Yao's

This was a pleasant surprise in a sea of solid restaurant options in Orlando. We’ve experienced a litany of restaurants here and while we haven’t had many complaints, many were average to good. This was far and away a fantastic option. The ribs were amazing and the General Yao’s was some of the best I’ve had. The ingredients are fresh and high quality. The flavors, robust! The entrees are large enough to share and this makes it a fun experience.

Had to check out the hype, and can honestly say, I was not disappointed. Firstly, I believe Alyssa H is the hardest working woman in the restaurant industry. She was incredibly knowledgeable of all the menu items, including their ingredients, how they are prepared and the history of them. Her recommendations were absolutely delicious and the perfect amount of food for the table. The food portions here were big. We tried noodles, rice, the honey orange chicken, and three starters. So much variety and great flavors. I recommend the mushroom delish and green salad as must starters. Both were light and flavorful. The chicken lo mein was tasty and full of veggies, which the 3 Pork rice had the perfect amount of savory. The overall service was impeccable. Alyssa was bubbly and friendly, and made us feel welcomed. The rest of the staff welcomed us with a smile. I can’t wait to come back and try more. Well done Yao’s!

Best Chinese I have experienced in the Orlando area. Food was extremely tasty, uniquely prepared and more than plentiful. Steven was our server and was great. Prices are very reasonable especially for the high quality of food and atmosphere.

Yao’s is the best Chinese food I’ve had in Florida! The color, aroma, and taste of every dish are truly Michelin-worthy. The service is warm and attentive, the décor is modern and stylish, and the pricing is very reasonable. Whether I’m enjoying a few small plates and a cocktail at the bar or celebrating a special occasion at home, the staff always helps me pick the perfect dishes. I’ll definitely be coming back — highly recommended!

Just tried Yao’s out tonight and we loved it! The decor is inviting and warm. The service was great, Marissa was our server and she did a great job explaining the menu to us and making sure we were enjoying our meal! And the food! Oh my gosh! We got a bunch of small plates and shared it all. I think my favorites were the General Yao’s fried tofu and the firecracker shrimp! There are so many more menu items to try! We will definitely be back! Highly recommend!

First time here. The food atmosphere was amazing. Stephen our server was on point. Even though it was a he was very attentive and made some great suggestions. I recommend this place. The Shanghai sticky ribs are a must try.

Yao's has a Vibe... The crew: Stephen had me Killin the Kill Bill Cocktail :) Amy was the Hostess with the Mostess; and owner Edward shared the style of preparation of the dishes and the ingredients, Like black sesame soft serve: Licked our lips twice..Hmmm . Hmmmm. were fabulous.. Definitely a great chill spot, nice Ambience and Deeeelicious food. Enjoyed the Market Fire Roasted fish, the noodles with white truffle--- sooo yummy.

I wanted to try this place for awhile because it got my attention being a new asian restaurant in oviedo. Personally i’m extremely picky when it comes to asian cuisine. I came in with my fiancè and we ordered several small plates and cocktails. Perfect spot for date night. We got the mushroom delight, gong gong egg rolls and chili wontons and everything was absolutely delicious. Like when i say delicious, i mean mouth watering, want to eat it forever and ever delicious. Specifically the mushrooms. Never in my entire life have i loved a plate of mushrooms so much. The cocktails were good too. I believe i got the shanghai noon. All the food is decent value for what you get. We ate the three plates tapas style. Can’t wait to come back and try the three pigs fried rice, i was eyeing it on the menu but was so full by the time we finished trying the small plates. I am also looking forward to trying the mushroom fried rice, because i fear those mushrooms are in my dreams at night. Thank you for the amazing experience, loved it. Highly recommend!

