Capital Noodle Bar - Irvine

Great food, great interior decor, great service!!! We’ve been coming for as long as I can remember (many years). Bryan is awesome!!!!

EXCELLENT DINNER ! After a fun evening at the movies on Tuesday we wanted dinner somewhere cool and definitely indoors. It was still 87F at 6.30pm when we exited the movie theater at the Irvine Spectrum Center so we headed straight here. THE FOOD IS ALWAYS VERY GOOD ! After parking our wheels close by we walked inside....Johnny the manager / host and Abbot our fav server greeted us in a very welcoming manner. It wasn't real busy so we were able to sit in our fav spots at a community table. Abbot came by to help us.....iced waters please while we check out the menu. We were leaning towards DIM SUM and SMALL BITES. When Abbot returned with our tall glasses of iced waters we ordered 1 x LEMONGRASS CHICKEN SKEWERS, 1 x GRILLED BEEF SKEWERS & 1 x CRISPY SHRIMP ROLLS...all from Small Bites menu. And from the Dim Sum menu we ordered 1 x JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS & 1 x STEAMED SIU MAI. Oh and I felt like an ice cold beer so I asked for a TSINGTAO ( 4.7% abv Chinese lager ). It tasted fine for a very mild beer. FIRST UP ! Our Lemongrass Chicken Skewers and Grilled Beef Skewers hit the table el pronto with a trio of dipping sauces. VERY DELICIOUS ! We've ordered these a few times on our many visits here and they never fail to please. NEXT UP ! Our Crispy Shrimp Rolls came out and disappeared very fast...a real winner. The Dim Sum items always take longer to prepare and cook hence they came out last. SO GOOD ! I Out came our Juicy Pork Dumplings and Steamed Siu Mai stacked on top of each other in cane steamers. I have to agree with my wife who loves both of these to death.....they were very yummy. DESSERT ! Always leave room for a sweet finish....we asked Abbot to bring us a serve of CINNAMON CHINESE DONUT WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM. It may be the only dessert they offer but it's a darn good one. As always we had a perfectly enjoyable dinner here !

It'd be wrong to give these folks anything but 5 stars as they exceed their obligations to the customer base in all the relevant categories. The food is made and served with quality in mind. I would recommend the Chinese donuts, the iced coffees and teas, and of course, the various noodle soups (I like the small egg noodles). But I really wanted to comment on the staff, who go above and beyond: Recently my girlfriend and I were dining here near closing time and she had ordered the Hainan chicken noodle bowl, followed by the dumpling noodle bowl after learning that they were fresh out of chicken. Unfortunately they were also out of the dumplings, so in the end she opted for plain noodles. We were pleasantly surprised when the food was served and they brought out the dumpling soup. They made a fresh batch at the last minute, just for her! I thought that was pretty cool. I think the overall friendliness and attentiveness of the staff sets this place apart from other similar establishments.

Bench style seating in this restaurant can turn some people off, but it shouldn't. Did was very delicious. Broths were very flavorful. Service was very prompt and staff is super helpful and so polite. Worth the visit. Crazy busy during lunch, FYI.

The selections at this eatery represents popular Asian dishes. The appetizers and small plates alone are great to pair off with their beer and wine. Andy, the manager is quick on his toes and has excellent customer service to keep this busy noodle bar flowing and customers happy. The staff is helpful and friendly.

We were in town for work and stumbled upon this hidden treasure. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, a nice menu of authentic Asian dishes…need I say more. I Fell on love with the robust flavors and assortment of dumplings as well as great teas. Oh yes the lychee black tea knocked my socks off. While the roasted duck plate had me almost licking my plate for more. Please open a restaurant in orange beach Alabama… I am a customer for life!

The food is really great. When we got there we told the staff that while waiting, we will be at the bakery. But when we got back, our seat was given to someone else. They were accommodating and helpful, and had prepared another table with our meals. It wasn’t a big deal and they tried fixing it as soon as possible. Here is the reason why I gave them a five. After eating, we were in a rush and we forgot to get our Pee See Ew that was suppose to be a take out order, so I called them and they were really nice and had given me credit that I can use when I go back to their restaurant, which is great and less hassle because I don’t have the time to go back. Plus, their food and service is really great and the service staff are excellent. Thank you.

My husband and I we frequent this place often. The wonton soup is delicious! We also love their filet mignon beef dinner. The staff is very friendly and the place is very clean.

