Food is tasty. Service is terrible. Servers toss your food onto tables like feeding animals. They do so without care. read more

Had an amazing meal at Li's Knife Cut Noodles! I ordered the braised beef noodle soup and it completely hit the spot--super rich, savory broth with tender chunks of beef and those perfectly chewy, hand-pulled noodles. You can really taste the quality and care in the dish. Also got the cucumber salad, which was the perfect refreshing side--crisp, garlicky, and nicely balanced to cut through the richness of the soup. Everything felt fresh, flavorful, and comforting. Definitely one of those places I'll keep coming back to whenever I'm craving a solid bowl of noodles read more

Quick service, was seated quickly. Small interior but well lit and you order via QR code on the table. Food also came out very quickly Noodle soup itself was ok but a decent price ($16). Would recommend getting knife cut VS regular noodle as knife cut had better texture. Broth itself was not as flavorful as expecting. Meat was fairly tender but not a lot of flavor either. For the price and if you're in the area, this is a decent place to go to read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Noodle Policy - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally another hand pulled noodle place in the East Bay! This Berkeley location is the restaurant's second location, with the first one being in San Mateo. Li's is known for their knife cut noodles AND unlimited refills on soup and dry noodle orders, say less!! I was very excited to try the food at this location to see how it stacked up against their San Mateo location. Located half a block from UC Berkeley's campus, parking can be tricky. Allow extra time for parking and with it being so close to campus, expect longs lines as well! Got to the restaurant at 4:45 and was the second group in line behind a party of 6. Literally a minute after, 10 additional people got in line. If you're not in the first wave of seating, you'll be waiting 30+ min for the second wave. The whole time I was seated, there was a line out the door. After I left, still a line. Walked around for an hour, passed by the restaurant, and there was still a line out the door! [+1 star] opened earlier than planned! Hours are 11:30am-3pm and then 5-9pm. They opened doors at 4:50pm! Not sure if this is a regular thing with this location, but the San Mateo location never opened doors early. [+1 star] well designed space. The restaurant space is really narrow but the tables are spaced out enough to not feel too close to the table next to you. With that being said, the table only has 3 sets of tables for 4 (two sets in the front and one in the back). The remainder of tables is set up for 2 people. If you're a group of 6 or bigger, my guess is that you'll prob be sitting in the back as that seemed to be the only table of 4 that had enough space to maneuver and add an extra table without being in the way of staff. [+1 star] easy ordering and fast service. Tables are equipped with QR codes to easily order your food. But staff is still readily available if you have any questions. Food came out within 5 min of ordering and the soup was HOT! [+1 star] big portions and flavorful food. I ordered the E.01 which is their most popular (braised beef noodle soup). I paid an extra $3.99 for extra bok choy and $2.99 for marinated egg - portions did not disappoint. Like the San Mateo location, they did not skimp on the noodle portion. I didn't even get a chance to get the free noodle refill because I was so full from the regular portion already! Beef was cooked well also. [-1 star] noodles were not al dente. With the noodles being what they're known for, my noodles in my soup were quite soft and not al dente. I thought it was because the noodles were sitting in the hot broth which contributed to the texture. I asked to try my partner's food because he had ordered the dan dan noodles. It was the same soft texture! So that was disappointing and not like their San Mateo location. I was hoping I wouldn't be that full so that I could order the free noodle refills to see if they were also overcooked, but alas that was a no go. I'll be back to give it another try! read more

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Loved the beef noodles. Broth was really savory and the veggies were fresh too. Beef was not super fatty. Cucumber was garlicky and the portion is generous for $10. Tomato noodles are a bit sweet but the egg was tasty. Dumplings were pretty good but green chive is not a favorite of the kids. Nice servers and the service was good. Weird humming noise in the back of the restaurant the management should check out. read more

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Found this spot on DoorDash and decided to give it a try. We ordered the spicy pork and napa cabbage dumplings, cucumber salad, crispy lotus root salad, and pork dan dan noodles. Everything arrived fresh and delicious, and the noodles even tasted great the next day. Highly recommend! read more

