Paradise Dynasty (South Coast Plaza)

“We had a great time at Paradise Dynasty in Costa Mesa! We tried the wontons, radish pastry, spring rolls, noodles, and Japanese cucumber, and everything was fresh and flavorful. We also loved the famous panda chocolate bao dessert, which was a fun and delicious way to finish the meal. The food was very good, the portions were satisfying, and the overall value was excellent. We would definitely come back!”

“I went for lunch with my nephews a few weeks ago and the wait wasn’t long. The menu is really big and offers a variety of noodles, dumplings, and appetizers. The rainbow dumplings were a nice way to sample the different flavors. I enjoyed the cucumber salad and pork chop the most. The panda baos were cute and delicious. The food is good but pricy. I believe my servers name was Johnny, he was easy to talk to and checked on us to make sure we got everything.”

“I visited Paradise Dynasty last night. I frequently visit this place because I don't like to wait for three hours at the other dumpling place inside the mall so I prefer to visit this one. My wife and kids love this place. We always eat the original dumplings. Sometimes we get the rainbow dumplings. Yesterday we got to try for the Collaboration of Burritos La Palma for their birria dumpling. We also ordered pork chop fried rice, black pepper steak, and we also had sweet and sour fish filet. We always get the cucumbers with garlic, the green beans and spinach for veggies. My kids love the chocolate filled panda buns and I always have a great experience here. The service is amazing and the ambiance is great. On weekends it might get a little busy but weeknights are pretty easy to get in. They have a great happy hour with a lot of menu items 40% off so I would recommend going to this place with friends. They are great at catering to large groups but yes I'm a fan of Paradise Dynasty and I will continue to keep coming back.”

“I’ve seen this place many times in the plaza, it’s located above Bloomingdale’s in South Coast Plaza. Sometimes I just crave Chinese food, and this spot always delivers. I usually go here or to Din Tai Fung, depending on which one is closer. The food here is nice and delicious, and the service is very fast. You should definitely try the chocolate panda dessert, it’s really tasty and cute! I also liked the pork rice, and I enjoy the mushrooms. They have a fun, crunchy texture. I didn’t expect the wood ear mushrooms with garlic, but they were actually pretty good too. The broth that comes with the wontons was also very flavorful. And not spicy or strange, just warm and delicious. I highly recommend this place. They have both traditional Chinese dishes and more familiar options, so there’s something for everyone.”

“My husband had Paradise Dynasty on our "to try" list, so after wrapping up some business in Irvine, we decided to head over. To be honest, I was a little concerned beforehand; it seems like this place is heavily influenced by social media "food influencers," which is usually a red flag for me. I tend to steer clear of spots that lean too hard on that kind of promotion, as I find those recommendations aren't always trustworthy. ​However, we were lucky to be seated immediately upon arrival. The kitchen pace was impressive. Everything came out quickly but the service itself was just "OK." Our server was the type who takes your order, does one check in to ask how everything is, and then disappears until it's time to pay. ​We ordered: - ​Kurobuta Pork XLB (Our favorite of the two XLB options) - ​Limited Edition Birria XLB (Collaborated with La Palma; interesting, but the pork definitely takes the crown) - ​Cucumber Salad - ​Chicken Wonton in Chili Oil - ​Crisp Fried Prawn with Mayo & Walnut - ​Noodles with Dan Dan Sauce - ​Fried Rice with Pork Chop ​The food was generally very tasty, but the crisp fried prawns were a bit of a letdown. At nearly $28 they were overpriced and lacked the signature crispness I expect at that price point. Just three weeks ago, I had a similar dish elsewhere that was superior in quality and about a third of the price. ​I’m not knocking the restaurant as a whole. The meal was solid but the pricing, the "influencer hype," and the hands off service give me pause. I understand there is a premium for the South Coast Plaza location but with that in mind, I think I’ll stick to my usual, more reliable spots for these types of dishes before making a return trip here.”