Northern Cafe is the kind of place where the food is so good, you start comparing it to din tai fun. The pork and crab soup dumplings? Elite. Like "burn-your-mouth-but-still-go-back-in" good. And then you add beef rolls, beef fried noodles, orange chicken--suddenly your table looks like you're hosting a family reunion you didn't plan. It's casual, loud, always packed basically controlled chaos with dumplings. It's a great place for casual dining--whether you're with family or friends--and the 2nd Street location keeps things lively... like "hope you like noise with your noodles" lively. There's indoor and outdoor seating, so you can choose between cozy chaos inside or people-watching outside while pretending you didn't just order way too much food. Come hungry, bring friends, and be prepared to say, "okay THIS is the last dish"... at least three times. -seafood fried rice $19 -beef fried noodles $15 -orange chicken $15 -beef roll $14 -pork dumpling $14 -steamed shrimp dumpling $15 -steamed seafood dumpling $16 -walnut shrimp $19 -sichuan boiled fish $16 -garlic shrimp $19 read more

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Been wanting to try this place for some time now and glad I finally got to! As soon as I was sat, the place got packed. Customer service was kind and my server also happened to be my bartender. Come to think of it- I only noticed two servers for the whole place, but they had everything handled despite the high volume of customers that were sat right after one another. The spot itself Is quite spacious, ample seating. The booth was a little uncomfortable for my back but otherwise ok. I got the blackberry matcha mojito and it was delicious, it had sake in it. For the food, I was a bit disappointed in the shrimp dumplings. I guess I was expecting better quality ? It also came with some type of brown sauce which I couldn't tell what it was, a bit sour- I didn't love it. The chive scallion pancake was veryyyy crispy very fried but alas it was tasty. The garlic green beans WERE 10/10!!! Obsessed. I'd come back just for that and a drink. read more

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The food was honestly the worse I have had. I ordered shrimp fried rice and got hot white rice with peas and literally two tiny shrimps. It was terrible! read more

This place has been on my list for the longest time so when my husband and I were in the area and looking for a food spot I'm so glad we decided on this one. There's plenty of seating inside and out and oh my goodness, the food is freaking delicious! Our server was also a gem of a man! He was seemingly doing it all in the front end up of the restaurant - getting to go orders, serving our food, refilling our drinks, constantly checking on us. I didn't get his name, I wish I would've so I could properly sing praises for him. We got a little bit of everything and I don't think you could ever go wrong here. My husband and I usually rate things by our favorite to least favorite but we couldn't because everything was truly our favorite. The green onion pancake was super crispy and I loved dipping it into the chili oil that came with the chicken wontons. Also the noodles were flavorful and the veggies were cooked just right and sauce for the pot stickers was amazing - it was like a creamy soy sauce. I can't wait to come back here - still dreaming of the delicious food we had. read more

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Went here on a Friday night and it was amazing. I sat outside when the weather was nice and enjoyed not only the food, but the people watching lol. This place is located at almost the end of 2nd street and sits right in between a new açaí spot and a sushi place. To drink I ordered the lychee sangria. It was so pretty and packs a powerful punch. Be sure to mix it because all the sweetness sat at the bottom of the glass. It was refreshing and not too heavy. To eat, I ordered the beef pancake and that thing was sooooo juicy. Just from the outside you would not think that all that soup was in there but as soon as I cut into it you just see all this nice broth coat the plate. 1 order came with 2 pancakes. It came with a ginger? Sauce and it was amazing. I put some chili sauce on top of it and of course the black vinegar. The second thing that I ordered was the chicken chili dumplings and OMG can't go wrong with it. The meat to actual wrapper ratio was perfect. It was steamed perfectly, meaning that the meat was tender and the wrapper was not gummy at all. 10/10 would recommend. Service was amazing. There were plenty of folks working and they were all so attentive! Especially on a Friday night when total madness could ensue. read more

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Another nice place on second street. We went for lunch and they had a great lunch menu with many options. I tried the beef rolls which were basically pancakes with beef and green onion and lettuce with a dip sauce. They were delicious. We ordered some dumplings and we should have gotten them pan fried as they were just boiled. Great outdoor patio and great service. Very knowledge server that seemed to have tried many of the items on the menu. It felt like a bit overpriced food but definitely worth trying. read more

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I cannot stress enough how amazing this place is. I've been coming to this location since they've opened and have been bringing people back ever since. Carlos was our server, he was so awesome. Very attentive and made sure all our drinks and food came out amazing. Thanks so much Carlos! read more

