Needed a lunch spot that wasn't a three hour wait (lol Whisper) - and this place seemed to call to us. Upon entering, I noticed that it is a sister restaurant to the Lazhou Noodles but before we could change our minds, the hostess sat us (lol). I went with the main beef noodle soup, and we also tried the dry noodles with spicy beef. I was expecting the food to be very similar to their sister restaurant - BUT the food here was so much better I was SO surprised. The broth tasted better, the noodles were higher quality, and the beef was also much more tender and had less gristle. it made me wonder if it was a fluke or if this location was just that much better as this restaurant was also much more crowded versus the other locations. I can't wait to come back and bring friends, and though San Mateo is parking is not as friendly, the food experience definitely makes up for it! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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A group of us visited on a Thursday evening and were able to grab a table! Most of the other tables were full, so it can get quite busy.. For appetizers, we ordered the popcorn chicken, chili wontons, bean curd noodles with cilantro, dumpings, and spicy pig ears. We really enjoyed the garlic, acidity, and crunch from the cucumbers. The chili wontons and bean curd noodles had a great spice and flavor profile. The popcorn chicken had a crispy exterior, but didn't have much additional flavor even with the spicy powder coating the chicken. The dumplings were average and the pig ears were a bit disappointing. The pig ear texture threw us off compared to other pig ear we had, where this one was purely crunchy instead of a more jelly-like texture. We individually ordered noodle dishes and thoroughly enjoyed those. I got the beef noodle soup with wide flat noodles. This beef noodle soup is more like the Chinese variety, so heavier on the spice and chili oil compared to Taiwanese ones. I still very much enjoyed the flavor and depth of this soup with the spice. The beef was SO tender and just melted in your mouth. I also found the noodles themselves to be QQ and overall nice bite. These noodles can easily be overcooked, so I was very happy. Would visit again and select appetizers more selectively. Great noodles!! read more

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One of our favorite go-to noodle houses whenever we are in the San Mateo area. It's not a huge place but overall very clean. Noodles are hand pulled and made directly in front of you through a glass window where you can view your noodles being made. You can select from a variety of noodle textures and sizes. The noodle dishes are separated between soup and dry noodle versions. For the soups, recommend the Lanzhou hand pulled noodles soup or sichuan braised beef stew noodle soup. For the dry noodle, our favorite is the chilli oil noodles with wide noodles. For appetizers, the spicy wonton is really good. Their spicy sauce has just the right amount of kick and is mildly sweet. While they also serve dumplings, I kind of feel there are dumplings are just average --- stick with the noodles! read more

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The noodles here really are quite good. I ordered medium flat noodles in my beef noodle soup, and knife cut noodles in my beef stir fry. Unfortunately, I did find the beef noodle soup to be a bit lacking in flavor, I wish it had more heat and more beefy substance. As a light noodle soup though, it was great! The spicy wontons were probably my most favorite dish. Plenty of yummy spice! The garlic cucumbers were fresh and crisp. The service is really strong here, and the setting is very basic and casual. read more

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Braised beef with Chinese pickles and knife cut lanzhou noodles, i give it an A! The service was very nice and the servers answered my questions. Nice little vibe inside and Loved the R&B music read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Braised Beef and Chinese pickles knife cut noodle soup - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Been wanting to try this place for awhile and was in the area on a weekday so no wait! You scan and order on your phone. There's a decent variety of options to choose from. We ordered: Braised beef noodle soup: 2/5 The soup was really lacking flavor. I had to put chili oil and some soy sauce as well. But it still didn't really do too much. It had no umami taste and really needed salt. The beef pieces were small and very dry. I wouldn't order this again, but this was the reason for my visit. Hand pulled noodle soup... Chicken Chow Mein: 5/5 This was my favorite dish. It had a nice flavor, chicken was juicy, and was well balanced. Shrimp and Chive dumpling: 2/5 Lacked flavor as well. I had to triple dunk it in my vinegar chili oil mix. Wasn't impressed as the chive flavor didn't come through and it just tasted flat Beef Burger: 4/5 The cumin flavor really popped and it was good. I wish they filled it a bit more but it was saltier than the other two dishes I didn't like. Paired nicely with chili oil. Overall I was underwhelmed with the lack of flavor in what should have been the star of the show. If I am craving chow mein and some appetizers I'd come back but their dumplings should be on point as well. read more

