We stumbled upon this Chinese noodle shop in Oakland around dinnertime. The restaurant is fairly…read moresmall and has a clean public restroom for patrons to use. We ordered two noodle soups, string beans, spicy cucumber, and a potato appetizer. The handmade noodles were delicious with great texture, and the string beans were flavorful and came in a good portion. Just a heads-up: payment is required upfront (cash or card). The biggest surprise was the robot that delivered our food! Not something I expected to see here. If you're looking for a casual and welcoming Chinese spot with handmade noodles in Oakland, this place is worth checking out.

Texture of home made noodle was perfect Soup is slow…read moresimmered home made bone broth- one of the best I have tasted The meat - beef shank pork rib was perfect in taste and tenderness Service was impeccable As a foodie, this was a 5/5 experience

Locate close to Chinatown, but tucked in between two businesses. This restaurant has limited…read moreparking on the street, but there are parking garages in Chinatown if you're uncomfortable to park on the street. Slight bit of a walk, but you'll survive. The restaurant itself is pretty small, a little tight knit. Maybe that's due to location, but they have a reasonable seating arrangement for a narrow shop. I called in to place an order, and they were very prompt. When I got there, I was immediately acknowledged by not only the cashier/server, but also by one of the packing cooks to help expedite process. I order Spicy Wontons, and I must say, they are super flavorful. I would highly recommend.

Cute little place in Chinatown. Friendly workers!…read more The broth for both noodles were so good and not too heavy. I really enjoyed the clear broth- very fresh tasting. Meat for both spicy and clear broths were tender. The S&S ribs were very good as well. 100% will get this again! The wontons in chili were ok! Parking - street parking or underground parking at the Pacific Renaissance Plaza~

Came here for the first time and brought my family along. There were six of us, so we arrived right…read morewhen they opened to make sure we could get a table. The restaurant is on the smaller side, and I had heard there can be a wait, but we were seated right away. We had a great experience overall! The service was excellent, the food came out quickly, and everything tasted great. Everyone enjoyed their meal, and we'll definitely be coming back again.

When the place lives up to the hype, it's truly the best feeling. That's what I felt eating my…read moretakeout from Shan Dong. The flavours were bold and strong. The famous sesame paste noodles were deliciously bouncy and al dente, coated with a peanut-adjacent sauce and tender pieces of beef. There is mild spice and some thin veggies. 10/10 The Shan Dong chicken also blew me away, with a hoisin-esque honey garlic sauce covering large chunks of crispy and juicy chicken. Because I got takeout, the chicken was Soft but I can imagine fresh it would be perfectly crunchy. 9/10 I'll definitely be back to try other noodles! Worth going out of your way for

4.5 stars $26.52…read moreAngshim Katsu: sizeable and delicious. Juicy cutlets are perfectly cooked. They even have black salt on the table. Given the cost, I expected a one and done. But that will not be the case.

I would not recommend this place. The food was a bit bland and didn't meet expectations, especially…read moregiven the high price for pork/fish katsu and udon without meat (extra $8 for katsu). It feels more tailored to people with higher budget than ours. The ordering process is straightforward but impersonal---you have to order and pay first (either at kiosk or with a cashier), then find your own table and wait for your food. On plus side, the katsu came out crispy and the soup was hot. The katsu (pork or fish) is served with shaved cabbage, miso soup, and optional steamed rice, though some sides come with additional charge. The ambiance is casual, more of a fast-paced, eat-and-go environment rather than a relaxed experience.

Mensho is a very popular restaurant. This was my first time visiting, and I had a great experience…read more The food was delicious! The standout dishes for me were the Calamari, Karaage, and Daikon Salad. The Calamari was perfectly fried, and the seasoning was well-balanced. The Karaage was also perfectly fried, and the sauce was flavorful. The Daikon Salad was light and refreshing. I would like to thank our server, Noah, for his helpfulness in choosing our dishes and for the prompt service. I highly recommend it!

Unpopular opinion: wasn't my favorite. But that's all due to personal preference (aside from…read moreservice and a rocky start). The good: fresh, quality ingredients The bad: started with the host/wait list. I accidentally added my name twice for a solo diner. Host thought it was a mistake and completely removed me from the wait list and seated other parties that came in after me. Thoroughly confused - she didn't even call my name to confirm so I had to go up to her and ask. No apology either. Was seated at the counter where solo diners usually sit. Service was non existent. Server came up to me and ask "what would you like to order?" I've never been there before. No "hi my name is ... I'll be your server" nada. They're just a machine - people in people out. The ramen - broth was fine. The squiggly noodles aren't my favorite. Expected to have kernel corn but had corn ribs instead (good thing I'm good with chopsticks!) The charshu was just okay. Enoki topping was just ... aight. The nice touch was that they didn't put it in the ramen and served it on the side to preserve its crunchiness because it definitely needed the texture! It was loud, busy, and nothing spectacular about the dining scene here. $55 dollars later (ramen, 2 additional toppings, one box of sake) ... I sadly don't think it was worth it.

