Royal Mandarin

Came here for the salt and pepper wings but actually fell in love with the orange chicken. Great texture and flavor that honestly surprised me. The wings were also good though I wish that they had just a bit more flavor, but pairing it with the sauce at the table basically filled that gap. The soup and rice were also great. Portion sizes are very generous, we got all this food for 3 people and had a good amount of leftovers.

The Wings Live Up to the Hype! Stopped by Royal Mandarin in National City and finally tried the famous wings with fried rice—and wow, they did not disappoint. The wings are crispy, saucy, and packed with flavor. Perfectly seasoned and just the right amount of sticky, they definitely live up to their legendary status. The fried rice was a perfect match—savory, not too greasy, and full of that classic wok flavor. Portions were generous, and the service was quick and friendly. If you're in the area, this spot is a must. Go for the wings—you’ll be thinking about them long after you leave.

First time here and had 2 combination meals. One of BBQ pork and the other salt &,pepper shrimp. Plate comes with one vegetable spring roll, 2 chicken wings (salt peppered) and fried rice. Food was good and as expected. It was a good experience to dine here. Service was attentive.It is inside a shopping plaza so plenty of parking space. Notice many huge take out orders.

Fantastic wings! Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and green onion- don’t miss them! The Schezwan beef was delicious but a little too sweet for top marks. No frill atmosphere isn’t unpleasant but not fancy. The food makes up for it! It’s not cheap but you get a lot for your money.

Did a large party order to go for a UCSD gradation celebration. Ordering was easy, and everything was ready on time and matched what we ordered. All the dishes were excellent, with everyone really liking the salt and pepper wings.

Like many San Diegans, I used to love Royal Mandarin. But I stopped going—*hard stop*—about four years ago. The quality had plummeted. One visit left me with wings so overcooked they could’ve cracked a tooth; another time, the rice was dry enough to qualify as sand. That was enough for me to walk away. Fast forward to today: I decided to give them one last shot. I ordered a #10, hoping maybe—just maybe—they’d redeemed themselves. Instead, I was served what can only be described as a shredded carrot mountain. I’m not exaggerating: 6 to 7 ounces of carrots buried my noodles, which are supposed to be the *main* dish. I even took a photo—if you know their takeout container, you know how much space the main portion takes up. That space? Hijacked by carrots. It’s ridiculous.

I was told about these salt and pepper chicken wings by many people and I finally stopped by. I was honestly not expecting anything special but boy was I wrong. These wings were amazing. They left me speechless and wanting more.

Delicious home-style Chinese food. This unassuming restaurant serves very tasty dishes. We ordered the crispy noodles with beef and chicken and it was the largest serving of noodles that we've ever encountered! The rest of our dishes (fried dumplings, wonton soup, and BBQ pork) were delectable. The BBQ pork might have been the best of that dish that we have eaten. I was pleasantly surprised that dumplings came with a hot chili sauce. Additionally, the food came out extremely fast -- all plates within 10 minutes. I highly recommend this restaurant if you want good Chinese food.

Royal Mandarin in National City has been one of my go-to spots for years, and it never disappoints! Known for their iconic salt and pepper wings and generous portions, this is a restaurant where you'll always leave satisfied. If you're dining with a smaller group, I recommend their dinner combo plate--it's such a great deal at just $20. You choose your main dish, and it comes with fried rice, an egg roll, and two of those famous salt and pepper wings. Perfect for a hearty meal without breaking the bank! For larger groups, their family dinners are a must--plenty of food to go around, and it's all delicious. While the wings didn't taste quite as amazing as I remember from years ago, they're still super flavorful and worth ordering. The service is fast, and while the interior is simple, the food truly speaks for itself. If you're craving satisfying portions of Chinese food, Royal Mandarin is the spot!

I loved the quality and portions of each dish we tried. The taste and quality was exceptional for the price! We ordered the salted pepper chicken wings, orange chicken, Mongolian beef, a noodle dish (I think it was drunken noodles or chow fun), and honey walnut shrimp. We tried the sesame balls and a pastry for dessert. Both desserts were delicious and so were each of the entrees we ordered. We shared everything, since each dish arrived at our table family-style. Of course, we brought home leftovers. I also appreciated the attentiveness of the customer service staff. I can't wait to try other dishes and bring more family and friends to this restaurant!

