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Bowlba Cafe

4.5 (66 reviews)
ModerateThai, Bubble Tea, Noodles
Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

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Kellie R.

I absolutely LOVE Bowlba and constantly recommend it to people. Bowlba is strategically placed in a neighborhood and can be easily missed if you're not using GPS. There's adequate parking which is nice. Bowlba is cutely decorated with Shiba Inus and boba plushies. It's a comfort cafe for us and I specifically love visiting on rainy days. We've eaten here numerous times and have never had a meal we didn't like. The boba and specialty tea drinks are all delicious, especially the Thai Tea and the Taiwanese Milk Tea! Our favorite go-to dishes are the Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle, Massaman Curry, and the Tom Kha Kai Ramen. Do try the Karaage, Crispy Duck Buns, or the Chashu Buns to start! If you prefer tofu instead of meat, you can request it even though it's not on the menu as an option, no upcharge! There is something for everyone here and you will not be disappointed!

Pad thai, boba, chicken
Sonam S.

I got the chicken pad thai and it was so fresh, I would definitely come back and get this again. I always try brown sugar bobas wherever I go and this was pretty good.

Tom kha kai ramen
Sydney H.

We've been here before for drinks and love their oreo milk tea slush and yuzu matcha. we decided to get food and ordered the tonkatsu ramen and tom kha kai ramen. Compared to other ramen restaurants in the area, i would say the portion is a little smaller. I was disappointed that neither ramens came with an egg and seaweed, as that's usually one of my favorite parts of ramen. also there were only 3 thin pieces of pork for the tonkatsu. Not sure if the meal was worth $17 a bowl. otherwise, the ramen was ok but not sure if we would come back for their food. However, we got a yuzu matcha on the way out and it was delicious as always! Highly recommend their drinks.

Fried rice with chicken
Barbara B.

We ordered takeout for the first time. I had Bowlba ramen noodles which had pork slices, egg, seaweed and a tasty broth. My husband liked the Thai fried rice with chicken. We will come back. Notice that tbe "front" door is on the courtyard side of the shopping center and not on the street side where I would have expected it to be.

Tonkotsu ramen

Very great atmosphere, amazing food, very quality service, I was definitely pleased with my first visit!!

Very cute spot.
Charlotte B.

I was searching for either ramen or boba tea and Bowlba popped up - I had no idea it was there! I know there have been a few businesses come and go in this semi hidden area; I hope they do well! It's a quick service style, order then sit down. Very cute, Instagramable for sure. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen, Goyza and a Taiwanese Milk Tea with boba. The ramen was quite good! I didn't find it overly salty nor bland. The noodles were well cooked, fresh sprouts and kikurage mushrooms. The goyza was also good, steamed and served with sauce. My friend ordered the Pad Thai and said it was very good. Everything was enjoyable, food came out quick and it's just overall fun. Saw many teens and young ones come in just for a tea. They do offer some soft drinks in cans as well. Even though it's order then sit down, the staff was attentive and kind. Was clean, easily found parking. Certainly worth a visit!

a man sitting at the counter
Kathy W.

I'm not impressed. Presentation is all good. But to me personally. it way too salty. I don't think I will come back. I order the Bowlba noodles - presentation is great - with the pork on top, and seaweed sheets - but the soup itself was super salty, w/o noodles i would not be able to eat it. My hubby's and my son's entrees were also very salty.

Thai fried rice with chicken

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2 years ago

Love it here. Food is amazing. Staff is so nice. Great atmosphere. Clean. The basil tofu is delish.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Tonight was our first trip to this restaurant. The food and staff were wonderful; we will likely return soon!

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3 years ago

Excellent Pad Thai and PHO. Thai boba tea good. Thai fried rice decent. Will be a regular here.

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3 years ago

Diamond in the rough. Hidden away but quaint and friendly serving best Boba, Pho and Thai I've had anywhere in Raleigh.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Best Thai food in North Raleigh. Friendly staff and really well decorated. Great addition to the growing neighborhood.

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3 years ago

Nice place, good food and relaxing atmosphere. Plan to stop in again to try out their soup and noddles.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Unfortunately, ramen was mediocre and portion was small for the price. Staffs were not the friendliest.

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3 years ago

Super quiet spot w great service. The Pad Thai is amazing and for a drink, definitely should try the Mango Green tea.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

Really good food, great service, and the staff was really helpful and explaining different ingredients.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Ordered Red curry with shrimp, beef pad Thai, and garlic shrimp. All delicious! Portions on the smaller size.

