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Northern Cafe

4.1 (1.1k reviews)
ModerateChinese, Noodles, Soup
Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

Order Northern Cafe Takeout or Delivery

Northern Cafe Photos

Business Info

NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Northern Cafe

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Spicy shrimp wontons
Katelyn S.

Was looking for a place to have late dinner on the 4th of July and ended up here. There was no wait and was seated right away, which was a total plus! Ended up bringing my husband and another couple. We ordered orange chicken, xiao long bao, beef rolls, spicy wonton, and stir fried noodles. Everything was exceptional! Everyone loved the food while service was decent. We had to waive our server down a couple of times for water refills and sauce plates. Nonetheless, would come back again! If you're looking for a din tai fung dupe, I would definitely recommend this place.

D1. Juicy Pork Dumplings (XLB)!
Eunhae H.

This place has always satiated my cravings for all things Chinese cuisine: from dumplings to classic Chinese dishes like Orange Chicken--they got me covered! I always start with their beef roll. And love ordering their juicy pork dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, and mapo tofu. Even though their speciality is not dim sum, their juicy pork dumplings are one of the best that I've had. I've only ordered through the delivery apps but I'd love to dine in. They have a cute purple and black awning, which gives a warm and friendly vibe. They are located in the same plaza as the Gen Kbbq and 85 Degrees bakery so parking may be difficult but it's nice to know that there's a lot of foot traffic--signifying that there's great eateries in this plaza!

Albert C.

The food was pretty good. Got the lamb with cumin, soup dumplings, string beans, custard bun, and more. It was on the oilier side and my cousin thought some dishes too salty. But I was delighted by the food. The ramen was pretty good and al dente!

IG: socalhkfoodies
Fiona T.

Back in our college days, whenever we craved classic Chinese food, we'd go to Northern Cafe. And honestly... it's still the same now Of course, we had to kick things off with noodles. Then lamb skewers,and square ribs with garlic because we wanted something not too spicy Veggies were definitely needed for our Asian tummy digestion. Can't forget the xiao long bao and dumplings. This is just a classic that never goes wrong. IG: socalhkfoodies

Chives, pork and shrimp dumplings
Daniela C.

I finally tried this place out after seeing so many TikTok videos about it! As soon as we stepped inside the service was amazing. This amazing service followed throughout our entire dinner. We were always asked if we were doing ok or need anything. The food was amazing and felt like homemade food, which I always appreciate from any restaurant! Everything had lots of flavor and tasted fresh. I would definitely return to reorder everything plus more. 10/10 would recommended. At the end of our dinner, the waitress let us know about their new rewards program which we appreciated. We will definitely return!

Desire N.

Today I'm at Northern Cafe, and everything we tried was packed with flavor! The Juicy Pork Dumplings were exactly what you want--tender, savory, and filled with delicious broth. The Chinese Chive & Shrimp Dumplings were fresh and perfectly balanced, while the Wontons in Spicy Sauce brought just the right amount of heat. The Beef Roll Pancake was crispy, flaky, and loaded with flavor. For entrées, the Kung Pao Shrimp and Orange Chicken were both savory, slightly spicy, and fantastic with steamed rice. We also enjoyed the tender spare ribs, crispy spring rolls, and sweet steamed custard buns for dessert. To wash it all down, the Black Milk Tea and Jasmine Milk Tea were refreshing and delicious. If you're craving authentic Chinese comfort food, Northern Cafe in Cerritos is definitely worth a visit!

beef roll
Hayley C.

I really like Northern Cafe for their beef rolls!! Compared to other restaurants, they ALWAYS pack the roll with beef. Many other places just put 90% cilantro and 10% beef which is ridiculous lol. The roll is always tasty and they give you sauce on the side. I can't speak for the restaurant experience itself because each time I have just ordered to-go, but the times I've walked in it seemed kind of dead, maybe it was just the times I've went. It looked pretty nice inside though, at least this location did. Maybe I'll sit down at Northern Cafe soon and try it out.

Spicy Pork Wonton Dumplings- V good !
Sushil P.

Always wanted to try Northern Cafe but didn't get chance earlier. Recently, a friend in my pickleball group recommended this place so I stopped by for a quick lunch. Service was quick and efficient - I didn't have to wait in spite of dropping in during a busy lunch hour. Started off with Spicy Pork Wonton Dumplings which were very good. Also ordered Kung Pao Shrimp & steamed rice on our server's recommendation and it was awesome. Portions were too much for 1 person but good enough for 2 to share. This was a really good one for a quick lunch and I bet I will be back here a lot many times in future !

