Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    ZEN Noodle Bar

    3.9 (309 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order ZEN Noodle Bar Takeout or Delivery

    ZEN Noodle Bar Photos

    Business Info

    ZEN NOODLE BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like ZEN Noodle Bar

    Recommended Reviews - ZEN Noodle Bar

    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

    Korean bulgogi bowl
    Alyana S.

    We had a bad service at Zen noodle bar. It took them a while to greet us and after our server took our order it took them 15 minutes to give us our drinks. Our food thankfully was delicious but after they delivered it the server asked if we needed anything else and I asked for a fork and he still forgot that. It seemed like their staff was prioritizing the online orders over the people in the restaurant as it wasn't busy when we went. The food was good but the service wasn't.

    Pho #3
    Rachel K.

    I come here all the time and I get the #3 Pho. They give great service and portion size. It's very chill in atmosphere and the food is great.

    Nikkie V.

    Our first time in Gainesville we went to a Zen and we'd go back to that one but this one off 34th will be a no return for us. Service wasn't good as the server wasn't welcoming. I'll give it a 2 for cleanliness as the restroom wasn't clean and smelt bad. The food was NOT as good as the other one nor was the portion. Highly disappointed and wasted money

    Bao bun
    Tiffany W.

    This place is mid at best. It wasn't terrible but it def won't be a return spot for me. Service was so slow, bathroom was kind of dirty. The bao wasn't a very good flavor. Wontons over cooked. The spring roll was decent. Dumplings were def frozen and dumped in a fryer. Only thing I really liked was the Thai tea.

    korean stir fry
    Maddy W.

    I've been wanting to try this place for awhile now and finally got around it! I ordered the Bang Bang Bahn Mi, which left me impressed. Full of flavor and packed with protein, it stands out as the best Bahn Mi I've had in Gainesville. I'd reorder this dish and highly recommend it. We also ordered the Spicy Korean Stir Fry and the Wok Noodle Bowl with Lemongrass Chicken, both of which were delightful. However, I might opt for a different protein next time as the Lemongrass Chicken didn't quite hit the mark for me. The staff at here were friendly, and we enjoyed the ambiance of the outside patio. Overall, I'd love to return as a fun quick spot to grab lunch!

    Pho.

    The pho here was amazing! Our server was super nice and we loved being able to sit outside. We will be back!

    Original milk tea

    Very quick and amazing service! My server, Ty, was very friendly and helpful. I ordered the original milk tea and zen ramen with pork belly and would absolutely recommend both. The ramen ingredients had a mild flavor, but the broth was enough to make up for where the toppings may have fell short. The atmosphere is wonderful, and even dining alone I felt very comfortable and welcomed. 11/10 service 9/10 tea 8/10 ramen Definitely will be coming back!

    Cute lil place!
    Alison K.

    This had got to be the cutest little place with the BIGGEST flavor in town! I finally FINALLY got to try a Korean/Vietnamese restaurant out for the first time in my life and I was NOT disappointed. This great little restaurant aims to please every palate. They have Korean dishes, Vietnamese dishes, Japanese flavors and some Thai. I was impressed that they had kimchi fried rice on their menu so I definitely HAD to get some. But then, I was torn because of all the variations of Phō. My husband wanted something simple that wouldn't overwhelm him, so he got the classic combo noodle stir fry. Myself, I ended up trying an appetizer that I'd heard about before that my husband made a bad face and shook his head NO. That's alright....more Takoyaki for me!! I chose Kimchi pork fried rice and a small bowl of Phō and noodles on the side. Wow! Excellent choice on my part. My nose may have been running afterwards, but oh my! The delights that ran across my tongue...onions, spicy cabbage, garlic, ginger, peas and carrots (no egg because I'm allergic)...thinly sliced pork--so tender. I know my husband was like, meh. But he's not an Asian food lover like I am anyways. The possibilities are endless here. They are so nice and so quick with service...everything hot and fresh. If you yelp like I do, it even activates a 10% off coupon when you check in (much to my surprise and delight). So what have you got to lose? If you enjoy Asian cuisine and like a lil spice in the bowl, at least give them a try. I know I'll be back (probably by myself next time lol). While the front of restaurant parking is handicapped only, there's an enormous parking lot just in back of the building, so don't panic if there's nothing open right in front or next door. Just pop inside for a big piping hot bowl of noodle soup...perfect in this weather or really, any kinda weather!

    Liquid from Bean Sprouts
    Joel G.

