Cancel

Open app

Search

Liu’s Cafe

4.4 (828 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Order Liu’s Cafe Takeout or Delivery

Liu’s Cafe Photos

Business Info

LIU’S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Liu’s Cafe

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Artwork in the interior
Kevin L.

I'd been hearing a handful of great things about this place, so I finally stopped by--and I can see why people enjoy it! Ordering was straightforward, and the staff were really helpful in explaining how everything works and pointing out some of their more popular dishes. I went with the pork belly and rice, and it ended up being a really satisfying meal. The ratio of meat to rice was just right, and the refreshing cucumbers added a nice crunch and freshness that balanced out the richness of the pork belly. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to finish the whole plate, but somehow I cleared it! The interior has a cozy, nostalgic feel that almost reminded me of being at Grandma's house. It can get a little warm inside despite having AC, but it wasn't enough to take away from the experience. I also liked that water, utensils, and napkins are self-serve after you pay, which keeps everything simple and convenient. Overall, a delicious and comforting meal with helpful staff, generous portions, and a relaxed atmosphere. Definitely a spot I'd come back to when I'm craving something hearty and satisfying.

Pork belly over rice and cucumbers
Jenny P.

I've heard about this place for a while and finally got a chance to try it! It's a Michelin-awarded restaurant that's surprisingly affordable, and the whole place has such a cozy, homey feel. The food honestly reminded me of a mother's cooking after a long day -- simple, comforting, and satisfying. When I went, you order at the counter first and they give you a number card, then you can grab any available table. It can get busy at times, but I went right when they were starting to pick up, so it wasn't too crowded. Utensils, water, and napkins are all self-serve. I usually like ordering things I wouldn't normally make at home, so I went with the French toast since it was a little different from your typical French toast. It was crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and filled with custard. The syrup tasted almost like a lighter, more watery condensed milk, but it wasn't overly sweet or overpowering, which I really enjoyed. The pork belly over rice was probably my favorite. It was so comforting and reminded me of Vietnamese braised pork belly with eggs -- definitely the kind of dish that feels like home. I also tried the oolong iced tea. It was refreshing and good, although nothing too out of the ordinary. Overall, this is a great spot if you're looking for affordable Michelin-recognized food with a cozy, comforting feel. I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu!

Monica T.

Had this place on my wishlist for a while and it did not disappoint! We ordered the chicken rice, pork belly rice, sesame noodles, and Hong Kong French toast. Everything was made really well. I especially loved the pork belly rice and the French toast. The flavoring was superb, and the French toast was so crispy but not overly sweet. The serving sizes aren't too big, so you can order almost everything on the menu to share. The service was also really kind and fast. The inside was really cute with all their decor, and they have a good amount of seating. The only con is that they only have street parking, and it can get a little rough in Koreatown. Would definitely come back!

Spicy wonton
Amy L.

What we got: 1. Pork belly bowl 9/10: a table favorite. Great flavors and good size 2. Spicy wontons 8.5/10: sauce was slightly vinegary which I like 3. Dan Dan noodle: 7/10: cold noodles a classic. We liked this but thought out of the dishes ordered we could've done without if we had to choose 4. HK French toast 10/10: a must try. Perfectly crispy and warm. Overall loved this place and can't wait to come back! The seating is shared seating so you just find a table once you order at the front

chicken rice
Anna W.

Liu's is def at the top of my list of favorite places to eat! I tried the beef noodle soup this time, and it was also really good. At this point, I feel like everything on their menu is delicious, so you really can't go wrong with what you order. The prices are reasonable, and the food is flavorful and authentic. You order at the counter, and they bring the food to your table, which is convenient. The ambiance is cozy and lively and it's always busy!

Casey K.

I think we came around 10-15 minutes before opening on a weekday and was the second party in line. I'd say there were maybe 4-5 parties already waiting by the time the restaurant actually opened. I don't think it's necessary to line up early since the line moves pretty fast, especially on the weekday. The only thing I'd keep in mind is that there aren't many seats inside, so you might have to wait a bit after ordering. You order first at the front then bring a number to your table. The menu isn't very big so if you have more than 5-6 people in your party, you could probably do family style with everything on the menu. Since the menu isn't big, I assume they're constantly cooking each menu item so the food came out super quick after we ordered. The food itself is very comforting and my group and I agreed that the beef noodle soup was probably the best thing on the menu. The beef was tender and the soup was very flavorful. I don't think anything here will blow your mind but if you're looking for solid food that gives you a warm feeling, this is probably the right place. I'd also say things were also fairly priced.