Told my server Genesis to just surprise me. She smiled like she already had a plan and walked off. Came back with stir-fried noodles that hit different and a bubble tea I didn't even ask for but couldn't put down. Noodles were fire. But Genesis was the highlight. 10 out of 10. I'll definitely be back. Hopefully she remembers me. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

Ambiance, service and food was on point! I ordered chicken wontons in chili oil (8 pieces) $13.50 Flavor flavor FLAVOR! They were juicy and packed with equal amount of ingredients top tier! These wontons are big too. The chili oil is perfect topped with chopped green onions a refreshing combo. All tables come with condiments such as chili oil, vinegar and soy sauce. I personally like to add vinegar and chili oil FLAVOR! Staff was amazing and attentive THANK YOU Street parking only its on 2nd street so IYKYK I highly recommend read more

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Wonderful menu, a really good variety. Customer service was on top of it, every minute we were there. We did mention it was our first time. We ordered way too much, but hey who doesn't enjoy leftovers?! Even better the next day. We Mongolian beef, house fried rice, crunchy chicken, shrimp fried noodles, and pork dumplings in chili sauce. Every dish was family style, packed with flavor and fire. We enjoyed everything we tried. Highly recommended. We will definitely return! read more

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Came here a few days ago with my friend . They have both indoor and outdoor seating. We sat on the patio because it was a perfect day to have a drink outside & people watch . Honestly, this place is so underrated every dish we tried was amazing such as the string beans. You must try the beef roll. It was so good. I packed it up to save it for later my friend, and I both tried the different noodles such as the golden beef soup, and the house special, which both were so delicious. Of course they're known for their dumplings so we had to try a few of them. My friend doesn't eat pork and they were able to accommodate which was lovely. They offer veggie and chicken in addition to the pork overall it was an amazing experience and the place was clean Service wise everyone was helpful and offer suggestions Thank you Crystal for your service. We will be back. read more

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Overall: I find it a little difficult to justify coming to this American Chinese restaurant solely because everything about it is slightly off. The ancillaries are fine though so it receives a passing grade. Food: their Dan Dan mian has the flavor slightly off. They use instant ramen type noodles (already odd) with this sweet peanut / sweet chili esq sauce combo. The peanut sauce can be permissible but the chili needs to be hot chili oil otherwise I'm eating sweet noodles. Their XLBs were totally standard flavor wise but their texture of the skin has that grainy out of the freezer feel like the ones you bring back home and leave in the freezer. Lastly, their wonton in chili oil was off in both departments. The wontons were wrapped with a thick wrapper. Typically I'd expect the wonton skin to be a slippery thin close to the filling wrap. But the way it's wrapped (multiple folds on itself) creates this multilayer thickness that again appears to be frozen. The sauce was also wrong again going with a sweet chili thicker sauce rather than normal hot chili oil. Ambience/Decor/Service: the ancillaries were quite nice, as the restaurant was clean, not too loud and raucous, price was fairly competitive $6.50 per dim sum dish or ~$17 for a regular portion dish, and the service was quick and kind. read more

I've been an avid goer of Northen Cafe. I been to majority of their locations and I could confidently say that the Long Beach location is by far the WORST. The service we received was pretty lackluster. We ordered food to go for the Lunar New Year, pick up was in 20 min, got there in 15 minutes. Once we got there the hostesses paid little to no attention to us, had to flag them to down to let them know about our pick order. Continued to wait for about 45 minutes standing for our order granted our order was enough food for about 2 people. For the entirety of the time we waited a table got sat and received their food while we were still waiting for our food. Once we received our order, there was no apologies or sincerity from the hostess of the inconvenience. Very upsetting experience. read more

Came here on a Saturday around 11:30am. No wait to be seated. Service friendly. They had the happy hour for dumplings. Ordered the pork soup dumplings it was warm and good. The chili oil wontons it wasn't spicy at all but okay. My first drink had a few pieces of powered something but they were quick to exchange it. The wait to get the items was slow. All in all okay for price to taste. read more

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I live on Belmont shore. My kids wanted to come here again last time. I put a bad review but today they were extremely polite good attitude. I hope they'll keep it up. read more