    Key note: Service was great, server was kind and absolutely on point. I was excited to try their pho. I'm not surprised, just disappointed per usual by the lack of quality in the food industry. Food safety is not their number one priority. Basil, cilantro, and my god, last but not least, the bean sprouts were beyond past expired. I'm now back home, not even 45 minutes later, sitting on my toilet enjoying a night of a burning asshole. The liquified, raw bean sprouts (bean sprouts alone carry a high risk of susceptibility for: salmonella , listeria and E. coli) were a disappointment. The photos speak for themselves. Edit 1: 3 sessions and 15 minutes in total later and I finally caved and took an Imodium. Edit 2: Woke up this morning still with an upset stomach. Just so fucking sick and tired of issues like this. This is why I don't go out anymore, and eat at home. So tired of this crap happening! Get your shit together! YOU KNOW THIS IS ROTTEN, STOP TRYING TO SLIDE PAST ONE ON YOUR CUSTOMERS. CYCLE YOUR FOOD PROPERLY! YOU CANNOT TELL ME YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ROTTEN OR EXPIRED PRODUCE LOOKS LIKE.

    Sara T.

    Just tried this place again for the second time and really enjoyed the bulgogi beef bowl.

    Zen noodle
    Jason V.

    I looked up this place on yelp when I was in the area it looked like a good place to try so I ended up ordering some of the fried rice I would say it was very good I added yum yum sauce to my fried rice which to me makes any rice better lol but I would definitely recommend this place if your in that area.

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J C.
    0
    21
    3

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Disappointed that they took the pan fried noodles off of the menu. It was my favorite and go to eat.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lynn P.
    265
    315
    2134

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Tiffany W.
    88
    70
    160

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    I ordered with uber eats and the food carries very well, the bun bo hue tastes really good and is packaged considerately.

    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 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Thien D.
    18
    125
    156

    1 year ago

    We wished it was more authentic similar to the one in Tampa. The BBH was merely a fixed up of a mistake order they made for us.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Nice vibe and food. Tried both ramen and pho. Parking was easy,not many customers on a Monday evening.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan S.
    0
    16
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    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 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hung N.

    Hung N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Outstanding everything, food, service! Matt was awesome! Love this place and will be back!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 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

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of R J.
    0
    2
    0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 8

    ZEN Noodle Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - ZEN Noodle Bar

    You might also consider

    Momoyaki

    Momoyaki

    4.1(359 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    That sushi boat was rockin! But really, this was hands down some of the best sushi I've had in GNV…read more A great spot for an anniversary, birthday, any big celebration, or just a chill night out with friends. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating, and tables for big parties and small ones. Big fan of the sushi boat - there's a classic sushi boat option and a signature boat. I would highly recommend going for the signature as their speciality rolls are to die for! Great value for the amount of sushi you get. Plenty for a party of 2. 2 spotlights were the surf n' turf and Godzilla. Love this place! 5 big stars

    Listen, the decor in here is incredible. It's cute, it's curated, it's everything a mood board is…read moresupposed to be. The staff? Beautiful people. Attentive. Great energy. But you can't eat the wallpaper. I'm looking at this chicken and I'm confused. I thought we were doing something sophisticated, but they brought out those boneless nuggets you find in the back of the freezer at 2:00 AM. Then they hit it with a drizzle of ketchup like it's a consolation prize. This isn't Korean Fried Chicken; it's a school lunch with a passport. It's dishonest. Then you got the pork belly. I don't know if this pig was an athlete or if it's just been sitting back there since the grand opening, but it's got the texture of a pink eraser. I'm chewing and chewing, just waiting for a flavor that never shows up. My jaw is doing a full-body workout. I didn't come here for a survival mission, I came here for a snack. And please, watch yourself when you pull up. There is a pothole in the lot that looks like a portal to another dimension. An asteroid literally made a home in front of the building. If you hit that thing, your car is staying there forever. The service is elite and the chairs are nice, but the kitchen is confused. It's style over substance. Take a picture for the 'gram, say hi to the nice server, and then go get a burger somewhere else. Don't do this to your suspension or your stomach.

    Photos
    Momoyaki - Much better inside!!!

    Much better inside!!!

    Momoyaki - Korean Chicken, Steak, Vegetarian Noodles...Japchae

    Korean Chicken, Steak, Vegetarian Noodles...Japchae

    Momoyaki

    See all

    Sensei Asian Bistro - Hamachi Nori

    Sensei Asian Bistro

    4.0(93 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    I couldn't have asked for better quality of food, quality of workmanship in both the meal prep and…read moredesign of the restaurant, quality of atmosphere, and especially quality of service. The waygu beef is even imported from Japan. A5 quality waygu beef, directly imported. The dessert was crafty and excellent too. Just top to bottom outstanding. Is it pricey? Hell yes it is. But if you're looking to impress and make a statement, this is it.