Beef roll
Crystal D.

This place was on point with all their food. My favorites were the beef roll and pan fried dumplings. That beef roll is so tasty and who can resist the crispness of those dumplings. The fried rice was also very good and not greasy at all. And of course the dumplings were soft and flavorful. The restaurant itself is a good size and perfect for small or bigger parties. It's simple but clean, modern, and open. The service was efficient and it was easy to get someone's attention. I highly recommend trying this place. It's definitely going to be on my dumpling rotation.

Dumplings
Sophie D.

Good for groups , excellent food and service! We went at 11am on a Wednesday and there was no wait. Our server was fantastic and super personable. Everything was good, but the beef roll, green beans, jasmine tea and sesame balls (in that order!) were my absolute favorite. Parking: shares a lot with lots of other great eateries nearby, so can get very busy during peak hours Ambiance: casual Value: great quality for the price. Friend says sue prefers it over din tai fung!!!

Soup dumplings.
Tina P.

Food is always good. My brother ordered quite a few dishes. The chicken was delicious as well as the other dishes. Service was great. It can get really crowded from what it appears on Sundays. We go to the Rowland Heights location as we live closer to that location, this seems to have different varieties here. Great place!

Inside the store
Lauren S.

The last time I came here was a few months ago, as this is the closest authentic Chinese food near me. Came here on a Saturday lately and was surprised in a bad way. We ordered my usual braised beef noodle soup , but the soup base has got weaker and bland and there was much less beef cubes. The Dandan noodle was okay, although more peanuts than ground pork. The onion pancake is still tasty. It seems like to be under new chef and old staff? I'll probably not going back.

Cold cucumber
Bry N.

Yoooooooooooooooo! Whenever I'm not in the mood to deal with the ridiculous waitlist and long lines at Din Tai Fung, this is my go-to spot. It's closer to home, way more affordable, and honestly tastes very similar to what you'd get at DTF anyway--without the headache. Our order is pretty much locked in every time: juicy pork dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), cold cucumber, spicy wontons, dry-fried string beans, and the house special spicy beef noodle soup. The Xiao Long Bao doesn't always have as much soup inside compared to Din Tai Fung, but that happens at a lot of places. They make up for it by serving the dumplings with ginger and sauce on the side--add it to your spoon before biting in and it still hits the spot. The cold cucumber is super refreshing and I feel like they give you a more generous portion here. Spicy wontons are also very comparable--nice kick, great flavor, and always satisfying. As for the spicy beef noodle soup, pro tip: add tendon. I always ask for extra tendon and don't mind paying the difference since it's my favorite--loaded with collagen and makes the soup even richer. Prices are very fair for the quality and portions (hopefully they don't raise them ). Service is consistently friendly, the ambiance is chill and very family-friendly, and overall it's just a reliable spot that never disappoints. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to again and again.

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Photo of Wayne C.
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2 months ago

The food here is slop and low quality. It used to be good. You might as well go eat at Panda Express and save yourself some money.

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Northern Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Northern Cafe

Do they have shrimp fried rice?

Yes

Can I make a reservation? Is it necessary on a Saturday night?

No, you cannot make reservations. If there is a wait when you get there you can just give them your name and they'll call you when there's an available table. The night we went there was no wait so we were seated immediately.

