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I came in for a late lunch. Received complimentary tea. The menu doesn't label vegan items so I asked if the Fire Glazed Tofu was vegan and my server thought about it and said, " Yes, it's just tofu." But, in my head I'm thinking there's more factors to it like the sauce. I went for it though. Best eaten there because I wasn't able to finish it and took the rest home and surprise! It wasn't crisp. The service was great. I love complimentary tea. I was checked on just enough. The food was good. Crisp with a good sauce. I wish they had a vegan noodle option because it seemed like their noodles were a draw and advertised as homemade. And lastly came the packaged fortune cookie. Standard.
Came here for a birthday dinner with a group of 9, and we had a great time! We ordered a ton of food and overall everything was pretty delicious -- a solid spot for a group meal. We started with the vegetarian potstickers, which were just okay. They came with soy sauce and chili oil on the side, but the filling didn't stand out too much. Things really picked up with the salt and pepper chicken wings -- flavorful, not too salty, and I especially liked the sautéed onions and peppers on the side, which added a nice crunch. The sizzling rice soup was a fun and tasty highlight. When they added the crispy rice to the hot soup, it made that satisfying sizzle and added a nice texture contrast. Really comforting and well done. For entrees, we shared the Szechuan chicken, fire glazed tofu, and prawns with honey glazed walnuts. The prawns were definitely my favorite -- perfectly crunchy with just the right amount of sauce (not overly mayo-heavy, which I appreciated). The tofu had a flavorful sauce, though it lost a bit of crispiness due to how saucy it was. Still tasty. The Szechuan chicken was just okay -- decent flavor, but the chicken was a bit tougher than I'd hoped (would've loved if they used thigh meat). We also got combo fried rice and combo chow mein. The fried rice had that nice wokhei flavor, while the chow mein was less of a hit for me -- but to be fair, I'm not a huge chow mein fan in general. At least it wasn't overly greasy. Our server was great -- super attentive and gave us thoughtful recommendations. The restaurant itself felt clean and welcoming. The only downside was parking, which was a little tricky, but I managed to find a spot a couple blocks away. With tax, the total came out to about $30 per person, which felt like a really good deal for the amount and variety of food we had. We even had some leftovers. I'd definitely recommend this place for groups or special occasions.
Decent Chinese food; generous portions for the price point. We were here for lunch, but ordered from the dinner menu, as it seemed to have more of your typical authentic Chinese fare. Ordered the Zhajiang noodles, seafood clay pot, and sichuan chicken, which was more than enough for a group of 3. Solid flavor from all 3 dishes; nothing to write home about but no complaints and enjoyed a good meal.
Been on the search for good Chinese food in Berkeley that won't break the bank. This was nothing amazing, but definitely some solid hearty Chinese food for the price point. Ordered the Beef Noodle Soup and Sour Lamb Noodle Soup. Both were very comforting and loved the noodle texture, although I wish the beef was slightly more tender. Service was also a bit slow, but the interior was clean, spacious, and very pretty.
Quick Summary - Lovely interior, great to dine in for celebratory reasons - Dinner comes with tea - Listing their fried rice as one of my favorites - Friendly staff We arrived here on Mother's Day. The restaurant ambience was pleasant and nice to have on a day to celebrate. The glassware and the utensils, that served the dishes, were pretty and visually amplified the mood. Oh yes, before entering, we were attracted by the large posters at the entrance. The noodle dish stood out to us very appetizing, and that was the dish we decided on. the other two we picked our usual: fried rice and hot and sour soup. The kettle of hot tea arrived at our table without us requesting, so that felt like a kind bonus to the meal experience (we love tea). The order arrived around the same time, but the first was the hot and sour soup, my favorite. Upon first glance, it didn't look like the typical hot and sour soup that I remember. Color is whiter and had a different type of mushroom than the wood ear. Sipping it, yes, it's spicy and sour, just like how I like it (almost coughed). The spiciness is mostly from the peppercorn, maybe white because the broth was pearly white. I would list this as one of the delicious hot and sour soup dishes I have tried and would return here to try it again. (maybe order one just for myself xD) The fried rice here is so good! If anyone reads my list of food places, I have a handful of restaurants, where they make my favorite type of fried rice. I'll list this one in there as well. It could be that I chose the combination fried rice because the seasoning of the rice is spot on. Every spoonful had flavor, no grain was missed. Lastly, the zhan jiang noodles was another good dish. I had tried a similar dish in a different place, but the black bean sauce was salty. Here, that wasn't the case. While the sauce looks condensed and rich, the flavor merged well with the noodles. It has a well-rounded flavor that coated the noodles well and it also balanced evenly with the cucumbers; it didn't cause a conflict between the rich and refreshing. The staff was very kind and attentive as well. The timing of when the dishes arrived and when we had finished eating and began asking for the check was perfect. They were also very helpful, when we returned to the restaurant, because we left something at the table and came back to retrieve it. Overall a fantastic experience, and I think visit here not only on special occasions, but just days when we want to eat the fried rice or trying out their dim sums.