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Enjoyed our DD delivery from here: - generous portions - still hot - pig ears, really good, fresh scallions and cilantro, would definitely double order this - chewy noodles, maybe a whee thick? - enjoyed the garlicky sauce and the variety of veg on the noodles, pork was okay - spicy duck necks, quite a punch and very star anise flavor forward Satisfying and great to share! read more

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Such a good little spot for a comforting bowl of noodles! The noodles came out so hot and steaming! It came out right after we ordered. I ordered the beef noodle soup with round noodles and there was so much noodles, it felt endless. We also got the cucumber salad. Super garlicky and umami. Paired really well with the soup. The soup for me was just a tad bit salty but we went towards the end so maybe that altered it. Definitely would come back to try other items on the menu! read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Braised beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Really yummy noodles! I love that the hot chili oil noodles came with a lot of garlic. The noodles were cooked perfectly and I thought the thickness was perfect too. The portion is large. The dumplings were OK. I have had better. I got the Gen Z stare from the server but he gave us everything we asked for and thanked us when we were getting up to leave. I do wish there were small sauce plates and spoons more easily accessible. read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - hot chili oil noodle - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Li's Knife Cut Noodle opened its 2nd location where Mr. Cupbop once was. Decor slightly changed to vanilla walls with Chinese letter scrolls, new lantern overhead lamps. Seats more tightly situated. 2 tables outside. Vocal music inaudible. Quickly guided to an empty table, given some water, left alone to order & pay on QR code. Only saw associate when food was brought out. No more after that. Offerings: appetizers, dry/soup noodles, chow mein, fried rice, drinks, desserts, dumplings, dim sum, stirred fried. Free refills of noods for dry & soup noodles only. Sign on window. Didn't see on QR code. Eats: lamb (bone-in) noodle soup (15.99) knife-cut -rich broth very savory. Many small lamb cubes moist, tender, lacked juiciness as flava went into soup. Lotsa large pieces knife-cut noodles lacked Al dente firmness. -soup also had gai lan veggie, cucumbers, cilantro, green onions, various spices. Tried chili oil, slightly spicy, not mala. -soup bowl colorful, had many Chinese words & phrases: i.e. prosperity, good fortune, good health. 4 stars: Semi-worthy:YMMV Quantity: reasonable for noodles. Unlimited noodle refills for soups. Quality: good, fresh ingredients used. Food made to order. Noodles cut by machine not hand cut. read more

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No-frills, but delicious. Yelp said it opened at 11:30am, but when we walked in at 11:29am, there were already people seated. It got very loud and busy on a Thursday lunch break! You order via kiosk at the front or QR codes at your table. The water had lemon which was very nice. My mom and I shared - Braised beef noodle $15.99 with flat noodles - Lamb dumplings with carrot $13.99 Portions were large! We were pleased with both the value and the quality. We both love braised beef noodle soup, and this was one of the better ones we've had. I think it was the beef--the beef flavor was more tender and juicier than other ones we've had in the Bay Area (SF in particular.) The noodles were chewy and had great consistency, soaking up the yummy soup that was spicy but not overwhelming or numbing. I did think there could've been more soup? I feel like we ended up with quite a bit more meat and veggies than soup at the end. The lamb and carrot dumplings tasted gamey, but were soupy and unique--I feel like you don't see many lamb and carrot dumplings around? Service meant well, and they were very busy, but seemed to be forgetful when we asked for an extra bowl and spoon to share. Would come back! read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Braised beef noodle $15.99 with flat noodles - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came here for lunch on a Friday with two other friends. Restaurant was busy but was seated right away. You order with the QR code on the table. We all got our own things and shared the green onion pancake beef roll. I got the pork, shrimp and chive dumpling with popcorn chicken. Dumplings were no thrills but good and solid. Popcorn chicken was OK. I felt like it needed more seasoning and could be a little bit more crispy, but was tender on the inside. My friend, let me have a couple bites of his lamb skewer and that was really good. Perfect cook. nice and tender with good season. The pancake beef roll was really good. Well balanced and appreciated The crunch and freshness from the cucumber and green onions. My other friend got the noodle soup and he was really happy that it came with free noodle refills. Price was reasonable considering it's Downtown Berkeley. Overall 4.5/5 read more

