I went to a workout nearby and craved Chinese food. My boyfriend said we came here once and he remembered it being pretty good. I looked at the menu and they do 3 dishes for $28 (bargain). We ended up going in right after my workout class around 7:15 and ordered. We got one yang zhou fried rice, one generals chicken, westlake beef soup, and one eggplant in garlic sauce. The Soup and fried rice were $9.50 each and the rest were $10.95. Our total after tax (9.5%) was $44. They cooked it pretty quick and was super nice about letting us take a seat and offering us tea/water. We just waited there and the food came out so quick. We got back and started eating it immediately. Portion size was huge!! Plenty of eggplant and chicken! Taste fresh, and definitely super yummy! So glad I gave this place a second try since I personally didn't remember it too much. My bf and I loved the Westlake soup (definitely a favorite) and all the dishes we got. My boyfriend thought the eggplant was okay - I agree. Serving size wise, it was amazing but it was missing additional veggies inside (it was all eggplant, which is great if you LOVE eggplant). Fried rice had so much chicken in it. Generals chicken had 4 broccoli - one on each corner of the box. I loved how they lined the boxes with foil so it wouldn't spill /also keep it warm. Definitely a fan here! read more

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NOTE: I will have to mention beforehand that Noodle Shop has been a place I've been coming to for the past four to five years. However for the sake of this review, I will try to put my bias aside and showcase the food as objectively as possible. This particular experience took place on a Saturday night. Looking to order some food in the San Mateo, one of the first places to come to my mind was Noodle Shop. I decided to call them up and order a Homestyle Tofu that is part of their "Three-Item Special" menu. At the time of writing this, the special is three items on the special menu for around 32 dollars. Because of this, the individual tofu dish came out to be around 11 dollars. When I got to the restaurant to pick up food, I noticed that there was a line of people going out the door. I thought that perhaps the restaurant might be full inside with hungry diners, but I couldn't be more wrong. Noodle Shop at the moment is currently open for takeout only! Despite this status of the restaurant, the fact there was a line for food around post-dinner is pretty impressive. Upon entering inside, the staff were very kind and had smiles on their faces when greeting guests. Great service. Upon opening the box, the first thing I did was check the portion ratio. There seemed to be around 7 to 8 pieces of tofu inside with side portions of celery, carrots, and Asian wood ear mushrooms. For the 11 dollar price tag, the quantity was a good value compared to other Chinese restaurants in the area. Even if you were to add a few dollars more, it would still be just as competitive on a portion for price level. Now for the tastes of the food. First, the sauce that all the ingredients are covered in is one of the highlights of the dish! It is a balance of light sweetness that doesn't overpower, savory which gave the flavor depth, and a hint of red pepper to give a minor kick. It masterfully identifies different components of the dish and gives each individual ingredient a unique taste. Note that this dish is a spicy one, and I'd give it a 3 or 4/10 on the spiciness meter. Next, the celery tasted stir-fried and was pretty crunchy compared to the rest of the items in the mix. The carrots tasted sweet and pretty fresh but with a hint of crunch as well. The wooden ears were moist and lightly gelatin-like. Mixed with the sauce, the wooden ears gave a me a unique experience that would be very hard to describe. But they were delicious. And finally, the tofu is obviously the main reason this dish is a hit. The pieces of tofu are lightly coated on the outside with a golden brown color. When eaten fresh, the coating is crisp, but doesn't undermine the softness of the tofu. And finally, the flavor of the tofu is unlike anything else I've eaten as well. I would have guessed the tofu would be flavorless as the majority of tofu dishes are. But this tofu had a pleasant surprise in store. There was a hint of very light savory-flavor that felt refreshing on the taste palette, and was surprisingly very filling. I would compare it to the feeling of eating light eggs and tofu at the same time. Though it is just tofu, I found it even better to eat that many of the meat items on Noodle Shop's menu. Even though the dish isn't very cohesive, it doesn't seem like it is supposed to be. After all, not many people would enjoy eating a dish full of all soft and soggy items. Overall, Noodle Shop is getting a 5-star rating. The staff were warm and welcoming to each customer that came to pick up food at their restaurant. The price to portion ratio is a steal in the Hillsdale area, while the flavors for a dish considered vegetarian surpassed many of the meat dishes. I would definitely be returning to continue reviewing more food from this restaurant. The Hillsdale area has always been known for having a great selection of Chinese restaurants in the middle of the Peninsula. I would be inclined to call Noodle Shop one of the best in the area. read more

