Literally The Best Chinese Food In The City I live a charmed existence. Enough money to live comfortably, I go where I want when I want indulging in whatever suits my fancy the whole time. I've learned although you can find anything cheap you more often than not, do indeed get what you pay for. Initially I found the prices at Northern Cafe to be just a wie bit more than your average quick and dirty msg laden heavy (read highly caloric fructose saturated) artery clogging mess I usually serve over the starchy rice it comes with. But I quickly realized this is something entirely different. The very lean white breast meat only juicy delectably delicious Orange Chicken and an order of the jumbo shrimp fried rice is now my favorite but EVERYTHING on the menu is OUTSTANDING here. Minutes from my luxury condo at The Metropolis, is has fastly become my Go-2 spot ANYTIME I get that taste for what I've now discovered to be really great Chinese food. It's even great re-heated...(For the few times I've not eaten an entire order all by myself... ツ Seriously, if you're downtown and you're in the mood for delicious HEALTHY Great Chinese Food, You Could Not Make A Better Choice Than NORTHERN CAFE. I meant to take pics but...Next time. I promise. ツ read more

Food is good. Server leaves you while you're still talking to her. Too busy? We were the only ones there that afternoon. not a lot of attention from her. So-so street parking read more

While I've visited a Northern Cafe before, this was my first time going to their location in Downtown. I went here with colleagues, and we got several dishes: green onion pancakes (eight pieces), shrimp wontons in chili oil, shrimp fried rice, pork soup dumplings, steamed shrimp dumplings, boiled dumplings (with shrimp, pork, and chives), and sautéed string beans with garlic. The ambience here was noticeably more classy than that in Rowland Heights. Dishes got served quickly, and the food quality was good here. My favorite dish was the shrimp wontons in chili oil. While there were a lot of savory flavors, the filling also included refreshing slices of cucumber. The shrimp fried rice's portion size was enough for the five of us, so we were all full. I also enjoyed the sautéed string beans with garlic as they had just the right firmness. While the other dishes tasted good, I didn't really enjoy the green onion pancakes. They were thin and didn't have the fluffiness I'm familiar with. The taste of fried chives was a tad overpowering for my liking. read more

STEPH JUDGEMENT: A good Northern Cafe outpost in DTLA. When we stopped in for lunch, I thought the place looked familiar, and realized that it was the former The Counter location. They'd made some renovations to make it feel more warm and open. We're fans of Northern Cafes in general and this one didn't disappoint. We ordered the following: - Steamed shrimp dumplings (good, but nothing extraordinary) - Hot and sour soup (good flavor and ENORMOUS portion) - Eggplant garlic with white rice (tender eggplant with good flavor. No brown rice, alas) Service was friendly and efficient, and the prices reasonable for the area. A perfectly pleasant lunch stop. read more

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This was the worst chinese food ive ever had, i didnt expect a lot but i didnt expect it to taste THIIIS BAD. Service was not great either, whoever was working today thursday around 330 -430 definitely needed some more help. It took a while to get stuff&asking for things was a big issue since i couldnt really get her attention. An inspector came in as we were eating which made it even harder to get her attention.I had to physically bring my plate to her to tell her there was an issue with it(she did take it off my order). The place itself is decorated really nice and it wasnt full so it was quiet inside. I would not comeback read more

Northern Cafe - Sautéed Bok Choy with Garlic 蒜炒清江菜苗 - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've been to the USC location and this was my first time visiting here (December 21st) with my friend. When you walk in there's a great open concept, while still maintaining some privacy for each seat. The bar is tastefully decorated, along with the bluish-green tiled walls in the restroom. Each portion was generously portioned and very good for the most part. The cocktails also sounded delicious, but did not feel like drinking that night. Pork Wontons in Chili Oil (5/5): Has the right amount of garnishing and the wontons itself are juicy. XLB (5/5). The dough is just right and the meat was flavorful. Don't remember too much soup though. Strawberry Smoothie (2/5): Not enough tang. I think the perfect fruit smoothie has that tang or zest to it, but this was more of a strawberry milkshake. Also the consistency made it hard to get past 3/4 of the way from the ice. Mapo Tofu (5/5): Tofu has the right 'silkiness' to it. House Fried Rice (3/5): Not a big egg person, but the color of the egg looked a bit off. Fried Rice itself was very standard, was hoping to try the Seafood Fried Rice with Garlic, but they were out of it unfortunately. Spicy Chicken Dry Pot (5/5): Very generous chicken portions, and it mixes well with the bok choy, potato, and enoki mushroom. The service was also very attentive and accommodating. Honestly, after visiting the USC location several times, I always thought Northern Cafe was meh. This experience changed my mind, and I would definitely come back again with a group to try the cocktails. read more

