Having been a repeat customer of the Koreatown location for a while now, it's nice to see Liu's Cafe expanding across LA! The menu is simple and works. With the hype still buzzing around this new location, you may experience varying wait times depending on the time and day of the week you come here (closed on Monday and Tuesday though!) All the staff are great and very attentive to your needs. When a line forms, they generally give you a menu ahead of ordering as to give you time to decide which item you want to indulge on that day, a good gesture and allows a good flow of customers to get in and out as the space is small (counter seating only). The food itself is a no-frills type of Taiwanese/Hong Kong style selection, reminiscent of the flavors from the area. Both the Chiayi Chicken Rice and Braised Pork Belly Rice are my go-to's when coming here, paired with a hot Hong Kong Milk Tea, and the HK Style French Toast as dessert. Come hungry because this place will fill you up and make you order more (trust me, I've done it multiple times here). read more

Liu’s Cafe - Braised Pork Belly Rice Chiayi Chicken Rice Spicy Wontons Hot Hong Kong Milk Tea Hong Kong Style French Toast - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

CALL IN YOUR ORDER or wait time is around 20-30min+ depending on the time of day Why Liu's Cafe? - Craving Taiwanese and Hong Kong food - MICHELIN Guide recommended - Cafe style quality and affordable 4/5 Food - Spicy wontons 3/5 = had better but does the job - Braised pork rice 4/5 = delish - Hong Kong milk tea hot 4/5 = delish - Chiayi chicken rice 4/5 = delish - Kaya jam toast 3/5 = pass nothing special 4/5 Service| Ambience - Looks like mostly all UCLA students work here, but all are friendly and courteous. - Seating is tight but everything is cleaned fast and they walk you to your seat 3.5/5 Parking Street parking or UCLA Parking Structure 32 read more

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My new favorite! Liu's Cafe is probably the best Chinese food I've had in LA proper, and it has such a unique take on some of the classics. I've had Beef Noodle Soup at so many restaurants in LA, but Liu's Cafe does something extra that gives theirs a unique flavor that greatly complements and enhances it over the more traditional ones you'll find at Northern Cafe or even Pine and Crane (which is still one of my all time favorites). When you walk in, you're immediately at the counter, which means the line may sometimes be out the door. The entire restaurant lives up to its "Cafe" name, as the seating is pretty tight, and most of the chairs are bar-level, rather than a lower Dining or Counter level chairs, so keep that in mind if traveling with children or for accessibility needs. The employees were all super, super friendly, and gave their opinions on which dishes they recommended and why. The food came out very quickly for having been a completely busy day. Our milk teas arrived within 5 minutes, then BNS and Wontons, and then our Cold Sesame Noodles with Chicken (get it with chicken, it's so good!) Each one of our dishes could stand alone, and the Cold Sesame Noodle dish is actually something I now find myself craving! The pulled chicken with chili sauce is beyond delicious, and the tea was good enough to come in alone for. I love this place, and now want to check out their K-Town location, too! read more

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Have come back to Liu's Cafe multiple times, especially after the lines have cooled down since the first month of opening, and the food has been consistently good every visit! The portions are, for me, just right, the food is not overly priced, the service is friendly, and the food always comes out pretty quickly. The interior is quite small and it is kind of bar-style so you will be sitting next to someone you don't know likely, but personally I didn't mind. I tried the Beef Noodle Soup and the broth was flavorful and the beef was really tender; I really enjoyed it! It's unfortunately not available on their to-go menu but I also really enjoyed the Braised Pork Belly Rice bowl, which is! The Hong Kong Milk Tea was just okay, and personally felt like it was lacking a little flavor; not sure if it was just the batch or day though. Overall though, pretty solid spot for some Taiwanese classics and will definitely be back to try probably the Spicy Wontons next time! read more

