Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Northern Cafe

    4.2 (845 reviews)
    ModerateNoodles, Soup, Chinese
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Northern Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    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

    Beef roll
    Shirley C.

    Still good but different now. Miss the classic noodle place. It's been remodeled and gentrified including the menu. Many nice touches but much more westernized The items lack the mouth-numbing heat as before. You definitely have to add your own chili oil to items but this does open the menu to a wider crowd Menu is broader with many new items to add variety but is gone the heavy handed ethnic flavor QR code for self ordering at the table now too

    Bonny L.

    My sister wanted to get noodles and we came across this place by our house. The restaurant is located on a weird spot and we had to find parking in the big lot as the back lot behind the restaurant was full. But when we went inside we were assisted by staff and seated quickly. Food came out pretty fast and was delicious. The portions of the food were huge too and I actually had some left overs for lunch the next day. Interior of the place was a decent size and modern. Noodles were great and tasted/looked handmade like they advertise.

    E9. Beef Roll
    Chelsea N.

    Small restaurant with a variety of different noodle, dumpling and entree dishes. You can also choose cold dishes at the counter. You scan the QR code on your table to order. House Special Beef Noodle Soup (7.5/10) - broth tasted flavorful and not too oily. I got the regular width noodles (a little thicker than spaghetti) and it had a nice bite to it. I think the beef could've been braised a bit more to soak in the flavor, and the daikon slices could be cooked a tad bit more. Beef roll (8.5/10) - I really liked this dish! The roll was perfectly flaky and crispy, and the thickness was just right. Beef was tender and the roll wasn't overly sauced up. It would be even better if they added sliced cucumbers (usually found in other restaurants) to add some crunch and freshness. Lamb Skewers (8.0/10) - the cumin spice combo was spot on! They gave decent chunks of lamb that had a good meat-to-fat ratio. Slightly well done

    H1. Lamb Skewer
    Michael W.

    Context: We walked in and were able to get a table for 7 on Thanksgiving for dinner. There was a decent number of other customers and several people offering takeout, but thankfully didn't have to wait for a table. B7. Home Style Stir-Fried Sliced Noodle - 4/5 - The flavor was good, with a good amount of noodle vs. other ingredients. The noodles were just chewy enough! C1. Juicy Pork Dumplings - 3/5 - not enough soup, the meat wasn't ground finely enough. C2. Crab Pork Juicy Dumplings - 3/5 - same as C1 + little to no crab flavor. We couldn't really tell the difference between this and C1. C9. Fennel Pork Dumplings - 4/5 - We ordered this one pan fried. Well seasoned and fragrant. C13. Pork Wonton Soup - 2/5 - Strong ginger flavor, but didn't haven't much flavor beyond that. D1. Chinese Sauerkraut Hot Pot w/ Sliced Pork Belly - 3/5 - Too sour and the soup base didn't have enough umami / not rich enough. H1. Lamb Skewer - 2/5 - The skewer was just okay. It was tough / dry and wasn't that fragrant. H10. Ox Tail - 2/5 - Kind of tough & dry. Pig Ear - 3/5 - Not flavorful or fragrant enough. Pickled Seaweed- 4/5 - Tender seaweed and good flavor! Just right amount of sour and salty. Pickled Cucumber - 2/5 - Little to no flavor. Feels like it didn't pick up enough of the marinade. The staff were polite and served us quickly! The restaurant is well lit with a decent amount of seating between tables and booths. Not too loud, so it was easy for our table to have conversations.

    Linh Y.

