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Liu’s Cafe

4.5 (67 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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Recommended Reviews - Liu’s Cafe

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Bar seating
Rachel L.

Chill Taiwanese/ Hong Kong fusion cafe with reasonably priced comfort food, if you put the Internet hype aside, it is a great laidback spot that benefits the local community (UCLA students). If you view it as a viral food spot that lives up the hype, it's not transformational. *Better than the Ktown location because of parking, and less line* (we came here on a Saturday late afternoon) ** Mind you seating could be limited since it's bar seating so it may not be the best place to come with a huge party. I think 1-4 people are cool. I personally think it's a great idea for them to open up their 2nd location at Westwood, the cafe offers affordable and yummy options for students around the area. FOOD Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (4.8/5): With the price point you are paying and you're actually eating meat- not synthetic protein. I definitely think this is my #1 recommendation from this place. Taste wise, nothing magnificent but it's a bowl of comfort that is decently sized, and fills you. Seasoning is on point, I serve it with the chili oil on the table. Kaya Toast (4.5/5): Just basic Kaya toast with some coconut flakes, I love how they carry Kaya stuff on their menu. This Southeast Asia flavour deserves to be more known. It tastes custard like, coconuty-aromatic flavour. ^ I wish they have a Hong Kong Style French Toast with the option to add Kaya filling, that would be a game changer! The egg coated crust would compliments the rich custards-like coconuty aromatic. Spicy Wonton (4.3/5): Good to order for sharing. It's standard chili oil wonton, each restaurant has their own version to the sauce. I wouldn't say this is my top spot for it but it scratches off the itch if you're craving for dumplings, also tastes decent. SERVICE Service is friendly and decent, it's a cafe setting where you order at the kiosk. Then you get seated with the number stand placing on your table. They have a self-serve corner, where you get your napkins and utensils. Food didn't take a long time to come, all tastes pretty decent (not magnificent). But I've no complaints. OVERALL Can't find anything to complain here, parking is not as bad as Koreatown location. Also a great affordable laidback food spot around UCLA, I'd definitely see myself coming here as a student for quick lunch or to fill up my tummy during finals week. Now that this spot has been around for a couple years, I'd say if you view this spot as a casual Asian-fusion cafe- you're not getting disappointed. It's affordable, tastes decent, clean ambience, service with no attitude, parking not too hard. "IG viral spot" However, if you're hoping to have a life transformational/ Bib experience. There's not really a lot of creativity in their dishes or nothing magnificent in terms of taste that you would woah, it's comfort food. This spot got IG viral for a second around a year ago, and now that time thinned out the hype, I think I like this place better than before.

Menu
Gideon T.

Overall, a really great experience! The food is pretty good across the board. I do wish the 牛肉麵 had a little more content to it, but the noodles themselves were very unique. While it might not be the most authentic take, I really have no complaints about the taste. A quick heads-up if you are visiting: parking was pretty difficult to find, and we had about a 30-minute wait. However, one standout detail I really appreciated at the end of the meal was that their payment system's default tip setting is only 8%, which is incredibly refreshing. Despite the wait and the parking situation, I highly recommend checking it out.

Justin P.

Overall Experience: 9.0 / 10 I've gone here a couple of times and they have been very consistent with their food and experience. There usually is a good line out the door as the restaurant isn't too big, but service is fast and people come in and out of the restaurant quickly. The food: I've tried most the items on the menu. My favorite are the sesame cold noodles with chili crisps. I always add it with the chicken and it tastes amazing. The bouncy noodles with the rich nutty creamy satisfies my cravings every time. This is also because I have a personal preference for chili peanut/sesame cold noodles, as my GF thinks its only good. Their braised pork belly rice is extremely flavorful, very rich, umami and very a subtly sweet. The pickled cucumber brings a perfect amount of tang and acid to the dish too. I would say I wish the pork to rice ratio is a little off, as I would like a larger layer of pork on the rice since each bite does not have enough pork/ flavor on it. But what my GF and I did was add the sauce from the spicy wontons into the pork rice bowl and make it a better ratio. I also really enjoyed the wontons, but the filling it a little too mush for me texturally. The flavors are on point, as I love the spicy sauce they use. The wonton wrapper is also an amazing bouncy texture but the filling texture is too many layers of soft for my preference. The dumplings are slightly spicy, not overly but drenched the sauce. The filling is small, and was a little mushy for my preference in texture. The filling was flavorful, but it is mostly masked by the spicy sauce. I have also tried their Hong Kong style French Toast and the Kaya Jam toast which I both really enjoyed. They both remind me of the bread that I make myself, which is fluffy, and soft on the inside, and subtly sweet. The condensed milk and the crispy hong kong french toast works so well, and inspires me to make it myself at home. The Kaya Jam toast is good, but if you are to get toast anyways I would recommend the Hong Kong Style French toast. Overall: I would recommend you to come here and give it a try! Don't let the line intimidate you as it moves pretty fast.

