iCHiNA

I recently dined at iChina and was thoroughly impressed. The decor is stunning, with a jade green theme carried through every detail. The comfortable seating, coupled with ambiance, adds to the overall experience. Came on a Thursday 4:30 right before dinner time. So we ordered from the lunch menu. The menu offers a good rang of selections, from dim sum to Southeast Asian noodles, catering to a variety of tastes. There's also a prix fixe menu that looks fantastic, though I didn’t get to try it as it seemed like too much food for two people. The dim sum samplers come in sets of three, beautifully presented. The waiting staff is thoughtful and attentive, making the dining experience even more enjoyable. Dinner service starts at 5 PM—definitely worth a visit!

I was honestly a little skeptical given the reviews about service and the main menu, but my experience with a family of 4 during Afternoon Tea was delightful. A cute set menu of petit-fours with Asian fusion set on a very visually appealing stand. Tea selection was also easy and descriptive and well worth the money. You definitely do pay more for the atmosphere which usually throws me off, but for tea time, the price is justified. I recommend coming in on a slow day that way you're guaranteed that the pastries won't run out. I'm not sure if they're made in-house, but it does taste like it. Out of the 10 desserts, the highlight for me was the Ube Cheesecake and the Mandarin Orange Mousse. Subtle, sweet flavor that isn't overpowering or teeth-rattling sweet. The flowers are also a delicate touch. Perfect for a nice first date. Delicious.

We recently visited iChina for afternoon tea and were impressed by the delicious desserts and flavorful tea. The dim sum was also quite good. The ambiance of the restaurant was fantastic, and we really enjoyed it. However, the service was disappointing. The staff member assigned to our table was not friendly and his behavior seemed rude and unprofessional. As first-time visitors, we were let down by the lack of genuine hospitality. While the food and ambiance were excellent, the service experience needs improvement.

This is hands down the best Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area and it’s not even close. I should know because I’m from China and the quality of food, artistic vision and presentation are up there with the best from Shanghai or Beijing. Had the prix fixe menu and every dish was lights out 5/5. Flavors are authentic but every dish also has a creative twist to it. Try the Koi Pond dessert then try everything else. Service is polite and not intrusive. Can’t miss.

Tried dinner and afternoon tea at iChina. The decor of the restaurant gives off Crazy, Rich Asian vibes and is a nice place for celebrations. Afternoon tea was very traditional but had some Asian twists to it. I enjoyed having some side dishes with the afternoon tea set. The design and beauty of the food definitely makes up for the price of the dishes.

🌟 A Culinary Adventure at iChina! 🌟 Hi everyone! I recently visited iChina in Santana Row, and it was an exceptional experience of contemporary Cantonese cuisine. After traveling extensively to Hong Kong and Shenzhen and living there for six months, I've dined at some of the best restaurants in the world and in China. iChina stands out as a special place for me, especially with its new chef bringing fresh ideas to the menu. While the concept has improved, I still think the menu could benefit from more variety. We enjoyed a variety of dishes that showcased the restaurant's culinary expertise. The Dim Sum Collection was a great start, with har gow, scallop siu mai, and Chinese chive dumplings. The Crispy Dim Sum Collection was equally impressive with Berkshire pork bun, crispy wagyu puff, roasted duck, and pumpkin dumpling. The Stir-Fried Seasonal Vegetables were fresh and flavorful, while the Steamed Sticky Rice, with its combination of scallops, chicken, Chinese sausage, salted egg, and shiitake mushrooms, was a standout. The South East Asia Seafood Noodles offered a wonderful mix of prawns, chicken, green onions, red chili, dried scallions, and a delicious laksa sauce. The highlight of our meal was the Stir-Fried Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin, cooked to perfection with onions, merlot sauce, and crispy noodles. One of the best aspects of dining at iChina is their excellent wine list. 🍷 On Sundays and Mondays, you can enjoy a 50% discount on wines priced less than $100, adding an extra touch of luxury to the dining experience. While we visit this place almost once a month, I think the menu could benefit from some enhancements to keep things exciting. Overall, iChina provides a fantastic dining experience that keeps us coming back. With Santana Row's ever-growing culinary scene, I hope to see iChina continue to innovate and add that magical touch...

I came for their Happy Hour 2:30-5:30PM Monday-Thursday & 2:30-9:30PM Friday. It was just me and 5 other people. Super quiet. The food was amazing and the drinks were strong! I also ordered from the lunch menu I would come back again. The bar has heavy seats and a weird bar at the bottom so girls in heels be careful I almost face planted a few times getting down.

I came here with a friend to have dinner and I was surprised by the food, it was delicious! The wagyu fried rice was excellent, and the roasted duck and pumpkin dumplings were very good. My friend ordered Thai crispy chicken and it was good as well, I just don't really eat spicy food so I don't have an accurate review of the dish. The service was great too, but we were the only ones in the restaurant downstairs so that could have something to do with the service. The only thing I didn't like was the water smelled gross. I had a beer and she had a spritzer of some kind that she said was too sweet. Overall, it was a good experience and I'll be back sometime in the future.

I've been here two times, one for a private event, and one time for dinner. Service is great and the food is delicious. Prices are a little bit high, but for a special night out, this is a great place. It's also fun to wander around the mall before or after dinner. This place would be perfect for a date night or a fun celebration. Cocktails are definitely delicious. The variety pairs well with the different food items. Definitely check this place out.

Oh boy, iChina became my go to place to get pieces of desserts for birthdays ever since they allowed to go because of how beautifully they do their desserts. I went to get two slices of dessert today and I've never been so disappointed in what I received. For $32 I'd expect something better looking than this depressing deconstructed looking dessert. You would think they'd be able to afford a bigger container for their desserts but instead this is what I receive for again a waste of $32. (I've also attached a photo of how one of the desserts is supposed to look like) They could've also given a warning that the desserts would've been given this way before ordering because if I knew this is what I would be receiving for how expensive their desserts are, I wouldn't have even ordered it.

