Costa Mesa is a city that will stay in our memory forever, and it will be intertwined with our travel ambitions. It is known for its thriving arts and culture scene.
The city is home to the renowned Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a world-class performing arts venue that hosts Broadway shows, ballet performances, concerts, and more.
The center also includes the South Coast Repertory Theater, which showcases a range of theatrical productions.
We visited Costa Mesa, located in Orange County, California, and we really enjoyed this vibrant city known for its diverse culinary scene, including a range of Chinese restaurants.
With a mix of traditional and modern eateries, Costa Mesa offers a variety of options for Chinese food enthusiasts. And we are definitely enthusiasts.
A variety of Chinese restaurants in Costa Mesa, California offer delicious food. We picked these Chinese restaurants in Costa Mesa as a good idea to fit your taste preferences.
Table of Contents
Top Three Restaurants for Chinese Food in Costa Mesa
| Restaurant | Top Pick | Our Rating |
| Golden Dragon | Lemony Chicken | 5/5 |
| No.1 Chinese food | Teriyaki Chicken | 4.5/5 |
| Al’s Palace | Egg Rolls | 4.5/5 |
The 7 Best Places for Chinese Food in Costa Mesa, CA
Northeast Sisters
350 Clinton St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States +19497358885
This Costa Mesa Chinese restaurant typically offers a variety of options, including appetizers, soups, main dishes, noodles, rice, and desserts.
We had great grilled cold noodles. Let me tell you, the flavors this has are so tasty and so delicious.
The Sister Favorite Noodles were very flavorful, clean, and light! Very surprising! Ended up being my favorite.
Also, the roasted cold noodle and mixed salad is a must-try!
{image} Roasted cold noodle {image}
This is a new style restaurant. They are located inside a commercial kitchen and offer pick up and delivery!
Love the food and service! The service is phenomenal. They treat each customer with the utmost respect and appreciation!
I strive to support small businesses, and this is a restaurant that is really special with authentic Chinese food in Costa Mesa. They are working hard to satisfy people’s cravings for really good Chinese food.
Can’t wait to see what else I try from the variety of food on the menu!
Golden Dragon
2023 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States +19496427162
At the Golden Dragon, everything was perfect. It was unbelievable how tasty the food was with all the flavors and spices that bring you the taste of Asian cuisine.
The ambiance of Golden Dragon may vary, but Chinese restaurants often incorporate cultural elements in their decor, such as Chinese artwork, red lanterns, and traditional motifs.
The atmosphere is typically welcoming and family-friendly, catering to both dine-in and take-out customers
Perfection was achieved with the most delicious, delectable, and tantalizing Chinese food. The customer service was a gold star, and the servers were born to present the food and provide you with a great time.
The food is served family-style, the portions are hardy and will satisfy your greediness for more Chinese food.
We received hot green tea; it was provided for free as a warm welcome.
Sizzling Rice soup is by far my favorite soup to eat. The soup has shrimp, pork, chicken, vegetables, and crispy rice, sizzling hot with a delicious broth.
We also ordered Walnut Shrimp, Broccoli Beef, and Sweet & Sour Pork. The walnut shrimp was with crispy shrimp, glazed walnuts, broccoli, and honey-sweet sauce. And it was delicious.
I liked the Lemony chicken, as It was a flavorful and tangy dish that featured chicken as the main ingredient, enhanced with the bright and refreshing taste of lemon. It was fried chicken breast on a bed of lettuce and sweet lemon sauce.
The Golden Dragon is a gem to be admired, where one can have some of the best Chinese food in Costa Mesa.
Al Palace Chinese Restaurant
270 Bristol St. STE. 110, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States +17145490653
Our dinner at Al Palace was outstanding.
The food was fresh, hot, and delicious. I fancy myself as an egg roll aficionado, and their egg rolls are awesome. I also highly recommend the egg drop soup and chicken and shrimp lo mein.
I picked up wonton soup and cream cheese rangoon, and everything was cooked perfectly.
This place presents real Chinese cuisine and encompasses a wide range of dishes, including appetizers, soups, main courses, noodles, rice dishes, and desserts.
I tried their orange chicken with fried rice, and their portions are huge. It tasted hot and fresh.I also had a dozen of their fortune cookies for later, which also tasted homemade.
Mongolian beef is absolutely delish and flavorful and the meat is very tender. I asked for noodles and it comes with a side of rice.
This place shows why Chinese food is enjoyed worldwide for its rich flavors, a wide variety of dishes, and emphasis on fresh ingredients.
It offers a culinary experience that balances different tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, and spicy, making it a favorite choice for many people seeking a diverse and satisfying dining experience.
And we are one of that group of people that are really looking forward to the next occasion to visit this Costa Mesa Chinese restaurant.
No.1 Chinese Food
1175 Baker St. #17, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States +17146621521
If you’re looking for a quick bite, this is a good spot.
Service is fast, and you do not have to wait long to get your favorite dish. They serve a very good portion of food. It was really tasty, and it hit the spot. They are very generous with the Shrimp servings too.
