The taste is not bad but the noodles are machine-made dry noodles, not freshly made "sharp noodles", which is very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Yak
The pan-fried food is good. It’s just that the price of potato shreds is a bit strange
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
N A
Dinner on a business trip to the US.Today, of course, with my colleagues.It had a very mild flavor and was delicious.I'm full of carbohydrates. Thank you for the meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Wei-Ai Tai
One of my new favorite Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area! The pan-fried bao is one of the best I have ever had, with its unique crispy bottom and a flavorful juice. Just be careful not to burn your tongue. The beef noodle soup is also surprisingly good, and the stir-fried beef is tasty but very expensive. Friendly and efficient staff, and a large parking lot.
Bad service unfortunately ruined the rest of the experience. The food was fine and the decor was cute.Our initial male server was friendly and helpful, however once he left, NONE of the females would even acknowledge us. We were stuck there for a half hour longer than intended, due to lack of response. They wouldn't even make eye contact, or acknowledge our attempts at asking for the check. We finally had to get up and ask and were then treated rudely. We were very quiet and polite while dining, so no reason for this treatment. All other customers seemed to be waited on in a timely manner, so perhaps they don't like white people in their establishment.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
John
Spicy Pork Belly with thick noodle didn't taste right. Something funky with the spicy soup so my wife ordered another pork belly with thick noodle, NO spice. It's okay. The Special Noodle in Santa Cruz has the better Spicy Pork Belly with thick noodle soup. Great service at both locations.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Beef Roll Wrap
George Chang
Typical Chinese noodle house.Their special thing is hot wok noodle.It’s oily but delicious.Parking: Careful for the thief.Kid-friendliness: YesWheelchair accessibility: Yes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Steamed Soup Dumplings 6, Beef Roll Wrap
Sean Lum
Noodle pot broth was a flavor bomb.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley Olga
Terrible food. They put way too much MSG! You will feel extremely thirsty and dizzy after eating. Please don’t eat their food for your own health. Besides, quite expensive in terms of the food portion.Horrible service, dirty dishes, server touches food all the time. Wish I could give them a zero star.They would give free appetizers or drinks if you give 5-star reviews on google or yelp, so don’t be fooled by some good reviews.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Wil Tse
The dumpling and the spicy beef noodles are very good. Price slightly above average. Place changed hand several times in the last few years. Hope this one is successful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Steamed Soup Dumplings 6, Pan Fried Baos
Authentic variety of noodle foods. My favorite is beef
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ter L.
Came here due to my cousin's recommendation. Being a lover of all dumplings and known for being the family garbage disposal, I'd like to say I'm pretty easy to please. I'll at least try foods at least once so... why not??Special Noodle located in Milpitas' Barber Lane, where there is no shortage of eateries. To simplify, this particular restaurant is nestled a few doors down from Pepper Lunch. Seating is plentiful but due to the high foot traffic, a wait doesn't seem abnormal. Luckily, our party of two was seated immediately. Menus are viewed via QR code. Offerings range from an assortment of handmade noodles, baos, dumplings- pan fried and steamed options provided. Our meal for 2 included:* Pork Soup Pan Fried Buns* Stuffed Fish Balls* Pork Intestine Noodle Soup - Spicy* Snow Flake Pan Fried Dumplings [+$2 for pork, shrimp, & chive filling]Food:Of all the purchases, the soup bun was what I looked forward to trying the most. I honestly couldn't wrap my brain around bread-y buns with flowing liquid because wouldn't the carbs just soak up the broth?? Lmao. While this item was the most interesting, the soupy center didn't do it for me- the middle was a bit mushy and I simply would have preferred the regular steamed or pan fried stuff. Not bad, just not amazing. Snow flake pan fried dumplings were delicious. The delicately crispy top added such a nice texture to the dish. Filling was moist, well flavored, and not skimpy. Don't forget to make yourself some soy, chili, & vinegar concoction for dipping!! Stuffed fish balls are always a favorite of mine and the dish definitely didn't disappoint. I could have done without the kewpie mayo topping especially since this wasn't pictured in the photo from Special Noodle's menu but I guess the kitchen staff wanted to throw a bit of a curveball. At $10 for 6pcs, I'd have to say that price tag is a bit steep. Pork intestine soup was surprisingly really good. I was a bit scared to go with the thick noodle option due to horrendous past experiences that left me with a large bowl of inedible handmade noodles that were waaay too overwhelming to eat. Here, the thick noodles resemble udon. Highly highly recommended!! These noodles had a nice bounce to them and they didn't get soggy even as they continued to sit in the spicy broth. Flavors were good and the pickled greens gave a nice clean note to the gamey taste that innards sometimes give off. 3.5 stars but the customer service grants for a bump to 4!! I appreciate the staff letting you do your thing and not being pushy when it comes to sending you on your way. Food took a bit of time but that didn't bother me since I'd happily wait for freshly made goods.
