Everything, beef luc lac, duck slaw, and hot pot ingredients, were so fresh and amazing. I could…read moreeat this beef luc lac everyday and never get tired of it; it's that delicious. Kayla is the best and took such good care of us. We will definitely be coming back! Need to try the garlic noodle next time.

We came on a week day for dinner and was seated right away. The restaurant is in the Blanding…read moreShopping Center. Love the modern atmosphere and decor. We ordered the banh hoi with lemon grass tofu and mushrooms and salmon claypot. The banh hoi was tasty and fun to eat with the lettuce and herbs. The salmon claypot was full of flavors and so good with steamed rice. The portions were small, which was perfect for us but a little on the pricy side. Service was excellent. We will definitely be back and try other dishes on their menu.

The location is great, the space is big and the bar tender was awesome. I went for the first time…read moreand I can already tell it won't be my last. My friends said the garlic fries were good and I enjoyed my drink very much. If you want a place that has good drinks and I has nice staff, I'd say Lemondrop is a good place.

Saw this place was highly reviewed and had some interesting fusion bites, so went to check it out…read more The restaurant is cute, they have a nice bar area and some fire pits outside. The wait staff was really nice don't get me wrong, but it took one of us to go up to them (chatting with a regular) to order drinks & food, and another one of us to bother them to pay as well. I think that was biggest qualm though! Just that the wait staff should be slightly more attentive, especially at times when the restaurant is mostly empty. The food was bomb though. We had a tikka pizza, the lemon pepper wings, and French fries. All were super great with the cocktails we ordered. Definitely a great catch up spot with the girlies, I'll probably return and manifest better service.

Love this place! The food is so good!…read more A few things to know before going, there's music playing! While its a vibe, but hard to hear from your friends/family within the table. You have to pay ahead of time via QR code or at the counter. There's plenty of seats too. Staff is always available and helpful too.

Maaan, I miss the Piedmont location of Monkey King.. But since it's closed I came to this location…read more2 times to dine in and both of my experiences were mid. I know better now to just order my food to-go if I crave it again. The customer service is never what you expect it to be. They will literally take your order while they are on their phone, and it doesn't feel like they acknowledge you or hear you. They also don't mention that they are ready to help you and just stare at you waiting for you to start ordering. Maybe I am picky and selective, but I usually don't approach after someone's ordering in case they need to quickly step away or finish the task they were working on -- I'm use to being called "next" or being acknowledged. They also don't give you a number or some sort of marker after they take your order, so it is easy for them to mix up orders which happened. Anyway, the food is always good and so I guess that will have to make up for the experience. The garlic noodles with salt and pepper tofu never miss and always hit. It's never too greasy or underflavored. The spicy korean wings are super good and flavorful too. Not too spicy, definitely a mildness to it, so you can handle it if you don't like something too spicy. Overall, I'd come back to pick up a to-go order, but I won't dine in person again.

The wildly popular fast casual movement has found its way to this Japanese fusion 'noodle house'…read moresadly taking the spot of Panera - everybody sheds a tear for that loss in the Alameda food scene. Cafeteria style - pick what you want - and customize with sauces and green onions and tempura flakes. Big signs around the dining room instruct you on how to eat and what to do. Unique drink option from Japan - soda - with glass ball lid - made for a take home souvenir and will be a future vase. Tempura and noodles that are 50' long in length. No kidding. You will get this great big bowl of noodles - but I have this theory there was just one noodle in the bowl. We tried to share and there was no beginning and no end to any given noodle. We were fishing around for this noodle and it reminded me of this scene from Mrs Doubtfire where they were trying to get teeth out of a beverage.... a tricky task indeed. Fresh from scratch - made in house Udon noodles and Tempura foods are the star. Outstanding value and casual dining as a result of cutting out the servers. These days I think we will see more and more of that. Cut the fat. Cut the middleman. A server - or anybody in the service industry should add value with a smile and good manners - ever since the pandemic you don't see that. Typically the servers are rude, bad mannered and simply just there to spread germs. To this day the only people in the service industry I enjoy being around are bar tenders. I suppose they were hired in the first place for personality alone. The one thing I really liked about Panera was how they only hired top tier helpers. They never hired less than the best. The people working here seemed equally as good - they had passion for noodles and all the little details were there. I particularly liked how they warmed the bowls with hot water before adding food in. A great place to eat solo or in big groups. Push some tables together and spend the evening there with your besties or simply by yourself on a lunch break and be in and out in a flash.

When the cat away, the mice shall... apparently do as little as possible…read more Masquerading as an elevated udon or ramen shop, it leaves, well, just about everything to be desired about the art and craft of Japanese noodles. Simply making noodles in the house is not a substitute for quality and care. The lack of care, attentiveness, and enthusiasm is clear before you sit down. Bathrooms have graffiti and were unkempt, the tables needed to be wiped down, and the garbage bins in the restaurant were overflowing. On the counter service: each order in the line is fulfilled by a single server, but the layout makes this cumbersome and time-consuming for the staff (the server is also tasked with replenishing the broth and other serving containers). Apparently roles are sufficiently regimented that even when there's a long line, other staff members do not step in to assist or expedite the serving process. (We waited 20 minutes to order, with five people ahead of us; probably unusual, but demonstrates the issue). The noodles were solid, but all else unmemorable and average at best. With so many independent craft ramen restaurants offering an honest and genuine approach to this style of food (at comparable prices), why not consider one of these options? Don't be hoodwinked by the fresh-made noodles and fresh-batter tempura. They feel like a hooks to get you in the door, and they don't make up for the experience. A chain restaurant with an absentee owner is not uncommon, but there's always a hope that someone working there might make your meal memorable for a reason other than its disappointment. Owners: take a moment to ask the staff and customers what could make this a better experience for your team and diners. You might learn quite a bit inspire yourself more of this type of public feedback

Ordered by doordash and let me tell you this did NOT disappoint at ALL. Portion was huge. Food came…read morepiping hot and heavy. Lots of crab in the crab fried rice. The salt and pepper fish was not soggy upon delivery it still had the crisp outside. Everything paired well together. I ordered a side of angel wing sauce to dip with the salt and pepper fish and its honestly delicious. The crab fried rice is SO GOOD so flavorful and i love how generous they are. I can't believe I have not tried this place sooner. I definitely need to try this place in person and more items on the menu.

