I made dinner reservations (Thursday night) for 2 via Yelp, easy and convenient. When we arrived we were seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the employees clean the tables right after a customer leaves. The food was good. We especially liked how tender the meat was. Employees were all nice and attentive. Definitely a place to try. Parking was a little difficult. read more

I brought my mom and aunt to Flaming Ox, and they loved it. I ordered the bone broth soup with the shirataki noodles (a great low-carb option!), while they had the thin noodles. The broth was rich and deeply flavorful. The beef was incredibly tender--my 80-year-old aunt had no trouble chewing it at all. Even the tendons had a perfect texture and weren't overly chewy. The water spinachwas lightly sauced and served as the perfect fresh side to balance out the meal. The service truly set this experience apart. Our server was so kind and attentive, especially toward my aunt who is in a wheelchair. It's rare to find a place that feels this genuinely welcoming. I was down to 10% battery, but they have outlets along the wall. Since I had my block and cord with me, I was able to charge up while we ate. Great food, accessible, and amazing staff. read more

I went here on a Saturday evening in a party of 3 and didn't need to wait. I ordered a Mala Beef Noodle Soup with the thick noodles and green onion pancakes. I like how clean the interior is. It has a polished and modern look. One downside is that the chairs and booths do not have cushions. While I was eating I noticed that a lot of takeout orders being fulfilled, so that's something I might explore in the future. They have both laminated menus and QR code menus. I ordered with the QR code and the food came within 5 minutes. Tableside condiments include salt, white pepper, vinegar, chili, and soy sauce. The green onion pancake is ok, there wasn't anything to write home about. On the other hand, I really like the noodles .The meat is very thick but also incredibly tender. It literally melts in the mouth. The broth is good and the portion size feels right. The noodles themselves also had a good chew to them. One very minor complaint that I have is that my party all ordered noodles, but we only got a small dish of chili oil to share. It wasn't that spicy but had a good nutty flavor. I liked how the bok choy is also chopped so that it is easier to eat. I thought that the soup would be more spicy, but it is still very good. I would come back again read more

Flaming Ox - Mala Beef Noodle Soup with Thick Noodles - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came by for dinner the other night and it was a decent experience. Flaming Ox is located inside a strip mall with a private parking lot. The lot was 95% full on a weeknight... The restaurant was rather small and featured both indoor and outdoor dining. Ordering was done via QR code or with the staff. Started off with the popcorn chicken and the chicken was rather dry... bummer The blanched Veggies with fried garlic were quite tasty. The dry beef noodles were decent. Opted for the wide noodles and they were ok. Some of the noodles were stuck together. The half beef half tendons were fantastic. The beef tendons were super tender and the beef shank pieces were fantastic. The portions were gigantic...maybe better for sharing? read more

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Finally convinced my wife to check this place out. We frequent this complex often with nearby restaurants but we've always skipped Flaming Ox despite the good reviews. FYI, Parking could be a challenged during lunch rush so if you find a spot once you enter the lot from street, take it. I was craving for a warm soup on a chilly winter afternoon, so I got the Traditional Taiwanese Beef noodle soup with a side of their signature chili oil. My wife just got a side of Fried Pork Chop as we were sharing both dishes. My son got the Popcorn Chicken Rice Bowl Plate. This place was as I expected, but in a good way. All the dishes were 5 stars! The beef noodle soup was perfect, with a really flavorful broth and many large pieces of tender beef. The pork chop was crispy outside and juicy inside. The chicken also crispy with just the right amount of spices was delicious. The sides of signature chilly oil and seasoned egg that came with them made them better tasting. The Passion Fruit Green Tea and Jasmine Green Tea were refreshing cold drinks. I wish that they had hot tea on the menu though. The service was pretty quick with a very friendly crew. This moderately sized restaurant has a modest atmosphere with some nice wall artwork. I'd highly recommend checking this place out especially if you have the hankering for really good Taiwanese food! read more

