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    Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle

    4.3 (58 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Noodles
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle Takeout or Delivery

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    LI‘S KNIFE CUT NOODLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle

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    Tables have QR code for quick and easy ordering
    Cynthia T.

    Finally another hand pulled noodle place in the East Bay! This Berkeley location is the restaurant's second location, with the first one being in San Mateo. Li's is known for their knife cut noodles AND unlimited refills on soup and dry noodle orders, say less!! I was very excited to try the food at this location to see how it stacked up against their San Mateo location. Located half a block from UC Berkeley's campus, parking can be tricky. Allow extra time for parking and with it being so close to campus, expect longs lines as well! Got to the restaurant at 4:45 and was the second group in line behind a party of 6. Literally a minute after, 10 additional people got in line. If you're not in the first wave of seating, you'll be waiting 30+ min for the second wave. The whole time I was seated, there was a line out the door. After I left, still a line. Walked around for an hour, passed by the restaurant, and there was still a line out the door! [+1 star] opened earlier than planned! Hours are 11:30am-3pm and then 5-9pm. They opened doors at 4:50pm! Not sure if this is a regular thing with this location, but the San Mateo location never opened doors early. [+1 star] well designed space. The restaurant space is really narrow but the tables are spaced out enough to not feel too close to the table next to you. With that being said, the table only has 3 sets of tables for 4 (two sets in the front and one in the back). The remainder of tables is set up for 2 people. If you're a group of 6 or bigger, my guess is that you'll prob be sitting in the back as that seemed to be the only table of 4 that had enough space to maneuver and add an extra table without being in the way of staff. [+1 star] easy ordering and fast service. Tables are equipped with QR codes to easily order your food. But staff is still readily available if you have any questions. Food came out within 5 min of ordering and the soup was HOT! [+1 star] big portions and flavorful food. I ordered the E.01 which is their most popular (braised beef noodle soup). I paid an extra $3.99 for extra bok choy and $2.99 for marinated egg - portions did not disappoint. Like the San Mateo location, they did not skimp on the noodle portion. I didn't even get a chance to get the free noodle refill because I was so full from the regular portion already! Beef was cooked well also. [-1 star] noodles were not al dente. With the noodles being what they're known for, my noodles in my soup were quite soft and not al dente. I thought it was because the noodles were sitting in the hot broth which contributed to the texture. I asked to try my partner's food because he had ordered the dan dan noodles. It was the same soft texture! So that was disappointing and not like their San Mateo location. I was hoping I wouldn't be that full so that I could order the free noodle refills to see if they were also overcooked, but alas that was a no go. I'll be back to give it another try!

    Stir fried pork with wood ear knife cut noodles
    Cynthia C.

    Enjoyed our DD delivery from here: - generous portions - still hot - pig ears, really good, fresh scallions and cilantro, would definitely double order this - chewy noodles, maybe a whee thick? - enjoyed the garlicky sauce and the variety of veg on the noodles, pork was okay - spicy duck necks, quite a punch and very star anise flavor forward Satisfying and great to share!

    Beef knife cut noodles and green beans
    Erica E.

    Meat and broth were good, but the noodles were bomb. I love a good knife cut, and the texture was so bouncy! Also had the green beans, which were a nice veggie, but wish they were crunchier. The interior is pretty small, but good food!

    Braised beef noodle soup
    Jennifer L.

    Such a good little spot for a comforting bowl of noodles! The noodles came out so hot and steaming! It came out right after we ordered. I ordered the beef noodle soup with round noodles and there was so much noodles, it felt endless. We also got the cucumber salad. Super garlicky and umami. Paired really well with the soup. The soup for me was just a tad bit salty but we went towards the end so maybe that altered it. Definitely would come back to try other items on the menu!

    hot chili oil noodle
    Monica T.

    Really yummy noodles! I love that the hot chili oil noodles came with a lot of garlic. The noodles were cooked perfectly and I thought the thickness was perfect too. The portion is large. The dumplings were OK. I have had better. I got the Gen Z stare from the server but he gave us everything we asked for and thanked us when we were getting up to leave. I do wish there were small sauce plates and spoons more easily accessible.

