The Noble Chef

This place was delicious small hole in the wall inside is nice simple decoration but the food was incredible then they gave me a warm coconut milk dessert that was delicious

My GOTO Cantonese restaurant at San Diego! Very authentic. My personal recommendations are Ginger & Scallion Lobster Yee Mein French Style Beef Steak Macao Style Pork Belly Chef’s Spareribs

The food is amazing and you know it’s good Chinese food when there is a line out the door! The beef and salted Pork Chips were my favorite.

Had the $25 combination plate of pork belly and duck. It was expensive, but tasted good and reminded me of Hong Kong on the first crunchy bite.

The Noble Chef does not disappoint! I've been here twice now, once for dine-in and had awesome Peking Duck and Mapo Tofu. I highly recommend it. Tonight, I ordered Beef Chow Fun and Sautéed Pea Shoots. It was absolutely delicious and certainly the best Beef Chow Fun I've had. Being new to the area, I was missing home and my parents' home cooking. The Beef Chow Fun was very authentic and it reminds me of what my dad makes. Definitely check out Noble Chef for some traditional Cantonese cuisine!

One of the best Chinese foods in San Diego! As a real Chinese, authentic is more important to me than “good service, fancy design, and full bar”. This place is authentic. Their Cantonese style roasted duck and pork belly are so delicious, right good just like what I had when I traveled in Guangzhou. Their seafood pot is delicious too, love the flavor very much. I highly you recommend to try this place if you like authentic Chinese food.

The food is great and tastes really good but also portions are very impressive. Service was better than expected as often in authentic Asian places there’s no such thing but these guys were so friendly and provided excellence. Definitely will be back

Noble Chef is hands down one of the best spots for authentic Cantonese food in San Diego! The roast duck was absolutely perfect. Tender, juicy meat with crispy, flavorful skin that tasted just like what you’d find in Hong Kong. The beef chow fun noodles were another standout, with that classic smoky flavor and perfectly cooked wide noodles that soaked up all the savory goodness. We also loved the garlic pea shoots. Fresh, vibrant greens with just the right amount of garlic! Service was quick, friendly, and efficient, and the food came out hot and fresh. The portions were generous and perfect for sharing family-style. If you’re craving real Cantonese comfort food, Noble Chef is a must-visit. We’ll definitely be coming back again!

If you ask me about my favorite Cantonese restaurant in SD, it has to be 豪记! I'm not from Guangdong, but I fell in love with it after my first visit. My friends from Hong Kong also said it's incredibly authentic! I crave it every now and then. Highly recommend their BBQ and marinated dishes—the crispy roasted duck with sweet and sour sauce, the tender boiled chicken with scallion oil, plus Macau-style barbecue, Peking duck, honey-glazed char siu, soy sauce chicken, and braised pigeon. Also, don’t miss the garlicky Chinese broccoli, seafood tofu pot, pea shoots, French-style diced beef, beef chow fun, scallops in oil, pumpkin taro shrimp, white radish beef pot, garlic green beans… So many delicious dishes, and none of them disappoint! The service is great too—they serve complimentary tea when you sit down and offer free sweet soup after the meal, which is delicious! The only downside is that the restaurant is always busy, so remember to call ahead for a reservation!

If you’re searching for the best Chinese food in San Diego, look no further. I have no idea how they cook the garlic beef…but my gawd it was melt in your mouth tender and the flavor was fantastic. Duck, phenomenal. Noodle, lovely. BBQ pork, amazing. Can’t write any longer…food comatose kicking in.

I waited 35 minutes for a table. It was worth the wait. The food was mouth watering. The pea pods with garlic was delicious. We went for a combination of pork and duck, delicious. Beat Sweet and sour soup ever. Fish with black bean sauce is a must . Highly recommended

Tiny little restaurant with super authentic Chinese food. There were at least three banquet tables filled with so much food the waitress actually split some of their dishes into smaller plates so that they would fit on the table. We got their specialty dish, the French beef. It came with super tender chunks of beef quickly stir fried in a delicious sauce. The meat was medium rare and amazing, and served in a bed of onions and lettuce. We got the pea sprouts with garlic for a simple and delicious vegetable dish. Scallops with XO sauce also had chilies, onion, and a delicious sauce. The waiter warned us that it was spicy, and it was very tasty and not too hot. My hubby's favorite was the French cooked beef. Mine was the duck and taro clay pot, as it was fragrant with taro, and the roast duck with bones was tender and tasty and deeply flavored the thick sauce. It was all good, came quickly, and the waiters packed up our leftovers quickly and easily.