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Came by with myself. It tastes fabulously good, and the beef was tender and big enough. I really appreciate a bowl of hot soup when the nightfall chills LA. I love this area, so vibrant. I like this joint. I wish I was able to try more things. Will come back if you will end up around this area again. People here are chill, very into sports. I like the vibe. read more

Northern Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

4.5 stars My friend and I were wandering around DTLA and passed by this place. We had worked up an appetite and dumplings sounded good, so we went in. Our server Angie was friendly, attentive & sweet. My eyes lit up when I saw the bar because I was thirsty from all that walking. (Apparently the other locations don't have a bar.) I ordered a Hendrick's & Soda and my friend an Asahi on draft. They specialize in Northern style dumplings so I selected the Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings, and my friend got the Pork Soup Dumplings. I like that you can make your own dipping sauce out of soy, vinegar, & chili flakes. The dumplings were soft with an ample amount of filling. They had a nice flavor and were even better when dipped in the sauce. When we first got there, it was empty but filled up quickly. I looked around and noticed a mixture of locals & regulars and not just people working nearby - a testament to how good the food here is. I'm not a dumpling expert but my friend said they were better than Din Tai Fung. *Metered street parking. Also located near the 7th St Metro station. read more

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This is a Prime location in DTLA! However, my experience this time is a NO NO I was the very 1st customer here today right after the Dodgers championship parade in DTLA. The door was still locked yet the sign was posted "open" @ around 11:30am. They came open the door when I was knocking. The waitress took my order served my chicken salad in immediately. Then the services got messy, as whole lot of Dodgers fans rushed in here and all of the servers (about 4) got busy out of control. (Not by the customers but got messed up by themselves) I was waiting for my juicy dumpling for about 30-min then served COLD! I almost about to take off without paying, as nobody came apologize nor anybody care to give me the bill...either they totally forgot about me or they got so scared to charge me! It's a terrible experience on both food n services 1). Pork Soup Dumpling: Taste: 1-star. It's arrived LATE only when I asking for it, and it's served cold! As the server was totally forgot about it Bo apology! They did not ever come back to me. It's a crappy taste, thick dough w/ saggy dry meat. Not juicy at all. 2). Shredded Chicken salad: 1-star Chick was dry w/no flavor. It's topped w/whole bunch of peanuts but nothing near how peanuts taste like. No sesame oil as it's should be. Very disappointed! read more

Northern Cafe - Menu - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This is by far the coolest Northern Cafe because they have a full bar inside. I'm not one to drink so the bartender made me an off-the-menu mocktail, but I forgot what it was called, which was delicious. I also tried a sip of the most popular one, lychee bliss sangria, and you will love it if you like a slightly sweet drink. They're most known for their dumplings so we decided to try three different variations of them. The pork wontons in chili oil were by far my favorite because the sauce that it came in was so addicting that I ended up scooping every last drop with my spoon to make sure I didn't leave anything. The pork potstickers were alright, nothing memorable. The soup dumplings were not good, though. We were shocked to find that it had no soup at all inside. I'm not sure if they forgot to add in the soup stock but it was dry to the bone after checking every single one. We didn't wait long to eat it either and the skin was all intact, so it's not like it spilled out. My favorite entree of the night was their beef roll. It's honestly one of the best I've eaten so I'd say it's in the top 3 beef rolls that I've ever had at a Chinese restaurant. Definitely add it to your order. It wasn't that crowded on a Saturday night and the waitress who helped us was very kind so it was overall a good experience. The only con would be parking which is available in a nearby structure or street parking if you're lucky. read more