    Cucumber
    Veronica L.

    Loved the beef noodles. Broth was really savory and the veggies were fresh too. Beef was not super fatty. Cucumber was garlicky and the portion is generous for $10. Tomato noodles are a bit sweet but the egg was tasty. Dumplings were pretty good but green chive is not a favorite of the kids. Nice servers and the service was good. Weird humming noise in the back of the restaurant the management should check out.

    Hand scroll: "hao tang, Hao mein": "good soup, good noodles"
    Victor G.

    Li's Knife Cut Noodle opened its 2nd location where Mr. Cupbop once was. Decor slightly changed to vanilla walls with Chinese letter scrolls, new lantern overhead lamps. Seats more tightly situated. 2 tables outside. Vocal music inaudible. Quickly guided to an empty table, given some water, left alone to order & pay on QR code. Only saw associate when food was brought out. No more after that. Offerings: appetizers, dry/soup noodles, chow mein, fried rice, drinks, desserts, dumplings, dim sum, stirred fried. Free refills of noods for dry & soup noodles only. Sign on window. Didn't see on QR code. Eats: lamb (bone-in) noodle soup (15.99) knife-cut -rich broth very savory. Many small lamb cubes moist, tender, lacked juiciness as flava went into soup. Lotsa large pieces knife-cut noodles lacked Al dente firmness. -soup also had gai lan veggie, cucumbers, cilantro, green onions, various spices. Tried chili oil, slightly spicy, not mala. -soup bowl colorful, had many Chinese words & phrases: i.e. prosperity, good fortune, good health. 4 stars: Semi-worthy:YMMV Quantity: reasonable for noodles. Unlimited noodle refills for soups. Quality: good, fresh ingredients used. Food made to order. Noodles cut by machine not hand cut.

    Dan dan noodles (pork)
    Stephanie A.

    Found this spot on DoorDash and decided to give it a try. We ordered the spicy pork and napa cabbage dumplings, cucumber salad, crispy lotus root salad, and pork dan dan noodles. Everything arrived fresh and delicious, and the noodles even tasted great the next day. Highly recommend!

    Braised beef noodle $15.99 with flat noodles
    Lizzie S.

    No-frills, but delicious. Yelp said it opened at 11:30am, but when we walked in at 11:29am, there were already people seated. It got very loud and busy on a Thursday lunch break! You order via kiosk at the front or QR codes at your table. The water had lemon which was very nice. My mom and I shared - Braised beef noodle $15.99 with flat noodles - Lamb dumplings with carrot $13.99 Portions were large! We were pleased with both the value and the quality. We both love braised beef noodle soup, and this was one of the better ones we've had. I think it was the beef--the beef flavor was more tender and juicier than other ones we've had in the Bay Area (SF in particular.) The noodles were chewy and had great consistency, soaking up the yummy soup that was spicy but not overwhelming or numbing. I did think there could've been more soup? I feel like we ended up with quite a bit more meat and veggies than soup at the end. The lamb and carrot dumplings tasted gamey, but were soupy and unique--I feel like you don't see many lamb and carrot dumplings around? Service meant well, and they were very busy, but seemed to be forgetful when we asked for an extra bowl and spoon to share. Would come back!

    Hamburger and lamb skewers
    Melissa L.

    Came here for lunch on a Friday with two other friends. Restaurant was busy but was seated right away. You order with the QR code on the table. We all got our own things and shared the green onion pancake beef roll. I got the pork, shrimp and chive dumpling with popcorn chicken. Dumplings were no thrills but good and solid. Popcorn chicken was OK. I felt like it needed more seasoning and could be a little bit more crispy, but was tender on the inside. My friend, let me have a couple bites of his lamb skewer and that was really good. Perfect cook. nice and tender with good season. The pancake beef roll was really good. Well balanced and appreciated The crunch and freshness from the cucumber and green onions. My other friend got the noodle soup and he was really happy that it came with free noodle refills. Price was reasonable considering it's Downtown Berkeley. Overall 4.5/5

    Outside of the shop
    Goku U.

