Northern Cafe now offers skewers during dinner. We arrived around 7pm and it's packed! Restaurant is known for their carb dishes like xiao long bao, dumplings soup noodles, fried rice and Chinese pancakes. Cold dishes are only $14.99 for combination of 3. Portions are huge! No wonder everyday is getting them. Spicy cold chicken uses dark meat and is tender and flavorful. We came here to try their skewers: Lamb is the best! Also got chicken cartilage, scallops, Cali flowers, corns and fish tofu Beijing style pancakes has beef filling inside the crispy skin Pork ribs with string beans in hotpot is highly recommended They hire a lot of staff! Service is great! read more

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Came here really hungry! It was wonderful and filling with aromatic plates after plate! Xiao Long Bao - juicy pork with pop of soup 4 stars skin is a bit thick But dumpling is still tasty! Shanghai Rice Cake with Chicken 4 stars Beef Roll 4 1/2 stars Spicy Chicken Won Ton 4 stars Service 4 stars read more

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Love this so much! Tried the beef roll and some noodles. They were both oh so good. Will definitely come back and try other items. Everything was ordering digitally. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Wow! I'm impressed with this Chinese restaurant. Very authentic, which is rare in Orange County. We got the rice cakes and potstickers. Huge portions and very fresh. Very tasty. The rice cakes had chicken inside, which I had not seen before and really enjoyed. It makes it so it's not all carbs. The potstickers' meat was a lot! Very nice. Usually, it's not a lot. Will return. read more

Excellent dishes overall especially the hot pot with beef & string beans. Love the stir fry egg plant. Great service & very friendly wait staff. Busy as usual ambiance but great service read more

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This is located at a shopping center next to H-Mart so plenty of parking. Ordering is self-service through a QR Code provided. Service is fast and staff were accomodating. We had shrimp wonton soup (a little bit on saltier side) Popcorn chicken is good, crispy & meat is tender. Pork belly skewers serve in cute box platter. Beef Rolls were flavorful in a light wrap. Dan Dan noodles always is good and satisfying. Beef Noodle Soup is my favorite, it was flavorful and noodle is perfectly done. read more

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I have seen multiple locations of Northern Café around and I finally got to try it out for myself. This location is in Irvine, in the Westpark shopping area, near H-Mart, Yuk Dae Jang and The Cut. They welcomed me in to sit at any empty table. There was a QR code at the table to scan, but I think they also go around and take the orders. I already entered the majority of my order by the time someone came by, so I just finished my order on my phone. Since it was my first time here I ordered a lot to get a variety and to-go what I couldn't finish. Charcoal Grilled Chicken Hearts ($3.99) - Comes with 2 skewers, with 4 hearts on each. They overdid it a bit on the seasoning. They brought it out on a whole board when I only got 2 skewers. A bit dry cause they opened up the heart instead of leaving it whole. Sauteed Bok Choy with Garlic ($13.99) - A healthy addition to the meal. I like that there was a generous amount of garlic. Scallion Pancake ($7.99) - Interesting presentation because they put it on a platter where the scallion pancake covered 2/3 of the long plate. It was crispy and tasty, but a tad more expensive than other scallion pancakes of the same quality and quantity served at similar restaurants. Xiao Long Bao | Juicy Pork Dumplings ($12.99) - Comes with an order of 8. Contains peanuts. I don't feel like the peanuts were needed with this plate, but it might be a regional touch. The skin was on the thicker side, but it was as juicy as the name promised. Pork Wontons in Spicy Sauce ($11.99) - Not too excited about these. I usually like the pork wontons in spicy sauce at other places. These were okay but not great. Sesame Balls ($5.99) - I like it. Served with 6 small sesame balls. There was red bean filling. It really hit the spots for my cravings. Overall they were about average tasting compared to restaurants of similar offerings. Service was minimal but of the interactions I had they were positive. read more

Northern Cafe - green onion pancakes, pork xiao long bao, spicy wontons in chili sauce, sauteed bokchoy with garlic, heart skewers, sesame balls - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

