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    Cafe 88

    4.1 (198 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese, Taiwanese
    Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Cafe 88 Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE 88 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Cafe 88

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    It's a nice place, fish is fresh
    Nang L.

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

    Small sign of the restaurant
    Patty Y.

    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!

    tomato and egg drop soup
    Cece D.

    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 :')!!

    Crispy tofu bento box
    Ashley R.

    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!

    Menu (back)
    Kody P.

    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

    Decor
    Joseph C.

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

    Wonderful Chicken & Miso Soup
    Sisi A.

    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

    Stir fry pea shoots with garlic
    Emily H.

    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!

    Rice Cakes
    Valerie Y.

    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!

    Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

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    11 months ago

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    11 months ago

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

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    10 months ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    Got Dumplings - Original pork dumplings

    Got Dumplings

    3.8(151 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    •$

    This is close to campus and fits a need. I got dumplings filled with a modest amount of tofu and…read moreperhaps a vegetable too, with a side of cold noodles and a sesame peanut sauce. The fried dumplings were a bit light on the actual tofu I was hoping for, but the meal delivered a basic satisfaction. My white tea with lychee jellies tasted a bit overbrewed, but the sweet addition worked out well enough that I enjoyed it. The interior has a couple of seats but is quite spartan, and had an overly full trash can as all food was served in takeout containers. Overall, I would say it was a basic experience, but not a bad one.

    So this is not going to be a 5 star everything is perfect review but rather the dumplings are so…read moregood that you need to get past the negatives. Unfortunately, the negative is the service. Please know they are so nice but they got my order wrong. I ordered two separate meals and got one meal with the wrong rice but at least we they got the number of Dumplings correct. My son who goes to UVA RAVES about this place so I had high hopes that were dashed with wrong order. Then I tried the unassuming dumplings and dipping sauce. I love dumplings and have eaten them even had Michelin recommended places like Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings. I can confidently and completely say these are the best dumplings. I would get the wrong rice and wrong order so long as I got these dumplings. I can confidently say they are homemade and not some restaurant supply dumplings. I have been thinking of these dumplings since I had them. So good.

    Photos
    Got Dumplings - The evening view.

    The evening view.

    Got Dumplings - 8 Tofu Dumplings, 5 Chicken Dumplings, Egg Fried Rice, Edamame

    8 Tofu Dumplings, 5 Chicken Dumplings, Egg Fried Rice, Edamame

    Got Dumplings - Outdoors. You will miss it if you blink.

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    Outdoors. You will miss it if you blink.

    High Side - Garlic Noodle with grilled shrimps

    High Side

    4.2(396 reviews)
    84.9 mi•Old Town Fairfax
    •$$

    We popped in on a Saturday evening, a little before 6 to find the place a little busy. Love the…read moreparking behind the restaurant but big truck owners might not like the alley entrance and exit so much. They seemed a little short-handed when we arrived with one waitress covering about 7 or eight tables and manning the bar. She was awesome and had a great attitude as she hustled to serve guests. She got reinforcements which helped a lot. My wife and I each had the Sojourn Dwell IPA and it was out of this world. For food, we had not one but two portions of the house made pickles because they are so darn good! We also had the pancake which my wife loved but I thought was so-so. The pork belly bao was delicious! We also shared an order of the Three-Cup Sauce wings. They were sweet and well-cooked. The place has a very minimalist vibe with excellent music playing while we were there. It's not everyday you get "You're The Best" from Karate Kid playing in the background! It got VERY crowded around 6:30 when a bunch of people all showed up at the same time and it got pretty loud too, mostly due to a big group of mildly drunk people standing in the bar area. It made it hard to hear but really wasn't that bad. The bill seemed about right for hearty dishes and a couples of beers each. We will DEFINITELY come back!

    tldr; if you like bars and you like Taiwanese bites. this place is an absolute vibe…read more I told my wife I want bar food and I haven't had any in months. Decided on this little spot in Fairfax town center after having a quick weekend day trip to DC. Really pleasantly surprised with the whole atmosphere of the place. It's a true fusion of asian bites but still a legitimate dive bar. The space is small, patrons are merry, and the whole place is an absolute vibe. I ordered some pilsner and some other lager on tap from local breweeies. Delicious. Ordered popcorn chicken, pork belly, and some 'real food' - a quick rice bowl with chicken. The fried bites were wonderfully crispy. They have good oil management and felt quite light especially with a swig of a cold lager. The rice bowl was tasty too. Construction was indeed very Taiwanese, and yet... I still felt like I'm in a dive bar complete with all its grunge. So cool They sell 4/6 packs of craft brews here too. They've got stuff all the way up from some Vermont and Maine (true craft beer land IMO)

    Photos
    High Side - Beef Noodle Soup

    Beef Noodle Soup

    High Side - Crispy Pork Belly

    Crispy Pork Belly

    High Side - Cold Sesame Noodles with wheat noodles tossed with tofu, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, scallions, and our house-made sesame peanut sauce.

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    Cold Sesame Noodles with wheat noodles tossed with tofu, cucumbers, carrots, garlic, scallions, and our house-made sesame peanut sauce.

    Cafe 88 - chinese - Updated September 2026

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