Da Lian was one of the few Chinese restaurants that were open after deciding last minute to venture out for a lunar new year dinner. Everyone else probably had the same idea as there were many people waiting for take-out, as well as waiting for a table. The garlic noodles were pretty good, the noodles had a nice chew and the sauce wasn't overly salty. The eggplant and mushrooms were also flavorful, saltier than I'd like, but pairs well with rice. The potstickers were just ok, no need to order that again. My favorite part of this meal was the seafood combo soup. Although the seafood portion was not as plentiful, the broth was really tasty on a cold winter's night. The restaurant looked short-staffed that night as I only counted 3 wait staff serving and the kitchen was probably backed up. I wasn't in a hurry so it was nice to just enjoy a good dinner conversation. It was nice of the staff to bring complimentary red bean sesame balls that topped this dinner nicely. The ambiance is pretty nice for a Chinese restaurant as I'm use to hole in the walls. Prices are $2-$3 more than other comparable places with similar offerings. Street parking only, meters are free after 6pm. See you another time Da Lien. #6/2022
Great authentic Chinese cuisine! I came here with my picky mother & her recommendation did not disappoint. The Salmon dumplings were very unique and tasty, the salmon gave the dumplings a good deep savory & creamy flavor that it be never had in a dumpling before. The spinach dumplings were packed with spinach, and I appreciate that they were generous with the amount of veggies in there, but I would've appreciated some other flavors and textures in there. Their bin was nice and breast, covered in fun crunchy seasame seeds, and had some well oiled green onion in the middle to add a flavor punch. We got three dishes in addition to those 3 appetizers and a large bowl of noodles to share between 5 people and it was maybe just a little too much food (not a ton of large appetites though)! I deferred to the parents in ordering since they're much more familiar with the regional cuisine that this restaurant is named after. We got a series of vegetable dishes, and boy were they delicious! The eggplant was SO good, super tender and flavorful. All the vegetables in the dishes were done well, cooked just right with flavorful sauces that didn't overwhelm the tender vegetables and their own flavors. We got a chicken dish as well that fell under the same boat. The noodle soup was delicious, but be wary as it's spicier the lower the pot goes! I personally hate it when dishes are all spice without flavor, and this place was great about that. The peppers were certainly felt by their heat and flavor, but there were so many other flavors with the green onions, fish, and other garnish. We finished off with some mini sesame balls that were a great way to cap off a delicious meal. I'd highly recommend a stop here for some authentic Da Lían Chinese cuisine!
