I've been coming here at least once a week for the past five months, and this place continues to…read moreimpress every single time. The service is consistently great... attentive, efficient, and genuinely welcoming. Fair warning for anyone new to Sichuan cuisine, the dominant flavor is "spicy". That said, the dishes are not just about heat... they're layered, aromatic, and incredibly well-balanced. Every dish I've tried has been outstanding, both in flavor and presentation. If you're a fan of bold, authentic flavors and reliable service, this spot is definitely worth visiting. Tip - If you're new to the cuisine, I strongly recommend getting everything MILD spicy. I've been told by some of my colleagues that MILD spicy is still pretty spicy, so be warned. With that said, strongly recommend the dishes below. Lamb with Cumin 11/10 - My favorite dish here by far. Aromatic, flavorful, and the spices are just on point. Dan Dan Noodles 9/10 - Solid and consistently good. The sauce is properly seasoned and truly compliments the perfectly cooked noodles. Shredded Cabbage with Pork 9/10 - Not to be confused with twice cooked pork. This dish is so simple and bland looking, but it's packed with flavor... so good! Garlic Pork Belly 8/10 - This is a cold dish. The meat was perfectly cooked and properly coated in chili oil. Solid and consistently good. Kung Pao Chicken 8/10 - In my opinion, it's an elevated Kung Pao Chicken. Solid and consistently good.

This place is crazy good. When you think of Szechuan food you're probably thinking SPICE, but you…read morecan adjust the heat of most of the dishes here so you're not frying your tongue off. It can get really busy, though, so expect to wait or just call in your order and take your food to go. I recommend the soy sauce tofu with beef dish. It's fire. Massive W. Gen Z words. Good.

This used to be my photographer's favorite ramen spot, and I hadn't been back in a long time…read more I would call this the closest thing to Ichiran Ramen in Los Angeles. Ichiran is still the best ramen we've ever had anywhere in the world, but sadly, there isn't one in LA. This place comes pretty close. The flavor and quality are always consistent. It's the kind of restaurant you can keep coming back to without thinking too much. It's usually pretty busy, which is probably a good sign. My only complaint is that the portion is a little small, and an extra serving of noodles costs another $2.50. Come on, noodles shouldn't feel like a luxury upgrade. Other than that, everything is solid. Definitely one of our go-to ramen spots in LA.

fav ramen spot…read more yummmmmmmmy ramen delicious broth nice servers and fast service hate the big tree in the middle of the highe chair seats, not tall/short people friendly, you gotta be 5'5-5'7 to be comfortable sitting there love this place though always praying for no line

Dan Modern left a great impression on the table…read more Ordered the following: 1. Baby Bok Choy 2. Chicken Lo Mien 3. Shrimp Fried Rice 4. Pork/Crab XLB Everything tasted amazing and well prepared. The prices are premium, the quality matches! Enjoyed every dish!

This place is a family favorite. The food is consistently delicious and we highly recommend the Dan…read moreDan noodles with pork chop,Three Cup Chicken, Chinese chicken salad, and the spicy pork dumplings. A special thank you to our server, Eric, who took care of our family. He was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. He also recommended the Dan Dan noodles with the pork chop which we had not tried before and my family raved about. Unfortunately, our experience with the host was the complete opposite. When we asked if we could be seated in a booth, he responded with a sour expression and unnecessary attitude, as though having the booth cleaned was a personal inconvenience. Even after we thanked him for accommodating our request, his response remained cold and dismissive. That interaction is the reason we're deducting one star, because customer service matters just as much as good food. Our family frequently visits the Sawtelle Japantown location, where we've always been welcomed with outstanding hospitality. We hope this location can provide that same level of warmth and professionalism in the future.

