I love hole-in-the-wall restaurants that specialize in one cuisine and nail it, and Chen's, in a no-frills shopping center filled with great Chinese and Indian places, is a great example. Come here for some of the best northern Chinese comfort food around, including the lamb skewers (which some customers consider a sacrament), perfectly chewy and thick dao xiao mian or "knife-cut" wheat noodles, and large, fat dumplings. There are a few tables in the small space, but most customers seem to do take-out. Portions are generous. All I can say after finishing these delicious noodle creations in soups or pan fries is "Thank you, Mr. Chen, and keep up the good work!" read more

Chen's Noodle House - Lamb skewers, pork dumplings, stir fried noodles with pork. - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Classic hole in the wall Chinese restaurant! It's tiny inside with limited seating, I got my food to go. Spicy Lamb Noodle: 10/10: for $13 this was massive! Even after being in a container for a bit, the noodles were still chewy and not soggy. The noodles themselves tasted a little salty so it wasn't bland at all. The lamb was really flavorful and the onions balanced it out perfectly. Scallion Pancake: 5/10 Unfortunately these were a miss for me. These were super greasy and smelled faintly of old oil. Possibly caught them on a bad day, but I wouldn't be discouraged from trying their other menu items. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Spicy Lamb Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

We tried the sesame pork sandwiches, combination noodle soup, and the green onion pancake. I really liked the sesame pork sandwich! It reminded me of a Taiwanese street food, but the fried sesame bun is different than what I've tried at other places. The combination noodle soup is delicious! There is a good ratio of noodles to toppings. I think the price is very reasonable as well. The combination soup reminds me of sweet and sour soup, but without the sour vinegar taste. This tastes like home-cooked food! We took our order to go, and I think that is the move. There are eight small tables inside the restaurant. It was the middle of the day, and the AC did not seem to be on. But there were some fans. read more

See all

My sister has been singing Chen's Noodle House's praises for several years. I can confidently say now that I was indeed missing out! This store is definitely assuming, and fits the vibe of authentic regional Western Chinese cuisine because of the small number of tables, older looking kitchen setup, and solo older man working both front and back of house. There were a few tables when we came in, but all gradually filtered out leaving just us. We each got a bowl of soup noodles and shared the ICONIC lamb bun. My knife cut noodles seemed like a lot but they were so good and you find out there's not endless strands because of them being handmade. My date's rice noodles were more substantial in terms of portions but also smelled yummy. Both of us fell hard for the lamb buns! I've never had a better one (even in China - although those are different, less sweet). The owner here probably makes his more sweet for American taste preferences. I even braved asking him for the recipe! He said the buns are prebought, and the process for the lamb didn't sound difficult but I still think I'd mess it up at home :) read more

See all

This place is no frills just good food vibes. Hole in the wall. My mother in law has been homesick and was craving amazing noodles. This place met the mark for her. She was sharing stories about the lamb skewers she used to eat when she was younger and how the restaurant really captured homestyle food. Great service.We ate outside and the weather was perfect for us to enjoy the food. So good! The mala was perfect amount of spice for me and my mother in law loved her wonton soup. My toddler loved their green onion pancake. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Mala Noodle Soup Lamb Skewer Green Onion Pancake Wonton Soup - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Chen's Noodle House is dope! It's a 5 minute drive from my work so it's super convenient. The food is affordable and delicious, and I find the hole in the wall vibe charming. Even better, their prices on the apps are the same as in-store, so I always order when I'm leaving work so the food is ready for me when I get there. Delightful owner, too. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been back about 3 times since my original post and because of how frequently I think about this place I know it's become 5 stars in my mind. The spicy lamb noodle and soup are both delicious and you cannot go wrong with either. The noodles has a great consistency with the lamb and sauce and the owner is always very nice and speedy with service. Inside of the restaurant is tight so during popular hours could be crowded but I've ordered to go my last few times and it's still just as yummy as home! read more

