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    Northern Cafe

    4.1 (1k reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Noodles, Soup
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Northern Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Northern Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Northern Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    D1. Juicy Pork Dumplings (XLB)!
    Eunhae H.

    This place has always satiated my cravings for all things Chinese cuisine: from dumplings to classic Chinese dishes like Orange Chicken--they got me covered! I always start with their beef roll. And love ordering their juicy pork dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, and mapo tofu. Even though their speciality is not dim sum, their juicy pork dumplings are one of the best that I've had. I've only ordered through the delivery apps but I'd love to dine in. They have a cute purple and black awning, which gives a warm and friendly vibe. They are located in the same plaza as the Gen Kbbq and 85 Degrees bakery so parking may be difficult but it's nice to know that there's a lot of foot traffic--signifying that there's great eateries in this plaza!

    Chives, pork and shrimp dumplings
    Daniela C.

    I finally tried this place out after seeing so many TikTok videos about it! As soon as we stepped inside the service was amazing. This amazing service followed throughout our entire dinner. We were always asked if we were doing ok or need anything. The food was amazing and felt like homemade food, which I always appreciate from any restaurant! Everything had lots of flavor and tasted fresh. I would definitely return to reorder everything plus more. 10/10 would recommended. At the end of our dinner, the waitress let us know about their new rewards program which we appreciated. We will definitely return!

    beef roll
    Hayley C.

    I really like Northern Cafe for their beef rolls!! Compared to other restaurants, they ALWAYS pack the roll with beef. Many other places just put 90% cilantro and 10% beef which is ridiculous lol. The roll is always tasty and they give you sauce on the side. I can't speak for the restaurant experience itself because each time I have just ordered to-go, but the times I've walked in it seemed kind of dead, maybe it was just the times I've went. It looked pretty nice inside though, at least this location did. Maybe I'll sit down at Northern Cafe soon and try it out.

    Spicy Pork Wonton Dumplings- V good !
    Sushil P.

    Always wanted to try Northern Cafe but didn't get chance earlier. Recently, a friend in my pickleball group recommended this place so I stopped by for a quick lunch. Service was quick and efficient - I didn't have to wait in spite of dropping in during a busy lunch hour. Started off with Spicy Pork Wonton Dumplings which were very good. Also ordered Kung Pao Shrimp & steamed rice on our server's recommendation and it was awesome. Portions were too much for 1 person but good enough for 2 to share. This was a really good one for a quick lunch and I bet I will be back here a lot many times in future !

    Beef roll
    Crystal D.

    This place was on point with all their food. My favorites were the beef roll and pan fried dumplings. That beef roll is so tasty and who can resist the crispness of those dumplings. The fried rice was also very good and not greasy at all. And of course the dumplings were soft and flavorful. The restaurant itself is a good size and perfect for small or bigger parties. It's simple but clean, modern, and open. The service was efficient and it was easy to get someone's attention. I highly recommend trying this place. It's definitely going to be on my dumpling rotation.

    Dumplings
    Sophie D.

    Good for groups , excellent food and service! We went at 11am on a Wednesday and there was no wait. Our server was fantastic and super personable. Everything was good, but the beef roll, green beans, jasmine tea and sesame balls (in that order!) were my absolute favorite. Parking: shares a lot with lots of other great eateries nearby, so can get very busy during peak hours Ambiance: casual Value: great quality for the price. Friend says sue prefers it over din tai fung!!!

    Inside the store
    Lauren S.

    The last time I came here was a few months ago, as this is the closest authentic Chinese food near me. Came here on a Saturday lately and was surprised in a bad way. We ordered my usual braised beef noodle soup , but the soup base has got weaker and bland and there was much less beef cubes. The Dandan noodle was okay, although more peanuts than ground pork. The onion pancake is still tasty. It seems like to be under new chef and old staff? I'll probably not going back.

    Soup dumplings.
    Tina P.

    Food is always good. My brother ordered quite a few dishes. The chicken was delicious as well as the other dishes. Service was great. It can get really crowded from what it appears on Sundays. We go to the Rowland Heights location as we live closer to that location, this seems to have different varieties here. Great place!

    Cold cucumber
    Bry N.

    Yoooooooooooooooo! Whenever I'm not in the mood to deal with the ridiculous waitlist and long lines at Din Tai Fung, this is my go-to spot. It's closer to home, way more affordable, and honestly tastes very similar to what you'd get at DTF anyway--without the headache. Our order is pretty much locked in every time: juicy pork dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), cold cucumber, spicy wontons, dry-fried string beans, and the house special spicy beef noodle soup. The Xiao Long Bao doesn't always have as much soup inside compared to Din Tai Fung, but that happens at a lot of places. They make up for it by serving the dumplings with ginger and sauce on the side--add it to your spoon before biting in and it still hits the spot. The cold cucumber is super refreshing and I feel like they give you a more generous portion here. Spicy wontons are also very comparable--nice kick, great flavor, and always satisfying. As for the spicy beef noodle soup, pro tip: add tendon. I always ask for extra tendon and don't mind paying the difference since it's my favorite--loaded with collagen and makes the soup even richer. Prices are very fair for the quality and portions (hopefully they don't raise them ). Service is consistently friendly, the ambiance is chill and very family-friendly, and overall it's just a reliable spot that never disappoints. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to again and again.