    I was picking up a couple orders of Hainan Chicken Rice from ABC Cafe in Monterey Park. I remember reading a great review on Northern Cafe from another Yelper. I said why not check them out since they are just around the corner. Here I am... I decided to dine-in rather than do take-out. Upon entry, I was greeted and seated right away. We're off to a good start. Great inside seating space. Menu has lots of good noodle selections in dry and soup forms. I decided to try the dry version. I'll check out the soup option next time. I ended up getting 3 items. 1. Noodle with soy bean paste - A wonderful noodle dish that's not too oily with the right amount of soy bean paste in great flavor. OMG, so much noodles! It seemed never-ending. I ate alot here and there were still alot left to take home. Definitely shareable by at least 3 people LOL. 2. Chive, pork, and shrimp dumpling - Very tasty! Good filling of shrimp, pork, and chives. Perfectly pan-fried! A WINNER! 3. Potato shrimp wrap - I love shrimp! I was curious about this one. Its formation is very creative. Its a fun appetizer to say the least. There's more potato than shrimp. Wished the shrimp was bigger. I think the dip was ketchup which I thought was odd. Lady server was friendly and nice. After delivery of my foods, she seldom if rarely returned to check on me. I would have to wave her or someone down if I needed anything. When I went up to pay for my order, a different lady behind the counter was slightly rude. Not sure why. I just wanted to pay for my food and get to-go boxes/bag. Anyway, I want to return to try their other dishes in the near future. See you here!

    Sour and spicy beef noodle
    安琪

    I ordered the sour and spicy noodles but it was totally not the taste I wanted. Noodle is Sticky and clings to the teeth. Was really wondering what the yellow soup made up from ? And the girl was selling the cold dish didn't explain me if I do combo it will not be the same price ! She didn't make it clear at all that make me feel like it's a scam !

    Menu
    Graciela C.

    Surprisingly tasty beef noodle soup with clear type of broth. It was hot, savory, easy to enjoy and heavy on the noodles. I really enjoyed the picked peppers one. That one is a must get followed by the classic noodle bowl soup. I got knife cut noodles and they were really really thick and it wasn't that enjoyable because it was too doughy. I think next time I'll go with thin for a better mouthfeel. The green onion pancake is usually a favorite but here it was harder than the usual and not flaky. It's a good bowl to have also when you're under the weather imo. It was so much I had to take about 40% home.

    Lamb noodle soup
    Regina L.

    We were looking for something that opened late and northern cafe fit our needs. They close at 11pm and we arrive around 9. Even then there were a lot of people coming in after us. The servers offered us water and the food came out quickly. The place seemed clean, even though there was only one server. We ordered some side dish in the front while we were waiting. You pay for it at the end with your meal. For two vegetables and one meat side dish it was $13.99. The lotus root, mustard green and pig ear were all delicious. These are dishes we usually don't make at home. The broth for the noodle soups were clear and not at all oily. The noodles had a good consistency and you can see them hand make the noodles once you come into the restaurant. There are different choices you can pick for your noodle size. I have tried the regular noodles and the large noodles and they were both really good. The cold noodles were also refreshing on a hot day. Each portion was very big and we had leftovers. My sister really liked the beef rolls. I would definitely come back again.

    Amy L.

    Pretty good place for dinner $75 for 3 noodle soups, appetizer (2 veggie, 1 meat $13.99), and beef roll ($12.99). Lots of noodles in dish and definitely shareable. We left so full and even had leftovers. We came around 8:30pm on a Thursday and by the time we left around 9:20pm, the whole place was packed with people. Beef roll is so good, would definitely order again. The noodle soups (any of them) is very good as well. We got A1 and A6 for the noodle soup and both broths were clear (in Chinese we call it ching) and yummy. It also comes out super duper hot which is very nice. The cold noodle we got was also yummy. LOTS of noodles, carb overload. The appetizers, you order at the front of the store separately but you pay it all together with your bill at the end. There is also boba tea sold at the same place and pig feet as well. Such a large selection of foods. I would come back here again!

    Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb $14.99
    Kay M.

    There was no wait on a Friday night. We got the Juicy Pork Dumplings(8) $11.50, Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb $14.99, and House Special Beef & Tendon Noodle Soup $14.50. You can get different types of noodles for the Noodle Soup. The Juicy Pork Dumplings were really good and juicy. The Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb is a family favorite, full of flavor. The House Special Beef & Tendon Noodle Soup was quite bland but still good. Overall, enjoyed our dinner here.