Liu’s Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Yummy Taiwanese spot that brings tasty Asian food to Westwood! I came here on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago, and the line was pretty long, but it moves quickly. The food comes really quickly (before we even had a chance to sit down after ordering). The waitress recommended each person get two dishes, but tbh one is more than enough. I had the sesame cold noodle and braised pork belly rice, and both dishes were a 5/5. They were both flavorful and had great portions. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Braised pork belly rice and sesame cold noodles - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Liu's Cafe is great for a casual meal! The line seemed long when we got there but it moved pretty quickly. We tried the sesame noodles and Chiayi chicken rice and enjoyed both. My favorite was definitely the sesame noodles! The sesame flavor was bold and nutty and the noodle texture was perfect. The Chiayi chicken rice was good, though not a must-try. Drinks were a bit watered down but the food made up for it. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Chill Taiwanese/ Hong Kong fusion cafe with reasonably priced comfort food, if you put the Internet hype aside, it is a great laidback spot that benefits the local community (UCLA students). If you view it as a viral food spot that lives up the hype, it's not transformational. *Better than the Ktown location because of parking, and less line* (we came here on a Saturday late afternoon) ** Mind you seating could be limited since it's bar seating so it may not be the best place to come with a huge party. I think 1-4 people are cool. I personally think it's a great idea for them to open up their 2nd location at Westwood, the cafe offers affordable and yummy options for students around the area. FOOD Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (4.8/5): With the price point you are paying and you're actually eating meat- not synthetic protein. I definitely think this is my #1 recommendation from this place. Taste wise, nothing magnificent but it's a bowl of comfort that is decently sized, and fills you. Seasoning is on point, I serve it with the chili oil on the table. Kaya Toast (4.5/5): Just basic Kaya toast with some coconut flakes, I love how they carry Kaya stuff on their menu. This Southeast Asia flavour deserves to be more known. It tastes custard like, coconuty-aromatic flavour. ^ I wish they have a Hong Kong Style French Toast with the option to add Kaya filling, that would be a game changer! The egg coated crust would compliments the rich custards-like coconuty aromatic. Spicy Wonton (4.3/5): Good to order for sharing. It's standard chili oil wonton, each restaurant has their own version to the sauce. I wouldn't say this is my top spot for it but it scratches off the itch if you're craving for dumplings, also tastes decent. SERVICE Service is friendly and decent, it's a cafe setting where you order at the kiosk. Then you get seated with the number stand placing on your table. They have a self-serve corner, where you get your napkins and utensils. Food didn't take a long time to come, all tastes pretty decent (not magnificent). But I've no complaints. OVERALL Can't find anything to complain here, parking is not as bad as Koreatown location. Also a great affordable laidback food spot around UCLA, I'd definitely see myself coming here as a student for quick lunch or to fill up my tummy during finals week. Now that this spot has been around for a couple years, I'd say if you view this spot as a casual Asian-fusion cafe- you're not getting disappointed. It's affordable, tastes decent, clean ambience, service with no attitude, parking not too hard. "IG viral spot" However, if you're hoping to have a life transformational/ Bib experience. There's not really a lot of creativity in their dishes or nothing magnificent in terms of taste that you would woah, it's comfort food. This spot got IG viral for a second around a year ago, and now that time thinned out the hype, I think I like this place better than before. read more

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Overall Experience: 9.0 / 10 I've gone here a couple of times and they have been very consistent with their food and experience. There usually is a good line out the door as the restaurant isn't too big, but service is fast and people come in and out of the restaurant quickly. The food: I've tried most the items on the menu. My favorite are the sesame cold noodles with chili crisps. I always add it with the chicken and it tastes amazing. The bouncy noodles with the rich nutty creamy satisfies my cravings every time. This is also because I have a personal preference for chili peanut/sesame cold noodles, as my GF thinks its only good. Their braised pork belly rice is extremely flavorful, very rich, umami and very a subtly sweet. The pickled cucumber brings a perfect amount of tang and acid to the dish too. I would say I wish the pork to rice ratio is a little off, as I would like a larger layer of pork on the rice since each bite does not have enough pork/ flavor on it. But what my GF and I did was add the sauce from the spicy wontons into the pork rice bowl and make it a better ratio. I also really enjoyed the wontons, but the filling it a little too mush for me texturally. The flavors are on point, as I love the spicy sauce they use. The wonton wrapper is also an amazing bouncy texture but the filling texture is too many layers of soft for my preference. The dumplings are slightly spicy, not overly but drenched the sauce. The filling is small, and was a little mushy for my preference in texture. The filling was flavorful, but it is mostly masked by the spicy sauce. I have also tried their Hong Kong style French Toast and the Kaya Jam toast which I both really enjoyed. They both remind me of the bread that I make myself, which is fluffy, and soft on the inside, and subtly sweet. The condensed milk and the crispy hong kong french toast works so well, and inspires me to make it myself at home. The Kaya Jam toast is good, but if you are to get toast anyways I would recommend the Hong Kong Style French toast. Overall: I would recommend you to come here and give it a try! Don't let the line intimidate you as it moves pretty fast. read more