Chen's Noodle House - Spicy Lamb Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been buying food from this man for years and I've yet to give him kudos! Sorry, Mr. Chen! These are THE BEST hand-pulled noodles in the north side of Austin, probably in all of Austin, honestly. These are ALWAYS, freshly-made, hand-pulled noodles made in house every single day. They are DELICIOUS! If you want authentic, thick, wide noodle dishes, look no further! Chen's got you. Spicy beef noodle soup, green onion pancakes, pan fried dumplings, hot oil seared noodles, spicy lamb noodle, sesame pockets, etc. All of these dishes I've had myself dozens of times. My wife loves the sesame pockets, and my kids could eat two whole servings of the pan fried dumplings in like five minutes. They're always excited to get Chen's noodle house and can't wait to go again. Quality is always there! Again, noodles are authentic and freshly made from scratch. If you want some of the best Chinese food from a hole in the wall in Austin, look no further! Especially if you are an out-of-town visitor, you've got to make a quick stop here. I've both dined in and ordered takeout, rarely ever waiting that long on my food. If I ever did, it was always because it was so packed and busy. Even then, it's worth the wait! Mr. Chen is super kind and hard-working. He makes great food with love for the community at large. Go support your local food chefs! read more

Hole-in-the-wall spot for Chinese food! It really feels like you're in a food court at an Asian grocery store, except you're surrounded by a box and just a few tables. You can tell that this spot has regulars who come in for the quality and the low prices. I'm surprised they didn't have Chinese on the menu (dishes were all in English), but it wasn't a bother since I can't read Chinese anyways. Star of the show for me were the sesame pancakes - the pancakes were sweet and the pork barbecue inside was tasty. Lamb skewers were interesting, the sauce is this spicy paste and it definitely tastes like lamb. Mala noodles were too spicy for me but the made-from-scratch noodles were excellent and the beef was also good. The black bean noodles weren't anything to write home about - I think I like the Korean version better than the Chinese version anyways. You can help yourselves to bowls, water, takeout boxes, etc. at the front. read more

See all

Overall really good place to get hand pulled noodles. The broth has really good flavor as well. I would say the noodles taste pretty similar to that of Julie's noodles! read more

Chen's Noodle House - Noodles! - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

A girlfriend's and I decided to try a new place and seemed like the reviews were good. We came early since we read that it was very small. We walked up to the counter, not greeted nor an effort of a little smile. We placed our order - green onion pancake, stir fried chicken noodle, pork leek noodle, and sat. Food was out within 10 minutes. The onion pancake was slightly crisp, oily and not much green onion. The 2 other entree sauces tasted very similar, no unique flavors popped and blew me away. However the noodles served in the pork and leeks were cooked perfectly with a slight al dente chew. The other seemed less me a thin spaghetti pasta. Perhaps we should have tried a soup dish but sadly, we weren't impressed and will most likely never know. Overall, the food wasn't bad, but it will not be memorable. read more

Lots of flavor! I enjoyed the food here, it has a lot of flavor and lots of different options on the menu. One thing I would note is that it is very small and sometimes the tables can be dirty but do not let that scare you away. The noodles are nice and chewy and the soups are amazing. read more

See all

Super tasty and fresh food. The menu is also super simple and easy to navigate. I am new to world of Chinese noodle houses, I KNOW, where have I been, right?! However, I found a business when I first moved to Austin that is not far from this location, that I think is the bee's knees. However, CHEN's is much closer to my house. I figured, I'd give them a try. This strip mall, hole in the wall, noodle shop feels like a warm noodle hug. The interior is small, intimate and rather bare bones for the amount of steady traffic flow they receive . You'd think this place would have thrills and bells and whistles. But instead they have damn good food, a small interior and a tiny patio! Way to go CHEN's, you earned my dollars today! The middle aged man working the register seemed to really be immersed in the community, greeting regulars, whipping out their piping hot bowls of deliciousness and commanding the kitchen, all in the same breath. My leek pancake, I think that's what it was called, was really green tasting and crispy fried to perfection. And the lamb noodle soup really stopped the show! The bite sized lamb made for an easily perfect bite, every time, and the noodles were just thick enough to cause a coma. All in all, I was very happy, and will be returning again! read more

