Firstborn

Beautiful restaurant! Great vibes and amazing food! The menu is an adventure of world flavors. Service was warm and welcoming. Location is fun and electric, and feels like Chinatowns VIP club without being stuffy or pretentious. The Chongqing chicken and Shaobing sandwich are innovative phenomenons!

I'll start with the good - Service and food pacing were lovely - no issue there. The cocktail I had (spring martini) and the desserts are next level - the whole cocktail list looked pretty great. The desserts are all unique and delicious - tried them all and the chamomile custard is truly insane. The chicken - I personally really enjoyed. It is extra crispy (as mentioned in other reviews) but I liked it, spice was medium but tasty and the serving is a good size (two legs, two thighs for $26). The duck sausage was the other good dish here - would recommend if you do go. Literally everything else was sadly mediocre particularly for the price and portion. We had: beef tartare (beef is pretty good-tofu is bland and unnecessary), dumplings, fennel, mushrooms, tomatoes, bbq cabbage (really the most disappointing - not for any lack of effort I'm sure, but just not seasoned or honestly even an enjoyable flavor profile plus it's like a slice of cabbage for $22), and then the sweetbreads. I wouldn't have any of these again. Also the wine list is lackluster - stick to cocktails. I rarely write reviews but our tab was over $500 for four people at a semi-casual restaurant (3 who are in the restaurant biz) and to not have enjoyed the dinner - is actually just a bummer. The concept and vibe are good but it really does seem like the menu needs more r&d.

This place is still a little under the radar, but that can't last, it should blow up. Second favorite meal of the year so far. We started with the very simply named "Sour" and "Paloma" cocktails; I the Szechuan peppercorns in the Paloma let you know they're taking risks that pay off big time. They recommend a bunch of dishes to share, and that's definitely the smart play. First dishes were corn congee (really rich and filled with umami), the duck sausage (so tender), and the BBQ cabbage, which might have been my favorite dish of the night. Charred cabbage, who would imagine it could be so good? The fish collar special was ok although maybe a little underwhelming. But things picked up again with the beef fat rice (GET THIS), sweet & sour sweetbreads. A rich and beefy Zhajiang Oxtail finished the main service. We finished with the Cherry Frangipane Tart...I could have skipped this, TBH. Nothing wrong with it, just not up to the standard of the other dishes. P.S. Somewhere in there I ordered the Lamb Fat Rob Roy. I repeat LAMB FAT Rob Roy. Heck yeah!

We will be back again!!! Dining here after my younger sister's college graduation at UCLA was the perfect way to start closing a long and busy day! Not only was the food superb (we went for the newly implement brunch menu) but the cocktails and service was absolutely top tier!!! Names that we caught were Tom (Server), Lisa (Manager), and Kenzo (Bartender)!!! LA don't let this establishment down!!! They are whipping up something special and if they are given enough time to continue to refine further, I guarantee that Firstborn.la will have no issue becoming the new premier establishment in the long and historied story of Chinatown, Los Angeles!!!

Lovely space and ambience, service overall was decent but the kitchen was very very slow on some of our items. i didn't love the wine list, as unfashionable as it may be, where is the California wine? Chardonnay was thin and tart. While we enjoyed the fried chicken, the other items disappointed. yes, it's unique, and flavor profiles are inventive, but not sure this was to good end. The $26 mussels were from a can (correct me if I'm wrong please), the cherry tomatoes puzzling, and the cabbage could have been more well seasoned. Not an inexpensive meal, and i really like the space and intention, but it's a won't return for me, sadly,

I went in on opening weekend and got some food to go. The staff was super friendly and my order came out quickly. The fried chicken was light and flavorful. The beef roll was tender and the marinated fennel was a refreshing counterpoint to the spices in the beef. The venue is super cute and the outdoor space is really pleasant when it's warm out.

