J&G Fried Chicken | Irvine

Omg if the number one fried chicken in Taiwan tastes like this, then they don’t know what fried chicken is! The batter is way too black peppery with an unnecessary spice mix taste that does not go with fried chicken. Not at all crispy and fresh tasting. And at $6 per chicken tender c’mon, the expectation is higher. The curly fries taste so frozen that store bought frozen curly fries take reign! No wonder the place is always empty despite the great location. Their service is also horrible, when you walk in seems like the people working there are robots: no greetings, no conversation, just awkwardly waiting for you to order using tablet. Will never go back!

Disappointing experience overall. The place looks modern from the outside, but that’s where the positives end. The food was underwhelming—bland, overly greasy, and definitely not worth the price. Fried chicken should be crispy and flavorful; this was neither. Service felt rushed and indifferent, like customers were an inconvenience rather than a priority. The restaurant was nearly empty, yet the wait was longer than expected, which makes no sense. For the price point, I expected much better quality and attention to detail. Plenty of other spots nearby do the same thing better and cheaper. I won’t be coming back.

The Popcorn Chicken taste just like the one in Taiwan—crispy outside, juicy inside, definitely brings back memory. In the U.S., they offer dipping sauces, which shows they really understand the American fried chicken dipping sauce culture. The J&G spicy sauce pairs perfectly with the crispy chicken, like adding a different kind of fried chicken to the mix. The curly fries are also delicious.The large combo meal is the right amount for one meal. What really surprised me was the chicken tenders combo, which comes with a hamburger bun. The staff recommended combining it into a burger, and it was such a cool idea! The chicken tenders taste amazing—mild in flavor, crispy, and juicy. This combo is great, and I’ll definitely come back for more!

As someone who has enjoyed J&G in Taiwan, I was thrilled to hear they were opening at the Irvine Spectrum! I visited on a Saturday afternoon and was glad to see a good number of people dining in. The ordering process was convenient, with both a self-service kiosk and a staff member taking orders. However, the menu was a bit limited, with only a handful of entrees and combos available—some were even out of stock. They did display a "coming soon" section featuring items like Crispy Fried Squid, Fish Cake, Curly Fries, Fried King Oyster Mushroom, Sweet Potato Fries, and Yam Balls, which was exciting! I ordered the large popcorn chicken entree. The wait time for my order was a bit long—around 10-15 minutes— and the portion size felt a little small for the $11 price tag. Additionally, the chicken wasn’t as hot as I would have liked, though it tasted just as I remembered from Taiwan. I think J&G has a lot of potential, and they may still be working out the kinks. I’m looking forward to trying the new menu items in the future, but for now, there’s definitely room for improvement.

This review is only for the chicken cutlet. I wanted to start this review by saying my parents are both Taiwanese and were really excited to try this so called Taiwanese chicken place, but they were disgusted by the flavor of the chicken. It tastes like nothing you would get in Taiwan, the spices were completely off (almost tasted like paprika and maybe black pepper or something?) Where is the five spice and white pepper???? My mom literally said “吃到會害怕” which might translate to “I’m scared to eat it/scared after eating it.” My dad says their slogan about being nostalgic for fried chicken in Taiwanese memory is true because after eating this you will be nostalgic for the fried chicken in Taiwan because it’s nothing like it. Maybe from a fried chicken perspective, it was fine. Came out hot, chicken wasn’t completely dry, but I did find the breading to be on the thicker side. The flavor profile was definitely off though. I was forced to eat the rest because no one else wanted it 🥹

Went on a week day when it wasn’t so busy. There was no wait and the food came out fairly quick. Inside seating is limited and each table is for 2 people, so not good for large groups but you can take the food and eat outside. We all enjoyed the fried chicken, my personal favorite was the chicken cartilage more than the popcorn chicken. The prices are kind of high for snack food, but everything costs a lot these days.

I love the chicken since it is better than the one we had in Taiwan, although the price is very pricy. The popcorn chicken is very nice. However, there is limited seating place and since the door is always open, sitting inside is not enjoyable for the meal. A lot of people prefer eat something else such as the tables besides 85C.