Hot Hong Kong milk tea.  So good!!
Susie D.

Yes, everything about this place is amazing. Ok, maybe not the hour-long line on the weekend, but man, is it worth it! So just prepare mentally, bring a book, bring a friend, and prepare for an absolutely delicious meal. I was able to order a hong kong milk tea in line, which was incredible and gave me the energy to keep waiting. The wait gave us plenty of time to decide what we wanted, so we ordered right away, and the food came out super fast. Everything, I mean, everything was delicious. Not one bad bite. Then, fast forward weeks later, I was craving beef noodle soup, didn't have the car, so I ordered delivery and even that was fire!! They know what they are doing! So so happy they're on the Westside now. Already a repeat customer.

Spicy wontons
Elly P.

Food: - One of the few authentic Taiwanese restaurants in West LA! - Liu Rou Fan: I typically dislike this dish since the meat is usually fatty, but at Liu's cafe, the meat is lean! The dish was small, but had good flavor - Chiayi chicken rice: rare dish to find, the chicken was tender - Spicy wonton: overall good flavor, but not amazing - Hong kong french toast: contains cream in the middle, outside was fried Service: - Parking: Westwood parking is always tough, try to get street parking - There is almost always a wait, but the staff do their best to make the experience as fast and smooth as possible - If you order togo, the wait is shorter - You order at the counter and then get served at the tables

Braised pork belly rice
Kristy H.

I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, and I'm glad it lived up to the hype! This is as close to classic Taiwanese flavors as you can get on the west side. Obviously, it's not going to be as good as Taiwan, but it's pretty close. I personally think the braised pork belly rice is the closest, then the beef noodle soup, and then the spicy wontons (maybe skip those), but I think everything is worth a try here. Seating is very limited since it's all bar seating, so don't come with large parties. Parking around UCLA can be difficult too, so either find metered street parking or try one of the parking structures near Ralphs and Trader Joe's for minimal rates.

Pandan kaya toast
Melinda C.

New liu's location right next to ucla! You can't go wrong with ordering because the menu is small and simple. Homey and light Taiwanese staples. What we ordered: *Pandan kaya toast (4/5) - crispy and lightly sweet! *Spicy wontons (4.5/5) - tasty, I do prefer the din tai fung ones specifically for their sauce though *Sesame cold noodles with chicken (5/5) - why haven't I ordered this at the koreatown location?! sooo good, perfectly seasoned/balanced, and the chicken paired well with it *Braised pork rice (4.2/5) - missing some of the umami fatty flavor compared to braised pork rice I've had in Taiwan, but still good There's almost always a line so be prepared to wait, it took 40 mins from arrival to get our food on a Thursday afternoon. Street parking only.

Hong Kong Style French Toast
Carlo G.

Happy they opened a location in West LA! I visited this spot for lunch around noon on a Friday with some co-workers and our experience was pretty good! This spot was decently crowded and busy when we went. We waited for about 20ish minutes before the 3 of us were able to order and take a seat. The interior is nice, but small. The seating is very Asian style with shared tables that are very close to other patrons. It isn't the most ideal for people who need personal space when dining out. For the food we got: - Hong Kong Milk Tea (Iced): A bit diluted, but not bad. Not too sweet and paired well with the dishes we had. - Beef Noodle Soup: For $13, this was great value and pretty filling. A good amount of noodles and a generous amount of tender beef cheek. The broth was tasty and was even better after adding some scoops of chili oil. - Hong Kong Style French Toast: My favorite here. Crispy exterior and fluffy and custardy interior. I loved the textures, warmth, and sweetness of this toast. Can be a bit heavy on its own, so it was good to share with 2 other people. Overall, this was great and almost as good as the Ktown location. The Ktown location has the bakery items and more space, but this spot wasn't bad, just limited compared to the other location. Also not as great as the HK cafes in the SGV area, but still a great option for West LA that I would recommend. The prices are also great for the area!