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Party of 2 came for late lunch on a Saturday and there was no wait. We ordered the popcorn chicken (medium), spicy wontons, beef noodle soup 1/2 tendon 1/2 meat, and chilled cucumbers. The popcorn chicken didn't have that traditional Taiwanese batter but it still had a nice crunch and medium is not spicy. The wonton filling is super juicy! Been noodle soup had a fantastic flavor, with the tendon and meat being so tender. Service was fast and super friendly. Definitely adding this spot as my new go-to for Taiwanese beef noodle soup. read more

Flaming Ox - Traditional Beef Noodle Soup [Mild Spicy] 紅燒牛肉麵 with thick noodles 1/2 meat 1/2 tendon - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

A small shop that is solely focused on Taiwan beef noodle, broth or dry. There are some other Taiwanese dishes such as their fried pork chop rice, minced meat on rice, etc, but all in all, not a big menu and not a big shop. We came in for a late lunch and service was courteous and on time. Not that we need a lot of services since you order via the QR code and they gave us a big bottle of water for self water services. Food came quickly after the ordering and we were checked once during mid meal. I ordered the dry beef noodle and husband ordered the beef noodle soup. You can choose the type of noodle (thin or thick) and if you want more add on. To my pleasant surprise, the 3 pieces of beef shank that layered on the noodle were thick, but very well cooked that they were soft but not falling apart being picked up by the chopsticks. They were cooked with good flavors soaked in and yet not overcooked that the meat tasted dry and rough. It was wonderfully done. The veggie were chopped into smaller pieces and I skipped the pickles. The portion was just right for me. Although it came with a side chili oil, it was not too spicy and I could even handle it. The only thing I wasn't sure about is if the portion was good enough for my husband. The restaurant was designed with an open kitchen and you could see what was cooking behind the glass, though the food came so quickly that most people just devoured onto their food. Overall a much better experience than my last visit. If you just crave for a good Taiwanese beef noodle and not a comprehensive Taiwanese menu, this is the place to come. read more

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I went here for dinner and always wanted to try the spicy beef noodle soup. I was wowed by the meat portion. It wasn't too spicy like I thought it would be but they'll give you condiments to suit your liking. Service was professional. They are very accommodating if you never had Taiwanese food before. It gets crowding so I don't think it's wheelchair accessible unless they move chairs and tables for you. I'm pretty sure they will move it for you. It's very modern looking. read more

Flaming Ox - Mala Beef Noodle Soup [Spicy] 麻辣牛肉麵 - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Nice restaurant, service is good. They have a student discount and also a lunch deal menu but I don't think it's really more worth it than ordering normally. I thought they'd come with large size noodles bowls but they're medium. I like the dry noodles more than soup, even though the dry noodles probably need a little more sauce... fried pork chops were great! No bones read more

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Best beef shank stew noodles soup in sf South Bay. Not sure how the owners make money when generous pieces of beef shank are in one soup bowl. It's the right amount of tender without being chewy and having enough texture so it doesn't fall apart! Wow... delicious. The flavors are subdued but tasty. I sometimes (like this time) ordered a combo beef shank with tendons. Their tendons are pretty good. Tender. As for the soups, one can select the spicy levels. There are also condiment sauces on the table for you to adjust to your preference. I usually prefer & choose the thin noodles, which are just done right... tender but chewy. One can choose thick flat noodles that I haven't tried. There are appetizers that I tried before. Most are ok. I didn't like onion pancake which is deep fried; I prefer pan fried. But if u like deep fried, it tastes pretty good. Also tried tofu with pickled egg; I don't prefer the spicy sauce; otherwise, it's pretty good. As you can see from dining room pic, it's clean & simple set up. The right place for a simple quick meal. Recommended. 4.5 stars rounded up, with good service. read more

