The Noodle Shop

We have ordered just about every beef noodle soup in the Bay Area and the noodle shop’s is our favorite out of all of them. It’s one of the cheapest, yet they are more generous with the amount of beef + the quality of the soup is superior. The noodles are thick, fat and chewy. We ordered over the phone and the food was prepared quickly and packed well, along with a complimentary cup of red bean soup. The people there were lovely. I will be back soon to try their other dishes!

Ordered by phone paid with cash. Credit card is also available. We ordered to go ( Take out ) 1. Stir fry Rice cakes with cabbage & pork 2. Beef noodle soup 3. Pot stickers 4. Salt pepper fried fish 5. Jia jang noodles 6. Garlic sautéed snow pea leaves My favorite dishes were the rice cakes & garlic sautéed snow pea leaves. Both dishes require effort to prep and cook. Great price per value for taste and quality. I highly recommend getting the snow leaves it’s so fresh and tasty! For the same amount of snow pea leaves to buy fresh at the supermarket would probably cost more than getting it to go here!

This is by far one of the BEST RESTAURANTS in the Bay Area, but you have to know what to order. Years ago, a work friend introduced me to Noodle Shop, and at one point, I literally went there 4 times in one week. The dishes that you have to get include dry chili fish filet (best thing on earth and likely made with crack), cumin lamb, and mapo tofu. Every week now, I order that exact same meal, though sometimes I double the order of dry chili fish because it's that addictive. One time, I ordered the dry chili fish on my way home from work and was intending to have it for dinner, but I made the mistake of leaving it in the front passenger seat. After the long traffic jam, I noticed when I got home that all of the fish was gone and I was covered in chili. That's how good it is. I now know that you cannot have it within arm's distance if other members of your family want some too. It's unfortunate that Noodle Shop doesn't get the foot traffic that the other San Mateo restaurants in the downtown get because I can tell you that I've tried those other places, and they don't hold a candle to Noodle Shop. Every time there is a potluck, I just bring NS, and I win the meal. Right now, they're only doing take out, but I hope that we'll soon be able to dine-in again so that my friends and I can go back every month for our work reunions like we did before. I'm salivating and getting hungry now thinking about it.

I would say this place is more 3.5 stars. The chicken I ordered wasn't bad and the portions are huge for a good price. My friend's noodle soup also looked pretty good. The Xiao long bao (pictures) was decent. I would say avoid the scallion pancake though; it tasted doughy and bland, even with the sauce. Not crisp enough.

Real Chinese food that tastes great and at a reasonable price. Menu items listed in Chinese first and then followed by English descriptions. Lunch specials are a great bargain. Pot of tea served as soon as you are seated. I was served way too much food but I managed to eat it all. Free 2 hour parking on the street in front of restaurant. Eat in, take out or delivery available.