Oolong tea (left) Lemon tea (right)
Kirsten C.

I'm so excited that I finally got to visit Liu's café! I've been wanting to go, especially to their KTown location, but I never had the chance because I just didn't want to wait in that long line. I went on a Wednesday around 5 PM, and I walked right in and was able to sit down and grab something immediately!!! The café works by letting you order first and then sit down, which is pretty convenient. Since it was midday and not too busy, I chatted with the cashier, who showed me his favorite menu items and what he thought we should try My friend and I ended up getting oolong tea and lemon tea, since it reminded me of the Chinese-style cafés I've visited in Alhambra, and I wanted to try their lemon tea. I have to say, their lemon tea isn't as sweet as I expected, but it was still really refreshing! I got the chaiyi chicken bowl, and it was really yummy. There were these onions on top, and I got to try them too-- butttt I will say it was a full experience with the radish, even though I usually don't like radish, but it was really yummy. I like to think of it as a way to honor the chef and how he planned to eat this dish :3 We also got the pandan Kaya toast, which was really yummy and sweet. I wish it had been drenched a little more with pandan, but it was still really yummy (can you tell i love sweets) What I absolutely LOVEEEDDDDD was the Hong Kong-style French toast. It had custard inside, was perfectly crispy on the outside, and was perfectly sweet. I would definitely go back just for that. I wish I had tried the warm Hong Kong-style milk tea, which comes in a small mug, so I'll be back to try it again. I totally recommend the severe UCLA student because it's really close to Westwood, and why not treat yourself to some yummy food?

Cold Peanut Noodles
Anna N.

I was excited that Liu's Cafe came to Westwood so close to UCLA. The line is typically out the door, but you can get lucky every once in a while. The cafe is an interesting fast casual style type of restaurant. You order and pay at the front, then they seat you and bring your food out to you. There's basically only bar seating around the perimeter of the cafe. I highly recommend the milk tea. It's very fragrant and you can taste the tea. The cold peanut noodles were nice on a hot day. I hope to come back again soon!

Braised pork rice
Vince H.

Neighborhood go-to for staple cafe food like the classic braised pork rice (although delicious, I wish it came with an egg), cold sesame noodles that was phenomenal, and we also went with the spicy wontons which was an easy 10/10. Do not be scared of the line lol, it actually moves rather quickly! You then order at the counter and then seated. The cafe is small, not uncomfortably small but a homie-vibe kind of small. Definitely recommend!

Hong Kong Toast
Dannielle G.

Liu's is a small cafe with a long, fast moving line. The menu is limited but fear not -- everything is delicious and the prices are phenomenal! Dare I say Liu's is better than Din Tai Fung?! The toast was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I was surprised that there was a custard inside too! I loved it because I'm a big texture person and not a huge fan of things that are super sweet. So if you order the toast expect a lightly sweet dream! The wontons were also *super* flavorful and a fan favorite. The cold noodles were good and on par with other cold noodles in the market. We also had the beef rice and that was also good but not quite as good as the other items we tried. My only negative comments are the space is very small and it's hard to have all your dishes situated in the bar seating comfortably to enjoy your food family style. The meter parking is also horrendously expensive. I think it was about $6 for 2 hours. If you come to Liu's try the toast and wontons! It's the best of the best.

Cold sesame noodles
Lucia L.