Jenn L.
This place was on a lot of my social media as a trending spot. I think it missed mark for me. I ordered the typical stuff but maybe I felt like I didn't order properly? It was all Chinese speaking and I don't speak Mandarin so maybe the language was an issue. I felt the food lacked flavor and just wasn't what I was expecting. if I ever return, I would go with someone who spoke Mandarin.
Daniela C.
The food was fresh and so yummy, soup dumplings, pan fried dumplings and red oil wonton were huge winners! Ambiance is darling but what's up with the constant loop of Senorita by Camila Cabello, lol!
Doreen C.
Came here for lunch on Sunday with a group of 7 and there was only a 5-10 minute wait. The inside of the restaurant was bigger and cuter than expected, but the food was truly what exceeded expectations!I recommend coming here with a bigger group so you can try more things, but out of everything we ordered I particularly would recommend the pan fried buns (it was one of the best ones I've had!), and the mala soup noodle. The pan fried buns were so crispy and juicy with the right amount of dough to meat ratio. Overall would definitely come back here!
The taste is not bad but the noodles are machine-made dry noodles, not freshly made "sharp noodles", which is very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
The pan-fried food is good. It’s just that the price of potato shreds is a bit strange
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Dinner on a business trip to the US.Today, of course, with my colleagues.It had a very mild flavor and was delicious.I'm full of carbohydrates. Thank you for the meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
One of my new favorite Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area! The pan-fried bao is one of the best I have ever had, with its unique crispy bottom and a flavorful juice. Just be careful not to burn your tongue. The beef noodle soup is also surprisingly good, and the stir-fried beef is tasty but very expensive. Friendly and efficient staff, and a large parking lot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soupy Pan Fried Pork Buns 6, Sheng Jian Bao, spicy beef noodle soup 红汤牛肉面
Bad service unfortunately ruined the rest of the experience. The food was fine and the decor was cute.Our initial male server was friendly and helpful, however once he left, NONE of the females would even acknowledge us. We were stuck there for a half hour longer than intended, due to lack of response. They wouldn't even make eye contact, or acknowledge our attempts at asking for the check. We finally had to get up and ask and were then treated rudely. We were very quiet and polite while dining, so no reason for this treatment. All other customers seemed to be waited on in a timely manner, so perhaps they don't like white people in their establishment.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Spicy Pork Belly with thick noodle didn't taste right. Something funky with the spicy soup so my wife ordered another pork belly with thick noodle, NO spice. It's okay. The Special Noodle in Santa Cruz has the better Spicy Pork Belly with thick noodle soup. Great service at both locations.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Beef Roll Wrap
Typical Chinese noodle house.Their special thing is hot wok noodle.It’s oily but delicious.Parking: Careful for the thief.Kid-friendliness: YesWheelchair accessibility: Yes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Steamed Soup Dumplings 6, Beef Roll Wrap
Noodle pot broth was a flavor bomb.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terrible food. They put way too much MSG! You will feel extremely thirsty and dizzy after eating. Please don’t eat their food for your own health. Besides, quite expensive in terms of the food portion.Horrible service, dirty dishes, server touches food all the time. Wish I could give them a zero star.They would give free appetizers or drinks if you give 5-star reviews on google or yelp, so don’t be fooled by some good reviews.