    I walked down the street and saw a new grand opening sign for Li's knife cut noodles and decided to get some takeout since I had already eaten. The shop was busy with Berkeley students eating in and ordering Togo. There's a Togo kiosk at the front with photos uploaded of some of the dishes. I ended up ordering the green beans, salt and pepper tofu, and the chili oil noodles. I was quoted 10-15 mins and the order was ready in 15 mins. To my surprise the chili oil noodles had a ton of raw garlic on the dish, I ended up scooping it out and would have preferred more chili oil instead. Luckily I had asked for some chili sauce to go so I was able to use that to replace the raw garlic. The chili flavor wasn't as strong as some other places in the bay area. The salt and pepper tofu barely had any salt or pepper and were a little disappointing. The green beans were also ok and not spicy like the menu suggested. Overall this place is pretty well priced and affordable for Berkeley students. Portion size was decent, there's a sign on the front that says free noodle refill - but not sure how well that's honored if you're eating in. Flavors were a bit lacking though and could be better.

    Beef noodle soup
    Alex Z.

    This spot is easily one of the best restaurants in Berkeley and a must-try if you're interested in experiencing classic hand-made noodles. The noodle bowls are huge, featuring a rich, buttery broth and meat pieces that melt in your mouth. Perfectly braised, it's paired with chewy hand-pulled noodles that soak up the soup. For only about $15 and a free noodle refill, this is an absolutely steal for the quality and quantity that you're getting. For appetizers, make sure to try the pig ears in chili sauce and the beef pancakes, featuring tender beef wrapped in a fresh scallion pancake and oyster sauce. These dishes taste like something you would find in China, absolutely top tier quality. With fast service, delicious food, fantastic portions for what you pay, this by far one of the best spots to eat not only in Berkeley but in the entire East Bay.

    Jasmine L.

    Simple fare, but good. Prices are good for the portion size and the area. You order through QR code. We tried the pig ears, knife cut noodles (dandan), chili oil wontons, and pork chive shrimp dumplings. Everything was fresh and delicious. You can also see the aunties making the dumplings fresh in the window as well. And they have a massive noodle cutter you can see as well where they're knife-cutting the noodles. Pig ears were surprisingly my favorite, very flavorful, chili oil forward with plenty of scallions. Good portion since it was $11.99. The chili wontons were just okay, wouldn't recommend. The dumplings were nice and QQ, plump and nicely filled. Would recommend. I liked the knife cut noodles as well - very QQ. The flavoring as well was quite good - a lot of peanuts, sesame paste, chili oil, pork, etc. I would've liked a more garlic forward flavor, didn't taste any garlic whatsoever. I didn't get any drinks this time, but it seems like they have housemade soy milk? And other soft drinks/chinese soft drinks in the deli case. Overall, it's all pretty good. Solid fare, quick service, homey vibe. Would be back!

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    Ask the Community - Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle

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    Noodle Dynasty opened 3 years ago where Thai Noodle 2 was. Infrastructure, seating similar with a…read moreslight change of decorations. They opened 15 minutes early on Mother's Day. Inside seating only. Waited to be seated per notice. Given a tablet to order on. I didn't know how to turn it on. Associate did so. Staff spoke Mandarin, Cantonese & English. Ordered on tablet, paid. Got water soon without a cup. It arrived minutes later. Soup came within 10 minutes. After soup came, no check-ins. Offerings (Chinese): appetizers, lo mein, noodle soup, specialty stir fries, soup, stir fries... Slurps: lamb noodle soup in 8-hour broth (16.99) - boiling hot broth had savory unami. - overcooked, slightly mushy thin noodles mixed with boiled radish slices, sesame seeds, cilantro, green onions. No veggies Semi-tasty lamb slices. -pretty good. Not wowed. Many new Chinese noodle shops have opened in Berkeley in the past year. 4 ish stars. Service: wham bam! Thank U ma'am/man. None after bringing entree. Quality: reasonable. Quantity: ingredients skimpy. May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

