Amazing service , especially food and ambiance 10/10…read more Recommend coco matcha and coffee flan

Amazing Vietnamese restaurant! The food was fresh, flavorful, and came out quickly. The service was…read morefriendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. The atmosphere was clean, cozy, and relaxing, making it a great place to enjoy a meal. I'll definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for delicious Vietnamese food!

The portions are amazing for the price, it was so much food I couldn't even finish it. Highly…read morerecommend if you love huge portions of poke. The time it took to make took a little bit, but it's totally worth the wait. I was kind of lost trying to look for the entrance, but found it behind the Subway.

I love finding hidden gems like this and supporting small businesses!…read more It's a small place and tables are limited but portions are very generous and the quality was good. I was especially surprised how good the salad was in the poke. Normally poke places just throw some veggies and call it a day but Sodam really made the effort to make the entire plate elevated. Although limited staff, the cashier was still attentive and asked if I needed anything or water which I appreciated very much. It seems like most people order online so I will try that next time!

My family and I were looking for a lunch place near Cabrillo Aquarium and were so pleased to find…read moreA&J Seafood Shack. The small shop is casual and clean. There are no public restrooms. The person who helped us was very sweet and helpful. We had the Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Combo Fried Rice, and Khmer sausage. Everything was made fresh and really hit the spot for us. Definitely worth checking out!

Really bummed! Came in Sunday morning and so many thing were…read moreout of stock! Short ribs, shrimp with head for their Cajun bags, lobster ... kinda makes you wonder how this is even possible!!

I almost missed the place and went right by it because from the street view the trees are blocking…read morethe sign and building. I ordered garlic noodles to go. I have been wanting to try these for a while so, I'm glad I finally got the chance. My order did not take long but there was only person inside besides myself. The employee that greeted had a smile. I think the place inside is cute and nice and clean but it's just really easy to miss. Plus the noodles were $16 with no protein but it had such good flavor and I would definitely be back just for this.

Not usually a review writing type of person, but my friends and I came to the Hiccups on Carson…read moreStreet last night, and were met with pretty rude service right off the bat. We understood that we came in pretty late and close to closing, but we weren't planning on dining in, we just wanted to get 3 drinks and 1 food item to go. As soon as we walk in, we received with "we're closed for dining" which all three of us said okay, got it. As we took a look at the menu to figure out what we had wanted, we were met with annoyed stares and sighs as they watched us. This interaction in its full entirety lasted about 10 minutes from walk-in, to waiting, and leaving. It was a pretty uncomfortable situation, and kind of disappointing, as the girls making the drinks not only rolled their eyes and let out sighs while simply making our drinks, messing up one of them up and saying "oh well" and continued to make faces. Which is fine, I didn't ask for it be remade since I didn't want to further interact with the women during this closing shift in this establishment as to not want to feel anymore uncomfortable as we had been with the treatment from the staff. Along with the service not being the greatest, the food item we had ordered Pad See Ew, ended up containing quite a few pieces of meat that we weren't anticipating, considering one of us doesn't eat meat, it unfortunately caused pretty bad stomach issues. We hope that maybe we had just caught an off day with the staff and this isn't the usual service, but as it was our first time at this establishment, it will more than likely be our last.

Came by on a Thursday night and got seated immediately... and then watched the line form right…read morebehind us. Timing has never been one of my talents, but apparently it was that night. Parking is a bit of a game of chance thanks to the tiny lot, so plan accordingly. Once you're inside though, the restaurant is super clean, modern, and the service is fast and attentive. We started with the papaya salad. It was just okay--I'm still trying to figure out why there was a blanket of romaine lettuce casually lounging on top. I ordered medium spice, which turned out to be "medium if you breathe fire for fun." The papaya was also a little more raw than I personally like. The tom kha soup was decent, but the real MVP was the drunken noodles with beef. Those noodles were absolutely swimming in savory goodness and perfectly soft. I would've happily ordered a second plate and called it "dessert." Overall, I'd definitely come back--mostly because those drunken noodles are already living rent-free in my head.