Food: 1
Service: 1
The dumpling and the spicy beef noodles are very good. Price slightly above average. Place changed hand several times in the last few years. Hope this one is successful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Steamed Soup Dumplings 6, Pan Fried Baos
Restaurantji Recommends
Authentic variety of noodle foods. My favorite is beef
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here due to my cousin's recommendation. Being a lover of all dumplings and known for being the family garbage disposal, I'd like to say I'm pretty easy to please. I'll at least try foods at least once so... why not??Special Noodle located in Milpitas' Barber Lane, where there is no shortage of eateries. To simplify, this particular restaurant is nestled a few doors down from Pepper Lunch. Seating is plentiful but due to the high foot traffic, a wait doesn't seem abnormal. Luckily, our party of two was seated immediately. Menus are viewed via QR code. Offerings range from an assortment of handmade noodles, baos, dumplings- pan fried and steamed options provided. Our meal for 2 included:* Pork Soup Pan Fried Buns* Stuffed Fish Balls* Pork Intestine Noodle Soup - Spicy* Snow Flake Pan Fried Dumplings [+$2 for pork, shrimp, & chive filling]Food:Of all the purchases, the soup bun was what I looked forward to trying the most. I honestly couldn't wrap my brain around bread-y buns with flowing liquid because wouldn't the carbs just soak up the broth?? Lmao. While this item was the most interesting, the soupy center didn't do it for me- the middle was a bit mushy and I simply would have preferred the regular steamed or pan fried stuff. Not bad, just not amazing. Snow flake pan fried dumplings were delicious. The delicately crispy top added such a nice texture to the dish. Filling was moist, well flavored, and not skimpy. Don't forget to make yourself some soy, chili, & vinegar concoction for dipping!! Stuffed fish balls are always a favorite of mine and the dish definitely didn't disappoint. I could have done without the kewpie mayo topping especially since this wasn't pictured in the photo from Special Noodle's menu but I guess the kitchen staff wanted to throw a bit of a curveball. At $10 for 6pcs, I'd have to say that price tag is a bit steep. Pork intestine soup was surprisingly really good. I was a bit scared to go with the thick noodle option due to horrendous past experiences that left me with a large bowl of inedible handmade noodles that were waaay too overwhelming to eat. Here, the thick noodles resemble udon. Highly highly recommended!! These noodles had a nice bounce to them and they didn't get soggy even as they continued to sit in the spicy broth. Flavors were good and the pickled greens gave a nice clean note to the gamey taste that innards sometimes give off. 3.5 stars but the customer service grants for a bump to 4!! I appreciate the staff letting you do your thing and not being pushy when it comes to sending you on your way. Food took a bit of time but that didn't bother me since I'd happily wait for freshly made goods.
This place was on a lot of my social media as a trending spot. I think it missed mark for me. I ordered the typical stuff but maybe I felt like I didn't order properly? It was all Chinese speaking and I don't speak Mandarin so maybe the language was an issue. I felt the food lacked flavor and just wasn't what I was expecting. if I ever return, I would go with someone who spoke Mandarin.
The food was fresh and so yummy, soup dumplings, pan fried dumplings and red oil wonton were huge winners! Ambiance is darling but what's up with the constant loop of Senorita by Camila Cabello, lol!
Came here for lunch on Sunday with a group of 7 and there was only a 5-10 minute wait. The inside of the restaurant was bigger and cuter than expected, but the food was truly what exceeded expectations!I recommend coming here with a bigger group so you can try more things, but out of everything we ordered I particularly would recommend the pan fried buns (it was one of the best ones I've had!), and the mala soup noodle. The pan fried buns were so crispy and juicy with the right amount of dough to meat ratio. Overall would definitely come back here!