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I got the thick noodles for the traditional beef noodle soup and it wasn't a good choice. The noodles weren't cooked well or enough since they were too tough to chew when it first came out. I had to wait and keep my noodles submerged in the hopes it would get softer after a couple of minutes. Although it became more manageable to eat, it was still chewier than what I would prefer. Next time, I would get the thin noodles. The meat broth and beef were the best part of the dish. The broth was rich but not heavy while the beef was tender. You also order from the QR code on the table so there isn't much to say about the service. read more

Flaming Ox - Traditional Beef Noodle Soup Mild Spicy - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

After visiting Christmas at the Park, I was craving for some hot beef noodle soup. Decided to try out Flaming Ox in San Jose. It's a Taiwanese restaurant specializing in noodle soup and rice plates. I started with the spinach with fried onions and onion pancakes. The veggie portions were small. The onion pancakes were good but just wish it was slightly larger portion. The beef noodle soup was good, I opted for the half beef & half tendon for an extra buck. I should of stayed with the regular instead of the beef tendon. The tendons were small and overcooked to a consistency of fat. The service was very good, they waitress was attentive. The dining area was very clean and welcoming. The tables were clean and organized with condiments. Overall, it was a very good experience. I would come back next time I'm in the San Jose area. read more

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I visited Flaming Ox with my husband over the weekend. It was lunchtime so I expected the plaza, which is shared with a City Sports Fitness, is typically crowded but it seems to have mellowed out a bit in recent years. The parking was still a little crowded closer to the restaurants, but we managed to find a parking spot nearby and noticed a small queue in front of Flaming Ox. A few parties joined a waiting list so that they could be seated do my husband and I also joined with an expected wait time of 10-25 minutes. While we waited, we visited the iTaiwan, a small Taiwanese snack store next door. Even though the wait time was estimated as 10-15 min, our table was ready around 5-7 minutes and we were given a small table at the side of the restaurant. The server gave us a pitcher of water and glasses for us to drink and let us know we could order via the QR code on the table. I ordered the beef broth soup and my husband ordered a traditional beef soup with extra noodles for an additional charge. Our soup came out quickly and the soup broth was very rich and flavorful. The slices of beef were thick, perhaps 1cm, and very juicy and tender. The soups were also served with some chopped up pickled veggies which added an additional dimension to the overall flavor profile of the soup. For those that want to add a few more spices, there is chili oil, white pepper, salt, and vinegar at each table. We were also given a spicy chili oil to dip our meat in, which gave our soup more heat and an extra kick. The establishment was small and busy, so it was a little awkward when servers would check in on us due to the lack of space, but the service was good and quick and the queue went by quickly. I would most definitely visit here again! read more

Flaming Ox - Beef Broth Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Dined here about 2 weeks ago on a Saturday evening with a couple of friends. We came right at opening time of 5:00pm to avoid a possible wait. Two of us enjoyed the spicy beef noodle soup while another got no spice beef noodle soup. We also for the popcorn chicken and cucumbers to share (both were tasty and cucumbers were a lot better than another well known place). The beef noodle soup had huge pieces of meat in it as well as plenty of noodles. I think it may have been too early for my dinner as I only finished a little over half and ended up taking the rest home. Definitely made for a good meal the next morning! I like that they have the condiments you can add on the side. The satay was really good. Advise you to use sparingly as it was pretty spicy (different spice from the soup). I'd come again during cold weather as it def hit the spot! read more

Flaming Ox - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I feel like the flavor of the broth was a bit lacking, and I was a bit disappointed upon seeing that the thick noodles option was the flat rice noodles. I thought it was going to be like the thick wheat flour noodles (similar to that of thicker ramen noodles) since it wasn't indicated on the online ordering but was shown on the physical menu, so that was partly my mistake (though we weren't offered physical menus). The popcorn chicken was good, although it didn't indicate that it would be spicy-ish so it wasn't kid friendly. However, the only thing that was exceptional in my opinion was the green onion pancakes since it delivered the right crisp and flavor. Service was good, we were checked in frequently. Parking is such a mess when arriving during dinner time! read more