First time here and brought me and my team (about 22 of us). About 2 weeks before my planned visit I called and made a reservation for a Sunday 1pm. They typically don't take reservations on the weekend but they were able to accommodate, which I'm insanely grateful for. Staff was very nice about it and confirmed the reservation with me a few times too! Once arrived, they already had the tables set up and sat us right away. It's not the biggest restaurant. Maybe able to accommodate about 50 people at once? So we ended up taking almost half of the restaurant! We were split into 3 different tables and food came out very fast. We could order from the QR code or order with a server. Food was so so good and hot when it came out. I especially loved the sesame cold noodles and spicy wontons but you honestly could not go wrong with any of them. Overall, we had a really great experience. Parking was easy, staff was super nice, food was delicious! I loved it here! Again I've never dined in at Northern Cafe before but I'll be sure to come back and come back soon. read more

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I have been here twice to pick up food to go and the food and service has been very good. For the pork dumplings I was disappointed it didn't come with ginger. Instead, they provided black vinegar which ended up leaking out of its container. Other than that, the dumplings are good with soy sauce and sesame oil if you have any at home. The Sautéed Bok Choy has a good amount of garlic and is good on its own or with a side of extra white rice. The Garlic Pork Ribs is very flavorful and is well fried. It is cut into small pieces and has a bit too many bones though. I would recommend this place for good Chinese food! Depending on the time of day, parking is plentiful and there are spaces exclusive for pick up only. read more

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In the Irvine or South OC area and looking for an affordable weekday Chinese lunch combo? Northern Cafe has you covered with 15 stir-fry dish options starting at $15, and each combo comes with soup and a drink. Portions are generous -- honestly enough to share or save for to-go. If you're craving something lighter, their dumpling special starts at just $7, with 6 pieces. Highly recommend the juicy lamb dumplings and juicy mala beef dumplings -- flavorful and rarely found. Also recommend the stir-fry pork if you love spicy IG: socalhkfoodies read more

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Tried this spot recently and had mixed feelings. They offer a good variety--small hot pot, skewers, dumplings, and a selection of cold side dishes--so there's definitely something for everyone. That said, it's kind of annoying that they don't have the regular spicy hot pot on Mondays. The small hot pot itself wasn't my favorite. The spice tasted a bit off to me, almost like a chemical-type heat rather than a natural chili flavor. On the other hand, the skewers were decent and worth ordering. The cold side dishes are self-serve from the front and can be hit or miss. I tried the spicy cold chicken, bean curd string, and beef tendon--some were solid, others just okay. Big highlight: the spicy fried chicken. Super flavorful and honestly the best dish I had there. Overall, not a bad place if you know what to order, but a bit inconsistent depending on the dish. Service is slow though and kind of rude. read more

Nice spot for Chinese comfort food! Food is great quality and pricing is very reasonable. Highly recommend the combo (select three items at the counter), beef noodle soup and beef roll. The waitresses working here are pretty nice and you order by scanning the QR code and selecting your items via your phone. I like the self service model but I can see why some people would appreciate more engagement/recommendation from the staff. read more

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Rating: 8.5/10 Our go to restaurant for reliable Chinese food in Irvine. The inside has many seats, and you sit down then order on the QR code. The interior is lively and has sports/Chinese food videos playing on the tv. The lamb skewers are very tasty but the pieces are very small so make sure to order 10. Chong qing chicken is amazing, chicken pieces are big and seasoned perfectly. Cold dish section has a variety of choices, and they give huge portions. All dishes are pretty authentic Chinese food, but nothing mind blowing, overall 8.5/10 read more

Northern Cafe - Green onion pancakes, lamb skewers, chongqing chicken, cold dish (cucumber, potato, beef) - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

We've been here several times and it never disappoints. We came on Christmas Eve and got lucky with the last table and didn't have to wait. Some servers are more friendly than others. We got lucky again and was greeted by a nice one this time! We both ordered different dishes we have tried yet. We both enjoyed our dishes. Next time if I want hot pot though, I will stick to the spicy beef hot pot instead of the Golden Soup beef pot. read more