Located not too far from Paramount Theatre, there's very little seating. The place is also small…read more Ordering can be done on the self serve kiosk or at the front with a staff member. Food takes quite a while. Thai basil (4/5): flavor was good. Chicken was tender. Good amount of basil without it being too overpowering. Tap to pay is accepted. Overall GaiNoi is a small bustling place. Food take a while but they got quite a bit of customers and a small working staff.

Amazing Thai eatery. I came here two times already for an affordable dinner and it has got me…read morewanting to come back. It is an order at counter get served later kind of restaurant, but the quality of food is really good. The portion wasn't too heavy and flavor profiles were on point. My favorite was the veggie and chicken rice bowl, as it had the perfect amount of garlic and savory notes. The ambiance is very casual so this is meant for a low stakes meal. Self serve water is available as well.

Give this place a try guys! The price is amazing and real authentic guilin noodle. Parking is hard…read morebut the owner is a nice guy. 15 dollars for a bowl of noodle. Where else can you find a deal like this.

Good spot Would recommend…read more Very authentic and slicing and cooking of things from tripe to shank on pt. IMHO some of these are too authentic to go mainstream for the western customer.

Mini Pancakes Bahn Khot -- super fresh, fragrant and flavorful. I love the basil and mint that came…read morewith the roll. Every mouthful had a nice hint of buttery flavor from the pancake and then a hint of freshness from the veggies. Spicy Shaken Beef Pho -- flavorful beef broth, perfect amount of saltiness, lots of fresh beef slices. Super filling and warm! The food was delicious and fresh! Would come back and try their other dishes, their standard pho was yummy and flavorful!

We were in the area figuring out where to eat when a lady eating Bánh Khọt in the her freakin' car…read morecame up on my feed. Eating anything with nước chấm in the car is diabolical. With my luck, my car would smell like hello kitty for weeks. Anyhow, I found Mẹ Và Con on yelp, a mother-daughter owned resto that opened in 2024. They serve bánh khọt and have outdoor seating so we headed over. Thankfully, we arrived before the Sunday dinner rush (~5:45 pm) and before the parking lot was filled. Rezzies are accepted (via phone). M E N U Viet Cuisine with some elevated, modern twists (no specific regional specialty). Smaller menu than your typical hole-in-the-wall with 25-30 items including AZN fusion items like shrimp ceviche, kimchi pasta and tom yum pasta. Beer, wine, and soju cocktails available. F O O D * Bò Tái Chanh: Beef Carpaccio w/ Thai basil, fried shallot, house tangerine sauce ($18): https://tinyurl.com/nhcn9kxw - Served at dinner only Fresh, tender slices of beef carpaccio with a sweetness from the tangerine sauce and white onions. I appreciate their twist (tangerine sauce instead of nước chấm) but it was too one note for me...IMO, it needed acid and herbs. Plus, I miss the texture of peanuts. * Bánh Khọt: Viet Mini Pancakes w/ shrimp, coconut milk batter, herbs, pickles ($24): https://tinyurl.com/34nx7sat - Served at dinner only Fav dish of the night, the savory bánh khọt was delicately crispy and slightly custardy in the center with a snappy shrimp drizzled with fragrant scallion oil. It came with romaine, mint, and perilla leaves neatly layered for easy wrapping. The lettuce was a bit soft and soggy tho, and I think they forgot the pickled veggies. Served with a tiny portion of tangy sweet nước chấm. * Bò Lúc Lắc: Shaking Beef w/ soy, garlic, onion, cherry tomato, arugula ($26): https://tinyurl.com/3rkpukct Meltingly tender cubes of filet mignon but light on the seasoning and aromatics so it was bland. Also, was hoping for more smoky wok hei flavor. * Thịt Kho Tàu: Braised Pork Belly w/ hard boiled eggs, rice ($21): https://tinyurl.com/mr2evryw - Includes bowl of rice A traditional dish served during Lunar New Year, it symbolizes prosperity, warmth, and stability. Chunks of pork belly are caramelized in sugar and braised in coconut soda and fish sauce - rich, savory with a good ratio of lean meat to fat (4 pieces). Wish they used more braising liquid when warming up, as some pieces were a bit dry. S E R V I C E Warm, friendly hospitality. Food does take awhile tho...our first dish took about 30 minutes to arrive. A M B I A N C E Casual, no-frills indoor area with about 10-12 tables. Cute covered patio in the parking lot with 5 tables and fairy lights. Overall, Mẹ Và Con is a great place to introduce people that are new to Viet cuisine and/or you're looking for Viet dishes with different twist.