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Overall, a really great experience! The food is pretty good across the board. I do wish the 牛肉麵 had a little more content to it, but the noodles themselves were very unique. While it might not be the most authentic take, I really have no complaints about the taste. A quick heads-up if you are visiting: parking was pretty difficult to find, and we had about a 30-minute wait. However, one standout detail I really appreciated at the end of the meal was that their payment system's default tip setting is only 8%, which is incredibly refreshing. Despite the wait and the parking situation, I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Menu - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Yes, everything about this place is amazing. Ok, maybe not the hour-long line on the weekend, but man, is it worth it! So just prepare mentally, bring a book, bring a friend, and prepare for an absolutely delicious meal. I was able to order a hong kong milk tea in line, which was incredible and gave me the energy to keep waiting. The wait gave us plenty of time to decide what we wanted, so we ordered right away, and the food came out super fast. Everything, I mean, everything was delicious. Not one bad bite. Then, fast forward weeks later, I was craving beef noodle soup, didn't have the car, so I ordered delivery and even that was fire!! They know what they are doing! So so happy they're on the Westside now. Already a repeat customer. read more

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Food: - One of the few authentic Taiwanese restaurants in West LA! - Liu Rou Fan: I typically dislike this dish since the meat is usually fatty, but at Liu's cafe, the meat is lean! The dish was small, but had good flavor - Chiayi chicken rice: rare dish to find, the chicken was tender - Spicy wonton: overall good flavor, but not amazing - Hong kong french toast: contains cream in the middle, outside was fried Service: - Parking: Westwood parking is always tough, try to get street parking - There is almost always a wait, but the staff do their best to make the experience as fast and smooth as possible - If you order togo, the wait is shorter - You order at the counter and then get served at the tables read more

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I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, and I'm glad it lived up to the hype! This is as close to classic Taiwanese flavors as you can get on the west side. Obviously, it's not going to be as good as Taiwan, but it's pretty close. I personally think the braised pork belly rice is the closest, then the beef noodle soup, and then the spicy wontons (maybe skip those), but I think everything is worth a try here. Seating is very limited since it's all bar seating, so don't come with large parties. Parking around UCLA can be difficult too, so either find metered street parking or try one of the parking structures near Ralphs and Trader Joe's for minimal rates. read more

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New liu's location right next to ucla! You can't go wrong with ordering because the menu is small and simple. Homey and light Taiwanese staples. What we ordered: *Pandan kaya toast (4/5) - crispy and lightly sweet! *Spicy wontons (4.5/5) - tasty, I do prefer the din tai fung ones specifically for their sauce though *Sesame cold noodles with chicken (5/5) - why haven't I ordered this at the koreatown location?! sooo good, perfectly seasoned/balanced, and the chicken paired well with it *Braised pork rice (4.2/5) - missing some of the umami fatty flavor compared to braised pork rice I've had in Taiwan, but still good There's almost always a line so be prepared to wait, it took 40 mins from arrival to get our food on a Thursday afternoon. Street parking only. read more