2 months ago
1 year ago
The previous time we came to Da Lian was 20 years ago! Chatted with the waitress about how long they've been in business and they've had the same owner for about 20 years. Cool to see a restaurant stick around for that long. We got to the restaurant right when it opened for lunch at 11:30 on Sunday. Free street parking on Sunday! I thought everything was solid top to bottom, but here is my ranking in descending order: Braised Eggplant Tofu Clay Pot - I generally like this dish everywhere and they have a good version on this here - seasoned well, tender eggplant, and nice texture on the tofu Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings - non-traditional "salt & pepper" - thick coating of tempura-like batter, very peppery (black pepper), and wings set on a bed of sauteed onions. Sesame Bread with Green Onion - tasty, but unlike other "da bing" I've had. This was on the thin side, meaning you have a lot more crispy outside compared fluffy inside. This was also lighter on the green onion. Classic Shrimp & Chive Dumpling - can't go wrong with dumplings - an order comes with 12 dumplings, each filled with big pieces of shrimp. I liked the texture but it is a little different - looser filling instead of a solid meat/veg ball on the inside. Original Braised Pork Noodle Soup - I liked the flavor of the soup and noodles. There was a ton of meat (diced) but they were on the tough side. read more
Homey Chinese food. We came here on a Sunday lunch and it was so empty there. I don't know why there's not much business. The food was decent. We liked the shrimp and chive dumplings, sesame bread with green onions, and eggplant with tofu claypot. The salt and pepper chicken wings were a little too peppery for our taste, there was a lot of black pepper, where we usually see white pepper used for this dish at other restaurants. The noodle soup was interesting, it tasted fine but looked nothing like the picture right outside the restaurant (or on their menu)... so our expectations were just misaligned. Overall: Great service. Bathrooms were decently clean. Food was good. read more
10 days ago
4 months ago
1 year ago
I came in for a late lunch. Received complimentary tea. The menu doesn't label vegan items so I asked if the Fire Glazed Tofu was vegan and my server thought about it and said, " Yes, it's just tofu." But, in my head I'm thinking there's more factors to it like the sauce. I went for it though. Best eaten there because I wasn't able to finish it and took the rest home and surprise! It wasn't crisp. The service was great. I love complimentary tea. I was checked on just enough. The food was good. Crisp with a good sauce. I wish they had a vegan noodle option because it seemed like their noodles were a draw and advertised as homemade. And lastly came the packaged fortune cookie. Standard. read more
2 months ago
11 months ago
5 months ago
1 year ago
Came here for a birthday dinner with a group of 9, and we had a great time! We ordered a ton of food and overall everything was pretty delicious -- a solid spot for a group meal. We started with the vegetarian potstickers, which were just okay. They came with soy sauce and chili oil on the side, but the filling didn't stand out too much. Things really picked up with the salt and pepper chicken wings -- flavorful, not too salty, and I especially liked the sautéed onions and peppers on the side, which added a nice crunch. The sizzling rice soup was a fun and tasty highlight. When they added the crispy rice to the hot soup, it made that satisfying sizzle and added a nice texture contrast. Really comforting and well done. For entrees, we shared the Szechuan chicken, fire glazed tofu, and prawns with honey glazed walnuts. The prawns were definitely my favorite -- perfectly crunchy with just the right amount of sauce (not overly mayo-heavy, which I appreciated). The tofu had a flavorful sauce, though it lost a bit of crispiness due to how saucy it was. Still tasty. The Szechuan chicken was just okay -- decent flavor, but the chicken was a bit tougher than I'd hoped (would've loved if they used thigh meat). We also got combo fried rice and combo chow mein. The fried rice had that nice wokhei flavor, while the chow mein was less of a hit for me -- but to be fair, I'm not a huge chow mein fan in general. At least it wasn't overly greasy. Our server was great -- super attentive and gave us thoughtful recommendations. The restaurant itself felt clean and welcoming. The only downside was parking, which was a little tricky, but I managed to find a spot a couple blocks away. With tax, the total came out to about $30 per person, which felt like a really good deal for the amount and variety of food we had. We even had some leftovers. I'd definitely recommend this place for groups or special occasions. read more
4 months ago
5 months ago
11 months ago
Very good Chinese food all the time and very friendly owners. The homemade garlic noodles, spicy beef stew noodle soup and walnut prawns are my go to dishes read more