Wow. Best restaurant in Orlando. Best food I've had in Orlando. At a price point equivalent to Chilis or Applebees while being the best food I've ever eaten (not exaggerating). Please do not waste your time and money anywhere else. Recommendations: Alcohol - kill bill or into the dragon Small Plates - Charsiu, Curry chicken egg roles, Shanghai sticky ribs. Will be coming back asap. And bringing EVERYONE here:

We had a 6:45 PM reservation at Yao's on Valentine's Day and were running about 10 minutes late. I called ahead to let them know, but no one answered, and the call went straight to voicemail all three times. For starters, we ordered the chives and crab dip. The flavors were fantastic, and we loved it, though we wished there was more crab in the mix. Solid 5/5. The chili wontons were tasty as well, but they were quite small for the price. Still, they packed good flavor, so we'd rate them a 4/5. For our main course, we shared the honey orange chicken. While the sauce was excellent, the breading kept falling off, and we felt there wasn't enough sauce overall. That brought it down to a 3/5 for us. We also tried the Three Pigs Rice, which had great flavor, but the rice was a bit hard still a solid 4/5. The food did take a while to come out, but given that it was Valentine's Day, we understood the delay. Overall, we enjoyed our meal. The service was good and ambiance was nice. We will definitely return to try more dishes.

The hostess was very welcoming. Kyle was our server and he made sure our drinks were kept full. He explained the menu and said how many people each dish would serve, but we were little women who don't eat much, so we over ordered. But it's ok, we had lunch for the next day. The decor was nice. They open at 3pm and we had a reservation for the same time. We were the first party seated and the next party that came in was seated next to us. I thought it was odd because it was almost like we were in each other's conversations. Other than that the experience was good. There was a wide variety of food. We ordered and shared everything: Shanghai Sticky Ribs, Chive & Crab Dip, Fried String Beans, Wok Roasted Green Cabbage, Stir Fry Gai Lan, & XO Shrimp. My favorites were the fall-off-the-bone ribs and the perfectly cooked gai lan. They split the bill for us and it was surprisingly inexpensive.

Oviedo-We originally reserved a table for lunch, but a gentleman called and said they'd be closed so we switched to 4 o'clock on New Year's Eve. The restaurant had only another few tables when we arrived. I was really excited to try this place because of all the hype. Unfortunately the hype is wrong. We ordered several items, including cocktails. My passion fruit margarita was quite tasty. My friend's lychee cocktail was very sour, and my hubs "Hero" bourbon drink was so awful he left it on the table...totally surprised that the waiter didn't even ask why the drink was not consumed. The Three Pigs fried rice was not fresh. It was undercooked, hard, and chewy. I assume it had been from a day or two ago. Definitely not cooked fresh. Also, way too salty. The dumplings were tasty and had a great dipping sauce. Honey chicken was bland, but the breading was awesome. I hate a foamy/fluffy coating on my chicken and this was thin and crunchy. Parmesan Crab udon was very fishy. My GF liked it, but I couldn't eat it. Our Sticky ribs were pretty tasty, but tough and chewy. Still a good flavor, so that was a plus! Now to the head scratcher...XO Shrimp served with shells & "sort of" head on. Why oh why would you serve this delicious, very saucy dish and make us dig/pry/pick the shells off?? It was a mess. Fortunately the amazingly delicious sauce made up for the mess. Overall, we agreed that this is probably not going to become a go-to place for us. We're still on the hunt for a great Asian food restaurant that will be consistent in quality and have attentive staff. Our waiter was nice, but not overly concerned about whether we enjoyed the food and drinks. (Hence the fact that there was a completely full cocktail sitting on table throughout the entire dinner.) The interior of the place was a cool vibe. Still left a 20% tip, even though the waiter was inattentive.

Tried Yao recently and had a mixed experience. The service was definitely the highlight--our server was attentive, friendly, and made us feel welcome throughout the meal. However, the food was a bit underwhelming overall. The ribs, in particular, could have been more tender, and the rest of the dishes were just average--nothing that really stood out compared to other dining options in Orlando. That said, it's still worth trying at least once if you're in the area, especially for the pleasant service. If you're looking for a culinary standout, though, you might want to explore other spots.

