Jamillah Garden

The food is good, but it is not like a great date place. The walls are old and stained. The service is slow.
Go for the food if you go.

This place has decent food, but only when you sit in. I’ve been there a number of times. The service is a little slow, but the food is always fresh and it tastes great. If you want different chinese food this than the standard dish you can try this place out.
However, if you order take out, they have been 0 for 2 on getting the orders correct and then try to claim that you ordered it that way. I will not order take out from there ever.
I give it 4 because the food is good but the take out sucks…

I ate at this place long ago because I think Gustavo gave it points. We liked it but were generally unimpressed. We tried it again a couple of years later. It was fine if you lived across the street but driving for five minutes was bad math.
I was just thumbing around in a very informative site,
. Yeah, it lists the results of random food inspections by the county. I check it out once in a while hoping to not see any of my favorite places. Mostly I don’t see my places. Whew!
But Jamillah Gardens has got a boatload of closures in the past couple of years. They should get a plaque for that or something. They really don’t seem to care too much. Check it out:

To read these things you need to note the results of the «Follow-​Up» inspections. These people can’t even pass that. When you get cited for cockroach infestations on the *2^nd follow-​up*, man that is lame!
Note also that besides being hammered twice in 2009 and again on the 19^th of January, that a number of these are complaints were initiated by complaints the public!

place gets randomly packed every now and then.
the food is really delicious — favorites are the seseame & green onion bread (seems that everyone raves about it for a reason), and their house noodles — its fresh noodles, sliced free-​hand into the wok — you can taste the freshness.
its a good place to go, especially with a family or a big group so you can try out a good variety.

In reading the other reviews, the change in ownership (didn’t know about it) explains my past experiences here. I used to come here quite often, usually for lunch, and they had terrific food that was quick. My last time there, I had ordered Kung Pao chicken to go… it took damn well 20 minutes (used to take less than 10), and there were only two tables of patrons, all of whom had their food already. Oh, and 5 of those minutes were because someone left my bag of food on a table, and didn’t tell any other person that my order was up. I even got up to ask what the hold up was, and the answer is «just a couple more minutes.» With the quality of the food also going down, I don’t see much reason to come back here.

I have been wanting to try this place for quite sometime, but whenever I get my mind to it, I’m either too tired to drive to Tustin from Mission Viejo or my family has vetoed me and we end up getting something else to eat.
Well, this time I won.
Jamillah Garden is located in an industrial park in Tustin off Walnut Ave between Jamboree and Tustin Ranch Road. It’s in a small complex that also houses a sushi restaurant that has changed hands several times as well as nail/​beauty salon.
Now Jamillah isn’t the most pretty restaurant. The place is a bit run down and there hasn’t been any remarkable upgrades since they moved in. They have seating for probably around 65 and is lit by florescent lights in a drop down ceiling. I have always been one of those folks that believes that ambiance is part of the equation to good food — but not all of it. In the case of Jamillah Garden, the food fortunately outweighs the shortcomings.
For dinner we had an assortment of dishes:
Sliced Beef with Green Onions
Beef with Broccoli
Kung Pao Chicken
Crispy Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
Fish Filet in a Black Bean Sauce
Now what Islamic Chinese cooking is all about is their noodles and breads. They also use Halal meats and the freshest of seafood. Unfortuantely the family chose to stick with the more familiar Chinese dishes. Jamillah prides themselves on homemade noodles and their famous sesame bread. I will have to dine there, on my own, and sample some dishes that are more traditional in the Islamic Chinese way.