Best and good salt & pepper chicken wings in town. Customer service was is direct. It's always busy inside the restaurant. All food must be good.

Idk how I haven't reviewed this place yet, but I'm gonna use the excuse of "I live far, far away in the boonies, so I don't go often." However, whenever people who live in my area have parties or I go down to SD to visit fam, someone usually will have a tray of the famous "Crack Chicken." For the definition of CC, please read Missy F.'s review. She NAILED it on the damn head, lol!!!! As many times as I've actually been to this restaurant, I have never eaten inside. I am usually just going in real quick to pick up an order that I called in. The order is always just CRACK CHICKEN!!! Once you taste it, you will be hooked instantly. If you don't like it, then you probably don't have any tastebuds or you may be experiencing symptoms of long covid (not clowning anyone; I know because my mom hasn't really been able to taste anything since she had it, and I always feel bad). If you CAN taste it and don't like it, then we can't be friends, lol. Jk Jk!! My cousin says there's a place down the street (Golden something, I can't remember) that has something similar, but I'm not in a rush to try it. The restaurant interior is quite large, and they are FOREVER busy. Hoping one of these days I can actually sit in the restaurant and enJOY a super fresh batch of chicken among other dishes offered here. The prices have gone up, but no one can really help that. We'll STILL pay for the chicken because we are addicts, lmao!! If you come here and don't know what to get, trust me when I say you NEED the Salted Pepper Chicken Wings!! All these reviews don't lie! I do feel bad for those with dietary restrictions, but let me just say.. if I had any, I would still get my itch scratched any chance I get!! If you need a large order, definitely call it in ahead of time. I have yet to find a similar comparison out here in AZ, but so far, the search continues. For now, I'll have to plan my next visit when I am back in the Dee Zee!! See ya soon, Royal Mandarin!

Royal Mandarin is a local SD fave. It's located on Plaza Blvd. This spot is famous for the OG Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings. This spot is so old school, I've been coming here since I was very little. After a 2 hour hard workout, we decided to splurge on calories and have lunch here. I got the Mongolian Beef and hubby got the Orange Chicken. The food is still ever so delicious!! The Mongolian Beef was so tender and flavorful and the Orange Chicken was crunchy and made w white meat chicken breast. The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings still has that amazing signature crunch that makes it so special!! We still come here from Temecula to grab party trays of the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, bc they're sooo phenomenal and no restaurant in Temecula makes it like Royal Mandarin!! Service is a bit slow. Though there's ample parking, the lot could get pretty full. Overall this will always be our favorite Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings spot!!

This place is known for their salt and pepper chicken wings. They know it, their customers know it and I'm telling you so you know it. Their salt and pepper chicken wings are simply amazing. They're crispy, full of flavor and a good size per wing. If you're craving wings, this is a great place to go. The rest of the Chinese food seemed to be okay, nothing great to write home about. The fried rice tasted kind of mushy and plain. It tastes more similar to fast food fried rice and not the most authentic. The service was extremely friendly and was more than willing to accommodate to split bills. They also came to refill water multiple times without the need to flag them down.

Omg! This place is amazing and so delicious. I was in charge of planning my holiday work party and catered from here. When I tell you this is some of the best food and chicken wings I've ever had, I'm not exaggerating! The wings were the first things gone. I didn't take individual pictures but you can see the video. Food we ordered: it was honestly all 10/10. Definitely recommend trying this spot Salt & pepper wings (2) Beef and broccoli Honey walnut shrimp Orange chicken Chow mein Fried rice (BBQ Pork Fried Rice)

Christmas Eve and they were busy. My food was hot and ready in 7 minutes flat. Amazing. I didn't get the thin noodles like I asked but it could have been that I was misheard in the busy restaurant. No biggie. Food: I thought for sure they were going to be a slam dunk but the salt and pepper chicken seemed tossed in msg and still lacked flavor. They were a tad dry too. The chicken skin is perfectly crispy so if that's what you're after, they ace that part. The shrimp lo mein was full of good sized shrimp but the noodles themselves were lacking in general flavor... like how?... Lastly the restaurant is making a killing but they somehow aren't keeping up with appearances or cleanliness. The women's bathroom sink looks like it has never been wiped down since the stores historic conception. Overall very mediocre especially given the price point of $40 for a dozen wings and the lo mein.