When I think of a good Chinese restaurant, I imagine a hole in the wall place with greasy floors, dirty tables, but amazing food. When I walked into iChina, I was blown away at the beauty of this restaurant. It was grand and magnificent, making the ambience elegant and majestic. This has to be the most beautiful Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. Huge and spacious. 2 floors! Wow, I was blown away. Even the bathrooms were well designed! But the big test for me was the food. Service is somewhat subjective and I was a bit disappointed to see the poor ratings were due to the service. But what about the food? It didn't disappoint. It was delicious. The steamed dumplings were made in house and they were exquisite. The best dumplings I have eaten hands down. And you don't even need to dip in soy sauce. I had the garlic lobster tail, but the caramelized sea bass clay pot was delicious! The fresh crab soup and the Wagyu beef were both amazing. And don't forget to order their fried rice. So good! The desserts were so unique and flavorful. I would come back just to eat the dessert. If I was there earlier, I would definitely try to high afternoon tea time. If I live here and I want to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, I would come here with my family. Granted, it's a bit expensive but someone has to pay the rent, but it's totally worth it. It's not so much the amazing food, but the dining experience that includes the ambience, decor and service. The service was excellent when I ate, but it wasn't that crowded. Maybe if they have enough business to keep them busy, they can invest to hire more servers. I will come back to eat here. For Thinsulin fans, there's plenty of green light options.

3.8/5 Ambiance is top notch, a corner unit in the Valley Fair with jade & gold accents. Definitely gives the posh posh vibes The food was decent, we went with the prix fixe menu and it was quite oily/salty for lots of the items. The service was great for us this time around, we made a reservation via OpenTable for the 2 of us for our anniversary. They had a small card for us at our table and even comped a crème brûlée dessert in lieu of champagne The service + ambiance definitely solid 4-5 stars but the food was visually appetizing but taste wise was on the saltier/oilier side.

iChina, located in Valley Fair, offers a luxurious dining experience that exceeded our expectations. Parking was pretty easy--we parked near Bloomingdale's and The Cheesecake Factory, which is close to the restaurant. Just a heads-up, the afternoon tea option is on the first floor, and you'll need to reserve it in advance. We went to iChina to celebrate my mom's birthday, and it was an amazing experience. My mom rated it a 9/10, which is impressive considering how picky moms can be! We ordered the Peking duck, crispy dim sum collection, and seafood fried rice, along with the afternoon tea for desserts. Every dish was absolutely delicious--no leftovers at all! The desserts, in particular, were my favorite. There were so many options, all perfectly balanced and not too sweet, which was a big plus. Ofc the tea too, refilled like 4-5 times The ambience was incredible, making me feel like I was in *Crazy Rich Asians*--elegant and opulent. The service was fantastic, with the staff being kind and incredibly attentive to our needs. My only minor issue was the sun being in my face, and unfortunately, we couldn't move to another table. But even with that, I'd still give iChina a 5/5 because everything else was flawless.

My niece was in town from NY and on her last day I wanted to do something different. We both have lux tastes and like to treat ourselves when we are together. A love of food and culinary experiences runs deep in our DNA. I finally looked into iChina after walking by a number of times while at the Valley Fair mall in general. Made a 12:30 res on OpenTable for the Afternoon Tea service. We entered on the 1st floor by Shake Shack after valeting the car ($30!!) but it was SJ heatwave HOT so I didn't care. We felt the AC from walking in immediately and thanked the stars for it. Didn't know that it was the entrance to the Juiba cocktail lounge, but the really friendly hostess let us know what to do and we were allowed to take the employee service elevator (smallish but still very nice for a service elevator) up to the second floor for the main dining room. You can also access the main dining room directly from inside the mall on the second floor of Valley Fair. I actually appreciated the chance to go through the cocktail lounge and take that secret elevator because that cocktail lounge is gorgeous too, and we learned about the Happy Hour special - bar bites for $6 from 2-5:30pm during the week!! Afternoon tea: For $50 you get a magnificent set of 10 patisseries that can easily be split between two people, and your choice of tea which can be refilled at least 2-3 times. I found this to be VERY reasonable due to the priceless, beautiful surroundings, the excellently attentive and happy service provided by Tommy, and even a sneak look into what looks to be the most pristine professional kitchen. The pictures speak for itself in terms of the impressive decor, ambiance and quality. My niece put it perfectly after walking in and looking around. "I feel in touch with our roots," she said quietly, and I got that too, being 3rd/4th gen Cantonese and from a family that was in Culinary service. We couldn't keep taking so many pictures of the food because we wanted to focus on the actual flavors and be in the moment, but the one I missed photographing, the Raspberry Lychee Panna Cotta is worth a mention and was absolutely delicious with hint of Rose aroma, a nicely textured mouthfeel and flavors that were so delicate yet sweet...lychee mixed with fruity raspberry. Spectacular! Oh and they will call the day before to confirm how many towers you want, as you can get more than one depending on the # of people you have or how hungry you are :) We only got one for the stated price, as we also ordered off the a la carte menu for savory Dim YUMS, in addition. The scallop and the shrimp har gow were our favorites but really the shumai and everything we had was excellent and pretty mind blowing when it comes to the technique and enhanced flavors and also played off both our food memories from our childhoods. All in all, go make your reservation NOW and take advantage of this gorgeous gem of an experience before it changes and gets too busy! This visit also pushed me to RSVP to a Yelp Elite Event that I was eligible for, occurring the following week at the cocktail lounge downstairs. I wasn't sure if I could make it as I recently had some health issues that I was prioritizing but could not resist after this first visit. It was worth it! And I plan to be back for the Peking duck. No

This place is an absolute gem! The food is not only unique but also incredibly flavorful, offering a dining experience that's hard to find elsewhere. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a great meal. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something special!

