I've always said that I love the ambiance of holiday popup bars but not the price tag. So when I…read morediscovered Little Plearn Thai by my alma mater that caters to the student budget, went all out for their holiday decor, I knew I had to stop by. Arrived with 10 min left for their HH discount so got their two mojito and sunrise mocktails and 3 appetizers, satay chicken, curry puff, and potstickers. Then onto their dinner menu of Moo Dang dry noodles and ginger sole before finishing off with one of their fun holiday drinks for dessert, the peppermint eggnog for just $8.50. Even the ones with alcohol were only $10-$11. For the price of a few drinks at a popup bar, we got drinks, dinner, and leftovers for lunch. Must be the Econ major in me.

Stopped by Little Plearn for lunch since it's just a block down the street from me. We ordered the…read moreduck over rice and the mild pumpkin curry lunch special. The duck over rice was probably a 2/5 for me, and I definitely would not order it again. At first, I thought it was decent because my first bite was mostly sauce and rice, but once I tried the duck, it fell short. The skin was more slimy than flavorful, and the meat itself had a noticeable funk to it that made it seem lower quality. Luckily, the pumpkin curry saved the meal. I really enjoyed the flavor, and it was easily the better dish (still would rate it a 3/5 though). If you're like me, I'd skip the lunch special and just order the curry as a regular plate since I did not care much for the side salad or vegetarian spring roll. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to come back since there are so many Thai restaurants to try in Berkeley, but Little Plearn is definitely a convenient option near campus, especially for students looking for a quick lunch.

Visited last night. Enjoyed dinner bento with Bbq short…read moreribs and salmon sashimi, and rainbow roll. The fish was soo good and fresh, that it would just melt in my mouth! Food was delicious as before, even the tempura is crisp yet non greasy. Hot miso soup and tea presented as soon as we sat down, so that was nice during rainy night. All in all, delicious food and great service, will return!

I have walked by this place many times. So decided to try it out the service was good. The food was…read moregood. I give it a four because the windows and the entrance of the door desperately needs a window cleaner! Inside the tables were clean.

Started off with the fresh rolls and corn cakes. The fresh rolls lived up to their name of being…read morefresh and they were a good size with a perfect crunch. The corn cakes were fried just right so they were golden on the outside but soft on the inside and the slaw and sweet sauce elevated it. I would get both appetizers again. For entrees we had: Mama Pad Kee Moa (3.5/5) - instant noodles with fresh veggies and very thin beef. Flavor was good, but the beef missed the mark because it was lacking. Massaman Gai Curry (5/5) - the curry was so flavorful in this dish and the soft potato complimented it very well. Definitely the winner of the night. Chicken Khao Pad (Fried Rice) (3/5) - rice was a little too dry and the thinly cut chicken again did not pop out in the dish. Overall, very fresh and authentic Thai dishes. Service was fast and attentive. There are plenty of seating options to dine in, but I also saw a lot of take out orders. Street parking can be difficult on Shattuck but easier to find on the side streets.

No complaints about the service; they were quick and very friendly…read more Unfortunately, I was not the biggest fan of the food. The green curry noodles came with vermicelli, and I wanted to try it since it's what they recommend, but it just was not the right texture for the curry I felt. The flavor of the curry itself was not super flavorful. I felt like more coconut milk could have been added to coat the noodles more. The spring rolls were good. I enjoyed the peanut sauce. We also sat at the front by the door, and it was rather cold in that seat.

4- stars $15.99 Lanzhou Pulled Noodle (beef) soup: the…read moreclassic 100 year old staple of Lanzhou Province. Picked the regular thin noodles. Going forward, I'll pick the thick round style. Pretty good, certainly worth the $, but it lacked enough of the umami that I've experienced in (2) other spots I've tried.

Authentic Lanzhou noodle soup spot. I've seen this location recommended on Chinese social media so…read moreit's Chinese international students approved. Service was efficient. We got seated quickly, ordered through a QR code, and got our check and to-go containers fast when we finished eating. The beef noodle soups were decent. The soup was light and savory, and the beef was tender. They got our spice levels wrong but good thing the chili oil in the bowl was identical to the chili oil condiment on the table so we could spice it up to our hearts' content. There are five types of noodle to choose from. My friend recommended the "thick round" noodles for chewiness and while it was chewy as promised, it was kind of bland in the soup. Maybe a thinner noodle will absorb the flavors better. I like how you can see their noodles being hand pulled in the open kitchen. I heard their big plate chicken is good so I'm excited to try that next time.