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Food here has not disappointed, always meets expectations and more! They have a variety of dishes, from noodles, rice, skewers to dumplings. I got the lamb skewers which has just the right amount of cumin. Some other places have it too overpowering. I also got the chicken fried rice and the chicken is very tender wiith a good amount of meat as well. The juicy beef dumpling was also made fresh, with just the right amount of flavor and soup inside. They have a few stir fry vegetable options, and I got the bok choy this time. It has that nice wok taste, but it is heavy on the garlic which does add to the taste but also can be too much if you don't like garlic. They have a cold dish section, where you can choose 3 sides for $14.99 or $12.99 if all 3 sides are vegetarian. They are very generous with these portions as well! Service is great, you order through their QR code system and food comes out fast. Keep in mind that even though they open late, they only serve grilled and skewers items after 9:30 pm. Definitely a good to spot if you're looking for some good Chinese food or skewers! Plenty of parking in the shared plaza. read more

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The second Irvine restaurant at the corner of Alton Parkway and Culver is a much-welcomed addition, as it is a lot closer and more convenient than the UCI location. We've tried a lot of different dishes, and I have to say that most things were good, and a few were outstanding. One of the shining stars is the scallion pancake which was aromatic and flavorful. The edges were crispy while the pancake itself was soft. There were enough scallions, but not overwhelming. There XLB's are larger than those that you'll find at most places, and more importantly, each of them contained a nice spoonful of soup. The skins were thin, and the meat fillings were tasty. Based on the size and the quality, these are great values, especially in Irvine. We also tried the potstickers which were also delicious but not outstanding. The Shanghai stir-fried rice cakes were also good, but I was surprised that the only option was chicken. The typical Shanghainese version is typically stir-fried with shredded pork. For apps or snacks, their egg rolls were good. For dessert I highly recommend getting the fried pumpkin pancakes and sesame balls. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

There are two locations of northern cafe in irvine close to each other but this one is way better. Last time I went to the other location, all the food was incredibly salty. This location we got: xiao long bao, popcorn chicken, 3 cold dish (veggie - potato, seaweed, and mushroom/cucumber mix), beef skewers, and spicy wonton. The XLB were yummy with a chewy skin. Popcorn chicken could have been a bit more seasoned - I'd pass next time. 3 cold dish was plentiful and delicious. Beef skewers were great! ("super tender and spiced perfectly" according to my partner), spicy wonton was a tad too salty but still yummy. Their menu is plentiful with a lot of yummy looking items. inside is clean but the tables are a bit close to each other. Service is efficient and fast, I also love that you can order via QR code (but sadly cannot pay through it) read more

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This place is always spot on, went recently with a friend and she was impressed at the flavors and portions. We ordered the beef wrap, popcorn chicken and spicy pork wontons and we finished everything. A true testament of how good it was. read more

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Szechuan Mala Pot is my go-to here, especially on cold days. I like that it's served in a boiling pot, nice and hot, and with lots of toppings. I just really wish it weren't so salty. I find myself pouring some cold water into it to lessen the saltiness. But other than that, it's pretty delicious. I also like their pig ear. It's sliced real thin and spicy. A perfect side dish to the hot pot. This is a casual dining environment. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you. Easy peasy. read more

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I decided to give Northern Cafe another try as I was quite disappointed by my first experience at the Irvine Campus location. We ordered the BEEF ROLL $12 and I got a GOLDEN SOUP BEEF NOODLE $17. There is a QR code on the table where you can access the menu and place your order there, and the server will bring out your food to you. The food came out fast, probably within 10 minutes. The beef roll was very crispy and flaky, and filled with meat. The golden soup beef noodle was huge, enough to feed two people! There was only a little vermicelli in it. However, it also came with a big bowl of rice. The pot had beef, spam, some other seafood/shrimp balls and lots of vegetables which I enjoyed, mostly cabbage and wood ear mushrooms. So much food! Most of their hot pot items are spicy, and I specified LESS SPICY, which I was surprised they were able to accommodate for me. The dish was still spicy, but it worked for me and I was happy with it. I would like to try the other items on the menu in the future. Whatever you do, do not go to the Campus location. The food is night and day. There is a lot of seating here, and the restaurant gets pretty packed around lunch time on the weekends. They are also busy during dinner throughout the week. Happy eating! read more