Salt and Pepper wings are fire. The process to order is made very easy by the business.

Not much to say except GO TO PLACE FOR SALT & PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS! (AKA CRACK CHICKEN) When you come here, you'll see this dish ordered at most of the tables or people taking trays of it to go. These do well at potlucks and you'll be the guest favorite if you bring these. I don't order much here except for the wings and the chow mein, which is also good. Service is good the times I've been, no complaints and parking is plentiful. The restaurant will be crowded Fridays and Saturdays. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Parking: 4/5

We ordered a Large tray of Salted Pepper Chicken Wings here. The process is very convenient. I called the day prior to order. The young man on the the phone at the business took my order and was very customer service oriented. He told me that he would see me at pick up. I arrived for pick up and I waited at the door as the sign instructions says. I only waited about two minutes and then I was called to the counter. At the counter, I was able to verify my pick up order and make the payment. I went back to the outside line just to wait and within five minutes, my order was ready. It was great to see that they have taken the tint off of the dining room windows. They have also torn down the giant wall that restricts customers upfront from seeing the dining room. The view was nice because you could see a well lit room with upgraded booth seating. There were so many people dining and having dinner it was amazing to see. I love the process of pick up because it's very quick and easy and convenient. When I made it home with the food, everyone at our family event absolutely loved the food, and of course, especially the salted pepper chicken wings from Royal Mandarin. I am going to make it a point to come and dine here in the very near future now that I know that the dining room is open and light and bright. It is no longer a dining mystery behind the tinted windows. Yay!

I've been coming to this restaurant for over two decades now and I am bummed that they don't make their salted pepper chicken like they used to. Before, there was an abundance of flavor and ingredients. I'm talking about extra scallions and red pepper flakes that I used to look forward to when reaching the bottom of the container. Now it's to a minimum. I remember food in the take out boxes were overflowing, now they're actually filled to their maximum, no more no less. The familiar staff that I used to greet and see are replaced with the new generation. Still friendly, just feeling old right now. I do like how it is more spacious inside but I miss that old cramped small restaurant feeling. Bring me back to the late 90's and early 2000's please. Despite the change in their salted pepper chicken, it's still my chosen place to go to.

Lunch Spot with the best deals Monday-Friday 12-3 PM, get the Salt and Pepper Wings they're firee. This place is recommended to me from everyone north of Chula Vista as someone from the San Ysidro area, and I was glad to know the chinese food over here is just as good. I really liked the Salt and Pepper wings, they were seasoned really well and had a nice consistent crunch. They were really filling, and I loved that they were super oily. However, I have to admit that I still wouldn't crown them over my OG spot back in the South (Golden House) but I wasn't disappointed by them and I can see how they've become so famous. The chicken fried rice was a similar story, good but not the best I've ever had. It tops the rices at my local chinese places in San Ysidro, but not my OG spot (Sushi House) in Chula Vista, that fried rice is still unmatched. The lumpia once again, were also alright. That's also on me for getting lumpia at a chinese place, but they were kinda small although they weren't bad at all. The soda was good tho and for the fact that it comes from a machine that's a good sign about the food quality and service. They were really quick to bring the food and the service wasn't bad at all. The restaurant is also modern and very sleek while staying comfortable and super open with capacity for small and large groups alike. It's a great spot for gatherings and seems like a consistent chinese place for some good and affordable food. I'll be coming back for their deals just because those make this place a MUST STOP since you can't really get that much food of this quality for that cheap, but I can't wholeheartedly say this is my favorite chinese food in San Diego. This spot is overall though, DAYGOEATSAPPROVED

Excellent food and service. Lunch specials are worth it, decent prices and plenty of good food. The orange chicken special (#8) isn't that much more than Panda Express and definitelytastes better.