Pretty good addition to Chinatown's food scene. This place is a an upscale Chinese fusion restaurant and is a nice replacement for the former Angry Egret (Wes Avila) patio. Parking garage is reasonable at $5 flat rate and takes the headache out of finding parking in Chinatown. We sat in the patio space as we were walk ins without reservations. The Patio was a welcoming space but the indoor restaurant definitely seemed to have "vibes" of its own. Service was friendly and helpful with the servers offering up their suggestions and recommendations which was helpful for tackling an unfamiliar menu. Now for the main event, the food: The drinks were great. We ordered a non alcoholic milk punch and their house Negroni. Both were great 5/5 To start we had the duck sausage in tofu skin (5/5) and wood ear mushrooms (5/5). The duck sausage in tofu skin reminded me of a dumpling it was savory, meaty, yet refreshing. The emoji mushrooms were marinated in black vinegar and served with snap peas and daikon radish (5/5) and was by far the most refreshing and "cool" / cold oriented dishes of the evening. 3/5- confit pork belly and pea congee. This was really just a pea risotto and did not provide the same warmth and comfort as a true congee. The hard rice texture wasn't what I was expecting or hoping for. The peas were a really nice addition. I did like that this dish was well seasoned but I found they used too much oil (there was some kind of oil drizzle in addition to the natural fat from the pork belly). Oxtail and squid (5/5)-one of our favorite dishes. Oxtail braised In a savory gravy and dressed with pickled cucumbers and rice noodles. Our server recommended adding beef far fried rice (4/5) to enjoy the broth : gravy with--great suggestion! The beef fried rice helped us really enjoy the dish to its fullest. The fried rice was a nice conduit for other dishes but I found it to be overly oily on its own. (2/5) chongqing / mala fried chicken. This was the biggest disappointment of the night. We understood the mala fried chicken to be their signature dish but it was a major disappointment. The technical execution of the fried chicken was great--the batter was thick and crunchy and the chicken was tender and moist (neither under nor over cooked). Now for the problem--there was zero flavor. I'm talking no salt. This dish desperately needs a wet brine and a dusting of finishing salt at the end. I thought the chili crisp the chicken was dressed with or the side of chili crisp I ordered would improve the flavor but it was really one note. The table right next to ours ordered the same dish and had the same takeaway "needs salt." (5/5) green apple granita--the dessert we order redeemed the evening. The green apple granita was a luscious custard topped with green apple flavored granita ice and a pie / graham cracker crust. The dish was so light and refreshing while also maintaining a multilayer / multi flavor quality. So good! Overall really enjoyed this restaurant and would come back but do not recommend the fried chicken unless they make major changes to the recipe.

Firstborn is such a special spot tucked into Chinatown. Everything we ordered was creative, beautifully presented, and genuinely delicious. You can tell the kitchen puts a lot of care and intention into each dish--everything felt thoughtful and well-executed. * Steak tartare - One of my favorites. Loved the mapo tofu-style seasoning with bits of puffed rice for a crunch here and there. Definitely recommend ordering the beef fat rice on the side--it paired perfectly. * Cherry tomatoes - Super refreshing and light, I enjoyed the gelatin that was involved in the dish. * Duck sausage - Wrapped in tofu skin, which was such a cool touch. Great presentation and flavor. * BBQ cabbage - Charred beautifully. * Fried Chongqing Chicken - Crispy, flavorful, and seasoned all the way through. You can taste the efforts gone into marination. * Chamomile custard - Light and refreshing with green apple and cucumber, and the kinako shortbread added a nice buttery crunch. * Strawberry dessert - Beautifully plated, with a cashew biscuit that tied it all together. Loved every bite. The drinks were spirit-forward, high quality, and thoughtfully crafted--not overly sweet, just really well balanced. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive the whole night. The ambiance was bright, warm, and inviting with beautiful wall art painted by a local Chinatown artist that added such a personal touch to the space. Already looking forward to coming back and trying more--this place is a win.

I was excited to try firstborn and it exceeded our expectations. We opened with the mushrooms and mapo tofu steak tartare-- both are must orders. The fried chicken lived up to the hype our waitress described and the cocktails paired perfectly with our meal. The stand out for me was the oxtail + beef fat rice. 10/10 bite! The outside patio is markedly different from the inside of the restaurant in that it is more cozy-casual than the modern-earthy interior. Nonetheless, the heaters and jazz band playing in the courtyard made for a fun girls night.

We got the cherry tomatoes, duck sausage, carrot congee, BBQ cabbage, steak tartare, and oxtail. The space is really cool and the food is mostly solid. The tomatoes and the tartare were our favorite. The duck sausage initially tasted like pork dumplings and then processed meat - we couldn't really taste the duck, but maybe that's normal? Unfortunately, we sat next to a larger group of 6+ people and they were LOUD. The space itself seemed small with their voices echoing off the kitchen windows with nowhere to bounce but our ears. I'll definitely be back again because their cocktails were delicious, the food made me nostalgic for my Taiwanese roots, and the service was exceptional. Be sure to check out Steep (next door) for great cocktails too!!

Truly a unique take on Chinese/American flavors. The cocktail program is really impressive - they do also have some interesting NA options as well. We tried a bunch of things and honestly all were good but the true standouts were the Chongqing fried chicken (absolutely ridiculously crispy crust - our server told us that many diners who end up taking leftovers home end up microwaving the chicken and it's *still* crispy the day after), the charred cabbage (which apparently takes two days to prep) that's stuffed with leeks and the duck sausage (I am still thinking about these). Sleeper hit: beef fat fried rice. If you can try to get seated inside as opposed to outside which is the main hallway area of Mandarin Plaza. We ended up outside and moved tables because of rain - it's kind of loud outside especially in the evening where there was music from some kind of event going on near the plaza. You can also definitely hear pretty much all the conversations going on around you from fellow diners given the tables are packed close together - but that's just LA pretty much. You can try and find street parking or you can park in the lot on the north end of the plaza - the night we went it was $7.