Food is alright, sometime a little bit over salty, but dim sum is good!

If your looking for a nice lunch or dinner and love Asian food, put Capital Noodle Bar on your list. There’s a lot of restaurants around the area but this was a surprise, great food good service Perfect choice with an Asian twist

If you like bowls full of noodles, you won't be disappointed. They've got small noodles, large noodles, flat noodles, and everything in between. I've been here several times, and my go-to is the filet mignon ramen soup (with small noodles). The restaurant is picnic-table casual style, but is clean and well set-up. Servers and cooks are super friendly, and will take good care of you. Prices are a tad bit expensive, but nothing out of line, as this is Irvine.

The food is delicious, the service is fast and friendly. Lots of food choices, of the several we chose, everything was delicious.

If you like traditional Chinese noodles, then Capital Noodle Bar is a must to try out. Friendly staff, nice variety of menu items and tasty dishes. My go to favorites is their Hai Nan chicken and rice dish and their Trio beef noodle soup with thin egg noodles. Yes, you can choose either egg noodles or rice noodles, wide cut or thin cut. Very generous portions. If you're in the area, check it out! I suggest you go early when they open because they get packed by 12pm.

We ordered their chicken congee, fried tofu, and Filet Mignon Cubes. Food was delicious and servers were attentive and friendly.

Came in half hour before closing and although the chefs wanted to go home, the waiters still provided exceptionally amazing service

Tammy Odom

We were in town for work and stumbled upon this hidden treasure. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, a nice menu of authentic Asian dishes…need I say more. I Fell on love with the robust flavors and assortment of dumplings as well as great teas. Oh yes the lychee black tea knocked my socks off. While the roasted duck plate had me almost licking my plate for more. Please open a restaurant in orange beach Alabama… I am a customer for life!

K

The food is really great. When we got there we told the staff that while waiting, we will be at the bakery. But when we got back, our seat was given to someone else. They were accommodating and helpful, and had prepared another table with our meals. It wasn’t a big deal and they tried fixing it as soon as possible. Here is the reason why I gave them a five. After eating, we were in a rush and we forgot to get our Pee See Ew that was suppose to be a take out order, so I called them and they were really nice and had given me credit that I can use when I go back to their restaurant, which is great and less hassle because I don’t have the time to go back. Plus, their food and service is really great and the service staff are excellent. Thank you.

Rocelyn Penrose

My husband and I we frequent this place often. The wonton soup is delicious! We also love their filet mignon beef dinner. The staff is very friendly and the place is very clean.

Allen

Food is alright, sometime a little bit over salty, but dim sum is good!

Jason Odom

If your looking for a nice lunch or dinner and love Asian food, put Capital Noodle Bar on your list. There’s a lot of restaurants around the area but this was a surprise, great food good service Perfect choice with an Asian twist

Jeff

Came in half hour before closing and although the chefs wanted to go home, the waiters still provided exceptionally amazing service

OC Foodie

If you like bowls full of noodles, you won't be disappointed. They've got small noodles, large noodles, flat noodles, and everything in between. I've been here several times, and my go-to is the filet mignon ramen soup (with small noodles). The restaurant is picnic-table casual style, but is clean and well set-up. Servers and cooks are super friendly, and will take good care of you. Prices are a tad bit expensive, but nothing out of line, as this is Irvine.

Raymond Halim (Ray Halim)

The food is delicious, the service is fast and friendly. Lots of food choices, of the several we chose, everything was delicious.

Robin Lee

If you like traditional Chinese noodles, then Capital Noodle Bar is a must to try out. Friendly staff, nice variety of menu items and tasty dishes. My go to favorites is their Hai Nan chicken and rice dish and their Trio beef noodle soup with thin egg noodles. Yes, you can choose either egg noodles or rice noodles, wide cut or thin cut. Very generous portions. If you're in the area, check it out! I suggest you go early when they open because they get packed by 12pm.

Emerald C.

We ordered their chicken congee, fried tofu, and Filet Mignon Cubes. Food was delicious and servers were attentive and friendly.

Great food but prices went up again!

Nice southern China style noodles. You could have the noodle in broth or mixed in sauce.

I like this place better than I like Capital Seafood! Noodle soup is super customizable with 4 types of noodles to choose from. All I can suggest is if you want the juicy pork dumplings, order RIGHT when you sit down, BEFORE you order the rest if your meal. They take a really long time to make but are really yummy! I had the duck noodle soup with thin egg noodles. The bowl was HUGE. The broth was rich and tasty and I had a great time at this location. I am super excited because they are building another location off Bristol and Paularino closer to my house!! Score!