Found this place because of Tik Tok! The inside of the restaurant is so cute and comfortable. I was…read moreso glad they have a parking lot behind the building because parking sucks in the area. The food here was also sooo good! My husband and I ordered a bunch of different things. Yellow curry - nice consistency and full of vegetables and chicken. Pad See Ew - noodles had a good chew and it wasn't overly salty. Angel wings - wings were coated in a nice sauce, but still had a good crunch. Salt & pepper fish with fried rice - the literal star of the show; the fish was so flaky and perfectly seasoned; the fried rice was perfectly cooked. The service here was just okay. We had 2 ladies serve us and they were both so nice, but they did forget items for our order a few times and they did forget our drinks. Plus, we had asked for the check and waited maybe 10-15 minutes for it to be brought out, even though we were the only table remaining. Other than that, no notes and we'll come back again.

Understory is fantastic!! My favorite part of the experience had to be the ube horchata, which was…read moreSPECTACULAR; cold (perfect for a sunny Oakland afternoon) and sweet and cinnamon-y, a beautiful complementary blend of two incredible things. I also enjoyed my Understory Hash (with lechon/pork belly atop roasted root veggies, brussel sprouts, and a fried egg); it had great flavors. I think next on my list to try would be the tocino rice bowl. Inside were also just amazing vibes, with great decor and signage, and sweet and efficient service. I will say that ordering online comes with some extra fees, so next time I'd just order in person to avoid them and continue supporting this worker-owned, community built establishment!

Cute, spacious cafe with really delicious food! Came here for lunch on a weekday, and had their…read morepork tocino rice bowl (with fried egg for an added YUM). The well marinated pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and matched perfectly with the accompanying java rice and the pickled veg. And my revelation was the house tepache-Pineapple goodness with ginger beer zing. Such a refreshing drink to go with the rice bowl! The people were very friendly, and the food and drinks came out very quickly. Will definitely come back to try out the other items on their menu!

FIVE shining stars to Burma Superstar in Alameda…read more My friends live by here and get their food all the time. From their lunch specials to take out, I've heard all about this spot. I've never had Burmese food before and finally got to try them on this last visit. We ordered delivery from them. Even if they gave an estimated time of an hour wait, I don't think it even took 30 minutes, which was great! We ordered a good amount of things including the star of the show- laphet thoke, the tea leaf salad. I've never had this before but I will sure be dreaming about it until I return. It had the best flavor and a good amount of crunch. Did I mention the portion was big?! We also got a few entrees including Burmese style curry chicken, sesame chicken, and another chicken dish. Also, the second star of the show is their coconut rice. I've never had anything like it, the right amount of sweet with their savory dishes. Everything was so good and fresh and delicious. I'll be dreaming about this spot until I return!

Great customer service and outdoor seating here. When it comes to food wise, I have to be honest, I…read morehave had better Burmese food. The samosa salad was too watery while ginger pork dish was too salty for me. Super start fried rice was not worth the price. Ginger lemon drop was great.... Especially on the hot day

Update! You have to experience Roll & Bowl. I did a rating 2 years ago and the place is now…read moreworthy for the upgraded 5 stars. You know that they menu was small but gave us the ability to try everything non-spicy and WOW so great Service is done by the owner herself and runs in the back to cook the meal! Comes back pretty fast for dine in, but call in for to go and won't be disappointed. If you like quaint places here you go! Now the price! So reasonable! Gotta do a lunch or dinner!

Service was fine! The restaurant is a bit tight but it works and there's some outside seating. I…read moreordered the beef bowl and it didn't really seem that flavorful. Frozen corn and peas with a giant base of rice can't justify a $20 bowl. :/ Kinda bummed but sometimes you swing and miss. I'm sure the desert is good.

Food; Magnificent Service; Superb…read moreAmbiance: Pleasant, indoors and outdoors We are so happy to have found this awesome, well thought out place. We eat here frequently and strongly recommend them to you.

Came here for a friend's birthday party. They have a nice outdoor patio which overlooks the river…read morebut the view isn't that great (yet). I wish they had some heat lamps as it can get cool at night. The staff were friendly and the decor was nice. The food was decidable mid for NorCal. Might be more what if have expected in the Midwest. The spices weren't that complex and recipes somewhat plain. With some better recipes and more attention paid to the food, this place could kick.

* Tasty and reliable service for all the classic vietnamese dishes…read more** I've grown dependent on their Banh Mi sandwiches and I don't regret it *** The spot smells and feels like a familiar bustling environment **** I'm biased with the location, but I was blessed to be so close to this spot

I haven't been back in over a decade and it's even better than I remember!…read more Value for sure: - one size for pho $22 for the beef combo, generous portions - definitely like a large, XL - turmeric fish bun - don't see this often and it was fresh! Loved the peanuts on the side so I can control how much I want in my dish - fried squid, great starter, piping hot and not over cooked, still very tender and gf! Great service - checked in with us appropriately. I see why it was filled with patrons before noon on a Saturday! Sat at the communal tables in the middle and quite comfortable! They have alfresco seating in the front and the interior of the restaurant seems to have AC - a must in the warmer months. Glad to see them continuing to thrive!!! On my shortlist for sure.