Decent Chinese food; generous portions for the price point. We were here for lunch, but ordered from the dinner menu, as it seemed to have more of your typical authentic Chinese fare. Ordered the Zhajiang noodles, seafood clay pot, and sichuan chicken, which was more than enough for a group of 3. Solid flavor from all 3 dishes; nothing to write home about but no complaints and enjoyed a good meal. read more
Been on the search for good Chinese food in Berkeley that won't break the bank. This was nothing amazing, but definitely some solid hearty Chinese food for the price point. Ordered the Beef Noodle Soup and Sour Lamb Noodle Soup. Both were very comforting and loved the noodle texture, although I wish the beef was slightly more tender. Service was also a bit slow, but the interior was clean, spacious, and very pretty. read more
Quick Summary - Lovely interior, great to dine in for celebratory reasons - Dinner comes with tea - Listing their fried rice as one of my favorites - Friendly staff We arrived here on Mother's Day. The restaurant ambience was pleasant and nice to have on a day to celebrate. The glassware and the utensils, that served the dishes, were pretty and visually amplified the mood. Oh yes, before entering, we were attracted by the large posters at the entrance. The noodle dish stood out to us very appetizing, and that was the dish we decided on. the other two we picked our usual: fried rice and hot and sour soup. The kettle of hot tea arrived at our table without us requesting, so that felt like a kind bonus to the meal experience (we love tea). The order arrived around the same time, but the first was the hot and sour soup, my favorite. Upon first glance, it didn't look like the typical hot and sour soup that I remember. Color is whiter and had a different type of mushroom than the wood ear. Sipping it, yes, it's spicy and sour, just like how I like it (almost coughed). The spiciness is mostly from the peppercorn, maybe white because the broth was pearly white. I would list this as one of the delicious hot and sour soup dishes I have tried and would return here to try it again. (maybe order one just for myself xD) The fried rice here is so good! If anyone reads my list of food places, I have a handful of restaurants, where they make my favorite type of fried rice. I'll list this one in there as well. It could be that I chose the combination fried rice because the seasoning of the rice is spot on. Every spoonful had flavor, no grain was missed. Lastly, the zhan jiang noodles was another good dish. I had tried a similar dish in a different place, but the black bean sauce was salty. Here, that wasn't the case. While the sauce looks condensed and rich, the flavor merged well with the noodles. It has a well-rounded flavor that coated the noodles well and it also balanced evenly with the cucumbers; it didn't cause a conflict between the rich and refreshing. The staff was very kind and attentive as well. The timing of when the dishes arrived and when we had finished eating and began asking for the check was perfect. They were also very helpful, when we returned to the restaurant, because we left something at the table and came back to retrieve it. Overall a fantastic experience, and I think visit here not only on special occasions, but just days when we want to eat the fried rice or trying out their dim sums. read more
Da Lian was one of the few Chinese restaurants that were open after deciding last minute to venture out for a lunar new year dinner. Everyone else probably had the same idea as there were many people waiting for take-out, as well as waiting for a table. The garlic noodles were pretty good, the noodles had a nice chew and the sauce wasn't overly salty. The eggplant and mushrooms were also flavorful, saltier than I'd like, but pairs well with rice. The potstickers were just ok, no need to order that again. My favorite part of this meal was the seafood combo soup. Although the seafood portion was not as plentiful, the broth was really tasty on a cold winter's night. The restaurant looked short-staffed that night as I only counted 3 wait staff serving and the kitchen was probably backed up. I wasn't in a hurry so it was nice to just enjoy a good dinner conversation. It was nice of the staff to bring complimentary red bean sesame balls that topped this dinner nicely. The ambiance is pretty nice for a Chinese restaurant as I'm use to hole in the walls. Prices are $2-$3 more than other comparable places with similar offerings. Street parking only, meters are free after 6pm. See you another time Da Lien. #6/2022 read more
4 years ago