Noodle Shop - Homestyle Tofu - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE come to this restaurant!! It's so underrated and they haven't been receiving enough business. My family and I have been coming to this restaurant for over 5 years. I can't believe it's taken me this long to write a review but, this restaurant is so underrated and DESERVES recognition from the community. This restaurant is family run and all the people working are lovely. They always come to help you whether you need help ordering or if you just need more napkins. Additionally, the food portions are amazing for the price. And of course the food tastes amazing. If you don't know where to go for dinner or lunch please give this place a chance and support your local businesses. read more

my bf and i randomly decided to try take-out from this place and omg we looooved it! we placed our order through the phone and picked it up within 15 min. there was a good amount of people eating there so it seems like a spot that's been around for a while :) we'll definitely be back to try more dishes because their menu is pretty big! - fresh chili paste with fish fillet omg i really liked this dish! i usually find fish fillet dishes to be a bit too oily, but this isn't at all! the sauce is super flavorful but lighter than i expected, which i really liked! not too spicy or anything either! I LUV - beef chow fun this was delicious! the portion size was pretty big and the flavors were spot on! i usually get beef chow fun as a benchmark at chinese spots, and this is probably my fave in the area!! - fyi you can order online as well, they have an online site/ordering system! their prices are also super fair in my opinion for the portion size which i really appreciate! also their interior is painted completely yellow which i thought was kind of cute in a funny way LOL read more

Delicious take out. Nice and quick service and the food was good for a quick dinner. Maybe would come Back to the dining room next time. read more

Not sure how I haven't left a review until now, been coming here for about 10 years. This is my favorite Chinese restaurant. Haven't had a dish I haven't liked or loved. I turned my sister and her family on to them and they're fans now. A friend recently asked me who I suggest for Chinese. Obviously I said Noodle Shop. He got some takeout and really liked it. His one complaint, it's "expensive". Then he said you get a lot of food for the money and admitted he can easily get 4 meals out of one dish. So, he confirmed the food is great and a good/great value. Now he's a regular. The only thing I don't like, they close for a 2-3 week vacation each year, around spring I think. Those tend to be the worst 2-3 weeks of my year since I usually get takeout from them once twice per week. . But, I see how hard they work. They deserve the break. I'll be crushed if they retire or close in my lifetime. read more

We found out there are old school ways to prep food- air dried carrots ! Get your taste of Bay Area Natural Elements. I'm sure they've been doing this for years when the weather calls for it. #saveenergy #dustoftheBay #naturalelements read more

Noodle Shop - Ever wonder why your food is so yummy, their special ingredient is air-dried carrots from the Noodle Shop!! Enjoy! - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place is pretty good but the flavors and preparation are always inconsistent. When it's good it's good. I've been here twice already trying new foods and it's always fresh. There isn't any wait time here maybe because I come at the right time. The place is big enough for groups and the menu can fit anyone's cravings. If you want something spicy then don't hesitate to ask them. read more

Noodle Shop - Spicy chicken - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

We love this restaurant very much! It honestly is the best Hunan restaurant we have ate at. We ate there very often and staff are always nice, and prices are reasonable too. During the pandemic, the prices were still similar and food was still very good. We now togo there, and it always is a pleasing experience. read more

Noodle Shop - Menu for Togo - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

The Noodle Shop has been our family's favorite Hunan restaurant in San Mate for a couple of years. Most of their dishes are really authentic with reasonable price and the average spending per person is about $20-25. We would recommend to order their salt egg with pumpkin, twice cooked pork, Hunan pickled veggie fish fillet casserole and Hunan special combination chow menu. Some dishes are really spicy but they could customize if customers request. The chef also serves fruit or dessert after meal. read more

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Noodle shop is a San Mateo institution. We come here at least once a month. It's especially great for takeout when you're hosting a bunch of friends. This is some of the tastiest, best value Chinese food that we've tried in the Peninsula. Even though this place is called Noodle Shop, most of my favorite items are NOT their noodle dishes. I recommend their twice-cooked pork, spicy fried fish filet, shredded pork, walnut prawns, spicy cold jelly, and sweet-and-sour fish. Portions are huge for the price. I'm sure there's more delicious dishes but their menu is massive - so I'll have to update this review when I've tried it all. read more