Beef Noodle Soup
Sharon H.

Doubling down on this 5/5 star restaurant. Everyone that works here is so efficient and wonderful. They don't take orders for dine in unless there's a table ready for your party. I love that so much. Food is always a hit. Everything is an absolute must, so come prepared to eat and order the whole menu. Also, did you know you could get DoorDash cash back for Dine-In orders? I thought about ordering to-go on the DoorDash app after passing by and seeing a line out the door, but surprisingly, there's perks to dining in. Plates, water, and utensils are self serve. I love this place a lot. Wish they had convenient parking and I didn't need to drive into LA .

Erick T.

Really great Taiwanese food! We ordered one of everything on the menu and there wasn't a single dish that we didn't like. The braised pork belly rice, spicy wontons, and sesame cold noodles were our top favorites. For those a sweet tooth, the Hong Kong style french toast, deep fried and filled with lava custard, was decadent and delicious. Service was reasonable, though the staff seemed a bit overwhelmed at times. This was understandable, given how many people kept coming into the restaurant. Seating can be limited and lines can be a bit long at peak hours. However, once you order, the food arrives at your table impressively fast. The ambiance is quaint and comfortable.

Bruce F.

This restaurant only offers a few items, but they're doing them all perfectly! I ordered Pork belly braised rice: simple, delicious and comforting. The pork belly was properly braised and had that signature Chinese five spice fragrance. Sitting on a bed of white rice every bite was consistent. Sesame cold noodles with chicken: The sesame sauce carried the dish. It was rich and nutty, balanced with red chili for real heat that built gradually instead of just blasting you upfront. Savory and spicy in the right proportions. It was my favorite. Hong Kong French toast: Had the fried, crunchy sweetness of a funnel cake, but the maple syrup and butter sent it over the moon. The center was filled with custard, making it the perfect dessert to finish the meal.

Braised Pork Belly Rice and Chiayi Chicken Rice
Chris G.

Came here for lunch and had the spicy wontons, braised pork belly rice, and Chiayi chicken rice. All the dishes were really good, but the Chiayi chicken was definitely my favorite. The restaurant has a cool modern look with concrete floors and a mix of marble and wood tables. You order at the cashier and then grab a seat in one of the two dining rooms, which are both open seating. The staff was nice, the food came out fast, and everything we ordered was really tasty. I'd definitely come back if I was in the area.

Richard C.

I absolutely love this place. Liu's Cafe is one of those places where they have the perfect blend of service level, quality food, ambiance, and price point. With a party of 4, you can basically order the entire food menu and still come out affordable. While the price point does mean that the portions are relatively small, the dishes are pleasantly filling! I particularly liked the sesame cold noodle, with chicken added. Don't skip out on the kaya jam toast too. I can't wait to come back again and try the rest of the menu.

Yuko B.

Our annual visit to LA and possibly our last "annual" visit since my son will be graduating from college next year. Our main focus on this visit was food! We went to some of our usual favorites but we also tried a few new places that my son had discovered and recommended. Liu's Cafe was one of them. We went there for Sunday lunch and my son told us that we had to line up right when they opened. Luckily, we found a street parking spot on the same street so we parked and headed straight to Liu's Cafe. But there was already a long line waiting outside! They mostly have tables for two so a group of three like us had to wait a little longer. We probably waited about 30 minutes. Although we wanted to order everything on the menu, we settled on the Braised Pork Belly Rice, Beef Noodle Soup, and Hong Kong Style French Toast. I also ordered the Hong Kong Milk Tea. Everything tasted amazing! The portions were also perfect for lunch. The Hong Kong Style French Toast was especially interesting. It was filled with custard and deep-fried, then topped with brown sugar syrup and condensed milk. My son ordered it and of course, I had to take a bite. I loved it but I don't think I could eat the whole thing... It was very sweet and definitely felt like a calorie bomb! After placing our order, I noticed that so many people were ordering the Sesame Cold Noodle with Chili Crisp and I immediately regretted not ordering it! I was really hoping we'd be able to go back before leaving LA so I could try the Sesame Noodle but unfortunately, we ran out of time... (And then my son teased me by sending me a picture of the noodles after we got back home. He had gone back there with his friend!) Now Liu's Cafe is definitely on my "Must Go" list for our next visit to LA!

Braised Pork Belly Rice
Kimberly D.

