Master Hu

Wahaha guess what! I'm back, for a big party and they definitely made some changes after soft opening. First off, the prices are more expensive but the portions are also different ( no longer the small clay pots). However, rice has become more on the expensive side per portion. AUTHENTIC HUNAN CUISINE no seriously, it will be a spicy rice thief. I definitely recommend bringing someone here to show them reaI chinese food if they can handle the heat.Still popular as ever so definitely expect a waitlist when you arrive, or come at opening as seating is a bit tight and best suited for 2 parties. Bowls/plates are more casual and extra utensils/napkins found on the side of the table. Service is limited as there isn't much staff and they aim for quick turnaround d/t limited space. Also the tables might be too small for your dishes lolol. !! This restaraunt is really yummy however i highly warn against the chili fish and to stick with their dry stir fry dishes. For some reason the fish we ordered had an incredibly bad fishy taste instead of fresh and it went into the sauce as well Green peppers with beef- fried well, wok hei, tender Braised pork w/ dried pickled mustard- really tender and perfect presentation. Big portion. Like Chinese version of bossam? It is not too strong in braised flavor, but enjoyed and looks good. Big pot Beef with cilantro and chili- kinda taste the same, but tender as well, basic young? (Smaller) lotus root w/ meat- apparently this kind of lotus root is hard to find here. A bit sour but tender/crunchy, native approved Spicy beef noodles- their noodles are kind of ehh, the noodles itself good but broth can be oily**** cured meat w/ dried radish stirfry- my absolute favorite, hits the target. Must eat with rice. Its wok hei, oily, spicy, dry. Delectable hunan style. Pickled veg rice- kind of basic and a bit empty they really cut down on rice Braised pork ribs - didn't try too much again think good flavor but don't remember if specifically tender Dried tofu strip noodles- great if you need something fresher/not spicy. Has solid Braised flavor Braised tofu- a meatier/firm block of tofu also with the distinct slightly sweet/soy sauce Braised taste, not spicyGreen peppers with century egg- a must try hunan dish, it was cooked tender and can be a fun experience to smash ( as it should be). staple food. It ended up being in the pricy side with around $45 a person ( biig party and big meal as can see above)

We waited 30 minutes for our order, while watching other customers who came in later finish their food. We left and eat elsewhere.We arrived around 5:45 pm and ordered pork intestine rice noodles and braised pork rice.When we asked about our order, the staff simply said the kitchen was short-staffed.I don't understand how other customers get their food so quick If they're short-staffed. There's no communication with us. They could've notified us and suggest us to change our order. It's clear they do not value customers equally.

Absolutely loved this spot! They have a wide selection of food: noodles, rice dishes, stews, dessert, tofu, etc. You order from a QR code and the food comes out very quickly! Everything I ordered was delicious and I especially enjoyed the sour lotus root and steak and the osmanthus milk white dew, a milk pudding/jelly with osmanthus syrup. Most of their dishes are a little spicy, but I didn't find any of them to be unbearable. This place seems pretty popular and typically has a line, but I only waited about 10 minutes for a table of two.

A relatively new restaurant, Master Hu still had a sign that said "soft opening" on the door. The menu is only partially available as of this review. The waitress stated they have been open 1 month.Ambiance:Clean and cozy, the restaurant has contemporary Chinese music playing and is well lit. Seating is relatively limited due to the small size of the restaurant. It was not busy when I dropped in on a Saturday night around 6pm. English speakers beware, the staff may not be able to fluently communicate with you, but they try hard!Menu: their online menu accessed through the QR code on the table was pretty decent, but most items are grayed out (I assume due to soft opening). There are not enough pictures of the menu items and some are only in chinese, so this may be hard for non-chinese patrons to figure out what dish to order.What I tried:I was originally looking for a Chinese restaurant with a good beef noodles soup. They only have rice noodles, no flour noodles, so I opted for I their Aromantic Spicy Beef Brisket with rice ($15.88), a Soy Sauce Rice ($9.88), and a Plum drink ($5.88).Thoughts:Beef Brisket: very flavorful and spicy. Tender beef with bell pepper, garlic, hot peppers. Went well with white rice. Beware, the rice portion is deceptive in the pictures. They use a large bowl and the rice is only approx 1" deep, which was not enough for me (I have a normal appetite). The portion of the brisket is also too small for an almost $16 dish, but would definitely try again. Note: another serving of rice would be additional $3.Soy Sauce Rice: refer to my comment on rice portions above. It is the same size as the rice that came with my Brisket. I ordered this dish thinking that it was something more, but it is literally white rice, with a drizzle of Soy Sauce in the middle, some loose corn kernels, a tea egg, and scallions. Not worth almost $10!Plum drink: I ordered this drink thinking it was something more as well... not worth almost $6. I would probably just drink the water provided.I came in thinking I would find my new chinese food fix for when I am craving a taste of home, but not quite what I was expecting. I will probably come back when their full menu is available to try some more items, but portion size to cost ratio is a deterrent. I finished essentially 2 entrees and a drink and it was over $30 to be just barely satiated.

Full menu of Hunan specialties. May be related to Master Hu Kitchen in San Gabriel. Crazy busy already.

Food is excellent... Dining atmosphere is warm & welcoming. (But a little bit busy, with only a few tables.). Order anything that includes noodles !!!

The food is good and consistent. We were impressed by the signature clay pot. The service was great. The food came fast and the waitress kept checking on us making sure we were comfortable. The place is pretty clean.

Every dish was deep fried before stir fry.. super greasy , stomach felt strange after we left the restaurant. Not authentic at all.. service was bad, all the staff were wearing blue latex gloves and gloves were so duty handling food. Would not recommend to anyone.

I ordered two dishes, one is steamed beef short ribs with taro, took a long time--probably about half an hour--because it was supposedly to be freshly steamed. By the time it was finally served, we had already finished eating. We took a bite and it was icy cold. It wasn't even room temperature or warm.I used to love this restaurant and went to San Gabriel for it. I was really happy that it opened in Irvine. But I feel like the quality of food has dropped and I will not come back. On the side note: the beef short rib is sweet. It's purely personal taste but I doubt any Hunan cuisine lovers would appreciate a sweet beef short rib.

We ordered a few dishes and this is how we felt after eating:Pork belly with pickled mustard: The pork belly little too dried and too few leaves, and lacked the bright color from the cooking process.Spicy fish soup: the fish fillets fell apart and was too salty, overcooked.Spicy Beef Brisket RiceMy personal opinion is that the above dishes all have the characteristics of "Premade Dishes". We come to the restaurant just like to enjoy the fresh ingredients and the chef's skills. If you want to eat premade dishes, Simply, just go to the supermarket or buy them online at no extra cost.