This is our favorite Cantonese restaurant in town. Although slightly more pricier than other Cantonese restaurants, the quality is also much much higher. Our favorite dishes are: Roasted duck in Cantonese style, Guifei chicken, sizzling beef steak with black pepper, and Pea shoots with preserved eggs. Waiters are friendly and helpful. You also get free sugar soup, a traditional Cantonese after meal dessert if you dine in for dinner.

Authentic Cantonese food!! The roasted duck and the soup of the day were absolutely the highlights that reminded me the taste of home 🥹. And they gave you free tong sui (dessert) afterwards. The other dishes were pretty good too. Highly recommend. Call in advance to book a table if you can or be prepared to line up for a table during dinner hours.

Crowded restaurant, but great food. We had reservations for a set Chinese banquet menu. Easy parking and quickly seated. We added the eggplant dish. There was plenty of food. Strong recommendation.

Nobel Chef is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. A place that has a lot of "must try" and a lot more than to explore. Crispy roast duck with the sweet and sour sauce is always amazing! The special order rice in pot is flavorful and I really like the crispy texture. The salty fish and Eggplant is a bit too salty for me. Their complementary desserts are really good as well! Many other dishes are also highly recommended, beef steak, beef soup, daily special soup, Eggplant meat with XO sauce...

Blake Johnston

Noble Chef is hands down one of the best spots for authentic Cantonese food in San Diego! The roast duck was absolutely perfect. Tender, juicy meat with crispy, flavorful skin that tasted just like what you’d find in Hong Kong. The beef chow fun noodles were another standout, with that classic smoky flavor and perfectly cooked wide noodles that soaked up all the savory goodness. We also loved the garlic pea shoots. Fresh, vibrant greens with just the right amount of garlic! Service was quick, friendly, and efficient, and the food came out hot and fresh. The portions were generous and perfect for sharing family-style. If you’re craving real Cantonese comfort food, Noble Chef is a must-visit. We’ll definitely be coming back again!

Momo Zhang

If you ask me about my favorite Cantonese restaurant in SD, it has to be 豪记! I'm not from Guangdong, but I fell in love with it after my first visit. My friends from Hong Kong also said it's incredibly authentic! I crave it every now and then. Highly recommend their BBQ and marinated dishes—the crispy roasted duck with sweet and sour sauce, the tender boiled chicken with scallion oil, plus Macau-style barbecue, Peking duck, honey-glazed char siu, soy sauce chicken, and braised pigeon. Also, don’t miss the garlicky Chinese broccoli, seafood tofu pot, pea shoots, French-style diced beef, beef chow fun, scallops in oil, pumpkin taro shrimp, white radish beef pot, garlic green beans… So many delicious dishes, and none of them disappoint! The service is great too—they serve complimentary tea when you sit down and offer free sweet soup after the meal, which is delicious! The only downside is that the restaurant is always busy, so remember to call ahead for a reservation!

Tony Pricor

If you’re searching for the best Chinese food in San Diego, look no further. I have no idea how they cook the garlic beef…but my gawd it was melt in your mouth tender and the flavor was fantastic. Duck, phenomenal. Noodle, lovely. BBQ pork, amazing. Can’t write any longer…food comatose kicking in.

Phyllis Rostykus

Tiny little restaurant with super authentic Chinese food. There were at least three banquet tables filled with so much food the waitress actually split some of their dishes into smaller plates so that they would fit on the table. We got their specialty dish, the French beef. It came with super tender chunks of beef quickly stir fried in a delicious sauce. The meat was medium rare and amazing, and served in a bed of onions and lettuce. We got the pea sprouts with garlic for a simple and delicious vegetable dish. Scallops with XO sauce also had chilies, onion, and a delicious sauce. The waiter warned us that it was spicy, and it was very tasty and not too hot. My hubby's favorite was the French cooked beef. Mine was the duck and taro clay pot, as it was fragrant with taro, and the roast duck with bones was tender and tasty and deeply flavored the thick sauce. It was all good, came quickly, and the waiters packed up our leftovers quickly and easily.