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Soup Shop

Soup Shop

4.4
(510 reviews)
0.2 mi
$$
Kitchen open late
Large group friendly

The best late night comfort food! Soup Shop has good food, and they're open late. It's no wonder…read morethere's always people waiting for a table outside. We were craving some warm pho on a cold night, and Soup Shop sounded like the perfect spot. The plaza Soup Shop is located in is usually super crowded, but if you go after 9pm when most of the other restaurants and shops are closed, you'll find plenty of parking. Write your name down on the waiting list at the front podium and then wait for your name to be called. They have a few seats to wait right outside the door. Once we were seated, we were given menus. I really like that their menu has a lot of large photos of the dishes, so you know what you're getting! Once we ordered, the food came out pretty quickly despite being busy. For appetizers, we ordered the Crunchy Pork "Bao" since it sounded unique. Inside the bao is pork shoulder, mushroom, Vietnamese sausage, and quail egg. The outside has a thin, perfectly crispy layer that gives a nice little crunch when you bite into it. Really enjoyed these and would recommend! We also got the Crusted Parmesan Cauliflower. Not sure what's in the sauce, but it's sweet, tangy, and delicious! It's also topped with fried onion, cilantro, cucumber, and parmesan cheese. Also a winner! For entrees, we got the Chicken Pho and the Pho Ribeye. For the chicken Pho, you can get it with thigh or breast meat. I got it with breast meat, and they gave a good amount of meat! A little dry, but I appreciated that it was nice and lean. The flavor of the soup is really good. Pho Ribeye was also tasty! Hit the spot.

June 2026 Updated review:…read more Bowls have been dumbed down by 40%. Less meat, more noodles, less broth and less veggie amenities. Truly disappointing since they upped the prices as well. So you're paying more for less good food. I would hope they read my reviews and go back to how they served big bowls of yummy pho with great ingredients. I know food is expensive but they've already increased their prices to offshoot current inflation. SO GO BACK TO HOW YOU USED TO SERVE PHO.

Photos
Shrimp Garlic Noodles, Cucumber Limeade
Shrimp Garlic Noodles, Cucumber Limeade
Pho Rib-Bone
Pho Rib-Bone
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Sea Salt Coffee, Green Thai Tea, Thai Tea
Jangmo Jip

Jangmo Jip

4.4
(244 reviews)
2.5 mi
$$

I've been going to this place ever since I was a kid. This Korean restaurant hasn't changed their…read moremenu ever since I've been coming here with my family. It's a small authentic Korean joint that's family-owned. The ambiance isn't the best but the food definitely makes up for it; it's more of an older generation vibe. They have restrooms while they might not be the best and there's ample parking. The service is welcoming and friendly. Their side dishes are simple and you can ask for more for no charge. The salt and green onions are self-serve. I always get their Seolleongtang or Kong Na Mool Guk Bap and they both come with rice. They both taste great and are often considered a hangover cure. If you want to add noodles, you can choose between white or glass. Near the end of your meal, they give you Sikhye as a little treat. Sikhye is a traditional sweet rice punch. I think this is for dine-in customers only, I'm not sure if they'll pack it for take-out orders. This place is never too packed and it's a great place to dine if you're looking for something light hearty and a warm meal!

This is a nice authentic Korean soup place. I came here with a friend on a Thursday night after…read morework around 5:30 pm and there was a decent amount of people. The menu on the wall is Korean but the menu itself has English words on it. Love the side dishes - kimchi, seaweed, and radish with the typical unlimited refills. I got the suluntang (dont know how to spell) #1 which is the basic order. It comes with a side of rice and the choice of vermicelli or glass noodle. I love glass noodles so of course I chose that. It's nice because you can add as much or as little salt as you want and the same goes for the green onion. It is such a soothing soup on a cold day and the side dishes make the food very refreshing. Very home-y feeling inside with the aunties working there. Lots of parking since it shares a parking lot with other restaurants/shops/supermarket nearby. I would come back again for a nice warm soup when I am in town.

Photos
Newest price. July 2023
Newest price. July 2023
Ddaro Gukbap (IG: @soph.hungry)
Ddaro Gukbap (IG: @soph.hungry)
Menu as of November 2025

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Menu as of November 2025
Jinsol Gukbap Buena Park

Jinsol Gukbap Buena Park

4.3
(387 reviews)
4.9 mi
$$

came here with a large party and called ahead of time. they were able to accommodate us and we had…read morea great time. staff are so nice and are able to handle the rushes of people. their cold noodles were delish!!!! it is a very high contender to being one of my favorites in all of OC! so much flavor and generous portions. loved their seafood pancake and their kimchi stew was so comforting. the broth was thick and flavorful and the pork belly in the soup was meaty galbi was flavorful and seared nicely but i didnt enjoy their pork soup which they're known for, but that's completely on me since i usually don't reach for it.