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My go-to noodle spot when I'm in the bay. There was a wait for dinnertime and it was a rainy day so definitely a popular choice for comforting food. The hand pulled noodles tasted so fresh. I was tempted to get extra noodles but was glad I didn't because it was so substantial I ended up having leftovers. My nieces said the noodles kept growing and growing even though they kept eating so it was plentiful. The broth was delicious and rich, not too salty. I loved the pickled mustard pieces which were a good tart addition and the pieces were sizable. The restaurant can feel a bit small and there's usually a wait when I go during downtime. It's so worth it though. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Menu & noodle sizes - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ox 9 really stands out for its freshly made noodles. You can actually watch them hand-pull the noodles right in front of you, which is always fun to see. They also offer a variety of noodle shapes and sizes, round, flat, thin, and thick so you can choose the texture you prefer. The noodles themselves had a great chewy bite and very fresh. The broth however, could use a bit more salty/beefy flavor, it was a bit bland. The beef was just ok, and the veggies were slightly undercooked for my taste. That's what knocked a few points off the overall rating. The restaurant was pretty busy, but the wait wasn't too bad for a Friday evening around 5pm. Pricing felt fair for the portion and quality. Street parking is available, and there's also a nearby parking lot which helps. Overall, a solid spot if you're craving fresh hand-pulled noodles. 3.7 Stars for me. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this place yet. It is our family's favorite place to go for a quick and yummy meal. Our favorite is the Hand cut noodles with the beef noodle soup. My kids love the fried breadsticks that are coated in chili flakes. Another favorite is the popcorn, chicken and this time I tried the pork buns and they were really really good. Try to go before the rush or else there might be a small weight. Service is very friendly. read more

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A solid bowl of noodles. The interior was nice and bright with plenty of seating. The staff were friendly and quick. I liked that you could pick noodle thickness, the meat was tender, and I enjoyed my spice level. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'd been to the Mountain View location of Ox 9 before, but this was my first time at the San Mateo location. We arrived just as they opened at 5PM, so getting seated wasn't a problem. The restaurant was also more spacious than Mountain View, with the same casual vibe and minimal decor. Service was lukewarm but impressively quick. We ordered the Marinated Cucumber Salad to share, which was refreshing with a subtle wasabi flavor. This time, I decided to try the Beef Chow Mein. It came with a choice of noodles, and I went with the "knife- cut". I liked this dish better than my Chili Oil Noodles from last time! The texture of the knife-cut noodle was so nice - very stretchy and chewy. The beef was also tasty and the portion size was massive. I think I found my new go-to order at Ox 9! read more

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One of the best braised noodle soups I've had in the Bay Area! This spot feels very casual, but service is fast and friendly. The food came very quickly after we ordered. The noodles were cooked perfectly, and the beef was tender and melts in your mouth. The soup did start to feel greasy pretty soon, though. The cucumber salad was phenomenal -- marinated well and very flavorful. I would definitely come back again when I'm craving noodle soups! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - N.1.2 Braised Beef Stew Noodles 红烧牛肉面 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I usually stick to the braised beef with Chinese pickle whenever I visit Ox9, but I recently tried the chili oil noodles with braised beef and I'm hooked! It's much more flavorful than the noodle soup, with a perfect balance of chili, garlic, and oil that somehow doesn't feel greasy at all. The beef portions are generous, and the noodles are excellent--perfectly al dente. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

I stopped by on a weekday afternoon. The place was not full. Braised beef stew knife cut noodles was my favorite item here. It had a lot of flavors and the noodles tasted great. Chicken fried noodles was excellent as well. Cumin beef burger was just ok. Probably I should have skipped it. read more

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Chinese-style fast food done right! Ordering is easy--you scan a QR code at the table and place everything from your phone. We submitted our appetizers and they arrived within minutes. The pig ears had a great crunch with a lingering numbing spice, and the garlic cucumbers were refreshing with a slightly sweet flavor. We also shared both the original beef noodle soup and the mala version--the mala definitely had a nice kick. They offer six different handcrafted noodle styles to choose from, which makes it even more fun to customize your bowl. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - C.2 Spicy Pig Ears 红油耳丝 A.1 Marinated Cucumber Salad 金钱黄瓜 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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San Mateo is an Asian food mecca! So many Asian food to choose from including this one. Handpull noodles are legit! Bouncy, chewy, flavorful noodles in a bowl! I gotta give them a 10 for slurp factor. It slurps up beautifully and splashes soup during the process! Yumm-o. Its a tiny place with tables lined up like a hallway. Service was good. Lots of parking outside. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