    Interior
    Angel W.

    My family really likes it here so we come pretty often. They have an expansive Northern Chinese menu which includes 20+ soup noodles, fried noodles, dumplings, whole case of different appetizers, and drinks. House Special Beef Noodle Soup - this is my go to when I want soupy noodles. The broth is very good and simple. Beef slices and a couple of radish slices. Yum. Scallion Pancake - another favorite item. I love how they make it so crispy. My nephews and I fight over this lol Appetizers are aplenty in the case. They have a few combo options or you can order just 1 type at a time. Lots of vegetarian items. They change these up, but we don't order them very often. Dumplings are good, but not my favorite here. Potstickers have a weird texture to me. The ones at the Hollywood location are so much better! How come?? Its bright, modern and clean here! They recently changed some of the seating arrangements. They used to have a large table where big groups could sit in the middle area, but changed to regular smaller tables the last time we were here. Service was quick and friendly. Parking in the back can be a bit of a pain. Normally, we just park in the large lot at the corner of Garfield and Garvey and walk over. Definitely recommended!

    Leah Y.

    Good food big portion, reasonable price service was quick and attentive. Cold dish was a GEM! Dine-in on weekdays not cloudy but cozy!

    Alys V.

    When we went in the evening, the place continued to get even busier hut the turn around of customers goes by pretty quickly. Amazed at how fast they were able to get their orders prepared and delivered for both the dine-in and take-out customers! This restaurant gave a very fast-food energy to represent their efficiency without getting rid of the availability of tables to sit-down and enjoy your meal. All of the food we ordered, especially their variety of noodles/soups available were absolutely delicious and worth every penny based on their serving size! Would definitely come back again, especially during the colder seasons to enjoy their noodles

    See all

    Photo of Joseph L.
    323
    98
    12

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John L.
    49
    55
    74

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 3
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy L.
    645
    507
    2633

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angel W.
    1257
    562
    9798

    11 months ago

    Helpful 23
    Thanks 7
    Love this 16
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    The food was okay, but the service needs serious improvement.The service was unfriendly and disrespectful非常没有礼貌

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ana G.
    103
    22
    7

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Pearl C.
    16
    394
    181

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Cindy Z.
    170
    29
    6

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tee V.
    0
    63
    23

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Leo G.
    74
    125
    39

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 22

    Northern Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Northern Cafe

    What vegan options do you have?

    Is this part of the Northern Cafe chain? I've been to the ones in Westwood, near USC and near the Beverly Center.

    sorry, not sure! Probably, otherwise I don't think they can use the same name. But their menu is different. I've been in the one near USC, and the food is good too

    Do they have non spicy options for kids?

    Yes, they have a few items like lamb noodle soup and green onion pancake.

    Does this place have vegetarian noodle? Including the soup base and other ingredients of the bowl of noodle?

    noodles are made with flour and water or flour and egg..... so...... noodle is vegetarian...

    Is this place cash-only?

    No..I think at least visa is fine

    Is this business kind friendly? yes

    Good enough!