Liu Di

This is our favorite Cantonese restaurant in town. Although slightly more pricier than other Cantonese restaurants, the quality is also much much higher. Our favorite dishes are: Roasted duck in Cantonese style, Guifei chicken, sizzling beef steak with black pepper, and Pea shoots with preserved eggs. Waiters are friendly and helpful. You also get free sugar soup, a traditional Cantonese after meal dessert if you dine in for dinner.

Sanford Peisner

I waited 35 minutes for a table. It was worth the wait. The food was mouth watering. The pea pods with garlic was delicious. We went for a combination of pork and duck, delicious. Beat Sweet and sour soup ever. Fish with black bean sauce is a must . Highly recommended

Billy Xia

Authentic Cantonese food!! The roasted duck and the soup of the day were absolutely the highlights that reminded me the taste of home 🥹. And they gave you free tong sui (dessert) afterwards. The other dishes were pretty good too. Highly recommend. Call in advance to book a table if you can or be prepared to line up for a table during dinner hours.

Larry Chu

Crowded restaurant, but great food. We had reservations for a set Chinese banquet menu. Easy parking and quickly seated. We added the eggplant dish. There was plenty of food. Strong recommendation.

Henry Zhang

Nobel Chef is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. A place that has a lot of "must try" and a lot more than to explore. Crispy roast duck with the sweet and sour sauce is always amazing! The special order rice in pot is flavorful and I really like the crispy texture. The salty fish and Eggplant is a bit too salty for me. Their complementary desserts are really good as well! Many other dishes are also highly recommended, beef steak, beef soup, daily special soup, Eggplant meat with XO sauce...

LULU LIVE Art

One of the best Chinese foods in San Diego! As a real Chinese, authentic is more important to me than “good service, fancy design, and full bar”. This place is authentic. Their Cantonese style roasted duck and pork belly are so delicious, right good just like what I had when I traveled in Guangzhou. Their seafood pot is delicious too, love the flavor very much. I highly you recommend to try this place if you like authentic Chinese food.

Recommend by Mandarin teacher. Ordered beef with peppercorn, chicken with vegetables, walnut shrimp (amazing!) and hot-n-sour soup (best I've had south of Sawtelle). A wonderful hidden gem on Balboa. Go now!

What a crew of absolute gems of human beings. We, per Jewish Christmas tradition, looked for an Asian food restaurant to satisfy the family. Noble Chef looked good, but we could not find a website, DoorDash, UberEats, for them. We traveled there right as they opened at 4pm, and there was already a crowd of people waiting for a table or to pick up food. Hardly any of them spoke English...this food is gonna be so good... We placed a HUGE take-away order, and I felt guilty because they were already slammed even though they just opened. While we waited, the crowd outside grew. Everyone was ready for some Cantonese cuisine. Our order took about 90 minutes on such a busy day, but it was well worth the wait. We were not bothered by the wait. The ambiance and all the food was perfect. The scent coming out of the kitchen kept us excited for what was to come. As people's tables or take-away orders were called, the waiting crowd cheered. It has been 24 hours, and our party of 8 is still full, and we are about to have leeks for breakfast. I highly suggest going to Noble Chef for high quality Cantonese food.

Christopher Thompson

What a crew of absolute gems of human beings. We, per Jewish Christmas tradition, looked for an Asian food restaurant to satisfy the family. Noble Chef looked good, but we could not find a website, DoorDash, UberEats, for them. We traveled there right as they opened at 4pm, and there was already a crowd of people waiting for a table or to pick up food. Hardly any of them spoke English...this food is gonna be so good... We placed a HUGE take-away order, and I felt guilty because they were already slammed even though they just opened. While we waited, the crowd outside grew. Everyone was ready for some Cantonese cuisine. Our order took about 90 minutes on such a busy day, but it was well worth the wait. We were not bothered by the wait. The ambiance and all the food was perfect. The scent coming out of the kitchen kept us excited for what was to come. As people's tables or take-away orders were called, the waiting crowd cheered. It has been 24 hours, and our party of 8 is still full, and we are about to have leeks for breakfast. I highly suggest going to Noble Chef for high quality Cantonese food.