Great authentic Chinese cuisine! I came here with my picky mother & her recommendation did not disappoint. The Salmon dumplings were very unique and tasty, the salmon gave the dumplings a good deep savory & creamy flavor that it be never had in a dumpling before. The spinach dumplings were packed with spinach, and I appreciate that they were generous with the amount of veggies in there, but I would've appreciated some other flavors and textures in there. Their bin was nice and breast, covered in fun crunchy seasame seeds, and had some well oiled green onion in the middle to add a flavor punch. We got three dishes in addition to those 3 appetizers and a large bowl of noodles to share between 5 people and it was maybe just a little too much food (not a ton of large appetites though)! I deferred to the parents in ordering since they're much more familiar with the regional cuisine that this restaurant is named after. We got a series of vegetable dishes, and boy were they delicious! The eggplant was SO good, super tender and flavorful. All the vegetables in the dishes were done well, cooked just right with flavorful sauces that didn't overwhelm the tender vegetables and their own flavors. We got a chicken dish as well that fell under the same boat. The noodle soup was delicious, but be wary as it's spicier the lower the pot goes! I personally hate it when dishes are all spice without flavor, and this place was great about that. The peppers were certainly felt by their heat and flavor, but there were so many other flavors with the green onions, fish, and other garnish. We finished off with some mini sesame balls that were a great way to cap off a delicious meal. I'd highly recommend a stop here for some authentic Da Lían Chinese cuisine! read more
A hidden treasure within the variety of food options in the gourmet ghetto in Berekley. Take away is the only option for now. They are remodeling the interior, and along with strict covid protocols in place, to go for yummy food isnt a bad option. We ordered the crab wontons, that turned out to be egg rolls with limited filling. I'd take a pass on these. The Szechuan chicken is packed with flavor! Nice large pieces that aren't swimming in heavy sauce. Just delicious, bite after bite. It's a definite go to. The walnut prawns were huge!! Nice large shrimps that weren't overly battered to make up for lack of actual shrimp. Nice light sweet sauce with crunchy toasted walnuts. Generous portion that I would order again. The sweet and sour chicken was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Huge portion. Steamed rice is an added cost. This always surprises me when it's not part of the meal, especially when the three entrees and appetizer, totaled around $60.00. This definitely isn't cheap eats, but it is good eats, and worth discovering! read more
11 months ago
We've been coming here for years, since our college days at Cal. I used to get their northern noodles in broth and seafood clay pot, but switched to dishes that are more takeout-friendly due to covid. My "usuals" are now combination Hong Kong style crispy noodles, vegetable garden (a good portion of veggies steamed with garlic) and sizzling rice soup. Everything is always packaged securely for takeout and the sizzling rice soup is packed with special care - broth separate and crispy rice packed separately in foil. Cleanliness - I watch first hand each time the staff wipes down the pen and entire table after I sign the receipt. They always are masked and stay distanced inside while the customer is outside (they blocked the doors with a table where they bring your food to. Very happy to continue supporting this establishment! read more
A cute place located in the Gourmet Ghetto to have good Chinese served with generous portions. We ordered Spicy Garlic Eggplant which came with sautéed onions and Potstickers with Rice. A little skimpy on the dumpling filling but overall good flavor. All of this for around $30 and some change. A little pricy but again.. good size portions. There was ample parking right in front and it was packed for a Sunday night with a 40-45min wait for take out. I would like to go back and try some of their home made noodle dishes next time as they looked really good! I'd give this place a definite "thumbs up!" P.S. This place requires Proof of Vaccination for Dining in. read more
11 months ago
** The following review reflects my delivery experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** I was wondering where the name came from since it doesn't have the more traditional name a culturally myopic diner would expect of a Chinese restaurant. Their website was lacking such insight, so it took me watching an excerpt of "Check, Please! Bay Area" to understand it's the name of a big port city in China famous for their seafood. That's where the owners are from. All I knew was that their restaurant is deep in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto because Jamie W. and I walked by it often on Shattuck. We didn't get a chance to try it before lockdown, but that's what GrubHub is for (though it looks like they're not part of the app now). Without knowing their regional soup specialties, we ordered the $9.95 Won Ton Soup which served two nicely. It was a heartier, more poultry -focused version of the old standby with chicken joining the shrimp in the won tons and slices of chicken breast added to a light chicken broth (photo: https://bit.ly/3swicnn). We didn't realize it was almost a meal