My favorite place for salt and pepper chicken wings obsessed !!! i definitely recommend and service was quick and they were super kind

If you want some good classic Chinese food, this is the place to go. We got the combo plates and it was more than enough food, it had chicken wings and spring rolls as sides and the portions were huge! It's not cheap, but the amount of food definitely compensates for it. Service is fast, there's plenty of seating inside the restaurant.

Came hear the other day for dinner with the family. The atmosphere and service were pretty decent. Service was okay and pretty prompt. The thing that was lacking was the food, it was drenched in sauce that had a little flavor. The portions were extremely generous but I couldn't help but to feel like the sauce was just a bit much. I would like to say I would come back to try it again but for spending about $120 I'm not so sure I will.

The food at this restaurant is consistently delicious. The service is generally good, and the quiet ambiance adds to the dining experience. However, there are occasional delays in service, even when the restaurant isn't full. In comparison, Golden Chopsticks, which is nearby, has attentive staff who promptly address any needs, such as bringing the bill. The menu offers great choices, and I highly recommend trying their salted pepper shrimp. Additionally, the egg drop soup was delightful, and the lunch specials were equally delicious. My family has been going here since I was a kid as well.

We already know royal mandarin is the best right? Their wings are recognizable anywhere. I loved living near here so i could just come and pick up dinner. Id get their combo plates and the egg drop soup. I've also gotten a platter of the wings for a party. It never gets old. It's so delicious. The service is always good. Obviously recommend calling ahead but they always have a ton of people working the front which is nice. The ambiance is nice though i've always done pick up orders.

Service was incredibly fast. I got the steamed whole tilapia. The fish was cooked well and was simple yet delicious.

Ordered some wings and other food for Thanksgiving. Well worth the drive the wings are so crunchy and amazing. Definitely huge portions so beware!

Royal Mandarin's salt and pepper wings are unmatched! They have the perfect crunch and an incredible balance of flavor--crispy, savory, and just the right hint of spice. Ordering takeout is a breeze; the process is super easy, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. If you're looking for a delicious and hassle-free meal, this place never disappoints!

I stopped by again over the weekend and tried their orange chicken, and it was amazing! The chicken was perfectly crisp, and the flavor was tangy with a hint of spice. The combination meal comes with 2 chicken legs, fried rice, and an egg roll for $17.95. The portion is enough to share, too. There are many servers that walk by if you need anything, and the restaurant is always pretty clean. Check them out next time you're in the area!

This is my go to for salt and pepper chicken wings and salt and pepper shrimp. I have been here on multiple occasions. This is also my jobs go to for catering. I feel like the items are reasonably priced. They do have lunch specials ranging from 15 and up. It is located at shopping plaza with plenty of parking. Inside has plenty of seating and the food comes out fast.

This place is ok. The food is decent and priced reasonably. If you're in the area give them a try.

Count your wings. I only got 11. I would've complained, but noticed when there were only 2 wings left lol Besides that, wings were crispy and good

WINGS, wings, wings This is all you need. Other dishes are quite tasty, noodles and fried rice are solid. But honestly the whole familia just really goes for the wings. Great for weekends and parties. Service could improve and parking isn't always available but it's a quick in and out if you order ahead of time.

We have been dining at Royal Mandarin since late 90s. Although the service is usually fast and efficient, the food quality has gone down tremendously. More specifically, in taste and its lack in seasonings and richness. The taste of their food has lost its authenticity in the past several years. Dishes ordered : salt and pepper chicken wings, Mongolian beef, chicken mixed vegetables, egg drop soup and wor wanton soup. Total $138 This will be our last time at Royal Mandarin

Wow... what a disappointment. I've been coming here for years, even post Covid, and this place has really gone downhill. We ordered $70 worth of food and ended up giving it away. It was terrible. The bbq pork fried rice was tasteless with the most unarguably colored pork. The rice was just reheated and had the pork thrown in. The vegetable Lo Mein was greasy and the oil tasted old. I really wanted to like this dish. The Chop Suey was mediocre. Very garlicky (which was good) but otherwise bland. The portions are pretty good size, but not worth it if the food isn't good. Not shown is the Hot and Sour soup.... It was good. But served warm.