I was hyped to try this restaurant. The chef has worked for my most favorite chefs (Jordan Kahn, Michael Voltaggio, and Eric Bost) who've delivered some of the best meals I've ever had. I had high expectations for the Chinese New American marriage. Chinatown has never recovered after 2020. It was suspiciously too easy to get parking on a Saturday evening (the meter was 50 cents/hour). I expect a bit of a struggle in this area, but I guess the restaurant dining crowd has fled to the SGV. I couldn't get a table for 5 online but was able to call the restaurant to make this arrangement. We sat outside which is still grubby looking from the Angry Egrette Dining days (I love Wes Avila's work too, come back to the east side!). The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous and has some classic millenial pink and greens. Bill Chait is the GOAT of LA restaurants (but not every venture lasts long). I studied up on Yelp for the best dishes. Overall, I expected more and didn't feel that the appetizer and entree dishes stood out. LA dining is competitive; I wouldn't bet this place lasts more than a few years (if PokPok couldn't make it, what will draw the Westsiders out?). The mapo tofu steak tartare had a unique take with the seasonings and texture contrast with raw beef and tofu. Other dishes like the custard and tofu-wrapped duck were forgettable. I came for the fried chili chicken; it had a thick crust. The chili was only 1 teaspoon on 1 chicken thigh. It was disappointing; if you are going to go Chinese chili crunch chicken, you go balls to the walls with it. I wanted the chicken dripping in chili oil. Some parts of the chicken just tasted like fried chicken with too hard of a skin. This dish seriously needs optional chili crunch oil to add on the side. The highlights of this place are the booze and desserts. We got 5 alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks. They were all pleasantly strong and the NA orange drink was a table favorite. The desserts were the star of the night for me with the chamomile custard in a cucumber granita and strawberry cake. The pastry chef is from Jordan Kahn's places and it shows. They were perfectly light, not too sweet, and complex with the mixture of ingredients. They encapsulated what I was looking for in this mixture of Chinese-inspired ingredients and fine dining techniques. Unfortunately, the savory dishes didn't leave a mark. Service was excellent and attentive. The dishes came out at a good pace.

Modern location with abstract takes on Asian flavors. Went for a weekend dinner. There's a parking lot ($10) and street parking available. Restaurant has a bar, main dining room, and a patio in the shared plaza space. Patio seemed a bit separated from the restaurant, so chose to eat in the main dining room. Dining room was modern and minimalist - unfortunately the room acoustics were poor - there was a lot of echoing, so trying to have a conversation was tough with it being loud enough to hear everyone's voices except for the ones at your table. Service was prompt - plates were switched after every set of dishes. Drinks were refilled often. At the end of the meal, the server did hold the credit card machine and was looking as we tipped, which was a bit awkward. The food itself was - different. I'm not a savant when it comes to food - so it was hard interpreting the menu item descriptions. It was described mostly as ingredients vs types of dishes. Since this was a new restaurant, there weren't many pictures online to guide the ordering. We ordered snap peas & turnips, tofu & mushrooms, carrot congee, and the fried chicken. The snap peas & turnips were literally like just snap peas and sliced turnips with horseradish-type sauce on the side - it didn't seem anything was done to it. The tofu & mushroom dish was great - the tofu had a nice creamy texture and there was a bit of sauce to go along with it. The congee was decent - I'd say the crunch of the chopped veggies in it kind of threw off what I like most about congee - that it's soft / soupy / porridge-y. The flavor was good - just wasn't a fan of the texture. The fried chicken was well prepared - had a good crunch and the meat was tender. There was a little spicy kick to dish. Not sure it stood out flavor-wise though, felt a bit muted. Overall - was a bit disappointed. The aesthetics of the place were great, but it's hard to recommend as a date spot as you can't really have a conversation. The food was a bit hit and miss in the sense that the dishes were well prepared, but it felt either toned down or abstract. It didn't help that we had to imagine what we ordered (with how the menu described the food) - and for the most part, what was prepared didn't match what we thought we ordered. The fried chicken and snap peas were pretty expensive as well. $50~ for fried chicken alone is tough to stomach. Would be tough for me to recommend - but I'm sure others would take a liking to it if it fits the vibe they're looking for.

Let me start with the highlight--the cocktails were a 10/10. Seriously, not a single miss. Unique and delicious. The old fashioned had a strong sesame taste which really worked well and had a surprising punch. The penicillin was probably the best I've had in a while. Now that that's out of the way--everything else was aight. For the price point, it just didn't hit like it should have. I'm sayin $50+ for fried chicken! For that kind of $$$, I expect to be blown away. Instead, it was just... mid. Not bad, not great, just not memorable. Same goes for the rest of the menu: flavors good, portions were ok, but again, overpriced for what you're getting. The oxtail was flavorful and tender. The charred cabbage has a smoky, BBQ flavor that was satisfying. And the fennel dish was refreshing and unique. Apps were impressive, but only if this were a vegetarian restaurant. Creative, but not something I'd go back for. Favorite (besides the cocktails) was the side of the house made chili oil we ordered which was, you guessed it, not free. Service was friendly, but it took over 15 minutes just to get our order in, which set the tone for a pretty slow-paced meal. I came in with high hopes, but overall it was mediocre. Glad I tried it, but nothing pulling me back.