in itself, but we certainly liked this rendition. For our main entree, we decided on the $19.95 Steamed Salmon Steak. It was a nice, fresh take on a buttery fish as it was cut in half and nestled on slabs of tofu, all of it doused liberally with a ginger soy sauce (photo: https://bit.ly/39H5lWJ). It was like a seafood version of Hainan chicken. To complement the fish, we had the $12.95 Dry Sautéed Green Beans which we thought was overpriced until we saw the huge quantity that arrived (photo: https://bit.ly/3im7YRS). Pretty simple, crunchy as expected and tasty. Good stuff all around and now that we know where Da Lian is, we'll try more of their seafood specialties. FOOD - 4 stars...hearty and tasty, seafood is their go-to AMBIANCE - n/a...someday SERVICE - 4 stars...well packed and on time TOTAL - 4 stars...Da Lian...it's in China RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more
2 years ago
Nice restaurant very accommodating staff. There were 7 in our party, 4 vegans, a vegetarian, and 2 "regular" eaters. The menu had a vegetarian section, and I asked if the food was vegan. The server told me she could have any of the menu items prepared vegan by subbing tofu and they had a "clear" broth for the soups. We ordered one of the house made noodle soups with pickled cabbage (normally spicy beef) but had it with tofu instead. It was delicious! We also had the veggie clay pot, Kung Pao tofu, and 2 chicken and veggie dishes with a few sides of rice. Generous portions and excellent flavor. Everything tasted freshly made and nothing was too oily. Service was great and very clean restrooms. read more
Good portions! Great food. Called to order. You can find their full menu on their website. The below meal was good for four meals! (Pretty good COVID sanitation as well) Orders: - Prawns with Honey-Glazed Walnuts (aka Honey Walnut Shrimp) 核桃虾: would say it was my favorite dish out of the ones we ordered! Just fried perfectly and the restaurant even purposely made a slight opening for the takeout box so the shrimp doesn't it wet and soggy. Delicious shrimp! - Mongolian Beef 蒙古牛肉: what you expect. Pretty yummy and spicy. Very flavorful. Included onion and pepper - Garlic Noodles with Pork Brisket 蒜香拌面: I really enjoyed the flavor of these noodles. Although I would've preferred a different noodle texture (it was not the typically dry noodle I expected), the dish overall was pretty good and flavorful. Overall, I would be looking forward to trying out other dishes from this restaurant! read more
I found this place on Yelp and decided to give something new a try. We ordered veggies, chow mein, potstickers and beef noodle soup. The portions turned out to be more than enough for two people. We loved the taste of the beef noddle soup and the potstickers but found that the veggies and chow mein was too salty for our liking - still edible, but heavy on the salt. I would love to give this place another chance and try different dishes. Service was friendly and it wasn't very busy on a Friday afternoon. read more
1 year ago
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1 year ago
2 years ago
This has gotta be one of the most poppin' spots in Berkeley on Christmas! With no family plans during this pandemic year, we decided to opt for a Chinese dinner for the first time ever - and I'm so glad we did! I'm also really glad we went on a Christmas afternoon walk through North Berkeley to find out from the restaurant that it's best to order in person about two hours ahead of when you're hoping to have dinner (yes, that's how busy they are on this festive day). We ended up ordering at 4:30pm in person and they said it'd be ready around 7pm (and then they said there was an earlier opening at 5:30pm so that's when we ended up picking up). They have a specific Christmas-day menu that is posted at the front of their restaurant with a range of mu shu, protein, and noodle options. We opted for the hot and sour soup, combination chow fun, general's chicken, and garlic eggplant. All were really delicious and solid, with my favorite being the chicken! This one completely surprised me. I was expecting a deep fried chicken dish, but it was actually not fried at all and in this delicious, semi-sweet sauce. Looks were totally deceiving with this one. I personally could've done without the hot and sour soup, as it was a little too pepper-y for my taste. It looks like noodles are their forte here so I can't wait to come back and try their noods and more of their many menu options! Thanks for providing our Christmas comfort, Da Lian! read more
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Ask the Community - Dalian
Is there outdoor seating?
Very little. Maybe one or two small tables. Plenty of indoor seating.
Do they take dinner reservations?
I believe they do but you could always call to find out for sure. They're good people who also provide great food.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
27 reviews that are not currently recommended
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