    We tried this restaurant while visiting Gainesville, FL. It's located in a strip mall in a downtown…read moreneighborhood and offers ample parking. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, with heat lamps available for cooler evenings. We had a reservation and arrived a bit early but had to wait until our scheduled time, which wasn't surprising since every seat was full. We initially sat at the bar, where the bartender promptly took our order. We had both hot and cold sake--the cold sake came in a can and was especially delicious. After a short wait, we were taken to our table, which featured large, high-back leather chairs that were very comfortable. Our waitress greeted us quickly and brought water right away. We started with a few appetizers. The lobster wontons with truffle were just okay--slightly dry and lacking a sauce. They were small and mostly wonton, with minimal filling and flavor. We also tried the dumpling appetizer, which came with only three very small dumplings. The wrappers themselves were very good, and each dumpling had a different spicy flavor, but there was only a tiny piece of meat in each. Overall, it felt overpriced for what was included. I also had the miso truffle soup, which was decent but mostly broth with very little substance. For our main courses, I had the scallops with mushrooms, which were very good. The dish included a nice variety of mushrooms and vegetables that were fresh and crunchy. My husband ordered the lamb chops, and they were spectacular--tender, flavorful, and truly melted in your mouth. The accompanying sauce was absolutely perfect. After dinner, we were each given a small box containing two wine corks, which was a thoughtful and pleasant surprise. If in the area again, we'd go back.

    Photos
    Sensei Asian Bistro - Interior

    Interior

    Sensei Asian Bistro - Tofu Dip

    Tofu Dip

    Sensei Asian Bistro - Japanese Whisky Flight

    See all

    Japanese Whisky Flight

    Dragonfly Sushi and Sake

    Dragonfly Sushi and Sake

    4.2(997 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    I've been to Dragonfly a few times now. It lives up to the hype! The space is large, dimly lit, and…read moreperfect for a date night or special evening out. Every time we've visited, we have tried something new. For their appetizers, we always order the Brussels sprouts, Shisito peppers, and tuna fried rice. For rolls, we have really enjoyed Kobra Cai and Bomb. All of their drinks are also delicious. Our servers have been so friendly each time and always provided great service! The food comes out quick and they always check in periodically to make sure we don't need anything. I would highly recommend visiting!

    We've only left Yelp reviews for drinks before, but we finally decided to grab a few bites at…read moreDragonfly Sushi, and wow, this place fully deserves 5 stars! I ordered the Steak Skewers, and anyone who watches our YouTube channel knows we LOVE steak. Honestly, this is some of the best steak we've ever had, so fresh, fat-free, and flavorful that I had to order a second round. They might just become my new Free Music Friday snack! Our server was amazing, super cool, knowledgeable, and you can tell he genuinely loves his job. We also tried his recommendations, and let me tell you, our socks were completely blown off. My drink, the Gangster and the Geisha, had me laughing because of an inside joke from when I dressed as a geisha in high school in Cosmo! Everything about this place is great, Colby loved his sushi rolls, perfectly fresh, and even the bathrooms are decorated and spotless. Nothing disappointed us, and we will definitely be back! Stop second-guessing and just go, Dragonfly Sushi is a hometown favorite for a reason.

    Photos
    Dragonfly Sushi and Sake - Inside

    Inside

    Dragonfly Sushi and Sake
    Dragonfly Sushi and Sake - Cute plaza area in downtown. Nice place to relax and walk around.

    See all

    Cute plaza area in downtown. Nice place to relax and walk around.