The food here used to be incredibly amazing when sister Jamillah herself owned the place. Once she sold it, the quality of service and food has taken a serious negative dive…
My family and I had been going to this place since ’99 I believe… and now I’m even disgusted whenever someone mentions it as an option for Halal Chinese…
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND going to: MAS ISLAMIC CHINESE in Anaheim, CA — as it is owned/​operated by Sister Jamillah herself… you’ll find some old waiters/​servers that used to work at the original JG working at MAS and it is an excellent and pleasant experience. The food at MAS is simply amazing, reminding you of the good old days a JG and the ambiance is off the charts!!!
Coming back to topic… I would highly recommend you NOT go to this restaurant if you’re looking for Halal Chinese food…

POOR SERVICE & LOUSY BUSINESS ATTITUDE, FOOD OK!
We’ve been going to this restaurant on and off for about 8 years now. Before it got sold out to another owner the service and food was really good and fast. The crowd was coming good also.
But now, ever since they are under so called the new «management», this joint ain’t what it used to be. We don’t get seated quickly when there are hardly any customer in the restaurant. The waiter seemed to have problem taking order in plain English. Poorly under-​staffed and long wait for our dishes to arrive seemed to be the common theme with this restaurant. The cashier middle east person don’t really gives a damn when you are ready to pay them the money. What gives, what kind of restaurant is this running under?
I used to order hand-​carved northern style Chinese noodle with either beef or shrimp, it used to be good. But when all the hustling and bustling is gone, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I don’t really go there any longer, because I don’t think they gives a hoot about what they do…

I’ve been going here ever since I was little with my family, and I guess because of it i’ve always had a taste for the food they serve here. I didn’t realize management changed, but that would certainly explain why recently the place hasn’t been as good as it used to be. It seemed to be better this last Sunday when I went, but previously there was a persian fellow that seemed disinterested in helping anyone. This time around it was an older asian fellow and woman, who was far better.
Still, while the food quality seems to be inconsistent, I still like the food here above other Chinese places around Irvine. My girlfriend and I specifically love the sauteed shrimp, orange chicken, and fish in spicy sauce. My parents still love the large sesame bread with green onions too. I can see why the service can be a turnoff for people, but I really enjoy the food and seeing this place fairly empty lately I hope business picks up for them.

Ever since the ownership changed, the quality of food has gone down, while prices have gone up. The service is really poor, since the place seems understaffed.
The owner is really rude and mean.
The clientele is mostly Muslim, looking for Halal (kinda like Kosher, for Muslims) food. The former owner started a bigger place called Mas’ Islamic Chinese Restaurant in Fullerton. If you can, drive there…
My experience was very similar to Eileen C and Omar A (See their reviews).

Excited to hear that JG had re-​opened, my family had dinner there on Christmas (what stereotypical Jews!) and it felt just like old times…
The décor is bright, cheap, and plain. Definitely not as comforting as the fresh, tasty, and MSG-​free food. A big fridge near the kitchen boasts canned sodas and a smaller freezer holds some kind of frozen desserts. The lazy susans on each table allow for easy food and sauce access for anyone in your party with a simple spin.
Some of the highlights of the meal were the warm layered sesame bread, soft and fluffy, with scallions baked inside. This bread takes about a half an hour to bake fresh so order it first thing or you will be eating it for dessert like we did. The beef with Chinese broccoli was delicious and the chicken (with mushrooms) was extremely tender but had no fat on it at all and was Hallal, if that sort of thing pertains to your lifestyle. Also, the mu shu chicken still rocks as hard as it did when I was 11 years old.
We ordered a LOT of food and had quite a few leftovers, but the meal only cost about $ 10/​person. I’d say that’s a good deal. The only reason my rating went down was because our server had a lot of trouble understanding us and didn’t seem too familiar with the menu. I find this mostly forgivable because A) I taught ESL for 6 months and have a soft spot for anyone who is trying to learn this stupid language and B) it was Christmas and she was probably just covering for the night because how many people would want to work on Christmas? However, her confusion resulted in us receiving two wrong dishes and never getting any Sriracha. My family was less than pleased about that, but luckily the food made up for it because even the wrong dishes (scallion pie and three flavor fried rice) were delicious.