Wish there was a way to give 0 stars.... Just left Northern Cafe in Long Beach with a harsh taste in my mouth.... The taste of the 100% RAW CHICKEN that I consumed in their "chicken wontons in chili oil."We informed the staff of the situation, and they failed to inform our waitress/shift-lead, who then tried to charge us for the food. Instead..., After the situation occurred, the person I believed to be the manager or MOD offered to bring us another batch, in which we declined, obviously. However if you serve RAW CHICKEN or chicken sashimi, you don't say sorry, you cover the WHOLE BILL without the customer having to ask. Our poor waitress/shift lead had no idea of the situation and was absolutely wonderful in taking action and discounted our meal. Unfortunately, we DO NOT PAY FOR SALMONELLA, so she let us leave free of charge. Pauline our waitress/shift lead who said works at another location was great, and professional. She informed us that Lydia was the regional manager, who I hope that this message reaches. To assure that you can train your staff better, not only preventing this from happening to anyone else in the future, but also training staff how to properly handle these situations. read more

Northern Cafe - Chicken Wontons in Chili Oil 鸡肉红油抄手 (8) - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

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As somebody who has a severe nut allergy and has to worry about being told no accommodations can be made the host and my server Timothy went above and beyond for still being new to make sure my safety was important from double checking the food items I wanted to order to coming back and communicating what was safe and what wasn't made this experience 10 times better not only was the food well portioned and amazing,the staff was amazing. It was so fresh and filling the atmosphere alone was lively friendly and very comfortable! So thank you Timothy for a great experience! read more

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Love their dim sum option menu. They offer a wide selection of Chinese cuisine. I had a few dumplings the one that stood out the most was the hot and soup soup and pork soup dumplings. Sad there wasn't shu mai option because that's one of my favorite dim sum items. I wasn't a fan of the crab dumplings and the spicy wonton wasn't too spicy but there is extra chili oil on the side to add to your liking. Service was good. Ambiance is causal. Price point was decent for being able to order multiple menu items. My favorite part of the day was eating my leftover hot and sour soup after a long night out. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

Food was super good once again and Tim was fantastic! We had about 4 dishes: Dan Dan noodles, dumplings, green onion pancakes and wonton in chilly oil. We can't wait to return and try more items. We found our favorite Chinese spot in the middle of 2nd street read more

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Food was incredible, lots of different flavors that match together very well. Pretty low prices considering how amazing the food was and the portions. The green beans and the green onion pancakes were the two foods that stood out the most, both such simple flavors but so good. The service was amazing, Genesis surprised us and brought us the best food ever and was super kind and sweet to me and my family. Perfect place to eat with friends and/or family taking in the solid portions and prices. I was surprised for a place like this to not be very crowded, will definitely be coming back. read more

A Chinese restaurant in Long Beach...on 2nd st? My curiosity was peaked as well. Stopped in for a late lunch on a weekday to try out some dim sum and noodles. My hopes quickly met reality - rectangular tables hmm...no hot tea at the ready and I had to ask for water instead of it being offered. Misgivings I might have overlooked had the waitress known anything at all about the menu - she literally had no idea what they were selling. Menu items had no numbers at all, but had Chinese characters next to useless English descriptions - yeah, another red flag. I know enough Chinese to decipher xiaolongbao and jiaozi. Both dishes were fresh enough, but had some of the worst execution I've ever had - frozen from Costco would easily better these. The shrimp dumplings with chili oil faired no better - overcooked with a bizarrely sweet chili sauce. Hard pass. Picked garlic broccoli for some veggies. This was stir fried bulk broccoli florets - fresh, but panda express level "Chinese". The Dan dan noodles was only dish that approached tasting authentic, but only cafeteria level execution. There is a fairly large menu of other common Americanized Chinese dishes that I didn't try, which might hit the spot for Panda Express lovers, but I doubt many Chinese people eat here willingly. This is 3 star food for undiscerning palettes looking for Chinesesque fair. I'd score 3 stars for the food tasting fresh, but having such a clueless waitress is insulting to customers, hence 2 stars. If you're looking for dim sum, you'll find much better options traveling up the 605 to LA or down the 5 to OC. read more

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We came here tonight & had a great experience. From the yummy food to the excellent service from our waiter Timothy. Very friendly, attentive, & gave some yummy recommendations! We will definitely be back! We ordered A LOT (pork soup dumplings, chicken wontons in chili oil, shrimp fried rice, Chinese pancake with pork, bok choy and green beans in garlic YUMMY!! read more