11/27/17: 4.0 out of 5 - First time here as my wife and I are visiting from Portland, Oregon. We ate with extended family that is familiar with this place. Noble Chef is a small restaurant but it is clean with a nice look. The service and food is good and worth a try. If ever in the area, try Noble Chef once and decide for yourself. Enjoy!

+1

It's your typical Cantonese restaurant. The quality of food are pretty good and above average. Each portion of the dish are big.

+3

One of the better Chinese Restaurantpp in San Diego. It is not that big. They are famous for their roast duck or peking duck

+2

It’s as best as you can get for Cantonese/Hong Kong style food in San Diego. While not as good as in Los Angeles, it gets your fix in San Diego. Everything was hot and fresh.

The roasted duck and BBQ pork was pretty good. We had tofu skins with veggies and house special tofu and meat. The veggies were alright although the tofu skins seemed undercooked. The clay pot was ok. Prices were a bit high but the portions are pretty large, about one plate per person. The dessert, tangshui, was free and very nice!

I ordered the clay pot rice, which is very fragrant. The roast duck is a must as the marination is just perfect. Shrimp was on the greasy side and I’ll avoid next time. Turnaround time could be improved as I arrived at 4pm when they first opened up and didn’t get my complete order until 515.

(Lunch on 2025/07/03) - Garlic Beef was really good - Honey BBQ pork was above average: pork was consistently cooked and easy to chew - Roast duck was pretty good but it takes a bit of work to chew the meat off each piece - Seafood claypot was okay. I'd like a bit more texture and flavor.

Authentic Cantonese BBQ That’s Worth the Wait The Noble Chef is a traditional Cantonese BBQ restaurant, and it might just be the most popular spot for authentic Cantonese-style roasted meats in the area. With limited seating, it’s clear why this place is in high demand—when we arrived on a Saturday evening at 5:30 PM, we waited for 40 minutes to get a table, which speaks to its popularity. At the entrance, a glass display showcases the day’s freshly roasted offerings, including BBQ duck, BBQ pork (char siu), and pork knuckles. Once seated, we were promptly served Pu’er tea, and they don’t charge extra for the tea, which is a nice touch! We ordered the Combination Platter with a choice of three items: BBQ Duck, BBQ Pork, and Royal Yellow Chicken. While the char siu had a bit too much fat for my taste, and the roast duck had a slightly thick layer of fat under the skin, the flavors were spot on! The Royal Yellow Chicken was delicious, especially when paired with the dipping sauce. We also tried the French-style beef cubes, which were incredibly tender, though the soy sauce flavor was a bit strong. Another standout dish was the Two Mushrooms & Silken Tofu—the tofu was lightly fried, giving it a crispy exterior and a soft, custard-like interior. Paired with enoki and shiitake mushrooms, it was super flavorful and perfect with rice! The service was attentive, with the staff coming by to replace our plates and clear away bones from the BBQ platter. While the roast meats are excellent, the vegetable dishes are on the pricier side. Given the long wait during peak hours, I’d recommend coming during off-peak times, or opting for takeout or pickup during busy hours to save time.

There were 7 of us and we were able to try quite a few dishes. I would recommend Peking duck, soy sauce chicken, and beef chow fun. I wouldn't recommend any fried rice dish as the one I ordered lack flavor and salt. Somehow the chef forgot to add salt or soy sauce in the fried rice. It was very bland. We also ordered walnut shrimp- way too sweet, definitely "American influenced." Overall the food was good, but it didn't stand out from any other Chinese restaurants in San Diego. Service was okay. 4 stars all the way. Dessert at the end was a pleasant surprised. The sweet soup was probably the most authentic food that I ate at this place.

Aaron

The roasted duck and BBQ pork was pretty good. We had tofu skins with veggies and house special tofu and meat. The veggies were alright although the tofu skins seemed undercooked. The clay pot was ok. Prices were a bit high but the portions are pretty large, about one plate per person. The dessert, tangshui, was free and very nice!