The food was sooo delicious! Out of all the popcorn chicken I've tried in the U.S, this place tastes the closest to what I eat in Taiwan. Their fried sweet potato balls are delicious as well. I'm not sure why this place only has 3.6 stars. The only downside was that I didn't see anyone cleaning the tables so when my friend and I sat down, our table was kind of creasy and covered in crumbs.

Fresh fried chicken! It's pretty good but if you want a chicken sandwich, you have to buy a combo and it comes with a sandwich bun. And then you have to build the sandwich on your own! It's kind of fun to do but it is a hassle. Can they do this for me? Otherwise - it's good and next to the playground. A little pricey and the grease is a little old.

Late weekend night at the mall, and a yummy fried chicken smell is wafting over to us hungry walkers. It's a simple casual fast-dining spot with kiosk ordering. I ordered a large popcorn chicken which didn't have extra wait time for preparation, added J&G sauce ($1) in addition the the one allotted which I chose honey mustard. The chicken is good, even more tasty with the offered chili powder. Unfortunately, the J&G sauce we paid for was a half-filled plastic container- not really enough to justify spending extra. Honey mustard was okay. Additionally, the largest popcorn chicken box was not even filled all the way and the box looks pret-ty dang small for $11, thus I'm docking a couple stars. Our friends got combos with fries or a chicken sandwich and they were satisfied. Perhaps those will leave you less hungry. I love Taiwanese popcorn chicken and would order the fillet or something classic next time, but sadly this chain location under-delivered on value and doesn't make up for it on taste. Also, if you like really crispy crunchy, you'll have more luck at a different style restaurant. I would try J&G again if there's no similar competing options.

I really wanted to like J&G, but unfortunately, it didn't hit the mark. I saw a lot about it on social media and was excited to try it. The popcorn chicken was juicy and flavorful, but truthfully, nothing special--definitely delicious, but for the price, I'd rather just go to any boba shop that sells popcorn chicken. The fries were nice and crispy, but again, nothing standout; they reminded me of Jack in the Box fries. Also, they barely fill the sauce containers, and extra sauces are not free. If I'm paying for sauce, I'd hope they actually fill it. Overall, it's not bad, and it may be worth trying if you're in the area, but it likely won't live up to the hype on social media.

Popcorn chicken was super mid. Not very crunchy and not much going on but at least it wasn't dry. We should've got the cutlet. Looks like the crunch is completely different. Popcorn chicken: wouldn't recommend or get again sorry

Tasty fried chicken - crispy deliciously seasoned exterior with tender chicken. The j and g spicy sauce is fantastic with the chicken. Since they appear to fry things fresh- does have bit of a wait but worth it!

How do you mess up popcorn chicken? Chicken was not very tasty, lacked spices/flavor, batter was not crispy + soft. If you're going to charge a lot for a few measly pieces of chicken, please at least make it taste good. Even below average popcorn chicken/boba places or frozen popcorn chicken is better than this. I'm honestly quite impressed in not a great way. It's about $9 for a regular size popcorn chicken which is about 9 pieces, and the box is half empty. Employees expressed no concern after asking them. I'd stick with Cha for Tea for now. The Fillet & Popcorn chicken seem to be their most advertised items, but I don't think I'll be coming back at all for either. Not much to say, hopefully their other options are good, because not many people seemed to happy to eat here.

I tried J&G Fried Chicken's Chicken Fillet Combo, and it was decent. The chicken was crispy, juicy, and mildly spicy with a tangy sauce--solid but not mind-blowing. Honestly skipped the bun as well. The curly fries, though, were a standout, reminding me of Jack in the Box's version with their crispiness and bold seasoning. Fries carried the meal.

It's located in a nice convent spot in Irvine Spectrum, right next to 85 degrees and Target. There was ample seating. Service was fast! We got the J&G popcorn chicken ($10.39) and the fried king oyster mushrooms ($6.99). We tried a few pieces at the restaurant to see how it was warm and took the rest home. The popcorn chicken and mushrooms were pretty bland. We added the powdered chilli and that redeemed it. The sauces were disappointing too. We tried Thai sweet chili and sweet and sour. They didn't really complement the chicken. We ate it with our at home chili sauce instead. It was my first time having fried mushrooms. It was interesting. I liked how the oyster mushrooms (they were in small bits) still held their texture. Their curly fries were really good! They were perfectly crunchy and not too oily! Overall, it's just okay. Solid 3/5