My family and I were heading to the Aquarium of the Pacific and wanted to find a good dinner spot…read morenearby afterward. I came across this place on TikTok because of their famous Thai tea popsicle, so naturally I had high hopes. First off, we got incredibly lucky with parking. I can definitely see how parking could be a nightmare since the lot is tiny, so consider finding a spot part of the dining experience. When we arrived, the inside was cute and seemed clean. We were seated outside, which also looked nice at first glance, but I noticed quite a few spider webs around the windows. My boyfriend even felt webs brushing against his arm while we were sitting there, which wasn't exactly the extra ambiance we were expecting. We ordered quite a bit: spicy Pad Thai, Bang Bang Shrimp, Pad See Ew, mango sticky rice, and of course the Thai tea with the popsicle. I'll give credit where it's due. The Bang Bang Shrimp was easily the best thing we ordered and was absolutely delicious. The Thai tea popsicle also lived up to the TikTok hype, although the actual Thai tea itself was on the sweeter side. If you love sugar, you'll probably enjoy it. My biggest complaint with the food was the spicy Pad Thai. The flavor was great, but it came with what felt like a whole chicken farm and a cameo appearance from the noodles. I ordered Pad Thai, not chicken with noodle garnish. The Pad See Ew was also noticeably salty. Now you're probably wondering why I'm giving this place a low rating if most of the food was decent. Unfortunately, the service completely overshadowed the meal. When it was time to pay, my aunt was figuring out how much everyone needed to Zelle her since the restaurant only allows a maximum of two cards for split payments. While we were trying to do the math, our waiter stood over us watching the payment screen like he was supervising a final exam. He was clearly waiting to make sure a tip was entered. My aunt politely asked him to give us a minute, and thankfully he walked away. Maybe when you see a family actively calculating a bill, that's your cue to...actually give them a minute. Keep in mind we also tipped 20% despite all this. Throughout the meal, he did stop by our table, but it rarely felt like he was checking in to make sure everything was okay. If anything I felt rushed. He also gave off that "customer service smile" that disappears the moment you stop looking. The cherry on top for me happened as we were leaving. We had been sitting on the outdoor patio talking for a bit after paying, which is pretty normal for my family. Before leaving, I went inside to ask where the restroom was. The guy and girl behind the bar looked at each other, laughed, and then asked if I was a paying customer. Keep in mind, I was literally holding a to-go bag with leftovers from the restaurant. I responded, "Yeah, I just finished eating," while holding up the bag that made it painfully obvious. Only then did they tell me where the restroom was. Nothing says "valued customer" quite like being interrogated about whether you actually ate there while carrying your leftovers. It's unfortunate because the food had some highlights, and the restaurant itself has a cute atmosphere. But the service made it feel like customers are viewed more as transactions than guests. Between hovering over us during payment and questioning whether I even belonged there after spending money, I left feeling more unwelcomed than satisfied. I'll happily support a restaurant that appreciates my business instead of making me feel like I have to prove I earned the right to use the restroom after paying for dinner.

Midnight Oil is easily one of the coolest spots in Long Beach right now. I love that you get three…read moreentirely different vibes and spaces all inside one building. ​ ​Great service, amazing music, and killer food. You can spend your whole night here and never get bored. It's literally a bar crawl under one roof!