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I came here over the weekend with my parents. We've done take out at this particular location previously, but it was my first time dining in. We were seated fairly quickly but after that went downhill. After ordering, my parents food arrived first. They got the mapo tofu and cucumbers to share. I ordered house special beef noodle soup, which came out 20 mins later. My parents had almost finished their meal. They also messed up my order, which happens, but it took another ~30 mins for my food to come out. My parents had long finished their food before the correct order came out. I wouldn't say it was super busy. Yes, there were a few delivery orders and a couple parties in the seating area, but not to the point where I think the kitchen would be backed up. The table behind me ended up canceling most of their items because it was taking so long. Taste wise, it's okay. I usually get the green onion pancake. It's on the crispier side but is missing the layers. That's honestly the best dish out of everything I had. The mapo tofu, you can feel the pepper kick in your mouth, but the dish itself was so mild it kind of lacks flavor. The house special beef noodle soup, the broth is great. I liked it a lot, but I do think the noodles don't hold the broth super well, so I wasn't getting that flavor while eating the noodles. The thai tea is also on the watery side. Maybe this night just happened to be an off night but I would have to return to check. read more

Looking for authentic Chinese food in LA? Northern Cafe in DTLA is a Northern - style Dumpling House. Whether you get dumplings steamed or pan-fried, these delicate bite size treats with different fillings are a dim sum staple. We tried their Pork Soup Dumplings 小笼包, Steamed Lamb Dumplings  羊肉蒸饺 , Pork Bun 猪肉包子 and pan-fried Shrimp, Pork, Chive Dumplings 三鲜水饺煮/ 煎 All definite MUST-TRYS!! They have a Dim Sum Menu that runs ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday. Smaller portions at great prices. You get to try more items that way. The Downtown location has a bar with cocktails and 50% off Happy Hour! We tried the Golden Pear Mule and Jade Coconut Crush which are so pretty!! We tried the Beef Spicy Dry Pot 香辣锅, which is essentially a dry version of hotpot. It is stir-fried with a flavorful, spicy sauce, potato fries, bok choy, tender beef and wood ear mushrooms. It had such bold, aromatic flavors! Paired with rice, addictively good!! A new favorite!! Other menu items we tried: BBQ Lamb Skewer 羊肉串 Beef Fried Noodle 牛肉炒面 (tender beef, great noodle texture and very flavorful) BBQ Pork Bun 叉烧包 Black Sesame Tang Yuan 黑芝麻大汤圆 (these balls are in a liquid. The texture is like mochi and the middle is creamy and a little sweet) Black & Gold Egg Yolk Bun 黑金流沙包 (could have more egg yolk filling) Marcos was a great help with service and helpful suggestions. Parking: $15 valet in the building near restaurant read more

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Beef Fried Noodle (牛肉炒面) is good. The half circle booth seats are noticeably nicer than seats at many other Northern Cafe locations. read more

Northern Cafe - Beef Fried Noodle 牛肉炒面 - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This Northern cafe location brings a different vibe than the locations near the universities. With a full bar inside, it's definitely more elevated and a nice place to stop in for a lunch or dinner with coworkers. For my group of 9, we got seated for lunch almost immediately and our server was attentive from the get-go. We ordered boba teas and they were well balanced in sweetness and the boba was cooked well. With guidance from our server, we ordered an assortment of dishes to share for the table and everything was delicious. I really liked crispy chicken as well as the beef noodle soup. I appreciated that there was vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil on the table to further season my food, although everything was already tasty. The bathrooms are clean! Much appreciated in downtown. Unfortunately parking is limited in this area but it's close to the Bloc so you could go shopping there and walk across the street. read more

