Top Chinese Noodle Restaurant in Oakland
Huangcheng Noodle House
911 Washington St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
My friend and I finally got a chance to try out the menu here. We were stoked to find a down to earth Chinese restaurant, no frills, that wasnt promoting some sort of fusion. ( theres enough of those places splattered throughout the Bay) The noodles were great. Its the spices they use that were quite unique. Its not easy finding a spot that serves up flavors that are familiar to things i eat in China. Of course familiarity doesnt always mean good... in this case im interested to go back and try more dishes!
Fen Classic Guilin Rice Noodles
188 10th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
I found Classic Guilin Rice Noodles on Yelp when searching of places that were open after 9 pm in Oakland. It caught my attention as its cuisine was not from the common Sichuan, Hong Kong or Shanghainese cuisine that dominates the non-Panda Express landscape within the US. A quick google search showed that the Guilin is a city from the Guangxi province in the southern part of China which is famous for its beautiful scenery and its rice noodles which are known throughout China.It is located on 10th & Alice which I wouldn’t call as the heart of Oakland Chinatown but surely within it. At around 9:15 pm the restaurant was completely empty which I did not take as a good sign. I approached the counter and asked for a menu from the server/hostess who was definitely surprised to see me. Anyway, the menu mentions that their signature dish is the noodle sampler bowl which has five small bowls of dry rice noodles with different toppings and a central bowl with a thick white dipping broth. As this dish is not convenient for take out I kept looking at the extensive menu with a gazillion combinations and settled on getting the Beef brisket & marinated beef Guilin Rice Noodles ($10.57) large to-go. I was charged another dollar for the to-go containers (there is a tiny sign on the counter that proclaims this) and even though they do take cards I think I did not hit the minimum and had to pay cash.After ordering it was a small 10-minute wait and I was on my way. I got two containers one for the broth and the other for the noodles which was a good start. The noodles were cooked correctly but the beef toppings were of very poor quality. The broth was clean and not overly salty but is was not like the thick white broth that I saw in the pictures of the sampler noodle dish on the menu. Overall it was average.Price wise it was definitely more expensive when you compare with what you will pay for a bowl of noodles in other Chinese restaurants in Oakland Chinatown but I’ll let that pass as this is specialized cuisine which will have a much smaller draw as compared to more mainstream Chinese restaurants. I think it would be better to dine-in at this restaurant rather than to get something to-go. I guess I’ll stop by when I get a chance and update my review at that point. For now I’m constrained to go with an A-OK grade.
Dumpling Hours - Oakland
3331 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610, United States
I love a good dumpling venue!!!! However this is not the one.Didn't care for this one. They are very stingy with napkins, water refills and condiments in general. I was bypassed when the server gave out water. Very cold restaurant!!! The sticky chicken appetizer did not come until I completed my meal and so had to remind the server to give it to me. Then it has an excessive amount of honey and batter. I know why!!!! Chicken was old. I told the waitress that 1 piece was old but it was too hot to test the rest plus I had an appointment. The noodles with chives and ginger were good. The fried dumpling was very greasy and not drained but yummy. Small red dish was dirty and the waitress just wiped it out instead of providing a new one. She was not friendly until it was time to pay the bill and tip. Before then she didn't understand what I was saying.Too bad!!!!
China taste
369 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
This is my favorite place in the Bay! My boyfriend and I have literally gone to this restaurant 3 times this week. The service is wonderful and personalized. We’re greeted with a smile every time we walk in and the atmosphere is very inviting. The food delicious, the portions are generous and the price is right. Highly recommend for anyone in search of a new Chinese spot with yummy noodles and dim sum!
Spices Noodle House
369 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
So do you like Spices 3? the amazing sezchuan place across the street?? Do you like noodles?! BEEF NOODLES?!This place actually has the same owner as Spices 3, so their flavor is amazing and on point! Best of all, it's still not well know so for those quiet chilly Bay Area nights a bowl of hot soup and deliciously chewy qq noodles will warm your stomach warm your heart. I'm super surprised there wasn't a review or even a picture already!Everyone should give this places' brisket noodles a try, either original or spicy. I saw on yelp they have really good wings too!! (Not surprising as the explosive fried wings at Spices 3 is me and my bf's fav dish!) Didn't get to try it as the bowl of noodles was huge. Def will come back and bring more friends over.I believe this is the old Spices 3 location- so next time you find that Spices 3 across the street has too long of a wait, do NOT hesitate to give Spicy Noodle house a chance! This place def deserves to be filled like its predecessor!