Mapo Tofu Steak Tartare 4.5/5 California Vegetable Rice 4/5 BBQ Cabbage 4.5/5 Fried Chongqing Chicken 5/5 Chamomile Custard 5/5 Cocktails 5/5 Service 4.5/5 Atmosphere 4.5/5 Overall 4.5/5 We did a date night at Firstborn on their opening weekend - it was their 3rd day of service. It was busy and the team often apologized regarding the delay, but service was fine after we were seated. It's beautiful inside the restaurant and the ambiance and aesthetic was excellent. Cocktails and mocktails were well balanced. We had the Lacto Blueberry Fizz, Ume Yuzu Last Word, and Shochu Bamboo. We loved all of them! The Mapo Tofu Steak Tartare paired with the California Vegetable Rice had all the essence of my favorite Mapo Tofu dishes but elevated to perfection. The BBQ Cabbage had a delicious leek vinaigrette which paired flawlessly with the grilled cabbage. My favorite dish was the Fried Chongqing Chicken! It was crunchy and succulent, overall superb. The dessert was unique. We had the Chamomile Custard with green apple, cucumber, and shortbread. I definitely need to come back for another date night and try more dishes at Firstborn!

Grateful to have another great restaurant close to where we live! Amazing ambiance in a cozy space- we thought maybe the seating outside on Broadway was theirs, but their patio seating is actually inside the plaza not facing the road, which is great. Vibes were great- good for a date night or a few friends; there was a group of girls who had this constant, piercing cackle, so I guess it's great for getting lit too!! Also, like a previous review said- it seems like seating and pacing reservations need a bit of work. We got seated about 20 minutes past our rsvp time; but it's fine, it's only been a few days since opening day. Our server was helpful in recommending different dishes, how much to order depending how hungry we are, etc. very attentive, very friendly! All the dishes were great too - I definitely recommend getting the congee! We also had the cabbage, mapo tofu, and the tartare- all of which were amazing. We had the strawberry shortcake too and two drinks- a citrus non-alcoholic drink and a negroni, I would order both again. I'm not really that into non-alcoholic drinks but that one my partner got was exceptionally good, he said it tastes like a tootsie roll LOL because of its dark chocolate notes, which tbh is very accurate. Anyway thanks for an amazing experience! Very glad that y'all are in walking distance- would definitely return and bring more friends so we can try the rest of the menu!

Had an amazing experience at Firstborn! Went here with a good friend on opening night and was not disappointed. The service was great, food was comforting and familiar yet with a creative spin. The cocktails were also quite tasty. I definitely want to go back again to try more dishes.

Firstborn was inventive & unique. We had a really nice Saturday date-night meal. I originally had booked through Resy for a couple of weeks prior but had to reschedule. Parking in their adjoining covered lot was $5... The space is nice, light woods, moderate table lighting, beautiful bar and a peek into the kitchen for those tables on that end of the dining room. The lady ordered the firstborn spring martini ($22) and she liked it very much. Topped with drops of celery oil and served it beautiful stemware. It looked lovely and she enjoyed it so much she ordered another. We had the wood ear mushrooms ($16) which with came snap peas, turnips, horseradish & black vinegar. This was a light and healthy first appetizer. My lady really liked it. I wanted the dressing drizzled over it more than it just sitting at the bottom of the bowl. It was a tasty one with a slight kick. Next was the tofu dumplings ($21) with came green beans, artichokes & shiitake mushrooms. The sauce this was good but would have liked it to have more flavor, perhaps a little more saltiness. The dumplings itself were great and held up well. We also got the duck sausage ($24) which are wrapped in a tofu skin and sits in an onion broth. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night. I loved the taste of the duck sausage and the tofu skin as a wrapper for it. I could have even used more flavor in the broth. We would spoon the onion broth and add some of the green onion with each serving. Delicious. We also got the chongqing fried chicken ($26) and that was really good. Perfectly fried and crunchy breaded fried chicken topped with dried peppers. Seeing photos of it, I knew we would get it. I was expecting some sweetness in it but it is a savory fried chicken. You get 4 pieces, drumsticks and thighs. Next was the bbq cabbage ($22) which was great. The 2-day process to make this dish was not lost on us and the leek vinaigrette it wass bathing, in gave great flavor to the densely packed charred cabbage. I loved this dish. We even had leftovers of this dish and the fried chicken. We also ordered the zhajiang oxtail ($30) which was topped with pickled cucumber and served with squid made to resemble pasta. This was an expensive dish for the amount you get IMO. I was expecting more rich flavors from this dish. We ate this mostly with beef fat rice ($9) which was good and it was mixed in with fried scallions. Service was good. Plates and utenstils were changed out regularly. Chopsticks were provided with the first courses of appetizers. Bowls and plates were provided for the other shareables. Bottled Aqua Panna was $9... Paying with card, you get the server handing you the reader and you add the tip on the spot. No time to think or calculate. Lol. I'm not the biggest fan of that. I rather get the check and have time to write it out. This same device is what they use to take your order so I get it. Firstborn was a memorable meal. A lot of new flavors and combinations for us. We liked it a lot... A bit pricey for the amount you get but still good. It was packed and seems like people are really gravitating towards it. I asked for and booked a table inside and glad I did because it was a drizzly evening.

