Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Northern Cafe

    4.0 (500 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Noodles, Hot Pot
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Northern Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Northern Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    More like Northern Cafe

    Recommended Reviews - Northern 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

    便宜又大碗!而且都很好吃!!

    It's really good. Will Highly recommend 就在hmart旁边很好找。很好吃而且便宜又大碗!还有烤串和我最爱的榴莲酥会推荐朋友来哒

    Richard L.

    We visited Northern Cafe near UC Irvine with a party of four and had a solid lunch experience overall. Ordering was straightforward, food came out quickly, and it was easy to share dishes family-style. What we ordered: * Cumin Lamb - Great Very tasty with bold cumin flavor and absolutely no lamb smell. One of the standout dishes. * Eggplant with Garlic Sauce - Great Well-cooked, rich, and flavorful. The sauce paired perfectly with the tender eggplant. * Sautéed Green Beans - Great Nicely blistered, savory, and addictive. Simple but done right. * Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs - OK Flavor was fine, but the meat leaned a bit chewy compared to the other dishes. * Popcorn Chicken - Great Juicy and tender on the inside with a crispy exterior. Easy crowd favorite. * Hot & Sour Soup - OK Comforting and warming, though nothing particularly memorable. * Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce - OK Decent with good heat, but not a standout compared to similar versions elsewhere. * Cold Dish (3 Veg Items) - OK Refreshing and light, a good balance to the heavier dishes. * Rice Standard and served hot--does its job. Overall: This was a solid 4-star experience. Portions are generous, prices and value are great for the area, and the food quality is solid with a few standout dishes. Conveniently located near UC Irvine on Campus Drive, Northern Cafe is a reliable spot for casual Chinese comfort food, especially when dining with a group.

    Braised Chicken Pot
    Rue K.

    So this place is kind of confusing. Self serve order at the cashier but you still pay for a tip there's another machine where to go people order. But I was pointed to the to go machine and ordered from wrong spot. If you dine in, you're supposed to order at the cashier. Get own water and leftover box etc So we came at 6 pm on of Sunday night and the wait time was about 10 minutes. Staff will yell your name. They won't text u. I realize this place is really busy compared to all the casual dining restaurants in the same plaza. So most people wait five minutes and they leave so even though we're in the fourth spot, we actually got in. Unless you're a big party of five or six, then you'll have to wait longer. So the confusion is in the beginning part. I wouldn't recommend to elderly Asian crowd because I know my mom would definitely be confused. After you get settled in, they will bring you what you ordered. There isn't any server to your table so if you're getting water, you have to get it by yourself if you need an extra bowl, you have to wait till the staff comes to deliver your food and use that time to tell them what you need. This place is really self-serving. The staff only comes to deliver your food and clean up your table. But we still tipped. Food was good. Soup dumplings hit the spot. Black vinegar was essential and available Come here when you need really good food and quick bite This is not recommended for a date night or business network setting I think we would come by if we're in the area. But considering that we're paying tip, I think we would go to the other location when they are full service.

    Lao Gan Ma Fried Noodle w.Chicken
    Miranda L.

    A fully satisfied food coma after Northern Cafe Food: The golden soup beef is undoubtedly coziness in a bowl after a long work day. The spiciness from the chopped raw chilies and bok choy adds the extra heartiness to each bite of noodle and sliced beef. It's in limbo with Dan Dan noodles especially pork over beef kinda spicy noodle soup day. Next, their orange chicken is delicious (!!!) and the epitome of American Chinese palate but hey it's only a right of passage haha we get it every time as a group and for takeout! Let's talk fiber with veggies now: Sautéed garlic Bok choy and green beans. Need another carb with protein then add in some chicken fried rice. Finally the noodles, I prefer the fried noodle with chicken over the Lao Gan Ma fried noodle with chicken which was more greasy, too much sauce and had less whole fresh veggies. The egg rolls were subpar. Service: They are so FAST for in service and take out ordering. It's a continuous flow of customers and cleaning. Over the past years, always had positive experiences and consistent take out orders replicating sit down quality food. Ambiance: Spacious for many different parties so social groups or even individual self time! I appreciate the dimmer lighting for evening and outside patio for more privacy. Overall: will be back many MORE times with my family, friends and colleagues!

    Beef Roll
    Crystal L.

    Food is great. It hits the spot for classic Northern Chinese food (dumplings, XLB, beef rolls/green onion pancakes, and my favorite rice cake) Price is reasonable ($13-$16 for most dishes). You order via an app so no waiting for a waiter. It was hard to get their attention for water/napkins though. The biggest frustration eating here is the mini fruit flies in the restaurant. I've eaten here a number of times, and always notice 1 or so fruit flies at the table!

    Szechuan Mala Pot | IG @moniquedao
    Monique D.

    Szechuan Mala Pot is my go-to here, especially on cold days. I like that it's served in a boiling pot, nice and hot, and with lots of toppings. Generous portions of beef, way more than what Boiling Point would give you. I do wish it weren't so salty. I find myself pouring some cold water into it to lessen the saltiness. Also wish they had dipping sauces for the meats and veggies. But other than that, it's pretty delicious. I also like the pig ear. It's sliced real thin and spicy. A perfect side dish to the hot pot. This is a casual dining environment. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you. Easy peasy.