Home of the original salt & pepper chicken wings. My fam and I used to frequent this joint since the '90s until their random closures within the mid 2000s. So I've returned and picked up party trays of food here about two weeks ago; however, it is apparent that their food quality has decreased. Lumpia: this item on their menu is new to me, but it was a fail. Each lumpia had a small amount of filling that is mushy, which seems to be the majority of minced onions and without any flavor. By far, this was the worst lumpia I've ever had. The only thing right was the crispy wrapper, 1/5 stars. Salt & pepper chicken wings: onto this O.G., and it was good. Although a bit dry and less salt compared to the wings at the competitors of Golden Chopsticks, Otay Mandarin, Bistro City, and Tasty Mandarin's. 3.5/5 stars. Bbq pork fried rice: this was basic, dry, and mildly flavored, 3/5 stars. Combination lo mein noodles: this was decent, had the savory sauce with soft noodles, 3.5/5 stars. Beef and broccoli: the beef was tender, but the sauce was slimy and overpowered any intended flavors, 1/5 stars. Honey walnut shrimps: this was decent, not too sweet, which is acceptable, and they gave plenty of shrimps, 3.5/5 stars. Teriyaki chicken: this was surprisingly the best dish. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was slightly sweet but savory, 4.25/5 stars. Orange chicken: this was another hit despite the thick batter. There was plenty of chicken in each piece, and the sauce was both tangy and sweet, 4/5 stars. The service was efficient, as all ten party trays were ready at the 10:30 a.m. pick-up time. They have used a cart to haul the food to the parking lot and even helped load all of the trays into my car. In conclusion, their food portions are tremendous and for a lesser price; therefore, quantity is more the focus here versus the quality.

Top 3 salt pepper wings spot in town! Fast and Great service. The combos are the best thing going great if you're having parties or eating with a big group of people!

Food is always a hit. The service was extremely fast. Plenty of seats available. No reservation needed and plenty of parking outside. Love the salt and pepper wings.

Our service was fast and friendly. The wings here are the best I've had. Noodles and broccoli were also the bomb

CHICKEN WINGS. The end. The chicken wings are so crispy, simple and delicious. The service was quick and everyone orders the chicken wings so they came out so fast. Typical Chinese style restaurant inside but they have a dedicated space for to-go orders. Seems like everyone orders their party trays. Check them out!

I love their food!! i cant say anything about ambiance or service since we always get to go. The food is always there with no mistakes so I guess service is good. Their pepper wings are a must and a great snack to have for any event. Im personally a fan of their bbq slice pork, delicious! My work orders from here often so ive come to love this place. I use it when Im having bday parties or anything that requires finger food.

Salt n Pepper Chicken wings I ordered their wings every time when I'm in the area. Highly recommended

Upon arriving we were seated quickly it was a good amount of people in the restaurant. Once my boyfriend and I placed our orders we were able to get our food in about 5 mins !! Which was so amazing it was fresh and delicious! We both really enjoyed our food, only reason it isn't 5 stars is because although really good I felt the food could have had a little bit more flavor.

I came here today because I was in National City.I was hungry, and I wanted something different than my usual. At $20.60 with tax I was most certainly underwhelmed with my dining experience today. Not even when I factored in bidenomics. The Mongolian beef was OK, as was the fried rice and wings. The eggroll more closely resembled a piece of lumpia in size but not bad. The service was ok. But not attentive or friendly. My server brought out my order in a reasonable amount of time, seeing how busy they were. I felt that a small cup of soup and some fried wanton would have made it a better value. I wasn't particularly pleased with the sauce on my beef. But that's not on them. Rather a personal preference. In which case i feel it is best to go where I know they have the recipie that I like. I can't say anything about the ambiance because theres not much to say. The whole experience led me to wonder why I didn't drive a mile or so farther down the street to a buffet. Due to the high cost I can't recommend this eatery to people who don't have a pile of disposable income they want to part with. It's highly unlikely that I'll return to try other items until I read reviews saying they drastically reduced thier prices, and they higher friendly servers. I will say that thier customers are friendly. A toddler smiled and waved at me while heading to the door. A mother with her family said, "Blessings to you" as she walked to the exit. I will say that I noticed the lunch menu is more affordable. BUT im hardly ever in National City at lunch time.