Where do I even begin? This place was by far amazing. I came on a Friday night, sat at the bar and everything was gorgeous. Even the bartenders (lol). I would start off with the food that I lease enjoyed would probably be better because I needed spice and soy sauce. The love the flavor on the tofu was really good I am still not a big fan. It was silk tofu. However, I enjoyed their form of broccoli. I don't know what it was going to look like, but it taste amazing and season so well. The sesame garlic noodles were so delicious. And I have to give praise to my favorite cocktail and it would be cold at the last samurai. Wow it is a strong one however, it is so delicious especially if you like amaretto and cherries. I am trying to come back often.

From start to finish everything was great. Appetizers were really good, egg rolls, sticky ribs. All out mains were plentiful and delicious. Service was best, bar was pumping out beautiful looking drinks also

They just opened recently and my husband and I went for Valentine's Day. Nice atmosphere inside and the food was really good for the most part. The wings are amazing, the curry chicken egg rolls are good, the firecracker shrimp were good but the wings had so much more flavor. The steak was overcooked but it was still really good. The only thing I didn't really love was the beef stir fry. It was busy but the service was good, however they did run out a quite a few things.

I have been meaning to try this spot for some time now and I'm so glad I finally made it in. This is a nice little casual date night spot. The server was so friendly and helpful with selecting dishes to try, I truly appreciated their input! We ordered the fried string beans, general yao's chicken and the braised pork clay pot. Everything was delicious! The chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. The pork had amazing flavor and the portion sizes were perfectly filling.

Yao's was pretty decent, though I'm hoping my visit was a fluke. They hyped me up on the sticky ribs so I tried them. Apparently "sticky" refers to how they stuck in my teeth. They were tough to the point that I needed a knife and fork to eat them. And that's a shame because I'm always excited to see sticky ribs on a menu. Good flavor, but frustrating to eat. I also got the Stir Fry Seasonal Vegetables. They were fresh and tasty, so no complaints there. I may try this place again if I'm in the area. The ambiance and aromas have me interested in coming back.

Yao's is a modern Chinese Kitchen by Chef George Yiu that's currently in soft opening located in Oviedo. There's a long selection of small plates, a must is the Shanghai Sticky Ribs. The Large plates serve multiple people, a must is the Wagyu Beef Stir Fry with Rice Cakes.

Absolutely delicious! I can see Yaos becoming a neighborhood fixture. I have been back a couple times since they grand opened and the quality has remained the same. Think of it as a modern twist on your Asian staples. That udon pasta was to die for!

My friends and I had an amazing dinner here. We heard about this place through another friend and decided to try it out, and we happened to go on their third soft opening day. The interior is spacious and has great lighting/mood; it looked really modern and clean. Our main server's name was Steven, but we were helped out and checked on by a few other workers as well. All of the staff were extremely friendly and very attentive. We were recommended some drinks since they didn't have a set beverage menu yet (they told us there would be one very soon since they were still in the process of opening), and my friends loved them. The table's favorite menu item had to be the parmesan miso crab udon, it just tastes creamy and amazing. I really enjoyed their small plates as well, like the edamame and string beans. The plates came out one after another so we were constantly trying a new plate and thoroughly enjoying them. Even when things would come out later, due to kitchen mishaps, they notified us right away and provided service in the meantime. My friends and I really enjoyed our time here and would love to come back ASAP! Everything from the food to the service was excellent and I highly recommend this place.