    H1.Steamed Custard Buns - $6
    Arshad H.

    Northern Cafe is located at the University Town Center and serves up casual Chinese fare. Ordering is done at the front and then food is delievered to your table. I came with a group of co-workers and we decided to share some items. Chicken wontons - $12 - These were probably my favorite item here. The dumplings had good flavor and quite a bit of chicken. Scallion pancake ($8) - I've had much better elsewhere, and it wasn't as crispy and flaky as most other places. Beef roll ($13) - The beef rolls are wrapped in the same scallion pancakes so that part was disappointing and there was nothing special about the beef in the roll. Fried beef skewers ($6.50) - These skewers were so flavorful with a strong cumin flavor and I would recommend getting these if I revisited. Steamed custard buns ($6) - The buns were a little hard and didn't have as much custard as I had hoped for. Sesame balls ($6) - The sesame balls were a little doughy and had red bean paste. There weren't bad. Chinese herbal tea ($3.50) - Unfortunately this herbal team was served in a can and was extremely sweet. I didn't expect that and would pass on this altogether. Overall the food was just ok. Nothing really stood out and there were some disappointing dishes. There is plenty of seating as well as patio seating.

    The Big Big Chicken Plate.
    Ronald M.

    Our night out in Irvine landed us here for dinner, the very first lot we pulled into after leaving the Barclay Theater. And that was originally to find better WiFi reception. But why dillydally around? Northern Cafe seemed just right for dinner. A very busy Sunday night and with a mostly Asian clientele at an Asian eatery, always a great barometer for me. Apparently also quite popular with students from the nearby UC campus. But we were immediately seated after stepping inside. This is an order at the counter establishment, then take your number back to your table, they will bring to you when ready. So we looked over our menus first, the print a bit small, then settled on the Big Big Chicken Plate With Noodles and the Lamb Hot Pot. I guess I just assumed that the order of lamb would be simply that. But my bad, several items included in this dish were things we never eat; crab, shrimp, pork. So on its arrival, the Mrs noticed what I mistakenly had overlooked. I did however, manage to salvage most of the lamb and several quail eggs (a first time trying them for me). The chicken dish we thought was just okay, even less so as a leftover. My wife was totally dissatisfied. But the steamed rice was rather well cooked and we both enjoyed the Thai iced tea. Northern Cafe has locations throughout Southern California. We would return but with totally different menu options chosen next time. Somewhat neutral service but they keep things moving along like a production line.

    Alice C.

    Service: typical small Chinese restaurant style. You put your name in the electronic tablet. You get seated and you can order using a QR code. Embiance: feels new, clean and nice. Food: The braised beef rib soup: the noodles were really salty. The broth had too much cinnamon or star anise. Taste was not balanced. I've had better at Din tai fung and A and J's. Beef rolls: good. The scallion pancakes weren't greasy. Very generous with the cilantro and onions just fyi. The beef slices were extra thin. Bok choy was perfect Soup dumplings were good. The dough part wasn't too thick except at the top where it's bunched up. Also had the chicken cartilage skewers from their grill menu. They were a bit over grilled. A little crunchy snd too much spices shaken on them. Overall not bad for the food here. The servers were nice and the bathrooms and floors were clean so that was good. I would eat here again but I'll try one of their hot pot meals.

    Christina G.

    We visited Northern Cafe in Irvine last weekend during lunch, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish! Ordering was super easy--we ordered at the cashier and picked any table we wanted. In just about 5 minutes, every dish arrived at our table, which was impressively fast. The Cumin Lamb ($17.99) was very flavorful and one of our favorites. The Eggplant with Garlic Sauce ($14.99) was delicious and perfectly cooked, and the Sautéed Green Beans ($15.99) were very satisfying. The Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs ($16.99) were decent, though the meat was a little chewy. The real standouts were the Popcorn Chicken ($9.99)--crispy on the outside, tender on the inside--and the Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce ($11.99), which were absolutely amazing! The Hot & Sour Soup ($11.99) was comforting and full of flavor. They also have a nice selection of cold dishes you can pick right at the cashier station. Overall, the food was delicious, the prices were very reasonable, and the service was fast and efficient. We loved the smooth dining experience and will definitely be back to try more dishes--especially their noodles next time!

    Jenny P.

    Parking is super easy since it's in Irvine's UTC plaza. You order and pay at the counter -- food comes out fairly fast. 7/10 Spicy Beef Pot ($17). I prefer Boiling Point since they have more variety and I like what they put inside their hotpots more. Wasn't a really big fan of sausages inside. The broth wasn't bland and had some flavor, so I would say it's worth a try.