As someone of Taiwanese descent, Liu's cafe has been on my list of restaurants to try, and I'm so glad they finally opened in Westwood! I've tried both their takeout and dine-in, and I highly recommend waiting in line for dining in for larger, freshly made portions and a vintage, diner-style experience that has fast turn over for seating. Overall, their menu specializes in Taiwanese and Hong Kong-inspired dishes, with comfort food options such as braised pork belly rice, beef noodle soup, and wontons. Their dishes have a comforting, homemade-like flavor, but in my opinion, isn't the most authentic/best Taiwanese food I've had (with the exception of the beef noodle soup). Beef noodle soup: very comforting, light broth that reminds me of my mom's homemade beef noodle soup! Portions may look small but they come with a LOT of noodles and thinly sliced, high quality beef steak. Definitely my favorite dish that I've had here! Spicy wontons: not the biggest fan of these - the wontons themselves are fine, with a juicy, flavorful filling and light, delicate wrappers, but the sauce itself is overly savory and sour from the vinegar Cold sesame noodles: love how these came with a yummy peanut and spicy chili oil sauce that paired nicely with the chilled noodles and cucumber, and would recommend adding shredded chicken for another $3 Chiayi chicken rice: I thought this was a bit bland and dry, but it's a nice, simple comfort food dish if you're craving something light on the stomach and palate Hong Kong milk tea: I got this iced and also thought it was a bit bland and diluted with the ice and milk they added

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everyone that works here is very friendly and nice. and this restaurant has some of the freshest food around. Its reasonably priced

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Ask the Community - Liu’s Cafe

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Joy - Dan Dan Noodles

Joy

4.5(2.1k reviews)
14.4 miHighland Park
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Met up with my sister and her brother here for lunch. The wife found this place from a tiktok video…read moreand we decided to try it since we didn't get to try a lot of Taiwanese food on our trip to Taipei. When you come in, there is a sign that tells you to order before being seated. My sister and her bf had yet to arrive so I placed a sizeable order for the 4 of us. Luckily, they were there (waiting in the car) so I told them to walk over so we can be seated. I ordered 2 orders of chiayi chicken (1with white rice and 1 with brown rice), 2 orders of thousand layer pancake (1 with egg and 1 with egg and cheese), shrimp wonton, dance dan noodles, wonton noodle soup, hakka mochi and forbidden rice pudding. For drinks we had a few of the shaken iced green teas and 1 taro milk tea (my sister said it didnt taste like taro) Everything was great. I was surprised my sister's bf liked the food. The chiayi chicken was good with a bit of the chili sauce (sambal). The thousand layer pancake was good if you dip it in the black vinegar (mixed with chili oil and a little soy sauce). The shrimp wonton were surprisingly light and tasty. The dan dan noodles was balanced my medium thin sliced cucumber. Everything was portioned very small so you can try everything.we didnt get additional sides because were getting full. The desserts was what I was looking forward to and it did not disappoint. The hakka mochi reminded me of the soy pudding stalls in singapore that had mochi balls filled with a black sesame paste and peanut paste inside. This is what the hakka mochi was but in dry soft chewy form with black sesame and peanut grains to top it off. For my sister, it reminded her of the filipino dessert pichi pichi. The forbidden rice pudding reminded me of a soupy version of the filipino dessert biko. It had chunks of sweet potatoes and tapioca. Also very good but my bias is the hakka mochi. The ambiance was bright, bustling and inviting. Very small tables perfect for a quick bite. Highly recommend if you want a tapas style lunch that doesn't break the bank.

Absolutely loved the Thousand Layer Pancake with Egg and Cheese. I wasn't so big a fan of the Dan…read moreDan Noodles, though, as the noodles were overcooked and clumped together in a huge mass. We waited 25 minutes for a table, which makes sense for a Friday night. Nice spot and I'll probably be back for the pancake.

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Joy - Partners with the local communities

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Wonton Noodle Soup Milk Tea

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Liu’s Cafe

Liu’s Cafe

4.4(735 reviews)
7.9 miKoreatown, Wilshire Center
$$

Came on a Thursday for dinner and there was no line. The workers were friendly and welcoming. You…read moreorder first and then find a spot to sit. The inside is decorated really nicely with a Taiwan-inspired vibe. The pricing was also good and affordable for the portion sizes. We got the sesame cold noodles, which were so good and refreshing. We also ordered the braised pork belly rice bowl, and they were generous with the pork belly, it covered the entire bowl, and the rice was fully soaked in the flavorful sauce, making it incredibly delicious. We also got the Hong Kong-style French toast, which was sooo good and definitely a must-order. It's perfect for sharing too. I'll definitely be back to try more dishes!