We had Sunday lunch with friends who had never tried this place before. The service is very friendly, helpful, and attentive. He checked on us a few times. Food: Zha Jiang Mien: Flavorful mushroom based sauce cooked with [IMPOSSIBLE] plant-based soy, fried shallots, aromatics and fresh cut vegetables (4/5). Bone Broth Beef Noodle Soup: 100% bone broth base, light delicate spice. *comes with beef* Choice of having either half tendon/half meat, tendon only, extra tendon, extra meat, all at a varying $$ amounts. Also choice of thin or thick noodles (4/5). Our friends got the Traditional Beef Noodle Soup with half tendon/half meat. They seemed to enjoy it. read more

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Came to Flaming Ox after purposefully searching out some good Taiwanese food for the South Bay. Food came out expeditiously after ordering which made us wonder a bit but overall, boyfriend gave it his stamp of approval stating that it brought back a lot of Taiwan nostalgia. We shared the traditional Taiwanese beef noodle soup with thin noodles. The broth was sufficiently beef and the pieces of shank were melt in your mouth tender. I also liked how the pickled vegetables were presented on a spoon to the side, quite traditional. My only comment against the dish was that all our vegetables were all of the bottom stems, not exactly the best part of any vegetable. We supplemented the noodles with some Taiwan classics. The soy threads were really tasty and the right flavor. It was refreshing for the warm day! The century egg with tofu was good but they used firm tofu so it didn't quite hit the mark as this dish ought to use silken tofu. Having said that, the flavor was still really good! Last but not least, the popcorn chicken. It was fried nicely and I really enjoyed the fried basil. read more

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Noodle lovers -- check out this cozy comfort spot featuring Taiwanese beef noodles. We got the noodle soup with thick noodles and the spicy dry version with thin noodles -- both were flavorful, and the beef was very tender! We also tried the fried pork chop and popcorn chicken (LOVE!). I was a bit worried the drinks would be too sweet since there's no option to adjust the sweetness, but they turned out perfectly balanced and really refreshing with the meal! read more

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The star is undoubtedly the Special Dry Noodle Mala Beef. The beef is incredibly thick, tender, and juicy, living up to its description perfectly. The mala seasoning provides a fantastic, aromatic heat. Whether you choose thick or regular noodles, you're in for a treat--both are excellent and hold the sauce well. Service is both professional and fast. The staff is efficient and attentive, ensuring you get your delicious food without a long wait, even in a compact space. It's a small, no-frills place, but it's impeccably clean and well-maintained. The focus here is squarely on the quality of the food. The Flaming Ox is a gem. It masterfully delivers an exceptional and satisfying bowl of noodles, with incredibly tender beef and perfect spice. Highly recommended for a fantastic, no-fuss meal. read more

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If you haven't been here yet, you're missing out!! When I'm craving something comforting, filling, and flavorful -- this is one of my go-to spots in San Jose! Here's what I ordered: - Dry Mala Beef with Shirataki Noodles - Traditional Beef with Thick Noodles + Extra Tendon - Century Egg + Tofu (a must-order!) - Chilled Eggplant The beef and tendon portions are so generous -- everything is melt-in-your-mouth tender. I also love how customizable everything is. You can go with soup or dry noodles. Choose from thin, thick, or their new low-cal shirataki noodles. And don't skip the century egg and tofu -- it's silky, rich, and pairs perfectly with the savory sauce. Whether you're after comfort food or a protein-packed meal, Flaming Ox will have you leaving full and happy!! :) read more