Without of doubt, Panda Express DOES have more décor than this place. Office-​like feel with ridiculous karaōke midi music in the background driving my boyfriend and I crazy.
The service was «meh». First, we had to stand around and wait until one of our booth tables got clean which was awkward when there wasn’t that many people around in the first place. We were kinda just standing there being watched by the one family eating dinner and the group of friends right next to us.
After we sat down, the food arrived fairly quickly as we were one of three-​four groups that was there on a Sunday night and one of the last ones to leave. Considering that we were one of the last to leave, they must have stopped caring about looking professional because toward the end of the night, some of the staff hung out in the dining area and proceeded to have a small, but seemingly heated discussion about the tip box.
So, when our server came to take our payment, the boyfriend asked whether or not she will receive our tip directly. She reservedly replied that it all goes into a communal tip box. Considering the small discussion about said tip box and since we both have previously worked for shady restaurant owners who refuse to give us our much deserved tip or at least, less than what we actually earned, he and I concluded that the reason why the service is sub-​par is because they do not give the servers their tips.
Despite the seemly lack of service, I will continue to patronize this place for the following reason. This is an ISLAMIC restaurant. It would seem that this is an Islamic place first and Chinese second. So while you may find better, possibly more «authentic» Chinese flavors and ingredients in other Chinese restaurants, I rather be eating here at a «okay» service place with «okay food» but being able to eat their dishes without concerning myself with the question «Can I eat this?»
Even if you aren’t Muslim, please understand, you will find no pork, crab, lobster nor alcohol in this joint. To ask otherwise, would be a grave insult or at the very least, showing yourself to be completely ignorant. So, don’t be so surprised if someone gets upset or dismissive at your lack of simple courtesy.
As for the price, he and I ordered their Triple Flavor Fried Rice (beef, chicken and shrimp) with Kung Pao Beef and a Pepsi to share between the two of us. Everything totaled $ 18 and some change plus $ 3 «tip». Most of the meat dishes cost less than $ 10 a la carte, while the seafood dishes cost $ 10-​$ 12. Dinner specials are around $ 10-​$ 12 and Lunch Specials are also around $ 10. It’s affordable for struggling recent college grads like us and at the very least, a nice change from the even greasier, yet cheap and still edible, $ 1 Chow Mien at a regular olé hole in the wall.

Maybe it was the food which ordered. Lamb with noodles, spicy bean curd, shrimp. All full of salt and possibly msg. I needed many refills on my water and tea. The service was slow and the food just wasn’t right. We were here half a year ago and it was pretty good, but something must have happened.

I urge you all to boycott this restaurant.
I used to go here a lot, but it really isn’t what it used to be anymore. I used to love this place because it was the only place I could get a sesame big cake (direct Chinese translation. It’s bread).
But for the second time in the row, my mom and I received incredibly poor service.
The first time was a Friday afternoon. The host said it was busy and I probably wouldn’t get my food for 25 minutes. But I said, okay, well I really want my sesame big cake so we sat down. He gestured us to sit at a table that was clearly dirty. To make matters much worse, 30 minutes passed and no one came to take our order, or even ask us if we wanted tea or water! I was so frustrated I left emptyhanded.
The next time was today. My mom went there when it opened to get my sesame big cake and paid for the order at 11:25. When did she get her food? AN HOUR LATER. and if you take a look at the pictures I’ve provided, it looked like crap! It was so burnt and nasty looking, I couldn’t even eat it! Basically it was a COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME.
I am definitely never coming here again.