Liu's Café -- That Soup Is a Hell of a Drug…read more Let me set the scene. You're a family man. You did your research. You found a place with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, great prices, and a reputation for the real deal. You're feeling good about yourself. You load up the wife and kids, plug in the address, and pull up to... a sidewalk that smells like a bus station bathroom at 2am, with a full cast of characters shouting at each other over the last open seat at the bus stop. I looked at my wife. After years of marriage, we don't need words anymore. She sent me a full telepathic paragraph: "You brought our children HERE? I don't see a single other child on this entire street. Explain yourself." I sent back: "Bib Gourmand. Trust me." She replied -- out loud this time -- "This better be worth it." The second we walked through the door, the street chaos evaporated. A young gentleman greeted us immediately, and the moment he clocked the kids, he skipped the "order at the counter" routine and sat us at a table on the spot. My wife looked at the menu, looked at the prices, and said, "Let's order one of everything." I was doing a full touchdown celebration inside my head. She's in. We're in. God is good. Food hit the table within minutes. Like, embarrassingly fast. And then -- the beef noodle soup arrived. The smell alone should be illegal. My entire family went silent. The broth had this deep, bone marrow, collagen-rich, buttery complexity that somehow carried every bold, layered spice note all the way across the Silk Road and landed directly in my soul. When I bit into that beef shank -- tender, melty, absurdly rich -- I had to fight every instinct in my body not to let out a falsetto shriek sensual moan like Prince in Purple Rain right there at the table. I am a gentleman. I held it together. Barely. Now. About my son. He finished his portion. He paused. He looked left. He looked right. And then -- slowly, deliberately -- he lifted that porcelain bowl and licked it clean. My innocent child. Licking a bowl in public like a man who has lost everything and found it again in beef noodle soup. Liu's Café, look what you did to my family. Here's the verdict: this is an absolute, non-negotiable MUST GO. Best beef noodle soup I've had in my life. Bring your friends, your parents, your kids -- whoever you love. You'll get to watch each other become completely unhinged over a bowl of noodles, and honestly, that's a bonding experience money can't buy. Would I walk past sticky sidewalks and dried-up mystery puddles to get back there? Yes. Would I navigate that whole chaotic scene again with the family in tow? Without hesitation. Would I, hypothetically, shove dirty weird characters into moving traffic to clear a path through a crowd by any means necessary just to secure a bowl? ...I'll plead the fifth. Rick James had cocaine. I have Liu's Café beef noodle soup. Shoot, that beef noodle soup is a hell of a drug. Give it to me, baby.

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Indoor seating 2nd room

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Beef noodle soup.

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Pine & Crane DTLA - Minced Pork on Rice

Pine & Crane DTLA

4.5(1k reviews)
10.6 miDowntown
$$

Had a long layover in LA after my flight to San Francisco got canceled, so instead of sitting at…read morethe airport for 6+ hours, I decided to finally check out Pine & Crane in DTLA. It's been sitting on my saved list for a while, and honestly, this turned out to be the perfect opportunity. The space itself is bright, clean, and welcoming with warm woody tones throughout. Casual setup where you order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. I had already looked through the menu beforehand, so the real challenge was narrowing down what to order for one person. I failed at that... and I'm very happy I did. Started with the Pig Ear Salad 滷豬耳朵. Braised thin sliced pig ears dressed with soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, scallion, and cilantro. OMG. So good. Tender, flavorful, perfectly braised, with that satisfying chewy texture done right. Also got the Fried Peanut Salad 五味花生 with garlic, cilantro, scallions, vinegar, and Thai chili. Super crunchy, bright, refreshing, and honestly addicting. I added a cup of the Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣湯 too. Organic tofu, beech mushroom, carrot, bamboo, woodear mushroom, and egg. Super comforting with a really balanced tang and peppery heat. Not overly thick or heavy like a lot of Americanized versions can be. Exactly the kind of soup you want during a long travel day. For noodles, I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles 擔擔麵. Sesame-peanut sauce, cucumber, cilantro, crushed peanuts. Delicious on its own already, but I ended up adding some of the fried peanuts from the salad into the noodles and it became even better. Then the Three Cup Chicken 三杯雞 with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine, and Thai basil. I do wish it had a little more wok hei, but overall the flavor was still really comforting and savory. Extremely good with rice. Had a glass of Gewürztraminer alongside everything, which paired surprisingly well with the spice and aromatics. Their wine list leans more organic / natural wine focused, which felt very LA in a good way. Ended up sitting at a high top next to one of the managers and had a great conversation throughout the meal. She ended up hooking me up with the Traditional Shaved Ice 傳統刨冰 with grass jelly, red bean, boba, sweet potato balls, taro balls, brown sugar syrup, and condensed milk. I was already planning to order it anyway, and wow... I finished the entire thing. The brown sugar syrup was incredibly fragrant. Packed the leftovers to-go, and that ended up becoming my dinner after landing in San Francisco later that evening. Flight cancellation somehow turned into a really great food day.