J Y

I ordered the clay pot rice, which is very fragrant. The roast duck is a must as the marination is just perfect. Shrimp was on the greasy side and I’ll avoid next time. Turnaround time could be improved as I arrived at 4pm when they first opened up and didn’t get my complete order until 515.

Jonathan Chiou

(Lunch on 2025/07/03) - Garlic Beef was really good - Honey BBQ pork was above average: pork was consistently cooked and easy to chew - Roast duck was pretty good but it takes a bit of work to chew the meat off each piece - Seafood claypot was okay. I'd like a bit more texture and flavor.

Scott L

Authentic Cantonese BBQ That’s Worth the Wait The Noble Chef is a traditional Cantonese BBQ restaurant, and it might just be the most popular spot for authentic Cantonese-style roasted meats in the area. With limited seating, it’s clear why this place is in high demand—when we arrived on a Saturday evening at 5:30 PM, we waited for 40 minutes to get a table, which speaks to its popularity. At the entrance, a glass display showcases the day’s freshly roasted offerings, including BBQ duck, BBQ pork (char siu), and pork knuckles. Once seated, we were promptly served Pu’er tea, and they don’t charge extra for the tea, which is a nice touch! We ordered the Combination Platter with a choice of three items: BBQ Duck, BBQ Pork, and Royal Yellow Chicken. While the char siu had a bit too much fat for my taste, and the roast duck had a slightly thick layer of fat under the skin, the flavors were spot on! The Royal Yellow Chicken was delicious, especially when paired with the dipping sauce. We also tried the French-style beef cubes, which were incredibly tender, though the soy sauce flavor was a bit strong. Another standout dish was the Two Mushrooms & Silken Tofu—the tofu was lightly fried, giving it a crispy exterior and a soft, custard-like interior. Paired with enoki and shiitake mushrooms, it was super flavorful and perfect with rice! The service was attentive, with the staff coming by to replace our plates and clear away bones from the BBQ platter. While the roast meats are excellent, the vegetable dishes are on the pricier side. Given the long wait during peak hours, I’d recommend coming during off-peak times, or opting for takeout or pickup during busy hours to save time.

Uky

It’s as best as you can get for Cantonese/Hong Kong style food in San Diego. While not as good as in Los Angeles, it gets your fix in San Diego. Everything was hot and fresh.

Felicity

There were 7 of us and we were able to try quite a few dishes. I would recommend Peking duck, soy sauce chicken, and beef chow fun. I wouldn't recommend any fried rice dish as the one I ordered lack flavor and salt. Somehow the chef forgot to add salt or soy sauce in the fried rice. It was very bland. We also ordered walnut shrimp- way too sweet, definitely "American influenced." Overall the food was good, but it didn't stand out from any other Chinese restaurants in San Diego. Service was okay. 4 stars all the way. Dessert at the end was a pleasant surprised. The sweet soup was probably the most authentic food that I ate at this place.

I’ve ordered take out here before but this was my first time dining in. We each picked a dish and got a rice dish (bbq pork fried rice), noodle dish (Singaporean noodles), shrimp (shrimp and bell paper)and duck (Cantonese style). The duck that they have on display is the Cantonese duck. The Singaporean noodle dish was flavored with curry. The bbq pork fried rice was average. Wasn’t anything special and I thought there would be more bbq pork to sample. The shrimp dish with bell peppers was actually very tasted and full of Szechuan spices. I find it a bit uncomfortable that the workers were just hovering over us like watching our every move..lol. None of us spoke the language. It was like they were observing if we were holding chop sticks correctly or how we were eating. They asked if we wanted the duck head removed and we said no it’s fine. They said because most people don’t want to see it. Well, shouldn’t you ask that prior to serving it to us? It didn’t bother us but if you’re going to ask that to a party, ask before putting the plate down. The dishes we got were safe and average especially when you have no photos to reference. I would like to come back with my Chinese friends to order different items.

