Imperial Mandarin — Restaurant in San Diego

Food: 4/5 Service and Setting: 3/5 Value: 3/5

Imperial Mandarin has been a staple in my household in our rotation for Chinese dinners, almost always exclusively take-out. The interior is definitely dated and quite frankly dirty, but that’s part of the charm of eating at a cultural landmark. Service is quick and a bit snippy, but for those of you with speaking anxiety, the workers here speak great English at the front. Like most Chinese restaurants, they can customize basically anything for you and usually will not upcharge. Though I have eaten a lot of their food throughout the years, I recently only get a few items. In general, their food is solid but not mind-blowing, especially their dim sum. I will be sure to update this review as I try more and more dishes from my past.

Stuffed Eggplant with Shrimp: 4.25/5 One of my favorite dim sum items can be purchased as an entree at a slight discount and a small side of rice. Sometimes they give you some stuffed bell peppers, sometimes they don’t. I love this dish so much and they make it in a way that tastes “homemade” for a lack of better terms. There is this striking inconsistency not only in-between visits, but also in the same plate of food. Some eggplant is mushy, some firm, some sweet, some sour. The eggplant or bell pepper is usually quite bland and the majority of seasoning is inside the minced shrimp filling. The texture is similar to a siu mai but a bit meatier. These parcels are deep fried and then tossed in a light soy sauce. The deep savoriness of the shrimp with the richness and smooth eggplant create a wonderful dish that is hard to recreate at home but manifests the same feelings as an honest dish. Rich, savory, umami, but not overly so embodies the tenants of Cantonese cuisine and...

I rarely write negative reviews, but I left this experience feeling disappointed and honestly, hurt. We arrived as a group of four, asking for a table for ten. The staff set it up, but no one told us when it was ready—we just stood there awkwardly waiting with our guests, including a child with a disability and four young track and field athletes, all under the age of 12. I eventually had to interrupt and ask to be seated because no one was acknowledging us.

We were trying to share a special moment with friends who had driven in from Bakersfield. Instead, we were met with a lack of attention and what felt like indifference. I had to ask twice just to get water for the kids and a pot of tea. The service felt cold, as if we were an inconvenience rather than welcomed guests. Two of the track coaches with us felt so uncomfortable with the attitude of the waitress that they left before we even finished our meal.

To make matters worse, after paying the bill—without any real acknowledgment or thanks—our kids were overlooked when it came to something as simple as fortune cookies. They saw other tables receiving them, and when we asked, we were brushed off. It may seem small, but to a child, moments like that stick. It was just one more reminder that we were not being treated with the same care as others.

We came in as a group of respectful, paying customers hoping to enjoy a meal and support a local business. Instead, we left feeling unwelcome and disappointed. I truly wish it had...

This is my mom and dad's "go to" place to treat the whole family, for 20+ years, after Mass on Sunday's. The food is very good and reasonable. They always have lunchtime DIM SUM on Sunday's, but come early because it gets crowded. You can still order off the menu though. Our kiddos always like the Imperial House Special Crispy Noodles; Mandarin Special; Chicken, Beef, Pork Fried Rice; Salt And Pepper Chicken Wings; Beef with Broccoli, and Deep Fried Fresh Squid With Salt And Pepper off the menu. Everything is very good on the menu and reasonably priced in comparison to other Convoy St. restaurants offering exactly the same items. After 20+ years we've eaten pretty much everything on and off the menu. If something you like is missing they will try to make it for you if they have the ingredients! Did I say the DIM SUM is OUTSTANDING too and we usually order: Beef Tripe With Turnip, Steamed Spareribs With Black Bean Sauce, 3 Beef Meat Ball, 6 Steamed Pork Dumpling, Shrimp & Pork Shiu My, and Egg Plant stuffed with shrimp, and yes, grandma's fave, chicken's feet🤯. You may call in orders to take home too. Service is usually very good, however, it does get busy at times and you may have a "slightly" longer wait (Great Things Come To Those Who Wait). They take reservations too, so call ahead. Patience is a virtue, and the food at Imperial Mandarin is worth waiting for. God Bless You...