I really wanted to love this restaurant, but some of the dishes felt like they were trying a bit too hard. I came with a small group and we ordered quite a few things. The server asked us a couple of times if we wanted rice, and it wasn't until we were halfway through the meal that we realized most of the dishes were quite salty--rice would've helped balance that out. A heads-up would've been appreciated. That said, there were some real highlights: the duck sausage, carrot congee, sweetbreads, grouper, and short rib were all excellent. I wasn't a fan of the steak tartare--it probably should've just committed to being mapo tofu. ENJOY! PS: I got really lucky with metered parking!

My fiance and I were really excited to try Firstborn and ordered a ton of stuff. I won't list out everything we ordered, but everything was very good in terms of taste and presentation. I will say the mapo tofu steak tartare, vegetable rice, hojicha orange milk punch, and the chamomile custard were AMAZING. We have been craving these items since we've left. The punch was the most interesting mocktail I've ever had--so decadent and luxurious.

Firstborn is a new hidden gem in Chinatown! The creativity of the menu stands out--modern, bold, and delicious. Highlights for me were the mapo tofu steak tartare, carrot congee, and the fish collar (special of the day). All the desserts hit the spot. Cocktails were on point too--I had the sobacha bourbon fizz and it was a great . Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. This place is something special.

Firstborn is basically the first child your parents actually brag about -- and honestly, they have every right. The food here? Phenomenal. Asian-influenced, but raised on a steady diet of creativity and pure flavor. Let's talk about the Fried Chongqing Chicken: $55 may sound like a lot... until you realize they basically bring out half a chicken coop. Four legs, four thighs -- enough meat to start questioning your life choices (in the best way). And for those whining about "$55 for fried chicken" -- may I kindly direct you to Howlin' Ray's down the street, where one leg and thigh will run you $12, a 2-hour wait, and a minor existential crisis. At Firstborn, you get your money's worth and you still like yourself afterward. Other stars of the show? The Steak Tartare -- think "Mapo Tofu but make it fancy." Savory, spicy, rich -- the only way it could have been better is if they had hand-fed it to me while playing a tiny violin. Also -- please do yourself a favor and dive into their tea-inspired cocktails. We had the White Flower Negroni (Song Cai Floral, Cimarron Blanco, Lillet Blanc, Saler's Aperitif, Grapefruit Twist) and the Baijiu Pu-Erh Kingston Negroni (Green Mandarin Pu Erh, Ming River Baijiu, Smith & Cross Rum, Campari, Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino, Lime). Both were so good, I briefly considered ordering a third and then writing a Yelp review entirely in haiku. Service was friendly, vibe was chill but polished, and my only complaint is that the service was a bit slower due to short staffed I believe? Highly recommend -- bring friends, bring stretchy pants, bring your self-esteem because you'll be flexing hard after this meal.

Service was not very attentive as we waited for quite some time for someone to come by and take our order after being seated. I don't know if that's a result of us being seated in the patio versus the dining room or being short staffed that evening or something else. In fact, our server brought around waters after a few minutes and immediately left without asking if we were ready to at least order drinks. Of the items we ordered we enjoyed the Fried Chongqing Chicken the most. The batter was light, had a nice crunch, and had a bit of a kick. I would've liked more spice from the peppers, but its fine. We packed leftovers and they were just as good as when they came out of the kitchen after a couple minutes in the air fryer the following day. The meat was tender and juicy whether it was dark or white meat. We also had the Steak Tartare, Duck Sausage, Steamed Custard, BBQ Cabbage, and Zhajiang Oxtail. Unfortunately all were a bit lacking. We were particularly disappointed with the cabbage dish as we found it underwhelming and not worth the $22 it sells for. The drinks were absolutely the highlight of the evening. We had the Firstborn Spring Martini, Sesame Old Fashioned, and the Lactose Blueberry Bramble. All of these cocktails were excellent and I think the flavors in each were well balanced and thought out. I very much wanted to order another around of cocktails to try but I was ready to leave. I think I would come back for drinks and the fried chicken. Really cute spot. I hope maybe it was just an off night.

Had an absolutely perfect meal at Firstborn. The ambiance is first rate: soft lights, sophisticated color palette, comfortable seating and layout. We started at the bar where I had the Firstborn Spring Martini which was crisp and herbal with a float of celery oil. My friend had the non-alcoholic lacto blueberry fizz and really enjoyed it as well. For dinner we wanted to try everything but decided on Braised Fennel, Steak Tartare, Steamed Custard, Fried Chongquing Chicken, Cumin Lamb Saddle, and Vegetable Rice. Immaculate flavors across the board - new and satisfying combinations. I thought the tartare and the chicken were particular standouts and I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu. This is such a welcome addition to the LA dining scene. Get your reservation now!