    View All 9 Questions

    You might also consider

    Meow Rice Noodle - Combo

    Meow Rice Noodle

    4.5(182 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Grab-and-go

    Hidden Gem in Alhambra - Finally Tried It After 4 Years of Driving By!…read more I've lived in Alhambra for the last 4 years and drove past this place almost every day, always assuming it was just another hot pot spot. It never looked super busy, so I kept putting it off. Big mistake--don't let that happen to you like it did to me! We finally went in and ordered a bunch: the Spicy Beef Shank Rice Noodle, Rattan Pepper Sliced Beef Rice Noodle, Popcorn Chicken, Sesame Balls, Popping Brown Sugar Rice Cake, Fried Milk Rolls, and Fried Taro Balls. Everything was outstanding. The noodles were amazing--fresh, chewy, with high-quality ingredients you can really taste in every bite. The broths had that perfect spicy kick without being overwhelming, and the beef was super tender. My wife and I couldn't stop eating; literally everything we tried was delicious. She especially loved the Fried Taro Balls--they were crispy outside, soft and flavorful inside. The sides/snacks were all hits too: the Popcorn Chicken was perfectly seasoned and crispy, the Sesame Balls and Popping Brown Sugar Rice Cake brought great texture and sweetness, and the Fried Milk Rolls were a fun surprise. Service was top-notch--shoutout to Icey, who took such great care of us. One of the best and most attentive experiences we've had in a while. If you're in Alhambra and love good food, do yourself a favor and stop in. You won't go wrong here--highly recommend! 5 stars all the way.

    One of my favorite noodle spot in SGV area…read more My go to dish would be tomato sliced beef rice noodles- the tomato soup base is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The portion rice is very generous, I can never finish and would end up taking leftovers. Parking: they have a lot next to the restaurant, I never had an issue with finding a spot. The only downside is they don't have their AC on during the summer. I remember one time I was sweating while eating and it was very uncomfortable.

    Photos
    Meow Rice Noodle - Combo

    Combo

    Meow Rice Noodle
    Meow Rice Noodle

    See all

    Noodle King

    Noodle King

    3.8(10 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Fantastic hole in the wall restaurant with some really delicious handmade dumplings and beef noodle…read moresoup! While it is a small place, the ambiance was great. The service was quick and our waitress was very sweet. Heads up though, our waitress only spoke Mandarin so communication with English got lost in translation, but nothing translation apps can't fix plus the owner speaks English too. The owner also came out to talk with us and we had a lovely conversation. You also can get candy when you ask for the check, which was a sweet surprise! We ordered both and the beef noodle soup was a little spicy but if you enjoy spicy food, it will not feel spicy at all. It also uses handmade noodles, which gave a nice chew and bounce, and the beef was so tender and not fatty yet still so flavorful. The egg is fried and was delicious. Apparently they also offer a side of pickled cabbage, but we finished the noodles real quick before receiving it, so I recommend asking for some. Totally recommend ordering their beef noodle soup. Then, the star of the show was the dumplings in my opinion. They weren't kidding when they said it is handmade juicy dumplings because it was pouring juice when you bite into it. We ordered the pork and pickled cabbage dumplings, and while we ordered one at first, it was so delicious that we ordered a second serving. The pickled cabbage offered a nice salty and kind of sour crunch that pairs well with the juicy and well seasoned pork. The sauce paired with the dumplings was perfect and not spicy at all, despite appearances. It was a bit tangy which also helps cut through the richness of the dumpling filling. Genuinely one of the best dumplings I ever had, and while these are boiled/steamed, you can ask for pan fry as the owner said! If you're ever unsure about what to order here, you MUST order the dumplings. I totally recommend people to come over here and try out their food! They specialize in Dong Bei food, which is Northeast China.

    Found this place on accident. Meant to go to a diff restaurant but no idea how we ended here. No…read moreregrets. Did not expect the food to be great. A hole in the wall with a few tables. The lady was super nice and very accommodating even with a language barrier. Their pricing is very reasonable with the amount of food they serve. My friends from out of town really enjoyed it. Real tasty food. Will definitely go back.

    Photos
    Noodle King
    Noodle King
    Noodle King

    See all

    Steam Fresh - Steam Bbq Pork Bun

    Steam Fresh

    4.4(72 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    We come here for the low price wonton noodles, steamed spareribs on steamed rice, and the beef rice…read morenoodle rolls. We also order their HK style lemon iced tea. It's pretty good here and they have complimentary refills! They're known for their rice noodle rolls here and you can order them, along with their small dim sum menu, all day long. The wonton noodles here were just $13.98! They come with 5 large wontons and vegetables over wonton noodles. I always recommend adding chili oil. The steamed spareribs on steamed rice have some bones, just like the ones you find at dim sum. But there's a lot of meat in the steamed rice bowl for a single person. Free parking in rear parking lot. Entrance at the front on Garvey Ave. They have 2 entrances in front now. Left door for to-go orders and right door for dine-in.