Coming in with high expectations & hype was probably not the way to go. Be forewarned that take-out order will obviously not be as good as eating it in person/fresh. However, to me, good fried chicken should be and stay crispy regardless of when consumed. The restaurant itself is small so I can see how it gets busy during rush hour. There is option for online ordering, which is what we did so it was easy pick up. What we got: - Popcorn Chicken Combo (3/5): The chicken was seasoned, not as crunchy as I wanted it to be. Must eat with the sauces. - Fried King Oyster Mushroom (3/5): By the time we ate this, it was already very soggy. Understandably because mushrooms have a lot of moisture and this order was take out. It just ended up being too "wet." Never really had this problem ordering fried mushrooms from other places though. The gripe: each sauce was an extra added cost of .80 cents. Which is fine, but like... why so little sauce? Disappointing. In the end, nothing was that memorable? So it was just OK? Not sure if I'd come back or have any cravings for this place.

A Taste of Taiwan at J&G Fried Chicken I'd been meaning to try J&G Fried Chicken, a well-known Taiwanese Fried Chicken joint, since I heard it was coming to Los Angeles. Luckily, I stumbled upon their latest location at Irvine Spectrum Center. My last visit to Taiwan was back in 2018, and I'm happy to report that the spicy chicken filet is just as delicious as I remembered. While I didn't get to try other menu items, the chicken filet is clearly the star of the show. I can see why other fried chicken dishes might pale in comparison to American customers. Our spicy chicken filet was cooked to order, has juicy meat and crispy skin, coated with spicy powder (with a hint of sweetness). I also tried the lemon iced tea with guava, which was a refreshing and tasty. The only drawback is that the restaurant is on the smaller side, so grab a seat at outside instead. I'll be back for more of that amazing spicy chicken filet!

When Taiwan's most popular fried chicken spot makes its way to the U.S., you have to give it a try! This location at the Spectrum is their second location to open in the U.S. and it's right next door to 85 Degrees, so you can get Taiwanese pastries while you wait for your chicken. It's a fast casual place with only a handful of tables inside. There's not a lot on their menu and the focus is of course fried chicken. After you order at the counter, they give you a buzzer and you can find a seat. We got the large Popcorn Chicken Combo ($13.29) and Spicy Fried Chicken Fillet ($9.99). Their popcorn chicken doesn't have the typical Taiwanese popcorn chicken breading or seasoning that I'm used to which is disappointing, but the curly fries that came with the combo were good. The portion size of the combo felt small for the price. And if you want more than one sauce, you have to pay extra. The spicy chicken fillet seems like the more popular choice. It was fun to eat because it's a big, thin fillet the size of my hand. The breading on it is better than the popcorn chicken. The chicken is flavorful but beware it's very spicy. The fried chicken here isn't bad but it's not what I was expecting. The service could also be improved. I only ordered two items and they forgot one of them. Unfortunately, I'll have to go elsewhere for my Taiwanese popcorn chicken cravings.

My boyfriend and I came on a Tuesday around 4:15/4:20pm. A couple tables were available out of the few (6 ish or so?), and there was no one ahead of us in line. We decided to dine in since I read a review saying the food is better dined in than to-go due to the freshness. There were some people already waiting for their food before us, so it did take a while to get our food - I'd estimate around 15-20 minutes or so. I got the chicken fillet while my boyfriend got the chicken sandwich combo. The curly fries were solid and both of the chicken had an interesting taste. It was good but not anything mindblowing. Despite this being a fried chicken place, the cream corn salad was actually my favorite and was sooo delicious. We also had a sample of the orange green tea which was also super good. However, I do think J&G Fried Chicken is quite pricy for what it serves. A tiny cream corn salad like what we got with the combo would cost $5 on its own. The combo, at $15, also did not come with a drink like you would expect. Overall I think it's a nice, casual place to dine in and hang out, but think some adjustments can be made, especially with the pricing. I'd probably come back for the orange green tea, but not so sure about the chicken.