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Ambiance: it's located in DTLA, outside of the metro station, and across the street from the bloc shopping center, spacious inside with bar service, good for large group hangout Service: very friendly and attentive with specific requests, server water and food adequately Food: standard northern cafe menu, specialized in noodles and dumplings BBQ Lamb Skewer - *** 2pcs, tasted like oil fried, no charcoal scent Beef Rib Noodle Soup - **** flavorful broth and tasty beef ribs, the noodles were too soft and soggy, but still would recommend for the broth and meat Price: generous portions and affordable prices, expect $25 per person for a very hearty meal read more

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Food always amazing! Service always top notch and very welcoming, even when they are busy. Ambiance is very chill. Pork Soup dumpling are a must. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Everything is amazing and totally recommend this place. read more

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My wife and I were feeling lazy last Sunday so instead of making dinner we decided to walk over to the Northern Cafe and let them do it for us. This location has only been here for maybe 5 or 6 months so I was pretty excited to give it a go. The restaurant itself is very nice, super clean, and has a ton of seating for those busy nights. The menu here has a ton of different rice dishes, noodle dishes, appetizers, and of course dumplings to choose from and it was definitely a struggle to pick what to order. Instead of ordering separate dishes for each of us, we ended up splitting an order of the Dan Dan Noodles, the Mongolian Beef, and some pork and cabbage dumplings to round the meal off. The staff here was friendly, quick to refill waters, and brought our food out pretty quickly as well. Let's break down the food! Dan Dan Noodles- One of my all time favourite dishes, the dan dan noodles were super tasty and definitely my favourite part of the meal (hence why I ate 75% of this) Mongolian Beef- Solid beef dish, the meat was pretty juicy and had solid flavour. Pork and Cabbage Dumplings- Although I am not a fan of cabbage, my wife is so I still gave these a shot and actually really enjoyed them. The pork had great flavour and I liked them. Overall, the Northern Cafe is a super convenient place to stop for a fair priced meal in a solid environment. I'll definitely be returning in the future and I very much look forward to checking out the rest of the menu. read more

Northern Cafe - Pork and cabbage dumplings. - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've never been to Northern Cafe in person but I have ordered from Seamless a few times and I have never been disappointed with the food. The packaging is secure and the food is yummy. I ordered from Northern Cafe this past Tuesday and ordered Pork Xiao Long Bao, Pork and Crab Xiao Long Bao, Mapo Tofu, Cucumber, and Wood Ear Mushrooms. The Xiao Long Baos are delicious and the dipping sauce comes with black vinegar which is a must when it comes to dim sum. The container was labeled clearly so we knew which one was which. The mapo tofu had wonderful Chinese flavor and we chose the one that came with pork. The portions are huge! My roommate and I both split and still had leftovers for the next day. One side note though, I'm not sure if rice comes with the tofu but we ordered one side of rice just in case and they gave us two. The cucumber and mushroom side dishes weren't the best we ever had but the cucumbers were fresh and the mushrooms had good flavor----not to mention big portions. We usually go to Din Tai Fung for dim sum but if you want to stay in and get food delivered, I'd say Northern Cafe is your place! read more

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I was looking for a place to celebrate Lunar New Year with my fiends. We found a hidden gem in DTLA. This Northern Cafe location is amazing! The ambiance is elevated, they have their own bar and plenty of seating. All their food portions is big and definitely good for sharing. You get the bang for your back.I'm obsessed with their dumplings. The noodles are good, chewy and not soggy and tasty. They have plenty of drinks options from tea, boba milk tea and alcoholic drinks. Service Is amazing, everyones was attentive and super nice. Food is really good highly recommended! a nice ambiance is a plus! I would come back here again! What I got: Garlic Cucumber, Beef Roll Pork wontons in chili sauce, Pork and Cabbage Dumpling Crab Meat and Pork Soup Dumpling, Shrimp and Pork Chive Dumplings Orange Chicken, Beef Fried Noodle Drinks: Matcha Mojito Jasmine Green Milk Tea with Boba Thai Milk Tea Chocolate Boba Milk Tea read more