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Happy they opened a location in West LA! I visited this spot for lunch around noon on a Friday with some co-workers and our experience was pretty good! This spot was decently crowded and busy when we went. We waited for about 20ish minutes before the 3 of us were able to order and take a seat. The interior is nice, but small. The seating is very Asian style with shared tables that are very close to other patrons. It isn't the most ideal for people who need personal space when dining out. For the food we got: - Hong Kong Milk Tea (Iced): A bit diluted, but not bad. Not too sweet and paired well with the dishes we had. - Beef Noodle Soup: For $13, this was great value and pretty filling. A good amount of noodles and a generous amount of tender beef cheek. The broth was tasty and was even better after adding some scoops of chili oil. - Hong Kong Style French Toast: My favorite here. Crispy exterior and fluffy and custardy interior. I loved the textures, warmth, and sweetness of this toast. Can be a bit heavy on its own, so it was good to share with 2 other people. Overall, this was great and almost as good as the Ktown location. The Ktown location has the bakery items and more space, but this spot wasn't bad, just limited compared to the other location. Also not as great as the HK cafes in the SGV area, but still a great option for West LA that I would recommend. The prices are also great for the area! read more

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I'm so excited that I finally got to visit Liu's café! I've been wanting to go, especially to their KTown location, but I never had the chance because I just didn't want to wait in that long line. I went on a Wednesday around 5 PM, and I walked right in and was able to sit down and grab something immediately!!! The café works by letting you order first and then sit down, which is pretty convenient. Since it was midday and not too busy, I chatted with the cashier, who showed me his favorite menu items and what he thought we should try My friend and I ended up getting oolong tea and lemon tea, since it reminded me of the Chinese-style cafés I've visited in Alhambra, and I wanted to try their lemon tea. I have to say, their lemon tea isn't as sweet as I expected, but it was still really refreshing! I got the chaiyi chicken bowl, and it was really yummy. There were these onions on top, and I got to try them too-- butttt I will say it was a full experience with the radish, even though I usually don't like radish, but it was really yummy. I like to think of it as a way to honor the chef and how he planned to eat this dish :3 We also got the pandan Kaya toast, which was really yummy and sweet. I wish it had been drenched a little more with pandan, but it was still really yummy (can you tell i love sweets) What I absolutely LOVEEEDDDDD was the Hong Kong-style French toast. It had custard inside, was perfectly crispy on the outside, and was perfectly sweet. I would definitely go back just for that. I wish I had tried the warm Hong Kong-style milk tea, which comes in a small mug, so I'll be back to try it again. I totally recommend the severe UCLA student because it's really close to Westwood, and why not treat yourself to some yummy food? read more

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Food is always good and filling. Space is limited so you'll end up waiting quite a while for a seat but the food is worth the wait I would say. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was excited that Liu's Cafe came to Westwood so close to UCLA. The line is typically out the door, but you can get lucky every once in a while. The cafe is an interesting fast casual style type of restaurant. You order and pay at the front, then they seat you and bring your food out to you. There's basically only bar seating around the perimeter of the cafe. I highly recommend the milk tea. It's very fragrant and you can taste the tea. The cold peanut noodles were nice on a hot day. I hope to come back again soon! read more

Liu’s Cafe - Cold Peanut Noodles - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Neighborhood go-to for staple cafe food like the classic braised pork rice (although delicious, I wish it came with an egg), cold sesame noodles that was phenomenal, and we also went with the spicy wontons which was an easy 10/10. Do not be scared of the line lol, it actually moves rather quickly! You then order at the counter and then seated. The cafe is small, not uncomfortably small but a homie-vibe kind of small. Definitely recommend! read more