We came on a Thursday right at opening and was 2nd in line. I even got a street parking spot on the same block! This Taiwanese cafe is located in the middle of K-Town so you can definitely plan a day around this spot. The cafe has a minimalist, vintage charm with Chinese decor on the walls. The staff is friendly and you order your food at the counter right as you enter the cafe. Plates, silverware, cups, to-go boxes, and water are available for self-service so keep that in mind when you are calculating gratuity. But the kitchen staff and servers were very fast and our food came out so quickly. The food is definitely worth all of the hype. We really did like all of the dishes we ordered. Hong Kong Style French Toast - This is a must try! The bread has a crispy, sweet crust with a lava custard in the middle. It comes with brown sugar syrup. You have to try this toast with and without the syrup. So good! I don't normally order french toast (too much calories) but this was so worth it. Braised Pork Belly Rice - The pork belly is so well seasoned and is layered on top of a bowl of rice with pickled cucumber. Just mixed it all together. This savory dish is the perfect balance to the sweet french toast. Spicy Wontons - These pork wontons come in a spicy sauce with chili oil, sesame and peanuts. They were delicious but you can get good spicy wontons at a lot of LA restaurants these days. I definitely recommend coming here with a group and ordering a bunch of dishes to share. The prices are very reasonable so try as many dishes as you think you can eat!

See all

Reviews are largely positive. Diners praise the flavorful comfort food, cozy atmosphere, quick and friendly service, and affordable pricing.

Read the full review summary in the app

6 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

20 days ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 3
Oh no 0

23 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 1

1 month ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

29 days ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

19 days ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 4
Love this 2
Oh no 1

1 month ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 4
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

29 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kim T.
1073
722
890

5 months ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Anh N.
0
37
55

8 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 4
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 21

Liu’s Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Liu’s Cafe

Where can I find parking?

It's metered street parking or neighborhood parking. If you park in the neighborhood pay attention to signs.

Is it good for larger groups? (6-7)

I recall most the tables are small (2-3 people) and there's only one large table in the middle where they'd put multiple small parties. A large group may have to wait a long time. Your odds may be better if you're willing to split up.

When is the best time to go?

I think weekends is best right when opening or before noon

Do they have take out now?

Yes

Hi do you also offer coffee?

We have hot drip brew and cold brew cans :)

Do they have takeout?

Not yet! Takeout will be availble after grand opening!

View All 7 Questions

You might also consider

Rny Coffee Studio - Pour over

Rny Coffee Studio

4.5(509 reviews)
0.1 mi•Koreatown, Wilshire Center
•$
Free WiFi
Grab-and-go

Nice coffee shop in K-Town. There's valet parking available in the shared plaza, though the plaza…read morewas pretty busy when we visited. I really enjoyed the coffee here. Lots of interesting choices. The drinks were well balanced and not overly sweet, so you could actually taste the coffee instead of having it covered up by syrups or other flavors. The coffee itself was smooth, with no harsh or overly bitter aftertaste. I also liked that the flavors complemented the coffee rather than overpowering it. Loved the honey lavender matcha and peanut coffee. The drinks were beautifully presented too, so they looked just as good as they tasted. Overall, a really enjoyable coffee experience and definitely a place I'd come back to try more drinks.

i visited RNY coffee studio on a friday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by how mellow and…read morerelaxed it felt compared to other cafes i visited in ktown! the cafe created a great space for heads down work and casual conversation. there is one unisex restroom, stable wifi, and plenty of seating, including chairs at the counter connected to the coffee bar and a large sofa. the hojicha i ordered seemed promising with its deep, rich color, but it ended up being a bit too milky for my liking. 7/10 valet parking in the plaza was available, but i opted for metered parking.

Photos
Rny Coffee Studio - Espresso

Espresso

Rny Coffee Studio - Berry crunch latte

Berry crunch latte

Rny Coffee Studio - Special Menu

See all

Special Menu

DAMO - Strawberry matcha einspanner and latte einspanner

DAMO

4.5(1.3k reviews)
0.4 mi•Koreatown
•$$

Most definitely deserves all the stars. Matcha Einspänner, Matcha Latte, Matcha Americano you can't…read morego wrong with. Hey Damo, would it hurt to let your customers know that you only set the lid on top of the drinks? You don't actually snap it down on the drink. Not knowing this I spilled a portion of my latte. When I was in line at nearby Out of Ordi a young lady near me spilled quite a bit of her drink on her hands and clothes. The poor kid was embarrassed. Please do better for your unsuspecting customers. Perhaps simply place the lid next to the drink when presenting it on the counter.