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You gotta visit Northern Cafe for their comfort Chinese food right here in DTLA. Operating across from the metro station, it's an easy access spot for dinner and date nights looking for great northern Chinese food. There were a couple of great plant-based options that my friends and I shared. We tried their Veggie Rolls, Mapo Tofu, and their Veggie Steamed Dumplings. All of which were vegan by nature after we confirmed with the staff. Everything we had was top notch quality, filling, and tasty. I was a big fan of the rolls since I don't see a veggie variant in a lot of Chinese restaurants. The ambiance and service were all great so I have to give my props to Northern Cafe for giving us a wonderful dining experience. read more

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Had a positive experience during lunchtime at this location was not too busy at all services. Good overall staff were kind and efficient. The decor and the ambience were all so nice something to know since it is in downtown there's no parking so you have to look for a parking structure somewhere. Now let's get to the food, the dumplings in chili oil are definitely a must and the beef roll. Very delicious reasonably priced especially for downtown LA. So if you go stick to these items, but skip the following... Cucumber salad was ok I guess I was expecting something more like what Din Tai Fung has my friend and I would have preferred if the pieces were bigger and there was more dimension to the flavor. Lastly, the boba was lackluster would not recommend getting it. The tapioca had a weird plastic taste and the milk tea was watered down. read more

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Finally decided to give this restaurant a try after walking past this place several times and so happy that I did. The food and service here are amazing. The inside also has tons of seating and plays good music. What we ordered: - beef roll pancakes (10/10 so good) - sweet & sour spare ribs (8/10) - spicy pork wontons (10/10) - dan dan noodles (9/10) Definitely coming back next time I have a craving for Chinese food! read more

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* Beef Roll was good and filling - the pancake had good crunch and the thinly sliced beef was flavorful with a generous amount of greens * Crab Meat and Pork Soup Dumplings were nice - the warm dumplings were not overly salty and had a moderate amount of soup * Overall a modest place to eat at in Downtown L.A. read more

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First time at Northern Cafe since they opened up in DTLA. My friend and I arrived around 3pm and made it in time for HH (50% off cocktails). The restaurant ambiance was great - Modern and clean. Servers were all nice and friendly. We ordered family style and shared the green onion pancakes, garlic green beans, and orange chicken. The green onion pancakes were nicely fried without being overly greasy. Green beans were crisp and garlicky, while the orange chicken had a crunchy outer layer with soft interior. We came in without expectations so it was a pleasant surprised that everything tasted so good! As for drinks, my friend and I thought they were just okay and nothing special. I had to return my Thai milk punch cocktail and switched for something else because it wasn't what I had in mind. Overall, I would come back if I'm ever having Chinese food cravings! read more

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We got the beef roll pancake, chongqing crispy chicken, wontons in chili oil, and brown sugar rice cake for dessert. All the food were good classics, with my top picks being the crispy chicken due to the spice and texture. The dessert was all right, nothing special. I have been to other locations and was impressed the food wasn't lacking here. Service was pretty good though it was a bit more empty during a weekday lunch slot. read more

I came here for the first time with a coworker. She highly recommended the location. I had no idea how much I would love it. I love the location as it is right across from the Bloc downtown. We ordered two dishes and the cost was very reasonable, for downtown. The service was wonderful and the portions were ample. The boa was delicious and the beef noodle soup was amazing! I can't wait to come back here again! read more

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I love their mapo tofu here and the chicken in wonton soup. Their soup dumplings are yummy as well. Service is slow and often times when I come pick up my Togo order I have to wait a bit for someone to come out which is annoying because I'm on my lunch break. Past few times I dined in, they ran out of most of the stuff I wanted. I wanted to try the golden soup noodles and they told they had no noodles, no soup dumplings either when my coworkers went a few days later. I love to get the stir fry cabbage here and they didn't have that either when I tried to order it, I think they might have discontinued it. read more

Northern Cafe - Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐 (辣) - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

For Lunch: If you come here past 12pm, it can get crowded quickly however anytime before then, you'll be able to get a seat right away. I've been eagerly anticipating a legit chinese food spot in DTLA and this certainly met that criteria. I ordered the beef noodle soup and crab/pork dumplings. The beef noodle soup had the perfect spicy mildness. The soup was tasty, the noodles were chewy and the beef was decently tender. The crab/pork dumplings were pretty good, like any dumpling you'd typically eat. The interior is well lit and nicely designed, very welcoming and modern. read more

