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    Zen Noodle Bar

    3.9 (602 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Zen Noodle Bar Takeout or Delivery

    Zen Noodle Bar Photos

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    ZEN NOODLE BAR ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Zen Noodle Bar

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    Daw M.

    Came here for some dumplings! The dumplings Never fail to be tasty! The chili wonton had nice flavor and the noodles were meh. Thanks!

    Accoutrements at the table
    Erik S.

    May is the month for highlighting Asian American and Pacific Islander owned businesses, and I would be remiss if I didn't talk about some of the delicious foods I had while out in the bay area. To say that your can turn any corner in the area and probably find some excellent Asian inspired restaurants or foods would not be an exaggeration, and this little place "Zen Noodle Bar" is a wonderful example of that. This was my last meal before headed to the airport to come home, and I just had to have some more buns before going back east to an area where this kind of cooking is just not as common. I found this place convenient to where I dropped off my rental care, and just walked over, wheeling my suitcase behind me. It's in a small shopping center with it's own parking, and a convenient drive thru in the front for those picking up to go from any spot. After looking at some Yelp photos, I decided to go with the A1 Pan Fried Pork buns, as well as the E9 Spicy mince meat over rice with pork cutlet. This was entirely too much food for one person, but with a red-eye flight ahead to the east coast, it was time to stock up for a long journey anyway. The spicy minced meat came out first, and wow, lots of flavor! I could have gone even spicier with it, but loved the plate I was given. The pork cutlet it came with was lightly panko fried, very tender, delicious. The Pan Fried Pork buns were big, delicious, and wow... I would eat these all the time if I lived here. They were wonderful. VERY hot on the inside, as each bun wraps up a portion of pork and soup broth. If you like, you can bite out a small hole and sit them on their side to let them vent and cool a bit. I could not finish all this food, but made more than a healthy dent. I wish I could have brought it home for leftovers, sadly not possible in my situation. The value was definitely there, especially given what I had gotten used to paying for things in the bay area. I recommend this for locals and travelers alike!

    Cullen W.

    Wow!!! What a hidden gem!!! The best Pan fried buns I've ever had. Like straight out of Shanghai. The braised beef noodles were so flavorful and delicious!!! You must come here. Excellent fast service at great prices!!!

    James S.

    Divvy Shanghainese place tucked away a couple streets from downtown San Mateo. Stopped by for Sunday night dinner, and place was pretty quiet. They kept the door open as well, so it was it slightly chilly. Overall food was flavorful, good portion size, with some surprises.. Im a big fan of wonton soup, and both the wonton soup and mini wonton soup were pretty solid. Both use the same soup broth, with difference being the size of wonton, filling inside, and then how much skin is left. The fried string beans were surprisingly good. They were on the thinner side, perfectly cooked, with a slight dry crispiness on the outside -- probably best had dine in and not take out. The pork chop and ribs were very saucy and meat was pretty tender. One notable disappointment was the shen jian bao, which had a much thicker and fluffier skin than I expected. It tasted more like a fried baozi (steamed bun) than a fried dumpling. I was hoping for something with thinner skin and more soup. The filling inside was solid though, and overall it had good flavor. Def divvy place, not a date night. Staff is friendly and nice, and can speak Shanghainese. Parking available in the center so pretty easy to get in and out. Overall I enjoyed the food here, but think of it more of a quick lunch or to go place.

    Valerie N.

    This plaza is very small but the amount of regular customers coming in was a good sign that it's a welcoming, community based restaurant. I enjoyed eating the pan fried dumplings here! The dan dan noodles weren't quite like the ones I'm used to (it wasn't spicy at all), but the noodles were fun to eat! I would like more spicy sauce options in the future to eat with the dumplings if possible!

    A1. 6 Pieces Pan Fried Pork Buns
    Jenny L.

    Little Shanghainese food tucked away in a plaza so it's quieter and with a parking lot. Plenty of seatings inside the restaurant with variety of food options. We tried the pan fried dumplings, still not a big fan of them lol but these dumplings still contain soup. Beef noodle soup has a different spice and beef is tender. The noodles are too thin to my liking and does not taste like hand pulled noodles, more store bought. Tan tan noodles weren't very good. The service is fast here!