Visited on a Saturday night around 6:00pm with a friend, the restaurant was about half full, not too busy, was able to grab a table when we arrived. By the time we left around 7:00pm most tables were taken and there was a short wait to grab a spot so come earlier if you plan to visit to avoid the wait. Food: Chili Noodles with braised beef - this was served warm, came with a generous amount of noodles, some veggies and pieces of braised beef which ate a little dry and tough, noodles were coated in a medium spic level chili sauce, wish this was a touch saltier but maybe personal preference, we ordered these with the wide flat noodles which was a chewy with a nice bounce a bit thicker than I was expecting Beef Noodle Soup with Chinese Pickles - okay, ordered this with knife cut noodles, which were about 2-3 inches long with varied thicknesses, generous portion size, texture of the noodles were a bit soft and mushy, soup had a slight savory flavor along with a touch of Sichuan pepper but wish it had more beefy notes and depth of flavor, bok choy in the dish was cooked tender and seemed pretty fresh, the braised beef was super tender definitely the highlight of the dish, pickled veggies were a nice briney, salty, tangy crunch Service was quick and efficient, order through the QR code and staff bring out cups for water and napkins along with orders once ready. Tables had a variety of condiments and chopsticks availible, our was out of spoons which we asked for and they delivered quickly. Overall Ox 9 was okay, a touch disappointed given the rave reviews, maybe it was the noodle type we ordered but just didn't hit the mark for us. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Beef noodle soup with Chinese pickles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love love love Ox9 and take out of towners here to try their beef noodle soup with pickled vegetables and hand pulled noodles. It is consistently amazing, rich flavorful broth, and the freshest bouncy noodles! I like to get medium round, but it's nice to choose the size and texture of your noodle because it changes the eating experience! It's very family friendly, they have kids chairs and bowls to accommodate little ones. Small shop, you put your name and number down on an iPad but the line moves very quick. Staff and service is fast and efficient. Generous portions too, we usually end up taking some home! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - N.1.2 Beef Noodles with Chinese Pickles 老坛酸菜牛肉面 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

During the colder seasons, ox9's delicious broth and fresh noodles hit the spot. We ordered the beef noodles w/ Chinese pickles, soybean paste dry noodles, fresh celery with yuba, and the basil popcorn chicken. Everything came out fast and fresh with minimal interaction, as we ordered off the QR codes. Both noodle dishes were huge portions, the beef noodles were delicious with its tender beef chunks, flavorful broth and bouncy noodles- I personally thought the dish could've used more beef to balance the amount of noodles but that's a minor note. The soybean paste dry noodles were delicious and fresh as well, with their soybean paste being very hearty and coated the noodles wonderfully. The fresh celery was just fine, however the basil popcorn chicken was delicious, being super flavorful with their seasoning and crispiness and minimal pieces with gristle. I'll definitely be back when I get ramen fatigue. I do recommend coming early as there's usually a line during peak hours due to their smaller interior. read more

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Food: 4.00 | Service: 4.75 | Ambiance: 4.75 Hours: Everyday 11AM-3PM, 5-9PM First timer to Ox 9 LANZHOU HANDPULLED NOODLES on B Street in San Mateo downtown, landed in Northern California in 2012, is a hand-pulled noodle chain with locations in Valley Fair, Cupertino, Fremont and Milpitas. The dining space is a small backward L-shaped space, light, bright and airy. Only point of Confusion is on where you check in or do you seat yourself, until someone pops out to greet you. Once seated, everything else falls into place. Waitstaff was nice and helpful with menu. OX 9 is famous for their hand-pulled beef noodle soup but sometimes I'm too focused on one aspect, the hand-pulled or housemade noodles itself. Ordered: CUCUMBER W/GARLIC SAUCE - fragrant, refreshing, and garlicky, perfect! CRISPY LAMB CHOPS (SPICY) - lamb chops crusted with a dry spice rub and fried. I liked the spices but didn't appreciate the lamb as much. Have never had mutton but it's considered an older sheep or goat. This lamb is what I think is mutton - tough, fattier and gamier than lamb chops I've had. Who knows. Maybe this cut of lamb is needed to hold up to the savory spicy spice rub. But this is not for me. BEEF CHOW FUN (KNIFE CUT NOODLES) - basically chow fun but made with knife-cut noodles. Total yum with knife-cut noodles, great wok hei! I'd order again. I value OX 9 LANZHOU HANDPULLED NOODLES for their housemade noodles and will return to try their signature soups like LANZHOU HANDPULLED NOODLE or BRAISED BEEF STEW NOODLE, MALA SPICY BEEF NOODLE or their stir-fried beef, chicken, lamb or veggie noodles. As well as SPICY PIG EARS, BIG PLATE CHICKEN (Bone-in), STEAMED PORK & GREEN ONION BUNS. See you there! read more