I came with my friend for dinner Monday evening. We were sent upstairs as the downstairs area was closed. The interior is beautiful and spacious. We got the 65 per person pre fix menu qne everything was divine. We started with the steamed dim sum. I am not the most adventurous with good but am glad I tried the dumplings. I would give them a 7/10. Next came the wagyu puff which was by far my favorite. The puff was yummy. I'm not a fan of mushroom and didn't even taste it. The wagyu melts in your mouth. 10/10. For the entrees we had lobster, chili chicken (sweet chili), asparagus and scallop fried rice. The portioning was perfect for us and the flavors were fresh 9/10. Finally, the dessert we had was mango cheesecake and the koi pond. Delicious and not too sweet. Throughout the entirety of the meal the servers were very attentive. Especially Claudia and Justin. We will definitely be back!

We had a very bad experience with iChina before, but I was willing to give another try. This time we went for dim sum. The host was not at the counter and we had to find a staff to sit us. There were some customers, but there several empty tables. Finally, we were seated, and had to wait for a while again for a staff to take our orders. My definition of a while is when you wait and wait, you look around but are ignored, and you start looking for a staff, any staff to let the person know that you are ready to order. Luckily, the food came out at a reasonable time. They looked lovely and actually not bad at all. Pricing is on the higher side. I don't mind the pricing as the place has a great ambiance. It's a great place to entertain someone. They just need to be more attentive to their customers.

I had drinks with some friends at the downstairs bar on a Thursday night and it was a good time. We loved our drinks and the overall vibe. The bartender was also courteous, informative and fun. I was excited to try dining here. We did the "$68 pax Set Menu" and it was a pretty good experience. We went mid-week so the restaurant wasn't super busy. My favorite dish was the steamed dim sum. I'd definitely love to come back and try other meals. It also seems like a great place for groups dinners or lunches - both for fun or work.

Came in on a Sunday with a party of 2 for at 12:45pm for a 1pm reservation for the tea time experience. We were able to get seated early. The hostess advised us that the tea time experience entrance is actually the outdoors one on the ground floor, not the inside entrance on the second floor, so FYI go through the outside entrance if you're here for tea time! On top of the pastry tower, we also ordered both the steamed and crispy dimsum samplers and picked the Jin Jun Mei tea at the recommendation of our server. The food was delicious, the sweets were not too sweet, which is exactly what I like. If I had to nitpick just one thing, I think the staff training may need just a bit more polish. I felt that everything else about the experience aligned with the price (ambience/decoration, food quality), and we appreciated all the recommendations and rapport with our waiter. We did have some confusion with what we ordered vs our final charge (e.g. our waiter said he'd take care of the tea for us, insinuating that it was a gift for a first-time visit, but in the end we still saw it on the receipt. This is fine because we intended on paying for it in the first place, but it does cause a bit of confusion.) I also think it would have been nice to be checked on a bit more, e.g. we ended up sitting for a while waiting for the receipt over a lull of time where we couldn't flag anyone to help ring up the receipt for us. Overall, I'd still recommend a visit to iChina despite some small oopsies. They have redone their prices, and while still a little on the more expensive side I think it is a much better deal now if you go for the tea time and just pick a few dimsum sides. I do think the staff experience is a bit rough around the edges, but I have hope that they'll get better over time. The ambience is a lot of fun and super pretty in the natural sunlight.

Celebrated our anniversary dinner, One of the best experiences, food was good. Elevated and fancy place to celebrate any occasion! Wagyu beef fried rice was really good, We don't eat beef but with the fried rice it was juicy!

YES. THIS PLACE IS EXPENSIVE FOR DIM SUM WE GET IT. But you're paying for ambiance, for a good time, for great service, and a beautiful toilet experience LOL ok jokes aside, don't come here if you're just looking for dim sum or looking for a good deal (or if you're broke lol) The hate around this place is the "price for what you get" but what do you expect from an elevated dim sum experience?? We dined here in a sunday brunch time slot in the lounge seating area. Our servers were so attentive and we were not rushed to leave at all. They were knowledgeable about the menu. The food IS ACTUALLY GOOD as long as you know what to order. Ask your server what's popular or their favorite thing. My parents and i absolutely loved our time here. I will return for their tea time dessert option! My favorite thing was the soft shell crab salad. My dad's was the tenderloin. My mom loved the crispy dim sum options. The only thing i didn't really enjoy was the wagyu crispy dumpling thing, the meat isn't seasoned right or something and the breading is not proportional to the meat (i hate when that happens lol) overall, great place to hang out and eat good food!

Amazing service, delicious food, and great ambience. We had the prix fixe set menu that the whole table shared - it was a great way to try new foods. The pastry tower was delicious. It is expensive, but the quality is great and the experience is worth it.

Writing a review for the afternoon tea experience Quick Summary: - Reserved a spot online days before the day - There are two entrances - The sweets are not-too-sweet, but it did need some savory palette cleansers to refreshen the meal experience - Afternoon tea experience was around 1.5 hours long We visited here for a special occasion, and we reserved a spot a few days before we arrived online. We later learned that this restaurant is separated into two floors. The second floor appears to be a general, walk-in style. However, for us, the staff at the entrance of the second floor gestured us to take the escalator to the first floor. On this floor, it gave an air that this was for the ones who have reserved a table. On the second floor, I caught a glimpse of guests also eating an afternoon tea set. The difference I could make out for only staying on the second floor for a few seconds is that the second floor is louder with more chatter, and the first floor was quieter. There are outdoor and indoor seating on the first floor. That day was pretty hot, so similar to us, everyone chose to sit inside. We didn't pre-order our food in our reservation booking, so we chose once we sat down. I ordered the afternoon tea set and a teapot with the dragon pearl tea. Assuming that the sweets will become overwhelming after a few bites, I also ordered two different savory dumplings. (Shared one of them in the photos). The tea arrived first and after savoring a cup, the afternoon tea sweets arrived. It was super kind of the staff to place a special memo on the cream puffs. The desserts look petite but they were quite filling. Near the 6-7's dessert, most of my family members were full so I found myself eating most of it. The highlights were the ones in the cup. My favorite was the piña colata and the mousse cakes; the one with the low sparkle was the Madeleine cookie. The savor pastries were delicious too; they went well with the sweets. The afternoon tea was slightly unorthodox because it didn't contain sandwiches and scones, regardless, it was very enjoyable.

