The name says it all. Anthony Wang is the firstborn American in a Chinese immigrant family, and his debut restaurant in LA's Chinatown is the most personal project you'll find on any Michelin list this year. Firstborn occupies the former Pok Pok space in Mandarin Plaza, a building his partners' family has owned since 1972, and it serves a $68 four-course prix fixe that bridges Chinese heritage with French bistronomy and California produce.
When Michelin added Firstborn to its California guide in March 2026, it validated what LA food critics had been saying since the restaurant opened in spring 2025: this is one of the most exciting chef debuts in the city.
Chef Anthony Wang: The Career Behind the Restaurant
Wang's path to Firstborn wasn't a straight line. Born in Miami, raised in Atlanta, he trained in Boston before landing in Los Angeles and working his way through some of the city's most ambitious kitchens.
His resume reads like a tour of LA's creative dining peak: Ink (Michael Voltaggio's modernist sensation), Auburn, APL, Destroyer (Jordan Kahn's boundary-pushing lunch spot), and The Barish. At Auburn, during the pandemic, he created a Sichuan-inspired takeout menu that hinted at what was to come.
Through all of it, Wang was building toward something personal. He conceptualized Firstborn in 2022, drawing on childhood memories of family visits to Beijing and Changchun, the textures of LA farmers markets, and the techniques he'd absorbed across a decade in professional kitchens.
The Partnership
Wang partnered with hospitality veteran Bill Chait and Mandarin Plaza owners Martin and Scott Lee. The Lee family built the plaza in 1972, and having Firstborn anchor the space brings new energy to a building with deep Chinatown history. The restaurant sits alongside Steep LA, LaSorted's pizza, and Café Triste in what's becoming one of LA's most interesting food courtyards.
The $68 Prix Fixe Menu
Firstborn launched as an a la carte restaurant in spring 2025 before switching to a four-course prix fixe format on February 7, 2026. At $68 per person, it's one of the best-value tasting experiences in Los Angeles, especially now that it carries Michelin recognition.
Course One: Choose Your Opening
The first course offers several directions. The wagyu beef tongue carpaccio arrives with fermented kohlrabi, mala vinaigrette, and arugula, delivering bold Sichuan heat on a sophisticated canvas. The chilled artichokes with mushroom dashi, sea lettuce, marinated tofu, and trout roe offer a lighter, more delicate start. The trout tartare with oro blanco, preserved chilies, and jasmine splits the difference between bright and rich.
Course Two: Where Heritage Meets Technique
The second course builds on the opening. Duck sausage en crépinette showcases French technique with ingredients that nod to Chinese flavors. The mapo tofu preparation reimagines a Sichuan classic.
Main Courses and Signature Dishes
The Liberty Duck has become the signature plate, a celebration of California's best poultry treated with Wang's cross-cultural instincts. The egg custard with peas, bay scallops, and fried shiso offers an example of how the kitchen handles delicate textures.
Dessert
The strawberry dessert closes the meal with seasonal California fruit.
The Bar at Firstborn
The a la carte menu lives on at the bar, which is run by Kenzo Han, formerly of The Varnish and Steep LA. His cocktail program draws on Asian ingredients without becoming gimmicky. The osmanthus and fermented rice sour is a standout, alongside tea-infused drinks and riffs on classics.
The bar operates on a first-come, first-served basis, which means you don't need a reservation to experience Firstborn's cooking. Show up, grab a stool, and order off the bar menu with cocktails.
Han's approach has drawn praise from nearly every reviewer. KevinEats described the cocktails as "informative, generous, and not overly sweet." The wine list focuses on French selections, keeping things tight and deliberate.
The Space
Mandarin Plaza's courtyard entrance sets the tone. You enter through the courtyard host station rather than the Broadway door, passing through a lively scene that opens up the streetscape. The former Pok Pok space has been transformed into something that matches Wang's vision: casual elegance, warm without being stuffy, and thoughtfully designed to feel like a neighborhood spot that happens to serve Michelin-level food.
Historical touches ground the space. The restaurant's website features an unknown photographer's image of a Chinese cook and waitstaff in an Old Chinatown restaurant circa 1900, from The Huntington Library collection. That kind of detail tells you this isn't a chef using Chinatown as a backdrop. It's a chef honoring the community he's joining.
Practical Information
Address: 978 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours: Wednesday through Thursday and Sunday: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Friday and Saturday: 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Price: $68 per person prix fixe (bar menu a la carte, $$)
Phone: 213-537-0142
Website: firstborn.la
Payment: AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa (no cash)
Dress Code: Business casual. The vibe is elevated but not formal.
How to Get a Reservation
Firstborn takes reservations through OpenTable, where it holds a 4.7/5 rating. The restaurant isn't as impossible to book as some of the more limited-capacity spots on the Michelin list, but demand has spiked since the March 2026 announcement.
Booking Tips
Weeknight reservations (Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday) are easier to score than Friday or Saturday.
The bar is always an option for walk-ins. If the prix fixe is booked, the bar menu offers a la carte access to many of the same flavors.
Book early in the week for best availability. Post-Michelin demand is real.
Who Firstborn Is Best For
Date night: The courtyard entrance, cocktail program, and prix fixe format make it an ideal date spot. Casual enough that you don't feel stiff, elevated enough that it feels special.
Food-curious diners: If you've never had Chinese American food treated with this level of technical precision, Firstborn will expand your idea of what the cuisine can be.
Chinatown explorers: Mandarin Plaza is becoming a destination. Start with cocktails at Steep LA, have dinner at Firstborn, grab pizza at LaSorted's. It's a full evening.
Value seekers: At $68 for four courses from a Michelin-recognized kitchen, this is one of the best deals in LA fine dining. Add cocktails from Kenzo Han's bar and you're still spending less than most tasting menus.
Not ideal for: Anyone looking for traditional Chinese food (this is decidedly modern), large groups seeking shared plates (it's a prix fixe format), or visitors who want a trendy scene over substance.
What Critics Say
Eater LA highlighted the prix fixe switch and praised Firstborn as one of the most creative chef debuts in LA's current dining landscape.
Resy Blog called it "a highly personal venture, reflecting Wang's journey as the first in his Chinese immigrant family to be born in America." They described it as a buzzy bistro that brings heartfelt diasporic cooking to Mandarin Plaza.
KevinEats praised the French bistronomie influences and inventive approach, calling it an exciting 2025 debut and one of the more important Chinatown openings in recent memory.
Modern Luxury described the restaurant as "a personal culinary odyssey," emphasizing how Wang's menu weaves together memory, identity, and innovation.
Food Talk Central community praised the strong cocktails and novel menu, with early visitors noting an "interesting menu" that pushes boundaries for the neighborhood.
FAQ
Is Firstborn a traditional Chinese restaurant?
No. Chef Anthony Wang describes his approach as Chinese American bistronomy. The menu draws on his Chinese heritage and uses French technique, California produce, and personal memories. If you're expecting dim sum or Cantonese classics, this isn't that. It's something new.
How does the $68 prix fixe work?
You choose from several options for each of the four courses. Popular add-ons from the original a la carte menu are also available. The bar offers a separate a la carte menu.
Do I need a reservation?
For the prix fixe dining room, yes. Book through OpenTable. The bar area is first come, first served and offers an a la carte menu.
What should I wear?
Business casual is the standard. Think nice jeans and a good top. The vibe is elevated but not formal.
Is Firstborn worth it compared to other LA prix fixe restaurants?
At $68 for four courses from a Michelin-recognized chef, it's one of the strongest values in the city. Most comparable prix fixe experiences start at $100+. Add Kenzo Han's cocktails and it's a complete evening for well under what you'd spend at most tasting menu spots.
Can I eat at the bar without a reservation?
Yes. The bar is first come, first served, and offers an a la carte menu with cocktails by Kenzo Han. It's a great way to experience Firstborn without committing to the full prix fixe.
Is there parking?
Street parking is available in the Chinatown area. Rideshare is recommended, especially on weekends. Enter through the Mandarin Plaza courtyard host station, not the Broadway entrance.