    Searched randomly in yelp and found this place and this was absolutely a great choice…read more Parking is at the back of the building which is shared with the other establishments. The staff are great, communication wise, it was a good service. They don't hover around your table. They let you eat in peace then check back every now and then. We ordered several dishes and each and every one of them were tasty. We came before lunch hour so not sure how busy this place gets. Are we going back? Absolutely! This is on my list to go especially for a weekend out.

    Photos
    Steam Fresh - Small kitchen and counter to place order

    Small kitchen and counter to place order

    Steam Fresh - Pork Siu Mai

    Pork Siu Mai

    Steam Fresh - HK Style Minced Pork Lo Mein

    See all

    HK Style Minced Pork Lo Mein

    Chef G on 4th Thai Street Food - Thai Boat Noodle

    Chef G on 4th Thai Street Food

    4.4(594 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Ordered the Khai Soi and papaya salad. The papaya salad was…read morefresh and. It was sweet, sour and spicy. It was soft and the papaya had that had that slight bite and the tomatoes added that extra citrus acid to balance it out. The shrimp was nice and soft and delectable. And onto the Khai soi; the crunch noodles and the soft noodles and mixed with all the mustard greens and red onion and the count curry sauce : all in one bite what a wonderful sensation of sweet, sour, spicy and the crunchy texture was welcoming and memorable. The curry had that hint of coconut that mellowed out the boldness of the curry. The restaurant was tiny and in this case definitely cozy. Staff was welcoming and engaging and checked on me every so often. The Thai coffee was perfect with the dishes as it mellowed out the spice in the appetizer and noodles. I will be back to try the other dishes.

    Lunch with my brother-in-law at Chef G in Alhambra felt a bit like discovering a secret restaurant…read morehiding in plain sight. The place is tiny--blink and you might miss it, and if two people sneeze at the same time the whole dining room probably hears it. But what it lacks in square footage, it more than makes up for on the plate. From the first bite, it was clear this kitchen isn't playing around. Every dish came out bursting with flavor like the chef had something to prove to the entire San Gabriel Valley. You know the kind of meal where you look at the person across the table mid-bite and both of you just nod? That was us the whole time. We went in expecting a quick lunch... and walked out feeling like we had stumbled onto a culinary gem tucked inside a shoebox. Tiny dining room. Huge flavors. Chef G may be small, but the food is absolutely mighty.

    Photos
    Chef G on 4th Thai Street Food - Inside

    Inside

    Chef G on 4th Thai Street Food - Crab fried rice!

    Crab fried rice!

    Chef G on 4th Thai Street Food - Thai coffee and Thai tea

    See all

    Thai coffee and Thai tea

    The Congee - Dumplings, just ok.

    The Congee

    4.0(545 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Yum! One of my to-go places in 626. It is a hole-in-the-wall in a Chinese plaza with maybe 7-8…read moretables. Service is quick and the staff speaks English. They specializes in Cantonese style wonton soup and congee. The wonton soup is my favorite and one of the best I've had in SoCal. I like getting the "two-item combo" noodle soup ($16) where you can pick two items (ex. wonton and beef stew) in a bowl of egg noodles. Delicious! The bowl also comes with a hefty portion of Chinese broccoli. The last couple times I came for lunch the place was pretty full but since service is fast you shouldn't have to wait very long, if at all. They take credit card. I've seen some reviews talk about it is dirty here? I never experienced or noticed that on my visits. It is no different from any other authentic, hole-in-the-wall style Chinese restaurant. Delicious, authentic, fast, and affordable. What else could you ask for?