Perhaps I'm in the minority here because everyone seems to be really loving this place, but I was just not impressed. Let's start with the good. we called on a Saturday night. We were told that they are very busy but instead of declining our desire to dine there the hostess was amazing and took our name and told me she would give me a call back and let me know when a table opens up. - 5stars for service She called us and we did make it just in time they were clearing out a huge party, which took up the entirety of the middle of the restaurant and while there were smaller open tables because we were a party of five that is why we waited. Wi-Fi so don't ask the staff but they don't know and management were all very nice and tried to come by and help to no avail. We ordered a lot of food. The shrimp from the appetizers and that lovely orange sauce were delicious a little sweet, a little spicy, not overly greasy or too thick of coating. -4 stars We had the dry rub wings, which smelled like curry. - meh We got the chicken dumplings, which I was pleasantly surprised. They were not pork as most wontons and things like that in Asian restaurants are usually pork and they were quite tasty. 3.5 stars I ordered really expensive steak on the menu and that came out cooked medium as requested no disappointment there. 4stars I also asked about the mushroom rice dish which I was told was very flavorful, but I found it to be lacking flavor and was quite disappointed, despite the nice presentation. 1star not worth the price We ordered the prawns and they came with the head on. I needed to be peeled, which was not fun to do during dinner. I ordered the cucumbers thinking they would be delicious, but they also disappointed. The last menu item that I was a little underwhelmed with was the tartar which was edible but quite salty. I'm confident that the pork dishes are probably what the people coming and returning to this restaurant are raving about and while the decor is nice and the service is good I'm not sure that with so many wonderful places to eat in Orlando that this will be a repeat visit.

Yao's is the latest hot spot to come to the Central FL area and with that of course comes a lot of hype. We had the chance of checking them out the other night for dinner. First impressions upon walking in were that it's got a higher end modern hipster vibe to it which plays into a crowd being that it can be deemed as very instagram friendly. All that to say the ambiance is very playful and inviting and it's a great look for date night or a night out with the girls. I will also note that they are currently in their soft opening so things can very well change. The service we received was decent, nothing bad but also nothing special at the same time. We got a variety of things including the sticky ribs, fried chicken wings, firecracker shrimp, honey orange chicken, and yao's fried rice. The star of the show was undoubtedly the sticky ribs, they were good. They had a bit of sticky honey glaze topped with fried garlic. This was easily the best dish and as previously noted it was just good. The fried chicken wings we got were naked and it seemed they weren't meant to be served that way. It was also offered with a glaze on top but we opted for naked. They were very crispy but lacked any type of real taste to them. The firecracker shrimp lacked any type of originality, it tasted like something you've had before. The honey orange chicken was overwhelmingly citrusy, it was a task to get through them. The Yao's fried rice was decent at best, corn in fried rice is an interesting choice, personally I don't think it fit well in the rice and the sausage was a bit too sweet for my liking in the rice. Overall this place in my opinion is a bit overhyped simply due to the ambiance and the aesthetics of it. The food seems to be lacking any real originality to it which interestingly enough was supposed to be the appeal to Yao's. I think there is undoubtedly potential there but I think the food needs some work. Hopefully upon their grand opening things can improve on the food aspect.

Oh my goodness the new design of this restaurant is perfect.I will say please come check them out. I tried their black sesame seed ice cream made in house. It was phenomenal with the crisp on top. The chef sent his regards to me because I tried so many items. I was dinning solo and he they were so thankful for me checking them out. I was surprised to even be thanked as a normal person trying random menu items. I tried their wings and enjoyed the dried rub better. I have to go back and give it a try for new items. I know the staff advised me they switch of menu items every so often due to supply and demand.