J&G Fried Chicken offers a variety of fried snacks like fried tofu, squid, and of course, chicken. They also have a small menu of boba, mostly fruit teas. You order at a kiosk but staff is available to answer questions. This spot definitely feels like a fast food spot and there's not a lot of customer service (most people are focused on prepping food and cleaning the store) but the popcorn chicken is almost twice the price of Cha for Tea's popcorn chicken. The popcorn chicken was pretty decent here, nice and juicy and came in sizable chunks. I wouldn't say I'd go out of my way to drive here, but I'd definitely come back to grab a snack if I were walking around Spectrum.

I kept seeing this place all over TikTok and was really excited to try it, but unfortunately, it was a complete miss for me. We spent almost $50 for two people and left still feeling hungry. The portions were small, and the flavors just weren't there. The popcorn chicken tasted more like regular chicken nuggets, not the crispy, flavorful popcorn chicken I expected. The chicken filet was severely lacking in flavor and tasted starchy. Real Taiwanese chicken doesn't need sauce, so when they provided sauce to go with it, I knew something was off. The chicken cartilage was probably the best thing we had, but even that wasn't amazing. The fries were just okay. As for the drinks, the kiwi green tea was decent, but the strawberry lemon green tea tasted like sour water. To top it off, there isn't much indoor seating, so you'll likely end up sitting outside. Overall, mediocre flavors, small portions, and high prices pretty much sum it up. I wouldn't recommend it, especially given all the hype.

Line gets long so be prepared. Came by during an afternoon to check out this newly opened shop. There were a number of positive reviews and who doesn't like fried chicken, so decided to drop by. During my visit, orders were via a tablet by the counter (1 tablet), so the line took a while. Because there were so many people, it also took me almost 20 minutes to get my order (popcorn chicken and chicken fillet). The chicken fillet was juicy but the batter fell right off. I'm unable to put my finger on what type of seasoning was used for the fillet but I (and I may be in the minority) did not think that it was as enjoyable. I was hoping for a traditional salt and pepper type of seasoning, and maybe they had it, but it included something else that gave me a pause. The popcorn chicken was good, but I'm not sure if it stood out compared to any other popcorn chicken I had previously. In short, definitely worthwhile to try and you decide whether to return. Small interior. Friendly staff and I know they're doing everything they can to fulfill the orders in a timely manner, but right now, it just seems slow for a place that seemingly just sells fried food.

I've been wanting to try this place out since it opened in Rowland but just never found the time. Now that it's much closer, I'm so happy to finally be able to try it! It's a relatively small joint with very minimal seating, so I think it's mainly just take out. However, if you happen to show up during slower hours, you can definitely find a seat! During rush hour, the line can be out the door and you may need to keep an eye out for open seats if you plan to dine there. When you order, you either do it thru the self-serve kiosk or with someone, depending on which is next when it is your turn. I believe when you order thru someone you get a buzzer, however if you order thru the self-serve kiosk, you do not get a buzzer so be sure to pay attention when they call out the order name!! My bf ordered before I showed up and he found that it was quite difficult to hear when they called the readied orders due to the noise level as a result of rush hour. The wait can take a bit, about 10-15 minutes so do expect to wait a bit! The food was pretty good! It smelled amazing and I feel that the portions are pretty big. POPCORN CHICKEN: I love popcorn chicken so I had to try this. It was decent. The batter wasn't like your typical batter with the seasoning on the outside, but it was still crispy and they were big pieces, which I liked. The chicken itself was also juicy and was savory! CHICKEN TENDERS: Similar to the popcorn chicken, the tenders were juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. I'd probably get this again if I wanted something small. J&G FRIED CHICKEN FILET (SPICY): My bf got this to try and he thought it was pretty ok! He liked that it was spicy! I liked the spicy taste as well, but I know I would not be able to finish it whole lol. Overall, it was a nice experience. I'm not sure if I'd get it regularly, but it's nice to know this place is now in Spectrum! My bf and I did go during their soft opening phase, so hopefully they'll work out the kinks in time!

Skip the line and order online! Not sure if items are limited instores, but when we ordered online, there were a lot of items that were out of stock. Fairly reasonable prices. We ordered the Regular J & G Popcorn Chicken , Spicy Fried Chicken Fillet, Golden & Purple Yam Balls, and Orange Green Tea. The Spicy Fried Chicken Fillet was the best, we liked the batter and it was juicy. It's super hot, so let it cool down first! I think everything tasted good, but we wish that they gave us more sauce. One sauce per entree is just too little. We tried the Sweet & Sour Sauce, J & G Spicy Sauce, and Honey Mustard. I think all the sauces paired well with the chicken. We also think the Yam Balls is more on the sweet side, so it should come with sweet sauce options not savory sauce. The Orange Green Tea was refreshing and good; it's more on the blended side!