    B2. Spicy Cucumber, A1. 6 Pieces Pan Fried Pork Buns, C1. Braised Beef Noodle Soup
    Helen V.

    There's lots of seating inside and not too busy when we went. The servers were friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and decently sized portions. The cucumber salad is always a favorite with it being refreshing and full of flavor.

    Metal string in my food from their cleaning steel wool in the kitchen!
    WS P.

    I ordered food from them on DoorDash. The fried string beans that I got had a metal string in it that was clearly from the cleaning steel wool in the kitchen. It was disgusting. And the boiled dumplings came in a plastic (6) container. Plastic (6) is polystyrene and not safe to come in contact with food at boiling temperature. For hot food, only plastic (5) is safe. Plastic (6) is cheap and can be used for room temperature food like salad, etc, but not hot food. I ended up through away everything from this store. I would never order from them again. Clear hygiene safety issues.

    B2. Spicy Cucumber
    Jennifer C.

    Came here for lunch with a few friends on a weekday. The food came out pretty quick and was made fresh. We had four people and overall only spent less than $30 per person. For sure worth it given the amount of food we got. We were full and satiated! My favorites were the spicy wonton and the pan fried dumplings. Prices were great and the food had so much flavor, it reminds me of my parents' cooking. The restaurant itself could fit a couple of parties, but not too many. I'd highly recommend this place if you're around the area and looking for some comfort Chinese food!

    Leek and egg pocket
    Mike C.

    Update here is definitely needed. After all, my only experience previous was under the peak of the world changing situation so take and go was the only option. Meeting some friends from Hayward, I got here when they opened and we were their first customers, taking a wall table on the right. My friends are loyal and frequent customers here so I entrusted them to craft our meal. You are given a laminated menu sheet and an erasable marking pen to pick your items. The kind hostess and waitress took our order after giving us cups of cold water as requested. We ordered eleven items, including one add-on from me. Here are the highlights: 1. Xiao Lung Bao, apparently an off-menu item from reading my photo (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TCmWnTUhgBOk4EFYejnONQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Eight juicy thin-skinned dumplings served with a small dish of black vinegar. One of the better ones that I've had in a while. 2. Pan fried pork buns (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=DDmOtNEG7jKOC_4JGPZIpw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Apparently one of their signature items, this was as delicious as they looked with juices preserved within the crusted casing. Almost a must order here. 3. Shanghai Style Ja Jang Noodle (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=RGkoGeLEAie4qhT37kwhQg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - This is certainly better than my takeout version from almost three years ago. The flavors meshed well from the cucumber julienne and pickled vegetables to the sweet and savory meat sauce. It makes a difference having fresh noodles versus having it cold or reheated. Recommend for dine-in or within the hour if taking out. 4. Fried pork cutlet (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=5RwN4YJrTCfntEEqcJCbmw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - This was surprisingly more interesting eating wise than it sounded. Topped with a light creamy sweet sauce, the pork was tender and did not taste greasy. My chopsticks uncontrollably picked up random pieces of this throughout the meal. We were a party of four with one teenager so you know we wouldn't finish the meal. We packed food for future meals throughout the week. In ordering a takeout order for a friend at the counter, I saw a dish packed to go at the expediting station (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=XRenU2hKlJQHrYCxDjefiw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) so I had to add this on for myself. I will cook some rice and this will likely become two dinners later in the week. Service wise, everything was smooth for the 1st half hour since we were the only guests. As people filtered in to dine-in and pick up takeout orders, the pace slowed but we were pretty much done by that time. Our gracious hostess and waitress refilled our cups with water and removed empty plates. I ordered some food for a friend to try (never tried their food) as well as my above order. They generously comped me another dish as a courtesy to my friends. When the room fills up, do be patient as there are only three people in the kitchen and one manning the front of the house. The dining was filled by the time we left a little after noon. Will be back and will remember to repeat our schedule in coming when they open.