Ambiance : 10/10 Perfect for date nights or whenever you want to feel fancy! Temperature: 7/10 Temperature was way too cold for me, luckily I brought a jacket! Seating arrangements : 8/10 I loved the partitions in between tables that are close together Parking : 5/10 You have to find mall parking and it could be a bit of a walk from the actual restaurant Price: 8/10 Actually very reasonable for such a fancy place Food: 8/10 Delicious and unique! I especially love the Wagyu Fried Rice and the birthday complimentary creme brulee (I think it was lavendar infused!) Definitely try both the steamed and fried dim sum collection! How quickly food comes out: 8/10 Great timing! iChina was such an amazing experience! The food + tea was great, very friendly servers and even the bathrooms were memorable hahah

Lovely happy hour with friendly servers and a luxurious ambiance. We got the: 1. wagyu fried rice- star of the show. Tender wagyu and lightly seasoned fried rice 2. chicken potstickers- juicy and soft 3. sweet kumquat prawns - the sauce is more tangy but enjoyed the prawns We enjoyed all the dishes especially the wagyu fried rice and chicken potstickers.

It's located at a mall, gives mall vibes service/food wise, great set up/decor, but has steakhouse prices with in & Out vibes. This place wasn't terrible, but the prices don't match the service/food. I was invited here and against my research/feelings I came. It looked just as amazing at the online photos, but it was literally off a busy mall sidewalk. All I saw from my "reserved table" was mall goers and kids hanging out. It wasn't the "ambiance" I expected. We were the first patrons in at just after 1130(they opened at 11) and I thought the "tea time" reservations had more of a private area (wrong). This place should be a stand alone & away from the mall with the way it looks. The food/experience was definitely "mall" though. It gives a high end look at first appearance, but it was all mall ultimately. The place looked clean/amazing but it smelled like a bathroom that was just slightly cleaned. I was shocked going into the beautiful bathroom to find out that it's smell was the smell in the dinning area as well. Could have been just that day, but it was a real odor and affected the experience greatly. They were out of several menu items we ordered and the server had no idea. He had to come back to the table and let us know they were out of 2 items that were ordered by 2 ppl with me (There were only 4 of us). It was so weird that one person with me didn't even order an entree and just had a drink & shared in the dessert tower. The food was ok, but it was more of a Panda Express meal overall that was overpriced. The bill was just under $300 (298 & change) for 3 entrees, a dessert tower and 2 appetizers. It wouldn't be so bad if the food/experience wasn't so mediocre. I had to get up & get our waiter twice shockingly (it wasn't busy at all). I had to get up and ask for another drink order for the table, then I had to go and ask for the bill. Overall I've done the tea time experience several times and I would not recommend this place. The food isn't worth the cost and at least where we were seated was nowhere near what you'd expect for the cost/reservation the recommended. Maybe this is a place for photos is you are an influencer or what to look like you are somewhere more amazing than it is. I was honestly disappointed with the food, service & experience. I won't be back & would not recommend this place. True story here.

Have you had Asian themed High Tea? iChina offer a luxurious 8-course tasting Afternoon Tea menu with Asian themed pastries, and a wide selection of teas to choose from! Patisserie set ($50): - Black Sesame Yuzu: black sesame mousse, cake and chocolate ganache, topped with yuzu curd and toasted sesame seeds (my fav) - Raspberry Rose Lychee: raspberry lychee mousse and raspberry compote & sable - Ube roll cake: coconut creme and ube jam - Pineapple Calamansi: pinneaple jam, calamansi curd and sable - Mandarin Mango mousse: mandarin mousse, mango compote and orange sable - Matcha Almond cake - Other common patisseries: chocolate macaron, pistachio choux, milk chocolate rice, orange almond madeline What blew my mind is their creative specialty cocktails! We ordered the "Lost in Shanghai" with pandan infused whiskey, cocchi vermouth di torino, capaletti amaro, and amontillado sherry The pandan is so refreshing, and the whiskey cuts right through the sweet and nuttiness of the pandan. Dim sum and tea selections are also offered a la carte. Remember to call in and make a reservation!

Although their regular lunch and dinner menu is overpriced, they have a surprisingly affordable afternoon tea option available every day until 5pm. With 9 different desserts in the tower, comfortably a size for 3-4. We also got additional dim sum samplers and were pleasantly surprised by how good their dim sum is.

