Xin bowl Asian Bistro — Restaurant in Ridgecrest

I’m not someone who usually writes reviews, especially negative ones—but after my recent visit to Xin Bowl in Ridgecrest, I feel like people deserve to know what they’re walking into. I’ve eaten here a couple of times before and remembered it being decent—not amazing, but okay for a small-town Asian fusion spot. This last visit, though, was such a mess that I honestly won’t be coming back.

We came in around 7 PM on a Wednesday night. The restaurant wasn’t busy—maybe three other tables were seated—so we figured service would be quick. It wasn’t. We waited about 10 minutes just to be acknowledged and seated. No greeting, no eye contact, no sense of urgency from the staff at all. Once we were seated, it took another 15 minutes for anyone to come by and take our order. No water, no drink menu, just long gaps of waiting and awkward glances at the kitchen.

I ordered the orange chicken bento box, and my partner ordered the teriyaki salmon with a side of fried rice. For drinks, we just got iced tea and a soda. Nothing complicated. Still, it took over 30 minutes for our food to come out—and when it did, it was genuinely disappointing.

My orange chicken tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for too long—dry, overly sweet, and weirdly chewy. The sauce was more syrup than anything else, and it didn’t have the fresh, crispy texture you’d expect. The rice was clumpy and bland, the salad had clearly been sitting out (the lettuce edges were turning brown), and the tempura was soggy and lukewarm.

My partner’s teriyaki salmon was, frankly, depressing. The portion was tiny, overcooked to the point of being tough, and smothered in a sticky glaze that tasted like bottled sugar sauce. The fried rice on the side was barely warm and had that odd flavor like it had been made hours earlier and reheated in a microwave. No seasoning, no texture—just bland and sad.

On top of the food issues, the service continued to disappoint. No refills on drinks. We had to ask twice for soy sauce. No check-in to see if the food was okay (which, honestly, maybe they didn’t want to know). It felt like the staff was just going through the motions, not really interested in being there or making the experience enjoyable.

The restaurant itself could use a deep clean. Tables weren’t wiped down properly, floors were sticky, and the restroom smelled like mildew. I know Ridgecrest isn’t exactly overflowing with dining options, but basic cleanliness and decent service should be the bare minimum.

For what we paid—almost $50 for two entrees and drinks—the quality and experience were absolutely not worth it. I’ve had better takeout from grocery store freezer aisles. This place used to be one of the better options in town, but it seems like they’ve really let things slide.

I wanted to support a local business, but this felt like a waste of money and time. Unless something changes drastically, I won’t be back. One star—and honestly, that’s...

My wife and I went there as a treat for unlimited sushi ...now we dont get out much so this was a treat a date ..... They had us order everything up front instead of most places that do a roll at a time... The first roll came out and it was really sushi rolls it was rice rolled with sushi on top we jad made a commemt like this is weird this isnt your typical sushi...still we proceeded to try to enjoy our meal... We had gotten another roll I forget but it was solid fish as typically done it tasted like the inside of a fish stick for me and for her she also hadnt liked it so respectfully we sent it back.... Then the manager shows up procceeds to give is an ultimatum on how the chef wont cook for ua anymore because we sent it back and why are we ordering so much food ...keep,in mind,its all you can eat.... And talkes to is like we were little kids about eating our food... He then said we can order something else but at that time our mood had been shot. Because who lectures the customer about food that got sent back ? Now keep,in mind we loce sushi we have been so many places so we know typically what to expect...... This ... Nost everything was not typical and the manager tried lecturing us to only get what we know we like.... It was just a mess and ruined a very rare date night for us it was close to 100 bucks that was a waste of money ..., I wish there were other options for the base because that was ridiculous.... If I could give...

Absolute Perfection I have recently gone here twice, once with a group of friends and most recently with my fiancé and future father-in-law. My most recent experience was last weekend and we had a blast. We always sit at the bar because we have all you can eat sushi and more. I absolutely love the men behind the action they are diligent, friendly, and amazing at what they do! We all ate and chatted...even the strangers sitting next to us have been friendly every time! Don't get discouraged for a little wait because afterall there is a restraint full and one-two people making sushi, it worth the wait. The waitresses & waiters are happy, go-lucky, and friendly. If you're considerin it go for it! You won't regret it! Have a few baked mussels and a Jessica roll while...