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Noodle Boulevard

Noodle Boulevard

4.5
(1k reviews)
15.4 mi
$$

Delicious!! This was…read moremy first time having ramen, and my friend suggested we go here, and I'm so glad we did! Noodle Blvd is located in a spot that you could easily miss, but it's easy to get back on track. I pulled into the gas station parking lot beside the restaurant, then just turned right into the restaurant parking lot. The parking lot is fairly small, so be warned about that. My friend was there when I arrived, and he sat at the bar. When I walked in the door, I was greeted with smiles and waves. It was very inviting, which is fitting for a ramen restaurant. My friend ordered us Lychee Margaritas, and oh my goodness, it was so good! We decided to visit right at opening on a Saturday, so the bartender was still preparing some of the ingredients needed for the margarita. The bartender informed us that it's usually better once a key ingredient sits for a while, but I loved the drink regardless. I ordered edamame for an appetizer, which came quickly and was good! Since I've never had ramen before, I asked our server what he recommended, and he told me about some of their most popular dishes. He told me the N9. Chicken Curry Ramen was a favorite of his and the patrons, so I decided to order that. It came quickly, and I was immediately in HEAVEN upon my first bite. I loved every bite after! I decided to play it safe with the spice and got level 2, but I can definitely go up a level or 2 since I love spicy. Highly recommend, and I will be back! Worth the drive from Clayton, where I live.

The service was good, waitress was pleasant, no issues there…read more A busy weekday night, a loud group at the big table in the middle didn't bother me as I was at the bar. The short rib ramen was good, but the noodles were short, like they were cut or made short on purpose. The shrimp shumai was disappointing. Small bite sized portions, but they were soft. After cutting into one, I found out that they use rice as a filler with a bit of shrimp. I've never seen rice used in shumai, unless it's Shanghai sticky rice shumai. Also got a unagi don togo, it was good, just a bit small on the portion of eel, but it's hard to mess up an unagi don.

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Inside restaurant
Inside restaurant
Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)
Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)
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Chuan Cafe

Chuan Cafe

4.2
(270 reviews)
10.7 mi
$$

Chuan cafe is a cozy hidden gem in North Raleigh. The shopping center it's in is definitely in an…read moreunassuming strip mall, but trust me the food and the service are worth It! I came right before a show at the Alamo Drafthouse around the corner, which makes it the perfect night out for dinner and show. It looks like a lot of people order takeout here, but they have ample tables and do offer an excellent dine in service. I loved their green beans and eggplant. All their food felt more authentic and homestyle than your typical run of the mill Chinese place. The food had flavor, and it wasn't overly greasy either! I'll definitely come back next time in near north Raleigh.

I used to love this restaurant and was a loyal customer for years, which makes this experience…read moreespecially disappointing. I ordered the lo mein, bamboo flounder fish, and a side of fried rice. Unfortunately, the lo mein was extremely greasy, the fried rice was overly salty, and the shrimp was hard, overcooked and not fresh. When I informed the waiter that I would not be eating the lo mein due to its condition, I was told that I would still have to pay for it and that it did not matter whether I liked it or not. He initially refused to remove the dish from my bill. After eventually taking it off, he told me that he never wanted to see my face again as I was leaving. What disappoints me most is that I genuinely enjoyed this restaurant and had been a repeat customer. The decline in food quality combined with the way my concerns were handled has left a very negative impression. Unfortunately, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

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Chuan Cafe
P1. Dry Fried Eggplant @Cereus_eats
P1. Dry Fried Eggplant @Cereus_eats
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David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

3.9
(677 reviews)
11.3 mi
$$

This restaurant has been on my list to visit for a couple of years. I was finally able to go. It…read morewas fine. Nothing spectacular. The reason I gave it 4 stars was because the dumplings were disappointing. They were not warm and the dumpling dough was thick. We got the David's dumplings and the crispy spicy wontons. The wontons were better. I liked the crispy dough but they weren't spicy at all. The entree meals were better. I had the Malaysian curry soup which had a nice kick and was steaming hot. It had lots of different toppings in it which was nice. My husband got the fried rice. It was also really good. The Chinese sausage complimented the rice well and there were plenty shrimp in it too. If I went back I would forgo the dumplings and just go straight to having the entree.

First of all, I love the ambiance there. The exposed bricks are so pretty to me! They also have…read moresuch a huge space. They even have a private event room as well! Secondly, the food!!! We ordered a lot of food (2 appetizers and 3 entrees ) and our eyes were not bigger than our stomachs because we finished all the food We are proud big backs lol What we tried and how we'd rank them: David's Original Half Fried Dumplings Malaysian Curry Noodle Soup Open Top Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai Dumplings Sautéed Green Beans David's Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage Make sure to ask them for their house made chili oil! It's spicy but a little sweet. We were both fans. My friend even asked if they sell it

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David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar
David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar
David's Dumpling & Noodle Bar

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Bowlba Cafe - thai - Updated July 2026

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