3.5 STARS First-timers! Not bad My bf is a very big fan of spicy pig ears and beef stomach and tripe so when we moved to San Mateo, we were pretty bummed we won't be near our usual spot for those. After some looking, we stumbled upon Noodle Shop and we decided to give it a try. Ordered: - Spicy Pig ears and beef stomach/tripe: my bf LOVEDD it. came a very generous portion and spicy as advertised. - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup: not spicy whatsoever. bleh. but portion was perfect to share amongst two. lots of noodles and beef stew pieces but kinda just bland - Pork XLB: came colddd. perhaps pre-made and sitting out for some time?.. some of the XLB was popped so the juices were spilled out. Overall, not bad. Even with the cons, we really enjoyed the items we got. Flavors were there and tasty Celt the noodle soup. Satisfied out craving and we were super stuffed. read more

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My missus was having her lashes done across the street and it took longer than usual. I was so hungry I could eat a coconut tree. Looking around, I saw Noodle Shop right across the street and like a magnet, I was pulled in. Because of Covid, the windows are draped shut and the place does not look open. But they are. Chairs were pushed aside and like a typical covid setting, there's only an ordering table and a few menus to look from. I know what I wanted right from the start. Noodles. I saw that they have an array of noodle dishes, and of course, I just got to order their Dan Dan noodles and some pork ears for the missus. Their Dan Dan noodles was really yummy, and from what I can tell, they definitely make their own noodles. The sauce was poured super generously that it looks like spaghetti bolognese (check out my photos). Missus said that she really loves the pork ears too. Definitely felt super homey after. read more

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The wife suggested brunch at Noodle Shop in San Mateo before dropping me off at SFO. From the outside, it definitely looks like a hole-in-the-wall place, but make no mistake - it passes all three restaurant tests (fast, cheap, and good) with flying colors. 5 stars! The Good: Highly recommend the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. Easily feeds two with thick, really chewy round noodles and lots of juicy and tender braised beef chunks. They added a bit of spinach for some carbs and had a really pleasant, moderately-spicy broth (5 stars). Spicy Seafood Noodles were also good, though much lighter with a few pieces of shrimp and pencil eraser-sized scallops (4 stars). Spicy chicken wings had good crispiness, mala (mouth tingly) flavors, and balance of salty and spicy. It was slightly oily though. The wife claimed the best spicy wings are at Oakland's Spices 3. The Fast: I could swear the food cake out within 5 minutes of ordering! The Cheap: Two ginormous noodle bowls, a good-sized appetizer, and leftovers for one for $45 including tax and tip. read more

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Small little shop on east 25st street and they expanded! Never knew there was something like this until Little Shainghai (down a few street) was closed for vacation. So far I have tried their beef noodle soup and da Lu noodle soup. I do prefer the noodles to be thinner then what they serve. However, the type of noodles they got here won't stop me from coming back to order more. If you normally can't finish a meal elsewhere and have leftovers all the time, expect to have leftovers here because portions are huge! I got two full meals from one dish. The dumplings were okay, there are different places I can go to for dumplings. However, I will try the green onion pancake again because I went when I was under the weather and can't tell if I liked it or not. read more

Noodle Shop - Green onion pancake - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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For a place called noodle shop I don't actually frequent much of the noodle dishes from this place but if I am ever craving for some thick chewy noodle, this is definitely the spot; the upside being that the portion sizes for the noodle dishes are also humongous for the price. What I usually get from here though that tends to stick out more are their tofu dishes and the spice level. The sauce they use isn't overly sweet nor salty but always has the right amount of spice with it. My current favorites would have to be the sautéed beef with spicy tofu and the dry chili fish fillet. Every time I've had a meal from here it's always been through doordash so I can't say much when it comes to the dining experience but what I can say is that I appreciate that they separate the tofu from the meat so it's not just a mush by the time you get it. The fish fillet is very lightly battered and have LOTS of chili flakes but it's not overly salty like most of the others nearby TLDR: Good thick and chewy noodles Perfectly seasoned tofu dishes with a mild spicy kick Seafood that aren't drowning in salt read more