Snack for my daughter's birthday. Food was made pretty quick, we didn't wait long at all. And it was yummy. Location is at Spectrum Mall in Irvine between 85 Bakery and Curry House in front of the Lilly pad play structure. Definitely coming back to try more of the menu.

TLDR: 2 stars="Could've been better" for the high cost, I expected more flavor. I can get better tasting popcorn chicken at Class 302 or even Lollicup! Their whole large piece of chicken is better (has a Mala kind of spicy flavor), skip the popcorn one unless you like bland chicken that requires sauces. Maybe it was the hype and the constant posts I saw on their IG account, or maybe I visited before the staff was fully trained. I was not impressed by their offerings. Specifically their popcorn chicken that lack any flavor. I think this popcorn chicken really depend on their sauce packets to do all the heavy lifting. From watching them make it, a worker put a batch of fried chicken onto a pan, weigh it, then lightly sprinkle what I assume is white pepper over the top, then slides it into the box. What they need to do it use a LARGER bowl, sprinkle more, much more seasoning into it and TOSS is so it coats the chicken. I would love to try some other stuff but a lot of them were not available when I visited. Service was a bit slow with the amount of people waiting around in their small seating area, the table and bench were somewhat dirty given their short time being here. They should have staff come out and clean off the tables once in a while and vacuum up the crumbs that are on the benches.

Went in on a Thursday night around 7pm and the line got pretty long after we ordered. There was barely any seating available inside but it's at Irvine Spectrum so there's plenty of seating outside. This place was solid! I really enjoyed the fried oyster mushrooms! the filet was juicy and crispy but I'd skip the combo. The bun was just ok and the coleslaw was lacking. I was let down by the popcorn chicken as it was just lackluster and didn't have much flavor. They do have a good variety of sauces and my favorite was the Thai Sweet chili. Be sure to also grab the extra spice packets they have near the ketchup! They added a really nice kick to the food! The red guava drink was nice and refreshing since all of the food was deep fried.

A-ok but I'm definitely a little disappointed after trying their location in Hacienda Heights first. I will say that my cravings are satisfied BUTTTT the flavor is kind of missing from this location. Their popcorn chicken, fried chicken, and fried mushroom were ok but the Hacienda Heights location pounded on a ton of white pepper seasoning - which is quintessential in Taiwanese fried eats. I was so impressed when I tried their other location and so depressed and underwhelmed when I tried their location in Irvine. Definitely a place to try though, especially their sweet potato fries when they finally sell them. This place does it so traditionally Taiwanese it makes me want to take a trip Service was ok, a little slow for a fast food but understandable. Ambiance was ok

New fries chicken joint at Irvine spectrum. Restaurant is a little dirty as no one cleans tables after people leave. There is dust and crumbs everywhere. The food was similar and needed some improvement on the execution. The breading on the chicken wasn't really on and it easily slid off. The chicken nuggets were breast meat but dry. Curly fries were your standard frozen curly fries. Overall this place needs some time to work out the kinks.

We went on a Sunday night around 6:30PM. There was a bit of a line but it went by quickly as it did have a kiosk and register service. There were a few table seatings but easily crowded with the line being in the middle of the store. We ordered the popcorn chicken combo (which came with curly fries) though we were expecting to order the leg and thigh and cartilage chicken. However those items were unfortunately sold out (SO WAS THE BUTTERMILK RANCH ;-;). The popcorn chicken was very underwhelming as I have had better Taiwanese popcorn at boba places for cheaper. The chicken was juicy though very sweet and had soft texture. In my opinion, needed more seasoning or stronger flavors. I also thought the curly fries needed more seasoning. Overall, an underwhelming experience for how excited I was ;-; .