Came on a Friday night (8 pm), wasn't super crowded, ordered at the kiosk and waited for our number…read moreto be called to pick up the food at the counter. Water and utensils are self serve. We ordered: - spicy Tteokbokki with cheese: good flavor, rice cakes were a little hard, cheese not melted well (7/10) - kimchi pancake: not crispy enough, but overall tasted good (8/10) - japchae: thicker noodle type than normal japchae, a little dry (7/10) - sweet and spicy wings: juicy, crispy, good overall (9/10) - tofu soup: lacked flavor (5/10) - kimchi fried rice: a little too sour, needs more salt (7/10) - tonkatsu kimbap: no notes (10/10)

Casual place popular with college students with a variety of snacks and vegetarian options…read more Food itself is nice. Not the kind of Korean food I personally love, but the noodles and Korean cheese dogs have good textures. They use the same noodle in the japchae as in the soup so it isn't like I'm used to, but it was better than most japchae I've had with good sesame oil. They are popular for their kimchi fried rice, but takeout of that is a fair bit smaller than eating in the resturant. Order at a kiosk and pick up from a counter. Drop off your plates and you have to sort your food waste and plates yourself. That considered, it's not as cheap as I thought it would be, but was not expensive by any means. Kimchi stew with a japchae side of just under $15 is totally fair. Not sure if I would personally come back, but it's good for groups because no one really dislikes it and it is solid for takeout.

Simple menu, very straight forward and easy. Comfortable atmosphere, and good for a quick bite…read more Great quality products as well. Great spot when you're itching for hand rolls at the last minute!

What a gem! Handroll Factory is an unassuming little spot tucked next to Tokyo Central, and it…read morewould be easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. We stopped in for a quick lunch after the gym, and I think I've found my favorite handroll spot near Berkeley. It actually reminded me of Canada's Nori Handroll Bar--but I think I liked this even more. I ordered the five-handroll set, and every roll was meticulously prepared. The nori was lightly toasted right in front of us, giving it the perfect crispness with every bite. The rice was beautifully seasoned with a subtle brown hue and a deeper umami flavor than you'll find at most handroll spots. The quality of the fish really stood out. Every slice was fresh and cut with care. The crab handroll was made with real crab, and the eel was torched right in front of us, making it especially rich, smoky, and delicious. Overall, this was an excellent handroll experience with fresh ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and great attention to detail. What makes it even better is the price - this location is insanely affordable! I'll definitely be coming back whenever I'm craving handrolls in the Berkeley area.

The food is amazing! The service is also very good. The store is really clean and they serve the…read morefood really quick.

Delicious flavors and a wide variety of dishes to choose from. Super friendly staff. I like that…read moreyou can choose the thickness of noodles and you can see the chef pulling the noodles in the back so you know everything is super fresh!

Came on a Thursday for lunch with a group of about 12, since we were across the street for a school…read moreevent. They have 10% off discount on your order with a student ID. The server was very nice. Our food did take more than 15-20 minutes to come out, so we were a bit antsy at the end as we were running a bit late. But the food was great. The portions are smaller than expected, but the xiaolongbao were delicious and juicy. Just wish they had more vegetable dish options such as cabbage. At the end, there was a minor mixup with our receipt being charged with another table's order, but the server was quick to correct it. Will definitely come again!

We stopped by for a quick lunch and were greeted by friendly servers who were very considerate of…read moreour time crunch. You can order either by scanning the QR code or through a traditional paper menu, which was convenient. The xiao long bao seemed to be one of their most popular dishes, so we ordered a basket and really enjoyed it. Each table is already stocked with soy sauce and black vinegar so you can mix your own dipping sauce. My only wish is that they offered fresh ginger slices to complete the traditional xiao long bao experience. The beef pancake roll had a subtle mala flavor that added a nice kick without being overly spicy or numbing. The pancake itself was delicious--I loved both the taste and the texture. It is a bit oily though, so be prepared to use your chopsticks carefully or wash your hands afterward. The beef dumplings were probably the only item I wouldn't order again. They tasted pretty similar to the frozen dumplings you can find at most Asian grocery stores, so they didn't really stand out. Overall, it's a decent spot with friendly service and some tasty dishes. I just wish the prices were a little more reasonable. Our bill came to almost $40 for items that I personally think of as more snack- or appetizer-sized portions.