We didn't really have high hopes for this place as we were the only Asians eating there at lunch... but we left pretty impressed and satisfied. We saw pics and wanted that spicy beef stew with noodles. The noodles look pretty homemade. We ordered not knowing it's a huge portion cause we also ordered the chicken and veggie (pickled) soup and an order of Xao Long Bao. Everything was surprisingly good and we had leftovers. The same night we ate it, it was delicious bc the flavors soaked into the noodles! My friend who's Chinese said it was good, and that's a really good compliment since he's super picky on Chinese food. read more

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Back for indoor dining! Glad to see that the Noodle Shop is now allowing dining on site. Went there on September 1st and had a great lunch. They request reservations for the indoor dining but we were only 1 of 2 tables occupied. Service was nice and attentive. Portions of dishes were very good, tasty and well presented. We got their $33 take out special as well to go at the end. Pork with Garlic Sauce was great as usual. The Braised Beef Stew was one of the best looking dishes I have seen here or anywhere. Haven't been able to get the Spicy Beef Stew Noodle Soup in house since the start of the pandemic. Glad to enjoy it there! read more

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This was a great change of pace from our normal chinese restaurant. They do a 3 dish meal deal. Everything was piping hot, food was prepared quickly, and packaged with care. They even provided complimentary red bean dessert and fortune cookies, which was a pleasant surprise. read more

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No frills, casual dining for a quick bite - we ordered house chow mein & pork dumplings. We found the portions rather average, small but good flavor. Easy street parking. read more

The food here was definitely good. I thoroughly enjoyed the food here. There was a small issue when we ordered our baos and bottom was a bit burnt. We sent it back and we could smell something burning, the wait staff came back and said just super busy and not paying attention so burned again haha. They were close to closing so they definitely were not THAT busy. They gave us extra pig ear to take home and removed the baos from the bill. The food was made quite fast and was good. I would definitely go back just to try other food. The only thing that wasn't all that great was the service after we got the food. I usually like having at least someone come around and check drinks and make sure that I have tea all the time. When I eat I tend to like to drink as well, especially Asian food to cut the oil. Pictures posted of items and menu. read more

We had carryout twice in the last week. It was our first time for this place, which has been on 25th Ave for about 15 years. We missed out on a good place. First thing is the prices which seem to be cheaper than many of the other places around. Entrees approx. $13.95. First time we got Mongolian Beef and Moo Shu Pork. Both good I would give this time 4 stars, but the food was good and the leftovers were so good we went back less than a week later. We had potstickers and mongolian beef again. The potstickers were bigger than anyplace else. I thought the potsticker sauce was different, but it was ok and the potstickers were good. The Mongolian beef the second time was really great and bumped the rating up to 5 stars, The quantity of the dish was really nice, with plenty of beef. The second visit was awesome. Good prices, good quantity and good taste. I would recommend this place and we will be back. A friend told me the beef chow fun was really good so we went back and had that plus hunan tofu. The beef chow fun is excellent and the tofu is good also. The tofu itself is really good with lots of leeks, which I am not really used to. But the beef chow fun is especially good. A great find, right in the neighborhood. We have only done carryout. read more

Super solid noodle soups that really hit the spot when I'm feeling under the weather or when it's cold outside. You can tell the noodles are made in house and I feel like they have the perfect chewiness to them! Workers have been friendly every time I've stopped by, though I haven't dined inside in a long time. read more

You enter to an empty room, then they direct you to the next room with table and seats! Food and service were good, no ambiance! For sure we will go back. read more

They're open for quarantine take out!! I had this place saved for a while and finally was able to try this place. Inside is unassuming and is a simple restaurant. We came here a little before the shelter in place was implemented. We ordered the pork with preserved cabbage noodle soup, shanghai soup dumplings, chicken with string beans, and napa cabbage pork dumplings. The noodle soup was amazing. It tasted really authentic and wasn't too salty. The dumplings went really well with the soup and glad we ordered the soup noodles. The soup dumplings were also really good. At first, we were honestly skeptical since the place was empty at 12 pm. Soon after we sat down, the place started to fill quickly. Once we left, the place was almost full. We have also ordered to-go here during quarantine. Support your local businesses! read more

My new favorite neighborhood chinese. Great jien bao sets it apart from almost all the others, also boiled fish with numbing spice, chicken chow mein, pea sprouts with garlic, and spicy beef tendon rounds out our favorite order which has become our standard order. Thee food is really great and the prices are reasonable enough for this to be a regular spot. read more