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Easy to order take out in advance online. When I arrived, it was already ready at the counter. Got the beef noodle soup and it came separated noodles and bok choy from the soup which was nice so that the noodles don't get soggy. Soup had good depth of flavor, soaks into the noodles well. Beef inside was ok, wish it was a little more fatty. Also ordered beef roll that had lots of meat inside and good amount of flavor with the hoisin sauce, cilantro, and green onions. Got the orange chicken since it was rated most popular. Even though it came with a lot of chicken, it felt like it was overcooked since the meat inside was pretty dry and stringy. read more

Northern Cafe - F2. House Special Beef Noodle Soup / 紅燒牛肉麵 - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

I loved the food here!! I am usually nervous about Asian food in general because I find it hard to get vegetarian-friendly items, but I was pleasantly surprised that they had many items. Steamed Vegetable Dumplings: Delicious! Mushroom was a little overbearing but still enjoyed. Lowkey enjoyed it more the next day when I pan-fried it and added sriracha :D House Special Cold Noodles: Probably one of the best Chinese noodle dishes I've had. So flavorful and so much in the portion! Reminds me of the Din Tai Fung vegan noodles. Servers were kind. One of them checked in with me to make sure he understood my note on my order as he was making it. Vibe of the restaurant was also pleasant! All portions more than justified the cost. read more

Northern Cafe - E5. Steamed Vegetable Dumplings / 花素蒸餃 (8 Pieces) F12. House Special Cold Noodle / 風味涼麵 - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

I normally go to the Northern Cafe near UCI but gave this new location a try. We ordered the Shanghai stir fry rice cakes, wonton soup and shrimp wontons in spicy chili sauce. The rice cakes were tasty, though a little greasy. I usually enjoy their dumplings but I would pass on the shrimp wontons next time. Even though they were big, they were filled with mostly shredded cucumber (which I thought was weird) and very little shrimp. Maybe another filling would be better. Good to have another Northern Cafe in the neighborhood! read more

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This is the 2nd time I've been here. The beef pancakes was cold inside, the pork & cabbage dumplings, beef noodle soup, appetizers, were all good. Ambiance was very noisy so don't be expecting any intimate conversation ... haha The service was really bad. All the servers were huddled by the cash register instead of checking in with the patrons. I had a hard time getting their attention to get more water. Our bottle was literally empty and we had to go to them with the bottle to get water. read more

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Beef roll and steamed beef dumplings were really good . Easy ordering system and service was quick. read more

Northern Cafe - Steamed beef dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Things are changing in the way food is offered at our local restaurants, and I don't like it. The emphasis is now on speed and profit, and it is not on the human element of serving food to regular customers. Northern Cafe is an example of this negative trend towards removing the human element in serving the food. You are to come in the cafe, seat yourself, and use your phone to scan the menu, place your order (being of course unable to ask any questions) and a nice server, or should I say, Deliverer, brings your food. I had to get up, go to the front and get a fork, a napkin, and extra plate. You are on your own if you need anything. At the end of your meal, you have said not one word to anyone who works at this restaurant, and it it not their fault. Yes, the are coached to work, work, work without speaking to anyone. At the end of this strange restaurant, you head to the front and pay your bill. I had to say something. I told the nice young lady that I felt uncomfortable about paying for service I didn't get. She was so nice. She agreed and had spoken to the manager and owner a few times about it. She longed to talk to the customers and learn about them. She told me that she hardly made any money on tips. There were only two servers for a rather large restaurant with more than thirty tables. This really opened the doors to a much larger issue with how technology has effected the human interactions between people. We need to go back to going to a restaurant because we love the people there. The food was pretty good. I feel sad for the employees. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

This review is mainly for the spicy wontons and golden beef noodle soup as those were the best items. Like I mean it was REALLY good and now I crave this golden beef noodle soup with a good spice to it and addicting broth. If you can handle a little spice, just get it. There's quite a few locations of northern cafe but it seems food is consistent. Some locations may have other menu items like this location does skewers at night? We did also try Dan Dan noodles and beef roll. Dan Dan noodles were decent, nothing to rave about. The beef roll was large, but was cold and didn't seem as fresh? I'm hoping it was just an off day. But other than that, would come again. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