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I walked down the street and saw a new grand opening sign for Li's knife cut noodles and decided to get some takeout since I had already eaten. The shop was busy with Berkeley students eating in and ordering Togo. There's a Togo kiosk at the front with photos uploaded of some of the dishes. I ended up ordering the green beans, salt and pepper tofu, and the chili oil noodles. I was quoted 10-15 mins and the order was ready in 15 mins. To my surprise the chili oil noodles had a ton of raw garlic on the dish, I ended up scooping it out and would have preferred more chili oil instead. Luckily I had asked for some chili sauce to go so I was able to use that to replace the raw garlic. The chili flavor wasn't as strong as some other places in the bay area. The salt and pepper tofu barely had any salt or pepper and were a little disappointing. The green beans were also ok and not spicy like the menu suggested. Overall this place is pretty well priced and affordable for Berkeley students. Portion size was decent, there's a sign on the front that says free noodle refill - but not sure how well that's honored if you're eating in. Flavors were a bit lacking though and could be better. read more

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This spot is easily one of the best restaurants in Berkeley and a must-try if you're interested in experiencing classic hand-made noodles. The noodle bowls are huge, featuring a rich, buttery broth and meat pieces that melt in your mouth. Perfectly braised, it's paired with chewy hand-pulled noodles that soak up the soup. For only about $15 and a free noodle refill, this is an absolutely steal for the quality and quantity that you're getting. For appetizers, make sure to try the pig ears in chili sauce and the beef pancakes, featuring tender beef wrapped in a fresh scallion pancake and oyster sauce. These dishes taste like something you would find in China, absolutely top tier quality. With fast service, delicious food, fantastic portions for what you pay, this by far one of the best spots to eat not only in Berkeley but in the entire East Bay. read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Simple fare, but good. Prices are good for the portion size and the area. You order through QR code. We tried the pig ears, knife cut noodles (dandan), chili oil wontons, and pork chive shrimp dumplings. Everything was fresh and delicious. You can also see the aunties making the dumplings fresh in the window as well. And they have a massive noodle cutter you can see as well where they're knife-cutting the noodles. Pig ears were surprisingly my favorite, very flavorful, chili oil forward with plenty of scallions. Good portion since it was $11.99. The chili wontons were just okay, wouldn't recommend. The dumplings were nice and QQ, plump and nicely filled. Would recommend. I liked the knife cut noodles as well - very QQ. The flavoring as well was quite good - a lot of peanuts, sesame paste, chili oil, pork, etc. I would've liked a more garlic forward flavor, didn't taste any garlic whatsoever. I didn't get any drinks this time, but it seems like they have housemade soy milk? And other soft drinks/chinese soft drinks in the deli case. Overall, it's all pretty good. Solid fare, quick service, homey vibe. Would be back! read more

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Came in at around 1:30 PM and no wait at all. They give you a physical menu as well as an online one that you can scan at your table. I opted for the Braise Beef Noodle soup because that's usually my go to for places like these and the food came out really fast. Their knife cuts noodles seem fresh and chewy and they also come with free noodle refills, so try to ration your soup/veggie/beef. Soup had decent flavor too! Definitely appreciated the quantity of veggies and beef in my order since a lot of places like to cheap out on it. Overall a solid experience with fast service and decent food...3.7/5 read more