Met up with 3 other people to grab some lunch at this location. We came in during a weekday for…read morelunch and it was very busy but no wait. I love that you order off their kiosk which is conveniently located at the table already. The staff was quick to bring out the banchan. To start, we shared their leek pancake and pork blood sausage. For my lunch I went with their cold noodles since it was a cold day. The people I came with had some pork spare ribs, which came with rice and bone knee soup. And a bibimbap. The leek pancake was the best thing there. The pork blood sausage was more of rice noodles rolled up with pork blood flavored. I can't imagine it being much portion. Eveything else was bland which we all agreed to. For my cold noodles I added plenty of vinegar and mustard but it was not it. Still lacked flavor. Also it only had half a boiled egg and two verythin slices of beef. The pork was over cooked, dry, and lacked flavor. The bibimbap was also bland even with their red sauce. We we were all disappointed. The pricing is affordable. The staff was nice and quick. They made sure to check up on us. Parking here is a tough even though it was a weekday. Their lot was full and you can park next door but by the dental office but that was also full. We waited a little and eventually found parking. The restaurant is very casual, clean and spacious. This was just really meh to me.

Photos
Near the cash register. 6/14/2025
Near the cash register. 6/14/2025
Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면)
Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면)
Entrance. 6/14/2025

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Entrance. 6/14/2025
Han Yang

Han Yang

4.3
(1.7k reviews)
4.7 mi
$$

This is hands down my favorite Korean restaurant. The quality of the food and the portion sizes are…read moreboth 10/10. The kimchi, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and gat kimchi are absolutely delicious. I heard that the owner makes everything in-house, and you can really tell how much care and skill go into the food. The staff are also incredibly kind and welcoming every time I visit. Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup) - This is honestly the best galbitang I've had in both OC and LA. The broth is rich and flavorful, and the beef is always fresh and tender. Whenever I'm craving galbitang in the OC/LA area, this is the only place I go. Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup) - The amount of ingredients they give you is amazing. I've had it both dining in and as takeout, and it's consistently delicious every single time. It's perfectly seasoned, and has just the right level of spice. As much as I love the galbitang, I think I actually enjoy the yukgaejang even more. Pork Cutlet (Donkatsu) - This place is known for its galbitang and seolleongtang, so I wasn't expecting much from the donkatsu... but why is it this good? The cabbage salad dressing that comes on the side is seriously addictive. The portion size is huge, there's no way I could finish it by myself. It has the crispy texture of Japanese katsu, while still having a great pork flavor of its own. I honestly think this could be considered one of their signature dishes. If you're looking for authentic Korean comfort food with generous portions and warm service, I highly recommend giving this place a try. I'll definitely keep coming back!

Delicious and authentic! The banchan was so fresh and more on the spicy side, which I absolutely…read moreloved because it was so flavorful. It honestly tastes just like a home-cooked meal. ​I got the bibimbap and the galbi-tang...both were excellent. Highly recommend!

Photos
Inside seating - decent amount of seats
Inside seating - decent amount of seats
Octopus bibimbap
Octopus bibimbap
Spicy sautéed small octopus bibimbap

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Spicy sautéed small octopus bibimbap
Red Flame

Red Flame

4.0
(1.4k reviews)
0.9 mi
$$

I was glad to see they still had this location, since the one in Westminster closed. This one is…read morelocated in a small plaza in Artesia with a good amount of parking. They have a ton of tables for both big and small groups. They told us that they don't have steak anymore and it was crossed out from their menu. The servers were friendly and quick. I enjoy this place for their variety of soups and noodles. I like their shabu since the amount of meat is perfect. Their hot pots are great too. The garlic noodles the perfect amount of garlicky. Their chicken katsu was nice and crispy. The price is reasonable for this spot and food is great!

Stopped by for lunch earlier today and it was a good spot to scratch that hot pot itch!…read more I ordered the Kimchi hot pot which I shared with a friend. We opted to get the vermicelli noodles instead of the white rice. The pot took around 10-15 minutes to arrive. The server lit up the pot for us. It was loaded with plenty of kimchi and plenty of meat and seafood like shrimp, fish balls, imitation crab, and tofu. The flavor of the broth was decently strong, not the spiciest I've had but not the weakest. It was quite filling for the both of us and adding the noodles towards the end helped fill up the pot overall. The interior of the restaurant has plenty of seating with booths and tables. Service was friendly and helpful. Overall it's a decent spot for hot pot with friends and family with plenty of broth options to choose from and add ons as well.

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Red Flame
Red Flame
Red Flame

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Northern Cafe - chinese - Updated July 2026

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