My whole family celebrated Easter at Northern Cafe. I'm giving them 5 stars because the food that we ordered were all delicious. The price is reasonable and the service was excellent. The only downside is that - you're gonna smell after eating inside because of the strong food odor. We chose to eat outside in the patio because of that- but not a big deal actually. I wish they have better exhaust in the kitchen. We will definitely be back for the food and the service. read more

Came here with lunch and we both loved it. The portion of the dishes are pretty big and the price is not expensive. We love the golden beef soup hotpot so much. It has a lot of beef and other vegetables. The service was great and the dishes came out pretty fast. The restaurant was clean and we enjoyed dinning in. read more

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It was busy on Friday Evening 8pm, but seated fairly quickly like within 10 minutes for party of two. We mainly came for the skewers, so we ordered the lamb and beef through QR codes online. We added on stir fry rice cakes and green beans too. The rice cakes were super tender and absorbed the sauce. The green beans were nice and saucy. However, I wish the meat skewers were grilled or cooked more, so it's crispy. But it was tender. We asked for medium spice and it seemed more like mild. Later on, we asked for additional seasoning, but he never came back with it. The menu had plenty of hot pot options which seemed like the more popular choice, but not as many skewer options. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here since college years at UCI to many years after now as a working professional in Irvine. Flavors have always been great, they have 2 locations in Irvine a big one near UCI that I like to take families to due to being more spacious and a smaller one near Culver I take my friends or smaller groups to. Favorite dish is their beef roll, but other dishes are very tasty as well. Portion size is slightly on the large side, we usually have some leftovers taken to go. Staff is friendly, ample parking in either location, very decent Chinese food that's not hastily made or messily presented. Would recommend. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

First time here, my friend invited me and whispered mysteriously: "I found a Din Tai Fung alternative!" And she was right -- flavor explosion and unbeatable value . Perfect spot for families too. Whether it's dumplings, rolls, or noodles, my kids couldn't stop fighting over the food . Now it has basically become our family canteen, and they even have two locations in Irvine! Here's what we ordered: Cold Appetizer Trio (meat) 14.99 We picked pig ear, pork tripe, and beef -- the portion was HUGE. My husband said even half of it would've been worth the price. Must-order! Pork Rib with String Beans Pot 18.99 Tender ribs with beans that balance the flavor. The kids loved this dish. Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao 13.99 Surprisingly good! Thin skin, plenty of soup inside, one bite and it bursts with fresh flavor . Spicy Chicken with Hand-Pulled Noodles 22.99 Massive portion! After finishing the chicken, you can still mix the noodles underneath -- super filling. Pork Wontons in Chili Oil 11.99 Looks spicy but it's actually more on the sweet side, similar to Zhong dumplings. Delicious and addictive . Beef Roll Pancake 12.99 Sweet sauce with crispy pancake. My husband went crazy for it -- he ate two by himself . Durian Puff 6.99 Flaky crust with durian filling. Would be even better if the filling was more generous. Overall: Great value for money Big portions, perfect for sharing Flavors comparable to Din Tai Fung Family-friendly and kid-approved read more

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My always go to is place !!! The dumplings are to die for !! This time I got chicken dumplings and an appetizer to go with it:) read more

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we visited at 6pm on a thursday and we didnt have to wait for a table, though a lot of the tables were occupied. the interior was bright, but not overwhelming which gave off modern chinese restaurant vibes with the cpop playing. service was good and our food came decently quick. popcorn chicken (6.5/10): some classic popcorn chicken, hits the spot if ur craving it. spicy wonton (7.5/10): i think this was our fav of the night - not too spicy and a lil sweet. reminded me of dtfs spicy wontons. fried rice w shrimp (6/10): classic fried rice, nothing life changing. beef skewers (5.5/10): good, but portions were suuuper small. not worth the price imo overall, a good time! we shared the 4 dishes among 3 people which was fine. id be down to try some of their other dishes! read more