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===TL;DR=== - Beef rib (bone in) noodle soup - Braised beef noodle soup - House made (sweet) soy milk ===TMI=== Another day, another braised beef noodle soup place opened in Berkeley. You can join their waitlist upon arrival. On the opposite side, you can see the workers prepping food so quite transparent. Quite a narrow space but there's a bit more room in the back (also where the restroom is located). QR code scan to order. Choose 2 classics to give them a go. Honestly, a solid bowl of beef noodle soup. Though, flavor did felt a little short for me. If I can, I think they're a solid 3.5 stars. Not quite a 4 for me just yet. The condiments on the side didn't help much. I would say their beef is quite tender and the noodles were cooked well. The soup was just ok. Drink wise, I'm happy to see they had homemade soy milk. They offer it in sweet and unsweetened versions. The soy milk was enjoyable though personally, I wish it was a tad sweeter. Overall a great spot for a quick cozy bite. Also parking is quite hard as it's mainly all meters around. I recommend to park at the parking lot a few blocks away and walk over. read more

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I love knife cut noodles, so I was so excited that Li's opened up in downtown Berkeley! There's tablet ordering upon entering if you want to do takeout. If you want to dine in, you can walk on in / put your name on the waitlist and get seated. The store looks small from the front, but once you walk in, there's quite a few tables. There's QR code ordering on each table. We ordered the beef pancake roll, dan dan noodles, and the spicy minced pork soup noodles. Everything came out fairly quickly! The texture of the noodles are soooo good. The dan dan noodles were standard -- spicy, filled with plenty peanuts and meat (7.5/10). The beef pancake roll came out crispy with a good balance of roll to filling ratio. I would like a little bit more hoison, but I enjoyed this as well (8/10). The soup noodles were the star, as expected. Super flavorful and they don't skimp on the meat or bok choy (9/10). It was so much food, but they also promote doing free noodle refills! I will be back to try their other things :) read more

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Food - I ordered beef rib noodle and house made soy milk. Both noodles and soy milk were good! Service- ordered via app. My order came very fast! Wait people were nice! Ambiance - very spacious insides read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Beef rib knife cut noodles - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Solid place to get beef noodle soup! We opted for the beef noodle soup w/ bone in. The meat was really tender and slides right off! Also they give free refill on noodle which made it so nice to share. I also really liked their beef roll- it's not dry and has a lot of meet and green onion! I like that it has a lot of sauce - doesn't need additional dipping sauces at all. The chairs in the front are somewhat uncomfortably close together to the other tables but overall, a solid place to grab a quick bite to eat if you're in the area! read more

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So excited that a legit noodle house opened up within walking distance in downtown Berkeley. It's going to get super busy when the students come back from break, I can already tell! The restaurant is super bright and clean on the inside. You can see the kitchen hand wrapping dumplings and kneading dough for the noodles up front. Recommend ordering by the QR code because it's the fastest, but you can always ask for a menu with photos. We ordered the beef noodle soup, Dan Dan noodles, spicy beef tendons, green beans, and chive pockets. The portions are massive and the flavors are on point. Honestly you could split a bowl of noodles with someone else, that's how much food they give you. I can't believe they advertise free noodle refills because I was so full after just one bowl. read more

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Pretty good spot, big portions Not spotless, floors could use some cleaning Service is good, orders done thru qr code Ordered mala pork offal potato noodles, very good and nice tasting 5/5pts Lamb knife cut noodles, 3/5 lamb flavor is very strong, not a lot of lamb pieces Beef pancake, pretty good, takes some time to make. Nice and hot 5/5 read more

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Meat and broth were good, but the noodles were bomb. I love a good knife cut, and the texture was so bouncy! Also had the green beans, which were a nice veggie, but wish they were crunchier. The interior is pretty small, but good food! read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Beef knife cut noodles and green beans - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

The place was a small hole in the wall and seating is in a narrow hallway. We got the brisket beef noodle soup and the meat was so so good - very tender and lots of flavor. The broth was also very yummy. The tomato and egg noodle was good however would have wished for more egg tomato flavor. Noodles were 10/10, perfect al dente. Additionally also ordered the beef rolls which came out really quick. A good place to take friends or family looking for a noodle soup spot. It does get crowded! read more

