a spicy sauce that was pretty good too, but I mostly ate the dumplings by itself since it was already flavorful. I was also initially hesitant when seeing there were jalapenos since you usually don't see jalapenos in dumplings, but thankfully it was just put on the top and I could just take it out myself. I tried a piece of the fried chicken dumpling from my friend and it was good too, it had a nice crunch to it and the chicken itself was soft. We would describe it to be more like fried chicken but in a dumpling shape. My friend said she enjoyed it with the sauce but she also liked it even without the sauce. Overall, I would recommend it if you're craving dumplings from the plaza and it's a good casual place to eat with friends. It's a place where I would come every now and then, so if I get to try again, I would like to give their other dumplings a chance.

We came over here after the Elite event at Tenori a week ago. Their dumplings appealed to my hubs and when we asked the cashier for recommendation, he mentioned their most popular is the Fried chicken.While the filling was pretty good, the wrapper/shell was thick and rubbery. If they were to perfect the latter, I am confident more clients will come back and enjoy these dumplings even more!

Was in the area and decided to give Mad Dumplings a try.The menu looked promising! We decided to go with the family meal - I believe it comes with your choice of 5 items.So got the OG dumplings, the fried chicken dumplings, longanisa dumplings, bulgogi rice bowl and the Chinese Sausage Fried RiceWe selected to have the OG & Longanisa ones pan fried, but they did not have the nice crisp I was hoping for. They barely had any browning.The bulgogi rice bowl wasn't very good. The bulgogi was on the tough side and was not very flavorful. The Chinese sausage fried rice had good flavor if you had a piece of the sausage in your scoop, otherwise it was bland. It's not like how grandma used to make it.The employee brought out 2 dishes that did not belong to us and left it on our table and walking away - so we waited til he came back out to let him know they did not belong to us. The menu looks great on paper, but the execution was a let down. The food was ok, it wasn't bad by any means. But, there are better dumpling places in OC.

The longanisa dumplings were good, but the portion was much smaller than I expected considering the price. While my order came with 10 dumplings, they were very small and a good amount of space in the container was filled by the sauce containers and jalapeños. The dumpling options are definitely inventive, but I was a bit disappointed by the portion size.

Came to Mad Dumplings with some friends. We had Bulgogi, a Lychee Lemonade, and Dumplings. The food was tasty and a good portion size. I was happy to see real Lychees in the drink. A+! The server was very patient, helpful, and friendly as we asked questions about the menu and stuck around to eat inside. Loved the artwork on the ceilings and the wallpaper design. It's a cool place to try out. I'll come back again and try a new dish next time.

So far, I'm liking this place. We went on a Saturday night and it was peaceful and quiet. You enter the restaurant, order from a kiosk, grab a number, and take a seat. Self seating with everything you may need on your side of the table. If you don't like interacting with people, this place is great, haha. We got "the Hottie" to share and I was not expecting them to be huge. On top of the size, it was very stuffed as well, which is great. I understand the price of them - at first I wondered why it was kind of pricey, but I think it's worth it now that I've seen and tried them. If you did have a question or need something, they do have a call/service button by the kiosk. Will be back to try the other dumplings.

Surprisingly tasty variation on Japanese, Korean and Chinese delicacies, at very reasonable prices! Offerings include fried rice, dumpling fusions and items such as Bulgogi Tots! As a like lunch before heading home, selected the Dumpling Set for $12.95 which consisted of four FriedChicken and Cheese Dumplings and four Traditional Pork Dumplings. Paired with a cold refreshing Jasmine Tea with Lychee. Very delicious and not too oily I am a fan!

Stopped by for lunch after our bike ride and loved filling up on these dumplings. Tried the veggie fried rice, the vintage dumplings, original, vegan and the Thai dumplings. All so delicious. Cool vibe inside the restaurant with unusual ceiling art that caught my eye. The shop has won awards from the food network which I can understand because YUM!! I will say I wasn't thrilled with the fact that there was no staff around to answer questions or provide recommendations for our first order. Everything was done on a self serve screen and someone only came out of the back to hand me my order.

I had some of these dumplings at an event, and it was amazing. I really enjoyed my chicken one as it's really stuffed with juicy chicken! And the crispiness on the outside is amazing! The service here is amazing. The guy that was serving was very nice and sweet. Since it was at an event, it was nice to know that I can go support or two other locations! Will definitely try again, and introduce these to my friends.

I used to get this all the time from their truck in at the Great Park farmer's market, but this is my first time in their brick and mortar store. The food is very different from how I remember- the dumplings are smaller and not as fried, but the flavor is the same. The bulgogi rice was also decent, and I like the texture of it. The elote, however, was horrible. If you're a fan of Korean corn cheese, this might be to your tastes, but it was just gross. Took one bite and tossed it. Upside is that service was friendly and fast, and the tables/counter are all clean with plenty of condiments. I guess it's been a while since my last visit to the truck, but so much has changed that it feels like a completely different place with similar recipes. Not sure if I'll stop by again unless I'm craving the specific flavor of the specialty dumplings.