Wow! I am very excited about this restaurant coming to Oviedo. In terms of Asian food, there is nothing like this in the area in my opinion and I eat a lot of Asian food. I heard about this restaurant opening online and took all of my friends to go try. We unintentionally came a little too early but management was very quick and nice enough to bring out chairs since one of the members of my party has a broken foot for him to sit in. I thought this was very kind of him. We waited and finally came in at opening and wow the ambiance is great. It is a very well decorated place, I was really impressed by the look of the restaurant. This would be perfect for a date night or taking a group to celebrate. We were told that there would be a cocktail menu eventually but for now the drinks were basic, but I believe in time they will have speciality drinks. So I would keep that in mind during the soft opening. The menu looked great, it definitely has an American twist, so I would keep that in mind since it's not your typical traditional Asian cuisine. I really like this concept, I think it's nice when restaurants get experimental. Some dishes that stood out to our table were the parmesan miso crab udon (this was the group favorite and imo a must order), we also loved the fried green beans, and the rice cakes. I was curious if they had dessert but I did not see it available on the menu, so maybe that will come eventually as they are in the soft opening. I really enjoyed the customer service, people came to our table very regularly to check up on us. Everyone in my table commented how happy they were with the service and it was something we all noticed was wonderful. I hope to come here again and bring more people to check this place out!

We went in seeing all the race reviews. The ambience and service were nice and spot on. My only problem was the food. I had a good expectation for this place but I was disappointed. We started with the firecracker shrimp. I really like the crunch and the sauce but I could smell and taste the burnt oil smell which was a turnoff. We ordered their yaos chicken upon recommendation but the sauce smelt fishy and the same burnt oil odor. I am not sure I would come back but I really wish they improve on their food quality.

Took forever to get seated with a reservation. The hostess kept answering the phone and making a line of people wait. I'll give her credit though. There was a party in front of us that was just rude to her when she couldn't find their reservation and she was patient and nice. Service was slow until about 8:30 when the kitchen was closing and they were getting ready for their NYE party. Then our server was attentive. I was super thirsty and our water was never refilled. I'd return for the food, but wasn't thrilled with the Baos or the Edamame. Baos were like a street taco with minimal meat. But would recommend the firecracker shrimp.

Terrific non traditional Chinese food. The menu is curated for adventure. If you are a fan of dim sum, get the sesame ball ice cream. You can't get that anywhere else and it is absolutely amazing. Ambiance is modern and clean. Very visually appealing, especially the full bar they have. Service was great as well, as my friends and I were sat at the bar and we never had an empty cup.

I loved the service and the food a lot! I would definitely recommend. I went here for valentines day and the scallion noodles, fried rice, and sticky ribs were above expectations

I wanna start off by saying that I do wish this restaurant success. My experience may not be yours. Ambiance is beautiful, music phenomenal. Vibes amazing. Those are the only good things I have to say about this restaurant. If you would like to take a picture here great, but if you came to get good tasting Chinese food turn around. To me it would be fitting to treat it as a bar because the happy hour menu has some promise. Ribs: 5/10 crunchy, tossed in a good glaze, but when the meat is dry... that's the only thing you remember. Wings: 7/10 But I think I would've liked the rib sauce and wing sauce to be swapped. Firecracker shrimp: 6/10 just ok. (A little too much mayo, but I understand it's bang bang) Market Price Not So Fire Roasted Fish: Fish was expected to be hot and flaky, but instead was presented with room temperature unevenly cooked fish (some parts overcooked, some parts undercooked). The fish was also baptized in Asian chimichurri sauce (although I couldn't understand what was Asian about it) and just all around not good. Not to mention it was very damp and mushy for something to be "fire roasted". Just stay away. Edward and Kyle were wonderful but the food was why I came and that was less than satisfactory. They have so much potential and poor execution! Husband- "Yao's about to be out of business if they don't change."

Delicious food! Highly recommend the rice cakes and fried rice! Easy for take out also

I took my husband to Yao's for his birthday because they said it's Shanghainese fusion food and my husband is from Shanghai. It was good but definitely nothing Shanghainese, more modern infusion. We ordered the D's Dumplings, Chili Wontons, Shanghai Sticky Ribs (for me the best) Firecracker Shrimps, Three Pigs Fried Rice, and the Wok Roasted Green Cabbage. The food was not so impressive and great, it was just ok for my opinion. The ambiance was good, very clean and modern looking good for instagram pictures or a date. The service was good and pretty fast too. In general for an experience is good to visit but if you are looking for amazing food experience I think it lack of it.