This was the best Chinese food I've had in a long time. Everything was delicious! I had the Garlic Shrimp 蒜香虾, Vegetarian Fried Rice 素炒饭, and Pork Wontons in Chili Oil (8)! All of it was slamming good! I am definitely giving this place that heart emoji. The food was so fresh. The green onions still had a firmness to them and that let me know they used fresh produce. The only minus was the hea level of the chili oil was not hot enough for me taste. That's so minimal and the other food made up for it. The portion and packaging were on point too! I understand why this is a local favorite. I'm definitely going to order from here again! read more

Northern Cafe - Pork wontons in Chili oil - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

The food is good and there are lots of options. We usually eat off both the dim sum and regular menu. The service is very slow but the servers are friendly. There's usually not a wait to get in but it's a popular spot. Not too noisy. read more

Northern Cafe - Chicken dumplings Chicken Wontons in Chili Oil 鸡肉红油抄手 (8) - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

I recently visited Northern Cafe and ordered the bok choy, Kung Pao chicken, shrimp dumplings, white rice, and Lao Gan Ma fried noodles with chicken--and everything was excellent. The food was fresh, well-seasoned, and served in generous portions. While every dish was flavorful, the shrimp dumplings were the clear star of the show--perfectly cooked, tender, and absolutely delicious. Service was good with solid customer service, and the restaurant had a nice, clean atmosphere that made the experience even more enjoyable.Overall, it was a great dining experience, and I would definitely return. read more

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Great Food & Great Service! Their Signature Pork Soup Dumplings & their Premium Pork & Crab Soup Dumplings are juicy, flavorful, and have a rich broth. They give you a dip that pairs very well. Also their Pork Wontons in Chili Oil are a very good option to try and would say those are one of my favorites. Also recommend the Golden Beef Noodle Soup and the Beef Rolls! This place has a good amount of seating and is located on 2nd street, and although parking is challenging, it's a great spot for a pregame meal before the night out! For a full video breakdown, find my Socials @ToshiEats read more

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Hostess took us in. Doesn't look busy. Sat down. No one spoken to us after 10min. No water. No acknowledgment then left. We were hype to try this new spot since we love the Irvine location but left disappointed and hungry. read more

3.5 stars. Food overall is not bad but not outstanding. Portions could be more. Mama Lu's in the SGV is still the spot to go to. But if you're in the LB area this works. read more

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​If you've ever wondered what it would be like to eat at Din Tai Fung in a fever dream where your sense of taste has been surgically removed, welcome to Northern Cafe. ​Walking in, I felt gaslit. The aesthetic is there. The open kitchen, the precise folding of the dumplings, the price point - it's all a perfect cosplay of a better restaurant. It looks exactly like the real thing, but the moment the food hits your tongue, the illusion shatters. ​It is truly a baffling culinary experience. You see a soup dumpling, you pay "soup dumpling" prices, you put it in your mouth, and then... nothing. It's like a memory of food rather than food itself. The flavors aren't just muted; they are missing in action. ​It's the "La Croix" of Chinese food - hint of dumpling, whisper of pork, ghost of flavor. If you want to pay premium prices for a restaurant that feels like an AI-generated approximation of Din Tai Fung, this is your spot. For everyone else who actually enjoys tasting their dinner, go literally anywhere else. read more

Northern Cafe - The food - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

We don't do dim sum for lunch very often. I can't imagine why not! My best friend of 30 years directed us here anyway. The menu is basic and complete. We were over whelmed with the selection. Our server was friendly and helpful. He let us know when we had made a good selection from the array of dumplings and pot stickers and soups and buns! The dining room was clean and comfortable, light and bright. The crowd was rather thin on a Wednesday at noon. When the dumplings started to arrive we were delighted. The food just kept coming, it was delicious, and we just kept eating. When we had finished we had eaten everything! I love dim sum for lunch! read more

Northern Cafe - Dim Sum Yummy! - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

It can be a hit or a miss with Chinese food. Our friends introduced this place to us and I am very glad to say that this place was a hit with us. Delicious food and not overly greasy (as in other places). The place is very big and very spacious. Cool staff, they were very busy. This place has vegetarian\vegan options. We ordered Sautéed Mushroom, Vegetarian Eggplant W Garlic Sauce, Vegetarian Mapo Tofu, Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings and Red Bean buns. Absolutely loved all the dishes. The Red Bean buns took forever to come, so order in advance as it takes a while to be cooked. But it was a delightful, very soft bun with yummy filling. Their portions are not very generous as other Chinese places but the food is just so delicious. Would we visit this place again? A hell yes!! read more

