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    Northern Cafe

    4.2 (850 reviews)
    ModerateNoodles, Soup, Chinese
    Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Northern Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    NORTHERN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Northern Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    A9 intestine noodles - my go to - delicious
    Rosanna L.

    One of the favorite places to get noodles. They hand pull their noodles so they are extra chewy which I love. I always get the intestine noodles. Broth is very flavorful. Stay away from the drinks. They lack flavor. Not worth the money or the calories. I also enjoy their cold dishes but prices have gone up. I tried the fried intestines for the first time and weren't bad but portion was small for the price. There is practically no service. You order via the website. They drop off the food. That's about it. I asked for 3 extra bowls and spoon but I only get 2 bowls. They have a very small parking lot in the back and street parking. Inside is small, about 20 tables with large TVs showing how they make their noodles. I'll be back again soon.

    May L.

    So yummy! A taste of home after a trip. One of the few places open after 9 pm! Got my favorite, the braised lamb with sliced noodles. Flavors are so deep and distinct and the noodles are the perfect texture along with the pop of the peppers and potatoes. We also got the dumplings and chili wontons. Both were filled generously as was the chives and egg pancake. Beef and tendon noodles were good too. The appetizers selection seemed to have grown since we were there last, which was a while ago. Service was what one would expect. Order by QR code and food gets delivered. No one really came by otherwise, so pretty surprising when tip starts at 15%. Place is clean and has cute murals on the wall to create a nice ambiance.

    B8. Beef Noodle Soup with Tomato
    Chrissy L.

    The Tomato Beef Noodle Soup with Pan Fried Egg, Peking Meat Pie, House Special Stir-Fried Lamb Noodles, Beef Noodle Soup (Meat & Tendon), and Beef Bones were pretty good. Peking Meat Pie takes a longer time. It's a hearty meal.

    Beef roll
    Shirley C.

    Still good but different now. Miss the classic noodle place. It's been remodeled and gentrified including the menu. Many nice touches but much more westernized The items lack the mouth-numbing heat as before. You definitely have to add your own chili oil to items but this does open the menu to a wider crowd Menu is broader with many new items to add variety but is gone the heavy handed ethnic flavor QR code for self ordering at the table now too

    E9. Beef Roll
    Chelsea N.

    Small restaurant with a variety of different noodle, dumpling and entree dishes. You can also choose cold dishes at the counter. You scan the QR code on your table to order. House Special Beef Noodle Soup (7.5/10) - broth tasted flavorful and not too oily. I got the regular width noodles (a little thicker than spaghetti) and it had a nice bite to it. I think the beef could've been braised a bit more to soak in the flavor, and the daikon slices could be cooked a tad bit more. Beef roll (8.5/10) - I really liked this dish! The roll was perfectly flaky and crispy, and the thickness was just right. Beef was tender and the roll wasn't overly sauced up. It would be even better if they added sliced cucumbers (usually found in other restaurants) to add some crunch and freshness. Lamb Skewers (8.0/10) - the cumin spice combo was spot on! They gave decent chunks of lamb that had a good meat-to-fat ratio. Slightly well done

    H1. Lamb Skewer
    Michael W.

    Context: We walked in and were able to get a table for 7 on Thanksgiving for dinner. There was a decent number of other customers and several people offering takeout, but thankfully didn't have to wait for a table. B7. Home Style Stir-Fried Sliced Noodle - 4/5 - The flavor was good, with a good amount of noodle vs. other ingredients. The noodles were just chewy enough! C1. Juicy Pork Dumplings - 3/5 - not enough soup, the meat wasn't ground finely enough. C2. Crab Pork Juicy Dumplings - 3/5 - same as C1 + little to no crab flavor. We couldn't really tell the difference between this and C1. C9. Fennel Pork Dumplings - 4/5 - We ordered this one pan fried. Well seasoned and fragrant. C13. Pork Wonton Soup - 2/5 - Strong ginger flavor, but didn't haven't much flavor beyond that. D1. Chinese Sauerkraut Hot Pot w/ Sliced Pork Belly - 3/5 - Too sour and the soup base didn't have enough umami / not rich enough. H1. Lamb Skewer - 2/5 - The skewer was just okay. It was tough / dry and wasn't that fragrant. H10. Ox Tail - 2/5 - Kind of tough & dry. Pig Ear - 3/5 - Not flavorful or fragrant enough. Pickled Seaweed- 4/5 - Tender seaweed and good flavor! Just right amount of sour and salty. Pickled Cucumber - 2/5 - Little to no flavor. Feels like it didn't pick up enough of the marinade. The staff were polite and served us quickly! The restaurant is well lit with a decent amount of seating between tables and booths. Not too loud, so it was easy for our table to have conversations.

