Firstborn

Tucked inside Mandarin Plaza in LA’s Chinatown, Firstborn brings a fresh perspective to Chinese American dining. The green-tiled dining room strikes a balance between polished sophistication and neighborhood warmth, making it equally suited for an intimate date night or a casual dinner with friends. It’s the kind of place where a book club can comfortably discuss their next read while couples enjoy a quiet evening together.

The kitchen treats Chinese culinary traditions as a creative springboard rather than a rigid blueprint. Standout dishes include a clever steak tartare that uses chilled mapo tofu as its foundation, with smoky beef and sweet dried fig bits creating an unexpectedly harmonious combination. The cumin lamb arrives as an impressive thick-cut saddle rather than the typical skewered bites, bathed in fragrant Sichuan peppercorn jus and accompanied by shredded potatoes that look like glass noodles but deliver a satisfying crunch. For the table, the Chongqing fried chicken is a must-order—massive, shatteringly crispy drumsticks that lean more Southern than Sichuan but deliver on juiciness and crunch.

Beyond the food, Firstborn’s cocktail program deserves attention. The bar team crafts drinks that mirror the kitchen’s inventive spirit, like a mandarin negroni or a Sichuan peppercorn paloma that add unexpected twists to classics. The servers strike the right note—knowledgeable without being preachy, attentive without hovering.

Whether you’re stopping in for drinks and a few small plates after catching a game or settling in for a full evening of exploration, Firstborn delivers an experience that feels both ambitious and approachable. It defies easy categorization, and that’s precisely what makes it worth a visit.