+1

The Noble Chef (B ): Still a decent option for Cantonese in SD, but I think Eastern Dynasty is a tad more refined in food with a more comfortable dining room. Yesterday, I took my daughter’s Columbian boyfriend taco hopping, stopping at Mi Rancho Market first, then TJ’s for an adobada taco for comparison. Today, it’s time to try Chinese tacos (aka Peking Duck). I pondered whether to go to Eastern Dynasty or the Noble Chef, with Taste of Hong Kong written off after the last meal. It’s been almost a year since I’ve visited Noble Chef, so that’s where we went to keep comparisons up to date. For those that haven’t been, Noble Chef is a small restaurant; maybe 20 feet wide by 50 feet deep, so they can’t fit many tables. The restaurant was packed at 6:30pm on a Monday night, but luckily, there was one table for 4 left and we didn’t have to wait at all. Peking duck course 1 - duck skin with wrap (B ) : it’s so unfortunate that restaurants in San Diego don’t give the thin flour tortilla like wraps, and instead, use buns (likely purchased from a food service distributor for easier production). It messes with the ratio of meat to greens to wrap, in essence making what’s supposed to be a “mini duck skin taco” into a “duck skin slider.” It was a good duck, the skin was nicely cooked, smokey, and savory with a crispy texture. Nitpicking the opportunity areas - more distinct and even variety of skin with and without meat, skin could be a touch crisper, and the biggest issue, bun instead of flour wrap. That said, it was still enjoyable and I would order again. Peking duck course 2 - chopped pieces (B ) : Honestly, I didn’t have particularly high expectations based on previous experiences with duck in US Chinese restaurants. But the flavor exceeded my expectations, carrying a good balance of savoriness and sweetness. So why just a “B”? Well, when you have Peking Duck at “better” restaurants, they pride themselves on their knife skills. For course 1, they cut the skin tableside, presenting a plate of perfectly shaped skin, half of the pieces with skin only, and half with some meat attached. Then, if you select “chopped pieces” for course 2 (the other common option being “lettuce wrap” which I never choose), they take the skinless duck back to the kitchen for butchering. The outcome, a duck formed like a freshly roasted bird, but cut up into pieces for easy sharing. You see exactly where the skin was stripped, but the legs, wings, breast, etc. are all back in its pre-cut position, allowing you to easily see you’re getting the entire bird. At Noble Chef, this wasn’t the case. The plate of chopped pieces that came back didn’t seem to make up an entire duck, and given there wasn’t much meat attached to the skin in course #1, the pieces looked suspiciously bony. And back to why the “B” given flavor was probably worth a B+, I couldn’t help but wonder “where’s the meat?” Sweet & sour pork (B- ) : good sweet & sour flavor, and the pineapple, peppers & onions were all cooked well. The pork wasn’t as crunchy as desired, and the breading was too thick, making them taste a tad doughy. Decent but didn’t hit the “good” hurdle. Stir fried pea shoots with garlic (B+ ) : very generous portion, decent “wok hay” and nicely seasoned with the right level of garlic & salt. Pea shoots were nicely cooked - not over or under - but a touch oily. Nonetheless, a very nice dish. So in the battle of the three San Diego Cantonese options, I’m currently at Eastern Dynasty with the win, followed by Noble Chef while Taste of Hong Kong is losing due to inconsistent cooking. I’ve been told I need to try Imperial Mandarin for dinner, so more battles to come.

+3

Well, let me start with a good news. The food is five stars a lot better than some of the other food around the convoy area. But the place is like the lowest quality atmosphere. It was clean but kinda looks like a storage closet/warehouse with a window on one side. we signed in with the hostess, who also appeared to be the manager, but he gave our table to somebody else by mistake because he doesn’t speak English that didn’t help. The food service is very good but they need to move to a bigger and better location and get an English speaking hostess to be considered a success. Oh, and the review wouldn’t be complete without saying that I think this is one of the most expensive restaurants on convoy, not sure why certainly not paying much rent for that space. the food is very expensive.

i was looking for good roasted duck in town so i did have high expectation to this restaurant. the hanging roasted duck looks good. however, we bought to-go and turn out almost all fat but no meat. this is not a good siu-mei serving. busy restaurant need long wait even to-go