Excellent ramen house with a solid menu. They offer appetizers, rice bowls, ramen, and mazesoba. My…read morehusband and I each got a bowl of ramen and shared an appetizer. The portion sizes were more than enough. Snowy Karaage Fried Chicken: Deep-fried, crispy marinated boneless chicken served with a lemon wedge and mayonnaise. The exterior was perfectly crispy, while the interior was deliciously juicy. Each piece was packed with flavor. Yuzu Shio Ramen: Slow-cooked chicken based broth, seasoned with yuzu, which gives the bowl a fragrant citrusy kick. The broth tasted clean, savory, and delicate. This is perfect if you want something refreshing rather than rich. Tonkatsu Ramen: 10 hour slow-cooked pork bone broth that tastes rich, creamy, and comforting. The broth was packed with umami flavor. This is perfect if you are looking to eat something hearty and filling without excess sodium.

Everything was so good!!! Great summer deals too!…read more Abura-age Shoyu Ramen ($9.99) Delicious vegetarian ramen! The broth was so flavorful and not too salty, not oily. The egg was also prepared perfectly with a nice jammy yolk. Veggie Croquette Curry ($9.99) The croquette was nice and crispy on the exterior and interior was soft and warm. The curry was well-seasoned, so tasty and homey. Spicy Chilled Tofu ($1.99) This wasn't too spicy surprisingly. Most of the spicy sauce is at the bottom and it didn't really absorb into the tofu that much, if you want more of the spiciness, scoop more of the sauce to eat with the tofu. Spicy Agedashi Tofu ($6.99) 4 pieces This is my favorite tofu dish! Love this one more than the chilled tofu. The crispy tofu was perfection, so flavorful, and it wasn't too spicy at all. Service was great and fast. Love the interior. Beautiful murals on the wall and traditional Japanese lights. I would come back!

Mama Lu Dumpling House is my favorite Chinese spot in the area. The dumplings are amazing, which is…read moreexactly what you hope for when going to a place known for them. You really cannot go wrong with the xiao long bao, steamed buns, or any of their other dumpling offerings. Beyond the dumplings, they have a lot of other dishes I really enjoy. Some of my favorites are the beef rolls, spicy wontons, green onion pancake, chow fun, orange chicken, and chow mein noodles. The noodles are especially good and, importantly, not overly greasy or oily, which can sometimes be an issue at other places. The prices are also competitive, especially considering the portions and quality of the food. It is the kind of place where you can order a good spread, share a bunch of dishes, and feel like you got a solid meal for the money. I also love that they bring out sugared peanuts when you sit down. It is a small touch, but a really nice one. The restaurant has plenty of seating, though service can be a bit slow at times, so good luck flagging down a waiter when it gets busy. You can also tell they are a high-volume dumpling restaurant because there is often steam in the dining room, which can make the restaurant feel a little warm at times. A couple of practical heads-ups: the tables are on the smaller side and can get crowded quickly if you order a lot of dishes, so just be mindful if you are planning to feast. You will also likely need to park in one of the structures around the area, but there is a large parking structure right across the street and plenty of parking options around Old Town. Overall, Mama Lu is a great spot with excellent dumplings, solid noodles, competitive prices, and a menu that keeps me coming back. Definitely one of my go-to places in Pasadena.

My family group of 6 adults ate at the Pasadena location of Mama Lu's (61 S. Fair Oaks). This was…read moremy 1st time. They sat us at a small table for 6 people right by their front door & in front of a blowing fan. The table looked too small to hold all of the 8 dishes that we would be ordering. I asked for a larger table, but they said the table for 10 would be too large. There were several larger empty tables. The restaurant was not busy. As it turned out, our table was too small to hold our 8 entrees. The server wasn't even sure herself on how or where to put our orders on the table due to a lack of space. We had to combine several of our entree dishes onto 1 plate to make room on the table. The service was terrible because no one would check up on how we were doing, & no one would take our mountain of extra dirty serving plates away. Staff were standing around instead of being attentive. We got up & brought the many empty dirty serving dishes to their main counter ourselves. We had to ask for water refills because no one came to see if we needed anything. They then had the audacity to automatically charge us an 18% service fee ($19.83) for their bad service. The bill totaled $139. Tipping is NOT optional, even for bad service! The food tasted OK, not great. The facility & restroom was clean. Available street parking was very hard to find on a Saturday at noon. The Pasadena location was a big disappointment & a bad experience. I will not return, & I do NOT recommend eating there. It was not enjoyable. NOTE: The Chinatown location of Mama Lu's has excellent & very friendly service, larger tables, better tasting food, & an adjacent free parking lot. I highly recommend that facility. I've always had a good experience at that location.