Man, where to start. Was here with a large party of 20 for a friend's birthday and none of us had been here before. I really hate giving negative reviews for a restaurant unless it was outstandingly bad in some way, but for the TLDR: Great atmosphere, food was ok for the most part, service was awful, price is horrendous. For the rest: So upon walking in, the atmosphere is quite nice. It clearly bills itself as a higher end establishment, and it looks like it. The wait staff were polite, and the restaurant was pretty quiet (though that might be because there weren't many people). Overall, it looks like the kind of place for a date night or event. Problem is the rest of it. As I'm sure you've seen mentioned elsewhere, the food is extraordinarily expensive for what you get. Like I understand you're paying an upcharge for the ambiance, but $15 for like 4 dumplings and $30+ for a few pieces of dim sum? The dim sum might be good, but it's not twice as good as say Ding Tai Fung or King Wah. I could maybe understand the cost if it was a Michelin restaurant or something, but this is not that. Like the food isn't bad, but it's not nearly exceptional enough to warrant the price. My pictures probably make it look a lot better than it tasted. So I personally ordered the Dungeness crab soup and kung pao chicken, and got to try another friend's dumpling/dim sum. The kung pao chicken was pretty awful; dry, bland (surprising for how many peppers they used). I do have to admit though, the Dungeness soup was the surprise of the bunch. I'd say that's the item I found actually worth the price on the menu. Excellent texture and taste, fair amount of crab chunks, and 12 bucks. If they scale all their items to that, this place would be far more popular. But that's if they improve the service... Which was pretty much a mess. The staff were certainly polite, but it was probably the most incompetent service in fine dining that I've experienced. Like please, this isn't a Wendy's, and the restaurant was near empty that night. They messed up the order for almost every person on the table. Sure it was 20 people, but we had about 3 different people wait on us that night, and if you can't coordinate between that, write it down or something (if management doesn't allow that, well that's a separate problem altogether). At the end our table were split into 3 bills, and they gave those to the wrong groups too. So if you're not paying for the service or the food, are you really just paying for the atmosphere? Maybe, but it's not worth that kind of markup and I'd rather just get some Red Robin at that point honestly. I see no reason for me to come here again when there are so many better options at this price point.

F O O D: i have yet to try their tea time so I will write an updated review once I do, but you have to reserve it 48 hrs in advance. we tried getting it the day of and weren't able to so we settled for their happy hour which was amazing. i have tried their set course menu as well and I would give that a 7/10 because yes it was delicious and unique but the price point could be a stretch. 10/10 - i adored all the happy hour snacks we got those were amazing!! must try the dim sum and dessert trio for sure. i can't stop recreating their cucumber salad at home. D R I N K S: 10/10 - fragrant cocktails S E R V I C E: 10/10 - great service for happy hour or full course dine in A M B I A N C E: 100/10 - this place is perfect for your Instagram pics, from the lobby to dining area to the BATHROOM. you have to go use the restroom the emrald green interior is to die for

I have walked passed this restaurant too many times but today I finally walked in and I was immediately impressed by the ambiance. What a beautiful restaurant. I dinned alone but absolutely was so pleasantly surprised by the drinks and the food I enjoyed every minute and only wished I had brought someone else to share the goodies with today. I absolutely enjoyed both of my drinks and all do the small apps I got. The gentleman who waited on me was a very pleasant and knowledgeable server. He suggested the second drink and I absolutely loved it. Def recommend this restaurant if you are in the area and bring friends. Perfect restaurant for a special occasions as well, super cute. I ordered the blossom and Sanya shores. Hot and sour soup, crab wasabi salad and two orders of my favorite squid dumplings. See pics :)

This ain't your typical Chinese restaurant. First off, One of the most highly decorated "Chinese" restaurant I've been in. Second, none of the waitstaff is Chinese. Third, tea is not automatically served. You have to order that individually and they are charged accordingly. Lunch time on a Thursday. We arrived 15 mins late for our noon reservation and found only 4 other tables seated in the immensely HUGE restaurant. Lunch time meant that we could order the full Peking duck for a discounted price of $98 (a savings of $40 from dinner). It was delish! And it was fun that in addition to your normal condiments, they also added in jam, sweet mustard and green apple pop rocks!! The wagyu puff pastry was beautiful and tasty. But it was extremely delicate. So be warned! Recommend eating with your fingers so it doesn't totally fall apart and roll all over the table. While the food was good. I don't see myself coming back unless the boss is picking up the tab. It's just too pricey.

Get ready to spend some money because this place is expensive and overpriced. However, the food was good. We had a variety of dumplings. My favorites were the scallop dumplings And the chive dumplings. I liked the wagyu beef crispy dumplings, but not at $18 for 3. Just a little too much. But I guess that's the price of quality wagyu. The dessert tower was delicious! My favorites were the black sesame cake and ube sponge cake The ambiance was fancy with an art deco vibe, but slightly tacky tho (just my opinion). Service was amazing! They were so friendly and very accommodating. I loved how they gave us great suggestions and explained their menu. I'd love to come back, but only once in a blue moon. I feel like I could get the same food quality somewhere else for far less expensive. However, I loved the experience.

Visited Ichina for afternoon tea with friends during the New Year period. Initially set low expectations due to past experiences, but this time found the flavors quite pleasing. Ordered items were satisfying: Afternoon tea petit fours tower: Shared among four people, sampling each petit four prevents getting overwhelmed. It's challenging for two people to finish the entire tower. Wagyu fried rice: Outstanding, reminiscent of the flavors from seafood restaurants in the past. Steamed dim sum platter: Decent, with delicate and compact servings. Fried seafood fruit pastry: Surprisingly good despite being deep-fried; not at all greasy. Pan-fried dim sum platter: The mini pineapple buns were quite good. Average cost per person: $40 I appreciate the interior design and found the food to be a mix of delicious and pleasantly surprising. Despite minor drawbacks, it's a great place for business talks, tea meetups, friend gatherings, or romantic dinners!