HOW DOES IT WORK? They offer menu at the front when you walk…read moren into the restaurant. You would order and pay first, and then they'll give you a number stand. It is self-seating so you'll place the number on your table. They offer some utensils at the tables but it is also self service so you can get your own bowl, plates, utensils and water. FOOD I came with a large group so we ordered a good number of dishes. All the dishes were delicious, flavorful and above and beyond for what I find it to be more a fusion-Asian restaurant. I particularly liked their brown sugar milk team as it comes with boba and grass jelly. And their mochi was SO delicious. This would be a place my parents would enjoy a lot. PARKING It's in downtown LA so parking can be tough. There are plenty of paid parking structures nearby. WOULD I COME BACK? YES!

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Little Fatty - Orange Chicken

Little Fatty

4.0(1.4k reviews)
3.9 miMar Vista
$$

My wife and I visited Little Fatty while on a short LA business trip. We didn't have reservations…read more(I recommend a reservation) and the host told us the wait would be about an hour and this was a Monday night! She told us that we could be seated at the bar immediately, which is what we opted for. She placed us at a lower portion of the bar with two seats, which was perfect. The bartender, Justin took our drink and dinner order and I have to say, he makes amazing cocktails! We had egg rolls for an appetizer, which arrived very quickly and went well with our cocktails. I ordered a rye old-fashioned and my wife ordered a house creation, "Jesuit's Tea Party," which she enjoyed. For our entrees, I ordered Hainan Chicken and my wife had the Walnut Shrimp. Mine was really good, but I have to say I like the Walnut Shrimp better. They have their breading skills dialed in, so next time I think I'd go with something fried. All in all a great experience. Great vibe and everyone was very friendly and attentive.

Little Fatty is an Asian fusion restaurant that specializes in Taiwanese soul food. David Kuo is…read morethe chef and owner of Little Fatty. The restaurant was previously called Status Kuo and then rebranded to Little Fatty. It is also attached to a bar called Accomplice Bar. [Parking]: Metered parking only and I was able to find a spot two blocks away on Grand View Blvd. [Reversation]: For parties of 6 and smaller, reservations can be made on Resy. For parties of 8 and larger, there is a minimum spend of $75 per person prior to tax & gratuity. No-show fee = $15 per person. [Experience]: The receptionist greeted our party just outside of the restaurant and checked us in. Outdoor tables were available, but our party opted for indoor seating. The lighting was dim with a romantic and casual dinner vibe. At the end of the meal, the staff offered our table hot towels to clean our hands. [Menu]: Menu highlights on Resy include Chinese BBQ Pork, XO Fatty Noodles, Walnut Shrimp. Other Yelp highlighted items include Orange Chicken, Beef Roll, and Hainan Chicken. Burger Tuesday is offered ONLY at the bar. A bowl of rice is an extra $4.00. The staff also gave our table a cute cocktail menu with drinks named after each LA neighborhood. *** Squid Ink Xiao Long Bao (shrimp and pork soup dumplings, fresh ginger - $18.00): Only came with 6 pieces of dumplings. The dough was a bit thick and the flavor was just alright. XO Fatty Noodles (rolled rice noodles, XO sauce, bean sprouts, garlic chives, fried shallots - $22.00): The noodles tasted slightly salty. I couldn't tell whether I had sliced pork belly or flat noodles in the dim lighting and it turned out to be thick slices of flat noodles. Orange Chicken (orange soy-based sauce, dried chilies, orange zest - $22.00): Super crispy orange chicken, but it was crunchy type of crispy and tasted a bit dry. Walnut Shrimp (mayo, candied walnuts, sesame seeds, red cabbage - $25.00): his dish came with lettuce and looked really nice. The flavor was solid and it tasted very healthy. *** Personally it was an overpriced experience for mediocre Asian fusion food. I would much rather visit Jade Rabbit in Santa Monica for cheaper and more delicious Asian fusion food or Din Tai Fung in Santa Monica for a more consistent dumpling and noodle experience. The only reason to come here is for the date-night vibe. Honestly, the food tasted more like Northern Chinese fusion cuisine than Taiwanese fusion cuisine.