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We went to Ox 9 for dinner. DS ordered his usual chicken noodle plate since he doesn't really like noodle soup. The portion was big and pretty decent. He ate about half and took the rest home. Hubby got the No. 1 as usual and he really enjoyed it. I ordered the braised beef and switched to knife-cut noodles, which was a mistake. The noodles were super mushy and I really don't like mushy food. We also ordered the steamed buns, but I wouldn't order those again. They tasted like frozen buns that were just re-steamed. It's not good at all. Overall, the meal was decent. Just order your food wisely. read more

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What a great spot for hand pulled noddles!!! The place is small but modern and welcoming. Ordering is via QR code which I am not a fan of. Most items are around the hand pulled noodles and some dumplings. Food came out quick and was excellent. Highly recommend and will be back. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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2nd time here. Food is good. It's packed. Not enough workers so it gets quite busy feeling Hand pulled beef noodles, simple and the texture of the noodles is great. I would come back, maybe not during peak hours read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Pickled - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I'm local so I come here often but recently feel like the quality and care has dropped. Ordered the lamb noodle soup with bread and it came with maybe a mouthful of noodles if I'm being generous. Disappointed. Maybe they expected me to eat just the bread? But at that point, let's not advertise as lamb noodle soup and just say lamb soup with bread....this isn't the first time I've ordered this dish either so I know the portion has gone down. Will definitely think twice before returning especially with so many new restaurants in the area... read more

I just tried Ox 9 after a friend raved about it for the last year. Their hand pulled noodles offer the best chewy texture for noodles. I like getting their beef chow mein with large flat noodles. The beef is also good quality and not chewy like how some other places can be. Dish is big enough to be two meals! You can't skip out on the popcorn chicken here. Will need to come back to try their noodle soups! read more

3.5 rounded up for the noodles I always love a place that has hand pulled noodles. Came here for lunch and didn't have any issues finding street parking or getting a table. I'm sure if it was a weekend, it would be trickier. The service was great. You order by scanning a QR table and there was actually service inside so ordering wasn't a problem. I got my fav- braised beef stew with flat noodles. Tasted good, I enjoyed it and loved the texture of the noodles but it was way too carb heavy for me. Needs an extra side of protein. Maybe next time I'll get the soup and add some popcorn chicken. read more

Came here on a Sunday afternoon and there was a short wait. Once we were seated, we ordered through the QR code and the food came out quickly. They offer so many great options, including both soup and dry noodles with a variety of sides. My favorite part, though, was getting to choose the type of noodle. I went with the braised beef noodle soup and chose the medium-thick noodles. The bowl came with plenty of beef and bok choy, and the broth was flavorful without being too spicy. I highly recommend if you're looking for a great noodle soup spot in San Mateo! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - N.1.2 Beef Noodles with Chinese Pickles 老坛酸菜牛肉面 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

3.5/5 A Chinese spot specializing in noodles! My family came here on a Sunday around 2pm and waited around 20 minutes to get seated. We ordered the Sesame Veggie Gluten Noodles, Braised Beef Stewed Knife Cut Noodle Soup, and Braised Pork Intestines Noodle Soul. You order from the QR code at the table and can pick your noodle type. I enjoyed the fatty and juicy meat. I thought the soup could've had more flavorful and depth of the beef though. Service was quick! read more

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We came around 5:30pm on a Monday night and the place was empty (kinda nice). Got seated immediately. I like being able to order from my phone and everyone can look at the menu and order what they want. The food also came super fast because of this (and the emptiness haha). This place is 10/10 for noodle texture (so nice and chewy and great variety of types) and 6/10 for flavor. The chili oil noodles were the most flavorful. The spicy wontons were also great. Eveything looks so flavorful/spicy but it's all really lacking some salt and heat haha. We got the lamb fried noodles (not pictured) and it was just like Panda Express chow mein with some small tough pieces of lamb thrown in last second (absolutely no lamb flavor). Overall....if you've never had this type of Chinese food, you won't know what to expect so it'll be fine haha. But to me, it lacked flavor and I'd rather go elsewhere to fulfill my cravings for these types of dishes. read more