Chen's Noodle House - Leek pancakes (dumplings?) - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I feel like Austin has a lot of restaurants that kind of serve the same things, but Chen's noodle house doesn't fall between the cracks. They're still able to deliver good quality food while keeping costs pretty cheap! Some standouts for me were the green onion pancake which was super crispy and chewy and flavorful. As well as the black bean noodles with minced pork. It was so savory and rich and delicious. The broth of the lamb noodle soup was really good. But I expected larger lamb chunks. Rather than the small minced lamb pieces that actually came with it. And the chive pancake was good, but nothing too special to me. I really love how they package the noodles separately for takeout. One reason being so that they don't get soggy. But another reason being you can mix and match the different soups and sauces to different noodles. read more

See all

Food: Deliciously crafted home made NOODLES! Outstanding servings that will leave you filled but wanting to come back the next day! Service: Friendly and Quick Ambience: Peaceful. We went on a Sunday around 7pm, we space inside is small, they have 2 tables outside that each fit 4, we sat outside and enjoyed the sun setting! Overall: A great date night! Thank you Chen's. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Beef Noodle Soup, and Spicy Lamb Noodle Side of Pan Fried Dumpling. Chili paste oil as well. - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was my first time eating in the restaurant. I've had their takeout and enjoyed it, so I wanted to see what it would taste like at the restaurant. I got the chili oil noodles with lamb (I think). The cilantro adds a nice aftertaste to the noodles. Noodles are bouncy and chewy. The lamb was good too. There's limited seating here, so if you're in a big group you'll need to split up. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Lamb Hand Pulled Noodles - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Came here for lunch with a coworker today and this spot is such a hidden gem! We split some pan fried dumplings and both got the spicy lamb noodle dish. Both were great! The dumplings were large and had great flavor. The spicy lamb noodle dish was also a good portion, great for the price, and had pretty good flavor but the texture of the noodles was perfect. Definitely a very casual spot if you're considering dining in but the service was great and we had an awesome experience :) read more

See all

This spot was ROTD on Saturday and I was craving noodles. We must have gotten there at a perfect time since it was 3:15pm and no line. There was only one patron eating there. As our food started to come out, it got packed inside. This is a casual spot where you order at the counter and the dining area is pretty cramped if it gets crowded. The owner was doing great as a one man show. I was wanting to try a spicy noodle soup so I went with the Mala Noodle Soup. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor and thick hand pulled noodles. The noodles were perfect and right amount of chew. The broth and meat were delectable. We also ordered the dumplings to try, green onion pancakes and pork leek noodles. The dumplings were fair. The green onion pancake was flaky and tasty. The pork leek noodles were delicious. Noodles were also perfectly cooked. My little one approved and loved the noodles. I will definitely be back for the noodles. read more

See all

I think the beef noodles are really great! The black bean noodle was too salty-too much sauce probably. I was a bit skeptical coming in since the place was so small. I do like how there are pictures posted alongside the menu on top making it easier to decide what to order. It's really hot in here. They have ceiling fans on but it's not cool enough. The water also isn't cold, nor does it have ice. The fridge isn't plugged in, so those soda cans are also not cold, which is a bummer. read more

See all

This tiny, hidden gem has amazing food which is why it is a very busy place so be prepared to wait for the good stuff. The homemade noodles, especially the spicy pork noodles, are absolutely worth the wait. We all enjoyed the green onion pancakes, dumplings, soups, and noodle dishes. read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Come here for the food! Favorite spot in the Austin area for hand pulled beef noodle soup. The soup is flavorful even without the spicy. The meat is tender and doesn't stick in your teeth. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Wow what a great find this place was some of the best noodles I have had in recent memory I would highly recommend to everyone to stop by here. The service was quick and reliable and the owners is amazing. It's a small shop with that authentic Asian noodle house feel great ambiance to slurp your heart away. read more

A no nonsense place that's way underrated. Most of everyone in Austin knows Julie's, while Chen's is just 10 minutes up the street and is definitely lesser-known. Chen's focus is on noodles, as the name suggests. But our go-tos also include scallion/green onion pancakes and lamb skewers, both I'm craving as I type up this review. The inside is small with maybe two four-person tables and four two-person. There are a couple of tables outside, but that's about it. You come, you order, you sit, you eat, done. The menu is on the wall above the cash register when you walk in, with pictures so you don't have to wonder how everything looks. An underrated staple that's been around for a while, you should de Chen's a try! read more

See all

Authentic and delicious food. Flavor could be strong but quality is great! Lamp skewers are great starter!