Nobel Chef Restaurant was recommended to us and we decided to try them for an authentic Cantonese dishes. We were surprised by how small this restaurant was as we entered. Then we were surprised again by how expensive their dishes were. By the front entrance there were hanging ducks in the window. We ordered the pan fried seafood chow mein noodle dish. Also, we ordered the BBQ char lieu and roasted duck as side dishes. The pan fried noodle dish was delicious with right portion of the crunchy noodles and seafood. The deli side dish was okay but nothing scream at us to go back to have it again. The plum dipping sauce for the roasted duck was the star of the dish. Waitstaff was attentive but did not offer the sincere recommendations when requested. We were told that everything was good and delicious. Overall, we probably won’t go back to this restaurant as food was good but not exceptional and definitely not worth the high price point for their dishes.

Went based on recommendations from friends and also reviews. We were rather disappointed with this restaurant. The portions were small, some of the dishes they really skimped on the ingredients, and the quality of ingredients were no better than other restaurants we have been to in the area. Based on that, we were paying more for the same dish elsewhere. We were seated quickly but at a table right next to the door. Restaurant is small so reservation is a must, otherwise you will have to wait. Lots of ppl waiting when we went. We were seated promptly by the door. Unfortunately the door kept opening and closing, letting in cold air. Not very pleasant. Had to put on jacket to eat. Staff worked brisk and efficient. Not very friendly. For food, the best dishes were garlic beef and black pepper fish. The beef was tender, sweet peas were crunchy and sweet. The fish was fried, light and delicious. Those were the 2 dishes that came out well. Portions were small but they were good. House Clay pot was decent too, it had bbq pork, chicken, squid, shrimp, tofu and cabbage. The dishes that were disappointing were: winter melon soup. There were barely any ingredients in there. There were 5 pieces of winter melon, chicken feet and some soy beans. It seemed like they threw in scraps to make the soup. Beef chow fun had lots of noodles, but where was the beef? There was only 6-7 pieces of beef in there. That's quite sad. Honey bbq pork was a average, a bit too dry. Given the options available in the area that offer good food and better portions we will likely not return. Free mall parking.

Olive T

Nobel Chef Restaurant was recommended to us and we decided to try them for an authentic Cantonese dishes. We were surprised by how small this restaurant was as we entered. Then we were surprised again by how expensive their dishes were. By the front entrance there were hanging ducks in the window. We ordered the pan fried seafood chow mein noodle dish. Also, we ordered the BBQ char lieu and roasted duck as side dishes. The pan fried noodle dish was delicious with right portion of the crunchy noodles and seafood. The deli side dish was okay but nothing scream at us to go back to have it again. The plum dipping sauce for the roasted duck was the star of the dish. Waitstaff was attentive but did not offer the sincere recommendations when requested. We were told that everything was good and delicious. Overall, we probably won’t go back to this restaurant as food was good but not exceptional and definitely not worth the high price point for their dishes.

Pokemon Mom

Went based on recommendations from friends and also reviews. We were rather disappointed with this restaurant. The portions were small, some of the dishes they really skimped on the ingredients, and the quality of ingredients were no better than other restaurants we have been to in the area. Based on that, we were paying more for the same dish elsewhere. We were seated quickly but at a table right next to the door. Restaurant is small so reservation is a must, otherwise you will have to wait. Lots of ppl waiting when we went. We were seated promptly by the door. Unfortunately the door kept opening and closing, letting in cold air. Not very pleasant. Had to put on jacket to eat. Staff worked brisk and efficient. Not very friendly. For food, the best dishes were garlic beef and black pepper fish. The beef was tender, sweet peas were crunchy and sweet. The fish was fried, light and delicious. Those were the 2 dishes that came out well. Portions were small but they were good. House Clay pot was decent too, it had bbq pork, chicken, squid, shrimp, tofu and cabbage. The dishes that were disappointing were: winter melon soup. There were barely any ingredients in there. There were 5 pieces of winter melon, chicken feet and some soy beans. It seemed like they threw in scraps to make the soup. Beef chow fun had lots of noodles, but where was the beef? There was only 6-7 pieces of beef in there. That's quite sad. Honey bbq pork was a average, a bit too dry. Given the options available in the area that offer good food and better portions we will likely not return. Free mall parking.