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Tried Northern Cafe in Long Beach and I'm already craving it again! The menu has so many delicious options that I honestly forgot to take pictures of most of the food . Their Mongolian beef was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly - tender, saucy, and so satisfying. I also got a Thai tea, which was creamy, refreshing, and the perfect balance of sweet. Cozy vibes, friendly service, and tasty food all around. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area! read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

Yummy food and drinks. Our server Genesis was super chill and attentive. And love the calm atmosphere. Will be back again read more

Northern Cafe - Lao Gan Ma Fried Noodle with Chicken 老干妈炒面 (微辣)[] Garlic Cucumber 凉拌小黄瓜Chicken Dumplings 鸡肉水饺 (10) orange chicken(out of frame) - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

Family first time to this amazing restaurant called "Northern cafe dumplings" here in Long Beach Belmont shore. Parking was street. We arrived for dinner around 5:30am. Was quickly seated for a table (4 adults, 1 child, and 1 baby). The dining area was spacious and clean. As a San Francisco resident who is a dumpling connoisseur and have to say this place was pleasantly wonderful. The pork dumplings steamed was freshly tasteful. The fried shrimp noodles was also fresh and flavored. I have to say the beef roll was our favorite! Orange chicken was perfectly crispy and sauce perfect to the taste. Price was right based on the location of the restaurant. Overall the service, place, and food all deserved a five stars! We will definitely come here again. read more

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Been hearing great things about this newer Chinese Restaurant. Very excited to finally try it out as it is walking distance from our house. Overall, a bit underwelmed by the food and setvice. It was very busy during our visit. Our server was wonderful and kept apologizing for the wait on the food. She was juggling many tables and checking people in on the waitlist. Staffing definitely needs to be addressed but again, a newer establishment that may still be working out the kinks. For the food, we ordered some of our usual dishes to compare with our regular Chinese Restaurant. Kung Pao Chicken, it was flavorful but chicken was a bit chewy. Mongolian Beef, again good flavor but the meat was very tough. House Special fried rice waa excellent! BBQ Pork Bun was too doughy and very little filling. For a cocktail, my husband ordered a Chocolate Sake Martini, a bit too sweet. The hot tea was great! There may be other dishes we should have tried out but it was just the two of us. read more

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Although I haven't been into the restaurant yet, the food is delicious I'd recommend if you want good Chinese food

I've walked past this spot on Second Street countless times, always curious, and I'm glad I finally stopped in. It might just be the only Chinese restaurant on the strip, and to my surprise, it's actually really good. The fried dumplings were golden perfection, the beef roll had just the right crisp, and I'm a sucker for the soup dumplings--so that made my day. Bonus points for the spicy chili oil on the table (respect). We sat outside, which made for some great people-watching and a perfect wind-down after a sandy romp at Dog Beach. The service was friendly, the food hit the spot, and yes--I'm already planning my next visit. read more

Northern Cafe - Seaweed Salad - Chinese Near Me - Long Beach, California

Such a cute little place. Came on a Thursday night so I had no time getting seated. Thank you Genesis for being such a nice server. Would absolutely recommend the beef roll. Do wish they had more acidic vinegar tho read more

My family and I came here around 6pm on a Wednesday night (party of 6) and were seated right away. The space was cozy, and I especially liked the light fixtures. They also have a small patio if you prefer sitting outside. We ordered a ton of food and enjoyed most of it. The only dish we didn't really care for was the Chongqing crispy chicken. What We Loved Sautéed string beans with garlic - $14.50 Green onion pancake - $8.50 Chicken fried rice - $13.50 Shredded chicken salad - $7.50 Pork soup dumplings - $14 Walnut shrimp - $18.50 Beef fried noodle - $14.50 Garlic pork ribs - $15 What to Skip Chongqing crispy chicken - $15 Our server, Crystal D., was absolutely amazing and suuuper funny -- she made our night! We were cracking each other up the whole time. The only minor hiccup was she kept forgetting to bring us forks, but honestly it wasn't a big deal. Since I was there for my birthday, she asked me which mochi flavor I wanted. They were out of mango, but she kindly let me know and brought strawberry instead, which was still tasty. When the bill came, she noticed that we were accidentally charged for the mochi, even though it should have been complimentary. None of us even caught it, but she did and asked her manager to void it. My mom said we could just pay for it, but Crystal insisted we shouldn't. Overall, we had a wonderful experience thanks to the delicious food and Crystal's outstanding service. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Chicken fried rice looks microwaved it's probably the worst Chinese food ever. The dumplings are decent I guess