Situated in Oviedo, is Yao's restaurant. An incredibly thoughtful modern Chinese kitchen by Chef George Yiu. From the captivating design of the restaurant to the little touches in the food. It comes down to the details and they've held tellingly tight to those standards. Greeted by a warm welcome, we attended their grand opening. We couldn't help but to indulge. Dining with friends, we spent our time remarking on the flavors, steady hand and precision that it takes to run a restaurant to this caliber. We enjoyed their wok fried green beans(a seriously addictive game changer), Shanghai sticky ribs, charred edamame, dumplings, honey orange chicken, 3 pigs fried rice and their black sesame soft serve. They were masterfully executed. Where I assumed they could have, they didn't lean into the typical sugarcentric flavor bombs you'd find in other American Pan Asian restaurants. Even their desserts weren't overtly sweet. And we were grateful for it. One of my friends has started to eat pork over the past year or so. And I never know how he may respond to savoring it. Nonetheless, he is always willing to try. The 3 pigs rice was the first pork dish he's ever liked. Made with char siu, Chinese sausage, and bacon, charred to perfection with a secret spice, he devoured it. So much in fact that he almost ate the whole thing, we definitely should have ordered 2. The dumplings were lovely. Over the years I've had them in so many ways. I'm sure you likely have as well. However, that sear, fresh dough, oooOooo plus the fold; made these unquestionably the best dumplings I've ever had. The Shanghai sticky ribs were ordered twice.  A recipe made of outlier labor. Hours can be recounted in the number of times and ways Chef Yiu must have tinkered to get them to perfection. They were well worth it. It's too early to consider, but I would love a Yao's ice cream shop in the future. Their black sesame soft serve was spot on. Yao's hits the notes perfectly with finesse and it's surprisingly on the light side. It was a great way to end. The hype was real. I've been looking forward to attending Yao's for months. And it has exceeded my expectations. The ambiance, details, and little touches were all evident. Completely meditative and pronounced from start to finish. The food, space, bar and service were exceptional. The accolades are already rolling in and they're handling it smoothly. This was the first time I've ever seen a Chef and staff smile throughout service during their grand opening. Yao's, is the reflective work of a collective chasing their dream to fruition. And they're just getting started.

found them on Google maps while looking for schezuan food, walked in and was seated right away..the music caught my attention immediately , I was greeted by the host with a smile the service was swift and suggestions were plentifu. I love when a business starts strong

It was my first time at Yao's and the food and ambiance did not disappoint! I did 'Family style' with some friends, and was able to try a wide variety of items. My favorite was the fried rice, which had a really great balance of smokiness and sweetness from the Chinese sausages. Overall, it is a great spot for a date night, a large celebration, or a night out. Great service and yummy food, what more could you ask for!

This restaurant has no business being in a little plaza in Oviedo...but man am I glad it is. 6/5 stars. The food is spectacular. Definitely try the orange chicken. The ambiance looks breathtaking and the staff is incredible. Feels like ultra upscale with a humble vibe. Run don't walk to Yao's

We came on one of the first days of Yao's being open and they did not disappoint! Yao's brings great Asian cuisine to Oviedo when you normally have to drive to downtown or to Mills to experience anything like this! Immediately we were greeted by what felt like every employee and the owner and given amazing customer service the whole night. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The star of the night was definitely the Shanghai Sticky Ribs and the Parmesan Miso Udon, definitely coming back just for those! The interior design was beautiful as well, very modern and clean look inside. Even though they said it was one of their first days being open, we couldn't tell and everything about the night was perfect. Highly recommend checking them out if you are in the area!

From food, service and ambiance, Yao's delivers extraordinary quality and attention to detail. Located and invested in the Oviedo community but transported us away with fabulous flavors and fun vibes . Thank you.

The flavors were dynamite. Everything was delicious and service and ambiance excellent! Beautiful hole in the wall in Oviedo. No pics, we ate it all.