I had first heard about Firstborn on an NPR segment, and luck behold - drove by it a few days after hearing about it on the radio. Opened about 2 months ago, Firstborn is exactly the kind of restaurant I want to see more of in Chinatown...bold, modern Chinese cuisine that doesn't compromise on flavor or creativity. We tried a range of dishes - the Beef Fat Rice, Duck Sausage, Woodear Salad, Braised Leek, and Squid & Oxtail dish (which was an interesting surf-meets-turf combination)...and while everything was thoughtfully prepared and beautifully plated, there was one dish that completely stole the show: their Fried ChongQing Chicken. Hands-down it was the best fried chicken we've ever had. Perfectly crisp, incredibly juicy, and seasoned to perfection with a nice blend of sichuan spice. I'd come back for that alone. Service was equally memorable - our server and the host at the front were both warm and attentive. Firstborn is a stellar new addition to LA's Chinese food scene, especially in Chinatown. We'll definitely be back - and of course ordering the fried chicken again!

Food: 3/5 Disappointed: Cumin Lamb Saddle Honestly I wouldn't recommend any of the main courses. They are not bad but just not that good. Bottom line not worth the money. Zhajiang Oxtail All the things in this dish just don't go together. They literally taste like things from different dishes putting together. To me this dish is a variation from Zhajiang noodle-using squid to substitute noodle but give the similar texture but lighter and oxtail substitute for minced meat. But here it just doesn't work. Highlight: Chamomile Custard surprised me! I'm normally not a dessert person but this one is so refreshing and cream at the same time! I love the shaved ice with green apple and cucumber! And the shortbread inside adds texture. Mediocre: Steak Tartare is good but just what I expected to be. Making it Mapo tofu is an interesting try. Braised Fennel and Tofu Gnudi are not very memorable. Just okay I guess. Decoration is pretty modern. Lovely.

Food and service were equally excellent! It does get a little loud in there when full, but the view of the neon lights of the motel opposite the restaurant was such a great vibe; you wouldn't forget you were in Chinatown, and I appreciate that. This is unique fusion - it takes what are traditional dishes and uses ingredients that you normally wouldn't think (e.g. using squid slices as "noodles"). This place is pricey but worth it as a treat. The shaved cucumber ice dessert was also amazing, and came highly recommended by our server, and lived up to their hype! Cocktail was delicious! I'm wondering if they paired up with Steep next door since I saw the same bartender who I've seen around at Steep LA too. Which means you know that their cocktail is going to be great. They also offer a tea menu at the end if you're wanting hot tea after, although I wonder if that tea menu would do better being offered up front. Wait staff were attentive and they always made sure to ask before they whisk away a plate, which in my books, is so much better than my plate being taken away abruptly when I'm not actually done. They were friendly but not hovering and overbearing. I did see another review prior to visiting that thought the service overbearing and rushed, so maybe my experience was in reaction to that and the servers were re-trained?

Second time to this Chinatown spot that is cozy and perfectly decorated. The support staff on the floor was very attentive with changing out clean plates and silverware. The server while very attentive, didn't seem to be quite as knowledgeable about the menu. Highlights included the oxtail dish (very small portion) that packed a lot of great flavors and the roasted cod. The carrot congee, while very tasty with bits of pork belly as well was almost more like a risotto as it wasn't quite as porridge consistency that I'm used to with a classic "jook." Really enjoyed the mapo tartare and the woodear mushrooms. We opted for a half order of the fried chicken that has a wonderfully crispy well coated skin. The cod was cooked to perfection and also plated beautifully. The apple granita with custard dessert is refreshing and a light way to end a good meal. It will be interesting to see how the menu changes more as the seasons change.

We want to enjoy our dish more and take more time to have dinner but we feel like we being pushed to wrap up our dinner asap. Seems like we didn't order enough food ( order 3+ 1 side dish) when we got up the table, the two tables next to us started dinner way ahead of us were still eating. Even host in front of the door said it was fast! Yes, it was fast and we didn't want it end finish. Besides that, overall food was good.

A delicious affordable fine dining experience! The ambience is very relaxed and polished. the music is not too loud. Service was very considerate. I recommend trying something new here. this is not a typical Asian fusion restaurant, they have incentive and exciting dishes. I recommend the sweetbreads, which tasted like savory fried chicken nuggets. I also recommend the cherry tomatoes, it's a refreshing tangy/savory cold salad. The portions are smaller, because this is a tasting experience. I ate at the bar, and the cocktails are amazing. Shoutout to Rudy the bartender! If you're not sure what cocktail to order, he has great suggestions!

Solid spot. Fried chicken and congee were amazing. Service was friendly but a tad slow at times. Sat inside, patio is cute but is shared with another restaurant and there seemed to be an open mic or party the night I went, so was glad to be inside. Will be back.

The food is pretty mixed. Some great dishes, some bad dishes. The cabbage and lamb were excellent. I had 1 ok cocktail and 2 horrible nearly undrinkable cocktails. I would avoid the cocktails.