I had a really good experience here. I enjoyed the food, all of the dishes we ordered were out quickly. Overall I recommend this place. It is a bit more expensive than I would think, however for the area it is reasonable. Overall, great food at solid prices. I can't wait to go back!

Food came out hot and quickly. Reasonably priced. Consistent flavor and quality. Great service. Highly recommended

Food and service is usually consistent and prices are reasonable. I just regret getting the rice noodles with my wonton noodle soup rather than egg noodles. Stick to the egg noodles.

Went there for company lunch. Unfortunately they don’t take reservations, so we had to send people ahead of time to get couple of tables. The food is good. Been there a few times since they opened. Almost every time there is a hick up with someone’s order.

Unfortunately I didn't try their Capital noodle, but their bo luc lac (cubed steak) was reasonable. The only problem I had was the inclusion of raw onions instead of grilled onions. The restaurant has a great interior design.

They have good pad see ew, big portion for 18.30 bucks and a lot of beef, enough for two people to share

Christine D

Food came out hot and quickly. Reasonably priced. Consistent flavor and quality. Great service. Highly recommended

OC Reviews

Food and service is usually consistent and prices are reasonable. I just regret getting the rice noodles with my wonton noodle soup rather than egg noodles. Stick to the egg noodles.

Tony Elahi

Went there for company lunch. Unfortunately they don’t take reservations, so we had to send people ahead of time to get couple of tables. The food is good. Been there a few times since they opened. Almost every time there is a hick up with someone’s order.

Timothy Tran

Unfortunately I didn't try their Capital noodle, but their bo luc lac (cubed steak) was reasonable. The only problem I had was the inclusion of raw onions instead of grilled onions. The restaurant has a great interior design.

Pomelo Jones

They have good pad see ew, big portion for 18.30 bucks and a lot of beef, enough for two people to share

Ordered Hainan Noodle Soup and 2 dimsums item: har gow and BBQ pork buns. Everything is too salty! The noodle soup with one of the saltiest broth I've eaten at any Chinese noodle house, lot of MSG too. They serve dark meat, not white meat. The har gow is frozen, not even come with whole shrimp but ground shimp instead, they steam it too long the skin falling off. The BBQ pork bun is okay, not bad, not good. Definitely not gonna come back.

I had high hopes for this place as I haven't tried Hainan Chicken Rice before, but I can't help but feel that this isn't what it should be like. The chicken was a overdone and not very tender for dark meat and the rice had the faintest taste of broth. The sauces saved the dish, and although I know it's meant to be simple, I don't think it should be completely flavorless. I also tried the Char Kway Teow, and while I appreciated the noticeable wok hei, it too was a little bland and saved by the chili oil. Also, I know a lot of places are raising their prices, but $17 for these dishes? Yikes...

looks like its a chain of the capital seafood restaurants. First time here, the food was pretty decent. We didn't know what to order so the waiter suggested a couple items, which we ordered. the noodle soup was decent but don't think I'd order it again. I can see myself coming here again, I'll try something different next time.

The food was pretty good, and the staff were courteous and helpful. They had this loud industrial techno music playing though, and that took away from the experience. I don't know if it was supposed to be a nightclub feel, but it was kind of odd.

Was excited to try wonton egg noodles soup at this place as it's rare in Irvine Tustin area. One of my favorite egg noodle soup. I ordered the weekday special wonton noodle soup but unfortunately it was too salty and wonton was too thick and soggy. I was really hoping it would be my to go place.

Cinee C.

Was excited to try wonton egg noodles soup at this place as it's rare in Irvine Tustin area. One of my favorite egg noodle soup. I ordered the weekday special wonton noodle soup but unfortunately it was too salty and wonton was too thick and soggy. I was really hoping it would be my to go place.

Service went down the drain - super slow. had to wait 10 minutes before one of the servers would take my order... then waited over 20 additional minutes for a noodle soup (it was a menu item - not custom order). Same for other dine-in customers as well. Store was not well staffed (both chefs and waiters) to accommodate the dinner crowd. People who ordered for pick up had better service then the dine-in crowd....Would not recommend to dine in during peak hours. Food quality is still the same as always, but I did not appreciate the slow service especially since this store is more of a casual/fast dining place.