Our server did not know what draft beer meant. Their Mapo tofu clay pot was horrible. The tofu was so mashed up that there was nothing left of its original shape. It must have been made by a chef who did not know what real Mapo Tofu was. They also don't seem to know what clay pot cooking is all about.

This new spot is delicious. We tried several dishes and enjoyed all of them. One of our pan fried dumplings was pork and the other was vegetarian. Both were so good and very fresh. The crispy green beans were battered but bot heavy. Ribs were outstanding with peanuts sprinkled on top. The salad was big and dressed perfectly. The honey orange was battered but very tasty..great deals on happy hour..go here..we will be back

Amazing food and service. A fantastic twist of modern Chinese food. Food tastes as great as it looks. Love the vibe of restaurant,is great for intimate gatherings. 10 out of 10 would recommend the Mongolian Beef!

We did take out to try some items on the menu. It's not typical Chinese food. We did large plate portions of the chicken lo mein and orange chicken. Take out service was fast, hot and well packaged. Ambiance of the restaurant appeared modern, clean and nice. The orange chicken pieces were essentially large chicken tenders wrapped in a tasty batter. The chili wontons were not really that hit or spicy and quite oily. The chicken lo mein had large serves of vegetables that had crunch. While the meal was good, nothing stood out as super tasty that left you wanting more.

This is not your average neighborhood Chinese restaurant. Everything is cooked to order and the owner's have very high expectations for what they serve. Everything is delicious, but if you want one thing to try, it would be the Shanghai Sticky Ribs. If you are on the vegan side of things, try the Vegan Dumplings and the Mapo Tofu. Service is excellent and the inside is pleasantly decorated - suitable for date night.

What a remarkable dining experience! We sampled so many delicious dishes! Every dish was served hot and flavorful! What a cornucopia of culinary delights! The cocktails were next level! Cozy atmosphere and phenomenal service! We can't wait to go again!

Food was delicious and service was great. Atmosphere was very pleasant. Great restaurant for a special occasion or a date night. $$

We had my wife's birthday celebration at Yao's and everything was perfect ! The small plates were excellent and the entries even better. We all had a sampling of everything on the menu. Service was excellent. We now have a favorite place to go !

I went to Yao's with some friends for their 3rd opening day and we really enjoyed our time there. The servers and staff were very welcoming and accommodating. They have a modern design with an upscale atmosphere. Yao's offers a slight twist on asian classics. Starting with the mapo tofu tots, they took tater tots, layered mapo tofu on top, and then an additional layer of melted mozzarella above. At first this dish looked absurd, however, after tasting, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the flavors meshed together. The firecracker shrimp had excellent flavor and the fried rice was really well seasoned. One thing to note is that the large plates are quite large for one person, especially when ordering small plates alongside them, definitely recommend splitting the large plates with other party members. The beef stir fry was another great addition to our meal, tasted amazing. However, make sure not to let the rice cakes cool down too much or else they will become a bit harder to chew. Overall a great restaurant that I would definitely recommend checking out with friends and family.

New joint on Oviedo--not far from UCF. WOW--double wow! Extremely well made Asian food--prob the best around. I spoke with one of the owners, George---and praised him to no end. Guys--keep it up and you will be the top restaurant in Oviedo--For sure! Bob

What a delicious new experience! First of all, the outside has a beautiful grass area to relax and talk with friends. Great if your kids need to let off steam before dinner. The inside is done beautifully. I love the red lighting. The bartender was so nice and helped us pick. The dumplings and the tuna are my favorite. I could have eaten 3 more but I already ate so much. I will be back