I was stunned coming out to this location that the crowd was glued to the main latte menu, here,…read morenow that I finally seen and have been confidentially hitting up hot and new cafés of The LA Matcha list brought to you by Chase. It seems the other options for matcha and hojica were not popular - tonics, regular matcha with sweet cream, dirty matcha, etc But it was the perfect combination of creamy and bright, that's putting it lightly :). I got the hojicha latte by its house special, choice and recommended hojicha powder with oatmilk and absolute no fuss customer service. I would like to repeat this order with a foam so that the upcharge is worth it though. Not to mention, that variety of hojicha is definitely Korean whereas the matcha shifts recommendations season-to-season and depends upon the syrups of the shifting preferences in-house.

Photos
DAMO - Matcha einspinner

Matcha einspinner

DAMO - Chestnut Einspänner

Chestnut Einspänner

DAMO - Matcha Einspener | Strawberry Matcha

See all

Matcha Einspener | Strawberry Matcha

MEMORYLOOK - Brown Sugar Hojicha Einspanner and Matcha Latte

MEMORYLOOK

4.1(1.4k reviews)
1.0 mi•Koreatown
•$$

So MemoryLook is a little expensive, BUT honestly the prices offset the cost of parking which is so…read morehelpful in K Town. And they are so sweet and do not rush anyone, you can stay here as long as you want. My friends and I WFH so we decided to Work From MemoryLook (WFML) one day together. I'm glad we did! Great pastries in the morning, i had the cremme brûlée donut which had tons of filling, and the pea foam matcha latte which was fantastic. And I had an EXCELLENT chicken Chipotle wrap at lunch that was recommended to me by the gentleman working at memory look. I'm not certain where these wraps are made. Another gentleman would bring them from the building in the same complex. I LOVED my wrap. They have a ton of seating outside too but there aren't any outlets out there so it's harder to WFH out there unless you're fully charged. But was great for separate meetings we all had to attend. The photobooth was fun but we were so thrown off by it taking 8 photos, we had no idea how many poses we would have to come up with hahaha. I would definitely come back here anytime!

This was my second time visiting Memory Look. They have plenty of seating options both indoors and…read moreoutdoors, which is definitely a plus. Parking is also pretty convenient with a good amount of spaces available. When I visited, though, there weren't many desserts on display. For drinks, they don't offer a double matcha option, but you can order a matcha latte with Einspänner cream instead. The drink itself was good, although I found the prices a little higher compared to other matcha spots I've tried. Service was on the slower side, and it took a while for the drinks to come out. The staff were okay, but not particularly friendly. (+) Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, convenient parking (-) Pricier than other matcha spots, slower drink preparation, and no double matcha option

Photos
MEMORYLOOK - Strawberry cream puff

Strawberry cream puff

MEMORYLOOK - Matcha Einspanner

Matcha Einspanner

MEMORYLOOK - Matcha einspanner

See all

Matcha einspanner

Van Dyke Coffee - Dutch latte, double matcha mango latte

Van Dyke Coffee

4.4(126 reviews)
0.8 mi•Harvard Heights
•$$

Awesome experience. Great matcha w sugary but also authentic flavor. Will definitely come back.read more

4.5 Yelp Stars *** Stopped by here to pick up coffee before…read morethe long roadtrip home to the Bay Area! This was one of the closer coffee spot with good reviews that I found near the kbbq place (Seogwan by Yellow Cow Kbbq) my family and I ate at for lunch. It was about 0.5miles (3 mins drive). The coffee shop is super large, bright, and has nice background music. There are plenty of seats for people to hang out or study. There are also street parking but can be difficult to cross the street due to cars driving by so quickly without a pedestrian crosswalk on one side. I ordered their signature drink which was the orange espresso tonic with one extra shot for my husband, and the double mango matcha for myself. Both of us really enjoyed the drinks, especially the orange espresso tonic. It was refreshing, clean, and easy to drink. Normally, they include double shots of espresso, which may have tasted stronger for me since my husband wanted three shots, and I usually stick with two shots. The double mango matcha uses fresh fruit syrup so the mango flavor was not too strong and my drink was very creamy due to the signature mango cream on top. Usually, I would enjoy a creamy matcha but it made me more thirsty on a hot day. The service took a bit of time since they had to mix my matcha the legit way with the bamboo whisk. The matcha tasted like premium, ceremonial matcha since it was stronger and authentic in taste. Overall, both drinks were enjoyable but if I had to choose one, I would go with the orange espresso tonic even though I love mango matcha!

Photos
Van Dyke Coffee - That Friday morning vibe.

That Friday morning vibe.

Van Dyke Coffee - Flat 8oz White. #hobbitsize

Flat 8oz White. #hobbitsize

Van Dyke Coffee - Non-fat latte

See all

Non-fat latte

Liu’s Cafe - cafes - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...