R noodles
930 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
These days I seldom write and put up Intel like new openings as competition is fierce giving away to those that dont do the work. Best to be kept to yourself is how you make a living. It used to be Chans Kitchen before R noodles. Minor changes and wall paper art rest of place same. English and chinese is spoken so no problem being hungry and saying cant read or speak the language. At lunch time they ran out of ingredients to make other dishes including noodle bowl. I wanted the #3 pork, but end up getting #5 sirlion stew rice noodle soup. Although it was tasty, the price didnt reflect on it. I would say by dropping two dollars off and youll have people in line waiting. How can you run out of ingredients during lunch when people are thinking were to go for lunch?
Top other services in Oakland:
Original Pattern Brewing
292 4th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
Having sampled their beer at a festival years ago, I was thrilled to finally experience their brewery firsthand.Highlights:Beer Flights: I opted for two flights, each featuring 12 different selections of IPAs, hazies, and stouts. Every single beer was outstanding—flavorful, well-crafted, and a testament to their expertise.Ambiance: The vibes were fantastic. Even on a busy weekend night, the wait was minimal thanks to the attentive staff. Upstairs seating provided a great view.Food Pairing: Citizen Pizza, available on-site, perfectly complemented the beer. Their pizza is top-notch, making it an ideal spot for both celebrations and casual hangouts.I'll definitely be returning for more exceptional beer and delicious pizza. Cheers!
Pho King
638 International Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606, United States
I was lowkey a bit worried about the post where someone said he was worried about the car break-ins, but it turned out the area has cleaned up a lot and honestly I didn't feel it was dangerous. But I guess still watch out for car break-ins regardless in Oakland.The chicken pho is the best chicken pho I've had in a while. My friend got a seafood pho and it was phenomenal as well. He said it reminded him for Hokkaido seafood ramen, which I consider a high form of compliment.We both really enjoyed our pho. The soups are flavored so well, the chicken pho was better with their house made chili sauce. Kind of surprised that this place is not known to many people still.It's not a fancy restaurant but it's the kind of restaurant I like the most - your mom and pop community restaurant that just serves really good food with good price. Most of the people there seemed to be regulars. People were chatting and having fun, which I loved to see. Will come back again soon.
Bens
398 3rd St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
So, picture this: I stroll into Bens joint expecting a flavor fiesta in my mouth, but what do I get? A lukewarm greeting and an interior thats as exciting as watching paint dry. Seriously, they need to hire an interior decorator who didnt flunk out of design school.Now, lets talk about the menu. Its like they threw darts at a Chinese takeout menu and whatever it landed on, they added. Variety is the spice of life, but Bens takes it to a whole new level of confusion. General Tsos chicken meets sweet and sour pork in a bizarre dance of culinary chaos.But hey, the food wasnt a total disaster. It was edible, I guess. If youre into that kind of thing. Ive had more exciting flavor explosions from a microwave dinner, though. And the portions? Its like theyre rationing rice in a post-apocalyptic world. I left hungrier than a vulture at a vegan buffet.Service, oh boy. The waitstaff was about as attentive as a sloth on sedatives. I had to wave my arms like I was directing air traffic just to get a dang refill on my water. And dont get me started on the wait time – I couldve grown a beard waiting for my Kung Pao chicken.Now, lets talk ambiance. The place is about as cozy as a Siberian prison cell. The lighting is so dim; I thought I was having dinner in a cave. And the decor? Its like they raided a thrift store from the 80s and said, Yeah, thisll do.In conclusion, Bens Chinese Cuisine is the kind of place you go to when youve lost all hope for a fantastic meal but still want to convince yourself you made a reasonable choice. Its not the worst, but its not winning any culinary awards. Three stars, only because Im feeling generous today. Cheers to mediocrity!