    Linh Y.

    I was picking up a couple orders of Hainan Chicken Rice from ABC Cafe in Monterey Park. I remember reading a great review on Northern Cafe from another Yelper. I said why not check them out since they are just around the corner. Here I am... I decided to dine-in rather than do take-out. Upon entry, I was greeted and seated right away. We're off to a good start. Great inside seating space. Menu has lots of good noodle selections in dry and soup forms. I decided to try the dry version. I'll check out the soup option next time. I ended up getting 3 items. 1. Noodle with soy bean paste - A wonderful noodle dish that's not too oily with the right amount of soy bean paste in great flavor. OMG, so much noodles! It seemed never-ending. I ate alot here and there were still alot left to take home. Definitely shareable by at least 3 people LOL. 2. Chive, pork, and shrimp dumpling - Very tasty! Good filling of shrimp, pork, and chives. Perfectly pan-fried! A WINNER! 3. Potato shrimp wrap - I love shrimp! I was curious about this one. Its formation is very creative. Its a fun appetizer to say the least. There's more potato than shrimp. Wished the shrimp was bigger. I think the dip was ketchup which I thought was odd. Lady server was friendly and nice. After delivery of my foods, she seldom if rarely returned to check on me. I would have to wave her or someone down if I needed anything. When I went up to pay for my order, a different lady behind the counter was slightly rude. Not sure why. I just wanted to pay for my food and get to-go boxes/bag. Anyway, I want to return to try their other dishes in the near future. See you here!

    Bonny L.

    My sister wanted to get noodles and we came across this place by our house. The restaurant is located on a weird spot and we had to find parking in the big lot as the back lot behind the restaurant was full. But when we went inside we were assisted by staff and seated quickly. Food came out pretty fast and was delicious. The portions of the food were huge too and I actually had some left overs for lunch the next day. Interior of the place was a decent size and modern. Noodles were great and tasted/looked handmade like they advertise.

    Menu
    Graciela C.

    Surprisingly tasty beef noodle soup with clear type of broth. It was hot, savory, easy to enjoy and heavy on the noodles. I really enjoyed the picked peppers one. That one is a must get followed by the classic noodle bowl soup. I got knife cut noodles and they were really really thick and it wasn't that enjoyable because it was too doughy. I think next time I'll go with thin for a better mouthfeel. The green onion pancake is usually a favorite but here it was harder than the usual and not flaky. It's a good bowl to have also when you're under the weather imo. It was so much I had to take about 40% home.

    Lamb noodle soup
    Regina L.

    We were looking for something that opened late and northern cafe fit our needs. They close at 11pm and we arrive around 9. Even then there were a lot of people coming in after us. The servers offered us water and the food came out quickly. The place seemed clean, even though there was only one server. We ordered some side dish in the front while we were waiting. You pay for it at the end with your meal. For two vegetables and one meat side dish it was $13.99. The lotus root, mustard green and pig ear were all delicious. These are dishes we usually don't make at home. The broth for the noodle soups were clear and not at all oily. The noodles had a good consistency and you can see them hand make the noodles once you come into the restaurant. There are different choices you can pick for your noodle size. I have tried the regular noodles and the large noodles and they were both really good. The cold noodles were also refreshing on a hot day. Each portion was very big and we had leftovers. My sister really liked the beef rolls. I would definitely come back again.

    Amy L.