Well. This changes everything. While UCF's presence pummels our options with corporate output units, along comes someone and someplace that says Nope to all that. Before you taste anything, the kitchen presents as a back line, a window, and Chef's garnish table out front and in the light. Every plate gets his permission. I watched a couple share wine they brought while I tried to figure out how to decrease my order from all the things I wanted to try to something normal. I settled on Shanghai ribs, chili wontons, and tuna tartare. The ribs came on strong recommendation when I gave up and let my server guide. They come out like firewood stacked 2 on 2 and I don't know what part of St. Louis these ribs come from, but I can name a dozen barbecue places that need to hear about these. The meat was thicker than the bone and they were well trimmed of all that oh dear not pork fat. I'm on the oh dear not sugar side, and sweet chili worked because it wasn't candy, it was an accent to a flavor. Oh, and they're not that nuclear accident red you get at Chinese takeout. Chili wontons, the only item on the menu with two campfires next to it warning the beef with broccoli crowd to steer clear, are made with house chili oil and shaped very chopstick-friendly. My preference would be one more campfire, which I'm sure they'll accommodate next time. I also need to figure out if this chili oil works for me, it's a little one-dimensional, like it's getting all its heat from one ingredient. Tuna tartare was a stack of chopped tuna, avocado and cucumber served with fried wonton discs to transfer the food from the plate into nom nom nom. More a palate cleanser really, with avocado cut so tiny it never stood out. I think this would amp up if the avocado was given as much attention as the radish since a lot of avocado is the feel, especially when it competes with rice wine vinegar. For take out, I ordered egg rolls, dumplings, and chicken wings. The egg rolls needed to be tried because they had curry chicken and potato in them. Presented like Cal-Mex baja eggrolls, the ends were chewier than expected, the content bland, and the cilantro crema added texture without being otherwise present. Dumplings change seasonally and were traditional, what you'd call potstickers or Peking ravioli. The thin wrapper makes these about the stuffing, not about a wad of dough. Chicken wings are offered with char siu sauce or, mocking the industry, "take-out seasoning." Picking sauce yielded breaded wings wearing a glaze. The breading was a surprise and an obstacle and the wings had an awful lot of chew. Next time: beef with broccoli sandwich? Served with fries?

An amazing first visit last night. Lovely design with open kitchen. Employees were great and met the owner George. I've been waiting for a good Chinese restaurant to open and I found it. Impeccable service, visible employees working the room and fresh Chinese fusion.

Went here for a soft opening and the food and service was pretty good. The decor is very modern and very inviting for a hangout spot with friends. Most of the food was pretty good but my favorite was the Mongolian ribeye steak special. The steak sauce had a little twist to it with shaoxing wine I think.

We showed up to Yao's before they opened the manager or someone from the wait staff unlocked the door and told us they wouldn't be opening for another 45 minutes. They brought chairs for us to sit on outside and they were super accommodating. When we sat down our waiter was really friendly and knowledgeable on the menu even though they've only been opened 3 days. I love to ask the waiter for their favorite drink because they only know best and what he made me was delicious. We order a lot of food and everything was amazing, but the one think that stood out was the Parmesan crab miso udon. I could eat it every day it was amazing it was very creamy and rich and there was a lot of crab in the dish. The restaurant itself was very clean and it looked great. The lighting was just right and they had some nice music in the background. I will definitely be back

I had a great time at Yao's grand opening! It has a sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere. The food was great and reasonably priced. I had the three pigs fried rice, which I loved, vegan dumplings, Yellow Curry egg roll, and edamame. The service was friendly, and welcoming. Amy's moon cakes were there as well, so I had to get one of each that was offered. I enjoyed my time there and I hope to go back soon with some more free time to enjoy arcade monsters next door.

Trendy modern take on Chinese food, exactly what the area needed. The food came out quickly and was so so good. Definitely recommend for a quick bite or even a date night.Parmesan Crab Miso Udon was a crowd favorite!

Ordered takeout from Yao's. The food was very good and tasty. You can tell it was prepared fresh, with fresh ingredients. My only negative statement was that the spicy items were not that spicy. Otherwise, I was very pleased with the quality of the food. I would certainly get take out or eat there again. I highly recommend.