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    I came here from Marin since I felt it was slightly closer than the San Francisco Stonestown…read morelocation. Man I regret that decision. The location itself is super clean and nice. Street parking which wasn't hard to find is about $4 per hour. I was able to park literally right in front of the restaurant. Came on a Thursday around 2pm. We ordered: 1. Large Nakutama (cold): I've had this dish before a bunch of times and today the broth or meat had an odd taste to it. It almost tasted gamey like they meat was old or something. About 40 mins later I had a pretty bad stomach ache and had to use the restroom. Not sure if it was a coincidence or what. My wife had a small amount and agreed that there was an odd taste but she didn't have any stomach issues after eating it (but she also only had a small bite). 2. Large Shrimp BK: This was alright. The noodles were significantly overcooked and bloated. Not sure how that happened since they looked like they were freshly making it. The shrimp tempura was good though. 3. Tempura Pumpkin, potato Croque, Sweet potato and Crab: Honestly the tempura was the best item on the menu. I really liked the Pumpkin and imitation crab while my wife liked the sweet potato the most. Overall food quality probably 2/5 stars. The only saving grace for this location was the guy running the register who was awesome and super nice and funny. He was running around the restaurant helping out making the dishes and running the register. 5 stars for service. Location is also really nice and clean. Just very disappointed with the food quality.

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    Noodles Fresh - Taiwan Beef

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    The noodles are pretty fresh with no artificial flavors. We enjoyed different types of noodles and…read morerice noodles. All of them are pretty delicious. Recommend!

    Feb 24, 2026 3:00 pm 3.7 stars…read more This place is smart to stay open when New Dumpling takes midday siesta. Always plenty of non metered street parking when I'm in the area for lunch. We are the only customer when we arrived. Very pleasant not overpowering jazz mood music plays. Our server has a very pleasant demeanor. We have Taiwan beef noodle soup. Nice and hot the way it should be. Perfect to my tongue textures of the beef cubes and egg noodles. The beef broth was amazing. At the end of our meal I was full. Too full to the point that I almost cried that I couldn't drink the last gulps but it was too small a portion to warrant taking home. Our Kung Pao chicken? Delicious. Chock full of chicken bites and delicious vegetables. Somehow the plentiful peanuts set my taste buds acraving. Wow wow Pao tasty. The only miss with this was that it was brought to us on a coldish serving plate. A common mistake. We didn't get to try this dish hot. We are now wanting our bill. Seems like long time wanting. To our dismay, our friendly server got herself enmeshed in an on again off again conversation with someone at another table shortly after we arrived. Then she disappeared for a while. We are tempted to guess the bill amount (turns out we guessed wrong by $1), leave cash on the table and walk out. Instead I get up and she appears at the register. Magic. We pay proper like and walk out respectfully. I wouldn't mind coming back.

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    The first thing you notice when you enter the restaurant is that you really get the feeling that…read moreyou're in a garden. And the colorful lighting and the things that they have set around the room to represent Leo is really a wonderful first impression. We were quickly seated at a table that we wanted to be at and menus arrived with water almost immediately. I have to say everyone who worked there that we felt very special coming in there, and everyone greeted us. From the kitchen staff to the table servers it was very pleasant. Lao food is similar, but very different from Thai food so when you go there, but don't be expecting it to be a Thai experience. Enjoy the wonderful flavors of all the herbs and spices that go into making the sauces in the broth. And where Thai focuses on peppers and seasonings that are too hot for some people. The Lao food has very soft and vibrant flavors. We shared our plates. So we ordered the Nam Khao, Thu Lith Saikoo, Laab Gal, sticky rice, blue lemonade, and coconut mango with sweet rice. If I tried to pick a fav ... I couldn't because every bite was lovely. We will return and explore new items. The adventure continues. Ty Lao Garden. Until we return.