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Was craving some beef noodle soup and found this place on Yelp. It was either this or our go to Ox 9 and we decided to try something new since we've seen some reviews mention their broth tastes similar/better. We can on a Sunday evening around 6 PM and it wasn't packed. You order from the QR code once you're seated and they provide a water container and cups for you. Our group order the mala beef noodle soup (one thin and one thick), the minced pork belly rice, side of pork chop, and cold cucumbers. The mala beef noodle soup was good but the mala flavor was strong and overpowered a lot of the taste of the broth. The thick noodles were chewy but I think Ox 9 was better in my opinion. The beef was super tender and was the highlight of the dish. The minced pork belly was really good as well and the flavor combination of the rice, egg, pickled mustard, and pork belly was delicious. The pork chop was okay, probably wouldn't get it again. The cold cucumbers were good but pricey for what it is. Overall the food was decent but I think I rather go to Ox 9 instead. If you do come, I recommend getting the regular beef noodle soup and maybe asking for the mala on the side. The pork belly rice is good as well and would get that again if I ever come back. 4/5 read more

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I came here with a friend and we both ordered the Mala Beef Noodle Soup (I got thick noodles, he got thin) and shared the popcorn chicken with sweet & sour sauce. The Mala Beef Noodle Soup was the star -- it comes with 1/4 lb of beef shank cooked to a perfectly tender texture that paired beautifully with the flavorful, spicy broth. I went with medium spice and it was just right. The thick noodles were bouncy and chewy, soaking up the broth without getting soggy. 4.5/5 for me. My friend preferred the thin noodles, though I found them a little too soft. The popcorn chicken was also tasty. Not quite as crispy as the versions I used to get from boba shops, but the chicken itself was juicy and tender, and the sweet & sour sauce worked well with it. I'd definitely order it again. 4/5. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side. I forgot to check the Yelp waitlist on a Friday night, but luckily there were only two parties ahead of us. Ordering is done by scanning a QR code at your table -- convenient, though I personally prefer talking to a server when I have menu questions. I'll definitely be back to try the regular Beef Noodle Soup, but the Mala version is already a winner. Highly recommend if you're craving Taiwanese beef noodle soup -- it hits the spot whether you're sick, hungover, or just want something comforting and full of flavor. read more

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This place serves up one of the best Chinese beef noodle soups in the area! I've tried so many places where the bowl is just full of noodles with 2 paper thin slices of beef. You don't have to worry about that here! Their bowls have the perfect portion of noodles with THICK slices of soft beef. You will leave definitely satisfied. My go to is usually the dry mala beef with thick noodles. The noodles have the perfect chew and holds on to the sauce fairly well. The mala is HoT and will leave you with that familiar mouth numbness. Excellent bowl! Their pickled cabbage appetizer is a nice contrast to the richness of the soup. Their blanched Asian greens with garlic was also delicious and was very fresh. The restaurant is small and gets crowded during lunch on the weekends so best to try and come early. Definitely will add to my rotation. read more

Flaming Ox - Dry mala beef with thick noodles - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I love noodles and somehow have been finding alot of Taiwainese noodle soup joints lately on Yelp. Hubby and I decided to try this restaurant as we were running errands in the area yesterday (Sunday) around noonish. The parking lot is big though super busy. I was able to get on the waiting list via Yelp and we arrived at 1215p to the restaurant within the time Yelp said our table would be available. And it was! One table available as the restaurnt was busy. We were greeted immediately by the male staff who somehow knew it was me when I haven't checked in yet. Kudos to him! As customers left, new one came so the restaurant was constantly busy on top of doordash and to-go orders. The restaurant is small with about 12 tables (tables of 2 & 4s). The mural is nice and funny putting a smile on my face as I sit there and look at it...oxes serving humans at the food market. We ordered the following. 1. Mala beef soup with thick noodles: Quite spicy but a very good spicy. The 3 thick slices of meat were very tender and easy to bite into or break apart with the utensils. The bok choys were cut up in small pieces making it bite size and easy to chew vs having to try to bite it in half or stuff the whole thing in your mouth. The soup broth is a little light and the noodles were a little overcooked as it was soft, but overall, hubby enjoyed it. 2. Dry Mala beef soup with thick noodles: Hubby and I really like this over the soup dish as it's very flavorful. The noodles were cooked just right as it was chewey. Similar to the soup dish, the meat is thick and tender and the bok choys are cut up to bite size. Next time I would order a small bowl.of soup on the side if that's an option. 3. Green onions pancakes: Thin qnd Crispy but need more green onions. I barely saw any greens. The sauce to pair with the pancake was light so it didn't really give flavor to the pancake. But since the pancake is think I just ate it on its own. Overall, both the food and service was good. The food came out in good time with the appetizer first then the entree. I didn't feel to rush eating everything at once as it was paced out a bit. The 2 staff working the tables was attentive to the tables, walk-in/pick up customers and was on top of cleaning the tables in prep for the next party. I would definitely return in the future. read more