The dish that stands out for me is definitely the orange chicken. It comes out fresh; it’s amazing! The chicken is cooked perfectly, not overcooked, and the sauce is prepared very professionally. The crispy fried chicken pieces are tossed or coated in the orange sauce, ensuring that each piece is well-coated and infused with sweet and tangy flavors.
The chow mein here is also great. The sauce consists of a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and other seasonings. This sauce adds a savory and umami-rich flavor to the dish and helps bind the ingredients together.
Teriyaki Chicken is a MUST, and I also order a pint and either the Teriyaki Chicken or the BBQ Beef to go.
I liked the Broccoli and Beef and other dishes that I managed to try as we split them among our group.
I can highly recommend this restaurant for fast service, authentic food, and generous portions.
Sky Express Restaurant
665 Paularino Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States +17144377198
My favorite from this restaurant is BBQ pork egg foo young and tofu and mixed vegetables. A tangy brown sauce was poured over everything.
The vegetables consisted of Napa cabbage and baby bok choy and were freshly steamed, very fresh and vibrant, full of green color and vitamins. Baby bok choy is smaller in size, with tender stems and leaves.
Everything was fresh, authentic, and prompt. Nothing fancy, just what you’d typically find in Hong Kong.
The Orange Chicken is great. They use tender pieces of dark meat in a sauce more like General Tso, with fresh chopped garlic. I asked for extra garlic.
The chow mein is more like Lo Mein. It’s pretty good, with a soy sauce base.
I would come here just for the dim sum, but you also get great food quality, taste, and amazing service at one of Costa Mesa’s best Chinese restaurants.
Hong Kong Express
2200 Harbor Blvd. # E180, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States +19496426963
As I walked into Hong Kong Express, I was thoroughly impressed!
This restaurant presents Hong Kong food with a vibrant and diverse culinary style that is influenced by Cantonese cuisine, as well as flavors and ingredients from other regions of China and other international influences.
Everything was amazing; the ambiance was nice, and the decor was authentic in accordance with the restaurant’s name.
The owners appeared to be super nice and genuine people. The servers that had the pleasure of serving us were very helpful with great communication skills.
The food is just Chinese take out at the end of the day, but I thought it was delicious and quite fresh compared to other similar restaurants.
I tried kung pao chicken; very good. The Chow mein was really good, with sufficient quantities of cabbage and onions.
The Orange chicken was good. The Beef and broccoli was a pleasant surprise also. The broccoli was really crisp-tender.
One thing to point out is the huge generous portions they serve! They really pack as much food in each box as they can.
I’ll definitely be a regular here!
Paradise Dynasty (South Coast Plaza)
3333 Bristol Street, BLM, 1 Bloomingdale’s, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States +17146174630
I remembered that before I visited Costa Mesa, a friend of mine said that I should definitely visit this place since he said that he had the best xiao long bao has ever had.
I like this place because it has high energy and is full of buzz. Service is fast and a really good tool to attract more customers.
We ordered the baby cabbage and fried rice with pork, as well as the shrimp and kurobuta wonton. The baby cabbage was well-seasoned, and the wonton had a nice tingle with the Szechuan sauce.
And their orange chicken is bomb. This dish is amazing, since it is balanced with sweet and savory flavors, and has a delightful combination of textures.
Last, we had the mango pudding, which was a delightful surprise. There was milk on top to balance out the sweetness of the pudding itself. I would definitely recommend it for dessert!
This is a really good Chinese restaurant that offers a combination of delicious, authentic flavors, excellent service, and a pleasant dining experience.
Here you will find authentic and flavorful Chinese cuisine in Costa Mesa. A top-notch Chinese restaurant will prioritize the use of fresh ingredients and authentic cooking techniques to create dishes that capture the true essence of Chinese cuisine.
We will definitely come back if we’re in the area.
Foodies Also Ask
What kind of Chinese restaurants can we expect?
In Costa Mesa Chinese restaurants, you can expect a diverse range of foods that cater to various tastes and preferences. Many restaurants are known for their flavorful dishes and dim sum. You can expect to find classics like roast duck, BBQ pork, sweet and sour dishes, and an assortment of dim sum items such as dumplings, buns, and rice rolls.
Are these restaurants expensive?
The pricing of Chinese restaurants in Costa Mesa can vary depending on factors such as the type of restaurant, the ambiance, the location, and the specific dishes offered.
Conclusion: The Best Chinese Food in Costa Mesa
You will find a diverse Chinese cuisine scene in Costa Mesa. You will have a chance to visit modern, simple, and family-friendly Chinese restaurants that combine traditional flavors with a contemporary twist. They offer a diverse menu of Chinese and Asian fusion dishes, including sushi, stir-fries, and noodle dishes. And we believe that our choice of restaurants will make you love Chinese food even more.
If you’re looking for other culinary wonders in Costa Mesa, check my guides here:
- 7 Must-Try Sushi Restaurants In Costa Mesa
- Best Mexican Food In Costa Mesa
- 5 Outstanding Thai Restaurants In Costa Mesa
- 8 Mediterranean Restaurants In Costa Mesa
Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever