After a morning of driving and apple picking, we rolled into Café88 for a bite. This place feels just like a classic diner - friendly owner, a steady hum of conversation, and many Asian folks/families, either dining in or grabbing a few boxes to go. The menu offers solid portions at a fair price, so we left with enough leftovers for another day's lunch. Our top picks? The Taiwanese popcorn‑chicken combo that crackled with crunch, a juicy pork chop crowned with scallions and a kick of chili, and a steaming bowl of beef noodles that hit all the right notes. Every plate was downright delicious. If you're hunting for a comfortable, no‑fuss spot that serves up genuine Taiwanese flavors, Café88 belongs on your diner‑tour itinerary. read more

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The best Taiwanese cuisine I've had outside of Taiwan. The beef noodle soup, spicy beef w rice, and the popcorn chicken are the top of my list. read more

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Very small Chinese hole in the wall restaurant with excellent food on the limited menu. Apparently never overwhelmed with customers. Highly recommend. read more

Stop by with my family, fish is good vegetable is good. Also, outside seat it's very nice. read more

Cafe 88 - It's a nice place, fish is fresh - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Came across this place by chance during one of the hiking trips from Richmond to the Shenandoah National Park. Surprised to find authentic Taiwanese food here. It has many of the typical Taiwanese eats which I want to try them all! read more

Cafe 88 - Small sign of the restaurant - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

we ordered the shrimp wonton noodle soup, egg drop and tomato soup, and the taiwanese popcorn chicken. the prices are very worth the portion sizes. the wonton noodle soup waaas a little bland but the shrimp wontons made up for the flavor. they had seasoning on the side and if you ask for hot chili oil, they will offer some! these were the best wontons i've had because each of them had one single shrimp instead of it being minced. very generous with the amount they gave us too! the tomato and egg drop soup was very good. the acidity from the tomato and mild flavor from the egg andddd the tofu was a great mix. huge portion too... so don't be offended if the lady at the register questions to only pick one, she is probably just worried about food waste (i insisted both soups because i was sick). the popcorn chicken was our favorite since it was a huge portion for the price and came with cuttlefish balls!! SO GOOD. it also came with a side of rice. the restaurant itself is pretty small but it wasn't too busy when we visited. the atmosphere felt very authentic and i believe if you can read in mandarin, they have a secret menu on the wall!! 10/10 would come back every visit :')!! read more

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Authentic Taiwanese food! The portions are very good too. We will definitely visit again! read more

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The food is delicious, and the service is outstanding even though they have no staff to help them. The atmosphere inside is welcoming.

I really like the wife and husband duo that run this restaurant. They are really nice and the food is authentic Taiwanese cuisine. The popcorn chicken is my personal favorite. read more

The vegetarian menu section is mostly vegan. I got a crispy tofu bento box with rice, eggplant, and veggies. Big portion size. Crispy tofu is very salty which was perfect to me, but beware. Next time I really want to try the general Tsos tofu. Ample parking and very cute outdoor seating. Service was so fast and friendly enough. They seem to do mostly takeout but it's cute and clean inside anyway. I'll be back! read more

Cafe 88 - Crispy tofu bento box - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Absolutely loved this restaurant. Not a whole lot of seating indoors, but there is also outdoor tented seating. I loved how this restaurant was fairly minimalistic compared to restaurants in general! There is a lack of staffing in this restaurant, which I presume is why they utilize a cooler in the front for customers to pour out the water themselves and paper rice bowls/styrofoam cups. Food was absolutely spectacular. Popcorn chicken was so ridiculously juicy and SOFT. Just enough crispness on the outside, and once you begin chewing, it melts in your mouth. Chili Garlic Eggplant was also the softest cooked eggplant I have ever set my palate on. It pulls apart easily, and it's extremely savory. I enjoyed mixing it with my rice. The General Tso Tofu had a layer of crispiness that was clearly distinct from its interior contents. Tofu was soft, broccoli was firm and added a nice "lighter/clean" aspect to the dish. TIP: - The portions ARE FANTASTIC. I would've gotten full from the popcorn chicken alone. 100% worth your buck. -Try wrapping the popcorn chicken with the greens that come with it :) -The eggplant dish is HOT, do be careful read more

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it can be busy. be prepared for it especially lunch time during weekend. food is good.

One of my favorite restaurants in Cville! This place has a mix of typical Chinese dishes and more authentic (to a wasian like me at least) Taiwanese dishes. Every visit here has been satisfying, with very reasonable prices (~$10-11 for an entree) and large enough servings for me to always have leftovers. Service is pretty speedy and they normally have hot barley tea available for free while you wait or dine in. My go-tos are the Amazing Chicken bento (grilled) and the Wonderful Chicken bento (crispy) -- both come with rice, delicious eggplant, and cabbage. You can't go wrong with these, but I'd also highly recommend: - Taiwanese popcorn chicken - scallion pancakes - Taiwanese stir fry rice cake read more

Cafe 88 - Wonderful Chicken & Miso Soup - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Cafe 88 is always reliable with tasty dishes! I come here item when my parents are in town and it's always a delight. The only thing is that there isn't much seating. You order and pay at the counter and there is barely tea that you get in a dispenser at the front. Our go to are the pea shoots for some veggies, the Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and the beef noodle soup. The pea shoots aren't always available so we have to ask every time. I find that I'm always craving popcorn chicken and the place delivers. I ordered the combo for the first time and although I enjoyed the squid balls, the tofu were lacking in flavor All I wouldn't get it again and just stick to the normal. I also love the beef noodle soup for a warm bowl of comfort. It's a good portion and is delicious. I've also gotten the box before and remember liking the eggplant. Haven't eaten anything I didn't like yet. A very reliable place and would highly recommend! read more

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I have come here many times during my time as a student at UVA. I visited UVA for a weekend trip recently and decided to get lunch here. Whenever I visit, there is a mix of students and families. The inside is rather small as expected for a mom and pop shop but there is ample outdoor seating which was nice since the weather is getting warmer. Since the pop seems to be the only one running the kitchen, I wouldn't expect the food to come out too quickly. They have a set menu as well as special menu items that change on a weekly basis. I ordered the braised minced pork over rice and pork chop with scallion and chili over rice. The braised minced pork was seasoned well and the rice portion was hearty. As for the pork chop, the meat was crispy, and I enjoyed the eggplant as well. I have ordered this dish in the past, and sometimes the meat is on the saltier side but it was perfect this time! The bento box menu items are a good option for those wanting a well-rounded meal w/ meat, veggie, and rice. I would recommend trying out this restaurant if you are in the area and aren't in too much of a rush! read more

Cafe 88 is OK. After a dozen meals, I will not return. The main problem is a lack of flavor and seasoning in most dishes. Take the braised beef noodle soup, for instance. What looks like a thick broth has little to no flavor, which holds true for the beef and the noodles as well. The popcorn chicken suffers the same fate. I suppose I could add my own salt and pepper, but aside from a decent crunch, it is unremarkable and comes with no dipping sauce. I appreciate the portion sizes, but this eats like food just to fill you up, not to wow your tastebuds. read more

The amazing chicken is truly amazing. Their eggplant and green bean sides are also great.

What a lovely place! How have I never known about or tried before today? The lady who took my order was so happy and seemed to genuinely be behind her product and was a good salesperson for Taiwanese food. I ended up with a bento box of shrimp and veggies with green beans and eggplant. Yum! I sat outside, which was clean and nice. The inside was cozy, but there was enough space to sit and eat in. I did not use the restrooms. I will return. This is now my favorite Chinese place locally. read more

No frills and thrills here, mom n' pop Asian restaurant. It's pretty good. I've gotten the General Tso's tofu so many times they to bring out my order as I pull up. read more

Came with my parents and a few friends and had an amazing time! The shop was empty when we came in, and we noticed all the tables were for 4 people or less. Thankfully, the owner saw us and helped us push 2 tables together immediately so we could sit down! My friends and I ordered the beef noodle soup, and we also ate a rice cake dish, scallion pancakes, and squid with chives. I loved the scallion pancakes - although not much, they were light and delicious! The beef noodle soup was delightful (although a tad bit spicy) and I was pleased with the amount of beef and bokchoy included. The noodles were also perfectly cooked and extremely flavorful! The portion size was great and I definitely loved the food. Would come back for the beef noodle soup anytime! read more

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Not good, I'm not from the area and wanted Chinese food, ordered a few things but was very dissatisfied! The soups don't taste good, no flavor, weak condiments, same for the food! I would not eat here anymore! read more

If you're looking for some authentic Taiwanese basil popcorn chicken this is the spot in cville. Good price and huge portions as well read more

Cafe 88 - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This place is so nice! The owner is just amazingly kind and earnest. The food is authentic, and tastes like homemade. Everything you would want in Chinese food (if you're missing your Taiwanese or Chinese home) is here! I love this place. Such a treat to come here! Can't wait to try everything here :) read more

The place is very cozy, the service is super quick, and the food is delicious! I asked to substitute the eggplant side for the bento and they kindly obliged. read more

Cafe 88 - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (combo) - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We had dinner here when we visited Charlottesville for the film festival. We would definitely be regulars if we lived here! Everything was delicious, the portions were generous, and service was friendly. We had popcorn chicken, pork chops, wonton noodle soup, green beans, and minced pork noodle. The chops were in a bento box with eggplant and vegetables. All the vegetables were fresh tasting, and they don't use msg. Even the plain rice was good. read more

Ambiance is satisfactory for a small eat-in restaurant Service was fine although it was a takeout order Food was poor because it was quite greasy, and the usual condiments were not included in the order. read more

Small mom and pop store that is run by an older Taiwanese couple. We walked in and ordered salt and pepper shrimp, schezuan green beans, and braised beef noodle soup at the counter. They were swamped and we waited over 40 min for our food. The mom of the shop came over, apologized for the delay, and gave us a cucumber salad as an appetizer. Each dish came with a large bowl of rice and the food looked amazing. Taste wise, it was a little on the bland side. I want to give them another chance the next time I roll through town bc I think they were just having an off day. It seems you get quicker service if you order for takeout. read more

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Tucked away in small strip mall across from the Dairy Market, Cafe 88 doesn't look like much from the outside. However once you step inside and feel the homey vibes of the restaurant you will surely change your mind. The woman who took my groups order was so sweet and I loved seeing the cooks in the back with their cute aprons. The workers definitely add to the charm of the restaurant. I've ordered the amazing chicken (grilled), wonderful chicken (fried), and popcorn chicken before and they're almost all amazing. The bento boxes come with braised cabbage and veggies, their DELICIOUS braised chili garlic eggplant and rice + protein. The amazing chicken is perfectly marinated, with a heaping serving of protein. The five-spice taste really shines with the popcorn chicken. I loved the wonderful chicken portion, however I feel that the chicken doesn't have much flavor. I will definitely come back again and support this local business! read more

Cafe 88 - Wonderful Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

- solid chinese/taiwanese food - tastes hot and fresh everytime - service is friendly My go to items are: - beef noodle soup (flavorful broth with lots of meat and bokchoy and noodles) - any of the bento boxes but especially the amazing chicken and sesame chicken: the bento boxes come with rice, meat, and 2 veggies! The eggplan in the bento boxes are amazing. Would highly recommend!!!! read more

Cafe 88 - Braised Beef Noodle on top - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Really good Taiwanese food. Highly recommended. We ordered their popcorn chicken and the serving was huge. We also had their beef noodle soup, beef chow fun, rice noodles, garlic veggies, and minced pork rice. All were really good. read more

Opted for the wonderful chicken bento box and it was amazing! The breaded chicken was huge and I felt like the bento box came with a good amount of food, I was able to have some left over for lunch the next day. My friends got the Taiwanese popcorn chicken combo which they said was very tasty. I'm looking forward to checking it out next time! When I visited there was only a couple working so the wait can take awhile depending on how many customers are there. read more

Cafe 88 - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Stopped here again on the way home and shared lunch with a few friends. Ordered several things to share: scallion pancakes, shrimp/pork/chive dumplings, popcorn chicken, hunan beef, and pork chop over rice. The pancakes had great flavor, even without any sauce, but a little oily. The dumplings I liked, with good filling. The popcorn chicken is pretty large, enough to feed several people and came with a lot of fried basil which I love. The pork chop was just OK, same seasoning as the chicken, but not as juicy. Probably should have gotten the pork and dried bean curd instead. I like the side veggies that accompany the entrees, but the eggplant side is awesome. Will continue to stop here when in the area; food is very consistent and I think the only Taiwanese place in Cville. read more

This is one of the few Asian restaurants in Charlottesville that gets it right. **THEY HAVE NEW OWNERS, SO DO NOT TAKE CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM OLD REVIEWS INTO ACCOUNT - the new owner is much nicer. Under the new ownership, the niu rou mian (beef noodle soup) is available every day except Sundays, which is a pleasant change from the old availability (only saturdays and sundays) as it's me and my friends' favorite dish here by far. The soup is hot and full of flavor, the meat is tender and melts in your mouth, and the bok choy on top provides a good change in texture every once in a while. They changed from a wide noodle to a thin noodle, but despite my personal preferences it still satisfies. read more

Cafe 88 - Beef Noodle Soup!! - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Food is amazing and service is so genuine and caring, we are only driving through this town, but would want to come back just for the this restaurant! An amazing experience overall read more

I don't often feel compelled to write Yelp reviews for restaurants, but my experience at Café 88 was so amazing that I just had to. It's hard to find good, authentic Chinese food in Charlottesville, and Café 88 exceeded my expectations with the quality and quantity of food I received. The owners were EXTREMELY hospitable to us, and we received the food in a timely manner. read more

This place was okay. The food came out very oily and the flavors were a bit on the mundane side. Nothing too special. It's good if you want cheap and fast but otherwise, it's not worth it. read more

Cafe 88 - Stir Fried Chow Fun - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Solid Taiwanese food in Charlottesville. We ordered the braised beef noodle soup, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, shrimp & chive dumplings, and scallion pancake. All were delicious and reasonably priced! read more

Cafe 88 - Braised Beef Noodle, Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Oh Cafe 88, how you have spoiled me. After graduating and coming back to NoVa, I cannot find a place that compares! They bubble tea is made from powder and takes forever to come out, but that never stopped me from getting a papaya flavored one. And I recently came to the realization that the scallion pancake is probably the prepackaged frozen ones, only deep-fried rather than pan-fried. But soooo good I will have to try it and find out if it tastes the same! (I mean, do frozen dumplings stop you from going to Marco and Luca's? I think not). The owner lady is always so pleasant. This time, I think she gave us extra beef since I ordered (and tipped) so much. read more

Cafe 88 - Beef noodle soup! - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This is my favorite home cooked Taiwanese/Chinese food in Virginia. The owners are really nice, I think they are a couple and they are sweet! I love ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEIR BEEF NOODLE SOUP ABD EGGPLANTS. It's so good and when you are away from home for college and want a home cooked hearty meal, come to CAFE 88 read more

Cafe 88 - Chinese Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Always love to eat at Cafe88 when I was a student at UVA, missing the beef noodle soup very much. will be there when I am in town.