    Pretty good place for dinner $75 for 3 noodle soups, appetizer (2 veggie, 1 meat $13.99), and beef roll ($12.99). Lots of noodles in dish and definitely shareable. We left so full and even had leftovers. We came around 8:30pm on a Thursday and by the time we left around 9:20pm, the whole place was packed with people. Beef roll is so good, would definitely order again. The noodle soups (any of them) is very good as well. We got A1 and A6 for the noodle soup and both broths were clear (in Chinese we call it ching) and yummy. It also comes out super duper hot which is very nice. The cold noodle we got was also yummy. LOTS of noodles, carb overload. The appetizers, you order at the front of the store separately but you pay it all together with your bill at the end. There is also boba tea sold at the same place and pig feet as well. Such a large selection of foods. I would come back here again!

    Sour and spicy beef noodle
    安琪

    I ordered the sour and spicy noodles but it was totally not the taste I wanted. Noodle is Sticky and clings to the teeth. Was really wondering what the yellow soup made up from ? And the girl was selling the cold dish didn't explain me if I do combo it will not be the same price ! She didn't make it clear at all that make me feel like it's a scam !

    Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb $14.99
    Kay M.

    There was no wait on a Friday night. We got the Juicy Pork Dumplings(8) $11.50, Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb $14.99, and House Special Beef & Tendon Noodle Soup $14.50. You can get different types of noodles for the Noodle Soup. The Juicy Pork Dumplings were really good and juicy. The Stir-Fried Flat Noodle w/ Lamb is a family favorite, full of flavor. The House Special Beef & Tendon Noodle Soup was quite bland but still good. Overall, enjoyed our dinner here.

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    The food was okay, but the service needs serious improvement.The service was unfriendly and disrespectful非常没有礼貌

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    Page 1 of 22

    Northern Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Northern Cafe

    What vegan options do you have?

    Is this part of the Northern Cafe chain? I've been to the ones in Westwood, near USC and near the Beverly Center.

    sorry, not sure! Probably, otherwise I don't think they can use the same name. But their menu is different. I've been in the one near USC, and the food is good too

    Do they have non spicy options for kids?

    Yes, they have a few items like lamb noodle soup and green onion pancake.

    Does this place have vegetarian noodle? Including the soup base and other ingredients of the bowl of noodle?

    noodles are made with flour and water or flour and egg..... so...... noodle is vegetarian...

    Is this place cash-only?

    No..I think at least visa is fine

    Is this business kind friendly? yes

    Good enough!

    View All 9 Questions

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    Meow Rice Noodle

    4.5
    (185 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Hidden Gem in Alhambra - Finally Tried It After 4 Years of Driving By!…read more I've lived in Alhambra for the last 4 years and drove past this place almost every day, always assuming it was just another hot pot spot. It never looked super busy, so I kept putting it off. Big mistake--don't let that happen to you like it did to me! We finally went in and ordered a bunch: the Spicy Beef Shank Rice Noodle, Rattan Pepper Sliced Beef Rice Noodle, Popcorn Chicken, Sesame Balls, Popping Brown Sugar Rice Cake, Fried Milk Rolls, and Fried Taro Balls. Everything was outstanding. The noodles were amazing--fresh, chewy, with high-quality ingredients you can really taste in every bite. The broths had that perfect spicy kick without being overwhelming, and the beef was super tender. My wife and I couldn't stop eating; literally everything we tried was delicious. She especially loved the Fried Taro Balls--they were crispy outside, soft and flavorful inside. The sides/snacks were all hits too: the Popcorn Chicken was perfectly seasoned and crispy, the Sesame Balls and Popping Brown Sugar Rice Cake brought great texture and sweetness, and the Fried Milk Rolls were a fun surprise. Service was top-notch--shoutout to Icey, who took such great care of us. One of the best and most attentive experiences we've had in a while. If you're in Alhambra and love good food, do yourself a favor and stop in. You won't go wrong here--highly recommend! 5 stars all the way.

    One of my favorite noodle spot in SGV area…read more My go to dish would be tomato sliced beef rice noodles- the tomato soup base is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The portion rice is very generous, I can never finish and would end up taking leftovers. Parking: they have a lot next to the restaurant, I never had an issue with finding a spot. The only downside is they don't have their AC on during the summer. I remember one time I was sweating while eating and it was very uncomfortable.