Don't bother trying out this restaurant for their desserts or dim sum and especially not for their service. They have horrible service and hospitality. We arrived at 11am sharp yesterday morning and they only had 1 hostess and 1 waiter. We sat at our table for 25 minutes before the waiter came to ask us if we'd like our tea and what we'd like to order. We've never been there before so we didn't know what to expect and trying to wave the waiter down for questions was impossible. There were only 2 tables there besides ours and one of the tables came after us. He took their orders before us for some unknown reason. He completely ignored us the entire time and we absolutely have no idea why. After he told us that the dim sum has to be ordered separately a là carte despite our request for dim sum and dessert set. It took him another 15 minutes before sauntering back to our table to take our dim sum order. We were pretty hungry by then. This place is absolutely not worth it!! You'll get so much better desserts at Alexander's Pattisserie in Mountain View, Coco de Fleur in Los Gatos, or Cocola at Santana Row. The desserts here is as ordinary as the ones you get at Whole Foods bakery. Actually Whole Foods might even have selected items that are better than these.. You'll also get better dim sum at Dynasty restaurants in Cupertino or SJ, Koi in Daly City or Milpitas, Din Din Dumpling House in Union City. The tea pot also came dirty and he plopped it down on the table without setting the tea cups in front of us. I don't know who trained this waiter but he absolutely lacks skills. My friend and I did not enjoy our experience here and will not be returning.

DELIGHTFUL AFTERNOON TEA EXPERIENCE! EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE: Came here with my best friend for her birthday. I specified that on the reservation and the restaurant called the day before to ask her name. They placed a card on the table and brought out a complimentary dessert, and truly went the extra mile to make her feel incredibly special. OTHER THINGS I LOVED: Tasteful, emerald green interior. Loved the dessert tower. Delicious pastries with beautiful presentation designed by a Michelin stared pasty chef! Lychee tea was simply delightful. Picture-worthy bathroom will make your jaw drop.

If you come here just know you are paying for the ambiance and pictures. If you are at the mall and looking for something other than food court food with no frills this is one of many places you could stop. I saw a lot of people hyping this place up online and decided to visit but feel it's been overhyped. They have an exceptionally small selection of food items. The place had an odor that smelled like a combination of fish and used mop water that only intensified in the unisex restrooms. I'm guessing the smell in the bathroom is what greeted me when I walked in the restaurant. My party and I ordered our food items but about 10 minutes later were told half of our order was not available and we'd need to choose different items. With the limited menu I did not find another item that I had a taste for so I opted to just finish my drink rather than settle for something I did not want. The ambiance is nice and the place is nicely decorated. It cost $100 each and while that could be very affordable for some experiences I do not feel the price was in line with the experience. If you are just looking for photo ops this would be a good place to take pictures but if you are hungry and want a wider variety of options this is not the place.

Rating is for the bar only. The decor is really nice here. The cocktails are good and pretty creative as well. Def a good spot to take a date and talk over some drinks. They have a happy hour where some cocktails are just $10. Havent had a chance to eat here yet but maybe will get a chance someday.

Swanky ambiance, good tea, and tasty treats. I'll start off by saying that I'm not a dessert expert, nor am I even a dessert lover. I went here for my mom's birthday (who has a big sweet tooth), and I think the afternoon tea package was perfect for her. Yes, they do allow you to choose from other dim sum items on the menu, but it was limited. We had a savory plate with three pastries, and that was really good and unlike any dim sum entree I've had. I wouldn't come here again because it's pricey, and definitely not up MY alley, but I totally recommend for those wanting to enjoy some sweet treats, tea, and bougie vibes. P.S. the bathroom IS worth the hype

I went to this restaurant for my friend's birthday. The restaurant looked very clean and fancy. Weekday lunch time was not too busy. They gave my friend a Creme Brulee for her birthday. The food was good but portion is small. My favorite was Scallop Siu Mai. This restaurant is good for a special occasion like birthday or celebration! Even the restroom was so nice!

Ok, I know this place is really overpriced, and I expected the typical dim sum dishes (har gow and siu mai) to be amazing, but it was less than ok and not something I would order again from here. That said, I really enjoyed the other dishes. My favorite is the BBQ Berkshire Pork Bun, which was included in the crispy dim sum collection with 3 different pastries/buns. The wagyu and pumpkin pastries were also pretty good. I would come back just for these. The kumquat prawns were interesting. I didn't see or taste much of the prawn, but it was still flavorful and I liked the dipping sauce it came with. The South East Asian Noodles were pretty standard, nothing mind blowing but I enjoyed it because I like noodles in general lol.

Ate dinner here yesterday The vegetarian pot stickers were really good, recommend it For dinner, we ordered: - braised eggplant - good taste but they refuse to make it spicy - stir fry lotus roots and asparagus were very bland. Did not enjoy it at all Serve white rice only, no brown rice The server was very nice and efficient though our appetizer came after the main course :) Great ambiance

I visited ICHINA twice. One for afternoon tea and one for dinner. Nestled in the Westfield center, ICHINA has successfully crafted an immersive journey into the realm of authentic Chinese cuisine. The decoration is combining modern elegance and traditional charm. Beautiful decor and the welcoming atmosphere set the stage for what turned out to be a culinary adventure to remember. Peking Duck - A Masterpiece $98 The Peking Duck was a true showstopper, beautifully presented and expertly carved tableside. The crispy skin and succulent meat, paired with delicate pancakes and flavorful hoisin sauce, made this dish an absolute masterpiece. No need to make a reservation in advance as it is not freshly baked on-site. While some may relish the experience of a freshly baked duck, here is kind of flexible. This approach caters to those who value the convenience of enjoying this culinary delight without the need for a reservation, offering a unique and accessible twist to the Peking Duck experience. The pricing for the Peking Duck at ICHINA is reasonable, especially when compared to other restaurants where it typically falls within the $80 to $100 range. This affordability adds to the overall appeal of the dining experience at ICHINA. The Steamed Dim Sum Collection and Crispy Dim Sum Collection are absolute must-tries. They stand out as star products meticulously selected by the chef, adding another layer of excellence to the dining experience. Afternoon Tea set with 8 pieces of desserts. The tiered tray adorned with an array of delectable treats. At that time, it has promotion, half price, 8 pieces of Tea patisserie set with $25. The value offered is truly exceptional. The lovely layout is also good for photography. In summary, both my experiences at ICHINA were enjoyable. While the food might not be the absolute best, the inviting ambiance makes it a must-visit for anyone in search of an lovely Chinese dining experience. I will return to ICHINA to try more dishes.