My friend Conrad and I came here on a night where we needed good vibes and good bites to make our…read moretime together worthwhile. Meaning, we were spending time together and just moving through the interaction, like clothes in a spin cycle. But going here made our time together mean something more because we had arrived at a space that elevated our mood and spirits. So we were now feeling the suds and splashes of the movement not just in the monotony of the spin. As we entered, I felt like the place was a Chinese Market but indoors. I have never bene to China (I have yet to die so maybe one day my feet will have the chance to step the Great Wall) but I feel like their street vendors would have stands like the seating motif within the main room of this joint. The place was not packed but there was no space within the wooden booths for Conrad and I. I asked for options, and they showed me two different rooms. The first room was the Hao Pen You room which was heavilty yet beautifully decorated with varying red lanterns in the ceiling. Additionally, there was a paper dragon hanging in the ceiling, swimming in the air amidst the lanterns. The host ushered me in, and milaseconds after I felt a quick sense of awe. Not like the one I felt one I saw the Sisteen Chappel, but one that compelled me to snap quick photos of the aerial view. The host understood. She stopped her explanation to give me the space to feel my wow that was delivered in a red envelope. I eventually decided to sit in this room, so there is more detail that I can deliver, but before I do, I did request to see the other room of the house. So we crossed the room with the wooden booths and stepped into an immersive Tiki Bar that gave shipwreck vibes. Like the survivors of shipwreck took what they could from the boat's carcass, and made a great bar in the beach that glowed with the light of jellyfish and had seaweed on the ceiling as decoration that was not stale like mistletoe on a doorway. When Conrad and I sat in the Hao Pen You room, we learned that it was a quasi speak easy. According to history, in the 1800's it was common for Chinese immigrants to visit gambling and opium dens behind laundry rooms to find a space that they could call their own and escape discrimination. I am sure that dens of the past did not have the blazing style of the room I was sitting in, but I did appreciate learning about the history that inspired the room. Only because the pain of the past was reshaped to honor a culture in theatrical and edgy red. Plus, as one of my pictures show, the dragon's face and laser lit eyes, made it seem like a real creature born to this earth, not one simply reserved for myth and Game of Throne episodes. I appreciated the immersive trip to Chinese's lore and history. The reason why I did not give this place 5 stars, was the food. The food in general was (maybe tragically) basic. Conrad did not confirm this fact until we were outside the restaurant. I asked him why did he not share his feelings with our server when she asked? He explained why would he, she did not cook the food, and she could not do anything? And I am from the camp, where honesty matters but I guess it might only matter to me? He might be right what does honest feedback do for a server? Conrad might have been practicing "restaurant politeness" like keep the situation civil because if one becomes a demanding patron or eater then one breaks the social contract and becomes rude. Specifically, Conrad and I had the Vegan Dumplings, the pork buns, and rice wrapped in leaves. And even though we had different bites, and each one had their own flavor profile at the end I can only describe each bite as basic. That is my opinion, and I stand by it, as I should, as every one should. Perhaps this restaurant owns this identity. This might be a place that offers theatrical atmosphere, great drinks, vibes that make a Tuesday special, but their food might be the area that remains standard, and in the final score card the servers of the joint might be ok with that.

Recently stopped by here about a year after trying it for the first time…read more I have to say, Pasta Stories really stepped up their game in terms of serving time! The first time I ate here, it took maybe 20-25 minutes for me to get my food. This time, I had my food in around 10 minutes. I was very impressed with this big decrease in wait time. This time I tried the new Hokkaido cream pasta, which tasted super fresh and made to order. The cream was warm and rich without feeling over the top like some other cream-based pasta sauces from Italian/American places. I liked the addition of spinach and mushrooms as well. The restaurant is in a food court with a few other options, and a decent amount of seating. It's also inside of a grocery store, so if you're with a picky group, everyone could theoretically order something different and eat together. I remember I was a little put off by the anime branding of the restaurant at first (it seemed a little childish to me) but Pasta Stories is really a solid wafu pasta place, and I love that they focus on different regional flavors of Japan. Prices are very affordable as well, with most pastas being around $15 and under.

For a cost friendly meal, the expectation in quality generally tends to be low but Pasta Stories is…read morethe exception. With meals ranging from $10-$17, there is something for everyone. I personally have tried the following: Hokkaido Cream Pasta (newest addition as of late) Fukuoka Mentaiko Butter Pasta Kyoto Matcha Cream Pasta (one of my favorite dishes here - pair with salmon for a strong, umami flavor profile) Iwate Triple Mushroom Pasta Okinawa Pork Ragu Spaghetti (THE number 1 pick, however was not on the menu when I visited last) Osaka American Wagyu Meat Sauce There is a strong attention to Japanese flavors fusing with traditional Italian pasta dishes and are all made with love and care. I always recommend this place to friends and family, I can't get enough of it!

I've been wanting to try this place for quite some time now after seeing it online. I finally got…read morethe chance and am so glad I did. Loved the food!! Staff was very attentive and friendly. Dining area was clean and inviting. I even got to meet one of the owners who was so friendly and generous.

I've been curious about Seoul Bap for a while and finally made a visit during lunchtime…read more Small dining area with K-pop playing on the TV. While we waited for our food, we watched a steady stream of customers pop in for to-go orders. The Tofu Bowl is tasty! Generous amount of well-seasoned tofu with broccoli and vegan kimchi. I would easily order this again. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/seoul-bap-carson?start=360&select=-a7_XrQ0ldFhHp9BEquO6A We also ordered a side of Japchae which hit all the right notes. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/seoul-bap-carson?start=360&select=A_siOYWwBr5ZlliuWzRD4A I appreciate that the menu marks all vegan options. I'll likely come back again. The only thing that might stop me is the small parking lot that is shared with Walmart.