    A1. 6 Pieces Pan Fried Pork Buns
    Kaela A.

    My boyfriend and I came here Friday night for dinner. We were greeted immediately and were able to sit wherever we liked. We got the Chinese donut, shrimp noodles, chicken cutlet with noodles, (not pictured) shrimp and leek dumplings and pan fried pork buns. Our food came out fairly fast. Everything was delicious and hot! I got the shrimp noodle soup spicy and it was full of flavor. Chicken cutlet with noodles was delicious - chicken was nice and crispy noodles were the perfect touch. The pan fried pork buns were crispy yet doughy and also very juicy to the bite. I would definitely come back here especially on a rainy night!

    C1. Braised Beef Noodle Soup
    Kat Y.

    Discovered another decent place for XLB. Their XLB is not on the regular menu, you will have to find it on the special menu board in the restaurant. I am picky on XLB, so this one is pretty good to my standard, soupy and tasty, try it. Beef wrap was not bad, but I wished the beef inside could be room temperature or even little warm, it's a bit too cold for me. I really like the wrap skin, it maybe little oily for some people, but I really like the soft crispy texture. Pan fried bun was pretty good, tho still cannot compare to my no.1 ;). The skin overall can be little thinner I think, the bottom crust however is very crunchy so that is a plus. The bun itself was juicy and flavorful, so give a try. Braised beef noodle was just ok for me, tho their noodle was chewy and homemade. So that adds point. Overall I think this is a pretty decent Shanghainese restaurant, I like it and will return to try other dishes. The restaurant is in a small corner plaza, there is parking but space limited.

    Fried Pork Cutlet

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    11 months ago

    great food. SJB were fantastic. but table was sticky and not clean. bathrooms also gross and not clean.

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    Zen Noodle Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Zen Noodle Bar

    What is the difference between dan dan noodles and ja jang noodles?

    Do they have any no onion no garlic vegetarian options?

    Yes, they can make a few dishes without onion and garlic. But overall, not a great place for no onion no garlic vegetarian options.

    1. why is the website just a fancy homepage with no links.? 2. what kind of noodles do they use... i dont eat rice noodles?…

    No one to ask? Try 650-781-3183. I'm sure they can answer your question more accurately. They're closed Tuesdays.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Little Shanghai Restaurant

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    If you are looking for a spot that carries the "Shanghai native" approved restaurant, this is one…read moreof it. I've visited many times, and the consistency of the authentic flavors keeps me coming back. The menu is a deep dive into Shanghainese classics. My personal recommendations: ​The Staples: You can't go wrong with the Xiao Long Bao, Stir-Fry Rice Cakes, and the Sweet Spare Ribs. The Spicy Pickled Stomach and the Small Shrimp are favorites of mine. Their Cold Noodles and Yellow Croaker are excellent representations of the cuisine. ​If you visit during the week, check out their lunch specials. ​Service & Timing The kitchen is generally quite efficient. While a few specific items might take a bit longer to prep, most dishes arrive at the table surprisingly fast. Just be prepared for a crowd--it gets very busy during the lunch rush! ​There is a small, limited parking lot behind the restaurant, but it fills up fast. ​If there is an event at the San Mateo Event Center, street parking becomes very challenging. Plan to arrive a few minutes early or visit on a non-event day to save yourself the headache. Whether you're a fan of traditional Shanghai comfort food or just looking for a solid Chinese lunch, this place is a must-visit. It's officially approved by my friends from Shanghai, which is the highest praise a restaurant can get!

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    Noodle Shop - egg roll inside

    Noodle Shop

    4.0(545 reviews)
    1.7 mi
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    Came for lunch as a party 2. Not a lot of people dining in. There were only 3 other tables…read more - Green onion pancake - Pan-fried Chinese chives box - Hunan shredded pork in spicy sauce - Kung Pao chicken & rice in a bamboo basket (served with an egg roll and hot & sour soup) - Fried rice cake w/ ji cai & pork I didn't care for the green onion pancake or the chives box. The green onion pancake was deep fried, so it lacked the flaky texture I expected. I was disappointed. The crust of the chives box was similar to the green onion pancake (seemed deep fried rather than pan-fried). The filling was tasty although I wish there was more. I really like their Hunan shredded pork and their fried rice cake. Those are my go-to dishes. Food arrived quickly. Plenty of leftovers for dinner. $25 minimum to use credit card.