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Came here for a friend's birthday! Got the beef short rib knife cut noodle soup. It was fantastic. Huge portions had leftovers. Also got the cucumber wood ear mushroom salad and beef rolls as appetizers. Wood ear was so so good. Beef rolls were a bit oily but still good. Added some chili oil to the noodles to make it a little spicy. Had to wait a bit so would recommend getting there early to put yourself on the waitlist. Also heads up you need to pay before the food comes. Ambiance was alright, nothing fancy and small table. Cool to see the knife cutting machine. Overall great noodles, will be back to try more flavors! read more

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Food was incredible, price was insanely good for we were extremely full and satisfied. Ambiance is nice and busy but the place is sorta small! Would definitely come back again! Those knife cut noodles are incredible! read more

The good: the food came quickly The meh: the noodles are not unlimited I treated a friend to lunch. We both picked the cucumber as appetizer, and she picked tomato egg noodle soup while I opted for beef noodle soup with sweet potato noodles. I was excited to try the unlimited noodle refill - only to be told that it was only available for the knife cut noodle option. The beef noodle was ok - nothing stood out from a flavor profile perspective. While I scored a sweet parking spot (thanks to the students on winter break) not sure I'd come back again. read more

Stopped into Li's Knife Cut Noodles on a whim and it's very much a no-frills, hole-in-the-wall kind of spot. The space is simple and casual, but it felt focused on what matters most: getting a hot bowl of noodles out quickly. I ordered the braised pork soup with knife-cut noodles. The bowl came out fast, which was appreciated, especially since I was pretty hungry. The noodles had that slightly uneven, chewy texture you want from knife-cut noodles, and the broth was rich without being overly heavy. What stood out most was the amount of pork. There was a generous portion of tender, braised meat throughout the bowl, not just a few scattered pieces like you sometimes get elsewhere. It ended up being a really filling, satisfying meal that tasted authentic and straightforward in the best way. Nothing fancy, just a solid bowl of noodles done well. I'd definitely come back when I'm craving something comforting and substantial. read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Braised pork knife cut soup noodles - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fast and delicious noodle and Chinese dishes. scan the barcode at table to order. Dish is sizable so there's no way I would get a refill of the noodles. Great beef flavor and portion. read more

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Good balance of textures and taste, though not super flavorful. I would recommend getting a broth or noodle with chili oil for that reason. The noodles are delicious and chewy without being sticky, which is a difficult balance for hand- or knife-pulled noodles. I would eat here again. Not my favorite Chinese noodle but definitely high quality. read more

We were pretty excited to see a new noodle place opened up especially that the do knife cut noodles! We wanted to try this place out before classes started for Berkeley because this seems like a place students would flock to. We came at 5pm-ish on the Saturday before spring semester started and were seated right away. We ordered via the QR code and lemon water was brought to the table. We got the beef noodle soup, pork and cabbage dumplings and the beef pancake. Everything was delicious - noodles are the right chew, flavors are great and portions are good too. The menu is pretty big and there are quite a few other things we'd be interested to try next time. For those who are there specifically for noodles, you can get noodle refill for free if you are having 1 noodle per person. By the time we were done, there is a line waiting for tables! read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I was so excited to see a new restaurant open up in the area. My husband and I tried the beef roll, beef rib soup and dumplings. All were very tasty. It's cool that you can Oder and pay on a QR code. We came on opening night so it was busy but we still have someone bring us everything we needed. read more