3.5 stars rounding up Tried this during covid-19 (ha, take out only though) it's away from all the downtown San Mateo traffic but along the lines of a busy neighborhood street strip I enjoyed: pan fried pork buns napa cabbage dumplings beef chow mein (well, bf enjoyed haha) shrimp and leek dumpling Would skip for next time: XLB - Shanghai steam pork dumpling $44 total with tax Will be back soon! read more

Great portion sizes, great variety, reasonable prices, quick service. The location has easy parking for pick-up, and the complimentary orange is a nice touch. The shrimp and green onion dumplings and mu shu pork were especially good. read more

3 for $32.50 (at the time of writing), probably the best deal in this town or any town even close by here. I got salt and pepper pork, Hunan chicken and fish filet with vegetables. Portions were large, tasty and lasted several meals. I'll definitely come back here again to try some of their other dishes when I'm in town. read more

The food here is pretty good overall and a great value. The staff is friendly. It is good for noodles and for comfort food. My only criticism is that the green onion pancakes are not very flaky, but other than that everything else is pretty tasty. We always order the fried rice cake dish with vegetables and pork, they make that very well. read more

Great food great price large portions very fast People who work there are kind and hard working read more

Quick service. Hot and tasty dishes. Everyone is very friendly. I truly enjoyed every dish we ordered Chicken and green beans Preserved vegetable and pork noodle soup Garlic snow pea greens Salted pork and preserve vegetable fried rice Spicy beef over tofu If I came back, I might order the exact same dishes. read more

Noodle Shop - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This place hit the spot for some greasy Chinese food, which I feel like was good comfort food for a cold night. We got the beef chow fun which was solid and also the spicy fish filet, which was really good. The fish was really tender and I loved the chili sauce although it was really gluttonous. It went well with a bowl of white rice. Overall, this was a good place for Chinese food and the prices are affordable as well. read more

Noodle Shop - Spicy fish fillet - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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A family owned Taiwanese restaurant. Good choice of veggie dishes. The 3 dish special is my go to when I need my fix. Worth the trip! read more

Got take out here and enjoyed the feast. The amount they give per dish is very good compared to some of the other Chinese restaurants in the area. You can see this in the photo section too. Take out was nicely packed. Owner had great attitude on the phone and when I went to pick up said food. Would go back when we want to enjoy take out Chinese for sure. read more

Was amazing, fresh and incredibly tasty! We had never eaten here before and decided to give it a try. We will definitely be back.

It was a hot 100F summer day and we decided to battle the heat with extra heat. Thank God the restaurant had the AC on full blast, but still I was sweating like crazy from all those chilies and peppercorns. The four of us ordered the dry chili fish filet, dry chili chicken wings, twice cooked pork belly, and garlic snow peas. Everything came out very fast, which was good because we were super hungry. All the dishes were delicious, especially the snow peas. I usually am not a big fan of veggies but this veggie dish was exceptional, we even finished this plate first. At the end of the meal, they gave us oranges and watermelon slices to cool down and also we asked for hot red bean soup for the dessert. Everything was all and well! read more

Noodle Shop - Twice cooked pork belly - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was my first time visiting. When I arrived I saw their kitchen was very busy. A Good sign. They offer take out right now. I was craving Dan Dan noodles. I also had Mongolian beef and salt and pepper fish. All my dishes were very tasty. I would definitely visit again. read more

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Love this place! Great Chinese food, efficient service, reasonable prices and good portions. Great for sharing dishes family style. Consistently tasty. Many choices and options for either spicy or non spicy. Our favorites - pork and preserved vegetable noodle soup, Dry sauté green beans, cumin lamb, eggplant, any noodle soup, green onion pancakes. Many other delicious dishes. read more

Noodle Shop - Won Ton noodle soup. - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

My boyfriend and I love this place! We tend to get the same 3-5 dishes: sauteed spicy fish fillet with tofu, garlic snow peas, yang chow fried rice, scallion pancakes, and sizzling rice soup. The portions are quite large, especially given the reasonable prices. The food is delicious and comes out quickly. I can't get enough of the garlic snow peas; we order them every single time, as well as the spicy fish fillet with tofu. While the place can get busy, we haven't yet had to wait for a seat. The staff are very nice too! I'll be devastated if this place were ever to close! read more

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