We decided to tryout this new Taiwanese chicken place at the Irvine Spectrum. It was pretty busy so and probably still in their soft opening. So pack your patience. We ordered the chicken nuggets and leg & thigh combo. The chicken has a great deal of favor and you can get as many of the sauces you want. The only downside of the sandwich is that you have to de-bone the chicken and then put it in your sandwich. Not that much seating inside, but it's the Spectrum. You can find somewhere else to eat it Togo, Overall, it was good but not that good to wait in a long line. So go during their off peak lunch & dinner times.

Was craving for a quick snack like popcorn chicken. Saw this on Instagram and wanted to give a try. There was no line when I ordered but it did take about 15 minutes for my order. The chicken isn't like traditional Taiwanese popcorn chicken, so I was a bit sad. I'll have to try the cutlet next time, looks crispy and good!

We ordered the regular size popcorn chicken for takeout. It was good and has a nice crunch. However, portions are a bit small for $8

Located near the west Target entrance on the side with the kids climbing gym. The popcorn chicken is decent if you are comparing it to ordinary American style popcorn chicken. But it is rather disappointing when compared to popcorn chicken you get at any decent boba shop or Taiwanese restaurant. While the chicken was juicy and fried well, I didn't love batter which more resembled karaage chicken than nicely battered crispy popcorn chicken. Also the flavor is lacking as they only season it with salt and pepper. Spice powder is available in packets and a necessary addition. I would have loved to see some fried basil but no such luck. Prices are not cheap but this is as expected given the location.

Delicious fried chicken! There's a bit of a wait and not that many tables inside but the chicken is freshly fried. I really liked the J&G sauce although they don't give too much sauce per person

This is another one and done for me. I got the cutlet combo. I made a sandwich with half of the cutlet and ate the rest plain. The cutlet was juicy, but lacked in flavor. The spicy sauce had no spice at all. Service was good. Everyone was very friendly. It just wasn't good enough for me to want to return.

I love J&G fried chicken and have been here 2-3 times. Don't sleep on their tea jelly or drinks!! They are literally always sold out when I try to order it. They are pretty busy and I think for an appetizer/fried food it does err on the more expensive end, but it's Irvine and it's located in Spectrum. I love their fried potato balls, chicken, and squid. The way they fry it allows it to be crispy, but maintains their juiciness/QQ. I'd recommend ordering in advance since the wait can get pretty long.

Pretty good chicken, I deducted a star for choices. I would have really liked a fresh option, something that wasn't fried. A salad, pickled vegetable, even a bigger option for coleslaw would be a nice break from purely fried options. The popcorn chicken is only okay, would not recommend The cutlet was the best thing we tried. Well seasoned and not dry at all. I like that they serve it with a bun and a tiny side of coleslaw. There isn't a lot of seating inside but luckily it's the spectrum and there's a ton of seating outside. The drinks were underwhelming. Overly sweet, even when we asked for less sugar.

3.5 star. It doesn't taste exactly the same as the ones in Taiwan, but still decent fried chicken. We came here during lunch time on Sunday and ordered online to pick up. We got the popcorn chicken combo, which was just popcorn chicken and fries. Unfortunately many menu items were unavailable (ie. Fish cake). The popcorn chicken is more like a juicier version of chicken nuggets vs. the traditional Taiwanese popcorn chicken. Overall not bad, but nothing impressive.

Their chicken fillet is a little too salty for me and the spice used reminded me of Northern China taste than Taiwan's. I was expecting it to have a similar taste to the big fried chicken sold at the stall in the night market of Taiwan but it wasn't really that. Either way, the chicken still tastes good and they could have up it a notch with a rice combo for the kids.

Irvine Spectrum Center next to the play structure and a short distance from the merry-go-round (carousel). Service was okay and you can see outside at the play structure from the window if your kid is playing on it. Food was good and you get a good amount of fries.

Passed by this place a few times after they recently opened up and decided to give them a try, because who doesn't love fried chicken? I got their #1 combo that comes with a decent amount of popcorn chicken and curly fries. While it's a little pricey for what you get, I thought the quality was pretty good. The chicken was meaty and didn't have an excess amount of batter, and the fries were crispy & fresh. You have to pay extra for ranch, but the free sauces they gave were really good in my opinion, and the spicy ones weren't too hot. The servers were all nice and the food came out pretty fast, I'd recommend if you're in the mood for some popcorn chicken or just a nice quick bite to eat.