Read about here years ago in OC Weekly, and finally remembered it when he was craving Chinese the other day. Called over to confirm a few things (open til 10, takes credit cards) beforehand. Can’t believe it’s only five miles away.
Only one other table was being served when we arrived. However I had to keep in mind a) it’s a holiday weekend and b) It’s barely 5 o’clock. This put my worries at ease as we settled in.
There’s an extensive selection for both lunch and dinner combo specials, but we were feeling particularly picky this evening. We started with their sizzling rice soup with three meats (beef, chicken, shrimp), which really hit the spot. Everything was taken care of by one man, who was quite efficient and friendly.
As a few more parties entered, our next courses made their way to us. I had ordered the scallion/​sesame bread (thick, per his recommendation), and boy, they weren’t skimping on carbs! We barely made it through half before boxing it up. I’m heating some now, in fact. A quick mix of soy sauce/​vinegar added some flavor then. Right now, I’m trying balsamic vinegar and it’s working fine.
Per a fellow Unilocaler we also got some sauteed spinach. Garlicky and cooked just so. Lastly got an order of the noodles with seafood. The wide flat noodles reminded me a bit of lasagna. It was fine, but I wasn’t in much of a seafood mood. We were still craving more, and so we gave in to our Americanized ways and asked for some «sweet sour» chicken. It was battered like a McNugget and oh so good.
I’d come back for take out and get the soup and a thin scallion pancake. Those ice cream bars by the register looked tempting too.
Don’t go here for atmosphere, though. There was no music whatsoever, so dinner almost bordered on awkward silence.

Also my first time having Islamic Chinese food.
And it’s veryveryvery delicious. Much better than any other regular Chinese restaurant. My friends and I all agree.
You won’t find any pork here. They claim their meat is Halal.
I really enjoyed the ox tail warmpot.
And my friends liked the hot and sour soup with chicken.
The jellyfish platter has an unsettling texture and is overpowered with lemon. Pass on this.
They have a good selection of vegetarian dishes as well. And they can also substitute tofu for meat. Woohoo.
I lovelovelove their ice creams. Try the pistachio! You can also take a couple of the bars home with you and eat them later. So good!
Finally, service is incrediblyincredibly slow. Be super patient and don’t come here if you have tight schedule or a meeting to make.
I’d describe the décor as very casual. Panda Express has more style. Come here for the food and a good chat amongst friends. Not for special occasions or business.

My first Chinese Islamic restaurant experience, and I will definetely return again. It’s one of my favorite Chinese food places in Orange County.
The outer appearance may be a little daunting, however, the food and taste makes up for it.
We ordered their specialty 3 meat dough slice chow mein (chicken, shrimp, beef), sauteed chinese broccoli, and the lamb noodle soup.
Usually, I’m not a huge fan of lamb but this place does a nice job of «hiding» that gamey taste that I usually find repulsing.
On another note, they have a a mini ice cream freezer next to the cashier which I find a little weird.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had Chinese Islamic food so when hubby was craving some sesame pancake, we Unilocaled it and found Jamillah Garden. The menu is almost identical to other Islamic Chinese restaurants so we didn’t really have a problem ordering.
We knew we wanted the sesame pancake with scallions and since it usually takes about 20 mins, we ordered that fast. The spicy beef tendon arrived first being a cold appetizer. It was very good, although not spicy at all.
The mapo tofu was highly disappointing. I can make it better at home. This one was mild, so mild that lil guy could eat it with no problem. Beef with leek was very flavorful and what impressed me about Jamillah Garden was the fact that the food was not swimming in oil like other Islamic Chinese restaurants. For that I gave it an extra star.
When the star of the meal arrived, I noticed that they didn’t sprinkle salt in between the layers of dough before cooking it so it lacked that much needed flavor. A dip of soy sauce does the trick. Again, the pancake was not oily so I was happy with that. The regular scallion pancake (chong you bing) which lil guy likes was more like naan bread than real Chinese chong you bing but given the clientele of mostly Middle Eastern and south Asians, that’s probably a good thing.
No pork, alcohol and everything is halal (kosher) according to Muslim rules.

One of my friends is Muslim and he has heard about broccoli beef and Kung Pao Chicken. He never got a chance to try it until now! (Things we take for granted, huh?)
Besides him, one of the people I play tennis with who is a Muslim also likes this place. He said it’s a break for him to order only seafood at local restaurants!
Service is ok and it’s not as fancy as Mas’ Islamic in Anaheim.
But, it has Mongolian Lamb! =)

Pretty good Islamic Chinese food.
Wouldn’t go out of my way though.