Northern Cafe - beef skewers - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Found a centipede looking bug in our bok choy, this unfortunately ruined our experience for us. For the other dishes we ordered: - lamb skewers: I really like the cumin seasoning but each skewer was only a couple thin pieces of meat, a large portion very fatty as well. A little disappointed by this, as I was super excited to try these - beef skewers: slightly different seasoning than the lamb. I preferred this over the lamb just due to portion sizes - squid tentacles skewer: this was just okay. The seasoning on these were a bit sweet for my liking. - stir fry noodles: we added shrimp as our protein. The seasoning was great but it tasted like something we could make at home. Service was pretty quick but not super attentive. You order via online menu and they have a buy one get one free deal for beers in the evening. Don't think we will be back here in the near future unfortunately. read more

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Originally came here because we were wanted the main menu with the dumplings, but learned that the late night menu only has the grill stuff. I figured why not, let's try something new. This place has plenty of parking shared with other businesses surrounding it. It's also a pretty decent sized restaurant, good for groups of 2-8. We shared the grilled chicken hearts, fan scallops, fish tofu, beef skewers, oyster mushrooms, and sesame cake. Their grill/late night menu also had hot pot on it too which I thought was super cool! There's also a cold bar where you can get cold sides/appetizers, if you decided to order that service from the menu. The skewers itself was flavorful, and most came with two sticks, except for the beef which came with ten. I like that you have the option to select what spice level you want per item. We went with mild spicy to be on the safe side, and it still had a pretty good kick. My favorite of all the skewers were definitely the oyster mushrooms! There was a sweet, savory, and spice taste to it which was amazing! The pair of skewers were about $4-6 each, and the 10pc was around $11, so it's pretty affordable. Overall, our bill came out to $46 with tip. It's great that they open late night, but I probably would come back only to try their regular daytime menu. read more

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After 9:30pm, they only offer this menu. No dumplings or fried rice orders. Food is always good here. Don't mind the menu cut off and get it since they are closed later. read more

Northern Cafe - Menu after 9:30pm. Does not serve typical menu. - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

Tried the Golden Soup Beef Noodle here and it was seriously so good. The broth was rich and comforting, and the noodles had that perfect chewy texture. The Juicy Lamb Dumplings were amazing too ！super flavorful and really juicy inside. We also ordered the sautéed bok choy with garlic and it was simple but really fresh and sweet. Everything tasted great together. The location is also super convenient with lots of food and boba spots around the area. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for dinner with my sisters tonight. We had a spicy beef hot pot, sichuan spicy masala pot, beef roll, noodles with shrimp, spicy shrimp wontons, pork dumplings xiao long bao, shrimp xiao long bao, juicy pork dumplings. The noodles were good but only came with about 4 or 5 little shrimp as protein. The two hot pots were good but a bit too salty and very oily/greasy. Beef roll was okay. Shrimp wontons were more of pork and shrimp mixed into a paste and were okay. The dumplings xiao long bao were average. Now, service was not the best since they were busy, they were grumpy and not too pleasant. I had better service last few times. And the girls are more pleasant than the guys today. 3.5/5 read more

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We wanted to try a new place for once and came across the restaurant online. This is a self-order type of place, and we weren't really fans of that setup. First, the service was lacking. Every time I asked for more napkins, spoons, ginger, or anything else, it felt like I was bothering the staff. Second, the food didn't come out fresh and sometimes wasn't even hot. Here's what we ordered: Green beans. These were fine. Nothing impressive. Some of the green beans weren't fully cooked, and the flavors could have been better. Beef roll. I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately, it was ice cold on the inside and only somewhat warm on the outside. It wasn't even crunchy. Spicy shrimp wontons. These felt rushed. The texture was soggy, and the sauce was just okay. Soup dumplings. Also seemed rushed. They fell apart too easily, though the flavor was decent. Custard bun. This was okay. More bao than custard. Nothing special. The ambiance was loud, and everyone, including the staff, looked annoyed. Overall, I wouldn't come back. Unfortunately, the lack of service and the unfriendliness of the staff made the experience unpleasant. read more

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