Love this place right in Chinatown with a contemporary presentation of classic Chinese flavors from all over China. Started with the cherry tomatoes that is so refreshing and opened up our appetite. The Chongqing fried chicken was so satisfying with Sze-Chuan spices that we just could not stop eating. Then finished with chilled slight sweet almond tofu with sour and sweet notes. What a way to complete an outstanding meal. We tried others creative dishes as well but these three were our must haves for next time. Service was attentive and never had to wait for drink refills, clear out dishes...very nice for family outing or special occasion. Run, don't walk to get a reservation soon!

Gotta chime in here because the high ratings just don't make any sense to me. Every single dish was underwhelming and over-priced, and at one point early on our server forgot about us. We know because she apologized without our saying anything. The food: You're gonna pay a lot, but you're not gonna get a lot. High prices and small portions, which absolutely doesn't bother me if the food blows me away, but unfortunately this wasn't the case. We had: Eggplant- super forgettable, bland, needed more acid to cut through the eggplant's richness. I've cooked better eggplant at home. Oh, and SO under-salted, this was the main problem. Radishes- was like pon chon radishes in a sauce someone thought "hey, this sauce is good, let's put it with ...something...radishes?" Elements did not go together and radishes too chewy for me, but sauce was good. Again under-salted. Duck sausage- lacked flavor, especially the onion brodo. Under-salted. A theme develops. Steamed custard- what an ODD mess of a dish. This one actually almost won me over, but the under cooked peas and uneven flavors/seasoning were it's undoing. How on earth did they think all these things would work together? Gelee, scallops, peas, sea lettuce...etc...what? I think if they leaned into it being a soup rather than a custard it would be better. Just make it all sea lettuce, broth, and properly cooked peas. A little more salt needed, especially in flavorless gelee. Oxtail- maybe the worst dish considering its price. Again the ingredients just don't work together. Squid and braised beef is a huge fail imho, and the salt is once more lacking. My last bite was tough and riddled with gristle. At these prices? Unforgivable. By now you probably think I'm a mean old salt-addict. A veritable saline fiend. But then! Out comes the lamb and it was the most over-salted dish I've ever had at a restaurant. Without the potatoes it would have been inedible due to the abundance of salt. If we hadn't shared it i would have had to send it back. It was like they saved all the salt they should have put in the other dishes and sprinkled it on the lamb. And SUCH a tiny portion for $52. Maybe 5oz...maybe. Horrific. One final note on service- At these prices every course should get a new plate and silverware. That said the only time it actually bothered me was when they didn't take the ox plate away because it meant those flavors would mingle with the lamb. Giving one star because this place has to be knocked down from its high horse on yelp. Reviews must be from friends and family. Do not go.

Service: great. Food & Cocktails: spectacular. We've been there twice already. I highly recommend the BBQ cabbage, which is mind-blowing, and the duck sausage, very unique. And don't skip the dessert. I don't think there's another place like Firstborn in LA.

The oxtail and tartar were spectacular but the fried chicken was mid. Cocktail menu seemed a little gimmicky, service was trying a bit hard but the ambiance and the decor were top notch! A new hip jewel of a restaurant. Beware of kitchen surcharge but expected for a place like this. Had a lovely time. Loved every dessert.

Beautiful restaurant! Great vibes and amazing food! The menu is an adventure of world flavors. The service was warm and welcoming. The venue is fun and electric, and feels like a Chinatown VIP club without being stuffy or pretentious. The Chongqing Chicken and Shaobing sandwiches are inventive!

New Chinese American Restaurant. Order Steak Tartare , Zhajiang Oxtail , Fried Chongqing Chicken (Southern Fried Chicken Style w Szechuan Chili Spices) , Cumin Lamb Saddle (Very Good).

10/10 for the ambiance, food, service and 10000/10 for their cocktails. Everything we ordered was amazing. Kingston Negroni took my tastebuds to another dimension. Must order: steak tartare, lamb, fried chicken. Definitely leave room for dessert

It was mostly random luck that I got a reservation for Firstborn's opening weekend after reading an article on Eater a couple of days before. The concept sounded great and they had me at mapo steak tartar. I was really looking forward to seeing how the restaurant would reimagine all the flavors and dishes many of us are familiar with like mapo tofu and cumin lamb. Firstborn completely lived up to the hype and the service was really good. You wouldn't haven't known that it was the first weekend of operations. Mapo steak tartar was delightful, nicely chopped steak with flecks of sichuan pepper, along with all the flavors you'd expected in a mapo tofu--and it was served on top of some cold silky tofu cubes. Another dish we loved was the light and fluffy tofu gnudi with browned butter. Lamb saddle with shredded potatoes was perfectly cooked and seasoned - you would recognize the flavors of two components right away but the presentation and treatment was unique and elegant. We adored the chong ching fried chicken -which do they offer half portions of if you don't want it as a full entree. The batter was crispy and light and the chicken was juicy in side. It was even better the next day. Dessert was lovely and the drinks were creative and delicious. Highly recommend Firstborn as both a neighborhood place in LA (depending on your driving tolerance....) and also as a destination restaurant.