    If you want authentic Cantonese pork and preserved egg porridge or congee, continue looking. This…read moreplace is NOT it. FFS, they use super dry, super old chicken as the protein to make the congee with. Everyone knows you ought to use pork. There's zero pork in their congee! And for the pan-fried rolls, they are store-bought. They are not the steamed kind where authentic restaurants make in-house. They buy the $2.99 kinds from an Asian supermarket, slap some cooking oil and soy sauce onto the wok and call it a day. There's not even a corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce! It's like they either don't know how to cook good food or they think you the consumer can't disconcern what good food is. To add insult to injury, they charge you $11.50 for these piss-poor rice rolls when most restaurants add them to a breakfast combo for free. So you end up spending $11.50 for the porridge and another $11.50 for the rice rolls separately. Money gauging much?? Lastly, they charge 25 cents for every to-go container. They gave me two for my two items, so when the bill came, they tacked on 50 cents to the bill. How tacky. Spending money on disappointing food is another level of hurt. FAIL IN EVERY ASPECT. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DO NOT COME HERE.

    Photos
    The Congee
    The Congee - Chicken wing

    Chicken wing

    The Congee - Dumpling Lo mein, side of oyster sauce Chinese broccoli

    See all

    Dumpling Lo mein, side of oyster sauce Chinese broccoli

    101 Noodle Express - IG: happyfoodieoc

    101 Noodle Express

    3.8(2.2k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    I came to 101 Noodle Express in Alhambra for a late dinner on a Thursday night. It's located in the…read moresame building as Alhambra Valley Bowl. From the outside, you can't tell the inside has really good space with booths plus tables and chairs, but it does. They weren't super busy at the time... about 5 tables occupied. I was greeted right away by the one server who was working the entire floor. Interior was clean and well lit. Atmosphere was comfortable. Menu has a variety of options... boiled dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, steamed mini buns, stir-fried noodles, regular noodles, rolls & pancakes, side dishes, rice, soup, and beverages. They also have frozen food to-go (just two items... dumplings and dezhou chicken). I got one Steamed Mini Buns (aka Xiao Long Bao), one Stir-Fried Noodles with pork, one Lamb Noodles Soup (with hand torn noodles), and one Jasmine Green Tea with honey. Yes, this seems like a lot of food for one person. I'm not a stranger to bringing food home for another meal. *Steamed Mini Buns - juicy with flavorful pork filling, adequate skin thickness, good size buns *Stir-Fried Noodles with pork - best dish out of the 3, good balance between pork, veggies, and noodles, mild spice level was perfect, portions were reasonable for the price *Lamb Noodles Soup - great amount of lamb and noodles, lamb was tender, noodles were a tad mushy on the edge... they need to be firmer, soup was savory *Jasmine Green Tea with honey - good size cup, tea was a bit bitter, probably needs more honey Food came out steaming hot and timely. Staff and service were wonderful. Yan, the server, was patient and helpful. He did an amazing job working the entire floor by himself. Thank you Yan! Highly recommend this place for their pan-dried and soup noodles. I would come back for more pan-fried noodles and try their pan-fried dumplings. Btw, cash, Zelle, or Venmo payment ONLY for bill total under $50. Bring cash if you don't plan to eat lots.

    I have been coming here for years. I like the beef roll here. It doesn't disappoint…read more The beef and tendon noodle soup is sometimes a hit and miss. This time it was very good. I have had ones in previous visits that the beef was chewy, not tender. You have a choice of regular noodles or hand torn noodles. Hand torn noodles are more filling since the noodles are much thicker than the regular noodles. They are both good. It is a matter of preference. The minced pork with noodles (aka Jia Jiang mien) is also good. For this visit, I did not order dumplings. But their dumplings are usually good. The service is adequate but don't expect good service.

    Photos
    101 Noodle Express
    101 Noodle Express - Pan-Fried Noodles with pork

    Pan-Fried Noodles with pork

    101 Noodle Express - IG: happyfoodieoc

    See all

    IG: happyfoodieoc

    Northern Cafe - noodles - Updated May 2026

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