The dishes I ordered were nut allergy friendly. A small mom & pop shop type of restaurant, Chen's sits in the corner of a plaza filled with the most stereotypical Asian restaurant names in the city. However, Chen's manages to stand out and deliver above and beyond. We arrived around 7pm and it took about 45 minutes to order and get food. There is very limited seating, only about 6-8 tables. I saw a good number of people doing take-out. Dumplings: Great portions. They may look like frozen dumplings, but they were pretty flavorful with a nice thick shell and was served with very flavorful chili oil. Mala Beef Noodle Soup N9: Crazy spicy and a little oil-y. I wouldn't drink the soup here but it made the noodles, baby bok choy, and beef packed with flavor. The noodles were fantastic, and they are made from scratch in house. Lamb Skewers: I could eat these all day long. Flavorful, tender, and very sharable. We initially sat outside but our food kept being swarmed with flies. We moved indoors and enjoyed our meal a lot better. Overall, I would give Chen's a 4.5/5 if I could, only because of the annoyance in flies. read more

See all

I have been going to this little beat-up strip mall for years. As usual, I was making a run to Gandhi Bazaar around lunch and wanted to try something new. Then I spotted Chen's Noodle House. I have read and heard about them but never went. I walk in and no surprise filled with Asians so I knew it would be good. I went to the counter and stared up at the pictures. The older gentleman came up and asked what I wanted. I order, green onion pancakes, Spicy Lamb skewers, and pork leek noodles. So the last item was an Oops as I thought it said lamb leek, but I went with it anyway. It was a little over 5 minutes and they brought me my food. Grabbed my bag and headed home. Once home I found the food still hot which is good. The onion pancake was crispy and needed no sauce. Next to be tried is the spicy lamb skewers. I was wary they may be too spicy but no. It was warming with a slight kick. I devoured three skewers immediately. Onto my Oops dish, which was the best surprise yet. The noodles so good, topped with minced pork and green onions (Leeks?) but the sauce OMG so delicious. I am not a big eater so these items lasted me for 3 meals. Guarantee I will be coming back for more read more

Chen's Noodle House - Green onion pancakes - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

I stumbled upon Chen's Noodle House randomly looking for places to eat along McNeil and Parmer. Inside the small, no-frills store is a counter, eight tables, and two glowing reviews of the restaurant from Austin publications. Clearly, this place has received its flowers, and for very good reason too. While my stomach was not in good-enough condition to go for the spicy/oil noodles (though I will be returning shortly for them), it was in shape for the Wonton Soup, which was nothing short of masterful. Beyond the delicate, yet firmly-packed dumplings I'm told are handmade by the eponymous Chen, the broth was the component that caught me the most off-guard. What looks to be a very simple dish is elevated to divine standards by the perfect balance between the wontons and the incredible broth, which probably has more going on under the hood than I could even fathom. I'm sure many years of experience and operation have gone into making these dishes and the restaurant itself, and it has clearly paid off. Rarely does a dish that does not even appear to be the restaurant's signature dish come to represent the restaurant itself, and in this case it does. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Wonton Soup - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love this place! They do have limited seating but I find that most people just order takeout instead of eating there so it wasn't hard for us to find a table during lunch hour on a weekday. The pan fried dumpling was perfectly crisp on the bottom with juicy filling. The filling itself had a pretty simple flavor profile but the chili oil definitely elevates it. I got the hot oil seared noodles and it was very good. The noodle is perfectly thick and chewy and the bowl comes with a solid amount of beef shank. One thing is that I wished the oil that they poured over the bowl to be a bit hotter so that the dish can be a bit warmer in temperature. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Very savoury beef noodle soup with fresh hand cut noodles and a light beef broth. With black vinegar and chili oil this is one of the best in town. read more