    Photos
    Food documentary playing on the TV.
    Food documentary playing on the TV.
    Tomato & Beef
    Tomato & Beef
    Peach oolong tea, listed as a Chapai Fruit Tea on their menu.

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    Peach oolong tea, listed as a Chapai Fruit Tea on their menu.
    The Congee

    The Congee

    4.0
    (548 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    The Congee is located in the same plaza as Kang Kang Food Court with a shared lot with other…read morerestaurants and businesses. On a Saturday evening, my husband and I decided to grab dinner here. Because we parked in the shared parking lot, we entered the restaurant through the back. We were immediately greeted upon entering. After being seated and looking over the menu, we ended up ordering: Fish Tofu Congee, $10.50 prior to tax- This meal truly nourished my soul because I was really sick a few days before and hardly ate anything. The congee was nice and hot and thick, just the way I like it. Portion wise, this is perfect for 2- 3 people to share. But again because I had not eaten much for the last few days, I ended up eating most of it (lol, had not realized how hungry I was until I was eating this). My husband did enjoy this congee too. Beef Stew Noodle Soup, $14.95 prior to tax- My husband ordered this dish and thought the soup was flavorful and the noodles had a nice chew. I also liked this dish and thought it was delicious. My husband finished most of this dish. ------------------------------ (Total= $28.10 after tax, prior to tip) Service was friendly. And because the restaurant is on the small side, it was very easy to get a server's attention if you needed something. Although I did speak mostly Cantonese when I was here (I am actually trying to make myself speak Cantonese more), you can order in English. So you shouldn't have any trouble when you dine here. Overall, coming to The Congee was the right choice for dinner and so glad we did. I do see myself coming back here for another meal in the near future. Please note that there is a unisex restaurant towards the back of the restaurant, right next to the back entrance/ exit. The restroom itself had all the basic essentials (running water, toilet paper, paper towels and soap) but wasn't the cleanest. It was decent at best.

    I chose to order the Spicy Salt Wings appetizer based on the positive reviews I had seen on Yelp…read more However, I must admit that I did not find the wings to my liking. They lacked both the expected spiciness and the salty flavor. I believe I had anticipated a taste similar to crispy spicy salted pork chops. After just one bite, I decided to take the remainder home with the intention of making them crispier myself. The Shrimp Wonton Noodles in Soup certainly deserve a five-star rating. The dish featured four generously sized shrimp wontons, all amply filled with shrimp. I did sample the noodles, but unfortunately, I was too satiated to fully appreciate them. I am looking forward to returning for the Shrimp Wonton Noodles in Soup.

    Photos
    The Congee
    Chicken wing
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    Noodle St

    4.4
    (1.1k reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    After a long day of walking around, we decided to warm up at Noodle St. Being able to check-in with…read moreYelp was super helpful and gave us a good idea on wait time. Once we were seated, we were met with a friendly server who offered recommendations to our party depending on spice levels. I tried their beef fried rice and the portions were huge for the price! I had to get a braised egg and it made for such a great combo. I also tried their chili oil and loved how spicy it was. I wish there was a Noodle St. close to my city!

    My friends and I decided to try this place out after reading the wonderful reviews & seeing the…read morepictures of their dishes. I was also craving soup so this was the perfect option! We ordered their chicken wings, garlic string beans, spicy beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, & beef scallion roll. The food came out within 10 minutes of ordering, which I appreciated since I was starving. The soup was packed with so much flavor & had a generous amount of knife cut noodles. The beef rolls had a nice light flavor to it & wasn't dry at all. The garlic string beans were PACKED with garlic, which was delicious. The chicken wings were a bit dry but nonetheless still pretty good. My friends really liked their scallion pancakes & devoured them all. Overall, I would definitely come back if I was ever in the area again. It definitely satisfied my cravings for Chinese food.

    Photos
    Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu ($15.80) - onions, spinach, bell peppers and carrots. With triangle noodles.
    Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu ($15.80) - onions, spinach, bell peppers and carrots. With triangle noodles.
    Dining room
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