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Little Fatty - Sparkling Rose in celebration of my anniversary.

Sparkling Rose in celebration of my anniversary.

Little Fatty - Cucumbers

Cucumbers

Little Fatty - Yum! Loved this dessert.

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Yum! Loved this dessert.

Hui Tou Xiang - Instagram: @eat_saw_telle
 
 Yangchun

Hui Tou Xiang

4.3(480 reviews)
7.2 miHollywood
$$

Some call it comfort food, others might call it fine dining on a budget. That evening we went-- it…read morewas simply an amazing dinner. Anything you can eat you any night you don't have to cook is usually a great night out. This evening was no exception. Our waitress was kind and accommodating. Positive energy, drinks filled and smile that felt genuine. The ambiance of the restaurant was bar like, but with adequate seating for dining in. Everything was prepared wonderfully and had tremendous flavor. I recommend trying their Hui Tou, stuffed with pork or beef, pork and leek pancakes, they also have vegetarian options. Their pork shumai was delicious, xiao long bao's soup dumplings were flavorful. Delicious. I definitely need a second trip here to try their soups and more of their variety of dumplings.

I'm convinced Hui Tou Xiang is one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets for Chinese food. I've been…read morehere five times now, and they consistently deliver - every single visit has been excellent. Our go-to dishes are the cucumber salad (refreshing and perfectly crunchy), green scallion pancakes (especially good with the chili sauce), pork shumai (better than Din Tai Fung imo), and the spicy pork wontons. On our most recent visit, we tried the sesame noodles, and I've been daydreaming about them ever since. The staff is always friendly and attentive, the vibes inside are great, and there's a solid drink selection with cocktails, draft beer, and bottled options. And the price point? Outrageously reasonable, especially in this economy. Consistently delicious food, great service, and incredible value. Highly recommend!

Photos
Hui Tou Xiang - Bar

Bar

Hui Tou Xiang - Liang Ban Noodles

Liang Ban Noodles

Hui Tou Xiang - Ahh!  The beer help extinguish the fiery chili oil.

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Ahh! The beer help extinguish the fiery chili oil.

Mian - Spicy beef noodle soup

Mian

4.0(565 reviews)
5.4 miWest Adams
$$

MIAN completely blew me away. From the moment I walked in, the aromas set the tone for how good the…read morefood was going to be. I started with the house made chili oil dumplings and they were unreal. The dumplings were perfectly cooked and the chili oil with black vinegar was so good I ended up using it on everything. The staff was incredibly kind and happily gave me extra sauce when I asked. The spicy beef noodle soup was the standout. The beef was insanely tender and the broth was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of heat. The noodles had great texture and held up well in the soup. I also tried the Chengdu zajiang noodle and loved it. The sauce had that numbing spice and deep flavor, and the egg on top made it even better. Every bite felt intentional and well executed. The pickled cucumbers deserve their own mention. Crunchy, tangy, and full of flavor, easily some of the best I have had, even better than Din Tai Fung. On top of all that, they offer great deals after 3pm with discounted noodles and half off beer. MIAN is easily one of the best noodle spots around and I would come back without hesitation.

I don't know if there's a place in this area (or in the 5-mile radius, for that matter) that offers…read morealmost two full meals' worth of food for 12 dollars (at happy hour), y'all. This place definitely smacks; I'm always getting me some beef noodles with L1 (a littleeee spice) and M1 (a little numbing oil) and it's perfect for my dainty tastebuds. The service is usually pretty quick, but they do a lottt of meal-making during happy hour (3-6) so it's arguably a little slower then. The ambiance is pretty spare, with some placemats that explain mung bean soup and some lower-key Chinese decor throughout. It's a simple place, but it really does get the job done. I'll be back!

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Mian
Mian - Sichuan Popcorn Shrimp*

Sichuan Popcorn Shrimp*

Mian - Spicy Beef Soup Noodles*

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Spicy Beef Soup Noodles*

Liu’s Cafe - taiwanese - Updated May 2026

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