We ordered on UberEat , the portion was so small, not even one fourth full of the container, and the price is 15.48. Will not order from here again.

Sandra Cheng

We ordered on UberEat , the portion was so small, not even one fourth full of the container, and the price is 15.48. Will not order from here again.

I ordered 2 items online. The fried rice was too salty and the portion was small. On the other hand, the HK beef noodle was very bland and not tasty. Their quality has come down a lot since I had them at their old place in Diamond Plaza years ago. You can find much better Cantonese foods today at places like Tasty Spot Cafe, Tasty Garden, and Jay Zhou (dim sum). I’m also waiting for the new Palette Dim Sum to open in the Tustin marketplace. Palette’s decor and dim sum are exquisite!

We’ve been to Capital Noodle Bar several times, and in the past I would’ve rated it closer to a solid four stars. Unfortunately, this visit was a miss. We ordered both noodles and dim sum. The noodle dishes themselves were fine—flavor-wise, no major complaints—and the congee also tasted good. However, the timing was off: the noodles came out first, and by the time the congee arrived, the people who ordered noodles were already finished eating. The bigger issue was the dim sum. We were told it would take about 15–20 minutes, which we were completely fine with, but it came out much faster than expected—and it showed. Every dim sum dish we ordered was undercooked. The pork in the shumai and xiaolongbao was noticeably raw, which is obviously not acceptable. It felt rushed. That said, the front-of-house staff deserves credit. There were three employees working up front, and they were all polite, attentive, and doing their best. Bottom line: if you come here for noodles, you’ll probably be okay. But based on this experience, I would strongly recommend skipping the dim sum.

Allen Tsai

We’ve been to Capital Noodle Bar several times, and in the past I would’ve rated it closer to a solid four stars. Unfortunately, this visit was a miss. We ordered both noodles and dim sum. The noodle dishes themselves were fine—flavor-wise, no major complaints—and the congee also tasted good. However, the timing was off: the noodles came out first, and by the time the congee arrived, the people who ordered noodles were already finished eating. The bigger issue was the dim sum. We were told it would take about 15–20 minutes, which we were completely fine with, but it came out much faster than expected—and it showed. Every dim sum dish we ordered was undercooked. The pork in the shumai and xiaolongbao was noticeably raw, which is obviously not acceptable. It felt rushed. That said, the front-of-house staff deserves credit. There were three employees working up front, and they were all polite, attentive, and doing their best. Bottom line: if you come here for noodles, you’ll probably be okay. But based on this experience, I would strongly recommend skipping the dim sum.

Peng Chan

I ordered 2 items online. The fried rice was too salty and the portion was small. On the other hand, the HK beef noodle was very bland and not tasty. Their quality has come down a lot since I had them at their old place in Diamond Plaza years ago. You can find much better Cantonese foods today at places like Tasty Spot Cafe, Tasty Garden, and Jay Zhou (dim sum). I’m also waiting for the new Palette Dim Sum to open in the Tustin marketplace. Palette’s decor and dim sum are exquisite!

i hardly ever write restaurant reviews. Just like many restaurants these days, this noodle shop is not worth trying. Dim Sums were dry and smelled bad. Hainan chicken was particularly bad. It tasted like they just microwaved the chicken. It tasted so dry and tasteless. Never go there again.

I can’t recommend this place: the worst taste of the food you could have ever tried with a relatively expensive price. I almost never wrote any review in the past, but when things were extremely not worth the price or were extremely exceptional, I gave the review.

Capital Noodles Bar in Irvine. Waiter Abbot Kim demanded tips, in a rude and arrogant way. Also kept repeating 20%tips was mandatory. Announcing sternly in front of my guests, 20% tips was mandatory. The waiter Abbot Kim behavior was blunt and aggressive. Capital Noodles management should retrain or reprimanded this waiter.

I came here to pick up food at 6:00pm on October 4, and the person at the checkout who handed me the food was extremely rude. I asked for a couple of hot sauce and she told me it’s in the package and I’ll see it if I check the bag which is tied with a tight knot. I told her that another time the sauce was not in the bag even though I requested it and by the time I noticed it was too late. She pointed to the bag and said “no it’s there.” I went to my car and checked the bag. There was only one tiny hot sauce and this meal is for three people. So I went back inside and asked her that I need three of those, and she gave me a stern look and gave me the sauce with a rather aggressive and rude attitude. It’s hard to believe they offer such a bad customer service. It’s also unbelievable that they are so stingy about not wanting to give more than one tiny sauce for an order for multiple people but what is worse is that they offer such a rude, unpleasant attitude almost to the level of aggression.

