Welcome to Little Pan
At Little Pan, a vibrant Chinese eatery in Santa Ana, culinary traditions come alive through an innovative twist on classic flavors. This women-owned restaurant specializes in pan-fried buns, showcasing standout dishes like the indulgent 24K Gold Black Truffle Pan-Fried Bun and the savory House Special Pork Buns, both garnering rave reviews for their unique taste and perfect texture. Committed to inclusivity, Little Pan offers vegan options and accessible dining, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for all. With an emphasis on quality and authenticity, this inviting space is perfect for casual brunches, lunches, or delightful dinners, making it a must-visit for food enthusiasts.
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2 Hutton Centre Dr Unit 202 Santa Ana, CA 92707 United States Hotline: (657) 232-0154
Welcome to Little Pan, a delightful culinary gem nestled in Santa Ana, California. This women-owned restaurant specializes in authentic Chinese cuisine, particularly famous for its unique Shanghai-style pan-fried buns. With a commitment to quality and innovation, Little Pan invites patrons to explore a menu that creatively blends traditional flavors with modern twists.
At Little Pan, the atmosphere is casual yet vibrant, ideal for groups or a relaxed meal alone. The restaurant features a variety of utilities designed for customer comfort, including delivery and takeout options, outdoor seating, and wheelchair accessibility, making it a welcoming space for everyone. And, for those eco-conscious diners, you'll appreciate the compostable containers and reusable tableware offered as part of their sustainability efforts.
- Must-Try Dishes:
- 24K Gold Black Truffle Pan-Fried Buns – For a luxurious treat, these buns burst with rich flavors.
- House Special Pan-Fried Buns – A crowd favorite, praised for their perfect fry and flavorful broth.
- Mini Angus Beef Pan-Fried Buns in Chili Oil – A fun choice, though some diners find the chili oil could use more oomph.
- Dan Dan Noodles – Celebrated for their authentic taste, this dish leaves a lasting impression on your palate.
- Rainbow Dumplings – A colorful array that's as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the taste buds.
- Appetizers:
- Spicy Cabbage and Sweet & Sour Cucumber – These light bites are perfect for whetting your appetite.
- Beef Pancakes – Slightly sweet with a delightful texture that keeps diners coming back.
- Wonton Soup with Shrimp – A comforting dish that offers seaweed-forward flavors, creating a warm, inviting experience.
Dining at Little Pan is not just a meal; it’s an experience filled with culinary creativity and warm service. Although some diners have shared mixed reviews on specific dishes—like the mini Angus or shrimp and leek buns—most agree that the standout items shine bright, making it worth the trip. From their signature pan-fried variations to refreshing dumplings, you're bound to find something you love.
Parking may be a challenge at peak times, but the effort is well rewarded inside this cozy eatery. Whether you're looking to indulge in comfort food or explore new flavors, Little Pan promises a unique and satisfying experience that your taste buds will thank you for.
For those craving a flavorful escape into the world of Chinese cuisine, Little Pan is the perfect destination. Call them today at (657) 232-0154 or visit them at 2 Hutton Centre Dr Unit 202, Santa Ana, CA 92707 to delight in the culinary treasures they offer.
Mini Angus Beef Pan Fried Bun in Chili Oil: 7/10, the chili oil was honestly kind of bland but the mini fried buns were good. House Special Pan-Fried Buns: 8/10! First time trying these and they honestly were very good, the broth was flavorful and the buns were fried to perfection. Would recommend this.
Pretty quick service and decent food House special pork buns: 5/5 Shrimp and leek buns: 3/5. Too much leek for me, prob wouldn't order again Beef pancake: 4/5
The most unique Shanghai Style Pan-Fried Buns we've ever seen! At @littlepanfriedbun you'll find golden, pan-fried buns bursting with flavor. We got both savory (pork, and cheese & corn) and sweet (chocolate) to try and neither disappoint! Along with many other traditional dishes, you'll also find @949grilllounge inside who serves up sizzling Chinese BBQ that'll have your taste buds dancing. Parking might be a bit difficult depending on the time you go but the service is so nice! Whether you're in the mood for a quick bite or full on feast, this dynamic duo brings you the best of both worlds!
Been wanting to try this place for a while due to its high ratings and finally got around to trying. We went on a Friday at lunch after realizing their online ordering system was broken. Conveniently, there was a Take Out kiosk right outside the door of the restaurant. Everything was pretty reasonably priced especially for the area and we ended up getting xiao long Bao, rainbow fumbling a, assorted Bao, and Dan Dan noodles. XLB: 3/5 nothing special Rainbow dumplings: 3/5 nothing special Assorted Bao: 4/5 the curry Bao were delicious and if I were to go again I'd get only the curry bao Dan Dan noodles: 5/5! Amazing and I'd come back just for these Overall, my experience wasn't awful and I'd come back for the curry bao and Dan Dan noodles
The wonton soup with shrimp has a very seaweed forward flavor which I enjoyed. The beef pancake is a little sweet for my liking, the baos, XLB and pan fried are filled with so much soup! Definitely going to be a spot I come back to! Service was friendly and it wasn't too busy when I came but it was on a weekday around midday.
Found this place because I was influenced on TikTok. I like this spot for a snack purposes and snack purposes only. -24k Gold Black Truffle Pan Fried Buns - Expensive because its truffle and "gold". It was good but definitely a one time thing. As soon as you bite into it, the entire filling falls out in one drop. Then you're left with an overcooked, hollow bun and you'll need utensils to finish up. The best thing, and what I really came for, was the cup of mini pan fried buns. I got this as a snack and it was convenient with it being attached to my drink. I'll be back to get this to go as a snack but I wouldn't come back for a whole dinner.
Great food! Hard to find shen jian bao in the US with the thin skin. Usually it's pan fried buns with a lot of bread. I really enjoyed the food here. Delicious and fair priced
We've been to this location over half a dozen times and sad to report that we had a pretty bad experience this last time around (2 stars - passable). All the previous experiences were excellent though, so we'll probably come back again in hopes they didn't permanently change something. One thing that changed from the previous time was that they added quite a few new menu items. Will have to try those out in the future. Had their signature pan fried buns and the order came out in a few minutes. It was a bit fishy since they're normally made to order and take about 15 minutes. Sure enough, the temperature on these were lukewarm (instead of piping hot) and very little broth - the bun had soaked up a bit of it. Also ordered some XLB - they were at a slightly better temperature. Got some veggies - sweet and sour cucumber + some stir fried greens - both decent. I've tried a lot of their pan fried buns and would recommend pretty much all of them - regular, shrimp leek, curry, chocolate. The mini Angus I thought was gimmicky and not worth it (no soup). Today, we tried the Corn Cheese... one of the strangest concoctions I have had before. It's mainly a Mozzarella-like cheese with a tiny bit of corn. They also add some sugar to it. Don't recommend this one.