    Liquid Ginger - Crispy Tofu with Red Curry Sauce

    Liquid Ginger

    3.5(314 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    Came downtown this past Friday for a girls night and didn't realize it was a parent's weekend. With…read morethat being said, most places required a reservation or you had an 1.5h wait ahead of you. After a little wandering around we found liquid ginger. The line wasn't too long inside, so we decided we would try it. They were swamped and very busy still, but the staff was doing their best to accommodate everyone. We waited in a short line for maybe 15min before reaching the hostesses table. We were lucky to get seats at the sushi bar! The interior is very nice and has a nice vibe. This place is really great for nice dinners, nights out, or a good dinner. Service was definitely off that night. Our water specifically seemed to forget about the group of us since we were seated at the sushi bar. It took her 15 to get us waters and our other drinks didn't even come out until after we got out food (a considerable time later). Like I said it was busy, the sushi bar was swamped with orders, but they were working diligently to keep up with the influx of orders. Most of us ordered sushi, so we ended up waiting a considerable amount of time for our meals. My one friend ordered an entree from the kitchen and it came out within 10 minutes of her ordering it. Our sushi was served about 20-30 minutes after her dish. This is frustrating and slightly awkward as my friend felt bad eating while the rest of us didn't have any food yet. Again, this is no fault to the sushi chefs. They were working extremely hard to produce quality sushi for all the guests. My problem came with our server, Emma. She didn't check in on us at all, didn't even serve our dishes to us, and like I said, forgot to get us drinks, etc. While this was frustrating, I do not think this is a reflection of the restaurant overall. It appeared the other serves were fine keeping up with their tables. For the food, we started with the crab rangoons and steamed pork potstickers. These came out within 10 minutes of ordering and were great starters! They each included 6 pieces per order. The crab rangoons were stuffed with ample amounts of cream cheese and crab meat. They were perfectly crispy and I thought these were some of the better Rangoons I've had. The potstickers hit the spot, but weren't anything too special, pretty standard. For my sushi, I ordered the Golden Apple Roll (per our servers recommendation) and a daily special roll called the bonzai Roll. The golden apple roll included spicy crunchy salmon, Fuji apples, mango, and mango sauce. This was decent and something different but not my favorite. 5)3 flavors were super unique but there wasn't a sweetness at all oddly like I was expecting. Instead it had a distinct tart flavor to it. Different, but not my vibe. Now the bonzai roll was a hit! This roll included tuna, salmon, kani, and avocado inside, topped with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and mayo, then flamed & torched, and finished with eel sauce, caviar, and scallions. There was certainly a lot going on in this one, but I could really taste all the different elements. The fish was extremely fresh and just divine. I also tried some of my friend's sashimi and was blown away with the quality of the fish--just amazing. Overall, we all loved the food here and would 100% return. The quality is quite good and the fish is melt in your mouth. You can tell they take a lot of pride in their sushi and it is evident in the taste and presentation alone. Now the service was certainly more desirable. I understand it was a very busy night, but our server just appeared to forget about us. Very disappointing as it slightly spoiled our experience and was not a good first impression. Again, we all agreed that we thought it wasn't a fair assessment of the restaurants service overall. I'm hoping next time the service is better and our server can do a better job serving us and checking in on us. I'm also surprised that she never offered to compensate anything in our bill, like our drinks that took 30+ minutes to come out and were served well after we had received our food. But it's not the end of the world. I would still recommend coming here, I actually think their sushi is better than Dragon Flys, better priced, and dare I say higher quality!

    The pad Thai was super saucy and yummy! It was very flavorful and the portion size was good- me and…read moremy friend split it and we both were full afterward. We went last minute for a joint birthday dinner because the original place we wanted to go to was busy. it was a large party, but the service staff was very accommodating and set the table up after I had called them 10 minutes prior. The checks were also split up in an orderly manner.

    Photos
    Liquid Ginger - Stir-fried Udon Noodles with Vegetables.  Delicious!

    Stir-fried Udon Noodles with Vegetables. Delicious!

    Liquid Ginger - Jasmine Green Tea

    Jasmine Green Tea

    Liquid Ginger - Spinach and tofu & Miso

    See all

    Spinach and tofu & Miso

    Chop Stix Cafe - Oxtail soup

    Chop Stix Cafe

    3.6(387 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Great food has always been the case going back to my first visit 12 years ago…read more Today we started with the fried calamari - tender, mildly flavorful and a generous portion. I had the Fried Shrimp special ($28) which posted on the board. The plump shrimp were cooked perfectly, very tasty with firm flesh. Large portion, served with a yum yum sauce which was good and a bowl of fried rice with little pieces of egg, no veg, not overcooked, not much flavor. My wife had the Mi zao gion: crispy noodles with fried tofu, broccoli and carrots. She throughly enjoyed the dish. Service was great. We sat outside on a beautiful sunny afternoon and had a great time. Overall vibe is very calm and relaxed. We love it here!

    So this place really delivered with both flavor and portion size. I ordered the General Tso shrimp,…read morewhich came with a side of rice, and the portion was huge..so generous that I happily had leftovers for lunch the next day. The dish was packed with big, crunchy battered shrimp (seriously, not skimpy at all) tossed in a bold, flavorful General Tso sauce. It had the perfect balance of savory and slightly sweet heat, with pineapple chunks, onions, and peppers mixed in for a fresh, vibrant contrast. Every bite tasted intentional and satisfying. I also tried the chicken spring rolls, which were crispy on the outside and hot and savory inside..classic, comforting, and well-seasoned. And the boba Thai iced tea? Absolutely amazing. It was rich, creamy, and deeply fragrant with that signature Thai tea spice, perfectly sweet without being overwhelming. The boba pearls were soft and chewy, making every sip feel indulgent and refreshing at the same time. One of the better Thai iced teas I've had in town. Overall, great flavors, generous portions, and drinks worth coming back for. Definitely a solid spot when you're craving something comforting and flavorful.

    Photos
    Chop Stix Cafe - Inside

    Inside

    Chop Stix Cafe - Shrimp, Pork, Cucumber, Pickled Carrots & Daikon salad with fried shallots, cilantro

    Shrimp, Pork, Cucumber, Pickled Carrots & Daikon salad with fried shallots, cilantro

    Chop Stix Cafe - View from the porch

    See all

    View from the porch

    ZEN Noodle Bar - vietnamese - Updated May 2026

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