A surprisingly interesting, flavorful, and delicious upscale/fine dining French twist to Chinese dishes, with the maximalism decor to match. The place was packed at 8:30/9pm on a Wednesday, but it is the first few weeks of opening, and we enjoyed our cocktails in the lounge while waiting for our table for two. Our server Tom was a fantastic host- friendly, personable, knowledgeable, fun, sharing when asked his favorites/recommendations (BBQ Cabbage, Cumin Lamb Saddle), including cocktails off menu. The entire staff was also attentive- explaining wait times, replenishing drinks, clearing away empty plates. The description and photo of the BBQ cabbage and steamed custard simply don't do them justice- there were by far my favorites. The steamed custard is a cross between Chinese steamed eggs and Japanese chawanmushi. The scallops and I think seaweed and sesame or perilla leaf create an umami, savory, sweet, soy sauce meets butter kind of taste seeped into the tofu. The BBQ cabbage was an absolute surprise and delight with layers of cabbage separated/infused with leek like a grilled cabbage lasagna. The Steak Tartare with flavors of mapo tofu leans more vinegary than spicy, but goes well with the cold silky tofu, while the Fried Chongqing Chicken is as crispy as a Popeyes chicken and flavor that reminded me of popcorn chicken and my husband of Doritos. Tom says supposedly the crisp lasts 2-3 days so we'll see if that's true with our leftovers. Lastly, as someone who doesn't enjoy alcohol, but loves milk lunch, the non-alcoholic Hojicha Orange Milk Punch was a must try and enjoyable for its hojicha flavor and more subtle sweetness compared to a traditional milk punch. The yogurt also didn't make the drink sour or tart at all. Overall, highly recommend fixing Firstborn a try if you're interested in tasting new flavors.

The cocktail creations by bar director Kenzo are creative and delicious. I got the osmanthus gin drink, it was well balanced and creamy just as described. I also love that they have a great selection of non alcoholic offerings equally creative and appealing. My dining companion got the non alcoholic hojicha milk punch which was a hit and very reasonably priced for a craft mocktail. Great hanging out with Kenzo and Rudy at the bar and fun watching them in their element. Easy to order bites directly at the bar and service was speedy. We got the fennel for appetizer, and custard for a light main. I enjoyed having fennel cooked when usual preparations are just shaved onto salads. The custard was a real standout for me. Maybe one of the best dishes I've had in a while. Custard was smooth, paired well with mini seared scallops and a punchy vinegary seaweed topping w/ freshness from green peas. Steamed egg lovers will love this elevated and unique interpretation. A must get for me. Stopped in early on a Saturday for a pit stop to beat traffic and were able to walk in without resys to sit at the bar but the dining room did seem to fill up quick so reservations are recommended. Loved the vibe and ambiance of a new Chinese American feel. Overall, great addition to Chinatown and can't wait to be back for a full meal!

What a great new restaurant. Such an inventive menu. Really inspired. The outdoor seating is a pass,

Came here last night, really really good modern take on Chinese. The Mapo Tofu steak tartar is super unique and very flavorful. The fried chicken was a definite standout, even the tofu dumplings were delicious. Great place! Will be coming back more often.

Beautiful dining experience! Great food, service and vibes all around! Can't wait to return.

What an absolutely incredible meal. Everything from the service to the bartender to the food itself. Everything was absolutely top notch. Even though everything was absolutely delicious, the star of the show was definitely the carrot congee! Don't sleep on it !

This place is a must despite a few hiccups. Strictly based on most of the food, I would've given it five stars, but our experience was a bit unfortunate. I had made reservations for a table for four for indoors. Upon arrival, we were told our reservation was for the patio and were sat outside facing the public restrooms. The outdoor ambience was awful. But I'm sure the indoors was much better. Our server was attentive, but at times we felt rushed by the entire team as they were looking to flip the table. If you do go, the cabbage, fried rice, fried chicken and congee are a must. Definitely skip the cherry tomatoes in a gelatin. The lamb although cooked well was more of a western preparation than Chinese. I would definitely skip the fish dish as well.

Great service- the hostess knew the restaurant well and moved us from an outside reservation to a table inside Best food i've had on a very long time- delicious unique flavors - and all 3 deserts were unusual and delicious as well

Location is not desirable. Food price is for Michelin rated restaurants. The serving portion for the price is so disappointing. 6 marinated muscles for 24 dollars. Laughable. Not recommended.

Wow ! Wow ! And wow ! Exceptional ! We tried 5 dishes and 2 desserts along with wine ! Everything we taste was such an explosion of amazing flavors ! You definitely cannot go wrong with this place ! The menu changes with seasons so I am so excited to try more . Randy the gm was extremely helpful and explained the menu to us and the service was superb ! Can't wait to return ! If you don't go you're missing out on an amazing experience!