    Spicy wonton.
    Lorna K.

    This location is better than the one in Gardena what I didn't know some of these locations are corporate owned, and others are franchise. Apparently, this one in Cerritos along with the one in Eldon, though and downtown Los Angeles are all corporate owned, which means the consistency of the food will be the same. The ones that are owned by franchise they have their own twist to them and they could be some differences in the quality and the size and the service. I highly recommend this location. The ambience is terrific. Lots of seating lots of parking.

    Spicy shrimp wontons
    Katelyn S.

    Was craving dumplings and noodles and wanted something quick so decided to check this place out for dinner. As soon as we entered the restaurant, my husband and I were seated right away. We ended up ordering pan fried potstickers, spicy shrimp wontons, and dan dan noodles. The pan fried potstickers took about 20 minutes but we got our other dishes to chow down on first. Everything was tasty and superb. Would definitely recommend and comeback!

    Dry-Fried String Bean
    Tyler M.

    Place: Northern Cafe Visit date: October, 2025 Rating: 5/5 What We Ordered: * Dry-Fried String Bean $13.50 -- Well cooked and bursting with flavor, these had a great snappy texture that made them really enjoyable. * Shrimp Fried Rice $12.99 -- A solid, well-executed classic. The rice was cooked nicely and not overly oily, though the flavors were on the lighter side. * Orange Chicken $14.99 -- Possibly my wife's new favorite! The chicken was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a sauce that leaned slightly more sweet than savory. Not spicy at all, just well balanced and delicious. The Experience: We stopped by for lunch on a Sunday, and as expected, parking in the plaza was a bit of a nightmare. Despite the crowd, we were greeted and seated immediately. The restaurant was clean, and while the seating is a bit close together, it didn't feel overly cramped or uncomfortable. Their menu is surprisingly extensive, so we took a few minutes to look it over before ordering. To our surprise, our food arrived in under 10 minutes! The staff were friendly, attentive, and impressively quick--definitely made for a smooth and enjoyable dining experience. Highs: * Very quick service * Quality cooking, great flavors * Large portions Lows: * Parking (Not their fault) * Somewhat tight seating Final Thoughts: This place came highly recommended by friends, and now I completely understand why. The food was flavorful, the service impressively fast, and the portions more than generous. Even though it was just the two of us, the menu and portion sizes make it perfect for family-style dining or sharing dishes with a group. We'll definitely be coming back soon to explore more of their extensive menu--there's clearly a lot more to enjoy here.

    Menu
    Pamela R.

    Pretty solid chinese spot in a busy Cerritos plaza (right next to Gen KBBQ), so parking can be tough on a weekend. Ordered their beef roll, diced chicken with chili, and shrimp chow mein. The chicken was nice and crispy, and the spice definitely gave it tons of flavor. The beef roll had a nice flavor and the pastry itself was flaky. The shrimp chow mein had a thicker sauce which elevated it from other chow meins. Service was also nice and friendly.

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    7 days ago

    The food here is slop and low quality. It used to be good. You might as well go eat at Panda Express and save yourself some money.

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    Northern Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Northern Cafe

    Do they have shrimp fried rice?

    Yes

    Can I make a reservation? Is it necessary on a Saturday night?

    No, you cannot make reservations. If there is a wait when you get there you can just give them your name and they'll call you when there's an available table. The night we went there was no wait so we were seated immediately.

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    Lunasia Dim Sum House

    Lunasia Dim Sum House

    3.6(1.3k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Second time coming here with family, and it continues to impress. This place is always popular for…read moredim sum, and for good reason. The restaurant is clean with a modern, contemporary vibe. We waited about 30 minutes, but it was totally worth it. The process is very efficient -- check in on the iPad and order through the QR code system. Unlike traditional cart dim sum, everything here is steamed and cooked to order, so every dish comes out hot, crispy, fresh, and perfectly prepared. I'm pretty picky when it comes to dim sum, but this is definitely one of the spots I'd recommend. Great place to come with family and friends. We're big eaters, but even with tip included, it came out to around $30 per person. We left full and happy campers with very satisfied stomachs.

    Took my parents to dim sum - my mom was so excited to go that she was in "rush rush" mode...wanted…read moreto go straight there before anywhere else, drop her off at the front entrance, called us several times to make sure we were coming since we were parking the car, flagged us down while on her phone calling us YET another time to hurry up. Was it worth it? Yes! Have not been to Lunasia before (shock), but have been brought the takeout before so great to finally experience it. The interior was beautiful, and loved the orchids at the table. The food was delicious - I loved everything my mom ordered, EXCEPT the taro cake with beef, but taro is not my thing. Mom was happy with her "5 Star" dim sum experience, so that's what I am rating it!