Went here for my wife's birthday lunch. Food was great. Service was BAD. They gave us the $50 dessert platter, which we didn't order. Thought it was part of the birthday experience. Was not. It was on the bill. We did get a free lavender crème brûlée. Didn't send back the dessert platter. So be aware of them doing things like this.

WHEN: Sun @11am PARKING: Since this is located in the mall, you can park in the garage for free and $1 a/hour after 2 hours. iChina has 2 locations and the Afternoon Tea is located downstairs next to the Cheesecake Factory. They have both indoor and outdoor seating options. I wanted to take a friend out for her birthday that has the following: + Afternoon Tea + Lovely decor/setting iChina has both plus more! This place is so gorgeous and modern from top to bottom--I'm talking from the furniture down to the spoons. Reservations were easy to make and I arrived right at opening hour. They even included a "Happy Birthday" place card for my friend! Service was stellar and the bartender presented the Tea Patisserie Set to us. He was so friendly, and our waitress was delightful and attentive. I really appreciate the staff here. So here's what the birthday girl and I ordered: We ordered from the SMALL BITES section which is just 3 pieces each. Yes, I know, very little for the price, but at least it's yummy and well presented. STEAMED DIM SUM COLLECTION - $12 Har gow, Scallop siu mai, and Chinese chive dumpling. They taste like the items you'd get at the dim sum you go with your parents--delicious. CRISPY DIM SUM COLLECTION - $12 Berkshire pork bun, Crispy wagyu puff roasted duck & Pumpkin dumpling. All yummy! XIAO LONG BAO - $12 Oh yeah, this did not disappoint, so we ordered a second set. Odd they didn't give us the correct soup spoon the first time (which I was lovely!). TEA PATISSERIE SET - $50 Created by Greatest British Pastry Chef Graham Hornigold with World-Class Collection of Locally Sourced Tea: + Raspberry Rose Lychee + Black Sesame Yuzu + Pineapple Calamansi + Malted Milk Chocolate Rice + Salted Cashew Choux + Jasmine Peach Macaron + Tea Bread (Madelines: Plain and Orange) + Plain & Raisin Scones I won't review each on but do know that each and every one of them is amazing. My friend and split every single one (there's a lot), so ask for a knife or two. You definitely taste the quality and it's wonderfully presented. I love iChina's take on the "Afternoon Tea" and I can see why it's priced this way. Worth trying cuz we had so much fun. Oh and the set doesn't come with tea, you'll have to order that separately. So we ordered COCKTAILS instead! We decided to go for the limited edition drink: THE MOON RABBIT - $20 Botanist gin, Plum wine, Ming River Baijiu, Tarragon, Honeydew. It's served in a ceramic tiki cup that is this year's zodiac animal the rabbit. It's so darn cute, and this drink is garnished with flowers too. It's gimmicky but I dont care it's lovely and tasty! So you bet I took lots of photos. The tiki mug is from the spirit Ming River Baiju, and they feature a different tiki mug every year. So even after all that, they actually gave the birthday girl a free dessert! WILD HONEY & LAVENDER CRÈME BRÛLÉE - $10 You definitely taste the lavender, and it was a yummy crème brûlée. So nice of them to bring this out with a candle and plate with the hand writing "Happy Birthday" in chocolate on it! We enjoyed it. We had a wonderful birthday celebration, and it was such a success! Yes it's pricy but I think it's all worth it. Just look around--you have a wonderfully decorated space, fancy furniture and decor to take all the lovely photos in, food quality you can see and taste, and service that is over the top stellar. I highly recommend coming here to impress someone, or even to treat yourself!

Beautiful restaurant. Beautiful decor. Beautiful pastry set. We were at ichina for their afternoon tea after having brunch elsewhere. So we were here for dessert. It was nice that at the time of reservation being made, one pastry set would be reserved for a party of 1-5. You can then choose to add more sets if available. The pastry set was gorgeous. For $50, it came with ten sweets. Each selection had some sort of Asian ingredients. Some we enjoyed more than others, but overall we loved the set. Besides the pastry set, we also ordered tea to share. I really liked their cold brew one!

Food was so good! Crispy dim sum Duck salad Noodles Portions are small, but if you order enough, it is shareable and will fill you to that 80% fullness. The staff were really nice and the decor and music was cool. Is this a place I would go back to? Food 5/5 Service 4/5 Price per portion 3/5

Ambiance: Even though the restaurant is in the mall, it is extremely nice inside. They have a very nice feel to the place and their colors and restaurant fittings all blend nicely. The attention to detail is clearly evident in the plates, spoons, chopsticks, etc they use as they all give off a very "high-end" feel to the place. Service: We got seated right away (we went for a lunch on Saturday). Our server (Jessica) was super courteous and helpful in suggesting some amazing dishes. Food: We ordered the following * Hot and Sour Soup: My wife and I shared one bowl and it was truly delicious. It was not too spicy and not too sour - a very delightful taste. * Chicken Pot Sticker: This is TO DIE FOR! I swear this is the BEST potsticker I have ever had. They literally steam the dumpling and then fry it. They have more stuffing than skin...truly loved it. * Steamed Dim Sum Platter: As you see the pic, it is a BEAUTIFUL presentation and the dim sum were fresh and very nice. * Fried Dim Sum Platter: The fried platter had three choices all BEAUTIFULLY presented and tasted super. The only downside here is the price - our meal cost us $75 but we will go back here again for sure.