Check your credit card statements whenever you dine at this establishment. They will tip themselves whatever the amount (20%+) they like despite how much tip you actually leave on the bill. Happened multiple times and they should immediately STOP this dishonest practice.

I ordered the seafood chow fun and the entree came out in 5 minutes. It was drenched with sauce, super salty sauce. The quantity of the seafood was fair, but the quality is questionable. For $15, I'd expect the cooks to use REAL mushrooms instead of canned mushrooms. Also, the imitation crab had an odd texture. Thank goodness the shrimp and octopus were as expected. I was so thirsty after 1 hour, MSG was probably used. Service was good, but I won't be back.

I came in today craving rice noodles with beef. When the dish arrived it looked fine but as I picked up some of the noodles to eat I noticed a horrible burned smell. I then brought the plate closer to me and took another whiff and oh God was it bad. I highly recommend the owner buy a few new woks for the restaurant instead of cutting cost on kitchen equipment as their chefs literally burned that WOK that they use. You can get the best food in the world then put it in a burned wok and let it smell and taste like burned food. Took the fish back and sent me a new one only to arrive with the same smell and taste. Owner needs to sit down and have a word with his chefs and he can start off by first buying them 4 new woks so they have different WOKS to use for different foods and teach them how to sear the WOKS properly too. Sad how a good meal was ruined due to poor poor restaurant equipment. Can’t cut cost on the main item you use to cook meals with and you have to have quite a few so they don’t veggies in a WOK they just used to make a heavy sauces item only to ruin the new upcoming dish. Separate WOK for different dishes and replace old WOKs with new WOKS every time they smell burned. Also buy higher quality WOKS as well. People that have not lost their sense of smell and taste after COVID can easily taste and smell the taste of burned food from a bad WOK and taste of other foods in it as well. Came back today as I was craving some Hainan chicken to give them another try. Tried their Hainan chicken and the chicken tasted beyond horrible. It tasted like the cheapest chicken that had gone bad which was then just boiled in water. On a 1-10 scale this Hainan chicken plate was literally a 1. If I was the owner I would fire those responsible but I reckon the owner wants to cut cost so he buys the cheapest chicken and is also not using fresh chicken. Last but not least chef is either beyond horrible or just following manager and owner’s orders. Cost me $18.30 to have to leave my dish on the table and leave as it was just horrible. This is good for people who just eat anything and say “Oh wow this was great” 🤪🤦‍♂️

Mark Crystal

I came in today craving rice noodles with beef. When the dish arrived it looked fine but as I picked up some of the noodles to eat I noticed a horrible burned smell. I then brought the plate closer to me and took another whiff and oh God was it bad. I highly recommend the owner buy a few new woks for the restaurant instead of cutting cost on kitchen equipment as their chefs literally burned that WOK that they use. You can get the best food in the world then put it in a burned wok and let it smell and taste like burned food. Took the fish back and sent me a new one only to arrive with the same smell and taste. Owner needs to sit down and have a word with his chefs and he can start off by first buying them 4 new woks so they have different WOKS to use for different foods and teach them how to sear the WOKS properly too. Sad how a good meal was ruined due to poor poor restaurant equipment. Can’t cut cost on the main item you use to cook meals with and you have to have quite a few so they don’t veggies in a WOK they just used to make a heavy sauces item only to ruin the new upcoming dish. Separate WOK for different dishes and replace old WOKs with new WOKS every time they smell burned. Also buy higher quality WOKS as well. People that have not lost their sense of smell and taste after COVID can easily taste and smell the taste of burned food from a bad WOK and taste of other foods in it as well. Came back today as I was craving some Hainan chicken to give them another try. Tried their Hainan chicken and the chicken tasted beyond horrible. It tasted like the cheapest chicken that had gone bad which was then just boiled in water. On a 1-10 scale this Hainan chicken plate was literally a 1. If I was the owner I would fire those responsible but I reckon the owner wants to cut cost so he buys the cheapest chicken and is also not using fresh chicken. Last but not least chef is either beyond horrible or just following manager and owner’s orders. Cost me $18.30 to have to leave my dish on the table and leave as it was just horrible. This is good for people who just eat anything and say “Oh wow this was great” 🤪🤦‍♂️