Came back to Chen's after a few years away and was happy to see that it's still the same great, local spot it's always been! The same man (I'm presuming, Chen) is still behind the counter cooking food, taking orders, etc. They are a small shop and usually only have 1-2 people working at a time. Still, the food comes quickly (10 minutes or less), is piping hot, and super fresh and tasty. The noodle texture at Chen's is fantastic - bouncy, springy, and chewy, and not at all overcooked (including for take out orders). We highly recommend the pork and leek noodles. The black bean sauce noodles are also good. Their lamb skewers are generously portioned and seasoned well, and you can actually see them cooking the skewers over an open fire pit in the kitchen. If you watch for long enough, you can also see them cook the noodles fresh (from a big ball of dough to the final product). Prices are very reasonable (around $11 for a bowl of noodles), and they accept cash and card. There are a few tables inside for a comfortable dine-in experience, and I've never had trouble finding a spot to sit. read more

A very no nonsense noodle shop with the best knife cut noodles I have tried so far in Austin. The spicy broth really hit the spot on a cold, rainy evening. You order at the counter and they bring the order to your table. There's not a lot of seating options so recommend stopping by with a smaller group. I took off one star because their kitchen exhaust didn't seem to be working so the air was slightly smoky and greasy. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

You order at the counter. The restaurant itself is very small. It also self clean, but they will bring the food to you. I order the sesame pastry, chicken stir fried, and hot oil seared noodle. The hot oil seared noodle was my favorite. It came with slices of beef, and I love the flavoring. The sesame pastry is pack with meat. It's a bit too salty for me, but it still good. The noodle in the stir fried is the chewy type which is my favorite. Overall, the food here is good and affordable. read more

See all

Amazing hand, pulled noodles, soup, and flavor just the right amount of spice. All the appetizers are terrific too. Friendly fast and affordable. read more

Small mom and pop's type of restaurant! Delicious food! Great service! Will definitely go back when I'm in Austin! Highly recommend. read more

A small noodle house in north Austin, low price and food was great! I ordered pork noodle stir fry to go, and it's very tasty! It's a gem.

Good food, great portions and good price. The location is quite discrete but nevertheless a great place to come. Didn't quite appreciate some of the political choices of TV channel though... Would come again for sure. read more

Chen's Noodle House - 家常水饺 - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

May look a little rough around the edges but it takes me back to eating in the streets of Hong Kong. Small intimate restaurant, simple menu, fast service. The food is DELICIOUS and the noodles just perfection! Got the pot stickers, the chili oil noodles and the beef noodle soup. All delicious, but the star of the show was definitely the Chili Oil noodles. Will definitely be back!!! read more

Chen's Noodle House - Chili oil Beef Noodle and Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

The sesame buns are my go to here!! I would go earlier in the day as they do sell out sometimes. The beef noodle soup is also fantastic and I will eat it even in the 100 degree weather lol. The fried dumplings are another dish I usually order and always hits the spot. Be patient as it's usually only 1-2 people working (taking orders, cooking, bringing you the food, etc.) but worth it! The inside dining area has about 5-6 tables. It's not the coolest inside, but will do anything for good food. read more

Chen's Noodle House - Chinese Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I really had high hopes. Having been in NYC for a decade, this place had all of the markings of a great meal, small space (4-5 tables), no frills, the reviews on yelp were good (all though the star rating was a 4... iykyk), and the chef was really working hard behind the counter, which meant they had a ton of orders coming in (busy = good). We ordered 2 dishes to go - I ordered the spicy beef noodle soup. We drove home super pumped to eat this glorious meal, we got our bowls out, and mixed the noodles and the soup. And well... that's where the joy died. The noodles were really thick, and honestly the worst part was the broth, it didn't have much spiciness to it, and really tasted like salty water. I can honestly say this was the first time I couldn't even finish half of the food, and had to toss it. I can't say I'll be back, and maybe this was an off day for the chef. But I will still have to hunt for some good beef noodle soup, I just hope I don't have to travel back to NYC to get my fill. read more

This place is a hidden gem in austin!! They have one of the best chinese food - especially their hand pulled noodles. They make it in house & their noodle texture is amazing and chewy. The broth is so rich and flavorful, and theres a little bit of spice to it. The black bean noodle was super flavorful as well - a little bit on the saucy side for me so i liked the beef noodle soup better. The lamb skewers were so tender and delicious! I really liked the marinade they put on it. Its a small store but their menu section is pretty big and im definitely coming back to try their tomato egg noodle. read more

See all