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Came here around 5:30 pm with my girlfriend on a Friday, wasn't too packed but there was plentiful people. We got sat instantly and we you can order all the food through your phone when you scan the QR code. It was happy hour so the traditional soup with thin noodle was $15.50 and the popcorn chicken was $8.50, for being in the bay around a busy plaza center it was fairly priced and one of our cheaper eats for sure. Everything was so delicious. The place is pretty small so if it is peak hours i would say to arrive early. There are plenty parking spaces outside but tends to get really crowded and hard to find a parking spot since there are so many places around as well. read more

Flaming Ox - Hey Song - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Highly recommend the beef noodle soup. The meat and tendon are impossibly tender. Huge chunks of meat with zero resistance. The pork over rice is also solid! Service very friendly and they have seating outside with umbrella if the inside is all filled up! read more

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I can't believe it took me this long to come here after I've had this spot bookmarked for the longest time. My family and I decided to stop by for dinner before heading home. It's hard to find a good Taiwanese restaurant, so I'm glad I finally found one that I enjoy. We arrived at 7:45pm on a Sunday and were immediately seated. You order on your phone by scanning the QR code that's on the table. I loved the mural of all the Taiwanese food stands. We order a variety of dishes, but my favorite were the noodle soups/dry noodles. Loved the chewiness of the noodles, the tenderness of the beef, and the broth was the perfect flavor and consistency. Also, you can't go wrong with their popcorn chicken - my dad loved it! Overall, we were all very satisfied with their dishes. I can't wait to come back again. The servers were friendly and attentive. There is also plenty of parking available in the lot! read more

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Food:3.5/5 I tried the Traditional Beef Noodle Soup, Bone Brother Beef Noodle Soup, Dry Beef Noodles, and Popcorn Chicken w/ Basil. All were pretty decent. My favorite was probably the popcorn chicken with black pepper sauce on the side. The beef soup could be beefier but the portion size was pretty good. The noodles were not the best but it did the job. Service:4/5 Pretty good service. Staff checked in to see how everything was. We asked to take our leftovers home which they gave us containers for and asked us if we wanted a bag which we said yea. They forgot but it was not a big deal. Ambiance:3.5/5 A simple restaurant, not much decoration but clean. read more

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Haven't been to flaming ox in a while, when i am craving some taiwanese beef noodle soup, this is where i go. They have a nice online yelp waitlist that you can join. I recommend checking the waittime as the restaurant is not too big. Nice qr code ordering and the food came out pretty quick. Great for a quick lunch as long as you get in. The green onion pancake, portion wise could be a-little more. It was also a-little too fried for my liking. The beef noodle soup was great, and the highlight. They have a chili spicy sauce on the side, that you can add in as needed to adjust your spice level. The meat is really tender, you have an option to have half tendon and half meat for extra cost as well. Really balanced in my opinion. If you are in the area and want some nice taiwanese beef noodle soup, this is a great place to go. read more