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Liu's is a small cafe with a long, fast moving line. The menu is limited but fear not -- everything is delicious and the prices are phenomenal! Dare I say Liu's is better than Din Tai Fung?! The toast was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I was surprised that there was a custard inside too! I loved it because I'm a big texture person and not a huge fan of things that are super sweet. So if you order the toast expect a lightly sweet dream! The wontons were also *super* flavorful and a fan favorite. The cold noodles were good and on par with other cold noodles in the market. We also had the beef rice and that was also good but not quite as good as the other items we tried. My only negative comments are the space is very small and it's hard to have all your dishes situated in the bar seating comfortably to enjoy your food family style. The meter parking is also horrendously expensive. I think it was about $6 for 2 hours. If you come to Liu's try the toast and wontons! It's the best of the best. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Hong Kong Toast - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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As someone of Taiwanese descent, Liu's cafe has been on my list of restaurants to try, and I'm so glad they finally opened in Westwood! I've tried both their takeout and dine-in, and I highly recommend waiting in line for dining in for larger, freshly made portions and a vintage, diner-style experience that has fast turn over for seating. Overall, their menu specializes in Taiwanese and Hong Kong-inspired dishes, with comfort food options such as braised pork belly rice, beef noodle soup, and wontons. Their dishes have a comforting, homemade-like flavor, but in my opinion, isn't the most authentic/best Taiwanese food I've had (with the exception of the beef noodle soup). Beef noodle soup: very comforting, light broth that reminds me of my mom's homemade beef noodle soup! Portions may look small but they come with a LOT of noodles and thinly sliced, high quality beef steak. Definitely my favorite dish that I've had here! Spicy wontons: not the biggest fan of these - the wontons themselves are fine, with a juicy, flavorful filling and light, delicate wrappers, but the sauce itself is overly savory and sour from the vinegar Cold sesame noodles: love how these came with a yummy peanut and spicy chili oil sauce that paired nicely with the chilled noodles and cucumber, and would recommend adding shredded chicken for another $3 Chiayi chicken rice: I thought this was a bit bland and dry, but it's a nice, simple comfort food dish if you're craving something light on the stomach and palate Hong Kong milk tea: I got this iced and also thought it was a bit bland and diluted with the ice and milk they added read more

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The Vibe: A total transportive experience. The Westwood outpost captures that same intimate, nostalgic feeling as the Koreatown original. Sitting at the counter is the best seat in the house to watch the precision of the kitchen. The Standouts: The Kaya Toast and Sesame Cold Noodles are mandatory. These are comforting, homestyle flavors you simply do not find elsewhere in this part of town. The service is top-tier; they handled a minor order mishap with total grace and removed it from the bill. Elite Tips Known for their "HK diner meets Taiwanese soul food" aesthetic. If the line is daunting, use the takeaway window. They are remarkably fast with to-go orders. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I got the beef soup and the pandan kaya toast. I thought the flavor on the soup was excellent. I personally didn't really like the choice of beef cheeks versus other cuts of beef (a little too fatty for me) and the slices themselves were also a little bland. But, overall, I thought the soup was very good. The pandan toast I thought was great. Perfectly crispy with a little butter and pandan--it all came together to make a really tasty treat! The place is also pretty cute itself (with it's little "diner" feel of sitting around a counter). The service was also good. read more

I did take out for Liu's Cafe. It was super fast for two braised pork rice bowls. Also tasted the same as the ktown location ... gotta love consistency! Just like the ktown location, their take out menu is very limited. However, they currently do not have online ordering and parking is kinda difficult in Westwood. Love this place so much and happy to have this location open! read more

Liu’s Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been wanting to try Liu's Cafe for the longest time, so I'm glad we have a new location right here in Westwood! You might have passed by and seen the long line of people waiting outside, and after trying it out myself, I understand why people are willing to wait to eat here. I arrived around 10:50am to get in line and it was about a 20 minute wait. While in line, we were given menus to look over. Once you get in, you order and pay at the register with the waiter, so you get your food almost immediately after you're seated. We ordered the hong kong milk tea, braised pork belly rice, spicy wontons, sesame cold noodles with chicken, beef noodle soup, and kaya toast with pandan spread. My favorite standout items were the cold noodles and pork belly rice! It reminded me of a warm home cooked meal and every bite was sooo savory. I'm a big fan of the sesame peanut sauce and how it melted in my mouth with the chicken. The hong kong milk tea could be improved though, it tasted too diluted and I felt that it could have been stronger. I love the interior design and service was friendly. I will note that I did find two small strands of hair in my food and the manager graciously offered a refund, so we'll see what happens with that... I would recommend arriving before 11am if you want to get seated quickly and not have to wait too long. read more