If you're looking for authentic Chinese flavors, Lan Noodle House is definitely worth a visit…read more Every dish tasted fresh, comforting, and full of flavor. What we ordered: * Appetizer Combo - A great way to start the meal with a variety of refreshing side dishes. * Braised Pig Ear in Chili Oil - Crunchy, flavorful, and coated in a fragrant chili oil with just the right amount of heat. * Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce - Tender, savory, and perfectly balanced with a garlicky sauce that wasn't overpowering. * Xiao Long Bao - Thin wrappers filled with juicy broth and flavorful pork. Definitely a must-order. * Braised Beef Noodle Soup - Rich, comforting broth with tender beef and chewy handmade noodles that really hit the spot. * Dan Dan Noodles - Creamy, nutty, and packed with bold sesame flavor with just the right amount of spice. * Mustard Green Beef Noodles - A comforting bowl with tender beef, chewy noodles, and pickled mustard greens that add the perfect tangy kick. The portions are generous, making it a great place to come with friends or family and share a variety of dishes.

Came back to try different dishes. Got the beef Chinese burger, braised beef noodle soup, sautéed…read morevegetables and xiao long bao. I liked the crunchy texture of the bread for the Chinese burger. It's on the spicier side. The braised beef noodle soup and sautéed vegetables were my favorite. The xiao long bao wasn't soupy but the dipping sauce they give is very good. Staff is very nice. There are quite a few tables for indoor seating.

I may just not be the target audience for this style of hot pot, but this order didn't really work…read morefor me. I expected the spicy broth to have more heat and depth, but it tasted very mild, and I had to stir around the bottom of the container to find much flavor. The lamb also had a strong gamey smell that I noticed even before opening the takeout. That said, the service was warm, friendly, and fast, and the location is convenient. It may be a good spot for people who prefer a lighter, milder hot pot, but based on this order, it's hard for me to find a reason to go back.

Came in for a quick dinner and loved it. The ingredient selection is great, and you'll find the…read morestandards without anything too fancy. And honestly, it's hard to complain when you get to customize your own bowl! The space was practically sterile, which I actually find to not be the case with many hot pot restaurants, so this was a very nice and welcome surprise. Only gripe with the place is the price. It comes out to $15.99 per pound, which is quite expensive for raw ingredients. A single bowl could easily run you $20.

Came here after Head in the Clouds with my friends! We came around 12:15am, and there was a pretty…read morebig line outside, so we had to wait a bit, but we got seated pretty quick (15-20min). We ordered the honey garlic chicken, seafood pancake, tteokbokki, and corn cheese. For 4 people this was a good amount of food. First off the honey garlic chicken was AMAZING. the chicken was super juicy and crispy and the honey made the fried skin taste like a biscuit. It was actually insane, I would come back here just for the chicken, 10/10. The seafood pancake was also amazing. It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It had lots of shrimp and squid, and dipped in the sauce it was delicious, 10/10. I'd say both the corn cheese and tteokbokki were not super worth it. The tteokbokki was relatively small, given the price. And it was quite spicy, a little too spicy for me. The corn cheese tasted like butane gas, or how a birthday candle smells, so it was just alright. Both were a 5/10. I would definitely come back again to try more food!

Closest ktown pocha you'll get in Pasadena. It's a bit pricey than what you'll expect but food…read morewise, it's not bad. Must order: pork jowl with shishito