Flaming Ox - Traditional Beef Noodle Soup Mild Spicy - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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This review has been long overdue since it's been my favorite go-to spot now for beef noodle soup for some time now. Everything from their hand-pulled noodles to their thick cut beef and tendon has been consistently on point each time I've come. My go-to items were the mala beef noodle soup (since spice is life) and basil popcorn chicken. I was delighted to find out that they recently added the dry mala noodles so that is now my entree of choice, of course with beef and tendon. I'm a sucker for thick cut noodles so that's the only type I get here. Here are my reviews of everything that I've tried: Mala Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup (5/5): Broth is very well balanced, not overly salty. It has the perfect amount of spice- not too much, not too little. Beef is thick cut consistently soft, and I'm surprised to find out it's not even sous vide, just simply cooked out of a labor of love. The tendon is also nice and soft, not chewy at all like a lot of other places that serve it. The noodles were nicely thick cut and cooked enough to have that nice light chew to it. Dry Mala Beef and Tendon Noodles (5/5): I actually prefer dry noodles over soup so them offering this option made me so excited to try. They had the perfect amount of sauce that didn't make the dish overwhelming. Again, the beef, tendon and noodles are on point. Basil Popcorn Chicken (5/5): Great flavor and spices, was tender and juicy. I HATE dried, overcooked anything. Basil had a nice light crisp to it and added a balanced aromatic flavor. Pork chop appetizer (4/5): Had good flavor and a nice crisp breadcrumb coating without being too overwhelming. I think I would prefer for it be thicker cut rather than thin cut to bring out the pork flavor more and juicy texture. Service here has been attentive the past few times that I've went. They started doing a happy hr here since April and has extended it to Tues-Fri from 1:30-2:30 and 5-6:30pm. $15.50 for all entrees which is great and such a steal considering the portion sizes are decent. Highly recommend to those who love noodz! read more

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Was introduced to this place by my coworker and I'm so surprised at how good this place was! This is probably the closest taste to authentic beef noodle soup in Taiwan that I've tried. Noodles are so chewy and the beef is nice and tender. +1 to them cutting up their bokchoy which made it actually easier to eat. Portion size is perfect too. They do get quite busy at rush hour and spots fill up quick. Worth the wait though!! read more

Flaming Ox - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here after making an online reservation on Yelp. This was such a time saver! The server sat us down immediately upon our arrival. I ordered the Mala Beef Noodle, wife ordered the non-spicy Bone broth to share with the kids, and we also got the Popcorn chicken w/ Basil. I enjoyed my Mala soup very much...it was spicy but not too spicy. The thick pieces of beef was super tender which is impressive since most places nowadays makes them tough or contains chewy pieces you have to spit out. The wide noodles were nicely cooked as well. My only complaint was the popcorn chicken could have used more basil flavor but the batter was not bad. read more

Flaming Ox - Popcorn chicken w/ basil - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Wanted to try out a this place out after being recommended. The place is a little small but cute because the wall had painting/mural design similar to Studio Ghibli artwork with each head being an ox which I thought was pretty cool. Food wise, the rice bowl was good but a tad bit salty. Noodles were spicy but not too spicy. The chilled/pickled cucumbers were amazing. Refreshing to eat during the summer. Service was good. read more

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3.5 stars! Ordered takeout and my food was ready pretty quickly. All the tables were taken and a few people were waiting to be seated on a Tuesday night. Unintentionally, I ordered during happy hour so my bowl was a dollar or two less than normal. I got the popcorn chicken rice plate and the chicken was flavored nicely. I like the sauce that came on the side and thought it paired well. The chicken had no crunch but I'm sure it'd be much better if I ate at the restaurant. A great place for a cheap comfort meal! read more