    Came here with some friends after a morning walk. Wanted to try some sour pickle fish soup thst I…read morehad seen in NY but didn't have a chance to try. The place looks tiny on the outside but has a decent amount of seating. It's kind of your hole in the wall greasy spoon type of place but the people are nice and the portions are good! We had XLB, a sour pickled fish soup and a rice cake with pork and sour pickles. Okay, sour pickles sound gross but really, it's kinda sweet and the hubs loves it but never knows how to order it when we go out. XLB 5/5: Okay, this could be my go to XLB spot but it's not as close as I like. The dumplings were juicy and perfect pop in your mouth size. Can't beat the 7.95 price for 8! Fish soup with chopped pickled greens casserole 5/5: A large portion of soup and lots of pieces of fish. The tanginess of the pickled mustard is a surprisingly good kick. Nice and warm on a cold day. Rice noodles with pork and pickled greens 4/5: Not my favorite dish but done well with the rice noodles nice and chewy. Plenty of sliced pork and good amount of the picked greens. Overall a great hidden spot to get some good home cooking. The reason it's 4 stars is cuz of the greasy hole in the wall feel but hey, if it keeps the prices down then I'm fine with in. I plan to come back with the hubs to check out more of their menu!

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    Peking Alley - Bean Sprouts, Eggs, Carrot & Chives with Clear Noodles

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    Peking Alley - Cute and cheerful dining area.  This business also does lots of takeout!

    Cute and cheerful dining area. This business also does lots of takeout!

    Peking Alley - Cumin Lamb, Beijing Mu Shu Pork, Soft Tofu, and Chive Pie - Photo taken 12/6/2025.

    Cumin Lamb, Beijing Mu Shu Pork, Soft Tofu, and Chive Pie - Photo taken 12/6/2025.

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    Chef Zhao Kitchen - fried dumplings (sheng jian bao)

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    3.7(517 reviews)
    13.4 mi
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    This place is located right off the Embarcadero exit and easy to miss if you're just driving by…read more Surprisingly, they were getting busy when we arrived. There were various dishes on the menu with appetizers, different proteins, carbs, etc. We had already looked at the menu prior to coming so we were able to place our order fairly quickly. Thick stir fried noodles: The noodles were pretty good! They were a mix of bouncy and chewy with small slices of chicken and bok choy throughout the dish. It was quite oily though. Spicy wontons: I thought these were going to be soaked in a peanut sauce but it was definitely more of szechuan chili oil. Maybe I read the description wrong. The wontons were tiny but plentiful. These were just okay, the pork filling was bland. Pan fried dumpling buns: The buns weren't as crispy as they're supposed to be. They had a small amount of pork filling but good soup inside. Be careful biting into one because it was hot. Sweet and sour chicken: Our favorite dish out of everything! It was the perfect combo of sweet and sour. There was more than enough chicken and gave us leftovers for another meal. I enjoyed the extra textures of the bell peppers, onions and pineapple throughout the dish. Definitely recommend! Service was as usual for a Chinese spot. There's a small private room on the right side if you have a reservation for a larger party. They do have a sign up at the front for a $2.50 credit card fee due to rising inflation so heads up.

    This was a resy restaurant! Came here as a group of 3 without a reso. The staff doing the walk ins…read morewas really friendly and apologetic about the wait time, which wasn't even his fault;it was ours. I liked their XLB in particular, but we were satisfied with our other dishes. FYI: they charge a 2.5% credit card fee, but I'd probably come back again. I think it's a nice place to go to with friends even without any resy creds!

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    Chef Zhao Kitchen - Inside is small

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    Zen Noodle Bar - shanghainese - Updated May 2026

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