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    Sam Woo Cafe - Steamed Rice Noodle Roll w/Shrimp

    Sam Woo Cafe

    4.3(958 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    as a certified dim sum lover, every dish from here really hit the spot! my friends and i came here…read morepretty hungry on a saturday afternoon, so we ordered a lot from the menu and left super stuffed! the restaurant gets pretty crowded fast, so beware of at least 30 mins - 1 hr of waiting during peak times. favorite dishes: - baked sweet custard bun: i loved how flakey the exterior was and how warm and sweet the custard filling was! one of my favorite bites from my meal! - steamed rice noodle roll w/ shrimp: this is my all time favorite dim sum dish, and sam woo does it really well! we ordered like 2 of these since they're a crowd favorite hehe - baked BBQ pork buns: i'm usually not the biggest fan of these because they tend to be too sweet, but i really enjoyed how these ones were more savory and not overly sweet! also the meat to bun ratio was really good! - pan fried turnip w/ sausage rice cakes: also one of my favorite dim sum dishes, and they executed it well! i liked pairing this with the fried rice too - salted fish & chicken fried rice: a really solid fried rice! i liked how the salted fish wasn't too salty or fishy, and it was a great protein to have with the fried rice. other dishes ordered, all classic ones and nothing bad to say about any of them! - chinese broccoli w/ oyster sauce - baked egg custards - shrimp harrow - hong kong style sausage buns - pork & shrimp shiu mai we also got the sea salt cream green tea and it was alright, nothing special and the sea salt cream wasn't as salty as i would have liked. pretty refreshing still to have with the meal. overall, i really enjoyed my meal here! the food came out really fast after ordering. the servers were constantly running around but were still able to flag down easily. parking can get really busy since it is a super busy plaza, so you may need to park a little further and walk over. i think sam woo is definitely worth the crowd tho!

    The service staff seriously need better training. While clearing dishes, several plates were…read moredropped on the floor and shattered, sending pieces flying near customers, and nobody even apologized. Food was also brought out carelessly -- instead of placing it properly in the center of the table, it was almost tossed onto the side like they were in a hurry and didn't care. I really don't like spending money to be treated this way. Definitely not a place I would come back to. We had to call several times before anyone finally came over. I understand restaurants get busy, but customers are the reason employees get paid and receive tips too. No matter what kind of work it is, I think people should do it with a little more care and sincerity. The whole experience just felt disappointing.

    Photos
    Sam Woo Cafe - Modern ambience

    Modern ambience

    Sam Woo Cafe - Dumplings in chilli oil - Anne

    Dumplings in chilli oil - Anne

    Sam Woo Cafe - Menu2 feb 2026

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    Menu2 feb 2026

    Luv Dduk

    Luv Dduk

    4.4(3.4k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    We are here for this giant katsu!!!!…read more Well yeah... it's bigger than my face and probably double the size of my hand!! Still perfectly crispy on the outside and super juicy inside ‍ Also ordered the corn cheese And yup... it was HUGE too! But... more cheese!!! The bulgogi cheese fries though Their food is the ultimate combo to pair with beer We also didn't forget the signature tteokbokki ‍ Plus, they have buy 1 get 1 beer or soju during happy hour Ig: socalhkfoodies

    Okay service is great. It's the first time I've been to a restaurant where I don't need to ask for…read morerefills of water because the lady kept replacing our carafe! Thank you for that! It "looks like a typical burger joint inside with Booths. There's a side door for to go orders. Food service was quick and the portions are big. For their price, I would hope so. We ordered the following: Bulgolgi Fries Garlic Steak Noodle Egg Cheese corn Ranking in best to so-so, I'd have to say is the steamed egg. Yes, I was surprised too. I thought the Bulgolgi fries would be number one. Sadly it's not. If you mess up steamed egg, ima gonna say no to the rest of your menu. I would order two next time and just stick to that. The cheese corn was okay, but compared to PaDak and other local Korean spot I say skip this. The cheese tasted weird to me and I did t like that it was also a kraft American cheese. As a cheese lover, I only expect that square cheese to be on a burger or cheese melt. The Bulgolgi Fries could serve 3 people. But it was drenched with sauce, and spicy sauce. Not enough Bulgolgi to pay $20. The cut of fries were this nd tasted like sweet potato. It just didn't fit my taste buds. The Garlic noodle okay. That's Al I have to say about that. I'm glad I finally tried this place, but I don't know if I would come back for anything on their menu. I would rather go next door or across the street.

    Photos
    Luv Dduk
    Luv Dduk
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    Northern Cafe - chinese - Updated June 2026

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