Went to Noble Chef for lunch. They did not have a Lunch Menu, so I ordered kung Pho Chicken. It was almost $15.00. They ask if I wanted steamed Rice. I said yes and they charged me $1.50 for a very small cup of white rice. The food was okay but nothing special. Certainly not with $20.00 for lunch. This place is way over priced for a little whole, in the wall place. I will not return there. Back to Sunrise Buffet for me.

Not sure this is an authentic Cantonese restaurant when the rice is not cooked through for the traditional Cantonese dish of clay pot rice with Chinese sausage. 2nd visit to the restaurant at 5:30PM this time and waited for 30-45mins for a table of 3. The restaurant staff somehow preferred to sit large group instead of small tables of 4. Multiple groups of 7 people came later than us got a table before us. These groups some had reservations but some don’t. A group of 7 people were sat at 2 small tables put together. That already kind of ruin the mood. On top of that, the rice in “the special rice order in pot” dish was still half uncooked. The table behind us also complained about the uncooked rice. This restaurant is more expensive than some others on Convoy with similar quality of food. Won’t go back anytime soon.

+6

I order from Chinese restaurants very frequently. Generally, my estimated time is always pretty accurate. This last time they told me it was going to be an hour wait no problem. I go there and then I have to wait another 50 minutes. I just wish the hostess would’ve Let me know. Also, the soy sauce chicken came completely raw as you can see in my picture. Generally, their food is pretty decent however, this last time it was pretty terrible.

"Missing a Whole Duck" in the 2-Course Peking Duck Dish Peking Duck has always been a favorite for my kids, especially the Cantonese style. Based on its glowing reviews, we decided to try The Noble Chef for the first time on 10/6/24. We ordered their 2-course Peking Duck, anticipating the traditional experience. The first course, featuring the crispy duck skin, was served, and we appreciated the chef’s skill in delivering thin, well-prepared skins. However, the second course was a letdown. After waiting for a while, we were served a dish with a disappointingly small portion of duck mixed with a large amount of filler like water chestnuts (as shown in the image below). This wasn't what we expected, so we inquired about the rest of the duck. To our surprise, the server informed us that this tiny portion was all we would be getting. Even more shocking, they blamed us for not specifying we wanted a whole duck when we ordered! Apparently, it was our fault for assuming the standard would include a reasonable amount of duck. For my kids, this was their first time experiencing such a lackluster Peking Duck dish, especially with the main ingredient—duck—being so sparse. Considering the restaurant’s high ratings, the poor service and condescending attitude were a huge disappointment. This is why I felt compelled to write this review. I’ll now continue my search for a Cantonese restaurant in San Diego that serves a proper 2-course Peking Duck for my family.

Complimentary green tea and free parking. Only two positives I can think of. I don’t know what has happened since I was last here about a year ago, but food was probably the most salty food I have ever had. I had to remind about my plain rice order. I was not offered water. Because I was not with a big party, I was rushed with my order and to pay up, and honestly it was comically unsubtle. Cantonese duck used to be one of my favorite dishes since childhood. I am so traumatized by this experience I may never have Chinese food again, let alone Cantonese duck. It is currently taking some effort not to throw up and I have attempted to wash the salt on my tongue with soda at home.

Food too much MSG. The quality of the duck was not good, and they doused the duck with chicken sauce, and the whole combination was strange. Dining overall was lower than expected. The men at the front desk were like poor beggars begging for tips.

Just was told they won’t open until 4pm, while it’s full of people dining. Front door hours shows they open until 9pm. Nice way of rejecting people!

Had the crispy half duck to go, it was mostly fat and bones very little meat, super greasy under cooked and ZERO CRISP!!! I was hoping it would be good as it's near my home and had great review by a food blog person I follow:/// Never again, a totla waste of $25.00

Surf4Life

Had the crispy half duck to go, it was mostly fat and bones very little meat, super greasy under cooked and ZERO CRISP!!! I was hoping it would be good as it's near my home and had great review by a food blog person I follow:/// Never again, a totla waste of $25.00