SAM WOO RESTAURANT

I've been going to this restaurant for a couple of years now.The food is good at first,but it gets old after awhile. Sometimes the service is good, but most of the time it's horrible. I only go there because it's near where I live. When the restaurant is not busy,the waiters stand over your shoulders and stare at you, making it extremely uncomfortable. When they're busy, they rush your food and one time even took some of our entrees away when we weren't finished eating.It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water.There's one waiter who's extremely rude. One night at dinner the food was way too salty, and I even found a piece of hair in my fried rice which was disgusting, so we did not leave a big tip. The waiter actually confronted me, almost yelling at me, saying that it was not enough tip, and that "do you think it is ok for you to do this?" He was staring at me, expecting me to pull out my wallet to give him more tip. I was stunned and speechless. He should be lucky that I didn't go to the manager to complain about the food and the hair in the rice. I've never been to any restaurant where the waiter is so rude and unprofessional. The last time I checked, tips are optional, and to demand more tip from your customers is completely unacceptable. After that experience, I'm never going back there again. more

I love Chinese food, but this is my favorite restaurant! I usually go to the cheaper version of Sam Woo. There are three sections of Sam Woo in Irvine. They are all adjacent. The main one is the most expensive, the next one is cheaper, and then there is a to-go. I usually go to the cheaper one, since the food quality is the same. Prices are moderate. The food is great, authentic Chinese food! Try the black bean clam dish. more

i haven't tried the sit down restaurant but i did try their chinese take out. it is very cheap for the enormous portios that they give. their food is pretty good, but it is pretty fattening and oily. the fried rice is good but their noodles are a bit bland. the combo usually comes with a tasty bowl of soup. more

A wonderful dining experience, just a perfect restaurant where to bring my demanding guests. The food is terrific and the service excellent. The ambience of the restaurant is great and you feel sad when the evening comes to an end. It was not hard to get a table, but the restaurant was full on the evening, with a great ambience, a sophisticated and so attentive service and a spectacular food. Excellent restaurant. more

For authentic, delicious, well-priced Chinese, Sam Woo is the place to go. The restaurant has an amazing, fresh seafood selection (the lobsters are swimming next to your table) while the laid-back cafe next door focuses on more traditional Chinese dishes. Whatever you choose will be amazing, but beware the temptation to eat until you need a wheelbarrow to cart you out of the restaurant. The plates come with heaping portions and are so good it is hard to stop. The BBQ pork is delightful. Also has take-out if you don't mind waiting in line. more