A new Taiwanese snack food place in Orange County is awesome, and it's a pretty hard dish to mess up that's pretty solid. The spicy chicken filet is all I'm really here for, and it definitely hits the spot. It's a new place, so I totally get that they're still figuring things out so I don't want to really dock them on the experience quite yet. Though it's a quick service joint, you might have to wait a bit for your order, at least a bit longer than you would expect from the nature of the place. The prices are admittedly a bit steep for something that isn't totally filling either, but it definitely hits the spot if you're looking for something to snack on. I don't think the combo meals or any options are particularly compelling for the price, but I'll come here for a chicken filet. TIP: Spicy chicken filet is solid.

The $10+ popcorn chicken was expensive for the portion size, but it was pretty tasty. I actually would purchase again. They have spicy powder packets you can add to the chicken. I added a few packets later. it was so good. I liked the juiciness and the crispy outside. The girl who took my order was very sweet! I don't like the line layout. It's confusing and annoying because there are so many people standing randomly inside the store waiting for their food orders. They have seating inside which is cool, but it takes up a lot of space and the place is already so small

The chicken has good flavor but you don't get any spice options to choose from. One type of seasoning/spice level only. There's a pepper-y heat to them but still doable for non-spicy fans I think. I thought it wasn't flavorable/spicy enough but it's still tasty. $11 after tax for the large portion felt a bit steep, it was about 10 small-medium pieces. The chicken texture wasn't crispy enough for me but the individual pieces were juicy. Overall a yummy snack but not sure if it's worth the price.

Did you know that 85° Bakery has their own fried chicken shop?? That's right, their second location in the US has just landed in the Irvine Spectrum, and it's right next to the 85! They're grand opening soon in mid-November.   They have this beautiful display in the front, and I got to try some Taiwanese night market classics like popcorn chicken, crispy squid, and fried king oyster mushrooms, and their J&G spicy sauce on the chicken tenders is to die for. Would you try this? Thanks for reading! ^-^

I recently tried J&G Fried Chicken and while the service was friendly and the ambiance was nice, I left feeling a bit disappointed. I ordered the 2-piece chicken tenders combo. The chicken tenders and curly fries were crispy, but the tenders lacked flavor and the sauce options didn't stand out. The fries were good, but reminded me of those from places like Jack in the Box or Arby's. The food took longer than expected, even though it wasn't crowded. Overall, it was a decent experience, but for the price, I think there are better chicken spots in the area.

Wish I could give a 5 star but it was a bit disappointing. Was looking forward to it tasting just like the street market vendors in Taiwan but the flavor was severely lacking. Chicken cutlet had a bit of the seasoning flavor but nowhere close to being spicy. The thigh & drumstick combo was the worst in terms of flavor and portion size. Would recommend trying their chicken filet and that's about it. Service and workers were very friendly which is keeping them at 4 stars but besides that, I would say it's a bit overpriced in terms of what you get. Service 5/5 Flavor 3/5 Price to portions 2/5

We were in Taiwan a couple weeks ago and heard about them coming to Irvine, so we had it there to specifically compare after coming home. The reviews really scared us, but I think it was good in that they lowered our expectations. Ji-pai (the reason for the season!): $10 compared to $100 NT (little over $3USD). The flavor in the batter was reminiscent, but not exact. Notes of pepper was a lot more present here. It was also very lose around the chicken vs being 1 with the chicken in Taiwan. The chicken itself was more plump and juicy here, which was nice. King Oyster Mushrooms: The batter was light and the mushroom were big and juicy. Tea: I was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful and refreshing this was. Conclusion: J&G in Taiwan was good, but a step down from ji-pai vendors in the night markets of course. J&G here is like taking another step down, while paying American prices. Is it worth trying? Absolutely. Will we go back? Probably.

The place was crowded on a Sunday late afternoon. There were a few tables and seats inside for people who want to eat there. There was a long line to order which went by quickly, but the food took awhile. The chicken fillet was seasoned well and adding the red pepper enhanced the flavors. Eating the bun with the chicken and pickles all together was yummy. My own recommendation is to add 2 more pickles to the buns. There was only 2 slice of pickles. There is not enough for a sandwich.