Came here before meeting a friend elsewhere and was pleasantly surprised! This place has a full bar and a happy hour. I didn't get anything to drink but the drinks were fun. Happy House is 3-6, I believe. I got the garlic cucumber, which was a big portion, and wontons in chicken soup. Both were really good. Service was super nice. The restaurant is also very clean and modern. I heard that it was their second month open. I hope more people come. Seems like a much better choice for food than most of the places nearby! read more

Northern Cafe - Wontons in Chicken Soup Garlic Cucumber - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cheater....Cheater....The restaurant has two different menu prices online and in the store. I order Chicken Wings and Fried Calamari &Fries. The prices is in the below: Chicken Wings Online: $13 Store: $8.5 Fried Calamari &Fries Online: $13.5 Store: $9.5 It is very huge different prices between online order and in the stroe order. When I go to pick up my food, I try to ask their store manager and I want to know the reason. Finially, there is a lady who listens to my questions. After that, the lady tells me "Maybe the price change" and "Oh...you are better to order in the store." What the hell? I can not belive that the lady gives the kind of answer. It means they do not want to have online order business, so everyone does not order the food from online. After the thing happened today, I will not go to Northen Cafe and I also do not recommand anyone to go there. Everyone can see my attached pictures and you will understand that you waste more money in Northen Cafe from their online order. read more

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Absolutely delicious. Highly recommend Northern Cafe for dumplings and soup. I got the Pork wontons in chili oil, which comes with 8 dumplings, and I also got the House Special Beef Noodle Soup. Both were outstanding. read more

Northern Cafe - Pork Wontons in Chili Oil 鲜肉红油抄手 (8) - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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David was amazing! Northern Cafe has been a wonderful option for DTLA but the experience is only as good as the people representing the business. The food rivals that of the nearby Pine and Crane without the lines or the price. Come for the soup dumplings but do not overlook the Chicken Spicy Dry Pot or the Lao Gan Ma Fried Noodle. Either way for here or to go you will be satisfied. As far as the staff go, David, who works the bar and just about everywhere else on weekday evening's goes above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome and well taken care of. All around great experiences here, give Northern Cafe a shot when visiting downtown. read more

Northern Cafe - Eat in or takeout. - Chinese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had high hopes when it opened in DTLA, but poor service is going to kill this business. I waited 50 minutes for a take out order just now. None of the items I ordered was time consuming to prepare (pig ears and wood ear appetizers, garlic string beans with upgrade for egg fried rice). The servers were not helpful. They were just talking and no one tried to proactively follow up with my order despite seeing me sitting there for a long time. No offer to bring me a drink or comp any item in my order. I also think some other customers placed takeout orders after me but got food sooner. The quality of the food doesn't matter if I have to wait 50 minutes for it read more

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I'm giving 5 stars for yummy food and great service - the salt and pepper tofu was excellent. I've had this dish at many places and one thinking about theirs from now on! Everything else we tried was good too. Service was especially wonderful, especially for a quick and delicious meal. Ambiance was cool as you might expect for DTLA. Price was also really reasonable for all we had! Other standouts: - Hand pulled stir fried cabbage - Pork and kimchi dumplings - pork soup dumplings - another mention of the salt and pepper tofu y'all Would definitely return if I was in the area. read more