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Came here on Monday night and there was no wait time. Ordering process is straightforward using the QR code at the table. Our table started off with the Mung Bean Noodles with Garlic Sauce and it was sooo delcious! Soft noodles in a savory garlic chili sauce, served cold. For my entree I ordered the Vegetable noodle soup with knife-cut noodles. The broth was perfectly flavorful and I liked the texture of the noodles. I also like how the shaped feel "organic" lol. They serve generous portions and I was able to bring my leftovers to eat later. As a pescatarian, I do really wish they had a seafood noodle dish. When I come here, I want to have a hot noodle soup like everyone else but that means I can only get the vegetable noodle soup which is kind of lackluster in terms of ingredients (basically just radish, bokchoy, and carrots). I'm hoping they expand their menu someday! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Vegetable Noodle Soup 蔬菜汤面 (knife cut noodles) - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here on a Saturday night and was able to put our name down on the waitlist. We ended up waiting about 20 minutes, which wasn't bad for peak dinner time. Once we were seated, there was a QR code at the table for the menu, and you place your order directly through it. Super convenient, and the food came out quickly. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including: * Spicy pig ears * Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodles * Braised beef stew noodles * Spicy ground pork dry noodles * Sesame veggies gluten noodles * Chili oil noodles with braised beef The highlights for me were definitely the chili oil noodles and the Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodles. read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

The medium round noodles had the perfect chew! Tried the Lanzhou noodles and the beef stew. Both were yummy, the beef stew came with more meat. The Lanzhou noodles came with a lot of noodles and some very thinly sliced tender meat (wish it came with a bit more.) The hot sauce is really good! Loved the pig ears but was pretty thirsty after. Clean and bright inside. Service was as expected for a busy place. read more

Been waiting to try this Handpulled noodles out on B street! I personally love Lanzhou noodles so I had to give it a try! The noodles are very soft and tender and not chewy tender if some of you are wondering. These were the items we ordered to try: Braised Beef Stew with Chinese pickles Noodles 红烧牛肉面 Mala Spicy beef noodle soup 麻辣汤面 Spicy Pig Ears 红油耳丝 Stew Lamb Noodles 清炖羊肉汤面 I had the Mala Spicy beef noodles and the broth was pretty tasty (清汤）and not much MSG which I liked! Their braised beef was very yummy! It only comes with the noodles and there is no add ons for that meat but lamb and chicken meat, you're able to add on for extras. I ordered the stew lamb noodles to go. It was only lamb meat dice sides so don't think this was a good deal but the dish itself was pretty good! Their silver Tin cup was so cute! It has their semi logo words on it "Ox 9, 九牛". The restaurant is pretty spacey and clean. The waiters were nice and helpful and had to patience to explain the menu to the elders. I'll definitely come back when I'm around here! read more

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Great hand-pulled noodles and soups. Had the braised beef with medium noodles, medium spicy. Fast friendly service. Clean and pleasant ambiance. Fair prices. Delicious!! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - Braised beef with medium noodles - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

I have only gotten food from online order pickup from this Ox 9 location, and it's always been ready on time. Whenever I have gone, there are usually some people waiting to be seated. You cannot go wrong with getting their braised beef stew noodles because this is an absolute comfort soup when I it's cold and I need something to warm my soul. The broth is delicious and flavorful, and the beef is tender, but I especially like it with their wide noodles. It's great because you can choose what kind of noodles you want with the soup, so to each their own. I also thoroughly enjoy their spicy wontons and cucumber salad. I can't wait to try more menu items. read more

They capture the north west China flavor in their Lanzhou noodle broth ! It's the closest thing I've found in the Bay Area. Their noodles have good bounce and chew as well. Their fried lamb is a sleeper hit, love it. read more

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Ok y'all - this is it. This is the kind of food that you dream of. The noodles were some of the best I've had in a long time! The cucumber side and the dumplings were delicious as well! The food is so well priced and service was quick! However, expect a long wait before you're seated - the place is small and the food is great - so it's worth it! Go try it and thank me later. read more

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I'm still in a current phase where I'm craving hand pulled noodles and this spot was nearby. I ordered the Lanzhou hand pulled beef noodles. The flat noodles were pretty chewy. The broth was okay, nothing too crazy. Ordering here is pretty simple, you order on a QR code and they bring to food to you. The restaurant also a decent amount of indoor table seating. Try it out if you like. :) read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - N.1 Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Beef Noodles 兰州牛肉拉面 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California

Absolute gem of a restaurant, which explains why there are wait times outside Thursday - Sunday evenings. Their classic Lanzhou noodle soup is delicious but pretty much any of their options have a place in my heart. Get their wide, house made noodles and the broth is not only flavorful, but also filled with a good amount of protein and vegetables. Staff are very friendly and they have both digital and physical menus! read more

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This was the most delicious noodle soup I've ever had! Amazing flavor and very simple ingredients. Just broth, chunks of beef, noodles and bok choy. But so wonderful! The broth was incredibly flavorful and rich but not too salty. The noodles were silky smooth and almost melted in your mouth. There was a good amount of beef and it was cooked perfectly and made the dish the best. I can't wait to go back! read more

Ox 9 Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles - N.1.2 Braised Beef Stew Noodles 红烧牛肉面 - Noodles Near Me - San Mateo, California