I was at Irvine Spectrum with a friend and we decided to get J&G Fried Chicken. There was a decent amount of seating. We got the Fried King Oyster Mushroom (my fav!)and a regular size Popcorn Chicken. The portions were perfect for a light snack. The food came out piping hot, and was seasoned well! The King Oyster really stuck out to me, I never seen any other place sell this so it's a must try in my opinion! The chicken was good but nothing special. My only complaint is the sauce, they limit you to one per item which is fair, but I wish they could fill the sauce container all the way since I love drenching my food in sauce haha. Overall this place wasn't bad and the service was good. The workers were friendly and accommodating. Would come again if I was craving some more Fried King Oyster Mushroom!

Pretty good spot. Not the best popcorn chicken I've had before in terms of the texture. Maybe I just haven't had Taiwanese popcorn chicken before but I've never had it where the batter is smooth. The curly fries are excellent. They stayed crispy for like 30 minutes

New Taiwanese chicken spot at Irvine Spectrum. We have been eyeing it for some time since they took over the old Afters ice cream. The line was pretty long for a Friday evening. The menu had different varieties of fried chicken, from popcorn chicken to giant deep fried chicken filet. We ended up going for the basic popcorn chicken, for about $10 which is already pretty pricey. Our order came out in about 10 minutes. The chicken is piping hot. They were extra busy so I couldn't ask for any dipping sauce. I ended up trying the popcorn chicken outside of the cafe since it was waaay too packed. Upon first glance, the box had an okay amount of popcorn chicken. The popcorn chicken, however was okay. This isn't the same batter used for traditional popcorn chicken, so it lacked the crispiness that I'd get from sweet potato flour batter. The chicken was juicy and did have some savory to it for the most part. However, I feel that the popcorn chicken was too pricey and the service was definitely lacking too.

order online to save time! filet = make into sandwich combo taste was ok, slightly lacking but better once you combined everything into a sandwich and threw it all together. they didn't have all the entrees or sauces when I picked up my order. park by the carrousel, close to target and 85.

J&G Fried Chicken is located in the Irvine Spectrum a couple of doors down from the 85C Bakery. We got our order to go and sat outside near the floor splash water fountains next to the carousel. J&G's interior seating was limited but overall the place seemed clean and accommodating we just opted for outside because it was a nice Nov day. The staff was pretty friendly and even though they just recently opened the service speed was reasonably fast. The fried chicken is supposed to taste like the fried chicken you can get in Taiwan's street market and overall I feel it's not quite there. Here's what was ordered and thoughts: -Fried Chicken Filet Combo - Big chicken filet seasoned in spicy powder - this was so-so. The texture was good and filet was not overly greasy, but the flavor wasn't really that spicy or flavorful except that it had a cumin flavor. They essentially threw on some spicy seasoning on one side (top) with no seasoning on the bottom. The combo also came with two pieces of hamburger buns coated with some mayo, small coleslaw and curly fries. Those were uneventful. The included their own house J&G Spicy sauce which was creamy and spicy like a mix of sweet mayo and chili sauce. The sauce was good but my stance on fried chicken is that it should be able to stand on its own without having a sauce come in and save the day. If you need sauce to save the day then your product is a little weak since I could get any old chicken and dip it in the sauce. I would pass on this. -Popcorn Chicken - The chicken was tender with a crispy outside and not overly greasy. The pieces were seasoned with some pepper powder and the flavor was good. There was a slight sweetness to the chicken and it was not spicy. The popcorn chicken is worth getting to try out but there are better popcorn chicken places. Overall I feel like J&G Fried Chicken misses the mark on replicating the taste and flavor of the fried chicken you can get in Taiwan, but if you're not using Taiwan as a comparison then the chicken is passable. I would say it's 3.5 stars for the food but rounded up to 4 for staff and service TLDR: Get the popcorn chicken. Pass on the Chicken Filet. https://youtu.be/1UjLlzk59j4

Had to try it out after visiting their Taiwan branches. Chicken was juicy and well breaded, decent crunch. Not as cheap as the one in Taiwan though likely because of its location. Also needed more flavor compared to the Taiwan ones. Not a lot of seating as well so had to wait to actually get somewhere to sit inside (it was raining outside). Service was fine, just place an order at the kiosk, then wait. Good lighting and tables were clean.