This review is for the happy hour (which is Mon-Thurs from 2:30-5:30 PM and Fri from 2:30-9:30 PM). For such a fancy/higher end restaurant, I was surprised by the pricing of the happy hour eats and the cocktails too. Each of the appetizers were $6 and the cocktails were $10 each. Wines were also $10 and a beer was $8, so everything was reasonable. We came at 5:15 PM on a Tuesday, and we were immediately seated with no wait. At this point, the prawn appetizer was sold out and they ran out of the tamarind vodka to make their Pretty In Pink cocktail that I wanted :(( We all really liked the salt and pepper fried wings! They had a nice spice kick to them from the pepper toppings/seasoning. Was really glad we bought 2 of those. The spicy fried chicken was a miss to us because of the flavor; it was kind of smoked & was a bit strong on the peppercorn flavor(?) which we weren't fans of. That one we wouldn't order again. The wagyu fried rolls were nothing special but was a good pick to mix up our dishes that were mostly fried chicken. The fried soft shell crab had a great flavor and texture, but just to let yall know, most of the pieces were like the crab skin and there was barely any pieces with the actual crab meat inside. Their cocktails are gorgeous here! I got the Blossom and was afraid it would either be too strong or be too floral, but neither were true. A sweet and fruity drink that I'd get again.

Food was amazing!! Domain was on point. My favorite was the Peking duck. Must try if you miss the authentic Peking duck from China. The only disappointment was the string beans (an odd, non authentic way of cooking it). Server wasn't so great, probably new because he had to check everything with the chef and wasn't sure what was served at what time. Decoration was beautiful. You can tell they put in a lot of effort and investment into it. The paint on chopsticks are chipping away. Price is high! Quality of food was great. Improvement on server management could be a game changer.

Everything was delicious and service was friendly. Only complaint - they don't bring enough food out all at the same time. We were a party of 6 and it felt like half of us would get our food and be eating while the other half was still waiting on their dishes.

If you're coming here for the photo op and interior design then ichina is great but that's about it. Quite overpriced, tiny portioned Chinese food that tastes like food court food but plated nicely. You really have to order quite a few dishes to feel full. The restaurant is always empty and it makes sense. The service is abismal, it's as if they try to be good but forget that patrons like friendly service. Everytime we come, the dining area is at 10% capacity but somehow we are ALWAYS sat right next to the only other table. It's awkward, it's just so awkward. I know the servers are lazy and don't want to walk further but there's only a small small handful, would it hurt to walk a little further? I will say, the interiors are beautiful so go for that and nothing else.

Afternoon Tea & Dim Sum lunch in the 1st floor JiuBa Lounge! I reserved tea for 3 on OpenTable with a 10 pastry tower for $50. Tea and lunch items ordered separately. *Tea: we chose the popular floral Mi Lan Xiang, a phoenix oolong with notes of lychee and honey ($15). *Pastries: Raspberry rose lychee Black sesame yuzu Pineapple calamansi tart Malted milk chocolate rice Salted Cashew Choux Chocolate berry macaron Madeleines Plain & raisin scones *Steamed Dim Sum Collection ($15 x2): Har Gow Scallop Siu Mai Chinese Chive dumpling *Crispy Dim Sum Collection ($16 x2): Berkshire Pork Bun Crispy Wagyu Puff Roasted Duck & Pumpkin dumpling *Wagyu Fried Rice ($25) Ambiance is regal and airy with gold + teal as the main color scheme. Check out their fancy restrooms! Dim sum was pretty good albeit pricey. My favorite was the crispy duck & pumpkin dumpling shaped like an actual pumpkin! I enjoyed the fried rice. Pastries were presented beautifully. Noteworthy selections include: salted cashew choux, pineapple calamansi tart, macaron, and malted milk chocolate rice. Polite service but it did take some time to alert wait staff for water refills in both the teapot and glasses. It was a slow Saturday with few patrons. Glad to finally try this snazzy addition to Valley Fair.

i know i gave this place a terrible review in the past. but i recently came back and loved it! service was def much better this time.. and they were busier too! we went for happy hour on a friday. btw, can make reservations for hh here which is a plus! but i think hh is only at their lounge area. i really enjoyed their blossom drink but enjoyed buddah's belly even more. if you like bourbon, def get the buddah's drink! as for the dishes, i thought their vegetable dumplings were so delicious. it is probably one of my fav dishes in their hh menu. soft shell crab, wagyu fried rice, steamed dim sum platter, and pork dumplings were all good. crispy dim sum presentation was super cute but the dish was only ok for me. i really enjoyed coming here this time around. i will def be coming and trying more dishes!

The food is very tasty. The ambience is lovely. The service for the price is highly subpar. For this price, we should have had phenomenal service. It was typical service that you would expect in ANY mid restaurant. I've had service at Denny's be more attentive.

I dropped by one day for a quick break away from the heat while shopping for some quick bites and a drink. I considered bringing my parents here since it is so beautiful online and they would have enjoyed seeing a new dim sum spot in the area. However, I realized they would have been extremely disappointed in me for spending money here on overpriced mediocre dim sum. This place is extremely overpriced that it is actually so sad what you get for $100 (see photo). When the Steamed Dim Sum Collection ($15) and the Crispy Dim Sum Collection ($16) came out, I almost laughed at how small they were. That means each piece is $5+ LOL. The service was also a little awkward and the menus were already falling apart and stained. The experience did not match the "high class" prices. I encourage everyone to continue looking at pictures online only. Save yourself!

This review is for their happy hour only. While I did hear about others' experiences with the overpriced dinner menu, they do have great prices for the dim sum menu (most items I got were only $6 and most items on the menu were less than $10) and drinks during happy hour on weekdays! I loved the small plates and the obviously, the interior was beautiful. The fried chicken wings and popcorn chicken are a great deal and very tasty! The staff were also very friendly.