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We came here on a Saturday evening. After a 15 min wait, we ordered at the register and were seated. We got the beef noodle soup, pork belly rice, and sesame cold noodle. The food came promptly. The beef noodle soup was our favorite; it had a light and clean taste, with tender pieces of beef, and the noodles were bouncy and chewy. The rice had a generous serving of pork belly, and the rice soaked up the pork belly juices which enhanced the flavor. The pork belly itself was alright, personally I thought it would be juicier and have more pronounced flavor. Overall the dish was OK. The sesame cold noodle had unique and strong flavors. We liked it overall but we started running into flavor fatigue due to the strong taste. I would note that the counter where we ate was slightly short so I had to crouch over the food to eat properly, and I personally did not find this super functional. Overall, it was pretty fine food, but if I were to come back I'd probably try the French toast. read more

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The employees were kind and welcoming. They explained us everything as it was our first time. While busy, we were sat immediately. The food also came very quickly. The beef noodle soup was rich in flavour, yet not heavy. It was perfect. It was our first time eating Kaya toast. They make the Kaya in-house. It was delicious with the egg topping. It wasn't too sweet. Just right. Vibes were good - not too quiet, not too loud. read more

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I came here on a Saturday afternoon with my family. The wait here is horrendous. You have to wait outside in the heat for an hour, there is no shade, seating, or any accommodations to make the wait less unbearable. No one comes out to check on people in line. My brother and I have been wanting to try Liu's for about a year now, and honestly, it's not worth the hype. We ordered everything on their menu. The beef noodle soup was the best, and I liked the beef and rice dish and the wontons. The texture of the shredded chicken was weird and mushy. No one liked the cold noodle chicken dish. The Hong Kong Milk Tea lacked the sweetness and flavor of Hong Kong Milk Tea. The lemon tea also lacked the sweetness of a traditional Ling Cha. My husband really liked the Hong Kong French Toast, but at $14, it's definitely not worth the price. The service was mediocre. Again, the staff did nothing to accommodate the people waiting in line in the heat. The food came out surprisingly fast, though. The space is small, so there aren't a lot of seating options available, and the chairs are not exactly comfortable to sit in. They left the door open, too, so there was no AC while you were dining and the big windows let a lot of sun and heat in while you eat at the counter. It's really a poorly designed space for dining in the LA heat. I was very uncomfortable eating here after waiting in line for an hour. Shockingly, the coolest place in the restaurant was in the bathroom. They have a very limited menu for takeout orders, but told us that they don't offer takeout at all. There isn't a separate line for takeout or a way to order it online so you really have no option but to wait in their line, which in retrospect, they probably have purposefully to create hype about their restaurant because people in LA love lines. *cue eye roll* Parking is also a pain - good luck finding a parking spot. I would not recommend coming here, and I will not be back. read more

Amazing experience dining in here! The menu is small but every dish was very flavorful and delicious. Some highlights were the peanut noodles, the beef noodle soup, and the HK french toast. As someone who has visited Taiwan, some of the flavors, such as from the ChiaYi chicken rice or the beef noodle soup, felt very nostalgic. The HK milk tea (hot) was also one of the best ones I've had and not overly sweet, which is how I prefer it. They really perfected it, and it complemented the meal very nicely. Being that Liu's is a more casual spot, I found that the prices were very reasonable. It can get busy quickly, so I recommend getting there right when it opens or going at a less busy hour. The food comes out quickly, so even if there is a wait, the line moves quickly. Service is also excellent and attentive! read more

Food is identical to the ktown location with less selection but their basic popular dishes are ready to order. Small space so expect a wait but once you get in the food comes out very fast and its self serve aside from the staff bringing out your food. I do like how they give you a table after ordering and you don't need to hunt for one yourself. Everything tastes familiar but not in a bad way. Everything was made well. The dishes are small for sharing and at decent prices (less than $20 per a dish, thankfully). I particularly like the hot milk tea and French toast pairing. The French toast comes out perfect at both location, with a custard filling inside. I wouldn't go out of my way here just to eat rice bowls or beef noodle soup. The soup tasted like light pho and the rice bowls were savory but nothing specular. read more

