Kingchops Irvine 金園排骨

Their famous pork chop is HUGE, crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor. I got the pork chop rice combo, plus the spicy wontons and braised combination plate. Popcorn chicken and spicy wontons are so good too. This honestly felt like a meal straight out of Taiwan. Will definitely come back for more!

Been wanting to try Kingchops and we just happen to be in Irvine to try it for dinner. Parking is relatively easy, but can be difficult with the amount of restaurants and businesses in the plaza. It’s a very small restaurant, with limited seating. They’ve definitely maximized the amount of seating in the place. The wait is relatively quick though. Service is quick friendly. Price is very fair for what you are getting and it’s nice. Food wise, definitely get the porkchop rice plate. It’s well cooked, seasoned and a good balance with some rice, noodles, veggies, and protein. I would pass on the braised pork rice. The pictures on the menu and on the displays made it look so appetizing, but what came out was just average and not like the pictures. Definitely fell victim to the in-store advertisements. The pork was okay, small portion, but I think it’s fair for price. A lot of rice too. The popcorn chicken was also good, good amount of seasoning, well cooked. Portion size was a decent and good snack while you eat. Teas are also good. The black tea in particular is strong and has an herbal grass jelly taste to it, while the green tea is lighter and more refreshing. Good place to eat for a nice casual meal.

Come for the pork chop or the pork chops. This is a very focused Taiwanese street food restaurant. Hot water is provided via a self-serve dispenser, but bring your own tea bags. Yes, this restaurant offers less common dishes like chòu dòufu and pídàn. However, the quality was not better than what one could buy at Ranch 99 nearby. Service was underwhelming and a QR menu system only contributes to this with time. The room is decorated in plastic plants, as if you were at a street side stall under the shade of a tree. In summary, manage your expectations, know what you want (given what you want is fried pork or chicken), and bring your own tea bags.

Party of 2 went for lunch at 11:30 on a Wednesday. Place was empty when we got there and we were seated immediately. Ordered food via the webpage from the QR code on the table and it was served within 5-10 minutes. We shared the spicy wonton appetizer and I had the popcorn chicken rice plate. Everything was good. My plate was a bit dry so I asked for soy sauce on the side and they were happy to comply. Friend had the pork chop rice plate. Both plates had fried meat, so probably not the healthiest but pretty tasty. Total including tips and taxes came to a bit less than 30 per person.

I received a “buy one, get one free” promotion by text about a week ago. However, when I went to pay, the cashier told me the owner was not accepting the promotion code. It was frustrating to receive an offer and then be told it was no longer valid at checkout. I believe a business should honor the promotions it sends to customers. In addition, the restroom was not clean. Overall, this was a disappointing experience, and I will not be returning. The restaurant next door offers a much better experience.