Ordered for picking Thursday night. We order 2 combos and an order of the salt and pepper wings. We also ordered the Phoenix and the dragon, but when we picked up they hadn't included that dish. Luckily they didn't charge us for it either. Wings were kind of flavorless, just salt no pepper and not much else in terms of flavor. For the combos, they didn't give us the sides that were supposed to come with the food. Unfortunately we didn't check the bag until we got home. Lastly they were pretty rude when we asked for the receipt. 2 stars because one of the dishes was actually good

Best salt & pepper chicken wings! They are always busy because their food is delicious!

Best Dishes: Salt and pepper chicken wings Salt and pepper Tofu House noodles Egg drop soup Ultimately the best Chinese food in National City

Royal Mandarin has the best salt and pepper chicken wings! I've been coming here for almost 40 years! The flavor has been the same since I was a kid. Great value and affordability! If you're ever in the area, try the salt and pepper chicken wings here! Customer service has definitely improved through the years lol and a lot of people who work there... are still there that I remember when I was younger. Service is still pretty fast and the prices are still affordable! This place can also accommodate large parties at short notice even on a busy day! Vast improvements to the restaurant appearance as they have expanded through the years. There is more than one restroom now! This place is definitely a favorite of mine in the National City area! Keep up the great work and evolution! I look forward to eating here 40 more years from now.

My favorite place for salt and pepper chicken and Mongolian beef! The service is really fast when ordering ahead. I sometimes eat inside and there usually really busy but the waitresses are usually on point. The ambience is welcoming, there is a lot of light and windows. I remember in the 90's the place was much smaller and darker. But, they bought the space next to them and expanded. One of my fave places to eat at!

This place has a big dining room and a very efficient "to go" operation on one side. On a Friday at 4pm it was non-stop food going out the door. We were seated quickly and offered drinks and provided menus. Appetizers were ordered while we studied the menu. We ordered the sweet Kung Pao Beef and Orange Chicken with two bowls of fried rice. All the food arrived quickly, which is not a surprise given the way the "to go" orders were flying out the door. The food was very good. It arrived hot and was very flavorful. Portions were huge. Service was very attentive, and they refilled our drinks promptly, and they filled our leftover containers for us.

It was a delightful experience from start to finish at the Royal Mandarin Restaurant. The food was fantastic, with our favorite salt and pepper chicken wings stealing the show, closely followed by the tasty fried calamari. The atmosphere was very inviting and spacious, and the service was great. We truly enjoyed our time there and will definitely be returning for more delicious meals in the future. Highly recommended!

My husband and I were visiting our son and his girlfriend when they suggested eating here as it is a favorite eatery. The place is in a strip mall and it's a basic set up with tables, seats, and booths---no frills, nothing fancy. It was clean and bright and busy! We didn't wait long and we were seated at a booth by the window. Our friendly & soft-spoken server came to our booth and took our order right away. She took great care of us and was so sweet. The food came out promptly and piping hot! We couldn't believe the huge portions! I had the cashew chicken and it was very different from the usual cashew chicken in that it was more tomato based & had a sweet, smoky tasty that totally works! My husband enjoyed his meal as did my son and girlfriend. They both had the salted pepper chicken combo, which is their favorite. We were all stuffed and packed to-go containers. Leftovers are always good! We will definitely return!

This place is perfect for any day of the week. First time I had Royal Mandarin my boss, ordered it for the office. We had fried rice, white rice, salt, and pepper wings, which are famous and pancit. This place is famous you must try you know as famous when you get there they have a whole wall dedicated to the takeout trays that are ordered from here daily. Meanwhile, there's also people in the restaurant and enjoying.

I went to a Halloween Party and the hostess requested we bring something. I instructed my friend to order the Salt & pepper Chicken wings! This item is super good, in fact there were 3 orders of Royal Mandarin's Chicken Wings. You can't go wrong!

Second time coming to this restaurant and it's always a great and delicious experience. The salt and paper chicken wings are amazing and priced at a good deal for lunch combinations. Staff is friendly and gets food out in a timely manner. I would recommend!