Flaming Ox - Popcorn Chicken Rice Plate 鹽酥雞飯 - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm always on the lookout for places that serves fresh noodles since fresh is always usually the best. However, the noodles here was so thicccc that I couldn't really enjoy it. Like they didnt roll it thin enough too? I don't know if I got a bad batch or what? I ordered the traditional beef noodle soup which was $17.50. It comes with 3 really thiccc, I mean super thick, pieces of shank meat. The meat was super tender, came with small pieces of bok choy, and green onions. Overall, I did not like this. The soup was also pretty salty and I think they use a lot of msg. I had to drink a lot of water. I also didn't even finish my bowl as it was just not appetizing. I also ordered the popcorn chicken appetizer for $8.50. In hindsight I probably should have ordered the rice plate with the popcorn chicken instead. The popcorn chicken was nicely seasoned inside, juicy, and had a nice crunchy exterior topped with fried basil. This came with a nice dipping sauce on the side. They also have Family packs to go which I think is a good deal. Pack A: Chose 3 entrees, 2 appetizers for $58 Pack B: Chose 4 entrees and 3 appetizers for $78 Since I like the popcorn chicken and I know my kids will too, I would come back to order that and try the other appetizers and rice dishes (fried pork chop, or braised pork belly). They also have Happy Hour deals too! I hope they're just having an off day for noodles and maybe if you go the noodles will be much better for you. read more

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We went during weekday lunch, no wait! I wasn't in a soup mood, so I ordered dry mala spicy beef with thick noodles. The beef was incredibly tender and melted in my mouth. The mala flavor was good, but wish it was spicer. The thick noodles had a nice chew. I also ordered extra bokchoy for 50 cents. My friend ordered the soup version and really enjoyed her meal. The ordering process was super smooth: just scanned the QR code on our table, placed the order, and our food arrived pretty fast. Service was efficient and friendly. read more

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It looked a bit crowded on Tuesday when I walked in a little before 1:30 pm but there were still a few tables available. Very few parking spaces were left in the plaza though (with all the other stores around). I ordered takeout with the time set to 1:30 pm for the happy hour promo but it was ready by 1:15 pm. Inevitably, the drive home made the popcorn chicken (rice plate) and fried pork chop a little soggy but nothing an air fryer couldn't fix. It looks like even reviewers who dined in had the same issue. Everything tasted great (pickled cabbage, minced pork belly rice, and the delicious black pepper garlic sauce) although the popcorn chicken isn't seasoned the same as what you'd find at other places selling "Taiwanese popcorn chicken." I ordered medium spicy but it wasn't spicy at all to either of us. Pork chop was okay. Decent texture and seasoning but not too memorable. read more

Flaming Ox - Fried pork chop with sweet and sour sauce - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Rare 5 star review. Great little "hole in the wall" with very good beef noodle soup. Perfect for the cool weather we have been having. Located in a strip center and knew it would be good with people waiting outside as we arrived. Soup was flavorful and portions of both noodles and beef were above average. We also tried the cold eggplant, popcorn chicken and onion pancakes. All were very good. Service was fine. Overall, 4-1/2 stars but rounding up. read more

I came here on the weekend to have a nice outside soup day (since I was sick). They have 3 outside tables and a ton of tables inside (there was a 5-15 minute wait for inside), but the outside has a parasol / sunshade for each table, which was kinda nice! It's a strip mall, so parking was super easy as well, adding to the experience. That said, I tried the mild soup with chili oil on the side and it was super tasty! Really, really good broth and it was nice to still get the chili oil on the side. I also got the fresh noodles, which were wide and a little bit thicker than expected, which gave a really nice chew. It honestly wasn't even a long wait to get the soup and they had some other apps as well as bone broth soup that looked sooo good, so I'll be back very soon. read more

Flaming Ox - Traditional Beef Noodle Soup Mild Spicy - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I came back because Flaming Ox was pretty good, affordable, and I was in the area. I came in around like 25 minutes before closing on a Sunday evening and they still allowed dine in -- Thank you Flaming Ox staff! The service was good, the food came out and fast, and I was out the door fairly quick. * Popcorn Chicken Rice Plate with Minced Pork Belly - 5/5 stars. The portion on this plate was huge. Popcorn chicken was extremely crunchy and flavorful and the pickled vegetables were refreshing. Overall 5/5 stars again. Definitely will be returning to try the century egg and tofu dish since that caught my eye. read more

Flaming Ox - Popcorn Chicken Rice Plate (with minced pork belly) - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California