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Good food and you can't go wrong with anything you order. My favorite dishes were the Hong Kong Style French Toast and Braised Pork Belly Rice. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Braised pork belly rice bowl - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came here for a Friday lunch, had to wait about 30 min to order and get seated. You order at the counter, and they seat you at bar seating. We ordered the Hong Kong milk teas, pork belly rice, spicy wontons, beef noodle soup, and French toast. Everything was delicious! I would order everything again, besides the milk tea (I don't really care for the Hong Kong style). The meat in the beef noodle soup was soo tender! The spicy wontons were very tender. I've been to the Ktown location before and love that they have Asian pastries. This one, maybe since it's soft opening doesn't have any yet. I think I would order to go next time. You can cut the line and order at the counter for take out. read more

Liu’s Cafe - Hong Kong milk teas, pork belly rice, spicy wontons, beef noodle soup, and the toast - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I got to Liu's Cafe Westwood about five minutes before the grand opening. Waited around 40 minutes but had excellent company. The manager came out and talked to us. Everyone was super nice and very efficient. The food was just as amazing as the Ktown location. The Hong Kong French toast was the best thing we ate. Nice and crisp and light and delicious. The custard inside was divine. The sesame cold noodles were delicious. Filling, nutty, and fresh. The wontons in chili oil were standard but classic in a good way! The pineapple buns and green onion scallion cheddar biscuits have been discontinued for now at both locations. Emotional damage. They were also out of milk tea by the time I got to order . I understand but I was sad lol. The architecture is gorgeous. Beautiful seating and bar. Very clean. Seating is limited but I enjoy the bustling cafe environment. I would recommend but please save me a seat. :) read more

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Small menu, small space. Medium-length line, with orders taken at the counter but held until space opens up. Given that there can't be more than twenty seats in this space fit for a boba shop, the wait time can be a little long. The menu is a Taiwanese-HK blend. It's not always true but the execution is there. We thought this a nice place to try; we are of the opinion that this is a nice place for a reprise. The pandan kaya jam toast are half-sandwiches with salted egg yolk grated over. The crisp is good, the butter generous. I don't get much of the egg, but I love kaya. This is closer to a Singapore/Malaysia situation. The milk tea, hot, comes in true-to-life Black and White mugs. HK indeed. The HK french toast, absolutely not true to its origins but actually friendly towards peanut allergies, substitutes custard for peanut butter. I've always wanted to have a proper HK FT (who doesn't like deep-fried sandwiches?), but this is more than an adequate substitute. The brown sugar syrup and the slab of butter on top are decadent. The Maldon is perhaps unnecessary save for its visual effects. We then came to the true test: the braised pork rice. We found it very nice for West LA; the pork is tender, its juices dribbling through the rice, the cucumbers mandolined and quick-pickled. I'd appreciate a hard-boiled egg, but that's by no means necessary, and this makes me trust the other Taiwanese dishes enough to order them next time. read more

I love the simplicity of the menu and process. Before opening hours, there was a line already. At 11am, there was quite a good number of people (roughly 20) in front of us. We got to the front in 15minites with decent seating (bar style seating only). There's one staff for each task. One takes orders and monitors the flow, one cleans up, one does the drinks, one does toast, and each handles specific meals. It was quite coordinated and we were seated right in front of the staff who made drinks. We ordered first then the staff helped us find seating and placed a number placard. We got ourselves bowls, plates, utensils, water cups, and napkins at a station near the entrance. We didn't wait long for the drinks and not long after the food arrived. I had the pork belly rice bowl. It was shredded pork belly on top of rice with pickled cucumbers, the rice was soaked in pork belly juices and sauce. Very good, nice flavor and tastes great mixed (the pickled cucumbers can overpower the dish so keep them separated). I had a taste of spicy wontons which were and their Hong Kong iced milk tea (sweetness cannot be adjusted). The wontons were sweet and salty with a nice spicy aftertaste which was not overpowering. If you want it society they have chili oil and chili sauce at the table. The milk tea was really good, nice bitterness and subtle sweetness. We had lunch here within 45 minutes (arriving at 11 to line up and leaving at 11:45). We had a great time. read more

