Kuan Zhai Alley — Restaurant in Irvine

I recently dined at Kuan Zhai Alley and had a generally positive experience. We tried a variety of dishes, each with its unique flavors.

Dry Chili Chicken: This dish stood out with its fresh garlic and well-cooked chicken. The flavor was spot on and truly enjoyable.

Boiled Beef in Spicy Szechuan Sauce: The flavor was excellent, and the beef was tender.

Szechuan String Bean: Unfortunately, this dish was disappointing. The skin of the string beans was dry and tough, not up to the standard I’ve experienced at other restaurants.

Eggplant in Garlic Sauce: The sauce was a delightful balance of sweet and spicy, and despite the eggplant’s skin being unexpectedly tough for my taste, I really liked this dish overall.

The service was excellent—dishes arrived quickly, and the servers were attentive, checking on us multiple times throughout the meal. The restaurant was clean, and although they don't serve alcohol yet, it seems like an application is pending.

We visited on Sunday during Labor Day weekend around 5 PM. We were lucky to snag the last available table, but others had to wait, so it seems reservations might be a good idea.

Overall, a solid choice if you're in the mood for Szechuan cuisine, though some dishes could use a bit of...

We haven't visited Kuan Zhai Alley since they opened a few years back, but we're so thankful to have made the return visit. Maybe it was the specific dishes we ordered, but we haven't enjoyed a Chinese meal this memorable in quite some time...and that's saying a lot with all the options in Irvine! The restaurant was packed when we arrived during the dinner hour, but we were seated at one of their few outdoor tables after a short wait.

We started the meal with my daughter's favorite - West Lake Beef Soup. If you like salted egg, then the Crispy Japanese Tofu with Salted Egg Yolk is a must-try. We're also fans of spicy dry pots since they combine multiple items into one dish, so we tried the Fatty Beef version which included thinly sliced beef brisket, onion, potato, and lotus root, wok-fried in a Szechuan dry rub seasoning. For a more balanced meal, we added a veggie dish which was their seasonal and one of my faves - Ong Choy. We closed out our dinner meal with the Ice Jelly with Brown Sugar. Every dish was so flavorful and unforgettable...I can't wait for...

The food was moderately spiced for me. I don't eat too much szechuan food but this place really balanced the flavor for me. It's the kind of food you just keep on eating because the heat makes the flavor so delicious.

They walk around often to refill your water which is much needed for a spicy place when you're eating.

The people working were nice and I think even the cook serves up your food for you. That just adds a family place vibe to the place that I like.

All in all this place was delicious and the flavors were authentic. The people working there were nice and the service they give reflects that. I went here for the first time with my mom and she also really liked her meal.

We both had the lemon shrimp, the shrimp fried rice, the chef special dry chicken and some golden sesame balls. Highly recommend the dry chicken! Would love to try the chef special combo next time!

Thanks for...