Mandarin House Restaurant

Spice up your lunch or dinner plans with delicious classic Chinese cuisine at Mandarin House, a La Jolla mainstay serving up beloved family-style entreés on white porcelain platters for almost 50 years. An Imperial-style entrance with lion statues flanking scarlet pillars welcomes locals and tourists to its cozy dining room with leather booths, warm woods and glowing lanterns on the ceiling.

Founded in 1977 by Hong Kong native John “Tat” Law and Bill “Wai Choi” Man, the pair of young chefs transformed a former diner into their dream. After Bill Man passed in 2004, and John Law in 2016, Law’s son, Nelson, carried on the family food business, maintaining the nostalgia of the restaurant but modernizing it with a new kitchen and decor, as well as refining the menu.

Today, no matter the order, from healthy and vegetarian to sweet, spicy and fried, guests will find a memorable dish at this La Jolla institution. The extensive menu is a treasure trove of culinary delights, from well-executed traditions such as Kung Pao Chicken and Peking Duck, to Popcorn Shrimp, Mongolian Beef, and savory Wonton Soup.

Also enjoy standouts Salt and Pepper Chicken; lightly breaded Walnut Shrimp with a creamy drizzle of white sauce; Double Happiness  — shrimp, sliced chicken breast, snow peas, carrots and bell peppers in ginger and garlic sauce; crispy Upside Down Noodles with beef, chicken, shrimp and vegetables; and Crab Rangoon, a special recipe of creamy cheese, sweet pineapple, and savory crab folded into crispy wontons.

Like the fried dumplings, the egg rolls are produced in-house — the filling is made from scratch (a blend of ground pork, shrimp, cabbage and eggs), then rolled by hand. Multiple fried-rice and lo main choices (Chicken, Beef, BBQ, Shrimp and more), and all manner of vegetarian options (Yu Hsiang Eggplant, Buddha’s Delight, Mu Shu Vegetables and Cashew Tofu) also make perfect palate-pleasers.

Join the restaurant for its Date Night Special on weeknights: two drinks (or one flaming Volcano), two soups and two select entrées, all for $59. Guests may also enjoy a full bar, where they can sip on craft cocktails and the venue’s signature Mai-Tai-Garita: tequila, triple sec and a touch of lime in Mandarin’s famous Mai Tai Mix.

Happy Hour runs Wednesdays to Fridays, and includes drink specials and appetizer plates. Online ordering, takeout, and delivery is available 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays (Closed Mon.-Tues.) Planning a special event? The restaurant offers catering, and has a banquet room perfect for special occasions and celebrations such as birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, and corporate events.

Find Mandarin House at 6765 La Jolla Blvd., just south of Nautilus Street. Look for a colorful mural of a dragon emerging from the sea on the restaurant’s south wall, and the late Tony Gwynn gracing on the north side, which pays homage to the San Diego Padres baseball legend. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. Call (858) 454-2007 or visit https://mandarinhouselj.com

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