Came here with some coworkers and this place didn't disappoint! I heard there can be long lines out the door, but we got lucky and came when they barely opened. You order first and the hostess will then seat you at the counters, no tables. We tried almost everything and everything was quite delicious! Food here is like comfort Asian food. The Sesame cold noodle with chili crisp was very good. It had a peanut satay kind of flavor. The Chiayi chicken rice had a very mild, not overly seasoned flavor. Shredded chicken served over rice with some daikon slices. The Beef noodle soup had a very tasty broth with tender beef and Bok Choy veggies. You can't go wrong with either of the Kaya jam toast, either Pandan or coconut, both not overly sweet and kind of nostalgic if you remember this these flavor as a kid. The Spicy wontons were very good with its delicate wonton wrapper and delicious pork filling. Not very spicy also. The wontons were sized well too! The Braised pork belly rice was delicious as well. Great flavor, but more on the leaner side and not too oily. Make sure to add their chili oil condiment to add more flavor! If you want dessert for lunch, then try the Hong Kong style French toast. Great crunch, with custard and brown sugar syrup? Nuff said! Don't share! Haha! Wash it all down with some Iced Hong Kong style milk tea! It has just the right amount of sweetness and not too strong. They have a small area that has self serve water, utensils and napkins. Can't wait to go back. If you're in a rush, they have a take out only menu as well, so call ahead. Service and staff were great! Turnaround time was very quick! The restaurant has a diner feel to it with an open kitchen. Place is kept clean and tidy. Come check this place out if you're in the area. Happy Nom Nom! read more

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I usually don't review places (I just post on Beli), but Liu's has compelled me to do so. Incredibly affordable ($9.50 for a meal), great ambiance, great staff, and of course, delicious food and drink. Big braised pork belly rice fan, and don't sleep on their hong kong milk tea (I recommend getting it hot). The occasional wait is a testament to how good they are. In this economy, in this day and age, a rare find indeed. read more

Liu’s Cafe - inside - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Sesame noodles with chicken and chili oil are sooo good. I ordered an extra one to take out so I wouldn't have to cook tomorrow lol. The Lu rou fan (pork over rice) and chicken chiayi bowl are also delicious and great comfort fast casual eating. The staff is so sweet. They do have a high chair which is standard height for the table height area they have for seating up to 3 (area is also handicap/disabled friendly). The rest of the seating is bar height which is nice and intimate. Food is prepared fast! Great for takeout. No wait during the weekday for me. Def sat next to a celeb eating there today. Big name associated with Crazy Rich Asians!!!! Ofc had to keep my cool. read more

Wow! The line was bonkers! But if you are getting take-out though, you don't have to wait in the line - you can just walk to the front of the line to order at the counter. It seems like they have a fast casual model where you order at the counter and then they seat you when a table becomes available. This seems like a pretty efficient way to keep people moving through, given how popular this is. Not all of their items are on the take-out menu, particularly their famous waffles. Additionally, when I came around 2 PM, they didn't have baked goods. Not sure if they sold out or if they don't have baked goods anymore. Bummer, because I heard so much about that. That said, the cold sesame noodles were delicious! I really appreciate how they package it to prevent the noodles from getting soggy with the sauce separate from the noodles. Noodles are very good and the sauce is so creamy and umami from the sesame, but I would have like more of spice! Overall, I'm excited to try more items, probably on their take-out menu because I'm not sure sure I have the patience to wait in the line that stretches down the block!? read more

Liu’s Cafe - Thoughtful takeout packaging - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

SO GOLD. The beef noodle soup is genuinely heaven sent it's so flavorful I always eat the entire thing in one sitting. Everyone who works there is really nice and will definitely help you out with any questions. Nice and cozy inside with a good amount of seating as well! read more

Liu’s Cafe - Braised beef noodle soup (pour some chili oil on top trust) - Taiwanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Classic staples with simple and satisfying flavor!! Sesame cold noodle w/ chili crisp + hand peeled chicken: filling & refreshing, i think it would be underwhelming to get it without chicken tho. Taiwanese pork belly over rice: also hard to go wrong, more on the saucy/comfort meal side Pandan kaya toast: decent, pandan flavor comes thru Portions aren't too big but these are also on the cheaper side (of westwood) so pricing is pretty fair. There was a line out the door to order but the food itself came out pretty fast. Inside has bar seating, not ideal for big groups but nice for casual lunch! read more