    3.5 STARS I'm boring…read moreso where did I get my spice? SE AZN food! It's hard to find a Laotian resto that isn't clumped in with Thai and/or Khmer cuisine so Lao Garden piqued my interest. Walk-in only. But if you have a party of 5+, rezzies are accepted. Back patio is dog-friendly. F O O D * Nam Khao: Crispy Rice w/ fermented pork sausage, peanuts, lettuce, herbs ($25): https://tinyurl.com/yn97yper Many rave reviews on socials saying this is the best nam khao and worth the price. The crunchy, chewy texture was on-point and they were generous with the naem, fermented pork sausage....but it was oddly bland, like they forgot to dress it with the spicy, punchy acidic dressing. * Thu Lith's Famous Saikoo: Steamed tapioca balls w/ ground pork, sweet radishes, shallots ($25): https://tinyurl.com/5n8xnhsz Saikoo is hard to find so this was a must order on our visit. The saikoo had a nice bouncy QQ chew and is filled with a ground pork mixture. Flavor leaned sweet. If you like Viet bánh bột lọc, this will be your jam. * Mok Pa: Steamed catfish w/ lemongrass, green onions, dill, steamed vegetables, jeow mak len ($22): https://tinyurl.com/yxrvnxjb The catfish was flaky and moist but the flavor was one note: earthy. I wished they used more fish sauce and aromatics (i.e. lemongrass and galangal) for citrusy umami. Served with steamed veggies with a traditional Laotian spicy roasted tomato dip that was not spicy at all. * Grilled Rack of Lamb (3 pc-$32): https://tinyurl.com/57hstz93 - Requested medium rare A touch overcooked but the marbled lamb was forgiving, it was still very tender with a great smoky char from the grill. Served with nam jim jaew that felt diluted as it was missing the bold spicy, tangy, salty, and slightly sweet flavors. * Sticky Rice ($8) Aside from the incredibly steep price for a single serving, they brought this with the apps so by the time our entrees arrived, the sticky rice had cooled and hardened. S E R V I C E Friendly and earnest. We had to flag them down for things but understandable since we were the only ones in the patio. We arrived for an early dinner and were the only customers at the time so it was surprising food service was slow with entrees taking 45+ minutes. A M B I A N C E Spacious and vibrant with faux greenery and flower walls. The back patio is partially covered. P A R K I N G They have a private parking lot in back but can easily be missed; take a right after April Rose Provisions. Overall, I had high hopes for Lao Garden but the flavors were far too mild for my personal taste. When I have Laotian food, I want to be punched in the face with funk, citrus/acid, and heat. Off day?

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    Lao Garden - Nam Khao: Crispy Rice w/ fermented pork sausage, peanuts, lettuce, herbs ($25)

    Nam Khao: Crispy Rice w/ fermented pork sausage, peanuts, lettuce, herbs ($25)

    Lao Garden - Grilled Rack of Lamb (3 pc-$32) + Sticky Rice ($8)

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    Grilled Rack of Lamb (3 pc-$32) + Sticky Rice ($8)

    Imm Thai Street Food

    Imm Thai Street Food

    4.1(2.1k reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$

    Soo good! Came on Cal Day and it was a little busy but we were able to join the waitlist outside…read moreand were seated outside in 10 minutes. They also have a restroom for customers. We got the pad thai and pad kee mao with a side of sticky rice. Everything was super tasty and flavorful. I really enjoyed the flat rice noodles. The sticky rice sides came wrapped in foil and were so compact (but delicious)!

    Great food, hit or miss service. Definitely get signed into the Yelp waitlist as Imm Thai is always…read morebustling, even at 3pm on a weekend! -2 stars for service. One of the staff members were so sweet and regularly checked up on everyone, but our main server was incredibly rude. My vegetarian friend wasn't able to eat eggs but the rest of the table could, so we asked kindly if it's possible to just have it put on the side. I understand if they couldn't do it for whatever reason, but we were just met with so much passive aggressiveness for asking. It made the mood very unpleasant. But honestly, I find it strange as most restaurants are pretty understanding of dietary restrictions and can make modifications to cater to their many costumers. I previously had their pad thai for takeout in 2024 and remember being very disappointed. That said, I would give it another try if dined in. RECS: + Pad see ew ($16) was good, one of the better ones I've had + Green curry ($16) was delicious and full of flavor! + Crispy pumpkin ($10) had a light, airy coating of batter and was paired with a tasty sweet and sour sauce

    Photos
    Imm Thai Street Food - Outside eating area

    Outside eating area

    Imm Thai Street Food - Yum Woon Sen

    Yum Woon Sen

    Imm Thai Street Food - Ice cold refreshing

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    Ice cold refreshing

    Li‘s Knife Cut Noodle - chinese - Updated May 2026

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