I've been craving some dumplings recently and I came across an IG post showcasing Northern Cafe - Particularly their Saturday and Sunday "Dim Sum menu" -smaller portions which is exactly what I was looking for as I get full fairly quickly, & was solo so no need for regular large portions. I come in & there's only a few people. The server/ bartender gentleman were very nice! I at first got the menu confused and I asked the waitress for the dim sum menu and she happily provided. I place my order , and there's a longgg wait. I was first given chicken wonton soup which I did not order! The gentleman just placed it on my table but didn't really say anything. Neither did I though I was confused I thought maybe it was complimentary? Perhaps for the long wait? Just in case i didn't touch it. Minutes later I tell the server and ask , I had ordered spicy wontons! Not soup lol. She takes it back and then minutes later I'm given some potstickers. I had ordered chicken & corn. I have no idea which ones they gave me but they definitely didn't have corn in them. I still ate them because I've beeeen waiting and was hungry + they were good so it's fine. Also- the entire time I wasn't given my DRINK! which is like the 1st thing to give a guest. I'm finally given my green tea which the gentleman did warn me - was very fragrant & bitter. He was right it was pretty undrinkable. Maybe that's why they didn't give it to me lol but for $1.50 it's fine I guess. I'm finallyyy given my chicken spicy wontons, had one and then I walked to the bar to ask for a container to go & the check. She did discount the soup I didn't order which is great ty for that. But why even add it to the bill in the first place? I assume it's to track inventory of food & why it was taken back to the kitchen. Mayhaps. Anyways, I got what I paid for. The food was good & I'll go try it again. Perhaps just be more communicative if you're short on staff resulting in longer wait times & please give drinks before any food arrives to the table. I was thirsty so I pulled out the last my fiji water bottle from my backpack. read more

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This is one of my favorite Chinese go to spots in San Gabriel Valley and I'm so glad they finally opened one in DTLA. Came here today for their soft opening and had wonderful experience. It's Located across from Macy's (the Bloc) shopping plaza, next to JollyBee. Lot nicer than other Northern Cafe that I've been to, very modern and spacious. Plenty of seating options plus counter with a bar. That's right a "BAR". Good for big and small groups. I was able to get seating right away. They serve a variety of Sichuan/Shanghai style dishes and very affordable. Service was quick too. I ordered beef noodle soup which was delicious. Soup arrived piping hot and broth was very flavorful. Beef was perfectly tender and they give a good amount of meat. Noodle was chewy and on point as well. All in all, best addition to DTLA and looking forward to coming back. read more

Fastest service ever for a Chinese restaurant!!! This is the only location with a full bar. Very spacious inside. Shoutout to Sergio for helping us out. The food was beautifully plated and delicious. The garlic string beans were the best I ever had. I had issue finding parking during prime traffic hour but they do have valet behind the building! read more

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Walked in last night at 8:50 and got 5star service. Walked in tonight at 8:50 and was told the kitchen is closed. 3.5.....

I've been waiting for months for Northern Cafe to open and they did not disappoint. The interior is well decorated. Feels upscale. I came with a party of 4 on a Tuesday at noon and there were many already dining in. We didn't have to wait as they sat us immediately. We ordered family style. The food came out very quickly one by one. The beef roll was well fried and had a subtle hint of sweetness . The beef was very fresh. The chili oil wontons really blew me away. It had the right amount of spice and sweetness. The pork meat inside was very juicy. The fried rice tasted just as you'd expect, with the spam meat, the Chinese sausage, and shrimp. The xiao long bao was the last to come out and it was STUFFED. I'm used to the soup dumplings from Din Tai Fung which are a smaller in comparison. Northern Cafe really stuffed theirs! The pork was seasoned well and the soup was delicious. My group ordered boba as well, but it wasn't very good. It was watered down. Boba topping was brown sugar and it was nice and chewy! I'm kind of a boba snob so I'm going to have to deduct a star for the drinks. I wish I could give a .5 deduction though! The team is already plotting to return very soon. Can't wait to come back and try the other dishes! read more

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If you're craving delicious, no-frills Chinese comfort food in the heart of DTLA, Northern Cafe is the spot! I came here on a whim and was blown away by the quality and flavor of their dishes. The **dumplings** are a must--juicy, flavorful, and perfectly pan-fried to get that crispy bottom.The portions are generous, so come hungry! Service was quick and efficient, and while the place can get busy, the food comes out fresh and hot. The casual atmosphere makes it a great spot for a quick lunch or a cozy dinner. Overall, Northern Cafe is a gem for authentic Chinese food in DTLA. Highly recommend the dumplings and noodles--I'll definitely be back! read more