Whether in the mood for a Chinese-inspired dish or something notably authentic, the best Chinese restaurants in San Diego have something for everyone.
Emerald Seafood 3709 Convoy Street, San Diego, Ste. 101 (858) 565-6888 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to midnight. Despite the overwhelming expansive menus, Emerald Seafood is the place to be when it comes to dim sum, which are priced by their size, and there is no better community in San Diego for such food than Kearny Mesa where a slew of Chinese restaurants have popped up over the years. With the dim sum, patrons should be in the mood for a few surprises unless you’re one of two things: a connoisseur of the brunch-style dish or fluent in Chinese as the language barrier is somewhat existent but typically, also a sign of a good, authentic ethnic eatery. And with the small plates ranging in price from about $3 to medium, large and the deluxe at about ($8), you can get a filling meal for a decent price and late at night.
Jasmine Seafood Restaurant 4609 Convoy St., San Diego (858) 268-0888 Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Known for both its atmosphere and food among the local community and those who venture into Kearny Mesa looking for some fine Chinese food, Jasmine Seafood showcases cuisine from the country’s Canton region. The locale also comes with a banquet room that can literally accommodate hundreds. The restaurant has become popular for its fresh seafood swimming nearby in tanks with whole fishes steamed—a popular dish and priced by the pound. The dim sum is presented to guests on silver carts and served from morning until afternoon while those who order the Peking duck have it served at the table. The menu has more than 200 selections from roasted duck that serves four to a meat selection that includes duck, squab (pigeon), beef and chicken dishes. And if a patron is really in the mood from a truly Chinese dish, the shark fin soup will hit the spot. Dinner ranges from $10 to $30.
Panda Inn 506 Horton Plaza, San Diego (619) 233-7800 Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday through Saturday Serving its dishes on the rooftop of Horton Plaza, Panda Inn serves a Mandarin and Szechwan cuisine to a notable amount of working professionals and the avid shoppers with some of its favorites being the orange chicken, tea smoked duck and honey walnut shrimp. Founded 30 years ago, the Panda Inn name has spread to five spots in Southern California thanks to Andrew Cherng, and his father, Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng of the Yangzhou region of China.
China Cafe 2236 Carmel Valley Road Del Mar, CA 92014 (858) 793-8478 Hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. Offering gourmet dishes in four Chinese cooking styles—Hunan and Szechwan, Mandarin, Canton and Shanghai —China Café will satisfy the biggest self-proclaimed Chinese food aficionados. Decorated in the color of seafoam green with bright, colorful carpets, China Café remind patrons of what of Chinese restaurant motif is all about: the 1980s. The menu of course, like its fellow list-makers, is comprehensive and even offers dishes like pork Szechwan or Kung Pao lamb. Estimated cost for dinner between $6 and $16.
Pearl Chinese 11666 Avena Place San Diego, CA 92128 (858) 487-3388 Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Located in the community of Rancho Bernardo, Pearl Chinese is known by its locals for its excellent dim sum, which is arguably the best in San Diego. Although the dinner can be a bit on the expensive side, customers come away with stuffed bellies. But for those on a budget, be sure to take advantage of the dim sum happy hour and with a view of a private lake and a décor of cream and burgundy colors combined with black lacquer accents. The dim sum selection reaches nearly 200 choices on the weekends. The menu also features fresh seafood like the sautéed conch and the Chilean sea bass with egg white and shrimp roe. Pearl Chinese seats 400 inside and 80 out on the patio and don’t forget to try its teas imported straight from the motherland. The menu also offers some items off the beaten path like pickled pork hock, pickled jellyfish and braised abalone and sea cucumber, the latter priced at $55. Estimated dinner price ranges from $12 to $60.
Hong Kong Restaurant 3871 4th Ave San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 291-9449 Hours: Daily 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Hong Kong Restaurant is one more reason why the hole-in-the-wall eateries—whatever the cuisine—have some of the best food in town. This joint hits the spot for those wild party animals looking for something other than a carne asada burrito after 2 a.m. the Hong Kong Chow Fun and Kung Pao chicken are late-night favorites while the prices are hard to beat, and wonderfully, there is no MSG in the food. So if you’re looking for an after-bar, Chinese style greasy spoon look no further than Hong Kong Restaurant. The family-owned restaurant serves many Mandarin and Szechwan dishes.
Red Pearl Kitchen 440 J St San Diego, CA 92101 The San Diego Red Pearl Kitchen is the third location—the original in Huntington Beach—opened by Tim and Liza Goodell where customers looking for a modern, upscale dinning experience can gather for some great Chinese food in the heart of the Gas Lamp District. The menu showcaseses a hip interpretation of Pan-Asian food such as the strawberry, cinnamon ribs, duck banana lettuce wraps, charred jumbo asparagus, shrimp, bacon, garlic fried rice or the shaking Kobe beef, papaya, mint. Equipped with a large kitchen, the restaurant offers what it calls the Chef’s Table situated within the busy kitchen that overlooks Fourth Street. Estimated price for dinner $7 to $19.
Sam Woo BBQ 7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste 103 San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 505-9888 Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with take-out until midnight With the hanging ducks in the window, one might think they are in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown at Sam Woo, which offers authentic Chinese for a cheap price. The barbecue dishes are some of the best in town and if you’re there for breakfast, don’t pass up the condensed milk tea. The roasted duck and the barbecue pork are worth a try if you can overlook the aesthetics, the somewhat cold service and the fact that you have to pay with cash. Estimated price for dinner ranges from $8 to market price.
Mandarin House 2604 Fifth Avenue San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 232-1101 Hours: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. With a classic and popular dish like the salt-and-pepper chicken and great service, Mandarin House is the place to eat when in the mood for Chinese and in the neighborhood of Hillcrest. The eatery has a wide array of cocktails and specialty drinks and they don’t go light on the booze, and one in particular a group of friends can share? The Volcano. The prices are decent and some favorites among regulars are chicken dishes like the chicken-wrapped asparagus, the cashew chicken, seaweed chicken and the Kung Pao chicken.
Del Mar Rendezvous 1555 Camino Del Mar Suite 102 Del Mar, CA 92014 (858) 755-2669 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Situated in the heart of downtown Del Mar, the eatery would be best classified as an upscale Chinese bistro that serves tapas (blue crab cakes and satay chicken brochette), entrees (Kung Pao fish filet and Mongolian rack of lamb) and dishes (spicy seafood noodle soup and Singapore Chow Mai Fun) all inspired by authentic Chinese cuisine. If you arrive before 6 p.m. on weekdays you can take advantage of the happy hour specials. Del Mar Rendezvous offers all that is stylish and chic that is the city it resides in, but without the overpriced menu common in the tiny, affluent coastal city. Estimated price for dinner between $10 and $36.
The Top List of Best Chinese Restaurants - San Diego, CA