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If you're looking for DELICIOUS Chinese knife cut noodles, Li's Knife Cut Noodles is the place to be! The inside is very cute -- you can see part of their kitchen where they're kneading dough, and I love the lanterns they have as decor. You can order takeout on the kiosk at the door, but if you're dining in, you can order through scanning the QR code which is taped on each of their tables. I've tried their Tomato Egg & Stir Fried Minced Pork & Hot Chili Oil Splashed Combo Noodles ($15.99) as well as their Braised Beef Noodle Soup ($15.99) which were both so good! Their knife noodles were very fresh and have a very nice bouncy texture to them. I liked how each of the bowls of noodles had a lot of flavor without being too oily or too heavy. The tomato egg noodles were decently garlic heavy (which I personally enjoy), but had a nice balanced flavor profile with the mix of tomatoes and chili oil. The beef noodle soup had good beef flavor while not being too heavy, salty, or oily. The portion sizes are also very generous -- I was able to get a second meal each time I ate from here, yet they also give out free noodle refills! All you have to do is ask for a refill and they will give you a plate of fresh noodles! Service here is very fast and great for a quick meal. They have another location in San Mateo which I heard is great as well. 100% recommend this spot for anyone in the area! read more

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Incredibly delicious super flavorful food! We loved the knife cut noodles in the beef noodle soup. They're soft and springy with wonderful texture and the broth was delicious, we drank it all! The noodles were among the best we've had in the Bay Area. Be sure to check in on the wait list as soon as you arrive. We waited 30+ minutes on a Saturday night, it was worth the wait, so good! read more

Absolutely loved my visit to Li's Knife Cut Noodle! This spot is such a gem in downtown Berkeley the handmade knife-cut noodles are wonderfully chewy and flavorful, and every dish I tried felt like real, comforting Chinese home cooking. The broth in the beef noodle soup was rich and satisfying, and the dumplings were cooked perfectly. The open kitchen setup lets you see the care that goes into preparing every bowl, and the staff were friendly and welcoming from start to finish. Whether you're stopping by for a quick bite or hanging out with friends, it's a cozy and delicious experience I'd recommend to anyone who loves authentic noodles and great service. read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Fav spot for the homies!! - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I had an amazing experience at Li's Knife Cut Noodle! The noodles are freshly handmade with incredible texture, and every bowl I tried was packed with rich, comforting flavors that felt like home. The broth was hearty, and the dumplings were delicious and perfectly cooked. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the cozy atmosphere makes it a great spot for lunch or dinner. I especially loved how authentic the knife-cut noodles tasted you can tell a lot of care goes into every dish. Highly recommend this place to anyone who loves real, flavorful Chinese noodles! read more

Good service. Very quick! Tasty food and big servings. I would love to see rice noodles. Small, crowded, and noisy feeding area and very clean! read more

I ordered the braised beef noodle soup, and the beef was the highlight of the meal: it was very tender, flavorful, and soft. The broth was very flavorful too, and it got absorbed well by the noodles, which were fresh and house made. We also ordered dumplings to share, which were just average. The food came out in about 10 minutes, and the lights on the ceiling were a nice touch. read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Braised beef noodle soup with knife cut flat noodle and marinated egg - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is an authentic Chinese noodle and dumpling place! You can see them make them behind the counter. I'm excited to see these pop up more in Berkeley, like Impressions of Lanzhou and Noodle Dynasty. To order, there is a QR code to order online. Unfortunately there are no descriptions of the dishes. Just a title and a photo is all you have to go on. Didn't take long for food to come out for dinner. Got their featured beef noodle soup. Chose the flat noodles and it was very good. Beef was soooo soft. Soup very flavorful. 5/5! Also had the lamb skewers. It has a little kick to it at the end of the bite. These hit too! They also have more than noodles, like dim sum. I'll have to return to try their dim sum dishes for lunch. Service is minimal. Don't expect them to check on you. And you have to flag them down for stuff. At least you can checkout online without waiting for a worker:) read more

Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - Braised beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wow first time trying this place and their beef noodle soup was the best I've ever had! I've tried a lot of house made noodle places and these knife cut noodles were next level! Great bouncy texture that tasted super flavorful despite me tasting the noodle right after adding the soup to it. Also the best pork and shrimp dumplings I've ever had as well. Really don't wanna sound like I'm exaggerating but I always get these thick skinned dumplings (not sure what to call them) from most Chinese places I go to but I usually find them too doughy. This restaurant somehow makes the dough perfectly moist. I can't wait to try the rest of their menu! read more