    Sauteed Bok Choy w.Garlic
    Tay K.

    i haven't been here in years but this place still hits !! you order at the register or kiosk and grab a number and they bring out your food to wherever you're sitting i ordered orange chicken, spicy beef hot pot, chicken fried rice, dan dan noodles, stir fried bok choy w garlic, and the juicy pork xlb the orange chicken was FIRE Spicy beef hotpot was absolutely amazing, i loved the broth and the quality of beef was sooo good chicken fried rice was dank dandan noodles were okay, not my favorite stir fried bok choy w garlic was DANK juicy pork xlb was good, the xlb skin is slightly on the thicker side everything was amazing! server was helpful when we had questions it's self serve water & you can grab plates, napkins and to go containers yourself too great spot for small or big group dining, highly reccomend!

    Spicy House Special Beef Noodle Soup
    Heather D.

    I hadn't been here in quite some time but was craving Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. I ended up ordering take out on their website which was super easy to use. It says expect 20 minutes but when I arrived in 10 minutes, it was already ready which was nice. The staff wasn't personable and didn't really greet me unfortunately. They just asked for my ordered number and handed me the bag. As for the food itself, this hit the spot! I loved that it came in a quality Tupperware that wouldn't leak or get soggy. The way the lid was set up allowed for the noodles and bok choy to stay untouched from the broth which was great!

    Beef 3.Golden Soup Beef Pot

    See all

    16 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Miguel R.
    4
    131
    299

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    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 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 134
    Thanks 56
    Love this 104
    Oh no 19
    Photo of Ronald M.
    2833
    1046
    4211

    7 months ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 7
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alice C.
    45
    97
    12

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Madison V.

    Madison V.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Food is amazing, they are always ready to accommodate your special request if they can

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Madison V.

    Madison V.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jackiee H.
    300
    137
    125

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Madison V.

    Madison V.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brian S.
    19
    178
    10

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 13

    Northern Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Northern Cafe

    Do they take reservations?

    When I went a few months ago, they did not take reservations. It wasn't hard to find a table though on the various occasions that I have gone.

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Oishi Shabu & Sushi - Hot and sour Tom yums broth

    Oishi Shabu & Sushi

    4.3(1.6k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$

    So I had to cheat on my favorite Shabu place because they decided to change their hours, so we…read morelooked up other options and this place popped up. The establishment is beautiful! It looks very modern and clean. Service was fast and the staff were very attentive. I brought my mama here for mother's days and it was her first Shabu experience and a great one at that. I got Tonkatsu base 10/10. An honorable mention is their cooked chicken (I'll insert a picture). Easy layout and ordering process. I think this is my new favorite Shabu. One thing to note is the kids price is a bit on the higher side $17/child (so if your kiddos eat very little maybe it won't be worth it for you). I also noticed that the restroom has a baby changing station! You'd be surprised how many don't, so thank you from a grateful mom who notices these things.

    I recently visited Oishi Shabu Shabu and it honestly exceeded my expectations…read more The meat quality alone makes this place stand out. Everything is truly unlimited, and you can taste the difference in the freshness and marbling. The cuts were tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly in the broth. If you're debating the wagyu upgrade, do it. The marbling is beautiful and it melts in your mouth. Definitely worth the upcharge. Their unlimited bar is another highlight. They offer a wide selection of fresh seafood, crisp vegetables, hot side dishes, and a full sauce station so you can customize every bowl exactly how you like it. Everything looked clean, well stocked, and high quality. What makes it even more exciting is that starting next month they'll be offering ayce sushi as well. If it's anything like the quality of their shabu, it's going to be a huge win. Great service, great selection, and premium quality ingredients. I'll definitely be coming back.

    Photos
    Oishi Shabu & Sushi
    Oishi Shabu & Sushi - Tonkatsu broth

    Tonkatsu broth

    Oishi Shabu & Sushi - The set up

    See all

    The set up

    Prime Hot Pot - Restaurant front

    Prime Hot Pot

    4.0(193 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    We went for a late lunch on a Saturday, it was fairly empty and we got seats right away. We both…read moregot the cheapest set for $35/person, I believe everyone might have to choose the same menu to avoid cross sharing. You get to choose a broth and order from the tablet as much as you want within 100 minutes, but there is a wait time between ordering on the tablet so I recommend just putting in everything you want at once, but also not over ordering because it's extra if you don't finish. The meats were nice, they were not as fatty and didn't have as much marbling so it could be a little chewy after cooking but for the price we really couldn't complain and it was still delicious. And I'm sure the higher priced menu sets have higher quality cuts. We loved all the veggies and noodles you can order and there was a sweet rice cake dessert that was absolutely delicious. Each order of meat was also quite large so I would watch out for how many sets you initially plan to order.

    Prime Hot Pot recently switched their menu from AYCE to a la carte - while I had never tried them…read morewhen they were AYCE, I can say that the quality of their dishes and meats/seafood on their new menu is fantastic. In particular I really liked the grilled beef tongue and Wagyu platter. Of the two broths I tried (Beef Bone and the mild House spicy), I preferred the Beef Bone, which was rich and flavorful. The House spicy had a decent Szechwan kick to it even at mild. The staff here were very nice and parking is plentiful at the District. Overall definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good hot pot spot.

    Photos
    Prime Hot Pot - Wagyu Box

    Wagyu Box

    Prime Hot Pot - Open now Feb 2024

    Open now Feb 2024

    Prime Hot Pot

    See all

    Northern Cafe - chinese - Updated May 2026

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